The Pearl and the Princess

~2 days earlier

"I am leaving. To find Star Swirl the Bearded and his companions." Starlight said, as she packed a small satchel. "I believe he and his companions will be able to help us release the princesses and retake the city."

Night Light exchanged a look with the headmaster of the school. "How do you know he'll have the answer you're looking for?"

"Based on what I found at the library he's the only pony living who does." Starlight answered. "

"But...he could be on the other side of Equestria. And you've used up most of your magic today already!" Trixie said. "You won't be able to get back until tomorrow.

"I know. But with Twilight and the others gone, the Pillars are our only hope right now." Starlight said.

Trixie gave a worried glance to Night Light, in hopes of conveying that something was amiss about Starlight. She hadn't been the same since they got back from the Library of Magic. Not that that had been very long ago anyway.

"We'll do what we can to keep the barrier up." The headmaster said. "But we can't guarantee anything will still be standing when you return."

Starlight shivered and then nodded. Then she moved over to Trixie and wrapped a hoof around her neck. "I'll come back. I promise."

Shining Armor sat in the room as his daughter and his mother slept, next to Cadence. He had stopped thinking of her as "the statue of Cadence", because a statue was just a hunk of stone, carved to confuse the eye. This was Cadence. She was in there. She'd be free someday.

He stared at the floorboards as he drifted in and out of consciousness. He remembered how tired she'd been, from repelling Sombra. He remembered how frightened she'd been when the Changelings had returned. He remembered how it was her love for him which had helped repel an invasion not unlike this one, only a little more than year ago.

She had always been there. To pretend not to notice his motion sickness. To counsel him when he didn't know what the right step was. To look after Flurry when he was at his wits end. She was always...there. Even when they were young, she'd supported him, all through his career in the military. She had cheered him on, but more than that...she'd been there for him, when he was far from home and family.

She was, his home, he realized. He would have lived in Tartarus if it had made her happy.

He knew then, what he had to do. It was only a matter of time before the barrier protecting the school fell. There was only one option. Launch a counterattack before the enemy could successfully wipe out their remaining resistance. The lull in fighting had offered a chance to regain the element of surprise. He would not waste it this time.

The world was different than it had once been, that was not a surprise. What was a surprise, was the way it was different.

In the time of the Pillars, the land had been ruled by creatures beyond reasoning with. Chimeras, hydras, sphinxes and more indescribable horrors had called Equestria home, and the common folk had relied on champions like them to keep them at bay. Meanwhile, although the three tribes of ponies were united by self-interest, the nation could be better compared to a confederacy than kingdom, with leadership and law often varying from town to town. Most of the nobles in those days had ruled with unmitigated authority, and cities like Mistmane's, where the royalty were more concerned with amassing resources were hardly uncommon.

Starswirl liked to think that his tutelage of Celestia and Luna had led to this golden age for ponies. After all, had he not cultivated their mastery of magic, they never would have been able to take control of the cosmos. Deep down, though, he knew it was the Tree of Harmony, the culmination of both his and the other Pillars' efforts, which had allowed for such stability and prosperity.

Without the Elements of Harmony, Celestia and Luna never would have been able to overcome Discord, and it was his defeat which had allowed them to impose law onto the land. It was overwhelming to know you had a hand in creating such unparalleled peace, but it was simultaneously impossible not to be disappointed to find that you were no longer needed. The darkness of the land had receded, driven back by the light of the tree and with that brightness had come a kind of naivety which would have gotten you killed in Starswirl's age.

This was part of the reason why the Pillars traveled together. Even the friendliest members were alienated by the foreign customs of this familiar land. And the comfort of being surrounded by those you knew you could trust in a strange land didn't hurt either.

"What is this 'hayburger' madness?" Rockhoof asked, as he smacked his menu with a massive hoof. "Why, when I was a colt, we ate hay out of a trough, and we were happy about it!"

Somnabula giggled. "I hardly think burgers are the most ostentatious thing about this restaurant. Can you believe they have devices just to make the room cooler? If they didn't want the building to be so hot, they shouldn't have designed it like they have."

"I'm still getting over these hot air balloon things. It used you had to be a pegasus if you wanted to fly." Magnus said.

"Yes, it does seem a might bit easier to get around these days, what with the trains and balloons." Mage Meadowbrook said. "Although ah'm not sure wah every pony is so interested in travelin' anyhow. Used to be, you only went to a place if you needed something from it, not just to say you'd been there."

"I'm still not sure I'm such a fan of all this plastic stuff." Mistmane said, running her hoof across the laminated surface of the menu. "It used to be things were unique and because of that, everything was pretty. Now you just have a thousand of the same thing and each one is just as boring as all the others."

"Yes, I must say, magic seems to have degraded as well." Starswirl admitted. "When unicorns were tasked with moving the stars, they had to ration their magic. Now, they use their gifts to open doors and flip the pages of books, as if they've lost control of their own hooves."

Stygian smirked. "If I remember correctly, old friend, you complained about foals in our time misusing their magic. I'm beginning to think you may just be an old soul."

Somnambula giggled again. "Stygian does have a point. Even before your beard turned gray, you used to say that any spells not used to protect the land were 'frivolous'."

Magnus, Meadowbrook, Mistmane and Rockhoof shared smiles while Starswirl made it clear to Stygian and Somnambula how incredibly unamused he was by these observations.

The revelry was interrupted by a loud popping sound and all seven Pillars turned to find a pink unicorn who'd appeared in between them and a waitress. The surprise teleportation almost caused the waitress to spill the serving of grassfries she was carrying on a group of costumers.

"Starlight Glimmer if I'm not mistaken." Starswirl said as he got up from his seat. "That was quite the teleportation you just managed. You must have come very far away indeed..."

Starlight panted for breath. "I have...something...I need to talk to you all about..." She noticed their surroundings and glanced at the diners disturbed by her materialization. "But we should do it outside."

"Are you alright, child? You look shaken..." Meadowbrook said, getting up from her seat in concert with the other pillars.

"Please." Starlight said, adjusting the two satchels on either side of her ribs. "Outside first."

"I can't believe this!" Magnus said. "Surely we would have received word of such an invasion by now."

"Our journey has taken us quite abroad of civilization." Stygian said, glancing around the village.

"I assume many of the larger cities have already found out about the invasion, but with the train lines out of commission and the sky unsafe for mail ponies, I wouldn't be surprised if most of the nation doesn't know what has occured." Starlight said. "But that's why it is vital for you to return to Canterlot."

Starswirl tugged on his beard. "Of course, we will do everything we can to repel these invaders...but I fear our methods are more attuned to fighting a singular foe or a small group. We've no experience in dealing with an army."

Stygian stepped forward. "I believe I have a plan to help with that...but Magnus, it will require something very challenging from you."

Magnus saluted. "I'm not about to let some punks from the south steal my home. Whatever it is, I can handle it."

Stygian nodded. "How fast can you get to the Dragon Lands?"

Starlight waited until the plan had been assembled and Starswirl had finished conferring with Mistmane and Stygian regarding working out the desired spell to get them all to Canterlot. Then she approached Starswirl.

"The story that Princess Celestia and Luna tell about the Lord Tirek, isn't true, is it?" She asked.

Starswirl narrowed his eyes. "I'm not sure what you are talking about. I'm unfamiliar with this particular story."

Starlight adjusted her satchels again. "Twilight told me that Celestia and Luna locked away Lord Tirek in Tartarus. She also told me that Tirek's brother was your friend, Starswirl. When you were young. Which would have been before you taught Celestia and Luna magic, unless they got hit with amnesia at some point in the past."

Starswirl shifted a little. "I know not the details of Celestia's account regarding Tirek's imprisonment, but I am unsure as to its relevancy given the current crisis."

Starlight stepped closer. "Because according to Celestia and Luna's private library, Tirek's brother wielded the Staff of Sarcanas, the only way to draw the magic out of Celestia and Luna's bodies, so we can use it to free them from the Miserable Malachite."

Starswirl sighed. "I will tell you the tale, tragic though it may be. On the condition you promise not to share it with anyone until this matter is resolved."

Starlight felt the weight of the little black book in her satchel. Then she nodded.

Twilight stared at her reflection in the surface of Tempest's statue. Or rather, Tempest's reflection. She wasn't sure if the Pearl could actually modify her to be identical to another pony. But she hadn't attempted to mimic Tempest's physicality anyway, as doing so would have required she lose her horn.

Instead, she had turned herself into a changeling and used changeling magic to make herself look like Tempest. The disguise was purely physical, she'd have to try to mimic Tempest's husky voice and hope the Storm King didn't pay too much attention to his subordinates mannerisms.

This was it. After hours of flying, they were nearly at Canterlot. Based on the notes she'd found regarding Tempest's plan, the Storm King would be here already, waiting for her. And he would be expecting her to have Twilight Sparkle in shackles as well. She took a deep breath. She'd never been good at bluffing, and the stakes had never been higher.

Using her telekinesis (it was a unique sensation, channeling her magic through a body which was not entirely hers, but the power of an alicorn refused to be contained within the skin given to her by the pearl), she lifted the statue of Tempest and levitated it to her personal cabin. She didn't need some Storm Creature stumbling onto it in the middle of her meeting with the Storm King and blowing the ruse.

Now, all she had to do was deal with Grubber.

She found him slumped between a couple barrels, passed out and after a moment of awkward consideration, gently nudged him with her hoof.

"Wha-huh...oh..." Fear passed over his face and threw himself into a bow. "Commander Tempest, I didn't-I-I-"

"It's me, Grubber." Twilight said, without disguising her voice. "I am going to take the Staff of Sarcanos from the Storm King. But I don't plan to kill him or any of his soldiers. If you try to warn them though...I can't guarantee that you or any of them will be safe, understand?"

Grubber gulped. "Ah, yes...umm, you don't have to worry about me. I-I'll just take this airship and go-"

"No. If Tempest's airship leaves without her, it will be suspicious. For this reason, I'm going to lock you in the cabin with her statue."

Grubber considered this for a moment. Then he squirmed. "You know uh, it uh...it wasn't my idea to invade Ponyland. I just uh...I-"

"I know." Twilight said, leaning down toward him. "But that doesn't mean you had to obey the Storm King either."

He stared at her for a moment. Then he nodded and nervously got to his feet. Twilight was relieved when he was locked in the cabin alongside Tempest's statue. Although she felt no pity for the creature, she still did not wish harm towards him like she had come to wish toward the Tempest and the Storm King. There were ponies like him all over Canterlot after all. Weak willed individuals who did whatever they were told. It just happened to be Celestia and Luna doing the talking most of the time.

As the airship docked, she regretted not getting a full night's rest before her interaction with the Storm King. But she'd been unable to trust that Grubber wouldn't try to lock her in the cabin or signal another airship. And she couldn't afford anything to jeopardize her mission.

Not that sleep would have been particularly relaxing in her current mindset. The entire trip she'd been unable to do anything but worry. Worry that Novo might punish Twilight's friends for her actions. Worry about her parents, who had lived in Canterlot their whole lives. And worry about Cadence and the other princesses. If one of the statues was fractured in the conflict, there would be no way to bring back that which was lost.

Her fears about her hometown were confirmed as soon as she stepped off the airship. All the life had been drained out of Canterlot, its residents wrapped in chains or caged, forced to dote on faceless bestial soldiers. The sky was gray with the Storm King's clouds, Celestia's light hidden by an almost impermeable overcast. And the wind was cool and bitter, as if the malice of the invaders had been granted physicality. The worst part was not the way that the Storm Creatures saluted her as she passed them by but looks on the faces of the ponies they had enslaved. A few were hateful, but most were just confused, sad and scared.

Why? They asked. Why had a unicorn betrayed her own kind?

It was the question which had haunted Twilight through her reading of Tempest's diary. From the years she'd spent calculating her assault on the capital, it was clear she'd been without friends or family for a very long time. Still, her true motivations lay unwritten. There were references to getting her horn back, of course. But she was not the only unicorn in Equestria who had lost the ability to do magic. And those others who'd experienced similar tragedy had never been compelled to take part in such insurrection.

She planned to ask, when this was all done, and Tempest's form had been returned to normal with the Staff. Of course, Tempest would have to stand trial for what she'd done. But she also knew that as the Princess of Friendship it was her duty to listen to her subjects, even the ones who she despised. If something tragic had befallen Tempest, she wanted to be sure it never happened again.

She was shaken only from her resolve to repair Equestria, by the sight waiting for her in the throne room. There was the Storm King, the crackle of lightning behind his blue eyes. But behind him, stood the statues of the princesses.

Two statues. Cadence was gone.

Realizing from his expectant grin that he had taken note of her surprise, she bowed. "Your highness, I apologize for the lateness of my arrival. We...encountered difficulties on the way back."

The Storm King nodded slowly. "Good, good, you know I like it when you grovel." Then he lifted up the Staff of Sarcanos. "Unfortunately, it's not going to work this time..."

His eyes burned, and electricity pooled at the tip of the staff, whipping across the throne room and blasting Twilight flying into a pillar. It took every ounce of strength she had not to drop her disguise. Still, as she gritted her teeth through the wracking pain, her concealed wings grew numb.

"You told me, three days...and you'd have the fourth princess. Well, here I am, Tempest. And guess what..." His jovial sociopathy evaporated, replaced by the rumbling ominousness of a closing squall. "...not only do you not have four princesses...you don't even have three!"

"Sir, I-I'm sorry, I-" Twilight had come up with a story to explain why Tempest might have returned without Princess Twilight in chains, but she had no way to account for the absence of Cadence.

The Storm King didn't seem to be in the mood for listening to excuses either, lashing out again with the staff and almost causing her to lose consciousness. Twilight had been electrocuted before.

She still remembered experimenting with a light bulb when she was just a filly.

But it had been nothing like this. This was a searing, suffocating blanket of pain which left behind only a faint kind of ozone-scented nausea. She felt like her coat was burning from the heat, although she knew that being in the form of a changeling, she didn't actually have one.

"It was your brilliant plan to take over this place, Tempest! You promised me power without limit..." He grabbed her by her neck and lifted her off the ground, his blackened claws digging into her nape. "...and I don't like it when my lieutenants lie to me."

He was going to kill her. He was going to kill her unless she did something fast and then she'd never get her hooves on the Staff. She just needed to stall him, to give herself time to get it away from him.

"I found something better," She choked out, ignoring the urge to blast him with magic. There was a reason why Celestia had never sought to confront him head on. He was powerful. She couldn't allow herself to underestimate him. Only once the staff was in her hooves would the fight be fair.

He lifted an eyebrow, his murderous intent momentarily abated. Then he leaned close, and she could feel his hot breath prickling her carapace. She could see his teeth, sharpened to a point, many replaced with bits of ivory from half-remembered brawls. His eyes studied her for a moment, and she did her best to wear the resolute expression that she knew Tempest would adopt in this situation.

"You had better not be yanking my tail," He said, not dropping her to the ground, but relaxing his strangulation such that speaking was no longer as difficult. "I've had just about enough of this place and these pathetic ponies...so if you're just fibbing just to save your own skin..."

"I found the Pearl of Transformation." Twilight revealed, shoving a leg into her satchel and lifting the glowing orb within into sight. Even now, it pulsed against her hoof, with the warmth of all-powerful magic. Begging to conjure changes far more bizarre than the simple adjustments to physiology which she'd used it for so far.

As the Storm King's gaze locked on The Pearl, she saw the gleam in eyes. The same greed which Novo had warned her of. Immediately, he dropped the staff and snatched The Pearl from her grasp. As he regarded himself in its opalescent surface, he reminded her of a monkey. Such creatures were easily distracted by baubles and became quite violent when what they presumed to be theirs was taken away.

"I thought the Queen of the Hippogriffs had destroyed it...just to keep it out of my paws." He admitted, a sly grin growing over his face as he admired his distorted reflection. His grip slackened and he cupped the Pearl with both hands, fingers tingling with anticipation. She knew then that he would do as Novo had said. Transform his own army into something even more brutish and unstoppable than they already were.

But she'd gotten what she wanted.

"Good work, Tempest..." He said, with a smile, rolling the Pearl between his hands as if it was a basketball. "Although I'm surprised you didn't use it on that dinky horn of yours..."

That was when Twilight released the spell she'd been holding since his first attack. In a flash of purple, she had wrapped her hooves around the staff and was galloping toward the princesses. It was unlikely she'd be able to free them without drawing the magic from Cadence, but with the power of both Luna and Celestia, she would be able to defeat the Storm King before he was able to use the Pearl.

Or so she thought. He growled and slung another bolt of lightning at her. She just managed to dodge this one, but skidded, and dropped the staff. She could hear his claws clacking across the floor of the chamber as he bounded after her and she only had a split second to grab the staff and then plunge its base into the hole in the center of the floor. Then the room lit up with multicolored streams of energy as she drew forth her mentors' unimaginable power.

She turned to smirk at the Storm King, who hesitated, at witnessing the power of the staff.

Then she felt somepony slam into her, sending her toppling out of the circle and the staff skittering across the stonework. She looked up in time to see a white unicorn on top of her, pinning her forelegs to the ground with his hooves.

It was Shining Armor. And he looked madder than she'd ever seen him before.

"Don't move!" He instructed. His eyes were red. His coat tarnished.

She glanced past him at the other ponies who had entered the hall. There was Trixie. And her mother. And half a dozen of her teachers from the School for Gifted Unicorns. They now stood between the Storm King and the statues, and her mother was using her telekinesis to pick up the Staff of Sarcanos.

That was when it hit her. She still looked like Tempest. They thought that she had been trying to siphon the Alicorn magic herself.

And they were completely unprepared for what they were dealing with. She let out a strangled scream of warning, but it was already too late.

The Storm King grinned at the ponies between him and his prize. Then, with the Pearl in hand, he charged.