The Equestria Chronicles: Journey Through The Crystal Mountains

Chapters

The Journey Begins
The First (Of Many) Stops
A Great And Powerful Ally
Keeping It In The Family
The Queen, The Pawn, And The Bishop
Appropriate Dinner Conversation
Put On Your Best Poker Face
Too Little Too Late
See The Fire In Your Eyes
Tend To Our Wounds And Assess The Damage
A Moment To Reflect
A Sickly Display Of Ego And Malice
Get Your Bearings And Your Horses Too
The Great G'mork
Welcome To Yakyakistan
This Is The Greatest Show
The Youth Of Yakyakistan
A Yicksluberfest To Remember: Part One
The Twilight Zone
A Defeatist Mindset
Positivity Through And Through
Passing The Torch
What Lies Ahead
A Partner Ship So Good It's Almost Criminal
A Yicksluberfest To Remember: Part Two
Towing The Line Between Pragmatism And Opportunism

The Journey Begins

The train car gently shook on its wheels at the gentle purr of the steam engine. Nopony else besides the water tender could hear the train's roar as the sound of hot coals hissed and the crack of the wheels thundered outside.

But inside the car, Twilight and her friends were slowly being rocked to sleep, almost entranced by the lullaby of clicking wheels upon the metal tracks. It put most of the car at rest... except for Rainbow Dash.

The mare trotted to and fro on the walkway, energy pumping through her that she couldn't normally exert through flight. That was one thing she disliked about the train- she could fly faster than it. "You think there are any monsters in the Crystal Mountains, Twilight?"

Twilight looked up from her book on the Crystal Empire's geography, "Welllll, I'd be inclined to say no. Nothing has lived in those mountains for over a thousand years, around the same time King Sombra was banished actually, but that's just local legend."

"So…. there's still possibly a chance we'll see something cool?" Rainbow dash tapped her front hooves expectantly.

"Well, judging from migration patterns of the local fauna, the harsh conditions, the low amount of sources of food. We can assume that there's a high probability of us seeing nothing in those mountains." lectured Twilight.

Rainbow Dash sighed, "You could've sugar-coated it."

"Aw, come on, Dashie! I bet there will be lots of action and fun! After all, we're going to Yakyakistan!" Pinkie bounced in her seat, a large cheerful grin on her face.

"And I'm sure I could find some artistic inspiration by traveling off to such exotic and distant lands." Chimed Rarity as she turned to face the other girls from her seat, clad in the most beautiful silk coat and faux fur, something warm for the weather of her own design.

The purple mare smirked; she had almost forgotten that they would be the first ponies in over a thousand years to venture to Yakyakistan. The staunch realization hit her; they were the first ponies in over a thousand years to see Yakyakistani culture, tradition, food— everything!

"Oh my gosh! We're the first ponies to see the Yaks in over a thousand years, and I had barely done any reading on Yak culture!" Gasped Twilight as she frantically turned to her number one assistant. "Spike, can you find my book on Yakyakistan?"

"Sure thing!" The young drake quickly skimmed through the catalog in Twilight's saddlebag before handing her a book, the 'Encyclopedia of the Known World.' Twilight promptly took the book with her magic before she frantically skimmed toward the section on Yaks.

"Though our knowledge is limited to that before the disappearance of the Crystal Empire, from what we know, Yak culture is martial, focusing on strength and survival. Yaks are known for their rough and tumble attitude and are not considered to be the best conversationalists. Yaks are also fairly famous for their pastries or 'Mountain cakes' and their use of fur coats. Yaks prefer isolation and sticking to their communities rather than foraging relationships with outsiders. Though it may sound odd to us ponies, to the Yaks, this is their natural law."

"Well, they don't seem too strange to me." Applejack kicked her hooves against the seat in front of her before attempting to lower the brim of her hat over her eyes. Quickly she realized she'd given the hat to Apple Bloom and couldn't help but feel a tug on her heartstrings.

"They sound kinda cool!" Rainbow Dash said.

"Anycreature that can make a good cake is automatically on Pinkie's friendship list!"

"Now hold on, girls," Corrected Twilight, halting their enthusiasm. "It's been over a thousand years; surely there's been some major changes since they haven't connected to the outside world in that long, and remember, the encyclopedia said they don't care for outsiders."

"Give me a few minutes; they'll be our friends in no time!" Pinkie Pie smiled mischievously as she slowly pulled out a set of party hats.

Starlight stared at the ever-fleeting landscape as the train raced toward the Crystal Empire. The biting cold and the metallic clack of the train were the only things to accompany her.

The nipping frost did not distract her; however, her mind was preoccupied. She'd wondered what Twilight could be doing now; did she fear her return? Was she pursuing her original ambition of continuing to Yakyakistan, or was she seeking allies within the Crystal Empire?

A scathing hatred bubbled inside her, nearly overtaking every sense until she quickly pushed it aside. She needed to be precise now; she had gotten wrapped up in the excitement of all of it to realize she had failed. Destroying Twilight's Castle meant nothing. If she was mourning the loss or terrified by this 'defeat,' Twilight pressed forward as if nothing had happened.

How dare she push Starlight aside like she's some minor inconvenience? After all, she had done to her, all the misery and hardship that life-changing defeat Twilight had given to her had to be paid in full. She needed to understand, no, she needed to know how she felt: by taking away, everything Twilight holds dear to her.

The pieces slowly clicked into place as Starlight realized the real solution to her problem. Twilight didn't care about some replaceable monolith to her friendship; after all, the so-called 'Princess Of Friendship' would obviously care more about her friends. Striking at her comrades, taking them down one by one, would solve all of her problems.

A wicked smile curled on Starlight's lips as a blooming feeling of joy washed over her. They were heading to Yakyakistan, and needed to traverse the Crystal mountains.... what would be better than mountains that are considered cursed by a local legend? Where else could it be reasonably excused for six ponies' disappearances?

After all, it was only 'natural,' a tragedy, but a legend that would prove a reasonable explanation for their disappearance. Though a new set of problems presented itself. It would be suicide to travel alone in those mountains, and Starlight would rather not die so unceremoniously to falling rocks or hypothermia.

A traveling companion would be required, someone with munitions and shelter. Perhaps a wagon would accommodate all those things perfectly.

The First (Of Many) Stops

The engine hissed as the train wheels squealed, screeching as the click of gears and metallic machinery slowed the locomotive to a complete stop. There was a long hissing as if the train itself was letting out a sigh.

The conductor climbed aboard their train car before ceremoniously announcing, "We have arrived at the Crystal Empire, your highness. Princess Cadance and Shining Armor have prepared a chariot for the castle." informed the conductor, bowing his head.

"Thank you, sir." Twilight gave the stallion a friendly smile. She appreciated the gesture, although she missed being able to walk through a city or town without being accosted.

Spike quickly dug out an oversized newspaper from Twilight's saddlebag before raising the paper in an attempt to hide from the excitable Crystal Ponies. The attention was lovely but now was not the time.

As the group trotted onto the station platform, they gasped as they beheld the stunning chariot of what else? Crystal. Beautiful, dazzling crystal. Rarity and Spike both gawked at the sight of it. One was attempting not to fawn over the masterpiece, and the other was attempting not to take a bite out of it.

The coachpony took his hat off and bowed at the mares and Spike before he opened the carriage door for each of them to climb inside. As the girls and Spike all climbed aboard, with the flick of his reins, the coachpony, and his stallions were off to the Crystal Castle.

Spike practically laid on the floor as he desperately hoped no pony else saw him.

"Dude, I don't think anypony saw you." Rainbow Dash snorted, looking down at the drake who splayed against the chariot floor. Her wings twitched, feeling almost itchy in the confined space. She could fly faster than these stallions could trot.

"Come on, Spike, sit down. We're headed towards the castle anyway; they will notice us." Twilight smiled good-naturedly, tapping a hoof to the seat beside her, "Might as well get comfy."

Spike slowly climbed next to Twilight as he flicked his newspaper open and hesitantly peered from the top of the paper toward the bustling city streets as the dozens of ponies trotted to and fro from the local marketplace.

Some even took an interest in the immaculate, sparkling chariot as they trotted closer, forcing the young drake to take cover behind his thin paper shield, "I'm just trying to make things move as smoothly as possible, and I don't think a crowd of ponies wanting my autograph will make things easier on any of us."

"I understand; just try not to put too much pressure on yourself, okay?" she chided softly, "Also, Spike, I hate to break it to you, but not many dragons travel to the Crystal Empire, so you stick out like a sore hoof either way," Twilight replied, in a matter-of-fact tone, although with a spark of amusement in her gaze.

Spike let out a defeated sigh before inevitably accepting his fate, folding up the newspaper neatly in his lap, "If that's the case, I better just lead the crowds away from you guys so you can go around the city easier."

"Well, I didn't say you had to do *that*, but... thanks, Spike." Twilight gave the young drake a soft smile, patting him on the head.

Glancing out the window, Twilight couldn't help but feel excited to see her sister-in-law and her brother again. It seemed like a nasty habit; they only met up when the fate of Equestria was in the balance. She just hoped that they might have some clue of what they'd face ahead.

"Ooh, ooh, do you think we have time to grab some food for the road?! I know we already packed, but their crystal candy is to DIE for!" Pinkie Pie quickly snapped Twilight out of her thoughts by nearly shouting in her ear. The lavender alicorn winced, rubbing her right ear to stop the tinnitus. "Almost as good as my sister's rock candy!"

"Pinkie... now probably isn't the time... I mean..." smoothing down her mane gently, Fluttershy glanced at the group, "U-Unless, all of you want to."

Applejack rolled her eyes at Pinkie Pie as she once again attempted to tip her non-existent hat; she'd quietly muttered something that caught the attention of Rarity.

Rarity would shriek at the top of her lungs as she turned to Applejack, "You don't mean!?"

Applejack looked up as she raised her brow at the screaming mare, "Rarity, I barely said a word. How'd you even hear that over Pinkie's yelling?"

"When it comes to a fashion problem, I always have an eye (in this case, ear) for my friends. Girls, did you hear what Applejack said?"

Spike slowly looked over, still cringing, "I didn't hear anything over you and Pinkie's screaming."

"Applejack is considering updating her look!" exclaimed Rarity.

"Now, hold on, it was just me missing my old hat," insisted Applejack as she raised her front hooves defensively, "I never meant to uh… rile you up, Rarity."

"Nonsense, for whatever time we have here in the Crystal Empire is surely enough time to get you the perfect hat; I'm thinking of updating your look, something modern and bold."

"Well…" sighed Applejack, "I was considering upgrading my hat to a ten gallon."

Rarity rolled her eyes before letting out a shallow sigh, "Of course you did."

"A ten-gallon hat?!" Pinkie shot up, looking over at Applejack in awe, "Wow, AJ, you have to have a really strong neck for a hat that heavy!"

Applejack smirked at Pinkie Pie as she leaned back in her seat, "Won't be no trouble for me."

"Pinkie, sometimes I swear you're doing that on purpose," The lavender alicorn cocked a brow, glancing over at the party pony, who simply shrugged and began humming to herself.

"You'll look tacky, but I suppose looking tacky isn't a health condition….yet," Rarity smirked.

"Are you girls sure you want to go and do this right now? We're headed to a nation that hasn't been seen in over a thousand years. Are we sure we have time for this?" Twilight replied, taking out a worn textbook on Yakyakistan once more, speed-reading through several sections, "I just want to ensure we know what we're getting into when we're out there. I don't want anypony getting hurt because we were distracted."

"Aw, c'mon, Twilight, if anything bad happens, we can take it! It's not like we haven't saved Equestria, like, a bunch of times already." The prismatic pegasus smirked, puffing out her chest. "Just try to relax a little, okay?"

The alicorn sighed, her bangs flying up from the force of her breath before she sat back against her seat. Tucking her book away, she turned to the pegasus, "Just try to take this at least a little seriously, Rainbow."

"What?! I'm, like, super serious. It's my middle name." she shot back.

"I thought it was 'Danger'! Rainbow, were you lying about your middle name?!" Pinkie gasped indignantly.

"What-- no, Pinkie... it's a joke."

"Whatever you say, Ms. Rainbow, SOMETHING Dash!"

Turning toward Rarity and Applejack, Twilight sighed but ultimately nodded. "I suppose we're going to be here for a bit, so I guess there's no harm in looking around. Let's just meet back at the castle, alright?"

"Sounds good to me!" Pinkie chirped.

"All right!" Dash pumped a hoof in the air, nearly jumping from her seat.

"Umm... okay," Fluttershy whispered.

"Okay, but the real question is... what are you gonna put in your ten-gallon hat AJ? Oooh, apple cider?!" Pinkie began again, making Twilight groan.

"Alright, let's all meet back at the castle," Rarity would quickly pound the carriage's ceiling, "Coachy, my good stallion! Please stop the carriage!"

The Coachpony quickly tugged the reins of the stallions before rapidly opening the door for the ponies, "Er, will one of you still go to the Castle for Cadance and Shining Armor?" he'd look to Twilight for instruction, "Your highness?"

Twilight nodded towards the coachpony, giving the stallion a friendly smile, "Yes, I am still heading to the castle; my friends will just be taking some time for themselves," she turned toward the rest of her friends and gave them a soft look, "Do the rest of you want some time in the city?"

"I just wanna grab some crystal candy, and I'll zip right back to the castle, Pinkie Promise!" the mare stuck her hoof to her eye, smiling brightly.

Rainbow Dash quickly squeezed past her and out the door, grateful to spread her wings and soar into the air, "Don't worry, I'm just gonna stretch, and I'll be there in a jiffy. It was just getting too crowded– You guys go ahead," The blue mare didn't even wait for a reply, already high in the sky.

"Uh… later?" Twilight rolled her eyes and huffed.

"In a while, crocodile!" Pinkie replied before jumping off into a seemingly random direction. Having expected that, Twilight didn't even bother to react with anything other than a smile on her lips. Turning, she caught Fluttershy's gaze, the poor mare nearly hiding behind her long pink mane to avoid the question.

"Um... I think I'll stick with you, for now, Twilight," The yellow pegasus smiled softly, "If you don't mind."

"Of course not, Fluttershy. I wouldn't force you to go out by yourself," Twilight replied understandingly. The yellow pegasus was getting better with her fears, but it was still a process.

Rarity practically dragged Applejack out of the carriage as she excitedly indulged in all of the hypothetical headwear Applejack could have, "How about a feather in your hat? Or maybe a different color, black, maybe with a red brim?"

"Feathers? Colored brims? You're talkin' nonsense," grumbled Applejack as she was pulled from the chariot, dreading what the fashion mare might force her into.

The two mares would walk off before turning around to face Twilight, "We won't be too long; it's just one little touch-up." insisted Rarity.

"So she says," huffed Applejack, "We'll be back before we're needed, I can promise you that, Twilight."

The two quickly departed, leaving only Spike, Twilight, and Fluttershy. The young dragon sighed before stepping out of the carriage and raising his arms to stretch seconds later; a wave of adoring fans intercepted him, "I'll try to get back!" cried the drake, literally being dragged away by the herd.

Twilight, biting her lip in amusement at the sight, gave him a little wave before turning to the coachpony. "We may continue; thank you for your patience, sir."

The coachpony tipped his hat to the princess before shutting the door and climbing atop the carriage, flicking the reins once more, "Next Stop: Crystal Castle!"

A Great And Powerful Ally

The train screamed to a halt as the cars and the locomotive bounced and rattled on the tracks. The screeching of wheels and banging of gears nearly made Starlight's ears bleed. Before finally, the metallic monster crept to a stop.

She had barely a moment to collect herself before the sound of dozens of hooves stamping against the station platform alerted Starlight to act. Leaping off the back of the caboose, she quickly hid behind the train car, quietly eavesdropping on the conversation of the Crystal Ponies.

Listening closely, the conductor pried the car open and stepped inside the booth. Starlight could just barely hear his muffled voice through the thin metal walls of the car.

"We have arrived at the Crystal Empire, your highness. Princess Cadance and Shining Armor have prepared a chariot for the castle." informed the Conductor.

"Thank you, sir," replied Twilight.

Princess Cadance and Shining Armor, she had known Twilight was in-laws and buddy-buddy with yet another powerful alicorn. Not to mention related to one of the most powerful unicorns from Canterlot. Crouching low in the gravel and dirt, she listened attentively to the half dozen hooves trot off the train and clamber into the nearby chariot.

She had to veer back and reangle her approach. Sure Cadance was no warrior mage; she was bested by Chrysalis, after all. But Shining Armor, Twilight, and Cadance? Not to mention the Royal Guards… no, now was the time to collect her bearings and find herself an ally.

Once the coast had cleared, she galloped and teleported away from the train station before covering herself with her trusty cloak. When an alien noise alerted her, a foreign pain gnawed at her stomach.

"Hungry…" muttered Starlight; she was tired of plain ole oats and water. She needed something warm and maybe some cider to help temper the lingering chill that rattled her bones. Inside the magical barrier of The Crystal Empire was the perfect temperature, but outside the capital? On a speeding train with the wind cutting at her coat and mane? Anypony else not as well versed in warming spells would have been left with a cold, or worse, frostbite.

Limbering through the bustling crowds, Starlight made her way through the lavish and scenic parts of the city before stepping into the seedy and dingy part of town. A sickening smell of spoiled milk and soured apples hung throughout the air. Where vendors become swindlers, and street vendors become a health hazard.

Her expression turned at the sight and smell, "Even the great Crystal Empire has its slums," pondered Starlight, a bit perplexed at the sight. It was strange to see ponies so disheveled and untrustworthy.

Even in her arch nemesis' own town, she felt safer than in this dump. Growing up in a sheltered home and small villages didn't prepare her for city life, but at least she knew Twilight and her friends would stay far away from this part of town. Starlight smirked, finding the irony of it all amusing—safety in uncertainty.

She kept her head low and eyes in front of her as her ears cautiously listened to her surroundings. The trotting of hooves against the pavement and conversations of the passerby. Could she really find a trustworthy ally here of all places? Starlight sighed before looking up at the dingy-looking tavern to her right.

Sitting in the middle of the pavement was a small wooden sign holding a blackboard with chalk advertising the special, a pint of cider for one bit, and a show.

"Come see The Great and Powerful Trixie perform her famous magic show while you enjoy Starchee's famous cider brew."

Starlight looked to the wooden door before peering through the smudged glass window. She was unsure if it was colored yellow or stained by time and grease rather than the skill of a glassmaker.

The window and the muffled voice of a boastful mare were all that greeted her. Taking a deep breath, she slowly pressed her door with her left hoof and pushed the large door open.

The tavern was full of a wide variety of sounds and smells, most of those less than pleasant. The sweet, almost sour scent of spilt cider not yet cleaned and the rabble of stallions and mares who had little too much to drink. Starlight froze; she was stunned by the foul, sickeningly sweet aroma of hard cider and the state of the establishment. It was a regular slice of debauchery; the only difference to the bars Starlight had visited herself was the crystal décor of the building. The contrast could have been called ironic, the beautiful, nearly opalescent stone paired with the common folk drinking away their woes.

However, those Crystal Ponies could distract themselves for a brief moment, ogling the mare on stage in their state of semi-awareness, genuinely awed by the spectacle before them. At the very least, the blue mare thought she could do that for these troubled ponies. She had once been in such a wretched state; at the very least, they could spend that time watching her... Trixie.

Stepping onto a darkly lit stage, the unicorn pulled back the curtains as several pyrotechnics lit the stage perfectly on cue. A confident smirk slid across her lips; this show was going to go off without a hitch.

"Ladies and Gentlecolts, prepare to look on in shock and amazement at the one, the only, Great and Powerful...." a giant ball of fireworks exploded from behind the mare as she lifted up onto her hind legs, kicking into the air. "Trrrrrrrrrrrrrixie!"

The crowd gasped in awe at the display, the bright lights getting their attention easily despite their addled minds. Not like there was anything else they could possibly pay attention to while *she* was here.

Setting back down, Trixie's smile widened until she caught sight of the tavern owner giving her the stink eye. They had said pyrotechnics *were* allowed; what was their problem? She rolled her eyes, turning back to her adoring audience.

"Now, The Great and Powerful Trixie requires a Great and Powerful assistant-- would there be anypony in the crowd brave enough to come onto the stage?!" the mare yelled out, her confident voice booming throughout the small building.

"I know it may seem daunting, but worry not; I, Trixie, will make sure to keep you safe. This is quite a simple trick, but do not be mistaken; only a pony of high skill could possibly hope to achieve it!"

Rolling onto the stage appeared to be a long box, large enough to fit anypony inside. To anypony who wasn't wholly hammered, it would be obvious what this trick was. Thankfully for Trixie, the cider made the allure of danger more authentic for her audience.

"Come now, no need to be shy! Any takers?" Trixie scanned the audience, her smirk never leaving her lips until her gaze settled on the lilac unicorn in the crowd.

"How about you? Do you have what it takes? Or are you just as frightened as the rest of my audience?" that gave the audience a moment to grumble, not appreciating the quip at their expense. Trixie stared down at Starlight, leaving the challenge up in the air.

The bright fireworks in this dim room, combined with the reflective crystal walls, nearly blinded her as if Celestia had brought the sun down from the heavens. The fireworks' bright red and deep blues put her in a daze, the smell of gunpowder permeating the air.

Frightened? She was terrified; she came to this part of town to hide away, not to be a spectacle out of the public eye. But now Trixie pressed her between a rock and a hard place; refusing would upset the half-witted patrons surrounding her. She relented, letting out a begrudging sigh.

Using magic, she quickly placed her gear on a nearby table before climbing up on the stage next to Trixie as she patiently awaited the magician's instruction.

Trixie beamed as the unicorn came on stage. To be honest, she had half expected this mare to walk away, but she quickly pushed aside that thought. She gave the mare a gracious bow, prompting the audience to provide Starlight with a polite applause.

Starlight rolled her eyes at the boastful showpony, masking her face with a thin veil of darkness. Only her muzzle was visible to the dim light of the candle-lit tavern as her blue eyes glowed underneath her hood.

"Why, thank you, my dear! What a lovely volunteer, isn't she?" Trixie turned to the audience once again, who replied in agreement. After a slight pause, waiting for the crowd to quiet down, Trixie turned back to her assistant with a smirk. "Pleasure to meet you. Could I perhaps ask your name before we begin? Of course, you already know who I am."

She rolled her eyes at Trixie's presumption. In truth, she had no idea who this magical mare was; she had hardly been paying attention until she nearly received eye damage from the pyrotechnics. But a thought crossed her mind; perhaps the magician wasn't all talk. Maybe she was indeed great and, more importantly, powerful…

Starlight hesitated at the seemingly simple question of her name. Surely there were bounty posters by now. She had attacked Princess Twilight only a week ago. She took a deep breath before summoning the grit to speak.

In an authoritative and commanding voice, she had proudly proclaimed, "I am the Magical Mare Magicka The Marvelous I…" she paused as she scrambled to form her persona.

"I hail from the distant lands of Saddle Arabia, on the far-off coasts of Zebrica." boasted Starlight as she, in her best act of showponyship, flicked her cloak toward herself, hiding her muzzle, her glowing eyes being the only thing visible to Trixie and the audience.

Trixie's face went from a self-satisfied smirk to incredibly suspicious as soon as the mysterious cloaked mare introduced herself. Who was this mare? Was she attempting to usurp her as the most talented magician in Equestria?! Or, at the very least, this stage?

The blue unicorn quickly schooled her expression back into something more confident, a smug smile on her lips as she feigned surprise that she genuinely did feel. Was this mysterious unicorn as powerful as the Great and Powerful Trixie, or dare she even imagine, more powerful?

"Ah yes, Zebrica, what a coincidence! I was just returning from a cross-country tour; I had quite a few shows there and even more terrifying encounters! Perhaps if you are lucky, I might tell you the tale of how I fought..."

Pulling back her magician's hat, she quickly hid her face as she took a second to get her story straight. She supplemented this as an opportunity to show off her skills in pyrotechnics once more. "The dreaded one-eyed zebra CYCLOPS!"

The firework transformed, bending to Trixie's will as it took the shape of such a creature. It roared at the audience, causing them to recoil back.

"Fear not, little ponies, for that monster was vanquished. The beast threatened an entire tribe of zebras and begged me to help them. Luckily I was just passing into town at that very moment to lend them the help they so desperately needed!" Trixie held a hoof to her chest, going off into a tangent about her non-existent exploits.

Starlight sighed at Trixie's attempt to boast. Had she hit a nerve of some kind? She would've found it amusing if it weren't for the uneasiness of it all. She didn't need to have a magical duel with the showpony. Part of her wanted to upstage and uproot this entire act with some REAL magic. Not some simple illusions and fireworks.

Turning back to the cloaked mare, Trixie stepped forward. "So, Magical Mare... Er, whatever it was, do you think you can handle one of my... simpler tricks?" the smug look on her face never left her as she spun around, her tail nearly flicking Starlight on the nose.

Pulling the cart to the center of the stage, Trixie motioned with a hoof for the other mare to join her.

Starlight rolled her eyes as she obeyed the ramblings of the headstrong illusionist before climbing into the box presented to her, making sure to hide her face with her cloak. Just in case this 'well traveled' magician knew of her very real exploits.

The blue mare watched as her strange assistant slipped inside the box, carefully tucking her inside with a self-satisfied smile on her lips. Turning back to the audience, she gave them another cue to applause. "What a brave pony, give her another round!"

"Now, everypony, please, be absolutely silent! If I were even to slip concentration for even a moment-- it could spell disaster for my lovely assistant here." the crowd murmured uneasily before quieting down to a hush, taking Trixie at her word, as well as a group drinking hard cider could at the very least.

Lighting up her horn, the mare levitated out a large serrated saw, the blade twinkling in the spotlight. Several ponies gasped before being silenced by others in the crowd.

"Now, now, no need to be afraid. I am a professional." Trixie calmed the crowd before, without hesitation, slicing into the box.

Starlight could, without a doubt, feel the metal's vibration against wood, and its crack gave way to the sharp tool.

Snap! The cart became two halves, rendering Starlight two halves. At least, it appeared that way to the audience. Trixie made a show of revealing the lower box, a pair of pony hindlegs sitting limply inside.

However, the audience had no idea that Starlight was still one whole pony. In fact, the box itself was an illusion, quite a bit longer and wider on the inside than it appeared, giving any stallion or mare enough room to wiggle while still giving them that 'cut in half look.'

As the crowd cheered, Trixie gave them a bow, taking that opportunity to whisper in the strange mare's ear. "Say nothing, and you get a nice little payment; how's that sound?"

Starlight's eyes nearly rolled out of her skull, a charlatan attempting to bribe her. Still, she could use the bits, giving the magician a slight nod. The mare remained silent for the rest of the act as she quietly entertained herself with comforting thoughts of bunnies, ice cream, and becoming the leader of Equestria.

Pre-planning plans of creating a perfect society of equality without Cutie Marks. Most importantly of all, without a certain lavender alicorn in the picture. She had nearly lost herself in thought before being forcibly brought back to reality at the sound of the drunken crowd's gawking.

"I really want to get out of here…." groaned Starlight, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

Waving at the crowd of drunken ponies, the blue unicorn glanced down at her assistant's sigh, barely overhearing her over the rabble around them. For a split second, Trixie knew exactly how that felt... perhaps this strange pony was an up-and-coming performer like Trixie had once been?

Trixie wasn't surprised by the payment agreement; rather, she was relieved she didn't have to deal with a heckler like the last few shows... In truth, Trixie had not ventured outside Equestria yet; the Crystal Empire was the first, although she debated if it was too close to her home to truly count.

Turning back to her adoring fans, Trixie gave the audience a low bow. "Thank you, thank you, you're such a kind and gracious audience. The Great and Powerful Trixie thanks you... for allowing you the chance to witness me!" that soured the mood just a touch enough to make the rest easier to say. "But Trixie must leave now; there are other ponies in this Empire that must see my raw power! Thank you, thank you!"

Bowing out, Trixie pulled the box and Starlight further behind the stage, using a levitation spell to close the curtains. The blue mare let out a long sigh of relief before turning to the stranger.

"Now, who exactly are you, and why did you think you could try and play magician?!" Trixie hissed, her previous sympathy completely leaving her train of thought. "You don't just go up on Trixie's stage and try and... upstage Trixie!"

The unicorn clambered out of the box before dusting herself off and giving a confused yet entertained expression at Trixie, "Excuse me? If I remember correctly, you dragged me on stage and put me on the spot!"

Starlight scoffed at the flimsy accusation of upstaging her, "Please, you aren't worth the effort. I don't have time for some charlatan and her poor excuse for 'magic.' Now, will you give me some bits, or do I have to put on a REAL show for you?"

Trixie stumbled over her words, letting out a percussion of noise in restrained denial. Yes, she had been the one to call her on stage, but Trixie had no idea she'd try to be... well, like that!

"Why couldn't you just say your name was 'Daisy' or 'Fluffy Puff' or something instead of... whatever that was?!" she spluttered, holding her hoof to her chest as if she were insulted. "It's just rude to give yourself such a stage name when you're supposed to be somepony's assistant!"

Starlight's blue orbs focused on Trixie as the mare used her magic to tug at her cloak, attempting to mask herself in shadow and cloth. The intense and overbearing stare cut at Trixie as if her eyes were a pair of scimitars, "I DON'T like my time being wasted."

Sighing, Trixie turned her back on the mare, putting the cart back together and wheeling it towards the backdoor. She seemed to hardly pay attention to the mare as she spoke, her ear flicking back towards Starlight at the threat.

"Puh-lease, if you let off even one bad spell back here, who knows what might go off." she chuckled, glancing at the cloaked mare. "You see how much those ponies drink, and besides, you have no idea what's up my sleeve." or, more importantly, what explosives she kept back here.

Yawning, Trixie opened the backdoor and levitated the cart outside before turning back to the unicorn, completely brushing off the possible consequences to her rebuttal.

"The stallion who runs the place said he would pay me, with my incredible performance and your... being there, he'll have to pay extra." she motioned for Starlight to follow her, giving her a whistle and a wave as if she were a puppy. "Come now; your payment awaits, Trixie's strange acquaintance!"

Keeping It In The Family

Stepping inside the glistening castle, Twilight looked around in wonder. She couldn't help it; she might not have Rarity's adoration (approaching on obsession) for gemstones, but she could still appreciate the fine craftponyship of the walls. Hundreds of crystal ponies must have worked on such a fine structure. The Crystal Ponies must have made it with some sort of magic. But to what kind of magic remained a mystery to Twilight.

As she stepped through the halls, two guards escorted her towards the throne room, flanking her on each side. She knew they were there for her protection, but sometimes she wished she could have a moment to herself in the castle.

The two guards stepped aside as a large door opened, revealing the throne room. Trotting inside, Twilight ran up the long entryway to meet Shining Armor, throwing her hooves around her older brother in a tight hug.

"BBBFF! It's been so long! Gosh, it seems like the only times we ever meet up or visit one another is due to some wacky adventure or the fate of Equestria is at stake; what's that about?" Twilight smiled, unintentionally letting her nerves get to her as she rambled.

Turning to Cadance, Twilight immediately dropped down and began their customary greeting, to the chagrin of the guards watching, who had to stop themselves from cracking a smile.

"Sunshine sunshine, ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!" Twilight giggled, looking up at her sister-in-law before taking a deep breath. She tried to slow her racing thoughts.

"Sorry, it's just a little nerve-racking. I've had to put somepony in... well, I've made arrangements for Ponyville to be guarded, but I'm not expecting great results while we're gone. And the map calling us on this trip... it's a little much. But I'm glad to see you guys; it's great to see my favorite sister. How is everything doing in the Empire?"

Cadance went along with the old ritual before sharing a laugh with her sister-in-law, “We’ve been okay, I know it can be stressful to leave your domain under the watchful eye of somepony else. But I’m sure you made the right call and picked someone right for the position.”

Twilight chuckled awkwardly, knowing exactly who she put in charge, and she was completely sure that she didn't choose the right po-- creature for the job.

Shining trotted up to his younger sister and hugged her tightly,

"First, there are rumors of a Changeling infiltrator, and now my sister has her house destroyed. We have our guards on high alert, which is why we had an escort ready for you. It's great to see you, Twily, but what exactly are you doing here? What's with all the equipment? Some of it looks on par with some of our supply shipments the Royal Guard receives across the Empire." prodded Shining.

"It's a long story…." the mare chuckled.

"I bet it is," approached Cadance, a friendly smile on her lips. "You mentioned your Cutie Map called you for some sort of expedition; we had to help the volunteers from Ponyville with your luggage at the train station. I must say, judging from the amount of gear and munitions, I'd say this is no vacation," she chuckled.

Cadance paused before her warm expression quickly turned to worry, "Twilight, we heard about your castle getting destroyed by somecreature; why didn't you tell us? Shining and I have been very worried. Do you know the creature responsible for such destruction? Should The Empire be on guard?"

Sighing, the purple alicorn seemed to lose all of the air in her body, nearly deflating as she was reminded of her home. How many times was she going to lose it? First the library, now the castle. It made her a bit hesitant to accept staying over at another pony's home. She didn't want that one getting blown up too.

"Unless I'm cursed, which I highly doubt, I don't think there's any need to worry about your castle." Twilight chuckled softly. "I'm sorry I didn't mention it; I guess it just slipped my mind. I've been a little... exhausted, to be honest."

Cadance gave her a concerned look and beckoned the two over as they began leaving the throne room and entering a large room with a crystal table. As they all sat down, a servant pony quickly trotted up and placed a steaming hot tea kettle.

"I do know who did it, however, a unicorn named Starlight Glimmer. She even attempted to leave me in the Everfree Forest to get torn apart by Timberwolves!" the memory still sent a chill down her spine. "I was lucky Zecora was there... but I doubt she would come to such a well-guarded place to attack me." Twilight wasn't stupid; it had occurred to her that she was possibly being stalked. So long as she was in a densely populated area, she should be safe.

Shining and Cadance looked to one another, looking somewhat confused at the fact the creature causing all this trouble was a pony and horrified that this pony was capable of such barbarity.

"A…unicorn?" Cadance fumbled, "Are you sure it isn't a Changeling or perhaps Queen Chrysalis seeking revenge? Changeling or not, we must send our warmest regards to Zecora for saving your life." Shining armor nodded firmly to that sentiment.

Twilight cocked a brow, looking up at Cadance's question curiously. "Yes, a unicorn. Did you really say that there's a changeling intruder about? Do you two need help with that? The trip can wait a few days if you need it." she offered without hesitation.

"It's just rumored, but there have been sightings of Changeling magic in the lower parts of the city. Flashes and hues of green magic flaring up at night in the alleys and sewers. But don't worry about us, Twilight; we can handle our own. As for your safety and peace of mind, I can detach a small squadron of guards and inform the public of this menace. Have you informed Celestia of this pony?" Shining asked curiously.

Taking a sip of her tea, the lavender alicorn nodded. "I don't think that Guards will be necessary; I have sent her a letter detailing everything I knew about this pony. I've had one other run-in with her at a town that's actually quite near the Crystal Empire. It's called-- actually, now that I think about it, they never said what the name was. They just called it 'Our Town.' Very strange..."

Twilight hummed to herself in thought, "Perhaps it wasn't a changeling, but a unicorn who possesses a green aura? My friend's sister Sweetie Belle has been practicing, and she has it herself. But maybe I'm just being optimistic... so many things are going wrong, I just don't want it happening to you two or the ponies of your Empire."

"Let's hope it's just somepony practicing their magic in the strangest of places. But we are very concerned about this genuine threat posed to you, Twilight; we don't want you to get hurt by some….deranged pony." Shining said awkwardly; it was so strange to put such a negative connotation on a pony of all creatures.

The lavender unicorn smiled and approached her brother, giving him a side-hug. "It's going to be okay big brother; that Starlight Glimmer might have gotten the jump on me that time, but I promise you, it won't happen again." she said this to him confidently, but mostly just to put him and Cadance at ease. She didn't want to worry them while she and her friends were on their trip.

The older stallion graciously accepted Twilight's hug as he let out a begrudging sigh, "If you say so, but also, please let us put up posters across the Empire to inform the good ponies of our Empire of this menace."

"We'll even place a bounty on her so that all of the Crystal Empire may know of this evil placed against you, Twilight." Assured Cadance. "The last thing I need is another powerful unicorn to oppress the Crystal Ponies again."

"That's actually a great idea. Just in case." Twilight turned to her sister-in-law, "Thank you, Cadance, really."

"We don't mean to pry or interrogate you, Twilight; it's just very strange that you bring all these munitions and gear so suddenly," Cadance said as she poured the table a cup of tea. "And with this attack, we're just concerned for your safety and the safety of our ponies."

Another servant quickly trotted up to Twilight and put down a set of menus full of desserts and meals before handing Cadance and Shining a set of menus as well. He humbly bowed to the royals before leaving the room.

"I completely understand, Cadance… To explain, the map seemed to call us beyond Equestria to solve friendship problems. Most of the supplies are just for what we might encounter ahead. I.... might have overpacked a little..." Twilight chuckled nervously, glad to sit down and rest her hooves. A nice meal wouldn't hurt, either.

Thanking the friendly servant, she chose a light dandelion salad and a small, simple slice of chocolate cake for dessert. "I was honestly hoping that you two might have some idea what is past the mountains leading to Yakyakistan?"

The couple listened attentively, looking at one another before turning back to face Twilight, "Nopony dares venture into the Crystal Mountains; all of our maps and information dates back before the disappearance of the empire." explained Shining.

The purple princess sat up straighter as the pair began to speak of the mountains, pulling a notebook and a quill out from her saddlebags and taking down notes as they went along.

Cadance sighed, "And nopony in the Empire can be convinced to travel into the mountains. They believe them to be cursed or even haunted by King Sombra's dark magic. Some say that King Sombra was not destroyed by Spike The Brave And Glorious but banished back into the mountain."

"Which is ridiculous, as you know," Sighed Shining, "But because some ponies saw what appeared to be his horn fly off into the mountains, they believe at least a part of King Sombra's soul torments the mountains."

She couldn't help but chuckle at the rumors about the mountains and King Sombra; hearing that was a bit more soothing. There was no possible way that Sombra could be 'haunting' them. There had never even been *one* recorded instance by a trusted wizard of a spectral phenomenon. Letting out a small sigh, Twilight set her quill down and turned back to her family.

The servant pony quickly trotted back inside the meeting room as he collected the menus and examined each of them, quickly scribbling down each order before trotting off into the other room.

"What is the more realistic explanation," Continued Cadance, "is that there are most likely sweeping peaks and snowed-in trails that haven't been used in over a thousand years. Sombra or no Sombra, the journey will be most difficult."

"Well, that shouldn't be too difficult to manage, so long as my friends and I stick together. Have any pegasi managed to fly in that area?" Unfortunately for Dash, they would have to hoof it if the winds were too challenging to fly.

Shining shook his head, "I can't make any of the Guards do an expedition into those mountains," sighed Shining, "All of my Officers say there's no point venturing past the magical barrier created by the Crystal Heart, and to 'leave well enough alone.'" he scoffed.

Cadance sighed, "Believe us, we've tried….the pegasi believe Sombra will conjure up a storm that will sweep up anypony wh flies too close to the mountains."

"All because that horn," groaned Shining, "That one horn that's most likely lodged into some mountain's surface by now is causing our subjects to be terrified of traveling into the mountains."

Twilight shook her head and sighed, "Well, it was worth a try. I hope there's not actually something up there to be scared of..." For a moment, she let her anxiety get to her, imagining Sombra was up in those mountains, waiting for his opportunity to get his revenge. She shook her head, smiling nervously. "But I'm sure there's nothing to be worried about, probably just the wildlife scaring them off..."

"Let's hope it's the more reasonable answer of wild animals rather than the return of our most feared enemy." replied Shining.

Cadance chuckled, "Maybe you coming here to help show the ponies not to be so fearful of the mountain is part of your journey? Because from what I've read Yak's don't appear to be…the most friendliest creatures in Equus."

Looking up at Cadance's suggestion, her eyes widened. "That's... that's a great idea, Cadance; why didn't I think of it myself?! I should write a *guide* to Yakyakistan and their culture, and I'm practically made for it!" Twilight practically jumped up from her chair in glee, clapping her hooves. "Thank you so much for suggesting it!"

The couple smiled warmly at Twilight's bout of excitement. Cadance beamed brightly as she rose from her chair, "I think that's more than enough reason to celebrate!"

"Yes!" Agreed Shining, "Let's bring out something to drink, for my sister Twilight Sparkle, her expedition, and her up-and-coming book!"

A set of servant ponies with trays and dishes of each ponies preferred meal was quickly placed to all of them. As Another pony promptly brought in a fine bottle of wine with a set of fancy drinking glasses, generously pouring the three a drink as he passed along the beverages to each of them.

"To Twilight Sparkle." cheered Shining as he raised his glass.

"To The Crystal Empire." cheered Cadance as she raised her glass.

Twilight gave the pair a nod before lifting her drink, "And to family and friendship." she took a sip and looked down at her salad, her stomach growling with hunger. "Now let's eat; I'm starving."

Deeper in the castle, Fluttershy was wandering about, having lost her way while Twilight was being lead along by the guards. She had only been here a few times and was just trying to find her way back to the main hallway.

"Hello?" Her timid voice barely even echoed in these corridors. Sighing, Fluttershy simply chose a direction and followed it.

"Oh bother..."

The Queen, The Pawn, And The Bishop

Trixie realized her error as soon as the patron turned around. Starlight didn't even need to say anything.

"Trixie apologizes, but she must leave to help other ponies in need!" she whinnied before pulling out a small round object from her cape and tossing it at the ground. The pellet exploded into a powdery white substance that filled the air, giving the pair enough time to run towards the exit.

"This way!" Trixie hissed, leading Starlight towards her wagon, "Help me move this thing or I'll tell everypony what you did to our Princess! I might be a thief, but you're-- you're-- worse than that!!" the blood rapidly pumping through her thick head made it difficult to string together a sentence at that moment,"You know what I mean!"

Starlight quickly galloped behind Trixie as she threw her cloak off her and slammed the door behind her. Fiddling with the lock with her magic, she rolled her eyes, “Didn’t you enslave an entire village, at least I convinced the ponies of my village to remove their Cutie Marks! And you’re going to blackmail me!? At least have the magic to back yourself up before you threaten me!”

Trixie snorted, "Puh-lease, at least my excuse is that I was under the influence of an evil amulet! You're just-- you're Evil! And who needs magic when you have the ability to get what you want by doing literally nothing but talking?" Trixie replied rapidly, turning back to check and make sure the patrons hadn't managed to get out of the tavern yet, "Plus, I think the princess would hate to see you more than me, so there!"

Starlight quickly began to move the cart with her levitation magic as she began to strain herself, “Oh, so NOW you’re a fan of our dear Princess when the going gets tough!”

The blue unicorn cringed at the threatening sound of splintering wood as the drunks attempted to force their way out of the establishment. Turning back to Starlight she yelled, "Set it down here, set it down!!" She hissed, "And carefully!!"

Starlight quickly moved the cart as she groaned and whined, struggling to maneuver the cart toward the more open area as the sound of the tavern door being damaged and the shouting of the drunken ponies threatened to spill out into the street tested her nerves.

As soon as the wagon was on the ground, Trixie ran towards the harness at the front, strapping herself in. Turning back towards Starlight she motioned to the wagon behind her, "Well?! What are you waiting for?? Get it! And pull that string to your right." hanging beside the front seat of the wagon was a long cord.

Pulling on it, the wagon seemed to completely transform, the brightly painted stars on the wagon covered by dark pieces of cloth. Trixie pulled off her cape and tossed it towards her passenger before taking off her hat, pulling a long black cloak out from its depths.

Repeating the same process with her hat, she tossed it back towards the lilac unicorn and slipped on the disguise before trotting forward, doing her best not to seem out of the ordinary.

“And I’m not evil; you’re just too stupid to think for yourself!” Snapped Starlight, “I’m not going to argue ethics and morality with somepony who openly tells everypony that they COMMITTED A CRIME!”

"It's not MY fault that I'm extremely well-spoken!!" Trixie hissed in reply as she trotted along; now that she thought about it, why was she even helping this strange mare? All she had done was cause trouble for Trixie! The next chance she got, she was going to find a way to dump her...

Starlight grumbled and huffed as the articles of clothing were thrown at her face. She was getting extremely tired of this mare. No backbone, cowardly, and most importantly of all, stupid. If she truly was some sort of stereotypical villain, then Trixie would be her bumbling sidekick.

“At least minions and side-kicks don’t talk back,” muttered Starlight.

Trixe immediately turned her head at that remark and spat her own back, "I heard that, and I'll tell you right now, if either of us is the sidekick, it's definitely you!"

A voice called out to Trixie from somewhere, “They’re not that stupid…” called the stranger.

Letting out a squeak at the voice, the blue mare turned to try and find the source of it. Glancing at Starlight carefully, Trixie grimaced. "That better not be you pulling a trick on me, I swear..."

“Do I sound like a stallion to you?” barked Starlight.

"I don't know, do you?" Trixie spat back.

“Over here.” Called the voice, they approached closer the mares saw…a storm drain.

“Way to go Trixie; you brought us to a storm drain,” clapped Starlight as she rolled her eyes.

Turning to Starlight, the blue magician narrowed her gaze, "If you want to pull the wagon while I get some well-deserved rest, be my guest."

“I can help you.” echoed the voice, “But you have to promise me not to scream, and to help me in return…” whispered the timid voice. Whoever he was, he sounded weak and tired.

Looking back down at the storm drain, Trixie let out a sigh and glanced at Starlight with a cocked brow.

"Please tell me we're not following the creepy voice into the dark sewers... I just got my hooves done at the spa!!"

“....You’re not very bright, are you?” the voice replied.

“She really isn’t,” Starlight interjected.

"Have literally either of you gotten into Celestia's School for the Gifted? No? That's what I thought," she snorted indignantly before pulling off her harness and approaching the sewer drain. She felt a bit of a chill as she approached. It reminded her of some old mares tale.

The voice took a deep breath, “Okay… look, put your hooves down, and I’ll grab hold, then you’ll pull me up. But, promise me you won’t scream.”

"Trixie promises nothing." Trixie wrinkled her nose at the request, glancing over at Starlight with clear hesitation and fear in her eyes. Looking down the dark abyss of the sewer, Trixie began to slowly lift a hoof towards it, "Are we really about to do this...?"

Starlight would obviously say no, it’s not wise to stuff your hooves down a sewer. But for that one little quip, she was going to make an exception by Celestia. This mare could be dragged into the abyss for all she cared; that was one headache permanently removed.

“Sure, go ahead. I don’t see why not,” innocently suggested Starlight.

“I really think you should hurry up; those ponies are still banging against the door,” calmly stated the voice.

Trixie looked over at Starlight and stared, "I am not sticking my hoof down there alone, so help me if I get eaten, so will you," snatching Starlight's hoof in hers, she forced them both down the sewer drain, awaiting whatever may happen to them.

“Why didn’t we just pull him up!?” shouted Starlight as she was forcibly dragged from the cart and into the storm drain.

“Wait, wait, I was going to help-”

A loud splash was made as the mares crashed into a shallow stream of water. As the mares quickly scrambled up from the cold water, Starlight slowly stared up at the light shining into the drain.

She’d quickly snap to Trixie, “What is wrong with you!? Why would you go into a sewer!?” snarled Starlight.

“Actually, it’s a storm drain; they’re different,” Corrected the creature.

Trixie let out a squeal and grunt as they tumbled inside. Frankly, she hadn't meant to fall head first into the drain, but she had been admittedly a little excited when she had done so. "Whatever, we're both in the muck now, regardless."

Starlight sighed before she slowly picked herself up with levitating magic, “I’m getting out of here," before she could fly out of the storm drain, the loud sound of glass shattering and screaming ponies echoed through the city streets.

“Where’d they go!?” shouted one pony.

“They went this way!” yelled another pony as the sound of a galloping herd of ponies trembled through the city streets.

Starlight slowly descended before landing on her hooves, completely dumbfounded for a moment.

“......I don’t know if this is a good time, but I wanted to be pulled UP from the storm drain, not have you guys down here with me.” sighed the voice, “Well, since you’re down here, I guess I’ll help you get out someplace safe...Now, don’t freak out, but…I may not be who, rather…what you expect, are you ready?” qestioned the voice.

"I'm not leaving my wagon here; that's my house and storage all in one!" Trixie bleated out, "And no, I'm not ready for... whatever you are, you weirdo! Get out of the dark already."

The voice sighed, “Hey, other pony, if she screams can you quiet her down?”

Starlight smirked, “You know what, that’s the first good idea I have heard from some pony else all day!”

Trixie ignored the obvious threat to stifle her screams, cocking her brow at the term 'pony'. "So, what, are you not a pony? A griffin perhaps?" She turned to Starlight and huffed, rolling her eyes.

The creature slowly revealed himself as he stepped into the light; his body was dark as the night, with green emerald compound eyes that bulged out of his skull. The Changeling was frail looking and noticeably thin. He appeared weakened and non-threatening, but both ponies knew of the Changeling attack on Canterlot and the creature's cunning and deceptive ways.

“Look, I’ll help you get out of the storm drain, I’ll even help you get to your cart and escape the City, but I need to eat, please I’m starving!” pleaded the Changeling.

Trixie felt her heart leap into her throat, ready to book it and run at any second, the only thing keeping her was the fear locking her limbs into place. The poor unicorn mare let out several small whimpers, muttering as she attempted to speak.

"Ch-Cha Cha chaaa...." Trixie chattered, finally finding her words. "C-Changeling!!" the unicorn scrambled to reach for the storm drain in a vain attempt to pull herself up, desperately trying to get away from the pitch-black insectoid.

Starlight quickly grabbed Trixie, slamming her to the ground as she pressed her hoof to the mare’s mouth, “Did you forget the mob of ponies still looking for us!? For once in your life, use your head!”

The Changeling slowly approached, “Please, I’m not going to hurt you; I can’t hurt you– I’m too weak to even disguise myself anymore! I can help you, if you will; just please listen!” pleaded the starved creature.

Starlight slowly looked down at Trixie, “I’m going to remove my hoof from your mouth, and you better keep quiet if you don’t keep your mouth shut. I will remove your mouth for you!”

Trixie forced the mare's hoof away, struggling to get free, ignoring yet again another threat of bodily harm. The lilac mare quickly climbed off of Trixie before turning to the Changeling.

“Look…I don’t know who you are, but since you two are in a bad way like I am. I think we can all agree to cooperate; we’re all wanted by the Crystal Empire for one reason or another, so let’s just work together for a little bit, so everycreature gets what they want," offered the Changeling.

Starlight quickly nodded, “That’s….completely reasonable, actually,” she chuckled, “Oh my Celestia, something reasonable? Did my day finally turn around?” Starlight asked aloud.

Turning to Starlight, Trixie’s eyes bulged. "Are you for real? You seriously believe the word of a stranger, heck, a Changeling, and you're going to trot off with him? How do you know he's not going to lead us to his hive and suck out our juices?!" She scoffed, "And I thought you were smart!"

Starlight rolled her eyes, “Look at him, Trixie; he’s starved. You can practically see his ribcage!”

“Exoskeleton,” corrected the Changeling.

“His exoskeleton,” parroted Starlight.

“Besides, why would he even reveal himself to us of all ponies? We’re wanted mares. If this was a trap, they would’ve picked some average-looking pony to kidnap or somepony of more importance.” Starlight said as if she were invested or educated in some sort of Changeling plot herself.

“She’s right,” nodded the Changeling, “And for your information, I’m by myself. I left the Hive months ago.”

"So what? That doesn't mean he's harmless! Look at those teeth!" Trixie spat back, making sure to keep her distance. "And why would he reveal himself? Well, duh, Starlight, he wants to lure us into a false sense of security to feed off of us and leave us as husks!" The blue unicorn mare couldn't understand how this wasn't obvious. "Of course, they would want to take us; we're very powerful and intelligent unicorns; they want to weaken the Empire and Equestria at the same time!"

“If he was going to attack us, wouldn’t he have done it by now? Besides, he wanted us to pull him out of the storm drain in the first place!” Snapped Starlight, “You’re overreacting, and who cares about Equestria and the Crystal Empire!? We’re both criminals!”

The Changeling sighed, “Look, you can either try to find your way out or give me some of your love. Because I don’t have all day, I’m going to die at this rate!” begged the Changeling.

"He just wants to lure us into a false sense of security..." The blue unicorn spat back. Her eyes widened at the assumption she was a criminal, despite her earlier crimes. "How dare you! I might be a thief and a con, but I'm not like... like... you!"

“Oh Puh-lease!” mocked Starlight, “You enslaved all of Ponyville and used an ancient amulet of absolute power to one-up Twilight Sparkle! At least I have a cause, and a goal in mind outside of pettiness!”

"That was ages ago, I told you so like, ten minutes ago! Do you have that little of an attention span?!" Trixie yelled, going up on her tippy-hooves as she loomed over Starlight, nearly on her last nerve.

“BOTH OF YOU JUST PLEASE, SHUT UP!” snapped the Changeling.

Trixie jumped at the shouting, leaping away from the Changeling with increasing fear and suspicion, although she had to admit she was glad to stop arguing, "What the heck do you mean, give you our 'love'? How does that even work?" her face was curled up into disgust, unsure of how to approach this creature.

“Love is a feeling, an emotion! You love ponies, places, and things. But it has to be true love! Think of something you love dearly, and hone in on that emotion, then I’ll just eat on the magic! Then we can all go our separate ways and never speak to each other again!” explained The Changeling.

"Really, it's that simple. And what if we leave this sewer and decide to report you to the royal guard? What then?" questioned Trixie.

The Changeling paused as he attempted to come up with an answer to her question before lamely replying, “I don’t know….” he lowered his head in defeat.

Trixie rolled her eyes at the changeling's response, "Of course, you didn't because you didn't think ahead, did you? You just saw two ponies you could take advantage of!"

The creature ignored her quip, shaking his head, “… I guess I’ll just keep on hiding like I always do. But, you wouldn’t do that; you have to save yourselves. You’re both criminals!” he said as he perked up, “I’ll just turn you in so I can win the favor of the ponies!”

The Changeling let out a desperate and relieved laugh, “They’ll want to be my friends for sure! I’ll finally be able to make some real friends then!”

At his threat, she scoffed, leaning over to laugh in his face. If he was really this naïve, she had no fear of him, "Puh-lease! Do you honestly think ANYPONY in the Royal Guard would take your word against ours? You're a soul-sucking Changeling! You really think they're going to jump to be friends with the likes of you?"

Starlight, for a moment, felt fear in her heart; she couldn’t let this Changeling and this fool ruin everything. All of her efforts were thwarted by elements outside of her control. She needed to dispose of this problem… but she could also use the powers of the Changeling to benefit herself too.

She took a deep breath before calmly, and cooly replying, “You wouldn’t want that.”

The Changeling tilted his head in confusion, “I– what? What do you mean!? That’s why I left the hive in the first place!”

“It's a noble pursuit, but you’re just too different to actually be friends with ponies. I mean, do you really think they’ll be friends with you of all creatures? A Changeling, the creatures responsible for kidnapping Princess Cadance and nearly overthrowing Equestria?”

Starlight shook her head, “I pity you; it’s honestly inspiring how you would turn your back on everything in the hopes of making friends. So, go ahead. Turn us in, and watch as they show their gratitude by throwing you in the next cell over. Or chase you out of town.”

“That’s not true! You’re just saying that to convince me not to turn you in; you’re criminals!” he retorted.

“True, but the reason I’m running from the law is very different from my…acquaintance here. I believe in a world where all ponies-no creatures are equal! I had a village that was an actual Utopia, where nopony was better than any pony else. The Princesses and even the ponies are no different than your Changeling Queen and Hive.”

“They’re all self-centered and egotistical, believing in their superiority. I mean, you heard my associate here; she called us ‘powerful and intelligent' in comparison to you. She believes she’s better than you!”

The Changeling seemed to be taken aback by the harsh reality of Starlight’s words as he seemed to physically shrivel and recoil at the fact he wouldn’t be accepted, “But what about Princess Twilight and her friends? Surely they would accept me.”

“Princess Twilight destroyed my Utopia! She wants to keep us different, separated. Whether it’s by our Cutie Marks or by species. I mean, you don’t hear her preaching equality and unity with our fellow creatures, do you?”

“I guess not….” he admitted

“But, I think personally we, ponies and Changeling’s have a lot in common. I personally believe we could be friends.”

The Changeling slowly perked his head up, “Really? Us friends?...”

“Of course; I mean, no po-creature is better than anybody else, right?”

He slowly nodded, “Yeah, yeah, that makes a lot of sense, but I’m still going to starve. Will you give me your love?”

Starlight swallowed as she began to feel uneasy; she had no idea how Changeling’s feed or how it could affect her. But she slowly turned to Trixie, “Yes, we’ll both help you.”

She cocked her brow as she processed Starlight's manipulation of the creature. In some ways, she was disgusted by the act, but she also admired the skill in doing so. Not many ponies could do that on a whim, especially with one outside their species.

"Woah, don't volunteer me for anything; I'm not getting another hoof near that thing, you'll have to pay me!" The blue unicorn protested, realizing what she was being backed into. Glancing at the Changeling she added, “Hey, don’t just go along with her because you feel bad, she sounds like a despot.”

Starlight rolled her eyes at Trixie’s accusation of tyranny, “Trixie, I’m not a tyrant I’m a…freedom fighter. A visionary for a better world.” She smirked, taking pride in herself, “ the world just isn’t ready for equality, is all. But you can stay in the storm drain while me and my new friend escape," the unicorn quickly approached the Changeling standing next to him defiantly.

"Riiiight, you totally didn't have a throne or a centerpiece to your town that you looked over with an iron hoof." Trixie rubbed her eyes before turning towards the strange Changeling, ignoring Starlight's quip.

“Oh my goodness, I never had a friend before!” Beamed the Changeling, “Let’s share our names! I’m Thorax.”

“Well, Thorax, you are now my main confidante; together, we will change the world. For the promise of a better tomorrow!” proudly proclaimed Starlight.

"Please, er... Thorax, don't go along willingly with this... stranger. You were taught stranger danger, weren't you?" Trixie cocked her head, taken back by the seeming naivety of the chitinous black creature.

Thorax paused for a moment before he shook his head, “Actually… no. There’s no such thing as a stranger in The Changeling Queendom, just your fellow drone.”

“What a great mentality to have, friend; now you were saying about love?” offered Starlight.

The blue unicorn mare was appalled by that answer, "Wow... Changelings don't really care about their foals, do they?" She glanced at Starlight, grimacing at her response. What kind of reply was that?

The Changeling quickly hissed as his narrow thin snake-like tongue whipped at the air. Starlight shrieked as she jumped away from Thorax.

“S-sorry! I’m just so hungry….”

Trixie too, jumped back at the display of teeth, and turned to Starlight, "See what I mean?! He's an uncontrollable animal!" although her opinion of him was beginning to soften, despite her venom. His soft voice and seemingly convincing unfamiliarity with common sense made it very easy to empathize with him. Too easy, in her opinion...

"Well, why don't you eat a sandwich?? Or, I don't know, do your... Changeling thing... and suck the love out of other ponies instead of us!"

Thorax tilted his head at Trixie, “First off, Queen Chrysalis takes care of the nursery where changelings are born; secondly, we can’t eat food. We can only process the magic love has. I will gladly explain all the nitty-gritty details of Changeling biology once I’m not STARVING to death.”

Trixie wrinkled her nose at the thought of not being able to eat her favorite foods; it sounded like a terrible existence to be forced into. What a terrible, pitiful creature... perhaps Trixie should afford him a little kindness, so long as it got her out of this mess.

Sighing, Trixie deflated, rubbing at her pounding skull. All of this excitement seemed to be wearing on her nerves,"Okay, alright... you just want us to... think of something we like, and that's it?"

Thorax shook his head, “No! It has to be something you love! And I really mean love with all of your heart’s desire. It can be anything, a pony, a place, a thing, your favorite food! It just has to be true love!”

The blue unicorn cocked a brow at the explanation, still not entirely understanding the process. Sure, she could imagine what she loved, but how was he going to pluck that feeling from her mind and feed off of it?

Starlight took a deep breath as she stepped forward, “I’ll go first….”

“Thank you, friend; now just think of something you love.” Ordered Thorax.

Starlight squeezed her eyes shut before thinking of what she truly loved. Her village…she loved that little village. Even though it was simple, it was still her home. She focused on that feeling, the warmth that her home brought her.

Thorax slowly approached as he opened his maul and began sucking a strange pink mist from Starlight's body as it was absorbed inside him. Starlight winced as she flinched. Thorax pleasantly hissed as he quickly smacked his lips and panted heavily.

“Oh, thank the stars! Thank you, thank you! I feel better already!” exclaimed the Changeling.

Starlight hobbled a bit before she sat down against the wall behind her, “It’s not so bad; I just feel a little lightheaded, is all.”

Thorax slowly turned to Trixie as he waited for her answer expectantly.

Watching as the process took place, Trixie felt nauseous just thinking about that happening to her. But at least the creature was satisfied, so wasn't that enough?

"You... need more?" She squeaked, still uncomfortable with the idea, "Honestly, I don't know how I'm going to be able to imagine something I love with you doing... that."

Thorax slowly approached, “Please! This isn’t enough; I need more to be able to use my magic. I haven’t eaten since I left The Hive, and that was months ago!”

“We don’t need her Thorax,” chimed Starlight, “She made her choice, and now she can stay down here while we escape.”

“Well… what if she wants to be my friend too?” Thorax suggested.

Starlight suppressed the urge to snap at the Changeling as she put on her most kind expression, “Oh well, she sees you as a pest. She doesn’t want to be your friend. She called you an animal!”

Thorax slowly turned to Trixie before facing Starlight, “You said you wanted to create a better world; how are we supposed to do that if we don’t extend our hooves to others?”

Starlight quickly scrambled for an answer, “I well, you see that takes time I-”

“I agree, but we need proof that Changelings and ponies can be friends if we’re going to change the world. Why don’t we start with your friend?” suggested Thorax.

“She’s not my friend,” snapped Starlight, “But if you feel like wasting your time, be my guest. When you’re finished, we can both escape,” grumbled Starlight as she walked away, giving a moment to Thorax and Trixie.

Trixie's eyes snapped from Thorax to Starlight during their argument, unsure of who to side with. To her chagrin, she was slowly more and more coming to the conclusion that Thorax, of either of the two, was the more convincing. He was a lot friendlier, too, unlike Starlight, who seemed to want to challenge and argue with her at every moment.

And considering that their lilac unicorn friend was more than likely an ex-cult leader, she was beginning to regret allowing her to tag along. She should have just jumped out of the second-story window of that office and escaped.

Watching as the strange mare trotted away, Trixie rolled her eyes before turning to Thorax, scanning over him with a critical eye.

"So, you just want my 'love,' and then we can leave?" she sighed, glancing away for a brief moment before nodding, "Fiiiiiine. Just.... make it quick, okay?"

Closing her eyes, Trixie summoned the few things that she could admit that truly gave her joy in life. Performing, learning new tricks, the comfort of her wagon, and the looks on her audience's faces when she left them stupefied. The blue unicorn winced as the Changeling began to feed, the sensation, unlike anything she had experienced before. Once he was done, she took a knee on the ground, trying to catch her breath.

"Is... is that all?" she whispered, clearly out of breath from the ordeal.

The Changeling happily smacked his lips as he beamed brightly at Trixie, “Yup, that’s it! Pretty simple right? Sorry about tiring you out, though; apparently, it takes a lot out of you,” he chuckled at his own pun.

“Get it? I literally took it out of you?” He’d smile at her warmly, “Are you okay? Here let me help you up,” Thorax carefully assisted Trixie as he helped the pony to her hooves.

Trixie seemed nearly ready to lie down on the disgusting stone floor of the sewer to take a nap. "Yeah... yeah, very funny..." She muttered, leaning against the Changeling without protest, far too exhausted to protest the contact.

“Now, let’s get out of here; we have a better world to build!” proclaimed Thorax as he quickly took flight, buzzing toward the direction Starlight went.

"Let's hope she doesn't get us into any more trouble..." grumbled Trixie.

Appropriate Dinner Conversation

The night had barely started, and Twilight was already over-cumbered by the dozens of horderves and hoof sandwiches. To think she only intended to have a light lunch and small dinner during her brief stint at the Empire but no.

It was practically a party with Cadance, Shining Armor, and all her friends. Cadance spoiled them to their heart's content with the splendor of all the food and drinks they could ever possibly want or need. The servant ponies trot to and fro from the kitchen constantly, primarily due to the insatiable hunger of Pinkie Pie.

Cadence looked over to Applejack as she tilted her head curiously, "Strange, I don't remember you with a bow in your mane."

"Uhh…well, I wanted to try a new look," admitted Applejack.

Rainbow Dash couldn't help but snicker at the sight; the rough and tough cowpony all dolled up! She tried to take a bite out of one of the fancy sandwiches the servants had provided, but she found she couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Haha, geez, AJ, what's next, a dress?" she snorted, wiping her mouth with the back of her hoof.

"I don't care what you think, Dash. I'm just tryin' something different." The farmer adjusted the bow in her mane.

"It took me ages to convince her; at first, I wanted to get her a new hat, but she insisted on how she didn't give away her hat but gave it to her sister Apple Bloom to watch over," sighed Rarity, "But it's different, and I can proudly say I changed her look!"

Applejack smirked, "I changed my own look the second I gave my hat to Apple Bloom."

"Let me have this, please," Rarity groaned.

Pinkie Pie, pulling her face away from her plate, chocolate frosting plastering her face, took one look at Applejack and smiled, "Oooh, it's so cute, AJ! Just like Apple Bloom's! Are you tryin' to match her? That's soooo sweet!" Applejack chuckled and rolled her eyes.

Shining looked over to Spike, who was happily devouring the finest crystals the servants could provide, "Is everything to your liking, O' Spike The Brave and Glorious?"

Spike quickly forced a crystal shard down his throat as he politely wiped the crumbs off his face, "Oh, mm, yes, thank you, your highness."

"Just try not to eat too much, Spike; you don't want to... ugh, get a stomach ache." Sitting up, Twilight groaned, pushing her plate back as she took a sip of water. She didn't think she could take another bite, no matter how delicious it looked.

Glancing over at Applejack, Twilight smiled and nodded. "I think it's really nice. Is that all you girls picked up while you were out?"

Pinkie shot up, "Ooooh, I packed some of my bags with the abso-toovely best candy in the Crystal Empire! Crystal rock pops, sugar crystals, crystal berry delight, crystal cakes--"

"Yeah, okay, I think we get it." Rainbow rolled her eyes, taking a bite of her sandwich, speaking as she chewed, before turning to Twilight, "I actually decided to fly around the edge of the Empire, y'know, just scouting it out. The cloud layer is pretty thick out there, so I don't know how well I can clear it. The wind is pretty strong too."

"Well, that's better than nothing at all; apparently, the Crystal ponies believe that Sombra's spirit is haunting the mountains out there." The purple alicorn replied in a defeated tone, "Not even one Crystal pony has managed to make it past the mountains in over a thousand years!"

The servant ponies appeared to be uneasy at the mention of King Sombra, giving Rainbow Dash a wirey look at the news that she flew near the mountain. They would've voiced their concerns if they weren't trained not to speak to the guests.

Spike let out an amused snort, "King Sombra? You mean, the same King Sombra I righteously vanquished?" smirked the dragon, as he raised his plate for another helping of gems, "I think that calls for a second helping! (more rubies, please.)"

"Yes, that King Sombra. But we all know that ghosts and spirits don't exist; it's simply coincidence or paranoid ponies mistaking normal things for the supernatural! At most, they probably saw a Windigo." Twilight snorted. Not a single book in the time she had studied the subject had any hard proof! "But even so, there must be a valid reason for their fears. We should be prepared for anything."

"Sombra's haunting the mountain?!" Fluttershy squeaked, nearly ducking underneath the table in fright, eyes wildly looking about the room.

"Oh c'mon, silly, he's not here right now!" Pinkie giggled.

"C'mon, Fluttershy, we saw him get blown to smithereens; I don't think he'll come back anytime soon. Besides, I'm pretty sure you can make friends with any beast we find up there by giving them a belly rub." smirked Applejack.

"Yes," nodded Rarity as she took a sip of wine, "It's clear as day, or should I say crystal, that our dear Spike destroyed that ruffian."

Fluttershy pulled herself back into her seat and began smoothing her mane in a self-soothing manner, "I-I know, I-I'm hoping we might see some new wildlife; that would be fascinating... I'd love to make new friends." she decided to look on the positive, shutting out the nightmarish thought of Sombra's return. "I just really don't want to see... him again."

"Puh-lease, if he is up there, we'll kick his flank!" Dash shot up from her seat, nearly kicking over a plate full of hors d'oeuvre's to the sparkling crystal floor. A servant just barely managed to jump and catch the entire contents perfectly.

Rainbow looked down sheepishly, "Heh, sorry..."

"Yeah, Dashie's right; if that big meanie is up there, we'll stop whatever he's planning!" Pinkie chirped, "Oooooh, what about that Glimmer pony?"

Pinkie Pie looked around suspiciously, "Do you think she's here right now?" She hissed.

Twilight looked less than impressed, "No, Pinkie, I'm certain she's not in the castle."

"I don't think anycreature we ever faced was as spiteful and vengeful as that pony," added Applejack, taking a bite of her apple pie.

"She ought to be thrown in the nearest dungeon for her crimes against fashion alone… oh and the Cutie Marks." the prissy unicorn stated, taking another delicate sip of her glass.

"Not to mention Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle!" crossing her hooves, Rainbow sat down in a huff.

"She was pretty mean..." the shy mare mumbled softly.

"Twilight gave us a description of her, now everypony in the Crystal Empire will know that she is not welcomed here and to stay awa-"

The doors quickly flew open, "Sir!" Shouted the Officer pony as he saluted Shining and quickly bowed at the Princesses, "Permission to speak?"

"Permission granted, Officer Velvet Bristle, is something the matter?"

"Yes sir, that pony you wanted posters of, she was involved with a recent assault and robbery in the lower part of town; she used a freezing spell on a tavern owner and immobilized his sons. She's not alone, either. We have reports saying she has an accomplice. A Trixie Lulamoon, we believe that she at least participated in the robbery." Explained Velvet Bristle.

Shining quietly stared in muted horror as he slowly turned to his sister, "We will handle this; this will not interfere with your expedition."

Twilight shot up, her previous lethargy gone completely, "Are you kidding?! How can we leave now when she's loose somewhere and causing chaos? Especially because she's only here trying to get back at me!"

"C-Calm down, Twilight; I'm sure your brother and his guard know what they're doing." Fluttershy offered, trying to calm her friend.

"But doesn't it make it partially my fault?" Twilight asked, "I'm the one who decided to push ahead on this, and now ponies are hurt."

"It's not like you could have controlled that, Twi. You're not responsible for some crazy pony going off and hurting people." Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, sitting up in her seat. "And please, she's hanging out with Trixie? Pffft, what a joke. With that loud mouth, they'll be spotted in no time."

"Yeah, all we gotta do is look for her wagon!" Pinkie piped up, smiling wide, "It's got purple on it, just like her cape!"

"Your highness," Velvet Bristle assured as he removed his helmet with his magic, resting it next to him as he looked the Princess in the eye, "We won't let a couple of thieves ruin your time in the Crystal Empire and interrupt your much more important ventures. We have secured Ms. Lulamoon's cart, and we have patrols entering the lower city."

Shining Armor rose from his chair, "Well spoken, Officer Bristle, I will also join in the search. Twilight, you won't have to worry about a thing."

"You have to understand, she's a very powerful unicorn, even she had me by surprise. I can't just leave you while she's out there doing... something! It's not like her to do something so blatant, it might be a trap of some sort!" Twilight protested weakly.

Fluttershy couldn't help but shift uncomfortably, "Wouldn't that mean she's trying to lure you in Twilight? Maybe it's for the best that we go..."

"I know she's a super big meanie Twilight, but we didn't come out here for her!" Pinkie shrugged, taking a big bite of a cupcake drizzled in hot sauce.

"I know, I know..." she turned to Cadance and her brother, "I just don't want you two getting hurt."

Cadance turned to her husband before looking back at Twilight, "I agree with Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie; she wants you, Twilight. But I believe all of you must stay here and allow Shining Armor and the royal guard to take care of this."

"Your mission is important, Twilight; we won't let you down," smiled Shining, before turning to Velvet Bristle, "I want all patrols to scout the entire city! I want these two brought to justice!"

The purple alicorn sighed and sat back down, "Alright, you talked me out of it... but if anything happens, I want to hear it," She still didn't like it, or perhaps she was just being paranoid. She huffed and watched her brother and the guard leave and began picking at her food.

"Yes, sir!" saluted the Officer, as he and Shining quickly trotted out of the room.

Cadance placed her hoof on Twilight's shoulder, "Everything will be okay; let's save you for a change." She smirked.

"Yeah, Twi, Starlight's just one pony, after all," pointed out Applejack, leaning back in her seat.

"Oh, lest we forget, the Great and Powerful Trixie!" Rarity giggled, taking a sip of her wine.

"What's she going to do? Throw a smoke bomb at us?" Spike laughed through a mouthful of gemstones.

"Well, I mean, Trixie *did* take over Ponyville that one time..." Fluttershy murmured quietly.

"Yeah, but she had that magic doohickey that gave her those powers! Without it, she's just a showpony." Dash took a long gulp of apple cider, letting out a pleasurable sigh from the flavor, "Gee, Applejack, this crystal cider is almost as good as your family's recipe!"

"Almost." Applejack nodded as she took a sip of cider, "But not quite." She'd chuckle good-naturedly before turning to Twilight, "I think you give that pony too much credit. Do you really think she and Trixie can take an army?"

"Or our brother, for that matter." the young drake replied as he gnawed a gemstone.

"What we're all saying is Darling is that we are currently in one of the finest cities in the world as honored guests, and we should spend the night enjoying ourselves!" asserted Rarity, smiling at the purple mare.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes at Rarity, "Yeah, that's definitely what we're here for, to lounge around. News flash Rarity, this isn't a vacation!"

Rarity scoffed at Rainbow Dash's impudence before taking another sip of wine, lest she say something uncouth in front of Princess Cadance.

"Aw c'mon Dashie, it's not a crime to have some fun along the way!" Pinkie poked the pegasus in the side, who squeaked indignantly at the sudden contact.

"I couldn't have said it better myself," smiled Cadance as she clapped her hooves, alerting the servant ponies, who quickly cleared and cleaned the table.

"Alright, alright, I get it. I'm just nervous because, well... she's unpredictable. I mean, Trixie of all ponies?! What is she planning?" Twilight yelled in exasperation before taking a calming breath.

Fluttershy leaned over and gently patted the alicorn on the back, "Well, I think it's a good idea for us to relax before we begin our journey. It won't help any of us if we get worried about that pony."

Twilight sighed, "Oh... okay, fine... Well, what do you think we should do?"

"The castle has plenty of things to do; we have our own library and bathhouse. We can arrange an escort to take you anywhere in the Empire if you wish. The only thing holding you back is your imagination," Cadance offered, a soft smile on her lips.

"Perhaps a trip to the bathhouse will do you good, Twilight; a steam bath and a massage always calms me down," offered Rarity.

"Tch, you kidding? She'll go over to the books first," chuckled Applejack.

"Less we forget the time she tried to take a book into the spa," smirked Spike.

The purple alicorn looked over scornfully at Spike, "That was one time, and I didn't expect Pinkie to literally jump in the tub!" grumbled Twilight; she quickly perked her head at the mention of the library.

"Library?! Say no more!" Twilight squealed, jumping up from her seat as she trotted in place. "I haven't had the opportunity to really scour the Crystal Empire's catalog since our first visit! I could even reorganize for you if we have the time!"

"I... don't think we have THAT much time." Rainbow snickered before letting out a loud yawn. "I'm actually thinking about a nap. No offense Cadance, but I'm used to a cloud mattress, so I'll probably be outside."

"Don't you wanna jump on the beds and try the soap they have? They're shaped like seashells!" Pinkie giggled, summoning the soap from... somewhere. Twilight didn't question it. "Ooh, ooh, what if we have a sleepover?! We can tell each other stories and jump on the beds and have pillow fights...!"

"Um... I wouldn't mind, if you don't," Fluttershy smiled, "I only wish Angel was here... I hope he's behaving."

"Sounds lovely, we could use the spa and be entirely refreshed tomorrow! Fantastic idea, darling," the elegant unicorn tossed her mane, "What do you think girls?"

"Awright, I don't see why not," Applejack groaned, "But I ain't lettin' them put any hoof polish on me– never again."

"Come now; you looked fantastic!" Rarity chuckled, tugging the cowpony along.

"I know I'm not having anypony touch my hooves…" Rainbow grumbled, Pinkie plonked along beside her, "C'mon Twilight, don't make us drag you there."

Twilight chuckled and followed after her friends, pushing Starlight Glimmer out of her thoughts for the moment. She could afford one night without having to save the day, couldn't she? Shining Armor and the royal guard had it under control. She could afford this one night of avoiding danger before putting herself in unavoidable danger.

Put On Your Best Poker Face

After traversing the labyrinth of water maintenance tunnels, Starlight quickly popped the ponyhole lid as she, Thorax, and Trixie climbed their way out of the storm and sewage system. The fresh air was more than welcomed for the tired creatures.

Starlight took a deep breath before quietly whispering to herself, “Never. Again.”

Once he managed to get to the surface, Thorax watched over Trixie before helping the mare to her hooves. The showpony looked up suspiciously at the changeling, staring at his hoof before eventually taking it, grateful to be out of the muck.

“We’re a few blocks away from the cart, I can go get it if you want, and you guys can hide,” suggested Thorax.

“Whatever you do, don’t break it! And don’t get too bumpy with her; she’s an antique.” Trixie instructed, glaring at the creature.

Thorax smiled warmly at Trixie, “Don’t worry, Trixie, I promise it’ll be exactly as you had it.”

The unicorn stared at Thorax, still unwilling to give him the benefit of the doubt. He just seemed too nice, especially for a Changeling.

“Fine by me,” sighed Starlight, “We’ll hide out and wait til you come back with the wagon, and then we can go to phase two of my plan.”

“What’s phase two?” questioned Thorax.

Starlight nervously smiled, “I’m….working on it.”

“Oh, you have some big plan, do you?” Trixie rolled her eyes, “Well, whatever it is, it better be good. And once that changeling gets my cart, I’m leaving. I’m not getting involved in... whatever it is you’re doing.”

Starlight sighed, “Look, I’m trying to figure out a plan that benefits everyone; now shut up while I think-”

A blood-curdling crack echoed through the street as Trixie and Starlight turned to the sound. They saw a small green haze surround the changeling as his body twisted and contorted, manipulating itself to take shape.

The bone-chilling symphony parroted cracking and snapping bone. But despite this horrifying display of nature. Thorax seemed unaffected. The changeling quickly changed into the shape of a pony—a younger-looking colt with a blue coat and mane, with a vase for a cutie mark.

Starlight’s jaw hung a gap as Thorax gave his two friend’s a bright smile, “I’ll be right back!”

Trixie’s face turned bright green at the sight and sound of that horrible display. She rushed toward the ponyhole they had just climbed out of and vomited up her lunch, spitting, and retching at the rancid taste.

Lifting herself back up, Trixie turned to Starlight in a daze,“You’re really going to tag along with that thing?”

Starlight snapped out of the trance that Thorax had put her in. The almost monstrous display had nearly taken her out of the world around her if not for Trixie’s squawking. The unicorn sighed before turning to the showpony, “Yes, we’re friends now, and he and I share a vision for a better world.”

She’d shrug, “It’s fine; you’re just too headstrong and dim to see the future where Changeling and Ponies live together in harmony.” Starlight hissed, giving Trixie a smug and cocksure smirk.

Trixie snorted, using her magic to straighten her mane and hat, “Pfftt, you aren’t *friends*. You’re just using him for your own gain. He might be a Changeling, but he’s naive... and you’ve got a personality disorder written all over you. Your delusions of grandeur, as if you’re special and going to make a world of difference. Puh-lease. You have no chance when you can’t even make friends with your own species.”

Starlight rolled her eyes, “You just lack the initiative and vision. Unlike you, I have the power and potential to do something to really change the world,” she’d snap a smug expression at Trixie, “And I’m actually powerful, unlike some pony I know….”

“And there you go again, classic narcissist, thinking you’re better than everypony else,” Trixie smirked, flicking her tail, “But the difference is, I actually am Great and Powerful. I know how to hold a stage, and perform for an adoring audience! And what do you have, Starlight? Nopony but yourself and some bug who will probably eat you the first chance it gets.”

Starlight slowly approached Trixie, pressing her front hoof against the mare’s chest, a cold and wrathful gaze laid upon the showpony as her words struck like venom, “I have the good graces to keep my mouth shut and know when I’ve said too much. I also know a few spells that would solve all my issues with you. So unless you want to know exactly what I have. I recommend you keep your mouth shut.”

Trixie took a deep breath, her instincts had told her to take a step back, but she held still, her pride not letting her back down to this strange unicorn. But the threat did not go over her head, a slight chill ran down her spine. Her gaze hardened slightly, but the small smirk plastered to her face didn’t fall. She didn’t want Starlight to know her words had sunk in.

Thorax quickly galloped to the two mares before screeching to a halt; he’d slowly look up at Trixie and Starlight timidly, “Sooo….I have some bad news, REALLY bad news.”

Starlight sighed as she instantly shifted her bitter tone into a more friendlier one, “What is it, Thorax?”

“Well, first off. The cart’s gone, and the entire lower part of the city is crawling with Royal Guards; they even have Prince Shining Armor personally looking for us!” fretted Thorax.

The unicorn turned to Thorax, her eyes widening as she began struggling to speak through her anger, “You– they– are you kidding me?! How are we going to get my wagon now?! And they probably already found those fireworks in the back... ugh! This is all your fault!” she hissed at Starlight, forgetting her earlier fear.

“Wait…Shining Armor?.... Did you see him?” Starlight pressed, ignoring Trixie’s whining.

“Yeah, he was with some big general, officer pony; why?”

“This is perfect! Alright, new plan. Trixie, make yourself useful, walk out in front of Shining Armor, and lead him and his men to the alley behind us. Then I will take out the guards, and then Thorax here can disguise himself as the prince.”

“What about the other guards?” questioned Thorax.

Starlight winked, “Don’t worry, my friend; I will take care of them.”

“Just make sure nocreature gets hurt; we need the public’s good graces; we’re not criminals after all.” Thorax beamed, already enveloped by Starlight’s ideology.

Starlight gave a confused smile, “Yes…our public image is….most important for our movement. After that, Thorax disguised as Shining Armor will ‘arrest’ us and ‘take us in’ where we can most likely find the cart, then we can escape.”

The unicorn’s eyes widened as Starlight laid out her plan, “Are you INSANE?! You want to go hoof to hoof against not only the royal guard but Shining Armor?! You do realize he was captain of *Celestia’s* royal guard, right? Not only that, but he was an alumni at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. You have no chance!”

“And you!” Trixie pointed her hoof at the changeling, a disgusted sneer on her lips, “Are you really so simple-minded and eager to help that you’ll follow a complete stranger you’ve had a total of, what, two conversations with? Grow some backbone! Or are you changelings really just a hivemind and have no free will of your own? You’re so pathetic it’s disgusting.”

“I’m not going to make this any worse for myself– in fact, I’m going to go turn myself in! I’m not going to get involved in whatever cult you’re interested in creating,” Trixie lifted her snout into the air and began walking, “I shall at least keep my dignity and a lesser sentence for turning you two in!”

Thorax raised his front legs defensively, “How could I not? She saved my life; I was on the brink of death! You saved my life too, and if you ever need a favor from me, let it be known that I am BOTH in your debt. But right now, we need to work together, even if it’s just for a little while, if we want to escape. So I’m going to push aside that rude comment about The Changelings and me for now. Besides, have a little faith in Starlight; she did say she went hoof to hoof with Twilight Sparkle; what’s this Shining Armor guy have on either of them?”

“Then, do me a favor and stop mindlessly believing everything you hear,” Trixie rolled her eyes, “Well, for one, he was the stallion keeping your changeling army from invading Canterlot; if memory serves, he won awards for his shield spells in school. And unlike Twilight, he probably trained in advanced combat spells in the guard. Honestly, am I the only one with a brain here?”

“Why can’t you have faith like our dear friend Thorax?” chimed Starlight, “But if you want to throw your life away behind bars, be my guest. But we’re not going to throw away our goal for a better world, right Thorax?”

Thorax shrugged, “Hey, it’s better than my life with the hive.”

Starlight sighed, “Alright new plan, Thorax disguises as Trixie, brings in the guards, and we’ll continue the plan while Trixie throws away her future and freedom. Now, does everycreature agree?”

The showpony whipped around, indignation in her gaze, “Excuse me? While I would love to have another me trotting around, I’m not going to let you sully my image with a pale imitation!” flipping her mane, Trixie turned back around before striking a pose, “If you really need an actor, there is no substitute for the Great and Irreplaceable Trixie!”

Pulling out a smoke pellet from her cape, she threw it to the ground, surrounding the three in smoke. Trixie simply trotted out with a smirk, heading towards her cart.

Coughing and fanning the smoke away, Starlight stared at Trixie as she willingly participated in their plan despite wailing, whining, and complaining about the sum of its parts not even a minute ago. Chuckling to herself, she found it amusing that Trixie kept proving herself to be more than she expected. Whenever Starlight thought she figured her out, Trixie would surprise her.

Trixie trotted forward, head held up high, her pride beaming brightly in her stride and smile. All of that came crashing down the moment the guards saw her.

Shining Armor and Velvet Bristle quickly turned to Trixie, “Halt! You are under arrest; come with us or suffer the consequences!” ordered Velvet. The earlier confidence she had experienced came crashing down; she was shaking in her metaphorical boots.

She froze for a moment before her stage persona came to the surface once more, “Aha, it seems as if the royal guard were so helpless to find me; I needed to trot right up to them to give them a chance! Now let’s see if you can catch the Great and Powerful Trixie!”

Throwing down another smoke pellet, Trixie ran in the direction she had just come from and towards the alley, hoping that Starlight’s plan wasn’t actually as crazy as it sounded.

Shining Armor quickly dispersed the smoke with his magic as he, Velvet, and a few earth pony guards chased after her, “I want that mare!” ordered Shining, “She’s the key to finding Starlight Glimmer!”

Trixie's heart pounded as the mare galloped into the alley; as she raced down the tight corridors, she didn’t see anypony, not Thorax or Starlight. Realizing she was alone before becoming cornered.

“By Order of Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor, you are under arrest for theft, assault, and collaborating with known enemies of the Empire and Equestria!” boomed Velvet, “Surrender now or suffer the consequences!”

Trixie not-so-quietly cursed Starlight and that Changeling; she should have known she would've been backstabbed! Why did she let herself be tempted by that stupid unicorn’s tricks?!

“Please, it wasn’t my fault; she forced me to!” Trixie stuttered out, tail between her legs as she backed up.

Starlight slowly appeared behind the platoon of ponies as she quickly shot a small magic ball into the air, completely missing the group.

As soon as the mare stepped into the alleyway, Trixie pointed at her, “See?! It was her! She forced me to do all of this!”

The ponies turned around to face Starlight as Shining Armor quickly glared at Starlight, “So you’re the one that’s been causing so much trouble.”

“Yes, yes, I’m sure it’s all very personal to you, but I think you should just… relax," the mare smiled cooly; as a strange glittering substance began to fall from above as it landed on the small group of ponies; Shining Armor quickly realized his failing, “Sleep spell! Officer Velvet, use Greater Restoration spell!”

The earth ponies quickly toppled over as they began to fall fast asleep; Officer Velvet fought desperately as his eyes began to feel heavy, “Mmnngggh… trying sir… too… powerful… I’m… I’m sorry….” he’d quickly fall to his knees before falling fast asleep.

Shining Armor’s horn quickly burned a bright blue as he began to encompass himself with his magic, using the spell to fight the growing exhaustion and tiredness.

Starlight sighed as she shook her head, “Greater restoration? You’ll only tire yourself more against my sleep spell.”

Shining narrowed his eyes at the tyrannical mage; the unicorns quickly fired powerful hyper beams of magic at one another; Starlight growled as she desperately attempted to push back against Shining Armor. The stallion took a deep breath as he focused in on Starlight, honing his magic as his beam pushed back Starlight’s.

Starlight dug her hooves into the ground as she squeezed her eyes shut and pushed back with all of her might; Shining remained calm and collected as he kept the mare on the back petal. Their magic cracked and whistled like fireworks. Trixie watched on in horror and fear as the two fought it out, hiding behind a dumpster in order to avoid any splash damage.

Starlight quickly opened her eyes before she dropped the tug-o-war between the two and quickly teleported a few feet to the right of her. Attempting to fire a paralyzing spell at the prince. Shining quickly lifted a shield spell as the magic dissolved into the shield before firing back with an attack of his own. Starlight narrowly avoided the spell as she took flight, ducking and weaving from the magical assault against her.

Shining slowly yawned before his eyes shrunk, realizing he was running out of time. He desperately attempted to entrap Starlight with shields, the mare quickly teleporting out of them before she fired a flurry of spells at the stallion.

Shining blocked every single spell, but despite his perfect defense, the good prince began to hobble as his legs began to buckle, “Mmmnnggh….no….the expedition…Twilight…. I’m…sorry….” he’d quickly fall to the ground and drift into a deep slumber.

Starlight landed on the ground before collapsing and breathing heavily.

Stepping out from the shadows, Trixie hesitantly approached Starlight and the fallen Prince, eyeing them both warily. “Sooo... you did it. Y’know, all of that talk about me saying it was you who made me do it, that was just acting,” she said with a playful, if nervous smile, “But, uh... are you sure nopony else heard that? And where’s the bug?”

Starlight panted heavily, “Just… just shut up... I’m too tired to be mad… Thorax, you can come out now.”

Thorax quickly hopped out of the dumpster Trixie hid behind as he gasped at the sight of the unconscious ponies, “What happened?”

Trixie let out a little sigh of relief before turning to Thorax, rolling her eyes, “What exactly do you think, she just tacked on more assault charges if we get caught.”

Thorax chuckled nervously, “Oh….”

“No time to explain.” Starlight sighed, “Change into Shining Armor; I got the guards….” Starlight took a deep breath as she quickly fired a beam of magic at the unconscious guards.

Starlight’s horn burned brightly with magic as she quickly shouted, “Up!”

The ponies quickly limbered up to their hooves, their eyes sealed shut. While, Thorax quickly transformed into Shining Armor.

Starlight panted, “Look, this possession spell and the sleep spell give us about an hour to get to where the cart is and get out of here. Do any of you know where they would keep your cart?”

Watching as the guards rose, still deep in their slumber, the unicorn felt herself itch all over. She might not have paid attention very well in all her classes, but Trixie could recognize forbidden spells when she saw them.

“Do you have any idea how illegal what you’re doing is?! Why couldn’t you just be another magician...”

Trixie sighed, rubbing a hoof across her face, “Probably to their tow yard, since it’s been impounded. There are probably guards there too, so I’m not sure we can just walk in and take it...”

Starlight rolled her eyes, “Oh please, we’ve been over on my opinion of the law, eyes open!” Starlight ordered, the ponies quickly opening their eyes. They seemed unfocused, their expressions blank and lifeless. Stepping in front of one of the guards, Trixie waved her hoof in front of his eyes, trying to get a reaction.

“Yeah, but her opinion on morality is shockingly low, even for me.” Trixie muttered, mainly to Thorax, before trotting forward.

Starlight quickly tapped her hoof to her head, “Okay… new plan… we send Thorax to get the cart!”

“Uhm.. isn’t it considered strange that two captives are being taken to the compound? Shouldn’t you be taken somewhere else not to arouse suspicion?” Thorax suggested, rubbing his chin.

“I could possess Shining Armor and his Officer and have us be escorted to the local jail where we can sit for a little bit… but then I’d have to order the guards away… shoot…”

Turning around, Trixie let out a long sigh, “Honestly, you two are hopeless. Why would we willingly imprison ourselves and be even more surrounded by the guard? Just send him and a few of the guards and say... say that they want to search it for evidence. This isn’t that hard."

Starlight sighed, “I’m trying, okay? It’s a little hard to think after that adrenaline rush!”

Trotting over to the limp body of Shining Armor, Trixie cocked her head and poked him with a hoof, “And what about him? Leave him in the trash?”

Thorax and Starlight slowly looked at each other before using their magic to toss Shining Armor into the dumpster. Trixie was conflicted, amused, and a little shocked they so willingly went along with her idea.

“New plan!” she’d turn to Trixie, “We’ll just stand back and let Thorax order the guards to release the wagon, have Thorax and the guards move it away, and then we disperse the guards before escaping.”

Smirking at Starlight, Trixie crossed her legs and held her head up high, “See? It’s foolproof. So long as he can play the part.”

Trixie pointed at Thorax, “Give me your best Prince Shining Armor, Husband of Princess Cadance, and Captain of the Royal Guard!”

Thorax cleared his throat as he perfectly mimicked the prince’s voice, “Uh… I…Hi everypony, I’m Shining Armor?... Hope you have a great day…?”

Trixie face hoofed and sighed deeply, glancing over at Starlight with a cocked brow. Straightening her expression into something more determined, she wrapped a hoof around Thorax, “No, no. You’re THE Prince of the Crystal Empire. You’re married to one of the most powerful ponies alive, and not only that, but your sister is one too. You also are the captain of the guard, responsible for all the ponies in your land. You’re extremely talented with magic, but still down to earth.”

Trixie paused as the others wondered how she knew about that last bit, “What? I heard about him in school, and he often visited for speeches and stuff....The point is, you have to not just look and sound like him, but think like him too... honestly, didn’t they teach you anything in that hive?”

Thorax quickly took a deep breath, “Think like him, think like him...” he’d promptly change his tone to something more confident, “That was a tough battle; I’m sure glad everypony’s okay. Let’s take the prisoners to a nice cell where they can’t hurt anypony else.”

Starlight gave a small clap to Thorax’s performance as the changeling quickly began to blush and bashfully cross his front legs.

Trixie shrugged and gave him a slow clap, “It’s... acceptable, but I don’t think he’d put us in a nice cell after what we did. Especially her,” she pointed at Starlight, “Alright... let’s get this over with.”

Starlight quickly arranged for the guards to follow Thorax, having them march behind him in neat and organized rows, with The Officer to his right. Thorax did his best to remain confident as he looked at the practically zombified ponies next to him.

“Where’s the impound, Trixie?” Starlight questioned.

Trixie trotted alongside the unicorn, glaring at her from the corner of her eye as she did her best to look captured.

“How should I know? I’ve never gotten my wagon towed here! Probably somewhere near a police station, or maybe the castle itself! Since they were in a hurry to find you, probably closer.”

Starlight quickly shot a look at Trixie, as she did her best to keep appearances, “Trixie, we have one hour before the spells wear off, where’s the nearest police station?!”

Thorax led the mares out of the alley as a few ponies quickly began to flock around the prince and his guards, gawking and hissing at the two mares; Thorax quickly did his best impression of Shining Armor, “Make way! These are very dangerous ponies, for your own safety please step back!”

“You’re lucky I know where they are, otherwise, we’d all be in trouble.” Trixie snorted. Whispering to Thorax, she directed him up the street, and a couple of blocks away.

“There we are.” She hissed, using her horn to point towards the building. Beside the police station sat the tow yard, where Trixie could see the roof of her wagon sticking out.

Marching inside, the local police department quickly rose to their hooves and saluted Thorax as they promptly prepared a cell for Trixie and Starlight. Thorax’s expression floundered for a moment before he quickly swallowed back his fear and nervousness.

“Guards put them away!” Thorax ordered as the possessed ponies quickly moved the mares along into the cell before standing aimlessly outside the cell. Thorax quickly approached the cell.

Trixie gritted her teeth as they were dragged inside and pushed into a cell, giving both Starlight and Thorax a displeased look, “Thorax, this was supposed to be really simple....” she hissed.

Starlight glared at Thorax as she whispered, “What about the plan!?”

Thorax stammered, “There are too many ponies outside trying to look at you; just stay calm, and I’ll get the cart.” He quickly flashed a small smile to them before winking.

"Whatever, just get it done, and don’t you even dare think about leaving us here!” Whispered Trixie.

The Police chief quickly trotted up to Thorax before saluting, “Your Highness, what do you want us to do with the prisoners? Shall I inform Princess Twilight of her capture?”

Thorax smiled nervously, “Oh…yes! You and your officers should personally inform Twilight and Cadance of our success.”

The chief paused, “You…want the entire department to inform Princess Cadance and Twilight of the suspects’ arrest?...”

Thorax looked back at Trixie and Starlight for a moment before stiffening up, “Yes, that is a direct order; you’re not questioning me, are you?”

Trixie rolled her eyes and groaned, pressing a hoof over her face.

“Oh no, sir! I apologize. I didn’t mean to offend; I just… everypony! Grab your things and stop what you’re doing. We must inform Princess Twilight and Cadance that the suspects have been apprehended!” Announced the chief.

The officer ponies quickly looked at one another before one from the crowd asked, “ALL of us?”

“Yes! This is a direct order from his royal majesty himself! Now let’s move!” barked the chief.

The police ponies quickly left the office, and the chief soon shouted orders for the crowds to disperse and leave before trotting off toward the castle.

“Wow, I can’t believe they were that stupid... I’ll have to apologize to Hayseed Swamp, they aren’t as dumb as these mules...” the unicorn snorted in disbelief. Gesturing to the lock, “Well, are you going to let us out or what? It’s only a matter of time before one of them finds a brain cell to share.”

Thorax quickly grabbed a set of keys from a nearby wall before unlocking the cell door, “Alright, let’s get out of here.”’

The group quickly made their way to the impound before Trixie and Starlight promptly jumped into the wagon, just barely squeezing in it before Thorax disguised himself as the younger-looking colt from earlier and began pulling the cart away.

“Don’t crush anything!” Trixie hissed as Starlight forced her way in. Checking in the back, she let out a sigh of relief, “Thank Celestia; they didn’t take my fireworks out! The number of bits I had to pay for these...”

“Just get us out of the city and play it cool.” Starlight whispered to Thorax, careful to keep away from the windows.

“Just pretend you’re a merchant pony, and everything will be fine,” Trixie told the changeling, falling into her hammock bonelessly, already half-asleep. “And please… do Trixie a favor and… try not to look suspicious...”

Too Little Too Late

"Pinkie, that's too much!"

"Aw, c'mon, Twilight, what's a snack before bedtime gonna hurt?"

"Pinkie, that's an entire strawberry cake you just dragged in here. No way we can eat all that!"

The mare shrugged cheerfully and began to dig in, nearly unhinging her jaw as she took down almost half of the cake.

"Hey, save some for the rest of us!" Rainbow Dash fluttered down from a beam on the ceiling, it wasn't a cloud, but it was close enough to the branches she napped on.

The girls were sprawled out in the living area of their suite, piles of pillows laid across the floor and couches with a large table in the middle, filled to the brim with all the food and drink they could desire. The girls tossed blankets over the semi-circle couch as each pony lounged back and chatted with one another.

Taking a small slice of cake for herself, Twilight wondered how she could even stomach it after eating so much earlier. But one of Pinkie's delicacies could not be ignored. After she took a small bite, she let out a yawn. She hoped the girls were ready to lay down soon.

"Hey, Applejack, you gonna let Rarity give you a facemask too?" Rainbow snickered behind a hoof, watching as the white unicorn painted herself with a green cleansing goo that apparently 'opened up her pores,' whatever that meant.

Applejack rolled her eyes as she carefully removed the bow from her mane, "No, thank you, I'd only get those if it's already part of a spa. But even then, I'm not the biggest fan. Ms. Pampered Muzzle Massage."

Rarity turned over to Applejack, "My offer still stands, darlings."

"I think I'll give it a try," offered Cadance as she leaned in to allow the unicorn to apply the face mask.

"Me too!" Spike piped up from his spot on the couch.

The large doors would fly open as the police chief and his officers awkwardly stepped inside, "Uh…we apologize for disturbing you, Princess Cadance, Princess Twilight. But Prince Shining Armor wanted us to personally inform you that Trixie Lulamoon and Starlight Glimmer have been arrested and are in the station's holding cell."

Cadence looked at the officers as she quickly rose to her hooves, "You brought the entire department with you…?"

Twilight immediately shot up at the intrusion, primarily out of nerves. Her ears pricked up as the stallions spoke, then flew flat to her skull.

The police chief slowly looked around at his ponies before slowly nodding at the Princess, "Yes, your highness, it was a personal request by his royal highness, Shining Armor."

"He would have never sent the entire department; he would have come here himself to tell us the news!" Twilight immediately began towards the door, "My brother's in trouble, raise the alarm!"

"Is Shining in trouble?" Spike asked worriedly, running over to the crowd of ponies.

"Twilight, slow down! We don't know what's happening! Maybe he wanted to question them himself...?" Fluttershy offered, trying not to seem insensitive to Twilight's plight but also wanting to comfort Spike.

"I know my brother; he just wouldn't do that! Not unless there was something wrong." The alicorn reaffirmed, too determined and headstrong to hear anything else.

"Well, c'mon, where's this station you guys were at?!" Rainbow demanded of the police chief, "If Twilight's right, and she usually is, you guys just screwed up big time!"

The Police chief quickly raised his hooves defensively, "Your highness, everything has been secured; I know it seems a little strange, but Shining Armor and his guards stayed with the prisoners; perhaps it's just Prince Shining taking precautions."

"Or perhaps a Changeling disguised themself as my husband!" Shouted Cadance, "You were aware of the rumors, Chief Hayson!"

"Why would he take precautions by removing everypony in the building and leaving two criminals alone with no one but himself?! In what world does that make sense?" Twilight snapped, unable to control her anxiety.

The police chief seemed uneasy, "But why would a Changeling help two seemingly unimportant thieves?" he took a deep breath before turning to Rainbow Dash, "We need to get to the southern part of the city where the suspects were taken; let's move!"

"It doesn't matter why a changeling would help them; who cares? We need to get down there quick!" Rainbow Dash yelled, "I'll scout ahead!"

Before she could zip off, Twilight grabbed her by the tail, "Wait... don't get too close; stay in the air. I don't want anypony getting hurt."

Dash rolled her eyes, "I'll be careful, I promise, Mom."

Twilight sighed and let the pegasus go, springing out the door ahead of them. Letting out an 'oof' in surprise, the purple alicorn looked behind her as Spike climbed onto her back, "C'mon, Twilight, let's go!"

The group quickly galloped through the castle and out into the street as the mob of ponies rapidly made their way over to the station, where Shining's Platoon quickly ran into them.

Velvet Bristle looked at Cadance, "We were ambushed in the alley! Starlight Glimmer used a sleep spell on my platoon, and Shining Armor is missing!"

The Police chief shook his head and trembled, "B-but you came inside the department and escorted the prisoners!"

"What happened to Shining Armor? Where is he!?" ordered Cadance.

Gasping for breath as they came upon the scene, Twilight trotted toward Velvet Bristle, "What was the last thing you remember before you were attacked, and if you can, what did the place you were in look like?"

Velvet quickly straightened his posture as he looked Twilight in the eye, "Sir, we were chasing after Trixie and ran down an alley. She called out Starlight, but the damage was already done. The platoon was down, and Shining ordered me to cast Greater Restoration, but I blacked out. Me and my ponies remember waking up in the police department; the cell doors were open and the cart we apprehended was gone."

Chief Hayson slowly wobbled before toppling over, fainting as medical staff quickly rushed over to revive the police chief.

"But where is Shining Armor?" fretted Cadance, "She didn't take him… did… did she?"

"Princess, Shining Armor is strong. I have no doubt in my mind he's alright, but if Starlight and her lackeys dare defile our Prince, there will be Tartarus to pay!" Velvet replied.

"Shining's okay, right, Twilight?" Spike asked quietly.

"I'm sure he's okay, Spike," Fluttershy wrapped a hoof around the young drake, nuzzling him gently.

"Of course, Shining would fight til' the end, and I'm sure he gave as good as he got." Twilight nodded, trying to push the anxiety and fear for her brother away and just focus, "Let's go find him. I doubt they could take him hostage..."

A few police ponies helped the chief to his hooves as he shook his head, "Alright, I'm alright. Let's investigate the alley you were talking about."

"I think I know which alley you're looking for!" Rainbow yelled above the group, guiding the way.

It didn't take long for the group to move back to the alley; there were signs of a skirmish here, parts of the pavement had residue from the sleep spells, powdery magical substance, and the walls and pavement had burns from magical attacks. But no Shining Armor.

"Oh no... I hope he's okay..." Fluttershy whispered in horror, not liking how the odds were stacked.

"I'm sure he's trying to find his way home!" Pinkie piped up, trying to keep the group hopeful. "Or maybe he's chasing after the baddies!"

Twilight, breathing through her nose and out through her mouth before conjuring a tracing spell. Her horn glowed before a small string of magic began to swirl through the air.

It eventually landed on a dumpster in the corner of the alley; the lid cracked open just slightly.

Officer Velvet quickly pointed at the magic, "Over here!" the guards and officers rushed over to the dumpster and flew the lid off, "He's in here! Get me a medic! Trauma kit! Something to check his vitals, everything!"

"He's not… hurt, is he?" Spike asked quietly.

The unicorns quickly pulled Shining out of the dumpster, the prince fast asleep as a medic quickly examined him, "Everything's fine; he might be exhausted after using that Greater Restoration spell to fight the sleep spell. Not to mention straining himself fighting those ponies."

Cadence quickly knelt down as she let out a sigh of relief, "At least he's going to be okay."

"The poor darling." Rarity sighed.

Twilight rushed towards the dumpster as they pulled him out. Kneeling down, Twilight performed her own diagnostic spells. Not that she didn't trust the medic's abilities, but just to be sure.

"Sleeping spell?" Twilight cocked a brow. But it made sense. Twilight would admit herself that she wasn't very well versed in advanced combat magic; that's where her brother excelled, that and shields, "Huh, apparently even she knew not to mess with my brother... I guess we're just lucky she didn't attempt to do anything worse..."

Chief Hayson looked down to Shining Armor and then to Twilight, "That makes three suspects, and one of them disguised themselves as Shining to convince us to get you."

Officer Velvet shook his head, "Ponies can't disguise themselves like that, not with our magic. That was the work of a Changeling."

Cadence slowly looked to Twilight and Velvet, "Is the Empire under threat of the Changeling menace once more?"

Looking up at Cadance, Twilight sighed, "I'm not sure; this is the first time I've seen another changeling since your wedding. I would hope not, but the evidence seems to infer at least one changeling was involved. And I doubt it was Chrysalis."

Hayson scratched his head, "It just doesn't make sense; why would a Changeling help these ponies? Wouldn't they disguise themselves as Shining to get closer to you two?" he'd turn to face Cadance and Twilight, "This all seems….rushed, a plan that was haphazardly put together."

Velvet nodded his head, "Chrysalis took her time and nearly took Canterlot with her deception. There wouldn't have been any room for error if that imposter was around Cadance or Twilight…."

Turning to Chief Hayson, the purple alicorn asked, "What would be the quickest way out of the Empire from your station, Chief?"

"What, are we gonna chase after them right now?" Rainbow asked.

"What about our expedition?" Pinkie asked, "I mean, I know she hurt your brother but isn't her running away a good thing?"

"Not if she forced my brother to tell her where we were going." Twilight sighed; rubbing her forehead, she turned to Cadance, "It's best we put the gates into the Empire on lockdown, at least until the morning."

Applejack shook her head, "She probably already knows where we're going; I don't have a doubt in my mind about that."

"Oh goodness, I really hope not..." Fluttershy looked down and her hooves, trying to focus on anything but the impending doom that seemed to hang over her.

"Don't worry; we'll be ready!" Pinkie smiled, wrapping a hoof around the pegasus.

Hayson looked over to Twilight, "All main roads lead in and out of the Empire, but judging by the fact they had a cart and can't take a train, we can easily find them."

Cadence nodded before slowly rising to her hooves, "Lock down the border. No one can enter or leave the city. I want patrols on every street corner and all wagons to be inspected and searched. This isn't a matter of one troublesome pony, but a possible Changeling invasion."

"Sir, should we…sound the alarm?" Velvet asked hesitantly.

Cadance paused, pondering for a moment, looking over to Twilight for her opinion. The purple alicorn mulled over it for a moment before closing her eyes and letting out a sigh.

"Yes... I think it will be necessary. It's best to get the citizens off the streets, so we lessen confusion." she nodded, looking her sister-in-law in the eye.

"I'll let the other stations know!" Rainbow flew off.

Velvet quickly turned to his platoon, "Alright, everypony, let's move out! We need to tell the patrols about the lockdown. Chief Hayson, get your officers to alert the train station; we are not allowing any trains in or out of the Empire. Keep everypony on all the incoming trains inside their cars. We are not allowing these criminals to escape!"

Hayson quickly barked at his officers, "Well, you heard the guardspony, get to work! I want pegasi to fly to the train station, I want earth ponies to clear the streets, and I want unicorns to join Velvet's patrols!"

The guardsponies and police officers quickly rushed out of the alleyway as whistles echoed through the streets. Minutes later, a loud alarm blared through the city, "This is a code yellow; the city is currently under lockdown! Return to your homes immediately; this is a code yellow; the city is currently under lockdown! Return to your homes immediately!"

Cadance turned to the medical ponies, who would quickly put Shining on a stretcher, "Please take Shining back to the castle and put him to bed," The medical staff promptly obeyed before trotting off toward the castle.

Twilight, Cadence, and the girls stepped into the street and watched as the hundreds of ponies quickly rushed to their homes as dozens of patrols scanned the streets. The sound of the blaring alarm and the clack of their hooves against the cement street and sidewalk were the only sounds present at the time. The bustling city streets were quickly emptied of ponies. Bazaars, wagons, and shops lay abandoned, their doors and wares open as if nothing had happened.

Fluttershy couldn't blame the crystal ponies for their fear, watching as they trotted into any available open door. They probably thought Sombra had come back or something just as horrible.

"Do you think they've done enough to catch 'em, Twilight?" Pinkie asked curiously, still hopping about the empty street.

"No..." Twilight sighed, "Frankly, I'm almost certain they've escaped. We arrived and raised the alarm too late. I imagine they're outside the Empire's limits by now. At the very least, they can't sneak their way back in..."

Spike looked around before smirking to himself, "At least I can walk around the city without having a crowd around me…. it's kinda…creepy, though."

"Kinda.... spoooooky." Pinkie Pie jumped up over Spike, waving her hooves. Rainbow Dash snickered lightly as the young drake jumped up in fright.

Applejack looked around cautiously, "Yeah… it's strange having a big city like this so….empty and quiet…."

"Yeah, a lil too empty..." Rainbow Dash shivered, "Hey, I'm no chicken, but maybe we should head toward the castle, or maybe the gates to check on the guards? Just in case?"

Cadance felt a shine crawl up her spine at the sight, "This doesn't bode well….should we inform Celestia and Luna about this? Have we lost control of the situation?" she'd look over to Twilight.

"It might be a good idea to move..." Twilight nodded before turning to Cadance, "I'll send her a letter immediately. Spike, you wouldn't happen to have any parchment, would you?"

See The Fire In Your Eyes

Thorax pulled the heavy cart along as he did his best to seem inconspicuous. Ponies would quickly dart past them as whistles echoed through the streets before a loud alarm blared throughout the city, "This is a code yellow; the city is currently under lockdown! Return to your homes immediately; this is a code yellow; the city is currently under lockdown! Return to your homes immediately!"

Starlight quickly shot out of the hammock, slamming her head into a nearby box before grunting loudly, clambering her way toward Thorax, "Thorax, we need to get to the border now! Run, run!"

Thorax quickly huffed as he started to gallop through the city streets, rocking and shaking the wagon as it bumped and jumped at every pebble or crack it rolled over.

Trixie nearly tumbled over as she struggled to get out of her hammock, her precious items thrown around like they were in a snow globe.

Untangling herself from the fabric, she crawled to the front and yelled, "Not so fast; if you keep galloping along like that, who knows what the explos-- fireworks in the back will do! Those are expens– dangerous!"

"I swear to Celestia, if you damage my wagon, I'll drain you dry of every last bit you have!" the showpony hissed at both of them.

"Trixie, for the love of– wait, did you say these are explosives?.... Then we might need it when we face the royal guard…Thorax! Wrong way!" Starlight shouted.

"But you said to the border!"

"Not the Equestrian border! We need to go where the Royal Guard won't dare to follow us; go toward the Crystal mountains!"

Thorax veered in the opposite direction as he galloped past a few ponies and police officers.

A few officers tweeted their whistles at Thorax before shouting, "Slow down! You might hurt somepony– hey! I said slow down!" the officers quickly chased after the cart.

"Excuse me?!" Trixie yelled, "For one, those are MY explosives, and two, why would we face the royal guard for a second time?! You barely won the first battle!"

"And third-- The Crystal Mountains?? Do you even know anything about that place? Not even the Crystal ponies go out there, and they're native here!" the unicorn grit her teeth as she did her best to hold on to the rattling wagon.

"Because it won't take long for our' friends' to realize that we're not running to our homes and for all the officers and Guardsponys to get the memo about the wanted fugitives in a cart trying to escape the city!"

"Riiiight, and running through the city in the cart was the best idea we had– if you're so much more powerful than I am, why don't you just magic us out of this situation?!" Trixie shouted back before being slammed against one of the wagon walls, groaning in irritation.

Peeking out the window and noticing their little entourage, the blue showpony sighed, "You two really had to make this difficult..."

Pushing Starlight aside to make her way to the front, the showpony grabbed onto a thick pulley and tugged hard. Underneath the wagon, three large bottles of oil began to pour out their contents behind them, giving their pursuers quite a tumble.

"Don't worry, I got a map, and I know there's civilization up there. All that talk about the mountains being cursed is just superstition! Once we get up to Yakyakistan, you and Thorax can hold out up there til the heat dies down!" Starlight sighed, ("Assuming the Yaks will let us in…")

"VEER LEFT! NO, YOUR OTHER LEFT!" screeched Starlight

Cadance had already returned to the castle to tend to Shining Armor as Twilight and the group wandered the city aimlessly, looking for Starlight before a black cart raced by them. Twilight could recognize the voice barking orders inside the wagon.

"FASTER, WATCH OUT FOR THAT FILLY, OH CELESTIA!!!"

The purple alicorn immediately turned toward the familiar voice, her eyes widening. Her body responded quicker than her brain, racing after the wagon. The only thing that she managed to yell was, "It's them!! Catch that wagon!"

"You got it!" Rainbow gave a mock salute before zipping after the wagon, effortlessly flying beside the young stallion pulling it.

Applejack quickly raced after them, grumbling, "The one time I didn't bring my lasso, come on, Rarity!"

"I really hope this doesn't ruin my hooficure!" she'd fret quickly following after them

"Sooo.... are you gonna make this difficult, or are you gonna stop and make this easier for everypony?" Rainbow cocked a brow as she kept in perfect sync with his speed.

A pink blur appeared on the other side of the stallion, with a rather serious expression on her face, "Hold it right there, mister! You hiding something in there?! Is it cake?! Then you need to share!!"

"O-Oh my..." Fluttershy muttered as she flew as fast as her wing would take her, "P-Please, stop?"

Thorax quickly stammered and stuttered, "I– ah, um, well, it's just I'm pulling my family to our house on the other side of town!"

"Now that's the worst lie I ever heard; pull over, you're outnumbered!" Applejack ordered, putting on a stern voice that would have had Apple Bloom running to her room.

"And most certainly outclassed!" Rarity chimed eloquently.

Breathing heavily, Starlight scanned the cart and instinctively rushed to the explosives. In the back held several high-grade bottle rockets, rockets, and smoke bombs; Starlight would grab as many fireworks as she could, lighting the fuse of each of them as she quickly used her magic to hold them near the windows.

Turning to Trixie, the lilac unicorn gestured for her to get down.

Trixie's eyes widened as she witnessed what Starlight was doing. Her jaw worked between screeches of indignation at how much money she was wasting by firing them all off and wondering if this strange unicorn had a death wish.

In the end, she couldn't decide and simply flattened herself to the floor, covering her head with her hooves.

"This is Princess Twilight; I command you to pull over now!" Twilight's Canterlot voice boomed, "I know you're in there, Starlight!"

"C'mon, silly, just stop, and we'll check to see if you're telling the truth!" Pinkie smiled widely at the young stallion, "Then I bet we can be friends! What's your name?"

"One last chance, buddy, or I'm gonna make this hurt." Dash punched her hoof into the other in a threatening manner. "Pull over!"

The changeling shrank away from Rainbow Dash's threat before Thorax quickly beamed a bright smile at Pinkie Pie. "Oh! Um, my name is Thorax. Friends? Really? I would really like that actually my goal in life is to make new fr–"

Starlight quickly flew the windows open as the fireworks erupted from the cart; as they raced and screeched through the air, sparks of red, blue, and purple exploded around the ponies next to the cart.

Some bottle rockets even shattered the windows of several businesses and homes, quickly starting fires across the city block.

Rainbow and Pinkie halted as the wagon sped past them at impossible speeds, watching as the fireworks rained chaos into and downward from the sky. Pinkie turned to her pegasus friend as the wagon flew out of sight and smiled.

"He seemed nice."

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and groaned, speeding off to try and relocate their target.

Twilight stood frozen in shock at the destruction around her; wings spread wide as her brain struggled to think of what to do.

Turning around, she addressed the officers who had followed her.

"Call emergency services immediately, firefighters and medics, anyone available. Tend to the wounded. My friends and I will try and catch those criminals," the purple alicorn ordered before taking flight, the force of her take-off ruffling the manes of those who stood nearby.

Velvet Bristle quickly turned to his ponies, "I want you, you, and you to put out the fires on the left, and I want the rest of you to put out those fires on the right! Everypony else, we need to get the civilians out of here. Let's move out!"

Thorax clung to the wagon desperately as the few bottle rockets still attached to the cart jetted the wagon closer and closer to the border; the changeling screamed widely as he was at the complete mercy of the cart now.

Starlight swiftly opened the back of the wagon to witness Twilight and her friend's swift approach before spinning back to face Trixie, "Do we have anything besides smoke bombs left!?"

Trixie was holding on for dear life under one of the shelves attached to the walls, praying to Luna that it wouldn't collapse and crush her underneath its contents. Looking up at Starlight in the chaos of hissing smoke and the smell of sulfur, she laughed hysterically.

"Are you kidding me?! Do you think I have some sort of artillery in here?!" she shrieked, "Do you have any idea how much all of that cost me?! More than you make in a year!! You're the one who got us all in this mess, you figure it out!"

Starlight scoffed as she quickly levitated herself to the cart's roof, looking at the situation, "Six ponies, one alicorn, one unicorn, two pegasi, and two earth ponies…." she'd quickly take a deep breath as she channeled arcane magic through her horn.

Leaning her head back, Starlight would flick her horn forward, unleashing a powerful hyper beam at Applejack and Pinkie Pie.

Twilight's heart nearly stopped, and before she knew it, she had catapulted herself so fast that Rainbow Dash would be proud. Landing in front of the two earth ponies, Twilight raised a shield just in the nick of time.

Applejack quickly screeched to a halt as she covered herself, bracing for impact. Opening her eyes which she hadn't realized she had clenched shut, the apple farmer let out a relieved sigh.

The spell seemed to vibrate from the impact of the beam, but it held firm in case of another attack.

"Fall back!" the purple alicorn yelled, causing her friends to falter in their chase, "I'll follow them; I don't want any of you getting hurt!"

"Twilight, we've been over this, like, a dozen times. We're not going anywhere without you!" Pinkie sighed as she skidded to a halt, "Haven't we learned this lesson before? Seems like it's every twenty-two minutes at least once a week."

"Hu– what, Pinkie– That's not important right now! Starlight is a very gifted spell caster, and I can't have any of you getting hurt! Maybe if Rarity could raise a shield... but... no, I can't leave it up to chance."

Twilight lifted off from the ground. "Please, she already hurt my brother." Twilight turned to Spike and amended her statement with a bittersweet gaze, "Our brother."

"We're dead weight if Twilight has to keep protecting us! We ought to help the royal guard put out those fires!" shouted Applejack

Rarity turned to Twilight,"My magic isn't nearly powerful enough to protect us against something like that. I think you should end this madness once and for all!"

Spike quickly gestured to the wagon speeding away, "We really need to make a decision here, guys; they're getting away!"

"A-At least if you go, we can go with the officers and help the injured ponies. Don't worry about us, Twilight; just be careful, okay?" Fluttershy muttered, her soft voice barely cutting through the chaos.

"You guys go ahead; I'll stick with Twilight," Rainbow commanded, "You take care of things here, and we'll tear Starlight a new one!"

Before Twilight could protest, Rainbow was already in hot pursuit. The purple alicorn sighed and turned to the rest of her friends. "Please, stay safe... especially you, Spike."

Spike waved to Twilight as he and the rest of the gang quickly galloped off in the opposite direction, "Don't worry about us, Twilight; go get Starlight!"

Giving the group one more nod, Twilight used a surge of magic to provide her with a short boost in speed, attempting to catch up with Rainbow and the racing wagon.

Starlight sighed at the sight of Rainbow Dash and Twilight, looking up as the two quickly gained on the wagon, "For the sake of clarity, I didn't intend for a fight today!"

"Well, maybe you shouldn't have turned that barkeep into a literal block of ICE!" Trixie hissed from out the window before quickly pulling it shut, not wanting to be involved in any more excitement, willing to ride out the rest of the firework-propelled ride.

"Heh, well, I'm always ready for a fight! Let's see how quick your reflexes are!" Rainbow shot the unicorn a grin. Before Twilight could tell her to stop, the pegasus moved nearly faster than the pony eye could keep up with.

Dash clocked the lilac unicorn in the jaw, putting all of her speed and muscle into the swing, attempting to knock the unicorn off balance.

Starlight spun as she was struck in the jaw by the pegasi, falling back on the roof of the wagon as she was dazed, "Yes, mother, I did brush my mane," shaking off the pain and lightheadedness, Starlight levitated off the coach, letting it race off as she confronted the two.

"You want a fight? Fine, let's see how you fair against this!" she'd quickly fire a magic beam, turning Rainbow Dash into a bluejay.

The once-pegasus attempted to curse, completely confused by her predicament, but it only came out as a musical bird call. The only pony who could have understood her was Fluttershy, who thankfully wasn't there to hear the particular words Rainbow had in mind.

Twilight nearly faltered as she witnessed what Starlight had just done. A Transmogrification Spell? That was incredibly advanced; how in Equestria did she learn it?!

Good thing Twilight had studied that spell and its counter; otherwise, Rainbow would be in some trouble... But the counter-spell would take time to perform, enough for Starlight to get away...

"Rainbow, I don't know if you can understand me, but go find Fluttershy! I'll reverse the spell later!" for once, the alicorn shot past Rainbow, who chirped in indignation.

Catching back up to the wagon, Twilight summoned her strongest telekinesis and grabbed the wagon itself, bringing the cart to a complete stop, hovering in mid-air. Trixie let out a small moan of relief and nausea as the wagon finally stopped, resting her head against the wooden floor. Clumsily, the showpony crawled beneath one of the hammocks, a chill going down her spine as she felt the magic coursing around them.

Thorax quickly stopped screaming as he smacked against the pavement while the cart was lifted into the air. Starlight sighed as she quickly grabbed Thorax with her magic and threw him into the back of the cart before firing a beam of magic at Twilight to get her to let go.

"It's me you want, Twilight Sparkle; let those two idiots go!" The unicorn snarled as she approached.

Twilight managed to dodge out of the line of fire before returning fire a bead of sweat going down her brow as she kept the wagon a foot above the ground. Twilight knew well enough that letting this unicorn gain followers was not a wise idea, and if Trixie was involved… It only spelled trouble.

"Then give yourself up, Starlight Glimmer! You don't need to drag those two into what you've done and what you're clearly planning to do! Attacking me is one thing, but to harm my brother..." it seemed as if a gust of air caused Twilight's mane to flow in the wind, but Starlight could feel nothing against her coat. The unicorn rolled her eyes at the melodrama, "It is despicable. And look at what you have done to this city!" she raised a hoof at the destruction behind them, "Was this all to get back at me?"

Starlight quickly fired a hyper beam as the two mages engaged in a duel. Truthfully no, this was all happenstance and the product of mismanagement and pure incompetence, which she blamed entirely on Trixie.

But Starlight wasn't going to waste an opportunity to get back at Twilight, even if it was just causing emotional damage, "Yes! Take a look around you, Twilight! Do you see what I'm capable of!? What I'm capable of taking away!? I will burn down this whole city if it means destroying YOU!"

Twilight's eyes betrayed the horror she felt from the unicorn's words but quickly hardened into a focused gaze.

Summoning her strength, Starlight would use all her might to push back against Twilight's magic. She had a sadistic glint in her gaze paired with the satisfaction of hurting the princess.

The purple alicorn closed her eyes before snapping them open and, in one quick motion, diverted Starlight's hyper beam to an already shredded and unoccupied building. Without a second to spare, she summoned a chunk of the building, appearing as if she were going to throw it at Starlight.

At the last second, the chunk of stone disappeared and attempted to hit Starlight with another beam of magic, intending to keep the unicorn on the defensive.

Meanwhile, Trixie struggled to wrestle herself out of the cart, falling to the pavement with a grunt. Looking up, she witnessed the battle above her and squeaked, crawling close to the ground to try and find cover. She had enough of this, and now they were tossing around bits of ponies' homes? The showpony didn't want to get crushed inside of hers.

Starlight quickly raised a shield as she turned to Thorax and Trixie, "Run, you idiots, run!"

The changeling quickly trotted over to Trixie, forcing her onto her hooves, "Well, you heard her; let's get out of here before we're toast, help me pull the cart!" running over to the wagon, Thorax hooked the pair up to the wagon before galloping away.

Trixie sluggishly moved, her legs shaking beneath her as she watched acts of magic that she knew she could never hope to perform. Coming back to her senses, the blue unicorn forced her head down and began running for her life.

Starlight summoned a large boot made of magic before punting the two and the cart toward the Crystal Mountains guaranteeing their escape, leaving only Twilight and Starlight. The two yelped as they were literally booted towards the border, with Trixie and Thorax squealing the entire way.

Examining the situation, the lilac mare really didn't need to get into a skirmish. It was only a matter of time before backup arrived, and she was outnumbered. She needed to make a scene and get out while the going was still good.

Charging up her horn, Starlight fired a massive beam but not at Twilight; the magic flew past the alicorn before striking a nearby building behind her, engulfing the structure in flames.

Twilight reacted quickly, charging her horn and sending a frost spell to smother the fire in a blanket of snow. Sweat trailing down her brow, Twilight turned back to Starlight as she kept the frost spell going.

Taking a deep breath, the alicorn's horn let out a loud pop before something could be heard falling from above.

The large piece of stone Twilight had levitated earlier teleported back into existence fifty feet above Starlight; it seemed as if the alicorn had been saving it for this moment.

Starlight quickly raised a shield as the debris began weighing down on her. She'd soon focus on the shield as it slowly began to crack and chip away before finally shattering. Twilight shielded her eyes from the dust and dirt that flew up into the air.

Gasping and nearly collapsing to the ground, Twilight was impressed that her wings could keep her up in the air while she strained herself with so many spells at once.

But that wasn't what truly stupefied her. Had she just... killed a pony?

Taking deep, ragged gulps of air, Twilight struggled to her hooves and stepped closer to the large stone pillar. She couldn't see any blood, but the horrific image of somepony, even as awful as Starlight crushed or trapped beneath the stone, drove her to action.

Using the last of her strength, Twilight used levitation and even her own hooves to move the stone. After toiling for a minute, she finally managed to move it.

No blood, no remains, and no Starlight. It was as if she had just up and disappeared. Suddenly a beam of magic struck the alicorn. Just like before in the Everfree forest, her muscles grew stiff as she toppled to the ground as Starlight approached from a nearby alleyway.

Twilight nearly let out a sigh of relief when she was hit. In fact, it left her lungs in a state of constant inhalation, making breathing difficult.

"Pretty clever use of teleporting, right? Just a second off and I would've been paste…." before nealing next to Twilight, she chuckled, "Alright, a little heart to heart. I didn't plan on having a fight in the Crystal Empire, but you know how making plans turn out... One minute you're living in the perfect utopia, the next minute, you're a fugitive of some fuddy-duddy princess with a hero complex."

Gritting her teeth, the alicorn attempted to throw off the spell whilst Starlight was monologuing but found her magic had just shorted out, using too much in such a short time. Looking up at the lilac unicorn, she threw the pony a glare that would have startled anypony who knew her personally.

Starlight slowly rose up from the ground, "Now, I would use this opportunity to destroy you with that rubble you tried to crush me with, buuuuut… I'm a bit more patient than that. Starting a fire and assaulting two monarchs, that and, well, you know…." She'd slice her hoof across her throat as she made a slight 'Ek' sound, "-- would make the heat on me even worse. But don't worry, I will see you around 'friend'... very, very soon."

Turning around, Starlight kicked up some dust as she levitated from the pavement and into the air, following the direction she had sent the wagon moments before.

Breathing as deeply as she could, Twilight watched the unicorn fly away, noting which direction she went while thinking of a way to get herself out of this predicament.

As she attempted to squirm, a particular bird call met her ears. Ceasing her useless struggle, she felt immediate relief when she saw Fluttershy approaching from the corner of her eye.

"Twilight! Oh goodness, are you okay?!" the pegasus rushed forward, attempting to lift the alicorn off the pavement, "This little birdie told me you needed help and... well, it's funny, but it says she's--"

"That's Rainbow." was all Twilight could grunt out, "Petrified... need a mage."

"Oh!" Fluttershy's eyes went wide, and with the strength a pegasus could only attain through years of wrestling wild beasts, she pulled Twilight into her hooves and began flying towards help. As the chirping bluejay fluttered after them.

Tend To Our Wounds And Assess The Damage

The once untouched Crystal City now lay defiled with a vast cloud of smoke clinging to the air as firefighters, police, and royal guards did their best to save the buildings and the ponies who lived inside. The bitter taste of defeat was fresh on everypony’s mind. The royal guard was humiliated, thousands of bits in damage were caused, and Twilight once again let Starlight Glimmer get away with it.

An emergency meeting was held in the Crystal Castle, Twilight, Shining Armor, Cadance, and the finest officers of the royal guard now had a moment to sit down and assess the sheer destruction.

Velvet quietly dusted the soot off his armor as he placed his helmet next to him; the tips of his mane were burnt, but the stallion did his best not to appear disheveled. Shining sat next to his loyal officer, pressing an ice pack to his head as Cadance quietly tapped her front hooves together.

The pink alicorn took a deep, shaky breath, “... I’m sure you know why we held this meeting today. So let’s skip the formalities... what went so horribly wrong...?”

A young guard sat up, “If I may, princess. Officer Iron Clad, at your service. I was present when the destruction began. We believe the criminals had access to some sort of explosives. We’re not sure if the damage was intentional, but the fire heavily damaged several city blocks. Our best men are still on the scene, but many citizens are injured either due to burns, smoke inhalation, or the blasts themselves. We’re still searching for anypony possibly trapped beneath the rubble.”

Twilight hung her head, unable to look her sister-in-law or brother in the eyes. How could she have allowed that mare to trick her once again? She was the princess of friendship, of magic, for pony sake. How could one mere unicorn cut her down and get away so many times when she and her friends faced far more threatening foes and won?

Slowly looking up, the purple alicorn let out a long sigh she hadn’t realized she had been holding.

“I don’t even know where to begin,” struggling to look her sister in the eyes, Twilight only hoped that Cadance could forgive her, “I can’t tell you how sorry I am that this happened. I tried to... subdue her, but she tricked me again... I burnt out my magic, and she managed to stun me and get away. I can’t believe I was so stupid.”

Turning to her brother, she gave him an even more apologetic gaze, “I promise I won’t leave the city until the destroyed property has been rebuilt and the injured have been tended to. That’s the least I can do...”

Cadance turned to her sister-in-law and shook her head, “Twilight, it’s unreasonable to hold you accountable for this destruction. I should’ve stayed with you, I should’ve had more guards, I should have taken this more seriously….”

“It’s not your fault Cadance... It’s mine,” Twilight murmured, “I’m the reason she came here anyways...”

Velvet slowly spoke up, “No one could have expected one talented unicorn to pull off this much destruction, your highnesses. We were just completely taken by surprise; we underestimated the enemy.”

Shining Armor rubbed his temple, “Twilight, didn’t you see Starlight and her accomplices flee to the Crystal Mountains? Perhaps the royal guard should join you on your expedition to Yakyakistan. If we all collect ourselves and unite together, there is no possible way for one single unicorn to defeat all of us.”

Velvet and the Officer Corps slowly tensed up at the mention of the Crystal Mountains, a sense of dread and fear looming over them. Shining quickly read the uneasy expressions on their faces.

The prince raised his voice, “Does anypony have a problem with that?”

Despite fear clinging to his heart, Velvet attempted to placate the table’s rationality, “Your highness, surely we can leave those fools to freeze to death in the mountain. They wouldn’t be able to last longer than a few days.….surely we should focus our efforts on rebuilding, protecting our civilians, and tending to the injured, yes?”

Looking up at Shining’s offer, Twilight shook her head, “Shining, Bristle is right; your ponies should be here, helping those who truly need it. If anything, I don’t want any of your guards or officers to be injured on the trek. I’m not sure I want my friends to go either...” Twilight had begun to feel some hesitation and fear for her friends. If Starlight was capable of causing this much destruction with only two other ponies, what else could she do?

And what would she do to her friends if she got the opportunity?

Velvet sighed as he relaxed, “Well, I’m glad that’s settled-”

Shining scowled at the officer, “No, it’s not settled. We’re not even close to finished. Twilight, I am not letting you go into those mountains where that deranged pony is. She’s waiting for you to come alone; I say we take our best ponies and march into the mountains.”

“Shining, please...” Twilight began before being taken back by the ensuing argument.

The unicorn stallion narrowed his eyes at Velvet as he began to scold the officer, “May I remind my officers that the royal guard is supposed to undertake such dangerous missions for the safety of our Empire. I have tolerated your irrational fear of the Crystal Mountains for long enough. I will not allow this criminal to harm my family, my ponies, and my home again.”

“And they won’t, your highness...” Velvet said coldly as he began to stare down the prince, “Because they won’t come back. Not from those mountains, and we will do everything in our power to protect our citizens. Home.”

Shining quickly slammed his hoof on the crystal table as he tore into the officer, “So do you expect Twilight and her friends to undertake their mission alone!? Who will be responsible for Equestria’s future if the elements of harmony are destroyed!?”

Velvet lashed back, “With due respect, your highness, I am an Officer of the CRYSTAL EMPIRE’S Royal Guard, not Equestria’s! I am loyal to The Crystal Empire and her citizens!”

“You are also supposed to be loyal to Cadance and me!”

“You’re right… I’m sorry… King Sombra.” Velvet hissed.

The table promptly erupted into explosive anger as Shining, and the officers bickered and argued amongst themselves. Accusations of cowardice, and comparisons to Sombra were thrown across the table as if their words were arrows.

Twilight had never seen Shining quite so angry; it was rather shocking to witness him wildly snapping at his officers. The brother she knew was kind and understanding... but she also knew how much pressure he was under now, especially as a royal.

Cadance was in complete disbelief and shock by the ordeal, taken away by the sheer vitriol in each pony’s words. It was a grave insult to be compared to Sombra, and she wasn’t surprised by Shining’s offense to the comparison.

As ponies yelled over one another to make their point, Twilight exchanged a look with Cadance before closing her eyes. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out, and opened her eyes.

“Enough,” Twilight said cooly; she did not shout stamping a hoof against the table, “All of this arguing will not solve anything or help anypony. Shining, right now, your ponies need stability and the knowledge you have their best interests at heart. You can’t be sending a squad into the middle of nowhere while ponies here are still hurt.”

Cadance nodded as she slowly rose to speak, gesturing for everypony to settle as the Guards and Shining Armor quickly quieted down.

“I understand your fears, but it breaks my heart to see my husband and the brave officers of the guard be at each other’s throats over this… bump in the road. You, nor any Crystal Pony ever will be in chains again at the hooves of King Sombra, and you are right to want to keep our loyal soldiers out of harm’s way.”

Cadance took a deep breath, “But we must not forget that Princess Twilight and her friends are the reason why we are here today. The reason our city, our Empire, is on the map. Had it not been for Twilight and Spike the Brave and Glorious, we would either be part of the frozen north or slaves to King Sombra.”

The officers slowly murmured to one another, appearing to be appeased by her words.

“We mustn’t turn our back on our friends now that we’re needed.” Cadance slowly looked over to Twilight as she gently reached over and tenderly held her hooves, “We won’t let them bare this burden alone.”

Velvet sighed as he rubbed his temple, “So what does this mean?”

Cadance turned to Velvet, “We’re going to pick ourselves up, assess the damage, and help Twilight and her friends with the expedition; that means I want a small platoon to help her get across the peaks and to Yakyakistan. To prevent Starlight Glimmer from attacking her. We are not abandoning our friends, and we aren’t sending search parties to aimlessly wander in the snow.”

Twilight sighed and slowly nodded her head, “Well... maybe you’re right... it would be nice to have more protection, at least for my friends’ sake. But only the ponies who wish to go should accompany us. I don’t want anypony being volunteered unless it’s their choice.”

Twilight had already dragged plenty of ponies into her mess without them having any say in the matter. She didn’t want anypony else having their right to choose taken away. So many ponies, their lives irrevocably changed because Twilight decided to come here, knowing Starlight wanted revenge.

There was a small rumble as the officers looked amongst each other, a sea of faces hesitant to say anything.

One voice piped up, “I’ll go.”

It was Officer Iron Clad, one of the few non-Crystal ponies within their ranks, “I’ve been wanting to map that area for months, but I wasn’t going to go up there myself,” glancing up at Shining, he added, “And it would be an honor to serve and protect you, princess.”

“Thank you.” Twilight nodded quietly.

Shining sighed, giving the slate-grey unicorn a worn, tired smile, “Thank you, and for your diligence, I assign you to find a few volunteers willing to travel with you.”

Iron Clad saluted Shining Armor and nodded, “Yes, sir, I’ll see who I can conv– ask to come along.”

Cadance turned over to the more unwilling officers, “If all of you are so keen on protecting your home fine, all of you are responsible for damage assessment and rebuilding. All of you are dismissed.”

The room quickly cleared out as the Officer Corps began murmuring to one another about their newly assigned responsibilities and duties. Leaving the monarchs to themselves.

Shining flopped his head on the table, pressing his icepack to his skull, “It’s been a long day.”

Cadance sighed gently, patting her face with a handkerchief, “It certainly has. I’ve never seen you so mad before.”

Shining smirked, “Hey, when you have a little sister, you get a little protective, even if she’s the princess of magic and friendship.”

Twilight would slowly trot over to sit beside her brother, gently patting him on the back.

“I understand why you’d be protective, but just try not to take it out on your officers, okay?” the alicorn forced a small smile on her face, “But thank you, and you too, Cadance.”

Shining perked up as he quickly began organizing a list of supplies and munitions for the group, “I’ve been up to here with those ponies; that mountain has been a thorn in my side for a while now. I’ll be happy once all you prove that King Sombra isn’t looming up there….”

“We’ll definitely keep our eye out for anything strange, but Sombra? Pfft, it’s a good ghost story, but I’m sure we’ll only encounter some wildlife.”

Cadance slowly looked at Twilight, “I’m sorry that your stay here hasn’t been the most enjoyable. Is there anything we can do to make this better for you and your friends?”

“Well, we’ll need more supplies if we take a small platoon with us, and preferably some more medical supplies, just in case. And... maybe some fur coats, something to insulate us from the heat. They don’t have to be fashionable. I’m sure Rarity will be busying herself with them.” she chuckled.

Something occurred to Twilight just then, “Oh... and perhaps you could help me with my magic? Rainbow got hit by a Transmogrification spell, and I’m not sure I can perform the counter at the moment...” her horn let off a tiny spark as she attempted to lift a pen from the table.

Cadance pressed her hoof to her mouth, “Oh my… that’s some advanced magic. I’ll get on that; you should just rest. I’m sure we can handle this; where is she?”

Turning to Cadance, Twilight chuckled tiredly, “Oh, probably with Fluttershy since she’s the only pony who can understand her at the moment... Starlight turned Rainbow into a bluejay.”

Cadance sighed as she stood up, “Add that to the list of things Starlight did today… to think one unicorn did all this because you slighted her.” She chuckled at the absurdity of it all, “Now let’s see what I can do for Rainbow.”

A Moment To Reflect

The wind and frost battered against the small wagon, blasting through the heavily damaged rear of the carriage. The remnants of the burnt curtains that covered her windows billowed in against the draft. No matter how tightly Trixie curled into a ball, no matter how much she bundled herself inside her cloak and hat, she couldn't warm herself.

Slowly, the unicorn sat up and looked around at her once beautiful abode. Everything had been wrecked, her hammocks had been turned to ash, and what little food provisions she had were lost in the chaos of running through the city. The little she had left was a bag of peanuts and maybe a canteen of water if she looked hard enough.

Peering out of one of the shattered windows, Trixie watched as the snow hailed from above. They would be trapped beneath a cold white prison if they didn't move soon. They had only stopped out of exhaustion, but the chill made rest difficult. Luckily they had stopped near the face of a cliff, allowing the wagon to be somewhat shielded from the worst of the weather.

"Well... this is just great." Trixie hissed out. "I wasn't exactly planning a holiday tour." if they didn't freeze to death, she would kill Starlight herself. She had wanted nothing to do with this in the first place, and now she was a criminal! At the very least, the prince and his officers must have heard Trixie claiming her innocence, so perhaps she might have some lee-way in that regard...

Starlight had been lying on the floor during the entirety of the trek, out cold, just barely moving a muscle in her sleep. She had just been able to move the cart from a snowbank when she first landed on the mountain after her duel with Twilight.

One of the last things she did, or rather instructed, was to follow the map she gave to Thorax and not touch her things. The young changeling took the orders without faltering. He looked up at his traveling companion as he shape-shifted into something warm and small enough to fit in the already cramped cart. A lovely fluffy rabbit.

Thorax offered a buck-tooth smile in his new form, "It's not so bad; I've never seen so much snow or been up a mountain with friends before….do you think Starlight will be okay? She hasn't moved in hours…."

Trixie rolled her eyes at the rabbit, wrapping her thin cape around herself as tightly as possible, attempting to keep the cold at bay, "Who cares? She could freeze, and nothing would be different. I'll have to wait years before ponies forget who I am! Well... maybe I could dye my coat and mane... Oh, that would never work. Trixie is too beautiful and recognizable for a color swap!"

Thorax raised his brow at the boastful showpony, "Right… you're so famous..."

"Exactly! Please, you don't have to sing my praises. I know you've heard of me." Trixie smirked, closing her eyes.

Turning to Thorax, the showpony sighed, "Couldn't you at least turn into something warm? Like a blanket, perhaps? Or maybe a dragon... no, wait, I don't want anything else burning up in here!"

Thorax smirked at the suggestion of turning into a dragon, "I can be anything. I'm a changeling; we adopt the physical properties of anything we transform into. Pretty interesting stuff, right? Now, about that blanket..."

"Huh, anything? So why don't you just turn into an alicorn and take over Equestria? Oh wait... your queen already tried that, didn't she?" Trixie tapped a hoof to her chin in thought before shaking her head.

Thorax sighed, "We take the physical attributes of something. If I transform into a stone, I'm hard as a stone. But if I transform into an alicorn, I could fly, but I don't get alicorn magic."

"Pffft, well, that explains why you didn't just invade with an army of alicorns..." Trixie mumbled.

Hopping over to Trixie, Thorax would stand behind her before wrapping his little arms around her torso, slowly transforming himself into a giant fluffy blanket. The unicorn froze as the changeling hopped around her back before slowly relaxing as she was blessedly covered from the cold.

"Finally, you turned into something useful." the showpony tightly wrapped the changeling blanket around herself, trying to ignore how strange the concept was.

After pausing for a moment, Trixie decided to ask a question to avoid any more awkwardness, "So... why exactly did you leave the hive?"

As Trixie tugged the blanket around herself, Thorax's face appeared on her left leg as he slowly looked up at her, "Oh, well... it's a long story, but, hey, we have time to talk at least… where do I begin…."

"I participated in the invasion of Canterlot when Queen Chrysalis tried to take over. But to be honest, I'm not much of a warrior or soldier like my brother. So I stayed back, but I saw something I had never seen before in my life. I saw Twilight and her friends' friendship. The fact they trusted each other and stood up to an entire army made me realize that there's more to life than just… feeding."

"It made me wonder if there was something beyond the hive, and so, I left. I snuck out late at night, and I never looked back since… and after of few months of starving and living on the streets (or storm drain) I met you guys, and now I understand what it's like to have friends. It's like…." Thorax paused as he collected the words in his head, "It's… kinda scary, a little obnoxious, but it has some decent ideas and a good goal in mind. I know friendship can't be easy like most things, so I'm just biding my time… not like I could do much else than say, be executed by the hive."

Listening to Thorax, Trixie couldn't help but feel a little sympathy for the bug. He had been raised in a society that preyed on others, while all he wanted to do was live in harmony. In that sense, she could understand. Trixie always wanted a friend, yet it seemed she always scared ponies off.

But when he began to speak about his views on friendship, Trixie couldn't help but laugh.

"Puh-lease don't tell me you're still listening to that weirdo." Trixie poked a hoof out from under the Thorax-Blanket to point at the wagon where Starlight was. "We wouldn't be in this situation if not for her! You do know what a cult is, right? It's only slightly less worse than your hive. I wouldn't take any sort of advice from somepony like that."

"Also... why didn't you just turn into a pony and start a new life? It can't be that hard. You guys bushwack and pretend to be ponies all the time. Just kidnap a foal and pretend to be them for a bit if you're really hungry."

Thorax sighed, "Because I don't want to live a life where I do nothing but take from others, I want to give; I want to be valued. Not as a drone to serve the changeling queen, but a friend that someone will think of if they need help, advice, or want company with."

"Starlight isn't perfect, but at least she gave me a chance when nopony else would…. I'm sure with enough time, we can uh….assess the less glamorized part of Starlight's thinking and convince her that maybe seeking the destruction against the princesses and burning a city isn't a good way to spread the message of unity."

Trixie scoffed as she shuffled in the blanket, "I'm not saying you'd have to do that forever, but if you're starving and don't have many options, you have to do what's necessary to live." The showpony rolled her eyes. "Geez, sometimes if you're desperate, you have to do bad things for a good reason. But..."

She glanced over at Starlight, "Some ponies do things they think are good but turn out to be very, very bad..."

"Is that what you really think she's doing? Thorax, there is no greater message; she just wants revenge against Twilight Sparkle!" Trixie kept down the urge to shout, not wanting to wake the other unicorn.

"I should know. I went down that path myself... nearly kept an entire town as my slaves. Trust me; I can recognize a kindred spirit... of sorts." Trixie couldn't deny her begrudging respect for the lilac unicorn.

"Honestly, I would be a better changeling than you... at least if I was a changeling, I wouldn't have been kicked out of that school..." the showpony mumbled quietly to herself.

He'd perk up at the mumbling as she gave the unicorn an intrigued look, "Is that the school you boast about? What was it like? I've never been to a school."

Sighing, Trixie slumped down a little and looked up at the ceiling, "Ugh... I shouldn't have opened my mouth. Oh well, we might die up in these mountains, and it's not like you are going to go flapping your gums to anypony either."

"Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns is a very sought-after academy. Only the most talented unicorns may enter. Twilight Sparkle, as you might know, attended. As did her brother Shining Armor, and Princess Cadance, when she was older. I was enrolled when I was very young; my mother had just enough bits to pay for the entrance exam."

"Usually, I would say I passed that test with flying colors, but to be honest... I barely scraped by. The only thing that kept me from not even attending that school was a trick I learned... off the back of a cereal box. A simple slight of hoof trick, but it appeared to them as if I had teleported an object across the room."

"The school was a dream; everything was paid for. I can say I truly did love it there. But there were two problems: one, I was terrible at magic, and two, nopony liked me."

Trixie flipped her disheveled mane, "Most of the ponies there were from very, very old and wealthy families. The name Lulamoon meant nothing to them, and to those who didn't care about my status... well, I wasn't exactly the friendliest pony either."

"I've never been good at magic; I'll admit that. I can manage simple levitation magic, but beyond that learning, anything else is neigh impossible. I tried actually teleporting one of my roommate's cats, and well... let's just say they weren't my roommate anymore."

"When final exams came up, I really tried to focus and try to learn something that would impress the professors. The night before our final presentation, I found out one of my classmates was doing the exact same spell I was studying... that's when I freaked out a little...."

"In the middle of my presentation, I kind of just... winged it and completely flubbed up the entire thing. Half of the auditorium was filled with smoke, and I was kicked out the following day. They tried to be nice about it, but I knew they were relieved they could finally be rid of me. After that, I stole a wagon from the school's stable and hit the road."

Trixie blinked, awkwardly realizing she had gone into far, much more detail than she had initially intended, "... Other than that, the school lunch was good... and I was the best at talent shows."

Thorax blinked as his eyes shifted upward at Trixie. A mix of awe, sorrow, and amusement was painted across his mouth and eyes, ".....Thank you for telling me that, Trixie."

"And maybe you're right; maybe Starlight might just spruce up the fact that she wants to destroy Twilight Sparkle with pleasantries. But I really do believe that ponies and changelings can be friends. I mean…look at us."

Trixie shifted uncomfortably at the staring, looking away from the blanket and towards the wooden panels of the wagon.

"Well, I wouldn't exactly call each other friends. I mean, we did just meet. But... you aren't the worst. I guess I don't need to bring out the fly swatter." she snickered good-naturedly, "But seriously, don't fall into her weird delusions of grandeur. I should know."

Thorax rolled his eyes, "I think you should give her a chance that nobody gave you. Like me, nopony else would until she met me. Not even you did until you were practically forced to. I think she just needs somebody to give her a chance and be a friend."

Trixie scoffed at the changeling's idealist attitude, "She roped you and me into this mess, and now they're probably going to send the guard up to get us. She attacked a princess, Thorax. What would the hive have done to you if you attacked the queen? I only fought with that little purple twerp when she was a unicorn like me. No way in Tartarus am I getting arrested for assaulting a monarch." Trixie huffed indignantly, "And in my defense, you were sitting in the sewer drain. What was I supposed to think? Didn't anypony ever teach you not to talk to strangers?"

"Storm drain," corrected Thorax before sighing, "Let me ask you a question, Trixie. What if somepony at that magic school of yours decided to give you a chance and been your friend? How differently do you think your life would have been if you had somepony to help you study magic or just listen to you talk about your problems?"

Trixie looked away, unsure how to answer that question. It wasn't as if other ponies didn't try, and for lack of trying on her part either. She just seemed to be too abrasive for regular ponies to get along with.

Thorax paused for a moment, "....What Starlight did wasn't right, but without you and her, I would've starved to death. Because nopony would've helped me or given me a chance. Now I have to return the favor; it's the only way to pay it forward."

Turning her head to look down at Thorax, the showpony sighed, "Fine, just promise me you won't follow her if she does anything too... extreme. I'm still debating on leaving... if she'd even let me."

"I'm not going to help her hurt other creatures if that's what you mean...." Thorax shifted a bit as he shivered, "I think that now that we're away from all of them, we can just focus on other things... like surviving..."

Thorax slowly flopped on the floor as he shifted into his regular form, "I'll keep pulling us; you just read the map. You can do that for me, right?"

Trixie seemed to relax a little bit, giving him a small nod. She reluctantly let him go as he slid away and changed back, already feeling the chill returning.

"A-Are you calling me stupid?" Trixie chattered out of habit before pulling a face, "Yeah yeah, I can do it... just don't slip us down a hill."

Thorax climbed out of the wagon as his hooves sunk into the soft pillowy snow. Shivering, he'd quickly trot through the thick frosty haze that obscured his vision before reaching the front of the cart. The changeling took a deep breath before turning himself into a giant bear and attaching the wagon to himself.

He'd quickly start clawing and pulling his way through the ice and snow, carefully moving the wagon as he squinted his eyes to see the whiteness in front of him. He just needed to move forward one step at a time.

Scooting to the front of the wagon, Trixie would barely peer through the window to see anything ahead of them. Pulling out the map, she directed him forward, anxiety building as she hoped she wasn't leading them off a cliff.

The wind howled as it cut through the mountains as they trekked the narrow path; the snow kept pouring onto them. The frosted wind sliced through their coats like butter, "The storm is too bad! I can't see anything in front of my face! We'll have to wait til' it clears up!" Thorax yelled over the shrieking winds.

Trixie felt her anxiety getting worse as the gale began to rock the wagon back and forth. Considering how bad it was getting out there, they needed to find some sort of shelter before they had to use the wagon as firewood.

Looking out the window, Trixie's eyes widened as she thought she saw something. She wasn't sure, but she thought it looked like a break in the rock wall.

"Over there! I think there's a cave!" the showpony shouted, pointing in the direction she thought it had been.

Thorax quickly turned toward the direction of the assumed-to-be cave as he and Trixie clawed their way toward their salvation.

As soon as they were inside, they were blessedly covered from the howling wind. While the cave wasn't extensive, it was just enough to park the wagon inside and leave just enough room for them to sit down on the cold stone floor.

Stepping out from the wagon, Trixie took a few pieces of wood and tossed them on the cave floor, gesturing to the changeling. "Well? Make with the dragon-ing and light us a fire, will you? I might still have a can of beans in there... somewhere."

Thorax sighed as he swiftly transformed into a small purple and yellow dragon, approaching the wood pile on the ground. He'd slowly puff a fiery breath that quickly ignited the wood.

Quickly shifting into himself again, Thorax rubbed his stomach, "Speaking of food, I'm getting kinda hungry again…." He'd slowly look up at Trixie as his snake-like tongue slipped and flicked the cold air expectantly.

Sticking her head into the wagon, only Trixie's back legs kicking into the air were visible as she searched, "Seriously? How often do changelings need to eat? Trixie is used to being loved, not the other way around."

Popping back out and hopping to the ground, the showpony levitated a simple pot and a can of brown beans. Dumping the contents of the can into the pot. She sat down by the fire and hovered the pot over the licking flames.

Thorax huddled by the fire as he extended his hooves toward the flames, "We're always hungry; the gnawing feeling of desiring more love is something that makes a Changeling a Changeling."

Trixie wrinkled her nose, "That sounds terrible, feeling like you're starving all of the time... and you can't eat pony food?" She gestured to the beans she was preparing, "What kind of love do you need, anyways? Does it matter what kind?" she asked curiously, adjusting her cape, so she wasn't resting her flank on the cold ground.

He sighed, "I told you, remember? True love. An undying and unconditional love you have for something or someone. Magic like ours isn't easy for us to do. It's physically taxing to turn your whole body into a completely different creature."

"Yeah yeah yeah. I was just wondering if passively liking something worked for you, like a snack or something." the showpony waved her hoof, rolling her eyes.

Thorax shook his head, "Trust me, we would've decided to steal your food supply than your love a long time ago if we could eat normal food." he'd slowly hold his stomach, "Yeah…you can really only be satisfied for so long…use your magic a couple times, and you'll be starving again."

He'd slowly look over to the cart as his expression softened, "Do you think Starlight's okay? She looked exhausted after flying over here…."

Turning to look at Starlight, she sighed, "Listen, if you want to go check on her, you're welcome to, but I'm sure she's fine. Probably burnt herself out using all that magic at once... honestly I can't believe she got away from Twilight Sparkle..."

Stirring the pot of beans, she glanced back over to Thorax, "All she needs is some rest to recharge; trust me, magic depletion isn't pleasant, but she'll live."

Thorax tapped his hooves against the cold rock as he quietly hissed before looking back to Trixie, "How long does it take to uh…recharge?"

Tapping a wooden spoon against the pot to remove the excess beans, Trixie clicked her tongue, "Mm, I'd say at least a day of rest, but sometimes it took days or weeks for me. But considering how powerful she is... more likely sooner. But I'm no doctor."

"Wait, how do changelings blend in if they can't eat? What if you're at a party and they offer you food?" Trixie questioned yet again, "Can you even taste anything? Ooh, what does love taste like?"

Thorax slowly nodded as he retained his focus back to the mare in front of him, raising a brow at the questions, "Changelings wouldn't dare get too deep into somepony's life like that, not for long term. Chrysalis was the first and only pony to do so so blatantly. It's risky, and you have to intimately know the creature you're changing into to handle all those social cues..."

Thorax sighed, "We can eat tiny small amounts of physical food, but if we overeat, our bodies will use energy to process it. Love?... Kinda sweet, and fruity; it has a warmth to it that makes it irresistible to a changeling... I mean it's the thing keeping us alive, so it's irresistible by default."

Taking a spoonful of beans out of the pot, Trixie slowly blew on the contents and cautiously stuck her tongue out, wincing at the blistering heat. Still too hot....

"Hm, that's interesting..." although her tone contradicted her, "What's the biggest thing you can turn into? An Ursa Major? What about something like a draconequus?"

"We can turn into anything, but the bigger it is, or the more complex the creature, the more energy we use, and the harder it is for us to stay transformed..."

The changeling slowly reached over to the cooking pot as he used his magic to take a few beans, swirling them around as he attempted to entertain himself, "Why do you want to be a magician if you're... uh... not the best at magic?" Thorax politely inquired.

Trixie sighed and rolled her eyes, "Isn't it obvious? The lights, the glamor, the attention? Commanding a stage, an audience, to pay attention to you and only you? Who wouldn't want that? When I– Trixie is on that stage, Trixie doesn't just think she is Great and Powerful, she IS."

"But Trixie supposes you wouldn't know that, hiding away as you do. Honestly, with your abilities, you would be a fantastic assistant. What do you think?" the showpony waved her hoof in the air, "Thorax, the Great and Helpful Assistant. Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

"No offense, but I think I'm done being just an assistant for somebody else." he'd flick the few beans back into the stew pot before turning toward the cave entrance, listening to the howling wind as it thundered outside their little slice of warm heaven.

"Maybe I'm simple, but I just want to live somewhere where I can be myself and have people to be friends with. Maybe I could… have a nice job… baking sounds nice."

"Reaaaally? Because you sure went along with our new 'friend' over there pretty quickly. You do realize she's just using both of us, right? I should know. I've had a few fans that I took adv– allowed to pal around. I wasn't looking for a friend, and neither is she." Trixie rolled her eyes.

Thorax rolled his eyes back in reply, "people can change; I mean, look at me. Like I said, I think she just needs a friend to pull her away from all... of this."

"You were brought up in a literal hivemind where if you thought differently, you would be banished or worse. You didn't know any better; she absolutely knows better." Trixie sighed, "But I won't push anymore on that since we're getting nowhere. Why were you heading for the Crystal Empire anyways? It's not like the prince or princess have any warm feelings for changelings."

"The Changeling Lands border the mountains, and the mountains border the Crystal Empire. I went through them to avoid getting captured, and everybody there thinks I'm dead, so now I have a fresh start."

"Honestly, being considered dead to the Crystal Empire might be a good idea. Think we could fake our deaths?" The unicorn asked conspiratorially.

"Fake our deaths?" he'd laugh, "I think we might get the real deal if this blizzard doesn't let up...." Thorax said as he slowly laid down on the rocky floor beneath him.

"Well, why are you sitting all the way over there?" Trixie cocked a brow as she sat the pot down on the ground and gestured him over. "Sit by the fire. We should have enough kindling for the night, considering the woods coming off my wagon."

She looked genuinely upset at the state of her home. She wasn't even sure it was possible to repair it. The beautiful purple and yellow paint were nearly burnt away, the rest covered in soot. Simply touching certain parts of the wagon made pieces of the wood fall apart into chunks like charcoal.

She had spent most of her life and many of her happiest moments in that wagon. To see one of the few possessions she truly cherished utterly destroyed felt like a knife in her heart.

Thorax slowly and cautiously slid over by the fire as he inched his way toward Trixie. Plopping back down on the ground and curling up into a ball, he rested his head on his front legs, much like a dog.

"You believe in second or third chances, right?" he asked quietly.

Trixie closed her eyes and turned back towards the fire, silently levitating a spoonful of beans to her lips. She took a bite, chewed, and swallowed before opening her eyes.

"Well... Twilight Sparkle gave me a chance twice. Once when I boasted a bit too much and a couple of twerp– I mean, fans tried to make me reenact one of my stories. The second, I found an amulet of great power, and it... sort of went to my head."

Setting down the wooden spoon, Trixie rolled her neck and felt something crack, wincing softly, "That's how I know what that Starlight Glimmer is all about... because I felt like I once was her. So... maybe... It depends on whether you want to be a good pony, er... creature or not. But then again, I never attempted to make a cult..." she added quickly.

Thorax perked his head as a smirk began to form on his face; he seemed to examine the unicorn as if something had clicked in the young creature's mind. Before he rested his head on his legs again, he slowly began to close his eyes, "Sounds like you two are bound to be the best of friends then..."

Trixie snorted under her breath, "Yeah... that's a laugh. When you wake up, maybe I'll help you... eat. Just get some rest. I'll take the first watch."

Eating half of the pot of beans, Trixie woefully put the rest away, not knowing when she would be able to restock again. Tossing another piece of wood into the fire, Trixie laid down next to Thorax, using her hat as a makeshift pillow. Mainly to avoid resting her head on the cold stone beneath them.

Trixie did her best to stay awake, but the journey up the mountain had utterly exhausted her. Before she knew it, her eyes slowly closed shut.

A Sickly Display Of Ego And Malice

The following day, Trixie and Thorax hit the road with Starlight still out cold from her previous battle. The pair trotted as they pulled the cart through the thick snow banks. Fortunately, they could at least see what was in front of them and follow the map to the best of their ability.

The wagon's back door creaked open as something heavy fell out, the pair stopping to investigate. Starlight groaned as she climbed out of the snow and lumbered toward the 'team,' looking worse for wear.

She'd limp, blinking groggily, "Where are we... what happened? Did I win...?"

Thorax quickly trotted over to Starlight as he helped her stay on her hooves, "You blacked out after flying us to the mountain. Now we're following the map to Yakyakistan."

"Did you touch my things...?"

Thorax lowered his head, "No, not much survived the launch, I'm afraid..."

"No one touched your precious things, Glimmer. Unlike you, who had the fantastic idea of lighting my fireworks up! Two thousand bits, down the drain! So sure, you quote unquote won." Trixie couldn't help the venom in her tone. Now that they were out in the light and she could see, the wagon looked even worse. It was a miracle it had stayed together at all.

Starlight rolled her eyes, "Not now, Trixie, my head is spinning, and my ears ri–" she'd quickly rush over to a nearby snow bank and hurled up chucking whatever food she had in the last twenty-four hours into the powdery snow, now staining the pristine whiteness.

Trixie and Thorax winced as the lilac unicorn retched. Trixie trying not to become nauseous herself.

Starlight would attempt to use her magic as her horn sparked pathetically, the unicorn quickly holding her head in agony, her ears ringing as for a moment all sounds became muffled, "Ow ow ow ow….." she'd slowly kneel down and wash her mouth out with snow before turning to Trixie and Thorax.

Spitting the acidic taste from her mouth, she'd continue, "You can take my bits and start a new life in Yakyakistan, but I promise that if you just work with me and put your faith into me, We, all of us, will make it. But now, since I can't use magic and can barely stand on my own four hooves… I have to trust you two to make it through the peaks..."

The showpony couldn't help but laugh, "Well, it's not exactly like any of us can go wandering off. How exactly old is this map anyways? And I'll be taking those bits, by the way. My wagon needs repairs... and if not that, then a new wagon altogether. Plus more for emotional damage."

Starlight rolled her eyes at Trixie's whining, "It's fairly recent, I guess… I copied it from Twilight's Cutie Map. It's extremely accurate compared to any map I have ever bought…." she'd sniffle before climbing to the top of the wagon, sitting down as the roof creaked loudly before it finally settled.

"If you break anything else, I'm adding to what you owe me!" Trixie grumbled as she trotted forward.

Starlight slowly laid on top of the roof as she began coughing, "Just keep following the map, and I'll make sure we aren't followed…."

Thorax rubbed his front leg awkwardly, "Uh… is this part of using too much of your magic?"

Starlight hissed, "I'm fine… I don't do magic overloads…."

The showpony turned around and stomped her hoof, "Oh please, as if. Since I actually went to a school, I'm clearly educated in more departments than you, obviously. When magical overload occurs, the pony's immune system generally weakens due to the magical field around our cells that protect our antibodies... or something like that. You're sick because you strained yourself."

Trixie glanced up at the lilac mare, "Probably best you don't stay out in the cold for too long... unless you have a fever, then we should stop and get shelter soon."

Starlight snorted as she hocked a wad of mucus off the side of the mountain before adjusting herself, "Somebody needs to supervise… somebody needs to watch for Twilight Sparkle…."

Thorax piped up as he attempted to mediate, "Look, I don't know anything about pony illness, but this looks exactly like molt fever. Nausea, vomiting, headaches, earache, you really need to rest, Starlight. Besides, we're safe! You launched us at least a day's walk away from them…."

Starlight wobbled as she attempted to sit up before falling off the cart and into the snow; Thorax hissed as he quickly rushed over to help her, "Trixie, help me get her inside the cart…."

Trixie heaved a dramatic sigh and turned around, slowly trotting up to the sickly mare before using her levitation to pick her up. Opening up the wagon, she laid the lilac mare down on the floor and grabbed a thin sheet that managed to avoid the fire, bundling the unicorn up in it.

"Believe me, Glimmer, I've been very aware of the danger you put us in. If Twilight shows up, you'll hear me running and screaming in the opposite direction."

Starlight hunched over as she wrapped herself up tightly, letting out a sickly cough, "Just take us to Yakyakistan…."

"Yeah yeah, whatever." Trixie rolled her eyes.

Thorax trotted from the far corner of the cart as he placed Starlight's saddlebags next to her, the mare quickly digging into them as she pulled out a large water canteen and chugged it down. Letting out a small sigh of relief, she put the canteen away.

Tearing through her bags once more, Starlight slowly looked up at Trixie, "... we have a few days of food for both of us. I need you to push yourself to the brink if you want to make it to Yakyakistan before we starve."

Trixie released an indignant gasp, "Oh, so you're actually planning on sharing? That's a shock. Well, at least one of us can't eat regular food." the showpony would glance at Thorax, "So, what exactly is your plan for us anyways? I doubt the Yaks are looking to take in three fugitives."

Starlight shot daggers at Trixie, "I need you alive if I have any chance of not freezing to death...."

"As for a plan…." she'd slowly sat up as she stroked her chin with her left hoof, "... We're traveling performers and refugees from the Crystal Empire, and we're here to warn the Yaks about an invasion."

"Invasion?" Trixie cocked her head questioningly, "Who's invading the Yaks?"

"Twilight Sparkle." Starlight stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

She'd elaborate further, "Think about it; she'll come with the royal guard to protect her and her friends, right? We'll tell the Yaks that her expedition is here to subjugate the Yaks and that we are but humble performers who were persecuted for being anti-war. We personally undertook this noble cause of warning the Yaks. When Twilight arrives, she won't fight them, obviously, and will be forced to leave. You get your bits, and we lay low in Yakyakistan for a while, and we go off from there."

"Sounds great, except I don't want to live with a bunch of savages in the cold!" Trixie spat out, "Do you really think Twilight wouldn't try to find some other way of smoking us out? Frankly, I'm surprised she didn't teleport here herself, although I suppose she must have burnt herself out too..."

"They're not savages, Trixie; they are simply different from us. Twilight wouldn't have any way to get in Yakyakistan besides sending the army she brings with her back home– and then we'd be on an equal playing field," Starlight sniffled as she slowly looked over to Thorax, "Besides, it'll do us good to intermingle with new cultures and creatures. I mean, we have Thorax, after all."

"Please, I doubt they even have running water," Trixie scoffed, "Besides, I think we both know you don't care about their culture."

Starlight pressed her hoof to her chest, "I am insulted that you think I don't care about my own vision for a better world, right Thorax?"

Thorax shrugged as he lamely agreed, "I guess, hey uh maybe we should uh… since we're all part of this together," the changeling quickly pulled Trixie close to him, "We should all pursue the goal of unity between creatures… peacefully, right?"

Trixie snorted and slowly smiled at Starlight, a smug glint in her eye she knew only the unicorn could read.

"Well, of course, Thorax, I'm not looking for a fight, and we both know our friend Starlight here isn't capable of hurting a fly in her condition, now, isn't she?" she'd give the changeling a firm nod in agreement.

Starlight would've erupted in a fiery rage if it hadn't been for her deplorable condition, entangled in her own web of lies and flowery words like a fly in a spider's web, "... Yes… all for the good of the cause..."

Trixie did her best not to burst out laughing, quickly hiding her grin away from the changeling.

Thorax smiled to himself, "Besides, Trixie, it won't be so bad. Maybe you can amaze the yaks with your magic. After all, they don't have magic of their own."

The blue unicorn sighed, "Perhaps I could entertain them, so long as the payment is appropriate. Maybe one of them can actually do some repairs on my wagon..."

"So it's settled then! We all agree as friends and visionaries for a better world, as you put it. To be peaceful, I'm sure we can… eventually talk to the Crystal Ponies after… uh… a little while..." Thorax said as he tapped his front hooves nervously.

"A little while? Pfft, it might be years before we could return to Equestria or the Empire. Well, you could shapeshift back any time, but... you know what I mean." the showpony rambled.

Starlight fought off the scowl threatening to form on her face as she rested her head on the wooden floor, "Yes, yes… now leave me to rest."

Thorax beamed brightly as his heart fluttered with joy, "Great! I'll figure out a way to get everyone to be friends while I pull the cart!" The changeling quickly leaped out of the backdoors and began dragging the cart, leaving the two unicorns alone for a moment.

Watching as the changeling walked away, Trixie slowly turned to face Starlight and began to trot alongside the wagon.

"See? You're not the puppet master you think you are," Trixie smirked, "I told you, I have tricks up my sleeve."

Starlight scowled as she hissed, "What did you put in that naïve foal's head? Now he's going to hurt himself or be sorely disappointed when he can't just talk his way into changing these fools' minds about how we see harmony and other creatures..."

She'd slowly smirk as she weakly chuckled before erupting into a coughing fit, "... I can already see how he'll turn out just like me."

"Geez, sad backstory much? Why don't you just get it out of the way while we're talking about it." Trixie chortled, waving a hoof in the air, "Listen, he's naïve, not stupid. Even if I hadn't said anything, he would have eventually discovered you were bad news. Don't be mad that I was the one who helped him get to that conclusion a little faster than he would on his own."

"I was attempting to prepare him for the harsh reality that ponies and other creatures would reject him," Starlight snapped back, "Because of your meddling, I have to put him down, gently, of course..."

"Please, what harsh realities have you had to face? Chipped hooficure? Somepony cut in line at the store, and now you think the world is out to get you?" the showpony sighed, rolling her eyes, "Honestly, you're more dramatic than I am."

"The world isn't out to get me; I'm not so self-absorbed to think that Trixie, but the world is unfair, unequal, imbalanced, and I found that balance through my village. But then she took it away..."

Starlight sighed, "I realized that I can't simply isolate the issue and live in harmony with my ponies without this corrupt and unjust world interfering. So I have to be the one to correct it, or at the very least start a movement to fix it."

"Why are you so keen on living in this corrupted state when ponies like you would've flourished with me? You could've been something more than a lying, thieving charlatan. You could've had a community of friends and ponies who were just like you, who wanted to be with you. I know you're lonely, Trixie Lulamoon… the traveling showpony is a very lonely road to take, and why is it you choose to take that path? Is it because you're inadequate? Untalented? Unequipped for advanced magic? Do you think it's fair that Twilight Sparkle gets to be one of the most powerful beings in our world while you have to perform for the dregs of society?"

Trixie shivered, feeling the totalitarian undertones of the unicorn's words,"That sounds like Tartarus. An entire place filled with ponies who are exactly like you and do the same things every day? But of course, you'd be immune to that, right? You'd be their almighty shepherd leading the flock? Please."

"Yes, I might despise Twilight Sparkle, and yes, I might not be capable of great feats of magic, but do you really think that makes me desperate enough to go along with the likes of you? How pathetic," Trixie stuck her nose in the air.

Starlight quickly shot up as she stamped toward Trixie, pressing her hoof against the mare's chest, "And what have you ever done for yourself besides lie and cheat!? I created something, I had something, I had friends, family I–"

The unicorn quickly erupted in a coughing fit before stumbling backward and unto her rump, taking a deep wheezing breath, "Hngh… Thorax has the potential to be something truly great, and I admit… you do too, but you squander it with… street magic..."

Trixie backed up in a hurry, Starlight might be tired, but she might still have a little charge in that horn. Relaxing now that she wasn't in immediate danger, she sighed.

"Magic is magic, so long as other ponies believe in it. If your town was so great, then why did your so-called friends leave if they had a choice to stay with you?"

"Because a Princess told them what to believe… that our community was wrong because six ponies waltzed in and declared it immoral. They turned them against me and chased me out of my own town....."

"Or maybe, and I'm just spit-balling here, the ponies in your town realized there was another way of life, and you didn't like it. And I doubt you were willing to give them a choice of leaving either." Trixie snorted quietly.

Starlight slowly rested her head on the floor as she sighed, "Are you quite finished now? You're clearly unconvinced, and I doubt you'll convince me of anything either."

Trixie smirked to herself. Starlight... three, Trixie, one.

"I guess so; I can see I tired out your poor brain, so you might as well get some more rest. I should get to the front to... make sure we haven't gone in the wrong direction while you distracted me." the blue showpony tossed her mane before trotting forward with a self-satisfied smile.

Thorax trotted along through the snow, now adorning a black hair across his body, similar to a moth. The changeling turned to Trixie, smiling softly, "Hey, there you are; how's Starlight?"

"She's resting. The poor thing is just tuckered out," Trixie couldn't help the playful, mischievous tone in her voice, "Nice fluff. Wish I could grow fur like that on command."

Thorax flashed a sizeable toothy smile at Trixie, "Thank you! I copied it from a magazine I found in the storm drain once."

"Teh, All I know is, I wish my winter coat would grow in about now..." Trixie murmured softly.

The changeling scanned the endless white horizon as he turned to Trixie, "Do you have any clue where we are?"

"Oh! Right." the showpony pulled the map out from her cape, unraveling it before scanning their surroundings and the map itself.

"I'm... not quite sure." she spun the map around in her field of levitation, trying to discern which direction to go in.

Thorax shuffled over as he scanned the map, "... You don't know how to read a map, do you?"

"Of course, I know how to read a map, but we're in the mountains, and we have no landmarks to get our bearings!" the blue unicorn spat out, "But if you think you can do better, be my guest. If not, then try to find something recognizable that I can find on here!"

Thorax quickly freed himself before opening his wings, quickly taking flight as he buzzed through the air, attempting to find something of note. Facing what felt like endless miles of mountains that dipped into canyons and peaks that soared into the heavens.

The changeling attempted to fly higher before being caught by a strong gust of wind and flung rightward toward a cliff; he yelped as he used all of his strength to maintain control before flying into the nearby snowbank.

The changeling climbed out of the snow before shaking the snow off his coat, "I saw a bunch of mountains! … Hope that helps."

"Oh yeah, gee, like we aren't surrounded by those!" Trixie grumbled to herself as she scanned what little she could see past the fog.

After a moment, she sighed and folded the map back up, "Let's just keep moving forward. I think we should find a path... eventually. If not, well, we gotta run into something at some point."

Get Your Bearings And Your Horses Too

Despite the barrier surrounding the Empire, Twilight couldn't help but feel a chill go down her spine at the gentle breeze that tussled her mane. She was staring into the distance, past the beautiful crystal walls, to the frost-tipped mountains beyond. The alicorn wondered if they were truly ready for this expedition, but another part of her was ready to hit the road. The less she had to see the destruction of this city, the better.

Her hooves clicked against the pavement as she approached the stables, where the rest of her friends and a few officers were loading supplies to their new wagons. Two, one for food and other necessary items, and another in case the weather became too much for them. Twilight only hoped this would be enough for the journey ahead.

Pinkie Pie stuck her head out of the second wagon, a puzzled expression on her face, "Twilight, shouldn't we be bringing tents and stuff?"

"Of course, we will," Twilight replied as she took a checklist from her saddlebags, marking things off as two officers picked up another box. "I'm not going to leave anything to chance. But if it gets too cold, I have a few spells I can use."

"But it's soooo small. I guess we can pile on top of each other for warmth," Pinkie rubbed her chin, "Oooh, cuddle party!"

The pair heard a flutter as Rainbow Dash sat on top of one of the wagons, "Pinkie, I don't think Twilight's going to have us huddle together for warmth."

Twilight tried her best not to smile at the look on Rainbow's face. The poor pegasus was still flustered from her time as a bluejay.

"No, I'm not. As I said, I have a few spells that I reviewed for this journey. I even brought the books just in case I forgot," assured Twilight.

"Pfft, of course, you would." Dash snorted.

Applejack tightened a saddle around her waist with assistance from Rarity's magic, the mare carrying her own gear for the trip. With two saddlebags on her sides full of munitions and her trusty lasso resting on her left flank.

Rarity hummed to herself as she clicked her tongue, "Ah ah, one more thing."

"Wuh–" Applejack tilted her head as Rarity quickly tightened and adjusted the bow in Applejack's mane, flipping the hood of her jacket over the pony's head.

Rarity clapped her hooves together, "There we are; now you're perfect!"

Rainbow Dash couldn't help but look over and snicker at Rarity's doting on the cowpony, trying and failing to hide it behind her hoof.

Applejack sighed, rolling her eyes at Rainbow's teasing, "I'll see if the guards need help packing their things."

"Oh yes, and I will be sure to 'examine' the quality of our soldiers," Rarity let out a posh laugh before trotting over to the small platoon of six guards.

"Well... I think it looks rather nice, Rainbow. Why don't you try a bow?" Fluttershy, who had grabbed a pillow from their rooms, was squeezing it gently, trying to comfort herself.

"I don't do cute things." Rainbow Dash jumped down from the wagon and wrapped a hoof around Fluttershy. "You miss Angel, don't you?"

The yellow pegasus sniffled and nodded, holding the pillow even tighter. Rainbow sighed and patted her on the back.

"Hey, don't worry; at least you'll have a story to tell him when we get back?" Rainbow Dash said as she awkwardly attempted to comfort her friend.

"Don't worry, Fluttershy, I miss Gummy too! But I've been sending him letters about everything since we left! Ooh, maybe I'll write another one now!" Pinkie dove into her bags before pulling out a ridiculously long quill, scribbling away on a piece of parchment.

Velvet and Iron Clad were examining munitions as the Crystal Pony gave his Equestrian counterpart a sigh, "At least morale is high, especially since the troops are head over hooves about being in the same space as Spike the Brave and Glorious."

Iron Clad gave the crystal pony a nod, "Well, of course they are, sir. He did save your Empire, didn't he?"

Velvet glanced over to the guards behaving like foals, excitedly bombarding the young drake with questions and pleading with him to recite the tale of his victory against King Sombra.

Spike, of course, happily indulged in a first, second, and third retelling of the tale to his flock of troops.

"And that's how I saved the Crystal Empire," Spike said firmly.

"Here here for Spike the Brave and Glorious!" Proclaimed a guardspony.

"Huzzah!" Exclaimed the rest of the platoon.

Velvet smirked before turning to Iron Clad and saluting the Officer, "Good luck with the expedition." giving Iron Clad a pat on the back before trotting away.

Staring at the guards, Iron Clad sighed and wiped a hoof down his face.

"Thanks..." he sighed. Turning back to the guards, Iron Clad stood up straight, "Attention! Present your name and rank to the Princess!"

Twilight blinked as she looked up from her list, "Oh, of course, I'd love to meet the volunteers. And thank you again for accompanying us."

The Guards quickly organized themselves into a neat row as they clacked their hooves into place, one by one, they saluted the Princess and introduced themselves.

"Sir! Private Silver Star!" saluted the sheen silver pony with his snow-white mane.

"Sir! Corporal Quill Feathers!" shouted the particularly fluffy Pegasus.

One by one, the ponies sounded off, Private Silver Star, Corporal Quill Feathers, Private First Class Bucky Brawn, Sargent Crunchy Almond, Private Peach Cobbler, and a massive towering Clydesdale horse named… Sargent Tiny.

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you! I hope that this expedition will go smoother with your assistance. And thank you again, Officer Iron, for finding volunteers at such short notice." Twilight gave each pony a friendly smile and a nod.

"Of course, your majesty." the unicorn bowed. Twilight did her best not to correct him; while she preferred to just be referred to by her name, she also knew that specific rules were in place.

"Oh boy, new friends!!" Pinkie popped up from her writing, the roll of parchment having undone itself over her head and tangled around her. The party pony ended up falling over in her excitement. Adjusting her face so it wasn't flat against the pavement, the mare looked up, "Nice to meet you; I'm Pinkie Pie!"

Many of the guards winced as the party pony peeled herself from the pavement. One of the guards even snickered under his breath but quickly snapped back into place.

"Yeah yeah... I hope we brought enough food to feed everypony," Rainbow rolled her eyes, "I'm already kinda hungry."

"Rainbow, why didn't you eat anything this morning?" Fluttershy scolded in an almost motherly fashion.

"... I didn't want bird seed." Mumbled Rainbow.

Applejack sighed, "Rainbow, we can't just get you a snack from one of the wagons; everything's been neatly organized," She'd quickly fish an apple from one of her saddlebags before tossing it to the plucky pegasus, "I better not hear one pep about you being hungry till we reach them, Yaks."

Rainbow caught the apple effortlessly and took a bite out of it, "What? Flying burns calories!"

Fluttershy would tug Rainbow back down to earth, "Yes, but we have to make do with what we have. Who knows how long it might take to get there!"

"Yeah yeah..." the blue pegasus groaned.

Rarity let out a soft sigh, "Well, now that's settled," She'd quickly pull out an elegant faux fur coat from one of the wagons alongside a dazzling silk scarf before promptly dressing herself, "Let's get started, shall we?"

"We shall." yhe purple alicorn nodded before leading the way. Their wagons slowly clicked and rumbled across the pavement as they made their way through the city.

The group would stop at the city's border for a moment, where Twilight gave her brother and sister-in-law one last hug before they left the city.

"Good luck up there, Twily." Shining gave her a brief bear hug.

"Send us word if you happen to encounter that Starlight Glimmer again," Cadance leaned in for a hug, "And make sure to write to us too."

"Don't worry; I will. See you too soon!" Twilight waved as she walked away.

"Good luck, Twilight!" Cadance shouted back as they waved before climbing into their chariot and riding back to the castle.

As they left the city gates and walked down the path, Twilight looked at the horizon and swore she saw something flying down in their direction.

The sound of a thundering chariot echoed through the heavens as the sun shined brightly in the sky as Princess Celestia and her guards made haste toward the caravan, quickly landing next to them soon after. The pristine white and gold carriage glistened in her majesty's sun.

Princess Celestia rose from the carriage and graciously thanked her guards before approaching the wagon train. Iron Clad's volunteers quickly straightened themselves up to a statue-like state, terrified to even breathe in front of her majesty.

"Princess!" Twilight couldn't help but let the title slip out; she still had to be reminded to call her just by her name every now and then.

Celestia let out a sigh of relief at the sight of her former student, "Twilight, everypony, it is so wonderful to see you again. If only it was under better circumstances. I heard of what happened to the Crystal City…."

Looking down at her hooves, sighing deeply, "I'm so sorry, Celestia. I knew Starlight was seeking revenge, and she was probably following me, but... I had no idea she was capable of such destruction. If I had known, I would have never stayed here for any longer than I needed to."

"I swear, if she didn't turn me into a bird, I would've–" Rainbow flew up before Fluttershy tugged her back down again.

Celestia chuckled at Rainbow Dash before turning her attention to her fellow alicorn, "There is no need to apologize, Twilight; none of us had any idea of the sheer capacity for destruction that pony has. But I know you and your friends can easily accomplish not only putting an end to this pony's tyranny but fulfilling your duties to Equestria and traveling to Yakyakistan."

Twilight looked up to her old mentor and smiled softly, "Thank you; I promise we will not let you down."

Rainbow Dash shot up in the air, "We got this, Princess!"

"We won't let that meanie win!" Pinkie pumped a hoof into the air.

"Consider it done, your highness!" smirked Rarity.

"We won't let you down, your highness."bowed Applejack.

Celestia smiled gently, "I just wanted to wish everypony the best of luck on the trek before I met with Cadance and Shining Armor to discuss rebuilding the city. But I also brought you something I think you might enjoy."

The alicorn's horn glowed as she pulled a small gift wrapped in fine silk, presenting it to Twilight. As Twilight carefully unwrapped the present from its silk sheath, A freshly printed first edition of The Encyclopedia of the Known World with a leather spine and hardback cover. The scent of fresh ink and paper practically oozed off the book.

Twilight's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates at the sight of the book; her hooves trembled as she moved to take the book into her desperate grasp.

"I... I..." she struggled to speak, "It's beautiful. Thank you!" Twilight jumped up, gently clinging the encyclopedia to her chest, unable to hold back a squeal of excitement.

Iron Clad coughed, reminding the purple alicorn she was in front of unfamiliar ponies. Clearing her throat awkwardly, she turned back to Celestia, "Ahem... thank you. I'm sure this will be very helpful on our expedition."

"I think she likes it!" Pinkie creaked over to one of the guards, extending her next til she was whispering to her best ability in the Guard's pony ear. The guard pony in question was biting his tongue as he desperately attempted to not erupt into laughter.

Celestia laughed as she turned toward her chariot, "I hope it serves you and your friends well on your journey. Farewell." She'd climb into her carriage before she signaled for her guards as they promptly took flight toward the Crystal Castle.

Applejack trotted next to Twilight as she examined the book, "Er, Twilight, don'tcha already own that book?"

"Nope," corrected Spike, "That's a first edition encyclopedia, not to mention it looks like a custom job." His experience and Twilight's influence were apparent.

Rarity shrugged as she passively glanced at the book, "I wouldn't care if it was a ragged old horseshoe; it was a gift from Celestia herself!"

Applejack couldn't quite wrap her head around owning two of the same thing like that.

Turning to her friends, she smiled widely,"Spike's right; I think Celestia herself might have even put in a few entries! Ooh, I can't wait to start!"

"Twilight, don't read while you walk; you'll hurt yourself again." Fluttershy gently reminded, "Remember when we were walking to Zecora's, and you tripped?"

"Hehe... yeah." The purple alicorn blushed and tucked the book away. "Besides, we need to focus on the task at hoof. Is everypony ready?"

"Heck yeah!"

"Ready when you are Twilight!"

"Abso-lootely-dootely!"

"Y-yes?"

"Yeehaw!"

"Our destiny awaits, darlings!"

The guard ponies quickly attached themselves to the wagons before starting the extended trot toward the mountains. Twilight led the way, a small smile on her lips. Perhaps this journey might not be so difficult after all.

The Great G'mork

The cold was monstrous; the blizzard seemed to never cease as if the expedition's presence was incurring King Sombra's wrath. The way the cold seamlessly sliced through their layers of clothing and struck the core of everypony's being felt like the work of a vengeful entity.

It felt intended, too; it was clear blue skies and old snow until the group had made it a day into climbing. It was as if the mountain lured them into a trap with its once pleasant and deceptively accessible first day.

Spike had the worst of it; however, the poor dragon was practically paralyzed even with a steady use of warming spells. An Ice Dragon he was not, lamely laying on the floor of one of the wagons and occasionally forcing himself up to put Twilight at ease and boost the morale of the terrified Crystal Ponies.

"I-I-I'm s-so cold... I can't feel my nose," Fluttershy chattered, bundled up in a pink snowsuit, wings tucked tightly beside her.

"I can't fly with this wind!" Rainbow Dash held a hoof in front of her face, trying to block the snowflakes from flying into her eyes. "I wish I could just fly up there and bust them!"

"I-I just hope Spike is okay..." the mellow pegasus muttered back, Rainbow barely catching the words.

The soldiers stood firm against the cold, but a heavy feeling of fear hung over each of them. The constant dread that King Sombra would appear through the endless whiteness to destroy them all was a genuine fear. The situation was looking dire if they couldn't find shelter.

Applejack squinted as she yelled over the howling wind to Twilight, "We need to find cover; there ain't no way we can march through this!"

"I agree with Ms. Applejack!" Iron Hoof stepped forward, struggling against the high winds to reach the princess, "We can't make it through this storm!"

Twilight turned back towards Applejack's voice, although it was difficult to see with the ice shards being thrown into her face. Her eyelashes were covered with frost, her face puffy and red from the freezing temperatures.

Looking from left to right, the alicorn moved forward against the wind, her mane flying back and flapping wildly. How would she possibly be able to find them covered in this? She could barely see a few hoofsteps in front of her!

Suddenly, Twilight remembered a specific spell that, while not assured to bring them to safety, it was better than freezing out here.

Closing her eyes, Twilight's horn pulsed bright purple before she felt herself being pulled forward.

"This way!" she yelled over the howling wind.

The soldiers exchanged glances, unsure if this pony was leading them to safety or an icy grave.

As the caravan moved forward, Twilight's hopes began to fade when a quick tug of her horn spun her to the right. She was practically being dragged by her horn at that point, but at the very least, the other ponies had a trail to follow.

In the distance, Twilight swore she saw something and shouted when she was sure of what it was.

"A cave!!" Twilight shouted out, her enthusiasm overshadowing the need to end the spell. The alicorn ended up tumbling inside until her horn clicked against a hard surface.

A giant glimmering gemstone sat in the wall, that was the size of a full-grown pony. Twilight couldn't help but thank Celestia for having her re-read her letters. She might not have thought of it otherwise... but there was one other pony she should thank. It was Rarity's spell, after all.

Rarity gave Twilight a smirk as she chattered through her teeth, "P-pretty convenient spell, right?"

The princess turned back to Rarity, trembling with a tight-lipped smile, "I owe you."

"Ooooh, this place looks neat!" Pinkie poked her head into the cave, oohing and aahing, "Maud would have loved this! I need to take pictures!!"

"Who cares what it is, an igneous or ignoramus? Let's just get warm!" Rainbow trotted inside, shaking off a layer of snow, "Hey, uh... there's no monsters in here, right?"

"We'll deal with that if it comes," Twilight shivered violently as the Crystal stallions brought the wagons inside. It was just large enough, conveniently so. She just hoped this cave wasn't the home to a predator up here.

As the caravan began to unpack for the duration of the storm, Tiny cleared his throat as he presented an empty can of beans before cautiously pointing to an alien-looking husk in the corner of the cave.

Upon closer inspection, there were signs of an encampment, an old campfire, and a few scrap pieces of wood lying around.

Rarity turned green at the strange, paper-like substance that was in the shape of a pony, "What… what is that? I think I'm going to be sick…."

Spike slowly crawled out from the back of the wagon as he shambled next to Rarity, "What is it…?"

"Spike, you should be resting." Twilight slowly trotted over, not wanting him to see whatever was over there.

Spike yawned as he stretched himself out, "Trust me, you don't want me to do that. I'll probably hibernate till I'm an adult in this cold."

"Ooooh, somepony else is on a camping trip! And they're really good at paper mache!" Pinkie piped up as she approached the husk, clearly unaware of what it truly was.

"Pinkie, don't touch it!" Rainbow zipped out and grabbed the pink party pony by the tail, hauling her away from the object, "You don't know what that thing is!"

"It looks like..." Fluttershy carefully approached, her fear being overridden by a sense of familiarity, "It looks like a chrysalis when a caterpillar turns into a butterfly. But... not?"

"Chrysalis was here? So Shining Armor and Princess Cadance were right!" Pinkie gasped, "What do we do?!"

"No, Pinkie... that's not what I..." Fluttershy began to try and correct the mare.

"Oh, so we have a massive butterfly flying around? Great." Rainbow sighed deeply, crossing her arms.

"Fluttershy's on the right track; that's a changeling's cocoon." Twilight narrowed her eyes, studying the campsite. "If I'm right, I would say this was a little less than a day ago, maybe two... seems familiar, doesn't it?"

"So there is a changeling?" one of the officers quickly whispered.

"It seems so," Iron Clad glanced over at the Crystal pony before turning back to Twilight, "Starlight Glimmer and her group must be heading towards Yakyakistan as well; where else could she hope to go? There's nothing else up here... but what exactly are they doing with a changeling? I was there during the siege of Canterlot during your brother's wedding, and they are vile creatures. Did Glimmer enchant one of them to do her bidding somehow?"

"It's possible... I wouldn't put anything past her," Twilight tapped a hoof to her lip.

Applejack chuckled, "Enchant? Given how he was actin' in front of Rainbow and me, I'm willing to bet he was either roped into this or bullied into it."

"Pfft, yeah, that's just what he wants us to think!" Rainbow tapped her head, and she flew next to Applejack, "He was probably just playing nice, so we'd back off so he can sneak back and suck out our souls!"

Even Fluttershy couldn't help but roll her eyes at that one.

The cowpony would approach the empty husk, "Yeah, it looks like an oversized cocoon, alright…at least that bug won't eat at the crops."

Silver Star poked the emptied cocoon with his hoof as a loud crunch echoed through the cave, "Haha, gross."

Rarity gagged at the horrendous sound as she covered her mouth with her hoof.

Iron Hoof narrowed his gaze at his subordinate, "It's not a toy or some bug you poke at, Silver Star. Why don't you light us a fire if you have time to play around?"

Silver Star held back, sighing before begrudgingly fetching some kindling and quickly making a fire for the party to enjoy.

"Ah, that's much better, thank you, sir," Twilight sighed before sitting next to the flame.

Applejack rubbed her temple in thought, "But why would Starlight go to Yakyakistan instead of fleeing back to Equestria?"

"It's plainly obvious now... Starlight saw the map and must know where we're headed, and she's trying to cut us off, somehow..." Twilight rubbed her chin in introspection,"But frankly, she must be very desperate in order to work with Trixie of all ponies..."

Applejack sighed, before lowering the frost-covered hood over her head, "I thought she was supposed to be smart, nopony would work with a fraud like Trixie."

Rarity scoffed, "She's merely talented; talent doesn't equate to intelligence, my dear Applejack."

"Maybe she's not smart, but just reaaaaally lucky!" Pinkie offered, already roasting a marshmallow on a stick.

"Hey, gimme one of those!" Rainbow quickly grabbed the stick from Pinkie's hooves before gobbling the morsel down.

"Probably just has no other plan. I know I get a little... narrow-minded when I'm angry," Rainbow said with a mouthful of marshmallows.

"She's not just angry; she's furious! Who knows what she's planning next..." the meek pegasus knelt next to the flame, her mane hiding half of her face.

"She definitely has a plan; I can say that much for sure," Twilight nodded, "It's just a matter of planning ahead for whatever plan she might have!"

"That's too many plans for me," blinking lazily, Rainbow Dash laid back.

Tiny politely nudged Pinkie for a marshmallow, quickly sneaking the morsel before bellowing a gentle but thundering voice, "Don't worry, Princess, we'll buck er' off the mountain if it comes down to a fight."

Applejack smirked, "Well said, Sargent, I think the simplest solution is the easiest."

Rarity would sip from a canteen passing the water along the circle that had formed around the fire, "Let's hope the Yaks shoo them away or do the work for us."

"Or King Sombra," whispered Bucky, the young stallion shivering at the thought.

"Here here!" Rainbow would raise the canteen, taking a swig before passing it down the line.

Spike rolled his eyes, "Guys, c'mon, Sombra isn't up here."

"Honestly, there is no possible way that Sombra could be up here. There's no such thing as ghosts!" Twilight raised a hoof to her chest but was quickly startled at a loud noise.

The earth began to rumble as two sets of paws stamped into the cave; the animal had a pair of yellowish eyes and orange pupils that batted around the room. Its small, gray ape-like face scanned the cave before it bellowed.

It looked half-starved and most certainly aggravated as its jaw snapped at the air; its thin dog-like legs carried a massive muscular beast hungry for it's next meal.

The soldiers and Applejack quickly rose up as Rarity screamed, provoking the beast into roaring at the top of its lungs, shaking and echoing through the cave.

The soldiers either went for their weapons or froze in terror. They were trained to do quite a lot, but facing a beast like this wasn't what they expected.

"Unfreeze your hooves! Get into positions, do not let that beast harm the princess!" Iron Hoof commanded, his horn lighting up as he aimed it at the creature.

"Wait!!" Fluttershy managed to raise her voice, catching the stallion's attention. The mare had immediately taken notice of the creature's emaciated form, "C-Can I try first? Please?"

Twilight turned to the pegasus, her brow knit with concern, "Are you sure it's safe for you to do that?"

"Are you kidding??" Rainbow spat out in her dismay.

"Was it safe when I approached the Manticore?" Fluttershy gave Twilight a nervous smile before turning towards the creature.

The pegasus slowly approached the starving animal, cooing at it softly, raising her hoof in a calming manner. Fluttershy's stance appeared relaxed, but she was ready to move at any second. Prey animals were one thing, but predators...

The beast shuffled back, breathing heavily as it stared down Fluttershy, slowly lowering itself as it allowed the pegasi to creep closer, intently focusing on her. But the mare quickly realized this wasn't submission or an admission of trust; this was an incoming attack.

The beast coiled up and attempted to pounce on her before Fluttershy was quickly snagged back by Applejack's lasso, "I don't think we got anything that can feed him, Fluttershy!"

The pegasus let out a soft squeal as she was yanked, surprised more by the rope than the wild starving animal attacking her.

"What do you mean, Applejack? Can't you see we're it's DINNER!?" shrieked Rarity.

The monster quickly scrambled to its paws, shaking its head before charging forward at the group.

Applejack quickly untangled Fluttershy before snapping her lasso around the wild beast's neck, smashing the large animal into the nearby wall.

Applejack kicked her front hooves toward the air, "Whoo-wee! That's how you do it y'all!"

"Good job, Applejack! Woo-hoo!" Pinkie raised her hooves, punching into the air. At that moment, she experienced a strange jolt going down her spine, fur standing on end, "Uh oh."

The beast whined before grabbing the rope with its teeth, yanking Applejack toward it. The mare yelped as she was flung toward the animal, writhing in the air.

"AJ!" Rainbow Dash dived for the apple farmer, wrapping her hooves around her middle before colliding with the cave wall.

The blue pegasus groaned, taking most of the impact, "Ugh, get off me, AJ, you're heavy!"

"Stunning spells!" Iron Clad ordered as he ran past the two mares, his horn glowing brightly as he attempted to hold the creature in place by force through telekinesis.

"That's enough!" Fluttershy shouted as she flew directly into the creature's face, "I've had enough of you!" the pegasus' pupils dilated as they stared deeply into the beast's eyes, commanding it to listen.

"You can't hurt my friends, and you will not hurt me either, do you understand?! I know you're hungry, and I am really sorry about that, but you cannot just go wandering into somepony's... camping spot and eat them!" the pegasus continued to lecture the creature, never losing eye contact.

"She's doing the Stare!" Pinkie gasped, covering her mouth with her hooves, "She's doing the thing!!"

"Are you sure you can keep it calm like this?!" Twilight couldn't help but question.

"I'm sure I can. And if you can get that gemstone out of the wall, we can feed this poor little guy," Fluttershy replied without looking away for even a moment.

"That thing eats gemstones?!" Rainbow squawked.

"Not usually, but G'morks don't have a large variety of food sources," Fluttershy replied.

"You know what that thing is??" one soldier asked in astonishment before realizing his place, clamming up immediately.

"I've done my research, of course. They're a wolf-like species, they usually feed on Rocs or other Avians, but when necessary, they can eat mineral-dense foods," Fluttershy smiled softly, "I really miss your library, Twilight. I, um... may still have a few books I didn't return."

"Don't worry about it; they're safe with you," Twilight smiled before turning to the gemstone in the wall, "I might need help with this... Rarity, this is your specialty."

The beast froze as it shrunk down and looked pleading up at the now authoritative mare, whining and whimpering as its stomach growled loudly.

Rarity and Spike cringed at the thought of wasting the beautiful and massive gemstone that was snugly placed in the wall; Rarity gently rubbed her hoof on the gem, "To think you could've been an assortment of jewelry or put on a dress…." she sighed.

Spike flicked away a runaway tear, "To think you could've been dinner."

With a tiny tap on the perfect spot, Rarity had the gem fall out of its place… before tumbling down and crashing on top of the G'mork. Fluttershy winced, unintentionally breaking eye contact as the beast was crushed.

Moments later, the monster flung the gemstone off itself before savagely crunching on the jewel, tearing chunks off with its large paws.

"... We should probably get out of here," Spike bluntly suggested.

"That's... probably a good idea. But that storm still hasn't let up..." Twilight murmured to herself, thinking of their options.

"We're gonna freeze out there! What're the chances we'll find another cave close by?" Rainbow Dash threw up her hooves in defeat.

"And what are the chances he just wants to gobble us up as dessert after he's done with his gems, hmmm?" Pinkie butted in, wiggling her eyebrows.

The large animal bellowed a mighty belch that thundered throughout the cave.

"Alright, good point," Twilight said.

"I think I might have an idea, but we'll need two ponies to pull the wagons," Twilight raised a hoof to gather everypony's attention, "We can work in shifts."

Fluttershy looked back, raising a brow, "What do you mean?"

"I did say I studied up on some spells that might help us on our journey. Now I can show you what I was talking about!" replied Twilight.

Trotting up to the wagons, Twilight closed her eyes and focused on the arcane magic that was necessary to make what she needed to happen possible. Weaving two very different spells together, advanced ones at that, was not easy to accomplish.

Her horn was burning brightly when the wagons lit up the cave with golden light before fading back to normal. Twilight caught her breath, gasping as if she had just run a marathon.

"Are you okay, Twilight?" Fluttershy stepped forward, wrapping a hoof around the mare.

"I'm fine, just a little tired," replied Twilight, with a small, exhausted smile.

"So... what did you do exactly? It looks exactly the same." Rainbow gestured at the caravan.

"Look inside; you'll see," Twilight said plainly.

Rainbow Dash shrugged before opening the back of one of the wagons. Her eyes widened when she realized what Twilight had done.

"How did you make it so big on the inside?!" Rainbow trotted in; the wagon felt like it could hold at least forty ponies comfortably, if necessary, "And it's warm!"

"It's a lot of big words... that I'd love to explain any other time," Twilight chuckled, rubbing her head.

Applejack whistled at the sight, "Really handy work here, Twilight…."

"Now I can add some decoration and much-needed touch-ups," Rarity fawned, imagining everything she could do for their new home.

"It's really nothing, but thank you. I experimented with small objects like chests before, so I wasn't entirely sure I could do an entire wagon," Twilight chuckled softly.

Tiny trotted forward, "I'll take both wagons, Officer Iron Clad; you and the stallions should be rested up in case we encounter any enemies. I can march through this storm," the large stallion beamed with pride and determination.

Iron Clad raised a brow, looking the ironically named horse up and down before nodding, "Alright, Sarg, after we get some rest, me and Silver will take next. Just try not to lead us off a cliff, alright?" he gave the stallion a cheeky smile before turning to the rest of the soldiers, "Alright, get in there and get some shut-eye. I'm sure you remember where you packed your bedrolls."

Twilight slowly climbed inside, not even bothering with a blanket or a pillow as she lay against the floor. She was already asleep by the time Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie stepped in.

"Awww, poor Twilight. Here we go..." Pinkie took off her oversized fur coat, tucking it under Twilight's head. The exhausted mare drooled as she snuggled into it.

Spike sighed as he preemptively made himself a spot on the floor beside Twilight, curling into a ball, "Guess it was fun to move around while it lasted…." the young drake yawned loudly before snoring softly in his sleep.

"We should all get some rest while we can," Fluttershy, too, laid down, resting her head on her hooves.

"Way ahead of you," Rainbow had tied up a hammock on some coat pegs, already curled up.

"Another sleepover!!" Pinkie cheered, nearly ecstatic with excitement, before the mare instantly dropped to the floor and passed out. The mares chuckled before falling into a deep slumber.

The Sargent quickly pulled the now interlocked wagons as he huffed, pulling the caravan out into the freezing cold once again. Grunting and heaving, he pressed forward through the frozen north.

Welcome To Yakyakistan

Thorax hissed as he scuttled, pulling the wagon with little strength, stamping and clawing his way through the newly formed blizzard. Unlike the first day on their trek, they didn't have the good fortune of shelter, and someone had to bear the burden of pulling the cart through the frost and snow.

The changeling's face was covered in ice as his eyebrows and muzzle had a frosty glaze coating that burned his flesh like Tartarus. He fluttered his insect-like wings as he felt overwhelmed with exhaustion, the young changeling shouting through the howling wind.

"Trixie! I can't go much further; I can barely stand on my own four hooves! You need to tag in!" pleaded the changeling.

Trixie, who had been occupying herself with minor repairs to the wagon, sighed deeply. Her ears fell flat against her mane, dropping the hammer and bit of wood she had been fiddling with. Large areas where the wagon had been burned had been covered and sealed with tarps, which she usually would have used for rainproofing.

Poking her head out the window, the blue mare winced against the cold, feeling her fur stand on end already. It was enough just trying to fight the cold from seeping in, but walking in it?

"Why can't Starlight do it? Or why don't you just transform into a polar bear??" She yelled out before noting the icy layer on his chitinous skin. "Ugh, just get in here before you become a popsicle."

Starlight shivered as she clung to her blanket desperately, choking out a sickly cough as she eyed Trixie with a bitter scowl, "You want me to be sick for even longer? This cold is already slowing my recovery down!"

Trixie rolled her eyes before turning to the door, opening it for the frozen changeling.

Thorax galloped into the wagon, collapsing on the floor as he riled in the stinging sensation across his body.

"S-s-s-s-so c-c-c-c-cold, and h-h-hungry," his tongue flicked the chilled air hungrily as he stared blankly at the ceiling.

The showpony wrinkled her nose at the sight, cringing as a shiver went down her spine.

"I… like what you d-did with the place," Thorax said, attempting to soften the current situation.

"Why, thank you, at least someone appreciates my hard work," Trixie huffed, raising her nose in the air before looking down at Thorax, "So... you're hungry. I guess I can think of something I love..."

She pressed a hoof against her chest, grinning. "Me! I am quite fantastic, aren't I? I'm so generous, helping you eat! Honestly, I'd be a better Element of Generosity than that white tramp!"

Starlight rolled her eyes before sneezing loudly, "I didn't think changelings could feed on bullcrap like that."

Thorax snickered as he held back an impolite laugh, "W-well, she does love herself a lot, so it works either way…."

Thorax slowly rose to his hooves as he approached Trixie, opening his maul before devouring the amount of pride and love she had for herself. Sucking out the pink essence from her body.

The sheer amount of energy being sucked out of the mare's body quickly caused her to collapse on the ground, feeling deflated and exhausted.

"Ugh.... maybe Trixie loves herself too much..." the showpony looked up, feeling absolutely terrible now.

"That... should be enough for you to keep going, right?" Trixie halfway regretted not just pulling the cart herself, "I don't think I can pull us now..."

Thorax slowly stretched as he sat on the floor, "Yeah… I should be fine, give me a minute to warm up a bit, heh…" he'd turn over to Starlight, "How are you feeling?"

Starlight snorted as she hacked up a wad of mucus and spat out the nearby window, "Terrible, but better than yesterday. I'm still not good for much right now; I could fly us to Yakyakistan if my horn wasn't so burnt out," she'd bow her head as her horn weakly let out a tiny spark of magic.

"But, if we keep pushing like this, we'll make it to Yakyakistan, and you two can start a new life away from our…hiccup in the Crystal City."

"So we are faking our deaths? Great," Trixie crawled over to a sack, laying her head down upon the rough fabric. "Get me a thread and needle and some fabric, and I can make it look like we exploded."

"I'm only half joking about that," Trixie said.

"You can fake our deaths? Where in the world did you learn how to do that? Does Celestia's school teach that?" Thorax said as he scooted closer to Trixie, lowering his head as he observed the mare curiously.

Starlight rolled her eyes, "Of course, she can, Thorax. She probably did it a few times to avoid a parking ticket or court summons."

"No, of course not; Celestia didn't teach that! Only the most fabulous and talented unicorn ever could!" Trixie propped herself up, feeling a little more energetic at the opportunity to have the attention on her.

"And I'll have you know; I never used it for a parking ticket! Trixie always parks away from town. No, Trixie learned from the most magical and amazing pony of all... Hoofdini!!"

"Many ponies know of his most famous tricks, the Moonshot Manticore Mouthdive, the Milk Can Escape, even the Belly of the Whale! But I happen to know of the few tricks he performed when he was just beginning! The Exploding Pony Trick!"

"He would swallow tiny amounts of explosives and have a minimal amount of time before he could unlock himself to drink an antidote. Sometimes he would escape, but others... heh, he had a surprise for the audience."

Thorax's eyes lit up as he tapped his hooves excitedly against the floor, "What was it, what was it!?" he asked in almost child-like wonder.

Starlight rolled her eyes as she coughed, slowly resting her head on the floor, "Don't indulge her, Thorax; we won't hear the end of it til we're snowed in…." she yawned.

Trixie rolled her eyes at the mare before turning back to Thorax, happy to tell her story. "Well, he was essentially locked hoof to hoof together in an iron cell. He had to unlock five different locks before he could get out of the cage and get the antidote. If he ran out of time, well..."

"He'd go pop!" she snickered, "I imagine the faces of the audience were horrified until he stepped on stage, looking just fine. Although, I don't think ingesting explosives was the best idea... I suppose that's why he stopped that act. Shame how he died…."

Starlight slowly clapped her hooves together, "That's a great parlor trick, but there are two problems, one, how would that trick help us? Two, faking our deaths wouldn't work because Twilight could see right through that, and three…Thorax is a changeling; he doesn't need to fake his death!"

"Well, I thought it wasn't an awful idea… maybe we could ditch the cart once we reach Yakyakistan and make it look like we had an accident!" Thorax chimed in.

"I was thinking we'd throw the fake bodies off a cliff, and they would explode at the bottom. It's not like they're going to be able to climb down and search under a ton of snow, could they?" Trixie smirked, propping up her head as she turned to Thorax. "Perhaps we could cause an avalanche?"

Starlight shook her head, "That would require us to be in their line of sight, and I'm not taking any chances in my condition."

Thorax nervously tapped his hooves together at the thought of potentially burying somepony under a thick blanket of ice and snow, "And an avalanche might hurt someone, and we all agreed to not hurt anypony else, remember?"

Trixie rolled her eyes and slumped back down, muttering under her breath, "Yeah yeah... well, it's not like I was the pony who froze somepony into a block of ice." She'd turn to Starlight with an insinuating glare.

"Please, that old sourpuss will be just fine; I've done freezing magic on living creatures before."

"....That doesn't inspire much confidence," Thorax admitted.

Starlight sighed, "Shouldn't you be pulling the cart?"

"Oh come now, Starlight, Thorax is our friend, isn't he? He should be allowed to warm up as long as he likes before going back into the cold. Don't you think that's what a true, kind friend would do?" The showpony smirked, crossing her legs.

Starlight sighed, "You're right, Trixie, how inconsiderate of me. Why don't YOU go out and pull the cart while our friend here can take a load off after pulling the cart through the ice and snow. You seem to have plenty of energy, after all."

Trixie groaned, wrinkling her nose. "You just saw him feed off of me. Since you're so eager to talk, why don't you give it a shot? You did claim you were so powerful."

"Yes, I did, didn't I? But unfortunately, because I used my power to SAVE all of us, I can't really compromise myself any more than I already have, TRIXIE." snarled Starlight.

"Puh-LEASE, you could have run off on your own and left us, and we would have been fine hiding in the sewer! You were the one they really wanted anyways..." Trixie rolled her eyes, huffing indignantly.

Thorax sighed, "Guys, please, there's no need to fight. I'll drag the cart…" he'd quickly flutter to his hooves before hopping out the back door. Moments later, he'd begin pounding on the door.

"Uh, guys? I think everyone should come out, like right now!"

"CEASE YOUR YAPPING PONY! YOU ENTER YAK TERRITORY AND INTRUDE ON YAK SOVEREIGNTY, YAKS SMASH!" Thundered the stranger.

"WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT!" Thorax cried out as dozens of thundering hooves raced toward the wagon, rocking the flimsy cart as the yaks drew near.

As soon as Trixie heard "smash," she was up on her hooves and scrambling out the door. She would not let ANYPONY touch her wagon again; anything bigger than a pile of snow could turn it into four wheels and scrap wood.

Skidding to a halt, the showpony took in a deep breath, her horn lighting up with one of the few spells she was capable of.

With her voice amplified five times its usual volume, Trixie bellowed into the frost-bitten air, "HALT! YOU WILL NOT DARE TOUCH THE GREAT AND MAGNIFICENT HOME OF THE POWERFUL MAGICIAN... TRRRRRIXIE!"

With all her strength, she fired a light show into the air. The purple and teal light exploded into a shimmering spectrum of color against the snow and ice in the air, nearly resembling the Crystal Empire's aurora borealis. Even Trixie herself was impressed. Usually, she would perform such a spell to scare away predators on her travels, but this would work too.

Thorax was covering his head as he trembled in terror looking up at the spectacular light show, oouing and awing at the magic. He would shakily rise to his hooves as he slowly turned to Trixie, giving her rousing applause.

The showpony couldn't help but grin, pressing a hoof to her chest as she preened at the praise. "Yes, yes, thank you. I know, I'm amazing."

The yaks quickly screeched to a halt as the small scouting party stared in a mix of terror and intrigue at the magic.

Starlight quickly kicked the back door open as she stumbled out of the wagon, "WAIT, PLEASE DON'T ATTACK US! WE COME BEARING TERRIBLE NEWS! YOU ARE ALL IN GREAT DANGER!" thundered Starlight as she let out a sickly cough.

Trixie would cock a brow, just as interested to hear what she'd have to say. As Thorax slowly turned his attention to the ill mare.

The mare quickly recovered before putting on her most authoritative and commanding voice, "WE ARE BUT HUMBLE PERFORMERS, PONIES WHO WERE BANISHED FROM THEIR HOMS US FOR STANDING AGAINST TYRANNY! YAKS OF YAKYAKISTAN, HEAR ME NOW! AN ARMY IS COMING, YOU ARE ALL IN GRAVE DANGER, AND WE ARE HERE TO WARN YOU OF A LOOMING ATTACK FROM THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE!"

The platoon leader scoffed, "Yaks have not seen ponykind in over a thousand years! Why would they dare attack us great and powerful yaks, and why would you pony folk come help us!?"

Starlight panted as she cleared her now sore throat, "We are but humble performers, but we believe in helping others who are like us, right…?" she'd slowly turn to her companions...

"Trixie is a performer, but she is NOT humble. She's more than humble! Trixie is a paragon of ponies, known across the land as a powerful magician." Trixie smirked as she put her snout in the air. "Trixie has come to aid these poor Yaks with her magic, and this is Trixie's assistant, Thorax the Great."

The showpony was incredibly careful not to agree or disagree with Starlight's statement, glancing at her smugly, "Oh, and this is Trixie's wagon-puller."

Thorax beamed brightly at the title, "Thorax the Great..." he whispered pleasantly to himself.

Starlight couldn't help but scoff, letting out a hoarse sigh, "Likewise… we are here to warn you of invasion, and we seek asylum into your kingdom! Please, we only want peace and co-existence!"

The yak leader slowly turned to his fellow warriors as they turned and discussed amongst themselves. While Starlight nervously fidgeted with her mane as the band of warriors came to an agreement.

"....Yaks have come to an agreement; ponies may speak to Prince Rutherford about living with yaks, but more importantly about the invasion. BUT PONIES STAY IN CART WHILE YAKS TAKE YOU TO YAKYAKISTAN, AND NO TRICKS OR YAKS SMASH YOU INTO TINY PIECES!"

Thorax gulped as he nervously chuckled, "Ah ha yeah, no problem!" Thorax quickly nudged Trixie and Starlight into the cart before the wagon began to move as the yaks started tugging it along through the snow.

Starlight glared at Trixie, "What was THAT?" whispered Starlight.

Trixie sighed and rolled her eyes as she got comfortable inside the wagon, laying back down.

"Geez, you really don't know anything about Illusion, do you? If they believe I am powerful, then I am Powerful. You heard them, didn't you? They haven't had contact with ponykind in a thousand years. I can say anything I want about who I am, what I can do, and what we have done in Equestria. Did you really not think about that?" The showmare let out a loud yawn. "Seriously, I'm certain even Thorax has caught on sooner."

"This is delicate, Trixie! We are dealing with the leaders of a nation as humble refugees, not outspoken self-made performers! If we appear too prideful or not take ourselves seriously enough, we'll be forced to go back down the mountain, and spoiler alert-"

She'd shake her empty saddlebags, "We don't have the supplies for that!"

Thorax piped up, "But isn't that a lie?"

"Well…we are refugees."

"Fugitives more like it."

Starlight sighed, "Potato, tomato, it's irrelevant!"

"But what about the whole invasion part? What if Twilight doesn't make it? What if she explains her side and they believe her instead of us." asked Thorax.

Starlight sighed, "I am trying my best, Thorax, but you're asking me to make a miracle out of nothing but my bare hooves here!"

"Honestly, you have got to be kidding me," Trixie sighed, crossing her hooves as the changeling and mare argued. Rolling to sit up, she pointed at both of them.

"I am imbuing exactly enough pride into my performance. Do you honestly think they would take us seriously if those yaks saw us as meek and helpless? I am a powerful magician who has come here to help them protect their land, and I will regale them with all of my stories and accomplishments. You two are just my assistants. Would you rather us walk into their village looking like easy prey? If they are not hesitant to attack us, they might just make us into slave labor." Trixie snorted, "Besides, I might have a few ideas on how to make them hesitant to listen to Twilight Sparkle..."

Starlight rolled her eyes before erupting into a coughing fit as she pounded her chest with her hoof, "We need to look approachable; if we look too confident, we might be seen as a threat and we need to be trusted. Besides… yaks don't use slave labor."

"How would you know? It's been a thousand years!" Trixie threw up her hooves in exasperation.

"Where would they get slaves, Trixie? They haven't seen any other creatures in that time!" she scoffed, "Besides, I don't think Twilight would indulge in friendship with a slave state!"

"How do we know? We haven't had any information about them. Perhaps they enslave weaker yaks; you don't know, so don't insinuate I'm stupid for having reservations!" Trixie threw her nose up in the air, crossing her hooves.

The mare sighed as she rested, rubbing her now sore and tender head, exhausted from using her energy to shout at the yaks earlier, "What's your plan, and please tell me it's something rational…."

"Well, we have a changeling right here. Just have him disguise himself as Twilight and declare war on them." The showpony replied, lying back down on the empty potato sack.

"Uhm… that's a great idea, Trixie, but I have a few problems… they expect an army, and how would I… y'know escape after I declare war…?" Thorax said as he tapped his hooves awkwardly.

"Well, obviously, you'd just turn invisible or into a rock once you get out of their line of sight. Or I would personally banish you," the showpony smirked,

Starlight groaned, "My idea works fine, they'll see her soldiers, and they'll ready the troops, and Twilight will either back off or come back alone. No need to complicate this simple process Trixie; you never listen…."

Trixie turned to Starlight, "I think you don't listen! Just because you had a cult once doesn't make you the boss of us!"

"It wasn't a cult; it was a community! Not like you would know anything about a community since you are some sort of traveling clown who lives in a wagon by herself!" snarled Starlight, "I managed events, built homes, our food supply, the harshest of winters, and an outbreak of the flu! So excuse me if I think I'm more qualified in handling TWO ponies!"

"Um… one pony and one changeling." correct Thorax.

Starlight gripped the sides of her head as her anger boiled over. Days of being isolated and having to deal with Trixie and Thorax finally took their toll as the mare, for a brief moment, completely lost her composure.

"Shut up! Shut up, good Celestia. I should've left both of you,Twilight and her friends!" snapped Starlight.

"Maybe you should have, then we wouldn't be in this mess in the first place, and you can be happy being all by yourself!" Trixie hissed back, "What do you really have, Starlight? Why do you think you're so much better than everypony else when you claim that everypony should be equal? You're a hypocrite. At least I'm not two-faced. I just tell it how it is. "

Starlight stamped her hoove into Trixie's chest, "Do you want to know what I have? I have a mouth-breather who thinks she's the best thing since sliced bread, who can't even do a basic teleportation spell and a changeling who thinks we can be friends with our arch enemy!"

Trixie rose up on her haunches at the contact, ready to launch herself at the unicorn, barely an inch away from attacking her, even in her weakened state. "Oh yeah? I might not be able to teleport, but I've got four hooves..."

Thorax quickly forced the two a few feet apart with his front legs as he got in between them.

"Girls, please! This is getting us nowhere! Now we've been cooped up in this wagon for days, we're sick and tired of this cold, and we all have… different perspectives on life. But we're in this together, and we can't fall apart when we're so close to the finish line."

He'd quickly wrap his front legs around both mares as he pulled them close, "Besides, uh… wouldn't splintering apart make Twilight and her friends, um, stronger?" Thorax said as he attempted to placate the unicorns with their mutual disdain for the alicorn.

The showpony was still unsure about contact with the changeling, squirming slightly under his grip. "Well... you're right about one thing; I am tired of this cold. They better let us into one of their houses... or huts... it's been a while since I've taken geography."

Starlight firmly but politely removed the changelings' arm around her before scooting back slowly, "Well spoken Thorax… I see a great future in public speaking for you."

Thorax quickly released Trixie as he sighed, "Let's just take a deep breath and relax."

He'd slowly inhale and exhale before a loud pounding on the side of the wagon interrupted his meditation.

"We're here! Come out nice and slow and no funny business!" ordered the yak.

Exiting the cart, the three would see the large village. Dozens of tents made of wool and huts made of straw and mud bricks lined the stone-tile streets, which led to a massive tent at the far end of town. Dozens of small campfires were littered across the village. There was a distinctive smokey aroma paired with the scent of the fresh scent of harvested wool.

The symphony of foreign sounds echoed through the streets of this alien land. As dozens of calves raced through the streets playing a strange ball game. With torches illuminating the dozens of street vendors selling wares and food unknown to the three outsiders.

Thorax excitedly studied this new land while Trixie looked around the village with moderate distaste. It wasn't any worse than the backwater pony towns she had been to, but she had been run out plenty of times by those hicks. She'd have to play carefully.

Starlight could've erupted in a fit of psychotic laughter if she wasn't attempting to make appearances. The unbridled joy she felt in knowing she not only survived the horrendous trek with all the setbacks in mind. But not only that, she inadvertently beat Twilight Sparkle and made history by being one of the first creatures to visit Yakyakistan in over a thousand years.

The platoon of yaks slowly pushed the group toward the massive tent at the far end of town. As the platoon leader's voice thundered through the streets, "MAKE WAY! SCOUTING PARTY RETURNS! MAKE WAY CALVES AND TRADER YAKS!"

Dozens of yaks would stare in silence as they intently stared at these strangers who, in their eyes, trespassed. However, not all were opposed to this group of misfits. Some watched in piqued interest as they were escorted toward the massive tent. There was a quiet rumble as the yaks whispered thoughts of opposition and fear or interest and excitement.

An uneasy feeling hung over the party as they looked at one another, praying to whatever god they believed in not to abandon them when they had pushed so far.

The platoon lifted the tent's flap revealing a small group of yaks sitting around the large fire inside. The showpony couldn't help but sigh in relief as soon as she stepped into the tent. Finally, she was getting some feeling back in her hooves.

One large orange yak slowly rose, "Scouting party returns; what have you found?"

"We found three pony folk who claim they are traveling performers and refugees from Crystal Empire; they say an attack is coming, Prince Rutherford…."

The prince paused, stroking his chin and beard as he examined the three, taking notice of Starlight's sickly state, "Speak your piece."

Starlight bowed, "We are but traveling performers from the Crystal Empire, refugees from a tyrannical monarch who seeks your destruction. Please, we only ask refuge from the incoming army that seeks your destruction."

The elder yaks would debate amongst themselves as the prince raised a hoof, "Yaks haven't seen pony folk in over a thousand years, and last time yaks heard of Crystal Empire, it was taken by the frozen north! What happened to them and King Sombra?" questioned an elder yak.

"Your highness, King Sombra has been slain for a few moons now, but a new threat has risen up to take his place, and they are as dangerous," explained Starlight.

The elder yaks rumbled as they discussed this news before being silenced by Rutherford.

"... If what you say is true, then you are welcome to stay in Yakyakistan, but be warned, if ponies cause trouble, we will send you back down the mountain…." he'd slam his hooves against the earth, "IN TINY PIECES!"

The prince quickly squeezed Starlight as an audible crack of bone echoed through the tent, "Welcome to Yakyakistan, pony folk!"

"T-thank you…." squeaked Starlight as she riled in agony.

Trixie couldn't help but snicker at the sight of the yak nearly breaking Starlight's back before stepping forward.

"Thank you ever so much, your highness; if Trixie may be so bold, her wagon and place of home were nearly destroyed fleeing from those tyrants. Could we stay in one of your tents, or could Trixie receive the supplies to repair it?" Trixie pulled off her hat, kneeling down with her head bowed.

The elders would debate amongst themselves before the eldest of the elder yaks spoke, "Yaks consider giving Trixie new wagon… for a show. You are performers, are you not?"

Prince Rutherford nodded, "Yes, yaks would love to see pony magic! Yaks hear it's terrific."

The elders would stamp in agreement, shaking the tent and earth beneath them.

Starlight slowly peeled from the ground beneath her as she rubbed her spine, "That won't be a problem, your majesty… uh… do you have anything for the cold and uhm… illness? I'm a little under the weather to perform after traveling through the cold..."

"Hmmm, give yak herbal tea," ordered Rutherford with the clap of his hooves.

A servant yak quickly shoved a bitter brew down Starlight's gullet as the mare held back from retching, her lilac color turning into a sickly green as she weakly whimpered a thank you.

"Tomorrow, we will discuss the looming threat against yaks, but tonight we celebrate the arrival of these new friends of Yakyakistan. Be ready by sundown magic ponies; I want a show for my meal! I'm tired of listening to Elder Rugen's poetry…" grumbled Rutherford.

"How dare you, Rugen's poetry good!" gasped Rugen.

The two yaks quickly smashed heads together as a brawl erupted in the tent. A servant yak slowly gestured for the three to leave the tent.

Trixie grinned at the opportunity presented, and she would be finally performing for royalty. Sure it wasn't Celestia, Luna, or even Cadance, but it was royalty!

"Don't worry, your majesty, the Great and Powerful Trixie will give you a show that you will never forget!" the mare put her hat back atop her head before wrapping a levitation spell around Starlight, dragging her out of the tent.

"Do you really think you can keep up, Starlight? I'm certain I can dazzle them without you..." Trixie asked airly before whispering, "I'm pretty sure I could show them the rabbit in the hat trick, and that would be enough to impress them."

Starlight rolled her eyes; her body, mane, and tail suddenly straightened out, the mare quickly taking control of her body as she landed on the ground and practically bounced around the village before landing next to Trixie. Violently vibrating as every muscle pulsated.

"HOLY MOLY, THAT HERBAL TEA KICKS LIKE A MULE; I THINK I'M GONNA–" The mare quickly covered her mouth as she rushed over behind a nearby tent and hurled.

Thorax winced as she slowly turned to Trixie with expressed worry. The showpony grimaced at the sight, shivering in disgust before shaking her head at the changeling.

Starlight quickly trotted over as she rubbed her mouth clean, "Sorry, I feel… better. Like I'm going to vomit, but… better than I was before… I wonder what they put in that stuff…."

Thorax slowly opened his mouth.

Starlight waved him off, "Never mind; I don't wanna know."

She took a deep breath, "Now…" she'd turn to Trixie, "You want to perform with Thorax tonight? Fine, but put your best hoof forward; this is the biggest show of your life. One wrong move, and we're back in the cold."

"Please, I've performed for thousands of ponies; how bad can a herd of yaks be?" as she said those words, the showpony suddenly felt a bit anxious, "A crowd of angry... stomping... yaks..."

She shook her head, regaining her confident smile. "I'm going to knock them dead, you'll see! Now c'mon, let's get something to eat; they have to have something edible..."

"Please… please don't mention food." Starlight would quickly cover her mouth as she felt herself gag.

This Is The Greatest Show

Trixie trotted back and forth behind the tent, biting her lip as she wracked her brain for some of her best acts. What would be good enough to impress these beasts? They wanted to kill them just for being in the mountains!

Taking her hat off her head, she would hyperventilate into it for a few minutes, trying not to panic at the thought of facing all of them.

The showpony had hardly, if ever, experienced stage fright, but this was far above anything she had faced before. If Trixie bombed it out there, it would be worse than being a laughing stock. They'd probably get trampled, or worse!

She took a deep breath and put her hat back onto her head. It didn't matter now. She'd just have to go through with it. Climbing inside her ruined wagon, she began picking out the few supplies that weren't completely destroyed.

"That Starlight Glimmer owes me thousands in bits! If we ever get back to Equestria, I'm suing her for everything she has!" She hissed under her breath, pulling out a small box of bottlerockets, a slightly burnt rainbow scarf, and a few rings. The cut-in-half gag had fallen out during their escape from the city, so that was a bust...

Trixie sighed and slammed her head against the wagon, murmuring a small "ow" before closing her eyes.

Thorax stared in a cracked mirror resting on the side of the cart, examining himself before turning to the showmare. "I have an idea for a trick; why don't we do a teleporting act with you and me. I'll hide in a box, and you teleport' to the other one, then I step out transformed as you?"

Trixie only slightly twitched at the sound of Thorax's voice, mulling over his offer. It wasn't a terrible idea.

Thorax glanced over at the showpony, "I'm sure you'll do great either way… anyways, Uhm, have you seen Starlight?"

The unicorn quickly teleported behind the two, "Sorry, I was just scouting out on the edge of town in case you-know-who was around…."

Thorax squealed as he spun around, nearly colliding into Trixie before he was subdued by Starlight's magic.

"It's so nice to have my magic again; that yak tea really is something… so what's the plan 'o great and powerful Trixie.'"

Sighing, the showpony turned around and gave Starlight an unimpressed look.

"Well, since you destroyed nearly all of my supplies I had at hoof, I'm not working with very much. My cut-in-half trick would have been perfect, but nooooo...." Trixie whined before gesturing at Thorax, "But I suppose his idea could work. If we had a box! Do you know how many bits I spent on that thing?"

"So unless you can magic me up some supplies, I will have to wing it. And I'm not a pegasus!" The showpony grabbed the sack of supplies, setting them near the tent flap.

Starlight rolled his eyes, "You really are making a mountain out of a molehill; why do you just make Thorax the focus of your act? He's a changeling; he has magic neither of us could ever dream of attaining. He can be anything you want him to be and then some!"

"Please, do you think I can always rely on his abilities? My act would have been perfect if I just had my supplies." Trixie sighed, flicking her mane.

Thorax smiled bashfully, "Ah well, it's just my biology… besides Trixie, you can do simple tricks too, card tricks… illusions," he'd quickly snap his body into that of a rabbit, "We can even stick to the classics~" he'd playfully offer.

Looking down at Thorax in his rabbit form, tapping a hoof to her chin, "Well, that beats trying to catch a rabbit out here. Fine, we'll do it your way." She pointed at Starlight, "But you better also be on standby; you are my wagon-puller, after all." She smirked playfully.

Starlight rolled her eyes, "Fine since you're so insistent on your act, I'll handle the lights and what little we have in terms of… supply. But need I remind you that this isn't some bar where you can fumble your way through an act."

"Please, you think I don't know the gravity of our situation? At least they might give me a wide berth since they've seen I'm the powerful one. You on the other hoof? I'm not so sure." Trixie snorted derisively.

Thorax waved Starlight off, "It'll be fine; we got this."

"Now, I think the hat trick will be our opener. You hop out when I take it off, and I'll introduce you as my assistant. Of course, it's my magic turning you into a rabbit, don't let them think otherwise."

The showpony began coaching. "It's all for effect. We need to stupefy them!"

Thorax attentively listened to Trixie as he nodded, "Right, right… we might need a sheet or blanket, however… uh…changeling magic kinda freaks creatures out judging from how you two first reacted to my disguise."

"It is a bit… brutal-looking," admitted Starlight.

"Hmm... I think my cape might do the trick; it should be long enough. We don't want them thinking I'm breaking your bones or something..." Trixie tapped a hoof to her chin before smirking, "Or do we?"

Thorax slowly drummed his hooves against the ground as he bounced in place idly, "Uhm…no…?" he answered, skeptical of Trixie.

"Well, if I am a great and powerful mage who can do such things to you, imagine what they think I could do to them? And..." Trixie chuckled, "... what Twilight Sparkle could do as well."

"Just think about it; if they believe we're on their side and we're that powerful, they might want to protect us even more."

"Whatever, I guess my ideas are just too complicated and complex for you dullards to understand." Trixie hmphed, nose in the air, already expecting them to disregard her idea.

Starlight slowly perked her head up, "Actually...that's not a bad idea, Trixie… subtle, which is surprising for somepony like you. But a good idea nonetheless. Thorax, incorporate transforming into part of the act."

"See? You think I'm stupid, but I see far more than you ever could," Trixie sniffed, closing her eyes as she stroked her ego.

"Don't you even start; you're lucky I was still sick when you pulled off that maneuver with the yaks…" scoffed Starlight.

Thorax shuffled a bit, appearing uneasy with the request, "Well, I don't want to freak them out; what if it scares them too much?"

"Don't worry, it's all part of the act; they'll understand. Right, Trixie?" assured Starlight.

"Well, of course. Besides, whenever I begin a show, I warn them of the shock and awe they may experience. And, if it gets bad, I'll transform Thorax into a fearsome beast." Trixie smirked, wrapping a hoof around the changeling.

Thorax sighed, "Let's hope this works because I don't want to march back down the mountain."

"Alright, alright. Get into my hat, and let's get this show on the road..." Trixie pulled off her hat, allowing the rabbit to jump in before putting it back on. It was surprisingly roomy inside.

Peeking inside the tent, Trixie looked around. Prince Rutherford and his Elders were inside, waiting for her to start the show before they began their feast. The show pony took in a deep breath, gathering her courage.

Lighting up her horn, she dimmed the fire inside the large tent before stepping inside. The yaks murmured as quietly as yaks could, wondering what was happening.

Wisps of light began to flitter through the tent as she waved her horn back and forth, swirling around in a circle. The vortex of colors finally coalesced before exploding in the air, raining down sparkling light on the audience below.

Stepping onto what would have been a stage, Trixie allowed the fire to roar back to life, appearing to the Yaks she had teleported in front of them.

"Trixie, thanks your Majesty for allowing her to perform for such a magnificent audience. Trixie promises this will be a performance you will never forget."

The showpony bowed, a smug smile on her lips, "Trixie must warn you, if any member of this audience has medical issues, please leave now. Trixie is not responsible for any harm caused by shock."

Tossing her mane, Trixie would pull off her hat, holding it out for the audience to see inside. The false bottom of the hat perfectly hid the rabbit-changeling inside.

"This is a simple trick, but one I'm quite effective with." Trixie tapped her horn three times on the brim, signaling the changeling to jump out.

Thorax quickly popped out of the hat as he put on his best smile for the crowd. The yaks stamped excitedly.

Prince Rutherford stomped his hooves against the earth, "I know of that trick! It's a classic!"

"Oh really? You haven't seen anything yet!" Trixie would smile widely before turning to the rabbit, giving him a wink as she lit up her horn. She wasn't performing any spell; it was simply for show.

Thorax took a deep breath as he hopped out of the hat and onto the stage, transforming midair as he revealed himself to the audience.

The crowd let out a mix of horror and shock as they erupted into cheers, the earth shaking beneath everyone from the sheer amount of yaks stamping and stomping.

"See? Told you it would work!" Trixie hissed towards Thorax, doing her best not to let the grin fall off her face.

"Thank you, thank you. As you should know, I am the Great and Powerful, Trrrrrrixie!"

The showpony threw up her hooves, lighting up her horn to throw another colorful light show into the air, "And this is Trixie's Great and Powerful assistant… Thorax!"

Trixie allowed a moment for applause before continuing. "I shall now perform the most terrifying and dangerous acts known to creature kind, the transformation spell! I will turn my assistant into one of the most horrifying creatures known to ponykind: the terrifying dragon!" The mare lit her horn again, aiming it at the changeling.

Thorax sighed, knowing how tiring the transformation would be. He took a deep breath as his body began to twist and force itself to take shape. His hooves slowly transformed into sharp talons and claws as his back and wings elongated before taking their bat-like shape. The changeling grew larger and bulkier despite his frail and weak appearance.

It was unimaginable to think this ghastly beast was once a small, nimble creature. Thorax's dark fur turned into scales as his teal-colored eyes turned amber and reptilian-like. The changeling towered over the audience, the dark beast looming over them menacingly. He was certainly putting in his end of the bargain.

Even Trixie was impressed with his transformation, doing her best not to step back in fear at just his sheer size. Clearing her throat, she looked back at the audience to gauge their reaction.

"Don't worry, my faithful audience; this beast shall not harm you!" Trixie would stamp her hoof. "Now, heel beast!"

Thorax rolled his eyes as he let out a thundering, ear-piercing roar. The crowd quickly shuffled in their seats unexpectedly. Before Thorax slowly lowered himself, resting his head on the stage, giving the unicorn a rather unimpressed look.

The showpony would give him a look as if to say, 'keep it convincing!' before turning back to her audience.

She then realized she wasn't exactly sure where else to go. She had already had him transform into something impressive and commanded him; now, what else?

One particular trick came to mind...

"Trixie shall now perform a most daring trick! She shall now step into the mouth of the beast and reappear unharmed!" Trixie yelled loud enough for Starlight to hear. Hopefully, the mare could teleport her decently...

Starlight peered from behind the tent flap as she frantically gestured for her to NOT go through with the act, while Thorax appeared uneasy as he slowly looked between the pair, giving them a subtle unsure shrug of the shoulders.

Trixie's ears flatten down to her mane at the expression on Starlight's face. Then it turned into frustration; she had said her magic was better; she should be able to perform!

"Yes! Yes! Step into the beast's mouth!" Thundered the yak prince, "Show off your teleportation spell, pony mage!"

Starlight sighed as she charged up her horn and gestured for Trixie to get ready as Thorax slowly opened his maul for the showpony to step inside.

"Trixie promised a performance of a lifetime, and..." She gulped, "Trixie is going to!"

With a shaky hoof, she took her first step toward Thorax, taking deep breaths to calm her nerves. Once she was a step away from walking into his mouth, she closed her eyes and forced herself forward.

Thorax slowly closed his mouth as he felt nauseous; Trixie didn't exactly taste good, what with not having a bath in days and the fact he wasn't a carnivore. The changeling gestured to Starlight to get a move on as he turned green.

Starlight sighed as she teleported into the changeling's mouth, appearing next to Trixie. Gagging at the foul scent of the dragon's breath and wet humid mouth.

Thorax covered his maul as he did his best not to retch at another pony's taste before Starlight teleported Trixie behind the tent flap where she once was.

Starlight glared at Trixie as she shook the saliva off of herself, "Don't you ever speak of this…."

The changeling slowly swallowed as he showed his empty mouth to the horrified crowds.

Trixie was somewhat dazed from the experience; breathing in the fumes from a dragon wasn't exactly healthy. If she remembered correctly, dragons produced methane gas in their bodies which the dragon could expel from glands in their throat, so long as they kept a proper diet.

"Yeah... this isn't a highlight for me either," Trixie mumbled as she stumbled forward, pushing past the tent flap to re-enter.

"Ta-da! Your Great and P-Powerful magician Trixie prevails!" She raised a hoof before pointing her horn at Thorax, barely producing enough light to call it a spell. "Now, return to your original form, my Great and Powerful Assistant!"

Thorax quickly snapped back into his original form as he wobbled a bit on his hooves, appearing to be somewhat exhausted from transforming into such a massive and complex creature. As the audience erupted into thunderous applause, the showmare stumbled over and helped keep Thorax on his hooves, giving the audience a tired smile.

"Thank you, thank you, you've been a great audience! Trixie and her magnificent assistant must rest now, but don't worry, we'll be here for as long as we are welcome!" Trixie slowly began edging backward before leading Thorax out of the tent.

"Oh goodness, I'm so dizzy." Trixie fell down before pulling her hat over her eyes, trying not to vomit. "Good job, though. You exceeded my expectations."

Thorax slowly looked up at Trixie, blinking sluggishly before slowly toppling to the ground and passing out.

Starlight clapped her hooves, “Bravo, bravo. I'd say that qualifies as an outstanding performance, don't you?"

Trixie lay on the ground, trying not to throw up what little she had eaten earlier.

"Please... just get us to the wagon... and I won't talk for an hour."

Starlight chuckled, "Well, I'm holding you to that…" with a spark from her horn, she'd levitate Thorax and Trixie from the ground and carry them toward the wagon. Carefully placing them in the back, she slammed the door behind them.

Trixie rolled inside the wagon, using the last bit of her strength to pull a small wool blanket over Thorax and herself. She was too exhausted to move, her horn sending out sparks as the blanket slowly fell over them.

Finally, the showpony's eyes closed, and the mare slipped into a dreamless sleep.

Finally, a moment to really enjoy her newfound freedom. She had gotten away with her crimes in Equestria, and The Crystal Empire paid off her debts to Trixie and fulfilled her promise. They were safe and free to live their lives in Yakyakistan.

She'd sigh before slowly sitting down against the wagon's wheel and resting her eyes for a moment.

The Youth Of Yakyakistan

The cool and crisp morning air whistled through the air as its chill awoke Trixie. Her was mane tussled into a bird’s nest with grains of glitter and gun powder staining her once pristine mane. Smacking her dry lips, she lazily looked around the tent, barely recognizing the interior; she had a brief moment of fear before realizing where she was.

She terribly missed her wagon. It was still sitting outside, one of the wheels finally falling off. There was little to salvage but some burnt curtains and small trinkets. She had spent most of her young adult life in it, and now it was destroyed.

Sighing, Trixie stretched out, popping something in her back before slipping out from under the blanket. She was nearly startled when something moved beside her. Oh, Thorax... well, that was awkward. Best not to think about it.

After finally being able to bathe in days, the unicorn brushed her mane and teeth before the showpony stepped out into the snow, feeling the chilled wind go through her wet mane. It was refreshing yet bracing at the same time.

For a moment, she just stood there and enjoyed this brief moment of silence. That was when her stomach decided to growl.

Rolling her eyes, the mare opened the wagon and surveyed their supplies. Nothing to eat; she had blasted through her bag of peanuts. Trixie sighed before turning around, poking Thorax in the stomach.

“Hey, wake up. Let’s go get breakfast.”

Thorax slowly opened his eyes and grumbled, turning over as he huffed, “Too tired… transforming into a dragon took it out of me last night….”

The changeling’s stomach growled; the gnawing pain forced him up, “...hungry and tired….”

Starlight swung the tent flap open as she announced her presence, “Gooood morning everypony~” she’d buzz in a sing-song voice that she hadn't used in a very long time.

“I got a surprise for you, Trixie, but first, Prince Rutherford has invited us to a royal banquet, and it’d be rude not to attend such an event, so let’s move on.”

“A surprise?!” Trixie couldn’t help but squeal, beaming, “Oooh, it must be for our performance last night!”

Thorax smiled at Trixie. Before his stomach growled loudly, causing the changeling to hiss as he snapped his jaw, “Sorry… but I seriously need a bit of love if I’m going to be able to make it to attend sort of gathering.”

Starlight rolled her eyes as she gestured for Thorax to come to her, offering her love to sustain the changeling. It didn’t take long before Starlight toppled over, completely drained of her energy and her love.

“That was a lot worse than last time…” whimpered Starlight.

“Turning into a dragon takes a lot of energy; if you want to blame anyone, well…” he’d slowly look over at Trixie.

Trixie rolled her eyes, “Oh, don’t blame me. I didn’t tell you how big of a dragon to be!”

“Now, come on, let’s get something to eat; I’m starving,” the showpony used her magic to help Starlight back to her hooves. “Go on, lead us to this banquet.”

Soon the three would be escorted to a large outdoor feast, with every yak in the village sharing a massive table with Prince Rutherford on the far end with his elders. Dozens of pastries, stews, and other meals line the table. All of the biscuits, bread, and oatcakes anycreature could need right there at the table. Freshly squeezed orange juice, lemonade, tea, and coffee filled the air with a fresh, delicious fragrance. Behind the prince was a massive covered wagon that instantly drew Trixie’s attention.

Trixie’s mouth watered as she took in the sights and scents. It had been a long time since she had eaten so well, never mind the little trip they had been on. And then there was the wagon; it was... she hesitated to say it was perfect; her opinion of her old cart was still of high regard. This wagon would have to impress her if she cared for it like her old one.

“Ah! The ponies awake from their slumber! We wanted to thank you for your great show, and as promised, we yaks got you a wagon to replace busted-up one. Yaks offer traditional Yakyakistan breakfast to show our gratitude for your hard work.”

Prince Rutherford offered a seat next to him as Trixie, Starlight, and Thorax sat next to the prince.

“Why, thank you, your Majesty. Usually, Trixie requires a higher price for displaying her skill, but you have been so gracious to protect us during our time of need,” Trixie bowed before grabbing the nearest oatcake and coffee, stuffing the pastry down her throat. “Mmmh-- and Trixie’s compliments to the chef! Delicious!”

Starlight took a cup of coffee, letting out a pleasurable sigh. It’d been so long since she had something so fresh and warm. She greedily shoveled the broth into her mouth from a large bowl of mushroom stew and devoured a fresh slice of bread.

Thorax sat quietly at the table and seemed uninterested in the extensive selection of food. Taking a small cup of orange juice as he sipped on it. That little cup would most certainly be more than enough for a creature like him.

“Yaks make the best breakfast; why yak so strong in cold!” declared Rutherford as he smashed his hooves against the earth beneath them, rocking the table, “But we need to talk about invasion from evil pony princess.”

Starlight swallowed a large chunk of mushroom as she quickly retained her attention on the yak, “Oh, well, with the proper preparations and your big strong yaks, they should be running back down the mountain and to the Crystal Empire without much of a fight.”

Prince Rutherford smirked, pride beaming from his eyes, “Crystal Ponies sound weaker without King Sombra; how that old fool must be turning in his grave! Ha ha ha!” the prince bellowed before he smashed his face into a mountain cake, smearing frosting all over his beard.

An elder would turn to Trixie, “Do you think your magic can stop them, oh great and powerful, Trixie?”

Trixie, with her mouth full of biscuits slathered in honey. Choking the food down, she’d daintily wipe her mouth with a napkin before giving the elder a wide smile.

“Why, of course, I can. That is why the Great and Powerful Trixie came here, after all!” She couldn’t help but beam as her ego was stroked.

Starlight shot a look at Trixie before looking toward the elders, “I have had many encounters with the princess in question, the one who leads her scouting party to you; she may appear to be another friend. But she intends to subvert your rule and subjugate you.”

Prince Rutherford turned his snout to the air as he huffed, “Yaks NEVER will be subjugated; we held off King Sombra for over a thousand years! In fact, tomorrow is the annual Yickslurbertfest celebration! Where our great leader, King Gustav Khan, first SMASHED King Sombra and sent his dark magic away from our lands!”

“Of course, you won’t be subjugated; you’ll have Trixie on your side. We will banish their leader and send them back to Equestria!” Trixie picked up a cup full of mead before raising it in the air, “For yak freedom, for Yakyakistan!” She shouldered Thorax to do the same.

The elders would raise their cups before guzzling down their contents and slamming them down on the table.

Thorax awkwardly raised a nearby mug of mead before chugging along with the elders out of courtesy. Clearly not enjoying the strong taste the booze had as she slammed the cup down. Starlight bit her lip nervously as she began to lose confidence in Trixie and worried for Thorax’s health.

She’d clear her throat, “Well spoken, Trixie… but we should discuss HOW we plan to do that.”

“We’ll send our strongest yaks to intercept them, and I will personally lead them to victory! If these ponies dare attack us after my stern warning, then… WE SMASH!” the prince quickly slammed his hooves against the earth again.

“Of course, you three will be by our sides to ensure they don’t use their pony magic to get an advantage!”

Thorax slowly reached over to grab another kuksa of mead as he quickly began chugging it; Starlight slowly snatched the beer from the changeling as she smiled, “Well, that’s… great!”

“We leave at dawn then! Today we celebrate, and tomorrow we defend our lands just as King Gustav and our ancestors did from King Sombra!” thundered Rutherford.

The yaks quickly erupted in excited stamps as they exploded into cheers, nearly knocking over the freshly set table.

Trixie celebrated as well, taking another hearty swig of mead before taking a chunk out of a loaf of bread, sighing contently. Now, this was the kind of worship she should experience every day.

As she took another sip, she realized what Rutherford had just said, her ears lowering. That meant they would expect her to fight Twilight Sparkle... it would have been laughable when the purple pony was a unicorn, as it was when she had her amulet, but now? She had no chance!

Slumping in her seat, the mare nibbled at her food, not quite as voracious as before.

Starlight sat in her seat with the biggest smile on her face; suppose she could check off leading an army off her bucket list. There was no way Twilight would stand up to a literal army demanding her to back down. It just wasn’t in the alicorn's nature.

She leaned back in her chair, sipping her coffee contentedly; this was already in the bag, and victory was already in her grasp; she raised a kuksa as she took a sip of the strong beer before sipping it back into the mug. A new sour expression took the place of her content smile. Coffee and beer did not mix.

Thorax licked his chops as he continuously went for the mead, as he chugged back another mug as he belched loudly, much to the amusement of the elders and prince, who quickly began drinking with the changeling.

"Haha! Bug-Pony like yak drink!? Drink more than our treat as friends!" roared Rutherford.

Thorax smiled as he sloppily began chugging another kuksa of beer, “They’re starting to like me,” he’d hiccup.

Trixie would swallow a mouthful of oatcake before turning to the changeling, watching him guzzle down more and more. Didn’t he say he couldn’t regularly eat pony foods?

“Er... my Great and Powerful Assistant, perhaps you should slow down.” She’d gently pat him on the back, looking uncertain. “You don’t want to be sick tomorrow, y’know. Plus, remember your uh... allergy?”

Starlight sighed, “Trixie, why don’t you take our friend and the wagon back to our little spot? I’m sure you two need time to… digest.”

“That sounds like a wonderful idea, wagon puller. See what other important information you can gather from our gracious guests to defeat our foes while I take care of my assistant,” Trixie would get out of her seat, sneakily tucking some pastries into her cape for later.

Thorax wobbled in his seat as he chuckled, his cheeks beginning to look flushed as he had a satisfied expression on his face. The changeling was buzzed, if not drunk, obviously not having had alcohol before.

“Ha ha! Clearly, he enjoys good yak drink! Have another for the road!” Rutherford said as he handed the changeling another mug.

Thorax quickly slammed it back before his smile widened, “Now thissss is friendship….” he'd slur.

“Why... thank you,” Trixie smiled uncomfortably towards Rutherford before grabbing Thorax by the hoof, “Come now, my Great Assistant. You need your strength for tomorrow!”

The showpony half-dragged Thorax away from the banquet, sighing to herself, “Oh.. what am I going to do...?”

Turning back to the changeling, she wrapped a layer of magic over him, keeping him from falling over. “C’mon, you little drunk bug. You had way too much for your first time.”

Thorax chuckled, “Drunk? Is that what it was? It tasted like bitter water… oopsie.”

Trixie rolled her eyes, “C’mon... let’s get you settled.”

Starlight sighed, rubbing her hooves against her face; at least, it could’ve been worse.

After breakfast, Starlight found a nice open area outside town where she could look at the hundreds of mountain peaks across Yakyakistan. The sun just barely peaking over the frosted tips of the mountains. She practiced her magic and studied the few books she had with her on a hard patch of frozen dirt. Just in case Twilight and her friends actually did want a fight.

“A Fiducia Compelus spell, in conjunction with Cogeria and Persuadere, could produce a strong mind control spell if all else fails.” she’d quickly skimmed through the pages of her books as she sighed.

“Perhaps something like a Hyperbeam into a mountain to cause an avalanche would finish them off quickly, too… but I could use them if I did the Fiducia Compelus spell with Cogeria and Persuadere….”

The crunch of snow was heard behind Starlight, “Pony talk funny. No talk like Yak.”

Behind the unicorn was a smaller Yak, a heifer or a young mare of her species. Her mane was braided ornately and pinned behind her ears with two large pink bows. While covered in a thick pelt, she still wore a small saddle cloth on her back.

“Did pony really come to help Yak?” she questioned, tilting her head. “Yona hear from Elders, you wagon-puller?”

Starlight turned to face the young heifer offering her best smile, “So I have been told, and yes, we came to help your people. It’s our… moral obligation.”

She’d quickly slam her books shut before stuffing the spell books into her saddlebags, “My name is Starlight Glimmer; what’s your name?”

The young yak would study Starlight and put her books away, intrigued by her natural use of magic. Looking back up at the mare.

“Yak are 'mor-el'. yak are strong; uak can protect themselves,” the heifer snorted, “Yona is Yona, daughter of Elder Yasamin.”

“Pony don’t look like wagon-puller, pony too small and weak.” Yona poked at Starlight’s upper legs.

Starlight rolled her eyes, scoffing playfully at the young yak, “Have you come to insult the humble wagon-puller, or is there something you’re looking for? ‘The Great and Powerful Trixie’ and ‘The Great Thorax’ are inside the village.”

Starlight quickly retrieved a large book as she began skimming through its pages, “Ice Storm… chain lightning… hmmm….”

She’d slowly turn to face Yona, perplexed that the yak was still there.

“What is on pony flank?” Yona pointed at Starlight’s cutie mark with curiosity, “Pony been branded?”

“Oh, that? It’s a cutie mark; all ponies have one. It’s symbolic of our special talent…mine happens to be magic,” she’d quickly hum to herself, “Ouu… poison spray… No, no, too dangerous for everyone around us….”

“Cutie.. mark?” Yona cocked her head, raising a brow in confusion, “Yak, no need brand to be talented, all yak talented!”

She’d glance at Yona, “What’s it like living in Yakyakistan? I’d assume we’d be staying here awhile; anything sticks out to you personally?”

Yona huffed, “village is perfect. Yak farm what yak can in spring and forage when yak cannot. All yak have purpose; all yak must work if yak want to eat. Pony better work for meal. Oh! Yak celebrations are best! Yak eat and drink and sing and SMASH!” Yona slammed a hoof down, breaking a large stone.

“Hm… that’s rather funny actually, that sounds very similar to my own village…” she’d begin to reminisce as she slowly turned to Yona, seeing an opportunity to educate, “I’ll give you one thing, you have the right way of seeing things. I personally never liked having a cutie mark. I’d much rather be like a yak, perfectly talented, perfectly content… perfectly equal.”

“Pony had village? What happened?” the heifer asked curiously, “Why would pony not want her brand? Does pony not want magic talent?”

“Well, I had a village like yours. It was perfect, with plenty of happy faces content with their lives. You see, I know a magical spell that can remove a ponies cutie mark, and many of these ponies were apprehensive at first. But I soon showed them the error in their ways.”

“If everyone is different, and if some ponies are better than others, it creates an imbalance with some ponies thinking they’re superior, creating disharmony. It’s not that I don’t want my talent. It’s just that too many people are… irresponsible and abuse their talents for evil. Like the very princess who seeks your subjugation, she destroyed my village! Turned the ponies who were once my friends against me with her lies and sewed the seeds of inequality. Now because of her, I can guarantee that all my former friends are miserable and without purpose.”

Starlight smiled at Yona, “Unlike you yaks, who clearly have everything down to a perfect science. Which is why I am so adamant on your self-preservation, because I understand what it’s like to have your home taken away, and so I dedicated my life to spreading the message of equalism and defending others from Twilight Sparkles tyranny.”

Yona would raise her brow curiously, digesting everything the pony had said. Her words seemed genuine and authentic, but something about the way she spoke made the heifer hesitant.

“Then pony will fit into yak village no problem. Yak will welcome anyone who wishes to hide from evil pony princess.” Yona nodded her head, snorting steam out of her nose into the dry cold air, “Yona don’t know if Yak are all equal, Yona isn’t as good at braiding as Elder, but Yona learn.”

Starlight chuckled, “Some talents just take a little time to learn, but as long as no yak is better than any other yak, then are you not equal?”

Yona would cock a brow, clearly not grasping what Starlight was trying to say, “But Prince Rutherford is strongest yak in village; he is better Yak.”

Starlight suppressed a scowl as she quickly distracted the yak before she’d carefully grabbed Yona’s braids as she adjusted them, perfecting them with her magic, “There we are as my gift to you, friend.”

The young heifer would reel back, pressing her hooves to her braids. “No touch yak braid!! Traditional Yak braid only undo when yak reach maturity!! Pony know nothing of yak tradition?”

Starlight gasped, feigning shock and surprise, hiding her relief that Yona had forgotten her question, “Oh, um, sorry! I hadn’t a clue of how important that was… to be fair, our knowledge of yak history is a thousand years outdated and limited, but why don’t I make it up to you? You yaks like smashing, right?” Well then…” She’d quickly scan her book, “Erupting earth would be perfect….”

Yona sighed, “Pony did not mean harm, so Yona forgive pony,” she cocked a brow, “Pony smash?”

“You might want to step back….” her horn glowed as she stamped her hooves against the earth, causing the terrain to move like a wave as rock shot up like spikes before snapping back into place as if nothing happened.

Yona's jaw hit the floor, impressed with the unicorn’s abilities, “Are all pony this strong?! Why is pony wagon-puller if pony can do that?”

“Not strength, magic. It’s an advanced terraforming spell,” Starlight corrected. She sighed at the mention of being relegated to being a wagon-puller, “Somebody has to do it, I guess….”

“If you want raw strength, you’ll want an earth pony; some could probably smash with the best of yaks…” smirked Starlight.

“Yona never see earth pony before, only unicorn and bug-pony. What other pony are there?”

“Well, there’s the pegasi; they can fly and control the weather, unicorns with our magic, earth ponies are strong and handle our harvests, and there are the bat ponies who are the guardians of the night. And of course… the bug-pony… he’s special….”

“Can pony teach Yona how to do spell?” Yona jumped up in excitement, nearly bowling over Starlight as she ran up to her.

Starlight smiled, “Well… I can’t teach you magic, but I can teach you how to make potions. I’d be happy to help you, Yona.”

“Yes! Yona want to learn, be good for village!”

Yona paused for moment, as if another question had crossed her mind. She soon turned to Starlight, “How will all pony be equal if some pony can fly? Can earth pony fly?” The heifer seemed to be finding holes in her logic, “Can pony make earth pony fly if pony does not have wings?” she asked earnestly.

Starlight sighed, “You’re certainly full of questions… Everypony is different, but I strive to make them equally good for society at large. But enough about me, how about we start on those potions….”

A Yicksluberfest To Remember: Part One

The morning light just peaked past the mountains as Private Silver Star, Corporal Quill Feathers, Private First Class Bucky Brawn, Sargent Crunchy Almond, Private Peach Cobbler, and Sargent Tiny pulled the wagons along. With Officer Iron Clad pulling alongside Sargent Almond.

The cream-colored earth pony looked around as his once luxurious blonde mane was now coated with ice and snow. He'd cough before squinting at the mountain peaks before turning to Iron Clad, "Sir… we aren't alone. Should we inform the princess?"

Iron Clad would turn to Almond before following his line of sight, trying to catch what the Sargent had seen.

Peach Cobbler scoffed, "There's nobody in these mountains for miles; we probably have a day's march til we're intercepted by scouts."

Tiny grumbled, "I'd trust the Sargent… something isn't right…."

The earth began to rumble as the thundering cry of potentially thousands of yaks echoed through the mountains; dozens and dozens of these fuzzy warriors started appearing from the other side of the mountain. Galloping and stamping their way towards the expedition.

Silver Star became to stammer, "S-s-s-s-should we retreat Officer Iron Clad!?"

"There's nowhere to retreat to, Silver Star. Ready yourselves, Stallions!" The grey unicorn commanded, "Protect the princess!"

"Whaaaaat isssss happppppening ooooout ttttthere?!" Pinkie Pie jumped up and down inside the wagon as the earth rumbled, practically jerking the ponies and supplies inside.

"Are we being attacked?!" Rainbow Dash opened the wagon's back doors, zipping into the air as she took in the situation. "Uh... uh-oh... Twilight... you might wanna come see this!"

The alicorn jumped out from the cart, galloping to the front with the soldiers before Iron Clad stepped in front of her.

"Princess, please stand back!"

"I'll be fine, sir," Twilight replied, staring with a determined expression at the oncoming sea of yaks approaching them. "Put down your weapons and do not perform any magic. We're on an expedition, after all."

"But Princess, with all due respect–"

"I gave my orders, Iron." The alicorn affirmed.

"O-oh my, a-are you sure we shouldn't run?" Fluttershy squeaked, still hiding inside the wagon, her heart racing a mile a minute.

Starlight trotted alongside Prince Rutherford, wearing a leather and steel helmet atop her head with two horns jutting from the sides. The prince raised a brow, lifting the thick wool from his face as he examined the minuscule expedition compared to his entire army.

Trixie, with a thick wool cape and hood obscuring her appearance, made sure to stay in the back, not wanting to actually have to fulfill the promises she had made. As Thorax stuck close behind the showpony.

The prince looked to Starlight, "I thought you said an army was coming; this barely qualifies as a scouting party!"

"Trust me, your highness; this is uhm… a lure-them-in tactic; keep your guard up. They want you to lower yours." Insisted Starlight.

The prince huffed as his voice echoed through the mountains, "Princess Twilight Sparkle! You intrude on Yakyakistan territory! I have been informed of your scheme to subjugate us yaks! Let it be known that over a thousand years ago, when King Sombra and his Empire were consumed by the Frozen North, it was our King Gustav Khan who SMASHED that King back into the mountains from which he came!"

As the earth thundered, the yaks would stamp in unison, letting out a guttural yell, "YAKS, SMASH!"

"It was on this very day that Yickslurbertfest was founded! Where we celebrate our king's victory by SMASHING; how poetic that we smash another invader who dares defy Yakyakistan!"

The yaks again smashed their hooves against the earth, "YAKS, SMASH!"

"Turn back now! Or suffer the consequences!"

Starlight clapped her hooves; sure in her victory, it was only a matter of time before Twilight turned tail and ran, "Well said, your highness."

Twilight's eyes widened in shock at the prince's accusation that they were coming to... oppress them! That was the exact opposite of what she was trying to do! Her eyes narrowed at Starlight Glimmer, knowing exactly who had given him that idea.

Thorax gulped as he stared at the princess in the distance, praying that the army would deter them, pleading it wouldn't come to violence.

Sargent Tiny and Almond looked over to Officer Iron-Clad, "This could be our only way to protect the Princess… not to mention the civilians and the rest of our little platoon…" offered Tiny.

Iron Clad glanced from Almond to Tiny, gritting his teeth as he stacked the odds. Finally, he would turn to Twilight, "Your highness... what are your orders?"

Twilight would hold up a hoof before taking a small step forward, flinching each time the yaks growled and stomped their hooves.

"I don't know what you've been told, but I have no intention of... subjugating you. We came here as an expedition, hoping to create a bond between our cultures."

Twilight kept an agreeable and peaceful tone, not wanting to irritate the prince. "I apologize for the guards; there was an attack on the Crystal Empire, and Princess Cadance– the Empire's ruler– believed it necessary that I have protection!"

"I've heard of King Gustav Khan; we don't have many books about Yak culture, but that one survived; I even have the copy right here!" Twilight pulled out a worn leather book, flipping open to the page with an illustration of the yak king. She quickly tucked the book away.

"Please, I understand why you would be worried, but we personally fought against King Sombra during his return... did you not know he returned!?" Twilight asked gently.

"Lies!" Shouted Starlight, "It's all lies!"

Prince Rutherford lifted his hoof to silence the mare, "YOU fought King Sombra? Did you Smash!?"

"It was more… incinerating him and shattering him into a bunch of pieces!" Spike replied, shouting from the cart.

"It was a team effort," Twilight smiled, pulling in Spike for a quick side-hug.

".....So King Sombra dead for good and Empire has returned!?" thundered Rutherford.

"Yes, sir, the Crystal Ponies even believe his spirit haunts the mountains, which is silly; there's no such thing as--" Twilight realized she was rambling and shook her head, "Er, well, you know."

Rutherford paused as he looked between Starlight and the expedition, "I have heard many things about you, pony princess! None of which are good…..however, if what you said is true and you had a hoof in destroying King Sombra, who am I to attack an ally, especially on Yickslurbertfest!"

"As the prince of all yak clans and Yakyakistan, I give you the right of council! You will be judged by wise elder yaks and myself! Leave your weapons, and every pony return to your wagon, including soldier ponies! Do not leave the wagon until I say so!"

Twilight perked up, a smile growing on her lips. "Thank you, Prince Rutherford." She would go so far as to even bow, "I promise we shall cause no trouble or harm to your or your citizens."

"Piiiinkie Promise!?" Pinkie Pie seemed to appear right behind Twilight, startling the mare.

"EEP-- Pinkie!!" Twilight squawked before rolling her eyes, "Yes, Pinkie Promise..."

Starlight screamed internally as she turned to the prince, "Your highness, she destroyed my village; she is a conqueror!"

"SILENCE, THERE WILL BE NO FURTHER DISCUSSION OF THIS UNTIL ELDERS AND I HAVE REACHED DECISION UNLESS THERE IS SOMEONE WHO BELIEVES THEY ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO BECOME PRINCE."

Twilight's ears flattened down as the prince roared, quickly stepping back as he argued with Glimmer. A part of her felt it served the mare right.

Starlight quietly considered challenging Rutherford as she turned to Trixie and Thorax for their opinion.

The changeling quickly shook his head no. Trixie would also shake her head, drawing a hoof across her neck in a slitting motion.

"Iron Clad, everypony, get back into the wagons as the Prince instructed," Twilight spoke quietly, slowly moving backward.

"Yes, ma'am." the unicorn soldier nodded, leading his stallions back.

As everypony clambered inside their respective wagon, moments later, they felt themselves be dragged forward by the yaks.

Applejack sighed, "I won't lie; I did not see that coming with Starlight and the yak prince."

Spike kicked his feet up as he yawned, "We shouldn't worry; they'll find out she's evil and then kick her out."

"I think you forgot the whole burning down a city and destroying Twilight's house thing she did, Spike; we shouldn't make the same mistake of underestimating her again." scolded Applejack.

"Hey, it was my house too!" he piped back.

"Not to mention that horrid headwear she put on herself; who is she fooling? She's no yak warrior." scoffed Rarity.

"I expected Starlight Glimmer to pull something shady, but that? It's actually impressive how bad she is," Rainbow Dash crossed her arms. Her wings twitched from the desire to fly.

"I r-really hope they do realize she's not good..." Fluttershy murmured, "B-But... I think the yaks might be nice?"

"I really like the helmets they have! They're neat!" Pinkie smiled, making a paper mache hat out of construction paper. Twilight wondered if they even packed that.

"Whatever we do, be careful. Starlight expected us to run when we saw the yaks; now, she feels cornered. We have no idea what she might do next." Twilight nodded.

"Let's stick together this time; we always kick butt when we're together." the pegasus wrapped an arm around Twilight, giving her a confident smirk.

"I think you don't want to be turned into a bluejay again," Fluttershy chuckled, pressing a hoof to her lips.

"Hey! We agreed not to mention that!"

Outside, Starlight pulled aside her comrades as she began whispering to Trixie, "So… any ideas what we should do next? Because I'm all for taking over as Princess of Yakyakistan."

"I thought you were the mastermind here!" The showpony whispered back, trying to keep her head low and remained unnoticed.

Thorax whispered, "We shouldn't panic if we just stay calm, they'll go away eventually, and we can still live in Yakyakistan."

"Do you think they'll just let us get away with what we did in The Crystal Empire? We need to get the yaks to hate them or get rid of them!" snapped Starlight.

"What WE did?!" Trixie hissed back, her eyes wide with anger and disbelief, "Stop pulling me into your crazy scheme! You were the one who lit those fireworks; you were the one who attacked Twilight Sparkle! All I wanted was payment for my performance!"

"None of this would've happened if you didn't rob Starchee. If you wanna blame anypony, blame yourself!" snapped Starlight before she sighed, rubbing her temple, "I'll think of something; I just need you all to keep a low profile and stay out of Twilight's way, got it?!"

"Riiight, because you totally weren't in the Crystal Empire to assassinate Twilight Sparkle or anything!!" Trixie barely kept her voice down, nearly straining her throat.

Thorax piped up, "What if we convinced her we're not so bad?"

"What, do you want a lesser sentence? No!" snapped Starlight.

"I'm with Thorax; out of the three of us, you're the only one here who did anything malicious with intent. I might have stolen a few bits, but I wasn't trying to hurt anypony!! He refused to pay me!" Trixie bit back.

Starlight glared at Trixie as her voice turned cold, "You want to turn yourself in? Fine, but let it be known that if you betray me now, you'll regret it…. and that's a promise."

Thorax shuttered from Starlight's sudden shift, "Maybe we should all just relax; nothing bad has happened yet!"

"What, are you going to attack me in this crowd of yaks, with a princess behind us?" Trixie challenged, sneering, "Go ahead, show them what kind of pony you really are."

Starlight took a deep breath… before socking Trixie in the face with her left hoof and scrambling to get on top of her, "I have had it up to here with you!" she growled.

Trixie hadn't anticipated that as her eyes enlarged in surprise as she hit the ground. Struggling with the pony on top of her, Trixie reacted blindly, her horn burning to life. As Trixie's magical aura encompassed Starlight, holding her in place. It wasn't particularly strong, but it gave her enough time to escape Starlight's grasp.

"Oh, Starlight, you're so clumsy, my silly wagon-puller," Trixie yelled out for the crowd to hear to excuse Starlight's sudden outburst before leaning close to Starlight's ear.

"I understand you're cornered right now, Glimmer. You're like a trapped animal, just trying to find a way out. But if you do that again, I might not be able to help you out of this situation, hmm? So why don't you play nice in front of our friends... and I'll forget you did that."

Starlight breathed heavily as she forced herself to calm down, saying nothing as she released herself from Trixie's magic and trotted forward to cool off.

Thorax was utterly taken aback by the sudden provocation as he quickly attended to Trixie, "Oh my gosh are you alright? I-I didn't know she was gonna do that."

Trixie grabbed onto Thorax without thought and pulled herself up, knocking the snow off of her cloak. "Well, that one does have a temper..." she muttered under her breath.

Prince Rutherford turned to Trixie, "Ou… that's some nasty bump, good thing it was an accident, or you two would have to fight!"

"Oh, well, you know how underlings can be, so clumsy and uncoordinated!" Trixie flapped her hoof in the air before trotting forward, levitating a chunk of ice from the ground before pressing it against her right cheek.

Prince Rutherford chuckled, "Oh yes, inexperienced apprentices are like that."

Starlight quietly murmured to herself, "Just a little longer, just a little longer, and you'll be home free…."

The wagon train was brought into Yakyakistan with the elderly, dri, and calves swarming around the warriors as Prince Rutherford's voice boomed, "MAKE WAY, EMERGENCY MEETING WITH THE COUNCIL, MAKE WAY!"

Twilight was quickly alerted by a loud banging on the side of the wagon, "Pony princess, go see elders and Prince Rutherford, but other ponies stay!" ordered the yak.

"No way! If she goes, we go!" Rainbow flew up to the door, "We're not leaving her alone!"

"Rainbow, please. We're their guests; we have to follow their customs and rules. I'll be fine," Twilight pulled the pegasus back by her tail. "I promise."

"Be careful, Twilight; we'll be here if you need us." Fluttershy flapped over, patting the mare on the back.

"I don't think it'll be so bad that Prince seems nice!" Pinkie beamed optimistically.

"Reaaally?" Rainbow looked unconvinced.

Twilight opened the wagon door and stepped out, giving her friends one last look, "I'll be okay; you girls, wait here."

"Alright, let's go meet the Elders..."

Twilight took the brief moment she was out of the wagon to look at the village, taking in a breath of cool air, before she was directed inside a tent. Sitting around a raging fire were the elders and the prince sat. They all stared at the princess expectantly.

"Princess Twilight Sparkle, you are currently under the council of the six elder yaks and Prince Rutherford. You must show that you are worthy and justified in visiting our lands," chanted an elder yak.

"Speak your piece," ordered Prince Rutherford.

Twilight looked around the large tent and took a deep breath before stepping forward.

"As you know, I am Twilight Sparkle. And... I wasn't always a princess." The alicorn began, feeling a little nervous with all the judgmental eyes glaring her way.

"I used to be just a unicorn, living in Canterlot. I knew nothing about friendship; all I wanted to do was study and learn everything I could about the world. But, one fateful day, I was sent to Ponyville."

"It was during the Summer Solstice a few years ago; you may remember the day. We were celebrating in town, and I was sent to oversee it. Along the way, I met ponies that, at first, I didn't think much of."

"But they showed me what true friendship meant. When Nightmare Moon banished Celestia and tried to retake Equestria, my friends stood by my side and helped me defeat her, reverting her back to Princess Luna."

"If not for my friends, we would be in an eternal night, or perhaps worse, in a world where Discord ruled. And my friends are why I am here now."

"Through our feats of magic, and our connection with each other, we unlocked a magical artifact that reveals issues across our entire land, and we were alerted that something would occur in your lands. That is why we are here, to solve a... friendship problem." Twilight smiled awkwardly.

"I know it seems strange and that you must protect your citizens, but that is what I wish to do as well. I understand if you wish for us to leave, and we will do so when you ask. I just humbly request that you allow us the opportunity to aid you in whatever way we can."

The alicorn kneeled, bowing her head in respect as she finished her speech, awaiting their judgment.

The elders mumbled as the prince slowly raised a hoof, "If your intention is to help us yaks, we will allow you to stay. However, be warned! We reserve the right to banish you! Respect yak law, respect yak tradition, and you may stay!"

The elders stamped their hooves against the earth in agreement, "We will provide arrangements for pony guests," stated an elder.

Twilight let out a sigh of relief, her wings sagging at her sides. She was afraid they might stampede her if she said the wrong thing.

"But whatever happened between you and the Great and Powerful Trixie and her assistants stays within the borders of Equestria and The Crystal Empire. Since she has claimed to help yaks too." replied another elder.

"Yes! Trixie's wagon puller has taught Elder Yasamin's daughter Yona how to create potions to benefit yakkind! Providing a most invaluable service to our harvest!" stamped another elder.

"So it settled, you ALL stay!" thundered Rutherford.

"I... understand." Trixie, Great and Powerful? She was still with Starlight? Either that pony was insane, or she had some sort of scheme of her own. Although the issue now was, how in Equestria was she supposed to have Glimmer arrested? It wasn't like she could just let her go free!

"Thank you very much, Prince Rutherford, and um, Elders." Twilight gave a smile that was a bit too wide before adding, "Might I be allowed to inform Princess Celestia of our arrival and safety?"

The elders rumbled as they argued amongst themselves for a minute before Prince Rutherford smashed his hooves against the ground.

"... Yes." he finally spoke.

"Thank you, I understand your hesitation, and I will not take your trust for granted." Twilight bowed her head. "Might I, um, be able to rejoin my friends?"

"Yes, pony can go rejoin her friends, but don't cause trouble, or yaks will SMASH!" Rutherford warned as he slammed his hooves into the ground before waving his hoof at Twilight, sending her away.

"Oh! Will you be attending our Yicksluberfest celebration Princess Twilight!?" shouted Rutherfrom the tent.

"Of course, I'll attend; my friends will too." Twilight replied nervously, "It would be rude not to!"

"And um, thank you again, Prince Rutherford, for allowing our presence." The alicorn bowed before walking away.

After unpacking and being gifted a small plot of land and tents inside the village walls, the expedition, aside from having a few yaks examine their settlement from a distance.

The group looked around the rustic-looking village during this time of celebration. Lantern lights lined the streets as the scent of freshly prepared goods filled the air with a savory and sweet aroma. Calves would run about the streets, pelting each other with snowballs.

Yaks would pull wagons full of fireworks and massive logs as they pulled their goods outside the village. Bands of yaks would play flutes and stringed instruments as they sang tales of King Gustav's valor against King Sombra.

"In the blistering cold, where he stood so bold."

"King Gustav, we're told, with valor and bravery, scaved off the chains of slavery."

“Hurrah! Hurrah! For King Gustav!”

"For who sent Sombra cowering but King Gustav towering!"

“Hurrah! Hurrah! For King Gustav!”

"They certainly seem to be in the highest of spirits…." Rarity smirked as she picked between two faux fur coats, humming to herself.

"Well, I think the mead and cider might have a hand in it too," Spike replied as he watched a wagon full of liquor be hauled through town; eager yaks began to fill their kuksas with mead, cider, and rum. The group could even see that changeling fetching himself a mug.

"I have to write all of this down!!" Twilight squealed, fetching some parchment and ink from their storage, "It's been thousands of years since this yak culture has been documented; who knows how much has changed since then?!"

It seemed the alicorn had grown more comfortable around the yaks, considering how friendly they were now. Although, that could always change...

"Uh, Twi, you think now is really the time? What if Starlight tries to attack us or something?" Rainbow Dash, finally able to take flight, was stretching her wings as she flew in place.

"Please, Dash. We were surrounded by their people, and we were invited, guests. An attack on any one of us would be an act of war."

Twilight didn't look up from her parchment as she wrote everything down. She pulled out her copy of The Encyclopedia of the Known World Celestia had given her a few days earlier to reference, noting the differences.

"Well, I think the Yaks are aaaaaamazing! Look at this awesome coat they gave me!" Pinkie jumped up and down, swath in a thick woven cloak.

It was very apparent it was made from combed yak wool. Bells jingled and chimed as Pinkie bounced about, attached to the cloak with red ribbons.

"This is just one big super-tacular party!! I wish I had brought more supplies along. Do you think it's too early for the party canon?"

"Pinkie, no party canon; we don't want them thinking you brought a weapon inside their village!" Twilight finally looked away from her writing, giving the mare a cautious look.

"Fiiiiiiine. Can I at least go and listen to them play? Oooh, drinks!" Pinkie was already plonking away, chasing after the wagon full of booze.

Twilight sighed, "Can one of you go with her?"

"Don't worry, Twilight, I'll make sure she behaves herself, heh." Applejack quickly trotted after her, "Don't drink too much; that cider it might be spiked, Pinkie!" shouted Applejack.

"Be careful!" Twilight called after them.

Spike yawned as he slowly shambled toward Twilight; he was more lively than before but certainly not at his best in this weather. He'd yawn again as he'd rest his head on Twilight's leg, "You gonna add this to the book you're working on…?"

Looking down at the young drake, Twilight gave him a soft smile. Her horn lit up, wrapping a layer of warmth around him.

"Of course I am; there's an entire rich culture here we haven't visited in generations. It would be a crime not to!" She patted him on the head.

"Or, you know, you could enjoy it instead of writing about it." Rainbow Dash seemed to flicker out of existence before Twilight realized she had taken some cider from the wagon faster than she could blink.

"I can't miss this opportunity; I'd be disappointed in myself!" Twilight shot back.

"Um, shouldn't we worry about Glimmer?" Fluttershy mentioned softly.

"Oh... right." Rainbow Dash looked to the side, slurping from her kuska noisily.

From the corner of Dash's eye, she could see Starlight Glimmer on the other side of town with a small group of young yaks. As she quickly turned her head to fully see what she was doing. It appeared the Unicorn was teaching the young group of calves how to make potions.

She'd narrowed her eyes, fighting the growing urge to fly up to Starlight and sock her in the jaw twice. Once for attacking the Empire and twice for turning her into a bluejay.

"Add a little bit of gunpowder…." Starlight sprinkled in a tiny amount of powder before stuffing a cork into the bottle and then rapidly shaking it. As the purple concoction fizzled and bubbled, the cork flew off as a colorful display shot from the bottle and into the air. Glittering sparkles of magical essence began to fall from the sky and around the group, the calves oohing and giggling in delight.

"Another, pony!" Yona called from the crowd, stomping her hoof in enjoyment, "More potion!"

Starlight quickly grabbed more bottles with her magic as she produced more potions; it was relatively simple and didn't need her to forage for much besides the gunpowder. But given the fact they were in the middle of a festival. She could get as much gunpowder as she needed.

The mare quickly shook dozens of bottles with her magic as they erupted, sending their colors into the sky as corks rained down, hitting the unicorn on the head. Adding an additional layer of entertainment for the yaks and calves.

Yona giggled and ran up to Starlight, "Pony funny! Does pony have any other potion? Yona want something cool!"

Starlight smiled, rubbing her sore head as she fetched an empty bottle, "Alright, Yona, let's incorporate a lesson into this." She'd trot over to a small pile of herbs and plants as she began to show Yona how to mix everything together.

"Water as a base, crushed dragon leaves, ember cloves, the eye of a salmon, and just a touch of gunpowder… now shake it!" ordered Starlight.

Yona would cock a brow but do as instructed, crushing the leaves under her hoof before adding them to the water. Incorporating the other ingredients, she'd cork the bottle and shake it with all her might. The concoction exploded, flying up into the air before glimmering lights would fall back down, resembling shooting stars.

"Why do you think Trixie is with Starlight anyhow?" Rainbow Dash asked, turning back to her friends, "I know she's not great, but... I thought she learned her lesson last time."

Rarity scoffed, "Rainbow Dash, did you seriously expect somepony like that to simply turn over a new leaf? Some ponies don't change, like Sombra."

"Maybe she's trying to learn actual magic from Starlight, or maybe she's scheming together with her to get back at us… but there's one thing I don't get," Spike said as he looked at the changeling who was nursing a mug of mead, "That changeling."

"Well, no, duh. I just thought she'd stick to being a loser who does stage tricks. I doubt she's even capable of learning real magic!" Rainbow jeered, taking another gulp from her cup. At the mention of the changeling, Rainbow looked over at the creature.

"Yeah, it's weird. He was the pony pulling the cart, right?" Rainbow raised a brow.

"I-I think so," Fluttershy replied uncertainly.

"Now that you mention it, it is strange... why isn't the changeling attempting to blend into the crowd?" Twilight looked up from her parchment.

"Maybe he feels safe under Starlight's magic, or it's the booze giving him some Dutch Draft courage." Hmpf'd Rarity.

"Or maybe he's under her spell! I mean, that's something she could do, right?" Rainbow looked over to Twilight, expecting an answer.

"I mean, yes, it's possible. There are some mind-control or persuasion spells, but Changelings are naturally immune to that sort of compulsion due to their own magic. But Starlight Glimmer is very powerful..." Twilight rubbed her chin in thought.

Trixie watched from afar, sipping on her own cup. Strangely, she wasn't glaring at Twilight or even her friends. Instead, it seemed like all of her attention was on Starlight. Before she noticed Thorax continuing to drink before trotting over to the changeling, poking him in his side.

"What do you think you're doing? What if we have to leave in a hurry?" she hissed quietly, "Do you want to get sick again?"

Thorax contentedly drank another mug of mead as he smacked his lips, now fancying the bitter brew; he'd slowly reach for another cup as he felt a pleasant tingle manifest in the back of his head. Huffing at Trixie's scolding.

"It's a party, Trixie– lighten up! I heard the yaks would let us both stay, so what's the problem?" the changeling would chug another spirit, "Ah… have you tried one of these?!"

He'd quickly trot over to the wagon and fetch her a kuksa of cider, "Besides… I think I know my limit is seven, and I'm currently on three!"

"Right, I guess you've never seen drunk creatures fight each other, have you?" Trixie rolled her eyes.

Grabbing the mug of cider, the showpony sighed and took a swig. "You told me you can only have pony food every now and then, but you can drink *this*? Oh boy... you're going to become an alcoholic, aren't you?"

The changeling chuckled, "Maybe I'm one of those special changelings with an adaptation!" he'd belch loudly, covering his mouth, embarrassed.

"Besides, all that anxiousness and terror I felt the past few days magically goes away with this stuff; this must be some sort of yak herbal potion!"

Trixie gave him an unamused look, "That's what alcohol does, Thorax, and no, ponies have alcohol too. Do you know how many ponies I've had to deal with that were like you? More than plenty."

Taking another sip, she'd sigh. "At least try to limit yourself."

Thorax blinked as he looked at the beverage, "Oh, I wouldn't know, so that's what this stuff is? It kinda tastes like old berries…."

He'd sigh as he stamped his hooves on the cold hard dirt, "Sooooo do we plan? Because I'm content with just not doing anything til Twilight and her friends leave. I mean, they have to leave eventually, right?"

Trixie grabbed the mug from his hoof and poured it into the snow, giving him a glare. "You do realize we're trapped, right? Starlight Glimmer told the Yaks Twilight Sparkle was evil, and now they don't know what to believe. So what will they think of us when the princess eventually wins them over?"

Thorax slowly processed the information as he slowly laid down on the ground and began to cover his head with his hooves, "... I think I need another drink; please tell me we have another plan?

"No, I don't need you completely plastered in the morning," the Unicorn rolled her eyes, "Well, we could just turn ourselves in before Starlight does something stupid... but then she might do something desperate, and it might fall back on us..."

"Or... we could just get out of here. I have my wagon, and I'll feed you while you pull it. We could go to Saddle Arabia or Zebrica!"

Thorax quickly shot up from the ground, "We can't just leave Starlight, Trixie; besides, we're a team. We wouldn't have gotten this far if we had just abandoned her! Besides, do you even know where Saddle Arabia or Zebrica is?"

Trixie grit her teeth, "We're not a team, Thorax; she's been using both of us to her advantage to get what she wants. Why are you so desperate not to see it?"

"I'm not desperate to see anything; I'm desperate not to be sent back to the Changeling Queendom where I'll be KILLED," Thorax snapped, "Do you get that? This is MY ticket for survival, and I need both of you to realize that we're screwed if we can't work together. You two will be imprisoned, and I'll be made an example of by Queen Chrysalis!"

The changeling sighed as his anger melted into sadness, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell but… I'm tired of you two fighting and trying to one-up each other when we're supposed to be on the same side. Aren't we all friends…?" The changeling asked as he looked at Trixie expectantly.

Trixie's eyes widened in surprise before looking down at the ground, at least a little ashamed of her response.

Exhaling through her nose, the showpony looked up at Thorax. "... yeah, you and I are friends. But Thorax, I'm almost certain Starlight doesn't see you like that. I just want you to be aware of that... I don't want you getting hurt."

Thorax quickly wrapped a hoof around Trixie as he pulled her in for a small side hug, "I'll be fine, but we only hurt ourselves and Starlight if we keep pushing her away like this… but if you're right… about all of this… I wouldn't mind running to Saddle Arabia with you… I never thought a career in magic and performing was in the cards for me, if I'm being honest…."

Trixie was surprised by the hug, not resisting but not embracing him either. She coughed awkwardly, glancing around to see if anycreature had noticed.

"Well... as long as you're aware..." She slowly peeled his hoof away, "As I said, you are a Great and Powerful Assistant. I could think of a thousand acts you'd be perfect in."

"I guess we should just hope Glimmer comes up with something..."

Thorax sighed as he released Trixie, rubbing a hoof on his temple, "Yeah, me too… I think this alcohol stuff is messing with my head, and I'm starting to feel queasy…."

The changeling's stomach grumbled as he covered his mouth with a hoof and spirited off. Presumably to vomit.

"Oh goodness... I told you!" Trixie waved a clenched hoof. Looking around, she sighed and decided to trot after him.

"Looks like somepony had too many." Rainbow Dash winced, having watched the entire ordeal from a distance, "Welp, more for me."

The Twilight Zone

Starlight shot out of bed as she breathed heavily, inhaling and exhaling rapidly as her eyes frantically scanned the… bedroom. The lavender curtains… the deep blue bed sheets that covered her. She looked down at her tiny hooves.

"Whhhhhooooose ready for pancakes and freshly squeezed orange juice!?" chimed Firelight as the stallion trotted into the room, "Hey there, my Pumpkin-Wumpkin!"

Starlight slowly forced herself out of bed as she rubbed her aching temple; her pigtails were matted and stiff from sleeping on them. Firelight tsk'd, "Now what did I tell you about sleeping with your pigtails, Starlight Glimmer?"

Starlight grumbled, "I just thought it'd be easier than doing them every day."

The stallion sighed as he used his magic to quickly undo Starlight's mane before promptly adjusting her mane again into pigtails.

"There we go see? Not too bad, now let's have breakfast!"

Pancakes with a fresh bowl of fruit and squeezed orange juice…? She had this specific meal before… oh Celestia…

"You know your friend Sunburst is coming over." Firelight smiled.

No…

"To think you two are having the whole afternoon all to yourselves! Gosh, I wonder what you two have in mind?"

"Dad, I… I don't feel very good." Starlight frowned, coughing loudly into her hoof.

Firefly stood numb, his smile never leaving his lips as he stared blankly at Starlight.

"Starlight." He said firmly, "Today is the day Sunburst visits… it'd be rude to cancel your plans."

"No! No! I don't want him to visit!" snapped Starlight, "I know what today is; I know what this day is!"

Starlight felt herself shrink as a tower of books stood before her as they began to cascade toward the young filly. Starlight braced herself to be crushed as the books were engulfed with a golden aura of magic.

There stood the proud foal she knew once as her friend, standing tall as he moved the books away, with a pristine cutie mark adorning his flank. Starlight stared coldly at Sunburt's mark as she slowly rose to her hooves.

"Sunburst…?"

The foal said nothing as he began to trot away, provoking Starlight to chase after him, "Sunburst! Sunburst, come back! Sunburst! Don't leave me again!"

"Starlight Glimmer," a cold voice echoed, and at that moment, the unicorn realized she was no longer running through her home but in an empty void. Now an adult once again.

But then it wasn't empty. It was suddenly full of light where stars surrounded them, so bright and beautiful, twinkling around her. It was then she was aware she was standing on something... sandy. Looking down at the white powdery dust-like substance that got everywhere. Except for the tall peaks revealing bedrock. Impact craters could be seen in the distance, but aside from that, it was a barren wasteland devoid of life.

Starlight felt that somepony behind her.

Princess Luna stood before Starlight, her expression unreadable as she slowly approached the mare. Looking away, the alicorn studied their surroundings almost wistfully.

"I have nightmares almost every night about this place." She said quietly, "Dreaming that I am back on the moon, my redemption never took place. When I wake up, it feels like it's almost been another thousand years..."

Looking back at Glimmer, Luna paused and sighed, "We have been sent word of the avalanche the recovery and excavation team should be by within the hour. Send this message along to Twilight Sparkle."

"I am also aware of your crimes, Glimmer. We may not be able to take you from the Yak Kingdom, but we urge you to turn yourself in. Your punishment may not be as harsh."

Starlight gasped as she looked around the starry, dreamlike world surrounding her before focusing on the alicorn princess. A smile curled up on her lips before she erupted into a fit of laughter.

"That's rich coming from you! 'Redemption' please… you got...a pity party. The only reason you're not rotting on the moon's surface is that your sister took pity on you." snarled Starlight.

A seething rage boiled over as she erupted into a tirade, "I don't need saving! Not from the excavation team, not from Twilight Sparkle, and not to somepony who can't even see she's being… used! A second fiddle to somepony else!"

"I won't be relegated to that! I won't be an object of pity, and unlike you, I won't throw away my ambitions to placate anypony else!"

Princess Luna didn't respond to Starlight's outburst. Taking a deep breath, she slowly blinked before looking off into the distance again.

"Follow me," she said cooly. Although it didn't seem to matter if the unicorn agreed or not, the moon began to rotate. Princess Luna trotted along at a walking pace, unbothered by the unicorn's outburst and irritation.

They stopped at an exceptionally shallow crater beside a rocky cliff. There were signs somepony had been here and had stayed for a very, very long time. Scratches were etched into bedrock to keep track of the cycles of the sun, the lines going up the cliff. There were too many to count. Some stones had been made into crude art, while other areas showed a path of destruction. The sand heated up and turned to glass, and the stone beneath scorched asunder.

Stepping into the crater, Luna kneeled at a spot where the rock had been perfectly shaped to fit her hooves. After she was settled, she looked up. The unicorn did as well.

Above them, the planet turned slowly. The landmasses of Equus, Zebrica, and Griffionia were visible to the sun's light. While half of the world was cloaked in darkness on one side.

For a long moment, there was silence, simply looking up at the simplicity and beauty of their planet. Luna slowly looked over, giving Starlight a sigh.

"I lived here for a thousand years, watching the world go by without me. A thousand years of not seeing my sister, of not experiencing life. I admit I was angry. Angry that ponies didn't glorify me as much as my sister. But my anger solved nothing and caused my ponies to fear and hate me even more. Up here, I tortured myself for a plan to take over Equestria and destroy my sister. But..."

"Do you know how long a thousand years is? You appear to be a young adult with your life ahead of you. Imagine, hundreds of your lifetimes, toiling away in madness for something that would only harm others."

"I do not pity you, Starlight Glimmer. I am you in many ways, and I understand your anger. I know what path you are heading toward, and it will only harm you in the end. I did not reunite with my sister because of her pity for me; I *chose* to come back because I love my sister, and I missed her so very dearly."

"And I'm sure there are ponies who miss you, Starlight. The real you."

Starlight stared at the world, marveling at its beauty, admiring the continents and many islands that made up the planet she knew.

She took a moment before considering her words… before shaking her head, "...Tell me, honestly, did you consider what you lost. You lost the power to rule Equestria… Equus… the entire world even. You traded everything, all the power, and prestige that was rightfully yours because you wanted to be with the very person that SENT you to rot up here?"

Starlight shook her head, "Why in the world would I want that…? Did you think it was JUST Sunburst getting his cutie mark that sent me down this path?"

She hissed," No… it was the fact he was idolized for his magical talents even though he was born with them. He didn't slave away and earn his stripes as I did! He went to Celestia's school while I toiled away in my father's 'cultural center,' but do you know what?... I can forgive all of that… ALL OF IT. If it weren't for one thing."

Starlight slowly turned to the alicorn, "Twilight Sparkle took away everything I worked for. All the work I put into building that village, all the work I had done to create my own little utopia SWEPT AWAY IN A FEW DAYS!"

Starlight lamented as she pressed her hooves against the sides of her head, "I spent years building, managing, and handling the worst winters, flu, and harvests we had ever seen! And all of that was taken away by this… this… false idol! This spoiled fuddy-duddy from Canterlot, hand-picked by Celestia herself, just tears it all down and chases me out of my own town!"

"You might not have had the fortitude or grit to bring the eternal night, but I have the determination, the dedication of restoring what is mine and taking what's mine back!"

Luna once again allowed Starlight to rant, exercising a surprising amount of patience for the somepony once known as Nightmare Moon.

"The simple answer, Starlight Glimmer? Yes. I did throw away an opportunity to have everything I wanted when I chose to be with Celestia. But what you think you want and what you really need are two different things."

"What made you into the pony you are today will never be just one little incident. It will take time for you to blossom and bloom into the pony you're meant to be. To live right by you and what you choose to become Starlight Glimmer may not be what truly makes you happy."

"I didn't want to rule Equestria in an eternal night. I was simply throwing a temper tantrum. I didn't want Equestria's attention. I wanted my sister's attention; I wanted her to recognize me for what I did for Equestria... to spend time with me. We were both young... and foalish."

"Starlight Glimmer, I am not here to stop you or torture you. I am simply here to send a message and... talk to you. I rarely have an opportunity to speak so freely. I hope you understand, and besides, if it makes you feel any better. I was defeated in one night... twice."

Starlight huffed, "But even if I turned the other cheek and brushed aside what Twilight did to me, she'll just stop me again if I tried to create another community! What am I supposed to do? Give up? Be imprisoned for the rest of my life because it's the 'right thing to do?'"

Luna gazed back up at the planet, her mane flowing like it was blending into the stars around them.

"I'm not going to tell you what to do, Starlight Glimmer. You may attempt another village, and Twilight may attempt to stop you again. Perhaps you might find happiness in another village, or perhaps you will find it elsewhere. We had a saying when I was young. Ye will never find joy if thee does not gallop through new fields."

Looking back over at Starlight Glimmer, the dream seemed to flicker for a moment, "It appears you are waking up. Please, send my message along to Twilight Sparkle. Good luck, Starlight Glimmer," The moon began to swirl around Starlight, her vision growing cloudy.

Starlight quickly shot up as she smacked her head against a stone above her head. Groaning loudly as she began rubbing her temple. It was pitch black and impossible to see her surroundings. But with a spark of her horn, a lilac orb would start to float around the girls glowing brightly.

She looked around the sprawling cave system presented to her as she turned to check on Twilight. The alicorn was a few meters away, lying on the ground. Looking more closely, the unicorn could tell that her right hindleg was trapped underneath snow and ice, pinned to the ground.

"You're finally awake!" Twilight grunted, trying to move away from the ice and snow, "I tried to wake you and teleport us out of here, but my magic is on the fritz," the princess looked genuinely fearful, "I hope everypo– everycreature is okay up there... are you injured?"

Starlight quickly got up on her hooves as she examined Twilight in her vulnerable state. The fear in her gaze caused Starlight to twitch. As she stared at the alicorn, dark ideas began to overtake her thoughts; this was an excellent chance to do it. To be rid of her arch nemesis once and for all.

She could've covered it up as an accident, too, just a horrible accident. The yaks would see her as a hero. While her enemies would mourn the loss of their greatest asset. These fleeting moments felt like a lifetime as dark thoughts swirled inside Starlight's skull like a whirlwind.

The look in her eyes was stiff and cold as the ice that surrounded them; Twilight could recognize that something awful had crossed the unicorn's mind's eye as she slowly approached.

The hair on Twilight's back rose up, doing her best to sit up and not look relatively as weak.

"I realize this is an opportunity for you, but my friends know me better, and they would never believe I died in this avalanche. Besides, right now, we need to focus on BOTH of our survival now. Who knows how long until we're dug out?" Twilight spoke carefully, wary of the unicorn before her.

Starlight stopped as she stood over the alicorn before finally speaking, "... why did you do it," she asked, the words practically tumbling out of her. Her tone was not nearly as confident or commanding as Twilight had known.

"Do what?" Twilight blinked, confused, before catching on quickly, "Why did I do it?! Starlight, you were convincing ponies that they didn't need their talents and PURPOSELY keeping them away from their cutie marks! YOU ATTEMPTED TO BRAINWASH US!"

"And you somehow think you're in the right? Did you forget that Sugar Belle, Night Glider, and Party Favor all came to US first?! We were just trying to help ponies, and they chose to take their talents back! Why can't you accept that?!"

Starlight snapped, "BECAUSE THEY ORIGINALLY CAME TO ME TWILIGHT. WHERE WERE YOU WHEN WE WERE STARVING AND SICK WITH THE FLU? WHERE WERE YOU WHEN WE FOUNDED OUR TOWN?"

"They were FAMILY; I didn't foalnap them and brainwash them! I found these down-on-their-luck mares and colts on the streets of Manehatten and Baltimare, in the desolate towns out west! And despite our differences, we built that town! For nopony else but ourselves and you came in and took it away!"

"Do you realize how much blood, sweat, and tears I put into that village!? How much I personally sacrificed for those ponies!? And you just came in and ripped that away from me because YOU couldn't play by OUR rules!"

"We didn't brainwash them EITHER!" Twilight shouted back, "We found your town how it was, Starlight. You attempted to indoctrinate us BY FORCE instead of just asking us to leave! You had a choice, but you decided to do something unforgivable."

"They may have been your family, BUT YOU WERE LYING TO THEM FOR YEARS! Why should YOU keep your talent while your citizens have to sacrifice theirs? For YOUR comfort? So YOU'D feel like the special one? You preyed on the weak, the desperate, all for your own gain!"

"What if my friends and I had never arrived? Do you honestly think that none of your ponies would have attempted to regain their talents? Or did somepony try, and did you punish them for it? That's not true friendship; a friend doesn't hold a friend to their standards of what a pony should be! A friend should accept a pony for who they are, for their faults, and for their talents. Because that makes who somepony is!"

Starlight groaned as she snapped her hoof at her accusingly, "It would've been impossible to keep the village functioning! Their differences were just too much! Do you think I just woke up one day and said, 'everypony lineup and turn in your cutie marks!'"

Starlight shook her head, "No! It was incident after incident of senseless arguing and bickering, so I had to stop it! I had to prevent everything we worked for from crumbling! It was a bad winter, and we were low on food. I had to take control; I had to make sure my ponies could make it. Their pride and ego were holding them back from basic survival!"

"So I lied! I admit it; I lied to them so we could survive! It was one lie that could keep the peace! I didn't want to be a leader! I was FORCED to be a leader during these desperate hard times! I didn't prey upon the weak; I did what I had to do to keep my village up on its hooves!"

"And don't give me that CRAP. You grew up in the richest cities in Equestria with a silver spoon in your muzzle! You had everything GIVEN to you from the start! The finest of schools, the apprenticeship of a LIFETIME by Princess Celestia, and you became infinitely powerful compared to everypony else!"

"Why should I explain myself to somepony who can't even understand a fraction of what I went through!"

"Gee, it seems like the rest of society functions just fine!" Twilight waved a hoof in the air in exasperation, "I'd imagine things would turn out just fine; in fact, the village STILL EXISTS TO THIS DAY! We get letters from them all the time! I'd suspect you might, too, if you APOLOGIZED!"

"Do you think that maybe, just maybe, PONIES DON'T ALWAYS GET ALONG?! That's natural, Starlight, even though I don't get along with my friends all the time! It doesn't mean I'm going to take away their agency and natural abilities just because we're not working together perfectly like some sort of... machine! You could have reached out for help. There are plenty of food donation services that would've been capable of sending you food and supplies! You had options; you either didn't know or didn't care to see them!"

"Starlight, I was self-taught for most of my fillyhood. Yes, I had teachers, but I was determined to learn by myself and for myself. I had no friends growing up because I didn't care to have any. I thought they were a distraction. I won't say that I wasn't sheltered; I was in a nice little shell where I could curl up and read all day to my heart's content. That's why Princess Celestia sent me to Ponyville, so I could experience REAL LIFE, ponies who thought differently than me, and that I could appreciate who they are! Life is full of imperfections; not everything will be easy!"

"I might not fully understand you, Starlight Glimmer, but I know you're a talented pony... and I can tell you care for others. Otherwise, you would have just teleported away without your comrades..." Twilight looked away, sighing.

There was a long pause.

"... They send letters…? The village writes to you?" Starlight said as her anger dissipated for a moment.

Twilight looked up at Starlight in subtle surprise before nodding, "Yes, quite frequently, although it takes a while to get the mail, so sometimes it comes in bulk... they're flourishing, starting up a few farms, establishing a school. It's becoming a real community. DJ PON3 might play there in the summer, I heard."

"... they do talk about you sometimes. It's not always... negative. A lot of ponies even miss you. Double Diamond hopes you're okay; he's asked about you a few times," Twilight smiled softly.

Starlight scoffed, ".....glad they followed the few plans I left behind in my absence…" she sighed, rubbing her temple with a hoof. The reality was beginning to set in as the haze of hatred and malice that had been clouding her judgment finally cleared.

"... I'm at the end of my rope Twilight Sparkle…." Starlight admitted finally, "You beat me at my own game without even trying, I mean, you turned my community against me, and they're now thriving, right?"

"You didn't even have to TRY, and you won! All of this is because of dumb luck! You would've never found me or my village if that map of yours didn't pinpoint my direct location, I would've had the drop on all of you in the mountains if it wasn't for Trixie robbing that bartender, and all of us having to run around the royal guard and you!"

Starlight rubbed her temple, "And because you didn't turn tail at a literal army staring you down… just my luck… none of this wouldn't have happened if my luck was just a bit better…."

Twilight scowled at the 'game' bit, "This isn't a game, Starlight. These are ponies– and yak's lives at stake. I'm not doing this because it makes me more powerful or something like that. My intent isn't to one-up you or hurt you. I just want... well, I want creatures to be happy."

Twilight gently smiled, "I... think that's my purpose in life, to bring harmony to others. And I think... maybe you were trying to do that all along, in your own way. I feel pretty lucky to be here. I count myself lucky every day that I didn't refuse to go to Ponyville and make friends. I hated it at first, but... I discovered something far better than just reading alone in my room all the time. Maybe your luck will turn, Starlight Glimmer."

"...." Starlight stifled a laugh, "Harmony, huh…? My equalism to your harmony… what a concept..." Starlight stared down at Twilight as she took a deep breath lifting the ice and rock off Twilight's hindleg, grunting as she strained herself, burning the last of her magic before it sparked out. Twilight quickly squirmed away as the stone and ice crunched as it fell back in place.

"The extraction team will be here in an hour… Princess Luna wanted me to tell you that…." Starlight slowly began trotting toward the caves ahead of her.

Twilight looked surprised, but a grateful smile soon came to her lips, "Thank you-Princess Luna talked to you?!" Twilight squawked in surprise, blinking, "Well, I guess that means Spike sent a letter to the Princess... I hope the Prince is okay with that..." she gulped nervously.

Twilight winced as she put pressure on her hindleg, getting on her hooves, doing her best to limp after Starlight.

Starlight looked over Twilight with a tired expression, "Oh… we're still talking…? What could you possibly want from me? You took everything I could hope for; the village doesn't need me anymore, and my latest attempt to destroy you failed.

"Well, you did just save me..." Twilight replied awkwardly.

Starlight sighed, "I just… don't care anymore… there's nothing left… just let me have this…."

"Have what?" Twilight seemed confused, shifting to keep the weight off her injured leg.

Starlight said nothing as she gave Twilight an empty stare before turning to the dark abyss in front of her, staring at the open caves.

Twilight's ears flattened to her mane, "Starlight... tell me what you're thinking about doing. You know we can fix this, right? You might have to pay fines and help rebuild what you destroyed in the Crystal Empire, but... we could do it. I'd put in a good word for you."

"Twilight… I only did all of this because of my village. I only pushed this hard because I wanted vengeance for what you did to my ponies. But it's obvious that my pursuit was unnecessary… and that I am no longer needed."

"That's not true..." Twilight paused, gathering her thoughts, "Starlight, plenty of ponies miss you back at the village. Sometimes they send stories about you; sometimes, they admit they miss you. Sometimes they just want to know if I've seen you and if you are okay... I'm sure they'd forgive you if you returned and apologized."

"Look, I know that most ponies wouldn't forgive me for what I've done. I've heard the stories Trixie told me. I'd have to move to Zebrica or Griffionia to get a new start… but I think I'm just… tired now…." the unicorn murmured.

Starlight stared at the seeping darkness as the lilac orb around them flickered for a moment.

"... I helped save Yakyakistan, and I gave Thorax a friend at least… he and Trixie are getting on together nicely… so at least I wasn't truly deplorable… oh, heh… and I did save your life."

The mare stood firm as she stared at the shadows of the cave's interior, "You think I can make it to the other side?"

Recognizing what Starlight was saying, Twilight quickly limped to her side, setting a hoof on her shoulder.

"Starlight, we'll make it together. I'm not leaving you down here or letting you wander off on your own," Twilight smiled. Looking into the darkness, something familiar whispered in the back of her mind.

"When I was a little filly, and the sun was going down... the darkness and the shadows they would always make me frown..." Twilight sang softly, "I'd hide under my pillow from what I thought I saw, but Granny Pie said that wasn't the way to deal with fears at all...."

Twilight coughed, remembering where she was, "Sorry... just reminded me of something, is all."

Starlight slowly looked at Twilight and sighed, "... Why are you helping me? After everything, I did to you and your friends. You still want to help me? Twilight, EVERYPONY would understand if you just dragged me back to Equestria and threw me into the darkest pit you can find."

Twilight paused and considered for a moment. Yes, Starlight had done many horrible things, all in the name of something as selfish as revenge. Yet somehow, Twilight couldn't help but feel there was hope for her. She knew that the mare could be a good pony. She just needed some guidance, and if Princess Luna spoke to her... she had a good idea what that conversation probably entailed. Starlight was out far longer for just a simple message.

"Because Starlight, nopony... nocreature is wholly evil, and while you have done some bad things, you can still make up for it. Some ponies might not forgive you, but that doesn't mean you have to give up. I think you have the potential to do great things, Starlight Glimmer." Twilight smiled gently.

Starlight slowly sat down, letting out a huff, "Give it to me straight, Princess; if I go back with you, what's going to happen to Thorax or me or Trixie?"

Twilight took the opportunity to sit down and rest her hooves, "Well, you might have to pay a hefty fine and help with the reconstruction of a few buildings... normally, yes, you would have to do some sort of jail time, but... I might be able to put in a good word for you and I think Princess Luna might be able to as well."

"As for Trixie and Thorax...? They would technically be considered accessories to your crime, reducing their sentences. Trixie would definitely have to pay for... you said she robbed somepony, and Thorax... well, that might be tricky. Ponies don't have any particularly warm feelings for changelings, but if he's a good creature, I don't see why we would send him back to Chrysalis. I'm not even sure how we'd accomplish that."

Starlight tapped her hooves together as she considered her options, "I'm not liking my chances here if I'm going to be completely honest; I'll just stay here with the yaks… there's this one named Yona that I'm teaching potions to…."

"I heard about that; the children must really like you." Twilight chuckled, "I think you'd be a great teacher."

Starlight paused as she thought for a moment of Trixie and Thorax's fate, "But I'm not sure about those two, though. Trixie might want to go back, and Thorax… well, I'm not sure about him or how'd we react if we split up. He's pretty adamant about our teamwork."

"Well, whatever your friends choose, I'll be here to help as much as possible... so long as you're willing to accept it," Twilight said firmly

"We'll see… I'll have to see what Trixie and Thorax say. I guess…" Starlight slowly flopped to the ground as she deflated, "To be honest, I don't have anything left in me. I didn't expect to lose… or at least not like this. I wanted to either be trapped in stone or sent to Tartarus… something… impactful, I guess."

"But it's not interesting to read about Starlight Glimmer, the pony who did community service to atone for her crimes. Unlike Nightmare Moon, Discord, or Tirek, I'm a nobody…."

She slowly shifted as she turned to Twilight, "I know it sounds crazy, but I wanted to be remembered for something more than just… some crazy pony who sought revenge. Maybe I could've been something legendary or at least somepony with a good story to tell."

"Well, you still have that opportunity. It might just not be what you first expected it to be." Twilight struggled to stand up before offering the mare her hoof, "You're not a nobody. It's not over for you yet, Starlight."

Starlight sighed as she took Twilight's hoof and climbed to her hooves, "......Now what?"

A Defeatist Mindset

Thorax dove after them as soon as he saw the ice and stones cave in and bury Starlight and Twilight. Smashing and clawing through layers and layers of ice, snow, and rock, he focused intently on just getting Starlight and Twilight out. He would not allow the pony who saved his life to perish. Not when a debt hasn't been settled. Not with his honor in question.

He'd cock his arms back as he wailed into the earth with his claws balled up. Using his emulated strength of a massive elder dragon to make huge gains against the rock.

Calamity had been avoided for the rest of the village, despite most of the ice and rock being sent into the bottom of a canyon. The snow from the tops of the mountain that still towered over them had buried the village in the frost. Leaving everycreature up to their neck in ice.

Or if you were Spike, wholly buried.

However, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack had been spared from their buriel, still on the outskirts of the village, having watched the snow tsunami crash over the town and the friend falling into the abyss.

Pinkie Pie immediately jumped up and ran over to the crater, sitting beside Thorax as she did her best to sort through the rubble. It wasn't unfamiliar to her; many times, as a young foal, she had been sent into canyons or quarries; she knew how to move large rocks quickly.

"Don't worry Twilight, we'll get you outta there!" the mare called in desperation, digging through the icy stone.

Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were flying over the village, they were lucky to get most of the yaks out of the path of the snow, so at least nocreature was buried inside their homes. Fluttershy looked around in fright, trying to find the area where they parked their wagons.

"SPIKE?!" the yellow pegasus called out, trying to find the baby dragon.

"Where are you, little dude?" Rainbow Dash is called as well. Spotting something moving in the snow, the pegasus dove down and began digging, only finding a young female yak.

"Thanks for helping Yona!" the Yak pulled herself out of the pocket of frost.

"You're welcome, but have you seen a little purple dragon?" Rainbow asked.

"Sorry, Yona, no see good through the snow."

Spike smashed his claw through a thick layer of snow as he desperately dug his way out from his icy entrapment. Once everyone was free, he lay stiff and cold on top of the snow as he shivered before remaining motionless, just cradling himself in his arms as his jaw rattled.

Fluttershy immediately spotted the young drake and darted down, scooping him up into her hooves, doing her best to wrap her coat around the dragon, "Oh, you poor thing!"

Thorax carefully plucked Pinkie Pie up before unleashing a massive blast of fire to melt as much ice as possible. The expedition's guards carefully climb down into the gigantic pit that Pinkie and Thorax jumped in to help them with the recovery.

Prince Rutherford groaned as he shook some snow off his head, "Okay, who not dead? Sound off!"

A lowly grumble echoed through the buried village.

"Yona, okay!" The heifer called out.

"We're alright, but Twilight still needs help; she's trapped under that!" Rainbow Dash called out, pointing towards the canyon.

"C'mon, c'mon, they have to be okay, right?!" Pinkie bit her lip.

After an hour of digging, with one final motion, Thorax chucked the last massive boulder out of the way, revealing an exhausted Starlight and an injured Twilight looking up at the group expectantly.

"Well, it certainly took you long enough," huffed Starlight.

Thorax quickly grabbed Starlight as he examined her closely, "Oh, thank goodness! I would've felt awful if you died, considering you saved my life!" he'd squeeze Starlight tightly against his scaly body.

Thorax placed Starlight in front of the main expedition force and soldier ponies as he fetched Twilight from the exposed cavern.

"We're alright!" Twilight winced as the dragon-changeling picked her up, keeping her hoof away from the ground as she was set down.

"Twilight!" Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash raced over, bundling the alicorn up in a hug. Twilight winced, having to put some weight on her injured leg at the speed they reached her.

"Is everycreature okay?" Twilight asked, looking around, concerned.

"But we should work quickly before anyone gets frostbitten," Fluttershy replied, still holding Spike close.

"Oh Spike, are you okay? I wish I could cast a heat spell right now..." Twilight held her head, her horn sparking weakly, "We should get you inside and bundle you up."

Spike let out a sickly cough, "I sent a letter to Celestia; she's coming to help with the cleanup, but aside from everycreature being snowed in, we're okay."

"I heard, that's good at least..." Twilight sighed with relief. "Well, we should work on getting everycreature to safety, even if they haven't arrived yet."

"Hold on; you're hurt and exhausted; you need to get some rest!" Pinkie came to Twilight's side, helping her support her injured leg. "Let's get you and Spike somewhere warm, okay?"

Twilight rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Oh, alright."

Starlight, attempting to walk away from the group, saying nothing as she gave them a muted expression. Devoid of her usual bitterness or wrathful vigor.

Glancing over at Starlight as she trotted away, Rainbow Dash zipped up. "What, not even a thank you?"

"You didn't even do anything," Trixie shot back, rolling her eyes. The mare had been hidden for most of the avalanche, having felt the rumbling snow from her cart and fled with the others. She had just trotted up when Thorax had broken Starlight and the princess free.

Starlight didn't reply, only giving the pegasi a look of disinterest as she withdrew from the situation. Rainbow Dash narrowed her gaze before turning back to her friends.

Thorax swayed from side to side as the massive beast collapsed on the ground, quickly transforming into his original form. His hooves were scuffed and bruised from the hour of constant smashing and clawing.

Starlight quickly trotted over to Thorax as she lifted the Changeling before physically moving him onto her back; the mare trotted over to Trixie, "We need to talk; let's get to the cart," Starlight quietly, mumbled.

Trixie cocked a brow, "About what?" The showpony studied Starlight's expression; there was something different about the unicorn. "What happened down there?"

Starlight lazily looked over to Trixie, "All of our problems are past us. Twilight won't imprison or kill you if you and Thorax want to go back to Equestria… we basically got community service…Thorax will most likely follow you primarily now… since his debt with me has been squared…."

She'd look at the exhausted Changeling passed out on her back, "... Was he a dragon of that size the entire time we were down there?"

"Pretty much, although I was in the village for most of it... too much cider." Trixie chuckled softly, "He might owe you, but he still cares, you know. He's genuinely kind.."

Starlight looked over to Thorax as a deep sigh escaped her lips, as a worn smile crept across her face, "Well, he would have been over the moon if he was awake to hear you say that…"

Trixie blinked in surprise, clearly not expecting that answer out of everything, "But....Really...? We can go back to Equestria??" The showmare looked away, a giddy smile on her lips.

Anything to get out of this cold! She'd pick up trash, read to fillies and colts, and help geriatric old ponies if it just meant being away from here. Plus, the thought that Thorax might come along made it even better, an assistant, and somecreature that actually liked her! "When are we going to leave then?"

Starlight slowly looked over to Trixie, "You will be leaving whenever Twilight and the expedition return back to Equestria. If you do this, you'll be put to work in cleaning up the mess I made in the Crystal Empire but I will remain here; it seems. I have no reason to return to Equestria… apparently, it was obvious to me by Twilight that my village doesn't need Equalism anymore… or me."

Trixie blanched, "No way in Tartarus; I'm cleaning up one of your messes....Wait, you actually talked to her down there? I'm shocked; I would have expected you to kill her at that opportunity," the showpony rolled her eyes and trotted forward. "Well, whatever you want to do. I'm sure the Yaks would love to have you."

Trixie stopped, "Are you sure about that? I mean... the thing about your village not needing you."

Starlight slowly nodded, "There was no point in it… my crusade had been for nothing. Our Town is thriving… they built more farms and a school, apparently. So… seeing that my hatred for Twilight and her friends is misplaced, I have no reason to fight, no reason to pursue… and no reason to continue…."

Starlight slowly turned to Trixie, "I know an apology can't excuse the amount of stress I've put on you and Thorax… but I am truly sorry that I wasted your time and put you through all of this for nothing."

Trixie was stunned by all of it. They had destroyed part of the Crystal Empire,they had nearly gone to war with the Princess of Friendship, and it all just turned out to be nothing? And Starlight apologizing to *HER*?

She didn't know what to say.

"I'm surprised, but..." Trixie paused, savoring the moment, "I forgive you, Starlight. We all make mistakes, don't we?"

Starlight stopped dead in her tracks as she turned to Trixie, "You forgive me?.... Why in Equestria would you forgive me? You were right about me all along, and I did all of this to you for nothing, I destroyed your cart, made your life worse, and you can just forgive me? Why!?" she snapped.

"Well, now that you bring all that backup, I guess I'll take it back." Trixie rolled her eyes, smirking, "Honestly, did you not pay attention to anything I've said? I tried to take control over Ponyville in a maniacal rage, all because Twilight Sparkle showed me up. Do you know how many ponies I tortured during my reign? You and I are not that different; I'm just more charming." She fluttered her lashes.

"I know what it's like to be completely in the wrong, so... I get what you're feeling right now. Maybe not all of it, but... some." Trixie's smile lost its smarm, her gaze softening.

Starlight's expression seemed to fold in on itself as she processed everything presented to her; she rolled her eyes at Trixie's gloating before sighing, "We aren't the same, Trixie; I was worse. You might have been corrupted by the magic of an ancient artifact, but I let myself become corrupted, my vision and ideals compromised because I was given authority."

"Tch, the one thing you're missing, Starlight, is that we both *chose* to do what we did. I chose to use that ancient artifact, and you chose to be evil. It's not *entirely* the same, but it's not totally dissimilar," Trixie rolled a hoof in the air.

"Trixie, with due respect, you didn't exactly present your case very well. You traveled hundreds of miles and ended up in another country just to get a second chance, and that was over something you did a while ago. There's nothing left for me in Equestria; there's barely anything for me here. Because of the choices I made." Starlight replied lamely.

She sighed, "It doesn't matter now; I suppose this journey wasn't a waste for me. Now I can stay away from the stint of failure in my newly found exile. Besides, I can't hurt any ponies here in Yakyakistan once you and Twilight return to Equestria."

"Well, you could always hurt the Yaks..." the blue mare rolled her eyes, "I'm joking! I'm just saying, you shouldn't hide up here thinking you don't have options."

"I'm touched by your sympathy and kind words…Thorax has been a positive influence on you as it seems…but me personally….I think it'd be best for the Equestria-the world even if I just stay far away from the eyes of the people. Maybe then the suffering I caused will be forgotten by the annals of history."

"Is there really nothing left, or are you just convincing yourself of that?" Trixie huffed.

"Well, I guess you might have a point. And I'm not going to argue that you should return. That's your choice to make. Don't back yourself into a corner because you think that's the only thing you can do," Trixie shrugged, "And don't do it because you're trying to punish yourself, either."

The pair would arrive at the wagon, and Starlight gestured for Trixie to remove the Changeling from her back. With a spark of the blue unicorn's horn, she moved Thorax to the back of the wagon.

Starlight slowly turned to Trixie as she slowly began to speak, "It's strange to admit, but I feel you'd understand better than Twilight, but… I wanted some sort of… finality in this gamble. I wanted either a stunning victory or an earth-shattering defeat. A winner takes all scenario… but I got neither of those things.."

"I don't know what's worse, the anger I felt toward Twilight or this hollowness I feel…."

"Oh, I do understand that. You wanted to rock the stage, make it known that you would be an immovable rock, something the heroes would have to either yield to or destroy completely. It's simple showmareship," Trixie waved a hoof, "The climax and the fall, as it were."

"I can understand your anger, believe me, and the feeling of defeat you have right now. Honestly, I'm not sure why Twilight Sparkle didn't arrest me for my crimes in Ponyville, but when I left... I felt empty. I tried, and I failed." She sighed, "So I decided I had to make up for what I had done. Went on an apology tour, but it didn't really pan out."

Lighting her horn, the unicorn laid a blanket over the exhausted changeling. "Honestly, I'm glad I didn't win. I wasn't in control of myself at all..."

"At least you get it… Sombra was the lucky one, all things considered…" Starlight looked over at Thorax lying motionless on the ground, "He's going to be famished when he wakes up. I can't believe he was that beast for an entire hour."

"Well, we did technically save his life; of course, he was going to risk his own life to save yours," Trixie snorted, "We probably would have killed each other days ago if not for him keeping the peace... I wonder how he will react to the news when he wakes."

Starlight smirked, "Over the moon, I bet; he'll have the whole world at his hooves, hundreds of potential friends…you intend on using him for performing, right? You know his debt is solely placed on you until he saves your life."

"Please, I'm not going to use him... I'll pay him to be my assistant if he chooses to do so. I'm not a slave owner or something." she huffed, lighting a lamp inside the wagon to provide some warmth, "Besides, I'm going to keep myself out of danger as much as possible... hopefully, he'll never need to save my life."

"I should mention if you return to Equestria, you'll probably have to pay some fines… so you might not be able to exactly pay Thorax with that little plan of yours…."

Starlight sat down on the yak wool carpet on the wagon floor as she flopped on the ground, appearing to be defeated once and for all, not by Twilight, not by Trixie. But entirely by her own attitude.

Starlight stared lamely at Thorax, who was resting a few feet in front of her, before sighing, "Maybe I should go back for you two. You shouldn't be burdened with my mistakes; you two deserve the life I desperately wanted. The safety, community, and family I wanted. I know you two can make do with what you got and not just survive with it but thrive."

Trixie sighed petulantly, "I should have guessed as much... well, if he agrees to join me, then I'll simply have to pay him later; he'd understand."

Trixie looked down at the depressed mare on her carpet, "Well, it would be nice to have another pair of hooves to help with the physical fines I will have to pay to the Crystal Empire; I'm no carpenter or construction pony." Trixie chuckled softly. "I don't know why you're thinking so negatively. I mean... why can't you have those things? Just because one thing spiraled out of control?"

"No, because I threw them away when I had them. Trixie, this defeat is just a symptom of a greater problem. I was a terrible leader; I was a failure by all accounts not just when I was taking Cutie marks… but when I lorded over my community with an iron hoof."

"That's when I failed, and to know that my community is not just surviving but thriving without me makes it clear to me that I wasn't what I thought I was. I thought Twilight destroyed everything, practically gave my ponies a death sentence by giving them their cutie marks back, what I perceived as tyranny and evil."

"But it turned out I was too prideful and arrogant to admit my failings. Now I am forced to sit here and realize what I have earned for the years of bad decisions and the past year of spite and malice toward a pony just doing the right thing. Nothing."

"I have nothing and no one. I didn't even get the defeat I wanted, I wanted to be blown into nothing, sent to Tartarus, or imprisoned in stone, but now I'm told that everything will be okay if I just sit here and suffer with this defeat, with my failure."

"I never wanted to hurt my ponies… but truthfully… I wanted this to go down in history; I wanted to be remembered for my actions…either as some sort of revolutionary, a savior of ponykind with equalism… or a feared tyrant that went out with a bang. Gave Twilight Sparkle a challenge, a real obstacle, something to be recited in tales for generations!"

"Instead, I'll be a footnote in history, remembered as the failure I am with nothing but a laundry list of community service summons and debt."

Trixie sighed and sat beside Starlight, uncharacteristically not interrupting as she let the unicorn speak,"Starlight, you don't have nothing or no one. You have Thorax and me, and I think you gave them a chance, maybe Twilight and her friends too. Just because this didn't work out doesn't mean it's over. Why would you want to be seen as a feared tyrant when you could be known as a great friend?"

Trixie gave a soft, lazy smile, "I'll admit, you were a pain before, but right now? You seem like a totally different pony. Maybe you just need to give yourself a chance."

Starlight perked her head, "Really, we're friends? Gosh, you really let Thorax get to you; I'm a little concerned about what you two did or talked about while I wasn't looking. You're not nearly as insufferable as when I first met you." she snickered, "Sorry, I don't mean to be rude… it's just so… jarring."

Trixie rolled her eyes at the remark. "Let's just say that I'm not always on stage when I'm putting on an act and I could say the same for you, frankly. You're not nearly as threatening and tyrannical right now."

Starlight looked over at Thorax, "I guess that little bug is the luckiest one here, he's a hero, and he'll be pretty popular from here to Canterlot once the news comes out he saved Twilight… maybe he should spread the message of equality from now on."

"Maybe, I think he's got a better version of it than yours; I'll say that much." The showpony smirked, "No offense. But, yeah, I think ponies will accept him, it might take some time, but he will."

She scowled a bit at being labeled as tyrannical and threatening, even if it was accurate, before she scoffed, "I'm so glad I don't give off that impression anymore," she'd sigh, "I have a plan…we return to The Crystal Empire, I use some magic, and if we're lucky I can organize the reconstruction teams and help with the city. Then we'll all go our separate ways."

"I'll return to Yakyakistan….or maybe just go to Griffionia or Zebrica; I heard Griffinstone could use a touch-up or two."

"Sounds like a plan; I know I'm not going to have any idea what I'm doing." Trixie snickered, "But honestly, what are you going on, your own apology tour? Why leave Equestria at all if you have the choice to go back?" The mare cocked her head in confusion, "Surely you have family back home?"

Starlight paused at the family bit for a moment, tapping her chin in thought, "... My mother passed not long after having me, and my father was an overprotective gentlecolt from a small town who'd busy himself with running his cultural center-slash-museum. I left home after I had burned that bridge over my independence when I was around sixteen; that was about six moons ago. Hadn't talked to him in the flesh since then, and my last letter was a few years before Twilight had shown up."

"As for my found family, I lied, manipulated, and strong-armed ponies who were supposed to be my loved ones into a psychologically abusive relationship, gaslighting and brainwashing them into obeying me with a personality cult. I don't think I have the stones or the stupidity to attempt to show my face to either of my family."

"Well..." Trixie looked a little uncomfortable for a moment, gathering her courage, "I can't say I blame you for being hesitant. My family life wasn't that great either. My father was never around; I never met or saw a photo of him, although my mom always told me I was his spitting image. She did her best to support me through school, but when I flunked out, she gave up hope on me. I stopped sending her letters for a long time since she never responded."

"But... after I was stopped by Twilight and I ran away, I just... I went home, and I talked to my mom. And... she forgave me. I was so surprised, I didn't believe it. I still sometimes can't believe it. All I used to remember is her being so disappointed in me. But now... we send letters, and I visit her for every holiday."

Trixie leaned over and set a hoof on Starlight's shoulder, "Just because something bad happened doesn't mean they don't miss you."

"... Did a changeling replace you when I was down there?" Starlight slowly chuckled, "... Maybe you and Twilight are right, but I wouldn't feel comfortable marching back home without something to show for it. I'm not going to run home now that I have nothing… they need a reason to think I'm worthy of forgiveness, a hope that I really did change for the better…."

Starlight rubbed her temple, "I need a drink… Wanna see if they still have some booze left?"

"Pffft, there's no replacement for the Great and Powerful Trrrrixie." The mare purred, "Of course I'm right, but I see your point. Just consider it, though. You don't have *nothing*; you've learned something and if your apology is sincere, I think they'll be able to tell."

Trixie got up and stretched, yawning loudly before smacking her lips, "Why not? I need something to warm up. Let's get some booze."

Positivity Through And Through

Twilight pulled her tired and chilled limbs inside the wagon, shivering as she pulled a thick, heavy wool blanket around herself to block out the cold. She gestured to Spike, who was being set down by Fluttershy, pulling the dragon into the blanket with her.

The alicorn trembled before letting out a sneeze, shivering violently before looking down at her number one assistant.

"Honestly, I should have let you stay in Ponyville; this was no environment to bring you into... I'm sorry I was so irresponsible." Twilight frowned, wishing there had been a way to halt the avalanche without burning out her magic. "I should have expected something like this to happen."

Spike coughed into his claw before waving off Twilight, sinking into her chest as he clung to her for warmth, "Don't worry about it, Twilight, I knew the risks, and I took them. After all, I've been through worse."

He'd sneeze a puff of fire before slipping between Twilight's legs, snapping the blanket shut like a curtain. Twilight wrapped a hoof around the young drake, cringing slightly at the sensation of cold scales against her fur.

"You couldn't have known that the village would be buried in snow, Twilight, don't be silly!" Pinkie jumped inside, throwing another blanket over the pair, "You're not psychic... are you?"

"You should just focus on getting warm right now, don't blame yourself, Twilight," Fluttershy smiled gently, patting her on the shoulder.

"You're right, I guess..." The princess sighed, "Well, how goes the excavation? I hope the yaks are all okay..."

"The excavation is fine, the yaks are making quick work of the snow, and Iron Clad and his stallions are helping with the clean-up. Thanks to you, Twilight, you saved Yakyakistan from being destroyed." smiled Applejack.

The mare quickly trotted over to a small kettle of scalding hot tea before she carefully prepared a cup of tea for Twilight, "Take pride in your victory, sugar cube. You did the best you could."

"I don't know about that; Fluttershy and Rainbow should get some credit; they warned the Yaks to stay away from the village," Twilight shrugged, smiling softly, "I'm just glad everycreature is alright."

Rarity quickly wrapped another massive wool quilt over Twilight before handing the alicorn some of their rations. Hardtack…

"By all accounts, this went about as well as it could go with that Starlight Glimmer ruffian on our tail," Rarity hissed at the mention of Starlight, "I wouldn't be surprised if she was the one to bust up your leg."

Taking the hardtack, the alicorn squinted a moment before gently trying to bite it. Finding it too hard to chew, she stuck it in her mouth to hopefully soften it with her saliva, before taking a sip of her tea.

At the mention of Starlight, Twilight coughed and managed to chew some of the hardtack, swallowing it down with some effort.

"Actually... she saved me."

"Whaaaaaaat?" Rainbow Dash crossed her arms. "Did you hit your head on the way down or something?"

"Rainbow, don't be rude," Fluttershy gently chided her.

"We actually... talked down there, and she listened to me. It was surreal, but I think we might have come to an understanding?" Twilight gave an awkward shrug, "It's strange. She sort of just... gave up when she heard her old village was sending us letters. I think she really cared about that town and its ponies..."

"Wait, wait, I'm confused; she did all of this for her village, and she's just gonna quit now that she knows it's fine?" Applejack was utterly dumbfounded, "I think this might be a ploy."

Rarity nodded, "Perhaps Applejack is right; we have her cornered. This act of kindness might be part of a greater strategy to destroy you. I mean, she stalked us across Equestria and The Crystal Empire; I highly doubt she'll stop because of nostalgia and some good news about the town she clearly didn't care about."

"If she really wanted to hurt me, she had the opportunity down there," Twilight nodded her head in the direction of the canyon, "I had my leg trapped under some debris, but I think she was just... so angry. She asked me why we had done it... helped her village."

"She really didn't see what we did as helping; she thought we went there intending to ruin everything. I know it's crazy, but... she thought she was doing the right thing, at least, with her village, and when it was gone... she just wanted to hurt me, I guess, in the way that I hurt her."

"I mean, if she took you guys away from me, I think I'd be pretty angry too," Twilight chuckled softly.

"Me too; I'd get pink with anger!" Pinkie piped up.

"Pinkie, you're already pink," Rainbow rolled her eyes.

"I know!" beamed Pinkie.

"I'm not saying I trust her, but... I think I'm willing to give her a chance if she wants to take it. She said she wanted to stay with the yaks, but she could always change her mind." Twilight sighed softly.

Spike peaked his head from the layers of thick blankets, "Good riddance, I'd leave things well enough alone and encourage her to stay up in the mountains." He sniffled for a moment before he sneezed.

Rarity gasped, "We need a medic! Twilight, you have clearly hit your head too hard to even consider giving Starlight a chance! She hurt Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and Scootaloo; she destroyed your house, hurt your brother, and burned The Crystal City down!"

"How in Equestria could you give HER a second chance!?" shrieked Rarity.

"Calm down, Rarity," huffed Applejack, "If a creature of pure chaos like Discord can go from terrorizing Ponyville to becoming its sole protector in our absence. Who's to say Starlight Glimmer can't be redeemed either?"

"Did that changeling replace Applejack?" joked Spike.

"I'm serious, y'all; I think we should put our faith in Twilight; after all, aren't we all her friends?" Applejack said accusingly, attempting to strong-arm everypony into an agreement.

Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie shared a look before shrugging.

"I trust Twilight's judgment," Rainbow shrugged, "But I'm keeping an eye on her."

Rarity rolled her eyes, "Feh! Of course, I trust Twilight; I just don't trust that brute is all."

Spike sneezed as he nodded in agreement.

"Sure, I don't see why not. Besides, her changeling friend is really nice!!" Pinkie smiled widely, "He and I talked; all he wants to do is make friends!"

Fluttershy cocked a brow, "Really?"

"Yup!" nodded the mare.

"I know that Starlight Glimmer did a lot of awful things, but I think when we get angry, we lose sight of what's really important. Of course, if Starlight chooses to come back with us, she's going to face punishment. I don't think I can stop that, even as a princess." Twilight sighed, "And to be fair, she didn't really hurt the fillies, and the spell on them was easy to break. And... I wasn't really attached to that castle, no offense. It was just too big for me. But my brother and the Crystal City... I won't forget that."

The frigid, icy chill that clung to everypony's chest would suddenly dissipate entirely; in fact, it was starting to get relatively warm…hot even. Spike reveled in the warmth as he yawned, slipping out from Twilight's grasp and stretched.

"Who turned up the thermostat?"

The sun's bright light would encompass the entire village, shining brightly through every crevice or crack in the wagon. It was almost blinding.

Twilight jumped up immediately, recognizing the magical aura that was approaching them, "Celestia!"

Stumbling out of the cart, Twilight ran up to greet the mare, unable to feel the cold winds' lick against the sun's warmth.

The sun shined brightly on Yakyakistan, the massive orb just barely peeking over the mountains as Twilight and the group approached the alicorn.

Celestia smiled as she hugged Twilight, embracing the alicorn with her front leg, "Twilight, Spike had sent his letter, and I knew I had to come help."

"Thank you so much; we really needed the help," Twilight smiled, returning the embrace, "And good work Spike."

"Phew, finally, I was wondering when she was gonna show up!" Pinkie Pie jumped out, landing beside the alicorn princess.

"You think she's gonna melt the snow or move it?" Rainbow asked.

"You'll see, now then….how about we clean up this mess?" Celestia trotted over a few feet from the group as she knelt down, spreading her massive wings before quickly taking flight. Jetting toward the massive burning sun before snapping forward.

Facing the city, she'd spread her wings as a golden aura burned brightly around her as the alicorn rose the sun past the mountain peaks. It was so close as if the sun was almost touching the mountains it rose above.

The snow would thaw in seconds before the water evaporated moments later. Yaks and ponies would stare at the powerful display of magic before Celestia, with a flick of her head, lowered the sun again as the moon took its place.

The alicorn landed in front of Twilight, letting out a small huff, "There, that should allow you to continue your expedition without much issue, yes?"

Twilight and the girls watched in awe; the Princess of Friendship reminded of the first time she had ever seen Celestia in the flesh-- the Summer Sun Celebration when she was a filly in Canterlot. She couldn't help the childlike smile that came to her lips.

"That was amazing, Princ– Celestia!" Twilight grinned.

"Oh, bravo, Celestia, bravo," clapped Discord, who was now behind the group of ponies leaning against the portal he had created, "You raised the sun, not like you don't do that every day."

"Hey, what are you doing here?!" Rainbow pointed conspiratorially at the draconequus, "Shouldn't you be at home taking care of things? You have been taking care of the weather, right?"

"Ooh, yeah, how's Gummy doing? I know he was supposed to do some business in Appleloosa, but he should have come back by now!" Pinkie bounced up.

"Discord!" Fluttershy ran up, giving him a quick hug, "How is everything? How are Angel and the other animals? Tell me everything I've missed!"

Discord hugged Fluttershy before rolling his eyes at Rainbow Dash, "Oh, please don't get your feathers in a twist. I'm only here to deliver Celestia; what did you think her chariot of four Pegasi could carry her and arrive in less than a day?"

"Are you calling the Princess fat?!" Rainbow snapped back. Discord said nothing, only giving Rainbow a cock-eye expression and a playful smile.

"Rainbow! Don't be so rude! Princess Celestia has a lovely figure!" Fluttershy chided.

From behind the draconequus, two animals came out of the portal. A little white ball of fur, nearly blending into the snow, jumped into Fluttershy's hooves, nuzzling under her chin.

"Angel!!" Fluttershy squealed, holding the bunny tight. "Oh, how I've missed you!"

"I've missed you too!" The rabbit replied. Fluttershy didn't seem to notice that he was speaking in Ponish.

"Discord!" Twilight snapped. The other animal that had left the portal landed on the princess' shoulder, hooting gently, "Wha– Owlicious?!"

"I know, it's bizarre. It's good to see you, Twilight." Owlicious replied. Twilight simply blinked.

Discord sighed at the sight of his assistants hopping slash flying through the portal he had created, "This wasn't part of our agreement, Angel bunny; I said you could explore the Crystal City under my supervision, not– oh, who am I kidding." he sighed in defeat.

"It's a long story; let's just say I gave these two rascals the ability to speak to help with my daily errands…" smirked Discord.

Fluttershy turned to Discord, "Well, so long as it's helping Ponyville and not hurting anycreature." Looking down at Angel, she smiled. "I don't know why I didn't ask you to do that anyways; Angel has always wanted more creatures to talk to."

"Really? Ya think?" Angel cocked a brow.

Celestia sighed, "Surprisingly, this has been for Ponyville's benefit, it seems. Thank you for your assistance, Discord."

"I assure you, we've been doing quite well, even under Discord's supervision." Owlicious nodded, "Everything has been kept to schedule; the draconequus has been remarkably... cooperative."

"Well, I suppose it makes sense; Owlicious has always been a great assistant." Twilight rubbed her chin before glancing over at Spike. "Err, my second great assistant."

Spike waved off Twilight before looking over to Owlicious, "Well, at least I can finally understand the guy…."

"Hoo?" Owlicious cocked his head at the dragon before smirking.

Discord would bow, "The pleasure is all mine, nothing like helping your good friends." he'd give Fluttershy another snug squeeze before looking over to Twilight, "So how did that little stint with Starlight go?"

Celestia looked over to her fellow alicorn, "This wasn't another act of violence from that unicorn, was it? Now that I am here, I can finally put an end to her tyranny."

"No, Princess, it was actually a celebration. The yaks fired a cannon for it, but the sound itself caused an avalanche. She and I managed to stop the avalanche, but Starlight was the one who truly saved the village. And... she even saved me. We talked and... I think we've come to an understanding. But I know she still has to face punishment for what she's done... if she returns to Equestria." Twilight rubbed her hoof. "I know it's kind of confusing, but... it's the truth."

Celestia paused as she pressed her hoof to her chin, "Hm…I will relay this information to Cadance and Shining Armor. There is nothing we can do for Starlight's crimes against the Crystal Empire beyond levying a suggestion….I will do my best to handle the….politics surrounding a pardon."

"Oh, you're leaving so soon? Well.. thank you for helping us, Celestia." Twilight gave the princess a smile. "And, uh, good luck with the... politics."

"See ya later, Celly!" Pinkie waved a hoof gleefully. "I hate to see you go, but I love watching you leave!"

"Pinkie, do you even know what you're saying?" Rainbow sighed, shaking her head.

Celestia would trot over to Discord, "Whenever you are ready, my goodcreature."

"Oh, well, you stay safe," Fluttershy murmured.

Discord quickly snapped Owlicious and Angel Bunny into his claws. Fluttershy flinched as the rabbit was taken from her hooves. Owlicious grumbled in complaint.

"Oh, and before I forget… Here's a gift for you, Twilight," Discord winked before a letter appeared, gently hitting the alicorn on the head, "Farewell!" he'd quickly seal the portal.

"A present? Wha–" Twilight let out a noise of surprise. "Hey!"

"Oooh, ooh, open it, open it!!" Pinkie jumped up and down excitedly.

"Pinkie, it's just a letter."

"So?! Let's see what it is!"

It was a set of letters:

"Dear Princess Twilight, Today I learned you can't bend and tear the fabric of reality to care for animals in a neat and orderly fashion. Instead, you have to groom, feed, and take care of them properly. Who knew? Sincerely, your faithful friend, Discord."

"Dear Princess Twilight, you ever wonder why so many ponies look so… similar to one another? Plenty of earth ponies, unicorns, etc., share similar mane styles and even colors to one another. Oh, and I learned that Princess Celestia's insatiable hunger for sweets can be used as a way to bond with the common ponyfolk. Love Discord."

"Dear Princess Twilight, so hypothetically speaking, asking for a friend here. Is it so wrong to rip a hole, in reality, to throw away the trash? I mean, the trash is being sent to another universe! Who cares!? Yours truly Discord…."

This was only three out of the fifty letters somehow stored in a single scroll. It defied all logic, physics, and sense.

Twilight couldn't help the amused, if confused, smile on her lips, looking up at her friends. "It looks like Discord's been writing letters."

"Really?! Wow, just like you used to!" Pinkie grinned, "Maybe he wants to become your student!"

"Pfft, please, he's just joking around. He doesn't take that stuff seriously," Rainbow rolled her eyes, crossing her arms.

"Why don't you just give him a chance? It's obvious he's learning..." Fluttershy murmured.

Applejack sighed, "I'm just glad we're all okay, and everything turned out alright in the end…."

Rarity nodded, "Yes, I guess it wasn't so bad after all. Do you think we solved the friendship problem?"

Spike scoffed, "You kidding? Yakyakistan is reconnected with the world, Starlight Glimmer is out of the picture, and Twilight made friends with the Yak Prince. I think this calls for a celebration."

"Yaks incline to agree with dragon!" boomed Rutherford as he trotted over, "Yaks are in debt to pony princess and pony teacher! As Prince of all of Yak Clans and Yakyakistan! I declare ponies and yaks friends for all time!"

The yaks would stamp their hooves in agreement, "LET THE YICKSLUBERFEST CELEBRATIONS CONTINUE! FOR PONY FRIENDS!"

The whole village would erupt in excited stamping and cheering as the crowds would erupt in praise for Twilight and Starlight. Echoing their names throughout the town.

Twilight blushed, unsure of all of the attention, "Let's not forget the Yaks and Ponies that worked together to dig each other out; this is a celebration for both of our kind and all of their accomplishments!"

There was another round of stamping and cheering, Twilight sighing in relief.

"I think we have solved the Friendship Problem... I just hope that Starlight can solve her own problems as well..." mumbled Twilight.

Passing The Torch

It was late afternoon, the sun hanging high above the mountain peaks. It was mid-day, but it might as well have been morning for the drunken yaks nursing their hangover. Elder Yasamin peeled himself off his kitchen floor as it creaked underneath his heavy body.

Another Yicksluberfest to remember, he still couldn't believe that pink mare from the foreigners' expedition had outdrank him and remained sober enough to party. A gentle smile crossed his lips as a dry chuckle escaped him.

He'd scan his surroundings; he'd barely made it home, seeing that he was sprawled on the kitchen floor with a blanket on top of his back.

The elder's once thundering voice was sore and tired from the night of endless song and shouting. But he managed an audible plea for his family.

"Yona! Äiti!" he'd grumble, letting out a hoarse cough as he trotted over to the den where the warmth of the fireplace was. Quickly pouring himself whatever leftover coffee that was inside the hissing kettle for himself.

The young heifer came out of her room, peeling back a wool curtain that served as a door. She smiled at her father, running up to nuzzle him under the chin.

"Yicksluberfest was great this year, best celebration yet!" She smiled, looking positively excited. "Yona, very happy that pony here, Yona make more potion. Yona can't believe pony save us..."

"Pony did great thing, remember for long time," Yona's mother crossed through the hall, her hair long and unbraided. Stepping into the kitchen, she prepared warm porridge for Yazamin's breakfast and their lunch. Yona stepped beside her mother, getting the bowls ready.

Äiti snorted, giving a rather unimpressed look to her husband, "Husband no deserve porridge for making mess of house last night!"

"Äiti! It was Yicksluberfest; it was Elder duty to keep Yicksluberfest drinking champion title!" huffed the 'wise' elder.

"Apologize, or Yona and I get your porridge," Äiti said sternly, pairing with a firm stamp against the floor.

Yasamin sighed, "Yes, dear….Yasamin, sorry...."

Äiti let out a huff before placing the reheated porridge from breakfast on the table; unlike the lavish meals of Yicksluberfest, traditional everyday yak food was…utilitarian, to say the least. Oats, water, and flour with a touch of sugar or honey to make the meal not wholly unbearable.

Elder Yasamin grumbled as he shoveled the grey sticky porridge into his maul with his tongue. Chewing slowly as he left out a huff, he was already missing the mushroom stew and pastries.

Yona giggled at her parent's minor scuffle; despite her father's large frame and even bigger personality, he always seemed to give in to her mother's proclamations.

Sitting down at the table, Yona too began to eat her fill of porridge, dreaming of the sweets she had indulged in during the festival. It would be a while before the next celebration, and she always counted the days til then.

"Pony save us, and we will remember their heroism even after they leave." nodded Yasamin.

"Yona wants to be useful to village, give yak better things, make yak life better!" Yona stamped her hoof against the table to accentuate her point.

Äiti looked over to her daughter curiously, "Do potion stain your coat or cloak? I already wash enough clothes!" scolded Äiti.

"Äiti, please, Yona is preparing to be wise and great. Just like her papa!" boasted the yak.

"Don't give yourself too much credit, Yasamin." hmpfed Äiti.

"Wait… ponies leave??" Yona's head perked up, her eyes widening in surprise. "But why ponies leave? Yona's teacher pony won't leave, right?"

Yasamin gave a somewhat inconclusive shrug, "Yasamin confused about whole ordeal, one group of ponies say other is bad, but then they work together and are friends later. I don't know if Starlight Glimmer will stay or go."

Äiti huffed, "Sounds suspicious, I don't like these strangers near Yona and the calves."

"Äiti, Prince Rutherford says pony are a friend, so it is so." firmly asserted Yasamin in a rare display of defiance toward the house matriarch.

Äiti relented as she grumbled, "Yona don't need pony to be helpful, Yona learn to do things yak way."

"Times changing Äiti, and as our late King Gustav said, 'Yaks strong, but yaks cannot be strong headed!" quoted Yasamin.

Äiti hmpfed as she ate her porridge.

"If Starlight Glimmer leaves, then perhaps Yona should have council approval for her Förkörsrätt." suggested Yasamin.

"The right of passage? Perhaps she can learn how to be a medicine yak or work with our shamans for a while." pressed Äiti.

Yasamin shook his head, "Yona only calf I have; Yona will be great elder yak one day; she will have to go through boa Förkörsrätt!"

"Yona cannot travel across mountains with strangers that aren't yaks! Äiti refuses!" stamped the protective mother.

Yasamin shook his head, "It only suggestion, and Yona would have to see if pony teacher even leaves, then initiate the Kurultai with Council."

Yona looked downtrodden at that news, gazing down at her hooves in disappointment.

"Mama, Yona *wants* to learn from the pony. You see pony tricks! Pony can make light, move rock, strong as yak! I want to be strong with pony too!" The heifer gave her mother big doe eyes, sticking out her lower lip.

Turning, Yona stared at her father with surprise and delight, her eyes lighting up. "Really? Yona could go on pilgrimage?!" Looking between her father and mother, the heifer jumped up and zipped to her father's side, hugging him tightly with all of her strength.

"Yes!! Yona want to go on Förkörsrätt! Yona wants to learn from pony and travel with pony!" Yona cried with glee, "Yona is strong, Yona is ready!"

"Please, Mama, Yona want to be strong and smart for village, want to make things better!"

Yasamin squeezed Yona tightly as he bellowed a mighty laugh," Yona is strongest! Yona will make me and the tribes proud!"

Äiti shook her head, "I do not approve of such a journey; you are still a calf!"

Yasamin waved her off, "Yona strong, Yona entitled to her call for Kurultai!"

Äiti erupted, "No! Not my sweet Yona!"

Yasamin quickly thundered his voice loud enough to shake the house, "SILENCE! THIS MATTER BELONG TO YONA AND THE COUNCIL NOW!"

Äiti hmpfed, as she turned her back on Yasamin and Yona, "Fine. But I don't like it…."

Yasamin quickly looked down at his daughter before quietly whispering, "Go find pony and ask if she's leaving, then come back to me as quickly as you can. I'll handle your mama…." he'd lift the wool from his face as he gave her a wink.

The young heifer jumped up with glee and nodded, not even bothering to finish her meal. She ran out of the hut, dashing through the snow to find the unicorn pony she called her teacher.

"Pony... pony?!" Yona called out, finding her way to Trixie's wagon. The heifer approached the door, knocking on it loud enough to wake any occupant inside.

Trixie poked her head out of the doorway, looking as if she had just rolled out of bed. "WHAT?!"

"Yona is looking for other unicorn," Yona replied.

Starlight huffed as she shoved Trixie out of the way, "Go back to napping, Trixie; I got this."

Trixie grumbled and rolled her eyes, crawling her way back into her snug sleeping bag, pulling an eyemask over her closed lids. "Just be quiet out there..."

Starlight hopped out from the back of the wagon before slamming the door shut, "Yona? I thought it was the Hviledag, isn't everyone just getting up?"

"Yes, but Yona's father, Elder Yasamin, believe Yona is ready for Förkörsrätt!! That means a pilgrimage to prove Yona is worthy for village! And Yona choose to travel with you!" The heifer beamed excitedly, hopping up and down, the earth thundering beneath her, "Pony can teach Yona more!"

"Yona means... if pony is leaving." Yona chuckled awkwardly.

"Oh… well… I am leaving..." Starlight slowly approached Yona, "Yona, this trip will be across the world, far, far away from home. I want you to know before you make any decision. This trip will take a while."

"I'll let Twilight and my friends know you're coming and see if I can let you in. You do whatever you must do, and we'll see how this goes, okay? But don't get your hopes up!" scolded Starlight.

"Yona could go all around the world?" the thought was amazing and terrifying simultaneously, all the things she could see and experience... and all the things she would miss from home.

"Yona understand! Yona will tell parents." The heifer nodded in agreement, looking down thoughtfully.

"But Yona want to know... why pony hate other pony, and then go with pony on travels?" Yona looked back up at Starlight, curious.

Starlight sighed as she rubbed her temple, "Sometimes… adults will act like foals and hate others for petty and foolish reasons. Being trapped in that avalanche gave me a chance to really see the error in my ways."

Yona rubbed a hoof to her chin and nodded in agreement. "That true, even for yak. Although yak usually fight to see who is right."

Starlight would rub the heifer's head affectionately, "But I know you're smart enough to know better; after all, you're a fairly fast learner… now get a move on; we're leaving fairly soon…."

The heifer smiled and nodded, "Okay, Yona will be back!" Turning around, the yak made her way back to her family's hut, nearly busting down the door in her excitement.

"Yona could see the world!!" She jumped up in glee, nearly pouncing on her father. "Pony said Yona could go, that ponies are going around the world! Can Yona go?! Please, father?!" She would turn to her mother, "Please, mama?! I want to see everything! Yona is strong enough."

Yasamin smiled, "Of course! But we must assemble the council for Kurultai!"

Äiti teared up as she wiped her face and gave Yona a suffocating squeeze, "Yona, please reconsider; there is no shame in staying home!"

Yasamin sighed as he attempted to comfort his wife, receiving a sharp glare as he reached over to touch her.

Yona grunted from the force, trying to be gentle as she peeled her mother's hooves off of her ribs, "Mama, Yona promise she will be safe. Yona will not let you or village down," she'd nuzzle her mother softly, giving her a reassuring smile.

"Yona is ready for council Father," the heifer turned around, giving him a short and confident nod.

It was time for the revival of the ancient tradition of Förkörsrätt; the call for a Kurultai had now begun. The ancient tradition of Förkörsrätt was nearly lost when Yakyakistan was cut off from the rest of the world by King Sombra and the frozen north.

It had been over a thousand years since the last pilgrimage, and that honor was given to King Gustav before the frozen north had consumed any possible trail outside of Yakyakistan. Hundreds tried and failed to cross the mountain peaks to reestablish a connection to the outside world.

Until now, with recent events showing that yaks could travel to the outside world and foreigners could enter their nation. It was truly monumental. In fact, the Kurultai was held publicly for the first time in over one hundred years.

Prince Rutherford had already honored Yasamin and Yona by publicizing the affair and by showing the community the council's debate. It was fairly obvious what their decision was, or so it seemed at first.

Having heard of the tradition, Twilight immediately made her way over to write down everything, encouraging her friends to respectfully participate in the history, much to her friend's varying degrees of enthusiasm. Everything she heard and saw, she recorded into extreme detail. She still wasn't sure if it was a good idea for the young Yak to come along, considering it might be dangerous... but on the other hoof, she was a robust young yak and quite bright for her age. They could make the room.

As the massive fire roared and a thick cloud of smoke rose, all the yaks and ponies were silent as the shamans banged their traditional drums and bellowed a melody from their stomachs through their throats. Drumming loudly as the Prince dressed in ceremonial silk garb over a thousand years old. Hung off of his body like shiny tatters.

The Prince raised his hoof, silencing the shamans as they prayed to their Gods for guidance.

"Yona!" thundered Rutherford, "You have evoked the right of your Förkörsrätt and Kurultai! Present your case to the council or forfeit your right of council!"

Yona stepped up, clearing her throat before she began.

"Yona is daughter of Elder Yasamin, but she is not only that. Yona is Yak, strong, brave, and wants to prove that she can better the village through her pilgrimage. Yona will travel across the lands, finding new things to improve Yak life! Better medicine, better material for home, better everything! Yona want to prove that Yak does not need to be all alone to be strong, Yak can be strong with others!"

"Yona knows that there are scary and bad creatures out there, but Yona is strong, and Yak are strong. Yak must take chances if Yak is ever to become even stronger than Yak are now!" She stomped her hoof, "Yak will be strongest! And Yak will have many friends to help Yak be stronger too!"

"Yona already learn potions from pony; Yona can learn more and bring it back to village, help Yaks, make life better for little Yaks!" She waved a hoof around, gesturing to those who sat in attendance. "And maybe Yak can make other creatures lives better too."

"Let Yona prove she can do it, please let Yona go on Förkörsrätt!"

The council would grumble as Yasamin rose his hoof to speak, Rutherford giving him a firm nod, "Yona speaks nothing but truth and brings honor to my family and Yakyakistan! I accept the call for Förkörsrätt!"

Another elder would stamp as he erupted, "Yona but a dri! This honor should be given to a boa! Elder Yasamin is blinded by his love for his daughter! This is a mockery!"

Prince Rutherford raised his brow as he turned toward the elder, "Elder Bataar, it is not your turn to speak!" thundered Rutherford.

Bataar huffed, "If Yasamin disgraces tradition by calling this Kurultai for a dri! Then I have no reason to uphold tradition either!"

The council erupted into bickering before Rutherford smashed his hooves against the ground. Silencing the elders.

Bataar turned his back on Yona, “I say NO.”

Yona tried not to seem upset at the sight, looking away from Bataar.

Yasamin stamped his hooves as his face burned a bright red, "BATAAR DISHONOR ME, BATAAR DISHONOR YONA! YASAMIN CHALLENGE BATAAR TO BÖKH MATCH!”

Rutherford thundered loudly, "SILENCE! THERE WILL BE NO BÖKH DURING THE KURULTAI!”

"Yona just want to help village, Yona can prove herself worthy!" She looked around, trying to think of something she could do.

"Yona is strong, Yona can fight! Yona is strong as any boa!" she tilted her head down, displaying her horns. They were still growing but large enough for her age to knock down any creature, "Yona is smart! Yona will not let Yaks down!"

Another elder would look at Yona, the oldest among the elders, with a long, white face and beard, "... Björn say yes. King Gustav says, 'Yaks strong, but yaks cannot be strong-headed.' Yakyakistan needs young yaks to bring us into this changing world..."

Another elder would shake his head, "Yona brave but, Yona is still young! I say Yona needs more time to become stronger and wiser. Okan says no."

Elder Jargal would lift his wool and give Yona a stern expression as he stared at the heifer with an intense expression, "... Jargal… say yes..."

Elder Karl shook his head, "No," he was a yak of few words.

Finally, the last elder Svein stamped his feet, "No! A dri cannot depend on foreigners for her protection! Elder Bataar right! Yona no go with ponies!"

Prince Rutherford looked at his elders and then Yona. He was the last vote, his expression like a stonewall. But it was not directed at Yona; he crossed his front legs and let out a sigh, "I am disappointed in many of my Elder yaks tonight….ELDER YAKS DISGRACE ME."

The crowds would gasp at the Prince's proclamation. Twilight read that if a Prince publicly declared a grievance with his elders like this, it was a grave insult and a challenge. Some recordings stated that some elders challenged a Bökh as a way to salvage their honor, or else they were forced to submit and stay in silence.

Every yak knew that Rutherford had done more than give his blessing to Yona…he stuck his neck out for her, "YONA CAN GO ON HER PILGRIMAGE UNLESS THERE IS YAK STRONG ENOUGH TO FORCE MY HOOF."

There was a deafening silence before the shamans quickly began banging their drums and echoing their hypnotic chants once more.

The Kurultai was concluded.

The alicorn would feverishly record everything she heard, her quill going a mile a minute to keep up with all of the detail.

Yona bowed to the Prince, showing her gratitude. "Thank you, Prince Rutherford. Yona will make you and all Yak proud." Carefully, she would walk backward, trying not to show any disrespect by turning her back to him.

As soon as she was out of the tent, she began jumping up and down, causing the snow around her to fly into the air. "Yona is going on Förkörsrätt!! Yona is going with ponies!!"

Twilight stepped out of the tent, greeting the young yak with a soft smile.

"That was rough out there, but you held together. I would have been a little nervous myself..." She chuckled, "You're welcome to come along, Yona. I think Starlight will enjoy having someone to teach."

Starlight trotted out of the tent as she gave Yona her best smile, "That was a tough crowd, but you did fantastically. I would have never been able to hold my tongue like that if I was being practically berated by the Bataar guy."

"Baatar is just hard-headed." Yona snorted, she never particularly got along with that elder, doing her best to avoid him.

Yasamin slowly stamped out of the tent as he gently pressed his head against Yona's, seeming to struggle to speak; his lip quivered as tears began streaming down his face; the proud elder would swallow back his tears and pride before revealing his eyes to Yona.

"Yona is no longer calf… Yona is a now adult dri…” It seemed the reality was finally hitting the prideful father now that the dust had settled, "Your first Förkörsrätt, and the first Förkörsrätt in over a thousand years… Yasamin proud to call Yona his daughter."

Yona's lower lip began to quiver before she too teared up, tears sliding down her cheeks as she embraced her father. "Yona is proud to be Yasamin's daughter! Yona will make Yak proud too! Yona promise..."

Twilight smiled softly, knowing the bittersweet feeling they were experiencing right now. So happy and filled with pride, but the sorrow of knowing now that Yona was going to leave.

Starlight sneakily flicked a few tears from her eyes as she passively observed the display.

Äiti slowly trotted over as she sighed, "When Äiti had Yona, Yasamin say, "I will not raise her as a dri or a boa, but as future elder," I thought Yasamin was being pretentious and arrogant…but I see that he was preparing you for this all along."

Äiti embraced Yona with a squeeze, "Äiti, sorry for keeping Yona away from her Förkörsrätt!"

"Mama!" Yona pressed her face into her mother's neck, returning her embrace, trying not to burst into tears any further. She hadn't even left yet, and she was already homesick.

"I forgive you, Mama; Äiti just want Yona to be safe," the heifer sniffed, wiping away tears.

Twilight couldn't help but wipe away tears as well, blinking rapidly to keep more at bay. The flood gates had broken for Starlight at this rate, as her eyes spilled tears, as she was stifling her whimpers through a firm hoof. Twilight leaned over and hesitantly, but gently, patted Starlight on the shoulder, attempting to comfort her.

Prince Rutherford trotted from the tent as his voice thundered, "MAKE WAY!" he'd slowly stand before Yona, "Yona make yaks proud! Yona go down in history as one of greatest yaks! Almost as great as me!" he'd snort.

"Yasamin! Let's prepare the supplies for ponies and Yona!" he'd order Yasamin, the elder quickly trotting over beside the Prince.

"Yasamin sees Yona tomorrow; now get some rest! Yona and ponies have a big day tomorrow!" chimed Yasamin.

"NOW CLEAR OUT!" roared Rutherford, causing every creature to practically flee the scene.

Yona nodded eagerly, "Yes, Prince Rutherford! I will be prepared to leave in the morning. Thank you for giving me such a great honor." She bowed her head before trotting home, bounding through the snow.

What Lies Ahead

The morning sun had barely crept past the horizon, its orange rays attempting to reach out toward the earth below as the frosted wind cut through everycreatures coat. Today was the final day of the expedition. Everyone had packed up, resupplied, and regrouped.

Iron Clad and his ponies had just finished their wagon's inspection before Prince Rutherford had stomped over to the expedition, towing a massive amount of supplies.

But it was not just supplies for the group; it was gifts. Gifts for Twilight, Yona, and The Empire. Yona was gifted her very own helmet with horns, Twilight a thick wool coat made of Rutherford's own wool and for Cadance, and Shining Armor was a chest of the Kingdom's finest silks and jewels. And, of course, booze.

Twilight did her best not to make a strange face at the fact the coat was made of the Prince's wool. It was a nice thought, but it was still a little... bizarre to know which yak it came from.

Rarity fawned over the lavish gifts, completely taken aback by the jewels. Spike couldn't help but sneak one as a snack.

Starlight quietly tracked all their equipment, supplies, and gifts, seeming to stay away from the eyes of the ponies. Trying her best not to be noticed. Thorax, however, was a little more enthusiastic about the whole ordeal.

"Oooooh, I love the helmet, Yona; I wonder if I could get a helmet like that one day..." Pinkie sighed, daydreaming of such a thing.

"Maybe, pink pony will have to prove her worth first," Yona replied.

"Don't think Shining would mind if I had some of that booze?" Rainbow Dash whispered to Twilight, who rolled her eyes.

Fluttershy was petting one of the wild rabbits, saying goodbye to all the little creatures she had met during their stay, "I think I will miss it here, although I won't miss the cold."

"Maybe we can visit sometime?" Pinkie offered.

The bug happily trotted around Trixie as he chanted, "We're going to Griffonia, we're going to Griffonia! I bet Griffins are awesome; I heard they're feathery and fuzzy! That's so interesting!"

Trixie rolled her eyes and snorted at Thorax's remark. "Pffft, they may be feathery and fuzzy and all, but they're penny-pinchers; I could barely even get a single bit the one time I performed for a griffin bar..."

She then corrected herself, trying not to diminish his enthusiasm, "But... they're probably not all bad."

Starlight quietly trotted over to Twilight as she handed a clipboard to the princess, presenting a detailed list of all their supplies.

"We have a few weeks of food, a month and a half once the guards return to Shining Armor's command," she said firmly before attempting to trot away.

The alicorn took a look at what was cataloged, nodding in approval. "That's perfect; hopefully, we won't need to use all these supplies before we reach our next destination."

As the mare trotted away, Twilight called out, "Um, hey! Uhhh.... good job?" She offered somewhat awkwardly, trying her best to be friendly with the unicorn. "And thanks for doing it; you didn't have to. I... understand that things might be a little weird for a while, but I just want to let you know that things will work out."

Starlight offered a small smile to Twilight, ".... thanks, even if we aren't friends by the end of this. I hope I can at least earn your respect… as an equal, as a decent pony." And with that, she trotted to the back of the wagon train.

Thorax quickly buzzed around as he excitedly took to the skies, eagerly scanning the horizon as he quickly landed by Rainbow Dash, trotting frantically in place.

"I heard you know about Griffin's, and you been to Griffinstone; what's it like? What are Griffin's like? Which half is the bird and which half is the lion?" bombarded Thorax.

Rainbow Dash cocked a brow as she considered the changeling; her first instinct was to rebuke him. She didn't have to be nice to him just because he was tagging along! But his genuine curiosity and eagerness made her hesitate to be mean.

"Er... well, the bird half is the head and front hooves, and the lion half is the back. And they have wings... how do you not know this?" Rainbow tilted her head, not sure what to make of him.

Thorax chuckled, "I've been part of a hive for most of my life; the only time I'd seen anything besides a changeling was the Canterlot invasion and my time in the Crystal City. Changelings aren't exactly invested in spreading the message of friendship with other species."

Thorax buzzed his wings as he happily continued conversing with his former enemy, "Gosh, I can't wait for you and your friends to fill me in on all the juicy details about your adventures."

Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes, getting into his face, "I don't know what you've been told, but we're not going to be best friends now, and I'm not going to tell you everything I know about my friends. You're a changeling; maybe this is all a ruse!"

Thorax narrowed his eyes into a relaxed expression before he chuckled, then erupted into laughter, patting Rainbow's back with his hoof, "Yeah… sure, that's what they ALL say." feeling confident having breaking the ice between him, Trixie, and Starlight. This would go without a snich.

Rainbow cringed away from the contact, using her wing to brush him off.

Pinkie Pie plonked over, having noticed the tension brewing in the conversation. "Aw, c'mon, Dashie, Thorax is nice! He's just curious, is all."

"Yeah, whatever..." Rainbow sniffed, wings flapping in the air. "Pinkie will probably tell you everything anyways."

"Ooooh, great idea, Dashie! What do you want to hear about first, defeating Nightmare Moon or Discord? Oooh, maybe Tirek? That's a doozy!"

He'd quickly fixate his attention on Pinkie Pie, "I don't know who those people are, but I'm ready for a story or two!"

"Oooh, well, we should definitely start with Nightmare Moon first; otherwise, none of the other stories will make sense... okay, so, first when I met Twilight, I was like--" She began to inhale deeply, preparing for a gasp.

"Pinkie, I don't think now is the best moment to start storytime." Twilight cut in, "We still have to make sure everything is ready."

"Aw... not even one little story?" whined Pinkie.

Applejack trotted over as she tugged one of the wagons along, "The stallions are ready to move out, Twilight; they're locked in and ready to go!"

Thorax looked to over Twilight, "Princess, why don't Pinkie Pie and I just wait in the wagons, and she can tell me her story?"

Twilight sighed, "Oh, alright, you two go and chat in the wagon."

"Yaaaay!! C'mon, Thorax, I'll tell you everything!" Pinkie grabbed the changeling's hoof, dragging him along. From a distance, Trixie narrowed her eyes, feeling a tinge of jealously, and promptly tagged along.

Thorax quickly beamed at Trixie, "Oh, you can finally tell me about that time you had that magic amulet with Pinkie Pie to tell her side of the story too!"

Pinkie Pie made a face as Trixie chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of her neck. "Ehehehe, well, we don't have to talk about that..."

"Well, I suppose it's time to go..." Twilight murmured before turning to Yona, "Are you ready?"

"Um... can Yona say goodbye to mama and papa before we leave?" she asked softly, turning back to face her village.

"Of course," Twilight nodded.

She didn't hesitate after Twilight gave her the go-ahead, charging forward toward the village and darting straight to her home to say goodbye one last time. Yona burst through the door to see her mother and father having coffee.

Yasamin and Äiti quickly thundered toward Yona as they quickly embraced their daughter in an iron bind, "Yona, you aren't getting cold hooves, are you!?" sniffled Yasamin.

"We aren't mad, Yona; we let you go on your Förkörsrätt and fully support you!" sobbed her mother.

Yona shook her head, "No, Yona is not giving up. Yona, just... she..." The young heifer sniffed before embracing her mother and father, pulling them both into a hug. "Yona is going to miss mama and papa!!"

Yona wailed, unable to hold back her tears, pressing her face into her mother's chest.

Äiti soothed her daughter as Yasamin gently pulled her to him, "Yona put on a brave face in front of the council; now Yona has to put on a brave face for Yona and us!"

"You need to be brave! You need to be strong! Do not cry because you are leaving Yona. Smile because you are making history! Yakyakistan is Proud!" proclaimed Yasamin.

"WE are proud," He'd pulled Äiti to him as they gave Yona a prideful smile.

Yona sniffed and wiped away her tears, nodding as she clenched her cloak, trying to look tough for her parents.

"Y-Yona promise to be strong, Yona promise to make Yak history, and make parents even prouder." Nuzzling them one last time, she sniffled and nodded, giving them a large smile.

"Yona will miss you..." She turned to the door, "Yona will always think of mama and papa."

"We love Yona, and we will think of Yona always…" smiled Äiti.

Starlight quietly stared over the horizon as she scribbled away at her copy of the cutie map. Scanning the vast landmass of Griffonia, she couldn't believe she was going to stalk Twilight across multiple continents at one point.

She smiled, chuckling to herself. If she could motivate herself to do all that for the wrong thing, what was stopping her from doing the opposite? Besides, she had ambition now; she had friends and a student that depended on her.

This wasn't just an opportunity to reform, but an obligation to do the right thing and Starlight was okay with her freedom of choice being stripped away. All things considered, she deserved worse.

The unicorn quietly stared across the seemingly endless mountain ranges and peaks as the past week replayed in her mind; the hardship, the misery, and the struggle that all ended in a lukewarm conclusion.

A part of her wishes there was some sort of final conflict or battle that would've proved her superiority or her downfall. But instead, she got none of those things and a second chance to boot from just about everypony she wronged.

It was wholly baffling to her; she couldn't understand what made her of all ponies redeemable in the eyes of Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Trixie, and Thorax. But maybe she didn't need to understand; perhaps she should just accept what it was instead of thinking too deeply about it.

Slowly from behind, Twilight Sparkle approached the lone unicorn, a curious expression on her face. She trotted up, looking over her shoulder to peek at what she was doing.

"We're about to move out.....That's very accurate note-taking; I assume you copied that from my old castle, right?" The alicorn smirked, remembering that the castle was long gone now. Frankly, she didn't have any sore feelings about the place. It rarely felt like home when she had lived there.

"Yes, it was very hard to copy a map so detailed in so little time…" Starlight chuckled as she slowly turned over to Twilight, "If I may ask, what was the hardest challenge you ever faced, Princess Twilight? Was it Trixie? Discord's chaos magic? The invasion of Canterlot? Nightmare Moon's last terror on Equestria? Tirek?"

"Please, call me Twilight; I'm not much for titles..." Twilight chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of her neck, "Well... honestly, they were all a challenge, but I think that Discord was the one that gave me the most trouble. He truly made me think my friends had turned against me, although now that I think about it, it should have been obvious it was a spell on them... why do you ask?"

"I'm a strategist, Twilight; I like to see where I failed so I can improve. I've read all accounts and records of your battles, studied your magic forms, and even studied more advanced combat spells because I knew you focused more on supportive and practical magic," Starlight sighed, "It doesn't matter now; I just… can't believe I lost like this."

Twilight cocked a brow, listening to everything Starlight said carefully, "So, you just want to learn? Honestly, I can understand that... I used to have such a terrible fear of failing."

"But, maybe don't consider this a loss. Consider it... a new beginning." Twilight smiled optimistically.

"Mm…" Starlight slowly nodded as she stared off at the horizon once more, enjoying the peace between the two as the wind accompanied them.

"I guess friendship really is magic, huh?" Starlight said dryly.

"Ugh, when ponies say it out loud, it sounds a little silly doesn't it?" Twilight snickered, pressing a hoof to her lips.

"But... it really is. Even if it's a little cheesy," the alicorn sighed contently, breathing in the cool, crisp air. "You don't need to worry, Starlight; everything will work out."

Starlight chuckled, "Yeah, it really is cheesy... I think what I really want is to be remembered. I know it's narcissistic, but… My greatest fear is being forgotten. I did this for my village, sure, but some part of me wanted to be remembered even if I was defeated."

She'd continue, "I wanted so badly to win or go out with a blaze of glory that the fact I'm even talking to you right now as your… assistant is so surreal."

"Well, that's a pervasive fear, Starlight. Nocreature wants to be forgotten to the addles of time." Twilight nodded understandingly, "I know I wouldn't want to be either..."

"Starlight, you're not my... assistant. You're my..." she hesitated to call her friend, "... Acquaintance. You're not an underling or anything like that."

Starlight slowly turned over to Twilight as she gave her a worn, tired expression, "It's all semantics; in the end, history will decide whether we are worthy of reverence or revilement. Friend, acquaintance, begrudging ally, it doesn't matter as long as our objective is fulfilled, right?" she spoke rather coldly.

Twilight raised her brow, unsure how to take what Starlight had just said, "Starlight... the history books may have a different view of you, but you can prove yourself to be a good pony to others and be their friends if you want to try. It's all up to you, nopony else," Twilight replied.

"I'm not going to say it's going to be easy, but I know you can do it. You're smart, clever, and determined to whatever you put your mind to..." She gestured to herself as an example somewhat smugly.

Starlight rolled her eyes as a smile slowly crept on her face, "Yeah…so what's next?"

Author's Note

Thank you for reading! Stay tuned for The Equestria Chronicles: The Gallop Through Griffonia!

A Partner Ship So Good It's Almost Criminal

“I am not paying extra,” Starchee said plainly, sitting at his desk as he stared down the mares. The ‘office’ was more of a part of his storage room cut off by a few crates. He was an older stallion with a graying black mane, a brown coat, and a mustache to match. He creaked forward, staring bitterly with his yellow eyes at the showpony.

“You have a lot of nerve Trixie; first, you shoot fireworks in my bar, and then you bring in your lacky to stiff me! Do you think I’m a sucker? This mare isn’t some slob you pulled from the crowd. No, no, it’s obvious she comes in right about where you’re about to perform a trick.”

The tavernkeeper hissed, “And you made it so obvious too, really? Mage-ika…Magic….whatever her name is! It’s way too convenient, don’t you think? I am not paying extra; I should cut your pay for going around our agreements!”

Trixie reeled back in shock at the blunt manner in which Starchee refused her. How dare he, when she had put her heart and soul into her act even while thrown off by her mysterious comrade’s appearance! The blue mare couldn’t help but stick out her lip and lower her brow.

And as soon as he began to accuse her of staging such a blatant insult to her craft as if it were some sort of scheme to steal from him was just-- just--

Actually, it was rather clever; she needed to write that down.

“Look, sir, I’m not affiliated with this mare; I just wanted to come in for a drink.” Starlight said as she attempted to ease the situation.

“How dare you accuse Trixie of being a... a fraud?! As if Trixie would ever willingly associate herself with somepony who attempts to upstage her!” She turned, hissing at the cloaked pony.

“I don’t want to hear it! I’m not giving you extra bits, you…you…quack!” snapped the old stallion; his brown mustache twitched with every bitter syllable.

Facing back to Starchee, Trixie harrumphed. “Trixie put in all this effort, pulled off such a spectacular act... and the fireworks were on my bits. Do you have any idea how much these fireworks cost?!” she didn’t even want to mention the legality.

“You should be paying Trixie double for even stepping into this waste bin!”

“You want to talk about the fireworks? I said you could light a few sparklers and use a smoke machine, not turn my bar into the Equestria games half-time show!” snapped Starchee, “You figure it out; it’s not MY problem. Maybe next time, you won’t try to sneak around our agreements in an attempt to swindle bits out of me.”

Her smile instantly dropped when he reminded her of the limits on her pyrotechnics. To be fair, she had genuinely forgotten, and it had been her regular act; she hadn’t really thought about the fire hazard. Or, if she had thought about it, she hadn’t considered it a problem worth worrying about.

Starlight looked at Trixie bitterly; she knew it was too good to be true; she quickly hissed, “You better give me something, or we'll have some issues.” threatened Starlight.

The blue unicorn rolled her eyes and turned her back on Starlight, sighing dramatically.

“Whatever, it wasn’t like the payment was worth anything to Trixie, only her pride was on the line, and it is clear to her that this establishment is beneath her!” she began to turn down a hallway, glancing back only to throw one more nasty remark their way. “Trixie will be leaving, but first, she needs to use the little filly’s room. After all, this place is a dump anyway.” And with that, she trotted further into the building.

Starchee chuckled, before looking at Starlight, “I bet this poor excuse of a showpony promised you a nice reward, didn’t she? Well, too bad! I haven’t run my business for this long by being conned by low-brow hooligans!” he smirked, “Why don’t you talk to your boss.”

Starlight bubbled with anger, the gall of this pony, and now she wasn’t going to get paid? She had risked her identity and safety for nothing! This would not stand; she was going to confront her, “She’s not my boss…and trust me, I will.” growled Starlight as she rose from her seat as she stamped out of the storage room.

Before, she used her magic to turn herself invisible quickly, following Trixie down the hallway, catching up to her. Passing by the bathroom, Trixie glanced back down the hall she had come, checking to make sure nopony was watching before she bolted for a set of stairs, climbing to a second floor. It seemed to be a small office, and Trixie knew exactly where one would hide a safe in such a place.

Unlike most ponies, Starchee didn’t hide his behind a painting; it was in plain view behind his desk. Trixie tossed one more glance to the doorway before trotting up to it. Pulling out a few hair pins from her mane, she began working her own special magic on the bolts inside the lock.

Trixie began to sweat as the time passed; ten, twenty, thirty seconds passed as she slowly worked through the pins inside the safe’s lock before finally hearing the blessed click inside. She couldn’t help but let out a little hissed “yessss!” before quickly shooting a look toward the doorway. Turning back towards her prize, she opened the safe and promptly closed her own jaw at the stack of bits inside.

Starlight watched in complete shock as the blue mare cracked the staff in Starchee’s office, more impressed than anything. The mare crept closer, cautious of her hoofsteps as she inched toward Trixie.

Trixie didn’t waste any time, taking a nice chunk of change for herself and a few bits for her strange friend down there. Enough to get her to shut up, at least. Satisfied with her haul, she kicked the safe door shut and turned to the exit.

As the blue mare quickly turned to face the doorway, Starlight leaned in and whispered, “If you’re going to steal, you might as well take everything.”

Trixie nearly jumped to the ceiling at the sudden voice, doing a complete 360º as she attempted to find the source of the mysterious mare’s voice. “Wh-Where are you?! H-How dare you sneak up on Trixie! And why aren’t you keeping him busy?”

Starlight scoffed as she quietly whispered, attempting to control herself. She’d appear if she were to yell or run while using her invisibility spell.

“I’m in the room; that’s all that matters.” cooed Starlight. She’d pause, “Keep him busy?...We? What do you mean ‘we,’ we aren’t partners! Did you just assume I’d go along with whatever idea you had without deliberating with me first!?” hissed Starlight.

Trixie snorted, “Well, duh, Trixie assumed you would be at least that bright, but Trixie supposes she overestimated your intelligence. Trixie guesses only one of us here attended Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, eh?”

Taking a deep breath, the blue unicorn mare attempted to calm herself and regain her confidence. “You know, Trixie’s never had a stalker before, but Trixie knew it would happen eventually; Trixie’s just that magnificent.” she was practically preening like a peacock, a smirk on her lips.

“And besides, Trixie doesn’t want him to notice until we’re both long gone.” she trotted towards the door, rolling her eyes.

Before the two could react, Starchee walked into the doorway, “Boys? Are you in here-” the stallion slowly stared at Trixie as his face turned red as a tomato, “HOW DARE YOU STEAL FROM ME! I’VE HAD IT UP TO HERE WITH YOU, BOYS. WE HAVE OURSELVES A THIEF IN OUR MITS!” shouted Starchee.

The blue mare would have gone on further with her insults if the owner hadn't arrived. Trixie’s ears went back as her eyes scanned the place for an exit. Yes, a window! Perfect! Thinking quickly, Trixie summoned her best exit line before--

Starlight quickly revealed herself next to Trixie and promptly blasted Starchee with a freezing spell, engulfing the older stallion into a block of ice.

Trixie’s jaw dropped at the sudden spell, her blood turning cold as she witnessed the strange pony turn her theft victim into a possible murder.

Soon Starchee’s sons stormed the room; their mouths dropped to the floor at the sight of their dad being turned into a block of ice. Starlight swiftly turned before bucking the large ice cube into the boys before it slammed into them and shoved them into a nearby wall.

Starlight quickly used her magic to raid the safe, taking whatever Trixie left behind, “How’s that for keeping him busy?” chuckled Starlight as the ponies groaned and squirmed against the weight of the ice block.

By the time Starlight turned around to speak to Trixie, she was already squirming her way out of a window, about to drop from the second floor and hopefully make it to her wagon. She didn’t sign up for this! Just a show and a little extra payment, that was all!

“Hey!” snapped Starlight as she quickly shot Trixie with a stun spell, Trixie felt her muscles grow stiff as her squirming ceased, but she didn’t hang limp or give out, no. She remained firm in her awkward position in the window. Trixie slumped against the windowsill, not even given a chance to make a noise of complaint; although she was terrified, she was about to fall face-first onto the street below.

Using her levitation spell, Starlight quickly grabbed the motionless showpony, “alright, I have had it up to here with you! The constant boasting and annoying quips, who cares if you went to some school? I bested Princess Twilight in a magical duel twice! (Kinda.)”

“Give me one good reason I shouldn’t just leave you here and pin you for freezing that grumpy old stallion and harming his boys.” snapped Starlight before she chuckled; her chuckling erupted into laughter, “Hey! It’s kinda funny; at least you’ll actually be known for being a great and powerful magician in jail!”

Starlight quickly turned around as she attempted to walk away from her and to add salt to the wound. She took the bits she earned and subsequently stole from Starchee.

Trixie listened to the strange unicorn rant, trying her best to hold back, rolling her eyes at the lecture. She made a pained noise of annoyance, attempting to move as the strange mare threatened to pin everything on Trixie. The worst part was the bits; she had stolen that fair and square!

Trixie was just about to give up and lie motionless on the floor, complacent with the fate she had been given... until she realized what Starlight had first said.

“You... you fought Twilight in a duel... and won?” Trixie asked, having to fight the spell in order not to slur her words. “Well... I suppose we have something in common after all.”

“Oh please, just like your great victory in Zebrica, right? Fabricated and full of lies?” hissed Starlight as she once again attempted to leave Trixie to her fate.

“Please, ask the perfect pony princess herself if you really want to. Or any pony in that blasted town of hers. All I wanted was to do my act in town. I got the permit like I was supposed to; I even scheduled it with their mayor! But noooooo, all of Twilight’s friends had to come up and heckle my act. And then those two little idiots set loose an Ursa Minor...” Trixie grumbled, looking to the side. She had utterly stopped speaking in the third person, “And then that amulet...”

“I almost took over that backward little hick town, and I had the power of an Alicorn with that amulet! But she tricked me and took it from me...” the unicorn looked away scornfully, shaking her head. “I will admit, I became a little... unhinged under its influence, but still...”

Looking up at the lilac unicorn, Trixie narrowed her gaze, “Believe I’m lying if you want, but that’s my story. I’ve been traveling Equestria and, just recently, beyond to try and make some sort of money... but word travels pretty far... The empire seems to be the only place that hasn’t been entirely tainted yet.”

Starlight said nothing for a moment as she quietly listened to Trixie’s story, slowly smiley before softly laughing, “I’ve heard of you. The ponies in the Ponyville market talked of some wiry magician; that was you, right?”

As Starlight said that, her mind began to drift to the little town she cultivated herself. What she do to be able to rule that backward village again. To have her life back on track once more. Her firey and bitter glare turned to a sympathetic gaze as she quickly freed Trixie and placed her rightly earned and stolen bits beside her.

Trixie sighed and rolled her eyes before looking down at the floor, “.... yeah. But don’t believe anything they said; my performance was legendary!” it wasn’t exactly pleasant to unveil all of her dirty little secrets to this complete stranger, but it was even more shocking when she realized that the mare was... letting her go? The blue unicorn blinked rapidly, trying to understand why she would do that for her.

“I know what it’s like to have your life turned on its head, believe me.” Sighed Starlight, “I’ll see you around, oh Great and Powerful Trixie, and one more thing. You better pack up your bags, Twilight Sparkle is in the city with all of her friends, and I don’t think stealing will make your history any better with her.”

“Oh, and my name is Starlight Glimmer,” she said finally before walking toward the door.

The blue mare paused for a moment as Starlight walked out, finally having a name to put to the face. Eyes flicking towards the bag, she quickly grabbed it and tucked it under her cape, following the other mare out of the office.

Trixie quickly caught up to Starlight, her curiosity winning over her common sense. If she had any reason, she would have just leaped from that window as soon as the exchange was over, but she was intrigued, “Why would you fight our perfect pony princess overlord?”

Starlight looked over to Trixie, wholly baffled that this pony would still follow her despite freezing a pony into a block of ice, assaulting two others, and nearly letting her be arrested. But this mare had gone above and beyond in terms of her expectations, if only it were in a positive sense.

“We’re still talking?...Uh….well, I created a perfect society, where everypony was equal, where nopony was better than anyone else, and then she and her posse of friends showed up to my doorstep, literally!” grumbled Starlight.

“Anywho…I showed them around my town and allowed them to stay! But someponies got the idea in their head that they needed and wanted their Cutie Marks back. They were happy before Twilight Sparkle, and her friends showed up. I was their leader!” snapped Starlight.

The unicorn took a deep breath as she continued, “I tried to show them the benefits of being equal, and do you know what? I had to do something; I couldn’t just let everything I worked for go to waste, years of my life down the drain. So I had to take a stand, I took them to the vault where I stored everypony’s cutie mark, and I took Twilight’s.”

Starlight snarled, “But then she turned my own friend’s against me and ran me out of my own town! And from that moment on, I have sworn revenge against her, and her little friends too…and so far my plan has…well, it hasn’t succeeded, but it hasn’t failed either…. it’s a work in progress.” she’d chuckle nervously.

Trixie stayed silent for the majority of Starlight’s story; frankly, she was trying her best not to become bored and tap her hoof to some silent rhythm in the room. It wasn’t until she mentioned taking away ponies' talents that she looked up.

“So... you took ponies, Cutie Marks, away, and she stopped you with her friends? Huh.” she wasn’t sure if she should be horrified or impressed,“I’m not really that surprised that they stopped you. Honestly, you sounded like you deserved it.”

“Buuuut, I’m not really one to talk. I did take over their town and keep it in a dome for a few days.” she shrugged, following Starlight to the door.

Starlight grumbled at Trixie’s comments; she really didn’t ask for her opinion; all things considered, why can’t she just shut up and listen for once?

“Look, I have to go, and you should too. It was nice meeting you and all, but I think we should split before the Royal Guard comes.”

Raising a brow, Trixie turned towards the crowded tavern and raised her hoof to show off the disgusting glory of its patrons, unintentionally using her stage voice, “Do you really think any of these idiots heard what happened up there? And you knocked those stallions out cold. Trixie thinks we have some time. Besides, Trixie needs to move her wagon, and those alley corners are tight, and she needs a second pair of eyes.”

Starlight’s eyes widened at the sheer gall from Trixie, completely taken aback by her sheer…stupidity. Not only did she openly mock and belittle the patrons, but she said out loud the very illegal crimes they had just committed.

“....Excuse me?” asked one of the more sober ponies sitting at a table.

A Yicksluberfest To Remember: Part Two

As day turned to night. Even as Luna's moon hung high in the sky, the celebrations were far from over as the drink and songs kept coming. When a yak wasn't drinking, he was singing, and if he was not singing, he was smashing. The mead, rum, and cider barrels kept rolling out as fast as they were consumed.

To think there were already three feasts in one day. The breakfast feast, the lunch feast, and now dinner feast were presented, with Crystal Pony cuisine being laid out for the guests. Despite their only being fourteen ponies, there was enough food prepared for them for an entire village courtesy of Prince Rutherford.

Pastries, stews, bread, and soups, of all varieties and types lined the dozens upon dozens of tables, with yaks trotting two and fro as if to refuel from their constant celebration. And as if that weren't enough, it was traditional for Yickslurbertfest to last a few days. This was only a recent change from the previous week-long celebration.

"So yak's don't become lazy," to quote Rutherford.

Twilight had enjoyed every second of it, taking out her journal every time she could find something new to their tradition, which was more common than she thought. She was just writing down the change from a week to a few days when someone poked her in the side.

Looking over, the alicorn witnessed Rainbow Dash with five biscuits in her mouth, making a rather silly face. She couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.

Swallowing down the mouthful with some difficulty, Rainbow coughed, "Hey, have you seen Pinkie? Or... Applejack, for that matter?"

"Oh, I think I saw them an hour ago... Pinkie was having a snowball fight with the calves and Applejack was keeping an eye on her." Twilight tucked away her book, taking a delicate sip of a warm mug of alcohol-free cider made for the calves. Finding something non-alcoholic that wasn't water was quite a challenge.

"It's lovely here; I even found some wild rabbits," Fluttershy beamed, two rabbits hopping on top of her head.

Applejack trotted over as she panted heavily, collapsing onto the cold hard earth beneath her, "I can't do it; I just can't keep up with that mare!" shouted the cowpony.

"I have tried everything I knew to keep up, but I can't… girls…." She'd meekly look up at Twilight and Rainbow Dash, "I lost Pinkie Pie."

Twilight got up from the table, her horn lighting up as she picked the earth pony off the ground and into a seat.

"I didn't expect you to keep up with her forever; you did your best, Applejack," Twilight smiled, handing her a warm kuska of cider.

"I can probably go and find her if you want." Rainbow volunteered, raising a hoof. "I'll get her back here in under thirty seconds."

"It's not a massive deal... so long as she shows up soon." Twilight gave a nervous smile, sitting back down. "I know how excitable she can get, and it is a party."

"Let's just hope she doesn't get into trouble." Fluttershy chuckled.

Thorax sat contentedly under the branches of a dead tree. The tree's bark and wood were decaying and gray. To many, it's sad and sickly, but to the changeling, it reminded him of home. Its dark color and alien shape were comforting and homey. He took a deep breath as he watched the celebration from a distance.

He began to ponder his life before this, before becoming entangled in the prospect of equalism. Before his time of desperation and starvation in the darkness of a storm drain. Life in the hive was unforgiving. It was meticulous and yet chaotic all at once with its changing interior and layout. But despite the non-linear shape of the hive, the very linear goal stayed the same.

Serve the hive, serve the Queen and feed. It was so daunting compared to the past few months of merely observing ponies, let alone living with them. Ponies would help one another, for free, for nothing; it was nothing. A changeling would never do that unless it benefited them.

Of course, his brother was an exception, but he did it out of obligation rather than choice at times. Pharynx… he wondered how he was doing. A tinge of guilt stinging what would be his heart.

He left him, even after all his begging and pleading. In the end, his brother was loyal to the hive but did provide him with one last favor. Thorax remembered his brother's words on that night he fled.

"I'll do you the favor of keeping your disgrace to the hive a secret. I don't want you ruining what I have got going for me because YOU can't adapt! You're not just a traitor but an idiot for thinking friendship can make up for what we are! We're changelings! We'll always BE changelings!"

But what did it mean to be a changeling…?

Thorax suddenly felt a shift in pressure, as if his ears popped. Then, an extreme warmth.

"Hiya!" The pink party pony seemed to spontaneously appear behind him, a broad, cheery smile on her lips. "Whatcha doin' all the way out here?"

Looking at the mare, the changeling could sense this pony's unbounded love; it was as if she was bursting with it. She barely contained her passion that was desperate to seep out from her, the yak wool cloak fluttering about as the bells tinkled and rang. How in Chrysalis' name did he not hear her coming?

The pink mare sat down on the ground beside him, her smile never leaving her, "My name's Pinkie Pie! What's yours?"

Thorax's train of thought was derailed as he let out a shrill scream before quickly retaining his attention on this pony.

He'd recognize her from his escape from The Crystal City… he'd also recognize her aura, her delicious pink, juicy, absolutely savory love.

Thorax collected himself as he used every fiber in his being not to erupt into animalistic wailing, swallowing back his primal urge to feed.

"Uhm… Thorax… uh… I had some things on my mind, is all."

"Oopsie, sorry, I didn't mean to scare you! I'm not scary, am I?" Pinkie softened her smile, recognizing his somewhat hesitant way of speaking.

"Well... if you wanna talk about it, I'm willing to listen!" the party pony beamed, "I'm a great listener! One time Twilight asked me for my opinion, and she went on and on and on, and OOOOONNN about it, and I said, 'yeah, what you said,' and Twilight was so happy, I guess she must have said something brilliant."

Pinkie realized she was rambling and blushed, "Whoops! Sorry. What's the problem, Thorax?"

Thorax licked his chops as he began to tremble, the hunger banging against like a caged animal, "Well, right now… Uhm… I'm really hungry. It's just you got this…." he'd stammer, swallowing back the saliva flooding his mouth, "Delicious, tasty, beautiful bright pink aura around your… y-your… lov–"

He'd violently rocked before hissing at the air and snapping his jaw wildly, quickly covering his mouth, "Ah! I'm sorry, I am so, SO sorry; I didn't mean to!" he frantically apologized.

Pinkie Pie reared back for a moment, her eyes widening, before tumbling back into the snow. For a moment, she was silent, taking in what just happened... before falling into a fit of giggles.

"Oooooooh, you're just hungry! Well, you are a changeling after all!" Pinkie sat up, snow stuck in her mane, "You are a changeling, right? Shining and Cadance mentioned you!"

"Hmmm... but I don't think that was the only thing you were upset about. How's about this, you get some food, and I get to hear what's really on your mind!" Pinkie gave him a smile, offering him her hoof. "Seems fair to me!"

Thorax drooled at the thought of consuming Pinkie Pie's love; she was so bubbly, he wondered if it would be like what ponies called soda. He'd stare at the mare for a moment before shaking his head.

"No, no, no, that's a conflict of interest. I CAN'T do that; we really shouldn't be doing this."

The changeling paced around in place, "Because if we become friends, we'll just get upset when we have to part ways or worse, fight, and I'd upset Trixie and Starlight and how would your friends feel?"

The changeling shook his head, "No, no, no. I'm not dumb enough to fall for this emotional pitfall."

"Awwww, c'mon, we don't have to be... be..." she seemed to deflate as the realization hit her, "Oh no, you're right! If we become friends, and something bad happens, and then we get separated, we'll start to miss being friends, which will be AWFUL!!"

"B-But, all I want to do is make friends, and make others smile!" Pinkie stuck her lip out, giving the best puppy dog eyes possible, "And you seem nice! I mean, my friends would like you! I think you'd get along with Fluttershy!"

"And you can fly, which means Rainbow would want to race you! And Applejack wouldn't mind extra hooves during harvest season! And Rarity would love to have you over to fit you for some suits, and Twilight would want to study and ask you a bunch of questions! And I'd love to bake you a cake! What kind of flavors do you like, chocolate or spicy chocolate?"

Pinkie began to ramble again, placing her hooves on her head, "It's not fair!"

Thorax sighed, "Don't feel too bad; I know all about things not being fair. Hey, maybe we can be friends after everything's said and done… assuming I'm not sent back to the changeling lands or Tartarus…."

He'd shrug off that gnawing fear before turning to Pinkie and giving her his best smile, "Hey, if it's any consolation, I'm actually in the market for making friends and spreading the message of equality, maybe if you'd see our side we could be friends!"

"(And maybe convince Starlight to stop that whole revenge thing and make up for burning down a city bit…)."

"Soooo.... we can be soon-to-be friends?" Pinkie's smile returned, the joy relit in her eyes. "Aw, c'mon, you haven't done anything bad yet! You were just running because you were scared! I have an eye for these things." she'd wink with her other eye bulging out cartoonishly.

"Oooooh, Starlight has you on that, huh?" Pinkie's gaze turned wary for a moment, "If I were you, I'd be careful. I went to her town, it wasn't right! All those ponies... their smiles... were wrong! Just plain ole' wrong, they weren't true smiles!" she seemed personally offended by it, crossing her arms. "You can't just make ponies smile like that!"

"I mean, of course, equality is good, but you can't force it!" Pinkie turned back to the changeling, "You can be a good or bad creature just as much as a pony can, and while some ponies have different talents, it doesn't make them bad for it!"

Thorax raised his brow at Pinkie, perplexed by the mare's unrelenting enthusiasm and a little overwhelmed, "I wouldn't know much about being talented or wholly different. Changelings are practically identical…."

"Uhhh... did she tell you anything about her village?" Pinkie asked suddenly.

He scratched his chin, "Mostly about how you, mostly Twilight Sparkle, came in and spread lies about her ideals. Turning the villagers against her and causing her to flee town. Truth be told, I don't think she's giving me the whole picture…."

He'd sigh as he'd plop his rump on the dirt, "It's not too different from Chrysalis; honestly…she barks orders and expects everyone to do their job. The only difference is that Trixie has the sense… or lack thereof, to talk back, and I have hope I can convince her to focus on spreading equality instead of focusing on Twilight Sparkle."

"Like, I get it; I know what it's like to leave your home and everything you've known behind and to be chased out? That's just… awful. But I think she can't see the bigger picture…." He'd looked up at Pinkie and realized his mistake in rambling.

"Ah… never mind…." he'd grumbled.

Pinkie's ears were flattened, not liking how Starlight had spun the story to the changeling. No wonder he was going along with her; she lied about everything!

"Twilight didn't come to town and spread lies; Starlight was lying to her ponies about keeping her talent for herself while taking everypony's talent!" Pinkie piped up, "No wonder you're with her! If Twilight knew this, she wouldn't make you return to Chrysalis! I could just explain everything to her."

"I Pinkie Promise, whatever happens, I'll make sure Twilight knows you're not a bad po-- changeling." The mare smiled, sticking a hoof in her eye. "I know a little about going off on your own, I left my rock farm when I was a filly, so I could go and spread cheer! Although, I suppose my journey had a happier start than yours... but if I can make it easier for you, just ask!"

"I know that Starlight is your... friend. So I won't tell you to leave her, because it wouldn't be right, or my place to do so! But know that your aunt Pinkie is always here if you need her." Pinkie finished with a smile.

Thorax smiled, quickly transforming into Pinkie as he mimicked the mare's gesture before returning to his original form. Pinkie giggled at the sight.

He sighed, "I just think she needs a friend. I think some creatures just need someone to offer them a hoof."

"I was on the verge of starvation before I met her and Trixie, and they both saved my life by giving me their love… I'm obligated to return the favor, and if I can convince Trixie to be my friend, then I can convince Starlight to be a better friend."

"That's really kind to say, Thorax! And very true. I wish I could reach out to more creatures... but hey, that's why we're on this expedition!"

Pinkie smiled brightly. "Oh, I'm not worried about Trixie; she's just a silly filly who's a little too big for her britches... although I don't forgive her for taking my mouth away. I need that to breathe!"

Thorax raised his brow at the 'taking her mouth' away a bit before continuing, ".....Hey, I know this may seem strange, but… you and your friends are the reason I left the hive. If it's any consolation, you taught me how important friendship is."

Pinkie wiped a tear away from her cheek, "Aww, really? That's so sweet!" She wrapped the changeling in a tight hug, unafraid to give him a squeeze. "Well, it's good that you were there, weren't you? Some things work in mysterious ways; that's what my Granny Pie told me!"

A pink essence practically bled off Pinkie as she embraced Thorax in her loving act. The changeling lapped at the air as he savored the incredibly sweet love. Rich, bubbly, and intoxicating.

Pinkie Pie couldn't help but feel a little light-headed during the hug, whether from the excitement of it all or, more likely, unintentional feeding she'd given Thorax.

He sighed contentedly as he gently patted Pinkie Pie's back, "This is the most painfully pleasurable experience of my life…."

"Woah, that bucks you in the head!" Pinkie blinked, "Wow, Thorax, you give great hugs!"

Pulling away, she shook her head, bouncing back from the feeding rather quickly.

Looking off into the distance at the village, Pinkie turned back to Thorax with a soft smile. "Well, my friends are probably waiting for me. Wanna walk back with me?"

Thorax chuckled, "Thanks, but I don't want to cause an upset between you and your friends… besides, the blue one probably wants to beat me up, so…."

"Aww..." Pinkie said, disheartened, looking down at the snowy ground before plonking back, "Okay! Maybe I'll see you at the feast later; you gotta tell me more about being a changeling sometime!"

"See ya, Thorax!" Pinkie waved as she trotted away, heading back towards the warm light of the village.

The crisp and cool air brushed against Pinkie as she bounced her way back into town, arriving at the feast. The mare waved erratically to her friends, her stomach growling despite the amount of food she had eaten all day.

"Ooooh, I'll take this!" Pinkie grabbed a pastry, stuffing it into her mouth.

"Pinkie! We've been looking for you for hours, and now you show up, and you just... eat a pastry?! We were worried!" Rainbow Dash crossed her arms, looking unimpressed with the mare's behavior.

"Oops! I'm sorry, I didn't realize..." Pinkie swallowed down the pastry, pressing a hoof to her mouth. "I'm sorry girls. I didn't mean to scare anypony! I was just talking to Thorax and--"

"You were what? Talking to the enemy?!" Dash's eyes widened. "How could you, Pinkie! Did he cast any weird spells on you? DID HE EAT YOUR LOVE?!"

Pinkie giggled, "I think he might have; it tickled!"

"Gross." lamented Dash.

"You let that changeling feed on you? But why?" Twilight got out of her seat, inspecting the mare to make sure she hadn't fallen ill with something.

The pink mare shrugged, "He seems really nice, and he looked really sad, so I don't mind. Oooh, I have some stuff to tell you about him later, but.... not right now."

"Pinkie, if it's important, you should tell me now."

"I *can't* Twilight; it'll ruin the flow of the story!"

Twilight screwed up her face and sighed. Accepting the non-answer for whatever it was worth, "Fine... tell me later. But it better not be too important to hear later!"

"Whatever..." Rainbow rolled her eyes, "Ugh... I'm stuffed. I hope the yaks weren't trying to make me sleepy on purpose." the pegasus yawned for a good moment, cracking her jaw.

"I suppose I'm a little sleepy myself," Fluttershy chuckled, "But is there anything more to the festival? We shouldn't miss it; it would be rude."

Rarity trotted over, carrying a massive bundle of yak wool on her back, "Girls! Would you believe that one of the finest wools I have ever seen is on these yaks!? AND IT JUST FALLS OFF OF THEM?"

Applejack rolled her eyes, "Keep your shoes on; it's just a little fur…."

"Wool, it is wool, Applejack!" Rarity corrected snobbishly, "it's so thick and soft! Oh, imagine all the REAL fur coats I could make with just ONE yak at my boutique…."

"So that's what you've been doing… good to know..." sighed Applejack

"I agree with Rarity; it's almost like angora fur..." Fluttershy glanced around, realizing only Twilight knew what she was talking about. "Um... they're rabbits."

"Perhaps if everything goes well, we'll have yaks visiting Equestria." Twilight smiled.

Suddenly, Prince Rutherford's voice boomed throughout the village, "IN HONOR OF KING GUSTAV, WE NOW OBSERVE TRADITIONAL YICKSLUBERFEST FIREWORKS DISPLAY OUTSIDE OF VILLAGE. EVERYYAK HAS TEN MINUTES BEFORE WE SHOOT OFF FIREWORKS!"

"Oooooh! Fireworks!!" Pinkie hopped up, grabbing an armful of food before bouncing away on her tail. "C'mon, girls! We don't want to miss it!"

Rainbow sighed and grabbed three mugs of cider, "Alright, I guess I could stay up for a show."

Twilight murmured, making notes in her book, "Let's go, girls; I want to test myself and guess the composition of their rockets. Potassium nitrate, carbon, and sulfur are obvious..."

The village began clearing out as the few hundred yaks began to organize neatly in rows before marching out of the gates. Sitting on the edge of a cliff was a wagon full of fireworks, hundreds of different types of rockets in varying shapes and sizes. Still, one thing stood out as particularly alluring to a certain party pony and magician.

A five-foot-tall copper cylinder, propped up on wooden wheels with three yaks dragging this behemoth. Another wagon behind them carried a stack of massive copper balls and barrels of gunpowder.

Starlight and Trixie looked on with piqued interest, "A cannon? They're really putting their best hoof forward for this celebration." smirked Starlight.

Thorax quickly buzzed in, landing next to Trixie as he panted, "I heard the yelling. Did I miss anything?"

Trixie glanced over at Thorax, raising a brow. "Where were you? I thought you went back to the wagon because you were sick."

She'd quickly focus on the copper beauty dragged out in front of her, gawking at it, "Now this... is beautiful." Trixie trotted up to the massive cannon, feeling tempted to touch it. "What kind of tricks I could perform..."

"Oooh, that's a MASSIVE party cannon!" Pinkie Pie ran up to one of the yaks. "Can I bring my party cannon out?? I promise it's not a weapon; it can't hurt a fly!"

"Pinkie, what did I tell you about party cannons?!" Twilight shouted.

"I guess that means no flying for me." Rainbow sat down on a rock, taking a long gulp of cider.

The soldier yak guarding the cannon quickly slapped Trixie's hoof, "NOCREATURE BUT THE PRINCE MAY FIRE THE ROYAL ARTILLERY!"

Trixie hmpfed and trotted back towards Thorax and Starlight, head held high.

The second soldier roughly nudged his comrade, "DON'T SHOUT AT GUESTS!" snapped the guard, he quickly turned to the bouncing mare at his hooves, "Hmm… more cannons…?" he'd turn to Rutherford.

"YOUR HIGHNESS PINK PONY WANT TO USE THEIR CANNON IN CELEBRATION TOO!"

Rutherford stamped in place excitedly at the news of a second cannon, "YES! PINK PONY, SHOW US YOUR CANNON!"

Twilight would groan and place a hoof over her face while Pinkie squealed with joy, bouncing into the air and wiggling her hooves, "EEEE!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!"

Trotting out of eyesight, the pink mare returned with a pony-sized cannon, painted pastel blue with bright pink wheels.

"I'm so excited!! I'm sorry, I can't wait!!!" squealed Pinkie.

Pinkie grabbed the pull string with her teeth and yanked it back. It seemed to cough and sputter for a second before a confetti explosion rained down on them. Pinkie Pie stuck her tongue out, catching it like snowflakes.

"Uhh... is that edible?" Rainbow raised a brow.

"Nope!" Pinkie giggled.

"PINKIE!" Twilight barked anxiously, glancing over at Rutherford for his reaction.

Rutherford erupted into a kingly laugh, stamping his hooves as the earth thundered beneath him, shaking happily underneath the colorful confetti, "Pony hilarious! May I see your cannon?"

Twilight sighed in relief, watching Pinkie wheel up the cannon to the king.

"Thank you! Thank you!" Pinkie bowed, "I made it myself! Well.. with the instruction manual." she giggled, holding a hoof to her cheek.

The prince callously examined the cannon, lifting the wool from his face as he slipped a small pair of glasses on the front of his muzzle. Exploring every nook and cranny of the cannon, he'd thoughtfully tap his hoof on his chin before grabbing a barrel of gunpowder and pouring the black grains into the mortar.

Using a ramrod to stuff the tight grains inside, the prince then loaded the small cannon with little lead balls before rolling the artillery to the edge of the cliff, "IN HONOR OF OUR NEW PONY FRIENDS, OUR FIRST FIREWORK WILL BE FROM PONY' PARTY CANNON'"

With a quick tug from the string, a massive fiery blast erupted from the canon as confetti and fire roared from within the cannon's barrel. Filling the air with the smokey scent of burning confetti and gunpowder.

The yaks quickly stamped their hooves as they cheered loudly,

“PARTY CANNON, PARTY CANNON, YAAAAAAAAAH!!!” thundered the yaks.

"Now my cannon is a REAL cannon!!" Pinkie squealed, "I-I always wanted to try it, but... Twilight said somepony might get hurt!"

"Well, there's no harm here, I suppose," Twilight sighed, although internally, she wasn't confident a cannon like hers would be able to fire too many times before being damaged.

"Now, THIS is the BEST. PARTY. EVER!!!!!!" Pinkie jumped up and down with joy, dancing in the confetti. "Yaks are the best!!"

Trixie wrinkled her nose at the smell of burning paper, glancing between Starlight and Thorax. "I used to have a cannon..."

Starlight rolled her eyes, "Don't start. Just try to enjoy the celebration."

Thorax sneezed loudly as a piece of burnt confetti landed on the bridge of his muzzle.

The night went on as fireworks of all types were fired, and colorful displays of light shined as bright as the sun, illuminating the entire village. It was as if it were daytime at points. Around midnight, the large artillery piece was dragged toward the cliff's edge.

Stuffed and loaded with a massive amount of gunpowder and a lead ball, the cannon in question was supposed to fire seven shots toward the mountain in honor of King Gustav's victory against King Sombra.

However, it would soon become apparent that things would not go as per tradition. With a flick of his hoof, sparks would fly off the side of the cannon's exterior before the fuse caught light. Burning brightly before, the gun suddenly roared, firing the cannonball.

The cannon veered back as it slammed back against the powerful force of the gunpowder erupting from the barrel. Too much gunpowder had been loaded, but it was okay. Accidents happen…

A loud crack echoed through the mountains as the cannonball struck the surface of a cliff that was in the distance. The thundering sound of the cannon's fire was loud enough to echo through the mountains. But suddenly, the surface of the mountain they had just struck sent rocks and ice tumbling down its surface. Shaking the earth beneath them as the distant avalanche's roar echoed through the peaks.

However, the ground beneath their hooves continued to rumble as, right above them, ice and rock from the mountain towering over them began tumbling toward the village in a massive wave of frozen death.

Rutherford panicked; this had never happened before; the cannons striking the mountains had never caused an avalanche before.

"EVERYYAK INTO THE VILLAGE!" ordered Rutherford as the earth began to rock beneath their feet.

"AVALANCHE!!!" Pinkie Pie yelled, her voice carrying over the sound of snow flooding towards them, seeming to whip everycreature into a tizzy.

"Oh my, oh my..." Fluttershy seemed frozen, staring at the avalanche coming towards them, with Rainbow Dash forcibly lifting her from the ground.

"YOU CAN FLY, FLUTTERSHY!" Rainbow yelled.

They had about thirty seconds to move; it wasn't enough time. Starlight and Twilight both realized that if somepony didn't act, an entire civilization would be wiped out in one night.

Starlight turned to Thorax, "TURN INTO THE BIGGEST FIRE BREATHING DRAGON YOU CAN AND HIT THAT AVALANCHE WITH YOUR FIRE; I'LL SLOW DOWN THE ROCKS!" ordered Starlight as she quickly cast a haste spell.

Thorax quickly obeyed as he transformed into the biggest dragon he could, quickly spreading his wings as he darted to the skies above. Spike stood awestruck that moment as a tinge of jealousy prickled inside at the sight of Thorax.

Twilight stared at the disaster coming their way, using the amount of time to calculate the most efficient way to save everycreature.

"Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, lead the yaks AWAY from the village; it's right in their path! Take them the way we came! Otherwise, they'll get buried underneath!" Twilight ordered, "Get Spike, and make sure the guardsponies in the village get out too!"

"The rest of you..." Twilight turned to her friends before sighing, "I'm sorry."

Lighting up her horn, Twilight strained herself to wrap the spell around three of her friends before teleporting them outside the village. Twilight shuddered from the effort.

"Are you sure that was a good idea!?" Rainbow Dash called.

"We don't have time for discussion, Dash; now go!" Twilight used her magic to slap the pegasus on the flank, causing her to zip off. Fluttershy gave Twilight a weak nod before following after the rainbow mare.

Stretching out her wings, Twilight lifted off the ground, snow flying off in her wake. Drawing near the flooding snow, Twilight's horn burst to life as a wall of magic slammed into the snow, slowing it down.

Thorax unleashed a wave of blue fire from his throat as steam began to fill the air, quickly melting the snow. While Starlight, with a spark of her horn, flew toward the shield and stamped her hooves as she assisted Twilight with the shield.

Thorax bellowed as he spewed fire from his lungs to melt the snow again. As rocks and the weight of the ice and snow began to smash and weigh against the magical shield.

Twilight felt a bead of sweat going down her forehead despite the cold, opening her clenched eyes to witness Starlight... actually helping her? She had to snap out of her shock before her spell faded, focusing back on the task.

The alicorn grunted as she tried to keep the snow back, but it was difficult to fight against nature. The snow kept piling up, and she couldn't hold on forever, even if she was strong.

"I-I don't know how much longer I can hold it!" Twilight cried out, the aura around her horn growing brighter and brighter as it burned what magic reserves she had left.

Starlight hissed as her horn burned brightly, "Do you know of terraforming spells, Twilight Sparkle!?

Twilight gasped, trying to catch her breath; it felt like she was physically exerting herself, "Y-Yes, but which one?!"

Starlight grunted as she growled, "I THOUGHT YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE A PRODIGY! Look around you; it's all ROCKS and DIRT! FIGURE IT OUT!"

"Excuse ME if I have an encyclopedic knowledge of terraforming spells!! There's more than ONE, you know!!" Twilight yelled back before glancing around quickly.

Starlight quickly stopped supporting the shield as her horn burned brightly. She quickly raised her front hooves and slammed them to the ground raising a massive wall of spikes, "PUT THE SHIELD DOWN AND HELP ME RAISE THE EARTH INTO A WALL! IT'S OUR ONLY HOPE TO KEEP THE AVALANCHE BACK! THORAX! I NEED MORE FIRE!"

Thorax huffed as he smashed his claw into his chest, forcing himself to unleash a massive fiery blast that screeched loudly in contact with the snow. The frigid, icy air became muggy and humid, creating a fog of steam.

Grunting, the alicorn dropped the shield spell, the ice and water flooding towards them at an alarming rate. If it picked up any more speed, it would remove the whole village from the map!

Dropping beside Starlight on the ground, Twilight spread her wings wide before rearing up, slamming her hooves into the ground. The spikes rose like a wave, climbing higher and higher the longer she held the spell, creating the foundations of another wall.

"Keep that flame up!" Twilight cried out before flying into the air. Twilight attempted another spell, but her horn fizzled, drained from the excessive magic use, "Starlight! Freeze the snow and ice!"

Starlight grunted as she looked around, silently piecing together the reality of her situation, time was of the essence, and they needed to stop the avalanche from the top of the mountain from hitting the creatures in the village.

She slowly looked down, "...There isn't enough time! We're both running out of magic and the strength to keep this avalanche back! … you'd better raise a shield spell for yourself!"

Starlight turned away from the wall they made. Starlight began creating a massive crack in the earth, cutting the land they were on from the village. Grunting as she severed the linkage between the ridge and the village.

The ground began to shake beneath them before crumbling into the dark abyss below. The avalanche's rocks broke through the wall in front of Starlight as it tumbled into the void below. Starlight quickly raised a shield spell for herself as she was ping-ponged through the canyon she had just created.

The alicorn attempted to step away from the earth crumbling beneath her hooves; her magic severed as she struggled to think. She could just fly out– That was until she realized the avalanche was above her, destroying the wall they had created moments before. Squeezing her eyes shut, Twilight lit up her horn one last time, sealing herself in a pink bubble as she fell into the darkness.

Towing The Line Between Pragmatism And Opportunism

A few days later, the celebrations were officially concluded, and by the time the morning sun had kissed the earth beneath everycreature. Just about everyone was… party pooped, to put it politely, and completely hungover to put it truthfully.

Yaks were sprawled across the streets, in their homes, or somehow ON their homes. Snoring contentedly. The barrels of alcohol were finally depleted, and the stews and pastries were eaten. Now came the traditional post-Yicksluberfest day of rest, or Hviledag as the yaks called it.

The calves and anyone sober dared not to make a sound as the once rowdy children carefully crept through the village. The only sound uttered were the snores bellowing from the yaks who slept.

But unlike the many creatures in the village who were asleep from an alcohol-induced slumber, Thorax lay dormant on the wagon floor. Unmoving for the past few days. Occasionally twitching his left back leg as he slowly inhaled and exhaled through his snout.

Nothing could wake him, not shouting, screaming, or even shaking, and Starlight and Trixie were starting to get worried.

Trixie, having experienced ailments on her travels, had begun trying to concoct treatments for the poor changeling. She attempted numerous soups and stews, spooning a portion down his gullet, hoping he would take it. He would eventually cough it back up, leaving another thing for Trixie to take care of.

"I just don't understand; he must be starving now! Why won't he wake up??" Trixie turned to her fellow unicorn, genuine fear in her eyes. "Could it be the cold?"

"What if that magic really took a number on him? What if he's starving and too weak to wake up!?" panicked Trixie.

Starlight would shake Thorax, "Wake up, you little idiot, wake up!"

Thorax would grumble, "Pharynx… it's early…."

Starlight would continue to shake him, "C'mon, Thorax wake up!.... Queen Chrysalis is here!"

Thorax quickly opened his eyes as he shrieked," Pharynx I-...oh hey guys," he'd yawned, "Is Yicksluberfest still on?"

"You little idiot, you had us worried sick!" Trixie knelt down and wrapped the changeling up in a hug, "How are you feeling? Are you hungry?"

Pulling away, she sighed, "Things are different now. Apparently, Princess Twilight and our friend Starlight here came to an agreement. We can return to Equestria; we would simply have to help rebuild the portion of the Crystal City that 'we' destroyed and... probably pay some fines. But we'd be free."

Thorax slowly embraced Trixie, looking around excitedly at the mares, "Oh my gosh, you two are actually friends? I'm so happy! I knew this would work if we just stuck together!"

"This is fantastic news; we can finally start a life together with this newfound friendship... I-I… I'm really, really hungry."

His stomach would growl loudly, "Ompf… yeah… that really hurts…."

Starlight slowly trotted to Thorax, "Do you need our love?"

Thorax quickly reared back as he pressed himself against the wall, "Oh nonononono, it's too dangerous-" his stomach growled loudly as he winced in pain, "If I feed on you now, I'd… I'd kill you. We need more creatures or something bigger to give me love, so I don't hurt anybody."

"Is there anycreature willing to help us...?" Starlight sighed.

Thorax slowly tapped his hooves together, "There is… one pony I know who can help us, I uh… I was talking to Pinkie Pie the other day, the pink one, and we kinda became friends? Behind your backs… but it doesn't matter now because everybody's cool, right?"

Starlight face hoofed, "... Let's go get Pinkie Pie…."

"Well, then, let's not waste any more time! Thorax, just wait here; we don't want you tiring yourself out any further." Trixie turned to Starlight and nodded, throwing a blanket over the changeling before opening the wagon doors and stepping outside.

"Don't you move from that spot, or I'll know!" The showpony warned the changeling.

Thorax, rumbled as he wrapped himself snugly in a blanket, "O-oh, okay! Thank you!"

Starlight hopped out the back and seemed extremely uneasy, "... How in the world are we going to convince them to give us Pinkie Pie?"

Trixie rolled her eyes, "We just ask for help? I thought this would be obvious. Now, teleport us over to their settlement."

Starlight grimaced, lighting up her horn. After teleporting, Trixie trotted to the wagons, knocking on the door. Rainbow Dash poked her head out, giving the two a glare.

"What do you two want?"

Starlight sighed, "We need to borrow Pinkie Pie, Thorax needs her love to survive. Apparently, if he feeds off of us, we wouldn't survive the amount of energy taken out of us."

"What?! We're not gonna let him feed off our friend!" Rainbow spat, offended by the request.

"What are you guys arguing about out here?!" Pinkie Pie stuck her head out of the door, curious at what Rainbow was shouting at.

"Nothing, Pinkie, go back inside!"

"Oh, come on, Thorax said she could help!" Trixie stomped her hoof, "He hasn't done anything to you!"

"Oooh, Thorax needs my help?! Well, why didn't you say so?" Pinkie climbed over Rainbow Dash, popping out of the door.

Rainbow grunted at the weight, "Hey!"

"We can't wait another minute, he hasn't eaten in days, and that dragon form put him out cold." Starlight quickly teleported the group to their wagon.

Rainbow threw up her hooves as the three disappeared. "Urgh!"

Back at Trixie's wagon, Thorax idly drummed his hooves against the floor, perking his head up at the sudden noise, "Are you guys back!?"

Trixie opened the door, gesturing for Pinkie to come in. "Pinkie's here; let's hope she's got enough love, so you don't suck us dry." The showpony tried to keep it sarcastic, although she couldn't help but be reminded it was a real danger.

"Yeah, I heard you were suuuuuuper hungry, so I came to help!" Pinkie Pie bounced up, a cheery smile on her lips.

"Starved… worse than when I was in the storm drain back in the Crystal City… Pinkie Pie, I know we haven't been friends for very long, so I understand if you have second thoughts. I want you to know that you can walk away from this, and I won't blame you at all!" assured the changeling.

"He's so humble," Starlight nudged Pinkie forward, "Don't let him dissuade you; he needs that love, so think about whatever you love, and I mean it, with all of your heart!" ordered Starlight.

"Don't worry; I always make sure all of my friends are full! I'm not gonna let you go hungry!" Pinkie gave the changeling a smile paired with a wink. "Alright, something I love..."

"Well, I love a lot of things; I love sunshine, clouds, sweets, and sugar... I love baking, cakes, cupcakes, muffins, The Cakes, my sisters, my Mom, my Dad and I love my friends, of course!" Pinkie Pie was beaming as she listed off everything and everypony she cared about.

"I love making ponies smile, and not just ponies, but everycreature! I love brightening every creature's days. "

The more she talked and thought of everything she loved the most, the more and more her bubbly energy seemed to intensify, becoming something of an aura around her. Even Trixie could feel it.

Thorax erupted into a fit of animalistic hissing and howling as he began to devour the love surrounding Pinkie Pie, the changeling lapping up each tasty morsel given to him. But despite him consuming the love, Pinkie kept going on and on about the things she loved. Even the most mundane or seemingly unimportant things like pebbles or glitter.

Starlight stared at the display, horrified yet intrigued at the feeding, like watching a carriage crash in slow motion.

Thorax quickly sighed as he smacked his lips, "Is everyone alright?... I didn't mean to scare anypony."

Pinkie Pie jumped up and down, not seeming to be any worse for wear, despite the heavy feeding the changeling had performed. She barely seemed to notice at all, a broad smile on her lips.

"I'm feeling great! And you're looking a lot better too!" Pinkie gave Thorax a side hug, "Don't worry; you couldn't scare your Aunt Pinkie away even if you tried!"

Trixie rolled her eyes, "Yeah yeah, good work."

"How… how? How are you...?" Thorax was completely dazed at Pinkie still on her hooves, he ate enough to feed an attack swarm, but the mare was still standing on her own four hooves? And talking and bouncing, no less.

"Thanks, Pinkie… Uhm… don't let Queen Chrysalis find out about that boundless love of yours…she might uh… nevermind, thank you. If you uh… need anything, just ask; I'm in your debt."

"Okey-dokey-lokey!" Pinkie gave the changeling a charming smile and a nod, although it was unclear if she actually understood what he said or not.

Starlight smirked, "One debt repaid, another gained, huh… thank you, Pinkie Pie, you can uh... go back to your friends, I guess." Starlight said awkwardly.

"Awww, we can't hang out for a bit? I heard you and Twilight were friends now!" The party pony gave Starlight a frown and a big pair of puppy dog eyes.

"I wouldn't say that." Trixie cocked a brow.

Starlight stared in disbelief at Pinkie Pie, quickly dismissing the possibility she was referring to hanging out with HER, "If you want to hang out with Thorax, I don't mind…."

Starlight would slowly nod in agreement with Trixie, "More like… uh… former enemies would be more accurate."

"Well, former enemies are just one step closer to becoming friends, and I don't think you're so bad now that you're not trying to get revenge against Twilight!" Pinkie gave the lilac unicorn a cheerful grin.

Thorax quickly buzzed over to the ponies, "Come on guys, what's the problem? I mean, this is the first big step for pony-changeling relations, not to mention a big step for equalism!"

"Yeah, haha… equalism." Starlight coughed into her hoof awkwardly.

"Why are you laughing?" Trixie cocked a brow.

"Well, I guess I also believe in Equalism, as long as nopony is taking cutie marks away!" Pinkie shrugged, "Everycreature is equal in my eyes, so long as they're willing to be a friend!"

Thorax looked over to Starlight, "Wow, Starlight; you've been doing a great job spreading your message since you decided to stop pursuing violence. It's like creatures are more receptive to kindness or something!" Thorax said without a hint of sarcasm or irony.

Starlight stared at Thorax, unsure whether to applaud Thorax or belittle him for his unintentional insults levied against her.

"....Fine, let's hang out, I guess. To equalism!" proclaimed Starlight.

"To friendship!" cheered Thorax.

"To confetti!" Pinkie raised a kuska from out of nowhere, filled with liquor.

"Confetti?" Trixie cocked a brow.

Pinkie pointed up, and when Trixie turned her head, a cloud of confetti fell on top of them, fluttering through the air. "How did you...?"

The party pony winked, taking a sip of her drink.

"Wait, did I miss the party? How long was I out for!?" Thorax said quickly, peeking his head out from the wagon.

"Three nights and two days. You collapsed on the ground after you freed Twilight and me."

"Oh… that would explain all the yaks laying around on the roads… and roofs." chuckled Thorax.

"I can't believe you missed out on so much fun; I'll have to tell you everything you missed!" Pinkie replied, "Well, first we--"

"Let's not." Trixie put a hoof on Pinkie's mouth, not wanting a complete recap of the last few days.

"So, Pinkie Pie, what's your plan?" Starlight sighed, feeling unsure about the pink mare's pursuit for her friendship.

"My plan? Well, I suppose we could still be pen-pals if you don't come back to Equestria! I know it might take a while for the letters to show up, so maybe we could just send them in bulk!" The smile never left the mare's face.

"I was referring to your proposal of 'hanging out, not a long-term plan." Starlight said with an eye roll.

"More friendship!" enthusiastically suggested Thorax.

"... What does that even mean?" replied Starlight.

Pinkie giggled, "Well, we could talk about our day or maybe get something to eat. I'm feeling a little peckish! Or we could tell each other stories or make some snow ponies or snow pegasi!"

Trixie shook her head and snickered, "Been a while since I've done that."

"... Whatever the group wants, I guess." Starlight said finally, completely thrown off by the sudden reality she was thrust into.

"We could do breakfast and then play in the snow," suggested Thorax as he happily trotted in place.

"I could eat, I guess." Trixie shrugged, glancing at Thorax's gleeful trotting with a small smile.

"Sounds great!! Let's go and see what we can whip up; I make some meaaaaan pancakes!" Pinkie beamed, "C'mon, gang, let's go!"

Starlight sighed as she gave Trixie an unsure expression before following Pinkie Pie out of the wagon. Thorax stayed right by the pink mare's side as he trotted alongside her. Trixie simply shrugged and walked beside Thorax.

"So what's Equestria like? I only ever visited Canterlot… and it really wasn't the best experience, all things considered." nervously chuckled the changeling, "Gosh, it's weird to talk like this without feeling so… trapped."

"Hey, you could have asked me about Equestria!" Trixie wasn't sure if she should feel insulted or not.

Thorax shrugged, "Sorry Trixie, I kinda forgot you were from Equestria." he'd chuckle. Trixie huffed and rolled her eyes.

"Equestria is great; there are tons of ponies I know who would love to be your friend! I mean, of course, there would be a bit of a... um, learning curve, but I'm sure ponies would come around!" Pinkie replied thoughtfully.

She'd continue, "Well, don't worry, Thorax-ey, you're gonna make many friends! You could go to Canterlot, Manehattan, Baltimare, Las Pegasus... ooh! You should come visit me in Ponyville; I could show you around!" exclaimed Pinkie pie.

Starlight stared at the ground in front of her saying nothing with a sour expression pinned to her face.

Looking over, Pinkie noticed the look on Starlight's face. "Hey, are you okay? I'm sorry if I said anything bad! I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

Starlight perked her head up as she forced a smile on her face, "Oh uh, sorry. It's okay, yeah, all of that sounds great." she said dismissively.

Thorax took a deep breath, just barely containing all of his excitement, "Trixie and I can travel across Equestria with magic shows. Ou, Starlight, do you want to come join us? All three of us put on that magic show the other day and it went really well!"

The showpony perked up at being mentioned, a smile slipping into place at the thought that he still wanted to travel with her.

Starlight nodded, "Sure…maybe, I'm not sure."

"Well, whatever you choose, Starlight, you'll have friends to help you along the way, and isn't that great? I'm sure you'd even make friends along the way!" Pinkie practically sang, "And I'm sure all that rebuilding wouldn't take long; you're a pretty powerful unicorn!"

"I'm flattered you think I'm powerful, Pinkie Pie," smirked Starlight.

Thorax gently nudged the group, "Do creatures eat at taverns?" gesturing to the tavern ahead of them.

"Yes, yes, they do!" Pinkie replied, plonking up to the front door.

Stepping inside the cozy tavern, the group saw a lone yak tending to his bar, with a few elderly and sober yaks sitting across the dozen or so tables.

Pinkie plonked to the bar, "Helloooo and good morning, I was hoping me and my friends could get some grub?" Pinkie rested her hooves on the counter. "And I mean food, not literally grubs, hehe!"

"I'll take some porridge with honey, please." Trixie raised a hoof.

The yak, a gentle-looking elder, flicked his head to reveal his blue eyes magnified by a pair of spectacles on the bridge of his muzzle, smiling warmly at Pinkie. Pinching her cheek with his hoof, "Aren't you sweetest little gumdrop I have ever seen."

"Why, thank you! You're sweet as honey!" Pinkie giggled, allowing the pinching good-naturedly.

"Let me get those for you…." He'd march into the kitchen behind him before returning with porridge.

"Do you have any of those drinks?" Thorax chimed, licking his maul greedily.

"Oh… we're out of alcohol; we need to make more," grumbled the old yak.

Starlight tapped her hoof, "Thorax, it's not even lunchtime."

"There's a time when you can drink?" he tilted his head curiously.

She'd sigh, "Oats and two glasses of water…."

The yak nodded as he quickly lumbered off.

"No more drinking, you thirsty bug. If you drink too much too often, you'll make yourself dependent on it, and I'm not traveling with a drunk." Trixie sniffed, "Now come on, let's go sit down."'

Thorax sighed, "Fiiiine, I think you're overreacting, though."

The group settled down at a wooden table near the hearth of a fire, basking in the heat.

As they sat down at the table, Starlight quietly stared at the crackling fire ahead of them before adding additional kindling with her magic, allowing her mind to wander for a moment as the table began to chatter about the future, friends, and family.

She'd seem to get lost in the flames' flickering dance before thinking about what those topics meant to her personally. The future… she would make up for her crimes and slights against her new friends, yes. But what then? Would she return to her exile in Yakyakistan?

She could help the creatures here with her magic and talents. Yona was proving herself more and more knowledgeable in potion making; perhaps she could teach her how to read Ponish and become a teacher.

Or maybe she should busy herself with a newfound crusade; perhaps she should light the flame in her heart again against some new enemy to distract from the emptiness inside her. Surely Equestria and The Crystal Empire could forgive her for her crimes if she was a defender, a hero. Or, better yet, she could prove to her little village that she was worthy of their adoration and love.

Her thoughts would be interrupted as the older yak from the bar placed her oats in front of her, giving her a gentle pat on the head. It seemed this elderly yak confused these ponies for calves, his vision and hearing failing him at his old age.

"Thank you!!" Pinkie waved a hoof to the elder yak before turning to her oats, not hesitating to dig in. "Mmmm mm! That's good!"

"This is acceptable." Trixie sniffed and nodded, daintily taking a spoonful.

Thorax sighed, "I wish I could eat food…."

"Don't worry, you're not missing too much." The showpony snorted.

"So Starlight, what were you thinkin' about while we were talking?" Pinkie turned to the unicorn, her ear twitching.

"... Nothing," Starlight said finally, "... no… Actually, I want to join your expedition," she said firmly.

"You want to join them?" Trixie blinked, taken aback by her statement.

"Really?!" Pinkie gasped, stamping her hooves on the table, "Oh my gosh! That'd be great!! We could get to know each other better, and you could make friends with the others. Ooooh, I love it; you're a genius, Starlight!"

Starlight slowly nodded, pressing her hooves together, seeming to be surprised by the suggestion herself, "So it seems."

Thorax shook his head, "I know you had a heart-to-heart with Twilight down there, but what the heck happened? You went from wanting to destroy her to assisting her on her journey?"

Starlight nodded, "If they don't mind."

"Well, if Twilight and the others don't mind, I don't see why not! Although... some of them might need time to warm up to the idea..." Pinkie chuckled nervously, rubbing her hooves together, "But I'm sure they would!"

Starlight had a blank expression on her face, seeming to be disconnected from the world at that very moment, "If you say so."

"Are we sure she didn't bump her head on the way down?" Trixie whispered over to Thorax with a snicker.

Thorax seemed to be a little uneasy at Starlight's demeanor as he slowly looked over to Trixie, "Maybe… we should tag along too? I mean, it'd be an extra wagon, and we'd be able to help too. Not to mention it'd be a great way to perform and spread the message of friendship and equalism."

"Oooh, I think it would be great if you all came along; the more, the merrier!" Pinkie smiled brightly, not entirely reading Starlight's mood.

Trixie glanced between Pinkie, Starlight, and Thorax. "Well... I suppose, so long as I was properly paid... or it counted as community service. I'm not doing a bunch of work just to come home and do more!"

"Princess Twilight could easily arrange the expedition for Community Service hours; the only issue we face is with the Crystal Empire… frankly, we technically could just ignore them if we wanted. With little risk to us aside from being banned from the Empire." Starlight said coldly.

"Maybe we can work that out?" Pinkie shrugged, "I have no idea."

"Whatever works…" Starlight said firmly.

"Honestly, I could probably live with a ban." Trixie shrugged, "I wasn't making much money there anyways."

"Well, then it's settled! I'll talk to Twilight and the others and see what we can do!" Pinkie nodded, "Now, let's eat! I'm probably gonna get seconds and thirds!"

Meanwhile, Twilight and the rest of her friends had their own breakfast. The alicorn held a warm cup of tea in her hooves, thanking Applejack for the beverage. She took a deep gulp, relishing in the heat it provided.

"Ah..." Twilight sighed contentedly, closing her eyes. "Now, this is nice, just being able to relax without worrying about what might happen. Don't you girls think so too?"

"Yeah, I guess it's alright." Rainbow Dash ripped a piece of toast in half, slathering it with butter. "Still, I hope we can leave soon. This frigid air is too much, even for me."

"If everyone is ready to move on, I wouldn't mind..." Fluttershy replied, sipping at her own cup of tea. "Where do you think we should go next?"

"Well, the next closest location the map pointed us to would be Griffonia." Twilight nodded, "And it definitely wouldn't be as cold."

"I'm in." Rainbow held up a hoof.

Applejack glanced at their map that sprawled across the wall. The mare bit her lip as she realized the map was taking them across the sea to another continent. It was one thing to trek across the mountains of a nation that was close to home, but to take a boat across The Equss-Griff straits and to foreign lands made her uneasy.

"Griffonia is fairly big… where exactly are we going? Griffinstone or the eastern pony kingdoms?" she asked with a mix of intrigue and fear.

"Well, I suppose Griffinstone would be a good first stop. Oh goodness, I could finally witness Griffinstone with my own two eyes!" The alicorn giggled with glee, her wings spreading out. "I can't wait! There are so many things I want to record for prosperity."

"Griffins? Rainbow Dash, didn't you and Pinkie Pie go to Griffinstone to solve a friendship problem about a year or so ago?" inquired Rarity, "Something about helping those Griffins with a lost idol and rekindling an old friendship?"

"Yeah, Pinkie and I went there. We met Gilda there too. It's actually, well..." Rainbow rubbed the back of her head, glancing over at Twilight, "It's kind of a dump, to be honest."

"What?! Rainbow, how could you say that? What about the library?" Twilight replied, flabbergasted that Rainbow could say such a thing.

"I told you, Twilight, after they lost their idol or whatever, it's like they just gave up," the pegasus crossed her front legs, "I can't help that they let themselves go!"

"It's still rude, Rainbow," Fluttershy pulled the pegasus down into a seat.
Rarity shoved her snout to the air, "Well, I can see why Twilight and I are going to Griffinstone; clearly, our organizational and beauteous touch is needed over there."

"Well, I guess if it really is that bad, we can help out... perhaps that's why we're being sent there," Twilight replied optimistically. She was hoping it wasn't as bad as Rainbow described...

"Tch, speaking of Pinkie Pie, it's been a while since Starlight' borrowed' her… you think we should be concerned?" Applejack looked over to Twilight.

"It has been a while..." Fluttershy murmured softly.

"Want me to go look for her?" Rainbow zipped out of her seat once more, eager to do something.

"I don't think it would hurt, but... I have a feeling that she's going to show up any second now," Twilight could practically feel it as if simply mentioning the party pony would make her appear.

Just then, there was a knock on the wagon door.

"Hellooooo?" Trixie's voice called from the other side of the door, "Anypony in there? Your friend is back."

"I hope they didn't fall asleep!" Pinkie piped up from the other side.

Starlight sighed, "It's not a problem if they are; I only need you to deliver the message."

"C'mon, guys, I mean, we aren't enemies anymore. What's stopping us from having a second breakfast with new friends?" beamed Thorax.

"Thorax, you don't even eat food," grumbled Starlight.

Rainbow Dash opened the door, with Twilight getting up to join her.

"Well, I'm glad you brought her back in one piece." Rainbow sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, it wasn't a big deal; Thorax just needed something to eat." Pinkie replied casually, waving a hoof in the air as if it were no big deal. "It kinda tickled, actually!"

Twilight cocked a brow, completely taken back by that statement. Shaking it off, Twilight couldn't help but ask, "What message was Pinkie supposed to give me?"

"Ooh, ooh! Starlight wants to join us on the expedition!" Pinkie grinned, hopping in place, "Isn't that a great idea?!"

"What?" Twilight's eyes widened, "You want to... come with us?"

"Yeah, it was shocking for me too." Trixie held up a hoof.

"Consider it a compromise between my…friends and my obligations to Equestria and The Crystal Empire. They follow behind your caravan and give you access to additional ponypower and another wagon for supplies. I help you with your expeditions as a substitution for my 'community service." Starlight said rather lamely.

"I am extending an olive branch, you understand that my magic is extremely powerful, and Trixie and Thorax are… diplomats of sorts. They can both perform and provide entertainment to help break the ice, perhaps. Either way, the choice is yours."

"Well, that's..." Twilight considered it; it would make sense; she was a powerful unicorn and highly knowledgeable. Then again, everything Starlight had said in that canyon could have been a trick, just like Applejack had said, "We'll... consider it. I'll have to talk to my friends first."

"Well, of course, you will," Trixie replied airily, making the purple alicorn narrow her eyes.

"If you'll give us a moment..." The princess pulled Pinkie Pie inside, snapping the doors shut. Trixie sniffed and walked away, pulling Thorax along.

Starlight bowed her head before trotting away from the wagon, "I don't want to intrude any more than I have; good day."

Thorax looked to Trixie, "I think that went well; now, is it an appropriate time to drink?"

"No, no, it's not." Trixie sighed, shaking her head as she led him away from anything that might possibly have alcohol in stock.

"Does that kooky unicorn really think that we need her and her little entourage?" Rainbow sniffed, settling down on a pillow.

"Rainbow!" Pinkie piped up, "That's mean! Trixie's just a little kooky!"

Applejack huffed, "I think this is a trap; we're inviting wolves to watch over our flock, is how I see it."

"She has a lot of nerve to think we'd even consider allowing her gang of thugs to partake in this important mission of spreading friendship! It's almost laughable to think she had a chance into our ranks!" hooted Rarity as she let out a breathy posh laugh.

"I'm not exactly sure what Rarity just said, but I agree with Applejack!" Rainbow huffed, crossing her front legs, "How can she ask to come along with us after what she did?! You can't just say sorry and make everything magically better."

"Aw, c'mon, girls! Starlight just feels bad about what she did, and she wants to make up for it, that's all!" Pinkie Pie replied optimistically, "Can't we give her a chance?"

"I think letting her even stay in Yakyakistan is too nice!" Rainbow spat back.

"Calm down; we should think of this rationally." Fluttershy put a hoof on Rainbow's leg, pulling her down. "Maybe Pinkie is right; maybe she just wants to help or be useful."

"Maybe..." Twilight rubbed her chin. She was extremely unsure about this. In her gut, she felt that Starlight was being truthful, that she simply wanted to repay her dues and aid in their travels. But the logical part of her brain was telling her this would be Starlight's perfect opportunity to get her revenge.

"Maybe... we should put it up to a vote?" timidly suggested the alicorn.

Spike climbed into the wagon, a cup of coffee in his claws, slamming the door behind him, "What's all the commotion?"

"Starlight Glimmer wants to help us by tagging along on the expedition," replied Applejack.

Spike slowly sipped his black brew as he eyed the ponies around the wagon, "Oh wow… sounds like a scheme."

"That's what I'm saying!" huffed Applejack.

"We were just about to put it to a vote, and I vote that we firmly but politely refuse her help," smirked Rarity.

"Forget the formalities. I say no. She is as wiry as a barrel of snakes and about as trustworthy as one too!" huffed Applejack.

"Well, I vote yes! I think that we should give her a chance; who knows, maybe we'll even become friends!" Pinkie Pie beamed brightly, squirming in place. Otherwise, she would be bouncing the wagon up and down. "C'mon, girls, do you think Discord would be our friend if we never gave him a chance?"

"Weren't you the one to say he was being mind-controlled back in Ponyville?" Rainbow cocked a brow.

"Well... I think Pinkie Pie has a point," Fluttershy murmured, pressing a hoof to her muzzle, "Sometimes ponies just need a helping hoof, and maybe this is Starlight's way of asking for help? I... I vote yes."

"Fluttershy!" Rainbow sighed, "Well, I don't know... I don't trust Starlight, or Trixie, or that bug either! But... I guess I'll go with whatever you guys choose. Twilight, you haven't voted yet."

"Well..." Twilight rubbed the back of her head, "I'm not sure either, but... I want to give her a chance. She really could have hurt me back in that cave, but she didn't. I think she's just really confused and maybe needs a guiding hoof? Like Fluttershy said, maybe she just wants help."

"So, is that a yes?" pressed Rainbow Dash.

"I... guess it is."

"Well, that makes it… a tie." Applejack said finally, "Looks like it comes down to you, Spike."

Spike slowly sipped his coffee as he eyed the ponies around him.

"Ooh, ooh, choose me!" Pinkie piped up.

"Pinkie, that's not how this works." Rainbow sighed, face hoofing.

"It's okay, Spike, whatever you think is best," Twilight nodded, trusting him to make the right decision, "I won't judge you, and neither will the girls."

Spike took a long sip of his coffee before he smacked his lips as he turned to Twilight, "You said yes to Starlight joining us, right Twilight?"

"Yes, I did..." Twilight nodded, surprisingly becoming nervous at what his response might be.

Spike smirked as he raised his claw in the air for a moment as he took a looooooong sip from his mug. He toyed with the anticipation that hung in the air like a cat, "... Well, obviously, I'm going to support YOU Twilight through and through. Even if I feel like Starlight Glimmer is Tartarus on earth ponified… I say yes."

"Boo!" Rainbow called out, Fluttershy quickly tugging the pegasus back down by the tail.

Twilight let out a sigh of relief, surprised by her own anxiety at that moment, "Well, it's settled then; Starlight, Trixie, and Thorax can come with us."

"WOOHOOO!!" Pinkie Pie jumped up, "I'm gonna go tell them the news!"

"Hold on there," Twilight lit her horn, stopping the earth pony from zipping off, "We still need to discuss this further."

"Are you sure the guards that we brought with us are going to like that?" Rainbow cocked a brow.

"Well, now that we no longer need the guard..." Twilight began.

"Oh no, no, no, we're not going to let them tag along and NOT have some sort of armed escort," Rainbow Dash waved her hooves, turning to the others, "Right, guys?!"

Applejack huffed, "Rainbow Dash, those guards were given to us by Shining Armor, and you remember how Twilight said those Crystal Ponies felt about sending guards across the mountains NEAR their home country. Can you imagine how'd they feel if we had guards come with us on another continent!?"

"Yeah yeah yeah..." Rainbow looked away, huffing.

"Well, I don't think we should trust her right away, but a platoon like we brought along? All the way to Griffonia? I'm not so sure that will be possible," Twilight replied, uncertain, "Maybe Celestia could spare us a few guards..."

"We'd still run into a problem, Twilight; even if Celestia gave us a small platoon, we're going off to lands that aren't filled with Ponyfolk for miles. Wouldn't that look a little…bad on our end if we just marched into somewhere like Griffinstone and swung our weight around?"

"That's... a good point. Although I meant maybe just one or two guards..." Twilight replied, thinking it over, "But you're right; I'm not sure there would even be guards who would volunteer for such a long expedition."

Rarity sighed, "As much as I'd like a bunch of handsome stallions to escort us around on our journey, I just don't think it's in the cards for us. Besides, since we're bringing Starlight along, we might as well deal with her ourselves. It's six against three."

"Seven." corrected Spike as he crossed his arms.

"R-Right, seven against three, we have the numbers, is what I'm saying! We can take care of ourselves. Besides Rainbow Dash, aren't you supposed to be a Wonderbolt in training? You'd think a future Wonderbolt could protect us from danger… are you saying that's no longer the case?" Rarity said accusingly, giving Twilight a small wink. She had Rainbow by the tail now.

Rainbow gaped at the unicorn, flying to get straight in her face. "Are you calling ME weak?! Of course, I can defend us. That Starlight won't be much if she can't see me coming, and I'm faster than the pony eye!"

As an example, Rainbow flew out of the wagon and returned a flower in her mouth in a few seconds. She spat it out and offered it to the fashionable unicorn.

"See? A mountain flower for m'lady." Rainbow snapped sarcastically.

Rarity hmpfed as she took the flower and stuck it in the blue mare's mane, chuckling to herself. Too easy.

"My hero," fawned Rarity jokingly.

Applejack sighed, shaking her head, "Rainbow, give it a rest…."

"Whatever…" Rainbow rolled her eyes, suppressing the urge to shake her head aggressively to remove the flower.

"Then I suppose everything is in order," Twilight replied, trying to hide the smirk on her lips.

Spike sat down as he slurped down the rest of his coffee, "Is there anything left to discuss?"

"Yeah, who's been leaving scales on the floor," grumbled Applejack.

"Hey, I'm growing over here! It's pretty hard to do when it's below zero out here; I can't help that the only warm place to shed is inside the wagon." Spike said defensively.

"Keep your scales to yourself, Spike! You'll get them all over my clothes!" whined Rarity.

The wagon would soon erupt into a petty argument about scales, dresses, and the natural process of shedding.

"Oh, well, I think your scales are nice, Spike. It reminds me of the snakes and lizards I took care of at home," Fluttershy attempted to ease the argument, "Maybe you could make something wearable out of them, Rarity."

"Welp, I'm gonna go tell them the good news; save me some teaaaa!" Pinkie Pie plonked off, "I'll be back in a jiffy!"

Twilight sighed and shook her head, hoping that this issue would be solved by the time the party pony returned. Sighing, the princess took another sip of tea, imagining what was yet to come.