The Little Pony Legend: A New Generation

by MaggiesHeartLove

Chapters

Chapter 1- A New Friend
Chapter 2–Gonna Be Our Day
Chapter 4–An unexpected visitor
Chapter 5–Meeting JewelHorns
Chapter 7–Zephyr Heights
Chapter 8–Angry Mob
Chapter 9–Princess Rescue
Chapter 10–The Lost Treasures
Chapter 11– Glowing Up
Chapter 12–The Team Assembles
Emperor Sprout
Campfire Warmth
Promises and memories
Fit Right In
Just Prance
Uniting the Crystals
The Paladins Return
You Raise Me Up
The Nuckelavee
Hand in Hoof
Feeling the love
Prologue
Chapter 3–Canterlogic Disaster
Chapter 6–Hitch and Hunk to the rescue
The Magic of Friendship Grows
Final Letter

Chapter 1- A New Friend

Chapter 1: A New Friend

“No!” Sunny Starscout shouted.

Sprout took one of her figures and started using it to attack one of his own.

“They’re not supposed to fight. The paladins are friends, they’re supposed to get along, remember?”

“Boring!” Spout groaned.

Hitch Trailblazer snatched the action figure from Sprout’s hoof, handing it back to Sunny.

“Here you go, Sun,” He said, flashing a warm smile.

Somehow that little gift to Sunny always made her insides feel funny. Like swallowing a swarm of butterflies, and the way their wings tickled her.

“Thanks, Hitch.”

“You two are so gross!” He complained, sticking his tongue out.

Hitch narrowed his eyes at him, hoping he didn’t notice the way his face heated up. Once again, Sunny Starscout came to day-care with her cardboard Pegasus wings, which resulted in most of the other ponies and elves laughing at her. Even James Griffin, Sprout’s best elf-friend.

The only ones not laughing were Hitch and his elf friend, Hunk Garret. He was a chubby elf, almost always with some type of pastry in his hands or complaining about the daycare snacks. He often collected snacks and tried creating his own, which surprisingly proved quite a hit amongst the other kids.

“Ah Sunny, always want to play the same way,” James complained.

“But that’s how it was,” Sunny replied.

She jumped from her seat and pranced about the room, careful not to tumble over the blocks and toys amongst the other children.

“My dad told me that in the olden times all three pony and elf kinds used to be friends, and the paladins—”

“You’re wrong,” Sprout gagged again. “The paladins hated each other.”

“No they didn’t!”

“Yeah they did. They started saying bad stuff about each other and used their magic against each other. That’s what my mom says. That unicorns and mages zapped earth ponies and earth elves and fried them into a crisp. So the earth ponies and earth elves kicked their butts in an epic battle and if they ever tried to come back to Maretime Bay we’ll kick their butts again!”

Sunny’s face was already turning red with anger.

“Those are lies!” Sunny exclaimed.

“Hey, you guys, quit fighting or we’ll get in trouble,” Hitch stepped in between.

“Hitch, tell him!” Sunny faced Hitch.

“Well,” Hitch spoke hesitantly. “That is kind of what our teacher said in history class.”

But the moment he saw the hurt look on Sunny’s face, he felt his chest tighten.

“But we can play it your way, Sunny. I don’t mind.”

“Well I do!” Sprout argued. “It’s a boring game. Let’s play Pegasus barbecuing and fairy dilapidating instead.”

“Those are my toys!” Sunny cried out. “You can’t do that to them!”

Sunny tried swiping her toys away but Sprout just tossed one over his head and James caught it.

“Try and fly with those wings!” James taunted.

He ran around, waving the figurine in the air. Sunny chased after him, tears swelling in her eyes.

“Stop it, James! Stop it! Give it back! James!”

Hitch, thinking fast, knocked down a few toy blocks, tripping James and the figurine dropped from his hand landing upon the floor. Hitch picked it up, casually handing it back to Sunny.

“Thanks, Hitch.”

The head of the daycare, a kindly elderly elf woman, clapped her hands together signaling everyone’s attention.

“Alright, everyone. Time to clean up. Your parents should be here any minute.”

***

The daycare flooded with parents picking up their children. Sunny galloped towards her father, Argyle, while Sprout ran up to his mother, Phyllis Cloverleaf.

“Hey, sweetie. Did you have fun?”

“Yeah, Mom. We played unicorn frying brains!”

“That’s my brave boy,” Phyllis said proudly.

“I didn’t think it was a lot of fun,” Hitch spoke, walking with his parents. “Really hurt Sunny’s feelings.”

His eyes narrowed with disapproval towards Sprout, who stuck his tongue out in response.

“Sweetheart,” Phyllis sighed. “How many times have I told you not to play with that little pony?

“And why’s that Phyllis?” Argyle asked, overhearing the conversation.

Sunny hid behind her father, feeling her heart break over the pony’s choice of words.

“Because its bad enough your brainwashing your own daughter, we don’t need you doing the same to the rest of the children with your nonsense.”

“It’s called ‘research’, Phyllis. And, by the way, I leave all the brainwashing in Maretime Bay to you.”

“You’re an Earth pony, Argyle. You should really start acting like one… at least for her sake.”

And without another word, Phyllis led her son away leaving Sunny to rub her nose trying so hard not to cry. She felt a nudge upon her shoulder and turned toward Hitch, who’s hoof nestled upon her.

“Don’t listen to her,” Hitch spoke. “I think you’re awesome.”

Those were the only words he could say before his parents led him away. More than enough words to make Sunny’s insides feel warm inside, like a freshly baked cupcake.

“Who does he think he is? Talking to me like that!” Phyllis muttered to herself. “That pony is trouble.”

“Don’t worry, mom,” Sprout assured. “When I become sheriff, I’ll keep everybody in line.”

“Mm… ‘Sheriff’ Sprout. That does have a nice ring to it.”

Argyle led Sunny away from the daycare, but the whole walk he noticed how Sunny still looked crestfallen. Her ears drooped, as did her tail which dragged against the grass.

“What’s the matter, Sunny Bunny?”

“Sprout and everybody else still don’t believe me,” Sunny said quietly.

“Maybe one day they will. The important thing is that you stand up for what you believe in. Okay?”

Sunny looked toward her father. How his kind eyes and warm smile worked like magic, somehow seeping away all her sorrows.

“Well, when I grow up, I’m going to prove everybody that we’re right.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah! And someday both of us will meet unicorns, and pegasuses, and mages and fairies, and we’ll be best friends forever.”

“Well, I certainly can’t wait for that day. Who knows? It might be closer than we think.”

***

Sunny was so excited for dinner. Argyle was making her favorite: Mac n’ Cheese! But soon as they walked into their house, however, they were horrified.

The entire kitchen was ransacked! The winders were wide open, pots and pans scattered about, broken dishes amongst split teacups, and all their cabinets wide open. Cookie and cracker crumbs littered the counter, slices of bread removed from the icebox. Argyle kept Sunny behind him, as he cautiously approached the counter. His ears flicked, detecting the faint sound of breathing. When Argyle poked his head over the counter, he gasped.

Curled along the floor, his mouth covered in crumbs and stains of jelly from the open jar upon the counter, the rest dripping onto the floor, was a small elf boy. His skin was fair, his hair an ebony black, and his deep purple eyes filled with tears. The young elf looked up and squeaked in fright, covering his shaking head. He looked so skinny that his clothes practically hung off his frail body.

Sunny curiously studied the elf, her heart tightening at the sight of him. She slowly walked up to him, her hooves stepping on a few crackers.

“It’s okay,” She said softly. “We’re not going to hurt you.”

The elf boy uncurled himself, sobbing as he stared toward the kindly pony.

“I…” He stuttered. “I-I-I’m sorry. I was hungry; I didn’t mean to—”

“No, no, don’t you worry about that son,” Argyle said kindly.

He lifted a hoof toward the elf boy, who flinched upon contact.

“Gosh… you must’ve really been through something. Where are your parents?”

“My… my parents?”

“Yeah,” Sunny spoke up. “Your mom and dad.”

“I… don’t have a mom,” The elf boy confessed. “And my dad is…”

His eyes swelled with tears again and he curled up, burying his face deeply into his arms. Sunny pulled aside his bangs as he cried, catching sight of a bright, shiny red stone on the elf’s forehead. She gasped and jumped away. Once the elf boy realized what she’d seen, he quickly covered the jewel.

“Please, don’t hurt me! I know I’m a mage… but please don’t bite or trample me!”

“What? We won’t trample you,” Argyle assured.

He too noticed the stone, but unlike Sunny, he didn’t flinch. In fact, from the moment he saw the stone, a smile swept across his face. He wrapped a hoof around the boy’s shoulder, wiping away his tears with the other.

“What’s your name?”

“Keith. Keith Kogan.”

“Nice to meet you, Keith. My name’s Argyle, and that’s my daughter, Sunny.”

Sunny herself stared upon Keith with wide-eyed wonder. “Whoa… a real mage! Can you do magic? Make things float?”

“N-No,” Keith stuttered, almost in shame. “I don’t have magic.”

“You don’t?”

“Now Sunny, let’s not pester him,” Argyle suggested, rubbing the boy’s arms soothingly. “Why don’t you stick around for dinner? You must be starving.”

“Yeah! Daddy’s making mac n’ cheese!” Sunny pranced.

“Just tell us when you’re ready. No pressure.”

Keith sniffed, wiping away the snot with his long jacket sleeve. He smiled, feeling a sense of comfort for the first time in… who knows how long?

***

After dinner, Sunny was so excited to play with her new friend. She led him through the lighthouse, showing him drawings, of Pegasus ponies, unicorns and fairies.

“And look! That’s a mage, just like you.”

Sunny pointed toward the stick figure with pointy ears and a plastic jewel sticker she stuck along the forehead. Keith tilted his head. Aside from the jewel, the depiction wasn’t very accurate. The body was too thin’ the fingers looked more like garden rakes. Still, he was touched over how welcoming she and her father were.

“Oh, oh, Daddy, don’t forget!”

“Don’t worry, I didn’t,” Argyle called out.

“Don’t forget what?” Keith asked curiously.

“I’ll show you,” Sunny smiled.

The mare led Keith to her arts-and-crafts table, which was as messy as Keith expected it to be. Sunny searched until she found what she was looking for. A drawing of all six elf and pony races happily playing together.

“Read what it says!” Sunny insisted.

Keith held the drawing close to his face, reading the words aloud.

“Dear unicorns, pegasi, mages, and fairies, you have friends in Maretime Bay.”

“We’re going to send it,” Sunny excitedly pranced about.

“How?”

To answer his question, Argyle revealed a paper lantern and together they tied the letter to the string. Lighting the lantern, they released it into the sky which already turned pink from the setting sun’s aura.

“Do you think they’ll find it?” Keith asked.

“Sure they will,” Argyle smiled, pulling Sunny and Keith close.

***

“Come on, Keith! You can sleep with me. Can he, Daddy?”

“If he’s okay with it,” Argyle chuckled.

Keith had never slept near anyone besides his dad before. But just by the way Sunny looked at him, so excitedly, he just couldn’t hurt her feelings and say ‘no’. He crawled into her bed, astounded over how soft it was. He laid his head upon the pillow, feeling like falling asleep right then and there… that is till Sunny shook his arm.

“Hey! Don’t fall asleep, yet! Daddy hasn’t told the story yet.”

“You want me to tell it again?” Argyle asked jokingly.

“Yeah! And Keith’s never heard it. Have you ever heard the story of the Paladins?”

“No?” Keith shook his head.

“Well then,” Argyle began. “Gather round, children. It’s story time.”

Sunny and Keith sat upright, with Sunny nestled close beside him. Her coat warmed him more so than the blankets and the ultra-soft mattress.

“Once upon a time, many, many moons ago, in ancient Equestria, there lived a very brave and beautiful—”

“Unicorn!” Sunny said.

“Yes,” Argyle chuckled. “Her name was Llamrei, and she was very bright.”

“As bright as the sun.”

“One day, she decided to travel through the swamp of despair to reach twilight meadow and bathe in the crystal lake. Many warned her not to go alone, but she didn’t listen. She was far too vain to believe some pony as intelligent and radiant as herself would need help from anyone. When she reached the swamp, Llamrei was immediately caught in the mucky goo!”

Both Sunny and Keith gasped, the former wrapped her hooves around Keith for protection. Even though she heard this story many times, it never failed to get an emotion out of her.

“She couldn’t get out. She cried for help, but no one could hear her. No one… except for a wandering earth elf.”

“Arthur!”

“Yes, his name was Arthur. An adventure elf in search of the crystal lake. When he heard Llamrei’s cries, he cleverly pulled out his rope, tied it around her neck and pulled her out from the bog. Llamrei was so grateful, she insisted on accompanying him to the crystal lake. Humbled by the ordeal, Arthur agreed and as a sign of respect she allowed him to ride on her back.

“And together, they arrived at the crystal lake where they met the legendary Maiden and her six Maiden Mares.”

Keith and Sunny listened with widened eyes and hanging jaws.

“The Maiden, so moved by the two new friends, requested they gather a group of valiant heroes representing the values of kindness, honesty, loyalty, selflessness, cleverness, and bravery. Arthur and Llamrei searched far and wide before stumbling upon a group of friends who perfectly suited the Maiden’s words.

“There was the fairy, Lancelot, and his Pegasus, Nimue. Their sisters, Morgana and Circe. The mage Guinevere and unicorn Titania. The earth elf, Bedivere, and earth pony, Perseus. When they returned to the crystal lake, the Maiden and her Mares dubbed them… the Paladins of Harmony!

“And from that day onward, the paladins embarked on many adventures, battling many foes, and making many friends along the way. Together, they taught the magic of friendship and how to live in harmony. Soon, Arthur and Llamrei became the first king and queen of both elves and ponies of all kinds. And they’d call this new land, Avalon, the capital of Equestria itself.”

“Whoa…” Keith gasped, in awe. “And where are the Paladins now?”

Almost immediately, Keith regretted asking upon seeing the saddened faces upon Sunny and Argyle.

“Well… not everyone was happy living with others. Legend says their most trusted advisor, Mordred, and his pony friend, Puck, started spreading rumors of the paladins behind their backs and used tricks to make them seem real. Eventually, those rumors spread toward the other ponies and elves, and before long, even the luminous city of Avalon crumbled to ruins. As for the Paladins… they just stopped being friends after that.”

“But, if they were lies, why didn’t anyone try telling the truth?” Keith asked.

“Sometimes, it’s easier to believe a lie than the truth. Which is why it’s my job as historian to always find that truth and share it with the world, so we never repeat our mistakes again.”

Argyle soon pulled out a music box in the shape of a carousel with a pony, unicorn and Pegasus figurine. Upon their backs were three elf types: earth elves, fairies, and mages.

“You finished it!” Sunny said excitedly.

“Pretty neat, huh?”

Argyle placed the carousel on Sunny’s nightshade, pressed a button, and the crystal above it lit up. Soon, its light filled the walls with images of the six races together in harmony.

“It’s beautiful!” Sunny spoke dreamily.

Keith too stood mesmerized by the sight. He’d only ever known his father and never much about the other ponies or elves, only that he’d stay away from them. He never told Keith ‘why’ he didn’t have magic like the old stories would say, only that his father promised to explain to Keith when he was older. He always suspected it was the gently way of saying he didn’t have magic, or perhaps was born defective.

But right now, as he laid back beside Sunny, who snuggled beside him, she yawned, and her eyelids dropped slowly.

“I’m so glad I have a new friend who can float stuff,” Sunny sighed. “We’ll have so much fun together, Keith… and one day, we’re all going to be friends again. Unicorns, pegasuses, and earth ponies, with mages and fairies and earth elves…”

Sunny’s eyes finally closed, as the little mare fell asleep beside Keith. Argyle tucked them both in, and he planted a kiss upon Sunny’s head.

“Sir,” Keith whispered, so as not to wake Sunny. “Will the other Earth ponies like me?”

Argyle looked mournfully, shaking his head in melancholy with a heavy sigh.

“Keith, why don’t we… keep this our little secret, okay? I’m afraid not every pony is ready to meet a real mage just yet.”

“Oh…”

Keith hung his head low in response. His bangs shadowed his eyes and his tears. Argyle lifted his head with a single hoof, smiling warmly.

“But one day, we’ll change their minds. One step at a time. In the meantime, we will do our part. Hand in hoof and heart to heart.”

Keith felt a slight better, as Argyle switched off the carousel, and all the shadow shapes disappeared.

“Good night, Mr. Argyle.”

“Good night, Keith.”

Argyle closed the door behind him, as Keith wrapped an arm around the new pony friend beside him.

“Good night, Sunny.”

Author's Note

Okay, so status update. I finally got myself a job, so I’m gonna be working from seven to three thirty, as of now anyway. So I’m going to have my writing limited to either free time at work, or during the weekend, like right now.

As you could probably tell, I’ve taken a lot of liberties with this retelling, not only with the inclusion of the VLD characters but also with the worldbuilding, mixing in some Arthurian Folklore with the world’s backstory. I’ve become obsessed with Arthurian legend as of late, I will admit! There is just something about it that makes me keep coming back for more. I finally understand why so many people love the stories so much, and why they have left such an impact on the world.

I based these Paladins of Harmony off of the knights of the round table, the fall of Camelot (here called Avalon to avoid confusion with Canterlot) so I hope you won’t mind the changes.

Man, it feels great to get back to my roots again! Really makes me acknowledge how much I have grown since my college days when I first started The Little Pony Legend. Hope to see you guys next time, God bless, *kiss, kiss*

Chapter 2–Gonna Be Our Day

Chapter 2: Gonna Be Our Day

The alarm on Keith’s clock went off, and he angrily smashed it to the floor with his pillow. His hair was in shambles, raven strands stuck out in all directions. Meanwhile, a fully grown Sunny Starscout poked her head from behind his bed. She zipped back downwards, sneakily surrounding him like a shark about to devour its prey. She waited for just the right moment and…

“GOOOOOOD MORNING, BIG BROTHER!!!”

Sunny jumped on his bed, bouncing up and down until Keith woke up with a scream.

“Sunny—what—did we—talk about—morning ambush?!” Keith asked, between jumps.

His mattress pressed against his back, knocking the wind out of him several times. He sought his chance and pushed Sunny off his bed, but the always cheerful Sunny was unfazed.

“Wake up, sleepy head. Don’t want to be late for today.”

Keith sat upright along the side of his bed. His great shirt and long blue pajama pants were all wrinkled, dark circles formed beneath his eyes.

“Right…” He yawned, stretching out. “What’s today again?”

Suddenly, he froze once he eventually remembered. He groaned and fell backward on the bed, his fingertips massaging his forehead particularly along the sides of his stone.

“Oh no… Sunny, please…”

“What? I wasn’t going to say anything.”

“Sunny, you know I love you. But do we have to go through this every year?”

“Come on, Keith. I actually have a plan this time.”

“Sunny!” Keith immediately stood from his bed; his voice rose briefly till he lowered it down again. “Please… I know you want to help and I appreciate it, I really do. But… wouldn’t it be nice if you’d trust me a little more too? Why do you think I joined the police force?”

“I know, I know…” Sunny sighed, rolling her eyes.

“To ease folks into the idea mages are like everyone else…” They spoke in unison.

“So… when exactly do you plan on telling Hitch that you’re a mage?”

“When the time is right.”

“But what if it’s never the right time? Dad always said you need to ‘make’ an opportunity rather than wait for one.”

“I know what I’m doing, Sunny. Look just… promise me you won’t do anything crazy today. I don’t want to have to escort you from the premises… again.”

“But—”

“Promise!” Keith held out his pinkie finger.

“No… not the pinkie. Anything but the pinkie!”

Keith held his pinkie even higher until Sunny had no choice but to comply. She held out her hoof, since she had no pinkies, and tapped his with the edge of her hoof.

“I promise I will try not to do anything crazy.”

“Thank you,” Keith sighed. “Now get out. I need to change and I’m late enough as it is.”

“Fine,” Sunny smiled, trotting toward the door. “Come downstairs when you’re done. I made your favorite: Chocolate Chip Waffles.”

“You’re the best, Sunny!”

“I know!”

Sunny walked up the stairs of the lighthouse, which was littered with drawings and pictures of her foalhood. Pictures of herself, Keith and Argyle together, of mages riding atop unicorns, fairies flying with pegasi, and earth ponies galloping alongside elves, all chasing rainbows together and singing tunes. She gathered her materials and added the finishing touch to her latest project.

“Perfect!” She said.

Sunny proceeded to fold the cardboard before stuffing it into her saddlebag, which had the paladins’ emblem imprinted onto it. In which case, a six inch star with five additional stars surrounding it. The sash itself was decorated with buttons of swords, shields, and even a Paladin’s helmet. She soon gazed out the clear windows, toward the rising sun.

Sunny:

Good morning, sun

No time to chat, I gotta run

‘Cause I got places to be

Meanwhile, Keith adjusted his police badge and stared at himself in the mirror. Using a comb he adjusted his bangs so that they were just wide and thick enough to hide his jewel.

Keith:

So much to do

Excited, yes and nervous, too

A change is starting with me

Keith stepped out of his room at the same time Sunny came down from the lighthouse upstairs. The waffles smelled heavenly. They scarfed them down like wild animals, throwing all table manners out the window. Once they were done, they wiped their faces, cleaned the dishes and…

Took a moment to stand before the picture of Argyle with his glasses and his pendant, with the paladins’ emblem carved out of the circular wood. Their father had passed away several years ago, leaving both of them orphans. But at least they had each other.

Sunny:

I never worry ‘bout upsetting carts

Hardened hearts

Keith and Sunny:

Or wonder “will I belong?”/Oh, will I finally belong?

The two stepped outside, Sunny putting on her helmet and roller skates. She tossed Keith his helmet with her hoof, which he caught with ease. The helmet helped keep his hair in place to hide his jewel.

Sunny then changed her size and he jumped on her back. Sunny rollerbladed down the path towards Maretime Bay, with Keith riding on her back, feeling the wind on his face as though he were riding on a gliding motorcycle.

Keith and Sunny:

I’ve heard it enough

I’m calling their bluff

We’ll never get lost in the grey

There’s something inside

Burns bigger than pride

Shines out of me lighting the way

Sunny:

Gonna be, gonna be, gonna be our day

Keith:

Someday will be…

Sunny:

Gonna be, gonna be, gonna be our day

Keith:

Someday will be…

Sunny:

Gonna be, gonna be, gonna be our day

Keith:

Someday will be…

Sunny stopped by an ice cream truck and Keith tied the ends of a smoothie cart to her torso then climbed back on up and Sunny roller-bladed down the walkway of the shoreline. Sunny made some extra cash selling smoothies, which were the talk of the town.

But while they were minding their own business, a certain red pony by the name of Sprout spotted the two. He nudged his elf partner, James, and the two rode off after the two adopted siblings. The latter two completely unaware.

Sunny:

Hey there, Hello!

The friends we made the friends we know

Today they answer the call

Keith:

“Patience, Sun…”

The two stopped by a couple of colts that were hitting on two piñatas, one the image of a stray looking Pegasus, and the other a unicorn. Keith grimaced as the ponies stuck the paper machete horses until candy came spilling out. Sunny sighed upon seeing the distraught look on Keith’s face.

Well, that was all going to change today…

Sunny:

Instead of “hide”

Instead of staying stuck inside

Instead of building your wall

Come on and party with us, join the band

Understand

We’ll all be singin’ the song

Sunny spotted a sad little filly with a lonely, boring old balloon. Being creative, Sunny grabbed an empty balloon and started twisting it into the shape of a unicorn pony. The little pony happily hugged it and showed it to her parents. Only to have them scream in terror.

Keith and Sunny:

I’ve heard it enough

I’m calling their bluff

We’ll never get lost in the grey

Sprout and James galloped after the two, with Sprout having stolen a skateboard from some random pony and used it to try and catch up with the other two. James wasn’t too happy about that, though he wasn’t very pleased with a lot of stuff Sprout did, but he was assigned to be his partner so what could he do?

Sunny:

Go big or go home

Keith:

Get real or get gone

Sunny:

Get ready and raring to say!

Sprout skated right over a manhole cover which was lifted by a construction elf working down below. The poor pony and his rider were thrown into the air. Sunny and Keith still ignorant about it. Sunny started placing Herat stickers with pegasi with fairies and unicorns with mages imprinted onto them and placing them everywhere. Keith, not wanting to get into trouble, snatched as many as he could without Sunny noticing.

Sunny:

Gonna be, gonna be, gonna be our day

Keith:

Someday will be…

Sunny:

Gonna be, gonna be, gonna be our day

Keith:

Someday will be…

Sunny:

Gonna be, gonna be, gonna be our day

Keith:

Someday will…

Keith watched sadly as they skated past several ponies that screamed in fear at the sight of what appeared to be a Pegasus, but in reality were just two kites, one with wings, passing by. The three foals apologized for the scare, but the grownups just grunted in annoyance.

Keith knew that changing their hearts was going to take along longer than Sunny wanted to admit.

Keith:

Everyone’s afraid

Always judging

Never budging

Sunny:

Ain’t it time we made

The team?

The dream

Oooh, ohh, oooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhh!

To try and cheer her brother up, they roller skated towards the movie theater, in front of a poster that depicted a Pegasus about to snatch innocent ponies like an eagle. Sunny drew a heart over it and made the Pegasus smile. Keith had to admit, it did make him smile a bit, even though Sunny had clearly vandalized public property. He tapped on her neck to go away quickly before anyone saw.

Though somebody did see. James and Sprout, who were panting over chasing after the two. They growled in annoyance seeing what Sunny did to the movie poster.

Keith and Sunny:

Let’s cross a new aisle

Let’s flash a new smile

Let’s sparkle right out of the grey

We’ll open our eyes

Sun starting to rise

And finally able to say

Sunny:

Gonna be, gonna be, gonna be our day

Keith:

Someday will be…

Sunny:

Gonna be, gonna be, gonna be our day

Keith:

Someday will be…

Sunny:

Gonna be, gonna be, gonna be our day

Keith:

Someday will…

Keith and Sunny:

Be our day

Sunny caught onto a monorail which dropped them right before Canterlogic. The building towered over them, nearly blocking the sun.

“Well, this is my stop.”

Keith jumped off Sunny’s back and she changed back to her pony size, right above Keith’s hip.

“Thanks for the ride, Sunny. See you after my shift.”

“Wait! Don’t you want to bring some smoothies? You officers can’t do your job dehydrated. Oh, I know! I’ll come inside with you, sell my merchandise, and earn a few bucks. I’m feeling pizza with extra, extra cheese tonight!”

Keith raised an eyebrow; she wasn’t fooling anyone.

“Not today, Starscout.”

Or in this case, any ‘pony’. The two siblings turned and jumped in surprise the moment that saw their childhood friend, Hitch Trailblazer (Technically ‘Sheriff’ Hitch Trailblazer), approach them. Following behind him were a pair of seagulls and a tiny crab with pans on their heads like helmets.

Over the years, Hitch had grown to be much more handsome than Sunny could ever imagine. Though she still did a pretty decent job hiding it.

“Morning, Sheriff Hitch,” She giggled. “I see you brought the whole squad along again.” She nodded her head toward the adorable trio beside her childhood friend.

“What is it with me and critters? I’m like a magnet to them! Guys, come on. Give Hitch a little space.”

So the critters did… by stepping back a couple feet. Not exactly what he meant.

“Officer Keith reporting for duty, sir!” Keith saluted.

“At ease, Keith,” Hitch saluted back.

“Well, I’ll let you boys do your job,” Sunny replied. “I’m off to sell some smoothies. You sure you don’t want to bring some with you?”

“Nice try, Sunny,” Hitch spoke before Keith could respond.

All the same, Keith’s clenched teeth and forced smile was his own subtle way of attempting to tell Sunny ‘Buzz off and don’t start something… again!’.

“Why Sheriff Hitch, I do declare I don’t have the slightest idea what you are talkin’ about,” Sunny said, adopting a southern bell accent.

“Don’t get all charming with me. Listen, I know that you’ve come up with some hair-brain scheme to sabotage the Canterlogic presentation today. Like you do every year, and every year I stop you.”

“Oh Hitch, if you wanted to spend more time with me all you had to do was ask,” Sunny replied, flirtatiously while batting her eyelashes.

Keith rolled his eyes, fighting the urge to puke out his waffles.

“What is it with these two dancing around their obvious crush on each other?” Keith thought mentally. “I’ll never understand why ponies make romance so complicated!”

“Sunny, if you think I’m just gonna let you walk in—”

“Hey, Hiiiitch!” Sunny offered her hoof.

“Sunny, no.”

“Come on!”

“Sunny, I’m on duty.”

Sunny waved her hoof, waiting for him to comply. Fortunately, he did. Even though he tried acting grumpy about it, the two performed their signature hoof shake, complete with rhymes.

“Up high, down low, Hitch ya to a post, flip a Sunny side up and on a piece of toast!”

“Okay, okay…” Hitch chuckled.

“See, you still got it!”

Keith couldn’t fight the smile. Were they even aware he was still standing there? Probably not. It was then Keith finally noticed the arrival of James and Sprout, the pair gasping for air.

“Oh, hey James! Hi Sprout! You guys okay?”

“Oh, don’t play dumb with us, Kogan!” James groaned, leaning against the trash can. “Urgh… too tired for insults…”

Keith raised an eyebrow, having no idea what he was talking about.

“We did what you said, Hitch!” Sprout gasped, leaning against the same can. “She never left our sight… not even once…”

“Whoa, Sprout,” Sunny smirked. “Might wanna go easy on the cardio, huh?”

“That’s deputy Sprout to you!”

Keith pulled Sunny aside before she could skate past everyone and everypony into the Canterlogic building.

“Sunny, you need to listen to me. We can’t go through this again, okay?”

“Keith, I’m telling you there’s nothing to worry about.”

“Gee, where have I heard ‘that’ before?” Hitch asked sarcastically. “Oh, yeah! Last year… and the year before that… and the year before that… and the year before that. Sunny, listen to your brother. I really don’t want to have to arrest you and put you behind bars… ‘again’.”

“It was only for an hour,” Sunny pointed out. “You know it wouldn’t kill you guys to add some air freshener once in a while.”

“Actually, we got scented candles last week.”

“Ooh! Vanilla or sunflower?”

“It’s a blend of strawberry, cinnamon, and vanilla. It’s heavenly.”

“Then I actually won’t mind being arrested this time.”

Keith, now feeling very uncomfortable, stepped in to put an end to it “Okay… later Sunny, see you at home, love you, bye!”

“Bye, bye!” Sprout said tauntingly.

Sunny rolled her eyes and roller-skated away. Only for Sprout to snatch one of her smoothies without paying.

“Hey! That’s three bits!”

Hitch tossed her the bits from the pocket around his sash. Sunny graciously accepted it and waited till all the boys were inside the building. Along the way, James nudged Keith with his elbow.

“Twenty bits says she totally trashes the place again.”

“Knock it off, James!” Keith groaned. “Sunny may be a lot of things, but she promised me she’d behave. And when we make a promise about ‘anything’, we keep it.”

“I never lost a bet yet, Kogan. And it’s not going to start now.”

Chapter 4–An unexpected visitor

“Do you have any idea how many violations you broke in there?!”

“I’m sure you’re about to tell me,” Sunny sighed stubbornly.

She sealed the lid of the ice cream truck where she collected her smoothies. She knew Keith would be furious, but she was too. Not at him, but every pony else, especially Phyllis.

“Actually, for once, I can’t! Because there were so many! Not only that, but you swore you wouldn’t do anything insane. You lied straight to my face!”

“Technically, compared to all the other times, this ‘wasn’t’ as crazy.”

“No, you’re right… it was worse! What do you have to say for yourself this time, huh? You’re lucky I talked Hitch into letting you off the hook, but just this one time! I can’t promise that anymore… this was this last straw, Sunny.”

“I was only trying to move things along! You’ve been on the force for almost a year now, and you still haven’t told Hitch the truth!”

“What do you want me to do? Walk into the office with my bangs cut off for all Equestria to see?! You saw what happens when a mage strolls six feet into Maretime Bay! Nobody’s ready for the truth! Why can’t you just accept that?!”

“Because I refuse to live in a world where you have to hide who you are forever!”

The two siblings stood silent for a while till Sunny spoke again.

“Keith, you’re an officer. The other Earth folk look up to you. You can help ease the cycle if you’re just honest. Not just with our friends, but yourself.”

“Sunny, I took an oath to uphold the law.”

“Technically, you already broke a jaw when you joined the force. You took a risk, why can’t you do it again?”

“It’s not as simple as you want it to be, Sunny. I know you want things to change, I do too… but sometimes we have to be realistic.”

“What about Dad’s stories? Don’t you still believe in them?”

Unfortunately, Keith didn’t know how to answer any of those questions. After today… he didn’t know what to believe anymore. Dejected, he walked toward a bench and hung his head, hiding his face in his hands.

Sunny, equally dejected, sat beside him. A few foals galloped along, laughing and playing. One said he was a Pegasus coming after the other, roaring and snarling while the second foal just laughed while running.

“Keith, I’m sorry. I really am.”

“I know one thing I still believe,” Keith spoke quietly. “You’re my sister… if anything splits us apart… I don’t know how I’d go on.”

Sunny snuggled closer to her brother, who drew her in for a close, side hug. They stayed like that for a while until they noticed a swarm of ponies and elves running away, screaming in sheer terror.

“What the?” Sunny wondered.

“What’s going on?” Keith asked. “What’s happening?”

But despite Keith’s efforts, the townsfolk just ran passed him and Sunny. One pony bumped straight into Sunny, and Keith squatted down to help her up. A shadow soon looked over them and when they looked up…

“Hi, new friends! My name’s Izzy, and this is Katie!”

“Sup.”

Standing before them was none other than a real live unicorn, currently in her enlarged form, with a mage riding on her back. The unicorn had a pinkish purple coat, blue curly hair with purple hues, and a beautiful horn poking out of her forehead, just like in the pictures Sunny and Keith had seen over the years.

The mage looked like an ordinary earth elf, minus the stunning diamond-shaped green jewel on her forehead. Her honey brown hair was cut short, her bangs swept to the side showcasing the jewel. She wore a pair of glasses and a few green diamond-shaped accessories on her hair, the beads matching the ones around the unicorn’s right ankle.

Sunny stood up, but Keith stayed in his squatting position. Losing his balance, he landed along his rump, yet his eyes never left their new visitors. He couldn’t stop staring at the mage’s jewel while Sunny couldn’t pry her eyes away from the unicorn’s horn.

“What?” Katie asked.

“You’re…” Keith stuttered. “Y-Y-You’re… a mage!”

“Unicorn!” Sunny shouted excitedly.

Sadly, nobody else shared the same sentiment. They all ran and hid, closing their shops and stands, one even ducked through a manhole cover.

“Oh, is everybody playing hide-and-seek?” Izzy asked. “I see you!”

She noticed a pony by the railing over the ocean. The pony screamed and jumped over, making a loud splashing noise.

“Yeah, I don’t think they’re playing,” Katie observed.

Hitch, Sprout, James, and Hunk stepped out of the police station, Hunk was over to fix the jammed printer and was snacking on an apple.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Hitch asked.

He spotted their unexpected, and unwelcome, visitors… even worse, Sunny and Keith right with them, staring in awe.

“Unicorn and mage alert!” Hitch shouted.

Sprout and Hunk screamed and tried to run back inside. Only their heads smashed against the wall.

“Ouch…” Hunk moaned, falling backward.

“Urgh…!” James groaned.

Hitch pressed a button on the wall and sounded the alarm.

“This is not a drill! I repeat this is not a drill!”

Hunk quickly recovered, pacing in place with the apple discarded.

“Oh no, oh man, oh this is bad, this is very, very bad!”

“Get it together soldier!” Hitch ordered. “Hop on!”

“Hop on where?” Hunk asked.

Hitch quickly shifted into his larger form and hoisted Hunk onto his back.

“Wait, wait, wait, wait! I’m not a cop! I’m just here to fix the PRINTEEEEEEEEEER!”

Hunk screamed at the top of his lungs while Hitch galloped ahead. Along the way, he spotted a frightened little colt amidst the rushing crowd. Acting fast, Hitch jumped over a barrel of apples, with having snatching a green one, and held on for dear life as Hitch flipped and leapt to grab the colt in one hoof, handing him over to a random mare.

“Your son is safe now, ma’am,” Hitch saluted, galloping away.

“This isn’t my kid!” The mare proclaimed.

“You’re welcome!” Hitch replied.

“Sorry!” Hunk yelled out.

Hitch started barking orders, while a scared Hunk clung onto his back.

“Man the splatter-pult! Activate the underground traps! Pick up that litter!”

All around, tiles flipped over revealing the same ‘X’ blocks Sunny witnessed during the Canterlogic demonstration. One step and those would activate the very same trap that encased her.

“Wow! Is that the sea?” Izzy asked, marveling the gleaming ocean. “I’ve never seen the sea. Katie, isn’t it beautiful?”

Katie was the only one who spotted the ‘X’. Even without knowing exactly what it meant, she knew it was bad news. She tugged Izzy’s mane and got her to turn around, away from the ‘X’.

“Um, any chance you guys can fill us in on what’s going on?” Katie asked Sunny and Keith.

Though she didn’t know them, she had a gut feeling they could help. After all, they were the only ones not running and screaming. Keith had no time to analyze the situation. All he knew was that he couldn’t just let these two get captured. After all, one of them was much like him… even if she didn’t know it.

“We’ve got to get you out of here!” Sunny said.

Without thinking, she shifted into her larger form and Keith jumped onto her back.

“Come with us if you want to live!” He instructed.

Izzy galloped behind them, with Katie holding on tight.

“Earth folks are serious about games!” Izzy said.

“They’re not playing!” Keith said. “They’re terrified!”

“Oh, no! Of what?”

“You! Folks here don’t like mages or unicorns! Believe me.”

“Really? That seems a little harsh.

“I told you coming here was a bad idea, Izzy!” Katie exclaimed, frustrated. “But noooooo… you never listen to me! ‘Let’s go to the Earth Folk town’ you said. ‘It’ll be fun; we’ll make some friends’!”

“Hey, that’s a pretty good imitation of me, Kate. Have you been practicing?”

The four of them halted when the green goop from the splatter-pult landed before them like gooey, green rain. Keith and Sunny spotted Phyllis, with her anti-mind reading helmet and two other elves. One of them was Iverson, the taller elf working the machines to splatter the unicorn and mage. His eyes caught sight of the group, and he furrowed his gaze with a fierce glare.

“Let’s go!” Sunny shouted.

Sunny took the lead and the four galloped away, narrowly missing the green balls of fury and avoiding all the large ‘X’ tiles in their way. Izzy merely jumped beside them like a game of hopscotch. Keith looked over his shoulder, making sure they were still behind them. He tugged on Sunny’s mane, making her skit to a halt and the two gasped when they noticed Izzy staring happily at a movie poster about a cyborg elf and his police officer pony partner.

“Ooh, I haven’t seen this one yet.”

“Izzy, no!” Katie shouted.

She desperately turned Izzy around by tugging her mane, only for Izzy to trip and step on the ‘X’ anyway. The two were encased in an iron box, one large enough to accommodate their size. The red alarm on top buzzing, while Katie’s voice was heard inside their prison.

“Hey! What is this? I’m pretty sure this counts as assault, people!”

Sunny, with Keith still on her back, galloped towards the iron cage. Just then, Hitch, with a motion-sick Hunk on his back, arrived at the scene.

“Alright citizens, calm down. The threat has been neutralized, the unicorn and mage have been captured. You may now cheer.”

And cheer they did. Everyone stepped out of their hiding places and celebrated the capture of the intruders. Hitch’s eyes went wide when he noticed Sunny slowly approaching the metal box. Even more surprising to see was that Keith wasn’t doing anything to stop her.

“Sunny! What are you doing?” Hitch called out. “Keith! Do something!”

Keith swallowed hard. He knew this was going to get him in so much trouble, but… he couldn’t just let them do Equestria-knows-what to these poor girls. They didn’t seem dangerous at all, far from it. Actually he was surprised the mage hadn’t done any magic yet. Was she trying not to scare everyone? Mission not accomplished.

But still, every fiber of being told him what he had to do. For once, he would be like Sunny and act on impulse. Speaking of whom, Sunny raised her hoof towards the shiny red button that would release the prisoners.

“No, don’t you dare!” Hitch warned, but it was too late. “No, no, no, no, no!”

Sunny pressed the button and out came Izzy and Katie.

“So, your name’s Sunny?” Izzy asked.

The townsfolk started running and screaming again, accidentally stepping onto the traps and encased themselves in iron. Sunny and Keith led their new friends away from all the chaos.

“Bye!” Izzy called out. “It was nice to meet you all!”

“Not really!” Katie shouted back.

Hitch really hoped it wouldn’t come to this. But technically, Sunny, and even Keith, violated one of their most sacred laws: Helping the enemy. It tore Hitch inside that he’d have to do this, but he had no choice. It wasn’t long before James and Sprout finally caught up with them. He hopped off Sprout’s back and surveyed the scene.

“What happened?” James called out. “WHAT HAPPENED?!?!”

“The unicorn and mage escaped our trap!” Hitch sighed. “Keith and Sunny sprung ‘em loose; they’re heading to the lighthouse.”

“Why those unicorn, mage-loving traitors!” James growled, clenching his fist.

“Oh, man!” Hunk panicked, biting his nails. “What do we do now, Hitch?”

Hitch turned toward Sprout and James.

“Officer James, Deputy, to the lighthouse!”

“Um…” Sprout cringed nervously.

Sprout purposely stepped onto one of the ‘X’ tiles, deliberately imprisoning himself.

“Oh no! I appear to be trapped.”

Taking a note from Sprout, Hunk hopped off of Hitch and pressed his feet on another ‘X’.

“Oh darn! I appear to be trapped as well!”

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Hitch shook his head.

“MORONS!” James yelled, in frustration. “I’M SURROUNDED BY MORONS!!!”

Chapter 5–Meeting JewelHorns

Keith jumped off Sunny’s back the moment they reached the front door of their home. Sunny closed the door with her back leg once all were inside. Katie dismounted Izzy, revealing she was much shorter than Keith and Sunny initially suspected, all while Izzy shrunk back to pony size.

The two siblings ran around like maniacs, closing all the curtains, bolting all the doors, and making sure they weren’t being followed. Once they were sure they were safe, they both stared once again toward their new guests.

Sunny Starscout still couldn’t believe it, Izzy the unicorn standing before her. She knew it was rude to stare but… she couldn’t pry her eyes away from that massively long horn. Okay, maybe it wasn’t ‘that’ massive, but it was still long and pointy. She could see why ponies would be afraid, yet here this unicorn stood… just smiling. She didn’t come off as a unicorn meaning any harm, like all the stories and rumors suggested.

Keith, on the other hand, couldn’t stop staring either. Not toward the unicorn, nor especially the mage. She looked exactly as Keith half-expected. An elf with a jewel on her forehead. Why were people so afraid of her? That jewel alone could easily be labeled as a cute accessory, like those stick-on jewels Sunny used to play with when they were little.

Katie, in question, tilted her head to the side. She looked skeptical, while the unicorn just looked happy.

“Why are you staring at us like that?”

“Oh! Do earth folks like staring contests?” Izzy asked.

The unicorn leaned in, staring straight into Sunny’s eyes, trying her hardest not to blink. Sunny just leaned back, started and slightly confused. Was this a unicorn custom? Eventually, Izzy blinked.

“Ah! You win. I blinked.”

She stepped back and proceeded to explore the entire house. Katie too explored the house but was careful not to touch anything.

“Nice place you got here,” Katie observed. “Got any cold cuts? I’m starving…”

Keith and Sunny stood perfectly still, their eyes wide and unblinking.

“Sunny…”

“Yeah…”

“There’s a mage… and a unicorn… in our house.”

“I know.”

“This is…”

“SO COOL/REALLY BAD!”

Sunny shook her head in surprise, facing her brother.

“What? Why?” Sunny asked curiously.

“Why?! I just violated Code 4-16G: Any unicorn and/or mage spotted in Maretime Bay is to be brought into custody for questioning. Not only will I get fired, but who knows what the others will do to these two?!”

“You know we can hear you, right?” Katie pointed out.

Keith and Sunny jumped back with a scream. Keith pressed his back against the kitchen counter, breathing heavily.

“Whoa, whoa, calm down,” The mage spoke. “Just ‘cause I’ve got a rock on my forehead don’t mean I bite.”

“No, no, that would be… ridiculous!” Keith chuckled nervously.

Her had no idea how he was supposed to act around another mage. This was the first he’d seen of one in years. Speaking of which, Katie turned around the moment she heard a squeaking sound and spotted her unicorn friend fiddling with a telescope.

“Izzy, don’t touch that!”

Izzy moved the telescope and saw an enlarged image of Sunny through the lens.

“Whoa… I can’t believe I’m meeting an earth pony.”

Izzy pulled away from the telescope, giving Sunny and Keith a chance to see how her smile seemed permanently planted on her face. She sure seemed to have a very upbeat attitude despite getting caught in a unicorn trap thing earlier.

“We look exactly the same… except for this of course.”

Izzy pointed toward her horn, gesturing it towards Sunny.

“Whoa! Hey! Careful where you point that thing!”

The earth pony shrunk back, gently moving the horn away with her hoof.

“Why?” Izzy asked.

Her ears pressed back, gazing at her horn with confusion.

“Well, I, um, sorta don’t wanna get zapped by a wayward laser beam,” Sunny explained. “Of course, you probably knew that already. If you’ve been reading my mind this whole time. Have you been reading my mind? Or is that only a mage thing?”

Sunny turned toward the mage, her eyes wide with curiosity. Katie, on the other hand, looked confused.

“Um… no? As far as I know.”

“Okay, that’s one question down,” Sunny said. “Do your jewels and horns really glow, by the way? Or does that only happen when you levitate stuff?”

“Well, actually…” Izzy began.

“Sunny, ‘maybe’ now’s not the best time for—” Keith intervened.

“Oh, hold on a sec, let me get my notebook!”

Sunny galloped towards the counter, trying to keep her hyperventilating in check. She couldn’t believe she was finally getting answers to her years of questions from the real life experts!”

“So, you’ve got one of ‘em too, huh?” Katie asked Keith.

He just stared at her in confusion… though confusion seemed constant lately. He was still trying to wrap his head around the reality that a mage and a unicorn were inside his house. Just having normal conversations as if they were neighbors. In the meantime, Sunny flipped through pages of her notebook before landing on the one she was looking for.

“Found it!” Sunny said. “142 questions for unicorns and mages. Question number one: Where do you live?”

“Bridlewood,” Izzy & Katie replied, in unison.

“I knew it! Do mages and unicorns really live in trees? Do they eat pizza? If so, what toppings do they like? If not, why not? Can unicorns actually fry pony brains with a singe horn zap?”

Sunny gasped at the can of beans on the counter and pushed it towards Izzy.

“Can you make this float?”

Izzy stared at the can as it rolled towards her and stopped at her hooves. Once again, her ears drooped.

“No…” She replied sadly, till her upbeat nature reappeared. “But I can do this!”

Izzy tossed the can into the air and started poking the lid with her horn. She tossed it one more time and the beans ‘literally’ spilled all over the floor, the can landing with a flop right on top.

“Ta-daaaaaaaaaaa….”

“Dude, we just got hardwood!” Keith exclaimed.

Sunny wasn’t paying any attention to the mess, only the fact that (Like Keith) neither Katie or Izzy appeared to be able to do ‘anything’ with their horn and jewel.

“Wait… you don’t have any magic either?”

“Either?” Katie asked. “What do you mean?”

Before anyone could answer, they heard the sound of a megaphone from outside.

“Sunny Starscout, Keith Kogan—”

The megaphone screeched, hurting Hitch’s ears.

“Ow, that hurt. Sunny, Keith, I know you guys are in there with that mage and unicorn!”

“Actually, the collective term for us is Jewel-Horns!” Katie called out.

“That was going to be my next question!” Sunny said excitedly.

“Not the time, Sunny!” Keith hissed.

“Come out with your hooves and hands up and surrender!” Hitch announced.

“Or at least come out nice and quietly!” Hunk suggested. “And could you ask the mage and unicorn not to fry our brains out, please? Thank you!”

Both he and Sprout wore the anti-mind reading helmets, as was James, though more for mandatory reasons than anything. James merely rolled his eyes over Hunk’s suggestion entirely.

“Yeah! You’re completely surrounded!” Sprout added.

A bird cawed, filling the silence.

“Would you let me do my job?” Hitch asked, speaking through the megaphone again. “Guys, I really hate to do this. I mean, I really, really do! But you’ve left me with no choice—”

“You are both under arrest!” James grabbed the megaphone. “That includes you, Kogan! Hand over the mage, the unicorn, and your badge… and we’ll burn your house to the ground!”

“Uh… don’t you mean ‘or’?” Hunk questioned.

“Urgh…” James groaned, rolling his eyes. “Hand over the mage, the unicorn, and your badge… OR we’ll burn your house to the ground!”

“I said no police brutality, James!” Hitch argued. “And especially no fires!”

In the meantime, Keith tilted the curtain slightly for a peek seeing the two bickering like a married couple.

“Yea… I knew this was coming,” Keith sighed.

Surprisingly though, it really didn’t bother him. This was his once and ‘only’ change to learn about mages like him. There was no way he’d let either Hitch or James arrest him, nor sunny or their guests. He just couldn’t.

“This is bad,” Sunny observed, facing the Jewel-Horns. “How sneaky are you guys?”

“Uh… medium sneaky?” Izzy answered, unsurely.

“I can work with that! Okay, we’ll distract them.”

To which Izzy blew her lips.

“Relax! I’ll talk to them.”

“What?! IZZY, NO!!!” Katie shouted.

The mage pulled her friend’s tail, trying to keep her inside. But Izzy managed to poke her head out from behind the door.

“Hi, guys! Now I know what you’re thinking…”

“She’s already reading our minds” Sprout screamed, running away. “Quick before she fries our brains!”

Hunk raced after him as well, while James raced after them.

“HEY! Get back here, maggots!” James shouted.

“Sorry man!” Hunk called out. “My training didn’t prepare me for this!”

“Yes it did! It literally did!” Hitch shouted. “Where are you going?!”

“To get reinforcements!” Sprout replied.

“We have reinforcements?”

While Hitch was distracted, Sunny and Keith pulled Katie and Izzy away, hiding behind the large bushes around their home. The moment Hitch turned around, all four of them were gone.

“Oh, come on!”

***

With Keith and Katie on their backs, the two ponies galloped out of Maretime Bay, past the sign, and into the grand outstretched outskirts of the town. Mountains circled all around them, distant, vast, and glowing with blue hues.

“So let me get this straight,” Keith asked, his voice jumpy. “Neither of you have ‘any’ magic at all?”

“Nope!” The Jewel-Horns replied in unison.

Izzy’s response sounded happy, while Katie’s was just casual as though that fact was obvious. Sunny slid to a halt, sitting herself down. While Keith got off her, Sunny shifted her size again.

“Are we hearing you correctly?” Keith questioned further.

“No magic?” Sunny repeated.

Katie also slid off Izzy’s back, though it took a couple seconds before Izzy changed her size again.

“Well, if it makes you feel any better we ‘did’ have it.”

“You did?” Keith asked hopefully. “What happened?”

“We don’t know,” Katie shrugged. “It was so many moons ago, long before we were even born. It just… disappeared.”

“Poof!” Izzy added. “Everybody thinks the pesky Pegasis and fairies had something to do about it, but—”

Izzy stopped when Katie elbowed her side and nodded her head toward their new friends. Keith looked completely lost, confused, and even devastated at the same time. Sunny was simply confused entirely.

“Hey, are you guys okay? You look a little woozy.”

“Okay? Okay?!” Keith spoke. “We’re on the run with a mage and a unicorn—”

“Jewel-Horns!” Katie & Izzy corrected.

“Whatever! You have no magic, which means… I don’t even know what it means!”

“Why does that even matter to you?” Katie asked. “What could Earth folk possibly want with magic? You’ve already got those cool machines. I mean ‘sure’ they trapped us, but the material, the sleek design! You know I’d kill for the chance to build something like that… minus the capturing part.”

Sunny turned toward Keith and nodded.

“Go ahead, Keith.”

Keith sighed and, for the first time in years, drew back his long, thick bangs. Izzy and Katie gasped.

“You’re a mage?!” Katie exclaimed, surprised.

“You’re a mage!” Izzy galloped happily.

“Yeah, he is!” Sunny smiled.

“But wait—” Izzy continued. “If you’re a mage, how come everybody else was so scared of us?”

“Because nobody but Sunny knew I’m a mage,” Keith answered. “I always thought I was defective because I couldn’t do half of what everybody else assumed mages could do. But you guys… can’t do anything.”

Izzy and Katie jerked back in offense.

“Excuse you!” Katie exclaimed, placing a hand over her chest. “We are awesome!”

“Darn straight!” Izzy said, flipping her mane.

She & Katie proceeded to do their super-secret hoof/fist bump making an explosion noise.

“No, no, I’m not saying you’re useless!” Keith spoke quickly. “I just mean… ‘how’ did your magic just disappear?”

“Join the club, man,” Katie replied. “Your guess is as good as ours.”

“So, what are we gonna do?” Sunny asked.

It was then she felt Izzy closing in on her face… sniffing her like a dog.

“What are you doing?”

“You don’t smell,” Izzy spoke.

“Thanks. Wait, what?”

“We were told that all you earth folk smell like sardines, but youuuu do not!”

Izzy soon got distracted by a pretty butterfly. Sunny was suddenly both curious, and perhaps a tad annoyed. Now she was starting to see how Keith must feel.

“What else do Jewel-Horns say about Earth Folk?” Sunny asked curiously.

“Oh, just that you’re lazy and not the brightest crystals in the forest.”

“Charming,” Sunny spoke deadpan.

“Nope, just those three.”

Izzy soon drew her attention back to everybody else once the butterfly flew away.

“So, what’s the plan?”

“The plan is we go home,” Katie answered, facing Keith & Sunny. “You guys… I don’t know, do whatever you want.”

“Wait, wait, wait!” Sunny called out. “Maybe there’s some way we can help.”

“Help with what?” Katie asked.

“With bringing back your magic,” Sunny answered, facing Keith. “There’s got to be some way.”

“And how are we to do that?” Keith asked. “We’ve never even been outside Maretime Bay until today; we wouldn’t even know where to start.”

Sunny pulled out her notebook from her saddlebag, flipping the pages until she landed on a map.

“Fellas, we’re going on a quest… to Zephyr Heights!”

“Zephyr Heights?” Keith questioned.

“The fairy and Pegasus city?” Izzy added, shaking in her hooves.

“We need to find out what happened to your magic and bring it back. They have magic, maybe they can help.”

“But the fairies and pegasi are bad news!”

“And on top of that, they’re snobs!” Katie added. “If we thought the reception at Maretime Bay was awful, I highly doubt those upper-class winged ponies will roll out the red carpet and throw a fantastic feast for our arrival! We’ll be lucky if they don’t throw us off the mountain just to set an example!”

“And… this is why I don’t travel,” Keith uttered.

“What if you’re wrong about them?” Sunny proposed. “Earth Folk were wrong about Jewel-Horns. They could welcome us with open wings.”

“But what if they don’t?” Izzy asked.

Izzy:

Up ahead is a sky growing dark

Where it leads is a big question mark

And I'm scared that we’ll end up a pony and mage gone missing from pegasus-ing

Sunny:

But you're not alone

You got some friends in your crew

Izzy:

“We do? Who?”

Katie:

“Take a guess”

Sunny:

We’re lookin' out for you

Katie:

“But we just met,”

Keith:

“Just roll with it,”

Sunny:

When you’re off track

We’ve got your backs

You can rely on us

We’re lookin’ out for you

Back at home, it was ‘Earth Folks first’

Heard it so many times I could burst

And I fought for a change but it’s lonely ‘cause you know

Party of uno

Keith:

“Actually, dos.”

Sunny:

“Yeah, but it rhymes!”

Izzy:

Well if you need a friendly steed like you-know-who

Sunny:

I think I do

Sunny & Izzy:

We’re lookin’ out for you

Katie:

“Okay, I guess we’re doing this!”

Keith:

“Looks like it!”

Sunny:

“Come on, guys!”

Izzy:

“Adventure awaits!”

Keith & Katie:

We’re looking out for you

And with that decision unanimously made, the new group of friends embarked on their very first friendship adventure.

Sunny:

When you’re off track

Keith:

I’ve got your back

Keith & Sunny:

You can rely on me

Izzy & Katie:

We’re lookin’ out for you

Katie:

Lost in the hills

Izzy:

We’ve got the skills

Izzy & Katie:

Buddy, let’s get goin’

Sunny:

Get goin’

Keith:

Get goin’

All Together:

We’re lookin’ out

We’re lookin’ out for you

We’ll go where you’re going to

It’s all that we wanna do

We’re lookin’ out

We’re lookin’ out for you

We’ll go where you’re going to

It’s all that we wanna do

We’re lookin’ out

For you

Chapter 7–Zephyr Heights

The journey proved to be long and rather tiresome. But ultimately, Keith Kogan, Sunny Starscout, Izzy Moonbow, and Katie Holt were drawing ever closer to Zephyr Heights. Sunny’s map proved pretty accurate, although they ran into some slight trouble finding their way there. Currently, the four cautiously trotted through a large canyon through a thick mist, mixed with rock dust. At times they made Katie sneeze and Izzy shook so much the mage felt as if she were riding a vibrating chair with four legs.

“Izzy, would you ‘please’ calm down?” Katie asked. “I told you there’s nothing to be scared of.”

“Are you sure?” Izzy asked worriedly. “You do know that pegasi and fairies can steal your luminescence, right?”

“Please, that’s just an old pony’s tale,” Katie rolled her eyes.

“Lumi-what?” Sunny asked.

“Luminescence. You know, like… your sparkle?” Izzy clarified.

She then examined Sunny as though she were searching for something the others couldn’t see.

“Yours is… lavender.”

Sunny raised an eyebrow as she looked at herself. Frankly, she couldn’t see anything ‘lavender’ on her body. Her coat color was a bright orange with maybe some yellow hues, her mane was magenta with lighter highlights. There was nothing lavender about her anywhere.

“Yours Keith, is…” Izzy examined him. “’Burgundy’.”

“Oh, uh… thanks?” Keith replied unsurely.

Not that he truly believed in any of that aura, or any horoscope stuff, he still went along with it only for Izzy’s sake. All the same, it seemed rather… ‘interesting’.

“Yeah! Mine is a bright cerise, and Katie’s a soft peach pink!”

“Which is ironic, since I don’t even like pink,” Katie replied.

That made sense, considering most of her clothing (Mainly her shirt and a few accessories) were made up of crystals much like Izzy’s bracelet and headband primarily of a greenish color.

“Really? I couldn’t tell…” Keith replied.

“So, what does a luminescence do?” Sunny questioned further.

“It’s like your signature. What makes you, ‘you’. And the happier you are, the brighter it shines!”

Suddenly, the team froze when they heard the sound of something moving between the rocks. A few pebbles rolled down from the side of the canyon. The team could sense a shadow swooping past them, followed by another. From behind, the group spotted two shapes… coming right at them!

“RUN!!!” Keith shouted.

He gripped Sunny’s braided mane tightly, as they galloped off. Katie and Keith looked over their shoulders, seeing the two figures moving closer. The equines stopped at the sight of a rocky ledge. Sunny pushed Izzy up urging her to climb, with Sunny and Keith following behind. Thankfully elves like Keith and Katie were never heavy for ponies to carry, so it was no issue for either Sunny or Izzy.

Eventually, Izzy and Katie reached the top. But Sunny soon stepped on some loose rocks, causing her to slip and slide downwards.

“Sunny!”

“Keith!”

Izzy lowered her hoof, allowing Sunny to grab hold with her hooves. Izzy pulled Sunny back up while Katie offered Keith her hand to help them up. Once they were safely at the top, Keith and Katie jumped off their respected ponies, who shifted back to their smaller forms. Everyone panted, their heartbeats pounded from the intense adrenaline.

“I think we’ve lost them,” Keith sighed, between breaths.

He spoke too soon… when something zoomed from below and over their heads. Sunny, Izzy, and Katie screamed yet Keith assumed the defensive stance, his fists up at the ready to fight. Two shapes climbed onto the rocks, leaping, and flipping like parkour stunts till they landed at the same time along a lower rock.

The two figures soon revealed themselves. First, a white Pegasus pony with a short pink upwards-style mane with a single aquamarine streak on both her mane and tail. She spread open her wings, which consisted of blue, purple, and pink plumage.

The second figure was a young woman with dark skin and silvery white hair pulled back into a ponytail with a sideways wavy bang and a golden circlet around her forehead. Her eyes were a deep blue with twin upside-down triangle shaped markings around the corner of her eyes, both colored ‘hot pink’ to match the color of her wings with dusts of paper white around the edges. Her outfit consists of a blue shirt with short yellow sleeves, exposing her toned arms, two golden armlets and golden cuffs around her wrists. Her pants were white with pink stripes traveling downwards and her boots were also white but with gold lining.

Keith’s fists loosened the moment he took a good look at the girl. Tall, strong looking, fierce eyes… and extremely attractive. Sunny often teased Keith over his taste in ‘strong’ women, and this particular woman looked powerful enough to scale a mountaintop… which, technically, she did.

“I don’t believe it…” Sunny spoke, once finished screaming.

Her voice brought Keith back down to earth.

“A real fairy… and a Pegasus…” Keith gasped silently.

“Whoa!” The white Pegasus spoke. “Lu, are you seeing this? A unicorn and an Earth pony? Together?!”

“With an earth elf and a mage, no less,” The fairy eyed with intrigue. “Well, this day certainly became a lot more interesting.”

She spoke with the most elegant voice, yet Keith could detect a faint hint of sass somewhere in there. He cleared his throat making sure he wouldn’t trip over his own words.

“We don’t mean any harm,” Keith began. “We just wanted to ask you if—”

The white-haired girl held her finger to her lips, silencing Keith. She and the Pegasus looked over their shoulders, spotting two men in armor coming their way. The two exchanged knowing nods and leapt over the rock they stood and onto the ledge.

“Don’t tell them you saw us,” The Pegasus spoke.

And in an instance, she and the fairy leapt over the edge down below, spinning with their wings wrapped around their bodies.

“I don’t see how we could, we don’t even know your names!” Katie shouted. “Aaaaaaaaaaannnnd… they’re gone.”

“They seem nice,” Izzy smiled.

The group turned around when they heard a loud shriek. From the very same guards the Pegasus and fairy spotted earlier. The rider, a man with sea foam hair, tried tugging on his Pegasus’s blond mane. The Pegasus had handsome blue eyes and a light grayish coat with blueish hues.

“Ouch! Pull it together, Man!”

“But… but that’s an earth pony!” The rider pointed shakily. “And an Earth elf!”

“They’re harmless,” The Pegasus scoffed. “They have very tiny brains.”

Keith and Sunny sneered at the insult.

“Wow… they really are ‘snobs’,” Keith replied dryly.

“Told you so…” Katie muttered.

“What do we do about those?!” The rider shouted.

He pointed toward Izzy, who just smiled gleefully, oblivious to the danger she was in. Katie, meanwhile, stood protectively by the unicorn.

“Well, did you bring the shield?” The Pegasus guard asked.

“What shield?”

“Didn’t you read the guard guide?”

“Yes… okay, no.”

“Ugh, fine! I’ve got this.”

***

“How is a helmet and a tennis ball an anti-magic shield?! Even if they worked, which scientifically speaking sounds implausible, we don’t even have magic! How many times must I tell you people?! And, er, ponies? Are you even listening to me?!”

Katie was not at all pleased (Obviously) about having a helmet covering pretty much her entire forehead, while the tip of Izzy’s horn was blocked by a tennis ball. While she said it was ‘creative’, to Katie it just looked… cheap. That or they had ‘no’ idea unicorns and mages didn’t have magic anymore… or were simply in denial.

Meanwhile, Katie and Keith had cuffs around their wrists, the cuffs themselves shaped like diamonds. The four friends were escorted up an elevator with a clear, crisp door window. Keith kept silent, his police officer instincts on full alert, keeping taps on whatever these guards might do next.

Sunny, on the other hoof, was far too excited meeting ‘real’ fairies and Pegasi for the first time. She immediately pulled out her notebook and started bombarding the Pegasus guard with questions.

“So, what’s it like to fly?” She asked. “Is your wingspan the same as your height? Do fairies and Pegasi have different wingspan depending on weight?”

But the Pegasus guard kept a stern face, not saying a word. Sunny decided to draw her attention to the fairy guard.

“Do you need a license to fly? How far can you go?”

“Can you fly to the moon?” Izzy asked.

“Do you have bathrooms?” Katie asked. “Mama’s been holding it in for two hours.”

“Do Pegasi wear horseshoes, or do they just weigh them down?” Sunny continued. “Do those heavy armor boots weigh you down? That’s not in here, I’m just genuinely curious.”

“Actually, they are pretty lightweight,” The guard replied kindly. “Soren over there owns quite a collection of sneakers.”

“Hey, hey, hey!” The Pegasus guard called out. “Don’t answer anything! They could be spies.”

“Oh, sorry…” The fairy apologized, turning away.

“So much for welcoming us with open wings,” Katie muttered, narrowing her eyes.

The helmet on Katie’s head was seriously making her itch yet she couldn’t scratch. While the guards were busy, Keith gave Sunny’s braid a light tug to get her attention.

“Sunny, I know you’re excited,” He whispered, through his teeth. “But could you keep the questions to a bare minimum?”

“You’re right,” Sunny whispered back. “We need to find out how the Pegasi and fairies can fly so…”

Sunny, and even Keith, both lost their train of thought once the elevator was high enough for them to see ‘all’ of Zephyr Heights. Even Izzy and Katie gasped, rushing toward the window to see every detail.

Zephyr Heights, a bustling city, with buildings tall as the mountaintops they carved onto. The clouds wrapped around the lower regions, giving the illusion the inhabitants were walking on air. Everywhere massive billboards and jumbo screens could be seen, neon signs for a variety of shops, stores, movie theaters, and more filled the air with light.

Not even Keith was immune to the pure majesty of the kingdom. It was unlike anything he ever imagined and already he wondered what it would be like to live here. He tried to see if he could locate the fairy girl he saw earlier, but no such luck. They were so high up there was no way he’d spot her easily. Plus, she wasn’t the only fairy with pink wings.

Suddenly, the largest jumbo screen in the city beamed with life as a pair of fairy announcers appeared.

“Good morning, Zephyr Heights!” The fairy announcer spoke. “It’s another beautiful day in the big city. Looks like warm breezes and clear skies for tonight’s royal celebration!”

“Royal celebration?!” Izzy laughed excitedly. “Talk about great timing!”

A female fairy announcer spoke after her male counterpart.

“Tonight’s royal bash for Queens Rosalyn and Haven will be stunning, but the real jewels in the crown will be Princess Pipp and Prince Lance’s performance. Isn’t that right, Skye?”

“Oh my, yes Dazzle. And this just in—an exclusive vid from Pipp and Lance for all you loyal fans out there in Z.H.”

From the corner of the massive screen appeared a tiny square which greatly expanded to reveal a young man with dark olive skin and short white hair. He too had the same triangle markings around the corner of his eyes, as did every fairy the group stumbled across. Around his forehead he wore a gold thin headband and stylish clothes making him appear as though he were part of a boy band.

Beside him was an adorable Pegasus pony with a light pink coat and short magenta hair, styled to the side with a curly bang and a gold headband with gold feathers complete with a green jewel.

The tall fairy flashed his audience with a dashing smile so bright it was almost blinding.

“Yo, what’s up, Zephyr Heights!” Lance shouted out. “It’s your friendly neighborhood Prince Lance, with the adorably fabulous, and incredibly talented Princess Pipp Petals!!!”

“Big shout out to all our fans, the Pippsqueaks and Sky Lancers!” Pipp added.

Amongst the crowd, their audience cheered and squealed. Some fairy girls, even the Pegasi, wore shirts with images of Lance behind a heart, while all the boys wore shirts with Pipp’s image.

“So, tonight’s the night,” Pipp continued. “Lance and I can’t wait to debut our new song later.

Lance held his hand to his chest, adorning a somber tone.

“It holds a very special place in our hearts,” Lance began, then became enthusiastic. “But not as much as our awesome-sauce fans!”

“That’s right, Lance! We wouldn’t be here without any of you.”

“WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH, PIPP!!!” A random Pegasus shouted.

“I LOVE YOU, LANCE!!!” A random fairy girl screamed.

“And I love you random citizen!!!” Lance smiled, checking his wrist. “Whoops! Hate to cut this short, but we’ll be seeing all you guys at tonight’s celebration. And always remember…”

Lance turned to Pipp, and they both smiled toward the camera signing off with their signature catchphrase.

“Keep on flappin’!”

“Keep on flappin’!” The audience cheered.

“Keep on flappin’!” Izzy, Soren, and his rider repeated.

It seemed these characters were clearly very popular amongst the public. Keith, however, already had a bad taste in his mouth from that Lance fellow. Something about this fairy scratched his insides. Perhaps the prince merely reminded Keith too much about James… only slightly more ‘obnoxious’.

*DING!*

At the sound of the bell, the doors swooshed open.

“Move it!” Soren commanded.

“You betcha!” Izzy smiled.

As they departed the elevator, Keith and Sunny soon noticed something very strange. As they scanned the long walkway, they couldn’t help but notice the crowd walked along the second pathway just below their feet.

“Is it just me, or is nobody flying?” Keith whispered to Sunny.

Indeed it was a strange sight. Everywhere they turned there were fairies and Pegasi strolling about, but not once did they see anyone take flight. Not even so much as stretching out their own wings. The Pegasi had their feathered limbs tucked in, while the fairies’ wings just draped behind them like two long thing capes. Before Keith and Sunny could ponder further, Izzy shook the siblings of their thoughts.

“They have a castle!” Izzy gasped.

“Great,” Katie rolled her eyes, slouching. “As if the ‘shields’ weren’t bad enough, now we’re got to deal with a bunch of snooty royals?”

“Be nice, Katie,” Sunny advised. “Once we explain everything, I’m sure they’ll understand.”

“Or livestream the whole thing. I ‘hate’ being on camera!”

“It’s true, she does,” Izzy commented.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Keith muttered.

***

As the two main doors flew open, the guards shoved the prisoners into the throne room. Everything from the walls to the floor were shimmering white with golden tiles and outlines, all in a very ‘Art Deco’ style with sharp edges and some shapes made to resemble wings. Ironic considering nobody around here flew, not even the guards themselves.

High above them was a large round opening, permitting the natural light bathing the room in a golden, shimmering glow.

“Bow before our queens!” Thunder commanded.

A row of guards, both Pegasi and fairy alike, blew their trumpets then parted. A tiny white flurry dog, with even tinier wings, stepped onto the throne and scratched itself while still holding its nose up high. Keith, Sunny, and Katie knew this couldn’t be the Queen. If only someone told Izzy.

“Your Majesty!” She bowed, speaking in a deep (And overly dramatic) voice.

A spotlight shined upon the dog, and it started barking excitedly. The three friends looked up, with Katia tapping on Izzy’s back to get her attention. The dog wasn’t the royal… the ‘true’ royals flew in from the large hole above and ascended to the thrones, flapping their majestic wings.

In the center was a beautiful Pegasus mare with a light lavender coat and matching man which was cut short and adorned with braids. Her feathers were purple, pink, and blue, and around her neck she wore a gold diamond shaped necklace and a purple cape. Upon her head was a golden, aquamarine crowd glistening under the light and a pair of dark sunglasses over her eyes.

On her back rose a fairy with dark skin and dark blue hair styled into a bun. Her wings were a bright blue to match her blue-and-white gown. Above her head was a golden crown adorned with sapphires and she had the same triangle-like markings as the fairy Keith saw before, only hers were a pale blue, borderline white.

On the opposite sides of the queens stood their children.

On the left was Pipp Petals, her eyes and nose glued to her mobile phone as she scrolled down. On her back was Lance, sitting sidesaddle with his ankle along his knee, sleeking his hair and flashing everyone a toothy grin.

“Who’s he trying to impress?” Katie scoffed.

Keith and Sunny were stunned when they saw, flapping on the queen’s right, none other than the fairy and white Pegasus they met back on the mountaintop. The fairy rode on the Pegasus, both wearing neutral expressions on their faces.

Once the Pegasi royals hovered over the throne, the three fairies flapped their wings and sat gracefully on their respected thrones, while the Pegasi shifted into their smaller forms and stood beside their respective fairy like protective guard dogs. Not counting the actual dog barking excitedly at the Pegasus queen.

Izzy gasped and waved at the white Pegasus and the fairy with the pink wings.

“Hi, new friends!”

Both princesses recognized their new guests and silently shook their heads, looking panicked. Even the fairy did a ‘cut it out’ gesture with her hand. Izzy, receiving the message, zipped her lips with her hoof like a zipper and nodded in understanding.

“Guards, state your business,” The fairy Queen spoke.

Her voice had the same elegance as the fairy Princess when she first met the motley team.

“And please make it quick,” The Pegasus queen added. “We’re on a very tight schedule today.”

“Haven, please!” The fairy Queen groaned.

“Rosalyn, you know I was in the midst of my mid-day wing shampooing. Besides, there’s still so much to do before the celebration tonight. Cloudpuff needs his pedicure… (Nodding toward the dog) Pipp and Lance need to rehearse, and I need to practice my laugh.”

Haven forced a very unpleasant laugh, which made Rosalyn cringe.

“You see? Still not right.”

Soren stepped aside to showcase the prisoners.

“Your Highness, we found these intruders in our territory.”

Both queens gasped as Queen Haven removed her sunglasses.

“Earth folk? And Jewel-Horns?” Rosalyn spoke.

Of course she sounded more startled (Intrigued even) rather than frightened or outraged. The same could not be said about Queen Haven.

“In Zephyr Heights?!”

“We have them under control, your Highness,” Soren reassured.

“Oh, oh, a-and we deployed the shield!” Thunder added.

“Is this an attack?! On the night of our royal celebration?! Why are you here?! Who sent you?!”

“Calm yourself, Haven,” Rosalyn spoke. “It’s clear to see they are only children.”

“Children or not, they still came to our kingdom! Nobody must know they’re here!”

Pipp, too distracted with her phone, started live-streaming.

“Check it out, you guys! Live from the castle… real Jewel-Horns and Earth Folk!”

She moved her screen towards Sunny, Keith, Izzy, and Katie. Keith glanced away, trying to cover his face. Katie just pouted and turned away, while Izzy waved hello, and Sunny just smiled. The image intruders, plastered on every jumbo screen in Zephyr Heights, frightened the citizens.

“I know, right? This is so not a filter.

“Pipp!” Haven chastised.

“I got this, Mrs. H!”

Lance grabbed Pipp’s phone and cleared his throat before addressing the anxious crowd.

“Which is ‘totally’ cool, by the way. Not the whole ‘Earth Folk and Jewel-Horns being here’ schtick… but fear not! Your heroic Prince Lance has ‘everything’ under control. No need to panic—Wait, hey! Mom!!”

Lance protested as his mother, Rosalyn, grabbed his phone.

“As you were, everyone. The suspects have been apprehended and will be questioned accordingly… and ‘fairly’. We shall alert you if there truly is any threat, but as of now… at ease.”

The audience all gave a collective sigh of relief, going about their day as if nothing happened. Rosalyn glared toward her son, for using a moment of panic to boost his image, even toward Pipp for wanting to turn this into a social media hashtag. She tossed Lance the phone and Pipp snatched it back. Sunny pulled out her notebook and landed upon the page of questions for Pegasi.

“Excuse me, your Majesty? Um, we only want to ask you a few questions about magic. We—”

Before Rosalyn could speak, however…

“Guards!” Queen Haven shouted. “Please escort these ponies and elves to the dungeon until we can question them properly! And confiscate the book!”

“What? N-No, no!” Sunny shouted.

The Earth pony panicked as Soren grabbed her notebook away, the last piece she had of her father. This act trigged something within Keith and, in a blur of red and white, Keith charged his way toward Soren. He started kicking and punching any guard that dared come near them. He managed to kick the book off the guard’s grip, and it flew into the air, landing at the feet of the white Pegasus and fairy Princess.

Rosalyn grabbed the book before her daughter could inspect it. But in a brief moment, something caught her eye and she silently gasped. She raised her hand once the guards apprehended Keith, who was still trying to kick and claw his way out.

“ENOUGH!!!!!”

Queen Rosalyn’s voice echoed all around the room and everyone froze, even Haven and her own daughters.

“As per Queen Haven’s instructions, all prisoners will be ‘apprehended’. No harm will come to them while they’re here.”

“What?!” Lance exclaimed. “Mom, are you serious?!”

Rosalyn held her hand and her son immediately went silent. Lance knew better than to question his mother’s authority. In the meantime, Sunny, Izzy, Katie, and Keith were secured by the guards. The two elves had their wrists cuffed to their backs, as the group were forced toward the main doors as the royal family ascended to the sky. The white Pegasus and fairy Princess looked toward their prisoners with sympathy and worry.

“But-but, your Majesties, we just wanted to ask you a few questions, please!” Sunny begged.

But it was too late. The royals were already gone and now they were prepped to be locked in Zephyr Heights jail.

“Did she really say ‘dungeons’?” Izzy asked.

“What else could go wrong today?” Sunny sighed to herself.

“Why would you say that?!?!” Katie exclaimed.

Chapter 8–Angry Mob

“That’s better!”

Sprout spent a part of his day sticking a picture of his face over the image of Hitch Trailblazer on the calendar. So far, at least to him, being sheriff was a piece of cake. James, in the meantime, sipped his smoothie. He arched an eyebrow over the image.

“You do know you’re only temporary sheriff, right?” James asked.

“For now, my friend,” Sprout replied. “But once everybody sees how much better I am than Hitch, it’s only a matter of time until they vote me in office permanently.”

“You’re not running for mayor, Sprout.”

“What kind of pony you take me—mayor! That’s the best idea I’ve ever thought of! I could run for mayor!”

“Please… don’t,” James muttered dryly.

“You just wait Jimbo, someday this town will erect a statue in my honor. I’ll be the most powerful pony in all of Maretime—no, in ‘all’ of Equestria! I’ll have this whole country so clean you can eat the grass you step on.”

“Maybe you could start by picking up all the pizza boxes on the floor!” James suggested, referring to the mess. “Others work here, you know?”

“… ‘Mayor Sprout Cloverleaf’,” Sprout smirked arrogantly. “I love the sound of that!”

James rolled his eyes and sighed to himself. Frankly, he really didn’t expect Sprout to last long as sheriff of Maretime Bay. He felt certain he’d choke under the pressure. He gave him, at the very least, a couple extra days to milk it. But even that’s being too generous.

Suddenly, the doors sprung open and in came Phyllis Cloverleaf, along with a crowd of ponies clamoring the police department building from the outside.

“Mom?” Sprout asked.

“Ms. Cloverleaf?” James cocked an eyebrow.

Phyllis looked out of breath yet regained her composure the moment she saw her son wearing his shiny new badge.

“My, oh, my, aren’t you the handsome sheriff! Look at you.

“Yes. Yes I am, mommy,” Sprout chuckled bashfully.

It made this pony so happy having mother so proud of him. Of course, she’s ‘always’ been supportive of him since the day he was born. Still, to be sheriff and have their lifelong dream realized, it was more Sprout could ask for.

Meanwhile, James kept sipping his smoothie, unamused and just waiting for the train wreck to occur. A partner he may be, but not the most ‘supportive’.

“Well, this is it,” Phyllis continued. “It is your time to shine, dear. “Everybody wants to hear from you.”

“They do?” Sprout asked.

“They do?” James repeated, in complete disbelief.

“Of course! You are in charge now,” Phyllis declared, whispering in her son’s ear. “It’s your destiny.”

His destiny? His mother never told him that before… ever. Stil, she was right… she’s always right. She’s been right about the unicorns and mages, about the Pegasi and fairies, why doubt her wisdom now? This was hiss moment to shine, a chance to finally prove to everybody in town, both Earth ponies and elves alike, that Sprout Cloverleaf was far better than Hitch Trailblazer.

“This’ll end well…” James muttered.

James winced following a stiff kick to the knee courtesy of Phyllis.

“You show some respect to your partner, young man!”

“Yes, ma’am,” James whimpered, from the pain.

Before the gathered crowd, the doors to the sheriff’s department opened…

“Citizens!” Sprout announced.

*WHAM!* Immediately the doors slammed in his face.

“Ow!”

James opened the doors, wearing a bored expression. Sprout stepped out, rubbing his nose. Eventually he cleared his throat before addressing the crowd.

“It is I, Sheriff Sprout!”

“Sheriff?!” The elves and ponies asked, amongst one another.

“Where’s Hitch?” One random pony asked.

“We need a real sheriff!” Another waved his hoof.

“Tell us what’s going on!” An elf woman declared.

“Hitch would know what to do!” A male elf spoke.

“Come on now, everybody,” Phyllis spoke up. “Let’s listen to what our new sheriff has to say.

But Sprout was silent, suddenly feeling unsure what to say next. James had to ‘literally’ push Sprout with his knee.

“That’s ‘you’, genius,” James whispered.

“Oh, yeah, it’s me.”

“Everything’s gone wrong!” A pony shouted. “What do we do?!”

“Okay, folks, calm down,” Sprout spoke up. “There’s no need to be scared.”

The poor pony ‘tried’ to sound convince, but in reality he was having a full blown freak out on the inside. What was Sprout even thinking? He wasn’t cut out for this job! Oh… but he couldn’t let everyone down. Worse… he couldn’t let his mother down.

“We’re scared, and we want to be prepared!”

“The unicorns and mages are coming!”

“What do we do?”

“What’s your plan, sheriff?”

“What if the unicorn and mage come back?”

“Where is Keith?!” A random female pony asked. “If anyone should be sheriff right now, it’s him!”

Hearing that traitor’s name ignited James’ fury. While he might still believe Sprout was in over his head, at least he was loyal to the Earth Folk. Sprout would never turn on them at the drop of a hat. Kogan on the other hand…

“Forget Kogan!” James raised his voice, silencing everyone. “The elf has gone rogue! He and Sunny ran off with that unicorn and mage. For all we know, they could be halfway towards the others… maybe even the fairies and Pegasi as we speak. Like it or not, Sprout is ‘your’ sheriff! He might not be much one of, or act much like one, inf act I still believe he’s completely under qualified—”

“I’m standing right here!” Sprout said, pressing his ears back.

If his coat wasn’t already a bright shade of red, his face would be blushing with rage right now.

“But at the very least Sprout knows where his loyalty lies.

“Yeah!” Sprout declared, his confidence rising. “Sunny Starscout and Keith Kogan have turned on us! And you know what, you could all be right. What if they do come back? They could bring the unicorns and mages, and the fairies and Pegasi!”

The audience gasped in fear.

“We are all in danger, but instead of standing around arguing we should do something! I say, if they want a fight, we should give them one! We are Earth Folk, and its high time we show those monsters who’s boss!”

Something is lurking, something is near

Something is feeling stranger, stranger

Stirring up discord, whipping up fear

Whispering softly, "danger, danger!"

Outsiders creep up slow and steady

Wings glistening, horns at the ready

Think what they could do to the status quo

Phyllis:

“Oh, no!”

Sprout:

They're gonna steal, plunder, and pillage

They're gonna take over the village

Don't just sit on your butts and do nothing and wait

Let's enter a blind, irrational state

Better get nervous, better get tense

Better not let them catch you blinking

You don't need a reason, fillies and gents

This is no time for sober thinking

Mob!

Earth Pony:

Mob?

Sprout:

M-M-Mob, mob!

Elf:

Mob?

Earth pony and Elf:

Mob?

Sprout:

Angry, angry mob!

Earth ponies and elves:

Mob, m-m-mob, mob!

Mob, mob, angry, angry!

As Sprout rallied the citizens of Maretime Bay, their anger and rage increased. Those who once trusted Keith Kogan immediately turned on him. They called him a traitor, a menace like his sister. If he and Sunny ever returned, there would be ‘no’ mercy.

Even James began to like this new side of Sprout. Finally, a pony taking charge. Sure, James could’ve become sheriff in Hitch’s steed, but he wasn’t motivated enough for the job. Besides, even if he was, he’d never hear Sprout complain about it. For once, he actually believed this pony could pull it off.

In the end, this was what James truly wanted. A measure of payback toward Kogan for backstabbing the entire town including his own department.

“Everybody wins…” James declared.

Having no need to be part of the rally, he turned to leave when he bumped face-first into Commander Iverson. He looked up toward the fierce gleam in Iverson’s eyes, petrified by the dead man’s stare. Before James could utter another word, Iverson dragged James away from the scene while Sprout was still getting his groove on.

Sprout:

Fight, see in black and white

That's your pony right

Time to lift your manes and proudly

Throng, numbers make you strong

Millions can't be wrong

Especially when they're screaming loudly

You might not have a bale of hay to borrow

Are you saddled with your sorrow?

Are you scared about tomorrow?

Well, it's all gonna work out painlessly

If you follow my orders brainlessly

Who are we?

Everybody:

We're an angry mob!

Sprout:

What are we?

Everybody:

We're an angry mob!

Sprout:

Look at this corn!

Everybody:

It's on the cob!

Sprout:

Look at that guy!

Rob the elf:

Uh, my name's Rob.

Everybody:

Mob, mob, m-m-mob, mob!

Mob, mob, angry, angry!

Mob, mob, m-m-mob, mob!

Mob, mob, angry, angry!

Mob, mob, m-m-mob, mob!

Mob, mob, angry, angry!

Mob, mob, m-m-mob, mob!

Mob, mob, angry, angry mob!

***

Back in the Canterlogic facility, James found himself forcibly lead by Commander Iverson through the building. Their journey took them into one of the warehouse supply rooms where most of the tools, supplies, and machine parts were kept in storage. As of this moment, it was just the two of them as most of the other faculty were currently ‘busy’ under Sprouts leadership. Eventually, Commander Iverson moved ahead of James, who followed closely and silently behind.

“So, what’s this top secret job your boss wanted me to do?” James asked, rubbing the sore spot where Phyllis had kicked him.

At first Iverson didn’t answer right away. The cold silence from Phyllis’s tall bodyguard was more intimidating than his size alone. They passed a row of shelves where several crates sat along on display, as James eyed around slightly nervous.

“How familiar are you with the ‘Paladins of Harmony’?” Iverson asked suddenly.

“Only that they’re an old folks tale Sunny wouldn’t stop raving about when we were kids,” James replied.

“Then you couldn’t be more wrong, soldier.” Iverson said.

James looked up toward Iverson, who not once turned back toward him during their whole conversation. How in Equestria could Iverson even know about the legend? James just assumed he was just Phyllis’s newly hired muscle to intimidate those who question her practices. What secrets does he know that James doesn’t?

“You’re not seriously saying that those stories are real, right? There’s no way.”

“Where do the stories come from?” Iverson asked. “I might look like a meathead, but I’m a lot more cultures than you think, Griffin!”

James gave him a salute, though he wasn’t sure why. Iverson’s military speak just triggered the reaction.

“Sir, no sir!”

“Our ancestors fought alongside the Paladins themselves, but that was before the others races turned on each other. Unicorns and mages with their freaky magic, and the fairies and pegasi with their eagle wings, snatching up everyone in sight! Those paladins were a joke, and they made all of us pay the price for their blindsided worldview. But… some good did come out of it.”

Iverson led James to a large door with multiple locks. He pressed his hand on a digital scanner and the locks became loose and the door flew open, making a creepy creaking sound.

James followed Iverson into a cold room. Literally, there was cold mist that made James rub his arms for warmth. Iverson stood before a large case, he then proceeded to unclip the lid holding the contents and slowly lifted the lid.

A heavy glow suddenly appeared from the container as Iverson and James looked down. James looked at the content with wide-eyed shock, so great his jaw slowly dropped. Iverson, in the meantime, was stone-faced the whole time.

“Where did you even get this?” James asked.

“Cloverleaf’s secret weapon. A little bit of old Equestrian weaponry, mixed with modern technology. Guaranteed to wipe out all those pesky unicorns, mages, pegasi and fairies if they so much as dare to cross into Maretime Bay again. I always had a hunch Kogan would go rouge, and now that he has, you think you got what it takes to take him down?”

It took James a moment more to fully breathe in the offer given to him. Suddenly, it was starting to become clear what he was truly being offered. And while he still could not fathom what was truly going on, but that didn’t matter now. Just as Sprout looked to prove himself better than Hitch, he too wanted a chance to one-up Keith Kogan and what was in this chest was going to help him. Slowly, he looked up from the box and a sinister smile spread across his face.

“Oh, you know it.”

Chapter 9–Princess Rescue

Keith Kogan wished he had something to cover his ears. Right above their cell window was a jumbo screen which repeated the same commercials on a loop. One of a perfume endorsed by Pipp Petals, another about a pair of sneakers endorsed by Lance. Then a cereal brand (Also endorsed by the two royals), a shampoo ad, a vacation spot, pajamas… each and every one endorsed by Lance and Pipp. Keith was certain he’d explode if he heard the guy’s aggravating voice one more time.

Sunny was doing a much better job focusing on the issue at hand… or in this case, hoof.

“Something’s not right,” She said.

Least with Sunny talking, Keith had a moment’s peace from hearing the constant ads.

“Tell me about it,” Keith replied. “I didn’t think they believed in co-ed jail cells.”

“No, not that! It’s like you said, Keith. We haven’t seen a single pony or fairy flying… except the royal family.”

“Yeah… why is that?” Keith asked.

He recalled the moment they first saw the fairy Princess and her Pegasus friend. He remembered the way they moved, leaping rock to rock…

“Now that you mention it…”

Before Keith could proceed with his theory, Izzy hummed at the vibrating chair. The pony lounged along a chair that pushed back. She sported some cucumbers over her eyes while sipping on a fruity drink in a coconut.

“This isn’t dungeon-y at all.”

And she was right. This so-called ‘dungeon’ looked more like a luxurious suite than a prison. Complete with a relaxing fountain in the center, a soft bed, and a table with bowls of delicious fruit and candies. There was even a room with a bathroom in the corner.

“Izzy, are you even listening?” Keith asked. “Katie, what do you—oh, you’ve got to be kidding me!”

Even Katie took advantage of the luxuries, sipping her fruity drink while soaking her feet in a golden bowl filled with sparkly water and rose petals. She too wore cucumbers over her eyes, her glasses set aside.

“Hey man, if this is torture, chain me to the wall!”

Keith hung his head. Clearly these two were going to be much help.

“Hey!”

Everyone, including Katie and Izzy, were on high alert when they heard someone on the other side of the bars. It was none other than the fairy Princess and her Pegasus friend from before.

“Sorry you guys got thrown in here,” The Pegasus said.

“I hope you don’t mind,” The fairy princess spoke up. “But we’d like to ask you a few questions.”

“I have ‘one’ question, if you don’t mind,” Keith spoke up. “You were princesses the whole time?”

“Oh, would you look at that,” The fairy princess teased. “The officer just became a detective.”

“What?”

“Your badge. Hard to miss. I’m surprise anyone else did.”

Keith had completely forgotten about his badge. It was still pinned to his red-and-white jacket.

“Oh yeah… that makes sense.”

“Your Majestic-nesses! Y-Your Graceful Highnesses!” Izzy stuttered.

She couldn’t believe she was in the presence of royalty.

“Oh please, no need for that. I’m Allura, and this is Zipp Storm.”

“Zipp. Just… call me Zipp.”

“And I don’t believe I caught your name,” The Princess Allura eyed Keith.

“Uh… Keith. My name’s Keith.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Keith.”

“Pleasure’s… all mine…”

Keith tried to sound less nervous than he actually was. He didn’t know what it was. But the princess’s sly grin and her sparkly eyes made it difficult for him to focus. Fortunately for him, Izzy jumped right in (Literally) to take away the awkwardness.

“Hi! My name’s Izzy. Izzy Moonbow, and that’s Katie, and Sunny, and of course you know Keith. Well, you do now.”

“Nice to meet you guys,” Zipp said.

“You said you wanted to ask us something?” Sunny spoke.

Allura and Zipp exchanged knowing looks, then gave a silent nod. They leaned closer, Allura gripping along the bars.

“Yes… about magic,” They whispered in unison.

“That’s why we’re here,” Sunny said. “Maybe you can tell us how yours works? Izzy and Katie have no idea how the Jewel-Horns lost theirs, so we thought maybe—”

“Wait, wait, wait!” Allura interrupted, stunned. “Lost… theirs? There’s no magic anywhere?”

“Well… that changes things,” Zipp nodded. “Listen, we might have some that could help. But first, you need to tell us about ‘this’.”

Zipp nodded toward Allura, who pulled out Sunny’s journal, the very one her mother confiscated.

“My journal!” Sunny cried.

The Earth pony could burst into tears now, so happy to be reunited with her beloved book again. It wasn’t just a book full of questions for other ponies and elves, but because it was given to her by Argyle himself. It meant more to her than words could express.

“Thank you. I-I never thought I’d see it again.”

“Yeah, Lu and I can be pretty sneaky when we want to be,” Zipp replied.

“Nice! I’m-I’m only medium sneaky,” Izzy spoke.

“Where did it come from?” Allura asked.

Sunny and Keith both stared at the journal longingly.

“It was our father’s,” Keith answered.

“Your father?” Zipp asked. “As in… ‘both’ of yours?”

Allura gave her friend a slight kick along the flank.

“Zipp! Don’t be rude!”

“Right, sorry.”

“Why are you so interested in the journal?” Keith asked.

“It’s not about the journal…”

Allura tapped on the leather cover, right above the six pointed star engraved on the edge.

“That star…”

Everyone turned their heads at the sound of trumpets playing. In reality, the trumpets were the sound of an app from two mobile phones held by one fairy and one Pegasus guard. Once they tucked their phones away, they proceeded to roll down a long red carpet. At the end of it stood Lance and Pipp, snapping pictures of themselves before strutting down the carpet like models. Pipp’s mane bounced, while Lance scrolled through his social media account.

“Alright, alright, alright! Let’s see how bad these outsiders really are up close. Hopefully not too much, hate to scar the kids for life.”

Lance took one glance toward Keith and screamed, nearly dropping his phone as he jumped away from the cell-bars.

“Aye chihuahua! It’s worse than I thought! A mullet?! What’re you supposed to be, a trucker? All that’s missing is a hat.”

Keith growled, narrowing his eyes and baring his teeth. As if hearing a recording of Lance’s voice wasn’t bad enough, now he had to deal with him up close… and in person.

“Yeah, sorry pal. I don’t speak ‘beast’. Hold on, let me try something.”

Pipp, however, took a cautious step away from the cell. “Careful, Lance! He looks a little bitter…”

“Please…” Lance smirked arrogantly. “I’m not scared of anything.” Lance straightened his collar a bit before taking a deep breath. “Helloooooooo…” Lance spoke slowly. “Me… Lance. You… Earth… Elf. Do… you… speak… elvi—AHH!!!”

Lance screamed the moment Keith grabbed him by the collar of his throat, pulling him towards the bars.

“How’s about I take that phone of yours and shove it up your—”

“Keith, stop!”

Sunny quickly shifted into her riding form and pushed Keith away, releasing the fairy prince.

“Ohmygosh! Ohmygosh! Ohmygosh! Ohmygosh! It touched me!” Lance screamed, like a little girl. “Gross! Earth Elf germs! I need some water… disinfectant… iodine… ooh, this’ll have to do… EW!!!”

Lance frantically reached into his suit and pulled out some hand sanitizer. He splashed the alcohol around his neck, rubbing as rapidly and hard as possible without physically hurting himself.

“Wow… he’s a charmer,” Katie replied, unamused.

“Lance, what are you and Pipp doing down here?” Allura asked.

“We should be asking you that,” Pipp said. “Mom and Aunty Rosalyn told us to stay away from them.”

“Right,” Zipp rolled her eyes. “Then why are you here?”

“For the content,” Pipp scoffed.

Lance kneeled toward Pipp’s level and the two quickly posed, giving duck lips as they snapped a selfie with Izzy and Sunny right behind them. Izzy pulled Sunny into a hug and smiled when the camera flashed. Sunny forced an evidently uncomfortable smile.

“Excuse me, Princess,” Sunny spoke. “Why isn’t anyone in your kingdom flying?”

From their phone’s selfie mode, they noticed the way Lance and Pipp tensed up. As if they had been exposed of something these visitors weren’t supposed to know about. Pipp was the first to compose herself, while Lance stood up and dusted off his pants.

“Everybody knows only royals can fly, of course,” Pipp replied.

“What?!”

Sunny, Izzy, Katie, and especially Keith were surprised to hear this.

“Are you serious?” Keith asked. “If you’re telling us you’re the only ones with magic, how are you even able to maintain it?”

Keith hoped whatever secrets they have could be useful in aiding the unicorns and mages, but he dared not bring that up. Lance, on the other hand, merely brushed it off with a ‘harumph’.

“Yeah, I’m afraid that information’s ‘classified’ Mullet-head,” Lance replied, feigning sadness (Yet clearly nonchalant). “It’s totally unfair, I know. But that’s just the way it is. If there was any way we could teach the citizens to fly, especially the bodacious babes, we’d totally do it in a wing beat. Right, Pipps?”

“Of course we would,” Pipp said.

The display of their attitude made Keith and Katie frown, especially the way Pipp batted her eyelashes so ‘innocently’, the way she flapped her puffy white-and-pink wings while prancing… it was more than they could bear.

“Right, Zipp?” Pipp asked.

Zipp narrowed her eyes in a way that indicated she was somehow either bored of something… or loathed it altogether.

“Yeah. In a wing beat.”

Allura only groaned while shaking her head. Sunny and Keith exchanged confused looks, as did Izzy and Katie. Keith had a sinking suspicion these pop-star royals were hiding something. Or they weren’t telling them the whole story.

“Right,” Keith said, “I’m sure it’s got nothing to do with you just hogging the magic all to yourselves.”

“Yeah, not cool, dude!” Katie said. “

“I’d watch yourself before you wreck yourself, sweetheart,” Lance remarked cockily. “All we’d have to do is snap my fingers, and we can extend your stay in this luxury suite. So you better play nice.”

Before Lance could continue, Pipp’s phone vibrated (Shaking her whole body in the process).

“Oh! Lance honey, dress rehearsal time.”

“Right… I’m a need-me a soy latte to relieve me of this stress,” Lance sighed. “Well people, we’d love to stay and chat—not really—but we gotta make like springs and bounce!”

He then leaned closely toward his sister.

“And so should you!” He spoke, through his teeth. “And don’t even think about breaking him out so you can live out your ridiculous ‘bad-boy’ fantasies again. Remember what happened with Lotor?”

“We broke up mutually because he still had feelings for his ex-girlfriend, Axca,” Allura stated.

Lance ignored her completely, scrolling across his phone for like the tenth time and gave her a mocking pat on the head.

“Keep telling yourself that, Big Sis. Later, haters!”

He and Pipp walked off in a huff. Lance snapped his fingers, and the two guards rolled the carpet behind them on command. All the while Pipp warmed up her vocals.

“Me-me-meeee! Red feather, yellow feather, red feather, yellow feather.”

Allura and Zipp waited till their siblings were out of sight. Finally, the fairy Princess pressed her hand over the digital scanner, which automatically lifted the bars, freeing the four friends.

“What are you—” Keith began.

“Shush!” Allura cut him off. “Come with us. We have something to show you.”

Just before they all left, Izzy switched the tennis ball on her horn with an orange from one of the fruit bowls.

Chapter 10–The Lost Treasures

“Oh, yeah sure! Just drag me across the continent to climb a mountain, that’s cool man. It’s only occupied by a bunch of Pegasi and fairies ready to snatch us up, but whatever! Let’s just ignore them and try to find our friends who are probably being tortured right now. Easy-peasy, yeah, that all makes a ton of sense.”

“Hunk, normally when somebody climbs a mountain they’re usually out of breath,” Hitch pointed out.

The young stallion exhaled and inhaled deeply, as he pulled himself onto the side of the mountain. Until at last, they reached the very top. Hunk practically hoisted himself over the mountain a couple seconds before Hitch did. For a big guy, he was surprisingly fast.

“I saved all that oxygen to yell at you!” Hunk spoke, with a sigh. “What are we even doing out here?”

“We’re out here to save our friends,” Hitch stated firmly.

He knew Sunny Starscout and Keith Kogan had committed some serious crimes, but his gut instinct told him they had at least a reason. Least outside of just Sunny being… well, ‘Sunny’. Hitch, at the very least, knew Keith had a good reason.

And yet… something just wasn’t adding up. He was going to get to the bottom of this even if it killed him.

“Yeah but… what if…” Hunk hesitated to continue. “You know… something bad happened?”

Hitch prayed to the high heavens that wasn’t true. He shook away those thoughts, focusing on the task at hoof. He also pushed aside his own personal feelings towards Sunny. As much as he hated the idea of arresting her, his badge demanded he uphold the law. Maybe, if he were lucky, the circumstances would prevent the opposite and things could all work out.

But that was wishful thinking. Right now, Hitch needed to think and act like a sheriff. No more, no less.

“Nothing is going to happen to them,” Hitch said. “Not on my watch.”

“But you don’t even wear a watch.”

“Figure of speech, man.”

Suddenly, Hitch felt something warm and fuzzy against his leg. He looked down and frowned the moment he saw a cute little bunny rubbing against his leg.

“Great…” Hitch groaned.

“Hey, Hitch, look!”

Hitch pointed behind Hitch, who turned around and saw a crumbled piece of paper.

“Litter!” He said. “I mean, a clue!”

Hitch examined the paper, recognizing the writing as Sunny’s own. This had to have been a piece from her notebook, written on the now wrinkled page was… well, Hitch wasn’t about to show ‘that’ to Hunk. He hid the paper in the pocket of his sash, the tricky part was hiding the blush on his face.

“What does it say?” Hunk asked.

He tried to inspect what the paper was, but Hitch jumped back.

“Uh-uh-uh nothing!” Hitch stammered. “Just… doodles, from Sunny is all.”

Hitch proceeded to search the perimeter and found a strand of Izzy’s mane.

“Hmm… unicorn hair.”

Hunk screamed and rushed towards Hitch, hoisting him up from the ground in a bone-crushing, frightened hug.

“Hunk! What are you—”

“Pe-pe-pe-pe-pe-pe-pe-pe…”

“Now, we talked about this. Use your big words.”

“Pe-pe-pe-pe-PEGASUS!!!!”

Hunk pointed toward the single blue feather, rocking back and forth by a gentle breeze. Hitch wriggled himself from Hunk’s grip and inspected it. He sniffed it and gave it a quick lick.

“Pegasi indeed. Good eye, Hunk.”

“Um… th-th-th-thanks?”

“Track’s gone cold, though,” Hitch shook his head. “Sunny, Sunny, Sunny, Sunny. You think you’ve escaped? Well, think again. I will not eat! I will not sleep! Well, maybe a quick nap and snack if I can’t find you in the next few hours… BUT! After that, nothing will stop me from finding you!”

Hunk sniffed and wiped a single tear away.

“That’s so romantic, boss!”

“What? NO! It’s not supposed to be romantic, it’s—”

Hitch was stunned the moment he saw an entire population of rabbits clapping their ears for him. Of course, never one to turn down an applauding audience, he just went along with it.

“Oh,” Hitch chuckled. “Thank you. Thank you. No, no, you’re too kind. ALSO! I’ll follow you wherever you go! Whether harshest deserts, the coldest tundra, no trail too dangerous, no clue too small! The past matters not!”

“Uh… Hitch?”

“It’s justice—what? What is it, Hunk?”

Hunk, and the entire bunny population, pointed behind Hitch (The bunnies using their ears to do so). Hitch turned around and, to his surprise, attached to two incredibly tall buildings were jumbo-screen mug shots of Sunny and Keith together, both frowning, and another of the unicorn and mage. The mage tried hiding her face with the prisoner number plate while the unicorn was smiling as though she were getting a picture taken from a friend.

“Well that’s convenient,” Hunk observed.

And Hitch nodded in agreement, for now they knew where to go.

***

Keith, Sunny, Izzy, and Katie followed the two princess until they reached a hatch hidden beneath an old room, located in the deepest, darkest part of the castle. Zipp jumped down first, landing on what appeared to be a large balloon basket. Allura quickly followed suit, using her wings as momentum. Even though she couldn’t fly, her wings proved useful for gliding at the very least.

“Watch your step,” Zipp instructed.

Keith hoisted Sunny over his shoulders, like a Shepard carrying a baby lamb, and jumped. Izzy came next, followed by Katie, who landed flat on her rear.

“Oof!”

“So, what exactly is this thing you want to show us?” Keith asked, suspicious.

“Not very big on patience, are you?” Allura asked.

Once again, the cheeky tony and grin of hers, complete with that arched eyebrow, made Keith’s cheeks blush.

“Ha! When he wants to be,” Sunny threw her head back.

Zipp pressed her hoof on the lever, and the basket lowered down slowly.

“Whoa!”

They arrived at a massive chamber with drapes of old, long-since deflated balloons hanging from above, halfway destroyed stairs, walls with chipped paint, and portraits and posters worn and dusty. Tiny moths fluttered about; a couple winged rats scurried across the floor. The windows long since destroyed, allowing light to shine in. Despite its rundown state, there was something eerily awe-inspiring about the location. Like a piece of history lost to time. It didn’t look nor feel like Sunny or Keith could ever recall having seen before as the pair stepped from the basket and looked around.

“What is this place?” Sunny asked.

“Pretty amazing, right?” Zipp smiled. “Lu and I found it a few years ago, while we were exploring the castle.”

“We’re pretty sure it used to be some kind of station,” Allura explained during the tour. “For when Earth folk and Jewel-Horns used to visit Zephyr Heights. It’s like everyone just… forgot about it.”

So it seemed that way. As if this station definitely seen better days, and one had to wonder how it looked like back in its prime. Keith’s foot collided with the edge of a poster on the floor. He lifted it up, laid it against the wall and noticed something ‘familiar’ hidden behind the thick layer of dust. He wiped the spot with his fingerless black glove and his eyes widened.

“Sunny! Look at this!”

“It’s the lighthouse!” Sunny gasped.

Together, they cleaned the rest of the poster to reveal an old-time illustration of Maretime Bay, possibly fifty or sixty years ago. But what really shocked the siblings was, aside from Earth Folk, there were Jewel-Horns and Skylings posing together.

“Katie!” Izzy galloped in place. “Look up there!”

She pointed right above her head and Katie saw a poster on the upper wall which read ‘Welcome to Bridlewood!’. Just like the Maretime Bay poster, this one depicted all six races of elves and ponies. Standing together… so happily.

Sunny smiled toward her brother, her eyes blurring as though she’d cry.

“This is proof! All pony and elf kinds did used to be friends! Dad was right!”

Keith couldn’t believe it, but the proof was in the pudding. ‘Physical’ proof that all of Argyle’s stories were true. So, if the stories of Equestria’s ancient days were real then…

“Could the paladins?” Keith wondered.

Keith soon noticed Allura staring at another poster, with longing in her eyes. The poster depicted a fairy with pilot-like garments while flying beside his Pegasus companion, who also wore the same garments. Keith thought it was a tad odd that Allura would be staring at this poster the way she did. As if there was something she couldn’t have.

“Must be pretty weird being the only fairies and Pegasi that can fly,” Keith said.

“Actually…” Allura sighed. “We can’t fly either. The truth is: we’ve been faking it the whole time, ‘all’ of us.”

Izzy, Katie, and Sunny gasped, while Keith just looked stunned.

“Faking it?!” Sunny wondered. “But… but how?”

“You’d be surprised what some wires and good lighting will do,” Zipp said.

Judging by the look on her face, she was equally as regretful as Allura right now.

“But why lie to everyone?” Keith asked, almost accusingly.

“You speak as though we enjoy it,” Allura narrowed her eyes.

“Sorry…” Keith stepped back. “Just asking a question.”

Allura glanced upon the remorseful gaze on Keith’s face and sighed to herself.

“According to our history, the royal family were the last Skylings to lose their magic. Very few in the castle know the truth and our people were losing enough hope already. So… our ancestors chose to fabricate this charade, insisting this would only be ‘temporary’ until the magic comes back.”

“Our family’s been trying for ages to find a way of restoring our flight,” Zipp added. “So we can finally stop living that ridiculous lie. That’s why we come down here and, well… to do this.”

Zipp jumped onto a lever, activating a giant fan and she jumped right in the midst of a massive whirlwind, which hoisted her high into the air. Allura joined her, leaping and spinning in the air, spreading her fairy wings as she floated beside her friend. Zipp spread her wings, capturing the powerful breeze. The two friends flipped through the air, laughing and giggling.

The others watched in amazement. Even if they couldn’t fly on their own, the princesses managed to create their own way of flying.

“Whoa!” Izzy smiled. “Their sparkle is so bright right now!”

Indeed, both Allura and Zipp appeared as though they could remain airborne forever. Their smiles were wide, and they closed their eyes, taking in a sense of freedom. Keith began to feel envious, wishing he too could fly like that. Being liberated of all cares and worries, it must feel so amazing.

Using their wings, Allura and Zipp glided back down. Katie soon noticed a blackboard with a bunch of numbers and equations.

“Amazing! You found the precise trajectory of the fan, and the amount of airflow required for the illusion of flight!”

“You’re pretty good with equations, aren’t ya?” Zipp asked.

“Equations are a hobby of mine,” Katie replied.

She and Zipp gave each other a fist/hoof bump, cementing their new friendship. Allura giggled at the sight, happy to see Zipp making a new friend. Her face soon turned regretfully serious.

“But that’s not why we brought you down here.”

Zipp joined Allura’s side, and the two pulled on a massively long curtain that was torn and dusty. Once they yanked it off, it revealed a beautiful mural. Of course, one of the stained glass windows had pieces broken off, yet the main illustration was still recognizable. Yet due to the few broken pieces, sunlight was able to seep through.

“This is what we wanted to show you.”

The window showcased a beautiful woman with shimmering white hair that seemed to move all on its own. It was difficult to see her ears, for they were hidden underneath all of that white. Her skin was dark brown; her eyes were closed. On her cheek was a vague heart-shaped symbol and on her forehead was a single four pointed star with a white dot.

She wore a shimmering light blue dress that looked almost transparent, allowing a full display outline of her slim form. Beside her were, by their count, six mares, each with a different colored man and coat colors.

“This was made a long, long time ago,” Zipp explained. “When we still had magic.”

“It’s beautiful!” Izzy stared in awe.

Between the stain glass woman’s hands was a single six pointed star… the same one from Sunny’s notebook.

“Oh, my stars…!” Sunny exclaimed.

Comparing the similarities, they were exactly identical! Keith too took a closer look at the woman in the window. The way she looked, it triggered something in his memory. A memory from one of Argyle’s stories.

“It’s… it’s the Maiden.”

“The Maiden and Mares of the Crystal Lake!” Sunny gasped. “They were real too, I knew it!”

Keith, on the other hand, was too stunned to move.

“Then… that means…”

“The paladins were real too!” Sunny concluded.

“Paladins?” Zipp asked.

“The stories our dad used to tell us when we were kids. A group of warriors known as the Paladins whose duty was to keep all elves and ponies together.”

Katie looked around the ruins, cringing at their current state.

“Doesn’t seem like they did a very good job—OW!”

Izzy kicked her knee, shaking her head like a disappointed mother.

“This is why you let us free, isn’t it?” Keith asked Allura.

“The first time we saw you, we just knew you might be able to help us,” Allura smiled.

“Or at least, we ‘hope’ you would,” Zipp said.

She stepped closer to Allura, who patted her friend behind her neck in comfort. In the meantime, Sunny studied the stained glass window, noting something about the star. Beneath the image of the Maiden and the Mares were three individual archways. The middle one had long since been destroyed, but the one on the left depicted a male fairy riding his Pegasus companion, receiving a wing-shaped object from the Maiden.

“What’s that?” Sunny asked.

“The Skyling Crystal,” Zipp explained. “It’s part of my mom’s crown.”

Sunny continued to examine the window, noticing the left arc depicted a mage riding a unicorn, receiving a crystal as well. Only that piece was missing.

“Hmm… where’s the Jewel-Horn Crystal?”

Sunny searched the floor until she spotted a diamond-like jewel on the corner of the room. Beneath their feet was a larger depiction of the Skyling Crystal from the mural. Sunny pulled the glass piece from underneath a piece of the long curtain and adjusted the diamond to fit right between the wings of the Skyling Crystal.

“Look!”

“No… way!” Katie’s jaw dropped.

“They… fit?” Izzy wondered.

“These two crystals belong together… united,” Sunny smiled.

“Where are you going with this, Sunny?” Keith asked.

“I’m saying… maybe they lost their magic because the crystals were separated.”

“So if we put them back together…” Izzy began.

“… magic will return?” Zipp concluded, unsurely.

“And all pony and elf kinds will get along again!” Sunny declared.

Hearing this, Izzy and Zipp were already cheering while Sunny’s heard swelled with hope once more.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, back up a sec!” Keith spoke up. “Don’t you girls think it sounds a little too easy? I mean… two crystals, splitting apart, causing magic to disappear in the first place? What about the division between the races? We still don’t know if it happened ‘before’ or ‘after’ magic disappeared.”

“I must agree with Keith on this one,” Allura stepped up. “We haven’t the evidence to support this theory, Zipp. And even if it were true, we wouldn’t know where to find the Jewel-Horn crystal.”

“Well, if you’re looking for crystals, we’ve got, like, a gazillion of them back in Bridlewood,” Izzy said.

“Then that’s where we’ll go next,” Sunny declared.

“Sunny…” Keith sighed.

“Keith, I know it’s a long shot. But this is our first lead!”

Zipp turned toward Allura with hopeful eyes.

“And it’s a lot more than what we could have figured out by ourselves, Lu.”

Allura thought for a moment. Indeed it was a very big find, albeit a bit of a stretch, but it was something. Given the dead ends they encountered, this might as well be what they were looking for. In fact, Allura was surprised they never made this connection before. Perhaps the mentality nurtured by their community, being afraid of other elves and ponies, had a more integral effect on them than they cared to admit. Ultimately, Allura decided to go along with it.

“I suppose…” Allura relented. “But if this is to work, we need the Skyling Crystal. And we both know we ‘can’t just take it from Aunty Haven’s head, not even if we said ‘please’.”

“Ooh… good point,” Zipp winced. “She never takes her crown off… ever.”

“Okay, I’m a little confused,” Keith spoke up. “She ‘never’ takes off her crown? Or… ever-ever?”

“Never-ever…” Allura corrected. “Not when she goes to bed, when she takes a bath… not even when she goes for a swim. Until the day she passes the crown to her heir, that crown stays.”

“So, what do we do?” Sunny asked.

Katie then snapped her fingers as a thought crossed her mind and she pointed toward Allura and Zipp.

“Say Allura, isn’t your brother and Zipp’s sister performing at the royal celebration tonight?”

“Yeah!” Zipp flapped her wings excitedly. “All eyes will be on them, especially my mom’s. She’ll be distracted.

“Ergo, we just need to swap the ‘real’ crown with a ‘fake’ and she’d never know the difference. Izzy can even craft such a decoy, lickety-split!”

“You can?” Keith and Allura asked, in unison.

“I sure can!” Izzy said proudly. “But I will need a box of macaroni, a tube of glue, fourteen gooey bunnies, and three jellybeans. Oh! And glitter… lots of glitter.”

Keith tapped Allura’s shoulder.

“Why can’t you just explain things with your mom? Maybe she’ll want to help.”

“If it were ‘only’ my mother, that wouldn’t be a problem,” Allura shook her head. “But we know Haven, there’s no chance she’d willingly give the jewel to Earth Folk and/or Jewel-Horns… both. Even if my mother were to coax her, that pony’s as stubborn as a mule. No offense, Zipp.”

“Eh… I didn’t want to be the one to say it,” Zipp shrugged.

“I really hate to say this but… this is our only option,” Allura smiled awkwardly.

Keith face palmed himself. “We are sooo going back to prison.”

Chapter 11– Glowing Up

With their decision made official, the team set their plan into motion. Zipp went straight away to pick up supplies for Izzy, wearing a pair of shades to not raise suspicion. Even ‘she’ was surprised at how well it worked. Her people, every pony and elf she passed, only noticed things they want to notice (Or so it seemed).

One she collected all the items, that’s when Izzy went straight to work. In a matter of minutes, she was able to craft the perfect decoy using the macaroni, jellybeans, and lots and lots of glitter. From a distance one could barely tell the difference.

With the decoy set, Allura and Zipp proceeded with the next phase of their plan. On the night of the royal celebration, the princesses strutted down the red carpet. With Zipp in her enlarged form and Allura riding on her back, sidesaddle, they drew all the attention to them. Normally this position frustrated Allura, considering how uncomfortable it was, but this time she mustered a calm, content nod and regal stare while Zipp trotted along, looking cool and confident as cameras flashed, answering the occasional question or two.

Seeing the paparazzi distracted, Keith Kogan, Sunny Starscout, Katie Holt, and Izzy Moonbow were able to sneak their way back into the palace. Of course, they had to be cautious about not being seen, though Zipp reassured them they’d be fine.

As they snuck along the walls, hiding behind the dessert table, the guard from before, ‘Soren’, led the other guards away. For a split second, Keith was almost certain Soren spotted at least a smidge of Sunny’s tail poking out from underneath the table. But for some strange reason, he acted as though he didn’t see it.

“Is he in cahoots with Zipp?” Keith wondered.

Keith figured he’d question her about it later. But right now, they needed to make their way into the Grand Hall. Luckily, Zipp opened the door to the backstage portion of the throne room (In similar fashion to how Allura freed them from their cell).

Once the show officially began, their one final step was merely to switch the crown with the decoy. A feat of which Zipp claimed would be ‘easy-breezy’.

“Easy-breezy, sure…” Sunny remarked, sarcastically.

Well, she certainly ate those words because before she knew it there they stood, hidden behind the thrones. Now it was a matter of waiting for the music to start.

***

The hall was flooded with guests, all eagerly awaiting for their favorite pop stars to make a grand entrance. Poor Zipp fidgeted as the elf guards adjusted the wires around her torso. In contrast to Allura, who stood perfectly still while the guards attached the wires to her back.

“Zipp!” Allura scolded.

With a frown, Zipp forced herself to stand still till the guards were finished. Soon as the guards left was when it was safe to talk.

“I can’t wait to get this over with,” Zipp sighed. “So we never have to use these things anymore.”

“Yeah, about that… are you sure we’re doing the right thing?” Allura asked, worriedly.

“To be perfectly honest… no, not really,” Zipp shook. “But what else can we do? We swore we’d find a way to restore our flight, and this is the closest we have ever gotten. I’m choosing to believe in it, and in our new friends. Do you?”

Allura sighed, as she knelt beside the pony till their eyes leveled with each other’s.

“I believe in you,” Allura cupped Zipp’s cheek. “I always have, that’s why you’re my best friend.”

Zipp smiled and hugged her best friend.

“I hear you two paid our guests a visit…”

The two princess quickly gasped and pulled away from each other when they saw their mothers stepped into the room. In the very center was a large round opening, the same place from which they ‘flew’ down when they first encountered Keith, Sunny, Katie, and Izzy. Standing beside Haven was Queen Rosalyn, both with wiring attached to their backs.

“Pipp told you?” Zipp asked horrified.

The very idea that her own twin would sell them out was difficult to bear. Pipp may be a lot of things, but a blabbermouth? She just couldn’t be…

“Actually, it was Lance,” Rosalyn corrected.

Unlike Haven, who was inspecting her make-up and adjusting her crown, Rosalyn carried herself with grace and poise.

“Of course he did,” Allura groaned, her fists clenching. “But mother… we have some news. We think we might have finally found the solution to our problem.”

Rosalyn’s eyes widened; her poised expression cracked.

“What?”

“Oh girls, not this again!” Queen haven sighed.

“No, mom, really!” Zipp said.

Maybe Keith was right and all they had to do was just talk to her. Maybe she could help.

“You see, the unicorns and mages don’t have magic. We think it could be tied to why we can’t fly, and—”

“Zephyrina!”

Queen Have raised her voice, and Zipp shrunk back. Unlike the prissy, vain queen from before, this Haven was stern, serious, and even cold. But more than that, her eyes conveyed a sense of tiredness that could only have come from years of disappointment.

“I know you girls keep insisting we can fly again, but it’s high time for you to face the facts!”

“We can’t just give up!” Allura insisted, taking Rosalyn’s hands. “Mother, please listen! All we ask is that—”

But Rosalyn pulled her hands away before Allura could finish.

“I’m sorry, Allura. But Haven is right. Our family has tried for generations, and ‘every’ time you both claim to have found something you wind up disappointed.”

The implication behind the words were unsaid, but it was loud and clear nonetheless.

“So you expect us to live a lie for the rest of our lives?” Allura confronted, her anger rising.

“It makes our people feel safe!” Haven stated. “You both will be queens one day, especially ‘you’.”

She walked towards her daughter, lifting her chin with her hoof.

“You, my darling Zipp, will wear this crown. And trust me, it’s ‘heavier’ than it looks. Let’s just focus on keeping our subjects happy.”

Zipp pulled away, her ears pressed down and frowning. Even Allura turned away from her own mother, who could only look upon her with the slightest hint of sympathy. Perhaps even more than Haven herself.

“You two will understand one day,” Haven insisted. “Your brother and sister do. Oh, and here they are now!”

The squeaking sound of wires moving turned everyone’s heads as Lance and Pipp were hoisted over the floor, smiling excitedly for their big musical number.

“Pleases, people!” Lance clapped his hands. “It’s showtime!!!”

Allura marched towards her brother, grabbing him by the collar of his brand new, cotton shirt.

“You just couldn’t resist opening your big mouth, could you?” Allura seethed.

“I’m not the one talking to strangers!” Lance frowned. “Now would you mind letting go? This material’s ‘very’ expensive!”

Allura scoffed and shoved her brother until he spun around on his wires, making him dizzy (‘Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!’). Allura turned away from him, her arms folded and her lips pouting.

“Back to Plan A?” Zipp asked.

“Back to Plan A,” Allura confirmed.

***

The music played as the queens and princesses were lowered down by the wires. Once the spotlight shined upon them, Rosalyn waved with all the grace and dignity of a royal while Haven spread her wings, flapping them to give the illusion of flight. Zipp did the same, only less enthusiastically. Allura waved to the crowd while riding atop her friend, in the most uncomfortable sidesaddle position she loathed so much.

“Remember to smile!” Queen Haven said.

Zipp rolled her eyes in disgust as the Pegasi royals hovered over the thrones. Once down, Rosalyn and Allura gracefully slid onto their cushioned seats. Haven and Zipp shifted back into their original pony forms, as they sat beside their respected fairy.

Glowing up, kinda love

Dip and slide, through the cut

Glowing up kinda love

Dip and slide through the cut

From behind Haven’s throne, Zipp could see bits of Sunny’s mane. She nodded towards Izzy, who looked worried. Keith and Katie hid behind the wall, cloaked in the shadows. The lights dimmed and a spotlight shined upon Pipp and Lance, as golden confetti fell all around. Pipp was ‘flying’ while Lance rode on her, flexing his muscles for all the wild fangirls.

Lance and Pipp:

We got the light

Lance:

We’re coming in stronger

We’re in it together

If you want it all inside your mind

Lance and Pipp:

We’ve got the light

Pipp:

Won’t wait any longer

We’ll get it together

If you wanna be you can paint the sky

The two friends sang as they ‘flew’ above the crowd. Queens Haven and Rosalyn watched with pride for their children, while Sunny, very cautiously to not let Rosalyn notice, tried poking her head from the V shape of Haven’s throne. She stood on Izzy’s back, her hoof pressing down against the unicorn’s head. She fought back a yelp, grunting while balancing Sunny on her back.

Lance:

Used to care what they say

Let me into my brain

But I found a new way

After the spotlight slipped by, Sunny (While holding the makeshift crown), switched it with Haven’s real crown. She gave Zipp a quick nod and disappeared behind the throne. Zipp and Allura hoof/fist bumped seeing their plan coming along swimmingly.

Pipp:

Every time I fall down

I pick it up like rebound

Gotta get through somehow

“So far so good,” Zipp whispered.

“Let’s hope it stays that way,” Allura whispered back.

As Sunny and Izzy slipped away, they completely forgot about Pipp’s pet dog, Cloudpuff. The Pomeranian’s ears poked upwards, sensing something amiss.

Keith and Katie gestured to Izzy and Sunny to hurry, watching as the mares quietly sped-walked down the corridor and the whole group reached the first door they found. Keith pressed his hand against the wall button and the door slip open, only to spot a fairy guard and his fellow pony talking about something involving eggs and sausage.

Keith quickly closed the door, and the group heard a dog-like whimper from behind them. They spotted the little dog, Cloudpuff, eyeing them.

“Nice Doggy…” Katie whispered nervously.

Cloudpuff growled in response. Sunny and Izzy screamed while Keith stood in their defense.

“Shoo! Shoo!” Keith gestured. “Go away!”

But it was no use. The pooch just jumped onto his pants leg, climbed up his shirt, jumped from his head, then Katies, and landed on Sunny’s back, snatching the crown with its teeth and ran away.

“Why that little—” Katie growled.

Lance:

We don’t fly like we used to

We take what we’ve been through

And we can feel brand new

Ooh, Ooh, Ooh,

Pipp:

I know I am a fighter

I feel the fire

I’m shinning brighter

Ooh, Ooh, Ooh,

“No! Come back!” Sunny hissed.

The group pursued Cloudpuff through the crowd, trying not to get noticed. Luckily, the crowd was too engrossed with the concert to event address a unicorn, earth pony, mage, and the earth elf running around the castle.

Suddenly, a door burst open just as the team rushed by, narrowly missing Hitch Trailblazer and Hunk Garrett. They both wore faux fairy and Pegasus wings, complete with mustaches above their upper lips.

“Do you see them?” Hunk asked, scanning the area.

“Nope!” Hunk answered, shielding his eyes. “No sign of ‘em. Hey… where’s that catchy music coming from?”

The two looked up spotting Pipp and Lance singing the chorus of their song. Lance rode Pipp’s back like a surfboard, while the Pegasus moved with all the grace and beauty she was famously known for. Lance, of course, glowed with such confidence and charisma, everyone below his feet went wild.

Lance and Pipp:

Glowing up, kinda love

Dip and slide, through the cut

Glowing up, kinda love

Dip and slide through the cut

All of a sudden, Hunk started bobbing his head to the beat as if the pair had cast him under their spell.

“Wow! For terrifying winged beasts that could scoop up an elf in seconds, they have pretty good taste in music!”

As Hunk started swaying his arms, Hitch noticed his own flank swaying to the rhythm.

“Curse my love of music…” Hitch groaned.

Fighting against it, he tugged Hunk’s shirt with his teeth, dragging him away to search for the others.

Lance and Pipp:

Glowing up, kinda love

We say “Hi”, you say “what?”

Sunny, Keith, Izzy, and Katie hid behind a wall when they spotted two Pegasus guards walk up, happily watching the performance. Cloudpuff raced back up the flight of stairs leading to the thrones. Zipp and Allura gasped when they spotted the dog. Allura nodded to Zipp to get the crown while she stood still, her back erect as though nothing happened while forcing a smile that looked more uncomfortable than anything.

Pipp:

Everywhere that I’ve been

Yeah, they say I’m different

But I’m good in my skin

Ooh, Ooh, Ooh,

Zipp slid down the stairs, luckily unseen by her mother and Rosalyn, and tried pulling the crown from Cloudpuff.

“Give.. it… to… me!” Zipp grunted.

One powerful pull later… and only the golden edge was retrieved. The pup ran away with the crystal, forcing Zipp in hot pursuit. It didn’t take long until Rosalyn started noticing something and turned toward Allura.

“Where’s Zipp?” Rosalyn asked.

“Uh.. she needed… to use the ladies’ room?” Allura smiled awkwardly.

Lance:

If it doesn’t feel right

Break it in with tie-dye

And don’t you stop till sunrise

Among the crowd, the group spotted Hitch and Hunk. Keith looked around and spotted a pair of curtains. He pulled them open and gestured to everyone to hurry inside. He closed the curtain, allowing the group to breath some simultaneous sighs of relief… only to realize they were not alone…

Pipp:

We don’t fly like we used to

We take what we’ve been through

And we can feel brand new

A stagehand fairy was working the controls which controlled Pipp and Lance’s wires, with a computer screen observing the whole thing, when he saw the group before his eyes.

“Hi?” Katie spoke feebly.

The fairy screamed in terror, until Keith silence him quickly… with a jump kick to the stomach. The fairy slid across the floor, hitting his head on the machine and fell unconscious. Izzy, Sunny, and Katie stared at Keith with horror.

“What?”

Lance and Pipp:

We got the light

We’re coming in stronger

We’re in it together

If you want it all its inside your mind

Zipp lost track of Cloudpuff due to a crowd of ponies and fairies blocking her path. The dog ran quickly, but was blocked by a passing Hitch, dropping the crystal in the process. Hitch looked down at the dog in confusion, while the pup stared back at him with heart eyes. Once again, another creature fell in love with Hitch at first sight.

“Aww, how cute!” Hunk cooed. “Where’d you come from, little baby?”

***

“What do we do now?” Sunny asked, tugging her hair.

“Calm down, Sunny,” Izzy said, facing the monitor. “Katie, can you use this to search for the crystal?”

Katie quickly flashed a confident grin and stretched her arms. “Move aside, sweet-cakes. Mama’s driving.”

Katie studied the buttons and switches. It didn’t look hard, seeing most of everything was labeled. Even if not, Katie could program a computer’s hardware in her sleep. She adjusted the screen, and two windows appeared, one showcasing the concert and another, which was disconnected from the live feed, was connected to the cameras. She searched the crowd for any sign of the crystal.

“Hey Paul! I wasn’t sure if you wanted foam or not, so I got ya—”

A Pegasus pony walked through the curtain, but the moment he spotted his unconscious friend and a mage working the monitor, he screamed.

“It’s the prisoners! Don’t hurt me!”

He dropped the cup of expresso and was about to rush out, only for Keith to block him.

“Wait, wait, wait! We’re not—”

The pony didn’t listen and ran around the room, with Sunny and Izzy chasing after him in a futile effort to calm him down. The pony collided with Katie, causing her to pull on a lever which shut off the spotlight. Lance and Pipp stopped singing and hovered in place, flapping their wings to maintain the illusion they were flying.

“What the cheese?” Lance asked.

The spotlight reappeared, this time on Hitch and Hunk. The two froze in place and noticed the audience’s attention on them… and the music still playing. Hitch and Hunk looked at one another, unsure of what to do. Hitch, deciding to go with it, tried mimicking the lyrics to the song.

“Uhhh… Throwin' up, find a glove

Fly around, up above

Doin' stuff that I love

You're like, "Why?", I'm like, "What?"

He sang very off-key, which was unusual for him. But having no time to memorize the lyrics, only the rhythm, he struggled to dance correctly with all eyes watching. Hunk, standing very still, tried joining in by performing a very poor moonwalk and later a disco move where he swayed his hips to the side while pointing up-and-down with his hand.

The scared Pegasus stopped running long enough for him and the others to watch Hitch trying to sing the lyrics to the song, from the second window on the screen.

Lance, on the other hand, was furious seeing some strange pony stealing their spotlight.

“Who invited that guy?” Lance asked. “What the heck’s going on?”

“Not sure,” Pipp commented. “Though, I’d give that cover a one out of five.”

“Hey, Paul!” Lance clapped his hands. “Get that spotlight on the ‘real’ stars over here!”

While Hitch sang, Zipp finally caught up with Cloudpuff, who howled to Hitch’s singing. Her eyes widen after spotting the crystal just inches along the ground.

The Pegasus pony screamed again, this time jumping on the monitor and pressing all the buttons in panic.

“No, no, no, don’t!” Katie shouted.

Outside, Pipp and Lance’s wires started going haywire, pulling them backwards. The two screamed and the audience gasped in shock. While they were distracted, Zipp quickly grabbed the crystal and fled.

While Lance and Pipp zipped through the crowd on their wires, Allura sought her chance and slipped away from both her mother and Queen Haven. When she noticed the large crowd of people, she positioned herself and raced toward a wall, jumped and kicked off the side of the pillar, and propelled herself over the audience, who were too preoccupied watching the two pop stars flying around like crazy.

Allura performed an aerial flip and arrived at a four point landing, rushing towards Zipp, who waved the crystal.

“I got it!”

“Let’s go!”

Allura caught sight of Keith and the others, all emerging from the curtain.

“We need to go! Now!” Allura ushered, grabbing Keith’s arm.

“Aww, can’t we stay for the encore?” Izzy whined.

Katie grabbed her by the tail and yanked her away. But not before Hitch spotted them in the midst of his terrible dancing.

“Freeze!” He ordered.

Hunk, taking the order literally, froze right in the midst of his own terrible dance moves. A spotlight landed on the group as Sunny turned towards him.

“Hitch?”

Sunny couldn’t believe it, the moment the two locked eyes. Hitch, for a brief moment, suddenly realized he couldn’t arrest her. Badge or no, Sunny didn’t deserve prison. Perhaps it was his feelings talking, but as he stared into her stunned eyes, he couldn’t think straight.

“It’s the prisoners!”

A pony’s shout snapped the two of their trance. Then, as luck would have it, Hunk tripped (Having balanced on one foot) and grabbed onto Hitch’s faux wings, tearing them off, while breaking his own after landing on his back.

“Another Earth pony!” An elf woman screamed.

“And an earth elf!”

As guilty as Keith and Sunny felt about leaving their friends behind, Katie and Izzy dragged them away. Sunny looked over her shoulder, her eyes still locked onto Hitch, who didn’t flinch while everybody screamed at his presence.

Lance and Pipp became tangled in their own wires, unable to so much as flap their wings. They screamed in fright, terrified they’d fall and crack their skulls open. To their relief, they merely hung in mid-air with a *BOING!*. Lance’s arms were over his head, his legs tangled up in the wires. One was upwards, the other was bent. And one knee was practically against his chest. Pipp hung upside down, her wings spread open, and her hair a complete mess.

Rosalyn and Haven stood from their thrones, caring more for their children’s safety over the exposure of their deception.

“They’re fakes!”

“The royals can’t fly either?!”

Allura and Zipp stopped running, turning toward their distressed siblings. Much like with Sunny and Hitch, their eyes locked. Allura and Zipp could see the distress and fear in their younger siblings’ eyes. Pipp looked as though she could cry, while Lance looked utterly betrayed.

“Zipp…?” Pipp spoke.

“Allura…?” Lance uttered.

They wanted so badly to go up there and help their siblings, to explain ‘everything’ to them. But then they heard the others calling for them. The police would be after them soon, and they’d lose their chance to restore the magic. All Allura and Zipp could do was say ‘sorry’ through their eyes before running off, leaving their siblings ‘literally’ hanging as everybody took out their phones and started snapping pictures and recording.

Rosalyn looked out over toward the chaos, then slowly it dawned on her. She turned toward Have and, while she wasn’t looking, Rosalyn had a closer look at the ‘crown’ on the Queen’s head. Only then did Rosalyn put it together as a heavy sigh escaped her lips.

“What have we done?” She whispered.

Chapter 12–The Team Assembles

The sirens blared all over Zephyr Heights. The entire kingdom itself in complete chaos. Ponies and elves polluted the streets, making it rather tricky for Allura and Zipp to lead the others to safety.

“Quick, this way!” Zipp instructed.

The princesses led the team down a darkened alleyway. Everywhere they look, the jumbo screens flared red with repeated imagery of Lance and Pipp entangled in their wires.

Allura and Zipp were raddled with guilt. How could they abandon their younger siblings like that? Despite their differences, Zipp and Pipp had always shared a close relationship. Despite how vain Pipp seemed, Zipp knew she was a sweetheart at the core. She was just very good at masking her disdain for keeping up a lie if only for her fans.

Finally, they decided to make a stop by a pair of trash cans in an alleyway.

“I think we lost them,” Allura panted.

All of a sudden, the tin cans spilled revealing Hitch and Hunk hiding behind them. But the moment Hunk spotted the Pegasi… he screamed.

“AAAHHHH!!! Please don’t eat my brains! Oh please, pleeeeease!!!”

He cowered and curled up into a ball, shaking heavily.

“Hunk?” Keith gapped. “Is that you?”

He couldn’t believe it. Hunk Garrett, his cowardly friend had followed them. And all the way from Maretime Bay? Even Keith couldn’t help but be impressed.

“HITCH!!!”

Sunny, too happy to think straight, rushed into her childhood friend and embraced him. “I can’t believe you’re here—wait!” She quickly released him, ignoring the heat generating off her face. “What are you doing here?”

“Arresting you!” Hitch said, quickly catching himself. “And ‘saving’ you. So, you know, a little of both actually. You’re welcome!”

“Oh-ho-ho, gee, thanks,” Zipp remarked, eyeing suspiciously. “But we don’t need any saving, okay?”

“And you are?”

“Her mom is one of the queens!” Izzy jumped in.

“Wait a minute. So that means… you’re a princess?”

“Huh. Look at that,” Zipp teased. “The sheriff just became a detective.”

“What?”

Sunny… wasn’t too keen about the cheeky way Zipp said that. If she didn’t know any better, she assumed Zipp was ‘flirting’ with Hitch. Thankfully, Hitch was too adorably clueless to even notice. Sunny, as subtly as she could, shoved her way past Zipp and closer towards Hitch, hoping to convey the message.

Soon the news jingled, and a jumbo screen showcased the female fairy announcer.

“Breaking story – Zephyr Heights is un turmoil tonight after the shocking revelation that the royals cannot fly.”

The camera switched to a large, and very angry, crowd of Pegasi and fairies.

“Pipp used to be my favorite!” A young colt said in the microphone.

“If we can’t trust our own royalty, who can we trust?” A female Pegasus asked.

Her male elf friend snatched the microphone and spoke directly into the camera. “I blame the Jewel-Horns and the Earth Folk! They ruin everything!”

Sunny and Keith exchanged regretful looks. Sunny couldn’t deny that this was their own doing. Well, more Sunny than anyone else’s. She was the one who implanted that idea in Zipp’s head that uniting the crystals could restore the magic and fix the world. And while Keith won’t deny that those two were snobby based on first impressions, he never meant to actually sabotage their concert. He knew these people deserved to know the truth, but he never meant for this.

Sunny, meanwhile, could only hope this whole endeavor wasn’t a hunch. Because if this worked, it could fix ‘all’ of this.

The camera switched to the news anchor again, only this time she was given a piece of paper from offscreen.

“This just in – Queen Haven and Queen Rosalyn have been arrested for being a couple of phony-pony full of baloney.”

Zipp and Allura gasped at the image of their mothers beside the anchorwoman. The camera switched to a scene of both queens escorted away by two guards. One of which happened to be Soren. Haven kept her head high despite the predicament, while Rosalyn, her hair a shambled mess due to her crown ripped from her head, looked down in shame.

“No comment!” Haven spoke. “And no photos! Okay, one photo.”

She smiled and posed for the camera, much to the guards’ confusion. Rosalyn narrowed her eyes in annoyance. That pony could never get enough of the spotlight.

“Ooh… kay…” Hunk uttered, raising a hand. “Can anybody fill us in?”

“We had to get the crystal,” Sunny answered.

“What crystal?” Hitch asked.

“Look.” Sunny poked a hoof into her saddlebag… but it was empty, save for her notebook. “Oh no, no, no, no! It’s not here!”

“What?!” Allura and Keith exclaimed in unison.

“Seriously?!” Zipp and Katie exclaimed.

“On the bright side, we had so much fun losing it,” Izzy said brightly.

“We have to go back!” Sunny insisted.

“You saw how big the grand hall is!” Keith pointed out. “It could be anywhere! For all we know, someone could’ve—”

The sound of a clattering can caught everyone’s attention. Out of the shadows, deep in the alleyway, Lance and Pipp emerged. Their hair was an unruly mess, while Lance’s clothes were a shambolic mess.

“Alright! Somebody better start talking!” Pipp declared.

“Trick question: You two are!” Lance pointed at their sisters.

“Lance, honey, that wasn’t a question.”

“I thought we agreed that you’d come in and say: ‘Who’s talking?’ and then I’d say, ‘Trick question: You two are!’. We literally rehearsed this!”

“We ‘never’ agreed to that.”

“I’m pretty sure we did.”

Pipp groaned and walked ahead, confronting her twin sister and Allura.

“Somebody seriously needs to explain why this thing was so important that you had to ruin our whole show over it!”

Pipp pulled out the Skyling crystal from underneath her wing, much to the delight (And relief) of everyone… minus Hunk and Hitch, who were still lost.

“Trust me, it was,” Zipp said.

She reached to grab for the crystal, only for Pipp to pull it away from her reach.

“Yeah, okay. I had that coming.”

“You think?! I cannot believe you just left me hanging up there! In the spotlight!”

“I know, and I’m sorry. But I didn’t know what else to do and—”

“Oh, forget that!” Lance interrupted. He stormed forward in a huge, pointing an accusing finger toward Allura. “I hope you’re happy! Not only does everybody know we can’t fly, but our entire reputation is ruined! Kaput! Down the toilet! Adios! Finished! Zilch!”

“It’s not like I meant for that to happen!” Allura insisted.

“Please! You’ve always been jealous that I was the one with talent in this family. You’ve already got the throne; meanwhile, I had sponsors, talent scouts, and a ton of kids depending on me to be the voice for the voiceless! But you couldn’t just let me have this!”

“Don’t you ever think about anyone but yourself?!”

“Don’t you?!”

“EVERYBODY STOP!!!”

Having heard enough, Keith jumped between the two siblings, and they immediately went silent.

“Look, I’m sorry we cut your concert short. But we’ve got more pressing matters to focus on right now. Like, oh I don’t know… NOT getting arrested!”

Pipp’s phone buzzed, and she pulled it out from underneath her wing. The screen showcased a newsfeed and the anchorwoman with an image of the Queens’ mugshot.

“A warrant is out for the arrest of the prince and the princesses,” The anchorman declared.

The image of the queens increased, and Haven spoke before Rosalyn could say anything.

“Kids, quick! Save yourselves!” Haven warned.

Finally, she struck a pose just as the camera flashed, with Rosalyn staring her down in annoyance.

“WHAT?!” Lance and Pipp screamed.

“This is not happening!” Pipp panicked. “This is so not happening!”

“Okay, okay, okay! Let’s not panic, we can figure this out!” Lance pondered, rubbing his temples. “Um… I’ve got it! We’ll feign innocence; say it was all ‘their’ idea. Yeah, we were forced into doing it! Maybe they’ll go easy on us if we turn them in first!”

“LANCE!!!!”

Allura, Zipp, and ‘even’ Pipp herself were appalled over Lance’s suggestion.

“I’m sorry! This whole thing has me stressed out! Is that a zit? Oh my feathers, that’s a stress zit! Oh, could this day get any worse?!”

Lance turned and finally noticed Hunk and Hitch. The former waved feebly toward him.

“More Earth Folk?! WHY?!?!”

“Excuse me, young man, but I’m a sheriff!” Hitch announced, showcasing his badge.

“Loved your song, by the way,” Hunk added, pulling out a piece of paper. “Can I have your autograph?”

Lance lifted his chin up hoping to maintain some semblance of dignity, as he took the paper and signed with a pen hidden in his coat.

“Well, least this one’s got good taste,” Lance admitted.

“What will we do? What’ll we do?” Pipp asked frantically. “What ARE we going to—”

Zipp grabbed her sister with his hooves and shook her firmly. “Pipp! Get a hold of yourself. Mom and Aunt Rosalyn will be fine, I promise.”

Pipp breathed slowly, reading her sister’s eyes and understanding her hidden message behind the words.

“We think we finally found a way to bring back magic,” Zipp assured. “To bring back our flight!”

“What?”

Pipp couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her sister, trying for years to find a way to restore there flight, had finally found it? Judging by the determined, sure-fire look in her eyes Pipp knew Zipp believed in this theory with all her heart. What more did they have to lose?

“Come on!” Lance groaned, shaking his head. “Not this again!”

“We’re serious, Lance!” Allura insisted.

“Allura, you’ve been saying that a thousand times and every time you wind up with nothing! What makes you think now is any different?”

“Because the only way to restore the magic is with the Skyling crystal.”

“Okay, now I know you’ve lost your mind!”

“Please, little brother. This might be our only chance.”

“If you think for one second that I’m—HEY! Pipp! What are you…”

Lance was suddenly hoisted onto Pipp’s back, soon as she shifted into her larger form.

“Come on! I know a way out,” Pipp said, galloping ahead. “Follow me!”

“What?! Pipp, this is crazy! Pipp, honey?! Are you even listening to me?! PIPP!!!”

Pipp ignored Lance’s words and soon the other elves rode their respected ponies after Pipp. Including Hunk and Hitch, albeit reluctantly.

“Wait, we’re following Pegasi now?” Hunk asked, already shaking.

“I don’t like this any more than you do,” Hitch admitted. “But I’m not letting Sunny out of my sight again.”

“You mean Sunny and Keith, don’t you?”

“Right, isn’t that what I said?”

“Uh no, you said—WHOA!!!”

Hunk bit his tongue once Hitch started galloping away, hoping to get as far from Zephyr Heights as possible.

Emperor Sprout

James Griffin made his return to Canterlogic shortly after meeting with Commander Iverson over the subject of the ‘secret’ weapon. Iverson allowed him to leave only under the condition that he would not say another word about it until the time was right. Not that James had reason to argue over it, and not because Iverson intimidated him just by looking at him.

No… this was James’ moment to shine, and he was going to make the most of it the first chance he received.

The moment he stepped into the factory, however… he was caught off guard by the hustle and bustle before him.

Earth ponies and elves alike raced to-and-fro from all over the factory. Sparks flared from welding torches as several started assembling some pieces of machinery together at a rapid pace. Sounds of construction echoed all around him, as ponies and elves passed each other shouting. James eyed the activity around him with minimum reaction, the spectacle playing out before him like a wild, zany show.

James whistled, “Mrs. Cloverleaf’s been busy.” He muttered to himself.

All of a sudden, a random elf crashed toward the floor by James’ feet. He quickly picked himself up before the perplexed James.

“The Emperor is coming!” He declared. “The Emperor is coming!”

Now this shred of news made James’ brow raise.

Emperor?

For as long as he could remember, Equestria hadn’t had an Emperor in years. Much less a major ruling figure who’d even visit Maretime Bay. But then, before James eyes, a shaft loomed slowly down toward the first floor, shrouded in blinding white light that forced James to squint his eyes for a better look. Once the shaft reached the bottom the gates opened before its single passenger.

A shadowy silhouette loomed in the bright light; a raspy breathing was heard reminiscent of a Dark Lord figure. A pony standing before them, gazing upon their subjects, slowly coming into views as the doors closed behind him—and then there was Sprout. The temporary sheriff suddenly garbed in a cape, kept around him by the sheriff badge at the center. The earth pony was once more slurping a smoothie, sucking its contents down to the very last drop.

“Ahh!” Sprout sighed. “Well, hello James… didn’t hear you come in.”

“Sprout?” James asked, staring at his partner in confusion.

The Earth pony merely smirked egotistically, then shifted to a serious face as he slowly stepped down the line. Toots walked beside him, albeit slightly nervous.

“Why aren’t you finished yet?” Sprout asked, looking around.

“W-We’re working as fast as we can,” Toots reassured. “But we’ve run out of rivets.”

“Rivet-ting story,” Sprout chuckled, sighing. “Just make it work!!”

Toots nodded his head quickly as he made way to continue his work. While James was still processing over what was going on, Phyllis Cloverleaf had finally arrived and, like James, she too found herself caught off guard. It was one thing to see the entire factory up and running, with mounds of gadgetry and machinery at work. But it was what all of her employees were putting together that concerned her greatly. Still, for the sake of her son, she tried to keep it casual.

“Sugarcube, I know your little top-secret project is important and all,” Phyllis began. “But when do you think my workers can get back to making Canterlogic products?”

A scream draws everyone’s attention as Glitter Cupcake, a pony carried by a crane of sorts, finally plopped to the ground with a thud. The poor Earth pony groaned in pain while Sprout merely rolled his eyes.

“Back to work, Glitter Cupcake!” Sprout ordered.

“It is my factory, after all, dear,” Phyllis pointed out.

“But it’s my town, Mommy! Your son’s now emperor of Maretime Bay!”

“Emperor?!” James scoffed. “Dude, you can’t even remember to lock up the officer after work hours, and now you’re Mr. Big Shot?”

“What can I say Jimbo?” Sprout smirked. “I’m climbing the ranks! This defense factory is going on offense, and it’s all thanks to the love and encouragement of my number one fan… mommy! Break’s over, Bubblegum McGinty!”

Sprout stormed off, continuing to bark off orders while James and Phyllis looked on. The latter of which showed great concern, specially toward her own son and this shift in behavior all while all this chaos was happening all around the pair.

“James, could you please speak with my son?” Phyllis spoke, concerned.

“Why me?”

“Because…” Phyllis looked around to make sure nobody was watching… then grabbed Jame’s shirt with her hoof and spoke through her teeth.

“Let’s not forget who gave you permission to use the top secret “you know what”, and my son growing a big head was not part of the deal! So unless you want Iverson to relieve you of your duty, you will do as I say! Got it?”

“Got it.”

Phyllis released him and ruffled his hair. “That’s a good boy.”

James swallowed and took a deep breath before marching his way towards Sprout.

Sprout, specifically ‘Emperor’ Sprout, was overlooking the blueprints of his ‘secret’ project proudly. Once he was close enough, James cleared his throat drawing Sprout’s attention.

“Heeeeeey, buddy. So, I’ve been thinking about this whole Emperor deal and, don’t you think it’s a weeeee bit… overkill?”

“Oh, James. I don’t expect your puny elf mind to understand.”

James jerked back. “Excuse me?”

“Don’t you see Jimmy, that’s the beauty of it!” Sprout replied, contrary-wise. “These ponies are desperate for a leader and being a measly sheriff of this tiny town just won’t cut it. And the more I thought about it, to even run for Mayor means running against some rando of a pony and all that debating nonsense just leads to headaches. But this way, being Emperor is self-titled, no one can oppose me as leader.”

“Leader?” James raised a brow. “The only reason people are even looking up to you is because they’re desperate. Before any of this happened, nobody even knew you were on the force.”

“Ugh… can you ever go through one day… ONE day without always criticizing me over everything I do? You’re off doing Equestria knows what, and I’m actually making a name for myself. The least you can do is show me a little more respect.”

“First of all, don’t expect me to start calling you ‘sir’ or ‘your highness’. As far as I’m concerned, what I have to offer this town is ‘way’ more important than the likes of which you can ever comprehend. And nothing you have to say, or any pony or elf in this town, will convince me to believe that you’re the big hero that this town needs.”

James had just turned around and was about to walk away, while Sprout brushed one front hoof against the ground pouting. Then his expression changed as a thought occurred to him, and a slick smile formed on his face.

“It’s too bad you’re not interested,” Sprout spoke, feigning sadness. “And here I was hoping that you’d be my number one guy to serve as chief officer.”

James stopped in his tracks and turned back toward Sprout with one eyebrow raise.

“Come again?” James asked.

“Is that not the right word? Vizier… major-domo… a chamberlain… I don’t know, my concierge if you prefer something fancy.”

“The fact you even know ‘any’ of those words at all concerns me.”

“I may be an ‘idiot’ my friend… but I’m not ‘stupid’. I do need someone to convince everybody in this town that all my orders must be met without question. Somebody to speak my plans while I’m running official business, make all the arrangements that are a must to follow, and to take charge in the midst of my plans. Basically, anything I have to say regardless of whether if it’s right or wrong, I need that someone to act on my behalf and make it very clear that my word is law.”

James was about to retort over the ridiculousness of what Sprout’s asking of him, playing second fiddle to the comic relief of all ponies… then it occurred to him. The more he thought about it, speaking about ‘anything’ under Sprout’s name… a smile slowly formed on his face, his face drawn away from Sprout’s view. As if the idea in that of itself offered more merit than Sprout realized and could add to the relation of James’ own schemes. Nodding to himself, he slowly turned toward Sprout and gave off an impression that he’s ‘intrigued’.

“So… let me see if I’m getting this right?” James feigned curiosity. “You want me to go around telling every pony of whatever plans you come up with, and so long as I say it’s under ‘your’ name… they’ll follow the orders without question?”

“That’s the whole kit and kaboodle,” Sprout smiled.

“Hmm… you know what… I change my mind!” James declared. “Maybe I can get used to this. You just relay whatever you have to say, and I’ll be absolutely certain that every pony follows your orders promptly.”

“You see? I knew you’d come around eventually. Now if you’ll excuse me, I do have some Emperor matters to attend to. I shall call for you when I have some tasks in mind for you to carry out. Things are looking up my friend; soon everything will go our way.”

“Ooh… you can count on it…” James muttered.

James stood there watching Sprout turn away and continue spouting orders toward any unfortunate lackeys crossing his path. It wasn’t long before Phyllis slowly approached behind James’ back, her expression showing slight concern despite the effort to fake a smile.

“So… did you tell my baby boy to tone it down a bit?” Phyllis asked hopefully.

“Who said I was going to tell our Emperor anything, Mrs Cloverleaf?” James replied.

“What?! I told you—“

“I know what you said. But, I’ve decided to take a different offer. Besides, I’ve already got the “secret weapon”, he whispered, “And if this keeps up, Sprout just might be the most powerful pony in Maretime Bay. And, if we string him along, we can get him to do all of the heavy work for us. That way, we’ll never have to worry about those mages, unicorns, pegasi and fairies again.”

“Now see here James… I own this factory. This facility designs gadgets for ‘defense’ not for ‘offense’!” Phyllis argued.

“See now, that there is your problem.” James leaned in closer to whisper in her ear. “We’ve got the gadgets, and Sprout’s finally growing a backbone. Not to mention, I now have the weapon, and I would hate to use it for “defense” if someone tried to take it away from me.”

Phyllis gasped. “You wouldn’t dare!”

“Hey, don’t start pointing hooves. You’re the one who trusted me with this thing.” James gave her a salute. “Now, if you’ll excuse me. The “Emperor” has got work to do.” He rubbed his hands together. “And so do I.”

Once James was gone, Iverson approached Phyllis. “Uh… Boss, did we just screwed this up?”

Phyllis shook her head. “No, no. I’m sure we can turn this all around. After all, I am still the head of Canterlogic… and his mother.”

Campfire Warmth

Thanks to Pipp’s help, the team managed to sneak out of Zephyr Heights without anyone noticing, not a Pegasus or fairy. They scaled down the mountain, traversing the landscape until they reached a grassy terrain. They rested for the night, trying to tolerate Lance’s complaining. By the next morning, they continued on their journey with Keith reading the map from Sunny’s notebook.

The elves all rode on their respected ponies, with Lance and Pipp far behind. Though, in Pipp’s case, it was deliberate to keep Lance from annoying everyone with his constant whining. As much as she loved Lance, she was well aware his melodramatic tendencies were… an acquired taste.

The prince lifted his phone into the air, snapping pictures of himself, looking as dishing as ever. But after the flash sound, he resumed his moping.

“Oh, what’s the point? No matter how awesome my selfies look I can never post them. Now that everyone who’s ever loved me suddenly hates me.”

His phone chimed

“Oh look! I’m losing six followers by the minute!”

Another chime.

“Eight…”

Another chime sounded off.

“Ten!”

Another chime, then another, and another.

“Twelve, fourteen, twenty-five! That’s it… it’s official…”

Lance stared wide eyed out into the horizon, his eyes began to water, and his lips puckered. Finally, unable to hold it in, the once overly-confident Lance snapped…

“MY LIFE IS OVER!!!” Lance bawled.

The fairy burst into tears, hugging Pipp’s neck and his tears trailed down her fur. Pipp’s, now annoyed, shook him off.

“Lance, sweetie. I know you’re upset, but please pull it together.”

“How can you be so okay with any of this?” Lance remarked, cocking an eyebrow. “This was supposed to be our greatest show ever! This whole concert was going to be the pinnacle of our illustrious career! You and me, just like we always planned when we were kids! And now… now it’s all over. We’re… criminals, and it’s all because of them!”

Lance pointed an accusing arm towards Keith and Sunny, though whether they weren’t paying attention to him or simply ignoring him was left in the air.

“I just don’t get what Allura sees in him.”

“You think I’m not upset too?” Pipp asked, heartbroken. “I’ll never be able to unsee all those disappointed faces. But… you have to admit, we kind of deserved it.”

Lance gasped dramatically, like having an asthma attack.

“Who are you?! And what’ve you done with Pipp Petals?!”

“I mean it, Lance! We lied to our own fans. Up till now I’ve done a good job hiding it but only because… let’s face it, I am an amaaaaziiing actress!”

Pipp practically sung the ‘amazing’ part ever so proudly, while Lance rolled his eyes with sibling annoyance.

“But deep down Lance, you knew how much it ate me up inside. And don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about.”

“Yeah… I know,” Lance sighed.

Even if Lance didn’t say it out loud, he never liked lying to his fans. Just the thought of them ever finding out the truth was too painful to imagine. So he just… didn’t. He ignored it, relished in all the attention. Being the youngest sibling often meant being second-fiddle to Allura, the fairy destined to be queen. Being a pop-sensation was the only thing that ever made him relevant… and now that was gone.

“Still… it was very uncool of our own sisters to leave us hanging there for the whole world to see! Siblings are supposed to look out for another, and they abandoned us for their ‘new’ friends.”

Pipp soon trotted towards Zipp and Allura, with Lance following closely behind.

“Are you sure this Sunny girl knows where to find this other crystal?” Pipp asked. “And how do we know it’s even real?”

“Don’t you trust me, sis?” Zipp asked.

“Gee, I don’t know,” Lance stroked his chin. “You guys are the ones who got mom and Aunt Haven thrown in jail!”

“Lance, we’re sorry that happened,” Allura apologized. “But once we get our magic back, the entire kingdom will be so grateful they won’t even remember what happened.”

Lance didn’t even look at his own sister, just lifted his nose in the air with a ‘harumph’. Still, Allura did her best to lift her brother’s spirits… if only to boost his ego a slight.

“And besides… you’d be a hero,” Allura pointed out.

“Hmm… a hero, huh?” Lance replied, intrigued. “Actually… I do like the sound of that.”

“And he’s back,” Pipp snorted.

Lance giggled and gave her an affectionate pat along her head.

“Okay, fine… I’ll trust you,” Lance promised Allura. “But don’t expect me to be buddy-buddy with your new boyfriend.”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” Allura stated.

“Not from what I’ve seen,” Zipp remarked.

Allura watched as Zipp wiggled her eyebrows, to which Allura rewarded her with a light kick to the flank.

“Just keep trotting…”

“That’s it!”

Suddenly everyone spoke the moment Keith spotted something ahead and compared it with the map.

“That’s the same tree on the map!”

Keith read the words next to the watercolor painting of the very tree with pink flowers, which fell like soft flakes of snow. A few landed along Sunny’s mane and she shook them off, for flowers ignited her allergies. But that changed the moment she saw the tree and tapped her hoof against the ground.

“That’s the Amore Tree!” Sunny said excitedly. “Legends says this was the very tree where Arthur and Morgana first met, shared their first kiss, and eloped!”

“Aww… how romantic,” Pipp swooned.

“Wait, Morgana?” Lance spoke up.

Judging by the expression on his face, it’s as if he heard that name from somewhere.

“Wasn’t she Lancelot’s sister? The guy I’m named after?”

“You know about the paladins too?!” Sunny asked, in disbelief.

“Pale-what? Lancelot was the original king of Zephyr Heights. History said he had a sister named Morgana. But there are no concrete records of her, or this Arthur guy. Except the one which stated she betrayed the family.”

Keith and Sunny looked at each other. Not even the fairies and Pegasi of Zephyr Heights knew all there was to know about their own history. So many lies, an erasure of the truth which led to so much segregation.

“Well, Lancelot was one of the original Paladins of Harmony,” Keith informed him. “He fought alongside Earth Folk and the Jewel-Horns.”

“Hah!” Lance laughed. “Now I know you’re making this stuff up…”

“Actually Lance, that might be true,” Allura explained. “Zipp and I found this old ancient stained glass window at an old station from ancient Equestria and—”

“Blah, blah, blah! Bunch of Earth Folk and Jewel-Horn hooey.”

“Urgh…” Allura groaned. “Why do I even bother talking to you?!”

“Lance! Not cool!” Pipp scolded him.

“What? I’m just telling it like it is!”

While they were arguing, Hitch and Hunk caught up with Keith and Sunny.

“So, what exactly is the plan here?” Hitch asked. “Hoofing across daisy fields, looking for a magical crystal that doesn’t even exist?”

“It does exist, Hitch,” Sunny insisted. “And hey, you’re welcome to leave if you want.”

Though she really hoped he wouldn’t.

“Oh no! I swore I’d bring you back to Maretime Bay in custody.”

“Hitch, please!” Sunny spoke cheekily. “Not in front of the children.”

To which Keith and Hunk both fought the urge to vomit over this heavily gushy scene. While Keith had no idea what was going on with these two, he knew he needed to calm Hitch’s concerns seeing how stressful of a trip this was.

“Listen, Hitch, I’m really sorry for everything that’s happened,” Keith spoke. “Believe me when I say, I’d never have done any of this if it wasn’t for a good reason.”

Keith wasn’t sure if Hitch was even listening to him, not that he’d blame the colt after what happened. Still, he couldn’t really tell him ‘everything’ about this whole trip.

“Even if it’s a reason I can’t tell you yet,” Keith thought, then spoke aloud. “Look, once this is all over, I swear we will go back with you to Maretime Bay. We’ll serve our sentence… even agree to twenty hours of community service.”

Sunny stopped dead in her tracks, the same time as Hitch.

“What?!” Sunny exclaimed.

“It’s only fair, Sun,” Keith spoke. “We owe him.”

Sunny blew on her lips, making a whinnying sound.

“Fine…”

Keith gave her a light kick and he trotted ahead. Hunk tapped Hitch’s neck, drawing his attention.

“How long are you going to keep playing this, ‘Will they or won’t they’ game, huh?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Come on, man! Everybody knows you and Sunny been crushing on each other since you were foals. What’s stopping you?”

“For one, I am the sheriff. This badge means that I’m—”

Hitch tapped his sash and screamed when he didn’t feel his badge against his hoof.

“Wait! No, no, no, no, no!”

He started spinning around looking for it, making poor Hunk nauseous as he hung on.

“Where’s my badge?! Hey! You!”

He pointed an accusing hoof toward Izzy and Katie.

“Hmm?”

“I know unicorns like shiny things!”

“Oh, you know, I think I did see a shiny badge-y thing on the ground a few hours ago,” Izzy recalled.

“What?! Hours?!”

“Well, maybe it’s for the best,” Izzy leaned in, whispering. “Between you and me, buddy. That badge was creating an unhealthy power dynamic.”

Izzy galloped away, singing to herself, while Katie just went with the flow. She had stolen some sunglasses from the prison cell back in Zephyr Heights, which she was currently wearing.

“We’re almost to the river, everyone,” Sunny announced.

But it was then they arrived at a cliff side with a large gap between them and the other side… along with what little remained of a bridge that stood between it.

“You sure this is the only way to Bridlewood?” Keith asked, checking the map.

“It used to be the way,” Katie spoke up. “But that bridge has been broken for years.”

“And you didn’t think to tell us that before, because…?”

“I didn’t think we’d actually be going to Zephyr Heights, buddy. Besides, the old path was much closer than the… ‘other’ way.”

“Oh great!” Hunk complained. “Now what’ll we do? Oh, I have an idea! Why don’t we just forget this whole thing and go home? Who’s with me?”

He quickly raised his hand, but everyone else just ignored him.

“Any bright ideas, sis?” Lance asked his sister. “You and Zipp always seem to have all the answers!”

“You know what would be very helpful right now?” Allura suggested. “You shutting your mouth for more than five seconds and, oh I don’t know… THE ABILITY TO FLY!!!”

She pointed toward her own wings, which spread out as though they would flap and carry her off… if only they could.

“Cut it out, you guys!” Zipp said.

“Seriously,” Pipp added. “All this stress is making me break out.”

But Lance ignored his Pegasus sister, his angry attention full on his own sister.

“Well, you know what would be even better? Not being stuck in the middle of nowhere as OUTCASTS FROM OUR OWN KINGDOM!!! So thanks for nothing!”

While everybody else argued, Katie performed some sign language toward Izzy, to which the unicorn nodded and gave her mage friend a salute.

“I still vote we go home!” Hunk called, raising his hand. “Wish I could say it was nice meeting all of you, but it really wasn’t.”

All the arguing made Keith clenched his hair, his head swelled with all the voices screaming at once.

“Everybody… QUIET!!!”

Keith’s command echoed throughout the ravine and immediately everyone went silent, as they turned their attention to Keith, who breathed heavily.

“You want a plan?! Here’s what’s happening: We are getting to the other side, getting that crystal, and we’re restoring the magic like Sunny said! And once we do…”

He pointed toward Allura and Zipp…

“You’ll get to fly!”

Then pointed at Lance and Pipp…

“You’ll get your fans back!”

He pointed towards Hunk…

“You’ll get to go home!”

Then lastly at Hitch…

“And you’ll have us in custody! Got that? Everybody happy?!”

“Uh… Keith?” Sunny spoke.

“What now, Sunny?!”

Sunny nodded her head towards Izzy… who used her horn to cut down a dead tree like a beaver. The tree crashed and functioned as a bridge between them and the ravine.

“Ta-daaaaa!” Izzy sang.

“Hey, look! She made a bridge,” Katie said. “Only took her like, what ten seconds? Eleven, tops.”

“Oh… wow, um…” Keith fumbled his words. “That’s, uh… thank you.”

“All right!” Zipp cheered.

“Ah great!” Hunk, Hitch, and Lance groaned.

“Come on, everybody!” Sunny urged.

And just like that, Sunny and Keith took the lead while the rest followed them across the makeshift bridge over the ravine. Through this path, their adventure to find the mysterious Bridlewood would continue. Dragging behind, Lance leaned his head toward Hutch.

"Remind me never to make that guy mad," Lance whispered.

"Oh take my word for it, you haven't seen Keith get mad," Hutch whispered back. "That was just the 'repressed' version."

(~)

Following a long, and very exhausting day, the group finally decided to take a rest for the night. As they gathered together in a quiet clearing, the only sound to be heard was the rumbling of their stomachs. Hunk, seeing the hunger in their eyes, felt empathy not just for his friends Keith and Sunny, but everyone else too. Even Izzy, who rubbed her tummy while sitting beside Katie.

“Man, I could really go for a hay-burger right about now,” Izzy sighed sadly.

“I’d kill for a spicy tuna roll myself,” Katie muttered.

“I miss Aunt Rosalyn’s sky-berry pie,” Pipp sighed dreamily.

“Oh, ‘please’ don’t say that!” Lance moaned. “I’m already dying here!”

“Do you ever stop complaining?” Katie asked.

“Do you ever stop being so snarky?”

“Why should I? It’s kind of my thing. Izzy brings the quirks; I bring the snark. It’s a package deal.”

“So true!” Izzy confirmed.

Keith finally decided to put a stop to all the commotion before someone got carried away.

“All right, all right! Let’s put this arguing to a rest now. The first thing we really need to do is get a fire started; it’s liable to get very cold tonight.”

“I’ve got this.”

Zipp scratched her hoof against the rock and a spark ignited like it was set off by flint. She then used her wings to generate some tiny wind power to ignite the flames. To say that the entire group were impressed was an understatement… well, ‘almost’ the entire group.

Hitch, on the other hand, kept his distance from the team. The sheriff tried vainly to make a fire of his own.

“Come on, stupid stick.”

“You need some backup, sheriff?” Zipp suggested.

“No! Thank you. I’ve got it.”

He went back to rubbing the two sticks, a technique which ‘can’ generate fire… if only he could get the process right.

“Come on… if only I had a match…”

Suddenly, for a brief moment, a spark of fire appeared… only to get snuffed out almost instantaneously.

“That was sad to watch,” Katie shook her head. “Come on, don’t be a hero, dude. Come and get warm here.”

Finally, Sunny picked herself up from her spot right next to Keith. Soon as she approached Hitch, she could see he was tired, cold, and very hungry. Oh how she hated seeing him this way. But still she also knew he was still very hesitant to trust anyone outside of their own kind. To which Sunny had known about for years.

“Hitch, please come over. I don’t want to wake up to your frozen corpse in the morning.”

“Sunny, are you sure about all of this? If we just go back to Maretime Bay, I promise…”

“What have we got to lose?”

“By giving ‘magic’ back to our enemies? Uh, let me think. I know – a lot!”

“Come on. Do they look like enemies to you?”

Sunny nodded her head towards the others. Even Hunk, the biggest coward in Maretime Bay, was getting along just fine and dandy with everyone. He pulled over his backpack and started preparing a meal with the ingredients he brought from home, as if he knew exactly what was needed for situations of this type.

Even Izzy and Pipp were talking—a unicorn and a Pegasus—and Izzy said something about Pipp’s sparkle.

“My sparkle is aquamarine? That’s, like, my sixth favorite color!”

Pipp was so happy she flapped her wings. While he did admit it was sad seeing a Pegasus unable to fly, Hitch swallowed that feeling regardless.

“I don’t know,” Hitch sighed. “Sunny, I know you’ve always believed in all ponies and elves getting along. But—”

“But what? You can’t tell me you’ve never thought about how much better life would be if weren’t afraid all the time.”

“Of course I have!”

“Then what better way of getting rid of that fear than facing it? Isn’t that what you’re always telling Hunk?”

Hitch heard Hunk laugh and looked over. By now, everyone loomed over him to see what smelled so good.

“Whoa!” Lance admired. “You work fast, big guy!”

“Aww, thanks! My family owned a restaurant back home; they’d let me help around when I could spare the time. Course, I couldn’t get all the ‘spices’, but I think I can substitute with some herbs and berries I found along the trail.”

It was so true. Hitch was always trying to encourage that scaredy-cat Hunk to face his fears. Now here he was, sharing chats with the enemy as if they’ve known each other all their lives. Of course, they sure didn’t seem like enemies after all. Yet even so, Hitch honestly didn’t know what to believe anymore.

“Hitch, you may refuse to admit it, but I know you once believed my dad’s stories. Look me in the eyes and tell me if you still believe It or not. If you don’t, then… I’ll respect whatever decision you make.”

Hitch looked deeply into Sunny’s eyes. The answer was as clear as day, but he didn’t have the courage to say it… least not yet anyway.

“So what if I did? What difference would it make?”

“A lot… especially for Keith.”

“Why Keith?”

“You should go over and ask him yourself.”

Sunny picked herself up and was about to return to the campfire when she stopped.

“For what it’s worth, I’m really glad you’re here, Hitch. We all are.”

And from the campfire, Izzy was giggling like crazy.

“What’s with you?” Zipp asked.

“Look!” She pointed towards Hitch and Sunny. “Their sparkles are so in sync! It’s so beautiful.”

Sunny didn’t hear what Izzy said, as she took a seat back beside Keith. After some thought, Hitch finally decided to join them. He was a bit quiet at first, but at least it was a start.

“Dinner is served!” Hunk declared.

(~)

To say Hunk was truly a master chef was an understatement. But once everyone’s bellies were full and satisfied, they were all ready to get some shut-eye. Even Sunny couldn’t keep herself from yawning.

“So… I think we should set off at first light,” Sunny declared. “Last stop – Bridlewood.”

But then her ears dropped when she noticed Izzy, her unicorn friend, sighing sadly. Katie wrapped an arm around her friend for comfort.

“What’s wrong, Iz?” Katie asked.

“It’s just that… being with all of you guys has been the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I guess I just don’t want our adventure to end.”

“But, Izzy, you’ll get your magic,” Sunny reassured.

To which Izzy smiled, as Sunny nudged Keith’s arm.

“Besides, who says it ‘has’ to be over? When this is only the beginning for what’s in store for all of us? Wouldn’t that be great, bro?”

To which Hitch was very confused. He understood how important it was for Izzy and Katie to have their magic back. So why would Keith need… wait…

“Keith,” Hitch spoke. “Is there… something you wanted to tell me?”

Keith’s eyes widened and his heart sped up. He turned toward Sunny, who subtly shook her head, confirming she didn’t outright tell him. Keith would’ve denied it all together, but the way Hitch spoke to him, so humbly, he couldn’t just reject his question now. Even so, Keith bit his bottom lip nervously.

“Well… it’s now or never…” Keith thought.

Taking a deep breath, Keith pulled back his bangs and revealed the shiny red jewel on his forehead. The sight of which made Hitch and Hunk gasp with shock.

“Whoa! I did not see that coming,” Hunk spoke, in awe.

Another sigh escaped Keith’s lips as he hid his jewel again.

“Now you know the truth.”

“But… why didn’t—I mean, I know ‘why’ you—still… why…”

Hitch didn’t know what to say. All this time, the whole time… Keith had been a mage. Course it certainly explained a great many things, not just about Keith but… also Sunny. It was why she was always so determined for things to change, or at least ‘partly’ the reason. But here, she wasn’t just doing this for herself… she did it all for Keith.

Just when he thought he couldn’t love Sunny any more than he already did. And he saw Keith sitting down, looking at him with his legs curled close to his chest. Suddenly all the things Hitch said about unicorns and mages, Pegasi and fairies… he felt dreadful all of a sudden.

“Keith… I am so, so sorry,” Hitch apologized, lowering his head in shame. “I… I didn’t, I mean… I… I really don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything,” Keith assured. “I never told you or anyone else before because… I hoped to ease you into it. Partly why I joined the force in the first place. Just to prove to everyone I meant no harm, that I love Maretime Bay as much as anyone. I suppose I waited a little too long to tell you…”

“I understand,” Hitch nodded. “But just to clear the air, I couldn’t have asked for a better officer.”

He smiled, and to his relief, Keith did too. For once in his life, he never felt such relief in all his life. Like a huge weight suddenly lifting off his shoulders after carrying it around for so many years.

“Hey, if all mages are half as nice as you,” Hunk spoke up. “I wouldn’t mind being their friend.”

“Hey! What about me?!” Katie asked, her fists on her hips. “I’m not nice?”

“Well… no, not really. You can be mean, and you called me ‘Wimpy-Mc-Whimper’ while we were crossing the ravine.”

“Not my fault you kept saying, ‘Don’t look down, don’t look down, don’t look down!’ a billion times.”

“Okay, okay, enough you guys,” Sunny lightly chuckled. “You know Katie, maybe you could afford to be a little nicer to people.

“Yeah, I guess,” Katie huffed.

“Don’t worry Sunny, Izzy’s a lot sweeter than she leads on,” Izzy replied, snuggling close to her. “I should know. We’ve been best friends since we were little and now we’ve got a whole bunch of new friends!”

“Still on the fence about that,” Lance muttered. “OW!”

Pipp slapped his arm with her tail playfully, while Lance rubbed his arm with a pout.

“Can I ask you a question?” Hitch asked Izzy and Katie. “Why did you come to Maretime Bay?”

“I always wanted to visit,” Izzy answered.

It was then Hitch noticed how her voice was slightly more somber, a stark contrast to her usual hyperactive tone. She reached for her mane and pulled out a folded piece of paper.

“When I was a filly, I found this pretty lantern. It had a message inside. It said I had friends in Maretime Bay.”

The moment Izzy unfolded the piece of paper, Sunny and Keith gasped. And there, before their eyes, was the very same message Sunny and Argyle sent into the sky that night. The very night Keith was welcomed into their family. Izzy studied Sunny’s reaction for a brief moment and the realization hit her instantly.

“It… it was you!”

Keith reached out for the letter, to which Izzy gave to him without question. He chuckled lightly as the innocent childhood memory filled him with more warmth than the fire itself could ever supply.

“I made this with my dad,” Sunny said. “It was on the same day we found Keith. We always promised each other that someday we would prove that all ponies and elves were meant to be friends. Just like the Paladins.”

“We’ll do our part…” Keith began.

“Hand in hoof…” Sunny continued.

“And heart to heart.”

The two concluded with their hand and hoof pressed together. Keith’s fingers curled along the edges of Sunny’s hoof, as he gazed warmly toward her. Watching this inspired everyone else to do the same. Katie and Izzy held their hand and hoof together, as did Allura and Zipp, and lastly, Lance and Pipp.

Lance, admittedly, was touched by the story. To imagine, an earth pony and a mage, as brother and sister, loving each other as much as any elf or pony could. Maybe… just maybe there was something to this whole harmony and friendship business. Pipp snuggled close to him, reassuring him that, no matter if they disagreed, she’d stay with him no matter what. This silent promise made his eyes swell with tears. A feeling he hadn’t truly felt for the longest time.

“I…” Lance began. “I want to do my part.”

“Me too,” Hitch agreed.

He offered Hunk his hoof, of which the earth elf accepted without question.

“Same here,” Hunk nodded.

“I have to admit. A unicorn forest does sound kind of magical.”

“Oh, you guys will love it!” Izzy said. “It’s all sparkly, and bright, and so pretty. And there are plenty of places to have a romantic date.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!” Hitch reeled back. “Slow your roll there; we only just met.”

“Not me, silly!” Izzy blew a raspberry. “You and Sunny. Duh!”

Both Sunny and Hitch jumped from whence they sat.

“WHAT?!”

“Oh come on, it’s so obvious!” Zipp replied cheekily.

“Totally ship it!” Pipp said, with a thumbs up.

“Difficult not to notice,” Allura smirked.

Sunny and Hitch began to stutter nonsensically. Their faces redder than Sprout’s own face.

“Maybe we should all get some sleep,” Hitch suggested.

“Yes! I agree!” Sunny agreed quickly. “Good night!”

Sunny curled up into a ball, already making loud snoring sounds hoping everyone would drop the topic already. Everyone laughed, proceeding to turn in for some well-deserved rest. Keith looked over Sunny for a moment, slowly shook his head with a smile than collapsed to sleep with a warm smile upon his face. Little did he or anyone else realized, but behind their backs Sunny’s eyes were a slight open rolling back a bit toward where Hitch slept. And with no one catching it, a small smile formed on Sunny’s face until at last the little earth pony fell back to sleep and began to dream…

Promises and memories

In the first floor section of the lighthouse, Argyle stored the last of his supplies into his saddlebag. Amongst the few essential items, his bag also included some parchment, a few quills, some containers of ink, and even some camping gear. As he heaved the bag over his shoulder with a sigh, he made his way toward the door. He paused for a moment to see the picture frame of himself along with Sunny and Keith, smiling happily. He smiled softly as he adjusted the frame before reaching for the doorknob.

“Mr. Argyle?”

Argyle froze where he stood but did not turn right away. Keith Kogan groggily climbed down the steps. His vision took a moment to adjust as he spotted the old pony by the front door.

“Do you have to go?”

A sigh escaped Argyle’s lips before he slowly turned around, a soft smile along his face.

“Keith…” Argyle spoke softly. “I won’t be gone long, I promise. I’ve already asked Hitch’s parents to watch you and Sunny while I’m away. I believe this expedition will be crucial to my hypothesis.”

“Why can’t we come with you?”

A reluctant sigh escaped Argyle’s lips, especially after hearing the eagerness in Keith’s voice.

“If only I could let you. But the place I’m going to is very far away. I promise, I will only be gone for a few weeks… ‘three’ at the latest. I swear I won’t take longer than that. I trust you to watch over Sunny while I’m away. Tell her stories about the Paladins.”

“Will you find the paladins, Mr. Argyle?” Keith asked innocently.

“I’m hoping.”

Argyle lifted Keith’s chin with his hoof.

“Keith, have I ever told you why the Paladins of Harmony were so special?”

“Because they were chosen by the Maiden and Mares of the lake?”

“Not just that,” Argyle chuckled softly. “They were chosen because of their bravery, kindness, loyalty, sincerity, and their powerful bond with one another. When an Elf and a Pony are truly one, they are bonded for life. And so long as they have each other to look out for, no greater force in this land can ever bend them down. Very few ever find that bond, but you and Sunny share something special. I’ve known it the moment you came into our lives. She’s going to need someone by her side to guide through a world that doesn’t understand her. I need you to make this promise for me Keith. Whatever happens, you will always be there to look out for Sunny. Can you do that?”

Keith took a very deep breath after hearing all the words. His one response was a nod to Argyle, which made him smile.

“That’s my boy,” Argyle spoke. “I’ll write to you kids every chance I get, and let you know how everything’s going.”

Argyle proceeded to turn around for the door, preparing to head off.

“Mr. Argyle, wait!” Keith called out.

The pony turned back toward Keith just as the door was open, and still waited to hear what he had to say.

“Yes, Keith?”

“I… I’ll miss you.”

Argyle knew what Keith really meant by those words.

“I’ll miss you too, my brave paladin.”

And just like that, Argyle stepped through the door. Keith walked out to peer out toward the departing Earth pony in the distance. He looked on silently until Argyle disappeared over the hills and into the great unknown beyond Maretime Bay. When Argyle was no longer in view, Keith turned toward the heavens as if hoping to see some higher power in the sky.

“Paladins… if you’re even out there…” Keith prayed. “Please keep my Dad safe. Help him find whatever it is he’s looking for and that he comes back home. Please…”

***

Keith couldn’t sleep, not with so many thoughts running through his head. Earlier tonight, he revealed his true heritage to Hunk and Hitch. Though he was relieved that they accepted him, it didn’t ease his worries.

Everything he had seen so far, though still not one hundred percent concrete, was beginning to look like real evidence that the paladins, and all of Argyle’s stories, could be real. But then he suddenly thought of Argyle… and it made his heart especially hurt.

Argyle had said he’d be back in two-to-three weeks. Those three weeks became four, then five. Before long, months and even a full year had passed to the point where the letters started coming less and less. At first Keith and Sunny made nothing of it, thinking that maybe Argyle was slightly delayed with his work. Or maybe he ran into a detour… or perhaps he was doing extra exploring. But it was only during the later few months when they really started to worry.

The tragic conclusion came upon Sunny and Keith that Argyle had long since passed away, especially when they found his body washed up on the shoreline. Aside from his wide-open frozen eyes and mouth agape, they couldn’t figure out ‘how’ he died… or if there was evidence of a ‘who’ involved. After the funeral, Sunny and Keith were given his pendant and glasses, one of the lenses cracked.

Since that faithful day, Keith always regretted never having said ‘I love you’ when he had the change. Either because it was his stubborn man pride… or because he feared that by saying ‘I love you’ it was sadder way of saying ‘Goodbye’. Either way, he regretted never having the courage to address him as his ‘father’. But he knew the reason for that one. He didn’t think he deserved it, thinking someone like Keith was too different for Argyle to ever be his real father.

It wasn’t till he was no longer with him that Keith realized how foolish those concerns were. With a heavy sigh, Keith looked up toward the stars gleaming in the night sky.

“I wish you were here, Dad…” He whispered.

Keith suddenly jumped when he heard someone approaching him. Everyone else was asleep around the now diminished fire. Each elf was curled next to their respected pony, except for Sunny who subconsciously curled closer towards Hitch. A tiny smile tugged on his face. Keith snorted when he looked up only to realize it was Allura who startled him.

“Couldn’t sleep either?” Allura asked.

Keith shook his head, as Allura sat next to him on the grass.

“You miss your father too?” She asked.

“You heard that?”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry. It was by accident.”

“No, it’s okay,” Keith reassured her. “What happened to your dad?”

“Oh, you know… ‘illness’. Never got better.”

Keith hung his head in sadness. “What about Zipp and Pipp?”

“He left.”

“O-Oh…” Keith froze.

“Yeah. He wasn’t really cut out to be a father, much less a king. I suppose that explains why Aunt Haven is such an attention hog.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay. It’s not your fault.”

Allura hugged her legs closed, and Keith looked at her with concern. Even though she claimed it was alright, he could tell it bothered her. He could empathize with sharing the pain of a pony close to you.

“So… you were a mage the entire time?” Allura questioned.

Keith chuckled, feeling a tad nervous. He wasn’t good at holding a conversation with new people. Yet, somehow, with Allura it felt easy. Probably because she’s so relaxed.

“Yeah, I’ll spare you the story of poor little orphan Keith. It’s… well, it’s kind of a downer.”

Allura scooted closer, resting her chin on her palms, like a little kid eagerly waiting for story time. To which Keith chuckled.

“Before Argyle and Sunny took me in, I used to live in a cottage with my father. My ‘biological’ father, I mean.”

“I guessed as much,” Allura teased.

Keith smiled over just how adorable she was.

“He was a very strong, independent guy. He taught me to fend for myself but was also very attentive. He’d take care of me when I got sick, and whenever I was scared of a thunderstorm.”

“What happened to him?”

Keith was silent for a moment before he continued.

“Well… that’s where the storm part came in. Practically came out of nowhere. The wind was so strong I was sure it would tear our house right out of the ground. So much lightning and thunder. Dad and I were outside cutting wood when it happened. My foot got caught in a fallen log, my dad rushed in to save me. He did, but… a bolt of lightning struck the massive oak tree behind our house and… it landed on our house… and him.”

Allura gasped. The story was not only tragic, but it also sounded like the stuff of nightmares. Her heart broke for Keith.

“Oh, Keith…”

“After that, I just wandered around hoping to find some place to live. I stumbled into Maretime Bay and the rest is history.”

“Why didn’t you just return to Bridlewood?”

“Tell you the truth I never even heard of Bridlewood till later in life. Dad and I lived pretty far from other mages and unicorns. He never used magic, which I found a bit strange. He just told me we didn’t need it so long as we had each other. As I got older and Argyle taught me and Sunny about mage magic, I just assumed mine was defective. I kept telling myself that my father was trying to spare my feelings, but now...”

Keith realized how silly it sounded out loud. But, to his surprise and relief, Allura didn’t judge him. She didn’t laugh or make any snarky comment. She just sat there… listening.

“Like I said… it’s a real downer.”

“No, I… okay, no you’re right, it’s downright depressing. But it does have a happy ending. You found a new family that loves you.”

“I sure did… only to lose one half of that family a while later.”

Keith looked up toward the sky again, trying to make out the shapes of the stars.

“Seems I have the worst luck when it comes to fathers.”

“Then I guess we have something in common,” Allura spoke.

Keith turned his head to face her.

“My family doesn’t have the best of luck with fathers, either.”

Keith knew he shouldn’t have snorted, but the way Allura said it, with that joking tone of hers, he just couldn’t help it. Much to his relief, she didn’t seem to take any offense at all.

“Sunny’s incredibly lucky to have you,” Allura spoke softly.

The gentle tone in Allura’s voice made Keith’s face grow hot, as he tried looking at anything but her. All he knew was that if he stared any longer he’d get lost in her big, deep blue eyes.

“Zipp’s lucky to have you too,” Keith said.

He tried to sound casual, but from the looks of it Allura wasn’t buying it. But again, she didn’t mind.

“I think we’re all pretty lucky to have each other. Fairies, mages, earth elves, Pegasi, unicorn, earth ponies. Just like the paladins from your stories.”

Keith frowned at the mention of the paladins.

“You know, after losing Argyle, I started losing hope and my faith in those stories. That maybe they really were just relics of a bygone era; that the world was just too broken. Nobody trusts anyone anymore.”

“Maybe it’s broken… because we don’t trust each other. Or at the very least give each a chance.”

“What about you? Do you trust us?”

“Hmm… let’s see. I broke you out of prison, tried stealing my aunt’s crown, became a fugitive, and now heading into the heart of the Jewel-Horn forest. Gee, I wonder.”

This time Keith laughed even harder.

“Okay, okay! Point taken.”

The laughed until they heard Izzy yawning, muttering something in her sleep.

“I think Iz’s got the right idea,” Keith said.

Allura agreed, and the two returned to their respected ponies.

“Allura…”

“Yes, Keith?”

“Thank you… for rescuing us back there.”

The two elves smiled toward one another; their cheeks flushed red until they fell asleep. And so it was that Keith found his place in the divided world of Equestria. Here in this camp, with Sunny and all their new friends (And yes… even Lance). And for the first in a long time, he was happy even in his dreams.

Fit Right In

The entrance to Bridlewood was… ‘not’ what Hitch expected.

Creepy looking trees arched together creating a darkened tunnel into the center of the woods. Attached to said trees were signs that read, ‘Keep out!’, ‘We meant it!’, ‘No non-JewelHorns allowed!’, ‘Why are you still here?’, etc.

“This… is not what I expected,” Hitch said.

Poor Hunk was already shaking in his boots.

“You know what? I’m not in that big of a hurry to grab a crystal. How’s about we just run away to some secluded field and start our own colony?”

But Izzy galloped ahead toward the scary woods.

“Come on! My house isn’t far from here!”

She sang along and soon everyone else, one-by-one, followed her in. All they had to go on was the sound of her merry singing to make their trek through the woods.

The forest, at first, looked just as creepy inside as it did outside. But the atmosphere shifted quickly when the bright sunlight of the early morn peeked through the leaves, making them glow in pink, blue, and violet shades of color.

Now this was the kind of magical Hitch was hoping to see. And still he couldn’t believe he just thought that. His vision darted towards the side, and he froze at an especially beautiful sight.

Sunny Starscout, the way the sunlight captured the radiance of her mane, the glow of her coat, and the shimmering brightness of her emerald-green eyes. Something about this forest seemed to emulate her natural beauty. Sunny noticed Hitch staring and now it was her turn to be stunned.

In her eyes, Hitch was always a handsome colt. But right now, with his aquamarine mane blending into the green-and-blue hues of the forest. And his coat a golden brown, making him appear as though he were glowing like a precious jewel. The way his warm brown eyes were so deep she could swim in them.

Without fully realizing it, the two were drawn towards one another, their eyes locked as they drew in closer. Their eyelids slowly closed; their lips puckered…

“Well, here we are guys!”

Izzy’s voice, once again, interrupted the moment and the two quickly pulled away, snapping themselves to reality. Something about this forest really got to them. Sunny was relieved nobody else seemed to notice, everyone was far too distracted with the beauty of the woods to even take notice of the fact both Sunny and Hitch were only seconds away from kissing!

Sunny shook her head, trying to shake away the dream-like state she was in. Her brain was blurry, her face as hot as a scorching day at the beach. She drew her attention towards Izzy’s house. A beautiful cottage built around a beautiful willow tree with dangling branches resembling jewels. Izzy opened the door and stepped aside to allow everyone in.

“La Villa Izzy!”

“Wow!”

The cottage was just as beautiful inside as it was outside. Everything from its walls to the very stairs were made entirely out of tree bark, which Izzy painted with beautiful patterns to make it feel more like a real home. There were strings of lanterns hanging from the walls and a wide collection of nick-knacks everywhere. Self-made umbrella hats, paintings made of macaroni and buttons, hats with jewels and paper flowers, even a tiny umbrella with crystalline butterflies dangling from it. The butterflies spun around as though they were flying when the umbrella spun.

Sunny saw a strand contraption with a large pin roller and bottles dangled from it. When she turned the roller, the spoons and forks attached it struck the bottles created a beautiful melody.

“Did you make all of this?” Zipp asked, amazed.

“Yup! ‘Uni-cycling’!” Izzy giggled. “Isn’t it funky?”

“It is… gorgeoooous!” Pipp sang.

Lance started snapping pictures everywhere. “Man, I so wish I could livestream all this. Our viewers would eat this up!”

His screen then turned to a collection of wires on the floor, which led to a large curtain. Curious, Lance approached it. Katie saw this and gasped, sweat already forming on her brow.

“Wait! No, no, no, no! You’re not supposed to go in there!”

But it was too late. Lance pulled the curtain open and couldn’t believe what he saw. His phone still recording, he captured what appeared to be an array of gadgets, each carved out of tree, bark, and crystal, with multicolored liquids pumping into them via tubes attached to a chemistry lab in the corner of the room.

“Whoa… what is all of this?”

“Oh, that’s Katie’s lab,” Izzy replied.

Katie blushed and tried hiding behind the curtain.

“Kate, you made all that?!” Lance asked, astounded.

“It’s Katie and yes. Bridlewood isn’t exactly big on technological innovations, so I work with basic chemicals that function as a natural energy source, along with crystals and dead wood. Some crystals actually contain some electrical magnetic energies inside the core, which function like batteries.”

Katie realized she was rambling and silenced herself.

“You know… boring science stuff.”

“Boring?!” Lance exclaimed in shock. “Are you kidding? This is nothing like what we got back in Zephyr Heights!”

Katie was… speechless. Aside from Izzy, no other elf had ever complimented her work before. Maybe her older brother and parents, but ‘never’ a complete stranger. And especially not a hoity-toity fairy prince.

“You… actually like it?”

“Well, I don’t understand all of it,” Lance admitted. “But it looks so cool! If you could make it all work, ha! You just might be a genius!”

“Might be?”

To which Katie took that as a personal offense. She marched past Lance, shoving him to the side.

“Step aside, pop-star. Watch the master at work.”

She cracked her knuckles and started typing on a makeshift keyboard which she constructed out of an old tree bark and opal crystals, each one with a letter carved onto it. The screens around her lit up as the liquids pumped into the machines and each screen showcased a memory from times Katie recorded stuff Izzy made over the years.

One screen even showcased the day Izzy first round Sunny’s drawing, and the lantern, which she still had hanging from the ceiling of the room. Everyone else was left in awe at Katie’s brilliant masterpiece.

“It would seem that Izzy isn’t the only skilled artist around here,” Allura complimented.

Her words warmed Katie’s insides. It felt so nice to get compliments from more than just a few people and one pony. Then, in a flash, Katie remembered something.

“Oh wait, wait! Izzy! Iz! Go get the thing!”

“Oh my gosh!” Izzy gasped. “Hold everything! Aah! We’ve never gotten to use this with actual friends!”

Izzy giggled and rushed to retrieve the item Katie requested. The unicorn returned in a matter of seconds, with what resembled a rosebud with tangled vines at the bottom, with four outstretched on the floor and green wheels to blend in with the green. When Izzy pressed the button, the flower opened up and became a table set with a teapot and cups at the ready.

“Ta-daaaa!”

“Ah! Cool!” Zipp said.

“It’s so adorable!” Pipp commented. “Do you take commissions? I know lots of skylings who’d love something like this.”

Izzy was rather intrigued at the idea.

“Huh… I never thought of making this into a business before.”

“I have!” Katie raised her hand. “But not a lot of Jewel-Horns appreciate our… vision!”

“Well, I think they’re a bunch of dopes!” Lance declared.

Both he and Katie froze as they looked at each other. Katie started to blush and Lance, for the first time in his life, was beginning to feel a bit self-cautious.

“Hate to interrupt, but we don’t have time for this right now,” Keith said.

“He’s right,” Sunny agreed.

“Aww…” Izzy and Katie sighed, in dismay.

“If we’re gonna get the information we need on the Jewel-Horn Crystal, we can’t stick out like sore hooves,” Sunny continued. “We need to look like Jewel-Horns.”

Pipp stomped her hooves happily. “Yay, makeovers! I love makeovers!”

“Uh, no,” Zipp laughed nervously. “No, this is not… this is not what I signed up for. No.”

“Think you can find a jewel that brings out my eyes?” Lance asked.

“So, Izzy, can you do it?” Sunny asked.

Izzy sipped from her teacup. “A glow-up? Honey, you came to the right cottage.”

(~)

To begin the group’s lesson in how to look and act like Jewel-Horns, Izzy put on a pair of fake glasses and switched on a slide projector with very exaggerated illustrations of both Skylings and Earth Folk. The Earth Folk looked like starving hobos, while the Skylings were borderline vampires with jagged teeth and distorted proportions.

Katie:

I thought that Earth Folks were the bounty ladder's bottom rung

Izzy:

I heard that Skylings were brutes you'd hate to be among

Katie:

"You smell like fishes!”

Izzy:

“You're vicious!”

Katie:

“I bet you eat your young!"

Meet any one of you, the thing to do is run away

Katie kicked the projector (And the screen) away, wearing a satisfied smile on her face while she and Izzy danced along with Sunny, Pipp, and Allura, with Izzy in the center of their little dance line.

Izzy:

But although I know we're all a bunch of different breeds

Take away our wings and horns, and we're just frightened steeds

So let's put aside our differences, 'cause what we need's a win

Oh-oh-oh

Katie climbed up the stairs and pulled on a cord which unleashed a bunch of books.

Katie:

Come on, rip out all the pages of your history books

Just because we're undercover doesn't mean we're crooks

Izzy:

When we walk you through the crowd and give your brand new looks a spin

Izzy kicked a chair which caught Hunk and sent him all the way towards the mirror vanity. Izzy spun him around, adding on some white makeup and powdered his cheeks with red blush, making him look like a clown.

Izzy and Katie:

You're gonna fit right in

Hunk:

“Are you sure about this?”

Izzy:

You're gonna fit right in

Hunk:

“But what if it doesn’t work?

Hunk wiped his face clean with a rack, which left behind a very funny looking clown face imprinted on it.

Hunk:

They taught us other kinds were super-scary maniacs

With horns like razors and wings like tasers and teeth like tacks

They take your eyes and then they grind them into midnight snacks

The basic gist of it the world ain’t gonna be ready for this!

Sunny pranced around Hunk, in an effort to reassure him, while Pipp and Zipp spun colorful umbrellas. Katie and Izzy started measuring the twins’ wings and the length of their artificial horns.

Sunny:

Look, I know we're riskin' everything for this endeavor

But look at us, we're brave and strong and weird and clever

Thus closer to the finish than we’ve ever, ever been

Woah!

Keith:

So we better take a leap and put our faith in you

Sunny:

Get our crafty on with sparkles, tape, and super glue

Keith:

Cause we're runnin' out of options and we're desperate to begin

Izzy:

You're gonna fit right in

Hunk:

“Man, I hope so.”

Sunny and Izzy:

You're gonna fit right in

Izzy:

I know you will, now watch and learn

Following Izzy and Katie’s leads, the others tried mimicking their behavior. Keith was a bit uncertain about this, seeing he had no idea that much went into being a mage.

Izzy:

This is how a Jewel-Horn walks

(Walks)

This is how a Jewel-Horn talks

(Talks)

This is how a Jewel-Horn hoops

(Hoops?)

This is how a Jewel-Horn—

Oops!

Oh!

Geez!

Stop!

This is how a Jewel-Horn struts

Oh!

Watch us shake our Jewel-Horn butts

Katie:

“Not doing that!”

Lance still shook his butt, at which Allura slapped him in the head to make him stop.

Izzy:

Now you're in the Jewel-Horn know

Sunny:

Whoa!

Izzy:

Soon you'll be a Jewel-Horn pro!

Katie donned a backwards cap and some funky colorful glasses, complete with heavy jewelry and rings on her fingers and hoop earrings.

Katie:

“Alright, ya’ll, Kate-EG in the house!”

Oh, a Jewel-Horn stud makes a Jewel-Horn stride

It's the more-head on your forehead, it's the source of your pride

Every Jewel-Horn who's born has worn a bling that's unique

So we'll whip them up as speak, you'll be lookin' très magnifique

Izzy:

We’ll fake a phony protrusion and make a bony illusion

It’s not the perfect solution, but this world’s not big on inclusion

Katie and Izzy:

And with those rocks in our pockets, we'll reap the reward

And folks'll be floored, we'll strike a new chord

Our magic restored!

All:

Lately, all Equestria has lost its heart

But if we can help to find it, we should play our part

Hitch:

If we fail, we'll go to prison

Sunny:

But if not, we'll start to grin

Izzy:

So let's begin

All:

We're gonna fit right in

One by one, they stepped out from behind a curtain. Pipp walked out wearing a lovely golden unicorn horn decorated with rings and flowers, and a lavender cape to hide her wings. She struts like a movie star, winking at the pretend camera.

Lance walked out, dancing while showing off the new jewel on his forehead, a sparkly sapphire which, as he hoped, brought out his eyes.

Next, Zipp strut out wearing a red-and-green cape and matching horn, while Allura removed her gold circlet to show off her pink topaz jewel shaped like a raindrop.

Next, Hitch trotted out, whistling to himself as he posed dashingly with his green-and-blue horn. Hunk wore an orange jewel to match his orange headband.

Lastly, Sunny wore a multicolored horn with stars and Keith…

Well, Izzy styled his front bangs to the side (Almost like Katie’s) to have his natural ruby red jewel out for all to see. He didn’t try to model since the only thing about him that’s changed was his hair.

Sunny beamed with pride seeing Keith able to showcase his heritage without being judged. It was everything she ever wanted for him. And Allura had to admit, Keith looked quite dashing with his new look.

Izzy:

This is how a Jewel-Horn walks

Katie:

“Yeah, baby!”

Izzy:

This is how a Jewel-Horn talks

Katie:

“Work it!”

Izzy:

Now you're lookin' JewelHorn strong

Izzy and Katie:

This is how a Jewel-Horn

Ends this song!

Just Prance

Keith Kogan could hardly contain his nerves. For years his birth father never told him exactly where he came from, or if there were other elves like them. Today, Keith marched through the homeland of the Jewel-Horns themselves.

Not only that, but Keith was walking with his jewel fully open for the first time in his life. All the dirty, terrified looks he used to have nightmares about never came to pass. Nobody bat an eye, not even his own friends. True Hitch and Hunk did stare, but not of horror or mistrust. Instead, whenever they looked at his jewel, they seemed to be… admiring it.

“You know Keith, that Jewel of yours is actually pretty,” Hunk observed. “Sorry, was that rude? Am I allowed to say that?”

Katie shook her head with a smirk, as Keith patted his friend along the shoulder.

“It’s fine, Hunk. Really… thanks.”

It was then Keith noticed Allura staring as well, even smiling sweetly.

“It actually brings out your eyes,” She replied, making Keith blush.

“Ugh! You two are disgusting!” Lance groaned, sticking out his tongue.

“Oh, grow up!” Allura chastised.

The forest itself seemed to glow like a precious jewel, courtesy of the crystals littering every corner. It’s as though they sprouted out and about the ground like flowers.

“TA-DAAAA!”

Izzy started popping around every crystal she could find, happily showcasing the rocks, even making funny faces through their transparent surface.

“Crystals! Crystals! Crystals! Crystals! Crystals! Crystals!”

“She does know we’re just looking for the ‘one’, right?” Zipp whispered to Katie.

Katie simply shrugged rather than answering directly.

“Come on. The town’s just up ahead.”

The group followed Katie and Izzy, careful not to touch their makeshift horns or sticky jewels so as not to let them fall off. They knew the glue and strings would not hold forever, so they had to be cautious. Most importantly, they needed to find that crystal fast.

Once they strolled into town, the group expected a breathtaking view of a mystical Jewel-Horn village… instead, what they got was a gloomy neighborhood populated by dreary, depressed, and emotionless unicorns with graying to brownish coloring. And the mages, even with their jewels visible, wore droopy bangs and stringy hair. One mage was watering his plants without much interest… if any at all. An elderly unicorn kept getting bonked on the head with apples and she didn’t even care.

“Ow… ow… ow…”

“Well, this is… cheerful,” Hitch said.

As for Keith… he felt somewhat insulted. James and Sprout often teased him about being ‘so emo’ for years, but not even Keith would be caught dead with folks like these. He shuddered at the thought of never having someone as adventurous as Sunny being there to pull him out of his usual funks.

“Was this what life’s like without magic?” Keith thought. “My own birth father was ever this depressed twenty-four seven. Was he… trying to spare me of all this?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Allura spoke. “It’s actually quite… calming.”

Leave it to the princess to attempt to find some positive things to say. That being said, the scenery wasn’t doing her any favors.

“Sure, if you lived in a morgue,” Lance remarked. “OW!!!”

Lance pouted as he rubbed his elbow, following a slap from his sister.

“Is everyone okay?” Pipp asked, concerned.

“Yeah, these other Jewel-Horns seem so different from you guys,” Sunny observed.

Though she wouldn’t exactly call Katie the most energetic magic, she at least wasn’t a sad-sack like these guys.

“Yeah, we get that a lot,” Izzy said cheerfully. “Our sparkle is a bit too sparkly for Bridlewood.”

“Where are all the buildings?” Hunk asked. “Or the stores and malls? Do you guys have a food court by any chance?”

“We have a tea shop,” Izzy said.

“And a few bakeries here and there,” Katie added nonchalantly. “Other than that, it’s mostly trees and bark. Livin’ the dream.”

Clearly, Katie was made more for the city than the forest. It was no wonder she was so entranced with the technological sophistication of Zephyr Heights.

“Oh…” Hunk nodded. “Does that mean you guys only eat fruits and veggies? Not that I mind, but I have a hankering for some meatloaf right now.”

“Later, Hunk,” Keith spoke sternly. “We’ve got a crystal to find, remember?”

“Man…” Hunk pouted, disappointed.

Hitch approached a few crystals near a trio of children, lazily laying along the ground while one swung on a swing in such a bored state.

“How can we tell which crystals are magic?” He asked.

The mage kid on the swing pointed at Hitch with his eyes wide.

“Ooh! You said a bad word!”

“Huh?”

“Hurry! Before we get jinxed!”

The children started to snort and jump around while chanting:

“Bing-bong-bing! Bing, bong! Bing, bong! Bing, bong! Bing, bong!”

Everybody stared in confusion. Zipp was the first to ask what in Equestria was going on.

“Oooookay… I’m gonna need some context.”

“Jewel-Horns are very superstitious,” Izzy explained. “If someone ever says a forbidden word, we have to do a ritual to ward off… the jinxies.”

“Jinxies?” Pipp asked.

“Bad luck,” Katie translated.

“F-F-F-Forbidden words?” Hunk trembled. “L-L-Like what?”

“Magic… wing… feather… oh, and mayonnaise,” Katie counted, with her fingers.

Being a chef, Hunk took that as a personal offense.

“Wait a minute! What’s wrong with may—?”

Before he could continue, Katie and Izzy quickly covered his mouth. Just in time too because a nearby unicorn walked by and almost heard them. She sighed and walked away, dejected.

“So… where do start looking for the crystal-thingy?” Lance asked.

“Right this way,” Izzy pointed. “Come on!”

Izzy galloped ahead, and the others followed.

“What do you think of Bridlewood so far?” Sunny asked Keith.

And he stared at her, unamused, knowing she was asking it to tease him.

“Don’t… go there…”

Sunny merely smiled as she trotted ahead, while Keith’s expression never changed. Like one more remark and someone’s getting a bonk on the head.

“If I have to hear one more ‘emo’ comment, so help me…” Keith thought, irritated.

***

“The Crystal Team Room?” Sunny asked.

Once they arrived at the place Izzy spoke about, before their very eyes was a quaint looking café made entirely of wood with a teacup sign with the place’s name written in red and blue paint.

“There’s a pony inside who collects crystals,” Izzy said. “Maybe he could help us.”

“That’s great, Izzy!” Sunny said. “Oh, and Hunk?”

“I know, I know,” Hunk muttered. “No forbidden words. Do they at least make hamburgers here?”

“Is food all you think about?” Pipp asked.

“You say it like it’s a bad thing.”

The inside of the café was just as melancholy as the outside, unicorns and mages sitting bored out of their minds. Sipping teas at their tables, just… sad and lazy.

“Stay close,” Keith instructed, whispering. “Don’t talk to anyone; try to blend in.”

“So… you do want us to talk to people?” Lance teased.

To which didn’t sit well with Keith, who was trying ‘so’ hard not to punch this guy in the face.

“Just… don’t draw any unwanted attention. Please!”

“Gee, that’ll be tough,” Zipp said. “Lance is a master at attracting unwanted attention.”

“That’s right!” Lance said proudly.

Only then he realized what she actually meant.

“Hey, wait a minute!”

Izzy pointed toward a red colored unicorn with a curly mane and wearing a red beret, just sitting alone at a table.

“That’s the pony I was talking about,” Izzy whispered loudly.

Sunny was the first to approach him, taking a seat in front of him.

“So, word in the forest is you collect crystals.”

The unicorn stared at Sunny as though he were being interrogated. When he saw the other ponies and elves circling around him, he stood up erect.

“Yes, I do. Well, I mean, I did. I lost ‘em all in a limbo contest with… Cronan!”

Izzy and Katir looked toward each other, seeing the horror in their eyes.

“Oh no…”

“Who’s Cronan?” Keith asked.

Katie and Izzy pointed toward the main counter, where a large gray unicorn wiped the counter and another unicorn tried solving a cube puzzle. The unicorn was large, rather intimidating to look at, but he looked rather old (Most likely in his forties or fifties). And one of his hooves was wrapped in a sling, meaning he’d recently been in an unfortunate accident.

“He doesn’t look so bad,” Sunny said.

“Oh no, that’s Alphabittle,” Katie said.

She grabbed Sunny’s head and turned it towards the opposite side by the large gray colored unicorn.

“That… is Cronan.”

Cronan was a tall, very fit looking elf. With perfect skin and green shoulder length hair, no wonder several older female elves swooned at the sight of him. He wore green vine-like tattoos wrapped around his arms. His eyes were dark brown, a scar just below his right eye. While his hair was green, his jewel was a royal purple color. He too looked old as Queen Rosalyn herself, and he studied the place as though itching for someone to challenge him.

Alphabittle rang a bell above the counter with his good hoof.

“Time’s up! Pass it over, Jasper.”

The unicorn, Jasper, sighed sadly, and handed the cube puzzle to the unicorn. Even with one hoof, Alphabittle solved the cube rather easily, and in half the time too. He slammed it onto the table, startling Jasper and he looked as though he were about to faint.

“Ooh, tough break, buddy,” Cronan said.

He tried to emulate some kind of suave, confident tone, as if to sound younger than he looked. But anyone could smell the falseness a mile away.

“Okay, you know the drill. Pay up.”

Cronan extended his waiting hand and Jasper begrudgingly handed him a transparent case with a crystalline tree inside of it. Cronan slid it across the table and Alphabittle caught it with his good hoof with ease. A few tiny armadillos crawled onto his shoulder, one on Cronan’s, squeaking in approval.

“You could always try winning it back,” Alphabittle suggested.

To which Jasper refused and walked away.

“All right, suit yourself. Cronan, buddy, would you mind? Doctor says I can’t stretch much until my leg heals.”

Cronan, more than happy to oblige, secured the winning trinket on a shelf… that was where Sunny spotted the Jewel-Horn crystal!”

“That’s the crystal!” Sunny exclaimed.

Thankfully, not loud enough for any other patrons to hear her.

“It’s just like the one in the stained glass window,” Keith observed. “But how’re we supposed to get it?”

“Simple. We beat Alphabittle at his own game.”

“Wait!” Izzy spoke up. “Alphabittle can smell fear.”

“And Cronan can smell a fake,” Katie added. “You’d have better luck breaking through a cement wall!”

“Why don’t we just go up and say please?” Hunk suggested.

“That’s not how it works in here,” Katie countered. “Rules of the house: Anything you want from those two, you have to ‘earn’ it.”

But despite the intense circumstance, Sunny held her head up high, flipped her mane, and adopted a neutral expression.

“Don’t worry. I’ve lived with Keith my whole life. I know how to be… cool.”

With her character in place, Sunny casually, and calmly, approached the counter. Izzy’s ears dropped in worry, and Katie was already biting her nails off.

“I don’t know whether to be flattered… or insulted,” Keith spoke.

Sunny took her seat on the other side of the counter, neither staring at Cronan nor Alphabittle. Cronan noticed the little pony and from afar Hunk sipped the drink the scared crystal-collecting pony left behind, making a slurping sound that killed the intensity of the moment. And Sunny just stared at nothing, not even smiling.

“Tea,” Sunny spoke.

Cronan turned toward Alphabittle, as though asking if this pony was trouble or just another poser looking to humiliate herself (Like the rest). Alphabittle nodded as he wiped the counter. Cronan snapped his fingers and one of the tiny armadillos brought Sunny a full cup. Just as he was about to pour the milk, Sunny blocked the cup with her hoof.

“Hold the milk.”

The others were surprised over how well she was holding up. Though they weren’t counting their gemstones just yet. Hitch, on the other hoof, found this more ‘mysterious’ side to Sunny rather… attractive.

“Quite the game player, I see,” Sunny observed.

She took a sip of her milk-less tea. Which… didn’t taste as good as she hoped, but she fought through the disgust and swallowed hard.

“It passes the time,” Alphabittle smiled, intrigued. “Why? Do you play?”

“I don’t play… I win.”

This confidence intrigued Cronan as well.

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, it is. And I challenge you… for that!”

She pointed toward the Jewel-Horn crystal.

“Oh, now that hardly seems fair,” Alphabittle said. “I’m not exactly in the best shape right now. You wouldn’t be so heartless as to challenge a pony while he’s injured, would you?”

“Oh, I wasn’t challenging you. I was challenging him.”

Sunny turned her attention towards the green haired mage, who slammed his fists so hard on the table the condiments shook. It started everyone in the café; silence flooded the room.

“You think you can beat me?”

“Only one way to find out.”

“Big talk for a little pony.”

“I think you’ll find I’m average height…”

The two stared down for another second.

“Tick-tock. What do you say, Cronan?”

“Whatever you’re better, better be worth our while.”

Sunny pulled out the Skyling crystal and threw it on the table, smiling cockily.

“Worth it enough for ya?”

Everybody else gasped and Hunk did a spit take. Cronan was entranced by the jewel, as was Alphabittle. They had never seen such craftsmanship before… least nothing like this.

“Where did you get that?” Cronan whispered.

Though he didn’t get the answer, as Keith hurried towards Sunny and tried to smile towards the two bar-owners.

“Um, could you excuse for a minute sir?”

He pulled Sunny aside, and turned her till she could see the sternness in his eyes.

“What… do you think… you’re doing?!” Keith whispered harshly.

“Relax, I can solve that cube puzzle in my sleep.”

“You realize that if he wins, we lose both crystals!” Pipp intervened.

“We won’t. Trust me.”

“Sunny, listen to me!” Keith shook his head. “I seriously think we should reconsider our options here.”

“It’s too late!” Izzy said. “Once you challenge Cronan, you either win… or forfeit. That makes it an automatic loss.”

“Well that doesn’t sound fair,” Lance said.

“We didn’t make the rules,” Katie argued. “They did.”

“Izzy Moonbow… Katie Holt,” Cronan spoke.

His voice made everyone jump with fright. There was no question this guy was intimidating.

“If your friend is finished stalling, do we have a deal? Or am I just going to take that lovely crystal from her empty hooves?”

Cronan reached for the crystal, but was blocked by Keith, who grabbed his wrist, tightening his grip. The two had a stare down with Keith ultimately releasing Cronan.

“She’s all in,” Keith declared.

Seeing they’ve come this far, if Sunny believed she could do it, he could not intervene. Besides, he’d seen her play to win before… Cronan was in for a treat.

“That’s right!” Sunny said. “Now give me that cube.”

“Oh, you mean this?” Cronan asked

He swiped the cube from the table, laughing almost maniacally.

“Oh no, no, no, no, no. A special prize calls for a special competition.”

Alphabittle rather liked the sound of that plan.

“Oh, it’s been a while since I’ve done this.”

He deepened his voice before proclaiming:

“Bring forth the ultimate challenge!”

“The ultimate what now?” Sunny asked nervously.

A trumpet horn played (Where it was coming from, nobody knew) and a spotlight shone upon a large machine with a glowing sign which read ‘Just Prance!’ with a cardboard of Alpahabittle smiling and prancing. The multicolored horseshoes blinked, and electronic music beeped. Keith was at a loss for words.

“The ultimate challenge… is a dancing game?” Keith arched a brow.

“Seriously?” Keith and Sunny said in unison.

A goth mage with short black hair, wearing a beanie, spoke into a microphone.

“Both contestants agree. Best out of three.”

“You take this one, Cronan,” Alphabittle offered, rubbing his injured leg.

Cronan cracked his neck… and his knuckles for good measure.

“So lemme guess…” Keith thought. “Best out two-out-of-three?”

“Actually… let’s make this a little more interesting,” Cronan said, facing Sunny. “You only need to win one out of three.”

“Hold on. Don’t you think you’re at a disadvantage here?” Sunny asked. “I’ve got four legs, and you’ve only got two.”

“Believe me, sunshine. I’ve taken down more hooves than you can count.”

“Hmph. We’ll see about that.”

The two took their positions, with Sunny staring down at the machine. She and Keith used to compete in these dance games at the Maretime Bay arcade. She had this in the saddle bag. From behind, two of the little armadillos ran around a wheel, which was what activated the machine. The hooves and feet on the wooden board spun around, stopping at a selection of colors.

Red… orange… blue… and purple. One side was of human feet, the other was of horseshoes.

The rules were basic: step on the respect colors at the precise time. If not, then the contestant loses a point. On opposite sides were two rainbow bars with wooden arrows. Whoever had the highest score, the arrow would rise higher and higher. The one with the lowest arrow… well…

Sunny heard the floorboards beneath Cronan chime as he stepped on the corresponding colors. His feet moved so fast Sunny could barely make out which was the left or right foot. The rest of the group began to sweat, especially Hunk who already started biting his nails.

“This guy’s good…” Hunk observed. “Like really, really good…”

“Just give her time…” Keith assured.

Sunny shook herself back to her senses and tapped on the corresponding colors. The hooves beneath her chimed and she kept on following the beat to the music. Unfortunately, Cronan was already far ahead of her on account of how fast his feet were, especially for a guy seemingly in his forties.

His arrow rose to the top and a sign with a crown painted #1 flipped open. The music stopped and Cronan wiped his knuckles against his shirt.

“Yeah! That’s how you do it!” Alphabittle cheered.

“Yaay…” The other Jewel-Horns cheered, deadpanned.

“What?!” Sunny gasped.

The Earth pony couldn’t believe it. She was a queen of this game, able to beat any two-legger back home. But Cronan… this guy’s feet had to be possessed.

“I-It’s okay,” Izzy spoke encouragingly. “You’re just warming up.”

“Warming up to get roasted!” Hunk trembled. “OW!”

Lance slapped him behind the head.

“Do you every say anything supportive?”

“Sorry! I get pessimistic when I’m nervous!”

The goth mage leaned over toward the microphone again, announcing the next round.

“What can you do? Round two.”

Cronan snickered, lifting his chin up.

“Let’s make this quick,” Cronan gloated.

“Focus…” Sunny told herself, taking a deep breath.

“You got this, Sunny!” Keith cheered.

He knew Sunny was no quitter, she just had to get back into the rhythm and this game would be over in seconds.

“Kick this guy’s flank!” Hitch declared.

The music played where it left off, and Sunny had found her groove again. She grinned as she saw her arrow now neck-in-neck with Cronan’s.

“Yes!” Hitch cheered. “She’s doing it; she’s doing it!”

Unfortunately, the victory was short lived. For Cronan, wearing a relaxed expression, watched as his arrow got higher and higher the quicker his feet became. Not even Sunny, with her four hooves, could keep up. She gasped once his arrow reached the top, and he won again.

Cronan stretched his arms, folding his hands behind his head while his friend, Alphabittle, stomped his good hoof in victory.

“Yeah! Critters, get my crystal polish ready, would ya? And break out the apple cider for Cronan!”

“Round three,” The goth mage declared. “Who will it be?”

This was it… if sunny won just this ‘one’ round, they could leave with both crystals. But how could she beat Cronan? The guy had magic legs. Was that even a power? Would that be considered cheating? Who was she kidding? Mages didn’t have magic, which meant those moving feet were all him.

Which meant Sunny needed a lot of luck to win this game.

“Oh… here goes nothing.”

“Sunny, it’s gonna be okay,” Pipp called out.

“How? The guy’s unstoppable.”

Lance, seeing that Sunny was feeling unsure of herself, felt sympathy for this pony for the first time.

“No he’s not Sunny!” Lance called out. “I know guys like him back home, they dance only to compete. But that’s all it is… dancing. You can’t think about winning; just have fun!”

“Lance is right, honey! Don’t think about Cronan. Just focus on the music. Listen and let the rhythm take you over.”

Pipp and Lance proved it with one of their signature dancing. Pipp prancing in place, and Lance swaying beside her as the music began to play.

“You feelin’ it?” Pipp called out.

Sunny tapped her hooves, focusing only on the music. Suddenly, she felt as though she had chucked down five gallons of caffeine. The same feeling she got when playing the game with Keith… back when it was for fun. Lance was right, Cronan danced only to win. All Sunny had to do was just dance for fun. That was the secret.

“Oh, I’m feelin’ it,” She chuckled. “I’m feelin’ it!”

“Yeah, you are, Sunny!” Pipp cheered.

“You got this, Sunny-Bunny! WHOO!!!” Lance shouted.

Soon all the others cheered along for her.

“Come on, Sunny!” Allura threw her fists in the air.

“Woo-hoo! Prance girl! Prance!” Kate roused.

And Sunny was in the groove now, as she and Cronan were now evenly matched. Their arrows were side by side, Cronan now beginning to work up a sweat. Sunny was cheering, howling with glee. She had forgotten how much fun this game was.

Unfortunately, that joy didn’t last long. She was stunned when she saw Cronan’s arrow go higher and higher than hers. She picked up the pace, moving faster than she ever did. Everybody else watched with anticipation, Hunk reached for Keith’s hand, only for him to shake it off in annoyance.

Sunny was so close, her arrow halfway to the top. Cronan did two more taps with his feet, his arrow touched the top of his bar, and the #1 sign popped up… for the third time.

Sunny’s legs felt like jelly, the bottom of her hooves ached from the pressure. She was out of breath, both from the dancing and the heartache.

“We… lost…”

“Aw, too bad,” Cronan replied, clearing the sweat of his brow. “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of your crystal. By the way… thanks!”

“Hold on!”

Everyone gasped when Keith, of all people, stepped forward. He stared toward Cronan for the second time that day.

“One more game… but this time, let’s make it fair. Two legs against two. You and me. Same terms. I win one game, and you hand over both crystals. You win, you get to keep them. Deal?”

“Ha!” Cronan threw his head back. “You? Oh, you must be joking!”

“I’m with tall, dark, and creepy on this one,” Lance spoke. “OW!!! Pipp!!!”

Pipp kicked Lance along the shin, and he pouted with annoyance.

“You sure about this, Keith?” Allura asked.

Keith stepped towards Cronan, his eyes briefly shifting towards his exhausted sister, then back toward the green-haired mage.

“Game on.”

“Alright,” Cronan scoffed. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”

Hitch helped the exhausted Sunny down the platform. She grimaced a bit because one of her hooves was a little sore due to the pressure. But she knew it would pass quickly.

Alphabittle had his little critter friends adjust the setting so the boards would showcase feet instead of hooves. Once the music started again, the two mages started to dance.

Keith kept a focused expression, his eyes glued to the constantly changing colors. Watching Sunny allowed him to memorize where each of the colors were, so he matched the steps without needed to look down at the platform.

Cronan was stunned by how quickly the young mage boy was able to catch up to him. He didn’t flinch, not once. He kept his eyes on the colors and his feet seemed to touch the right colors long before the colors lit up. For a moment, Cronan was completely thrown off but quickly recollected his focus on the game. He started to panic when he noticed Keith’s arrow was moving ahead of his… and much faster too.

“No… way…” Lance gasped.

The disguised fairy recorded the whole thing with his phone. His eyes couldn’t believe that ‘Mr. Stoic-and-Serious’ was a master dancer. Allura was especially impressed, she couldn’t help but notice the way his skin glistened from the sweat. He was moving so quickly, panting even, but showed zero signs of stopping.

Izzy and Katie hugged each other, cheering like wild women as Keith’s arrow rose higher and higher.

“You get ‘em, bro!” Sunny cheered.

The rest of the ponies stomped their hooves, which motivated even the other Jewel-Horns to break out of their melancholy and cheer with joy. Alphabittle did not like this one bit. As much as he hated losing himself, he also hated if his friend got humiliated by the little runt.

“Come on, Cronan! Show this kid who’s boss!”

Cronan started feeling his ankles cramp up but kept himself going. Keith breathed in-and-out as he danced. Once the arrow reached the top, Keith finally collapsed. His feet burned; the elf sweat like he just climbed the tallest mountain in Equestria. He looked up and the wind was knocked out of him seeing his arrow had reached the top. Even Cronan could not believe it.

“That’s impossible…” Cronan gasped heavily.

Sunny rushed to his side, tackling Keith with a hug.

“You won Keith! You won!”

“No… ‘we’ won, Sunny! You and me!”

Keith hugged his sister back and the rest of their friends gathered round the two siblings, hugging and cheering. Hunk and Lance helped Keith to his feet, one of which was a bit sore but nothing serious. He put much effort into his dancing, just to keep up with Cronan, who rubbed his ankle and groaned with defeat. Alphabittle hurried to check on his friend.

Sunny was so happy she threw her head back… only for her fake horn to pop right off and roll at Alphabittle’s hooves. The sight of which made everybody else gasp, as Alphabittle looked up.

“An Earth pony!” Alphabittle declared.

Keith stepped away from Lance and Hunk, rushing to shield Sunny from the angry unicorn.

“Make that two!”

Hitch stepped forward, shielding Sunny as he removed his horn.

“And Skylings!” Zipp declared.

She and Pipp removed their fake horns and capes, while Allura and Lance revealed their wings and removed the jewel stickers from their foreheads.

“And Jewel-Horns!” Izzy cheered.

“Izzy, they already know who we are,” Katie pointed out.

“Right! Which… you knew already!”

“Um… I’m just a normal mage, like all of you,” Hunk fiddled his fingers.

“HUNK!!!” Everybody shouted.

“Okay, fine!”

Hunk removed the jewel from his forehead, wincing like he just removed a piece of tape.

“I’m Hunk… the Earth elf. Nice to meet ya. I just want to say, great smoothies! Could use a pinch of cinnamon though, just think about it… no? Okay. Cool…”

Sunny stepped out from behind Keith and Hitch, trying to explain everything.

“I know it doesn’t look like it, but we’re here to help.”

“Help?” Alphabittle said. “We don’t need help. Especially from ponies and elves like you. Give me the crystal.”

“We had a deal, Mr. Alphabittle!” Keith pointed out. “We best your friend just ‘once’, we win both crystals. You didn’t specify we had to be a ‘unicorn’ or a ‘mage’ to compete.”

“You tricked us boy!” Crown said, towering over them. “The crystal… now!”

Every Jewel-Horn in the establishment marched their way towards them. Pipp held the crystal safely in her hooves, while Lance and Zipp served as her shield. Every elf and pony protected one another, but this fact when unnoticed by the angry Jewel-Horn mob. All they cared about were two things: Getting these intruders out of their home… and getting their crystal back.

It was then Hunk got an idea.

“Uh… Magic! Wing! Feather! MAYONNAISE!!!”

Every Jewel-Horn was silent, frozen stiff. At least until Alphabittle broke it with an audible, ‘Bing!’.

“Bong!” Cronan added. “Oh… no…”

In seconds, every Jewel-Horn was chanting ‘Bing-bong! Bing-bong!’. All of them performing the supposed ritual to ward the jinxies away, only it made them look silly.

“Go, go, go!” Sunny shouted.

With all the Jewel-Horns distracted, the group high-tailed for the door. Unfortunately, not one member of the mob could risk stopping the ritual for even a second.

“You’ll pay for this!” Alphabittle warned.

“You’ll never escape me, traitor!” Cronan added angrily.

Keith pushed the doors open, ushering everyone to hurry outside.

“Sorry about that, Mr. Cronan!” Izzy called back. “Uh, thanks for the tea!”

“Hunk, now!” Keith shouted.

“Ooh… I really don’t want to do this,” Hunk muttered.

With a deep breath, Hunk charged forward and rammed his shoulder against the wall. With the right amount of force, the sign fell blocking the entrance. And all Hunk could do was clutch his shoulder, groaning and wincing in pain, as he hobbled after his friends running as far from Bridlewood as possible.

Uniting the Crystals

“We did it!” Sunny declared. “We got the crystal!”

Sunny was one of the few members ecstatic by their success, as they galloped as far away from the tea shop (And Bridlewood in general) as possible.

“Now magic will come back!” Katie cheered. “Wow, I didn’t think we’d actually do it!”

“You didn’t?” Pipp asked, surprised.

“Honestly, I didn’t think we’d even get this far. I was betting we’d get arrested by the end of all this.”

“Is it weird I’m starting to like her?” Hitch asked Sunny.

Sunny just laughed as she shook her head. She still couldn’t believe this was really happening. And now that they had both crystals, the world was finally going to be fixed! Soon every pony, every elf, and soon every creature in Equestria could finally be friends again at long last!

“We’re not out of the woods just yet everybody!” Keith called out. “And I mean that literally! Those Jewel-Horns will be onto us any minute, but we should be safe as we soon as we get to—”

Then suddenly, their victory was cut short the moment they spotted something moving in the bushes. The group skid to a halt, nearly tripping over each other, till whatever was behind the bushes stepped out…

It was Queen Haven with Queen Rosalyn riding on her back!

“Mom?!”

The four skylings couldn’t believe their eyes, but there they were. Their own mothers, who not only managed to escape (Somehow) but also tracked them all the way out here. And boy did both queens look like such a complete mess. With unruly hair, their beautiful regal clothes torn to bits, sticks and leaves poking out of their hair, and not to mention all the traces of dirt smudging their faces.

But they didn’t care. Their faces lit up the moment they spotted their children.

“Lance! Allura!”

Rosalyn wrapped her arms around her son and daughter, while Haven wrapped her wings around her two daughters.

“Oh, my darlings!” Haven signed. “Thanks hoofness!”

“You escaped!” Zipp said.

“Yes. Thanks to that… ‘friend’ of yours,” Haven said.

It was clear she was trying ‘so hard’ not to succumb to her slight discomfort.

“But… that doesn’t matter. We’re just so happy you’re all safe!”

“But I don’t understand,” Allura said. “How’d you two escape? And how’d you find us?”

The bushes rattled again, and this time Cloudpuff jumped out, tackling Hitch, while holding his badge in his mouth.

“Ah! My badge! Yes!”

Pipp laughed, while Cloudpuff barked as he greeted her and her sister.

“Cloudpuff, you furry miracle, you!” Pipp cooed.

“Are you alright?” Rosalyn asked. “Are you hurt? Have you been eating properly?”

“We’re fine, Mom,” Lance assured.

“We’re just happy you’re okay too,” Allura smiled.

“I’m so glad we found our little angels,” Queen Haven declared. “Now, I know if you just come back with us, we can explain everything. Spin the story, and they’ll love us again. R-Right?”

“Haven…” Rosalyn began.

But before Rosalyn could say a word, the sound of galloping startled the group. From behind the bushes, Alphabittle, Cronan, and the rest of the Jewel-Horns appeared… and they did not look happy.

“YOU!!!” Cronan pointed.

“Oh, that’s just great!” Katie exclaimed sarcastically.

“We can explain!” Sunny said.

She was interrupted the moment the fairy guard from Zephyr Heights, Thunder, appeared alongside the rest of his group. Though for some strange reason, Keith and Sunny noticed Soren was missing. As a matter of fact, Thunder was riding a different Pegasus, in which case a female with a blue coat.

“There she is!” The female Pegasus declared. “Your Criminal highness, you’re coming with us!”

“AAH!” Thunder screamed. “Jewel-Horns!”

The two sides glared at one another, ready to fight. Sunny, Keith, and the rest of their friends were caught, quite literally, in the midst of it all. Cronan cracked his knuckles, ready to punch someone on command.

“Give me back my crystals and leave Bridlewood!” Alphabittle declared.

“Your crystals?” Queen Haven scoffed. “That crystal belongs to our family!”

“Not anymore, it doesn’t!” Cronan declared. “I won it fair and square!”

“You?!” Rosalyn spoke, appalled. “I certainly doubt that! Mages are known to be cheaters!”

“HEY!” Keith and Katie shouted, offended.

Alphabittle stepped forward, narrowing his eyes toward the Pegasus queen.

“You Skylings always thought you were better than us!”

“Hey, those are ‘our’ queens you’re talking to!” The female Pegasus guard said.

“They’re not queens here!” A unicorn said.

“Who do you think you are, talking to us like that?!” Thunder asked, his wings rising.

“We’re gonna zap you with our horns!”

“This is our land!” A mage shouted.

“You’re not welcome here!” Another unicorn shouted.

“Surrender the crystal, or I’ll use my powers against you!” Alphabittle said.

“Hah! I’d like to see you try!” Queen Haven chuckled.

“NOBODY HAS MAGIC!!!” Sunny, Keith, and the others shouted simultaneously.

Their voices combined were so loud, it shroud the forest in silence… save for one unicorn going ‘Bing-Bong!’ in the back.

“Shut up, Jasper!”

“But… we’re here to bring it back,” Sunny reassured, calmly.

The two sides were stunned at first, then started murmuring amongst themselves.

“What?”

“Is she serious?”

“Did she just say ‘magic’?”

“There’s no possible way.”

“It’s a trick! It has to be.”

“No!” Sunny stated.

She took a step forward, addressing both sides on the field.

“I know it sounds unbelievable, but please… just let us try.”

Pipp and Zipp turned towards their mother.

“Please, Mom,” Pipp pleaded, drooping her ears.

It was clear she didn’t want to go back to a world where she must lie to her own fans. Then she felt a wing wrap around her and turned to the side. Zipp stood by her side, smiling at her, and pulled her close showing they were in this together.

“You have to trust us,” Zipp said.

“Wha… you two… Rosalyn? Say something!”

Haven turned to her oldest, dearest co-ruler hoping she’ll talk some sense into their kids. Rosalyn could only see the certainty in her children’s eyes.

“You truly believe what she says is possible?” Rosalyn asked.

“What more do we have to lose?” Allura asked.

She took her brother’s hand, giving it a firm squeeze. He in turn nodded towards his mother, agreeing with his sister.

“You can trust them, Mom,” Lance said. “We do.”

That was all the proof Rosalyn needed to hear. She nodded and turned toward a stunned, rather confused Haven. The Pegasus queen ultimately submitted in agreement… though not without a bit of defiance.

“Fine. But if this doesn’t work, we are going straight home.”

“This is crazy,” Alphabittle shook his head. “You’re wasting your time, kid.”

Cronan, for the first time since meeting Sunny, looked… worried. Was he worried this wouldn’t work? Or something else?

Whatever the case, it didn’t matter to Sunny. She knew in her heart that it would. This one small act would fix everything. She and Izzy stood before the crowd, both holding the two crystals. Sunny heled the Skyling crystal, while Izzy held the Jewel-Horn one like something out of ritual.

“Ready, Izzy?”

“Ready.”

The two ponies held the crystals face-to-face, slowly with rising anticipation, the crystals drew closer. Sunny could feel a spark ignite within her. These two crystals were calling toward one another, begging to be united. Begging for elves and ponies of all kinds to be one, as it was meant to be.

Both Skylings and Jewel-Horns eagerly observed. Even the Jewel-Horns, normally so depressed and ready, showed a spark of hope in their eyes for the first time in ages. The Skylings’ wings rose up. Would they really be able to fly again? Like their ancestors before them?

The crystals were closing in, almost there… and yet…

And yet Keith… felt something was off. Something about this seemed ‘too’ easy. And true the crystals shimmered, there was still something almost dim about them. He examined the Skyling and Jewel-Horn crystals closely, the pair hovering above the spot where it would fit. It was then he noticed the gaping hole within the crystal.

Then it occurred to him. There was one crystal for the Skylings, plus one crystal for the Jewel-Horns. But… none for the Earth folk? Magic or no, why leave out the third race? Something sparked inside Keith, and before he could process what was happening his legs propelled him forward. He extended his hand as though reaching for the crystals.

“WAIT!!!”

All eyes landed on him, but Keith didn’t flinch.

“Keith, what’s wrong?” Sunny asked. “We’re so close.”

“This isn’t right! I don’t think this is the answer.”

“What?”

“What are you talking about Keith?” Hitch asked.

“Dude, we came all this way for those crystals,” Hunk pointed out.

“I know but look at this!”

Keith pointed repeatedly toward the circular opening of the Skyling crystal.

“There’s a crystal for the Skylings and Jewel-Horns, but not for the Earth folk. If we’re all meant to be united, why leave out one crystal over two? It doesn’t make any sense!”

“Maybe because earth folk are too stupid to know how to use magic?” A random mage asked. “Come on, you’re a mage! You get it!”

“I’m a mage raised by Earth folk!” Keith declared. “Everything you believe about them is wrong. Just as we were wrong about the Skylings and Jewel-Horns. We were all wrong!”

“So what are you saying? The crystals won’t work?”

“No!” Sunny exclaimed. “It has to work.”

“Sunny…” Keith shook his head. “Listen to me… I really don’t…”

Having grown impatient, Sunny snatched the Jewel-Horn crystal from Izzy. She joined the two crystals together, and… nothing happened.

No magical blast. No horns or jewels glowing. No fairies or Pegasi soaring through the heavens. Nothing… just empty air.

Sunny shook her head, her body trembled.

“No… no…”

A unicorn child turned towards his father.

“Why didn’t it work, Daddy?”

“’Cause it was all just make-believe,” His father sighed sadly.

Sunny couldn’t believe what she was hearing. It couldn’t end like this… not after everything they’ve been through.

“We can try it again!” Sunny insisted. “Maybe… maybe w-we did it wrong somehow.”

But nobody was willing to believe her. They had given her a chance… and she failed them. Not even Cronan or Alphabittle were willing to salt the wound by claiming both crystals from her. Instead, Cronan scratched the back of his neck, a small flicker of hope dying within him. And soon, one by one, the Jewel-Horns dispersed into the woods.

“Wait! Wait, don’t go!” Sunny begged.

The earth pony tried fitting the two crystals together, hoping for something to happen. Only the same result took place… every time.

“Oh, come on. Work. Work! Please work! Come on!”

Hitch slowly walked up to her, placing a hoof on her shoulder. “Sunny, it’s okay,” He said softly. “You did everything you could.”

She looked at him, with tears in her eyes. “I… I thought it would work. I was so, so sure of it.”

All of a sudden, her eyes landed on her brother. For the first time in her entire life… her heart filled with rage.

“Why did you do that?!”

“Sunny, I—” Keith began.

“We could have saved magic!”

“And how would that solve things, huh? You really think magic’s the answer to everything?”

“Well nothing else I’ve tried worked! I’ve done everything to fix the world, but nothing I do works! This was our last chance, and you ruined it!”

Keith gasped over her words; anger filled up inside him like a volcano about to blow.

“I ruined it?” Keith repeated. “Excuse me for trying to be realistic!”

“That’s your excuse for everything! You never wanted anything to change!”

“That’s not true, and you know it!”

“Okay, that’s enough, you two!” Hitch jumped in. “Let’s just calm down, we can talk this out…”

But Sunny walked by him, completely ignoring him.

“At least I didn’t cause chaos everywhere I went!” Keith shouted.

“Yeah?!” Sunny sniffed, rubbing her nose with her leg. “At least I tried to make a difference! But I see now I’ve been wasting my time trying to help a stubborn mage like you!”

“Well… maybe I’d have been better off without a pesky earth pony who can’t take a hint!”

Everyone gasped in horror and shock. And Keith… he looked as though he’d been shot through the chest, as did Sunny. This… was their first ‘real’ fight. Sure, they’ve had their share of disagreements. But this… Sunny never called Keith a stubborn mage and Keith never called her a pesky earth pony. This was the first time they used their race… as a reason for their differences.

This wasn’t like them at all.

“Sunny, I… I didn’t…” Keith stammered.

But Sunny didn’t want to talk, she felt too ashamed. She galloped away into the woods, leaving the two crystals behind.

“Sunny!” Hitch called out.

“Sunny, wait!” Izzy shouted.

But Sunny would not listen. She disappeared through the trees; the sound of her gallops faded into the forest.

As for Keith… he just stood there, frozen in place. His heart shattered to pieces; he felt as much to blame as anyone. Suddenly, he felt a soft hand against his shoulder as Allura stood behind him.

“I know you didn’t mean all of that,” Allura assured softly.

“How could I have been so stupid?” Keith shook his head.

His bang dropped, once more hiding his jewel. He looked down toward the two crystals and picked them up, one in each hand. He turned back toward Queen Rosalyn and Cronan and approached the pair. He handed the Skyling crystal back to Rosalyn, and the Jewel-Horn to Cronan. Both elves didn’t say a word, they just stared at Keith with empathy.

“Your majesty? Alphabittle? I’m sorry for all the trouble we caused you.”

Zipp looked toward Keith, as Pipp remained close to her sister. “What do we do now, Keith?” Zipp asked.

“We can’t just give up!” Hunk said.

“We have to find Sunny,” Hitch said determinedly.

Keith said not a word, he only nodded his head. But none of them got very far when Haven reached for her daughters.

“Girls, please! We don’t have any more business with these… these…”

“They’re our friends, Mom!” Pipp said.

She took a step forward, much to Haven’s shock, as her own daughter ‘literally’ put her hoof down.

“I’ve went along with these lies for you, and I’ve had enough! This time, I’m through pretending everything is fine when the truth is it’s not fine! It was never fine!”

“But honey, we can fix all this. You and Lance can have your fans again.”

“What fans? The ones who abandoned us the minute they learned the truth?”

Pipped pointed towards Keith, Hunk, Hitch, Izzy, and Katie.

“They stuck with us, whether we could fly or not. And I’m sticking with them too.”

“Me too,” Lance spoke, standing beside Pipp. “Pipp and I are a team, onstage or off. We said we’re in this together… and we’re sticking to it.”

Zipp nodded in agreement and clutched Pipp’s hoof.

“This is our choice, Mom.”

Allura stepped closer to Zipp, placing a gentle hand on Lance’s shoulder.

“And it’s ours as well, Mother. Please.”

Rosalyn and Haven looked at each other. Rosalyn’s eyes shimmered with understanding, while Haven’s slowly crumbled and ultimately allowed it.

Hunk and Hitch nodded, the latter shifting to his larger form, allowing Hunk to mount on his back.

“Come on, let’s go find her!” Hunk declared.

Zipp and Pipp shifted as well, Lance and Allura rode on their backs. Zipp allowed Keith to ride along with Allura, as he looked forward with determination. Izzy shifted and just as she and Katie made to follow the others, Alphabittle blocked their path.

“Izzy, Katie, you don’t have to do this. Let’s just go back to Bridlewood before you get us all jinxed.”

“Losing our friends is the worst luck we could think of, Alphabittle,” Katie said.

Izzy nodded firmly, and she jumped above Alphabittle who could only watch as they galloped into the forest where Sunny disappeared. He was about to follow, when Cronan reared him to a halt. And for the first time, he smiled in understanding.

“Let them go, Alpha,” Cronan spoke softly. “Let them go…”

The Paladins Return

Sunny never felt worse in her life.

She regretted everything she just said to Keith.

She was just so… so frustrated that nothing she did ever seemed to work. Finally, when she couldn’t run any farther, she took a moment to look around. Except she had no idea where she was going, only that she’d rather be lost in the deepest, darkest wood than to ever face her brother again.

That is… if he still considered himself her brother. She wouldn’t blame him if he thought otherwise.

She stopped by a large widow tree and cried against its trunk. Either it was the hard forest floor or her own heart, all she knew was that she no longer had the energy to keep going. All around her, the trees formed a natural canopy, shielding the sun, save for a few rays of light peeking through the leaves.

“Sunny! Sunny!”

Keith’s voice echoed through the forest. She had to be hearing things… except she wasn’t. The voice was getting closer, compelling her to look up… and there she saw it. Keith Kogan, riding atop Zipp alongside the Princess Allura. He jumped off while Zipp was in mid-air, landing upon the ground like a skilled acrobat and rushed towards his sister.

Sunny didn’t hesitate to let Keith hug her, she could feel his tears as he cried onto her back.

“Sunny, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean any of the stuff I said! You’re my sister and I love you. I’d trade all the magic in the world for you.”

“I’m sorry too Keith!” Sunny sobbed loudly, hugging her brother. “All I ever wanted was for you to not be so scared to show who you are.”

Keith drew away from Sunny, just to have the space to wipe her tears with a single thumb.

“I don’t care what the rest of the world thinks of me,” Keith said. “They can hate me all they want. Your friendship is enough for me, always has.”

“But… the world’s still broken. We haven’t done anything to fix it.”

“That’s not entirely true, Sunny,” Hitch smiled. “You did something no pony, nor any elf has ever done before.”

To which he gestured toward everyone around them.

“You brought all of us together.”

“He’s right,” Hunk nodded. “I mean, I didn’t even want to come. High stake adventures? Facing wild animals? Outdoor bathrooms? No thank you! But… there’s something awesome about having met other ponies and elves. So… I’m glad I didn’t stay home.”

Izzy showed Sunny the very drawing she and her father made years ago.

“It all started with this letter,” Izzy said, handing it to Sunny. “And now Katie and I have more friends than ever.”

“I’ve always been a woman of science and not this whole… ‘destiny’ and ‘fate’ mumbo-jumbo,” Katie admitted. “But just this one time… I honestly have no other words to describe this wacky turn of events except for… extraordinary!”

“But you’ll never get your magic,” Sunny sighed sadly.

On that note Sunny turned towards the Pegasus sisters and the fairy siblings.

“And you… you’ll never be able to fly.”

“We don’t care about that anymore,” Zipp said, wrapping a wing around Sunny. “Sure, it’s what I wanted at first. But after thinking it over, if I ever had to choose between flying or my best friend…”

She turned towards Allura, smiling at the princess.

“Well… that’s a no-brainer.”

“I believe magic was never the answer either,” Allura added. “It was… ‘all’ of us. Just coming together. Putting aside our prior misconceptions and just getting to know one another.”

“For once, I agree with my sister,” Lance nodded. “Actually, I don’t even get what we were all so afraid in the first place. I mean Earth elves and mages are basically fairies… just without wings… one having jewels on their foreheads… but so what? Who cares? It doesn’t matter! Never did.”

“Lance and I had billions of followers,” Pipp said. “But calling them ‘friends’ is kind of a stretch. You guys are the first real friends we’ve had besides each other.”

“And we don’t care what anybody else thinks!” Izzy smiled.

“We just want to keep being friends,” Zipp added.

“With or without magic,” Katie stated proudly.

Sunny didn’t know what to say… all this time, she thought magic could finally solve everything. When in reality, the true answer was the simplest one: Stepping out… and meeting others. Sunny always had that courage, now she and Keith inspired that very same courage in others.

All of her protests, trying to tell others to ‘be friends’ just because… that was never going to work. She ‘needed’ the proof, concrete evidence that it was possible. If she had only stepped outside Maretime Bay sooner, maybe she would have learned that. And perhaps maybe… Keith could have afforded to be more flexible, instead of being ruled by fear.

And now… this was the result. Together they made true friends: Fairies, Pegasi, mages, unicorns, earth folk… all friends. They were all in this together, all the magic they needed all along. No glowing horns or wings that worked. In the end, none of that could compare to the warmth and love that came whenever they were all together.

Sunny continued to cry, only this time they were tears of joy. She embraced each and every one of her new friends. Altogether, just as it should have been and always will be.

Ah-ah, oh-oh…

Sunny gasped and everyone stepped back.

“Pipp, was that you?” Zipp asked her sister.

“No,” Pipp shook her head.

Ah-ah, oh-oh…

“There it is again,” Keith said, looking around.

“O-O-Oh man…” Hunk shook. “N-N-Nobody told me this f-f-forest was h-h-h-haunted!”

“Keep quiet,” Hitch ordered quietly.

Together they waited for the sound to appear again.

Ah-ah, oh-oh-oh-oh…

It sounded like… a woman… harmonizing. So eerie, and yet… ‘alluring’ at the same time. This voice left a different effect on each of them.

For Lance, Pipp, Allura, and Zipp it was listening to their mothers singing them to sleep every night when they were younger.

For Hunk, it was like a warm summer day where his family would have their yearly barbecue.

For Hitch, it was the warmth he felt whenever he helped someone in need.

For Izzy, it was like she just drank a large cup of hot cocoa on a cold winter’s night.

Katie felt like she was experiencing one of Izzy’s many warm hugs.

For Keith and Sunny, it was haunting… and yet something deep in their bones sensed that, in a way… it was a good feeling. Not safe… but still good.

They all collectively agreed that following it was the best course of action. Even Hunk wasn’t afraid for the first time in his life. Hitch should’ve been suspicious, but the melody just compelled him to keep going. And the music just kept going.

Ah-ah, oh-oh…

Ah-ah, oh-oh-oh-oh…

The voices grew louder, and the group followed until they reached the entrance of a cave.

“Whoa!” Izzy gasped. “I’ve never seen this cave before.”

“Ooh kay… this is starting to get freaky!” Lance commented.

“I think we passed freaky a few steps back dude,” Zipp remarked.

She and Allura were the first to step into the cave. The singing merged with the sound of water droplets and the thin trails of water traversed downwards from the opening all the way towards the showering darkness.

The group ventured on, despite Hunk’s trembling as he bit his nails. He was just starting to regret doing this, but most of his worries faded the moment he heard the singing again…

Ah-ah, oh-oh…

Ah-ah, oh-oh-oh-oh…

“I think we’re getting closer,” Sunny said.

Keith nearly tripped and leaned against the cave wall for balance. He soon noticed the formation of the cave was slightly cold and moist.

“This… doesn’t feel like any normal cave,” Keith observed.

“You’re right!” Katie said. “Look at this formation. It looks as if it were just carved.”

Hitch twitched his ears, picking up the sound of rushing water.

“I hear water. Must be a river up ahead.”

“Wait!” Pipp spoke up. “What exactly are we looking for?”

“She’s got a point,” Hunk agreed. “Maybe we should turn back.”

Ah-ah, oh-oh…

Ah-ah, oh-oh-oh-oh…

Suddenly, the ground beneath their feet began to tremble.

“Is that an earthquake?” Izzy asked looking around.

With a yelp, Katie wrapped her arms around her protectively.

“We need to get out of here!” Keith declared.

“I second that!” Hunk raised his hand.

But they never got the chance. The ground broke apart and everyone fell deep into the darkness. They screamed as they slid down a large, natural water slide. Every elf grabbed hold of their respected pony, shielding them from the rapid waters and incoming tiny rocks that could poke their eyes out.

Katie screamed, while Izzy threw her hooves in the air. Hitch slid on his hooves, with a brave face, while Hunk screamed and cried all at once. Pipp’s high-pitched voice nearly made Lance go dear, but still he held her close and shielded her head with his arm.

Allura and Zipp followed Hitch’s lead, balancing themselves along the running water. Spreading their wings to keep their balance, the speed slammed against their faces. Yet somehow it ignited their lust for adrenaline so much, the two princesses laughed.

Seeing this, Keith and Sunny decided to give it a try. Before long, the four slid down the water so fast that their screams turned to shouts of joy. So much so, Sunny challenged Hitch to a race with one gaze and the two ponies slid ahead. Keith and Allura soon followed behind.

“Come on, Sis!” Zipp shouted, her voice echoed. “Try it! You’ll love it!”

Pipp decided to be brave and try her sister’s way. She struggled to keep balance and nearly tripped. But thankfully, Lance caught her.

“Got ya, Pipps-ter!”

“Thank you, Lance.”

The two managed to steady themselves and when Pipp spread her wings open, for the first time in her life, she felt the wind beneath her feathers. And somehow it filled her with an indescribable, unfamiliar feeling.

“Lance! Are you feeling this?!”

“Ha-ha! Oh yeah!” Lance laughed, spreading his wings. “I’m feeling it… and it’s awesome! WHOO-HOO!!!”

Izzy and Katie also joined in, the latter laughing like crazy while Izzy leaned against her leg to aid in her balance. The two grabbed Hunk’s arms, pulling him to his feet.

“Knees apart, big guy!” Katie shouted.

“And spread your arms!” Izzy instructed.

Hunk did just that and though he wobbled a bit, Hunk eventually found his balance.

“Hey… I’m doing it! This is actually… fun!”

The teenagers hollered and shouted as though they were on a roller coaster, sliding by and passing one another. The Skyling royals got a tiny example of what flying might feel like, with Pipp wishing she could soar into the air right now. She finally understood why Zipp always dreamt of flying so much. It was pure freedom.

Sunny and Hitch were in the lead, bumping into each other as they slid side-by-side. Allura reached out to grab Keith’s hand, much to his flustered surprise. Their laugher died down, however, when they saw that the water lead to a waterfall.

“Everybody, hold on!” Hitch declared.

“To what?!” Hunk shouted.

Everybody screamed and their feet and hooves were suspended in mid-air. Soon as they left through the large opening, the waterfall led to a large puddle waiting below. Thankfully, the height wasn’t too much for this rag-tag group. Soon they all landed without any injuries, though not a soft landing even with the water.

Lance was the first to sit upright, shaking the water from his wings. His eyes widened at the sight before him, his mouth opened wide in astonishment.

“Guys… you’ve got to see this…”

After the ponies shook the water off them, and the elves rinsed the ends of their shirts and locks, they all drew their attention towards the marvel before them.

The waterslide led them into a cave with sides that reached upwards, in the very center was a crystal chandelier that looked as shimmering and radiant as thought it had just been installed. Except it was connected by powerful vines that naturally grew all around the cave. Vines which entangled around the other, forming beautiful complex patters like those one would see from a regal dress. The vines were arranged as though someone moved them in the perfect spot to give the cave of sense of both regality and otherworldly beauty.

The walls were all adorned with tall crystalline displays of times long past. Stained glass illustrations of forests, lakes, deserts, and jungles, each with a variety of creatures, some Sunny and Keith had only ever read about in storybooks.

But the grand marvel of it all were the statues encircling the cave, each on a pedestal with individual waterfalls behind them. Each one also depicted five elves: One earth elf, two fairies, and one mage. The fifth had both wings… and a jewel on his forehead. And each elf rode their respected steed. The earth elf rode a Pegasus, the two fairies rode an earth pony and a unicorn respectively, and the mage rode another Pegasus. And the fifth elf rode on a pony that had both a horn and wings, simultaneously.

Keith and Sunny approached the statue of the fifth elf, a handsome young man with a beard riding valiantly on his loyal companion. Sunny rubbed her hoof against a gold engraving covered in moss. The moment it was cleared, she gasped.

“Keith, look!”

Keith bent down and read the words aloud.

“King Arthur and Queen Llamrei, first rulers of Avalon. Leaders of the Paladins of Harmony.”

Keith jumped to his feet, staring back at the statue. The light of the chandelier made it seem to glow as though it were made of the purest silver.

“This… this was their headquarters. The headquarters of the Paladins of Harmony! I can’t believe it… we found it!”

Allura removed the moss from another of the statues, the one with the fairy woman riding an earth pony.

“Zipp, look at this one!”

“Queen Morgana, wife of King Arthur, and Lady Circe, Earth Pony representative. Guardians of courage and wisdom!” Zipp read aloud. “Allura… that’s your ancestor!”

“And her friend was an earth pony!” Allura gasped.

“So cool!”

Pipp gasped and flapped her wings when she read the words of the statue depicting the male fairy Paladin riding a unicorn.

“Oh my wings! Lance, honey! Come see this!”

“No way!” Lance gasped, in disbelief. “Lancelot and Nimue. Guardians of honor and truth.”

He and Pipp grimaced over that last part, knowing they had lied to their subjects and fans for years. Lance studied the unicorn closely, while Pipp dropped her wings with a crestfallen gaze.

“Nimue… was a unicorn?” Lance spoke softly.

“We never learned that in school,” Pipp sighed. “So much for defending the truth.”

Katie and Izzy looked toward the statue of the mage and Pegasus. The mage was a woman with beautiful long hair, while her Pegasus was equally beautiful, with a curly mane nearly identical to Izzy’s.

“Guinevere and Titania,” Katie read. “Guardians of knowledge and creativity.”

“Ooh! That’s so us!” Izzy said cheerfully.

Hunk tilted his head when he read the words of the earth elf statue, riding on a Pegasus.

“Bedivere and Perseus,” He read.

“Guardians of humility and kindness,” Hitch read the rest.

Hitch turned his head towards Hunk, smiling. As if he realized the words on the stone described his friend flawlessly. Hunk, to the contrary, didn’t fully get it right away.

“Why are you looking at me for—OOH! I get it. Aww, thanks buddy!”

“But what does it all mean?” Zipp asked.

Ah-ah, oh-oh…

Ah-ah, oh-oh-oh-oh…

The voice carried in the air, followed by a collection of tiny leaves spinning around, created a trail that fella round a stone behind the statue of King Arthur and Queen Llamrei. Sunny saw something peeking from behind and stretched out her hoof to reach it. It was old and leathery to the touch, still she managed to yank it out. What she found was the last thing she or Keith would’ve expected.

“This is… Dad’s traveling journal,” Sunny realized. “The one he took during his last…”

But Sunny was hesitant to finish the sentence. Keith gently took the notebook and flipped through the pages. Within it were notes, some maps, and sketches of the very cave they were in. Not to mention a few loose pictures, some wrinkled from years of being slammed between the pages of the book. And yet every bit of information written there were still intact. Keith felt tears swelling in his eyes, struggling to wipe them with his palm.

“This was the place he was searching for when he left,” Keith choked up. “He was looking for proof that the Paladins existed.”

Sunny cried too, overwhelmed by the reality that not only had their father’s journey not been in vain, but now they stood in the very stopped he may have stepped on when he first arrived.

“You were right, Sunny,” Hitch said, catching Sunny off-guard. “Everything you and Argyle said… was all true.”

“Told ya so, Sheriff,” Sunny smiled, lifting her chin.

Ah-ah, oh-oh…

Ah-ah, oh-oh-oh-oh…

The singing soon returned, accompanied by a breeze that seemed to appear out of nowhere. There no other openings, so a sudden wind current was impossible. The crystals on the chandelier collided with one another, generating a hypnotic sound which filled the air.

The stain-glass illustrations radiated with color and a light struck the crystals above their heads, creating a rainbow spotlight. A mist suddenly took form, filling the cave with a sweet smelling aroma.

Ah-ah, oh-oh…

Ah-ah, oh-oh-oh-oh…

The singing transformed into an all-out chorus, with a multitude of voices singing in perfect harmony. The rainbow colors sparkled and from the mist seven figures appeared. One looked like an elf woman but with large feathery wings on her back, stepping out of the rainbow. Soon as she emerged, everyone agreed she was more beautiful than words could describe.

Her skin was dark and smooth, a well-toned body. The wings matched the color of her skin with feathers shifting from green to aqua to blue at the tips. They resembled Pegasus wings. She wore a long flowing dress that swayed like ocean waves in an eternal dance. She was barefoot, the dress wrapped around her shoulders, the material adorned with dust that made it resemble as though the dress itself were sprayed onto her body.

Her eyes were of the purest blue and upon her left cheek was a symbol of a blue heart with a green star in the center, which matched the one on her forehead. Her hair was pure white and in constant movement, like she was submerged underwater.

But what really stunned them were her ears. Small and round rather than long and pointed. Was she even an elf? Her wings surely didn’t resemble those of a typical fairy. She even had a star on her forehead instead of a jewel. Just what was she?

All around her appeared six beautiful mares, each one standing tall with long legs and necks, with manes and tails moving as endlessly as hers.

There were two Pegasi, one blue with a rainbow mane and tail, and the second was yellow with a pink mane and tail.

Two earth ponies, one orange with golden hair adorned with apples, and the second was bright pink with a curly dark pink mane with glitter and smelled like cupcakes. Izzy was in awe of her.

Next was a unicorn, with fur white as milk and a purple mane that shimmered like the diamonds sprinkled throughout.

The final mare was purple with dark blue hair with pink and purple streaks. And this one had both the wings of a Pegasus and a unicorn’s horn. On her flank was the same star symbol the paladins used as their official emblem.

Sunny and Keith instantly recognized them, having witnessed their likeness in the stain-glass windows back in Zephyr Heights.

“The Maiden and Mares of the Crystal Lake!” Sunny gasped.

On instinct, she bowed her head in respect. It just seemed like the appropriate thing to do. Keith followed her example, and one-by-one so did the others. The Maiden gazed upon the figures bowing before and merely chuckled.

“Is that what they’re calling us here?” She asked, smiling playfully. “I like it. Though ‘maiden’ is a bit of a stretch.”

“Korra, please!” The purple winged unicorn shook her head. “Show a little class, huh?”

“Hey, two centuries of being a ghost in the afterlife calls for a little humor now and again.”

Keith and Sunny exchanged confused looks. These were the legendary Maiden and her Mares from the legend? Not that they weren’t astonishing, but even so… what was all this talk about them being dead? Only Keith was bold enough to raise his hand.

“Um, excuse me, m’ladies?” He spoke cautiously. “We’re sorry for trespassing—”

“Oh, you’re not trespassing, Keith,” The Maiden Korra spoke.

Unlike her playful demeanor earlier, she spoke with the serenity of a queen (Yet with the warmth of a mother).

“We’ve been waiting for you,” The purple winged unicorn stated. “All of you.”

“Us?” Sunny spoke.

“Hold up, hold up!” Hunk spoke, shuddering. “What’s that you said about the afterlife? Are you guys… dead?”

“At ease, Hunk,” Korra chuckled. “All you need to know is that we came from a world not too different from yours. And during our time, it too was lost to the darkness…”

Author's Note

I want to make one thing perfectly clear: yes, Korra and Twilight and the rest of the Mane Six have long since been dead, but I want to repeat a very important detail: This is an ALTERNATE Equestria. So Harmonic Convergence, The Avatar, the Great Change, NONE OF THAT happened in this universe.

So, how are Korra and the ponies able to appear? After their time in their own universe had passed, their souls transcended time and space and now they travel across the multiverse guiding other Equestrias in uncovering, or in this case “recovering”, the magic of friendship.

This was something I always head-cannoned for my LPL series. In the final chapter I heavily implied that Leilani and the royal sisters have outlived most of the main cast, and that their souls are somewhere in the stars, guiding lost souls and spreading friendship even after passing on. Like guardian angels.

I know this is kind bittersweet, but I hope this clarifies some things. I found I had to clarify many times that this is an alternate Equestria with no connections to The Little Pony Legend continuity. But I wanted to link it in a loose way as a tribute to how much this series has changed me in a lot of ways.

So you could say that this entire story is a love letter to the original series and to the My Little Pony franchise.

I hope this cleared things up. God bless, *kiss, kiss*

You Raise Me Up

Sunny Starscout took a tentative step towards the winged unicorn herself. In her hooves lies the lost notebook of which belonged to her late father.

“Excuse me, Great Mare?” Sunny began.

“Please child,” The mare smiled. “Call me, Twilight.”

“Twilight. Did you, by any chance, meet our father?”

Twilight examined the notebook closely. With the tip of her wings, Twilight caressed the star-shaped symbol on the cover.

“Yes… we did. But first, it is time you knew the truth about your world.”

Korra and the six mares stood in a circle. Their eyes closed, but once opened they were a pure glowing white. The ground, once again, began to quiver.

“Oh… not this again!” Hunk exclaimed. “Why couldn’t we ever get a ‘normal’ explanation?”

Fortunately, the trembling didn’t last very long. For what emerged from the circle was a large stone table, round like the sun itself, and in the very center lied the Star from the stain glass window, and from Argyle’s journal.

“What is this?” Hitch asked.

The ground ceased from shaking and Korra, Twilight and the others parted ways to showcase what laid before them.

“This is the Round Table,” Twilight explained. “It’s shape was to showcase how every paladin, elf and pony, were equal. All friends… all one.”

Keith and Sunny cautiously approached the table. Korra nodded, gently giving the young man an encouraging push. The table looked as if it had been carved out of crystal.

“Sure brings back memories, doesn’t it?” The rainbow-haired mare asked the golden-haired one with apples.

The question of which the latter nodded in agreement.

“I don’t understand,” Keith said. “Why show us this?”

Korra waved a single hand, and the flat surface of the table began to glow. A beam of light shot straight out, shocking everyone, and then a sphere hovered above the table, showcasing a young earth elf, not much older than Keith.

He was a bit short, not too athletically impressive, but had kind blue eyes and golden blond hair that shimmered in the sunlight. He had freckles dusting his cheeks and carried nothing but the clothes on his back and a single satchel. He appeared to be walking through a forest, in the dead of night.

Sunny and Keith compared the young elf’s likeness with that of the grown-up King Arthur statue.

“That’s him!” Sunny realized. “King Arthur!”

“Yes,” Twilight nodded. “Not much older than most of you when we first met him.”

Lance couldn’t resist whipping out his phone and began recording everything. None tried to stop him, for they were all too fixated on the magical display before them. A winged woman and her six beautiful mares showcased the actual history of the paladins! Words would only tarnish the majesty of this moment.

The next scene showed Arthur scouting a dark forest, followed by a girl’s voice.

“Help! Somebody please, help me!”

Without hesitation, Arthur jumped at the fall, following the voice of the distressed girl. He stopped along the edge of a sticky, gooey, and bubbly bog. In the center was a white unicorn pony, struggling to break free from the good which dragged her downwards.

“You!” She demanded. “Get me out of here!”

Truth be told, it wasn’t the polite way to ask for help especially toward a complete stranger. But Arthur ignored her tone and cleverly found a means to rescue her. He tied some vines around a thick log and tossed it toward the unicorn.

“Catch it!”

The unicorn opened her mouth and caught the wood. The elf pulled with all his might until she was safely upon the shoreline with him. With his old rag, he proceeded to clear her fur of the sticky muck.

“Why didn’t you just use your magic?” Arthur asked.

“I had gunk on my horn!” The unicorn answered.

Despite the hostility, Arthur kindly wiped her horn free of the goop.

“There we are. One polished unicorn’s horn, good as new.”

“Thank you, kind sir. And now if you’ll excuse me.”

With her head held high, she prepared to make her way around the bog.

“I don’t think there’s any other way through the bog, ma’am,” Arthur said.

“And what do you know, elf?”

“True, I’m an elf. But this elf knows his way around a forest and trust me… unless you wish to get stuck there again, you’ll might want to reconsider taking a different route.”

“And why in Equestria would I listen to you?”

I saved your life, didn’t I? Of course, I don’t seek recognition, though you could bother to learn a thing or two about ‘manners’.”

The unicorn *HUMPH!* and flicked her tail… but inevitably gave in.

“Well… thank you… for saving me.”

“No problem,” Arthur replied cheerfully. “My name’s Arthur. What’s yours?”

“I am Lady Llamrei, the most gifted unicorn in all of Bridlewood.”

“Bridlewood? Whoa! I’ve never been there before.”

“Why doesn’t ‘that’ surprise me?” Llamrei muttered, under her breath.

“Coincidentally, I’m actually heading towards there right now. Perhaps I might accompany you.”

“Hmph! If you so wish.”

The image shifted and the following showcased the unlikely pair of friends coming across a large body of water. The water sparkled beneath the moonlight like diamonds. This… was the crystal lake itself.

A fog arose and from it emerged Korra and the rest of the mares.

“While Llamrei refused to admit it,” Korra explained. “We knew at an instant these two shared a unique bond.”

She turned towards Twilight, smiling warmly as though remembering a distant memory that warmed her heart like flames of a fireplace on a cold winter’s night.

As the scene played out, Llamrei and Arthur were in awe at the sight. Arthur was the first to bow before the Maiden and her mares, though Llamrei hesitated. Whether it was due to fear, surprise, or her own pride was a mystery still to this day. Regardless, she inevitably bowed her head, though her legs trembled.

“Please, no need to bow,” Korra spoke.

Even back then, her voice was serene and calming as it was now.

“We’re all friends here,” Twilight spoke.

Her mane constantly swayed as though she were floating underwater.

“Friends?!” Llamrei scoffed. “With all due respect, Madam, I don’t require ‘friends’.”

“I’ve heard that before,” Twilight snorted, rolling her eyes.

Korra moved closer towards Arthur and Llamrei, gracefully raising her hand and pointing two index fingers toward Arthur’s chest. Her eyes sparkled as she read what was within his soul.

“Arthur, you of all people bared witness to the darkness plaguing your world. And we’ve seen the lengths you’ll go to change it.”

“Yes!” Arthur nodded. “I’ve heard tales of you. About the benevolent Maiden and her six mares who guided lost souls in the past. But when our world needed you most, you disappeared.”

“We didn’t disappear, darling,” The white unicorn with the purple-and-lavender mane spoke.

“We just had others who needed our help,” The rainbow-haired blue Pegasus said.

“But we’re here now,” The yellow Pegasus with the pink mane stepped forward.

“Please, can you help us?” Arthur bowed before them. “Is there some way to unite the tribes? All pony and elf kinds refuse to cooperate with one another, and it’s tearing our land apart.”

“There’s only ‘one’ way to restore peace to the land,” Korra answered. “That is IF you’re willing to listen.”

“I am!”

“Hmph! I’m not!” Llamrei retorted, with her nose in the air. “Why should I care what happens to a bunch of Pegasi and Earth ponies anyway? Even less about the elves?”

Korra and her six mares stared at Llamrei with the same look one would receive from a disapproving mother. Their stares were enough to make Llamrei’s hubris shatter and she shrunk in their presence.

“Funny you say such things, Llamrei,” Korra stated. “Considering an elf saved your life when you couldn’t do so yourself.”

“It was a one-time thing!” Llamrei blushed in embarrassment.

“And what if it happened again?” Twilight asked, stomping her hoof on the ground. “If Arthur weren’t around, would you survive a second encounter with death?”

“I-I-I’m sure I’d have figured it out!” Llamrei insisted.

But it was no use. The crack in her voice did little to sell the illusion that she was confident in her own words. Korra raised an eyebrow… then smiled as though she came up with a rather sneaky idea.

“Well then… ladies, what do you all think? Are they up for the task?”

“Ooh, definitely!” Twilight replied.

All the other mares nodded in agreement.

“Yup-a-Rooney!” The pink mare with the curly mane said.

“Task?” Arthur asked. “What task?”

With a flick of her hand, Korra spun a beautiful gold-and-silver armor and hoisted Arthur into the air, enveloping him in magic dust. Before long, his rags were replaced with the most beautiful armor in the world.

Next came Llamrei. Twilight, with a wave of her horn, gave Llamrei a beautiful saddle-like armor to compliment Arthur’s.

“From this day forth, you two shall be known as Sir Arthur and Lady Llamrei: the first Paladins of Harmony,” Korra declared. “Together, you shall spread the magic of friendship throughout the land and restore what was once lost.”

“How can we do that?” Arthur asked.

“By seeking representatives from the other tribes to aid you. Those whose hearts are open to reach out and seek friendship beyond their borders. And should you succeed, you will prove you are ready for the next step.”

“What next step?” Llamrei asked.

But rather than answer, Korra and the Mares suddenly began to disappear one-by-one.

“Wait! What next step?! I didn’t sign up for this!”

“This will be good for you, Llamrei,” Twilight spoke, with a wink. “Trust me…”

And in a burst of light, Korra and the mares vanished.

Back in the present, Korra continuously waved her hand showcasing different events in time. One of which showed Arthur and Llamrei riding together through an open field.

“It took Llamrei time, but she ultimately accepted Arthur as her first true friend.”

To demonstrate, Korra showcased moments in which Arthur shared Llamrei his food, offered a listening ear, and continuously saving her life on their quests.

“Soon, Llamrei’s cold heart began to thaw,” Twilight explained. “And her friendship with Arthur grew stronger than any form of magic imaginable.

“As time passed, they ultimately sought the rest of the paladins. Some more accepting of the two, while others weren’t too keen on the idea. But through good deeds and selfless actions, they managed to forge the first group of paladins.”

Korra raised her hand and cast a light over the table.

“This round table became a symbol of what they stood for. Here, all ponies and elves were equal.”

“Without erasing what made them unique, of course,” The rainbow-maned mare chuckled.

They looked upon this one mare and it seemed as though she recalled something from the past. All the other mares laughed too, of which confused Keith, Sunny, and the others greatly.

“Before long, the Paladins of Harmony defeated many foes together, rescued and defended the innocent, and shared many lessons of friendship with the masses,” Korra continued. “Touching their heads and healing their internal scars, it was from these teachings they founded the kingdom of Avalon. And once Arthur and Llamrei proved themselves worthy, we bestowed upon them the greatest gift of all…”

The scene within the sphere revealed an elder Arthur, most likely in his mid-to-late twenties, and Llamrei, humbled and wiser, standing before Korra and the Mares. Through their combined magic, they bestowed Arthur a mage’s jewel and fairy wings, and Llamrei her own set of wings and glowing hooves.

Sunny and Hitch were surprised by this. It was then they noticed, in most of the images Korra had shown, there were Earth ponies whose hooves left glowing heart-shaped markings on the ground wherever they galloped.

Did… did Earth ponies have magic too? How had they never known this?

“I don’t understand,” Keith spoke. “You gave them wings?”

“Not ‘just’ wings, Keith,” Korra replied. “They became the embodiment of all three pony and elf races. Just like Twilight and I, long ago.”

Of which Korra and Twilight showcased their respected wings.

“But only when we proved we understood the true meaning of friendship. We became ‘alicorns’, and thus led our people to the new age of prosperity.”

“What happened to your people?” Sunny asked.

“They’re doing alright,” Twilight responded. “They still have their problems, but our descendants always managed to succeed no matter the odds. Because no matter how difficult it may seem, the magic of friendship can never truly be lost.”

“But we have lost it,” Keith stated. “Our world’s magic has disappeared… all of it.”

“Only because you’ve forgotten friendship,” Korra said. “True there is friendship within each race, but it is not enough. You have not only lost each other, but a piece of yourselves as a consequence.”

Everyone turned toward one another, taking what Korra said by heart. It all made sense now. When the tribes separated again, the magic slowly faded over time. They lost their identity because… they believed lies over the truth.

“But how did this happen?” Allura asked.

“Why did the tribes separate again?” Pipp asked.

Korra, Twilight, and the others gazed sadly upon these words. Korra waved her hand again, revealing the image of a sleazy looking elf and his pony companion.

“Mordred and Loki…” Korra began, darkly. “Once loyal apprentices to the paladins, but their envy towards their teachers grew. When they didn’t get what they wished for, they turned on their teachers. Soon, they began spreading lies and soon one false tale lead to another, and another, and another, growing and spreading like weeds until eventually the populace were so engrossed it was difficult to believe anything else. Not even the paladins were spared…”

Keith, Sunny, and their friends watched in horror as Mordred and Loki continued spreading lies to the ears of anyone who’d listen. Friends turned against friends, brother against brother, neighbor against neighbor, and so on and so forth. Before long, the once beautiful Avalon became darker and twisted.

Arthur and Llamrei tried to reel in the peace, but even their own friends turned against them.

“Once the paladins dispersed, so did the tribes. And Avalon… crumbled and withered, fading into myth.”

The sphere disappeared, and the room seemed to dim. Korra lifted her hands, showcasing the cave and all its wonders.

“This very temple is all that remains of a once glorious kingdom.”

As he looked around, the more Keith thought about it, the greater his anger grew.

“Then why didn’t you do anything?!” Keith asked, raising his voice. “You could’ve done something! You could’ve told everyone the truth! Helped the paladins as you did before! You could have…”

Keith paused for a moment, allowing stinging tears to fall from his eyes.

“You could have saved him…”

Korra knew how Keith referred to. She floated closer to him and cupped his face in her hands, wiping his tears with her thumb. He wanted to pull away then, but something in her touch felt… familiar. Like being embraced by a parent, as if she had a mother’s touch. And to which given what Twilight said of their descendants, she had to have been in her lifetime.

“We tried, Keith,” Korra spoke softly. “We really tried… but once everyone started believing these lies more than the truth, our words fell silent. Our voices only heard by those willing to listen. If their hearts are too closed… there isn’t much we could do. We are meant only to guide and teach, but we cannot decide one’s fate. That’s a choice they need to do on their own.”

“As for your father… we don’t control who lives and who dies. But rest assure, we were with him through it all. We couldn’t change his fate, only ease his spirit.”

She smiled warmly, rubbing her thumb against Keith’s cheek.

“And you deserve to know that both Argyle and Steve, your birth father, loved you more than anything in this whole world. Their legacy lives through you and your sister. Argyle himself told me to give you a message.”

“He did?” Keith gasped.

“That you were always meant to be his son. From the day you broke into his kitchen, he loved you… and that love never stopped. All he ever wanted was for you and Sunny to love and make friends, to show the world things ‘can’ be better. For everyone, and for the two of you.”

Hearing these words, Keith’s heart felt full. Argyle’s death was still painful, but… at least he didn’t die alone. He was amongst friends who kept their promise. They delivered the message and now Keith had the closure he needed.

“I’m so sorry, Dad… I’m sorry I never…”

Korra pulled the boy into a gentle embrace.

“It’s okay, Keith… he already knows. He’s ‘always’ known you loved him. There was never any doubt.”

Keith sobbed into Korra’s shoulder, and she rubbed his back. Sunny cried also, with Hitch comforting her. Korra wiped the boy’s tears and turned him towards his sister. Keith kneeled down and spread his arms wide open, permitting Sunny to gallop ahead and hump into them.

“I love you, sis.”

“I love you too, big brother.”

Twilight nuzzled Korra’s side, and she stroked the mare’s mane. The other mares surrounded Korra, nuzzling their noses against her cheek like they always did when they were alive.

Keith was happy to see Hitch join in the hug… then Hunk, then Lance, Pipp, Allura, Zipp, Katie, and Izzy. Keith never knew he could feel this way. Having so many friends, all different and unique in their own magical ways, embracing him and Sunny, comforting them in their hour of need.

If this was what true friendship was like, it was all the more devastating the world had forgotten it.

“So, what do we do now?” Hitch asked Korra and the Mares.

“Now… it’s your turn to complete what the paladins of old began,” Twilight declared.

“But how?” Zipp asked. “How can we get the people to listen to us?”

“She’s right,” Sunny sighed sadly. “I’ve tried for years, and still my plan to restore the magic didn’t work.”

“Ooh… you mean the plan to steal the crystals?” Twilight stated, rather sternly.

Sunny lowered her ears and blushed in embarrassment.

“Well… I…”

“Sweetie, did you truly think stealing magical artifacts would fix everything?”

“I thought it could restore the magic!” Sunny insisted.

“Even if they could, what made you think the other tribes would be friends after having their treasures stolen through deception and lies?”

Sunny turned to the others, and they all looked equally ashamed. Come to think of it… they hadn’t really thought their plan through.

“It doesn’t matter anymore,” Sunny spoke, hanging her head. “The crystals didn’t work anyway. They never had…”

Twilight lifted Sunny’s chin with the tip of her wing. When the Earth pony looked up, she could see the mare smiling at her.

“The Crystals were ‘never’ the answer, Sunny Starscout. They were merely symbols we gave to Arthur and Llamrei to represent their friendship. But just now, you finally realized what the true magic is.”

Sunny’s eyes widened. Earlier, when she was at her lowest, her friends said they’d rather stay together than get their magic back. And that was when Sunny realized that friendship was all that needed to return, not just the magic.

“When we hit our lowest point,” Korra began. “We are open to the greatest change…”

Korra swayed across the water, her hair and the ends of her transparent dress billowing in imaginary wind. She opened her mouth; her angelic voice filled the cave.

Korra:

When I was down and, oh my soul, so weary

When troubles came and my heart burdened be

Then, I was still and waiting in the silence

Until you came and sat a while with me

Korra cupped Twilight’s cheeks and pressed her forehead against hers, right above her horn. The other mares surrounded them, enveloping one another with a love that transcended even in death. Sunny turned toward Keith and suddenly felt the song touch her heart. She could feel exactly what Korra and the Mares truly meant.

Sunny:

You raise me up

So I can stand on mountains

Keith felt the spirit of the song too. And suddenly, he could feel as though the magic of this place was in the very air they breathed.

Keith:

You raise me up

To walk on stormy seas

Sunny and Keith:

I am strong

When I am on your shoulders

You raise me up

To more than I can be

Hitch and Hunk turned toward one another; their hearts filled with the same strength as the love for their friends. Allura and Zipp, Lance and Pipp, Katie and Izzy. And suddenly, they all looked towards one another. Earth folk, Skylings, Jewel-Horns, both elves and ponies, all coming together regardless of who had horns, wings, or jewels. In the end, they were all friends, and so long as they stood together, there was nothing they had to fear. Not of lies… not hate… not anything.

Hitch and Hunk:

You raise me up

So I can stand on mountains

Katie and Izzy:

You raise me up

To walk on stormy seas

Allura and Zipp:

I am strong

When I am on your shoulders

Lance and Pipp:

You raise me up

To more than I can be

Keith and Sunny gathered around their friends, holding one another’s hand and hoof, remembering the promise they made to Argyle: They will play their part. Hand in hoof, and heart to heart…

Everyone:

You raise me up

So I can stand on mountains

You raise me up

To walk on stormy seas

I am strong

When I am on your shoulders

You raise me up to more than I can be

Suddenly… something even stranger started to happen. Their feet and hooves lifted from the ground, and their bodies started to glow. Korra and the Mares watched with pride as armor materialized around the young elves and ponies. Armor in colors like red, blue, pink, green, and yellow, each matching their respective personalities. Every armor had gold or silver lining, along with a sword around their waists.

The ponies received the same armor as well, but more astonishing still… Zipp and Pipp’s wings started to glow as did Lance and Allura’s! Izzy’s horn glowed a bright pink and Katie’s jewel shimmered and sparkled. Keith felt his forehead burn, and the magic flowing through his system.

“WHOA!!!” Izzy gasped.

She excitedly watched her horn glow and felt a tingly sensation coursing through her too.

As for Sunny and Hitch, they felt something strange against their hooves. They glowed, as though they were made of pure gold. When they touched the ground, suddenly the surface felt alive as though the Earth was waking up for the first time. Not only that, but they had a sudden desire to gallop at top speed. And when they did, they moved much faster than they ever felt possible.

It was all true… Earth ponies truly had magic!

Even Hunk felt something different. For when he began to run, though he was never as fast as a pony on four legs, he felt nimbler, more athletic than he ever felt in his entire life.

Zipp and Pipp laughed as they flapped their wings and spun in mid-air!

“We’re actually flying!” Pipp cheered. “We’re really flying!”

Lance spun about, performing air flips like he used to whenever he used the wires. Only now, he could use his wings… his ‘actual’ wings!

“Now I know why you and Zipp wanted this so much, sis!” Lance cheered. “This… is… AWESOME!!! WOO-HOO!!!”

Laughing together, as though they were children again, Lance and Allura raced each other through the cave.

Katie felt something spark within her body and with a wave of her hand she levitated a rock and a pebble, making them jump and bound in the air. Izzy followed, making the rocks dance around in different shapes.

“This is so cool!” Katie smiled.

“We can do magic!” Izzy cheered, bouncing. “We can do magic!”

Sunny and Hitch laughed as they raced each other. It was unlike anything they ever felt in their lives. Running, flying, even levitating stuff for the first time! But it was only better because they got to share it with one another.

And through it all, Keith stood in the middle, watching everyone using their magic for the first time in generations. Slowly, he turned toward Korra.

“Did you do this?” He asked.

“We didn’t,” Korra slowly shook her head. “You did…”

“The magic of friendship resides in you now,” Twilight said. “It’s your turn to share it with others.”

Everyone stopped playing and gathered around Keith, looking toward Korra and the mares with concern.

“You truly think we can do it?” Hitch asked.

“Absolutely,” Korra said. “You’re Paladins of Harmony now. Go… and spread the good news.”

“Wait!” Sunny cried out. “Where will you go? What if we need you again?”

To which Twilight nuzzled against Sunny’s cheek.

“As long as you keep an open mind and an open heart, along with a humble, unselfish soul… we will ‘always’ be with you. No matter where you go, we’ll be there every step of the way.”

Twilight returned to Korra, permitting her a ride upon her back and in a burst of light Korra and the mares all disappeared.

“Um… how do we get out of here?” Hunk asked, killing the mood.

“Third pathway on the left,” The pink curly-haired mare spoke.

“Oh… thanks!”

(~)

Sure enough, the newly formed paladins eventually found their way back into the open forest. The ponies shifted to their larger forms, their best friends riding along their backs. True Allura and Lance could’ve flown but preferred to share this experience with Pipp and Zipp.

And as for Hunk, he never felt braver in his life. No longer shaking in fear anymore, he knew why Hitch was also so confident. Keith rode on Sunny while Katie rode on Izzy, both cheering and laughing over the fact they had magic again.

“So, what’s next you guys?” Izzy asked.

Keith and Sunny exchanged knowing looks. If they were going to restore the land and bring back Avalon, they must start from the beginning.

“Everyone!” Sunny declared. “We’re going to Maretime Bay!”

“Are you sure, Sunny?” Hitch asked.

“Yes Hitch,” Sunny nodded. “It’s as Korra said, we must spread the word. And… you were right before.”

“I was?”

“Yes Hitch. I need evidence to back-up my words… and we need it more than ever.”

Hitch smiled as his face flushed red, to which Sunny did too. Keith rolled his eyes and gave a light kick to the sides.

“Come on, sis. Let’s change some lives.”

Keith and Sunny:

Let’s cross a new aisle

Let’s flash a new smile

Let’s sparkle right out of the grey

We’ll open their eyes

Sun starting to rise

And finally able to say

Gonna be, gonna be, gonna be our day

Everybody:

Gonna be our day

Gonna be, gonna be, gonna be our day

Gonna be our day

Gonna be, gonna be, gonna be our day

Gonna be our day

Gonna be, gonna be, gonna be our day

Gonna be our day

Gonna be, gonna be, gonna be our day

Keith and Sunny:

Be our day!

***

2 Timothy 1:7 - For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind

Author's Note

Song: You Raise me up by Josh Groban

This chapter was a serious nostalgia trio for me. It was good to revisit the old Mane Seven and see just how much they have grown over the years. A fun stroll down memory lane.

I hope you guys liked this chapter because things are about to get real next time!

The Nuckelavee

Sunny Starscout still couldn’t believe it. She’d been running for what felt like hours, not once feeling the slightest bit exhausted. Her legs felt stronger with every step she took, noting how the grass seemed to grow longer. Even a few flowers sprouted from the ground itself.

“This… is… INCREDIBLE!!!” She cheered.

She whipped her head back, her braid nearly smacking Keith square in the face. He grabbed hold of it with a hint of annoyance and adjusted it over her side. In the midst of their ride, Izzy Moonbow and Katie Holt galloped by their side.

“How much farther?” Izzy asked. “Not that I’m complaining, I haven’t run this fast in ages! Woohoo!”

Keith inhaled deeply, smelling the distant aroma of salt water in the distance. “We’re almost there Izzy!” He declared. “Just a few more miles dead ahead!”

High above them, Zipp and Allura observed the region with a bird’s eye view. They could see a straight blue line just over the horizon.

“Keith’s right!” Allura said, pointing ahead. “I can see the ocean from up here!”

“Whoa!” Lance gasped. “I’ve never seen the ocean before!”

“It’s gorgeoooous!” Pipp said in a sing-sung voice.

The ponies picked up the pace, galloping ever faster toward the ocean. While the Earth ponies, the unicorn, and their riders enjoyed the high-speed gallop over the hills, their Pegasi and fairy friends marveled at how the rays of the setting sun sparkled over the water. They could hear the crashing waves along the shoreline. It was still difficult to believe just how far they’ve come in such a short time.

Only a few days have passed, yet Keith and Sunny felt as though they’ve been gone from Maretime Bay for ages. They were different Earth folk prior to the start of their quest. Keith, a Mage too afraid to reveal his heritage now held his head up high with his jewel in full display. Whereas for Sunny, a mare trying in vain to spread the word of friendship finally understood why her words fell on deaf ears. While they were still the same, a practical Elf and his hopeful pony companion, they’d grown wiser now. Sunny in turn realized her mistakes: Stealing from other races, deceiving them for their objects… how could she imagine it would solve everything?

Now… she knew better. From this moment forward, Sunny would use this newfound knowledge to show everyone and every pony that all the stories were true. That at long last, the world and all its glorious creations would be healed.

Even Hitch Trailblazer, the most skeptical of the whole group, had changed. Everything he thought were true turned out to be nothing but lies fueled by paranoia and hatred. He too knew better now, a humbled pony anxious to return home. Not just with a higher understanding of the world around him, but with a whole new batch of friends by his side.

There the ocean sat in clear view, and the lighthouse tower peering from the tallest trees. Sunny jumped over the bushes both she and Keith once used to hide Izzy and Katie. They slowed to a halt upon reaching their house, which was just the same as when they left.

But the moment they looked toward the city of Maretime Bay itself… their smiles completely dropped. The town itself was completely deserted, trash littered the streets, and lampposts flickered on-and-off. The other elves and ponies stared toward the ghost town completely baffled.

“Huh… not as lively as I expected it to be,” Lance remarked.

“What happened?” Pipp asked worriedly, placing a hoof upon her heart.

“I don’t know,” Sunny replied, her ears flopped. “Where is everybody?”

“Let’s go find out,” Keith spoke. “Stay close, everyone.”

Slowly, they galloped down the lighthouse hill toward town square. Trekking along the empty streets, every shop was closed, the smoothie van was tipped over, and all around were green posters of some pony shadowed in black wearing a hat and cap. Hitch was certain he recognized that greasy hairstyle before… No, it couldn’t be…Could it?

Suddenly, Hunk whipped his head around and cupped his hand to his ear. “You guys hear that?” He asked. “It sounds like… marching?”

Turned out Hunk was right. The sound of hooves and feet marching on cobbled stone echoed through their eardrums. Following the sound, the group screeched to a halt when they saw a lengthy line of Earth ponies with Earth elves atop their backs marching in perfect synchronization. They were all wearing the anti-mind-reading helmets.

“What the buck is going on here?” Hitch asked.

One of the elves heard Hitch’s voice and turned his head. “Hitch?” The elf raised his brows. “Hey guys! Hitch is back!” But the elf’s happiness immediately shifted to sheer terror at the sight before him. Immediately, he started screaming as he clung onto the pony’s mane the moment he saw the others accompanying him.

“AND SO ARE THE UNICORN AND MAGE!!!”

“AND THEY BROUGHT PEGASI AND FAIRIES!!!” His pony screamed. An immediate panic exploded in the streets; their perfect formation broke in two. The crowd of ponies and elves alike erupt into a frenzy within seconds.

“No, wait! Everybody, calm down!” Sunny shouted, raising her voice but not enough to to sound too demanding.

“They’re not going to hurt you!” Keith announced.

“Yeah, we’re friends now!” Izzy said, raising her hoof.

Lance soon noticed one elf aiming what resembled a giant bazooka directly at them. “Look out!” He shouted and jumped off Pipp’s back and flew towards Izzy and Katie, shoving them away before a giant new flew where they stood.

Katie and Izzy ducked-and-rolled along the ground, but thankfully uninjured. Lance helped Katie to her feet, while Pipp and Zipp rushed to Izzy’s aid. Katie and Izzy soon reunited, the former hugging her friend like a protective mother.

Another elf aimed to fire, only this time Keith deflected the net with a stretch of his hand engulfing it in a red aura. At Keith’s command, much to his surprise, he hurled the net aside. This shocking revelation of magic horrified the elf, pointing a single shaking finger at him.

“Is that… Keith?”

“He’s a mage?!” A pony screamed.

“He’s one of them!”

“He’s a traitor!!!”

All at once, Keith’s worst fears were realized. Everybody in this whole town was already turning on him. All because of a single jewel on his forehead. His magic didn’t fix things, only cemented their fear of mages and unicorns alike.

“Leave him alone!” Hitch, with Hunk on his back, skid in front of Keith and served as his shield. “Yes, he’s a mage!” Hitch shouted. “But he’s not the enemy! None of them are!”

“Oh no!” Another pony gasped. “He’s brainwashed Hitch!”

“Seriously?” Hunk said annoyed. “Were we really this paranoid?”

“We’re not brainwashed!” Hitch argued.

“Well, well, well…”

The crowd quickly dispersed, as Sprout walked into the open with James Griffin riding on his back. Beside them was Phyllis, along with her rider, Commander Iverson.

“Sprout?!”

Hitch and Sunny couldn’t believe their eyes. But there he was: Sprout, wearing a pair of sunglasses, a hat with an assortment of badges and medals (Where he got them was a complete mystery), and wearing a long green cape. He looked like some dictator from those dystopian movies… a sight which had the two friends staring in disbelief.

“Whaaaaaaa?” They uttered in unison.

“Well looky what we have here!” Sprout said cockily. “Lil’ Sheriff Hitchy come trotting back… with the enemy! Should’ve known you’d go rogue like your girlfriend!”

“What are you doing, Sprout?!” Hitch stomped his hoof. “I leave for a few days, and you turn Maretime Bay into… wha—what even is this? How’d you do all this? Just how? Why?”

“Surprised, boss?” Sprout taunted, tapping Hitch’s nose. “Betcha didn’t think your deputy had it in him. Well… jokes on you, buddy-boy! Now I’m the leader of Maretime Bay! And unlike you, I’m keeping everyone safe from our enemies… by fighting back!”

“Though we do appreciate you bringing a few right to our doorstep,” James added, gesturing toward the others. It was then James gasped upon noticing the jewel squarely on Keith’s forehead. “No… way! I knew there was something weird about you, Kogan! That’s why Argyle took you in! You’re a magical mind-reading freak just like the rest of ‘em!”

“I’m an elf, just like you and everyone else!” Keith shouted.

“You’re a mage!” Sprout pointed accusingly. “By definition, that makes you NOT like us!”

“Where’s your army of mages and unicorns, Kogan?” James asked, pounding his fists. “They showin’ up or what?”

“There is no army!” Sunny said. “We’re not here to fight! The stories… the Paladins, the Maiden, and Avalon… it’s all real! We have no reason to be enemies!”

“It’s true!” Hunk spoke. “The Skylings and Jewel-Horns mean us no harm; we’ve no reason to fear them! Besides, they don’t even have magic!”

Phyllis and Iverson faced each other, surprised beyond words. “What?” Phyllis whispered.

“Are they serious?” Iverson whispered back.

“Hmph… no magic, huh?” Sprout chuckled. “Hah! That’s even better!”

“Wait a minute!” An elf called out. “How are you able to do that magic thing?”

“Because magic only disappeared when we stopped being friends!” Keith explained. “It’s not just Jewel-Horns and Skylings! Earth folk had magic too!” Keith nodded at Sunny and she raised her hooves, pounding hard against the ground.

The grass beneath her sprouted below the tiles and cobblestones making up the street. Hitch did the same, and soon everybody observing realizing that no words could explain this phenomenon.

“How are you doing that?!” Iverson asked, astonished.

“Because by forgetting how to be friends, we forgot who we were!” Sunny answered. “We lost a piece of ourselves when our races separated. Our world used to be filled with magic, a power meant to be shared. Ours returned when we accepted the Magic of Friendship! You can too if you just let go of your fear. We can bring friendship back! Bring back Avalon! Together!”

As the prospect of such a future came to mind, smiles slowly formed upon the faces of ponies and elves alike willing to listen.

“You mean… we don’t have to fight?” A pony asked hopefully.

“That’s a relief!” An elf sighed, removing his helmet.

For a moment, Sprout was too stunned to speak. He just witnessed Hitch and Sunny… performing magic! Real, honest-to-pony magic! This… changed everything.

“W-Wait! H-H-Hold on a second!” Sprout stuttered. “If what they’re saying is true… then… why should Skylings and JewelHorns have their magic back?”

The Paladins stared toward Sprout in confusion. “What are you talking about?” Hitch asked.

“Who’s to say Skylings won’t swoop down and snatch us like they used to?” Sprout emphasized. “Or—or what if JewelHorns brainwashed us into giving them our magic?”

As he listened, even if he didn’t show it, Keith could feel his body tremble over whatever Sprout was cooking up in that twisted skull of his. If he was capable of assembling a literal army within a few days, what else could he truly accomplish? Have they underestimated Sprout all this time?

“Think about it: If we’re the only ponies with magic, there’s no way we’ll have to be afraid anymore! Ha-ha! We Earth folk would stand a fighting chance!” Sprout hurled his head back with a maniacal laugh, making even Iverson shiver.

“Okay sport, maybe you should take it down a notch,” Iverson suggested.

“I must agree, dear,” Phyllis spoke. “Why don’t we take a step back and discuss this over cookies and milk?”

Sprout ignored his mother, as he slowly approached Sunny. “This is what you wanted, isn’t it Starscout?” He asked, twitching an eye. “You want everyone to stop living in fear? Bring back magic? This is your chance! Come quietly, and ‘maybe’ we’ll let that mage-freak of a brother go.”

“I’ve got a nice jail cell with your name on it, Kogan,” James snickered, behind Sprout. “Now I finally get to put it to good use!”

“Are you insane?!” Sunny shouted.

“Is that a rhetorical question?” Katie asked sarcastically.

Keith cautiously dismounted Sunny’s back and slowly approached Sprout. The Earth pony stepped back; his ears pressed against his head. But Keith wasn’t fooled in the slightest. He knew beneath that tough exterior Sprout was showing, he was shivering. James, on the other hand, had nothing but resentment in his eyes.

“Sprout, listen to what you’re saying,” Keith spoke. “This isn’t what’s magic supposed to be for. It’s not meant to overpower anyone; we’re meant to share it. Make the world better. I know what it feels like to be afraid.”

“You don’t know anything!” Sprout spat venomously.

“I know you were raised to be scared of those different from you! By all accounts, I should hate you for all the things you’ve said about mages over the years… but I don’t. I see now that lies can be a powerful thing, so much easier to believe than to accept the truth. It’s okay to fear the unknown, what you shouldn’t do is let that fear keep you chained up forever.”

Though Keith was speaking directly toward Sprout, it felt as though he were speaking to everyone else. Even Phyllis hung her head in shame, realizing the truth in his words. All the ponies and elves alike faced each other, contemplating his words.

“Long ago, lies and mistrust tore our world apart,” Keith continued. “It tore us apart, friends and families. Whether we have wings or jewels or horns… we’re all ponies and elves, brothers and sisters. Our differences, big or small, are what make us who we are. And when we share those gifts, we really can create magic. It’s not too late. We can choose friendship; we can choose love.”

Keith turned toward his shoulder, smiling toward his sister. Sunny smiled back, as Keith returned his gesture toward Sprout. He offered his hand, hoping for the pony to place his hoof upon his palm. Sprout just stared at the hand, contemplating the offer.

“Please, old friend…” Keith begged. “Let it go.”

“Sweetie…”

Sprout turned toward his mother, her ears down. She tapped the ground with the tip of her hoof.

“Maybe… you should listen to him,” Phyllis advised.

“This has gone far enough,” Iverson nodded in agreement. “Stand down.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold up!” James shouted, raising his hand. “You guys made this whole hullabaloo over fighting back against the Skylings and JewelHorns! We have them within firing range and now you’re telling us to call it quits? Well—what does that say about US?! We really going to let a few flowery words turn us into backpedaling wimps?!”

Sprout felt the adrenaline pumping again. James had a point: They’ve come too far to prove that Earth folk were the master race. Why should they be afraid anymore? Keith and Sunny gasped with devastation as Sprout took two more steps… away from them.

“You’re right about one thing,” Sprout smiled. “I’m sick of being afraid, and there’s only one way to fix that… by getting rid of what scares us! James, do the thing!”

“On it!”

James pulled a square silver box with a big shiny red button on it. Izzy marveled its bright color, only snapping out of it when Katie tugged her mane.

James pressed the button. At first, nothing happened. Then, all of a sudden, the ground began to shiver and shake. Loud fears and steam pumping bombarded their ears. From the shadows of the dimly-lit streets emerged a massive mechanical monstrosity forged into the shape of Sprout himself with another yellow robot on top. It was like an elf and pony merged into one.

Strapped upon the robotic elf’s arm was a massive gold-and-white telescope-like object. Ancient runes were caved along its edge, adorned with a variety of jewels and stones. At the very sight of it, Phyllis and Iverson gasped.

“It’s… it’s the—!” Phyllis stammered.

“That’s right, mommy!” Sprout declared proudly. “Your ‘secret weapon’ you’ve kept under my nose the entire time! We could’ve ended this war a long time ago, but ‘you’ never had the guts to use it!”

“I-I-It was still in the prototype stage!” Phyllis said shakily.

“James!” Iverson shouted. “You’re supposed to keep that confidential!”

“Please… you really thought I’d keep something as juicy as this a secret?” He smiled wickedly toward Keith. “Scared, Kogan?”

“What is that thing?!” Sunny asked.

“Stand back!” Keith shielded Sunny.

“That… is what remains of old Equestria’s arsenal!” Sprout explained. “Thanks to mommy’s technical adjustments, it’s now perfectly designed to do the one thing it was meant to do: STEAL MAGIC!!!”

“WHAT?!?!” The Paladins screamed.

“That’s impossible!” Hitch shouted. “We just told you, the other JewelHorns and Skylings don’t have magic!”

“Yeah, I was worried we wouldn’t get to use it,” James admitted. “But if what you guys have shown hints there’s a slimmer of magic in their system, best to suck them dry before they can use it!”

Keith, Sunny, and the others wished they could wake from this nightmare. This madness was too much even for James and Sprout, as if they were possessed by…

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, the Paladins felt something itching their eyes. Blinking several times, their vision distorted till they finally saw, in place of James and Sprout, the faces of the original traitors responsible for splitting their world apart…

Mordred and Puck…

The Paladins watched in dread, as the ghostly souls of Mordred and Puck hovered above Sprout and James. They whispered in their ears, fueling their fear and desire to be proven right. It would’ve been easy to blame the spirits, but somehow the Paladins knew deep down it wasn’t that simple.

Mordred and Puck were merely ghosts of the past, but their influence was always present even though they cannot be seen. Fear itself was the ‘real’ enemy, always had been. The fear within James and Sprout gave more power to the souls of Mordred and Puck, not the other way around.

This was all on Sprout and James… and Phyllis. Sunny faced the older pony, the one who filled young ponies heads for years with misleading facts and false accusations of the other races. Before her eyes, Sunny watched as the once prideful, bigoted pony crumbled to reveal a remorseful, even broken pony seeing the fruits of her labor turn rotten before her.

“Sprout, James, please don’t do this!” Sunny called out. “There’s another way!”

“Shut it, Starscout!” Sprout shouted. “Time to wake up and join reality!”

He galloped towards the machine, shifting into his smaller pony form while James climbed onto the elf robot and centered himself into the cockpit. Sprout himself sat within the head of the robot pony.

“Maybe this is a bit too much, dear!” Phyllis cried. But it was too late… her son was too far gone to reason with.

“Troops!” Sprout declared. “To Bridlewood!”

But instead of listening, every pony and elf scattered, screaming as they galloped away. There was no possible way they’d take part in any of this. Seeing them flee before his eyes, his gaze turned red with rage.

“Fine! Be that way!” Sprout growled. “When we return with all the magic, you’ll be thanking us! James, warm up the thingy!”

“We really should come up with a cooler name,” James commented.

He tapped on the keyboard, pulled a few levers and the ancient weapon on the machine’s arm lit up. The jewels and crystals glowed, firing up… and then the dashboard began to short circuit. James backed away in alarm, completely taken aback. Down below, the very same thing was happening with Sprout.

“Uh, James? Buddy? What’s going on?”

“I—I don’t know!”

Phyllis knew what was happening, as she and Iverson watched the static coursing from the weapon and throughout the whole machine.

“No! No, no, no, no, no! It’s—it’s too much!”

“What do you mean?!” Iverson asked.

“I thought I covered up all the bugs,” She whimpered. “But, well… it’s ‘very’ old technology! I thought for sure I could… figure it out?”

The Paladins turned toward her, a heavy trace of anger on their brows. “HOW’D THAT WORK OUT FOR YA?!” They shouted.

James’ eyes stared frantically toward the dashboard, watching it glow as though it were dumped by radiation. “That’s it! I’m jumping ship!”

James quickly jumped out of the side of the robot’s head and Sprout, facing a similar situation, followed suit. They tucked and rolled, all while the machine started glowing. Its arms and limbs started reacting entirely on their own, and before their eyes the mech started marching ahead.

Target: Bridlewood, The machine spoke Initiative: Absorb all magic; leave no survivors.

“NO SURVIVORS?!” Phyllis screamed at her son.

“I.. might have overdone it a little?” Sprout smiled sheepishly.

“A LITTLE?!”

“Everybody, clear out of the way!” Hitch shouted.

The Paladins mounted their respected pony, jumping away from the incoming mech. Allura and Zipp flew by, snatching Phyllis and Iverson from the ground while Lance and Pipp tossed Sprout and James to a safer spot. The mech steamrolled through town, crashing and flattening everything in its way. From garbage cans to a child’s toy left behind in the chaos.

Ponies and elves ran but weren’t fast enough to compete with the machine.
Hitch and Hunk jumped in and rescued a couple along with their colt. Izzy and Katie used their magic to levitate civilians from the mech’s path, all while preventing lampposts from falling onto a group of elf and pony children. The group watched in amazement toward the mage and unicorn who saved their lives.

Sunny galloped after the mech, jumping from bench to bench (Even the side of several buildings) while Keith magically pushed the people out of the way. Soon the Paladins gathered together, panting from exhaustion, watching the Mech charge ahead for the open road.

“That thing’s heading to Bridlewood!” Izzy said.

“If what Phyllis said is true,” Hunk began. “That thing will suck every last JewelHorn dry of magic!”

“Except they don’t have any!” Pipp reminded him. “What will it do if it doesn’t find magic to steal?”

They turned toward Phyllis, who sat on her rump watching the machine (Partly of her own making) heading out into the world. Her face was frozen in horror as it dawned on her.

“Then… it will destroy them…” Phyllis said. “All of them…”

The Paladins looked at each other and the answer was clear as day. They had to stop that thing before it reached Bridlewood, and quite possibly… Zephyr Heights!

Hand in Hoof

Sunny and Hitch galloped as fast as their newly powerful hooves could carry them. They were just able to catch up to the mech, which currently stomped a few feet away. Suddenly, a voice from afar stopped them in their tracks.

“Pipp! Zipp!”

“Lance! Allura!”

“Mom?!” The group exclaimed. The four siblings soon spotted their mothers galloping towards them. They flew down to meet them halfway, and all the other Paladins stopped to join them. Amongst the queens were the Skyling guards. Breathing heavily, Queen Haven wiped the sweat drenched along her brow.

“Oh, my darlings! I’m so sorry about—wait! Were you just… flying?!”

“How?!” Rosalyn said. “I mean, it’s a miracle but… how?”

“We’ll explain later,” Zipp promised. “But right now, we need to stop that giant pony-elf machine from destroying Bridlewood!”

“And before you say anything,” Lance warned, pointing a finger. “There’s nothing you can say or do to stop us! We’re paladins now; saving elves and ponies are what we do! At least according to the job description!”

“Sorry mother,” Allura said. “But we really have to go!”

“No you’re not!” said Rosalyn assertively.

“Not… without us,” Haven declared, lifting her head high. Atop Haven’s back, Cloudpuff barked in agreement. The little cloud dog leapt onto Hunk’s lap with a yelp, licking his face rapidly.

“Mom, are you serious?” Pipp asked, surprised yet delighted.

“I might not like those JewelHorns,” Queen Haven replied, matter-of-factly. “But, if they really mean that much to you kids, I say… let’s go!”

The queens turned to their guards and they all saluted.

“Count us in!”

The Paladins cheered and galloped onward, now with an army of Skylings by their side. Though the road ahead still held some uncertainty, at least their numbers were increasing ever so steadily.

(~)

Alphabittle and Cronan led the search for Izzy Moonbow and Katie Holt. Given the elder unicorn’s injured leg, however, Cronan dared not ride him because of it, so instead they walked together side-by-side while the other mages road their respected unicorn companions. They all kept a sharp look out, turning their heads in every direction to catch a trace of the pair.

“Izzy! Izzy, please come back home!” Alphabittle shouted loudly. “You’ll get us all jinxed!”

“Hold on!” Cronan paused, pointing toward the distance. “I think I spot something.”

Squinting his eyes, Alphabittle could just make out an object in the distance. It didn’t resemble either Izzy or Katie… and certainly didn’t sound like them either. An eruption of horns blared so heavily all the birds flew away from the trees, wheels spun against the earth and steam pumped along with the crackling of electricity. Enough activity to startle all the JewelHorns, the lot of whom stood frozen in place while the mech inched ever closer.

Its glowing red windows burned brightly like irises; its robotic voice could be heard from miles around.

Target in range: Jewel-Horns. Initiate extraction sequence…

The JewelHorns screamed and ran, splitting off in separate directions. But the mech had already loaded the build in Splat-a-pult, shooting a wave of sticky green substance toward the panicking JewelHorns. The machine managed to capture at least five-to-seven innocent ponies and elves, while those still free rushed in trying to pull their companions out.

Among the captured few, Alphabittle found himself trying to tug his good hooves free from the sticky green goop but to no avail. He laid there helplessly on the ground, as the mech inched forward and its shadow cast over the old unicorn.

“Alphabittle!”

Cronan rushed to his best friend’s aid, trying to pry the sticky material off, only for his hands to get stuck. Soon the machine charged its magic-stealing weapon, ready to extract whatever magic it could find inside both the mage and unicorn. Cronan shielded his friend, expecting the worst, and the machine prepared to fire.

*CLANG!!!*

The pair looked up and soon noticed one of the Pegasus girls, the white one with pink swept-up hair, bucking the machine as hard as her hooves could strike. Her fairy companion jumped off her friend’s back and slashed against the metal surface with a sword gifted to her along with her new Paladin armor.

But even more astonishing than all of that… was that they were flying!

Soon Lance and Pipp swooped in, the former cutting Alphabittle free of the green goop.

“Quick! Get out of here!” Lance ordered.

Cronan and Alphabittle obeyed without argument, racing out of the way and to the aid of their fallen brothers and sisters. Suddenly, to their surprise, Izzy and Katie soon appeared, leaping over them from above. The pair galloped around the injured and captured, their horn and jewel glowed brightly. With their newfound magic powers, they pried the green goop off the other Jewel-Horns with ease.

“Hurry everyone!” Katie shouted. “Run!”

“Follow us!” Izzy called out.

All the Jewel-Horns heeded their calls without fail. Meanwhile, Hitch and Hunk led the other Skylings on foot (Since they couldn’t fly) directing them to where they needed to go.

“Help the injured!” Hunk ordered. “Lead them back to Maretime Bay! They’ll be safe there!”

With a salute, the fairies zoomed off to aid the others. The Mech fired its Splat-a-Pult against a wave of Jewel-Horns, the lot of whom tried to escape the flying globs of goop hurtling and crashing around them. The fairies and Pegasi rushed in, shoving the Jewel-Horns away from the impact. Even Queen Haven and Queen Rosalyn joined in on the action, pushing the many of the injured and the children away from the battlefield.

Alphabittle ran to shield his tiny armadillo friends, only to trip over his injured hoof. Cronan stopped mid-run and raced back to the aid of his friend.

“Cronan, look out!” Alphabittle shouted.

Cronan turned just as an incoming green blob flew toward him. Rosalyn and Haven quickly jumped in, pushing the pair out of the way, with Haven shielding the armadillos with her wing. Cronan, surprised beyond words, approached Rosalyn and helped her to her feet taking her hands like a gentleman.

“You… you saved us,” Cronan said in awe. “Thank you, M’Lady.”

“Oh, well…” Rosalyn blushed. “You’re quite welcome, good sir.”

Haven and Alphabittle, on the other hoof, looked as if they were about to barf.

(~)

Sunny and Hitch galloped towards the mech until at last they finally got close. They kicked against its surface with their newly powerful hooves. Though they managed to create a few dents, it wasn’t enough.

“It’s no use!” Hitch said. “It’s too strong!”

“We’d have to shut it down from the inside!” Hunk said.

“You’re the engineer,” Keith spoke. “Think you can hack it?”

“Me?! Oh, no, no, I’m not a hacker!”

“But I know somebody who is!”

Hunk turned as Izzy jumped into the fray, practically skipping across the field with Katie on her back. “Get me close enough and I can hijack its system to shut down its prime objective!” Katie instructed.

“I’ve got you guys!” Zipp swooped down, with Allura beside her. “Hop on!”

Katie and Hunk mounted onto Zipp’s back and she flew directly toward the mech.

“Good luck, Katie!” Izzy waved.

“You’ve got this, big guy!” Hitch cheered.

“Knock it in its place, sis!” Pipp said, with an air flip.

Zipp flew towards the side of the mech’s head where Hunk managed to jump in through the window… albeit ungracefully.

“The head should be where most of the wiring is placed,” Katie observed.

Zipp flew toward the head, and Katie jumped in. Shifting back, Zipp swooped in alongside her. Suddenly, the dashboard started shooting sparks everywhere sending Katie back.

“It’s overheating!” Katie declared.

“That’s good, right?” Zipp asked. “It’ll just give out?”

“Or it’ll generate a massive explosion the size of a mountain that’ll take all of Maretime Bay with it!”

“So… that’s a ‘no’ then?”

“Gah! I need to get closer to the operating system! It should be underneath the dashboard, but I can’t reach it—”

Zipp drew Katie’s knife from her pocket with her teeth and hurled it at the machine, right along the outline which bent upon impact and the lip went upwards. Katie went silent for a moment before speaking.

“Okay, that works too,”

Working together, Katie and Zip used the knife to pry the lid open. Beneath the dashboard were a bunch of wires and buttons. Grabbing the knife, Katie proceeded to yank off several wires controlling the Splat-a-Pults, causing the machine to cease fire.

Meanwhile, down below, Hunk managed to slip underneath the dashboard, having found a welding mask lying around (Thank goodness for Sprout’s inability to maintain a tidy workspace) and used it to shield his face from the static electricity. With a pair of rubber gloves (Again, thank Sprout’s uncleanliness), Hunk managed to put a halt to the wheels.

“Phew!” He sighed with relief, removing the mask.

Pressing the speaker button, Hunk proceeded to deliver the good news. “I managed to stop the mech!”

“Good work, Hunk!” Katie answered. “All that’s left is to remove that stupid bejeweled bazooka.”

“Already on it!” Zipp called out.

The feisty Pegasus flew forward in an effort to kick the weapon off. And then it all happened so suddenly. The weapon’s jewels exploded with sparks and aimed itself toward Zipp… detecting her magic. It shot a beam of energy toward her, forcing her to stay in place and the Pegasus screamed in agony.

“ZIPP!!!” Allura screamed.

She, along with Lance and Pipp, hurried to reach her. The weapon itself unleashed additional beams of energy toward the two fairies and Pegasus. Using their swords, Allura and Lance managed to deflect the beams in several directions. Lance caught one closing in on Pipp and with a raise of his arm summoned a shield to appear in her defense, deflecting the beam away.

“Whoa! Didn’t know I could do that!” Lance gasped.

All the while, Zipp screamed in pain as she could feel the energy slowly slipping away and found it very difficult to breathe. Seeing her twin in such excruciating pain, the fighter within Pipp ignited. Against Lance’s protests, she flew directly in line of the weapon’s beam. Though she could feel the weight of her wings again, her newfound flight slipping away, she fought through it to reach her sister. Once Pipp was close enough, she lunged for Zipp and wrapped her hooves (And wings) around her with a stiff tackle to the ground. Hitch and Sunny rushed to catch the two injured mares, while Allura and Lance quickly recovered Katie and Hunk from the machine en route to their friends’ aid.

Before their eyes, Zipp breathed heavily while Pipp kept her wings wrapped around her.

“Zipp! Are you okay?”

Zipp, steadying her breathing, could still feel the magic welling up inside her. Only now, it felt weaker than before. Yet, being with her sister right now made her feel stronger.

“I am now, sis…”

Pipp nearly cried as she held her sister in a bone crushing hug. For a moment, the Paladins relished in the safety of their friends… when suddenly the mech sprung to life again. Turning back, the Paladins gasped in shock as the mech’s wheels spun backwards with the Splat-a-pult twirling without any green goop to shoot.

“Where’s it going?” Sunny wondered.

“I—I don’t understand!” Hunk cried out, tugging his hair. “I was sure that I—”

“It’s the weapon!” Keith realized. “It’s ancient technology must be glitching the machine!”

“Urgh! So stupid!” Katie moaned. “We should’ve removed the weapon first! I thought for sure if I mere cut off its connection to the mainframe—”

But Katie couldn’t find it in her to finish that sentence. All at once, she could feel Izzy nuzzling her cheek with her muzzle. “It’s okay, Katie,” Izzy cooed. “You did your best.”

“Guys! It’s heading for Maretime Bay!” Lance pointed out.

“We have to stop it!” Zipp said, standing up.

Behind the Paladins, all the other Jewel-Horns and Skylings approached the heroes, joining together. Amongst the large assembly were Rosalyn and Haven, rushing toward Pipp and Zipp relieved to see the sisters alive and together. Even Alphabittle and Cronan stood amongst the pair, stepping forward with great determination.

“We’re with you, Paladins,” Alphabittle assured.

“All of us,” Cronan added.

Keith and Sunny are seeing this for themselves, and still they couldn’t believe it. Jewel-Horns and Skylings banded together for a common goal: To save the Earth Folk, with or without magic. Korra was right all along: This was how they would bring change to Equestria. Keith mounted upon Sunny’s back, taking the lead.

“All right, everyone!” Keith raised his hand, looking all the mor heroic. “Let’s move!”

(~)

All the Earth Folk gathered together to clean up all the banners and posters of Sprout, sweeping all the streets clean. Though night had since fallen over the town, its streetlights illuminated their path. Every now and again, passing ponies and elves gave Sprout questionable looks. He couldn’t tell if they were truly angry… or just disappointed. Either way, he wouldn’t blame them in the slightest.

As Sprout sat upon the bench, he threw away his dictator’s hat yet left only his green cape, which had nearly all the badges removed. His mother returned to him with some hot cocoa, taking a seat at the empty spot beside him. As Sprout took the cup, he took a glance upon his own reflection and sighed sadly.

“I don’t get it…” Sprout said, breaking the silence. “I had everything planned out. And somehow I’m still the screwup.”

“Sweetie… it’s not all your fault,” Phyllis sighed.

“What do you mean?”

“I was the one who pressured you into becoming sheriff; I made you and the entire town scared of other ponies and elves. All that just to keep my company afloat. I thought… I believed that I was doing the right thing. But after seeing what you became… what you were willing to do… Argyle was right all along. I ‘taught’ you into being scared of something you didn’t understand because I was terrified of anything happening to you or anyone else. I was wrong… and I’m sorry.”

Sprout say silently, breathing in every word his mother was saying. It seemed so easy to blame it all on his mother, but… who was he kidding? He played a part in this too. He allowed his fear and blind obedience toward his mother determine his choices rather than thinking for himself. Unlike Argyle, who let evidence and truth guide him, Phyllis and Sprout led the entire town through fear and paranoia. That was never meant to be the way to live, and now… all their choices nearly destroyed their home.

“I’m sorry too, mommy. Guess I wasn’t a very good sheriff, huh?”

“No… you weren’t,” Phyllis smiled, lifting his chin. “But you can be a better pony… we both can.”

“How?”

“Maybe by actually listening for once.”

Sprout smiled and hugged his mother tearfully.

“I’m sorry too…”

The Earth ponies turned toward James, who sat on the very bench right next to them. “I’m sorry for ever listening to you crooks!” James remarked.

Mother and son glared toward James, and for the first time Sprout performed the most intelligent thing all night… hurling the still steaming cup of hot chocolate right on James’ shirt, and the elf screamed and hollered in pain crying:

“Hot! Hot! HOT!!!”

Just when it seemed all was at peace, the ground beneath their hooves and feet started to shake. Phyllis and Sprout clung to each other and Iverson, who had helped a few elves remove a fallen lamppost, ceased his action, and squinted one good eye towards something in the distance.

All the elves and ponies gasped upon seeing the mech itself coming their way again. Only the machine appeared to moving much faster, with one arm swinging around like crazy. The arm, which had the weapon strapped to it, fired laser beams left and right, up-and-down, and everywhere in between! Only now did Sprout fully realize the mistake he made building this thing (Or at least making the people build it).

Quickly, Iverson took command and began leading everyone to safety.

“Move out, folks!” He ordered.

Everyone obeyed, albeit while screaming. Sprout and Phyllis leapt from the bench, which was immediately crushed by the mech. Mother and son galloped away, but the machine had them in its sights.

Pony target detected!

The machine readied the weapon, the opening glowed as a ball of energy expanded. The mech took steady aim, ready to fire away.

“Mommy, look out!”

On instinct, Sprout pushed Phyllis out of the line of sight. Phyllis rolled onto the side of the street, catching a glimpse of her own son leading the machine away. Then to her horror, her son literally skid to a halt and stood before the machine.

“Sprout!” Phyllis screamed. “NOOO!!!”

“I created you!” Sprout shouted loudly. “I command you to stop!”

But the machine did not recognize his command and charged toward the pony. Sprout shrunk back but was ready to accept his fate… and his mistakes.

Just as the weapon fired, Sprout felt something shove him away from the line of fire and onto the sidewalk. Shaking his head, his ears still ringing, Sprout saw it was none other than Hitch who saved him.

“You okay?” He asked, concerned.

“Hitch? You saved me?”

“We’ll talk about that later. Right now, we need to get everyone to safety!”

As Hitch spoke, Sprout noticed Sunny and Keith leading a herd of Jewel-Horns and Skylings into Maretime Bay. Sprout always imagined he would be terrified if he ever saw Pegasi, unicorns, mages, and fairies with his own eyes. But instead of fear, he felt relief that this herd (Despite not having magic like the Paladins) galloped along. One by one, they guided all the innocent bystanders to safety. From a Pegasus guard scooping an Earth elf child from the falling debris to a mage and fairy leading a pair of Earth ponies from the weapon’s beams. Elves and ponies of different races band together helping each other, led by the Paladins who stood proud and brave (Even the usually cowardly Hunk).

And now… Sprout fully understood what Sunny had been fighting for all along. With or without magic, they were only stronger… together.

“Are you in… deputy?” Hitch offered a hoof.

Without hesitation, Sprout shook his old friend’s hoof. “I’m all in!” Sprout nodded, then whistled. “JAMES!!!”

James, still trying to clean the hot chocolate off his shirt, jerked his head up.

“Huh?”

“Front and center, soldier!” Sprout demanded, stomping his hoof.

For the first time, James actually felt intimidated. Without much of a choice, he hurried towards him.

“Uh… sir yes sir?” He asked, uncertain. He screamed the moment Sprout shifted to his larger form and hoisted the elf onto his back without warning.

“What’s the plan, Sheriff?” Sprout asked.

“You built the mech, is there some way to disable the weapon?!” Hitch asked.

“I wish there was,” Sprout admitted regretfully. “We designed it to be near indestructible. Heck, we merely strapped that thing on. We didn’t know it would do any of that stuff, I swear!”

Rather than chastise Sprout for being so reckless, Hitch thought of a better idea. “Alright, you and James help the Skylings and JewelHorns bring the others to safety. Leave the mech to the Paladins.”

Sprout saluted with one hoof, and Hitch saluted back. Sprout galloped away, with a reluctant James screaming on his back, as the other Paladins caught up with Hitch.

“So, how do we stop that thing?” Zipp asked.

“We get too close, and it’ll suck us dry like raisins!” Hunk spoke.

“Our main target is the weapon,” Hitch explained. “We detach it from the arm, maybe it’ll shut down.”

“Worth a try,” Keith said, remounting Sunny. “Let’s do this, Paladins!”

“We’ve got your back, Keith!” Allura said, swinging her sword.

The Paladins and their ponies charged after the mech, their sights on the weapon itself. From a safe distance, Phyllis witnessed the whole thing. Inspired by her son’s newfound bravery and the valiance of the Paladins, she turned towards Iverson. He saluted her with a straight back and in seconds Phyllis shifted, allowing him onto her back. She threw her front hooves into the air before galloping ahead to join her son in aiding the others.

(~)

Due to Alphabittle’s condition, he ran in his full-grown form alongside Queen Haven. Both ponies had Rosalyn and Cronan riding along. Behind them were a band of Earth Folk, running and galloping behind them to safety. But the weapon appeared to have a mind of its own. Its glowing red eyes seemed to stare down toward everyone and whenever it spotted a pony or an elf running around it immediately shot at them. The mech itself was completely blind to all the destruction in its wake. Buildings crumbled, beams cut right through the concrete, and many homes and businesses alike completely destroyed.

“No pony or elf left behind!” A Pegasus guard declared.

He and his elf companion gathered another group of Earth Folk hiding beneath a piece of the building’s roof. With the help of the Jewel-Horns, they lifted the piece of concrete as best as they could.

“Quick!” The Fairy Guard called, extending his hand. “We need to get out of here!”

Without protest, a female elf accepted his hand. He helped her onto his partner’s back, while the other Jewel-Horns gathered the rest. Once everyone was out safely, they released the concrete and fell back. One child held onto a young unicorn for safety, all while ducking for cover from the machine’s beams.

Katie and Izzy jumped in between another beam and a family of Earth ponies. Through their combined magic, they generated a glowing transparent shield strong enough to deflect the beam. The beam itself struck the ocean, creating a small tidal wave that crashed against the shoreline.

“Get out of here!” Katie ordered, watching the family run off.

“It’s no use!” Lance groaned, swooping down. “We can’t get close enough to disable it!”

“If this keeps up, it’ll destroy the whole town!” Sunny observed.

“We have to steer it somewhere else!” Keith suggested. “Away from the crowd!”

“What about the sea?!” Izzy gasped.

She pointed one hoof, and the Paladins turned to her directions. Before their eyes was the ocean itself, the sun halfway set as dawn slowly turned into night.

“Izzy, that’s brilliant!” Sunny beamed.

“I have my moments.”

The mech’s rampage continued, its parts twitched from the static electricity. It seemed it wouldn’t stop at any time.

“Hey! Bolts for brains!”

The machine’s head twisted around, twitching slightly upon detecting two fairy lifeforms in its sight. Lance gave a mocking wink and finger point gesture, while Allura waved to it tauntingly.

“Over heeere!” She called out, almost flirtatiously.

The machine readied its weapon, and the siblings flew in the opposite direction once the beam came at them. By then, Pipp and Zipp appeared right behind it.

“Ooh… so close!” Pipp taunted.

“Try you lucky with us, if you can!” Zipp added, blowing a raspberry.

The machine unleashed another beam in response. Just like Lance and Allura, the Pegasi flew the opposite direction. Luckily, the beam didn’t hit anyone or anything this time. Pipp and Zipp called out toward the mechanical monster, with Lance and Allura joining in. Together, they zipped up and down, spinning sideways in the air. Lance even performed a moonwalk in mid-air just to beckon the machine to follow them.

And all the while, Lance and Pipp sung the chorus to their signature song. They danced in the air much like their concerts. Only this time, no wires were required to fly, and for once… the pair were free.

Glowin’ up, kinda love

Dip and slide, though the cut

Glowin’ up, kinda love

We say ‘Hi!’, you say, ‘What?’

Lance and Pipp made funny faces toward the machine as it gave chase, heading towards the edge of the very walkway where Izzy witnessed the ocean for the first time. And yet the mech never stopped firing its rays toward the pair. Keith and Sunny, with Hunk and Hitch at their side, raced side to side and kicked the mech to prevent it from straying.

“It’s working! It’s working!” Izzy shouted joyfully.

Izzy yelped when she tripped over a piece of debris from one of the buildings, and Katie was hurled off her friend’s back.

“Katie!” Izzy shouted.

Katie screamed as she slid towards the edge. Thankfully, she stopped halfway, her foot dangling in mid-air.

“I’m okay!”

The mech heard Katie’s voice and aimed its weapon at her. Izzy galloped ahead, levitating Katie onto her back and ran away. Only now the machine began firing… toward them!

“Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!” Izzy chanted.

She and Katie tried leaping away from the rays, but the weapon was now facing away from the ocean. Allura and Lance tried to get its attention again, but the machine wasn’t responding.

“No!”

Keith and Sunny rushed to their friends’ aid, with Keith standing on Sunny’s back.

“Keith, what are you doing?!” She asked, shocked.

Keith didn’t answer; instead, he leapt as high as he could. Using the magic to levitate himself into the air, he flew between the incoming ray and his friends. The moment the beam had him in its grasp, Keith screamed in pain. The Paladins and their friends shouted his name, but Sunny stood in silence with tears in her eyes.

“KEITH!!!”

Lance and Allura did just as Pipp did with Zipp: Pushing Keith away from the beam, though not without feeling the sting of the magic stealing force. They rolled onto the ground, with everyone around them making sure they were alright. Hunk leapt off Hitch to check on his friend, who pressed one hand over his chest.

“Keith! Buddy, you alright?”

“I… could barely breathe…” Keith spoke, hoarse and raspy.

“It’s no use!” Katie said, deflated. “That thing’s relentless.”

No sooner after her words left her mouth, she ducked another beam from the machine’s weapon. Sunny looked up from the machine, then toward her brother, watching him trying to recuperate from the lack of oxygen. All at once, an idea so crazy and suicidal popped into her head. One of which should she suggest out loud that everyone would object. So… she didn’t.

Sunny stomped the ground so hard her hooves dug a tiny grater. Flaring her nostrils with a snorting sound, she galloped at full speed towards the mech. She jumped high into the air and was caught in the machine’s beam. She screamed as she felt both her magic and her very life force slowly drained.

“Sunny!!!” Keith called out.

Keith quickly got up and the Skylings prepared to push her out of the way.

“NO!!!” Sunny shouted, painfully. “Push… it… further… hurry!”

Keith didn’t understand at first, but the moment he and Hitch exchanged looks they knew what Sunny meant.

“Guys, push the mech into the sea!” Hitch ordered. “Quick, while it’s distracted!”

The Paladins hated leaving Sunny to be tortured this way. But they knew they had to act fast. So they pushed the machine back towards the ledge. Izzy and Katie used their magic to shove its lower half back, while it busily drained the last of Sunny’s magic.

“Hurry! She can’t keep this up much longer!” Katie called out.

Hunk helped Keith onto Hitch’s back. Channeling all the fury in his heart, Hitch bucked the mech so hard, massive dents formed shoving the machine back several feet. Sunny’s screams of agony rang in his ears, pushing him to continue his merciless kicking.

“Back off you hunk of junk!” Hitch shouted.

From above, the Skylings used their bodies to shove the machine back. Thus far, it was working! The mech neared the ledge, nearly tipping over.

“Lance! Get ready to grab Sunny!” Allura instructed.

“You got it, sis!” Lance nodded.

“Almost… there!” Keith groaned.

“It’s… too… heavy!” Hitch uttered, losing steam.

“Not for long!”

To everyone’s surprise, Sprout galloped with the entire town from Maretime Bay, the Jewel-Horns, and the Skylings. Together, they stormed toward the mech, shoving it until it rocked back-and-forth.

“It’s working!” Izzy shouted.

“Now, Lance!!!”

Allura and her brother rushed in and grabbed Sunny, pushing her wit all their might out of the beam. The machine stopped firing as it tipped over and fell off the ledge, taking the railings and half the boardwalk with it. From a safe distance, everyone witnessed the machine crashing into the sand as a rogue wave washed ashore. Damaged from the inside, the machine glowed and exploded into a spire of light, which stretched into the sky before disappearing. The mech was finally dead… but nobody, not even the ponies, cheered.

Keith jumped off Hitch and rushed towards his sister, who had shifted back into her smaller pony form in the arms of Lance and Allura. Her coloring dulled, her brain completely undone, and before Keith’s eyes… she wasn’t moving. Not even a motion could be seen in her closed eyes. Keith slid to his knees, scooping her up in his arms.

“Sunny?!” Keith called out. “Sun? C’mon, wake up! Please wake up!”

He gave her a gentle shake, but nothing happened. He pressed his ear against her chest and could barely hear a faint heartbeat.

“Come on, Sunny! I know you can do this. Don’t give up, now—you never give up!” Keith’s voice cracked.

Tears streamed down his cheeks, but he wasn’t alone. Allura wept on Lance’s shoulders, while Zipp wrapped a wing around Pipp. The two sisters cried against each other’s cheeks. And Izzy… she say on the ground, her eyes frozen open like she was paralyzed.

“Sunny…” Izzy gasped. “No… no, no, no, she… she can’t be…”

Katie wrapped her arms around Izzy, but the unicorn was far too stunned to react. Hunk hung his head as Hitch approached Sunny, his lower lip quivering.

“No! Sunny, please…” Hitch whimpered. “Please don’t leave me.”

He nuzzled his nose against her cheek, but her body felt cold against his warmth. Everybody else circled around the fallen Earth pony. From those who’ve known her for years, and those who only recently met her. They all mourned her inevitable death, a sacrifice from the bravest, most foolish pony willing to risk her own life for others.

Even Sprout, along with Phyllis, James, and Iverson stepped forward. The ponies and their elf companions were shocked and horrified by the sight.

“It’s all my fault…” Sprout spoke, hanging his head.

“No dear,” Phyllis shook her head. “It’s my fault. None of this would’ve happened if I—”

“No…”

All heads faced Keith; his voice so cold it sent shivers down everyone’s backs. He lifted his head towards everyone. Even with tears in his eyes, he could clearly see what Sunny just accomplished: A sacrifice which brought elves and ponies, from all walks of life, together against a common enemy.

“It’s not just one person’s fault,” Keith continued. “We all had a part to play. Sunny sacrificed herself to save everyone… all ponies and elves. She believed we could all be friends again… she never stopped believing. In all of us… and in me.”

Tears landed upon her sleeping face until Keith turned away toward the Paladins gathered around him.

“The crystals may have brought us together, but it was never the crystals that needed to be united… it’s us. We can bring back everything that was lost, but it’s up to all of us. Now we have a choice: We can keep trusting in lies and fear, or we can choose friendship… we can choose love… that is the true magic.”

Every elf and pony turned toward one another. Perhaps this young mage was right all along. All the time being scared and spreading lies did nothing but erase magic from existence. It also turned them into fear-induced slaves willing to follow an ignorant pony to a battle not worth fighting. And because of that fear, they lost a very special pony… no, they lost two.

Phyllis and Iverson turned toward Alphabittle and Cronan, who in turn turned toward Rosalyn and Haven. Phyllis stepped closer towards the unicorn and offered her hoof.

She smiled… he smiled… and they shook hooves.

One by one, mages, fairies, Earth elves, Earth ponies, Pegasi, and unicorns alike exchanged hands and hooves. Greeting one another, exchanging names, embracing the true spirit of friendship. For the first time in his life, Keith could feel that change in the air… a real change. A change of which he and his new friends would preserve for years to come, maybe even longer.

A cough alerted everyone’s heads, as they turned back slowly. Sunny’s eyes fluttered open, even though the irises were gravely pale.

“Keith…?”

“Shh…” Keith hushed, brushing her mane. “It’s okay, Sunny. I’m here…”

“Keith… I… I don’t feel so good…” Sunny groaned. “I think… I’m…”

“No! No, no, you’ll be okay, sis! We’ve done it! We brought everyone together, just like Dad always dreamed of.”

Sunny managed to turn her head slightly toward Hitch, though her vision was blurry.

“Hitch…”

“It’s okay,” Hitch smiled, nuzzling her cheek. “I’m here, too.”

“We all are, Sunny,” Zipp spoke softly.

She and everyone smiled, swarming her with their warmth and love. Though it was weak, Sunny managed to smile… till her eyes grew heavy again. Though she was still breathing, her friends could feel her strength fading. Prepared for the worst, Keith leaned his face against Sunny’s shoulder crying softly into it.

All of a sudden, the sky above began to shimmer and sparkle. Over the horizon, a rainbow appeared… except it was no ordinary rainbow. Arching across the sky, the rainbow itself appeared to be hurdling towards them. Not to mention, it didn’t include the typical colors one would see from a rainbow.

The colors consisted of violet, pink, white, orange, yellow, blue, and aquamarine.

Soon as the colors descended from above, seven figures emerged. Everybody, minus the Paladins, gasped as Korra and the Mares stepped from the rainbow and onto the pavement. Korra’s bare feet grazed the ground, as though she were walking on air. She knelt elegantly beside Keith, examining Sunny.

“She’s not gone yet,” Keith spoke shakily. “Please… don’t take her away…”

Korra cupped Keith’s cheek with her soft hands, soothing him. “I can’t make promises… but we’ll try.”

Korra nodded toward Twilight, and together they beckoned the Paladins (Politely of course) to step aside. Keith, reluctantly, handed Sunny to Korra and the woman cradled the pony in her arms, while the mares formed a circle around her. The moment Korra opened her mouth, a soothing melody filled the air…

It’s calling through the dark

It’s reeling in my heart

The sound of the pipes on the wind

The strains of the song

Carry me along

Sending me dancing again

Twilight:

From above and below

A sound soft and low

And the music’s flowing through me like before

Korra and Twilight:

And the song that we once knew

Brings me back to you

Pipes play within me once more

Korra and the Mares sang together in pitch perfect harmony. Their bodies glowed as sparkles rose from their manes and tails, the magic raining upon Sunny as Korra held her protectively in her arms with a motherly touch.

Korra and Mane Six:

Your songs are in my heart

They light the dark

So come give me your hand

Now and we’ll dance tonight

In the blazing light

And the years will fade away

Korra:

Fade as you play

Together:

Play through the dark

Play in my heart!

The shimmer of light surrounded Sunny, restoring her natural color. Korra could feel her heartbeat steadying, her breathing returning to normal. When she opened her eyes, she gasped and inhaled deeply. The first thing Sunny saw were a pair of beautiful blue eyes and a kind smile. Her hair in a constant serene movement.

“Korra? What happened?”

“Seems Someone has given you another chance,” Korra replied.

“Who?” Sunny asked, confused.

“Someone who always guided us… and will certainly guide you, too.” Korra gently set Sunny onto the ground, keeping her steady until the feeling returned to her hooves.

“Sunny!”

The mare turned as Keith rushed in, scooping her in his arms and squeezed her tightly.

“You’re back!” Keith cried. “You’re alright!”

“Yeah… I am!” She rasped. “Though probably not for much longer…”

“Oh… sorry!”

Keith loosed his grip so Sunny could properly hug him. The rest of the Paladins ambushed the siblings into a massive embrace. Korra too shared one, along with her mare friends of old.

“Thank you,” Keith smiled. “Thank you so much.”

Everyone else watched in awe toward the winged woman with round ears and moving ethereal white hair, matching the very movements as the manes of the six mares beside her.

“I don’t believe it…” Phyllis gasped. “Argyle was right!”

“The Maiden and the Mares are real!” Sprout shouted giddily.

Suddenly realizing whom he was speaking to, Sprout bowed dramatically, his nose practically plastered on the pavement. The deputy had now reverted back to his old childhood self. And everyone else followed his example, albeit slightly less exaggerated.

“Please…” Korra spoke. “No need to bow to us. We’re merely the messengers.”

At her words, strong and powerful yet soothing and motherly, everyone got back up. Everyone, both ponies and elves alike, waited anxiously to hear what she had to say.

“We’ve been watching your world for a very long time,” Korra began. “It’s been just as long since we’ve seen you all together in one place.”

Korra looked onwards toward the lighthouse, smiling with a wave of her hand. Something bright and sparkly emerged from the open window of the lighthouse, softly landing into her hand. The carousel Argyle made all those many years ago.

“Argyle was indeed a very wise pony,” Korra said. “But, even for him, some things tended to slip… right from under his nose.”

She turned the carousel sideways and pulled out the sparkly jewel creating the light and shape effect. The edges sparkled with rainbow colors… and all at once Keith and Sunny understood.

“There really was a third crystal!” Sunny gasped.

“And we’ve had it… this whole time?!” Keith tugged his hair. “Well… would you look at that!”

Korra merely chuckled before facing Alphabittle and Queen Haven.

“May I have your crystals, please?”

The ponies didn’t protest and gladly they handed her their respective jewels. Korra levitated the three gems above her head and called out so her voice could be heard from every corner of Equestria.

“These crystals were a gift from us to the original Paladins,” Korra called out. “But these were merely symbols of the unity between the clans. Let it be known: On this day, upon this soil, and before us, your kind, and the Paladins, do you swear to uphold the truth of what you witnessed today? To honor your history and each other? To always trust in the truth and not of false doctrine? But most of all… do you swear to love one another? Play your part? Hand in hoof and heart to heart?”

Every elf and pony held one hand and/or hoof over their hearts, bowing their heads respectively and all at once their replies echoed…

“WE SWEAR!!!”

Korra turned toward the Paladins, who bowed their heads and placed their hands and hooves over their hearts.

“We swear!”

Upon their vows, the crystals glowed. The magic once lost now seeped into the stones, waiting to be released to the world.

“Well then…” Korra smiled. “Let’s get this party started!”

Korra hurled the three crystals into the air and all eyes watched them assume their positions: The Skyling crystal beneath, the Earth crystal in the center, and the Jewel-Horn crystal atop. In a flash, they converged together, the Earth crystal in the very heart of it all and the Jewel-Horn crystal between the tip of the wings. Together… they bore a striking resemblance to Princess Twilight Sparkle herself.

A burst of light expanded, and soon… the sky was alit with an aurora of color in multitudes!

Every elf and pony from all walks of life marveled toward the miracle that unfolded before them. All at once, something stirred inside of them. The Skyling’s wings glowed, as did the horns and jewels of every Jewel-Horn. The Earth Folk felt their hooves and bodies grow stronger, the urge to gallop along the wide-open plains like their ancestors. Even the Earth elves felt like skipping and running alongside their equine friends.

Phyllis and Iverson felt twenty years younger and Sprout much more confident. He laughed as he galloped ahead, his hooves glowing and leaving heart-shaped hoof prints. Flowers and plants suddenly sprouted between the lines of the flat cobblestones.

Queen Haven and Queen Rosalyn looked up as every Skyling took off toward the sky, while the Jewel-Horns fired sparks of magical aura into the air. And suddenly, the Queens gasped when their wings began to glow. Soon, they took off into the sky, with their children beside them, laughing… hugging… and finally able to fly.

Alphabittle’s injured hoof suddenly felt heavy against the sling. To his shock, he could move it… and run on all fours like a brand-new pony! Cronan laughed with childlike glee when he spun magical purple sparks along his fingertips. The two lifelong friends hugged, and for the first time felt whole again.

The beautiful colors spread all across Equestria, from Zephyr Heights to Bridlewood. Ponies and elves far and wide felt the ancient magic return to them. Skylings took to the skies, Jewel-Horns spread magic all around the Earth. Even the crystals glowed as the flora around sprung to life. It was as if the world itself was waking from a centuries old sleep.

But the miracles didn’t stop there…

Keith and Sunny noticed a stream of magical sparks around them, hoisting them into the air. The magic within them stirred, filling them with all the warmth they felt whenever they were with friends. The rest of the Paladins watched in astonishment as the golden energy wrapped around Sunny, around her body and upon her forehead.

The gold energy converged into the shape of golden feathered wings complete with a long, beautiful golden horn. The shiver dissolved, making the wings and horn solid. The wings matched Sunny’s coat, the feathers the same fuchsia and magenta hues as her mane which now hung loose and flowing, longer than before with rainbow streaks!

Keith’s hair received the similar treatment, with red, orange and gold hues along his bangs. From his back, fairy wings of matching color sprouted from his back. Together, brother and sister flapped their new wings and softly landed on the ground beside their friends.

“No… way!” Lance gaped, marveling Keith’s new wings.

“Check you guys out!” Zipp said.

Sunny and Keith examined their new wings, while Sunny tapped her new gold horn with white hues and swirling patterns adorned with stars.

“Now that’s a glow up!” Izzy smiled.

“You guys look just like Arthur and Llamrei!” Katie added.

Korra and the Mares approached the pair, walking gracefully like swans on a still lake.

“Did you do all this?” Sunny asked.

“No…” Twilight shook gracefully. “You both have proven yourselves worthy to carry the legacy of Arthur and Llamrei.”

“You both demonstrated the greatest example of friendship there is,” Korra continued, smiling serenely. “For there’s no greater love than he—or she—willing to give their life for their friends.”

Keith stood completely stunned, the new wings were one thing but… he wondered.

“Does… this mean we’re…”

“King and Queen?” Korra finished, chuckling softly. “Well… sort of. You may have your wings now, but Your journey has only just begun.”

“But still… me a king?” Keith said. “Don’t you think this is a little fast? I don’t even know the first thing about being king!”

The poor mage looked as though he could pass out any moment. Luckily, Lance linked his arm around him, drawing him into a sideways hug.

“No worries, buddy! I’ll teach you everything you need to know.”

“You’re quite right, Lance,” Twilight said. “You won’t be doing it alone. For what are a King and Queen of friendship… without their friends?”

Keith turned towards Sunny, who smiled with reassurance like everyone else.“I’m still not sure about this,” Keith said. “What if I’m not ready?”

He hung his head so low his bangs nearly obscured his jewel. Korra lifted his chin so his eyes could meet hers.

“I was a lot like you once, Keith,” Korra reassured. “I wasn’t so sure of myself either when I got my wings.” She glanced at her own feathered appendages, “But trust me when I say that when the time comes, you’ll grow into them. No matter what happens, trust in the magic that you have with your friends. And if you’re ever in doubt, you can always come to us whenever you need to.”

Keith felt relieved and while still coming to terms of this new title, he felt comfort in her words. He hugged Korra, relishing in the maternal love he never got to experience.

“Thank you, Korra.”

“We promise,” Sunny vowed. “We’ll do our part to bring Avalon back, no matter how long it takes.”

“Oh, Sunny…” Twilight giggled, lifting her wing. “Look around you…”

And look she did. All around Sunny, elves and ponies stood side by side, playing and laughing. Even Cloudpuff took flight, playing with all the younger ponies and elf children. Haven happily chatted with Alphabittle and a few children, while Cronan presented a flower to Rosalyn, who blushed over the gesture.

Allura, Pipp, and Zipp giggled, while Lance felt sick to his stomach. Pipp playfully elbowed him in the stomach. And amongst them all, Twilight nuzzled Sunny’s cheek.

“You’ve already found it…” Twilight reassured.

“She’s right Sunny,” Hitch spoke, in admiration. “You really are amazing.”

“Well, we all did it,” Sunny replied, blushing. “Together…”

“I know… oh! You dropped this.” Hitch pulled out the piece of paper he found while he and Hunk searched for her. Sunny gasped, covering her mouth before she could scream from embarrassment. A page filled with doodles of herself and Hitch… surrounded by hearts and the two nuzzling noses.

“O—oh! That’s, uh… it’s not what it—I mean, it is, but—”

Hitch chuckled as he folded the piece of paper and put it away. “You asked me once if I still believed in your Dad’s stories,” Hitch reminded. “Truth is: There was only one thing I always believed in…”

Hitch moved closer to Sunny, placing a hoof upon her face.

“You…”

Katie, Izzy, Zipp, Allura, and Pipp gushed over his words, even Keith and Hunk. And Sunny… she stood frozen in place.

“Hitch, I… I have no idea what to say…”

“You don’t have to say anything.”

Hitch suddenly leaned in and kissed her. Sunny, stunned at first, suddenly relaxed into it. Leaning further, she kissed him back, her wings flapping happily, as though she could walk on air right now.

Keith and Hunk high-fived while the girls squealed with joy. Lance wasted no time in snapping a pic to commemorate the moment.

“Now that’s a keeper,” Lance smirked.

Korra and the Mares all laughed, recalling their first kiss with their respected spouses.

“Sure brings back memories, eh, Rainbow?” Applejack asked, nudging her rainbow-maned friend.

“Sure does!”

“Zipp! Zipp!!!”

Hearing somebody call her name, Zipp looked up and gasped. A swarm of Pegasi and fairy guards swooped down, led by a certain gray-coated, blond-haired Pegasus with bright blue eyes. Only now, without his helmet, his untamed hair flew out in the open.

“Soren!” Zipp cried out, hugging him. “You’re here!”

“You were right! Magic is real! Never doubted you for a moment!”

“Oh really?” Zipp raised a brow.

“Okay… maybe a little. But you know… I’m a cynical guy.”

Zipp laughed and kissed Soren on the lips.

“Thank you for helping mom escape.

“Yes…” Queen Haven replied. “He truly is… a very nice young man. Guess there’s really no need to keep your… courtship a secret any longer.”

“Really?!” Zipp flapped her wings, happily. “Thanks, mom!”

Pipp held her hoof to her heart, happy for her sister. Sunny laughed, more for herself than any pony. So silly she felt for ever suspecting that Zipp had been interested in Hitch. Besides, it was now very, very clear he always harbored the same feelings for Sunny as she did for him.

“This is great!” Soren smiled. “Now we can double date with Callum and Rayla!”

“Oh, oh! I know!” Izzy clapped her hooves. “We should all celebrate! Let’s throw a party!”

“Aww… a pony after my own heart!” The pink mare smiled tearfully.

“Sadly, I’m afraid we must part now, darlings,” The white unicorn declared sadly.

“You’re not going to stay?” Sunny asked.

“Don’t worry, we’ll be around. In the meantime…” Korra reassured, then reached into the feathers of her wings and pulled out a book with the image of a heart inside a six-pointed star. She levitated the book towards Sunny, who took it into her hooves.

“What is this?” She asked.

“A journal we kept in our lifetime.” Twilight explained. “Hopefully the lessons inside will guide you on your journey.”

Sunny held the book close to her heart. “Thank you. Thank you for everything.”

“No… thank you, Sunny Starscout.”

Korra and the Mares welcomed the Paladins into a big group hug as the rainbow colors appeared over them again. The Maiden and Mares waved farewell before disappearing and the rainbow faded into the sky. But even as it passed, the Paladins could still see seven twinkling multicolored stars, each color corresponding with the respective Mare, and the Maiden herself.

“You did it, Sunny,” Keith smiled, wrapping his arm over his sister.

“We did it,” Sunny corrected. “Together…”

Sunny extended her hoof and Keith, along with everyone else, placed their hand and hooves toward the center before raising them up toward the sky.

“Hand in hoof! And Heart to Heart!”

Feeling the love

The party in Maretime Bay was in full swing. An elf D.J. spun records in the street, while elves and ponies of mass varieties danced together underneath the shimmering lights. Hitch Trailblazer and Sunny Starscout incorporated their signature hoof-shake into their dance, every now and again sneaking kiss and soft glances. Sunny never imagined feeling this happy. Not only have her own wings and a horn, but now the lifelong dream she and her father, Argyle, had been realized… and now she could share this moment with the stallion she loved.

From afar, with a cup of punch in one hand, Keith Kogan looked on smiling over the sound of his little sister’s laughter. He knew Hitch would treat her right, just as he always had.

“They make a cute couple, don’t they?”

Taken by surprise, Keith turned around only to find Allura standing beside him. Keith noticed her hands were behind her back and a dash of pink around her cheeks (Which he recognized as blush). The sight of which made him ‘blush’ too.

“Yeah… about time,” Keith replied, making Allura giggle.

Together, the elf and the fairy stood side-by-side in awkward silence. Several seconds passed until Keith spoke up again.

“So, um… what are you guys going to do now? What with the whole ‘lying to your subjects’ deal?”

“Well, mother and Aunty Haven do have a lot to answer to,” Allura admitted. “But… I think by now the Skylings already understood ‘why’ they did it. I… might be gone for a while, just to help settle things down.”

“Oh…” Keith thought, his chest aching. “I see…”

“But…” Allura continued. “I spoke it over with them and they agreed that once that’s done me, Lance, and the twins can… stick around here.”

“Really?” Keith asked, his spirits lifted. “I mean that’s great, that is—Ahem! I mean… we Paladins need to stick together after all…”

The fact Keith actually ‘tried’ to sound more dignified, the manner of deepening his voice, made Allura laugh. Which only made Keith’s heart flutter.

“You are too funny,” Allura smiled.

“You’re definitely the first, and so far ‘only’, person who’s ever said that about me.”

“Well then, consider me honored.”

Allura stepped closer, biting her lower lip. Then, much to Keith’s surprise, she leaned in and planted a wet kiss upon his left cheek. Keith stood frozen in place, with his eyes wide open.

“Wow… didn’t see that coming,” Keith spoke, stunned. “N-Not that I didn’t like it, because I did… I mean… I loved it a lot.”

“Good…” Allura giggled bashfully. “Maybe you won’t mind if I asked you out on a date?”

“A date?!” Keith cleared his throat, realizing his outburst. “I mean, yeah, sure! A date! I’d love to.”

“Great!”

Allura flung her arms around his neck and hugged him close. Keith snuck a glance toward Sunny, who squealed rather excitedly. And Hitch himself sent Keith a congratulatory wink. To which Keith gave them both a thumbs up and proceeded to melt into Allura’s grip.

From the dance floor Lance looked on, spotting Zipp Storm dancing with her no-longer-secret-boyfriend, Soren. He soon noticed Katie Holt standing alone, while Izzy Moonbow danced with Pipp Petals, the latter of whom taught the unicorn some dance moves. Izzy stopped upon seeing Katie all by her lonesome and Pipp taking notice of Lance. The ponies turned toward each other, smiling sneakily.

“You thinking what I’m thinking?” Pipp asked.

“Time to get sneaky!” Izzy spoke dramatically.

Izzy rushed over toward Katie, dragging her along the dance floor with her newfound magic as a ‘friendly’ shove, much to Katie’s protest.

“Whoa! Izzy, what are you doing? You know I don’t like group dancing!”

“You danced during the song at our cottage!”

“That was different!”

At the same time, Pipp bumped her flank against Lance’s wait and pushed him toward Katie’s direction.

“Pipp, what’s the big idea?”

Soon Lance and Katie collided, their eyes locked together. Their respected ponies gave a high-hoof in victory before sneaking off (Izzy practically hopping away).

“Uh… hey!” Lance greeted.

Seeing Katie up close reminded him how cute she was. With her big brown eyes, that honey-brown ember hair cut so unevenly, the latter of which actually enhanced her cuteness.

“Hey,” Katie responded.

“You… wanna dance?”

“I’m… not much of a dancer.”

“That’s okay. I can teach you if you don’t mind.”

In truth, Katie actually didn’t mind. Seeing the way Lance swooped into action to save the helpless made Katie realize how heroic and selfless he truly was beneath the superstar persona. Plus, how many people gushed over her organize technological inventions the way he did? He was one of the few people who didn’t make fun of her for being a geek.

“That… actually sounds nice,” Katie smiled. “But just so you know: I don’t do slow dancing, or any of that classical ballroom stuff!”

“Thank goodness!” Lance sighed with relief. “I hate ballroom dancing! BORING!!!”

That actually earned a chuckle from Katie, as if to suggest this match could work out. The two held hands and Lance showed her how to ‘get down’ on that dance floor.

Pipp and Izzy squealed, until a couple of handsome stallions trotted along and silently invited them for a dance. A unicorn toward Pipp and a Pegasus to Izzy. The girls squealed again before accepting their respected suitor’s requests.

Seeing all these couples gave Hunk Garrett an idea. He approached the D.J. and whispered something in his ear. With a nod, the D.J. handed his headphones to Hunk who took over the stage.

“Alright party people!” Hunk called out. “Next song goes to all the new friendships out there!”

One push on the MP3 player and an upbeat pop tune played.

(Feeling the love, from Disney’s Descendants)

Keith:

You don’t know you’ve been looking until you find it

Don't know what you've been missing until it's there

Sunny:

It's stronger than a spell

It's magic in itself

It's an ever after like you've never felt

Keith and Sunny:

It's the sum of the times of your life

It's the person you're standing beside

And it's the joy that you're feeling inside

For where you are

We’ve come so far

I'm feeling the la-la-love

La-la-love

You make me feel alive

True love you can't deny

Allura and Hitch:

I'm feeling that dream come true

Here with you

And love is around us too

Ooh, and I feel the love

Everyone:

(I'm feeling the)

(Ooh, make you feel alive)

Lance and Hunk:

The journey might not always be that easy

Twist and turns can take you anywhere

Allura, Pipp and Zipp:

Together or apart

Just open up your heart 'cause

The power of true love will get you there

Everyone:

Yeah, it's the sum of the times of your life

(Your life)

And it's the person you're standing beside

(Oh)

Yeah, it's the joy that you're feeling inside

(Yeah)

Sunny:

From where you are

And it's just the start

Everybody:

I'm feeling the la-la-love

La-la-love

Lance and Pipp:

You make me feel alive

True love you can't deny

Katie and Izzy:

I'm feeling that dream come true

Here with you

And love is around us too

Ooh, and I feel the love

Everybody:

(I'm feeling the)

(Ooh, make you feel alive)

Hitch and Sunny:

For good and for better

We’re best friends forever

Lance and Katie:

I can't wait to know where our story goes

Allura and Keith:

This moment, this feeling is one you can't measure

Allura:

I'm feelin' it

Keith:

I'm feelin' it

Everybody:

Are you feeling it

I'm feeling the la-la-love

La-la-love

You make me feel alive

True love you can't deny

I'm feeling that dream come true

Here with you

And love is around us too

Ooh, and I feel the love

I'm feeling the la-la-love

La-la-love

You make me feel alive

True love you can't deny

I'm feeling that dream come true

Here with you

And love is around us too

Ooh, and I feel the love

Sunny:

I'm feeling the la-la-love

La-la-love

I'm feeling the la-la-love

As the song played off into the night, the Paladins gathered together for a group photo. Hitch pulled Sprout into the picture, while Sunny invited Phyllis and Iverson as well. James, sitting around mopping, looked up toward Keith… who offered him a hand in friendship, his face seeming to say, ‘I forgive you’. Something in his heart told him it was the right thing to do. From the corner of his eye, he saw Korra’s smiling face somewhere in the faded distance.

“She was right…” James thought. “The Maiden and the Mares really are watching...”

Still slightly stunned, James accepted Keith’s offer and took his place in the photo. Zipp and Pipp hugged Allura and Lance respectively, Izzy jumped on Katie’s back (Piggy-back style with her hooves in the air), and Hunk gave Hitch a noogie. Last, but certainly not least, Keith held Sunny close, along with the three crystals, representing each of the tribes…

United once again…

Prologue

Once upon a time…

There were two worlds

Once united, but split apart

Until six valiant ponies and one courageous Avatar reignited the magic of friendship and made both of their worlds whole again.

“Bah! We already know that story!”

Discord closes the book, titled: The Little Pony Legend and tossed it over his shoulder. The draconequus was sitting on a loveseat in his private wing library, which was stocked with books. Some were floating about in mid-air, others were floating un a sea of gravy, and others were just flipping from one shelf to the next.

“How many times can a guy read the same old tale? I mean, fifteen volumes?! Not even the girl with the ladybug jumpsuit had that many books. But, whatever. It has been ages since I looked into my old friends.”

Discord sighs, his posture hunched and his ears dropped. “You know, there is a downside to being a semi-immortal spirit of chaos. You live long enough to see your best buds grow up but… you’ve also said goodbye so many times you begin to feel stale.”

Discord curls into his bed like a snake, sighing sadly. “Although, there is also a benefit to being an inter-dimensional being.” Discord uncurls and floats towards his books. “You see, these books aren’t just about Korra and the Mane Six. Oh, no. You didn’t think theirs was the only story worth hearing about, did you?” Discord levitated several books and had them spin around in a circle around him.

“Believe it or not, there isn’t just one place that has lost the magic of friendship. Much like the Magic Mirrors that took Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer into an alternate version of their world, there are many, many, many other versions of the same world! Some more alike than others, and some almost entirely different. Like this one for instance.”

Discord picks a book and when he opens it a chibi version of Pinkie Pie with huge hair pops out, prancing to the theme song of Pony Life.

It’s a sweet life

Still a little messy

Magic-life

Full of surprises

Discord screams and quickly closes the book. “Not that one! We never speak of that one! Although, I will admit it was kind of fun while it lasted.” The book opens again and a chibi-Fluttershy pops out with hearts in her eyes.

“Hello, Discord!”

Discord screams again and shoves the creepy chibi-Fluttershy back into the book.

“Get back in there you dirty minded knock off of my sweet, innocent—and happily married to Thorax with adorable triplets that call me Uncle Discord—Fluttershy!” Once the chibi-Fluttershy was gone, Discord made a shredder appear and shredded the book of Pony Life into it. Listening to the chibi-versions of the Mane Six screaming in agony.

“Not cannon.” He says. “So, now you get the gist of it. There are many dimensions out there, many different versions of the same story, and others not so similar… In fact. I do recall one story I haven’t gotten the chance to read as of yet.

Discord searches for the book, looking underneath his chair, his hat rack, his stairs, his kitchen sink, until he found the book right behind a potted Venus-flytrap.

“Aha! There you are! I should really catalog these things. But then it wouldn’t be chaotic, now would it?” Discord laughs to himself and sits back in his chair.

“Ah, yes! This. This is the one. Now, sit back kids as Discord reads to you the story of another Equestria. Not the one you know, but still just as familiar. Ahem…”

Many moons ago

In a different version ofEquestria

There lived three types of ponies

Earth ponies. Unicorn ponies. And Pegasus ponies.

But alongside these ponies existed a different kind of creature.

Yet, still very similar.

These beings were known as Elves.

What are elves, you may ask?

Well, think about the benders from Korra and Twilight’s story, only instead of the elements they were split into three types, much like the ponies were.

The Earth Elves, which were basically humans but with pointy ears.

The Mage Elves, born with magical stones on their foreheads in order to perform magic spells like the unicorns.

And the Fairy Elves, which had wings to fly across the sky.

And yes, they all had pointy ears.

For generations, ponies and elves lived together in friendship and love.

While the ponies in this world couldn’t change into anthro forms they could alter their size so that their elf friends could ride on their backs. Creating a symbiotic relationship that was stronger than any magic.

And yes, the land did have magic. It pulsed through the land and all was well.

So, basically, it was kinda boring for a while, but hey, to each their own.

And just like Korra and Twilight’s story, this Equestria had its own protectors.

The Paladins of Harmony

Valiant, noble and selfless knights that traveled the lands, protecting the innocent from danger.

Monsters, natural disasters, all that fun stuff.

But most importantly, they taught everyone the value of friendship and family.

Together, they kept the land beautiful and harmonious for many moons.

Until…

One fateful day…

When the Paladins of Harmony…

Broke apart.

And with it, so did the rest of their world.

Ponies and elves of all kinds started spreading lies about each other, and it didn’t take long for friendships to break. Families separated. It was a truly dark time for everyone.

The earth ponies and the earth elves stayed together, as did the unicorns and the mages, and the pegasi with the fairies. But the three groups remained separated from one another.

The Paladins of Harmony were no more.

But that’s not exactly where THIS story begins

Oh, no, no, no, no.

This story begins in a time long since the Paladins dispersed and their friendship broke apart.

In a small town village by the sea known as Maretime Bay.

Where a spunky little pony dreams of a better world of when the paladins may return and friendship will once again reign.

And a young little elf boy, alone and lost. Looking for a place to call home.

So I guess you could say that, much like the stories you’ve already come to know, this one begins with the powerful bond between a pony.

And a boy.

And of course…

The Magic of Friendship.

Chapter 3–Canterlogic Disaster

Chapter 3: Canterlogic Disaster

The Canterlogic factory, a wonder to behold for anyone who stepped foot (Or hoof) into its walls for the first time. Pony and elf workers moved from one place to another, stacking boxes filled with gadgets and gears. One of the workers was Hunk, who got a job working as an engineer driving the forklift. His eyes caught his officer friends passing by.

“Hey, Keith!” Hunk waved.

“Hey, Hunk,” Keith waved back.

“Where’s Sunny with the smoothies? I’ve been craving her Moon-berry Surprise for weeks.”

“Yeah, about that… she uh…”

“She got banned,” Sprout answered, sipping his stolen smoothie.

“She’s not banned! She’s just… not allowed to come in today.”

“So, she was banned?” Hunk asked.

“No!” Keith grunted.

So frustrated, Keith began to massage his forehead till he remembered his jewel. Quickly, he adjusted his bangs again, as casually as he could to avoid suspicion.

“Look guys, I know Sunny can be…”

“Crazy?” Sprout guessed.

“Looney?” James added.

“Cute?”

All eyes turned toward Hitch, who realized what he just said and tried to cover it.

“I mean… ‘acute’. She did get better grades than Sprout back in school.”

“Hey!” Sprout exclaimed, frowning.

“Please…” Hunk brushed off. “Everybody got better grades than Sprout.”

“HUNK!!!”

“The point is,” Keith continued. “Sunny is an active dreamer, and true she can be a bit pushy, but she means well. You can’t really fault her for wanting better things.”

“Better for who?” James inquired. “For her? She’s the only pony who wants those freaky mages and pegasi to be our friends. Never gonna happen! Just wait boys. The minute I see a mage, I’ll knock him so hard in the head those pesky jewels will fall right out of his skull!”

Keith didn’t say another word.

The lights soon went out, as a voice spoke through the monitors.

“It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for. As true founder of Canterlogic, she’s been keeping us safe and stylish for the last twenty moons. Please, go wild for the one and only: Phyllis Cloverleaf!”

Phyllis stepped onto the stage, the neon insignia of her company glowing in neon lights from behind as the spotlight shone upon her. By the wall stood a large, imposing man with dark skin and a black shaven beard. He wore a police hat and uniform; his left eye permanently closed. This was Commander Iverson, Phyllis’s personal bodyguard.

“Thank you! Thank you!” Phyllis greeted the crowd. “Thank—oh, hey, how are ya? Thank you so much.”

Every pony and elf cheered and clapped enthusiastically, while Keith merely clapped politely with little effort. He leaned against the wall where the two seagulls and tiny crab, who’d been following Hitch around, stood idly by. Keith put on a brave face, adjusting his bands as his heart leapt in fright. Standing in a room full of mage-hating earth folk (The general term for both earth ponies and earth elves) was like stepping into the lion’s den with a piece of raw meat attached to his ankle.

“We here at Canterlogic are so thrilled to create perfect products that will protect earth folk like you… from creatures like that!”

Phyllis pointed her hoof toward two posters, one which depicted a Pegasus about to snatch helpless ponies like a ravenous eagle, and fairies with claws for hands and birdlike feet. The second poster depicted unicorns with horns ready to stab a pony being protected by their elf friends, mages with their mind-reading stones trying to hypnotize their prey.

The crowd booed, among them Hitch, Hunk, and James. Keith shrunk in the shadows of the wall, turning away from the stage. Just when he hoped things could change, he was reminded how terrified everyone was of creatures like him. Though as far as he was aware, he couldn’t do ‘any’ of the things they claimed he could.

“Hypnotize people? Read their minds? Zap their brains out?” Keith thought to himself. “I can’t even make pasta without burning it! How am I supposed to read or control anyone’s mind? Why would I even want to?”

“And like I always say,” Phyllis continued. “’To be scared is…’”

“To be prepared!” The audience replied.

“Oh, I love it!”

“Yeah!” Hunk nudged Keith’s arm. “Don’t you just love that slogan?”

“Uh, yeah… it’s great Hunk,” Keith muttered quietly.

Hunk was too preoccupied with a bite of his sandwich to suspect Keith’s tone.

“And now, let’s start the show!” Phyllis declared.

The music played, with Hitch swaying to the beat, and ponies stepping onto the stage modeling three of Phyllis’s latest inventions.

The first was an anti-mind reading/mind-control helmet modeled by a pony named Sugar Moonlight. Hunk was hollering like a complete crazy man.

“Yeah! Let’s see those mages and unicorns beat that, right Keith?”

But Keith didn’t answer. Instead he huffed and kept quiet, trying to suppress the uncomfortable sting in his chest.

The next model was an elf walking out with the most ridiculous looking goggles designed to look up, and nowhere ‘but’ up, so he’d see an incoming ‘deadly’ Pegasus or fairy. Of course, it worked too well, and the poor chap couldn’t see he was about to fall… right off the stage.

“It’s all part of the show!” Phyllis assured.

The next model was a pony, strutting with all the flamboyance of a model, pulling a cord from his backpack. Out sprouted an array of colorful balloons supposedly for an escape pack. But like the last invention, this one worked a little ‘too’ well. The poor pony was hoisted high into the air, dragged off by his own invention and out the open window.

“Yikes,” Hitch said, still bobbing his head. “That’s gonna be a lot of paperwork.”

“We take great care here at Canterlogic to ensure the safety of you, our loyal customers.”

The audience ‘awed’ over her words, though Keith merely rolled his eyes. James, sipping his smoothie, noticed Keith’s indifference toward the event.

“Aww, what’s the matter, Kogan?” He asked mockingly. “Scared those things could hurt your unicorn and fairy friends?”

“Put a sock in it, James!”

“Not if I sock you first!”

“Hey!” Hitch exclaimed. “No police brutality on the job… or ever. Got that, cadets?”

“Yes, Chief,” Both boys said.

Iverson soon stepped onto the stage beside Phyllis.

“Stand back, maggots!” He shouted, military style.

And the audience did just that, knowing better than to disobey.

“This product testing demonstration is fully automatic,” Phyllis warned.

The light behind her and Iverson lit up revealing an iron testing room. In the center stood a yellow makeshift pony testing dummy… which Sunny tossed to the side and jumped in its place. There she stood, wearing her cardboard unicorn horn and Pegasus wings. In her hooves she held a sign colored with a rainbow, a horn, wings, and a horseshoe. The audience gasped, while Phyllis looked horrified.

“You again!” Iverson sneered in annoyance.

Hunk choked on his sandwich, while James spat his drink out. Keith jumped away from the wall.

“Sunny, no…” Keith moaned.

“Oh-ho!” James chuckled. “This is going to be good!”

“Earth folk of Maretime Bay,” Sunny announced. “Fear is not your friend. But the pegasi, unicorns, fairies, and mages can be. Let’s extend the hand and hoof of friendship!”

But before she could continue her speech, three of her hooves were encased in metallic shoes, keeping her stuck to the floor.

“That is not what I meant.”

“Turn it off!” Phyllis told her workers. “Turn it off!”

The female pony and male elf tried, but the machine wasn’t responding. In the meantime, Phyllis tried to play it off like nothing was wrong.

“And so, now you can prevent an aerial abduction with a set of our new anti pega-lift boots!”

A mechanical Pegasus lowered down from the wall, trying to snatch Sunny, only to grab her makeshift wings and unicorn horn, and lastly her sign.

“Hey! Give that back!” Sunny waved her hoof in protest.

“Sunny, why?” Hitch sighed, shaking his head.

A pair of metallic claws strapped itself onto Sunny from above, hoisting her up like a plush toy from a crane game. It held her in the air until an ‘X’ symbol flipped over on the floor. All the while Sunny repeated her mantra.

“Peace with Pegasi! Unity with Unicorns! Fellowship with Fairies! Mutuality with Mages!”

Phyllis ignored her words and proceeded with the demonstration, hoping nobody would notice.

“Everybody, take a look at our unicorn and mage entrapment device.”

A helmet with a fake unicorn horn was strapped onto Sunny’s head, the claw dropped her right over the ‘X’, and in seconds her entire body was encased in a metallic box with a red button on the center, the fake horn poking through a hole. Hitch hurried towards the two working on the machine, pressing every button they could, hoping one would do something.

“Shut this thing down! Sheriff’s orders!”

“We’re trying!” The elf insisted.

“Automated means it has to go through the whole cycle,” The pony said, desperately pressing a button.

Once the metal box released Sunny, a pair of fake Pegasus wings also strapped themselves onto her back and the wall on her side opened up revealing a long machine with a flinging wheel on its side.

“Oh, no.”

Sunny was soon hoisted into the air, her body spun around like a whirlwind ride at a carnival. The whole time she kept repeating her mantra.

“Peace with Pegasi! Unity with Unicorns! Fellowship with Fairies! Mutuality with Mages!”

The wheel on the machine spun, flinging sticky green goop all over the place while Sunny spun round and round.

“A-A-And this is the splatter-pult!” Phyllis announced, struggling not to shudder.

“Cease fire!” Sunny shouted, at the top of her lungs.

*SPLAT!*

Her face was struck by one of the green balls. Thinking fast, Keith quickly spotted the power cord and quickly yanked it from the wall.

“Huh… I’m surprised nobody else thought of this,” Keith sighed.

The machine finally stopped firing and released Sunny. The glass wall split open, sending Sunny sliding down the runway, slowly coming to a stop. She still wore the fake horn and wings, giving the impression she looked like an Alicorn (Or ‘Winged Unicorn’, whichever they preferred). Every earth folk in the crowd gasped at the sight of her.

Keith quickly rushed to her aid, removing the sticky green junk off her fur and mane, even the helmet and wings.

“Are you okay?” Keith asked, concerned.

Sunny didn’t respond. She knew she’d have to face Keith once they left the building, but right now she’s a mare with a mission to complete. She stood with her head held high, addressing the attentive crowd.

“Aren’t you tired of being scared all the time?” Sunny asked. “The truth is: We’re ‘not’ in danger! It’s all a lie! We don’t need any of this Canterlogic junk.”

Phyllis, on the other hoof, took it as a personal insult.

“Oh, we don’t, do we? How do you suggest that we defend ourselves? With hugs and cupcakes?”

The audience laughed, though Keith wanted so badly to just take Sunny and run out right now. But his sister, stubborn as usual, won’t leave quietly. Course, she never did… so why start now?

Sunny soon spotted a couple foals in the crowd and spoke directly to them, knowing their innocent hearts were more open.

“Just imagine if you had a friend who could fly.”

To which the foals smiled excitedly over her words.

“Or a friend who can—”

“Fry your brains with a single horn zap?” Phyllis added. “Or swoop down and snatch you away?”

The foals Sunny thought was getting through to shivered in fear beside their mother. Commander Iverson turned towards Hitch with a heavy glare.

“Sheriff! Do your job and remove this scoundrel from the premises! On the double!”

Hitch had no choice but to comply.

“Come on, Sunny. Let’s get you out of here.”

“No!” Sunny protested. “Everybody needs to hear this! Everything you believe about pegasi, unicorns, fairies, and mages is wrong! They used to be our friends and they can be again!”

“We don’t need any of that around here!” Someone shouted, from the crowd.

“Get off the stage!”

Keith tapped Sunny’s neck.

“Come on, Sun. Let’s go home.”

Sunny was so distraught by the pain in his voice. She knew she’d really done it this time. All she wanted was for things to change, but instead she humiliated herself… and Keith… and Hitch. Even worse: She had broken her pinkie promise.

Chapter 6–Hitch and Hunk to the rescue

Hitch Trailblazer paced back and forth around the office. Several hours passed since the disappearance of Sunny Starscout and Keith Kogan. Ever since then, no pony in town had seen a trace of either them or the unicorn and mage. Hitch knew exactly why that is.

“They must’ve run off together,” Hitch presumed. “I’d never put it past Sunny, but Keith? The level-headed, though still hot-headed, older sibling?

“This doesn’t make any sense,” He spoke aloud, pacing about.

Watching the scene, James chewed on a piece of pizza he shared with Sprout.

“What’s to get?” James replied. “Your girlfriend and her wacko brother skipped town with the first unicorn and mage they see. It was only a matter of time before their true colors revealed themselves.”

Hitch ignored James’ comment involving the idea of Sunny being his girlfriend. Some more pressing matters weighed heavily on his mind.

“But it’s not like Keith to go along with Sunny just like that,” Hitch argued. “Something’s up, and I’m going to find out what it is.”

Hunk, who just finished repairing the jammed printer, poked his head from his work.

“What?! You’re going after them by yourself?”

“Of course, not. We are going to bring them back!”

Sprout gave a bored eye just as he was about to have a bite of his pizza.

“And by ‘we’ you mean…”

“You and I, yes,” Hitch confirmed sternly.

Sprout dropped his slice on his work desk. It was clear based on his expression he didn’t like the sound of that.

“Uhhh… I would love to but, um, I just gotta… clean up my workspace!”

Sprout proceeded to toss some papers, trying to form some convincing excuse not to leave Maretime Bay. Hitch merely shook his head, should’ve expecting this from Sprout of all ponies.

“Alright… Officer James…”

“Eh, no way!” James answered, swallowing his pizza. “As much as I’d love an opportunity to drag Kogan’s smug face back to Maretime, if that elf and his messed-up sister want to go frolicking in the woods with the enemy then I say… let ‘em leave Maretime, live in the Tundra for all I care. Besides, one of us needs to keep an eye on the comic relief before they mess things up.”

“Hey!” Sprout exclaimed, annoyed.

“I thought ‘I’ was the comic relief,” Hunk spoke up.

“Noo… you’re just the fat, stupid one with the big mouth!” James snapped.

But either that insult flew way over Hunk’s head or he simply wasn’t getting it at all.

“What’re you saying exactly?” Hunk shrugged, facing Hitch. “Anyways boss, you shouldn’t go out there alone. I know Keith and Sunny broke a ton of laws, but they’re still our friends. What if they get lost? What if the unicorns and mages get to them first? What if they’ve locked up in some horrible dungeon, with their brains dissected by their pointy horns--?!”

“Thank you for volunteering, Hunk,” Hitch spoke.

“You’re wel—Wait, what?!” Hunk screamed.

In a matter of seconds, Hitch shifted into his larger form and hoisted Hunk atop his back again.

“Wait, wait, wait, wait! I’m not a cop; I’m just the engineer! I can’t just leave the town!”

“And I can’t leave without backup. Need I remind you that you were one of the strongest elves back in the academy. You passed your physicals with high honors; who else could lift five boxes of Canterlogic gadgets?”

“Actually, it was ‘seven’. One was the prototype Splatter-pult hook—”

“That settles it. We’re off!”

“Whoa, hey! I didn’t agree to any of this! HITCH!!!!”

Hitch completely ignored Hunk’s pleas, as he turned back toward Sprout and James.

“Deputy, you and Officer James both stay here while Hunk and I are off dancing with danger.”

“I don’t like dancing!” Hunk argued.

The poor elf still tried so hard to get out of this predicament he clearly had no business in. Even if he were worried for his friends, being the ‘biggest’ and ‘strongest’ did not compensate for matters he ‘still’ struggled with growing up. Nevertheless, Hitch continued his instructions.

“Keep everybody calm, maintain the peace, be a pillar of strength—Oh, who am I kidding? James, make sure he doesn’t try to start a war while we’re gone.”

“You can count on me, mon capitaine,” James sarcastically saluted.

Hitch kicked the doors open and galloped off into the night, with a screaming Hunk clutching tightly onto his mane.

“Loosen that grip, Hunk!” Hitch called out. “You’re an officer tonight!”

“In my mother’s dreams!!!” Hunk screamed.

All the while, Sprout stood there when the doors closed on his face.

“Oh, everybody looooves Hitch!” Sprout complained.

As if Hitch’s popularity wasn’t bad enough, Sprout also had to deal with that tacky calendar that had pictures of Hitch. One in a sleek police uniform, looking all cool and handsome… oh, how Sprout hated the way that pony managed to get all the attention. With the ponies and elves, with the ladies, with animals, with kids, with the elderly… everyone.

“Maybe if you actually put in the effort to do your job once in a while, I wouldn’t have to babysit you like a school filly on holiday,” James remarked dryly.

“What does he have anyway?” Sprout asked.

“Great mane, shredded pony abs, paid off mortgage—” James counted his fingers.

“So what?!” Sprout sputtered. “I’ve got stuff too! I can do… things.”

“Sure you can, bro. Face it ‘beansprout’, the only reason you even became a Deputy in the first place is because your mother ‘asked’ our previous Sheriff to give you a job… well, more like a demand… well, more like had that henchman of hers ‘implore’ him to reconsider your rejection.”

“Right, because you’d make it so easy, Jimmy! Why didn’t you just ride off into the sunset with Hitch and get that criminal elf yourself?”

“Why do you have to do that to me? Make me look like I’m ‘weak’ compared to Kogan… I am not weak! Because unlike some elves, instead of running around aimlessly knowing those mages and unicorns can ‘misdirect’ their trail from us… I’m choosing to be ‘smart’. Which is more than you’ve ever done; how we even formed the bond I’ll never know.”

“I so could! Like… um…”

Sprout kicked the wall, making the calendar fall to the floor.

“And that!”

He kicked the top filing cabinet, which opened up the bottom cabinet.

“And… that!”

He kicked the bottom cabinet, only for the top half to open and strike the back of his head. As Sprout grunted in frustration, he noticed James cleaning Keith’s desk.

“What are you doing?”

“If I know Keith, he’s either going to be captured… or killed… maybe both,” Keith explained. “Since the elf’s kicked the bucket, might as well get rid of ‘all’ his stuff. Pictures of Sunny, his stupid country music CDs—who still uses CDs? His collection of headbands, I mean really what’s up with that guy and headbands? The greasy bangs weren’t enough of an emo hippie look?”

Suddenly, the doors burst open, and Phyllis Cloverleaf galloped inside in a panic.

“Where’s Hitch? Earth folk all over town, they’re terrified! They want answers!”

“He went after his ‘whittle Sunny-Bunny’!” Sprout mocked.

He started batting his eyelashes and laid his hooves beneath his chin, performing a ‘poor’ imitation of a smitten schoolgirl. He blew on his lips, shaking his head.

“Another solo Hitch mission,” James translated, from overhead. “It’s just going to be us today.”

Phyllis paused for a moment; the corner of her mouth turned upwards. Hitch Trailblazer… ‘gone’. Everybody in town losing their minds over a potential unicorn and mage attack. Sure, it was merely drumming up business for Canterlogic, but still she needed ‘someone’ to keep the peace… or in this case some ‘pony’. A pony who’d have the others, including the elves, practically climbing over each other for their own anti-mind reading helmets and splatter-pults. Some ‘pony’ that could turn to, strong, a confident physique, and a calm, collected mind…

But Hitch wasn’t here, so she’d need to settle for her son… ‘Sprout’. Least with Phyllis giving him all the encouragement he needed, and James as his ‘wing elf’, they could protect the town from the looming threat… maybe even prevent the threat ‘before’ it happens.

“Sugar cube, why the Sprout pout?” Phyllis cooed, cupping her son’s chin. “That’s great news!”

“It is?” Sprout questioned.

“It is?!” James asked.

He poked his head from behind Keith’s desk, tossing the stand with his name on it into the trash bin. Phyllis proceeded to pick up one of Hitch’s extra sheriff badges sitting on his desk.

“Of course it is!” Phyllis continued. “It means that you… are… the sheriff. At least for now.”

“I am?” Sprout asked.

It took him a couple seconds until the realization dawned on him.

“I… am!”

“Oh, boy. There goes the neighborhood,” James muttered. “Hitch’s not going to be happy when he hears what’s going on behind his back.”

“You just leave Hitch to me, Jim dear,” Phyllis smiled. “Besides… I have an extra ‘special’ job for you.”

“… What?”

The Magic of Friendship Grows

Discord sealed the book shut and placed it back upon the shelf next to him.

“Well, that’s it my friends,” Discord sighed, in content. “The end of the story… least for now. When you really think about it, no story is ever ‘truly’ over. Even if you reach the end of a chapter or a back end of a book, these stories are no different than the many others written down hundreds of times. They’re still being written to this day. When will they end? Who can say? That’s one of the many blessings: Not always knowing. While the legend may not be quite as you were told before, the core of it remains the same.

“It wasn’t just the legend of a hero or the story of a princess. It was a tale of courage… discovery… love… family… forgiveness… and faith.

“Sometimes the greatest stories are not ones you take alone, but what we share with others. So next time you see a rainbow in the sky, please don’t ignore it. Follow it, and perhaps you too will uncover your own legend. For there are truly no happy endings… just happy moments.”

Discord flew out of his house and into the night sky, following the stars. In a flash, he was inside a celestial plane, fill with many stars and the ground itself the aurora borealis. It was there he found all of his friends from throughout the years. Long since passed, but all together in the stars, surrounded by all the colors of the rainbow… and more.

And there Discord spotted his most dearest friends: Team Avatar Harmony.

Korra happily chatted away with her husband and daughter, even her grandchildren and great-grandchildren (As did the rest of the Mane Six). So many generations throughout the decades, all together, and every star a portal into another world in dire need of the magic of friendship. Few such worlds that didn’t even have magical talking ponies at all.

Some had elves possessing horns with the ability to commune with dragons; lions manifesting lion-like clouds with a magical roar; a world ruled by a princess with seventy feet of long golden hair; the other with a much younger princess wielding a magical amulet; and finally, another where yet ‘one’ princess escaped from said amulet.

Needless to say, they were a vast number of worlds whose number grows with each new star in the sky.

Team Avatar Harmony just finished observing their Paladin friends riding off into the sunset, wishing them the best of luck in their future adventures.

Even after all this time, the Mane Seven continued to spread the magic of friendship to those in most need. Even after one era had long since past and beyond. They were grateful for all the adventures they had while they were alive, and the many adventures that were yet to come for others.

But no matter what world they visited; one thing never changed…

Korra:

When I started out

I was unsure

I didn’t know all that I needed

Didn’t know what to expect

Twilight:

But when my walls came down

I saw the truth

Korra and Twilight:

All along something was missing

And I think you’ll see it too

Team Avatar Harmony:

This is where the magic happens

This is where the magic lives

Our friendships weaved together, stronger

The bonds grow deeper, lasting longer

And the greatest spell you’ll know

Is how The Magic of Friendship Grows

Pinkie Pie:

And no matter how much time goes by

The party will still be here with some fun new games to try

Rainbow Dash:

Big adventures waiting, obviously

As long as we’re still here together

We’ll be flying high and free

Team Avatar Harmony:

This is where the magic happens

This is where the magic lives

Our friendships weaved together, stronger

The bonds grow deeper, lasting longer

And the greatest spell there is

Is how The Magic of Friendship gives

Applejack:

And it’s something true to pass on down

To generations yet to come

Rarity:

And we’ll never stop believing in the generosity

Of the friendships we’ve won

Fluttershy:

And because the love that I feel

For every single living creature is something that is real

Friendship happens so

Naturally

Twilight:

Oh, and how I used to wonder

What friendship could be!

Team Avatar Harmony:

This is where the magic happens

This is where the magic lives

Our friendships weaved together, stronger

The bonds grow deeper, lasting longer

And the greatest spell you’ll know

Is how the magic of friendship grows

Korra:

How the magic of friendship grows

From the stars, Team Avatar Harmony watched as the current Avatar and his friends, the new Guardians of Harmony, looked toward the stars and saw the faces of those who came before them, forever looking onward and after all those who’d come after.

Now and forever, so long as the eternal flame burned brightly, the future would be just as bright…

***

Jeremiah 29:11~

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord, “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

Author's Note

Well, that’s the end. I’ll be posting my thoughts and the process of this story sometime this week. Today is my last day at work until New Years, so until then, Happy Holidays!

Final Letter

Well, once again we’ve reached the end of another Little Pony Legend story.

Sadly, I regret to say that I don’t believe this is one of my strongest works. There are so many ways in which I could have really made it my own but… if I’m being honest, after a while it became a chore just to find the motivation to finish it. I didn’t want to leave the story incomplete, I owed you guys that much, but I can’t say it became easier as it went along.

In truth, I decided to make this story as an experiment. To see if I could really make one last Little Pony Legend story before I fully moved on with original works. While I am happy with how this turned out (in that I managed to finish it) I don’t consider it the official finale to the overall saga. I still consider Guardians of Harmony as the TRUE official ending, and this is more of a side-conclusion, since it’s only loosely connected to the LPL mythos.

I realized this when it came to me that I didn’t feel anything when I finished this. I half expected to feel the same whirlwind of emotions I felt when I first concluded the series back in 2017. I still recall the moment vividly. The realization that one of my longest running projects was coming to a close filled me with an overwhelming sense of pride, nostalgia, and a bit of sadness, yet at the same time a sense of joy that I managed to begin and complete something like this.

With A New Generation, it was… meh. I guess I’m just not the type of person to dig up old successes when I should have left them resting in peace. As sad as it is to hear for my longtime readers, my Little Pony Legend days are long behind me.

Don’t get me wrong, I still love My Little Pony and this story also started out as a tribute to the franchise as a whole. Heck, FiM is one of the basis inspirations for my original MystiKnights series, which is something I really want to focus on right now. I’m just not feeling as motivated to write fanfiction as much as I used to. And this time, I KNOW in my heart that I truly mean it.

With all of that said, I do hope the story managed to bring you all at least a little bit of entertainment and joy in these dark times, and I can’t thank you all enough for your support.

Merry Christmas.