My Little Pony: Nine Elements Book 3

by BlueBioWolf

Rating: everyone
Tags: Anthology, Main 6, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Princess Luna, Spike, Cutie Mark Crusaders, Adventure, Princess Celestia
Length: 108405

Another continuation of version of Friendship is Magic that has nine Elements of Harmony and Spike being treated with more respect.

The story continues with season 3.

This retelling is partially inspired by SuperPinkBrony12's MLP (What If?) series. (Start here if you're interested.)

My Little Pony (C) Hasbro.

Published 2024-04-08 05:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2024-08-05 21:46:32 UTC

Chapter 1: The Crystal Empire - Part 1 (S3:E1)

My Little Pony: Nine Elements

Book 3

Written by Brandon Nell, Micah Shires, and Blake Hawkins

Chapter 1: The Crystal Empire - Part 1

Two days after Spike woke up from his coma from being cured of his werepony curse, things were going rather well in Canterlot. Celestia and Luna were tending to business inside the castle with decrees and laws. They were suddenly interrupted when the throne room doors were forced open and a competent pony guard ran inside. This one was an earth pony who looked similar to Shining Armor, but, with amber eyes.

“I’ve urgent news from Northern Equestria, your highness!” he said, clearly alarmed.

“What is it, Vanguard?” Celestia said.

“I regret to inform you that…” the guard, named Vanguard, said grimly as he removed his helmet. “It has returned. And with it… him.”

Celestia became concerned and suspicious as she inquired, “By ‘it,’ do you mean the Crystal Empire?”

“Yes, your highness,” Vanguard confirmed. “The information comes from Sergeant Maelstrom, our most competent Pegasus guard.”

“Understood,” Princess Celestia nodded grimly. “Have Shining Armor and Princess Cadance been made aware of this?”

“As soon as Maelstrom confirmed his report,” Vanguard nodded.

“Then,” Celestia said. “There is only one thing for this.” Celestia then levitated a quill and a scroll and wrote upon it. “My faithful student, Twilight. You and your friends must come to Canterlot as soon as possible. It is of utmost urgency.” For the princess knew that if indeed that empire in the north was finally coming back, something else was also coming back. Or rather someone. And if he wasn't stopped, Equestria would be in grave danger once again.

A short time after Twilight and the other guardians got Princess Celestia’s letter, Twilight was scrambling throughout the Golden Oak Library gathering supplies to take up to Canterlot.

“Uh, mom,” Spike said. “This is starting to feel very familiar.”

“Yes,” Twilight said. “But, when the Princess reports somepony to appear before her, they have to be ready for anything. In my case, she could have a test ready for me.”

“That’s the thing that I find weird, though,” Spike said. “You’ve basically been taking an independent study for over two years at this point and she hasn’t really given you a test in that time.”

Twilight stopped scrambling around the room and listened to Spike’s words with careful consideration.

“You know,” Twilight said. “You might be right. And besides, if it was actually a test, since she’s still my teacher, I’m sure she would have told me that.”

“Besides,” Spike said. “We’ve already packed everything but the kitchen sink.”

“We’ll still have to be ready for anything,” Twilight said. She then began to unload, making sure only more essential items are available to save the two from carrying too much weight. While searching, she found a bowling ball. “I must have put that in there by mistake. Sorry, Spike.” She continued looking and found a watermelon. “Been meaning to cut that up in case any one of us were hungry.” As she kept searching, she found more items like a phonograph, a sombrero, an umbrella, a rubber shark the size of a real one, a toolbox, a carton of eggs, some ketchup, a small tub of green slime*, a tennis racquet, and even a fire extinguisher. Twilight sweatdropped embarrassedly. “Okay, maybe I do need to work on focusing more on the positive and less on worrying.”

“With all the stuff ya packed, ah’d peg ya fer Rarity,” Applejack said.

“Looks more like stuff I would pack for the next yard sale,” Pinkie added.

“Twilight,” Fluttershy said gently. “We know you’re feeling overwhelmed, especially since we don’t really know why Princess Celestia summoned us. But, we’ll be going to Canterlot with you and we’ll help you with anything that comes up, whether it’s good or scary.”

Twilight took a moment to absorb her friends’ words.

“Thank you,” Twilight said calmly. “Maybe you’re right. Once we do go to Canterlot, we’ll learn why Princess Celestia summoned us and we’ll work our way up from there.”

Miles away in Canterlot, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were gazing up at a newly erected stained glass window depicting the end result of the invasion during the royal wedding. Shining Armor and Princess Cadence uniting in love to drive the Changelings away was now depicted for all to see.

“Are you certain you do not want me to go as well?” Princess Luna asked.

Princess Celestia nodded her head. "We don't even know if Sombra is back yet. There's no reason to cause a panic. With any luck, Shining Armor and Cadence will have already secured the empire to ensure Sombra can't take it back. And Twilight and her friends shall be traveling north soon to aid them."

“The Empire’s magic is powerful,” Luna added. “It cannot fall again, sister. Sterling may have predicted it would return, but, she also foretold that Sombra would return with it. It took the combined power of all four of us to defeat him last time and we didn’t have the Elements of Harmony back then.”

“I trust that the Guardians will succeed,” Princess Celestia said. “When they do, I will know that Twilight is that much closer to being ready. Trust me, little sister. We need to have faith that they will succeed where we could not and find a more permanent solution. At best, if we battled Sombra, with or without Sterling and Gold Lily to help, it would only yield the same outcome as last time should we prevail. And you're still not completely back to full strength, perhaps you may never fully regain the powers you had before your banishment.”

Princess Luna couldn’t help but sigh. “Perhaps you are correct, sister. While I would be honorbound to help in any way I could, I can understand that I can only do so much. I just hate feeling so useless. Bad enough I was completely incapacitated during the invasion of Canterlot. Even you at least tried to fight off the lead attacker despite holding back.”

Celestia draped a wing over her younger sister. "You're not useless, Luna. A wise pony knows the importance of choosing her battles carefully. We must remain here as back up should the worst case scenario occur."

“And what of Twilight?” Luna asked. “Do you truly believe she’s up to the task?”

Celestia nodded. “A part of me feels responsible for Sunset’s disappearance,” she said. “I feel that I wasn’t as attentive to her as I should’ve been. I don’t wish to make that mistake again.**”

At that moment, Spike and the Guardians of Harmony entered the throne room.

“You wanted to see us?” Spike said.

“Yes,” Princess Celestia said. “I have an important yet urgent task for you all. It is in regards to the Crystal Empire.”

The guardians’ expressions were those of confusion.

“The what?” Rainbow asked.

“I can understand your confusion,” Princess Celestia said. “Very few knew that it even existed at all. Even my own knowledge on the kingdom is limited. But, what I do know about it is that it and its citizens contain powerful magic.”

Princess Celestia then held up a magic crystal with her levitation magic. She then shimmered a cascade of light upon it, casting an image of the Crystal Empire in its glory. The ponies and the dragon looked on with amazement.

“Two years before my sister and I triumphed over Discord,” Celestia said. “The Crystal Empire was ruled by Princess Amore, the Princess of Love.”

On the projection was a very pale vermilion unicorn mare with a mane and tail in a gradient of brilliant raspberry to moderate cobalt blue, brilliant amber eyes, and a Cutie Mark depicting a deep blue snowflake between blue laces.

“Wow~” Pinkie gasped. “She’s pretty.”

“Indeed,” Celestia said. “Her magic was tied to both the earth and light elements of nature. She ruled the empire with a wise and just heart.”

Celestia focused their attention on the citizens of the Crystal Empire, aptly named the Crystal Ponies.

“I’m certain you’ve noticed that a large portion of the Crystal Empire are earth ponies with shiny, gradient manes and tails and typically polygonal eye reflections,” she said. “They are known as Crystal Ponies.”

“Crystal Ponies,” Fluttershy repeated softly.

“Yes,” Celestia said. “Their bodies were created from a merging of pony flesh and living crystal.”

Spike raised his hand politely.

“Yes, Spike?” Celestia acknowledged.

“With the little bit of knowledge that you do have on the Crystal Empire and its ponies,” he began. “Do you happen to know anything about their relationship with dragons? If any?”

“As far as I know,” Celestia said. “Crystal ponies are among the few pony types to harbor no fear of dragons. I’m certain you’re aware of what happens when you eat magically active gems.”

“Oh, I’m well aware,” Spike said sheepishly.

“That concept applies to Crystal Ponies as well due to their own magic,” Celestia said.

“But, earth ponies can’t use magic,” Rainbow said. Then, she remembered Pinkie and Applejack’s respective gifts. “Well, not to the extent of unicorns.”

“This is true,” Celestia said. “But, earth ponies themselves are not without their own form of magic. They have greater physical strength, stamina, and durability than either pegasi or unicorns.”

“Wow,” Applejack said, astounded. “They sound like mighty important pony folk. So, how come their history ain’t as rich as other ponies in Equestria?”

“The Crystal Ponies mostly kept to themselves,” Celestia explained. “I’ve interacted with Princess Amore on occasional royal summits and she rarely discussed the history and culture of the empire as a whole. Of course, King Sombra didn’t help the situation, either.”

“King Sombra?” Twilight asked.

“My dearest student,” Celestia said. “I’m certain you’ve been led to believe that curses and hexes are fictitious superstitions.” Twilight nodded. “I’m going to tell you right now that that was a lie.”

Twilight gasped in surprise. “Why would you lie to me like that?!”

“Because I make it a point to only teach dark magic to my more advanced students,” Celestia said. “It wouldn’t do the peace of Equestria much good to teach dark magic to younger students, now would it?***”

Twilight took a moment to consider this and she knew that the princess was right.

“Nightmare Moon used dark magic,” Luna said. “That alone should be proof to validate my sister’s claims.”

“It does,” Twilight responded. “Anyway, please continue, Princess Celestia.”

“This practice of hiding the true existence of dark magic came about because of King Sombra,” Celestia said. “I’m certain Luna has told you of the existence of Shadowbolts.”

“She has,” Spike confirmed. “Back during Nightmare Night.”

“Shadowbolts are but one race of what is known as Shadow Ponies,” Celestia said. “Their unicorn equivalent is the umbrums.”

“Umbrums, you say?” Rarity asked.

“Yes,” Celestia said. “They were unicorns with a natural affinity for dark magic that became corrupted from using it too often.”

The Crystal projected an image of King Sombra. His coat is a dark gray in color, his mane and tail were black as night, and his horn was not only curved and smooth, but, had a sharp, burning red tip on it. His sclera glowed an unsettling green color while his irises were a piercing red with dark scarlet pupils. He wore intricate metallic gauntlets and wore a red cloak with a white fur trim. His mane and tail flowed much like Celestia and Luna’s did. But, what stuck out the most was that when he flashed a wicked grin, he possessed sharp teeth with two visible fangs.

“He’s scary,” Fluttershy quivered.

“His ambition to learn dark magic awakened his umbrum nature and his continued overuse of it corrupted his heart, erasing whatever morals he once had,” Celestia said. “With his new power, he overthrew Princess Amore, sealing her into the form of a black crystal statue.”

The others gasped with horror as the projection showed what had happened.

“Unsatisfied with this,” Celestia said. “Sombra shattered the statue and scattered the fragments all over the world.”

“That’s terrible!” Rainbow exclaimed.

“For added tragedy,” Celestia said. “Sombra was one of Amore’s two best magic students.”

“That is tragic,” Spike said, clearly appalled by Sombra’s actions.

“With Amore out of the way, Sombra began enslaving the Crystal Ponies,” Celestia said. “Equestria would have been doomed were it not for the intervention of Amore’s other best student.”

“And, who’s that?” Pinkie asked.

“A unicorn Crystal Pony named Radiant Hope,” Celestia said as the crystal displayed this mare. She had a grayish heliotrope coat, pale light grayish blue mane and tail, and moderate arctic blue eyes. Though she wore a brown unassuming cloak, her Cutie Mark depicted a gold caduceus. “Radiant Hope was a foalhood friend of Sombra’s before his corruption as they bonded over similar backgrounds.”

“So,” Fluttershy asked. “What did she do to help?”

“After witnessing what her classmate had done,” Celestia said. “Radiant Hope fled the empire and made her way to the royal summit happening at the time in Amore’s stead to make us aware of what was happening.”

“That is a brave thing of her to do,” Twilight said.

The crystal then projected Celestia, Luna, and two other alicorns arriving in the Empire. One had a deep purple coat, the same shade as the gemstones on Celestia’s jewelry. Her long flowing mane had streaks of sky blue, sunshine yellow, and deep red while her tail had the same deep red with a streak of darker purple. Her eyes were a piercing sapphire blue and her Cutie Mark was a diamond inside a flower. The other had a sunshine yellow coat, sky blue eyes, bold purple and aqua blue streaks in her mane and tail and unusual purple jewelry. Her Cutie Mark depicted two hearts within two pairs of rings, those within a spiky ring. Together, all four alicorns used their magic on King Sombra.

“It took the combined effort of myself, Luna, Sterling, and Gold Lily to overthrow Sombra, strip him of his corporeal form, turn him into shadow, and banish him beneath the ice of the Frozen North that surrounds the Crystal Empire. However, Sombra made sure our victory was hollow.”

“H-how?” Fluttershy quivered.

“He put a curse upon the empire,” Celestia said. “A curse that caused it to vanish into thin air. Until now. For your convenience, this next part will be translated into modern Ponish.”

In the projection, the four alicorns looked around, flabbergasted that the entire empire disappeared. Though, the deep purple one wore an expression of expectant disappointment.

“What is it, Sterling?” the projection of Gold Lily asked.

“Lately,” the Sterling projection said. “Celestia’s solutions for problems have been either banishment or sealing. Sometimes, both. This does not inspire my confidence in her ability to lead a monarchy.”

Gold Lily nodded lowly and quietly. The Celestia projection, however, scoffed. “Both solutions have never failed once,” she said. “Besides, it’s far more merciful than the death penalty.”

“True enough,” Sterling conceded. “But, you fail to take into account the anguish you cause the families and friends of those you banish or seal. This causes them to resent you and view you as no better than the threats you deal with. One of these days, you’ll have to banish one close to you.”

“That will never happen,” the projected sun princess said defiantly. “The closest one to me is Luna and she’s perfectly content with her role of raising and lowering the moon and monitoring the dream realm, aren’t you, Luna?”

The projection of Luna didn’t answer right away.

This caused the present Princess Celestia to sigh, lowly. “Little did I realize how right Sterling was.” Tears welled in her eyes. “I was such an arrogant fool.”

The princess of the moon comforted her sister.

The projection of Gold Lily, clearly the peacekeeper of them, intervened. “Now, now, sister, cousin,” she said. “Suppose ponies saw us bickering like foals over a loaf of bread. How do you think that would reflect on us?”

“I suppose not very well,” Sterling said, backing down. “You may be younger than myself and Celestia, but, with your gentle guidance, you could’ve fooled me.”

“Come,” Luna said. “We must return home.”

As they headed back, Gold Lily found her voice. “Sterling, with your clairvoyance, will the Crystal Empire ever return?”

Sterling’s irises began shimmering like the stars in the night sky. “Yes,” she said. “But, with it will come Sombra. And neither you nor I will be available to help Celestia or Luna that time.”

The projection Celestia simply rolled her eyes, clearly not believing the last part.

Present day Celestia sighed sadly again. “Again, Sterling was right,” she said. “I was blinded by my youthful pride and thought I knew better. Don’t make the same mistake I did.”

The guardians and Spike held their heads respectfully as a way to pay their respects for Sterling and Gold Lily. In this silence, they made an unspoken vow to heed Celestia’s advice. Though they knew neither Sterling nor Gold Lily were dead, being sired alicorns, they felt they should acknowledge their help in making Celestia the ruler they knew now.

“When the Crystal Empire is filled with hope and love, those are reflected all across Equestria,” Celestia said. Princess Celestia cast a shimmer of light magic on the crystal and the Crystal Empire projection glistened with a brilliant radiance. “But, if hatred and fear take hold…” Her magic aura became black and engulfed in a vivid violet haze and light brilliant green edges as she projected another magic beam at the crystal. When this magic hit the crystal it turned it completely black and several other black crystals sprang up around it and started to grow. The others backed away, careful not to get impaled by accident. Fortunately, Celestia was able to shatter the black crystals with her regular magic. Though, she staggered slightly afterwards. “Apologies. I must be very careful with using even a small amount of dark magic.”

“So,” Twilight said. “How can we help?”

"Now that you see what dark magic is capable of and why it's imperative that the Crystal Empire be protected," Celestia explained. "I fear that, with the empire returning at long last, it's only a matter of time before King Sombra will try to claim it back if he has not already. Which is why I need your help, Twilight. You and your friends must find a way to ensure its protection forever."

“Whoa,” Twilight said softly. “That is a big responsibility for all seven of us to handle.”

“Nine of you,” Celestia added. “Shining Armor and Princess Cadance are also there. Successfully find a way to be rid of Sombra permanently and you’ll prove you’re ready for the advanced studies.”

Twilight was captivated by this news. She took a deep breath and then, with a determined nod and look on her face, she said, “Yes, your highness. We won’t let the Crystal Ponies or you down.”

“Luna and I will remain here for the time being,” Celestia said.

“You’re not going to help us?” Rainbow said.

“Only if necessary,” Celestia said. “Should things turn out to be worse than I had fear, contact us immediately! Do not try to engage King Sombra on your own, Twilight! He is far too dangerous for you and your friends to combat, with or without the Elements of Harmony. As you saw, the combined efforts of four sired alicorns resulted in a temporary at best solution.”

“Ain’t sure exactly how we’re goin’ ta do that,” Applejack said. “But, with all o’ us workin’ together, we should be able ta figure somethin’ out.”

"I hope so, too, but, let's not risk the empire over such a possibility if we don't have to," Celestia instructed. "I know you'll make me proud, Twilight. And once you have succeeded in this task, I know you'll be ready to move on to the next level of your studies." As she led the Guardians out of the throne room, she advised, "Remember, Twilight, in the end, it must be you and you alone who ultimately assists Princess Cadance and Shining Armor in doing whatever needs to be done to protect the empire."

“Wait, what?” Rainbow said. “Twilight has to help Cadance and Shining alone?”

“We should still be there for Twilight,” Rarity said. “As Twilight mentioned, this is an incredible responsibility and we should be there for her.”

“But, if Twilight’s supposed to do it alone, what’s the point in all of us going?” Rainbow asked. “I can’t be the only one thinking that.”

“You’re going with her to make sure she doesn’t make the problem worse with her anxieties****,” Celestia said. “Need I remind you of what happened when you ignored her anxieties?”

Rainbow, hearing this, hung her head lowly. “No, you don’t.”

“It’ll be a cold day in Tartarus before ah let somethin’ like that happen again,” Applejack said.

“And after being banished to the caves beneath Canterlot during Shining Armor and Cadance’s wedding,” Fluttershy said. “We definitely should be there for her. Even if just for moral support, something we should’ve given her when she needed it all those months ago.”

“Excellent,” Princess Celestia said, sensing the sincerity in Twilight’s friends’ words. “You must go at once. Though, Twilight, you must pack warm clothes and carry more than one thermos of hot cocoa for Spike. Northern Equestria is one of the coldest areas of Equestria.”

“Way ahead of you there,” Spike said. “Before we went to the train station, my mom packed everything but the kitchen sink.”

Twilight blushed sheepishly. “I’m still working on trying to overcome my own nerves and over-preparedness.”

“But, this preparedness can come in handy,” Princess Celestia nodded. “If you know exactly what to prepare for. Now, go forth and we wish you the best of luck.”

“And Twilight,” Luna said, reminding the guardians she was still there.

“Yes, Luna?” Twilight said.

“Spike and I have developed quite a bond through both our therapy sessions and my dragon-sitting him,” Luna said. "So, promise me that you'll keep him safe on your quest. You say he's your son, so, protect him as you would any member of your family. If any harm befalls him because you weren't there to stop it, I'll never forgive you."

“I can assure you that I won’t let any harm befall him,” Twilight said. “Emotional or otherwise.”

“See that you don’t,” Luna said. “And to all of you, do not take dark magic lightly. It will tolerate none of your foolery.”

“We Pinkie Promise we’ll be extra careful,” Pinkie said. Though she still sounded light-hearted, she had an air of seriousness to her.

“Vanguard,” Luna called.

The guard in question came to her call. “Yes, princess?”

“Escort this group to the train station,” Luna said.

“Yes, princess,” Vanguard saluted. He then escorted the seven to the train station.

“Royal guards besides Shining and Flash have names?” Rainbow said on the way to the station.

“Why wouldn’t they have names?” Rarity asked.

“We’ve been around quite a few royal guards over the years,” Rainbow said. “And apart from Flash and Shining, we’ve literally never heard any of them be addressed by a name.”

“Had you asked them what their names were?” Fluttershy asked.

“You’ve seen how they are with small-talk,” Rainbow said. “What do you think?”

“I’m one of the few cloned guards who has a name,” Vanguard said. “Since I’ve been given details that prevent me from having a prejudice against Spike, I earned my name. Well, that and overall competence.”

Rainbow considered this. “Hmm,” she said. “You got me there. Though, one thing bugs me. How can any of you be told apart?”

“We have subtle knicks and scratches in our armor in the shape of numbers unique to each one of us,” Vanguard explained. “In my case, my number is 616.”

“Intriguing,” Rarity said. “Although, Vanguard does suit you nicely.”

“What about cloned guards without names?” Fluttershy asked.

“They’re individually referred to by their number,” Vanguard said. “Cloned guards that didn’t have their intelligence bred out of them are few and far between.”

“Ah see,” Applejack said. “Though, why breed the smarts out in the first place?”

“So they’re not smart enough to turn on the acting princess,” Vanguard said.

“Ah guess that’s a good point,” Applejack said. “But, there’s still some things that need ta be worked on.”

They soon reached the station and boarded the train.

At last, the train slowed to a halt at a small outpost that lay seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Nothing but snow whipped up by fierce winds as far as the eye could see.

“Brr!” Rainbow shivered. “I may be used to cooler climates up in Cloudsdale, but, this is somehow colder!”

Rarity magicked on winter clothes for the entire party.

“Thanks, Rarity,” Applejack said gratefully.

“You’re a real lifesaver,” Fluttershy said politely. “How are you doing, Spike?”

“Honestly,” Spike said. “I feel like it’s a spring day in Ponyville.”

“Really?” Fluttershy replied. “Hmm, I wonder if it’s because of Mina or Jinshu’s teachings.”

“Let’s save that for another time,” Twilight said.

“Right,” Rainbow saluted. “We have an empire to help and a shadow king to permanently keep away. Hopefully, we can actually save Equestria a third time.”

At that moment, a stallion walked up to the train station. He wore a lot of thick gray scarves and a pair of goggles that allowed him to see through the snow. He was accompanied by another, slightly smaller one also in goggles and a coat. The guardians could recognize their coat colors.

“Shining Armor!” Twilight said. “Flash!”

The stallions confirmed their identities by removing their goggles.

“Seems Princess Celestia miscalculated slightly,” Rarity said. “There’s going to be ten of us.”

“Actually,” Flash said. “I asked the princess not to mention me at the briefing. I wanted to surprise you.”

“You certainly did just that,” Rarity said.

“Regardless,” Shining Armor said. “We’re glad you all could make it. Princess Cadance is in the Empire and we’ve been asked to escort you there safely. The Empire isn’t the only thing that returned.”

“Oh, no…” Twilight said.

“I put a force-field around the empire,” Shining said. “But, it won’t hold forever and I think Sombra knows it.”

Suddenly, the yellow and bright blue feather-like markings on Flash’s coat came to life and began flapping as a bird with a head resembling that of an eagle and wings resembling lightning bolts climbed off his back and hovered up a bit while making distressed squawks.

“Whoa!” Spike exclaimed. “Is that a thunderbird?!”

“Yes,” Flash said, a tone of concern in his voice. “And he senses danger!”

The thunderbird squawked at what was distressing him as a dark fog began to emerge.

“Sombra!” Shining said.

“Wh-what do we do?!” Fluttershy quivered.

Flash boldly faced the fog. “Alright, Joules,” he said to the thunderbird. “Ready?”

The thunderbird nodded and spread his wings as wide as he could manage. The thunderbird, known as Joules, released a brilliant flash of lightning from his eyes that irritated Sombra’s vision. The bird then flapped his wings, creating a tornado that dispersed the fog accompanied by the sound of a thunderclap.

“Well done, you two!” Shining Armor called from the wind. “Now follow us, before he pulls himself together!” The guardians could see the fog quickly reforming.

They ran as fast as they could, fighting against the intense force of the wind. Just outside the border of the empire, they spotted a dragon that wasn’t moving.

“Oh, the poor thing,” Fluttershy said softly. “We better help them.”

The dragon appeared to have green scales, horns that pointed back, six black lines on his face similar to a tiger's, and piercing icy blue eyes. His spines appeared to have been moving like a red and orange flame. His wings had a darker green membrane. The dragon was covered in scars, especially over his left eye where it appeared to be worse than the others, but, luckily the eye was not damaged. He was also wearing a white Jockeypan-style sleeveless tunic, a gray hooded vest with dark gray trim, and a compass on a cord that hung on his neck. He also appeared to look like he was charging something as shown by the two tuning fork shaped swords and the look of fury on his face.*****

“I’ll hold Sombra off,” Shining Armor said. “Get the dragon to safety!”

The guardians did their best to help this dragon. Applejack carried him on her back. All the while, Shining Armor bravely faced the fog as it took on the form of King Sombra’s face, flashing a sadistic grin.

"You may not fear me yet, Shining Armor,” he said in a deep voice, “But, I will make you fear me and I will make you suffer. Taking you down will serve as a warning to others.”

“I won’t back down,” Shining Armor declared. “I’ll do whatever it takes to keep the citizens, my family, and my friends safe!”

The seven ponies, Joules, and Spike managed to reach the safety of the empire with the new dragon thanks to Shining's sacrifice, quickly taking in the sights of an empire that was truly a beauty beyond comparison. It displayed no sign of being affected by the blistering cold of the surrounding frozen wilderness and crystal structures in beautiful, sparkling colors could be seen for miles around. Small wonder anypony would want to claim it all for themselves.

“Wow~!” Rarity gasped. “It was beautiful from Princess Celestia’s display, but, it’s even more beautiful in pony.”

“And surprisingly warm,” Rainbow said, removing her winter garb.

Suddenly, the new dragon started to move. “--MAKE YOU PAY FOR YOUR–” he started saying before he stopped himself and took note of his surroundings. “What manner of sorcery is this?”

“To make a long story short,” Spike said. “Sombra banished the Crystal Empire for over one thousand years.”

The dragon was surprised by this. “Sombra was already vanquished and made the victory of those who did it pyrrhic?”

“Unfortunately so,” Twilight said. “Now, would you care to explain who you are?”

The dragon made his swords disappear before he assumed a quadrupedal stance. “Ah, sorry about that. My name is Astral, full name Astral Flare. I am a citizen of the Crystal Empire. I was about to go avenge my friend when there was a bright light. Next thing I knew, I was amongst all of you.”

“A dragon being a citizen of the Crystal Empire?” Rarity asked.

“I was found as an egg by the Crystal Guard and raised by Princess Amore herself,” Astral said, “And before you ask, no, I am not a prince. I was more of a ward.”

“Did you know anything about dragons growing up?” Spike asked.

“Actually just a little about each group. Do they still have their central library?” Astral asked.

“Dragons have a library?” Spike asked with genuine confusion.

“Yes,” Astral answered. “A lot of dragon knowledge was contained. At least copies of the original manuscripts.”

“Well, we don’t know the answer to that,” Spike said.

“Anyway,” Astral said. “What brings you all here? None of you are Crystal Ponies. Did you come to help?”

“We’re here to find a way to permanently rid the empire of Sombra,” Twilight said.

“Unfortunately, I don't know one,” Astral said. “I was never told how the shield functioned. I wasn't allowed to know yet.”

“Wait,” Rainbow said. “The empire has its own shield function?”

“Didn't you notice the wall of light that you had to go through to get here?” Astral asked, confused. He then looked and saw a much different magical force field at the border than the one he remembered.

“This looks like Princess Cadance’s work,” Twilight noted. “She must’ve learned Shining’s force field spell so she could maintain it in his absence.”

“Is she a pink alicorn?” Astral inquired as he looked to the distance. “Because she hasn’t left the castle.”

“You can see that far away?” Twilight asked as she mentally measured the distance between where they were and the castle in the center of the empire.

Just then, who should come stumbling into the safety of the empire but Shining Armor himself? He only made it a few steps in before he collapsed, however, prompting a series of gasps from the others.

“Uncle Shining Armor!” gasped Spike. He rushed to the stallion with Twilight. Astral showed visible confusion.

“Uncle?” he asked.

“I hatched him from his egg,” Twilight confirmed. “And Shining Armor is my brother. Ergo, Uncle.” She then noticed several clumps of small, black crystals had gathered at the base of Shining Armor’s horn. She gasped. “What did Sombra do to you?!”

Shining tried to light up his horn, but, all he got was a series of sparks and ominous crackles from the crystals. “He’s nullified my magic,” he said. "Cadance is going to faint when she sees me like this. And after I promised her I'd come back safe and sound, too."

“We better get you inside the castle,” Twilight said. “As long as Sombra can’t get in, we’ll do what we can to make sure you’re safe and we’ll figure out how we can help. Flash, if you wouldn’t mind leading us there.”

“Right away,” Flash said. “Come on, Joules.”

Joules flew to catch up with Flash. It was evident that this thunderbird was loyal and obedient. This evidently made Astral rather curious.

“How very odd,” he said. “I’ve read that thunderbirds are notorious pranksters by nature. How is it obeying you?”

“Back when I was a colt,” Flash said. “I found Joules as a chick. He was starving and injured. So, I took him in, nursed him back to health, and he’s been a loyal pet ever since.”

“That's amazing,” Astral said with stars in his eyes. “Few have the patience or courage to domesticate such a force of nature. So, should we head to the castle now? I'm sure that you would like to see this Princess Cadance.”

“You’re pretty much the only one here who hasn’t met her,” Spike said. “The rest of us met her before the empire reappeared.”

“I should warn you that she's not quite herself," Shining cautioned as all set off for the crystal castle. "Especially since she was told that the empire is supposed to be hers to rule over."

“I hope she’s alright,” Fluttershy said.

In the throne room of the crystal castle, Cadance was sitting upon her throne and feeling quite miserable. It was easy to spot the bags underneath her eyes. My kingdom for a cup of coffee. Who cares if Aunt Celestia says it's not good for me? she thought to herself.

Suddenly, the throne room doors burst open. Twilight stepped inside the throne room, glad to see her favorite foal-sitter slash sister-in-law. The two performed their greeting ritual.

“Sunshine, sunshine
Ladybugs awake
Clap your hooves
And do a little shake”

The two giggled the way old friends would until Cadance suddenly felt a sharp twinge that brought her out of her laughing fit. This brought the bags under her eyes to Twilight’s attention.

“Shining Armor had said that you wouldn’t be quite yourself,” Twilight said. “Are you alright?”

“I’m not used to using combat magic,” Cadance said. “It’s a bit draining for me.” Astral carefully looked Cadance over.

“Hmm,” he said. “You vaguely resemble Princess Amore. It seems her husband and heir managed to flee after all.”

“You must be Astral Flare,” Cadance said with a slight rasp in her voice. “We read about you in the archives. It’s good to know that you were able to return as well as the Crystal Empire.”

“I only regret failing to stop Sombra when he overthrew Princess Amore,” Astral said.

“You weren’t to blame for what happened in the past,” Shining Armor said as he stepped in. “It’s just in Sombra’s umbrum nature.”

“So,” Applejack said. “How can we help?”

Shining seemed to smile. "We could definitely use your help, time is running out for all of us! I’ve been teaching her to use my force field spell so we’d have a backup in case of emergencies. That's a problem, though, because she's also been using her magic to spread love and light to keep the empire going. Between that and the magic lessons, she hasn't slept and barely eats or drinks, let alone goes to the bathroom. And now that my magic's been cut off by Sombra..." He trailed off in regret, unable to bring himself to say anything further.

“I'll try to keep Sombra busy while all of you find a way to get the shield up and running,” Astral said with determination as he bowed. “Princess, you have my swords. I'll do my best to rectify my mistakes from a millennium ago. I swear on my honor as a member of the Crystal Guard.”’

“We can believe that, Astral,” Shining Armor said. “While you were frozen, we saw you holding swords, so, we can tell you can fight.”

“I was an aspiring battle mage in my time,” Astral said.

“That should help us,” Shining Armor said. Though, with his head slightly lowered. “Though with Cadance spreading light and love and Flash and myself out keeping the entrance of the Crystal Empire guarded out in the arctic, we haven't been able to get any information from the Crystal Ponies on how it can be protected without Cadance’s magic.”

“I can help there,” Astral said. “I’ve spent my life around the Crystal Ponies and know much about their culture, customs, and history. The first place we need to start is with the library. It would take too much time and we don’t have to explain everything. This is our best bet on getting you information about it all. We can even find a way to protect the empire without either of you needing to use magic.”

“Thank you, Astral,” Twilight said gratefully. “Please, lead the way to the library.”

Astral led the way to the library. On their way, they noticed the Crystal Ponies. But, they weren’t as radiant as they were in the projection Princess Celestia sold them. Rather, they looked dull, sad, and literally lacked any luster.

“By Amore,” Astral said. “It’s worse than I thought.”

“It just feels like something’s missing,” one Crystal Pony said in a soft raspy voice.

“I know,” responded another. “It looks the same, but, it doesn’t feel the same.”

“Autumn Gem, Fleur De Verre,” Astral said. “Don’t give into despair! That only empowers Sombra.”

Soon, they arrived at the Crystal Library. Twilight gasped as soon as they walked inside. It was much larger than her Golden Oak Library home and much more grand than Canterlot City’s Library. They looked over the library from the entrance when an older Crystal Pony mare walked up to them. Though dull in color, she had a light blue violetish gray coat, a pale light grayish rose mane and tail, and a pair of moderate mulberry eyes, slightly magnified by a pair of glasses resting on the bridge of her muzzle. Her Cutie Mark was an unfurled scroll that glistened.

“Amethyst,” Astral said. “You of all Crystal Ponies must remember the reign of Amore.”

The mare, named Amethyst Maresbury, looked at Astral, adjusting her glasses slightly.

“Amore?” she asked in a slightly raspy voice. “I think I’ve heard that name somewhere before… or I might have read about it in one of these books.”

“Please,” Astral pleaded. “She was the ruler before Sombra overthrew her. Please remember!”

“I’m sorry,” Amethyst said after taking some time to think. “But, I’m afraid I don’t remember. Although, you might find something in one of these books. There should be a history section over there… or was it over there?”

“What of your five assistants?” Astral said. “Lemon Zest, Sugarcoat, Sour Sweet, Indigo Zap, and Sunny Flare?”

“Those names do sound vaguely familiar,” Amethyst said. “And, you said they were my assistants?”

“Astral,” Spike said. “It’s clear she doesn't remember too much right now. Let’s just give her more time to think while we look for the right book.”

“We’re running out of time,” Astral said. “Amethyst may not remember things very well, but, I do. Follow me.”

Astral Flare led Spike and the ponies to a large bookshelf. Once there, they saw five Crystal Pony mares searching the books. Two were earth ponies, two were pegasi, and one was a unicorn. Unlike Crystal Ponies they met thus far, they retained the radiance of the ponies in the projection at Canterlot. Spike approached one of them.

“Excuse me?” he said politely. “Are you Amethyst’s assistants?”

“Yes, we are,” said the bespectacled earth Crystal Pony. “From your appearances, I can deduce that you are not native to the Crystal Empire.”

“We’re not,” Twilight said. “Princess Celestia sent us to help.”

“Why didn’t she just come herself?” asked a pegasus accessorized with lightning bolt earrings.

“It’s kind o’ a long story,” Applejack said. “One we don’t really have a lot o’ time ta tell right now. We’re lookin’ fer anythin’ that’ll help us learn more ‘bout the Crystal Empire.”

“Well, you’ve come to the right place,” said the unicorn Crystal Pony. “When Sombra took over, we formed something of a resistance against him. We call ourselves the Crystal 5.”

“Is this resistance why you retained your radiance?” Rarity asked.

“We kept our radiance because we held onto our hope,” said the other earth pony. “We stayed here in the history section so we wouldn’t lose our pre-Sombra memories.”

“That’s wonderful,” Fluttershy said. “So, if it’s not too much trouble, would you mind helping us find a way to protect the Crystal Empire without relying too heavily on Princess Cadance’s magic?”

“Who?” the five mares asked in unison.

“Princess Cadance,” Rainbow said. “New princess, recently married.”

“Could it be that Amore’s heir survived?” asked the bespectacled mare.

“Cadance was promised to rule the Crystal Empire,” Twilight said. “So, it might be the case. Though, it’s unlikely that she’s a direct descendant of Amore. She was born a pegasus before becoming an alicorn. Not only that, but, the empire disappeared nearly 1,000 years before she or any of us besides Astral were born.”

“1,000 years?” asked the unicorn. “But, from our perspective, it was a single night.”

“Regardless,” Pinkie said. “Cadance is here to rule the Crystal Empire now and we’re here to figure out how to help it. So, we all have to do what we can.”

“So, can thou help us?” Rainbow asked.

“You’re clearly not royalty,” the other pegasus Crystal Pony said. “So, don’t bother with royal tongue.”

“But, regardless,” the bespectacled earth pony crystal mare said. “We’ll help. Incidentally, my name is Sugarcoat.”

“Name’s Indigo Zap!” smirked the pegasus Crystal Pony with the earring.

“Sunny Flare,” said the unicorn.

“I’m Lemon Zest,” said the other earth pony.

“I’m Sour Sweet,” said the other pegasus Crystal Pony.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Twilight said.

After introductions, the Crystal 5 led the Guardians of Harmony through the library. Soon, they were on the search for the right book to help.

“You know,” Rainbow said to Spike. “I’m a little surprised.”

“Why?” Spike asked.

“Well,” Rainbow said. “We’re in an empire made entirely of crystal and you’re not eating everything in sight.”

Spike was indignant. “That’s not cool, Rainbow. Just because I’m a dragon and I like to eat gems, that doesn't mean I’m a homewrecker or an out of control glutton. Besides, do you eat any of the hay off of other ponies’ homes because you eat hay?”

“And who are you to assume that everything in the empire is made of crystal?!” Sour Sweet rudely snapped before backing down. “I am so sorry about that. That was rude and uncalled for.”

“Actually, it was called for,” Rainbow said. “I’m sorry, Spike. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Uh, is Sour Sweet okay?” Twilight asked.

“She has a tendency to alternate between being rude and kind,” Astral said.

“Oh, so, she’s bipolar,” Twilight surmised.

“Is that what they call it these days?” Sour Sweet said.

Fluttershy nodded. They soon arrived at a particularly large bookshelf.

“I got this,” Lemon Zest said. She closed her eyes and concentrated as her body seemed to glow and a floating staircase made of crystals leading to higher shelves materialized before her. Her new friends were amazed with what they saw.

“How’d you do that?!” Rainbow asked.

“All Crystal Ponies have earth and light-elemental magic,” Sugarcoat said. “We use our earth magic to materialize crystal constructs out of thin air.”

So, Twilight walked upon the staircase to look up at the books on the higher shelves. She quickly found one that caught her attention.

“The History of the Crystal Empire,” Twilight smiled. “This could help us!”

Sugarcoat used her own magic to make a large, round table made of crystal.

“Don’t think ah’ll ever get used ta earth ponies usin’ magic like that,” Applejack said.

Twilight cautiously stepped down from the crystal stairs, levitating the book onto the table. She opened it and glanced through its pages, since Twilight had an innate talent for speed-reading.

“Perfect!” Twilight said. “This is the lead we’ve been looking for! Let’s get this to Shining Armor and Cadance right away!”

Some time later, back at the Crystal Castle, Twilight and Spike were explaining what they had learned to Shining Armor and Princess Cadance. She even read it aloud to the royal couple upon presenting the book to them.

“A Crystal Faire,” Twilight said. “According to this book, it was established by their first queen and became their most important tradition. It says here that, 'The Faire was held every year to renew the spirit of love and unity in the empire so they could help protect it from any harm.'"

“This is wonderful,” Cadence smiled, albeit weakly. “We knew you and your friends would find something.”

“And we have five Crystal Ponies that can help make sure we get it right,” Twilight said.

“Excellent, Twily,” Shining Armor smiled. “You better prepare. I’ll stay here and look after Cadance.”

Twilight nodded. “Come on, Spike!”

“Right behind you,” Spike said.

So, the two returned to their friends, both old and new. It was clear that they had a lot of work to do and everyone was motivated to make sure their jobs were done well.

“Ooh, I’m so excited for a Crystal Faire!” Lemon Zest said.

“It says here they liked jousting,” Twilight said.

“I can help with that,” Indigo said. “You’re looking at the pony who’s been the jousting champion for four years running.”

“Maybe I can face off against you,” Rainbow said.

“Okay, but, you’ll need protective armor,” Indigo said. “We Crystal Ponies aren’t as fragile as regular ponies.” As if to prove it, Indigo tapped a hoof against her head, making the dinging sound of a crystal being struck with each tap.

“Whoa,” Rainbow said. “Armor it is.”

“It also says here that they flew a majestic flag,” Twilight continued.

“I helped design the flag every year,” Sunny Flare said.

“Perhaps I can be of assistance,” Rarity said. “I’m a seamstress back in Ponyville.”

“Oh, are you now?” Sunny said with interest.

“Indeed I am,” Rarity smiled.

“I can help with the crystal berry sweets,” Lemon Zest said.

“Maybe ah can help with that,” Applejack said. “Ah bake a bushel o’ apple pies n’ fritters, so ah can help ya make some tasty viddles.”

“I can help round up the animals for the petting zoo,” Sugarcoat offered.

“I can help you, Sugarcoat,” Fluttershy said. “I’m a Critter Whisperer, so, I can make sure they’re comfortable.”

“Excellent,” Sugarcoat said. “Two Critter Whisperers are better than one.”

Fluttershy gasped happily. Up until that moment, she had never met another Critter Whisperer aside from Granny Smith.

“A crystal flugelhorn?!” Pinkie said, looking in the book. “I got to play one of those!”

“Hold up there,” Lemon Zest said. “Save one for me.”

“We’ll also have to learn the Crystal Kingdom Anthem,” Twilight said. “Hopefully we can learn it in less than a day.”

“Those of us who lived here know it by heart,” Astral said.

With all of this information available, everyone got on with their assignments and helped to set up a grand Crystal Fair. The Crystal 5 used their magic to create the various stands out of crystal. Pinkie and Astral set up balloons and banners.

“Hey, Astral?” Pinkie asked. “I’ve been wondering what color your fire breath is.”

“I don’t have fire breath,” Astral said.

“You don’t?” Pinkie asked.

“No,” Astral said. “I was born without a fire sac.”

“Wow,” Pinkie said, somewhat astounded.

“If it weren’t for my being cured of my werepony curse, I wouldn’t have magic to compensate,” Astral said.

“You were a werepony, too?” Pinkie asked.

“The very first one,” Astral said. “Wait, too?”

“It happened to Spike a few days ago,” Pinkie said. “Long story short, he’s cured now.”

“Interesting,” Astral said. “Perhaps he gained some pony magic as well.”

“Maybe, but, we hadn’t seen anything yet,” Pinkie said.

Soon, the preparations were ready. Twilight then walked up to the Crystal 5 with the book open.

“There’s one last matter near the end of the book,” Twilight said. “What’s this Crystal Heart?”

“Only the centerpiece of the entire fair,” Sunny said. “However, Sombra hid it away after overthrowing Amore.”

“What?!” Twilight said. “It’s an actual relic?!”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” Sugarcoat asked. “The whole purpose of the Crystal Fair is to lift the spirits of the Crystal Ponies so that the light magic within them can power the Crystal Heart so the empire can be protected. Didn’t you see that in the book?”

“I thought I had, but-” Twilight said, looking into the book once more. However, when she turned the last page, she saw the remains of a page that had been torn out. “There’s a page missing!”

The Crystal 5 looked and saw that this was the case.

“This must be Sombra’s doing!” Sunny said.

“And without any way of knowing where he hid the Crystal Heart,” Twilight began before turning her attention towards the entrance of the Crystal Empire. The Crystal 5 did likewise.

“Whatever’s protecting the Crystal Empire now won’t last forever,” Indigo Zap said. “Come on, girls! We have to protect our home!”

“Spike and I are coming with you,” Twilight said.

“No,” Indigo said. “We’ve seen what Sombra’s capable of. You report this to Shining Armor and Cadance. We’ll tell your friends to buy some time while we do the same.”

“Alright, but, be careful,” Twilight said. She levitated Spike onto her back and galloped into the castle. She was holding the book with her magic.

Soon, Twilight had filled the royal couple in.

“This is terrible!” Shining Armor said.

“I don’t know how you’re going to find the Crystal Heart,” Cadance said weakly. “But, I hope you can figure something out.” Suddenly, the princess collapsed in exhaustion.

Shining Armor held Princess Cadance in his forehooves. Twilight and Spike were both worried.

At the border, the Crystal 5 saw the sky glitch out. They knew at once what it meant.

“King Sombra…” they collectively said dismally.

At that moment, Sombra broke through and saw the Crystal 5 standing defiantly before him.

“Get out of my way, little ponies,” Sombra said. “Lest I should hold you as my new slaves!”

The defiant mares focused their magic as they began shining.

“We’re not letting you take over again!” Indigo said. “We’ll use our light to hold you off!”

“The Crystal Ponies mean the world to us,” Sour Sweet said sweetly, before saying sourly. “And we’re not going to let you ruin it!”

“We’re doing this in honor of Princess Amore,” Sunny declared.

“So,” King Sombra said haughtily. “You will suffer the same fate she did!” He was about to blast them, only for his blast to be intercepted by a magical force field around the mares. “What?!”

Astral was revealed with both his swords drawn. “I won’t let you enslave any of the Crystal Ponies again!”

“Ah,” Sombra said. “Astral Flare. It seems my curse upon you has been broken. No matter. I will let my golems deal with you.”

From the fog emerged bulky, bipedal creatures made of black crystals with piercing red orbs for eyes.

“For as long as I stand,” Astral Flare pledged as he began to attack the golems. “I won’t let those cretins stop me!” His icy blue eyes turned a warm orange. “For the Crystal Empire!” he shouted.

Back at the Crystal Castle, Twilight feared that things would ultimately end poorly and she didn’t know what to do.

[To be Continued…]

Author's Note

Here's the beginning of Book 3.

*A reference to Gak, a commercial of which aired during the original airing of the episode.

**She's not far off the mark.

***Legit reason.

****Another legit reason.

*****OC by AstralFlare42 (who incidentally was co-writer for this).

If you liked this chapter, feel free to contact me via private messages if you'd like to help make future chapters.

UPDATE 4/9/24: Corrected the "a few months shy of two years" to "over two years." Also fixed Sombra's horn description to "his horn was not only curved and smooth, but, had a sharp, burning red tip on it."

Chapter 6: Sleepless in Ponyville (S3:E6)

My Little Pony: Nine Elements

Book 3

Written by Brandon Nell, Rachael Ravens, and Blake Hawkins

Chapter 6: Sleepless in Ponyville

One week had passed since the ordeal with the Alicorn Amulet. On this particular day, Scootaloo was racing through town on her scooter. She dodged past various ponies who were handling their own affairs in town or just casually enjoying the autumn day. All the while, Rainbow Dash was watching from above.

“Whoa~!” yelped one pony as Scootaloo narrowly avoided hitting her.

“Sorry!” Scootaloo called back.

“Watch where you’re going, you maniac!” Shoeshine shouted.

“My bad!” Scootaloo called back.

Rainbow flew closer to Scootaloo.

“Hey, Scoots,” Rainbow said. “Your maneuvering is pretty good, though, you could use a bit more work on that.” Scootaloo turned to acknowledge Rainbow. “AND KEEP YOUR EYES ON WHERE YOU’RE GOING!”*

“Whoa!” Scootaloo exclaimed as she focused back on her path. “Thanks for the tip, Rainbow!”

“I know this is rich coming from me,” Rainbow said. “But, if you don’t watch where you’re going, you could crash.”

“You do make a good point, though,” Scootaloo said. “I’ll try and be more careful.” She then saw a huge ramp caused by an overturned cart. The little pegasus immediately got an idea in her head and increased her speed again.

Rainbow watched on with a sense of worry for Scootaloo’s safety and a sense of hope for Scootaloo’s stunt going well. Scootaloo rolled right up the cart and jumped as her scooter soared into the air. She briefly rose up, still holding onto her scooter with her front hooves, but, allowing her back hooves to lift off. She buzzed her tiny wings. She was actually flying. Sure, maybe not to the same extent as Rainbow Dash. But, it was close enough to count.

“Whoo-hoo!” she exclaimed happily.

Alas, what goes up must come down. The short make-shift flying session ended all too soon as Scootaloo's scooter wheels touched the ground again.

“Ah, well,” Scootaloo panted, calming down from her adrenaline rush. “It was fun while it lasted.”

“Nice moves, kid,” Rainbow said.

“Thanks, Rainbow,” Scootaloo smiled in a modest way. Internally, she was jumping for joy. Rainbow thinks I have nice moves! Caught up in her praise, Scootaloo didn’t notice she was on a collision course with her aunts.

“Scoots!” Aunt Holiday called out.

“Look out!” Auntie Lofty called out.

Scootaloo saw them, but, she built up too much momentum to stop right away. Holiday pushed Lofty aside and allowed herself to take the brunt of Scootaloo’s collision. She was knocked onto her back while Scootaloo landed safely on Holiday’s plump belly.

“Thanks, Aunt Holiday,” Scootaloo panted. “Are you guys okay?”

“Oh, I’m okay,” Holiday said. “You know from the hugs I give you how soft I am. Though, you’ll have Lofty to contend with.”

“Sorry about that,” Scootaloo said. “I was riding my scooter through town and I guess my head was in the clouds with joy about Rainbow complimenting my moves.”

“We’ve told you to be careful when on your scooter,” Lofty said. “Your aunt Holiday won’t always be there to cushion your impacts.”

“Yeah, I know,” Scootaloo said sheepishly.

“So,” Holiday asked gently. “What else has you so excited?”

“Well, when I came upon an overturned cart,” Scootaloo said. “I went over it with my scooter and I was airborne! It felt like I was flying!”

“Uh, aren’t you forgetting the other thing?” Rainbow said.

“Oh, right,” Scootaloo said. She then turned to her aunts as her excitement flared up again. "CanIgoonasleepoverandcampingtripwithRainbowDashtoWinsomeFallsplease?"

“Whoa there, Scoots,” Auntie Lofty said coolly. “We get you’re excited, but, think you could slow down and explain your idea in a way your paternal aunt and I can understand?”

Scootaloo blushed and explained more slowly. "Can I go on a sleepover and camping trip with Rainbow Dash to Winsome Falls, please?"

The two aunts looked at each other and they smiled giving an approving nod.

“Is that all?” Aunt Holiday smiled.

“I don’t see why not,” Auntie Lofty said. “I assume the other members of your club here in Ponyville are going as well?”

“Apple Bloom invited all of us and the older sisters,” Scootaloo said. “She even invited Rainbow so I could join.”

“That sounds like oodles of fun,” Aunt Holiday said happily.

“Course you can go, slugger,” Auntie Lofty said, lovingly noogying Scootaloo’s head. “Though, don’t try anything funny with Spike.”

“Actually,” Rainbow said. “Spike’s not coming. He’s away at Canterlot to be watched over by Luna while Twilight’s helping Princess Celestia hide the Alicorn Amulet.”**

“Ah, that sounds important,” Auntie Lofty said with a serious tone in her voice.

“I guess you’ll have to invite him next time,” Aunt Holiday said kindly.

“I can already see Rarity compensating Spike,” Rainbow said.

“That sounds like her alright,” Auntie Lofty said. “She seems quite fond of that dragon. After what I’ve seen and heard of him, it’s small wonder. I had my concerns about you consorting with a dragon, but, Spike’s clearly as decent as any pony.”

“He really is,” Scootaloo said.

The very next day, Scootaloo had already packed her saddlebags and was eager to set off on the trip even though she knew it would be a while. She waited impatiently at the edge of Sweet Apple Acres, right by and just outside the clubhouse she so often shared with her fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders. The clubhouse that also doubled as her home away from home of sorts and the place she always held meetings of the Rainbow Dash fan club until the Mare-Do-Well debacle.

“So, what do you think, girls?” Scootaloo said. “Are you as excited about this Winsome Falls camping trip as I am?”

“I’ll admit,” Sweetie Belle said. “I was surprised Rarity agreed to it. Then, she explained that she, quote, didn’t wish to have another Sisterhooves Social debacle, end quote.”***

“Ah’m sure she’ll like it when she’ll give it a try,” Apple Bloom smiled. “Applejack n’ Ah have been campin’ fer a long time n’ we’ve been gettin’ better at it each time.”

“I’ve never been camping before,” Scootaloo said. “Which is kind of weird when you think about it and know my parents.”****

“Either way,” Sweetie Belle said. “We’re glad you’re going to give it a try now.”

Rarity approached Sweet Apple Acres with a pile of luggage bigger than herself.

“Whoa,” Apple Bloom said, gazing at the impressive luggage pile. “Didn’t Applejack tell ya ta just pack the essentials?”

“She didn’t specify what constitutes essentials,” Rarity said. “I don’t often go camping.”

“Ah guess that makes sense,” Apple Bloom shrugged. “Applejack n’ ah made sure we got stuff like water canteens, bug spray, sunscreen, cookware, food, sleepin’ bags, n’ our tent.”

“What about your sewing machines, irons, and fabrics?” Rarity asked.

“We don’t need those,” Apple Bloom answered. “Unless ya mean blankets.”

“And dresses,” Rarity said.

“We’re going camping, not checking into a hotel,” Sweetie Belle said.

“One never knows,” Rarity said. “Why, if we were going to the moon, I’d still pack a fine gown.”

“Make sure yer also able ta breathe,” Applejack said as she came up to them. “Princess Luna might’ve survived there fer 1,000 years, but, that’s ‘cause she’s immortal. We ain’t.”

“Immortal and invulnerable’re the same thing?” asked Apple Bloom.

“Apparently in her case… yes,” said Scootaloo.

“Well, somewhat,” Rarity said. “That’s a topic for another day.”

“So, are we ready to get going?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Almost,” Scootaloo said. “Rainbow isn’t here yet.”

“Ah told her ta meet us at the first campsite,” Applejack said. “But, since most o’ us are here, let’s get a move on, y’all.”

“First campsite?” Scootaloo asked.

“It takes a few days ta get ta Winsome Falls,” Apple Bloom explained. “We stop at campsites along the way.”

“Oh, that makes sense,” Scootaloo nodded.

“Need help moving the supplies?” Sweetie Belle asked Rarity.

“Thanks anyway,” Rarity said. “But, I can manage. I may not be as strong as Applejack, but, I’m by no means weak.”

“That’s for sure,” Sweetie Belle smiled. “But, if you do need any help, let me know, okay?”

“Surely you don’t expect me to make you a pack mule,” Rarity said.

“No,” Sweetie Belle said. “We could always share the work.”

The ponies continued on their way, going up hills and through woods.

“Are we there yet?” Rarity asked as they reached a clearing after a while.

“The last thousand times ya asked, the answer was no,” Applejack said. "But, this time, it’s actually yes, ‘cause there’s Rainbow Dash up ahead. Looks like she’s already gettin’ a head start on makin’ a pit fer the fire.”

“Hey, everypony,” Rainbow called. Using her legs, she delivered karate kicks that chopped down several trees in the blink of an eye. Then, she threw the logs she had gathered down in a small circle, ready to surround them with stones to create a proper fire pit. And she made every step look so easy.

“Incredible,” Rarity gasped.

“Years of practice,” Rainbow smiled modestly. She then noticed Rarity’s stack of supplies. “Geez, Rarity, it looks like you packed everything but the kitchen sink!”

The fashionista unicorn snorted. “Oh yes, laugh it up now. But, we’ll see who gets the last laugh when you’re absolutely desperate to curl your lashes and you realize you didn’t bring your eyelash curler.”

“Don’t you wear false eyelashes?” Rainbow pointed out.*****

“Yes,” Rarity said. “But, I still treat them as if they were my own. That trip to the dessert competition aside, the adhesive is quite strong usually.”

“Anyway,” Scootaloo said as she walked up to Rainbow. “Thanks again for inviting me out here. I’ve never been camping before and I’m glad to spend time with you and my friends.”

“Haven’t your aunts said that your parents are adventurers?” Rainbow asked.

“Yeah,” Scootaloo explained. “But, because their jobs keep them really busy, they haven’t been able to take me camping.”

“I think it’s weird that adventurers haven’t taken their daughter camping,” Rainbow said.

“Regardless,” Scootaloo said. “There’s a first time for everything and now I have this as my first experience with camping.”

“We need ta set up the tents before nightfall,” Applejack said.

“Then, when the sun goes down,” Apple Bloom said happily. “It’ll be good dinner n’ marshmallows roastin’ over an open fire.”

Everypony pitched in, even Rainbow and Rarity. Soon, two tents had been set up a ways back from the firepit, which had been set near some logs that were big enough to sit on. One was brown in color and the other was green.

“Looks like you’re bunking with me, Scoots,” Rainbow smiled. “That’ll make it easier to keep an eye on you. You want to share a tent with me?”

“Yeah, that would be great,” Scootaloo smiled excitedly. But, regaining her composure, she cleared her throat and said. “I mean… yeah, sure.”

“You don’t snore, do you?” Rainbow asked.

“Ah can honestly say she don’t snore,” Apple Bloom said.

“It’s true,” Sweetie Belle added. “We had sleepovers and I don’t usually hear any snoring from her.”

Just then there was a rather loud popping sound, followed by a sudden whoosh of wind. All eyes turned to the source and saw that it was Rarity’s tent that was making the noise. Her tent was an inflatable one and it was massive. It was at least two stories tall and had an elegant purple color to it, along with yellow and orange trim. It had a balcony (which Rarity was currently leaning out of) and a flag pole with a small white flag flapping in the breeze. For the windows, there were violet-purple curtains.

“Wow,” Rainbow said. “Even when camping, Rarity goes super fancy. It’s honestly pretty ridiculous. It defeats the whole point of roughing it.”

Rarity either didn’t hear or chose to ignore the comment.

“Sweetie Belle,” Rarity called. “Would you mind picking some flowers for our bedside vase please?”

“I don’t mind,” Sweetie Belle called back. “I see some pretty ones over there with some nice long stems.”

After she trotted off, Scootaloo felt a bit curious. “Hey, if that tent’s inflatable, how’s that balcony able to–” Her question was interrupted when the inflatable balcony folded down under Rarity’s weight, causing her to fall and land on her barrel with far less grace and dignity than she’d care to admit. “Never mind.”******

“I’m alright,” muffled Rarity while her face was still on the ground.

Suddenly, there was a rather deep, loud growling sound. “What was that?” Scootaloo asked.

Apple Bloom giggled. “That was mah sister’s belly rumblin’.”

“It’s true,” Applejack said with a blush. At that moment, her belly decided to make another growl. “Mah belly’s sayin’ that after hikin’ all the way here n’ settin’ up the tents, it’s chow time.”

“We’ll need a campfire ta make our dinner,” Apple Bloom said.

“No biggie,” Scootaloo said. “I can get some firewood from the woods.” And she dashed off.

A short time later, the sun had set and the fire in the fire pit was roaring brightly. Applejack was preparing food for all the campers. She mixed a vegetable soup with carrots, celery, and white beans. She served each camper their own bowl.

“Thanks, AJ,” Apple Bloom smiled.

After finishing the soup, Rainbow was eager to engage in another aspect of camping.

“Okay, everypony,” Rainbow said. “Get comfortable, because I’m about to tell you the greatest ghost story you’ve ever heard!”

Scootaloo, caught up in her excitement, hadn’t heard the ghost part. “Is it the one where Rarity got wings, acted loopy, flew too close to the sun, and you had to save her from plummeting to her death?”

Rarity facehoofed herself in embarrassment.

“That’s a great regular story,” Rainbow said with a smirk. “But, I was thinking something a bit more spooky. You like scary stories, don’t you?”

“Do those moans I hear from my aunts’ room each night count?” Scootaloo asked.

“Whoa~!” Rainbow said with a blush. “No way. That’s a totally different kind of scary that you shouldn’t know about for at least 8 more years. Same with you, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. Though, for Sweetie Belle, I’d say around 9.”

“Fair enough,” Scootaloo said. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle also nodded.

“Anyway,” Rainbow said. “This is a story that happened on a night just like this one and in a forest, just like this one…”

The story went on for a little while before Rainbow Dash got to the truly scary part, at least in her mind. “...And then, the Olden Pony asked the mare ‘Who’s got my rusty horseshoe?’” She delivered the last part in the best old sounding voice she could muster up.

“Not me~!” Sweetie Belle squeaked frightfully as she and Apple Bloom held onto Scootaloo.

There was a suspenseful pause before Rainbow shouted, “You do!” And just then, a small ember suddenly sparked for a brief second.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle screamed with fright from the ending of the story. Scootaloo jumped a bit, too, but, regained her composure and cleared her throat.

“Had a little something in my throat,” Scootaloo said. “That was a great story, Rainbow.” The filly hoped she sounded more confident than she felt.

“I had a feeling you’d like it,” Rainbow smiled. She then noogied the little pegasus. “You’re proving to be pretty fearless. I saw a bit of that yesterday when I saw you jump that overturned cart.”

“Yeah… fearless,” Scootaloo said timidly.

“I propose we get some rest,” Rarity said. “It’s a pity Spike couldn’t come. I wouldn’t have minded seeing him cuddled by my sister or the other crusaders.”

“Yeah,” Sweetie Belle said. “But, we can always do something special for him the next time we see him.”

Applejack let out a deep yawn.

“But, yer right ‘bout us all hittin’ the hay,” she said, rubbing one of her eyes. But, when she noticed Apple Bloom trembling, she comforted her little sister. “Don’t fret none, li’l sister. There ain’t no Olden Pony in our tent. The mare that likely inspired the legend passed away peacefully a long time ago n’ is restin’ in peace.” Those words soothed Apple Bloom.

“Thanks, Applejack,” Apple Bloom said softly. And she and her sister went into their tent.

“Good night, everypony,” Scootaloo said. But, Scootaloo gulped nervously. I hope I am able to sleep tonight after that scary story, she thought to herself. I wouldn’t want Rainbow to know I was really afraid. She followed Rainbow into her tent.

Scootaloo, though still feeling uneasy, managed to fall asleep. Unfortunately, she tossed and turned as she slept. Outside of the tent, she thought she heard the sound of hoof steps walking around. One hoof step sounded different from the other three. It sounded as if it didn’t have a horseshoe on.

“Hello?” Scootaloo called, softly. She didn’t want to wake Rainbow, but, she had to know who was out there, if anyone. Despite every instinct telling her to stay put, she opened the tent and headed outside. “Is anypony out here?” As she looked around, things seemed very different. The trees seemed to creak and groan as if they were alive… in the capacity of animals instead of plants. Scootaloo’s breathing was heavier as she looked around her and sweat trickled down her face. The hoof steps got closer. “Who…whoever you are… show yourself.” Though, I hope they don’t, she thought to herself.

She found herself facing a withered old mare in tattered robes. “Who’s got my rusty horseshoe?” she said in an old raspy voice.

“W-what are you asking me for?” Scootaloo asked.

“You’re out here~” she answered eerily. This did little to ease the filly’s concerns. “You could have easily picked it up… and I intend to get my horseshoe back!” And she started to give chase to Scootaloo, who ran as fast as she could trying to get away.

Scootaloo ran until she felt the mare was out of sight. She looked around for a way to get back to the tent so she can get back to sleep, but, as she looked around, she could swear she saw Princess Luna walking past some trees.

“Huh?” Scootaloo said to herself, rubbing her eyes to make sure she was seeing things right. When she looked again, the figure was gone. “Huh… I must have been seeing things.” Before she realized it, she found herself face to face with the olden pony again.

“You!” she croaked menacingly. “Have you got my horseshoe or not?!”

Scootaloo dashed off.

“I have to get back to the tent!” she panted. She spotted the tent and practically dove inside it. She then buried herself in her sleeping bag. When she dared to look out, she saw that Rainbow wasn’t splayed out on her open sleeping bag as she remembered her before she left the tent. “Rainbow?” She carefully moved the covers. But, when she looked, she didn’t see Rainbow. Instead, she saw the olden mare.

“You do!” she exclaimed as she leapt towards Scootaloo.

The next thing she knew, Scootaloo was in a cold sweat in her sleeping bag and saw Rainbow splayed out on her open sleeping bag as she remembered. Scootaloo took deep breaths to calm down. She was about to fall back asleep when Rainbow began to stir.

“Damn my bladder,” Rainbow groggily said as she stepped out of the tent.

“I hope Rainbow never finds out about that,” she said when she was alone. “I don’t want her to see me as a coward.”

So, Scootaloo tried to drift back to sleep, but, her efforts were in vain. Even after Rainbow returned, Scootaloo stayed up until the morning.

“Rise n’ shine, y’all!” Applejack called from outside of the tents. “Ah got flapjacks all cooked up.”

Rainbow yawned and stretched. “Boy, that was a great sleep.”

“Y-yeah,” Scootaloo said nervously. “Best night ever…” She turned to Rainbow to reveal bags under her bloodshot eyes.

“Whoa,” Rainbow said. “Did you get any sleep?”

“Oh, uh,” Scootaloo said, trying to come up with a good excuse. “No, I guess I was too eager to be on this camping trip.” She then chuckled nervously.

Rainbow wasn’t fully convinced, but, decided to wait until later to discuss it. “Okay, then. Well, come on. Let’s get some flapjacks.”

After breakfast, the ponies were on their way again. Rarity noticed that her cart felt heavier.

“What in the-?” Rarity gasped. “I remember my cart feeling heavy, but, not this heavy.”

“A little exercise would do you some good, Rarity,” Rainbow said.

“Oh, ha-ha,” Rarity said flatly. None of them knew that Scootaloo was napping among Rarity’s luggage.

So, they continued on their path towards the next clearing. The birds were singing and the sun shone bright on them. There was a slight breeze in the air, but, it was more refreshing than freezing.

“We’ll need ta set up camp before it gets dark,” Applejack said, unknowingly waking Scootaloo.

“Huh… wha?” Scootaloo muttered. “Dark?”

“Yeah,” Apple Bloom said upon locating her. “We made it ta our next stop. Ya were awfully quiet, Scoots.”

Scootaloo quickly took out her scooter and helmet. “Oh, yeah,” she said. “I was in awe with the nature and the weather was nice.” She started riding her scooter ahead.

“Hey, where are you going?” Sweetie Belle asked.

Scootaloo quickly thought up an excuse. “Uh, I have a little extra energy to burn off. I’ll be back soon, okay?” She left before she could get a reply.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looked at each other in confusion.

Meanwhile, Scootaloo struggled to stay awake. But, she drifted to sleep, still riding on her scooter. Her wings unknowingly flapped steadily to keep her momentum and she had an unexpected ride through that part of the forest. The next thing she knew, she was on top of a bush right next to the group.

“Welcome back,” Rainbow said. “Applejack said we won’t need tents tonight.”

“Huh?” Scootaloo said. “Why not?”

“‘Cause we’re takin’ shelter in that there cave,” Applejack said.

Scootaloo looked at the cave. It was large with gray rocks. It also looked a bit unsettling since it was dark inside.

“Uh…” Scootaloo trembled. “Sure, that makes sense.”

“All we need is a campfire and we’re good to go,” Rainbow said. “This time, Rarity’s preparing dinner.”

“Me?!” Rarity asked.

“What?” Rainbow asked. “You packed everything but the kitchen sink.”

“I didn’t pack food!” Rarity said. “It would make a mess and spoil!”*******

“Welp,” Applejack said. “Looks like ah’m on cookin’ duty again.”

“Yer purty useless at campin’,”******** Apple Bloom said to Rarity. “Food’s somethin’ ya always pack when campin’.”

“You must forgive me,” Rarity said. “I don’t have as much experience as you and Applejack do.”

“The fact that you packed everything except what you actually need makes that very clear,” Rainbow said.

“Alright, everpony,” Sweetie Belle said, trying to keep the peace. “Cut Rarity some slack. She’s trying, okay? Rarity just made a mistake and she’s learning from it.”

“How about you get some firewood, Scoots?” Rainbow said.

“Oh, yeah, sure,” Scootaloo nodded.

“Thanks,” Rainbow smiled.

Scootaloo looked over to see the shadows of the forest growing bigger with the setting sun. This gave everything a creepy look. She found it difficult to gather her nerves.

“Okay,” Scootaloo said to herself to prep herself. “I can do this… on three. One… two… three… go!” But, she didn’t go. She then took a deep breath and charged at the patch of fallen branches and twigs. She picked up some and ran back to the others. She panted deeply. She then pretended to regain her composure. “Piece of cake.”

“Surrounded by trees and that’s all you could find?” Rainbow said. “We might as well have asked Rarity to get the firewood.”

“I heard that,” Rarity called.

“It’ll do,” Applejack said. “Thank ya kindly, Scoots. N’ good thing, too. It’s colder’n a timberwolf’s toenail tanight.”

Applejack made the fire and prepared dinner for all the campers. After they finished eating, Rainbow was telling another ghost story.

“Now, where was I?” Rainbow said. “Oh, yeah, the scary part.”

Scootaloo quickly cut in. “Hey, Rainbow. Think I can try to tell the story tonight?”

“Well, okay,” Rainbow said. “Make it good and scary, Scoots.”

Scootaloo cleared her throat. “There was once a really nice pony who lived in a bright and sunny land, where there are rainbows every day and lots and lots of happy friends, and-”

“Uh, no offense, Scoots,” Rainbow interrupted. “But, I was expecting a ghost story and a sunny land isn’t really selling the ghostly aspect. In fact, I’ve heard that these very woods are haunted… by the Headless Horse!”

“Me n’ Rarity already heard that one,” Applejack said.

“I haven’t,” Sweetie Belle squeaked eagerly.

“Me neither!” Apple Bloom said excitedly. “But, if it don’t got no head, how’s it see where it’s goin’?”

“That’s because the Headless Horse is headless, not brainless,” Rainbow explained. “It gallops at night, looking for unsuspecting-”

“Wait,” Sweetie Belle interrupted. “If it doesn’t have a head, where’s its brain? For that matter, what good is its brain without eyes?”

“Do you want to hear this story or not?” Rainbow asked, increasingly becoming annoyed. “Because, if you’re going to keep interrupting me and pointing out any plot holes, I won’t tell it.”

“We’re sorry,” Apple Bloom said.

“We won’t interrupt again,” Sweetie Belle apologized.

“As I was saying,” Rainbow said, putting on a creepy narrator voice. “Fear was dripping in the air…”

It was nightfall by the time Rainbow finished.

“And they were never heard from ever again~” Rainbow concluded.

“Never?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Never!” Rainbow emphasized as a crack from the fire came.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle jumped. Scootaloo didn’t scream, but, she instead trembled.

“Not to worry, Sweetie Belle,” Rarity said, comforting her younger sister. “You shall be safe with me tonight.”

Scootaloo was alerted. “W-what? It’s not time to go to bed now, is it?!”

“‘Fraid so,” Applejack said.

“Yeah,” Apple Bloom said. “It’s been a long day, n’ ah know we’re all eager ta keep goin’, but, we should all get some shut-eye.”

“But, we haven’t sung any campfire songs!” Scootaloo said.

“As delightful as that sounds,” Rarity said. “We should all get some rest first. Sweetie does have a lovely singing voice, but, she sounds her best after she’s well rested.”

“Yeah,” Sweetie Belle admitted with a sheepish blush. “I’m sure there’ll be time for a sing along tomorrow or something.”

With that, all the campers entered the cave. Applejack noticed Scootaloo’s uneasy behavior.

“Hey, sugarcube,” Applejack said comfortingly. “Ya seem like yer not too keen on gettin’ ta bed. Is everythin’ okay? N’ don’t try hidin’ nothin’.” She raised her left eyebrow. “Ah’ll know.”

Scootaloo, well aware of Applejack’s Mystic Eyes, decided to take a deep breath and whisper her explanation in the farm mare’s ear. She was hoping that her secret would be kept. Applejack patiently listened.

“Ah’ll speak ta Rainbow ‘bout this later,” Applejack said. “Meantime, ya best get shut-eye. ‘Tain’t healthy fer a filly yer age ta stay up all night.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Scootaloo sighed. “Good night, Applejack.”

With that, she slid into her sleeping bag. Try as she might to deny it, her eyelids felt heavy and she eventually drifted to sleep.

In her dream, she was alone in the forest. She heard hoof steps approaching her.

“That must be the Headless Horse,” Scootaloo gasped. “If it captures me, I’ll never be heard from again! I’m not exactly eager to find out what that entails!” She began galloping as fast as she could.

Unfortunately, she misstepped and she fumbled as she approached the side of a cliff. She saw the creature get closer. She backed up nervously, panting with a mixture of exhaustion and panic.

“This is it… this is the end…” Scootaloo said in a scared tone.

But, there was suddenly a brilliant flash of white light on the moon and the creature transformed into a much friendlier figure… Princess Luna.

“Good evening, young Scootaloo,” Luna smiled. “A warm welcome to you.”

“Princess Luna?” Scootaloo said.

“Were you expecting the Headless Horse?” She asked. “Apologies, but, he was only a part of Lancelot Crayon’s story, ‘The Legend of Drowsy Valley.’********* That was entirely fictional. I hope I haven’t disappointed you.”

“You’re a much better sight,” Scootaloo said. “But, what are you doing here? I thought I saw you last night, too.”

“You had, in a way,” Princess Luna explained. “I was patrolling the Dream Realm. It seems that the baku haven’t reached you yet.”

“I see,” Scootaloo said, before realizing what Luna had said. “Wait… this is a dream? But, it feels so real.” She held her hoof out, but, she touched an invisible surface and there was a reverberating beat. “Whoa~”

“Dreams can feel more realistic in heightened emotional states,” Luna said. “I could sense your distress and came to help you. However, when you awake, what you fear the most will still be present.”

“But, I thought the Headless Horse wasn’t real,” Scootaloo said.

“He isn’t,” Luna said. “But, is the Headless Horse really what you fear the most?”

“Well… no,” Scootaloo admitted. “I’m afraid that Rainbow would think that I’m not as tough as she thinks that I am.”

“Even Rainbow Dash has fears of her own,” Luna said. “I could tell from the dreams that the baku have brought back.”

“Wait,” Scootaloo said. “Don’t baku eat bad dreams?”

“They do,” Luna said. “Though, some prefer to bring them back to Canterlot to eat before going back. I manage to see the dreams before they’re eaten. Sometimes, I guide them to bad dreams if they can’t find them themselves.”

“I see,” Scootaloo said.

“But,” Princess Luna said. “Remember this: you must face your own fears, Scootaloo. If you should not, these nightmares will continue and your life can seem like a waking nightmare.”

Scootaloo began to wake from her dream.

“Whoa!” she exclaimed. “What’s happening?”

“You are waking up,” Luna explained quickly as her wings opened and she began to fly. “I must return. But, remember: face your fears~!”

Scootaloo woke with a start. “Princess Luna?!” She yelped. She looked around. She was inside her sleeping bag in the cave. She panted. “It was just a dream.” She then heard a deep gurgling sound echo in the cave. While she started to panic, she quickly realized that the sound was Applejack’s stomach digesting the dinner from earlier. She breathed a sigh of relief. “Okay, Scoots, get a hold of yourself,” she said softly. “That gurgling is just Applejack’s stomach. Weird that nopony else woke up from that, though.” She then looked around and gasped. “What if it wasn’t what I thought it was?!” She saw Rainbow snoring in a way that sounded like whinnying. “Huh, never knew she sounded like that while she’s asleep. Wait, why didn’t her snoring sound like that last night?” Rainbow started talking in her sleep.

“Oh, hey, Princess Luna,” the older pegasus said sleepily. “What brings you here?”

She’s dreaming, Scootaloo thought.

“What about Scootaloo?” Rainbow said through a yawn while still asleep. Scootaloo could tell that this meant Luna was telling Rainbow about her own dream. “Whoa. That’s making it hard for me to feel good about myself.” Scootaloo, hearing this, suddenly felt guilty. “Let me talk with her, please. I want to straighten something out.” In a few seconds, Rainbow woke up. “Oh, hey, you’re up. Scootaloo, can we talk?” Applejack’s stomach continued to noisily digest, which echoed in the cave. “Preferably somewhere where that’s not interrupting us?”

“Yeah,” Scootaloo said.

So, the two pegasi stepped outside of the cave, enough where the stomach growling and its echoing wouldn’t bother them, but, not too far away so that they wouldn’t accidentally get lost.

“So, Princess Luna approached me in my dream and said you feel you need to be tough all the time or I’ll think you’re a wimp,” Rainbow said. “Is that true?”

Scootaloo gulped uneasily, but, she remembered Princess Luna’s words and she knew she had to tell Rainbow the truth. “Something like that. For most of my life, I wanted you to take me under your wing and be like a big sister to me. Now that we’re on this camping trip, I have the chance to do that. But, when you started telling all of those spooky stories, I got scared. So scared that I was even having nightmares about all of the creepy characters hunting me down in the forest. So… that’s what the deal is.”

Rainbow carefully listened as Scootaloo explained. When Scootaloo finished, Rainbow said her piece. “Luna probably told you that I have my own fears, didn’t she? Well, she’s right. I do get scared sometimes, but, I know I can count upon my friends to help me through them, even if I sometimes try to deny it or shrug it off. You should never have to feel like you have to hide your fears from me. If you want me to be your sisterly figure, it’s a good idea to confide in me and talk to me whenever you're feeling troubled. I may not always help you, but, you can count on me to listen. So, do you promise to try and tell me when things are bothering you from here on out?”

“I guess so,” Scootaloo said. Rainbow could see that Scootaloo needed extra encouragement.

“Look,” she said. “I get that you feel spooked out by ghost stories, but, you don’t have to worry because they’re not real and can’t hurt you.” She then chuckled. “Besides, AJ’s belly growling sounds scarier than any ghost story I’ve ever told, but, we’re not scared of that, either.”**********

Scootaloo couldn’t help but chuckle at Rainbow’s remark. “Yeah, you’re right,” she said with a smile.

Rainbow hugged Scootaloo warmly. “Feeling better?”

“So much better,” Scootaloo smiled. “Thanks, Rainbow. And I’m sorry for putting you through this trouble.”

“And I’m sorry if I made you feel like you had to hide your feelings from me,” Rainbow said. “We better get you to sleep. Think you can handle AJ’s belly digesting the rest of the night?”

“With you by my side and helping me out,” Scootaloo smiled. “I think I can handle anything.”

“That’s the spirit,” Rainbow said.

So the two pegasi returned to their sleeping bags in the cave.

The next day after breakfast, the campers were on their way. After almost an hour of walking, they reached the beautiful Winsome Falls. The falls came in all colors of the rainbow.

“Wow~” Scootaloo gasped in amazement. “I can see why you come here. It’s incredible!”

“You should see Rainbow Falls,” Rainbow said before spotting a rusty horseshoe. “Ugh! Widow Oldenmare misplaced her rusty horseshoe again.”

“Widow Oldenmare?” asked Scootaloo.

“You remember the scary story I told the first night out?” Rainbow said. “She’s the mare from the story.” That caught the attention of the other campers.

“Wait,” Applejack said. “Ah woulda thought that the story happened an even longer time ago. Yer tellin’ me that the mare in that story’s not only real, but, still alive?!”***********

“Yeah,” Rainbow said. “Every time Widow Oldenmare can’t find her rusty horseshoe, she stalks the woods at night and accuses ponies minding their own business in the woods of taking it when she has no evidence they even knew about it. At this point, it’s more annoying than scary.”

“Huh,” Applejack said. “Well, ah’ll be danged.”

“I’ve gone camping on this trail three times in the last six months alone,” Rainbow said. “And she’s misplaced her rusty horseshoe and stalked the woods trying to get it from me every single time.”

“Ah guess some ponies have a hard time takin’ a hint,” Applejack said.

“Think I can go with you to give it back, Rainbow?” Scootaloo asked. “It’ll be like another way of facing my fears.”

“Okay,” Rainbow said. “You four go ahead. We’ll catch up.”

“See you soon,” Sweetie Belle called as she and Rarity were playfully chasing each other.

Rainbow and Scootaloo went into the woods. There, they saw an old mare that matched what Scootaloo saw the night before last.

“Who’s got my rusty horseshoe?” she asked in her raspy voice.

“We found it just near Winsome Falls,” Rainbow said as she tossed the horseshoe to the old mare. She was able to put it on the hoof that it belonged to.

“Thank you,” Widow said with a smile.

“You really need to work on your greetings,” Rainbow said.

“I’ll try,” Widow said. “Both of you have a nice day now.” And with that, she set off back to her home in who knows where.

“Let’s head back to the others,” Rainbow said.

“Right there with you,” Scootaloo smiled.

Rainbow and Scootaloo then started to make their way back to where the others were.

End of chapter.

Author's Note

Here's the next chapter.

*Rainbow showing more concern for Scootaloo early on.

**Legit reason for him not to be there.

***Character growth FTW!

****Yeah, considering who Scootaloo's parents are, it's weird she never went camping.

*****Hey, look! Continuity!

******Reality ensues. Also Spongebob reference.

*******Let's face it, this is in line with Rarity's character at this point.

********She is not wrong.

*********Sorry, The Background Conquerer. Hopefully, this compensates.

**********Comedic heartwarming!

***********

Full disclosure, the next chapter will not be uploaded next week because this chapter was uploaded on Memorial Day.

If you liked this chapter, feel free to contact me via private messages if you'd like to help make future chapters.

Chapter 2: The Crystal Empire - Part 2 (S3:E2)

My Little Pony: Nine Elements

Book 3

Written by Brandon Nell, Micah Shires, and Blake Hawkins

Chapter 2: The Crystal Empire - Part 2

Twilight had been in bleak situations before, but, they paled in comparison to the situation she’d been dealing with for the past day. She was witnessing new friends in a new location facing off against a shadowy umbrum unicorn named Sombra.

It all started when Princess Celestia received word of the Crystal Empire returning, calling Twilight and her friends to Canterlot immediately.

“The Crystal Empire has returned,” Princess Celestia summarized. “With it, King Sombra.”

After the situation was explained and Celestia stated that in the end, Twilight alone must aid in Shining Armor and Princess Cadance liberating the Crystal Empire, the Guardians of Harmony took the train to the Frozen North. They were met by Shining Armor and Flash Sentry as well as Flash’s pet thunderbird, Joules. After the three fended off against Sombra’s vaporous form, they led the guardians towards the entrance and encountered a dragon.

Inside the empire’s castle, they saw Cadance in an exhausted condition. “I’m not used to using combat magic,” Cadance said. “It’s a bit draining for me.”

With the help of both old and new friends, the guardians have come to learn more of the Crystal Empire and their efforts to protect it without Cadance’s magic. In their research, they met local Crystal Ponies who hadn’t lost their luster. They told our heroes of the Crystal Faire. “Ooh, I’m so excited for a Crystal Faire!” Lemon Zest, one of the new friends, said.

Near completion of the preparations, Twilight came upon an entry explaining a powerful artifact known as the Crystal Heart. She quickly learned how essential it was and discovered that part of the information on it was ripped out of the book.

At that moment, the threat of King Sombra loomed. Twilight’s new friends bravely faced Sombra to buy her time.

After Twilight and explained what happened, Cadance’s body finally collapsed with exhaustion. The situation was the darkest Twilight had faced yet.

Even as Sombra was rapidly closing in, Spike seemed to get an idea on what to do. "I'm writing to the princesses! They must be informed of this!"

“It won’t make a difference, Spike,” Twilight said. “It would take too long for the message to get to them and for them to show up. They wouldn’t get here in time to save anypony. My friends and I will just have to try and fend him off on our own.”

“But, what about Princess Celestia’s order not to engage him?” Spike asked.

“The safety of the Crystal Ponies should be what matters, Spike,” Twilight said. “Besides, under the circumstances, I'm sure she'd understand that we had no choice. We've come too far to just let him take back the empire. Even without the Elements of Harmony, the girls and I will find a way to win."

“I have a better idea,” Cadance’s voice rang out. “This is my empire, therefore it's my duty to protect it!" With a great deal of struggling she was able to develop a replica of her husband's signature shield spell and just in time, too.

At the borders, Astral and the Crystal 5 were battling Sombra and his golems when suddenly, the vaporous tyrant was pushed back, screaming and howling in pain as he made contact with the newly erected barrier.

“Ah!” Sombra howled. He looked down and noticed that the top of his curved horn was cut off and burying itself deep into the ground before either Astral or the Crystal 5 had a chance to notice. “I must admit,” he said to the six before him. “You’ve put up a good fight, but, all you’ve managed to do is frustrate me.” He then looked at one of the surviving golems still within the barrier. “And turn one of my golems inside out.”

“There’s more to that if you come around here again!” Indigo snapped.

“This is merely a delay,” Sombra said. “This barrier wasn’t made by the Crystal Heart, so, it can only keep me out temporarily. It won’t last forever. It’ll fail eventually. And when it does, I'll be waiting! You can't keep me locked out forever!" And then, his shadowy form retreated for the time being.

Lemon Zest gazed on at his remnants with an angered face and blew a small raspberry.

“Did any of you notice that the top of his horn was missing?” Sunny Flare asked.

“Yeah, I did,” Sugarcoat said. “Likely due to that magical surge we felt from the Princess’ magic.”

“This doesn’t bode well,” Sunny said. “If even the tiniest fragment of Sombra is within the empire’s borders, it could spell disaster for all involved.”

“You five go ahead and report this to the princess,” Astral said as he made his swords disappear and went into a quadrupedal stance. “I'll stay here and look for his horn.”

“We’re counting on you, Astral,” Indigo said as she and the other mares made their way to the castle.

At the castle, the Crystal 5 had finished their report.

“The surge of magic did, unfortunately, tear off the tip of Sombra’s horn,” Sugarcoat said. “We’re not sure where it landed as we didn’t get a good enough look.”

“But, Astral’s out there keeping an eye out for it,” Lemon Zest added.

"Thanks to you," Cadance smiled back before adopting a more serious tone. "But, Sombra's right, we haven't shut him out completely. We need to find where he hid the real Crystal Heart and fast! We'll probably have to call off the fair to conduct a search."

“No, Cadance,” Twilight protested. “You and Shining Armor can’t afford to turn this place upside down. The fair must go on, the Crystal Ponies should still believe we have the real Crystal Heart. It’ll be important to keep their spirits up when we do eventually have the real artifact. After all, it’s your empire now. It would be a good idea to interact with your subjects.”

"But, what about you, Twily?" Shining Armor questioned his sister. "What will you do?"

“I can handle the search,” Twilight said. “When I find it, I’ll bring it to you. In the meantime, please work with my friends and keep the fair going.” She then gestured to the Crystal 5. “That goes for you, too. Try making a convincing replica until I find the real one.”

“It’s going to be tricky considering it’s a special artifact,” Sour Sweet said snarkily, then, in a sweeter tone, she said. “But, we’ll try our best anyway~”

“We’ll do our best, Twilight,” Cadance promised. “But, be careful. There's no telling what sort of security measures King Sombra will have set up for the Crystal Heart should you find it.”

“I will be careful,” Twilight promised. She then trotted off to begin the search.

“Wait for me, mom!” Spike said as he followed her.

The Crystal 5 were confused. “‘Mom?’” Indigo said.

“I hatched his egg,” Twilight said as briefly and concisely as possible, briefly sticking her head back in to do so before hurrying off.

“Well, you heard her,” Sunny said. “We’ve got a job to do.”

The Crystal 5 discreetly discussed recent developments with the other Guardians of Harmony, making sure the more high-spirited Crystal Ponies didn’t hear.

“Oh, my,” Fluttershy said. “Well, it won’t be easy, but, we’ll do our best.”

Spike soon made it to Twilight, breathing heavily. Once he got control of his breath, he spoke. “Mom,” he said. “I have to ask: Are you out of your mind?! You don't even know where to begin looking for the Crystal Heart!"

“I appreciate your concern, Spike,” Twilight said. “But, everything is under control. You can stay with me, but, please try not to touch anything. Princess Celestia did say that I had to be the one to help Shining Armor and Princess Cadance to ensure everypony’s protection.”

Spike was undeterred. “But, mom,” he said. “Don't you think that maybe the real test from Princess Celestia here is to see if you'll follow every order she gives to the letter, no matter what?" He was quick to point out, "She's not perfect. She can make mistakes. We both saw how she was in that projection. Heck, you and the others have been, at the very least, trying to correcting her mistakes since you became the Guardians of Harmony. Nightmare Moon, Discord, and even Chrysalis! And the Guardians didn’t even succeed with her!"

Twilight didn’t say anything until Spike was done speaking. She then took a moment to process his words. Even now, the Guardians were trying to correct Celestia’s mistake by finding a permanent solution to the Sombra problem that four sired alicorns couldn’t.

“You’re right, Spike,” Twilight said. “You’re right about everything.” Then, a thought occurred to her. "Well, she didn't really elaborate on what she meant by 'helping,' so, I guess you tagging along won't break any of the rules or cause me to fail."

“There you go,” Spike said. “If the way she acted in that projection is an indication, we should reevaluate your incredibly high opinion on Celestia.”

“That would have to be for another time,” Twilight said. “Right now, we need to find the Crystal Heart. Still, I don't want you to touch anything unless I say otherwise. Sombra's sure to have the Crystal Heart well protected, and I promised Princess Luna I wouldn't let anything happen to you. You're my son, after all."

“I know, Mom,” Spike said with a smile. “I was right next to you.” His smile faltered. “But, where do we even begin? Asking Sombra where he hid it would be stupid on so many levels.”

“Right,” Twilight said. “In order to find it, I need to start thinking like Sombra. There’s only one place I can think of where he would keep something so important. It would have to be in a place where he would ensure nopony could think to find it or dare to look.” She looked towards the Crystal Castle.

“The castle is so big,” Spike noted. “We wouldn’t know where to start.”

“We’re going to have to start looking, Spike,” Twilight said. “Once the barrier goes down, there’ll be no stopping Sombra. I just hope our friends and the Crystal 5 can keep the fair going.”

“Knowing our friends,” Spike said. “They will. I hope you’re right about the location of the heart. If it’s not in the castle, it could be anywhere in the Crystal Empire.”

So, Twilight allowed Spike onto her back and she ran into the castle.

The Crystal Fair was still ongoing, but, it was quickly becoming a problem when various Crystal Ponies wanted to stop by to see the Crystal Heart for themselves.

Rainbow flew up to one of the Crystal Ponies’ faces intimidatingly. “What are you lookin’ at?!” This intimidated the Crystal Pony, who backed away in fright as a result. “That’s what I thought.”

Rainbow was struck in the back of the head with a hard object she quickly learned to be a disgruntled Indigo Zap’s right forehoof.

“Listen, Dash,” Indigo said. “We get what you’re trying to do, but, that’s no reason to scare the Crystal Ponies. We’re supposed to be raising their spirits, not traumatizing them.”

Rainbow sheepishly put her right forehoof behind her head. “Right, sorry. I tend to go a little overboard with these things.”

“If that’s a little overboard,” Indigo sneered. “I’d hate to see when you really go overboard.”

“Okay, genius,” Rainbow said. “How else am I supposed to keep them from finding out about the heart?”

Indigo wasn’t intimidated. "I'll stay here with Applejack and help divert ponies as needed. You should go straight to the arena to show off your jousting skills."

Rainbow’s disgruntled attitude suddenly changed to one of determination. “Okay, I like the sound of that idea way better. You really are a genius!” As quick as a wink, Rainbow flew in the direction of the arena. Once there, she saw Shining Armor preparing for a joust.

“Hey, Rainbow,” he said. “Care to go a few rounds against me in the tournament? I could use a little refresher in combat. I can’t use my magic for the time being.”

Rainbow’s grin grew. “You’re on!”

Meanwhile, other Crystal Ponies began to come by, ones not interested in the jousting match. “Having a good time?” Indigo asked. “If not, don’t hesitate to let me know and I’ll relay it to the princess and her husband.”

“I’m feeling the best I’ve felt since…” one Crystal Pony started. “I can’t remember when! This is the best time I’ve ever had!”

“That’s good to hear, Autumn Gem,” Indigo said.

“I would love to see the Crystal Heart, though, before the ceremony,” Autumn said. “It’s been a long time since anypony has laid eyes on it.”

Applejack was getting nervous.

“There are a lot of other activities to try,” Cadance said, coming to Applejack’s aid. “There are plenty of rare foods to try and even a jousting match that my husband is participating in.”

Applejack watched the whole thing unfold as she thought to herself. Come on, Twilight... hurry it up, will ya?! These here Crystal Ponies’re more curious’n a cat! Don't know how long the rest o’ us can keep 'em away.

Back in the castle, Twilight was searching through every possible nook and cranny. Unfortunately, nothing stood out or gave any indicator as to where the Crystal Heart could possibly be.

“It's got to be here somewhere," Twilight protested with annoyance. "Where is it?!"

“Believe me, Mom,” Spike said. “If I did know where it was, I would tell you. Sombra must have been desperate to keep the Crystal Heart hidden.”

“From what the Crystal 5 told us,” Twilight said. “Just being near the Crystal Heart would make him sick and weak, so, he couldn’t be holding onto it himself.” As she continued to search, she remembered something that Princess Celestia told her and her friends. “Wait a minute… if I want to thwart Sombra, I’ll have to think like him!”

Spike gulped. “I don’t like the sound of that.”

“It’s not what you think, Spike,” Twilight reassured her drake son. “I won’t be speaking to him directly, but, I need to remember that things in the Crystal Empire were different when he reigned. This is Queen Amore’s castle, not Sombra’s.”

“But, we can’t ask Queen Amore,” Spike said. “She was turned into a crystal statue and shattered with the fragments being scattered across Equestria.”

“What I mean is,” Twilight clarified. “Sombra must have altered the throne room in a way only he could. That way, he could hide the Crystal Heart in a place where only he could get to it. And the only way to find it is to use dark magic.”

“But, you haven’t learned any dark magic spells,” Spike said.

“Good thing I can figure spells out after seeing them in action,” Twilight said. “You better stand back. I’m not taking any chances.”

Spike cautiously stood back. He was worried for his pony mother’s safety. Then, with a large effort of concentration, Twilight’s deep magenta magical aura became black engulfed in a vivid violet haze with light brilliant green edges. And to make matters worse, Spike could see her clearly straining as she aimed a beam of the powerful magic at the crystal atop the throne.

In Twilight’s mind, she could feel dark thoughts starting to seep in. And to make matters worse, she soon heard the familiar voice of King Sombra starting to taunt her. "Well well, the prized protege of Princess Celestia. Finally getting a taste of dark magic, I see. It hurts, doesn't it? It's like no pain you've ever felt before."

“Get out of my mind, Sombra!” Twilight roared and growled in defiance. She was unaware that the conversation was being heard, though thankfully, only by Spike.

“I only wish to make a deal with you to ease your suffering,” the greedy king said. "Give into the darkness. Let it consume you as it did me, let it burn away anything and everything else. Once your heart is as black as mine you'll feel so much better, because you'll be incapable of ever feeling anything ever again."

“I will never become like you, Sombra!” Twilight snapped. “You won’t corrupt me! I’ve sharpened my mental barriers!”

"They will do you little good in the end," the umbrum cackled in a deep voice. "Still, I can't maintain this link between us for long. I must concentrate my powers into fully restoring my physical presence. After all, that pesky princess' barrier is going to run out before long, even sooner than that pathetic husband of hers from whom she copied the spell."

“You leave my brother out of this!” Twilight snapped again. “Don’t even think about harming him or my sister-in-law!”

“Ah, so, they’re your family,” Sombra said in surprise. “Good. That will make their destruction all the more satisfying. Talk to you again soon, Twilight. You'll have to use a lot more dark magic than what you're currently using to stop me. And if you're already struggling now, I can only imagine how hard the rest of the trials will be." Just like that, his voice faded away.

Twilight opened her eyes and shook her head to clear her thoughts. She now stood in front of a large spiral staircase that led down into a dark cave that had not been there a moment ago. “Spike, this looks dangerous. Stay here while I go down to see where this goes. If it’s safe for you to come down, I’ll call you. Remember, not a claw until I tell you, okay?”

Spike gave a salute to show he understood.

Unable to tell how deep the staircase was, Twilight picked up a loose piece of crystal and dropped it. She listened for a possible sound when it hit the ground, but, it took a long time for the crystal to hit the bottom. When it did, it was very faint. With that, she started down carefully. Since the staircase didn’t have any rails, she had to be really careful with how she tread. “Spike,” she called. “Can you hear me?”

“Barely,” Spike replied. “What do you need?”

"Is everything okay outside? I haven't looked in a while." Twilight instructed.

Spike peered out the window with his emerald green eyes. He could see the barrier flickering on and off. When it did fade down, the surrounding area outside took on a dark red hue that made everything seem ominous and troubling. It was even possible to hear the sound of thunder crashing as King Sombra’s voice was speaking through the dark crystals that were sprouting up like weeds.

Spike hurried to the staircase entrance. “It’s not looking good, mom,” he said. “Cadance’s magic is fading fast! I’d say we have an hour before it fails completely!”

“Oh, dear,” Twilight said dismally. “If you don’t hear from me by then, you’ll have to get the Princesses involved. I just hope it doesn’t come to that.” She continued down the stairs, only to misjudge her step and tumbled down the whole flight. She managed to illuminate her horn, cascading the room in a soft magenta light. “Ow…”

“Are you okay, mom?” Spike called from above.

“Been better, but, nonetheless okay,” Twilight called. She then found a door. She then called up. “Stay where you are, Spike! I’ve got something to check out!”

However, as Twilight got closer, the door moved itself further back. She tried this a few more times, but, the results were the same. Losing her patience, Twilight used the same dark magic spell she used before and fired a beam at the door, causing it to stop. “You stay right there!” The door then creaked open and a blinding flash could be seen. “I think I found a lead, Spike!” she called. “This must be where the Crystal Heart is!” She then ran through the door. Or at least, she thought she ran through the door.

Once the flash faded, Twilight discovered that she was no longer in the dark cave beneath the castle throne. Instead, she found herself back in… of all places… the Canterlot Castle throne room. Twilight looked around in confusion. In fact, any resemblance of the door that brought her there was no longer in sight. “Huh?” she said quizzically. “Canterlot? How did I end up here? What’s going on?”

She then bumped into Princess Celestia. “What are you doing here?” the sun princess asked in a very stern voice. “I thought I sent you on an important assignment.”

“Princess Celestia,” Twilight gasped in surprise, thrown for a loop at her mentor’s vocal tone. “I don't know how, I swear! I was in the Crystal Empire when I opened this door and-”

Celestia interrupted coldly. “I don’t have time for your excuses. You have disobeyed my instructions.” She turned her back. “You must go.”

“Go?” Twilight asked, blinking dismally in confuison. “Go where?”

“It makes no difference to me,” Celestia said. “You failed my test. I hoped you would do better than Sunset Shimmer as a student, but, you’re as much a failure as she was.*”

Twilight gasped in shock and horror. “What?! But, I don’t understand! How could I have failed? I didn’t do anything wrong! I don’t even know how I ended up back here!”

"I told you I didn't want to hear your excuses, Twilight,” Celestia snorted. “You disappointed me. So now, not only will you not move on to the next level of your studies and begin advanced lessons, you won't continue your studies at all! Your time as my student has come to an end."

“I…” Twilight stammered. “Y-you can’t do this! You never said anything about me no longer being your student if I failed!”

"Oh, didn't I? I thought you already knew since you made it a habit to know everything," Celestia replied as she trotted away, refusing to look her former student in the eyes. "Get out of my sight, Twilight!" And just like that, she disappeared.

Twilight was still shaken up from what she had heard. She couldn’t understand why Celestia was acting like this towards her. At that moment, she saw a stained glass window depicting King Sombra overpowering and conquering the Crystal Empire. The image of this reduced Twilight to tears. “No… no, it can’t be… no! NO!”

Suddenly, in the distance, Twilight became aware of a familiar voice calling out to her. It was faint at first, but, it slowly grew louder. “Mom? Mom! Moooom!” the voice called. Twilight realized that it was Spike. His voice broke her out of her apparent trance and she shook off the dark magic feeling once more. She found herself back in the cave in front of the door.

“Spike?” Twilight said, turning to see him running down the stairway.

Spike wasted no time embracing his unicorn mother.

“Thank goodness you’re okay,” he said happily before he said in an apologetic tone. “I know you told me to stay up there, but, you weren’t answering my calls. I got worried and came down to check on you when I heard you crying. What are you looking at that’s troubling you?” He turned his attention to the open door that wasn’t really an entrance. “It’s just a wall. Why would-” But, as Spike peered into it, the crystal adornment on the doorframe flashed with dark magic, causing an illusion to unfold before Spike that only he could see as his eyes glowed a sickly green. “Ponyville? How did we get back- Mom, how did you- No! Please! I don’t want to go! You can’t send me away! I thought I meant something to you! Please, don’t make me go!”

Realizing what was happening, Twilight quickly shut the door, cutting off the spell it was casting on Spike. “Looks like my hunch on traps was right,” she said. “This elusive door is powered by King Sombra's dark magic. He must've enchanted it to show one's worst fears. For me, it was failing the test. And for you... well, we just witnessed it for ourselves."

“We were back in Ponyville,” Spike sniffled with tears running down his face. “You told me you didn’t need me anymore, so, you were going to send me away.” The little dragon started to sob. “After you brought me into the world and everything I did for you over the years, you were going to send me away!”

Twilight’s heart ached in sympathy as she looked upon her devastated little dragon. The mere sight of him in pain alone was hard for her. Knowing that she was tied to it was heartbreaking for her. She hugged the little drake into her barrel. Her hugs weren’t as tight as Pinkie’s, but, they were still soft and comforting.

“I promise I'll never let that fear come to pass,” she said gently. “I’m never going to send you away no matter what. You will always have a special place in my heart and next to me. If there comes a day where you’re too big for the library, I’ll still stay with you because I can’t imagine living anywhere without you.”**

Hearing Twilight’s words made Spike feel much better, even without Twilight having to rub his left face cheek. “Thank you,” he said softly. “I needed to hear that. But, if that door is supposed to be here, how do we get inside if it’s a dead end?”

The unicorn smiled. "By countering Sombra's dark magic with my own magic. A magic powered by light and love. A magic I'm reminded of just by having you near me." And that's exactly what sort of magic she used on the crystal above the door, breaking the spell and allowing the door to swing open. There was no blinding flash of light this time and both pony and dragon took that as a sign that it was safe to proceed.

“More stairs,” Spike said as he saw what was inside. “I’m sensing a theme here.”

“So am I,” Twilight nodded in agreement. “But, I think it’ll be better for both of us if we stick together from here on out. I left you alone when a threat to Equestria was on the loose before and I won’t do it again. Now, we'd better hurry and find the Crystal Heart before it's too late!"

As Twilight and Spike searched for the Crystal Heart (with none of the empire any wiser to the hardships they were enduring), the Jousting tournament was finally underway. The excitement kept the Crystal Ponies engaged. The Crystal 5 were the only Crystal Ponies aware of the barrier flickering.

“This is getting really bad,” Lemon Zest said.

“Oh, I hope Twilight is okay,” Sour Sweet said in her sweet tone. Then, in her sour tone, she said. “She better find it soon!”

Pinkie Pie, now decked out from head to hooves in a green jester's outfit, blew into a flugelhorn. "Attention, fillies and gentlecolts!" she declared afterward. "Thank you for your patience. We're ready to start the jousting tournament! In this corner: Knight Rainbow Dash!" A spotlight shown on one end of the arena, showing Rainbow Dash in her jousting outfit. "And in this corner: your prince, Shining Armor!" Another spotlight showed Shining in his jousting outfit, which also fortunately obscured the dark crystals surrounding his horn. The crowd cheered wildly as Pinkie announced. “Jousters, ready your lances! Get ready and… go!”

Rainbow charged forward at lightning speed. She aimed her lance at Shining Armor’s mid-section with the intent of knocking him down. She knew he couldn't use his magic to adjust his lance’s position. Even if he could, it would be an unfair advantage. She learned this from practice matches with Indigo. This is going to be an easy knockout, she thought to herself with a confident smirk.

However, Shining Armor just continued trotting at his leisurely pace until at the last second, he charged forward. Unprepared for this burst of speed, Rainbow was knocked over instead.

“And the first point goes to Knight Shining Armor!” Pinkie announced. “First one to three points wins the match and then moves onto the next match! The not-victor takes over as the jester. Okay, jousters, back to your stations. Prepare for your next faceoff.”

Flash, who was in the audience alongside Cadance and Joules, snickered as Shining approached Rainbow, helping her to her hooves. “You gave yourself away charging ahead like that,” he instructed the mare. “In the royal guard, we consider that behavior reckless. And you just saw where recklessness will get you.”

“Yeah, sure,” Rainbow said, dusting herself off. “I won’t make that same mistake again. You won’t beat me again!”

Wow, Shining said internally. Applejack wasn’t wrong about Rainbow’s attitude. “With that attitude, you don’t stand a chance,” he replied. "Twilight tells me you've been trying to get into the Wonderbolts. Well, if you want to have any shot with them you're going to have to learn to think with your head, not with your hooves."

“Hey, enough chit-chat!” Pinkie called. She was ready to blow into the flugelhorn to start the next match. “I can’t keep this party going forever. We have to keep the entertainment going. So, you better get back out there and give these ponies a good time!”

“Oh, don’t worry, Pinkie,” Rainbow said. “I’ll give them some entertainment and then some when I come back from an early defeat and win this whole tournament!”

Indigo, who was among the other participants in the tournament next to Fluttershy, could hardly believe what she was hearing. “Is she seriously that stupid?!” she asked the demure pegasus.

“Um,” Fluttershy said, trying to be polite. “She does have her moments.”

Indigo could only groan in annoyance. “Please tell me she’s not the best example of schools these days.”

“Sure, she isn’t perfect,” Fluttershy said. “But, she has proved to raise our spirits if we’re ever in trouble.”

“From what I’ve seen so far,” Indigo said. “You’ll have to forgive me if I’m skeptical.”

Meanwhile, Rarity trotted up to Applejack with bad news. “I am running out of weaving materials for the traditional crafts booth! I just made a hat out of three pieces of hay and a drinkable straw. I made it work, but, still. At this point, I don’t know how long we’re going to keep the fair going.”

Sunny stepped up. “And I can’t keep making stuff out of crystals,” she said.

“Even the petting zoo isn’t getting much attention,” Lemon Zest reported. “The barrier’s not holding up well. It looks like it could fail at any time.”

Cadence came trotting over, forcing a smile as it was clear she was struggling to maintain her composure. "It may be time to consider a Plan B. The only thing we have left to keep the Crystal Ponies interested is the jousting tournament. But, if the barrier fails soon, even that won't be enough."

Just then, some Crystal Pony called out. “Where’s the Crystal Heart?”

Thinking quickly, Sugarcoat subtly concentrated her magic to make the replica appear.

“I know this isn’t really an honest means,” Sugarcoat whispered to Applejack. “But, we still have to keep the Crystal Ponies secured until the real Crystal Heart is found. The alternative is having them panic. Do you honestly want that?”

Applejack shook her head no. Just then, an overly excited Crystal Pony stallion tripped and hit the fake, knocking it over before the crowd of Crystal Ponies.

“The heart,” said a Crystal Pony, losing his luster. “It’s a fake.”

“Ooh, that clumsy Gallic!” Sour Sweet said bitterly.

“Please, do not be alarmed,” Cadance said, attempting to calm the crowd. “The true Crystal Heart is-”

Applejack quickly interrupted. "-A-already on its way!" And she gave a nervous chuckle.

“Probably should have said, ‘being polished,’ to buy us more time,” Rarity whispered.

Sugarcoat pulled Applejack aside to whisper to her. “We’re in trouble enough for lying. We don’t need more lies to make it worse.”

“Didn’t ya tell me moments ago ‘bout this?!” Applejack asked in a low voice. “Besides, ah know ya don’t know me, but, if ah did lie, ah woulda gagged with an upset stomach.”

Sugarcoat simply rolled her eyes. “Look, at this point, the best we can do is try to contain the fallout now that everypony knows we don't have the real Crystal Heart. With a little luck, Twilight and Spike will find it soon."

“Right,” Applejack nodded. “Ah hope Astral’s doin’ better.”

At the borders of the empire, Astral was smashing dark crystals with his swords. Though, his efforts were making little difference as the crystals were growing faster than he could smash them.

“Just give up, dragon,” Sombra said wickedly. “You’re running yourself down to the ground. You cannot stop my efforts!”

“I failed to stop you once,” Astral said between breaths. “I won’t let it happen again!”

“And just like that, you played right into my hooves,” Sombra said. “With you preoccupied here, the empire doesn’t have its strongest guard.”

Astral knew that Sombra was trying to get him to let his guard down. He knew he couldn't give up. “I know what you’re trying to do, Sombra,” he said. “That’s why I made my own force fields around us.”

Sombra noticed some of his crystals were unable to grow past the barrier Astral created. “What is this?!”

“I’ll keep defending the empire to my last breath!” Astral said. However, no sooner had he said that than his eyes went back to their normal icy blue and he passed out. His barrier faded.

“Just as I thought,” Sombra said. “You used too much energy raising a barrier in your combat state. You played into my hooves again.”

Back with Twilight and Spike, they were still venturing up the tall stairway, but, Twilight was running low on breath.

“You know,” Spike said. “Something occurred to me. “What if this is just another one of Sombra's traps he set up with his dark magic? Think about it: A passage beneath the throne room only accessible by dark magic, a door that leads to your worst fears. Why not add stairs that lead to nowhere on top of it at all? It's so evil nopony would ever think of it."

Once Twilight had a chance to catch her breath, she thought for a moment. She then brightened up. “There’s only one thing I can think of that would thwart his trap. Spike, grab onto me and whatever you do, don’t open your eyes and don’t let go!”

Spike reluctantly obeyed. “W-what are you going to do, mom?”

Twilight didn’t answer as she concentrated a magic aura around herself and Spike. They suddenly found themselves upside down and sliding upwards on the underside of the stairwell. Realizing what was going on, Spike clenched his eyes tight.

“I had studied gravity spells,” Twilight said as she excitedly slid. “I had a feeling this would be helpful and it was!” At last they reached the bottom, or rather the top, as Twilight returned gravity to normal. “You can open your eyes now.”

“I think I’m going to keep them closed for a little bit if it’s all the same,” Spike said nervously, still processing what happened as Twilight levitated him down to the floor.

The two found themselves in a tall tower. There before them was the Crystal Heart in all its glory. Twilight was captivated by its shimmering glory. Without thinking, she walked forward and held it in her forehooves. Unfortunately, touching it triggered an alarm set by Sombra. “Fool!” his voice said. “Did you think I would leave the Crystal Heart unprotected?”

Hearing Sombra’s voice caused Spike to pop his eyes wide open with surprise. Several huge crystals grew around Twilight, one launched the Crystal Heart out of Twilight’s forehooves towards Spike. Twilight was trapped. She looked around for the magical artifact. “Where’s the Crystal-”

“It’s over here!” Spike called. “It rolled over to me!”

Meanwhile, Twilight groaned and lamented aloud. "How could I have been so foolish?! I should've known it was a trap! It was so obvious! But, I was so eager to get it. And now..." She trailed off, watching as the protective barrier began to fail completely.

“You have to get out of there, Mom!” Spike called. “There’s no point writing to the princesses and you’ll fail the test! I don’t know what Sombra’s going to do to you for trying to take back the Crystal Heart! Please, Mom. You’ve got to have a plan! You have to!”

But, Twilight shook her head. “There’s no plan, Spike,” she said before a thought occurred to her. “Spike, keep the Crystal Heart safe and take it to Princess Cadance! There may not be enough time for me to escape, let alone deliver the Crystal Heart.”

“Me?!” Spike said as he grabbed the Crystal Heart. “But, I’ll mess up for sure!”

“Don’t doubt yourself now, Spike,” Twilight said. “I’ve seen your courage several times. You risked your life to literally grab Nightmare Moon by the horn so we’d have a chance to purify her. You’re the only one I can trust right now. Don’t worry about me. I’ll think of something.”

Spike, hearing his pony mother’s genuine words, suddenly became determined. “Okay.” And with that, he went to a nearby window to find a way down.

Be brave, Spike, Twilight said internally. For both of us.

Outside, things had gone from bad to worse as the looming threat of Sombra was ever approaching. “Come back to me, my crystal slaves!” he said in a tone barely above a whisper.

The Crystal 5 refused to let their fear get the better of them. “You’re no king of ours, Sombra!” Indigo said.

“You may say that now,” Sombra teased as he picked up Astral’s still unconscious body with shadow tendrils. “But, give me the time and I’ll show you that I am the king that you deserve!” He then threw Astral at the Crystal 5. “Besides, the only way to stop me is with the Crystal Heart and you will never find it!”

“Think again, Sombra!” a familiar voice called out.

The Crystal 5, Flash, Cadance, Shining Armor, the rest of the empire, and the remaining guardians turned their attention upwards where the voice came from.

“Spikey-Wikey?!” Rarity gasped in alarm. “What are you doing up there?! Where’s Twilight?!

“There’s no time to explain,” Spike called. “I got the Crystal Heart!” At that moment, Spike realized he was at the top of one of the castle’s spires and froze in fear briefly before carefully trying to make his way down. However, he lost his grip and fell, screaming all the way.

“Spike!” Shining Armor called out. Princess Cadance, who was weakly on Shining Armor’s back, spread her wings.

“Honey,” she said. “Throw me. I’ll catch Spike and the Crystal Heart.”

Shining nodded in understanding and did as she said. As Cadance glided upwards towards Spike and the Crystal Heart, the magic from the artifact was able to instantly restore her well-being and her magic. She grabbed onto Spike, allowing him to rest on her back while she flew down with the heart in her magical aura. The little dragon held on tight while clenching his eyes shut. The crowd of Crystal Ponies, the Crystal 5, Flash, and the Guardians gasped with amazement. Princess Cadance then landed on the ground, shattering the fake Crystal Heart while her Crystal Heart Cutie Mark glistened brilliantly.

“NO!” Sombra said.

“King Sombra is invading,” Princess Cadance said sternly. “We cannot let that happen. Use the light and love within you to ensure that he never gets the chance to!”

The Crystal Ponies obeyed and kneeled before they began to glow like the Crystal Heart. The light magic then began to be absorbed into the Crystal Heart, which began to spin rapidly. It cascaded a brilliant light that caused all around it to glow like crystal.

“No! Stop!” Sombra demanded. “Bow before me! Your king demands it!”

“It’s like I said,” Indigo retorted. “You are no king of ours and you will never be!”

The light from the Crystal Heart struck Sombra, who screamed in agony as his vaporous form seemed to burn. He then turned into his solid form, which melted into a dark blob that melted into nothing while trying in vain to escape.*** The light from the Crystal Empire also destroyed the remnants of Sombra’s magic, including the trap that was around Twilight. All the while, even non-Crystal Ponies and dragons began to glow brightly. Twilight looked down from the window to see a large crowd of Crystal Ponies praising Spike and Princess Cadance.

Good job, Spike, Twilight thought. Mama’s so proud.

The light from the Crystal Heart also brought Astral Flare out of his weakened state.

“Welcome back, Astral,” Indigo said. “Sombra’s dead.”

Astral breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

During the celebration, the Guardians, Flash, Joules, the Royal Couple, Spike, Astral, and the Crystal 5 were gathered.

“Let’s hope you’ll be ready for when Sombra comes back,” Twilight said.

“Oh, that won’t happen,” Sugarcoat said. “He’s dead.”

“Even so,” Sunny Flair said. “We can help out around here for other reasons. We haven’t seen all of our neighbors in such a long time, but, now we can use what we’ve learned to help out.”

“I’m sorry,” Rainbow said. “Did you say that he’s dead?!”

“Yes,” Sugarcoat said directly. “You act as if you’ve never killed before.”

“WE HAVEN’T!” the guardians said in unison.

“Oh,” Lemon said plainly.

“Well, look on the bright side,” Flash said.

“How can there possibly be a bright side to this?!” Pinkie said.

“You were told to find a permanent solution to the Sombra problem,” Flash said. “And you did. No amount of magic can bring him back now.****”

“That’s…” Pinkie started, before taking a moment to think about it. “That’s actually a really good point. Huh… maybe there is a bright sight to this.”

“Believe me, I know how it feels,” Shining Armor said. “In my time as a royal guard, I’ve taken a few lives myself.”

“All the same,” Rarity said. “This is going to take some time to process.”

“Considering the type of pony Sombra was,” Sugarcoat said. “Literally none of the Crystal Ponies are going to complain about his death.”

“Indeed,” Astral said. “And I’m certainly not going to, either.”

“You’ve saved more lives than you’ll ever have to take,” Shining said.

“That’s true,” Twilight smiled before giving her big brother a hug. “Thank you for understanding.”

Astral turned his attention to Spike. “So, you were a were-pony, too?”

“Yeah,” Spike said directly. “It felt painful changing between pony and dragon. Though it did give me a great bonding moment with Rarity, I couldn’t bare through that pain and I chose to be a dragon again. She, Mom, Shining Armor, Celestia, Luna, and Cadance worked their magic on me. I almost didn’t make it, but, thanks to Rarity, I did.”

“I was the first were-pony,” Astral said.

“Whoa,” Spike said.

“As a side effect of the curing,” Astral said. “I’m able to use pony magic.”

“That’s cool,” Spike said. “Even after enduring the pain of transforming you felt, of course.”

“I wish to take you as a magic student,” Astral said. “As well as teach you how to harness your combat instincts.”

“I appreciate the offer,” Spike said. “But, I didn’t develop any magic after my transformation. Besides, my home is in Ponyville and it’s a long trip between here and there.”

“Very well,” Astral said. “But, if you ever find yourself using magic, do not hesitate to let me know.”

Meanwhile, Rarity was chatting with Sunny Flare. “Those crystal creation spells are simply magnificent,” she said before whispering to her. “Could you teach me that?”

“I can try,” Sunny said. “But, I can’t promise anything. You need at least partial Crystal Pony blood to be able to use that kind of magic at all.”

“So, that’s a no,” Rarity said sadly.

“It might be more possible than you think,” Sunny said. “You look a lot like a unicorn Crystal Pony named Sparkler.*****”

Rarity recognized the name. “Sparkler? My parents told me she was one of our ancestors. Though, how would she have been one of my ancestors if the Crystal Empire had been gone for over one thousand years?”

“That doesn’t sound as far-fetched as you think,” Sunny said. “Sparkler moved to another kingdom a year before Sombra took over.”

“So,” Rarity said. “There is a chance I can learn what you know.”

“Yes,” Sunny said. “Though, with so many generations of non-Crystal Pony ancestors, you’ll have to work harder.”

“I understand,” Rarity said. “So, knowing this, once I do learn more, I’ll have to use this magic for practical purposes.”

Meanwhile, Twilight had a thought on her mind.

I am so proud of Spike’s efforts, Twilight thought to herself. But, if Princess Celestia finds out that I wasn’t responsible for helping the Crystal Empire…

Shining took notice of Twilight’s deep thought. “I know that look,” he said. “Something on your mind, Twily?”

“Yes,” Twilight said. “I disobeyed Princess Celestia.”

“You,” Shining Armor said in confusion. “Disobey Princess Celestia? How?”

“She told me not to engage with Sombra,” Twilight said. “And I ended up drawing myself and my friends into battle with him. Sure, it wasn’t direct, but, that’s besides the point. Not only that, but, I didn’t end up being the only one to help you and Cadance save the Empire.”

“Twilight,” Shining Armor said in a stern yet kind voice. “What mattered was that the Crystal Empire and its ponies were safe from Sombra’s wrath. Once you and your friends explain the story, I know she’ll understand why these things were done.” He then gave a somewhat disgruntled follow-up. “Besides, if she wanted all her subjects blindly following her orders to the letter no matter what, she wouldn’t be trying to phase out the clone guards, now, would she?”

Twilight took a moment to consider this. “You know, that is a really good point.”

“Besides,” Shining said. “Spike was bringing the Crystal Heart to Cadance because you told him to, right?”

“Well…” Twilight began. “Yes.”

“So, you did have a hoof in it,” Shining said. “Even if it wasn’t direct.”

“That’s true,” Twilight said. “Still, I am proud of Spike’s efforts. With that, he was given such well-deserved admiration from the Crystal Ponies.”

“We both know how hard it was for Spike growing up back home,” Shining said.

“Right,” Twilight said.

“I’d say that earning the admiration of an entire pony society makes up for that,” Shining said.

“You’re right,” Twilight said, beginning to feel better. “I just wish there was a way to make him an actual Element of Harmony.”

“It’s a nice thought,” Shining said. “But, look what he’s accomplished without one.”

“Hey, that’s true,” Twilight said.

“He won the admiration of an entire pony society,” Shining said. “And he didn’t need an Element of Harmony to do it. Thoughtful as giving him an actual element is, at this point, it’d be too much too soon.”

“I see,” Twilight nodded. “By the way, will there be a royal guard here?”

“Well,” he replied. “One advantage to Cadance now being in charge of the Crystal Empire is that I can hoof-pick my own guard candidates here and make sure they are PROPERLY trained. Oh, I'm not going to delude myself into thinking they're going to be a match for the god-tier baddies you and your friends come across - it will be years before even the best trained guards can realistically think they're ready for that sort of stuff. But, they will at least be competent enough to be able to handle NORMAL criminals as well as make their judgements based on individual character instead of on species.”******

“Will Astral be on the guard?” Twilight asked.

“After his efforts to keep the empire safe, yes,” Shining Armor smiled. “Besides, he knows the Crystal Guard better than I do.”

“That’s understandable,” Twilight nodded.

“Will I be accepted, captain?” Flash asked.

“Of course,” Shining Armor smiled. Then, he remembered the amount of incompetent guards in Canterlot. “On second thought… maybe wait until we hire more competent guards back in Canterlot first.”

“But, you have a responsibility to the Crystal Empire now,” Flash said. “You can’t be in both places at once.”

“Well,” he said. “I definitely see a lot of potential in getting to train the Crystal Ponies and learn from the mistakes made with MOST of the Equestrian Guard. However, while I appreciate your help here, Flash, I'm afraid Equestria can't afford to lose BOTH of us long term, given that you are among the few competent guards besides me. Therefore, as my last official act as Captain of the Equestrian Royal Guard before joining Cadance in ruling the Crystal Empire, I hereby promote you to Lieutenant and wish you luck in training the new crop of Guards."*******

“Thank you, sir,” Flash said in surprised gratitude.

Soon, the guardians, Spike, Joules, and Flash were making their way to the train to Canterlot. They'd reverted to normal by then.

“It’s too bad the Crystal look is temporary to non-Crystal Empire natives,” Rarity said sadly. “Did you see the way my mane shimmered?”

“But,” Applejack said. “Good things’re better when they’re a rarity.”

Rarity, hearing this, giggled happily at Applejack’s kind words. During the train ride, Twilight was rather quiet. Spike was the first to notice.

“Mom,” he said. “Are you okay?”

“I just hope that Princess Celestia doesn’t discontinue my studies or label me as a failure like Sunset Shimmer,” Twilight said.

“What?” he said. “I can understand why, given what happened before, but, that doesn’t sound like anything Princess Celestia would do these days. Besides, when would she have called Sunset a failure directly?”

“Well, remember that door that showed whoever opened it their worst fears?” Twilight said.

“Say no more,” Spike said with an uncomfortable shiver. “But, just like you reassured me that my worst fear wouldn’t come to pass, once Princess Celestia hears what we endured, there’s a chance that she’ll reassure you that your worst fear won't come to pass.”

“What’s this ‘bout Sunset Shimmer?” Applejack asked.

“Sorry,” Twilight said. “I was telling Spike about my worries. When he and I were looking for the Crystal Heart, I came across a door that leads to your worst nightmare. When I opened it, I saw that I was back in Canterlot and Princess Celestia told me that I not only failed the test and am no longer continuing my studies with her, but, she told me I was also a failure like Sunset Shimmer.”

“That doesn’t sound right,” Fluttershy said. “Sure, she used to solve problems by sealing, banishing, or both, but, she’s not that pony anymore.”

“And any time she brought up Sunset Shimmer around us,” Rarity said. “She gave the impression that she thought very highly of her.”

“Yeah,” Pinkie said. “So, I don’t think Celestia would have even thought about calling Sunset a failure. And you either, for that matter, because you’re not one.”

“We may not know Sunset Shimmer personally or what happened to her,” Rainbow said. “And we probably never will********, but, if Princess Celestia thinks so highly of her, that’s good enough for me. She doesn’t just throw praise around.”

Twilight, hearing her friends comforting words, began to feel better. “Thank you, Spike. Thank you, everypony.”

The group returned to Canterlot the next morning and Twilight was soon left alone for an audience of one with Princess Celestia. Surprisingly, the sun princess seemed to take the news of the mission's unexpected developments quite well, especially since a new stained glass window commemorated the final outcome: Spike delivering the Crystal Heart to Princess Cadence and King Sombra being destroyed. "It's beautiful. This will make a fine addition to the other displays here in the throne room," Princess Celestia spoke up.

“It is, indeed,” Twilight said. “And I’m very proud of Spike’s efforts and the admiration he got from the Crystal Ponies. Still, I wish it was ultimately me who saved the day as you wished. I’m sorry you had to find out this way and that I didn’t contact you or Princess Luna.”

“While Luna and I would have appreciated some contact to let us know what was going on,” Celestia said. “If I understand correctly, you sent Spike to deliver the Crystal Heart to Cadance because you were uncertain how quickly you could escape the tower or Sombra’s trap. You were unwilling to risk the future of the Crystal Empire in an effort to guarantee your own. You were even willing to disobey my orders, even if you misinterpreted them, if it meant the empire would be saved.”

“Misinterpreted?” Twilight asked.

“Your friends weren’t there solely to boost your morale,” Celestia said. “Finding a permanent solution to the Sombra problem was something even a sired alicorn couldn’t do alone. Did you honestly think I expected you to accomplish it by yourself when you didn’t even know the Crystal Empire existed until two days ago?”

Twilight took this information in for a moment. Spike was right before, she thought to herself. And it seems he’s right again. “The real test was if I’d follow your orders to the letter no matter what?” she asked aloud.

“In a way,” Princess Celestia said. “The real test was making sure that a problem is solved with what you have, who you have with you, and with what you learn about. You not only succeeded in that regard, but, showed that you understand the importance of self-sacrifice instead of only looking out for your own self-interest.”

“So, I’m not a failure like Sunset Shimmer?” Twilight asked.

Celestia was taken aback by this. “Sunset Shimmer wasn’t a failure,” Celestia said. “If anything, I feel I failed her. Was this idea from the worst fear doorway you told me of?”

“Yes,” Twilight said. “I know it sounds ridiculous when you were singing her praises any time you brought her up around us, but, I don’t know what happened to her.”

“Alas, I don’t, either,” Celestia said. “But, I can’t help but feel partially responsible for it.”

Twilight walked up to Princess Celestia and gave her a comforting nuzzle. The sun princess was touched by her student’s empathy.

“I cannot worry about her now,” Celestia said after a moment. “Now, I have your future studies with advanced magic to look forward to. For the time being, after you and your friends’ endeavors, you must rest.”

“Out of curiosity,” Twilight said. “Will there be studies on dark magic?”

“Yes,” Celestia said.

“After this experience,” Twilight said. “I’m not really in a rush to explore its more intricate facets.”

“I understand,” Celestia nodded sympathetically. “All the same, your future’s looking bright.”

Twilight was doing her best to keep her composure, but, inside, she was jubilant. At that moment, Luna came trotting in with the still lifeless Canis on her back.

“Indeed it is,” she said. “And I'm pleased to hear that my favorite dragon finally got a chance to be the big hero he always dreamed of being. You should be proud of yourself for raising such an excellent son, Twilight. He's definitely in good hooves with you."

“Thank you,” Twilight said respectfully to both princesses. “I’m definitely impressed with how much he’s grown during this adventure.” She wiped a lone tear from her eye.

“We all are,” Luna smiled. “I’m certain you’re aware of the promise you made me.”

“Yes, I am,” Twilight said.

“Well,” Luna said. “The other guardians informed me that he fell off one of the spires of the Crystal Castle.”

“He WHAT?!” Twilight said in shock.

“Though,” Luna said. “Cadance ensured that he was swooped up before he ever had a chance to hit the ground. Because of this and the fact that you were trapped at the time, I will overlook it this one time.” She then made a very stern expression. “But, don’t make this a habit.”

“That is a promise I will definitely keep, your highness,” Twilight said.

Twilight then returned to Spike and the other guardians.

“Did it go well?” Pinkie asked.

“Better than well,” Twilight said. “I passed! And I have all of you to thank for it!” She then made a stern face. “But, why didn’t you tell me Spike fell off one of the castle’s spires?”

“Would you believe we felt you had enough to worry about without knowing that?” Rarity asked nervously.

Twilight’s stern expression gradually softened. “Very well,” she said. “But, the next time Spike’s in danger and the rest of you know about it while I don’t, I expect you to actually try and do something about it. Understand?”

The guardians made approving replies.

“Especially you, Rainbow,” Twilight said. “You’d think that as the best flier on the team and the one most likely to risk your life to save others, you would’ve thought to try saving him first.”

“I did think to save him,” Rainbow said. “But, I realized that it’d be difficult to rescue him and hold the Crystal Heart, which he let go of while he was falling, at the same time. I don’t have magic to carry the Crystal Heart with.”

“Even if Rainbow was able to catch it,” Pinkie said. “Shining Armor already threw Cadance to catch Spike.”

“Come on, girls, don’t argue,” Spike said. “My mom passed her test thanks to you. Let’s leave it at that.”

“Yer right, Spike,” Applejack said. “Ya always know how ta keep the peace ‘tween us. N’ on top o’ that, yer a real hero, too.”

On the way back to the train, Rainbow found her voice. “Am I the only one who’s noticed that we’re starting to suck as Guardians?”

“Hey,” Spike said. “You girls did what you could, though. That doesn’t mean you girls suck.”

“Our track record tells another story,” Rainbow said. “Ever since we became Guardians of Harmony, there've been four threats to Equestria and we’ve only managed to beat the first two. Shining Armor and Cadance beat Chrysalis and with Sombra, we had to rely on Spike to save the day.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!” Spike said indignantly. “Is it because I’m younger than all of you and I don’t actually have an Element of Harmony that my efforts shouldn’t be recognized? Is that it?!”

Rainbow realized her mistake. “No,” Rainbow said with a sigh. “That’s not what I’m saying. I’m sorry. I guess I was just jealous. But, that shouldn’t stop me from celebrating your achievements.”

Spike pulled Rainbow to face him. “So,” he said. “Is your position as a Guardian of Harmony more important than doing the right thing?”

“No, it’s not,” Rainbow said. “And it’s not as important as my friendship with you, either.”

“At the Crystal Empire,” Applejack said. “Y’all were a greater Guardian o’ Harmony’n all o’ us. Ya may not have a real Element o’ Harmony, but, after winnin’ the admiration o’ the whole Crystal Empire, ya coulda fooled me.”

“Indeed,” Rarity said sweetly to the drake. “And we are ever so proud of you.” Then, sternly, she turned to Rainbow and added. “Aren’t we, Rainbow?”

“Yes,” Rainbow said. “We’re really proud of you. And from here on out, I’m going to celebrate any non-Guardians’ efforts to save the day.”

“Thank you,” Spike said, letting go of Rainbow.

“I really need to learn to keep my mouth shut,” Rainbow said.

So, the friends took the train back to Ponyville. Celestia and Luna watched from the Castle tower. As they watched the friends depart, Celestia materialized a peculiar looking book with a cover consisting of stars in a swirling pattern. She gave a knowing nod to her lunar sister, knowing that this would spell big things for Twilight in the future. But, what was this book? Only Celestia knew for the time being.

End of chapter.

Author's Note

Here's the next chapter.

*Another Sunset name drop.

**I legit teared up writing that bit.

***Much darker death than in canon.

****As far as he knows.

*****G1 reference FTW.

******Dialogue by Comickook.

*******More Comickook dialogue.

********FORESHADOWING!!!

Shoutout to Comickook for dialogue ideas. Also, minor note here, I'll be on hiatus from producing chapters this week because my birthday's this coming Saturday.

If you liked this chapter, feel free to contact me via private messages if you'd like to help make future chapters.

Chapter 3: Too Many Pinkie Pies (S3:E3)

My Little Pony: Nine Elements

Book 3

Written by Brandon Nell and Blake Hawkins

Chapter 3: Too Many Pinkie Pies

Four days after Spike and the Guardians of Harmony returned to Ponyville from Canterlot after the Crystal Empire mission, Twilight was given the first of the more advanced spell lessons from Celestia.

Spike had placed a red delicious apple on a nearby cafe table and he made his way next to Twilight. She looked over the scroll she was given, then looked at the apple on the table. She took a deep breath.

“Okay,” she said softly. “My transfiguration lesson begins.” She then illuminated her horn, but, just as the magenta magic aura enveloped the apple, she felt a sudden jolt of pressure from an uninvited guest.

“Hi, Twilight, what are you doing?!” squeaked the voice happily. This caused Twilight to aim the spell at a different target.

“I was practicing a new transfiguration spell by turning an apple into an orange,” Twilight explained. “But, I was interrupted when you suddenly hugged me. What are you doing?”

“I just wanted to give a friend a hug,” Pinkie said. “Because hugs are so fun.”

“I do appreciate the gesture,” Twilight said. “But, you should be more careful with who you give your hugs to and the speed at which you do them. With my magic growing more powerful, it could have been dangerous.”

“Besides,” Spike said. “There’s a time and place for that kind of stuff. This was neither the time nor the place.”

“Sorry, Twilight,” Pinkie apologized. “Sorry, Spike. Maybe I’ll find somepony else to have fun with and I’ll be more careful with who I hug. Keep up the good work on your magic lessons. Before I go, what’d that spell hit, anyway?”

Twilight, Spike, and Pinkie looked in the direction of where the magic surge was fired. At a nearby tree, an orange with the wings of a blue jay could be seen.

“That answers that question,” Twilight said. “Luckily, Princess Celestia included a counter spell in the scroll for such a problem.”

“I’ll let you get to it,” Pinkie said before skipping away.

“See you later, Pinkie,” Spike called. He then turned his attention back to Twilight. “Ready to try again, Mom?”

“Indeed, Spike,” she answered.

As Pinkie skipped along, thinking about who to have fun with, she inadvertently bumped into Rarity.

“Oops!” Pinkie squeaked. “So sorry, Rarity! I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

“It’s alright, Pinkie,” Rarity said. “No harm done.”

“That’s good,” Pinkie smiled. “Are you in the mood to do something fun together?”

“I’m afraid that we’ll have different definitions of fun here,” Rarity said. “I’ll be designing an ensemble by myself and, nothing against you, but, your fashion sense is nil.*”

“That’s okay,” Pinkie said. “I’ll see if I can find somepony else to spend some fun time with. Can't wait to see what you make, though.” She then proceeded on her merry way.

She then met up with Rainbow, who was grunting hard at a stubborn patch of cloud that was out of place on the ground. “What’s going on, Rainbow?”

“Taking care of this cloud,” Rainbow said. “It got too heavy and if I don’t lighten it up, this area can end up foggy. As you know, pegasi can’t touch fog.”

“Hey, maybe I can help with that,” Pinkie said. “Then, after that, we can have some fun together.”

“Not for nothing, Pinkie,” Rainbow said. “But, if a pegasus can’t touch fog, what makes you think an earth pony can?”

“Who said anything about touching it?” Pinkie said before running rapidly in circles around the cloud.

This caused some of the extra mass in the foggy cloud to disperse and it drifted upwards through Rainbow. The pegasus could hardly believe what had just happened.

“Hey, how did you-” Rainbow stammered before shaking her head rapidly. “You know, I don’t think I should ask. The answer would probably confuse me more.”

“I’m honestly surprised you didn’t think of it yourself,” Pinkie said. “I mean, don’t pegasi fly around in circles really fast every year to get water to Cloudsdale?”

“Pinkie,” Rainbow said sternly. “Do you want to have fun with me or just critique how I do my responsibilities?”

“Sorry,” Pinkie said. “What do you have in mind?”

“Good question,” Rainbow said. “Tell you what. I’ll think about it and then I’ll get back to you, okay?”

“Sounds good to me,” Pinkie said.

She then hopped along to Sweet Apple Acres to see what Applejack was doing. The farm mare was hauling a cartload of hay and straw.

“Howdy, Pinkie,” Applejack said. “How’s it hangin’?”

“It’s hanging fine, AJ,” she said. “Getting ready to feed the livestock?”

“Ta quote mah brother,” Applejack said. “Eeyup.”

“Neato,” Pinkie smiled. “Want to do something fun after that?”

“Ah’d like ta, Pinkie,” Applejack said. “But, ah got plenty o’ chores ta do. Openin’ n’ closin’ the gate ta the pig pen, squawkin’ like a chicken, danglin’ food over the pig pen, the list goes on.**”

“That is a lot to do,” Pinkie said. “Hopefully you’ll be able to have some fun after all of that. In the meantime, I’m going to see what Fluttershy’s up to. Keep up the good work with all of that.” She dashed off.

With the timid pegasus, she and some of her animal friends are having a picnic. She wasn’t expecting Pinkie to come, much less so fast. The pink mare, getting tired from running from one mare to another, took deep inhales.

“Hey, Fluttershy,” Pinkie gasped. “Are you… busy… or having fun…?”

“Uh… not at the moment,” Fluttershy said.

“Oh, thank goodness,” Pinkie swooned. “Because looking for somepony to have fun with is exhausting…” The pink mare collapsed backwards from exhaustion.

The pink party pony eventually came to and found herself resting on a sofa while butterflies gently fluttered all around her. One even landed on her nose, tickling it slightly.

“Hello, little fella,” Pinkie giggled. “All of you little fellas.”

“Feeling better, Pinkie?” Fluttershy asked.

“Loads better,” Pinkie smiled. “Thanks, Fluttershy. Your butterfly therapy sessions really do a world of good.”

“Unfortunately, there’s some ponies who get scared looking at the butterfly faces sometimes,” Fluttershy lamented.***

“I guess it’s all in the eye of the pony looking at the butterfly,” Pinkie said. “These butterflies look pretty cute to me. Of course, I mostly look at the wings.”

“They are nice indeed,” Fluttershy remarked.

At that moment, Rainbow walked up to Pinkie. She had finished the rest of her cloudwork for the day.

“Hey, Pinkie,” she smiled. “I’ve been looking for you. I thought of something we could do to hang out.”

“What is it?!” Pinkie asked eagerly.

“I thought we could hit the swimming hole with that old wooden swing hanging on the tree tomorrow,” Rainbow said. “We could swim and catch a few rays there.”

“Ah also thought o’ somethin’ we could do,” Applejack said.

“You do?” Pinkie asked eagerly. “What is it?”

“Well,” Applejack said. “‘Member that new barn we put up after… the Smarty Pants incident?”

“Oh, yeah,” Pinkie said. “So, what about it?”

“Me n’ mah family’ll be renovatin’ it from top ta bottom,” Applejack said. “It may not fit yer definition o’ fun, but, it’s somethin’ we can do tagether.”

“That does sound like fun, though,” Pinkie smiled. “And I’m glad you thought of me, AJ. I used to live on a rock farm.”

“Quick question, though,” Fluttershy said, considering. “Which one do you want to spend time with?”

“I can do both, can’t I?” Pinkie said. “It’s not like Applejack’s barn renovations are happening the same day as my time with Rainbow or anything.”

“Actually,” Applejack said. “It’s tamorrah.”

“Hey,” Rainbow said in a good-natured way. “It’s no biggie. Whichever you choose is okay with me, Pinkie. I mean, can you imagine a world where Twilight alone got two tickets to the gala and all of us tried making her choose which of us got the extra ticket while she’s trying to get something to eat? That’d make us like the worst friends ever.****”

“Where would ya get a silly idea like that?” Applejack asked. “We all helped beat Nightmare Moon. It’d be mighty odd if only Twilight got two tickets, seein’ as she couldn’ta done it without us.”

But, Pinkie wasn’t fully listening. She was too distraught with the idea of having to choose between two of her closest friends. “This is a problem…” she said.

“Pinkie?” Fluttershy asked. “Are you alright? Do you need more time with the butterflies?”

“I need to think this over!” Pinkie said suddenly and she took off in a blur of pink.

The next day, Twilight was practicing the spell again.

“Alright,” Twilight said, taking a deep breath. “Let’s try this again.”

Suddenly, there was a pink blur. Twilight, seeing this, canceled out her magic before she could launch another accidental magic surge.

“Pinkie?” Spike asked. “What are you up to this time?”

“Don't mind me,” Pinkie said. “I'm just timing myself to see how fast I can go back and forth between the swimming hole and Sweet Apple Acres.”

“Why?” Twilight asked. “Is it for a personal project or something?”

"I'm trying to see if I can get the time down so that I can be at the swimming hole when Rainbow jumps off the swing, make it to Sweet Apple Acres to see the renovations start, and then make it back to the swimming hole in time for Rainbow to land,” Pinkie explained. “That way, I won't be missing too much of anything either way."

“Pinkie,” Spike said. “We know that you run pretty fast, but, you don’t exactly have Rainbow’s speed. It’s cool that you want to spend time with both of your friends, but, it would be safer for your physical and mental health to choose one pony to hang out with. I’m sure whoever you choose, the other pony will understand.”

“But, what if they do extra favors for me to make me choose them?!” Pinkie asked.

“Why would they do that?” Spike asked. “These are your friends we’re talking about, not a bunch of moochers.”

“Pinkie,” Twilight said. “Your friends will always give you an opportunity to have fun. To even think about being with both of them without having to choose, you would have to be in two places at once. I’m not using the time travel spell again.”

That caught Pinkie’s attention. “That’s it!” Pinkie said happily. “Thanks, Twilight! Thanks, Spike! You two are geniuses!” She dashed off.

“Where do you think she’s off to?” Spike asked.

“Knowing Pinkie,” Twilight answered. “I can only imagine.”

Pinkie was making her way through the Everfree Forest.

“Seems like hardly anypony has been here in ages,” Pinkie said to herself. “I hardly think Zecora’s been around here. I hope I’m remembering Granny Pie’s rhymes correctly. ‘Where the brambles are thickest, there you will find a pond beyond the most twisted of vines.’ So, it looks like I’m in the right place.” Pinkie looked around noticing the thick vines and brambles. Suddenly, as she reached a clearing, she tumbled down a deep hole. “Oof!” She got up, dusting herself off. She then looked around and saw the very thing she was searching for. “The Mirror Pool!” Her voice echoed off of the walls of the hole. “Boy, I really need to stop talking to myself… but, if this works right, then I’ll probably still be talking to myself.” The party pony stepped up to the edge of the pool and gazed into its reflective surface. “And into her own reflection she shared, yearning for one whose reflection she shared, and solemnly sweared not to be scared of the prospect of being doubly-mared!” And with that, she slowly stepped into the pool until her entire body was submerged. She stepped out of the pool, followed by an exact duplicate of herself. “It worked!” she cheered.

“Hey, this place looks fun,” the Pinkie duplicate said happily. “Is there more fun?”

“I know where there’s lots of fun, me,” Pinkie said, trying to get her duplicate’s attention. “I’ll go hang out with Rainbow while you go to Sweet Apple Acres and help with the renovations.”

“I don’t know where that is,” the duplicate said without dropping her happy expression.

“That’s easy,” Pinkie said, pointing in the direction of the barn. “It’s that-a-way. You’ll know when you find it when you see a lot of apple trees and/or an earth pony mare with an orange coat, a blonde mane and tail, and a brown cowpony hat.”

“What do apple trees look like?” the duplicate asked, still smiling.

“Oh, hang on,” Pinkie said, drawing on the ground with her hoof. “Something like this, only this part is green, this part is brown, and these parts are red. Okie dokie?” The duplicate nodded, making the sound of a rattle. “Great! Now go out there and have fun! Make sure to tell me all about it when they’re done.”

The clone Pinkie walked along, looking for Sweet Apple Acres, not recognizing the apple trees right in front of her. She saw Ash pulling a cart. “Excuse me,” she said.

“Oh, hey, Pinkie,” Ash said. “What do you need?”

“Where can I find apple trees?” the clone asked without losing her smile.

Ash was confused. “Uh, you’re looking at quite a few right now,” he said. “You see them pretty much everyday.”

“Yippee!” the clone cheered. “I made it to Sweet Apple Acres!” She then looked over Ash. “Though, you don’t look anything like that mare that I told me about.”

Ash grew more confused. “Pinkie, I’m Ash, a calf bull. You should know that by now.”

“I should?” the Pinkie clone asked, blinking obliviously.

Ash could tell that “Pinkie” was being pretty dense. “Look, how about I lead you to Applejack?”

“Gee, thanks,” the Pinkie clone said. “You’re the bestest calf bull ever!”

They hadn’t gotten far when Fluttershy spotted the clone.

“Oh, hello, Pinkie,” Fluttershy said politely. “You’re looking much better.”

The Pinkie clone finally dropped her smile as she struggled to recognize Fluttershy. “Hi… uh…”

“Fluttershy,” Ash whispered to the clone.

“I knew that,” the clone said. “So, what are you doing?”

“Well, I decided to have a tea party,” Fluttershy said. “You can join if you want.”

“A tea party?” The clone said enthusiastically. “That sounds like fun! Oh, but, what about Applejohn? Ash was supposed to be leading me to her.”

“Applejack,” Ash corrected.

“And her, too,” the clone said, growing distressed. “Oh, what to choose, what to choose? Can’t decide… can’t breathe… walls closing in!”

Fluttershy and Ash were perplexed.

“We’re outside…” Fluttershy said gently.

“Pinkie” shrieked and dashed off towards the real Pinkie, leaving the two to stare at each other in bewilderment.

“I know the bar’s set pretty high,” Ash said. “But, was Pinkie acting weirder than usual?”

“Um,” Fluttershy replied. “A little. She didn’t seem to remember names too well.”

Meanwhile, the real Pinkie made her way to the swimming hole and found Rainbow in a foldable chair, reading a Daring Do book. The chillaxing pegasus looked up from her page section to see her friend.

“Hey, Pinkie,” Rainbow smiled. “Glad you could make it.”

“Reading and swimming?” Pinkie said. “That could lead to you drowning because the book fell in your mouth.”

“I’m not going to swallow my book,” Rainbow said. “How would I even fit the whole thing in my mouth? And on top of that, I’m not even going to hit the water. Cloudwork was tougher than usual today, so today’s all about chilling out at a calm locale.”

“So, I came here for nothing?” Pinkie said, slightly disappointed.

“No way,” Rainbow said. “I like having you around. You can still swim if you want. You don’t even have to worry about being quiet since that’s a tall order for you anyway. You’d be amazed how much I tune out when reading.”

“Oh, good,” Pinkie smiled. “This is great news. And you chose a great locale to hang out in.” Pinkie then made her way onto the swing and swung towards the lake. “Whee~!” She splashed in. She came back up. “The water’s perfect.”

“Good to hear,” Rainbow said while reading. “You know, I wasn’t sure if you’d help Applejack with her renovations since it doesn’t really fit your definition of fun.”

“It did a little bit,” Pinkie said. “But, that’s not to say that she isn’t getting the help with her renovations. Besides, I am there.” She chuckled coyly to herself at this remark.

Rainbow rolled her eyes in amusement before saying, “Sure. Next, you’ll be saying that Twilight’ll turn Fluttershy into a thestral after pressuring her to use the Stare so she can use a spell to starve a bunch of living creatures.*****”

“No, really,” Pinkie said. “You see, there’s this legend that my Granny Pie told me of a magical pond that makes duplicates of whoever looks into it. It actually works! So I sent that duplicate to help Applejack while I came to hang out with you here.”

Rainbow was less amused. “Look, Pinkie, I know that I’m not the sharpest knife, but, I wasn’t born yesterday. You don’t have to make stuff up.”

“But, I’m not~” Pinkie said earnestly. “Why would you think I am?”

“Well, there’s the fact that your version of how Equestria was made has Songbird Serenade and ogres in it,” Rainbow said flatly.

“But, I’m really serious about this,” Pinkie said. She then heard a rustling in a nearby bush. Pinkie turned her attention to see her duplicate looking nervously. “Oh, but, could you give me a second? Looks like I need to have a discussion with myself. Please excuse me.” She swam out to meet her duplicate. Rainbow briefly saw the duplicate.

“And me,” the duplicate said, leading the original Pinkie to an out of the way spot to chat.

“Did I hit my head or something?” Rainbow asked herself.

With Pinkie and the duplicate, the original Pinkie was curious. “So, how were the renovations?”

“I didn’t get to them,” the clone said.

“What?” Pinkie asked. “What happened?”

“A pony with wings said she was throwing a tea party before I even got to Applejo,” the clone explained.

“Applejack,” Pinkie corrected. “And it sounds like Fluttershy is the one having the tea party. I can see why now, though.”

“I couldn’t choose between them!” the clone said.

“Don’t worry,” Pinkie said, comforting the clone. “I know just the answer we need. I should’ve seen this coming. I have so many friends that something like this was bound to come up eventually. Two Pinkies won’t be enough.”

So, the two Pinkies returned to the Mirror Pool. The original had taught the clone the rhyming incantation she was to say.

“And solemnly sweared not to be scared at the prospect of being doubly-mared!” The two Pinkies said in unison. The reflections of the pool materialized into two new Pinkies.

“Ooh!” the first clone said. “Double usses!”

“Only now,” Pinkie said. “It’s quadruple usses. Now, neither of us has to worry about missing any fun.” The two new clones heard the last word and twitched in excitement.

“Did you say, ‘fun?!’” the second clone asked eagerly.

“I love fun!” the third clone bounced. “Where’s the fun?”

“Oh, you just need to—” the original started before the two new clones and the first original clone turned to the pool.

“Solemnly sweared, not to be scared at the prospect of being doubly-mared,” they all said in unison. All three of them pulled out their duplicates. For those keeping track, that’s seven Pinkies in total counting the original.

“Okay, that’s enough,” the original Pinkie said before the clones from the second onwards kept making more. Even the first clone grew a bit nervous.

“Not to be scared at the prospect of being doubly-mared,” the five said. Five more clones emerged from the pool, making twelve Pinkies in total.

The original Pinkie grew frantic. “Stop!” she said, but, aside from the first one, the clones refused to obey.

“Oh, dear,” the first clone said nervously. “If this keeps up, all of Ponyville will be flooded with Pinkies!”

The newer clones kept chanting “Fun!” repeatedly. The original Pinkie then rolled her eyes and pulled a metal whistle from her mane. She blew into it and the sound echoed off the walls of the hole. This immediately caught the clones’ attention. “Fun!” one said.

“Okay, Pinkies,” Original Pinkie said. “If we all want to go out to Ponyville and have some fun, we’re going to have to be good Pinkies to our friends.” Against her better judgment, she led the clones to town.

The Pinkie clones followed eagerly. Although, the first clone seemed hesitant. Once they were out of the forest, the original stopped. “Stop!” she said.

The clones stopped to listen to their leader.

“Between the bunch of us, we should have every nook and cranny of Ponyville covered,” she said. “However, I noticed that most of you don’t have the knowledge I have, so, I’m going to give you a pop quiz. Anypony who answers wrong goes back to the Mirror Pool. Got it?”

“Okie-dokie-loki,” the Pinkie clones, minus the first clone, chimed in.

I have a bad feeling about this, the first Pinkie clone thought to herself.

The original Pinkie made sure to educate the clones on Rainbow, Applejack, Fluttershy, Twilight, and Spike as well as the general layout of Ponyville.

“Excellent work, Pinkies,” the original Pinkie smiled. “You’re all certified Pinkie Pies. Now, all of you go. Fan out to your assigned positions and observe everything fun that occurs, then report it back to me as soon as possible. Ready, set, go!"

The Pinkies set off to their assigned positions in a rush without hesitation. The first clone dawdled slowly. It was at that point that the original Pinkie came to a horrific realization.

“Oh, no,” she said as an aside. Suddenly, one of Celestia’s cloned pegasus guards landed beside her with a chariot containing Vanguard and one of the cloned unicorn guards. The knicks and scratches on the pegasus’ armor vaguely made out 161 while the ones on the unicorn vaguely made out 42.

“The resurgence happened here,” the unicorn guard said to the others.

“R-resurgence?” Pinkie asked nervously.

“The Mirror Pool’s been used even though it’s supposed to be sealed off,” Vanguard explained.

“I didn’t have any trouble accessing it,” Pinkie said. “I fell through like one of those branch-covered hole traps.”

“Well,” the unicorn said. “That’s what we get for having the less competent clones seal it off.”

“No argument, Javelin,” Vanguard said before turning to Pinkie. “How many clones did you make?”

“Uh…” Pinkie began nervously. “It started as one, then three, then six, then ten, then twenty, so… twenty?”

“Were any of them clones of a clone?” Javelin asked.

“A lot of them were,” Pinkie admitted.

“This is a bad situation,” Vanguard said. “Clones tend to be intellectually inferior to their genetic templates. This is also the case with clones of clones.”

Little did they realize that the original clone was also listening in.

“With each successive generation,” Javelin said. “The personalities of clones boil down to one character trait and nothing else.”

“So,” Pinkie said. “If they just follow my love of fun, that’s all they’ll know?”

“Worse,” the pegasus said. “The idea of fun you have becomes so diluted, they look for it in literally everything, causing damage without any regard for others.”

Pinkie gasped at this. “Oh, no… what have I done?!”

The clones rapidly descended on Ponyville, hellbent on seeking out “fun” no matter what.

The first of the victims was an unsuspecting Rainbow. As she got to the end of her book, one of the Pinkies tickled Rainbow’s muzzle with her tail.

Rainbow sneezed and saw all the clones. “What the Tartarus?!”

The Pinkie clones were all over the place. Some were swimming in the pond, others were playing on the shore. All repeatedly chanting “Fun!”

“I guess Pinkie was serious about that Mirror Pool thing…” she muttered to herself.

The real Pinkie was on her way that very moment.

“Rainbow, you have to help me-!” Pinkie called. One look showed she was too late as some clones crushed Rainbow’s chair by jumping on it.

“Hey!” Rainbow yelled and growled as she tried fighting them off with her parasol. “No more clones! I can’t take it!” But, her words fell on deaf ears.

“Oh, no…” the original Pinkie said sadly. She then thought of Applejack. “The renovations!” She then bolted off to Sweet Apple Acres.

At Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack, Big McIntosh, Caramel, and some visiting members of the Apple Family were raising a barn wall for the new addition with pulleys.

“Good work, y’all,” Applejack cheered.

“You too, honeycrisp,” Caramel complimented. “But, it’s not over yet.”

“Of course it’s not over,” one of the Pinkie clones said excitedly. “Because the fun is just beginning!”

They all saw an overwhelming number of Pinkies.

“What in the name o’ Gene Trotry****** is goin’ on here?!” Applejack exclaimed.

The clones simply stampeded while chanting “Fun!” over and over again.

“Pinkie!” Caramel tried to call. “How’d you get over there? And over there, and over there, and- everywhere?!”

The ropes were no longer gripped, causing the wall to fall.

“Pinkies!” Applejack yelled. “Y’all get out o' here now!”

The clones didn’t listen. They continued to make a mess of things. The original Pinkie came to see that she was already too late.

Applejack immediately lost patience. “If Ah see ‘nother Pinkie causin’ trouble ‘round here, ah can’t be held be ‘sponsible fer what ah do!”

The clones ignored her and headed off.

“Oh, no,” the original Pinkie said. “I’m really causing trouble.”

The out of control Pinkies became a huge problem. So huge, in fact, that the citizens turned to Mayor Mare.

“Everypony,” Mayor Mare said, trying to calm the crowd. “I know this is a stressful situation, but, you all must calm down!”

“Calm down?!” Rarity said. “A hurricane of Pinkie Pies came storming through my boutique! The chaos they caused could rival Discord’s!”

“And they overcrowded my tea party,” Fluttershy said. “I didn’t have enough food for the critters’ hungry tummies.”

“They’re destroying the town!” the voice of Ice Cube said in the crowd. “Buck those Pinkie Pies!”

"Not now, Ice Cube," said a disgruntled Rainbowshine.

“Everypony, please!” Mayor Mare said. “Getting angry about all of these clones is not going to solve anything! As you’ve all said, they look exactly alike, making it impossible to tell who’s who or who did what. Asking them which is real wouldn’t accomplish anything, either.”

Twilight raised her hoof politely. “Pardon me, Mayor. The Golden Oak Library has a book about all sorts of magical locations in Ponyville and the Everfree Forest. If I can look through that, I’m certain I can find a solution as to how to take the Pinkie clones.”

“Very well,” Mayor Mare said. “Go look posthaste.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Twilight said as she ran to the Golden Oak Library.

There, she and Spike searched through the aforementioned book. It was a collection of Starswirl the Bearded's many advanced studies. Everything he ever felt good enough to write down was in that very book.

“There it is,” Spike said, pointing to a particular page. “Rainbow said Pinkie called it the Mirror Pool.”

“Thank you, my son,” Twilight said. Twilight and Spike read through the passage. “It says here that the Mirror Pool was used to make copies of the Royal Guards before the advent of alchemy. It copies ponies down to the smallest detail excluding personal memories, but, with each copy, a part of the personality is lost.”

“That explains why the clones of the royal guards are so incompetent,” Spike added. “And why these Pinkie Pies are so one-note. But, that doesn’t really tell us how to solve the problem.”

Twilight looked through the book. She then gasped. “This page describes a spell that I can use to send the clones back to where they came from!”

“I’m guessing there’s a catch,” Spike said.

“Unfortunately, yes,” Twilight said. “The spell can’t distinguish the clones from the original. If I use it on the original Pinkie by mistake, it won’t send her to the Mirror Pool, but, it could do something far worse. The notes don’t mention what it is because Starswirl never tested the spell.”

“What?!” Spike said. “If he never tested it, why’d he even write about it?!*******”

“I don’t know,” Twilight said. “It does give ponies studying magic more of a challenge, that’s for sure.”

“You’d think the pony that taught Celestia everything she knows about magic would be smart enough to test something like that so those learning it don’t botch it!” Spike ranted.********

“This does make the risk of sending the Pinkie clones back even more complicated,” Twilight said. “And more importantly, we need to find some way to distinguish the real Pinkie from the others.”

“Oh, like that’ll be easy,” Spike said sarcastically.

“There must be a way,” Twilight said. “If the clones aren’t as intelligent as the original, there has to be things that the real Pinkie would know that the clones don’t.”

“But, if we ask them all one at a time,” Spike said. “That’ll take too long.” He then gestured to a window where the clones were stampeding. “And it’s clear Ponyville doesn’t have that kind of time.”

“So,” Twilight said. “We’ll have to figure out a way to test them while they’re together. But, how?”

Meanwhile, the original Pinkie saw the clones run rampant across the town.

“Oh, this is all my fault,” she said sadly. “If I had just chosen who I wanted to spend time with, none of this would be happening. Everypony will be sick of me and I’ll have to move away. But, now, even I can’t tell who’s who anymore. Some Guardian of Harmony I turned out to be.”

The first clone was also feeling low. As she walked sadly along, she saw some baker ponies, who weren’t Mr. and Mrs. Cake, hauling a boxful of cake decorations. She secretly took some that looked like wings and left Ponyville.

“I’m not going to be involved in this chaos anymore,” she said sadly before heading off. “I don’t want to live a life to just be somepony else’s reflection. I should live my own life and discover my own meaning of things. This clone problem is bad enough without me. I’ll leave them with one less Pinkie Pie to worry about.”

By now, Ponyville had begun to resemble a ghost town more than anything. Doors had been locked tight and windows had been shut. None dared venture outside while the Pinkie Pies ran amok. Yet, Twilight and Spike were trying to find the real Pinkie. Several minutes went by and they had nothing to show for it.

“Mom,” Spike said. “I’m starting to think that this is completely pointless.”

“We can’t give up, Spike,” Twilight said. “After all, you never gave up on me during the Smarty Pants incident.”

“It’s true,” the real Pinkie said from afar. “And your friends really learned an important lesson after that.”

This caught Spike’s attention as he turned to see the original Pinkie, who, unlike the others, wasn’t bouncy and hyperactive. “Wait,” Spike said. “That one’s not acting like the others. Maybe she’s the real one.”

Twilight shook her head. "Or it could just be a defective clone. If you keep making copies, sooner or later one is bound to end up being bad." And she also added. "It could also be that she's one of the earlier clones, and she's just acting this way to throw us off. The real Pinkie Pie rarely sits still for long."

“I wouldn’t be too sure,” Spike said. “She agreed with you when you mentioned the Smarty Pants incident. That happened before all of this. So, none of the clones could possibly remember that and I highly doubt the real one would bring it up to the clones.”*********

Twilight considered this. “By Celestia, you're right, Spike! Though, how can we be completely sure?”

“I know this’ll probably be pointless,” Spike said. “But, I’m going to ask her if she’s the real Pinkie.”

“You can try,” Twilight said.

Spike walked up to the sad Pinkie. “Are you the real Pinkie? You’re not acting like the others.”

“I’m too sad to act like the others,” Pinkie said sadly. “And at this point, I don’t know if I am the real Pinkie or not. I could be the real Pinkie who feels too guilty for putting so much misery on her friends and home, or I could just be a defective clone acting like I did when I thought everypony was ignoring my parties because they didn’t like me.”

Twilight heard this and was beginning to piece together that this might be the real Pinkie. “Could you say that again?”

“Which part,” Pinkie asked. “The ‘guilty I put my friends in misery’ part or the ‘acting like I did when I thought everypony was ignoring my parties because they didn’t like me’ part?”

“You’re proving you are the real Pinkie!” Twilight said. “Only the real Pinkie would remember that time she thought we didn’t like her. Unless she told one of the smarter clones about it, which isn’t likely.”

“I would have remembered if I did teach them that,” Pinkie said. “But, how are we going to prove that to the whole town?”

“Well,” Spike said. “We can ask something only the real Pinkie would know. But, if we do it one at a time, the original could get mixed with the clones again.”

“That would be confusing,” Pinkie said. “But, if you really are looking for the real Pinkie, the real Pinkie would do just about anything to make sure her friends were really happy again. Like a test on the most boring thing imaginable.”

That gave Twilight an idea.

“That’s it!” Twilight said. “I’ll have to ask Applejack to round up all of the Pinkies and Mayor Mare for permission to use Town Hall. Come on, Spike. I have a plan!” Spike climbed onto her back before she addressed Pinkie. “If you see the other Pinkies, tell them to gather inside Town Hall and say that it’s a party.” She then dashed off.

Pinkie realized that this meant Twilight was setting up a test to get rid of the clones. “That’s brilliant! And if I pass, I can be with my friends again!” She then gasped. “But, what if I don’t pass? I could be separated from my friends forever! Or worse!” She banged her head against the table. “Stupid magic mirror water! Why did I ever think this was a good idea?!”

Soon, Applejack, Big McIntosh, and Caramel were rounding up all of the Pinkie clones and corralling them inside Town Hall.

“I doubt I’ll be able to forget this,” Caramel said.

“Believe me, hon,” Applejack said. “Ah doubt any o’ us’ll forget this.”

“Eeyup,” Big Mac agreed.

Soon, the Town Hall was filled with Pinkies. The other Guardians, sans the original Pinkie and Rainbow, were standing on the stage.

“Welcome, Pinkies,” Twilight said, speaking into a microphone. “Please have a seat and make yourselves comfortable.”

At that moment, Rainbow came in with a rather downtrodden Pinkie. “I got one more, Twilight. I found this one drawing frowny faces on the ground. She wasn’t bouncy or hyper.”

“Have her sit with the others, please,” Twilight said. “We all know how foolish it is to make assumptions.”

Rainbow set the original Pinkie in an open spot among the others.

“Are you sure about this?” Rainbow asked. “I think it’s a safe bet she’s the real one. Uncertainty and untested spells don’t mix.”

“We can’t take any chances,” Twilight said. She then spoke into the microphone. “Now, Pinkies, you have all been brought in here to take a test. Don’t worry, it’s not the type that needs pencils or paper.”

“So,” said one of the Pinkie clones. “What kind of test is it? More importantly, what’s a test?”

“That one’s definitely a clone,” Rainbow said to Applejack, who nodded in agreement.

“Curtain, please,” Twilight said to Spike.

Spike tugged on the pulley rope to unfurl the stage curtains. This revealed a backstage with Rarity and Fluttershy applying a fresh thick coat of purplish-blue paint to a propped-up wall.

“Thank you,” Twilight said before turning her attention to the Pinkies. “The test will be watching paint dry!” The Pinkies all groaned before Twilight warned, "If any of you look away for any reason, you have exactly one minute to stop what you're doing and look back at the wall. If you're still looking away after the minute is up, you'll be blasted. Do I make myself clear?"

The Pinkies reluctantly agreed.

“Okay,” Twilight said. “Ready… go!”

The Pinkies focused their attention on the wall prop and the paint drying upon it.

“This should be interesting,” Spike said.

About 5 minutes passed by and the Pinkies were still staring at the wall. Some of them sweated, others fidgeted from sitting in one place for so long.

“This is lasting longer than I thought it would,” Rainbow said. “Kind of impressive considering Pinkie’s usual attention span.”

“But, who knows how long it’ll last?” Applejack asked.

At last, some of the Pinkies caved into their boredom.

“Oh, hey, look at the birdie!” one Pinkie clone said, looking out of a nearby window.

Several other Pinkie clones looked as well, forgetting Twilight’s warning.

“Some of them aren’t looking back at the wall,” Spike pointed out.

After a full minute the Pinkies that diverted their attention hadn’t looked back. Twilight used that opportunity to blast the distracted Pinkies. Though the spell was previously untested, Twilight’s growing skills made the spell succeed. The blasted clones inflated like balloons before turning into wisps of magic that floated away.

“It worked,” Spike smiled.

Despite the display, other Pinkies continued to get distracted, look away, and do various things as well. This caused Twilight to use the spell to send the distracted clones away if they didn’t look back within a minute. Repeated use of the spell meant she had to stop occasionally to cool her horn down. Soon, it was down to two Pinkies. One was staring diligently at the wall while the other sweated nervously as she looked upon it.

Rainbow, having lost her patience, groaned at how long it was taking.

“I can’t take it anymore!” Rainbow growled. Then, pointing in a different direction, she said. “Somepony’s making balloon animals!”

One of the Pinkies fell for the distraction.

“What? Where?” she said, looking away from the wall. She then stood up, looking around for a nonexistent pony making imaginary balloon animals. All too soon, her window of opportunity expired and she was blasted.

“Okay, Pinkie,” Spike said, walking up to the one true Pinkie. “You can look away now. The test is over.”

“But,” Pinkie said. “What if I’m not the original Pinkie?”

“Well, do you remember when you taught us to giggle at the ghosties?” Spike asked. “And hypocritically hid in fear from Zecora just because she was different from you even though you welcomed me just fine despite the fact that I’m a dragon?”

“Of course I do,” Pinkie said. “You taught me and my friends a lot that day and now Zecora’s one of my bestest friends.”

“Then, you are the real Pinkie,” Spike said. “That proves it. The clones didn’t exist until today, making it impossible for them to have such memories unless you told them about it, which I highly doubt you’d be so open about with clones who just came into existence.”

“And on top of that,” Twilight said. “You were the only one who focused on the wall while all of the others got distracted.”

“I had to,” Pinkie said, wiping tears of joy from her eyes. “I couldn’t leave my friends… but, after today… I am going to have to choose who I’ll spend my time with. That’s very difficult for me. That’s why I made those clones, so I wouldn’t have to choose.”

“Well, we didn’t know choosing between friends was so hard for you,” Rainbow said. “If you had so much trouble choosing, you could’ve just asked one of us to reschedule our plans to spend time together.”

“I think I will try working on that,” Pinkie said. “But, first, the entrance to the Mirror Pool needs to be properly sealed off.”

“Since you used it,” Twilight said. “You would know where it is.”

“Right,” Pinkie said. “Are Vanguard, Javelin, and that pegasus guard still here?”

“Right behind you,” Vanguard’s voice said.

“And my name is Maelstrom,” the Pegasus guard said.

“Oh, good,” Pinkie smiled. “Not just because I now know your name, but, also good that you guys are still here. We could use your strength. Follow me.”

Pinkie led them to the entrance to the Mirror Pool.

“There it is,” Javelin said, careful not to step inside. “Vanguard, move that boulder over the entrance.”

“Right,” Vanguard said, pushing the boulder that Javelin pointed at. Despite being roughly the same size as most of the guards, he proved to be quite strong as he managed to move the boulder, which was at least twice as big as himself. Though, from the grunts he made, it still took a bit of effort.

Soon, with the boulder, the entrance to the Mirror Pool was properly sealed off by Javelin.

“There,” Javelin said. “The boulder’s been enchanted with a spell to make whoever touches it forget what they were doing. I’m the only one capable of disabling it.”

“Thank you, sirs,” Pinkie saluted.

“We better report back to Canterlot,” Maelstrom said.

“Right,” Vanguard said. “Take care, all.”

After the guards left, repairs to Ponyville began. Once citizens of Ponyville saw that there was only one Pinkie who was helping to repair Ponyville, they decided to come out of their homes and pitch in.

“Spike,” Pinkie said. “Can you help me write a friendship lesson?”

“Of course, Pinkie,” Spike smiled. He readied a scroll and a quill. “Okay, go for it.”

And, after going to her room at Sugarcube Corner, this was the lesson Spike wrote:

“Dear Princess Celestia,
It’s great to have fun, but, it’s even better to have great friends. Having a lot of friends means that you sometimes have to make choices as to who you’ll spend time with, especially if they both have cool plans. But, that’s okay. Good friends will always give you a lot of opportunities to hang out, even if it means having to reschedule something. So, even if you’re ‘missing out,’ it’s never for long.
Respectfully yours,
The one and only Pinkie Pie”

After finishing the letter, Spike rolled it up and sent it away.

“Thanks, Spike,” Pinkie smiled. She then led him downstairs, where the other Guardians were.

“Hi, Pinkie,” Twilight said. “Now that everything in Ponyville is back in order, we were thinking we should celebrate. So, do you have some ideas on what you’d like to do?”

“After today’s experience,” Pinkie said. “I just want to rest. I didn’t realize how annoying I was.”

“Pinkie,” Fluttershy said. “We don’t think you’re annoying. A lot of the clones had a one-track mind, while you’re multifaceted.”

“And while you can be a bit much sometimes,” Rainbow said before Applejack nudged her. “Oof! What I mean is that you’re an amazing friend with some things to work out. But, hey, who doesn’t?”

“Yeah,” Applejack said. “Nopony’s perfect.”

“Anypony who says otherwise is living a lie,” Rarity said.

Pinkie smiled at this. “Thanks, everypony,” she said. “I knew I could count on all of you.” And shortly afterwards, she collapsed on the floor and fell asleep.

“That looks like my kind of fun,” Fluttershy said softly. “Though, we should probably take her back up to her room so she can be comfy.”

Spike started helping lift Pinkie, struggling to do so. “She’s a lot heavier than she looks,” Spike said softly. “Though, considering her eating habits, I’m not surprised.”

“Not that we don’t appreciate yer efforts, Spike,” Applejack said. “But, why don’t ya let one o’ us help ya?”

“That’d be appreciated, thanks,” Spike said.

So, Applejack and Spike both helped to get the slumbering pink pony up to her bedroom, careful not to wake her up. After placing Pinkie on her bed, Spike pushed his spine back into alignment.

“How ‘bout we get ya a warm compressor fer yer back,” Applejack asked.

“Sure, thanks,” Spike said.

Applejack allowed Spike onto her back and she carefully walked him back downstairs to meet with the others, leaving their sleeping friend.

What happened to the clone that got away, you ask? That’s a story for another day.

End of chapter.

Author's Note

Here's the next chapter.

*It's a callback!

**Try and guess that reference.

***DON'T YOU DARE BRING UP SPONGEBOB WORMY VIDEOS OR PICTURES IN THE COMMENTS!!! Any comments I see containing either will be deleted. You have been warned.

****Take that, canon!

*****That's the closest you're going to get to an adaptation of Bats!, so, take it or leave it.

******Full disclosure, I'm not sure what this references. I'm not even sure I wrote it.

*******Legit question.

********An excellent point.

*********Another excellent point.

If you liked this chapter, feel free to contact me via private messages if you'd like to help make future chapters.

Chapter 4: One Bad Apple (S3:E4)

My Little Pony: Nine Elements

Book 3

Written by Brandon Nell, Rachael Ravens, and Blake Hawkins

Chapter 4: One Bad Apple

Three days after the Pinkie Pie clone fiasco, Apple Bloom was in a tizzy.

“Oh! What ta wear? What ta wear? What ta wear?” she said.

Applejack sighed. “There’s no need fer this. It ain’t the Apple Harvest Festival. We’re just goin’ ta pick up yer cousin, Babs Seed.”

“Too causal… too summery…” Apple Bloom said.

“Your cousin ain’t goin’ ta care about what yer wearin’,” Applejack said. “Just pick somethin’.”

“This is my first time meetin’ her, n’ she’s from Manehattan,” Apple Bloom said. “Ah want ta make a good impression!”

“Ya know what’ll make a good impression?” Applejack said.

“What?”

“Bein’ on time ta pick her up!” Applejack snapped.

Apple Bloom sighed.

“Ya got nothin’ ta worry ‘bout, sugarcube,” Applejack said. “Y’all’re goin’ ta get along great. Ya already have somethin’ in common.”

By now, Apple Bloom had a snorkel in her mouth. “Oh yeah. What’s that?” she asked.

“Yer both 10 n’ neither o’ y’all have yer Cutie Mark,” Applejack said.

Apple Bloom grinned wildly. “How could ya forget ta tell me somethin’ like that?!”

“Well, ah–” Applejack started, but, she didn’t get a chance to finish.

“Oh, this changes everythin’!” cried Apple Bloom. “Meet ya at the train station! Ah’m goin’ ta go tell Sweetie Belle n’ Scootaloo! Ooh, can’t ferget Spike!” She galloped off.

“Ya know, yer cousin is supposed ta sleep in here!” Applejack said.

Later, at the train station, Applejack and Spike stood calmly at the platform while Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo bounced around with excitement.

“You really think she’ll want to join?” asked Scootaloo.

“She don’t have her Cutie Mark,” said Apple Bloom. “O’ course she’ll want ta join the Cutie Mark Crusaders! She ‘round the same age as us.”

“I’m just so excited, I could burst!” grinned Sweetie Belle, a spark of magic bursting from her horn.

Shortly afterward, Rainbow landed at the platform next to them.

“Hi, Rainbow Dash!” grinned Scootaloo. “Are you waiting for Babs Seed, too?”

Rainbow Dash shook her head. “I’m waiting for my uncle Rainbow Blaze, aunt Clear Sky, and my cousin Wind Sprint.*”

“They live in Manehattan, too?” Spike asked.

“Yeah,” nodded Rainbow Dash. “You know, Wind Sprint is just your age, Crusaders. She doesn’t have her Cutie Mark yet. At least, she didn’t the last time I saw her.”

“You think we have two new members on the way?” asked Sweetie Belle.

“I don’t see why not,” said Scootaloo.

“In my letter from my aunt,” Rainbow said. “She said that Wind Sprint was bringing her friend, Lilymoon**, along. She doesn’t have her Cutie Mark, either.”

“Three new members?!” cried Apple Bloom. “Ah can’t wait!”

Just then, the train pulled up.

“There it is,” called Spike. The fillies eagerly looked around for a filly their age without a Cutie Mark. Ultimately, they spot one with an earth pony mare around Applejack’s age.

“Howdy, Sunflower!” Applejack called.

“AJ!” cried Sunflower. The cousins hugged each other in greeting. “How goes the farm?”

“Well, we managed ta finish renovatin’ a new barn,” Applejack said. “After rebuildin’ it after a stampede o’ Pinkie Pies three days ago.”

“Pinkie Pies?” Sunflower asked. “Don’t you only know one Pinkie Pie?”

“It’s a long story,” Applejack said. “Meantime, where’s Babs?”

Sunflower noticed there was no filly Apple Bloom’s age by her side. “Come on, Babs,” she said. “Don’t be shy.”

From the train stepped a fairly chubby earth pony filly with a brilliant gamboge coat, a light and brilliant amaranth mane and tail, and moderate spring bud eyes. She looked up a bit and noticed Spike. Upon seeing the little dragon, Babs immediately hid behind Sunflower.

“Dere’s a dragon here, big sis!” Babs said to Sunflower.

Spike sighed sadly, “I had a feeling this would happen.”

“Don’t ya fret,” Applejack said in a gentle tone to Babs. “Spike’s one o’ the kindest dragons ah know. He’s a mighty good friend o’ ours n’ he wouldn’t want ta hurt ya. So, why don’t ya come on out and give him a proper hello?”

Babs carefully looked Spike over. If she was being honest with herself, he didn’t look very threatening. If anything, he looked hurt.

“Go on, Babs,” Sunflower said. “If Applejack says he’s okay, that’s good enough for me.”

Babs cautiously stepped up to Spike.

“Hey,” Babs said. “Ah’m sorry I said dat.”

“It’s okay,” Spike said. “I’m pretty much numb to it at this point. That doesn’t mean I like it any better.”

“I understand…” Babs replied. “It’s not just dat. I’m… shy in general.”

“With an accent like that, I couldn’t tell,” Scootaloo said.

“Wait,” Sweetie Belle said. “How come she doesn’t talk fancy if she lives with Applejack’s Aunt and Uncle Orange?”

“Oh, it’s a coping mechanism for her,” Sunflower said. “It started when Braeburn moved away and she’s been using that accent to rebel against our parents because she misses Braeburn.”

“Oh, I see,” Sweetie Belle said. “If that’s how you feel, then we’ll accept it.”

“Wait,” Rainbow said. “Where’s my Aunt Clear Sky, my cousin Wind Sprint, my uncle Rainbow Blaze, and Lilymoon?”

“Well, you see,” Sunflower said. “There was a bit of an incident at Manehattan Station involving an old mare’s umbrella that caused them to miss this train.*** Hopefully, they can catch the next one.”

“Fair enough,” said Rainbow. “I’ll just fly a few laps around the clouds 'till they get here. You guys go ahead back to the farm.”

And she took off. During the walk to the farm, Scootaloo looked Babs over.

“You know,” she said to Babs. “When I heard you were a daughter of AJ’s Aunt and Uncle Orange, I was kind of expecting you to be skinnier.”

“That would be my doing,” Sunflower said. “I’d often treat Babs to more filling meals than that of the kind served at my parents’ parties.”

“Yeah,” Babs said. “Like pizza, carrot dogs, soft pretzels, donuts, ice cream, n’ hayburgers.” She seemed to drool a bit.

“Those do sound good,” smiled Apple Bloom.

“Uh oh!” Spike said as he looked at the clock tower. “I’m late!” And he dashed off. Sunflower and Babs were somewhat confused.

“He’s going to tea with Fluttershy,” said Sweetie Belle. “She’s a friend of Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash. He’ll be away for a while.”

“In the meantime,” said Scootaloo. “Want to see our clubhouse?”

“Y’all take Babs ta yer clubhouse,” Applejack said. “Me n’ Sunflower’ll take care o’ the luggage.”

“Let’s go, Babs,” said Apple Bloom. “Follow us!”

The three Ponyville fillies led Babs to their clubhouse. When they climbed inside, Babs’ eyes widened in amazement.

“It’s beautiful!” she gasped.

“This isn’t even the best part!” Scootaloo said. “We’re making a float for an upcoming parade and you can ride it with us.”

“Ya’d do dat for me?” Babs said, her eyes widening happily.

“Sure,” Apple Bloom said. “We’re even thinkin’ o’ lettin’ ya join the Cutie Mark Crusaders!”

“Da what?” Babs asked with visible confusion.

“Cutie Mark Crusaders,” Sweetie Belle repeated. “We’re the founding members of a society that are trying to get our Cutie Marks.”

“And until now, its only members,” Scootaloo added. “Well, Spike is an honorary member.”

“Ya let a dragon join?” Babs asked. “I ain’t no dragon expert, but, I’m pretty sure dragons can’t get Cutie Marks.”

“Well, that’s true ‘nuff, Babs,” said Apple Bloom. “But, he is a friend n’ we wanted ta let him have some fun. He’s been left out o’ a lot ‘o things.”

“His childhood wasn’t that well spent before he met us,” added Scootaloo. “He couldn’t go anywhere without ponies judging him just because he’s a dragon. He’s been called stuff like ‘overgrown lizard,’ ‘beastly,’ ‘ghastly,’ or ‘scale-ridden freak.’”

“Ah, I get ya,” shuddered Babs. “Dat’s awful…”

“Believe it or not,” Sweetie Belle said. “Those were actually the nicer things he was called.”

Babs bit her lip. “Whoa… I promise I won’t call him anythin' like dat,” she looked at some of the photos on the wall. “Looks like you four have a lot o' fun together.”

“And y’all will make it five, cous,” said Apple Bloom. “Whaddya say?”

“Sure, I guess,” Babs said.

“Come on,” Scootaloo said. “We’ll show you our float.”

The fillies raced off to the barn. As they headed toward it, Apple Bloom pointed toward the new one.

“That’s what the Pinkie Pie swarm destroyed three days ago,” she said

“Okay, you have got ta tell me more 'bout dat,” Babs’ eyes widened in confusion.

“It’s a purty long story,” Apple Bloom said. They suddenly heard a deep rumbling noise and their eyes turned to the source, which seemed to be Babs’ belly.

“Sorry, goils…” she flushed with embarrassment.

“Was that you?” Scootaloo asked Babs in a tone of half surprise and half impressed.

“Yeah,” Babs said. “My sis usually gets me a snack 'bout now.”

“Well, yer in luck,” Apple Bloom said. “That there barn has some food.”

So, the four fillies walked to the aforementioned barn at Sweet Apple Acres. Babs found a basket full of apple fritters and her mouth started to water.

“Dose fritters look so good,” Babs said. She scooped a hooffull just as the others spotted her.

“Wait!” Apple Bloom said. “Those’re Applejack’s!” Too late, Babs had tossed the entire hooffull into her mouth, chewed, and swallowed.

“What was that?” Babs asked. She then realized her mistake. “Oh… sorry.”

“Well,” Apple Bloom reasoned. “Ah guess she won’t mind.”

“That was some fast eating,” Scootaloo commented. “You could give Spike a run for his bits.”

“When you’re hidin’ snacks from ya folks,” Babs noted. “Ya got ta learn ta eat fast ta hide the evidence. Believe me.” She then patted her belly. “Dat ain’t easy.”

“You’re so cool, Babs,” Scootaloo smiled. “You feel full enough to see the float?”

“Da tank’s full,” Babs said, rubbing her belly.

“Great,” Apple Bloom smiled. She then walked to a nearby tarpaulin. “So, without further ado, we give ya the Cutie Mark Crusader parade float!” She tugged it with her teeth revealing a large float fashioned out of a pumpkin.

“You get to ride it with us!” Scootaloo said. “It’ll be totally fun!”

“Thanks, goils!” she smiled.

“More like funny-looking,” said an obnoxiously familiar voice.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders cringed as they recognized that voice. They and Babs turned their attention to the barn entrance to find Diamond Tiara, accompanied by Silver Spoon.

“Who’re dey?” Babs asked in confusion.

“Diamond Tiara n’ Silver Spoon,” Apple Bloom said flatly. “Don’t y’all have somewhere else ta be annoyin’?”

“We could ask you three the same question,” Diamond Tiara cackled. “My daddy’s discussing business with Granny Smith and since your lizard isn’t around, I figured we’d have a little fun with you.”

“We don’t need Spike around to deal with your crap anymore,” Scootaloo said.

“Yeah,” Sweetie Belle said. “So, why don’t you just leave us alone?”

“You can’t tell us what to do, blank flank,” Diamond Tiara said.

Silver Spoon then noticed the visiting filly. “Speaking of which,” she said. “Who’s this?”

“Nopony that concerns you cowards,” Sweetie Belle said. “Now, go pick on somepony else and leave us alone.”

Babs, hearing Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon picking on the three fillies, suddenly felt something deep inside her.

“Ah’m nothin’ dat concerns ‘em, huh?” Babs said coldly with a smirk. “Well, here’s a first impression o’ who ah am.” And with a hup, she kicked the front wheel of the parade float and shattered it.

“What was that for?!” Scootaloo shouted.

“Just wanted ta show youse fillies dat Ah’m woith lookin’ at,” Babs smirked.

“This ain’t like when ya got here from Manehattan, Babs,” Apple Bloom said.

“Manehattan~” Diamond Tiara said, impressed. “And if you’re related to Apple Bloom, then you must be related to the Oranges. You are worth something for sure!”

“I am related ta da Oranges,” said Babs. “Citrus Orange n' Mostly Orange’s youngest daughter, actually.”

“But, we were going to let you join the Cutie Mark Crusaders!” Scootaloo said.

“Cutie Mark Crybabies is more like it,” Babs said, flipping her mane slightly. “N’ I ain’t interested.”

Diamond Tiara was visibly impressed. “Well, I like what I’m seeing,” she said. “Why don’t you hang with us, Babs?”

“Uh, won’t you get in trouble with your mom for associating with a blank flank?” Silver Spoon pointed out.

“Shut up!” Diamond quickly scolded Silver Spoon.

So, Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, and Babs walked away from the barn. But, Scootaloo wouldn’t have any of that.

“You can’t do that to us, Babs!” she said angrily. “We’ll tell Applejack and Sunflower on you!”

“Oh, so youse just ain’t crybabies,” Babs scolded. “You’re also tattletales, huh?”

“Why shouldn’t we tell on you?” Scootaloo challenged. “You wrecked our float!”

“Oh, let’s just say I got ways o’ knowin’,” Babs said coldly. “Ya won’t like what happens then.”

Scootaloo, feeling threatened, backed off, leaving Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle to comfort their friend.

“You’re bluffing!” Sweetie Belle said.

“Am I?” Babs said coldly. “Because if ya tell, yer float won’t be da only thing I wreck, ya got it?! Besides, what makes ya think she’ll believe ya?”

“‘Cause Applejack can tell when somepony’s lyin’!” Apple Bloom said. “Her Mystic Eyes o’ Truth can see right through any lie ya make!”

Babs, hearing this, softened up. “Oh…” she said. “Ah’m sorry den. N’ ah’ll help ya fix the float if ya let me.”

“Don’t bother with those blank flanks, Babs,” Diamond Tiara said. “One of them’s an inbred hick. Not worth the effort of a big city pony like you.”

Babs heard this and put her antagonistic attitude back on.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Babs said. “So, ‘bout dat hangin’ out?”

And with that, the three fillies walked on. Inside, though, Babs couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt that nopony else could see. If only Lilymoon n’ Wind Sprint were here ta set me straight, she said internally. I can’t deal with bullies right on my own.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders were shocked with what they just witnessed. “What just happened?” Apple Bloom asked.

“I think Babs just went to the Dark Side,” Scootaloo said.

“We should tell Applejack or Sunflower,” Sweetie Belle said.

“Yer right, Sweetie Belle,” Apple Bloom said.

They were about to set off, but, Babs’ threats still rang clear in their heads.

“What if Babs is smart enough to somehow fool Applejack’s Mystic Eyes?” Scootaloo said.

“What if her Mystic Eyes are stronger?” Sweetie Belle said.

“Even if they are,” Apple Bloom said. “We ain’t got physical proof Babs wrecked our float. Mah sister might know we’re tellin’ the truth, but, that don’t mean she’ll believe it. Pinkie’s story ‘bout Parasprites was true, but, hard ta believe.****”

“Well, proof or no proof,” Scootaloo said. “We have to do something. We have to show Babs that we’re not crybabies.”

“The way I feel right now,” Sweetie Belle said. “That won’t be easy.”

A bit later, the Crusaders were in their clubhouse.

“So, do you think we should make a new parade float?” Scootaloo asked. “No, why bother? She’ll just wreck it, too.”

“I still think we should tell Applejack,” Sweetie Belle said. “Or Sunflower. She might know what’s going on better.”

“Yeah, yer right,” Apple Bloom said. “We can also ask Spike fer advice, too. Babs didn’t say nothin’ ‘bout talkin’ ta him.”

At that moment, Spike entered the clubhouse.

“Hey, girls,” Spike said. “How’s the visit going so far?” He looked around. “Where’s Babs?”

The Crusaders suddenly started to lose their nerve. Spike could instantly tell they were having a bully problem.

“Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon came around,” Scootaloo said.

“And I may have accidentally said the wrong thing about Babs,” Sweetie Belle added.

“N’ then Babs wrecked our parade float n’ went off ta hang out with Diamond n’ Silver,” Apple Bloom finished.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Spike said. “Let me see if I heard you correctly. Babs, who gave me the first impression of being meek and shy, not only wrecked your float for the parade this weekend, but, started hanging out with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, who openly bully ponies for not having Cutie Marks even if it gets them in trouble? Is that what I’m hearing?”

“Yes!” the Cutie Mark Crusaders answered.

“Okay,” Spike said, getting increasingly angry. “The problems with that are multifold! Firstly, why would Babs do that out of the blue? Second, why aren’t you telling Applejack or Sunflower about this? Third, DIAMOND TIARA AND SILVER SPOON ARE BUCKING HYPOCRITES!!!”

Hearing Spike’s outrage, the Cutie Mark Crusaders hid.

“The next time I see them,” Spike said. “I’m reporting them to their parents! No, I’m going to grab them by their necks and drag them to the Poison Joak patch and throw them in it like ragdolls!”

Apple Bloom quivered. “That was on par with the threat that Babs gave us when Scootaloo got the idea ta tell Applejack n’ Sunflower.”

Hearing that, Spike calmed down a bit. “From my first impression of Babs, she doesn’t seem the type to threaten others,” he said.

“We don’t really know what brought this out of her, either,” Scootaloo said. “But, here we are.”

“Well,” Apple Bloom said. “‘Til this all blows over, we’re just goin’ ta have ta avoid Babs. She’s only here a few days ‘til the parade this weekend.”

“Speaking from experience,” Spike said. “Avoiding bullies doesn’t always work. Sometimes, they find you.”

“I still think we should tell Applejack and Sunflower,” Sweetie Belle said. “We may be called snitches, we may get threatened to get beat up, but, we should still let them know what’s going on.”

“That’s a good idea,” Spike said. “Bullies are cowards who never back up their words.”

“Uh,” Apple Bloom said nervously. “Think ya can be there with us when we tell ‘em?”

“Look girls,” Spike said. “You’re all like the younger sisters I never had, but, you can’t keep relying on me to get you out of trouble. I care about you, but, realistically, I can’t always be there for you. Sooner or later, you’ll have to learn to stand up for yourselves.”

“Yeah, yer right,” Apple Bloom nodded. She then turned to her two filly friends. “Come on, y’all.”

So, off the fillies and Spike went to find Applejack and Sunflower and tell them what was going on. It turned out to be more difficult than they expected. Especially since the fillies were making conscious efforts to avoid being seen by Babs.

“Girls, you’re being paranoid,” Spike said. “Babs isn’t just going to be there every time you turn around.”

“Oh, ain’t I?” said a familiar voice.

Spike turned around to see Babs with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, all of them wearing devious grins. Seeing this made Spike angrier.

“Girls,” Spike said in tranquil fury to the Crusaders. “Hold me back.”

The Cutie Mark Crusaders did so. Almost instantly, Spike started ranting.

“YOU BUCKING HYPOCRITES!!!” Spike shouted so loud, it blew back the manes of the three bullying fillies. “WHEN I GET MY CLAWS ON YOU, I’LL DRAG YOU TO THE POISON JOAK PATCH AND THROW YOU BOTH IN LIKE RAGDOLLS!!!”

Babs, losing her bullying mask from the intensity of Spike’s voice, felt tears welling in her eyes. Diamond Tiara, however, wasn’t intimidated.

“You do that and you’ll have my parents to deal with, lizard boy,” Diamond Tiara said. “I heard your underbelly is your weak spot. Babs, why don’t you give his stomach a kick to test that theory?”

Babs instantly regained her nerve.

“Sure thing,” Babs said. “I’ll show himdat I can be just as ferocious as he is!”

“You’re making a mistake, Babs,” Spike said as she got closer. “Diamond Tiara’s nothing but a bully and a hypocrite. She’ll turn on you when you least—” But, he never got to finish as Babs delivered a powerful kick to his stomach, forcing all the air out of him as he collapsed onto the ground and clutched his stomach while groaning in pain.

“Spike!” the Crusaders rushed to him, checking him over.

“Nice one, Babs!” Diamond Tiara said coldly.

“Aww, dat was nothin’,” Babs said as she, Diamond Tiara, and Silver Spoon walked away. Inside, though, she really regretted doing that. Actually, dat was somethin’... a real guilty feelin’ in mah gut. Ah got ta make it up ta Spike somehow.

The Crusaders immediately became concerned for Spike.

“Oh, Spike,” Apple Bloom said sadly. “We’re powerful sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Spike said with strain in his voice.

“Here,” Sweetie Belle said. “We’ll take care of you.”

“Well, that made up my mind,” Scootaloo said angrily. “Something has to be done about this! Any creature who hurts Spike is going to get it good!”

“Hold on, Scootaloo,” Spike said as he started getting up. “She was holding back.”

“Wait, she was?” Scootaloo asked, calming down.

“Do you know how many incompetent clone guards have struck me there?” Spike asked.

“More’n the amount o’ zero ya deserve,” Apple Bloom guessed.

“A LOT,” Spike said. “I’ve been struck on my stomach enough times to know when the one striking is holding back.”

“Even so,” Sweetie Belle said. “She still shouldn’t have done that to you. We have to do something to stop Babs’ bullying.”

“And I have an idea how to do it,” Scootaloo said. “We build a new float rigged with traps and trick her into taking it!”

“No!” Spike said sternly. “We are not resorting to that!”

“Why not?” Scootaloo said. “She’s been bullying us. Now, we can stand up for ourselves like you want.”

“Standing up for yourself is one thing,” Spike said. “But, your idea is something else. Go through with it and you’ll be admitting defeat. You’ll be proving you’re no better than them. You’ll be letting them win.”

“Spike’s right,” Sweetie Belle said. “If we do this, we’ll be bullies and we don’t want to be bullies.”

Scootaloo took all of this in. She then sighed. “You’re right. I’m sorry, Spike. I guess I was more angry about this than I thought. But, we have to do something.”

“Maybe we should get a start at talkin’ ta Applejack n’ Sunflower,” Apple Bloom said. “They’ll know what ta do.” Spike groaned in pain again. “But, first, we better tend ta Spike. There’s a first aid kit in the clubhouse.”

Apple Bloom gently helped Spike onto her back and together, the four friends walked towards the clubhouse. Unfortunately, when they got there, they saw that it was occupied.

“What’re ya mooks doin’ near my clubhouse?!” Babs said.

“Your clubhouse?!” Scootaloo snapped. “This is the Cutie Mark Crusaders clubhouse!”

“Really?” Babs said. “I ain’t seein’ ya names on it nowhere.”

“Your name isn’t on it, either,” Sweetie Belle said.

“It’ll be dere soon,” Babs taunted.

“And so will ours,” Diamond Tiara snootily said. “And no trespassers allowed!” With that, she brought the ladder up and promptly kicked it off its hinges.

Babs saw this and got worried. “Uh, DT?” she said. “I get ya did dat so’s dey wouldn’t get up, but, how’re we supposed ta get down? None o’ us is pegasi!”

Diamond Tiara was about to answer when she realized that she hadn’t thought about that. The Cutie Mark Crusaders witnessed this display.

“Looks like you were right about Babs holding back,” Sweetie Belle whispered. “She also still has some good sense in her. So, she’s not a total lost cause.”

“Yeah,” Spike said. “This is too good an opportunity to pass up.” He then spoke smugly to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. “Enjoy being stuck in a house with no bathroom and later explaining this to your parents when they come to get you.”

Scootaloo, seeing this, decided to get a piece of the action. “So, as long as you’re stuck up there, why don’t you guys make yourselves useful and lower the first aid kit? Since we can’t get what we need up there, you may as well work for us, right?”

“As if we’ll help blank flanks like you,” Diamond Tiara scoffed.

“Suit yourself,” Sweetie Belle said. “We should get going, though. It’ll be lunchtime soon. Too bad we didn’t pack any snacks for you up there.”

The Crusaders started to turn around. Babs was really getting worried. With her big appetite, she knew it wouldn’t be long before her stomach would run on empty. Diamond Tiara tried in vain to get the Crusaders to come back.

“Get back here, you blank flanks!” she demanded.

But, her demand was ignored.

“Are you deaf?!” she shouted. “I said get back here!”

Again, her demand was ignored.

“You’ll be hearing from my daddy about this!” she said.

“Oh, for buck’s sake,” Babs said, rolling her eyes. “Don’t ya get it?! He ain’t goin’ ta hear from ya ‘cause yer stuck up here like we are! So, why don’t ya take a hint n’ start askin’ ‘em in a nicer way ta get us down here or yer daddy’ll come here ta find ya nothin’ but bones?!”

“Blank flanks are inferior,” Diamond Tiara said. “I don’t need to tarnish my reputation by being nice to them.”

“But, we’re doing that right now,” Silver Spoon said.

“Ya friend’s right,” Babs said. “In case ya haven’t noticed, I am a blank flank n’ you’re nice ta me. So, why not dip ya hooves inta da water even more n’ be a better pony ta my cousin n’ her friends or da only thing that Cutie Mark o’ yours’ll be is as a museum piece?!”

“Besides,” Silver Spoon said. “Suppose your mom learns that you were associating with a blank flank and saw proof of it with her own eyes. Do you really think your rump can take that abuse?”

Diamond Tiara took all of this in. At once, the balloon filled with her hubris was deflated. She tossed her pride out the window.

“Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo,” Diamond Tiara called out. “May you please help us down?! Pretty please with sugar lumps on top?” But, by then, the Crusaders were too far away to hear them.

“Now ya done it,” Babs said, jumping off of the balcony. “Ya can keep dis clubhouse for all I care. Ah’m going to do what I should've done!” She went off to find not only the Cutie Mark Crusaders and their honorary member, but, together, they went off to tell Applejack and Sunflower to tell them what’s going on. Applejack was helping bandage Spike’s stomach. Babs was barely in the door when suddenly, she lost her nerve, believing the Crusaders wouldn’t trust her after what happened. Apple Bloom noticed this.

“Babs?” she asked. The filly quickly ran away and hid. “Babs, wait!”

Sunflower sighed. “I was afraid of this,” she said.

“Hmm?” Apple Bloom said, turning to face her. “Afraid o’ what, Sunflower?”

“Babs suffers bullying from school back home,” Sunflower said.

“What?!” The Cutie Mark Crusaders exclaimed.

“Ah didn’t say anythin’ ‘bout it, cuz ah didn’t want her ta feel singled out,” Applejack said as she finished bandaging Spike. “But, Sunflower told me ‘bout this n’ ah recommended ‘em comin’ ta Ponyville durin’ the festival ta take Babs’ mind off o’ it.”

“And I was afraid of Babs meeting bullies here to influence her,” Sunflower said. “Without Lilymoon or Wind Sprint to steer her right, Babs tends to compulsively make bad choices.”

“So, that’s why she jumped at the chance to bully us when Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were picking on us,” Sweetie Belle said.

“She even goes out of her way to hide it from those who don’t see the bullying,” Sunflower said. “My parents don’t pay much attention to it, but, Wind Sprint, Lilymoon, and I can see right through her act. Braeburn would, too, if he still lived with us, I’m sure. Of course, part of that compulsion is her missing Braeburn.”

“That explains so much,” Scootaloo said. “But, we should show Babs that we can trust her.”

“Without Lilymoon and Wind Sprint, it won’t be that easy,” Sunflower said. “But, the real challenge is getting Babs to trust herself.”

“There has ta be some way,” Apple Bloom said. “But, how?”

“Babs doesn’t have the heart to really bully anypony,” Sunflower said. “But, whenever she acts like a bully, she worries that those she bullied won’t trust her when she tries to apologize. Her nerves are very fickle.”

“Well,” Sweetie Belle said. “Now that we know the truth, we can show that we’re aware she didn’t mean any harm.”

“She’ll be more receptive if Lilymoon and Wind Sprint are around,” Sunflower said. “And we don’t know if they’re even coming.”

“You can know now that they’re here,” called a male voice.

All eyes turned to the direction of the voice. They saw a pale, light grayish persian blue coated pegasus stallion with a rainbow mane and moderate camboge eyes and a Cutie Mark depicting a multicolored airstream through cloud(s). Accompanying him was a grayish purple unicorn filly with a mane and tail of moderate cobalt blue with light bluish-white streaks and moderate purple eyes and a pale, light grayish indigo pegasus filly with a light cobalt blue and pale, light grayish cerise mane and tail and pale, light grayish fuchsia eyes. Both fillies looked a little dizzy and their manes and tails looked swept back as if they’d flown really fast, and both were blank flanks.

“A little warning before that rush,” said the unicorn filly in a slightly raspy monotone voice.

“Yeah, dad,” said the pegasus filly.

“Oh,” Apple Bloom said. “Y’all must be Lilymoon n’ Wind Sprint, yeah?”

The dizzy fillies fixed their manes and tail once reoriented.

“Yes, we are,” the unicorn filly. “I’m Lilymoon and this is Wind Sprint.”

“Uh, dad,” Wind Sprint said to the stallion. “Don’t you think you should go back for mom?”

“I will,” he said. “Though, I wanted to give her and Rainbow Dash a chance to catch up. Plus, I wanted to make sure you met up with Babs first.” He then took off at incredible speed.

“Anyway,” Scootaloo said. “We’re the Cutie Mark Crusaders. I’m Scotaloo.”

“Ah’m Apple Bloom,” she said, introducing herself.

“And I’m Sweetie Belle,” the unicorn filly said. “I know we just met, but do, you think you can help us?”

“Babs sided with a bully again?” Wind Sprint asked.

The three nodded.

“I told you to watch where you were going, Wind Sprint,” Lilymoon said.

“Yeah,” Wind Sprint said with a sweatdrop. “But, yeah, we can help you.”

“What have you got in mind?” asked Sweetie Belle.

“Are there any places here for storing food?” Lilymoon asked. “Ideally, a large quantity?”

Applejack, who finished bandaging Spike, turned her attention towards the fillies. “Ah got lots o’ food in the nearest barn,” she said.

“That’s our best bet,” Wind Sprint said. “She sometimes guilt-eats without us.”

“Well,” Apple Bloom said. “Guess we better bring y’all tagether.”

The Crusaders led the two newcomers to the barn where the parade float was wrecked. They found Babs taking large bites out of an apple pie.

“Babs?” Lilymoon said gently.

Babs turned to see the newly arrived fillies. Immediately, her spirits brightened.

“Lilymoon, Wind Sprint,” she said happily. “Ya made it!” She went to hug her friends, but, she also saw the Cutie Mark Crusaders. “What’re youse doin’ here? Came ta knock some sense inta me?”

“Sunflower told us everything,” Sweetie Belle said.

“And we’re not here to hurt you, Babs,” Scootaloo said. “We came here because we wanted you to know that we were sorry.”

“For what?” Babs asked. “Ah’m da one what wrecked your float.”

“But,” Apple Bloom said. “We’re sorry we made ya feel like ya were too mean ta be our friend. Y’all n’ ah’re family n’ that’s how it’s always goin’ ta be, even if we all made mistakes.”

“I made plenty o’ does,” Babs said. “Been dat way since Braeburn left. He was my big brada n’ I barely remember him.”

“We made mistakes, too,” Scootaloo said. “Everypony does. But, what matters is that we learn from these mistakes and offer our hooves in friendship.”

“And forgiveness,” Sweetie Belle said.

“N’ trust,” Apple Bloom said.

Babs looked at the Crusaders. She then looked back at her two friends who gave her knowing looks. She then walked to the Crusaders and hugged them.

“I’m so sorry for what I did,” she said weakly. “Can we start over?”

“Sure,” they said.

“N’,” Babs asked. “Can we still be Cutie Mark Crusaders?”

“If you want to,” Scootaloo said.

“I’d like that,” Babs smiled.

“Cutie Mark Crusaders?” Lilymoon asked.

“What’s that?” Wind Sprint asked.

While Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were explaining, Filthy Rich had finished discussing business with Granny Smith and turned to notice that neither Diamond Tiara nor Silver Spoon were around.

“Pardon me, fillies,” Mr. Rich said politely. “But, you wouldn’t happen to know where my daughter and her friend are, would you?”

“I’ll do ya one betta n’ show ya,” Babs said before leading the way to the clubhouse.

“What a mess!” Filthy Rich exclaimed. “How did this happen?”

“Daddy, it was…” Diamond Tiara was about to say something ugly, but, she remembered how ‘well’ things went the last time she said something ugly. So, she sighed solemnly and said, “It was my fault… I kicked the ramp off its hinges to keep the Cutie Mark Crusaders from getting in, but, forgot that it’d keep us from getting down.”

Filthy Rich was extremely disappointed. “You not only committed property theft, but, damaged said property, deliberately disobeyed me when I told you to stay put, and practically imprisoned yourself and your friend because of your own short-sightedness. I will get you and Silver Spoon down, but, you can bet we’re going to have a long conversation about this when we get home. And you can explain it to your mother as well.”

“Yes, father,” Diamond Tiara said submissively before Filthy Rich grabbed each filly and let them down.

“Before we go,” Filthy Rich added. “Isn’t there something you would like to say to these fillies?”

Diamond Tiara knew she was in deep enough trouble and decided that, instead of making things worse, she’d make it look like she was apologizing. “I’m truly sorry for all of the trouble that Silver Spoon and I caused you.”

“Thank ya fer apologizin’, Diamond Tiara,” Apple Bloom said. After Filthy Rich, Diamond Tiara, and Silver Spoon left, Apple Bloom spoke to the others. “Ah don’t believe none o’ that.”

“Me neither,” Scootaloo said flatly.

“Looks like ya got three new club members ta initiate,” Applejack said as up.

Spike followed her. Since he was an honorary club member, he came to serve as witness to the initiation. Using her strength and handiponiness, Applejack was able to fix the ladder and reattach it to the clubhouse. Spike helped by getting her what she needed. Babs could see that despite his temper, Spike was a gentle and helpful dragon.

After the ladder was fixed, the Cutie Mark Crusaders were initiating the three fillies. Sweetie Belle sat at a podium while Scootaloo was beating a timpani drum. The original members were wearing their CMC Capes. Spike brought in the new ones for the Manehattan fillies. This time, Rarity had extra gold silk for them to use and gave them permission to use it.

“Welcome aboard,” Spike said.

“Welcome, Babs Seed,” Apple Bloom said. “Welcome, Lilymoon. N’ welcome, Wind Sprint.”

Spike helped Sweetie Belle secure the capes to the new recruits.

“Thank you so much,” Lilymoon said, tears of joy welling in her eyes.

“So, who’s da big cheese?” Babs asked.

“Uh,” Apple Bloom said sheepishly. “We hadn’t really figgered that out.”

“Yeah, the hierarchy of this group wasn’t really planned out,” Spike said. “We’ve mostly focused on various activities like swimming, hiking, zip lining, the list is pretty extensive.”

“Whoa,” Babs said, impressed. “We got lots o’ dat back in Manehattan n’ we can ask other ponies who don’t got Cutie Marks if they want ta join.”

“I think it’d be a good idea to work out your group’s hierarchy first before welcoming new members.”

“Okay, that makes sense,” Wind Sprint nodded. At that moment, Babs’ belly gave a deep rumble.

“This don’t count as first order o’ business,” she said. “But, we should grab some food.”

“Maybe after lunch,” Spike suggested. “We can try rebuilding the float.”

“Yeah,” Apple Bloom said. “As a symbol o’ our new friends.”

Unknown to the Crusaders, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were quietly plotting a way to get even. The next day, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon snuck into Sweet Apple Acres when their parents weren’t looking and saw the Crusaders rebuilding their float.

“Can somepony lend me a ⅝ wrench, please?” Scootaloo asked.

“Would you settle for somedragon?” Spike asked as he gave her such a wrench.

“Yeah, thanks,” Scootaloo said gratefully.

“Now,” Diamond Tiara whispered to Silver Spoon. “We wait until they break for lunch and sabotage their float.”

“Right,” Silver Spoon whispered in return. They suddenly heard a deep growling noise they thought at first was a bear.

“Ah!” Diamond Tiara yelped, unknowingly giving away her location. She and Silver Spoon quickly hid behind the door before Spike fully turned around to face it.

“Is somepony out here?” he asked. No answer. “Any of you girls hear that?”

“Only thing I hoid was my stomach rumblin’,” Babs said before rubbing her belly as it made the same noise.

“Oh, alright,” Spike said, closing the barn door again. “Let’s take the back door and break for lunch.”

“Why the back door?” Lilymoon asked.

“When I was at the front door,” Spike said. “I could vaguely smell high-class snobbery.”

“Ah knew ah didn’t believe Diamond’s apology,” Apple Bloom said with an annoyed tone in her voice.

“Exactly how bad is she?” Wind Sprint asked.

“Even when her dad tells her to be on her best behavior,” Sweetie Belle started. “Worse.”

“She calls the Apple Family inbred hicks,” Apple Bloom said.

“That’s horrible!” Wind Sprint exclaimed.

“I should've defended our family when she said dat…” sighed Babs to her cousin. Apple Bloom put a hoof on her shoulder comfortingly.

“She’s also under the delusion that having a Cutie Mark makes her better than those who don’t,” Spike said. “Though, she demonstrates a lack of creativity by being unable to come up with insults beyond blank flank over and over again.”

“Regardless,” Lilymoon said. “It’s a hurtful thing to call somepony.”

Babs’ belly gave another rumble. “Sorry ta interrupt, but, can we go eat now? My belly’s gettin’ impatient ova here.”

The group went out the back door and later, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon opened the front door.

“I’m going to make sure nopony forgets this embarrassing display,” Diamond Tiara chuckled. She stuck what looked like a party popper with a long string to the back of the float with a wad of chewed up bubblegum and tied the string to the rear axle.

“You certainly are crafty, Diamond Tiara,” Silver Spoon chuckled.

The duo left before the Crusaders returned.

“Alright,” Spike said. “Let’s do a quick survey of what happened.”

“Hey, there’s something on the back,” Lilymoon said.

“What is it?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Come over here and see,” Lilymoon said.

They went over to where Lilymoon was standing. They saw the party popper-like device stuck to the back with the string tied to the rear axle.

“I think we’d better show Applejack and Sunflower,” said Wind Sprint. “I don’t remember any of us putting that there.”

“Hold on,” Spike said before using his claws to cut the string before pulling off the device, removing the gum, and inspecting it. “A stink bomb. This has Diamond Tiara written all over it.”

“Right,” said Apple Bloom. “Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, we’ll guard the float. Spike, y’all n’ the Manehatten branch find AJ n’ Sunflower.”

“Find us fer what, li’l sis?” asked Applejack, who just entered with Sunflower.

“Or dat woiks, too,” said Babs. “Sis, big cous, we tink Diamond and Silver sabotaged our float.”

“With this,” Spike said, holding up the device. “Diamond Tiara put a stink bomb on it.”

“Right then,” said Applejack. “Ah’ll be speakin’ ta Filthy Rich ‘bout this. Y’all don’t worry ‘bout a thang.”

“What makes you so sure Diamond Tiara put that there?” Sunflower asked.

“See for yourself,” Spike said, turning the bomb over. Diamond Tiara’s name was literally written all over it. “Her name’s written all over it.”

“Not good at subtlety, is she?” asked Sunflower.

“No, she is not,” Spike said. “Luckily, this plan was as half-baked as her other bullying methods. She secured it with bubblegum, for crying out loud.”

“Where could she and her partner in crime be?” wondered Sunflower.

“I have a feeling they’re not too far away,” Spike said. “But, I have a little idea. Let them think they’re getting the drop on us. It’ll make it that much more satisfying when they’re proven wrong.”

“Alrighty then,” Apple Bloom nodded.

Soon, it was time for the harvest day parade. The Crusaders all hopped aboard.

“You sure you don’t want to join us, Spike?” Scootaloo asked.

“I’ll be okay,” he said.

“Well, we did make room for seven in here,” said Sweetie Belle. “If you do change your mind…”

Spike smiled gratefully at the fillies. “Thanks, girls,” he said.

As the parade started, Spike went over to Twilight and her friends and noticed the two devious bully fillies in the crowd.

“You alright there, son?” whispered Twilight.

“Oh, I’ll feel pretty good in a bit,” Spike said.

“You aren’t with the crusaders in the parade, Spikey-Wikey?” asked Rarity.

“Oh, they offered, but, I just want to watch this time,” admitted Spike.

“Alright, if you’re certain,” Rarity said with an understanding nod.

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon waited for their prank to go off, but, nothing happened.

“Wait…” Diamond Tiara started. “What’s happening?”

“Looks like… nothing I guess,” admitted Silver Spoon. “Maybe it wasn’t secured properly.”

The two fillies galloped into the parade, and tried to track the crusaders’ float. As they galloped, another float ran over the prank party popper after Pinkie threw it into the route arbitrarily.

“Ew!” cried the pony driving the float. “What’s that stink?”

Diamond and Silver held their noses and the former glanced up in shock.

“Silvy, run,” whispered Diamond.

“Why?”

“It’s my mom’s float!”

Diamond and Silver bolted away. Spoiled Rich got down and examined the evidence.

“DIAMOND DAZZLE TIARA!” she shouted.

Spike balked in shock. “How did that get out there?” He then noticed that instead of the stink bomb, he was holding a cupcake – with emeralds as sprinkles. He quickly realized Pinkie used her distraction technique on him again.

“Enjoy your snack, Spike,” Pinkie said.

“Pinkie,” Spike said calmly. “Did you just take that stink bomb out of my claw?”

“Stink bomb?” Pinkie asked. “I thought it was a party popper.”

“… Okay,” Spike shrugged. “Admittedly, it was in the shape of a party popper.”

“Yeah,” Pinkie said. “I thought it would spread confetti all over the parade, not make a horrible smell!”

“Why were you carrying one in the first place?” Twilight asked.

“It was planted on the Crusaders’ float by Diamond Tiara,” Spike said. “I removed it and planned on revealing it to her after the parade to show that her plan failed. Now that Pinkie took it and threw it, I can’t.”

“Sorry, Spike…” Pinkie sighed.

“Yet you thought revealing the real thing would make you more innocent? It just looked like you did the deed,” Silver Spoon said in an accusing manner.

Spike noticed Spoiled Rich approaching, which Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon didn’t. He had an idea. “That’s rich coming from the filly who planted that bomb in the first place.”

“Hey!” Diamond Tiara said. “I’m the one who put that bomb there!” She didn’t see her mother right behind her.

“Oh, really?” she said sternly. Diamond Tiara immediately went pale and slowly turned around to see her mother. The mare then boxed the tiara-wearing filly on the ears. “It’s bad enough you associate with a blank flank behind my back, but, you sabotage my float? I’m taking you home and you can stay locked in your room until you think about what you’ve done. I’ve made it clear that you’re only permitted to interact with blank flanks to remind them they’re inferior and you deliberately disobeyed me.”*****

Onlooking ponies and Spike watched with shock and disgust at the harsh punishment that Diamond Tiara endured.

“That’s no way to treat anypony, much less your own daughter!” shrieked Pinkie.

“I’m beginning to see why Diamond Tiara acts the way she does,” Spike whispered to Twilight. Twilight grimly nodded.

Fluttershy felt rage boil inside her. “Now, you listen here, ma’am!” she snapped at the uppity earth pony mare. “What gives you the right to treat your flesh and blood so coldly? To teach her to treat others so mean?”

“I know what’s best for my daughter,” Spoiled said. “I wouldn’t expect a childless peasant like you to understand. Much less, those blank flanks who contribute nothing to society.”

“Contribute nothing?!” Rainbow said angrily. “Haven’t you seen all of the amazing things that happened because a pony who doesn’t have their Cutie Mark yet made them? I would imagine not since you’re so uppity that you can barely see anything below your muzzle!”

“A pony is only worth something once they have a Cutie Mark,” Spoiled said. “Otherwise, there’s nothing about them worth bothering with.”

“Seems somepony’s too old to remember what it was like to be a filly with hopes and dreams,” Rarity said sassily.

“Besides,” added Twilight. “We were all blank flanks once! Even you!”

“I do not need to justify myself to a blank flank sympathizer,” Spoiled said. “Now or ever.”

“Well,” Filthy Rich said coldly. “That would mean you wouldn’t justify yourself to me.”

“You are not involved in this, Filthy,” Spoiled said.

The crowd of ponies, minus Spike, the Guardians, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders booed at Spoiled Rich.

“Spoiled, you’re making a scene,” Filthy scolded. “You constantly say you care about our family’s reputation, but, what do you think this will do to it?”

Spoiled didn’t like admitting when somepony else was right, but, for this case, she made an exception. So, they hustled away out of sight.

“Why does Filthy put up with her?” Spike asked.

“Arranged marriage set by their folks,” Applejack said. “He didn’t have no choice.”

“I thought that was an olden pony tradition,” gasped Spike.

“His family didn’t get rid o’ that tradition ‘til Filthy took over,” Applejack said. “He continues ta put up with his situation ‘cause he loves Diamond Tiara.”

“Anyway,” Rainbow said. “Getting off that extremely uncomfortable train, don’t we still have a Harvest Festival to celebrate?”

“Yeah, we do,” said Clear Sky, who made herself known.

Without Spoiled Rich’s influence, all attendants had a grand time at the festival. The Cutie Mark Crusaders, with all six of their club members, had the most fun of all. Though, Scootaloo looked at Clear Sky and studied her. She had a pale, light grayish rose coat, a light roseish gray, light gray, and pale, light grayish azure mane and tail, pale, light grayish aquamarine eyes, and a Cutie Mark depicting the sun and a wisp of air. But, what stood out to her was the fact that she was a unicorn.

“What are you looking at my mom for, Scootaloo?” Wind Sprint asked.

“Your mom has a name I’d expect for a pegasus,” said Scootaloo. “But, she’s a unicorn.”

“She works as a weather reporter,” Wind Sprint said.

“Besides,” Spike said. “Didn’t you tell me that your dad and one of your aunts are earth ponies?”

“That’s also true,” said Scootaloo. “And Wind Sprint, you can fly, right? I… I’ve been having trouble.”

“Well, I’ve had a few flying difficulties of my own,” Wind Sprint admitted. “When I get lost in the thrill of flying, I sometimes start a gale.”

“I see,” Scootaloo nodded.

“I’m trying to get that magic under control,” Wind Sprint said.

“We’ll be able to figure all of that stuff out,” Sweetie Belle said. “Wait, you can use magic? But, you don’t have a horn.”

“I know,” Wind Sprint said. “I use magic through my wings.”

“You can?!” The Ponyville CMCs asked enthusiastically.

“Yeah,” Wind Sprint said. “But, I can’t really control it.”

“Ah’m sure yer folks’ help ya with that,” Apple Bloom said. “Er ya’ll be able ta figger thangs out on yer own.”

“We can all figure out how we can use our own types of magic,” said Lilymoon. “I’m still working on levitation. How about you, Sweetie Belle?”

“I can only make sparks,” she admitted. “I’m still learning more.”

“I’m rooting for you, though,” Lilymoon said encouragingly.

After the festival, it was time for the Manehattan visitors to leave.

“Ah’m mighty glad we all got ta know each other better,” Apple Bloom said.

“We'll look out for more blank flanks if they want ta join,” said Babs.

“We’ll do the same thing here,” said Sweetie Belle. “Hmm… Pipsqueak doesn’t have his mark yet.”

“Great idea!” said Apple Bloom. “The more the merrier.”

Soon, the Manehattan visitors left.

“I hope things go well for them,” Sweetie Belle said.

“They will,” said Scootaloo. “They have our full support!”

End of chapter.

Author's Note

Here's the next chapter.

*Family relation idea by Rachael Ravens.

**Book character.

***Try to guess this reference.

****It's a callback!

*****Hate sink alert!

Now, for a little announcement. The Friday prior to this chapter being published, one of the co-writers caught Covid and as a result, the next chapter will be delayed until she recovers. Thank you.

If you liked this chapter, feel free to contact me via private messages if you'd like to help make future chapters.

Chapter 5: Magic Duel (S3:E5)

My Little Pony: Nine Elements

Book 3

Written by Brandon Nell, Rachael Ravens, and Blake Hawkins

Chapter 5: Magic Duel

Four days after Babs and her friends went back to Manehattan, it was October 3rd and a dark and rainy night as Trixie Lulamoon was trotting through a forest with her cart in tow. She had turned 18 the week before and decided to visit Ponyville after a couple years.

“I hope everypony is doing well,” she said aloud to herself. “And especially Spike. It’ll be good to see him again, too.” Then, a thought occurred to her. “Did I even have a proper conversation with him last time I was there*? Well, if I hadn’t, I will during my next visit.” As she trotted along, she noticed something laying on the ground beside the road. “Hmm? What’s this? This might belong to somepony.” She inspected it closely and discovered that it was an amulet with a red jewel in the center and a black winged and horned pony displayed on the outside. “Whoa~” Suddenly, she began to hear ominous whispers. “Hmm? Who’s there? Is this your amulet… whoever is out there?” She looked around, but, couldn’t see any other life forms that could’ve made the whispers. “Bizarre…”

She decided to look for the amulet’s owner herself and placed a hoof on it. No sooner had she done that than the hoof she used to touch it began moving of its own accord.

“Wh-what’s happening?!” she exclaimed. “Help! Somepony help!”

The hoof that touched the amulet forcefully put it around Trixie’s neck. That was when the ominous whispers became coherent.

“Hello, Trixie,” the voice said.**

“Wh-who are you?” Trixie asked with a quiver in her voice.

“You may call me…” the voice said. “Umbranor. I’m a spirit that resides in the Alicorn Amulet.”

“The Alicorn Amulet?” Trixie repeated. “Oh, no…”

“Yes,” Umbranor said. “I see you have vague memories of that artifact.”

“I learned of it a long time ago at Celestia’s School,” Trixie explained, still trembling in fright.

“I can see that the memories aren’t very clear,” Umbranor said. “I also see that you plan on showing Twilight Sparkle how much your magic has improved since you last saw her.”

“Y-yes,” Trixie said. “And catch up with her and her friends.”

“Well, what say we make this more interesting?” Umbranor said. “Challenge Twilight to a magic duel.”

“A magic duel?” Trixie repeated. “I’m not so sure about that. I chiefly use performance magic and Twilight has talents that far exceed mine.”

“Ah,” Umbranor said. “But, with the power I grant you, you can do so much more. Spells that even Twilight Sparkle hasn’t mastered.”

This idea felt tempting to Trixie.

“So, then,” Trixie said. “I really would be the Great and Powerful Trixie?”

“Indeed,” Umbranor said. “However, you’ll need to practice a bit.”

“Oh, gladly,” Trixie said, a corrupted grin growing on her face.

Two days later, the weather had cleared. On that particular day, Twilight and Spike were at Fluttershy’s cottage.

“Are you ready to do this, little ones?” Fluttershy asked some animals. They nodded. “Alright. Keep in mind, I will be a little bit nervous about this, but, I’m going to trust Twilight to make sure you’re all okay.”

“You have my promise that your animals will be safe, Fluttershy,” Twilight said in a kind voice.

“Besides,” Spike said. “She’s been doing this for the past week and things have been fine.” He then muttered under his breath, “Except when she accidentally duplicated Angel.”

“I heard that, Spike,” Twilight said. “I was able to apply the counter spell to that, you know.” She then turned her attention to the animals. Fluttershy and Spike stood out of the way, but, they watched from afar. She then focused her energy and surrounded the animals in her magical aura. She then started to gently levitate them in the air. The animals thought that this was great fun.

“See?” Spike said. “Nothing to worry about.”

“You’re right, Spike,” Fluttershy said. “I do hear them cheering as they’re floating around up there.”

Just then, Twilight concentrated all her energy into levitating the water out of a small pond, looping it into a figure eight.

“Wow,” Fluttershy and Spike gasped with supportive smiles.

Twilight was visibly straining to hold the magical figure as she manipulated the water, but, somehow, she willed herself to continue on even as the pressure grew more and more intense. But, at last, Twilight reached the limits of her ability and the water dropped back into the pond. She then gently set the animals down onto the ground, making sure none of them are hurt. Her horn was slightly smoking from the effort.

Fluttershy saw this and applied an ice pack to Twilight’s horn. “You did very well, Twilight.”

“I’ll say,” Spike said. “Your magic’s improved over these last two years.”

“Thanks, you guys,” Twilight said modestly. “I wonder how much Trixie’s improved.”

“That’s a good thought,” Spike said. “Boy, we haven’t thought of her in a while. I wonder how she’s doing.”

“It still feels like she was hiding something the last time she was here,” Fluttershy said.

“If and when she ever comes back,” Twilight said. “I hope we can give her enough trust to know she can talk to us about anything. And if something is bothering her, we should help her. Anyway, do you think I improved enough to impress Princess Celestia and the delegates from Saddle Arabia tonight?”

“Totally,” Spike said. “When Princess Celestia put you on entertainment, I had a feeling that you would showcase some good magic.”

“But, I’ve heard that in Saddle Arabia,” Twilight said. “Incredible feats are routine every hour or so.***”

“I wouldn’t know,” Fluttershy admitted. “I’ve never been there.”

“Besides,” Spike pointed out. “We have plenty of crazy stuff happening here, too. That’s how you became the Guardians of Harmony.”

“Guys!” exclaimed Rainbow as she flew in. “Something crazy is happening in Ponyville!”

“What is it?” Twilight asked.

“You’re probably not going to believe this,” Rainbow started. “But… Trixie is causing trouble.”

The three others wore looks of confusion.

“Trixie?” Twilight asked. “Causing trouble?”

“I know,” Rainbow said. “I can hardly believe it myself.”

“We better look into this,” Spike said. “Because the idea of Trixie willingly causing trouble doesn’t sound right.”

Rainbow led them into town. There, a sizable crowd of ponies had gathered. Rarity was struck by a red beam. With a puff of smoke, Rarity was wearing a dress that was brown-forward with orange, hot pink, yellow, and green accents. Think the tackiest dress from a local thrift shop only somehow worse.

"You monster!" she shrieked. "This shade of brown should only be used for accents! How could you do this to me?!"

Applejack and Pinkie hustled up and gently moved their upset fashionista friend away from the crowd.

“Come on, Applejack,” Pinkie said. “We need to get her into a nice soothing pink, stat!”

And the two earth ponies trotted off, carrying their unicorn friend with them. Rainbow and Fluttershy flew in, followed by Twilight and Spike.

“What’s going on here?” Twilight demanded.

“Well, well, well,” said the black hooded-cape wearing mare. “If it isn’t Twilight Sparkle.”

She lifted her hood to reveal her face, mane, and horn. But, Trixie’s eyes briefly flashed in a sinister red, showing the Alicorn Amulet fastened around her neck.

“What’s the meaning of this, Trixie?” Twilight asked. “I remember you leaving Ponyville on good terms!”

“Yeah,” Spike said. “What happened to you?”

Rainbow hovered above them. “Is that even the best you can do?”

“Try this on for size!” Trixie exclaimed as she fired a vivid red beam of magical aura at the braggadocious pegasus.

When the flash died down, Rainbow saw the result of what had happened: her right wing had grown abnormally larger than her left one. This caused her flying to become uneven.

“Whoa~!” Rainbow exclaimed as she flopped in the air.

The ponies who watched her unevenly fly ducked down to avoid accidentally getting hit by her hooves. Snips, Snails, and Puppy Dog Tails were among the ponies in the crowd.

“Whoa,” Snips chuckled. “She’s Rainbow Wobble now!”

“Yeah,” Snails said, chuckling, before taking a chance to think. “I don’t get it.”

Tails could only roll his eyes in annoyance at his brothers. But, he ducked as Rainbow whizzed by again.

“Good spell, oh Great and Powerful Trixie,” Snips said, genuflecting before the corrupted unicorn mare.

“Don’t encourage her,” Tails said, pulling him back up.

“Silence, non-believer!” Trixie said, zapping Tails with her magic aura.

The magic put a muzzle around his… muzzle. Snips and Snails were shocked by this.

“Hey!” Snails said with a newfound sense of anger. “Nopony does that to our brother!”

“Even if he can be a bit naggy!” Snips said, earning him a deadpan glare from Tails.

“You two, quiet!” She zapped the two unicorn colts with her magic.

When the light died down, Snails found himself with Snips fused together, horn to horn.

“Hey, what the-?!” Snails stammered, trying to shake off Snips from his head.

“FlAiLiNg Me LiKe A tRoUt IsN’t WoRkInG!!!” Snips said as he was being flailed around.

“Trixie, stop picking on my friends!” Twilight said sternly. “This is unnecessary!”

What none of the Ponyville residents knew at the time was that within Trixie’s mind, the mare was watching what was happening through her own eyes and was horrified by what she saw.

“Twilight’s right,” Trixie’s internal dialogue said. “Why am I doing this to them?”

“This is necessary,” the voice of Umbranor said. “Now, say why we’re here. Put that excellent showpony voice of yours to good use. And remember what I told you to say.”

“Very well,” Trixie's internal dialogue said.

Back outside…

“You and I have some unfinished business, Twilight,” Trixie said in her best showpony voice. “My magic has gotten better since we last crossed paths and I wanted to show you what I got with a magic duel. But, to make this more interesting, I thought I’d make a little wager. The winner stays, the loser leaves Ponyville forever!”

“What makes you think I’d make a deal like that?” Twilight demanded.

Unknown to her, Umbranor took control of Trixie’s body and even started speaking in her voice.

“Because, if you don’t,” ‘Trixie’ said. “I will not only keep casting spells on your friends, I’m not above ending them!” At that very moment, she fired a vivid red beam at Spike.

The magic morphed him into a ball and started to dribble him.

“Let me go!” Spike said helplessly.

This sight enraged Twilight. “You leave my son out of this!”

This statement caught Umbranor off guard and caused him to speak in his own voice. “Your son? I wasn’t told of this before.” He then realized his mistake and cleared his throat before speaking in Trixie’s voice. “Pardon me, I had something in my throat.”

“But,” Spike grunted between bounced. “Think you can take a clue and let me go?!”

“Only if your ‘mommy’, agrees to face Trixie,” Umbranor said in Trixie’s voice.

“First, answer me this,” Twilight said. “Why are you doing this?”

“Don’t act so innocent,” ‘Trixie’ said as her horn lit up. In a flash, a giant projector screen appeared and began to display images from Trixie's last appearance in Ponyville. “You showed up Trixie with that Ursa Minor and made her work tirelessly to fix all of Ponyville. Since then, she was ostracized and mocked. She even had to take a job at a stupid rock farm just to survive! A rock farm, for Tartarus’ sake!” On the screen, Trixie was seen working for a pony Pinkie recognized immediately.

“Hey!” Pinkie snapped. “My family’s rock farm home is not stupid!”

Inside Trixie’s mind, the mare was shocked at the way her memories were presented.

“That’s not how those memories happened!” the mare internally monologued.

“You want these ponies to sympathize with you, don't you?” Umbranor said.

“Not like this!” the mare internally protested.

Back outside, Umbranor used Trixie’s magic to remove Pinkie’s muzzle. Pinkie mumbled with outrage.

“So, Twilight?” ‘Trixie’ said. “Are you down to show me your magical prowess or am I going to take more drastic measures to get you to change your mind?”

Twilight knew she was being forced into this, but, she knew Trixie would continue casting spells like the ones before until she agreed. It was becoming increasingly apparent that Trixie wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“Very well, Trixie,” Twilight conceded. “Only if you’ll spare my friends and family. Your fight’s with me, not them!”

“I knew you would agree eventually,” ‘Trixie’ said.

She lit her horn and remedied almost all of Spike and the other ponies’ problems. The only exception being Pinkie, who was still without a muzzle.

“Return Pinkie’s muzzle, too!” Twilight demanded.

‘Trixie’ rolled her eyes and returned Pinkie’s muzzle. The mare gasped for breath and was uncharacteristically angry. “Taking my bucking muzzle?!” she shouted. “Were you trying to suffocate or starve me?!****”

“If I wanted to get rid of you,” ‘Trixie’ said. “I would have done so already. Now shut up or I’ll do something worse than just remove your muzzle.”

“Take that bitch down, Twilight!” Pinkie said. Nearby parents covered their foals’ ears.*****

Whoa, Spike thought to himself. Pinkie must have been angry. I’ve never heard her call anypony that before.

“Enough talk,” Twilight said. “Let’s duel!”

“I thought you’d never ask,” ‘Trixie’ said. “Draw!”

She fired a red beam of magic at a nearby wagon carrying pies. She levitated it with her magic and caused it to careen at Twilight. Twilight used her magic to stop the cart in midair. She then set it aside so that it wouldn’t hurt anypony. She breathed a sigh of relief, but, the relief was short lived when she saw Trixie levitating hot pies to fire at the lavender unicorn. Thinking quickly, Twilight remembered an advanced spell she recently learned that allowed her to summon a Parasprite. It was able to eat the pies in one gulp. It then belched out a duplicate. Twilight was able to use her magic to teleport them away to a place where they couldn’t cause any harm. Her horn was starting to warm up again using so much magic so suddenly. But, unexpected relief was about to wash over her in the form of a concentrated snowpatch, courtesy of Trixie. Twilight’s horn hissed like hot metal coming in contact with cold water as a shroud of steam was created. Twilight, in an effort to bring down Trixie’s hubris, fired a magenta magic beam at Trixie's face. For a second, it seemed nothing had happened. But, it turned out she had used #25 as a black mustache magically grew on Trixie’s face. The sight made the witnesses snicker a bit. Though, Pinkie laughed in an almost sadistic manner.

“Maybe you should consider joining a circus freakshow!” she said. That comment caused Spike and the other guardians to look at her in shock as she kept laughing.

“Boy,” Applejack said. “She really took losin’ her muzzle hard.”

Pinkie immediately stopped laughing and glared at Applejack. “You try nearly suffocating and/or starving,” she said. “I nearly died! Death is no laughing matter!”

“Believe me, I know,” Rainbow said.

While they were talking, Trixie conjured a pair of scissors to cut the mustache off.

“Snips, Snails,” ‘Trixie’ ordered. “I need your assistance.”

Despite his best efforts, Tails was unable to stop his brothers from approaching her. Trixie used her magic to turn Snips into a baby and Snails into an old stallion. Twilight could hardly believe her eyes.

“Age spells?” Twilight gasped. “Only the most advanced unicorns can perform those spells. I know for a fact that you were expelled before you could get anywhere near that level.”

“A lot has changed since we last met,” ‘Trixie’ said. “So, what can your magic do? Think you can change them back?”

Twilight took a deep breath and made an effort. She strained as hard as she could, but, try as she might, she couldn’t return the two to their proper ages. With her horn overheated again, Twilight collapsed in exhaustion.

“Trixie is the highest level unicorn!” ‘Trixie’ cackled. She then used her magic to reverse the spell. “Now, it’s time for you to leave Ponyville forever!”

Pinkie ran straight for Trixie, clearly intent on beating her senseless. Trixie, seeing her coming, creates a force field around herself to keep her safe.

“That force field won’t protect you forever, you bucking bitch!” Pinkie said, pounding on it.

“Seems like I took your eyes and not just your muzzle,” ‘Trixie’ said in a smart-alecky tone. “Punch as much as you want, you’ll never penetrate this force field. And when you get tired, you can join Twilight in her banishment.”

Applejack and Rainbow had to work together to hold Pinkie back.

“Alright, Pinkie,” Rarity said. “I understand that you almost suffocated because of this brute, but, that gives you no reason to exhaust yourself on this frivolous task of revenge. It’s not working. You’re only stooping to her level. Hardly befitting a Guardian of Harmony.”

Pinkie didn’t like it, but, she did have to stop and back off.

“Thank you, Rarity,” ‘Trixie’ said with a falsely charming smile. “For you and Applejack’s efforts to stop Pinkie… aww, what the heck, I think I’ll banish you, too, because I can.”

“No, Trixie,” Twilight said sadly. “They don’t deserve the banishment.” She slowly got up. “I’ll leave, but, spare them. My son above all.”

“Very well,” ‘Trixie’ smirked. “Well, tootle-oo, Twilight. But, just to make sure you stay banished…” Trixie used her magic to envelop Twilight in her magical aura and teleport her to the outskirts of Ponyville. Once she was out, Trixie put a large transparent dome over Ponyville.

Spike and the other guardians rushed to the wall of the dome on the inside and Twilight did likewise from outside.

“Mom!” Spike exclaimed. “Can you hear me?!” The little dragon’s eyes were welling with tears. It was always a heart-breaking sight for Twilight.

“I can hear you, Spike,” Twilight said in a loud volume. “I’ll figure something out and see if I can find a way to get through this. You all must look out for each other. And keep an eye on Trixie. This isn’t the same unicorn we knew before.” She then focused on Spike. “I promise I’ll be back, my son. I love you.”

“I love you too, Mom,” Spike said with a sniffle.

“Rarity, Fluttershy,” Twilight said. “I’m trusting both of you to take care of Spike.”

“We won’t let you down, Twilight,” Rarity nodded.

“We promise,” Fluttershy said, holding a hoof to her heart.

With that, Twilight trotted off into the Everfree Forest. Spike kept his eyes on Twilight until she disappeared.

“What do we do now?” Fluttershy asked worriedly.

“We need ta be strong fer Twilight,” Applejack said. “Ah could tell somethin’ weren’t right with Trixie.”

“Indeed,” Rarity said. “Especially with that dark hooded cape and that peculiar necklace. Not to mention, her aura was vivid red. If I recall correctly, the last time she was here, her aura was a pale, light grayish magenta.”

“So… and I can’t believe I’m the one saying this, but…” Rainbow started. “We’re going to have to… learn about what’s going on.”

“I’m surprised how much I agree with that,” Rarity said.

“I want to give that Trixie a kick to the face so hard that—” Pinkie began before Rarity cut her off.

“Pinkie, please!” Rarity said. “You are no longer in threat of suffocating or starving, so you are going to have to get a grip. And on top of that, you should not say any of this in front of Spike right now. He’s going through a hard enough time as it is without your negativity. Do you understand?”

Pinkie looked at the sad drake and felt her anger ebb away. “You’re right, Rarity. I’m sorry, everypony.”

“That was likely the temporary oxygen deprivation talking,” Spike said with a sob. “But, I want to learn everything I can to get my mom back.”

Applejack put a hoof on Spike’s shoulder.

“Yer afraid o’ losin’ her, ain’t ya?” she asked gently.

“Of course I am,” Spike sniffled. “She hatched me and raised me. She made mistakes in the past, but, nopony’s perfect and she’s the closest thing to a mom that I have.”

Applejack rubbed Spike’s head. “We’re all scared o’ that, sugarcube,” she said sympathetically. “But, Twilight’d want ya ta be strong fer her. We won’t do her much good if we just sit ‘round feelin’ sorry fer ourselves.”

“You’re right, Applejack,” Spike said. He then took a deep breath and exhaled. “Come on, everypony.”

Meanwhile, Twilight was trying to use an age spell on a flower. She was concentrating her magical aura on it. At first, it seemed to be blooming a bit, but, the strain and overheating on her horn was becoming overwhelming. The flower reverted to the state it was in before Twilight tried using the spell.

“This is impossible,” Twilight said. “I’m not far enough in my magic lessons to learn an age spell, so, how was Trixie able to learn it? It doesn’t make sense.” She then remembered that Trixie’s aura was a different color than the last time she was in Ponyville. “Her magic aura changing color could have something to do with it, though, it seems unnatural for it to suddenly be so red. Wait. There’s something familiar about the vibe of the magic she used. Without Spike, I can’t contact the princesses.”

“Twilight?” said a familiar and friendly voice. “What brings you out this way? It is unexpected and I can tell you are dismayed.”

“Zecora!” Twilight exclaimed. “I’m very dismayed.”

“Come into my hut for a cup of tea,” Zecora said. “And tell me what weighs on your heart heavily.”

A bit later, Twilight had finished explaining the situation.

“Your tale of woe upsets me so,” Zecora said, taking a sip of her herbal tea. “It is little wonder you are dour for that is an abuse of power. Separated from your friends and your son, that is a mistake that must be undone.”

“But, how?” Twilight asked. “I tried facing Trixie and it didn’t work. I don’t even know how she got so powerful when she dropped out of magic school.”

“You mentioned an aura of vivid red,” Zecora said. “Perhaps that is the cause of your dread. An unnatural magic from one so tragic. But, if you train with me, so good you’ll be. I’ll show you the way to make sure that back in Ponyville you will stay.”

“You’re going to train me?” Twilight asked. “No offense, but, you’re a zebra.”

“I may not have the prowess of a unicorn,” Zecora explained. “But, I have been learning different methods after I was born. Not traditional in the ways that you have learned, but, once I teach you, new knowledge will be earned.”

“Okay,” Twilight said. “I’m willing to learn.”

Zecora nodded wisely as she showed Twilight outside of her hut.

Back in Ponyville, Umbranor, posing as Trixie, was ordering various ponies to do her bidding. All the while, the real Trixie, bound in chains in her mind, could only watch helplessly.

“Please, Umbranor,” Trixie said internally. “This isn’t what I wanted! This goes against everything my father taught me!”

“This is what I want,” Umbranor said wickedly. “And I’m not going to let a cowardly unicorn take that away from me. You put the Alicorn Amulet on and continued to use its augmentations without knowing the consequences. Now, you. Belong. To me!”

“No!” Trixie said internally. “I won’t let you do this anymore! I’m going to take off the amulet and undo the bubble. Then, I’m going to set everything right with everypony!”

Umbranor appeared before her in the form of a silhouette of an alicorn with glowing yellow eyes that shone brightly, tightening the chains binding the real Trixie. The showmare unicorn interjected with shock.

“Don’t you ever speak that way to me!” Umbranor said forcefully. “If you aren’t going to be my vessel, then, you'll be worth less than the tombstone you’ll be buried under. Understand?!”

Trixie quickly lost her nerve. “Y-y-yes, Umbranor… sir…” she quivered.

Outside, none were aware of her inner turmoil.

“The idea of making a throne out of baked goods is just ludicrous,” Mr. Cake said. “Baked goods are for eating, not furniture.”

“We better keep doing this, though,” Mrs. Cake said nervously. “Who knows what she could do to us if we disobey? Or worse, our triplets’ lives could be at risk.”

“Hurry up with my throne!” ‘Trixie’ demanded.

“Y-yes, ma’am,” Mrs. Cake answered.

Meanwhile, Applejack and Caramel were smooshing apples with their hooves.

“How long until my applesauce facial is ready?” ‘Trixie’ asked.

“Facial?” Caramel asked. “I thought you were going to eat it.”

“It’s for my pores,” ‘Trixie’ said. “Now keep at it.”

Caramel was about to continue when Applejack stopped him.

“Ferget it,” Applejack said. “We ain’t goin’ ta follow any o’ yer orders ‘till ya let Twilight come back home!”

‘Trixie’ took this as a challenge. She levitated feathers to tickle Applejack, causing her to laugh uncontrollably. Applejack tried to resist, but, it didn’t last long because of one simple thing: she was extremely ticklish. This wasn’t something she publicly allowed others to know about (Caramel was among the few ponies not in her biological family she told). To make matters worse, ‘Trixie’ wasn’t aware of the extent of this weakness and didn’t show mercy.******

“Ha-ha, hoh-kay!” Applejack gasped between guffaws. “We’ll keep workin’! Just make it stop! Ah can’t take it!”

“Ah,” ‘Trixie’ said. “It seems I found your weakness.”

“Whatever!” Applejack laughed. “But, if ya don’t stop, the biddin’ won’t get done! Ah might accidentally taint these here apples!”

“She’s not lying!” Caramel said. “I’ve seen what happens when she’s tickled too long!”

‘Trixie’ considered this. Not wanting her face to smell like forbidden apple juice*******, she released the feathers and subsequently released Applejack from her tickled grasp. The farm mare breathed heavily, trying to regain her breath. Caramel comforted his marefriend gently. Pinkie was quickly starting to lose her temper, but, this distracted her and caused her to trip over boxes she could’ve avoided. ‘Trixie,’ hearing the fumbling, sadistically applauded her.

“Well done~!” ‘Trixie’ applauded. “In my new empire, you shall be a remarkable jester!”

“You’re lucky the Cake Triplets are in this room,” Pinkie said. “The words I’m thinking of can’t be said around them!”

Back in the Everfree Forest, Zecora was training Twilight. The zebra had the lavender unicorn stand on a pond and use her magic to concentrate on orbs of water to levitate around her. It was an oddly serene scene.

“Ah yes,” Zecora said. “The key to water magic is no noise, no sound, no din, and no fuss to interfere with your focus. “Unlearn what you have already learned. For only then can victory truly be earned."

Twilight was still focusing her energy. However, what she thought was Trixie’s voice ruined her concentration.

Trixie IS the highest level unicorn, ‘Trixie’s’ voice said.

Twilight was so disturbed that she sank in the pond and released the water orbs with numerous splashes. Luckily, the pond wasn’t very deep and she was able to return above the surface.

“Oh,” Twilight said. “It’s so hard to learn elemental magic you don’t have an affinity for.”

“There is much more that I can teach,” Zecora said as she helped Twilight out of the pond. “But, the answer you need may still be out of reach.”

“I’m trying really hard, Zecora,” Twilight said. “I wasn’t born with affinities for water and earth magic like you. My friends and my son are counting on me to come back and save them. I can't just push them out of my mind. Not after the promises I made. And that doesn't even begin to cover Trixie. I remember her leaving on good terms, but, now, she’s acting so differently.”

“Your thinking needs a readjust,” Zecora explained calmly. “Total concentration is a must. How she has changed is a concern, but, that should not distract you from the lessons you must learn.”

Back in Ponyville, Spike had called the remaining Guardians of Harmony, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and Caramel. They were hiding out in the Golden Oak Library and they were going through all of the books in the Magic Section.

“Ugh!” Rainbow said. “I can’t read these runes!”

“There has to be some written in Ponish,” Sweetie Belle said. “If there aren’t, it’s making the search more difficult.”

“This is like finding a needle in a haystack!” Scootaloo said.

Finally, Spike found a picture of the necklace Trixie was wearing. “I think I just found the needle!”

The other ponies turned their attention to the drake.

“Well done, Spike,” Fluttershy said happily. “Are there descriptions about it?”

“The Alicorn Amulet,” Spike read. “It was created by King Sombra during his reign over the Crystal Empire. He created it by sacrificing 33 earth ponies, 33 pegasi, and 33 unicorns. He slaughtered all 99 of them and their blood, bone, and flesh melted with the metal used to forge the amulet. Depending on the type of pony wearing it, it enhances that pony’s natural traits. Magic for unicorns, flight and speed for pegasi, and strength and stamina for earth ponies.”********

“That’s horrifying!” Rainbow exclaimed. “We all knew King Sombra was a bad pony when he enslaved the Crystal Ponies, but, that’s just too much!”

“It gets worse,” Spike said. “As a consequence of the amulet’s creation, the souls sacrificed merged into one, creating an evil spirit bound to the amulet. Just touching it gives the spirit the power to force the user to put it on. The more the user uses the amulet, the more control over the user the spirit has.”

“Wait a minute,” Applejack said. “So, y’all think that this here spirit was the one who took off Pinkie’s muzzle instead o’ Trixie herself?”

“I don’t give a flying feather either way,” Pinkie said. “That Trixie bucked with something she shouldn’t have bucked with and I’m going to take that amulet off her neck and jab her in the eye with it!”

“Pinkie, no!” Spike exclaimed. “The amulet has a special lock on it. Only Trixie has to remove it herself. And if somepony else tries to force it off of her, it could not only kill Trixie, but, the spirit within the amulet would possess you! Do you really hate Trixie enough to wish her dead? Or that you would risk being possessed by it to harm others?”

Pinkie took all of this in. She was still mad at the idea of nearly suffocating and starving, but, she wouldn’t wish for anypony to die. And she certainly wouldn’t want to risk being possessed. If she was possessed, she could never plan another party with the ones she loved ever again. That went against her very nature. “You win, Spike,” she said. “But, how are we supposed to get Trixie to remove the amulet?”

“We need to get this information to Twilight,” Fluttershy said. “She could have learned about the Alicorn Amulet before and she might know what to do.”

“There’s a small problem there,” Spike said. “After the Crystal Empire, my mom hasn’t really been in a rush to explore the more intricate aspects of dark magic.”

“And there’s also the problem o’ the giant bubble that Trixie put up,” Apple Bloom said. “Even if ya could send messages with yer fire breath, Spike, it’ll be hard fer Twilight ta teleport back in.”

“I tried contacting the princess,” Spike said. “The scrolls can’t get through.”

Before any of them could say anything, the door was knocked off its hinges and Trixie came dashing into the room accompanied by Snips and Snails. By now, her red eyes had become increasingly obvious to spot.

“There you are!” ‘Trixie’ shouted. “You’re supposed to be following my orders, not leisurely reading! If you had any thoughts of treason, I’m here to quell them now.”

“You can’t frighten us, Trixie,” Spike said defiantly. “Or should I say, spirit?!”

‘Trixie’ growled ferociously. This frightened Snips and Snails as they ran and quivered behind Applejack.

“You’re the spirit of the Alicorn Amulet, aren’t you?” Spike said defiantly.

“You have done your research,” Umbranor said in his real voice. “Well, that knowledge isn’t going to help you much further!”

“Sp-sp-spirit?!” Snips quivered.

“Yes,” Umbranor said. “I am Umbranor, the spirit of the Alicorn Amulet and the combined form of 99 sacrificed pony souls.”

“That explains why Trixie didn’t really act like the Great and Powerful Trixie,” Snails squirmed.

“Pah!” Umbranor scoffed. “Were it not for the fact that I’m powerless unless a pony wears the amulet, I would have cast that worthless showmare aside. She’s utterly useless otherwise. Other users would have taken much longer for me to take control of. This mare was so weak, I gained control two days ago after she came across the amulet by chance.”

Ah had a feeling Trixie wouldn’t have come ‘cross that there amulet on purpose, Applejack thought to herself. But, out loud, she said, “We’ll figger out some way ta get Trixie ta take that Alicorn Amulet off o’ her! N’ once we do, we’re goin’ ta lock it up so that nopony’ll ever be corrupted by yer evil magic ever again!”

Umbranor was less than impressed. “Even if you trick my worthless hostess into removing the amulet,” he said. “I can gain enough power to force the next pony who merely touches it to put it on. The last pony to wear it buried it in the side of a plateau that years of rain washed away.”

“Even so,” Rainbow said. “We won’t let anypony else get possessed by you! We’ll do anything to make sure Twilight can come back home and that this stupid dome is out of here!”

Umbranor expressed no fear in Rainbow’s threat. “You ponies really are pathetic. No wonder you can be swayed so easily.”

“Just ya wait,” Apple Bloom snapped. “Mah sister n’ her friends’ll make ya sorry ya said that!”

“Aw, isn’t that adorable?” Umbranor said arrogantly. “It thinks it’s a threat.”

So, Umbranor decided to leave the library. He would save any real harm he had for them for another time. However, he used magic to forcibly relocate all in the library.

Spike was about to try to free himself when he noticed some of the ground swelling as if something was digging underneath it.

“What the?” Spike said to himself curiously. He cautiously looked at the patch of ground.

Umbranor noticed as well.

“Hello?” the spirit said softly.

In seconds, Bluu sprung up out of the ground, surprising all present.

“Bluu?!” Rarity gasped. “This is an unexpected surprise, but, certainly a much more pleasant one. What brings you here?”

“Well,” Bluu said. “I was trying to find Ponyville, didn’t know where it was so it took a while, I found the place and there’s a giant goldfish bowl covering it. What’s going on?”

“The spirit of 99 slain ponies confined in a powerful artifact called the Alicorn Amulet,” Spike explained. “The spirit within can only gain control if the Amulet is worn by somepony. So, this spirit seized control of a unicorn mare, challenged my mom to a magic duel, and forced her to leave Ponyville. This dome is to make sure she doesn’t come back.”

“How did a mongrel like you get through the barrier?!” Umbranor demanded.

Bluu’s answer was brief and blunt. “I dug under it.”

“Careful,” Pinkie stage-whispered at Bluu. “Your muzzle could be forcibly removed.”

“Oh, I have something worse in mind,” Umbranor said. But, before he could do anything, Bluu reached into his vest and threw a paw full of sand in Trixie’s eyes. This caused Umbranor to temporarily let go of his grasp on Trixie, letting her suffer the pain. This also released those caught in the magical grasp.

“Quick,” Spike whispered to his companions. “We have to get out of here while we have the chance.”

All but Bluu, Snips, and Snails retreated into Bluu’s tunnel. They popped out of the other side on the outskirts of the village and saw the entrance to the Everfree Forest.

“And we didn’t think to dig under the dome from the start if it was going to be that easy to get out, WHY?!” Rainbow said.*********

“I guess because only one of us really knows how to dig,” Fluttershy thought aloud. “We didn’t really think about it?”

“One thing’s for sure,” Spike said. “That Umbranor, and by extension, Trixie, won’t be blinded for long. When they regain their sight, they’ll notice we’re all missing and find a way to get us back in.”

“So,” Rarity said. “What can we do? Should we look for Twilight?”

“Ah’ll go,” Applejack said. “Spike, think ya can get a letter ta the princess?”

“I used up the last of the scrolls the library had trying to contact her inside the dome,” Spike said.

“When all of this is over,” Rarity said. “I’ll have to take you and Twilight shopping to help restock.”

“While ah go tell Twilight what we learned, y’all best head back in the dome,” Applejack said. “That specter’ll cause more damage if Trixie gets outside the dome. ‘Least with most o’ us inside, the specter can’t hurt nopony outside Ponyville.”

“But, we’ll suffocate in there!” Pinkie said.

“No, ya won’t,” Applejack explained. “Even without Bluu’s tunnel, ‘long as there’re trees, flowers, n’ grass in there ta supply y’all with oxygen, y’all will be safe.”

“How do you know that about plants?” Rainbow asked.

“Ah work n’ live on a farm,” Applejack explained flatly. “Mah family’s surrounded by trees.”

“Oh,” Rainbow said in embarrassment. “I forgot. I keep forgetting that you know about stuff besides apples.”

“Uh, you do know apples are a type of plant, right?” Sweetie Belle pointed out.

“Never mind that now,” Applejack said. “Just go n’ ah shouldn’t be gone long.”

With that, Applejack headed off. The others headed back inside Ponyville under the dome via the tunnel.

In Zecora’s hut, Applejack had explained the situation to Twilight.

“I thought there was something odd about the amulet,” Twilight said, dismayed. “I can’t believe I didn’t recognize it first-hoof.”

“Spike told us ya weren’t eager ta look inta dark magic after the Crystal Empire,” Applejack said.

“Even in death, Sombra’s dark magic finds its way to me somehow,” Twilight said. “I have no clue on how to convince Trixie to take it off, even with Umbranor taking over her mind. My magic may be getting stronger, but, it’s still not enough.”

All the while, Zecora listened carefully. “Twilight Sparkle, much work have you done,” she said. “You have learned all of my lessons… all but one. If the spirits’ tricks have you in a fix, you must nix your magic and use the six.”

“Would it kill ya ta give a straight answer fer once?” Applejack said.

But, Twilight was deep in thought, trying to unravel the riddle and figure out what it really meant. Once she had the solution, she gasped happily. “Zecora, you're a genius! Thank you!” She embraced her zebra friend, who smiled wisely.

“Am ah missin’ somethin’ here?” Applejack said, still confused.

“Zecora explained that I should face off against Umbranor again,” Twilight explained. “Only this time, I use a different kind of magic. The very magic that triumphed over Nightmare Moon and Discord.”

Applejack listened and she began to smile. “O’ course! The Elements o’ Harmony! That ought ta-”

“Not necessarily, Applejack,” Twilight interrupted. “The magic of friendship. You said Spike used up all the library’s scrolls trying to contact the princess while in the dome, so, we wouldn’t be able to contact her to get the elements sent here from Canterlot.”

“Good point,” Applejack said. “So, how’re we goin’ ta do this?”

Twilight wrote her plan down on a sheet of paper before giving it to Applejack. “Get inside Ponyville and rally as many ponies as you can.”

“Can do, Twi,” Applejack saluted. “N’ don’t worry. Spike’s holdin’ up fine.”

“Thank you,” Twilight said, breathing a sigh of relief. “I really needed to hear that. Once this is over, I’m going to hold my baby close all night long.”

Applejack gave an understanding nod and headed out with the plan.

“Your maternal instincts are noticeably stronger,” Zecora observed. “And this devotion will ensure Spike is close to you for longer.”

“I nearly lost him in the Crystal Empire,” Twilight said. “He’s been in my life so long, I can’t imagine living anywhere without him.”

A bit later in Ponyville, Umbranor was using Trixie’s body to chase Bluu.

“This is ridiculous!” Bluu panted.

“My sentiments exactly,” Umbranor said. “Curse this hostess’ weak constitution!” He then spotted Twilight just outside the dome and switched to Trixie’s voice. “What are you doing? Can’t handle being banished?”

Twilight just glared. “You may as well drop the act… Umbranor.”

Umbranor stopped running and walked face to face with Twilight, though not exactly considering the dome was still present.

“So,” Umbranor said in his true voice wickedly. “You really are a smart unicorn. Well, there’s nothing you can do about me possessing this weak mare while you’re out there, so you may as well go back to being banished like a good little whelp.”

“You don’t frighten me,” Twilight said. “I’ve encountered your creator before.”

“Well, lucky you,” Umbranor said sarcastically. “It still doesn’t help you any.”

“Oh, the fact that I was able to put his power into another amulet begs to differ,” Twilight said.

This statement caught Umbranor’s attention. “What?!” he exclaimed. “You’re bluffing!”

“Am I?” Twilight challenged as she levitated an amulet with what looked like a crystal Sombra would’ve created in the center. “I collected one of the crystal shards he created before he was killed.”

Umbranor started to sweat with unease, but, he put on a brave face. “W-well, that’s probably just some weak little trinket. I’m made of 99 slain souls while yours was just made with the spirit of one slain pony.”

“The soul of the pony responsible for your creation,” Twilight said. “And I have to say, getting rid of him was harder than facing you.”

“Oh, my duel was easy, was it?!” Umbranor challenged, clearly insulted. He then used Trixie’s magic to dissipate the dome. “If you think it’s so easy, why don’t we duel again? Let me see how powerful that so-called charm of yours really is?”

“Very well,” Twilight said. “If I win, you release your hold on Trixie. If you win, you can take me instead.”

“You’re on,” Umbranor grinned wickedly. Either way, I’ll be rid of this useless unicorn mare, he thought to himself.

Twilight and ‘Trixie’ faced each other for another duel. Various ponies, Bluu, and Spike cautiously gathered to watch.

“Let’s start with an age spell,” Umbranor said.

“Let’s,” Twilight nodded.

Umbranor forcefully levitated Snips and Snails before Trixie’s body. The two trembled nervously as Umbranor transformed the two colts into foals.

“Let’s see if the power of my creator can do that,” Umbranor said.

“Uh, no problem,” Twilight said with a knowing smirk. “Applejack, Rarity, think you can help me with this spell please?” Applejack and Rarity stepped up.

Umbranor, thinking he has nothing to worry about, nonchalantly filed Trixie’s hooves. Twilight illuminated her horn and fired a magic beam at the two. A magenta puff of smoke enshrouded them, and when the smoke cleared, there stood what looked like Applejack and Rarity… as fillies! Needless to say, Umbranor couldn’t believe what he saw.

“Oh,” Umbranor said, pretending to be unimpressed. “So you can do an age spell. Big deal.”

But, Twilight wasn’t done yet. She fired another beam and returned Applejack and Rarity back to their normal selves. She then cast another beam, turning Rarity into a filly on Applejack’s back. Another beam was fired and Rarity returned to her normal self, aging Applejack up to an older mare. If one looked closely, they would notice that Applejack’s eyes had mysteriously changed color. Finally, with one more beam of magic, Twilight transformed her friends back to their normal selves. They seemed out of breath and sweat was trickling down their faces.

“That’s impossible!” Umbranor gasped.

Twilight could tell at once that her trap was working. “That’s nothing,” she smirked.

Twilight then turned her attention to Rainbow, who pointed at herself as if to say, “Who, me?”

Twilight then fired a magic beam at Rainbow. When the magenta smoke cleared, nothing seemed to happen. That was, until, what looked like a second Rainbow made her presence known. She was casually standing on Rainbow’s back, catching the cyan pegasus by surprise.

“How did you–” Umbranor started before Twilight interrupted.

“Duplication spell,” Twilight smirked. “Foal’s play with this. This amulet can even cause physical manipulation… have you ever seen one pony play ten instruments at once?”

Before she gave Umbranor a chance to answer, she fired a magic beam at Pinkie. Once the magenta smoke cleared, Pinkie was playing a variety of different instruments: a harmonica, a trumpet, an accordion, a giant drum, cymbals, maracas, a high hat, a tuba, a tambourine, and bongos. She was playing all ten of them in a cacophonous symphony, deliberately and delightfully annoying Umbranor.

Umbranor was more baffled by what he was seeing through Trixie than annoyed. “This can’t be!!!” he said.

“Ooh, but, I can demonstrate one more ability,” Twilight smirked, eyeballing Applejack. “I can temporarily turn a mare into a stallion!”

Applejack didn’t like the sound of that and attempted to run. But, Twilight fired a magic beam before the farm mare could get away. When the magenta smoke cleared, there stood a male Applejack. He timidly posed.

“Eeyup…” the male Applejack sheepishly said. Oddly, his voice sounded like Applejack’s own voice, but, spoken at a lower pitch. Twilight returned him back to normal in seconds. Applejack’s eyes spun as if she was dizzy.

“Well, Umbranor,” Twilight said confidently. “It looks like my amulet is far superior.”

Angered by the perceived audacity that his creator was involved in the creation of something more powerful than himself, Umbranor failed to notice that Trixie regained control of her right front hoof until he saw it tracing letters in the dirt.

“What are you doing?!” Umbranor barked.

Others saw this, too, and couldn’t understand what was going on. The letters spelled out, “I am Trixie Lulamoon and I won’t let you use my body anymore!” The right forehoof then grabbed the Alicorn Amulet and started pulling it off despite Umbranor trying to fight back.

“No… NO!” Umbranor exclaimed.

But, Trixie never gave in. She no longer wanted Umbranor to cause trouble to her or any of the citizens of Ponyville and she was determined to stop all 99 souls at all costs, even at the expense of her own life. She tore off the amulet and immediately collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. Upon falling, she let go of the amulet.

“Trixie!” Spike exclaimed as he ran to help her. On his way, he stepped on the amulet. Upon realizing this, he tried to fight Umbranor’s control. However, he quickly realized that Umbranor wasn’t trying to take control. “Huh? I’m not getting possessed.”

“Of course…” Twilight said, dropping her bragging act. “It wouldn’t work on dragons because Sombra didn’t use dragons to make the amulet. That means you can safely touch it without being corrupted!” She then remembered Trixie, who was on the ground, still gasping for breath.

Twilight teleported closer to Trixie, helping the blue unicorn to regain her breath. Slowly but surely, Trixie was able to regain the ability to breathe steadily. Tears trickled down Trixie’s face.

“I may not have actively tried to seek out the Alicorn Amulet,” Trixie sobbed. “But, I couldn’t stop myself from Umbranor seizing control of me. I acted so horribly while I was wearing the amulet and I had a hard time regaining control of myself. I am so sorry for all of the harm I caused you and your friends. I can understand if you wouldn’t want to, but, I hope you can forgive me someday.” Trixie then doubled over in pain as she clutched her belly.

“What’s wrong?!” Twilight asked, concerned.

“I haven’t eaten in two days,” Trixie said as her belly growled.

“We can help you with that,” Twilight said, comforting her friend.

A bit later, Trixie had eaten two hayburgers, two large fries, and half a dozen donuts in rapid succession. She’d gained a small, but, noticeable potbelly as a result.

“Much better,” Trixie said, exhaling a sigh of relief. “Thank you so much, Twilight. Though, could I possibly ask you to spare that new amulet in case there’s still some Umbranor in me?”

“You don't need to worry about that,” Twilight admitted. “The amulet I was wearing isn’t really magical. The charm is in fact one of Zecora’s doorstops connected to a gold chain.”

“Excuse me?” Trixie said before cleaning her ear. “I must’ve had something in my ear. I could’ve sworn I heard you say that charm, which let you cast spells Umbranor couldn’t, was a doorstop.”

“You heard right, actually,” Twilight nodded. At that point, she gestured and the foal versions of Applejack and Rarity, along with the stallion and old versions of Applejack and one of the Rainbow Dashes stepped out from behind the statue.

“Can we take this makeup off?” said filly Rarity with Sweetie Belle’s voice. “It’s starting to chafe.”

“Since our plan was a success,” Twilight said. “Yes, you may. Thank you, Sweetie Belle. You, Apple Bloom, Granny Smith, Fluttershy, and Big McIntosh did an amazing job.”

Trixie rubbed her eyes to make sure she was seeing things correctly. “What is going on here?!”

“This was part of the plan to get the Alicorn Amulet off,” Twilight explained. “All of those spells I did, I didn’t really do. You see, Zecora taught me a lot about magic while I was in Umbranor’s exile. She even taught me when not to use magic. So, I had to rely on a different kind of magic; the magic of friendship.”

“But, what about that pony playing ten instruments at once?” Trixie asked.

“That wasn’t magic,” Twilight explained. “That was Pinkie being Pinkie.” Pinkie was seen still playing said instruments.

“Boy, she’s really talented,” Trixie smiled. But, she remembered what had happened while she was still wearing the Alicorn Amulet and her smile lowered into a guilty frown.

“We don’t blame you for what happened,” Twilight said.

“I do,” Pinkie interjected.

“Pinkie,” Twilight said.

“No, she’s right,” Trixie said sadly. “Even though I wasn’t really in control, I was still the one wearing the amulet and I wasn’t able to stop Umbranor mimicking my voice while insulting Pinkie’s home or removing her muzzle. To be honest, Umbranor took the memories he projected out of context and didn’t make me say how they really happened. But, I can still understand that she wouldn’t want to forgive me because of this.”

“Uh, aren’t you forgetting something?” Tails said as he gestured to the still babyfied Snips and Snails.

“Oh, right…” Trixie said sheepishly. “Uh, Twilight, think you can help me? I don’t actually have the magic for age spells. So, maybe if we work together?”

“I’ll take it from here,” a familiar voice said. All looked up to see it belonged to Princess Celestia.

“Princess Celestia?” Twilight gasped. “What are you doing here so soon?”

“I was alerted to the use of dark magic,” Celestia said. “I was in Saddle Arabia, so, it took a while to get here.”

So, Princess Celestia illuminated her horn and her golden magic aura enveloped the two unicorn foals. She aged them until they were their proper ages again. Trixie quickly got up in the presence of Celestia and bowed. Unfortunately, she put too much effort into bowing and ended up pressing her face into the ground. Celestia patiently helped her up.

“I accept any punishment you wish to give me, your highness,” Trixie said, humbly. “I was the reason you sensed dark magic.”

Spike held the Alicorn Amulet. Celestia immediately recognized it.

“This is definitely Sombra’s work,” she said.

“Why don’t you just destroy it?” Rainbow asked.

“For one,” Celestia explained. “Dark magic artifacts are notoriously difficult to destroy. For another, destroying the amulet would be like destroying a prison. You could get rid of the prisoner inside by destroying the prison, but, you could just as easily free them, allowing them to do what got them imprisoned in the first place unhindered.”

“Oh,” Rainbow answered, nodding with unease. “Sorry I asked.”

“I’ll lock this away where it can no longer do any harm,” Celestia said before using her magic to send the amulet away. She then remembered something. “I need to get back to the delegates from Saddle Arabia. They’re still on the train.”

“Yes, your highness,” Twilight nodded. “And thank you.”

That night, Twilight was performing her levitating animal act before the Saddle Arabian delegates and Princess Celestia. The animals that were floating were having the time of their lives.

“Most impressive, isn’t it, Amira?” commented the male delegate.

“Most impressive indeed, Haakim,” replied the female delegate, whose name was Amira. “I can tell that this mare has been studying for a long time and she still has a humble heart.”

Near the end, fireworks went off. They were far enough away to not harm the animals during levitation, but, close enough to still be an eye-catching spectacle. Twilight placed the animals down gently. She looked and saw who was responsible for the fireworks.

“Trixie?” Twilight said.

“It may not mean much,” she said. “But, I thought I’d add some razzle-dazzle to your performance.”

“It was lovely,” Twilight smiled. “Thank you.”

“I guess I should leave Ponyville forever now,” Trixie said.

“You don’t have to leave forever,” Twilight said. “That was Umbranor’s idea.”

“Uh, yeah, she does need to leave forever,” Pinkie said coldly. “She messed with something she shouldn’t have and others got hurt because of it.”

“I don’t suppose stating that Umbranor had that idea makes it better,” Trixie said.

“You got that right,” Pinkie said. “If you hadn’t bucked with the Alicorn Amulet in the first place, this wouldn’t have happened!”

Trixie sighed sadly and she turned to walk out of Ponyville. Pinkie’s friends glared at her.

“You know something, Pinkie?” Fluttershy said. “You’re not being very nice. I know she tried to kill you, but, do you honestly want to spend the rest of your life holding a grudge? That doesn’t sound right for the Guardian of Laughter.”

“Yeah,” said Spike. “And would you want anyone wanting to plan their parties with you to hear that? That wouldn't be very welcoming to hear from a party pony, but, that's just what I think.”

“I’m going to have to do the right thing here, aren’t I?” she asked flatly.

“Eeyup,” Applejack said, emulating her brother.

“Ugh!” Pinkie groaned. “Fine. But, don’t expect any sincerity from it.” And she trotted off to Trixie.

“This isn’t like Pinkie,” Spike said.

“Yes,” Rarity said. “Normally, she would be more willing to forgive anypony for making a mistake.”

“It felt a bit personal,” Twilight observed. “The way she said that Trixie messed with something she shouldn’t have.”

The others gave it some thought. Applejack then gasped.

“Like Pinkie messed with something she shouldn’t have messed with when she used the mirror pool!”

“She was beside herself with guilt for hours after that,” Rainbow said.

“She might be projecting that guilt onto Trixie,” Rarity said.

“That must be why she’s still angry with Trixie even after apologizing,” Twilight said.

“I guess Pinkie just needs a bit more time in order to really forgive Trixie,” Fluttershy said.

“Well, from the looks of it,” Spike said. “She’ll only act this way around Trixie. So, if Trixie isn’t here, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

“But, we can’t just keep her out ferever,” Applejack said. “If we did, we’d be no better’n Umbranor.”

“True,” Twilight said. “So, we’ll just have to give everypony time for these wounds to heal properly.”

“For Pinkie,” Rainbow said. “I’d say she needs a few years at least.”

Trixie was still walking sadly out of the village when a hoof tapped her shoulder. Trixie stopped and turned to see a still disgruntled Pinkie.

“I know,” Trixie said. “I’m still leaving Ponyville and never returning.”

“I forgive you,” Pinkie said flatly. “You happy? Because that’s all you’re getting out of me.”

“I’ll take it,” Trixie said before turning back and walking away. Once she reached the outskirts of Ponyville, Twilight teleported right in front of her. Trixie gasped a bit in surprise. Twilight, once she saw that Pinkie was on her way home and out of earshot, was able to talk to Trixie.

“I’m really sorry about Pinkie,” Twilight said. “I promise she’s not usually like this. She herself messed with something she shouldn’t have and she’s projecting that guilt onto you. Give her a few years to get over it.”

“What’s happening with Pinkie isn’t your fault,” Trixie said. “But, thank you. I hope I will be able to come back someday and make things right with her, but, it’s clear she doesn’t want to see me right now. I’ll miss you, your friends, and your son, Twilight.” She then facehoofed herself. “I still haven’t had a proper conversation with him!”

“Given Pinkie’s current attitude regarding you,” Twilight said. “I don’t think now would be a good time.”

“Right,” Trixie said. “Until we meet again, though.”

She gave Twilight a kind hug farewell and continued on her way into the night.

At the library, Twilight found Spike getting ready to tuck himself into his bed.

“You’re sleeping in my bed tonight, Spike,” Twilight said.

“Huh?” Spike said in confusion. “But, it’s not winter yet.”

“I know,” Twilight said. “But, I promised that when I was able to come home, I was going to hold you close to me since we were separated for so long. So, I would like you to sleep in my bed with me for both of our sakes.”

“Well,” Spike said, sensing the sincerity in Twilight’s voice. “Alright.”

So, he got out of his basket bed and he crawled into Twilight’s bed, gently embracing his unicorn mother.

“Applejack told me you were brave,” Twilight said.

“I tried my best, anyway,” Spike said. “But, I still missed you.”

“As did I, sweetie,” Twilight said, kissing his forehead.

“Goodnight, mom,” Spike said with a sleepy smile.

“Goodnight, Spike,” Twilight said as the dragon fell asleep. She then thought to herself, I’ve been putting off adopting you for too long. Whenever I have a spare moment from my studies, I’ll get to work on that.

With that, Twilight fell asleep with her dragon son in her embrace.

End of chapter.

Author's Note

Here's the next chapter.

*She didn't.

**Imagine David Kaye in his Megatron voice.

***I dare you to guess what that's a reference to.

****I feel that was largely ignored.

*****The last part is the only contribution of Rachael in this chapter.

******Personal headcanon.

*******I think it's pretty clear what that means.

********A collaborated idea between me and a discord friend.

*********Legit question AND Analysis Anarchy reference FTW!

As you can see, I made it clear that Trixie's being influenced by the amulet.

If you liked this chapter, feel free to contact me via private messages if you'd like to help make future chapters.

Chapter 7: Wonderbolts Academy (S3:E7)

My Little Pony: Nine Elements

Book 3

Written by Brandon Nell, Rachael Ravens, and Blake Hawkins

Chapter 7: Wonderbolts Academy

Two days had passed since the camping trip to Winsome falls. On that particular day, Spike and the other Guardians of Harmony were having a picnic by Rainbow’s mailbox, which was situated under her cloudominium. Rainbow had told them of some exciting news and were waiting for a visit from the mailpony. Spike had a curious look on his face as he looked up at Rainbow’s home.

“How does your mailbox work?” he asked. “Surely your cloudominium can’t stay in one place all the time. Wouldn’t the wind blow it away?”

“Without pony influence?” Rainbow asked.

“Why not?” Spike asked. “Aren’t there dragons that take care of the weather in Chineigh?”

“At least that’s what Mina told us,” Twilight said. “Of course, seeing it directly would help, too.”

“How it works is actually a bit more complicated than that,” Rainbow said. “It starts when-”

“Ah!” Pinkie yelped with impatience. “Can’t that mailpony get here sooner?! We have to know for sure if Rainbow made it into the Wonderbolts Academy or not!”

“Ah know yer eager ‘bout this, Pinkie,” Applejack said calmly. “But, ‘long as we’re waitin’, we may as well listen ta Rainbow’s explanation ta Spike. It’ll help ta pass the time n’ the mailpony’ll get here when he gets here.”

“What if the mailpony’s a she?” Fluttershy pointed out.

“Er she,” Applejack said. “Regardless o’ which, the mailpony’s got a job ta do.”

“Can I continue, please?” Rainbow asked.

“Yes, go ahead,” Fluttershy said politely.

“Where was I?” Rainbow asked as she tried to remember her train of thought before Pinkie derailed it.

“It starts when,” Rarity said.

“Oh, yeah, thanks,” Rainbow smiled. She cleared her throat. “It starts when making the clouds of the house’s construction. They’re packed really densely, making them heavy enough so that wind won’t blow them away, but, still light enough to float above the ground.”

“Fascinating,” Spike nodded. “Though, I have another question. Why keep your mailbox on the ground? Aren’t most mailponies pegasi?”

“Usually, yes,” Rainbow said. “But, in Ponyville, there’s only like two or three mailponies that are pegasi.”

“I see,” Spike said. “Thanks for the explanations.”

“Where’s that mailpony?!” Pinkie said. “Is Derpy on the job again?!”

“She’s on a different shift,” Rainbow said.

“How do you know?” Pinkie asked. “Did you join the mail service in the last five minutes?”

“Pinkie,” Spike said. “Remember the lesson about jumping to ridiculous conclusions.*”

“Yeah,” Rainbow said. “The clear answer is that she and I spoke recently and she told me about that.”

Spike quickly pacified Pinkie by shoving a donut in her mouth. “That makes sense,” he said.

“I also had it arranged here because I know you’re afraid of heights,” Rainbow said. “And even if you weren’t, you can’t fly yet unless you’re on a pegasus pony’s back or something.”

“I appreciate that,” Spike said. “I may overcome that fear eventually, but, for the time being, I’d like to keep my feet on the ground.”

“I’m glad to see you’re taking this so easily,” Rarity said. “I would think you would be a little bit nervous with anticipation about the message.”

“It seems Pinkie’s more nervous,” Twilight said. “And she’s not even joining the Wonderbolts. Not that she’d be able to with her inability to fly, of course.”

“It’s because I’m not really nervous,” Rainbow said. “Spitfire and Soarin both know that I have good flying skills already, so, it’s highly likely that I’ll be accepted into the Academy. Remember when I pulled off that Sonic Rainboom when Rarity was falling to her death?”

“How could I possibly forget?” Rarity said with a sheepish blush.

“Well,” Rainbow said. “Spitfire told me that her mom’s been looking for me since I pulled off the first Sonic Rainboom over twelve years ago.”

“That’s incredible,” Twilight smiled.

“Come to think of it,” Spike said. “Weren’t we all there for that?”

“I guess it was out of our earshot,” Fluttershy said.

“No,” Spike said. “I can remember we were all in the presence of Princess Celestia and the Wonderbolts when that happened. That’s when we first learned that I’d grow wings when I got older.”

“Huh,” Applejack said. “Guess it was so long ago we forgot. But, Twilight’s comment is still true that it is incredible.”

“If they were looking for you so long,” Pinkie asked. “Why didn’t they let you join right then and there?”

“Because that’d be illegal,” Rainbow said. “You have to be 18 or older to join the academy. I forgot to apply until last month.”

“Ah,” Twilight said. “That would make sense.”

At that moment, an earth pony stallion wearing a blue postman uniform walked up to the mailbox.

“I got a letter for a Miss Rainbow Dash,” he said.

“That’d be me,” Rainbow said.

He then gently gave Rainbow the envelope, picking it up with his mouth. Rainbow, lacking opposable digits, gave it to Spike. He used his claw to open the envelope as if it was a letter opening blade. He then took the paper out of the envelope and unfolded it.

“Here you go,” Spike said as he handed it to Rainbow before he actually read it.

Rainbow looked over at the letter and her eager expression lowered into a distressed one. “I didn’t get in…”

All but Applejack gasped in shock.

“She’s buckin’ with us,” Applejack said flatly.

Rainbow turned the letter over, showing the checkmark written in green ink.

“Way to spoil the surprise, AJ,” she said with lighthearted annoyance. She was immediately assaulted by one of Pinkie’s bone-crushing hugs.

“I knew you’d get in!” Pinkie squealed happily. “I’m so so so so happy for you!”

“CHOKING!” Rainbow strained. “NOT BREATHING!”

Pinkie, hearing this, let go.

“Congratulations, Rainbow,” Twilight said happily.

“I better get going,” Rainbow said. “I’ll be away for a week.”

“Don’t forget to write,” Pinkie said.

“I’ll try,” Rainbow said. “Though, I’ll be pretty busy learning new things there. I’ll keep in touch when I can. Oh, Fluttershy, could you take care of Tank while I’m gone?”

“Of course,” Fluttershy said kindly.

Rainbow then put on her saddlebag and gave her friends a caring goodbye hug. She then flew off towards the Wonderbolt Academy.

“Pinkie,” Spike said. “Don’t go checking the mailbox every five seconds.”

“Yeah,” Applejack said. “Rainbow’s only now makin’ her way up ta the academy n’ she can’t very well write a letter n’ fly at the same time. She tried once n’ she wound up covered in broken glass.”

“It’s true,” Fluttershy said.

“I’m certain Rainbow will be able to write when she gets the chance and we’ll wish her well in our own way,” Rarity said. “Though, now that we know the official answer, what shall we do now?”

“Hey, didn’t Pinkie have something in the oven?” Spike asked.

Pinkie yelped. “My muffins!” And she dashed off in a pink blur.

Meanwhile, Rainbow made her way to the academy. Wonderbolts Academy wasn’t like most buildings in Cloudsdale. It didn’t reside atop a cloud. It was situated on its own floating slab of land, complete with a runway for take offs and landings. The academy itself lay a ways back from the runway and all sorts of hoops, windsocks, and other associated props were scattered around the perimeter.

“This looks way better than in the brochure,” Rainbow said with amazement. She noticed Thunderlane and Cloudchaser among a few other Ponyville pegasi. “Hey, Thunderlane. What’s up, Cloudchaser? I didn’t know you guys also applied to be students here.”

“I couldn’t believe it, either,” Thunderlane admitted.

“Say, where’s Flitter?” Rainbow asked.

“Foalsitting Rumble,” Thunderlane said. “I’ll have to have a few dates with her to make up for the week away.”

“Can’t wait to see what we’re going to learn though,” Cloudchaser said optimistically.

Suddenly, there was a sharp whistle in the air.

“Whoop,” Rainbow said. “Sounds like initiation is about to begin. Let’s go.”

All pegasi present stood at attention as Spitfire trotted out. The young sergeant had shed her flight suit in favor of a dark blue jacket with the Wonderbolts’ logo stitched onto the left side. It was decorated with yellow and red buttons. Her eyes were hidden behind a pair of sunglasses with dark purple shades and bluish-green frames. Around her neck rested a whistle, tied with a red string. And it was now possible to see her Cutie Mark: the profile of a stylized phoenix.

“Atten~TION!” Spitfire said in a voice like a drill sergeant. “So, you all think you have what it takes to be a Wonderbolt, do you?”

“Yes, ma’am!” all the pegasi said in unison.

“Well, let me tell you,” Spitfire said. She then suddenly pressed her muzzle against another’s muzzle. “You DON’T! Because if you did, you would be a Wonderbolt already! But, if you follow our instructions, you’ll learn to sharpen your strength, agility, and prowess! So, still think you have what it takes to be a Wonderbolt?”

Cloudchaser felt a bit weak in the knees, but, plucked up courage.

“N-no, ma’am!” Cloudchaser said.

Spitfire then trotted up to Bulk Biceps.

“How about you, big guy?” she asked. “You think you’re hot stuff?!”

Bulk, instead of answering with words, whimpered uneasily. Rather than press further, she stepped up to Rainbow. While she knew what the prismatic-maned pegasus was capable of, she knew she couldn’t show favoritism. Her mother never showed her any, why should she be any different? “You look like you’re pretty sure of yourself, don’t you? But, I bet you’re secretly the worst flyer of this bunch! You’d probably quit after the first day and save yourself the embarrassment.”

Rainbow knew Spitfire was refusing to show favoritism despite witnessing what she’s capable of and as such didn’t flinch. “I’d never quit, ma’am! I’m not quitter!”

Spitfire laughed. “That’s what they all say. We’ll see if you’re all talk.” She then trotted to the next recruit. This one was a light turquoise pegasus mare with brilliant gamboge eyes, a mane and tail of brilliant amber with brilliant gold stripes, and a Cutie Mark depicting a white lightning bolt with three stars (two orange, one yellow). “And how about you, missy? Bet you couldn’t fly past the first flagpole without getting winded.”

None of the other pegasi were prepared for what came next. “Try me, ma’am!”

“Oh, what was that?” Spitfire asked, turning her attention to this pegasus.

The pegasus mare maintained a straight face as she repeated, “Try me, ma’am. Let me show you what I can do.”

Spitfire raised an eyebrow at this. “Oh, so you want a chance to prove yourself, huh? You’ve certainly got guts, I’ll give you that.”

“I’ll do way better than her,” the pegasus said, gesturing to Rainbow. “Trust me, I’ll be happy to show you what I’ve got, ma’am.”

What was that about? Rainbow asked herself.

“Well, if that’s how you want to play,” Spitfire said. “Just remember that you brought this on yourself, missy. Now, give me 500 laps around the track! All of you!” She ignored the moans and groans from the other pegasi (except for Rainbow Dash) before saying, “NOW!” She blew her whistle sharply and the pegasi flew straight up in the air.

Spitfire watched the cadets as they flew lap after lap around the academy grounds. Unsurprisingly, most of them could barely manage two hundred and fifty laps without getting winded. But, she could see at least two pegasi who showed no signs of slowing down. They were definitely worth keeping an eye on. She’d expected this much from Rainbow Dash, but, seeing another pegasus on the same level was definitely a surprise. Had she looked a little closer, she would’ve noticed the turquoise pegasus giving a few resentful glares at Rainbow Dash.

“You’ll have to stop for a rest at some point, Dash!” said the turquoise pegasus in a snarky tone. “Your mommy and daddy aren’t here to cheer you on!”

“Do I know you from somewhere?” Rainbow asked curiously. “You look vaguely familiar.”

“You should,” said the pegasus. “You know me more than you think.”

At last, the end of the exercise drew near as the drill sergeant barked out, “Lap four-hundred and ninety-nine! Don’t give up now, recruits!”

Rainbow and this pegasus didn’t give up. Instead, they gave it everything they had and finished the last lap. They then flew back down on the runway.

Spitfire’s smile faded ever so slightly. “Hmm, well done, you two. The other recruits could stand to learn a thing or two from you girls.” Then she declared, “You’re dismissed for now.” And she trotted away to check on the other recruits.

“So, for a refresher,” the turquoise pegasus said. “Name’s Lightning Dust.”

“Hmm,” Rainbow said. She started to have a faint glimmer of recognition. “Oh, yeah. I think we competed a few times in the advanced courses of the Junior Flyers’ Club.”

“When you weren’t napping two hours a day,” Lightning Dust said.

“Hey,” Rainbow said. “I do enjoy napping every now and again, but, I work hard, too.”

“At pranking, maybe,” Lightning said. “But, even then, you went for easy targets like that freakishly tall filly because they didn’t need as much effort.”

“Hey,” Rainbow said harshly. “I matured a lot since then! Looks like you haven’t. You’re spitting petty insults at me.”

“Unlike you,” Lightning said. “I actually put work into what I do. Those Sonic Rainbooms you pulled were total flukes. A slacker like you shouldn’t be able to do them.”

“I’ll show you that I do deserve to be here,” Rainbow said.

“Is there trouble over here?” Soarin asked, walking up to the two mares.

The two mares immediately straightened out.

“Nothing’s wrong, commander, sir,” Rainbow said.

“Yep,” Lightning said. “Everything’s a-okay, sir.”

“Then, why is it none of you are at the mess hall?” Soarin asked.

“Oh, uh,” Lightning said, trying to make up a lie. “We were just on our way there when we thought we saw something zoom by. It was probably a bug or something.”

“Uh, yeah,” Rainbow said. “We were thinking that we could fly faster than that bug we saw. We’ll go to the mess hall now.”

On their way to the mess hall, the mares silently glared at each other.

Some time later, all of the cadets were wearing specially-designed flight suits in the signature Wonderbolt colors of blue and yellow. Spitfire stood in front of a purple curtain and spoke to them. “Okay, newbies. Time for your first lesson. And it’s an important one at that,” she cleared her throat. “Now, the Wonderbolts are the fastest, best precision flyers in all the known world. But, spin-outs can still happen. And when they do, a Wonderbolt must be able to recover quickly to avoid an accident. Fast Clip, the curtain.”

Spitfire said that last part as she turned to a pegasus stallion and gave him a nod. The stallion, whose name was Fast Clip, nodded back and unveiled what was hiding behind the purple curtain. It was a large spinning wheel device.

“Behold the Dizzitron,” Spitfire said. “True to its name, it is going to make you dizzy, and I mean very dizzy! Your task is to try and recover from your spin and fly as straight as possible. Once you’ve recovered, you’ll need to come in for a smooth landing. And don’t worry, if you do wipe out, we have a net to catch you. But, of course, a wipeout won’t get you a good score. You will want a good score.” She then pointed to one of the cadets. “Why don’t you go first?”

“Me?” the mare gulped.

“No, I mean the three-legged pegasus,” Spitfire said. “Of course you!”

The nervous cadet stepped up. She flew up and was strapped into the Dizzitron. Once she was securely fastened, Spitfire gave the order for Whiplash to turn up the machine to a medium speed. Slowly, the machine started to whir and spin the pegasus around, but, gradually, the speed began to pick up. Once the cadet was at a dizzy speed, Fast Clip pressed a button that launched her high into the air. She did her best to recover and fly as straight as she could. She ended up skidding on the runway.

“I’m okay~” the cadet said in a dizzy voice.

Spitfire checked her stopwatch. “Fifteen seconds. Not bad for a first timer. You got a name?”

“Meadow Flower, ma’am~” the mare said after shaking off her dizzy feeling.

“Back to the line, Flower,” Spitfire said.

She walked back in line as Spitfire ordered.

“Okay, who’s next?” Spitfire asked. Rainbow and Lightning raised a hoof each. “Rainbow, I saw your hoof first. You go next.”

Rainbow flew to the Dizzitron. She was securely fastened in and the Dizzitron was turned on. She spun around and when she was released, she was able to recover and land very quickly.

“6 seconds?!” Spitfire gasped. “That’s an academy record!”

Rainbow went back to the line.

“Okay, Lightning Dust,” Spitfire said. “You’re up.”

Lightning Dust flew straight to the Dizzitron. “Set this thing to max speed!”

The other cadets gasped in surprise at Lightning’s boldness.

“You sure about that?” Spitfire asked. “This thing’s never been tested at max speed before.”**

“Trust me, ma’am,” Lightning said with an air of cockiness. “I can handle it.”

Spitfire could tell Lightning wasn’t going to back down and reluctantly obliged. So, she gave the order for Whiplash to turn the Dizzitron’s power up to maximum speed. He then activated the machine and the Dizzitron started at ludicrous speed. “Release!”

Lightning Dust was released and she was laughed into the air. She was able to recover and then she came in for landing. Spitfire checked her stopwatch.

“Six point five seconds,” Spitfire said. “Almost as good as Rainbow. You weren’t kidding when you said you had guts, Lightning.”

Lightning Dust couldn’t believe she lagged half a second behind Rainbow, but, went back in line to avoid making a scene.

“Next!” called Spitfire.

One by one, pegasi tested their limits on the Dizzitron, which was set back to its regular speed. Some were able to succeed, others unfortunately wiped out. None had come close to Rainbow’s time. Once the last recruit had taken their turn, Spitfire blew her whistle. “Listen up, recruits! For the rest of camp, you all will be working in partners; one is the lead pony, the other is the wing pony. So, if you have any problems with that, you can either take it up with me or keep your mouth shut. Good luck, all of you. Your results as to who will be partnered with you will be posted tomorrow morning on the mess hall bulletin board.”

When she turned around, Rainbow and Lightning glared at each other.

“I may have been point five seconds off of your time,” Lightning growled. “But, I am lead pony material.”

“We’ll see who gets lead pony,” Rainbow said.

“Yes, we will,” Lightning said. “And when we do, I’ll make sure to straighten you out, Wing Pony.”

Neither noticed Soarin overhearing them. The stallion made his way to Spifire’s office while she was doing paperwork.

“Spitfire,” Soarin said. “I have some news to report among the recruits.”

“What is it, Soarin?” Spitfire asked.

“It seems Lightning Dust is bullying Rainbow,” he explained. “Lightning is claiming to be a lead pony and is using this as an excuse to push Rainbow around.”

“I can tell she’s envious of Dash,” Spitfire said. “Kind of like how we were of each other back when we were cadets trained by my mom.”

“That’s true,” Soarin said. “Though, we eventually grew to be close acquaintances and we put our own differences aside. I have a feeling this isn’t going to be the case in Lightning and Rainbow’s case.”

“And the rules say that official Wonderbolts like us can’t get involved in rivalries between cadets unless civilians are put in danger because of said rivalries,***” Spitfire said. “We’re the highest ranking Wonderbolts in the academy, so, that rule applies to us.”

“Right,” Soarin said. “All the same, I’m going to keep my eyes open on those two and step in if there’s actually any serious trouble.”

“Good idea, Soarin,” Spitfire said.

“I better get back to it,” Soarin said. “I’ll see you again if I need to report any more noteworthy news.”

“Just make sure not to report between 3:30 and 4:00 again,” Spitfire said. “That’s my shower time.”

“Right,” Soarin said with a slight blush. And with that, he left Spitfire’s office.

The next day, the mess hall bulletin board displayed the names of the cadets who are lead ponies and their respective wing ponies. The cadets glanced over and buddied up with their respective partners. Rainbow trotted in.

“You get paired with your coltfriend?” Rainbow asked Cloudchaser.

“Looks like it,” Cloudchaser said happily.

“So,” Rainbow said. “Who’s my wing pony?”

“Uh…” Cloudchaser said uneasily. “You’re the wing pony.”

“What?!” Rainbow said as she checked the board. “Lightning Dust is my lead pony?!”

Lightning Dust smugly stepped up.

“I told you I had what it took,” Lightning said smugly. “A slacker like you will never be a lead pony.”

Rainbow wasn’t pleased with the arrangement and knew there was one place to go if she wanted it changed. She knocked on Spitfire’s office door.

“Come in,” called Spitfire.

Rainbow stepped in. "I had the best time on the Dizzitron!” she declared. “Only six seconds! Only Lightning Dust came close and even on the highest setting, she couldn’t beat me!”

“And the sky’s blue,” Spitfire said. “Your point is?”

Rainbow was slightly taken aback by this. “The point is, I should have been chosen to be the lead pony!”

“I made you wing pony for a reason,” Spitfire said. “Look, you know I can’t show favoritism. Not even to my coltfriend, Soarin. I have to treat you the same as any other recruit, no matter how well qualified you may already be.”

Rainbow took this information in. She didn’t like it, but, she did have to concede. “Yeah, I guess you’re right,” she said.

“Look, you’ve proven you’re good at giving orders,” Spitfire said. “But, there’s more to being a Wonderbolt than that. You have to be good at taking orders, too.”

“But, aren’t you consistently the leader of whatever group you’re in?” Rainbow pointed out.

“Not always,” Spitfire said. “Back when I was a cadet, my mom assigned me as Soarin’s wing pony. I spent the last five years working my way up to the position I have now.”

“Oh, that makes sense,” Rainbow nodded. “Okay, I’ll be a wing pony. Though, could you have paired me up with somepony other than Lightning Dust?”

“I did think about it, but, she displayed the kind of bold confidence we need in the Wonderbolts,” Spitfire explained. “And I believe that together, you and her will be an unstoppable team! You’ll inspire the others to pick up the slack if they don’t want to get left in the dust. Or do you not believe that?”

“No, ma’am,” Rainbow reluctantly agreed. “I’ll try and suck it up then.”

“Good,” Spitfire said. “Now, get out of my office and don’t bother me unless it’s important.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Rainbow said as she left the office.

A little later, it was time for the first exercise of the week.

“Alright, rookies,” Spitfire ordered. “We’ll start with a flag hunt. We’ll split you up into two teams: red and blue. Whoever finds the most flags of their opposing team’s colors wins! It’s as simple as that.”

Lightning Dust polished a gold, lightning bolt shaped badge she wore on her flight suit that served as indicator of her lead pony status. “Try to keep up, slacker. Just listen to my orders and we’ll win it.”

Rainbow fumed in silence.

Together, Rainbow and Lightning were on the blue team. Meadow Flower seemed excited. It would certainly be much safer than being on the Dizzitron. “This is going to be fun,” she smiled.

Spitfire immediately cut in. “Oh, you think so? Well, think again! This is for training purposes to practice your search and rescue skills! Lead ponies and wing ponies must fly together at all times. If any pair separates for any reason, they will be disqualified without excuse. Teamwork is key in this exercise. Do you understand?”

“Yes, ma’am!” the teams said in unison.

“Good,” Spitfire smiled. “Remember, you’ll be on the clock. The faster you find your flags, the better your team’s score will be at the end of the week. Red Team, Blue Team, move out! Go!” She blew her whistle.

The pegasi recruits then flew off to find their opposing team’s flags. The partners flew side by side with enough distance so their wings wouldn’t crash into each other, but, with enough closeness so they wouldn't be out of sight.

“Ready to win, slacker?” Lightning said.

“If you’re going to be my lead pony,” Rainbow said. “You’re going to have to stop calling me slacker. We’re going to have to respect one another if we’re going to win, okay?”

“At least I know you won’t slow me down like some of those other pegasi,” Lightning said.

“Less chatting, more scouting,” Rainbow said. The two searched for red flags.

“Keep your focus up, everypony!” Spitfire called.

“You find any flags yet?” Lightning asked Rainbow.

“Not yet, but-” Rainbow started, before she saw something red fluttering in the gorge. “Wait, I see one down there!”

“So,” Lightning said. “You’re good for something after all.”

“Ignoring that,” Rainbow said. “Let’s go down together and-”

“Hey!” Lightning snapped. “I’m the lead pony, and I give the orders!” She dashed to the flag.

“Hey, we’re supposed to work together!” Rainbow said flying after Lightning. As they got closer, a thought occurred to Rainbow. “I think we better slow down. I don’t think we can both fit through the gap at this speed; it looks pretty small.”

“You need to be fast to be a Wonderbolt,” Lightning said.

Rainbow groaned and reluctantly followed. But, as Rainbow expected, both pegasi ended up getting stuck in the gap. Lightning pushed harder, freeing herself and kicking Rainbow’s right wing on the way through.

“Ow!” Rainbow yelped in pain. “Careful!”

Lightning ignored her and flew up once Rainbow got through. She then grabbed the red flag.

“Lightning and Rainbow have captured their first flag!” Spitfire called in a megaphone. “Blue team takes the lead! Better pick up the pace, red team!”

Lightning was ecstatic, especially since she'd just been praised by Spitfire. As such, she didn’t notice Rainbow holding her injured wing.

“Hey, Lightning,” Rainbow said. “Do you think we could take a break? My wing is hurting pretty badly.”

“That’s just typical,” Lightning said. “You’re just making an excuse to slack off as usual.”

Reluctantly, Rainbow had to fight through the pain. “On second thought, my wing is okay.”

Rainbow had never met a pony as competitive as her that was so single-minded. She was beginning to understand how others felt about her own competitive attitude. When all of this is over, she thought to herself. I’m going to try and be less braggadocious towards my friends. Wait, am I using that word right?

She didn’t notice that Spitfire could recognize her injured flight pattern.

Hmm, Spitfire thought to herself. Maybe Soarin had a point about Lightning Dust being trouble. It looks like her main concern is proving she’s better than Rainbow. If it weren’t for that damned rule, I could nip this in the bud.

Fortunately for Rainbow Dash, her hurt wing wasn’t anything too serious. A quick bandaging and she was out of the medical tent in record time. “Just take it easy for the rest of the day and you’ll be fine,” was all she’d been instructed.

“Thank you, doctor,” Rainbow said respectfully.

“See, wing pony?” Lightning said. “You need to work through the pain. For you, just working would be a start.”

“If you went through what I went through this afternoon,” Rainbow said. “You’d be singing a different tune.”

Lightning scoffed. “What could you have possibly gone through? Not enough naptime?”

Rainbow groaned and stormed off. “Forget it.” Does she care about nopony but herself? I should tell Spitfire about this! No, this isn’t worth reporting. I’m the only pony who got hurt.

It was getting late, so, the recruits were turning in for the night. Rainbow thought she could sleep off the concerns, even if she did have some trouble sleeping because her wing was still sore.

I may have been reckless, she thought to herself. But, she takes it to another level. She didn’t even care that I got hurt. Well, maybe she’ll try to change her tune after a good night’s sleep. If not… Well, I can’t bear to imagine what might happen to anypony else.

The next morning, they were ready for another training exercise. “Today we’ll be doing our famous air obstacle course. That includes flying through the clouds and past all our weather machines. The object of this exercise is to work on your precision flying under extreme circumstances. Just like before, you’re to fly together at all times. And don’t worry about winning. It’s not a race. Precision is what matters, not speed. Now everypony, get on your marks!” The recruits got in position. “Get set… go!” Spitfire blew her whistle and the recruits took off through the obstacle course.

Naturally, Lightning Dust and Rainbow Dash got out to an early lead. But, it didn’t last long before they found themselves flying behind other recruits (thanks in part to Rainbow not flying at her best). And Lightning Dust soon grew impatient as the two found themselves forced to flow at a considerably slower rate of speed. Normally, they could’ve flown around, under, or over them, but, with the flight path restricted, that wasn’t an option.

“Come on,” Lightning shouted. “Pick up the pace!”

“It doesn’t matter,” Rainbow said. “We can still impress Spitfire with our moves.”

“You may be onto something here,” Lighting said. “You’re right. I can impress Spitfire with my moves!”

“Uh, don’t you mean we can impress Spitfire with our moves?” Rainbow asked.

“I know what I said,” Lightning said as the two intentionally looped around to give the pegasi ahead of them more time to increase their lead.

“Don’t forget,” Rainbow said. “Spitfire said this wasn’t a race.”

“Well, it’s about to be one,” Lightning said. And Lightning was able to pick up the pace.

But, soon, the pegasi came to a cloud dark and heavy with rain. The wind picked up as rain began to fall. And it seemed like the ones in front were slowing down even more than they had been before. And it only served to make Lightning Dust complain. “What are they, a couple of snails? It’s just a little weather! It’ll take forever for them to get out at this rate.” Just then, lightning flashed and thunder clapped. And as it did, the pegasus mare with a turquoise green coat got an idea. “Come on, now’s our chance to pass right by these slowpokes!” And she zoomed ahead without waiting for a reply.

Rainbow had to reluctantly fly off to catch up. But, as she passed by each pony, she apologized to them. Is this how bad I was at the Running of the Leaves?

Spitfire hadn’t seen what happened in the cloud and only knew Rainbow and Lightning were the first to exit. “Not bad, you two. And in record time, too! It takes a lot to impress me, so congratulations on surpassing my expectations. It seems I made the right call partnering you two up.” She looked through a telescope. “Seems the other partners need to catch up.”

Rainbow Dash felt tempted to speak up right at that moment, but, one look from Lightning Dust was enough to make her decide otherwise. After all, nopony had gotten seriously hurt.

“I better go up and sort things out,” Spitfire said, adjusting her sunglasses. “Why don’t you two hit the mess hall early?”

“Fine by me,” Lightning Dust said.

“Sure,” Rainbow said reluctantly. “Thank you, ma’am.” She then turned to Lightning Dust. “That was very dangerous, Lightning Dust.”

“So bucking what,” Lightning said, rolling her eyes. “Nopony got seriously hurt. It was their own fault for being so damn slow. Imagine if I was a Wonderbolt and there was an emergency. Slowpokes would drag us down and make us late. If somepony was counting on me, that would be a problem. Really, though, I can’t help that I’m better than anypony else here and we all know not everypony here has the chops to be a Wonderbolt. Only the best of the best make the cut, right?”

While Rainbow didn’t agree with Lightning’s attitude, she couldn’t think of anything to argue. “Yeah, I guess.”

“See?” Lightning said snarkily. “This is the kind of crap that makes me the leader and you my wing pony. So, stop the griping and let’s get some grub like Spitfire said.” She was quick to warn, “Oh, and if you had any thoughts about telling Spitfire, I’d reconsider. I heard about you complaining to her about being my wing pony. Talking back to the captain is a big no no from what I’ve been told, especially if it’s not for a good reason. So, if I were you, I’d keep my mouth shut. Nopony likes a complainer. And even if you’re a slacker, I’d hate to see you get kicked out when you’re the only pony who’s at all on my level.” And she trotted off to the mess hall, seemingly unconcerned with anypony or anything.

After lunch, it was time for another training exercise. This time, instead of Spitfire giving the details, it was Soarin. This caught the recruits by surprise. He was wearing a midnight blue jacket with a black tie. He had on his flight goggles not unlike the way Spitfire had been wearing her sunglasses. And he too had a whistle, though, this one was hung with blue string instead of red string.

Thunderlane was the first to speak up. “Where’s Spitfire?”

“She’s busy with other matters,” Soarin said. “She wishes not to be disturbed until after 4:00.”

“Ah, that makes sense,” Thunderlane nodded.

“Anyway,” Soarin continued. “You all will be cloud busting. We brought in a lot of clouds and you all have to clear them away.”

“A cloud busting exercise?” Lightning Dust questioned. “What does that have to do with being a Wonderbolt?”

“It’s to show how well you can communicate with your partner as a team,” Soarin explained. “Teamwork is the most important part of being a Wonderbolt. It’s not always about yourself. If you don’t learn how to work together, you won’t get a very high score and your chances of joining the Wonderbolts will plummet. This isn’t a race either and you have plenty of time to bust the clouds. Any questions?” Nopony said anything. “Good. Now get going!” He blew his whistle and the pegasi elevated upwards to the clouds.

The teams fanned out, each taking up an assigned section to clear away their own patch of clouds. Some kicked them away while others used their front hooves and Bulk Biceps even used his teeth to bite into the clouds as though they were cotton candy. Of course, Lightning Dust and Rainbow Dash quickly pulled into the lead. Rainbow had plenty of experience with cloud busting, so this exercise was right up her alley.

“Looking good so far,” Soarin said as he watched over the teams. “I can tell Rainbow has experience with this.” Knowing his appetite, Soarin soon became hungry. So, he turned his attention to Whiplash, who was observing with a clipboard. “Keep your eyes on these recruits please. I’m going to get a pie.” Soarin then flew off.

Almost as soon as Soarin left, Lightning Dust got a rather impulsive and rash idea. But, to her it sounded like a good one. “Hey, wing pony,” she whispered to Rainbow Dash. “I’ve got an idea on how we can literally blow the competition away.”

Rainbow was already feeling skeptical. “We’re already farther ahead than the others,” she whispered back. “We don’t need to do this.”

“That’s just like a slacker,” Lightning said. “The rules never said we had to restrain ourselves if we had a better way of doing things. So, are you in or out?”

Rainbow hesitated for a moment, but, she remembered what Spitfire had said. This must have been what Spitfire was talking about. And if Spitfire thought it was okay, then, it was okay for Rainbow, even if something inside her told her it wasn’t okay. “I’m in!”

The pegasus mare with a brilliant amber mane and tail flashed a smile so big it looked like it could’ve fallen off her face if such a thing were possible. “Great! Follow my lead! This’ll practically guarantee we become Wonderbolts!” Then she started to fly around in a circle, and Rainbow Dash followed her. The two proceeded to whip up a massive tornado right in the middle of the academy grounds.

But, as the tornado slowly started to spin of its own accord, there was trouble. “I can’t control it!” Lightning said.

“You don’t have a way to control this thing and you thought doing it was a good idea?!” Rainbow shouted in disbelief.

Before either pony could say or do anything else, the vortex launched them out of the cycle and the tornado spiraled out of control. Soarin was finishing off his pie when he saw the tornado.

“What the hay?!” Soarin sputtered. “Everypony, look out!”

The other recruits saw the tornado and quickly escaped the vortex. That was when Soarin spotted a hot air balloon rising through the clouds.

“Oh, crap!” Soarin said. He then made his way to a microphone. “Calling all Wonderbolts, we have a code red!”

Rainbow recognized the hot air balloon. She also recognized who was in the basket.

“Oh, no!” Rainbow exclaimed. “Not my friends!”

Without waiting for anypony to tell her, Rainbow immediately sprang into action to rescue her companions. Spike was hanging on for dear life onto Twilight’s side. Applejack was the first to notice the imminent danger.

“Uh, Spike?” she said a bit nervously. “‘Member when ya said comin’ here might not be such a good idear?”

“Y-yes,” Spike trembled.

“Well, ya may not want ta see how right ya were!” Applejack said.

Spike and the five mares yelled in fright as the tornado was approaching them. But, at rapid speed, Rainbow grabbed onto the balloon basket and tugged on the string that allowed them down. Spike was still screaming with his eyes clenched tightly shut as he held on tightly to Twilight.

“Spike?” Twilight said soothingly.

Spike stopped screaming at once and opened his eyes. “Huh?” he said. “Are we dead?”

“Thanks ta Rainbow, we ain’t,” Applejack said in a grateful tone.

“And don’t worry, Spike,” Rainbow said. “The academy’s on a floating slab of land.”

“Oh, thank Celestia,” said Spike, breathing a sigh of relief. “It’s close enough to solid ground that I’ll take it.”

“I wouldn’t recommend getting too close to the edge to look down, though,” Rainbow said. “It’ll make you dizzy.”

“Thanks for the advice,” Spike said.

“So,” Rainbow said. “What are you guys doing up here, anyway?”

“Pinkie here,” Applejack said. “Was worried ya’d ferget ‘bout us by now when ya didn’t send no letter n’ decided ta send ya a care package.”

“Why would she think I’d forget about any of you after only a few days?” Rainbow asked. “You stayed away from Ponyville for a whole week and still remembered us when we went to find you.****”

“That’s what I said,” Spike said.

“And the only reason I wasn’t able to keep in touch was because I was having some complications here and didn’t have the motivation to put pencil to paper,” Rainbow explained. “Or, more appropriately, one big complication.”

“We didn’t know you’d be in the middle of a tornado drill or anything like that,” Rarity commented. “We were told the skies would be clear.”

“I was scared enough coming here,” Spike said. “That tornado didn’t help. I’m more afraid of heights than ever now.”

“I don’t blame you,” Rainbow said. “And I’m sorry. I’m partially to blame for this mess, but, that’s what comes with being a wing pony instead of a lead pony.”

“How’d you get the lead pony to agree to that?” Fluttershy asked.

“Who said she came up with the idea?” Lightning said, after she recovered from the tornado spinning. “That slacker’s not smart enough to think up an idea like that.”

Rainbow groaned. “Spike, everypony, this is my lead pony, Lightning Dust. Lightning, this is Twilight, Spike, Rarity, Pinkie, Applejack, and you kind of remember Fluttershy.”

“Ah yeah,” Lightning said. “The freakishly tall bed-wetter that you defended from bullies and your favorite target for pranks because you didn’t have to put in much effort.”

Fluttershy blushed with embarrassment at the reminder of her own little accidents when she was a filly.

“Don’t think you can act so high and mighty,” Rainbow said. “Do you realize what would’ve happened if I hadn’t jumped in?! My friends would’ve plummeted to the ground! They could’ve been killed! What’s worse, you gave Spike mental scars!”

“So, what?” Lightning said snarkily. “Fluttershy could have saved herself by flying, couldn’t she? And that dragon will be too scared to try and hurt innocent ponies. And if he were to die with the rest of these ponies, it’ll be one less dragon to worry about!”

The other recruits (especially the ones from Ponyville) could hardly believe anypony could be so callous to such a young creature regardless of species.

“Besides,” Lightning continued. “They weren’t, so, what’s your problem? We wiped out all the clouds, didn’t we? And besides, civilians aren’t supposed to be on academy grounds without permission. It’s really your friends’ fault for disobeying that rule and coming here in the first place. An accident like that was bound to happen sooner or later.”

“The sad part is,” Spike said. “She’s not exactly wrong.”

“Shut it, lizard boy,” Lightning said, unaware that other Wonderbolts were approaching.

“Y-yeah…” Pinkie said sheepishly. “S-sorry guys…”

Rainbow’s frown only deepened. “You don’t get it, do you?! It seems you only care about yourself! Ever since we’ve been paired up, you’ve constantly been putting others in danger just so you can show off! You made me clip my wing during the flag hunt! You made the other cadets wipe out on the obstacle course when nopony was around to help them! And now of course, there’s your out of control tornado that endangered my friends! What the tartarus is wrong with you?!”

Lightning seemed to be nonchalantly picking her ear with her hooves. “Is there a bathroom break between here and the point?”

“If anypony knows what it’s like to want to be the best, it’s me,” the rainbow maned pegasus responded. “But, the way you go about it is all wrong. Your desire to push yourself all the way isn’t bold, it’s reckless! Keep this up and somepony will get hurt, maybe even you!”

“Oh, please,” Lightning said, rolling her eyes. “I know my limits. So, I lost control of the tornado. So, what? Accidents happen. Even to ponies who actually train instead of napping two hours a day. You have to take risks to be a Wonderbolt. That’s why they put me in charge! It proves that I’m better than you and those Sonic Rainbooms were total flukes.”

“No,” said a voice from behind Lightning Dust. “That was why I put you in charge.”

All turned to see Spitfire wearing only a towel.

“Ah!” Lightning gasped. “Spitfire?! What are you doing here? You weren’t supposed to be here until–.”

“I had to cut my shower short when I saw that tornado,” Spitfire interrupted. “I was preparing to spring into action when I saw Rainbow save those civilians. Now that I know you’re responsible for it, I realize I made a mistake putting you in charge.”

“Yeah?” Lightning said. “Well, I’m still in charge and that’s going to stay.”

“Listen here, Lightning Dust,” Spitfire said. “You can fly fast enough to scare ponies crapless, you can put on a flashy performance, but, if your motivation is proving you’re better than somepony, don’t care about the consequences, or have prejudice against others, you’ll never be a Wonderbolt while I’m sergeant. Not a damn chance.”*****

“But,” Lightning said. “Isn’t pushing your limits what the Wonderbolts are all about? Why should I hold myself back just because you said so?!”

“For one thing,” Spitfire said. “I’m the highest-ranking Wonderbolt here while you haven’t even graduated from the academy yet.”

“And we don’t just flaunt our talents,” Soarin said as he walked up to Lightning Dust. “We may be elites, but, that doesn’t give us an excuse to be reckless or careless. Especially when civilians are involved.”

“Endangering civilians is bad enough,” Spitfire said before gesturing to Spike. “But, endangering kids is crossing the line.”

“Do you realize you’re talking about a dragon?!” Lightning snapped.

“I don’t give a damn if he’s a purple polka-dotted monkey laying eggs on a bicycle!” Spitfire said. “As far as I’m concerned, a child is a child. Species is completely irrelevant.”

Spike couldn’t help but feel touched at Spitfire’s words.

“Disregard for civilians,” Spitfire said. “Regardless of species or age, will not be tolerated in the Wonderbolts while I’m in charge.”

Lightning took all of this in. At first, she didn’t know what to say. Suddenly, she got very defensive.

“Yeah?!” Lightning snapped. “Well, if this is the way it has to be, then, I don’t think I even want to be part of this stupid academy anymore. I’m way too skilled in flight to deal with dragon-kissing losers!”

“Fast Clip, Whiplash,” Spitfire said. “Hold her down!”

The two pegasi restrained her with their collective might. Spitfire stepped up to Lightning.

“You have one more chance to get your crap together,” she said sternly. “Buck it up and you’re out of here. After this, it’s clear that you’re no lead pony. You are hereby demoted to wing pony.” She took Lightning’s badge.

“What?!” Lightning snapped. “There is no way I’m taking orders from that slacker! I’m fit to rule and you know it!”

“I’ve been getting complaints from other cadets about your behavior,” Spitfire said. “Since the first exercise, I’ve been hearing quite a few mention how concerned they were about the way you’ve been acting.”

“They’re jealous,” Lightning said. “They can only wish they could be as talented as me. Besides, nopony’s gotten hurt yet.”

“So, you don’t deny that you ignored your wing pony’s injury during the flag hunt?” Soarin questioned. “You don’t deny that you knocked the other contestants out of the way during the obstacle course? And you don’t deny using a tornado for cloud busting even though you had no reason to do so?”

“Of course not!” Lightning said. “Like I said, nopony got hurt. It was pure bad luck that balloon showed up when it did. And in each case, I set a record, just like I almost did on the Dizzitron, which I had set to its maximum setting I might add. That was something nopony else did and it’s what made me a lead pony.”

“It’s too bad you said that, Lightning,” Spitfire said, shaking her head in disappointment. “It’s just as I feared. I had hoped that making you a leader would get you to realize that being a Wonderbolt is a big responsibility. It’s not always about yourself. You have to think about others, especially when you’re the one others are depending on to lead the way or give them guidance. Seems like I gave you too much credit.”

“But, isn’t pushing yourself all the way what it takes to be a Wonderbolt?!” Lightning complained. “Why should I hold myself back for the sake of others?! They should all be inspired by my example and do better, then, they won’t get left in the dust!”

“As I said,” Soarin reiterated. “That’s not how we do things.”

“Since nopony got hurt, I can’t justify kicking you out for no reason,” Spitfire said sternly. “However, if you stay, you have to start over. As such, you’re still being demoted to wing pony.”

“Never!” Lightning snapped. “I’ll never accept orders from somepony beneath me! Only the best of the best deserve respect, and anypony who can’t keep up isn’t worth bothering!”

“Then, you leave me no choice,” Spitfire said. She grabbed Lightning’s lead pony badge and ripped it off the uniform. “You are stripped of your rank and hereby dishonorably discharged. Pack your bags and go home! Your reckless attitude will get somepony or somedragon killed!”

Soarin immediately moved to grab Lightning’s hoof. “What a shame you had to drop out like this. You had potential.”

“You’ll regret this!” Lightning said. “All of you! Someday you’ll see it my way! Playing by the rules just gets you left behind.” And soon, she was out of sight.

“AJ,” Rainbow said to her friend. “Level with me. Was I that bad at the Running of the Leaves?”

“Compared ta what we just saw,” Applejack answered. “Ya were pretty bad, but, she was far worse. Ya at least had the decency ta apologize.”

“Well, one takeaway from this is that I won’t be so braggadocious to you guys,” Rainbow said before looking to Twilight. “Am I using that word right?”

“Yes, but, I’m glad you’re taking those steps, Rainbow,” Twilight said.

Rainbow then turned to Spitfire. “Why didn’t you try to stop Lightning sooner with all those complaints?”

“The rules say that official Wonderbolts like us can’t get involved in rivalries between cadets unless civilians are put in danger because of said rivalries,” Spitfire explained.

“I’m also sorry,” Pinkie said sadly. “If I hadn’t come up with the idea for us to visit you here, none of us would be put in danger, especially not Spike.”

“Normally,” Spitfire said. “Civilians aren’t allowed here without permission. However, in light of recent events, I’ll make an exception just this once.” She then turned to Rainbow. “I want to apologize to you, Rainbow. We should have realized that Lightning was trouble and took action immediately. You did raise a lot of good points about the difference between pushing yourself and just being reckless. I was wrong about you. You’re no wing pony, you’re a lead pony. If you still plan on staying in the Wonderbolts Academy, I would like to make things better by partnering you up with a different wing pony.” She gave Rainbow the lead pony badge.

Rainbow was silent for a moment, her mouth agape with surprise. When she did find her tongue, she eagerly said with her noticeable rasp, “Oh, my gosh, oh, my gosh, oh, my gosh, oh, my gosh, oh, my gosh!” Her wings flapped eagerly. She then regained her composure and said, “Thank you, ma’am. I won’t let you down.”

Spitfire smiled. “I don’t think you will,” she said. “Now, I better get back to my shower.” And she headed off.

“Are we not going to talk about how she handled the situation like a professional while wearing nothing but a towel?” Spike asked.

“Prolly not,” Applejack said. “Most o’ us don’t normally wear clothes no how.”

“Hey,” Rainbow said. “How come Spike’s not shivering?”

“I cast a spell on him to keep him warm at this height,” Twilight said.

“Oh, that’s good,” Rainbow smiled. She then turned her attention to Soarin. “Excuse me, Soarin, sir. Do I have time to open my care package before I head back to the exercises?”

“Well,” said Soarin as he gestured to the mess the tornado made. “We need to clean up the mess, so, go ahead.”

“Okay,” Rainbow said. “After I see what’s inside, I can lend a helping hoof.” She then picked up the care package. Aside from a few dents and dings, it was mostly still intact. She unwrapped the package and opened the lid of the box. Confetti was launched out. “Only you could have a confetti trap in a package, Pinkie,” Rainbow said with a chuckling smirk. She saw a cake with ‘Please remember us,’ written in frosting. “You got it,” winked Rainbow. “I couldn’t forget you if I tried.”******

Pinkie happily hugged Rainbow and the others joined in.

End of chapter.

Author's Note

Here's the next chapter.

*It's a callback!

**Idea courtesy of The Background Conquerer. Also Spike being at the picnic.

***The reason the Wonderbolts didn't get involved sooner.

****Another callback!

*****Quote by me.

******Revelation of the care packages contents courtesy of The Background Conquerer.

If you liked this chapter, feel free to contact me via private messages if you'd like to help make future chapters.

Chapter 8: Apple Family Reunion (S3:E8)

My Little Pony: Nine Elements

Book 3

Written by Brandon Nell and Blake Hawkins

Chapter 8: Apple Family Reunion

Four days after visiting the Wonderbolts Academy, Applejack was helping Granny Smith sort through some boxes at one of the Sweet Apple Acres barns. She carefully tugged one out of the hayloft, but, it landed with a slight puff against the hay on the ground. She inspected it and opened it up to see several Apple Family heirlooms.

“Aww,” Granny sighed happily. “These take me back ta the good ol’ days.” Her nostalgia was short-lived as she inhaled a cloud of dust through her nose. “Heh-heh-heh-CHOO!” She sneezed.

“Bless ya,” Applejack said.

“Thank ya kindly, Applejack,” Granny Smith said. “Ah can’t believe it’s been 100 moons since our last family reunion.”

“Uh, Granny,” Applejack said. “Our last reunion was two years, four months, n’ three days ago. That’s 28 moons.”

“Guess it just feels like it’s been longer n’ that,” Apple Bloom said as she helped with the chores.

“Ah ‘member it well,” Applejack said. “‘Cause it was the day Twilight n’ Spike first came ta Ponyville.”

“Yeah,” Apple Bloom smiled. “We not only got ta see our family again, but, we also got ta meet new friends.”

“Apple Bloom,” Granny Smith said. “How many’re showin’ up this time?”

“Goin’ by the invitations n’ the RSVPs,” Apple Bloom said with a big smile. “Everypony!”

“Everypony?” Granny Smith repeated, wanting to make sure she heard right.

“Everypony!” Apple Bloom said again. “We got RSVP’s from Apples from Yonder Hill, Hollow Shade, Gallopin’ Gorge, Foal Mountain, Fillydelphia, Tall Tale Town, Appleloosa, n’ Manehattan! Ah’ll be able ta see Babs again!”

Granny Smith stood in stunned silence for a bit. “I think we’re goin’ ta need a bigger cider trough,” she managed to say.

That evening, Granny Smith, Apple Bloom, and Applejack were looking over the RSVPs while Big McIntosh and Caramel brought more in.

“Another load of RSVPs,” Caramel said as he set down the stack of sealed envelopes. “You doing alright, Big Mac?”

“Eeyup,” the red earth pony stallion smiled.

“Are you all sure it’s okay for me to be here during the reunion?” Caramel asked. “I’m not officially part of the family.”

“Maybe not,” Applejack said. “But, ya are part o’ our lives n’ ya do live here. So, ah couldn’t imagine an Apple family gatherin’ without ya.”

“Me, neither,” Apple Bloom smiled. “N’ who knows? Y’all n’ Applejack could get married n’ then, ya’ll be an official Apple.”

“Bit early fer that,” Applejack said. “We can’t exactly afford a weddin’ right now.”

Although, Caramel thought to himself with a lovestruck blush. It would be nice to be Mr. Applejack. Wait, if I marry her, will she even be an Apple anymore? Or will she take my family name? Do I even have a family name?*

“Caramel?” Applejack said.

“Huh?” Caramel said, coming out of his deep-thinking state.

“Ya okay?” Applejack asked.

“Oh, yeah, I’m okay,” Caramel nodded. “Just… lost in thought about something.”

“Well, if n’ when we’re ready ta make that decision,” Applejack said. “We’ll be sure ta straighten things out in our own time. Fer now, we got ta sort out idears fer the family reunion. ‘Specially since Granny might not see another.”

“Ah’m only 62,” Granny Smith said in a disgruntled voice. “Ah got a good few years left ‘fore ah kick.”

“Yeah, Granny’s right,” Apple Bloom said. “She’s still able ta keep ya in line, sis.”

“N’ you, ya little sneak,” Granny Smith chuckled. “Though, ah ain’t gettin’ no younger. Applejack, how’s ‘bout y’all take care o’ plannin’ the reunion this time ‘round?”

“Me?” Applejack asked.

“Let’s face it,” Granny Smith said. “Ah ain’t as strong as ah used ta be. Ah’ve seen ya gettin’ stronger by the day.”

“Wow,” Applejack said. “Ah’ll do the best ah can, Granny. Ah’ll make this a really memorable family reunion that everypony’ll remember fer a long time. Just tell me what the reunion’ll need n’ ah’ll take care o’ the rest.”

“Well, ah know ah’ll want ta spend time with mah cousins in the quiltin’ circle,” Granny said happily. “Ah’ll do ya one better n’ show ya.”

Inside the family house, she, Applejack, and Apple Bloom were sitting on the sofa. Granny Smith had opened a family album showcasing memories of previous Apple family reunions.

“Who’s that?” Apple Bloom asked.

“That’s mah auntie Applesauce,” Granny explained with a nostalgic smile. “That picture was taken when she was as old as Applejack is now. She taught me how ta sew, especially on that quilt there. That’s the same quilt we’ve been workin’ on since the very first Apple family reunion.”

“When exactly did these reunions start?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Oh, ‘bout two years after Ponyville was founded,” Granny Smith answered. “Did take some time fer the other family members ta learn how ta get ta our new homes n’ all. ‘Course, some had ta actually settle somewhere else first.”

“That makes sense,” Applejack nodded. “Ah figger yer folks didn’t really have Apple Family reunions ‘fore ya were born?”

“If’n there were,” Granny said. “Ah wouldn’a remembered. ‘Course, the Apple Family started when ah got hitched ta Cortland.”

“Neato,” Apple Bloom said.

“Applesauce,” Granny Smith said. “Was married ta mah pa’s brother, Sessile. She used ta be called a different name, but, we all called her Applesauce after she lost her false teeth in a batch o’ applesauce.”

“What was her old name?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Nopony rightly ‘members no more,” Granny Smith said.

“So,” Applejack said, looking over the family album. “Ah’ll have ta stock up on plenty o’ quiltin’ supplies. Ah’m sure Rarity has some extra thread that she’ll let us use.”

Granny Smith turned a few more pages.

“Hey, what’s goin’ on there,” Apple Bloom asked. “Looks like a big ol’ row o’ cauldrons.”

“They are,” Granny Smith said. “This was the day yer sister had her first apple fritter.”

“Er more accurately,” Applejack said with a blush. “Mah first several fritters.”

In a flashback to that reunion, several apple fritters were being made. Half-Baked Apple eagerly bit into a freshly fried apple fritter, but, because it hadn’t had time to cool down, he ended up burning his tongue. He scrambled into a nearby bucket of apple cider for some relief. One other relative, an earth pony stallion with a blue coat, a reddish pink mane, and a Cutie Mark with three apples split horizontally, placed a plateful of apple fritters onto the table. But, he noticed that there were some fritters that were missing, along with splatters from fritter goo.

“Where’d all them fritters go?” the stallion asked.

His answer came when he heard a slight crunching sound. He looked under the table and saw Applejack, just as she was when she was a foal, complete with diaper. Her blond mane was done up in pigtails fastened with apple charm ponytail holders, her bangs were curled delicately yet naturally, and she had a noticeable baby belly. Some splotches of fritter goo were on her face and hooves and she cooed happily at the stallion.

“N’…” the stallion said softly. “Who’re you, li’l one?”

“Ah’m Applejack,” the foal responded. “Mowe appo fwiddo?”

“Must be mah brothers newest foal,” the stallion said.

Back in the present day, Granny chuckled nostalgically.

“That’s how we learned that yer sister has the appetite o’ a full-grown stallion,” she chuckled, elbowing Applejack lightly on her belly.

“Aww,” Apple Bloom cooed. “Ya were so cute as a baby, Applejack!”

“Ya shoulda seen her when she met Caramel,” Granny Smith said.

“So, who was that stallion what found Applejack?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Mah second son n’ yer uncle,” Granny Smith explained. “Apple Splits.”

“Lookin’ at this here picture,” Applejack said. “Looks like ah’m goin’ ta need some more fryin’ oil, plenty of flour, eggs, n’ cinnamon.”

Granny Smith turned another page.

“Hey, who’s that there?” Apple Bloom asked.

“That’s mah Auntie Applesauce’s oldest daughter,” Granny Smith said. “Apple Rose. In this picture here, we’re partakin’ in a seven-legged race. It’s a tradition fer us each reunion.”

In the flashback, Apple Rose and Granny Smith were trotting together. They seemed to be in perfect sync.

“We’re goin’ ta win this year!” Apple Rose said excitedly.

“Ya can bet the farm on it, cousin,” the young mare said.

But, just before the two could reach the finish line, they fumbled over and belly flopped onto the soft earth. The two laughed happily. They might not have won the race, but, they still had fun with each other.

“Never won a single race,” Granny Smith said.

“Races, huh?” Applejack said. “So, we’ll need cloth ties n’ a finish line. Hmm, since there’s goin’ ta be more o’ us this year, that might not be as excitin’.”

“Can’t fergit the big finish,” Granny Smith said. “The big family photo! We always snapped a photo o’ everypony at the main barn at the end o’ every reunion. It lets us see how our family’s grown.”

“A lot o’ these don’t have Aunt Citrus,” Apple Bloom said.

“Citrus sure took her sweet time decidin’ ta show up,” Granny Smith said in a bitter tone.

“Even if she's a highfalutin’ city mare,” Apple Bloom said. “She should still be there fer us.”

“She ain’t shown up ta one reunion since she moved ta Manehattan!” Granny Smith said. “Didn’t even show up at her siblin’s weddin’s! Ain’t that just appallin’, Applejack?”

Applejack didn’t respond, however. She looked out the open top barn door and saw the stars shimmer in the sky. She sighed sadly at the sight of two shooting stars zipping by majestically.

“Applejack?” Apple Bloom said softly.

“Huh?” Applejack said, turning her attention to her little sister. “Sorry, ah was just thinkin’. Ah’m just thinking that this’ll be another reunion that most o’ the family’ll be at the reunion. Ma n’ pa ain’t around no more.”

“Yer still not blamin’ yerself fer that, are ya?” Granny Smith said.

“Ah just miss 'em is all,” Applejack said. “If only ah’d fixed that bridge.”

“Aww, come on, sis,” Apple Bloom said comfortingly. “Ah miss em, too. But, nopony here blames ya fer what happened.”

“Don’t ya fret, Applejack,” Granny Smith said. “Ah understand how ya feel. Mah husband’s been dead fer five odd years. Mah folks, six. Yer folks wouldn’t want ya mopin’ ‘bout their deaths at the family reunion. Mah folks n’ husband wouldn’t want me doin’ that, neither. If’n ya want ta do right by yer folks, appreciate the family ya still have.”

Applejack took a deep breath. “Yeah, yer right. Ah’ll always keep ‘em in mah heart, but, ah’ll also make sure ta spend as much time with all y’all as ah can. Ah’ll start by makin’ this the most memorable reunion ever.”

“Ah think yer goin’ ta do great, Applejack,” Apple Bloom smiled.

Applejack trotted off.

That night, she worked hard to plan some ideas for the reunion. Caramel entered her room.

“Honeycrisp,” he said softly. “I wanted to see how you were doing.”

“Ah can’t sleep,” Applejack said. “The gears in mah head’re turnin’ ‘bout this reunion.”

“It's great that you’re taking charge for this year’s reunion,” Caramel said, rubbing one of his sleepy eyes. “But, I don’t think you should worry too much. I mean, I’m sure the family will be happy to see each other and spend time with everypony. The last thing we need is you worrying to the point of another Smarty Pants incident.”

“Oh, right,” Applejack said with a blush. “But, ah did promise ta make this reunion a memorable one. So, what can ah do?”

“Well, you can try to get some sleep to refresh your brain,” Caramel suggested. “You won’t be able to properly plan things with a sleep-deprived brain. We both know that you’re cranky if you don’t get enough sleep.”

“Yeah,” Applejack said with a sheepish sweatdrop. “Think ya can help me drift ta sleep, though? Ah always find it more comfortable with ya cuddlin’ close ta me.”

“Maybe getting you something to eat will help, too,” Caramel suggested. At his suggestion, Applejack’s belly gave a deep rumble.

“Sure,” Applejack nodded. “Maybe also a cup o’ warm milk?”

“You got it,” Caramel said. He trotted off and returned with a platter of apple fritters and a mug of warm milk.

“Thanks, Caramel,” Applejack said gratefully. After her late night snack, Applejack found herself struggling to keep her eyelids open. Caramel tucked her and himself into bed and he held onto her lovingly.

“Brings back foalhood memories of our sleepovers, doesn’t it?” Caramel said.

“Yup,” Applejack said in a sleepy voice. A yawn escaped her throat. She wrapped her front hooves around Caramel’s barrel. “G’night, sugarcube.”

“Good night, honeycrisp,” Caramel replied softly. He even gave her a loving kiss on the forehead.

The next morning, Caramel was still asleep in Applejack’s bed, but, the mare herself was absent.

“Huh?” Caramel said to himself as he began to stir. “Where’s Applejack?”

It was at that moment that Applejack made her presence known.

“Mornin’, y’all,” she said happily. “We need ta get ta work on the reunion.”

Caramel slowly started to stretch as he got out of bed. Hopefully, she remembered what we talked about last night, Caramel thought to himself.

A bit later, Applejack, Apple Bloom, Big Mac, and Caramel were applebucking. Well, the Apple Siblings were doing most of the work. Try as he might, Caramel couldn’t knock loose as many apples as they could. Caramel panted from working so hard for such little effort. Applejack could see that he was feeling inadequate and decided to console him.

“Don’t fret, Caramel,” she said. “Yer doin’ fine.”

“Yeah,” Apple Bloom said. “Yer actually gettin’ apples loose now.”

“I am?” Caramel said with a smile as he looked up. He saw fewer apples in the tree than when he started with. “I am! Whoo-hoo!”

Later, Applejack was at Carousel Boutique with a cart.

“Thank ya kindly fer lettin’ me have these things, Rarity,” Applejack said gratefully.

“Oh, think nothing of it,” Rarity said. “I had more than I needed for an order anyway.”

“Ah still appreciate it,” Applejack said. “Ah owe ya one.” And she trotted off.

“Tootle-oo~” Rarity called.

Applejack made her next stop at Sugarcube Corner. Pinkie was loading up Applejack’s cart with powdered sugar, extra flour, and even honey to drizzle onto the fritters. She squeezed some excess honey into her mouth.

“Thank ya, Pinkie,” Applejack said gratefully.

“No problem, AJ,” Pinkie said before she belched out a bee. “Oops. Sorry, Beatrice.”

The bee buzzed a bit angrily at her, but, thought better about stinging her. She flew away to pollinate some flowers. Pinkie then got out a bucket of glitter.

“Oh, Applejack!” Pinkie called. “Don’t forget the glitter!” She then threw the contents over the farm mare.

Applejack coughed lightly, exhaling a puff of glitter. “Thanks…” she managed to say.

Later, she set up buckets in a row at Sweet Apple Acres.

“Thanks fer doin’ me this solid, Rainbow,” Applejack called.

“No prob, AJ,” Rainbow said. She was moving a cumulonimbus cloud over the buckets, aiming carefully. “Get ready, because here comes the rain!” She jumped up and down on it to make the rain fall.

The rainwater poured down into the buckets while also giving Applejack a refreshing rainshower. She shook off the excess water. However, the cloud gave a spontaneous lightning crack.

“Yipe!” Applejack yelped.

“Sorry,” Rainbow said.

“No harm done,” Applejack called. “Just a little spooked is all.”

Later, Big Mac stacked chopped pieces of wood. Twilight and Spike walked up next to Applejack. She pointed out a row of large cauldrons filled with frying oil.

“Thanks fer helpin’ me out with this,” Applejack said.

“No problem,” Spike said. Spike looked at the logs underneath the cauldrons. He then took a deep inhale and he exhaled his green flames onto it. Applejack gave him a green apple rock candy as compensation. “Thanks, AJ.”

Other preparations were made soon thereafter. Soon, everything was set and the day of the reunion finally arrived.

“Ah can’t believe we got all this ready in under a day,” Apple Bloom said.

“That’s Applejack for ya,” Caramel said. “When she has a goal, she makes sure it gets done. Only this time, she asked for help from her friends.”

“After what happened on the Apple Buck Season when Twilight n’ Spike were still new ta town,” Applejack said. “Ah don’t have as much trouble askin’ fer help no more.”

“That’s great,” Caramel smiled.

Granny Smith turned to the horizon. “The Apples’re comin’. Family incomin’!”

Sure enough, several ponies came in from over the hill. Some came by trotting, some came in wagons, and some even came via aircraft. Several greeted each other. Some cousins playfully jabbed at each other and gave affectionate noogies. Applejack made her way to a stage.

“Howdy, everypony,” Applejack said. “Thank y’all fer comin’ ta Sweet Apple Acres fer our family reunion. Now, the only thing that’ll really change is the fact that instead o’ Granny Smith bein’ in charge o’ the activities, she asked me ta run things this time.” The crowd made murmurs of understanding. “But, ah promise y’all that ah aim ta make this a fun time fer everypony with plenty o’ time ta commingle with one another.”

“Ah got a few words ta say ta Citrus,” Granny Smith said bitterly to the aforementioned mare.

“Uh,” Applejack said sheepishly. “Make sure that those words’re out o’ earshot o’ anypony who might hear ya. Don’t want none o’ the young’ns repeatin’ ya.”

So, Granny led Citrus to an out of the way place, all the while, casting a stern glare at her. The expression on the younger mare’s face was all that was needed to show she knew what was coming and wasn’t looking forward to it.

“Anywho,” Applejack said. “While she’s takin’ care o’ that, why doesn’t everypony get settled in?”

Apple Bloom was busy looking for Babs. Her eyes lit up with excitement once she spots her. Babs looked and saw Apple Bloom and she smiled happily. The two then ran over and held each other in a fond embrace.

“Oh, Babs,” Apple Bloom said happily. “Ah missed ya so much! Ah know it had only been ‘bout a month since we last saw each other, but, it felt like forever!”

“You ain’t kiddin’,” Babs said. “Ah’m tellin’ ya, ya shoulda seen how Sunflower got ma ta come here.”

“Ah’ll bet,” Apple Bloom said. “Oh, but, ah’m so glad yer here now. Ah’m sure we’re goin’ ta have a great time tagether!”

“I just want some quality time with Braeburn before I leave,” Babs said. “I ain’t seen him in years.”

“Ah’m sure we can find him,” Apple Bloom said.

But, the two didn’t get far. Applejack met up with the two.

“Howdy, girls,” Applejack smiled. “Ah hope yer both ready for a fun activity.”

“Well, actually,” Babs said. “I’d like a little time with Braeburn while I’m here.”

“Okie dokie then,” Applejack said. “Ya ain’t seen him in five years now. Go ahead.”

“Thanks, AJ,” Babs smiled. Together, she and Apple Bloom went to find Braeburn. They found him with a brilliant gamboge earth mare with a brilliant crimson mane and tail, moderate cerise eyes, and a Cutie Mark depicting an Apple Brown Betty. “Hiya, Braeburn.”

“N’ who’s yer new friend?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Oh, this here’s mah marefriend, Sunny Cherry,” Braeburn explained. “Though, she might be Apple Cherry soon.”

Sunny chuckled good-naturedly. “That’d be mighty lovely, Brae-Brae.”

“Aww, that’s so sweet,” Babs smiled. “I’d love ta know how youse met.”

Applejack then began scooting Apple Bloom and Babs to the other younger relatives.

“Hey~!” the two fillies exclaimed indignantly.

“We can walk, ya know!” Apple Bloom said.

“Ta start things off, yer doin’ a seven-legged race,” Applejack said to all the young ponies. “Apple Bloom, yer with Babs. Red June?”

“Yeah?” responded a filly, whose name was Red June.

“Yer with Apple Squash,” Applejack said.

“Alright!” exclaimed a filly whose name was Apple Squash. She was excited to be partnered with with Red June.

“Apple Flora?” Applejack called.

“Yeah?” said the filly named Apple Flora.

“Yer with Caramel Candy Tooth,” Applejack said.

“Sweet!” chirped the filly named Caramel Candy Tooth.

Soon, the three pairs were at the starting line.

“Alright, y’all,” Applejack said. “Y’all’re racin’ from here ta that finishin’ line that’s over there.”

Babs looked into the distance. “Whoa~” she said. “Dat’s a long course right dere.”

“That’s just the first part,” Applejack said.

“The first part?” Apple Bloom asked. “There’s more?!”

“Much more,” Applejack said. “Cuz once y’all cross the finish line, ya’ll then be bobbin’ fer apples.” She dunked her head in a tub and pulled it out with three apples in her mouth. “Then, after the apples’re all out o’ the tubs, ya got ta spin ‘round these here trees 50 times ‘till yer good n’ dizzy.” She ran around two trees in a figure 8 pattern until she was so fast, she was practically a blur. She then stopped and stumbled about. Her eyes were spinning and she was indeed dizzy. She immediately shook it off. “Finally, ya got ta spin these plates over yer head while sayin’, ‘Pappy Pony picked a pluck of prickly pluffnuggets,’ over n’ over again till ya can’t say it no more. Er if’n yer plate falls off yer head first, whichever comes first.” She then made her way back to the starting line. “Ah planned on addin’ wooden hurdles, but, ah figgered it be a bad idear ta jump ‘em while dizzy. Anyhow, last pony standin’ wins.”

It was a lot for the fillies to process as they stared at Applejack with confused looks.

“Seriously?” Apple Bloom finally managed to say. “If’n we’re supposed ta split up at the end anyway, what’s the point o’ pairin’ us up in the first place?”**

“Well, it’s more fun ta do things tagether,” Applejack explained. She then got a flag that she held with her tail. “Well, just do yer best anyway. Don’t ferget ta take a break if ya feel tired.” She then waved the flag. “On yer marks, get set, go!”

The three pairs ran off. Some of the fillies fumbled and stumbled as they weren’t used to running with legs tied together at such high speeds. Babs, not being accustomed to so much physical activity, quickly ran out of breath.

“Jeez,” she panted. “Ah ain’t used ta so much exercise, not even in physical activity class.”

“Ah was born n’ raised on a farm,” Apple Bloom said. “Ah’m used ta this much exercise, but, ah still have limits.”

“Ah believe dat,” Babs panted. The two noticed they weren’t even halfway to the flag. “Ah, jeez. Ah’m really out o’ shape.”

Back at the starting line, Applejack cheered the youngsters on. “Yee-haw! Ya got this, y’all! Give it all ya got!” She then turned around. “While they continue ta venture on this here course, ah better check on the quilt.”

Meanwhile, Auntie Applesauce was showing off her new set of false teeth.

“Those are mighty nice,” Apple Rose said happily.

“That they are, sis,” said Goldie Delicious.

“How long ya had ‘em?” inquired Granny Smith, who had recently finished chewing out Citrus.

“A lady never reveals the age of her teeth,” Applesauce said, turning up her nose with a confident smirk. Apple Rose rolled her eyes with a groan. “Don’t you roll your eyes at your mother, missy! Ah still haven’t forgotten what ya did with mah parasol six reunions ago!”

“Fer the record,” Goldie said. “Ah told ‘em not ta use it fer that piñata.”

The elder ponies were laughing, but, Auntie Applesauce had an embarrassed blush. Her blush faded when she saw Applejack approach them.

“Ah, Applejack,” she said. “Will you be joining us old widows in quilting?”

“Sorry, Grauntie Applesauce,” Applejack answered. “Ah’m a mite busy keepin’ everythin’ in order. Y’all can still get started, though.”

“We can’t find our rockin’ chairs,” Granny Smith said.

“Ah moved ‘em ta storage,” Applejack explained. “Ah moved them ta make room fer these.” Applejack then presented the elder mares with a line of sewing machines. “This is the year yer goin’ ta finish the quilt.”

“Finish it?” Apple Rose inquired.

“Yup,” Applejack smiled. She then started up the sewing machines, which shuddered and jolted loudly as they sprang to life. “Won’t that be excitin’?!” she shouted over the loud noise.

“What’s that?!” Apple Rose asked over the noise of the sewing machines.

“AH SAID WON’T THAT BE,” Applejack said before turning the sewing machines off. “Excitin’?”

“Ah suppose,” Applesauce said. “Although, ah have been told that too much excitement can wreak havoc on this lovely and youthful complexion of mine.”

“Yer 84 years old now,” Granny Smith said. “Ya ain’t got much youth left.”

Goldie Delicious and Apple Rose chuckled mischievously, while Applesauce blushed with humiliation. The four old mares got to their sewing machines. The machines began to whir as the mares worked with them.

“Have fun, y’all,” Applejack said over the noise. “Ah’m goin’ ta see how Big McIntosh is comin’ along with the fritters.”

“What’d she say?!” Granny Smith asked.

“What’s that?” Apple Rose asked.

“What’s she sayin’?” Auntie Applesauce asked.

“Ah don’t know,” Granny Smith said. “Ah can’t hear nothin’!”

“Hey, what’s everypony talkin’ ‘bout?” Goldie Delicious asked.***

“We don’t know,” the elder ponies said.

“Good gracious,” Goldie Delicious sighed. Then, a thought occurred to her. “How’d Applejack even afford these?”

At the apple fritter station, some relatives were talking with one another.

“Ya’ve got eight now, right?” Apple Dumpling asked Apple Leaves.

“Sure do,” Apple Leaves smiled. “Why, my little Apple Bud may be a baby, but, boy is he a hoot!” She sighed sadly. “Too bad Empire died a few months ago.”

“Yeah,” Apple Dumpling said softly. “Me n’ Wensley miss our brother.”

“We’ll all make sure ta look out fer ya,” Apple Leaves said comfortingly.

Applejack stepped in.

“Howdy, y’all,” Applejack smiled. “These fritters’re smellin’ mighty tasty.” She started to drool a bit.

“We got plenty fer ya ta taste, Applejack,” Apple Dumpling offered. Applejack’s belly gave a deep gurgle.

“Thank ya kindly,” Applejack said as she ate one. “Though, y’all better keep up the pace if yer goin’ ta make fritters fer everypony here.” She moved a bowl full of apple slices. “Roll, fold, crimp, slide to the left.” She demonstrated the steps three times. “Now, you try.”

Apple Leaves tried following Applejack’s example. “Roll, fold, crimp, slide to the left.”

Applejack nodded in approval. “Yer doin’ great,” she smiled. “Keep it up, y’all! Got ta make sure everypony gets a taste o’ the best apple fritters in all o’ Equestria.”

With the younger members, they were at the part where they were running around the trees. They tossed aside their cloth wraps and were separate from each other. Apple Bloom found herself getting dizzy first.

“Whoa~” Apple Bloom said. “So dizzy…” She then collapsed on the ground.

“Ya okay, AB?” she said, helping up her cousin.

“Ah will be when the world stops spinnin’,” Apple Bloom said.

“While ya recover,” Babs said. “Ah guess ah can tell ya that our Manehattan branch o’ the Cutie Mark Crusaders has been going well.”

“That’s great,” Apple Bloom said while still a bit dizzy.

“Thanks,” Babs said. “Wind Sprint n’ Lilymoon have still kept me afloat. But, ah’m gettin’ bedda.”

“Ah’m glad ta hear that,” Apple Bloom smiled. She had recovered from her dizziness. “Okay, ah’m good.”

The younger members began the plate spinning part of the race.

“Pappy Pony picked a pluck of prickly pluffnuggets!” they said, slightly out of sync. They kept repeating until their tongues started to feel numb.

“Ah camph feel mah thongue,” Babs said with her tongue out.

“Me neither,” Apple Bloom said.

Applejack was watching the activities from overhead. She saw how tired everypony was looking. Suddenly, a great wave of guilt washed over her.

“Alright, y’all,” she said into the megaphone. “Y’all can take a breather.”

The collective sighs of relief could be heard all the way from where she was.

“What am ah doin’?” Applejack sighed. “Here ah am tryin’ ta make a memorable family reunion. But, now everypony’s so tired that they can barely think. Caramel was right, ah really am goin’ overboard with this. How does Granny Smith deal with this every reunion?” Applejack went down to go talk to her. By this time, Granny had caught her breath. The elder mare noticed.

“Ah know that look,” Granny said. “That’s the look o’ a pony who’s in need o’ advise. What’s troublin’ ya?”

“How dya manage these reunions?” Applejack asked. “Ah’m just makin’ everypony tired.”

“Oh, Applejack,” Granny said. “Ah learned that ya don’t need ta do too much ta make family reunions memorable. What’s most important is the fact that everypony came tagether with each other n’ have some wholesome fun, good viddles, n’ enjoyin’ pleasant conversation. Since everypony came here, have ya had a chance ta chat with any o’ yer visitin’ relatives?”

Applejack thought a bit about that. “Ah… ah guess ah hadn’t. Ah was so focused on everypony havin’ a good time.”

“Well, that’s yer problem right there,” Granny said. “Ya also got ta let yerself have fun n make sure ya get the time ta spend with the family.”

“Guess it’s just as well ah didn’t start up that hayride ta the western orchard,” Applejack said.

“The western orchard?” Granny said. “Boy howdy, we haven’t tended ta that side o’ the farm ever since the fruit bats n’ vampire fruit bats moved in. Thank goodness Fluttershy told me that they help with spreadin’ apple seeds ‘round n’ help ‘em grow.”

“Yeah,” Applejack said with a chuckle. “Ta think ah considered starvin’ ‘em ‘til Fluttershy stepped in. Can ya imagine if ah actually ignored a pony who knew more ‘bout critters’n ah do? Er went with an option ta let Twilight get Fluttershy ta damage her eyes so she can cast a spell on the bats that backfires n’ turns Fluttershy inta a thestral, which makes her a bigger problem than the vampire fruit bats ever were? That'd be so stupid.”****

The two shared a quick chuckle.

“Anyway,” Granny said. “Now that ya figgered out yer mistake with this, what’re ya goin’ ta do now?”

“Ta be honest,” Applejack said. “Ah’m still figgerin’ that part out.”

“Well, that’s–” Granny Smith began before something occurred to her. “Wait, turn Fluttershy inta a what now?”

“Thestral,” Applejack said. “‘Member those guards with Princess Luna durin’ Nightmare Night last year?”

“Oh, yeah,” Granny nodded. “Even as ah was driftin’ ta sleep, ah ‘member them. Wonder how they got them bat-like wings n’ fangs?”

“From what the princess said,” Applejack explained. “That’s ‘cause the first o’ their kin had a dragon pa n’ a pegasus ma.”

Granny nodded in an intrigued manner. It was about this time when the other Apple Family members regained themselves. Half-Baked Apple leaned against a hay cart, which rolled into the main barn and crashed into it, demolishing the structure. The Apples gasped in shock.

“Ah, no!” Half-Baked Apple gasped. “What have ah done?!”

Applejack tried, but, she could barely hold back her tears.

“Some family reunion this turned out ta be,” she sobbed. “Now we can’t take the big family photo in front o’ the barn. Ah guess ah did make this a memorable family reunion… memorable in the fact that this is the worst family reunion ever.”

“It ain’t over yet,” Granny Smith said. “Long as the sun’s still up n’ everypony’s able-bodied, the reunion’ll turn into a real memorable one fer all the right reasons.”

At that moment, Caramel came out of one of the cellars. He saw the remains of the barn. “What the heck happened?!”

“It’s a long story,” Applejack said. “Caramel, ah wanted ta apologize to ya. Ah went overboard. Now, we can’t take the photo in front o’ the barn this reunion.” Then, she had an idea. “Wait… maybe we can!” She addressed the others. “Ah got one more activity, everypony!”

“Wait,” Granny said with a slight touch of suspicion. “Ah thought ya said ya were done with activities.”

“Trust me,” Applejack said. “This’ll be ‘membered fer the right reasons.”

“There’s the Applejack I know and love,” Caramel smiled.

With that, Applejack initiated a country musical song.

“Yeehoo!

Raise this barn, raise this barn~
One, two, three, four~
Tagether, we can raise this barn~
One, two, three, four~

Up, up, up go the beams~
Hammer those joints, work in teams~
Turn ‘em ‘round quick by the right elbow,
Grab a new partner, here we go~

Come on, Apple Family! Let’s get to it! Woohoo!”

The song continued as building materials were gathered.

“Raise this barn, raise this barn~
One, two, three, four~
Tagether, we can raise this barn~
One, two, three, four~

Finish the frame, recyclin’ wood~
Workin' hard, yer doin' good~
Turn 'em ‘round quick by the right elbow~
Grab a new partner, here we go~

Raise this barn, raise this barn~
One, two, three, four~
Tagether, we can raise this barn~
One, two, three, four~

Slats o’ wood come off the ground~
Hold em’ up n’ nail it down~
Turn ‘em ‘round quick by the left elbow~
Grab yer partner, here we go~!

Come on, Apples! Git er done!”

“Look at us, we’re family~” Apple Bloom sang.

“Workin’ tagether, thankfully~” Applejack sang.

“We Apples, we are proud ta say~” Apple Bloom continued.

“Stick tagether the pony way~” both sisters sang.

“Bow ta yer partner, circle right~
Get down if yer scared o’ heights~
Forward, back, n’ twirl around~
That barn’s sure ta be the best in town~” Applejack sang.

As everyone worked, they danced and whooped happily. Finally, this was an activity they could get behind. They all joined in.

“Raise this barn, raise this barn~
One, two, three, four~
Tagether, we can raise this barn~
One, two, three four~”

Applejack then had a solo.

“Take yer brushes, young n’ old~
Tagether, paint it bright n’ bold~
Turn ‘em ‘round quick by the right elbow~
Grab a new partner, here we go~”

Finally, the job was finished. It was a lot of hard work, but, everypony was satisfied with the results. They were proud of their efforts, especially since they all spent time together. They sang one more verse.

“We raised this barn, we raised this barn~
Yes, we did~
Tagether, we sure raised this barn~
Yes, we did~

Bein’ tagether counts the most~
We all came here from coast ta coast~
All we need ta strive ta be~
Is part o’ the Apple family~

Yeah!”

After the last word, the family photo was taken. Everyone smiled their best smiles. Even Caramel, who wasn’t an official member of the Apple Family, managed to smile brightly.

For the rest of the reunion, the family members went about chatting with each other. They chatted, gave each other advice, and shared good-natured laughter with one another. One member, Citrus, tried to bond with her family, but, her efforts were awkward. Her husband, however, made less of an effort.

“Come on, Mostly,” Citrus said. “I’m on bad terms with my family as it is. Since Babs built a stronger connection with Apple Bloom, we should do the same. I’ve missed my sibling’s weddings and the funeral of one of my brothers in addition to several family reunions. My own mother accused me of not caring about my own family and considered disowning me.”

Mostly, hearing this, suddenly felt bad. So, slowly but surely, he did try to get acquainted with them. Along the way, he came across his son, Braeburn.

“Howdy, pa,” Braeburn said. His voice carried neither bitterness nor spite. Only enthusiasm. Mostly was caught by surprise by this.

“Uh…” Mostly said with a slight hesitation. “H-hello, Braeburn. How is life in Appleloosa?”

“Where do ah begin?” Braeburn said. “Why, we started a peace pact with a tribe o’ buffalo ‘bout a year ago n’ it’s still goin’ strong. We finished the hospital a couple months back.”

“Oh,” Mostly said in a genuinely intrigued tone. “That does sound interesting. Maybe Citrus, your sisters, and I could come visit someday.” Then, after giving it some thought, he said, “Contrariwise, you can also come visit us in Manehattan.”

“Well, that sounds good ta me!” Braeburn said. “Ah really missed seein’ Babs all these years. Ah was glad ta introduce Sunny Cherry ta her, so ah’d love any chance ta spend the day with Babs. Ah heard she’s been actin’ up ta cope with how much she misses me.”

“Big brada,” Babs said.

“Hey, little sis,” Braeburn said, turning his attention towards her.

“It’s true,” Babs said.

“Doncha worry, Babs,” Braeburn said. “Ah may have a busy life back home, but, ah promise ah’ll make an effort ta see ya more often. There’s always room in mah life fer mah family. ‘Course, ma n’ pa payin’ ya more mind wouldn’t hurt neither.”

Together, the two siblings embraced caringly.*****

Soon, it was time for the non-Ponyville Apples to leave.

“That really was a great reunion,” Apple Bloom said happily to Babs. “Ah’m so glad we could hang out again.”

“Ditto,” Babs said. “Ah can’t wait for da next time I see ya.”

“Me, neither,” Apple Bloom smiled. “Ah’m hopin’ we can get tagether before the next family reunion.”

“Maybe next time,” Babs said. “Ah’ll bring Lilymoon n’ Wind Sprint, too.”

“Ah’d like that,” Apple Bloom said. “N’ ah’ll bring Scootaloo n’ Sweetie Belle. Oh, can’t ferget Spike.”

Applejack and Granny Smith watched while cleaning dishes.

“Aww, it’s great ta see ‘em plannin’ times ta spend tagether,” Applejack smiled. “N’ with good friends, too.”

“Sure is,” Granny said. “N’ it’s thanks ta yer efforts, Applejack. Ah can guarantee yer parents would be proud.”

“Thanks, Granny,” Applejack smiled. “But, ah couldn’t a’ done it without yer help er Caramel’s help.”

“Though, one thing still bugs me,” Granny Smith said. “How’d ya get them sewin’ machines?”

“Oh,” Applejack said. “Ah talked Rarity inta lettin’ me borrow ‘em.”

“Ah, that makes sense,” Granny nodded.

That night, Granny Smith and Apple Bloom were putting together the photo album of the events of this year’s family reunion. Big Mac was lounging in a chair after a long day’s work and Caramel and Applejack were seated together on a cushion. Applejack was making out her report to Princess Celestia.

“Dear Princess Celestia,

Ah’m writin’ about a little lesson ah learned about family, which, when ya think about it, is really the first group o’ friends ya ever make. Turns out that when yer with the folks ya care ‘bout, ya don’t have ta do much ta make that time meanin’gful. Even the simplest activities can take on a whole lot o’ meanin’. Overtime, ya’ll find that ya remember the who long after ya forgot the what.

Yer humble subject,
Applejack”

“Off ta have Spike send yer letter?” Granny Smith asked.

“No,” Applejack said. “He’d be asleep by now. Ah’ll go tamorra.”

“Speaking of being asleep,” Caramel said after a yawn escaped his throat. “I think we should turn in, too. We had a pretty big day today.”

Applejack could only agree.

End of chapter.

Author's Note

Here's the next chapter. Sorry for the delay.

*Legit questions.

**Yet another legit question.

***Reference:

****This is for those who missed the multiple times I said Bats! won't be adapted.

*****This may not add to the plot of the chapter, but, it gives closure between Mostly and Braeburn.

For those interested, I made an Apple Family tree. Click here to see.

Now, a bit of an announcement: I was informed by the main co-writer (Blake) that she'll be going on a family vacation next Friday. Hopefully, we can finish work on the next chapter before then, but, even if we do, the chapter afterwards will be delayed until further notice.

If you liked this chapter, feel free to contact me via private messages if you'd like to help make future chapters.

Chapter 9: Spike at Your Service (S3:E9)

My Little Pony: Nine Elements

Book 3

Written by Brandon Nell, Rachael Ravens, and Blake Hawkins

Chapter 9: Spike at Your Service

Two days after the Apple Family reunion, Spike was busy counting a stack of books that had been mailed to Twilight just a few days ago. "Six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve," he said as he counted each book one by one.

“It’s impressive, isn’t it,” Twilight said. “And Princess Celestia wants me to read and report about all of them.”

“That’s a tall order,” Spike said. “Even for you.”

“Indeed,” Twilight said. “But, if I focus on one book at a time, I should be able to get all of them done. Thank goodness we already finished our chores for the day.” She then discreetly hid some documents. “These’ll keep me busy for a while. Why don’t you take the day off and help out our friends?”*

“Sure, why not,” Spike said.

“I don’t want you going near the Everfree Forest,” Twilight said. “It’s Timberwolf mating season there. Applejack told me that some were spotted near Sweet Apple Acres recently.”

“Okay, thanks, Mom,” Spike said. “I’ll see you later.” Then, a thought occurred to him. “Wait, aren’t Timberwolves living bundles of wood in the shape of wolves?”

“Their method of mating is a bit more complicated,” Twilight said. “Though, you may have to talk to Applejack or Fluttershy about this. They know more about them than I do.”

“If they’re made of wood,” Spike asked. “Why do I have to worry about them?”

“Your scales are soft for a dragon your age,” Twilight said. “So, they can be punctured more easily with enough force. If anything happened to you out there while I’m unable to protect you, I'd be devastated. You know how much I love you, right?”

Spike took all of this in and felt Twilight’s sincerity. “I do know that and I love you, too, Mom,” he said. “Okay, for both of our sakes, I will be careful.”

“Please come back unharmed, Spike,” Twilight said. “I came close to losing you for good at the Crystal Empire. I don't want anymore scares like that."

“I’ll be with our friends,” Spike said. “I know they can keep me safe. Okay, I’m off now.”

As soon as Spike was out, Twilight turned her attention to the documents.

“It’s time to finally get this done,” Twilight said. “I’m finally going to give Spike the one thing he wanted more than anything else.”

Outside, Spike felt the good weather on his scales. He stretched a bit to loosen up.

“Okay,” he said aloud to himself. “If I’m going to hang out with everypony else, how am I going to decide who I hang out with first?” He reached into his loose scales and pulled out a scroll listing the names of the other Guardians of Harmony. “Hmm, let’s see. Rarity? No, too obvious a first choice. Fluttershy? Hmm. Well, I’ve been missing a couple tea parties with her lately. Maybe this visit can make up for it.” So, Spike headed for Fluttershy’s cottage.

He was walking casually along, enjoying the fresh air and good weather. He was blissfully unaware that a supernatural entity was watching him.

Soon, he arrived at Fluttershy’s cottage, where the canary pegasus was tending to the animals in her care.

“You’re very welcome, Primrose,” she said to a grateful rabbit. She then saw Spike. “Oh, hello, Spike,” she said in a pleasantly surprised tone. “It’s lovely to see you.”

“Ditto,” Spike said. “My mom gave me the day off so I can help you and the other Guardians.”

“Ah, I see,” Fluttershy said. “You’re welcome to help me. I’ve been tending to these animals and I see a groundhog and a squirrel who could use some assistance. But, you can only help with one job. We don’t want you overworking yourself again after your greed rampage.”

“Since I’m doing this to help one friend,” Spike said. “I should be okay. Plus, you’re also doing your part. After we’re finished, we could wash up and have some tea.”

“Sounds good to me,” Fluttershy said.

So, the two looked after the animals together. Fluttershy made sure to keep Angel and Spike separated at a lengthy distance. Unknown to them, the supernatural entity watching Spike summoned a cockatrice from the Everfree forest and sent it after them. Spike had just finished brushing a skunk’s tail into a smoother look when he thought he heard something.

“Huh?” he exclaimed as he listened carefully. “What was that?” He turned his head and saw the cockatrice. He gasped in surprise and backed away from the creature. “Fluttershy!”

Fluttershy heard Spike’s outburst and turned her attention to see what was going on. She saw the cockatrice approaching him and she gasped.

“Oh, no, you don’t!” she said with determination.

Before she could get close, the skunk released its musk at the cockatrice. The cockatrice squawked in disgust and backed away from the offensive eye-stinging aroma. Fluttershy quickly scooped Spike up in her front hooves.

“Spike!” she said. “Are you alright?”

“I am thanks to that skunk,” Spike said before noticing how high up he was and burying his face into Fluttershy’s chest in a panic while grabbing onto her tightly.

Fluttershy noticed and gently set Spike back on the ground. “I’m sorry,” she said. “Thank you for helping Spike, Wetherby.” However, they noticed that Wetherby had petrified legs. Fluttershy gasped. “Oh dear! I’ll have to see to that cockatrice that she cancels your petrification.”

Spike freed himself from Fluttershy’s chest and saw the cockatrice headed towards Ponyville.

“Boy,” he said to himself. “When Fluttershy gets right down to it, she can be really brave.” Then, a realization hit him. “We can’t let that cockatrice get into town! Oh, but, I promised Mom that I wouldn’t go near the Everfree Forest.”

“Don’t worry about that, Spike,” Fluttershy said. “You just help me stop her from reaching town. I’ll herd her back into the forest.”

“Right,” Spike nodded. “There’s no time to lose!”

Together, the two went after the cockatrice. The creature made eye-contact with a few animals along the way, but, the two noticed that the petrification wouldn’t complete.

“I thought petrification was complete and instantaneous,” Spike said. “How come they don’t finish up?”

“Cockatrices have to keep their eyes open for the petrification to complete,” Fluttershy said. “Blinking even once can interrupt the process.”

“Maybe when Wetherby sprayed the cockatrice,” Spike figured aloud. “It caused her eyes to be bothered. This leads her to blink to dull the pain.” He then had an idea. “Fluttershy, get me in front of the cockatrice!”

“What?!” Fluttershy gasped.

“Trust me,” Spike said. “I have a plan!”

Fluttershy was reluctant, but, she remembered that most of Spike’s ideas worked in the past, so, she decided to trust him. So, she helped him to get in front of the cockatrice. As she did, Spike pulled out his scrying mirror. Once in front of the cockatrice, he held it in front of his face before she gazed at it, petrifying her legs. She squawked in shock. She tried to run, but, her legs were too stiff. That was when Fluttershy began to comprehend Spike’s plan.

Oh, I see, she thought to herself. If the cockatrice can’t move, she can’t petrify any pony or any creature. With her blinking, she can’t completely petrify herself, meaning she could still be able to undo the petrification she’s already done. What a clever little dragon.

Fluttershy then confronted the cockatrice.

“Now, you listen here, young lady!” she said in a sharp tone of voice. “You ought to be ashamed of yourself for petrifying other animals! Now, we’ll take you back so you can release who you already partially petrified. When you're done, we’ll make sure you are turned back to normal and I can wash your eyes. But, you must not petrify other creatures without a justifiable reason. Understand?”

The cockatrice, seeing no other alternative, nodded.

“Thank you,” Fluttershy said kindly. “Okay, Spike.”

Spike, careful not to make eye contact with the cockatrice, picked the creature up by the petrified legs. They then went back and the cockatrice was able to undo the petrification spell she put on those she came across. She undid her own petrification last.

“We all good, Fluttershy?” Spike asked.

“Yes, we’re good,” Fluttershy nodded. “I’ll take things from here. Thank you for your help, Spike. It was very brave of you to use your scrying mirror against her.” She nuzzled the little dragon’s head.

“Anything to help,” Spike said modestly. “Well, I’ll see you later.” And he headed off.

After a while, he decided to go help Applejack. The farm mare smiled as she saw Spike approach.

“Howdy, Spike,” she said, tilting her stetson. “What brings ya out here?”

“My mom gave me the day off so I can help out the other guardians,” Spike explained. “I already helped out Fluttershy.”

“Ah see,” Applejack said. She sniffed lightly. “Uh, but, b’fore ya can help me with anythin’, ah think a quick tomater juice bath oughta be the first thing on the list.”

Spike took a sniff under his arm and cringed. “No argument there. But, do you even have tomatoes here?”

“We sure as sugar do,” Applejack answered. “We also got carrots, celery stalks, cabbages, corn, wheat, n’ even pumpkins.”

“Good to know,” Spike said.

“If’n ya want,” Applejack offered. “We can do it in a barn ta give ya privacy.”

“Sure, thanks,” Spike nodded.

Soon, Applejack was helping to give Spike a bath in tomato juice, finding scrubbing Spike’s scales a bit of a challenge. After some time, the skunk smell was washed off and Spike was rinsing himself off with warm water. Applejack helped dry areas his arms could reach. Suddenly, she touched a particular scale on Spike’s back that caused him to stiffen up and go limp like a pleasured puppy.

“Whoa!” Applejack gasped. “Are ya alright?”

“Yeah,” Spike answered. “You just touched an inverted scale.”

“Oh, ah see,” Applejack said. “What do ah do?”

“It’s okay,” Spike reassured. “I can already feel my muscle control returning.”

“Ah, that’s good,” Applejack said.

Spike got himself back up again. “So, now that that’s taken care of, how can I help you?”

“Well,” Applejack said. “Ah was fixin’ ta make an apple pie fer Rarity.”

“Baking sounds good,” Spike said. “I’ve had a bit of practice.”

“That’s true,” Applejack said, remembering that Spike helped Mr. and Mrs. Cake to bake at Sugarcube Corner.

“Though, is it okay if I use the oven?” Spike asked. “I tried making pies with my fire breath, but, I was left kind of winded afterwards.”

“Yeah, that’s alright with me,” Applejack nodded. “It’d be much safer, too.”

So, while they made the pie, the supernatural entity summoned creatures made up of a viscous substance that began converging on them.

“And the timer’s set,” Spike said. “Now, we just wait for the baking to finish.”

“Yup,” Applejack nodded.

Suddenly, Spike’s ear fronds twitched. “Wait, I can hear something.”

Applejack turned her attention to listen. She heard the sound of liquid sloshing. “What is that?”

“Well, I know it can’t be your stomach,” Spike said. “It’s too quiet. And it can’t be mine since I had some tea and cookies with Fluttershy.”

“It sounds like it’s comin’ from this way,” Applejack said, following the sound. They looked out the window and saw the viscous liquid creatures approaching. “What the hay?!”

“Slimes!” Spike exclaimed.

“Slimes?!” Applejack gasped. “What do we do?!”

“We have to keep them from reaching your trees!” Spike said. “They can dissolve plants by touching them!”

“What’s the plan?!” Applejack asked.

“Grab as many empty jars as you can!” Spike said.

“Right!” Applejack saluted as she started grabbing empty jars.

The two rushed out and began using the jars to contain the smaller slimes. However, some merged together to make slimes too big to fit in a jar.

“Uh-oh!” Spike yelped.

Suddenly, one of the large slimes extended a pseudopod into a barrel full of excess rain water and stuck another into Applejack’s mouth. In seconds, the farm mare’s barrel started inflating like a water balloon. On impulse, Spike reached into his loose scales and pulled out a salt shaker before throwing it at the slime. The creature gurgled in what could only be described as pain as the pseudopod sticking into Applejack’s mouth dissolved.

“Thanks,” Applejack wheezed, coughing out excess salt.

“I think we just found the solution, Applejack!” Spike said.

“Huh?” Applejack said. “The salt?”

She threw some of the salt she coughed up at another of the larger slimes, which gurgled in pain before melting.

“Yer right!” Applejack said. “Ah got more salt in the storeroom!”

Spike quickly ran to the storeroom and grabbed some salt. He threw small pinches of salt at the slimes, being careful to avoid salting the ground so plants couldn’t grow. Applejack also did her part to help Spike. Though, she was a bit hindered from pangs in her liquid-filled belly. After a while, the slimes had dissolved. Their liquid remains were stored in jars.

“Well,” Spike said. “That took a while.”

“Yeah,” Applejack said before groaning and holding her belly.

“What’s wrong?” Spike asked.

“That slime filled mah belly with too much water too fast,” Applejack said as she rubbed her belly. “It ain’t sittin’ well.”

“I think I might have an idea,” Spike said.

“Ah’ll try anythin’,” Applejack said.

“I need you to lay down on your back,” Spike said.

Applejack complied and laid down on her back. Spike stepped back a bit before getting close and performing a cannon ball on Applejack’s belly, forcing the liquid out her mouth like a gusher. Applejack coughed out the excess drops of water.

“Yer idea worked, Spike,” Applejack said.

“Did I hurt you?” Spike asked.

“Don’t fret, sugarcube,” Applejack said. “Ah got a bit o’ natural paddin’ from years o’ apple treats.”

“Ah, that’s good,” Spike said. At that moment, the timer went off.

“Ah, the pie’s ready,” Applejack said. “Come on inside, Spike.”

After removing the pie from the oven, they made their way to Carousel Boutique. Spike politely knocked on the front door. Rarity opened the top half.

“Ah, hello,” she greeted. “Hello, Spike. Hello, Applejack. I see you both decided to deliver the pie. I’ll let you two in.” She opened the bottom half and looked at the pie. “Ooh, looks heavenly.”

“I helped bake it,” Spike said with humble pride.

“Knowing that is going to make the pie taste all the sweeter,” Rarity said in a flattering manner. She used her magic to cut it up and take a bite. It was by far the best pie she’d tasted in some time. “Mmm~ it is absolutely divine~!”

“Uh, Rarity,” Spike said. “Is it okay if I use your bathroom?”

“Of course you may,” Rarity said, swallowing her bite. As soon as Spike left, she turned her attention to Applejack. “So, why, pray tell, is Spike not helping out Twilight?”

“She gave him the day off,” Applejack said. “He’s usin’ it ta help the rest o’ the Guardians out. ‘Fore me, he helped Fluttershy.”

“Interesting,” Rarity said. “Although I am appreciative of both his and your efforts, I do wish he would take the opportunity to really relax. It is his day off after all.”

“Well,” Applejack said. “Doin’ one job should be fine so he don’t overwork himself. Though, our job got interrupted by slimes attackin’.”

“Slimes?” Rarity gasped. “That sounds dreadful!”

“Yer tellin’ me,” Applejack said. “One drank water from a rain barrel n’ turned me inta a water balloon.”

“Oh my,” Rarity said. “I can’t imagine that awful taste.”

“Actually,” Applejack said. “It tasted like fresh water. Though, when Spike threw a salt shaker at it, it tasted like salt water.”

“Salt?” Rarity asked. “Oh, is that the slimes’ weakness?”

“Must be,” Applejack said. “Soon as it touched a slime, it started meltin’ like an ice statue on a hot day.”

“I see,” Rarity said. “These slimes must be like a more powerful version of slugs and snails, needing moisture to survive.”

“Well, they’re mostly liquid anyhow,” Applejack said. “So, it makes sense. Before the salt, we trapped smaller slimes in jars.”

“I see,” Rarity said. “What are you going to do with the jarred slimes?”

“Don’t rightly know,” Applejack shrugged. “Ah reckon ah may as well ask Zecora what ah should do with ‘em.”

“Alright,” Rarity nodded. At that moment, Spike approached the mares.

“Thanks, Rarity,” Spike said. “I couldn’t help but overhear you discussing what to do with slimes.”

“Yeah,” Applejack said. “Did ya have a better idea?”

“Well,” Spike answered. “Zecora told me that you can feed slimes various fruits, vegetables, cheese, meat, and even fish when the slimes are alive to make them into flavored jams and jellies.”

“Some of those flavor ideas sound intriguing,” Rarity said.

“I’ve tried grape slime jelly visiting Zecora once,” Spike nodded. “It’s actually quite good on toast. I couldn’t even tell the difference from regular grape jelly.”

“Ah see,” Applejack said. “So, if ah fed some slimes apples, they could be made inta apple jam?”

“In theory, yes,” Spike answered. “Though, word of advice, making them into jams and jellies while they’re alive can be a hassle.”

“Understandable,” Rarity said. “Now, Applejack tells me Twilight gave you the day off to help the rest of the Guardians out?”

“That’s right,” Spike said. “Mom was given 12 books to read and report on. And since she and I already finished the chores for the day, she told me I had the day off.”

“Well,” Rarity said. “I’m having a rather slow business day today, so, what would you say to a gem hunt?”

“Sure,” Spike said. “We haven’t done that in a while.”

“I wouldn’t want you working too much on your day off,” Rarity said, rubbing the top of his head.

“Ah’ll let ya two get ta that,” Applejack smiled. “Ah got ta get back ta Sweet Apple Acres anyway, but, it was great spendin’ time with ya, Spike.”

“Ditto,” Spike said.

On the way to a spot to find gems, Spike rode on Rarity’s back when he had a puzzled look on his face. Rarity noticed.

“Is something on your mind?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Spike said. “I remembered Zecora telling me that slimes were territorial creatures that thrive in places like dungeons, caves, sewers, or swamps. I don’t think Sweet Apple Acres is near any of those.”

“Hmm, that is true,” Rarity said. “It would be strange for slimes to be at Sweet Apple Acres with the information given.”

“So, the only question is, where exactly did they come from?” Spike pondered. “Same with that cockatrice when I helped Fluttershy.”

“Cockatrice?” Rarity asked.

“Yeah,” Spike said. “They usually stay in the Everfree Forest.”

“It’s true, from what Fluttershy told me,” Rarity said. “That is truly bizarre.”

Neither suspected that the same supernatural entity was spying on them. With a flash, a bulky, bipedal being made of gray metallic shards came into existence.

Rarity and Spike were having a picnic lunch, with Rarity having a veggie sandwich and Spike having gems they harvested, when suddenly, the ground started to tremor.

“Whoa!” they exclaimed.

“Is it an earthquake?!” Rarity gasped.

Spike looked around. “Worse!”

Rarity turned her attention and saw the giant bulky bipedal being.

“What is that?!” Rarity exclaimed.

“A metal golem!” Spike answered.

“What do we do?!” Rarity quivered.

“From what Zecora told me,” Spike said. “Golems don’t typically attack unless provoked.” The golem turned its right arm into a blunt weapon. “Unless they’re created specifically with combat in mind!” The two dodged the golem’s strike just in time.

Rarity panted with a mixture of fright and slight weariness from the dodge. “Looks like this is a case of that!”

“Right!” Spike panted. “But, as scared as we both are, we’ll have to keep a level head about this.”

“Has Zecora told you if they have any weaknesses?” Rarity asked.

“Well,” Spike said. “The best way to defeat a golem of any kind is to destroy its core.”

“Seems like an ‘easier said than done’ situation,” Rarity said. “But, we must try!”

The golem got ready for another attack. Rarity, while backing away, focused her Mystic Eyes on the golem, looking for any signs of a weakness in the golem’s body. Her Mystic Eyes highlighted a circular spot in the center of the golem’s chest. She focused a magical blast at the spot, knocking the golem back a bit and leaving a burn mark where the blast struck.

“Spike,” Rarity said. “I think I found the core!”

“Awesome, Rarity!” Spike said. He then focused his fire breath on the burn mark, turning the golem red hot and melting a hole in the chest, revealing a glowing red sphere.

“Bravo, Spike!” Rarity said.

“Don’t congratulate me yet!” Spike said as he drew his sword and jumped for the sphere. Once close enough, he thrust his sword into the sphere, shattering it like glass. The golem’s movement ceased and its body collapsed into lifeless metal fragments. Rarity was able to catch Spike before he could fall to the ground, careful of the sword he was wielding. She hugged him tightly.

“Oh, Spike~!” she said warmly. “You were ever so brave!”

“Thanks, Rarity,” Spike said modestly. “But, don’t forget that you were amazing, too.”

She kissed his forehead. Spike couldn’t help but blush about that.

“I think you’ve helped me quite enough,” Rarity said. “Don’t want you to tire yourself out.”

“I’m glad I could spend time with you,” Spike said. “See you later, Rarity.”

Spike later walked into town and saw that the last two options were Pinkie and Rainbow.

“Between the two of them,” he said aloud to himself. “How do I choose who I spend my time with next?” He didn’t have to wonder long when he suddenly found himself playfully tackled by Pinkie. “Oof!”

“Hiya, Spike!” Pinkie said. “Fluttershy told me Twilight gave you the day off to help the rest of the Guardians.”

“Yeah, that’s right,” said Spike when he could find his breath.

“Who’s left on the list?” Pinkie asked.

“You and Rainbow,” Spike answered.

“In that case, I don’t think you need to worry about helping Rainbow,” Pinkie considered. “Her job is taking care of the weather. You can’t fly and you’re afraid of heights.”

“That’s true,” Spike said. “So, how can I help you, Pinkie?”

“Well,” Pinkie replied. “I was on my way to pick some wild berries for a recipe I’m trying out.”

“That I can help you with,” Spike said. “I’ll just need to wash my claws. Rarity and I were on a gem hunt earlier and had to deal with a metal golem.”

“A metal golem?” Pinkie asked.

“It’s like a regular stone golem,” Spike explained. “Only made of metal. That one seemed to be made specifically with combat in mind.”

“Weird that it would face off against you and Rarity specifically,” Pinkie said. “I mean, I don’t think you would do anything to bother the golem, so, why would it want to attack you guys?”

“I don’t know,” Spike confessed. “Today, it’s been one territorial creature attack after another.”

“That’s weird,” Pinkie said. “Hope it doesn’t happen again. Not just today, but, ever again.”

While picking wild berries, Spike and Pinkie were unaware of the same supernatural entity summoning a manticore.

“So, what’s the recipe you’re going to work on with these berries?” Spike asked.

“Mixed berry cupcakes,” Pinkie said. “I want you to be the first to try it.”

“Aww, thanks,” Spike smiled. He then spotted something. “Uh, Pinkie, remember how I told you it’s been one territorial creature attack after another today?”

“Yeah, why?” Pinkie asked. Suddenly, she felt her knees get pinchy upon her from her Pinkie Sense. “Oh, that’s why.” She turned around to see the manticore. “Isn’t that Manny Roar or is this a different manticore?”

“I don’t know and I’m not exactly eager to find out!” Spike responded.

“Good idea!” Pinkie yelped. She grabbed him and the berries and ran as quickly as she could. “We got to get to safety!”

Spike saw that the manticore was following them.

“The manticore’s on our tail!” Spike said. “As in, it’s following us!”

“We can’t lead it into town!” Pinkie cried.

“Right!” Spike said. “Lead it towards the Everfree Forest!”

“Got it!” Pinkie said.

So, Pinkie, with Spike on her back, bolted towards the Everfree Forest with the manticore still chasing them. She then leapt into a nearby tree that the manticore crashed its head into, knocking Spike onto its back.

“Oof!” Spike coughed. He quickly became aware of where he was and jumped off in a panic.

“Whoops!” Pinkie yelped. “Sorry, Spike!”

“Sorry doesn’t really help right now!” Spike said as he started running with the manticore in pursuit.

“Oh, no, you don’t, Mister or Miss Manticore!” Pinkie growled. And she ran ahead of the manticore, scooping up Spike and helping him onto her back.

“I have an idea, Pinkie!” Spike said.

“What is it?” Pinkie asked, still running.

“You see that hole in that tree?” Spike pointed out.

“Yeah,” Pinkie said.

“It looks like you could fit through,” Spike explained. “But, not the manticore.”

“Ooh~” Pinkie nodded. “I’m picking up what you’re putting down~”

And she ran towards the hole in the aforementioned tree. She deliberately wiggled her plump rear to entice the pursuing manticore.

“Yoo-hoo~” she taunted. “Over here~!”

The manticore took the bait and followed Pinkie to the tree. Pinkie was able to squeeze in through the hole in the tree, but, the manticore found itself lodged in.

“Nice use of your…” Spike started before trailing off, trying to avoid mentioning fat.

“It’s okay, Spike,” Pinkie said. “You can call it fat.”

“Oh, okay,” Spike said. “All the same, nice work. Hopefully after it takes some time to cool off, some creature will rescue the manticore.”

After Spike climbed down, Pinkie turned to face the manticore.

“You big bully!” Pinkie said and immaturely blew a raspberry in its face. The manticore snapped its jaws, nearly taking Pinkie’s tongue with it.** “Yipe! Note to self: never taunt a creature with really big teeth up close!” She then took Spike out of the forest.

“Now that that’s over,” Spike said. “Let’s head back to Sugarcube Corner where it’s safer.”

Pinkie’s belly gave a deep rumbling noise. “Good idea,” she said. “All that running around made me hungry.”

Spike’s stomach gave a similar gurgle. “Me too,” he admitted.

After making the cupcakes, Spike had the first sample.

“Whoa~” Spike said after swallowing his biteful. “This is really delicious!”

Pinkie took a sample as well.

“Hey, that is delicious!” Pinkie said. “I’d say this recipe is a success.” She then noticed Spike seemed a bit drowsy. “Looks like you could use some rest. How about I take you home?”

“Thanks anyway,” Spike replied. “I can manage.”

On his way back, Spike felt the fatigue starting to get to him. The next thing he knew, he bumped into Rainbow Dash from behind.

“Huh?” Rainbow turned around to see Spike. “Oh, hi, Spike. Whoa, you look like you’re about to pass out. Are you okay?”

“Well, I was given the day off to help out the other Guardians,” Spike wearily answered. “But, then, each time I helped on, a normally territorial creature attacked. First, a cockatrice. Then, slimes. Then, a metal golem. And more recently, a manticore.”

“Whoa, that would even wear me out,” Rainbow admitted. “What you need is some good old-fashioned relaxation. Luckily, I know some places on the ground that are super relaxing.” She lowered herself so Spike could climb on. “I won’t even need to fly to take you there.”

Spike carefully climbed onto the prismatic-maned pegasus and clamped on with a vice-like grip. Rainbow walked towards the lake with the swing. Once there, she let Spike down gently.

“Let the chill atmosphere of this melt your troubles away,” Rainbow said.

Spike relaxed when suddenly, something occurred to him. “I just realized something.”

“What’s that?” Rainbow asked.

Spike explained while counting on his claws. “Cockatrice, slime, metal golem, manticore. Each creature name starts with the last syllable of the one before.”

Rainbow took a moment to hear what Spike had said. “Huh,” Rainbow said. “That is weird.”

“The way things have been today,” Spike added. “The next creature to attack us will likely start with ‘r.’”

“Well, if it attacks,” Rainbow said. “I’ll make it sorry that it came towards you. And I’m not just saying that because Twilight would chew me out if I let it happen.”

“I get that,” Spike said. “Though, it wouldn’t be good to just hit something blindly. It helps to have a plan.”

“The only creature I can think of that starts with r is rabbit,” Rainbow said. “And those aren’t really a threat to a dragon.”

“That’s true,” Spike said. “But, there are other creatures. Ravens, rooks, rock golems, or…” He trailed off as he looked to the distance.

“Or what?” Rainbow asked.

“A rompo…” Spike squeaked.

“A what now?” Rainbow asked, looking at what Spike was looking at. She saw a creature with the head and mouth of a hare, the ears of a primate, a mane, a slender body approximately three hooves in length, a long tail ending in a hairy brush, the front feet of a badger, and the rear feet of a bear.*** “What the hay?!”

“Those creatures feed on dead bodies!” Spike said.

“There aren’t any around here!” Rainbow yelped. At that moment, a dead eagle landed near them. “I stand corrected.”

“Normally,” Spike said. “Rompos slowly circle any dead body they find before eating them.”

“Doesn’t seem to be the case with this guy,” Rainbow said. The rompo was making a mad dash for the duo. “Whoa! Spike, look out!”

“Split up!” Spike said.

Spike ran to the left while Rainbow bolted to the right. The rompo made its way in Spike’s direction. Rainbow saw this and gasped.

“Not on your life!” she said before charging into the rompo.

The rompo breathed heavily as it charged at Spike. Its concentration was broken when Rainbow tackled the beast. As Spike kept running, Rainbow spotted him headed for the Everfree Forest.

“Spike, be careful!” Rainbow called.

By the time Spike became aware of what was going on, he bumped into a wolf-like creature made entirely of wood.

“Uh oh…” Spike said. “Timberwolf! If that thing doesn’t kill me first, mom will ground me for life!” He then remembered something. “Wait, what am I worried about?” He breathed fire from his mouth, but, due to his exhaustion, it was weaker than he intended. The timberwolf growled as it prowled slowly towards him.

Spike slowly backed up when suddenly, a rock was thrown at the timberwolf’s head.

“Hey, wolfie!” called the one who threw the rock. “Bet you can’t catch me!” Spike looked up to see Rainbow.

The timberwolf was clearly vexed by Rainbow taunting it and he leapt towards the pegasus. No sooner had he done that than Applejack sprung out and delivered a powerful kick to the creature.

“Hi-yah!” Applejack grunted. “Yer not hurtin’ our friend ‘round here!”

Rarity used her magic to levitate Spike to safety. “Are you alright, Spikey-wikey?”

“I’m exhausted, I was too weak to fight off a living pile of wood, and I broke my promise to my mom,” Spike said. “I wouldn’t exactly call that alright.”

“Not to worry,” Rarity said soothingly. “We’ll help to explain to her what happened.”

“We best do it quick!” Applejack said. “That timberwolf’s pullin’ himself tagether!”

“What’s the go-plan, AJ?” asked Pinkie after popping out of a bush.

“They’ll take a few seconds ta reform,” Applejack said. “So, ah suggest we turn ‘round n’ run like Tartarus!”

“Uh… okay then,” nodded Fluttershy.

And so, they all did.

After the run, Spike was breathing rather heavily. “How… did… that… help?” he panted.

“Timberwolves can’t stay outside the Everfree Forest er they’ll turn ta lifeless kindlin’,” Applejack said. “Besides, they can't chase nothin’ while broken up.”

“That… makes sense…” Spike replied.

“Catch your breath, Spikey-Wikey,” soothed Rarity. “You need a rest after all the helping and escaping today.”

“Yeah,” nodded Rainbow. “You need a proper day off after all that.”

“We’ll take you back to Twilight so you can save your energy,” Fluttershy said. “You can ride on my back.”

At the Golden Oak library, Twilight was wrapping up her last book.

“Ah, that’s about it,” she hummed. It was at that point she heard the front door open. “Spike must be back. Good thing I have his surprise ready.” She rolled up the documents and headed downstairs. She was surprised to see not only Spike, but, the rest of her friends.

“Spike, I wasn’t expecting you to be with all the girls at once,” she cried. “I mean, it’s great to see you, but… what’s the story?”

“Well,” Spike said awkwardly. “Remember how, this morning, I promised not to go into the Everfree Forest?”

“You went to the Everfree Forest?” gasped Twilight. “Tell me Zecora was able to help!”

“If it’s any consolation,” Rarity said. “We were able to help. Spike helped each of us throughout the day and we felt it fair we help him in return.”

Twilight was slightly relieved. “That’s good to hear. I just wish I knew so I could help too…”

“You’ve helped me more than I could ever repay,” Spike said. “You brought me into the world, fed, and bathed me. You’ve been there for me when few others would.”

“But, before today,” Twilight lamented. “I haven’t given you the one thing you wanted more than anything else.” She then spoke with more determination. “That changes now.” She levitated the documents and revealed them to be adoption papers.

“Wh-what is… how…” Spike stammered.

“Yesterday,” Twilight explained. “I finally got the adoption forms to officially make you my son.” The little dragon happily hugged the lavender mare.

“Congrats, Spike!” grinned Rainbow.

“An excellent ending to a day like this,” Rarity added.

“We should celebrate!” cried Pinkie. “I’m making Spike a cupcake with emerald sprinkles!”

“Aw, thanks, Pinkie,” smiled Spike. He and the ponies got into a big group hug and Rarity kissed Spike on the cheek.

Little did they know the supernatural entity was watching them from a dark realm.

“I’ll let them savor their fleeting victory for now,” the entity said. “But, one thing is clear. Any group that can topple Discord, one of my creations, is not to be trifled with. I’ll need to bide my time.” The entity’s silhouette made that of a ram.****

End of Chapter.

Author's Note

Here's the next chapter.

*Idea by Comickook.

**Little Mermaid reference.

***This is legit mythology. Proof.

****I defy you to guess who this is.

Now, Blake's on vacation until June 8th, meaning no new chapter next week. If you're reading this past June 8th, kindly disregard this message.

Shoutouts to Comickook for their ideas.

If you liked this chapter, feel free to contact me via private messages if you'd like to help make future chapters.

Chapter 10: Keep Calm and Flutter On (S3:E10)

My Little Pony: Nine Elements

Book 3

Written by Brandon Nell, Rachael Ravens, and Blake Hawkins

Chapter 10: Keep Calm and Flutter On

One week after Spike took the day off to help the Guardians of Harmony (sans Twilight), which incidentally was the day of Nightmare Night*, it was now November 7th and all the Guardians had received an announcement that Princess Celestia was coming to Ponyville.

“Any of you have ideas of what she’d need?” Rainbow asked. She, Rarity, Pinkie, Twilight, and Spike were waiting on the outskirts of Ponyville.

Twilight nervously shook her head. "No, she made no specifications,” she replied. “She was oddly vague about the task she was hoping we could help her with. I'm sure she has her reasons, but, I have to wonder what she could possibly want to keep secret from us? Heck, I'm surprised she's not here yet. I sure hope everything's okay on her end."

“Speaking of not here yet,” Pinkie said. “Have any of you seen Applejack or Fluttershy?”

“I have,” Rarity answered. “They’re at Sweet Apple Acres, dealing with a beaver problem.”

“Hopefully they’ll get here before Princess Celestia does,” Spike said. “I wonder what’s taking her so long.”

“Knowing her responsibilities,” Twilight said. “I have a feeling she has a few things to take care of in Canterlot before coming here. Besides, she also said she was bringing an important visitor. That could be part of it.”

“A visitor who’s important, but, slow,” Rainbow complained. “Celestia and this pony better get here quick.”

Spike looked up and saw Princess Celestia approaching as well as her important visitor.

“Or it’s a guest who’s not a pony at all,” Spike said casually. “Looks like this guest is a mix of several creatures rolled into one.”

Twilight couldn’t help but laugh slightly. “I’m sorry to laugh, Spike, but, that sounds like Discord. I don’t think Princess Celestia would bring him.”

"Come now, Spikey-Wikey, be serious," Rarity added. "Why in the wide, wide world of Equestria would Princess Celestia ever bring along a creature like that?"

“Why don’t you ask her yourself?” Spike asked as he pointed in the direction he was looking.

The others looked and saw Princess Celestia fly down from Canterlot, accompanied by Flash Sentry and some competent castle guards. In tow was the same statue of Discord, petrified in his willingly surrendered state.

It did not take long for Twilight to approach Princess Celestia and question her mentor’s judgment. “With all due respect, Princess Celestia, how could you bring Discord here?!” she shouted, before she cleared her throat and added. “Your majesty.”

“I understand your concern,” Princess Celestia explained. “Especially with the experiences you’ve encountered with Discord in the past.”

“He took my son captive!” Twilight said.

“And he took away our wings and horns!” Rainbow snapped.

“He tricked us into becoming the opposites of our true selves!” Rarity put in.

“And he made delicious chocolate milk rain everywhere without a dollop of whipped cream to go with!” Pinkie said. The others turned to her and Pinkie looked back. “Oh, and that other stuff, too!”

“I’m well aware,” Princess Celestia said. “However, I will concede that I’m partly to blame.”

“And to his credit,” Spike said. “He did set me free willingly.”

“How can you possibly be to blame?” Rainbow questioned.

“Do you recall my behavior in that projection before you went to the Crystal Empire?” Princess Celestia asked.

“I do,” Twilight said. “You were, and I don’t mean any offense, conceited.”

“Indeed,” Celestia nodded. “Upon recent reflection, I’ve come to realize that, while I was one of Discord’s friends, I wasn’t there for him when he needed it. That lesson you all learned about friends being there for their friends struck a chord with me as it was a lesson I wish I had learned long ago.”

“I see,” Rarity said.

“As a way to apologize,” Celestia said. “I ask you to release him and reform him. I have come to the belief that Discord, if reformed, could use his magic to serve good and not evil. That’s why I’ve brought him here, because I believe that you are the ponies who can help him do just that. I know it will not be easy, but, I have faith that you’ll find a way.”

“How do you figure we do that?” Rainbow asked. “How can we even control him?”

“A control method already exists,” Celestia firmly nodded. “You six ponies were the ones who turned him back to stone in the first place. And I’m sure you know what was used to do that.”

“Of course,” Pinkie said. “The Elements of Harmony.”

“We brought them with us,” Flash announced. Two of the guards brought forth a large chest and inside rested five familiar necklaces and a familiar tiara.

“And don’t worry,” Princess Celestia said. “I made sure to cast a spell so that Discord can’t take them and hide them again. However, I advise against making him touch them.”

“Why’s that?” Twilight asked.

“Well,” Celestia whispered to Twilight. “One of the more vengeful unicorn guards may or may not have modified the enchantment so that Discord will experience pain should he so much as touch the Elements of Harmony, never mind using his powers on them.”

“Oh,” Twilight said. “Then, we’ll be careful, Princess.”

“Now,” Princess Celestia asked. “Where is Fluttershy? I believe that she may know best how to begin reforming Discord."

“Fluttershy?” Rainbow asked.

“Well, yeah,” Spike said. “She is the wielder of the Kindness after all. And she was the only one that Discord had to corrupt by force. I know because I saw each of you get corrupted one by one.”

Celestia nodded. “Indeed,” she said. “And from what Luna relaid to me, his attempts to corrupt you had no effect at all, Spike.”

“That’s true,” Spike said. “It’s because I knew that, even if other ponies wouldn’t like me just because I’m a dragon, I know I can count on the love of my mom and my friends to keep me strong.”

Celestia rubbed the little drake’s head. “Which makes you ideal for helping Fluttershy,” she said.

“Thank you,” Spike said modestly. “And I’ll do my best.”

“Back to my prior question,” Celestia said. “Where is Fluttershy? Applejack, too. The elements won’t work if all the wielders aren’t at least within the same immediate vicinity.”

“There was a beaver problem at Sweet Apple Acres,” Rarity said. “We’re hoping they’ll be along soon.”

On the other side of town, at Sweet Apple Acres, Fluttershy and Applejack were indeed tending to a beaver problem. A family of beavers had set up a dam on a river near Sweet Apple Acres, inadvertently flooding the orchard. Applejack had asked Fluttershy to talk the beavers into taking down their dam and setting up somewhere else.

“Alright,” Fluttershy said after patiently negotiating with the beaver. “Mr. Beaverton Beaverteeth has agreed to move the dam.”

“‘Bout time,” Applejack said. “Mah trees’re so waterlogged, ah can practically hear ‘em gurglin’ like mah belly ‘round meal time.”

“But,” Fluttershy said. “You must apologize to him for calling him a varmint.”

“Apologize?!” Applejack said as if she couldn’t believe what she heard.

“Yes,” Fluttershy said firmly. “Unless you do, this problem will get worse. And you know how Spike feels about discrimination.”

Applejack took this in and she took a deep breath. “Mr. Beaverton, ah’m powerful sorry fer callin’ ya a varmint. Ah won’t call ya that again, ah promise.”

The beaver looked to Fluttershy for confirmation.

“He says, ‘I forgive you,’” Fluttershy said.

Applejack breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks, Fluttershy. Don’t know what ah would’ve done without y’all." With a sigh she added, “Ah just hope those apple trees ain't completely soaked n’ useless. Sure, we water the trunks so they absorb more water, but, there’s a limit.”

So, Mr. Beaverton Beaverteeth and his family got to work moving the dam.

“We had better get going,” Fluttershy said. “The Beaverteeth family can handle things from here.”

At that moment, Rainbow flew in.

“Hey!” Rainbow said. “Princess Celestia’s waiting for you two.”

Once Applejack and Fluttershy had arrived on the hill, Princess Celestia explained to them what she had told the others. She made sure to specifically specify her intent to have Fluttershy be the one to lead the reformation process. “I realize that this is a tall order, but, I wouldn’t ask if I weren’t confident you could get him to use magic obediently of his own free will,” she told Fluttershy.

“I admit, it won’t be easy,” Fluttershy said. “But, nothing in life really is. It did take time for me to overcome my fear of dragons, so, if that can be possible, then certainly reforming Discord is possible, too.”

“When pigs fly,” Rainbow whispered to Applejack.

“Hush,” Applejack shushed.

“The thought of having Twilight or Pinkie lead the effort crossed my mind,” Celestia said. “However, I quickly realized that Twilight taking the lead would be a terrible idea. Given what happened last time Discord was freed, she would be most likely to try fighting Discord, which would defeat the whole point.”

“And the reason for not choosing Pinkie?” Fluttershy asked.

“Well,” Celestia said. “She could fall for Discord’s manipulations just like last time. Of all the guardians, you were the only one Discord had to forcibly brainwash via magic. The others aside from Twilight are more susceptible to corruption.**”

“Well, she ain’t wrong,” Applejack said in a sheepish tone.

“That’s what I hate about it,” Rainbow said. “I can’t argue with that logic.”

“Anyway,” Fluttershy said. “I’ll try my best. And who knows, I might grow to like Discord, too.”

“Very good,” Celestia said as she climbed into her chariot. “Now then, you may release Discord when ready and I await your reply informing me of the results.”

Spike and the guardians nodded respectfully. Though, Rainbow had a question.

“Why don’t you stay here in case we need you?” she asked.

“The Elements of Harmony are the only thing truly effective against Discord,” Celestia explained. “Unfortunately, since I am no longer connected to the Elements of Harmony, I fear that Discord may try to get some revenge on me for turning him to stone the first time. I believe he still holds something of a grudge against me for it, even though I didn’t do it alone.”

“That does make sense,” Rarity nodded.

“It sounds like you two had quite a history,” Twilight said.

Celestia nodded. “But, that is a topic for another time and another place. For the time being, I shall return to Canterlot to host Equestria’s royal summit. And with any luck, by this time next week, Discord will be allied to our side.” And with that, she and the royal guards departed from Ponyville.

“Alright, everypony,” Twilight said to the wielders of the Elements of Harmony. “Are we ready?”

“Eh…” most of the other guardians said.

“No offense, Twi,” Applejack said. “But, we ain’t exactly in a rush ta free Discord, ‘specially since we ain’t exactly got a plan on how ta reform Discord. We ain’t even sure it’s possible.”

“Come on, girls,” Spike said. “Discord isn’t all bad. After all, I did mention that he was the one who let me go. Whatever the reason, I have reasonable confidence Discord can be reformed. It wouldn’t be the first time you’ve all redeemed a villain.”

“He does have a point,” Pinkie said. “Defeating Nightmare Moon was basically redeeming Princess Luna and that’s what led to us becoming the Guardians of Harmony in the first place.”

“True,” Fluttershy said. “So, if we could help Princess Luna, then certainly we can help Discord, too.”

“I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t want Discord to be set free unless she was convinced there was a good chance he could be reformed,” Twilight conceded. “I suppose she realizes that eventually we too will lose our connection to the Elements of Harmony and when that happens, Discord will surely break free and have to be sealed away again. She must be hoping to break the cycle before it starts.” Then, she said to her friends, “We’d best keep our elements on at all times until further notice. No telling what Discord might try to do.”

So, the mares circled around the draconequus statue. They concentrated their energy into the elements they wielded and a magical rainbow band emerged from them. The rainbow encircled Twilight and the prismatic beam glistened upon Discord. Slowly but surely, small cracks in the stone emerged until the encasing around him cracked open like an egg. The draconequus himself opened his eyes as if waking from a deep sleep. As soon as he became aware that he was freed, his first reaction was one the guardians didn’t expect: he panicked.

“Yah!” he exclaimed. “What am I doing out here?! I shouldn’t be moving! I should be encased in stone!” In his panic, his lion paw came in contact with the jewel on the necklace for the Element of Laughter. After a brief sizzling noise, Discord drew his lion paw back while screaming in pain. “Yow! I don’t remember the Elements doing that!”

“Sorry!” Pinkie apologized. “We would have warned you, but, you were too busy freaking out.”

“So,” Rainbow said with a devious smirk. “That hurt, huh? Let’s see if the other elements have the same result!”

“Rainbow, stop!” Spike called.

“What?” Rainbow said. “You can’t deny he did terrible things!”

“I don’t,” Spike said. “But, if you intentionally inflict harm on him, no matter the reason, that makes you the bad guy.”

“That’s right,” Fluttershy said. “We’re trying to reform Discord, not torture him.”

Discord pricked his ears at what Fluttershy had said. “I beg your pardon,” he said in a confused tone. “But, did you say that you’re trying to reform me? Celestia was serious about that?”

“O’ course she –” Applejack said, when suddenly she stopped herself. “Wait, ya heard?”

“Of course,” Discord said. “When I was stone, I could still see, hear, and smell everything around me. I just couldn’t do anything about it.”

“Ah see,” Applejack said. “But, ah could tell from mah Mystic Eyes that Princess Celestia was tellin’ the truth ‘bout her idea o’ redeemin’ ya.”

“And Celestia’s lost her mind,” Discord said. “Once you become a villain, there’s no going back.”

“That’s not completely true,” Twilight said. “Princess Luna had become the villainous Nightmare Moon in the past, but, after finding the Elements of Harmony and standing up to her, we helped her be Princess Luna again. It did take some time and a lot of therapy, but, everything’s okay now.”

“Luna,” Discord said, making sure he heard correctly. “Celestia’s younger sister, who monitors the dream realm to help ponies having nightmares, and one of the ponies to initially defeat my first reign, became a villain and was turned good again? Do you honestly expect me to believe that?”

“Yep,” Pinkie said.

“Hmm…” Discord said. “No. You’re either a hero or a villain. There’s no gray area.”

“Of course there is a gray area,” Rarity said. “After all, Rainbow here has done some good with us, but, she not a few moments ago suggested trying to burn you with her element. I would say that’s a cloudy gray.”

“No, it’s not,” Discord protested. “She’s a hero, I’m a villain. Before I was first turned to stone, heroes fight villains and vice versa. That’s the natural order. Villains are villains, heroes are heroes.”

“Hey, times have changed since then,” Pinkie said. “A lot of ponies, especially in Ponyville, are more open-minded.”

“Uh-huh, yeah right,” Discord said, unconvinced before making his nose longer.

Fluttershy flew up and pressed Discord’s nose back into place. “No, really. When Twilight and Spike first came to Ponyville, they both got such warm welcomes. They didn’t mind the fact that Spike was a dragon, so, surely, they wouldn’t mind that you’re a draconequus.”

“Who screwed with their town, way of life, and even their minds,” Discord said before sarcastically adding. “Yeah, they’ll really roll out the red carpet for that kind of creature.”

“Going by the tone of voice in that previous sentence of yours,” Rarity said. “It does sound like you regretted what you did. That sounds like decent behavior to me, so, it shows you’re not completely far gone.”

“I did a little research,” Discord said. “And I discovered that there was a time when most of you and practically the whole town hid in terror from a zebra who did literally nothing harmful to any of you and for what reason? Oh yes, she was different.”

“That was ‘fore we got ta know Zecora,” Applejack said. “Now, she’s one o’ our closest friends.”

“The point stands,” Discord said. “Ponies are just as prejudiced now as they were back then. Any creature made up of more than two others with a powerful magic fits the description of a monster.”

“That’s not completely true,” Twilight said. “A few months ago, we had an encounter with the Changeling queen Chrysalis. She disguised herself as Princess Cadance during her and my brother’s wedding. After meeting one good Changeling and seeing the relentless malice caused by Queen Chrysalis, we ruled that Queen Chrysalis is a true monster on the inside. Do you understand what we’re trying to say?”

“That I’m a monster like cousin Chrysalis,” Discord said flatly.

Twilight reeled back with discomfort. “That was a bad analogy on my part.”

“Chrysalis is your cousin?” Pinkie asked.

“We were both created by Grogar,” Discord said. “The creator of monsters, by the way.”

“But, there is something that you need to understand,” Fluttershy said. “After almost getting devoured by a titan wing as a filly, I developed a fear of adult dragons. When my friends and I were sent to tell an adult dragon named Razor to move to a different cave, I let my fear of dragons known and I inadvertently hurt Spike’s feelings because of it. We eventually convinced the dragon to go and after that day, I slowly but surely got over my fear of dragons. Now, I’m not afraid of dragons anymore. So, if that can change with time, certainly, you can understand that there will be a place for you, too, Discord.”

“Yeah,” Discord said. “Like the Canterlot garden.”

“Discord, please!” Spike exclaimed.

“Oh, please,” Discord said. “None of you actually care about me. You’re just doing this so you don’t disappoint your precious princess. Why, Rainbow’s even going, ‘if this weren’t requested by the princess, Discord could go screw himself.’”

“Am not!” Rainbow snapped.

“You’re thinking it,” Discord said.

“He’s right,” Applejack said.

“Regardless,” Twilight said. “We’re going to—” But, she didn’t get a chance to finish as Discord cut her off with a song.

“Let me stop you right there, save us all precious time~” he started.

“Uh,” Pinkie said in confusion. “What are you-?”

“If what you’re suggesting is letting me climb~
Up the ladder so I’d rather~
Cross the pearly gates~” he continued.

“Well,” Rarity said. “We’re not really-”

“Sorry, ponies, but, there’s no defying my fate~
Because I’ll suffer forever~
Whether we like it or not~
I had a chance to behave better~” He then stuffed himself in a cauldron of water over a fire.
“Now, I boil in the pot~” He then rose from with the world entirely white on one side and black on the other. “Because the rules are black and white~” The world’s colors returned to normal and the word “FATE,” sporting legs and arms with boxing gloves entered and slammed him flat as a pancake. “There’s no use in trying to fight it~” He reinflated himself.
“I’ll be hated by all until I’m a statue again~”

“But,” Fluttershy said. “Perhaps if we-”

“Just try to relax there, you’re wasting your breath~” Discord interrupted.

“Yeah, but-” Applejack started before Discord cut her off.

“Did I hear you imply that I shouldn’t get death~?
I’m no winner, I’m a sinner~
It’s all-” he cut himself up and made himself look dehydrated.“Cut and dry~”

“Well,” Spike said. “Not real-”

Discord put himself back together and removed one of his eyes.

“Fair is fair, an eye for an eye~” He started levitating up.
“And, when all’s said and done~”

“What?” Rainbow demanded.

“There’s the question of fun~” Discord made prison cell around himself. “And for all you ponies who want my containment~
Me as a statue is entertainment~” He then scatted unenthusiastically. “Guitar solo, let’s go…” He continued his unenthusiastic scatting.

“Aww, come on,” Pinkie said. Discord then made illusions of ponies subjecting him to various tortures with sadistic grins.

“I’ll suffer forever~
Whether we like it or not~
I had my chance to behave better~
Now, I boil in the pot~” Discord sang as his limbs were being forcibly stretched.

“This is too much!” Twilight exclaimed over Discord’s song, but, it was ignored.

“Because the rules are black and white~
There’s no use in trying to fight it~
I’ll be hated by all until I’m a statue again~”
Discord continued his song after dispelling the illusions. “Yes, my hell is forever and it’s meant to suck a lot~
Just give up this dumb endeavor because you don’t have a shot~”

“Yes, we do!” Spike exclaimed. Discord ignored this as well.

“Long as I got your attention~
I guess I should probably mention~
That I’ll raise your determination~
To ensure my petrification~”

“Wait,” Rarity said. “What?”

“We all know that you have your own doubts. You clearly don’t want me here, so, why drag it out?!”*** Discord said, finishing his song with an impressive guitar sting. Upon realizing what he was doing, he gestured to the guitar he magicked into existence with an expression that practically screamed, “Proof I’m a monster.”

“Why?” Fluttershy said after a moment. “Because that’s what friends do.”

“Ha!” Discord said, poofing the guitar out of existence. “That’s a laugh. The only friends I ever had were the royal alicorns and did they help me when I went off the deep end? Nope. Celestia and Luna went straight to turning me into stone. Friends will turn on you eventually. They’re never there when you need them.”

“So, why are you here now?” Twilight asked. “For you to be ridiculed again? No. She brought you back because there is some aspect that shows that she still cares. If she truly didn't care, you would have gone through something much worse than simply turning you to stone. She could have straight up killed you, but, she didn't.”

“She didn’t lift a hoof to stop ponies from judging me before they knew me, either,” Discord protested. “And for the record, I can’t die anyway.”

“That was then,” Applejack said. “This is now. Ah’m not sure if ya noticed, but, ponies can change. Princess Celestia changed her ‘spective after she sent Princess Luna ta the moon for over 1000 years ago, why can’t ya believe that y’all can?”

“Because none of you truly believe it, either,” Discord said. “You all see me as a monster and nothing more.”

Spike and the guardians didn’t say anything for a while. Then, with much kinder looks, they walked slowly towards Discord and gave him a gentle hug, careful with the Elements on their persons. Discord felt a vaguely familiar warmth.

“This… this warmth,” he said softly, unknowingly beginning to smile. “Why, I haven’t felt this feeling since…” But, he stopped himself and slapped himself in the face. “What am I doing?!” He slithered out of the embrace. “I’m too far gone! It’s too late for me to change!”

“Not completely,” Fluttershy said. “If Princess Celestia can change her way of ruling Equestria after a thousand years, then, certainly it’s not too late for you as an immortal creature to change either.”

“You have a week to prove you can,” Twilight said.

“Do you honestly believe you can erase 2,030 years of hardships, bitterness, and bad deeds in a week?” Discord challenged.

“Well, yeah,” Spike said. “If my friends here can erase the 6 to 10 years of hardships and prejudice that I faced from Canterlot elitists, then surely, looking past your misdeeds is just as easy. Starting with me when I say that since you didn’t really physically hurt me before, I can forgive you for abducting me.”

“There’s no talking any of you out of this, is there?” Discord surmised.

“As mah brother would say,” Applejack said. “Nope.”

Discord gave off a sigh of resignation. “What the hell,” he said. “I’ll just end up as a statue in about half an hour anyway. Looks like Celestia will end up disappointed anyway.”

“More in the sense that her heart will still be broken,” Twilight said. “She does still have feelings for you after all.”

“Excuse me?” Discord said before clearing out an ear. “I think I might have something in my ear.” He pulled out a small insect from his ear and flicked it away. “Because it sounds like you said she still has feelings for me.”

“That is what I had said,” Twilight replied.

“Verbatim, even,” Rarity said. “She had time to reflect recently and realized that her not being there for you when she should have led you down the path you took and she regrets it. So much so that she worries you’ll try to take revenge on her.”

Discord took a moment to take this in. He didn’t know what to make of this situation. Despite everything he did, Celestia still had feelings for him.

“Well,” he said softly. “That would explain things…” He couldn’t help but blush a bit.

“Besides,” Twilight said. “If we end up having to turn you back to stone, I’m sure we can convince Princess Celestia that it was for a good reason.”

“Wait a minute here!” Rainbow said before flying up to Twilight. “Who are you and what’ve you done with Twilight?”

“So,” Fluttershy said to all present. “Taking all of this information into consideration, are we all ready to try?”

“Are we ignoring the fact that Twilight isn’t freaking out over the idea of failing the princess?” Rainbow asked.

“This time, yes,” Applejack said.

“But, failing the princess is Twilight’s worst fear,” Rainbow said. “She made practically the whole town get into a brawl over a doll just because she was worried the princess would punish her for missing a deadline on a friendship report even though there were two times she went months without sending one and wasn’t punished either time. Heck, she told us on the way back from the Crystal Empire. Any of that ringing a bell?”

“Yes,” Twilight said. “But, after we got back to Canterlot and learned of the events of Spike getting the Crystal Heart to Cadance, I realized that there are worse things in life than the idea of failing Princess Celestia. Besides, I can take her reasonable and easy-going nature into account. Who says I can’t?”

Rainbow, hearing this, took this to mind. “Hmm, you got me there.”

“It’s no different than ponies thinking you’ll freak out every time your hooves get touched, Rainbow,” Fluttershy said.

“Yeah~” Rainbow said, sheepishly. “Okay, I think I’m ready. After all, I remembered that you guys didn’t betray me during that Mare Do Well stunt, so, I’ll think of that during this.”

“Mare Do Well?” Discord asked. “Is that some kind of criminal or troublemaker?”

“More towards the latter,” Rarity said. “The Mysterious Mare Do Well is the assumed identity of a mare named Dark Mimic. She tried to teach Rainbow a lesson about hogging the spotlight, so, she set up disasters all across Ponyville and rescued those around said disasters. This is because an anvil fell on her mother’s head and killed her the last time you were free.”

Discord’s jaw dropped straight to the ground. “Well, there’s the good reason for turning me back to stone!” he said. “May as well call me ‘Catcher in the Rye,’ because I’m getting banned.****”

“Catcher in the what-now?” Applejack asked, turning to the others.

“The answer to that would probably confuse us more,” Rarity replied. “This is Discord we’re talking about. Confusion is basically his thing.”

“But,” Pinkie said. “You weren’t directly responsible for Dark Mimic’s mom passing away. It wasn’t like you had aimed that anvil at her.”

“Oh, whoops, I made an anvil appear and made it drop wherever,” Discord said sarcastically. “Yeah, that’ll sit well with the press.”

“If we’re goin’ ta try n’ reform Discord,” Applejack whispered to Twilight. “We’ve got our work cut out fer us. It’s like he doesn’t want ta get redeemed.”

Neither of them noticed that the insect Discord flicked away earlier had landed on a beaver, whose eyes turned red.

“Discord,” Fluttershy said. “Since I’m in charge of reforming you, I’m letting you stay with me at my cottage. I have plenty of room and you should be very comfortable there.”

Later, Fluttershy led Discord to her cottage. The draconequus was still being rather nihilistic.

“As comfortable and adorable as your cozy little corner of the world is,” Discord said. “I still think this endeavor is pointless.”

“Now, now,” Fluttershy said. “There’ll be none of that. This will work out.”

“You don’t even have a plan,” Discord said.

“No,” Fluttershy admitted. “But, that doesn't mean I can’t come up with one while the week is still going on.” Angel kicked Discord in the side. “Angel, no!” She picked him up and started scolding him while using the Stare. “I will not have you trying to harm my guest as long as he’s staying here. If we’re mean to him, it proves we’re no better than him. Understand?” The intimidated bunny nodded. “Thank you,” she said, turning off her stare and blinking her eyes a few times. She then turned to Discord.

“Uh…” he said softly, caught off guard by somepony willingly standing up for him. “Thank you?” He suddenly turned his head away. “The process starts again.”

A short time later, Fluttershy’s eyes were better. She could see Discord was looking a bit bitter.

“As long as we’re trying to get comfortable,” Fluttershy said. “How about we have some tea and snacks? Surely, having something in your stomach will help lift your spirits a bit.”

Discord could tell she wasn’t going to accept no for an answer, so, he reluctantly accepted. “Alright, I’ll humor you.”

“That’s the spirit,” Fluttershy said. “Some carrot ginger sandwiches and orange pekoe tea will be just the thing.” She left the room to get things ready.

While she was away, Angel proceeded to kick the draconequus, who, to the lagomorph’s surprise, didn’t fight back.

“Knock yourself out, Cottontail,” Discord said. “It’ll only prove my own point that I am a monster, so keep pathetically beating me up until your heart’s content. You can’t even do that much damage anyway.”

Angel, hearing this, decided that it would be too boring to hang around a sad sack, so, he bounced away. At that moment, Fluttershy entered, wheeling in a tray with a teapot, two teacups, a creamer dish, a sugar bowl, and a plateful of sandwiches.

“Tea’s on,” Fluttershy said politely. She then carefully poured a cup of tea for Discord first, and then for herself. “Do you typically take cream and sugar in your tea?”

“When I had tea with Celestia,” Discord admitted. “We used honey.”

“Oh, I’ve got honey,” Fluttershy said. “I can go back to the kitchen and grab some if you’d like.”

“Go ahead,” Discord said.

Fluttershy went back to the kitchen and fetched a small jar of honey, complete with honey wand. She put some in Discord’s cup.

“Did you really know Princess Celestia when she was a filly?” she asked.

“Well, of course,” Discord said. “Being immortal, you get to know a lot of creatures with long lifespans.”

“Was she always an alicorn?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yes,” Discord said. “Same with her mother and aunt.”

“Fascinating,” Fluttershy said. “So, how did you two first meet?”

“Well,” Discord said. “I tried using my powers to entertain, but, ponies took exception to my efforts. So, they formed an angry mob and proceeded to beat me senseless. All but one. Celestia. Back then, her mane and tail were all pink and static. Somewhat like yours, but, much lighter in hue.”

“Oh, my,” Fluttershy said, off put at the idea of the angry mob.

“We met when she and I were five and six, respectively,” Discord said.

“Interesting,” Fluttershy said. “Did she have her Cutie Mark yet?”

“No,” Discord said. “When she got it, I couldn’t resist calling her Sunbutt.”

Fluttershy couldn’t help but giggle at the nickname.

“She actually took it really well,” Discord said.

“That’s good,” Fluttershy said.

Discord sighed sadly. “It’s too bad things didn’t stay that way,” he said. “As she got older, I saw her less and less.”

“I guess school will do that for a pony,” Fluttershy figured.

Throughout the day, most of the guardians expected Discord to cause mass chaos, but, found nothing noticeable.

“That’s weird,” Rainbow said as she and the guardians, minus Fluttershy, were gathered in the library. “There’s nothing weird going on.”

“Or rather,” Rarity said. “That’s normal. Not weird in the slightest.”

“With Discord being free this long,” Pinkie said. “You’d think everything would be upside down or inside out by now.”

“This is only a hunch,” Spike said. “But, I think that with Discord’s display of a life-is-meaningless mentality… what’s that word again, Mom?”

“Nihilism,” Twilight answered.

“Thank you,” Spike said. “With his display of nihilism, Discord isn’t causing chaos because he feels he’ll be turned back to stone again, so, I guess he’s wondering why he would bother.”

“Maybe that’s his plan,” Rainbow said. “Acting that way so we lower our guard so he can drive a wedge between us like last time.”

“Slight problem there,” Applejack said.

“And that is?” Rainbow asked.

“When ah looked at him with mah Mystic Eyes,” Applejack explained. “He really thought that we didn’t believe he could be reformed n’ he’d be bad no matter what we did.”

“Well, he’s not wrong on the first part,” Rainbow said. “Especially since we didn’t see any evidence of him having the potential to reform.”

“Well,” Twilight said. “Did you see any potential of Nightmare Moon reforming before or after she changed back to Princess Luna?”

“Well, if you think about it,” Rainbow said. “The worst Nightmare Moon did was make it nighttime forever.”

“Which,” Spike pointed out. “Would result in plants that need sunlight to grow dying out, which would lead to the starvation of plant eaters such as ponies. Among such plants are apples. No apples means no cider or any business for Applejack’s family. It would also mean nopony would really know whether it’s time to wake up or go to bed. But, that’s not even the worst part.”

“He’s right,” Twilight said. “The worst part is that Nightmare Moon too abducted Spike and kept him separated from me with no intention on letting him go.”

“Actually,” Spike said. “I was getting at the fact that so many plants dying would mean there wouldn’t be as much fresh air, which all creatures need.”

“Oh…” Rainbow said. “Guess I put my hoof in my mouth again, huh?”

“Yup,” Applejack said.

“All that aside,” Rarity said. “We still have literally no idea how to go about reforming Discord.”

“Especially since he doesn’t believe he can be redeemed,” Pinkie said. “But, I know that we can come up with something.”

Twilight had an idea. “Wait,” she said. “Maybe there’s a spell that can reform him in an instant!”

“That’s a terrible idea,” Spike said. “It would cause more trouble than the love potion from the past. Besides, using magic to make someone change their ways is the kind of thing Discord did. If you did the same, you’d be letting him win. You’d be proving you’re no better than he was.”*****

“Oh, dear,” Twilight said with a gasp. “You’re right. I’m so sorry. I should have realized.”

“Besides,” Spike said. “The princess herself said that the Elements of Harmony were the only things truly effective against him anyway. You tried using your own magic to undo the chaos he was causing the last time he was freed and it didn’t work.”

“That’s also true,” Twilight said sheepishly. “My apologies.”

“I got it!” Pinkie exclaimed.

“We’re going to throw a party for him at Sugarcube Corner to show that he can socialize with others?” Rarity guessed flatly.

“...I don’t got it,” Pinkie said after a pause. “Now that I think about it, showing him in public after last time might cause some ponies to hide from him, proving his point.”

“I have an idea for Fluttershy’s strategy,” Spike said.

“What’s the idea, Spike?” Applejack asked.

“Well,” Spike explained. “She lets Discord tell her a bit about himself, takes notes, internalizes said notes, and bonds with him in the process.”

“Knowing how polite Fluttershy can be,” Rarity said. “I can believe she would want to get to know Discord a bit better through pleasant conversation.”

“That would lead to her becoming a friend to Discord,” Spike said. “Which could prove Discord wrong. We all know Fluttershy isn’t exactly the bravest of us.”

“Although, she does have some bravery in her,” Pinkie admitted. “She did stand up to Garble with the rest of us and was able to tell him off when he was about to attack you.”

“So,” Spike said. “Her tactic is to show Discord that he’s not as bad as he thinks if a pony like her can befriend him.”

“That is quite clever on her part,” Twilight said with a smile. “Plus, she is also more forgiving, so, that could help Discord, too.”

“Are we sure it’ll even work?” Rainbow asked.

“Maybe it’ll work, maybe it won’t,” Spike said. “Either way, it’s more productive than what we’re doing.”

“He’s got a point,” Applejack said. “We may still have our doubts ‘bout this, but, we ain’t goin’ ta let on.”

“We need to trust Fluttershy’s judgment,” Spike said. “Otherwise, what kind of friends would we be?”

“Not very good ones,” Pinkie answered. “Though, it might be a good idea to have a backup plan.”

“Like what?” Twilight asked. “Spike made it clear that a spell to reform him would be a bad idea.”

“I never said anything about a spell,” Pinkie said. “I don’t really have anything in mind myself.”

Meanwhile, Fluttershy made sure that Discord was comfortable before she asked him. “So, is there anything I can do for you at the moment? Anything at all?”

“I think I’m alright, thank you,” Discord replied. “You have done so much already. I’m surprised you even bothered after what I did. I felt you would call me a big, dumb meanie.”

“That wouldn’t be a nice thing for anypony to say about anypony,” Fluttershy said. “I wouldn’t say that no matter what anypony did to me.”

“Ahem,” Discord said flatly while gesturing to remind her that he’s not a pony.

“Oh, or any one,” Fluttershy corrected. “With ponies being the dominant species, it’s so easy to forget there’s other sentient creatures in the world. We should really find a blanket term that doesn’t just refer to ponies.”

“If there was one,” Discord said. “It would probably sound ridiculous and this is coming from me.” He cleared his throat. “Anyway, about that time I brainwashed you and your friends and captured Spike, you know it was just a game, right?"

“Well, yes,” Fluttershy said. “But, you didn’t play fair. Ponies don’t like cheaters or sore losers.”

“Even when I created the game?” Discord asked.

“Rules are so all involved in a game can enjoy it,” Fluttershy said.

“Well,” Discord said. “Maybe I do feel a bit guilty for tricking you all and brainwashing you. But, like I said before, I’m an agent of chaos. Heck, agent is putting it mildly, I’m practically the master when it comes to chaos. And chaos is the spice of life.”

“I suppose that’s true,” Fluttershy admitted. “If things weren’t a little bit of chaos every once in a while, things would get pretty dull. There has to be some excitement after all. Anyway, if there’s really nothing that I can do for you at the moment, I think I’ll just head out.”

Discord seemed surprised by Fluttershy’s announcement. “Where are you going? You’re not already turning your back on me by going to those friends of yours, are you? And after all that talk about trusting me and giving me a chance.”

“It’s not that,” Fluttershy answered. “I have some errands to run. Since I have a guest, I’ll need some good ingredients for dinner tonight. I promise I’ll be back later.” With that, Fluttershy exited the cottage.

“See you,” Discord said. As soon as she was out of earshot, Discord magically chained himself up. “Celestia’s plan won’t work. I’m a monster, plain and simple. I couldn’t change if I wanted to. Why would she even care for me despite everything?”

At the market, Fluttershy was shopping for ingredients. She didn’t notice that the beaver Discord inadvertently affected earlier had broken away from the group. That beaver was the very same one that Fluttershy had scolded earlier at Sweet Apple Acres and he still held some resentment for that. Soon, with saddlebags full of groceries, she returned to her cottage.

“I’m home~” Fluttershy called after she opened the door. She didn’t realize the beaver was about to attack her from behind until Discord spotted him.

“Fluttershy, look out!” he called. For reasons he himself couldn’t explain at the time, he enlarged his claw hand to intercept the beaver, who bit right into the claw. “Yowch!”

Fluttershy looked behind her and saw the aggressive beaver biting his claw and recognized him. She gasped. “Mr. Beaverton Beaverteeth! Let go!” The beaver, disliking the taste of Discord’s claw, released it. This gave Fluttershy the opportunity to scold him. “I don’t know why you’ve been acting so naughty. I know you were upset from what happened earlier, but, you shouldn’t bite others for having a big feeling.” She started activating her Mystic Eyes. “Now, say you’re sorry to Discord, since I’m certain he can understand animals and don’t try to bite him again. Do you understand?” The beaver slowly lost his will to fight. She deactivated her Mystic Eyes and turned to face Discord, blinking all the while. “I’m so sorry that Mr. Beaverton bit you. I didn’t know he was going to do that.”

“It’s fine,” Discord said, rubbing his wound. “I was just glad that you weren’t hurt, since he looked like he was about to attack you.” He suddenly held his mouth closed when he realized what he had said.

Fluttershy’s ear pricked up. “Then… that means you saved me.”

Discord tried to convince her otherwise, but, he failed to think of an excuse. “Well… yes, I did. But, don’t tell anypony. They probably wouldn’t believe it anyway.” He magicked his wound away in seconds.

“The fact that you even thought about helping me does show that you’re not all bad,” Fluttershy said. “Even if you did it to gain a favor, the fact that you did it at all proves you’re making progress. So, thank you for that.”

Discord was taken aback by Fluttershy’s genuinely kind gratitude. “You’re… welcome?”

At that moment, Twilight and Spike made their way to Fluttershy’s cottage for a progress report. They saw no signs of anything being out of place.

“Hi,” Twilight said. “How’s everything going here?”

“Things are going fine,” Fluttershy said. “Discord hasn’t caused any problems.”

“That’s good,” Spike smiled.

“He even saved me from Mr. Beaverton biting me,” Fluttershy said.

“Fluttershy~!” Discord called in an almost embarrassed tone. “I told you not to tell them that~!”

“Looks like your strategy is working,” Spike said.

“There’s no use in pretending to believe it,” Discord said. “Knowing you, you’re planning to take a page from my book and use magic to make me reform instantly just to avoid disappointing Celestia.”

“I had considered such a spell,” Twilight said. “But, Spike convinced me that I wouldn’t be any better if I did. Besides, my magic on its own doesn’t work against you, so, it would be a moot point anyway.”

“You may as well just use the Elements of Harmony on me right now,” Discord said. “The week has barely started and I’m no better off than I was before.”

“We promised the princess we’d give reforming you a chance,” Twilight said. “I’m not 100% sure it’ll work, but, I will try. Even if only for the sake of being able to honestly say I did.”

“Besides, Discord,” Spike said. “I think there might be some good in you that even you don’t realize you have.”

Fluttershy had an idea. “Why don’t you invite everypony over for a dinner party tonight at my place?”

“That’s a great idea,” Twilight smiled.

Discord sensed an opportunity to be turned back to stone. “Yes,” he said. “Yes, it does.”

“So,” Fluttershy said. “How about we gather everypony here towards sundown? I’ll have my home tidied up and the table set. Of course, there’ll also be a wonderful meal.”

“Okay,” Spike said. “Let’s go back, mom.”

“Alright,” Twilight said. “We’ll see you later, Fluttershy. See you later, Discord.” On the way back, she whispered to Spike, “I imagine Rainbow won’t take well to this.”

“So do I,” Spike whispered back. “Knowing her, she’ll be the first one to act aggressive, which will prove Discord’s point.”

“Right,” Twilight whispered. “But, we all have to give him a chance, Rainbow included.”

At the cottage, Discord used his powers to decorate for the party.

This will show them, he said to himself. This will show them all that I’m nothing but trouble.

At the library, Twilight and Spike explained the situation to the others.

“A dinner party?” Pinkie repeated happily. “That sounds lovely.”

“A dinner party with Discord?” Rainbow said. “I’d rather be sent to Tartarus!”

“Come on now, Rainbow,” Applejack said sternly. “Ya said ya were goin’ ta try n’ be fair ta Discord. N’ the way yer goin’ about now ain’t really bein’ fair.”

“It also shows that you don’t have any faith in Fluttershy despite everything,” Spike said.

Rainbow took this all in and she sighed heavily. “Okay,” Rainbow said. “I’ll go. But, if bad stuff does happen, I’ll try my best not to say, ‘I told you so.’”

“And the second you start getting aggressive,” Spike said. “You’ll be losing by proving Discord’s point.”

Rainbow sighed again. Spike remembered that she didn’t like the idea of losing. “I know this is rich coming from me,” she said. “But, you can play dirty sometimes.”

“Dirty or not,” Spike said. “We all had better get ready for the dinner party.”

“I believe I have a dress for just such an occasion,” Rarity said. “Though, I won’t use one of my fancier dresses in the likely event things get turbulent.”

Soon, close to sundown, Spike and the other guardians made their way towards Fluttershy’s cottage. Rainbow was still very vocal about her reservations.

“I’m doing this for the princess,” she said. “Nopony else.”

“You’ve made that abundantly clear,” Spike said dryly.

Twilight politely knocked on the front door. Discord, clad in a fancy suit, opened it.

“Ah, honored guests,” Discord said. “Please come in and make yourselves comfortable.” As he spoke, a red carpet appeared out of his mouth and rolled towards the girls and Spike before stopping and unfolding.

“Well,” Applejack said with a smile. “This here looks like a good sign.”

“See what a beautiful job he did helping to decorate?” Fluttershy called from inside. “Discord even set the entire table himself and helped with the cooking. I’m so proud of him.”

“I admit,” Rarity said, admiring the decorations. “This is lovely. I say he did a splendid job.”

Pinkie sniffed the air. “And the food smells delicious.”

Discord could see that his plan was starting to work. This’ll get me encased in stone in no time, he thought to himself.

At first dinner proceeded uneventfully for all involved. Fluttershy sat next to Discord, while the others sat across from them. They mostly occupied themselves with food and drink and said nothing to Discord.

“So, um,” Fluttershy said, trying to break the awkward silence. “Would you like gravy with your mashed potatoes, Pinkie?”

“Oh, yes, please,” Pinkie said.

“Wait,” Spike said. “Isn’t gravy sauce made from the juices of meats that run naturally during cooking?”

“This is a gravy made with mushrooms,” Fluttershy explained. “This can be digested by ponies like most of us.”

“That makes sense,” said Spike.

“Allow me,” Discord said before snapping his fingers, making the gravy boat come to life and start barking and panting like a dog. It went over to Pinkie and poured some gravy on top of her mashed potatoes.

“Good gravy boat,” Pinkie said gratefully.

“That looks more like a creepy gravy boat to me,” Rainbow said.

However, the gravy boat, still sentient, poured gravy onto Rainbow’s lap, just missing her crotch area.

“Hey!” Rainbow shouted. “That’s hot! I’m not letting some freak of nature get away with nearly making me rub my cro–” She then quickly realized what she was saying and stopped herself. “That’s starting to come out wrong.”

“So did insulting the gravy boat,” Spike said. “But, that didn’t stop you from saying it.” He then whispered to her. “Try not to make things difficult.”

“Okay,” Applejack said. “That was a little different, but, it wasn’t completely bad.”

“Whoops,” Discord said. “I’m so sorry, really! I don’t know how that could’ve happened.”

“That wasn’t your fault,” Rarity said. “It was Rainbow’s for insulting the gravy boat. Besides, the mess will get cleaned up and there is medicine to take care of any soreness. It wasn’t as if you deliberately poured the gravy onto her.”

“I wasn’t born yesterday,” Rainbow protested. “He did that on purpose!”

“Why, yes, I did,” Discord said, feigning a defeated voice. “Guess you’ll have to turn me back to stone. It only seems fair~”

“Hmm,” Twilight said. “Something seems fishy here.”

However, a sentient soup tureen, modeled after a fish, spat soup onto Twilight.

Fluttershy immediately turned to Discord. “Discord?” she asked him.

“That was on me, too,” he said. “Though, I never counted on the soup tureen finding the term, ‘something fishy’ to be offensive.”

“Can’t you stop it?” Fluttershy asked.

“Why bother?” Discord said. “I’m already proving that I’m a menace no matter whether I do or not.”

The soup tureen targeted Rarity next. “No! Not the dress! Please, not the dress!” she insisted, but, the tureen ignored her. It splashed Rarity before turning its attention to Applejack.

“What’s goin’ on here?!” she demanded.

“I'm proving that this endeavor of yours is positively hopeless,” Discord explained plainly.

Rainbow only glared at Fluttershy as she asked her friend. “Come on, Fluttershy! Even you can’t be this ignorant! Can’t you see what he’s doing right now?! He’s playing innocent with you so that you’ll agree to never use the Elements of Harmony against him!” Before she had a chance to get a response, she was splashed by the soup tureen.

“Incorrect,” Discord said. “I’m trying to get you to use the Elements of Harmony on me.”

Rainbow placed a container over the soup tureen to stop its splashing spree. Then, she looked at Discord with clear confusion on her face. “What?” she said. “You want us to use the Elements of Harmony on you?”

“Yes!” Discord exclaimed. “I know you’ll never see me as anything more than a monster! That’s why I’m causing all of this chaos here, to prove that you’re right! Maybe I’d rather be turned to stone again than suffer prejudice!” This caught the others all off-guard as tears of sorrow welled in Discord’s eyes and his voice slowly started breaking as he continued his breakdown. “You’re all just like those ponies who judged me millennia ago! I didn’t ask to be born! I didn’t ask to get torn apart and put back together over and over again! All so I could suffer from judgmental cretins like you! If ponies will only see me as a villain for causing mayhem or a freak of nature, what’s the point in trying to be anything else?!”

The others listened to Discord’s words. Rainbow especially took this in. The word “Smarty Pants” appeared on her foreleg. She suddenly realized what she had been doing and felt ashamed. Before any of them had a chance to process this, Angel burst into the room, prompting an eye roll from Spike.

“What’s wrong, Angel?” Fluttershy asked, noticing the worried expression on his face. Angel squeaked and chattered, Fluttershy listening intently. Fluttershy gasped. “Flooding at Sweet Apple Acres?!” Angel nodded. “A colony of beavers just moved in and built a massive dam there!” Fluttershy told the others.

“I don’t remember making any beavers behave that way,” Discord said.

“AJ?” Rainbow asked the farm mare.

“He ain’t lyin’,” Applejack said. “Sorry ta cut this party short, but, we got ta take care o’ this!”

“I’m going to go to Sweet Apple Acres and get to the bottom of this,” Fluttershy said. “Hopefully it’s just a misunderstanding.”

So, Spike, the guardians, and Discord hurried off to Sweet Apple Acres to see the farm flooded, the entire orchard was covered with water thanks to the massive dam of sticks the beavers had set up. Fortunately, the Apple family was unharmed. Apple Bloom, Granny Smith, and Big Macintosh were all floating in an upside down umbrella, surveying the damage. The lead beaver, Mr. Beaverton Beaverteeth, chattered orders to the others to keep the dam rising higher. Had one looked closer at him, they would have seen that Mr. Beaverton’s eyes were a fiery red.

“Try explaining this,” Rainbow said to Discord.

“I swear,” Discord said. “I don’t know why this is happening. Though, from the looks of things, it’s possible that I might have unknowingly caused it.”

Fluttershy tried reasoning with the beavers. “Beavers, please!” she said. “You must stop this dam. I know you’re not too fond of running water and would prefer the stream to be a pond, but, because of all of this water, the Apple family’s trees will be overwatered.” While some of the beavers made an effort to listen, the lead one protested. “What do you mean, ‘don’t tell me what to do?’ What do you mean, ‘this is all my fault?!’ Was this because I scolded you earlier? Okay, I understand your feelings and I’m very sorry, but, you can’t blame someone else for your actions.” Soon, it became apparent that he wouldn’t listen. “Mr. Beaverton won’t listen to me like the other beavers are,” she said, worry present in her voice. She saw Rainbow approach her and quickly snapped. “Yes, Rainbow, I know Discord has something to do with this! Do you all really think I’m some silly, gullible fool?!”

“See~?” Discord said. “Even when I denied that I had anything to do with this, I’m still directly responsible for all sorts of trouble!”

“For the record,” Spike said. “I didn’t think that.”

Fluttershy decided to drop the issue, convinced she’d made her point. “I’ve just been trying to gain his friendship any way I can, so, he’d come to trust and listen to me and I feel I’ve done that!” she explained. “That’s been my plan all along!”

Discord was surprised by this. “You really think of me as a friend?” he asked.

“Of course,” Fluttershy said, a kind smile on her face. “I enjoyed hearing of your stories earlier today during tea and I still appreciate the fact that you saved me when Mr. Beaverton tried to attack earlier. Though, I still don’t know what got into him.”

“Ahh!” Rarity yelped, looking at Mr. Beaverton Beaverteeth with her Mystic Eyes. “There’s a nasty bug on him!”

Discord magicked the beaver into his lion paw and plucked the insect, leaving Mr. Beaverteeth dazed and confused before Discord dropped him and hung his head in defeat. With his magic, he was able to restore Sweet Apple Acres back to its normal state, leaving the Apple Family and the other beavers safe and sound.

“That was my handiwork,” Discord said. “This Corruptermite****** was plucked from my ear and thrown away. It landed on that beaver. Go ahead and turn me back into stone. Afterwards, smash me with a sledgehammer.”

The guardians heard Discord’s words and looked at each other. After thinking it over, they removed their Elements of Harmony and set them aside carefully.

“You might be an a-hole,” Rainbow said. “But, we don’t kill.”

“N’ regardless o’ what ya did ‘fore,” Applejack said. “Ya did stop the lead beaver n’ put mah farm back ta where it’s s’possed ta be. That ain’t a reason ta kill.”

“That was one good deed,” Discord said. “That doesn’t make up for the things I did.”

“Intervening when Mr. Beaverteeth tried to attack me was another good deed,” Fluttershy said.

“It was my fault he tried to attack you in the first place,” Discord said. “Face it. I’m always going to be a bad guy. Even if it’s for things I’m not directly responsible for, I still cause trouble. How can anypony forgive me for that?”

Fluttershy stepped up. She extended her hoof out gently towards him and began to sing.

“It starts with sorry~
That’s your hoof in the door~
One simple sorry~
Spoken from your core~

The path to forgiveness is a twisting trail of hearts~
But, sorry is where it starts~”

Discord, whether he realized it or not, began to sing along.

“Who could forgive a monster like me~?
I don’t deserve your amnesty~”

Applejack and Rainbow then joined in.

“Some might just hurt him~
Lose and desert him away~”

Fluttershy sung sheepishly.

“Um, some might,
Some might not.”

Applejack and Rainbow chimed in again.

“Only some~”

Fluttershy took over again.

“But, who hasn't been in his place?

It starts with sorry~”

“Sorry~” Discord chimed.

“Dig down deeper and say one sincere sorry~” Fluttershy resumed.

“I’m so sorry~” Discord sang.

“And your journey's underway~” Fluttershy continued.

For the last part of the song, Fluttershy and Discord sang together.

“It’ll take time to cover your/my vast multitude of pains,
But sorry is where it begins
It starts with sorry~”*******

At the end of the week, Princess Celestia arrived. Spike, the guardians, and Discord met up with her, the latter having an apologetic look on his face. He bravely took a deep breath.

“Princess Celestia,” he said. “I’m very sorry for all of the trouble I caused in the past.”

“And I’m sorry for turning my back on you,” Princess Celestia apologized. “I should have been there for you when you needed my help.”

“I guess you’ll be taking the Elements of Harmony back to Canterlot?” Twilight asked.

“No,” Celestia said. “After the Changelings invasion, I’ve learned it’s best not to leave them under the watch of the overwhelming number of incompetent guards.********”

“Shall we lock the monster in the dungeon and throw away the key?” an incompetent clone guard said.

“No,” Celestia answered flatly. “I can sense goodness in Discord and that will not be necessary. If you show further discrimination against him, you will be charged with treason. That goes for all the guards. Do I make myself clear?”

The guard trembled at this. “Perfectly, your majesty.”

“Hey, Discord?” Rainbow said. “I’m sorry for being so mean to you before. I guess when trying to make a bad guy good, I was a good pony being bad myself.”

“If it’s any consolation,” Discord said. “You didn’t resort to stabbing me so much, I could be used as a soup collinder.”

“And I’m not going to either,” Rainbow said. “I can’t believe ponies were that violent back then.”

“Well, they also thought leeches were a legitimate medical treatment, so…” Discord said.

“Anyway,” Twilight said. “You were right when you said that Fluttershy would be perfect to help reform Discord. She got to know him better at her cottage and, by treating him as a friend, realized that friendship can be helpful towards him.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if she became an alicorn herself,” Rarity said.

“Were that to happen,” Celestia said. “She would have to learn the basics of unicorn magic, starting with magic kindergarten.”

“Even then,” Fluttershy admitted. “I don’t think I could handle the pressures of royalty. I have plenty of responsibilities already with all the animals in my cottage.”

“That’s true,” Spike said. “Especially Angel.”

“But,” Fluttershy added. “I’ll still do what I can to help my friends should they need it.” She gently held Discord’s lion paw. “Especially you, Discord.” Discord couldn’t help but smile at this.

Celestia looked proudly at Twilight. She really is proving herself day after day, she thought to herself. Twilight accomplished her task without worrying about failing me. Now, I have faith she can succeed where I failed regardless of what Luna or Cadance say. Just as Sterling predicted.

End of chapter.

Author's Note

Here's the next chapter.

*I realized that when writing this.

**An excellent point.

***Yes, it's a Hazbin Hotel song parody, sue me.

****How many of you caught that?

*****He's right.

******Name idea by Blake.

*******Yes, it's another Hazbin Hotel song parody, sue me.

********Legit reason.

Sorry for not using your dialogue ideas, Comickook.

If you liked this chapter, feel free to contact me via private messages if you'd like to help make future chapters.

Chapter 11: Just for Sidekicks (S3:E11)

My Little Pony: Nine Elements

Book 3

Written by Brandon Nell, Rachael Ravens, and Blake Hawkins

Chapter 11: Just for Sidekicks

It had been five days since Discord’s reformation was confirmed to Celestia. He decided to use that time to explore Equestria and see how much things had changed. On this particular morning, Spike was feeling a little down due to something that occurred three days prior. He tried to cheer himself up by making himself a jewel cake, but, quickly found that attempting to sate or even whet his appetite didn’t seem to be working. In the main part of the library, the Guardians of Harmony were gathered and knew the cause of Spike’s sadness.

“Spike’s been so sad since he had to send Peewee back,” Fluttershy said. “He barely comes to see us anymore.”

“Poor Spike,” Pinkie said. “I would get a case of the Gloomies, too, if I had to send Gummy back to his birth parents, so, I feel sorry for Spike.”

“I’ve tried taking him on gem hunts,” Rarity said. “Sadly, he had no appetite to speak of.”

“There has ta be somethin’ we can do ta help Spike,” Applejack said.

“We better talk to him,” Twilight said. “Spike, come here a minute.”

Spike, no longer enjoying his progress with his jewel cake, walked over towards the mares.

“Yeah?” he answered in a nonchalant tone. His voice sounded muffled despite the door to the kitchen being wide open. As he stepped out, he was revealed to have his scarf tied around his mouth.

“First question,” Pinkie said curiously. “What’s the scarf for?” Spike’s reply was a bit more muffled before he remembered the scarf and untied it before spitting out a sock.

“I was making a jewel cake,” he explained clearly.

“Oh~” Rainbow said. “You did that to make sure you don’t eat any of the jewels before it was mixed into the dough, right?”

“Batter, yes,” Spike said. “I thought making myself a jewel cake would help me feel better, but, I’m just not feeling all that hungry.” At that moment, Spike’s stomach gave a rather deep rumble. “Oh, boy.”

The mares carefully cleared a path. Knowing Spike, they knew a growl like that meant that he was about to receive a message via fire. The little dragon belched up a cloud of smoke that turned into a scroll.

“I wonder what Princess Celestia sent,” Twilight said, picking up the scroll. She unfurled it and speed-read through it. “Wait, this isn’t from Princess Celestia. It’s from Princess Cadance!”

“What?” Rainbow said. “How?”

“It says that Princess Celestia taught her the spell to send messages through Spike*,” Twilight said. “The letter says that all seven of us are cordially invited to the Crystal Empire for the screening for the Equestria Games.”

“Wait,” Spike said. “Seven of us? Does that mean I’m invited?!”

“You’re at the top of the list,” Twilight said.

“With your efforts to get the Crystal Heart back to Princess Cadance,” Rainbow pointed out. “The ponies of the Crystal Empire not inviting you would be ridiculous.**” She then registered Twilight saying Spike was at the top of the list. “Wait, where does that leave me?”

“Not important right now!” Twilight said through gritted teeth.

“Oh, right,” Rainbow said.

“Although,” Fluttershy said. “It would be exciting to go. It has been a while since we last were up at the Crystal Empire.”

“Maybe we’ll see Astral and the Crystal 5 again,” Pinkie said. “I hope they got my letters to them.”

“I don’t think so,” Twilight said. “The empire vanished over 1,000 years ago. I doubt they had a mail system back then.***”

“They wouldn’t?” Pinkie asked.

“The mail system we know today is a more recent development,” Twilight said. “Let’s not forget that before it vanished, the empire was largely isolated. More ponies are able to get there these days thanks to the advent of railroads. It takes time to develop a mail system.”

“Hmm,” Pinkie said. “That’s a good point.”

“Well, it would be nice to go there again,” Spike said. “Hopefully, Astral can teach me some swordplay.”

“Indeed,” Rarity said. “So, when do we need to head out, Twilight?”

“We have to catch the train first thing tomorrow,” Twilight said.

“But, what about Owlowiscious?” Spike asked. “Who’ll look after him while we’re gone?”

“We can have Dr. Fauna look after our pets,” Rarity said. “We did last time we went to the Crystal Empire.”

“Oh yeah,” Spike said.

“Besides,” Twilight said. “Owlowiscious sleeps during the day anyway. He’s pretty low maintenance.”

“That’s true,” Spike said. “Kind of makes me wonder why we bring him on pet playdates when he’s just going to sleep through them.****”

“I guess so he doesn’t feel left out?” Fluttershy asked. “Or maybe so you and Twilight have an excuse to get out of the library now and then.”

“It’s most likely the last one,” Spike admitted. “It makes the most sense to me.”

“So, it’s agreed,” Applejack said. “We’ll drop our pets off at Dr. Fauna’s vet’rinary clinic this afternoon, n’ then, first thing tamarra, we’re on our way ta the Crystal Empire.”

“If I may,” Rarity said. “I would like to help Spikey-wikey make his jewel cake before dropping off Opal. I don’t want my favorite dragon putting that sock in his mouth.”

“Since I’m feeling a little bit better,” Spike said. “And the ingredients are still out, sure. You can keep me from potentially eating the jewels. You just drop them in the batter and I’ll mix them while you cover my mouth.” With that, Rarity and Spike went into the kitchen.

“I’m letting them have this one,” Pinkie said. “As much as I love to bake, Rarity and Spike should spend some quality time together.”

“I can’t help but imagine if Spike wasn’t invited and had to look after the pets,” Rainbow said. “Maybe learn about responsibility in the process.”

“Rainbow,” Twilight said. “Do you remember when Pinkie told us about that Parasprite infestation and I left Spike to clean up the library on his own?”

“Oh…” Rainbow said. “Yeah, I remember. Spike basically had responsibility lessons hammered into his brain for years. Kind of makes him learning that lesson at this point redundant, doesn’t it?”*****

“Eeyup,” Applejack said. “Besides, it might make him feel sad ‘bout Peewee if he had ta petsit. We want ta cheer him up, not make him sadder.”

“Yeah, you got me there,” Rainbow said. “I’m sorry.”

The next day came quite fast, and before long Twilight, Spike, and the others, were all on their way to the Crystal Empire. All were excited, except for Twilight. She knew that the empire would be subjected to a very extensive inspection. If even one thing was out of place or not up to par, it could be enough to cause the games to go to another city or town. Fluttershy noticed this.

“I see you’re looking worried, Twilight,” Fluttershy said. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“She’s worried things’ll go wrong and the Empire won’t get chosen,” Rainbow said. “I know the feeling.”

“Ya do?” Applejack asked.

“When I was just a filly, Cloudsdale was considered to host the games,” Rainbow told the others. “Everypony was certain we’d be chosen, especially since we did such a good job of preparing for our inspection.”

“I remember that,” Fluttershy said. “You went to the announcement with your uncle, Rainbow Blaze.”

“Uh, I think I know why Cloudsdale wasn’t chosen,” Spike said. “Most of the participants wouldn’t be able to fly or walk on clouds on their own, making them unable to go to Cloudsdale in the first place.”******

“That is a good point,” Rainbow said. “But, hearing the disappointment about my hometown not getting chosen hurt even harder when I was a filly. The Crystal Empire had enough hardships when Sombra called the shots. The last thing they need is the disappointment of not being chosen to host the games.”

“Fair enough,” Spike conceded.

“So,” Rarity said. “We all must do our part to help the Crystal ponies be represented. Even if we are still new to the Crystal Empire, we should still know a bit about it and use that knowledge to assist them.”

“I suggest we practice the welcome again,” Twilight said.

“Now?” Applejack asked. “But, we’re almost there.”

“Besides,” Spike said. “Practicing something like that on a moving train isn’t a very good idea.”

“Those are true points,” Twilight admitted. “We’ll have to practice once we exit the train and leave the station.”

“We practiced it all day yesterday,” Rainbow said. “At this point, it’s basically impossible for us to screw it up.”

“And we’ll totally impress the Equestria Games inspector with our moves,” Pinkie winked.

Suddenly, the train came to a stop.

“Crystal Empire,” said the conductor. “Please watch your step when leaving the train.”

“Good thing we took the express,” Pinkie said.

So, Spike and the guardians exited the train and walked through the station. They noticed that the empire looked much brighter than when they were there previously.

“Wow!” Spike said. “Any brighter and we might need sunglasses!”

“Luckily, I packed some extra pairs in my saddlebag,” Rarity said. She levitated one pair for each of them. The pair she gave Spike had an emerald green frame.

“Thanks, Rarity,” Spike said gratefully.

“Thank ya kindly,” Applejack added. “Good call with these here sunglasses. It’s as if all the citizens’re out sprucin’ up the empire.”

“Where exactly are we going?” Spike asked.

“We’re to meet Princess Cadance at the Crystal Rejuvenation Spa and Salon,” Twilight explained. “According to her letter, there is a tradition where a royal mare, when appearing before a pony of importance, gets her mane done in a ceremonial headdress.”

“Do we even know where that is?” Rainbow asked.

“We do,” said a familiar voice. Spike and the guardians turned their heads and saw the Crystal 5.

“Hey!” Pinkie said happily. “It’s great seeing you gals again! Long time no see!”

“Likewise,” Sugarcoat said.

“Say,” Spike asked. “Where’s Astral?”

“He’s busy training the Crystal Guard,*******” Indigo said. “So, he’s with Prince Shining Armor.”

“The prince is coaching the team that’ll represent the Crystal Empire at the Crystal Empire,” Sugarcoat corrected.

“Uh, can we please skip to the part where you lead us to the spa?” Spike asked.

“Oh, yeah, sure,” Lemon smiled. “Follow us and we’ll catch up on the way.”

“Word of warning,” Sunny said to Spike. “You might want to lay low.”

“Why?” Spike asked.

“Hey, look!” a crystal pony shouted. “There he is! It’s Spike, our hero!”

“That’s why,” Sour Sweet answered as the other crystal ponies started swarming Spike.

“Okay, everypony!” Sunny shouted. “Break it up and give him some space!”

“Give him some breathing room, you parasites!” Indigo added.

The admiring crystal ponies reluctantly backed off, leaving Spike to pant slowly to re-catch his breath.

“Sorry about that,” Sunny said. “Most of the crystal ponies have gotten carried away with their gratitude for your actions the last time you were here.”

“I think I can understand that,” Spike said once his breath was caught.

“What about the rest of us?” Rainbow said, earning a smack on the back of her head from Applejack.

“We already get appreciation fer our actions,” Applejack said sternly. “Did ya ferget the talk we had ‘bout Spike’s efforts bein’ recognized n’ celebrated just as much as ours are?”

“Sorry,” Rainbow said.

“Besides,” Rarity said. “Spikey-wikey’s gone for most of his life without getting recognition for his accomplishments. Let. Him. Have this.”

“Okay, I’ll let him have this,” Rainbow said. “Because he deserves it.”

“Come on,” Indigo said as she and the Crystal 5 led Spike and the guardians.

Soon, they reached the spa. Sugarcoat opened the door and led her friends inside. When they got inside, Rarity was immediately overwhelmed with joy at the sheer beauty that she saw all around her. The spa was the most gorgeous sight she had ever seen.

“Oh, my goodness!” she gasped. “And I thought the Ponyville Spa was luxurious, but, this is luxury tenfold!”

“This is pretty average here,” Sunny said. “Though, we crystal ponies admittedly have higher standards of beauty.”

“You made it!” a familiar, and very excited, voice said. It was Princess Cadance.

Cadance’s hairdresser allowed her to greet Twilight up close and personal, doing their signature dance.

“Sunshine, sunshine
Ladybugs awake
Clap your hooves
And do a little shake!”

“What was that about?” Indigo asked.

“That’s something that Twilight and I have done together ever since I foalsat her,” Cadance explained. “It’s our special greeting.”

“I think that’s adorable,” Lemon said with a happy chuckle.

“And helpful to me,” Twilight added.

“How?” Sour Sweet asked.

“Well,” Twilight said, with a sheepish blush. “It’s kind of embarrassing to admit, but, when I was a filly, I developed a fear of ladybugs. My brother, in an attempt to mess with me, said that their black spots are extra eyes that watch you wherever you go. So, Cadance made up this rhyme for me to help me overcome my fear.”

“Too bad she can’t help with your fear of quesadillas,” Spike said.

“I’ve explained it to you before, Spike,” Twilight said, her blush growing more prominent. “I don’t have a fear of quesadillas. They’re just too cheesy.”

“And your response to one being placed in front of you is to run off screaming,” Spike said.

“You’re seriously afraid of quesadillas?” Rainbow said. “Even Fluttershy’s not scared of those. And she’s scared of candy.”

“It’s not the candy that I’m afraid of,” Fluttershy explained. “It’s the fact that I could choke on it or my voice could be muffled with my mouth stuck in case there’s danger.”

“The only way those could be an issue,” Rainbow said. “Is if you’re stupid enough to put too many pieces in your mouth at once. And I know you’re smarter than that.”

“Alright, everypony,” Cadance said, trying to deescalate the situation.

“What’s a quesadilla?” Lemon asked.

“Since we have to explain before the welcoming committee arrives,” Cadance said. “I’ll explain. A quesadilla is a tortilla that’s grilled and then filled with shredded cheese.”

“What’s a tortilla?” Lemon asked.

“It’s made of flour or corn dough,” Cadance explained. “It’s similar to a slice of bread, only circular and pressed flat.”

“Boy, is it a hassle to slice bread every time you get a new loaf,” Indigo said.

“These days,” Twilight said. “They sell loaves of bread that’ve already been sliced.”

“What?” Lemon said. “When did they start doing that?”

“For a while now,” Cadance said.

“Wow!” Lemon said. “That sounds like the best thing since… well… ever!”

While that discussion was underway, Rarity was busy taking in the sights of the crystal spa. Needless to say, she was amazed. “Oh, my. This is spectacular,” she exclaimed “Please, everypony, stand back! I need air!”

“Please help yourself,” a spapony said. “All of our products and services are complimentary today for the welcoming committee. And every other day for Spike the magnificent.”

“Oh~ how wonderful~!” Rarity said happily. She looked around and suddenly her eyes rested on a most unusual sight. There was what seemed to be a small pool, filled with some sort of crystal-like substance. “Ooh-hoo-hoo-hoo! What’s that?!” she asked Princess Cadance.

“That’s the crystal mud bath,” Cadence explained. “It relaxes your body and rejuvenates your coat.”

“The crystal minerals mixed in help with that,” Sugarcoat said. “If you just give it a chance, I’m sure you’ll—”

“Woo-hoo!” Pinkie shouted as she dive-bombed into the crystal mud bath. The resulting splash covered those standing by in excess mud.

Twilight became cross. “Pinkie!” she scolded. “This isn’t the time for a crystal mud bath!”

“Twilight,” Cadance said in a calm tone. “I understand your frustration at Pinkie’s antics, but, getting angry isn’t going to solve the problem. The mud is easy to clean off, I promise.”

“No,” Twilight protested. “I need to set Pinkie straight before she embarrasses the entire empire in front of the games inspector! I was hesitant allowing Pinkie to come for such a serious matter and this proves that she shouldn’t have come!”

Pinkie, hearing the things Twilight was saying about her, suddenly became disheartened. She crawled out of the mud bath, her mane deflating with sadness.

“Don’t try being a martyr, Pinkie,” Twilight said.

“You’re being a real hypocrite, mom,” Spike said. “Cadance invited all seven of us for a reason and she has a responsibility to help just as much as you and I do. We all know that Pinkie is hyper and is more than willing to jump into a large body of water or liquid, but, she still recognizes what we need to do. All those times you lectured the others when they had a petty squabble and you’re starting one yourself? What would the princess say if she saw you acting this way?”

Twilight, hearing this, took a deep breath and calmed down. “Pinkie, I am so sorry,” she said genuinely.

Pinkie, hearing the genuine apology, reinflated her mane and gave her friend a forgiving hug.

“Twilight,” Cadance said. “I can tell that you’re very stressed right now, but, you can’t just take it out on others. That’s not fair.”

“Yeah,” Rainbow said. “You didn’t like it when I did it to you when Tank was first going into hibernation.******** Why do it to others?”

“You’re right,” Twilight said. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been so hard on Pinkie. I promise I’ll take things easier. Cross my heart.”

“Even I get stressed sometimes,” Cadance said. “I’ve learned a little trick to lighten the load.”

“What’s that?” Twilight asked.

“Repeat after me,” Cadance said. “Breathe in.” She took a deep breath.

Twilight breathed in.

“Now, breathe out,” Cadance said as she let the deep breath out.

Twilight breathed out. She felt much more relaxed.

“Thank you,” Twilight said.

“Is everypony okay now?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yep,” Pinkie said.

“Yes,” Twilight answered.

“Yeah,” Rainbow said.

Spike didn’t immediately respond as he was reminded of Peewee. Cadance noticed this.

“Is something troubling you, Spike?” Cadance asked gently.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” Spike said, putting on a brave face.

“Spike,” Cadance said. “I can tell when something isn’t right. You know you can tell me anything, don’t you?”

Before Spike had a chance to answer, the door flung open. A mare wearing a gray messenger uniform approached Princess Cadance.

“Princess, if I may have a word…” she panted. “I-I have two pieces of news for you. First, your mane stylist has the flu and won’t be able to make it for fear of you catching it, too.”

“That’s not so bad, Golden Hooves,” Sunny said. “I’ve learned her techniques. I can substitute. It may take time, but, we have plenty. The inspector won’t be here for hours.”

“That was the second piece of news I wanted to tell you,” Golden Hooves said. “The Games Inspector, Ms. Harshwhinny, will be arriving on the next train.”

“What?!” all present said.

“But, that’s in–” Rainbow said before checking a copy of the train schedule she picked up at the station. “–Fifteen minutes! Why didn’t you lead with that?! We’ll never manage with such a tight deadline, we’re sunk!”

“I know that it seems like a stressful situation,” Cadance said. “But, if we all work together and keep a calm head, everything will be okay. Besides, if you all can pull off my pre-wedding preparations so quickly, then, it stands to reason that with twelve of you working together, the preparations will be pulled off much faster.”

“Rarity,” Sunny asked. “Can you help me with making the headdress?”

“Of course, Sunny,” Rarity replied. “I do have experience with working with manes back at my place of business, so, I’ll be more than happy to assist.”

“Can I help, too?” Spike asked. “I’m not exactly eager to go outside and get hounded again.”

“Yeah, definitely,” Sunny smiled. “And, should there be a need for it, we can help you.”

“Sugarcoat, Lemon, Sour Sweet, and I will stay here, too,” Indigo said. “To make sure none of you are disturbed.”

“Thanks, everypony,” Sunny smiled.

“Sunny, Spike, and I will have Cadance’s headdress ready,” Rarity said. “And we’ll have her back at the castle. I wish all of you well.”

“Thank you, Rarity,” Twilight smiled. “And I’ll take Cadance’s advice and keep breathing calmly, should I need to relax.”

“Okay,” Rainbow said. “Elephant in the room, HOW WILL WE KNOW HARSHWHINNY WHEN WE SEE HER?!”

“I got a letter earlier saying what to look for,” Cadance explained. “She’s an earth pony mare, about average height, with red flower print luggage.”

“That’s it?!” Spike said.

“It’s plenty,” Rainbow said as she hurried Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie, and Fluttershy out of the spa. “We’ll see you guys later!”

Once they were out of sight, Spike turned to Cadance. “Can I see the letter?”

“Yes,” Cadance said. “I placed it on that vanity over there.”

Spike looked at the letter. The only information he saw was earth pony mare, about average height, with red flower print luggage. Though, he noticed a paper clip in the top left corner, which he didn't think much of.

“This isn’t enough information!” Spike said. “What color is her coat, what color is her mane and tail, what color are her eyes, what does her Cutie Mark depict?!”

Rarity quickly rubbed Spike’s left face cheek to calm him down. “It’s alright, Spikey-Wikey. Cadance did have a point before about remaining calm, didn’t she? If we know our friends, they have it covered.”

Spike used the breathing technique Cadance taught Twilight. “I admit she did,” he said. “But, those things I listed were important information, too. Without those bits, they might end up welcoming the wrong pony just because she had red flower print luggage, too. I wouldn’t be able to count the number of ponies who have similar luggage styles.”

“Yes, the information is vague,” Cadance admitted. “But, we have to trust your friends and mother and make sure they’re friendly towards the pony in question. I heard she recently adopted you, by the way.”

“She did,” Spike said. “It lightens the sting of…” Spike’s smile faltered.

“Lightens the sting of what?” Cadance asked.

“Sending Peewee back,” Spike said as tears started to form in his eyes.

Rarity comforted Spike gently. “That’s it, Spikey-Wikey. Let it all out.”

“It’s not that I’m unsympathetic,” Sugarcoat asked. “But, who’s Peewee?”

“A phoenix chick that hatched from an egg Spike rescued,” Rarity said.

“Aww~” Sour Sweet said. “Poor Spike. No wonder he’s so down. He misses his friend.”

“He was my pet until four days ago,” Spike sobbed. “I had to let him go for his sake. Even if it hurt.”

“I can understand where you’re coming from,” Indigo said gently. “It can hurt to do the right thing and you will miss him for a long time. But, what was important was that you made sure he was safe back home and that you didn’t keep him away from those he loved.”

“I grew up without knowing my biological parents,” Spike said. “I didn’t want him to go through the rest of his life like that.*********”

“That shows that you really care about Peewee,” Lemon said. “You really do have a kind heart, Spike.”

“From what we understand,” Sunny said. “A dragon with a heart as pure as yours at your age is a rare treasure these days.”

“It’s true,” Cadance said. “I remember Princess Celestia telling me about Spike’s hatching and how she was able to spare him from a horrible fate against prejudiced ponies. I was horrified that ponies would consider killing an innocent hatchling. It didn’t matter to me what species you were. You had as much right to live a full life as anypony else.”

Spike, hearing the kind words from Cadance, started to feel better.

“From what I saw of you when I foalsat Twilight,” the princess continued. “Innocence was all you knew. I’ll admit I don’t know much about dragons, but, from what I saw of you in those days, I know you’re a good boy. Anything else is irrelevant.”

“Wow,” Spike said gently. “Thanks, Cadance.”

“Since Twilight adopted you know,” Cadance said. “You can call me auntie Cadance if you want.**********”

“Okay,” Spike said. “Auntie Candace.”

“It does suit you to a tee,” Rarity smiled.

“Would you like a hug from auntie Cadance?” the princess asked.

“Yes, please,” Spike replied.

Cadance wrapped her front hooves and wings around the little dragon. Spike could feel any and all downhearted feelings he had flow away.

“Feel better now?” Cadance asked.

“Much better,” Spike said. “Thank you.”

“Spike’s been so sad since… you know what,” Rarity said as tactfully as she could. “We saw bringing him here to the Crystal Empire as a way to cheer him up.”

“Since I wanted to see Spike again,” Cadance said. “I had to invite him as well as you and your friends. Besides, after the role he played in saving the empire, the general consensus was that it would be rude not to invite him. Though, I would be lying if I said I didn’t have concerns.”

“Concerns?” Rarity asked.

“I was worried about the crystal ponies overwhelming him with their adoration,***********” Cadance explained.

“I’ll admit,” Spike said. “As our crystal pony friends were leading us here, I was swarmed by a large group of crystal ponies.” Then, a thought occurred to him. “Hey, how come they didn’t swarm me?”

“Well,” Sugarcoat explained. “We got a chance to know you personally. And while we do respect what you did, we didn’t want to overwhelm you like they do. Remember, we were the only crystal ponies who kept their memories of the pre-Sombra days.”

“True,” Spike nodded. “The other crystal ponies only really acknowledged me when I brought out the Crystal Heart, so, it makes sense they would only see me as a big hero after that. Uh, not that I mean to brag or anything.”

“No, we get it,” Lemon said, understanding where Spike was coming from. “We tried our best to fight Sombra directly to buy you guys time, but, we don’t want attention for it.”

“True,” Sugarcoat said. “If we had the choice, we would rather be recognized for being good friends towards others.”

“While we’re working on Cadance’s mane,” Sunny said. “Why don’t you help yourself to a crystal mud bath, Spike?”

“Sure thing,” Spike said. He got hip-deep in the crystal mud bath and he felt relaxation hit him like a tidal wave. He inhaled deeply and exhaled in a relaxed manner. Soon, he found himself getting deeper and deeper into the crystal mud bath. Realizing this, he pulled himself up, his head over the surface of the mud. “Whoa! That was close! This stuff’s relaxing power is extremely potent.”

“Oh, dear,” Sour Sweet said. “We’ll have to consider installing different levels of sitting considering those of varying sizes.”

“Good idea,” Spike admitted.

“In the meantime,” Rarity said, bringing out a flotation device from the spa shelves. “You’ll need this to keep afloat.” She placed it on Spike so he could float on the mud.

“Thanks, Rarity,” Spike said gratefully.

A short time later, Rarity was still working on Princess Cadance's mane with Sunny. Spike, taking a break from his own relaxation, watched anxiously.

“What are you doing?!” Sunny said. “Don’t skip step 12!”

Rarity yelped, realizing her mistake.

“Girls?” Cadance asked. “Is everything okay?”

“Oh, I’m so sorry... It’s just... oh so complicated,” Rarity replied before letting out a nervous laugh. “Don’t worry, we can fix it!”

“Alright,” Cadance said. “I trust you two.” She turned her head a bit and saw her reflection in a mirror. She couldn't think of what to say, if anything. Her mane looked like it had been exposed to too much static electricity and looked incredibly messy and unwelcoming.

There has to be something that can be done to help with that, Spike thought to himself.

“I must say, Rarity, I’m disappointed in you,” Princess Cadance said in a tone that was both gentle and cross at the same time. “I never would’ve expected somepony like you to take shortcuts.”

“We’re pressed for time!” Rarity said. “Besides, this mane style is unlike anything I’ve ever done before. I never even knew it existed until I came to this spa. If Ms. Harshwhinny wasn’t already slated to arrive by now, I’d have more time to follow the steps to the letter.”

“Rarity,” Spike said, stepping out of the mud bath. “We all understand where you’re coming from. We just need to calm down and take this one step at a time.”

“And we can’t take shortcuts,” Sunny said. “I’ve tried taking unnecessary shortcuts before and it always blew up in my face.”

Rarity took a deep cleansing breath and exhaled. “You’re right. I cannot give up now.” The two fashion-conscious unicorns quickly set about fixing Rarity’s mistake.

“You got this, girls,” Spike said with a supportive smile.

However, it wasn’t long before Twilight entered the spa, humming leisurely to herself.

“Twilight!” the other crystal mares exclaimed, rushing over to meet her.

“What are you doing here?!” Sour Sweet asked.

“We finished the welcome committee song, but, we’ve run into a slight problem,” Twilight explained. “I figured Princess Cadance would know what to do. Is she ready?”

“Not yet,” Indigo replied. “There have been some… difficulties and we need a bit more time.”

“Yeah,” Sugarcoat said. “Rarity skipped a step and everything went wrong.”

“How wrong?” Twilight asked.

“Imagine if Cadance’s mane turned into a briar golem,” Sugarcoat answered bluntly.

“I don’t know what a briar golem is,” Twilight said.

“Try imagining her mane became a porcupine,” Spike said.

“Oh… that wrong,” Twilight said.

“But,” Spike said. “Rarity and Sunny are taking the steps to make things right.”

“But, what am I supposed to do?” Twilight asked. “I need Cadance’s advice!"

“Why don’t you ask Uncle Shining?” Spike asked. “He’s at the Crystal Stadium.”

“Ah, that’s a great idea, Spike,” Twilight said. “We’ll go there now.”

“I’ll lead you there,” Indigo said. “I know the way.”

“Thanks, Indigo,” Twilight said. “See you later, Spike.” She gave him a motherly kiss on his forehead.

With that, she and Indigo left, shutting the spa door behind them.

“Thank you, Spike,” Rarity said gratefully. “Alright, Sunny. Let’s get this mane back into place.”

“Time for a conditioning rinse,” Sunny said.

So, the two mares worked hard together, getting Cadance’s headdress back in proper order.

“We’ll need to work harder than ever,” Rarity said.

“I’ll get you supplies as you need them,” Spike said.

“Thanks, Spike,” Sunny said.

“Indeed,” Rarity said. “Rest assured, I fully intend to compensate you for your help, Spikey-wikey.”

So, the three worked hard and worked fast. Spike got all of the supplies as Rarity and Sunny asked for them. After a while, a familiar scream suddenly reached the ears of all in the spa.

“That sounded like Rainbow,” Spike said.

“What’s happening?!” Sunny exclaimed.

“If I had to guess,” Spike said. “Things are going wrong.” Unknown to either of them, Rainbow Dash had just smacked into the roof of the spa. She wasn't hurt and with a barely audible sliding noise, she detached from the roof and hit the ground.

“It stopped,” Rarity said. She and sunny had finished the last step in the stylizing process. And they were just in time, for at that very moment, Twilight and the others came walking through the spa door. Rainbow Dash looked incredibly beat up and all six of the mares seemed out of breath.

“Whoa,” Sugarcoat said. “What happened to all of you?”

“Oh, there she is!” Rainbow Dash said with great relief. “We’re in luck! I don’t think either of them knows yet that the other one’s here!”

“What’s going on?” Spike asked.

“Wonderful news, look! Princess Cadance, better than new!” Rarity happily exclaimed. A second later, Princess Cadance emerged. The traditional royal ceremonial headdress looked incredible on her. All were impressed.

“Wow~!” Applejack said in an impressed tone. “Rare, y’all n’ Sunny did an amazin’ job! Cadance looks fantastic!”

“So, this is where you were the entire time,” an unfamiliar voice said crossly.

Most of the guardians, minus Rarity, winced at the sound of the voice. They looked over and saw a very stern looking Earth pony mare. She had a brilliant orange coat, a very light gold mane and tail, cut professionally short, brilliant cornflower blue eyes, and her Cutie Mark depicted a golden trophy.

“I was wondering why nopony was there to welcome me!” she added.

“Shot in the dark,” Spike said flatly. “But, you’re the real Equestria Games inspector, Ms. Harshwhinny, aren’t you? Not just a mare of the vague description provided and who just happens to have red flower print luggage?”

“Yes, I am,” said the mare, Ms. Harshwhinny, sternly. “And I must say that this was the absolute worst welcome I have had in the whole of my career!”

“Well,” Spike pointed out. “You didn’t tell us what color your coat, mane, tail, or eyes were or what your Cutie Mark depicted, so, that’s kind of your own fault.”

“Well!” Ms. Harshwhinny said aghast.

“He’s kind of right, you know,” Indigo said. “Because they didn’t have that information, they gave the welcome to a tourist named Ms. Peachbottom, who happened to have red flower print luggage like you.” She then read from the letter. “You wrote, ‘earth pony mare, average height, and has red flower print luggage.’ They had very little to go on beyond that.”

“Oh, dear,” Ms. Harshwhinny said, suddenly embarrassed. “It seems the photograph reference of myself had fallen off during the delivery process.”

“Huh,” Spike said. “That must be why the letter had that paper clip.”

“Photographic reference or not,” Rainbow said in an embarrassed and apologetic tone. “This was really my fault. I wanted the Crystal Empire to be chosen to represent the Equestria Games that I let my impatience get in the way. When I was a filly, I wanted Cloudsdale to be chosen, but, that didn’t happen. Of course, I understand why it wasn’t the case now, but, I was still heartbroken when I was a filly. I didn’t want the Crystal Empire to face the same heartache after over a thousand years of heartache from King Sombra. But, it looks like I ruined our chances. So… I’m sorry for everything.”

“I wouldn’t say the chances were ruined,” Ms. Harshwhinny said.

“They weren’t?” Rainbow asked, suddenly confused.

“I was talking to this mare here,” Ms. Harswhinny said, focusing on an earth pony mare with a pale gold coat with freckles on her face cheeks, a brilliant pistachio mane and tail with very light chartreuse green stripes, and brilliant pistachio eyes. Her mane was done up in a ponytail, she wore a pink blouse with a frilly white collar and sky blue neckerchief. Her Cutie Mark depicted a brown feathered hen in the middle of scurrying.

“You must be Ms. Peachbottom,” Spike said.

“Yes, ah am,” said the mare named Ms. Peachbottom in a sweet country accent. “Mighty pleased ta meet ya.”

“And,” Ms. Harshwhinny continued. “She told me about how she was treated to the warmest, finest, friendliest, most fabulous reception she has ever had.”

“But, we gave it to the wrong pony,” Rainbow said.

“That was my fault,” Ms. Harshwhinny admitted. “I hadn’t anticipated the photographic reference getting lost during the delivery, so, I didn’t feel it necessary to provide written details. All the same, the welcome you gave her proved to be an unbiased appraisal of a potential host for the Equestria Games. Which means…”

Cadance later made the announcement to the empire.

“The next host of the Equestria Games is…” Princess Cadance announced into a microphone. “The Crystal Empire!”

The crystal ponies all cheered. The guardians and Spike also cheered happily. As did the Crystal 5. On the way back to the train, Spike found an opportunity to speak to Ms. Harshwhinny and Ms. Peachbottom.

“Say, uh,” Spike said. “Neither of you have a problem with me being a dragon, right?”

“Absolutely not,” Ms. Peachbottom answered kindly. “Ah travel a lot n' ah meet a lot o' mighty neat creatures, dragons bein’ some o' 'em. Plus, you’re one o' the cutest dragons ah’ve ever seen in a long time.” She used her front hooves to squish both his face cheeks at the same time, prompting a rather jealous expression from Rarity.

“And I do not personally have a problem with dragons, either,” Ms. Harshwhinny said. “I believe in judging others by their actions. Species is irrelevant.”

“Okay,” Spike said. “Thank you both for your honest answers.” Rarity used her magic to levitate Spike onto her back.

“Now that that’s taken care of,” Pinkie said after they boarded the train. “We can go back home. I can’t wait to give Gummy a cute little alligator hug!”

“You’re the only pony brave enough to hug a gator, Pinkie,” Spike said.

“He’s my scale baby,” Pinkie said. “Why wouldn’t I hug him?”

“Ah reckon we shouldn’t talk too much ‘bout pets ‘round Spike,” Applejack said. “He might still be sad ‘bout—” Rainbow covered Applejack’s mouth and spoke through gritted teeth.

“Ix-nay on the Eewee-pay!” the prismatic-maned pegasus said.

“It’s okay, guys,” Spike said. “I’m not sad about having to send Peewee back to his own family anymore. I was able to let out my feelings with Cadance, Rarity, and our crystal pony friends. They gave me some really good advice, too, and I’m feeling much better now.”

“What would you say to a gem hunt when we get home?” Rarity asked.

“Sounds good to me!” Spike said enthusiastically before he began thinking. “Actually, it’ll take us a while to get there even on the express. It’ll probably be nightfall by the time we get there.”

“Understandable,” Rarity conceded with a nod. “There’s also the lag that comes with a long journey.”

“That’s true,” Spike said. “But, if we don’t have too many plans tomorrow, we can go on a gem hunt then.”

“I find those terms agreeable,” Rarity said.

“Cool,” Spike smiled. “Say, while we’re on the train, why don’t you tell us how things went on your side?”

“Sure thing,” Twilight said. “We’ll take turns.”

How did their side of the story go, you ask? Well, you’ll have to wait until the next chapter, won’t you?

End of chapter.

Author's Note

Here's the next chapter.

*Legit explanation.

**An excellent point. Especially with the big deal the crystal ponies made of it from season 4 onwards.

***Another excellent point.

****Legit point.

*****She's not wrong.

******Plausible theory is plausible.

*******No, this isn't a cover-up for the fact that I didn't get Astral's creator in on the doc. What gave you that idea?

********FORESHADOWING!!!

*********That's a perfectly reasonable excuse for sending Peewee away. I defy you to change my mind.

**********WHOLESOME!!!

***********That's actually a pretty good reason.

If you liked this chapter, feel free to contact me via private messages if you'd like to help make future chapters.

Chapter 12: Games Ponies Play (S3:E12)

My Little Pony: Nine Elements

Book 3

Written by Brandon Nell, Rachael Ravens, and Blake Hawkins

Chapter 12: Games Ponies Play

Twilight, Spike, and their friends were traveling back home to Ponyville. It had been a long day, but, in the end, they had managed to accomplish what they had set out to do. The Crystal Empire had been chosen to host the Equestria Games, Twilight had learned an important technique for staying cool, and Rarity had learned a valuable lesson about what happens when you try to cut corners. Despite this, there were still some details that Rarity and Spike weren’t aware of. They had spent all their time in the crystal spa, tending to Princess Cadance. Twilight and the others had been busy greeting Ms. Harshwhinny, or at least somepony they had thought was her.

“So,” Spike said. “You decided to tell the story in turns moments ago. Who’s going first?”

“How about you go first, Twilight?” Fluttershy offered. “It was your idea.”

“Very well,” Twilight said. And this was the story she told.

First, we were waiting at the train station for any signs of the Games Inspector, especially her flower print luggage.

"So, what’s the plan?" Fluttershy asked Twilight on the way to the station.

"It's quite simple," Twilight explained. "We meet Ms. Harshwhinny at the station, bring her back to the castle with us, put on our big welcome committee how-do-you-do, and we're golden."

“Sounds simple,” Applejack commented.

"Not quite,” Rainbow said. “We need to remember that Ms. Harswhinny arriving early is probably part of a plan to psych us out."

“Are we sure about that, Rainbow?” Twilight asked. “It was probably just a miscommunication that resulted in us thinking she wouldn't be here for a few more hours. Happens all the time."

“We’re not dealing with the royal guards in Canterlot, Twilight,” Rainbow said. “"You said it yourself. She's got a rep for trying to catch hosts off-guard, just to see if we can handle the kind of massive pressure that comes with hosting the Equestria Games."

“Are you saying it’s wrong for her to do her job as the Games Inspector?” Pinkie asked.

“That’s not what I’m saying,” Rainbow said. "What's important is that we stay one step ahead of her the entire time. We can't fall for her mind games."

“Easier said than done,” Fluttershy said. “Don’t you remember what happened with Discord?”

“That was different!” Rainbow said. “Ms. Harshwhinny’s a non-crystal earth pony. She can’t cast spells. Anything she throws at us, we just need to remember she's testing us and roll with it. We've only got one shot at this, so we can't screw it up.”

Soon, we saw a mare with a floral print bag stepping out of a train car. Unbeknownst to us at the time, this wasn’t Ms. Harshwhinny. Instead, it was Ms. Peachbottom, the wandering mustang mare.

“Excuse me, ma’am,” Rainbow said to her politely.

“Yeah?” the mare asked.

“Ahem,” Twilight said, approaching Ms. Peachbottom. “I know you weren’t expecting us, but, are you Ms. Harshwhinny?”

Unfortunately, the mare didn’t hear Twilight properly. For at that very moment, the train that had brought her here had blown its whistle. The noise was so loud that it covered up Twilight's question and the mare misunderstood what was being asked.

“Oh, sure ah am, thank ya fer noticin’,” Ms. Peachbottom said.

Twilight gave a sigh of relief. “Yes,” she said. “We’re personally welcoming you to the Crystal Empire.”

“Well, ain’t that the cat’s meow!” Ms. Peachbottom smiled. “Ah hardly ever expected anythin’ like this, but, this is lovely.”

"Princess Cadance insisted that we be part o’ the welcomin' committee,” Applejack explained. “Let's just say, it was a honor we were more’n happy ta accept."

“The Princess Cadance herself?!” Ms. Peachbottom said with an excited gasp.

"None other! And she'll be very happy to meet you," Twilight replied. "She's a bit busy at the moment, but, she insisted we meet you here and escort you to the castle."

“Well~!” Ms. Peachbottom said happily. “This just keeps gettin’ better n’ better! Please, lead the way.”

"Can we help you with your luggage?" Fluttershy asked politely.

“Don’t mind if ya do,” Ms. Peachbottom said. “Though, be careful. They’re mighty heavy even fer an earth pony.”

Applejack walked over to the bag and attempted to pick it up. As she picked it up, she thought she felt a bit of heft to it, but, with her natural strength, simply shrugged it off.

“I love the floral print on your bag,” Fluttershy commented.

Applejack looked uneasily at the bag on her back and didn’t watch where she was going, nearly clunking the mare in the head with it as she used her mouth to grab the handle in an attempt to adjust it.

“Shorreh~!” Applejack said, the bag handle in between her teeth.

“Don’t fret none,” the mare said. “Ain’t as bad as when ah dropped it on mah hooves a few times.”

“Our first stop is the castle,” Pinkie said excitedly. “There, we’ve got a big super-duper spectacular welcome just for you, ma’am!”

“This is going well so far,” Rainbow said to Twilight.

After Twilight finished telling her part, she turned her attention to Pinkie.

“Pinkie,” Twilight offered. “Would you like to go next?”

“Okay,” Pinkie said. “Now, I had my doubts that mare was Ms. Harshwhinny because of the way she acted so surprised and her accent. I tried pointing it out to Rainbow, but–”

“Rainbow,” Pinkie said, during the flashback. “Don’t you find it weird that Ms. Harshwhinny’s so surprised and is speaking with that accent?”

“I told you,” Rainbow said. “It’s a test. Besides, she was on the next train just like Golden Hooves said.”

“Are you sure that was the next train?” Pinkie asked. “Because when I looked at the clock when we arrived at the station–”

“We don’t have time for that, Pinkie,” Rainbow said. “We’ve got a welcome routine to put on.”

I threw enough surprise parties to know the difference between real and fake surprise, but, I could tell Dashie wasn’t going to listen, so, I decided to not bother saying anything. So, anyway, we arrived at the castle.

Twilight and the others led the mare they thought was Ms. Harshwhinny to the outskirts of the crystal castle. The mare seemed rather impressed. "Mah golly, the crystal castle!" the mare gasped. "Why, ah've seen a few pictures of it, but, ah never expected to see it with mah very own eyes! From the inside no less, this is certainly an honor!"

“She’s so nice,” Fluttershy said with a smile.

“Yeah,” Pinkie said. “Kind of makes me wonder why she’s called Ms. Harshwhinny.”

"You're letting her lull you into a false sense of confidence," Rainbow Dash warned the two. "She's acting nice to catch us off guard! It's all part of the game. We've got to stay alert. Remember what's at stake here!"

The mare followed Twilight and the others into the Crystal Castle. She was amazed by how breathtakingly gorgeous it looked.

“Oh, mah, ah’m so excited~” she squealed. “It’s even more beautiful seeing it in real life!”

“I’m pleased to hear you’re so excited,” Twilight said. “Now, if you'll kindly take a seat, we can begin our performance."

“Oh, boy~” Ms. Peachbottom said, taking a seat. “Go ahead, please. Though, after that, ah need ta take a quick run ‘round the castle. Been a long train ride n’ ah need ta stretch mah legs.”

“Of course, ma’am,” Twilight nodded. She then turned to her friends. “Ready, girls?”

I still had my suspicions, so, I pulled Rainbow in.

“Rainbow,” Pinkie said. “It looked like she wanted to be anywhere but here.”

"She was probably testing us to see if we could remain in control of a complex situation," Rainbow Dash replied. "Looks like we passed, but, we've got to expect the unexpected if we're going to stay ahead of her."

Knowing that Rainbow still wasn’t listening, I shrugged it off and we performed our routine.

“We’re ready,” Pinkie said.

“Two, four, six, eight
Name a place that’s really great!
One, two, three, four
Keeps you coming back for more!
Two, seven, nine, three,
The place where we all want to be!
Four, three, two, one
The Crystal Empire, that’s the one!”

With a blast from Pinkie's party cannon (and some impressive aerial acrobatics from Rainbow), the five mares broke off the pyramid. The mare was greatly impressed.

“That was wonderful!” Ms. Peachbottom cheered. “Oh, yeah!” She gave a loud cheering whistle, stomping her front hooves.

"That's fantastic! Princess Cadance would be so glad to hear that!" Twilight replied happily.

“Ah’m honestly surprised she even knows ‘bout me at all,” Ms. Peachbottom said.

This left the mares a bit confused. Thinking that this was still a supposed test, Twilight spoke up.

“Of course she knows about you, ma’am,” Twilight said. “She’s been expecting your visit for weeks.”

“The princess was really lookin’ forward ta seein’ me?” the mare asked.

“Of course she was,” Rainbow said. “After all, you’re Ms. Harshwhinny, the inspector for the Equestria Games Committee."

Ms. Peachbottom was confused by this. “Who’s Ms. Harshwhinny? Ah ain’t never heard that name before.”

The realization hit most of the mares like a ton of bricks.

“We gave the welcome to the wrong pony?!” Rainbow exclaimed. “How’d that even happen?!”

“Hmm,” Pinkie said. “I don’t know. It’s not like we arrived at the train station too early and found the first pony with flower print luggage or double checked to see if the mare with said floral print luggage really was the Equestria Games judge. Where, oh where, would there have been any issue?”

“What are you getting at, Pinkie?” Rainbow demanded.

“Well,” Pinkie said. “Back at the spa, when you said the next train arrived in 15 minutes, I looked at a clock in the spa and memorized the time you said it. When I looked at the clock at the train station, I saw that it was seven minutes past the time I memorized. And when Twilight tried to ask if she really was Ms. Harshwhinny, the whistle from the train was too loud and it covered up Twilight’s voice. I was standing closer to Twilight so I could understand her better, but, this mare was too close to the engine that she mostly heard the whistle instead of Twilight.*”

“Why didn’t you say that sooner?!” Rainbow said.

“I tried to,” Pinkie said. “But, you said, quote, ‘we don’t have time for that, Pinkie, we’ve got a welcome routine to put on.’ End quote.”

Twilight took this especially hard, remembering what she had said about her at the spa earlier.

“Pinkie Pie, I’m so sorry,” she said. “I should have never said you shouldn’t have come and for calling you a martyr for being so justifiably sad. If it wasn’t for you figuring this out, we don’t know where we would have been. Can you ever forgive me?”

“Of course I can, Twilight,” Pinkie smiled. “And I did.”

“Hold on,” Applejack said. “Then, if this ain’t Ms. Harshwhinny… then, where’s the real Ms. Harshwhinny?!”

“‘Fraid ah can’t help much,” Ms. Peachbottom said. “Incidentally, ah’m Ms. Peachbottom, just an ordinary wild mustang from Mustangia here ta enjoy a little vay-cay. Ah heard this place was a good tourist destination, so, ah thought ah'd check it out. Sorry if ah caused any trouble. Ah never intended ta impersonate no important inspector pony."

“No,” Rainbow said dismally. “This was all my fault. I wanted so badly for the Crystal Empire to get the chance to host the Equestria Games that I was quick to greet the first pony I saw that seemed to match the description.”

“The description was just, ‘earth pony mare, ‘bout average height, with red flower print luggage,’” Applejack said. “If’n Spike were here, ah bet he’d say that weren’t much ta go off.”

“You’re right,” Ms. Peachbottom said. “That don’t sound like much ta go off o’. Why, ah can’t even count the total number o’ ponies with the same luggage style as mine. Ah went on a train with thirty other ponies that had a luggage style like mine last month alone.”

“Well,” Fluttershy said. “We can’t just stand here now feeling sorry for ourselves. We’ve got to go out there and find the real Ms. Harshwhinny.”

“Fluttershy’s right,” Twilight said. “Panicking isn’t going to fix anything.” Rainbow raised a hoof. “I know that’s rich coming from me when I panicked over Princess Celestia giving me a test, but, need I remind you that I’ve gotten over my fear of failing her by now, Rainbow?”

Rainbow lowered her hoof. “So, what are we waiting for? Let’s go out and find her!”

“N’ Ms. Peachbottom,” Applejack said. “Ya can go n’ enjoy the rest o’ yer vacation here.”

“Sounds good ta me!” the mare said as she rushed off.

“Rainbow,” Twilight said. “We need to be more patient this time. Impatience on your end is part of what caused this mixup in the first place.”

“Believe me, I know now,” Rainbow said. “I can already tell Spike’ll chew me out for this.”

Back in the present, Rainbow had a look of resignation. “Go ahead, Spike,” she said. “Chew me out.”

“I’m almost sorry to disappoint you,” Spike said. “But, I’ll refrain from that.”

“What?” Rainbow asked.

“Because I can tell you feel regret for what you did,” he replied. “And you had apologized back at the spa, I’m not going to chew you out for that. Besides, you weren’t provided much details to go off of and you can’t help that.”

“Wow,” Rainbow said, with a relieved smile. “Thanks, Spike.”

“Twilight decided ta ask Cadance fer advice,” Applejack said. “Only problem was she weren’t there.”

“I remember that part,” Spike said.

“Long story short,” Rarity clarified. “I thought I could skip a step in the instructions and it didn’t really work out.”

“But,” Spike said. “I don’t know what happened after that before you came back.”

“Well,” Fluttershy said. “Before she left, Twilight told us to make Ms. Peachbottom feel as welcome as possible. Twilight said that her not being the inspector was all the more reason to not suddenly change how we've treated her. We needed to show Ms. Harshwhinny how welcoming the Crystal Empire can be. And what better way to show that than with a tourist who's never been to this place before?"

“That makes sense,” Spike admitted.

“I offered to give her a tour of the castle when she was done with her run,” Rainbow said.

“I’m not so sure that’s such a good idea, Rainbow,” Spike said. “We don't really know our way around that place. And it's awfully big.**”

“That’s what ah said,” Applejack commented. “But, Rainbow thought it couldn’t be that big.”

“I also noticed that Ms. Peachbottom was a bit claustrophobic,” Fluttershy said.

“I admittedly encountered Ms. Harshwhinny on the way to the spa,” Twilight said.

In the flashback, Twilight hadn't gotten very far when she noticed an earth pony mare with a brilliant orange coat, a very light gold mane and tail, cut professionally short, brilliant cornflower blue eyes, what looked like a purple business dress, and her Cutie Mark depicted a golden trophy. Said mare was dragging her luggage along and from the looks of things, she seemed very cross.

“Excuse me, ma’am,” Twilight said to the mare.

“I am in no mood to chitchat,” the mare said in an annoyed tone of voice. “Even if that was my first hello of the day.” Suddenly, a cart came along and accidentally splashed her when it passed over a puddle. “Oh, botheration!”

“Do you need any help?” Twilight offered.

"Well, I wouldn't mind having somepony lend me a hoof with my luggage. If that's not too much to ask," the mare said crossly.

“It’s not too much, ma’am,” Twilight said politely. “Let me help.” Twilight used her magic to lift the luggage.

"Thanks for the help," The mare replied. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have important business to tend to." And with that, she set off to explore more of the empire.

Twilight got a look at the mare’s luggage and gasped. “Wait, ma’am!” she called out, but, the mare was already gone. “Oh, dear. What am I going to do? Hopefully, Cadance has some advice. I wonder how close Rarity and Sunny are to finishing her mane.”

Back in the present, Twilight had finished telling her second part.

“Well, Spike and Rarity know what happened when I reached the spa,” she said.

“So,” Rarity said. “What happened after that?”

“Well, Indigo led me to the stadium,” Twilight said. “Is it okay if I tell that part?”

“Go ahead, Mom,” Spike said.

“Thank you,” she said before continuing.

The crystal stadium wasn't as impressive to look at as the castle or the spa, but, compared to most sports stadiums in Equestria, it looked splendid. Clearly, no expense had been spared to give the Crystal Empire a stadium worthy of its namesake.

“You’ve clearly spared no expense,” Twilight said.

“Actually, it didn’t cost us anything,” Indigo said. “We just used our crystal pony magic to remodel the old coliseum into this. Prince Shining Armor gave us the specs to follow.”

“Warmup time is almost over, everypony,” said a familiar voice. “You’re really going to have to put your legs to the test if you want to gallop to the finish line!” Twilight knew the voice at once. When she turned her head, she found Shining Armor. He was wearing a red sports cap and had a whistle hanging around his neck. Occasionally, he would use his magic to bring up a clipboard and make notes of something. All the while, various crystal ponies were either running around the track, lifting weights, or participating in one of many different physical activities.

“Shining Armor,” Twilight said happily.

Shining Armor turned his attention to Twilight. “Hey, Twily!” He then noticed the worried look on her face. “Is everything okay?”

“Well, here’s the situation,” Twilight said. “We got a message that Ms. Harshwhinny would be arriving on the next train as well as Cadance’s mane stylist getting the flu, Rainbow rushed us to the station before the next train even arrived, we gave the welcome routine to the wrong pony, the real Ms. Harshwhinny is somewhere out there, and we have no idea where. Does any part of that sound okay?”

“That is a lot to take in,” Shining Armor admitted. “I may be busy coaching these athletes, but, I can always help my little sister and her friends. Oh, hold on a second.” He then began barking orders at the athletes. “Come on, gang! Are we going to gallop or are we going to trot!?” He turned his attention back to Twilight. “Okay, so how can I help? What do you have to go off?”

“Just earth pony mare, about average height, with red flower print luggage,” Twilight said.

“Th-that’s it?” Shining Armor said, bewildered. “I would have thought there would also be a photograph of her included as a reference.”

“Well,” Twilight said. “I think I may have bumped into her on the way to the spa. I saw she had luggage that fit the description, but, when I asked for confirmation on her identity, she was already gone.”

“I take it you didn’t see which direction she went?” Shining Armor asked.

“Unfortunately, no,” Twilight admitted.

“That is a problem,” Shining replied. “I have to say, you’re taking this pretty well. Did Cadance teach you that breathing technique?”

“She did,” Twilight answered. “How did you know?”

“I’m the one who taught it to her,” Shining explained.

“Ah~” Twilight nodded. “I always wondered how you maintained your sanity working with those… less than competent guards.”

“Anyway,” Shining continued. “Some advice I would give you is to try and look around places where a pony of importance could go.”

Before Twilight had a chance to reply, a familiar voice cried out "Ah'm outside! Feels so good to stretch the ol’ legs!" In the blink of an eye, Ms. Peachbottom appeared with the remaining four guardians following.

“What the-?!” Shining Armor said. “Who’s that?”

“Well, remember how I said we gave the welcome routine to the wrong pony?” Twilight explained before gesturing to Ms. Peachbottom.

“Ah,” Shining Armor replied, quickly getting the message.

"Turns out the Crystal Castle doesn't have a gymnasium after all," Rainbow Dash said nervously.

"Watch out!" Shining Armor shouted, just before Ms. Peachbottom crashed through one of the hurdles on the track.

“Oof!” Ms. Peachbottom said. “Ah’m alright!” She then continued running.

“You have to make her stop,” Shining said to Rainbow. “If she keeps this up, she could hurt somepony, herself more than the crystal ponies!”

"So, she's a bit on the clumsy side. I hardly think that makes her a danger to anypony," Rainbow Dash replied. "If it's what makes her happy, who am I to complain?"

No sooner had Rainbow said that than there was another crashing noise, followed by what sounded like skidding.

“Look out!” Shining Armor called.

Ms. Peachbottom had forgotten to take her surroundings into account and somehow managed to get her head stuck in a vase. This caused her to panic and run frantically. Shining glared at Rainbow while gesturing to the scene before them.

“Yeah, okay,” Rainbow said. “We need to stop her.” She took off to try and catch Ms. Peachbottom before she could do anymore damage.

By the time Rainbow Dash got close, Ms. Peachbottom was frantic. She was yelping something, but, the vase prevented anypony else from hearing what she was trying to say.

“It looks like Ms. Peachbottom’s afraid of enclosed spaces,” Fluttershy said. “That vase on her head isn’t doing her any favors.”

Rainbow flew closer to Ms. Peachbottom, careful of her flailing limbs. “Closer… closer…” she said. Finally, she grabbed the vase, which she tried to remove, but, found it difficult. So difficult in fact, that when she finally managed to yank it off, the force flung her through the air. "Yaaaaaaah!" she screamed. She thudded, crashing into the roof of the spa. The glass gave off an audible squeak as Rainbow Dash slowly slid down to the ground. “Ow,” she groaned. “Note to self: roofs of crystal buildings, not the softest place to land.”

Back in the present, Rarity realized that was what the sound was.

“Oh, my,” Rarity said. “I remember hearing that as Sunny and I were getting Cadance’s headdress back into shape. Are you alright, Rainbow?”

“I’d say the roof did more damage to me,” Rainbow admitted.

“I see,” Rarity said. “Anyway, please continue.”

“Ah’ll take over here,” Applejack said.

Back in the flashback, Ms. Peachbottom, for her part, was relieved and very glad to have the vase removed. "Hoo-eee! Oh, that felt good! Nothin' like a great run ta shake the cobwebs off these ol’ bones," she said eagerly. Rainbow flew in, mangled from the tussle. “Hey there, Speedy. All these open spaces ya got ‘round here remind me o’ home. This is great!”

"Oh! So you're enjoying your visit? Well, I'm so glad for you!" Rainbow Dash said in between pants.

“Thank ya kindly,” Ms. Peachbottom smiled. “Ah just love ta travel n’ see new places. It’s how ah got mah Cutie Mark after all. This spot in particular is just beautiful~”

Indigo stepped up to Rainbow. “What’s this about a gymnasium?”

"Well, Ms. Peachbottom kept insisting she needed a place to stretch her legs," Rainbow Dash explained. "We were trying to see if we could find the castle gymnasium. How were we supposed to know there wasn't one?"

“So, you basically gave her a tour of a place you didn’t know very well?” Indigo asked flatly.

“Oh,” Rainbow said with an embarrassed blush. “Right.”

“That’s the point ah tried ta make,” Applejack commented. “But, that ain’t even the worst part.”

“So, what is the worst part?” Indigo asked.

“We each took turns splittin’ up ta go look fer Ms. Harshwhinny,” Applejack explained. “We’ve been over almost the whole empire n’ found nothin’.”

“Only thing is that we didn’t check the spa,” Pinkie piped up. “But, there’s no point looking there. If she was there, it’d be game over.”

“Wait,” Indigo said. “None of you checked the spa?”

It was at that moment, realization hit them all like a ton of bricks.

“We have to check there fast!” Twilight said.

And off they ran like a shot, even Ms. Peachbottom followed them.

Back in the present, Twilight was wrapping up.

“And that’s pretty much all that happened before we ran into you again,” Twilight said.

“Why didn’t you just teleport yourself and the others to the spa?” Spike asked.

“I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to form a clear mental image,” Twilight explained.

“That’s fair,” Spike shrugged.

“If there's one thing I've learned from this experience, it's that whenever things go wrong, it's always best to stay calm and not panic," Twilight continued. "When you panic, you're much more likely to make a mistake. If I'd overreacted the way I normally did, this whole situation could've ended a lot differently."

“You know?” Spike said. “That would make a great friendship lesson for the princess.”

“Do you think you can also add what I learned in that letter?” Rainbow asked.

“That depends,” Spike said. “Would you care to explain what you learned?”

“I learned that it feels good to help others get something you always wanted, but, never had,” Rainbow explained. “It almost feels just as good as getting it yourself. Almost.”

So, Spike jotted down the letter about what the two learned on a scroll, rolled it up, and sent it off.

“It’s too bad we couldn’t bring the Cutie Mark Crusaders along,” Rarity said. “Sweetie Belle would’ve loved to see the Crystal Empire.”

“Given how hectic things went,” Spike said. “I’m not sure those were ideal circumstances.”

“Although,” Twilight said. “We can come back to watch the Equestria Games when they’re going to be played and we’ll be able to bring them with us.”

“Ah just hope Discord don’t try ta crash ‘em since he weren’t invited,” Applejack said. “We tried sendin’ him an invitation, but, we don’t know where he lives er if he’s even there.”

“I’m sure Princess Celestia or Princess Luna will do something about that,” Twilight said. “He could still be traveling throughout Equestria, so, he might not have settled down in one finite area yet.”

"I'm sure that whenever he's ready to come back and be with his friends again, he'll let us know," Pinkie Pie replied. "Something tells me he's going to have something big planned for us. Probably the biggest welcome back party ever."

Neither of them suspected that Discord was watching them through a hole in the fabric of reality in what looked like a tropical beach location.

“Hmm…” Discord said softly to himself. I might just come back someday, but, I’ll still need a bit more time.

End of chapter.

Author's Note

Here's the next chapter.

*Pinkie's keen observation FTW.

**An excellent point.

If you liked this chapter, feel free to contact me via private messages if you'd like to help make future chapters.

Chapter 13: Magical Mystery Cure (S3:E13)

My Little Pony: Nine Elements

Book 3

Written by Brandon Nell, Rachael Ravens, and Blake Hawkins

Chapter 13: Magical Mystery Cure

Six days after Ms. Harshwhinny’s visit to the Crystal Empire, Princess Celestia looked over the book in her possession one last time. She knew it was no ordinary book. Despite its seemingly plain appearance with only two big blue stars surrounded by swirls on its cover, this book was in fact the personal journal of Starswirl the Bearded. And it was the only thing in his possession that had remained after his mysterious and unannounced disappearance.

“Are you certain she is well and truly ready, sister?” Luna asked. She had a revived Canis on her back.

“Sterling’s predictions have never been wrong before,” Celestia answered. “She predicted Sombra and the Crystal Empire would return and we wouldn’t have her or Gold Lily to help, she predicted I would have to banish one close to me, she predicted you would return, she predicted Discord would return, and she predicted that Chrysalis would invade our kingdom. Every single one of those predictions came true.”

“That is all true,” Luna conceded with a nod.

“I was too proud to heed these predictions in the past,” Celestia admitted. “After banishing you, I vowed to treat these predictions with greater gravitas. Though I have faith in her predictions now, I still understand the weight of this decision. I’ve thought it over since Twilight proved herself instrumental in defeating Chrysalis’ invasion. I planned this for Sunset Shimmer, but, she’s been gone for over two years now and I have no idea where she went.”

“Do you really believe Twilight Sparkle can do what even Starswirl could not?” Luna asked.

“Why not?” Canis asked. “She came to understand friendship and Starswirl never did.”

“That is also true, Canis,” Luna agreed.

"She has shown an ability to master magic that rivals even that of my own,” Celestia said firmly. “She continues to exceed even my highest of expectations. I've tested her time and time again and she has always passed with flying colors. She is ready."

“Very well, sister,” Luna said. “Send it to her. For both our sakes, I hope your faith in your student is not misplaced. Sterling’s predictions may have never been wrong, but, you have.”

Celestia knew Luna was right about that. So, she opted to write down a little note to send along with the journal. “Instructions” so that her student might know best how to proceed with something so important. Doing her best to keep a quill held aloft in her magic steady, she wrote in large letters “DO NOT OPEN WITHOUT ME!” and then signed her name at the bottom. She would come to Ponyville first thing after raising the sun tomorrow. At least then, I’ll be on standby in case anything goes wrong, she thought to herself, trusting Twilight not to disobey an order.

Yet what the mighty alicorn could not have known was that her instructions were going to be ignored. She had underestimated just how eager Twilight would be to perform new magic and the consequences of that decision would have profound effects that even the sun princess could not have anticipated. And when it was all said and done, a big change would be coming to Twilight’s life. But, it would not unfold in the way that Princess Celestia was expecting.

Twilight Sparkle woke up the next morning feeling even more cheerful than usual. Something about last night had awakened something inside of her that made her feel happy just to be alive and living in a town like Ponyville. Looking out her bedroom window and taking in the sights of the town she’d come to call home for over two years now, something began to stir inside of her. She looked to her side and saw Spike sleeping soundly. While she felt that something stirring inside her, she exercised enough restraint to gently wake Spike up, knowing first hoof how cranky he got rude awakenings. Spike slowly but surely started to wake up, feeling rested after his sleep. He yawned and rubbed one of his sleepy eyes.

“Morning, Mom,” Spike said. “You’re looking eager. Is it a special occasion that I don’t know about yet? Or are you still in a good mood from your outing with Flash last night?” The night before, Flash Sentry had come to visit his younger brother, bumped into Twilight, and they started hanging out, which put Twilight in a good mood thereafter. Twilight chuckled good-naturedly.

“That was a large aspect of why I’m so happy,” Twilight replied honestly. “But, I’m mostly glad that you and I are living here in Ponyville. After two years, it still proves to be as wonderful as ever. How about we go out and grab some breakfast and then we’ll gather our friends together for a lovely day out.”

“You had me at breakfast,” Spike said. As if to agree with him, his stomach gave a loud, hungry rumble.

Twilight giggled adorably as she lowered herself to allow Spike onto her back. “Climb aboard, son,” she said. Spike eagerly climbed onto Twilight’s back. He always felt safe on Twilight’s back.

Once she made sure Spike was secure, Twilight walked out of the front door of the Golden Oak Library. The sunlight cascaded warmly upon them as Twilight walked into town with Spike riding on her back. The unicorn finally began to sing.

“Morning in Ponyville shimmers~
Morning in Ponyville shines~
And I know for absolute certain
That everything is certainly fine~

There’s the mayor en route to her office~
There’s the sofa clerk selling some quills

“Morning, kid,” he called. Twilight waved politely.

Yes, Ponyville is so gentle and still~
Can things ever go wrong?
I don’t think that they will~

Morning in Ponyville shimmers~
Morning in Ponyville shines~
And I know for absolute certain
That everything is certainly-”

But, before she could finish, Twilight’s singing was suddenly (and quite rudely in the unicorn’s opinion) interrupted by a shower of cold water. Spike shivered at the sudden onslaught of cold.

“Rainbow!” Twilight said in annoyance as she wrapped Spike in her forehooves to warm him up. “That wasn’t funny! If you didn’t like my singing, you could have just said something! You don’t have to literally rain on my parade! Especially with Spike on my back! You know how sensitive to the cold he is!”

“Terribly sorry, Twilight,” said the culprit. However, it wasn’t Rainbow who was responsible. Instead, it was actually Rarity. She was standing on a nearby bridge, her horn illuminated with her light blue magic aura. “I’m afraid I’m not very good with those storm clouds.” What was most peculiar about Rarity was that her Cutie Mark was the same white cloud with primary color lightning bolt that previously adorned Rainbow Dash’s flank.

When Spike was warmed up, he got a good look at Rarity as well and couldn’t believe what he was seeing. “Mom,” he whispered to Twilight. “I get the suspicion that everything’s not fine.”

“You’re right,” Twilight whispered back. “We better look into this.” Twilight and Spike approached Rarity. “Rarity, why are you on weather patrol? That’s Rainbow’s job. And why do you have Rainbow’s Cutie Mark instead of your own? You’re supposed to be working at Carousel Boutique.”

“I’m afraid I don’t quite understand what you’re talking about, Twilight,” Rarity said. “I’ve always had this Cutie Mark. And Carousel Boutique? I don’t think I would be eligible to work there. My job is to manage the different weather that the Cloudsdale weather factory produces specifically for Ponyville. However, it’s a tad bit hard to do that on time and keep the sky looking beautiful. And if I don’t get it done soon, I’ll never have time to test my skills in the next Equestrian 500.”

“That’s a pegasus race,” Spike said. “You’re not a pegasus, you’re a unicorn.”

“They did make an exception for me,” Rarity explained.

“HOW?!” Spike asked, getting more stressed. “YOU ARE A UNICORN!!! YOU CAN’T FLY!!!”

“Spike, please,” Twilight said, trying to calm Spike down. “It is okay to be stressed, especially with how confusing this all is. But, I’m sure once we figure out what’s going on, we’ll be able to find a solution to this problem.” She then turned her attention to Rarity. "Where’s Rainbow Dash? Shouldn’t she be taking care of this or at least assisting you?"

Rarity just replied, “Rainbow Dash has never worked a day in weather. But, if you want to know more, you can ask her yourself. She lives in a cottage near the Everfree Forest.”

Twilight and Spike were making their way to the cottage they remembered belonging to Fluttershy. Spike was trying (and failing) to make any sense of what was going on.

“Rarity on weather patrol and participating in the Equestrian 500?” Spike said. “Rainbow not on weather patrol and living in a cottage? It just doesn’t add up! What is going on here?!”

“Something strange for sure,” Twilight could only say. “And something that might be my fault. I don’t know how, but, it’s possible.” Twilight then knocked on the cottage door, the sounds of angry animals were heard inside.

Coming up to the front door, the pony and dragon knocked and were surprised to be greeted by Rainbow Dash instead of Fluttershy. “Hey Twilight, hey Spike,” the rainbow-maned pegasus greeted. “Sorry, but, this is kind of a bad time. You’ll... have to come back later, I’ve got my hooves full at the moment.”

“Only if you can answer some questions for us,” Twilight said. “First of all, why is Rarity doing your job?”

“And why are you in Fluttershy’s cottage?” Spike asked.

Rainbow Dash shot back a look of confusion even as she reluctantly allowed Twilight and Spike to enter the cottage proper. “I’m doing the same job I’ve been doing since I got my Cutie Mark. This was the only place I could find where the animals could come to me instead of me having to always rush to the animals.” And as she spoke, it was possible to see that she had the three pink butterflies that had always been on Fluttershy’s flank. “These animals won’t listen to me.”

“Because you’re not a Critter Whisperer,” Spike said. “You never were! You’re more likely to kick creatures bigger than yourself even if it goes wrong!”

“Regardless,” Rainbow said. “I have this Cutie Mark and I’m going to do my job… even if I’m sucking at it so far.” She then gave Spike a gentle pat on the head. “Maybe once I get better, we can have some tea and andalusite shard cookies.” The prismatic-maned pegasus then began singing.

“These animals don’t listen,
No, not one little bit!
They run around out of control
And throw their hissyfits~

It’s up to me to stop them,
Cuz’ plainly you can see
It’s got to be my destiny~
And it’s what my Cutie Mark is telling me~”

If he’d received such a pat on the head and offer from Fluttershy, the little dragon would’ve been tickled pink. In this circumstance, however, he got them from Rainbow, which fueled his anxiety. Twilight noticed this and gently pulled him away from Rainbow.

“Okay, we’ll go,” Twilight said. “But, would you mind telling us where we could find Fluttershy?”

“Same place she usually is,” Rainbow said. “At Sugarcube Corner with the Cakes.”

“Really?” Twilight questioned. “Isn’t that more Pinkie Pie’s thing?”

“Go and see for yourself if you don’t believe me,” Rainbow insisted. “Either way, for right now, I’ve got to try and get these animals under control.”

So, Twilight and Spike head to Sugarcube Corner. There, Fluttershy was timidly standing in front of a group of ponies. In lieu of the usual pink butterflies on her flank, she had three balloons: one yellow (though a darker shade in comparison to her butter yellow coat) and two blue.

“Sorry, Twilight. Sorry, Spike. Can’t talk right now,” Fluttershy said to both as they approached her. “You can clearly see that I’m busy. I’m not the best at parties and celebrations, but, they’re the fastest way to spread joy. And joy and laughter are two things Ponyville needs badly today. It seems to be a day when everything is going wrong.”

The ponies watching Fluttershy’s attempts at spreading laughter were clearly not amused. “Where’s Pinkie Pie?” asked Shoeshine.*

“Why does everypony keep saying that?” Fluttershy asked. “I’ve always been an entertainer. I really don’t have a lot of other options thanks to my Cutie Mark. I used to be at least somewhat capable of making other ponies happy and I have to keep trying until I can do it again. Nopony else is going to do it.”

“With Fluttershy’s social anxiety and timidity around other ponies,” Twilight whispered. “Of course she’s having a hard time spreading laughter.” She then cleared her throat and walked over to Mr. and Mrs. Cake. “So, where exactly is Pinkie Pie anyway?”

“Over at Sweet Apple Acres,” Mr. Cake said flatly.

“Poor thing has been working so hard,” Mrs. Cake said. “She was so confused when she woke up in her bed this morning.”

“Pinkie could do it,” Spike said to Fluttershy.

Fluttershy shook her head. “Especially not her. I could never ask her or any of our other friends to do my job anymore than I could be expected to take over on one of their jobs. You can’t argue with Cutie Marks.” And then she went on to unhappily sing while attempting (and ultimately failing) to entertain the ponies inside the bakery.

“I try to keep them laughing, put a smile upon their face,
But, no matter what I try, it seems a bit of a disgrace
I have to entertain them, it’s there for all to see
It’s got to be my destiny and it’s what my Cutie Mark is telling me~”

“This is physically painful to watch,” Spike said.

“Sounds like we’ll have to go to Sweet Apple Acres next,” Twilight said. “See how bad this situation really is.”

“I feel so sorry for Pinkie,” Fluttershy said. “She leaves one farm life behind only to end up with another.”

“We’ll talk to her and see if we can help her,” Spike said. Though how is going to be the real question, he thought.

Twilight and Spike soon left Sugarcube Corner and made their way to Sweet Apple Acres on the other end of town. Yet, even though it wasn’t affected by Rarity’s disorganized weather patterns, it was not in good shape at all. The entire farm looked ready to fall apart at a moment’s notice. In the distance, they could see a disgruntled looking Pinkie. Not only were bright red apples adorning her flank, but, her mane and tail were also completely straight.

“I wonder if the rest of the Apples can explain this,” said Twilight to herself. Twilight walked towards the farmhouse for any signs of an Apple family member, even honorary family members like Caramel.

“Mom…” said Spike. “If Pinkie has Applejack’s Cutie Mark, do you think Caramel would be wherever Applejack is right now?”

“It never hurts to at least check,” Twilight said. “Pinkie?”

“What do you want?!” Pinkie snapped. “Make it quick, I’m busy!”

“We can see it,” said Spike. “But… do you know where Granny Smith, Big Mac, and Apple Bloom are?”

“I don’t know!” Pinkie said. “They kept saying that I’m supposed to be at Sugarcube Corner, baking and entertaining others! That’s Fluttershy’s job! I have no time for fun and games. I have to get the farm ready for an early harvest, everything’s falling apart and ponies are getting desperate. That means more work for me. They all did their best, but, none of ‘em want to be around me. They do their chores, I do mine, and it’s better that way.”

Twilight sighed. “We know you’re busy. But… if you’re here, where is Applejack?”

Pinkie snorted. “She’s too darn busy running that silly boutique of hers to lend her own family a helping hoof. In her absence, somepony had to take charge and I figured it might as well be me. Of course, a rock farm is a whole lot different from an apple farm. I’m learning that the hard way.”

The studious unicorn was left scratching her head. "None of this is making any sense. Why is it that all my friends are acting so differently today and trying to do each other's jobs? Why am I the only one besides Spike and the rest of the town who knows who’s actually supposed to be doing what?”

Pinkie only bitterly remarked. “If anypony’s not making sense, Twilight, it’s you. Things have always been like this. There’s only so much I can do to force myself to smile. So, if you’re not going to help me get my chores done, stop wasting my time and get out of my way! If the farm goes under, it’ll be my fault. I promised the rest of the Apple family that I could make a difference when Applejack left. I can’t go back on that promise no matter how much it makes me unhappy.” And then, she too started to sing while struggling to do various chores like buck apples, repair a water chute and collect eggs from the chickens.

“I don’t care much for pickin’ fruit
And plowing fields ain’t such a hoot
No matter what I try,
I cannot fix this busted water chute
I’ve got so many chores to do
It’s no fun being me
But, it has to be my destiny
‘Cause it’s what my Cutie Mark is telling me~”

“Okay…” trailed Twilight. “Spike, to the boutique…”

“By process of elimination,” Spike said in a frightened voice. “That must mean Applejack’s there with Rarity’s Cutie Mark. I’m not going to lie, I’m feeling terrified.”

Pinkie Pie just grumpily declared. “Well if you’re going to see her at her boutique, make sure to tell her that she had some nerve to abandon her family to pursue her dream. A lot of good it did her in the end.”

The two ventured to the boutique. Sure enough, Applejack was there with Rarity’s Cutie Mark. The light blue of the diamonds stood out against Applejack’s bold orange coat. She currently had a tape measure slung around her neck. “Ah ain’t takin’ any more orders er requests. Ah’m up ta mah neck in orders as it is,” She complained while frantically rushing about the boutique.

“We’re not here to order a dress, Applejack,” Twilight said. “We’re just trying to figure things out.”

“The way things have been going today,” Spike said with trepidation. “I’m going to assume you’ve always been doing this instead of Rarity?”

Applejack nodded. “This here boutique was about ta close fer good before ah stepped in n’ took over. Ah figgered all mah time in Manehattan meant ah knew all there was ta know ‘bout fashion,” she promptly wiped the sweat from her brows while exclaiming. “Ooh boy, was that a mistake! Ah wanted a change from farm work, n’ ah sure got it all right. Ah figgered this was the best way ta do what mah Cutie Mark was tellin’ me ta do, bring out the beauty in other ponies n’ other things. But, now mah dream boutique has turned inta a nightmare.” She moved close to Spike. “Yer bein’ here makes it a li’l better.” She gave Spike a peck on his left cheek.

At that point, Spike’s anxiety increased. He began running around in a panic while screaming, “NOTHING MAKES SENSE ANYMORE!!!”**

Twilight blinked in confusion. “We have to switch them back… Right after learning how.” She then spoke to Applejack. “What are you doing, Applejack? Aren’t you and Caramel together?”

“We were,” Applejack admitted. “But, he seemed ta think that mah Cutie Mark was three apples instead o’ these here diamonds. Ah know he can be fergetful at times, but, ah admit it feels like he’s a bit too confused.”

Twilight added, “And Rarity has been doing Rainbow Dash’s job of controlling the weather. Somehow, I’m the only pony besides the non-guardian townfolk who hasn’t been affected by whatever caused this.” She looked at Applejack. “I’m sorry you can’t remember a time when you actually enjoyed working on your family’s farm. You used to take pride in being so close to your roots.”

The earth pony mare forced a smile. “That’s mighty kind o’ ya to say, Twilight. But, ya don’t have ta lie ta me just ta make me happy. Fluttershy n’ Pinkie Pie work hard enough as it is ta keep me from worryin’ ‘bout things n’ ah couldn’t even dream o’ askin' ‘em, Rarity, er Rainbow Dash ta take over fer me even just fer a day. This is mah boutique n’ mah responsibility.”

It still somewhat sounds like Applejack, Twilight thought. But, this still doesn’t feel right. “Even if that responsibility is something you’re not very good at?” Twilight questioned aloud as she noticed the rather poor quality of the dresses that the boutique currently had to offer.

Applejack just replied by saying. “Eeyup. At this point, with everythin’ else that’s goin’ on, ah don’t think ponies’re goin’ ta care much ‘bout what they wear. Got too many other problems on their hooves as it is. Now, if ya’ll both kindly excuse me, ah need ta git back ta work while ah still can. Even if it drives me ta the brink o’ collapse, ah’m goin’ ta see ta it that every last customer gets the dress they deserve!” Then, as she went over to the sewing machine she began to unhappily sing.

“Lookie here at what ah made,
Ah think that it’s a dress
Ah know it doesn’t look like much
Ah’m under some distress
Could y’all give me a hoof here
N’ help me fix this mess?
Mah destiny, it ain’t pretty
But, it’s what mah Cutie Mark is tellin’ me~”

And as soon as Twilight and Spike left the boutique, they could hear Rarity singing from afar.

“I’m in love with weather patterns
But the others have concerns~
For I just gave them frostbite
Overtop of their sunburns~
I have to keep on trying
For all around can see~
It’s got to be my destiny~
Because it’s what my Cutie Mark is telling me~”

Twilight and Spike could hear the melancholy in Rarity’s voice and knew that this was real trouble. Suddenly, Twilight had a thought.

“We have to get back to the library to figure out what’s going on,” she said.

The two retreated to the familiar confines of the Golden Oak Library in order to try and wrap their heads around what was going on. And to their great surprise, Princess Celestia was already there to greet them. The sun princess didn’t seem to be at all enthusiastic about her unannounced visit if the expression on her face was any indication. It looked like she was frowning, which was a rare sight for the alicorn with a coat of majestic white. Though it was at least of some relief to both pony and dragon that her Cutie Mark was still a sun and not something else.

“Twilight Sparkle,” she said, a stern tone in her voice. “What have you done?”

Twilight appeared to be confused judging by the expression she shot back at her mentor. “What do you mean? Did I do something wrong?”

“It seems you have missed the very important information I left on the outside of the package I sent you last night,” Celestia explained.

“Package?” Spike asked, confused.

Perhaps to provide a clearer explanation, Princess Celestia used her magic to hold up a book very familiar to her and instantly recognizable to Twilight. “Perhaps you’re aware of the incomplete master spell written within the very pages of this journal?” she pointed out while flipping through the pages until she came to one that was partially left blank.

Twilight gasped, realizing her mistake. “Oh, no…” Twilight said. “Oh, no! Now I remember!” With an expression of worry on her face, Twilight explained what had happened to Spike. “Last night, while you were taking your seven hour bubble bath, I got a delivery from Princess Celestia. I found it when I got back from my outing with Flash.***”

In a flashback, Twilight was walking back to the Golden Oak Library alongside Flash.

“I’m glad we could spend that time together, Twilight,” Flash said with a smile.

“So am I,” Twilight smiled. “Thank you, Flash.” She then saw a package on her doorstep. “Ooh, it looks like I have some mail, so if you wouldn’t mind excusing me so I can open it.”

“Go ahead,” Flash said.

The excited Twilight went in and carefully opened the package that had just been delivered to her doorstep. Attached to it was a letter that had read as follows:

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

What you’re seeing now is Starswirl the Bearded's journal, a journal he used to record all the spells he created and perfected over the course of his lifetime. Contained on the last page of this journal is his secret unfinished masterpiece.

He was never able to get it right and so, he abandoned it in favor of ‘another time’ that never came to be before his sudden disappearance many years ago. But, I believe you are the only pony who can understand and thus rewrite it, completing what Starswirl could not.

However, given the nature of this spell and the fact that it was never cast, I do not know what might happen if it were attempted. Therefore, I’ve attached extra instructions to the journal’s cover that I want you to read over first.

Sincerely,

Princess Celestia

“Oh, my~!” Twilight said to herself eagerly. “I can’t believe I received a piece of Equestrian Magic History!” It all made sense now. All those advanced magical studies Princess Celestia had been putting her through as of late, all of that had been in preparation for this. She was now to succeed where even the greatest magical mind had failed.

In fact, the unicorn was so excited that she barely even took notice of (let alone bothered to read) the “extra instructions” Princess Celestia had seen fit to tape to the front of the journal. In very large letters they clearly spelled out “DO NOT OPEN WITHOUT ME!” followed by Princess Celestia’s signature. Yet, where this warning would’ve made a more cautious pony rightfully hesitate, Twilight’s curiosity and eagerness to please her mentor caused her to discard the note without a second thought. She skimmed through the book and found the last page. Without thinking, she read aloud the spell, not realizing this was what caused the spell to be cast.

“‘From one to another, another to one,
The mark of one’s destinies singled out alone fulfilled.’”

Unbeknownst to her, a case behind Twilight containing the Elements of Harmony began to react. The six-pointed star-shaped gemstone that embedded her Harmony tiara shot a prismatic beam of light upon the other gems that embedded the Harmony necklaces her friends wore. Twilight thought she felt a faint magical energy swirl around her, but she quickly dismissed it when the energy seemed to fade as quickly as it could. And all she could think about was. “Wait, that’s it? That doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t even rhyme.” Taking a yawn, Twilight decided to call it a night and head to bed…

Back to the present day, Twilight was more worried than ever.

“I read the spell aloud,” Twilight said. “But, I didn’t realize that was what cast the spell. I didn’t think anything had happened. But, now I see something did happen. It changed the Elements of Harmony, except mine. That’s why everypony’s Cutie Marks are all mismatched!”

“You’ve not only swapped their Cutie Marks,” Celestia said. “You swapped half of their memories. Even knowing how much you idolize Starswirl the Bearded, I thought for sure I had taught you better than this.”

Twilight practically turned white as a ghost with worry. “Oh, no…” Twilight said. “My previous worst fear has come true… I’ve let you down.”

Spike was quick to jump to Twilight’s defense. “Well, to be fair, you did subject her to a test when the Crystal Empire came back that was kind of about how some orders of yours were to be defied or ignored. Like how you told my mom she had to be the one to help protect the empire and only by disregarding that was she able to make the right decision in the end.”

“No,” Twilight said. “That’s not a valid defense because that test was also to see if I would put my own interests ahead of others no matter what. It was only by ignoring what I thought I had to do that I was able to give you the order that allowed you to get the Crystal Heart to Cadance in time. If I’d remembered that lesson, I would’ve realized that my desire to learn more about the spell would have to wait until Princess Celestia could arrive to help guide me.”

“That’s,” Spike started, before he put some thought into what Twilight had said. “That’s actually a really good point.”

“I’m very disappointed in you, Twilight,” Celestia said. “I will not discontinue your magic studies, but, I will give you a punishment suiting what transpired.”

“Whatever punishment you think I deserve,” said Twilight with a disheartened tone.

“As punishment,” Celestia said. “You are to correct this yourself. You will receive no help from myself nor Luna. Sterling and Gold Lily are not options regardless.****”

“Yes, Princess Celestia,” Twilight bowed. “I have let you down before, but, I will do everything in my power to make things right.”

Spike then pleaded, “So, what are you waiting for?! Change it all back! There’s a counter spell for all of this, right?! I mean, every spell has a counter spell. Doesn’t it?”

Frantically, Twilight scanned the pages of the journal anew only to be confronted with her worst fear in this case. “Not this time, Spike. There’s no counter spell. I guess since Starswirl never got the spell complete, he never saw the need to develop a counter spell.”

Celestia put a hoof to her chin. “More likely, since he didn’t know what the spell would do, he figured it would be impossible to design an appropriate counter spell. And he may have feared that designing one to counter an untested spell could make things worse.” She then shook her head. “I’m afraid that there is no magical solution that can fix this. At least, not that Luna or I know of.”

“If I know my mom,” Spike said with determination. “I know she’ll figure this out.”

“I will take my leave now,” the princess said. “I will know if you succeed in your task.” And so, Princess Celestia stoically walked out of the library, spreading her majestic alabaster wings, and flew up to the mountain-bound castle.

“What about that one memory spell?” Spike asked. “The one you used when Discord’s spell took over you and our friends?”

“That wouldn’t work, Spike,” Twilight replied. “Our friends’ memories came back once they saw that you were safe and made physical contact with you. But, since they hadn’t changed back after seeing you or making physical contact with you, that’s not the case.”

“Oh,” Spike said, somewhat embarrassed. “You’d think I’d remember that in greater detail.”

“Even if there was a memory spell to fix this,” Twilight said. “That can work on fixing their memories, but, not their Cutie Marks. And, even then, I would have to be extremely careful on which half of the memories I fixed.”

“Good point,” Spike admitted. “Okay, would Zecora’s cure for Cutie Pox work on the ‘switched Cutie Marks’ deal?”

“I don’t think so, Spike,” Twilight explained. “The Cutie Pox created new, artificial Cutie Marks and talents while this spell switched around real Cutie Marks that already existed.”

“Well, we have to think of something!” Spike said in despair.

“I know we do, Spike,”***** Twilight said. “But, I’m afraid we’re in a situation where not even your common sense can help. Their destinies have all been completely changed, maybe forever. And it’s all my fault. If I hadn’t been so eager to cast that spell, none of this would’ve happened in the first place.”

“Mom…” Spike said softly.

“I…” Twilight said sadly as she walked up to her bedroom. “I think I need to think this over…” She went upstairs and threw herself upon her bed. How could I have messed up so badly? she thought to herself as tears started to form in her eyes. I let everypony down: Princess Celestia, the ponies of Ponyville, and most of all my friends.

Twilight’s mood only worsened as she looked out the window, seeing the devastation that her actions from the night before had now unleashed upon the town she’d come to call home. Various parts of town were covered by rain or snow while other parts got nothing, animals ran free with nothing or nopony to hold them back, ponies glared and growled at each other whenever they happened to bump into each other, and places like Sweet Apple Acres and Carousel Boutique looked to be on the verge of ruin. Unable to think of anything else to do, the unicorn began to sing without a care in the wide world of Equestria for who might overhear her.

“I have to find a way~
To make this all okay~
I can’t believe this small mistake
Could have caused so much heartache~
Oh why~
Oh why-ee-yai-ee-yai~

Losing promise, I don’t know what to do~
Seeking answers, I fear I won’t get through
To you~
Oh why~
Oh why-ee-yai-ee-yai~”

Tears flowed out of her eyes as she finished her song. Spike walked up to her with a sympathetic look on his face. Twilight barely noticed.

“What am I going to do?” she asked him without looking up from her bed. “Everything’s all wrong now, because of me.”

The little dragon felt tears welling up in his own eyes. He’d grown so used to helping Twilight when she needed it and here he was, in a situation where he felt he couldn’t help if he tried. Never before had he felt more useless than he did right now. It was too much for him to bear as he started sobbing. Twilight, hearing Spike’s sobbing, gently held him in her hooves. Together, they let out their emotions. After a bit, Spike could only say, “I’m sorry, mom.”

“It’s not your fault,” Twilight said. “Even if I feel down right now, I still want to help you, Spike, just as you would help me.” She allowed Spike to rest his head on her forelock.

“That’s the problem, though,” Spike said. “I’m supposed to be the one helping you and now, I don’t feel like I can even do that. I feel so useless!”

“Oh, Spike,” Twilight said. “It’s okay to not have an answer. It just means that we both figure things out together. But, I want to focus on helping you… just as I would help my friends… just as they would help each other…” It was at that moment, the wheels in her head began to turn. “Spike, you’ve just helped me without even trying!”

Spike’s eyes widened with surprise. “I-I did? How?!”

“You’re clearly distraught about this situation like I am,” Twilight said. “But, despite all of it, despite the utter feeling of helplessness, you still made it your priority to lift my spirits. My friends would do the same to avoid a repeat of the Smarty Pants incident and I have to do the same for them. I’ve been in tough situations before. Many that were just as tough as this. And I’ve never given up! I can’t start now! I may have messed up, but, that just means I need to stop blaming myself and start working on a way to fix all of this! I can do this! Everypony’s counting on me, especially my friends!” Then, looking at a picture of herself with her friends, something began to stir deep within her. “Including you, they mean more to me than anything else. My friends...” She began to glow with a brilliant magenta light.

“Are you okay, mom?” Spike asked.

Twilight gave a firm nod. “Yes, Spike. In fact, I’m more than okay, I think I’ve figured out a way to make everything right. I may not be able to just remind my friends of who they are or rather who they used to be, but, I can show them what they all mean to each other.” She hurried over to the display case, lifting it up as she floated over the tiara of magic and placed it upon her head. Then, she used her magic to quickly scoop the five incorrectly colored elements into the shiny blue case with a yellow lock that had previously been used to hold them. “Doing that should restore the Elements of Harmony to normal. And when the Elements go back to what they were, so should our friends. I can help them and they can also help each other find the parts of themselves that are missing! And I have you to thank for helping me, Spike! So, what do you say? Are you ready to help our friends with me?”

“Always,” Spike said as he dried his tears.

And together, Twilight and Spike set off to find the rest of the guardians. First, they approached Fluttershy wearing a saddlebag. The pegasus mare was plunking down a sack of bits to pay for a balloon ride, and she was just about to step into the hot air balloon’s basket.

“Fluttershy, wait!” Twilight called.

Fluttershy reluctantly stopped in her tracks and turned to face Twilight. “Oh, hey Twilight, hey Spike,” she greeted. “You two seem to be doing well. Well, about as well as anypony or dragon could be doing under these circumstances.”

“Where are you going?” Spike asked. “You’re not actually thinking of leaving Ponyville, are you?”

“I’m going back to Cloudsdale,” Fluttershy said. “With my saddlebags on my back, I can’t fly there. I just can’t seem to make anypony laugh.” To demonstrate, she gently pressed on an inflated whoopie cushion and it didn’t make much of a sound. “See? That wasn’t very funny, was it?”

Twilight protested, “So, that’s it, you’re giving up?”

The shy pegasus reluctantly nodded. “I really don’t have a choice, Twilight. If nopony’s laughing, then, they’re certainly not buying anything and that means Sugarcube Corner won’t be staying open. No Sugarcube Corner means I’m out of a job. Besides, I don’t think Ponyville’s going to last much longer at this rate.”

“Before you go,” Twilight said. “Do you think you can help me with something?”

“Of course, Twilight,” Fluttershy said, turning back to face Twilight and Spike. “Anything.”

"I was just wondering if you might be willing to help me with Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said. “She’s having a lot of trouble with her animals.”

Fluttershy shook her head. “Twilight, I don’t know much about animals. That’s not my specialty or my destiny. I’d like to help, but, I don’t see how I could.”

“You do understand animals, don’t you?” Spike asked. “Even if you don’t, you know a thing about Rainbow Dash. You two are foalhood friends.”

“Yes, that’s true,” Fluttershy admitted. “She would do anything for her friends, so, I’ve got to do the same for her. After everything, I don’t think I could really call myself her friend if I wasn’t willing to try helping.”

So, the three of them headed off to Rainbow’s cottage. When they arrived, Twilight knocked at the door.

“Rainbow Dash?” Twilight called. “I’ve brought a friend.”

But, from the other side of the door came a loud thud and the angry sounds of animals who probably hadn't been fed in who knew how long.

Rainbow Dash frantically called out a second later. “In here! I’m trapped! Somepony help!”

The trio went in and found Rainbow Dash was tied up and trapped within a cauldron on a pile of logs. Try as she might, the pegasus mare could not escape. And meanwhile, various animals that she was supposed to be watching were marching around the cauldron while holding up forks and knives. It was clear that they intended to make the rainbow-maned pegasus their next meal.

“This looks bad!” Fluttershy gasped. “Twilight, Spike, we’ve got to help her! Do something, quick! Cast a spell to get her out of there before it’s too late!”

But, Twilight refused. “I can’t do that, Fluttershy. And even if I could it wouldn’t solve anything. Those animals are angry. You need to find a way to calm them down. Rainbow Dash needs your help, not ours.”

Fluttershy looked at the situation. She took a deep breath and stepped forward cautiously. “Um, h-hello, little woodland creatures? I know you’re all upset with Rainbow and you feel like giving her a hard time, but, you all have to understand that there is more of you all and there’s only one of her. She can only do so much on her own.”

Rainbow frantically nodded. “Yeah, making lunch meat out of me won’t solve anything. All you have to do is listen.”

“So, um,” Fluttershy continued. “I can understand that you’re all upset, but, why don’t we all just calm down for a moment? Oh, look, there’s some crisp refreshing lettuce leaves. And some crunchy munchy acorns that you squirrels and chipmunks will enjoy. So, why don’t we all have a snack and take it easy?”

To Rainbow’s surprise, this did the trick as the critters forgot about trying to eat her when there was far more tasty food readily available to them. And both Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy breathed a sigh of relief when the animals’ rebellion appeared to have been appeased and halted.

“How’d you do that?” Rainbow asked. “You were never good with animals before.”

“I…” Fluttershy started. “I don’t know. I guess just the thought of helping you and making sure the animals didn’t hurt you just motivated me to try. But, when did they learn to speak Ponish?”

“They didn’t,” Spike said. “You’re a Critter Whisperer.”

“I am?” Fluttershy asked. “Gosh, I didn’t know that. Oh, but, now that I do, it feels like there’s something happening inside of my heart. It’s like this is what I’m meant to do with my life… this is who I am… this is my destiny!” As she spoke, she began to glow with a pink flare and her flanks started to glow brighter.

Sensing an opportunity, Twilight floated over the Element of Kindness and watched as a bright pink glow enveloped her shy friend.

Memories began flooding Fluttershy’s mind in an instant. Memories that until a moment ago she had not had. And soon afterward there came a blinding flash. When it faded, the pegasus mare stood up and scratched her head. “What just happened to me? It’s like I was in a dream, watching somepony else cover for me. But, it felt so real.”

Twilight and Spike looked over Fluttershy and they both gasped happily.

“Fluttershy, look!” Spike exclaimed happily. “Your Cutie Mark is back to normal!”

Fluttershy looked at her Cutie Mark in confusion before spotting that Rainbow also had the same Cutie Mark on her own flanks. “What just happened here?”

The studious unicorn just commented, “We don’t have time to fill you in on all the details. You had your Cutie Mark swapped and you thought you had to be somepony else. But, now, you’re back to what you’ve always been. And I need your help if we’re going to save the rest of our friends!”

“Alright,” Fluttershy said, after taking in all of the information. “Lead the way then.”

“Rainbow,” Spike said. “Rarity needs your help with the weather.”

“How am I supposed to help?” Rainbow asked. “I’m not a weather pony.”

“You do know about Rarity, don’t you?” Spike asked. “You saved her from falling to her death that one time she tried showing you up at that flying competition.”

“Falling to her death?” Rainbow asked in confusion.

“You really don’t remember?” Fluttershy asked in equal confusion.

“Full disclosure,” Spike said. “Cutie Marks weren’t the only thing that got swapped. You had half of Pinkie’s memories and Rainbow has half of yours.”

Rainbow couldn’t make any sense of that. “Yeah… what the heck is going on here?!”

“Come with us!” said Twilight. “It’s not pretty outside.” She then proceeded to sing.

“A true true friend helps a friend in need~
A friend will be there to help them see~”

Fluttershy joined in the song with Twilight.

“A true true friend helps a friend in need
To see the light that shines from a true true friend~”

“Uh, are we going or not?” Rainbow asked.

“Right this way,” Spike said.

Sure enough, the quartet found Rarity a short time later. She was frantically rushing about, struggling to get the weather under control. Twilight continued her song.

“Rarity needs your help~
She’s trying hard doing what she can~”

Fluttershy continued the song, coaxing her fellow pegasus.

“Would you try just give it a chance~
You might find that you’ll start to understand~”

And indeed, once Rainbow Dash approached the clouds it all became like second nature to her. In no time at all, she had cleared away the adverse weather conditions and brought back sunny skies. The brash speedster was a tad bit exhausted when all was said and done. Yet, for some reason, it all felt natural to her, like this was what she was meant to do instead of worrying herself with animals. When this realization settled in, a bright red glow enveloped Rainbow’s entire body. Without hesitation, Twilight floated over the Element of Loyalty and watched as memories flashed in her rainbow-maned friend’s eyes. When they had finished the Element of Loyalty was back to the way it was supposed to be. In a bright flash, Rainbow’s primary-colored lightning bolt and cloud Cutie Mark was back in its proper place upon her flank. She got up slowly and saw Rarity also with her Cutie Mark.

“Uh…” Rainbow said in confusion. “What just happened here? Why does Rarity also have my Cutie Mark?”

“Ooh, I don’t know how you got so proficient in weather control,” Rarity said. “But, it gives me time to practice for the Equestrian 500.”

“The Equestrian 500?” Rainbow said in confusion. “How are you going to participate in that? You don’t have any wings and I don’t remember your magic being strong enough to levitate yourself. Or if it’s even physically possible. I’m surprised you’d even consider it after nearly falling to your death.”

“When did I nearly fall to my death?” Rarity asked. “I would have remembered if I did.”

“You seriously don’t remember?” Rainbow asked in further confusion.

“She has half your memories,” Spike summed up. “Applejack has half of Rarity’s and is trying to make dresses. Keyword: trying. Carousel Boutique could go out of business.”

“Applejack trying to make dresses?” Rainbow said with a slight cringe. “Say no more. That’ll be worse than when Rarity listened to our suggestions for our Gala dresses when we knew nothing about fashion.”

“I don’t remember making our Gala dresses,” Rarity said with confusion. “Applejack did and we were laughed out of the event, remember?”

“That is not what happened,” Rainbow said. “Now, come on!”

Rarity was soon accompanying the others to Carousel Boutique and, sure enough, it was possible to see that poor Applejack was having a hard time trying to keep up with the demand. It was clear that she didn't belong in a boutique.

Resisting the urge to gag, Rainbow began singing.

“Applejack needs your help~

She’s trying hard doing what she can~

Would you try, just give it a chance~

You might find that you start to understand~”

With Rainbow Dash’s encouragement, Rarity quickly took over from Applejack and it wasn’t long before she was setting things right. She had the sewing machines humming nicely, dresses of the finest quality were being produced and the unicorn felt like she’d discovered where she truly belonged. Not with weather, but, with fashion. As the realization settled in, a bright purple glow enveloped Rarity and as it did the Element of Generosity was floated over to her. Memories began to flash in the fashionista's eyes as she slowly started to remember everything. And soon, the Element of Generosity had been restored to its original, proper state.

“Oh, my!” Rarity gasped. “What a terrible dream I had.” Rarity looked and saw one of Applejack’s “originals” on a ponequinn. “Or… maybe I’m still having it. And Applejack, I’m afraid to say that my Cutie Mark clashes against your coat.”

“This is mah Cutie Mark,” Applejack protested. “N’ when’d ya git so good at makin’ dresses? Shouldn’t ya be takin’ care o’ the weather?”

“The weather’s already taken care of,” Rarity said. “By Rainbow, who is much more capable than I ever was or will be.”

“Since when?” Applejack asked. “She tends ta critters in a cottage near the Everfree Forest.”

“No, I don’t,” Rainbow said. “Fluttershy does. Her being a Critter Whisperer made her better suited for the job.”

“Fluttershy?” Applejack said. “Ain’t she s’pposed ta help the Cakes at Sugarcube Corner n’ spread laughter n’ cheer?”

“No,” Fluttershy said. “Because Pinkie is better at that than I am.”

“Pinkie took over fer me at Sweet Apple Acres since ah found out fashion was mah true callin’ since ah got back from Manehattan,” Applejack said.

“I’m afraid to say that her running Sweet Apple Acres isn’t her true calling,” Rarity said. “As little as running Carousel Boutique is yours, Applejack. You’re not suited for this kind of work.”

“The way Pinkie’s working on the farm,” Twilight said. “It won’t last much longer.”

“Well, we can’t let that happen,” Rarity said. She then turned to Applejack. “Applejack, we need you to come back to Sweet Apple Acres. I’m certain your family would love to see you again just as you would love to see your family.” She then began to sing.

“Pinkie Pie is in trouble~

We need to get there by her side~

We can try to do what we can now~

For together we can be her guide~”

Sweet Apple Acres was in a very poor state when Applejack and the others showed up to help. Pinkie Pie was so grateful for the extra set of hooves and claws that she quickly forgot to be grumpy. And it wasn't long before Applejack was leading the way in restoring the farm to what it used to be. The rest of the Apple family and Caramel pitched in as well, glad to have Applejack back and to have somepony less frightening to work alongside. And their combined efforts were enough to turn things around. The hard work touched off a realization deep inside Applejack. How could she have forgotten? Fashion wasn’t her calling, not even close. It was farm work that was her true calling, her dedication to her family. And it was that realization that caused her to glow a shade of orange even brighter than her coat.

“Ah shoulda never left y’all,” Applejack said. “Ah don’t belong in a boutique. Ah belong here with mah family! N’ ah promise ah’ll never leave ya again!”

Twilight was quick to float over the Element of Honesty, watching the memories flash through Applejack’s eyes as the Element of Honesty itself turned from purple to orange. Just like that, Applejack was back.

“Yee-haw!” Applejack hollered happily. “Now that’s more like it!” Then, she looked to Twilight. “So, what’s next, sugarcube? Ah reckon we ain’t done just yet.”

“Right, we’re not yet,” Twilight explained. “The townsponies are furious and grumpy. They haven’t properly laughed or smiled. We need Pinkie to spread joy and laughter to them.”

“Me?” Pinkie asked. “I’m not an entertainer. That’s Fluttershy’s job.”

“Trust me, Pinkie,” Fluttreshy admitted. “No, it’s not.”

Soon afterward, the pink coated earth pony was being led into town while Applejack was explaining in song.

“The townponies need ya, they’ve been sad fer a while~

They march around, face a-frown, n’ never seem ta smile~

N’ if ya feel like helpin’, they’d appreciate a lot~

If ya get out there n’ spread some cheer from here ta Canterlot~!”

Without warning, Pinkie Pie felt herself be shoved front and center before a hastily assembled crowd of ponies. In fact, it was so abrupt that she didn't have time to properly brace herself. She tumbled and fell face forward to the ground. At first, nopony said a word, shocked by what they had seen. Pinkie picked herself up and dusted herself off.

“I’m okay!” Pinkie said. “That didn’t really hurt.” Then, something occurred to her. “Why didn’t it hurt that much?”

Some of the townsponies slowly began to giggle. Since they could see Pinkie wasn’t badly hurt, they allowed themselves to laugh a little bit. But, it wasn't long before their laughter became contagious, spreading to the entire crowd and then even to those not in the crowd.

“Hey, that actually feels... kind of good,” Pinkie Pie declared as something began to stir inside of her. “Maybe... maybe this is what I’ve been meant to do all along. It feels... right somehow.” And it was that realization that caused her to be surrounded by a bright blue glow. She didn’t even hesitate or ask questions when the Element of Laughter was floated over to her and placed around her neck. Once her memories were fully back in her head, her straightened mane and tail poofed to their right shape and her balloon Cutie Mark adorned her flank once again. “Come on, everypony! I want to see you smile!”

At once, several ponies in the crowd stood up and cheered while they happily shouted, “PINKIE!”

“Applejack!” called a male voice from the crowd. Galloping up to the farm mare was Caramel. He panted a bit, catching his breath. “I know you didn’t want to see me again, but, I love you too much to stay away.”

“Did ah miss somethin’?” Applejack asked. “Ah don’t ‘member tellin’ ya ah didn’t want ta see ya no more.”

“Oh, no,” Caramel said in a distressed tone. “My memory really is getting worse! First I got your Cutie Mark-” he looked and saw that Applejack’s Cutie Mark was its proper one. “Wait… I was right before? What’s happening here?”

“It’s a long story,” Twilight assured. “Long and short of it, it’s not your memory that failed you this time.”

“It’s not?” Caramel asked.

“No, Caramel,” Applejack said, comfortingly. “What matters now is that ah love ya n’ ah always will love ya.” Then, she noticed a strange taste on her lips. “Why do mah lips taste like leather?”

“You don’t want to know,” Spike said with an embarrassed blush.

Ignoring all that, the pink party pony gave a hearty laugh. “Yup, the one and only! I’m back!” And just like that, the Elements of Harmony had been restored to how they had been originally. And, with Pinkie’s encouragement, the whole town began to burst into song, singing something that had up to this point been confined to just the six mares and Spike. And the singing sounded something like this:

“A true true friend helps a friend in need~

A friend will be there to help them see~

A true true friend helps a friend in need

To see the light~ (See the light~)

That shines~ (That shines~)

From a true true friend~”

The seven friends ended the song with a group hug. A powerful purple glow enveloped all of them. Never in all her life had the unicorn been so happy to have friends like this. And she would never again take having them for granted. No, this entire experience had taught her just how precious and valuable her friends truly were. And every day spent with them was worth cherishing. As Twilight hugged her friends, she remembered Starswirl’s spell from earlier.

The Guardians made their way to the Golden Oak Library and found Princess Celestia there.

“Whu,” Applejack stammered. “What brings ya here, yer Majesty?”

“Oh, no,” Fluttershy said. “Is Twilight in trouble and we didn’t do anything to help?”

“On the contrary,” the princess said. “Twilight is the one that helped all of you.”

“Yeah, she did!” Pinkie said happily. But, she then gained a look of confusion. “Um, how did she help us?”

“Can I field this one?” Spike asked.

“Go ahead, Spike,” Princess Celestia nodded.

“Thanks,” Spike said. He then cleared his throat. “Basically, my mom got too eager to please the princess and decided to look at an unfinished spell in Starswirl’s journal despite the warning to wait for her, casting it without intending to, and that swapped your Cutie Marks and half the memories of the pony you swapped with. My mom was punished by cleaning up the mess herself with no assistance from the princesses, she did that by having each of you perform somepony else’s tasks at the time, and here we are.”******

The other guardians were quiet for a while.

“Well,” Rainbow said. “That is a lot to take in.”

“N’ it’s all true,” Applejack said, having her Mystic Eyes of Truth active for the entire summary.

“But,” Twilight said. “Now that all of the Cutie Marks are back on their respective flanks, I know how to complete the spell.”

Princess Celestia smiled. “If there’s anypony who can figure out how to succeed where even Starswirl could not, it’s you. You’re strong enough and smart enough, I know you are. Everything I’ve taught you and everything you’ve learned about friendship up to this point has been leading up to this moment: The moment when the student must surpass the teacher.”

Twilight, seeing Celestia smile, now had the confidence she needed. She levitated Starswirl’s journal towards her and began to write on the last page with a quill.

“All of us together, together we’re friends.

With the marks of our destinies made one, there is magic without end.”

And she finished by adding a period to her sentence. Without warning, the Elements of Harmony started to shine.

“Wh-” Spike stammered. “What’s happening now?!”

Sterling’s prediction is coming true, Celestia said internally.

All of a sudden, a bright and blinding flash of white light enveloped the entire surrounding wilderness. All present shut their eyes.

“Hold onto me, Spike!” Twilight exclaimed, holding onto Spike.

“I’ll never let go, Mom!” Spike exclaimed, shutting his eyes.

When the light vanished, Spike and Twilight were nowhere to be seen.

“Ah!” Fluttershy screamed. “Where are Twilight and Spike?!”

“Did we just kill them?!” Rainbow panicked.

“Oh no no no!” exclaimed Pinkie. “Twilight! Spike! We’re so, so, so sorry!”

“Calm yourselves, my little ponies,” Celestia said calmly. “The Elements of Harmony can do many things, but, killing is not among them.”

“Well then,” Applejack asked. “Where are they?”

“In a place that only a sired alicorn can access,” Celestia replied. “Rest assured, you’ll see them both again.”

“A sired alicorn?!” gasped Rarity, staring at her fellow guardians. “That… How does…”

“Ah dunno,” said Applejack. “But we’re goin’ ta find out…”

In the place Princess Celestia mentioned, Twilight and Spike slowly opened their eyes. They looked around their surroundings. It was a strange ethereal-looking place, mostly blue with white star-like blips. They noticed that everything around them looked like a castle corridor.

“Where are we, Mom?” Spike asked.

“I’m not sure,” Twilight answered.

“You are in my domain,” said a somewhat familiar voice.

“Wait,” Spike said. “Doesn’t that sound like Sterling’s voice from that projection?”

“It does, yes,” Twilight said. “But, I thought she was in a deep slumber.”

“I am,” the voice, who turned out to be Sterling, explained. “You are both within my astral realm.”

“Astral realm?” asked Twilight. “Whoa… I didn’t think that was possible. Unless we’re dreaming…”

“I assure you,” Sterling’s voice said. “You are very much awake. Now, please follow the sound of my voice, Twilight Sparkle and Spike.”

“How do you know our names?” Spike asked, as he and Twilight began doing just that.

“Just as Celestia knows of what transpires under the sun,” Sterling’s voice explained. “And Luna, the moon, I am aware of what happens under the stars and the sun falls into that category. Even in sleep, I see all under the stars.”

“Wow…” Spike said in amazement.

So, the two followed Sterling’s voice to see the mare in question. She was seen slowly awakening on a queen-sized bed with gossamer curtains around it.

“Whoa…” gasped Twilight. “This is very cozy.”

“Under normal circumstances,” Sterling said. “Only a sired alicorn can ever hope to come here.”

“Well, I am just a unicorn and Spike’s a dragon,” said Twilight. “So… I don’t understand how we were able to come here. Especially after I accidentally hurt my friends’ lives…”

“I have foreseen this happening,” Sterling said stoically. “I knew you would succeed where Starswirl the Bearded had failed, which would subsequently cause the Elements of Harmony to grant you access here. Spike is present to assure him that you are alive and well.*******”

“I understand that about my son,” Twilight gave Spike a hug. “But… about the Guardians and me succeeding?”

“You gained an understanding of friendship that Starswirl never did,” Sterling explained. “That, in the end, is what allowed you to finish his final spell.”

“Whoa~” Twilight managed to say softly.

“The other sired alicorns will arrive shortly,” Sterling said. “Their presence is needed for this. Follow me.”

Sterling led Spike and Twilight to a room with tiles forming a compass on the floor.

“What is all this?” Spike asked curiously.

“You’ll see soon enough,” Sterling answered as Luna, Celestia, and Gold Lily appeared.

“Hello, Twilight,” Luna said with a smile.

“What’s going on?” Twilight asked.

“This is a method that we sired alicorns perform to those who pass their tests,” Gold Lily explained. “Though, the last time, only one was able to perform it.”

“Whom?” Twilight asked.

“Me,” Princess Celestia said. “Take your place in the center of the compass.”

“Where do you need me to stand?” Spike asked.

“Stand by her side,” Princess Celestia said. “What happens next will only physically affect ponies. You won’t be affected.”

“Alright,” Spike nodded as he took his place next to Twilight.

“Is this part of my advanced studies?” Twilight asked.

The sun princess replied, “No. This is something that only one pony has achieved before: Princess Cadance. But, even she did not accomplish what you accomplished.” And she then proceeded to explain, “She merely reversed a spell that had already been cast. You, on the other hoof, created new magic. What you did is something that even the great Starswirl the Bearded could not accomplish. There’s a reason why he could never complete that master spell of his and it’s not because he disappeared so suddenly.”

“I thought Cadance was born a pegasus,” Spike said.

“She was,” Celestia answered. “There are other means of casting magic.”

“I see,” Spike nodded. “Sorry to interrupt. Please continue.”

“What does this have to do with me?” Twilight asked. “Starswirl did most of the work, I merely finished what he started.”

Celestia shook her head again. “No, Twilight. The intent of the spell was different under Starswirl and because it was incomplete, it didn’t work as it was intended. I suspect Starswirl wanted to find a way to harness the magical power behind Cutie Marks, hoping to find out just what it is that makes them appear and why.” Then, she smiled as she brought forth the old journal and held it open, proudly displaying the page that featured Twilight’s written additions. “What you did just recently involved tapping into a different kind of magic: The magic of friendship. It’s the very magic you’ve been studying and learning about since I sent you to Ponyville all that time ago. And it’s because of all the lessons you’ve learned that you’ve proven that you are ready.”

“Ready?” Twilight asked, looking at Spike in bewilderment. The two then gasped.

“Wait…” Spike said. “Does this mean?”

Celestia took her place at the north end of the compass, Luna took hers at the south, Gold Lily the west, and Sterling the east. Around Twilight and Spike came a series of screens. Screens depicting numerous accomplishments in Twilight’s life. And all of them, she quickly realized, were from her time officially studying the magic of friendship. Every triumph, every setback, and every little step in between. Princess Celestia then began to sing.

“You’ve come such a long long way~
And we’ve watched you from that very first day~
To see how you might grow, to see what you might do~
To see what you’ve been through, and all the ways you’ve made us proud of you~”

All the ascended alicorns lit up their horns and unfolded their wings as they joined in.

“It’s time now for a new change to come~” sang Gold Lily.

“You’ve grown up and your new life has begun~” sang Princess Luna.

“To go where you will go, to see what you will see

To find what you will be, for it’s time for you~” sang Sterling.

To fulfill your destiny~” they all sang together.

Twilight’s eyes went wide as she seemed to realize what her mentor was trying to tell her. Then, the violet-red star from Twilight's Cutie Mark seemed to take on a mind of its own. It leapt off her flank and expanded, quickly surrounding her and Spike in a bright purple glow.

Celestia smiled. “It’s time for you to return to Ponyville,” she said. “Your friends are waiting for you both.”

“Indeed,” Sterling agreed. “And I wish you well in meeting Sunset Shimmer.********”

“We’re going home, Spike,” Twilight said before she realized something. “Wait, what was that last part?”

“Something about meeting Sunset Shimmer,” Spike said. “But, we’ll cross that bridge when we get there, I guess.”

Back in Ponyville, the sky suddenly darkened. The Guardians peeked out of the library’s windows to witness this.

“What’s going on?” Rainbow asked.

“Ah ain’t got a clue!” Applejack said.

Suddenly, a bright and massive violet-red star appeared. The star slowly descended from the sky, drawing attention to it before it finally touched the ground.

“Look at that!” Rarity exclaimed. “It looks just like Twilight’s Cutie Mark!”

They all ran outside, rushing to where they had seen the star touch down. As the group drew close to the star's location, they could barely see anything due to the bright glow it gave off. But, it seemed like there was a pony and dragon standing underneath said star. A pony and dragon that looked incredibly familiar.

“Twilight? Spike?” Applejack said, shielding her eyes from the bright light. “Are y’all alright?”

“We were so worried about you two,” Fluttershy said softly. “What happened?”

“It’s a little difficult to explain,” Spike’s voice answered as the dragon stepped out of the fading glow.

Twilight slowly began to stand straighter up on her four legs. Suddenly, she stood up straighter revealing a great change had come upon her. Not only was she slightly taller than her friends, but, she also gained a set of wings that were noticeably larger than Rainbow or Fluttershy’s wings. The guardians gasped in surprise as it meant only one thing.

“Mah goodness!” Applejack exclaimed. “Ah had heard it was possible, but, ah never thought ah’d see it fer mahself.”

“You’re not dreaming,” Spike said.

“Your wings look awesome, Twilight!” Rainbow said excitedly. “I can’t wait until you’re able to fly with me!”

“Is it true, Twilight?” Rarity asked. “Have you become an alicorn? I didn’t think it was possible!”

“Cadance,” Spike said through a cough.

“Do you need some water, Spike?” Pinkie asked. Rarity blushed with embarrassment, realizing what Spike meant.

“No,” Rarity said. “He was reminding me that Cadance was in such a situation.”

“Oh, yeah,” Pinkie said. “But, now that Twilight’s an alicorn, maybe we can hold a party!” She put on a fake horn and wings and swung off a rope from a nearby tree with a noisemaker. This elected some chuckles from the group.

“Maybe,” Fluttershy said. “With those wings of yours, Twilight, you look just like a princess.”

“That’s because she is a princess,” said the familiar voice of Princess Celestia as she suddenly appeared in front of the ponies. “You are the first to lay eyes on Equestria’s newest princess: The Princess of Friendship.”

Gasps of shock rang out from all present. “A… a princess?!” This came from Twilight.

“Hold on a second,” Pinkie said as she took a glass of water. She gulped the contents of the glass and then comedically spat it out.

Princess Celestia smiled. “Indeed. I know it must seem like a shock to you all, but, your eyes do not deceive you. In a sense, the Twilight Sparkle that you all knew is gone. And in her place is the Twilight Sparkle you see before you. However, you need not worry. Deep down, she is still the same loveable Twilight that you all knew and befriended.”

“She’s immortal now?” Rainbow asked.

“Oh…” gulped Twilight. “I’ll… outlive all of you?!”

“No,” Princess Celestia said. “Only sired alicorns are immortal. Twilight is an ascended alicorn. They have a longer lifespan, but, they can still die. It’s just harder to kill them than normal ponies.”

Twilight breathed a sigh of relief.

“Beg pardon, your majesty,” Rarity said. “But, how many sired alicorns are there?”

“Including myself, Sterling, Gold Lily, and Luna,” Celestia said. “There are six. The remaining two are my mother and aunt, the first two alicorns.”

“Truly fascinating,” Rarity said. “Were they born from a unicorn and a pegasus?”

“The very first of both,” Celestia confirmed. “They didn’t have earth pony genes, however. Luna and I inherited those from our father and Sterling and Gold Lily from their father.”

“That is incredible,” Fluttershy admitted.

Twilight was still quite uncertain as she commented. “Me? A princess? Of friendship no less? This is all so sudden!”

Smiling again, Celestia said to her new fellow alicorn. “I know it’s a lot to take in, Twilight. And I know what you must be thinking. But, you are worthy of your new title. Ever since your studies began here in Ponyville, you’ve displayed the same kind of charity, compassion, devotion, integrity, optimism, and of course the leadership of a true princess. As a result, you have earned your new wings and your new title. You are just like Cadance. I intended for this to be for Sunset Shimmer, but, it wasn’t to be.”

“So,” Twilight said. “Does this mean I’m not your student anymore? Does this mean I have to go away and rule my own kingdom?”

“You have indeed graduated from being my student,” Celestia answered. “However, you are still permitted to stay in Ponyville if you so desire. Having grown so close to these friends you’ve made, it would be a pity to invalidate it all by moving away and hardly ever seeing them again.********* I will still be here to help you guide you, of course. You may not be my student anymore, but, this does not necessarily mean you will not stop learning.” Princess Celestia then genuflected before Twilight. “You are an inspiration to us all, Twilight.” The other Guardians and Spike bowed before Twilight, too.

“Uh, just for clarity,” Pinkie said. “Twilight will still live here? She’s not moving back to Canterlot?”

Celestia nodded. “Twilight’s not going to be moving back to Canterlot, not even temporarily. It wouldn’t make much sense to take the princess of friendship away from the very heart of friendship itself, now would it? However, we will need to host her coronation in Canterlot. Everypony in Equestria and non-ponies are going to have to be made aware that another princess now exists. And as much as I might like to have the coronation in Ponyville, given the short notice of it, I don't think Mayor Mare would be able to provide a suitable location for the crowd that will come.”

“That makes sense,” Pinkie said. “Plus, Rarity will need time to make special coronation outfits.”

“Well, before any coronation gets held,” Twilight spoke up. “There is one thing I want to take care of. My first royal decree if you will.” She then turned to Spike and the five other mares. “I’d like to make you all my official royal advisors. Because what would the princess of friendship be without them by her side?”

Spike and the other guardians gasped happily.

“Mom~!” Spike said happily. “I would be honored!” Then, something occurred to him. “Wait, if my mom is a princess now and she adopted me a while ago, what does that make me?”

“That is a good question,” Rarity admitted.

“You are a prince, Spike,” Celestia answered. “The prince of unity.”

“Me, a prince?” Spike asked with surprise. “Does that mean I get a coronation, too?”

“We’ll have it on the same day as Twilight’s,” Celestia said.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Twilight smiled, affectionately nuzzling Spike. “I figured you especially could use some recognition, Spike. Without you by my side, I honestly don’t know where I’d be or who I’d be.” Then, she looked to her friends. “And the same goes for the rest of you. No matter what comes next, I want you all to stay by my side. I could never have become the princess of friendship without you.”

The guardians hugged Twilight and Spike happily.

“Rest assured,” Celestia said. “All will be taken care of for your coronation.”

And indeed, all was very much taken care of. The coronation was held the very next day as word quickly spread about the arrival of Equestria’s newest princess and prince. And even though it was not the first royal coronation in Equestria’s history, just about everypony who was anypony made it a point to be there.

“We are gathered today in celebration of a momentous occasion,” Princess Celestia announced. “My faithful student, Twilight Sparkle, has done many extraordinary things since she has lived in Ponyville, even reuniting me with my sister, Princess Luna. Her adoptive son, Spike the Dragon, has played an important part in the aforementioned extraordinary things as well and even saved the Crystal Empire.”

Various crystal ponies in the audience smiled (including the Crystal 5) hearing this, knowing that Princess Celestia was right.

Celestia then continued her speech even though she had planned for her younger sister to say a few words. “But, just recently, Twilight did something truly extraordinary. And considering her long list of accomplishments, that’s no easy feat. She created new magic out of existing magic, proving without a doubt that she is ready to be crowned Equestria’s newest princess. And so, it gives me great pleasure to present to you all for the very first time: Twilight Sparkle, the princess of friendship! As for Spike himself, he will be crowned the prince of unity!”

Hearing their names being called, Twilight and Spike, both dressed in royal attire, took deep breaths. It was evident they were nervous.

“Well,” Spike said. “One upside is that the royal guards are legally obligated to not badmouth me now.”

“And a majority of the Canterlot elitists’ distrust of you has since faded,” Twilight added. “But, still, there will still be those who refuse to see your worth. Do yourself a favor, Spike, and pay no mind to what they say.”

“I won’t,” Spike smiled. “Especially since I have the reassuring words of the ones who really love me to keep me going.”

Twilight smiled. All the same, she couldn’t help but feel nervous.

“Are you okay, Twilight?” asked a mare. Twilight turned and saw that Minuette, Twinkleshine, and Lemon Hearts came to check on them.

“I’m pretty nervous, admittedly,” Twilight confessed. “Especially since there is a part of me that thinks I’m getting excessively rewarded for cleaning up my own mess.”

“I can see why you would think that,” Lemon Hearts said. “But, you did fix the spell to ensure that nopony else can miscast the spell in the future.”

“Even Starswirl fouled that spell up, after all,” Twinkleshine put in. “You shouldn’t feel too bad about miscasting a spell even Starswirl couldn't get right.”

“They’re right,” Spike said. “Thanks for talking to us.”

“No problem,” Minuette said. “We tried to get Moondancer to come, but, she’s still being too stubborn. Now, you probably should get to your Ponyville friends, your parents, your brother, and the other Princesses.”**********

“We will,” Twilight said with a smile. “Ready, Spike?”

“I’m right there with you, Mom,” Spike smiled back.

So, the two walked out into the ceremonial room, followed by four identical looking mares with blonde manes and tails. They wore red ceremonial cloaks and carried banners with Twilight’s Cutie Mark upon them. She soon received her new crown, which housed the Element of Magic inside of it just like the old tiara had done before. The young alicorn proceeded to step out onto the balcony to a cheering crowd of ponies that stretched all the way to the horizon, and maybe even beyond. It was incredibly overwhelming to say the least. Spike received a more modest crown which bore his Medallion of Unity. Spike then walked up and stood next to his alicorn mother. The two then modestly waved to the crowd as confetti and streamers showered upon them.

Princess Celestia promptly encouraged her former student. “Go on. Say something, Princess Twilight. They’re all waiting for you.”

“Oh, right,” Twilight said softly before clearing her throat. “A little while ago, over two years ago, in fact, my teacher and mentor, Princess Celestia, sent Spike and myself to live in Ponyville. I was originally just supposed to be there for the duration of the Summer Sun Celebration, but those plans would change. She allowed me to stay to study friendship, which was something I didn’t think I would truly receive. But, on a day like today, I wouldn’t be standing here if it weren’t for the friendships that Spike and I have made with all five of you. Each one of you taught us about friendship in your own way and for that, we will always be grateful. Today, I consider myself a lucky pony, and I hope that Spike can also consider himself a lucky dragon. Thank you, my friends. Thank you, everypony. Thank you all!”

“Now, Prince Spike shall have a few words,” Princess Celestia said.

Spike stepped up. “Growing up,” he said. “Has been difficult for me. I have faced discrimination and prejudice from a very young age. From what I’ve been told, it started seconds after I hatched. Whenever I went outside, several ponies would take one look at me and panic simply because I’m a dragon. I’ve been called very vulgar things by the Canterlot elites and the royal guards alike. When I first came to Ponyville, I was shown more kindness in a single day than I usually got in a week. Now, I can say with absolute certainty that I feel grateful for the ponies who raised me and took care of me. After practically a lifetime of strife, of trying so hard to make ponies accept me, or at least not hate me, I’m beyond grateful to know that I no longer have to be ashamed of what I am.”

The crowd cheered and applauded for the two newly crowned royals. Waving a hoof, Twilight called over all of her Ponyville friends. Each of them had gotten dressed up for the occasion, each wearing lavish dresses to match Twilight’s. Applejack had a light blue dress with orange ribbons and had even swapped out her usual brown stetson for a blue one to match her dress. Fluttershy wore an outfit a simple green in color with a white flower necklace in the center, and red and white flowers circling her head for a hat. Rarity had a beautiful dark purple dress with a lighter purple shade around the neck and a purple gem in the center almost like the Element of Generosity itself, plus a matching purple and light purple hat with a purple feather. Pinkie Pie had a light blue and white dress with pink ribbons, complete with a matching colored hat that had a fake ice cream cone on it. And Rainbow Dash wore a bluish-green dress with white cloud like fixtures on the outside, as well as a lightning bolt symbol in the middle. For a hat, Rainbow wore a bluish-green hat with yellow stripes that led to a yellow feather. Tears of joy welled in their eyes.

“That was beautiful, Spike,” Rarity said.

“Thanks, Rarity,” Spike said. “I wasn’t too boastful, was I?”

“Not at all,” Rarity said. “It was perfect.” She gave him a reassuring kiss on his forehead.

Spike blushed. “Well… glad we know for sure you’re back to normal.”

“What dya mean?” asked Applejack.

“You don’t want to know,” said Twilight. Just then, Shining Armor, Cadance, Twilight Velvet, and Night Light came up to the group.

“Twily, Spike!” cried Shining Armor. “You two were wonderful!” He hugged his sister and nephew. “Look at you two. A prince and princess. Who’d’ve thought?”

“Are you crying?” asked Twilight.

“Of course not, it’s liquid pride,” Shining insisted. “Totally different thing.”

“You two will make amazing royalty,” said Cadance, also hugging her sister-in-law and nephew. “Well done.”

“You all will make us proud,” said Twilight Velvet.

“Keep up the good work,” added Night Light. Both older unicorns hugged Twilight and Spike, too.

After the four left, Applejack cheered her friends.

“Way ta go, Princess!” Applejack said happily. “Way ta go, Prince, too!”

“Best coronation day ever!” cried Pinkie.

“It was our only coronation day we lived to see,” Rainbow shrugged. “But, that doesn’t make it any less awesome!”

“We love you, Twilight and Spike,” said Fluttershy.

“We love you too, girls!” Twilight smiled. She and her friends got into a group hug.

“So, what’s next?” Spike asked. “I mean, besides our carriage ride to officially conclude our coronation, of course.”

“Well, just take it one step at a time, dear,” said Rarity. “For now, let’s just enjoy watching your carriage ride!”

As the group headed to watch the precession, Twilight sang.

“Life in Equestria shimmers~
Life in Equestria shines~
And I know for absolute certain~”

Her friends and the crowd joined in as the other five trotted by the carriage.

“That everything~ (that everything~)
Yes, everything~ (yes, everything~)
Yes, everything is certainly fine~
It’s fine~”

“Yes! Everything’s going to be just fine!” Twilight smiled as she passed by.

Epilogue

Deep within the archives of Canterlot, there stood what appeared to be an ordinary standing mirror with a horseshoe-shaped rim lined with pink gems. Its standing base is also lined with horseshoes and attached to the top is a smaller window with a depiction of a pony inside. It was approached by a light greenish gray earth pony mare with grayish tangelo eyes, a long, tousled mane and tail of moderate aquamarine, and a Cutie Mark depicting a wilting flower in a cracked terracotta flower pot***********. The mare approached the mirror.

“It’s been over two years since I last saw you,” the mare said to the mirror. “It won’t be long until the portal opens again.” She placed a hoof on the mirror. “Please, Sunset,” she pleaded as tears began to form. “You need to come home.”

End of Book 3.

Author's Note

Here's the book 3 finale.

*The non-guardian ponies in town didn't have their Cutie Marks or half their memories swapped. It wouldn't make sense for them to remember what's happening as the norm.

**Fairly Odd Parents reference.

***Idea by HarryBuilder.

****A fitting punishment.

*****Dialogue by Comickook, modified.

******A very concise summary.

*******Idea by Blake.

********FORESHADOWING!!!

*********Take that, canon!

**********More modified Comickook dialogue.

***********Here's the mare in question:

I think it's worth noting that the order in which the Guardians were restored are almost in perfect reverse order in which Twilight and Spike encountered them when they first came to Ponyville (Rainbow and Rarity's order is swapped).

From Book 4-onwards, chapters will be released on a bi-weekly basis with a chapter for my other works posted on the weeks between.

If you liked this chapter, feel free to contact me via private messages if you'd like to help make future chapters.