Chapter 3: Beginning of the Divide

Twilight Sparkle poofed out a breath, sending the balloon sailing back into the air. Loud music blared in her ears, and her drink was warm. Pinkie's party had gone on way too long. But the excitable pink pony hadn't notice. She bounced around, singing with the music, gobbling up stale cakes and cookies. She was on her fourth game of pin the tail on the pony, playing the game by herself. She'd won three out of four. The party started as the full moon rose and ran on well past midnight. And, judging by Pinkie's attitude, she expected it to keep going.

Twilight tipped her glass back into the punch bowl and magiked out a tiny piece of ice, popping it into her mouth, chewing as she sunk back into a hay bale. Rainbow Dash flapped slowly by her, half drunk on whatever Spike had mixed into the punch. The blue pony circled the barn and went for lap number eight.

Poor Applejack snuck around the barn taking down as many decorations as possible without alerting Pinkie Pie, bags under her eyes, stress lines crinkling her forehead. She'd lost her hat at some point during the party. Twilight searched the barn and spotted AJ's hat, upturned in front of Fluttershy. The shy pony had a few sips of punch and decided the barn mice needed a cozy nest to sleep in, and apparently AJ's hat fit the bill. But either there were no mice, or they'd gone to bed, so Fluttershy settled for AJ”s dog Winona, and Tank the tortoise.

Rarity had pulled a chair from thin air and half slept in the corner, Spike slumped in front of her, protecting her from some evil force that might burst through the door. Twilight sighed and stood, ready to shut this party down. She had to re-reorganize her library after deciding that sorting by subject was, in fact, the better idea.

“Pinkie Pie,” she said. Pinkie's eyes widened and she grabbed a paper tail, tossing it to Twilight.

“Are you going to play with me, Twiley?” She asked. “I'm on a winning streak, just to warn you!”

“I think it's time to call it quits, Pinkie,” she said. “This party was really fun, but everypony is tired.”

Pinkie blinked at her, then looked around the barn. Her smiled faded, then, like a light bulb going off, she rushed to the corner of the barn and pulled out a large cannon. A choking sound came from beside Twilight. Applejack's eyes bugged out of her head at the sight of the cannon, then they rolled back and she fainted.

“How about we save that for another party, Pinkie,” Twilight lowered the cannon, fearing that if the barn took any more party damage Applejack would go into cardiac arrest. “There will be other parties to plan, don't worry.”

For a second, Pinkie looked on the verge of tears, then she beamed and bounced in the air. “Okie dokie lokie!” She stroked the cannon. “Next time, my precious.”

Applejack woke up and let out a breath, looking at Twilight with gratitude. Twilight gave her a little nod and cleared her throat.

“Okay, everypony, time to go-”

The air around Twilight thickened and pulled at her skin, tugging it every which way. She closed her eyes, a sudden headache erupting. For a moment she felt weightless, and she kicked out, trying to find solid ground. Teleportation? She recognized the feeling, but who was teleporting her? And why so late, er, early in the morning? Her back leg touched a slippery marble floor and the grip on her body released. She landed in a heap, bones rattling, teeth jarring together.

Blinking away the after effects of teleportation, she stood in the throne room of the palace in Canterlot. Her friends had been teleported as well, confused looks on their faces. Rainbow Dash swiveled her neck, taking in her new surroundings, still flying slow circles. Applejack shook her body, rubbing her eyes, Pinkie beside her, a huge grin on her face. Fluttershy did a little dance, panicking, looking for her hat and animals. Rarity had magiked a brush and quickly stroked her mane, while beside her, Spike was down on one knee, bowing.

Twilight followed his gaze and dropped to her knees before Princess Celestia. The Princess paced in front of the throne, the large room void of her guards and advisers.

“Princess, what's the matter?” Twilight asked, raising from her bow and trotting to Celestia. “Where are all your guards?”

She'd never seen the throne room empty before, not even during the hardest times of Equestria history. There was always an armored stallion somewhere in the room. Twilight had no idea if no guards meant something good, or extremely bad.

As the others noticed Celestia, they bowed and joined Twilight, the teleportation sobering them up quickly. Celestia shook her head and paused in front of them.

“Oh, my little ponies, I'm sorry to disturb you all, but this is a very urgent matter,” Celestia said. Nervousness stirred in Twilight. She'd seen the Princess worry before, but this time Celestia seemed scared, which in turn meant everypony needed to worry.

“Princess Luna is in the palace,” Celestia said. “She is severely injured and brought terrible news. Queen Chrysalis of the Changlings has returned, and has awakened Discord.”

Gasps flew through the ponies and Rainbow Dash snorted, soaring to the window. “That's impossible, we turned him to stone. See, he's still there.” She tapped the glass.

Celestia shook her head. “That is just a stone statue now, Rainbow. Discord's soul is lost. According the my sister, he travels with Queen Chrysalis.”

“How the hay did Princess Luna find this out?” Applejack asked.

The door behind Celestia creaked open and Princess Luna entered. The ponies gasped again. Luna's leg was bandaged, a large gauze over her shoulder. A scabbed over tear sat just below her cutie mark, and scratches covered her body. Three especially nasty slashes plastered her chest, scabs half covering the still-raw wounds. Her wing was bandaged, taped to a splint.

Twilight wanted to rush to her, yet at the same time, wondered what in Equestria had done this to one of the most powerful ponies she knew.

Limping, but head held as high as it could go, Luna moved beside her sister. She made eye contact with each pony before addressing them.

“Sorry to interrupt, Celestia, but I am capable of telling my own story,” she said. “My sister is right, Chrysalis and Discord are together. I found this out because they came to my moon and stole Nightmare Moon from me.”

Confusion hit Twilight. Stole a personality? Surely Chrysalis and Discord couldn't do that. The other ponies looked just as confused. Rainbow Dash had joined the group and landed, head tilted at the Princesses.

“Chrysalis was able to use a spell,” Luna continued. “To manifest Nightmare Moon into her true self. They overpowered me and used magic I had never seen. The three of them make quite a formidable force.”

“We beat them before,” Rarity said.

“Yeah,” Rainbow flapped a foot in the air and punched her hooves. “We can take them again, no problem.”

“It's not as simple as that,” Celestia said. “We will need more than the Elements of Harmony if we have any hope of defeating them.”

“What should we do?” Fluttershy's quiet question voiced all their thoughts.

“We fight,” Luna stomped her hoof, then winced. “We strike, take them out before they've perfected their plans. Those are three big egos, for them to all join together seamlessly will take some time. We must fight-”

“And how?” Celestia interrupted. “How do you plan on finding them and fighting? Our subjects are ponies not soldiers, Luna.”

“Doesn't mean we can't fight,” Rainbow said, flying higher and kicking the air. “Bring on boot camp, I'll whip us all into fighting shape.”

Thoughts galloped through Twilight's head faster than the Wonderbolts could fly. Fighting? Boot camp? All this was happening so fast that maybe they needed to slow down. She pawed the floor and cleared her throat. “I agree with Princess Celestia. Galloping head first might not be the best idea. Waiting for them to make the first move, so we can counter might be a better option. Go on the defense.”

Rainbow snorted. “Waiting's boring. Let's hit 'em hard and fast.”

“Perhaps,” Rarity stepped beside Twilight. “They would listen to reason, negotiations. I think we all assume they mean to take over Equestria, but what if we're mistaken?”

Fluttershy made a small noise and crept up beside Rarity. “I like talking. It sounds...safer.”

Twilight flicked her tail, fearing the impending argument. She looked to Applejack, knowing the pony would give an honest answer.

“What do you think?”

Applejack's ears flattened. “I...I don't know. I'm all for peace, but, well, talkin' ain't really my thing. I can buck and kick real good, though. That's where I’d be most useful.”

“See,” Rainbow landed beside Applejack, throwing her hoof over the orange pony's soldier. “I'm not the only one who wants to fight.”

Applejack backed out of her friends grasp. “Now, I never said I wanted to fight, but if it comes down to it I'd rather tussle than talk.”

Rainbow seemed to like this statement, nodding enthusiastically. Twilight sighed. Great, the last thing they needed was two of the Elements of Harmony on another team. She looked to Celestia who was visibly annoyed at her younger sister. Luna, however, beamed at her two followers with pride.

“It would make sense for half the Elements of Harmony to join me,” she said.

“Half?” Celestia countered. “Recheck your math, little sister.”

Luna smiled. “Surely Pinkie Pie will see that she would be most useful joining me.”

All the ponies looked at Pinkie. She blinked back at them then grinned.

“Will you let me use this?” She bounced in the air and landed beside her cannon, hugging the barrel.

Twilight glanced at Celestia. The princess recoiled, a look of fearful apprehension on her face. Luna laughed and nodded.

“Of course, my little pony,” she said.

“Oh boy!” Pinkie wheeled the cannon beside Applejack and Rainbow Dash.

Princess Celestia snorted and reared, hooves coming down hard on the marble. “Enough. We will not be divided. We will not fight each other.”

“Fight each other?” Luna limped forward. “You always go to the worst possible place, sister. No, we will not fight each other. If we cannot agree to work together, we will have two armies. One to guard the day, and one to fight for the night. As foolish as that sounds, if you will not help me attack, then I will raise up on my own-”

“I never said I would not attack, Luna,” Celestia gave a little buck. “I merely said leaping head first was foolish.”

Luna lifted her head, nostrils flaring. “You assume that we will not plan, that we are foolhardy. I guarantee complete training for all ponies and I will defend all of them with my life. Queen Chrysalis stole something from me, a piece of my soul, and they are using her as a weapon. I intend to get Nightmare Moon back, and make Discord pay for what he has done. If this Queen Chrysalis gets in my way, then I will destroy her as well. Soon they will wreak havoc on Equestria, and I will stop them. Anypony who wants to help is welcome to join me.”

“Yes!” Rainbow reared, punching the air. “I'm so there.”

“Heck, count me in one hundred percent.” Applejack bowed to Luna.

“Me too! Me too!” Pinkie bounced a circle around them.

Celestia looked at Fluttershy, Rarity, and Twilight. “Then you three will help me plan and defend.”

“Of course, Princess,” Twilight bowed, insides twisting. Had the Elements of Harmony just been separated? Had she just lost three friends? And how would they break the news of this trio of evil to the residents of Equestria without causing an all out panic?