The Princess and the Empireby Princess StarflightChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5PrologueChapter 1The friends go back to Zephyr Heights, with a plan... "Ha. It sure took you long enough. Seriously, even Twilight Sparkle wasn't such a coward," Chrysalis snarked. "Now...hand me the Princess." "Let my mom and everypony GO!" Pipp screamed. "Or else I'll, like, shoot you with my awesome new alicorn horn! And you're not going to take me away so easily!" "What? You wanna fight, Princess?" Chrysalis smirked as her horn started glowing. "With pleasure!" Pipp yelled, and charged, kicking Chrysalis hard on the face. The princess was about to do more, but Sunny pulled her back. "This wasn't part of the plan! We need to fight smart, not fight angry." "I DON'T CARE! Chrysalis has my mom and I. WANT. HER. BACK!" "Pipp-!" Pipp lunged toward the evil changeling queen, horn glowing and wings spread out. She blasted magic at her, but Chrysalis blocked the attack and launched one of her own. Pipp growled as Chrysalis trapped her in sticky, slimy, green goo. She struggled to get out of it but her legs were stuck to the ground. Pipp tried to use her magic, but apparently the goo was magic-proof. Izzy was furious. "Don't you DARE hurt Pipp or Sunny or anypony else!" She used her magic and, with difficulty, managed to levitate Chrysalis in the air. She whipped the changeling to the walls until they started cracking, with Chrysalis howling the whole time. Sunny saw what was happening and helped Izzy. But even though their combined magic was extremely strong, Chrysalis got over the shock and pain, and levitated herself away. She started firing small blasts of deadly magic at the ponies. They had to duck out of the way, and that was much harder than it sounded. Pipp tried to fly, but found that she couldn't. "Look, if you take me, you won't hurt Zipp, Sunny, Hitch, Izzy, or anypony in Equestria!" she yelled to Chrysalis. "I'll let you do it if you promise! Please..." "Hmm." Chrysalis considered the offer. It seemed pretty good to her. At the restored hive, she could drain Pipp of her love, and then fly back to Zephyr Heights as her. There, she could take what was hers! "Fine. You drive a hard bargain...but I'll do it." She cackled and freed Pipp from the sticky goo, but held her tight to prevent her from escaping. Pipp looked at Izzy. "Goodbye..." "No!" Izzy yelled. She used her magic and took Pipp away from Chrysalis. "You need to go. Now!" Chrysalis smirked. "Oh, I don't think that's going to happen, little unicorn." And with that, she took Pipp back and disappeared with her. "NO!" Izzy screamed. "PIPP!" But strangely, the anger seemed to clear her mind instead of the doing the opposite. And Izzy instantly knew where Pipp was. Maybe it was magic. Maybe it was love. Maybe it was something else, but Izzy didn't need to know what it was. She waved goodbye to Sunny. "I know where Pipp is - I need to save her! Please, stay and take care of Zephyr Heights. Reassure everypony, repair the damage...I need to go." And before Sunny could protest, Izzy disappeared in a wink of light. Chapter 2"Izzy..." "Pipp!" Izzy cried at the sight of her marefriend hurt. "Are you okay?!" "No..." Pipp admitted weakly. "What did Chrysalis do to you?!" Izzy sobbed. "She took my magic, my love, and stabbed me...with her horn...and then she went somewhere else..." "It’s okay, Pipp. You’re gonna feel a little - well, okay, maybe a LOT - of pain, but it’s fine...I’m here with you now. Everything's going to be...okay..." Pipp smiled gratefully and hugged Izzy, which made her blush. But she made sure to hug back. "I'm sorry, Izzy," Pipp said. "I got you trapped here without magic, and now Chrysalis might catch us." "It's okay, Pipp! It's not your fault. I'm the one who came here without a plan. And I’m sorry, too," Izzy said. "I should've been there for you, but I'm the one who let you get captured." "No, Izzy, you're the one who came to rescue me," Pipp said. "But...Izzy, do you still love me?" She was crying now, tears streaming down her cheeks, but Izzy thought she looked beautiful, just like that night next to the campfire when they- Izzy shook her head to clear the thoughts. She needed to deal with the matter at hoof. "Of course I do, Pipp! Why wouldn't I? But I really am sorry. Can you forgive me? Please?" And Pipp suddenly glared at her. Izzy's heart dropped and she looked down sadly. "Listen here, Isabella Moonbow. Are you listening?" "Y-Yes..." "I love you so much. Stop blaming yourself. None of this was our fault, and we're not getting anywhere by blaming ourselves. Do you hear me? I love you, Izzy..." "Really...?" Pipp nodded. Izzy smiled in relief. "Thanks...I really needed that." Then she slapped her forehead with her hoof. "Oh, I'm so stupid. Here we are, trapped deep inside Chrysalis's hive with no magic and no way of getting out, and you're giving me a pep talk, or whatever that was. We're wasting time! Come on, let's go do something!" Pipp nodded quickly and opened her mouth, but she didn't get to answer because at that moment, Sunny Starscout appeared out of thin air. "Pipp! Are you okay?! I was so worried-" Then she saw Izzy. "Izzy...? Is that you?!" She started crying. "I missed you girls so much!" Izzy hugged Sunny back. "I missed you too!" "I thought I would never see you again!" Sunny said. "Are you all okay? What happened?" "I'm better now, Sunny..." Pipp said, and smiled. "I hope everypony forgives me for getting them into this mess...After all, I'm the one Chrysalis wanted." "It's not your fault. I'm sure they will forgive you, and I'm never going to leave you alone," Izzy smiled. "Um, sorry for ruining the sweet moment and all, but...I really think we should deal with Chrysalis and get this battle over," Sunny said. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, the very changeling she was talking about suddenly appeared out of thin air. Chrysalis cackled. "Too late! I'm already here!" The ponies noticed that Chrysalis had a bell next to her, which she was levitating with her magic. "What in Equestria is that?" Izzy whispered to Sunny. "I have no idea!" Sunny admitted. But Pipp's eyes widened in alarm. "That's the thing she used to take my magic! That weird old bell!" Chrysalis laughed. "Exactly. And now that I have Pipp's alicorn powers, I will defeat you stupid little ponies!" "No! My friends and I are going to stop you, you evil queen!" Sunny said as glowing, transparent wings and horns appeared on her body. "Sunny, stay back. I've got this," Izzy said, but she wasn't sure that was true. Chrysalis laughed. "Well, you're funny! I guess it's alicorn against alicorn...but you forgot that I also have my changeling powers. Hmm, I wonder who will win..." she said sarcastically. "I am not leaving!" Sunny yelled. But Izzy knew better. She knew it was hopeless to try to fight against Chrysalis, and she didn't want more ponies to get hurt. But there was one thing she could do... She tried summoning magic to the tip of her horn, knowing it was probably hopeless, but to her surprise, a bit of magic actually came! She realized that the hive wasn't strong enough to remove all her magic...yet. So that was how she had teleported into the hive instead of outside it. And how Sunny could still turn into an alicorn. It explained a lot of things, but she didn't have time to think about it. The magic crackled and sizzled, powered by Izzy's love for Pipp and her friendship with Sunny. The air was now thick with a beautiful scent, the scent of friendship, magic, and mostly love. Izzy stopped holding on to it and let the magic flow everywhere. It brought love and friendship to Zephyr Heights and the Crystal Empire, and all the magic started to protect each place. Even the changeling hive was freed of...well, changelings. Except for Queen Chrysalis. But that was where something went wrong. Chrysalis's soul wasn't expelled from the hive, but her body was. So her soul needed a new body to settle in. It was closest to Pipp's, so that's the body it chose. At once, Pipp started to change. Her normal, beautiful green eyes turned into a sickly shade of green, and her mouth curled into an evil smile. But nopony seemed to notice... "I love you, Pipp...but this time is my time to go," Izzy said. She closed her eyes. Chapter 3"No! Izzy! No, no, no, this cannot be happening!" Sunny cried. "Why are you even surprised?" Chrysalis said, as Pipp. "Izzy Moonbow always goes with the option that will get her the most attention, just because she doesn't want to fight for her marefriend. She's a coward, like all of you." "Don't say that, Pipp! She isn't a coward!" Sunny screamed. "Pipp?" Chrysalis laughed. "Oh, yes. Of course I'm Pipp. Of course!" She blasted at Sunny, but Sunny dodged. "She is the most amazing pony ever! She doesn't want to fight you because she loves you so much!" Sunny yelled, with tears running down her cheeks. "Love me? Chrysalis? Look, she's just a coward who only loves attention," Chrysalis sneered. "Chrysalis...?! I should have known that it was you!" Sunny screamed in fury. "Pipp would never say such bad stuff about Izzy!" She uttered a cry of rage and shot Alicorn magic that hit directly on Pipp's heart (Chrysalis didn't have one!). "Ow!" Chrysalis said, and fell to the ground. She growled. "Take one more step..." She used her magic to teleport Zipp and Hitch to the hive. "...and they're gone. "What the-" Zipp sputtered. Hitch just looked around in confusion. "You're not going to do anything to my friends! I am not afraid to use my magic on you!" Sunny stepped forward and spread her ethereal wings. Her horn sparked. "Oh, look who took one more step. Say goodbye to your little friends," Chrysalis sneered. She charged up her horn with magic and prepared to blast it at Zipp and Hitch. "No!" Sunny yelled, and with quick thinking, teleported Zipp and Hitch back to the Crystal Empire. She mentally apologized to them for the confusion. "Pipp, I know this isn't you! Please, you can do it! You can let Chrysalis leave your body...you just have to remember who you are! Think about Izzy...!" Sunny pleaded. Chrysalis laughed. "Pipp is gone. I am the only one who remains!" Sunny glared. "Then, I guess we have to do things the hard way!" She charged up her magic and aimed her horn at Chrysalis. "Wait!" Chrysalis yelled. Only, it wasn't Chrysalis's voice. It was Pipp's! Pipp/Chrysalis grabbed Grogar's bell. She sucked in some of its powers, and reversed time to before Izzy sacrificed herself. Sunny blinked in confusion. Izzy opened her eyes and got up. Pipp was glaring. "Chrysalis, you are not me and you never will be! I demand you to leave my body, and leave Equestria, too! Forever and ever," she said fiercely. Chrysalis's soul seemed to think about it. "Yeah, leave my marefriend alone!" Izzy screamed. Sunny didn't understand how Izzy knew what was happening, but she added on. "Listen to Pipp and Izzy, Chrysalis. Leave Pipp's body and leave Equestria!" "LEAVE!" Pipp screamed. At once, Pipp's eyes flashed, and then returned to their normal color. The rest of her body started returning to normal. Then she was lifted up into the air for the second time that day by a glowing light. The light seemed to be coming from Pipp, this time. Suddenly, the whole hive was filled with the bright light. Chunks of it started flying around. The hive seemed to be being destroyed by the light! When it was over, Sunny, Izzy, and the now normal Pipp were all lying on the ground. There was debris everywhere, remains of the hive, probably. Chrysalis and the changelings were nowhere in sight. Sunny was the first one to get up. She had turned back into an Earth Pony. She shook her head a few times. Sunny had a slight headache, but other than that she seemed to be fine. Izzy got up next. She was sapped of energy - and magic. It might take days for her to regain both. But Izzy thought it was worth it. Sunny and Izzy walked over to Pipp. The princess's eyes were squeezed shut. Her hooves covered her head. She seemed to have broken a few bones. Suddenly, Pipp opened her eyes and smiled. "Thanks for stepping up for me, Sunny," she said. She coughed. "Pipp!" Izzy yelled. "Are you okay?!" "We can't risk losing you now!" Sunny said. Then, the ponies saw a glowing heart-shaped thing nearby. Maybe that had been the source of the light? Izzy thought. Sunny walked over to it. She gasped. "It's the Crystal Heart! You guys know what that is, right? From the stories I told you?" "Yeah. But what's it doing here?" Izzy asked. "I'm not sure. But maybe, we can use it to save the kingdoms! Because Pipp reversed time, and now the kingdoms aren't safe anymore," Sunny said. She walked over to it, and was about to touch it. But Pipp said, "I think...I have to be the one to do it." Sunny looked unsure. But then she nodded. "You're right." With difficulty, Pipp slowly walked over with the help of her friends. She put her hoof on the Crystal Heart and then... Author's Note This chapter didn't really change much. Wasn't too crappy, I guess. Chapter 4Pipp's eyes widened. She slipped out of Sunny and Izzy's forelegs and slid to the ground with a shocked expression on her face. Her eyes turned white. "Pipp! Pipp? Are you okay? What's happening to your eyes?" Izzy asked, frantic at first but then sounding curious. She cocked her head and her eyes clouded over with confusion. But Pipp didn't hear her. She was somewhere else. Her mind was, at least. Pipp was having...a vision. Pipp Petals got up and shook her head a few times. "Ugh, what the hay just happened?" she asked, pressing her hooves to the sides of her head. "My head hurts..." She opened her eyes. "Whoa! Where am I?!" She gaped at the pony sitting on a throne in front of her. "Who are you?" The pony was tall, even taller than Sunny. Pipp wasn't intimidated, though. She used to be slightly shorter than other ponies, but since her transformation into an Alicorn she had grown taller and was now as tall as the others. Still, this pony was, like, as tall as Alphabittle. That was extreme. Plus, the mare was an Alicorn. She had a light-pink coat color, almost identical to Pipp's, except it was slightly pinker. Her eyes were a deep, brilliant violet color. She had a yellow, pink, and purple mane that curled at the ends, and her wings were pinkish-purple at the tips. A small, golden crown sat on the top of her head, and she wore a golden necklace and golden shoes. She was very beautiful. Pipp found herself staring at the Alicorn princess. Then she caught herself and blushed slightly. She apologized for staring. The Alicorn laughed. "It's okay. I'm used to ponies staring at me." She introduced herself as Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, the Princess of Love. Apparently, she was the ruler of the Crystal Empire. Or, rather, had been. She was gone now, and the Crystal Castle was gone, too. When Pipp asked where they all went and how she was here now, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza closed her eyes and sighed sadly. She didn't answer. Pipp got the feeling that it was a sensitive topic, so she didn't press the princess. And anyway, the craziness of this was almost too much for her, and she really didn't need to know more. It wasn't necessary to know that, anyway. "So, um, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza-" "You may call me Cadence," Cadence smiled. "After all, you are a princess, too." "Wait. How do you know who I am?" Pipp asked suspiciously. "I'm an ancient Princess of Love. I know things." She chuckled. "Um. Okay?" Pipp was confused, but she got the feeling that it was the only explanation she would get. Besides, there were more important things to discuss. "So why am I here? How am I here, even? And where are my friends?" “Pipp Petals, you are here for an important reason I’ll tell you later. And, well, you’re not really here. There’s this spell I cast. Basically, it…oh, never mind. The point is, you’re still physically where you were before. This is just a vision kind of, um, how do I describe it…happening in your mind, I guess. Don’t worry, you’re not imagining this or anything, you’re just not physically here…oh, Celestia would know how to explain it better. Maybe even Twilight." Cadence slapped her forehead with her hoof in frustration. "Okay, forget all of that, it’s too complicated. You’re here because of magic. Yes, let’s go with that. And as for your friends, they’re still there, next to the Crystal Heart, and they’re probably staring at you, wondering why your eyes are white and why you’re ignoring them, but they’re all right. I believe I can count on you to explain this to them when you get back, yes?” “Um, sure.” Pipp didn’t understand half the things the princess said, but it didn’t matter right now. “So what’s the important reason you brought me here?” “You have a choice to make, Princess Pipp Petals,” Cadence said solemnly. “A choice that will affect all of Equestria.” She paused, and Pipp wondered if she was going to tell her the choice, or leave it a mystery like she had done with a lot of other things. She was just about to ask, when Cadence continued. "The first choice is to...well, do nothing, really. As you know, when you reversed time, the Unicorn Izzy Moonbow became alive again. But the two kingdoms she saved were once again in danger, and they still are. The first choice is to do nothing. Of course, you can attempt to save the kingdoms, but trust me, it won't work. "Unless if you choose the second choice." "Which is...?" Pipp asked. "To give up your magic and become a Pegasus like before." Pipp's mouth dropped open. "Now, I'm not saying you'll be giving up your title as Princess of Zephyr Heights, or your connection to the Crystal Empire, or even your connection to...well, me. But you will lose your horn, and your ability to use your own magic. And, um, you'll shrink to your height before the Alicorn transformation." At this, Pipp blushed. But Cadence told her it was nothing to be ashamed of. "I do admit it is sort of...kind of...cute at times...maybe?" "Um, okay, um, thanks?" Pipp said awkwardly. Cadence decided to try to end the awkward moment. "So which choice will you pick? Will you choose to save the kingdoms and be known as a hero, or will you choose to keep your magic and be known as a powerful Princess of Equestria, or at least the Crystal Empire? You did earn your title, and it's hard to do that." Pipp pressed her hooves to her head and closed her eyes to think. "I can't decide right now." "You have to, dear. Your friends are waiting." Pipp wanted to cry. Why was this so hard to decide? She had to save the kingdoms and save Equestria. But she loved her magic, and the feeling of being able to finally reach the top shelf without flying... And then she thought of Izzy, and what she had done just to save the kingdoms. She felt guilty for even thinking about selfishly keeping her magic. Izzy was willing to die just to save kingdoms she had never heard of, and Pipp was agonizing over the same decision, except instead of dying, she would just lose her magic. Wow. Just wow, Pipp thought, deeply disappointed in herself. Are you really that selfish? But it's hard to become an Alicorn, her inner Pipp responded. Think of Izzy. Think of Sunny. True... You'll be saving Equestria. Besides, it's just a horn you'll be losing. You have an awesome, wonderful marefriend with a horn. I guess... And a cool best friend who's an Alicorn. Good point. And a kind Earth Pony friend. Hitch? Yeah, he's nice. And an annoying sister. I love Zipp, Pipp thought laughingly. But she really did love her sister, even though she could be annoying and bothersome at times. They were sisters, after all. And suddenly, she realized she didn't care about the loss of her horn. True, being an Alicorn was nice. Really nice. But nothing was more important to her than her friends, and her city. And the Crystal Empire. She suddenly realized Cadence was staring at her, still waiting for an answer. "I choose...to save the kingdoms," Pipp said finally. Author's Note (Pretend Zephyr Heights is a kingdom because I'm too lazy to fix that .-.) Chapter 5As Cadence smiled in approval, Pipp immediately knew she had made the right choice. "You are very brave, my dear, braver than I could ever be. I am proud to have a connection to you," Cadence said. "Yeah, but...isn't Sunny better than me? And Izzy? Even Hitch and Zipp. I'm just a social media pop star." "No, Pipp. You might not realize it, but you are the bravest of all your friends, in a way. It's true that Sunny Starscout stood up even when things looked hopeless, and that Izzy's acts might have seemed cowardly to some, but she was only trying to save you and your friends in the safest way without hurting anyone. That Izzy has a kind heart. But so do you. You were willing to let yourself be taken away and even...killed...by that annoying Chrysalis just to save your friends. That takes a lot of courage I don't have." "Huh. When you put it that way, it almost does seem like I'm brave." Pipp smiled. Cadence smiled back. Then she remembered Sunny and Izzy were still waiting for Pipp. But there was one more thing left to do. "Come closer," Cadence said, and because Pipp trusted her, she did just that. Cadence put her horn to Pipp's horn. She cast a spell, and the two ponies were suddenly surrounded by a glowing blue light - Cadence's magic. Pipp's wounds were magically healed, and her headache disappeared. And Pipp also felt better mentally, much calmer and less nervous. After a few more seconds, the light disappeared and Pipp was as good as new. "Thank you so much! I feel so much better," Pipp cried happily. She jumped onto Cadence and gave her a big hug. Cadence seemed surprised at first, but then smiled and hugged Pipp back. After the two were done hugging, Cadence told Pipp it was time for her to go. But Pipp had one more question to ask. "I really like you as a friend. How do we keep in touch?" "Well...I believe we'll meet again soon, sometime in the future. You'll know when it's time," Cadence replied, with a somewhat mysterious smile on her face. "...Alright," Pipp smiled. And then Pipp saw Cadence light up her horn with magic. The whole room was filled with the glowing blue light, and Pipp only had time to yell, "Goodbye!" before she was back with her friends, at the place where the Changeling hive had previously stood. Sunny and Izzy immediately started asking questions at the same time, but Pipp waved them off and said, "Everything is taken care of, and the kingdoms are saved." "But what happened to your horn?" Sunny asked. Pipp put her hoof up to the place where her horn had previously been. It must have disappeared when I came out of the vision, she thought, and smiled. "Nothing comes without a price. I had to get rid of that horn in order to save the kingdoms." "Whoaaa...how? Ooh! Wait, don't tell me, I wanna guess. Did you slice it off with...oh, wait, no. Eww, that's so gross. Okay, never mind, tell me! How?!" Izzy said, happily and bubblily. And Pipp laughed. She was glad Izzy hadn't been traumatized by the battle. This was the old Izzy she knew and loved. "And, um, what happened to your, um, broken bones and...stuff?" Sunny asked. "There's not a scratch on you." "I'll explain everything to everypony when we get back to Zephyr Heights," Pipp smiled. And she did. Everypony was surprised, especially Queen Haven, who nearly fainted and had to breathe through a bag for several minutes to calm down. "So, sis, you've got this sort of connection with that Cadence pony and the Crystal Empire? That's so...wacky and cool," Zipp said excitedly. "What I can't believe is that you gave up your horn and title as Alicorn to save the Crystal Empire and Zephyr Heights. I mean, we could have tried to partially rebuilt them. That was really generous of you," Hitch said. Pipp just smiled. "It was the right choice." And somewhere out there, a Princess of Love sat on her throne and smiled down at Pipp and her friends proudly. The End PrologueA few months after the events of The Princess and the Unicorn... Izzy Moonbow admitted her love for Pipp Petals and asked if they could be marefriends. Pipp, who also loved Izzy, agreed. They lived happily for a while until... One day, Sunny Starscout went on a mission with her four friends and uncovered a kingdom hidden in the snow. It was the Crystal Empire! Sunny remembered it from books she had read with her dad long ago. The Crystal Empire was supposedly protected by something called the Crystal Heart, which was fueled by love and light. But there was none. After a few days of cleaning up the Crystal Empire, Sunny and her friends got a text (yes, on Pipp's phone) from Queen Haven. The queen said to come immediately. When Pipp texted her back, asking for more information, Haven didn't reply. So Sunny, Izzy, and Pipp hurried to Zephyr Heights and left Zipp and Hitch in charge of the Crystal Empire. There, they realized the Changeling queen Chrysalis, who was thought to have disappeared from Equestria forever, had impersonated Queen Haven and already took over Zephyr Heights! She was also the one who had texted Pipp. Apparently, Chrysalis had tried to take over Zephyr Heights (which used to be a unicorn city called "Canterlot") many, many years ago. But she had been defeated twice, and the second time, the her hive had been destroyed. Then, she teamed up with two other villains, a filly and a centaur. But once again the trio was defeated by Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends, and they were turned to stone. How Chrysalis broke out of her prison, she did not say. Chrysalis demanded to know where the others were. But neither Sunny, Izzy, or Pipp gave her the information she seeked. So Chrysalis threatened to kidnap Pipp and bring her to her hive. But it was just at that moment that Zipp and Hitch did something, in the Crystal Empire. Nopony knows what they did to this day. Neither the pegasus nor the earth pony said a thing. Legend says they met a crystal pony who re-activated something. This has not been proven yet. Anyway, the thing that Zipp and Hitch did connected to something inside of Pipp. The pegasus had a brilliant transformation which included a lot of bright lights surrounding her, and lifting her up into the air...and then something emerged out of her forehead. When it was over, Pipp had a horn. Her white, fluffy wings were now faintly streaked with light shades of pink, blue, and purple. She, Sunny, and Izzy teleported together out of Zephyr Heights and back to the Crystal Empire to make a plan... Author's Note Fun fact! The thing that Zipp and Hitch did was that they did sOmEtHiNg with the Crystal Heart I guess 😐. you really thought I had something, didn’t you? no I’m too lazy lol
Chapter 1The friends go back to Zephyr Heights, with a plan... "Ha. It sure took you long enough. Seriously, even Twilight Sparkle wasn't such a coward," Chrysalis snarked. "Now...hand me the Princess." "Let my mom and everypony GO!" Pipp screamed. "Or else I'll, like, shoot you with my awesome new alicorn horn! And you're not going to take me away so easily!" "What? You wanna fight, Princess?" Chrysalis smirked as her horn started glowing. "With pleasure!" Pipp yelled, and charged, kicking Chrysalis hard on the face. The princess was about to do more, but Sunny pulled her back. "This wasn't part of the plan! We need to fight smart, not fight angry." "I DON'T CARE! Chrysalis has my mom and I. WANT. HER. BACK!" "Pipp-!" Pipp lunged toward the evil changeling queen, horn glowing and wings spread out. She blasted magic at her, but Chrysalis blocked the attack and launched one of her own. Pipp growled as Chrysalis trapped her in sticky, slimy, green goo. She struggled to get out of it but her legs were stuck to the ground. Pipp tried to use her magic, but apparently the goo was magic-proof. Izzy was furious. "Don't you DARE hurt Pipp or Sunny or anypony else!" She used her magic and, with difficulty, managed to levitate Chrysalis in the air. She whipped the changeling to the walls until they started cracking, with Chrysalis howling the whole time. Sunny saw what was happening and helped Izzy. But even though their combined magic was extremely strong, Chrysalis got over the shock and pain, and levitated herself away. She started firing small blasts of deadly magic at the ponies. They had to duck out of the way, and that was much harder than it sounded. Pipp tried to fly, but found that she couldn't. "Look, if you take me, you won't hurt Zipp, Sunny, Hitch, Izzy, or anypony in Equestria!" she yelled to Chrysalis. "I'll let you do it if you promise! Please..." "Hmm." Chrysalis considered the offer. It seemed pretty good to her. At the restored hive, she could drain Pipp of her love, and then fly back to Zephyr Heights as her. There, she could take what was hers! "Fine. You drive a hard bargain...but I'll do it." She cackled and freed Pipp from the sticky goo, but held her tight to prevent her from escaping. Pipp looked at Izzy. "Goodbye..." "No!" Izzy yelled. She used her magic and took Pipp away from Chrysalis. "You need to go. Now!" Chrysalis smirked. "Oh, I don't think that's going to happen, little unicorn." And with that, she took Pipp back and disappeared with her. "NO!" Izzy screamed. "PIPP!" But strangely, the anger seemed to clear her mind instead of the doing the opposite. And Izzy instantly knew where Pipp was. Maybe it was magic. Maybe it was love. Maybe it was something else, but Izzy didn't need to know what it was. She waved goodbye to Sunny. "I know where Pipp is - I need to save her! Please, stay and take care of Zephyr Heights. Reassure everypony, repair the damage...I need to go." And before Sunny could protest, Izzy disappeared in a wink of light.
Chapter 2"Izzy..." "Pipp!" Izzy cried at the sight of her marefriend hurt. "Are you okay?!" "No..." Pipp admitted weakly. "What did Chrysalis do to you?!" Izzy sobbed. "She took my magic, my love, and stabbed me...with her horn...and then she went somewhere else..." "It’s okay, Pipp. You’re gonna feel a little - well, okay, maybe a LOT - of pain, but it’s fine...I’m here with you now. Everything's going to be...okay..." Pipp smiled gratefully and hugged Izzy, which made her blush. But she made sure to hug back. "I'm sorry, Izzy," Pipp said. "I got you trapped here without magic, and now Chrysalis might catch us." "It's okay, Pipp! It's not your fault. I'm the one who came here without a plan. And I’m sorry, too," Izzy said. "I should've been there for you, but I'm the one who let you get captured." "No, Izzy, you're the one who came to rescue me," Pipp said. "But...Izzy, do you still love me?" She was crying now, tears streaming down her cheeks, but Izzy thought she looked beautiful, just like that night next to the campfire when they- Izzy shook her head to clear the thoughts. She needed to deal with the matter at hoof. "Of course I do, Pipp! Why wouldn't I? But I really am sorry. Can you forgive me? Please?" And Pipp suddenly glared at her. Izzy's heart dropped and she looked down sadly. "Listen here, Isabella Moonbow. Are you listening?" "Y-Yes..." "I love you so much. Stop blaming yourself. None of this was our fault, and we're not getting anywhere by blaming ourselves. Do you hear me? I love you, Izzy..." "Really...?" Pipp nodded. Izzy smiled in relief. "Thanks...I really needed that." Then she slapped her forehead with her hoof. "Oh, I'm so stupid. Here we are, trapped deep inside Chrysalis's hive with no magic and no way of getting out, and you're giving me a pep talk, or whatever that was. We're wasting time! Come on, let's go do something!" Pipp nodded quickly and opened her mouth, but she didn't get to answer because at that moment, Sunny Starscout appeared out of thin air. "Pipp! Are you okay?! I was so worried-" Then she saw Izzy. "Izzy...? Is that you?!" She started crying. "I missed you girls so much!" Izzy hugged Sunny back. "I missed you too!" "I thought I would never see you again!" Sunny said. "Are you all okay? What happened?" "I'm better now, Sunny..." Pipp said, and smiled. "I hope everypony forgives me for getting them into this mess...After all, I'm the one Chrysalis wanted." "It's not your fault. I'm sure they will forgive you, and I'm never going to leave you alone," Izzy smiled. "Um, sorry for ruining the sweet moment and all, but...I really think we should deal with Chrysalis and get this battle over," Sunny said. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, the very changeling she was talking about suddenly appeared out of thin air. Chrysalis cackled. "Too late! I'm already here!" The ponies noticed that Chrysalis had a bell next to her, which she was levitating with her magic. "What in Equestria is that?" Izzy whispered to Sunny. "I have no idea!" Sunny admitted. But Pipp's eyes widened in alarm. "That's the thing she used to take my magic! That weird old bell!" Chrysalis laughed. "Exactly. And now that I have Pipp's alicorn powers, I will defeat you stupid little ponies!" "No! My friends and I are going to stop you, you evil queen!" Sunny said as glowing, transparent wings and horns appeared on her body. "Sunny, stay back. I've got this," Izzy said, but she wasn't sure that was true. Chrysalis laughed. "Well, you're funny! I guess it's alicorn against alicorn...but you forgot that I also have my changeling powers. Hmm, I wonder who will win..." she said sarcastically. "I am not leaving!" Sunny yelled. But Izzy knew better. She knew it was hopeless to try to fight against Chrysalis, and she didn't want more ponies to get hurt. But there was one thing she could do... She tried summoning magic to the tip of her horn, knowing it was probably hopeless, but to her surprise, a bit of magic actually came! She realized that the hive wasn't strong enough to remove all her magic...yet. So that was how she had teleported into the hive instead of outside it. And how Sunny could still turn into an alicorn. It explained a lot of things, but she didn't have time to think about it. The magic crackled and sizzled, powered by Izzy's love for Pipp and her friendship with Sunny. The air was now thick with a beautiful scent, the scent of friendship, magic, and mostly love. Izzy stopped holding on to it and let the magic flow everywhere. It brought love and friendship to Zephyr Heights and the Crystal Empire, and all the magic started to protect each place. Even the changeling hive was freed of...well, changelings. Except for Queen Chrysalis. But that was where something went wrong. Chrysalis's soul wasn't expelled from the hive, but her body was. So her soul needed a new body to settle in. It was closest to Pipp's, so that's the body it chose. At once, Pipp started to change. Her normal, beautiful green eyes turned into a sickly shade of green, and her mouth curled into an evil smile. But nopony seemed to notice... "I love you, Pipp...but this time is my time to go," Izzy said. She closed her eyes.
Chapter 3"No! Izzy! No, no, no, this cannot be happening!" Sunny cried. "Why are you even surprised?" Chrysalis said, as Pipp. "Izzy Moonbow always goes with the option that will get her the most attention, just because she doesn't want to fight for her marefriend. She's a coward, like all of you." "Don't say that, Pipp! She isn't a coward!" Sunny screamed. "Pipp?" Chrysalis laughed. "Oh, yes. Of course I'm Pipp. Of course!" She blasted at Sunny, but Sunny dodged. "She is the most amazing pony ever! She doesn't want to fight you because she loves you so much!" Sunny yelled, with tears running down her cheeks. "Love me? Chrysalis? Look, she's just a coward who only loves attention," Chrysalis sneered. "Chrysalis...?! I should have known that it was you!" Sunny screamed in fury. "Pipp would never say such bad stuff about Izzy!" She uttered a cry of rage and shot Alicorn magic that hit directly on Pipp's heart (Chrysalis didn't have one!). "Ow!" Chrysalis said, and fell to the ground. She growled. "Take one more step..." She used her magic to teleport Zipp and Hitch to the hive. "...and they're gone. "What the-" Zipp sputtered. Hitch just looked around in confusion. "You're not going to do anything to my friends! I am not afraid to use my magic on you!" Sunny stepped forward and spread her ethereal wings. Her horn sparked. "Oh, look who took one more step. Say goodbye to your little friends," Chrysalis sneered. She charged up her horn with magic and prepared to blast it at Zipp and Hitch. "No!" Sunny yelled, and with quick thinking, teleported Zipp and Hitch back to the Crystal Empire. She mentally apologized to them for the confusion. "Pipp, I know this isn't you! Please, you can do it! You can let Chrysalis leave your body...you just have to remember who you are! Think about Izzy...!" Sunny pleaded. Chrysalis laughed. "Pipp is gone. I am the only one who remains!" Sunny glared. "Then, I guess we have to do things the hard way!" She charged up her magic and aimed her horn at Chrysalis. "Wait!" Chrysalis yelled. Only, it wasn't Chrysalis's voice. It was Pipp's! Pipp/Chrysalis grabbed Grogar's bell. She sucked in some of its powers, and reversed time to before Izzy sacrificed herself. Sunny blinked in confusion. Izzy opened her eyes and got up. Pipp was glaring. "Chrysalis, you are not me and you never will be! I demand you to leave my body, and leave Equestria, too! Forever and ever," she said fiercely. Chrysalis's soul seemed to think about it. "Yeah, leave my marefriend alone!" Izzy screamed. Sunny didn't understand how Izzy knew what was happening, but she added on. "Listen to Pipp and Izzy, Chrysalis. Leave Pipp's body and leave Equestria!" "LEAVE!" Pipp screamed. At once, Pipp's eyes flashed, and then returned to their normal color. The rest of her body started returning to normal. Then she was lifted up into the air for the second time that day by a glowing light. The light seemed to be coming from Pipp, this time. Suddenly, the whole hive was filled with the bright light. Chunks of it started flying around. The hive seemed to be being destroyed by the light! When it was over, Sunny, Izzy, and the now normal Pipp were all lying on the ground. There was debris everywhere, remains of the hive, probably. Chrysalis and the changelings were nowhere in sight. Sunny was the first one to get up. She had turned back into an Earth Pony. She shook her head a few times. Sunny had a slight headache, but other than that she seemed to be fine. Izzy got up next. She was sapped of energy - and magic. It might take days for her to regain both. But Izzy thought it was worth it. Sunny and Izzy walked over to Pipp. The princess's eyes were squeezed shut. Her hooves covered her head. She seemed to have broken a few bones. Suddenly, Pipp opened her eyes and smiled. "Thanks for stepping up for me, Sunny," she said. She coughed. "Pipp!" Izzy yelled. "Are you okay?!" "We can't risk losing you now!" Sunny said. Then, the ponies saw a glowing heart-shaped thing nearby. Maybe that had been the source of the light? Izzy thought. Sunny walked over to it. She gasped. "It's the Crystal Heart! You guys know what that is, right? From the stories I told you?" "Yeah. But what's it doing here?" Izzy asked. "I'm not sure. But maybe, we can use it to save the kingdoms! Because Pipp reversed time, and now the kingdoms aren't safe anymore," Sunny said. She walked over to it, and was about to touch it. But Pipp said, "I think...I have to be the one to do it." Sunny looked unsure. But then she nodded. "You're right." With difficulty, Pipp slowly walked over with the help of her friends. She put her hoof on the Crystal Heart and then... Author's Note This chapter didn't really change much. Wasn't too crappy, I guess.
Chapter 4Pipp's eyes widened. She slipped out of Sunny and Izzy's forelegs and slid to the ground with a shocked expression on her face. Her eyes turned white. "Pipp! Pipp? Are you okay? What's happening to your eyes?" Izzy asked, frantic at first but then sounding curious. She cocked her head and her eyes clouded over with confusion. But Pipp didn't hear her. She was somewhere else. Her mind was, at least. Pipp was having...a vision. Pipp Petals got up and shook her head a few times. "Ugh, what the hay just happened?" she asked, pressing her hooves to the sides of her head. "My head hurts..." She opened her eyes. "Whoa! Where am I?!" She gaped at the pony sitting on a throne in front of her. "Who are you?" The pony was tall, even taller than Sunny. Pipp wasn't intimidated, though. She used to be slightly shorter than other ponies, but since her transformation into an Alicorn she had grown taller and was now as tall as the others. Still, this pony was, like, as tall as Alphabittle. That was extreme. Plus, the mare was an Alicorn. She had a light-pink coat color, almost identical to Pipp's, except it was slightly pinker. Her eyes were a deep, brilliant violet color. She had a yellow, pink, and purple mane that curled at the ends, and her wings were pinkish-purple at the tips. A small, golden crown sat on the top of her head, and she wore a golden necklace and golden shoes. She was very beautiful. Pipp found herself staring at the Alicorn princess. Then she caught herself and blushed slightly. She apologized for staring. The Alicorn laughed. "It's okay. I'm used to ponies staring at me." She introduced herself as Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, the Princess of Love. Apparently, she was the ruler of the Crystal Empire. Or, rather, had been. She was gone now, and the Crystal Castle was gone, too. When Pipp asked where they all went and how she was here now, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza closed her eyes and sighed sadly. She didn't answer. Pipp got the feeling that it was a sensitive topic, so she didn't press the princess. And anyway, the craziness of this was almost too much for her, and she really didn't need to know more. It wasn't necessary to know that, anyway. "So, um, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza-" "You may call me Cadence," Cadence smiled. "After all, you are a princess, too." "Wait. How do you know who I am?" Pipp asked suspiciously. "I'm an ancient Princess of Love. I know things." She chuckled. "Um. Okay?" Pipp was confused, but she got the feeling that it was the only explanation she would get. Besides, there were more important things to discuss. "So why am I here? How am I here, even? And where are my friends?" “Pipp Petals, you are here for an important reason I’ll tell you later. And, well, you’re not really here. There’s this spell I cast. Basically, it…oh, never mind. The point is, you’re still physically where you were before. This is just a vision kind of, um, how do I describe it…happening in your mind, I guess. Don’t worry, you’re not imagining this or anything, you’re just not physically here…oh, Celestia would know how to explain it better. Maybe even Twilight." Cadence slapped her forehead with her hoof in frustration. "Okay, forget all of that, it’s too complicated. You’re here because of magic. Yes, let’s go with that. And as for your friends, they’re still there, next to the Crystal Heart, and they’re probably staring at you, wondering why your eyes are white and why you’re ignoring them, but they’re all right. I believe I can count on you to explain this to them when you get back, yes?” “Um, sure.” Pipp didn’t understand half the things the princess said, but it didn’t matter right now. “So what’s the important reason you brought me here?” “You have a choice to make, Princess Pipp Petals,” Cadence said solemnly. “A choice that will affect all of Equestria.” She paused, and Pipp wondered if she was going to tell her the choice, or leave it a mystery like she had done with a lot of other things. She was just about to ask, when Cadence continued. "The first choice is to...well, do nothing, really. As you know, when you reversed time, the Unicorn Izzy Moonbow became alive again. But the two kingdoms she saved were once again in danger, and they still are. The first choice is to do nothing. Of course, you can attempt to save the kingdoms, but trust me, it won't work. "Unless if you choose the second choice." "Which is...?" Pipp asked. "To give up your magic and become a Pegasus like before." Pipp's mouth dropped open. "Now, I'm not saying you'll be giving up your title as Princess of Zephyr Heights, or your connection to the Crystal Empire, or even your connection to...well, me. But you will lose your horn, and your ability to use your own magic. And, um, you'll shrink to your height before the Alicorn transformation." At this, Pipp blushed. But Cadence told her it was nothing to be ashamed of. "I do admit it is sort of...kind of...cute at times...maybe?" "Um, okay, um, thanks?" Pipp said awkwardly. Cadence decided to try to end the awkward moment. "So which choice will you pick? Will you choose to save the kingdoms and be known as a hero, or will you choose to keep your magic and be known as a powerful Princess of Equestria, or at least the Crystal Empire? You did earn your title, and it's hard to do that." Pipp pressed her hooves to her head and closed her eyes to think. "I can't decide right now." "You have to, dear. Your friends are waiting." Pipp wanted to cry. Why was this so hard to decide? She had to save the kingdoms and save Equestria. But she loved her magic, and the feeling of being able to finally reach the top shelf without flying... And then she thought of Izzy, and what she had done just to save the kingdoms. She felt guilty for even thinking about selfishly keeping her magic. Izzy was willing to die just to save kingdoms she had never heard of, and Pipp was agonizing over the same decision, except instead of dying, she would just lose her magic. Wow. Just wow, Pipp thought, deeply disappointed in herself. Are you really that selfish? But it's hard to become an Alicorn, her inner Pipp responded. Think of Izzy. Think of Sunny. True... You'll be saving Equestria. Besides, it's just a horn you'll be losing. You have an awesome, wonderful marefriend with a horn. I guess... And a cool best friend who's an Alicorn. Good point. And a kind Earth Pony friend. Hitch? Yeah, he's nice. And an annoying sister. I love Zipp, Pipp thought laughingly. But she really did love her sister, even though she could be annoying and bothersome at times. They were sisters, after all. And suddenly, she realized she didn't care about the loss of her horn. True, being an Alicorn was nice. Really nice. But nothing was more important to her than her friends, and her city. And the Crystal Empire. She suddenly realized Cadence was staring at her, still waiting for an answer. "I choose...to save the kingdoms," Pipp said finally. Author's Note (Pretend Zephyr Heights is a kingdom because I'm too lazy to fix that .-.)
Chapter 5As Cadence smiled in approval, Pipp immediately knew she had made the right choice. "You are very brave, my dear, braver than I could ever be. I am proud to have a connection to you," Cadence said. "Yeah, but...isn't Sunny better than me? And Izzy? Even Hitch and Zipp. I'm just a social media pop star." "No, Pipp. You might not realize it, but you are the bravest of all your friends, in a way. It's true that Sunny Starscout stood up even when things looked hopeless, and that Izzy's acts might have seemed cowardly to some, but she was only trying to save you and your friends in the safest way without hurting anyone. That Izzy has a kind heart. But so do you. You were willing to let yourself be taken away and even...killed...by that annoying Chrysalis just to save your friends. That takes a lot of courage I don't have." "Huh. When you put it that way, it almost does seem like I'm brave." Pipp smiled. Cadence smiled back. Then she remembered Sunny and Izzy were still waiting for Pipp. But there was one more thing left to do. "Come closer," Cadence said, and because Pipp trusted her, she did just that. Cadence put her horn to Pipp's horn. She cast a spell, and the two ponies were suddenly surrounded by a glowing blue light - Cadence's magic. Pipp's wounds were magically healed, and her headache disappeared. And Pipp also felt better mentally, much calmer and less nervous. After a few more seconds, the light disappeared and Pipp was as good as new. "Thank you so much! I feel so much better," Pipp cried happily. She jumped onto Cadence and gave her a big hug. Cadence seemed surprised at first, but then smiled and hugged Pipp back. After the two were done hugging, Cadence told Pipp it was time for her to go. But Pipp had one more question to ask. "I really like you as a friend. How do we keep in touch?" "Well...I believe we'll meet again soon, sometime in the future. You'll know when it's time," Cadence replied, with a somewhat mysterious smile on her face. "...Alright," Pipp smiled. And then Pipp saw Cadence light up her horn with magic. The whole room was filled with the glowing blue light, and Pipp only had time to yell, "Goodbye!" before she was back with her friends, at the place where the Changeling hive had previously stood. Sunny and Izzy immediately started asking questions at the same time, but Pipp waved them off and said, "Everything is taken care of, and the kingdoms are saved." "But what happened to your horn?" Sunny asked. Pipp put her hoof up to the place where her horn had previously been. It must have disappeared when I came out of the vision, she thought, and smiled. "Nothing comes without a price. I had to get rid of that horn in order to save the kingdoms." "Whoaaa...how? Ooh! Wait, don't tell me, I wanna guess. Did you slice it off with...oh, wait, no. Eww, that's so gross. Okay, never mind, tell me! How?!" Izzy said, happily and bubblily. And Pipp laughed. She was glad Izzy hadn't been traumatized by the battle. This was the old Izzy she knew and loved. "And, um, what happened to your, um, broken bones and...stuff?" Sunny asked. "There's not a scratch on you." "I'll explain everything to everypony when we get back to Zephyr Heights," Pipp smiled. And she did. Everypony was surprised, especially Queen Haven, who nearly fainted and had to breathe through a bag for several minutes to calm down. "So, sis, you've got this sort of connection with that Cadence pony and the Crystal Empire? That's so...wacky and cool," Zipp said excitedly. "What I can't believe is that you gave up your horn and title as Alicorn to save the Crystal Empire and Zephyr Heights. I mean, we could have tried to partially rebuilt them. That was really generous of you," Hitch said. Pipp just smiled. "It was the right choice." And somewhere out there, a Princess of Love sat on her throne and smiled down at Pipp and her friends proudly. The End
PrologueA few months after the events of The Princess and the Unicorn... Izzy Moonbow admitted her love for Pipp Petals and asked if they could be marefriends. Pipp, who also loved Izzy, agreed. They lived happily for a while until... One day, Sunny Starscout went on a mission with her four friends and uncovered a kingdom hidden in the snow. It was the Crystal Empire! Sunny remembered it from books she had read with her dad long ago. The Crystal Empire was supposedly protected by something called the Crystal Heart, which was fueled by love and light. But there was none. After a few days of cleaning up the Crystal Empire, Sunny and her friends got a text (yes, on Pipp's phone) from Queen Haven. The queen said to come immediately. When Pipp texted her back, asking for more information, Haven didn't reply. So Sunny, Izzy, and Pipp hurried to Zephyr Heights and left Zipp and Hitch in charge of the Crystal Empire. There, they realized the Changeling queen Chrysalis, who was thought to have disappeared from Equestria forever, had impersonated Queen Haven and already took over Zephyr Heights! She was also the one who had texted Pipp. Apparently, Chrysalis had tried to take over Zephyr Heights (which used to be a unicorn city called "Canterlot") many, many years ago. But she had been defeated twice, and the second time, the her hive had been destroyed. Then, she teamed up with two other villains, a filly and a centaur. But once again the trio was defeated by Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends, and they were turned to stone. How Chrysalis broke out of her prison, she did not say. Chrysalis demanded to know where the others were. But neither Sunny, Izzy, or Pipp gave her the information she seeked. So Chrysalis threatened to kidnap Pipp and bring her to her hive. But it was just at that moment that Zipp and Hitch did something, in the Crystal Empire. Nopony knows what they did to this day. Neither the pegasus nor the earth pony said a thing. Legend says they met a crystal pony who re-activated something. This has not been proven yet. Anyway, the thing that Zipp and Hitch did connected to something inside of Pipp. The pegasus had a brilliant transformation which included a lot of bright lights surrounding her, and lifting her up into the air...and then something emerged out of her forehead. When it was over, Pipp had a horn. Her white, fluffy wings were now faintly streaked with light shades of pink, blue, and purple. She, Sunny, and Izzy teleported together out of Zephyr Heights and back to the Crystal Empire to make a plan... Author's Note Fun fact! The thing that Zipp and Hitch did was that they did sOmEtHiNg with the Crystal Heart I guess 😐. you really thought I had something, didn’t you? no I’m too lazy lol
