The SinEater of Equestria: Cataclysm

Chapters

Chapter I- First Moves
Chapter II- Wedding Crasher
Chapter III- Reception
Chapter IV- Cause
Chapter V- Effect
Chapter VI- Consequences
Chapter VII- Crystal Empire Pt 1
Chapter VIII- Crystal Empire Pt 2
Chapter X- The Magic of Renewal
Prologue- The Gray Pony
Chapter IX- Royal Encounters

Chapter I- First Moves

Chapter I: First Moves

Discord’s hapless ‘champion’ began sneaking around the castle, a typhoon of emotions through him. He was ecstatic, after all, he is living the brony’s ultimate dream. At the same time, he is angry and terrified, because he is here to be an unwilling pawn. He hoped Celestia could do something about it. He decided to get the Elements first.

Maybe that would be the solution to escape this mess.

Remembering the hiding spot, he realized he would need to teleport…

But how?

He imagined the location before snapping his fingers. He felt himself lifted off the ground just by a little bit before a rushing sensation and he was there in front of the vault. He placed his finger in where Celestia’s horn would go and rotate it like a key.

Surprisingly or rather unsurprisingly, the door opened and he saw the box with the Elements. Now he needed to find Celestia. He then saw some guards coming so he teleported out of the way. Out of sight, he overheard them claiming they were at some practice wedding.

The pawn began teleporting his way around Canterlot until he was outside where rehearsal was occurring, gazing through a window by standing on his toes. He opened the box and saw the Elements. Before he could go inside and try to do something, he saw Twlight Sparkle enter.

What unfurled before him surprised, shocked and even disappointed him.

He saw the situation of Twilight Sparkle accuse someone and then her friends, family and even Celestia dismiss it. He did not know what is going on entirely, but he felt rather let down. They are her friends! Shouldn’t they stand by her?!

So what if she was a bit impulsive and such?

Letting out a lone tear which landed on the Elements, he looked down and saw they… changed. They looked the same, but they lost their luster. He heard every painful word and no doubt the Elements did. He then snapped his fingers before appearing in the labyrinth and saw Discord pretty much shatter his prison.

“Well kid, didn’t know you had it in you. A misdeed, no matter big or small, is still chaos after all,” Discord sang as he laughed merrily.

“I know what will cheer you up,” Discord said before he popped his fingers. He then snapped both fingers as he coiled around the boy.

Discord began dissolving. Heck, everything began dissolving. The human look to his body who was becoming blurry. He felt horrible. It was as if he was on a humbe dinghy, trying to whether a massive whirlpool in the greatest storm. His memories, his personality, his self... it was becoming blurry.

The magic was uncontrollable, untameable. How does one even accomplish it?

As the boy felt himself losing consciousness, he let out a single apology to the heavens above, hoping the alicorns heard it.

The final thoughts of this boy dissolved into the nothingness as he dissolved into the maelstrom to be reforged…

The boy was a mere raw ore while the chaos was the fire that tempered and tuned it. But who did the tuning? Was it Discord? Was it the boy himself? Was it someone beyond the two. The maelstrom grew fiercer and fiercer until the eye was reached.

Clarity was achieved.

He is reborn. Discord’s champion opened his eyes, a manic grin on his face. He felt… free. He felt like he no longer had to restrict his thoughts. Well, at least not as much. He did a flip on his legs before he looked down. Physically, he didn’t seem to change much. Well, time was a wasting.

A brand new day was ahead and there were games to be had.

He held his hand out and snapped his fingers while he envisioned what he wanted. A glass of chocolate milk appeared. He grabbed it and drank it. It was delicious. A cascade of chocolately goodness flooded his mouth. He felt like he had taken the best nap ever and after a warm bath.

It truly was an awakening for him.

However, something snapped him out of this.

A punch to the face, courtesy of his own fist.

Anomaly cried in pain as his glasses were smashed and he gave himself a black eye. He staggered back before he shook it off and saw his broken glasses on the ground and his head running from momentary pain.

Anomaly was stunned, wondering he punched hiimself seemingly by impulse. The desired effect was achieved however, Anomaly had regained awareness of his surroundings.. He looked at the glass and dropped it in shock. He clung to his head as his mind began forcing Anomaly from being drunk with power by making him recall who he was or at least, who he wasn't.

He was no Discord.

Much like steel was not iron, it was not as if changed elements or anything. At the fundamental core, he is untarnished. But he is no longer the man he used to be.

But then… who or what was he now?

He looked to the shattered glass fragments from his cup and glasses. He snapped his fingers to repair said glasses and any damage to his face.

He then remembered how Twilight Sparkle was left and was dying to see what would happen next. He snapped his fingers as he teleported inside.

He watched the Princess Cadance come in. She smiled before she made green flames appear and caused Twilight to sink into the ground. The lone audience member raised his eyebrow. Well, looks like she was right then…

He saw the Princess leave. He then began to analyze the situation. Twilight is alone, vulnerable and helpless…

Opportunity alert!

Discord’s champion then scrambled to silence the alarm that appeared above his head before anypony else noticed. He managed to do so successfully. He enters the sight of the abandoned wedding rehearsal. He looks to where Twilight sunk into. Looking around, he approached the podium. He took out a mallet and hit it.

Instead of crumbling, it bounced while squeaking and a blue switch appeared from the ceiling. he approached the switch and jumped on it. Where the ring of green flames were, a green pipe rose.

“Gotta love the classics,” he said as he dove in, a retro video game sound playing. He was not sure if this was an effect of the magic or him using his imagination as a tether to his formal self.

The pipe surfaced from the ceiling of the caverns. He stretched his ear to listen. He heard the Princess Cadance taunt Twilight. However, he then heard faint sobbing. He turned to the direction and parted the walls as if they were curtains for a moment. He saw… Princess Cadance?

However, she was dirty, tired and crying.

Wait a minute… Discord’s champion put two and two together and it equaled fish. The Princess Twilight encountered was a faker. He let the walls close as he was thinking. As he wondered he saw his reflection. His curiosity taking the better of him, he approached a large crystal. He was changed.

There was now a streak of white across his hair. As he opened his mouth in surprise, he noticed that he now had elongated canines. Lastly, it was his eyes. They were not his eyes. His eyes were a chocolate brown and had warmth in them.

These eyes… they were a supernatural and piercing gold. It served as a reminder, on who he now was. He looked away before gulping and facing his reflection. He saw there were traces… of the brown within the gold. His right eye was normal besides that but the left… the left was black now… He was still him and yet he was not.

Who was he?

What was he?

Was he human?

Was he a hybrid of that and what Discord was?

He let out a breath as he tried to figure it who he was… if it was still him in the first place? Did he have the right to use his name anymore? He shivered a bit before he snapped out of it and decided to look for Twilight. Wasn’t hard, she made a whole as she was blasting the caverns.

He peaked through the hole as he saw Twilight. He picked up the nearby shadows and used them as a cloak to hide himself and began to move closer. However, some of the dust caused by Twilight’s beams led to him coughing and getting Twilight’s attention.

Twilight was having a terrible day. First, she lost her brother, then her friends and even her mentor. She realized she was acting foalish. To make matters worse, she didn’t know if she was overacting or if she was right. She didn’t have any proof and she came in a frenzy. Worst of all, her foalsitter and soon to be sister-in-law sent her here. She was angry, sad and confused.

She then turned when she heard coughing and saw a strange figure step out of the hole she made. Before she could ask anything, she felt goosebumps go over her. Something about this… thing… this being… rubbed her the wrong way. She could sense there was something not right about him… Something dangerous…

“Hello? Anypony here?” a mysterious voice said to Twilight.

W-who are you?" Twilight Sparkle asked as she looked around the cavern she was placed by the Not-Cadance.

There was silence… nothing but silence. The single moment of silence seem to endure for hours. The boy did not know what to call himself. He was no longer the human he was, but he refused to be Discord’s champion.

”…Your mere presence is already a massive anomaly…”

He was an anomaly. Something not meant to be here. He was like a glitch in a game. The boy recalled moments of isolation and lonliness. How is it, one feeling different than the others? Feeling uncomfortable in your own skin? Wearing masks made of yourself to be more comfortable? To be as if walled off from the others.

Was this how Discord felt?

“I’ll ask you again, who are you?!” Twilight asked in her panicky voice as the figure approached with a cautious look on his face.

"...They call me Anomaly," Anomaly said as he looked at Twilight.

"Anomaly?" she asked for clarification.

He simply carved the name on the wall of the cave.

"As in the thing that does not belong" Anomaly said as he looked eye to eye at Twilight. She saw that not only were his irises gold, but the sclera of one eye was white and the other was black. Her first thoughts were on the name and appearance of this creature. The name suited him, yet it seemed kinda sad.

Twilight gazed at the being. “How did you get here? What do you want?” she asked him.

“How did you get here? I saw that princess banish you here and I know your friends, brother and mentor left you. What I don’t know is your side of the story… The only way I can help you is if I know what happened through your perspective.” Anomaly asked her. Normally, Twilight would wonder how this stranger knew of what happened or if she should trust him. Despite this, she was emotionally compromised and she had no one else to turn to.

With great reluctance, she performed a variation of the memory spell she used on her friends to recover from Discord’s mind games.

He then saw what Twilight saw regarding the source of her worries. It was like watching a movie. He saw the Princess act unlike how Twilight remembered her to be. Even from what Anomaly saw, the real Princess was a wonderful pony, not the pretender who was with Shining Armor the whole time. The moment when the Not-Cadance did that weird spell on Shining was what confirmed his suspicions and would do the same for almost anypony.

Too bad, Twilight acted on impulse. Then again, that was no reason not to listen to her. She was very intelligent and despite her prone to worry and panic, she has the best of intentions and makes sense. So much for the power of friendship.

Anomaly now saw how Discord was able to break them all like he did.

“Well Twilight Sparkle, looks like you are right and wrong. The truth of the matter is that you confirmed my findings, which is that is not the real Cadance,” Anomaly told her. “Wait, how do you know?” Twilight asked him, a bit suspiciously. He raised an eyebrow before moonwalking to a nearby wall and hit it like the Fonz would hit a jukebox. The wall fell apart to reveal the real Princess Cadance.

He saw Twilight’s jaw drop before walking to Princess Cadance and bowed to her. "Princess, I heard you and Twilight shared a special hoofshake when you babysat for her. How did it go?" he asked her. Cadance looked confused before she realized what was the stranger up to. Cadance performs the song and dance from Twilight’s flashback perfectly. Anomaly relaxed when he saw Twilight realize this was the real Cadance.

“Thank you,” Twilight said to Anomaly. “Very nice then, but I need to talk to Twilight for a moment, your Highness,” Anomaly told Cadance before taking Twilight and began to talk to her privately.

“We need to get out if we wish to save your brother. However… I am not someone who does something free… at least not anymore. My point is, if you want me to help you, help me help you,” he told her. Twilight's eyes narrowed slightly. "What are you getting that?" she asked him.

“I want you to form a pact with me. You would be bound to me. Regarding what we would do would be decided later to be honest,” he said as he shrugged his shoulders. “Come on, Twilight, think about it. You form a pact with me and we save the day… of course… if you want to. I mean… your friends, your family, your number one assistant, your mentor… they left you. All you have now is Cadance and myself. Well, just me once she marries your brother…” Anomaly says in her ear as he stretches across her.

Twilight shivered as her new acquaintance reminded her of Discord. She was thinking whether if she should.... No! She could not abandon her friends… could she? Were they her friends? She didn’t know what to do about them, but…

“Sorry, but no. Thank you for the offer, but when I show Cadance, I know that Celestia and the others will help me stop the imposter,” Twilight said with a confident grin..

Anomaly looked at her before sighing. “Normally, I would not be kind enough to help furthermore, but it IS your wedding, so it would be rude not to escort a princess to her wedding” Anomaly said as he was looking to Cadance.

“We’re out of here” he simply told her before putting on some Kamina glasses and a red cape. Twilight and Cadance looked at one another before facing Anomaly. He took out a conical prism and placed on his arms. It begin spinning before he ran toward the wall. “THIS DRILL IS THE DRILL THAT WILL PIERCE THROUGH THE HEAVENS!!” D said as he was piercing through the stones. Cadance and Twilight did another double take before following him.

As they went through, they were enjoying the song This Day Aria, sung by Cadance and the Not-Cadance. Anomaly then saw what seem to be the three bridesmaids. “Anyone have a plan?” he askd them before Cadance threw a small bouquet at them. He snickered as he saw them fight over it before breaking the surface and sent them flying.

Cadance and Twilight were about to head to the wedding, but Twilight stopped to face Anomaly. “I have a lot of questions, but I guess it would be rude for me to ask you right now. All I can say is: Thank you for helping me and for believing me,” Twilight said before Cadance faced him.

“Are you sure you wish not to accompany us?” Cadance asked Anomaly. “Sorry, Princess, but I used up my freebies for the day. However, I wish both of you the best of luck,” he said as he bowed to them before he saw them go off. Anomaly stretched as he began reviewing what he had done. The test of his powers was done.

He leaned back on the cloud and decided to watch the events unfold through a screen he summoned. He had a feeling that he would see Twilight again soon…

He sees Cadance declare the imposter to be a changeling and sees the imposter reveal herself to be Queen Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings.

Soon indeed…

Anomaly looks in the distance, wondering what is in store...

Chapter II- Wedding Crasher

Chapter II- Oath

AN: Hey bronies and pegasisters! Welcome to Chapter 2! Things escalate from here on out as D Anomaly's plan comes out and the struggles unfold. Also, there will be even more surprising turns of events and things you didn't think I had planned. But for now... enjoy!

Chapter II: Oath

Anomaly was sitting on a stone. He was thinking the last few minutes. While he initially had the compulsion to go forth, the nagging thoughts in his head kept him from going. He surveyed his surroundings.

Nothing around but Canterlot Castlegrounds and a bucket of water somepony left. Anomaly looked into the bucket and paled.

It was him… right?

He was no longer the man he used to be… he is Anomaly! The new master of chaos! The one who would bend this world to his whim… right? No… but the spirit was Discord… least until he took a vacation…

When would he be back?

Would he ever come back?

Was he stuck here?

Anomaly stared at his reflection some more before slapping the water away. It didn’t matter. He will make the best of this situation. Deciding that simply teleporting would be boring, he decided on a different approach.

He let a little caterpillar crawl onto his arm before taking it and inflating it like a balloon. The caterpillar grew onto it was about the size of the large Wiggler from the Super Mario Sunshine series. Anomaly got on his new companion before putting on a mask and spray-painting themselves with water.

Because water’s like transparent paint, so painting something with water will turn you transparent. Least he hought so.

“You need a name. I think I will call you… Duke of Crawlington,” Anomaly said as the Duke was looking around. He then pointed to the palace. Duke crawled his way there before oozing up the wall. Anomaly decided to observe the situation. His jaw dropped.

Good thing the Duke caught it.

As Anomaly put his jaw back, he replayed the events in his head.

Princess Celestia lost… against Queen Chrysalis.

Anomaly looked through his deck for the Queen ‘s card… “Oh come on, Hasbro! Nothing?” Anomaly muttered in frustration. However, he was snapped from his thought process when something or rather someone slammed into him. He rubbed his head in annoyance as he glared at the brave Changeling who tried to attack him.

He pulled a net out before catching the critter and taping him to a clipboard.

“All right, you changeling, time to find out what makes you tick,” he said as he unzipped the petrified creature. The changeling was now terrified. This strange bipedal being was doing feats that defied conventional sense.

“Uh huh… mhmm… parasitic nature…” Anomaly mumbled to himself. The Duke had fallen asleep stuck on the palace wall. As the new spririt of chaos continued to play Operation Changeling Addition, he heard what sounded like giant houseflies ramming into windows.

He looked up to see the Changelings almost break through the barrier. Finished with his game, he untaped the Changeling. He held it as it tried to struggle away. “What to do with you?” Anomaly said. Anomaly put the changeling in a jar, having holes in the lid to allow him to breathe. “I am going to have fun with you, my subterranean insectoid friend,” Anomaly said as he stuck the jar to the side of the Duke.

Okay, enough foreshadowing, back to the matter of hand.

Anomaly wiped the slime from the clipboard.

“So… the Queen disguised herself as Cadance and siphoned off of Shining’s love for his bride. The power was strong enough to defeat the Princess. He saw Twilight and the others head to get the Elements of Harmony.

He had to be careful.

One wrong move and he would end up as their second victory. He saw the swarm head toward them.

“Well, I better wait for the swarm to capture them,” Anomaly said before he made a giant bugzapper appear on the castle. As the changelings flew to it, they got shocked and fell to the giant net placed below.

“I wonder where Luna is…” Anomaly said before he thought of a plan. He smiled to show his sharp teeth. He had an idea.

An ingenious idea.

He took out parchment and a pen and began writing a note for Princess Luna. She and her guards would be able to help qualm the invasion. She could fight the Queen and then Twilight and the others save Celestia and the two take her down. He hoped Luna would not go Nightmare Moon though.

He was clearly villain enough.

Once he finished writing the note, he folded it into an origami chicken and watch it fly over near an open window where Spike was.

And who said chickens couldn’t fly?

Spike was shaking. There wasn’t much he could do. Princess Celestia was trapped in a giant chrysalis, Princess Cadance was trapped by slime while Twilight and her friends went to get the Elements. Spike could not help but look down in shame.

Twilight was right. They fell for right for the trap. They were too busy with the wedding to notice the imposter’s quirks. He hoped she would be all right. Spike then saw something nearby.

It was an origami chicken… with writing. He walked over quietly to pick it up and read it.

“Princess Luna,

We need your help! Cadance was revealed to be the Queen of the Changelings, pony-like bug parasites that feed off of love and can shape-shift. The Queen, Chrysalis, was strong enough from feeding off of Shining Armor’s love to beat Celestia.

Help save us!

-Somepony,”

He sighed in relief.

'Awesome idea. Some brave anonymous pony wrote this note and placed it near me for me to send it to her' he thought before he made the note vanish to Princess Luna with his breath.

Anomaly just watched his plan unravel before seeing the changelings trying to knock the bugzapper off and free their dazed comrades. Anomaly just rolled his eyes.

“Duke of Crawlington, attack the pests please,” D Anomaly said. The caterpillar proceeded to spit blobs of slime at the changelings.

‘So… what happened once Luna and Celestia beat Chrysalis?’

‘ThE tHiNg Is… I dOn’T pLaN oN tHeM wInNiNg…’

‘Then what is the point?’

‘AlL pArT oF tHe PlAn…’

Anomaly paused as he clutched his head and shook it. Was he having a conversation with himself? Or was with the other side? He could tell one was the remaining part of himself that wasn’t affected by the power and the other was the manifestation of his insanity and usage of the power.

Problem was…

He can’t tell which one is him and which one was the other him…

“Come on, get a hold of yourself…” Anomaly said to himself. The Duke made a slight cooing sound as he looked up at his master. His big eyes were filled with worry.

Anomaly smiled slightly.

“I’m alright…” Anomaly said before he hesitated. ‘I hope…’ he muttered so quietly he even wasn’t sure if he heard it.

Anomaly was broken from his gradual slipping of his sanity to see the changelings drag in the Mane 6.

Looks like he is needed on set.

Anomaly made his way in and lied down on the ceiling, upside-down. Once he saw Twilight, he stretched his arm and picked her up.

Twilight was trying to struggle from the hold the changelings had on her. She saw Cadance’s look. She had failed them. She also looked in horror at her mentor being encased in the cocoon. She then felt a warm hand wrap around her and lift her up. As she was being lifted, she noticed her body becoming transparent…

She was now face to face with Anomaly, who had a smirk on his face. She glared at him. She was very much upset right now. He could have stopped this and yet he didn’t… not without asking a hefty price.

”Well Twilight… you’re out of luck,” Anomaly said as he resting on the ceiling and holding Twilight. “Shut up…” Twilight said quietly.

“Celestia is beaten and in the cocoon. Your friends are captured, Canterlot is in chaos and in a matter of hours, these love parasites will leech off of all the love and plunge Equestria and beyond into chaos…” he continued.

“Shut up! Shut up!” Twilight said as she sobbed. In a moment of guilt, he held her much like a parent would a child.

“What can I do?” she said when she calmed down.

“Remember what I said? No freebies. However, there is still the pact. You still have the chance to join me. Because let’s face it, what other choice do you have left?” Anomaly said with a toothy grin.

“I… I…” Twilight began mumbling as she was thinking. She didn’t want to admit it, but he was right in some points. While she and her friends were getting the Elements, nopony apologized. She hasn’t felt this helpless since… Discord. She felt his hand wipe her tears away as he looked at her. Would she really…?

“THOU SHALL PAY FOR THY INTRUSION, CHANGELING QUEEN!” a familiar booming voice said. Twilight smiled and so did D, but for different reasons. While Luna’s Guards began assisting Celestia’s Guards, the princess herself stood in front of the Changeling Queen, looking quite surprised.

Before Chrysalis could say anything, Luna launched herself and delivered a painful left hoof right in the Queen’s face.

“Nice shot,” he commented as he saw the Queen get Luna off and kicked her away.

Luna fired beams of pale blue energy at Queen Chrysalis who dodged and fought back with her own green energy beams. Unlike Celestia, Luna was not taking chances. One hit and she was done for.

Twilight could only watch the showdown with trepidation. Luna was barely dodging the attacks. Queen Chrysalis was not giving her any chance to try and free Cadance or Celestia.

Before long, Luna began glowing blue and had a very angry expression. She looked like she was to become…

“Nightmare Moon,” Twilight muttered in the slightest whisper. Oh no, oh no, oh no! Twilight muttered to herself. D simply watched the scene with a smirk.

“Nightmare Moon too? Well oh well, Equestria seems doomed…” he muttered as he continued thinking. Twilight would not leave her friends behind. She was so caring… she was a good friend.

“Look, take the deal for your friends. Do it for Cadance, Shining, the Princesses and your friends…” he told her. Twilight stopped her silent panic attack to absorb his words.

He was right. She wasn’t sure about much right now, but she knew D was the only hope Equestria had.

She would do it for Celestia and Luna…

She would do it for Shining and Cadance…

She would do it for Spike and her parents...

She would do it for her friends…

For the sake of everypony…

“Please… Anomaly… I-I’ll take the oath…” Twilight Sparkle said as she resigned to her fate.

Anomaly simply smiled. His plan worked perfectly.

He knew Luna wouldn’t stand a chance against Chrysalis, at least without becoming Nightmare Moon. How that fight would fare he didn’t know, but Chrysalis had her army so she would have lost eventually.

He just needed Twilight to realize what the only option she had left was.

“We’ll work out the details later, but I will say you I will not force you to do anything against your will. In essence you will be my… assistance? Fledgling? Follower? Companion?” Anomaly said before another quick flash of blue light reminded him of the cataclysm at hoof.

Anomaly bit his thumb. When he saw it bleed, he looked shocked. Instead of being the familiar crimson, it was a multitude of colors. It was thick, bright and multi-colored... Each drop was a different color and it shimmered. He shivered…

He wasn’t human…

Not anymore…

While Twilight did not see the blood, she did see the lone tear escape down her new master’s eye. When he faced her, she saw something….

Fear…

Loneliness…

Sadness…

There’s something not right with him… and he knows it, Twilight said before she let out a squeak. He was about to draw on her cutie mark. He snapped out of his trance to notice.

“Oops… sorry about that. Was in a haze,” Anomaly admitted before he began drawing a symbol on her other leg. It was kinda like a second cutie mark though this instead serve to show…

She belonged to him.

Anomaly finished before pressing his two fingers on it and a warm sensation flowed over Twilight. He removed his fingers so she could look at the mark.

It was a yin-yang symbol, but both halves were empty. Also, instead of there being contrasting dots, there were two different symbols. One was an outline of a pentagon and the other was a simple gold-colored apple with letters she couldn’t understand. Anomaly looked at it and glared…

It wasn’t done.

He then drew a triangle so that the circle would be in. The triangle was a regular triangle facing right, so it resembles the letter D.

Anomaly smiled, that was better.

Twilight looked at the mark and retained her upset look. He looked at her and tried to reassure her with a smile. Twilight managed to give a half-hearted smile back.

“All right then. Let’s go save everypony then…” Anomaly said as he grabbed the shadows and surrounded himself with them. He put Twilight Sparkle down.

“Twilight Sparkle, are thou all right?” Princess Luna said suddenly, which prompted Queen Chrysalis to blast Princess Luna to the wall.

“All that’s left is you,” Queen Chrysalis said as she stood above Twilight Sparkle. For the first time since this mess happened, Twilight Sparkle was calm and not worried.

“HEY CHEESE LEGS!” a voice broke out, unfamiliar to everypony but Twilight and Cadance. Cadance smiled.

Thank you for coming… she thought as she saw the shadowy figure land. She and Twilight could not help but giggle at the nickname he gave the Queen.

Queen Chrysalis tried to process what was happening. This shadowy figure came and insulted her.

“How… HOW DARE YOU?!” Queen Chrysalis yelled before she launched a green beam. D Anomaly just moved his head calmly and dodged it.

“All right, time to end this game…” Anomaly said as he held a glowing hand out of his cloak of shadows while Twilight’s horn began glowing.

Chapter III- Reception

A/N: Hey everypony! I bring thee Chapter 3. Now, as much as I would love to, I will not be able to do daily updates. While I will have more time during Thanksgiving Break, I also have my annoying school work to do. Anyway, matters become more interesting. Enjoy!

Chapter III: Reception

Queen Chrysalis was not happy. Not at all. Her plan went so well until Twilight came with the real Cadance. I mean, in the end, she beat Celestia and even Luna. Everything was going better than expected! Then Twilight returned with this… being! From what Chrysalis saw, he seem to be wrapped in strange black cloth, but it was weird because he had no shadow…

Was he wrapped in his shadow?

Twilight faced the Queen with righteous anger. Enough was enough. She looked around. Her friends were trapped in the chrysalis and thus could barely see the fight. The audience, including her parents fled the area in terror only to be tormented in Canterlot no doubt. Luna was out cold behind them and Celestia hung above them in her chrysalis. Her brother was still in a trance, Cadance was stuck in place and Spike was hiding, scared that Luna was defeated.

Enough was enough.

No more.

“So Twilight, how do you want me to do this? You want to deal the final blow?” Anomaly said as he looked to Twilight. Twilight looked to him.

“But you sa-,“ she began before he cut in.

“I know. However, I was thinking that I can give you the power to send them away or let me do it myself. Reason being is that I am thinking you would enjoy being the one to banish the changelings from Equestria and I will give you the boost you need,” Anomaly said.

Twilight looked at him with a mix of confusion and slight graciousness. It was nice of him to think of her… despite the odd circumstances.

“Okay then…” Twilight said before Anomaly nodded and began showering Twilight in a faint rainbow colored light. Twilight felt… energetic. She let the energy flow to her horn. Chrysalis stepped back as Twilight’s horn glowed bright and brighter.

“Wait, what are you-,“ she began saying before Twilight released the magic.

A pale magenta beam shot out and hit Chrysalis. The Queen was enveloped in a pink twister. Anomaly D grabbed Twilight and saw the twister exit the palace before going all over Canterlot and picking up all the changelings. Well, all the ones except those who were trapped in the net or jar held by the Duke.

“And that’s that,” Anomaly said as Twilight went to free Cadance. He watched the heartwarming scene of Cadance restoring Shining back to normal. “Twilight… I will see you later. Enjoy the reception and… this is our little secret,” Anomaly said as he crawled out the window and went back on the Duke of Crawlington. “I have plans for you, my friend… BIG PLANS…” Anomaly said as he faced the shivering changeling in the jar. With a wild grin, he tapped the Earl with his heel and signaled to head out. “We’re going to need a hideout until we can meet with Twilight…” he said. “Well, I suppose we can hide under her library. All we need is a way down under…” Anomaly said as he got off the Earl and drew a door onto the ground. He opened it and led the Earl inside.

11 minutes later…

“That was one crazy episode,” Anomaly said as they reached Canterlot. They were wearing outback hats. The changelings, the ones in the net, were now in a crate with holes. The one in the jar was sleeping and also with a hat.

“All right, Earl of Crawlington, you earned some rest. I will go check out the reception,” Anomaly said to his giant caterpillar before he began walking up the wall.

So now you have Twilight Sparkle…

…now what?

He needed to address the issue. He just wishes he knew if he was the one addressing it or the one who had the answer.

“Well, once the festivities are over, things will shift back to normal. One of the guards or somepony else will notice Discord is missing. Twilight will figure it out about me or at least suspect me being him in disguise…” he murmured to himself as he walking up the walls.

“Well, I will need to separate her from her friends. Shouldn’t be too hard…” Anomaly told himself.

And what of Celestia?

I’lL fIgUrE tHaT oUt LaTeR…

…And then what? You will have Twilight… but what of the others?

You may have broken them apart but…

I dOn’t know!

Then what?!

tHeN wHaT!?

Anomaly snapped out of it when he heard tapping. He looked around panicked. He saw he was standing on the window and saw who was tapping. He sighed in relief.

It was Twilight Sparkle.

Well…

Now was a time as good as ever… he guessed.

She opened the window and let him in.

“Thanks for… keeping your end of the deal,” Twilight Sparkle said as she saw him sit down. She looked at him. He looked… nervous. Reluctant?

There was an awkward silence that dominated the air.

“Uh… wedding cake?” Twilight offered sheepishly as a slice of cake on a plate levitated toward him. Anomaly happily took the cake and began eating, the food temporarily ridding him of the stress. Twilight observed Anomaly eat the cake. She found him fascinating. He was unlike any creature she has seen. He had some resemblance to a minotaur, but without any bovine features. Furthermore, he also reminded her slightly of a monkey.

“Twilight… we have to talk…” Anomaly began, but Twilight interrupted him.

“I know! I have so many questions? What are you? What’s wrong with you? I mean, I saw you look depressed or worried or something. Where are you from?” Twilight began to ramble though she blushed when she saw the anxious look he gave her at her barrage of questions.

“Twilight… there is no easy way to say this…” Anomaly began.

Meanwhile, with the others...

“Hey, I wonder where Twilight is?” Rainbow Dash said as she finished dancing with Soarin to talk to Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. “I dunno. She seemed kinda quiet today,” Appledash said as she approached them. “Where’s Rarity?” Fluttershy added. “She’s over there, dancing with Spike,” Pinkie Pie said in her usual cheery tone.

Yes, it was true. Spike was fortunate enough to be dancing with Rarity. Fancypants had been dancing with her though he invited the young dragon to dance with her while he enjoyed some refreshments.

“Well, she did save all of us from Queen Chrysalis...” Rainbow Dash began before looking a bit… nervous. “Yeah, ‘cause she was the only one who was suspicious of her when she was pretending to be Princess Cadance,” Applejack said. Spike and Rarity returned which simply added to the awkward silence. The six simply talked amongst themselves, trying their best to steer clear of the topic.

If only they knew what awaited Twilight and by extension, themselves…

“W-WHA-“ Twilight almost shouted, but Anomaly went and covered her mouth.

“Not so loud, don’t want to let anypony I’m here…” he told her.

“I-I mean… I have to leave Ponyville?” Twilight asked, her voice much softer.

Anomaly only nodded his head.

“I don’t understand…” Twilight said as she looks at him with wet eyes and a betrayed look that hurt him.

“Twilight. You made a pact with me. While I will not reveal anything now, the implications could be bad for the both of us. I don't want anything to happen to me or you!" he told her. "With your friends... I don't trust them," he added.

“But they helped beat Nightmare Moon,” Twilight argued.

“Yet all of you broke apart with Discord,” he countered.

“…But I got us all back together!” Twilight snapped back.

“Yeah… you. You may be a good friend… but what does that make everypony else?” Anomaly asked her. Twilight stopped to think about it.

“…They haven’t approached to apologize, did they? Your friends, your brother, your mentor…” he mentioned to her quietly.

Twilight didn’t want to believe it, but was he right?

No…

But…

“...You probably had a hard time hiding my mark from the others, right?” Anomaly added.

Twilight just nodded as she tried to process the information.

"Really, if they reacted like this over a misunderstanding here, imagine how it will be for something like this," he emphasized. I

Twilight struggled to find the words, but it was a lost cause. She didn’t know what to do. All she could do was do what he said… even if it hurt…

Twilight… I am afraid it has to be this way…” Anomaly said as he wiped the tears from her eyes.

“But… they’re my friends… and… I don’t know…” Twilight said as she lied down and covered her head with her hooves.

“Well... you may trust your friends, but... I really kinda don't,” Anomaly said as he picked up Twilight like an infant. "All of them are good ponies, but considering what happened now... the risk presented is too much," he elaborated.

“W-what about Spike?” Twilight asked him.

Anomaly remained silent as he briefly pondered.

“…I’ll let say your good-byes and good-nights…” Anomaly told her after she finished weeping. Twilight wiped her tears with a hoof as she nodded. She looked to the window to check her reflection and make sure she didn’t look sad… she then noticed the giant caterpillar and the captured changelings.

She turns to him with a confused and suspicious expression on her face.

“I want to experiment on them,” Anomaly told her. She stared at him for a few more seconds, trying to comprehend what that could mean. She simply shakes her and decides to get on with her task.

NiCe GoInG…

Shut up

I mEaN… tEaRiNg HeR fRoM eVErYtHiNg…

Shut up, shut up. ShUt Up!!

I mean… what do you EvEn WaNt HeR fOr…

Anomaly paused…

Why Twilight… was it because of convenience?

Wait… why…

Why her?

WhY dId I accept ThIS Deal AnYway?!

Anomaly covered his mouth as he looked at his reflection. He looked… mad. Not mad angry, but mad crazy. Deranged even. He signed as he leaned on the window and wiped the sweat off of his brow.

He knew he was losing it. Was that why he brought Twilight?

So someone could save him?

So he could drag someone down the madness with him?

So he couldn’t be imprisoned in stone?

Was he doing this of his volition?

Was he still him, was he corrupted or was he know a pawn in Discord’s game?

He didn’t even know for sure. He also didn’t know that Twilight witnessed everything.

Twilight had been trying to rehearse what to say or rather how so when she heard D Anomaly begin talking to himself. Her curiosity, enhanced by her memory of the prior moments, led her to observe the argument.

She was shocked to say the least.

She saw Anomaly arguing with his reflection. She could not hear him, but to her, it looked like he wasn’t even aware of it. From what little she could tell, he was arguing with some facet of himself… The frightening part was the reflection was arguing back.

“Anomaly… what is wrong with you? I need to find out what is tormenting him…” Twilight muttered to herself. She let out a breath as she remembered her task and tried to figure out what to do.

As Princess Cadance and Shining Armor were sharing another dance, Princess Cadance snuck some looks at Twilight. She was looking a bit upset. She wondered if it had to do with Anomaly.

While Cadance was grateful for saving the day, she could not help but feel something was off about him. However, she had other matters to attend to, if rumors were true. Meanwhile, she turned to her hubby, Shining Armor.

He was recovering from the spell the Queen placed on him. While she did snap him out of it, he still needed medicine to deal with the side effects and the fatigue. Well, the worst was over and now she could look forward to being with him.

Despite those happy thoughts, Cadance could not help but feel there was trouble brewing…

After the reception party

Twilight had finished saying good-byes to her friends as they left back for Ponyville. She told them she would be remaining behind to check on her brother and the princesses. She had snuck throughout the castle, which had more guards than usual.

Twilight could not help but recall the time travel fiasco and wished the spell was not a one-use one. However, with how easily she went through the castle last time mixed with the changeling invasion, it was no surprise. When she approached Celestia’s room, she saw there were guards rotating shifts. She wondered how she would enter.

A faint noise got the guards’ attention and they went off to investigate. Seizing the opportunity, Twilight unlocked the door and saw Princess Celestia sleeping. Twilight gulped before approaching the princess.

She looked at her mentor with wet eyes. She wasn’t sure if she will see her again. While Twilight knew her mentor would be worried sick, she was not sure what she would do. Nevertheless, she went over and hugged her mentor before hearing the door being opened.

On impulse, she went out the window, only to land on something squishy. She looked to see the giant caterpillar. She looked confused before seeing Anomaly on him. Twilight refused to face him, instead looking down on the giant caterpillar she was sitting on.

“I already bid my friends and the princesses farewell. I was wondering… could I go tuck in Spike one last time?” Twilight asked him. Anomaly just nodded before he looked at another window, at his reflection once more. He hissed at his reflection before he looked back in horror.

Freak

MoNsTeR

Anomaly sighed as he stopped his hand from shaking. “Earl of Crawlington, to Ponyville,” he told the giant caterpillar. The giant caterpillar began running ahead, dragging the exhausted changelings while the one in the jar was looking anxious. As they went on, Twilight had many questions, but she was heavily plagued with fatigue and too tired to question how her new master accomplished his miraculous deeds.

They arrived at the library. Twilight stopped and entered before looking at Spike, who was fast asleep. She just tucked him in as she wiped another tear away. Having been thinking about it, she would miss him the most. He, who been by her side since her youth. When she thought she lost her friends by Discord, she still had him. When she and her brother drifted apart, she had him. When she moved to Ponyville, she had him.

She lamented on the how much she owed the little dragon and just realizing how important he was to her. “There are so many things I wish to tell you Spike… but all I can say is I love you and I am proud of you,” she muttered before she kissed Spike’s cheek and exited the library and got back on Earl of Crawlington. As they began leaving Ponyville, she needed to ask just one question.

“Where are we going?” Twilight asked him. He had the caterpillar halt as he was trying to think. Twilight scooted closer to him to hear him.

“I don’t have the slightest clue,” he said honestly before he removed his glasses and began wiping them.

Twilight just face-hoofed.

”It’s going to be a long day tomorrow…” she thought to herself before she heard a murmur.

I’m sorry…

She looked around only to see Anomaly's reflection, faintly on his glasses, visible by Luna’s moonlight. She stretched her neck for a closer look.

I aM nOt A mOnsTeR… right? she heard faintly once more. She saw Anomaly's having a look of what was a mix of self-loathing and confusion.

A long day indeed… for the both of us… Twilight Sparkle told herself as she sighed before they continued heading toward the horizon.

Author’s Note: Well, that’s Chapter 3. I will probably do something regarding the battle with King Sombra. I have plans for him also. I will say it will involve the Changelings or more specifically, Chrysalis. Also, Season 3’s previews are revealing some VERY interesting hints of foreshadowing.

Now, the preview for Chapter 4!

”Princess Celestia! Princess Celestia!” The guard known as Star Silver announced as he ran toward the throne room, looking haggard, though not as much as Celestia.

“Brother, I apologize for this, but now isn’t the best time. Her highness’ pupil, Twilight Sparkle has gone missing,” Golden Star explained to his younger twin. He pointed his hoof to see the somewhat frantic looking Celestia.

“What?! Maybe it has a connection to the escape!” Star Silver said as he jumped around panicky.

“Who’s escape, Star Silver was it?” Princess Celestia said, trying to maintain her calm stature but looking very worried. Star Silver cleared his throat and waited a few moments to compose his nerves.

“Discord, m’lady. He is no longer in the Royal Gardens…”

Chapter IV- Cause

A/N: Hey everypony! Happy Thanksgiving Break! Yeah, after some relaxation, I managed to get this chapter out. About time the others got some attention on them. It's kinda hard trying to write for everyone and making ti sound authentic. Of course, try too hard and it sounds... false. I will try and get Chapter V out also sometime this week.

Also, I having two open suggestions contests! One is for the name of the changeling in the jar. He will play an important role later on. Two is for what kind of home should Anomaly and Twilight live in. All I will say is it has to be technological. Whoever has the best suggestions, I will place a cameo in my next chapter! Just tell me through comments or messeges!

Enjoy!

Chapter IV: Cause

Celestia’s sun rose above the horizon and the first rays of dawn showered the area. Twilight stirred in her sleep. Anomaly himself began stirring from slumber. They had stopped by a small pond. The Earl of Crawlington had been the first to wake up and was devouring any shrubbery in sight. Anomaly rolled off of the Earl…

…and into the pond.

About a few seconds, he popped put spluttering and wide awake. “Well, I guess a good way to start the day is with a cold shower…” he said as he dried himself and saw Twilight begin waking.

She held her head up, eyes still closed.

What a horrible dream… Twilight Sparkle told herself before she awoke and looked around. Her ears sagged as she looked down.

I guess it wasn’t a dream… Twilight Sparkle said before her face became that of abject horror. She was exhausted from the events that transpired from the invasion and the wedding but after getting rest, she was beginning to absorb the entirety of the massive shift in her life.

She curled up into a ball and wept silently. Her parents, Shining Armor, Cadance, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Spike, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity…

All gone

She was all alone…

She then lifted her head seeing Anomaly. Part of her wondered if he was the one responsible for the changeling chaos, as an elaborate ruse to get her… however, she deduced that this was unlikely, based on the reactions the critters had on him.

She wiped her tears after sobbing to herself. Realizing crying would not help matters; she decided to investigate what D had been doing. He had been drawing. Now, having Spike as an assistant, she knew about some creatures being able to walk on hind legs and having forelegs to handle objects or people.

However, he lacked claws.

In fact, to Twilight, she was not sure how someone like Anomaly survived…

“Excuse me… uh… master,” Twilight began before seeing Anomaly leap a bit in shock, before tumbling into the pond again. Twilight couldn’t help but giggle at the scene.

“Uh… just call me Anomaly…” he told her as he stepped out of the pond. “All right then D… what are you?” Twilight asked him. Anomaly faced her. She deserved to know some of the truth. Well, what he perceived as truth anyways. He then felt a drop of rain. He looked up.

“Let’s make shelter first. Then I’ll tell you what I can,” Anomaly told her. While he could have cleared the rain, he did not what to show off all of his power. From the sense he managed to maintain, he figured the less power he used, the better. Well, scratch that. The more carefully he used it, the better he could maintain whatever control he had on who he was.

Also, just plain changing the weather would arouse suspicion.

Now, what to build?

He looked around before seeing a large rock. He noticed the rain was starting to come out a bit more. He approached the rock before simply drawing a door and a two windows on it. “Good enough for Kirby, good enough for me,” Anomaly reasoned to himself. He led Twilight in before looking at the Earl and changelings. He looked to the tall cliffside and drew a target at it. The Earl of Crawlington hissed at it before ran headfirst and created a tunnel. The Earl then proceeded to sleep. The changelings, resigned to their fate, simply slept and hoped things would get better.

Twilight looked inside her new home… well temporary anyway. There was a fire place, a rug, two windows, a bookshelf, a small round table and a bunk bed. “I’ll… come up with a better place for us later…” he told her as he placed the changeling in the jar on the table. H then lied on the top bunk and faced up.

Twilight simply went on the lower bunk and stared at the fireplace. She was not tired… However, there was not much they could do in the rain.

“I’m sorry”

Twilight snapped out of her musings hearing those words. She could not figure out D. There was something odd about him. What was he to her? She wasn’t sure.

Anomaly had curled up into a ball as he was muttering to himself. He was losing himself. ‘Simon… this is what you went through… wasn’t it?’ Anomaly told himself as he recalled the blue-skinned wizard. To think that he is able to relate to fiction in this stage…

Twilight could not understand what he was saying, but she knew something was troubling him. She sought to ask him later. She got out of her bed and her horn glowed. The blanket slipped over him before she faced the fire.

She wondered how everyone was doing….

Did they note she was gone?

Maybe… maybe they can rescue her…

Twilight’s eyes widened as she remembered how Princess Luna became Nightmare Moon. She then remembered Discord… She faced Anomaly.

“No… maybe they can save us both,” she muttered to herself as she went back to her bunk and fell asleep watching the fire, wondering what her friends were doing.

Meanwhile, at Twilight Sparkle’s house…

Spike woke up and scratched his scales. “Best sleep I had. Hey Twi…” Spike said as he turned around and saw the empty bed. It was still made. That meant she didn’t sleep in it. Now, this concerned the dragon a bit. Twilight would have told him something…

“Well, she did say she was going to say good-bye to the Princesses. Maybe she just arrive and stayed over at somepony else’s house,” Spike figured as he looked outside. It looked beautiful, but he had heard that it was around the time for a storm.

He figured he would start at Sugarcube Corner and start off with cake for breakfast. What Twilight won’t know, won’t hurt her, right?

Spike arrived at Sugarcube Corner and stepped inside. “Hi Mr. and Mrs. Cake, is Pinkie here?” Spike asked the duo. Before they could answer, Spike heard a loud “SURPRISE!” behind him. Spike yelped in shock before releasing a burst of green flame, lighting the candles of a nearby cake.

“Oh… hey Pinkie Pie,” Spike told her as he managed to get ahold. “Morning Spike. Whacha doin?” Pinkie asked him. “I’ve been wondering if Twilight was here. She didn’t come home,” Spike asked her. “Nope. She didn’t stay here,” Pinkie responded in her cheerful fashion. Spike shrugged his shoulders.

There were three other places left to check.

“Well, have a nice day then,” Spike said. “I’m coming along. It will advance the plot,” Pinkie Pie shouted. Spike looked at her for a few seconds before continuing.

Just Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie.

“Okay then, next stop would be Sweet Apple Acres,” Spike said as Pinkie Pie was bouncing along. Spike looked up and felt a drop of rain hit his snout. “Uh oh…” Spike said before the train began coming down. Spike and Pinkie Pie began running as the drizzle became a downpour. Spike and Pinkie Pie entered the nearest building.

“My, my, try not to get my new dresses wet,” said a familiar voice. Rarity had been working on new designs only to see Pinkie Pie and Spike enter her boutique to escape the rain. Spike just had on a goofy smile. “Hey Rarity. Have you seen Twilight? Spike said she didn’t come home,” Pinkie Pie said. “Yeah, I was wondering if she would have been staying at somepony else’s place,” Spike said.

“No darlings, Twilight didn’t sleep here,” Rarity answered, now interested at Twilight’s absence. “Well, that just leaves Fluttershy’s house or Sweet Apple Acres,” Spike said before his stomach grumbled. “Oh… yeah, I didn’t have breakfast yet,” Spike said as he rubbed the back of his head. “Well, I suppose we can all stop by Applejack’s and see if we can have breakfast together,” Rarity suggested. “Yeah, Twilight search party!” Pinkie Pie added.

Rarity’s horn glowed before some umbrellas began floating. “You know, this rain is giving me some ideas for stylish rainwear,” Rarity suggested as they began going out. The rain has softened up so it wasn’t as hard.

As the trio began heading to Sweet Apple Acres, they saw Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash under their own umbrella. “Hey Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash!” Pinkie Pie greeted happily. “Hey guys! Fluttershy and I are going over to Twilight’s to see if the new Daring Do book came out! Wanna come?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“That’s actually why we’re going to Sweet Apple Acres. Twilight’s not at home, so I thought she stayed at somepony else’s house. She wasn’t with Pinkie Pie or Rarity and I’m guessing neither of you seen here since last night,” Spike explained.

“Spikey-wikey thinks Twilight could be with Applejack. Besides, none of us had breakfast yet,” Rarity added.

Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash looked at one another in slight surprise. They were surprised that Twilight wasn’t home since last night.

“Well, I’m sure she’s with Applejack,” Rainbow Dash said while Fluttershy simply nodded in agreement. And with that, the friends headed to Sweet Apple Acres and hoped Twilight Sparkle was there.

“What do you mean she’s not here?!” Spike asked once inside Applejack’s home. The rain began picking up when they arrived so Applejack invited them in. They were going to have a late breakfast, what with not having to water the trees early in the morning.

“Sorry Spike, but Twilight Sparkle isn’t here…” Applejack said as they were at a table. “This is really strange. Where could Twilight Sparkle be?” Fluttershy asked the group. “We should check around her house for clues,” Pinkie Pie said as she pulled out a magnifying glass.

“How about after breakfast?” Spike added as everypony’s stomach grumbled. Rarity and Rainbow Dash looked a bit embarrassed, Pinkie Pie just snickered while Fluttershy just eeped. Applejack also snickered a bit while Spike blushed also.

“All right then. We’ll look for Twilight after breakfast then,” Applejack said before breakfast began being served.

After breakfast, at Twilight’s house

“Anypony see anything yet?” Spike asked as they looked around Twilight’s house for anything. Spike figured perhaps Twilight left a note somewhere and it got misplaced. “Nothing here,” Rainbow Dash said. “Well Spike, I reckon there isn’t anything here to tell us where Twilight is,” Applejack said.

“Do you think something could have happened to her?” Fluttershy wondered out loud. Everypony looked at her as they began thinking the same thing.

“Like what? Twilight was in Canterlot. If something happened, the princess would have known,” Rainbow Dash wondered.

“Yeah, and who would have a grudge against Twilight? I mean, Nightmare Moon’s gone, Discord is still in stone and the changelings…”Applejack began before she paused. Everypony felt a chill. While it was Twilight who saved the day, they didn’t know how and they didn’t ask her.

So the changelings were still out there possibly…

“Y-you don’t those changelings have Twilight, do you?” Rarity asked as the thought filled her and the others with dread.

“Look, let’s not jump to any conclusions. I’ll write a message to Princess Celestia. We’ll the go to the train station and asked if Twilight was any of them here,” Spike said as he began writing a letter.

“And if she wasn’t…” Pinkie Pie asked as her hair drooped to its straight position. Spike held his breath before he let it out. “We go to Canterlot then,” Spike said as he finished the letter and let out a breath of magic fire. As soon as the letter vanished, the ponies and dragon began heading to the train station, all of them sharing a foreboding feeling.

Meanwhile, in Canterlot Castle

Princess Celestia had woken up feeling invigorated. She was unusually happy today. Then again, it was hard to question why. Her niece was married to a good stallion and her student had defeated the changeling invasion. Her student had grown so much… it has been awhile since she spent time with Twilight.

Then again, she did not expect much to happen today. She examined her schedule and considering everyone was recovering from the ordeal, decided to spend the day with Twilight and perhaps even her friends. It has been long since she talked to Spike or any of the other ponies.

However, she did have her duties to perform. As she was reviewing the papers, she noticed there was a gathering of clouds over Ponyville. Somehow, this slightly undid her ease.

After breakfast and examining her paperwork, she saw a message appear. Celestia didn’t expect a letter from Twilight or Spike so soon. She unrolled the message and began reading:

Dear Princess Celestia,

It’s Spike. When I woke up, Twilight wasn’t around at all. Her bed wasn’t unmade and looking at her schedule, she didn’t have any plans for leaving. I thought she may stayed at one of our friends’ homes, but she wasn’t in any of them.

We’re scared that the Changelings may have kidnapped her for revenge since we aren’t sure what happened to them. We’re going to ask the train ponies if they seen her arrive and then we’re going to head to Canterlot,

Spike

Celestia’s expression was one of shock before she reread the letter a few times. A stern and worried expression got on her face. It may have been possible that Twilight had decided to stay with her parents and simply forgot to alert Spike. However, a kidnapping was regrettably more likely considering motive and method. Twilight would not forget to alert Spike she would be staying with her parents so he could adjust her schedule.

But a kidnapping?

Motive: Vengeance

Method: Transformation & Kidnapping

Likelihood: Reasonably high

Celestia began getting her guards together and asked to look around Canterlot for Twilight Sparkle. She could not help but feel the unease in her chest grow.

The guard who had been assigned to contact Twilight’s parents were going back, having found nothing. He didn’t tell much to avoid causing a panic. As he headed to the castle, he saw one of his fellow guards, his younger twin brother, run to his side.

One had gold-colored hair with gold eyes and the other had silver-colored hair with silver eyes. They were both a bright shade of white. The silver haired one also had a gap in his front teeth. Their cutie marks were a gold six-sided star and a silver five-sided star respectably. They were some of the best unicorn guards in Canterlot.

“So, Celestia’s pupil isn’t here. This is troubling,” Golden Star muttered to himself. “So you have bad news to report to tell the princess?” Star Silver asked his older twin,

“Princess Celestia will not be happy hearing this,” Golden Star said as they approached the castle. Star Silver nodded. “What is going on? I mean, I go out to visit someone in Manehatten and I find a ruckus going on,” Star Silver asked. “Will tell you later,” Golden Star said as he approached the throne room.

Star Silver simply shook his head before going to the gardens to look around. Golden Star entered the throne room.

“Princess Celestia, I bear bad news…” Golden Star began as he braced himself. Star Silver reached the gardens before hearing the Princess release a surprising “What?!”

Star Silver had been wondering the garden before noticing an empty pedestal. Huh, that was odd. He wondered what was there before looking around. The only one missing was…

Wait a minute, he was in the restricted section and only one statue was supposed to be here…

“HORSEAPPLES!!” Star Silver said as his eyes widened as he sprinted to the throne room.

”Princess Celestia! Princess Celestia!” The guard known as Star Silver announced as he ran toward the throne room, looking haggard, though not as much as Celestia.

“What?! Maybe it has a connection to the escape!” Star Silver said as he jumped around panicky.

“Discord, m’lady. He is no longer in the Royal Gardens…” he began before Golden Star looked shocked.

Princess Celestia just sat there stunned. She began taking deep breaths to calm down. First Twilight disappearing and so did Discord?! I mean, didn’t the land go through enough?

“What do you mean?” Princess Celestia asked as she managed to calm down. “Well, his statue is not there anymore. I don’t sense his magic either,” Star Silver said before the doors burst opened to reveal the ragged looking group of Spike, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Applejack.

“Princess… Princess… we asked the train ponies and they said Twilight wasn’t on any of the trains,” Spike said as he tried to catch his breath.

“Yeah, was it the changelings that got Twilight?!” Pinkie Pie panicked, somehow being the first to catch her breath.

“Calm down, my little ponies. I fear it was not the changelings…” Princess Celestia said as she looked serious.

“My guard, Star Silver, informs that Discord is released from his imprisonment,” Princess Celestia told the group.

“WHAT THE HAY?!” Rarity said in an unlady-like fashion.

“Maybe he’s the one who took Twilight!” Rainbow Dash said furiously.

“Now hold on, sugarcubes! If it was Discord, wouldn’t we see chaos by now? Applejack intervened as she tried to calm everypony down but was also scared.

While the group was debating between changelings and Discord, Star Silver and Golden Star were talking to themselves.

“Your thoughts, brother?” Golden Star asked Star Silver. “Hmm.. wasn’t Twilight the one who disrupted the rehearsal and then Shining told her off,” Star Silver asked before Golden Star nodded his head.

“Correct. Twilight Sparkle is the younger sister of Shining Armor,” Golden Star said. “Well, maybe she left on purpose. Think about it. I mean, her brother, her friends, her mentor all thinks she’s nuts and left her. Then she ends up saving us all from the changelings,” Star Silver says.

“Hmm… interesting. If they have not apologized, then that would serve as a good reason. After all, the betrayal must have hurt a lot. Although she did act foalish in her approach, she did know Princess Cadance and is Celestia’s pupil. That surely must add some merit,” Golden Star says in an agreeing tone.

“Yeah, she then even saved all of our flanks and we really didn’t thank her…” Star Silver said before both brothers realized something.

It was quiet.

Too quiet.

Slowly, they turned their heads around to see Spike, the rest of the Mane 6 and even Princess Celestia facing them with a mix of horror and shock.

Golden Star and Star Silver faced one another before they facehoofed.

Ooooh colt…oooooh colt indeed.

Chapter V- Effect

A/N: Hey everypony, he's back!!! Sorry I was gone. I got hit with writer's block as well as post-finals anxiety. Well, with my current semester done, all I could do is wait for my grades. Oh boy. Anyways, the contest is still-ongoing. I will try and get into the process of updating this as well as adjusting to the new format. Thank you for having patience and enjoy

Chapter V: Effect

Now, Golden Star was a serious pony. He was the serious one of the duo while his brother was more of the goofball. He had once recalled a situation where his brother was in trouble. Star Silver ended up describing it so silent you could hear a pin drop.

A quirky hyperbole in the opinion of Golden Star.

However, the deafening silence that had plagued the room was perhaps this rarely achieved level of stillness.

It was highly unnerving to say the least. Golden Star faced Star Silver and he faced back. Both brothers were at a loss like the others. They were unaware that the others had garnered attention of their own theory.

However, based on their expressions, it was an idea that was not even in their minds. The idea of someone close to them leaving because of a mistake… it was a piercing thought that shook them up.

Golden Star recomposed himself however. He and his brother were tasked with the return of Twilight Sparkle. However, if the third theory proved true, then the only approach was to let the Princess and Twilight's companions compose themselves. His and Silver's primary directive is to locate Twilight Sparkle and escort her back, safely and soundly. The secondary directive was to investigate behind said disappearance. If it is the third theory, then it would be investigating where Discord has gone to.

Star Silver looked to his brother before Golden Star nodded. Star Silver looked confused before his eyes lit up and agreed. If Twilight Sparkle was to come back and if she left because of the betrayal felt, then to them it was simple.

Princess Celestia and Twilight’s friends would need to confront their side of error and come up to apologize and make amends. They would bring her here only when they were ready.

“…We will leave you to… formulate your plans, your highness,” Golden Star said before he led his brother out and closed the doors. They took a few steps before letting out held breaths.

“I didn’t expect to overhear us… but maybe it was for the best,” Star Silver said to break the awkward silence.

“Agreed,” Golden Star said before he felt his brother give him a hug. Golden Star returned the hug with a soft smile. The epiphany must have reminded them of the fights they had in their youth.

“So, what’s the plan now, bro?” Star Silver said as they continued to walk. “Well, we need to figure out where Twilight Sparkle could have gone,” Golden Star said as he paused to look at a map of Equestria. Star Silver also looked at it.

“Hmm… Well, probably none of the major cities and she couldn’t have gone too far. My best guess could be the woods of Foal Mountain or the Ruins near Everfree,” Star Silver said as his brother nodded. “We should send out some of the pegasi to find any signs of her,” Star Silver added as they continued. As they headed to spread the word, they overheard some of the soldiers berate themselves for failing to notice the suspicious behavior of Princess Cadence’s imposter.

“Looks like hindsight is 20/20,” Star Silver mumbled to himself before he and his brother wondered how the others were taking the news.

Both were unaware that they were near an open window and a certain ruler of the night overheard matters. “I best talk to sister and the others,” Princess Luna mumbled to herself before heading off to the throne room.

Back in the throne room, silence continued to haunt the room. Spike and the rest of the Mane 6 continued to look at one another with shock. Princess Celestia was the first to recover herself.

“My little ponies… I think it is best if we try and… digest this theory amongst ourselves. You are free to wander the castle while we think,” Princess Celestia said carefully. The others simply nodded as they left the throne room. They ended up dividing into pairs. Fluttershy went with Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie went with Applejack and Spike ended up with Rarity. Silence had dominated the room. It was a personal trial for every pony as they had to face up to the errors they committed to one of their dearest friends.

Celestia was looking outside the window, or rather at her reflection. The idea of her student leaving because of their actions was a haunting one. However, the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. She had been recalling some of the troubles her student went through for her sake.

She felt sick to her stomach. She looked to the reflection. She was trying to think of a plan. Something…

Anything!

And yet, all she could do was keep the calm face. The one she wore since…

Since she had to banish Luna to the moon after failing to save her from the influence of the Nightmare…?

Since she and Luna along with their friends against Discord and they were the only ones left…?

Since… she could not remember anymore…

For what seemed like an eternity of confusion and silence, Celestia stared at the cool mask she had been wearing since possibly fillyhood. However, something or rather someone broke the silence.

“Celestia? Are thou okay?” a familiar voice said.

Celestia turned around to see her younger sister, staring at her with concern. “I overheard from the guards what had transpired,” Princess Luna said as she came over to Celestia.

“…I am ashamed of myself, Luna. For the last few days, everyone had been in such a rush to accomplish matters for the wedding that we let the Changeling Queen fool us. Not only that, but my niece was trapped in those caves for several days and worst of all, when Twilight pronounced her suspicions…” Celestia began saying, but she found herself unable to finish to her statement.

Unable to voice to express her failure in her student.

Princess Luna remained quiet. She didn’t know much about Cadence so she could not voice her judgments well. “But… surely, Twilight Sparkle did not know Princess Cadence that well, although I confess in not knowing her well” she suggested.

“That’s right. Cadence was Twilight’s foalsitter. They even have a song and dance they performed each time they saw one another, a memory Twilight never forgot. Beyond that, Cadence was able to take any demanding task and perform it with her characteristic warmth and kindness. Compared the amount of days that we spent with the imposter and her behavior and the few hours we had and how the real Princess Cadence behaved,” Celestia explained as she thought back.

The differences were there in plain sight, with the only person to see it was Twilight Sparkle.

Her faithful student, yet she did not return the faith. She trusted her to bring her back her sister and to stop Discord. To do the tasks that Celestia could not do.

“I wished her luck in stopping Discord and I had faith in saving you, but only now I grasp what I was asking her to do. To be honest, Luna, it terrifies and sickens me. I sent six little ponies to fight against Discord, the Spirit of Chaos. I let them take my place to play his twisted games,” Celestia said.

“Our place, sister. I cannot imagine the ordeal Twilight and her friends underwent to stop him,” Luna said as she stepped closer to Celestia.

“I am supposed to protect Equestria from threats. Yet it seems like the only one who has been doing was Twilight and the others. Have I grown so… so…?” Celestia said as her calm front began to deteriorate. She couldn’t think of the word. Weak? Dependent?

“Sister…” Luna said before Celestia gently put her hoof on Luna’s mouth, determined to try and finish what she was saying.

“After I sealed you in the moon, I had grown lonely. I long practiced to put up this calm front, but Luna… I was scared without you. Looking back, I realized there must have been something I could have done to save you without having to seal you in the moon. Then again, I used the Elements myself… only me…” Celestia said as she looked down.

“All those centuries… I was lonely. Only having myself, I did my best for our kingdom and subjects, but it was with great difficulty. I cannot remember the last time I went out to do something fun for myself until… until I met Twilight,” Celestia continued.

“Just having her there, how she looked up to me and how much she has done, it was wonderful for me. The opportunity to see her grow filled a void in my heart. However, I didn’t want her to grow up alone like me. While she had Spike, she needed to learn the Magic of Friendship. She had met her wonderful friends that I had managed to meet,” Celestia struggled as the first tears began to fall down.

“She was the first joy I obtained in all these years and yet I let her down. Even yesterday, when it came to stop Chrysalis, it was not me who stopped her, but it was Twilight. All that time, I should have appreciated having her…” Celestia said before she couldn’t continue. She stood there as she let tears go down her eyes.

Celestia could no longer control herself and let her mask break. She let all the emotions she locked fall through over all the events that had transpired with Discord, Luna, the Nightmare Moon incident, the loneliness that came with it, meeting Twilight, seeing her sister come back, unable to do nearly anything as her little ponies were tortured at the hands of Discord and now at the suffering her niece had through and the heartbreak she had put her student through.

Luna could only watch her sister before she rushed and enveloped her sister in a hug.

Celestia was caught offguard before she embraced her sister back and let herself cry. As she began calming down, Luna began to speak once more.

“The guard, Star Silver… he said that hindsight was 20/20. I did not understand what that meant so I asked another one. He told me that looking back, we were able to reflect on the mistakes we made. Many of the guards themselves express disdain toward themselves for not catching on sooner,” Princess Luna began before looking at her older sister and wiping a tear from her eye.

“Princess Cadence holds no grudge against you. I believe Twilight Sparkle holds none against you. She idolizes you. Everything will turn out all right,” Princess Luna said as she smiled. “She is a good pony and I am sure she will forgive you and her friends,” Luna said. Celestia managed to smile back as she wiped her tears. She faced the window.

She dearly wanted to see her student again and spend time with her, not just as mentor and student, but also as friends. Yet, Celestia could not calm the guilt within. As she looked to her rebuilding kingdom, she reflected on her actions or lack of. She began worrying not just for Twilight Sparkle, but also for Spike, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy also.

She couldn’t afford to remain the same.

“Rainbow Dash?”

Rainbow Dash snapped out of her silent depression as she turned to her companion, Fluttershy. They had been silent for a long time as they began heading to the palace gardens. Rainbow Dash had been debating that it was Discord since it was Twilight who saved them…

Then they overheard the theory.

The guards were just a bit too loud and they grew curious as they overheard more and more until it unfolded before them.

Rainbow Dash was not comfortable in the slightest. Then again, neither was Fluttershy.

“Uh… Rainbow?” Fluttershy questioned her once more. Rainbow Dash was aware but didn’t know what to say.

“…Let’s fly a bit,” Rainbow Dash mumbled. Rainbow Dash then went into the sky followed by Fluttershy. They didn’t traveled that far up. In fact, Rainbow Dash just flew high enough to get a cloud before coming down near the top of the castle and sulking on her cloud. Fluttershy got a cloud of her own and went to Rainbow Dash.

The two pegasi remained silent until something caught Fluttershy’s eye. It was Philomena. Fluttershy couldn’t help but smile at seeing the phoenix fly. Rainbow Dash also noticed her.

“I’m glad she is well. I remember when I tried to cure her. Nothing seemed to be working. Then Twilight found and she tried to help me get her back…” Fluttershy said as watched the firebird fly around the rooftops of Canterlot Castle.

“Yeah… Twilight always helps us when we need it…” Rainbow Dash as she buried her head in the clouds. She could feel bile, warm and slimy, oozing up her throat, but she kept it down. She was trying to hold it together, but failing miserably.

Memories of her time with Twilight played in her head... Some good… some bad…

Then came the match of Discord…

It was without a doubt one of her greatest shames.

Not only was she the one to make them lose the ‘game,’ one with the prize not even involved, but she was the last one to be cured…

She clutched the cloud she was on as the first of tears were spilling out.

She remembered discussing with the others of what to do with Twilight…before they found out the bride was an imposter… She was the one say that Twilight needed to make up for the trouble that happened… that they were going to give her a serious talk…

Then this occurred… her words seem quite cruel…

Contrary to what they had spoken, they were the ones who needed to be forgiven…

“Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy said as she looked at her friend. Rainbow Dash looked up to see the concerned look on Fluttershy’s face.

“Oh, what have we done?!” Rainbow Dash said in an outburst, frightening the shy pegasus. However, shock turned to concern and sadness when Rainbow Dash enveloped Fluttershy in a tight embrace.

Fluttershy looked down as she slowly hugged her friend back. She knew that for all of Rainbow Dash’s arrogance and brashness, she still has an inner part of herself that was terrified. If she failed, if… if…

“Fluttershy… I… we…” Rainbow Dash sobbed out before burying her head back. Fluttershy could not do much but hold Rainbow Dash. After another while, Rainbow Dash sat back and hiccupped.

“…Twilight needed us… and I… we failed…” Rainbow Dash began as she wiped her wet eyes. Fluttershy said nothing though she felt her own tears begin coming down also.

“It was just like the Smartypants incident. She was suffering from something and we didn’t take her seriously,” Rainbow Dash said as she curled up into a ball while on the cloud.

“She was always there for us… for me. She stuck by us, through everything. And yet… I’m ashamed of myself, Fluttershy,” Rainbow Dash confessed to the meek pegasus.

“There we were, arguing about what to do with Twilight, how about how she had to make it up for the outburst, but now… we were the ones that messed up,” Rainbow Dash said a bit louder. “I’m supposed to be the Element of Loyalty. But… I let her down… twice now. Now, she’s in danger or she’s mad at us and its all of our fault!” Rainbow Dash said louder still as she buried her head in her hooves.

“…You’re not the only one who let her down. We all did,” Fluttershy said as she recovered from Rainbow Dash’s minor outburst. Rainbow Dash looked up to see her friend also look downcast. “I’m the Element of Kindness, but… I didn’t show any kindness to her. None of us did,” Fluttershy muttered as she also looked down.

Silence dominated the area once more. The area also darkened slightly from the clouds that blocked Celestia’s sun.

“Looking back, we made a lot of mistakes, haven’t we?” Fluttershy muttered as she looked up at the sky, gradually being filled with clouds.

She had taken the word over a stranger over one of her best friends. Granted, Twilight did get a little flighty, remembering her reaction on what Celestia would have done regarding her pet phoenix. At the same time, Twilight seem to have known Princes Cadance. She was also the smartest one and while she may have the tendency to exaggerate facts under duress, she wasn’t a liar.

But now she was gone… Twilight Sparkle was gone from them…

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy looked at one another before Fluttershy realized something.

“…But we can’t give up,” Fluttershy said as her eyes widened. Rainbow Dash saw the change of expression on Fluttershy’s face. “Just because I was unkind to her then… that doesn’t mean I can’t be kind to her now and fix this…” Fluttershy said with a realizing tone. “Yeah… I mean… loyalty means not giving up… I’m not giving up on Twilight. I’ll apologize everyday… I’ll even write it in the sky every day!” Rainbow Dash said as she began cheering up. She then hugs Fluttershy who hugs her back.

“It’s odd… normally you’re the forgiving one, but I also see you’re the first to ask for forgiveness,” Rainbow Dash commented on her before looking down in slight shame.

“It’s something I noticed about you, Rainbow Dash. You show a lot of humility…” Fluttershy said, much to the confusion of Rainbow. “It’s hard for you, but the fact that you still try is important…” Fluttershy told her. Rainbow Dash smiled and felt reassured.

However, both pegasi girls felt something was amiss however as they flew back to the palace...

Chapter VI- Consequences

A/N: Hey everypony! Sorry it took so long, but I had to get into the character's heads and the holidays are stressful! I hoped everypony enjoyed them! As a gift, enjoy this lengthier chapter.

Chapter VI: Consequences

Star Silver stood on the castle grounds waiting for the messenger he sent. According to the report, there was a zebra named Zecora who lived in the Everfree Forest. She has occasionally been seen in the company of Twilight Sparkle and her friends; she has also been reported to be well-versed in potion-brewing and alchemy. Star Silver decided to recruit her in the search for Twilight Sparkle.

He sent a messenger who was not only from Ponyville, but who had prior experience of the mysterious Everfree Forest to request for Ms. Zecora's assistance.

Meanwhile, Golden Star was checking up on some of the search parties. While they had not found traces of her, they found other interesting sights. One particular track was that of what could be gathered as a large crawling insect… like a caterpillar. Furthermore, they found traces of chitin, specifically the type found in changelings.

However, Golden Star remained steadfast in not jumping to conclusions.

He turned to see Star Silver walking to him. “The messenger should be here soon. I hope Zecora has a potion or serum that would allow us to track her down,” Star Silver said as he stood near his older brother.

“I believe so. Meanwhile, we wait for the rest of the Elements to recompose themselves as well as Princess Celestia,” Golden Star said before he noticed his brother getting a dreadful look.

“Hey bro… who’s going to tell Captain Shining about this?” Star Silver asked nervously. Golden Star let out a breath.

“Perhaps if we are lucky, this could be mended before Shining becomes aware. He is still recovering from the Changeling invasion… not to mention the rumors I have been hearing about Princess Cadance and her cutie mark…” Golden Star says after a moment of silence. The brothers await the messenger to return, mulling of what lies ahead.

“…Pinkie Pie? Sugarcube, you all right?” Applejack asked as she and her fellow Earth pony went off in their own direction. Applejack was feeling, well, like a rotten apple. However, at this moment, she is more concerned about Pinkie Pie. The cotton candy mane had flatten and straightened and the rosy mare’s face uncharacteristically has a deep and remorseful frown.

Applejack knew however that everypony, including the Princess, were feeling down in the dumps about this realization.

Pinkie Pie seemed to not snap out of her trance however. This got Applejack even more concerned. As understandable as it was, Pinkie’s current mood was just too unsettling for the farmer pony.

Applejack tried to think of how to get Pinkie Pie to stop sulking. However, while both ponies were in thought, a guard was walking by, eating a banana. He aimed the peel at the nearby bin, but he missed.

Instead, it was in the path of Miss Applejack, who promptly slipped and fell on her face.

Smf..

Snicker….

Pinkie Pie began laughing and her mane went back to its cotton candy-like style as she laughed. Applejack laughed with her, feeling a burden being lifted and despite being slightly in pain, hearing Pinkie Pie’s laughter and the overall dreadful atmosphere cheerfully vanished by the laughter of the mares.

Eventually, all good things must come to an end and Pinkie Pie and Applejack stopped laughing. Pinkie Pie remained silent for a few minutes before hugging Applejack. “Thanks Applejack, I needed that,” she said. Applejack just hugged her fellow Earth pony back.

Maybe matters would go back to normal…

No…

They wouldn’t until they confronted this…

They can’t lie to themselves or pretend this didn’t happen…

“Pinkie Pie… when we were talkin’ about Twilight actin’… like how she was with her brother, what were ya thinking?” Applejack asked her. She recalled Rainbow Dash’s firm beliefs on her behavior as well as Rarity. While Applejack stated that all she needed was a stern talking-to, Fluttershy and Pinkie really didn’t say anything.

Pinkie Pie’s mane deflated slightly once more. Despite her discomfort on discussing the subject at hand, she picked up from Applejack’s expression that this issue will not go away and she needs to do this for Twilight.

“To be like you, Applejack…” Pinkie began before Applejack looked at her confused. Pinkie let out a slight giggle. “I mean honest, because you’re honest, so when I said ‘to be like you,’ I mean ‘to be honest,’” Pinkie elaborated, bringing a small smile to Applejack before Pinkie continued.

“Like I was saying, I didn’t know what to think. I did think Twilight was being silly, but then I remembered how I felt when Twilight didn’t believe me about Gilda. I did sound silly then so I really didn’t say anything because I didn’t know everything about it,” Pinkie Pie explained.

Applejack stood quiet for a moment. Pinkie Pie followed them with the rest, preoccupied with the wedding arrangements with everypony else. She wondered if Pinkie’s silence was because of her hindsight on the similarity of the situation though with reversed positions.

“…Applejack, I feel bad about all of this. We hurt Twilight. We all thought she was silly, but she was right. We were wrong, so we were the silly ones, and not the good silly,” Pinkie Pie stated, breaking Applejack from her stampede of thought.

Applejack felt lower than an earthworm’s tummy. “I reckon… I also feel pretty rotten. I keep thinking to how frantic she was and compared to all the times she helped me out… Twilight’s a smart cookie, even if she can act a bit nutty. She’s not the type to lie about this,” Applejack said as she tried to face her own guilt.

They all knew they all had a fault in this, even Twilight for her reaction. But they never apologized for it… Twilight made up for her mistake by saving everypony from the changelings.

Applejack always viewed herself as reliable and doing her best to help anypony who needed it… but it seems that she failed the one pony in her direst hour… one who was reliable to her no less…

“Where are we?” Pinkie Pie asked suddenly. The girls had been wandering the halls for awhile now. Applejack snapped out of her musings as they continued to look around. Pinkie Pie then lit a little bit.

“Oh, I know where we are! We’re at the wing of Starswirl the Bearded!” Pinkie Pie pointed out. Sure enough, ahead was the gate where the time spells were held among other powerful magicks.

“How do you reckon that, sugarcube?” Applejack asked Pinkie Pie. She didn’t know much about Starswirl besides him a powerful unicorn that Twilight respected. “I was here with Twilight and Spike when that big future-disaster thingy happened,” Pinkie Pie responded.

Applejack remembered that. They all trusted Twilight when it came to the safety of the town. Twilight’s hobby of making lists helped a lot during the Winter Wrap-Up and she showed it off again when they were looking over the town over anything that could have led to a disaster.

Despite it was Twilight acting all panicky about it, she had reason to be and despite the fixings not stopping the so-called disaster, it was still important and she managed to lead everypony through it. Compared to how she was at the wedding, it was pretty dang unusual of her. That usually meant it had to be something REALLY bad.

“It’s funny in a mean way, but we all trusted Twilight with the town when that big event happened, but we didn’t when it came to her. Twilight’s not a selfish pony and when she panics, she always has reason to be…: Applejack said.

“That’s not funny, Applejack,” Pinkie Pie stated as the girls moped for awhile. However, Pinkie Pie faced the wing and she got a smile. “We can’t be sad anymore though. We have to make things happy again. We’ll apologize to Twilight and then have a big ‘We’re sorry we didn’t believe you’ party and then a ‘Thanks for saving our flanks’ afterparty!” Pinkie Pie stated. She remembered how she helped out with Twilight coming in here. She wouldn’t give up until she was sure things were all right.

Pinkie Pie always kept on going to help out.

Applejack looked at the enthusiastic mare with her own smile. “You’re right Pinkie Pie. No more feelin’ sorry. It’s time to do something. When a pony messes up, ya gotta own up to the responsibility,” she said before Pinkie embraced her.

Applejack hugged back before they turned back to walk to the throne room.

“Integrity!” Pinkie Pie shouted suddenly. “Pardon?” Applejack asked her. “It’s the word of the day of the calendar Twilight gave me for my birthday. It means ‘self-respect.’ Now that I think about it, that fits you Applejack!” Pinkie Pie said as she trotted along happily.

“I guess it does,” Applejack said, learning a new word. “Ya don’t give up in trying to cheer ponies up, do ya? You have a lot of…” Applejack said as she struggled to remember the word. She once heard Uncle Orange use the word.

“..Perseverance? Yeah, that’s it!” Applejack said as she smiled back. “Thanks! I don’t know what perseverance could rhyme with, but I could find something with integrity!” Pinkie Pie said as she giggled as the mares headed back to the throne room.

Twilight woke up as she noticed the storm seems to have paused for the time-being. She got up and looked up to see Anomaly also stirring. He rolled out of bed and began stretching while Twilight observed. She turned toward the window of their makeshift dwelling. The changelings had covered themselves in a slime to protect themselves from the rain.

“Looks like the rain is done,” Anomaly says before grabbing the changeling in the jar and stepped out into the plain. Twilight followed and looked at the stone dome. “Anomaly… we can’t stay in that little place,” Twilight said as she looked around.

Anomaly nodded. “You’re right, we need a permanent headquarters,” Anomaly said as he faced the sky. There was no choice. He needed to use a greater amount of the power given to him.

Which meant he would need to tell Twilight Sparkle the truth.

“Twilight… before I do this. I have to tell you the truth. About my powers…” Anomaly said as he was in the clear opening. Twilight Sparkle leaned her head forward slightly. The changelings were mostly asleep, but the one in the jar was also listening.

“I’m listening…” Twilight said, feeling anticipation and anxiety from the possible answer.

“It has to do with Discord…” Anomaly warned her as he waited for her reaction. Her expression went of shock to fury before she went and tackled him to the ground.

“ARE YOU DISCORD?!” she shouted at him as she clutched his head and gazed at him with righteous fury.

It all makes sense… The Changelings, how he knew this, his powers… Twilight told herself before recalling what Discord’s first words to them were.

What fun is there in making sense?

No…

Anomaly wasn’t Discord. There was no chaos rampant, Ponyville is safe and he really has not done anything…

And he had a very offended look on his face at the notion of being said Spirit.

Twilight realized she jumped to conclusions too fast and didn’t give him the opportunity to explain himself. She blushed as she got off of him and mumbled an apology.

“…No. I know him however. He is the reason I am here, however,” he said as he sat down. Twilight sat down next to him.

“My kind, we call ourselves human. We are part of the primate family and yet, we are quite different than most ving primates. I guess you can picture us as minotaurs, minus the bovine traits,” Anomaly begins as he looked at the cloudy sky.

“I’m from a different world entirely. One where magic is either dormant, inaccessible or a myth. In my world, nature takes care of itself, much like the Everfree Forst,” Anomaly says as he waited for Twilight to ask any questions.

Twilight smiled for the first time in a while. She observed him with a look of intrigue and fascination as she studied him. He was from a whole new world?! The fact there could be no magic also made things more fascinating.

Her smile became giddy as her mind raced with the possibilities for this entire new branch of research. Twilight was so caught up in her fantasies that she remained unaware of Anomaly’s stare at her.

Anomaly sighed before summoning a bucket of water and splashing it onto her, causing her to shriek before giving him a glare. Anomaly sheepishly smiled before drying her off.

Twilight’s glare vanished as she decided to research him later. However, she never heard of humans. How did Discord know?

Discord was arguably the oldest surviving being in Equestria. The only known ponies to have still lived during his reign were the princesses. Then again, Twilight wondered if he ruled only the area or also the entire world.

“How did Discord know?” Twilight asked Anomaly. He shrugged his shoulders before facing the plains. “I don’t know. All I know is that he dragged me here to take his place,” Anomaly said. “I don't have the slightest understanding of how magic here works. With Discord's magic, I just seem to let it flow...” Anomaly added before he sighed and rubbed his temples. This lack of knowing worried him. Then again, it seemed like many matters were worrying him. He seem to be becoming more and more adjusted to the magic, but he feared the true might of this unique magic.

“…You’re not Discord," Twilight said, breaking him from his anxiety. He turned toward her.

"Discord wouldn't care about anypony he hurts or the consequences of his actions. He just uses his powers to treat all of Equestria like his personal playground. You care about others. You're not like Discord. So... don't worry so much," Twilight told him while giving him an awkward smile.

Anomaly looked at her before smiling back and facing the plain and waved his arm and let his imagination take over for the creation of the new base. He seem to realize something about Discord's magic. You don't fight it. You let it flow. You go with the flow, take it in and redirect it. He took a breath as he let himself go of fear.

Twilight examined the extraordinary construction of their new home with awe. She never saw Discord really do much, reality simply seem to go to pieces as his wish. Anomaly is content to let his creations have a beautiful birth.

She saw all sorts of cogs, flanges, springs, sprockets and overall gears form from the earth below. They swarmed together like bees to form all sorts of simple contraptions that grew larger and larger as they combined with additional and more complicated parts. Anomaly was glowing with a big smile on his face as he moved his hands like a conductor orchestrating his symphony of steel.

Speaking of, large plates of steel appeared as if woven like cloth and began covering the complicated innards. Within seconds, a massive clockwork half-sphere, the bottom half, was formed. Anomaly’s smile indicated he wasn’t done yet. By a mere wave of his hand, stone and metals flowed like putty toward the flat top and began being molded and shaped. The gears continued to flow toward the stone structure as they turned from large lumps to towering and complicated castile-like structure.

With each passing second, the monumental clockwork castle became more finished as wooden structures also formed. As the floating structure’s details were finalize, Anomaly snapped his fingers and large trees sprout out like wildfire. Thick, almighty and everlasting, they grow to four certain openings of the underbelly of the stronghold.

The remained floating machinery parts then dropped to the floor before scattering like everlasting swarms of insects to the trees and buried themselves into the trees. As they did, the trees became less organic and more machine like as they stabilized and the finishing details of the palace was done.

Twilight could only stare in awe as the giant clockwork moving castle he had created for them. The changelings looked at Anomaly with reverence; Queen Chrysalis no longer mattered to them, once seeing the power of this being, he was their new leader.

“I present the Clockwork Castle!” Anomaly said to the flabbergasted audience. He snapped his fingers and castle’s legs lowered down as a staircase unfolded itself. Up close to where they could walk to it, Twilight saw the palace in more detail. Easily rivaling the palace of the princesses, it could fit in the Duke of Crawlington with ease. Anomaly carrying the changeling in the jar while Twilight followed and so did the Duke, carrying all the others.

Once inside, the stairway retreated and the castle leaped into the air. Twilight, near a window, examined the action. When the castle was in the air, the legs folded under the dome before large wings unfolded from the sides of the castle along with propellers and proceeded to lead the castle into flight.

Twilight's head was buzzing with thoughts from the recent relevations she learned. While she would normally spend the next few hours attempting research, she simply felt too mentally exhausted and needed to absorb everything. Sensing her fatigue, Anomaly led her to her room. When she opened it, she couldn't help but show him a smile of appreciation; the room was done in a library style. Having her bed along with table, writing supples and such, there were also numerous books for her to read. She went to the bed and fell asleep. Anomaly looked at the changeling in the jar before seeing the Earl drop the net and heading to his designated area.

“I think I will call you Iaiunus… it means hunger in a famous dead language from my world…” Anomaly says to the newly christened Iaiunus. “Though when I’m done with you and your friends, you’ll want to change your name,” Anomaly said as he entered a massive laboratory.

He placed Iaiunus out of his jar and let him fly for a bit. “All right. Before I can get to work, I need to warm-up…” he says before placing his instructions to Iaiunus on what to retrieve.

“Rarity… you okay?”

Rarity snapped out of her stupor by the sound of Spike’s voice. While Rarity normally threw dramatic anguishes over misfortunes, she was surprisingly silent during this unfolding. Out of character for her and Spike knew it, hence his further concern for her.

Spike himself is feeling very somber. Two of the most important girls in his life were in deep trouble, with Rarity reeling from the possible cause for Twilight’s disappearance as well as Twilight herself being gone.

“NO! Of course not!” Rarity said out loud before she covered her mouth in mild horror. Spike’s sudden flinch followed by his sadder expression caused her to pause. She then gave Spike a quick hug. She did not mean to upset Spike, yet she had because she placed her own feelings before his.

Just like she and everypony else placed the priorities of the party before Twilight’s feelings.

This was not the first time she placed her own feelings above those of her friends. She recalled when she visited Canterlot and befriended Fancypants. She began making essential business connections and showed those other uppity ponies that she was like them and she was even invited to Canterlot Garden Party. She chose her business connections and the party over her beloved friends and Twilight’s birthday party. Despite that, Twilight showed no hard feelings and even understood the importance of the connections.

This made Rarity all the more ill when she thought about it.

The dress…

The plain yellow dress that was Twilight’s gift… it suited her better than any of her original plans. Her original plans were ornate, even gaudy. That wasn’t Twilight.

She is practical, simple and comfortable, much like the dress.

The lavish dress plans was not created out of the gift for Twilight, but out of her need to prove a point to the upper class.

That was just her errors however. What about the ones they all committed toward her? Surely, the ‘Smartypants’ incident was one that they still think about from time to time. Then again, they were still recovering from…

Rarity shivered at the time they said never to speak of again before turning toward Spike, realizing she had been neglecting her little Spikey-Wikey.

Spike’s concern is just as important as hers and perhaps even greater because of their closeness. Therefore, Spike would seem to be in more pain over his transactions.

“Sorry about that, Spike. No… I am not okay and I take neither of you, dearie,” Rarity answered to him as they continued walking throughout the palace. Spike simply sighed before nodding.

Spike felt bad. He left Twilight, even if he wasn’t sure of what had been happening. Unlike the others, he knew Princess Cadence, if only offhandedly. However, he wasn’t there to observe the fake behavior. To be honest, he felt more or less out of the loop for the whole wedding.

Despite this, he let Twilight down. She is more than a friend, she is his sister. When she needed him and the others, he abandoned her like the others. He could not help but recall the incident he had when Twilight acquired her new owl assistant.

He felt like his purpose was robbed, that she would no longer need him and kick him out. It is his nightmare, his greatest fear. Would she kick him out when she came back? Or rather… will she come back?

“Spike, where are we?” Rarity asked Spike, snapping him from his musings. Apparently, they wandered out of the actual palace and into the gardens. Specifically, near the palace labyrinth. Spike saw Rarity shivered and he instantly looked around to see what could be causing her discomfort.

His eyes laid rest on a lonely looking pedestal as he tried to remember what once stood in the pillar.

Not a ‘what..’

But a ‘who’

Discord, the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony

Spike recalled encountering the draconequus only once and that was with Twilight’s insistence he take Rainbow Dash’s place as the Element of Loyalty. Thinking back, it may have worked… after all, he was still loyal to the other ponies. He remembered being frightened, however he escaped the cruel trickery that was incurred on his beloved Rarity, Twilight and the rest of his friends.

“…It’s funny. I once told my friends that we should never speak of this again…” Rarity pointed out with a brief chuckle.

“Rarity…” Spike muttered as he eyed her with concern.

“However, I never told that to you Spikey-Wikey, so I can talk to it about you,” Rarity added before she took a breath.

“Well, from what I want to talk about right now, I remember seeing this big rock as a big beautiful diamond named… Tom,” Rarity said as Spike listened.

“What bothered me wasn’t just that I saw that big rock as a diamond… but that I considered a diamond more important than my friends. I’m supposed to be the Element of Generosity, but I am so… selfish all the time,” Rarity confessed before hugging Spike for support.

Spike stood in shock before hugging Rarity back.

“You are the Element of Generosity, Rarity. I mean, it’s like you said, you’re selfish… but, BUT,” Spike emphasized upon seeing Rarity’s raised eyebrow.

“You don’t let that stop you. You overcome that burden and be one of the nicest ponies I know,” Spike told her before Rarity gave a tearful Spike.

“Oh Spike…,” Rarity could only say before giving another hug. “You know… you don’t have to hide it. You’re hurting more, but you’re putting on a brave face for everypony,” Rarity said as Spike blushed

“Mare’s intuition, darling,” Rarity replied as she waited for Spike to speak. Spike sighed as he looked down. “Twilight’s like my sister and I always been with her. I do my best to not let her down… but I let her down big time,” Spike confessed.

“Oh Spike, you made a mistake we all did, now its time we make up for it and send all the apologies to Twilight Sparkle,” Rarity said as she remembered Twilight’s words. “It’s like she said, ‘Friendship isn’t easy, but it’s worth fighting for,’” she described with confidence. Spike smiled as he gazed admiringly at the mare who held his heart before nodding with a determined look in his eye.

As they trotted back to the palace, Spike was thinking of something. “You know Rarity, one thing I admire about you is that you are so forbearing,” Spike told her. “What’s that, Spikey-Wikey?” she asked him curiously.

“It means patient, moderate and in self-control,” Spike defined before sighing. “Twilight made me read the dictionary as punishment for something,” he said sheepishly before Rarity blushed.

“Thank you, but I am not that. I am such a… drama queen,” Rarity confessed as she blushed. “Yeah, but you always hold yourself up and know when to stop a fight,” Spike added, causing Rarity to smile again.

“You know Spike, Twilight should appreciate a more trustworthy gentledragon like yourself,” she said with a giggle as they walked toward the palace.

“You’ve returned, messenger,” Golden Star said to the pony.

“Yes. Zecora is coming over. She claims to have a potion that when activated with a charm, will allow us to see different types of magic. We will be able to find Twilight Sparkle through her magic signature,” the messenger, nicknamed Grankuwaga, replied.

“Thanks, Grankuwaga!” Star Silver said before the messenger smiled and went off. Golden Star looked at his brother.

“He likes the nickname,” Star Silver answered as he shrugged his shoulders.

Chapter VII- Crystal Empire Pt 1

Twilight awoke from her slumber. Her bed was unlike her bed at the library or the back of the Duke. She got up and looked around. There were books upon books on the shelves as well as a large telescope for observatory reasons and even her own lab. She could not help but smile.

“He’s such a caring goof,” Twilight said to herself about her… master. She decided to step out and marveled at the interior of the castle. The halls were decorated with amber-colored metals and beautiful mahogany floors. She noticed there are more empty rooms in this hall. She walked through before ending up in a massive room. She could see the beautiful view from the enormous window in front. She saw several desks and equipment around.

“Morning Twilight!” a sudden voice said as she was hugged from behind.

Twilight Sparkle made a loud ‘Eep!’ before turning to see her laughing master. “Very funny, D Anomaly,” Twilight Sparkle said as she rolled her eyes. D Anomaly is still dressed as he was a few days ago.

“It’s almost time for breakfast!” D said cheerfully. He looked less troubled and more vibrant. “It’s time for all of us to eat something!” D said as Twilight got a puzzled face. “What do you mean all of--” she began before D made a loud whistling sound with his two fingers. A blue blur came into the room and landed on Twilight.

Twilight turned her head to see a beautiful azure-colored bird. “I had Iaiunus find me a phoenix. This guy is pretty old and had turned to ash when he arrived. I then decided to place the ashes in flames before making the fire into… negative fire, or cold flames. The ashes turned to snow white and he arose like this” D stated proudly. Twilight stood in awe at the ice phoenix as it looked around before flying off to an interesting collection of strange items. She then faced D.

Knowing the truth of his powers, but not much else, she knew that he is capable of powerful acts. In this case, he made flames that instead of giving off heat, removed it and ended up changing a phoenix from a firebird to some sort of ice bird.

She felt giddy and terrified at the prospect of what else he could do.

They were on large pedestals with a plush cushion or stand was there to hold the item. Over the item was a glass container. Twilight walked over to examine these strange items. “I couldn’t go to sleep so instead I decided to create my own magical items,” D said as the ice phoenix observed the one it was perched on.

Inside the case rested a large gem. Shaped as a heart, it reminded Twilight of a fire ruby though it was smaller than the one Spike gave Rarity. It was… prismatic. It changed color constantly. It changed color upon Twilight’s fascination.

“I call it the Empathy Heart. This is perhaps one of the most powerful objects created,” D Anomaly told her as he admired it with pride.

“What’s it do?” Twilight stated, her researching compulsions acting up.

“I’ll show you,” D Anomaly said as he phased his hand through the case and grabbed the gem. He channeled emotion into it and held out for Twilight. Cautiously, but excitedly, like about to test a brand new spell for the first time, Twilight proceeded. She placed her hoof on the gem and felt a rush of emotion flood over her.

She felt happiness.

She didn’t know why, but she felt really happy. She felt joyful, mirthful, and just so fun-fun-fun!

Twilight got a hold of herself as she realized she said the latter out loud. She blushed a lovely shade of pink as D chuckled mirthfully.

“Empathy, Twilight Sparkle,” D said as he let the gem float in his hand while staring at it with reverence.

“Do you what empathy means? Give me the definition,” D asked her expectedly. Twilight wracked her mind for the definition of the word from her time of reading the dictionary as a minor hobby.

“Empathy- the intellectual identification of the thoughts, feelings, or state of another person” Twilight said automatically, causing D to raise an eyebrow. He understood what that mean, but hoped she wouldn’t just copy it

“Uh, Twi, how about in a better definition,” D replied, causing Twilight to raise an eyebrow in response, but decided to give another one.

“The capacity to understand another person's point of view or the result of such understanding,” Twilight stated before realizing.

“You’re telling me that the Empathy Heart allows one to share emotions with one another?” Twilight asked incredulously.

“Close, Twilight Sparkle. The Empathy Heart allows the wielder to share experiences and emotions, being able to feel and understand what it is like for the other person. It is very powerful and frightening aspect when you dwell on it too long. Despite that, a lot of good can from this,” D says before putting the Empathy Heart back in its case.

“The others are not as good, but they are still unique,” D says as he shows off a few of the other trinkets he made. One was called the Song Soul, a wisp-shaped glass about the size of a banana. D explained that it allowed one to play powerful music.

“Music is powerful and has magic of its own,” D explained cryptically before admitting he did not fully understand it.

Another was a large cube with colored gems on the side. The cube itself was white while the gems were on golden and ornate bezel settings. The gems were red, orange-yellow or goldenrod as D called it, green, light blue, purple and magenta. They reminded Twilight of the Elements of Harmony.

“I call it the Tranquility Cube,” D says as he observes it with a critical eye. “I made it in case Discord ever came back and messes with the Elements…” D says as he looks it over.

“A cube… six sides… six elements of harmony…” Twilight notes as she makes the connection.

However, she notices D’s… lackluster look. “Something is lacking… I just know it,” he mumbles before walking to the final item.

The last item is a very strange one, Twilight thought immediately as she looked at the strangely shaped item.

In human terminology, it resembled a vajra of Buddhism lore. Unlike most vajras, which had three, five, or even nine spokes, this one has twelve at the end. The vajra is gold-colored while the spokes had small gems of differing origins. In the center, it was a pearl that swirled of differing colors.

“This one… I do not remember what it does. However, from the little I recall from my inventing frenzy, is that it involves magic, so it is probably best you don’t go near it until I remember how it works,” D advised Twilight. She nodded as she took a step back. She noticed that the ice phoenix observed each one of the items while sitting on their glass containers, it seem to avoid the final item.

“I think… I called it the Mirariclavis…” D said before Twilight turned to him. “What does that mean?” she asked him. D could only shrug his shoulders. “Well, I better get to work for breakfast. I’ll make us pancakes,” D said cheerfully before going to the kitchen, carrying a cookbook and… a history book?

Twilight watched him go off before seeing the ice phoenix go to her. She lifted her hoof and let the ancient and unique bird land on it. “D hasn’t given you a name yet, has he?” Twilight asked the icy bird. He looked to her and nodded. “I think I will call you Elder. D says you must be an old phoenix,” Twilight told him before hearing a loud sound.

She jumped before looking around. She found a glass rectangle, a monitor. It was of the Duke of Crawlington! Twilight noted he grew even larger and more colorful. He also had a collar of fur around his neck.

She then faced the window and saw something extraordinary…

Princess Celestia smiled as she saw her little ponies come back, smiles on their faces. “Well everypony, it appears we all learned something important about friendship. When your friend Zecora arrives, she will assist us in finding Twilight Sparkle,” Celestia announced to them before seeing a messenger arrive.

“Your highness, your highness,” the messenger pony nicknamed Grankuwaga announced to Princess Celestia before pausing to catch his breath.

“A hundred apologies, your highness, but it has returned…” Grankuwaga told her as he kneeled. Princess Celestia looked surprised before she began getting the guards ready. Her face became solemn as Princess Luna also entered.

“Princess Celestia, what’s going on?” Spike asked her upon seeing the sudden news. “My little ponies, the Crystal Empire has returned,” Celestia announced to them.

"What is that?!" Twilight cried out as she pointed to what she saw through the window. D Anomaly rushed to see the marvelous sight before him through the window and his expression darkened. He had read this through one of the books.

"It is the Crystal Empire, Twilight... and I think it has a connection to Princess Cadence..." D Anomaly began before Twilight looked at him confused.

“Don’t be surprised. In fact, only reason I know is luck. One of the books I summoned happened to be a well-preserved journal, apparently from someone whose’s family once lived in the Crystal Empire,” D explained.

Upon seeing the confused faces, Princess Celestia began to explain. “To be honest, my own knowledge of the Crystal Empire is limited,” she began as she made a certain crystal hover over to present a hologram of the Crystal Empire.

“From what I do know, is that it contains a powerful and ancient magic. However, all of that changed when, 1000 years ago, a powerful unicorn with a heart as black as night took over…” Celestia elaborated.

“His name was King Sombra. From what it was described in the journey, the citizens were enslaved and despair ruled the kingdom. Ultimately, he was turned to shadow and banished to the northern ice by Celestia and Luna,” D told Twilight as he paraphrased and summarized what the journal said.

He then looked out the window. “I betcha the Princesses will send your friends over to investigate along with your brother and Princess Cadance,” D said before Twilight gave him a suspicious look.

“What does Cadance have to do with this?” Twilight asked.

“To be honest, not sure. She’s a Princess and her cutie mark is some sort of crystal heart so there’s probably a connection,” D said while shrugging his shoulders. However, he then realized, what will he do about this. He looked to Twilight.

Should he let her go?

On the one hand, that would mean letting her go and if Celestia recognized that mark, he would be in loads of trouble. On the other hand…

Helping her friends, her family…

It was the right thing to do…

SiNcE wHeN dId We CaRe AbOuT tHaT

…since always… that is my way…

“…I won’t stop you. The Kingdom’s in Northern Equestria, near the icy areas,” D Anomaly told her as he faced away.

“You sure?” Twilight asked after a brief pause. She recalled on how she could no longer go back and yet he was letting her go back. Part of her wanted to ask why he could not come and investigate matters, but she didn’t want to push it.

“Yeah, go help out your friends,” he told her before he began walking off. Twilight stared at his retreating form. She wondered how his life was back on his world. She quietly trotted to him before hugging him, much to his shock.

D Anomaly froze upon receiving the hug. Back on Earth, he was a very huggy person, but the only people who bothered to hug him back were his family. So getting a hug from someone… not of family… but…

But…

A friend…

“Thanks… Twi,” D told her as he gave a small smile before giving Twilight a scarf. “It’s cold. You better get going,” D told her as Elder landed on her.

“I’m taking Elder with me,” Twilight told Diego before she began heading out. D Anomaly looked back at her, specifically the mark. He snapped his fingers as it made itself invisible. Besides serving as a mark indicating her loyalty to him, it would allow to know when she was in trouble.

D wondered about what to do next before hearing his stomach growl. D ran back to the kitchen to serve himself some breakfast. However, thoughts of his new friend made him ask questions.

“Uh… how do I get there?” Twilight said as she returned, realizing she went ahead without a plan. “I’ll teleport you there. However, have some breakfast first,” D told her. Twilight and Elder along with D Anomaly settled for breakfast.

“I still feel like I should have gone with them, sister,” Luna stated as she saw the train go off toward Northern Equestria. “Without Twilight Sparkle, it seems like the group will not do well,” Luna explained before turning to Celestia.

“I know your fears, but I trust them. Not only that, I feel Twilight Sparkle will go over there. I have faith in my student,” Celestia said with a hint of pride. Looking back, she thought of the accomplishments her student underwent and decided to show more appreciation toward her student.

“Princess Celestia, I present to you, Zecora of the Everfree Forest,” Golden Star said as he introduced the zebra.

Zecora approached before bowing. She had great respect for the monarchs and it was interesting to meet them for the first time.

“First of all, I want to thank you for taking care of my little ponies, Zecora,” Celestia said in a friendly tone.

“No trouble, for them, I am a friend. I wish to help you and the others amend,” Zecora spoke in her native rhyming style as she did a quick bow.

“And I thank you for your kindness,” Celestia said as she walked over to her before facing the window where the Crystal Empire laid.

“You said you can concoct a solution to aid us in finding Twilight Sparkle,” Celestia asked.

Zecora nodded. “With the aid of this potion and amulet charmed, we can find her before she is harmed,” Zecora proclaimed before she took out the mixture and the amulet.

“You stated you needed a hair of Twilight Sparkle?” Celestia stated as a manebrush was floating. The violet hair from it levitated into the mixture before Zecora dipped the amulet in it. The amulet glowed and caused the potion to spread in a mist. The amulet emitted a light to show off the magical aura.

Zecora was then lifted to the back of Celestia as she began flying to find the trail. Luna remained behind to keep an eye on the events. Celestia followed the trail. It went from Ponyville, but then all the way to the distance where she saw an unknown structure.

She saw some of Twilight’s magic flow to it. Celestia began flying there to investigate. Zecora herself had a strange feeling about the place.

D Anomaly sensed strong magic. He excused himself while Twilight decided to wash the dishes. She enjoyed the breakfast. Elder flew to D’s shoulder before D opened a hatch. He nodded and Elder flew through the hatch and exited through an opening of the castle.

Elder looked around and saw the Princess and Zecora. It then flew down, leaving faint ice crystals and went to D Anomaly.

“It’s her, isn’t it?” he asked the ice phoenix. Elder nodded. D sighed. He needed to get Twilight Sparkle over to Northern Equestria before

“All right, I’m done with the dishes,” Twilight said before she trotted back in. D then gave her a scarf. “Here, it will protect you from the cold,” D said as he placed it on her. Elder then went onto Twilight’s back.

“…D Anomaly?” Twilight asked.

“Yes?”

“…If my friends see the mark, what should I do?”

D remained silent before he turned to her. “Whatever you think is right,” he confessed to her after a moment of pondering.

Twilight stood there before she let out a small smile and nodded. “D… Don’t worry. Everything will be all right. We’re friends, right?” she said.

D turned to face her suddenly. His face is a painfully obvious mix of shock, happiness and gratitude. He then puts his own small smile. “Yeah,” he said before he got his fingers ready.

Twilight took a moment to observe the mix of emotions on D’s face. Her words seem to have impacted him greatly.

D snapped his fingers and Twilight and Elder were gone to where the others were. However, he also vanished, deciding to investigate another matter.

Shining Armor could say he felt lousy… if he wanted to make an understatement. He was on special potions to help cure him of the effects that that Changeling Queen had on him. After being awaken, he was out cold for a few days.

When he got up, he asked to be briefed of the situation. Hearing how Twilight saved the day, he wanted to go and apologize to his sister for everything that transpired. Unfortunately, he was still ill and the fact he was here in the field was only because of sheer importance of the matter.

That and he snuck out.

“So, you’re Shining Armor?”

Shining Armor was snapped out of his musing as he turned to see a mysterious figure walking beside him, in a black cloak.

Shining Armor became suspicious. After all, this stranger appeared out of nowhere and was on two legs, not making him a pony. His size meant that he was no dragon either.

What was he?

Meanwhile, D Anomaly examined Shining Armor. Just from the circles in his eyes, the slight green tinge and the posture meant the guy was pretty tired.

Looks like he hasn’t healed. Why is he here?

“Why are you out here in this area?” D Anomaly asked Shining Armor.

“I’m here to examine the Crystal Empire’s reappearance. You’ve seen it, right?” Shining Armor said. Despite his exhaustion, he was examining the mysterious man’s every move.

D simply nodded before Shining let out a lamentful sigh. “I’m also here because I need to apologize to my sister,” he added. D raised his eyebrow in interest.

“I said some things I shouldn’t have said and just… well I have wanting to say sorry, but I have been in the hospital for a while, getting my strength back. Only now I was able to leave,” Shining explained, carefully choosing his words.

More like sneak off. But… he snuck off and came here to be with his wife and to apologize to Twilight D thought to himself. He confessed he did not put much blame on Shining, his judgment impaired by the mind toxins of the Changelings, but the fact he still went out and said it.

“…Here,” D Anomaly gave Shining Armor a thermos filled with… soup? It was warm and filled with veggies. “This will help you feel better,” D stated to the Captain. Shining took a small sip before smiling and took some more.

“Thank you…?” Shining stated before seeing that he was gone. He was reminded about the strange figure Cadance mentioned…

As he levitated the thermos, he saw a note on it,

“Thank you.”

Spike and the others shivered as they began making their way away from the train station and through the blizzard.

“Hey! Heyy!” a voice broke through the wind. The girls and Spike looked to see Shining Armor.

When he arrived, he noticed a certain lavender mare was missing.

“Hey, where’s Twilight Sparkle?” he asked them. Spike and the others looked at one another. On the train, they discussed what to do in case they were asked about her.

“She’s um… arriving later!” Rainbow Dash stated while the others nodded with what she was saying.

“…Y-yes. Twilight will be here soon enough…” Fluttershy added, though she was shivering from the cold.

“All righty then,” Shining Armor stated. “We better get going. This is a dangerous area,” Shining said as he led them.

“Why, what’s out here besides cold?” Applejack asked.

“Let’s just say that the Crystal Empire isn’t the only thing that returned…” Shining said ominously as he led the group through the across the frigid wasteland. However, great billowing towers of black smoke appeared as an evil face appeared from them.

“It’s King Sombra!” Spike pointed out, recognizing the frightening face from the hologram that Princess Celestia showed them.

The ponies began running toward the empire and the dome surrounding them. Spike tumbled and fell, but he was levitated onto Rarity’s back as they continued being pursued by Sombra.

Shining Armor turned and attempted to launch a beam of magic at it, but he dodged and attempted to attack Shining. Before he could plunge at the prince, another burst of magic hits Sombra from the side and causes him to growl in pain.

Shining Armor, Spike and the Mane 6 turned to see who was it and big smiles were on everypony’s faces.

It was Twilight Sparkle.

Chapter VIII- Crystal Empire Pt 2

Chapter VIII- Crystal Empire Pt 2

Everypony was stunned on seeing the scarfed and brave-looking lavender mare standing defiantly against the dark apparition of the monarch that haunted the Crystal Empire millennia ago.

Twilight Sparkle was sure that despite the boost giving to her by D Anomaly, she would not be able to fight King Sombra. However, she shot out another burst of light, blinding him

“Everypony, let’s go!” Shining Armor commanded as everyone began heading out, including Twilight Sparkle. They entered the barrier.

King Sombra snarled before he chuckled. From the miasma of darkness, a secondary pair of green eyes glowed and chuckled as dozens of eyes glowed in the miasma.

“Sparkleriffic!”

Pinkie Pie’s ecstatic yell broke people out of their fright as they gazed as the beauty and marvel that was the Crystal Empire. As they trotted, Shining Armor then went and hugged his little sister.

“Shining?”

“Twi… I’m sorry. For not believing you about the imposter and all those things I said and for not keeping touch and… and…” Shining Armor began ranting on in a frenzied and rushed manner that was reminiscent of Twilight Sparkle herself.

She smiled a tearful smile before she hugged him back. “You weren’t yourself… I am so happy everything turned out all right,” Twilight stated, brother and sister tearing up.

Spike and the other mares were doing their best not to tear up. While the scene did enhance their guilt, it also reinforced their resolve to apologize and make it up to her.

With everyone in lighter spirits, they trotted over to the empire, where they marveled at the crystalline architecture, mostly Rarity. However, even the wondrous scenery was not enough to distract them from what they had to do.

When they arrived at the Crystal Palace, they saw an awfully tired Princess Cadance. However, her expression lit up when she saw Twilight. They went toward one another and did their special song and dance before laughing.

Shining Armor looked visibly relieved while the others looked on also. Unfortunately, they were also painfully reminded of the doubt they presented when it came with Twilight and her belief regarding Cadance, well the fake one.

“One of these days, we need to get together when the fate of Equestria isn’t hanging in the balance,” Princess Cadance joked before she accidently faltered in her keeping the barrier.

“Are you okay?” Twilight asked her worriedly.

“Cadance has been able to use her magic to spread love and light. That’s what seems to be protecting the kingdom. But she hasn’t slept and barely ate,” Shining Armor says before he presents a thermos filled with delicious soup. His worried look convinces Cadance to take a much-needed drink and she feels herself feeling better.

“I feel better. What was in that soup?” Cadance asked Shining.

“To be honest, I don’t know. Some strange bipedal being appeared out of nowhere, talked with me and handed me the soup. Kinda strange, but friendly,” Shining stated. Cadance raised her eyebrow before her eyes lit up and realization. Apparently Twilight also realized it before both girls turned toward one another and giggled.

Twilight’s friends wondered what they knew about that, though Shining did not heed much to it, there were more pressing matters to attend to currently.

“Well, with Cadance feeling better and with me alongside her, we will be able to protect the empire for the time being. However, the attack force has been getting stronger and we even seen the shield being drained or something,” Shining stated as he went alongside his wife and enhanced the power of the shield through their love.

“But I reckon y’all need a more permanent solution,” Applejack stated. Shining nodded. “Well, that’s why I’m here, to help out,” Twilight stated.

“Why we’re ALL here, Twilight,” Spike stated as her friends approached. After not seeing them for what felt like ages and the possibility of truly never seeing them, she was bottling up all the emotions. Unbeknownst to her, her friends were also on the verge of emotional outbreak, especially Spike.

They made the plan to try and investigate the rest of town. Twilight noticed Elder had gone to fly off around. She figures he will be back soon. They attempted to ask and prod any hints, clues or answers from the gloomy-looking townsfolk.

The results were at best inconclusive. However, one thing was for certain. Something has caused these people to lose that spark of life; they trembled at the mere thought of Sombra and were not able to remember their lives before that accursed era.

With nowhere else to turn, they entered the library. Twilight went to ask the librarian, however, she wasn’t much help. She apologized before she left them alone in the library. The group, most of all Spike, watched her leave.

An awkward silence invaded the library.

Before anypony could do anything, a loud and guilt-ridden sob shattered the peace.

A shocked Twilight saw her number-one assistance dart toward her and embrace her while he was letting a torrent of tears. This caused the others to start tearing up, including Twilight Sparkle.

“I’M SORRY, TWILIGHT! I’M SO SORRY!” Spike sputtered out through tears as he hugged her tight. Twilight, tearing up, hugged him back.

“Spike…”

Before Twilight could say anything else, Pinkie Pie bawled before she hugged Twilight Sparkle. This caused Rarity and Fluttershy to follow suit. Unable to contain it, Rainbow Dash and Applejack finally let out their emotions and they joined the large hug for Twilight.

All seven friends were immersed in the hug as they let out all the pent-up grief, regret and sadness.

“WE’RE SO SORRY, SUGARCUBE!”

“PLEASE FORGIVE US, DARLING!”

“WE’RE SORRY WE DIDN’T BELIEVE YOU ABOUT EVERYTHING OF THE WEDDING AND THAT WE DIDN’T LISTEN TO YOU AND THAT WE DIDN’T THANK YOU FOR HOW AWESOME YOU WERE!”

“WE’RE SORRY THAT WE WERE SO MEAN AND MADE YOU ALL SAD!!”

“P-PLEASE FORGIVE US!!”

Afterwards, any coherent words dissolved into tearful blubbering as Twilight was overwhelmed with the emotions before she used her magic to levitate them off of her gently before she brought them into a big hug.

“OF COURSE I FORGIVE YOU ALL! YOU’RE ALL MY VERY BEST FRIENDS!” Twilight stated with tearful eyes, but a big grin on her face. Soon the group was all smiles once more and they once more embraced. Each felt a massive weight from their shoulders as they were all together again.

It took awhile for everypony to get a hold of themselves.

“So what happened? Where did you go?” Spike, being the one to ask. Twilight began thinking. Should she do it? D trusted her…. Then again… she trusted her friends. It was the miracle of friendship.

She took a deep breath as she pondered how to even begin explaining this to them. She saw Elder the Ice Phoenix fly into the library and led them to a private corner in the library. The others were in awe before Twilight signaled for them to follow her.

"Girls, I have to tell you something," Twilight stated once they were all in private. The group gathered closer to hear.

"Ooh! Ooh!" Pinkie Pie said excitedly, raising her hoof while jumping up and down. "Does it have to do with Discord?" she asked.

"Yes it does as well as what really happened on the wedding," Twilight Sparkle said, giggling at Pinkie's antics and feeling the trust in her friends. Her horn glowed and the mark appeared on her flank.

Spike and the others looked at the mark. “What is it? Some kind of new cutie mark?” Spike asked her.

“No, it’s the mark of... my new friend…” Twilight began before she explained her tale.

How she met D in the caverns, how he helped find the real Cadance, his power boost her gave Twilight to defeat the Changelings, his backstory and how it related to Discord, his marvelous creations and how she ended here…

“That sounds… SO AWESOME!!” Rainbow Dash stated as she gave a look of amazement.

“Yeah! This is great, everypony! We now have someone to protect us! Ooh, but that just means somepony else will come for the Worf Effect,” Pinkie Pie stated in her usual excited tone.

“Well sugarcube, we’re happy to have you here to help us with all of this, but I wonder why he just doesn’t solve all of this?” Applejack asked, wondering about Twilight’s new friend.

“Well from what Twilight said, he seems to be afraid of using his power too much. Especially since Discord could come back,” Rarity reasoned after a moment of thought.

“Well, he certainly does sound nice, if not a bit strange. I think we should give him a chance. He used his magic so far to do good,” Fluttershy added.

“Yeah. Though I imagine he’ll probably be nervous about meeting the Princesses,” Spike seem to add before he cleared his throat. “Now that Twilight is with us, then we’ll be able to protect the Crystal Empire for sure,” he added before he saw Elder go and land on his head. He laughed and so did everypony else.

They saw Elder pointing his wing at a shelf, specifically at a certain book. Twilight levitated it out to see the title.

“History of the Crystal Empire. I just hope it has the answers we need,” Twilight Sparkle stated as she levitated the book to the table and they flipped throughout the pages.

“A Crystal Fair. Established by their first queen, it became their most important tradition. The fair was held every year to renew the spirit of love and unity in the Empire so they could protect from harm. My friends and I could put it together. Everything we know is in the book,” Twilight stated. Shining Armor and Princess Cadance gave their approval before Spike closed the book and they headed to the main room to the read the book.

Twillight Spakle: Princess Cadance needs our help

Her magic will not last forever

I think we can do it

But we need to work together

We have to get this right

Yes we have to make them see

We can save the Crystal Ponies with their history

Rainbow Dash: It says that they like jousting

Rarity: They flew a flag of many hues

Applejack: Made sweets of crystal berries

Fluttershy: They had a petting zoo with tiny ewes

The Mane 6 and Spike:

Oh we have to get this right,

Yes we have to make them see

We can save the Crystal Ponies with their history

Pinkie Pie: There was a crystal flugelhorn. That every pony liked to play

Twilight Sparkle: And a Crystal kingdom anthem. Can you learn it in a day

The Mane 6 and Spike:

Oh, we have to get this right,

Yes we have to make them see

We can save the Crystal Ponies with their history

Celestia has returned to Canterlot along with Zecora. According to Zecora, the magical signature disappeared from the area though it shined to the area… of the Crystal Empire. Princess Celestia showed a bit of relief, seeing that Twilight Sparkle headed there over to help her friends, her brother and her sister-in-law.

As she looked alongside Zecora where the Crystal Empire laid, Luna walked to the other side of their sister.

“I should be there with them, sister,” Luna stated after a moment of silence.

“I have faith in Twilight Sparkle and her friends,” Celestia responded as she faced her sister with a smile, who after a moment, smiled back.

Zecora also smiled, feeling a bit odd being with the two princesses. However, something told her something was ahoof. She wasn’t sure, but she swore she saw a tall and strange structure while she was riding with Princess Celestia.

However, she decided not to voice her concerns just yet. Everyone was on edge as the seven heroes traversed in the Crystal Kingdom to protect it.

“Hear ye, hear ye. Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor do cordially invite you to attend the Crystal Fair!” Twilight announced with said couple behind them waving to the ponies.

The Crystal ponies began enjoying themselves for the first time in a thousand years. Everything was going as predicted and things were looking up. However, some ponies were expressing disbelief at the Crystal Heart, much to the interest of Rainbow Dash.

“Of course we have it! Can't have a Crystal Fair without the crystal heart, right?” Rainbow Dash claimed when asked about the Crystal Heart before seeing the librarian come over.

“Of course you can't. The whole purpose of the Crystal Fair is to lift the spirits of the crystal ponies, so the light within them can power the Crystal Heart, so that the empire can be protected!” The librarian crystal pony stated before she gasped and exclaimed “I do work at a library!”

Rainbow Dash and Applejack looked at one another in nervousness. “W-what's that about 'powering the heart'? “ Rainbow Dash asked nervously.

“I just can't believe you found it. King Sombra said he'd hidden it away where we would never see it again! I only hope it will still be as powerful after all these years!” The librarian stated before going off for some funnel cake.

Rainbow Dash winced before she flew over to the Crystal Heart and covered it with a large cloth. When Twilight Sparkle came to protest, Rainbow Dash told her the shocking news.

The Crystal Heart was in fact an actual relic. Twilight Sparkle feverishly searched the book only to realize the last page was torn out.

Twilight Sparkle ran to Princess Cadance and Shining Armor to announce what she discovered.

“I didn't know it was an actual relic! The book didn't mention anything about the crystal ponies powering the heart! I wish I noticed the missing page!” Twilight Sparkle said with a pout.

“It isn’t your fault, Twilight,” Princess Cadance told her with a smile before Shining Armor pointed out that the shield was faltering.

For a brief moment, they saw holes in the shield like swiss cheese before it faltered and saw the grim winter storm outside along with the sound of a ghastly roar.

In the distance, they spotted a large miasma of darkness with the green eyes and crimson horn. Next to him, there were feminine green eyes surrounded by insectoid eyes.

“Chrysalis and the Changlings?!” Twilight Sparkle screamed, reflecting the shock of everypony else as Sombra began charging at the Crystal Empire.

Princess Cadance looked to her husband and both nodded before they used their power to recreate the large shield, blocking the charge.

All that made it through was a chunk of King Sombra’s horn.

“I didn’t think Chrysalis would team up with Sombra, based on the fact Sombra seems to feed on fear… Then again, I suppose with the Changelings, they feed on the love and all that’s left is despair and fear, allowing Sombra to rein.

Pretty ingenious.

D Anomaly watched through binoculars the situation from a balcony while wearing a thick coat. He was currently beyond the boundaries of the Crystal Empire. After Northern Equestria and the Crystal Empire, he sees mainly some mountains and frosty areas though he does seem to notice settlements.

He doesn’t know the name of the northern lands beyond Equestria or if they are part of the territories of the Crystal Empire.

He lowered the binoculars and began thinking…

Could he change things with a snap of fingers?

While Discord was powerful, the Elements took him down. The Crystal Heart will take down Sombra while the love would blow away Chrysalis and the Changelings.

You’re going to help them…

D Anomaly looked in the direction. They had to take care of this themselves. And yet… He looked around his massive clockwork stronghold, currently in hiding. He could help Twilight for the time being but sooner or later…

He will have to make a choice…

Remain in shadows forever or become the Chaos…

No… there was his choice…

The right choice…

Even if he was afraid

D Anomaly smiled before he decided to learn what he could of the Empire. He snapped his fingers ad what replayed him was what Celestia knew. He saw her perform the dark magic and he shuddered a bit.

He know had a clue of what this Sombra character was capable of. D Anomaly snapped his fingers before vanishing.

Twilight Sparkle had set out to find the Crystal Heart while her friends were in charge of keeping the Crystal ponies happy so they could wield the Crystal Heart. Rarity was in charge of the stands, Applejack was guarding the fake Heart and Rainbow Dash just roped poor Fluttershy into jousting with her as a distraction with Pinkie Pie just doing whatever she could to keep the Crystal Ponies happy.

Twilight and Spike entered the castle. “This is probably the best place to start looking, but how do we start?” Twilight wondered out loud.

“Perhaps I can be of assistance.”

Twilight and Spike saw D Anomaly literally emerge from the shadows. Spike hid behind Twilight briefly.

“Spike, this is D Anomaly. D, this is Spike, my number one assistant,” Twilight Sparkle stated as Spike nervously offered his hand to shake.

D bent his knees and shook Spike’s hand. Spike visably relaxed as he saw the strange figure. “All right. The others probably told you about Sombra, but here’s the conversation that Princess Celestia gave to your friends,” D said before Elder flew into the room and landed on Anomaly’s arm.

D stroked Elder’s head before it opened its mouth and played the scene of what Celestia explained. Twilight observed the magic show Celestia used before she turned to the large crystal throne.

“Hey D, you think you could use the… dark magic that Celestia used,” Twilight Sparkle stated. He looked at her and nodded. He sighed as his eyes glowed and his arm became surrounded with the dark magic. D Anomaly grit his teeth as he felt the sensations from the magic before he fired a ray at the large crystal on the throne.

D Anomaly, Twilight Sparkle and Spike saw the large black crystals appear and the staircase heading down.

“Thanks D…” Twilight Sparkle began before seeing that he disappeared with Elder flying above. Spike rubbed his eyes. “He does that a lot, doesn’t he?” Spike pointed out after a moment of silence. Twilight just rolled her eyes.

“Spike, stay here, all right?” Twilight Sparkle stated as she headed downstairs. Spike sat down and crossed his arms as he waited for her.

Twilight Sparkle took a breather as she finally made it down all the stairs. Much to her chagrin, the door was also enchanted, moving and hopping around each time she tried to get closer. She paused as she remembered Celestia’s usage of the magic as well as seeing the effects from when D used it. She took a breath and began channeling the dark magic that she saw the two perform.

Her eyes turned green.

Her horn began emitting the dark magic before she launched a shot of the dark magic at the door in front of her, enabling it to open it.

Fluttershy was trembling as she looked at Rainbow Dash across in the jousting arena. She was particularly fond of this idea, especially considering who she was facing. She knew Rainbow Dash wouldn’t go all out, but she enjoyed the show and Fluttershy was not one to want to do this.

However, that was not the only thing that worried her.

Beyond the evil King Sombra, she had heard rumors from her friends that the Changelings, including their Queen, allied themselves with him. While she had faith that all of them will pull through, she was still worried.

She saw Rainbow Dash’s confident smirk, but Fluttershy knew she was nervous. Pinkie Pie was being extra peppy and cheery to try and distract the ponies, especially when they see the barrier starting to break apart once more.

Applejack began losing her nerve as she did her best to shield the fake Crystal Heart from the eyes of the Crystal Heart.

Overall, everypony was on edge and they were hoping Twilight would hurry up.

Nightmarish.

Twilight could only describe the scene with that word and in her opinion, it was a complete understatement.

All around the area, the landscape was twisted and turned around The laws of physics went out to lunch along with the laws of nature… literally. All around, she could see ponies, dragons and griffins all in great suffering and agony. She ran all around as she saw her friends and family all twisted and mixed with all sorts of things.

Her friends… they were all Discorded and mutated… Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and even Spike… there were warped into beings made of animal, vegetable and or mineral, all with the maddened looks in their eyes.

It was too horrible for her to describe. She shrunk back and covered her eyes before she heard cacophonous laughter. She looked up to see the figure in charge.

It was D Anomaly.

Looking like a mix of a human and draconequus, he floated above her.

His evil grin revealed rows of fangs. He retained his human shape but also had several parts from different animals. A bat wing and raven wing were on his back, which seem to have part of a turtle shell. He had deer antlers and ram horns on his head. His right arm was a large tiger claw with sharp claws. His other arm was a massive claw, with sharp jagged fingers under the claw, as if wearing a gauntlet. His right leg was one of the jaguar and his left leg was one of a velociraptor. However, he also had a set of spider-like legs emitting from his back and a long snake like tail covered in barbs and ended with the tip of a scorpion’s.

His hands had threads of light connecting to his puppets:

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Both had looks of despair on their face as the crimson sky switched through night and day.

Twilight Sparkle begged for it to stop. Wishing he would snap out of it. For D Anomaly was no longer there, but Discord, using his cobbled body as a new suit.

“Twilight…”

“TWILIGHT!!!”

Spike’s voice shattered the illusion as Twilight shook her head. She noticed her eyes were wet and she wiped them before she took a breath to regain herself.

“I know you told me to stay up there but you were down here for such a long time and you weren't answering and I got worried so I came down here and you were just staring at that wall and... I was calling your name, but I couldn't seem to get your attention, and- What were you looking at?”

Spike cautiously approached the closed door before he opened it. His eyes glowed red with pupils.

“No, No, NO!!! PLEASE TWILIGHT… DON’T… I BEG OF YOU!!” Spike began shouting before Twilight slammed the door shut and noticed Spike crying.

“King Sombra used his dark magic on this door. A gate to your worst fear,” Twilight said before she saw Spike still shaken up. She wrapped her hooves around him to comfort him and also admitting herself.

“You say you didn’t want or need me anymore… that you were going to get rid of me…” Spike confessed. Twilight Sparkle simply hugged him closer.

“That fear will never come to pass. I’m never going to get rid of you. You’re my number 1 assistant and one of my best friends,” Twilight Sparkle stated, her words causing him to smile and in turn, he smiling back. Her disappearance must have shaken them all up. She herself was still feeling tense and she supposed that there were more frightening things than disappointment.

“And we’re going to stop King Sombra and the Changelings!” Twilight Sparkle exclaimed with reinforced vigor. Recalling the positive magic she saw Celestia do, she did the same onto the door, resulting it in revealing the real door.

What laid ahead were…

More stairs.

King Sombra really knew how to safeguard his weakness.

“Spike, I would really like it if you came with me,” she asked him. Spike nodded as he eagerly followed Twilight up the seemingly endless stairs.

Meanwhile with the others… matters were not the best at all. The charade was exposed though they manage to convince that the Heart was in reach, though that little to soothe the Crystal Ponies.

Especially with the following events.

King Sombra has broken through once more and the Changelings were rampaging the area. However, the Crystal Ponies didn’t seem too worried about them. Not having gone through the experience of the Changelings, they were not as frightened of them.

The Changelings themselves were hesitant to attack also. After all, many recall the beating the ponies gave them. Rainbow Dash began using her jousting lance to swat as many as she could out of the sky. Applejack herself used whatever she could or even just buck one at a group of them. Pinkie Pie brought her classic party cannon and began assaulting the Changelings. Rarity began showing off some her own attacks, mainly in levitating some nearby crystals and using them to knock into Changelings. Even Fluttershy managed to spook them by using her famous Stare.

All of this seem to stir some confidence into the Crystal Ponies.

However, the hopeful atmosphere seem to shatter upon the arrival of the Changeling Queen.

“Hello, my little ponies” Queen Chrysalis hissed as she sneered at the ponies.

Princess Cadance looked to her husband and he nodded before they went to the battlefield. Queen Chrysalis simply smirked at seeing the duo.

“If it isn’t the Crystal Princess and her prince. You two are no match for a real King and Queen,” Queen Chrysalis stated with a chuckle before, from the shadows, emerged King Sombra, who growled at them.

Princess Cadance and Shining Guard simply held hooves as they prepared for the fight of their lives.

Twilight Sparkle groaned as she stopped to rest. She and Spike were climbing for awhile and they were getting nowhere. Twilight Sparkle took a breath.

“Maybe its endless stairs. We need some way to get up fast,” Spike stated as he caught up. Twilight Sparkle looked at the mark and remembered she does have a boost.

“Spike, remember those gravity spells we practiced?” Twilight Sparkle reminded him with a smile. Spike nodded before she performed the spell and began riding the underside of the staircase.

After a while, they reached where the Crystal Heart was located. Twilight and Spike approached and attempted to get it. However, King Sombra was alerted.

He growled in anger before he got hit in the face with a well-placed hook from Shining Armor. King Sombra disabled Shining’s unicorn horn before summoning large black crystals to trap Twilight Sparkle.

“The Crystal Heart is mine!” he said in his growling voice as the large black crystal began heading to the palace.

“Spike, you need to give the Crystal Heart to Cadance,” Twilight Sparkle stated as she gave it to him.

“But Twilight…”

“Go! Everypony is counting on us!”

Spike began sliding down and headed to Cadance. Before she could fly over, she was tackled viciously by Queen Chrysalis, who’s Changeling army held captive the Twilight’s friends.

“And so it ends…” Queen Chrysalis says as King Sombra headed to Spike, intent on devouring him and the Crystal Heart. In his haste, Spike tripped and was headed to the malevolent unicorn tyrant.

Spike managed to grab the heart before he…

He vanished.

Literally, he was swiped out of the air.

A cloaked blur grabbed him before landing on the ground. The shockwave emanating resulted in Queen Chrysalis being knocked back along with Sombra.

Queen Chrysalis was about to screech at whomever dared to attack her only to realize the all familiar shape and she trembled.

Spike held the Crystal Heart and headed to Cadance as he performed a double-take to see who saved him from falling.

The entire area was in surprise as D snapped his fingers and cured Shining Armor of the affliction.

“Who is Tartarus are you?!” King Sombra snapped, his patience finally lost and seeing his moment of victory snatched by this strange being.

“Who am I? WHO AM I!?” D stated as he smiled, dying to do this.

“I’m gonna tell you something important so you better dig the wax outta your ears and listen close!” D stated very loudly and with dramatic gestures no less.

“The reputation of my friends and I echoes far and wide! When they talk about their awesome leader, the one with indomitable spirit and courage, they’re talking about me, the mighty D Anomaly!” D stated as he dramatically pointed to the air.

Twilight Sparkle stared with a mix of shock, a bit of annoyance and a slight amount of awe. Her friends also had differing levels of the previously mentioned emotions while the Crystal Ponies were snapped out of their depression.

King Sombra closed his mouth before opening again.

This fool…

“You dare and mock me, foolish being?” King Sombra stated.

“No, I was just the distraction,” D Anomaly stated before a massive glowing appeared.

The Crystal Ponies stared in awe at the return of the Crystal Heart and the one holding it, their Crystal Princess.

“The Crystal Heart has returned. Use the light and love within you to ensure King Sombra does not,” Princess Cadance declared as the heart flew to its pedestal. She then went there with Shining Armor and Spike. As the Crystal Ponies began using the love within, they regain their vivid colors as well as their crystal pattern and bow before their princess and prince. A bright blue light covers the ground around them and spreads throughout the Empire. The Crystal Heart begins to spin, generating a blinding sphere of light that engulfs the empire.

Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor gazed at one another amorously before they used their love also with the Crystal Heart.

The sphere glowed even brighter before a massive shockwave with the field of light blasta and destroys Sombra. D Anomaly quickly flew and grabbed the horn, trapping it within a jar before grabbing a hair from Chrysalis, who looked undignified and shocked at her second defeat.

He stamped “Loser” on her forehead before he spray-painted her chedder yellow and watch her fly off. He noticed his crystal pattern and saw everyone was all right. He went to the palace where he flew down Twilight Sparkle to her everypony else who embraced her. He watched the scene and smiled without a care in the world for the first time since he arrived.

Lastly, the blue light shoots up the empire's central tower and bursts into a massive shockwave resulting in a gorgeous display of many ribbons of light arcing across the sky. They reminded D of the Northern Lights… well kinda. To compare, the Northern Lights were like retro Gameboy graphics and this was beautiful HD quality that is beyond awe-inspiring.

The shockwave and light show traveled across the landscape, even through D’s stronghold. The Empathy Heart glowed an immense multitude of colors before it settled down. Lord Crawlington looked surprised while the Changelings in it stared at it with awe.

The ribbons of light shine across the sky and are visible from Ponyville and Canterlot. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna see that the ponies have won the battle, and they gladly touch their horns together. Zecora smiled and even did a little jig.

The Crystal Empire was safe.

Chapter X- The Magic of Renewal

Golden Star and Star Silver walked on the bridge established to check on Anomaly. It has been around two weeks since he settled in Equestria. Despite that, he kept mainly to himself, either teleporting himself directly to the homes of his friends or remaining in his castle and doing what he calls ‘preparations.’

“I wonder if we checking on him has to do with the fact he is kind of a hermit,” Star Silver asked his brother. Golden Star himself did not know, though he surmised that to be the most likely answer.

“From the observations we made, he seems to be afraid of rejection,” Golden Star explained. Star Silver nodded. While he grown used to the human, he figured that it would take a while for everypony else, even in Ponyville to grow accustomed and considering that was where Discord’s main rampage site was located when he escaped, it was no surprise he was being cautious.

Beyond continuing to be guards of the unicorn division, they were also giving the rank of Anomaly Watcher, a friendly term for an observer of their new resident.

As such, they would occasionally talk to him.

They entered the gates to see Anomaly writing using a pen. Unlike most ponies who used quills, he created a nifty pen.

“Hey guys, take a seat,” he told them before they went and took their spots.

“We are here to learn about how your interactions with the townsfolk have been,” Golden Star asked him.

“I haven’t communicated much with the townsfolk to be honest. I have been content with staying here in my stronghold for now. However, I predict I’ll have to make an entrance eventually,” Anomaly explained to them as he looked.

Anomaly had spent much of his time in the Clockwork Castle. He has a fascination with clockwork, despite not being good at making them by hand. It helped he could could animate the mannequins to teach him. Beyond that, he had his own projects.

Mainly, he was preparing himself for his ultimate project. The Changelings spent most of their time sleeping, as they were trying to conserve energy. They seem to survive off of heart-shaped cookies Anomaly makes. Considering he makes them with love, it seems to serve as a basic substitute for the short run, prompting him to finish the preparations. Ever since the Changeling invasion, new protocol was being administered and he had a say. Having found an old book, he looked on how these things fed.

It wasn't pretty. It looked like they were swallowing someone's soul, according to the drawings,

Besides his research, Anomaly began to train himself. He feared the day when Discord would come and take the reality-changing powers, so he began taking advantage of the powers to give him changes Discord couldn’t take away directly. These included learning how basic carpentry, wood-working and smithing. It also served as an outlet for the nervous energy he got. He also learned how to defend himself. He relied on using a stick like a staff, mainly because it seem to be the easiest thing.

Regarding the various activities he had done to hone his mind and body, he conversed with the Star Bros.

“Fascinating activities, Anomaly. However, we must cut our visit short,” Golden Star said as he levitated his dishes to the sink.

“Yeah, the Princess is having delegates from Saddle Arabia coming over. I heard her student, Twilight Sparkle is in charge of preparing a show for them. Perhaps you can assist them,” Star Silver added before the stallions bid him farewell.

Anomaly began thinking. While he would like to spend time, he wondered if he should. Why was he so worried? When did he be so paranoid? He wasn’t Batman… not even with his reality-warping powers.

He wasn’t worthy.

He began making his plans. After all, he needed to have legitimate blueprints for his stronghold and he would need a great deal of ponies to take care of the place if he ever lost his powers.

He wondered how his friends were doing…

Twilight Sparkle was practicing for her big show she had prepared for Princess Celestia and the Saddle Arabia ponyfolk. She was levitating some of Fluttershy’s animal friends for the show, much to the anxiety and worry of the pegasus. However, Spike was currently doing his best to reassure her.

The Mane 6 along with Spike, were happy that their lives returned with a sense of normalcy. D dropped by occasionally and he promised that the next time the girls came, their sisters could come.

He always wanted to meet the Cutie Mark Crusaders. He even heard a new member joined through Applebloom’s cousin, Babs Seed. He found them endearing, though quite naive at times. They didn't seem to understand how Cutie Marks work.

Besides that and Pinkie’s discovery of a magic pond, not much was happening.

The animals fly through the air in the infinite shape and a few other shapes. Twilight noticed that her magical skills have begun increasing at a faster rate, a growth attributed to her connection with the benevolent Chaos being.

“Your magic has really improved since we came to Ponyville, Twilight. Princess Celestia's going to love it,” Spike complimented her while he and the animals comforted the frightened Fluttershy.

“Thanks, Spike. I have to be at my best when she arrives with the delegates from Saddle Arabia. I can't believe she's trusting me with the entertainment,” Twilight proclaimed with pride. Suddenly, a familiar rainbow blur pounced on her.

“Twilight! Come quick! It's an emergency!” Rainbow Dash told her with worry all over her face.

The four friends went on over to Ponyville, where a crowd had formed to see what new trouble arrived in the town.

A hooded and cloaked pony had been terrorizing a few ponies, currently with Rarity. The pony shot a crimson beam at Rarity, forcing her into a colorfully tacky dress, a vile thing in the eyes of fashionistas, such as the Element of Generosity.

Rarity gasped before she yelled “You beast! This shade of brown should only be used for accents!”

Rarity then fainted onto Applejack who began carrying her away alongside Pinkie Pie. “ Come on, Applejack. We've got to get her into a nice, soothing pink. Stat!” she proclaimed before Twilight, Spike, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash arrived.

“What's going on here?” Twilight asked.

“Well, well, well. If it isn't... Twilight Sparkle,” a familiar voice said as she lifted her hood off, revealing the menacing turquoise pony.

“Gasp… Trixie!” Twilight said with a suspicious tone as she glared at Trixie. “What's she doing here?” Spike as he glared at her.

“You call that great and powerful?” Rainbow Dash demanded of Trixie, showing off the example of Trixie’s bullying.

Trixie’s response was her eyes glowing a bright red momentarily before shooting another crimson beam at Rainbow Dash; the result was one of Rainbow Dash’s wing to much larger than the other, rending Rainbow unable to fly properly.

Snips and Snails commented on Rainbow Dash’s misfortune before Trixie turned to them and also zapped them. The result was their horns being fused together. Snails ran and attempted to shake off Snips, but to no avail.

“Stop picking on my friends, Trixie!” Twilight demanded.

“You and I have some unfinished business,” Trixie began as she faced Twilight Sparkle. “My magic's gotten better since I was here last. And I'm going to prove it! Me and you. A magic duel. Winner stays, loser leaves Ponyville forever!” Trixie proposed to a disapproving Twilight.

“Forget it! I'd never make a deal like that!” she answered before she turned away.

“Hm, your choice,” Trixie said before she targeted Spike. She caused him to stretch and fold into a ball, where he was helplessly bounced around, much to Twilight’s rage.

“Trixie, put him down! Why are you doing this?!” Twilight asked her as she used her magic to free Spike.

“Why? Because you humiliated me! After you showed me up with that Ursa Minor, I became a laughingstock! Everywhere I went I was laughed at and ostracized. I even had to take a job on a rock farm just to earn a living! A rock farm!” Trixie ranted as she used her magic to recreate a video of what has happened to her, including ending up on the Pie Rock Farm.

“Hey! You're lucky a rock farm would take the likes of you!” Pinkie Pie angrily replied, offended at the insulting nature Trixie was implying. Trixie responded by recreating a cursor from a computer and deleting Pinkie’s mouth, rendering her unable to talk, much to her sadness.

“Now I want revenge! And I'll just keep casting spells 'til you agree. Well? What do you say?” Trixie teased. Twilight looked at her friends being tormented and decided enough was enough.

“Alright, Trixie. Let's duel!”

“Excellent,” Trixie proclaimed before turning everyone to normal, albeit keeping Pinkie Pie mouthless.

“If I lose, I won't set hoof in Ponyville again. But if you lose, you're the one banished from this one-horse town!” Trixie proclaimed, much to the shock of the Mane 7.

Twilight simply prepared herself as do did Trixie.

The air was filled with tension…

Anomaly watched the duel with interest and slight worry. He had summoned an enchanted mirror to check on his friends and saw Trixie return with a vengeance. Anomaly got a bad feeling from the strange looking trinket holding Trixie’s cloak.

He decided to watch for now.

However, he realized the time to remain in hiding was running out.

He would have to make an appearance to Ponyville sooner or later…

“May I be cowardly or just overly cautious?” Anomaly asked as he turned to face Iaiunus and Elder. The two looked at one another from their locations before facing Anomaly with puzzled expressions. The Lord of Crawlington responded with a strange humming sound.

Anomaly sighed as he looked at the mirror to see how the duel was doing. He clenched his fist to focus.

“DRAW!”

Trixie launched the first spell; she shot a red beam toward a nearby fruit cart and barrels, hurtling it to the sky. Some ponies ran way, although one tripped. She was saved by Twilight’s levitation of the objects and setting them back down.

Twilight sighed in relief before she saw Trixie levitate several large pies and flung them at her. Twilight countered by summoning a Parasprite to devour them. It then burped out a new one, which Twilight made it along with the original vanish to avoid a calamity like last time.

However, Twilight looked to see a large snowfall land on her, which she melted.

She then took the initiative and launched her own spell on Trixie, giving her a large handlebar mustache, to the amusement of her friends.

Trixie huffed, but she summoned scissors to remove the mustache. She smiled. Time for her trump card.

She had Snips and Snails step forward before she blasted them with the familiar red blast. However, it then turned into a swirling mist before revealing a foal Snips and elderly Snails.

Twilight gasped in surprise.

“An age spell? But… how can you do an age spell? That’s only for the highest level unicorns,” she stated in shock.

Trixie smugly rubbed the amulet with her hoof before looking at it. “Well Twilight, give up?” she asked, confident that Twilight wouldn’t be able to do so.

Twilight herself wasn’t sure if she could do so, but she had to try.

For her friends.

She took a deep breath and began focusing as hard as she could, her horn leaking magic. The two former colts began levitating into the air to try and perform the age spell.

“Come on, Twilight, you can do it,” Spike said, voicing the confidence her friends had in her.

Twilight continued to try, but all the practice with Fluttershy’s animals had tuckered her out.

She began lowering on her legs as the two colts were being lowered.

”Who do you think you are, Twilight Sparkle?”

Twilight’s clenched eyes opened to hear the voice of Anomaly in her head.

”You’re one of the Elements of Harmony. You’re Celestia’s student. You and your friends beat Nightmare Moon, Discord, Chrysalis and Sombra! Don’t lost to this bragging cheater. Go and win this! Anomaly’s voice echoed in her mind.

Twilight felt her magic coming back to her. She couldn’t give up, not know. The mark she had of Anomaly began glowing under the applied makeup on her leg.

Snips and Snails began glowing once more and were lifted up. A familiar vortex appeared around them as Trixie looked appalled and Twilight’s friends amazed. The vortex cleared, revealing the restored Snips and Snails.

Twilight was sweating and was panting. However, she was still on her wobbly legs and gave a smile.

Trixie couldn’t believe it. How? How?! HOW?!

She had the Alicorn Amulet. With it, her magic soared to that of the highest levels of a unicorn. And yet, her power was rivaled by that of Twilight Sparkle, who did out of raw talent.

It wasn’t possible.

“It’s NOT possible! How did you do that?! I have the Alicorn Amulet! My power should have surpassed yours!!” Trixie proclaimed, her calm and smug demeanor shattered by this turn of events.

“That explains it. How you were able to do the spell,” Twilight said as she finally took notice of said amulet and remembering Anomaly’s words.

“You meant she used some weird looking piece of jewelry to boost her power?” Rainbow Dash asked, also surprised.

“Figured somepony like her couldn’t beat somepony like Twilight in magic by herself. So she got some fancy ancient artifact to boost her power,” Applejack voiced.

“That also explains the change in the color and strength of her magic,” Rarity realized.

“Unfortunately, looks that even wasn’t enough to beat Twilight. I knew you were awesome, Twilight, but this takes the cake. You’re now one of the highest level of unicorns,” Spike proclaimed as her friends came over and congratulated her.

Twilight smiled and blushed at the praise. She was happy that she accomplished this. She also needed to thank Anomaly for the little boost that was needed as well as restoring her magic back to normal levels.

Pinkie Pie was bouncing in joy, but muffled noise was only what came out. Twilight promptly restored her friend’s mouth. “That means that Trixie is a big cheater and she loses the duel!” Pinkie pointed out.

The group of friends faced Trixie, only to recoil in shock. A permanent magic aura of a diabolical red shade surrounded Trixie.

“I WILL NOT LOSE TO YOU, TWILIGHT SPARKLE!!!” Trixie seethed from the mouth as the amulet was glowing and her eyes also shifted to red.

“GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT! THIS IS MY TOWN NOW!!!” she said before caving into maniacal laughter. Fluttershy shrunk back in fear as the others also backed up.

“I-I think that amulet is making her really upset,” Fluttershy pointed out.

Trixie then released a shockwave of red magic, flinging Twilight out of town and heading toward the Everfree Forest.

“And to make sure nopony gets any funny ideas…” Trixie said, the expression on her face resembling an evil version of Twilight during the Want it, Need it incident. She then created a large glass dome over Ponyville. The others tried to rush out, but they were electrocuted upon hitting the barrier. The group of friends stared out, hoping Twilight was okay.

“What do we do now?” Fluttershy asked as Trixie began to take over the town.

Spike was thinking, until he remembered something.

“We call a friend,” Spike said before he led them to the library.

The friends barricaded themselves in before Spike wrote a quick letter and sent it to the mightiest being they knew outside the Princesses.

Anomaly watched the duel and was angry. He was proud of Twilight’s spell, but shocked at Trixie’s breakdown by the Amulet and mad from Twilight being launched. Before he could do anything further, he received the letter from Spike, requesting for help with Twilight. It mentioned she flew in the direction of Everfree Forest.

Anomaly placed the letter away before he left Elder in charge of the stronghold.

He snapped his fingers and teleported to the Everfree.

He ended up at Zecora’s hut, where the surprised zebra was pulling in an unconscious, but undamaged Twilight Sparkle into her hut.

“Goodness me, how did she end up in this condition? I fear it is a cause of great suspicion,” Zecora asked Anomaly.

“I’ll tell you inside,” Anomaly said as he carried Twilight into a cot before he sat down and explained to Zecora. She was preparing something for Twilight for when she awoke.

It wasn’t long before Twilight stirred from her slumber and Anomaly finished the story.

“This tale of woe upsets me so. No wonder you’re dour, it’s an abuse of power,” Zecora said in reaction to this. Before more could be said, Twilight’s moaning from the pain got their attention.

“No longer must you be a fretter, for now you are feeling better,” Zecora said as she gave Twilight some tea to help her.

“I told her what happened. Good job on the age spell. However, I don’t anyone expected for her to flip out, though I think that amulet has got something to do with it,” Anomaly added as he gave Twilight a comforting smile.

“What do I do though? My friends and all of Ponyville are probably suffering under Trixie’s hooves,” Twilight said as she tried to calm down with the tea. “I mean, I was able to pull off the age spell, but Trixie is out of control right now and I don’t think I can go horn to horn like how she is,” she explained.

Zecora took a sip before she smiled at her. “If you train with me, so good you'll be, I'll show you the way to make sure she won't stay,” Zecora stated.

“You'll train me in magic? But I barely beat her last time and now she’s lost her marbles,” Twilight said.

“When it comes to magic, it would be tragic if somepony licked me, especially Trixie,” Zecora reassured her.

“You really think I can beat her?”

Zecora nodded and Anomaly simply smiled at her. She recalled his words from moments before.

“Okay, when do we start?”

“You think he got the letter?” Fluttershy whispered to Rainbow Dash.

“Beats me. Maybe the dome is stopping the message from being delivered,” Rainbow Dash replied quietly.

“Silence! Continue, hanging those banners!” Trixie proclaimed to them. The two along with Cloud Kicker proceeded to hang the banners that bore her likeness, courtesy of the threatened Rarity. All of the town has become enslaved under her rule and dark clouds loomed inside the dome.

“Hurry up with that throne!” she yelled at the Cakes, who were currently making a large elaborate throne of sweets.

“And you! How long until my apple sauce facial?! Trixie demanded from Applejack, who was currently preparing said apples.

“Forget it, Trixie! I ain’t doing nothing until you bring Twilight back home,” Applejack stated defiantly as she crossed her forelegs.

“Oh really?”

Trixie then aimed a dark red/black beam at the nearby bushel of apples. They glowed with a fierce howl before they melted into a hot bubbling apple mess. She then aimed her horn at Apple Bloom who was currently scrubbing the place down along with her fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders.

“Get the message?” she asked to a horrified Applejack as she lowered her horn.

“All right, I’ll do it, I’ll do it!” Applejack stated as she began pressing the apples quickly, in fear of what Trixie would do.

“The ol Trixie may have been a blowhard, but she wasn’t evil or crazy like that fancy amulet is making her,” Applejack told Rarity, both were shivering at the heinous threat Trixie had made.

“Dance for me!!”

Trixie began firing erratic beams to make Pinkie Pie dance and dodge too. “This isn’t fun at all,” Pinkie said, her poofy mane down at the cruelty of it all.

“Ponyville is being ruined and Trixie is growing crazier and crazier with that amulet on her,” Rarity said as she was sewing. She winced at the needle poking, but continued, afraid of what Trixie would do to Sweetie Belle.

“Somepony has to help us,” Rarity proclaimed quietly.

Anomaly surveyed the situation with a disturbed look on his face. Zecora was currently training Twilight. She was balancing on one leg while Twilight stood on the water and levitating orbs of water.

"No noise, no sound, no din, no fuss, must interfere with your focus. Unlearn what you have learned, only then can victory be earned,” she recited before she did a double take on what Anomaly’s mirror was showing.

Zecora was quite horrified by the fact Trixie would threaten the fillies. Twilight herself caught a glimpse which broke her concentration.

“Oh Celestia! We have to do something now!” Twilight proclaimed, beginning to hyperventilate from all this. Zecora began to calm down Twilight, though worry was clearly present on her face as well.

“How am I supposed to beat that amulet? My magic's not good enough!” Twilight said as she was trying to calm down.

Anomaly and Zecora were quiet and trying to think of what to do. “The situation has grown dire, and the time is down to the wire,” Zecora mumbled before she paused and she reached an epiphany. She then faced the two with a smile.

“Twilight Sparkle, much work have you done. You learned all of my lessons; all but one. If Trixie's tricks have you in a fix, you must nix your magic and use the six.”

“Nix your magic, use the six... Nix your magic, use the six! Use the six, that's it! Zecora, you're a genius!” Twilight said before she faced Anomaly and stated the plan. Anomaly smiled as he tapped his staff on the ground and summoned a familiar box.

Trixie had been hearing commotion on the outside of her barrier. She had Snips and Snails drag her bed over there. When they questioned the lack of wheels, she treated them with a nonsensical and conspiracy-ridden rant on how the ‘wheel’ was out to get her.

This had been going for half an hour.

Her tirade was interrupted by the loud tapping on the dome. She turned to see Twilight Sparkle and a zebra stand there. Surprising her most was the strange clothed bipedal being behind them.

“What's the matter, Twilight Sparkle? Not enjoying your exile?” she sneered at Twilight.

“I beat you, even when cheating and you threw me out,” Twilight said, taking note on how the Amulet was burying itself into Trixie and the wild look that Trixie had on her.

“Nonsense! Now leave or else!” she said as her horn glowed.

“Okay, I had enough of this. Let us in,” Anomaly said as he stepped up.

“What can you do?!” she said mockingly at Anomaly.

Anomaly smirked.

“ This”

He tapped his staff on the dome.

A shockwave shattered it and the force blew the clouds away. Snips and Snails were blown into the bed while Trixie was blown out of it. All of Ponyville felt the power and they peeked from their locations to grasp the newcomer.

“W-who are you?”

“My name is Anomaly… and I am the Guardian of Chaos”

Ponyville was where Discord first appeared. His torment left many ponies afraid of him though besides all the madness occurring and making life difficult for them, they were not scarred as say the Crystal Ponies by Sombra.

Nevertheless, they were surprised to see a new spirit of Chaos, a benevolent one nonetheless.

Trixie herself heard about Discord, but remained unaware that Twilight was one of the ponies who defeated him.

Even with the Alicorn Amulet, the fear she felt over the vast magic he had showed. She then recovered and put on a façade.

“You are going to challenge me?” she demanded, the amulet and her eyes glowing.

“I would want to, yes. But I don’t need to. However, you need to be defeated and more importantly, what is needed is the method,” Anomaly said before Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rainbow, Rarity, Spike and Applejack went over to Twilight, checking that she was all right before thanking Zecora for helping her.

Twilight then opened the box and familiar trinkets also appeared on the mares.

The Elements of Harmony.

“True magic… it doesn’t come from the amulet. It comes from the heart,” Anomaly began before letting Twilight take over.

“You see, Trixie. I used to be afraid of you, but I realized it was the amulet I feared. To be honest, I am afraid for you. That amulet has turned you into a monster,” Twilight explained before the six friends began floating.

“I was like you… I didn’t have any friends and I was obsessed over magic and studying. Then I came to Ponyville. I learned about honesty, loyalty, generosity, kindness and laughter. All those things make something wonderful… it makes friendship.

And that comes to the most important lesson I learned…”

The amulets began glowing and began syncing. In desperation, Trixie tried to shoot a beam, but an invisible aura absorbed the blast.

“Friendship is Magic!”

The girls’ eyes glowed before releasing a large rainbow that soared through the air and crashed onto Trixie. Her red glow was over taken and she began shouting.

The amulet cracked and glowed before it shattered into dust and a large red malevolent cloud of smoke rose from Trixie as it shouted in defeat before it vanished into nothingness.

The rainbow then folds onto Ponyville and restores the town to normal. The friends all hug one another and a crowd cheers.

Trixie wakes up and looks at Twilight. “That’s where real magic comes from, Trixie. From having friends,” she says. Before anypony could say anything, a mint green pony pounces on Anomaly.

“Bipedal, hands like a monkey, primate-like structure… you’re a human. You are real! I always knew!” Lyra said as she shook the self-conscious Anomaly.

“Yeah, that’s me,” he says nervously. Bon Bon stepped forward and looked amazed. “Lyra has been waiting ever so much to meet someone like you. And you came in to help save our town,” Bon Bon stated. Soon, the crowd began to surrounding Anomaly, asking him questions, giving him thanks and so on. As the Mane 6 did their best to control the crowd as well as help set up for the delegates from Saddle Arabia, an ashamed and repentant Trixie slipped away.

“If there is anything we can do for you, we will be happy to assist in any way,” Mayor Mare proclaimed to Anomaly. A short award ceremony was being held, mainly while everypony was prepping for the arrival of Celestia and her guests.

“Thank you, ma’am. And to everypony, I am well aware that you all suffered in one way or another from Discord. While he may never come back, there is always the chance he can. I will do my best to protect you and everypony else alongside my friends,” Anomaly proclaimed to the other ponies, who cheered in response.

The entire party went smoothly. Twilight’s show with the animals was even better and all of her friends helped pitch in. However, all were mildly surprised at the fireworks display. When they turned to Anomaly, he shrugged his shoulders though he looked to the direction and saw from an abandoned cottage a blue horn disappear.

When the festivities died down, the group decided to see. Inside, they saw a very shameful looking Trixie.

“Everypony… I wanted to say… I’m sorry for everything,” she said as she was hiding behind cobweb-laden sofa. She was quite afraid. After all, her acts were nothing short of horrendous and even she felt vile with herself as she recalled everything she did under the amulet’s control.

Beyond that, the rainbow wave also allowed her to see her past behavior for how it truly was and it compounded her shame more.

“I was hoping… that someday… you could forgive me…” she said meekly, her hoof circling the ground shyly. The friends looked at one another.

While they agree she did some rotten stuff, it was under the influence of the amulet. They couldn’t blame her. The memories of her behavior brought up their own when they twisted by Discord’s magic.

“Trixie… you did a lot of bad stuff, but I guess we could say it wasn’t your fault. We’re not gonna kick you since the duel was a draw anyway,” Anomaly decided to say. The others to nod for the time being and when they left, they began discussing.

“I reckon we really can’t judge her. I mean… it was kinda when Discord changed us,” Applejack pointed out.

“Yeah. I mean, she was a loudmouth, but she isn’t all bad,” Rainbow Dash admitted.

“True, and granted the town will likely not serve her, I do feel we have to help her for the time being,” Rarity added.

“We could throw her a ‘We Forgive Her’ party,” Pinkie Pie suggested.

“That could help her out I think,” Fluttershy agreed.

“I think we should discuss this tomorrow. We should head to bed,” Twilight proclaimed before Anomaly cleared his throat.

“Actually, I need your girls to accompany me to the Stronghold,” Anomaly said before he teleported the girls and Spike.

He led the girls to a large vacant room. Blueprints were on the wall as well as several notes and sketches.

“The day may come I have to leave Equestria. But I want to leave something. Will you help me?” Anomaly asked them. Spike and the girls looked at him. They smiled and nodded.

Rarity’s eye for design helped out with how the machine would look like. Applejack and Rarity helped out with the machine parts. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash also helped build it. Twilight helped organize and double-check the blueprints. Spike helped smelt the parts together. Finally, the machine was done.

On the ground, the machine had a triangular platform. On the edges were a sqaure divided into two triangles also. The right triangles were big enough for a pony to stand on. They were surrounded by glass domes with pipes leading to the large machine wear a dome stood, enough to fit a good deal of ponies. The machine above had crystals poking out toward the floor. The machine on the dome had certain slots on where items needed to be applied and a large typewrite like device to input the instructions with a mirror acting as a monitor.

"What's this big fancy project about anyway?" Applejack asked the eccentric being as they stared at the marvel they helped create. Anomaly turned toward them and smiled. "Well, the Changelings as they are wouldn't be able to survive. So then arose an idea. An idea so crazy, so bizarre...: Anomaly began before letting the moment of silence continue for the sake of suspense...

"It had to work,"

Anomaly then took little Iaiunus before revealing the other materials he possessed such as Sombra's horn, some slime from Chrysalis and some locks of hair...

"Take your positions, my friends, for something leegndary is about to happen!" Anomaly proclaimed.

He grabbed Iaiunus and placed him in the chamber. He went up the step ladder and placed the horn, the vial of slime and the locks of hair from the princesses.

The ponies went to their positions; Rarity and Twilight on one, Applejack and Pinkie on the other and on the last Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.

The domes glowed as energy headed toward the little changeling and the dome began glowing.

“All three energy signatures are detected. Releasing the first energy,” Anomaly said as the vial of slime dissolved into mist where Iaiunus was. He breathed it in and began changing it. The slime had traces of royal jelly in it, which decides between the Queen and the other ranks. As Iaiunus began growing, the hairs were then burned and Iaiunus was not only growing, but the holes disappeared and he began looking more pony-like. The girls were feeling a bit tired, but they held on.

Last was the horn, released as a ray toward Iaiunus. He was now emitting a magic signature.

“Okay, arrange this, keep that, discard that…” he mumbled as he made minor changes before he smiled and had his template. He removed the alicorn aspect and looked at it.

The template for the new type of Pony.

Burrow Ponies.

Playing on the insectoid nature, these new type of ponies would live underground. They had slight claws on their hooves and a different structure on them, allowing them to dig and survive underground. Through the use of careful modification and thanks to Pinkie Pie, they could now work underground and arrange for underground structures and phenomenon, like mining or keep eyes for volcanic activity or such.

However, they would need a leader, and so Anomaly chose Iaiunus. Well, until he changed his name. With the use of the royal jelly, he started the change and with the alicorn hair, he gave Iaiunus alicorn-like properties and with the ponies magic, it would stabilize and lastly, Sombra’s horn would give him a unique magic signature. Thanks to positive power of the Empathy Heart helping to power the machine, Sombra’s malicious magic vanishes and the crystal-like powers remain.

This would be Anomaly’s legacy.

There were ponies of magic, ponies of sky, ponies of earth, ponies of sea and even ponies of the celestial…

Now there were ponies of the subterranean.

The Burrow Ponies.

“The final stage!”

Anomaly placed the last set of commands and the dome glowed before a shockwave emerged, knocking the ponies out of the domes.

Anomaly lowered from the platform as the ponies stood up to see what emerged from the dome.

“Arise, my son,” Anomaly said as he looked at his creation with pride and everypony else were stunned to say the least.

He resembled an alicorn, however, his wings were more insectoid-like. He was also like a changeling, but no holes and instead of chitin, had smooth hair on him. His hooves had claw-like appendages to dig through the earth and he had a Sombra-like horn, though it was black instead of red. His eyes were like a normal pony, but there was a slight tinge, hinting at the insectoid-like remains. However, what cemented his status as a pony was the Cutie Mark. It was a round dark gray stone with a magma-colored cross and outline, representing his status as ruler of the subterranean world.

“Behold, the 4th alicorn and the first Burrow Pony,” Anomaly introduced as the new ruler looked around with curiosity.

Oh boy, were the princesses in for a surprise.

Prologue- The Gray Pony

Prologue- New Player

Prologue: New Player

Why?

Why?

Wynaut?

Did I leave the curling iron on?

What is the question of life if 42 is the answer?

What is love, baby don’t hurt me?

Is it coincidence that ‘politics’ sound like ‘poly-ticks’, like poly as in many and ticks as in the wingless blood-sucking parasites?

These and other questions were in the merry-go-round mind of Discord, the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony. Ever since his defeat at the hands of the ponies, he had been asking questions. Mainly resulting of his battle before he lost track and asked what ever popped into his mind.

Not much else you could do while being stuck in a petrified limbo.

He would sometimes give great thought to these questions, whether silly or important. Discord felt unpredictable… well more than usual today.

He will do something spectacular! Magnificent! Uncharacteristic!

He will answer an important question.

Why did I lose?

Discord wished he had a glass of chocolate milk to help ponder this. He broke those brightly-colored ponies. He turned into their cutie marks and used their own element against, twisting them until they couldn’t bear it and decided to embrace the opposite. He even broke Twilight Sparkle when she realized that her friends as she knew them were gone.

He had won. Then the ponies came back and shot that freaking rainbow beam at him? He couldn’t believe it. He lost… again. To normal ponies no less! He sighed.

No, he was going to try and answer this question.

Discord does what he wants and he wants to solve this puzzle. No one will stop him, not even his impulsive whimsies.

He had replayed the events in his head. He had done everything he did last time and a bit more. Well, as much as he could.

I mean, what did I do the same? I got rid of the elements and broke the ponies so what went wrong?

The same. He continued to compare what he did. The cotton candy clouds, the chocolate rain, checkerboard grounds…

Everything he did had a common theme. He did out of fun. Discord was the Spirit of Chaos. He did things because they were fun, even if he was the only one who thought it was fun. He was not one for… efficiency. Doing things precisely sounded like work…

Work was boring.

Discord doesn’t do boring.

And yet… he did. To him at least, he was using the same old tricks, the same old style of things. He loathed to admit, but his Chaos had Order.

His form of it anyway.

Discord was not dumb. He prided himself in being a mastermind. After all, learning how to listen to the outside and learn of Celestia’s precious little ponies helped last time.

He needed a new plan.

He needed to do new things.

He needed a vacation.

From the darkness Discord was floating, a light bulb showed up. Discord gleefully smiled before taking off his horns and used them as salt and pepper shakers and ate the bulb. Whoops, bulb must have been radioactive, because he was now glowing.

He spent the next half hour playing with shadow puppets until the glowing wore off.

Aww… now what did he have to do? What did the glowing stop? Why was he glowing?

Oh… duh.

Discord got back on track. His greatest game ever is about to unfold. He let his mind wander as he replayed countless events that helped form and create his most ingenious plan ever. The best part is that he has to do little. Everything else would fall into place and even if he ended up in stone in the end, he would still win.

Discord gave a hearty chuckle before realizing his plan needed something or rather… someone.

A new player. A wild card. His joker.

Who on Equestria could replace him though? He is diabolical, a genius, a mastermind, handsome, fun and not too bad at the shuffle…

…yet he still lost.

Twice.

Well, now he would even the playing field. He would get his own quirky unwilling/unwitting/un-third thing pawn to begin this game. Now, who?

Ponies were out of the question. None of them would be suited, because of how overwhelmed they would be. Well, in the sense that it wouldn’t be beneficial for him.

Furthermore, they would have to be in Canterlot or nearby so they could free him.

Hmm… what about creatures not of Equestria?

The only beings he knew were humans. Humanity was an ancient race, all but in myth and known to a few eccentric ponies and anypony who lived long enough to hear of them when they weren’t merely folklore.

A smirk got on Discord’s face.

Humans were a temperamental species. Paradoxical, flawed and vulnerable.

Eh, why not?

Discord may be trapped physically, but he could still affect the outside world. He decided he needed to do a dreadful thing.

Sleep.

He put himself in a nightcap and fell asleep, as boring as it would be. When he opened his eyes, he noticed he was in the Dream Realm, Luna’s territory. While he would love to mess around, that would make vulnerable.

He is crazy and goofy, but not stupid. It IS surprising though…

How much cohesive thought is going into this… then again, he DOES surprising, even to himself!

Discord vanished as he teleported across the Dream Realm. Dreams are illogical and worked under different rules, rules that Discord could manipulate so he may contact a human. Humans dreamed also and all he needed to do was to find one. He teleported across the dreamspace until he found it, a human! A whole bunch of them!

A whole world!

How to pick then…

“Eeny, meeny, miny moe…”

Meanwhile somewhere on Earth…

A boy was sleeping at his desk. Well, boy was a stretch. He was in his late teens. He had a pretty average look. Some dark brown/black colored hair and brown eyes. Besides the glasses, there was nothing special about him. He was an ordinary nameless guy. He was currently snoozing.

“And you tell me I need rest, roomie” the roommate said as he got some clothes from the drawer.

“Yeah, yeah, shut it,” The boy said as he got back to web-surfing.

“Well, I’ll be gone out for a night. Got a date so I’ll be showering and getting dressed in the bathroom before heading out. If I come back and I see you asleep again, I’ll place a blanket on ya,” the roommate said.

“…Thanks,” The boy said as he brushed off of the sarcastic quip, but appreciated the gesture nevertheless. He saw his roommate going into the shower. The boy was a brony, he will admit. Well, he had not seen many episodes, not getting many channels here on the cable at his university. His roommate poked fun at him occasionally though it is in good fun.

As he continued web-surfing, he felt tired once more. He decided to lay his head down and rest his eyes…

…which led to him taking a nap.

“...him! Discord said as he pointed at the dream of the sleeping teen. He made a peephole to look. The dream is still forming…

Perfect.

He stretched his arm and the boy realized something unusual happened as he felt himself exit the dreamscape…

And enter somewhere much more bizarre…

In the unknown limbo…

The boy found himself floating in the limbo. He began making sure everything was in place and that he could breathe. After making sure, he looked around, only to do a double take.

Uh oh indeed…

Floating in front of him was Discord.

The human grit his teeth as he clenched his fist. He was angry and scared. He saw what Discord did to the ponies and realized that the scope of reality warping was very dangerous, especially in the hands of someone who was out of his mind.

“Congratulations human! You win!” Discord said as he blew on a noisemaker and placed a party hat on the guy and he realized… he felt the pain.

He felt it.

This meant this wasn’t a dream…

The poor human began sweating bullets, but he took a deep breath as he realized he needed to approach this with caution.

Play along…

“Win what?” The boy asked him cautiously.

“I will have to inspect you first before I tell you,” Discord said before taking out a monocle and opened the boy’s head like it had a lid on it. He stretched the poor guy’s brain out before flipping through it and looking at the different components like a rubix cube.

This feels… wrong…

“Hmm… yes, yes, I see. Oh goody, you might be an orderly fellow, but you have a healthy yearning for chaos,” Discord said in his goofy pleased voice.

He would do nicely. He examined his strengths and weaknesses. From what he saw, either bribery or blackmail would work eitherway.

Better do both.

Discord then stretched the brain and watched it snap back into the guy’s head like it was a rubber band, much to his further pain. I

“You pass,” Discord said before picking up the boy and looked into his brown eyes with his own red.

“What did I pass?! What is going on?! The human finally asked as he was sweating, but refusing to look away from Discord.

“Well, after a lot of thought, I realized that I’m too old for this,” Discord told him.

“…What?”

“Being the Spirit of Chaos is loads of fun, but losing isn’t. I figure if Celestia and Luna can have kids do their dirty work, I should have a successor of my own and I chose you, kiddo,” Discord said as he jabbed said ‘kiddo’ with his paw finger.

He couldn’t believe it. Was Discord really going to give him his power? What were his plans?

“You will be able to do anything you want. All you have to do is cause chaos. Well, whatever you consider chaos. As long as there is fun and exciting things, I’m flexible,” Discord said as he bended himself all the way.

He had to admit, he was tempted… After all, he was only human… when you’re good, sometimes the urge to be selfish is powerful, especially if bad luck tends to get ya often…

“Now… if ultimate power doesn’t please you. I could find… someone else. Maybe in a place called the… asylum? Or those places called prisons! That would be interesting!” Discord said with a mock wonder.

The human turned an impossible shade of white as his face twisted into one of sheer horror and shock.

Each possibility of how nightmarish the outcome could be made was expressed in the growing subtle twists and contortions his face made in horror. Discord watched the kid, impressed and amused. Impressed by the intellect and imagination and amused at his faces recoiling from horror.

“Since you’re too much of a good boy to let bad people get their hands on my power, you will take the deal,” Discord confirmed as he stifled a triumphant laughter before clearing his throat.

“All right, here’s what you gotta do. I will drop off you in the center of Celestia’s palace labyrinth. Your job is to find me and free me. Now, thanks to the Elements, I am bound here. Which is where you come in,” Discord said as he picked up the human and looked him in the eye.

“Now, if you can break the friendship of Twilight Sparkle and the others or even cause a fight with just one regarding the others, that should be enough. As for the chaos, don’t worry. Your mere presence is already a massive anomaly there,” Discord said.’

“…How do I get the Elements?” the human said in a resigned voice as his mind raced to formulate a counterplan.

“True. Well, consider this your employee benefit,” Discord said before jabbing the poor human in the heart with his eagle hand. The human shrieked before falling over, feeling the pain of being stabbed in the heart. He looked to see the wound, but there was none. He managed to get his bearings. He was gonna go nuts from all of this.

“I injected a bit of magic in you. You can now open Celestia’s vault as well as teleport. The best part is, the teleportation is special. Even when you turn on me,” Discord said. The boy wondered if Discord knew his plan or simply had trust issues. “The power is yours for you to keep,” Discord finished before realizing an issue.

“Oh yes. How to bring you to Equestria…” Discord wondered before he thought of something. “Jump out the window!” Discord said with a smile.

“What?!”

“Reality is perception. You are the dreamer of dreams. IIf you believe strong enough, reality mimics you. Close your eyes and expect to land in my paw and let Discord take care of the rest,” Discord explained in a faux Hoofington accent.

“That’s crazy!”

“Crazy enough to work!” Discord announced he honked a horn. It sounded like the one from The Mask. The boy awoke somewhat. He could barely see or think. Discord had let him return to the real world enough to sense it and to follow his plan. He felt like in daze, his mind was being split and it took great effort to try and make his way to the window. He wondered if this what it was like to walk a line between life and death.

His senses dulled, the reluctant pawn lurched over before he closed his eyes and took a step. As he fell, he imagined to see the large and extended furry paw going closer…

The splitting pain and the lack of sensation ceased as he landed on the warm and fuzzy paw. He felt the fur which fully awoke him from the half-slumber.

Shocked, he looked up to the smiling Discord. He was afraid… terrified…

There truly was no going back… everything he saw, heard and felt was all real…

“You’re no longer in your world, kid… You have your job to do…” Discord said before he pulled the boy out of his dream and they flung across the Dream Realm before ending up where Discord’s dream is. Discord simply imagined a room in the castle. The janitor’s closet would do.

After all, they were magical… least if the Harry Trotter series is anything to go by…

“Now, get out there and make me proud!” Discord said as he pushed the guy out and he hit… a door?

The groggy pawn opened his eyes and realized he was in a dark closet. He opened the door and looked around. Nopony around.

“Welcome to Equestria, kid. I’ll be waiting…” Discord’s voice echoed in his head.

Chapter IX- Royal Encounters

Twilight Sparkle watched as Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy ask D Anomaly some questions about his kind. Spike was lying on Twilight’s back, listening to the answers, but overall resting from his experience and just being happy Twilight is back with them. Shining Armor and Princess Cadance were escorting them back to Equestria.

Now, D Anomaly had been feeling pretty nervous. He knew he could no longer remain in the shadows and was now accompanying the Mane 6 to Canterlot.

To meet the Princesses.

He decided to take his mind off to indulge in more questions from the ponies. He already explained a few things such as wearing clothes, activities and he was wrapping up the explanation of being an omnivore.

“…So, from what I figure, because of the Ice Age, we had to adapt to eating meat to survive. To be honest, it is a personal choice whether you wish to consume meat and to wish extent you want to. Considering my powers, I could literally make my own food from thought,” D explained.

“Next question,” he presented.

“How did you know about us?” Twilight decided to ask. The other ponies, even Shining and Cadance grew interested. D took a breath to try and explain.

“It’s complicated though here is what I believe. Every story, every idea and so on, exists in the omniverse. Yes, Rainbow Dash that means there is a Daring Do. However, through… vibrations or some other way… we get acknowledgement of this through dreams and or ideas. In my world, we know of you as a popular series of cartoons or animations,” D explained to them as well as he could. His facial expressions indicated that he didn’t know how else to.

He figured movies and such existed. After all, there is a place called Applewood, so he assumed there were movies. They seem to nod, though there was confusion all around.

They looked to Twilight Sparkle who reassured them she will try and explain later. She found it fascinating about all of this. It was truly a wondrous and wild field of science and magic she was eager to research.

Speaking of… she thought of Princess Celestia. She was so caught up in all of this, she wasn’t sure how the Princess would take this. Twilight’s head was abuzz with a plethora of scenarios playing in her head and the rush was starting to make her quite agitated.

Spike, sensing her agitation, hugged her while giving a comforting smile. Twilight visibly relaxed at the gesture. Despite his newly acquired power, D was looking the most nervous. Granted, he was meeting the powerful princesses who he may or may not exceed in power, but he lacked the vast wisdom they gathered from millennia of experience.

Eventually, they arrived at Canterlot Castle. Shining Armor and Princess Cadance awaited outside. The Mane 6 and Spike stepped in, D deciding to remain in the shadows for the time being. After all, he had time to introduce himself, but this was the time for Twilight and the Princesses.

Slowly, they entered the throne room. There, awaiting them were Princess Celestia, Princess Luna and Zecora. Neither Twilight nor Princess Celestia dared make a move, though Twilight looked a bit surprised at Zecora’s presence.

Twilight looked down in indecision only to see D briefly in the shadow and gave her a smile of encouragement.

“My faithful student…” Princess Celestia began before Twilight Sparkle simply ran and wordlessly embraced her mentor and mother figure, tears beginning to wet Celestia’s coat.

Having lived many long years, Princess Celestia was not one to show her emotions often. The solitary centuries of her rule had enforced her to remain strong. The last time she cried was in her reunion with Luna. However, she was overjoyed and relieved that her faithful student was not only safe and sound, but she has forgiven them.

Princess Celestia returned the embrace as she also let her tears fall. No words were stated nor were they really needed. The actions conveyed the feelings that needed to be stated.

Pinkie Pie was doing her best not to bawl like she did when Luna and Celestia were reunited. Rainbow Dash was furiously trying to wipe any loose tears while Applejack adjusted her hat to not show her wet eyes. Rarity smiled tearfully at the scene along with Fluttershy and Spike.

Princess Luna also smiled, relieved that everypony was okay while Zecora did likewise.

D also watched the situation with his own smile.

“I am happy to see you Twilight, but who’s the one trying to hide from sight?” Zecora asked.

…Horseapples

D Anomaly stepped out from behind the pillar. He was in different garment this time. It seems to be a medieval styled black tunic with a hood, though off along with some gray pants and some fabric boots. The tunic has several gold ornamentation on it, on the back was a partially eclipsed sun and moon while in front was an outline of a regular triangle in gold. However, this triangle facing left, resembling a D.

Twilight then noticed it. D was the 4th letter of the alphabet, which came from delta, which in mathematics, denotes change. The symbol for delta was the triangle, which was now cleverly used as a D.

Twilight mentally cheered at noticing the symbolism.

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna stood straight as they say the strange figure in front of them. They could sense powerful magic from him… stronger than theirs…

In fact, it was reminiscent of Discord…

However, Celestia also noticed the posture. He looked rather… passive and worried. It seemed that he was aware they would have noticed.

Her little ponies did not seem afraid and even Shining Armor and Princess Cadance.

“Who are thou?” Princess Luna asked after the silence dragged on for what seemed to be an eternity.

D stood nervously before Twilight pushed him forward with a bit of magic. He faced her and the others. Twilight Sparkle was giving a smile. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were nodding in support. Pinkie Pie was bouncing up and down while Rarity and Fluttershy also had on smiles. Spike even gave him a thumbs up.

D Anomaly took a deep breath to calm himself.

“My name is D Anomaly… a human. Discord attempted to use me as a champion against you and all of Equestria. He gave me free rein and his power to do what I pleased, believing it would corrupting. However, thanks to the… magic of friendship, I was able to control the magic. I was the one who assisted in the Changeling invasion and against Sombra,” he explained before he bowed at the Princesses.

They looked at one another. To think that Discord would recruit a human… once more, he failed to understand the magic of friendship and now they have someone as powerful as him on the side of harmony. Truly, this was a good day.

“Don’t be so nervous. I hear your words and from the actions you have done, you more than proven yourself a good pony… er human,” Princess Celestia stated to him with a kindly smile.

“Thou truly are good at heart. Welcome to Equestria,” Princess Luna added.

D Anonaly sighed in relief before he smiled at them.

“YAY! We beat two villains and we got a new super-powerful friend! It’s time for a Glad-Everything-Turned-Out-Okay-In-The-End Party!” Pinkie Pie stated. Everypony seem to smile and laugh with mirth, D most of all.

It looks like things will be okay after all.

“So what will you do now?”

D Anomaly snapped from his musings to see Princess Celestia sitting in front of him. He turned to see everyone enjoying themselves at the party. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were being competitive in the games, Rarity and Spike were dancing. Fluttershy was flying along with Philomena and Elder, the two birds being quite close to one another. Twilight Sparkle was showing Zecora and Luna a new game and Pinkie Pie was helping herself to the cake.

It appeared the party would start going into full swing as Pinkie Pie’s infectious cheer began spreading all around.

“I suppose I’ll stay at my castle. I’ll visit my friends in Ponyville, but I guess I’ll be working on my own projects. I don’t think Discord is gone. He’s too cunning to not have a fallback plan. All I can do is prepare for any situation I can think of,” D explained to the Princess as he smiled at all that occurred.

“A wise decision. It is fascinating the parallels our worlds have in terms of geography,” Princess Celestia stated, as she recalled their earlier talk about Equestria and the rest of the world.

“…You and your sister knew about humanity, didn’t you?” D said in a quieter voice, looking at his reflection in his tea. The tea was green tea, from the eastern side of the world. If he recalled currently, the Far Eastern lands were called Chineigh, though he may be wrong, he wasn’t sure.

Princess Celestia’s smile faltered a tad before she took a sip. “Yes. We admit we know little of your world, though we are aware of the lack of magic on your world and the… temperamental nature of humanity,” The Princess stated before she decided to ask the billion bit question.

“Would you choose to go back?”

D Anomaly began weighing his options. He looked at the reflection at his tea once more. He recalled the happiness he had with his family. Despite that, he had to set out to do what he wanted to do in life. They would understand, although they would miss him. He would visit them occasionally, he owed them that.

But to go back and live at his home world…

He needed to be honest with himself.

“Probably not.”

Princess Celestia raised an eyebrow at him.

“Don’t get me wrong. I have no contempt in my kind. In fact, I believe in humanity. Whenever someone starts saying bad things, I’m the first to counter. I can name you examples of many great individuals of humanity. However… I never really had friends. Not only that, I never really fit in with normal society. Of course, there are oddballs in all societies, but I was granted the opportunity to be here, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

“Twilight Sparkle, Spike, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie… even Zecora, Shining Armor and Princess Cadence and now you and your sister…”

“All of you are my friends,” he explained to her as he faced her with a smile.

Princess Celestia looked a bit surprised. However, her look turned to one of approval.

“I am happy to hear that. I hope your life is one filled with joy,” she stated to him. D Anomaly took his own sip before he looked at her and something occurred to him.

“Princess… I know you had to do a lot during the long time you were in charge… but if you or Luna need to talk to someone, just as a friend, you have me,” he told her.

Now that surprised the Princess. For a brief glimpse of a moment, he saw the multitude of emotions that flashed across Celestia’s face. It was sadness, shock, gratitude and joy…

It all the more stirred the curiosity in him, wondering about her past and that of other mysterious figures.

However, the next second, the regal and calm mask of the Princess slipped back on, though the traces of the gratitude were still there.

“Thank you.”

“Hey D! Are you planning to court the Princess?” Pinkie’s voice rang out, breaking the two of their conversation. D dropped his mug and turned an impossible shade of red. Princess Celestia actually began laughing.

Not just giggling, a full-out laugh. It rang across the room like harmonious bells. Princess Luna stared amazingly at her sister. It had truly been millennia since she heard her sister laugh and was unable to contain as she took began laughing alongside her.

It wasn’t long before everypony began laughing at his expense and D Anomaly himself began laughing. He had a feeling these smiles and laughter was only the beginning.

Eventually, Luna had to raise the moon and it was time for everypony to go to bed. The Mane 6 along with Spike and Zecora were invited to stay in a guest room. Having endured such trials, they all agreed to sleep in the same room, even Zecora, as flattered as could be.

D Anomaly bid them all farewell as he teleported himself to his Clockwork Castle. It then began to whir and hum as flight mode activated. It was a little while but it flew to near Canterlot and attached itself to the mountainside alongside it. D headed to his bed as he looked to Elder in the room and all the others in there.

It was going to be a new beginning indeed.

“SURPRISE!”

D screamed in shock before literally jumping out of bed and clutching the ceiling. He looked down to see who was it that surprised him.

Unsurprisingly, it was Pinkie Pie, who was there with the rest of the Mane 6 and Spike.

“Oh, morning, everypony,” D said as he let go and dropped down like a cartoon.

“Well, we saw your big awesome castle just fly and attach yourself to the mountain so we just haaaad to see it!” Pinkie Pie stated to him with her usual pep.

“We’re sorry if we disturbed your rest, but Pinkie insisted we go off early. Then again, this home of yours is truly a marvel to behold,” Rarity told him as she examined everything around the room.

“I gotta say, this is mighty interesting stuff you made,” Applejack added as examined the minute details the human added as well as the items he created.

“Yeah, yeah, awesome stuff. Hey D, what’s with that heart gem of yours glowing?” Rainbow Dash interrupted.

D turned his head and so did the other ponies. The Empathy Heart was floating instead of lying on its pillow and was glowing with an intense power.

“When the Crystal Heart activated, the Empathy Heart must have reacted by absorbing that prismatic blast,” he surmised. He looked over. He noticed Fluttershy was not in the room. He looked out and saw Fluttershy staring with fascination at the giant caterpillar snoozing in his habitat.

“What’s his name?” she asked him when she noticed he was there.

“That’s the Earl of Crawlington,” D Anomaly said proudly to her. He then saw the Changelings sleeping. “I have an idea on what I’m going to do with these guys. I have been examining Iaiunus to learn more about Changelings and got some interesting information… but that’s for another day," he said as the cogs in his head were whirring.

Beyond his room, D Anomaly began taking the Mane 6 and Spike on a tour, with Elder accompanying them. Besides several guest rooms, there were some kitchens, laboratories, observatories, medical rooms, some blank rooms for miscellaneous purposes, repair rooms as well as some of the important rooms where the machinery is run and such.

Eventually, it was time for the ponies, where D Anomaly teleported them back to Ponyville. Before they left, he told them that if they wanted to visit, they could talk to Twilight. One advantage of her mark is that she can teleport to wherever D was.

D waved good-bye to them before he sent them off. He turned to face Iaiunus and the Changelings. He then summoned the reagents he had obtained.

The horn of King Sombra

A vial of slime from Queen Chrysalis

All he needed was some pony magic as well as a few books.

He looked at the insectoid pony-like creatures. “Once I finish all the details in my head, things will change…” he said cryptically.

“Starting with you, Iaiunus,” D added as he looked at the Changeling.

He looked back at the view. He was so happy at how everything turned out. As Elder flew from his perch to D’s head, he chuckled. He then heard the doorbell.

He wondered who it could be.

He teleported to the gates and opened them. He saw a pair of unicorn guards.

“May I help you?” D asked the pair as he saw they crossed the bridge he made when he attached his stronghold to the mountain.

“Princess Celestia assigned us to be your… chaperones if you will,” Golden Star stated to him. “Don’t mind us or her. It’s just to make sure everything is all right,” Star Silver added. D nodded in understanding.

“The Princess requested that you send her weekly reports to her so she knows how you are doing,” Golden Star stated. D smiled. He was now going to send friendship reports to the Princess just like his pony friends.

He wondered what awaited him…