Warning:

The following contains scenes that some viewers may find disturbing such as a graphic and violent death.

Viewer discretion is advised

"I will always love you.
My only regret is that if I had known
that the last time I saw you,
would be the last time I saw you,
I would have hugged you a little tighter,
told you I loved you a little louder,
and stayed by your side a little longer.

My mind knows that you are gone,
but my heart will never accept it.
I miss you so much."

"Jewel! Morphis! Look out!" Pipp yelled as she saw the blast that was aimed right at them.

Morphis and Jewel turned and saw the blast with wide eyes, but both of them were frozen in fear and shock. Without thinking, with no hesitation, Pipp galloped towards the two changelings.

"PIPP!!! NO!!" Pipp heard Hitch scream out.

But it was already too late. Pipp had already jumped and now she was in the way of the blast. Silently, she sent a prayer to the heavens above that Hitch would be okay without her. That he'd find another love in his life that he could be happy with. That he can love somepony as much as he loved her.

The beam of magic blasted Pipp and engulfed her in a green magical aura. She felt her whole body seize up as it felt like billions of needles were poking every part of her skin. Her muscles began to spasm. She wanted to smack herself, to brush away whatever was violently causing these sensations, but she couldn't. She was frozen in the air. Her body began to numb as thousands of tingles were sent painfully through her body. Still, she did not regret it.

The smell of burning flesh and hair filled the throne room as it kept going. Smoke began to lift from Pipp as she was electrocuted. She screamed as her whole body felt like it was hit by a carriage or a building twenty times her weight. She just wished for it to stop. Tears streamed down her cheeks as her body painfully seized and spasmed, as though constantly preparing for a blow that never came, only to relax briefly before tensing up again, over and over. It was like clenching and unclenching her jawbone over and over again with no reprieve. Still, she did not regret jumping in front of those changelings.

Zipp called out to Pipp, tears streaming down her cheeks as she was split between the past and the present. She was sitting by Pipp's hospital bed again back at the Zephyr Heights castle, praying Pipp would survive, blaming herself for not connecting the dots of her symptoms with pneumonia. She was watching Pipp be electrocuted in a green magical aura, unable to do anything but plead for Vespula to stop, blaming herself for not stopping Pipp in time.

Hitch galloped towards Pipp, throwing himself at her, pushing her out of the magical aura and to the ground. Tears were already falling down his cheeks as he held Pipp close.

The other four ponies ran to Pipp, praying like hell she'd be okay, but knowing deep down inside she wouldn't. As Hitch held Pipp, he got a huge whiff of burning flesh and hair. Holding her sent electrical shocks through his body, but they were insignificant compared to Pipp's.

Pipp's hair was a mess, some places were burnt off while others were standing straight up. Pieces of her flesh were charred and black, other parts bleeding and raw. Her eyes were closed, her mouth trapped in a scream. Her breathing was so shallow, that he could barely feel it.

"Pipp! Pipp! Pipp! Look at me! C'mon honey, just look at me! Please just be okay! Please! Don't die on me! Don't! PIPP!"

Pipp slowly opened her eyes, which were bloodshot and red, her eyes having a hazy effect. Hitch smiled as she stared at him, and though they were half-lidded and it looked like a difficult effort just to keep them open, they were open and that was all he asked for. That they were open and she was breathing.

"H–Hitch?" Pipp asked weakly like it hurt just to talk. Tears streamed down her face.

"Yes yes. I'm right here, my little songbird. I'm right here. Everything's going to be okay, I promise. We're going to find a way to heal you. We will."

"H-Hitch–"

"We're going to get you out of here, and we're going to go find Amani. I promise. He has magic that has crazy healing abilities, right?"

H–Hitch…please–"

"You're going to be okay, okay? We didn't come all this way just to leave you behind." Hitch cried, a sob forming in his throat. Deep down, he knew this was the end, but he refused to accept it.

"H-Hitch!" Pipp weakly called, shutting him up. "Hitch…this…this is the…end for…for me…" Pipp said, her breath heavy, tears forming in her eyes from the pain alone.

"Don't say that! You can't say that! We found you! After six long and agonizing months, we finally found you. You're free! You're supposed to be okay! After everything we've been through to find you, you have to be okay! You have to be!"

Pipp began to convulse and she began to make choking sounds as her body began to painfully move without her permission. Hitch held her tighter, his heart racing.

"No! Please, don't leave me!" He cried between sobs. "Please don't leave me!"

"I…won't…" Pipp said weakly when her body finished convulsing. "I'll…I'll always be…" Pipp weakly raised a hoof and softly put it on Hitch's chest. "Right…here…"

Pipp shook as she shivered. Her body was so cold. So very cold. But the pain was starting to go away, so that was good. Her mind began to haze and her vision began to blur a bit, but she kept her eyes on Hitch.

"Oh, Hitch, I love you so much. I'm so…so sorry I didn't…appreciate…you when…when I…had…the chance."

"Why?" Morphis stepped up, laying down next to her. "Why did you do it? I…I don't deserve it." Everypony could hear the tears in his voice. Jewel sat down next to him in silent agreement.

"Because…because that's…that's what friends do…" Pipp said in between gasps of breath. "And…now you…you have…five new…ones. Apreciate…them…before it's…it's too late. Don't make…the same mistake…I did."

It was getting harder for Pipp to talk. She turned to her sister. "Take…care of Hitch and…and Misty. They'll need…you. Make sure…Hitch finds…somepony else to…to fill his heart."

"Please Pipp…" Zipp whispered. "Don't go…" Tears were flowing down Zipp's face.

"I…I wish…I could be there…to see you become queen. You'll…you'll make a…a damn good one."

"What am I supposed to tell Mom," Zipp argued. "I can't tell her her youngest daughter is…is…"

"You'll tell her…you tell her that I love her…and that…that despite what she thinks…she…she was a great…great mother. I…I love you, big sis…"

"I love you too, little sis." Zipp wiped away tears with her hoof.

Pipp turned to Misty. "You'll…you'll be a great…great princess. I wish…I wish we could've been…stepsisters."

"I'm sorry I didn't come sooner," Misty apologized.

"Don't…don't be. You did…you did the best you could…" She turned to Hitch. "Will…will you…sing for me?"

Hitch wasn't a singer by no stretch of the imagination, and he didn't like to sing in front of others, but for Pipp, he'd do anything. So, he sang as tears ran down his face, trying to sing around the sob building in his throat.

🎵And you were…right there in front of me,
Just too close…for me to see.
And I didn't know what…what you had truly meant to me.
When you were right there…in front of me🎵

Pipp smiled weakly. "It…it was you…a month ago…I was…singing that song…and…and I…heard your voice in…in that cell…I heard you. I…I wasn't going crazy…it was really…really you." Pipp wanted to sing one last time for the love of her life, no matter how physically painful it was for her. Her voice was far from the powerful sound everypony was used to and had come to love, instead being very weak and fragile, like it would break at the slightest pressure. Still though, something about Pipp singing, despite the circumstances, soothed something deep in everypony's soul.

🎵For I love you…like a tune
All my…thoughts you…you do consume.
Oh, Hitch…Trailblazer,
I'll see you very…soon🎵

She used her last breath to say the last word. As she said it, her eyes closed and her chest stopped moving.

"Pipp?" Hitch asked, shaking Pipp's still body. "Pipp! Pipp!" Hitch knew at that moment that Pipp was gone. He could feel it deep inside his soul. "PIPP!" Hitch howled. "PIPP! NOOO! NOOOO! COME BACK! PLEASE! I NEED YOU! COME BACK! I…I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT YOU! COME BACK!"

Tears streamed down Hitch's face. It's said that every changeling in the whole hive could hear his wails. He held Pipp's body to his, rocking back and forth, burying his face in her mane. He sobbed into her mane, the warmth in her body slowly fading. Sunny looked away, tears falling freely now, not just from the death of her best friend, but also from the wails of her foalhood friend.

The four other ponies couldn't bear to watch him. They all turned away, even Zipp, as Hitch cradled Pipp's dead body. Pipp couldn't be gone. She couldn't. There were so many things he didn't say. He forgot to say that he loved her back. He didn't get to apologize for the things he said to her sister. He didn't get to tell her how much she meant to him. He forgot to say that his life had no meaning without her. She had to come back so he could tell her. So she'd know he loved her. He loved her more than life itself.

Why? Why did she do it? For changelings who did nothing but lock her up? Who abused her and kept her locked away from the world? Who tried to kill her and her friends multiple times? Who put her friends in such difficult positions? Why? Didn't she know how much he needed her? How much they all need her? Didn't she care? Why…

Zipp wiped away her tears. She turned to the rest of the changelings, hoping to finish what her sister started, though she didn't have Pipp's personality. "Pipp sacrificed her life for your peers! For your kind! Are you really going to stand there and let her sacrifice go to waste?! Are you really going to say we hate you after one of us just died for you?! Make her sacrifice mean something!" Tears filled Zipp's eyes, and the more she spoke, the more anger filled her voice. "Would you rather fight for somepony so willing to sacrifice herself for you?! Or one who's so quick to kill?!"

The changelings' ears flattened, unsure of what to do. For centuries they were taught that ponies were evil and that they'd do anything to make you believe you were their friend, and just when you trust them so completely, they backstab you so horribly, that it takes you moons to recover. When the ponies needed them most, the changelings were there. When the changelings needed the ponies' help the most, they were nowhere to be found.

Yet, here was one, sacrificing herself for them. Dying for them. It went against everything they were taught their whole lives. It went against everything they thought they knew about life. It was like their world was flipped upside down. They were lost and they wanted to find something familiar. Something to ground themselves.

"Don't listen to her!" Queen Vespula yelled. "They finally feel the pain they caused us and now they're throwing a hissy fit. They hurt us and yet they expect us to pretend everything's fine. We hurt one of them and suddenly, we're in the wrong?! They want to do nothing but hurt us. They want to make us vulnerable so they can eliminate us!"

When Hitch heard Queen Vespula's voice, his whole body tensed. Anger like never before filled his whole being. Screw second chances. Screw friendship. Screw love! She was going to pay! They were all going to pay!

"You…you…" Hitch seethed, only seeing red in his vision. "You…you KILLED HER! YOU KILLED THE ONLY MARE I'VE EVER LOVED!!!"

"Too bad, pony scum," Queen Vespula said with no remorse whatsoever.

"Taking her is one thing, but this?" Hitch softly laid Pipp's body on the stone floor with the utmost care, before turning to Vespula with fire in his eyes. "YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS, YOU MONSTER!!"

"Hitch," Sunny said, hoping to stop him before he did something he regretted. "Wait. Just stop and think before–"

But he was already gone, bolting towards Queen Vespula his only intention to make her pay for what he did. He galloped as fast as he could. Then, something incredible happened. His hooves began to glow an earthly green. Then, behind Queen Vespula, a large, thick green plant grew and smacked her down to the ground like a big fly swatter.

Sunny's eyes widened. "Earth pony magic," She mumbled, before turning to her friends. "Quick! Try to use your magic!"

Izzy and Misty squeezed their eyes shut and tried to cast some sort of spell, the easiest they could think of, but their horns sparked like dysfunctional lighters. Zipp jumped into the air, desperately flapping her wings, only to fall back to the floor. Sunny squeezed her eyes and stretched her body as she tried to turn into her alicorn self. Nothing.

"But…I'm…trying…to help somepony!" She said through gritted teeth from the force of trying to turn into her alicorn self.

"It's not just you Sunny," Misty assuaged. "It's all of us. None of our magic is working, and yet, Hitch's is."

"Try your earth pony magic," Zipp suggested.

Sunny turned to Queen Vespula, focused her energy, and pounded the ground with her hooves. Nothing happened. Not even glowing hooves. The four mares looked back at Hitch with worry.

Misty's eyes widened at the expression on Hitch's face. There were tears in his eyes, and his face held so much anger, that even though it wasn't directed at her, she took a step back, her heart racing in fear. She's never felt such strong emotions from anypony besides Opaline. That's when it clicked.

"That's it," She muttered.

"What's it?" Izzy asked.

"His emotions! That's why his magic is working and ours isn't. His emotions are so strong, it's jumpstarting his magic. Are emotions are nowhere near as strong as his. I mean, just look at him." Misty said with wide eyes, pointing her hoof at Hitch.

Hitch was currently riding on a big vine, going up and down and all around, avoiding magical blasts from Queen Vespula. His teeth were clenched so hard, that his friends were surprised he hadn't popped a vein yet. There was so much grief and anger in his eyes, even his non-empath friends could feel it just by looking at him. But it was nothing compared to what Misty felt.

Misty felt his anger and grief rise in her like it was her own. She didn't know where her emotions ended and his began. Hitch's emotions were so strong that they overpowered hers so much, that she couldn't even remember what she felt. Tears filled her eyes. Queen Vespula had to pay. She had to pay for taking his one and only love from him. Without thinking, Misty bolted for Queen Vespula, tears in her eyes as she wailed out a battle cry from the soul.

Zipp jumped in front of Misty, who ran into her, almost bulldozing her over. Misty yelled for Zipp to let her go, that Queen Vespula had to pay for what he did to her, but Zipp wouldn't let go. She wouldn't let Misty get hurt too.

"Izzy!" Zipp yelled. "I need your empath assistance over here! How do we make her stop feeling Hitch's emotions?!"

"I…I don't know!" Izzy yelled desperately, already next to Zipp. "Misty! Misty look at me! Please!"

Misty refused to look at Izzy, only having eyes for the very queen she had to murder. The queen who had to pay!

"Umm…" Izzy racked her brain for something, anything. "Get her out of the room. Get her out! Make that physical barrier." Izzy said, desperately hoping it would work.

"Sunny! We need your help!" Zipp called.

"B–but what about Hitch?" Sunny asked, not taking her eyes off Hitch.

"There's nothing we can do for him right now. He's so far gone, he won't listen to any of us. At least he has magic. Misty doesn't. If we don't do anything, Misty's going to get herself killed."

That seemed to get through to Sunny. With one more glance at Hitch, Sunny turned and helped drag Misty out of the room. Jewel and Morphis used their wings to lift her in the air as Misty struggled and fought. Not a single changeling stopped them. They were too busy watching the raging duel above.

Hitch wouldn't give Queen Vespula the chance to recover. As soon as she got up to point her horn at him, another plant would come out of nowhere and knock her back down to the ground.

Once they dragged Misty out, she finally seemed to calm down. Izzy gave her a crash course on how to reinforce her shield to block out stronger emotions. Once she did, they went back to plotting how to stop this.

"What about these things?" Izzy asked, pointing to her golden necklace. "We were about to blast Queen Vespula when Pipp stopped us."

"I think…I think they'll only work when we use them all together. And…"

"And we'll have two missing," Zipp finished for Sunny, who simply nodded.

"Well, how about Sunny and Zipp try to get through to Hitch, and Misty, Morphis, Jewel, and I will try and keep as many changelings away from collateral as–" Izzy stopped when they all heard a scream.

"Sounds like a plan," Zipp said urgently before they all burst into the throne room.

The four ponies and two changelings skidded to a stop when they entered the throne room. Their eyes widened when they saw Queen Vespula unmoving, a vine around her neck, her face having a tint of blue to it.

Sunny and Zipp looked at Hitch with wide eyes while Hitch just glared at Queen Vespula. That's when Sunny saw Vespula twitch and knew she was still alive, but if Hitch kept this up, she wouldn't be for long. Without another thought, Sunny ran at Hitch and threw herself at him. They both fell to the ground, breaking Hitch's concentration. Without his concentration, the plant stopped tightening.

Zipp ran up to Queen Vespula and set her free, only to wrap some vines around her hooves and her midsection to keep her wings against her. Then she put some vines around her horn to hopefully block her magic.

Hitch struggled under Sunny, only for Sunny to hit him against the stone floor. Hitch looked up at Sunny in shock.

"Hitch! Stop! This isn't who you are! If Pipp were here, what would she think if she knew you were trying to kill somepony!"

"She's not a pony–"

"That doesn't matter! You're the element of kindness! This isn't who you are!"

Hitch's necklace began to glow as it finally hit him. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to keep back the tears. He knew Sunny was right, he just didn't want to admit it. If Pipp saw him like this, so blinded by anger and grief that he actually hurt another creature…she'd be so disappointed.

Hitch closed his eyes softly, nodding his head to show that he was okay. Sunny didn't look convinced but let him go anyway. He stood up, took a deep breath, and began to speak.

"Your queen wanted to kill those two changelings," Hitch pointed to Jewel and Morphis. "Because they wanted to be themselves! My marefriend took their place and sacrificed herself so that you have a chance to be yourselves! Choose good! Don't let my marefriend's sacrifice be for naught!"

"But how?" A brave changeling asked. "We still have to take love to survive."

"Have you thought about sharing love instead of taking it?" Misty asked. At their confused looks, Misty sighed and continued. "I used to live under a horrible pony. One who was just like Vespula. She didn't let me be myself, she didn't let me be who I really was inside. But, there was one lesson she taught me that I will never forget. One of the very few times she was ever right. It's a lesson I live by, despite how evil she was. You get what you give. I didn't trust my friends in the beginning, and, in return, they didn't trust me. But once I opened up to them and was vulnerable, and trusted them, they did the same for me. If you give love, you'll get love in return."

"But how? We've never really given love before…" Another changeling asked.

"Just let your feelings run wild. Let ponies and changelings and any other creature see the real you. Show them your heart and they'll show you theirs!" Izzy called from next to Misty.

"But…what if they don't like what they see? Would you outcast us again?" Another asked in a trembling voice.

Zipp took a step away from the unconscious Queen Vespula, finally speaking, set on finishing what her sister started. What her sister died for. "I understand it can be scary to be yourself. You fear that others won't like you for you. But believe me when I say, that while it's true some won't like you, the right ones will. The ones who are meant to be your friends will. And they're all that matter. Your friends, not your critics, are the only ones that matter."

There was dead silence as all the changelings looked around at each other. As the silence raged on, Hitch slowly walked to Pipp's body, sitting down next to it. Nopony or changeling noticed as they were so focused on the current situation. He didn't care about anything else besides how the hell he was going to continue his life as only half a pony.

That was when Morphis stepped up with a nervous look. Going against his queen and making friends with a pony was one thing, but accepting a whole new way of life was something completely different.

However, when he stepped up, deciding to share love rather than take it, something incredible happened. Morphis was lifted into the air and a pink ball of light emanated from his chest. It extended from him in thick pink rings before a pinkish-white light wrapped around him. Slowly, he descended to the ground as the pink light faded, and in his place was a shell of the changeling he used to be.

The changeling before everypony and changeling was mostly yellow, with some accents of blue. He had three light blue gems in his chest and light blue horns. He had sparkled light blue wings that were a little darker than his original blue wings. His carapace was a greenish blue on top and the same light blue underneath as his other accents. He still didn't have any pupils, but his eye color was now the same greenish blue as the top of his carapace. His ears were longer, yellow on the outside and darker blue on the inside.

Sunny walked up to him in shock, her mouth hanging open. Jewel, not wanting her brother to go through this alone, also made the decision to share her love. She floated into the air with the same pink light, undergoing the same transformation as her brother.

When the light faded, in her place was a beautiful sparkling changeling. Her coat was a midnight blue like the night sky, with a touch of purple. Her whole body shimmered with sparkles like stars shining brightly, her whole body reminding them of the night sky. Her carapace was different shades of pink, ranging from a coral pink to a dark purple. Her horns, wings, and eyes were light pink. She had three pink gemstones on her chest that sparkled like jewels. While the outside of her ears was the same color as her coat, the inside was a darker pink.

She flattened her ears as she blushed shyly, lifting one of her hooves and leaning back as she saw all eyes on her, smiling shyly.

Then, another changeling followed her lead and another. Soon the entire throne room was filled with bright pink light as all the changelings decided to share love rather than take it. Izzy, Misty, Sunny, and Zipp all took cover from the sudden burst of light and magic. Hitch covered Pipp's body with his own as the throne room walls seemed to break apart from the sudden bursts of magic. Changelings were wrapped in pink light, coming back as a completely different changeling with appearances that were similar to Morphis's and Jewel's, but in an array of different colors.

Once the blasts were finished, the four ponies looked up to see the room full of completely different changelings. Sunny and Zipp looked at each other with wide smiles as did Misty and Izzy. The golden necklaces were still around their necks, but they didn't pay any attention to them. They stared at the changed changelings, shock overfilling them.

The changelings looked at each other and themselves, chatting excitedly to one another. They examined one another's appearance as they felt something they had never before felt their whole lives. Happiness! Love! Peace!

That was when Queen Vespula woke up from her unconscious state, blasting the vines off of her with her green magic. She stood up, ready to fight, when her eyes widened. Her entire hive was changed to new creatures. Her subjects were laughing and all had a joyous time. As she watched, tears began to fill her eyes.

This was all she wanted for her subjects. Her whole life, she was taught that the only way she could give this to her subjects was by making the ponies hurt as much as they hurt them when one of their alicorns killed their benevolent king, King Thorax. But here her subjects were, not hurting the ponies and yet, happy and laughing amongst each other. Her long-buried heart and emotions began to rise from the depths of her black and empty chest.

Izzy was the first to notice the conscious queen and gasped, taking a step back. All the changelings and ponies, except for Hitch, turned and were in defensive stances against Vespula. Except for Misty. Misty bit her lip, looking at the ground, before an idea came to her.

Slowly, she walked up to the queen, much to Zipp's and Sunny's protests, though they made no physical motion to stop her. Misty stopped when she was right before the queen, who looked down at her with conflicted emotions. Misty could feel them warring inside of the queen, understanding her predicament.

"I was raised by an evil tyrant who tried to take all the magic for herself. She forced me to be her servant for over a decade, keeping me from discovering who I really was, and preventing me from getting a cutie mark. She told me only she could give me what I truly wanted. But she was wrong. I could get what I wanted on my own if I put in the effort. I chose good instead of following her evil ways. When I tried to give her the same chance, she was blinded by her want for power to listen to what I had to say and chose to continue her evil schemes, which soon became her downfall. You don't have to make the same decision! You can be the leader your subjects deserve!"

"H–how?" Queen Vespula asked, a tremor in her voice.

Misty held out her hoof. "Take my hoof, Queen Vespula. Let me show you there's another way. Just like somepony once did for me."

Slowly, hesitantly, Queen Vespula raised her hoof, reaching for Misty's. As she and Misty's hooves touched, a pink light began to glow from her chest as well. She was wrapped in a pink light that was brighter than any of the other single changeling transformations. Her pink cocoon lasted longer, but once it was done, a whole new changeling was in her place.

Her coat was a light green and her hair was a cerulean blue while her wings were a light see-through blue with a dark tinge. Her eyes were still green, but darker than the rest of her coat, not as sickly looking. Her horn was no longer jagged but long and resembled more like a unicorn horn. She lacked the same two horns as Morphis and the rest of the changelings, but she was still taller than any other changeling. The bottom of her carapace was a blue a shade darker than her hair and the top of it was a green the same shade as her eyes. She had three pearly white gems on her chest that almost sparkled as much as Jewel's.

The four mares hugged one another, happy that this nightmare was finally over. That was when Sunny noticed somepony was missing in the celebrations. She asked her friends where Hitch was, and Zipp pointed to the end of the throne room close to the entrance.

Sunny's eyes widened as she remembered Pipp's death. She tried calling out to Hitch, silencing the cheers in the throne room. All the changelings, as well as the five ponies, stared at Hitch. Sunny bit her lip, not sure of what to do for her closest friend.

Then she saw Queen Vespula slowly walk up to Hitch, stopping a good distance away. She hung her head, unable to look at the pain she so callously caused. She took a deep breath before speaking.

"I'm so sorry, Hitch–"

"It's Sheriff Trailblazer to you," Hitch interrupted coldly.

"Right. I'm so sorry, Sheriff Trailblazer. I wasn't in my right mind. I didn't mean for anypony to get hurt."

"And yet, you tried to blast two changelings with a magical beam. The same magical beam that killed the mare I love. Look, I understand you've changed, but if it wasn't for the fact that I'm trying to keep my marefriend's memory alive by being the stallion she wanted me to be, I'd still be suffocating you in that vine. So, just leave me the hell alone, okay?"

Queen Vespula sighed before walking away. The entire room was somber, not a happy spirit in sight as they all stared at Pipp's still form.

Sunny sighed. "C'mon guys. Why don't we go outside to discuss a stronger alliance? Let's give Hitch some space."

Queen Vespula nodded, all too happy to agree. The ponies and changelings all left the throne room, Sunny glancing at Hitch one last time before joining the others outside.

Hitch lowered his head and closed his eyes as he sat down next to Pipp's still form. Tears slid down his face and on the stone floor beneath him. Slowly, he scooted closer to Pipp and laid his head down on her.

One specific tear landed on Pipp's element and the element soaked it up. Another tear soon fell onto it and another, the element soaking them all. Soon, the element began to glow a beautiful gold that brightly showed. Hitch slowly opened his eyes and then widened them in surprise when he saw Pipp's body entirely engulfed in golden light.

He shot back in shock, staring as the golden light seemed to be working around her. The blush slowly came back to her cheeks. Her hair began to grow back in the places it was burned off of. Her raw patches began to heal. Her charred skin returned to its beautiful pink color.

The golden light filled the throne room and shone so brightly, that the ponies and changelings from the outside could see it through the window. They rushed into the castle, worried for their friend.

In the throne room, the light slowly began to fade, until it was as though it was never there. The only sign anything magical happened at all was the element on Pipp's neck softly glowing.

Hitch slowly approached Pipp's body, staring at her chest, which was rhythmically moving up and down. His eyes widened as he slowly rubbed Pipp's warm forehead. He watched her for a moment, unsure of what to do. He bit his lip, rubbing his hoof along her perfect silky mane. Once he said something, and if Pipp didn't respond, despite it being impossible that she'd still be here, he'd still be crushed beyond repair. But he had to try it. He just had to.

"P-Pipp?"

Silence.

He decided to try again. "P-Pipp?"

Silence.

He closed his eyes to hold back the tears. He knew it. He knew she was gone. Why did he get his hopes up? Why did he…why did he think that after everything that's happened, there'd still be one more impossible miracle?

While he had his eyes closed, a golden magical dot floated up from Pipp's element and slowly landed atop her nose. Golden waves spread out around her before disappearing. Slowly, she opened her eyes, blinking a couple of times as her eyes blurred as though she hadn't used them in days. She looked around the empty throne room, her eyes falling on the only other pony in the room.

"H-Hitch?" She asked, still lying on her back.

Hitch's eyes squeezed shut before he opened them wide. He stared at her in open-mouthed shock and she simply smiled back, tears filling her eyes.

"Pipp? Are you…?"

Pipp nodded, smiling ear to ear in pure joy. Hitch snatched her up in a tight embrace without another word, hugging her as they both fell to the ground, Hitch laughing in utter joy.

"I…I can't believe it! I…I thought I lost you forever!" Hitch said with the biggest smile he's ever had on his face.

"I thought I lost me too!" Pipp answered with a laugh before she and Hitch kissed deeply.

Back in the halls of the castle, Sunny and the other three mares ran through the halls, following the reformed changelings to the throne room. They burst through the doors and skidded to a stop, looking around.

Their eyes widened in fear as they saw Hitch, on the ground on top of Pipp's body, seeming to be sobbing.

"Hitch? Are you okay?" Sunny asked, taking a step closer to Hitch.

Hitch lifted his head to show the mares his tear-streamed face, but there was a wide grin splitting his face. Confused, they looked at him and then a Pipp's body, surprised to see her sit up with a huge smile on her face.

The four mares stared at Pipp in complete shock and incomprehension. This was…this couldn't be possible.

"No freaking way…" Zipp mumbled, a smile slowly beginning to form on her face.

"How is that possible…?" Misty asked, her eyes still twice their size. They've seen a lot of impossible things, but this was by far the craziest.

"I don't know. Really, I don't. All I know is that Pipp's here and she's alive! She's so impossibly alive!" Hitch yelled in glee before embracing her again.

"No freaking way!" Zipp exclaimed before running up to her sister who was very much alive.

Zipp hugged her tightly, tears of joy filling her eyes. She couldn't believe her sister was alive. She was alive and well. It was impossible and completely crazy, but it didn't matter because Pipp was alive!

"PIPP!" Izzy exclaimed with a smile before running up to the hugging trio.

The other two mares followed suit, hugging Pipp tightly. They couldn't believe it. Everything was finally perfect. There was nothing that could separate them now. Pipp laughed as tears fell down her face. She thought she had lost the most important ponies in her life, but here she was and here they were.

"Pipp?" A familiar voice asked.

The five ponies separated from Pipp to reveal a yellow and blue creature. Pipp didn't recognize him, but somehow, a small voice in her head told her who he was.

"Morphis? Is that you?" She asked with a confused look. At his nod, she seemed to just notice the other reformed changelings, including the tallest one. "What in the hay happened to you all?" Pipp asked, wondering just how much she missed.

"Well, after your sacrifice, the changelings realized we weren't their enemies and they all decided to give love rather than take it, and then they all magically transformed into these brilliant-looking creatures and they're all kind of good now." Izzy filled in, earning a wide-eyed confused look from Pipp.

"We'll fill you in later. It's a long story," Hitch whispered in Pipp's ear, to which Pipp gratefully nodded.

"Speaking of magic, what's up with ours? Hitch was able to use earth pony magic when he fought Queen Vespula, but it still doesn't work. And what are these things?" Zipp asked, pointing to her necklace. "What do they mean? How do they work? Why did they come to us?"

Pipp opened her mouth to ask what, Zipp was talking about, only to close it again. She figured she'd find out later.

"I…I don't know. I think it's another mystery for Detective Zipp to solve," Sunny said as all five of her friends surrounded her. "But whatever it is, I know we'll face it together. We don't need magic to keep us united. All we need is friendship and each other."

As Sunny said this, each of her friends' elements began to glow brightly. White light then erupted from them and surrounded Sunny in a bright shining ball. At first, Sunny was terrified, but the light felt so warm and safe, that she knew it couldn't be bad. She closed her eyes as the beams of light lifted her into the air and she was encased in a bright light, much like the changelings were, but hers was gold instead of pink.

Slowly, the beams of light lowered her and dissipated, the light around Sunny soon after. All five ponies stared at her in nervous trepidation, not sure what to make of this. Once the light faded, all five ponies gasped at the sight before them.

Sunny was no longer an earth pony. She was an alicorn, but instead of her golden wings and horn, her horn was the same orange as her coat, her wings a shade lighter with pink thin streaks that were the same color as her mane and were barely noticeable.

Sunny slowly sat up, rubbing her forehead. As she did, her hooves grazed passed her horn and her eyes widened. "I'm an alicorn again!" Sunny exclaimed. When she saw her friends staring at her, she stared back, confused. "What is it? Did something go wrong?"

"No," Pipp mumbled.

"You're a real alicorn. Like Opaline was!" Misty said in wide-eyed shock.

Sunny, confused, looked down at her wings, expecting them to be gold but seeing the orange a shade lighter than her coat and the dark pink streaks. Her eyes widened in shock.

"Neighway, Sunny. You look adorbs!" Pipp exclaimed.

"Now that's what I call a glow-up!" Izzy said as she bounced up and down.

"That is so cool!" Zipp added.

But the elements weren't done yet. They glowed brightly until all of them shot a huge magical beam into the sky, spreading all the way to Equestria. Wisps of magic floated around them all before seeping into their wings, horns, and hooves. Unicorn horns lit up and pegasi flapped their wings, lifting themselves in the air. Earth ponies were able to grow plants to their wildest imaginations.

All five ponies gasped as the beam of light slowly faded, Misty's and Izzy's horns lighting up. Pipp and Zipp flew into the air and Hitch grew plants and cleaned up the mess he made earlier. Magic was back and here to stay, no longer being connected to any magical relic. The ponies and changelings celebrated, happier than ever that this nightmare was finally over.

Author's Note

At this point I am emotionally numb

Anyway,so this is sort of the end. The next chapter will be the epilogue and will lead into the next story, which I have decided to do, because, I'm really enjoying writing this series. A little hint, it won't be as emotionally taxing as this one was and there's going to be a bit more humor in it, kind of.

See you in the final chapter of Magic In Us