Lord of The Ponies: Fellowship of the Helmet

Chapters

Intro
Chapter 1 - A Long-Expected Party
Chapter 2 - Shadow of The Past
Chapter 3 - Inn of The Dancing Dragon

Intro

Equrrhurr hurrs churrgd.
Equestria has changed.
Er feeer n wawa.
I feel it in the water
Er feeer n urt.
I feel it in the earth.
Er smeerr n urr.
I smell it in the air.
Much that once was is now lost, for none now live who remember it.

It began with the creation of the great helmets. Three were given to the dragons; immortal, wisest, and strongest of all beings. Seven to the underground dwarf ponies, great miners and craftsmen of the mountain and cloud halls. And nine, nine helmets were gifted to the race of the Equestrian ponies, who above all desire power. Within these helmets was bound the strength and will to govern each race.

But they were all of them deceived, for another helmet was made. In the Badlands, in the fires of Mount Smooze, the Dark Lady Nightmare Moon forged in secret a master helmet to control all others. And into this Helmet she poured her cruelty, her malice, and her will to dominate all life.

One Helmet to rule them all.

One by one, the free lands of Equestria fell to the power of the Helmet. But there were some who resisted. A last alliance of ponies and dragons marched against the armies of the Badlands, and on the slopes of Mount Smooze they fought for the freedom of Middle Earth.

The ponies and dragons fought valiantly against the myriad manticores, timberwolves, and griffins controlled by Nightmare Moon. Though greatly outnumbered, the allies’ battle prowess proved superior. Victory was near.

But the power of the Helmet could not be undone. Nightmare Moon entered the fray, destroying whole legions of soldiers with a sweep of her horn. Aided by the helmet, it seemed there was nothing that she couldn’t do. Many heroes of the alliance fell before her: Commander Hurricane, Chancellor Puddinghead, and Clover the Clever.

It was in this moment, when all hope had faded, that Starswirl, daughter of Clover, took up her father's helm. With the broken horn blade, she severed Nightmare Moon’s head from her shoulders, cutting off the power of the Helmet.

Nightmare Moon, enemy of the free ponies of Equestria, was defeated. The Helmet passed to Starswirl, who had this one chance to destroy evil forever. But the hearts of ponies are easily corrupted, and the Helmet of Power has a will of its own. The evil power of Nightmare Moon was bound to the Helmet, and it used its full force to sway Starswirl’s mind. The pony ran from Mount Smooze, determined to preserve the Helmet.

Though Starswirl doted upon the Helmet as it possessed her, the Helmet had plans of its own. It betrayed Starswirl to her death. She was ambushed and killed by straggling griffins, and the Helmet allowed itself to be swept away with a strong river current. And some things that should not have been forgotten were lost. History became legend, legend became myth, and for five hundred years, the Helmet passed out of all knowledge.

Until, when chance came, it ensnared a new bearer. The Helmet came to the pony Trixie, who took it deep into the tunnels of Rambling Rock Ridge. And there, it consumed her. The Helmet gave her unnatural long life. For almost five hundred years it poisoned Trixie’s mind. And in the gloom of Trixie’s cave, it waited.

Darkness crept back into the forest of the world. Rumor grew of a shadow in the east, whispers of a nameless fear, and the Helmet of Power perceived its time had now come.

It abandoned Trixie. But something happened then the Helmet did not intend: despite the fact that the Rambling Rock Ridge tunnels were crawling with griffins and manticores, the Helmet was picked up by the last thing it imagined: another pony. A unicorn: Velvet Sparkle of Ponyville.

For the time will soon come when Ponyvillagers will shape the fortunes of all.

Chapter 1 - A Long-Expected Party

(60 years later)

In the center of Ponyville, one of the quaintest villages in Equestria, stood a house built into a tree, known to the locals as the Sparkle residence. Inside, a white unicorn with a purple and white striped mane and tail was at a desk, dipping a quill into some ink. The quill levitated, glowing in a magical aura, to the parchment lying flat on the desk. On the parchment, the quill wrote, “A Unicorn’s Tale.”

“How exciting, I’m finally making progress.” The unicorn spoke.

A knock came on the door.

“Twilight, answer that, please!” she called as she wrote some more words down, an introduction to the way of life in Ponyville.

A few seconds passed, then the door was knocked on again.

“Twilight, the door!” she called again, this time a bit louder. “Where the devil is that mare?”

The Twilight that Ms. Sparkle was calling was out by the edge of town, lying on her belly underneath a tree. The lavender unicorn mare had her face buried in a book about ancient spells and the ponies who created them. She read every word intently, so as to not miss a single detail.

Her eyes lifted away from the book when she heard the wheels of a cart. After a few more seconds, another sound joined the wheels: the sound of humming. Simply from the humming, the lavender mare was able to tell exactly who was coming. Smiling wide, she leapt up, forgetting to take her book with her as she barreled down towards the road. When she reached the trail, she saw the cart and the humming pony on it. She was white with a long pink mane and tail, her horn long and sharp, and she wore a gray cloak around her tall body, covering a pair of white wings. Two common earth pony stallions were pulling the cart.

“You’re late. I was expecting you over an hour ago.” The lavender mare said to the white one.

The cart came to a halt and the tall mare looked straight at her accuser.

“A sorceress is never late, Twilight Sparkle. She arrives precisely when she means to.”

She shared an intense look with Twilight, and the earth ponies trotted in place nervously. Soon though, both of the mares broke into a fit of giggles and Twilight threw herself onto the tall pony to hug her.

“Oh it’s so great to see you again, Celestia!”

“It’s good to see you too, Twilight.”

The earth stallions breathed a sigh of relief as Twilight sat next to her tall friend in the cart, and with a nod from Celestia they began trotting again.

“You didn’t think I would miss your mother’s birthday, did you?” Celestia asked.

“Of course not.” Twilight answered with a smile.

The cart got deeper into to town as the two began to converse. Earth ponies were tending to their crop fields and farms, but raised their heads to watch the cart clatter by.

“What’s new outside Ponyville? Tell me everything.” Twilight begged.

“Everything?” Celestia asked surprised. “My aren’t you the eager one, for such a young unicorn.”

She giggled at her purple little friend.

“What can I say? Life in the world goes on as it does to this very day. Ponies work, the underground works, the dragons work. It’s always the same.”

“Look! It’s Celestia!”

A couple town ponies had spotted her and had to say hello. Celestia gave each and every one of them a hearty hello and a wave from her gentle hoof. After they were behind them, the two friends went on. They passed by another part of town: a big open area where everypony seemed to be setting up festivity decorations. Above the clearing a large banner was hung that read “Happy Birthday Velvet!”

“I trust your mother is quite excited for tonight.” The tall mare said.

“Oh you know Mother.” Twilight giggled. “She has the whole town going crazy.”

Celestia chuckled.

“I would expect nothing less from Velvet. 111 years old is quite a feat.”

“Half the town has been invited! Of course, the rest of them are going to show up regardless.”

The two mares began laughing for a bit.

“She’s up to something though. I can feel it.” Twilight muttered, suddenly somber. “She’s been obsessing over old books and gazing at maps when I’m not looking.”

“I’m sure you’re mother has good intentions for whatever it is you think she is planning.” Celestia assured.

“You two and your secrets.” Twilight giggled. “You know before you came around, we Sparkles were well thought of in Ponyville. No adventures, nothing unexpected from us.”

“If you’re referring to that incident with the Ursa Major, I was hardly involved in that at all.” Celestia said defensively. “All I did was give your mother a friendly nudge out of the door.”

“Well whatever you did or didn’t do, you have been officially labeled as a disturber of the peace.” Twilight finished.

Celestia smiled mischievously as she looked ahead, passing by some more town ponies. Some young foals ran out from behind them, all shouting her name and calling for fireworks. Celestia seemed to ignore them, and they groaned in unison, disappointed. But suddenly out of the back of her cart, colorful sparks and fire exploded in a spectacular show. The kids cheered and the town ponies smiled secretly. Celestia and Twilight laughed again as they saw the smiles of the ponies. A little further down the road, Twilight stood up and moved to the edge of the cart.

“Celestia, I’m glad you’re back.” Twilight bid her friend as jumped off the cart and began to walk away. “See you tonight at the party!”

“Okay, Twilight! Goodbye!”

As Celestia turned her head and looked forward, she smiled.

“I’m happy to be back too.”

The cart continued on its way until it reached the library. Celestia walked out of the cart, dismissing her drivers. She cantered up to the door of the building and knocked on the door.

“Go away! I’m not interested in any more visitors, well-wishers or distant relations!” A frustrated female voice shouted from the other side of the door.

“What about very old friends? You interested in those?” Celestia called.

The door opened up to show a purple unicorn with wide, wondering eyes.

“Celestia?” she breathed, shocked.

“Velvet Sparkle.” Celestia smiled.

“Celestia!” Velvet repeated happily.

The two mares hugged tightly, Celestia leaning down a bit to accommodate for her larger size. She pulled away from Velvet and looked her in the eyes.

“111 years old. You haven’t aged a day.” Her voice grew concerned at the end, as it was more of an observation than a pleasantry. Despite her old age, Velvet looked no older than 60. Celestia eyed her friend warily.

“Well come on in, old friend.” Velvet laughed and trotted inside, oblivious to Celestia’s concern.

Celestia followed, leaning down to enter the door. In Ponyville, all the ponies were around Velvet’s size, so the houses weren’t exactly built for large ponies like Celestia. After they were both inside, Velvet shut the door.

“Can I get you some tea? I just made some.” Velvet asked.

“That would be lovely.” Celestia replied.

Velvet nodded and made her way to the kitchen to fetch the kettle. Celesta turned to walk into the living room, but ended up banging her head on the doorway into it. She just chuckled and went on in. The living room was a bit messier than normal. Over by the desk, there seemed to be a stack of papers next to another stack of books. The papers were mostly maps, just like Twilight had said.

Before she could get too far into it, Celestia smiled and took her cup of tea as Velvet came in with the kettle and poured her a cup. Then their peace was disturbed when the door was knocked on yet again. As if it were a reflex, Velvet threw her body to the wall and looked at Celestia.

“I’m not home!” she loudly whispered.

“Velvet! I know you’re in there!”

Peeking out the window, Velvet groaned upon seeing who it was at her door.

“Oh blast these relatives of mine,” she muttered. “They won’t stop coming after my house. They haven’t forgiven me for living this long!

“I’ve got to get out of this town. I want to see the outside again. Mountains, Celestia I want to see and hike the mountains again! Then I’ll find some place nice and quiet so I can finish my book.”

“So you do intend to go through with your plan?” Celestia took another sip of tea.

“Oh yes I do.” Velvet sipped her own cup. “All of the arrangements have been made. And it shall happen soon.”

Celestia nodded. “Twilight suspects something, you know.”

“Well of course she would. I didn’t expect anything less of her.” Velvet chuckled. “She’s a Sparkle. She’s not like all the rest here in Ponyville. And for that I am thankful.”

Celestia chuckled again, but sobered as she asked:“You are going to tell her, aren’t you?”

Velvet’s smile disappeared as well when she heard the question.

“Yes. I will tell her. Later tonight. After the party.” Velvet said. “I don’t want to spoil tonight for her. She loves it here so much… but she’d probably beg to go with me regardless.”

Celestia shrugged and nodded, knowing that much already. She sipped her tea quietly, and then let the subject change to less serious issues.

After they finished their tea, it was time to head to the party. In no time, Celestia’s fireworks were lighting up the night sky. Ponies danced underneath the sky fire and cheered for it, drinks in the hooves of everypony in attendance. It was certainly a night to remember. Among the joyful dancing ponies was Twilight, out on the floor with a couple of the town stallions. One of her friends, a mare by the name of Applejack, was sitting at a nearby table with a mug of cider near her mouth.

Noticing her friend all alone, Twilight rushed up to her and hugged her from behind.

“Come on, Applejack! Have some fun! Go dance with those nice gentlecolts with me!”

Applejack glanced over to where Twilight gestured. The stallions she referred to did seem polite, but the orange mare turned away.

“Ah’ll just go get me another mug a’ cider.” She attempted to excuse herself.

“What about Cherry Jubilee?”

Applejack immediately blushed, causing Twilight to smile.

“Ah… uh… Ah’ll get that cider.”

But Twilight wouldn’t have it. She pushed Applejack into the crowd of dancers, right into Cherry Jubilee. As she got swept up in the dance, Applejack threw a dirty look back at her friend who just laughed in return.

Over on the other side of the party, Celestia was using her magic to send up fireworks, both pony-made and magical. The ponies below were captivated by the brilliant show of light and color the explosives gave. Velvet was telling some young fillies and colts about some of her past adventures. Some of their parents were there too, hanging on to every detail as the words left Velvet’s mouth.

While the rest of the party continued, two ponies loitered suspiciously near the fireworks cart, one of them a pink earth pony, the other yellow pegasus.

“Hurry up, Fluttershy.” The pink one said as she went over to the cart.

“Oh, Pinkie Pie, are you sure we should be doing this?” the pegasus asked, afraid.

“It’s a party, Flutters. Nopony is gonna care if we take one firework and light it ourselves.” Pinkie assured her winged friend.

With a squeak and a consenting nod, Fluttershy hopped into the cart and grabbed a random firework in her mouth to show Pinkie

“No no. The big one. Get the big one!” Pinkie pointed her hoof.

Fluttershy looked around to spot the one Pinkie was talking about. She noticed one wrapped in red paper and in the shape of a dragon. Her eyes widened and she gave a frightened squeak. Taking a steadying breath, she grabbed it and then quietly ran off with it, Pinkie close behind.

Velvet found herself busy greeting all her party guests, though her daughter Twilight was right by her side helping her. Then her eyes spotted somepony storming towards them from a distance. Frantically, she turned to Twilight.

“Sparkles from Manehattan! Hide!”

The two mares scurried off and hid in a nearby tent from the visiting relatives. More and more Sparkles were flooding in, muttering about Velvet’s rumored wealth amongst themselves After it was clear, Velvet and Twilight exited the tent.

“Oh thank goodness.” Twilight muttered, watching the group of ponies go.

Velvet looked at her young beautiful daughter and began to speak.

“Twilight, you remind me so much of your father, rest his soul.” She started. “I know things haven’t been easy for the two of us since he passed.”

“We’ve gotten by just fine, Mother.” Twilight reasoned with a small smile.

“That we have.” Velvet half-smiled back at her, then furrowed her brow with a frown. “You know, there haven’t been many Sparkles in our family with half the adventurous mind you have. You’re so special, Twilight. And I have been selfish. I know it may not seem it. But I have been selfish.”

Twilight’s left eyebrow rose up a bit confused by her mother’s words.

“Mother, have you been hitting the cider mugs tonight?” she asked.

“Well…yes I have. But that isn’t the point.” Velvet made sure to keep her train of thought. “The point is, Twilight…I’m just pleased to know you’ll be alright.”

Those words didn’t offer Twilight any clarity; if anything it made her even more confused then she already was. She nuzzled against her mother, trying to ease her worried mind.

“Why don’t we go see what fireworks Celestia has planned?”

In a nearby tent, an unplanned firework was being lit.

“This is gonna be so great! I can’t wait to see this one go off!” Pinkie nearly shouted.

“Um…Pinkie?” Fluttershy was nervous as usual. “Shouldn’t we have done this someplace else?”

“What do you mean? All we have to do is stick in the ground and light it. What else is there to it?”

“Shouldn’t we have put it in the ground…OUTSIDE the tent?” Fluttershy asked.

Pinkie’s eyes widened, but it was too late. The sparks reached the end of the fuse and the firework lifted off into the sky, taking the tent with it. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were left lying on the ground with their faces covered in black ash. The giant firework soared up towards the stars and then exploded with a great flash and a loud bang. Instead of just an array of sparks, a large fiery creature was formed from the explosion and flew towards the party. All of the ponies began to panic and ducked for cover as the flaming creature swooped over them.

The winged creature pulled up into the sky and everypony lifted their heads up to see it again. When it was farther away, the flaming beast exploded giving off an eye-dazzling performance of sparks, fire, light, and color. Night almost appeared to turn into day for a few brief seconds. After another beat of silence, the partygoers began cheering wildly. The two ponies responsible for what just happened stood back up in amazement.

“That. Was. So. Totally. COOL! Let’s get another one!” Pinkie bounced up and down, her enthusiasm speaking for her.

She and Fluttershy felt their tails jerked back and up into the air, a yellow aura surrounding them. Hanging upside-down in mid-air, the two young ponies saw Celestia glaring at them with her horn glowing the same shade of yellow.

“Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. I should’ve known,” she softly said. The two smaller ponies smiled sheepishly at the alicorn, who merely frowned back. “Since you two are so set on making this party better, you can clean the dishes. And don’t worry, I’ll be keeping a close eye on you two.”

Meanwhile, everypony had begun chanting Velvet’s name, egging her to go on stage. A rumor had been going around the party that Velvet was planning on performing a brilliant magic trick, and now everypony wanted to see it.

After hearing her name enough times, Velvet picked up a saddlebag and carried it up onto a mock up stage made out of planks and barrels. When she reached the stage, everypony went silent.

“Well, first off I would just like to thank everypony for coming tonight. It’s not often you get to celebrate someone’s 111th birthday now is it?”

That earned her a few chuckles from her audience.

“Anyhow, I have been working on a magic trick for tonight, and I would like to share it with you. But most importantly, I want to dedicate this trick to my daughter, Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight felt a heart-warming smile grow on her face as her mother smiled back. Velvet’s smile was laced with sadness, though only Twilight seemed to notice.

“I love you more than anything, Twilight. This is for you.”

Out of the saddlebag, Velvet pulled a helmet out and put it on her head. It was no secret that some magical helmets were known to dramatically increase the magic powers of unicorns and alicorns. Everypony was eager to see what Velvet would do with one, Twilight especially. Celestia took her eye off Pinkie and Fluttershy to see what was about to happen.

Closing her eyes and concentrating, Velvet’s horn began to glow a brilliant magenta. The lights nearby began to dim and all the focus was on her now. At first nothing seemed to be happening but a moment later, the crowd began to show signs of shock. Velvet’s body seemed to be getting bigger in size, her horn growing longer as well. As she reached a size that rivaled Celestia, her white coat dimmed to a darker color making her look a very dark grey. Nopony could tell from a distance, but her round pupils turned into thin slits.

Then from her back, she sprouted wings of puffy black smoke and plasma that glittered like the night sky. The crowd began cheering, approving of the trick, but Celestia remained silent, fear creeping into her heart and on to her face. Upon seeing the wings and what they were made out of, she stood up and her eyes went wide with realization.

“No. It can’t be,” she whispered.

Before she could make another move, Velvet rose up a single hoof and stomped it to the ground. A huge flash of blinding light disoriented everypony’s eyesight for a brief moment. They looked at the stage and wildly applauded for the performance, but they soon realized they were clapping at nothing.

Velvet had vanished.

Chapter 2 - Shadow of The Past

The party was thrown into pure chaos. Most of the ponies were stamping their hooves on the ground, cheering for the greatest magic trick that they had ever seen. A few were still staring at the stage, mouths open and eyes wide. Some (mostly the distant Sparkle family) were searching — through the crowd, behind the stage, around the line of trees that circled the party ground, anywhere – hoping they could discover Velvet’s secret hiding place.

But the unicorn was too clever for that. When she had created that brilliant flash outside, another flash had transpired at the exact same time elsewhere; inside Golden Oaks to be exact. Velvet, still huge and winged, appeared inside her small house, just as planned. Laughing proudly of her work, she took the Helmet off and her body returned to normal size. She placed the headwear inside her personal saddlebag and walked in the front room.

“I had no idea you were so skilled with optical illusions,” a voice said, startling her.

Velvet whipped around, horn glowing, only to be greeted by the sight of Celestia. The smaller pony put a hoof to her chest and took a few deep breaths.

“We’ve been friends for a long time, Celestia. And in all those years, how many times have I asked you to not do that?”

“I’ve lost count,” Celestia joked. “But I’m not here to scare you. This Helmet of yours…”
she trailed off, scanning the room for the Helmet.

“Oh come on, Celestia, it was just a joke” She kept her smile while Celestia gazed at her, straight-faced.

“I have seen my fair share of magical helmets in my day, Velvet and none of them should be used in the way you used yours tonight.” Celestia spoke, a tone of warning creeping into her voice.

“It was just a bit of fun!” Velvet said, but then saw Celestia’s face. “Oh you’re probably right, as usual.” She could never win Celestia when it really came down to it.

Using her basic levitation, Velvet packed a few more things into her saddlebags.

“You will keep an eye on my daughter, I trust.”

“Both my eye, if I can spare them.” she reassured her.

“She is inheriting everything.” Velvet told her matter-of-factly as she continued packing her things.

“And this Helmet of yours? I trust she will be receiving that as well.”

“Yes yes, it’s in a bag over there beside the mantlepiece.”

Celestia went to check, but saw nothing there.

“No wait, it’s... Here in my saddle bag” Velvet giggled quietly to herself, no humor in the laugh. She lifted it up with her magic, staring at it. “Isn’t that odd now?” She couldn’t take her eyes off of it. “Yes, after all why not? Why shouldn’t I keep it?” She began whispering to herself.

“I think you should leave the Helmet behind, Velvet.” Celestia cautiously said. “Is that so hard?”

Velvet quickly turned to her.

“Well, no... And yes.” She turned back to the Helmet. “Now that it comes to it, I don’t feel like parting with it. It’s mine, I found it, it came to me!” Her voice raised in anger

“There’s no need to get angry.” Celestia gently said, trying calm her friend.

“Well if I’m angry it’s your fault!” Velvet hissed as her eyes stayed on the Helmet. “It’s mine... My own, my precious...” Velvet said, purring at her obsession.

Celestia’s eyes widened at those words. “Precious? It’s been called that, but not by you.”

“Bah! What business is it of yours what I do with my own things?!” Velvet started moving away, tensing up more.

“You have had that Helmet in your possession for sixty years. I have become concerned, old friend.” Celestia took a step closer, wings spreading menacingly. “I think the time has come for you to part with it.”

Velvet paused for a brief moment before she spat out her next words.

“Y-you want it for yourself!”

“VELVET SPARKLE!” Velvet jumped back a bit, startled to hear Celestia raise her voice. “Do not assume that I come here just to show off a few simple tricks!” The lights seemed to dim as her wings spread open fully and her tone lowered. Velvet backed up against the wall, terrified by her friend. “I am not trying to rob you!”

Slowly, the lights came back on at full brightness and the intimidation in the alicorn’s normal voice returned.

“I only want to help.” Celestia said softly.

Velvet lowered back down to four hooves and slowly trotted over to Celestia to hug her, letting loose a few tears. Celestia embraced her and lowered down to her.

“Almost seventy years we’ve been friends. In that time, have I ever done anything to make you question my trustworthiness?”

Velvet was still crying. She didn’t speak, but shook her head.

“Then trust me now as you always have. Let it go.”Celestia said, stroking Velvet’s mane softly.

Velvet nodded and put on a serious face once again.

“I know you’re correct, Celestia. This Helmet has done enough for me.” She placed the Helmet down. “It belongs to Twilight now.” She got her things quickly and made for the door.

“It’s late, the road is long. Yes… it is time.” She opened the door and was about to leave when Celestia spoke up again.

“Velvet... you still have the Helmet in your bag.”

Velvet stopped in her tracks and turned back to Celestia. With a burst of magic, she lifted the Helmet from her bag and up into the air. She began staring at it again as her magic slowly faded off the Helmet and it dropped to floor. She quickly turned and trotted off a few steps, and then stopped again. Celestia followed her and Velvet turned to her again, smiling sadly.

“I’ve thought up an ending for my book: ‘And she lived happily ever after... Till the end of her days.’” She nodded. Celesta hugged her one more time.

“And I’m sure you will, my dear friend.” She smiled gently at her. And Velvet smiled back.

“Goodbye, Celestia.” A tear went down her cheek.

“Goodbye, dear Velvet.” Celestia blinked back tears. “Until we meet again.”

Velvet turned again and went trotting off, singing softly. Celestia’s smile faded away as she looked back at Golden Oaks. She opened the door and stared warily at the Helmet lying on the floor. She gingerly went to touch it with her hoof, but before she could even feel the metal, she saw a flash of a great blue eye, ringed in purple and black flame. She pulled back with a sharp intake of breath.

She laid down before the dying fire, thinking back to what Velvet said. Her strange, compulsive words echoed in Celestia’s head: “It’s mine... My own... My precious...” Celestia didn’t know what to make of these events, all this seemed to be happening so suddenly. It was as though she was trying to piece together riddles in the dark.

“Riddles in the dark...” she whispered to herself. At that moment, Twilight came in, opening the door quickly and calling out to Velvet. She entered the library only to find the Helmet laying on the floor.

“My precious.” Celestia whispered to herself as Twilight picked up the Helmet with a bit of magic and began looking at it.

Twilight looked from the Helmet to the nearly empty house to Celestia, and then back to the Helmet.

“She’s gone hasn’t she? She talked for so long about leaving. I didn’t think she’d really do it.” She moved up next to Celesti, who remained silent, staring at the fire. “Celestia?” Twilight muttered, hoping for a good explanation.

Celestia whipped her head around to look at the unicorn. Her eyes landed on the Helmet. “Velvet’s helmet.” She smiled oddly. “She’s gone to stay with the dragons. She’s left you Golden Oaks, along with all her possessions.” She explained as she quickly put the Helmet into a bag and sealed it.

“The Helmet is yours now.” Celestia lifted it to the unicorn. Twilight didn’t know what to say; it was all so sudden for her. She took it slowly, wrapping her magic around it deliberately.

“Put it somewhere out of sight.” Celestia muttered as she quickly got up and gathered her things. Twilight followed her around.

“Where are you going?” Twilight asked, worried.

“There are questions. Questions that need answering.” Celestia made for the door, already sounding desperate.

“But you’ve only just arrived! I don’t understand.” Her ears went low again, she looked sad.

Celestia turned to her and shook her head. “Neither do I.” She stepped closer to Twilight and brought her in close for a hug.

“Keep it secret... Keep it safe.” And with that, Celestia left the library.

Meanwhile in the Badlands...

Cockatrices were torturing a foul creature, her screams of pain reaching throughout the entire tower. Through her pain she managed to only mutter two words.

“PONYVILLE!” She uttered before screaming in pain again.

“SPARKLE!” She spoke again.

Moments later, the doors to the black tower opened and the nine windigoes galloped out, spreading cold despair in their wake.

Celestia galloped up to the hill and abruptly stopped, looking at the dark machinations going on in the Badlands past the Macintosh Hills. Her eyes widened, and she turned and increased her pace into Canterlot. She galloped in quickly made her way to the royal library and was led deep into the archives. She surrounded herself in documents and papers and began to read, finding nothing. She had almost given up when she found one record of Starswirl the Bearded. Her face grew concerned as she read it carefully but quickly.

The first year of The Stellar Republic, in the Age of the Dragon.

Here follows the account of Starswirl the Bearded, High Leader of Canterlot and the finding of the Helmet of Power. It is come to me, the one Helmet. It shall be an heirloom of my kingdom; all those who follow in my bloodline will be bound to its fate for I will risk no hurt to the Helmet. It is precious to me, though I buy it with great pain.
The markings upon the Helmet begin to fade. The writing, which at first was as clear as blue flame, has all but disappeared, a secret now that only a full moons light can tell.

Meanwhile near Ponyville, a common earth pony was busy chopping away at some firewood. Suddenly from behind, he felt the air grew cold all around him. When he looked towards the road there was a Windigo, the very ground it stepped on freezing and dying. It fiercely hissed at the earth pony.

“Sparkle.... Ponyville...”

The pony gulped and was shaking.

“Ain’t no Sparkles here, they’re up in the Northside.”

The Windigo stomped its foot into the ground and ice sprouted from its hoof. The earth pony shuddered as it turned its great head to look at him.

“That-a way.”

The Windigo whinnied and galloped in the direction of where the earth pony was pointing, a cold swirl following closely behind.

The Northside of Ponyville was as sleepy as the rest, aside from Sugar Cube Corner, where a party was going on. Twilight Sparkle pranced around Pinkie Pie who was dancing and singing to a song Fluttershy and her animals were playing. Everypony sang along to the bar song:

“Hey ho to the Corner I go,
To heal my heart and drown my woe.
Rain may fall and wind may blow
But there still be many miles to go!
Sweet is the sound of the pouring rain,
And the stream that falls from hill to plain.
Better than rain or sunny sky...”
Fluttershy stopped the music to give Pinkie her moment to shine, and Pinkie stood up on her two legs and yelled:

“Is a packet of sugar inside this Pie!”

And everybody cheered as she jumped around the tables, giggling madly.

In the far corner of Sugarcube Corner, Applejack sat with elder members of her family and gossiped over mugs of their cider.

“There’s been some strange folk crossing Ponyville; dwarves and those of less than savory nature,” one muttered.

“War’s brewin’. The mountains are fair teemin’ with goblins.” said the other.

Granny Smith, Applejack’s guardian, scoffed at these two, older and supposedly wiser in her years. “Far-off tales and childrens’ stories that’s all that is. Y’all are beginning to sound like that old Velvet Sparkle. Cracked, she was.” She smirked, looking back at Twilight. “Young Ms. Sparkle here, she’s cracking.” She chuckled as Twilight trotted along.

“And proud of it! Cheers, Granny.” She sat down and lifted mugs to each pony.

“Well it’s none of our concern what happens beyond our borders,” she said as she looked at Twilight with a knowing look. “Keep your muzzle out of trouble and no trouble will come to you.”

Twilight nodded, smiling to herself about Granny’s words of questionable wisdom. Applejack threw her foreleg around Twilight and the group shared a drink.

After last call, Twilight headed outside with Applejack as Cherry Jubilee, the occasional barmaid, smiled to her.

“Night there, AJ.” Applejack could only blush and look away, nodding and trotting off with Twilight.

Another pony, less than sober, kneeled down. “Good night, sweet maiden of the golden cider.” He kissed Cherry’s front hoof as she giggled slightly.

Applejack frowned at hearing that and muttered to herself. “Now why don’t ya’ll just mind who yer tryin’ to hit on, pardner.”

“Don’t worry Applejack, Cherry knows an idiot when she sees one.” Twilight said as she leaned in towards her friend.

Applejack stopped in her tracks, a worried look on her face. “Does she?”

Once the two said their goodnights and parted ways, Twilight made her way into her darkened library. She slowly trotted into the living room when she suddenly felt a hoof pull her back. It was Celestia, her mane unkempt and messy, and she had a distressed look on her face.

“Is it secret? Is it safe?”

Twilight quickly lit up some candles and looked into her chest, tossing away useless parchment. As she lifted up her personal bag, Celestia heard something outside, her horn lighting up as if preparing for attack. When Twilight handed her the bag, she immediately took it and put the Helmet out into the full moons light. The bright light of the full moon showered the Helmet, not missing a spot.

“What are you doing?” Twilight asked. Celestia saw no changes but handed the Helmet back to Twilight.

“What can you see? Can you see anything?” Celestia turned around, taking a moment to calm herself.

Twilight moved around the Helmet, looking into it. “Nothing... There’s nothing”

Celestia closed her eyes and breathed, relieved.

“Wait.” Twilight muttered as the Helmet glowed slightly.

Celestia stopped right there, her eyes going wide. She turned around to see markings began to form in a light blue around the Helmet.

“There are markings. It’s some form of Derpish. I can’t read it.” Twilight furrowed her brow as she gazed at the Helmet.

Celestia sighed, her fears confirmed. “There are few who can. The language is that of The Badlands, which I will not utter here.”

Twilight’s eyes shot to Celestia at these words. “The Badlands!” Her ears drooped down.

“In the common tongue it says: ‘One Helmet to rule them all... One Helmet to find them... One Helmet to bring them all... And in the darkness, bind them!”

The two shared a silence as Celestia sat down and Twilight hurried to make tea for them both. She gingerly left the Helmet on the table, the front facing Celestia who stared into its depths as she began to speak again.

“This is the one Helmet. Forged by the dark empress Nightmare Moon in the fires of Mount Smooze. Taken by Starswirl the Bearded from the head of Nightmare Moon herself.” Twilight looked down into her cup.

“Velvet found it... in Trixie’s cave.”

Celestia nodded.“For sixty years, the Helmet lay quiet in Velvet’s keeping... prolonging her life, delaying old age.” Celestia looked at Twilight. “But no longer, Twilight. Evil is stirring in The Badlands. The Helmet has awoken. It has heard its master’s call.”

“But she was destroyed. Nightmare Moon was destroyed.”

Suddenly, they both heard whispers of ancient Derpish coming from the Helmet. Celestia looked at Twilight as the unicorn stared at the Helmet in shock.

“No, Twilight, the spirit of Nightmare Moon endured. Her life force is bound to the Helmet, and the Helmet survived. Nightmare Moon has returned. Her beasts have multiplied. Her fortress in The Badlands has been rebuilt. Nightmare Moon needs only this Helmet to cover all the lands in a second darkness... She is seeking it. Seeking it, and all her thought is bent on it. The Helmet yearns above all else to return to the head of its master. They are one... the Helmet and the dark empress.” Celestia looked almost scared. “Twilight... She must never find it.”

Twilight nodded and lifted the Helmet. “Alright. We put it away. We keep it hidden. We never speak of it again.” She trotted into the other room and slowly stopped. “No one else knows it’s here... do they Celestia?”

Celestia sighed to herself. “There is one other who knew that Velvet had the Helmet.” Twilight's eyes widened at this news as Celestia continued. “I looked everywhere for the creature Trixie. But the enemy found her first. I don’t know how long they tortured her. But amidst the endless screams and inane babble, they discerned two words”

The torture chamber’s occupant was screaming with terror and pain. Her voice pierced the air around her as her blue hooves flailed about from the horrific methods she was being interrogated with. The lunar guards didn’t give a single care as to how much pain her body could take. They would kill her if they had to. They didn’t have to though, for she gave them the information they wanted in two words.

“PONYVILLE! SPARKLE!”

Twilight’s eyes widened and tears ran down her cheek.

“Ponyville. Sparkle. But that would lead them here!”

“Take it, Celestia!” Twilight floated the Helmet to her, but Celestia stepped back. “Take it!” she yelled again.

“I cannot take this Helmet, Twilight.” She took another step back.

“I’m giving it to you!” She brought it closer but was pushed slightly back by Celestia’s magic.

“Don’t tempt me Twilight!” She raised her voice. “I dare not take it. Not even to keep it safe.” Twilight lowered the Helmet back to her own body, as Celestia continued in a softer voice, “Understand, Twilight... I would use this Helmet with a desire to do good. But through me, it would wield a power too great and terrible to imagine.”

“But it cannot stay in Ponyville!” Twilight whimpered.

“Of course not!”

Twilight bowed her head and lowered the Helmet further. “What must I do?”

“You must leave. And leave quickly.” Celestia quickly found some saddle bags and levitated them to her.

“Where? Where do I go?” She asked, packing clothes and food into her bags.

“Get out of Ponyville. Make for Dodge Junction.” Celestia explained as she handed Twilight supplies.

“Dodge Junction.” Twilight repeated, packing as quickly as she could. “What about you?” Twilight asked as she was scurrying around the library, gathering things.

“I’ll be waiting for you, at the inn of the Dancing Dragon” Celestia answered, getting her own things ready.

“And the Helmet will be safe there?” Twilight asked.

“I don’t know, Twilight. I don’t have any answers. I must see the head of my order, she is both wise and powerful. Trust me, Twilight. She will know what to do. You must leave the name of Sparkle behind you. That name is not safe outside of Ponyville. Travel only by day, and stay off the road.” She gave Twilight her last bag.

“I can cut across country easily enough.” Twilight put the bag on her back and stored the Helmet in it. Celestia stopped for a moment and smiled down at her.

“Oh, Twilight. Young ponies have such great spirits. You can go on a dozen adventures with them and yet after a hundred years, they can still surprise you.” They smiled at each other warmly, until Celestia heard something by the bushes that alarmed her.

“Get down” She told Twilight. Twilight immediately ducked and Celestia moved towards the bushes. Her horn started glowing, levitating a book to her as she got at the window. The bushes moved a bit and Celestia dropped the book.

“Ow!” a voice yelped. Celestia frowned and enveloped an orange pony with her magic and threw her onto the table.

“Confound it Applejack! Have you been eavesdropping?!” Celestia stared down at her, angrily.

“Ah guess you could call it that... Ah was just cuttin’ the grass under the window there... If ya’ll follow me.” She gulped, and smiled scared. Twilight let out a sigh of relief and got back up.

“A little late for trimming the verge, don’t you think?” Celestia let go of Applejack, still looking mad at her. Applejack looked from side to side.

“Ah heard raised voices,” she almost squeaked.

“What did you hear? Speak!” Celestia yelled. Applejack flinched.

“N-nothin’ important.” She was truly scared now.

“That is Ah heard about a helmet and somethin’ ‘bout a dark empress... And somethin’ ‘bout the end of Equestria but... Please Celestia, don’t be turnin’ me into anythin’ unnatural.” She was on the verge of tears.

Celestia’s angry look faded away and turned into a big smile as she looked at Twilight.“No... I’ve thought of a better use for you.” Applejack whimpered softly.

In a few minutes the group had set out on their quest, Applejack carrying most of the supplies and bags. The entered the clearing where Velvet’s party had been just a few weeks ago and stopped.

“Be careful, both of you.” Celestia said, eyeing all sides carefully.

“The enemy has many spies in her service. Birds… beasts.” She stopped as did they, looking around. She returned her attention to Twilight and lowered her voice.

“Is it safe?” She asked. Twilight looked up at Celestia, feeling the Helmet in her bags.

Celestia lowered herself to Twilight, near whispering now. “Never put it on... for the agents of the Dark Empress will be drawn to its power. Always remember, Twilight... the Helmet is trying to get back to its mistress. It wants to be found.” Twilight gulped, a look of fear on her face. Celestia pulled back and galloped off as fast as she could, leaving Twilight and Applejack alone.

They trotted on their own for hours, through small towns, through rivers and streams, on hills and plains. At one point, Applejack stopped abruptly, refusing to move.

“This is it.” She said, Twilight stopped and turned to her.

“This is what?” She asked, Applejack sighed and looked to the ground.

“If Ah take one more step, this’ll be the farthest from home, Ah’ve ever been.” Twilight smiled at her and gave her a soft hug.

“Come on, Applejack.” Applejack put down her hoof and began trotting again with Twilight.

“Remember what my mom always said: It’s a dangerous business, Twilight, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your hooves... there’s no knowing where you’ll be swept off to.” Twilight smiled sadly, but both ponies found newfound courage from her words.

At the end of the day, the two stopped in the woods for a bit to get some rest, Applejack was whipping up a meal with some of the apples she brought along, and Twilight sat against a tree reading a book. Suddenly, Twilight heard singing and low growling.

“Applejack.” She called out to her. Applejack looked to her with a raised eyebrow.

“Dragons!” She said excitedly. They followed the singing and hid behind an old log. They raised their heads so that they could see. On the ground they saw a pack of dragons, burning the ground they stepped on, and if the they looked up, they saw even more flying overhead.

“They’re heading to San Palomino Desert... to the white mountains” Twilight explained, Applejack’s smile faded for a moment.

“They’re leavin’ Equestria. Never to return. ” She said softly. “I don’t know why... It makes me sad.” Twilight put a leg around her, comforting her.

By the time they made their way back, it was already nightfall and they needed to sleep. Twilight was already in her own blankets, Applejack couldn’t stop moving around, wildly uncomfortable.

“Every darn spot I lie there’s a dirty root stickin’ into mah back.” She shuffled around some more, getting frustrated.

“Just close your eyes and imagine you’re back in your warm bed... with a soft mattress and a lovely feather pillow.” Twilight said, keeping her eyes closed. Applejack took the advice and closed her eyes for a moment, trying to imagine it, becoming only frustrated again.

“It ain’t workin’ Twilight. Ah’ll never be able to sleep out here.” She began moving around again and Twilight smiled before drifting into her sleep.

Celestia was galloping at full speed towards the mountain of the wise and powerful Chrysalis. Chrysalis had already come out of her tower, smiling at Celestia.

“Smoke rises from the mountain of doom. The hour grows late. And Celestia the Pink gallops to Smokey Mountain... seeking my counsel. For that is why you have come, is it not? My old friend” Chrysalis stopped just in front of Celestia. Celestia bowed to her.

“Chrysalis”
They trotted together in Chrysalis’ gardens. Celestia explained everything that she could as quickly as she could do it.

“You are sure of this?” Chrysalis asked, an unimpressed look on her face.

“Beyond any doubt.” Celestia confirmed.

“So the Helmet of power has been found.” Chrysalis was now amused, and interested.

“All these long years, it was in Ponyville. Under my very muzzle” Celestia almost felt silly for not noticing it before. Chrysalis looked to her, scowling at her.

“Yet you did not have the wit to see it. Your love of the young ponies leaf has clearly slowed your mind” Chrysalis accused, almost insulting her.

“But we still have time. Time enough to counter Nightmare Moon if we act quickly.” Celestia reassured. Chrysalis stopped then and there and looked to Celestia.

“Time? What time do you think we have?” They went into Chrysalis’ mountain, sitting and discussing.

“Nightmare Moon has regained much of her former strength. She cannot yet take physical form... but her spirit has lost none of its potency. Concealed within her fortress, the empress of the Badlands sees all. Her gaze pierces cloud, shadow, earth and flesh. You know of what I speak, Celestia.” Celestia looked down and closed her eyes, she didn’t want to think of it, but she knew what Chrysalis spoke of.

“Her great eye, lidless, wreathed in darkness” Chrysalis smiled. Celestia only felt worse now.

“The eye of Nightmare Moon.” Celestia said. Chrysalis continued.

“She has gathering all evil to her. Very soon, she’ll have summoned an army... great enough for an assault upon Equestria.” Celestia looked at Chrysalis curious and cautious.

“You know this? How?” Even Celestia had no such knowledge of this. Chrysalis smirked at her.

“I have seen it.” She gazed over towards a pedestal covered in a cloth. Celestia’s eyes widened and she quickly went over to it.

“A palantir is a dangerous tool, Chrysalis.” Chrysalis’ amusement faded and her smile disappeared.

“Why? Why should we fear to use it? ” She had such power, why couldn’t she use it? She lifted the cloak and revealed the orb.

“They are not all accounted for, the lost seeing-stones. We do not know who else may be watching.” She quickly put her own cloak over it. As she covered it she felt the same jolt as when she touched the very Helmet itself.

“The hour is later than you think. Nightmare Moon’s forces are already moving. The Nine have left the frozen outskirts of The Badlands.” Chrysalis smiled smugly.

“The Nine?” Celestia took a step closer to Chrysalis.

“They crossed the river near Rambling Rock Ridge just after Winter Wrap Up.”

“They’ve reached Ponyville?” Celestia could barely believe it.

Chrysalis began smiling again. “They will find the Helmet. And kill the one who carries it.” She assured.

Celestia could not let that happen. “Twilight!” she whispered as she turned tail to run, but Chrysalis shut the door on her. Chrysalis’s smile widened as all the doors and windows had shut until Celestia and Chrysalis were locked in the room.

“You did not seriously think that a young pony could contend with the will of Nightmare Moon? There are none who can. Against the power of The Badlands... there can be no victory. We must join with her, Celestia. We must join with Nightmare Moon. It would be wise, my friend.”

Celestia was in a state of shock. Her oldest friend, her fellow sorceress, had turned to the side of evil thanks to Nightmare Moon’s influence.

“Tell me... friend... when did Chrysalis the Changeling Queen abandon reason for madness?”

Chrysalis’ horn charged up in an aura of green and blasted Celestia with a bolt of energy. The white alicorn was sent sliding on the ground and Chrysalis began to advance on her. Quickly, Celestia powered up her horn and shot Chrysalis with her own energy shot of yellow. The queen changeling flew into a nearby wall cracking it and letting a few loose chunks fall loose from it. When her hooves touched the ground again, Chrysalis regained herself just as Celestia did. The two of them stared each other down with their horns still glowing in their respective colors.

Celestia moved first. She shot two blasts at Chrysalis and ran for her at the same time. Chrysalis was swift to counter the blasts, but she did not anticipate Celestia teleporting out of sight. Chrysalis felt a sudden pain as Celestia bucked her back legs into her head. As quickly as she was knocked down, the queen got back up. She and Celestia dodged a few more shots thrown at one another. Then two beams of yellow and green collided in the center of the room.

Both alicorns were focusing all their power into defeating the other. But Chrysalis’s superior power accompanied by her madness, the green beam won and blasted Celestia into a wall almost breaking through it. The white and pink alicorn fell on her side with a wounded wing.

Chrysalis sauntered up to Celestia, smiling menacingly. “Such a pity, Celestia. Nightmare Moon would have gladly welcomed you into her ranks had you chosen to ally with her. Now your foolish decision to be her enemy will cost you dearly.”

Chrysalis’ magic enveloped Celestia and lifted her upwards through her mountain. Celestia was flying up into the air, screaming. Right before she hit the ceiling, all went black.

Chapter 3 - Inn of The Dancing Dragon

On the outskirts of Ponyville, the two young ponies still trekked further and further away from home, intent on reaching Dodge Junction. Their walk had brought them to a cornfield full of crops tall and hard to see over. Once inside, they couldn’t even see over the stalks with their highest jump. The sign out in front had said “Keep Out,” but cutting through was the fastest way to get to Dodge.

Applejack was carrying all the pots, food, and heavy equipment on her back, but she didn’t mind at all. She considered it to be a good workout, or at least that’s what she told herself. Twilight had levitated a map in front of her face and a compass to go with it.

“We’re on the right path, Applejack,” Twilight informed her friend. “Once we get out of this field, it should be a straight shot to Dodge Junction.”

“Ya think Celestia is already there waiting for us?” Applejack wondered.

Twilight giggled as she thought of the answer.

“If I know Celestia, she’s probably preparing a big firework show at the town’s gates just to scare us.”

Applejack gave a hearty laugh as she adjusted her saddlebags.

“Yeah that’s Celestia for ya. Serious one minute, hilarious the other.” The farm girl smiled.

“And a great mentor,” Twilight commented.

Applejack knew of Twilight’s close friendship to Celestia, a relationshipbeautiful to witness. It was like Celestia was a second mother to her.

“She’ll be there waiting for us,” Twilight said confidently. “Then we can go home to Ponyville, and leave all this Helmet business behind us.”

“Ah-choo!”

“Bless you, Applejack,” Twilight bid her friend.

“Bless me? But...Ah didn’t sneeze.”

Twilight paused in her steps and turned around to view Applejack with a confused expression very much like the one Twilight herself was wearing.

“But if that wasn’t you…then who was it?”

“Ah-choo!”

The two mares’ heads both jerked in the same direction. The wall of stalks right next to them began to rustle a bit. Applejack neared her head to get a closer look. She saw something close and twitching inside the plants. Slowly, the two mares silently crept closer and readied their hooves. On Twilight’s count of three, the two lunged in and grabbed hold of whatever was in there. It was putting up a fight, shrieking, but the mares had the advantage of surprise. Applejack and Twilight pulled themselves out of the plants along with their prey.

It turned out to be two ponies by the names of Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie.

“Twilight Sparkle?” Pinkie said excited. “Fluttershy, its Twilight! And Applejack! Hi, Applejack!”

Applejack got right up and stuffed a hoof in Pinkie’s mouth.

“Shut the hay up, Pinkie!” Applejack said in a loud whisper. “We’re not supposed to be here!”

“Sorry if we scared you,” Fluttershy squeaked.

Twilight helped the pegasus stand up and offered her a warm smile.

“It’s okay, Fluttershy,” she assured. “But what are you two doing here?”

Pinkie took Applejack’s hoof out of her mouth and began to explain as quickly as physically possible.

“Well Fluttershy and I were out here just goofing around because it’s what we do and we ended up stumbling into this crop field. Fluttershy and I were nosing around in the corn then we heard you and Applejack walked by, but of course we didn’t know it was you, although now I’m so happy it’s you guys oh my gosh! But anyways, we ducked down and a leaf wouldn’t stop tickling my nose so I sneezed and you found us and that’s it!”

Pinkie had a triumphant smile on her face when she finished that.

“Ooooookay then,” Twilight muttered, somewhat satisfied, and somewhat confused.

“So I guess we should be going then. See ya!” Pinkie began to make her bouncy way out.

Applejack looked down at the saddlebag Pinkie had dropped during her struggle. A stem poked out of the top conspicuously. The orange mare opened up the bag and dumped out the insides, revealing an assortment of vegetables in various states of breakage.

“You’ve been stealin’ food from Cranky Doodle’s fields!” she accused.

Pinkie Pie turned around with guilty grin. “Well….he grows a lot of good stuff.”

“What all have you taken?” Twilight asked, looking down at the stolen goods.

“Not much.” Pinkie defended herself. “Just a couple carrots, a few cabbages, some tomatoes, three sacks of potatoes, a couple dozen corn cobs, a barrel of onions, a cartful of pumpkins, and…..a piece of cherry pie he left out on the windowsill the other day.”

Applejack and Twilight stared at the pink mare dumbfounded.

“Wha…what do you need that many vegetables for?” Twilight begged to know.

“Oh, you know, veggies are good for you, silly!” Pinkie chirped in response.

“Hey!”

That voice did not belong to any of them. It was a male’s voice. Looking in the direction in came, the four mares saw a scythe popping up from the crops and moving towards them.

“It’s Cranky! Run!” Pinkie cried, rearing up.

The pink mare picked up her saddle bag and tried to stuff as much food in it as she could before she and the others began to hightail it out of there. They didn’t care which direction they were going. When Applejack reached the outside of the crop first, she skidded to a halt upon realizing that she was in front of a ledge. Twilight and Pinkie stopped too, just in the nick of time. Fluttershy, blind in her panic, ran smack into the back of Pinkie, knocking all four of the ponies over the ledge.

They tumbled and rolled down a steep hill for quite some time before they suddenly slowed down and ceased moving on the road below. Applejack spat out some dirt and pushed Pinkie Pie off her. Fluttershy stood up on her own and shook all the twigs, leaves, and dirt off her body.

When Twilight stood back up, she used her magic to levitate the bags she was carrying onto her back once more. She shivered slightly, shaking the debris off. But it wasn’t the urge to get clean that had caused her to shiver.

“Girls…do you feel cold?” she asked, trying to make sure it wasn’t just her.

Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy all paused and took notice of the nip in the air as well.

“Yeah Ah wonder what brought this on,” Applejack muttered.

“There’s not a single cloud in the sky,” Fluttershy observed as she looked up and past the trees.

Twilight kept looking around, search for any kind of sign of the source of the sudden change, but found nothing. After turning back around, she sighed, and was surprised when she saw her breath coming from her mouth in a fog. She turned again and stared down the road the group had landed on, and saw the ground begin to freeze over.

“All of you off the road! Hide!” Twilight cried.

The four mares gathered their things and ran off the road as quick as they could. They took shelter underneath the outgrown roots of a big tree. Their breathing slowed and almost silenced as it got colder and colder with each passing second. Fluttershy began to shiver. Applejack pulled out a blanket from her bag and wrapped it tight around the pegasus’ body to keep her warm and quiet.

Up above them, the being responsible for the cold crept up the road and stopped right beside the tree the four mares were hiding under. The windigo could sense the presence of the Helmet. It knew the object was near.

Twilight and the others kept as silent as they possibly could. The lavender mare however heard something in her ears. It was the same Derpish language that had emanated from the Helmet, and the words started to cloud her judgment. Slowly, the Helmet slipped out of her saddlebag and rolled down her back towards her head.

Luckily Applejack took notice in time and pushed the Helmet away, causing Twilight to snap out of her trance. Pinkie fished out a cabbage she took from the crop field and threw it over the side of the tree the windigo couldn’t see. When it hit the ground, the windigo heard it and let out a roar before following the sound.

The coast was clear for now. The four mares ran for it down the hill. A few minutes later, they stopped again and Applejack took back her blanket from Fluttershy, who was now warmed up again.

“What was that thing?” Fluttershy squeaked.

“I have no idea, Fluttershy,” Twilight answered. The unicorn’s eyes flickered back to bag the Helmet was concealed in.“But I think I know what it wants.”

Slowly, they advanced deeper into the woods. For hours they walked, being careful to avoid the windigo. They hid behind every tree they could kept an eye out for their foe. Finally, Pinkie started asking questions.

“Twilight, what is going on?” she asked. “That freaky thing back there…it was looking for you. Wasn’t it?”

Twilight sighed and nodded her head in answer.

“Yes, Pinkie. It was. Applejack and I need to get to Dodge Junction fast.”

“Dodge Junction? Well why didn’t you say so?” Pinkie asked. “I know a shortcut across the river. It’s nearby. Follow me.”

The pink mare went off in another direction and her three friends followed her, trusting she knew where she was going. As they reached the path, the windigo sprang out of the bushes with a mighty roar and blast of cold air. The mares shrieked and began to run as fast as they could, Pinkie still leading them through her shortcut. Twilight tripped over a root sticking out of the ground causing her to fall behind. She looked behind her desperately as the windigo closed in, then ran even faster, spurred by fear.

Finally out of the woods, the river came into view of the ponies. On the edge of the river was a short dock with a small raft big enough for the four ponies to fit on. Pinkie hopped on it while Applejack and Fluttershy went to work untying the ropes holding the raft in place.

“Hurry, hurry, hurry!” Pinkie cried, looking back at the menacing windigo chasing their friend.

Panicking, Applejack’s and Fluttershy’s hooves started to move as fast as they possibly could. Twilight finally came into view, the windigo right on her tail. The knots came undone and Fluttershy pushed it off as Twilight neared them.

“C’mon Twilight! Run!” Applejack shouted.

The cold intensified on her back as the windigo neared her and her heart raced as fast as her hooves. Twilight put every ounce of strength she had into her legs and ran like all hell was breaking loose. The gap between her and the windigo began to increase ever so slightly. When she neared the end of the dock, the raft was a few meters out. She took a single leap and was able to reach the raft.

The windigo, unfazed by the river, turned the water to ice and continued to gallop towards them. Twilight found her balance on the raft, turned around, and shot a blast of magical energy from her horn, hitting the underside of the icy creature’s chin. In pain, the windigo turned around and flew back to the land. It was joined by a number of other windigos, who screeched at the group angrily, then turned and galloped away. At their departure, Twilight just couldn’t take any more. She collapsed on her belly, exhausted. Applejack rushed to her friend and made sure she was okay.

“How far…down this river…do we go...Pinkie?” Twilight asked through her heavy breaths

“Ten miles. After that it’s just a short walk to Dodge.” Pinkie answered.

“Let’s just hope that thing is done followin’ us.” Applejack added.

Ten miles down the river and a short walk later, Twilight and her companions found themselves across the road from the doorway into Dodge Junction. All four of them had put on their cloaks and raised their hoods against the sudden onslaught of rain.

Twilight peeked her head out of the tree line and looked around for any signs of anything unusual, namely the creature that was chasing them. She breathed as sigh of relief.

“It’s clear. Let’s go.”

The four of them crossed the road, and Twilight knocked on the door. From the center of the door, a small peeper window opened up and the face of a grey unicorn stallion with freckles looked at the lead pony.

“What do you want?” he asked.

“We’ve come all the way from Ponyville. We need to get to the Dancing Dragon.” Twilight answered.

“Ponyville?” The unicorn opened up the door all the way. “It’s not every night I see travelers come all the way from there. Especially on a night as wet as this one. What bring you four here to Dodge Junction?”

“Like we said, we need to get the Dancing Dragon. We need to meet someone who’s there waiting for us.” Twilight again answered.

The grey unicorn nodded, and stood aside to let all four of them in. A single road ran through the town. It was small and simple, not unlike Ponyville. Only real difference was the building layout and architectural style. A little ways down that one road, the sign hung above the door of a building with the words “The Dancing Dragon” carved into it.

“There you go. Enjoy.” The grey unicorn walked back to the gate.

The door of the pub opened up with Twilight’s magic and immediately the sound of chattering was heard from the inside. Ponies everywhere downing drinks and talking amongst each other whether they be friends or not. But there was no sign of Celestia. At the front desk of the tavern was a purple earth pony, Berry Punch, as it said on her desk. She drank heavily from a large wine bottle, oblivious to all else.

“Um…hello?” Applejack waved a hoof at the mare.

After taking another swig from the bottle, the mare finally took notice of the four ponies.

“Oh well hello *hic!* there.” She hiccupped. “What can *hic!* I do for ya?”

“We’re looking for Celestia the Pink.” Twilight told her.

Berry’s eyes seemed to do continuous loops as she thought.

“Big white pony *hic!* with both a horn and *hic!* wings?”

All four of them nodded.

“Sorry. *Hic!* She hasn’t been around here *hic!* for a few months. *Hic!* Wanna drink?”

Twilight furrowed her brow, worried. It wasn’t like Celestia to not show up, especially in times so dire. Twilight could only think of two reasons as to how this was possible. Either Celestia had a more important matter to attend to and didn’t have time to explain it, or something had happened to her making her unable to make it.

Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy shared Twilight’s feelings just not as high a level. They could tell by the look on her face she was scared for the older alicorn.

“What did you say *hic!* your name was?” Berry Punch asked Twilight.

“I didn’t.” Twilight replied.

“Oh. Okay.” Berry walked off to get some more alcohol in her system.

“What do we do now, Twilight?” Fluttershy asked.

The unicorn took a minute to think about that question. Celestia wasn’t there at the Dancing Dragon even though she said she would meet up with them there. The alicorn was never one to break her word.

“We’ll wait here for as long as we need to,” she replied. “She’ll show up. I know she will.”

Three hours had passed by and there was still no sign of her. In the middle of the second hour, the four of them had finally decided to order some drinks. Even though she was plastered off her flank, Berry Punch was able to bring them mugs of cider without spilling a single drop.

Applejack had taken notice of something else though. It started when they first took their seats and it hadn’t yet stopped.

“Alright. None of y’all make any sudden movements. Especially you, Pinkie. But there’s somepony over there watching us.”

The orange pony gestured her head to the right and slowly, Twilight, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie moved their eyes in the same direction. Applejack was right. There was a pony over in the corner that seemed to have her own eyes looking at them. They couldn’t tell what she looked liked through her cloak and hood. Only small things were noticeable like her blue muzzle and long horn glowing a lighter blue sticking out of the hood. In her mouth she had a small pipe also enveloped in the magical glow.

“Um…excuse me.” Fluttershy stopped Berry Punch as she passed by. “Sorry but…do you know who that pony over there is?”

Berry took a gander over in the direction Fluttershy showed her.

“Oh yeah.” She replied. “She’s *hic!* not from around here. Kinda like you four. I think you would get *hic!* along just fine. Everypony calls her *hic!* Moontrot.”

Moontrot. An odd name for an odd pony, and all four ponies gazed at her warily. A cloud of smoke left her mouth as she puffed on her pipe again. Then Twilight’s eyes moved away from her and down to the bag that held the Helmet of Nightmare Moon. It was starting to speak to her again; the Derpish language egged her on and on to use its power. Applejack nudged her friend when she saw her eyes roll back into her head.

“You okay there, Twi?” she asked.

“Uh…yeah. I’m alright, AJ.” The unicorn assured her.

Wanting to move away from Moontrot’s gaze, Twilight quickly gulped down her mug of cider.

“I’m gonna go get a refill.” She quickly got up and took her mug and the helmet’s bag with her.

When she got to the bar, another bartender refilled the drink and Twilight started to ke her way back to the table. Along the way she was stopped by a red pegasus mare.

“Hey. Aren’t you one of them Sparkle’s from Ponyville?”

Twilight backed up. Her name was known because of her mother, but not necessarily in the best way. Celestia’s warning against revealing her name echoed in her head.

“Um..no. I’m not, WHOA!”

While she was backing up, Twilight tripped over another pony’s back hoof that was sticking out. Both her mug of cider and the bag with the helmet slipped from her and were tossed into the air. The Helmet made its way out of the bag, rotating slightly. Twilight tried to steady herself, oblivious to the escaped object.

From a distance, Moontrot saw the object and leaned forward to get a closer look. When Twilight stood back up, she looked up and saw the helmet about to fall on her head. Before she could use her magic to catch it, the hunk of metal switched its angle and slipped itself snug on Twilight’s head.

Then she disappeared from sight.