As the two dragons fled the scene they paused near the castle and decided to hide in there, and not long after multiple Changelings flew by.

Stone peeked out the window and nodded to Firestar who was bracing the door.

“We lost them,” Stone said with a sigh of relief.

“We gotta check on Twilight!” Spike said.

“Agreed,” Firestar said as he carried Twilight inside the castle lounge and set her down.

“She was hit directly by the gem so she’ll be out for-” Firestar said before she started groaning “....I stand corrected,” Firestar said.

“Huh?” She looked around looking confused.

“Twilight? Please tell me you're alright,” Spike pleaded.

“....Heh…. purple lizard….” Twilight chuckled.

“What?” Spike asked.

“Where am I? Is this like… somepony’s crib?” Twilight looked around sitting up.

“Twilight, it's your castle!” Spike exclaimed.

“Heh, cool, I like, have some good set-ups, although I need to get some stereos set in and… like have a party,” She chuckled before she got up and trotted away.

“Twilight!” Firestar got in front of her.

“Hey red lizard dude,” Twilight said.

“.....What’s two plus two…” Firestar said with dread.

“Uh…… I dunno, twenty?” Twilight said.

“She’s lost her intelligence, now she’s just illogical,” Spike said.

“You're an illogical,” She said before she wandered off.

“....” Firestar looked down.

“Hey man, we’ll fix this mess we started and then your pony friend will-” Stone said but Firestar just growled and grabbed Stone and pinned him to the wall with his arm.

“Will you DROP the whole thing between me and Twilight!? Need I remind you this happened because of you!” Firestar growled.

“Hey man stop!” Stone said.

“Firestar!” Spike ran over and tried to separate the two and eventually Firestar let him go and walked away.

Stone coughed and rubbed his neck “Sheesh, I guess he knows how I felt when I saw Pinkie affected, we’ll fix her,” Stone said.

“Hey dudes! I found a white box in here! With like… food and stuff!” Twilight called from the kitchen.

“That’s the refrigerator!” Spike said.

“Too hard to say…” Twilight said before she opened it and began digging through it for food.

“We’re without Twilight, this isn’t good,” Spike said.

“Worry not, we still have a brainiac,” Stone said gesturing to Firestar.

“But we’re heavily outnumbered, how are we going to-” Spike paused when he smelt something and Stone smelt it too.

“We got company,” Stone said and he turned to a door and saw it close, he approached it and pulled it open easily and saw the Student Six hiding in the closet.

“Huh?!” Gallus said.

“More Changelings?” Spike asked guardedly.

“No, I’d smell it,” Stone said.

“Stone!” Smolder exclaimed as she got out of there “Am I glad you're here,”

“Hey Smol,” Stone said with a grin as they hugged.

“...Yak confused,” Yona said as the group exited the closet.

“He’s my cousin,” Smolder explained.

“You didn’t mention that earlier,” Spike said.

“We were busy,” Stone said with a shrug.

“Good thing, we were in trouble,” Smolder said.

“Yeah, I was hoping you’d gone back to the dragon lands when this mess went down,” Stone said.

“We can’t, not while there’s danger ahoof, problem was that we were overrun by bad changelings and we fled here,” Silverstream said.

“I-I just can’t believe Thorax would do this…” Ocellus sobbed.

“He’s not doing it intentionally, the gem Cozy Glow is using is messing with his head,” Spike explained.

“So… it’s not a repeat of Chrysalis?” Ocellus asked.

“No, the gem is making him do this,” Spike said.

“What happened here?” Firestar asked having joined the conversation.

“We were tending to the teachers while they were sick with whatever this gem did to them and suddenly multiple Changelings swooped in and began attacking the town, chased everypony away,” Sandbar explained.

“To make room for the trap they sprung on us earlier,” Firestar said having pieced it together.

“Then what do we do? We have to get that gem back from Cozy Glow, who knows what she’s planning to do with it,” Spike said.

“....I think I know…” Firestar said looking grim.

“She wouldn't…. That’s cruel even by criminal standards,” Stone said.

“What?” Spike said worriedly.

“She might be planning on destroying the gem and by extension the personalities contained in it, leaving all the victims like this… forever,” Firestar said looking at Twilight whose struggling to open a pantry door even though the handle is right there.

“Do I push or pull this thing?!” Twilight said frustratedly.

“Is pony teacher alright?” Yona asked worriedly.

“No,” Spike said.

“How is this gem destroyed?” Sandbar asked.

“It was put in Yakistan because there were no volcanos there, lava is how you destroy the gem and whatever it contains,” Firestar said.

“Then we have to hurry!” Spike said.

“We don’t know where she went,” Firestar said.

“Not to mention there’s Changelings outside,” Silverstream added.

“....Then we use the cutie map,” Spike said getting an idea.

“Huh?” Stone said.

Spike opened the cutie map and the group surrounded it as saw Spike scrolling around it.

“If Cozy has a fragment of Twilight with her, then we can track her magical signature since Twilight and the others are connected with the magic of this place,” Spike said.

“Wow, you're right, if we reroute the magical current and cascade it through Equestria’s magical leylines we can find her,” Firestar said.

“I understood, none of that,” Gallus said.

“Yeah, I was mainly just repeating what Twilight told me,” Spike said.

“Right… basically we have a way of finding out where Cozy Glow is going,” Firestar said.

“Ah,” they said.

“Alright… there!” Silverstream pointed at a barely visible cutie mark of Twilight and it was over by the nearest volcano…. It was over by

“I know that volcano! I went there on vacation once,” Stone said pointing at it.

“Then we were right, Cozy is planning on destroying the personality gem!” Firestar said feeling worried more for Twilight than the gem.

“We need to get there first!” Spike said.

“Me and Stone need to, it's too dangerous if she’s got Changlings there,” Stone said.

“No! I can help!” Spike said.

“Our answer is final,” FIrestar said.

“What about us? You can’t fight all those Changelings yourselves,” Gallus said.

“We’ll find a way,” Stone said.

“LOOK!” Spike shouted “My sister is in danger and so are all my friends! Whether you like it or not I’m coming!” Spike said.

“Yeah, we can’t let harmony be endangered by one vengeful filly!” Silverstream said.

“This is for your safety,” Stone said.

“Forget safety, you guys need us,” Smolder said.

“Yeah!” The others said.

“...Alright fine,” Stone sighed.

“Stone!” Firestar said.

“This is no time to play by the rules, we gotta work together,” Stone said.

“Tch…” Firestar looked conflicted.

“Twilight would want this,” Stone said.

“....Ok,” Firestar said looking away.

“Alright, now what do we do?” Stone asked.

“I got a plan,” Spike said and they huddled and whispered among eachother.

The group had left the castle and snuck through town, when they got to city limits they got onto the train and began to operate it.

“C’mon,” Spike tried to reach up and pull a lever but he couldn’t reach it, Stone did it for him.

“So can’t wait until my growth spurt,” Spike sighed.

“No prob kid,” Stone said as the student six was helping to start the train and it wasn’t long before they were off.

“Whoo hoo! Train ride!” Twilight cheered from the back.

“Shh!” Everyone shushed her.

The train left the station and thankfully no Ling seemed to notice.

As they made their way down the path Spike watched for any sign of the volcano that the map indicated.

“Hopefully she’ll be there,” Spike said as he looked around.

An hour passed as the train moved along and eventually Spike spotted the volcano.

And worse yet, it was in the process of erupting.

“Not good,” Spike said.

“We should be the ones to go to the volcano, we’re immune to lava,” Stone said.

“Agreed,” Smolder said not wanting her friends to get hurt.

“We’ll at least be able to keep the other Changelings off of you,” Gallus said.

“Alright, let’s move!” Firestar said and they left the train.

Cozy Glow was making her way up the volcano, one negative about being a foal is that she’s not making much headway, even with a headstart.

“Ugh, what I wouldn’t do for longer legs right now,” Cozy sighed.

“Don’t worry Cozy, soon Equestria will be too debilitated from having their positive emotions sucked out to defend against us,” Thorax said as he trotted beside her.

“Can I ride on your back?” Cozy complained.

“No, same as the last three times you asked,” Thorax said.

“Uuuugh,” Cozy sighed and she looked to the other Changlings carrying decoy rocks just in case.

If all goes right, nopony will be able to stop her now that the princesses have been rendered useless and the elements aren’t a threat anymore.

“And I owe it all to you Pharynx for busting me out of Tartarus,” Cozy said to the Changeling.

“Don’t mistake anything, I just needed my brother to see the light is all,” Pharynx said.

“And I have, now that my caring heart is gone,” Thorax said.

“Good to hear, now we get rid of the gem and locate Chrysalis and we’ll be back on track to conquering Equestria,” Pharynx said.

“Now let’s move, we need to get this gem to the center of the volcano before it stops erupting,” Cozy turned and saw a dragon beside her.

The one who snitched about the gem.

A purple dragoness.

“And don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten our deal, you get half the gold in Canterlot when I conquer it,” Cozy said.

“I better, this is as good as treason to the dragon lands,” The dragoness said.

“Well I-” Suddenly Cozy was cut off by a changeling flying in front of her.

“Guys! Danger!” The Changeling exclaimed.

“What?” Cozy demanded.

“The dragon guards and the others are coming up the volcano as well, they’ll be here any minute!” He said.

“What?! How did they find us?!” Cozy demanded.

“I don’t know, what do we do?” He asked.

“Grr…. time to make yourselves useful, go slow them down!” Cozy ordered.

“Ok,” Pharynx rolled his eyes not liking that she’s ordering him around.

“We’ll ditch her after the gems gone, right?” Thorax asked.

“Yeah,” Pharynx said.

The group made their way up the mountain by air, but then they heard buzzing.

“Huh?” Silverstream said.

Ocellus flew up to the others.

“They’re coming!” Ocellus said.

“Ok, get in position,” Spike said.

“Ok!” Ocellus said before flying off.

As the group made their way further up they saw the Changelings descending the volcano.

“Alright guys! Stick to the plan!” Spike said as he jumped off of Firestars back and so did the others.

“Get your ex-friend brother!” Pharynx ordered and Thorax nodded and flew after him.

“Everyling else! Battle stations!” Pharynx ordered and they descended on the others.

Firestar fired some shots knocking a few other out of the air.

Yona rammed through a group of Changelings allowing Spike to get ahead.

“Go Spike!” Yona called.

“I’m on it!” Spike called back as he ran up a ridge, when he got up there and made for the path upwards Thorax landed in front of him.

“Hey Spike, remember me?” Thorax chuckled.

“Thorax…” Spike said

“Go on, come at me,” Thorax said before he shifted into a giant bug monster “The gem took the part of me that cared about you! So I won’t hesitate to crush you!” Thorax laughed.

“She made you evil Thorax, but this isn’t you! Snap out of it!” Spike pleaded.

“Not a chance! I’m finally following the true Changeling way! And that’s… to take!” Thorax said before he lunged… and was tackled by Stone who managed to pin him.

“Get a move on it little dude!” Stone said as he held the Changling down.

“Ok!” Spike ran ahead and up the path.

Spike made his way up the slope and saw Flurry and a dragoness and he hurried after them.

Cozy was sweating from the heat but she turned and saw Spike approaching.

“Do these harmony lovers ever quit? You, take care of him!” Cozy ordered.

“I have a name you know,” She said.

“Do it!” Cozy said before she hurried on.

“Ugh,” the dragoness turned and approached Spike, breathing a gout of flame to keep him back, Spike paused as the much bigger dragoness approached.

“Why are you helping her! She’s trying to destroy Equestria!” Spike demanded.

“Duh, and I stand to become the richest dragon in the dragonlands if she succeeds, so when she approached me I took the offer,” She said.

“Out of the way!” Spike said.

“What’s a puny dragon like you gonna do?” She laughed.

“Not me, but a friend of mine on the other hand…” Spike said and the dragoness looked up and saw Firestar descending on her.

He rammed her and jammed his spear into her side.

“AAAGH!” She exclaimed and fell over as he wrestled with her.

“Traitor! I’ll see you imprisoned for this!” Firestar said.

“I’m just doing what anydragon would do and expand their hoard!” She roared as she struggled to get him off.

Spike took this opportunity to run past them and at Cozy Glow who was almost at the top of the volcano.

“C’mon! C’mon!” Cozy grunted as she climbed over a rock.

“COZY GLOW!” Spike yelled after her and she turned and saw Spike coming after her.

“Crap!” Cozy Glow said before she took to the air and tried to press on despite the heat.

Spike wasn’t as debilitated by the heat and he was gaining on her.

Cozy Glow managed to land at the edge of the volcano and she approached the lava.

“Hah….hah…. Alright! Time to say goodbye!” Cozy Glow raised the gem and prepared to throw it in when she was tackled from behind by Spike.

The two rolled around and struggled.

“GET OFF OF ME!” Cozy struggled.

“Not a chance!” Spike said.

Cozy glanced at the gem lying in the sand nearby and she grabbed some sand and threw it in Spike’s eyes.

“AGH!” Spike cried falling back, she tried to crawl for the gem but Spike grabbed her leg and pulled her back.

“Get off of me!” Cozy kicked Spike in the face and crawled for the gem when he let go and she grabbed it.

“Guess there’s one more personality to alter before I’m done here!” Cozy Glow said before aiming the gem at Spike and flashing it.

“No!” Spike cried.

Suddenly Firestar jumped in front of Spike and blocked it, and thankfully his obsidian helmet protected him.

“Firestar!” Spike exclaimed.

“Uh oh,” Cozy said backing away.

“Hand it over…” Firestar approached and he reached forward and swiped the gem from Cozy Glow before she could throw it.

“Give it back!” Cozy Glow demanded.

“I won’t let you destroy what makes Equestria, Equestria!” Firestar said… before a changeling rammed him and sent the dragon stumbling and he wound up falling into the lava and he wound up tossing the gem as he fell.

“Firestar!” Spike cried.

The gem landed nearby and Spike and Cozy bolted for it, but were cut off by two changelings.

Pharynx and a regular Changling soldier.

“Huh?!” Spike backed away.

“Heh, you lose, soldier give it to me!” Cozy Glow demanded.

“You heard her, get it,” Pharynx said and the Changling nodded and retrieved it.

“Good thing that soldier came with me here, we arrived just in time,” Pharynx said.

“Agreed… hey hurry up with the gem!” Cozy Glow demanded.

“NO!” Spike tried to run at the Changling but Pharynx hit him down.

“Stay down!” Pharynx demanded and the Changling approached Cozy and hoofed it to her.

“Alright! Now watch little dragon, as I destroy harmony with one simple action!” Cozy Glow said before chucking the gem into the lava.

“NOOOOO!” Spike cried and he saw the gem vanish into the lava.

“Hahahahaha! So long harmony!” Cozy Glow laughed.

“....Not yet…” Spike said as he got up.

“What’s left to fight for? You lost,” Cozy said in a cocky tone.

“....Did I?” Spike said.

“Huh-” Pharynx said before suddenly something burst out of the lava.

Firestar, and he landed in front of them, and not wasting a moment he lunged forward and pinned Pharynx against a wall.

“Huh?!” Cozy said before seeing the other Changeling just standing there “Don’t just stand there! Do something!” Cozy said.

“Actually, no,” Suddenly the Changeling turned into Ocellus.

“WHAT?!” Cozy said.

“We had her infiltrate the ranks of your supporters and now we have you,” Spike said.

“W-well I still won! The gem is history!” Cozy said.

“You mean this gem?” Ocellus said pulling out the real gem.

“Huh?! H-how did-” Cozy demanded.

“We used your own decoy against you,” Ocellus said.

"You're the one who loses Cozy Glow,” Spike said.

“....No….NOOO!” Cozy lunged at Ocellus who jumped out of the way and pitched it to Spike who held the gem and held it towards Cozy Glow.

“Say cheese!” Spike said before he flashed the gem at Cozy who’s eyes widened.

“NOOOOO!” Cozy cried as an aura left her mouth and entered the gem… and she collapsed.

“NO!” Pharynx grunted, trying to struggle out of Firestar's grip.

“Looks like Cozy just lost something of her own, I wonder what it was,” Spike asked.

Firestar punched Pharynx to knock him out and then approached Spike.

“Here, hand it over,” Firestar said and Spike did so.

“Ok, Time to release the captive emotions,” Firestar said before he held up the stone and activated it again.

It glowed brightly but this time auras flowed out of it and away from there.

The group was backed up against a wall as many Changelings surrounded them.

Just as they were ready to attack suddenly auras flew into them and they staggered.

“Huh?” The Changelings said as they suddenly snapped out of it.

“Wait a minute… what were we doing?!” A Changeling exclaimed.

“We were helping Cozy Glow!” Another said.

“Did… they do it?” Gallus hesitantly asked.

“Yep, the plan worked,” Silverstream sighed in relief.

Twilight was taking a nap in the train when suddenly her aura flew into her and she gasped as she woke.

“I’m… I’m back to normal!” Twilight said with a smile and she hurried out of the train.

Celestia was playing with a teddy bear while Lune was still hiding under her throne when their aura’s flew into them and Luna came out from under the throne.

“The fear has vanished… thank goodness, I feared I’d remain a coward for life,” Luna said before noticing Celestia was trotting towards her with an embarrassed look on her face.

“Can we… never tell anypony in Canterlot how I acted?” Celestia asked.

“Sure sister,” Luna chuckled, planning to do just that.

Firestar was carrying Cozy Glow, the dragoness, and Pharynx down the slope where the others were waiting.

“Spike!” Thorax ran for him.

“Thorax?” Spike said unsurely.

But then Thorax hugged him.

“I’m so sorry Spike! I wasn’t myself back there!” Thorax apologized.

“It’s fine!.... Can you stop squeezing!” Spike choked.

“Ok,” Thorax said setting him down.

“Let’s get back to the train, Twilight is probably back to normal by now,” Spike said.

“...Yeah,” Firestar said with a smile as he saw the purple pony galloping towards them.

And he knew it was time to head back.

Upon returning to the train the group wasted no time and went home.

Meanwhile Cozy Glow woke up, and the interaction was… interesting to say the least.

“Mmmh…” Cozy woke up and looked around.

“Hey Cozy, how was the nap?” Spike asked.

“Why are you acting so chummy with the most criminal filly in Equestria?” Gallus asked as everypony surrounded her.

“Because I can guess what she lost,” Spike said as she seemed frightened, he approached and stood in front of her.

“So Cozy, are you evil anymore?” Spike asked simply and Cozy looked down.

“No… I wanna go home now…” Cozy said.

“Huh?” The group said.

“She valued her own evil ambition, now she’s a normal filly,” Twilight pointed out.

“Yes… I know trusting me is hard but… I really am sorry for everything…” Cozy said.

“...So, what do we do with her?” Stone asked.

“I can answer that,” Cozy said extending her hoofs in a hoofcuffing gesture “I’m turning myself in,” Cozy said with a resolute expression.

“But Cozy, your finally back to being a normal filly, you could stay like this forever,” Silverstream said.

“I know… but this isn’t the way, I have to learn how by myself, not because a rock took my evil from me,” Cozy said.

“She’s right,” Twilight said and everypony looked down at that knowing Cozy couldn’t just live on like this without learning her lesson herself.

Upon getting back to Ponyville there were guards waiting there, alerted by Spike who sent a message to Celestia.

Upon exiting Cozy Glow willingly went back into custody and entered a cage.

“Alright Cozy Glow, thank you for your cooperation,” Twilight said.

“And thank you for giving me a brief experience as a non-evil pony,” Cozy Glow said with a smile.

“Alright, here we go,” Twilight said before using the gem and releasing the last contained personality, Cozy’s and it flowed into the filly who staggered and shook her head before glaring at Twilight and lunging at the edge of the cage.

“YOU STUPID PRINCESS! I CAN’T BELIEVE I GAVE MYSELF UP!” Cozy yelled.

“I always knew there was a part of you that was good,” Twilight said.

"This is ridiculous! Betrayed by the one pony I thought I could trust, me!" Cozy growled in frustration.

“Alright, now come with us Cozy,” The guards dragged the angry shouting filly away back to Tartarus, along with more cages with the dragoness and Pharynx in it.

“Brother,” Thorax said with a sad look.

“This isn’t over Thorax!” Pharynx sneered as he was carted away.

“....I should get moving, I have much work to do back at the hive,” Thorax said as he walked away.

“Good luck Thorax,” Spike said knowing Thorax was upset.

“Alright,” Twilight turned to the student six who were chatting among themselves and smiled proudly.

“Things are back to normal,” Twilight said as she prepared to head back, when suddenly she heard a cough.

“Um… Twilight?” Firestar said as he approached.

“Hmm? Yes?” Twilight asked.

“I wanted to say…. Thank you,” Firestar said.

“What for?” Twilight asked.

“You showed me there are others like me out there, an intellectual who wants to… meet with another and maybe…” FIrestar was struggling to say it.

‘I understand,” Twilight nodded with a smile and hugged him, resulting in him blushing.

“Tell me whenever you want,” She said.

“Th-thanks,” Firestar said.

“Welp, I better go find that Pink pony and propose to her, the time is nigh,” Stone said.

“Propose?” Twilight said in surprise.

“Later, for now, we have to take care of this,” Firestar said holding up the gem.

“Aw come on, you're not going to drag me back to guarding that cave are you?” Stone complained.

“No… we’re going to destroy it,” Firestar said.

“....What?” Everyone said in surprise.

“It really is too dangerous, it ended up in the hooves of a filly and it caused all this, and personally, I think it is time we lived our lives a bit,” Firestar smiled at Stone.

“Atta boy,” Stone patted him on the back “We’ll probably get chewed out by Ember though,” Stone said.

“Well… what’s she going to do? Fire me?” Firestar chuckled.

“That’s the spirit,” Stone laughed.

Twilight smiled as they laughed together, and she knew their lives were finally theirs.

“Maybe we’ll return afterwards, and we can….work on some inventions together?” Firestar asked.

“I’d love that,” Twilight nodded.

“Thanks,” Firestar said.

As the two dragons left Twilight watched them go, Firestar promised to return soon as he finished his business and Stone will propose to Pinkie Pie.

She hopes things will work out, but for now she has to go see how her friends are doing.

And with that, Twilight headed back with Spike and the others ready to see how her friends will react to how Spike managed to defeat Cozy Glow.

Author's Note

Not my strongest finish I will admit, but I hope you all enjoyed it.

This took a while longer than I could have done due to COVID but this was still fun to write.

Meanwhile, I'm gonna go back and finish a story that isn't finished, stay tuned.