The Mane Five entered Izzy's house as they each threw their own cloaks on the floor. "Woo! That was such a rush!" Pipp cheered, shaking her body. "I must admit, I was a little scared for a second."

"A little?" Zipp asked, nudging his sister. "You were practically sweating, Pipp. I don't even know how Midnight believed that!" He laughed as his sister started laughing with him.

"Oh, I'm so glad that we're back!" Sprout said, falling face-first onto the floor. "The joy of safety..." He muttered, sighing in delight.

"Uh, guys?" Sunny called out, raising her hoof. "Did you bring anything with you? I have this paper from a history book." Sunny pulled out the paper from her saddlebag, raising it.

"I have this book about... Elements!" Hitch pulled the "The Elements of Harmony: A Revised Reference Guide" from his saddlebag. "I figured it might've been useful."

"And I got this... friendship journal!" Pipp said, pulling out her book. "It said it was written by a princess, ooh! There was this big magenta crystal of a six-pointed star on it. Oh, I took the crystal from the book, so it's a shame you couldn't see it for yourselves. But!" Pipp flipped through the pages. "There's all these letters from someone named "Twilight" to somepony called "Princess Celestia.""

"Wait, Twilight? Princess Celestia? Pipp! Let me see that!" Sunny took the book from Pipp's hooves, which annoyed the pegasus princess a little. "Oh, Faust! This is the friendship journal! I've heard about these! Princess Twilight and her friends wrote stuff in it a long time ago. I have one at home but the text is unreadable." Sunny explained, flipping to another page. "This one is in pretty good shape, to say the least!"

"Hey, guys! I'm back!"

The five turned to see Izzy at the door, two paper bags on her back. "Can you believe it? I got all of these for 50% off! Ah, bargaining~" She said, only to realize something was off. "Wait a minute..." She eyed the books in Sunny's hooves as she came to a conclusion. "Gasp! Did you five... go to the library?!"

"Uh... no?" Sprout said, standing up. "Wait, did you literally say "gasp?""

"Are any of you hurt?!" Izzy said, checking Sunny for bruises. And to Izzy's disappointment, Sunny had scrapes over her body, along with the rest of her friends. "What happened?! Tell me everything!"

"Do you want the quick version? Or do you want the long one while you tend to our wounds?" Hitch asked, somehow holding up a med kit. "And before you ask, I brought it with me when I left Maretime Bay."

"Long version!" Izzy said, motioning them to sit on some chairs. "I mean, what could've possibly happened?" As Izzy tended to Sprout's wounds, the red stallion gulped nervously.

"Well, we met Midnight," Sprout said, Izzy's face becoming one of shock. "Yeah, she tried to kill Sunny, but Pipp tricked her. Which was a one in a million chance, but, y'know, we did it!"

"Say what!? You fought Midnight!? Without me?! Aw, I feel so left out!" Izzy moped, finished with Sprout as she moved to Sunny.

"It's a good thing you weren't there, Izzy. We didn't want all of us potentially dying," Sunny said. "And now, we can make our way to find the Unicorn Crystal! You have the supplies, right?"

"Uh, duh!" Izzy said, the paper bags she had now on the floor. After she finished tending to the other's wounds, Izzy checked the time. "It's 2:30! Yeesh, we've been here for that long?"

"Wait, we got here at around ten..." Sunny calculated the math in her head. "We've been here for four hours?! And we haven't even made any progress with the Unicorn Crystal! Izzy, can you make our disguises fast?"

"I don't know, how fast can you sing, Sunny?" Izzy said, moving over to Sunny. "Everyone knows that time moves faster in a musical montage, am I right, Pipp?!" She pointed to Pipp, who smiled in anticipation.

"Oh, you know it, Iz! Musical time~!" Pipp said. Izzy held a music box as she put on glasses. She retrieved a slide projector and put it on a stool. She pressed a button, which presented an unflattering picture of the earth ponies. She and each of her friends - minus Hitch - started to dance as a small tune started to fill the air.

[Izzy]: I thought Earth ponies were the pony ladder's bottom rung.
I heard that pegasi were brutes, you'd hate to be among!
You smell like fishes (you're vicious), I bet you eat your young.
Meet any one of you, the thing to do is run away.

[Sunny]: But although, I know we're all a bunch of different breeds!
Take away our wings and horns, and we're just frightened steeds!

[Sprout]: So let's put aside our differences just 'cause what we need's a win, oh-oh-oh!

[Zipp]: Come on, rip out all the pages of your history books.
Just because we're undercover doesn't mean we're crooks!

[Pipp]: When we walk you through the crowd and give your brand-new looks a spin!
You're gonna fit right in!

Izzy helped Hitch on a salon chair as she started combing his mane. "This is a new low," Hitch said, the unicorn applying makeup on his face. "I mean, singing? Dancing? How is any of this going to speed up the "unicornication" process? If anything, this might even slow us down."

"Come on, Hitch! The music magic doesn't work unless all of us sing!" Izzy begged, holding up a hairbrush in front of his mouth. Hitch, who begrudgingly sighed, stood up as the screen turned into one of the unicorns.

[Hitch]: They taught us unicorns were super scary maniacs!
With horns like razors! And tongues like tasers! And teeth like tacks!
They take your hooves and then they grind 'em into midnight snacks!
The basic gist of it is unicorns are not okay.

[Sunny]: Look, I know we're risking everything for this endeavor.
But look at us, we're brave and strong and weird and clever!
We're running out of options and we're desperate to begin!

[Pipp & Izzy]: You're gonna fit right in!

Izzy styled fake unicorn horns insanely fast as she fitted them on each of her friend's heads. "Woah, this is fast," Hitch remarked, nudging his. "Color me surprised. But, I mean, will we fit in? I mean, we don't know anything about unicorn culture."

[Izzy]: I know you will, now watch and learn!
This is how a unicorn walks, (walks)
This is how a unicorn talks, (talks)
This is how a unicorn hoops, (hoops!)
This is how a unicorn-

The music screeched to a halt as Hitch accidentally found his hooves inside a paint jar. "Oops?" Hitch meekly said, getting one hoof out. As the music replayed, Izzy shrugged it off as she restarted singing.

[Izzy]: This is how a unicorn struts!
Oh, watch us shake our unicorn butts!
Now you're in the unicorn know!
Soon you'll be a unicorn pro!

Oh, a unicorn horn makes a unicorn stride,
It's the more-head on your forehead, it's the source of your pride!
Every unicorn who's born has worn a horn that's unique!
So I'll whip them up as we speak, you be lookin' très magnifique!
And with those rocks in our pocket, we'll reap the rewards,
And folks'll be floored, we'll strike a new chord
Our magic restored!

[Sunny, Izzy, Zipp]: Lately all of Equestria has lost its heart,
But if we can help to find it we should play our part!

[Hitch & Sprout]: If we fail, we’ll go to prison!

[Sunny]: But if not we'll start to grin!

[Pipp]: So let's begin!

[Izzy]: You're gonna fit right in!

[Mane Six]: This is how a unicorn walks!
This is how a unicorn talks!
Now you're looking unicorn strong.
This is how a unicorn ends this song.

At the end of the song, each of the Mane Six - minus Izzy - had a horn that complimented their fur, Pipp and Zipp having cloaks to cover their wings. Izzy opened the door as each of them left the house, slamming it as she left.

"And... two minutes and twenty-five seconds!" Izzy cheered, holding up a stopwatch, somehow acquiring it from her mane. "You see that? That is the power of music!" Izzy said.

As the group progressed further through Bridlewood, they noticed the same thing. Depressed unicorns. "Ow," An old mare said, not an emotion in her voice as apples fell on her head. "Ow." Sunny turned and saw two unicorn teens, who looked like the stereotypical emo teen in those 2000 movies.

"This is... cheerful," Hitch said, looking at the sad fillies and colts on the slide. The unicorn filly slid down it, only letting out a small cheer. "Yeah, it's depressing."

"The only unicorn that's not depressing is... Izzy," Pipp said. "Hey, Iz? Why are all of these unicorns so much different than you? Like, you're a literal bundle of joy, and they're... well, a sack of sadness."

"Well, my sparkle shines a little too bright for Bridlewood," Izzy said, walking up to a dull, blue crystal. "And... crystal!"

"I don't think this one is the crystal, Izzy," Hitch said, tapping on its surface a little. "And I don't think it even has any magic in it."

"Ooooh!" The Mane Six whipped their heads around to see a small, unicorn colt pointing their hoof at them. "You said a bad word! Hurry! Before we get the jinxies!"

"Uh, jinx...ies?" Sunny asked. The fillies, along with some of the adults, started standing on two of their hooves as they said... "Bing bong?" Sunny shook her head as she turned to Izzy, who was doing the same thing. "Izzy? What is happening?"

"Bing bong!" Izzy quickly said before she turned to the Mane Five. "What? Don't you five have jinxie rituals in your civilizations?" Sunny, Hitch, Sprout, Zipp, and Pipp shook their heads, leading Izzy to sigh in disappointment. "Unicorns are very superstitious, so if anypony says a forbidden word, we have to do a super special dance to ward off the bad omen, or as we like to call them, the jinxies!"

"Forbidden words?" Hitch repeaded, twirling his hoof. "Uh, what forbidden words?"

"Oh, y'know..." Izzy briefly looked around her, making sure that no unicorns were close by. "Magic, wing, feather... oh, and mayonnaise!"

"Uh, what's wrong with mayon-" Zipp's words were instantly cut short as Izzy put her hoof over his mouth, a unicorn next to them about to do the "ritual." "Right, got it," Zipp said, pulling Izzy's hoof off his mouth. "But you still haven't answered my question."

"Oh, y'know, something happened a thousand years ago." Izzy shrugged. "Anyway, we're here! I think this is the best lead on how to find the Unicorn Crystal!" Izzy led them to a moderate-sized treehouse. There was a sign next to the door, advertising appetizers and tea. Above that sign, was another sign shaped like a teapot. The words on it read "Crystal Tea Room." Izzy opened the doors for them, leading them all to see various unicorns, each at a table or on the stage.

"I don't see how being in a tea room helps us, Izzy," Zipp said, looking unsure. "I mean, unless we're going to get food that somehow symbolizes unity, I don't see a reason for being here."

"Oh, Zipp," Izzy laughed, waving her hoof at a unicorn, who only gave her a smile in return. "There's a pony here that collects crystals, he's a usual here. He's our biggest lead on finding the Unicorn Crystal!"

"Oh, that's great, Izzy!" Sunny said, eagerly looking around with her head. "So, where is he?"

"Right at that table," Izzy said, pointing to a table that was only occupied by one unicorn. "Just don't mention anything about his ex-wife, if you ask me, he still hasn't moved on. She left him a year ago!"

"Ooh, unicorn lore!" Pipp said, clapping her hooves. "Let's see if we can get him to spill some details."

"I'll handle this," Sunny said, sitting on the seat directly across from him. "So, the word in the forest is, you collect crystals. Best of them all."

"Yes, I do," The unicorn said, slamming his hoof on the table. "But I lost them all to Alphabittle in a game of... limbo. It's going to take years for me to mine all of that again!"

"Alphabittle?" Sunny repeated, turning to Izzy. "Who's Alphabittle?"

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no!" Izzy said, her face turning to one of complete sadness. "Alphabittle is the biggest game player in Bridlewood. If he has the Unicorn Crystal..."

Just then, a bell loudly rang as the Mane Six turned to the location. A big gray stallion with a white mane smirked as he held his hoof out. "Time's up, Jasper. Pass it over." The mentioned stallion - Jasper - dejectedly handed over a Rubix cube, which looked only a couple steps away from being solved, and put it on the stallion's hoof.

The stallion quickly solved the Rubix cube in under five seconds, startling Sunny. "Well, we all know who won now, huh?" The stallion said, putting the cube down. "Pay up." Jasper slid over a snow globe to him as the stallion put it on one of the shelves behind him. There were various shelves behind him, each with various knick-knacks on them. "You could always try winning it back, y'know?"

"I'm going to guess that's Alphabittle?" Zipp asked, walking over to the two. Sunny's eyes widened as she spotted a bright, indigo crystal, shaped like a unicorn horn on one of the shelves.

"Guys, look!" Sunny said, pointing to what she believed to be the Unicorn Crystal. "The Unicorn Crystal - it's there! We found it!"

"So, we found the Unicorn Crystal, but..." Sprout pointed to Jasper, who moped as he drank a bottle of alcohol. "...How're we supposed to get it? I don't think any of us can beat Alphabittle. We could try stealing it?"

"No, that won't be necessary," Sunny said, smiling. "I can beat that Rubix cube with my eyes closed and with one hoof, I can beat him, I know it."

"Sunny," Pipp spoke, her face unsure. "What if we lose? I mean, I'm sure that for a crystal that glamorous, he'd need something of the same value. Something like..." Pipp pointed to Sunny's saddlebag, which contained the Pegasus Crystal. "...the Pegasus Crystal. If we lose, we'll have no crystals!"

"Pipp! Pipp," Sunny said, giving her friend a comforting smile. "I can do this, I know I can. I have five wonderful friends by my side, and with you all, I can do anything."

"Geez, that was corny," Hitch said, scoffing playfully. "Just make sure not to lose, I'm a sheriff, after all! I am not going to be involved in a heist!"

"I won't, Hitch. I promise," Sunny said, putting a hoof on his chest. "Now, let's hope I don't lose." Sunny held her head high as she made her way to the bar Alphabittle was running. The stallion was busy cleaning an empty glass as Sunny gained the courage to talk. "Tea, please."

Alphabittle raised his eyebrow as he slid over a cup of tea to Sunny. "Hold the milk, please," Sunny said, noticing two armadillos holding a small packet of milk coming towards her. "So, I heard you're quite the game player, correct?" Sunny said, taking a sip of her tea.

"It passes the time," Alphabittle responded, a sly smile coming on his face. "Why? Do you play?"

"Oh, I don't play," Sunny finished her tea and slid it back to him. "I win."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, it is. And I challenge you... for that!" Sunny pointed at the Unicorn Crystal, which made Alphabittle's eyes widen.

"You think you can beat me? Alphabittle? The king of games?" Alphabittle asked, leaning towards Sunny.

"Only one way to find out."

"Big talk for a little pony."

"I think you'll find that I'm average height," Sunny said, her determined smile not faltering. "So, what do you say? Tick-tock."

"Hm, whatever you're betting, it better be special." Sunny's smile still didn't falter as she opened her saddlebag and put the Pegasus Crystal on the table.

"Special enough for you?" Sunny asked, noticing the stallion's awed look. "I hear it goes with that one perfectly."

"Well, it looks like we have a deal," Alphabittle said, the Pegasus Crystal glimmering in the confines of the room.

"Good! Now, hand me that cube." Sunny said, holding her hoof out proudly... until she heard what Alphabittle said next.

"Oh, no, no, no, no. A special prize calls for a special challenge," Alphabittle said, raising his hoof. "Bring forth... the ultimate challenge!" Sunny turned around to see that two unicorns pulled a rope next to a red curtain, it unfurling a second later. Behind the curtain was a contraption, which Sunny looked amazed at. There were two metal pads, which Sunny assumed were where they would play. Inside the pads were nine metal squares, though, only the center one had nothing. The eight squares around it had different horseshoe colors, each a different color. The north, south, east, and west ones were the only ones glowing. The pads were connected to a screen, which had four squares in the middle, each having a horseshoe on it that represented a horseshoe on the pads. On both sides of the screen were two bars, the arrows at the bottom green. On top of the screen was the label, which read "Just Prance" with a wooden version of Alphabittle, wearing sunglasses, on it while fire was around him. Alphabittle put the two crystals on separate stands, the Pegasus Crystal next to the right pad, whilst the Unicorn Crystal was next to the left.

The gears in Sunny's head turned as she realized what game this would be, and her amazed expression turned into unimpressed. "A dancing game? Seriously?" Sunny said, looking at Alphabittle in complete disbelief.

"Don't worry, I'll make this easy on you. You just have to win one out of three." Alphabittle said, taking his place on the left pad. Sunny took a deep breath as she stood on the right pad, glancing at her friends, who each had a worried expression on their faces.

An armadillo pulled a lever as the horseshoes on the four squares quickly changed color. Music started playing as Alphabittle and Sunny started their game. Alphabittle smirked as he was able to stomp his hooves on the right colors, Sunny sighed as she was too late. Alphabittle's bar went up while Sunny's... well, stayed down. The game on for three minutes before there was a clear victor: Alphabittle.

"Sunny, it's okay!" Izzy said, trying to cheer up her crestfallen friend. "You're just getting warmed up, that's all!" Sunny smiled gratefully as she turned back to the screen. Round Two started as both of the competitors started competing, Sunny grit her teeth as she sped up. After a few minutes, it was a close finish as Alphabittle won again, Sunny just behind him.

"Yeah! Get my crystal polish ready, will ya, critters?" Alphabittle said, turning to his critter companions, who scurried away.

"Uh, uh, time out!" Sprout quickly said, pulling Sunny off the pad. Leaving Alphabittle to roll his eyes as he stepped off of his pad, getting a cup of water.

"Come on, Sunny! You have to do this!" Sprout said, his eyes darting from the crystal polish, that the critters now had, to the pegasus crystal. "Everything depends on this game!"

"You hear that, Sun-Sun?" Pipp said, moving her ears a little. "Feel the rhythm take you over! Yeah!" Pipp danced in her place as Sunny felt rejuvenated.

"Yeah, yeah! I'm feeling it! I'm feeling it!" Sunny and Alphabittle stepped on their pads as the game started again. This was the last round, the one that could determine what happens next. As Sunny and Alphabittle competed, both of their arrows stayed in the same position as Sunny could feel herself growing tired.

"No!" Sunny said, the arrow on Alphabittle's bar growing higher. "This can't happen!" Sunny sped up as her bar went up to the same position Alphabittle's was in. "I... can't... keep... going!" Sunny said, the orange mare staring to sweat.

"Believe."

Sunny blinked, did she hear a voice in her head?

"Friendship is magic, Sunny Starscout. You will prevail! Believe in yourself! You can't let Midnight win!"

Sunny, who didn't know what was going on, except for the fact that she had to win, slowly nodded. "Right! Friendship. Is. Magic!" Sunny sped up as slowly, as her bar went higher. Alphabittle struggled to keep up with Sunny's place - it was like she was rejuvenated with energy, an energy Alphabittle did not have anymore. A bell's alarm filled the room as the victor was now clear. Sunny Starscout had won the game.

"I... did it? I did it!" Sunny cheered, running towards her friends, who cheered alongside her.

Alphabittle sighed as he got both crystals and handed them over to Sunny. "Well, you won fair and square. You certainly gave me a run for my money." Alphabittle laughed. "If you ever pass by again, I challenge you to a rematch."

"Yeah, I'd like that," Sunny said, putting the crystals into her saddlebag. "Come on," Sunny turned to her friends, smiling. "Let's go! We still have a long journey ahead of us."

"Bye, Alphabittle!" Izzy said, she and her friends left the Crystal Tea Room. Alphabittle waved them goodbye as Sunny closed the door.

"I can't believe we did it!" Hitch said. "I kind of thought that your horn would've fallen off."

"Yeah, well, at least that didn't happen," Sunny said, pulling the Unicorn Crystal out from her saddlebag and taking a good look at it. "Come on, we still need to get back to Maretime Bay."

As the six ponies left, a cloaked Midnight entered the Crystal Tea Room as her horn began to glow a dim magenta.

Peris walked through the halls of the castle, looking at each of the family portraits on the walls. He walked down a flight of stairs as he made his way to Haven's cell. Haven was moving her hoof over the floor, sighing sadly. "Hey, Haven?" Peris called out, Haven's attention immediately shooting up.

"It's time," Peris quickly said, pressing the scanner next to the cell. "Come on!" Peris turned around and ran away, Haven being quick to follow him.

"Where are we going?" Haven asked. "I mean, I know we're escaping Zephyr Heights, but... what's next?" She and Peris ran up a flight of stairs, making it into the throne room.

"We warn the other tribes," Peris simply said, opening a door for her as they ran. "Zephyr Heights is much more advanced than them. Maretime Bay is quick behind, yes. But Zephyr Heights has literal missiles, spaceships!" Peris and Haven took a sharp turn. "We're going to Maretime Bay first because no doubt Horizon's going there first as well. Maretime Bay could rival Zephyr Heights, with the Earth Ponies' natural strength along with that... uh, Cantergizmo?"

Haven nodded. "So I'll assume we'll go to Bridlewood next?"

"Mhm, let's hope they don't blast us to bits on sight though," Peris said, taking a quick laugh. "If we survive, let's hope we can find your children."

"When we survive," Haven corrected, giving the male pegasus a warm smile. "Hope is a wonderful thing, it lights up the darkness, Peris. So never lose hope, we can do this."

"Let's hope you're right," Peris said, the two making their way to the castle doors. "I find it weird that we haven't seen not one guard."

"Weird? Well, it looks like fate wants us to escape," Haven said, pushing one of the doors open. "Come on, to Maretime Bay it is!"

Peris gave Haven a small smile as he pushed the other door open. "To Maretime Bay it is."

As the two exited the Royal Castle, Horizon peered at them from a balcony. "Aren't you going to do anything about that? Captain Horizon?" one guard asked.

"Why should I? It would make things so much more interesting." Horizon responded, turning away from the balcony. "And besides, with them gone, I can finally take charge of Zephyr Heights." Horizon pulled out the fake Pegasus Crystal, the teal gem shimmering in the sun's bask. "Now, I think we're ready to go. Call everypony for an emergency meeting."

In Maretime Bay, Phyllis sat on the chair in her office, writing something on some papers. Sweets barged into the room as Phyllis' gaze quickly shot up. "Miss Cloverleaf, the "Phyllisbot" has just finished the testing phase. It's done, ready to go." Sweets said.

"Ah, good! Call everypony in town for an emergency meeting!" Phyllis said, getting out of her chair. "Our attack on the other tribes starts today! Amazing, isn't it?" As Phyllis left the room, Sweets was left to ponder.

"Amazing? I'm... I'm not sure," Sweets muttered, exiting the room.

Author's Note

Okay, woo! It's almost time for the final chapters! Woo! So, I didn't think this was going to reach 4k words, but it somehow did. We're nearing the end of the Movie Arc, and after that, I'll be taking a short break on this story! Why? Because, I'm going to finish a chapter of my first story: The Mane Twelve Adventures! Really need to get Boast Busters done, as it's going to be one of the BEST ones ever!

Anyway, enough about breaks and stuff. It's going to be a while until the next chapter, because on Wednesday, I will be having my final exams for first sem! Kinda scared, but, I'm smart anyway. And after that, I'll be having my sem break, where I will be going to another country for four days, which leaves... November! So, expect the next chapter in November!

Now, more notes! So, I haven't revealed Midnight's plan yet. But it's obviously clear it's going to be revealed next chapter, I mean, she walked into the Crystal Tea Room with a lit horn! She could commit mass genocide! But hey, what do I know? I'm just the author, who can't spoil! So anyway, what does it take to get a TV Tropes page? Because I'm willing to start posting on Ao3. Even if I get a headache trying to make a story on there.

Since I'm trying to make a long author's note, let's discuss Tell Your Tale. I can't BELIEVE, they just ended it like that! Like, the Boardtrot didn't need a water slide! But! We still have Issue 2 for "The Storm of Zephyr Heights" releasing on October 30... I still haven't read the first issue, but that's besides the point! Also, I've heard about comics, continuing Tell Your Tale... please, PLEASE, give Allura a good ending! With something involving rainbow lasers!

Also, if anyone's wondering why I changed the song format, it's because when I was writing the song, I liked the quote format better. I'll change it for the other song as well tomorrow, because I'm tired.

Anyway, was there anything I forgot to mention? Eh, probably not. Should I publish on Ao3, though? Really need to know. Well, see you in November! Bye! Here's to hoping my grades are higher than 88.

If there's any problems, spelling errors, or anything, please comment it or private message me so I can change it! Hate comments will be deleted, so don't even try and hate!