A/N: This is something I've been working on for a while. A multicrossover fan fiction that revolves around the six heroines of MLPFIM. Be sure to check out the author's notes I put at the end of each chapter, because they contain VERY important information – sources, links, explanations of obscure things, reasons I made writing decisions, etc. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

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Prologue

CANTERLOT, FOURTH EQUESTRIA

There is a concept known as the "butterfly effect." It is quite well-known amongst philosophers and science fiction writers, but for those who are not familiar with it, it states thus: any event can trigger a chain of bigger and bigger events that will eventually change the fate of the entire cosmos. Anything so much as a butterfly flapping its wings can do this, for the gust of wind it generates will push nature into motion.

If such things can happen because of a mere butterfly, what would happen if a draconequus flapped its wings?

---

"Dear sister," Luna said at the royal delegate meeting, "I believe it is time."

Around a polished wooden table in the upper levels of the Canterlot castle sat the delegates. Luna sat in front of an old book, bound in black, lying before her on the table: the last journal of Starswirl the Bearded. Across from her was seated Princess Celestia. To Luna's right sat Shining Armor and Princess Cadance of the Crystal Empire; their travels to Canterlot were often, and they were always called to meetings that involved the most important decisions in Equestria. And to Luna's right, the newest delegate, the one who had known this Equestria from the farthest back in its history—since the days of Princess Platinum, Commander Hurricane, and Chancellor Puddinghead—and who looked absolutely bored to tears with his role in monitoring the balance of magic: Discord.

Luna had noticed that Discord had been becoming ever more apathetic since his release. She wondered if this was a good thing. It meant he wasn't causing trouble. At least the letters he wrote to Fluttershy every week seemed to cheer him. And he'd been made quite happy when Cadance, having received the okay to host the Equestria Games in the Crystal Empire, asked him to help design some of the stadiums and add challenges to make the sports more interesting. Luna then realized she'd been spending far too much time thinking about Discord and not enough explaining her plan to Celestia and the others.

"What is it time for?" Celestia asked Luna.

"To test Twilight Sparkle," Luna answered. "Thou hast seen what she hast done. She hast returned culture to the Crystal Empire. She hast summoned the Element of Magic after the Elements of Harmony had been locked away. She hast defended our land from many a vile villain, including two at this very table. Hast she not proven herself worthy of this table?"

"If you are thinking what I am thinking…" Celestia replied.

"What?" Shining Armor asked, looking back and forth between the sisters. "What are you thinking?"
"We thinkest," Luna told Shining Armor, "that thy sister is ready to ascend to the throne of princesshood."

"TWILY?" Shining Armor's jaw dropped. "A princess?"

"Gag me," Discord muttered.

Cadance shot Discord a look of daggers before telling Luna, "I think it is a wonderful idea. But what is the last test?"

"This journal containest the last work of Starswirl the Bearded," Luna explained. "Including his final spell, which remainest unfinished. We princesses of Equestria—my dear sister, Cadance, and myself—all contain within us immense powers, including those of the creative persuasion. Should Twilight Sparkle be able to write the ending to the spell of Starswirl, then…she containest more than enough of the power to create magic!"

"But no one's been able to figure that spell out," Cadance pointed out. "Not even you, Celestia, or me. What if she can't?"

"You've obviously never seen Twily doing her homework," Shining Armor informed his wife. "When she brought home her books from magic school, she'd lock herself in her room until it was done, even if she was stuck on a hard problem. One time, she accidentally took home a book from two grades ahead and did all the problems in it, even though she hadn't learned a thing about those spells!"

"Discord," Celestia noted, "you have been silent. I think it important that you weigh in."

"Well, well…" Discord sighed. "If I MUST. I think you're missing five VERY obvious factors. If I recall correctly, Twilight was only in your little school in the first place because her magic went off in the same Sonic Rainboom that gave all the current Elements of Harmony their Cutie Marks. Wouldn't it make just as much sense to crown Rainbow Dash?"

"Only in your mind," Shining Armor quipped.

"My mind, which once was a fountain of creativity," Discord replied. "Now reduced to reversing tornadoes and designing obstacle courses."

"We are not here to discuss thy complaints," Luna snapped. "We are here to discuss the ascension of Twilight Sparkle."

"I believe not only that this is a fitting test," Celestia said, "but that she has what it takes to complete it."

"I'm a little worried that something will go wrong," Cadance said, "but I have faith in Twilight."

"Definitely!" Shining Armor agreed.

"Discord?" Celestia asked.

The other four were stunned by the expression on Discord's face. He looked terrified, as though he'd seen a pack of Windigos fly in through the window over everypony's head. At last, he muttered, "Well, then, send her the book already."

"Then it is settled," Luna said. "We shall send Twilight Sparkle the last spell of Starswirl the Bearded, and, should she complete it…she shall ascend to her own throne!"

---

That night, Celestia left to deliver the book to Twilight. Luna went on an early dream patrol, and Cadance and Shining Armor caught a train back to the Crystal Empire.

Discord, in the meantime, lay awake on the bed he was provided when he arrived at the castle under peaceful terms. When he'd been asked to give a final verdict on Twilight Sparkle, he'd seen visions of what he considered to be awful things. Perhaps they would not be so awful to most, but to him, they were positively terrifying. And he saw them again now.

Twilight Sparkle, alicorn princess. The other five congratulating her—perhaps the pink one doing something silly like putting on a fake horn and wings, yelling, "ALICORN PARTY!" A magenta gown and a tiara fashioned of her Element of Magic stone. A fabulous coronation ceremony. Shining Armor would cry.

And after that…peace and order. No matter what unpredictable factors came into the borders of Equestria, be they Plunderseeds or Ahuizotl, Twilight would vanquish them. And even worse…Equestria was where she would stay all her life. The other five, too. Equestria would remain its own little homogenous petri dish, a culture of bacteria that fed off each other for nutrition and never took in any outside sources. And that would mean no REAL fun, not ever.

Many a time, Discord had traveled worlds. In particular, one of his favorite stints had involved him visiting a starship. He knew of the dangers out there. The different factors that were never supposed to mix. And if Twilight Sparkle became an alicorn princess…well, they never would. Not with Equestria, anyway.

Discord looked upon his life with Twilight on the royal council. Then he just thought about his life on the royal council. Weighing in on what to export to which town and who was infested with parasprites that season. Compared to what he'd seen, what he'd known…that wasn't a REAL life. He'd once been part of something larger, something…eldritch. And here he was, about to give that all up and watch peace and order take the stand. Perhaps even find tranquility and harmony at last in the apparent magic of friendship.

Unless.

He could do something different. No…it would be frowned upon highly. It wasn't how things were supposed to go at all. His visions weren't hypothetical; they were true premonitions. Twilight Sparkle was supposed to become the next princess…and the other five were supposed to stay right where they were. And as for the power Discord had once enjoyed? He was never supposed to regain it. His way with the universe allowed him to see it all, as though watching the season finale of some sort of cartoon. And to break it would have serious consequences. Not to mention that he'd made a promise to somepony he admired very much not to do such a thing.

That was one side of the scale. On the other: he was bored. Incredibly, painfully bored.

And that tipped it. Fluttershy would just have to understand.

---

PONYVILLE, FOURTH EQUESTRIA

At first, there had been a disaster. First, Twilight had accidentally used the half-finished spell of Starswirl to transfer Cutie Marks amongst her friends so each thought she had another's destiny. And this threw Ponyville into despair. With Pinkie Pie failing to farm apples, nopony was smiling due to her antics and celebrations. With Applejack sewing horrendous dresses, the Apple farm was failing. With Rarity creating weather patterns, the Carousel Boutique was very nearly shut down. With Rainbow Dash caring for a pack of animals and forgetting to feed every single one, nopony was making sure that the temperatures didn't get out of control, switching from blazing sun to blistering snow. And with Fluttershy throwing the most lackluster parties in existence, nopony was tending to the needs of the wild animals and pets of Ponyville.

Discord knew of all this as it happened. It was hilarious.

Then Twilight Sparkle found a way to remind each of her friends of her true destiny. First, she asked Fluttershy to please help Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy didn't believe herself to be good with animals, but upon the sight of seeing Rainbow Dash tormented by the animals, she stepped in immediately, vowing to do her best. At that moment, her Cutie Mark switched back to its true form, and so did her destiny. Twilight repeated the cycle with all her other friends, and soon order was restored.

Twilight was relieved that she'd found a way to save all her friends from living out miserable destinies. The side effect of all this was completely unintended; she was absolutely stunned when from this, the answer appeared.

"I know how to fix the spell!" she cried victoriously. She was already high on joy, having seen each of her friends realize her true self, having seen the extent to which they all cared for each other. And now…the elusive answer to Celestia's test. It was staring her in the face!

"Come on!" she beckoned her friends. "Let's go! Back to the library!"

Twilight turned to run in the direction of her home, and her ever faithful friends Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie followed.

"What did you figure out?" Pinkie Pie cried.

"That the spell only works with friendship!" Twilight replied. "Starswirl the Bearded never factored in—"

She opened the door to the library midsentence, took in the sight before her, and gasped. The others filed in around her, anxious to see what she had seen, and gasped similarly.

Discord clutched the journal of Starswirl the Bearded tightly. "Oh," he said casually. "Were you going to finish this?"

"Discord," Twilight seethed. "What are you doing?"

"Now, now," Discord replied, "I think a little explanation is in order. Though it shouldn't be hard for you to understand. You never did trust me."

"Discord…" Fluttershy stepped to the front of the group. "Why did you say it like that? Is something wrong?"

Discord heaved a sigh, a genuine sigh. "Fluttershy…you had me convinced to turn over a new leaf. That friendship meant that you couldn't have your way all the time. But you have no idea what it's been like! Orderly! Harmonic! BORING! You could just change my name to Concord! You all had to rediscover your true selves today." His voice became steely. "Well, I am taking this opportunity to rediscover mine."

"But…" Fluttershy was stunned. "You can't mean…"

"I'm leaving the royal delegate council," Discord announced. "I'm not going to play Celestia's little game anymore. It's barely a game! No, from now onward, I am playing by MY rules. And my rules say that your little switching spell now belongs to me to use as I see fit."

"Stop fooling around, Discord," Twilight barked. "Put that journal down."

"I don't want to stop fooling around!" Discord cried with a grin. "I haven't had this much fun since I was last released from stone!" He opened the book, looked over the last page, and burst into raucous laughter. Then he snapped his fingers.

An immediate change in aura was felt, as though the entire planet had somehow shifted. "DISCORD!" Twilight cried. "WHAT DID YOU DO?"

"Well, why don't you go see for yourselves?" Discord said with a grin. "I would start at that charming quill shop on the corner. See what the salesmare has in stock."

"Let's go!" Applejack commanded, and the six friends rushed from the library.

Down the street, the cart of quills was laden with feathery writing utensils. However, the usual quill salespony was missing. Instead, a tall, graceful, and familiar alicorn packaged the quills away in the salescart.

"Princess Celestia!" Twilight cried. "What are you doing here?"

Celestia giggled. "Princess! That is quite funny, Twilight Sparkle."

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked.

"Just thinking about a quill salespony like me becoming a princess," Celestia replied with a sincere smile.

"But you ARE a princess," Twilight retorted. "You're—"

"Uhhh, Twilight?" Rainbow Dash said nervously, looking over her shoulder. Before Twilight, or anypony else for that matter, could ask what was the matter, a loud blast of cacophonic music emitted from nearby.

Carrot Top's orange-maned head popped out of the window of the home of Vinyl Scratch. "Sorry! Just practicing my set for the weekend concert!"

"I feel bad for her," Celestia sighed. "Her Cutie Mark proves that she was destined to be a DJ, but she…well, she tries her best, and she learns every day." She smiled. "That's all we can ask for."

That was when the six noticed Celestia's Cutie Mark. Where there had once been a golden sun, there was now a curling feather quill.

"No…" Applejack gasped as the six backed away slowly. "It can't be…"

"Maybe it's just a misunderstanding!" Pinkie cried. "Come on! The rest of the town has to be normal, right?"

They rushed on to see the other late-night stragglers. With every new discovery, a new feeling of horror. Aloe, who they knew as the beautician from the spa, struggled to cart a mound of papers out of the schoolhouse, her Cutie Mark a crop of flowers that had belonged to expert teacher Cheerilee. Berry Punch was discovered tipsily staggering out of the hospital, wearing a stethoscope and a lab coat that covered what must have been a Mark related to medicine.

"This is terrible," Twilight moaned. "Aloe is great at the spa, but she's never had to deal with foals before. And Berry Punch a doctor?"

Fluttershy crashed head-on into another pony. "Oh, I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to…Vinyl?"

"No time to talk," Vinyl Scratch panted. "Listen, I've got some huge bills to look over and see if they match up to the codes for this town. Ten of them conflict, and all of them are outside the budget…sometimes it gets hard, being destined to be the mayor of town and all. Sometimes I wonder if I was supposed to be something else, but hey, the Cutie Mark wants what the Cutie Mark wants, right?"

She then galloped off, leaving the others to think about the disasters that would lie in the wake of Vinyl Scratch being mayor of Ponyville.

"My family," Applejack realized. The six took off for Sweet Apple Acres at top speed, hoping not to find disaster there.

In the gateway to the main orchard, they found Apple Bloom, her hair braided up and a haughty expression on her face. "Apple Bloom," Applejack panted. "What are you doin' out so late? Please, PUH-LEASE tell me you were havin' more adventures with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo tryin' to get your Cutie Marks—"

"Sweetie Belle?" Apple Bloom laughed. "Scootaloo? Me hang out with those losers? Yeah right! And what are you talking about? I got my Cutie Mark a year ago. Have you gone stupid or somethin'?"

"Oh, no…" Applejack stared in horror at the silver cutlery displayed upon her younger sister's flank. "MY SISTER'S TURNED ALL SNOBBY LIKE SILVER SPOON!"

They hastened to the farmhouse. "BIG MACINTOSH!" Applejack yelled. "GRANNY SMITH! SOMETHIN' TERRIBLE—"

The door swung open, and Applejack was stopped dead in her tracks by the sight of the last two ponies she ever wanted to see on her property…with Granny Smith and Big Macintosh's Cutie Marks in place of their own.

"Well, lookie here, Flim, looks like our little sis came back to the farm at a date most late!" Flam proclaimed.

"Well, I do say, Flam, Applejack seems to have forgot what is not tolerated at the farm: being late—" Flim picked up.

"—being slow—" Flim continued.

"—not on time—"

"—goes to show!"

"'Cause the one simple thing running Sweet Apple Acres isn't care, isn't love, isn't work, isn't fun. Applejack," Flam prompted, "what is the one thing we need?"

"Uh…" Applejack was stunned.

"SPEED!" Both brothers chorused.

"You two…runnin' the family farm…NO!" Applejack screamed. "NO, NO, NO!" She took off running, and her five friends followed.

"Maybe Zecora will know what to do!" Fluttershy suggested.

"You want to go into the Everfree Forest at this time of night?" Rainbow Dash yelled.

"If you follow me, we'll be safe," Fluttershy said. "And it's starting to not get so dark out."

In fact, that was true. The moon had gone down, and the darkness of the sky had softened, but the sunrise was nowhere in sight, leaving a cast of dusk over everything.

The six rushed desperately to Zecora's home, the lavish but solitary house carved of a tree in the midst of the woods, and Twilight pounded on the door. "Zecora!" she cried. "Something terrible has happened! Please…you need to help us! You know more about magic than mostly everypony I know!"

The door was opened by a teal pegasus sporting a slicked-back gold mane. Upon her flank was Zecora's Cutie Mark, the elaborate etching of the sun.

"Lightning Dust?" Rainbow Dash cried.

"Oh," Lightning Dust sighed. "It's YOU. Go away. I'm not going to help you." She slammed the door hard.

Defeated, the six sat down on the grass in the midst of the Everfree Forest beneath the strange dusk. Slowly and subtly, a maniacal laugh permeated the air until it was loud enough to make one believe that its laugher was there in person, and soon, he was; Discord materialized before the victims of his prank, dropping to the ground to roll about in hysterics.

"What did you do?" Rainbow Dash snapped.

"I used your little switching spell to switch the Cutie Marks of…wait for it…EVERYPONY IN EQUESTRIA!" Discord cried through his laughter. "Everypony believes they're the wrong pony now! Oh, the chaos this will cause! You did see that I made the DJ the mayor, right? She'll put Ponyville into debt that it will take YEARS to resolve!"

"DISCORD!" Twilight growled. "WHAT did you do to the princesses?"

"Oh, I think Sun Princess Screwball and Moon Princess Ditzy Doo are doing wonderfully, considering they're not even unicorns and couldn't move the sun or moon even if they knew how to use the proper trajectory," Discord said, calming down. "Good thing, too. Screwball raising the sun? Oh, she would definitely graze the planet and start a wildfire. That would be bad."

"Put everypony back the way they were," Pinkie growled, "NOW!"

"Feeling a little on edge?" Discord asked. "Oh, that's probably because you're feeling the lack of positive emotion that usually radiates throughout Equestria from the Crystal Empire. I promise you Crystal Princess Big Macintosh is doing his VERY best to resolve the problem."

Fluttershy began to cry wordlessly. This seemed to give Discord pause; he looked at her concernedly.

"I thought…we were…" Fluttershy sobbed.

"Oh, Fluttershy…" Discord sighed. "I really do wish this could have ended differently between us. You were, after all, such a good friend. But isn't it a little bit hypocritical to care so much about whether everypony you saw tonight was their true self and not about whether I was mine? What was I supposed to do, in my situation? Anyway…" He stretched out his arms as though preparing for bed, then yawned. "I need my beauty sleep. After all, it is…permanently stuck at thirteen o'clock. No self-respecting draconequus should be awake at this hour. Maybe in a bit, I'll get up and start working on the Canterlot renovations…and you all have some cleaning up to do. Good luck, my little ponies!"

Then he disappeared in a flash of white light.

"Fluttershy…" Rainbow Dash moved closer to her sobbing friend. "Hey…it'll be okay…"

"What do we do now?" Rarity moaned.

"Well…" Applejack turned to Twilight. "Any chance that what you did on us could work on everypony else?"

"And get the WHOLE WORLD to discover their true selves?" Twilight cried. "Do you realize how long that would TAKE?"

"Maybe not everypony," Pinkie suggested. "Maybe we get Cadance, Shining Armor, Celestia, and Luna to see their true selves, and they can help us fix it!"

"Hey…" Twilight realized. "You're right! I mean, we'll have to find them all first…but we know where Celestia is!"

---

Celestia nodded. "That is quite a strange story. I find it rather hard to believe."

"But you are the princess," Applejack insisted. "And without you to raise the sun, we ain't never havin' daytime again!"

"I will admit," Celestia said, "my memory is fuzzy as to how I as an alicorn came into selling quills. I had thought alicornism to be a trait of the royal family, though I'm not quite sure why…Screwball and Ditzy Doo aren't alicorns…"

"They also aren't the real princesses," Rarity said. "Ditzy Doo is a weather pony alongside Rainbow Dash, and Screwball is…well…we're not quite sure what she does, really…"

Celestia nodded. "I believe you, my little ponies. I may not have any memories of being a princess, but I have a strange feeling in my heart that I know you a lot better than I think. And it's telling me to trust you. I will come with you on your journey."

"Great!" Rainbow Dash cried. "Now, where do you think we'll find the others?"

"Who are you looking for?" Celestia asked.

"Luna, Cadance, and Shining Armor," Applejack replied.

"My family," Celestia said.

"So you got to remember that much!" Twilight cried happily.

"Of course," Celestia said. "Luna is my beloved younger sister, and she drives a ferryboat at the Horseshoe Bay harbor. Shining Armor, my nephew-in-law, directs the weather in Cloudsdale, and his wife Cadance works an orchard in Appleloosa. I had always wondered why they lived so far apart. It must be because of this Discord you mentioned."

"We have to try and fix things as soon as possible," Twilight insisted.

Celestia nodded. "Right. We'll take the next train to Appleloosa as soon as possible."

---

APPLELOOSA, FOURTH EQUESTRIA

"Welcome!" Cadance said, bearing the brown vest and cowboy hat that Applejack was used to seeing on her cousin Braeburn. Cadance had arrived at the train station to meet the group as soon as she'd received word from Celestia that they were on their way. "May I show you around? Oh, wait…of course you've all been here before!"

"Cadance," Twilight said, "there's something really important we need to tell you."

"Basically," Applejack said, "we need you to come to Cloudsdale and help us pick up Shining Armor, and then go to Canterlot as soon as possible."

"Is something wrong with the weather in Cloudsdale?" Cadance asked with worry. "Is that why the sky has been so…so…"

"So you remember it wasn't always this way," Celestia said.

Cadance nodded. "And…I feel like Equestria used to be happier."

"Should we tell her?" Rarity asked. "Will she believe us?"

"Maybe we should stick to the short version," Celestia said. "Cadance, there is something wrong with the weather. And we do need to find Shining Armor because of it. Then we can fix things at Canterlot."

"Count me in," Cadance said. "Anything to help him!"

---

CLOUDSDALE, FOURTH EQUESTRIA

"Oh, no…"

Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Cadance, and Celestia had struck out on their own to go to Cloudsdale, as the spell that would allow unicorns and earth ponies to walk on the clouds—undoubtedly what Shining Armor was using—would have taken up extra time that was frankly saved by sending the smaller party. Rainbow Dash was the first to notice what was wrong. "Anypony notice the clouds headed for Canterlot?"

"Blue is an odd color for clouds," Celestia remarked.

Rainbow Dash flew up to one and licked it. "Yep…he brought back the cotton candy clouds. Except this time—" She kicked the cloud, and it began to apparently snow. She tasted that as well. "He's making it snow sugar instead of rain chocolate milk."

"I guess he didn't want to be predictable," Fluttershy said, her voice only quavering slightly.

"I don't understand," Cadance said. "Who is…he?"

"The guy who made all this happen," Rainbow Dash explained as the four touched down on cloud ground and made their way to weather control central. "You'll see later."

They entered the weather facility, moving to the head office; they didn't even have to get all the way there to find Shining Armor talking to several pegasi nervously. "…and we pick up the rain from the desert, and make sure to send just enough rain to the pond in Manehattan to make sure the plants grow. No, no, wait! Turn that around! We have to pick UP the rain from Manehattan, and not send too much to the DESERT! Whew…you'd almost think I hadn't been doing this from the time I was a filly!"

"Shining Armor!" Cadance rushed to her husband's side.

"Cadance!" Shining Armor nuzzled his neck against Cadance's. "What are you doing here?"

"There's some kind of trouble with the weather," Cadance said. "Celestia says she knows why the sky has been…this way. And…have you seen the clouds going out to Canterlot?"

"Clouds to Canterlot? We just sent the regular order—"

"Of cotton candy clouds filled with sugar?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"That's just silly," Shining Armor laughed. "You guys took care of the Canterlot order, right?" He looked around at his employees. "Right? Ummm…somepony DID handle that, right?"

"Not me," one piped up.

"Or me," another said. The rest chimed in with the same: "Or me…" "Not me!"

"Huh…I guess I forgot to pencil in Canterlot," Shining Armor admitted embarrassedly.

"We can fix everything at Canterlot," Celestia said. "If you come with us."

"But then who will fix the weather if I—" Shining Armor began.

"Trust me," Rainbow Dash said sternly. "It cannot possibly get any worse if you leave."

The group moved out, and Rainbow Dash hung back to ask Fluttershy, "So…are you feeling better? I mean…I know this is hard…"

"It's all right," Fluttershy said softly. "It is hard. But…I think I understand."

---

HORSESHOE BAY, FOURTH EQUESTRIA

"You're sure this is where she is?" Twilight asked. She, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Celestia, Shining Armor, and Cadance stood on the beach, looking out toward the ocean.

"And what does this have to do with Canterlot?" Shining Armor asked.

"We obviously need Luna with us," Cadance replied. "She and Celestia work best together."

The silhouette of a boat came speeding in from the horizon. "Yes," Rarity realized. "I am very sure…that is her."

The boat zoomed toward the beach at top speed, appearing as though it was about to beach, before it skidded to a sudden, jolting halt thanks to a dash of unicorn magic. The anchor dropped, and Luna climbed up to the deck, letting down the gangplank as several dizzy, disoriented ponies climbed off.

"HUZZAH!" Luna cried. "We have arrived! I hope you have enjoyed your tour!"

"LAND!" one of the ponies cried, dropping to his knees to kiss the coast.

"I saw the light…" another muttered.

"Luna!" Celestia cried, running to her sister. "I have the strangest…story…"

As Luna came toward Celestia on the shore, Celestia's stare was suddenly captured by something on the horizon of the sea. Something that stirred within her.

The butterfly effect had taken place. Discord's theft of Starswirl's journal had somehow set off a chain of events that led to this. Had he left things alone, this otherworldly entity would have stayed away for much longer. But somehow, his influence had reached outside, and now outside was reaching in. Something was to begin here in Fourth Equestria. An exogenesis.

The mists were rolling in over the sea. And at the sight of them, Celestia suddenly knew in her heart what her true destiny was.

She spread her wings, letting the memories of daylight, of princesshood, of Laughter, envelop her. To the surprise of everypony present, her Cutie Mark glowed, then faded away. In its place, the Mark of a golden sun bloomed.

Celestia's horn radiated with magic. The dusk was broken; the sun lifted gracefully into the sky, taking its place at noon to make up for lost time.

"Sister!" Luna gasped.

"It was true," Celestia said. "We are the royal family…" Her expression turned cold as she realized what must have happened. "Discord! He betrayed us!"

"But how…" Twilight began.

"We didn't even get to the castle to have you do princess stuff yet!" Pinkie Pie pointed out.

Celestia nodded. "I know. I was reminded of my role in a slightly different way." She had a feeling that telling Luna to look over her shoulder at the mists would have a similar effect on Luna…but she didn't want to confront that yet. The mists were something she would have to deal with later. "Come. Let us go to Canterlot Castle. We have to put an end to this once and for all."

Even as she said that, she knew it wasn't true.

---

The passenger who had left Luna's ferryboat and kissed the sands—a brown stallion with a somewhat spiky mane—turned to see the mists, and suddenly, he too knew his true destiny. His Cutie Mark, that of a chicken, disappeared. He'd never been a tourist. He wasn't from the farming towns out west.

It was really rather silly, he thought, that he'd forgotten what his destiny was. It didn't seem like the kind of thing you could ever forget.

As the hourglass reappeared upon his flank, he thought again about the message he'd found before the upheaval had happened and he'd thought that his ultimate goal in life was to photograph himself with every monument in Equestria. No, he reminded himself—Fourth Equestria.

He'd come for a specific purpose. Now that was fulfilled, and he couldn't bring himself to leave. The message, however, gave him doubts. If it truly wasn't a prank…he would have to deal with the angel of darkness.

---

CANTERLOT, FOURTH EQUESTRIA

"I can't believe it…" Twilight looked up the main road of Canterlot. "It's even worse this time."

The roads weren't soap. Discord hadn't wanted to skate this time. He'd wanted to bounce. They were long strips of trampoline upon which everypony tripped. Blue cotton candy clouds snowed sugar, and several draconequi made of this snow and sculpted to wear increasingly more fashionable outfits were visible every place there was free space alongside the road.

"Was Canterlot always like this?" Cadance asked. "I…thought I knew, but for some reason…I'm not sure if what I know is right."

"This is the new Chaos Capital," Pinkie informed her.

The ten moved toward the palace. A guard rushed out, crying, "HAAAALT!" It wasn't one of the regular guards, however. Rainbow Dash recognized him as Bulk Biceps, the over-muscled and overzealous weather pegasus.

"Stand down," Shining Armor commanded him.

"WHO'RE YOU TO TELL ME?" Bulk Biceps roared.

"Your captain," Shining Armor said without thinking. Then: "Hey…I am your captain!"

His Cutie Mark shifted to that of the shield with the six-pointed star within it; the symbol of guardianship. "Cadance!" he cried. "I get it now! This isn't who we are!"

"Then who am I?" Cadance asked.

"The Crystal Princess," Shining Armor told her. "You're one of the biggest sources of love in Equestria!"

"Love?" Cadance seemed genuinely confused.

"You know," Shining Armor reminded her. "Love is your talent. It's how you saved me. It…hey, when was the last time we kissed?"

"I can't remember," Cadance admitted.

Shining Armor approached her. "When we were apart," he asked knowingly, "did you ever stop loving me?"

"Not even once. And I never would." Cadance kissed him then, passionately. Between their horns, there was a spark; a small pink heart hovered in the air for a moment. When their lips parted, Cadance said, "You're right. Love IS my talent. And not just for you…for everypony in the Crystal Empire, and for Equestria!" Her Cutie Mark shone brightly: the Crystal Heart. Then Cadance smirked. "You just tricked me into that, didn't you?"

"Like sister, like brother," Rainbow Dash remarked, remembering how Twilight had "tricked" her into taking back her weather talents.

"Hey, you came up with it on your own," Shining Armor reminded Cadance.

"I am confused," Luna said. "Who am I, then?"

"You will know soon enough," Celestia assured her.

---

Discord reclined on the throne of Canterlot, lying across it in a perpendicular fashion so that his back lay on one of the arm rests. "Now, what should I do to this world next?" he asked himself with a smile. "Or…is it time to move on? After all, I—"

"Stand down, Discord."

At this command from the familiar voice of Celestia, Discord sighed and rolled his eyes. "I knew it was too good to last…" He sat up to look at the group that had just entered: Twilight, Rarity, Celestia, Luna, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Cadance, Shining Armor, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy. "If it isn't the royal family and the Elements of Harmony come to call."

"This place!" Luna cried. "This…dost be our palace! I am not a captain of mere ferryboats! I am the princess of the night!" Her Cutie Mark settled into place: a bright white crescent moon.

"So now you're all back in order," Discord sighed. "So what are you going to do? I still have this castle. I still have my Chaos Capital. And I can only grow from here."

"Not so fast," Twilight said. "I happened to be prepared when I packed for the trip."

Discord flinched at first when she produced the five amulets and the tiara that represented the Elements of Harmony. She settled them each upon the proper owner: "Necklace! Necklace! Necklace! Necklace! Necklace! And, as always, big shiny crown thingy!"

"Oh, but you're forgetting," Discord said. "Fluttershy, you haven't forgotten, have you? You can't use your Element against me! We had a deal because we're friends!"

"No," Fluttershy said sternly. "This…breaks our deal. You ruined everything, Discord. Ponies are in danger because of you, and I…I can't stand by and watch that happen."

It sank in: she was serious. Discord began to tremble. "Now, Fluttershy…I wouldn't go and do anything rash because you're feeling betrayed…"

"I might feel betrayed," Fluttershy admitted, "but I know why you did it. It wasn't fair of me to ask you not to be yourself. This is who you are. I still wish there was a way we could work it out so you could be free and be yourself…" She faltered at that. "I…I don't want to lock you away again. I really, really don't."

Seeing the look in her eyes, Discord sighed. It was time to face reality. "No. You're right. Seal me away. I should have known this was coming. Your orderly society doesn't work with my chaotic ways. But I'll have you know…it was worth it. I'd rather live another thousand years in stone than have to be that bored or that boring ever again. So go ahead." He stood and spread out his arms, perfectly sincere. "Lock me away." He gave a grin. "No hard feelings. I promise it."

"Is this a trick?" Twilight asked.

"Less questioning and more zapping!" Rainbow Dash told her.

Discord watched it happen before him as it had happened before. The six stood together, and a sphere of light formed around them. A great rainbow emitted from the sphere, shooting directly at Discord.

When the light faded, the ten ponies looked toward the throne. Discord was frozen in stone with the strangest grin on his face…a grin that said it had, in fact, been worth it.

"You think…you think he meant it?" Twilight asked softly.

"I don't know." Celestia sighed. "I had thought that giving him his freedom would work out for all of us. I didn't realize that what I offered him wasn't true freedom at all. This is my mistake, and I apologize for it. To everypony."

"It's all right," Fluttershy said. "We all make mistakes."

"Uhhh…shouldn't we do something about all the Cutie Mark mixups?" Shining Armor asked.

"Right," Celestia said. "Luna, Cadance, Shining Armor. We must—"

"But I'm not an alicorn," Shining Armor pointed out. "Or really related to you—"

"You are my husband," Cadance reminded him with a smile. "Once we show you the spell, you can take part. You are part of this family, Shining Armor."

Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and Shining Armor stood in a circle in the center of the throne room. Celestia and Luna lowered their heads slowly; all four horns sparked with a bright glow of magic that started small, then suddenly erupted, sending a shockwave out of the room, out of the palace, over Equestria.

They lifted their heads. "It is done," Celestia said.

A cautious knock came at the door of the throne room. A blonde pegasus with a soft blue coat peered in. "Uhhh…I just realized I have no idea what I'm doing with the moon and everything," Ditzy Doo said.

A pink pony with a curly violet mane peered in as well. "Me either."

Bulk Biceps joined them. "SORRY!"

"It is all right," Celestia said with a smile. "We have it under control."

"We should probably go home now," Ditzy said.

"That would be best," Celestia agreed. "After all, Ponyville needs the three of you."

"YEAH!" Bulk Biceps agreed.

"Hey," Ditzy was heard to say as the three made their way out of the castle, "you want to stop for muffins on the way home? I could sure go for a muffin."

"YOU DID IT!" Pinkie Pie cried. "You fixed everything! Everypony's Cutie Mark is right again! Equestria has its true destiny! PARTYYYYY!"

"Hey!" Twilight realized, looking at the throne to find a left-behind object. "It's the journal of Starswirl the Bearded! Discord must have been carrying it all this time!" She levitated it, turning to the last page. "Now, to finish that spell like I planned."

"Have a quill," Celestia offered, levitating one such quill over to Twilight—a little something left over from her destiny mix-up. However, she knew what was about to happen as soon as Twilight finished the spell. Had things gone differently, she might have tried to salvage her original plan. But she had seen the mists, the exogenesis. She had seen the Elements work against Discord not once, but twice from this group over the course of her lifetime. And she knew what had to be done.

Twilight finished writing in the segment of the spell. "There," she said. "Starswirl was never able to finish it because he didn't really understand friendship. That's why—"

When she dotted the last sentence, the book began to glow, as did all six of the jewels of the Elements of Harmony. The amulets around the necks of Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash shot beams of light at Twilight, who cried out in surprise. When the light cleared, Twilight had vanished.

"TWILIGHT!" the five friends cried.

"Do not fear," Celestia said. "This was planned. I must go meet Twilight, and I shall return with her shortly."

"I think you will like what you see when she returns," Luna said.

"No," Celestia said sharply. "When we return…things will be the same."

"But Celestia…" Cadance said.

"I will explain later," Celestia said softly to the other members of the royal family before she vanished in a brilliant light.

---

Twilight found herself in a strange place. She wasn't quite sure what she was standing on, even though it was a solid surface; everything around her seemed to be the starry sky of outer space.

"Twilight Sparkle," Celestia said.

"Princess!" Twilight turned to see her mentor. "What happened?"

"When you finished that spell, you created new magic," Celestia said. "One of the most powerful abilities for any wielder of magic to do. You were right in saying that the missing factor from Starswirl's spell was friendship. And Twilight, from the moment I first sent you to Ponyville for the Summer Sun Celebration…I have watched you grow in your studies, not only learning about magic, but about friendship as well. I am proud to call you my student."

"So what's all this?" Twilight asked.

"This…" Celestia sighed. "This was to be something else. But now I know the truth. Your skill with magic and the friendships you have…they are incredibly important, Twilight Sparkle. More than you know."

"I find that a little hard to believe. I know my magic is important…and my friends are even more important."

"With that said, Twilight Sparkle…trust me when I say that big things will come your way. I want to congratulate you on finishing the spell. Now, your friends are waiting for you. I'd best send you back before they worry."

"Okay," Twilight said. "Thank you, Princess."

---

Celestia and Twilight reappeared in the throne room. "I cannot thank you all enough," Celestia said, "for coming to the aid of Equestria as many times as you have. Now that the danger has passed, I will issue a celebration ceremony…but first, I had thought you all might want to catch up on breakfast."

"It is on the royal kitchens!" Luna announced.

"Perfect!" Applejack sighed. "I'm starvin'!"

"You six go on ahead," Celestia said.

"All right!" Pinkie squealed, bouncing ahead of the group.

"So…what was all that about?" Rainbow Dash asked Twilight. "Why did you disappear?"

"I'm not quite sure," Twilight admitted. "I guess it was just a side effect of writing new magic."

When the six were quite gone, Luna asked, "Why didst thou not crown her the next princess?"

"It has become apparent to me that now is not the time," Celestia said. "After what has happened with Discord…I cannot crown her. It would be best not to tie her down to the court here. All of them are meant for bigger things. In the meantime, to avoid offending her, I suggest we not mention that the motion was on the table. For all intents and purposes…we never discussed it."

"Right," Shining Armor said.

"Shining Armor," Celestia suggested, "Cadance, why don't you join the others in the kitchen?"

"I'm starving too!" Shining Armor realized.

"Let's go," Cadance said.

When those two were gone and Celestia and Luna were all who remained, Celestia looked Luna directly in the eye. "I could not have bound any of them to such a responsibility that would have them remain on this world," Celestia told Luna.

"Thou dost not mean-!" Luna gasped.

"I know what the true destiny is of Twilight Sparkle, as well as her friends," Celestia admitted. "And it is not in this court. Not yet. I had thought things would be different this time, but it appears that their bearing of the Elements of Harmony will have the same effect on them that it has had on us."

Luna nodded. "Would it be in our best interests to ready the ship?"

"Not for a while yet. The mists were not strong enough. But still…the time will come eventually when it will need to again set sail."

---

A ceremony was held to honor the heroics of the six wielders of the Elements of Harmony, who had again imprisoned Discord during his reign of chaos. It was nothing new for Canterlot; it seemed these six were always doing something heroic, and that was no problem, as it gave the populace an excuse to party every now and again. Besides, it was well known that Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash were kind and well-respected beings.

All in all, though it was a celebration of much merriment, it was not out of the ordinary as compared to past celebrations.

There were only two remarkable things about this celebration. For one, the six turned the Elements of Harmony amulets and tiara back over to Canterlot for safekeeping, as the jewelry had only been brought to Ponyville to keep tabs on Discord.

Once that was done, they returned home. And for the next few weeks, life settled back down as normal in Ponyville.

---

But the second extraordinary thing about this celebration was the effect it had on the stallion with the hourglass Cutie Mark.

At first, reading over the news reports of the heroics of the six, it seemed as fitting to him as it did to anypony else. But then things started to piece together. The message from the angel of darkness. The mists over Horseshoe Bay. The very nature of what Discord even was. And the fact that there were six.

A memory suddenly occurred to him. He set out immediately for a certain house in Canterlot. If he was right, it was imperative that he talk to himself.

---

1. Exogenesis

CANTERLOT, FOURTH EQUESTRIA

The blue stallion with the blonde coif was rather surprised to see the brown stallion with the shaggy brunette mane burst into his home uninvited. He'd never seen this particular pony before, but he recognized his cutie mark: the tell-tale hourglass. That was how he knew.

"Five cycles ago," the brown stallion said, "I came here to ask you if we'd really found them. Did we find them?"

"I'm sure I have," the blue replied. "They sealed away Discord, after all."

"I knew it!" the brown cried. "I must tell Celestia at once!"

"I already told her today," the blue informed the brown stallion. "It will be rather a lot for her, don't you think?"

"I'd like to think it would only convince her that the situation is serious," the brown answered. "To hear it from the same person twice, after all." He paused. "Shouldn't this be impossible, you and me meeting like this?"

"Time doesn't seem to work by those laws in Equestria," the blue stated. "And besides…with someone like Discord in existence here, do the laws even matter?"

---

PONYVILLE, FOURTH EQUESTRIA

The Ponyville library was decorated for a gathering of fun. Streamers ran from rafter to rafter, and the table was set with a variety of treats, most of them baked from apples. In the center of the library, seated comfortably on a circle of pillows, six ponies and a young dragon each held a copy of the same blue book before them.

"I now call the first official meeting of the Ponyville book club to order!" a pink mare with a shock of carnation-colored curls for a mane cried, holding her hoof high. Her adjacent friend, a lavender unicorn with a pink streak in her mane, had originally planned to make the announcement, but she had relinquished that responsibility when she realized her friend would have much more fun with it.

"Thanks, Pinkie Pie," that unicorn said. "Also, thanks for setting up the library for the meeting. And thanks for bringing all the treats, Applejack!"

"My pleasure, sugar cube," an orange mare sporting a blonde ponytail beneath a cowboy hat replied with a slight bow.

"And to think," a bright white unicorn with a mane of flawless plum-colored ringlets pointed out, "when we first met, Rainbow Dash never would have agreed to do this!"

"You got me there, Rarity," the blue pegasus sitting next to the white unicorn replied, blowing her rainbow-toned bangs out of her eyes. "I gotta say, Twilight, I'm startin' to see why these books get you all excited." She caught herself. "STARTING."

"Okay, Rainbow Dash," the purple unicorn giggled, having been addressed.

"Are you sure you're comfortable, Rarity?" the young purple dragon asked. "Anything I can get you? More pillows? Another apple tart?"

"I'm fine, Spike," Rarity replied. "You're quite the gentleman for asking, though."

"If anyone does want another apple tart," the last member of the group – a yellow pegasus with a soft pink mane – offered, "I would gladly fetch one."

"I'm good, Fluttershy," Rainbow Dash replied. The others all gave an "I'm good" of assent.

"Now that everything's in order," Twilight said, "what did you all think of the book?"

"Absolutely wonderful!" Rarity gushed. "I must admit, I was a bit skeptical when you decided our first reading material would be one of your science fictions, but I must admit I'm hooked!"

"It's almost better than Daring Do!" Rainbow Dash agreed.

"I just keep thinking about how fun it would be if we had our own spaceship!" Pinkie blurted. "So we could travel to all sorts of different planets too!"

"That actually sounds rather frightening," Fluttershy admitted. "I'd much rather stay here and read about other ponies having that kind of adventure!"

"What d'you think, Twilight?" Applejack asked. "If it were you, would you rather have a spaceship and go on an adventure, or stay home and read about it?"

"That's actually a tough question, Applejack," Twilight answered. "I mean, ever since I was little, I always dreamed about having the kind of adventures the ponies had in books. But ever since I came here, I've had plenty of adventures. Our battle against Discord, the royal wedding…even making the cider when the Flim Flam brothers came into town was kind of an adventure! Not to mention that everything I could ever want is here. My friends, my library, this whole town…"

"So you wouldn't go on an epic adventure to other planets?" Pinkie asked.

"Well…" Twilight admitted. "I wouldn't say that. Not exactly. I just…really appreciate what we have here. Besides, it's not like we ever would find a way to go to other planets. The farthest anypony's ever been away from the planet is when Celestia banished Luna to the moon, and comparatively speaking, that's not that far."

"Can we talk about the book now?" Rainbow Dash begged. "PLEASE?"

"Sure," Twilight conceded, and the discussion evolved into one about the book.

---

CANTERLOT, FOURTH EQUESTRIA

Twice had the Doctor come to Fourth Equestria. The first time, five incarnations ago, he'd arrived to help fight off the Changeling invasion. The second time, he'd arrived in the same time period as his former self in order to match wits with one of the Old Ones…only to hear that the Old One was promptly defeated, and not by him. Somehow, Discord had been sealed away after only two chronological days, though how many "days" had passed with all of Discord's playing with the sun and moon was actually questionable.

He'd taken on the identity of "Time Turner" the second time, cautious about revealing his true self to Fourth Equestria. It seemed a world apart from all other worlds he'd ever seen. When a cosmic monster like Discord wasn't ravaging it, it was practically idyllic, not something he wanted to spoil by tying it to the great spiderweb of worlds. Its magical atmosphere even seemed to follow its own rules; no sooner had the TARDIS touched down on the earth than had "Time Turner" – known more affectionately as "Five" among his true companions the first time he had come, and "Ten" the second – shifted from the human form he preferred to that of a stallion. He knew there were some dimensions that changed their occupants so, and after confirming that there was no actual human life in Fourth Equestria, he knew this was definitely one of those cases. Introducing it to the rest of the multiverse, with its variegated forms and species, would inevitably cause a tangle.

However, things were different this time around. Five cycles ago, he had witnessed something that reminded him of a prophecy currently bound to a glass ball tucked away deep beneath the Ministry of Magic on one of the Earths. Now, that half of the prophecy was confirmed by a certain natural phenomenon in Fourth Equestria, a phenomenon that had come from outside. The other half had just revealed itself in a most frightening way.

Ten had settled in Ponyville, but upon receiving intelligence that the prophecy was indeed being set in motion, he realized he needed to move to Canterlot as quickly as possible to speak with Celestia, the near-godlike ruler of the territory. Five had settled in Canterlot in order to face the Changelings, and as Ten recalled that on the train ride to Canterlot, he also recalled the day that, as Five, he'd been visited by the strange brown stallion, the one who matched what he saw in the mirror.

As soon as he disembarked from the train, Ten rushed to find Five's home and burst in upon his old self having lunch in the kitchen. Five was certainly shocked to see him, as Ten remembered having been.

"Five cycles ago," Ten announced, "I came here to ask you if we'd really found them. Did we find them?"

---

Five had already explained to Celestia. Ten remembered, now, having posed his theory to her. It was now up to him to confirm it.

He requested an immediate audience with the Princess. The guards balked at first, but one of them, recognizing Ten's cutie mark and remembering what Celestia had always said about ponies with the hourglass mark, agreed to push him to the front of the list waiting to see Celestia. In no time, Ten stood before the majestic white alicorn with the pastel mane. Perched upon her throne, she regarded him with genuine interest.

"Princess Celestia," Ten began. "Do you know who I am?"

"I know," Celestia answered calmly. "You're the Doctor."

"I told you a few hours ago, didn't I?"

"Not only that," Celestia said, "but I'm familiar with how the multiverse works."

That was somewhat of a shock. Ten wasn't sure she'd let that on to Five; he certainly didn't remember it. "So you're familiar with the prophecy?"

"There are many prophecies," Celestia replied. "However, when you came to me earlier, you did mention one in particular."

"If I remember correctly," Ten said, "I told you that I MIGHT have found the Six. That was after I heard of the legend of Princess Luna and saw the stained glass murals you have of them all over. Certain things have happened since then, and I'm now convinced they're the Six."

"Remind me again," Celestia said. "What Six are these?"

"A prophecy exists," Ten said, "that was made by Merlin himself. He said that in the great battle of the multiverse, an angel of darkness would appear to bring turmoil upon all existence, and six shining hearts would step forward to face him. Or her. The prophecy wasn't exactly clear on that. It did say, however, that the six would touch hundreds of lives throughout the multiverse. If the six won, existence would continue. If not…well, all Merlin said was 'great disaster', but if I had to guess, I'd say something along the likes of the release of the Old Ones."

"The Old Ones," Celestia repeated. "The disharmonious ones who would bring existence to ruin."

"Exactly," Ten confirmed. "In all my travels, I thought I'd seen the Six several times. Every time, I was wrong." He remembered the guesses he'd made. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, and Luna. Tony, Steve, Bruce, Thor, Natasha, and Clint. Goliath, Hudson, Broadway, Brooklyn, Lexington, and Elisa. All had done great things, but none had ever seemed quite right. "Now…I think I have."

"Twilight Sparkle," Celestia spelled out for him. "Applejack. Rarity. Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash. Pinkie Pie."

"The Elements of Harmony, right?"

"Yes. Your connection does make sense. The Elements of Harmony are great powers in the cosmos, powers that I haven't even fully explained to them." Celestia shifted uncomfortably, though it was barely noticeable. "After all, Luna and I once wielded those powers."

"And you've been around for a thousand years," Ten pieced together. "That's no coincidence, is it?"

"No."

"Two things have convinced me that your little ponies are the Six," Ten went on. "For one, the angel of darkness has revealed himself. Or herself."

Celestia's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Unfortunately," Ten sighed. "He taunted me."

"How?"

"A scroll appeared in the TARDIS," Ten began. "You…do know what a TARDIS is, right?"

"Time and Relative Dimension in Space."

"Exactly. It said, and I quote:" Ten cleared his throat. "Your attempts to uphold peace and light in this universe are quaint. However, all that is about to change. Soon you will realize how hopeless you truly are, and I shall reign over this multiverse. All will be enveloped in darkness, and I shall be…"

"The angel of darkness," Celestia guessed.

"Exactly. Now, there is a small chance that this is just someone who heard about the prophecy as well and is just trying to talk tough. However, that wouldn't explain the other…incident."

"The mists of Avalon," Celestia said immediately.

Ten was taken aback. "You KNOW about that?"

"I have lived a long time," Celestia replied, "and I had three of the Elements of Harmony within me once. I know all about Avalon and its place in the cosmos. Sailors from Avalon find that the mists don't send you where you want to go – they send you where you need to go. In the most extreme of cases, the mists will arrive to find who they need to go someplace in order to take them there. The reports of a strange mist over the seas haven't slipped past me. I went to see them myself. Ordinary ponies were able to sail through them without a problem, but I could tell they were the mists. Once you've breathed them in, you never forget what they feel like."

"Avalon is calling them," Ten said. "And you know it, don't you?"

Celestia nodded. "I must let them know."

"How do you think they'll take it?"

"They've proven themselves time and time again," Celestia said. "They will know. Do you intend to be around when I inform them?"

"It's a given that we'll cross paths," Ten said. "For the moment…let's have them take the news from someone they trust."

"I understand. I can give them what they need to transport themselves."

"You don't have a TARDIS of your own stashed away somewhere," Ten asked suspiciously, "do you?"

"Not at all. Nothing quite so special. Just something I once used to cross the mists. Something that will give them a home away from home, and enough information to navigate their way."

"Good luck," Ten wished honestly.

"Thank you," Celestia replied. "But I am not the one who will need luck."

---

PONYVILLE, FOURTH EQUESTRIA

"That was fun," Spike remarked, helping clear away the last of the streamers. The sun had set, and everypony had returned to her respective home, leaving Spike and Twilight alone in the library. "I can't wait for next week's meeting! How about you, Twilight?" When he received no answer, he looked up to see Twilight looking up and out the window of the upper story. "Twilight?"

"Huh?" Twilight shook her head. "I'm sorry, Spike. Did you say something?"

"Just that I thought the book club meeting was really fun," Spike replied. "Are you still thinking about what Pinkie said about wanting to go on adventures through space?"

"Only a little," Twilight said. "I don't really want to leave Ponyville now that I've found so much I love here. But…I'm curious." She turned back to the window. "What's out there? Other ponies like us? Do they have the same kind of lives we do?"

"I dunno," Spike said with a shrug. "Maybe, I guess."

"That's the answer I'll have to live with," Twilight resolved. "Here. Let me help you clear away some of those streamers."

All of a sudden, a rush of green flame poured forth from Spike's mouth. A scroll of parchment came out with it. "Hey," Spike remarked, "you got a letter from the Princess!" Out of habit, he unrolled it and read it. "Whoa…weird!"

"What?" Twilight asked, moving to try and read the letter over Spike's shoulder. "What is it?"

"It's for all of you," Spike said. "You and Applejack and Rarity and Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie."

Twilight levitated the letter out of Spike's hands, reading it over herself. "The Princess wants to see us in Canterlot as soon as possible?" She turned the letter over to find nothing on the back. "That's it? No explanation why?"

"It must be really important," Spike deduced. "And top-secret!"

"I'll say." Twilight rolled up the scroll. "Looks like we'll have to go see what Celestia wants. I hope it isn't an emergency."

"Are you gonna worry about what she wants all night?" Spike asked, raising a brow.

"No," Twilight lied nervously.

---

CANTERLOT, FOURTH EQUESTRIA

Beneath a midnight moon, the black alicorn made her way into the hedge labyrinth beside the great Canterlot castle. The night guards looked up to see her approaching. They didn't recognize her. For a moment, they flinched in fear, believing her to be a Changeling, but her build was definitely that of a true alicorn, as tall as Celestia with a flowing black mane. When she stepped into the full moonlight, the guards could see that the feathers of her wings had an iridescent green sheen only visible in direct light. Overall, something about her reminded them of Luna.

"HALT!" the captain of the night guard cried. "Who goes there?"

The alicorn didn't answer. Instead, her horn glowed with green energy. The guards were suddenly overcome by the desire to sleep, and could not fight the urge. They all dropped unconscious before her, some of them snoring.

She could have killed them, she knew, but it was best not to leave too much of a trail this early on. She wanted to focus on the one thing she had come to retrieve.

Celestia was a fool, this alicorn thought as she made her way through the twists and turns of the labyrinth. How could she possibly have thought that such an ancient power could be safely contained that way? He'd already been released once by the carelessness of the inhabitants of this kingdom, albeit temporarily. He could easily be released again.

She found him easily. Celestia had tried to hide him, to put him in one of the corners hidden by the greatest amount of twists. Predictable. He was still frozen in a pose of horror and disbelief, turning away from the force that had last defeated him. Obviously, he hadn't expected it this time. Those whom had put him away were far more powerful than he'd predicted.

She thought back to the prophecy. Most likely, the ponies that had petrified this Old One were the Six. She knew this well. She also knew that while the prophecy allowed for their victory, it didn't specify it as a certainty. Her goal was to make sure they failed, that nothing would interfere with the coming upheaval of cosmic order. This was a first step.

Her horn glowed. Gently, she touched it to the center of the statue's chest, its heart. "Awaken," she bid it.

Cracks ran through the stone like strands of a spiderweb. Flakes of granite fell away, revealing live flesh. The furry paw of a lion. A feathered wing. Two mismatched eyes that blinked away the powdery stone that had crumbled over his face.

His first words: "Well, that was unexpected."

"Did you fear," she asked, "that the Elements of Harmony had bested you for another thousand years?"

"The thought crossed my mind," Discord replied. "I knew I'd be back someday, but this is a lot sooner than I'd planned." A grin slowly spread over his face. "It doesn't make any sense at all, really. It's wonderful!"

"Enjoy your freedom," she begged of him. "Take this chance to do as your heart commands."

Suspicious, Discord crossed his arms. "And who exactly are you?"

"Your savior," the alicorn responded. "It would do you well to remember me, as I will soon usher in the new age…an age of chaos."

"I suppose you think you're more powerful than me," Discord snapped. "You aren't even close."

"It does not matter," she said with a smirk. "I will be the one to whom you will answer in the end."

"Very unlikely," Discord replied. "Even I would call that too nonsensical."

"You needn't believe it now," the alicorn said. "However, the mists of Avalon have arrived at your shores. Take that information and use it as you will."

That widened Discord's eyes. "Really?" He laughed. "Oh, this will be such fun! Now, if only I had my old partner in crime…"

"She awaits you. Another piece of information to do with what you will."

"I don't expect to see you again," Discord told the alicorn upfront. "I get the feeling that you underestimate me. I would appreciate it if you didn't. Now, if you'll excuse me…I have some chaos to wreak."

He snapped his fingers, and in a flash of light, he was gone.

"How rude," the alicorn said, still smirking. "He did not even thank me for his release."

---

"Did you even get a wink of sleep last night, Twilight?"

"HUH? WHAT?" Twilight jerked into consciousness. She found herself on a plush seat of the early train running from Ponyville to Canterlot. Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie surrounded her, looking on in concern. Twilight remembered: she'd gathered her five friends as early as possible that morning, stressing that Celestia needed to see them as soon as possible for some mystery emergency. The others had dropped what they were doing immediately to rush to the train station, and now they were almost to the grand kingdom.

"She was probably up all night worrying," Rainbow Dash pointed out.

"There are just so many things Celestia could have sent a letter about!" Twilight moaned. "What if Discord got back out?"

"That wouldn't happen," Applejack reassured Twilight. "We locked him up good, remember?"

"What if the Changelings are going to try and take over Canterlot again?" Twilight tried.

"Your brother and Cadance blasted them good," Rainbow Dash replied. "They wouldn't show their faces around here again!"

"What if it's parasprites?" Twilight cried. "What if it's an Ursa Major? What if Luna's been given the love poison? What if – "

"Whatever it is," Applejack said, "we can handle it. Especially together."

"Besides," Pinkie suggested, "maybe Celestia wrote to us to tell us about something GOOD! Like…she needs us to plan the next Grand Galloping Gala for her! Or she's getting married! Or she found a way to make it rain chocolate without having to live in a reign of chaos!"

"You'll just never let that one go," Applejack sighed, "will ya?"

"I like chocolate!" Pinkie defended. "Is that such a crime?"

The train eventually pulled into the main square of Canterlot. The six friends disembarked, entering the throng of ponies that made up Canterlot's street traffic. They immediately charted a course for the castle.

They were delayed shortly when Rarity caught sight of Fancy Pants and the two stopped to exchange small talk. However, sensing Twilight's distress, Rarity cut the conversation short. "I'll talk to you more later," she promised before leaving her elite acquaintance behind.

As the palace grew nearer in view, Fluttershy voiced, "I hope the Princess told the guards we were coming."

As it turned out, she didn't have to worry about that at all. The head of the day guard, a white stallion with a brilliant blue mane, practically charged down from his post at the main gate to meet the six. "Twily!" he cried, rushing to meet Twilight.

"Shining Armor!" Twilight greeted her brother.

"I heard Celestia wanted to see you really badly," Shining Armor whispered. "Any idea why?"

"No more than you," Twilight answered. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see. How's Cadance?"

"Wonderful!" Shining Armor gushed. "It feels like I love her a little more every day. You know, we've been thinking about going down to Ponyville to see you sometime. Maybe you could stop by our tower before you leave today!"

"Girls?" Twilight turned to her friends.

"We'd love to!" Pinkie said enthusiastically, and the other four nodded in assent.

"Well, you can go right on in," Shining Armor directed. "Celestia said that as soon as you got here, the guards had to give you an immediate audience." Sensing his sister's nerves, he added, "Don't worry. There haven't been any threats made on the castle. I'm sure it's nothing."

"I hope you're right," Twilight replied. "See you later."

"Good luck!"

The six mares walked on. "I do enjoy seeing your brother again," Rarity admitted. "He's always been so kind."

"Now I'm starting to get worried," Fluttershy piped up. "Celestia wants to see us that badly?"

"Like Twilight said earlier," Applejack replied, "We'll just have to wait and see."

---

Both Celestia and Luna sat before the group of six, raised up on their thrones. Respectfully, Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie all bowed.

"Welcome, my little ponies," Celestia greeted. "I see you got my letter."

"We came here as fast as we could," Twilight affirmed.

"I wish I could say I had good news for you," Celestia began. "Unfortunately…"

"There is no saying that this is not good news!" Luna barked. "A new task only brings new adventures!"

Celestia smiled. "I'm glad you see it that way, Luna," she said. "Now, my little ponies, I must tell you something that may sound hard to believe."

"I doubt that," Rainbow Dash quipped. "We've seen everything from a changeling invasion to Pinkie Pie in one of those detective hats."

"Deerstalkers," Twilight corrected.

"I should have worn that today!" Pinkie moaned.

"Not for a formal audience with royalty!" Rarity gasped.

Celestia only smiled more broadly. Seeing the chosen ones interact with friends only served to cement her faith in them. "Each of you represents an Element of Harmony," Celestia began. "The Elements of Harmony are a great cosmic force. A lot of ponies might say they barely matter next to things like the sun and moon, or light and darkness. But the truth is, a world without honesty, generosity, kindness, loyalty, or laughter is nothing but a desolate wasteland, and there is no such thing as a world without magic. The concepts you represent are necessary to hold the very fabric of existence together."

"We once held the Elements ourselves!" Luna added. "Celestia held kindness, loyalty, and laughter, while I had honesty, generosity, and magic! The Elements are very important. This makes you six very important!"

"Have you ever envisioned existence outside of Equestria?" Celestia asked. "Do you know what lies beyond this atmosphere?"

"Farther than even the moon!" Luna added.

"Ooh, ooh!" Pinkie hopped up and down. "We were just talking about this at our book club yesterday! Everypony said that nopony knows what's out there, and there's no way to get there!"

"Not entirely true," Celestia said somberly. "The truth is, there are thousands of worlds, planets, and dimensions outside of Equestria. I know this because Luna and I have visited some of them."

The six ponies before the princesses were dumbstruck. "You're…kidding, right?" Rainbow Dash finally asked.

Celestia shook her head. "The truth is, my little ponies, now that you have the Elements of Harmony and have proven what you can do with them, you too will have to travel across the cosmos. Each of you has had to finesse her Element of Harmony; they are challenges as much as talents. However, each of you has risen to that challenge. Twilight, even though you have doubted yourself, you have grown into one of the most powerful unicorns in all of Equestria. Applejack, though many times it has seemed easier to lie to spare someone's feelings or your own pride, you have learned to tell the truth when it counts. Rarity, while many times you have been told not to be selfish, you have found joy in giving to others. Fluttershy, while at times you have been pushed to feelings of rage and frustration, you have learned to give others the benefit of the doubt and extend your hoof in kindness. Rainbow Dash, even when your friends have seemed 'uncool' to you, you have discovered that remaining loyal to them is worth all of the conflicts you might have. And Pinkie Pie, even in the face of a world that breaks its Pinkie Promises and betrays you, you have remembered to laugh and smile and find the best of every situation. These are the qualities that will be your greatest assets."

"An ancient prophecy made by a wizard from another world says that you must defeat a great evil," Luna said. "In order to do this, you have to cross the multiverse and see it from edge to edge! You will see even more than Celestia and I saw over a thousand years ago. You will have to move through time and space. The mists of Avalon have arrived on the shores of our seas, and they won't leave until they can take you away."

"But Avalon is only a myth!" Twilight cried. "It doesn't really exist!"

"It does," Celestia confirmed. "It is one of the hubs of existence, and its mists reach out in times of great need to find those who must take a journey."

"Are you saying we have to sail through outer space and never see home again?" Fluttershy squeaked.

"You do have to sail through space," Luna answered, "but fear not! It does not mean you shall never see your homes again! On the contrary, you shall return many times, just as Celestia and I returned! Of course, Celestia and I did not have to fulfill any prophecies, but Equestria is as much of the multiverse as anyplace else! This world needs you!"

"You make it sound like we're some kind of…cosmic guardians," Twilight said. "Is that true?"

"More or less," Celestia answered. "The truth is, your journey will be long. Even though you will be able to return home, you must also be away from it for a great amount of time. It is the only way that you can stop the angel of darkness."

"The what now?" Applejack asked.

"The angel of darkness wants to turn existence into disharmony," Luna explained. "Whoever he is, he wants to remove all honesty, generosity, kindness, loyalty, and laughter from the multiverse, and turn all magic into evil."

"How did you know all this?" Twilight asked.

"With the mists come the things we need to know," Celestia replied. "I was also contacted…twice, in fact…by a trusted friend from a world long dead. He stressed the importance of your journey. I am sorry to deliver you this news. You must prepare in any way you can. I have for you a ship that will take you through the mists of Avalon. I suggest that you move anything you need to make it home onto that ship."

"And Ponyville?" Applejack asked, frustration showing through her voice. "How's everything supposed to run without us? How's the Apple family farm supposed to keep runnin' without me there to help? And what about our families? How're we supposed to explain this to 'em?"

"You may tell those you trust most about the importance of your journey," Celestia said. "Keep no secrets…not from Shining Armor or Cadance, the Apple family, Sweetie Belle, the Cakes, or anypony else who needs to know where you have gone. Assure them you will return. You will also have to make other arrangements for your responsibilities in Ponyville. I will, however, equip you with a way to send mail to this castle. I expect that you will use it mostly for letters and reports, though I understand that those of you who make a living from creating things will need to send material things back as well." Celestia looked meaningfully towards Rarity. "Oh, and on that note, make sure you bring plenty of clothing, and fabric to make clothing from. When you leave Equestria, you will undergo some…changes. You will need the proper clothing in order to accommodate."

"Well," Rarity said proudly, "if it's clothes you need, I'm definitely your mare."

"This just still seems so sudden," Twilight moaned. "One day, we're having our book club meeting, and the next, we have to leave Equestria because the fate of existence is in our hooves? How are we supposed to deal with that?"

"Easily," Luna answered. "Together."

"She has a point," Pinkie said. "We've done so much together already! If we have each other, we can do anything! Come on! This is our big chance for an adventure just like in Twilight's books!"

"The most I can do is urge you to accept this mission," Celestia admitted. "In the end, it is up to you."

Twilight looked around, meeting the eyes of each of her five friends. She read the same message from all of them. At last, she turned to Celestia and gave the answer:

"We'll do it."

---

"Seriously?" Shining Armor gasped.

"Seriously," Twilight confirmed. As promised, the six had stopped by the royal guest chambers of Shining Armor and his wife Cadance, where they stayed when visiting Canterlot on business outside the Crystal Empire they ruled, and as the couple was family to Twilight and practically family to the other five, the story was soon told.

"Celestia and Luna had both told me tales of a greater multiverse outside Equestria," Cadance admitted. "I never thought anypony would actually have to travel that far, though. I was barely able to believe myself that Avalon wasn't just a myth from storybooks."

"When do you have to leave?" Shining Armor inquired.

"As soon as we get packed and say our goodbyes, I guess," Applejack answered. "Celestia has some kinda ship that we're gonna move into."

"We'll be there to see you off," Cadance promised.

"I know you'll be back," Shining Armor stated. "Sooner than you think!"

"I hope so," Twilight moaned.

"Hey," Shining Armor cajoled, "cheer up, sis! This is just like in your books, right?"

"This is the kind of thing I read about all the time," Twilight admitted. "And we have done a lot of great things here. But this…this sounds bigger than anything we've ever done. The kind of thing that only should be read about, and not actually done. I'm not sure we can make it."

"I'm sure we can!" Pinkie squealed. "We just have to remember to smile!"

"And you've got me with you!" Rainbow Dash added teasingly. "That means we can't possibly mess up!"

Twilight smiled. Surrounding her, she saw seven supportive faces. "Thank you. All of you. Shining Armor, Cadance, I promise I'll write you often."

"You just worry about fulfilling your prophecy," Shining Armor replied. "We'll take care of things here. We can even step in with things in Ponyville if it needs help."

"If anypony can save the fate of the multiverse," Cadance said, "it's you six. I just know it."

---

PONYVILLE, FOURTH EQUESTRIA

"Twilight," Spike said, "you can't take all the books with you!"

"I know," Twilight said, stopping before she emptied her shelves completely. She'd spread out several suitcases to pack with the things she held most dear and thought would come in most handy on the mission. Star charts, telescopes, astrolabes…she wasn't sure how much of it she'd need, but she felt as though nothing should be left behind. "Are you sure you can handle the library on your own?"

"Of course!" Spike confirmed. "I know this place back to front! And besides, I'll have Owlowiscious to help me!"

"Hoo," Owlowiscious agreed from his perch in the window.

"You," Spike responded, misunderstanding. "Don't worry so much, Twilight!"

"I've just never left you on your own before," Twilight pointed out. "You and I have always been together, ever since we were little. To tell you the truth…" She pawed at the ground. "I feel responsible for you. You've been like my little brother for all these years."

"And you've been a great big sister," Spike reminded Twilight. "You taught me everything I know!"

"You won't miss me too much?"

"Of course I'll miss you," Spike admitted, "but this is something you have to do. It's not like you'll never be back."

"You're right." Twilight snapped the last suitcase closed, moving it onto a cart with the others. "I'll miss you too, Spike. Now, don't go eating entire tubs of ice cream just because I'm gone!"

"Awww," Spike groaned teasingly.

---

"…and that's why I have to go!" Rarity sobbed. She had invited her parents and Sweetie Belle to her house to speak to them about her duty. "I don't know when I'll be back!"

"Hon," Rarity's father, Field Goal, said sympathetically, "we understand you'll miss us. But you gotta do what the princess says you gotta do."

"Besides," her mother, Glory, added, "aren't you going with all your little friends?"

"Yes," Rarity sniffed. "I've just never been so far away before!"

"And don't you have to work on your fashion business?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Well," Rarity said, her tears drying, "Celestia did assure me I could send my work back. I suppose there will be lots of new opportunities for inspiration. I don't see how I can keep giving outfits to my clients, though…"

"I can help!" Sweetie Belle chirped. "I can deliver your outfits!"

"You realize you'd have to be very careful," Rarity cautioned. "You couldn't mishandle or damage anything."

"I'll be careful!" Sweetie Belle promised. "I promise! Hey, maybe I can even get my cutie mark by helping you out!"

"I trust you," Rarity said. "Actually, Sweetie Belle, I have to pack almost all my fabrics and materials before I can go. Do you want to help me?"

"Sure thing, sis!" Sweetie Belle hopped up from her seat.

"I know that once I'm on my way, I'll get used to it," Rarity said quickly to her parents. "But I want to have this time with her before I leave."

"We understand," Field Goal replied. "Now you go do what you gotta do!"

Rarity led Sweetie Belle to her studio, where the two began packing.

---

"Are you SURE you can handle it?" Pinkie asked Mrs. Cake for the fiftieth time.

"It's been a really big help having you around the store to help with orders and to take care of the kids," Mrs. Cake reassured Pinkie, "but we can manage. Just remember that there's always going to be a room for you here for when you come back."

"Thanks, Mrs. Cake," Pinkie said. "Ooooh, I'm so excited!" She loaded up her suitcases onto her cart. One was filled with party supplies; the other with random items she'd decided "might" come in handy. "I'll tell you everything when I see you again, I promise!"

"You have fun, Pinkie," Mr. Cake blessed.

"Oh, I always do!" Pinkie replied, wheeling her cart out of the shop. To her, the Cakes had been like family, but parting from them wasn't hard – she knew she'd see them again, and be able to tell them all about her wonderful adventures.

"Ah, Pinkie!" Mr. Cake called after her, remembering something.

Pinkie stuck her head back through the door. "Yes?"

"Did you forget something?"

"Nope! I got everything!"

"But you never leave home without your party cannon," Mr. Cake pointed out.

"But I didn't!" Pinkie wheeled her party cannon into view. "See?"

"Oh…never mind."

"See ya!"

After Pinkie left, Mr. Cake remarked, "You know, I do wonder where she keeps that thing when she carries it…"

---

"…and Angel likes to be fed three times a day," Fluttershy finished. "But if the food isn't made exactly right…he can get a little angry."

She'd just finished telling Miss Cheerilee all about how to care for her many animals. At first, Fluttershy had been reluctant to ask Cheerilee for help, since it was such a big responsibility; however, Fluttershy needed somepony to look after her many animal friends, and Cheerilee seemed the most obvious candidate.

Cheerilee had been willing to accept the responsibility. As she put it to Fluttershy at the end of the explanation: "If I can take care of an entire class of little colts and fillies, I can take care of all your animals. I'm glad to."

"Oh, I'm so happy," Fluttershy said with a big smile.

Fluttershy didn't have many things to pack, and left the house with only one suitcase.

---

Rainbow Dash found the very filly she was looking for in the center of town. "C'mon, Tank," she urged her tortoise friend. Tank mosied along next to Rainbow Dash as she approached her target.

Scootaloo launched into the air on her scooter, executing a complex flip kick. "Yeah!" she cried out as the scooter landed on the ground.

"Nice moves," Rainbow Dash commented.

Scootaloo gasped. "Rainbow Dash!"

"You're just the pony I'm looking for," Rainbow Dash began with a smile. "Mind if I ask you a favor? It's kind of a big one."

"Anything!" Scootaloo promised, her smile growing ever wider as Rainbow Dash kept speaking to her.

"I hear you're the president of a little something called the Rainbow Dash fan club," Rainbow Dash said with a wink. "Is that true?"

"Yeah!" Scootaloo confirmed. "You're the coolest pony ever!"

"Tell me something I don't know!" Rainbow Dash joked. "Now, a lot of the town's pegasi are in that club, right?"

"Bulk Biceps, Ditzy Doo, Glitter, Cloudchaser…yeah!"

"I have to be gone for a while," Rainbow Dash explained. "A really long time. I have an important mission from Princess Celestia and Luna. Now, you know I usually lead the other pegasi in controlling the weather around here, right? Well, I'm not going to be able to do that. In my place, I want you to organize the other pegasi so the weather keeps running."

Scootaloo gasped. "Me? But…I can't even fly!"

"You don't need to!" Rainbow Dash assured with the dismissive wave of a hoof. "The others know how to take care of the weather, but they sort of see me as the leader. Also, they each have their strengths, but I usually take care of a lot more than that. You just have to help assign them to make sure everything runs smoothly! Here's a hint: Bulk Biceps can make tornadoes all by himself, Ditzy Doo is really good with lightning and rain when her aim isn't off, Glitter is the resident expert on snow, and Cloudchaser…well, Cloudchaser's really good at chasing clouds. All you have to do is tell them that Rainbow Dash herself put you in charge, and they'll listen to you."

"Why me?" Scootaloo asked. "I mean…isn't there anyone more skilled and organized you'd rather have?"

"You have spirit!" Rainbow Dash replied. "Just like me! That's what everypony needs to pull the weather together – a leader with spirit! Just show 'em how confident you are! Oh, and there's one more little thing."

"What is it?"

"I'm gonna need somepony to look after Tank," Rainbow Dash said, motioning toward the tortoise. "Don't worry. He's pretty low-maintenance."

"Hi, Tank!" Scootaloo approached the tortoise. "I'm Scootaloo!"

Tank smiled slowly but broadly.

"So," Rainbow Dash proposed, "how 'bout it?"

Scootaloo grinned. "You can count on me!"

---

Perhaps the most tearful goodbye was that of Applejack to her family.

"You just be careful," Granny Smith cautioned. "Wear your scarf when it gets cold, and…ohhh, it feels like just yesterday you were a little filly that was knee-high to my knees!"

"I'll be okay, Granny," Applejack said softly. "Heck, I'll be that much better going on just knowin' that you're all back here and that you love me. I know, I know, that sounds sappy, but it's true!"

"I wish you didn't have to go," Apple Bloom said hushedly.

"I wish I didn't have to leave you behind," Applejack replied. She gently ruffled her sister's red mane with her hoof, disheveling Apple Bloom's pink bow. "But I'll be back before you can say 'zap-apple jam', y'hear?"

"Ooooh, that reminds me!" Granny Smith cried. "I packed an extra jar of zap-apple jam in your suitcase for when you're feelin' hungry! Did you remember to take the extra skillet from the kitchen?"

"Yup," Applejack confirmed. "I think I'm gonna be doin' a lot of cookin' for the others. I mean, the only other one who knows how to cook is Pinkie, and all she knows how to make is dessert…good thing you taught me all those recipes, huh?" Applejack had to blink hard to keep the tears from coming back. "I just sure wish I could stay to help out on the farm – "

"Don't worry about that, dear," Granny Smith replied. "I'm gonna write your cousin Braeburn up in Appleloosa. He always promised that if we needed help on the Apple family farm, he'd be up here, lickety-split!"

"You gonna be okay?" Applejack asked her older brother.

Big Macintosh nodded. "Eeyup!"

"Then I guess I hafta go," Applejack sighed. "I love all y'all, y'know that?"

"Eeyup!"

"And we love you too," Granny Smith said.

"I love you too!" Apple Bloom piped in, not wanting to be left out.

Her goodbyes said, Applejack wheeled her luggage outside the house, only to see a small crowd gathered at the gate of the farm: Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Sweetie Belle, Miss Cheerilee, and Scootaloo. "What're all y'all doin' here?" Applejack asked.

"We wanted to say goodbye to your family," Twilight answered. "After all, Granny Smith, Big Macintosh, and Apple Bloom are like our family too."

"And I didn't want anypony else to leave without saying goodbye to me!" Sweetie Belle added.

"Or me!" Scootaloo cried.

"I wanted to wish you all luck on your journey," Cheerilee said.

The crowds meshed. Fluttershy shyly squeaked goodbye to Big Macintosh. Twilight encouraged Sweetie Belle to keep learning her magic. Rarity kindly adjusted Apple Bloom's bow. Applejack and Cheerilee exchanged fond sentiments. Granny Smith reminded Rainbow Dash to be careful when flying in stormy weather. Pinkie Pie pulled Scootaloo into a hug with her front right hoof.

Then Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack took their suitcases and wheeled them away.

"Gosh, Rarity," Applejack teased, "didja bring enough clothes?"

"They're for all of us!" Rarity defended. "Princess Celestia practically ordered me to bring these!"

"I wonder why," Twilight said before shrugging it off. "Anyway…I'm kind of excited, now."

"So am I," Rarity admitted. "Just think…we're about to embark on a great and romantic journey to faraway lands!"

"I can't wait!" Pinkie squealed.

"What if it's dangerous?" Fluttershy said softly.

"Never fear!" Rainbow Dash bragged. "I'll protect you!"

"I reckon we're gonna be just fine," Applejack deduced.

---

HORSESHOE BAY, FOURTH EQUESTRIA

Down below the mountains upon which the great kingdom of Canterlot was set, the Canterlot port overlooked a vast expanse of sea. For several days, the sea had been enveloped in a silver mist. Looking at it for the first time, Twilight could tell that it was a magical mist. It practically called her: Enter, Twilight. There is much to be done.

Celestia and Luna led the six down the dock, helping them carry their luggage. Cadance and Shining Armor brought up the rear of the group, and royal guards surrounded. Blueblood, it was said, had refused to come, having a very important photo shoot for which he needed to style his mane, and he wasn't that concerned with the whole affair anyway. This gave Rarity a sense of relief, as she hadn't wanted him to show up.

A great ship, a galleon of old, was docked at the port. Its white sails billowed out in the slight breeze. Faded paint along the side proclaimed that its name was the STARLIGHT. "This is the ship that Luna and I used to cross the mists," Celestia explained. "It is over a thousand years old, but it is no less usable. Come inside. I want to show you around."

Celestia and Luna led the group up the gangplank and down belowdecks. The ship was quite roomy and very well held together, with plastered walls and finished wooden floors on the inside. A room near the front held the steering wheel, as opposed to the wheel being abovedecks. This struck Twilight as odd, but not as odd as other features of the room. For example, the great dashboard filled with screens and blinking lights.

"You can use these computer systems to organize any data you might find," Celestia explained. "There will be times that you need to research the lands in which you have found yourself, and times when you need to record things to remember for later."

"I've never seen anything like it," Twilight admitted. "Is it hard to use?"

"At first," Celestia admitted, "but you get used to it. Uploaded into its database is the most comprehensive guide of information about the multiverse as it currently exists. I made sure the most recent edition was installed myself. However, you may want to have the original copy for yourself." She levitated what appeared to be a book off the dashboard and steered it toward Twilight. Ever eager to see a new book, Twilight picked it up with her own magic. It turned out not to be a traditional book, but an electronic pad with keys for which to look up terminology. The pad had a cover, which was what had made it appear booklike; the cover read, in bold lettering, "DON'T PANIC." Twilight doubted that was the title.

"And this," Celestia said, referring to a small mantelpiece set in the wall, "is the fireplace that will send your letters directly to Canterlot, just like dragon fire. You can light it any way you wish; its enchantment will always transfer the things burned in it to the palace. Rarity, you can use it to send back your new fashions."

Celestia continued on to show them the kitchen, which was fully stocked. Applejack added her own skillet to the inventory anyway, and stored the zap-apple jam away in one of the cupboards. There were several lounges and "meeting rooms" for recreational use; Pinkie planned out how she could decorate each one. Several bedrooms were ready for use; the six friends dropped their suitcases off in the quarters they wished to claim. Twilight found the size of the beds odd – they were twice as big, she thought, as she would need them to be. She figured that the change must have been for Celestia, who was much taller, even a thousand years ago. In the back of the ship, there was a strange room that Celestia called the "engine room", though she pointed out that the engine didn't work and the sails would have to be used instead. Twilight made note of that.

"There is nothing more I can tell you," Celestia said at last, "that you will not find out for yourselves."

"I have one last question," Twilight said.

"Yes?"

"Who is this angel of darkness you kept telling us about?"

Celestia sighed. "That is one thing I wish I could tell you. But I don't know. No one does. We only know that he has – "

"Or she?" Rarity suggested.

" – or she has," Celestia amended, "sent anonymous threats. If the mists have come, and you fulfill one half of the prophecy, he or she must fulfill the other. We have no doubt that the one sending the threats is the true angel of darkness."

"There will actually be many great dangers on your journey!" Luna boomed, causing Fluttershy to wince and hide behind Rainbow Dash. "But you will be strong, and you will learn how to defeat them!"

"That is why we have one last gift to give you before you begin," Celestia said. "Cadance, if you please."

Cadance brought forth a golden box that the six immediately recognized. "Here," she said, opening the box. "You'll remember these."

Cadance then doled out the necklaces that bore the Elements of Harmony. Rarity's held a glittering purple crystal cut in the shape of a diamond, matching her cutie mark. Pinkie's was in the form of a blue balloon. Fluttershy received a pink butterfly, Applejack an orange apple, and Rainbow Dash a bright red lightning bolt.

"And Twilight," Cadance finished, levitating the great crown that contained the pink starburst of Magic, "since it's a good idea to keep these with you at all times, we thought this might be a bit unwieldy. Do you mind if we…"

"Not at all," Twilight said.

Celestia, Luna, and Cadance each pointed their horns toward the tiara, focusing their energy upon it. It transformed into a necklace like the others, the pink starburst another gem. Twilight took it and fastened it around her neck.

"Now, we must leave you," Celestia said. "Good luck, my little ponies. And remember, when you start out, to trust the mists."

"We won't let you down!" Rainbow Dash promised, saluting.

"We have faith in you!" Luna said before she and her sister departed.

"I know you can do it, Twily," Shining Armor said with a wink. "All of you, in fact!"

"We'll see you soon," Cadance promised. "And you'll always be in our hearts!"

"You too," Twilight swore.

"See ya!" Shining Armor said before he and Cadance left.

"Well," Twilight said, "here we are."

"No turnin' back now," Applejack remarked.

"What are we waiting for?" Pinkie cried. "Let's go!"

"Right," Twilight said. "I'll take the wheel. Rainbow Dash, you go abovedeck and haul up the anchor."

"Right!" Rainbow Dash rushed away.

Twilight walked back to the cockpit. She pressed a large button marked "POWER", and the mysterious screens roared to life. They portrayed an overhead map of the coastline of the Canterlot port, though beyond the misty area, the screen grew gray and fuzzy, as though there was nothing beyond the mist. A red line led from the spot where the Starlight was docked toward the direction in which it was pointed.

"Anchor's up!" Rainbow Dash called from above.

Twilight had only to touch the steering wheel, and the Starlight knew what to do. It set off, steering itself directly into the mists. "Trust the mists," she muttered. She then walked away from the cockpit to unpack her things in her quarters.

From the shore, Celestia, Luna, Shining Armor, Cadance, and the guards watched the Starlight drift into the mists and eventually disappear. They knew that unlike the other boats in the harbor, it had not simply vanished from view by getting too far away. The Starlight was gone.

Satisfied that they had what they'd come for, the mists rolled away, revealing a clear blue sky over clear blue waters.

---

CHANGELING KINGDOM, FOURTH EQUESTRIA

Far beyond even what was visible from atop the high mountain views in Canterlot, a dusty wasteland with crumbling shanties situated upon it in the arrangements of neighborhoods lay under the burning sun. At the edge of this land, a great palace of obsidian with sky-high spires, the only sign of wealth in the entire kingdom, loomed, casting its shadow.

In the dark alleys between the shanties, two changelings met up. "Doomie!" one of them cried.

"Misery!" the other replied. The pair hugged. "How have you been?"

"Miserable," Misery answered. "You know how…she…gets…"

"Some say it's worth it," Doomie pointed out. "So we can be hungry when we reach the other kingdoms."

"I don't care," Misery said. "If she made our own kingdom better…we wouldn't need to conquer the others…" Tears filled Misery's eyes.

Doomie reached out with a hoof to take Misery around the shoulders and comfort her, and Misery felt the hunger for love that had driven her mad since the last raid on Canterlot subside, filled up by Doomie's affection.

They heard the tell-tale buzzing above them, and struggled to move away from each other before they were caught. They were too late. How did she always know? Misery wondered this as she panicked.

"YOU TWO!" Queen Chrysalis barked, touching down in the alley, her wings ceasing the buzzing they made when she flew. "WHAT have I said about fraternization?"

"To stay away from each other!" Doomie recited dutifully. "Not to give each other love! To stay hungry so that we might feed from the kingdoms we conquer! I swear, Your Highness, she was the one who hugged me! I was trying to tell her to get away!"

"Doomie!" Misery cried out in anguish, devastated by her friend's betrayal. She knew she shouldn't have expected any different – Chrysalis' loveless rule had hardened all the residents of the Changeling Kingdom into exactly the warriors the queen wanted.

"You must pay for your actions," Chrysalis informed Misery.

"Please, Your Highness, no!" Misery begged. "I'll never talk to anyone outside of strict business again! No more hugging! No more – "

"It's already too late for you," Chrysalis informed Misery, her horn glowing.

When Chrysalis was finished, Misery hung suspended from the gable of the nearest shanty, covered in a cocoon of green goo. Doomie shuddered to look at it. The cocoons weren't deadly, but nopony ever liked to be in them. It could take weeks for one to melt away, and those within them were conscious for every minute. The goo also affected its victims emotionally, more so the longer you were in one. She was glad she'd managed to escape that fate.

"Now go," Chrysalis demanded, "before I change my mind about sparing you."

Doomie obliged by running away.

Chrysalis heard slow applause from behind her. At first, this confused her, since none of her subjects had hands. When she turned, she felt as though the sight before her was too good to be true. "Discord!"

"Chrysalis!" Discord greeted. "It is good to see you again! Still wreaking havoc upon Equestria?"

"As always," Chrysalis said with a nod. "I had meant to join you after your release, of course…but they put you away." Her teeth gritted at the very memory of it. "So I swore I'd take revenge on them. I sent a threat to Canterlot, and my forces were very nearly able to take it. You would have been pleased – I disguised myself as a royal bride, and very nearly wed the prince."

"What fun!" Discord said with a smile. "That would have made the game fun indeed! Which princess was the blushing bride?"

"Mi Amoré Cadenza."

"Eurgh!" Discord mimed sticking a finger down his throat. "Gag! I bet she wanted a wedding that was all cutesy and fluffy!"

"She had it planned out by the six that defeated you," Chrysalis nearly spat. "It was every bit as sentimental and disgusting as you imagine."

"Well, you needn't worry about that anymore," Discord informed Chrysalis. "The Elements of Harmony just left town. Left the world, in fact."

Chrysalis' eyes widened. "They have passed on?"

"Better," Discord said. "They just boarded the Starlight and set out for Avalon!"

Chrysalis made a face of disgust. "How is that better?"

"Why, the game is only fun if we have opponents to play with," Discord pointed out as though it were obvious. "Speaking of which, we have a new player. A stranger who freed me. She claims she's going to be the master of the new age of chaos. Of course, she severely overestimates herself."

"Yet she was able to undo what the Elements of Harmony had done to you," Chrysalis pointed out.

"So were three indecisive fillies," Discord groaned. "It's nothing to worry about! Our time is coming, Chrysalis. We can have all the fun we want! It will be just like the old days…me, causing chaos, you, eating others' love by turning into their loved ones, and oh, the looks on their faces when they found out was you were just delicious! Of course, we'll have to round up all the others if we really want to make this an age of chaos."

"Yes," Chrysalis said with a smirk. "I suppose we will."

"Since the Starlight rode out," Discord said, "we shouldn't be able to travel between the worlds. It just wouldn't make any sense! And you know what that means…"

"You can transport us immediately!" Chrysalis finished.

"It's up to you," Discord said. "Where do you want to start?"

"Wherever there is the most love to feed upon," Chrysalis answered right away. "I can leave the other changelings to their own devices. They'll probably disobey my laws…but the absence of a queen will certainly throw them into chaos."

"My favorite thing," Discord remarked. "Let the games begin!"

He snapped the fingers of his left claw, and he and Chrysalis both vanished.

---

Prologue/Chapter 1:

· This is a multicrossover fan fiction. The Mane Six will be the main characters and the unifying factor; however, I plan to include a great many different works of fiction here. It will be a journey-style story, à la Kingdom Hearts or The Pendragon Adventure. I had so far been writing this and sharing it in a rather private space with select friends, but I've chosen to make it public now. I have 76 chapters already written (yes, 76!), and am going to upload them hopefully fairly quickly in succession. After that, updates will be slower. While the first few crossovers will be largely Disney-based (what can I say…I'm a fan), other stuff will show up eventually. Stuff that might surprise you.

· Before I begin, I want to give some thanks. First of all, my friend Ophira, who inspired me to write this in the first place. Without him, I might have let this idea just die. Second, my friend GAvillain, who you can actually find here on (that's his profile name here). He's been sort of my consultant for various ideas, as well as one of the people who's cheered me on with this the most and inspired me to take some risks with it. If you end up liking this story, please go check out his fanfic "Chasing a Dream," which is basically the fraternal twin of this one – it's a multicrossover world-journey fic, but it's based even more on Disney (the protagonist is Jim Hawkins from Treasure planet) and is ultimately darker.

· The entire point of this prologue was to provide a cutoff point in the series of MLPFIM where this story can begin. I can retcon in most things, but not alicorn Twilight, and DEFINITELY not the girls giving up the Elements. I also want to see if I can handle these things in higher-stakes circumstances further down the road. I had begun writing the story before S3 ended, and the S3 finale was kind of where I couldn't reconcile canon with the story anymore. Basically, everything that happened in S1 and S2, as well as everything BUT the S3 finale, happened as far as MLPFIM, and the flashbacks seen in the S4 premiere will be mostly left intact.

· The pacing on the prologue was intended to be a little faster and not quite as detailed as the official chapters because it's really a "how we got here." Still, I can't shake the feeling that what I've got here is cooler than the actual season 3 finale… Anyway, I also tried not to spend too much time on introducing everypony because I did that in the main story proper, even though this comes first. I hope that's all right. (I should also tell you right now: if I have a bias toward or against anything in a fandom, it's gonna come out here. Haters gonna hate.)

· It kicks off from the episode "Magical Mystery Cure."

· Since this cutoff gives me license to ignore a lot of what will happen in season 4 story-wise unless I want to—after all, the butterfly effect means ANYTHING can now happen in that timeline—no matter where they station Cadance in the show, I'm going to station her in the crystal palace.

· "One of his favorite stints had involved him visiting a starship." Reference to Q.

· The idea of switching Cutie Marks was already so chaotic, I decided to run with it. When replacing my royal council, I basically thought, "Who would make the WORST three princesses ever?" Which isn't to say Ditzy, Screwball, or Big Macintosh are incompetent (or Bulk Biceps…as he replaced Shining Armor, sort of). I'm saying that while they are talented at other things, their personalities are quite unsuited for being royalty. They're EXCELLENT at weather/apple farming/whatever the heck Screwball does.

· A quick rundown for those unfamiliar with the background ponies: the quill salesman appears in the opening song of the season 3 finale and has no name. Carrot Top is a background pony (named so by the fandom; her official Hasbro name is "Golden Harvest") who we assume farms carrots. Vinyl Scratch (or DJ PON-3) is a DJ; both those are fan nicknames, but she really has turned up to play music at canon events. Aloe is the fan name of one of the spa workers. Cheerilee is the canon teacher; that's her canon name. Berry Punch is a background pony who fanon has not only named, but given the personality of someone who enjoys alcohol a teensy bit too much. Mayor Mare is the canon mayor and that's who Vinyl had the position of. Silver Spoon is a snobby filly who teases Apple Bloom and her friends—that's who Apple Bloom got the mark of (whereas before, Apple Bloom had no mark at all). Flim and Flam are rival apple cider sellers and parodies of Harold Hill from The Music Man, making them minor villains and archenemies of the Apple family. (I tried copying their Music-Man-style dialogue here.) Zecora is the zebra who lives in the Everfree Forest and seems to have a lot of hidden wisdom about magic and other things. Lightning Dust is a bratty pegasus from the ep "Wonderbolt Academy," and she only cares about her own glory even if it hurts others; she's a rival to Rainbow Dash. Ditzy Doo (known as "Derpy Hooves" by most of the fandom, but even I think that name's a little offensive—which most bronies don't and are actually mad got retconned out for the more "politically correct" name; that's right, they made the name Ascended Fanon before some complained that it was offensive) is just kind of spacey, but it's been implied that she's a weather pony and works with Rainbow Dash on the weather. Screwball (another fan name) only appeared during the reign of Discord; she was seen flying around, wearing a pinwheel cap and fiddling with her lip. That was probably just how she was under Discord's influence, but I like thinking she's a little bit crazy and that she and Ditzy make a spacey team together. And Big Macintosh is Applejack's older brother and a stallion of few words; the running gag is that he pretty much only says the words "Eeyup" and "Nope," so him as royalty? Yeah…no.

· Oh, and Braeburn is Applejack's hyper cousin who usually gives ponies the tour of Appleloosa. I thought it would be really funny to switch him out for Cadance, especially since they're two of my favorite side characters.

· It's canon that only pegasi can walk naturally on clouds, but unicorns can cast spells on themselves or earth ponies to gain or give this ability.

· The clouds are blue and snow sugar this time because I wanted something SIMILAR to Discord's last reign, but not the same. Because I know what he likes, but he wouldn't want to be predictable, either. Same thing with the roads turning to trampoline instead of soap.

· Originally, I had the major harbor called something like "Canterlot Harbor." I then looked up an actual map of Equestria and discovered that Canterlot is not a port city. So it's Horseshoe Bay now.

· I don't know why I feel like Luna is a crazy driver. I just think it goes with her personality.

· Bulk Biceps is another background pony. He's also occasionally called "Roid Rage." He's an overmuscled pegasus with teeny-tiny wings, and he's always pumped about stuff—his catchphrase (and only line ever) is yelling "YEAAAAHHH!" at things he agrees with.

· I'm hoping my way of getting Cadance to realize her talent was love wasn't too corny. (It probably is.)

· And I finally got to get my Discord backstory right! I do hate the whole "I'm hurting you for your own good" concept—not that that's what this is, but I'm afraid it comes across that way. At the core, it is "I'm hurting you for Equestria's good." I'm not really sure what the best way is to deal with someone who can't be happy unless he's impeding the lives of hundreds of others. Anyway, that's how he got sealed into stone, and I tried to make it so there was as little leftover baggage as possible between him and Fluttershy, or with him in general.

· There's a fanon joke that Ditzy likes muffins because of a scene where a bunch of ponies are talking at once and an audio mixup makes it look like she's just saying the word "Muuuuuffinnnnnn."

· And yes…the outer-space-place is where Twilight would have been crowned in canon. Celestia refused because between the six defeating Discord and her own seeing the Mists of Avalon, she realized that they're actually the six from the prophecy, and Twilight shouldn't be tied down to the royal court right now.

· I wanted to call the outer-space-place the Space Between, which I call the area between worlds in later chapters, since it kind of looked like that, but I realized that means Celestia would have to know how to Apparate at the speed of darkness (I explain what this is in later chapters), so…it's just a little pocket dimension or something that doesn't even warrant a header.

· As for the title of the fic itself, I couldn't think of one that was epic enough, so I just decided to keep it simple. After all, that's what it's really all about.

· The chapter title "Exogenesis" is actually a word I learned from a Muse song. The song, "Exogenesis Symphony", is a song that I think really fits the overall tone I'm trying to make with this fic (the full 12 minute version). I would suggest it as a companion song to this chapter. The word means "a beginning prompted by outside forces", which is exactly what this is – the ponies are brought into their adventure because of the Doctor, the angel of darkness, and the mists of Avalon, all of which come from different worlds.

· "Fourth Equestria" because I want to assert that many worlds have plurality. This is especially important with Earth territories. The idea came kinda from the Pendragon Adventure books, where the three different Earths are called First Earth, Second Earth, and Third Earth. In this universe, there are HUNDREDS of Earths; the Earth with Hogwarts isn't any of the aforementioned Earths. There are many Equestrias as well. This one is "fourth" specifically because it's the fourth MLP show that was ever invented; as you can imagine, First Equestria, Second Equestria, and Third Equestria are the first, second, and third gens of the show.

· I always wanted to have both the Doctors in Equestria at the same time because, as the fandom pointed out, both Ten and Five ARE there. I checked Wiki to make sure you could have two of the Doctor at once, and yes, you can. As for why he's there with no companion, or where this takes place in the show timeline, I don't yet know. Kind of one of those "my fic, my rules" things.

· Oh, I should explain that. I try my best to go for accuracy, but sometimes I go Fix Fic, and sometimes I change things because I just like it better that way. There are going to be things I do that you're probably not gonna like. I've adopted a philosophy of "My fic, my rules." I can fix what I want. I can ship what I want.

· I didn't make a specific book for the book club because I would have to have invented a whole new book world for it, and that would be another world to deal with. In the multiverse as it currently stands, the "Bookworld" from Jasper Fforde's works exists, and therefore all books are real. I had originally intended for this to be a springboard for the Mane Six to meet Daring Do before MLPFIM actually canonized that Daring Do is, in fact, real in that universe.

· "Time Turner" is the canonical name for Dr. Whooves – but his official Hasbro description does make reference to "timey wimey". So Hasbro's OK with him being the Doctor; they just can't say so without breaking copyright.

· I made up the prophecy myself. That's not from anywhere.

· The three potential "sixes" Ten mentions are, of course, Harry and friends from Harry Potter, the Avengers from the filmverse, and the main cast of Gargoyles, which is one of my favorite shows. Other potential "sixes" for this list would have been the Storm Hawks (from Storm Hawks, another favorite cartoon) or Sora/Riku/Kairi/Mickey/Donald/Goofy from Kingdom Hearts (which, believe you me, is getting its share of Fix Fic when that time comes).

· The angel of darkness is a famous pop culture icon whose identity is for now secret.

· The mysterious alicorn is also a famous pop culture icon and may or may not be the angel of darkness; I'm only going to say that she is definitely working on the angel's agenda. You'll find out the truth later on.

· The concept of "Old Ones" is something I kinda pulled from Lovecraft. There are also just so many "ancient evils" in fiction that I thought it would be cool if they were all connected. Let's just say that of all the Old Ones, Discord is probably the friendly one.

· Chrysalis is not an Old One. More of a faerie-like being.

· Shining Armor and Cadance are probably my favorite MLP side characters, and I just love writing for them.

· Rarity's parents canonically have names…that I didn't find out about until after I made these ones. And my confidantes who read this told me not to worry about changing it. Her dad is "Field Goal" because of his football cutie mark. "Glory" is the name of an earlier-gen pony that Rarity was actually based on. (I did actually go back and change "Snowflake" to "Bulk Biceps," though.)

· It's "Ditzy Doo" instead of "Derpy" here because I don't want to get into that controversy. As a worldbuilding note, I do want to say that a lot of ponies in Ponyville do call her "Derpy", and I haven't yet decided if that's the name they use as an insult or a nickname Ditzy uses affectionately for herself with pride. I've seen a lot of neurally atypical people say they didn't mind "Derpy" because they used to reclaim terms like that for themselves, but at the same time, I've seen a lot of people who were really offended by the term in general.

· I decided that Applejack is a great cook because she catered for Cadence's wedding. And also because the crew needed at least one really good cook.

· I admit that as far as vehicles go, the Starlight is probably the Mary Sue of vehicles. I wanted a TARDIS, but there was no way I could in good conscience make one to connect to Twilight or any of the others without feeling like I was tarnishing Doctor Who (despite the fact that I've obviously taken liberties with everything else). So, yeah, it can move through time and space. But it's a boat. It's also partially inspired by the "Voyage of the Basset" books, which I loved as a kid. (Incidentally, #1 in the Basset series was about a civilization made up of talking pegasi…)

· I'm guessing that in a crossover universe, the Hitchhiker's Guide probably has the most info of everything. Except about Second Earth, which is "mostly harmless".

· "The mists don't take you where you want to go, they take you where you need to go" is pretty much directly lifted from Gargoyles. The mists are basically my big plot device. And yes, in Gargoyles, it's technically Avalon itself that sends you, not the mists, but my fic, my rules.

· I changed Twi's crown to a necklace because, as Cadence said, it's really unwieldy, and the Mane Six WOULD need to have the Elements on at all times.

· I'm almost always uncomfortable with the concept of an "evil race", but at the same time, I don't like oversympathizing characters that were expressly written to be villains. Hence my explanation of the Changeling Kingdom. They could fill their need for love if they were allowed to interact, but Chrysalis forbids friendship so they will be hungry enough to attack other kingdoms. Most of them have accepted this as a way of life and thus become warlike. This way, I can say that Changelings aren't an "evil race", and at the same time not cast them as good characters who were justified in attacking Equestria because "they just need to eat!" The big thing to understand is that Chrysalis herself is evil, and in a kingdom where the queen has absolute sovereignty, that's what matters.

· "Doomie" is a fan nickname given to the changeling that Pinkie tells "Do me, do me!" It spawned a lot of memes – either of taking the line out of context and doing some very dirty shipping of Doomie/Pinkie, or of Doomie changing into a warped version of Pinkie, like the gen 3 version. "Misery" is completely my OC.

· I've always liked the idea of Discord and Chrysalis being at least friends. I like to believe that Chrysalis timed the attack on Canterlot when she did as revenge for Discord's defeat. (It makes sense as to why she didn't just attack years earlier.) I also like the idea that when Discord ruled the world, Chrysalis caused chaos for him by tricking others into thinking she was their loved ones. Chryscord is actually one of my favorite Discord ships, but I'm not sure whether I want to play it as the ship in this, seeing as I have a few other Discord ships I really like. Otherwise their dialogue would have been WAY more romantic.

1. The Mists of Avalon

THE SPACE BETWEEN

"At last!" Rarity announced, setting up her sewing machine in her quarters and throwing her suitcases to the side. "Everything's unpacked and in its proper place!"

"Hey, Rarity!" Rainbow Dash called out, passing Rarity's open door. "We're all meeting up in the first lounge Celestia showed us."

"I'll be right there!" Rarity followed Rainbow Dash to the lounge, where Twilight, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie waited for them on plush couches.

"All right, girls," Twilight said. "Now, from what I've read and seen, we've left the atmosphere of Equestria. Well, actually, the Guide – " she referred to the covered pad Celestia had given her " – refers to our home territory as 'Fourth Equestria'. Apparently, there are a lot of worlds that have plural natures because of split timelines, and that means there are a lot of Equestrias. Now, I don't really know where we're going, but according to all my sources, the mists of Avalon will take us wherever we need to be. We just need to make sure we're ready for anyth – "

The ship crossed a border upon the seemingly endless seas. Fourth Equestria, or any Equestria, was now far behind. As the atmosphere of Fourth Equestria had affected the Doctor on his way in, the change in atmosphere now affected the six on their way out.

Twilight fell off the couch and onto the floor, twitching. Her body was shaking out of her control, and she felt her skin stretching in odd ways. She heard around her the cries of her five friends; whatever was happening to her was happening to all of them. She lay on the floor, letting her stomach churn and her limbs vibrate, until whatever had happened was over. When she was certain it had passed, she tried to stand.

Something was wrong, she noticed immediately. At first, she thought it was merely that her front legs were suddenly shorter than her back legs. Then she looked down. Said "front legs" weren't purple anymore, and ended in strange feet with five digits instead of hooves. It didn't even feel natural to stand on them. Twilight reared up on her hind legs, only to find that her posture felt more natural that way. She looked down at herself to see that the rest of her body also wasn't purple. Her hind legs had lengthened, and ended in more five-digited feet, though this time with shorter digits. She was also much taller; the doors, which she had assumed were as tall as they were to accommodate an alicorn of Celestia's height, were now just tall enough to let her through.

"No," Twilight said to herself. "It can't be…they're only myths and legends…"

Her friends had undergone the same transformation. They all rose to their hind legs once they saw Twilight do it. She looked around at all of them, and was suddenly sure of what had happened, though it had before seemed impossible.

"What are we?" Rainbow Dash cried. "What happened?"

"We're creatures I thought didn't exist outside of fairy tales," Twilight explained. "We're…humans."

Rarity let out a scream. "HUMANS? How could this happen?"

"The Guide said that some worlds changed you depending on their atmospheres," Twilight said. "Especially if it makes you fit in with the dominant species of that world. Whatever world we're going to must have humans, or at least humanoids, as the dominant species." Struck by a thought, Twilight opened the Guide and looked up humans. "In fact…" She gasped. "Almost ALL the worlds outside Equestria have humanoids as dominant!"

"So we're stuck like this?" Rarity wailed as Pinkie Pie lost her balance and tipped over.

"Unless we find another world where we turn into something else," Twilight said. "I guess we'll just have to get used to this."

"Why didn't Celestia tell us?" Fluttershy asked.

"We wouldn't have believed her," Twilight answered. "Besides, I don't know if this is something you can prepare anypony for." Twilight suddenly gasped. "Oh my gosh! I just remembered!"

"What?" Rarity asked. "What is it?"

"In most human cultures," Twilight said, "it's really offensive to go naked! We need clothes!"

"That's why Celestia asked me to bring so many!" Rarity realized. "Well, I suppose I can whip something up for each of us. I'll have to modify what I brought, and that might take some time…we're not at all the same shape as what I brought with me…but I can make something. Erm, what areas do I have to make sure to cover?"

Twilight showed Rarity a diagram of a human as drawn by the Guide, explaining to her the minimum requirements for fashions. Rarity then took off at once for her quarters.

In the meantime, Twilight stepped out in front of the full-length mirror in the lounge to examine herself. She'd noticed that while everypony's bright colors had neutralized out to the duller tones of human flesh, the hair upon their heads remained the same as their manes. Rarity's purple curls had still been present, and cascaded down her back in full. Twilight played with her own hair, a short cut that retained the purple and pink pattern of her old mane. Pinkie still had her shock of pink curls, Fluttershy had a luxurious fall of light pink, Applejack retained her blonde ponytail as well as her hat, and Rainbow Dash sported a short cut of rainbow hues. Based on their physical appearances and ages combined with what she knew about humans, Twilight deduced that they were probably around the ages of early twenties by human years. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were also the only two to retain a piece of their old bodies; blue wings sprouted from Rainbow Dash's shoulder blades, and Fluttershy's yellow wings did the same, though both pairs now looked bigger so they could carry the new bodies to which they were attached. Finally, Twilight noted the cutie marks. The marks on their flanks were now transferred to their right shoulders, though the patterns hadn't changed at all. The matching necklaces of the Elements of Harmony remained around their necks.

"I feel so strange," Fluttershy said. "Humans do walk on their back legs, right?"

"Right," Twilight confirmed.

"But it's hard!" Pinkie complained after falling to the floor a second time.

Rarity burst through the door to the lounge, now dressed and carrying five other garments. "It's done!" she cried.

"That was fast," Fluttershy remarked.

"I've had a lot of years to practice," Rarity said, "and I only modified our gowns from the Gala. I gave each of them a special touch to reflect your personalities. After all, I've read some of the tales about humans, and I know how much their fashions can vary."

Rarity herself was clothed in a very elaborate ballgown of dark pink, with a full skirt and a long train. Her sleeves were puffed out at the shoulder and had lace edges; her neckline was square, and remained at a conservative height. When she took a step, the others saw that she had abandoned the glass slippers that usually went with that ensemble for a pair of old-fashioned, button-up high-heeled slippers in a paisley design that matched the gown. "And yes," she said, as though reading everypony's mind, "I was able to mold shoes for everyone too."

She doled out the clothes, which the others put on at once. Twilight slipped into a blue gown with off-the-shoulder straps and an A-line skirt that was shorter in the front than in the back, exposing her knees but trailing on the floor behind. A pair of glittering high heels finished it off. When Twilight looked back into the mirror, she remembered the few stories she'd read about humans that featured sorcerers and witches. She looked very much like one in this new dress.

Pinkie Pie's dress retained its blue-and-white striped sleeveless bodice with small white poufs over each shoulder and a pink bow at the base of the neck. Her pink skirt, with its over-layer patterned with candy, was shortened considerably – above the knee – and puffed out to almost resemble a tutu. She laced up a pair of pink ballet slippers with blue bows on top. "This is perfect for dancing in!" Pinkie remarked.

"You might wanna master walkin' first," Applejack pointed out. Her outfit was actually in two pieces: a green and brown shirt with a collar and a bolo tie, and a green skirt with a fringe that stopped below the knee. A pair of green cowboy boots with red and white accents offset the ensemble.

"Oh, my," Fluttershy said, stepping into her dress, a short, sleeveless green sundress with flowers on the hem and a blue sash. "It's beautiful!" She slipped her feet into a pair of green sandals.

"Aw, man!" Rainbow Dash groaned. "Do I HAVE to wear a big old skirt around everywhere?"

"I thought you might not want that," Rarity said, handing over the pieces of Rainbow Dash's new outfit. "So I made you something a little different."

Rainbow Dash slipped into a bright purple T-shirt and a pair of rainbow jeans that flared out at the bottom hems. She laced up a pair of golden sneakers to go with them. "Hey," she said, "this is actually pretty cool."

"I didn't account for the wings," Rarity admitted. "I didn't actually see you still had them at first. I'll work something out later so you and Fluttershy can still use them. But for now, this will have to do. Oh, I'll have to reconfigure all the outfits I brought if we're going to stay like this…or if we keep changing to new things!"

"But you did a great job!" Fluttershy complimented. "We all look perfect!"

Rarity blushed. "Well, I couldn't let you look any less. Hmm…you know, this could be a new challenge. Designing for entirely new shapes!"

"You're gonna hafta tell us more about humans," Applejack admitted. "I haven't read as much of that mythology stuff as the rest of you."

"Neither did I," Rainbow Dash added. "Are humans monsters?"

"Sometimes," Twilight said. "Sometimes not. It really depends. Say, Rarity…were you still able to use your magic when you made these clothes?"

"I hardly even thought about it," Rarity admitted. She took off a shoe. With a wave of her hand, she was able to levitate it up and down. "It looks like even with our horns gone, we still have our powers."

"Hmm…" Twilight turned and pointed at Pinkie Pie. A bolt of magic shot from her finger and hit Pinkie's face; a large mustache grew from Pinkie's upper lip.

"Hey!" Pinkie cried. She then looked in the mirror and cracked up with laughter. "I look funny!"

Twilight dismissed the mustache with a snap of her fingers, an action that came to her almost instinctively. "Yep…we still have our powers, all right."

"So where are we going that we have to look like this anyway?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"We could probably find out in the cockpit," Twilight realized. "If we're getting close to somewhere that's actually…somewhere, the map might have it labeled now."

"So lemme see if I got this," Rainbow Dash spelled out as the six made their way to the cockpit. "Even though we stayed on the ocean the whole time, we completely left Equestria or Fourth Equestria or whatever that Guide calls it?"

"Exactly," Twilight answered.

They entered the cockpit, and the screens now showed a new map. The Starlight was approaching a large island. Text upon the screen labeled the island: "Avalon."

"Avalon itself!" Twilight gasped.

"So what's the story on this place anyway?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"It's supposed to be the place where a great king went to sleep instead of dying," Twilight answered. "He promised to come back after sleeping for a while. That's the most famous story about it, anyway. The stories always say it's one of the most magical places in existence, even though it can't be found in Equestria. I never thought about the ponies who lived there as not being ponies, though. Now that I think about it, the stories never really said whether they really were ponies, or whether they were humans. I always just assumed. I bet the writers of the stories did too."

"It must be a powerful story," Fluttershy said, "to have come from this world all the way to ours."

"Trust the mists," Applejack said, remembering Celestia's parting words. "Well, we're supposed to be here. Looks like we better dock and see what we can see."

"It's really happening," Twilight said softly. "This really is…something big."

"I can't wait!" Pinkie said excitedly.

The six friends, now human, stared up at the screen and watched as the Starlight drew itself closer and closer to Avalon.

---

AVALON

It was nighttime when the ship docked on the coast of Avalon. Rainbow Dash rushed abovedecks to toss down the anchor, locking the ship in place. Twilight knew that wasn't necessary; the ship wouldn't move from where it had been called until it was ready to do so. Rainbow Dash and Applejack heaved the gangplank over the side, and the six friends walked down onto the misty, sandy coast shrouded in darkness.

At first, they saw only the trees beyond the sandy strip of beach. They walked closer, looking at the forest before them. Every tree bore fruit. Some had oranges, some had pears, and some even had apples. Applejack plucked an apple from one of the larger trees. "This looks like the most beautiful apple I ever did see," she remarked. "Safe to take a bite, or is this food like that Tartarus place you told us about?"

"It should be safe," Twilight said. "All the plants on Avalon are benevolent. At least, that's what the legends say."

Applejack took a cautious bite of the apple. Her eyes widened. Without swallowing, she exclaimed, "This is the most DELICIOUS apple I ever did see!"

A rustling in the bushes caused Fluttershy to leap back and cry out in fear. Six heads turned to look at the underbrush. From the plants trundled an adorable creature, a white mammal about the size of a puppy. Its body and face looked like those of a baby seal.

"Oh, aren't you cute!" Fluttershy knelt and extended her hand to the strange animal. It walked closer to Fluttershy's hand, pressing against it; it was obviously used to being handled and petted. "You're adorable," Fluttershy reiterated.

"It's a mistmaker," Twilight identified. "I didn't read all that much about them, but I heard they like music."

Fluttershy decided to experiment with this concept. "What is this place, filled with so many wonders?" she sang. "Casting its spell, that I am now under! Apples on trees, and mistmakers cute as bunnies, mists on the sea and the fruit tastes like honey!"

"Aaaaah," the mistmaker sighed. "Aaaahhh…" A fine mist exuded from its mouth and nostrils as it sighed.

Fluttershy gave a little squeal.

"Let's keep going," Twilight suggested. Reluctantly, Fluttershy left the mistmaker behind.

The forest became deeper and darker, but never seemed frightening, instead giving off a sense of security. Birds chirped from the upper branches, and the breeze rustled the leaves gently. At the end of the forest, the six came out into a grassy, hilly clearing from which the coastline was visible to the left.

"Look," Twilight said hushedly. A strange creature was sitting on a rock, combing her hair. She appeared to the others to be like a sea pony, but with the upper half of a human instead of an equine, and with a tail that looked more like that of a fish than a seahorse. "I think they're called mermaids," Twilight whispered.

Fluttershy looked ahead and let out a great scream. The others turned to see what she'd seen, and gasped accordingly. A great blob of black slime, as big as all six young women combined, was sliding by, its two red eyes focusing on the strangers to its island. It rolled its eyes at their screams and continued on leisurely.

"It's just a Brollachan," Twilight realized with a sigh. "Some of them are harmful, but not that one."

"This place just keeps gettin' weirder," Applejack pointed out.

Suddenly, the voice of a child pierced through the dark air: "Magus, look!"

Coming over the hill was an odd duo indeed. The child who had spoken was a girl who looked to be the age of five by human standards, and her frame was humanoid, but she definitely wasn't an actual human. Her skin was gray like stone, and her hands and feet ended in claws. Large, batlike wings protruded from her back, the span of them twice as wide as her body. A tuft of dark hair topped off her innocent, smiling face. Twilight identified her immediately as a gargoyle. The other was human, and at first, Twilight mistook him for an old man, only to realize that he was about her age; his hair, white as snow, had thrown her off. His robes were the same white color as his hair. He led the child on towards the group with a look on his face as though he'd been expecting them.

"Welcome," the young white-haired man greeted. "I see you're new to Avalon."

"We are," Twilight replied.

"I wonder if you are the six everyone's been talking about," the white-haired man continued. "How did you come to this place?"

"We sailed," Applejack answered.

"All the way from Equestria!" Pinkie Pie added.

"We're students of Princess Celestia," said Twilight. "She and her sister Luna apparently sailed on the mists once."

"Legends speak of Celestia and Luna," the white-haired man said. "They were before my time, but they left their marks indeed. They contained a cosmic force that some beings said was more powerful than any Avalonian: the Elements of Harmony."

"You mean these?" Rainbow Dash pointed to her necklace.

"You see," Fluttershy said nervously, "we're sort of the new Elements of Harmony. The princesses told us we needed to sail on some sort of mission to stop an angel of darkness."

"Then you are the six the legends speak of!" the white-haired man said, giving a double take. "Excuse my rudeness. I should have introduced myself earlier. You may call me the Magus. Everyone else does." At the insistent tugging of the child on his sleeve, the Magus added, "This is Angela."

"Hello!" Angela said with a wave.

"I'm Twilight Sparkle," Twilight introduced, and the others followed suit:

"Name's Applejack."

"I am Rarity!"

"Um…I'm Fluttershy…"

"I'm the one and only Rainbow Dash!"

"And I'm Pinkie Pie!"

"It is a pleasure," the Magus said.

"Pardon me if I'm bein' rude," Applejack spoke up, "but we don't really have a clue what's goin' on in the first place. I mean, we know the Elements of Harmony are powerful stuff, and we gotta stop the multiverse from bein' turned all bad, but what are we even fightin'? How do these mists even work? What's all out there in the multiverse? Sounds like you know much more than we do."

"As inhabitants of the island go," the Magus said, "I am relatively new. However, I've been here long enough to hear many of the stories that surround Avalon. Won't you come with me so we can speak?"

"Let's go back to see Catherine!" Angela suggested.

"Sure!" Pinkie agreed.

With the Magus and Angela leading the way, the eight traveled over the rolling hills of the isle, arriving eventually at a stone bastion nestled in a crop of mountains. They walked up the steps, and a host of young gargoyles peered out at them from the towers, gossiping.

Inside the castle, a young brunette woman dressed in royal finery waited in an antechamber. "Magus!" she cried, rising to greet her friend. "Who have ye brought back?" Her voice carried a thick accent that those from Earth territories would have recognized as Scottish.

"These are the Elements of Harmony," the Magus explained. "You've heard the tales, haven't you?"

"Why, yes!" the woman exclaimed. "Just like Celestia and Luna!"

"I also think they are the six from the prophecy that Merlin left behind," Magus added.

"They're really nice," Angela said, with all the innocence of youth. "So I think so too!"

"Greetings," the woman said to the six newcomers. "I am Princess Catherine."

Twilight immediately bowed, and the other five followed suit.

"May I present…" The Magus suddenly stopped, looking down at Angela. "Do you remember their names?"

"Oh, yes!" Angela nodded. "That's Twilight Sparkle, and Applejack, and Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie!"

"It's an honor to meet you," Fluttershy said. "Are you the princess of this island?"

"Nay," Catherine answered. "My throne is far away and long gone. The true king of this island lies sleeping. However, the other creatures who live here have passed on many stories to me about this island. The hags, the mermaids, the fey…all have spoken of the princesses Celestia and Luna, who visited here long ago."

"Why were they here?" Twilight asked.

"To spread the gifts of the Elements," Catherine replied. "A simple mission, but an important one."

"We have a lot of questions," Rainbow Dash brought up.

"I should imagine so," Catherine replied. "What do ye wish to know?"

"What we're supposed to do," Fluttershy said.

"What evil we're fighting," Rainbow Dash added.

"How do the mists work?" Twilight contributed.

"And what's in the rest of the multiverse?" Pinkie finished.

"That last one is a complex question," Catherine admitted. "Very few beings know that in full. The only way to know that is to actually see it for yourself."

"That's where the mists come in," the Magus said.

"The mists of Avalon don't send you where you want to go," Angela said. "They send you where you need to go!"

"For the most part," the Magus said. "They can take you across worlds, through space, and even through time. If you give your destiny over to them, they will carry you. However, the mermaids say that Celestia and Luna found a way to harness the power of the mists in a sort of machine, something they called an 'engine', so they could direct their ship wherever they wished."

"The engine from the ship!" Twilight realized. "It must run on the mists!"

"If you can find a way to take the mists with you for the engine," Catherine said, "ye're welcome to do so. Avalon will never run out of mist."

"I bet I can take the mist with me," Twilight said. "I'm a pretty powerful unicorn…not to brag." She caught herself. "I guess I should call myself a 'witch' now that I'm human."

"Ye weren't human?" Catherine raised an eyebrow. "Then how did ye become one?"

Twilight had to think of how best to say it. "Anyone who was human would become a pony if they went to our world," she finally said. "We were ponies, so when we left, we became human. I read that most of the worlds are populated by humanoids, so it looks like we stay like this for a while."

"The world the Magus and I came from was populated by humans," Catherine said, "though there were many other creatures as well. Like the gargoyles. We brought them here because they were in grave danger on our world. We hope they can grow up here in peace."

"So do I," Fluttershy said.

"I like Avalon," said Angela. "It's my home!"

"Let me see if I got this," Rainbow Dash reiterated. "If we don't know where to go, the mists will take us where we need to be. But if we do know, Celestia and Luna's engine can take us wherever we want?"

"Correct," the Magus confirmed.

"I guess that answers what we need to do," Twilight said. "Even if we don't know, the mists will. We should take some for the engine anyway for when we figure it out."

"That still leaves the question of what we're up against," Rarity remembered.

"This island carries with it a rich history of all things cosmic and magical," Magus said. "We know of the prophecy about you because Merlin, one of the greatest wizards ever to live, left it behind. Others have come and left behind their stories. That's how we know about the Old Ones. They say that in ancient times, there were beings that enveloped different worlds in darkness and chaos. They stood for disharmony and unrest, playing with the multiverse as though it was a game. Goodness and love eventually triumphed, banishing the Old Ones, but they couldn't be destroyed. They were like malevolent gods…immortal. They had powers beyond anyone's imagining."

"Plays with the multiverse like a game…immortal…stands for disharmony…" Twilight's eyes widened. "Sound familiar?"

"Discord!" the others cried.

"Who?" Catherine asked.

"An evil being that tried to turn our entire world into chaos," Rarity explained. "It was dreadful! He mixed up day and night, he turned our town upside down, and he changed us all so we would ruin our friendship with each other!"

"But we defeated him!" Rainbow Dash pointed out. "When we figured out we had to stand together, and we used our powers as the Elements of Harmony, that guy didn't stand a chance!"

"So…the Elements of Harmony are more powerful than the Old Ones?" Pinkie guessed.

"Or just as powerful," the Magus asserted.

"Are there good Old Ones?" Twilight asked, thinking of Celestia.

"There are benevolent immortals who stand for harmony and love," Catherine affirmed. "But the majority of them were born after the Age of Chaos, when the Old Ones reigned."

"That's good, at least," Fluttershy said in relief.

"If the angel of darkness, who we can guess at best is not a true Old One but may still be very powerful, triumphs over existence," the Magus said, "he may bring the rest of the Old Ones with him. That seems like the only way to truly make a multiverse made of nothing but disharmony."

"But make no mistake," Catherine said. "As the Elements of Harmony, you shouldn't only focus on the powerful. What the angel of darkness would need is a multiverse that would allow such things to happen. A multiverse already given over to war and fighting. Great acts of evil have been done when the least powerful did not recognize love and tolerance. The Magus and I fled our world with our friends and the gargoyle eggs after mortal humans took it upon themselves to attack us for power. Even we have made our mistakes…we doomed our own greatest friends to an eternity of sleeping death because of our anger and bad judgment."

"Do not blame yourself," the Magus told Catherine sharply. "The mistake was mine. I will shoulder the blame."

"I don't think you should feel bad," Fluttershy said. "It happened a long time ago, and you know what you did wrong. You know better now."

"That does not undo the curse upon our friends," the Magus snapped.

"But almost every curse can be undone," Twilight pointed out. "You never know. Whatever happened, there's a chance that it can be fixed someday. And if…no, WHEN it does, you'll be waiting right here to say you're sorry!"

Catherine smiled. "I do hope ye're right. Ye're quite optimistic ones. A good thing, if ye're to face all the miseries the multiverse has to offer."

"Miseries?" Fluttershy trembled at the thought.

"Don't worry," Rainbow Dash said, slinging an arm around Fluttershy's shoulder. "We can handle anything, so long as we're together! Like Catherine said, we just gotta be optimistic! And like I said a long time ago…you have me!"

"I think we understand now," Rarity said conclusively.

"We are glad to have met the six of the prophecy," the Magus said. "It is good to know that you are on your way."

"And I think what we have to do in the beginning," Pinkie deduced, "is use our powers as the Elements to remind everyone of the friendship and love they can have in their hearts. Then the angel of darkness won't stand a chance!"

"I'm not sure it will be that simple," Twilight said. "I mean, I'm sure we can do it…but we have no idea what's out there waiting. I just wouldn't assume anything. Anyway, I'll take the mists with me to use on the engine. Then we can see where we need to go." She turned to address Catherine and the Magus: "Thank you for answering our questions. To tell you the truth, I'm glad that our first stop led us to people as good as you."

The Magus was about to argue that he couldn't possibly be called a good person, not after what he'd done, but he remembered Fluttershy's assertion that he had indeed learned from his mistake, and Twilight's belief that all curses could be lifted. He did not hold back from arguing simply because he did not want to contradict what his guests had said; he held back because, after thinking about what they had said, he believed himself to be less of a bad person.

"I wish you the utmost luck on your journey," he said at last.

"As do I," Catherine said.

"Me too!" little Angela chirped.

"And I wish you good luck raising all the children," Fluttershy said with a smile directed at Angela.

"We will take nothing but the best care of our eggs," Catherine affirmed. "We mustn't keep you any longer from your duties."

"Right," Twilight said. "Hopefully, we'll all meet up again someday. I mean, since Avalon is kind of a hub of the worlds, we have to, right? Anyway, thanks for everything."

"Goodbye!" Pinkie said, waving enthusiastically as she and her friends turned to leave.

---

Twilight was able to gather a fairly large ball of the mists in her hands, holding it like a solid substance, and carry it back to the ship. Once on board, she carried it immediately to the engine room. Rainbow Dash hauled up the anchor, and Applejack brought the gangplank onboard. Then they and Rarity and Pinkie followed Twilight, and they knelt to examine the complex machine.

"How's this thing supposed to work anyhow?" Applejack voiced the thought on everypony's mind.

"Try putting the mist in here!" Pinkie suggested, pointing to a glass chamber. She pressed a button, and it opened. Twilight lay the mist inside experimentally, knowing she could always get more from outside if it didn't work. Pinkie closed the chamber, and the mist spread out, taking on its gaseous quality again. Without warning, Pinkie thumped several parts of the engine, making all sorts of clanking noises.

"Do you even know what you're doing?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I have no idea!" Pinkie announced proudly.

Suddenly, the engine roared to life, whirring pleasantly.

"Pinkie!" Rarity gasped. "But how did you do that?"

"No clue!" Pinkie said happily.

The six women returned to the cockpit. The navigation screen was now replaced by a larger map, one that resembled a star chart. Twilight tested a few of the buttons on the dashboard to find that she could select a course if she wished. One key opened up another menu in which she could enter coordinates or simply select "Take the course of the mists." Twilight chose that option. The Starlight turned itself around smoothly and sailed directly away from Avalon.

"I guess we just let it take its course from here," Twilight said, and the friends left the cockpit to attend to their own devices. Rarity retired immediately to her chamber, inspired in two ways: to make more clothes to fit the new humanoid frames, and to make clothes inspired by the lush greenery of Avalon and the finery worn by Catherine and the Magus in order to send back to Equestria for her studio. Applejack moved to the kitchen, looking through the stockpiled rations to see what food she could make for the others. Pinkie Pie just shut herself in her room and turned on some very loud music; over in her room, looking over the Guide, Twilight could hear the bass of Pinkie's music as well as the thumping of feet that indicated that Pinkie was fervently dancing. Fluttershy sat in the lounge where they had all become human, looking over a sketch pad. She'd never drawn much before, but it was something she'd always wanted to try, and the journey would certainly give her the free time; she began by sketching the shape of young Angela's face.

Rainbow Dash eschewed the belowdecks area entirely, choosing to sit up in the misty air and watch Avalon slip further and further away. Once it was out of sight, she would turn her view forward to see what was coming.

---

THE SPACE BETWEEN

"Hey! HEY! GET UP HERE!"

Rainbow Dash realized the others couldn't hear her from belowdecks, so she rushed downstairs, running through the hallway that contained the doors to their private chambers. "HEY EVERYPONY! YOU HAVE TO COME SEE THIS!"

"What is it?" Rarity sighed, peeking out of her chamber. "I was in the middle of one of my best new creations!"

"Trust me," Rainbow Dash urged, "you HAVE to come see this!"

She convinced Rarity, Pinkie, and Twilight to come with her, then tracked down Applejack and Fluttershy before leading everypony abovedecks.

"What could ya possibly have seen," Applejack muttered, walking up the stairway, "that could be so…" When she reached the deck, her jaw dropped. "Well, I'll be…"

The ship was no longer sailing upon water. Somewhere along the crossing of the lines from one plane of existence to the next, it had left the sea far behind. It now sailed in space, among stars and supernovas set against pitch blackness. Despite the open deck, the Starlight still allowed its passengers to breathe air, presumably another enchantment added for convenience.

Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie stared in awe, watching their vehicle slip silently through the greatness of the cosmos and thinking about how much there really was out there that they still didn't understand.

---

Chapter 2:

· Not every chapter title is going to be a song title. I didn't even know there was a song called "Mists of Avalon" until I started doing research on Avalon for this bit. It's a good song, though. I would again recommend it as a companion song. (It's by Saxon.)

· Yes, I turned them human! This was inspired by several things. For one, it makes them a lot easier to work with on human-based worlds. For another, there's already a huge fanart tradition of drawing them as human. The kicker was my portrayal of Dr. Whooves. If he became a pony in Equestria, it only makes sense that the reverse holds true. (And yes, there is a little bit of Kingdom Hearts influence left over in that. I guess once you've been in that fandom, you can never escape it completely.)

· I said they have "flesh tones" of skin, but didn't specify. This is for a few reasons. For one, there's already discrepancy in the fad of drawing them as human about what race they would be. A lot of artists like to draw Twilight as black. A lot of others make her white. In the end, I decided to leave it up to the reader's imagination. Whoever's reading it can make them whatever race you want. Yes, this means that they will probably skirt around several race-related issues that would come up in certain worlds and should affect them if they were one color or another, but I just feel it's better overall if I don't specify. This decision was inspired by the "Ponies of Color" Tumblr blog, one of my favorites (no, I don't have a Tumblr, but I do look at some Tumblrs from time to time). In the original draft, I also gave them definite body types and physiques, but in this draft, those have been removed, because I know people also like to have different headcanons for those. Keeping the Technicolor hair was a must, though. There's so much media, especially anime, where characters have green or blue hair out there already, I figured I could get away with it. (Unlike in the Sister Claire webcomic, where the background cameo of the ponies as humans rationalized Fluttershy into a blonde and Rainbow Dash into a brunette.) Cutie marks moved to the shoulder because I said so. Dash and Fluttershy keep their wings because I wanted them to have a visible mark of being pegasi, and because having them able to fly would just be more fun. Besides, depictions of winged humans are common in fiction (seraphs, for example).

· I picked the age of early twenties because Rarity lives on her own, suggesting they're young adults. Having them as adults will also make crossover shipteasing more fun.

· I actually did NOT look up any human gala-gown fanart before making those designs. I had those designs for a while in my head before I found human gala-gown fanart and saw that my interpretations of Rarity, Pinkie, and Applejack's outfits are pretty close to most others'. I wanted to tailor each dress to fit the specific pony's (also, I still use "everypony" to refer to them as humans just because that's how they think of themselves) style. Hence Twi gets something that I thought looked kinda wizardly, AJ gets a cowgirl-style outfit, Rarity dresses like a medieval French queen, Fluttershy has a sundress to remind of her connection to nature, Dash has pants because I honestly can't see her wearing a skirt for everyday, and Pinkie has something more ballet-inspired to go with her love of dancing. I actually toyed with giving Rainbow Dash some armor, like epaulets, but realized it wouldn't make sense to dress them for combat at all at this stage.

· I realize I didn't talk about Rarity giving out any undergarments. I don't really want to. They were naked because it makes sense in the transformation, not because I want to make a big deal out of them being naked. Just assume they have undergarments on.

· This Avalon is kind of a mishmash of the Avalon from Gargoyles, the Island from Eva Ibbotson's book "The Secret of Platform Thirteen" (which Ibbotson mentions offhand is referred to as Avalon), and the Avalon of mythology. Unlike in any other thing I will ever write about Avalon ever, here, the island is a world apart from others, including all the earth territories. The orchard is from the mythological description; the mistmaker, mermaid, Brollachan, and mentions of hags and other such creatures are from Secret of Platform Thirteen; Magus, Catherine, and the gargoyles, including Angela, are from Gargoyles.

· In Gargoyles continuity, this is set shortly after Catherine, Magus, and young Tom (who is there even if I didn't mention him) bring the eggs to Avalon, and WAY before the Archmage shows up.

· In Gargoyles, there's a rule that you can't bring outside magic into Avalon. I think this is canonically waived if you're a magical person, however, so I think Twi and Rarity can pass. Bringing the Starlight is just plain cheating and I will admit that.

· The engine is something I made up myself.

· I wanted to give Pinkie an affinity with machines for the sake of fun.

1. Father's Day

SOMEWHERE IN THE SEVEN DESERTS

"No," the red macaw protested, hovering as usual over the thief's right shoulder.

"And why not?" the thief asked in his rich, deep voice. All of his face but his eyes were obscured by blue fabric.

"Because," the macaw explained, "the guy who lives there is a psychopath. One wrong move, and we're grease spots on the wall!"

"That's why he'll never know we were here," the thief replied. "I take it you've been here?"

"More times than I like to remember," the parrot groaned, tearing at his feathers with his wings. "Look at this, Cassim! I'm already molting from nerves!"

"You worry too much, Iago," Cassim said decisively. "You can confirm the owner of that fortress is evil?"

"Like the spawn of Ahriman."

"Then it's only fair that he get a taste of his own medicine, don't you think?" Cassim winked. "I always did love robbing the people that really deserved it."

"Two words!" Iago screamed. "DISPROPORTIONATE! RETRIBUTION! You steal so much as one thing from him, and HE WILL KILL YOU! And more importantly, HE'LL KILL ME!"

"Sounds like just my kind of job." Cassim jerked at his horse's reins and rode onward into the night.

"Wait a minute!" Iago cried out in a panic. "DON'T LEAVE ME OUT HERE IN HIS TERRITORY!"

Cassim didn't rein in the horse until they were inside the village. "Kind of dead," Cassim remarked, "don't you think?"

"It used to be alive," Iago explained, "BEFORE THE GUY CLEANED EVERYBODY OUT!"

"I'm feeling better and better about stealing from this one," Cassim said happily. "Though I wish he'd set up his fortress with a few more entrance points."

The only way up to the fortress that didn't involve scaling steep cliffs was to go through the village and right up to the fortress' door. "He's gonna kill us," Iago moaned. "He's gonna kill us, he's gonna kill us…"

Cassim shushed Iago and took his horse around the fortress' edge. Iago noted with relief that none of the guards were out tonight. Then it occurred to him to wonder why.

Cassim finally found what he was looking for: a wide arch window set about two stories up on a tower at the rear of the fortress. He removed from his saddlebag a rope attached to a grappling hook he'd had especially forged for this purpose. It only took him one throw of the rope to catch the lip of the window, and upward he climbed, leaving the horse and walking halfway up the wall with the rope in hand.

"If you don't want to come with," Cassim offered Iago as a last resort, "you can stay behind and let him find you out here."

"I just know I'm gonna regret this," Iago whined, following Cassim up the wall and into the tower.

The inside of the fortress was almost as dark as the outside, though a few lamps here and there lit up the dark blue walls. Cassim slid silently along them, checking around every corner for guards or anyone else that could alert the master of the fortress to his presence. Time and time again, he was met with nothing.

"He knows," Iago whispered. "If he hasn't tripped any defenses on us by now, he knows, and he's waiting…"

"Or he has no idea," Cassim whispered back. "Now, which way to what he holds most valuable?"

Iago sighed and extended a wing. "That hallway."

Cassim slipped down the hall quickly and quietly. At the end stood a door; Cassim pushed it slightly, peered through the crack to confirm the room was empty, then flitted through the door without a sound, holding it open just long enough for Iago to follow before closing it behind him.

"This," Iago said, almost a lament, "is the place."

They were in the center of a room stocked with all sorts of oddities. A table stocked with beakers, flasks, and other lab equipment was pushed against one wall. In one corner of the room, a large wheel, almost like a table, was set up with carvings of famous landmarks from the Seven Deserts upon it. Several shelves on the wall held glittering crystals, statues of mysterious creatures, and thick books bound with leather and gold.

"Perfect," Cassim said, reaching toward the shelf.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

The warning came so casually, almost teasingly, that Cassim didn't register it as the problem it was at first. Iago, on the other hand, let out a wordless scream at top volume as he turned to face the lord of the fortress.

Cassim also turned, beholding a young man dressed in blue finery from his gold-embroidered turban to the blue-black cape that cascaded down his back. He sure did dress like royalty, Cassim thought patronizingly, for the ruler of such an empty kingdom. The youth smiled broadly, suggesting an air of sinister happiness that he'd been able to meet Cassim. "When I noticed you on the borderlands," he said, still with that teasing tone, "I very nearly gave the order to kill you. Then I recognized you, as well as your little pet. You should count yourself lucky that I did. I gave all the guards the night off so that I could have the chance to see you face-to-face. Oh, and speaking of which…I'd like to actually SEE your face."

"A fair request." Cassim removed the blue headdress, exposing his coffee-brown skin, his dark hair streaked with gray, his handsome face with its shapely brow. "How did you see me from all the way back here?"

The youth put out his right hand, and Iago instinctively ducked behind Cassim, afraid of an attack. Instead, the young man made a beckoning motion, and a small device floated off the shelf to rest in his palm. Cassim made note that the young man wore a leather gauntlet on his right hand, but his left hand was bare. "The Eye of Ra Spyglass," the young man explained, the smile never leaving his lips. "It was a pain to get, physically AND mentally, but in the end, I think it was worth it."

"You certainly live an odd life," Cassim observed. "Surrounded by magical objects, striking fear into the hearts of those around you…who exactly do you think you are?"

"Oh, you don't recognize me?" the youth answered melodramatically. The smile finally faded from his lips, and his face turned to a derisive sneer. "It figures you wouldn't. You always did have a habit of forgetting me. Leaving me behind in the marketplace. Playing with your precious favorite child while you didn't even know I was in the same room. But I remembered you, Cassim. I couldn't possibly forget. Do you think you can ignore me NOW? NOW, DO YOU EVEN WANT TO DARE FORGETTING ABOUT ME?"

"Wait a minute," Iago said, peering out from over Cassim's shoulder. "You two…you two KNOW EACH OTHER?"

Cassim could only stare, dumbfounded. Now he recognized the youth before him. The black curls, the pale hue of his skin, the slender frame. "Mozenrath," Cassim said softly. "I had thought you were dead."

"You would," Mozenrath growled. "But I guess you could call what I'm doing 'living'. No thanks to you."

"DID I MISS A MEMO?" Iago screeched. "WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? HOW DO YOU KNOW EACH OTHER?"

"Do you want to tell him?" Mozenrath dared. "Or are you too ashamed to admit it?"

"He is my son," Cassim said straightforwardly to Iago.

That pushed the macaw to his mental limits, and Iago passed out.

---

AGRABAH, THE SEVEN DESERTS

When the Starlight finally reached land, it passed through a vision-obscuring mist until it was suddenly riding on a small river cutting through bright sands beneath a scorching sun. The ship stopped there without Rainbow Dash having to toss the anchor overboard.

"We're here," Rarity announced. The six had gathered in the main lounge again so Twilight could brief them on what she'd learned from the Guide and the computer system about this new world.

"It's an Earth territory," Twilight said, "but generally, when cosmic beings refer to it, they tend to call it by the name of the most prevalent landmass, the Seven Deserts. We're currently parked outside Agrabah, one of the most bustling metropolises in the entire Seven Deserts. The culture here tends toward a variation of 'Arabic', a word that I guess would make sense if you were from an Earth territory, but doesn't really mean anything to me. To tell you the truth, I'm a little afraid of making a cultural faux pas."

"Come again?" Applejack tilted her head.

"A mistake," Twilight clarified. "I'm not even sure we're dressed right. What if the people here dress really different than how we look?"

"Not a problem!" Rarity boasted. "I'll simply take a little stealth mission outside to see how the civilians dress. When I come back, I'll be ready to costume us all appropriately!"

"A stealth mission?" Rainbow Dash laughed. "In THAT getup?"

"I also made myself a stealth suit," Rarity explained. "For this very situation. You see, I had thought of this a while back, that we might need to dress completely differently to blend in with the locals of wherever we might land."

"Good," Fluttershy said. "I was worried that dress would get too hot for you in the sun."

"But of course," Rarity agreed. "Now, I'll only be a few minutes." She rushed away to her cabin. Shortly after, she returned to the lounge, dressed in a fitted black suit with soft sneakers and a black hood over her hair. "Ta-daaaa! My stealth suit!"

"I'm impressed!" Twilight complimented.

"As you will be with the clothes I make for you when I get back," Rarity bragged. "I'll see you later!" With that, she left.

The river turned out to be within view of the city walls of Agrabah. It certainly was a big city, Rarity noted, even if most of the buildings weren't very tall. From what she could see, the surrounding city walls were a beige color that meshed with the sand, and the far end of the city was decorated with a gleaming white palace topped by golden tower domes.

"Now, whoever lives in THAT palace must live in absolute luxury!" Rarity remarked to herself before moving in closer to the city.

Once inside the walls, Rarity immediately ducked behind a row of barrels set against the side of a building. Even her stealth suit stuck out like a sore thumb here. The buildings of the city were mostly the same beige color as the outer walls, reaching perhaps three stories maximum, and the civilians dressed in muted tones, blues and browns and greens – no one in black. Most of the women wore skirts and had at least a scarf for a head covering, and most of the men wore tunics and baggy pants.

From her vantage point behind the barrels, Rarity watched the passers-by. The people she'd observed were mostly what she determined to be the relative middle-class. Every now and again, a beggar or thief would pass by, nicking a daily meal from the food stalls in order to survive, and Rarity noted that the lower classes of both genders tended to wear plain shirts and pants. She decided to move along subtlely to see if she couldn't glimpse anything a little more radical.

She stopped outside a tapestry stand, hiding behind the rolls of fabric on the ground as she listened to the vendor advertise his work. "An artist's rendition of the heroes of Agrabah defeating the many rogues of the Seven Deserts!" he called out. "Sultan-to-be Aladdin banishing sorcerer Jafar from the palace, eventually to meet his doom and never cast his shadow over our city again! Princess Jasmine matching wits with the witch Sadira, who is now a reformed citizen! Their genie friend fending off hordes of thieves, including the disgraced Abis Mal!"

Rarity looked over the tapestry with interest. First of all, the names and the subject matter intrigued her, and she was sure Twilight would have more to say on the subject. Second, she now had a better view of how princesses and sorcerers dressed in this territory, and would incorporate that into her work. Satisfied, she somersaulted and slunk her way out of the city walls and back to the Starlight.

Once on board, Rarity called the others to her chambers immediately to speak to them while she worked on their new fashions. "I've already learned a bit about the city," she explained. "Apparently it was in all sorts of dangers in the past, but the royal family has taken it upon themselves to protect it."

"Just like Celestia, Luna, and Cadance!" Pinkie cried happily.

"There are a lot of royal families, even on our own world, that would just take advantage of their citizens and leave them to their own fate," Twilight pointed out. "Or worse…they could even BE the biggest danger to their citizens." A shiver ran down her spine as she thought of Chrysalis. The changeling queen had certainly been a leader to her armies, but given what Twilight knew of Chrysalis, she couldn't see her as the protective sort…even with all her talk of concern for feeding her changelings. Instead of dwelling on that, she forced herself to make the example less extreme by saying out loud, "Imagine if Prince Blueblood ruled Equestria."

"NO!" Rarity barked angrily. "Anyhow, they apparently are friends with some sort of magical creature called a 'genie'. Have you read of anything like that, Twilight?"

"Of course," Twilight responded. "Djinni are magical spirits that show up in all sorts of stories. A lot of times, they come trapped with ties to some sort of object, and they have to serve whatever human picks them up. Free djinni are incredibly powerful."

"Sounds like this world is gonna be fun already!" Pinkie squealed. "I just know it!"

After some deft sewing, Rarity finished the six new ensembles. "Well? What do you think?"

Twilight donned her new robes, multilayered garments that cascaded to the floor in a gradient of blues as a high collar rose behind her neck. Rainbow Dash had a blue pair of baggy pants, a blue tunic, and a light green vest over top. Applejack also received pants, but brown instead of blue, and with a white tunic. Fluttershy and Pinkie wore variations on the same outfit: a simple, loose tunic over a floor-length skirt. Fluttershy's garments were a soft green while Pinkie's were bright pink. Finally, Rarity donned her own clothing, which seemed the most outlandish of all. She'd copied her ensemble after that of the depictions of the princess, and wore maroon pants and a matching sleeveless top that bared her midriff. Everypony wore the same flat shoes, all black but Rarity's, which were maroon; Rarity's shoes also turned upward at the toe.

"And don't forget these," Rarity said, passing out headscarves. "Most of the women wear them like so." She wrapped hers over her head, completely covering her plum-colored curls. The others followed suit, but couldn't help but notice the stark difference between Rarity's headscarf and the others. Twilight's was light blue, Rainbow Dash's was the same green as her vest, Applejack's was brown, Fluttershy's was green, and Pinkie's was pink, but all were plain. Rarity's maroon headscarf bore a spangling of glitter and sequins on the fringe.

"Aren't you gonna stick out a little bit?" Twilight asked.

"Admittedly, I did copy what the royalty wears for this one," Rarity said somewhat sheepishly. "But it was just so stylish!"

"Well, let's put it to the test!" Twilight said with determination. "Agrabah, here we come!"

---

The civilians of Agrabah mostly had brown skin and black hair. Rainbow Dash tugged at her headscarf (or "hijab", as Twilight had informed her) nervously, afraid of what would happen if her multicolored mane became visible.

The people stared anyway. Murmurs ran through the crowd: "Is she a princess?" "She must be from outside Agrabah!"

"They're talking about you," Twilight hissed to Rarity. "You're way overdressed!"

"I rather like the attention," Rarity said defensively.

The six walked into an open marketplace where vendors vocally advertised their wares. "Sure wish we had some money to spend around here," Applejack mourned. "Them apples look delicious…and what're those things?" She pointed to a basket of small, round fruits. "There's more of 'em here than apples!"

"They are fresh dates!" a vendor told Applejack. "You would be hard-pressed to find a more delicious fruit in all the world!"

Applejack could only stare at the dates with curiosity and longing.

"These fabrics are divine!" Rarity grasped at some rolls of silk and twirled in them, wrapping them about herself. "I simply must return when we have attained some of the local currency!" She looked to the vendor. "You, er…you don't happen to accept bits, do you?"

"Are bits the currency of your kingdom?" the vendor asked, transfixed by Rarity's beauty.

"Oh, no, no, no, you don't understand," Rarity explained. "I'm not a princess. I just have the style of one!"

"Your beauty almost matches that of our princess Jasmine," the silk vendor replied. "Are you familiar with our royalty?"

"We're from out of town," Twilight said, edging into the conversation. "Out of the country, in fact. But we heard all about how the royal family works to protect this kingdom!"

"Indeed they do." The vendor broke his gaze from Rarity to converse with Twilight. "In fact, they are helping to rebuild the Southwest district after the great fire that swept through."

"The royals are out in the city?" Rarity asked, taken aback. "Right now?"

"Yes," the vendor replied. "It is strange – our sultan never left the palace grounds unless he was on an adventure or official business until the sultan-to-be showed up. But Aladdin has almost completely transformed the palace."

"I reckon we should meet 'em," Applejack spoke up. "After all, if we're gonna get to know this place and why we're here, we gotta know the royals."

"And besides!" Pinkie added. "They sound really nice!"

Twilight looked up at the sun's position in the sky. "That way to Southwest," she said, pointing. Before leaving, she told the vendor, "Thanks for all your help."

"And I will return for these," Rarity said, pointing to the silks in earnest.

"I shall await that return!" the vendor replied, watching as the beautiful woman who dressed like a princess left the main marketplace with her five friends.

The city was a labyrinth of streets running through various buildings. Homes, shops, and carts peppered the byways, and here and there a larger landmark, like a fountain, appeared. Finally, Twilight led her friends into a part of the city that was markedly different. Instead of bright beige accessorized with colorful awnings, here, everything was burned black. The charred remains of carts littered the streets, as did their wares – melted pieces of gold and bronze, date pits, broken mirrors. Doors, shutters, and everything else not made of stone were burned away from the buildings' façades. The street was deserted of life, and almost empty of noise.

Fluttershy picked up the first hint of sound. "I hear someone," she said. "A couple streets over."

"Let's go." Twilight led on, towards the sound of the noise. They turned to see a bustling sight down one of the fire-ravaged roads.

A young man dressed in a purple vest, white pants, and a maroon fez knelt on the stones of the road, reattaching a wheel to a cart. A small brown monkey clothed in a matching vest and hat piled bronze decorations onto that cart. Up in the air, an airy sky-blue spirit, one with the head and torso of a human but a lower half that drifted into blue smoke, pointed at buildings with missing segments of their walls; in bursts of magic, the walls rebuilt themselves. A young woman, sporting a long black ponytail and dressed in the teal clothes Rarity had seen on the princess in the tapestry, climbed a wooden ladder to hang an awning upon one of the buildings the spirit had just rebuilt. Another spirit, this one green and female with a voluminous ponytail, swept down the street, the ash disappearing under wherever she passed her hands. A woman dressed in pink clothes also resembling those royalty, her hair strangely blonde for her complexion, nailed planks together into a door while a little girl of about eight years, clothed in a very simple dress of brown rags, attached the doorknob. When that was finished, an overly muscular man wearing only royal blue pants and a matching headband lifted the door, exchanging a flirty wink with the blonde before he took the door to place upon a building. A tall woman dressed in white clothes again more resembling those of royalty than civilians spoke to a younger and shorter woman with shaggy hair and the shirt and pants of a beggar; the younger woman looked up at a ravaged building, pushed her hands outward, and caused a spray of sand to shoot up from the ground and form a new wall…one that was lumpy and crooked. The older woman patted the younger on the head as the younger sighed in despair.

"HELLO!" Pinkie cried out, and everyone stopped work to look up at the newcomers.

"Um…hi," Twilight said. "We're new to this city, and we were wondering – "

"If you needed any help with that," Applejack said, surveying the scene. "That fire musta been a real doozy!"

"Oh, it was," the young man fixing the cart said, getting up from the street to walk over and greet the newcomers. "We've mostly got it under control…but a few more pairs of hands wouldn't hurt."

"Aladdin!" The woman in teal hopped down from her ladder, rushing to the young man's side. "They're new here! We can't just put them to work!"

"So you're Aladdin!" Rarity realized. "And you must be Princess Jasmine!"

"I see you've heard of us," Aladdin said with a gleaming smile.

"Only a little," Twilight clarified. "We're from a very faraway land, you see, and we don't know much about Agrabah at all." Her gaze turned upward. "Are those…real djinni!"

The blue and green spirits floated toward her. "Ex-genie-of-the-lamp, to be precise!" the blue boasted. "The one and only!"

"And don't forget the genie of the bottle!" the green added. "The one and only…Eden!"

Twilight's face lit up. "Real djinni…I've only ever read about you in storybooks! You're just as powerful as they said! I'm sorry, am I being rude?"

"Rude?" the blue spirit, who would never give the others anything to call him other than "Genie", replied. "You're being downright flattering!"

"So what brings you to Agrabah?" Aladdin asked.

"A great quest of importance!" Rainbow Dash replied.

"I've been on a few of those," Aladdin said with a wink. "What kind of quest are we talking about?"

"Uh…we ain't exactly sure," Applejack admitted.

"We know we have business here," Twilight tried to explain, "we're just…not sure what it is yet. It's kind of like a…prophecy. Actually, that's exactly what it is."

"Well, you're welcome to stay in our kingdom as long as you like," Jasmine offered.

"Then we might as well get some work done," Rainbow Dash said. "Consider us part of the cleanup crew!"

"Is everyone here part of the royal family?" Pinkie asked.

"Just Jasmine and me," Aladdin answered. "Well, and Genie and Abu, by relation."

Answering to his name, the brown monkey hopped up on Aladdin's shoulder and waved, squeaking what sounded like a "Hello!"

"Oh!" Fluttershy found her will to speak to these strangers for the first time. "He's so adorable!"

Abu leapt onto Fluttershy's shoulder. She extended her right arm, and the monkey climbed down to her wrist, hanging from it by his tail and giving a squeaky monkey laugh.

"He likes you!" Aladdin remarked. "So, what're your names anyway?"

"I'm Twilight Sparkle," Twilight began. The others all echoed their names in what would soon become routine:

"I'm Applejack!"

"Rarity! Er, the one and only."

"Rainbow Dash!"

"Um…Flutter…shy…"

"Pinkie Pie!" With that last introduction, Pinkie added, "Ooh, ooh! Who are all of you?"

"Let's introduce you to the cleanup crew!" Jasmine said.

"You already know Jasmine, Genie, Eden, Abu, and me now," Aladdin pointed out. "Everyone else here is one of our friends. Come on."

The six Equestrians followed the royal family of Agrabah down the street, stopping first at the pair that had been assembling doors. The blonde and the young girl continued assembling planks while paying attention to the introduction.

"This is Fatima," Aladdin said, referring to the blonde, "and that's Dandi." Now he referred to the girl. "Dandi is Eden's master."

"Eden's really more like my mother," Dandi admitted.

"So…you're the master of the other djinni?" Twilight asked Aladdin.

"Nope!" the Genie answered. "I am one hundred percent free, with no contractual restrictions! Well, except for being downgraded from phenomenal and cosmic to semi-phenomenal and nearly cosmic, but you know what they say – there's no such thing as a free lunch!"

"I didn't know djinni could be free," Twilight said, almost to herself.

"Why, darling!" Rarity pointed out Fatima's clothing. "You look positively gorgeous!"

"Thank you," Fatima replied. "I was known a little bit for my beauty in certain circles."

"A little bit?" Aladdin laughed.

"You were known as the most beautiful acrobat in the entire city!" Jasmine giggled.

"Could I ever be that pretty?" Dandi asked.

"Of course!" Eden replied.

"You just need some of the right style," Rarity said. "Perhaps I can help you with your wardrobe later!"

"That would be great…" Dandi faltered.

"Rarity," Rarity reminded her.

"That would be great, Rarity!"

Aladdin and Jasmine led the group on. "This is Minos," he said, introducing the man who fastened the doors to the buildings.

"A pleasure to meet you," Minos said with a bow.

"You sure got some muscles on ya," Applejack observed.

"That was my fame as Fatima's was her beauty," Minos replied. "That is why I have taken the task of carrying the doors."

"I betcha I can help with that," Applejack said.

"Oh, really?" Minos raised an eyebrow.

"I'm a lot stronger than I look," Applejack bragged.

Now the group came to meet the two women rebuilding the walls from sand. "This is Deluca," Jasmine said, introducing the taller woman. "And this – "

"I'm Sadira!" the younger woman interrupted. "The last living Witch of the Sand!"

"You still have a way to go before you can call yourself a true Witch of the Sand," Deluca reminded Sadira, who hung her head.

"My spells can get a little messed up," Sadira admitted.

"A little?" Aladdin teased. "Like the time you made me think I was a knight on a quest to slay a dragon? Or the time you resurrected three evil witches by trying to make soup?"

"Okay, okay!" Sadira snapped. "So I'm a lousy witch. I'm learning!"

"A real witch!" Twilight gasped. "I'm a witch too!"

"You sure dress like one," Sadira pointed out. "You look like you stepped right out of the Age of Sorcery."

"The Age of…what?" Twilight asked.

"A little something from my time," Deluca said. "Don't worry. If you stick around Agrabah, you'll hear about it soon enough."

"All right," Applejack concluded. "Now that we're through with the introductions, let's get to work! What can we do?"

"I'd like to see you try and lift the same doors," Minos challenged her.

Applejack hoisted a completed door into the air, though she strained more than Minos had to do so. "How's this for strength?"

"Impressive," Minos remarked.

"Abu was helping put the vendors' things back on the carts and stalls," Aladdin told Fluttershy. "You wanna help him, since you two were getting along so well? Watch him closely – make sure he doesn't steal any of it."

"I'm sure this little darling wouldn't do that," Fluttershy said sweetly.

Feeling the pressure of guilt under Fluttershy's gaze, Abu removed some pilfered bracelets from inside his vest and dropped them on the floor.

"No!" Fluttershy scolded. "You did a very bad thing!"

The monkey squeaked a sound that resembled "I know."

Fluttershy smiled. "It's all right. We all make mistakes. Do you want to show me where the things are that we can put back?"

Abu immediately perked up and ran off, beckoning Fluttershy to follow.

"I can help with the carts!" Pinkie knelt on the street alongside Aladdin, fitting another wheel onto the cart. "So, I hear you're the sultan-to-be! How'd that happen? And does it mean your life is like a big party?"

Aladdin had to laugh at that. "I only wish my life was a big party. No, there's a lot more responsibility to it…but it's worth it. You see, I used to have to steal things from this city's marketplace just to live through the day. But then I met the Genie, and he changed everything, starting by being one of my best friends. After that, I fell in love with the most beautiful and kindest woman in the whole kingdom…and the rest is history."

"Who was the woman?" Pinkie asked, the implication having sailed over her head.

Aladdin gestured to where Jasmine had climbed up the ladder to hang awnings once more. "Her."

"Awwww!" Pinkie cried. "That's a beautiful story!"

Rarity set up a ladder next to Jasmine, climbing it to hang a bright red awning. She changed her mind when she noticed the pink awning Jasmine was putting up, and exchanged the red for a soft blue. "It goes better with the color," Rarity explained.

"Are you the princess of your kingdom?" Jasmine asked.

"Actually, no," Rarity explained. "I guess I really did overdress for the occasion. I only wish I was a princess! But alas, it was never meant to be. Now, you are the real thing! Tell me, what's it like?"

"It used to be boring," Jasmine said. "Staying inside the palace all my life, learning proper decorum…but let's just say I broke tradition. As the princess, I think it's my duty to help the people of this kingdom and make peaceful relations with others. I'd have to say the best part, though, was getting to marry my prince – even if he did start out living on the street."

"Oh, do tell more!" Rarity begged. "How did you find him?"

"I broke out of the palace," Jasmine said. "Then he broke in, disguised as a prince. Sort of like how you got everyone thinking you're a princess."

"A complete accident!" Rarity defended.

"Destiny just took its course then," Jasmine finished. "Now we're married, and next in line to be sultan and sultana – but first, my father has to finish out his time, and he's got a few more good years in him!"

"You're incredibly lucky," Rarity sighed. "I wish my charming prince would show up so easily. I'm sorry – that was rather selfish to say. I'm very happy for you, both of you."

They climbed down the ladders together. "I was going to hang yellow next," Jasmine told Rarity. "What do you think?"

"Keep it away from the red," Rarity advised.

"So," Twilight said to Sadira, "you're still working on your magic?"

"I'm a self-taught witch," Sadira replied. "It's a work in progress. What about you?"

"I studied my magic under a powerful alic – a powerful sorceress," Twilight answered. "The princess of my country, actually. I can do a lot of different spells. Mind if I give the sand a try?"

"Go ahead," Sadira said. "But it's harder than it looks!"

Twilight doubted that. She looked to a hole in the wall, then focused her energies upon it. She pushed her hands outward; a rush of sand flew toward the wall. To Twilight's dismay, only about half the wall built itself, and instead of a smooth stone surface, it bent inward. "I don't understand," she said. "I guess sand magic must be different from the magic I learned."

"There are many different kinds of magic," Deluca confirmed.

"But I always thought I was sort of an expert in magic," Twilight said dejectedly. "I mean, I didn't like to brag, but back in my country, I was one of the most powerful unico – witches there!"

"I was once the most powerful sorceress in Mesmeria," Deluca said, "but my powers would have been useless against the necromancy of the Sorcerers of the Black Viper, or the sun powers of Shamash. Even my power was borrowed from another. The world is full of different sorts of magic."

"Not to mention the universe," Aladdin chimed in.

"What do you know about…the universe?" Twilight knew to tread carefully.

"I know there's more out there than just this world," Aladdin answered casually. "I'm not sure how much, but there's definitely more."

Rainbow Dash looked upward to where the Genie and Eden continued their aerial work. Then she looked down to the shutters Dandi and Fatima had finished putting together. Finally, she looked to the wooden ladders. "If I could fly," she muttered to herself, "I wouldn't have to use ladders…"

"Try your wings," Rarity said at normal volume, having passed Rainbow Dash. "I sewed folds in the back of your shirt for them."

Rainbow Dash's face lit up as she realized she could slide her wings out through the sleeves Rarity had sewn into her shirt. "Now that's what I'm talkin' about!" She grabbed a shutter, a hammer, and a handful of nails and soared up to the higher windows to place them.

"Whoa…" Aladdin looked up to see one of his new acquaintances flying upon light blue wings. "You really aren't from around here, are you?"

"Nope," Rainbow Dash answered.

"People around here don't usually have wings," Twilight asked, "do they?"

"Only sometimes," Fatima said with a cringe.

"Do you all have wings?" Jasmine asked.

"Just me and Fluttershy," Rainbow Dash answered. "Now, I don't like to brag – "

"Not true," Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Pinkie all muttered under their breaths.

" – but I happen to be the fastest flyer in our whole country," Rainbow Dash finished. "I bet I could even outfly your two djinni there."

"Is that a challenge?" the Genie said, crossing his arms.

"I think that was a challenge!" Eden replied happily.

"You two think you can take me?" Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. "Please. I could outfly you any day!"

"Bring it on," the Genie and Eden replied.

Those on the ground watched as the three positioned themselves in the air. Aladdin, sensing an opportunity, whistled for another ally to make an appearance from around the corner.

"To the end of the street," Rainbow Dash proposed. "First one there wins…and doesn't have to do any more work for the rest of the day!"

"You're on!" the Genie replied.

"Fluttershy!" Rainbow Dash called down. "Wanna count us off?"

"On your mark," Fluttershy said so softly they could barely hear her. "Get set…go!"

Rainbow Dash, the Genie, and Eden took off. Rainbow Dash easily outpaced the two djinni, pumping her wings as hard as she could. Those on the ground stared in awe at the rainbow trail her body left in the air.

"Ha ha!" Rainbow Dash cackled. "I so totally have you beat! I – "

Before she crossed the designated finish line, a blur zoomed past her. "Hey!" she cried, crossing the line and staring down the victor. "What gives?"

Aladdin stood upon an intricately woven blue-and-gold carpet that hovered in the air. "I just couldn't resist," he said with a shrug.

"You may have beaten me this time," Rainbow Dash said, "but that's just a one-time thing, you hear?"

"Oh yeah?" Aladdin smirked. "Carpet and I will take you on in a rematch anytime, anywhere."

"You know," Rainbow Dash said with a smile, "I like you. You're pretty cool."

Down on the ground, Twilight gave a little hop and a squeal. "A real magic carpet!" she squeaked. "It's so beautiful!"

After that, the group settled back into work.

"I'm very glad you all decided to help us," Jasmine told Rarity after some time.

"It's nothing," Rarity said. "Helping others is…well, you could call it our destiny. We're always glad to lend a helping hoof! Er, hand."

"And we're almost done!" Twilight observed. "Just a few more adjustments and – "

What happened next left Deluca, Sadira, Minos, Fatima, Eden, and Dandi mystified. Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Aladdin, Jasmine, Abu, the Carpet, and the Genie simply disappeared.

"What happened?" Dandi asked.

"Powerful magic," Deluca answered.

---

THE LAND OF THE BLACK SANDS, THE SEVEN DESERTS

"You must understand," Cassim defended. "I had thought you were taken by the shadow walkers! Everyone had said so! If I had known you were alive…"

"It doesn't matter," Mozenrath growled. "You hated me from the start."

"I didn't hate you!" Cassim argued. "I'll admit, I never understood why your greatest ambition in life was to be a sorcerer of the evil arts…"

"Says the thief."

"I chose my life in order to secure a better one for your mother, your brother, and yourself! You chose your path because of your odd fascination with power and evil! Whenever your mother read you stories, you always rooted for the evil sorcerer or the deceitful thief."

"Oh, don't get me wrong," Mozenrath clarified. "I don't blame you for what I've become. In fact, I became exactly what I wanted to be! I have a spacious kingdom of darkness, a vault of magical artifacts, and a host of willing minions. What more could I ask for? Still, recognition would have been nice. It would have been nice not to have been lost in the shuffle while you taught your favorite son how to fight, played games with him, gave him your best dagger…"

"I was remiss," Cassim admitted. "I am sorry. Your mother…she was the one who understood you best."

"And WHERE IS SHE NOW?" Mozenrath yelled.

"Gone," Cassim said plainly.

"I think you've been away from her for too long," Mozenrath concluded. "You should go meet her. Here…let me send you to where she is, and finally have the pleasure of seeing the look on your face when I finally do you in!"

Cassim was expecting the attack. Mozenrath raised his right hand, shooting from it a blast of blue energy that would have certainly been lethal had Cassim not ducked from it, rolling to the wall. He paused a moment to gather the unconscious Iago into a fold of his cape, then, cradling that segment of his cape carefully, Cassim lunged forth. Mozenrath took another swipe with the gauntlet, leaving five finger-trails of blue electricity crackling in the air; once again he missed, and Cassim aimed a punch at the sorcerer's stomach, catching Mozenrath off guard and causing him to double over in pain. Recognizing the source of his son's power, Cassim reached out to Mozenrath's flailing right arm and peeled the gauntlet away in one swift motion.

He gasped, nearly dropping Iago and the gauntlet at the sight. The arm beneath, from elbow to fingertips, was but a skeleton without flesh. "This…gauntlet," Cassim said. "What has it done to you?"

"Given me my power," Mozenrath growled.

"Giving your right hand? Isn't that a bit extreme?"

"Not for this," Mozenrath replied. "In fact, I've given my whole body and soul for this. But it's worth it."

"It's killing you," Cassim realized.

"So you finally care whether I live or die," Mozenrath retaliated. "Unfortunately, I only care about if you die. Living isn't an option." He reached back, threw open the doors to the hallway.

Now Cassim saw the guards Iago had spoken of. The shambling undead, a horde of them, their flesh rotting.

"Cassim, meet the Mamluks," Mozenrath said, that teasing smile returning to his lips. "They used to be the people of this kingdom, back when Destane ruled it. I may be the only person to say he was too merciful on them. Now, they work for me. Mamluks, meet my father. He has two things I'd like you to take away from him: my gauntlet and his life. Now GO!"

Cassim tossed the gauntlet to the ground. "If it means so much to you…keep it!" Still keeping Iago wrapped in his cape, he used his free hand to draw his sword. The undead soldiers charged into the laboratory, their own swords drawn. Cassim dodged, slashed, and kicked. To Mozenrath's horror, Cassim fought a pathway through the army, all the way out into the hallway.

"DON'T LET HIM GET AWAY!" Mozenrath screamed. The undead soldiers nodded, chasing Cassim, but the thief was fast, darting down the hallway and out the window. Cassim slid down the rope he'd put up, mounting his horse once more and spurring the animal into a fast gallop. More of the undead burst from the doors of the fortress; Cassim rode around them, menacing them with his sword, and his horse charged away from the fortress and down through the kingdom of empty buildings.

"I'll have you someday," Mozenrath growled to himself. "This isn't over, Cassim. Not by a long shot."

Cassim's horse took him out of the streets and into open desert, riding between the starless sky and the pitch-black sand. He noticed Iago stirring.

"Oy," the parrot remarked, rubbing his head with a wing. "I just had one heck of a dream. You decided to be all crazy and go try to rob the Land of the Black Sand, and somehow it ended in you telling me Mozenrath was your son."

"He is my son," Cassim replied, keeping his eyes on the sand ahead.

"WHAT?" Iago screamed. "THAT WAS REAL? No. No, that couldn't have been real, because we're still alive."

"I managed to fight my way out of his undead army," Cassim said, "as well as outrun that gauntlet of his. Tell me…is it really killing him?"

"Well, it's sort of this weird kinda curse. It gives you pretty much unlimited power, but it sucks your life force the more you use – WAIT A MINUTE! WHY ARE YOU THE ONE WHO GETS TO ASK THE QUESTIONS HERE?"

"All right," Cassim said. "Ask whatever questions you have."

"HOW COME YOU NEVER MENTIONED HAVING ANOTHER SON? HOW COME YOU NEVER MENTIONED HE WAS A PSYCHOPATH?"

"I told you long ago that I left my family to find them a better life," Cassim explained. "When I returned, I could not find my wife, Aaliyah, or my son Aladdin. I asked all around Agrabah. No one knew of Aladdin's whereabouts, and there were rumors that a sorceress had kidnapped Aaliyah, though those stories were dubious at best. However, most seemed to agree that Aladdin's twin brother, Mozenrath, had been taken away by the shadow walkers…strange beasts that roamed the city and kidnapped children. I had heard of these shadow walkers before. Perhaps you have – "

"Yeah, yeah," Iago muttered, "been there, done that, defeated that ancient evil, bought the T-shirt."

"You faced the shadow walkers?"

"Yep. And it was every bit as pleasant as you think it was."

"I chose to forget him," Cassim said. "After all, he was dead for certain in my mind. What would have been the point of dwelling on it? It didn't sink in that Aaliyah was truly dead until years later. Aladdin was the last one I gave up on. Mozenrath was right, you know. I…did favor Aladdin. I regret it, but I did."

"I can see why," Iago scoffed. "Lemme guess. Aladdin was the kid who always played nice with the other kids, and Mozenrath was the freak who built torture devices in his room."

"That's a quite accurate description, actually." Cassim smirked. "He always had a fascination with evil. He told me he wanted to become a villain like those in stories. I thought it nothing but a childish fantasy, and yet I still never understood it. He had a stronger mind, and Aladdin a stronger body. It was easier for me to relate to Aladdin. We were both adventurous, athletic…Mozenrath was a loner, a reader, an inventor. His mother understood him better than I ever could have."

"I don't get one thing," Iago pointed out. "You two look nothing alike!"

"Because he is the spitting image of his mother," Cassim replied. "I met her on one of my earliest adventures, back when the Land of the Black Sand was an actual thriving kingdom…one with sunlight. Shortly before the reign of terror that was Destane. She was a curious spirit, and wished to accompany me on my travels. She came with me all the way back to Agrabah…we settled down there, made a life."

"You know, somehow I don't see you as the settling-down type."

"As you can see," Cassim said, "I'm definitely not settled down now."

"I wouldn't suggest settling down until you're as far away from the Black Sand as possible," Iago griped. "I'm putting my foot down: our next mission is something easy and safe. Like exploring the ruins of Mesmaria! They're abandoned! Nothing there but old treasures! Oh, and the treasures we could find…"

"I know what our next mission is, Iago," Cassim replied sternly.

"Why do I get the feeling I'm not gonna like this?" Iago groaned.

"I have to make up for my shortcomings," Cassim said plainly.

"I can see where this is going," Iago replied, "and the answer is NO. DID YOU NOT SEE THAT HE HAS NO INTEREST IN BYGONES?"

"It still isn't right," Cassim said. "I did him wrong when he was but a child…and I've done him wrong ever since."

"So what are we gonna do?" Iago groaned. "Pick up some corny apology gift and send it to him with a note saying, 'Sorry I've been a bad dad, please don't kill me'?"

Cassim smirked. "More or less…"

---

AGRABAH, THE SEVEN DESERTS

"Where are we?" Twilight asked, looking around. All she could see was rock tunnel branching out from where she, her five companions, Aladdin, Jasmine, Abu, the Carpet, and the Genie stood.

"The tunnels below Agrabah," Aladdin said.

"And how did we get to the tunnels below Agrabah, exactly?" Applejack asked.

"You came here," a slightly hoarse voice said, "because I brought you here."

From further down in the tunnel, a man appeared: a tall man with white hair and a white beard, clothed in blue rags. He wore a strip of cloth over the upper half of his face, obscuring his vision, and yet he moved as though he could see clearly where he was going.

"Phasir!" Aladdin cried.

"Who?" Twilight asked.

"A powerful prophet," Jasmine answered.

"At last," Phasir said, "the Six have arrived."

"He knows!" Pinkie gasped.

"Of course I know," Phasir replied plainly. "It has been passed from prophet to prophet, that the Six would arrive on this world one day in their quest to spread Harmony and stop the Old Ones from overtaking the cosmos."

"You're not from this world," Aladdin realized, "are you?"

"When we said we were from a faraway land," Rarity explained, "we rather meant…some good lightyears away…"

"The Mists of Avalon brought us here," Twilight said. "We have business on this world, even if we don't know what it is." She eyed Phasir suspiciously. "You're a prophet…do you know what it is?"

"You will arrive in the Seven Deserts more than once," Phasir answered, "and leave it more than once. I have come to inform you of your destiny during this visit. It is a destiny that concerns all eleven of you…the Elements of Harmony, the diamond in the rough, the princess, and their friends."

"Elements of Harmony?" Jasmine repeated.

"I've heard of those!" the Genie said excitedly. From thin air, he materialized a basket, giving each of the others present an apple from it. "Generosity!" He slipped on a pair of thick glasses with a false nose attached. "Laughter!" In a snap, the glasses were gone, and he now held a bouquet of flowers, which he pretended to bashfully offer to Twilight. "Kindness!" The bouquet was gone, and in its place a brass badge which he pinned to his chest before saluting. "Loyalty!" The badge was gone, and he put his right hand over his heart. "Honesty! And the sixth element, which is a mystery!"

"Magic," Twilight finished. "We're them. Magic is my element."

"You may not have known it," Phasir told Aladdin, Jasmine, and the Genie, "but when the Elements of Harmony appeared to you, you made six very powerful friends, friends who hold the fate of the universe in their hands…or hooves, as it may be."

"It would be nice if someone could say that and not omit what exactly we're supposed to do with said fate of the universe," Rarity grumbled.

"In time, your duty will reveal itself to you," Phasir said. "As will the angel of darkness. Until then, hear what I have to say. Remember these words, and you will all know what is to come. A great upheaval in the Seven Deserts."

"We're listenin'," Applejack said.

Phasir then appeared to enter a trance, speaking in rhyme: "An issue thought long put to rest will come to reinstate the quest. Retrieve the gift from siren's sea, and face the blades that number three. The Old Ones make a deadly bet, and oldest foes will be reset. The young one takes it on with pride, and to him all your fates are tied. First he wants and gets control, this world you will again make whole. With you he wishes to be done, so second will doom all but one. Beware the choice he makes as three; a twist arrives in Harmony. Success or failure in your hands, for desert and its borderlands. If you win remains unknown, but certain is one thing alone: a blow is dealt to magic's heart, and what seems done is just the start." Silence fell over the tunnels before Phasir said, "That is all."

"Can't you be any clearer?" Applejack asked frustratedly.

"For those like myself, clarity and honesty do not mean the same," Phasir said. "I have not lied, Element of Honesty. If I were to tell you exactly what to expect, it would sway your actions. If I had not given you fair warning, however, you might have passed your destiny by, perhaps believing that the Mists of Avalon had sent you here to repair a fire-torn roadway." He smirked. "I can clearly advise that you remain together, for it is in bonds of friendship that you find your strongest magic."

"Friendship is magic," Twilight paraphrased. She turned to Aladdin, Jasmine, and the Genie, with Abu and the Carpet looking on. "So…obviously we have some explaining to do…but will you help us?"

Aladdin nodded. "Of course. Whatever Phasir means you have to do…we'll help you."

"I shouldn't keep you from your work any longer," Phasir said, waving his hands.

Then before them was the street. Phasir was gone, as was the tunnel. Eight humans, one djinni, one magic carpet, and one monkey were returned to the street under repairs, where Minos, Fatima, Eden, Dandi, Deluca, and Sadira looked at them in confusion.

"Sorry 'bout that," Applejack said, breaking the silence. "So…how's about we finish up repairs, then?"

---

The street looked as though there had never been a fire. The carts stood again, and while they had fewer wares than before, they were ready for their owners to return to them. The buildings were reconstructed, and the ash swept away. Colorful awnings lined the road, giving it shade, and every empty frame was fitted with a door or window.

As the sun began to set, Aladdin and Jasmine declared it was time to return home, with a wink towards the six from Equestria that they should follow. Those eight, Abu, the Genie, and the Carpet turned to set out for the palace while the others waved goodbye and Sadira in particular yelled, "It was nice meeting all of you!"

"So," Aladdin asked, "how'd you end up all the way in Agrabah from 'lightyears away'?"

"Well, actually…" Twilight began.

"Can I tell the story?" Pinkie begged. "Please, please, pllleeeeeaaaaaase?"

"Sure," Twilight said with a smile.

"Okay!" Pinkie took a deep breath. "So it all started when we were back in Ponyville, where, believe it or not, we were all PONIES! So one day…"

---

"…and that's how Equestria was made!" Pinkie finished as the group reached the palace steps.

"And more importantly," Rarity added quickly, "that's how we ended up on our journey."

"Don't worry," Aladdin said. "I'm kind of the big hero around these parts. If there's an 'angel of darkness' on the loose, I'll help you take care of it."

"As will I," Jasmine promised.

"Doing battle with the forces of evil?" the Genie said with a wink. "Does that ever take me back to the Bronze Age! Count me in!"

"Thank you," Fluttershy said. "You all seem so very kind. We're lucky to have met good friends like you!"

"So…the Sultan of Agrabah," Twilight said, changing the subject out of worry. "He sounds pretty strict and tough. Not letting the family leave the palace walls for years and years?"

"He was worried about me," Jasmine said, "and a bit sheltered himself."

"Halt!" A large man stopped them at the great towering doors to the palace. He wore a black shirt and white pants as his uniform, topped off with a white turban, and a couple missing teeth betrayed that he'd been in quite a few tough scraps. "Who are these intruders?"

"They're not intruders, Razoul," Jasmine said, almost playfully. "They're our guests. We're friends."

"If you say so," Razoul muttered, but as the group passed by, he muttered so Rainbow Dash could hear, "But I'll be keeping an eye on your 'friends'…"

"You wanna say stuff like that to my face instead?" Rainbow Dash yelled, whirling to face Razoul.

With a worried squeak, Rarity grabbed Rainbow Dash by the arm and tugged her along before she could pick a fight with the captain of the palace guard.

Twilight smoothed out her robes and ran her fingers through her hair as Jasmine said, "I'm going to introduce you to Father right away. I'm sure he'll love you!"

"I hope," Twilight breathed quietly.

Jasmine led the way not to a throne room, but instead to a rather large toyroom filled with clockwork models and stone figurines of all sorts. Thin paper kites hung from the ceiling, setting off the mood of the room. "Look at all these toys!" Pinkie cried.

In the midst, a short man dressed in the white finery of royalty and sporting a beard of the same color knelt as he wound up a clockwork camel and watched it gallivant across the floor. Hearing Pinkie's exclamation, he stood and spread his arms. "My, my! Are you all guests of my daughter and son-in-law? Do come in! Oh, and you, young miss…feel free to try out anything you like! I'm quite fond of this camel, myself. Much speedier than the real thing!"

"Oh boy!" Pinkie cried, pouncing upon a clockwork bear displayed on a nearby table, winding it up to watch it rear into the air and emit a semi-realistic growl.

Twilight let out a sigh of relief. Somehow, she didn't think she had to worry so much about impressing the Sultan anymore.

"Our new friends are from kinda far away," Aladdin said. "They didn't have anywhere to stay for the night, and seeing as I am the prince, I didn't think it would be out of bounds to offer them rooms for the night."

"Of course not, my boy!" the Sultan exclaimed. "Welcome to Agrabah! I am the Sultan! Now, tell me, it is a most beautiful city, isn't it? I've put a lot of work into it, and I'm quite proud. Though I do have to give credit where it's due – my daughter and son-in-law have done much to improve it."

"You have a beautiful kingdom, Sultan…" Twilight tried to remember if he'd said his name.

"Oh, I have a name," the Sultan said, "but hardly anyone ever uses it. You can just call me the Sultan…less embarrassing."

Twilight grinned when she heard the Genie whisper the name "Bobo" into her ear. "Well, everything looked great when we came through. I'm Twilight Sparkle. I see you already met Pinkie Pie."

"WHEE!" Pinkie cried, watching a clockwork horse-drawn wagon race a clockwork dragon across a table.

"I'm Rainbow Dash," Rainbow Dash chimed in, "adventurer extraordinaire!"

"Oh, my!" the Sultan replied. "And what manner of adventure brings you here?"

"Just a couple of prophecies," Rainbow Dash said, waving her hand. "No big deal!"

"It is a big deal," Jasmine iterated. "Father, Phasir told us that these women would be instrumental in saving Agrabah from a terrible fate."

"Then by all means," the Sultan said, "let them stay here! There isn't any expense too great for the heroes of Agrabah!"

"More like the heroes of the whole Seven Deserts," Rainbow Dash boasted.

Before she could go on, Applejack broke in. "That's mighty kind of ya, sir. My name's Applejack."

"Fluttershy," Fluttershy whispered. By this time, Abu was sitting on her shoulder again, and he seemed to be the only resident of the Seven Deserts thus far she really felt comfortable with, flashing him a bright smile after giving her name to the Sultan.

"And you are their princess?" the Sultan asked Rarity.

"No," Rarity said. "I just made it a point to dress like one. I'm Rarity."

"We're grateful you let us stay here," Twilight said. "We promise not to ask for much."

"Well, maybe a little," Applejack said. Twilight shot her a dirty look. "What?" Applejack defended. "I'm just dyin' to know what one of them dates tastes like, and I ain't got any money!"

"No money?" The Sultan was taken aback. "How did you get this far?"

"We actually have plenty of money," Rainbow Dash said. "Just nothing that's worth anything in this kingdom."

"We could at least give you all something to eat," Jasmine pointed out.

"How about a feast?" Aladdin suggested. "After all, we are the royal family, and it's not every day we have guests."

"One feast extraordinaire, comin' up!" In a puff of blue smoke, the Genie summoned an apron and a chef's hat that looked distinctly not like any hat native to the local fashion designs, holding a highly anachronistic pen over a pad of paper. "What will we be having tonight? Italian cuisine? French gourmet? Would you like fries with that?"

"Whatever the local special is," Applejack said. "But preferably with dates."

The others all nodded in assent, and the Genie sped down the hallway toward the dining room with a "No problem!"

"Applejack," Twilight whispered, "now that we're humans…we might have to eat meat. Our digestive systems can actually handle it, and a lot of human bodies need it."

"Oh…" Applejack looked concernedly at the royals. "Y'all don't eat horse meat, do ya?"

This caused an outburst of laughter. "Of course not," Aladdin said. "Don't worry."

"Tonight, we're serving lamb!" the Sultan announced proudly.

Applejack swayed, looking sick. "I got some good friends who're sheep," she muttered to Twilight.

"It's okay," Twilight said. "Um…can Applejack and I have a minute?" She pulled Applejack into the corner of the room. "I did some research on this in the Guide. Societies that eat animals don't eat talking animals. Back home, we'd count as talking animals, or Animals with a capital A if you need to differentiate. Ponies with a capital P. Here, the animals don't talk, and probably aren't even as smart as Winona. More like…Fluttershy's friends. It's still good to respect them, but they're part of the food chain that makes up natural order. We'd be eating lambs with a lowercase L…but that's only when you need to differentiate. Does that make you feel better?"

"Only a little," Applejack admitted. "It's still weird!"

"You don't have to eat it, you know."

"We'll see at the table."

"WHEEEEEEEEE!" Pinkie rode by in a small clockwork car that was just big enough to accommodate her, breaking up the conversation. "Mr. Sultan, I love your collection! It's so fun!"

"That's one of my personal favorites!" the Sultan pointed out happily.

---

"I can't believe it," Applejack said at the long dinner table, seated with her friends and the royal family. "It's so wrong…but it tastes…so right…" She put another bite of lamb into her mouth. "Man, I GOTTA learn me how to cook this!" Another bite. "But all y'all can't tell ANYPONY I like this, ya hear? Urgh, it's so wrong…but so delicious…"

"And the highly anticipated dates?" Rarity asked with a wink.

"Delicious and sweet!" Applejack rated. "Not as good as apples, mind you, but pretty darn good! Genie, this stuff's hoof-lickin' delicious!"

The Genie rose into the air, bowing as a rain of applause he summoned from nowhere thundered.

Razoul burst into the room. "Your Highnesses!" he cried. "Another intruder to the palace…but one all too familiar."

"Do you just assume everyone's an intruder?" Rainbow Dash snapped.

"What Rainbow Dash means," Twilight said, "is that maybe you should give some people the benefit of the doubt."

"Perhaps," Razoul said with a sneer. "Then again, this particular intruder is a thorn in the palace's side, and he brought with him the OTHER old thorn in our side. Bring him in!"

Two more guards in uniform brought in a man dressed in blue, one who bore a striking resemblance to Aladdin despite being much older. Above his shoulder, a red macaw hovered, spouting in perfect speech, "I TOLD you this was a bad idea, Cassim!"

"The most wanted thief in Agrabah," Razoul said. "Of course, we can't do anything without your judgment…"

"Don't hurt him!" Fluttershy yelled, a knee-jerk reaction.

Aladdin slowly rose, a look of confusion on his face. "Dad?"

"I had hoped we could have met under better circumstances," Cassim said with as much of a shrug he could give with his arms held.

"Let him go," Jasmine commanded. "Suspend all his sentences!"

"That is your father?" Rarity asked.

"He showed up just in time for dinner!" Pinkie cried.

"I thought you'd ridden off into the desert for good," Aladdin said. "Why did you come back here?"

"It's a long story," Cassim said. "I'm on a sort of a quest, but I can't do it alone – or even with a trusted animal sidekick. But that can wait. After all, who am I to simply show up and ask favors?"

"What's going on?" Fluttershy asked softly. "Is your father…mean?"

"No," Aladdin answered. "We just come from…different worlds."

"Cassim left here one of the most notorious thieves in Agrabah!" the Sultan insisted. "He led a gang of forty despicable criminals!"

"But he is your son-in-law's dad," Rainbow Dash pointed out.

"There's a free seat over here!" Pinkie cried.

"It seems your new friends have invited me to dinner," Cassim said. "A bit surprising, seeing as I was dragged here by guards…who, by the way, have been ordered to stand down."

The guards dropped Cassim, slinking away guiltily; Razoul eventually followed.

"Well, everyone deserves kindness," Fluttershy said. "And you did come all this way to see your son."

"Heh…" Aladdin shrugged. "Sure, why not? Join us for dinner."

Cassim sat down next to Pinkie Pie. "Who are your new friends, anyway? They're very accommodating…and quite beautiful."

"I'm Pinkie Pie!" Pinkie introduced. "And we're the Elements of Harmony! So, what's your story? How'd you end up being one of Agrabah's most wanted?"

"Well, you see," Cassim explained, "I was absent for most of Aladdin's life. I once led a band of forty thieves, and we had planned to rob the royal wedding. Then, when I found out the prince-to-be was my son, things changed. It's a long story, but we eventually parted ways…though I must say," he said solemnly, looking Aladdin in the eye, "My love for my royal son hasn't lessened any." He gave a smile.

"Aaaaaaawwwww!" the six Equestrians chorused.

Aladdin couldn't help but smile back. "Y'know," he admitted, "it is kinda good to see you again."

"And what about ME?" the parrot spat. "I put the best years of my life into this stinkin' palace, only to get no welcome whatsoever?"

"I've never seen feathers so red!" Fluttershy remarked.

"Welcome back, Iago," Jasmine laughed. "Everyone, Iago lived in the palace with us for a long time, but he decided life on the move was better for him."

"A decision I didn't regret until recently," Iago muttered. Cassim shot him a dirty look, prompting him to shut up.

"Was he always such a complaining loudmouth?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"HEY!" Iago fluttered right up to Rainbow Dash's face. "Who're you callin' loudmouth?"

"You. Because you are."

"WHY I OUGHTA…"

"What? What're you gonna do to me, huh?"

"Well, they really do make a pair," Twilight said. Something occurred to her. "Wait…so, Cassim, you thought you wouldn't ever be back in Agrabah?"

"Indeed, I thought I had left for the last time," Cassim confirmed.

"An issue thought put long to rest," Twilight muttered, "will come to reinstate the quest…"

Rainbow Dash stopped her quibbling with the parrot long enough to turn to Twilight and say in disbelief, "You MEMORIZED it?"

"It was a prophecy!" Twilight defended. "Prophecies are important! You should never forget one once you hear it!"

"But it was so long!"

"I still remember all of it," Twilight said.

"But that reminds me," Rarity said, "Cassim, was it? You said you had a favor to ask. Perhaps we could help."

"It's a bit embarrassing to admit," Cassim began. "What I need is something long lost. Something I…already gave up. It turned out I wasn't done with it."

"No," Aladdin said in disbelief. "It can't be…you don't mean…"

Cassim said, very simply, "I seek the Hand of Midas."

---

Chapter 3:

· An explanation: in the extended canon (sequels, animated series) of Aladdin, Cassim is Aladdin's estranged father. In the final sequel, "Aladdin and the King of Thieves", Cassim is revealed to be the leader of the Forty Thieves, and the story is about him trying to reconcile with his son. In the end, he takes off to be an independent adventurer, and Iago, who quit being Jafar's sidekick to join the heroes in the second movie, went with him. Mozenrath is Aladdin's nemesis from the animated series, and one of my fangirl obsessions. There was a persistent fan rumor, probably untrue, that King of Thieves was originally supposed to be about Aladdin discovering he was Mozenrath's brother rather than Cassim's son, but that this script was scrapped when Moz's voice actor committed suicide (that Jonathan Brandis took his own life is, sadly, true). While I don't believe the theory was officially recognized as canon by Disney, I do LIKE it a whole lot, the idea that the hero and one of the most important extended-canon villains were good-twin-evil-twin, so I'm using it here.

· Mozenrath is one of my favorite fictional characters of all time – at the time I'm writing this, he's actually my favorite villain I've ever encountered – so prepare to see him do a LOT.

· Incidentally, because Mozenrath's personality quirk is that he's obsessed with magic, he's one of my favorite crossover ships for Twilight Sparkle (which I've probably already mentioned to you several times, but just in case you forgot). So…guess why I wanted to do this world first?

· Most of the women in the Aladdinverse don't wear hijabs, but I really enjoyed the Islamic studies I did in school, and this is an Arabic-based world, so the Mane Six get hijabs. Besides, you can see them on some of the female commoners, so I'm not pulling it from completely nowhere.

· In the narrative, and when the Mane Six think the word, it's "djinni" because that's the technical term Twilight would have read. The characters of the Aladdinverse think and say "genie".

· Dandi, Eden, Minos, Fatima, Deluca, and Sadira are all characters from the animated series. Out of all of them, Sadira is the only one that really has a large role…I just like the rest of them enough to kind of pump up their roles. Sadira and Deluca have never interacted, but since they were both mages, I like the idea of Deluca being a "big sister" to Sadira.

· I wanted to give enough background on the events of the films/series that the Mane Six would know what was going on. I apologize if it seems rushed, repetitive, or otherwise crappy.

· Twilight can't do sand magic because I want to emphasize that the kinds of magic in the universe are much bigger and more varied than what she knows, which will give me an excuse to have her learn more magic as plot devices throughout.

· The backstory of Mozenrath turning the people of the Black Sand into his undead minions is pretty much implied, but never stated in canon.

· Aaliyah is my OC. As is the silk vendor, but that was kinda obvious since I never named him.

· The shadow walkers are a reference to an ep in the animated series, where said creatures kidnap children every seven years. I will explain later how Mozenrath evaded them.

· That bit about a sorceress kidnapping Aaliyah? Important. Plot point. Foreshadowing.

· As for the backstory about Cassim: the only parts that are canon are that Cassim left his family to find enough riches to give them a better life, and when he returned home, he "could not find his wife or son." The rest of it is my embellishment, including how he and Aaliyah met.

· Aladdin and Jasmine know about other worlds because of their involvement in Kingdom Hearts, which I am planning to make canon to the main Aladdinverse ( I really can't do a giant crossover story without it!), and because of the crossover episode the series had with the animated series of Hercules – as the two time periods are thousands of years apart, I'm going to blame interdimensional travel a little bit. So they've met more than one interdimensional traveler.

· "And that's how Equestria was made" is a shout-out to the episode where the Mane Six talk about their Cutie Marks; it's become sort of a meme in the brony community to have Pinkie end a long and rambling story with that.

· "Bobo" is the Sultan's canon name, mentioned in "As the Netherworld Turns." I figure he's embarrassed by it, since in every other episode and all three movies, he has everyone call him the Sultan.

· The talking animals/Animals bit was inspired a little bit by Chronicles of Narnia and a little bit by Wicked (both of which I want to incorporate heavily into this fic's universe). I did think it would make more sense to have the Mane Six as omnivores now, and apologize in advance because there's a high probability that Applejack wouldn't have eaten a sheep even if there wasn't a difference between talking/non-talking animals. (I eventually change one of them to a vegetarian later, don't worry.)

· The Hand of Midas was the treasure Cassim sought in the third film, but gave it up because he "already had the greatest treasure" (meaning his son Aladdin). It was then implied to have gone down undersea to be lost forever. That's why ending on that note is such a big deal.

1. The Grotto to Everywhere

AGRABAH, THE SEVEN DESERTS

"But why?" Aladdin asked in disbelief. "You said you didn't need it. You threw it back to the ocean!"

"The what now?" Pinkie asked.

"The Hand of Midas," Cassim said. "An artifact that turned all it touched into gold. Aladdin and I went on our last adventure to find it. I had thought it a good riddance when I cast it away…but as it turns out, Iago and I need to live off something. I've only robbed those I believe truly deserve it, but that isn't enough to pay for food and necessities. I do not intend to use it for anything else."

"Oh, that's just a load of – " Iago began, but another dirty look from Cassim shut him up.

"Finding it will be impossible," Jasmine said. "The great turtle went back undersea for who knows how long!"

"Great…turtle?" Twilight was confused.

The Genie morphed into the shape of a great blue turtle. "The Vanishing Isle! Home of the Hand of Midas and other popular tourist attractions! Currently submerged in an unknown location!"

"The Hand of Midas is destructive," Aladdin asserted.

"We would only use it responsibly!" Cassim argued. "Or I would. I wouldn't let HIM touch it at all." His eyes wandered over to Iago, who groaned and didn't say anything. Applejack thought the whole conversation somewhat suspicious.

"If anyone can help me find the Hand once more," Cassim said, "it is you. That is why I come asking your help. You must realize that it is an utmost necessity for me."

"I won't do it," Aladdin said. "Not after last time."

"I don't think this can get any more like an issue put to rest," Rarity pointed out.

"It does fit with the prophecy," Twilight said.

"What's more, though…" Rarity faced everyone at the table. "I think we should help him."

"Rarity," Aladdin chastised, "there's a lot about this situation you don't understand."

"What's to understand?" Rarity asked. "He's your father, and he needs this Hand of Midas quite badly. You could help him find it…and it may just be what we came here to do in the first place."

"I agree!" Pinkie said. "Why not help out?"

"It would be the nice thing to do," Fluttershy said.

"Hang on," Twilight interrupted. "Maybe we don't understand enough. I mean, it does turn anything into gold…and that's dangerous! Besides, there's obviously something going on with Cassim and Aladdin's relationship – "

"Blah, blah, blah," Rainbow Dash cut Twilight off. "This is our chance to actually get out there and DO something!"

"Helping with the fire was something," Fluttershy pointed out. "But I still think we should go."

"They have a point," Jasmine told her husband. "If Cassim needs the Hand…"

"Please," Cassim said humbly.

"I don't know." Aladdin turned to the one Element of Harmony he hadn't heard from. "What do you think?"

Applejack eyed Cassim with suspicion. "If he really needs it that badly," she said sternly, "we should help him get it."

"Fine," Aladdin huffed. "We'll help you find it."

"I truly am sorry," Cassim said. "You…you have no idea what this means to me."

Applejack took note of that as well.

"Yeah, but how are we gonna find the stinkin' thing?" Iago brought up. "It's gone! Underwater! Lost!"

"Retrieve the gift from siren's sea," Twilight said. "If the Vanishing Isle is underwater, that fits too. So we ask a siren? Do you know any sirens?"

"Only one," Jasmine said. "Saleen."

"Actually, Saleen would be more of a water elemental," the Genie pointed out. "But I can see how Phasir would get the two confused. Easy mistake to make!"

"No, it isn't," Twilight grumbled. "Sirens use their hypnotic voices or manipulations of their victims' hearts' desires in order to deceive others. Water elementals can be anything from mermaids to…"

"And she's lost in the desert of endless pointless knowledge," Rainbow Dash sighed. "What's the deal with this Saleen?"

"Come to think of it," Jasmine said, "she has magic water that allows land-dwellers to breathe under the sea, and portals to almost every source of water in the Seven Deserts. If we could use her ocean, we could find the Hand easily."

"And the catch is?" Applejack asked.

"She's evil!" the Genie replied.

"That is rather a setback," Rarity said.

"I'm sure I can trick her into letting us into her ocean," Aladdin said. "After all, I tricked her once. I can do it again."

"D'you always solve things by trickin' people?" Applejack asked. "As the Element of Honesty, I ain't sure I endorse that."

"But there's no reasoning with her," Aladdin explained. "If we ask her outright, she'll try and turn us into sharks or imprison us underwater forever."

"So she uses magic," Twilight said. "I'm sure it's nothing I can't handle. Well, okay, I was a little rusty with the sand magic, but I'm sure this time will be different."

"Hang on," Rainbow Dash interrupted. "If we're going on a serious quest, I want a sword."

"How do you even know we'll need to be fighting anyone?" Rarity asked.

"It's just in case!" Rainbow Dash folded her arms. "And swords are cool!"

"The prophecy did say we'd have to face blades of three," Twilight reminded everyone.

"It sounds like a complex prophecy," Cassim said.

Fluttershy gave a squeak of fear. "Three blades…I really would rather not fight anyone…" Abu, noticing her concern, gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

"Then it's settled," Aladdin said. "Tomorrow morning, we set out for Saleen's grotto." His eyes were still locked with those of his father.

"My, this is exciting!" the Sultan gushed. "Shall I accompany you?"

"Someone needs to stay here and keep the throne of Agrabah," Jasmine reminded him.

"Oh, right!" The Sultan declared, "Then tomorrow, I shall have you all outfitted with everything you need for your quest! That includes a sword for Rainbow Dash."

Rainbow Dash pumped her fist. "Yes!"

None of them noticed the tiny clockwork beetle, not one of the Sultan's various toys, climbing up the wall and flitting out the window.

---

Hidden in the tangle of streets of Agrabah was a most disreputable place: the Thieves' Guild. Here, the city's most prominent criminals gathered to have a bite to eat and try and outdo each other with tales of their deeds. Some preferred to stir things up and cause brawls, while others simply used the Guild as a home away from home in order to plan schemes. One such of the latter sat at the back table, a short, balding man dressed in a red tunic and a draping white toga with a great monocle upon his right eye to complete the vision. He waited, silently, patiently.

The clockwork beetle flitted into the guild, dodging the swats of many a criminal, and landed upon the table before the waiting man. It then began to emit a series of clicks and clacks, a code the man had invented, and the man took care to document the code on a nearby sheet of parchment with his quill. The beetle ceased its clicks, and the man looked at what he'd written down.

"Aladdin has teamed up with six strangers and the former leader of the Forty Thieves in order to retrieve…THE HAND OF MIDAS?" he read out loud before gasping. "The famed Hand of Midas, which turns all it touches to gold? Ohhhh, you have brought me valuable news, my pretty!" He patted the beetle before continuing to read what he'd documented. "The grotto of Saleen…of course! It would lead them right to the Hand! And if it leads them…it will lead me…and then I can check 'obtain treasures of untold worth' off my to-do list for conquering the known world!"

"You and those lists," a sarcastic voice droned, and the man looked up to see the thief who continued to insult him, mocking his shrill voice: "Ohh, I say, I will eliminate my sworn enemy the dust bunny from this world, quite so, henceforth!"

"Don't mock me!" the monocled man shot back, recognizing his insulter: a short, round man dressed mostly in gray. "Abis Mal…I should have known YOU would try and interrupt my plans, you disorganized lout…"

"You and your big words, Mechanicles," Abis Mal retorted. "You know what they say about guys like you that use big words? They say you're all…a bunch of snobs that use big words!" He then turned to the man beside him, his ever-loyal sidekick, tall and willowy with darker skin than anyone else in the Guild. "Haroud…'lout' is an insult, right?"

"Yes," Haroud sighed. "And a particularly bad one."

"No one calls Abis Mal a lout and gets away with it!" Abis Mal threatened. "Why, I oughta just…just…word that means cut up into tiny little pieces…"

"Mince, sir," Haroud groaned.

"MINCE you!" Abis Mal finished.

"As though you'd ever have the chance," Mechanicles snapped. "Disorganized, unprepared, uncouth…you couldn't touch me."

"I don't have to!" Abis Mal said proudly. "You see, you just did yourself in when you talked to yourself! Why do you do that, anyway? Are you insane or something?"

"Lots of geniuses talk to themselves!" Mechanicles defended. "And I am the greatest genius in all of Greece!"

"Well, you're not in Greece anymore!" Abis Mal pointed out. "And that makes the greatest genius in all the land…"

"Probably Aladdin," Haroud snorted.

"Probably Aladdin!" Abis Mal repeated. "Which means NOT YOU! So, you wanna hear what I'm gonna do to make you mad and get a ton of money for myself at the same time?"

"Not particularly," Mechanicles answered.

"I'll tell you what I'm going to do!" Abis Mal announced. "I will find the Hand of Midas before you OR Aladdin, and then you won't have it! Also, that means I will have it, and I'll have all the gold I could ever want!"

"You wouldn't even know where to start looking!" Mechanicles shot back.

"Oh, I think I do," Abis Mal retorted.

"You see," Haroud explained, "you did state rather clearly to yourself that the Hand of Midas could be found through Saleen's grotto, and probably by following Aladdin."

"I…but…you…" Mechanicles couldn't deny that. "GAAAAAAH! YOU ALL FRUSTRATE ME SO MUCH!" He slammed a scroll of parchment with a long checklist upon it down on the table, using his quill to add a new item to the bottom. "Number 137: find a way to shame Abis Mal and Haroud in order to prove that I am the superior thinker!" He rolled the scroll up. "If that's the way you want it…we'll race for it! Tomorrow morning, when Aladdin sets out with his strange new friends, we'll both follow them by our own paths, and the first one to the Hand of Midas gets to keep it and have all the gold AND the rights to conquer the world with it!"

"Did someone say the Hand of Midas?" A tall, skinny thief wearing a tall turban and maroon clothing skidded over to the back table. "The artifact that turns everything it touches to gold?"

"Who are you?" Mechanicles asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Hey, wait a minute," Abis Mal said. "Ain't you the guy everybody calls Butterfingers?"

"That is NOT my name!" the skinny thief insisted. "It's Amin Damoola!"

"Is he someone we should worry about?" Mechanicles asked.

"Word on the street has it he's the worst thief in the entire Seven Deserts," Abis Mal answered.

"So no," Haroud clarified.

"I intend to change all of that!" Amin declared. "And I shall start with taking the Hand of Midas before either of you!"

At that, both Abis Mal and Haroud burst into uncontrollable laughter. "YOU?" Abis Mal jeered. "YOU beat us and him to the Hand of Midas?"

"I'll take this to mean I don't need to put shaming you on the list," Mechanicles muttered.

"I will show you!" Amin vowed. "Tomorrow, all of us will set out by three separate paths! And I will beat all three of you to the Hand of Midas!"

"Do you even know where you're going?" Haroud asked.

"I…thought I'd follow Aladdin and see where he went," Amin admitted.

"Hmmm…" Mechanicles looked back over his translation. "I wonder if these 'six strangers' are anything to worry about…"

"It doesn't matter if he brings a thousand strangers," Abis Mal vowed. "I'll still get that Hand before ALL of you!" With that, he stormed off, and Haroud followed.

"Well," Mechanicles huffed, rolling up his scroll and tucking the beetle away in his pocket, "I could get that Hand if Aladdin brought an army of TWO thousand!" He then walked away haughtily.

"And I could get it if he brought…admittedly about three," Amin said to himself before leaving the Guild as well.

---

The Sultan had provided the six Elements with spare bedrooms in which to stay. Each settled down in her new temporary quarters, ready to sleep before the following day's adventure, except for Applejack. She stayed up, walking with the royal family as they showed Cassim to his quarters. The Genie, the Carpet, and Abu eventually dissipated as well.

"Go on ahead," Aladdin told Jasmine. "I'll be there in a minute."

"I'll be waiting." Jasmine kissed Aladdin on the cheek before walking away to their bedchamber.

"Somethin' about this whole deal with your dad's buggin' ya," Applejack asked, "ain't it?"

"It isn't just that he came back here asking for favors," Aladdin sighed. "We really do come from two different worlds…metaphorically speaking. I'd still help him with anything else he wanted. He is my dad, and…I love him. But when we found the Hand of Midas together, he didn't just throw it away because it was dangerous. He told me he didn't need it anymore because he already had the greatest treasure of all." Aladdin sighed. "Me. I guess it was too much to expect…he'll never change. I just wish he remembered that. It feels like he's undoing everything he said by asking for that Hand."

"That don't mean he don't love you," Applejack pointed out. "Heck, if I had a dollar for every time a member of my family went gaga for some nifty new plow or a fancy bow, I'd'a been rich enough to buy my Granny Smith a hip replacement three years ago. But we stick together, and when it matters, we pick each other over the little things. Just 'cause he wants that treasure don't mean he don't want you, and it definitely don't mean he don't think you're his greatest treasure of all."

"I guess you're right," Aladdin said. "It just felt…I don't know."

"I understand your concern," Applejack said. "If I'd'a heard the same thing from my brother after somethin' like you said happened when you first found the Hand, I woulda felt hurt too. But I know he loves ya. I could see it in his face." Her demeanor shifted. "That bein' said, that ain't all I could see in his face."

"What do you mean?"

"Somethin' ain't right about all this," Applejack admitted. "I could see it when he told the story. His excuse made no sense, especially knowin' what you just told me. He kept lookin' at Iago like he didn't want him to say somethin', like he's hidin' somethin'. And when he said you didn't know how much it meant to him? Sounded like it meant a little more than just buyin' food. More than just bein' greedy, too."

"What would he have to hide?" Aladdin asked. "He isn't part of the Forty Thieves anymore. He doesn't have any of their secrets to keep, or any of them breathing down his neck. Not to mention…I thought we were past the days when we'd hide things from each other."

"Then it must be somethin' real important," Applejack said. "If he ain't tellin' you…it's gotta be big. Tell ya what: when we set out, I'm gonna work on him. See if I can't get him to spill the beans."

"I just don't know what he could have to hide," Aladdin reiterated. "Anyway…thanks, Applejack. It's not exactly a load off my mind, but it's a bit."

"No problem, sugar cube," Applejack replied. "Now you go and get some sleep, and I'll try to do the same. Ain't used to livin' in such a big fancy place like this."

"Tell me about it," Aladdin laughed.

They parted and made for their separate bedchambers.

---

MIRAGE'S SANCTUM, MORBUS

Floating in the starry, cloudy void that was Morbus, the pyramid blazed with the flames of its torches, becoming a beacon of light. On the threshold of this pyramid was where Discord materialized. Unlike the other travelers from his world, he retained his old form, the body of the draconequus. He did have a human form he could have taken…but here in Morbus, he saw no reason for it.

He strode casually into the pyramid, walking down hallways decorated with murals and hieroglyphics that spoke of famines, pestilences, and plagues. Some of the scenes of destruction gave him the giggles. At last, he reached the inner chamber, where he saw her. She looked every inch the daughter of Bastet that she was: a tall, willowy anthropomorphic black cat with a shapely hourglass figure, dressed in a red skirt and short red top edged in gold, with a golden, snake-topped crown upon her head and a shock of black hair cascading down the back of her neck.

"Guess who!" Discord cried, spreading his arms and grinning. This gave the Old One standing before him a shock as she turned to face him. Slowly, she grinned.

"Discord, my old friend!" she cried. "How long has it been?"

"One thousand years for me," Discord answered. "But after all, between worlds, time is relative. I'm surprised to see you out and about!"

"Most of us were sealed away," Mirage responded coyly, "but as you can see, I am as free as I please. I'm surprised to see you. How did you escape your prison of stone?"

"Some upstart thinking she can control us let me out," Discord answered. "Nothing to worry about. If I see her again, I'll show her what's what. Please, tell me you've been using your time to the fullest!"

"Kidnapping children," Mirage listed, "destroying villages, casting sleeping spells, trapping people in illusions, generally spreading evil across the land…I guess you could say I've been quite busy."

"Now that's what I like to hear!" Discord applauded. "You always were better at pure evil."

"I left the chaos to you," Mirage snorted. "Your brother, on the other hand, decided to pay me a visit and try to make me more…spontaneous."

"Chaos Junior?" Discord replied excitedly. "He's free, too? Oh, this is too rich! Then again, he never could hold a candle to me."

"He's nothing but a self-righteous brat!" Mirage spat. "You, on the other hand…" She purred seductively. "You are MUCH more tolerable."

"Seeing how the two of us are already free," Discord said, "and Chaos Junior to boot, why don't we make it a party and find all the others? This could be our big break!"

"I like the way you think," Mirage said. "Of course, I've been too busy with my work. There aren't that many of us left, you know. I have a lot of ground to cover, and there are far too many do-gooders out there who think it funny to thwart me."

"I've always been good at multi-tasking," Discord reminded Mirage. "We'll split the difference: you keep doing what you're doing, and I'll expand my scope. If we work fast, we might even be able to dig up the old hangout!"

"But it's gone," Mirage pointed out. "The Atlanteans did rather a number on it. It only makes me that much happier that they got their comeuppance later. In the meantime, why don't we pick a shorter-term goal?"

"Hmm." Discord placed his bird-claw against his chin, stroking it thoughtfully. "What territory are you working on now?"

"The Seven Deserts is a particular favorite stomping ground of mine as of late," Mirage said solemnly. "It's nearly an addiction. Creating evil there is so easy, but it is so quickly extinguished. I simply can't let the challenge go."

Discord snapped his fingers. "I have JUST the thing!" His hands glowed with magic, and he swirled them around a spherical area of air, creating something that he held behind his back. "Try and guess!"

"You know I hate this game," Mirage sighed. "Something that holds the doom of the Seven Deserts?"

Discord held out an obsidian-black oil lamp. "Ta-daaaaaa!"

Mirage gasped, placing a hand over her heart. "It cannot be! It doesn't make any – "

"Sense?"

Mirage's shock turned to glee, and she smirked. "You never were one to make sense. I forgot the extent of your powers."

"It's a simple reset button," Discord explained. "It's been set before, right?"

"Once," Mirage said. "By a powerful user of the darkness. A faerie sorceress."

Discord raised an eyebrow. "A mere faerie used the reset?"

"Yes," Mirage groaned. "She imprisoned Aladdin's djinni, restored that lamp, and even fixed the Cave of Wonders."

"What did she look like?"

"What you'd expect. Pale skin with a touch of green to it. Black robes and a hood with horns. A staff with a green crystal sphere. Raven sidekick. How typical."

Discord thought back to the alicorn that had freed him. "Interesting…anyway, if I remember correctly, this baby would cause the greatest possible chaos in the Seven Deserts. It should make your job much easier! I just need one thing from you."

"And what is that?"

"Give it to the one person who deserves it LEAST," Discord said with a grin. "The one person who will misuse it to its greatest potential. Now, I've been asleep for a thousand Fourth Equestrian years, so I have no idea who's who around the Seven Deserts. You do." He held out the lamp.

Mirage took it, cradling it like a baby and making sure not to rub it by accident. "Ohhhh," she purred. "I know exactly who to give this to."

"I look forward to the results," Discord said.

"Leaving already?" Mirage asked, disappointment tinting her voice.

"Oh, I'll be back soon," Discord promised. "And I plan on leaving my mark on the Seven Deserts in more ways than one. You see, six beings I absolutely LOVE to toy with just landed there. Not to give them all the chaos I could possibly rustle up…well, it just wouldn't be me! Until then!" He snapped his fingers, and he was gone.

Mirage looked again to the black lamp, anticipating the moment when she would grant it to its new owner.

---

AGRABAH, THE SEVEN DESERTS

"Rainbow Dash…wake up…"

"I don't wanna," Rainbow Dash complained, rolling over in her bed.

"But we have to get going!" Twilight insisted, shaking Rainbow Dash's shoulder. "Our quest for the Hand of Midas, remember?"

"Two more hours," Rainbow Dash muttered.

Twiilght smirked. "Okay…but the later you sleep in, the later you'll get your sword…"

Rainbow Dash rolled back over and leapt out of bed. "What are we waiting for, Twilight? Today's questing day!" She then ran out of the room.

Twilight shook her head before following.

Most of the palace's subjects engaged in a morning prayer before going about business; the six Equestrians, having never really thought about worshipping any deity beyond paying respect to Celestia and Luna, bowed respectfully but mostly just observed. Then, after a hearty breakfast, the group finally banded together at the atrium of the palace, ready to move out.

"I managed to snag one of the best swords in the royal armory," Aladdin told Rainbow Dash, handing her a short sword with a curved blade and a deep purple sash with which to strap it to her waist.

"So…awesome…" Rainbow Dash looked at her reflection in the blade, admiring its shine, before tucking it away in the purple sash.

Outside the palace doors, Aladdin and Jasmine moved immediately atop the Carpet. "Carpet can carry about three," Jasmine realized. "We'll have to figure something else out…"

"Still this business with flying carpets!" Cassim groaned. "What's wrong with horses?"

"They're slow," Iago pointed out.

"HEY!" Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Twilight, and Applejack yelled.

"What?" Iago looked frantically at each of them, trying to figure out where he'd gone wrong. "What'd I say?"

"What Iago means," Aladdin corrected, "is that Carpet can cover more distance than humans OR horses can."

"Don't worry about transportation!" the Genie said with a wink. "I've got that covered!" He transformed into a small open-roofed jet plane that could seat six, with two rows of three seats. "All aboard the Genie Express! Remember to turn off all cell phones and laptops before takeoff!"

"Uh…what's a cell phone?" Applejack asked.

"I have no idea," Aladdin admitted.

Twilight began to move toward the Genie-plane, but Applejack put out a hand to hold her back. "I think you should ride on Carpet, since you've always wanted to see a real one up close and personal. Cassim don't seem too set on carpets…so he can sit by me. That is, if Al and Jasmine don't mind."

"Not at all," Jasmine said, and Twilight settled herself on the carpet with a squeal.

"If it's all the same," Rainbow Dash said, "I'd rather fly. I bet I can keep up. Fluttershy, you game?"

"I'd rather not," Fluttershy said timidly. "After all…I'm wearing a skirt."

Fluttershy settled in next to Rarity in the Genie-plane, while Pinkie sat behind them. Abu clambered onto Fluttershy's lap. Applejack and Cassim sat up front, with Iago on Cassim's shoulder. Cassim couldn't help but pick up vibes of disapproval from the woman beside him.

"Prepare for liftoff!" the Genie commanded. The Carpet rose into the air with Aladdin, Jasmine, and Twilight on board, and the Genie-plane ascended similarly. Rainbow Dash spread her wings, taking off straight upward. The Carpet, the Genie-plane, and Rainbow Dash turned toward the sea and took off, sailing through the air, leaving in their wake only a thin rainbow trail.

---

"He probably thinks he's so superior, all the way up there in the air," Abis Mal grumbled. "Well, what's wrong with horses? Why do they need some stupid carpet anyway?"

"Perhaps it's because horses are slow," Haroud suggested.

"You know," Abis Mal retorted, "if I was a horse, I would be very offended by now."

The partners in crime spurred on their horses to follow the rainbow trail, not even stopping to wonder who or what was making it.

---

"A winged woman leaving a rainbow in her midst?" Mechanicles pocketed his spyglass after watching the party leave via air. "Hmm…odd. Well, all things to be dealt with in time." He brought out his checklist, adding "Find out who the rainbow woman is" to the very bottom before rolling it up again.

He sat on a chair embedded into the back of a giant metal scorpion, about the size of a train car. Pulling a few levers, Mechanicles caused the scorpion to roar to life and click-clack its way across the desert after the rainbow trail.

---

"So he thinks he can fly, does he? Well, little does he know…I kept my flying shoes!"

Amin Damoola flew more or less smoothly along in the sky, using clouds to cover his path as he kept a good distance from the Carpet, the Genie-plane, and Rainbow Dash. However, he still couldn't keep the shoes from causing him to occasionally tip head over heels or occasionally switch direction altogether. Because of this, he progressed even more slowly than the metal scorpion or the thieves' horses, despite having the power of flight, but he too followed the rainbow trail.

---

THE COASTLINE, THE SEVEN DESERTS

"It just seems like a big thing, is all," Applejack said. "You sure there's nothin' you want with it other than to get food and necessities?"

"Absolutely sure," Cassim said without batting an eyelash. "What more could I want? But a man has got to eat, after all."

"You sure you're tellin' me the truth?" Applejack pressed.

"Why would I lie?" Cassim retorted. He didn't know how this woman could possibly even suspect his reasonings.

Ahead, on the Carpet, Aladdin, Jasmine, and Twilight discussed a plan for getting around Saleen. "…in that case," Twilight commented, "Rarity's the perfect one for the job. Still, I want to see if we can settle this by discussion first."

"She won't listen," Aladdin reminded Twilight.

"So we keep Rarity out of sight," Twilight said. "If Saleen really won't listen…then she won't have seen Rarity with us, and she won't suspect that Rarity's our agent!"

"You're sure Rarity will agree?" Jasmine asked.

"We've done stranger undercover missions before," Twilight reassured. "Besides, she always enjoys having someone to discuss fashion with, no matter what."

"Genie!" Aladdin yelled over to the other craft. "Let's land a way back so Saleen doesn't see us coming!"

"Roger that, captain!" the Genie replied, beginning his descent.

"Race you to the ground!" Rainbow Dash yelled, zooming past.

"Oh, that is not fair!" the Genie cried. "You had a head start!" He plummeted after her so quickly that Fluttershy and Rarity screamed in terror, and Abu and Iago clung desperately to Fluttershy and Cassim respectively so as not to be flung off.

"You're on!" Aladdin cried, steering the Carpet after Rainbow Dash and the Genie. Jasmine and Twilight gripped the edges of the Carpet, exchanging the rolling of eyes.

Rainbow Dash planted down behind the rocks of the coast first. The Genie swooped into a landing soon after, and the Carpet touched down third. "Ha!" Rainbow Dash cried. "Beat ya!"

"Now try doin' it without a head start," Applejack said with a wink.

"NO!" Iago screamed. "DON'T TRY DOING THAT AGAIN AT ALL!"

"Rarity," Twilight said, "we thought of a plan to get around Saleen. But we'll need your help."

"But of course!" Rarity said eagerly. "What is it you want me to do?"

"You see…" Aladdin took her aside to brief her on the plan.

After hearing her assignment, Rarity nodded. "I'll be on standby, then. Although I hardly think that anyone with such an interest in good hair could be all bad…"

"Believe me," Aladdin moaned, "she is."

Rarity knelt in hiding behind the rocks as the others crossed to the sandy beach, looking out over the waves.

"This is the place," Jasmine said.

"Looks innocent enough," Cassim observed.

"Saleen?" Twilight called out. "Saleen, we're here to talk to you! We just have a small favor to – "

Twilight was interrupted when a gigantic wave rose from the ocean, headed right toward the beach. Everyone but Twilight screamed and ran back to the rocks of the coast; Twilight held her position.

"TWILIGHT!" Fluttershy screamed.

Twilight threw up her hands, flattening her palms. A square shield of pink magic formed upon them, spreading out to a large mass. The water collided with the shield, pushing against it, constantly fueled by a rush from the sea.

"We…are going…to TALK!" Twilight insisted.

She faltered; the pink shield cracked, fell away, and dissolved. The wave crashed down, sweeping her out to sea.

After being knocked head over heels, Twilight surfaced, gasping for air. She was a few feet out to sea. Beside her, another humanoid form surfaced, rising up so that she was above water from the waist up. It was a pale-skinned woman with voluminous orange hair cascading down her back, wearing a golden tiara, earrings made from seashells, and a strapless orange bodice.

"What do you want, you inferior little land-dweller?" the woman spat.

"You must be Saleen," Twilight said with a nervous smile. "I'm Twilight Sparkle, and I – "

"And you thought your magic could outdo mine," Saleen snapped.

"No, no!" Twilight said hastily. "I just thought you started out by acting kind of rashly, by sending in that wave and all, and I – "

"Listen," Saleen barked. "You came here with the royal family of Agrabah, who I happen to hate. I wouldn't go easy on them. What makes you so sure I'm going to spare you?"

"I don't know what happened between you," Twilight said, "but I'm new to this whole situation. Maybe I can help you work things out! Why do you hate Aladdin and Jasmine, anyway?"

"Because," Saleen said, putting her hands on her waist. "They wouldn't let me have my way. I was going to take Aladdin away from his precious princess. I very nearly had broken them up for good, and they had to go and ruin everything!"

"Oh," Twilight said softly. "So…you were in love with Aladdin, and he was already betrothed to Jasmine?"

"I never said I loved him," Saleen replied. "Stealing him away was a challenge, and I NEVER lose a challenge."

"Well, that seems a little unfair," said Twilight.

"Unfair?" Saleen raised an eyebrow. "What do I care about fair? I don't play fair when I sink the ships on this ocean, I don't play fair when I'm trying to steal someone's heart, and I don't play fair in a challenge!"

"You really are evil!" Twilight snapped. "Or at least incredibly selfish!"

"Did you want something or not?" Saleen asked snippily.

"Is it too much for her highness to let us use her magical waters to find one underwater location for just ten minutes?" Twilight spat.

"It wouldn't be," Saleen said, "but the answer is no. Now, since you're new to this, I'm going to let you off with a warning. But try and interfere with my ocean again and I'll drown you. Got that?"

"You can't - !"

Back on the coast, the others watched as another great wave rose up. As it crashed down on shore, it deposited one very soaked and disheveled Twilight.

"I take it the discussion didn't go well," Cassim observed.

"Just get Rarity," Twilight growled.

---

Rarity wandered down among the tidepools at the edge of the coast. "Why?" she sobbed in mock melodrama. "Why must these things always happen to me?" She lay down on the edge of one of the tidepools, adding crocodile tears to its supply of water. "Are all stallions the same? I hate him! I hate him so much! And of all things, he had the nerve to call me…UGLY!"

The waters stirred. Saleen rose from them, showing herself from the waist upward once more. "What's this I hear?" she said with interest. "Boy trouble?"

"An awful, awful boy!" Rarity moaned. "He completely shattered my heart! Ooh, they're all the same!"

"Land or sea," Saleen agreed. "Who was he to call you ugly? I'm not saying you couldn't use a makeover, but you do dress better than most of the land-dwellers around here."

Rarity had to restrain herself from responding to Saleen's suggestion of a makeover. "He was a prince," Rarity said. "Prince Blueblood! I've never met a more stuck-up man in my life! And what's worse, he was friends with this completely uncouth and deceitful but enticingly handsome OTHER prince!"

"Let me guess," Saleen replied. "Aladdin of Agrabah?"

Rarity fell back into fake sobs. "That's the one!"

"You poor thing," Saleen said with genuine pity. "Here. What you need is a genuine style makeover. Come with me."

She grabbed Rarity's wrist and dove; Rarity plunged under with a scream. Once underwater, she could see Saleen's body in full, and observed that below the waist, she had the tail of a fish, much like the being she'd seen combing her hair on the shores of Avalon. Rarity found, strangely, that she could breathe underwater, a testament to the power of Saleen's ocean.

Saleen dropped Rarity down on a vaguely chair-shaped rock sticking out of the sandy ocean floor. "Armand!" she called, and an enormous octopus slithered into view. "Do something about this land-dweller's hair."

"Whatever you need to do," Rarity said. "As long as it takes!"

Saleen removed Rarity's hijab, looking over her purple curls. "We've got a long way to go, Armand," she told the octopus.

Rarity suppressed a grin. Just as planned.

Armand began by tilting a narrow shell over Rarity's head and dumping some sort of shampoo-like substance onto her hair. He then picked up a cracked half-shell of a purple sea urchin from the sea floor and placed it upon Rarity's head, winding locks of hair around the spines.

"So tell me more about this Prince Blueblood," Saleen said, regarding Rarity with interest.

"Well," Rarity began, "every year, my kingdom – which is to say the kingdom I live in, not the kingdom I rule, I'm not a princess – holds a great festival. A gala of sorts. This was the year I was finally going to attend the gala with a VIP invitation and meet the most dashing prince in our royal family: Prince Blueblood…"

---

"It worked!" Twilight rushed down to the tidepool where she'd seen Rarity and Saleen plunge under. "Okay, everyone…I should be right back!"

"Be careful," Jasmine advised.

"Oh, I will," Twilight assured before slipping quietly into the water feet first.

The others had been right; the water was magic, and she could breathe under it easily. She was sure she could manipulate it to become a breathable supply once they reached the underwater Vanishing Isle. She turned and dove downward.

She spotted Saleen and Rarity right away, along with the gigantic octopus fiddling with Rarity's hair. Twilight made sure to steer clear of them, touching ground out of Saleen's sphere of sight. She looked around. The grotto was made up of several blue coral walls, many of which had windows in them that looked out onto vastly different vistas. Out one, Twilight could see a coral reef. Out another, a sunken ship. Twilight looked up to the rocky roof; she could see the tops of buildings through some of the holes in it, indicating that the water opened out into urban wells.

"…and so I created the perfect gown," Rarity continued her tale, part fabrication, part memory. "It was absolutely beautiful. Pink with gold edging. A full tiered skirt."

"With your hair?" Saleen shrugged. "I suppose it could have worked."

Twilight slunk along the coral walls, making sure Saleen was distracted by Rarity's story. She looked out window after window. There, a mess of shadowy caverns. There, a great sleeping squid. There, a great turtle resting upon the ocean floor in the distance, a city upon its back…the Vanishing Isle!

Twilight shot up toward the surface.

"And what, then, would you have suggested?" Rarity asked Saleen as Armand teased her hair into even smaller, finer curls.

"Probably white with gold accents," Saleen suggested. "A loose skirt, something I could dance in without being too restrictive…oh, you meant for you, didn't you? Well, I guess white would work on you too. Just not as well."

Twilight's head broke the surface of the tidepool; the others watched her from the coast. "I found it," she announced. "We'll have to go in one by one. Rarity has Saleen pretty distracted, so we should be able to make it if we're all quiet!"

All eyes turned toward Iago. "What?" the macaw cried defensively.

Aladdin slipped underwater first. Twilight formed a sphere of the water of the grotto around his head so he could use it to breathe once he entered the wider ocean. Twilight briefed him with directions to the Vanishing Isle, and then down he went.

"…so I yelled at him, 'AFRAID TO GET DIRTY?'" Rarity continued, gesticulating emphatically.

"They always are," Saleen remarked. "Princes are so vain, don't you think? I don't know how I could stand someone that vain and self-centered."

Rarity decided to leave that one alone. Behind Saleen, she spotted Aladdin, slinking along the coral wall before ducking out one of the windows. Determined not to betray the others with her wandering eyes, Rarity continued: "So I flung the icing at him, and he was positively horrified at the prospect of even getting one little bit on his precious suit!" Now Jasmine was slinking through the same window. "Well, needless to say, that was when I knew he was nothing but a filthy heartbreaker. Metaphorically, of course. He wouldn't even let a speck of dirt touch him." Now Cassim made his way to the window and out of the grotto. Rarity continued to embellish her story as she discreetly watched the Genie, Fluttershy, Abu, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Iago, Pinkie Pie, and even the Carpet follow the same trail.

"…so I smashed the slipper on the steps to make sure he could never find me!" Rarity said, expecting Twilight to descend.

"That would have been one fairy tale you wouldn't want to come true," Saleen commented. "Your hair's done, by the way."

Armand held a mirror up before Rarity. She had to admit the octopus had done a fabulous job. Her hair was now a glorious mass of tight curls, a portion woven around the spines of the urchin shell. "It's gorgeous!" she said honestly.

"You're starting to bore me," Saleen said, putting a hand on Rarity's shoulder. "Is this Blueblood anywhere around here or not? I need to know if he's worth stealing."

"After all that bad-mouthing, you still WANT to steal him?" Rarity asked in confusion. "Well, my home kingdom is far away anyway. You couldn't get to him."

"Hm…pity." Saleen pushed Rarity roughly off the rock chair. "Now get out of my grotto before I – "

Saleen turned to face the window in the coral wall, and her jaw dropped. Twilight was almost to the window, and stopped, giving Saleen a sheepish grin once she realized she'd been caught.

"YOU!" Saleen cried. "You tricked me, didn't you? Well, I'm not letting you get away with this!"

She waved her arms, sending a wave of multicolored energy toward Twilight. In a panic, Twilight cast her own arms out, summoning the most powerful reflection spell she could imagine. Saleen's energy bounced off Twilight's spell and headed right back for its source.

"NO!" Saleen screeched as a whirlpool formed around her and spun her round and round, dizzying her. Rarity quickly swam toward Twilight, who cast a sphere of the grotto's water around her head before adding one to herself. Then the pair paddled through the window together, dropping onto the wide plain of open sea leading toward the sunken turtle.

When the whirlpool finally released Saleen, the mermaid clenched her teeth in anger. "I could just drown the next mortal that comes this way!" she growled.

A large splash alerted her to the metal fish sinking into her domain. "No!" Saleen screeched, turning and blasting her energy at the contraption, forcing water in through the cracks and disabling the submarine's motor.

Inside the fish-shaped submarine, Mechanicles screamed in terror as salt water soaked his toga. "NOOOOO!" he screamed. "THIS WAS MY FINEST SILK!"

Saleen, now on guard for any noise whatsoever, was alerted to the sound of hooves along the beach. "Don't even think about it!" she yelled, summoning up a great tidal wave.

"Here we are," Abis Mal told Haroud as the two reined in their horses upon the beach. "The coastline of – "

His statement was interrupted as a gigantic tidal wave swept over both thieves, soaking them thoroughly and carrying them out to sea.

"URRGGGGGGH!" Saleen cried. "That Twilight frustrates me to no END!" She thrust her fists in the air, sending up two sky-high sprays of water just to release her anger.

Amin Damoola, having finally made it to the sea on his unreliable flying shoes, looked downward at the ocean just in time for a spray of water to hit him in the face.

---

THE VANISHING ISLE, THE SEVEN DESERTS

"There it is," Twilight said in awe. "The Vanishing Isle."

The water stolen from Saleen's grotto allowed sound to carry from one adventurer to another. "Here we go again," Iago moaned.

"The Hand is in there," Cassim said, pointing to a spot in the city atop the turtle. "We should be able to retrieve it with no trouble."

"Except for the blades of three," Twilight reminded him.

"Now, Cassim," Applejack attempted, "before we go rushin' in, I gotta say that somethin' just don't feel right about – "

Sensing where Applejack was going, Cassim rushed ahead. "We may as well make this quick! How about another race, Rainbow Dash?"

"Underwater?" Rainbow Dash asked, running to catch up. "Are you kidding me?" At the thought of a challenge, her face lit up. "You're on!"

"He's hidin' somethin'," Applejack said. "I just know it!"

"We'll figure it out later," Twilight said. "Now come on!"

The group rushed across the ocean floor toward the sunken metropolis.

---

Chapter 4:

· Abis Mal, Haroud, Mechanicles, and Amin Damoola are all antagonists from the animated series, though all of the comic relief sort. Don't worry, I'm not going to let them get away without a joke about how many bad puns are among the Thieves' Guild. Abis Mal and Haroud are notorious thieves who use weaponry of all sorts, and Abis Mal is usually the brawn of the two while Haroud is the brains. Mechanicles uses giant clockwork robots, and has severe OCD. Amin's character quirk is just kind of failing at everything. In canon, Abis Mal and Mechanicles have interacted; Mechanicles and Haroud have never spoken, and Amin didn't know any of them.

· I decided that Mirage is definitely one of the Old Ones. She's a major villain in the series – the personification of evil. "Chaos Junior" is a one-episode wonder whose name is just Chaos – I added the "Junior" because I know I want to include at least three fictional entities named "Chaos" in this universe. Two are Old Ones, and are parent and child. One is a poseur. Anyway, Chaos does kind of the same thing Discord does – warp reality so it doesn't make sense – but he doesn't do NEARLY as thorough or as interesting of a job as Discord. So I thought they should be related.

· Discord/Mirage is another one of my favorite ships, and one of the things in the way of Chryscord right now.

· There is one other entity I consider an Old One in the Aladdin canon, but I'm not going to introduce her until the end of this storylet.

· The references to the previous "reset button" are, yes, my attempt at getting Kingdom Hearts in this timeline. It does work very well as an introduction to Discord of what Maleficent can do. In my little version, Maleficent was able to reset certain aspects of the story, like putting the Genie in his lamp and restoring the previously destroyed Cave of Wonders, so that stuff would be in place when Sora showed up. If KH canon does anything to assert that Maleficent couldn't possibly attain that level of power, I would like to note that under the "my fic, my rules" clause, Discord is going to conveniently disrupt the timeline after KHII (possibly "coded") anyway, and so any games that come afterward, I don't care about, especially if they add new rules. Long story short: Maleficent has a lot of power. And she's going to be a major player in the cosmic struggle. (Also, I started watching Once Upon a Time after I wrote this bit, and the S2 finale contains what is essentially a Cosmic Reset, so it looks like canon has me covered.)

· The lamp is Jafar's. I couldn't, of course, do this storylet without bringing the original villain in. He was supposed to have been destroyed at the end of Return of Jafar, but Discord is going to establish a pattern of facilitating the returns of people who should have been dead. It's more fun for me and for him.

· You can tell I'm trying to awkwardly insert my slight background of Islamic studies by throwing in the morning prayer…and not bringing up any other prayer times. I also decided that there isn't any real religion in (Fourth) Equestria because there's just never any mention of it. The closest thing the ponies have to the divine is the way the princesses control the sun and moon. Their "Christmas" is replaced with a historical celebration, indicating at the very least that there definitely isn't Christianity in the pony world.

· Fun fact: Amin's flying shoes were actually given to him by Mozenrath in canon. But I didn't want to mention that quite yet.

· Saleen is a pretty minor villain from the series, but her underwater lair did make a convenient plot device. Fashion and heartbreakers are pretty much the only two things she will talk about civilly.

1. The Hand of Midas

THE VANISHING ISLE, THE SEVEN DESERTS

"Say whatever you want about Saleen," Rarity remarked, "and it's probably true. But she certainly does know how to style a mane. I can't believe these curls are staying in place even underwater!"

Fluttershy was awed by the scenery around her. A pod of dolphins passed overhead. A colorful reef was visible in the distance. Strangely colored fish of neon hues zipped past her face. Abu, feeling neglect, tugged on Fluttershy's skirt.

"I'm sorry," Fluttershy said, picking up the monkey. "I didn't mean to ignore you. I've just never seen the ocean from this side before!"

"Well, we're about halfway there," Aladdin pointed out.

"This walk is too long," Pinkie remarked. "We need a walking song!"

"A what?" Jasmine asked.

"Brace yourselves," Rainbow Dash warned. "Pinkie likes to – "

"On an underwater walk to the Vanishing Isle, everybody gotta wear a smile!" Pinkie sang, making up her own tune and lyrics on the spot. "We dove down far and we're not on land 'cause we gotta pick up that valuable Hand! Undersea adventure, below the sea so green! Undersea adventure, that started with Saleen! Undersea adventure, avoiding sharks so mean! The Midas was a clincher for our undersea adventuuuuure!"

" – do that," Rainbow Dash sighed.

"I thought it was kinda catchy," Iago commented.

"So tell me," Cassim asked Twilight, "how is it that a young sorceress like you is skilled against someone as powerful as Saleen?"

"Lots of studying," Twilight said, "but apparently not enough." She could only focus on the way Saleen had shattered her energy shield. The incident fused itself in her mind with her inability to build a wall from sand magic.

Accompanied by Pinkie's song, the group finally reached the great turtle, kicking off from the ground and swimming up to its shell.

"Well, I'll be…" Applejack observed the complex metropolis on the turtle's back. "There's an entire kingdom of its own up here!"

"I wonder how it got here," Twilight said. "Did anyone live here? How did they survive the turtle's disappearance?"

"We're close to the Hand," Cassim said, diving in the direction of the chamber that held the great treasure. Applejack noted Aladdin's reluctance before he followed his father. She was determined to find out what Cassim was hiding.

---

The chamber, like the outer area, was flooded with water. The door to the chamber led to about the middle of the room, height-wise; the round chamber extended many yards above and many yards below. Cassim guided the group down to the very bottom.

The first thing everyone noticed was the statue. A golden man, muscular with a bald head but a lengthy mustache, raised his arms in the air. One of his hands was topped off with a set of claws protruding from the knuckles. His face was frozen in agony, reminding Rainbow Dash of Discord's petrification and prompting her to ask, "Did that guy…?"

"Sa'luk," Cassim responded. "One of my former accomplices. A greedy traitor if there ever was one. His desire for the Hand backfired, wouldn't you say? And speaking of which…" He pointed.

Across the chamber floor, there it lay against the corner where wall met floor. Wrapped in a cloth, the Hand's gold was just visible, shining through a break in the fabric.

"Right where we left it," Aladdin said.

"See?" Cassim said. "That was easier than you thought. And you were thinking it would be impossible?"

"Dad," Aladdin said suddenly, "there's…something I need to talk to you about. When we found the Hand together, you cast it aside because you didn't need it. You let me believe that our relationship was enough for you, even if it didn't exactly work out. Now you want it back. Dad, I have to know…does this mean it matters to you more than I do?"

It took Cassim a while to answer. He took in a deep breath of magic water, sighing heavily. "You see, Aladdin…it isn't that simple. I do value the life of my son more than any treasure. And that's why I HAVE to retrieve the Hand. You just have to believe me!"

"But that doesn't make any sense," Aladdin said.

"You're hidin' somethin'," Applejack added. "Care to tell us what it is?"

Before Cassim could come up with an excuse, a new voice interrupted: "Too bad you'll be dead before he ever has the chance."

The entire group turned; standing behind them were two men, one tall and one short, who Aladdin recognized too well. "Abis Mal!" he snapped. "Haroud Hazi Bin! What are YOU doing here?"

"And how are you breathing?" Twilight asked.

"Glad you asked," Abis Mal replied. "Thanks to a little magic spell known as the Bubbles of Amphitrite…" He tapped a bubble that had formed a helmet around his head; Haroud wore a similar one. "We can breathe underwater all we want! That means we're going to take the Hand of Midas, and we're going to use it to…to…gold-ify…?"

"Gild, sir," Haroud sighed.

"Gild all the stuff we want!" Abis Mal finished. "Including a new hat!"

"OH NO YOU DON'T!" Yet another voice caused everyone to turn to the right. There floated a slight, short man in a copper diving suit. "I heard about the Hand of Midas first, I figured out how to get to it first, and I WILL TAKE IT FIRST!"

"Mechanicles too?" Aladdin groaned. "This isn't a good day…"

Mechanicles suddenly flinched, alerting the group to a new arrival behind them. This man, tall but thin, wore an oxygen tank on his back that looked to have been cobbled out of scrap metal. A sewn-together tube of canvas connected it to his mouth. He pointed to Aladdin, Abis Mal, Haroud, and Mechanicles in turn before making a slashing motion across his throat, then pointed to the Hand of Midas and finally to himself.

"AMIN DAMOOLA?" Aladdin cried. "How many of you can show up at the same time?"

Twilight groaned. "Is EVERY criminal's name in this world a stupid PUN?"

"Unfortunately," Haroud sighed.

"Pun?" Abis Mal asked, confused. "What pun. I don't get it…"

"That's because you're dense!" Mechanicles taunted. "Unlike myself, a true genius!"

Amin pointed to Mechanicles before twirling his finger at the side of his head, making the sign for "cuckoo."

"Takes one to know one!" Mechanicles shot back.

"I know you are, but what am I!" Abis Mal added.

"A lackadaisical clod who can't even form a thought on his own without consulting his advisor!" Mechanicles snapped.

"Is 'lackadaisical clod' an insult?" Abis Mal asked Haroud.

"SEE WHAT I MEAN?" Mechanicles barked.

Amin doubled over in pantomime laughter.

"YOU STAY OUT OF THIS!" Abis Mal and Mechanicles yelled at Amin.

"AAAAAAUUUUUUUUGH!" Twilight cried. "Why don't you four just STOP FIGHTING? You would have had the Hand by now if you'd agreed to just work together and split the profits!"

A hush fell over the group.

"You know something, Abis Mal?" Mechanicles said with a grin. "She's right!"

"There would be a limitless supply of gold," Haroud realized. "Easy to divide."

"And the more the merrier when it comes to wiping out Aladdin and his friends!" Abis Mal said with a grin.

Amin nodded his agreement.

With that, Abis Mal drew his sword, menacing the adventurers with it. Mechanicles raised his left hand, which was encased in a multitool that sprouted a can opener, a corkscrew, and a longsword blade. Amin also drew his sword, pointing it at his targets.

"Nice going, Twilight!" Rainbow Dash chided.

"Oops…" Twilight said hushedly.

"The blades of three!" Fluttershy squeaked in realization. She ducked to the back of the group to hide.

"Oh yeah?" Rainbow Dash cried, drawing her sword. "BRING IT ON!"

She and Abis Mal rushed at the same time; their blades clashed. Again and again, he tried to slash at her; she expertly parried every stroke, both blades slowed somewhat by cutting through water. Mechanicles took this chance to charge Aladdin, who by this time had drawn his own sword. Mechanicles' blade hit the steel of Aladdin's, and Aladdin held it steady, trying to push the blade back. Amin charged at Cassim, who ducked under the blade and threw a punch; Amin doubled over again, not in mock laughter but in pain.

"You may have counted on the blades of three," Haroud said, "but not on the spells of a fourth." He removed a jar from the folds of his clothing; inside, a flame flickered. "The underwater fire of Pele." He opened the jar, letting the flame spread out into the water. Twilight immediately ran to meet the flames, using her hand to toss a current of water that diverted the flames' path.

"Who are you, anyway?" Abis Mal asked Rainbow Dash condescendingly between the clashes of the blades. "I did NOT come here to fight random minions!"

"I'm not a random minion!" Rainbow Dash growled. "I am the Element of Loyalty, and I…am going…to beat you!" She kicked upward; Abis Mal's blade flew into the air. Rainbow Dash leapt upward through the water to catch it; she touched back down on the floor holding a blade in each hand.

"How did you do that?" Abis Mal asked incredulously.

"How DID you?" Fluttershy added.

"I've read a lot of books about swordfighting," Rainbow Dash said with a shrug. "Happens all the time in Daring Do!"

Cassim struck Amin on the back of the neck, causing him to drop his sword. Cassim gave the handle of the sword a kick, and it floated toward Fluttershy, who immediately picked it up and held it behind her back so no one could take it and use it to hurt anyone else.

"Just give up!" Aladdin told Mechanicles. "You're outmatched and you know it!"

"NEVER!" Mechanicles yelled. "I hardly think you outmatch me! You may have street smarts, but I have wisdom! I have technology! I have – "

A strong flying kick to his back sent Mechanicles stumbling. Jasmine touched down on the floor after dealing the blow. "But Aladdin has a wife who knows how to defend the people she loves," she snapped.

"I'll take THAT!" Pinkie quipped, stomping on Mechanicles' left hand and breaking the multitool, sending the corkscrew, can opener, and longsword blade floating away.

"NOOOOOOOO!" Mechanicles moaned. "WHO ARE YOU AND WHY ARE YOU INTERFERING?"

"My name is Pinkie Pie!" Pinkie exclaimed proudly.

"It seems Aladdin has made powerful friends," Haroud remarked. "However, none of you are powerful enough to stand up against the underwater fire. Unlike my business partner…I came prepared." The fire looped back around in a beam, shooting towards Fluttershy; Fluttershy crossed her arms in front of her head with a squeal of fright, holding Amin's sword aloft.

"NO!" Twilight dove in front of the fiery beam, casting the reflection spell. The fire ricocheted against a burst of purple energy and shot at Abis Mal, who ducked with a yelp. The fire bounced off the round wall, aided by another well-directed burst of purple energy, and headed toward Amin, who barely skidded out of its path, the back of his vest singeing. The fire bounced off another part of the wall and yet another burst of Twilight's energy and headed downward toward Mechanicles, who rolled away from it just in time.

Twilight closed her eyes and concentrated; when she opened her eyes again, they glowed with pure white light, her pupils and irises obscured from view. She thrust out her hands; the walls glowed purple, and the firey beam bounced off them like a rubber ball, heading in a random path each time.

Applejack figured out what Twilight had done. "Get the Hand!" she yelled. Rarity ducked and skidded toward the Hand, picking it up safely by the handle.

"Hasta la vista, baby," the Genie said in a deep voice before sprouting enough arms to wrap around the waists of Aladdin, Jasmine, Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Cassim, Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash; the Carpet, Iago, and Abu clung to the shoulders of Aladdin, Cassim, and Fluttershy. The Genie sped upward as though propelled by a rocket, carrying the group out of the chamber and far above the city of the Vanishing Isle.

"Can we just leave them like that?" Fluttershy asked as they climbed ever higher. "What if the underwater fire kills them?"

"They're the bad guys!" Rainbow Dash argued. "Why do you care?"

"I don't want to think about us killing anyone," Fluttershy admitted.

"Neither do I," Rarity said.

"Me either," Applejack said.

"It…is kind of a freaky thing to think about," Rainbow Dash admitted soberly.

"We've dedicated our lives to friendship and harmony," Twilight pointed out. "We can't just become killers like that."

"They won't die," Aladdin assured the six. "I'm sure of it. They've survived worse."

"That's good," Fluttershy said with relief.

At last, the Genie broke the surface of the ocean, dropping everyone and transforming into a gigantic rowboat. "All hands on deck!" he yelled, and everyone scrambled to get inside the Genie-boat.

"Well, I'd call that a success," Rarity said, handing the Hand of Midas over to Cassim, who was careful only to grip the fabric around the Hand rather than the dangerous metal itself.

"And we picked up extra swords!" Rainbow Dash cried in glee, holding up her first sword alongside her new prize. "Lemme see yours, Fluttershy!"

"You can have it," Fluttershy said, trying to place Amin's old blade by Rainbow Dash.

"Eh, I only have two hands," Rainbow Dash pointed out. "Keep it. You can learn how to defend yourself! I can teach you!"

"All right," Fluttershy gave in, taking the sword back and looking at it. Abu, sitting on her shoulder, made a face at his reflection in the metal; this made Fluttershy giggle.

The Carpet rolled itself up, squeezing out the water so it would be ready for the journey home. "We're almost ready to go back," Jasmine pointed out.

"Do you have any idea where we are?" Twilight asked.

"No," Aladdin admitted, "but once we're in the air, we can figure it out."

"Now hold on just a second!" Applejack interrupted. "There's somethin' we still ain't finished!" She turned to Cassim. "Now, I dunno what it is you been hidin', but I say we ain't goin' home until you tell us why you want that Hand so darn bad! You keep lookin' at Iago every time he almost spills the beans, you ran away from me when I asked you down under that water, and you just told Aladdin that the very same reason you threw that thing away in the first place is the reason you want it! As the Element of Honesty, I am fed up with your dodgin' the question and with your lies! You either tell us what in tarnation's goin' on, or…or I might just have it in me to take your silly Hand and throw it back into the ocean, if you can't come up with a good excuse for needin' it!"

Cassim couldn't meet her eyes at first. He focused his gaze on the hand. He didn't speak for the longest time; the others awaited his explanation.

"I did not wish to tell you," he began, "because if you knew why…you would have refused."

"I'll say," Iago commented. "They probably could have told you how stupid this whole idea was!"

"What would make us refuse to help you?" Aladdin asked.

"This Hand…" Cassim sighed. "It is not for me. I have no use for it. I…I ran into someone from my past, and I need to make up for what I've done to him." Another pause. "Aladdin…do you remember…your brother?"

"My WHAT?" Aladdin cried.

"Your twin," Cassim went on. "My other son."

"Wait a minute," Aladdin said. "You told me that you looked everywhere for my mother and me. You didn't mention anyone else – "

"I believed he was dead," Cassim said. "Taken by the shadow walkers."

"Taken by…" All of a sudden, Aladdin remembered.

---

AGRABAH, THE SEVEN DESERTS

SEVEN YEARS AGO

"He isn't coming back," his brother , a small and skinny child with a mess of dark curly hair, had snapped. "He just left us here to die like our mother did!"

"Don't say that!" Aladdin had cried. He was young…still a child, only recently turned to the streets by the loss of both parents. "He…he wouldn't forget me!"

"Maybe he wouldn't forget you," the other replied. "He just adores you!"

"Now isn't the time to think about that!" Aladdin pointed out. "We need to stick together if we want to survive! We'll have to figure out a way to eat…a place to sleep…"

"You do what you want," the other said. "I'm going on alone. I'll find my own way, and I'll do it without you. I don't need you. I never needed you!"

" – !" Aladdin knew that at that point he had said his brother's name, though now he couldn't remember it. "You're too weak! You can't just – "

"I DON'T NEED YOU!" the other boy screamed. "DON'T underestimate me! I'll show you one day that you shouldn't have underestimated me! I'll become more powerful than you, just like I always wanted to be! Just don't expect me to do it in this dump of a city." He turned to storm away. "I'm going to find somewhere I can really become something! You'll see!"

" - !" Again, Aladdin had called his brother's name, imploring him to come back.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" his brother replied, turning the corner. The sun was beginning to set. Aladdin stared after the path down which his brother had gone for quite a while before eventually turning to go his own way. He would have to find a way to get food now. Perhaps he would finally resort to stealing. It wasn't a prospect he looked forward to, but he had to steal to eat, and he had to eat to live…

A piercing scream rang out. " - !" Aladdin, recognizing his brother's voice, ran toward the sound, crying out that elusive name. He turned the corner only to see a flickering shadow disappear down an alley. Aladdin followed the shadow, certain that something had taken his frail twin with evil intent. On the other side of the alley was the old dried-up well…a flickering tail disappeared down it, a reptilian one.

" - !" Aladdin called his brother's name, looking down the well. No answer. He could see nothing but darkness.

Eventually he had to accept that his brother was gone. He would later see glimpses of the shadowy creature as it stole away his friend Amal, a youth who had lived on the streets for quite a long time. As the losses of the stolen children became more permanent, Aladdin would forget them.

---

THE VANISHING ISLE, THE SEVEN DESERTS

PRESENT DAY

"…they took him," Aladdin remembered. "Right before they took Amal. I guess I always confused the two memories in my head since they're so similar. I…I don't even remember his name. I only remember that he looked like our mom. How could he still be alive?"

"I do not know," Cassim answered. "I only know that I did indeed find him. He remembered how I favored you over him, and he is as obsessed with power as ever. Do you remember when your mother read you both stories, and you would cheer for the hero while he cheered for the villain? He's achieved his goal. He's a villain right out of the stories."

"He really did find a place where he could be something without my help," Aladdin realized.

"Now I understand," Fluttershy said. "You wanted to make up for what you did in the past by giving him a gift."

"Retrieve the GIFT from siren's sea!" Twilight cried. "It makes sense!"

"He became a bad guy, and you still wanna give him the Hand of Midas?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"He is still my son," Cassim said. "And I did wrong him. I…never gave him the same attention I gave Aladdin. It could even be fair to say I loved Aladdin more. But I do care for his life. That is why I must give him the Hand. I knew I could not retrieve it alone…and that is why I came to you."

"I don't understand," Jasmine said. "Why the Hand of Midas? Why not some other treasure?"

"And why wouldn't you want to tell me about him?" Aladdin said. "Don't you think I would have been interested in knowing where my brother went? In that he was alive?"

"It is easier to answer the first question than the second," Cassim admitted. "I am hoping that he will know what to do with the Hand. It…could replace what he lost. Slow down the destruction he is bringing upon himself. As for why I couldn't tell you…"

"Spit it out already!" Iago barked. "I just can't wait to see the look on his face."

"Wait," Aladdin said, the pieces coming together. "Bringing destruction upon himself? He needs to replace…a hand?" He pressed his fingertips to his temples. "No. No, no, no, no. It can't be."

"What's wrong?" Rarity asked.

The six Equestrians listened in confusion as Aladdin said to his father, "Please…tell me his name wasn't…"

Aladdin remembered. He knew it was. Cassim confirmed it anyway:

"His name is Mozenrath."

---

Chapter 5:

· No, I don't have a tune for Pinkie's song.

· I wasn't sure how to handle Rarity having ditched her hijab – so I'm going to leave it alone, since Jasmine, Sadira, Fatima, and Deluca don't wear them anyway. The other five get to keep theirs.

· I'm not even going to attempt to come up with a backstory for how the people of the Vanishing Isle could have lived there.

· Sa'luk is the villain of King of Thieves – Cassim's right-hand who wanted to betray him for the Hand of Midas. He died by greedily grabbing the Hand and turning into a gold statue. I would be lying if I said that wasn't a slight bit of foreshadowing…

· I kind of gave RD sword skills out of nowhere. I just think it would come naturally to her.

· Like the Eye of Ra Spyglass, the Bubbles of Amphitrite and the underwater fire of Pele are magical things I just made up and aren't from any outside fictional work.

· I whipped out to get "lackadaisical clod", I must admit.

· It's going to be a recurring theme that the Elements of Harmony want nothing less than to kill someone. This means they never set out to actually kill any villain. (Using the Elements of Harmony to defeat someone is different, I think – that power turned Luna back into a normal pony, and it was confirmed in the very beginning that petrifying Discord isn't KILLING him. I already made good use of that last one.) I plan to make this very important to the story.

· Aladdin saying that Abis Mal, Haroud, Mechanicles, and Amin could survive being trapped in the chamber with the ricocheting fire beam is a call back to an episode where a cavern collapsed on him while he battled Abis Mal and Mechanicles; he said that if anyone could survive that, it was those two. And they did.

· The Genie is supposed to rattle off celebrity impressions all the time. I'm horrible at that. That Schwarznegger reference is probably going to be the best you'll get from me in that regard.

· I'll admit there are a couple inconsistencies here. For one, the shadow walkers are supposed to show up "every seven years", and it seems unlikely that Aladdin would have fuzzy memories from only seven years ago. Then again, he legitimately did forget Amal (the one he remembered in the episode about the shadow walkers) until someone else reminded him. Also, since he had to be good friends with Amal before the night of the shadow walkers, I implied here that they were friends before Aladdin was orphaned. And yes…I do plan to bring the adult Amal into this story.

· It was EXTREMELY FUN for me to write all that emo-tastic dialogue between young Al and young Mozenrath. It really entertains me to imagine what their interactions would have been like if they really did know each other at that age.

1. A Storybook Villain

THE HIGH SEAS, THE SEVEN DESERTS

"Did I miss something?" Pinkie asked. "Who's Mozenrath?"

"My archnemesis," Aladdin answered. "Or something like that."

"Now you see why I didn't want to tell you," Cassim concluded. "I knew you wouldn't want to put the Hand in the hands of your enemy – "

"He already turned the Sultan into a gold statue once!" Aladdin yelled. "Not to mention nearly destroyed Agrabah with a wind jackal, replaced the entire palace guard with fakes so he could take the throne, kidnapped Genie more times than I can count…"

"The horror!" the Genie-boat cried. "The claustrophobia! The annoying eel that kept taunting me!"

"What makes you think giving him an artifact of destruction is a good idea?" Aladdin finished.

"He could take it as an opportunity to stop the process of slow death he's brought upon himself!" Cassim argued. "He has enough power to use the Hand to replace his own."

"You know he won't do that!"

"That is the probable outcome…" Cassim stared down at the Hand once more. "And yet I feel I must try anyway. If it weren't for my negligence, he might have gone down a different path…or at least approached the same path from a way that wasn't slowly killing him."

After a long, awkward silence, Rarity said, "I think Cassim should bring it to him."

"WHAT?" everyone else on the Genie-boat, Genie-boat included, yelled, staring at Rarity incredulously. Even the Carpet seemed to do a double take.

"It's only right," Rarity said. "If Cassim was unfair to him in the past…"

"Isn't there any way to try and apologize WITHOUT handing a dangerous magical artifact to one of our enemies?" Jasmine asked.

"The only gift that would mean anything," Cassim said, "would be a second chance."

"Does the prophecy say anything about this?" Fluttershy asked Twilight.

"The Old Ones make a deadly bet," Twilight said, "and oldest foes will be reset. Maybe that means he will take a second chance? Is he one of your oldest enemies?"

"Not by far," Aladdin admitted.

"The young one takes it on with pride," Twilight continued. "That might be him, right? He's about your age. So maybe he takes on the Hand?"

"But as a second chance," Applejack asked, "or as a weapon?"

"And to him all your fates are tied!" Twilight realized. "I don't know exactly what this all means, but he IS important!"

"All I know," Aladdin said to Cassim, "is that if you're going to take the Hand to Mozenrath…I'm going with you."

"I think not!" Cassim snapped. "You said yourself that he's your archnemesis. What makes you think you can just walk up to his fortress unscathed?"

"The same thing that makes you think you can do it," Aladdin retorted.

"If I have to risk my life setting things right," Cassim said, "I'd rather those I love stay behind. Stay safe."

"So that means I get to stay back too, right?" Iago interrupted. "Right?"

"I've faced him before and won," Aladdin said, "and I'll win if I face him again. You need me there in case he turns on you, especially with the Hand of Midas. Besides…I have a few questions for him myself. Like why he never mentioned this during any of the times we fought, or how he escaped the shadow-walkers."

"I'm coming too," Jasmine said. "I've also defeated Mozenrath before."

"Count me in!" the Genie-boat cried. "I've got a few choice words for that slimy sorcerer! Of course, only clean ones, since this chapter is based on G-rated source material."

"But I still get to stay back, right?" Iago said.

"And we're not leaving you all to go without us!" Rainbow Dash asserted. "Now that we're friends, you can't shake us off by telling us to stay safe!"

"I'll admit I have my misgivin's about this," Applejack said, "and this MIGHT just be Rarity takin' her generosity just a bit too far. But I trust her judgment…" She looked directly into Rarity's eyes. "And I'm with y'all one hundred percent."

"Well, of course I'm going," Rarity said. "I still think it's a good idea."

"It'll be fun, going together!" Pinkie cried.

"I don't think it sounds fun," Fluttershy said. "I think it sounds dangerous…but I want to go, too."

"And I have to go," Twilight said. "I know that's what the prophecy means. To him, all our fates are tied."

Jasmine smiled. "How can Mozenrath possibly get away with anything evil if we all stand against him together?"

"Gimme a T!" the Genie-boat cried. "Gimme an A! Gimme an E-M-W-O-R-K! What does that spell?"

"Our doom," Iago answered.

The Genie transformed into a jet once more, and Aladdin, Jasmine, and Twilight boarded the Carpet. The others settled down in their seats on the Genie-jet, though Rainbow Dash now sat by Pinkie instead of flying.

"Set a course for the Land of the Black Sand!" Aladdin cried, and the two aircrafts set off.

"Land of the Black Sand," Applejack repeated sarcastically. "Now that don't sound threatenin' at all."

The Genie-jet flew directly parallel to the Carpet so both sets of passengers could converse. "So," Rainbow Dash said, "tell us more about this Mozenrath guy. We need to know what we're up against!"

"He's a power-mad sorcerer," Jasmine began. "He wants to conquer all of the Seven Deserts."

"His obsession is magic," Aladdin added. "That's why he's tried to capture Genie so many times. So he can use his power. He'll take any source of power he can find, though. Ancient spells, powerful artifacts…"

"Hey!" Pinkie realized. "That sounds kinda like Twilight! The obsessed-with-magic part, I mean."

"Pinkie," Twilight growled, "I'm not like a supervillain. My studies of magic are different."

"He's also a real loner," Iago said. "Like, stays shut up in his crazy mad scientist laboratory all day and doesn't keep anybody that talks around except for his stupid pet eel. He's sunk to the low of actually talking to a book before."

Applejack laughed. "Y'know somethin'? That sounds like how Twilight was before she found us!"

"It does not!" Twilight snapped.

"Like you didn't spend your days in Canterlot shut up in your library," Rainbow Dash teased, "with only Spike around…and talking to the books."

"I only talked to them SOMETIMES!" Twilight defended.

"You're nothing like him," Aladdin reassured Twilight. "You're more level-headed. He seems level-headed on the surface, but he could snap at a moment's notice if things aren't going according to plan. And when he's angry, he gets destructive."

"Oh, but that is like Twilight," Fluttershy pointed out. "Well…when she misses a deadline, that is."

"I might have gone a little crazy," Twilight said, "but I wasn't destructive! I just cursed an old doll with a Want It Need It glamour that I was taught was extremely dangerous magic and never to be used so that I could make a friendship problem to solve…okay, I can see how some ponies might see that as destructive."

"But he's completely and officially cracked!" the Genie-jet pointed out. "Nothing like you, Twilight! Here, let me give you an impression." He cleared his throat. "I wanted to finish Aladdin! Aladdin was to have been MINE! Okay, okay, let's look at the big picture. I have the Genie, Aladdin is dead, and my plans for world conquest are shaping up nicely!" The Genie-jet then added, "Of course, he said that entirely to himself. Cuck-oo!"

Rainbow Dash and Pinkie exchanged smirks before Rainbow Dash said mockingly, "It's fine. It'll all be fine. The day's not over yet. BUT IT WILL BE OVER SOON! It'll all be over! My time in Ponyville, my advanced studies! No, no. You're a good student. You can DO this! Ohh, but what if I can't? You CAN! You just have to KEEP IT TOGETHER!" Rainbow Dash winked. "And of course, she said all that to herself."

"I AM NOT LIKE A SUPERVILLAIN AND THAT IS FINAL!" Twilight snapped. "NO! NO! NO! Though I might just become one if you don't all STOP MOCKING ME!"

"She…does kind of sound like him," Jasmine observed.

Twilight smacked her hand against her forehead. "Can we just remember the big difference? I'm good and he's evil. It doesn't matter how many surface similarities we have!"

"Besides," Iago said, "you're not REALLY in trouble until you have that weird fetish for the color blue like he does."

All eyes turned to Twilight's blue robes and hijab. "Rarity made these," Twilight snapped quickly.

"In your favorite color," Rarity responded, fighting back giggles.

Twilight sighed. "I give up…"

---

THE LAND OF THE BLACK SANDS, THE SEVEN DESERTS

Mozenrath sat before the spinning-disc table he'd made into a map of the Seven Deserts. "Where should I try my hand next, Xerxes?" he asked. "Attacking Agrabah has just become so…old hat. Not that I don't eventually want it, but there are so many other lands I haven't even tried."

Xerxes, a flying eel somewhat gifted with the power of speech, hovered over a part of the map. "Getzistan," he rasped. "Getzistan!"

Mozenrath slowly turned the table to the part of the map containing Getzistan was before him. "It's almost too easy," he sighed. "The biggest problem they've ever had is imps. Still, it is new territory, and one of the richer kingdoms in the Seven Deserts…it could work…"

A flash of green lit up the laboratory, and Mozenrath and Xerxes' gazes were drawn to a column of green fire that slowly burned out to reveal the anthropomorphic catlike figure within.

"Planning our next conquest, are we?" Mirage greeted.

"I remember you," Mozenrath began.

"I didn't expect you to forget," Mirage replied happily. "Of course, I remember you very well. That's why I wanted to pay you a visit and give you a gift!"

"Unless this 'gift' is a way to destroy me," Mozenrath snapped, "we're remembering our last meeting differently."

"Not at all," Mirage said. "I remember exactly how bratty and defiant you were. That's exactly what led me back to you!"

---

AGRABAH, THE SEVEN DESERTS

SEVEN YEARS AGO

Her shadow-walkers had taken him as a child, dragged him down into the well and through a portal of darkness to where she stood before a cage of crying children, sitting upon a throne of stone beneath a starry sky. She had seemed much bigger then, but after all, Mozenrath was much smaller. He'd fought against the creature, a mammalian-reptilian cross with a fanged snout and burly arms, but he couldn't break its grip. It never occurred to him to even think that Aladdin might have been trying to find him.

The shadow-walker deposited the boy before Mirage, dropping him unceremoniously. Mozenrath had immediately scrambled to his feet, dusting off the rags he wore to try and give off at least a slight impression of professionalism.

"Welcome, young one," Mirage said. "The Brotherhood of the El-Khatib has chosen you. They must have sensed great things in you. Tell me, young one. Have you ever dreamed of becoming more than what you are? Of wielding great power beyond the reaches of your imagination?"

"I can imagine a lot," Mozenrath answered, uneasy with how this cat-woman could so readily read his desires.

"I am Mirage," she introduced. "Some call me evil incarnate. They certainly aren't wrong. I can tell that you have a healthy appetite for evil."

"I am evil," Mozenrath confirmed. "I want to be a villain when I'm older, like the ones from my mother's stories. What does that have to do with you?"

"I can offer you the ultimate of evil powers," Mirage said.

"I doubt that," Mozenrath huffed.

"Oh, mouthy, are we?" Mirage smirked. "I like that in a potential candidate."

"Candidate for what?" Mozenrath snapped.

"I am offering you your chance," Mirage said, "to become part of the Brotherhood of the El-Khatib. Join us, and you will gain unimaginable power." She gestured to the beast that had captured Mozenrath. "You will become what he has become: unstoppable."

"There's more than one way to become unstoppable," Mozenrath pointed out. "What do you mean, the 'Brotherhood'?"

"The El-Khatib, the shadow-walkers, are as brothers," Mirage said, spreading her arms invitingly. "I guess you could call me their mother. Your mother."

"YOU ARE NOT MY MOTHER!" Mozenrath yelled. "Only one could ever be my mother, and she's dead! And besides that…I don't want to be part of any 'Brotherhood'. EVER. I've had enough of brothers."

"But think of the power!" Mirage rose from her throne. "Think of the evil you could wreak!"

"I'd rather think about the evil I could wreak on my own," Mozenrath said. "Or with a better mentor than YOU."

"You dare defy evil itself?" Mirage growled.

"If I don't like what evil itself has to offer."

"INSOLENT CHILD!" Mirage's hands glowed with green power, and she raised her arms. Sensing what was to come, Mozenrath turned and ran. He felt the blast connect with the sand at his heels. Still he ran on.

Mirage pointed. "AFTER HIM!" she screamed, and the shadow-walkers obeyed her command, forming a pack and giving chase.

The cages and the throne turned out to be just outside the city walls. Mozenrath was quickly able to run back inside them, ducking into the city streets he knew so well. He took every turn he could, hoping to lose the shadow-walkers. However, he was soon out of breath, and halted, leaning against a wall.

A growl from behind him prompted him to turn around. The shadow-walkers were here, crawling on the street and on the walls. They were determined to make him one of them whether he wished it or not.

"NO!" Mozenrath yelled – not out of fright, but out of frustration. "I DON'T WANT TO BE ONE OF YOU!"

Salvation came from above. The girl leapt from the roof, spinning a wooden pole. She smacked each of the shadow-walkers on the nose with it, causing them to slow down. Suddenly the shadow-walkers turned around, scurrying away into their shadowy portals.

"They must be trying to get back home before sunrise," the girl said. "I've read about these things, and they – "

"Dissolve in sunlight if they aren't back in the shadow realm before the full moon sets," Mozenrath finished with a sigh. "Do you think I'm stupid?"

"I had great timing, huh?" the girl said with a wide smile. "I beat those things back right before they made you lunch!"

Mozenrath responded by rolling his eyes. "You could have shown up sooner, you know."

But that was all Mozenrath cared to remember of it.

---

THE LAND OF THE BLACK SANDS, THE SEVEN DESERTS

PRESENT TIMELINE

"I actually admire the strength of will you showed in refusing my shadow-walkers," Mirage told Mozenrath, now older and stronger. "But what's more, I admire what you've done since then. To turn you into another shadow-walker really would have been a waste. Had I known that, I might have been able to be a better mentor to you than Destane…but I see things worked out between you two."

"If by 'worked out', you mean I drained him of his humanity and turned him into the shambling undead after he taught me everything he knew, I guess you could say things worked out," Mozenrath replied with a triumphant smile. "He was like a father to me, you know."

"From what I saw," Mirage said, "he had a nasty habit of beating you and throwing you around in between teaching you arcane lore."

"Do you spy on me all the time, or just when there's a chance you could see something to use against me?"

"I watch the forces of evil in this world," Mirage answered simply. "After all, I am – "

"Evil incarnate, I know the speech. It's true, Destane wasn't at all caring or gentle, but then again, those are never qualities I associated with being a father." Mozenrath crossed his arms.

"While I'm sure your dysfunctional childhood would make for a fascinating story," Mirage said sarcastically, "it is currently of no interest to me. The fact remains that you are one of the few who has ever defied me and lived…and that you are one of the most evil and chaotic entities in this world. A new age is coming, one in which chaos and evil will rule. In order to begin this age on this world, I propose a deal. I will give you something which you have always wanted…and you can use it exactly how you see fit, with only minor stipulations."

"Get to the point."

Mirage held out her hands, and in a rush of green fire, the black lamp appeared in them. "As of this moment, this belongs to you."

Mozenrath stared in awe. He nearly fell onto the floor. "No…it's impossible…"

"Oh, it's possible," Mirage said. "This lamp is the one and only lamp of Jafar."

"Jafar!" Xerxes rasped.

"The lamp of Jafar…" Mozenrath rose and rushed toward Mirage, taking the lamp into his hands. "It's mine…it's finally MINE!" He looked at the lamp almost lovingly, with a broad smile and wide eyes. He then realized the image he was presenting and adopted a more neutral expression, including his traditional smirk. "A powerful entity, to be sure. I've never beheld such power…"

"Mozenrath always want to be like Jafar!" Xerxes told Mirage. "Jafar Mozenrath's hero! Mozenrath say – "

"THAT YOU'LL MEET A FATE WORSE THAN DEATH IF YOU KEEP TALKING!" Mozenrath shot a blue energy beam at the eel, shocking Xerxes electrically but not permanently harming him.

"So you're a fan," Mirage said.

"Only a casual admirer," Mozenrath replied.

"Mozenrath think Jafar a beautiful man," Xerxes croaked from the floor, and Mirage burst into laughter.

"He's exaggerating!" Mozenrath defended hurriedly. "I…I don't need him! I could conquer this world on my own! He's only a pawn to me!"

"Whatever the case," Mirage said, "you now have his fealty, and three wishes. Now, everyone who's ever held a djinni's container makes the same first wish…only with slight variations. It is this first wish I want to discuss."

"Name your terms," Mozenrath spat.

"When you do make that wish," Mirage said, "and when the inevitable result happens, I would like you to make a provision that my Echthroi can run free in your domain."

"Echthroi?" Mozenrath raised an eyebrow.

"You can just refer to them as the fire-cats," Mirage said. "And, every seven years, the shadow-walkers. My only goal is to create a land of evil and chaos, and I'm sure you can handle most of that on your own. I just wish to reserve my place among it."

"I don't see why not," Mozenrath admitted. "So long as they don't interfere with my plans."

"All they will do is torment innocent civilians wherever you give them freedom to do so."

"I can't very well refuse that," Mozenrath said. "All right. Your cats and your shadow-walkers have freedom to wreak havoc in my domain. Any other stipulations?"

Mirage smiled. "None whatsoever."

Mozenrath was taken aback; it sounded too good to be true.

"Happy wishing," Mirage said. "Oh, and by the way…you have guests." Another column of green flame enveloped her, and she was gone.

Mozenrath rushed to the Eye of Ra Spyglass, peering into it and looking through the walls of his palace down to the empty city. He could barely believe what he saw. Not only was Cassim returning, but he'd brought Aladdin, Jasmine, and the Genie with him…as well as the monkey, the parrot, and six other women Mozenrath had never seen before, one of them dressed in blue sorcerer's robes. While this last one gave him pause, Mozenrath abandoned thinking about her to comprehend the situation before him. All the people he wished to torment most were about to convene before him just in time for him to give them a nasty surprise indeed.

---

The carpet and the Genie-jet entered the realm where the sun never rose anymore, where the sand was black as the sky above. They touched down at the edge of what could best be called the kingdom; there were houses arranged in jagged streets, and across the expanse of buildings, there was visible a great black fortress on a cliff.

"Yup!" Pinkie confirmed. "Definitely an evil lair!"

"Why are we walking up to it?" Rarity asked.

"I want him to see that we are approaching without deceit," Cassim answered.

"Fair enough," Rarity resolved.

The group set out into the mess of buildings, walking upward in the direction of the castle. "This…is really where you found my mother?" Aladdin asked.

"Well, there were more people here back then," Cassim said with a shrug. "And a sun."

Twilight's attention was caught by several structures much like streetlamps: blue crystals the size of a human head lofted upon crooked black poles that resembled thorny vines. As the group passed each crystal, it lit up, glowing brightly blue. "What're those?" she asked.

"Magic detectors," the Genie said with a shudder, having turned into a humanoid form with legs in order to take the walk. "Whenever something magical passes them, they light up. He knows we're here…"

"Clever," Twilight remarked condescendingly.

The group continued through the deserted town without running into a soul, alive or otherwise. "This can't be right," Aladdin said. "He HAS to know we're coming. The crystals are blazing bright blue! Why hasn't he sent out anyone to capture us?"

"It's a trap!" Iago yelled. "I just know it!"

"Whatever the case," Twilight said, "I'll be glad to see this sorcerer face-to-face. He made all this happen? The empty buildings, the eternal night?"

"The eternal night was Destane's," Cassim said. "But Mozenrath turned Destane into one of the undead as well as the people of this kingdom, so by default, it's his."

"I need to see the kind of person that could make all this," Twilight said determinedly, trying to picture the nastiest villain she could imagine. "And when I do…we'll make sure he knows better than to mess with the Elements of Harmony."

"Which reminds me," Rainbow Dash said. "If he tries to pull anything creepy, let the six of us handle him first. We have enough power to zap any villain!"

"We already defeated two!" Pinkie added. "All by ourselves!"

The group finally reached the top of the hill only to come face-to-face with a horde of the undead Mamluks. The six Equestrians gasped in horror, never having seen the undead before.

"What ARE those?" Rainbow Dash cried.

A gray eel flew out to the forefront of the army, giving a hoarse laugh. "Mozenrath want see you all alive!" it croaked.

"Is that animal…normal here?" Fluttershy asked.

"No," Aladdin answered. "Mozenrath probably enchanted it. Eels around here don't talk or fly."

"Of all the things he could have chosen…" Twilight shook her head. "An eel? Really?"

"Take them all!" the eel ordered, and the zombies moved forward.

Rainbow Dash drew both her swords, but Rarity placed a hand on her left wrist, guiding the arm down. "Let them take us," she said. "It isn't as though they can hold us. We'll let them take us to their leader…THEN get down to business."

The undead placed handcuffs on the Genie, which the eel certified as "Magic-proofed!" Then two zombies attended each person, taking each arm and escorting in first Cassim, then Aladdin, the Genie and Jasmine, then the six Equestrians. Finally, one zombie brought in Iago clenched tightly between rotting fingers, one brought in Abu, and one brought in the rolled-up Carpet. The great doors to the fortress opened of their own accord, leading to a lofty, dark atrium lit only by blue flames from the ceiling lamps. The zombies took their captives through that atrium and into a maze of dark blue hallways, twisting this way and that.

Eventually, Cassim recognized his surroundings. "They're taking us right to his laboratory," he said. "Around that corner and straight ahead."

"You know," Twilight said to her zombie escorts, "your leader isn't really that smart. Putting magic-proof cuffs on the Genie was a nice touch, but he really should have thought to do that on all of us, don't you think?"

She closed her eyes, concentrating. When she opened them, her pupils and irises were once again obscured by white light. Pink energy surrounded all of the zombies and repelled them away from the group, slamming them into the walls.

"Get up front!" Twilight called to her friends, and Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie joined her at the head of the group so they could use the Elements of Harmony in a pinch if necessary. Then they ran ahead, turning the corner to see the doors to the laboratory Cassim had mentioned. Twilight flung them open, looking upon the room within. "All right," she began to address her anticipated foe, "I'm warning you that if you dare try any…thing…"

He'd been waiting. Standing in the center of the room, arms crossed, smirking.

"What?" he asked, gesturing toward Twilight with his bare left hand. "Stunned into silence?"

"You…aren't what I was expecting," Twilight admitted. Even though she knew he had to be the same age as Aladdin, she'd pictured Mozenrath to be older and stronger.

"To be fair," he said, "I wasn't expecting you at all. What are you supposed to be?"

"I…I…" Twilight fumbled for the words.

"We're the Elements of Harmony!" Pinkie Pie cried. "And if you try to hurt our friends, we're going to use our powers to defeat you!"

"Oh, I'm just shivering with fear," Mozenrath replied sarcastically. "Six dainty little girls have come to challenge me! How terrifying!"

"You have no idea what we can do," Twilight said, finding her voice once more.

"But that's only if you don't comply, of course," Rarity said.

"Ohhh, now this is a twist!" Mozenrath replied. "You're actually going to try and make me bargain for my own safety? I think it's fair to say YOU have no idea what I can do."

"It isn't a bargain for your safety," Applejack said. "We'll only use our powers on you if you try and hurt our friends."

"We came to deliver a gift to you," Rarity said.

"I can think of nicer ways you could have delivered it," Mozenrath quipped.

"Stand aside," Cassim said from behind the six. "Let us speak to him."

"We're watching you!" Pinkie announced as the six stepped aside, letting Aladdin, Jasmine, Cassim, the still-cuffed Genie, Abu, Iago, and the Carpet enter the room.

"But we'd rather just settle this peacefully, if that's all right with you," Fluttershy said shakingly.

"Mozenrath," Aladdin greeted, steel in his voice. "You knew all this time that we were brothers. Why did you never say anything?"

"Why am I the only one that even remembers?" Mozenrath groaned.

"I thought the shadow-walkers took you!" Aladdin yelled. "They took my friend Amal the same night! I made myself forget so I wouldn't be…TORMENTED by the hope that either of you would come back! And if you escaped the shadow-walkers alive, why DIDN'T you come back?"

"Go back to the streets of Agrabah?" Mozenrath rolled his eyes. "Become a common thief like you? Not all of them are as lucky as you, Aladdin. We all know that a Genie, a magic carpet, and a princess wouldn't just drop into my lap from the heavens. I worked for my power…and it's paying off."

"You still haven't answered why you never told us you two were brothers!" Jasmine reiterated.

"What would that have gained me?" Mozenrath replied. "Your pity? That was something I didn't want. Telling Cassim would have gained me the satisfaction of seeing the horror on his face when I destroyed him. He never was one for pity."

"Don't talk about me like I'm not here!" Cassim growled.

"I'd prefer it if we all talked about things like I wasn't here," Iago moaned. "In fact, why do I even have to BE here?"

"You may be powerful," Cassim said, "but it comes at the price of your life. To make up for my transgressions, I've brought you perhaps the only second chance you'll ever have." He withdrew the Hand of Midas, extending it.

"Get ready," Applejack whispered. "He might try to turn us all into gold statues at any minute!"

"A second chance?" His interest piqued, Mozenrath took the wrapped object, transferring it so he grasped it by the handle in his gauntleted right hand. He then unwrapped the cloth from it. He gave a double take as he realized what it was, then began laughing. "A replacement hand, is that it? You really thought I'd cast the gauntlet aside to put this on instead?"

"Well," the Genie said, "that is kind of what we were hoping. Suuuuure, the odds were against us, but no risk means no reward!"

"Cute," Mozenrath said, gripping the handle of the Hand ever harder. "But as much as I appreciate the thought…you're going to love this…I actually have no use for this."

To the horror of everyone present, Mozenrath sent a bolt of blue energy running through the Hand, and it shattered. Pieces of gold flew to all corners of the room, dulling to a bronze color as the power left them.

"I have something better," Mozenrath boasted, "and I wanted you all to be here to see it." He then extended his right hand to the shelf of magical artifacts. With a wave of his hand, a single object levitated, surrounded by blue energy, and made its way toward him, landing perfectly in his right palm.

"No…" Aladdin said incredulously. "NO! It can't be!"

"What is it?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"It…looks like the lamp of Jafar," Jasmine said, also unable to believe what she was seeing.

"The lamp of who?" Pinkie asked.

"Your new friends aren't from around here, are they?" Mozenrath commented. "Jafar always was someone I looked up to. The kind of person with ambition I appreciated. Of course, I managed to succeed where he failed…but I'm sure he isn't quite out of ideas yet."

"Jafar," the Genie said to the six Equestrians. "Aladdin's oldest enemy! Aaaaaand in the category of Most Ethically Corrupted Sorcerer That Became a Genie With Phenomenally Cosmic Powers, the winner is…"

"Jafar!" Iago finished. "That's it. We're finished! It's over! We're done!"

"I don't believe you," Aladdin said. "It's a fake."

"Shall we test that theory?" Mozenrath raised an eyebrow.

"This guy's just as bad as the hype!" Rainbow Dash hissed. "Everypony get ready to…Twilight, what are you staring at?"

"He really is like a storybook villain," Twilight answered in awe. "It's like…reading a book…"

"This is no book!" Rainbow Dash spat.

Mozenrath dramatically swept his left hand across the obsidian lamp. Red smoke emitted from its spout, then an explosion of red light nearly blinded all in the room. When the red smoke finally cleared, a second man stood beside Mozenrath, a tall man dressed in red robes.

"NO!" Aladdin and Jasmine cried.

"Another djinni!" Twilight said under her breath.

The tall man looked down at his hands, flexing his fingers. "What sorcery is this?" he said rather loudly. "What brought me here?" Slowly, his face was split by a malicious grin. He looked up to face those before him. "No matter," he said. "It seems we meet again, Aladdin. Come, now, how many times DO I have to kill you?"

"You can't kill me, Jafar," Aladdin spat. "You're still a genie!"

"That it would seem," Jafar realized. He turned to see Mozenrath holding the lamp. Mozenrath stared with wide eyes and a grin that even the six Equestrians recognized as uncharacteristic happiness. "You! Boy! Are you the one that dares call himself my new master?"

"It's really you," Mozenrath said softly, giddily. "The vizier who betrayed Agrabah! The former most powerful sorcerer in the world!" Mozenrath blinked hard, reverting to his previous state of smugness. "Until I took that position, of course."

"I've no respect for arrogant upstarts," Jafar growled. "You'd best not think yourself more powerful than me, you insignificant whelp!"

Mozenrath flinched, for a moment looking legitimately disappointed. Then he said, "Unfortunately for you, you can't do anything unless I tell you to. I hold complete power over you." He turned back to the others and let out an involuntary laugh. "I knew it…I knew the looks on your faces would be PERFECT once you knew!"

"What're you planning?" the Genie demanded. "To torment us? To saw us in half? To wish us into lives of eternal strife?"

"Don't give him any ideas!" Applejack yelled.

"Those are all appealing," Mozenrath admitted. "But I was thinking something a little more…traditional. This might surprise you, but I'm actually not planning on destroying you yet. That comes later, after you've had a chance to…let's just say…EXPERIENCE what I have planned. Right now, you're just here for the show."

"What are you doing?" Jafar chided. "These are the ones who imprisoned me! Who took away my power!"

"Don't think I don't have my own grudges against them," Mozenrath replied.

Jafar sighed. "Very well, then. What shall your first wish be? It is, unfortunately, my command." His teeth gritted.

"The usual," Mozenrath stated, "but with a twist."

"To be the sultan?" Jafar mocked. "Or merely a prince?"

"Tempting, very tempting," Mozenrath replied. "But I was thinking a little bigger. My first wish…is to become the lord of this entire world!"

Jafar broke into a genuine smile. "You aren't completely bereft of imagination!"

"I think you'll find me quite imaginative as time goes on," Mozenrath said, desperately trying to impress his idol.

Jafar held out his right hand, and in a burst of red light, a golden staff shaped like a cobra materialized in it. He pointed the staff at Mozenrath, and a beam of red light emitted from it, enveloping Mozenrath as the others all watched, unsure of what to do or if they should try to stop the process. The red light abated, and Jafar announced, "It is done."

"NO!" Jasmine cried. "You can't!"

"Oh," Mozenrath replied, "I did."

"That does it!" Applejack yelled. "Elements of Harmony…assemble!"

"WHAT?" Jafar cried in anger, turning to the six.

"We tried reasoning with you," Twilight said, "but now it's time to show you OUR powers!" She spread out her hands, and the five Equestrians were enveloped in white light. A blue beam shot forth from Pinkie's necklace, a purple one from Rarity's, a pink one from Fluttershy's, orange from Applejack's, red from Rainbow Dash's. Finally, the dark pink beam from Twilight's amulet completed the set.

Mozenrath clenched his right hand, summoning an aura of blue energy around it. "So you didn't just dress the part!" he laughed. "You actually have magic worth reckoning with! This should be fun!"

Twilight opened her eyes, the white light again obscuring her pupils and irises. A rainbow of colors burst from around the six as their feet lifted slightly off the floor. The rainbow gathered into a beam that shot toward the ceiling and arced down toward Jafar and Mozenrath.

"NO!" Jafar cried, swiping his staff in an arc of red. This created a circular flash of red light that caused both sorcerers to disappear, teleporting away to an unknown location. Just as they disappeared, the rainbow touched down upon the empty floor and dissipated.

The six Elements' feet touched the floor once more. The light around them faded. "We ALMOST had them!" Rainbow Dash screamed, stomping hard with her right foot.

"What…" Jasmine stared incredulously. "What was that?"

"That was the power of the Elements of Harmony," Twilight said. "Honesty, Generosity, Kindness, Loyalty, Laughter, and Magic. Together, the Elements can defeat the forces that threaten friendship and harmony. If those two had stayed still, we could have done anything from petrify them to strip them of power."

"It's a random effect," Pinkie said. "And I love things that are random!"

"It seems as though Mozenrath truly did not wish to destroy us yet," Cassim observed.

"No," Iago confirmed, "only WATCH US SUFFER IN A WORLD HE RULES!"

By now, Abu had undone the Genie's cuffs with a lockpick. "Mozenrath and Jafar ruling the world," the Genie remarked, shaking his head. "There hasn't been a more dangerous combination in history since Ishtar and Gugalanna!"

"So who is this Jafar fellow anyway?" Rarity asked. "You said he was one of your oldest enemies."

"He used to be the Sultan's most trusted advisor," Aladdin began. "But then he heard about the Genie, and he wanted the power of the three wishes for himself. So he…"

As Aladdin explained, Twilight stepped around the room, examining it. Fluttershy appeared at her side. "What are you looking at?" Fluttershy inquired.

"All these magical artifacts," Twilight said. "He has a crystal to represent every element and then some." She turned to a table upon which several scrolls were laid out. "He knows so much about magic," she observed, leafing through the scrolls. "Spells for spiritual possession, legends of ancient sorcerers, biology of magical creatures…" She moved on to look at the table covered in lab equipment. "I wonder if he makes new spells on his own."

"You are way too interested in this guy," Rainbow Dash interrupted, stepping in. "Reading his things? Going through his stash and COMPLIMENTING his work? Twilight, he just took over the world in one sentence!"

"Like I said," Twilight reiterated, "he's just like a storybook villain. That's what interests me so much. And I am not TOO interested! You make it sound like…just…no!"

"Twilight," Fluttershy asked, "when you read fairy tales, what do you think of the villains?"

"Well, I…" Twilight felt blood rising to her face in embarrassment. "I do like a story with a good villain. Who doesn't? But facing them in real life is a completely different thing!"

"…so we destroyed the lamp for good," Aladdin finished.

"So he came back from being completely destroyed?" Pinkie asked.

"Well…it did happen once before," Aladdin said. "He came back completely. But that time, someone had cast a spell that almost…reversed everything that had been done. The Genie was back in his lamp, I was on the streets again…we all remembered that things weren't supposed to be like that, but we had to do it all again anyway. Jafar made the same wish to become a genie, so I guess he decided being trapped in a lamp was worth having all that power."

"Like Mozenrath decidin' his power was worth dyin' over," Applejack said.

"Yeah," Aladdin confirmed. "It was just like everything had been…reset. And now Jafar's been reset again."

"RESET!" Twilight's attention was distracted from Mozenrath's personal belongings. "Oldest foes will be reset! Jafar came back! The young one takes it on with pride! Mozenrath has his wishes now! First he wants and gets control…" Twilight paused. She smiled slightly. "This world you will again make whole…"

"We can still stop him!" Rarity cried.

"We just gotta figure out where he went," Applejack added.

"His domain is everywhere," Jasmine pointed out. "Anywhere we go, we'll find his rule."

"Then we should start with Agrabah," Aladdin resolved. "Then we can see what he's done."

Rarity looked towards Cassim. "I'm sorry he didn't accept your generosity," she said sympathetically.

Cassim sighed. "I should not have expected any different."

"I still can't believe…" Aladdin shut his eyes. "No. No! I don't even want to THINK about how he looks like our mother!"

"At least you tried," Rarity reassured Cassim. "It was the right thing to do."

"And anyway," Rainbow Dash pointed out, "if we hadn't shown up with the Hand of Midas, we wouldn't have seen him use the lamp, and we wouldn't know what he was up to!"

"But how did it get reset?" Fluttershy asked.

"The Old Ones make a deadly bet," Twilight remembered. "It must be their work! We need to get back to Agrabah as soon as possible!"

"Let's go!" Pinkie agreed. "ROAD TRIP! Er, SKY TRIP!" She turned and ran from the laboratory, heading for the door so they could take to the air once more. The others had no choice but to follow. The zombie Mamluks left them alone, having done their job already.

Before she left the room, Twilight took one last glance around at Mozenrath's laboratory. He hadn't been what she'd expected at all, that was for certain. And as villains went, he was an impressive one. She shook her head and left the laboratory behind, though her memory of that smirking face would be harder to ditch.

---

SOMEWHERE IN THE BORDERLANDS OF THE SEVEN DESERTS

"Why would you DO that?" Mozenrath yelled angrily. "I HAD them!"

"No," Jafar said plainly, "they had you."

"There isn't a single piece of magic on this world that can overcome me!" Mozenrath argued.

"There's much you don't know about this world or any other, boy, and I won't put up with you acting as though you do!" Jafar spat. "Those were the Elements of Harmony, and more importantly, this time, they number six. On their own, the Elements of Harmony are one of the most powerful forces in the multiverse. If they should happen to be the prophesied six…"

"You'd better start making sense, old man," Mozenrath growled.

"All of the Overtakers were warned about them," Jafar explained. "They have the power to destroy those who work towards our mission to usher in the age of chaos and darkness!"

"And an Overtaker is…"

"Something you need not know about."

"And in this age of chaos and darkness," Mozenrath said to make sure, "I would be…"

"Your agenda matches with the age of chaos and darkness," Jafar said, "at least from appearances. Your lust for power certainly fits the description."

"I always wanted to play the villain," Mozenrath said with a shrug. "The more power I gain in the process, the better! After all, I do have an entire kingdom that never sees the sun, a well-stocked fortress, and an army of the undead, all of which must impress you."

"Pittances," Jafar said.

"I controlled the sun for a day!" Mozenrath tried. "I also had under my control the legendary Wind Jackal!"

"Then I presume you've already ravaged the land with burning sun and devastating winds?" Jafar smirked.

"No…" Mozenrath admitted, "but I would have if it weren't for Aladdin!"

"So we have a common enemy."

"I'm sure we actually have a lot of things in common…"

"I highly doubt that."

"I've modeled my life after you!" Mozenrath cried before immediately clamping his right hand over his mouth. Jafar regarded him with a look of disgust. "I mean…you set a standard that any villain worth his salt should follow in the beginning. I built up from there."

"Never mind," Jafar muttered. "Take it from me: stay away from the Elements of Harmony. Destroy them if you can find a way. Especially the one in the blue robes. She had all the marks of the Element of Magic…the most powerful."

"Wait," said Mozenrath. "There's an Element of Magic? Is magic her pure essence?"

"It is her gift," Jafar explained. "At this point, it may be in a beginning stage, but she is powerful nonetheless. She will only grow stronger."

"She could be useful to me," Mozenrath mused. "Well, in the meantime, I have an entire world to exploit." He was suddenly aware of a strange weight around his neck. He removed a gold necklace with a cube-shaped amulet, staring at it in confusion. "And this would be…"

"A little something that goes with being the lord of this land in particular," Jafar said.

Mozenrath suddenly realized what he held in his hand. He'd read about it in several scrolls. He grinned widely. "THIS is just too good!" A thought occurring to him, he glared at Jafar. "You could have at least had the sense to bring Xerxes, you know."

"Xerxes?"

"My familiar. He's annoying, but I've become rather attached to him."

Disgruntled, Jafar held out his right hand. In a puff of red smoke, Xerxes appeared in his palm, curled up. The eel disorientedly lifted himself up into flight again. "Don't expect any more free bonuses," Jafar told Mozenrath. "Now, we have a lot of work to do. I will expect you to follow my instruction insofar as you have no knowledge on any subject." Jafar turned and stalked away.

Angered at his patronization, Mozenrath bit his lip hard, nearly drawing blood. Xerxes floated at his side, about to say something; Mozenrath slapped the eel, sending him to the ground, before storming after Jafar with determination.

---

AGRABAH, THE SEVEN DESERTS

The Carpet and the Genie-jet sped back to Agrabah as quickly as possible. They didn't even need to get all the way there before things changed. The sky was suddenly overcast with dark gray clouds that appeared to have a faint sheen of royal blue. A torrent of rain poured down upon the Carpet and the Genie-jet, and lightning crashed in the surrounding skies.

At last, the Carpet and the Genie-jet touched down in Agrabah, all passengers scrambling off. The Genie transformed into his more humanoid self, and the group looked around to see the damages. The rain had ceased inside the city walls, but a chilling wind blew, and the clouds still hung heavy and dark overhead.

Screams emitted from the streets. Running on instinct, Aladdin, Jasmine, the Genie, Twilight, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Pinkie rushed toward them, Cassim, the Carpet, Abu, Iago, and Fluttershy following. They emerged into one of the town squares to see bright red wildcats with flames protruding from their backs prowling, swiping at people's garments and terrifying them.

"Those must be Mozenrath's too!" Rarity cried.

"No," Aladdin said. "Those belong to Mirage."

"MIRAGE!" the Genie cried. "This situation has officially become a Code Octarine!"

"A Code Octarine?" Rainbow Dash asked. "What's a Code Octarine?"

"That means RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!" the Genie screamed.

"No!" Aladdin refuted. "We can beat them! They feed on fear! We just can't be afraid!" He rushed out into the fray, drawing his sword and facing down the cats. "I'M NOT AFRAID OF YOU!"

The cats looked at him and hissed. Instead of backing down, they grew in size, swiping at Aladdin. Aladdin only managed to dodge out of their paws' way and roll into safety just in time.

"They're feeding off the fear of the others!" Twilight realized. "That's why it won't work!"

"Aladdin!" Jasmine yelled. "STOP!"

"RETREAT! RETRAT!" the Genie added.

Aladdin returned to the group, and as one, they turned and ran from the square. "Why can't I beat them?" he asked in disbelief.

"They're taking fear from everyone else!" Fluttershy squeaked. "Probably even me!"

They crossed paths with two others who ran; those two slowed to a halt. Rarity recognized them first, and she also stopped, prompting the others to do so. "Minos!" Rarity cried. "Fatima! What's happened?"

"The clouds, the winds, and the creatures appeared all at once," Minos said. "Evil forces have arrived in Agrabah."

"Not just Agrabah," Jasmine clarified. "The whole world!"

"We were going to seek refuge in the high tower," Fatima said. "Where we gathered during our first return to Agrabah."

"Refuge! There's an idea!" Iago cried.

"We need to find somewhere to stop and think about this!" Twilight pointed out.

"Let's go!" Aladdin commanded, and Minos and Fatima led them through the twisting alleyways, avoiding crowded squares where the fire-cats roamed, until they arrived at what appeared to be the highest tower in the city, almost as tall as the palace itself. They entered, running up the spiral stairs until the stairs ended at a spacious room up top, one with windows that provided a view of the entire city. However, this group wasn't the first to reach this room.

"Father!" Jasmine cried, recognizing the Sultan. The six Equestrians had to stare at him a while before they too recognized him; he was dressed not in the white robes of royalty, but in the rags of a peasant. Most of the members of the royal guard were present as well, dressed similarly.

"Jasmine!" the Sultan said, rushing to embrace his daughter. "You're safe! Now, can somebody tell me what in the world is going on?"

"This world just got hijacked," Applejack explained. "Some djinni callin' himself Jafar turned up outta nowhere, and he crowned a new overlord!"

"Jafar!" The Sultan did a double take. "But…how can this be? He was destroyed twice!"

"Apparently living twice wasn't good enough," Aladdin sighed. "He had to go for a third."

"Why are you dressed like a commoner?" Rarity asked.

"The royal guards and I found ourselves outside the palace all of a sudden, with no explanation!" the Sultan explained. "We were dressed like this!"

"Like you weren't the Sultan of Agrabah," Rarity said.

"Because you aren't anymore," Applejack concluded.

"We tried to re-enter the palace," the Sultan went on, "but those monstrous cats blocked our path! We were forced into the city streets!"

"How did you make it back here?" Pinkie asked.

"I showed them the way." Sadira pushed past the guards, showing herself. "When I saw that they were in danger, I brought them back here. I've used this tower as a substitute lair before. I knew it would be safe."

"Thanks, Sadira," Aladdin said with a sigh of relief. "I'm glad we can count on you."

"Hey," Sadira said casually, "I can't just let my friends' dad get eaten by fire-cats, can I?"

"Pardon me for my interruption," Razoul said grumpily, "but who exactly is responsible for this mess?"

"Mozenrath," Twilight said. "He's Jafar's new master. He controls everything now."

"Wait," Sadira said in disbelief. "Mozenrath? He actually DID IT?"

"I didn't think we'd ever mentioned him to you," Jasmine pointed out.

"You didn't," Sadira said. "Has he been bothering you for a long time now?"

"He's threatened Agrabah constantly," Aladdin explained. "And only now, I figured out that he's my brother."

"YOU'RE the brother?" Sadira gaped.

"What are you talking about?" Jasmine asked.

"I knew him," Sadira said. "Way before you. Well, not before Aladdin, I guess. When I was a kid growing up on the streets, he was the closest thing I could call a friend. The kind of friend that makes you not need enemies, anyway. I kinda took pity on him because he was a little weakling. He was always talking about becoming something bigger and more powerful, but I never actually took him seriously. I didn't think he could actually pull it off. I mean, I had to save him from the shadow-walkers and everything…"

---

AGRABAH, THE SEVEN DESERTS

SEVEN YEARS AGO

"You could have shown up sooner, you know."

"That's the thanks I get for saving your life?" the child Sadira snapped. "You should probably go home in case something else decides to eat you and I decide not to be nice."

"I don't have a home anymore," Mozenrath informed Sadira, steel in his voice. "My mother is gone."

Sadira was taken aback. "I didn't know…I'm sorry…"

"Don't pity me!" Mozenrath yelled. "Don't you DARE pity me!"

"What are you going to do?" Sadira asked.

"I'm leaving Agrabah," Mozenrath said. "The sooner, the better. I'm going to make something of myself."

"You'll die."

"Thanks for having faith in me, Sadira."

"Did you not see what just happened five minutes ago?"

"I'll find a new home," Mozenrath resolved. "And someone who can teach me real power. If only the royal vizier actually had the backbone to take over from that lazy Sultan…"

"Where's this coming from?" Sadira inquired.

"Rumors say he's naturally deceptive, and no one knows why the Sultan chose him for the job," Mozenrath answered. "Probably because the Sultan's an idiot. If the vizier was really as bad as all the rumors say he could get, I might consider him. Instead, I'm going to have to go for someone better. Someone who actually has vision." He stared past Sadira, down an alleyway through which the city walls were visible, imagining that he could see through them. "I want to find Destane."

"The warlord of the Black Sand?" Sadira asked. "Even I know he'd kill you on the spot."

"Not if I go to him saying how much I want to follow in his footsteps," Mozenrath theorized. "He probably only kills dissenters. I bet he loves worshipers!"

"I still think you're gonna die. How are you gonna walk all the way to the Black Sands, anyway?"

"I'll find a way," Mozenrath vowed. "It was the land of my mother. I belong there more than I ever belonged here. I'm leaving tonight, Sadira."

"What? Just like that?"

"The sooner I leave this pit behind," Mozenrath sneered, "the better." He began walking.

"Hey!" Sadira walked alongside him. "Are you sure about this? I mean, you just came up with the idea! Aren't you going to think it through?"

"It's already thought through. I know what I'm doing. It's like you don't even know me."

"You might have book smarts," Sadira insisted, "but you are NOT prepared for what is out there!"

"Don't underestimate me," Mozenrath growled.

They walked in silence until they reached the back gate of the city. Sadira stopped before she could cross into the sands outside. Mozenrath didn't even slow down, and he didn't look back, not even when he realized Sadira wasn't behind him.

"You're not even going to say goodbye or anything?" she cried.

He didn't turn around as he answered, "Don't get eaten by tigers."

Sadira crossed her arms. She turned away in a huff. She stormed toward the abandoned building she was squatting in that week, holding back her tears. Now she was truly alone.

---

AGRABAH, THE SEVEN DESERTS

PRESENT TIMELINE

She smacked her fist into her palm. "I'd like to knock him off whatever high-and-mighty throne he happened to get himself on," Sadira grumbled in remembrance. "Don't get eaten by tigers, indeed. Though now I can see why he never introduced me to that famous brother he hated." She smirked. "He didn't want me to know he was the ugly twin."

"He isn't ugly!" Twilight cried, and everyone in the room turned to look at her. "I mean," she amended, "that from a purely objective standpoint, he looks – "

"Ain't no 'objective' in findin' a fella handsome," Applejack pointed out.

"Yes there is!" Twilight insisted. "There are criteria! I can list them!"

"Twilight's crush on the bad guy aside – " Rainbow Dash began.

"I do NOT have a crush on the BAD GUY!" Twilight interrupted.

"Whatever," Rainbow Dash sighed. "Anyway, what're we gonna do about all this?"

"I think the prophecy said we had to make the world whole again," Rarity said. "I can't think of how we're supposed to do that short of reclaiming every throne one at a time."

"Then that's what we'll do," Aladdin resolved.

"That seems a bit tedious," Rarity pointed out.

"But if we don't go around and save all the kingdoms," Pinkie pointed out, "Mozenrath will rule them forever and ever! There might not be a quicker way!"

"But we can't even take back Agrabah," Fluttershy pointed out. "Not with those awful cats running around…"

"Those fire-cats are only able to control the city because they find more people that are scared of them than people that are courageous in any given area," Twilight pointed out. "If we could teach everyone not to be scared…or even just get a group of people that would bravely stand up to them…"

"That's it!" Rainbow Dash cried. "A group to stand up! What if we got ahold of everyone else from that day we were working on the burned-up street? We could make an army!"

"Yes!" Pinkie agreed. "Find ALL our friends! Then we could be brave together and run those fire-cats out of town!"

"But that's gonna take some time to find everypony in this chaos," Applejack pointed out.

"Everypony?" Sadira repeated.

"Habit of speech," Applejack retorted without bothering to explain. "While we build up an army here, Mozenrath's runnin' around the world makin' things worse!"

"Unless," Aladdin figured, "we go after Mozenrath while everyone else gathers here to build an army. If he or Mirage or whoever doesn't have fire-cats running through every kingdom, we might be able to liberate a few of them while our resistance is building back here."

"Then we come back and TAKE NO PRISONERS!" the Genie finished.

"Who is this 'Mirage', anyhow?" Rarity asked. "That name's come up twice now."

"She's the incarnation of all that is evil!" the Genie explained. "If you thought it was unlucky for a black cat to cross your path BEFORE…"

"Incarnation of evil, huh?" Twilight repeated. "Looks like we found our Old One."

"We'll deal with that later," Rainbow Dash insisted. "Right now, we need to get going! Sultan, Sadira, are you okay with building up the resistance here?"

"Of course!" Sadira bowed. "I'll show that jerk how far his power really goes. I'll find Deluca and bring her back here right away!"

"I will seek out Dandi and Eden," Minos promised.

"And I will go with you," Fatima vowed.

"Sultan," Razoul pointed out, "you had best stay here. We can protect you."

"Nonsense!" the Sultan insisted. "I'm perfectly capable of combating those creatures!"

"You almost got toasted," Sadira reminded him.

"I believe the girl and your captain are right," Cassim told the Sultan. "I too shall remain here."

"But, Dad – "Aladdin began to argue.

"No buts," Cassim insisted. "I caused this. The least I can do is offer my help where I know it is valuable, and stay out of what I risk ruining for you. Under my protection, the Sultan shall see no harm."

"Great idea!" Iago said enthusiastically. "You stay here, and I'll stay with you! Because we're partners in crime and everyth – "

"You're coming with us," Jasmine insisted. "You know Jafar better than anyone."

"Besides," Aladdin added, "you were part of the old team, Iago. We couldn't have done half of what we did without your help. Aren't you ready to relive the old times?" He winked.

"Ohhhh, sure," Iago moaned, "drag the parrot through another death-trap adventure. Why does this always happen to me?"

"If you don't wanna go," Rainbow Dash told him, "you can stay back. Flake out on your friends if you have to. I mean, if you really ARE one of our friends."

"That's a mite harsh, Dash," Applejack pointed out.

"I never said I wasn't your friend!" Iago said defensively. "I just…I mean…it's dangerous!"

"It is dangerous," Fluttershy agreed. "And I'm very frightened. I don't want to go chasing after a madman. But my friends need me to help, and I know they'll help protect me on the way. That's why I'm going."

"Fine," Iago sighed. "When you put it that way. Count me in for what is hopefully one last road trip."

"One small problem," the Genie brought up. "We don't know exactly where Mozenrath is."

A silence fell over the tower as everyone contemplated that point, a silence punctuated only by the howling of the wind. That was what jarred Iago's epiphany. "The wind!" he cried. "The clouds! The rain! I KNOW WHERE MOZENRATH WENT!"

"Where?" everyone asked in interest.

"You don't just get to control the weather by being the king of any old place," Iago reminded his friends and explained to the newcomers. "There's only one spot in this world that directs the weather for the entire planet. And that spot is in Thundra's rainforest! He must have her amulet!"

"Who's Thundra?" Pinkie asked.

"The bird that controls the weather," Iago replied. "Or did before the Mozen-brat came along. She's a real loudmouth…but not bad once you get to really know her. Nice plumage, actually."

"Is she your special somepony?" Applejack teased.

"On a long-distance basis," Iago said somewhat embarrassedly. "We run into each other now and again."

The Genie transformed into a Cupid-like cherub. "She's stolen Iago's heart!" he emphasized, shooting a blue arrow with a heart-shaped tip at Iago.

The macaw dodged the arrow deftly, obviously used to the Genie throwing odd projectiles at him. "What matters is that Mozenrath's stolen all her powers," he emphasized.

Rainbow Dash smacked her fist against her palm. "Then let's go take 'em back!"

The Genie transformed into a jet once more. "All aboard!" he cried. "Next stop: the rainforest of Thundra!"

Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Rarity climbed into their usual seats. Abu settled in on Fluttershy's shoulder. Iago took Cassim's empty seat all to himself as Aladdin, Jasmine, and Twilight settled on the Carpet once more.

"We'll take care of things here while you're gone," Sadira promised.

"We'll be back," Jasmine vowed. "And Father…stay safe."

"If you insist," the Sultan said stoically.

The Genie-jet and the Carpet flew out of one of the high tower's wide windows.

"It really gets me that he thinks he can mess with the weather," Rainbow Dash muttered.

"Back home," Pinkie explained, "Rainbow Dash was in charge of our weather!"

"And I made sure it was in balance!" Rainbow Dash insisted. "Not an irresponsible mess like this! When I catch up with Mozenrath, I'm gonna teach him a lesson in weather-handling that he's never gonna forget! No matter how much Twilight likes him!"

"I DO NOT LIKE HIM!" Twilight screamed. "LOOK AT THIS MESS! DO YOU THINK I WOULD HAVE A CRUSH ON THE KIND OF PERSON THAT WOULD CAUSE THIS MESS?"

"Bad boy appeal," Rainbow Dash said simply.

"AUUUGGGGGH!" Twilight groaned.

The Genie-jet and the Carpet sped back out into the rain, setting out East to cross the ocean.

---

The rose tree had been growing for quite some time in the palace gardens. Its leaves formed a bulbous ellipse, one that almost resembled a cocoon. Had anyone suspected what would come of it, someone might have alerted the rest of the palace long ago. However, what came was completely unexpected.

The cocoon split. From it stepped a curious creature: ten feet tall, he looked to be humanoid, but every part of him was made of a plant. His hair was a pouf of leaves. His beard, a long trail of moss. His hands and fingers, thick vines. His skin was green, and his robes were red and green, trimmed with thorns. Upon his breast there was a red rose; he stroked it protectively, remembering what had happened the last time someone had severed it.

That someone, he realized, had the good sense to plant the flower. Why would they have done that? After all, they were the ones who had severed it in the beginning. He was also surprised to find himself in the garden of the palace. That man's palace. He had to find out why. He set out for the palace to ask.

Inside, Mirage settled upon the golden elephant-head-shaped throne of the Agrabah palace, listening to the screams of the peasants and the roars of her Echthroi through the walls. "Life is good," she said to herself.

The plant-man entered the throne room to see her there. "You!" he yelled, pointing to her. "What is your business inside this palace?"

"I might ask the same of you," Mirage said. "Aren't you the floral sorcerer? They said you had died."

"As strange as it is to believe," he replied, "I think I'm alive because of THEIR kindness. Frankly, I'm not sure whether I want to thank them or strangle them all for putting me in my situation in the first place."

"It matters not," Mirage said with a smirk. "They are not in charge anymore, and if all goes well, they will soon all be dead. Evil rules this world now. Prepare yourself for the reign of destruction!" She grinned. "Even the plant life will not be spared."

"Have you no respect for life? For beauty?"

"None whatsoever."

"MONSTER!" He raised his hands. His powers were weakened, but still very present. Vines as thick around as Mirage's waist burst up from the floor, cracking the stone. They shot towards Mirage in an attempt to bind her.

She slashed at each vine with her hands, green fire glowing. Every single vine fell down dead. With a vicious yowl, Mirage leapt up from the throne and rushed the plant-man, reaching for the rose upon his breast.

In fear, he summoned a bunch of vines to shoot up from the floor and wrap around him, taking him down underground before Mirage could harm him. Mirage stared down at the gaping hole in the throne room floor, silently vowing revenge.

---

The cloaked man arrived at the city gates after his long journey. He stepped out of the rain and into the icy wind, the chill running over his newly formed human skin. He heard the screams of the people emitting from within, and looked up at the dark clouds above, watching lightning flash in the blue-tinged gray intermittently.

"What has happened to my city?" he asked himself, regarding the tragedy before him. He knew that whatever the case, he would have to fight to return it to its peaceful state. Even though his original goal was complete, and he was human once more, he now had new reason to do good: to protect the city he expected to reclaim as home.

---

Chapter 6:

· The Genie's throwaway joke about this being based on G-rated source material actually gives me a good opportunity to talk about how I'm going to handle some of the rating stuff. I want to try to keep everyone in character, so characters who don't swear in canon won't here, even if it's a situation that would cause most to swear. Characters from more mature material will be allowed to swear. For example, if Ron Weasley and Pinkie Pie both made the same archenemy, they would describe him/her respectively as "that damn bloody git" and "that meanie-face". Just a note. I'm mostly pulling the same rule for sexual content. After all, when dealing with, say, Cadance being pregnant (will I or won't I?), it's no use pretending she and Shining Armor didn't have sex. Same with other characters who are official couples in G-rated material.

· I. Loved. Writing the scene where they all point out how Mozenrath and Twilight are similar. There's a reason I ship it so hard. And yes, those are BOTH their crazy monologues word-for-word, from the ATAS ep "The Hunted" and MLP "Lesson Zero".

· I decided that Mozenrath and Twilight's favorite color is blue because they are both associated with it so much. Mozenrath's traditional outfit is blue, as is most of the interior décor of his fortress and many of the crystals he owns. Most of Twilight's outfits have been blue – her Gala gown, the cape from the end of "Secret of My Excess", and while the dress from "Sweet and Elite" was yellow, Rarity was GOING to make it blue (with gold accents, which is ALSO reminiscent of Mozenrath's outfit – I was already shipping it by then, and I was so ticked that Rarity never finished that dress because I was sure it was going to turn into a total Mozenrath-dress). Rarity made all these things with Twi's personality in mind, which leads me to believe that Twi likes blue.

· I really want to avoid giving Mozenrath a Freudian Excuse because I want to believe that he's always wanted to be evil, but if he's going to be Aladdin's brother, he's got to have that hatred of brotherhood pre-instilled, and I also like the idea that if Cassim favored Aladdin, his wife gave Mozenrath the attention he wouldn't get from his father. So I want to make it very clear: he doesn't like it when other people, especially Mirage, want to replace his mom, who he respects. He doesn't want to be reminded of brothers. But his family issues are NOT the reason he's evil. He's evil because he likes evil.

· Xerxes is his canon familiar. Xerxes sometimes annoys the heck out of me.

· Jafar/Mozenrath is another of my favorite Mozenrath ships. I kind of ship him with EVERYONE. I have this love of playing that ship in a kind of fanboy/idol way, which should become clear soon enough. Anyway, the current love triangle (lust triangle?) is Twilight - Mozenrath - Jafar, though NO ONE wants to admit it.

· "Echthroi" is a term from Madeleine L'Engle's Time Quartet (A Wrinkle In Time and its sequels), which I like a lot and want to use to build this universe. If you're unfamiliar with the term, I'm actually NOT going to define it here because I'm going to define it in-story.

· The magic detecting crystal streetlamps are canon. I did not make those up.

· I apologize for having the heroes JUST STAND THERE while Mozenrath releases Jafar and makes his first wish. I had to have that happen without interruption.

· "The Overtakers" is a name coined by the Disney book series "The Kingdom Keepers" to describe Maleficent and her allies. I chose her to be so prominent because I needed a villain that was as instantly recognizable to the Internet as the ponies were. And of course, Discord is the other major player for the forces of evil and the rep for the Old Ones. I'm also planning to add in several other evil factions – we can't have a multicrossover universe with only TWO great forces of evil that encompass everything – but that comes later. Anyway, I'm using "Overtakers" to describe the league of Disney villains that Maleficent runs, and I'll reveal who's all in it…eventually. Jafar was a given. But…WHO IS THE ANGEL OF DARKNESS?

· The gold amulet is significant for people who know ATAS; for those who don't, I'm going to explain it in-story later, so again, you must be kept in suspense.

· The fire-cats…that's not their technical name, but it's what I call them. I think they do have a canon name that I just never found… In canon, the way to defeat them is to approach them and not be afraid of them. If you can't do this, they will mess you up.

· Octarine is the eighth color of the rainbow as stated in Terry Pratchett's Discworld. Because it isn't a crossover multiverse in my mind without PRATCHETT.

· Minos, Fatima, and Sadira actually all started out villains, but they reformed when they realized that having relationships was more valuable to them than power. This is canon. (Same goes for Deluca and Amal, actually.) In the ep with Minos and Fatima, they take over a high tower for their lair. In one of Sadira's eps where she's still evil, she's seen casting a spell from what I believe to be the same tower, even though she has a well-stocked lair elsewhere. That's why I picked it as a rendez-vous point.

· Sadira and Mozenrath have never interacted in canon, but actually, they're one of the most popular ships among the fans. I don't really like it that much, but I can see where it comes from. I like the idea that they knew each other as kids, even though it's completely fanon. Again, trying to show that Mozenrath was obsessed with evil and power even as a kid. I also used this flashback scene to, implausibly as it is, also begin his obsession over Jafar, though at that point in time, no one actually knew Jafar was going to try to usurp the Sultan. I just assume that a lot of people suspected it.

· Had Cassim stay back and Iago come along because in the show, the main adventure team was Al, Jasmine, Carpet, Genie, Abu, and Iago, with Iago ALWAYS as the one who didn't want to go but was dragged along anyway.

· Thundra is a character in the show who's in charge of the world's weather. And her powers even give her a rainbow that follows in her wake…Rainbow Dash much? Anyway, she is Iago's canon ship, though they only interact occasionally and neither one makes a commitment to change locations to be with the other. They're both pretty independent anyway, so I decided a long-distance, on-off relationship would work for them. I like to think that during Cassim's travels, Iago has them sail over to the rainforest to visit Thundra every now and again.

· The plant-man and the cloaked man are both people that would immediately be familiar to the fans of the series. For those unfamiliar, again, I'll reveal more in-story, so I'm going to keep vague on that. I'll only say that bringing the plant-man back is actually cheating. They made it pretty clear that he was dead for good, or at the very least, if he did come back the way I said, he'd probably have to start smaller and grow back up. But I wanted him badly. So I'm calling my fic, my rules.

1. The Coatl

THE RAINFOREST, THE SEVEN DESERTS

Above a lush canopy of green trees dripping with dew, a cloud in the shape of a monumentous steppe pyramid rose in the sky, a throne of white atop its highest platform. From this throne, the great waterfall was visible where the clouds stopped one by one to fill up with rain and turn dark. They did so at twice the normal rate now, speeding off to all corners of the world. Some of them filled with Arctic wind, turning the rain inside to hail and snow before taking flight.

Mozenrath sat upon the cloudy throne, running his fingers over the square gold amulet that allowed him to direct all these meteorological patterns. Resting on the arm of the throne under his right hand was a leather-bound codex that listed all the types of weather possible to make; it was turned to a page describing destructive lightning.

"I got my sun and my destructive winds back in a single day," Mozenrath said with a smile. "I think this more than makes up for what I lost way back when. Controlling the world's weather is a pretty nice setup."

Jafar stood at the side of his throne dutifully, looking out upon the rainforest and the clouds that filled with dangerous precipiation. "Flashy as it may be," he admitted, "your mastery of the weather is certainly impressive."

Mozenrath held back from smiling ever more earnestly, instead saying, "I know."

From below, a dark shape rose. Out of the corner of his eye, Mozenrath glimpsed the rising, winged shadow. "The thunder bird again?" he sighed, turning to look. To his surprise, the creature that alit beside his throne was not a bird. It was a large, charcoal-gray snake, nearly twenty feet long and proportionately thick, with a mane of dark hair falling from the back of its head and a pair of wings with scaly feathers spreading from its back.

"And you are?" Mozenrath sighed.

"Allow me to introduce myself, senor," the snake said in a rich, deep voice. "I am Malcho, the rightful keeper of the weather of the world."

"Really?" Jafar was suspicious. "I had thought that was the thunder bird."

"She stole the amulet from me most ungraciously," Malcho replied. "Her ways were inhibited…unimaginative. Your mastery of the weather is most admirable, and if you would return to me the amulet that is rightfully mine, I can continue in your legacy."

"I don't think so," Mozenrath replied curtly. "Did you really think it would just be that easy? Fly right up to the lord of the world and ask for the amulet back? Please. Take your smooth talk somewhere else before I blast you with an Arctic wind."

"Not to interrupt your most fascinating conversation," Jafar said, "but it appears the brats have found our location."

"WHAT?" Mozenrath stood and walked to the edge of the topmost cloud steppe. He saw two distant blue dots, unmistakable, flying toward the rainforest quickly.

"I suggest you find a way to stop them before they reach this throne," Jafar advised. "Lest the Elements of Harmony best you."

Mozenrath watched the Carpet and the Genie-jet fly closer and closer, thinking over his options. The last thing he wanted to do was waste one of his precious remaining wishes. At last, he turned to Malcho. "I've decided you can have the amulet," he said, "on one condition."

"Yes? Yes?" Malcho leaned forward excitedly.

"You use it to get rid of them," Mozenrath commanded. "Also, the book stays with me."

"Of course, senor!" Malcho agreed.

Mozenrath removed the golden amulet from around his neck and tossed it at Malcho; it fell neatly around Malcho's neck. "I shall not disappoint you!" the feathered snake cried before taking flight.

"Are you sure that was wise?" Jafar asked.

"He doesn't get to keep it," Mozenrath explained. "He'll just have to figure that out the hard way after he gets rid of our pest problem. Besides, I doubt he has the entire canon of weather spells memorized." He returned to his seat and patted the book protectively.

Xerxes, hovering nearby, watched Malcho fly away in dismay. "Hate Malcho."

"Don't worry," Mozenrath sighed. "He's not going to replace you."

At that, Xerxes' guard relaxed, as that had been his exact worry.

"Now," Mozenrath resolved, "when we have the amulet returned, where should we strike next? Snow in the Sahara? Melting the Frozen North? A hurricane over Getzistan? Choices, choices…"

---

"There it is," Iago pointed out. "The rainforest that makes all the world's weather. And boy, is it cooking up the storm of the century!"

"The waterfall probably does make things easier," Rainbow Dash pointed out. "Back home, we have to funnel the water up ourselves with a cyclone."

"Hey, Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie said, pointing ahead. "Somebody else that leaves rainbows like you!"

A grayish figure was headed toward the Carpet and the Genie-jet quite quickly, leaving a rainbow in its wake.

"That's not Thundra," Aladdin realized in horror.

"No," Iago clarified, "THAT'S MALCHO WEARING THUNDRA'S AMULET!"

Twilight began, "Who's Mal – "

By that time, the feathered snake had reached the Carpet and the Genie-jet in the air. He spread his wings wide. "You will not survive the wrath of Malcho!" he boomed. Dark clouds gathered around him, and many-branched forks of lightning shot out at the Carpet and the Genie-jet. The Carpet was hit, its rear threads ignited, and it shot straight downward. The Genie-jet took a blast of electricity that shocked everyone aboard before falling out of the sky as well; everyone plummeted down through the tree canopy and out of Malcho's sight.

"FLUTTERSHY!" Rainbow Dash cried. "Help me out!" She leapt from the Genie-jet, grabbing onto one of his wings and spreading her own wings, causing a hard drag against the air. Fluttershy clambered out of her own seat, spreading her wings for the first time through the sleeves Rarity had provided. She took the Genie-jet's other wing and dragged as well, causing him to come to a halt just before all crashed into the ground.

In the meantime, Twilight created a forcefield of purple around the Carpet, slowing its descent enough that it could touch the ground without any harm coming to Aladdin, Jasmine, or Twilight. Twilight pointed at the flames, and a small blast of ice shot onto the burning, causing the fires to fizzle out.

"Everypony okay?" Applejack asked.

"I think so," Aladdin answered.

"What WAS that thing?" Rainbow Dash inquired.

"Malcho," Aladdin explained. "An old enemy."

"He used to control the weather before Thundra did," Iago continued, "and lemme tell ya, the results weren't much better than when Mozenrath got ahold of that amulet. He's been tryin' to get it back ever since!"

"He and Mozenrath must be in an alliance," Jasmine deduced. "Why else would he give him the amulet?"

A crackling in the branches above alerted everyone to Malcho's descent through the tree canopy far above to look for them. Aladdin beckoned for the others to follow before setting off at a run.

Some distance into the forest, the group stopped, certain that they'd lost Malcho temporarily. "He's…a coatl," Twilight panted.

"A what now?" Applejack asked.

"A feathered snake," Twilight clarified. "They can be fire elementals, water elementals, or even gods. That's the first coatl I've ever seen in real life!"

"That's nice," Iago snapped. "I'll be so glad to know the exact name of the thing that's trying to kill us right before he zaps us into extra-crispy ten-piece meals!"

A gasp emitted from the forest somewhere to the left. Everyone turned to see what was approaching, and Rainbow Dash drew both her swords in preparation for the arrival of another monster.

A great green bird, one twice Iago's size, winged her way through the forest. She wore a great headdress of gold topped with green feathers. "Thundra!" Iago cried.

"I knew I heard your voice, my little giblet!" Thundra rushed to embrace Iago in her wings, striking an interesting figure with her larger height. "Things are muy terrible!" The pair settled onto a branch where they could hold each other without having to worry about flight. "Ever since that villano Mozenrath appeared in the rainforest, my precious weather has been nothing but destruction!"

Iago stepped back out of the embrace. "You got nothin' to worry about, sweet-beak," he assured Thundra. "I have come to defend the rainforest!"

"Ahem?" Twilight raised her eyebrow.

"With my backup team, of course," Iago amended. Twilight sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Where is Mozenrath, anyway?" Aladdin asked.

"He has been sitting atop the throne on the highest cloud," Thundra explained. "My amulet and the weather book vanished from me, and somehow they fell into his hands!"

"That's because he wished to be lord of the world," Jasmine told Thundra. "Including the rainforest."

"And he doesn't have the amulet anymore!" Pinkie added. "He gave it to that big mean old Malcho!"

"NO!" Thundra placed a wing over her chest in shock. "Not Malcho! He will certainly bring ruin upon the rainforest!"

"Speaking of which," the Genie said, pointing upward, "HERE HE COMES!"

"I will find you all, little parásitos!" Malcho vowed, crashing through the tree canopy. "Ahh…I see you have met Thundra! You may all die together!"

"NO!" Twilight yelled, pointing up at Malcho with both hands and firing small blasts of ice. As they hit Malcho's skin, the coatl flinched.

"What are you DOING?" Rainbow Dash yelled. "That's not gonna help anything!"

The Genie transformed into a large race car with two humanoid arms up front; he used these arms to scoop Aladdin, Jasmine, Abu, Iago, the Carpet, Fluttershy, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie, Rarity, Applejack, and Thundra onto the seats. "On your mark…" he said, "get set…DRIVE FOR YOUR LIVES!" He sped off into the forest.

Rarity gathered the Carpet into her arms. "You poor thing!" she gushed. "You've been all but burned away! We simply must repair you!"

After losing Malcho yet again, the Genie stopped beneath the dense canopy that almost blocked out all light completely. He transformed into a humanoid once more. "I'm not sure how much longer I can keep this up!" he admitted.

Abu squeaked in fear, clinging to Fluttershy's arm. "It's okay," Fluttershy said, stroking Abu's head with the opposite hand. "We'll think of something…" She didn't feel quite convinced of that herself.

"You know what that thing is," Applejack told Twilight. "How do we get rid of it?"

"Coatls can be associated with a lot of elements," Twilight said, "but they're all firey at the core from sharing the sun's heat. They've been that way ever since Xiuhcoatl, the turquoise serpent. If you add that to the fact that all reptiles are cold-blooded, that means that they're very sensitive to ice! That's why I tried to blast it with a blizzard earlier!"

"That was supposed to be a blizzard?" Iago smacked his forehead with his wing. "That was a SNO-CONE!"

"Well, excuse me," Twilight snapped, "but I've never had to make a spell that big before! I've never had this much trouble with my magic before, and I can't help it if the only things I can even do right are reflection and telekinesis!"

"It's all right," Rarity reassured her. "This is the first time you've had to use your magic against powers like what we've seen. Just because your magic isn't very strong against what can be found in this world doesn't mean – "

"Magic is my element!" Twilight insisted. "It's supposed to be the thing I'm better at than anything else! How am I supposed to be the Element of Magic if I can't even do good magic?"

"You stopped us from crashing," Jasmine reminded her.

"And you do have a point about Malcho and ice," the Genie added. "First time we faced him, we got him to chill out with the Arctic wind before sending him to the Frozen North!" He cracked his knuckles. "One Genie-powered blizzard should make a popsicle outta that snake!"

"He is muy powerful," Thundra reminded the Genie. "You are only semi-phenomenally, nearly cosmically powerful! He could break through your ice in an instant! The only thing that could possibly stop him is the Arctic wind! If only my book of weather were not in the hands of that Mozenrath, and my amulet not taken by Malcho, I could freeze him!"

"Wait," Rainbow Dash said. "Just to see if I've got this…all you need is the book Mozenrath has and the amulet, and you could have the weather back in control again?"

"Si," Thundra confirmed.

"No problem," Rainbow Dash said with a wave of her hand.

"What do you mean, no problem?" Thundra said worriedly.

"I can get that amulet off that snake," Rainbow Dash said confidently. "All he needs is a taste of his own medicine!"

"And the book?" Thundra asked.

"I have a plan for that too," Rainbow Dash admitted. "Of course, I'm gonna need Twilight's help for that. You in, Twilight?"

"If I could even do a decent spell at all, I would be," Twilight grumbled.

"You said yourself you could do tele-whatsit! Moving stuff!" Rainbow Dash reminded her. "You just need to move the book out of Mozenrath's hands and into yours! Come on, you can do this. I've seen you move entire orchards' worth of apples off their trees!"

"I…can probably do that," Twilight relented. "But I'd need to be able to see it."

"And that's where Fluttershy comes in," Rainbow Dash concluded.

"But what of Mozenrath?" Thundra asked. "Once Malcho is defeated, we will still have to face his evil magic!"

"When we teamed up with the Elements of Harmony, he and that djinni of his flew the coop," said Rainbow Dash. "They know they can't beat us!"

"And that's why he gave the amulet to Malcho!" Iago realized. "To get rid of you six! And you know what that means…"

"We can beat him really easily?" Pinkie suggested.

"I was going to say that ditching you six would mean the rest of us could get away from Malcho," Iago admitted, "but I like your version too."

"While you're all hatching your death-defying stunts," Rarity said, "I'd like to figure out a way to repair the poor Carpet. I think I can tell what sort of weave he's made of…now, if only I had magical thread…"

The Genie waved his hand, and a gigantic spool of blue and gold thread appeared in his palm. "You mean THIS magical thread?"

"PERFECT!" Rarity cried.

The Genie transformed into an old woman sitting in a rocking chair, attaching knitting needles to the blue thread. "Now, most people would use a provisional cast-on," he said in a high-pitched voice, "but I just think the thumb method holds together so much more nicely! Don't you? Oh, here, don't forget your knitting needles, dearie!" He handed a second pair of needles to Rarity, who took them up with earnest.

"All right," Rainbow Dash said, beckoning Thundra, Twilight, and Fluttershy into a circle. "Here's what we're gonna do."

---

"You cannot run forever," Malcho muttered, floating over the canopy. "Soon, I will find you, and you can avoid the wrath of Malcho no longer!"

"Hey, featherbrain!" Rainbow Dash called out, rising from the trees. "Betcha can't catch me!"

"What's this?" Malcho regarded Rainbow Dash. "You have flown directly into your doom!"

"I don't think so," Rainbow Dash teased. "Man, are you slow! Your rainbows aren't even as cool as mine!"

"I am fast enough to catch you!" Malcho retorted.

"Oh yeah?" Rainbow Dash challenged. "Wanna bet?" She took off directly upward at one of her highest speeds. "CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, SLOWPOKE!" she yelled down to Malcho.

Malcho, already offended that one of his targets was flying away from him so quickly, gave chase.

Rainbow Dash ducked down toward the waterfall, where the rain clouds moved out, filled with fresh precipitation. "Let's see if I still have the old Rainbow Dash touch," she muttered, kicking each cloud as she passed it. Lightning emitted from each cloud she kicked, shooting toward Malcho; the coatl had to slow down to dodge each bolt.

"Yeah," Rainbow Dash giggled, "I still got it!" She sped up; Malcho pursued, and the two rainbows raced through the sky.

"What is he DOING?" Mozenrath yelled from his place upon the cloudy throne.

"I believe he is having trouble capturing one of the Elements," Jafar observed. "However, this means they have split up…which lessens the threat towards us."

As Mozenrath and Jafar watched Malcho chase Rainbow Dash round and round the sky, Fluttershy winged her way up to the top steppe, away from where their sights were turned. She carried Twilight by the underarms, though not without difficulty, as Fluttershy lacked upper body strength. Unable to hold her friend anymore, she dropped Twilight on the cloud. "Sorry," she whispered.

"I can take it from here," Twilight whispered back. Fluttershy nodded, ducking back down. Twilight crept closer to the cloudy throne; the book lay on the arm of the great white chair. Mozenrath's right hand lay protectively over it, but loosely. Twilight knew that if she worked fast, she could capture the book before Mozenrath had time to secure it.

"Are you sure you're a feathered snake?" Rainbow Dash taunted Malcho, beginning her climb high into the air. "You're more like a feathered snail!"

"I will not tolerate insults!" Malcho roared, following Rainbow Dash straight upward, clouds gathering at his sides.

Twilight extended her hand; the codex glowed with a bright pink aura. In one whiplike motion, she snapped her hand backward, and the codex flew out from under Mozenrath's hand and toward her. Startled, Mozenrath turned to see Twilight standing on his cloud. "YOU!" he cried.

"Me," Twilight said, catching the book and clutching it to her chest.

"The so-called Element of Magic," Mozenrath said, standing; by now, Jafar's attention was also upon Twilight. "I've been told you're some sort of famous hero. I must admit, after hearing about you, I find that move with the book a little underhanded."

"It wasn't yours to begin with," Twilight retorted.

"It isn't yours either." Mozenrath flung a sphere of blue energy at Twilight. In a panic, Twilight immediately cast the reflection spell she knew she could trust, and the sphere ricocheted back at Mozenrath, who ducked it. His eyes widened. "Impressive counterspell!" he nearly laughed. "And here I was beginning to think you only dressed the part."

"You're not so bad at this yourself," Twilight said, knowing she had to keep Mozenrath and Jafar's interest held until Rainbow Dash completed her gambit. "Your methods are a bit destructive for my taste, but of all the things I could say about you, I couldn't say you were a lousy sorcerer."

"I appreciate it," Mozenrath countered, trying a different tactic; he made a beckoning motion with his hand, and the book, surrounded with a blue aura, wrenched itself out of Twilight's grip and floated back toward him. "Now, if you'd just give me back that book, I could show you what I can REALLY do. Up until now, I've only been getting warmed up."

Twilight cast her hand out; the book's aura took on a curious purple mixture of the blue and pink auras before the pink took over and the book floated back toward her. "Sorry," she said, "but I'll have to shut you down before the second act." She clutched the book tightly once more.

Rainbow Dash had flown so high that the thinning atmosphere began to make her dizzy. It was time to pull off the final phase of the plan. She'd assured everyone else that she could still do her signature trick even in this new body, but she wasn't quite sure of that herself. Now she would find out.

Malcho caught up to her. "Now you will DIE!" he roared.

"I don't think so!" Rainbow Dash began her descent, speeding downward on a path toward the steppe pyramid. The air around her began to push back, the pressure increasing along with her speed. That was good. Malcho dove as well, following her – equally good.

Mozenrath couldn't quite comprehend that he'd run into someone whose telekinetic pull was stronger than his own. "Well, that's interesting," he finally said. "What do they call you, anyway?"

"Twilight Sparkle," Twilight answered.

"ENOUGH OF THIS FLIRTING!" Jafar roared, stepping in between Mozenrath and Twilight.

"We weren't flirting," Twilight and Mozenrath argued in synchrony.

"Surrender the book," Jafar threatened, "or pay the consequences!" He raised his staff, sending a bolt of red lightning toward Twilight – something he'd been unbidden to do, but felt the need to destroy the young witch outweighed.

Twilight summoned another reflection; the pink aura shattered immediately upon contact with Jafar's spell, and the red lightning grazed Twilight's arm, causing her to yelp in pain.

"Not so powerful against a genie, now," Jafar taunted, "are we?" He lifted his staff once more.

The air around Rainbow Dash was now at its max pressure. She knew it was going to work. All it needed was the final push. She pumped her wings, throwing herself into the descent, until the BOOM.

The rainbow and the sonic boom at once: the Sonic Rainboom. Rainbow Dash's favorite stunt sent a rainbow-colored shockwave through the air that blasted Malcho with intense pressure, sending him spinning head over tail down toward the trees. The boom reached all the way to the steppe pyramid, knocking both Mozenrath and Jafar over and pinning them to the cloudy floor. Twilight also toppled, clutching the book tightly to her chest. Rainbow Dash, careening on the extra speed granted her by the boom, soared over the cloudy pyramid and scooped Twilight up bridal-style, having more than enough muscle to carry her easily.

Jafar and Mozenrath scrambled to their feet. "WHAT JUST HAPPENED?" Mozenrath fumed.

"Rainbow…go boom?" Xerxes offered.

"I was caught off guard!" Jafar huffed defensively.

Malcho crashed through the canopy of the trees, hitting the forest floor with a thump and going unconscious. Thundra winged her way to him, plucking the amulet from around his neck and placing it over her own. Rainbow Dash sailed down to the ground nearby, setting Twilight down; Twilight handed the book over to Thundra.

"Graçias, mi amigas!" Thundra said, taking the book into her wings. "Now, Malcho, what in this book would give you the chills?"

Malcho, completely unconscious, didn't answer. Thundra waved her wing over his prone form, and a blast of icy wind assaulted him, freezing him in a block of ice.

"Yeah!" Rainbow Dash pumped her fist in the air. "We did it!"

Thundra flew up to the top of the steppe pyramid alone, staring at Jafar and Mozenrath. "This rainforest no longer belongs to your tyranny," she growled; dark clouds gathered around her.

"NO!" Mozenrath cried. "I MADE THE WISH! THAT AMULET IS MINE!"

"Learn to cut your losses, boy!" Jafar scolded before sweeping his staff to form another portal; the pair was again gone.

The clouds slowed down. Fewer thunderclouds formed. Far away, in the Seven Deserts proper, the clouds cleared away to form a path for the sun; icy winds subsided, and rain ceased.

Thundra flew back down to the ground, where Rainbow Dash and Twilight had rejoined the main group. "What was that you did in the air?" she asked Rainbow Dash.

"Oh, that?" Rainbow Dash bragged. "Just a little hometown specialty I like to call the Sonic Rainboom."

"You did wonderfully!" Jasmine congratulated.

"I actually don't think I could have done it better myself," Aladdin admitted. "I mean, of course I could have done it, but it would've taken me a lot longer to figure out."

"It's finished!" Rarity cried, holding up the repaired Carpet. The Carpet leapt from her grasp and did a little dance on the ground, using his tassels as feet.

"Great!" Aladdin replied. "Now we can go catch up with Mozenrath and Jafar wherever they struck next!"

"I'll be looking forward to it," Twilight said, clenching her fists. "That Mozenrath is…SOMETHING for sure."

"Somethin' special, huh?" Applejack said with a wink.

"Oh, he's special, all right," Twilight said before realizing what Applejack meant. "Wait, NO! Not like that!" She felt the blood rise to her cheeks. "I've just never had to face down another powerful sorcerer before. My telekinesis is stronger than his, you know. Even he was impressed."

"So he likes you too!" Pinkie deduced.

"Nooooooo," Twilight groaned. "We're enemies, okay? He's my first actual mortal enemy!" She thought that over. "Hmm…that is kind of cool. I have a real archnemesis!"

"You are not staying?" Thundra asked Iago disappointedly.

"Lo siento, baby," Iago replied, "but this world is still in danger, and as long as there is corruption, I'll need to be around to triumph over it."

"Excuse me?" Aladdin interrupted.

"With my trusty backup team, of course," Iago amended.

"Adios, giblet," Thundra said, planting a gentle kiss upon Iago's beak – a strange sight for the six Equestrians, who had never thought it possible for two birds to kiss. "I shall await your return!"

"I'll be back eventually," Iago promised. "You know, as soon as the world isn't under impending doom and all."

"In the meantime," Thundra said thoughtfully, "perhaps I should practice this…'Sonic Rainboom'."

"It ain't as easy as it looks," Rainbow Dash warned.

"You see?" Fluttershy told Abu. "Everything turned out all right."

Abu squeaked his approval.

The Genie became a jet once more, and everyone boarded either the Genie-jet or the carpet. The two crafts lifted into the air, and everyone waved a goodbye to Thundra as they took off.

"Where do we go now?" Jasmine asked.

"I don't know," Aladdin admitted. "But I have a feeling we'll find out soon. Those two can't get far without having to show off, after all."

With that, they soared back in the direction of the Seven Deserts proper.

---

Chapter 7:

· In the realm of this canon, there are many kingdoms. There are six I want to visit on the quest to chase Mozenrath off all the thrones; the rainforest is #1.

· Malcho, who is based on Quetzalcoatl, used to hold the weather amulet a long time ago. He had a reign of tyranny. Thundra took it from him and used it to control the weather responsibly. This is canon. Also, they both speak with Spanish accents, and the verbal tic of mixing Spanish with English is canon. Between that and the fact that Malcho is a feathered serpent, I'm pretty sure the rainforest is in South America.

· "Coatl" is actually just Nahuatl for "snake". However, there are a lot of feathered snakes of all varieties in Nahuatl lore. I'm using "coatl" to describe them in the same way that most people use "kitsune" to describe nine-tailed trickster foxes, even though "kitsune" is just Japanese for "fox". Also, the weakness to ice is something I made up, though Xiuhcoatl is an actual myth and the inspiration for my giving coatls a weakness to ice.

· Twilight's magical weakness is indeed foreshadowing…however, it's proven in canon that telekinesis is her strength, ESPECIALLY in episode 4, where she literally does clean an orchard of apples.

· The Genie can't freeze Malcho because I needed to do the complicated plot.

· The Sonic Rainboom is one of the stunts that Rainbow Dash can pull off in canon, albeit with difficulty, and it does create an explosion of rainbow in the sky. Sonic booms DO create pressure fields – I looked this up – so I don't think it unreasonable that a sonic rainboom could knock over anyone that was unlucky to get hit with the shockwave. I also took the liberty of making RD more easily able to perform the Rainboom because she's done it a lot in canon by now.

1. Playing Games

SOMEWHERE IN THE SEVEN DESERTS

The sunny skies now shone over the bright golden sands of the Seven Deserts, free of rain clouds. Visibility was clear, meaning that the multicolored cloud of sparkling dots heading toward the Carpet and the Genie-jet was immediately noticeable from far away.

"Oh, no," Iago groaned. "Not…THEM…"

Twilight gasped in glee when she realized what was headed toward them. "Those…those are real sprites!"

The tiny creatures, each a fuzzy humanoid with pointed ears, overall small enough to sit comfortably in the average human palm, surrounded the Carpet. "Aladdin!" a pink sprite squeaked. "You have to help us again!"

"Because after those words, everything just goes SO WELL," Iago groaned.

"What happened?" Aladdin asked.

"We found a place where everyone wanted to play games all the time!" the pink sprite explained, the flock of sprites now flying in pace with the Carpet and the Genie-jet. "It was really fun!"

"Games all the time?" Jasmine repeated. "Do you mean…Getzistan?"

"Yeah, that's the place!" The sprite nodded. "But Mozenrath went there with a mean genie, and he said he was the new Sultan! He started winning all the games until there wasn't any money left for anybody! Now everyone's sad, and no one wants to play anymore!"

"Tell me he didn't get Club Nest Egg!" Iago moaned.

"Everything! He got everything!" The sprite spread her arms wide to demonstrate.

"At least that's one less trip to Getzistan that's filled with you trying to get us to help you cheat at the casino," Aladdin told Iago.

"What's in Getzistan?" Pinkie asked.

"It's a rich and colorful city whose economy is fueled by gambling," Jasmine explained. "Iago always wants to go and try to win money from them, but he keeps asking us to help him cheat, even though our faith doesn't even allow gambling in the first place."

"Then how come the people at Getzistan could set up a casino?" Rainbow Dash asked, confused.

"They're mostly Ashurists," the Genie replied. "And Ashur never said anything against gambling. He was kind of a lenient god in that respect."

"They have their way," Aladdin said with a shrug, "and we have ours. Relations between our two kingdoms are pretty good, so we don't have any reason to fight over it."

"Let me guess, then," Rarity deduced. "By using his own powers to cheat at every casino, not to mention taking over the royal treasury, Mozenrath completely disrupted the economy?"

"Everybody else wears rags!" the pink sprite confirmed. "Icky rags!"

"Well, we know where to find 'im, then," Applejack stated.

"Setting a course for Getzistan!" the Genie-jet announced. "Full speed ahead!"

"We'll go with you!" the pink sprite said, and the multicolored sprites swarmed the two aircrafts.

"I can't believe it!" Twilight gushed. "Real sprites! Can you actually lift things into the air with levitation magic?"

"Sure we can!" the pink sprite answered. "Want us to show you?"

Before Twilight could agree, Aladdin, Jasmine, the Genie-jet, and Iago all screamed "NO!" so loudly that Twilight figured there must have been some horrible incident stemming from sprite levitation in the past.

---

GETZISTAN, THE SEVEN DESERTS

Of all the buildings in Getzistan, the Club Nest Egg casino was probably the second-largest and second most lavish – next to the palace, of course. It was painted in all hues, and the inside was festooned with lanterns to light once the sun went down. In this building's spacious gambling area, Mozenrath, bedecked in new white robes that sparkled and glittered with all the colors of the rainbow from every angle to match the flamboyance of the city, leaned over a roulette wheel, spinning it boredly.

"This is why I didn't go for Getzistan right away," he sighed. "Its money is so easily won…and then what? I don't have any control over the weather. I don't have access to any new magic."

"But you do have the entire kingdom," Jafar pointed out. "You are the sultan. You have complete control over the economy, and you can ensure magically that no one will ever win it back from you in any gambling contest – the same way you ensured yourself the victory over it in the first place. You have complete authoritative power, and the people of Getzistan are reduced to begging in the streets."

"I still don't understand why you couldn't let me fight for the amulet," Mozenrath snapped. "It was rightfully mine!"

"A genie's wish is not a permanent contract," Jafar reminded him. "Once Thundra had reclaimed the amulet, she regained mastery over the rainforest. Had you remained to fight, the Elements would have overtaken you. If I were you, I would stop your insolent whining. It seems you can dress a brat in the finest robes in the world, and he still remains a brat."

"What happened to 'Oh, Mozenrath, your mastery over the weather is so impressive!'?"

"It was," Jafar retorted, "but your arrogance is most unbecoming."

"I'm no more arrogant than you."

"I believe having phenomenal cosmic powers entitles one to be arrogant…condemning oneself to a slow death for similar abilities does not."

"I control you!" Mozenrath yelled, standing to his full height. "I still hold the lamp! You do MY bidding!"

"An unfortunate circumstance," Jafar groaned.

"Why don't you go outside and torment the peasantry or something? And that was NOT a wish!"

"I shall return whenever I feel like returning," Jafar said, turning to leave the casino. "A reprieve from your complaints will be most welcome." He exited the room, leaving Mozenrath and Xerxes alone.

"Jafar disrespectful," Xerxes growled.

"You said it," Mozenrath replied, turning back to the wheel, which he spun again and again, now feeling less bored and more disappointed. "It seems nothing will impress him," he sighed. "We'll just see how he feels after I finish with my three wishes. We'll see who's calling who the whiny upstart. We'll…see."

The doors to the room burst open; a host of imps, creatures half the height of the average human and with the features of anthropomorphic animals, marched in, a bird-headed imp at the head of the group. "Are you the new sultan of Getzistan?" the bird-headed imp asked.

"That would be me," Mozenrath answered tentatively, again standing to full height, his multicolored robes sparkling in the light.

"I am Nefir Hasenuf," the bird-headed imp introduced with a sly smile.

"All these puns are beginning to bore me," Mozenrath snapped.

"I have somewhat of a special relationship with Getzistan," Nefir continued, ignoring that comment. "My imps can build anything at lightning speed, including this entire city, should anything ever happen to it! It would be a pity if something happened to it, wouldn't it?"

"Let me guess," Mozenrath predicted. "You have some way of destroying the city that you think I couldn't possibly suspect. You've come to sell me insurance on it so that I can pay you to rebuild the city every time you knock it over. For bonus points, I'm going to also say that this is something the old sultan finally figured out and wouldn't let you get away with anymore, but you thought that since the throne changed hands, it would be so easy to deceive the poor, young, clueless new sultan. Don't bother giving me any prizes for that – I've won everything else in this city already, and I don't need any more clutter."

Most of the imps' jaws had dropped. Nefir took a moment to clear his throat and regain his composure before saying, "Your intuition is very good! However, that won't stop us from destroying the city, and we won't rebuild your hard-won kingdom unless you can pay us the proper – "

"You know what will stop you from destroying my city?" Mozenrath said angrily, clenching his right fist and raising it. "Me destroying you."

The imps slowly started to back off. At the same time, Jafar stormed back into the room.

"I'll give you one guess as to what arrogant young hero just flew into the city walls with his band of misfit friends and six powerful cosmic forces," he announced.

"Hmm…" Mozenrath looked towards the imps again. "You can build anything, you say?"

"Y-yes," Nefir stammered, sweating from fear. "Anything you desire! There's no need to destroy us!"

"Good." Mozenrath smirked. "I have a few pests I'll need you to help me clear out. Listen close."

"Boss," one of the imps said, "you don't really think this guy can destroy – "

"I've known the legends of the Seven Deserts far longer than you," Nefir snapped, "and I know that gauntlet far too well! You'd best be quiet and take directions!"

"I'm glad there are no misunderstandings," said Mozenrath. "Now, here's what I want you to do…"

Even Jafar had to admit that the instructions Mozenrath gave the imps were clever indeed.

---

The Carpet and the Genie-jet touched down in Getzistan, the Genie once again reverting to his humanoid form. By this time, the sprites had dissipated, fluttering away throughout the city. Everyone was shocked at the stark contrast. The city itself was filled with ornate, towering buildings of all shapes and colors, standing out brightly and suggesting extravagance. However, everyone in the streets was dressed in torn rags, and most people were selling dingy goods from rickety carts.

"Everyone really is in rags," Jasmine said softly.

"Aladdin!" A voice came from one of the peasants, who rushed toward the group. "Princess Jasmine! Thank goodness you're here!" This man was short, rounded, and bearing a flowing black mustache.

"Sultan Pasta Al-Dente?" Aladdin identified, taken aback with the man's appearance.

"Okay," Twilight sighed, "these puns are really beginning to bore me."

"More like EX-Sultan!" Pasta moaned. "I don't know what happened! I was suddenly dressed like a commoner and standing out on the streets, and there was this strange young man on the throne! He had a tall advisor and a flying eel with him! He claimed to be the new sultan, and then he entered every one of our casinos and bet everyone all the money they had! He and his advisor then used magic to cheat at every game and win everything, but since they're the highest authority in Getzistan, there wasn't anyone to stop them from cheating!"

"Sorry for being Captain Obvious," Rainbow Dash brought up, "but why didn't everypony just STOP PLAYING once they realized they were being owned?"

"Everyone likes to believe they can win," Pasta explained. "Even at an impossible game. The more they lose, the harder they try to get it all back! By the time anyone had the sense to stop playing, we were all selling the few things we had to try and get money for food! And since everyone's poor, no one's buying!"

"And that leaves Mozenrath in charge of everything," Twilight finished. "And worst of all, I bet he's actually not happy with it."

"What makes you say that?" Rarity inquired.

"He's already won," said Twilight, "and there isn't any magic for him to control like the weather from the rainforest. He's probably bored."

"We need to find him," Jasmine resolved, "and set things right!"

"Last time I saw him, he was pacing around Club Nest Egg," Pasta informed the group.

"No!" Iago moaned. "He can't besmirch such a place of beauty!"

"Let's go," Applejack commanded, and everyone set off down the street.

---

According to the memories of Aladdin, Iago, and the Genie – the three who had seen the building before – Club Nest Egg was located deep within the city, and the group had to take several turns of the street in order to make way toward it. They observed the people of Getzistan along the way; most were selling their last prized possessions from broken-down carts, but some had set up shop inside small boutiques alongside the road.

One street was curiously empty of people outdoors. "It's quiet," Applejack remarked. "Too quiet."

"Apples!" a vendor's voice suddenly rang out. "Finest apples in Getzistan! Please help me! I've lost everything, and all I have to sell are the apples I grew!"

Applejack peered into the shop from which the voice had come. Immediately, she began salivating. The store was filled with the largest, juiciest apples she'd ever seen, ranging from red to green to golden. "Well, I'll be!" She stepped inside the store. "I'm just gonna look around a bit in here. That okay with y'all?"

"If you find anything you want," Jasmine told Applejack, "let me know. I'll get you the money to pay for it." She lowered her voice. "We probably should help some of these people out, after all."

"I'll let ya know, princess!" Applejack returned to her browsing of the shop.

"Fine fabrics!" another voice called. Rarity looked into the shop across the street and gasped. This room was lined in silks and satins of all colors.

"I weaved them myself," the imp behind the sales counter informed Rarity. "They're all I have to sell!"

"I'll be with you all in a minute," Rarity promised the others, stepping inside the shop. "I just HAVE to look at these! Ooh, this thread count is to DIE for!"

The group progressed down the street. Not long after passing the apple shop and the fabric shop, they heard a voice cry out, "Won't somebody please buy a flower from me? Homegrown flowers of all sorts!"

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to have a look," Fluttershy said as she stepped into the shop that had emitted the call. Abu tried tugging at the fabric over Fluttershy's shoulder, attempting to squeak something to her. "Don't worry," Fluttershy told the monkey. "We'll get all these people back on their feet. Things always work out for us, remember? Oh, my…" She was stunned by the array of flowers in the shop: lilies, hibiscus, periwinkles.

"Candy of all sorts!" another voice called out from the shop across the way.

"OOH!" Pinkie skidded inside the store, salivating at the sight of peppermints striped in every color.

"Is something about all this weird to you?" Twilight asked as she, Rainbow Dash, Aladdin, Jasmine, the Carpet, Iago, and the Genie continued down the street.

"What's weird about it?" Aladdin asked.

"How this street happens to have a store for everything we love," Twilight said. "Well, at least us six from Equestria."

"Don't be silly," Rainbow Dash said. "There hasn't been a store for you or…me…" Rainbow Dash's eyes suddenly widened as she caught a glimpse of the interior of the next store along the way. She rushed inside to see a gleaming display of curved swords, each one longer and shinier than the two she held in her belt. "So…awesome!"

"Parchment scrolls!" a voice called out from the store across the way. "From my own personal library! Scrolls of math! Scrolls of science! Scrolls of mythology!"

"And that's for me," Twilight muttered under her breath. "Well, I'm not falling for it."

"I want to see scrolls with all that cool stuff!" the Genie cried, rushing into the shop.

"There is something weird about this," said Aladdin. "I looked in all those stores as we walked past. Did you notice that every one was being run by an imp?"

"Are imps native to Getzistan?" Twilight asked.

"No," Aladdin answered. "The only imps I've ever seen here belonged to a gang run by a miser who wanted to extort money out of everyone…Nefir Hasenuf."

"And it figures it would be another horrible pun," Twilight moaned. She turned to look down the street she'd just walked. "Hey, everypony! I have a really bad feeling about this!"

Fluttershy, afraid Twilight had detected a real disaster, turned to rush for the door – only to scream in horror as the door disappeared before her eyes, bricks covering it up at a speed she wouldn't have thought possible to put up bricks. "Is…this what you were warning me about?" Fluttershy asked Abu.

"Ah-hah," Abu nodded.

"HEY!" Rainbow Dash yelled, pounding on the wall of bricks that had just gone up over the door to the weapons shop. "What gives?"

"NO!" Applejack cried, staring in horror at the bricks that encased her in the apple shop.

"WHAT?" Pinkie screeched in terror upon noticing her own brick wall.

"Let me out!" Rarity wailed, realizing she too was trapped.

Inside the scroll shop, the Genie regarded the wall. "So you think you can trap a Genie, eh?" He shot a blast of magic at the wall, only for the burst of energy to explode when it hit the bricks and then fizzle into nothing, the bricks untouched. "Okay…so you know you can trap a Genie…"

Twilight, Aladdin, Jasmine, the Carpet, and Iago had seen the imps put up the six brick walls faster than they could approach even the nearest imp. "What are you doing?" Twilight yelled at one of the imps, the one who'd just covered over the scroll shop.

"Sealing a trap," the imp replied.

Aladdin and Iago recognized the imp at once. "NEFIR!" they cried in unison.

"I must admit, I was hoping you'd fall for the scrolls," Nefir told Twilight, "but we did get the Genie, and the Elements of Harmony are split up. Oh, don't try breaking down the walls…we used magic-proof cement!"

"Split up!" Twilight gasped.

"You're working for Mozenrath!" Jasmine realized.

"This should be enough to convince him not to destroy us," Nefir went on. "In fact, for sealing up the Genie as well, we might even get a little payment out of him! He did only ask to split up the Elements."

"Let our friends go," Aladdin demanded. "Now!"

"I can pay you as much as you want!" Jasmine offered.

"No deal," Nefir said, folding his arms. "Even if you could pay for our safety from Mozenrath, he could pay us double what you ever could using the treasury of Getzistan!"

"So he has you working out of fear," Twilight realized. "If we stop him and make sure you and your friends are safe, will you let our friends go then?"

"No!" Nefir insisted. "What would I get out of that deal?"

"Your safety!" Aladdin pointed out. "Or are you just going to be so greedy that you won't stop until you get half the treasury of Getzistan?"

"Half the treasury!" Nefir cried happily. "Now THERE'S an idea!"

"There's no reasoning with him," Jasmine said. "Not unless he doesn't have a chance of being destroyed OR paid by Mozenrath. We have to keep going!"

"Don't think we're going to forget about them, Nefir," Aladdin insisted. He, Jasmine, Twilight, and Iago turned and doubled their pace on their path toward Club Nest Egg.

---

Mozenrath stared at himself in the mirror. "Still bored," he groaned with a brief, meaningful glance back at Jafar. "Can't we move somewhere else?"

"Where is it you would go?" Jafar asked.

"Somewhere there's actually magic worth using," Mozenrath answered. "And these robes aren't right at all!" He waved the gauntlet over his clothes; while the glitter, sequins, and jewels upon them still represented a variety of colors, over half were now blue. "Much better."

"Much, much better!" Xerxes agreed.

"Finally feel like a pretty princess now, Mozenrath?" Aladdin taunted from across the room.

Startled, Mozenrath, Jafar, and Xerxes turned to see Iago, Jasmine, and Twilight standing in the room with them. "How long have you been standing there?" Mozenrath cried.

"Long enough to figure out I was right," Twilight said. "You ARE bored. I didn't think this was quite your style."

"Now this is interesting," Mozenrath retorted. "It looks like my trap worked on everyone but you. And…am I mistaken, or did you lose your GENIE?"

"He fell for the trap that was meant for me," Twilight explained.

"I should have known you'd be the one that would catch on," Mozenrath replied. "To tell you the truth, I was actually looking forward to your next move after our little spat in the rainforest. Of course, you don't have your little friends with you anyway, so I'd still call this my victory."

"You haven't won yet!" Aladdin snapped.

"Oh, haven't I?" Mozenrath raised one eyebrow, smirking. "I own Getzistan. The people are in absolute poverty thanks to me…and, credit where it's due, to Jafar."

"What, exactly, do you propose you are going to do about it?" Jafar questioned. "The throne of Getzistan isn't as simple as trading an amulet."

"You MONSTERS!" Iago accused. "How DARE you turn my precious Nest Egg into…this!"

"Oh, we're still open for business," Mozenrath said. "If you care to try your luck at anything."

"Let me guess," Twilight said. "Flagrant disregard for your religious beliefs?"

"No, actually," Mozenrath admitted with a shrug. "I'm a Mithraist now. Though I tend to side more with Ahriman. I'm not breaking any tenets whatsoever."

"Glad to know you respect something," Twilight spat.

"Hey!" Iago interrupted. "The man said the Nest Egg is still open, and I'm not gonna let my last chance slip by!"

"You're STILL on about that?" Aladdin groaned. "Iago, he has everything rigged so you'll lose!"

"I DON'T CARE!" Iago cried. "I have to bet something! Anything! He's sitting on the fortune of Getzistan! I'd even wager the Agrabanian throne if I could for cash like that!"

"Wager the Agrabanian throne?" Jafar laughed. "Now, there's an idea! You don't even have the Agrabanian throne anymore!"

"Maybe not," Twilight realized, "but we could wager the throne of Getzistan!"

"What do you mean by that?" Jafar was suddenly suspicious.

"You're open for business," Twilight said. "It's how you won the entire economy. What if we challenged you to a game for the throne of Getzistan? Winner gets the seat of power, and can give it to whoever he or she wants – even if the winner wants to give it to Pasta Al-Dente."

"What are you doing?" Aladdin yelled at Twilight. "He has everything rigged!"

"He'll never agree to it!" Jasmine added.

"He only won because of his and Jafar's magic," Twilight pointed out. "I have magic too."

"Since we already have the throne of Getzistan," Mozenrath inquired, "what else would we get if you lose?"

"Don't be a fool!" Jafar chided. "You wouldn't wager this kingdom on a silly game!"

"You've won everything else in this kingdom," Twilight said, staring directly into Mozenrath's eyes. "You're bored with what you've got. You can't possibly tell me you don't want to win just one…more…game."

"Don't fall for her trickery!" Jafar warned.

"She's overconfident," Mozenrath replied, momentarily glancing at Jafar. "She'll never win. And I don't take orders from you. I hold the lamp, remember?" He locked eyes with Twilight once more. "Let's up the stakes. If you win, you get to do whatever you want with the throne and the treasury of Getzistan. But if I win, I get to do whatever I want…with all of you as my prisoners."

"I can only agree to letting myself be your prisoner," Twilight said. "You'll have to be all right with that, or the bet's off."

"Then the bet's off," Mozenrath said.

"Finally," Jafar sighed, "some sense – "

"I'll be your prisoner as well if you win," Aladdin said.

"Can you even wager?" Twilight asked him worriedly.

"This isn't an ordinary gamble," Aladdin pointed out. "It's for the good of all the people we saw, who need their lives back."

"I'll be your prisoner as well," Jasmine said.

"Hang on," Iago said. "I do not agree to this!"

"I would have thought you of all of them would have been the most eager to rejoin the ranks," Jafar taunted. "After all, you know where you belong."

"HEY!" Iago snapped. "I don't care HOW many years we had together! How many stupid portraits we had painted of us! How many schemes we hatched! I am NOT your stooge anymore!"

"Wait…" Twilight looked from Iago to Jafar and back. "You two…were friends?"

"So much so, I'm surprised at his current disrespect," Jafar told Twilight. "I might even consider it…betrayal."

"I betray whoever I want!" Iago insisted. "And the crowd I currently run with is better to me than you EVER were!"

"Really?" Jafar challenged. "Do any of them truly appreciate you and your lust for power? Do any of them admire the way your mind works so deceitfully? Or do they regard you as a beast of burden? If you want my perspective…well, I've been much worse off without you. I've had to replace you with such fools as Abis Mal and this joke of a sorcerer."

"I STILL OWN YOU!" Mozenrath yelled.

"Your words hurt me, Iago," Jafar said melodramatically.

"I DID WHAT I HAD TO DO!" Iago argued, though Twilight, Jasmine, and Aladdin could tell that he was faltering. "I…I mean…I run with the King of Thieves now! I don't need you! I never needed you!"

"Then make it quite clear where you stand," Jafar told the macaw.

"With Al and Jasmine and all of them!" Iago cried. "Fine! I wager myself as your prisoner too!"

"In the case of our victory," Jafar told Iago, "I assure you that you will be seen as more than a mere prisoner. You will have the chance to rejoin me…to return to where you know you were truly meant to be."

"I said prisoner," Iago replied coldly, "and I meant prisoner."

"In that case," Mozenrath said happily, "we should let the games begin! NEFIR!"

"Yes, your highness!" Nefir skidded into the room.

"Build us an arena outside the city walls," Mozenrath commanded him. "Paint it like a giant backgammon board. You remember when we used to play backgammon on the sly when our parents weren't looking, don't you, Aladdin?"

"I remember you always winning," Aladdin replied, "now that you mention it. And I'm starting to think there was never a time you didn't cheat."

"For an arena of that size," Nefir said, "I will require a little incentive. Perhaps fifty denarii to start – "

"Your incentive is that your heart keeps beating," Mozenrath told Nefir.

"I-I'll get on that right away, sir," Nefir promised, darting from the room.

Mozenrath returned his attention to Aladdin, Jasmine, Twilight, and Iago. "Even with your ridiculous luck," he told them, "the odds are against you. You'll be seeing the inside of my dungeon before long, and I'll be on my way to bigger and more powerful things."

---

The sun began to set over the desert, signaling the end of a long day. The backgammon board, made of perfectly polished tile, spread out over 100 yards in the desert outside the Getzistan walls.

"I hate to ask," Twilight said, "but what are we using for pieces?"

"Actually, I'm glad you asked!" Mozenrath replied. "Jafar, why don't you show them?"

"Gladly." Jafar tossed a cloud of red smoke into the air; it surrounded all present. When it cleared, Twilight found herself standing next to Aladdin, Jasmine, the Carpet, and Iago on one end of the board, lined up like five backgammon pieces. Across the way, on the opposite point, Mozenrath, Jafar, Nefir, and two imps lined up. Twilight looked down the board to see ten imps and ten sprites arranged on the board; the sprites were set up to be part of the same set as Twilight, Aladdin, Jasmine, the Carpet, and Iago, while the imps were aligned with Mozenrath, Jafar, and Nefir.

"This is your home board," Mozenrath told the others, gesturing to the side on which he stood, "and that side is our home board. The usual rules apply, with a twist. When a piece gets hit…it gets hit HARD. You have a chance to defend yourself and send the other piece to the bar, but it's not likely you'll actually make it."

"We'll take the honor of going first," Jafar said with a smile, tossing a pair of dice in the air. He shot the dice with a blast of red energy from his staff, and they enlarged to the size of crates, landing on optimal numbers for his team. Mozenrath and another imp made their moves.

"Cheating already?" Aladdin asked, looking at the dice.

"The Sultan makes the rules," Mozenrath said with a shrug. "Magically altering the dice isn't cheating."

"Good!" Twilight yelled, zapping the dice to take her turn. They came up with optimum numbers for her as well, and she moved out, as did one of the sprites.

"This is fun!" the sprite squealed.

Mozenrath zapped the dice again, and this time, they came up with an eight and a ten, despite the original dice only being numbered with one through six. After his "pieces" made their moves, Twilight rolled double elevens.

It took a while before the first hit. Aladdin moved onto the point Mozenrath occupied. "Now, what did you mean about hits?" Aladdin asked.

"Apparently that you were too slow to take yours," Mozenrath quipped, striking Aladdin with his gauntleted hand. In a burst of blue, Aladdin skidded all the way to the bridge at the board's center and lay there motionless.

"ALADDIN!" Jasmine cried.

"I'm…fine…" Aladdin grunted, sitting up.

"So if he'd managed to beat up Mozenrath," Twilight thought out loud, "Mozenrath would have gone to the bridge like in the original rules."

The next hit came when Nefir hit Twilight's point. Twilight simply levitated Nefir in a beam of pink energy, gently setting him down on the bridge. Nefir gaped, shocked at his utter inability to counter her magic.

"Playing the pacifist, are we?" Jafar taunted. "A little late for someone who sank to our level by fixing the dice even higher!"

"Don't let him get to you!" Jasmine told Twilight. "It's the only way to win! For the people of Getzistan!"

"Okay…" Twilight muttered, though she now felt quite uneasy. She lifted the dice into the air, dropping them so they would fall randomly. Before they could settle into place, a red aura surrounded them, and they rotated speedily, finally turning up a one and a one. Twilight glared daggers at Jafar, who only laughed.

"It pains me to do this to you," Jafar said as he hit Iago's point.

"Nothing pains you, you lying snake!" Iago spat.

Jafar tried to zap Iago with the red lightning from his staff, but Iago dodged it once, twice, three times. "Go whine about your fake friendships on the bridge!" he yelled, divebombing the staff and attempting to wrench it from Jafar's hands. He'd underestimated his own strength, however; Jafar simply stared as Iago tried to drag the staff away. Eventually, a blast of red sent Iago flying toward the bridge with a scream.

"HEY!" Mozenrath yelled, using his gauntlet to try and claw at the sprite that had levitated him by flying circles around him after hitting his point. "This isn't fair!"

"You're funny!" the sprite replied, dropping Mozenrath off at the bridge.

As soon as Mozenrath left the bridge, within one turn, he'd hit Jasmine's point. "What are you going to do to me, princess?" he taunted.

"This," Jasmine said, socking him in the face. He was sent back to the bridge.

The game continued until the moon was high in the night sky. Half of Twilight's rolls were now given to chance; half, she rigged. Still, it seemed an even match. Soon, both sides were bearing off, having reached their home boards. However, Twilight soon noticed that Mozenrath's team was bearing off much more quickly than her own.

Time passed. Three remained. Twilight was four points away from bearing off, and the Carpet six. Mozenrath was only three points away from bearing off, and he was next to roll.

"Looks like I'm going to win," Mozenrath announced with a smirk. "I must admit, I'm looking forward to watching my great and powerful brother lick the dirt off my floor."

"You haven't won yet," Twilight asserted.

"Oh, haven't I?" Mozenrath launched the dice; they bounced on the board twice.

"NO!" Twilight suddenly yelled, shooting a bolt of pink at the dice. "YOU DON'T GET TO CHEAT THIS TIME!"

Blue and pink energy competed for the dice, merging into purple. The dice spun wildly. Twilight felt the strain of her own magic being pushed against by Mozenrath's, but she held on as long as she could. Finally, neither could bear the pressure any longer, and the aura completely disappeared from the dice as they hit the board.

A one and a one had turned up.

"No!" Mozenrath cried. "NO! HOW?" He turned and pointed at Twilight. "You…you will pay for rigging that…"

"I didn't rig it," Twilight said proudly. "I just stopped you from changing the numbers. I couldn't have fixed the numbers if I wanted to, with all that resistance from you. But I didn't want to. I want to win this with at least one turn that's fair and square."

"It doesn't matter anyway," Mozenrath said. "You won't bear off in one roll. Even if I left it to chance, my next roll is my win."

"Then you won't mind if I double the stakes," Twilight said.

Mozenrath laughed. "Every time I think I have you figured out!"

"I mean it," Twilight said. "If you win, you don't just get me. I'll give you treasures you could only have dreamed about. Did you know that I have a guide that describes almost every world in existence? How about that I have an engine that can take me anywhere I want in space and time?"

"How do I know you're not lying?" Mozenrath asked.

"Because I don't want to lie anymore," Twilight answered.

He could see that she meant it. "Go on."

"But if we win," Twilight continued, "you have to let out all our friends. Take down the walls."

"Why not?" Mozenrath shrugged. "You're only going to play fair anyway. You won't win."

"Twilight, NO!" Aladdin yelled. "He's right! You can't make it!"

"MOZENRATH, YOU FOOL!" Jafar screeched. "She has a plan!"

"No plan," Twilight confirmed. "I'm playing fair. The dice decide. That's why I'm only betting on myself. And if I don't have Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, or Pinkie Pie with me…the Starlight is useless to me anyway." She levitated the dice, bringing them higher and higher into the sky. Then she let them simply drop.

Each die hit the board with a near-deafening BOOM. All eyes but Twilight's focused on them, watching them bounce until finally, they lay still. Twilight squeezed her eyelids shut, not wanting to know.

Then she heard the first sprite: "She won! SHE WON!"

"HUH?" Twilight's eyes flew open. The dice read four and six. The Carpet was already in the process of bearing off. It took Twilight a while to realize what she'd actually done, and only then did she leave the board.

"No!" Mozenrath yelled in disbelief. "NO! IT'S NOT POSSIBLE! NO ONE'S THAT LUCKY!"

"Looks like Getzistan is ours to do whatever we want," Aladdin said with a smirk.

"And you have to let all our friends go," Jasmine added.

"NOOOOOOO!" Mozenrath cried. "It isn't fair!"

"I told you it was a stupid wager!" Jafar grabbed the collar of Mozenrath's robes with both hands and hoisted him upward by that alone, shaking him. "You've cost us the entire kingdom, boy!"

"Just…take us…somewhere else," Mozenrath croaked. "And that's NOT a wish."

"We'll go somewhere even your imbecility couldn't ruin us," Jafar hissed, dropping Mozenrath and conjuring another portal with his staff. He and Mozenrath were soon gone; back at Club Nest Egg, Xerxes vanished as well, though no one was around to see it.

"All RIGHT!" Aladdin yelled. "We did it!"

"I didn't imagine that, right?" Twilight gasped. "I really won, right?"

"Of course you did!" Jasmine reassured her. "Looks like playing fair really did work in your favor."

"MUST we take down the walls without any payment?" Nefir sighed.

"According to the rules," Jasmine insisted.

"And what happens if we don't want to follow the rules?" Nefir challenged, only to find a gaggle of sprites surrounding him and raising him into the air. "NO! NO! PUT ME DOWN!"

"You're funny!" the sprites giggled. "We don't wanna put you down unless you play by the rules!"

"Fine!" Nefir growled. "I'll let them out! Just let me DOWN!"

The sprites relented, and Nefir led his imps toward the city in a huff. Aladdin, Jasmine, the Carpet, Twilight, and Iago turned to follow.

"So…" Twilight asked Iago softly, "were you two really good friends? You and Jafar, I mean."

"Eh, we had our moments," Iago said, "but it was nothing special. I'm better off now. I don't miss one thing about that jerk."

While Twilight knew that Iago preferred his present company, she felt he wasn't being quite honest regarding his feelings toward Jafar. She could tell by the way he flinched: it had been a friendship that had left a mark.

---

"Thank goodness!" Applejack sighed. "I thought we were gonna be trapped in there forever!"

She had been released, along with Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Abu, and the Genie. The entire group now stood before Pasta Al-Dente, and they had informed him that he held control of the throne once more.

"I'll have to redistribute the contents of the treasury right away!" Pasta announced. "We need to keep this economy running! In the meantime, is there anything I can do for you in return for your acts of heroism?"

"Well, we are all pretty tired out," Aladdin admitted.

"And most of us haven't had anything to eat all day!" Rainbow Dash grumbled.

"Well, then!" Pasta agreed. "A feast and bedchambers in the palace for all! Right this way!"

On the way to the palace, Rarity asked, "So did you have any idea of where those two went afterward?"

"Not a clue," Twilight admitted.

"But we will soon enough," Aladdin theorized. "After all, it was easy to figure out the first two times, right?"

"Hey," Pinkie suddenly brought up, "I wonder how everypony back in Agrabah is doing! You think they got enough help yet?"

---

AGRABAH, THE SEVEN DESERTS

"I just fear that the group we're gathering may not be enough," the Sultan admitted to Cassim. "After all, we're overrun with Mirage's magic. Who could possibly join us that has that much knowledge about defeating magical creatures of great power?"

The shape startled them when it lunged through the window, having climbed up via a rope attached to a grappling hook. At first, it was barely visible, enveloped in shadow; the Sultan, Razoul, and Cassim could only make out that it was vaguely humanoid.

"Perhapssssss," it hissed, "I can be of some asssssissssstanccccce."

---

Chapter 8:

· The sprites are more characters from the series. Their quirk is that they like to play all the time and are never serious.

· Getzistan is like the Aladdinverse equivalent of Las Vegas. Now, this was a bit of a difficult one to write around, since technically, Islam forbids gambling. I realize Disney isn't one for historical accuracy, but even in the face of impossible adversity, I will try to world-build realistically. I did realize that in the three episodes that featured Getzistan, Iago is the ONLY one of the Agrabanians that shows any interest at all in gambling, and the others are constantly turning down requests to go with him and help him cheat. So, technically, no one from Agrabah actually gambles. And as for Iago, I see him as more of a…well, as much of an atheist as you can be while knowing that at the very least there exists a goddess of evil. Now, I picked Ashurism, an ancient Mesopotamian religion, for Getzistan because it's the biggest pagan religion from the ancient days of the Middle East, and while it's gone now, it did coexist with early Islam. I'm pretty sure no pagan religions ever banned gambling. I will explain the backgammon exception later on.

· On the topic of religion: since this is a multicrossover universe, I have to concede that all religions are right. All of them. The monotheistic ones AND the polytheistic ones. How does that work? I have no freaking idea. But there are way too many pieces of popular fiction where pagan gods interact with mortals (Percy Jackson, American Gods) and way too many pieces of popular fiction where God interacts with mortals (Chronicles of Narnia is the biggest example) for either to be wrong. The best way I can explain it is that there are gods, and there is God. The Percy Jackson series probably came the closest to what I'm gonna have to do by saying that there are pagan gods all over the place, but there's an even higher level of the divine. (I could go the route of Dante Valentine and say that the monotheistic religions were exposed as wrong, but that feels unfair, and I didn't like those books enough to even get all the way through the first one.) I know that technically means there ISN'T monotheism at all, but…monotheism isn't wrong. It can't be. Because Aslan, that's why.

· And because Getzistan is Vegas, Mozenrath is pretty much dressed like an ancient Persian Elvis. (Sidebar: fandom has decided the Land of the Black Sands is Persia, and I have to agree. His style of dress matches, as does the use of the name "Xerxes".) That outfit doesn't exist in canon – it's there for you to imagine the most ridiculously flamboyant robes possible. And because I have a fashion fetish.

· I decided Genies' wishes aren't permanent contracts based on one canon example and something a little fanon: in an episode of the series, Eden grants a wish for Abis Mal, but tells the heroes they can undo it because he didn't specify "forever." My fanon – in the first movie, I consider Jafar to have lost his claim to Sultanhood after he turned into a Genie himself.

· Nefir is another minor villain from the series, and his game is tricking people into paying him for services they shouldn't need. Imps are also really fast at construction.

· Pasta Al-Dente is, in my opinion, the SECOND worst pun-name in the Aladdinverse. The worst pun-name is yet to show up. And will be mocked.

· It took me a while to pick a store for RD because she isn't really into material things in canon – she prefers intangibles like winning, fame, speed, and athletic ability. I chose to give her a fascination with weapons because, as I've kinda implied already, I want her to be the team swordswoman. I just think it really fits – and yes, this is partially based on fanart I've seen of her wielding Buster Swords.

· I originally hadn't even planned on touching on Iago and Jafar's relationship, but I realized that in a story that's so much about friendships, I couldn't leave it out. In the first movie, they're legitimately best friends. This can't be denied. It was actually a weird move on the part of the writers to split Iago from him and have him join the heroes, even though I like it. I can't see Iago's view of Jafar as anything but a scar that's still healing now. Jafar, of course, is damn near heartless. Also, his reference to Abis Mal was from the second movie, where Abis Mal ended up with his lamp and essentially was his replacement sidekick.

· To me, Mozenrath is a Mithraist/Zoroastrian, but in reverse. It was the prevalent religion in Persia, and involves the conflict of pure good, Mithras, versus pure evil, Ahriman. True Mithraists/Zoroastrians are on the side of Mithras, but I could sooooooo see Mozenrath being all Team Ahriman. My view is that he was raised in an Islamic household and switched to Mithraism/Zoroastrianism after spending time in the Land of the Black Sands/Persia and getting closer to his roots on that side. (Aaliyah may or may not have been a Mithraist/Zoroastrian.) And this is ALL my fanon.

· The backgammon exception: since it's Getzistan, which is Vegas, I knew I wanted the central conflict to be over a game. And giant board games with human pieces are COOL. I searched explicitly for board games that are played in the Middle East, and backgammon is THE GAME that was invented in the Arabic nations. While Islam has technically prohibited it, a lot of Muslims in the Arabic nations play it anyway. Also, there is a clause in Islam saying you can wager on archery contests or races as long as you are a participant and not a spectator. I figure that while purists wouldn't allow it, people who play backgammon anyway would find it OK to make a wager if they were literally participants in the game, especially if said wager is over the well-being of an entire kingdom. Oh, and yes, I had NO IDEA how to play backgammon before I started writing this fic.

· Why didn't Mozenrath and Jafar fight for the throne after losing it, and instead actually stick to the rules? Because a magically binding blah blah blah I needed the heroes to win, okay?

· The hissing character in the last paragraph is, again, someone fans of the series will recognize right away, and for those unfamiliar…I'm keeping it under wraps for the sake of suspense.

1. Earthshaken

GETZISTAN, THE SEVEN DESERTS

"Five more minutes…"

"Come ON, Rainbow Dash!" Twilight shook her friend's shoulder quite hard. "You can't sleep in today! We have to go reclaim another throne in the Seven Deserts!"

"Can't we do that tomorrow?" Rainbow Dash rolled over.

"Noooooo," Twilight groaned. "Are you really telling me you don't want to go on another adventure? Fight more villains?"

"All right, I'm up," Rainbow Dash groaned, sliding slowly out of bed. "Were there even any signs overnight of where your boyfriend went?"

"Not my boyfriend. And no."

"Then why are you getting me up so early?"

"So we can LOOK for signs!"

"All right, all right…" Rainbow Dash yawned.

---

SOMEWHERE IN THE SEVEN DESERTS

The Carpet and the Genie-jet sailed over the golden sands without direction until the rift happened.

The ground split in a wide crack; a creature, a giant man made of dripping mud, clambered out quickly.

"No!" another man yelled, grabbing the first by the back of the neck. "You'll dry out!"

True to the warning, the first man's arm hardened in the sun and cracked into millions of sandy pieces. He hurried back underground, and the two disappeared from sight.

"The Al-Muddy?" the Genie said confusedly, looking down at the crevasse in the sand.

"The who?" Twilight asked.

"Giants made of mud," Aladdin explained. "They live underground and lure humans down to eat them."

"I think that was our sign," Rainbow Dash stated.

"They were running away," Jasmine agreed. "And if there's something that could make the Al-Muddy run in fear…"

"It's Jafar and Mozenrath," Aladdin finished.

"As far as I'm concerned, we can let them have this one," said Iago. "It's about time the Al-Muddy knew what it was like for someone to torment THEM."

"Iago!" Fluttershy scolded. "That isn't right! If they're in trouble, we have to help them!"

"But they'll try to eat us," Aladdin reminded Fluttershy.

"I don't care," Fluttershy said, crossing her arms. "We can't let anypony down when they're in danger. It wouldn't be kind."

"KIND?" Iago screeched. "THEY EAT PEOPLE! YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT KIND?"

"We ate baby sheep," Applejack pointed out. "Ain't it the same principle?"

"No," Twilight sighed. "Do I have to go over it again? There are talking animals, animals with a lowercase A if you want to get specific…"

"What Applejack is trying to say, I think," Rarity clarified, "is that they can't help having a different diet. They're just as much sentient beings as you or me."

"You're…right," Jasmine realized.

"We're just gonna have to figure out a way to talk things out with them without being eaten first!" Applejack finished.

"Then let's go underground," Aladdin resolved. Down dove the Carpet and the Genie-jet, all the way down to the dark caverns below.

---

THE CAVERNS, THE SEVEN DESERTS

The group now moved on foot down the rocky passageways.

"These caves are huge," Twilight noted. "But then again, so were the Al-Muddy we saw."

"I'm just waiting for them to show up and eat us," Iago moaned worriedly.

"Relax," Rainbow Dash reassured. "Nopony's gonna just try and grab us without giving us a chance to – "

At that moment, up from the ground rose three of the men made of mud. All three glared at the group hungrily, and the one standing in the middle growled.

"Hi," Twilight said. "I'm Twilight Sparkle, and my friends and I are here to help you – "

"Look," the man on the right said. "A full-course meal!"

"This should make up for not being able to get at the ones in our palace," the one on the left said.

"I'm starving!" the one in the center moaned. "Let's get them!"

"Wait!" Fluttershy said hurriedly. "Can't we talk?"

The man in the center rushed forward to pick Fluttershy up in one great moist fist. "We don't talk to our food," he informed her. "Didn't your mom ever tell you not to play with your food?"

Fluttershy squealed in fear.

"FLUTTERSHY!" Rainbow Dash drew her swords protectively.

"That won't have any effect on them!" Jasmine warned Rainbow Dash.

Fluttershy swallowed hard before looking her Al-Muddy captor directly in the eyes. "Just because you're bigger doesn't give you the right to be so mean," she said coldly. "Put me down…NOW." She stared him down without wavering. He let go, and Fluttershy turned and ran as fast as she could in the opposite direction.

"Let's go!" Aladdin called out, waving the others on as they followed Fluttershy.

"How could you have let her go?" the man on the right chided. "She was right there!"

"She stared at me," the man in the center defended. "I didn't like it…it was scary…"

---

Down several twists and turns, the group finally stopped in a dark side tunnel. "Are we safe here?" Pinkie asked.

"This tunnel doesn't look like anyone uses it on a regular basis," Jasmine observed.

"Well, we tried!" Iago squeaked. "We failed! Let's go!"

"No," Fluttershy insisted. "Not now!"

"We don't even know if the psycho-sultans are here!" Iago tried to argue.

"But we do," Twilight realized. "They said that they couldn't get to humans in their palace. Only one human could have turned up in the palace of beings that eat humans without being caught…and he'd have brought with him a djinni that looks human and a flying eel thing."

"Well?" Rarity threw up her hands in frustration. "How do you propose we get to them without being eaten?"

"We have to forge an alliance with the Al-Muddy somehow," Twilight muttered.

"Somehow, I don't think they'll listen," said the Genie. "After all…you did have the same plan with Saleen…"

"I know, okay?" Twilight snapped. "But she was one nasty mermaid. Not all the Al-Muddy are unreasonable."

"They just see us as snacks," Applejack reiterated. "We gotta let them know that if they don't eat us, we could help 'em out!"

"I'm trying to think of what a cupcake could do to me so I wouldn't eat it," Pinkie thought out loud.

"Great," Iago sighed. "We're in the hands of this genius."

"Let her finish," Aladdin chided.

"Hmmm…" Pinkie considered it. "I wouldn't eat a cupcake that was vinegar-flavored. That would be gross!"

"So if we taste disgusting," Aladdin realized, "no one would want to eat us!"

"What's disgusting to one of the Al-Muddy?" Jasmine wondered.

"Ever seen any of them eat an apple?" Applejack tried.

"Of course not!" the Genie scoffed. "EVERYONE knows that the Al-Muddy don't use plants except in seasoning! They can't stand the taste of fruit!"

"So you make us all taste and smell like apples," Applejack suggested. "Make us like walkin' apple trees. Then Fluttershy can finally get her wish."

"The young lady wants to be a tree?" the Genie asked with a wink. "Shall I make it literal?"

"Oh, not today," Fluttershy turned down. "Just making us smell and taste like apples will be fine."

"All right," the Genie said, throwing a great cloud of smoke over everyone. The sweet smell of apple juice soon filled the air. "Voilà! But don't ask for the recipe…I have to keep some things a secret!"

"Hey, everypony!" Pinkie cried. "Now I'm…APPLE PIE! Ooh, let's try it with your names too! Appleshy, Apple Dash, Twilight Apple, Applety, and…awww, it doesn't work with Applejack…"

---

"Figures that when we actually wanna get caught," Rainbow Dash sighed, "nopony actually comes out to get us." She walked along with the others down the same main tunnel as before.

"Give it time," Aladdin replied. "They'll notice us eventually…they always do."

One of the Al-Muddy, larger than before, loomed up in front of the group. Another appeared behind. "Well, look what walked right in!" the first said.

"Ewww!" the second cried, and it was only her voice that let everyone know she was female. "Don't you smell that? They smell like fruit! They're probably all sour!"

"Unfortunately," Aladdin said with a mock sigh. "It's our curse. To forever be sour and inedible."

Pinkie licked her own wrist for emphasis. "Ewwwwww!" she cried dramatically. "I taste so terrible!"

"This just isn't my day," the male of the Al-Muddy groaned. "First we get kicked out of the main village by humans that smelled ESPECIALLY delicious, and now we catch a bunch of them that aren't even any good to eat!"

"The ones that kicked you out," Jasmine inquired, "were they a young man dressed in blue and a taller man in red?"

"Friends of yours?" the female asked.

"Not exactly," Twilight replied.

"Delicious?" the male asked.

"Very," Iago said before Rainbow Dash lightly pushed him in chastisement. "What? It's not like they're on our team!"

"We've kinda been chasin' those two around the world and fightin' 'em," Applejack explained.

"They've been taking over all the humans' kingdoms too," Fluttershy asserted. "We've tried to help everypony get their kingdoms back. Including you."

"How do we know we can trust you?" the female asked. "Maybe you're planning to get into our resistance so we can take you to them and you can hide in the palace too!"

"Why would they do that?" the male chided. "They aren't even edible! They don't need to hide! And you don't just go telling people willy-nilly about the resistance!"

"Resistance?" Aladdin, Twilight, Jasmine, and Applejack said at once.

"See?" the male threw out his hands in frustration. "Now they know, and they probably want in on it!"

"We definitely want in on it," Rarity insisted. "They're our enemies as much as yours."

"Should we at least take them to Shale?" the female asked her companion. "Then he can decide what to do with them!"

"All right," the male sighed. "Let Shale make the decision!"

"Pardon me," Fluttershy said, "but what are your names?"

"I'm Feldspar," the male said, "and that's Andalusite."

"You probably haven't traveled through the ground before," Andalusite said, "have you?"

"I thought that's what we were doing," Pinkie admitted.

"No, no, no," Feldspar sighed. "Like this…"

He and Andalusite spread out their bodies, enveloping the group in mud before dragging them down into the ground.

---

Feldspar and Andalusite resurfaced far underground, and Aladdin, Jasmine, Twilight, Applejack, Fluttershy, Abu, Iago, the Carpet, Rarity, the Genie, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie breached the surface of the soil.

"That was positively awful!" Rarity moaned. "Look at this! My clothes are completely filthy! And my…my…" She realized where she stood and swallowed her words.

The group stood in the center of a large cavern packed with Al-Muddy. There had to be roughly a hundred of them staring down from varying heights from twenty to seventy feet.

Rainbow Dash drew her swords again, but Twilight pressed both her wrists down, muttering, "Not now, Rainbow Dash…"

"Why did you bring them here, Feldspar?" one of the Al-Muddy groaned loudly. "They smell disgusting! Are those even edible?"

"They are not," Andalusite confirmed, "but they wanted to know about our resistance. It seems they know the humans that kicked us out. We thought Shale would know what to do with them."

The tallest of all the Al-Muddy worked his way to the front of the crowd, immediately identifiable as Shale. "What did you want me to do?"

"Let us help you take your throne back," Aladdin announced.

"I know you," Shale said. "You're Aladdin, are you not? You killed my father."

"He was trying to kill me!" Aladdin defended.

"Now, now," Twilight said, "I'm sure we can resolve this difference if we just talk about it. Obviously, Aladdin was intimidated by your father's desire to eat him, and – "

"I know," Shale said. "I also know this smell of apples is some sort of trick. However, at the moment, I care not. You know the pair that overtook our throne?"

"Unfortunately," the Genie confirmed.

"One of them's my personal archnemesis," Twilight added. "Just so you know."

"They ordered us out of the kingdom and turned our own mastery of the earth against us," said Shale. "The younger one has powers that I once had as ruler of the Al-Muddy and controller of the earth. We have tried time after time to remove them since their appearance this morning, but they thwart us constantly. As much as I wish we could recover our own throne, it seems we need a different tactic. An advantage, perhaps, in knowledge of our enemies' weaknesses. I am willing to forgo our past differences if we can come together on this point."

"But Shale!" one of the others of the Al-Muddy protested. "They're all humans! Well, and a bird and a monkey and something blue that looks like a human. Plus what looks like a walking dinner napkin. Are you sure – "

"I am sure that they can communicate with us," Shale retorted. "They are just as much sentient beings as you or me. It would be more to our advantage to enlist their help than to eat them. Perhaps after we reclaim the throne, we can consider it. Besides…the one who killed my father is strong and clever. That, we will need."

"So…you're not mad?" Twilight asked. "About…your father and all?"

"I'm incredibly displeased," Shale admitted. "But in the cycle of predator and prey, it often happens that one must live and one must die. For just this once, I will overlook what has happened. As I said, however, once we reclaim the throne…"

"How did Mozenrath and Jafar manage to force you all out of the main village?" Jasmine asked.

"We will show you," Shale said. Without any more warning than that, he melted into the ground. The other Al-Muddy did the same, and Feldspar and Andalusite washed over the small group of heroes, dragging them down on another journey through the mud.

---

They resurfaced at a cavern entrance that overlooked a vast underground chamber. Visible in this chamber was the great palace of the Al-Muddy, a monstrous structure with glowing crystals set in the walls and rocky spires that twisted up toward the impossibly high ceiling of the chamber. Dotted around the palace were small stone houses, accessorized by glowing crystals that had naturally formed in the spaces between them.

"How…how can anything this huge even EXIST?" Twilight gasped.

"Oh, now look at this!" Rarity griped. "These stains will NEVER come out!"

"The intruders have control of this entire cavern," Shale explained, "and over the earth element I once controlled."

"Explain controllin' the earth element," Applejack told Shale.

"We Al-Muddy have a mastery over the earth, so long as we remain underground," Shale said. "The king in particular has the greatest power. We use it to build oases on the surface world to lure in foolish mortals to eat, but more importantly, to construct our civilization here."

"You b-build oases that are traps?" Fluttershy squeaked.

"Yeah," Aladdin confirmed, "and we fell into one of them once."

"Using his new mastery over the earth," Shale explained, "the usurper has set up a defense to make sure none enter the cavern. We know not what else he plans to do with his newfound power."

"We saw a couple of you trying to climb to the surface," Pinkie remembered. "Were they on the run from him?"

"The third wave of defense in the lineup was a pocket of magma that the usurper had managed to unearth before the palace," Shale explained. "Some of our resistance made it past the first two lines, and he chased them quite far with the magma. Had it reached them, he could have solidified them permanently and then broken them down. The surface must have seemed like a viable way of escape. However, once Feldspar came to his senses…"

"That was you?" Fluttershy asked Feldspar.

"My brother Chalcedony stopped me from going to the surface and found us an alternate route of escape," Feldspar admitted.

"But we saw you lose your arm!" Jasmine recalled.

"I made a new one," Feldspar said with a shrug. "Still getting used to it."

"So what are these lines of defense?" Rainbow Dash asked. "I bet I can pass 'em! Lava's no big deal!"

"It's only called 'lava' when it's aboveground," Twilight corrected. "Underground, it's mag – "

"Same difference, the hot glowy stuff!" Rainbow Dash groaned.

"The magma pocket was run dry," Shale informed, "but the other two lines of defense are still in place. Where do you think you're going?"

Rainbow Dash had spread her wings. "To check it out."

"You'll learn about the defenses the hard way."

"Don't care!"

Rainbow Dash lifted off, speeding out into the wide expanse of the cave before her.

---

The seat of the actual throne of the Al-Muddy was comparable to the size of a living room. That was why, instead of sitting on it proper, Mozenrath had turned the throne into a workspace, spreading out several sheets of parchment on it and crawling through the papery labyrinth on his hands and knees, sketching diagrams furiously with a quill pen.

"…and we would raise the levels here, turn this into a floodplain and fill it with water, start a series of earthquakes along this fault line…and before you know it, Getzistan is crumbling to pieces, Quirkistan is swimming, and Agrabah is tilted almost completely on its side. If that doesn't win me respect, I don't know what will."

"I had my doubts," Jafar admitted, standing over the mass of parchment, "but your ideas about how to use the earth powers of the Al-Muddy to your advantage are admittedly brilliant."

"They're still in the planning stage," Mozenrath replied, not looking up to give Jafar the benefit of seeing his smile, "but once I have everything balanced out…it's going to be my masterpiece. You'll regret ever having doubted me."

"Intruders!" Xerxes barked, sailing over the throne.

"Must they always interrupt me when I'm working?" Mozenrath sighed. He set down the quill pen and stood, closing his eyes and remaining perfectly still. In a sudden movement, he raised both hands and flicked his wrists outward; a shockwave radiated through the palace.

"Now go tell me if I need to activate the second wave," Mozenrath ordered, and Xerxes flew back to his observational post.

---

"Some defense," Rainbow Dash muttered. "I'm flying right out in the open and nothing's even – "

From the ground, a wave of mud bubbled upward, one far less sentient than the people who had lived in the now-empty houses. It shot up to the ceiling of the cavern, then arced downward like a tidal wave.

"WHA – " Rainbow Dash cried just before the wave of mud hit her. She was propelled all the way back to the edge of the cavern along with several tons of dirt. Once she hit the wall of the great cavern, the mud abated, and Rainbow Dash saw blearily that it had been a circular wave that had risen throughout the whole cavern so that no matter which way she'd come from, she would have been hit. She weakly winged her way back to the tunnel where the others watched.

"Okay," she admitted, "he has good defenses up."

"The wave has pushed back all but the strongest of us," Shale admitted. "His second wave of defense taps into the water resources we use to form the oases. Any closer to the cavern than the origin point of that wave of mud, and the lower half of the cavern fills with water…which dissolves most of us."

"Rarity!" Rainbow Dash suddenly barked. "Do you HAVE to do that now?"

Rarity had been wiping the mud from the wave off Rainbow Dash's face. "You're positively filthy!" she argued.

"So you can't cross the water," Aladdin thought out loud, "but the rest of us…we can. And the lava's run out, right?"

"Magma!" Twilight corrected.

"If we could just find a way to get through that first wave…" Aladdin trailed off.

"A little mud should be no problem for a Genie!" the Genie bragged.

"Hmm…" Rainbow Dash looked up to the high ceiling of the cavern, then down to the faraway floor. "There's an aw-ful lot of space here." She smirked. "Space to pull off another Sonic Rainboom! Hey Genie…you thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?"

"That hot cocoa would be really delicious right now?" the Genie guessed.

"That's what I'M thinking!" Pinkie announced proudly.

"Actually," Rainbow Dash explained, "I was thinking that if you did some of your magic at the same time that I caused a huge pressure blast with a Sonic Rainboom, we could tear a big hole in that wave and get everypony over to the palace!"

"Where you do what?" Iago challenged.

"Try the Elements of Harmony again?" Pinkie suggested.

"If I can get through the mud after blasting it," Rainbow Dash said doubtfully.

"I just have one question." Twilight turned to Shale. "Does the mud do that on its own if you tell it to, or do you have to actively set it off each time?"

"It isn't automatic," Shale informed her. "The usurper would have to know whenever an intruder has arrived and set off the defenses at the right moment."

"So if we could somehow distract Mozenrath from the defenses long enough," Rarity realized, "then you could come back in and take your own throne!"

"Which shouldn't be hard to do," Rainbow Dash said with a meaningful glance at Twilight.

"What?" Twilight snapped. "What are you looking at me like that for?"

"You know why. You're the expert at distracting lover boy."

"He's my archnemesis," Twilight reminded Rainbow Dash. "Of course I'm going to be good at distracting him!"

"Technically," the Genie thought out loud, "isn't he Al's archnemesis?"

"Hey," Aladdin said with a shrug, "I'm always up for sharing."

Rainbow Dash turned to the Genie. "You ready to clean up?"

A vacuum cleaner materialized in the Genie's hands. "Genie magic is proven to clear away 90% more dirt than the leading brand!"

"Then let's go!" Rainbow Dash and the Genie took off flying. In the meantime, Twilight, Aladdin, Rarity, Jasmine, Applejack, the Carpet, Iago, Fluttershy, Abu, and Pinkie Pie began the climb down the cavern entrance, from which there was a slope to the bottom of the great cavern.

Rainbow Dash began with a climb toward the stalactites of the ceiling. Once at the very upper limits, she turned to look down and waited. The Genie was positioned much lower on the ground with the vacuum.

The group of heroes made their way on foot through the village of the Al-Muddy. "Any time now…" Twilight muttered impatiently.

The ground before them bubbled. The wave of mud began to rise, stretching up toward the ceiling. Seeing his cue, the Genie turned on the vacuum, sucking the wave of mud into it and creating a gap. Up at the ceiling of stalactites, Rainbow Dash turned to make her quick descent. Used to the process now, she more fluidly escalated her speed until another Sonic Rainboom was produced, blowing the gap in the wave of mud even wider. Her friends on the ground, save the Genie, proceeded through this gap at a run.

"YEAH!" Rainbow Dash cried just before pulling out of her dive to find herself faced with a towering wave of mud. Once again, she was hit and thrown back toward the wall, this time with the Genie alongside her.

"It isn't any less uncomfortable the second time," Rainbow Dash sighed when the wave of mud went down.

Meanwhile, the others moved on toward the palace. Now geysers of water were gushing upward from the ground, and the cavern that had seemed impossibly huge began to fill with water. The trek through the town was accompanied by the water level rising higher and higher; while at first the group had to wade, they were soon paddling through the water.

At last they reached the palace, the water levels at the height of one of the upper windows. Twilight and Aladdin took the lead, and the others followed them inside.

---

"Intruders past second wave!" Xerxes reported.

"AGAIN?" Mozenrath replied angrily. "They should have been melted! How did they do it? Did they build another boat to float across like those last two?"

"Not Al-Muddy," Xerxes said.

"What did you just say?" Mozenrath replied.

"Aladdin, Princess, monkey, parrot, flying rug, and five Elements!" Xerxes reported.

Immediately, a beam of blue caught the eel and dragged him down to Mozenrath's eye level. Mozenrath then released Xerxes from the beam and clutched him by the neck, shaking him roughly. "AND WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THIS EARLIER?"

"Mozenrath never asked?" Xerxes squeaked.

Mozenrath cast the eel to the ground. "It doesn't matter," he muttered. "We'll just have to thwart them by covering the bases where previously we failed. After all, they don't have all six of the Elements."

"So long as you don't challenge them to another game," Jafar said casually, "defeating them should be easy."

"I'd think twice about that if I were you."

Mozenrath, Jafar, and Xerxes' attention was drawn to one of the great arm rests of the throne, where Twilight stood and looked down upon them.

"Too perfect!" Mozenrath cried. "I was hoping you weren't the one left behind. You're far too interesting, after all. Beating you will be all the more fun."

"Leave her to me," Jafar insisted, raising his staff.

Twilight pointed down at Jafar suddenly with both hands. Jafar prepared to block a spell, but then he realized she wasn't launching one. He figured out far too late that what she'd done was release the levitation spell she'd had on a great glass jar that had been hanging in the air over him. The jar, lifted from the Al-Muddy palace kitchen and large enough to hold three people, plummeted down and landed atop Jafar, where he found himself unable to break the glass with any amount of magical energy.

"It's a well-known fact that the powers of djinni are weakened when they're encased in unnaturally forged containers," Twilight said victoriously, crossing her arms.

"Very clever." Mozenrath slowly clapped, applauding her knowledge. "Coatls, genies…is there anything you can't beat? Well, besides me."

"I beat you twice!" Twilight pointed out.

"This time is different," Mozenrath argued coolly. "There's no talisman that bears the ownership of the throne that you can take from me…and I know better than to challenge you to another contest. Far better. You'd actually give me a run for my denarii! And that's not something I can say of most people. Usually, I reserve it for Aladdin and the Princess. Speaking of which, I know they came here with you. Are you all going to give up and show yourselves, or do I have to call olly-olly-oxen-free?"

One by one, Jasmine, Fluttershy and Abu, Pinkie Pie, Iago, Aladdin, Rarity, Applejack, and the Carpet clambered over the edge of the arm rest from the other side, joining Twilight atop it. "Are you really going to take on all of us at once?" Aladdin asked tauntingly.

"Gladly," Mozenrath said, telekinetically swiping all his paperwork off the throne and clearing a space.

His opponents charged all at once. Aladdin sprang first, having worked out with the others beforehand that he would get the first shot, and tackled Mozenrath, pinning him to the ground until the sorcerer deftly kicked him away. Mozenrath quickly struggled to his feet only for Applejack to grab his right wrist and twist it behind his back, pinning down his gauntleted hand; she would have been able to keep her hold if Xerxes hadn't bitten her on the shoulder, causing her to scream and let go. Mozenrath then faced Applejack and fired three quick blasts of magic at her, which she deftly outstepped. Jasmine darted in from the side, taking hold of Mozenrath's right elbow and trying to peel the gauntlet away from him; the two of them struggled for a while before a zap of blue energy sent Jasmine reeling away with a shock.

Now Mozenrath turned to face Pinkie Pie, who grinned widely at him. "And what are you going to do to me?" he asked condescendingly.

"Say hello…to my PARTY CANNON!" Pinkie cried, swishing the fabric of her skirt. The cannon stood beside her, as tall as her waist.

"How did she even get that thing in here?" Iago asked in disbelief.

"Nopony really knows that," Fluttershy admitted.

Pinkie punched a button on the cannon, and it fired a blast of confetti, streamers, and glitter that sent Mozenrath reeling and disoriented him.

"STOP PLAYING AROUND, BOY!" Jafar screamed from his glass prison.

"I'm…not…PLAYING!" Mozenrath yelled in retaliation, regaining his balance and raising his right hand, blue energy crackling around it.

A small hand seized his wrist. "Don't you dare," Fluttershy said, staring up into Mozenrath's eyes. "Don't you dare shoot that at any…of my…FRIENDS!"

"Or you'll what?" Mozenrath asked tauntingly. His question was answered when Fluttershy's knee connected with his face. Reeling, he hit the ground once more.

"I'm sorry," Fluttershy said, backing off. "That looked like it hurt…I'm just going to go stay in the corner now."

Before Mozenrath could get on his feet properly again, he was swept into the air; Aladdin and Jasmine, riding the Carpet, had grasped onto the edge of his cape and were now dragging him along on the flight. "We know you're not playing," Aladdin said with a wink. "You're just not that strong."

"Put me DOWN!" Mozenrath cried, partially out of anger and partially out of fear; once the Carpet left the area above the throne, it was quite a long way down to the floor.

"Hmm," Rarity pondered, watching the scene while holding Xerxes back. "This is really making me think that capes aren't all that practical in battle situations…"

After dragging Mozenrath through the air for a fair amount of time, Aladdin and Jasmine dropped him back onto the throne; he hit the stone and rolled before standing once more.

"Release me!" Jafar commanded. "Don't be foolish anymore!"

Finally realizing he couldn't possibly take the onslaught on his own anymore, Mozenrath turned to the jar and prepared to shatter it with a blast of blue. He gathered the energy, shot it forward…

Twilight skidded in between him and the jar, firing a blast of pink that met the blue, and the two rays of magic met in the middle, causing an ongoing collision of deep purple. "Now, where have I seen this before?" Mozenrath asked sarcastically.

"Just give up!" Twilight replied. "No matter how many times you try and take over another kingdom, we're going to take it right back away from you! And fighting us all the time can't really be that pleasant, can it? We don't like having to fight you all the time."

"You're saying you don't know the thrill of victory when you send the one you hate to the fate they deserve?" Mozenrath asked, half serious.

"No," Twilight said honestly. "I fight to help people, not to hurt people! I don't even want to hurt you. And given what we've been through, that's saying something."

"It speaks to how sentimental you are."

"I'm going to take that as a compliment."

"In other circumstances, you could have been a powerful sorceress," Mozenrath informed Twilight. "You might have even had a shot at what I won."

"I don't want power," Twilight insisted. "I want friendship…I want knowledge…but I don't need to rule over anything!" She felt her hold on the pink beam begin to falter again.

"And that's what makes you so interesting," Mozenrath admitted. "Foolish…but fascinating. Of course, it shows that you haven't tried to gather power. You're not nearly as strong as me, after all. You're about to break right about…"

She slipped; the pink beam broke. She ducked so that the blue wouldn't hit her; the glass jar shattered.

"It's about time!" Jafar hissed, storming forward to take on the many opponents.

"I'd say so," Aladdin said as he stepped off the Carpet onto the plateau of the throne. "Just enough time for…"

The floor shook. The members of the Al-Muddy resistance rose up in a great wave, staring down at the throne and growling at the usurpers.

"YOU FOOL!" Jafar snarled at Mozenrath. "How could you have let down your defenses?"

"It's not like you were reminding me!" Mozenrath countered. "Xerxes, watching for intruders was YOUR job!"

Xerxes couldn't answer, as Rarity was spinning him round and round by the tail while humming the Levan Polka. Eventually she let him go, and he soared through the air in a graceful arc.

"We've come to reclaim what is ours," Shale announced. "As the rightful king of the Al-Muddy…I suppose it's my right to have the tastiest morsel."

"NO!" Mozenrath cried as Shale swept him up in one giant fist; he struggled, but Shale's grip was unbreakable.

"You're scrawnier than the fare I'm used to," Shale told him, "but I'm sure you'll taste the same."

Shale's fist exploded in a great blast of magic; Mozenrath dropped to the throne below. In a burst of red, Jafar transported himself, the young sorcerer, and the flying eel quickly away before the other Al-Muddy could attempt to make a meal of them again.

"Now that we've set things right," Shale said, "the natural cycle can take its course. Unfortunately, that means you are all on the menu as well."

"But we JUST helped you out!" Twilight protested.

"It's only the natural food chain," Fluttershy said softly.

"But…but…we taste all apple-y!" Applejack argued.

"The scent is likely a trick," Shale replied. "I let it go because we needed to work together."

"Now, let's not be hasty…" Aladdin said tentatively, backing away.

At that moment, the Genie, again in the form of the jet, sailed through the window, Rainbow Dash seated in her usual spot. "Come on!" she yelled, understanding the situation. Pinkie, Fluttershy and Abu, Rarity, Iago, and Applejack immediately climbed aboard while Aladdin, Jasmine, and Twilight boarded the Carpet, and both crafts lifted off, speeding away from the Al-Muddy, out of their palace, out of the cavern, and eventually up to the great expanse of desert above ground.

---

SOMEWHERE IN THE BORDERLANDS OF THE SEVEN DESERTS

"I don't need to hear it," Mozenrath sulked, crossing his arms as he sat on the stone throne of the next kingdom. "I should have let you take control earlier. Rest assured…I won't make that mistake again." It nearly killed him to say, but he knew that had he released Jafar earlier, he would have come from the last battle victorious.

"Finally," Jafar sighed, "some sense. I see great potential in you, boy. Your plans to reshape the desert only proved it. I would hate to see that go to waste."

"So you'll work with me," Mozenrath restated, and this time he couldn't hide his expression in time; Jafar caught his quick but earnest grin.

"Yes," Jafar relented, "but you must realize that here, you are the inferior. I am the one with the phenomenal cosmic powers and the knowledge that comes with experience…not you."

"But you still have a soft spot for me, old man," Mozenrath teased, feeling it was safe to point out what he thought was obvious. "Or you wouldn't have saved my life from that Al-Muddy rebel."

"I haven't the faintest what you're talking about," Jafar replied in confusion.

"Don't act like you don't know!" Mozenrath snapped. "It was just before you brought us here!"

"While I don't want to waste what potential you have while living," Jafar asserted, "it would have made no difference to me had you been…" He smirked proudly. "What now, are you crying?"

"NO!" Mozenrath screamed – he hadn't been aware that the unvoluntary tears had been visible. What a silly thing to cry over, he thought, not quite understanding why that had been his initial reaction and determined to stop it from happening. "I just want to know one thing. If you didn't do that…then who did?"

---

SOMEWHERE IN THE SEVEN DESERTS

"When I said I didn't want to hurt him," Twilight said softly, "I meant it. I don't want to really hurt anyone. I don't want to see anyone die. And Shale's hand was going to grow back anyway, just like Feldspar's arm. That's why I did it, okay?" She wrung her hands, looking down at them. "That's the only reason…why I saved him. And Rainbow Dash, if you're going to make any more jokes about him being my boyfriend, you can just…NOT SAY ANYTHING!"

"I wasn't going to," Rainbow Dash replied somberly. "I get it, Twilight. I wouldn't have wanted to see anybody get eaten either. I'm…kinda glad you did it."

"No one judges you for it," Jasmine reassured Twilight, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"LIES!" Iago barked. "BLATANT LIES! It's like Al and Shale's dad. It's a jackal-eat-jackal world out there, and it's gonna come down to either us or them. Why are you giving THEM the fighting chance so that they can eventually destroy US?"

"Because we don't work like that," Rarity countered.

"If no one can die," Twilight muttered, "if no one has to…"

"If I had powers like yours," Aladdin admitted to Twilight, "I would have done the same thing."

"Really?" Twilight met his eyes.

"Really. I even did try to save him once before. He…kinda took advantage of it to try and kill me, but I wouldn't have done any differently. Looking back on it, maybe, deep down…part of me knew. Who he was." Aladdin shrugged. "Anyway, it hardly seems right if some disaster isn't impending over Agrabah. He's one of those disasters I've just come to expect."

"Nobody thinks you did anything wrong, Twi!" the Genie added.

"And if I've been too hard on you with all the teasing," Rainbow Dash said, "I didn't mean to make you unhappy. I'll stop, okay? You don't have a crush on the bad guy. You just saved him from being eaten 'cause you're a hero!"

"Thanks, everyone," Twilight said. Still she stared out to the horizon. Everypony else, she thought, was convinced that she had blasted Shale's hand and stopped him from eating Mozenrath out of her general respect for others, out of her general hatred of harming others. Everypony else was convinced that she really didn't have any strange feelings, special ties toward him. The only one not convinced was Twilight herself.

---

Chapter 9:

· And invariably I dig myself into the moral dilemma hole by using the Al-Muddy. As previously stated in my tirade about Changelings, I hate the whole "evil race" concept. The Al-Muddy have generally been monsters in the Aladdin canon because their natural diet is human beings. However, they – or at least one of them – have human sentience and the ability to speak to humans/other sentient beings. Also, I couldn't really justify their human-eating the way I could justify the Changelings' love-eating this time, since there's really just no way around that. So I tried my best to write it as…debatable. The point was just to get the Al-Muddy and a group from aboveground to work together just the once in the spirit of friendship and doing the right thing.

· Why did I pick the Al-Muddy in the first place, since they're only in about two episodes proper? Because in "The Citadel", Mozenrath's intro episode, he offhandedly lists it as one of the kingdoms he wants to conquer. NOT having him do so if he had the chance would just have felt like an oversight. (Slight spoiler in that when it comes to where else is on my list…)

· Fluttershy's scary stare is canon. She's stared down a dragon and a cockatrice, and both were so freaked out by her scary stare that they stopped attacking her friends. It's totally canon that she's the Beware the Nice One.

· The thing about Al-Muddy hating fruit? Made it up. I just figured that creatures of the earth with a taste for meat…well, I don't know what that kind of being would find disgusting, actually. Might as well be apples.

· As far as I know, the one Al-Muddy that spoke didn't have a canon name. I had to give the ones here names, of course. Meet my OCs who I promise are only here because OCs were needed to fill in the space: Feldspar, Andalusite, Chalcedony (referenced only), and Shale. I figured rock-themed names were probably the most accurate.

· Since the one Al-Muddy who spoke lived in the giant castle, I assume he was the king. He was killed at the end of his ep by going up to the surface and drying out in the sun.

· There actually aren't houses in the cavern. I made that up. It just makes more SENSE if there are. I mean, where do they live if not in houses near the castle? Maybe creatures of mud just kinda live in puddles. But in that case, why the castle with the incredibly well-stocked kitchen? My fic, my rules, I put houses there.

· It's never clear exactly how much control over the earth the Al-Muddy have…I took some liberties. In his monologue, Mozenrath obviously thought their kingdom more magically valuable than Agrabah. And the oasis trap is canon.

· Also canon that genies, even free ones, can't get back out on their own if you put them in a jar/bottle/etc.

· Writing the battle scene was difficult but fun. The Mane Six probably aren't big fans of violence, but I'm kind of a battle-minded person by nature when it comes to facing down villains. And there used to be a pretty popular fangame in development called "Fighting is Magic" where they had fight movesets, partially inspiring some of the skills I gave them here. (Fighting is Magic was eventually destroyed by a copyright debacle.) Canon: Fluttershy is a martial arts expert (though she prefers to use her powers to massage giant animals), Applejack has ridiculous muscles, and Pinkie never leaves home without her party cannon

· Rarity spinning Xerxes is a reference to the Leekspin meme. 'Cause I felt like it.

· I feel like I'm making things ridiculously over-emotional with the love triangle, but…I like writing drawn-out tsundere romances.

1. Fighting With the Heart-Muscle

SOMEWHERE IN THE SEVEN DESERTS

"Nothing, nothing, and nothing," Aladdin sighed. "We've been flying for how long now, and still no sign…"

"We could start looking ahead of time," Twilight suggested. "You know, check out all the kingdoms in the Seven Deserts and see if they're there."

"We haven't got much of a choice," Jasmine admitted.

"Charting a course for the borderlands!" the Genie-jet announced. "We'll make a sweep of the whole area!"

Almost as soon as they turned toward a specific direction, they spotted the little gray dot on the horizon approaching them. As they grew closer to the dot, they realized it was a large, shaggy yak being ridden by a husky, bearded man sporting leather, animal pelts, and a horned helmet.

"Friend Aladdin!" he hailed.

"He's one of the Odiferan military," Aladdin explained quickly. "Genie, Carpet, let's make a landing!"

The group descended to meet the yak rider, who slowed his steed. "I've been sent to bring back help!" he said hastily. "Odiferous has been taken over by someone even stronger than all of the Odiferan military combined!"

Rainbow Dash began laughing. "I don't know who took over this guy's kingdom, but it's definitely not the guy WE'VE been chasing. Mozenrath, stronger than an entire military?"

"Magically speaking, it's possible," Twilight pointed out.

"Technically, it's the advisor to the new king who's the strong one," the Odiferan messenger clarified. "When he told us all that the person with him was our new king, Prince Uncouthma challenged them immediately. They both seemed such tiny men compared to us Odiferans! But the advisor transformed into a spirit with giant muscles!"

"Jafar," Aladdin hissed.

"He can do…that?" Rarity asked, trembling slightly at the thought.

"He is a djinni," Twilight reminded her. "Most of them do look more like our friend than like Jafar. I'm guessing he can switch between whatever bodies he likes."

"What's been going on in Odiferous since then?" Jasmine asked.

"It's horrible!" the messenger moaned. "The new king has overtaken our entire economy, and has threatened several times to cause a crash in it if we do not serve him! He has made us begin forging weapons to wage war on other kingdoms! And he has banished Prince Uncouthma and his family to the peasantry!"

"Why would he be wagin' war?" Applejack asked. "He done got control of everywhere!"

"Except for the rainforest, Getzistan, and the underground," said Twilight. "Let me guess. This kingdom…"

"Odiferous!" the messenger reiterated.

"…first of all," Twilight sighed, "probably smells terrible."

"How did you know?" the messenger asked.

"Yeah?" Pinkie parroted. "How DID you know?"

"Thesaurus," Twilight replied simply. "Second, Odiferous…is it one of the leading kingdoms in weaponry?"

"Of course!" the messenger said. "Odiferous has one of the strongest militaries in the world!"

"And I'll bet weaponry is the chief export!" Twilight concluded. "That's not only why Mozenrath went here next…not just to seize the arms-based economy…but to get back the places we took!"

"Oh, he definitely wants to wage war on the places you mentioned," the messenger corrected, "but our economy isn't based on weaponry. Our economy is based on cheese production! We can only buy the metal to make the weapons with the profits from our yak cheese!"

"Wait…what?" Twilight shook her head.

"Let's go," Aladdin commanded. "Don't worry, sir. We'll get things in Odiferous back to the way they were!"

The Carpet and the Genie-jet rose once more, speeding towards the northern kingdom ever quickly.

"A cheese-based economy," Twilight repeated. "Wow. Once again, that has to have made Mozenrath extremely…"

---

ODIFEROUS, THE SEVEN DESERTS

"…bored."

The yaks grazed in the fenced pastures, an idyllic accessory to the view of blue sky, green grass, and gray mountains on the horizon. Farmhands rushed between yaks, making sure to collect the milk as quickly as they'd been ordered. Watching the cornerstone industry of his new kingdom, Mozenrath sat on the fence, resting his elbows on his knees and his chin in his hands. For the effect of atmosphere, he'd abandoned his usual blue robes for the traditional dress of Odiferan royalty: leather shoes, loose blue pants, a fur pelt draped over his shoulders, a bronze helmet with sharp horns, the usual gauntlet, and no shirt to speak of. "Still bored," he muttered. "Can't they forge weapons any faster? I should be launching a conquest on the lands we lost by now…not overseeing yak husbandry."

"Patience," Jafar reminded him. "Soon, we will have raised an army great enough to take on even the Al-Muddy. In the meantime, I suggest you not fail to manage the yaks. Your military only goes so far as you can control their economy. Should it become apparent that you cannot keep up production no matter what, they will have no incentive for which to follow your orders."

"They will if you keep besting them in their little wrestling matches," Mozenrath pointed out.

"To hold power in this kingdom is twofold," Jafar replied simply.

"I know, I know! Cheese production…this is even worse than gambling. Why do these kingdoms NEVER export elemental crystals?"

Xerxes sailed over the fields full of yaks. "Intruders again!" he reported.

"Aladdin and his Elements of Harmony?" Mozenrath asked, his interest piqued.

"Yes, yes!" Xerxes confirmed.

"Separate them," Mozenrath ordered Jafar. "I don't care how!"

Jafar bowed, smirking. "Your wish – "

"THAT WASN'T A WISH! Fine, I'll do it myself!" Mozenrath hopped down from the fence.

---

The Carpet and the Genie-jet sailed over the city walls, touching down in the main square. Odiferous was far enough north that it had avoided the desert climate, instead set amongst grass and mountains. The houses were made of gray brick with thatched roofs, and the streets were cobblestone of a matching color. Peasants hurriedly hustled carts piled high with cheese back and forth; they were mostly dressed in leather and furs, and the men sported copious facial hair. True to Twilight's prediction, the entire kingdom was pervaded by a sort of stink that mellowed out once one got used to the atmosphere.

"Well, I'll be," Applejack said, noting the carts of cheese flying by. "Now, my family tried our hooves at some cheesemakin' a while back, thanks to the generosity of some cows, but I'm lookin' forward to seein' how the professionals do it." She snatched a morsel away from a cart, popping it into her mouth. She made a face. "Now I'm no expert…but that ain't good at all."

The peasant wheeling the cart halted temporarily. "I thought everyone in the kingdom had heard!" he panted. "The great yak farm no longer belongs to Princess Brawnhilda! Instead, a man calling himself Mozenrath claims to be our king, and he has sped up production past the point of quality! He doesn't even know the first thing about caring for the yaks! However, if any of us slow down, we face the consequences! Now, if I don't deliver this on time, I'll be shocked or frozen by his magic! Or BOTH!" The peasant resumed his pace.

"Pssst!" a soft voice called from around a corner. A tall, muscular blonde woman sporting a red and white shirt and a short dark skirt was beckoning the group to follow her into a door down an alley. "This way!"

"Princess Brawnhilda?" Jasmine identified.

"Looks like she wants our attention bad," Applejack noticed. "Let's go!"

The group hustled down the alley and into the door through which Brawnhilda had disappeared. In an abandoned tavern, the aforementioned princess stood alongside an enormous man sporting a brown mustache and the garb of a peasant. A redheaded boy was there as well, small by the standards of the two adults beside him but actually over waist-high to Aladdin, Jasmine, and the Equestrians.

"Prince Uncouthma!" Aladdin greeted in surprise. "What's going on?"

"Friend Aladdin and Jasmine!" the man, obviously Uncouthma, replied. "You have brought even more friends!"

"I like him already!" Pinkie Pie laughed. "Of course we're friends!"

"We've heard your kingdom is in trouble," said Rarity. "Let's just say that we're no strangers to the ones that have taken over your throne. I'm guessing you woke up to find yourself dressed like peasants while they claimed to be the new royalty?"

"Yes!" Uncouthma lamented. "And it seems like they deserve to be the new royalty!" He hung his head. "I don't deserve to hold the throne anymore."

"Why would you think that?" Jasmine asked.

"The throne of Odiferous has always belonged to the strongest family in the kingdom," Odiferous sighed. "I was the strongest until now. I tried to challenge Mozenrath for the throne, but his advisor…he was stronger than me!"

"And we had thought them both so dainty," Brawnhilda added. "Especially that Mozenrath, who is…alluringly dainty…"

"Don't tell me I've lost you to him too, my princess," Uncouthma sighed.

"No, never!" Brawnhilda insisted, putting her arms around Uncouthma. "Your frail heart-muscle will always be first to me!"

"I hear you were in charge of the cheesemakin' until Mozenrath and Jafar came along," Applejack interrupted.

"I was," Brawnhilda confirmed. "But now they have control of the farm, and are using the yak cheese to bring in money to forge weapons! They've also threatened that they could stop production at anytime, leaving us without cheese!"

"Control of Odiferous has two parts," Uncouthma clarified. "The strongest family takes the throne and controls the military and the laws. But the economy is controlled by whoever controls the yaks! Brawnhilda owned the largest yak farm in all of Odiferous. She had such a way with them, too. Nobody could make yak cheese like her…and even the yaks loved her!"

"Don't worry," Aladdin promised. "We'll get your throne back. Somehow."

"By smashing Mozenrath to little bits!" the boy insisted. "And Jafar too!"

"Trust me, kid," said Iago, "smashing Jafar ain't as easy as it looks."

"I don't get one thing," Twilight said. "You said the throne belongs to the strongest family. Mozenrath and Jafar aren't related."

"Well, Jafar said that Mozenrath was the king, and since he's the strongest, he can enforce that," Uncouthma replied. "Besides, we all thought Jafar was his father!"

"He only wishes," said Aladdin.

"Does the kid really not realize what's comin' to him?" Iago griped. "As soon as Jafar's done with him, he's gonna get dropped like an overripe date off a tree. That's just how Jafar works!"

"But Mozenrath has the lamp," the Genie pointed out. "And by subsection A of genie clause 136, that gives Mozenrath control over him."

"Doesn't matter," Iago retorted. "He'll find a way to throw him out. He always does."

"Am I sensing some kind of story here?" Rainbow Dash asked, having not been present during the ordeal in Getzistan, as Twilight realized.

All of a sudden, Applejack cried, "I got an idea! I know how we can get back at least one of the ways of controllin' Odiferous!"

"Great!" Twilight cried. "I knew we'd think of something! And when we take back the throne, I can look Mozenrath in the eye and tell him the speech I've been working on while we were flying up here." She cleared her throat, pointing at the wall as though it were her enemy. "Your time as king has come to a close, so you can just…KNOCK IT OFF!"

A silence fell over the tavern.

"I like it," Uncouthma said. "Simple, but effective!"

"I had thought it would be a bit wordier," Rarity admitted.

"I tried, okay?" Twilight defended. "So, Applejack, how are we going to defeat Jafar in – "

"Hold on now," Applejack said. "My plan's about the yaks. I got no idea how we're gonna beat Jafar!"

"The Elements of Harmony!" Pinkie remembered. "Even he's scared of what will happen if we're all together!"

"Can six go against one in combat?" Twilight asked Uncouthma.

"It's generally against the rules," Uncouthma admitted.

"You're thinking about RULES at a time like THIS?" Rainbow Dash criticized.

"Rainbow Dash is right," said Aladdin. "If they don't play fair, neither should we! Besides, a lot of us have a chance at beating Jafar! I mean, we have our own Genie!"

"Who experienced a significant downgrade in power after being freed," the Genie brought up.

"I can smash 'im!" the young boy insisted.

"You're too young, Bud," Brawnhilda said, though lovingly. "Though you are very strong."

"Maybe we should start with Applejack's plan," Fluttershy suggested, "and think about fighting big scary genies later…"

"What is your plan, tiny Applejack?" Uncouthma asked.

"Well," Applejack said, "the way I figure…"

---

Armed with ideas, the group, now with the former Odiferan royal family added to the ranks, left the alley and walked out into the main square.

He was already waiting.

"GAH!" Twilight cried, taken aback at the sight of Mozenrath in the Odiferan royal dress…lack of shirt included.

"Oh, were you having a little get-together?" Mozenrath mocked. "It's just too bad that I have to break up the party!"

"YOU DON'T KNOW THE REAL MEANING OF PARTY!" Pinkie screamed.

"And as of right now," Mozenrath replied, "you don't know where your friend is."

Before anyone could react, he clenched his right fist, throwing it out in the direction of Rainbow Dash and shooting a blue beam at her. Instinctively, Rainbow Dash reached out and clutched at the nearest living being to her: Iago. The two were engulfed in blue before they disappeared.

"WHERE DID YOU TAKE THEM?" Aladdin yelled.

"Don't worry," Mozenrath said offhandedly. "They're somewhere safe. What would be my use in destroying them now when I know you'll do anything for them? Go on, try to find them. They could be anywhere. They could be with the weapons forges, and you could find them if you joined up and helped me make weapons to take back what you made me lose. They could be in the yak farm, and you could find them if you took a pail and started milking. Now that would be entertaining…the once-mighty Aladdin and Prince Uncouthma reduced to farmhands. Or they could be in the palace, which you couldn't get to without going through Jafar…and you can't do that!"

"We'll never give in to you!" Rarity cried. She nudged Twilight. "Go on! Give him the speech!"

"Guh…" Twilight blinked, shook her head, and tried to recollect her thoughts from earlier. Instead of what she'd rehearsed, a rather unfortunate reversal came out: "Mozenrath, your time as king is a knockout, and YOUR CLOTHES ARE OFF!" She immediately realized what she'd said. "Wait, NO! I DIDN'T MEAN THAT!"

That sent Mozenrath into fits of laughter. "I'm actually looking forward to your next move, sorceress," he managed between laughs before vanishing in a blaze of blue.

"Rainbow Dash!" the Genie cried. "Ohhh, this is bad…"

"What if he destroys her?" Rarity wailed. "Of all the worst things that could happen, this is the! Worst! POSSIBLE! THING!"

"No," Twilight said, coming out of her shirtless-Mozenrath-induced stupor. "He won't kill her as long as there's something he could get from her. I say we go on with Applejack's plan."

"But what could he possibly want with Rainbow Dash?" Jasmine asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Twilight said. "The thing that's been stopping him so far."

---

Mozenrath materialized in a flash of blue in the dungeons of the Odiferan palace, facing Rainbow Dash, who was chained to the wall by her wrists and ankles. Iago was locked up next to her in a single cuff that encased his entire body.

"YOU LET ME GO RIGHT NOW!" Rainbow Dash yelled, struggling against the chains.

"Or you'll what?" Mozenrath taunted. "To be perfectly honest, you have something I want."

"Awesomeness?" Rainbow Dash guessed with a smirk.

"A weapon," Mozenrath corrected. "Xerxes tells me you used some kind of 'rainbow boom' to clear out the mud waves underground. That sounds a lot like what you used to take out my coatl."

"The Sonic Rainboom?" Rainbow Dash clarified. "You…want the Sonic Rainboom?"

"With a weapon like that," Mozenrath admitted, "I could probably take back the rainforest without using any Odiferan arms at all. Now, I don't currently have with me the crystal I use to steal others' magic, but somehow, that doesn't seem like the whole picture anyway."

"You need lots of speed to be able to pull one off," Rainbow Dash said. "Like, sooooo much speed. Enough to break the sound barrier! It isn't magic like Twilight's that just happens on command."

"That's exactly what I thought. Which is why you're going to stay under my control until I figure out how to replicate it."

"Riiiiiight," Rainbow Dash sighed.

"I suggest you get used to those chains," Mozenrath told her. "You're going to be there for a long time, Rainbow Dash." With that, he disappeared.

"Yeah, right," Rainbow Dash muttered. "Like I'm gonna stay down here."

"So what," Iago snapped, "are you just gonna break through these chains?"

"I wish," Rainbow Dash sighed. "I guess if nothing else, I know everypony else will eventually come find me. But I'd rather break out on my own. I'll just have to think of something." She paused, checking to see if any ideas sprang to mind immediately; none did. "So," she said to pass the time, "what was the big deal with you and Jafar?"

"We used to be business partners," Iago said sharply.

"Business partners?" Rainbow Dash faced her companion in capture. "You're sure that's it?"

"Yes! Why?"

"Because you're really defensive about it."

"We might have been friends once, okay? But that's over now! I was done with him, and he was done with me. Now I fly with Cassim. What happened in the past stays in the past!"

"Were you close?"

"WHY DO YOU KEEP ASKING?"

"I think it's important," Rainbow Dash admitted. "I kinda wanna know if we're fighting your friend."

"He WAS my friend," Iago informed her. "Not anymore. Yeah, we were close. ONCE."

"So he ditched you, huh?"

"More or less."

"I know how that feels," Rainbow Dash sighed. "I mean, maybe not to the same extent, but…I had this friend back home. Gilda. We grew up together, and I thought we were best friends. That was in our hometown. Then Fluttershy and I moved to the town where I met Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight. Pinkie and I were just starting to get real close when Gilda came down to visit. I thought Gilda would get along great with all my other friends, but…she bullied them around. And she picked on Pinkie because of some stupid prank I pulled. That was too far. I told Gilda to get out. We haven't spoken since. I mean, there are a lot of times I miss her and how we used to play together when we were fillies. But she grew up to be such a bully! I couldn't let her push my friends around! So…yeah, I kinda know what it's like. Though Gilda hasn't tried to actually kill any of my friends. Yet. It's one of those things that's so long ago, it shouldn't matter, but it still hurts to think about, right?"

"Exactly," Iago confirmed. "Add into that the way I betrayed Jafar, and – "

"You betrayed him? Come on. I don't care what you did. I've seen that guy. I've seen how he acts. You didn't betray him any more than I betrayed Gilda. Gilda was the one that betrayed me, and Jafar was the one that betrayed you."

For once, Iago was struck speechless.

"But I'll go easy on him," Rainbow Dash finished. "You already know we're not planning on killing him. I don't care what anypony from Agrabah thinks. I'm not going to hurt your…Gilda."

"It'd only be what he deserves, you know," Iago pointed out.

"I know it's what he deserves," Rainbow Dash replied. "But as much as I'd like to serve him a big old slice of tail-kicking, he still meant something to you. And you're my friend now too."

"I don't have a good track record with friendships. Just warnin' ya."

"Well, I'm the Element of Loyalty. Challenge accepted."

Rainbow Dash sent Iago a broad, earnest smile, and he returned it.

---

The new farmhand slipped quietly into the fenced pasture, wearing a thick fur coat and a face-obscuring hood.

"I need to figure out how to weaponize her," Mozenrath told Jafar, sitting once again at his post of boredom on the fence.

"Your judgment differs from my own," Jafar admitted. "I would have destroyed her…but in this case, you actually have the better idea. A Sonic Rainboom of our very own…"

"Can't you just conjure one up? You're a genie, after all."

"Not without knowing its nature," Jafar admitted. "The amount of pressure required, the effect of her weather-related abilities…I could eventually, but this is magic the likes of which I have never encountered. Even then…perhaps it is best to leave her alive. Subject her to humiliation so long as she lives."

"At least as long as we have her, we still have our bargaining chip. I already used her to suggest that her little friends could join the smithy or the yak farm to try and find her, but they turned me down. Later, we could use her to drive a little bit of a harder bargain."

The farmhand slipped in between the yaks, sitting down at one with a bucket. Mozenrath was only barely paying attention to what was going on in the field. He certainly didn't notice that the farmhand was getting up to switch yaks every few seconds.

"Why don't we just take her amulet?" Mozenrath asked. "Isn't that the source of her power?"

"You do not understand," Jafar replied. "She embodies Loyalty itself. If we took her amulet, it would temporarily hinder her, but one day she would eventually figure out how to use its power without its presence. Were I to guess…she probably generated it herself."

"How do you know all this? The ever-mysterious Overtakers again?"

"We have long planned for a force like this to appear," Jafar said enigmatically.

"And…this is why, exactly?"

"It is none of your concern."

The farmhand sat down at another yak, milking only a few drops before getting up to move to the next yak, closer to the gate of the fence.

"I'd say it's my concern," Mozenrath argued. "After all, I'm not about to be overshadowed by these 'Overtakers', whoever they – YOU THERE!"

He pointed at the farmhand, who froze.

"Can't you fill that bucket any faster?" Mozenrath ordered.

The farmhand nodded before returning to work at the yak nearest the gate.

"You will have your place when the time comes," Jafar reassured Mozenrath. "It may be a larger role than even I had originally anticipated. In the meantime…"

"In the meantime, how do we make the rainbow one squirm?" Mozenrath asked with a grin.

The farmhand stood quickly, undoing the latch to the gate. The farmhand, looking back at all the yaks, turned to face the city of Odiferous and let out a piercing whistle. In response, a piercing whistle came right back, but this one caused all the yaks to look up.

By the time Mozenrath and Jafar realized something was going on, the yaks had already begun to thunder out of the pasture and move toward the city. "WHAT?" they yelled in unison.

The farmhand cast away her fur coat, smirking at the two men. "Man, your security sure ain't what it could be," Applejack said before taking off and running toward the city alongside the yaks.

"NO!" Mozenrath leapt down from the fence and tried to run alongside the yaks; he slipped and fell among the stampede, instinctively clutching his delicate right wrist so none of the yaks could trample it. Jafar lifted Mozenrath out of the fray in a beam of red.

The yaks and Applejack rushed down into the city, following the repeated sound of the piercing whistle through the streets. They pooled into the town square, where Applejack rested against a cart. Aladdin, Jasmine, Uncouthma, Bud, Abu, the Genie, the Carpet, Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie, and Fluttershy watched on.

Brawnhilda gave one last whistle. The yaks surrounded her, lowing appreciatively.

"Ya see?" Applejack said, gesturing to the yaks. "Even the yaks know who their real friends are. Now Mozenrath don't have any leverage…but you got the economy back!"

"But what if they capture the yaks again?" Brawnhilda asked worriedly.

"I reckon that as long as these yaks're still alive, they're gonna answer to your call," Applejack replied. "And ain't nopony gonna kill the source of the economy."

"Now do we smash the bad guys?" Bud asked.

As if to answer, a great red cloud of smoke appeared in the center of the yaks, and Jafar stepped from it angrily. "I would not recommend it," he growled. "How many times must I teach you that I am the one in control?"

His entire shape glowed, morphed. In a matter of seconds, he no longer resembled a human being, but instead a bright red genie, torso rippling with muscles, as large as an Odiferan house.

"Perhaps THIS will get the message across!" he cried, reaching down with one great left hand and slapping Uncouthma. Uncouthma flew across the yak-filled square, landing so hard against the cobblestones that they broke.

"UNCOUTHMA!" Brawnhilda shrieked.

"DAD!" Bud cried in response.

"The wise will leave," Jafar threatened, "before I have to destroy another one of you to prove the point!" He then disappeared in another cloud of red.

"That…" Twilight stared in horror at the place where Jafar had been. "That's what he looks like…for real?"

"This ain't the time!" Applejack chided, and everyone rushed to the side of Uncouthma.

"Uncouthma!" Brawnhilda nearly sobbed, kneeling before her unmoving husband. "My darling!"

"This can't be happening," Aladdin said in shock. "He…he can't really…"

To everyone's surprise and relief, Uncouthma slowly blinked his eyes open. "Brawnhilda…Aladdin…"

"You're all right!" Jasmine and Rarity chorused.

"Of course," Aladdin realized. "Because genies can't kill!"

"Every single muscle hurts," Uncouthma complained, "but I'm alive."

"Oh, my frail dear!" Brawnhilda clutched his hand lovingly. "How much does it hurt?"

Uncouthma attempted to rise to his feet, but was wracked with pain. "I cannot stand," he admitted.

"Don't worry," Brawnhilda said. "You need me. I will protect you." Her brow furrowed. She stood up, looking toward where Jafar had appeared and then vanished. "I will protect you…by making sure he can never hurt you again!"

"WHAT?" nearly everyone cried.

"I will fight Jafar!" Brawnhilda resolved. "He hurt my Uncouthma! I must stop him!"

"Didn't you see him?" Twilight asked in awe. "You can't possibly take him on!"

"I have many muscles," Brawnhilda argued.

"Maybe this is one of those times that calls for using your head-muscle instead?" Aladdin suggested.

"We could not fight him with the muscles in our bodies," Brawnhilda retorted, "and we cannot fight him with our head-muscles. I must fight him…with my heart-muscle!"

"Brawnhilda," Uncouthma said weakly, "don't! I lived, but you might not! And living without you would be even more painful than this!"

"I must," Brawnhilda insisted.

"I kinda get her point," Applejack admitted. "All y'all know that if any one of ya got near killed by somepony, no matter how magical, I'd go and fight until I knew y'all were safe again! In fact…that's what I'm thinkin' I should do now."

"We could defeat Jafar," Twilight pointed out, "if we only had Rainbow Dash. Then we could use the Elements of Harmony! If we couldn't defeat him that way, at least he'd run away again! As we are now, there's no way we could defeat him."

"You know a lot about magic creatures," Aladdin told Twilight. "Isn't there any way to weaken him enough so that we have a fighting chance?"

"Not unless we can put him in another jar," Twilight sighed.

"And we haven't a chance of finding Rainbow Dash unless we stumble upon her by chance…or somehow get Mozenrath to tell us," Rarity added.

"Hang on!" The Genie produced a scroll from almost nowhere. "I may have something! The imps' shop really did have a library of magic, including some texts I've never seen before! I…may have taken just a tiiiiiiny little scroll. Oh, come on, it's not like they didn't steal it from somewhere else! This scroll happens to be a compendium of magical and anti-magical items used by Mukhtars against genies!"

"Mukhtars?" Twilight was taken aback. "You mean the djinni's only natural predator?"

The Genie transformed himself into a bearded professor-type figure, pointing to a chalkboard suspended in midair. "In their natural habitats, Mukhtars can be seen overtaking hapless genies with all sorts of techniques!" He sketched on the board first what looked like a clamshell with teeth, then a rope with a weight on each end. "Everything from the living manacles to the magic-repelling bolas! Of course, these things are most effective on free genies. In their original milieu of confinement, the unfreed genie can often eventually break even the strongest of Mukhtar-built restraints."

"HEY!" Bud interrupted. "Why is everybody talking boring stuff? I wanna go smash the guy that smashed Dad!"

"No, Bud," Brawnhilda said softly. "You are too young and delicate."

"You're just a kid!" Pinkie added. "Why do you wanna go fight anyway? Jafar's all scary and dangerous!"

"He hurt my dad!" Bud insisted.

"Wait," Twilight said. "Things are…coming together!"

"What's that mean?" Aladdin asked.

"I'm using my head-muscle," Twilight said. "I think I have a plan so that Brawnhilda can fight Jafar after all! But we'll need to give her the proper equipment first…as well as a few other things."

"What must I do?" Brawnhilda asked.

"Just be patient for now," Twilight told her. "We have some magical gadgets to make. Genie, we can make these things, right?"

"In any traditional forge, provided they have the right kind of magic," the Genie affirmed, reverting to his normal shape. "Even the kind of magic a certain sorceress possesses…hint hint, it's you! According to the scroll, your repulsion and telekinesis powers are exactly what go into making these things!"

"Then we need to make both a set of living manacles and a magic-repelling bolas," Twilight said. "Maybe even a couple of the bolas."

"Even with that many restraints, Jafar still has enough power to eventually break them," the Genie warned her. "He is unfreed, after all."

"I'm not even thinking of using that many restraints on Jafar," Twilight admitted. Before anyone could ask what she meant, she turned to Fluttershy. "Fluttershy, I'm eventually going to need you on the field with us, but for now, you need to help Uncouthma. You always do really well with nursing animals back home back to health, and you even helped me set my leg the one time I sprained it."

"Right," Fluttershy said confidently. "Abu, are you with me?"

Abu squeaked happily.

"I will help you," Brawnhilda told Fluttershy. "After all…he needs me."

"You probably know more about healing broken bones than me," Fluttershy admitted. "Your husband probably has a lot of those."

"I will teach you how to set broken bones!" Brawnhilda offered happily.

"What about me?" Bud whined.

"Your part is gonna be important," Twilight assured Bud. "But first we'll need you to go through…training. Special training! Pinkie, can I see you for a minute?"

Twilight took Pinkie aside. "Pinkie, you're the best foalsitter of all of us. You always do really well with Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake back home. We're going to need you on the field too, and once we have Jafar restrained, we might even be able to let Bud take a shot. But for now, letting him at Jafar is way too dangerous. Do you think maybe you could distract Bud for a while? Play a few games with him?"

"Playing games!" Pinkie gasped. "You've come to exactly the right Pinkie!"

"That's what I was hoping for," Twilight said.

Pinkie ran over to Bud. "General Pinkie Pie, reporting for duty!" she said with a great smile. "Follow me to start special training!"

"Oh, boy!" Bud cried as he followed Pinkie down one of the alleys.

"Do not worry," Brawnhilda told Uncouthma as she, Fluttershy, and Abu settled down beside him. "We will ease your pain."

"It is already better now that you are here," Uncouthma told Brawnhilda. "And you also have the tiny healer to help you!"

"We'll have you patched up in no time," Fluttershy said confidently.

"Okay," Twilight said to Aladdin, Jasmine, Rarity, Applejack, the Carpet, and the Genie. "Here's what I need the rest of you to do…"

---

Pinkie finished stacking the small, flat sticks in the tower shape on the table in the tavern. "First we test dexterity!" she said. "You have to get me to smash my tower by accident before you do!"

"Huh?" Bud was confused.

"Like this!" Pinkie removed a stick from the middle of the stack and placed it on the top so the tower was slightly off balance. "Now you try!"

Bud did the same, and the two continued their game until Pinkie drew a stick that caused the tower to collapse. This sent both her and Bud into fits of laughter, and Bud cried, "Again, again!"

Pinkie gladly reset the tower.

---

Twilight, Aladdin, and the Genie entered the forge, where a crowd smiths shuffled back and forth, pouring weapons into molds and then shoving them into fires. They worked quickly, filling every mold and every fire, though not in an orderly fashion at all – they often crashed into each other and dropped molds.

"We're never going to get anywhere if they're this disorganized!" Twilight moaned.

"HEY!" Aladdin yelled. "Aren't you all tired of making weapons for your new so-called king?"

"But we must!" one of the smiths insisted. "Or he will punish us severely!"

"What if you had a weapon that could best him?" Aladdin asked, but the smith had moved on.

"How could we get one of those?" another smith asked, putting a crudely forged axe into the fire.

"We happen to have—" Aladdin couldn't finish before the smith had moved away; the axe was shoddily constructed, but at least a complete entity. Aladdin tried again and again to speak to different smiths:

"Listen, if you could just let us—"

"We can save Odiferous if—"

"You can make the right weaponry! You just have to—"

"How would we even make those weapons?" One smith finally stopped to answer Aladdin's explanations. "We are all far too busy working on these weapons, and we wouldn't know the first thing about making those others!" He rushed away.

"All this disorganization is making me dizzy!" the Genie complained, his head spinning round and round for effect.

Finally, Twilight stepped into the center of the forge. "EVERYPONY…STOP!" she yelled.

Now all the smiths halted, looking at her.

"We have one chance to get Odiferous back from Mozenrath and Jafar!" Twilight commanded. "But we need to make special weapons in order to defeat them, and we need to make them fast! I'm going to need a set of cords, and you three" –she pointed at a trio of smiths—"are going to weave them together into the ropes for bolas! You over there, get me four molds for spherical weights and two for manacle cuffs, and start pouring metal!"

"Spherical?" one of the smiths asked.

"The circles!" Twilight barked. "You over there, start up the fires and don't move anything else into them! You, get me some cold water for standby to finish them! And you"—she turned to point to the Genie, but stopped, softening her tone. "Um…can I please see that scroll again so I know when we need to add magic?"

As the Genie handed Twilight the scroll, Aladdin gave her a laudatory smirk. "You really know how to get people organized, don't you?"

"Believe me," Twilight replied, "if I can get an entire town on track for clearing away the snow of Winter and bringing in the weather for Spring, I can handle one smithy." She turned back to the smiths. "Now, let's GET TO WORK!"

---

Uncouthma had been transferred to the bed of some willing civilians who reassured him they still recognized him as the true leader. Here, Fluttershy wrapped his limbs in bandages while Brawnhilda prepared an anesthetic of nightshade and hemlock, diluted well so as not to be poisonous. She soaked a sponge in the concoction before giving it to Uncouthma to inhale; he passed out.

"Now he will feel no pain," Brawnhilda told Fluttershy.

"You wouldn't happen to have any kind of plaster," Fluttershy asked, "would you? That would help the bandages keep the bones in place."

"We can find plaster easily!" Brawnhilda told Fluttershy. "I will find some. You stay here and keep tending to my darling's wounds."

Fluttershy dipped a rag in a bucket of cold water and began cleaning off the cuts Uncouthma had received from the chipped stones.

---

"Sky five!" Bud guessed, marking the position on the plank that stood upright before him.

On the other side of the plank, Pinkie cried, "You zapped my weather pony! You win!" She cleared the boards of the BattleClouds game. "You wanna play again?"

Rarity entered the tavern. "Ahem," she said. "Twilight, Aladdin, and the Genie are finished up in the forges, and we're about to move to Phase Two, so you might want to move to the next training arena…"

"Right!" Pinkie saluted. "Okay, Bud! We're going to take your training to the next level! Extreme hopscotch outside the castle!"

"All right!" Bud cried, rushing from the tavern.

Pinkie followed him closely. "Wait! Don't get too close to the castle! Just close enough that we can see the door! Um…training regulations! It's in the rulebook!"

---

"There," Fluttershy said, setting the last cast in place on Uncouthma. "Did…did I do all right?"

"You did wonderfully!" Brawnhilda congratulated. She looked over her sleeping husband. "My poor, dainty dear…I hope he knows that every wound only makes him all the more precious, but his life is the most precious thing to me of all."

Jasmine entered the room. "Everyone's ready," she informed Fluttershy and Brawnhilda.

Fluttershy squeaked, unsure if she could handle what lay ahead. Abu tugged on her sleeve; she looked down to where he stood on the floor. He swung his fisted paw decisively, giving a squeak that sounded vaguely like "You can do it!"

"Right," Fluttershy said. "Let's go."

---

Inside the Odiferan castle, Mozenrath drummed his fingers on the arm rest of the throne – a much smaller affair than that of the Al-Muddy. "Are you sure they're not just going to take that as incentive to fight you?" he snapped at Jafar.

"Who will fight me?" Jafar asked. "The boy who has failed time and again to thwart me?"

"Don't underestimate Aladdin," Mozenrath warned.

"What about the precious princess of Odiferous?" Jafar mocked.

"Don't…say THAT…either," Mozenrath shot back. "Take it from me: every time you say that there's no way the delicate little princess could ever defeat you…she figures out a way to make you hurt like never before."

"And the little girls," Jafar teased, "helpless without their Element of Loyalty, when even the most powerful of them is not even powerful enough to stand against a genie? Such a weak sorceress—"

"You didn't have your magic up against hers back in the caverns!" Mozenrath snapped. "She isn't weak."

"She was easily overtaken in the rainforest," Jafar reminded Mozenrath.

"Do NOT underestimate her either," Mozenrath replied without explanation. "Just be ready to take whatever they throw at you at a moment's notice. You know…" His lips curled into a smile. "I think I like the genie look on you. It's very dashing."

"A fact I well know," Jafar said with a returning smile. "For the record, shirts don't do you justice. Are you blushing, boy?"

"N-no!" Mozenrath hastily defended, turning to look at one of the coats of arms mounted on the wall.

Xerxes flitted into the room. "Aladdin is here!" he announced. "At door of castle!"

"What does he want?" Jafar said gruffly. "Who is with him?"

"Genie!" Xerxes informed. "And sorceress girl!"

"I shall make short work of this," Jafar resolved, striding out of the throne room.

"HEY, JAFAR!" Aladdin called out, pounding on the door of the Odiferan castle. "Do you really think you're stronger than everybody here?"

The door opened of its own accord; Jafar stood in the atrium beyond. "It is not so much a matter of thinking," he said, "as it is a matter of knowing."

"I bet there's someone in this kingdom that's stronger than you," Aladdin countered. "Why don't you come out and fight to prove me wrong?"

"I could take on this entire kingdom and come out on top, boy!" Jafar boasted, striding out of the castle as Aladdin moved aside.

The area before the castle was cleared; most of the civilians, hearing what was to happen, were gathered in a circle around the great space where Aladdin and Jafar stood, waiting to see what would happen.

"I don't suppose you are the one with the claim to greater strength," Jafar taunted. "We have unfinished business anyway, don't we?"

"Yeah," Aladdin agreed, "but I'll have my chance to beat you again later. Right now, the one you need to worry about…"

"Is me!" Brawnhilda stepped through the crowd, and the Odiferans gasped. Aladdin stepped aside, merging with the populace.

Jafar burst into raucous laughter. At last, he managed to gasp out, "The princess? Oh, how I tremble in fear! Not even a muscle-bound hulk of a woman like you could match powers with me!"

"I shall still try!" Brawnhilda asserted. "You hurt my love, and now he needs me to make sure you will never do it again!"

"Just try me, Princess." Jafar morphed into the shape of the red genie. "Let the rest of your people see what happens when you challenge the true strength of Odiferous!"

"Hey Jafar!" Twilight's voice rang out from the crowd. "Didn't anypony ever tell you to fight fair?"

Jafar glanced downward, to the ring of spectators. Aladdin was at the very inner edge of the crowd, Twilight and the Genie to either side of him and leaning an arm on either of his shoulders. Aladdin held a small casket in his hands, and Twilight and Genie each had a free hand on the casket's lid. Upon the signal of a nod from Aladdin, they pulled the lid up sharply. From the casket erupted two strange objects – like hairy, tooth-lined clamshells in appearance, and flying upward to Jafar, clacking their teeth all the way. Before Jafar could react, one of them bit his left wrist and transformed into a metal cuff. He instinctively shook his left arm to see if he could rid himself of it; this turned out to be a mistake. The other one clasped his right wrist, also becoming a cuff, and because of Jafar's reactionary flailing, both his hands were behind his back when the chain appeared between the two cuffs and shortened, drawing his wrists together. Jafar then felt an enormous draw upon his inner energy, flowing from his soul into the manacles. He could no longer keep the form of the great red genie and instead shrank back into the human form he was given in his original mortal life, the manacles shrinking as well so that his wrists could not slip free.

"What trickery is this?" Jafar hissed.

"Living manacles," Aladdin said casually. "Standard genie-hunting fare. Of course, you're so powerful you can hold your own even without all your powers…right?"

"YOU WILL PAY!" Jafar made to run at Aladdin, the Genie, and Twilight, but Brawnhilda stepped in front of him.

"You will not hurt my friends!" she insisted in her soft voice while dealing a hard punch to Jafar's face: and so the battle began.

---

"What was I thinking," Mozenrath asked Xerxes as he rose from the throne, "letting him go out there alone? He's probably already in some kind of trouble from underestimating our enemies. Xerxes, he might actually need me." He couldn't help but clasp his hands and smile. "I could end up saving his life! He'd have to be grateful for that, right, Xerxes? He'd learn not to underestimate Aladdin or Twilight, and, more importantly, he'd learn not to underestimate me. What do you think, Xerxes?"

Xerxes regarded Mozenrath with confusion. "Certain?"

"Of course I'm certain! He'd have to be grateful to me! I'm surprised he isn't already, for me holding that lamp of his so no one can destroy it. But I'm wearing him down, Xerxes. He may have given me the cold shoulder at the beginning, but he's starting to see what I'm really made of. And in a short time – "

Mozenrath was interrupted when three women came flying through the windows of the throne room, feet first, via pole-vault. Jasmine, Rarity, and Applejack landed on the stone floor.

"What do YOU want?" Mozenrath snapped. "I don't have time for this!"

"Now that's just too bad," Applejack said, taking a coil of rope – a bolas – from her waist and flinging it at Mozenrath. "'Cause we're about to hold you up a few more minutes!"

Jasmine also whipped out a bolas, flinging it at Mozenrath. The two ropes collided, wrapping around him tightly.

"You think that can hold me?" Mozenrath growled, his gauntlet surging with power. The magic rebounded on him, shocking him with a painful blue aura. Through his yowls of pain, the words "NOT AGAIN" were audible.

"This's happened to him before?" Applejack asked Jasmine.

"Technically, one bolas would have been enough," Jasmine admitted. "It held him last time. But you're an even better throw than me."

"Your throw wasn't bad," Applejack complimented. "Heck, we could sure use rope-throwin' like that back on my family's farm!"

"Well…I had a little practice with a whip. There was sort of an incident where I thought I was the most powerful villain in the Seven Deserts…"

When the blue energy abated, Mozenrath toppled to the floor, struggling against his restraints. Rarity stood over him. "I suppose we've defeated you quite properly now," she said. "After all, you can't get free of those restraints on your own, and you can't use your magic. We've won!"

"Not by a long shot," Mozenrath growled. "Jafar is still unbeatable, I still have Rainbow Dash in the dungeons, and soon I'll have enough weaponry to take back the kingdoms you stole from me!"

"Twi was right," Applejack said in astonishment. "He really does brag up a storm when ya push him to!"

"WHAT about Twilight?" Mozenrath asked.

"Oh, this was just part of her plan to reclaim Odiferous for Uncouthma and Brawnhilda," Jasmine told Mozenrath.

"Tying me up does nothing!" Mozenrath replied angrily. "There's still Jafar!"

"We know that, dear," Rarity said with a wink. "We just needed a way to get you to brag about everything you'd done…including where you put Rainbow Dash."

"To the dungeons!" Applejack cried, and she and Jasmine took off.

Mozenrath, realizing he'd been outsmarted, gaped at them as they left. Before Rarity could follow, he yelled, "You! The one with the purple curls."

"Yes?" Rarity asked with a sigh.

"Just tell me one thing. Did Twilight really orchestrate an entire plan to take back Odiferous?"

"She's quite the organizer," Rarity replied. "You'll see soon enough. Oh, and one more thing…leather gauntlets are NOT in vogue this season." She then took off after Jasmine and Applejack.

After lying on the ground stunned for a while, Mozenrath rolled over so that he could look up at Xerxes, who floated overhead helplessly. "I'm beginning to think she's really a match for me," Mozenrath told the eel.

"Mozenrath's perfect match!" Xerxes agreed.

"NO! I MEANT HER POWER IS A MATCH FOR MINE!"

"Whatever Mozenrath say!"

---

The battle was largely one-sided. Jafar's only advantage was his reflexes; every now and then, he could dodge a blow. However, Brawnhilda's fighting skill was far superior to his own; she kicked out, threw punches, knocked him to the ground.

Yet the manacles were beginning to loosen. Jafar dared not give up the fight, as he could feel the cuff on his right wrist beginning to split, to turn back into the clamshell.

The Genie noticed it as well, having been watching it by extending his eyes into blue binoculars. "Uh-oh!" he announced. "We got a malfunction in the right manacle!"

"Stay here and keep an eye on them!" Aladdin commanded the Genie. "Twilight, let's go!"

Aladdin and Twilight charged through the crowds until they found Pinkie and Bud standing before a hopscotch board marked out on the cobblestone with charcoal.

"That's not hopscotch, silly!" Bud said, erasing a few squares. "THAT's a hopscotch board!"

"So THAT'S how you play with only two feet!" Pinkie said in realization.

"Bud!" Aladdin cried. "Training's over! You still wanna smash the guy that beat up your dad?"

"YEAH!" Bud yelled.

"Well, come on!" Aladdin beckoned Bud to follow, and the two ran towards the scene of the fight.

"You wouldn't believe how much fun we were having!" Pinkie gushed to Twilight. "We played BattleClouds, and—"

"Pinkie," Twilight interrupted, "we need to line up. Applejack and Rarity could find Rainbow Dash at any minute!"

"Ooh, right!" Pinkie chirped. "General Pinkie, awaiting orders!"

"I need you to go find Fluttershy and bring her here."

"Okie-dokie Loki!" Pinkie promised, running back toward the house where Brawnhilda had left Fluttershy and Abu to look after her husband.

Back in the battle ring, Jafar was stunned when the redheaded blur that was Bud rammed into him headfirst and knocked him over.

---

Jasmine, Rarity, and Applejack found the dungeons easily: in the basement of the castle, sealed by a door with iron bars inset in a small window up top and a thick metal padlock on the handle.

"Good thing Abu didn't mind me borrowing this," Jasmine said as she produced a lockpick and used it to force the padlock open. She repeated the process on the door of the first cell and opened it to find Rainbow Dash and Iago inside.

"I've…almost…got it!" Rainbow Dash grunted, tugging at the cuff that held her right ankle. "I can feel it!"

"You got nothing!" Iago criticized.

Rainbow Dash suddenly noticed her rescuers. "Jasmine! Rarity! Applejack! How'd you find me?"

"Mozenrath's a motor-mouth," Applejack answered.

"Here," Jasmine said, setting to work at the locks of Rainbow Dash's chains. "We'll get these off you."

"And here I was half expecting Rarity to saw off the chains with a nail file," Rainbow Dash joked.

"Getting an all-purpose file wouldn't be a half-bad idea…" Rarity considered.

Soon Rainbow Dash was free of her chains. "Let's go!" Applejack told her. "We need all six Elements of Harmony up for the big finish!"

"No!" Rainbow Dash protested. "Not until I'm sure Iago's okay!"

Jasmine had already begun to work on the cuff holding the macaw. She bested the lock, and he fluttered into the air. "Stop worrying about me, kid," he barked, "and GET OUT THERE BEFORE JAFAR TURNS US ALL INTO ROAST FILETS!"

"Right!" Rainbow Dash said, and the five rushed out of the dungeon.

---

The right manacle broke.

"It looks like your time has run out, Princess," the highly bruised and battered Jafar told Brawnhilda as he felt his power resurging; he struck her shoulder with a handful of red energy, and she fell, hitting the ground hard.

"Any time now…" Twilight muttered. As if in response, Pinkie and Fluttershy skidded in at her left.

"I have still beaten you!" Brawnhilda insisted. "You are not the true ruler of Odiferous!"

The other Odiferans in the crowd began to murmur their assent. Their princess had, in their eyes, proven her strength over the usurper's advisor.

"It doesn't matter," Jafar told her as the left manacle broke. He rose before her in his genie form.

Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash ran towards Twilight from her left, panting from having hurried.

Brawnhilda, now on her feet, rushed toward Bud, kneeling over him to shield him.

"Protecting the child?" Jafar taunted. "How touching." He gathered an enormous sphere of red between his hands, preparing to throw it.

"NOT SO FAST!" Twilight yelled.

Jafar looked down in horror to see all six of the Elements standing in the Odiferan crowd. "No…it can't be…"

"Let's do this," said Rainbow Dash.

As the six glowed with bright light, their amulets growing, Jafar snarled, "HOW CAN THIS BE?"

Still doubly tied up, Mozenrath laboriously hopped out of the castle's front door. He began to warn, "Jafar! They found—"

"I CAN SEE THAT VERY WELL!" Jafar screamed.

The Odiferans gasped as the six Elements' feet left the ground. The rainbow burst forth from the light that surrounded them.

"NO!" Just before the rainbow could touch down, Jafar performed another escape in the nick of time; he and Mozenrath were gone in a cloud of red as the rainbow connected uselessly with the cobblestone.

The light subsided; the Elements' feet touched ground. "He got away again!" Pinkie groaned.

"I thought we had him!" Rainbow Dash growled.

"That doesn't matter!" Brawnhilda cried joyously. "The usurpers are gone!"

"Brawnhilda has proven herself stronger!" someone yelled from the crowd.

"Uncouthma's family should really be the rulers!" someone else cried.

"Looks like we won another one," Aladdin remarked. "Nice thinking, Twilight."

"Oh, it was nothing," Twilight said embarrassedly. "It was just a set of lucky ideas, that's all."

"Oh, but even Mozenrath was impressed with your ideas," said Rarity.

"He was?" Twilight asked excitedly. "I mean…that's good. He should know that I haven't given up on beating him. And next time, he better not distract me again by not wearing a shirt! Seeing that would make ANYPONY mess up!"

"Thank you," Brawnhilda said. "You are forever friends to the Odiferans! Oh, and Fluttershy, how is…"

"He woke up," Fluttershy reported. "I told him you were fighting for him. He was very worried for you. He loves you a lot, Brawnhilda."

"I must go and tell him I am all right!" Brawnhilda cried anxiously, and she took off running for the house where Uncouthma was held, the others following.

---

Soon, Uncouthma was transferred to a bed inside the castle, and Brawnhilda and Bud had moved back in where they belonged. Applejack had helped Brawnhilda guide the yaks back to their pasture, and now the group just waited inside for the chance to part.

"I cannot thank you enough!" Uncouthma insisted. "You all have shown that you have very strong head-muscles and heart-muscles, even if you are all frail! In order to thank you, I have had the guards place several crates of our finest vintage cheeses outside the castle door for you to take on our trip!"

"I…don't exactly think we can take all of that with us," Aladdin said hurriedly. "But thanks anyway!"

"I don't want General Pinkie to leave!" Bud whined. "She's the most fun general ever!"

"I had fun with you too!" Pinkie said honestly. "But we have to go save the rest of the Seven Deserts!"

"I won't forget what you taught me," Fluttershy told Brawnhilda. "Nightshade and hemlock!"

"Good luck on your journey!" Uncouthma wished.

"We'll need it," Iago sighed.

"Nothing we can't handle," Aladdin said casually. "We'll see you sometime, Uncouthma."

With that, the group left the upper chambers of the castle, working their way down.

"Twilight?" Rarity nudged her friend gently. "You've been awfully quiet. Is everything all right?"

"I'M FINE!" Twilight burst out, blushing heavily. "I'm just thinking about…how we can get Jafar to hold still while we fire the Elements at him! And the next speech I can give to them! You know, something like…things may be heating up, but it's time for you to cool off!"

"I'd avoid anything that might involve the word 'hot'," Rarity said. "Just a suggestion. We don't want anything to be misconstrued again, is all."

"Right," Twilight said, trying to force from her mind the image she'd been trying to picture when Rarity had interrupted her – how exactly it must have looked when Mozenrath was tied up in the throne room, still without a shirt.

Crates of cheese were indeed stacked up at the front door. Applejack took a morsel out of one of them, popping it into her mouth. Her eyes widened. She swallowed. "Now that…THAT'S GOOD STUFF!" she complimented. "Okay, I gotta take some of this." One of the crates held small crocks of the cheese; Applejack chose just one.

"Now boarding Genie Air, flight number twenty-two, destination unknown!" the Genie announced, transforming into the jet once again. Applejack cradled her new treasure as she climbed aboard. Everyone took their seats again on either the Genie-jet or the Carpet, and the two lifted into the air until they were nothing but a blur on the horizon to the Odiferans.

---

Chapter 10:

· Originally, I was going to include something about the peppermint lizards in Odiferous, but I didn't have the time/place.

· While the episode "The Way We War" suggests that Odiferous doesn't actually make its own weapons and instead buys them from imps, there is canon evidence that they had metal mallets, maces, and cheese-bombs before the imps ever got involved. Ergo, I don't think it's too much license to say that they make weapons.

· I…have no idea why Uncouthma and Brawnhilda are still called Prince and Princess. They're obviously the rulers, so why not King and Queen? That's the ATAS writers' plot hole, not mine! Anyway, those two are huge characters in the Aladdin canon (figuratively and literally), and Bud got an episode, so I say he's important too.

· Notes on Odiferous: canonically, it's based on barbarian tribes (who I have no qualms with making fun of, since that's probably my heritage as far back as you can trace it), and they all value strength above every other quality. The cheese thing is canon, Brawnhilda having the yak farm that's the hub of the economy is canon, Brawnhilda's thing for weak men who need her protection is VERY canon, and everyone in the kingdom is huge, so they refer to foreigners as "dainty" or "frail" all the time. The royal family has the verbal tics of calling all friends by the title of "friend _" and by referring to the brain as the "head-muscle" and the heart as the "heart-muscle".

· Okay, I HAD to get some Brawnhilda/Mozenrath shipteasing in there, even if it's just a temporarily one-sided observation from her. I wouldn't want to break her up with Uncouthma – they're too cute – and I have better people to ship Moz with in the long run, but I ship him with FREAKIN' EVERYONE, and since he always ends up in danger, I figure Brawnhilda would find that attractive.

· For the record, Al is WAY off when he thinks the relationship Mozenrath wants with Jafar is "father". But you all knew that.

· The outfit I describe for Mozenrath is pretty much what Uncouthma wears, which is why I decided it's royal dress. Of course, I added the blue, since he needs blue on him at all times. And let me pause to accentuate one more time: MOZENRATH IS SHIRTLESS. Okay, so that's pretty much just Author Appeal…

· Yes, Moz has the power to teleport people places, and I'm trying SO HARD to eliminate any circumstances in the plot where anyone could ask, "Well, why didn't he just teleport _ to _?" If I miss any…I'm only human.

· "The! Worst! POSSIBLE! THING!" is Rarity's catchphrase from "Lesson Zero". She says it whenever some little bad thing happens, such as her forgetting to bring the plates to a picnic.

· I made up the rules about Moz not being able to directly leech RD's powers off her. Mostly because it would be a story-breaker if characters could just Sonic Rainboom whenever they wanted without having the right expanse of sky to pull it off.

· The Gilda thing is from the ep "Griffon the Brush-Off", and I added nothing. That's how it went.

· The thing about the six not needing the amulets is part fanon, part canon. They did cause the amulets to originally appear by embodying the concepts they represented, and used that alone to defeat Nightmare Moon. However, they needed the amulets to beat Discord, and failed to beat Chrysalis because they couldn't get to them. It was my belief that the amulets are just physical constructs that represent the essence of each bearer, and that the six just don't know that they don't need them. S4 Jossed this, but I'm going to keep running with it anyway for the sake of the story. (And for the record, I DID like how S4 had the Mane Six have to give up the Elements, and the premiere and finale were both beautiful. I just can't use S4 in this story as it stands.) Jury's out on whether AJ overheard Jafar say they didn't need them at that moment. I'll decide that later.

· If yaks really do have no sense of loyalty, I apologize. Artistic license.

· Genies can't kill. It's a rule.

· Soooooo…the imps having a directory of Mukhtar gadgets that can be forged with Twi's level of magic is totally me pulling a Deus Ex Machina…the Mukhtar is a character who lives to hunt genies, and the living manacles and magic-repelling bolas are both canon things he wields, albeit from separate episodes. The manacles were perfectly effective on the Genie, but he's downgraded in power. Since Jafar still has full powers, I decided he could break the manacles so as not to have a plot-breaker (you know, they get the manacles on him, he's defeated, storylet over). Also, I'm going to take huge liberties with what mythical creatures Twilight could encounter in Equestrian bestiaries.

· Fluttershy is a healer partially as a reference to the ep where she tries to care for Celestia's pet phoenix and partially as a reference to the fandom idea of pairing her romantically and/or platonically with the Medic from TF2. And yes, if I get there, I'm going to take full advantage of that crossover as well.

· Pinkie is a babysitter because of the ep "Baby Cakes", where she does take care of the two foals named.

· And Twi's ability to mobilize people into organized fashion is an homage to "Winter Wrap-Up," where she discovers her main talent is organizing others to do big projects.

· There actually is an ancient Arabic technique of anesthetic by soporific sponge using mandragora and hemlock. I use the term "nightshade" instead of "mandragora" because in this crossover universe, "mandrake" is usually the living kind.

· "BattleClouds" is the game from the MLP ep "Read It and Weep." It's basically a weather/pony-themed Battleship. The game was never named in canon, probably because no one could think of a good pony pun for Battleship. "BattleClouds" is the best I got. Jenga, on the other hand, I think can exist in Equestria without the need to pony-theme it.

· Every time Moz calls Jasmine the dainty/precious princess in canon and implies that she's weak, she kicks his ass. This has happened at least twice. I figure he's learned by now.

· I really wanted to emphasize that the women in this story don't need to be saved by the men. Like, REALLY EMPHASIZE IT. Hence RD gets an all-female rescue team, and Brawnhilda is the one to fight. I'm sort of a girl power advocate. I'm not going to short the male heroes or anything, but I want the women of my story to be very active.

· In canon, Mozenrath was caught up in the Mukhtar's magic-repellent bolas in the ep "The Hunted." It had the same effect there too (actually, I went easy on him; in canon, he knocked himself unconscious that way).

· Jasmine really is canonically a whip-wielder. The ep "Forget-Me-Lots" had her go amnesiac and think she was a villain, and honestly, she quite possibly could have been the most powerful villain in all the Seven Deserts at that point. Funny trivia: when she thought she was evil, she changed her outfit to one the same shade of blue as Moz's. And this was many episodes before his debut.

· The "Royal Canterlot Wedding" ep did feature briefly a hopscotch board with several extra squares for players with four hooves. I don't know if it actually could have functioned, but bronies did take screens to point it out and ask, "HOW DOES THIS WORK?" So we know they do canonically have four-footed hopscotch.

· Abu is known for having a ton of lockpicks. They're used as Deus Ex Machinas in ATAS canon all the time, so I have no shame about doing this here. The only shame I have is not figuring out an actual way for RD to break her chains before her rescue team showed up, but that couldn't be helped.

· DID I JUST MAKE A REFERENCE TO TWILIGHT BEING INTERESTED IN BONDAGE? I think I did. I…couldn't help it. TIED UP AND SHIRTLESS. SOMEPONY HAD TO BE INTERESTED. (I still think the animators totally knew what they were doing when they had him encounter the bolas with his shirt ON in The Hunted…)

· Interesting trivia: the next place we visit, I was going to have last, but I switched them out because the plot worked better to have the one I was originally going to do last.

1. Smile, Smile, Smile

QUIRKISTAN, THE SEVEN DESERTS

The throne room of the palace of Quirkistan had wide windows that overlooked the kingdom's vast golden dunes, emerald trees, topaz sky, and expertly constructed houses. It was upon this vista that Mozenrath looked, now dressed in his usual blue clothing rather than any themed ensemble.

"Did you ever hear about the powers of the king of Quirkistan?" he asked Jafar, who stood some way behind him, surveying the same view.

"I have traveled to this land many times," Jafar answered. "Whosoever holds the throne of Quirkistan has sway over the physical nation itself based on his mood."

"And right now, I'm pretty happy," said Mozenrath. His brow furrowed. "Too happy. This kingdom needs…anger. This kingdom needs what I feel whenever Aladdin bests me at a scheme."

Gray clouds moved in over the formerly pristine sky, and thunder rumbled before great forks of lightning crashed downward, unaccompanied by rain.

"What I feel…when I think of my father."

The green leaves curled up into brown husks and dropped off all the trees.

"What I felt when Destane never gave me my due! What I felt when Khartoum betrayed me! WHAT I FELT WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT MY BROTHER HAD A GENIE DROPPED ONTO HIM OUT OF NOWHERE WHILE I HAD TO WORK FOR THE POWER I HAVE!"

A chilling wind blasted through the dark air. Great cracks appeared in the earth, and from them, columns of fire burst toward the sky, lighting up the darkened land. Screams of terror could be heard from the village outside.

"That's more like it," Mozenrath growled.

"Fine work indeed," Jafar complimented, stepping closer to Mozenrath to admire the wasteland outside the window. His right hand brushed against Mozenrath's left.

Immediately, a piercing ray of sunlight broke through the clouds, and a patch of sapphire blue flowers sprouted where it touched the earth. Jafar glanced at Mozenrath with suspicion; Mozenrath bit his lip in embarrassment. The temperature of the room began rising. Without a word, Mozenrath turned to walk to the window set in the opposite wall, recalling his anger; the temperature plummeted, the clouds obscured the sun, the flowers withered and died.

Now Jafar was sure of his new master's feelings toward him. That, he knew, would be advantageous.

---

SOMEWHERE IN THE SEVEN DESERTS

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Pinkie Pie asked, pointing toward the horizon. The clouds had concentrated in one dark spot where she indicated, and bright flashes of light, far too large to be ordinary lightning, emitted at intervals.

"That's the direction of Quirkistan," Aladdin informed her. He then realized what that meant. "Oh, no…"

"What?" Twilight asked. "What is it?"

"Quirkistan changes based on its king's mood," Aladdin told her.

"So do a lot of countries," Twilight answered obliviously.

"No, not like that. It's more like…if the king is happy, Quirkistan is sunny. If the king is sad, it rains. If the king is angry…" He pointed back out toward the dark spot on the horizon. "That."

"Let's go!" Jasmine commanded.

---

QUIRKISTAN, THE SEVEN DESERTS

The Carpet and the Genie-jet descended at the edge of Quirkistan. Now that they were up close, they could see the horrors imposed upon the land. Clouds completely obscured the sun, shooting down vicious forks of lightning. Chilling winds tore through the atmosphere as thunder boomed. Dead trees were split by lightning, or simply twisted into grotesque shapes. The palace was visible on the horizon's edge, houses surrounding it. Every now and again, columns of fire burst from the earth between the group and the palace.

"Oh, the humanity!" the Genie cried dramatically as he shifted to his human form.

"This is Mozenrath, all right," Aladdin confirmed.

"Big deal!" Rainbow Dash said with a wave of her hand. "I'll have this sky cleared in ten seconds flat."

"No, Rainbow Dash!" Aladdin warned. "You don't understand—"

"Ten. Seconds. Flat," Rainbow Dash insisted before spreading her wings and shooting up into the air. She circled the dark clouds, trying to kick them out of the way; they resisted, springing back and refusing to move. A flash of lightning came too close for comfort, and Rainbow Dash landed. "What's up with these clouds?" she complained. "I can't move them!"

"Not even Thundra could move these!" Iago cried. "We're at the mercy of whoever's on the throne! And there is no winning this one back with battles or games!"

"Then what do we do?" Rarity moaned. "Of all the worst things that could happen—"

Aladdin cut her off. "When I come up against something that seems impossible, I can usually talk my way out of it," he said. "But I don't know if there's anything I can say that can get us out of this!"

"I just feel bad for poor Mozenrath," Pinkie said, which caused everyone to turn to her in surprise.

"I'm sorry," Iago said, "it sounded for a minute there like you said you felt bad for Mozenrath."

"But I do!" Pinkie insisted. "If he's making Quirkistan angry all the time, that means he's angry all the time! And if he's angry all the time, that means he can never be happy!"

"That's it!" Aladdin realized. "He wouldn't settle for not turning Quirkistan into a complete mess…but that wouldn't leave him any room to gloat over it, because that would mean being happy about it! We just have to get him to see it that way!"

"I'll get us to the palace in no time!" the Genie promised. "This could be our easiest victory yet!"

Rainbow Dash, however, had been watching the clouds above. "BLIZZARD CLOUD!" she suddenly yelled, running away as fast as she could. The other five Equestrians, knowing what that meant, followed suit.

"Hey, wait up!" Aladdin called, following them.

"Rainbow Dash!" Jasmine yelled, running alongside Aladdin. The Carpet sailed after them, Abu on board, and Iago came last.

"Huh," the Genie said, not moving. "Wonder what's got her all—"

The cloud above hailed down a shower of snow and ice that completely obscured the area below it. The others watched in horror as the Genie was obscured from view. When the cloud finished precipitating and visibility cleared, the Genie was encased completely in a block of ice.

"GENIE!" Aladdin and Pinkie screamed.

"It was a blizzard cloud," Rainbow Dash said shakingly. "I know exactly what they look like. I knew it had a ton of ice in it. I should have told you…I thought we could all make it…"

"It's okay," Aladdin told her. "You didn't have time."

Jasmine, Twilight, and the Carpet rushed to the frozen Genie, attempting to chip away the ice. Twilight found that she didn't have a spell for such a situation, and Jasmine discovered that even the sharpest rocks on the ground could only dent the ice block.

"We might have to go without him," Jasmine realized.

"No," Aladdin retorted, picking up a rock and trying to tear away the ice. "I'm not going without Genie!" However, he too was defeated by the thickness of the ice.

"We have to go," Twilight realized. "We'll come back for him. I mean, that ice couldn't kill him…could it?"

"No," Aladdin admitted. "All right. Let's go. The sooner we can get Mozenrath to stop messing around with Quirkistan…the sooner we can set Genie free."

He, Jasmine, Twilight, and the Carpet walked back to where the others stood next to a towering cliff. "Looks like the fastest way we can go is if some of us take Carpet," Aladdin realized, "and the rest of us—"

The group was suddenly shaken by a violent earthquake. Rocks tumbled down from the cliff overhead. Boulders landed on the ground with a great cloud of dust in their wake.

Once the ground ceased moving, Twilight called out, "Everypony okay?"

Upon surveying the scene, she saw that the rocks had spared all but one. The Carpet was pinned beneath a mammoth boulder about the size of a small house. "Hang on," she said, surrounding the boulder with pink magic. She tried hard to lift it, but its mass was too great, and it didn't budge. "I'm sorry," she panted after the third attempt.

"We're bein' picked off like fish in a barrel!" Iago realized.

"We better get movin' before some other disaster strikes!" Applejack ordered.

"But Carpet!" Aladdin argued.

"Will be fine once we clear up this mess with Mozenrath!" Applejack insisted. "Now let's go!"

The group, down one genie and one flying carpet, turned toward the palace and began the long trek through the wastelands.

---

The ground shook again.

"Another earthquake!" Twilight called out.

"At least we aren't near any mountains," said Rainbow Dash, thinking the worst that could have happened was another rockslide. She was about to be horrifically corrected.

The ground began to split in two, with Aladdin, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie on one side of the crack and Iago, Jasmine, Fluttershy, Abu, Rarity, and Twilight on the other. A great wall of fire, seeming to stretch eternally to both sides, shot up from the crack and refused to subside.

The fire blocked the way for the latter group to get to the palace. "Hang on!" Twilight yelled. "I think I can reflect this!"

She stared at the fire, focused. She put out her hands, directing energy through them. A tunnel of pink appeared in the fiery wall, leading a way through the flames. She rushed to the center of the tunnel in order to hold it up from a better point of equilibrium. "Go!" she ordered.

Iago wasted no time flying through the tunnel. Fluttershy ran through next, Abu on her shoulder.

Beads of sweat ran down Twilight's face. She was magically drained from trying to move the boulder, and holding up the flames was pressing on her ever harder.

"Twilight?" said Rarity, coming halfway through the tunnel to meet her. "Are you all right?" Behind her, Jasmine entered the tunnel.

Cracks appeared in the pink aura. "I…I can hold it…" Twilight grunted.

"Don't!" Rarity warned. "It's going to collapse! You'll be burned!" She turned to Jasmine, crying out, "Go back!"

"NO!" Twilight insisted as the tunnel became riddled with cracks. "I…can…do this!"

"Twilight! Get out! NOW!" Rarity insisted, backing off.

Twilight closed her eyes, steeled herself—

The cracks gave way. Rarity turned and rushed from the collapsing tunnel.

Twilight realized she'd overestimated herself. Expecting to become engulfed in flame, she waited for the pain, for the end. Instead, she felt herself dragged a short distance, then laid down on the ground. She opened her eyes to see Pinkie hovering over her.

"Twilight!" Pinkie cried. "Are you okay?"

"Did you…did you save me?" Twilight croaked.

"I ran in when the tunnel started falling apart!" Pinkie answered. "My Pinkie-sense told me it was gonna break!"

"Rarity," Twilight realized. "I…I couldn't save Rarity…"

"RARITYYYYYYYYY!" Pinkie called to the wall of flames.

"I'M HERE!" a voice answered from the other side.

"JASMINE!" Aladdin called out. "SAY SOMETHING!"

"I'M ALL RIGHT!" Jasmine yelled back.

Twilight sat up. "I can get them across," she said weakly, putting out her hands. Several flashes of pink crossed the fire, but Twilight was unable to make another tunnel.

"GO ON WITHOUT US!" Jasmine yelled. "WE'LL GO BACK TO GENIE AND CARPET!"

"But that splits up the Elements!" Rainbow Dash realized.

"We've beaten Mozenrath and Jafar when you were split up before," Aladdin reminded her. "We'll just have to do it again."

"Ya think Rarity can really make it all the way back across Quirkistan with all the weird weather and stuff?" Applejack thought out loud.

"She has Jasmine with her," Aladdin pointed out. "Jasmine can protect her from anything."

"Pinkie Pie," Fluttershy asked softly, "what are you looking at?"

"Just the fire," Pinkie admitted. "It's so bright! Maybe Mozenrath is on to something with having fire powers!"

"You know what the last thing we need is?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Giving the crazy one in pink fire?" Iago replied.

"You read my mind," Rainbow Dash sighed.

Twilight stood up shakily. "We have to go on," she resolved.

So they did.

---

Next, a roaring river blocked the way. Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Iago flew easily over the raging waters; Fluttershy carried Abu. "Can you make it?" Rainbow Dash called over the thundering of the river.

"I know I can swim this," Applejack said. "Al? Twilight? Pinkie?"

"No problem," Aladdin boasted.

"I…don't know…" Twilight looked hesitantly at the water. Pinkie put in a foot to test it and was nearly dragged away by the current from that alone.

"Hang on!" Rainbow Dash flew back to the other bank, seizing Pinkie under the arms. "I got ya!" She lifted Pinkie into the air, carrying her over as Aladdin and Applejack descended into the rushing water. Fluttershy followed suit with Twilight, barely getting her to the opposite bank without dropping her into the raging rapids.

The intensity of the current picked up. Applejack was finding it harder to stay on course. The waters plunged her under several times, and she struggled just to keep her head above the surface.

After a short but laborious journey, Aladdin reached the opposite bank. He clambered onto land, then extended his hand toward the water. "Applejack! Take my hand!"

Applejack was still in the middle of the river, fighting the current. "I can't!" she cried. "Go on! I'll be…GAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

The rapids washed her downstream and out of sight.

"APPLEJACK!" Aladdin, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy yelled.

"It's okay," Twilight muttered to herself. "It's gonna be okay…she can make it…"

"We gotta find her!" Rainbow Dash cried, setting out to run downstream. Pinkie and Aladdin stopped her by each seizing one of her arms.

"We don't have time!" Pinkie reminded her. "Quirkistan is getting more dangerous every second!"

"You know the only way we can stop this!" Aladdin added.

"Then let's get to that palace already!" Rainbow Dash wrenched herself free from their grip, taking off running in the direction of the palace.

---

The winds became more intense. Twilight covered her face with her sleeve, trying to protect her skin from the biting cold. Fluttershy cradled Abu close to her stomach to warm him. Rainbow Dash had taken to the air for a change of pace, and Iago flew alongside her.

Twilight kept her focus on the path ahead. Just as far as the palace, she thought, and then—

Fluttershy screamed.

Aladdin, Pinkie, and Twilight looked to Fluttershy, who pointed upward. The three watched as a great blast of wind caught Rainbow Dash's outstretched wings, blowing her up, up, into the cloudy sky and out of sight. With a yell of terror, Iago was blown in the same direction.

"NO!" Aladdin, Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Twilight cried in unison.

"Not Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy nearly sobbed. "She was too strong! There shouldn't have been anything that could do that to her!"

Despite their double loss, Aladdin, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Twilight, and Abu agreed that the only thing to do was go on.

---

At last, the remaining five reached the houses surrounding the palace. They walked quickly up the main street, palace in view.

A small, dark-skinned boy dressed in rags ran out of one of the houses. "Aladdin!" he cried.

"King Mahmoud?" Aladdin replied.

"That was the king?" Pinkie asked.

"I don't know what's happening!" Mahmoud sobbed as he reached the group. "I'm not doing this! I swear I'm not!"

"I know," Aladdin told him. "We know who is. We're going to get your kingdom back, Mahmoud. I promise."

"Aren't you pretty young to be a king?" said Pinkie.

"No!" Mahmoud snapped, his demeanor turning angry. "I'm just the right age to be king! My advisors say so! And I'm learning how to be an even better king every day!"

"Mahmoud," Fluttershy inquired, "would it be all right if…if I stayed with you while the others went to the castle?"

"Fluttershy!" Twilight cried in surprise.

"I'm sorry!" Fluttershy gushed worriedly. "But the Elements are already split up, and…I'm so scared! Rainbow Dash is gone, and so is Jasmine, and I…I can't do it! I can't go on!"

"But we're almost there!" Twilight encouraged.

"Anything could happen!" Fluttershy moaned. "You can manage!"

"She's really scared, isn't she?" said Mahmoud.

"Yeah," Aladdin confirmed. "It wasn't easy getting this far."

Mahmoud approached Fluttershy. "You should stay in shelter with me," he told her. "Will that make you less afraid?"

"A little," Fluttershy admitted.

"Don't worry!" Pinkie told her. "We can get Quirkistan back!"

Fluttershy set Abu on the ground. "You can go with them if you want," she told him.

"Fluttershy?" Abu squeaked. He pointed to her, indicating that he wanted to stay with her.

"He will come with us too!" Mahmoud insisted. "I will take good care of both of you!"

"We'll fix this, Fluttershy," said Aladdin. "I promise. Now stay safe. You too, Mahmoud. And take good care of Abu for me, will you?" This last, he said with a wink.

Mahmoud led Fluttershy to the house where he'd taken refuge, and Abu followed them.

Aladdin, Pinkie, and Twilight looked up toward the palace, knowing this was their last chance.

---

"…when I first discovered the decoy Shamash had set for anyone who tried to find his source of power…when the sprites went on strike and refused to work for me…when Xerxes knocks things over in my lab…" Ticking off more memories of anger, Mozenrath reclined upon the throne, watching the outdoors become more and more violent.

"Excellent," Jafar hissed to himself, still posted at the window.

"Being the king of Quirkistan is hard work," Mozenrath sighed, "but someone has to do it."

Suddenly, the door to the throne room burst open. Pinkie Pie leapt into the room, doing a pirouette as she sang, "My name is Pinkie Pie, hello! And I am here to say, how ya doin'? I'm gonna make you smile and I will brighten up your daaaaaay!"

"What is this?" Mozenrath asked in annoyance.

"'Cause I love to make you smile, smile, smile, yes I do!" Pinkie sang.

"Shall I blast her?" Jafar asked.

"I…don't even know what's going on…" Mozenrath admitted.

"Pinkie," Twilight said, entering the room alongside Aladdin, "that's not how to go about this…at all…"

"Oh, come on!" Pinkie protested. "Everypony loves the song!"

The scenery outside changed drastically. The flashes of fire disappeared. The wind changed directions rapidly, blowing first West, then East, then West. A spot cleared in the clouds, and where the sun shone through, rain also fell from completely nowhere.

"Huh?" Aladdin looked to Mozenrath, whose gaze was fixated on Twilight.

"Confused?" Xerxes asked.

"I'd say that's accurate," Aladdin admitted.

"What?" Twilight barked. "What are you CONFUSED about?"

"Nothing," Mozenrath said hastily. He hadn't expected that reaction. The more he thought about it, the more he thought it was an appropriate description of how he felt when he thought about Twilight…sun and rain at once. "Except…how you could have possibly gotten all the way here."

"It wasn't easy," Twilight retorted. "Do you have any idea what it's like out there?"

"Assuming everything went to plan," Mozenrath answered, "it should be barely livable."

"That's an understatement," Twilight grumbled.

"You've sure made a mess of things," Aladdin interrupted. "Pretty angry, huh?"

"I've been thinking about our childhood," Mozenrath snapped. "That should explain a lot to you."

"You must be proud of the level of power you have now," Aladdin went on. "Oh, wait…you can't be! Everything outside is still angry, so I guess you're not happy with it."

"Of course I'm happy with Quirkistan!" Mozenrath rose from the throne and crossed to the window. "I finally own something you can't take away from me. All…of this."

As he said that, the clouds began to lighten and clear away from the sky. Green leaves sprouted on the trees.

"I was wrong," said Aladdin. "You're happy with what you've got after all."

"It shouldn't BE like that!" Mozenrath brought to mind his collection of angry thoughts. The clouds returned. Thunder boomed.

"Are you going to listen to his words of deception?" Jafar asked.

"I'm onto your game," Mozenrath told Aladdin. "You're trying to trick me into getting my emotions mixed up."

"But it isn't a trick!" Pinkie insisted. "It's true! As long as you want Quirkistan to be all stormy and fiery, you can't ever be happy! And a Quirkistan that's fiery and stormy will never make you happy! So as long as you're the king of Quirkistan, it has to make you angry all the time! Nopony wants to be angry all the time!"

"Don't listen!" Jafar hissed.

"That's where you're wrong," Mozenrath told Pinkie. "I…" He suddenly realized he had no comeback to that. He couldn't logically think of a way around what she'd said.

"Face it," Aladdin concluded. "You've bought yourself something you can't pay for. After all, what was the point of all this conquering besides being happy with taking it over?"

"There HAS to be a way around it!" Mozenrath yelled at Jafar. "Tell me the way around this! What do I have to do to be happy with this place?"

"Be content with being discontent!" Jafar snapped back.

"That isn't even possible," Mozenrath told him.

"There's no way you can keep this place up in the long run!" Pinkie insisted.

"This entire kingdom is worthless to you," Twilight added.

Mozenrath turned to stare her down. She glared at him. The winds blew in circles; the clouds lightened while pouring down a torrent of rain.

"Fine," Mozenrath gave in. "Take it back. No, that boy can have it back."

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Jafar bellowed.

"Giving up something I don't want anyway," Mozenrath told him. "We have other kingdoms to control. Let's go."

"But this means they've won!" Jafar argued.

"I don't care," Mozenrath replied. "I told you being the king of Quirkistan was hard work. I don't want it anymore. Now let's GO."

Before Jafar could protest, it was Mozenrath who took them both away this time, spiriting himself, Jafar, and Xerxes away in a flash of blue.

"I do like making others happy!" Pinkie said, beaming. "I hope he finds someplace he can actually be glad to conquer!"

"Did she really just say that?" Aladdin asked Twilight.

"She did," Twilight sighed.

"The important thing is," Aladdin said, "we won!"

Outside, the sky turned light gray, and a slightly chilling breeze shook the leaves of the trees. "Mahmoud must still be scared!" Pinkie realized in horror. "Come on! We gotta go tell him he got his kingdom back!" She rushed from the throne room.

"What does it mean?" Twilight asked Aladdin. "Sun and rain at the same time?"

"If I had to guess," said Aladdin, "I'd say happiness and anger at the same time."

"I'm…not sure how I feel about that."

"Judging from the sun and rain? I'd say you're not the only one."

---

Mahmoud returned to his throne gladly, and the weather cleared instantly. The sky became topaz blue once more. The trees grew leaves shining with dew. The ground became a whole of golden sand once more.

Aladdin, Twilight, Fluttershy, Abu, and Pinkie had a much easier trek back to the edge of Quirkistan, across much tamer lands. When they arrived at the starting point, they discovered not only that the ice had melted from the Genie, but that Jasmine, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Iago had all made it back to him.

"You did it!" Jasmine congratulated.

"We were right," Aladdin informed her. "Mozenrath couldn't argue with our logic. He wanted something he could be happy with. So he gave it up."

"Now that you're finally back," Rainbow Dash broke in, "we can get that rock off the Carpet."

The group surrounded the great boulder. The Genie and Twilight combined their magic, forcing the rock to roll while the others pushed it. Eventually, it rolled off the Carpet altogether, and the enchanted rug practically leapt into the air with happiness.

"I wonder where they went now," Twilight said, staring back out at the deserts outside Quirkistan. She looked up into the vast sky…

…and spotted the arrow just in time.

"GAAAAH!" Twilight dodged the golden arrow as it stuck in the ground.

"What the—" Rainbow Dash didn't even have time to wonder before another arrow of the same make stabbed into the ground near her. Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie each dodged a golden arrow as well.

"What is the meaning of this?" Rarity cried.

Her question was soon answered. Shadows fell upon the group, and everyone looked up to see the women, clad in short white dresses and black sandals that laced up their calves, riding five pegasi above them.

"Now that," Rainbow Dash said at the sight of humans riding the winged horses, "is just plain wrong."

---

Chapter 11

· The chapter title comes from the fan favorite of Pinkie's songs.

· Canonically, Quirkistan's weather changes based on the mood of the king. Fire included. It's never really clear whether that's something that comes with the title or whether King Mahmoud just had those powers. I decided it comes with the title.

· Quirkistan is another place that doesn't feature all that heavily in the series, especially compared to Odiferous, but Mozenrath put it on his conquer list in "The Citadel." It's inconceivable that he would leave it alone.

· "When Khartoum betrayed me" = reference to the ep "The Book of Khartoum," where a more powerful sorcerer tricked Moz into releasing him and then tried to destroy him.

· "Ten seconds flat" = Rainbow Dash's boast that she could clear the sky in the first MLPFIM episode. It's become kind of a meme among bronies to say you can do something in "Ten. Seconds. Flat." You'll also notice I had Rarity start to say it was the worst possible thing again.

· There's no canon evidence that RD can identify the kind of precipitation in a cloud, but she's worked with the weather in Equestria A LOT.

· Pinkie-sense: Pinkie has this intuition that tells her when certain things are going to happen, most often when things are about to fall from the sky or a door is about to open and hit someone. Little things like that.

· Foreshadowing the connection I'm building between Pinkie and fire…

· The other things on Moz's list of complaints are mostly references to "Lost City of the Sun," where he tries to get the sprites to dig up an ancient power for him, but they go on strike, and the sorcerer that previously owned that power was a MAJOR troll in leaving clues to where it was.

· The song Pinkie's singing is the one from the chapter title. She canonically has almost an obsession with making others happy. I figure that can extend to villains as well.

· I suppose if you want, you can attribute the "confusion" to Moz seeing Al as well, since they seem to enjoy being enemies a lot. (It's actually a very popular ship among those that don't do the "brothers" theory. I personally have it ingrained in my mind that they're twins, but I also can see a LOT of evidence for the ship.)

· ATAS fans know what the golden arrows mean and who the riders are. For those who don't, all will be revealed next chapter.

· And this is the first time any of the now-human ponies have seen anyone ride a horse. Needless to say, RD is horrified.

1. Warrior Women

QUIRKISTAN, THE SEVEN DESERTS

One of the pegasi descended, and a tall, statuesque woman with a brunette coif and several deep wrinkles that betrayed her age dismounted. Fluttershy could only stare at the pegasus, transfixed by the non-talking animal that she was used to seeing in droves at the marketplace back home, gossiping and bartering.

"So you are the ones," the tall woman said, looking directly at the area where the six Equestrians had gathered.

"What ones would that be?" Applejack asked with suspicion, raising her eyebrow.

"The ones who can help us reclaim our kingdom," the woman said, deadpan. "The arrows did choose you, did they not?"

"They're on Galifem," Jasmine realized.

"If the 'they' to whom you refer includes an arrogant youth dressed in blue, his heartless advisor in red, and a particularly curious sort of flying sea creature, then yes, 'they' are on Galifem," the woman said. By now, the other pegasi had landed, and the other four women dismounted as well. One of them, a short, plump woman sporting a metal breastplate and a shock of red hair, rushed to her taller counterpart's side.

"You can't take our friends into your army!" Jasmine barked, causing confusion amongst the six Equestrians.

"Whether they shall remain permanent fixtures in our army is yet to be seen," the tall woman informed Jasmine. "I would like to remain in the present moment."

She turned to the six Equestrians. "I am Queen Hippsodeth of Galifem," she introduced.

Twilight rolled her eyes and gave a slight snort.

"What was that?" Hippsodeth raised a brow, staring down Twilight.

"Nothing," Twilight muttered. "Just that the hurricane of puns never stops blowing…"

"Show some respect!" Applejack hissed, elbowing Twilight in the stomach so she was forced to bow; Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash bowed as well.

"When the usurpers overtook our land," Hippsodeth explained, "we found ourselves outmatched. After all, the advisor is a powerful genie, and the young one has access to all of the defense mechanisms we once put in place to defend ourselves from outsiders. Our military has long been determined by the golden arrows; they seek capable female warriors, and from their decision, we have added to our ranks. With no other choice, we fired a volley of arrows into the air in hopes that they would lead us to aid. All but six returned to us."

"Well, you look like new faces around here!" the redhead said excitedly in a high-pitched tone. "We've certainly never seen you before! Oh, I'm Scara, Queen Hippsodeth's lieutenant, and I'm hoping we'll get along just fine!"

"So…you just drafted us into your army," Rainbow Dash clarified. Then she shrugged. "Cool."

"Not 'cool,' Rainbow Dash," Aladdin corrected. "Once the Galifems pick a warrior, they keep her forever and never let her go home unless she fights her way out."

"It's a little bit of a shock at first," Scara added, "but soon you find you fit right in!"

"Actually," Hippsodeth clarified, "in light of recent events pertaining to your princess, we are considering abandoning that practice in favor of letting those chosen by the golden arrow decide whether to stay with us or remain in their homelands. It is, however, only a consideration. Many of us will soon be leaving Galifem, and we must have warriors to take our places."

"But why only women?" Applejack inquired.

At this question, Hippsodeth's eyes seemed to be focusing on something only she could see rather than where her face was pointed. A slight melancholy overtook her voice; "Galifem was created as a sacred space. A land where women could have strength rather than be relegated to the handmaidens of our brothers. To think that our land has been taken over by these…these men…"

"Oh, I thought the younger one was quite handsome," Scara interrupted.

Hippsodeth glared daggers at Scara before continuing. "It is unforgivable."

"What's with the man-hating?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Isn't that kinda unfair to lock out all men?"

"No, Rainbow Dash…" Twilight responded. "I…I think I kind of understand. You see, not everywhere is like our Equestria. In lots of places, men hold a lot of power that women don't get. Think about it. Except for the rainforest, everywhere we liberated had a king in charge. I think these women needed a place where they wouldn't have to worry about that."

"I still think it's unfair," Rainbow Dash insisted.

"You may think that," Hippsodeth told her. "I will not fault you. I will, however, say that we Galifems do not hate men. Quite the contrary. If any of us should fall in love with a man, which has often happened, we have the right to leave Galifem, authority such as myself permitting, and join the kingdom of our lover. It is something I myself have considered…though, again, it is only a consideration. Time will tell whether or not a marriage with the one I desire would indeed prove fruitful."

"Marriage…to my father?" Jasmine broke in, which caused the Equestrians to do a double-take.

"You're in love with the SULTAN?" Pinkie asked incredulously.

"His playful demeanor hides an inner strength I admire," Hippsodeth replied. "As for his outward cheerfulness, it is refreshing to me. He is the only one who has ever defeated me in combat, and from the looks of his daughter, he would not stifle the strength of a woman."

"I had to do a little convincing to teach him that I could do just fine on my own," Jasmine admitted, "but he knows that I can take care of myself…and the same for Hippsodeth."

"When I leave my post," Hippsodeth stated, "I was to pass the throne on to my lieutenant, Scara. However, it seems that she too has fallen in love with King Pector…who SHOULD be the one on her mind instead of certain vain intruders…"

"Oh, no, no, no, I LOVE Pector!" Scara insisted. "I'm just saying that the usurper is…pretty! From an, um, objective point of view?"

"Been there," Twilight huffed.

"No one could replace Pector for me!" Scara insisted with such force that those around her knew she spoke the truth.

"It shall fall to Scara to select an heir," Hippsodeth concluded. "However, all that is lost if I do not have our throne to begin with, and if the usurpers continue to use our defenses to torment us. Will you warriors join us in the reclamation of Galifem?"

"I'm there!" Rainbow Dash volunteered.

"Count me in," Rarity agreed.

"Same here," Applejack said with a nod.

"Um…I'll try my best," Fluttershy said timidly, ducking behind Pinkie Pie.

"I'll do it! I'll do it!" Pinkie cried as she hopped up and down.

"Of course we'll help you get your kingdom back," Twilight promised.

"And we'll help, too," Aladdin added.

"I don't know," Twilight told him. "I kind of think…this is something just the women should do."

"But I can help!" Aladdin insisted.

"It's important that they have their place back," Twilight insisted. "We can handle it on our own."

"I still don't get why it's just gotta be women," Rainbow Dash admitted, "but you guys could use a break anyway."

"At the very least, I can go," Jasmine spoke up. "But I'm not staying in your army forever."

"That we understand well, Princess," Hippsodeth replied. "In that case, shall we be off?"

"Let's all go together at least to the edge of Galifem!" Scara suggested. "Then we can split up from there after we give the new girls their training!"

"Training?" Fluttershy squeaked.

"You will need to be armed for this battle," Hippsodeth informed her.

Fluttershy didn't respond; instead, she trembled and let out a small squeal of trepidation.

"Charting coordinates for Galifem!" the Genie announced, transforming into the jet. Hippsodeth, Scara, and the other three warriors remounted the pegasi, causing Rainbow Dash to cringe, and the rest of the group took their places on either the Carpet or the seats of the Genie-jet. The pegasi lifted off first, and the others followed.

---

GALIFEM, THE SEVEN DESERTS

"Now this is an example," Mozenrath said with satisfaction, "of what I call satisfactory power without magic."

He stood before an array of ropes and levers situated around a stone counter in the palace of Galifem, a white, pillared building that resembled a temple. The throne at the atrium's center was ignored, some feet away. Mozenrath flipped a few switches at random and pulled several ropes, smirking as he imagined which booby traps he'd activated across Galifem and who had fallen prey to them.

"I've been thinking," he continued; Jafar watched him from a few paces back. "Given the track record, we can pretty much guarantee that Aladdin and his little Elements of Harmony are going to show up. When, not if, that happens, I'm going to pull out all the stops on the defenses to keep them from getting here. Of course, there's a large chance that won't work, and they'll march in and we'll have to run. I could track them down and separate them again, but we all saw how well that worked last time…and this time, I have a much better idea."

"And that idea is?" Jafar asked out of curiosity.

"First, we wait to see if we can stop them on our own," Mozenrath replied. "Then, if we fail, which I'll admit is likely, I'm going to take us back to the Black Sands. We'll leave a trail for them to follow, and they'll come running…right where I want them." He clenched his right fist. "Into the palm of my hand." He smirked. "I think I know what I want my second wish to be."

"And what would that be?" Jafar inquired.

"You'll see," Mozenrath answered cryptically. "After all…you'll be granting it."

---

The land of Galifem was gorgeous from above; even those who knew of the dangers that lay within it had to admit that. The sight of the neon-green gardens dotted with gleaming white marble buildings and statues pierced through the cloud cover as the fleet of pegasi plus one Carpet and one Genie-jet descended to a small white building on the very edge of the realm.

The building looked like a warehouse of some sort—blocky, made of smooth marble walls and sealed with great double doors adorned with carvings of gorgons, chimaeras, and a host of other magical creatures. Once the traveling heroes were on foot, Hippsodeth gestured to the building. "The only place we never outfitted with defenses," she said before hauling one of the great doors open and leading the others inside.

An entire army of women, clad in the same short white dresses and black sandals, looked toward the door at Hippsodeth's approach. "We have found the new warriors," she announced, and a murmur of excitement rippled through the crowd gathered in the empty storeroom. "With the right training, they should be able to determine our success when we relaunch the attack upon the palace. I will need six targets set up, and six warriors to donate their spare bows and quivers. No arguments."

Hippsodeth led Scara, the other three Galifems from the Quirkistan expedition, Aladdin, Jasmine, the Genie, the Carpet, Abu, Iago, and the six Equestrians inside the warehouse. "This was where we kept our practice targets," she said offhandedly. "We did not feel the need to worry about anyone stealing them. After all, we are more used to practicing on…moving targets."

"Please tell me she means bullseyes on pulleys," Applejack whispered.

"Nope," Aladdin whispered right back.

"Ah, here we are!" Hippsodeth exclaimed as her soldiers retrieved six bullseyes from the back of the storeroom and set them up in a line, backing off. Six soldiers reluctantly handed over golden bows and quivers filled with golden arrows; Hippsodeth placed a bow and quiver before each target. "Take your places. Jasmine, I see no need to train you, as you have already undergone our regiment."

"I don't know about this," Fluttershy protested softly. "I'm just not very good with weapons…at least, I don't think I am. I've never tried to fight anyone."

"Fluttershy," Rainbow Dash said sternly. "You are one of the best fighters I know. You beat up and flipped a bear!"

"Oh, but that was only a misunderstanding," Fluttershy retorted. "He had an awful cramp in his neck, and I had to use some of my more extreme massage techniques."

"You can do this," Rainbow Dash insisted. "Just…just watch me, okay?" She walked over to one of the bows, picking it up as well as an arrow. "You just put the arrow in the bow like this—"

"Not so fast," Hippsodeth interrupted. "These are no ordinary arrows. With concentration, you should be able to bend them to your will."

"Huh?" Rainbow Dash was confused.

"You mean she can use them like magic?" Twilight asked.

"They are a sort of magic," Hippsodeth confirmed. "A sort that even the nonmagical can use."

Rainbow Dash fitted the arrow to the bow, drew back the string, and let it fly. The arrow hit just off center of the bullseye. "Well, that didn't seem very magical."

"You're not doing it right," Twilight chided. "You have to find this…place in your mind. A special place where you channel what you want to do, and then you let it…come out. Watch this." She took her position before another target, picking up the bow and an arrow. She clumsily set the arrow in position in the bow before drawing the string back and letting it snap forward. The arrow missed the target, eventually plunging into the wall behind it, but in the middle of its flight, it blazed with a glowing light, and it sunk far deeper into the wall than an ordinary arrow would have been able to do. The Galifems applauded.

"Not bad, for a first try," Hippsodeth congratulated. "Though your aim needs work."

Twilight grinned sheepishly.

Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Applejack took up posts at the targets, hoisting up bows and arrows. Applejack was the next to let an arrow fly; midway through flight, the shaft turned green and sprouted tendrils. The arrowhead pierced just outside the middle of the target, and the tendrils grew on, clutching at the edges of the bullseye until they were choking it. This drew more applause from the Galifems. "So that's what usin' magic's like," Applejack remarked.

"I'll get it eventually!" Rainbow Dash grumbled, loosing two more arrows. They hit the bullseye, but neither changed form.

"WHEEEEEEE!" Pinkie loosed arrow after arrow, watching each of them burst into flame before hitting the bullseye. "This is fun!"

"Careful, Pinkie Pie!" Twilight gasped. "You'll set the whole place on fire!" She aimed her next arrow at Pinkie's target, willing it to become a spray of water that doused the flames.

"Awwww, my fire…" Pinkie mourned before picking up another arrow. This one burst into flame even as she set it on the bow.

"No more fire!" Twilight snapped.

Pinkie reluctantly willed the flames away. However, when the next arrow hit the target, the entire target exploded, and Pinkie clapped victoriously. "WOOHOO!" Twilight couldn't help but grin at her happiness.

"I've…almost…got it!" Rainbow Dash growled, loosing another arrow with no results. She sighed and turned to face Fluttershy. "Well, at least I can show you how to set it. Just put it in the bow like this." She nocked another arrow.

Fluttershy copied her movements with shaking hands, her arrow trembling upon the bow.

"Hold it as steady as possible," Rainbow Dash said, "and then…let it fly." She let go of the string. The arrow once again thudded directly into the bullseye with no extra magic about it.

"Okay…" Fluttershy said weakly.

"And don't forget to put your will into it as you're letting it off the bow!" Twilight reminded; her own shots were getting closer and closer to the middle of the target.

Fluttershy gulped, then closed her eyes as she let go of the bowstring. The arrow zipped through the air, transforming into a small cyclone during its path; the circular winds hit the target, spinning it round and round before collapsing it.

"Did I do okay?" Fluttershy asked without opening her eyes.

"Fluttershy!" Rainbow Dash said incredulously. "You just caused a mini-tornado!"

"I did?" Fluttershy looked at the fallen target. "Did I really do that?"

Meanwhile, Applejack glared at Rarity, who was constantly readjusting her arrow's position on the bow. "You gonna actually shoot," she snapped, "or you just gonna fix your aim all day?"

"Patience, Applejack." Rarity raised her arrow by a hair, then lowered it by a smidgen. "Perfect." She let it fly; it transformed into a jet of water that hit the target dead center.

"A little water?" Applejack teased. "That all you got?"

"It's clean," Rarity defended proudly.

"I wanna try something," Twilight suggested. "Rarity, can you fire another one of those?"

"Surely," said Rarity. She nocked another arrow, adjusting its aim up, down, left, and right. When she had a perfect lineup, she let the arrow fire.

At the same time, Twilight sent an arrow flying toward Rarity's target. It turned into a streak of snowflakes that intercepted Rarity's arrow just as the latter became water. As a result, a spear of ice penetrated the bullseye.

"Wonderful!" Rarity cried.

"Mind if I borrow your eye?" Twilight asked embarrassedly. "I'm…not doing so well." None of her arrows had hit the center yet, and a few more had planted in the wall.

"Of course not, dear," Rarity said. "Shall we practice that again?"

"AAAAUUUUUUGH!" Rainbow Dash was close to snapping her bow in frustration. "Why isn't this WORKING?"

"Oh, it's difficult at first," Scara assured her, "but you'll be shooting like a pro in no time!"

"But I don't get it!" Rainbow Dash complained. "What are you even saying? Magic? Will? I know how to fire an arrow, and that's it!"

"Try thinking of it like a Sonic Rainboom," Twilight suggested. "You know how you have to focus completely on where you're going? You put that kind of focus into…whatever you want to happen. Whatever you think you're good at."

"Like I haven't been trying that!"

"Giving up is only a sign that you do in fact lack the proper focus," Hippsodeth chided.

"I know you can do it, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said. "You can do anything! I believe in you."

Rainbow Dash sighed. "All right…I'll give it ONE MORE go. For you, Fluttershy." She nocked another arrow, but this time gave it some thought before simply loosing it. Twilight had said she needed to find a place in her mind, a special focus. Simply looking at the arrow wasn't going to do it. She visualized the arrow becoming more than a simple arrow. She made it the sole focus of her thoughts.

Then she found it. Aided by the arrow's ability, she stumbled upon the place in every magic worker's mind from which the will comes and is made real.

"So that's what it's like," she muttered before loosing the arrow.

The arrow still remained a golden arrow, but it zipped toward the target at double speed, leaving a rainbow trail in its wake. It not only hit the bullseye dead center, but pierced through it and kept going until it stuck in the wall.

"And that's how it's done," Rainbow Dash boasted as she slung the bow over her shoulder and folded her arms.

"NICE!" Twilight congratulated.

"I knew you could do it!" Fluttershy squealed before turning her attention back toward making a lightning bolt out of her next arrow.

"You are doing well," Hippsodeth said. "Soon you will be ready. Normally, the next steps in your training would be the obstacle course and, in the more old-fashioned days, the living targets, but our obstacles are currently in possession of the one we intend to become our living target."

"Bring it on," Rainbow Dash said. "We'll be ready!"

"I think I can finally do it!" Fluttershy said happily.

Twilight let off her last arrow of the day with a special vision in mind. It transformed into a bolt of pure blue that made her target explode the way Pinkie's had. "Let's see how he handles this," she muttered.

---

"Are we clear upon which route we will take?" Hippsodeth asked.

Twenty-some of her warriors, now with Jasmine, Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy among them, nodded, bows slung over their shoulders. A seventh spare had been rustled up for Jasmine, but she found no need to practice, as Hippsodeth had thought.

"Then we shall go forth," Hippsodeth said, pushing open the doors. "NOW!"

The warriors rushed to their pegasi, mounting the beasts that could only whinny. The seven newcomers doubled up on other warriors' saddles, and the fleet lifted off.

"It's okay," Twilight muttered from the back of the saddle of Scara's steed. "They're non-talking horses. Lowercase-H horses, if you want to get technical. It's fine…"

"What are you talking about?" Scara asked.

"Horses?" Twilight replied with a sheepish grin.

The pegasi made a beeline for the high ground upon which the palace rested. "Prepare for evasive maneuvers!" Hippsodeth called out.

"Evasive maneuvers?" Fluttershy didn't like the sound of that.

From below, several marble statues of archers with their arrows pointed heavenward turned on their bases so the arrows aimed at the flying horses. The arrows then launched into the air.

"WHAT IS THAT?" Rainbow Dash screamed; the warrior flying her steed only reined the horse in to a sharp turn to avoid the onslaught of giant stone arrows.

"That," she answered sharply, "was something we installed to keep the likes of him OUT."

The Galifems were soon overloaded with the bitter taste of their own medicine; whenever an arrow was launched, another one would spring from the base of its statue and launch from the stone bow. Steering the winged lowercase-H horses became increasingly more difficult. Hippsodeth sensed that with the quantity of stone arrows in the air, it was not safe to continue on the first path the group had agreed upon. However, they had come up with an alternate route.

"TAKE THE LANDING!" she ordered, steering her pegasus directly downward. The other Galifems did the same, and all dismounted on the green grass at the nadir of the palatial mountain. The statues stopped firing arrows, as they could only point upward and there was no one in the sky to shoot at.

"They're watching us," Jasmine deduced.

"Then let's give 'em a show!" Pinkie cried gladly.

"ONWARD!" Hippsodeth ordered, beginning to run up a path built into the side of the cliff. "Do not forget!"

As the others followed, the path became progressively steeper until it was clear that this was not the natural formation; the ground was shifting so as to cause the ascending warriors to slide down. At the base, where they had begun, several spinning blades shot up out of the ground to await any who slid to the bottom.

Scara, Jasmine, Applejack, and Rarity were quick to fire their arrows behind them, willing the arrows to become ropes and forming a net that shot diagonally from the edge of the path that ran off the cliff to a point up the rock wall to the side. This caught most who slid down, but one had been unlucky. Jasmine gasped in horror as she saw that Pinkie Pie had fallen behind the net and was sliding quickly down to her doom.

At first, Pinkie screamed, seeing only the spinning silver blades that awaited her. Then, coming to terms with the fact that her end was near, she decided to make the most out of the ride. As she slid down ever faster, she closed her eyes and earnestly screamed "WHEEEEEEEE!"

Rainbow Dash swooped in just before Pinkie's feet could touch the blades, hoisting her into the air and carrying her back to the point above the net. "You know, you oughta be more careful," she teased. "Were you really yelling 'whee' on the slide of death?"

"It was a fun slide!" Pinkie answered. "Except for, you know, what was at the end."

They touched down where the army was struggling to not slip on the steep path. Twilight closed her eyes and breathed deeply, concentrating on what she knew she needed to do. "I can only hold it for a little while," she said, finishing a speech Pinkie and Rainbow Dash had missed, "so you're all going to have to go fast."

When Twilight opened her eyes, they had again become two orbs of pure light with no iris or pupil. Flat squares of pink energy appeared up the path, forming stairs on the previously non-navigable surface. One by one, the Galifems, Jasmine, and the other Equestrians ran up the stairs. Twilight was the last to run up, able to hold them just long enough to reach the top of the cliff; the steps faded once she stepped off.

Now the army stood upon another grassy plain, this one unadorned by statues. The palace was in sight across a river that poured down the cliff in a great waterfall.

"So, water," Applejack murmured, "we meet again. Only this time, I got the upper hand."

"Allow me," Rarity said, pushing past her. She knelt and set up her bow, looking past it to the exact point she wanted to shoot. "Twilight, won't you?"

Twilight knelt beside Rarity, inquiring, "On three?"

"Only if you count me off."

"One…two…THREE!"

Water and snow collided again, forming a bridge of ice across the river. "This one should hold longer," Twilight assured, and the army rushed across.

"Only the main road remains!" Hippsodeth called out. "You know what to do!"

The army turned onto the path, rushing between double rows of nearly sky-high columns. As Hippsodeth warned, the columns began to rumble and tip over to crush whomever was in their path; the determined women steeled themselves and outran every pillar, though the BOOM of each column that hit the ground sounded just behind Pinkie's heels.

At the end of this run, Pinkie suddenly cried, "WHERE'S FLUTTERSHY?" The entire company stopped, looking around for their smallest.

Fluttershy was spotted behind them, hopping over the tops of the fallen pillars; she'd waited for them all to collapse. "I knew I wouldn't be able to make it," she admitted when she joined the rest.

"This is as far as we have been able to come without assistance," Hippsodeth announced. "Inside the palace, the genie has thwarted us. Admittedly, however, this time we endured far fewer injuries on the way up the cliffs. I shall take this as a good sign."

The palace, stunningly shining white beneath the golden sun, loomed overhead. Without a second thought, the army charged forth toward the throne chamber.

Immediately, the great red genie that was Jafar appeared in his usual cloud of red smoke to greet them. "I see you have attempted to thwart us yet again," he boomed. "We've been keeping a little magical eye on you, and you've done rather impressively this time around."

"The Galifems have us this time!" Applejack cried.

"Really?" Mozenrath stepped into view. "I don't think so." He pointed at Rarity, and blue light shot from his finger toward her, surrounding her. Rarity screamed as Mozenrath lifted her into the air and spun her round and round. "Try using your little elements now," he challenged.

"FIRE!" Hippsodeth ordered, and the Galifem warriors, Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash raised their bows, firing a volley of golden arrows. With a sweep of his muscled arm, Jafar brushed away most of the arrows, be they fire, vegetation, or ice, but Rainbow's arrow of super-speed pierced his flesh and caused him to flinch, while Pinkie's also stuck in his arm; Jafar thought nothing of the latter until it exploded.

"Fluttershy!" Rainbow Dash yelled. "WE COULD USE SOME HELP!"

"I…" Fluttershy quivered, the bow and arrow in her hands shaking. "I can't…"

"NOW YOU WILL BOW TO ME!" Jafar bellowed, casting a wave of red light over those who threatened him. The Galifems, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie were forced into kneeling positions. Fluttershy ran away in terror, dropping her bow and missing the attack. Twilight, however, quickly fired a magically charged arrow into the path of Rainbow Dash's arrow; the resulting combination shot through the wave of red at top speed, negating it in one area.

Mozenrath laughed gleefully as he spun Rarity round and round. Her screams entertained him until the flying kick to his waist knocked him over. His assailant pinned him to the ground, planting his face into the marble floor. "You want to try and attack another one of my friends?" Jasmine hissed. In the meantime, Rarity, dropped to the ground, scrambled to her feet to join the frontlines against Jafar.

"No," Mozenrath grunted. "I want to try to attack YOU!" He rolled over, throwing her off him, and fired a blast of blue that she immediately dodged; he charged to try and pin her, but she pushed him away by kicking him square in the chest.

His next shot didn't miss. Jasmine, enveloped in blue, rose into the air and flipped upside down. "LET ME GO!" she insisted.

"Not on your life, Princess," Mozenrath taunted.

"Um…excuse me?"

Mozenrath looked over his shoulder to see who had spoken, still keeping his hold on Jasmine. Upon seeing Fluttershy, he flinched. He already knew what was coming.

"I think what you're doing is really mean," Fluttershy stated assertively. "So stop it!"

Mozenrath decided to be daring. "And if I don't?"

She rushed toward him with a speed he didn't know she possessed, the heel of her hand hitting the back of his neck. Her toe dug swiftly into his Achilles tendon, and Mozenrath fell to the ground, letting Jasmine drop.

"Don't hurt my friends," Fluttershy insisted before she and Jasmine rushed to the frontlines.

Twilight willed the next arrow to become rope again, but she remembered the magic-resistance she had helped cast upon the bolas she'd crafted in Odiferous. She added two more arrows, then fired the triad over the Galifems to her left; a magic-resistant net fell over them, and the red light disappeared, allowing them to stand once the rope disappeared. Twilight did the same for her friends and the Galifems to her right, then turned to fire a magic-resistant net at Jafar. He stopped it with his open palm, balling it up. "A fine parlor trick," he taunted, "but not enough to stop me!"

Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash were now at Twilight's side, and all six were shooting arrow after arrow in succession. "Should we use the Elements now?" Pinkie asked, and Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash looked eagerly to Twilight for the answer.

"We need to time it!" Twilight replied. "Stop firing arrows! Hopefully everypony else can give us enough cover to start it up!"

Twilight knew it wasn't a good sign that Jafar had, for whatever reason, begun to laugh almost uncontrollably. "Now!" she yelled, and the six stood together, ready to summon up the rainbow once more.

"NO!" Mozenrath stumbled between the army and Jafar. "You may have won this time, but after we've put together what I have in store in the Black Sands, we'll have taken back Galifem…and everything else you stole from me!" He slashed at the air with the gauntlet, ripping a great seam in space; he quickly ducked through it, and Jafar followed, with Xerxes slipping in just before the seam closed.

"YES!" Twilight cried, raising her bow in victory.

"What just happened?" Scara asked confusedly.

"They knew they couldn't beat our powers put together," Applejack explained, "so we won!"

"Except for whatever it is they're planning back at the Black Sands!" Rarity worried.

"At least we know where they are now!" Pinkie pointed out.

"You all have done incredibly," Hippsodeth congratulated. "Are you six sure you would not like a permanent position in our army? Especially you…Fluttershy, was it?"

"Oh, we couldn't," Fluttershy said softly.

"But when it came time to protect your friends," Hippsodeth reminded her, "your strength showed. You could definitely keep up."

"It isn't that," Fluttershy told her. "We have a lot of friends to protect, and we can't do that if we stay in Galifem. But we'd be awfully glad if you agreed to be our friends."

Hippsodeth smiled. "What a strange request. This friendship does not come with extraneous terms, does it?"

"No," Fluttershy replied. "It's just friendship."

"Then we are friends," Hippsodeth confirmed. She turned to Jasmine. "You and I especially. I shall not press you about service in our army. It has occurred to you that with you, I need to get off on the right foot more than ever. After all, there is a very small chance that I could become your mother."

"Well…you're strong, you're confident, and you know how to protect the ones you love," Jasmine replied. "I'd say you're a pretty good fit to be my mother."

"Perhaps I will pay the Sultan of Agrabah a visit, if that is the case," Hippsodeth suggested.

"But he isn't the Sultan!" Pinkie wailed. "Not anymore!"

"Mozenrath's wish did the same thing to him that it did to you," Jasmine told Hippsodeth. "My father is now a commoner fighting for his life on the streets. Evil beings are running rampant in Agrabah!"

"And you're not back home defending it?" Scara asked in awe.

"Our friends are buildin' up a resistance," Applejack answered. "We need to get a lot of people together to fight the fire-cats that showed up. Nasty little critters feed on fear, and there's way too many scared people in Agrabah to drive 'em out. So we're gettin' an army that won't be scared of 'em!"

"I do wonder how the effort is coming along," Rarity pondered. She then shook her head. "They will be able to handle themselves, of course. They have Cassim and Sadira. On the other hand, we don't know what's going on in the Black Sands!"

"Then we have to go there," Twilight resolved. "We have to stop whatever Mozenrath's building up for us!"

"I must thank you for helping us reclaim Galifem first," Hippsodeth said calmly. "I do hope your further endeavors are as successful."

"No problem!" Pinkie replied, beaming. "And I hope you and the Sultan eventually get married and live happily ever after!"

"And that's enough of Pinkie Pie talking about others' love lives for one day," Rainbow Dash quickly broke in.

As the six Equestrians and Jasmine rushed back to the warehouse to find their male companions, Hippsodeth muttered to herself, "Agrabah in trouble? Building an army? That is indeed interesting…"

---

THE LAND OF THE BLACK SANDS, THE SEVEN DESERTS

Back in his laboratory, Mozenrath couldn't understand why Jafar was laughing with such abandon. "And…all this humor is coming from where exactly?"

Jafar eventually was able to speak relatively calmly. "They still think they've won," he told Mozenrath, grinning meaningfully. "How wrong I was…how wrong indeed!"

"What happened back there, exactly?"

"Nothing you need concern yourself with," Jafar declared. "You have plans of your own for them. What exactly do you have in mind?"

Mozenrath gave Jafar his trademark smirk before replying. "Just to make sure I have this right…you don't have to be dead to go to the Netherworld, am I right?"

"Of course not," Jafar answered. "Many mortals have found themselves in the Netherworld…with simply tragic results."

"Good." Mozenrath's smirk grew wider. "Simply tragic is what I was going for."

---

Chapter 12:

· The Galifems are also antagonists that became heroic later. I only just now realized how often that happens in this canon. I guess friendship really is magic! Anyway, they're basically a parody of the Amazons.

· The first ep with the Galifems involves them choosing Jasmine for their military via the golden arrow. They want to keep her for life, but while Jasmine is acing training, she's plotting escape, and Al and the rest eventually show up to help her break out.

· I knew I wanted to go deeper into why they're all women. I worry that they're sort of straw feminists (characters that hate men to the point of getting the audience to resist feminism as a movement), but they never actually state that they HATE men—they use male prisoners for live target practice (although in that incident, they SPECIFICALLY ordered Aladdin and his group killed, and they were technically invading in order to get Jasmine back), but they never say they hate men. And, in fact, the pairings of Hippsodeth/Sultan and Scara/Pector (puns…and no, these still aren't the worst puns in this canon) are eventually canon, so they're open to having relationships with men and even inviting male suitors to their door. So I don't know. I gave them that backstory about creating a female space all on my own. There isn't actually a rule saying Galifems have to leave if they marry. That's my headcanon, and it makes sense, since you don't see any men around. This also gave me a chance to give Jasmine some limelight by having only the women go. Anyway, I had RD hate the idea and think of them as man-hating and Twi understand the need for feminine space because I wanted both points to stand out as possibly valid, as I know readers of this are probably divided in similar ways on the issue.

· I COULDN'T HELP DOING JUST ONE LITTLE BIT OF IMPLICATION OF SCARA/MOZENRATH. I SHIP THAT TOO. It's easier to list the characters I DON'T ship with Mozenrath, actually.

· The Galifems' arrows work pretty much exactly as I said in canon. Some of the powers I gave them are new, like the plants and the rainbow, but they really are arrows that can take on the magical qualities you will them. In canon, they've been turned into ropes, flames, and water jets midflight.

· Now, pay attention. Pinkie likes to set them on fire. AJ's arrows sprout roots in a very EARTHlike way. Rarity shoots water. Fluttershy makes cyclones. Am I foreshadowing something?

· Do you know what I love about Galifem? It's rigged with booby traps all over. And the best part? I didn't add any. All the traps I put in have been featured in one or more episodes.

· I really just wanted Jasmine to have at least one solo paragraph of fighting. Because she is a ninja.

· In my ideal headcanon, Hippsodeth would marry the Sultan and become Jasmine's stepmom. I really want to believe that eventually happens. I originally wanted to do a "what happened to Jasmine's mom" thing here, because that would be foreshadowing for something else, but I didn't have room.

· And more importantly, no, you're NOT supposed to know what Jafar found hilarious. You will find out LATER. On the other hand, what Moz is planning to do, I just plain spelled out.

1. Dark Shadows

THE LAND OF THE BLACK SANDS, THE SEVEN DESERTS

"Tell me again what exactly he said," Aladdin demanded as the Carpet and the Genie-jet carried the usual crowd toward Mozenrath's fortress.

"They're going to use some sort of plan to take every kingdom back," Twilight replied worriedly. "I think they have some kind of weapon!"

"That wouldn't surprise me," Aladdin told her. "Mozenrath always has some kind of weapon…and Jafar always has a backup plan."

"But we can stop them," Jasmine insisted. "We've done that every time so far."

"I'm just worried that they've got something worked out that will beat us," Twilight admitted. "We keep chasing them around. They know they have to split the Elements up somehow. Eventually, they're going to stop targeting kingdoms and start targeting us."

"So we'll stop them before it happens," Aladdin assured Twilight.

Twilight wrung her hands. "I hope so."

---

The Mamluks had come out in full force, surrounding the gateway to the fortress. They drew their swords threateningly. They hadn't counted on the six Equestrians having retained their bows from Galifem and using the arrows, transformed into ropes, to tie them up. The Genie helped out here and there, encasing the zombies in ice blocks and occasionally halting them by making their shoes tapdance furiously, which Pinkie found hilarious.

Eventually, the group fought their way past the thick army and into the fortress. Aladdin and Twilight led the charge toward the laboratory; Jasmine, the Genie, the Carpet, Iago, Abu, and the other five Equestrians followed.

Aladdin and Twilight threw open the laboratory door. The room was empty. "Where are those two snakes?" Aladdin wondered out loud.

"ELEMENTS!" a familiar raspy voice cried out; everyone turned to see Xerxes staring at them. The eel quickly turned and dashed down a hallway; the others pursued. Xerxes led them all the way to another door, which he quickly ducked behind.

Twilight pushed to the front of the group, and the others let her take that position. She wrenched the door open, yelling, "GIVE IT UP! IT'S OVER!"

The room beyond was circular, with light blue walls, and it contained only two things. One was Mozenrath, arms folded, grinning. "It is over," he said. "For you."

The other item in the room was a great blue crystal, twice the size of a human being, set in a golden stand. At first, Twilight was stumped. She didn't recognize it. When Mozenrath called out "IXTALA!", however, she remembered what she'd read about it.

She screamed in terror.

Aladdin reached out to her, but a translucent red wall went up in the doorway, cutting Twilight and Mozenrath off from everyone else. A great beam of blue light emitted from the crystal; Mozenrath pressed against the wall so as not to be captured by it. The light surrounded Twilight and physically dragged her toward the great blue stone; she dug her feet into the floor, trying to resist.

"What IS that thing?" Rainbow Dash cried.

"A Crystal of Ix!" Twilight cried, still fighting the drag of the beam. "It entraps magical creatures and—NOOOOOOO!"

The beam swept her off her feet. She could fight no longer. A brilliant flash of blue filled the room, blinding everyone who watched; once it cleared, Twilight was inside the crystal, frozen and motionless.

Mozenrath, now safe, stepped away from the wall. "As your friend was saying," he explained, "the Crystal of Ix traps anything magical inside it, and anyone on the outside who knows how to use it can drain the magic of whatever's in it for themselves. Now, what do you think I could do with the very Element of Magic herself? No, no, don't tell me. I want to get creative."

"YOU LET TWILIGHT GO RIGHT NOW!" Pinkie screeched.

"Set her free," Aladdin added, "and I MEAN IT!"

Mozenrath rolled his eyes. "I needed to split up the Elements if I was going to win," he sighed. "I thought you all knew that. I couldn't take any chances, even with the plan I have set up for the rest of you."

"The rest of us?" Iago repeated, horrified. "WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO THE REST OF US?"

"It's simple," Jafar said, materializing behind the group. "He is going to use his second wish."

"Of course, I couldn't wish you all dead," Mozenrath embellished, "but I had to get you out of my way SOMEHOW. So I picked the next best thing. Jafar, for my second wish—"

"NO!" Aladdin cried, realizing what was coming; he lunged at Mozenrath; but was blocked by the red wall.

"—send all of them to the Netherworld," Mozenrath finished.

"Your wish is my command," Jafar replied happily.

For a moment, all was red, as though a great red light had flashed. When it faded, the same hallway came back into view, but the colors were muted.

From inside the Crystal of Ix, Twilight couldn't move, couldn't call out, couldn't react at all. She could only watch and listen as she saw all of her friends disappear at once.

---

THE LAND OF THE BLACK SANDS, THE NETHERWORLD

The hallway appeared the same, albeit a bit lighter in color. Twilight was still frozen inside the Crystal of Ix, and Mozenrath and Jafar were now walking towards each other. Jafar called off the wall of red so Mozenrath could leave the room.

"WHY YOU BIG MEANIE!" Pinkie screamed, lunging at Mozenrath only to pass right through him. "Huh?" she exclaimed, hitting the floor.

"They really did it," Jasmine realized. "They sent us all to the Netherworld! Even Genie!"

"SAY IT AIN'T SO!" the Genie cried.

"What's the Netherworld?" Fluttershy asked cautiously.

"One of the places you can end up when you die," Aladdin told her. "Mortals can go there too, but it means we can't interact with anyone or anything in the living world."

Mozenrath passed right through the entire crowd as though they were air. "This just might have been my best idea yet!" he gushed, moving toward Jafar with his right hand outstretched as though to casually clamp the genie's shoulder. His voice had a strange reverberating sound to it, as though heard through a tin can; all sound came through that way.

Jafar walked past Mozenrath, brushing off the attempt at physical contact. "Are you sure it was wise to keep her?" he asked, approaching the Crystal.

"Relax," Mozenrath replied. "Her powers will come in handy. Besides…you know as well as I do that if we didn't split them up, they'd use their powers to knock out everything in the Netherworld."

"Fair enough," Jafar resolved, admiring the expression of horror on Twilight's motionless face.

"Oh, and the best part is that while we can't see the dead," Mozenrath pointed out, "the UNdead definitely can. That should be a warning to any lost souls that are still around and listening."

"Uh-oh," the Genie squeaked.

"We have to get out of here without any of the Mamluks seeing us!" Jasmine realized.

"Quick! Let's go!" Pinkie turned to run, dashing down the hall and around the corner.

When the others caught up to her, they found her standing in the hallway, staring ahead in terror. Mozenrath's undead servants faced her in droves, seeing her with perfect clarity.

"Um…oops?" Pinkie squeaked.

"Don't worry!" The Genie gave a wave of his hand. "Their weapons are in the physical realm! They can't do anything to us!"

In a mass gesture, the zombies all tossed their swords over their shoulders. They charged forward, and two of them seized Pinkie Pie in their rotting hands.

"Of course, their bodies are sort of between worlds," the Genie added, "and that could be a problem…"

"HELP MEEEEEEE!" Pinkie squealed.

A THUD was heard; vines began growing around one of the zombies that held Pinkie, binding its arms together so it couldn't hurt her. Pinkie managed to squirm free of the other one's grasp only because of its undead nature—its arms fell off of its body, and consequently off of her.

"EEEEEWWWWW!" Rarity cried.

Applejack fitted more arrows to her bow, sending out more of the growing tendrils as the zombies advanced. "Wanna help me out here, Genie?"

"No problem!" The Genie fired sparks at the zombies, pushing them back. However, more surged forward. He then snapped his fingers, and a brick wall appeared between the zombies and the not-quite-dead heroes.

"Ya think that'll hold 'em?" Applejack asked.

The bricks were kicked down from the other side and scattered; zombies surged forward.

"Nope," the Genie squeaked.

Aladdin drew his sword, and Jasmine struck a battle stance, holding her fists outward. However, before either could touch the oncoming horde of the undead, Pinkie skidded in front of them, wheeling out the party cannon.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" she yelled, mashing the cannon's button and spraying confetti, streamers, and glitter over the zombies. Many were bowled over, confused.

"LET'S GET OUTTA HERE!" Iago screamed, and the group turned and ran from the undead horde that pursued.

As it turned out, the fortress was packed with even more zombies. They seemed to come from every corner, blocking access to most hallways. Soon, the group was cornered in a storeroom filled with barrels.

"Looks like we'll have to fight our way out!" Aladdin determined.

"I'm ready!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, drawing both her swords.

The zombies clashed with the trapped mortals. The Carpet wrapped them up, spinning to dizzy them. The Genie fired more tap-dance spells. Pinkie fired the party cannon again and again. Jasmine and Fluttershy dealt out roundhouse kicks. Rarity and Applejack fired more arrows. Rainbow Dash became a maelstrom of punching, kicking, and bladework, leaving quite a few of her opponents in pieces, well aware that they could just put themselves back together. Aladdin, knowing the same, slashed out with his sword. Iago and Abu hid behind the stacks of barrels like the cowards they were.

In the chaos, barrels were slammed into and knocked over. They spilled out a substance that seemed at first to be tar, but upon closer inspection was actually made of bubbling, wet black sand. "DON'T TOUCH IT!" Aladdin warned; this became harder to do as the sand spread across the floor.

Even the undead knew not to touch it. They backed off, allowing their opponents to edge out of the room. The battle continued out in the hallway and into the atrium.

As the fighting went on, many of the zombies began to realize they were outmatched, and ran. Those that didn't ended up falling to the floor in brittle pieces, their arms crawling about to try and pick up all the fallen fragments before they made their own escape. At last, the heroes stood in the Netherworld counterpart to the atrium of the fortress of the Black Sands, completely undeterred by zombies.

"We…we did it," Aladdin panted.

"Let's agree never to do that again," Rarity huffed. "That was quite disgusting."

"So this ain't the worst possible thing that coulda happened?" Applejack teased.

"The day is young," Rarity replied haughtily.

The sound of slow applause from one pair of hands caused everyone to turn. Standing in the hallway was a man who looked undead, but his colors were vibrant and the sound of his applause unmuffled, implying that he was entrenched firmly in the Netherworld and nowhere else. His skin had a purplish tinge to it, and his robes were even more brilliantly violet, including a ragged cape held in place by a skull-shaped brooch. A tall gold headdress completed the picture.

"Well done!" the purple man congratulated. "I didn't know if you could fend off an entire army of the undead. Turns out you can! Too bad for you, that was just the warm-up act!"

"Rarity?" Aladdin croaked.

"Y-yes?" Rarity stammered.

"Now you can say it's the worst possible thing."

"Who is that?" Fluttershy asked, trembling.

"Oh, you must be new!" the purple man gasped with realization. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Ayam Aghoul, and you happen to be traveling with all of my worst living enemies! Which, of course, makes you also my worst living enemies!"

"Now how'd a thing like that come about?" Applejack asked. "Some argument you never settled?"

"A funny thing," Aghoul told her. "First, I wanted to marry the princess without her consent, but apparently that crossed some sort of line, so I was banished to the Netherworld. After that, I tried conquering this world through the Shadow Realm, but, alas, THAT was also deemed offensive, so it was back to the Netherworld for me. All I wanted was a little revenge after that. Was that too much to ask? So I tried to kill Aladdin and his friends here a few times. But again, Ayam Aghoul was declared a naughty, naughty boy, and once again…Netherworld. But now that you're all here with me, and there's no way you can possibly banish me to the realm of the living, I can finally have the revenge I've been wanting so badly!"

"He is BAD NEWS!" Iago insisted. "You can't take him! That's it! We're doomed!"

"I'd like to see him try," Applejack replied, nocking an arrow and shooting it.

From nowhere, Aghoul produced a large scythe, which he used to cut the arrow down midflight. He then whistled. Also from nowhere, a horde of skeletons appeared, filling up the atrium of the fortress of the Black Sands. About ten dog-shaped reptilian creatures appeared alongside them. The zombie Mamluks also reappeared from every entry, aware that their army was now bolstered.

"Oh, Mozenrath's soldiers have been my friends for a long time," Aghoul explained. "After all, HE wouldn't listen to them about their undead concerns. No, it's all, get me this! Get me that! Stop my brother from getting into the palace! Personally, I'm a fan of you all being in the palace. It makes my job that much easier!"

"What do we do now?" Fluttershy asked softly as Aghoul walked forward, scythe in hand. The skeletons and reptiles of the Netherworld, along with the undead of the Black Sands, also closed in.

"Just play along," Aladdin hissed. He turned back to Aghoul. "Oh, no! It looks like you've finally captured us all!"

"What are you playing at, boy?" Aghoul snapped.

"Oh, nothing," Aladdin said with a shrug. "Only that…oh, NO! Sultan! Not you too! How'd you get all the way here?"

"THE SULTAN WHO ALSO HAS THWARTED ME?" Aghoul raged. "Oh, he definitely won't get out alive." He and all his minions turned to face the point where Aladdin was staring. Of course, no one was there at all.

"RUN!" Aladdin commanded, and Jasmine and Fluttershy quickly broke through the circle of undead warriors at its thinnest point with a double kick. The group rushed back down the hallway from whence they'd come, with the Genie, Applejack, and Rarity looking over their shoulders to fire a shower of sparks, a plant-based arrow, and a water-based arrow respectively at the now-pursuing horde of zombies, skeletons, and reptiles.

"DON'T LET THEM GET AWAY!" Aghoul commanded from the back of the group.

The group of heroes skidded back into the same room that had held the barrels; the floor was almost completely covered in the menacing black sand that bubbled like magma now.

"What IS that awful substance, anyway?" Rarity asked.

"Some enchantment of Mozenrath's!" Jasmine said quickly. "He uses it to transport prisoners to another dimension where they sink into the sand!"

"And the zombies won't go in?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Of course not!" Iago pointed out. "IT'S A DEATH TRAP!"

"No," Applejack corrected, "the death trap is behind us. We got one choice, and we know they ain't gonna follow!"

Before anyone could protest, Pinkie leapt up into the air, gripping her knees and yelling "CANNONBAAAAAAAAAALL!" before hitting the surface of the black sand with a great splash.

"It's our only choice!" Jasmine confirmed before jumping into the sands as well. Fluttershy, Aladdin, Applejack, the Genie, Rainbow Dash, Abu, and Iago quickly followed.

"You can't be serious!" Rarity moaned, looking at the sands before her into which all her friends had just disappeared, sinking down farther than the floor should have allowed.

She looked back over her shoulder to see Aghoul gaining ground, swinging his scythe. "You're a pretty one!" he called out. "I might spare you if you become my next wife!"

"That's even MORE disgusting!" Rarity cried before doing a swan dive into the black sand.

Aghoul skidded to a stop before the bubbling sands, the zombies, skeletons, and reptiles halting alongside him. He briefly considered following his quarry into the realms below, but he'd been told by the zombies in the way of communication only the dead share what lay down there. "Eh," he remarked. "They're as good as dead anyway." He shrugged, turning to leave them.

---

THE SINKING SANDS, THE REALM OF DARKNESS

Falling out of a pitch-black sky, Pinkie Pie landed with a splash in a knee-deep sludge of black sand, sinking up to her neck as she was still curled in a cannonball position. Jasmine, Fluttershy, Aladdin, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and the Genie soon fell into the sands alongside her, landing on their feet. The Carpet swooped in above them, Abu grasped onto Jasmine's shoulder, and Iago hovered.

"PINKIE!" Aladdin cried, reaching down to grab Pinkie by the shoulders and hoist her out of the sand and into a standing position. "These are sinking sands! You were almost sucked in!"

"Oh my gosh!" Pinkie gasped.

"What is this dreadful place?" Rarity asked. "It's all…dirty!"

"This is the place Mozenrath sent his prisoners to once," Jasmine explained. "I think he enchanted it somehow. The sinking sands will keep pulling us under!"

"Never fear!" The Genie snapped his fingers, and everyone was suddenly seated inside a large wooden rowboat, the Genie now wearing a fishing hat, jeans, and a flannel shirt. However, relief was short-lived; the boat collapsed into planks that were immediately eaten by the sand.

"Carpet can hold three!" Aladdin realized.

The Carpet, sensing its cue, swooped down to the others.

"So who's gonna get on?" Applejack asked.

"You go," Aladdin told her. "I can manage this."

"No," Jasmine said. "Aladdin, you have to get on Carpet."

"If no one else will, then I will!" Rarity insisted, scrambling on top of the floating rug.

"You two go together," Applejack told Aladdin and Jasmine. "After all, you're the leaders of your kingdom. If you sink, who's gonna rule?"

"But if you sink, what happens to the Elements of Harmony?" Aladdin retorted.

They were interrupted when a voice suddenly echoed throughout the darkness: "This way!"

"That voice," Aladdin said. "I…I know it from somewhere."

"Look!" Pinkie Pie pointed.

Even though the sky and the sand were both dark, shadows were still visible, shadows that belonged to no one present. They flickered across the surface of the sand, beckoning with twisted hands for the others to follow.

"I guess we go…" The Genie's right arm turned into a giant arrow like that of a weather vane, pointing down the lane the shadows were marking. "Thataway!"

Applejack stepped toward the shadows, finding that the more she moved through the sand, the more she stayed afloat. "C'mon, everypony!" she beckoned.

"Last call for the Carpet," Rarity announced. Pinkie scrambled on next to her, but no one else took the offer; Aladdin and Jasmine simply forged ahead down the shadowy path. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy spread their wings, lifting themselves out of the mud and hovering along with Iago and the Carpet; the Genie transformed into his hovering, legless form as well. Abu jumped onto Aladdin's shoulder for the ride.

"I am glad Twilight isn't here after all," Rarity told Pinkie.

"Me too!" Pinkie said emphatically. "At least she's in the living world! We can go back and save her!"

Rarity gave Pinkie a teasing smile. "But more than that, I think she would have gone completely insane at how bad that last pun was. 'Ayam Aghoul,' really!"

Pinkie stopped to think it over. "Wait a minute…AYAM AGHOUL! I JUST got it!" She collapsed onto the Carpet with laughter.

---

SHADOW COUNTRY, THE REALM OF DARKNESS

The shadowy path brought the group through the swampy sands until the sand thinned out, becoming shallower and shallower, and eventually disappeared, giving way to rocky ground. The sky became lighter and lighter, making the shadows clearer; some were humanoid, but others appeared to be the shadows of creatures such as Ifrits and imps. Soon, grass appeared on the ground, and Rarity and Pinkie finally felt safe enough to step off the Carpet and walk.

At last, the shadows led the group to a valley bathed in the light of a perpetual dawn, a soft sunlight over the grass and sparse trees. Mountains rose in the distance. Shadows played throughout the area.

"I know this place," Aladdin realized. "This is the Shadow World. All the shadows in our world come here at night so they can go back to us during the day. I've been here once!"

"I didn't know the Shadow World was connected to the black sand dimension," Jasmine thought out loud.

"Neither did I," the Genie admitted. "And I usually know these things!"

The voice echoed again: "You're almost there."

"Now I remember who that is!" the Genie cried. "Farabu!"

"Fara-who?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"The caretaker of the shadows," Aladdin told everyone else.

From behind a tree, a tall, graceful shadow stepped out. She was only identifiable as a shadow because her body was made up of misty darkness with a slight sparkle to it; otherwise, she appeared as a solid person, even without color. Pinpricks of light formed her eyes. From her shape, she appeared to be wearing a grand robe and headdress.

"Welcome back, Aladdin," she said. "And the Genie as well. I was not expecting you."

"Are…are you Farabu?" Fluttershy asked.

"That is my name," the graceful shadow answered. The five Equestrians immediately bowed in respect.

"Why did you call us here?" Aladdin asked.

"And how did you know where we were?" Jasmine added.

"I did not know that you would be among the ones I led to the Shadow Country," Farabu admitted. "I sensed only that five of the six Elements of Harmony had appeared somewhere in the Realm of Darkness, and in a quite dangerous place at that."

"So that awful place," Rarity said for confirmation. "It wasn't something Mozenrath created?"

"No," Farabu told her. "It was only one of the many lands in the Realm of Darkness, just as the Shadow Country is."

"But I thought your world was just this," Aladdin admitted.

"The Realm of Darkness is vast," Farabu explained. "It is the source of all shadows and the culmination of darkness in the cosmos. It is in yet another country that the Shadow Walkers rest for seven years until they can walk in the worlds of light."

"So you sensed us?" Applejack reiterated.

"I did," Farabu confirmed. "After all, I am no stranger to the Elements of Harmony. Long ago, when there were but two, they visited my realm. They were two young sorceresses. One specialized in magic of light, but the other was a master of darkness, and quite fascinated by all this world had to offer. I had to warn young Luna of all its dangers."

"And the other one was named Celestia!" Pinkie cried.

Farabu was taken aback. "How do you know of Celestia and Luna?"

"They're the queens of our country back home," Rainbow Dash explained. "We kinda inherited the Elements from them, sorta."

"I would ask you to carry my regards to Luna," Farabu said, "but it seems you currently cannot return to the realms of living and light. And yet you are mortal. How did this come to pass?"

"We got wished into the Netherworld!" Pinkie told Farabu.

"Wait," Aladdin broke in. "So we can't just go back to the Seven Deserts from here? But we're not dead!"

"You were wished into a state of physical nonexistence, despite your mortality," Farabu informed him. "You cannot simply pass into a realm of living and light without a gate. You have form here because in the Realm of Darkness, everything that is formless takes on form. For instance, my beloved children the shadows."

"That doesn't make any sense!" Applejack argued. "We ain't dead! We should just be able to get back!"

"I do not make the rules," Farabu told her sternly. "It is physically impossible for you to pass into the world of the Seven Deserts as it stands. You must use a gate."

"Well, we thank ya kindly for savin' our lives," Applejack said, and the others nodded.

"I could not let the Elements of Harmony perish," Farabu replied. "And, had I known that Aladdin and his Genie friend were among you, I would have quickened the pace of my response as much as possible. After all, I owe them the value of my entire country."

"What did you do?" Pinkie asked Aladdin.

Aladdin shrugged. "Long story."

"Well?" Rarity asked. "Where are we going to find a gate from the Realm of Darkness back to the living realm?"

"For you," Farabu corrected, "you must travel back to the realm of light and living through the Netherworld, where you lost your physical form."

"Let's see," the Genie thought out loud. "There are three known gates from the Netherworld to the Seven Deserts. There's the enchanted necklace!...but we thought it was too dangerous to keep around, so we launched it into cosmic orbit. Oh, there's the figurehead of the Black Viper!...but that one was even more dangerous, so we also launched it into orbit."

"And you never thought that you might NEED those gates in case something like this happened?" Rainbow Dash snapped.

"HEY!" Iago argued. "Nobody exactly plans on being mortal in the Netherworld! Take it from somebody who knows!"

"And how did you get in and out of the Netherworld?" Fluttershy asked quietly.

"The Eye of Gazeem," Iago answered. "One of Jafar's old evil treasures. Of course, it was the monkey's idea to mess with it."

Abu immediately began chattering fiercely, pointing at Iago to indicate that whatever incident had passed was the parrot's fault.

"The Eye of Gazeem!" The Genie snapped his fingers. "THAT'S the third gate! I almost forgot about that one!"

"Lemme guess," Rainbow Dash sighed. "Orbit?"

"No," the Genie said, mulling it over. "We stuffed it back in Jafar's lab. Though we really should have thrown it—"

"THAT'S IT!" Rarity cried. "We can get out!"

"But it only works if someone else touches the Eye from the living world," Aladdin informed her. "When we're in the Netherworld, we can't touch it."

"What of the sixth Element?" Farabu asked. "Is he or she not somewhere in the realm you left?"

"She was," Pinkie wailed, "but then she got trapped in a big old magic-eating crystal!"

"We have to rescue her," Jasmine asserted.

"Then there is a way you can reach the Eye," Farabu announced. "It is a risk, and something that is new to me, but it seems to be the only way that remains."

"So tell us!" Aladdin urged.

"If you don't mind," Fluttershy added.

"A while ago," Farabu explained, "Ayam Aghoul found his way into this realm from the Netherworld. He had with him a spell written on a parchment scroll. It allowed him to create a living shadow, something I had believed impossible for one who was dead. You see, almost all magic is associated either with light or with darkness. The creation of a living shadow with a physical form requires a lot of dark magic. This shadow was able to go to the realm of the living and, to a degree, interact with physical objects. I will admit I have seen the technique used before, though not exactly the way he did it. If one of you could create a living shadow, that shadow could go into the realm of the living and touch the Eye of Gazeem, opening the gateway from the Netherworld to your world. However, just like all my shadows, it would only be able to go during the day, or very briefly if there was enough light at night. If it did not return to this realm by nightfall, when there is no light left to cast a shadow, it would perish…as would its bearer."

"I don't like the sounds of that," Applejack admitted, "but we ain't got any choice."

"We should at least wait for the next morning," Jasmine realized. "So we can give the shadow enough time."

"A wise decision," Farabu said. "Of course, this rests upon if any of you even have enough potential for dark magic within you to create a living shadow. If you do, I can find out easily, and help you with its creation. After all, Aghoul left his scroll here for me to read and figure out his spell. Might I?"

"Go right ahead," Aladdin told her.

She stood before Aladdin. "You have almost no magical power of your own," she told him before moving on to Jasmine. "You possess some magic…but it is all light. I cannot find any darkness within you." She then moved to the Genie. "Great power, but an imbalance toward light. You could not create a living shadow, even with all your semi-phenomenal, nearly cosmic power." To Iago. "No magic whatsoever." To the Carpet. "Quite magical indeed, but again I see the imbalance toward light." To Abu, who hopped up and down on the ground to get her attention. "No magical potential whatsoever." To Applejack and Rainbow Dash. "You each have some power within you, but not enough." To Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. "Within you, there is extremely bright light and extremely deep darkness. However, you do not have enough power to channel your darknesses."

Finally, she stopped before Rarity. This gave Farabu pause. "It is you," she announced. "You have the dark magic within you required to create a living shadow."

"ME?" Rarity cried. "Why, but that's absurd! I don't have any darkness in me!"

"We all have light and darkness to some degree, with a few exceptions," Farabu told her. "We also all have goodness and badness in us. These are not synonymous. Dark magic can easily be used for evil, and that is usually its purpose, but it can also be used for good. Light magic is easily used for good…but that does not mean it cannot be warped. Your tendency toward dark magic does not speak to your character. What does is how you use it."

"I want to save my friends," Rarity said sternly.

"Then you shall," Farabu told her, "using dark magic. After all, I am pure darkness, but I watch over all my shadow children with the greatest of care. Princess Luna also had much darkness inside of her. Did she not prove herself?"

"She was driven to evil!" Rarity cried.

"Yeah," Pinkie pointed out, "but you helped us fix her and get her back to being good! And she still watches over the night! That's pretty dark!"

"Well…" Rarity thought it over. "If I must, I shall. You will help me with this…living shadow?"

"Of course," Farabu assured Rarity. She put out her arms. "Take my hands."

Rarity reached out, clasping hands with Farabu. The shadow keeper's hands felt like warm flesh instead of the misty darkness they appeared to be. Rarity felt magical energy flow from Farabu's hands into her own and throughout her whole body, and down at her feet, something snapped.

"There," Farabu said, letting go. "She is ready."

Movement in Rarity's peripheral vision prompted her to look to the right. She jumped. There seemed to be an exact replica of her, only made of the same darkness as Farabu, with just two spots of light for eyes. The shadow moved independently of Rarity, putting her hands up to her face in surprise. Rarity determined the shadow was mute, else she would have been yelping in surprise.

"Admittedly, Aghoul's shadow could speak," Farabu said, "but this is the traditional living shadow used by most dark wizards and witches. I could not grant her the same powers of speech. Take heed: most could consider a living shadow an Echthros, one of the cosmic enemies of harmony and order."

"She doesn't look like an enemy," Rarity said.

"Of course you wouldn't think so," Rainbow Dash groaned. "She looks like you!"

"Can you help us find the Eye of Gazeem?" Rarity asked her shadow. The shadow nodded.

"We left it in Jafar's lair in the palace at Agrabah," Aladdin told the shadow.

"That'd be in the Northwest tower," Iago specified. "You need directions, or can you go through walls?"

Rarity's shadow was experimenting with this very thing. She discovered that if she wanted to, she could pass right through the nearby tree as though it was not solid. However, if she wished, she could also touch the tree, slamming her hand against the bark.

"You can find it, then?" Rarity asked.

The shadow nodded.

"You may stay here until morning light," Farabu told her. "Here, you will both be safe. If your shadow should fail to find the Eye tomorrow but come home with the other shadows at sunset, you will also be safe. If it rejoins your body, it will automatically return to this realm, no matter when you reunite. But if anything should prevent her from either returning here or rejoining with your body at that time…you will die."

Rarity gave an involuntary "yipe" before clearing her throat. "It's a risk I have to take," she told Farabu somberly.

A wave of shadows began to fly in from over the horizon, and others left. "Nightfall has come upon the Seven Deserts," Farabu said. "Morning has broken on the other side of the world. Rest now, creatures of day. I will wake you at daybreak over the Seven Deserts."

"Guess we're sleeping here for the night," Aladdin yawned, lying down in the soft grass. "This isn't too bad."

"Not too bad?" Iago spat, settling down on a branch. "I've been in gilded birdcages that weren't this uncomfortable."

Everyone lay down on the ground to rest, with the exception of Iago, who preferred his tree. While the sky did not darken, fatigue swept over the group, and all fell to sleep eventually.

Rarity was the last to fall asleep, worried about her shadow's big day ahead. When she did reach unconsciousness, she lay next to her shadow, her hand intertwined with its own.

---

"Wake up," Farabu said sharply. "Morning has come for the Seven Deserts!"

Rarity bolted awake, her shadow doing the same. The others groggily stretched into consciousness.

Shadows were leaving the ground of the Shadow Country, taking flight. They moved en masse into the sky and out of the Realm of Darkness.

"Go on," Rarity told the shadow. "We'll be there as soon as we can."

The shadow nodded, then took off with the others, flying up into the air.

"You'd best return to the Netherworld," Farabu told the group. "Find the Eye of Gazeem there so you can leave through the gate Rarity's shadow creates."

"We kinda fell in here by accident," Aladdin admitted. "Got a way out?"

Farabu ran a hand through the air, ripping a seam in it the way Mozenrath had back at Galifem. "Through my magic, you can travel at the speed of darkness," she said. "I wish you well."

"Thanks again!" Rainbow Dash said.

"It is nothing," Farabu replied.

Everyone walked through the portal, leaving Farabu behind.

---

THE LAND OF THE BLACK SANDS, THE NETHERWORLD

"And we're back here," Applejack sighed.

"At least we're outside the fortress this time," Jasmine pointed out, looking up at the fortress on its high ground. They stood in the village below.

"Does the sun seriously never rise here?" Rainbow Dash complained. "Freaked me out for a second! I thought it was already night!"

"You remember what Farabu said about dark magic?" Iago reminded her. "Darkness was a favorite of old Destane's. He started the grand tradition of the sun never rising over the Black Sands, and I guess Mozenrath just thought eternal night went with the drapes or something. Talk about dark magic. If anything is, it's that gauntlet."

"But your magic is nothing like that," Aladdin quickly assured Rarity. "You're using your powers to help us, and Mozenrath would never do that."

"We have to get to Agrabah," Jasmine reminded everyone. "The Eye of Gazeem is waiting for us there…"

"And Ayam Aghoul is waiting for us here!" Pinkie remembered.

The Genie shifted into the form of the jet. Everyone took their usual seats. The Carpet only carried two now, and Twilight's absence stood out. However, they lifted off as though nothing was different, as though nothing was wrong.

---

THE LAND OF THE BLACK SANDS, THE SEVEN DESERTS

Rarity's shadow took refuge in the glimmering blue light of one of Mozenrath's magic-detecting crystal streetlights. It shone brightly in response to her existence, as she was a creature of nearly pure magic. She flitted from streetlight to streetlight.

At long last, she was able to escape the Black Sands, and emerged into a desert over which the sun shone brightly. She knew she could not possibly walk to Agrabah in time, but her instincts alerted her to the way of shadow travel.

She flattened against the ground, appearing as an ordinary shadow, even though she was cast by no one. In this form, she was able to speed along the desert sands even more quickly than the Ponyville Express could have gone. Watching the sky above to make sure of her position, she made her way to Agrabah.

---

Chapter 13:

· Moz had the zombies attack because he didn't want it to be too obvious that he was baiting the heroes to come. If there hadn't been a resistance army, suspicions would have been raised.

· BTW, you have to forgive me constantly cheating by saying "the group," "the heroes," or "everyone." It's hard to type all those names.

· The Crystal of Ix is one of Moz's favorite weapons in ATAS. He uses it in 2 eps. It really does trap magical beings and allow him to leech their power. Now, I had some trouble figuring out if Twi should be frozen. When Moz caught the Genie in it in "The Hunted", the Genie could move and speak, but he was still trapped. When Moz was accidentally trapped in it in "The Secret of Dagger Rock" (how did he get out of there anyway?), he was completely frozen. I've decided that genies/djinni can move and talk inside crystals, but humans/humanoids/ponies in human form can't.

· The Netherworld is THE place people go when they die in the Aladdinverse, but in this crossover multiverse, it's obviously not the only one (GREEK UNDERWORLD HINT HINT). Anyway, mortals CAN go there. It happened.

· I decided the zombies can see and interact with the dead because in one ep, the name of which I can't remember, Aghoul said the Netherworld was filled with zombies. When we see the Netherworld in "As the Netherworld Turns," the only dead encountered are ghosts, but Aghoul says in that one that he can summon skeleton minions if he wants.

· Canonically, Moz's zombie army is…breakable. But it doesn't hurt them to lose limbs, and I'm pretty sure they can put themselves back together.

· HELLO, WORST PUN IN THE ALADDINVERSE! Ayam Aghoul is a four-episode wonder with a huge fanbase because his schemes have ranged from forcing Jasmine to marry him to attempting to overrun the world with undead…and also, because he has a certain charisma. I feel like the writers knew they had only one chance to use the "Ayam" route, and they played it just right.

· Aghoul and Moz have never interacted in canon. That thing about Moz's zombies talking to Aghoul? My fanon.

· The skeletons are Aghoul's canon minions. The reptiles are based on one monster, "Joel," which he summons in "As the Netherworld Turns." The scythe is also his canon weapon as of that ep. I kinda gave him a level up in badass, but he's up against a big crowd including a djinni. I wanted to get across that he's a threat.

· The bubbling black sand is from the ep "Black Sand." It works exactly as I said: anyone who sinks into it goes into a dimension of sinking sand.

· The Realm of Darkness is going to be a world I cobble together out of several "darkness" lands from different franchises…like the Shadow Realm from Yu-Gi-Oh! or the realm of darkness from KH, for example. There are actually THREE different places alluded to in the Aladdinverse that are pure darkness in my eyes: Moz's black sand dimension, the Shadow World (which I renamed the Shadow Country, since it isn't a world), and the Shadow Realm, which is NOT the same thing, but instead the place where the shadow walkers go in the seven-year span.

· Farabu is from the ep "The Shadow Knows." I originally wasn't going to include her, but a comment from GAvillain inspired me, and I came up with this entire sub-arc. It allowed me to have more fun than I would have with my original draft, which was just going to have them trapped in some dungeon and at Aghoul's mercy. That's right—I wasn't even gonna use the Netherworld. I feel this version is better. Anyway, Farabu is the guardian of shadows in canon.

· I…don't actually have a list of Celestia and Luna's travels. I'm just going to throw in their backstory as I come up with it. It's mostly the "prequel" generations of everything.

· Why can't they go from the Shadow Realm to the Seven Deserts directly? Because…I needed an excuse to do the living shadow bit…

· The necklace, the figurehead, and the Eye of Gazeem are all from different Aghoul-related eps. And I checked. They DON'T destroy the Eye in canon. Which is actually really weird, because they usually have the Genie launch dangerous artifacts into orbit.

· Aghoul's living shadow was a reference to "The Shadow Knows," where he tried to steal all the shadows of the world. If they don't go to the Shadow World at nighttime, their owners die. This is canon. I added the bit about light at night so physics made sense. In canon, Farabu had no idea what the living shadow was, but I wanted her to be able to make one, so I said she just hadn't seen anyone dead use it.

· The overview. Jasmine is all light because of Kingdom Hearts continuity, where there are seven Princesses of Heart that have pure hearts free of darkness. I'm actually going to be using that device a lot, and I'll explain what I'm doing princess-wise in the second storylet, the one that comes after the Seven Deserts. Each of the Elements has SOME magical power, since they are, after all, the Elements of Harmony, and can do the rainbow thing. Pinkie and Fluttershy have "bright light and deep darkness" because canonically, they're the nicest and friendliest in a normal day, but if you piss either of them off, THERE IS HELL TO PAY.

· Rarity and dark magic. If you couldn't tell, I am going to be playing "Dark is Not Evil" HARD. After all, in Final Fantasy games, the "black mage" is nearly always one of the good guys, and just has a different and more destructive spell set than the "white mage," who is usually the healer. Farabu is darkness, and she's not bad. Most of the characters in The Wardstone Chronicles (I know it's called "The Last Apprentice" in my country, but that title sucks) are witches that use the dark arts, but many use them for good. And there are Umbra Witches, who tend to act heroically in Bayonetta (Yes, I said "Bayonetta"). I'm just gonna say they're masters of darkness who aren't evil. So yeah, I have a LOT of basis to play with this in a multicrossover. I'm just going to say that it's as Farabu said: dark magic is associated with evil because it's the most easily used for evil, and the same for light and goodness, but the two analogies are NOT EQUIVALENT. Now, why Rarity? Because she's a unicorn/witch, honestly. It works better for my story in the long run if both the main magic users among the Elements have access to the Dark Arts. And Twilight isn't here right now.

· Rarity's living shadow is mute because there seems to be a precedent of that in things like The Princess and the Frog and Once Upon a Time. Shadows just don't seem to talk.

1. Stableholm Syndrome

THE LAND OF THE BLACK SANDS, THE SEVEN DESERTS

Though the dawn had broken, you wouldn't know it. The sky was as black as ever.

Mozenrath's first action that morning was to enter the crystal room and look at his new prize. Twilight remained frozen exactly as he'd left her the night before, staring out of the Crystal with those terrified eyes.

He contemplated her for a moment, then said quite clearly, "Ixtabor."

Blinding blue light filled the room once more. When it cleared, Twilight stood outside the Crystal, swaying off balance.

"You're just not as fun when you're frozen," Mozenrath admitted.

"You…" Twilight said coldly, turning to face him. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY FRIENDS?"

"Wished them to the Netherworld," Mozenrath answered casually. "You have to admit, they were getting in my way. They're probably meeting up with a fate worse than death in…well, actually, that probably happened yesterday."

"HOW COULD YOU?" Twilight cried, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Easy," Mozenrath replied. "I don't have a conscience. That's actually a goal I worked hard to achieve."

"They're all gone," Twilight said to herself. "After all this time…my best friends…gone…it was all for nothing." Now the tears came harder, faster. "YOUR OWN BROTHER!" she screamed.

"Did you think I actually cared about what happened to him?" Mozenrath responded.

"Why," Twilight said softly. "Why…did you let me out?"

"I thought I told you. You're no fun frozen. Besides, I don't have any projects I need you for yet. I can just sit back and rule the parts of the world I still have from here. Maybe I'll need your magic later. I'll put you back in the Crystal then. Until then, I wouldn't try to escape. I do have a very large army of the shambling undead waiting to stop anyone from getting in…or out."

"It doesn't matter," Twilight sobbed. "I don't have anywhere I can go! Not without my friends! Not alone!" She fell to her knees, her head in her hands. There she cried without another word.

Mozenrath left the room feeling rather uncomfortable, though he couldn't put his finger on why.

Immediately, Jafar materialized before him. "Have you gone MAD?" he screeched, grabbing Mozenrath by the front of his shirt and shaking him roughly. "Why did you release her?"

"Relax." Mozenrath gently, purposefully brushed Jafar's hands away from him. "Even she knows she's useless alone. How did you know, anyway?"

"I've been keeping a close eye on you."

"I'm flattered."

"Your fascination with your little rivalry may very well be your undoing," Jafar warned.

"I know what I'm doing!" Mozenrath snapped.

"The only ones who will go far," Jafar told him, "are those who do not let bonds weigh them down. I fear your bond with the girl will prevent you from becoming one of them."

"I can't have a little fun?"

"Is this what you always do with your enemies?"

"I'll admit, I tend to have a special relationship with the ones I hate," Mozenrath said honestly but not embarrassedly. "It pains me a little to know that I probably won't be the one who did Aladdin in personally. But I did send him to his doom—"

"I sent him to his doom at your request. Do not forget that."

"—and that's close enough," Mozenrath finished.

"Watch where you tread," Jafar told him, and it sounded like a threat.

---

Later, Mozenrath pored over his notes. He had laid upon his laboratory table a thick, wide blue codex in which he kept all of his sketches, plans, and observations. He'd turned to a page upon which were sketched several circles with labels and descriptions. Jafar was somewhere else in the fortress, probably in one of the reading rooms.

Mozenrath sighed. Something was bothering him, and he wasn't sure exactly what. He turned to Xerxes, who was hovering over his shoulder as usual. "What's wrong with me?" he asked in frustration.

"Lonely?" Xerxes suggested.

"Please," Mozenrath scoffed. "You know me better than that."

Xerxes didn't reply. Obviously he was convinced that his guess still had merit.

Mozenrath got up from the table. "I might as well torment my newly defeated rival," he muttered.

She was still there in the crystal room, kneeling on the floor. She seemed to have stopped crying, though. Twilight had simply run out of tears.

"Are you really going to just sit there all day?" Mozenrath asked.

"What else am I supposed to do?" Twilight snapped, looking up at him.

"I need your help," Mozenrath stated.

"What, you want me to get back in the Crystal so you can use my magic for some kind of…bomb of destruction?"

"No. This is actually something I need you to be able to talk for."

"I'm not going to help you take over anything else!"

"I don't need to do that right now!" Mozenrath snapped.

Twilight gave a groan as she stood. "I guess I have nothing better to do," she grumbled.

"Come with me," Mozenrath ordered, and she followed him reluctantly. It constantly occurred to her that he was now all she had unless she could somehow get out of the fortress and back to Agrabah…but how could she face that city without its benevolent royalty at her side? And how could she board the Starlight and sail anywhere, even Fourth Equestria, without her best friends, those she considered her sisters, at her side? She couldn't. So she followed.

"I know you're not from this world," Mozenrath said as they walked. "It's fairly obvious. What I need to know is where you're from."

"So you can take it over?"

"Not yet. Why do you keep assuming the worst of me?"

"Because it's the kind of person you are."

"Good. Then I've become exactly what I wanted. I'll chalk up a victory on that."

He led her back into the laboratory, where the sketchbook lay open on the table. He levitated a second chair from across the room, setting it next to his own at the desk. Then he took his place on his seat. Twilight just stared at the other chair.

"Well?" Mozenrath stared at her meaningfully.

"Really?" Twilight replied.

"I decide to be nice to you, and you're actually going to pass it up?"

"I don't have to sit where I don't want," Twilight asserted.

"Fine. Doesn't matter to me." Mozenrath put his feet up on the other chair, crossing his ankles and reclining on the first chair. "So tell me about where you're from."

"Why?"

He tapped the sketchbook. "For the sake of completion."

Twilight peered over at the book. The pages were open to what seemed to be a rudimentary map of the cosmos…very rudimentary. Only a few worlds were sketched out. Still, she could tell what Mozenrath was trying to do: compile all the worlds of which he knew the existence.

"That's pretty impressive," she said at last.

"I know."

"You are missing mine."

"I thought so. So, are you going to tell me, or are you going to break down and cry again? Because if you're going to do that, I'm going to have to ask you not to do it in here. I'm trying to work in here, after all."

"How are you so trusting that I won't just attack you with magic?" Twilight asked. "After all, I have nothing to lose anymore. How do you know I'm not the kind of pony that would snap?"

"You are the kind that would snap," Mozenrath told her. "You're like me in a lot of ways, I think. Don't you?"

"No comment."

"Anyway, you're in no mood to blast anyone. I can tell. You don't have that…spark of madness it takes to go over the edge. That comes with something different. Say, your perfectly cobbled plan had an adze thrown into the works. Right now, you're just depressed. You don't even know what to do with yourself. So you might as well help me out, don't you think?"

Twilight sighed. She was silent for quite a while. Mozenrath rested his elbow on the table, his chin in his palm, and he watched her while she contemplated her situation. At last, he broke the silence: "You called yourself a pony. Don't think I missed that."

"I'm usually not a human," Twilight admitted. "Not where I come from, anyway. According to my Guide, I'm probably going to stay a human as long as I go to territories where humans are the dominant sentient species. But back home, I'm different. I'm a unicorn."

"Interesting," Mozenrath broke in. "You know, if I could pick anything to be besides a human, it would be a unicorn. Very magical, after all."

"You'd probably turn into one if you went to my world. Not that I want you to."

"I couldn't get there if I wanted to."

"Good," Twilight snapped. Then, wistfully: "I miss it. Equestria, I mean. The Guide said it was called Fourth Equestria, so I guess there are three more Equestrias out there. The place I knew…there weren't humans there. We're all ponies. There are unicorns like me, pegasi like Rainbow Dash, earth ponies—those are the ones without horns or wings—like Pinkie Pie, and alicorns, unicorns with wings, like Princess Celestia. Celestia…I don't want to know what she'd think if she saw me now."

"A friend of yours?"

"Yes. My teacher. My mentor. The ruler of our land."

"Strike what I said earlier," Mozenrath contemplated out loud. "I wouldn't want to be a unicorn. Being an alicorn sounds much more…empowering. Now go on. It's a monarchy, is it?"

"We have two princesses that rule," Twilight continued. "Celestia raises the sun and rules the day. Her sister Luna takes over at night and raises the moon. Luna…was the first enemy I ever fought with my friends. She called herself Nightmare Moon. We used the Elements of Harmony on her, and she changed from the evil Mare in the Moon back to the sister Celestia loved." She glared at Mozenrath. "Although if we used the Elements on you, you'd probably stay just as rotten as ever."

"And proud of it!" Mozenrath grinned cheekily.

"I don't want to talk about it anymore," Twilight said hastily.

"That's fine." Mozenrath reached over to his sketchbook, taking it up into his arms. He dipped a griffon feather quill into a pot of ink and began drawing, indifferent to Twilight's presence. She watched him. Then he stopped to admire his work before putting the book back on the table.

"You know," Twilight said, "you've done some impressive writing. I looked around here the first time we ever came into this lab."

"She speaks," Mozenrath teased. "I thought you were going into the part of the conversation where you hate me silently."

"I'm trying to make the best of this, okay?" A memory surfaced in Twilight's mind. "Fluttershy once said…sometimes we all need to be shown a little kindness. I don't think you deserve it, seeing as you sent her to the Netherworld without a second thought, but I guess I could at least respect you."

"I'll take it."

"Can I…can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead. I can't guarantee I'll answer."

Twilight swallowed hard. "You…you have a lot of worlds drawn there," she said. "I want to know…how much do you know about the cosmos? What do you already know?"

"Well!" He took his feet off the second chair, straightening up in his seat before taking the book and pushing it slightly toward her. "I've collected a few bits of information here and there, and while this is nowhere near what I suspect is the real scope of things, I've found quite a few different worlds through hearsay."

Twilight walked up to the table, still not sitting, and looked at the sketch. The ink was still drying on one large circle labeled "Fourth Equestria—populated by ponies. Two princesses for day and night. Matriarchy? Elements of Harmony. 'Nightmare Moon'—has own moon." Three smaller circles surrounded it: "First Equestria—populated by ponies?" "Second Equestria—populated by ponies?" "Third Equestria—populated by ponies?"

"You see," Mozenrath began, putting his right index finger on the largest sphere, the one marked "The Seven Deserts" with several notes, "this is my world. This is where we are now. This is what I currently rule with the exception of six certain lands."

"If you're expecting me to apologize—"

"I'm actually not. You put up a good fight. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. Well, I would have wanted to win, but better I lose to the likes of you and Aladdin than anyone less competent. Anyway, you've pretty much been all over this world by now. You know what it's like. I shouldn't have to explain it. Anyway, there are plenty of mortal worlds like yours and mine floating around there. Every once in a while, a couple of them slam together. There's a gate, if you will. Located in this world, there's one gate that leads to another mortal world that happens to be in an entirely different state of technological advancement than ours. That world—" he moved his finger to the adjacent sphere "—is what I like to call Olympic Greece. Well, it's bigger than just Greece, but it isn't our Greece. The gods get more involved in mortal business there. Aladdin's been through that gate, and so have I, but at different times, and for different reasons."

"What was your reason?" Twilight asked.

"I just did what I had to do to save my life," Mozenrath answered, "and that's all you get."

"Fair enough. I'd probably be disgusted with the real story anyway."

"You probably would. Anyway, it's a completely different planet, only accessible through that gate. But as far as I know, that gate has never disappeared. Strange, don't you think? Anyway, that's the world where you can find Mount Olympus, which may or may not be a separate planar entity." He pointed to a small ellipse he'd drawn over the Olympic Greece sphere and labeled "Mount Olympus." "This would be the home of one certain pantheon of gods. Zeus, Hera…you're familiar?"

"I've read about them."

"Good. Saves me a lot of trouble explaining. Now, to continue with that, this is also the closest mortal world to the Underworld." He pointed to a different circle beneath Olympic Greece. "That's where you'll find all the Chthonic gods. Hel, Osiris, you get the picture. Oh, and Hades. He has a bit of a place of honor down there."

"I know about the Underworld," Twilight interrupted. "I've read all about it. In fact, Cerberus once found his way out of Tartarus and into my world."

"Interesting!" Mozenrath cried, taken aback. "So there's a gate from the Underworld to Fourth Equestria. Who would have thought…a world of ponies connected directly to an empire of death!"

"It surprised me too," Twilight said, smiling at the memory. "Luckily, Pinkie had a rubber ball stashed away, so we led him back to the gates of Tartarus before any disasters could happen."

"You're making this up."

"It's true!"

Mozenrath gave a small laugh. "I can see it, now that you mention it. You and the hellhound. Now, Pinkie Pie is the one with the cannon, if I'm not mistaken?"

"You got it."

"Figures she'd be the one to pull out a dog toy for a hellhound, of all things."

"That's kinda how she works." Twilight's smile faded as she remembered that Pinkie was in the realm of the living no more.

"Moving on," Mozenrath continued, "the Netherworld is a sub-entity of the Underworld. Sort of like an alternate plane in the same physical space as the living world. I'm not entirely sure how it works yet, but trust me, I'll figure it out. Then there's the Realm of Darkness." He pointed to another circle. "It contains the Shadow Country, the resting place for the El-Khatib, and a little patch of sinking sand that I adapted for my own use. I must say, it's been quite useful for disposing of prisoners. Of course, that was before Aladdin broke them all out, but I should have expected that from him. He always wins." Mozenrath clenched his right fist. "Always."

"You're jealous," Twilight realized.

"Why should I be? I'm more powerful than him. He just got lucky."

"It was just a guess." Twilight knew inwardly that she'd hit upon a nerve.

"I'd like to figure out more about the Realm of Darkness," Mozenrath admitted. "After all, most if not all of my magic falls under the dark arts. The power that must be there…but that's for another day." The next circle was at the top of the page. "Then there's Morbus. That's where Mirage, the resident goddess of evil, lives. She likes to come down to torment this world every once in a while."

"I've heard of her," Twilight admitted. "She's the one that let the fire-cats overrun Agrabah."

"Yes." Mozenrath contemplated that. "You're intelligent, right? Well-read?"

"I like to think so."

"What are Echthroi?" he asked sincerely.

"Echthroi?" Twilight repeated. "Well, 'Echthros' is an old word. It basically means 'enemy.' All the sources I've ever found on the term just say that Echthroi are powerful evil beings that can only be defeated with 'weapons of the heart.'"

"That makes sense." Mozenrath turned to look up and face Twilight. "Mirage struck a deal with me, you know. She brought Jafar and me together in exchange for me letting her 'Echthroi' have the run of Agrabah."

"The fire-cats are Echthroi," Twilight realized. "Courage is a weapon of the heart! It makes sense!" Then Mozenrath's words sank in. "Wait. Mirage gave you Jafar's lamp?"

"I'm not one to look a gift camel in the mouth."

"Mirage sounds like one of the Old Ones," Twilight said. "The great immortal evils we've been trying to stand against. This was all her plan! This might all be connected to the Angel of Darkness!"

"The who now?"

"My friends and I were on this journey because Celestia said someone called the Angel of Darkness was going to rouse the Old Ones and bring an age of disharmony and chaos," Twilight explained quickly. "Well, that's as short as I can make the story, anyway. That's why we're here."

"Jafar keeps talking about a new order," Mozenrath told her. "He also keeps bringing up these people, these 'Overtakers,' who are going to be important to it. I'm betting there's no coincidence there."

"Overtakers," Twilight repeated. "I'll remember that."

Now Mozenrath was back to the map. "Morbus is a strange world. All I really know is that Mirage is there, and that seems like enough to know. Now, there was a rather strange incident a while back that led me to my next discovery. First of all, tell me…would a spirit of pure chaos count as one of your Old Ones?"

"YES!" Twilight cried. "You didn't come across any research about a draconequus, did you?"

"A part-dragon, part-equine, part-chimera?" Mozenrath reiterated. "No. Think more of a…cat with wings."

"Oh. I thought…never mind."

"This cat, this 'Chaos,' seems to call Morbus home at least part-time. Some time ago, he came to the Seven Deserts in an attempt to spread, well, chaos. According to hearsay, he was particularly intrigued to hear that Aladdin always won, no matter what…and, as established, he always does. Chaos decided to make things interesting by bringing in an evil Aladdin, one that was opposite from the one we know in every way. Now, I wish THAT one could have stuck around. He was probably more tolerable."

"You wouldn't have been able to taunt him," Twilight pointed out.

Mozenrath pointed at her, slightly stunned. "True," he agreed. "Very true. Anyway, while it is probably possible for an 'Old One,' as you put it, to create new life spontaneously, it's not likely that he would have been able to just pull an exact negative duplicate of Aladdin out of thin air in the time span of a day. No…I'm sure he had to have gotten the evil Aladdin from somewhere. Somewhere that everything is opposite. An evil Aladdin. A weak Jasmine. A version of me that isn't incomparably wonderful in every field."

Twilight had to force back a laugh at that last statement.

"That's why I made this." Mozenrath turned the page to reveal another map, this one done on parchment that had been dyed completely black before the circles were drawn on in white ink. It mirrored the other map in every way but the Equestrias and the Underworld. "My theory is that out there, there are worlds where everything is opposite from what we know. An exact negative. For now, I'm terming this the 'Negaverse.' It at least includes the Seven Deserts, but probably everything else." He turned back to the first map. "And that's what I know."

"You missed Avalon," Twilight pointed out.

"I missed what?"

"It's like a hub," Twilight explained. "A magical island that works as a centerpoint for the other worlds. The mists take you where you need to go. That's…what we used to get here. The mists."

"Interesting." Mozenrath sketched in another sphere labeled "Avalon—magic mists take you where you need to go." "You know," he said, "there is one more thing that continues to confuse me." He turned the pages of the book until he reached a sketch of what appeared to be a large key with a square head and teeth with a crown-shaped cutaway. "Have you ever seen anything like this? About the size of a sword, but a little longer."

"No," Twilight admitted. "What does that have to do with the cosmos?"

"I don't even know," Mozenrath admitted cryptically before shutting the sketchbook. "Well, there goes that idea."

"I have another question."

"And that is?"

"How did you become…this…anyway?" Twilight inquired. "This whole powerful sorcerer thing."

"I always wanted to be the villain," Mozenrath admitted without shame. "After my mother died and my father ungraciously abandoned me, I decided to make my own fate. I came here. What have you heard of Destane?"

"A tyrannical sorcerer that ruled this land. Apparently one of your undead now?"

"Exactly. He was like a father to me, you know."

"I've seen how you treat your father," Twilight told Mozenrath. "And…he told me how he treated you. If you say Destane was like a father, I'm almost inclined to think he was even worse than you."

"He wasn't a lax disciplinarian for sure," Mozenrath admitted. "If I learned one thing from him, it was low tolerance for mistakes."

"Did he…did he hurt you?"

"Not in any way that didn't heal."

"Are you sure?"

"Twilight, Twilight, Twilight." Mozenrath shook his head. "Are you trying to psychoanalyze me? Do you think I'm evil because I'm broken?"

"No," Twilight admitted. "I think you're evil because you like the glamour of it. And in a weird way, I understand that. But that doesn't mean you can't be broken at the same time."

"Destane hurt me," Mozenrath said casually, "but in the end, he got his. And that's all I care about. I'm guessing your experience with Celestia was a more pleasant affair."

"She's always been tolerant of my mistakes," Twilight replied, "even when they're bad. I once managed to get all of Ponyville in terrible danger by casting a glamour spell on one of my old toys. I was just trying to start a little fight so I would have a problem to solve—you see, I wrote to Celestia every week to tell her what I learned about friendship, but I didn't have anything to say that week—but everyone in Ponyville ended up attracted to that stupid doll, and it took Celestia herself to remove the spell and break it up! I was sure she'd send me back to Magic Kindergarten, but she didn't. She forgave me."

Mozenrath's jaw had dropped. "What?" Twilight barked.

Mozenrath replied by bursting into laughter. "And here I was thinking you were some sort of goody-two-shoes!" he guffawed. "Glamour spells? Starting fights so you could fix them?"

"I was on a deadline! I couldn't miss that!"

"You and I are more alike than I thought!"

"I know, okay? Everypony else pointed it out! Now will you quit laughing?"

That shut Mozenrath up, but he still had a large smile on his face. After a moment, he couldn't hold back the laughter, and he started it up again, covering his mouth with his gauntleted hand.

Twilight groaned. "Great. Just what I needed."

"I knew you were interesting, you know," Mozenrath said when he finally stopped laughing. "You…the Element of Magic. That's why Celestia took you on, right?"

"Sort of," Twilight answered. "I found out I was the Element of Magic after many years of studying magic with Celestia. All my friends and I figured out we were the Elements of Harmony after our first battle with Nightmare Moon. That's when we got these." She touched her amulet. "They're the same as our Cutie Marks."

"Your what now?"

Slightly embarrassed that she'd let another detail about her world slip, Twilight rolled up her sleeve, showing off the arm with the pink starburst on it. "Cutie Marks," she repeated. "Everypony gets them when we figure out our special talent. Magic is mine. When we're ponies, they show up on our flanks, not our arms."

"I'm guessing you're glad that you don't have to show me your 'flank,' aren't you?"

At that remark, Twilight blushed in embarrassment and anger. She bit her lip to keep from bursting out yelling.

"Right, right," Mozenrath realized. "That crossed a line. I get it."

"So NOW you care about crossing lines? It's a bit late for that, don't you think?"

"Actually, yes. I'm disappointed in myself that I care, but I'd rather not cut this conversation shorter than it has to be." He shrugged. "Call it one of life's mysteries."

"Maybe you're finally realizing that you're lonely without real friends here, and you're just desperate to talk to someone. Maybe…" Twilight made a guess. "Maybe that's why you taunt all your enemies so hard!"

"Why does everyone keep saying I'm lonely?" Mozenrath groaned. "You and Xerxes! I don't GET lonely! I have all the power I could ever want, more servants than most of the sultans in the Seven Deserts, and…I have friends!"

"Name one."

"Xerxes."

"Pets don't count."

"He talks. I gave him that power myself."

"Because you were lonely!"

"I don't get LONELY!"

"Any other friends besides the flying eel?" Twilight teased.

"Jafar," Mozenrath answered. "Obviously."

"Fair enough." Without realizing what she was doing, Twilight settled herself into the second chair. "As long as we're talking, what's with that gauntlet?"

"This?" Mozenrath held out his right arm. "This is the source of my power. Unlike my brother, I actually worked for it. It was the usual business with powerful magical artifacts…hidden in a heavily guarded cavern, covered in protective enchantments, you know the routine. I knew the price that came with it, but it's worth it."

"And that price is?"

"My life."

"Huh?"

He spoke as though he was relating something trivial. "Every use I make of the gauntlet drains my life force. I've found some other ways to extend my life past the point where I should have died, but the gauntlet still takes what it wants. Eventually it will wear me down unless I think of a way to outwit it. And I will think of a way to outwit it."

"Why would you sacrifice your life for power?" Twilight asked in horror. "What if you can't beat it?"

"I can. I will. And if I don't, I'll know it was worth it." He gave her his trademark smirk. "You know, I hear that unicorn blood can extend a lifespan—"

"YOU WOULDN'T DARE!"

"You're right," he admitted. "I wouldn't. After all, we're having too much fun here."

"You're serious," Twilight realized. "You don't want to destroy me."

"Not at the moment."

"Did you ever?"

"I considered it. It wasn't appealing." A thought occurred to him. "You were the one that saved me from the Al-Muddy, weren't you?"

"I didn't want your blood on my hooves."

"It wouldn't have been. It would have been on the mud creature's."

"I don't want to watch anyone die, okay?" Her voice cracked.

"Better look away, then," Mozenrath teased. "After all, the gauntlet's still working on me. I could show you, if you needed proof."

This peaked Twilight's interest. "Show me…what?"

He reached out with his left hand, peeling the gauntlet away from his right. Twilight gasped to see the fleshless bones of his hand and forearm underneath. "It's not as bad as it looks," Mozenrath assured her. "It still functions like an ordinary hand."

"But can you feel anything with it?" Twilight asked.

"No. Then again, I always have it covered anyway."

"I see why Cassim wanted to give you a second chance with—"

"That wasn't what I wanted, and you should know that!"

"Have you ever thought that for once in your life, there might be something more important than power?"

"Only recently" was Mozenrath's sharp answer.

"Care to explain?" Twilight asked.

"No. It's something I could have alongside power anyway. I wouldn't have to choose."

Twilight curiously put out her own right hand. "Do you…do you mind if I…"

At first, Mozenrath couldn't believe what she was asking. Then he replied, with a grin, "Why not?" He extended his skeletal arm toward her.

She took his right hand in her own, bringing her left hand around as well. She turned his hand over, examining every finger, the working of the human skeleton that she had never seen before. When she was through, she let go. "I'm sorry," she said.

"I don't want your pity," Mozenrath snapped.

"That's right," Twilight remembered. "Sorry for being sorry."

"You're forgiven. I'm guessing that being the Element of Magic doesn't drain anything from you."

"You'd be surprised," Twilight replied. "This isn't the first time I thought I lost the other Elements for good, but I don't think I'll find them again as easily as last time. You see, we've become like family. The six of us together…that's the real magic. We might have started out as being forced to fight evil together, but since then, we've turned into more. We've turned into family. And they'll always stay in my heart."

"You really are useless without them," Mozenrath realized.

"Took you long enough to figure out."

"They seemed like worthy opponents, too. I almost miss them."

"Are you saying that sending them to die was a mistake?"

"I did not send them to die. I sent them to a place where it was very likely that they would die. There's a difference."

Twilight understood. "You think they're still alive."

"The way my luck runs? I know it."

"They'll probably come back to get me."

"I'll be waiting."

"You're not going to use your third wish to destroy them some other way?"

"I already know what my third wish is going to be," Mozenrath snapped, "and nothing is going to change that."

"So, what is it? To be the most powerful sorcerer in the world?"

"I already have that. I'm not telling you what my third wish will be. It's not your business. I'm already a one-man Age of Sorcery."

"I keep hearing that term." Twilight changed the subject. "What is the Age of Sorcery?"

"There was a time when sorcerers ruled this world with dark magic," Mozenrath explained. "Jafar and Destane were the last remnants. I've traced the steps of all of them. The Witches of the Sand, whose empire once stood where Agrabah now is."

"Sadira's one of them now. She says she knows you."

"Sadira…there's a name I haven't heard in years."

"You were friends?"

"The closest thing I had to a friend back then," Mozenrath said gruffly. "She doesn't matter anymore."

"You sure about that?"

"Incredibly sure."

"Okay then…"

"There was Shamash," Mozenrath went on with the list. "He controlled his own personal sun. I found it once. I had it for a day, but Aladdin took it from me. There were the sorcerers of the Black Viper, who harnessed one of the gates between this world and the Netherworld. The wizard Khufu…always entertaining to find what he left behind. He had all sorts of spells…then there was Khartoum. The only one to ever best me. He tricked me into letting me out of the book that held him prisoner, and then he destroyed half my fortress and drained my powers."

"How'd you get out of that one?"

"I'd rather not say."

"It's not like Aladdin had to show up and save you," Twilight teased. After seeing the look on his face, she gasped, then grinned. "He did, didn't he! He saved your life!"

"Do we have to talk about this?"

"No."

"Then let's not."

"So…Jafar," Twilight said, beginning a new topic. "You admire him a lot."

"He's always been a hero to me," Mozenrath told her. "He was the greatest sorcerer in the world at one point. The true scourge of Agrabah. If there's one person in this world I'd call better than me, it's him. Of course, you don't get to let that on to him."

"Trusting your nemesis? That's a risky move." Now she was the one smirking.

"Nemesis. Interesting choice of words after all this."

"You're right," Twilight realized. "What would you call me?"

"I don't know and I don't care."

"The difference between ignorance and apathy."

"What?"

"It's a stupid joke they used to tell in magic school. What's the difference between ignorance and apathy? I don't know and I don't care!"

They both laughed before shutting up embarrassedly at the same time.

"Most of my friends wouldn't get that," Twilight admitted. "I guess it's only funny to ponies and people that spend their lives locked up in rooms full of books."

"That's what they said about me?"

"Is it wrong?"

"No."

"Anyway, I won't tell Jafar anything about what we've been talking about," Twilight promised.

"He might be watching, actually," Mozenrath said with a small shiver. "He…does that. Not that I don't think he should keep an eye on things…I'd just like to have a few things secret from him for now. I deserve that much, right? When he figures out what I really am…then I'll let him know everything else. And he'll see what I'm made of very soon."

It didn't slip past Twilight: his fidgeting, the slight flush of color in his face. "You and him…"

"What about us?"

"Do you…want him to be more than just your friend?"

"How do you mean?"

"Like…your special somepony. No, wait, that's not how you say it. With humans, the term is…boyfriend, right?"

"I…" This struck Mozenrath speechless. He turned his gaze from Twilight to the sketchbook and back, trying to formulate an answer as even more blood rushed to his face. "I…that isn't…"

"You do!" Twilight realized. "You want to be with him!"

"THAT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!"

"What, are you embarrassed that the terrible, heartless Mozenrath actually has emotions?"

He crossed his arms in frustration. "I'm not exactly the needy type."

"I know. So, are you gonna stuff me back in the Crystal of Ix for that remark?"

"No," Mozenrath muttered. "Just…don't SAY anything."

"You're not denying it anymore."

"You think I CAN? From YOU?"

"I caught you having an actual emotion," Twilight boasted, "and you know it."

"All I'll say," Mozenrath replied, his voice becoming colder and quieter, "is that once he sees what I'm really made of, he won't see me as an arrogant young upstart anymore. And I hate it…that he sees me that way…right now."

"You should be careful," Twilight said, her demeanor switching to one more somber. "Jafar…doesn't have the best track record."

"Meaning?"

"You know Iago used to work with him, right?" Twilight asked. "They were best friends, or Iago thought so, anyway. Then Jafar ditched him and went on to become more powerful. He just…trashed their friendship. You saw how they talked back in Getzistan."

"I'm supposed to be worried because of how he treated his pet?"

"His familiar," Twilight pointed out. "Iago was to him like Xerxes is to you. Would you leave Xerxes behind?"

"If he annoyed me enough."

"Iago also says that Jafar just uses people and moves on in general," Twilight continued. "Apparently he worked with Abis Mal once, and he just used him."

"Anyone would ditch Abis Mal!"

"Except for Haroud. They're pretty solid partners."

"I still don't see why this matters to me."

"I'm just afraid he's going to break your heart," Twilight said plainly.

"The prisoner is afraid for the captor's heart," Mozenrath pointed out. "You don't see what's wrong with this picture?"

"My life is about harmony. I can't help but care about people when I think they're in trouble. Jafar is dangerous. And if he knows how you feel about him, he could use that against you."

"I can assure you, my heart isn't that fragile. If he betrays me, which won't happen, I won't shed any tears."

"But you're so sure he won't betray you. What if you're wrong?"

"I'm never wrong."

"But if you are," Twilight insisted.

"Then I…" It took him a while to come up with the response. "Then I move on."

"Just be careful, okay?"

"I promise not to eat broken glass or play hopscotch in the street."

"Ha. Ha." Suddenly Twilight closed her eyes, shaking her head. "GAH! NO, NO, NO! I thought I was better than this! And here I am, making a complete FOAL out of myself…UUURRRRRRRGHHHHH!" She stood hastily, covering her face with her hands.

"That was unexpected," Mozenrath remarked.

"Forty years ago on my world," Twilight groaned, "there was a bank robbery in the town of Stableholm. Three unicorns threatened to cast harmful spells on the earth ponies that ran the bank. They stayed there for a week. When Celestia's guard finally broke them up, the earth ponies claimed they'd become best friends with the unicorns, and once the unicorns got out of prison, they started hanging out with the earth ponies from the bank. They said that during the time they'd spent together, they became friends. Ever since then, they call it Stableholm Syndrome when prisoners and captors become friends. Everypony says it isn't real friendship, and it's dangerous. YOU are still dangerous. I'm still in danger. And here I am…MAKING STUPID JOKES AND TALKING ABOUT OUR LIVES!" She sighed deeply. "I'm a failure."

It took Mozenrath a while to find an appropriate response. "You don't have to keep talking to me anymore. I got what I needed." He pulled his gauntlet back over his right arm and got up from his chair, walking to the door of the laboratory.

"Back to the Crystal for me?" Twilight asked, lowering her hands.

"No," Mozenrath answered. He flagged down one of his undead guards. As the zombie moved closer, he said, "Tell the rest that she has permission to go wherever she wants in the fortress. Kitchens, reading rooms, dungeons, wherever."

The zombie stared at him confusedly.

"Well? What are you waiting for?"

The zombie shuffled away to tell his cohorts the news.

"You heard me," Mozenrath told Twilight without turning to face her. "Anywhere in the building."

"Thank you," Twilight said softly as she passed him, leaving the laboratory.

As he watched her leave, Mozenrath thought to himself very clearly that all she'd done was relieve his boredom for a few minutes. Still, his mood was considerably improved from earlier, and he realized he'd never shown off his work to anyone else but Xerxes before. He returned to his sketchbook considerably more content.

---

The freedom to roam the fortress of the Black Sands was slightly awkward for Twilight. She was glad that she didn't have to fear being attacked by the undead if she left the crystal room, but at the same time, she found herself having to memorize the pathways of a structure that to her was completely alien. She got lost several times, finding strange rooms. One large storeroom was filled with upset barrels, and the floor was covered in a bubbling, tarry black substance that she knew she'd rather not touch.

Eventually, Twilight found the kitchen—another immaculate space, mostly blue, stocked with strange herbs and spices from around the world—and took only one apple. She nibbled it as she continued her exploration.

Eventually, she found Jafar. Entering one of the smaller reading rooms, she beheld him standing before a space of previously blank wall, speaking to a sort of magical window bordered in small green flames. From the angle of the door, Twilight couldn't see to whom he spoke.

"In that respect, he has potential," Jafar was saying. "However, he gives too much care and value to others, mostly his rivals, but especially and strangely myself. In this, he is weak—" He saw Twilight. With a wave of his hand, the wall became blank once more.

"You," Jafar growled at her. "What are you doing here?"

"I have permission," Twilight snapped. "Who were you talking to?"

"I think the better question is how you got permission to roam the fortress with wild abandon."

"Don't change the subject, Jafar. Who were you talking to?"

"Someone whose name you will one day hail," Jafar answered. "The only one for whom I can call myself a servant and still retain my dignity. That is all you need to know. Did the boy tell you that you could have the run of his domain?"

"If you aren't going to explain what you're doing, I don't have to explain what I'm doing."

"I despise you, girl. Keep that in mind. I know what you truly are."

"You mean the Element of Magic?" Twilight asked. "Or did you know I was a unicorn?"

"As a matter of fact, I did. I've been informed."

"By your mysterious friend from just now."

"I'm not fond of the lenience the boy has given you." Jafar's eyes pierced Twilight's directly. "If I had my way, you would be gone for good. But alas, genies cannot kill…and it would be bad form to dispose of my master's favorite toy."

"If you even think about hurting him," Twilight growled, "I won't be afraid to fight you. Even if I do know I can't win."

Jafar flashed her a smile that sent shivers down her spine. "Do you think you have some sort of connection with the boy?"

"I don't know, but I do know that my mission is to spread harmony. And from what I've seen, you're one of the least harmonious people I ever met. I already can't forgive you for what you've done to Iago. I don't even know what your story is with Abis Mal, and I even pity him!"

"I would stay out of things that are not my business, were I you," Jafar said as he stalked out of the room. "After all, you are merely a tool to us now. And soon you will not even be that."

Ignoring him, Twilight entered the reading room, finishing her apple. She held back the urge to chuck the chewed-away core at the back of Jafar's head. Instead, she disposed of it in a nearby receptacle, a wastebasket that vaporized all that was dropped into it with a deflagration spell. She perused the books on the shelf opposite the blank wall, finding many interesting titles. At last, she chose a book entitled The History of the Witches of the Sand and settled down in an ornate wooden chair to read it.

---

Jafar stormed into the laboratory angrily. "It is time you made a choice," he told Mozenrath.

Mozenrath looked up from his work on the sketchbook. "Meaning?"

"The girl is inhibiting you from reaching your full potential. You must choose either her or power. If you take the right path, you will be rid of her."

"If you say so," Mozenrath accepted, "she'll be out of our hair immediately."

"Good."

---

"Twilight."

Twilight looked up from the book on the ancient witches to see Mozenrath standing in the door of the reading room.

"Come with me," he said sternly.

"Why?" she asked.

His demeanor relaxed slightly. "I have something I think you'll enjoy seeing."

"Okay. I'll bite." She set the book down in the chair and left it, following Mozenrath out of the room and down the twisted hallways.

They walked all the way to the atrium, then, to Twilight's surprise, out the great front doors of the fortress. There, before the fortress' entrance, was an ebony-black wheeled cart pulled by a horse; a zombie Mamluk sat in the driver's seat, holding the reins.

"I've been told to get rid of you," Mozenrath explained, "so I'm kicking you out. You're free to go."

"Where is he going to take me?" Twilight asked.

"Anywhere you want," Mozenrath told her coldly. "Just away from here. Agrabah, if you want."

Tentatively, wondering if it was a trap, Twilight stepped up to the cart, climbing up into it. The zombie looked back at her, awaiting directions. Her eyes filled with tears. "How can I go back alone?" she asked softly.

"Oh, don't give me that!" Mozenrath cried. "You know as well as I do that Aladdin, HIS little friends, and YOUR little friends found some way to get out of the Netherworld in one piece! He always wins! They're probably launching some sort of rescue mission for you right now."

Twilight gave him one last honest smile. "Thank you."

"Please don't do this."

"Do what?"

"Make it look like I have a heart."

She nearly laughed. Then she turned to the undead driver. "I would like to go back to Agrabah, if you don't mind," she said confidently.

The zombie looked confusedly to Mozenrath, wondering why he was letting his prisoner just go free.

"Well?" Mozenrath barked at the zombie. "You heard her!"

The zombie cracked the reins, and the cart set off down the main street of the village at a fast pace. Mozenrath watched as the shining blue crystals lit up as Twilight passed them, detecting her magic, then doused as quickly as they'd shone. Satisfied, he turned back to the atrium, and the doors slammed shut behind him.

Jafar was waiting for him. "Wrong choice, boy."

"What do you want from me?" Mozenrath groaned in frustration. "You told me to get rid of her. I got rid of her."

"You could have destroyed her in a number of ways, and yet you let her go free!"

"It's what I like to call 'setting a precedent.' After all, I've settled on my third wish."

This brought an anticipatory smile to Jafar's face. "And what would that be?"

Mozenrath locked eyes with his ally, feeling his heartbeat quicken. He almost couldn't form the words in the beginning, but when he did say them, they sounded clear as crystal. "I wish for your freedom."

"WHAT?" Of all the things Jafar had guessed might be the third wish, that was not one of them.

"You're an independent operator now," Mozenrath clarified. "Of course, you have a considerable downgrade in power…you're now semi-phenomenal, nearly-cosmic. Somehow, I don't think you'll have a problem with that."

"I certainly don't," Jafar confirmed, smiling broadly. "So these are your true colors?"

"I wouldn't have you mistaking this for me being a merciful person. You're special, after all. I'm sure you know that. I think we have a certain…connection."

"Do go on," Jafar prompted.

"Your color of choice is red, right?" Mozenrath waved his right hand from his head down past his waist; following its path, all the fabric he wore that was blue changed to a bright crimson. "You and I have similar dreams, similar goals. We both want to rule the Seven Deserts. Why not together?" He stepped closer to Jafar as he spoke. "Of course, it would work better as an equal partnership than if I were in complete control of you."

"That is certainly true," Jafar agreed.

Now Mozenrath stood directly before him. "I'm sure you've seen now that I'm more than just an upstart."

"You have indeed impressed me."

Mozenrath dared to touch Jafar's shoulder with his right hand. "Good to hear. It means I can finally tell you my little secret without having to worry about my dignity."

"And what is that secret?" Jafar asked softly.

Mozenrath's hand moved from Jafar's shoulder to the side of his face; his heart nearly exploded from the contact. "All this time, I've wanted to be just like you. You set the gold standard. It's good to know I passed."

"Indeed…"

"And from now on, we don't have to play these games with each other. We can be equals." Their faces were inches apart.

"I have tired of playing games," Jafar said sternly.

Gripping his staff in his right hand, he struck Mozenrath across the face with it. Caught off guard and off balance, Mozenrath fell to the floor, stunned.

"Did you think it would really be as simple as that?" Jafar admonished. "You impress me, you free me, and suddenly I would desire to make you mine?" He planted his foot on Mozenrath's shoulder, keeping him down. "Were you not paying attention? Bonds are weakness! Love is a weakness! After all, look where your foolish love has gotten you! I could destroy you now if I so desired. Don't you even dare to fight back?"

Mozenrath was temporarily stunned into silence. When he found his words, he loaded them with anger. "You let me think you admired me!"

"An easy game to play. Your lust and affection made you easy to manipulate."

"Don't think it's easy to manipulate me!"

"Am I not free of your bonds? Am I not standing above you in every possible way?" Jafar pointed his staff down at Mozenrath, firing a ray of bright red light at him. Mozenrath flinched, expecting pain or suffering. Instead, there was nothing, or so he thought.

"What did you do?" he asked.

"I've stripped you of the powers I gave you," Jafar explained. "This world is yours no more. However, soon it will be mine…and mine alone." He removed his foot, turning to walk out of the atrium.

Mozenrath struggled to his feet, absolutely stunned. He watched Jafar walk away, all the way to the door, before he screamed, "WE COULD HAVE HAD EVERYTHING! YOU'RE A FOOL TO PASS THAT UP!"

"You are the fool," Jafar replied without turning to face Mozenrath. "You shall not have this world…and you shall not have me. I must now finish what I began so long ago in Agrabah." He vanished in a cloud of red.

---

AGRABAH, THE SEVEN DESERTS

Rarity's shadow reached Agrabah as evening was beginning to fall. This made her nervous, even knowing that if she failed, she could always go back to the Shadow Country that night. She hastened her pace, trying not to be distracted by the sight of the city. It looked even worse than it had when Rarity had left it last. The clouds were still thick and dark overhead—if Mozenrath wasn't able to keep them there via the rainforest, someone else was bidding them to stay. Barely enough light for shadows shone through. Fire-cats ran rampant in the streets, and most buildings had gaping holes struck through their walls; whatever was flammable was burning. People ran to take shelter in the destroyed buildings, families clutching at each other in desperation as the cats grew ever larger with their constant supply of fear.

The shadow made for the palace. She picked out the tower Iago had indicated, flitting directly toward it. The walls of the palace didn't stop her; she shifted right through. Oddly enough, the palace was quite empty and silent, a direct contrast to the maelstrom of fire outside. Rarity's shadow tried not to take too much notice of this as she fled toward the tower.

Through several walls, she eventually reached what she was certain was Jafar's old lair. This place was made of dark, unpainted stone—obviously not a room used by the general palace staff. A great stone dais rose in the center of the circular room. Magical devices and weapons were visible everywhere—a crystal here, an orb there, swords spilled on this side of the floor, nautical tools hanging from that part of the ceiling.

Rarity's shadow knew the Eye of Gazeem when she saw it. Resting on a small stone shelf, it was a great purple crystal cut in an egglike shape. The shadow carried with her many of the instincts of her owner; she could sense crystals and their powers. This was definitely a gate to the Netherworld.

She reached out to touch it, but a wall of green fire shot up before her. She stepped back in fear. When the fire subsided, a strange figure stood before the shadow: a statuesque anthropomorphic cat dressed in a revealing red ensemble.

"Well, well," the cat remarked. "You aren't one of mine. Where did you come from?"

Rarity's shadow could only tremble.

"You weren't trying to get at the Eye of Gazeem, were you?" the cat said. "I don't know what you want with it, but I'm certainly not going to let you touch it. You might just ruin everything I worked so hard for."

Rarity's shadow leapt for the Eye, but the cat grabbed her by both wrists, shoving her back. The cat was able to fling the shadow into the adjacent wall before slashing at her with her hand as a regular cat would strike with its claws; green claw-marks of energy shot towards the shadow and caused her to double over in pain.

The shadow became flat against the floor once more, shooting towards the Eye, but the cat stomped down on the shadow, and she found she couldn't move, somehow held down by the cat's foot. "Please," the cat snorted. "I practically invented that one." Realization struck the cat. "It's nearly nightfall, is it not? If you don't find a way out…you're done for, and so is whoever you belong to. I can stand here until then. It isn't difficult for me at all."

Rarity's shadow struggled helplessly, unable to regain her three-dimensional form. Had she her voice, she might have been able to try and talk this strange woman out of holding her captive, but she was mute, and could not protest.

Time ticked by, and the sun went further West.

---

AGRABAH, THE NETHERWORLD

The Genie-jet and the Carpet touched down in the central city square. The destruction was quite evident.

"No," Aladdin said softly. "It's…horrible…"

"I know this is Mirage's doing!" Jasmine shouted.

"We'll fix it later!" Applejack cried. "Right now, we gotta get to that Eye!"

They rushed toward the palace. "It'll be easy!" the Genie assured everyone. "All we need to do is walk through the walls the way Rarity's shadow did! Piece of cake!"

They made it to the outer walls of the palace, then stopped. It would not, in fact, be as easy as the Genie claimed. Thousands of skeletons lined up between the group and the palace; for every five skeletons, there was one dog-sized reptile.

At the very front of this lineup was Aghoul, holding his scythe casually. "I couldn't let you get away that easily," he said. "So I invited some old friends around for a party!"

"This isn't the kind of party I like," Pinkie whimpered, "is it?"

"It's a dismember-the-heroes party!" Aghoul cried happily.

"I don't like those," Pinkie squealed.

Rainbow Dash drew her swords. "BRING IT!"

"Oh, I certainly shall!" Aghoul pointed at his opponents. "ATTACK!"

The skeletons rushed forth. Rainbow Dash, Aladdin, Jasmine, Pinkie, Applejack, Rarity, and the Carpet charged into the fray, knocking skeletons down one by one. Iago hovered overhead, once again not wanting to get involved in the conflict.

"Get them, my pets!" Aghoul commanded the reptiles. When no reptiles followed his command, he turned to the pack of creatures behind him. "Well? Get the—WHAT?"

"Good boy!" Fluttershy petted the head of one of the reptiles. "You're not so bad after all!" The others nudged at her, trying to get a turn with her affections. "Oh, one at a time!" she giggled.

"How…?" Aghoul sputtered.

"Obviously, you don't give them enough attention," Fluttershy accused.

Abu hopped up and down, pointing at Aghoul and squeaking accusatorily.

"That's it!" Aghoul growled, raising his scythe and charging Fluttershy. Fluttershy screamed in terror.

A rope tightened around Aghoul's ankles and dragged him backward. Aghoul twisted to see that the Genie had turned one of his hands into a pulley from which he reeled in the rope. "Now, that just won't do!" the Genie criticized with a click of his tongue. "Running with a scythe? That isn't safe!" When Aghoul was reeled all the way in next to him, the Genie plucked the scythe from his hand and chucked it away. "Here! Use this! This is safer!" He handed Aghoul a rubber duck on a stick. Pinkie Pie, seeing this, laughed hysterically.

"THIS ISN'T FUNNY!" Aghoul cried, though he did take the duck and give the Genie a good whack over the head with it.

"Owww!" The Genie rubbed the spot where Aghoul had hit him. "See? If you'd tried that with a scythe, you would have had a pret-ty big mess to clean up!"

"ARGH!"

Applejack and Rarity stood side-by-side, shooting arrows at the skeletons. "There's too many of 'em!" Applejack lamented. "We ain't never gettin' to the palace at this rate! We gotta think of a faster way to fight through, Rarity!" She waited for a response; none came. "Rarity?"

"I'm feeling rather faint," Rarity said softly. Her aim wavered. She shot a jet of water directly into the ground.

Applejack realized how low the sun was in the sky, even through the clouds. "Oh, no…"

---

AGRABAH, THE SEVEN DESERTS

"Time's almost up for you, little shadow!" the cat-woman taunted as Rarity's shadow struggled. "Whatever you were trying to accomplish, know that you truly failed. I look forward to seeing your last mome—"

The cat-woman was interrupted when a large wrecking-ball made of brass slammed through the wall of the lair.

"WHAT?" she cried, stumbling back in shock. Rarity's shadow took that moment to break free.

Abis Mal and Amin Damoola climbed in through the gaping hole in the tower. "Just like Haroud said!" Abis Mal cried, rushing to the Eye of Gazeem. "This baby is gonna make us super-rich!"

"IMBECILES!" the cat-woman cried. "Common thieves! You also will die!" She threw out her hands to either side; two fire-cats appeared, prowling forward to menace the two thieves.

With a shriek, Amin jumped into Abis Mal's arms, bridal-style. Abis Mal sighed. "Amin, what did Mechanicles say about the fire-cats?"

"They're on fire?"

"Yes…and…"

"They can't hurt me as long as I'm not afraid."

"So STOP BEING AFRAID!"

With that motivation, Amin leapt back down to his feet, drawing his sword. He and Abis Mal charged the fire-cats with blades drawn; the cats shrank to the sides of kittens, running in the opposite direction.

"Sorry to steal and run," Amin said, taking the Eye of Gazeem under his arm, "but after all, we are thieves!" He ran back to the hole in the tower, and Abis Mal followed. They jumped atop the brass wrecking ball, grabbing the chain and giving it a tug; this signaled the ball's controller to hoist it away.

Seeing her one chance, Rarity's shadow dove out of the hole in the tower, knowing that as a shadow, the fall to the ground wouldn't hurt her.

The wrecking ball was attached to a giant crane; Mechanicles was at its helm. He lowered the ball to the ground before hopping out of the crane. He, Amin, and Abis Mal converged next to the crane, where Haroud already stood.

"Eye of Gazeem," Mechanicles remarked, taking out his master checklist. "Check. You know, Mr. Hazi Bin, you have quite the knowledge of magical artifacts."

"Just be careful not to rub it," Haroud warned. "It would open a gate to the Netherworld. That is what will make it incredibly valuable on the black market, especially to sorcerers."

"I gotta admit," Abis Mal said, placing the Eye of Gazeem on the ground, "with your knowledge of magical doohickeys, Haroud, Mechanicles' inventions, my amazing skill at swordplay, and Amin's…er, determination…we make a better team than ever before!"

Rarity's shadow ran up to the four thieves. "What is this?" Mechanicles asked sharply. "A shadow?"

The shadow fell upon the Eye and began rubbing it.

"NO!" Haroud cried. "Back away! QUICKLY!"

The four thieves backed off as a swirling portal to the Netherworld appeared.

---

AGRABAH, THE NETHERWORLD

"Wait a second!" The Genie looked over Aghoul's shoulder, around the corner of the palace wall. He saw the crane and the thieves, but more importantly, he saw the portal. "The gate to the living world! It's right over there!"

"How is that even possible?" Aladdin cried.

"Don't question it!" Rainbow Dash cried. "Just RUN!"

The heroes turned from their skeletal opponents and ran for the portal. Aghoul and the skeletons quickly followed.

"I…I can't make it!" Rarity stumbled and fell to the ground.

Rainbow Dash immediately ran back, sweeping her up bridal-style into her arms and continuing to run. "Yes you can!" she yelled. "Look!"

A pitch-black hand, slender and delicate, reached through the portal.

The Genie swept Rarity out of Rainbow Dash's arms and flew her to the portal, setting her down on her feet. Rarity grabbed the hand, which pulled her through. As soon as Rarity reached the land of the living, she recognized the hand that held her own: that of her shadow. The shadow's feet immediately merged with her own, and Rarity's light-headedness cleared.

The Genie, Aladdin, Jasmine, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Abu, the Carpet, and Iago charged through the portal after Rarity. Pinkie turned to see that Aghoul had gained ground along with his skeletons, and were about to reach the portal.

"You can't hide in the living world!" Aghoul cried. Then he halted. So did the skeletons. Pinkie had produced her party cannon once more, and was aiming it directly at them.

She beamed brightly. "Merry Hearts and Hooves Day!" She mashed the button.

Aghoul was blasted backward in a rush of confetti and streamers of all colors.

Pinkie hopped through the portal to the living world, and it closed behind her, stranding Aghoul in the Netherworld once more.

---

AGRABAH, THE SEVEN DESERTS

"We made it!" Rainbow Dash cried before noticing the four thieves. "Hey, wait a minute…what are YOU doing here?"

"I'm getting all the memories of my shadow back," Rarity announced. "They broke into the tower at just the right time and stole the Eye. If they hadn't done that, my shadow would have been held until sundown by…by…" She trailed off.

"So," Aladdin remarked. "You four finally settled your differences?"

"Your little sorceress friend was on to something when she told us to stop fighting and work together," Mechanicles remarked. "Ever since we became a team, we've been able to obtain more objects of value than ever before! I'm getting through my list more quickly than I could have dreamed!" He then noticed the lingering stains of black sand on the clothes of his rivals. "Where HAVE you been? You're positively filthy!"

"I'm not happy about it either," Rarity grumbled.

"Well, it's too bad for you," Abis Mal said, "because now, you're about to meet your doom at the hands of—"

"We don't have time for that!" Aladdin yelled, turning to run away from the four thieves. The others followed him, and the group charged away, into the city.

"Did they…seriously just run away from us?" Abis Mal asked quizzically.

"It doesn't matter," Haroud pointed out. "We have the Eye of Gazeem, and—"

"Ahem, ahem!" A loud cough caused all four thieves to turn and look at whoever had interrupted. When Abis Mal and Amin beheld him, they gave twin high-pitched screams.

"A…a draconequus!" Mechanicles screeched. Haroud was stricken speechless.

Discord walked up to the four thieves. "I'll be taking that last gate to the Netherworld, if you don't mind," he told them.

"Oh yeah?" Abis Mal pointed his blade at Discord.

Discord snapped his fingers. The sword turned into a feather duster. Amin discovered that his own blade was now a rubber chicken.

Discord casually swept the Eye of Gazeem into his arms. "I can see why you chose thievery as a profession," he remarked. "This really is fun!" He then disappeared in a flash of light.

"Oh well," Mechanicles sighed. "I guess it's on to number 548 on my checklist: the shards of the Destiny Stone…"

---

Mirage fumed as she stared at the great hole in the wall. "Who do they think they were, just to barge in here and steal from me?" she seethed.

She was startled by a new voice: "What…what has happened to my lair?"

Barely believing what she was hearing, Mirage turned to see Jafar. "You…here…without him?"

"I might also mention that I am free," Jafar told her smugly. "It is Mirage, goddess of evil, is it not?"

"Indeed," Mirage said, giving a low laugh that sounded like a purr. "You've come back to try your hand at claiming Agrabah?"

"I have come to claim Agrabah. Not to try."

"Perfect," Mirage chuckled. "Simply perfect! I could hardly have asked for a better finale! But…what of Mozenrath?"

"You would not believe the boy's foolishness," Jafar replied.

Mirage's eyes narrowed. "Tell me."

---

"So I was thinking," Pinkie said. "Abis Mal, Amin Damoola, Mechanicles, and Haroud Hazi Bin were bad enough on their own. And since Twilight told them to work together, they've been even worse. But for them, that means they've been better. And they're happier! Not only that, but it came around and did US some good! If they hadn't been working together, Rarity wouldn't have found her shadow again!"

"I guess even villains and thieves need friends," Jasmine deduced.

"You never know what will happen if you just show someone a little kindness," Fluttershy added.

"Speaking of Twilight," Aladdin said as the group reached one of the larger city squares, "we have to get back to the Black Sands and rescue—"

The jet-black cart barreled down the street. Everyone gaped at the sight; one of Mozenrath's undead was driving, goading the horse at top speed, but Twilight rode in the back of the cart solo. "Whoa!" she called, and the zombie halted the horse in the square; Twilight jumped out of the cart. "Thanks for the ride," she told the zombie. The zombie, still confused, turned the cart around and drove back down the way he'd come.

"TWILIGHT!" everyone cried.

"You fought your way out!" Rainbow Dash said with glee.

Twilight considered agreeing to that, but decided it was better to be honest. "Actually…it's a bit more complicated than that. I'll tell you the whole story later. Now, why don't we go check up on how the resistance is doing?"

---

Chapter 14:

· Even though this chapter doesn't have as much action, it's one of my favorites. Just to have Twilight and Mozenrath TALKING for that many pages. I love writing those two together. That, of course, is news to NO ONE at this point. Anyway, I took a moment to psychologically profile Moz here. I had several goals: to keep him a believable villain with believable motivations and little to no sob story, to make his relationship with Twilight believable without diluting his villainous qualities, to show that he actually DOES have more complex emotions without pushing him into Draco-in-Leather-Pants territory, and to basically not make him so heartless that readers would be hating him throughout the entire conversation. Also, I wanted to set it up for the ship, but not actually get to the ship itself.

· Mozenrath's sketchbook is something I completely made up. But he has so many plots, so many inventions, so many legends he knows about…I can't see him as the kind of person that DOESN'T have a sketchbook.

· I actually had a small debate with myself about what spelling of "griffon" to use. I didn't bother to go back and check how I typed it earlier. If I switched from "gryphon," I apologize. I just picked that spelling because that's how Hasbro spells it in MLP canon. Despite the fact that I generally prefer "gryphon."

· The Seven Deserts are connected to Olympic Greece (Disney's Hercules, but I'm going to inject a liberal dose of accurate Greek mythology into it) as an allusion to the Hercules animated series ep "Hercules and the Arabian Knight," which was actually an ATAS/HTAS crossover that featured dead Jafar teaming up with Hades to try and knock out Herc and Al at the same time. Lots of fans, while they loved the concept, did pick up on the fact that the time periods couldn't have coexisted. So I just fixed that plot hole. The Underworld is a separate world unto itself, and I had some fun crafting that based on old concepts I had and some new ones. Also, while Al's interactions with Herc are documented as his adventure against Hades, the idea of Moz in that world is completely my fanon. Let's just say Twi's right. She would be disgusted if she knew. (Or is that "will be disgusted when she knows"?)

· The story about Cerberus breaking from Tartarus to Equestria? COMPLETELY CANON. Rubber ball and all. Featured in MLPFIM ep "It's About Time." That's one of the reasons I love that show. Because Cerberus. And ponies.

· "Weapons of the heart" is a little fanon term I made up for the Echthroi (again, the term is from Madeleine L'Engle's Time Quartet). It will make more sense later.

· The "evil Aladdin" thing is something that canonically happened in the ep "When Chaos Comes Calling," the only appearance of Chaos. I added the Negaverse twist myself. The Negaverse is from Darkwing Duck and refers to the world where everything is opposite. I know, other works of fiction did the "opposite world" thing earlier and more popularly, but "Negaverse" is my favorite term for it, so it stays. And Moz thinks he came up with the name himself…

· Keyblade cameo. Moz knows they exist, and that someone once appeared in his world with one, but he's mystified on the rest.

· "Destane was like a father to me" is a direct quote from Moz in his intro ep. It's common fanon that Destane was an abusive mentor, and I like it. Since I already have it set up that Moz doesn't like Cassim…the analogy wrote itself.

· If I didn't already say this, the glamour-spell story Twi tells is the summary of "Lesson Zero." That was the ep that cemented MozTwi for me, actually, because it proved that Twi has a real villainous streak.

· No one knows how Moz got that gauntlet. I have a backstory for it that will become relevant…eventually.

· "Unicorn blood can extend a lifespan" – from Harry Potter.

· I'm sure there are a lot of very sexy fics out there involving Mozenrath and…sexy situations. However, to me, just because of the symbolism—his weakness, his real self beneath the power he wields—I consider it pretty much one of THE most sensual things one can write about him if another character gets to touch his skeletal hand.

· A ton of ATAS eps contain references to ancient sorcerers that used to terrorize the Seven Deserts. They leave artifacts around to start plot devices. So I decided fanonically that the Seven Deserts must have gone through an "Age of Sorcery" when they were all afoot. All the ones I mentioned are canon in the Aladdinverse.

· The Khartoum thing—Aladdin really did have to save Moz from Khartoum, though kind of in a roundabout way: Khartoum was destroying everything, and their lives were both on the line, as well as the Genie's and Eden's. Al didn't really set out to specifically save Moz's life (though given that he tried to do so at the end of the ep "Black Sand," I wouldn't put it past him), but inadvertently, by defeating Khartoum, he did.

· "The difference between ignorance and apathy" is one of my favorite nerd-jokes. If you didn't hear it before, now you have.

· "Special somepony" is the Equestrian term for "significant other." Nopony says "boyfriend" or "girlfriend."

· (And yes, I kinda do ship Abis Mal/Haroud a little bit…)

· So "Stableholm Syndrome" is something I made up. I mean, it's Stockholm Syndrome, which I didn't make up, but that whole story with the unicorns holding up a bank? My invention. The town of Stableholm is my invention. I just knew there had to be an Equestrian equivalent for "Stockholm Syndrome," and it had to have a bad pony pun in it. I actually considered "Stockhoof" instead, but there are already too many "hoof" puns in canon AND fanon.

· Hahaha. It's funny because Twi found the room where all her friends jumped into the Realm of Darkness and just shut the door and walked away. DON'T EXPLAIN THE JOKE.

· It will VERY soon be apparent who Jafar was talking to. Though most of you can probably guess at this point.

· I should think that with all the times he's lost, Mozenrath has probably come to accept that he can't actually beat Aladdin.

· While it's not explicitly stated as one of his quirks/flaws, it's apparent from context that Moz REALLY LIKES taunting his opponents. He outright said in one ep that he would be furious if anyone else killed Aladdin because he wants to do it personally. That makes me wonder if he even wants to do that at all…I feel like his life would be empty without a rival to taunt.

· With Moz's little seduction routine, I was trying to parallel the scene in the first film where Jasmine tries to "seduce" (distract) Jafar.

· Hearts and Hooves Day = Valentine's Day in Equestria.

1. The Snake and the Cat

THE LAND OF THE BLACK SANDS, THE SEVEN DESERTS

Another crystal, a sphere this time, shattered. Then a golden astrolabe. Then a stone tablet. One by one, Mozenrath launched the magical items in his laboratory into the air with his left hand, then blasted them with his right, as though breaking enough of them would somehow reverse what had happened.

When Mirage appeared in her usual flash of green fire, Mozenrath's immediate response was to turn to her and scream, "WHAT DO YOU WANT?"

"You are an absolute FAILURE!" Mirage replied, equally loudly. "I entrusted Jafar's lamp to you with the understanding that you would turn the Seven Deserts into a realm of chaos and evil! I believed you carried bonds with no one except those of hatred! But YOU released both the prisoner AND Jafar! And for what gain? Even lust is too close to caring!"

"And what does it matter what I care about?" Mozenrath spat.

"Your wayward heart has caused you to LOSE! You were never fit to rule this world, Mozenrath!"

"MY HEART IS NOT WAYWARD!" Mozenrath roared. "I DON'T CARE ABOUT ANYONE!"

In response, Mirage clawed the side of his face whilst giving a catlike yowl. He felt the searing pain of her four fingers, and his peripheral vision registered a green flash—she'd used magic. It didn't knock him over as Jafar's blow had, but it did render him speechless, fuming silently.

"You've proven yourself no better than the common thieves," Mirage hissed. "I have learned from my mistakes. I shall not entrust you with such a mission again!" Then she was gone.

Xerxes pressed himself into the corner, afraid that Mozenrath would explode with rage, perhaps incinerating the entire laboratory. Mozenrath, too, thought that was the inevitable outcome. He stormed out and towards the crystal room, knowing the Crystal of Ix was the largest thing he could smash.

He stared at the Crystal, his rage swelling. To his surprise, when it boiled over, he didn't destroy it. He didn't destroy anything. He could only lower himself to the floor and sit there, immobile.

---

AGRABAH, THE SEVEN DESERTS

"So when we last left them," Rainbow Dash recounted, "our resistance army had Fatima, Minos, Cassim, Sadira, the Sultan, and the guards. They ran off to get Eden, Dandi, and Deluca. You think that'll be enough?"

Aladdin, Jasmine, Iago, Abu, the Carpet, the Genie, and the six Equestrians rushed up the stairway to the tower. Before anyone could even attempt to answer Rainbow Dash, they emerged in the topmost room to find quite a large gathering, larger than they'd expected.

"You're back!" Sadira called out happily. "Took you long enough!"

"What…" Aladdin gaped. "How…how did all these people GET here?"

"Aladdin!" the Sultan cried, stepping forward. "Jasmine! Look!" He was again dressed as the ruler of the kingdom. "What does this mean?"

"I…have no idea," Aladdin admitted.

"But even more amazingly," the Sultan said, "look who turned up!" He pointed into the crowd at the tall tree-man.

Jasmine gasped. "Arbutus!"

"YOU!" Aladdin snarled, drawing his blade.

"No, no!" the Sultan cried quickly. "He has agreed to stand with us!"

"That is, if you decide to finally show me, my art, and my kind some respect," Arbutus spat.

"What's goin' on here?" Applejack asked, confused.

"Arbutus was an enemy of ours," Jasmine explained. "Well, sort of. A long time ago, my father took from him one of his most precious roses, so he kidnapped me in return. But…that rose was as precious to him as I was as precious to my father."

"Do you still have no concept of what it is like to watch a loved one be broken, only to slowly wither and die?" Arbutus snarled.

"That sounds awful!" Fluttershy burst out.

Arbutus approached the small woman, the towering size difference very apparent. "And who are you?"

"Um…I'm Fluttershy," Fluttershy squeaked. "And I don't want to make you mad. I just…I really think it's important to be kind to all things, even roses. Roses are really beautiful. I, um…I like the one on your robes."

"This is my heart," Arbutus said, covering the rose protectively with a hand. "Your words are…very flattering, to be sure. Do you truly mean them? Do you truly think my plants should be treated with kindness?"

"Oh, yes," Fluttershy said, suddenly feeling empowered. "In fact, I've always wanted to be a tree."

"She's really not kidding about that," Rainbow Dash commented.

"Hmm." Arbutus turned to the window and beckoned; several vines trailed into the room, bursting into bloom with small yellow flowers that resembled lilies of the valley. "You have inspired me," he told Fluttershy. "I am not sure why, but for you…yellow flowers. Though it feels…incomplete. Ah!" He conducted the vines with his hands; pink, four-petaled flowers in the shape of butterflies erupted in clusters of three.

"They're beautiful!" Fluttershy gasped.

"That's some mighty fine green thumb ya got there, Mr. Arbutus," Applejack added. "I happen to be a bit of a plant enthusiast myself, but I ain't got nothin' on that."

"And how are you an 'enthusiast'?" Arbutus challenged.

"You ain't got nothin' against apple buckin', do ya?" Applejack asked.

"Apple…bucking?"

"She means picking," Twilight translated.

"Of course not," Arbutus said haughtily. "Unlike the delicate flowers, the fruit is meant to leave the tree and spread the seeds so there may be more trees."

"Well, back home, my family and I make a livin' off apples," Applejack explained. "We see all sorts. I've learned to know the difference between all of 'em, and figure out what the different trees need. Everythin' from Honeycrisp to Gala to zap-apples."

"What is a zap-apple?" Arbutus inquired.

"It ain't like any other apple," Applejack told him. "It's got all rainbow colors, and the taste…I can't even describe!"

Curious, Arbutus called one of the vines up to his hand. In it, he called an apple of rainbow colors to grow.

"Yeah," Applejack confirmed. "Looks just like that!"

"This is something I shall have to use in my artwork later, when I have access to a larger canvas," Arbutus said, satisfied. "And what is your name?"

"Applejack."

"A fitting name for a master of apples." Arbutus turned back to Aladdin. "It seems you have made some new friends who understand."

"Heh…" Aladdin shrugged. "You know, I might not get it, but I can see how important these things are to you. And, like a good friend once told me, everyone needs to be shown a little kindness." He extended his right hand. "You willing to call truce?"

"Indeed," Arbutus agreed, clasping Aladdin's hand and shaking it.

The vines suddenly erupted into flame, charring to ash. Arbutus screamed as though in pain. "Those CATS!" he roared. "They have no respect for life or beauty in any form! That is why I agreed to help you stand against them! Of course, I also wanted a chance to speak to the Sultan and ask why I had been replanted in his gardens." He turned to Jasmine. "He says it was your idea."

"After I saw your garden and how important it was to you, I understood," Jasmine told him. "After your…your heart was cut out, I didn't want to just let it all die."

"It seems even humans can still surprise me," Arbutus remarked quietly, with a smile.

Meanwhile, the Genie and Eden reunited in a close embrace. "Oh, Eden, I was afraid I'd never see you again!" the Genie gushed. "Of course, it takes more than a little trip to the Netherworld to keep a good genie down!"

"I knew you'd come through!" Eden replied. Backing out of the embrace, she transformed so that she wore a lion tamer's outfit, cracking a whip and wielding a small chair. "Now I'm ready to take on some big cats!"

Dandi giggled at this, catching Rarity's attention. "Dandi!" Rarity cried, rushing forward to briefly embrace the child. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Dandi said with a grin. "And I even found a friend to help us." She gestured to a boy about her age, who stood beside her. "Wahid says he already knows Aladdin."

"Well, well!" Aladdin smirked at the boy. "You and Dandi, huh?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever!" Wahid said gruffly. "I'm just in it to help save Agrabah, all right!" However, when Dandi caught his gaze, Wahid did give her a brief, awkward, honest smile.

"It seems Sadira has found a new friend," Deluca said, pointing out the young witch as she practically draped over the arm of a tall, dark-skinned man wearing a black cloak with the hood down. To Sadira's credit, he was quite pleasing to the eye.

"Your friend is…pretty dreamy," Sadira admitted to Aladdin.

"My friend?" Aladdin looked into the eyes of the cloaked man, trying to recognize him.

"I do not blame you for not recognizing me," the man said. "After all, the last time you saw me as a human, we were both young. And the last time you saw me at all, I looked quite different."

"AMAL?" Aladdin realized.

"Wait," Twilight interrupted. "Like…the Amal that the shadow-walkers took?"

"I was a shadow-walker for many years," Amal admitted. "It was only by turning away from evil that I began to turn human, and I could walk in the realm of light again. With every good deed I did, I regained more of my humanity…but until I became fully human, I was too ashamed to return to the city I once called home. Now that my journey is over, I have come back…but only to find Agrabah in flames."

"Trust me," Sadira said dreamily, "we're ALL glad you're human."

"Your friend Sadira is…well, overly friendly," Amal told Aladdin with a wink. "Not that I mind."

"Now, dear, you mustn't be ashamed to have been a creature of darkness," Rarity told Amal. "After all, many others of us have as well."

"Your kind words do reassure me," Amal said.

"I just love meeting all these new people!" Pinkie squealed to Minos and Fatima. "Is that everyone? Are we all gonna go out together?"

"Not quite everyone," a voice hissed from the back of the crowd. Said crowd parted to reveal a gaunt figure wearing a brown tunic and a blue cape. While his stature was humanoid, his face was undoubtedly reptilian, with scaly flesh, lizardlike eyes, and two nostrils in place of a mammalian nose. "I have come to help ssssssettle the sssssscore."

"THE MUKHTAR?" Iago squawked. "Okay, now I've seen everything."

"I'll say, he gave Eden quite the fright when he turned up," Cassim remarked.

"I am not interesssssted in hunting the geniessss," the Mukhtar hissed. "In fact, I returned becausssse of the Genie of Agrabah. He and I ssssshhhared a moment of friendssshhhip, one that I cannot eassssily forget. If hisssss homeland isssss in danger…I mussssst protect it."

"Awww, you came all the way here just for me?" The Genie blushed visibly. "So you really DO like me! And you DON'T find me utterly annoying in every possible way!"

"Annoying, yessss," the Mukhtar growled. "But all the sssssame…a friend."

"But…Mukhtars…don't exist anymore!" Twilight cried in awe. "You…"

"Are the lassssst of my kind, yessss."

"It was your technology that helped us get Odiferous back from Jafar!" Twilight gushed, beaming. "The living manacles, the magic-resisting bolas…that was all Mukhtar technology! I've never seen magic-resistant items like that before! They're AMAZING!"

"Your wordsssss flatter me," the Mukhtar admitted. "I trussssst my work did not fail."

"Of COURSE not!" Twilight squealed.

"So…lemme see if I got this," Rainbow Dash clarified. "You're the one that goes around throwing those cool weapons around in the first place?"

"I have been trained in the art of the hunt," the Mukhtar told her. "Obssssserve." With lightning reflexes, he drew a bolas similar to the one Twilight had fashioned from beneath his cape and tossed it at the Genie, who was wrapped up immediately.

"Yup," the Genie commented. "Still got that good throwing arm!"

The Mukhtar untied the Genie by tugging the rope just once; it snapped back to him. "And thisssss isssss not even clossssse to what I can do with a blade…though there issssss no one in thisssss room on whom I wisssshhh to demonsssstrate."

Rainbow Dash's face lit up. "So…awesome!"

"I believe that as we stand, we are more than ready to take back Agrabah," Cassim remarked. "Of course, it will be that much easier if you all come with us."

"Sorry," said Aladdin, "but we have other business to finish."

"Yeah," Applejack agreed. "We gotta go down to the Black Sands and show that Mozenrath what's what before he stirs up even more trouble!"

"Um…Applejack? Aladdin?" Twilight broke in. "I…think I might have to tell you why that's so complicated right about now…"

"Then we shall wait," Cassim said.

"Wait? Are you CRAZY?" Aladdin replied. "The longer you wait, the more damage is being done out there!"

"Without all of you, we may not have a fighting chance," Cassim argued.

"But you have the Mukhtar," Rainbow Dash pointed out. "Let me repeat that: you have…THAT GUY. I think you'll be fine."

"But we would make a better force with all of us together," Applejack brought up.

"The more the merrier!" Pinkie chirped.

"I too agree that we should wait," the Sultan said.

"What if we don't come back again?" Jasmine asked worriedly.

"Mozenrath does only have the one wish left," Rainbow Dash remembered. "And I doubt he's gonna use it to do the same thing twice. He'd think that would be some kinda waste. After all, if we broke out of the Netherworld once, we can just do it again!"

"Go," Deluca encouraged. "We shall form a plan of how to approach the palace."

Aladdin looked around to Jasmine, the Carpet, the Genie, Iago, Abu, and the six Equestrians. "So," he said. "Ready to face the dynamic duo one last time?"

"I really have to explain things first!" Twilight protested; she went unheard as the others cheered "YEAH!"

The Genie transformed into a jet once more, and everyone settled into their regular seats. With a sigh, Twilight climbed aboard the Carpet.

"This won't take long," Jasmine promised. "We'll be back as soon as we can!"

The Carpet and the Genie-jet took off from the tower, speeding toward the Land of the Black Sands.

"So, Twilight," Jasmine said, "what were you trying to tell us?"

"Umm…well, you see," Twilight admitted, "I'm kind of here because…because Mozenrath let me out of the Crystal."

"Can you speak up?" the Genie replied immediately. "It sounded like you said Mozenrath let you out of the Crystal!"

"That's because…he did."

"Whoa, whoa, WHOA!" Iago fluttered over to the Carpet, landing next to Twilight. "We can NOT be talking about the same Mozenrath."

"But we are," Twilight insisted. "You see, after you all disappeared…"

---

THE LAND OF THE BLACK SANDS, THE SEVEN DESERTS

"…that's when I found all of you," Twilight finished.

"I don't like this," Aladdin admitted. "Mozenrath is…"

"Cruel and heartless?" Twilight supplied. "The funny thing is, he kept trying to tell me the same thing. So I guess you were right, Rainbow Dash. We really were too much alike."

"I…do not even know what to say," Rainbow Dash admitted. "I mean…you're here with us, so that's good, right?"

The Carpet and the Genie-jet swooped down in toward the jet-black fortress. When they landed, no undead guards rushed to meet them.

"Something's off about this," Jasmine observed.

"No duh," Rainbow Dash commented.

"Maybe they don't know we're here!" Pinkie guessed. She ran up to the door and began knocking. "MOZENRATH! JAFAR! WE'RE HERE!"

"Pinkie, stop that!" Rainbow Dash pulled Pinkie away from the door in order to get her to stop giving away their position. Still no guards appeared.

"As long as the six of us stick together," Rarity said, "we'll be able to handle them."

"Then let's go." Aladdin swung the great door open, and the group entered.

---

They checked the laboratory first, but that room was empty, littered in shrapnel.

"What happened here?" the Genie asked. "Looks like a sandstorm blew the entire place over!"

"It wasn't like this when I left," Twilight insisted. "Something's wrong…something is really wrong…"

They moved on to the crystal room, and there they found him. All were stunned to see Mozenrath not only dressed in red instead of his usual blue, but also sitting completely still on the floor, staring up at the Crystal's blue glow. Xerxes hovered over his head, occasionally waving a fin in his face, trying concernedly to get his attention.

"Intruders!" Xerxes barked. This got Mozenrath to look over his shoulder and see who had entered his domain.

"I suppose I better put on appearances," he sighed, standing and turning to face the door. Twilight realized right away that it wasn't one of his usual bored, standoffish sighs…his voice betrayed a certain low.

"You didn't post any guards," Twilight said.

"Why bother?" Mozenrath asked with a shrug.

"Is this some kind of trick?" Aladdin asked in suspicion.

"A trick." Mozenrath gave a forced laugh at that. "You think this is some kind of trick! And by all accounts, it should be. This should be the part where I reveal the plan or the weapon that I think will utterly destroy you. Of course, you'll find a way to outwit it, but I might have had my fun for a while, or even a hope that I might finally win. But not this time. This time, you win. Ha! You win. And it doesn't even matter."

"Has anyone else noticed that there seems to be a certain something missing?" the Genie observed. "You know…something tall, intimidating, evil, and very fond of the color red?"

"Oh, you mean Jafar?" Mozenrath replied; he was forcing a smile, and his face twitched. Twilight recognized that look; she'd seen it on herself in the mirror during her greatest upsets. "You're going to love this. He went back to Agrabah. He's probably taking over your precious palace right about…now."

"And you're not with him?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Why would I be?" Mozenrath asked. "After all, I did free him."

"YOU WHAT?" Everyone stared in confusion.

"I freed Jafar," Mozenrath explained. "And he left without me. I didn't want to go anyway."

"Keep him talking," Aladdin whispered. "I have an idea!" He slipped along the circular wall of the crystal room; Mozenrath didn't even give him a second look.

"What did he do to you?" Twilight asked, suddenly horrified at the possibilities.

"He just made it very clear that he worked alone," Mozenrath answered. "Very…VERY clear."

"What'd I tell you?" Iago groaned. "Every time. The underlings always get trashed."

"You told him, didn't you?" Twilight asked softly. "And he…"

"He might have knocked me to the ground and implied that he saw me as nothing more than dirt," Mozenrath growled. "He might have called me weak. If you want to really speculate, you might even think to yourself that after I let both my prisoner and my genie go, the incarnation of evil herself showed up to tell me just how much of a failure I was at being the only thing I ever wanted to be."

Now Twilight saw the still-healing claw marks across his left cheek. "Mozenrath…"

"For those of you who weren't paying attention," Mozenrath concluded, "Jafar cast me into the dirt and stripped me of all my powers. Mirage gave me the full lecture on how I'm no better than a common thief. In the past few hours, I've been ridiculed, I've been beaten down, I've been humiliated, and I've been REJECTED. Yes, I can see that you've been going along the wall to reach that Crystal of Ix the whole time, Aladdin. But I don't care. After all, I've lost everything. Hit rock bottom, if you will. This time, it doesn't matter if you win. Because…after all…" Now his face was alight with anger, fire burning behind his eyes. "WHAT MORE COULD YOU POSSIBLY DO TO ME?"

"IXTALA!" Aladdin yelled, touching the Crystal. It roared to life in brilliant blue. A blue beam of light shot out and grabbed the first magical thing in its path: Mozenrath himself.

"There's nothing more you can do to me," Mozenrath said coldly. Then the Crystal took its hold. He was now a fixture inside it, glaring outward with cynical hatred, with barely visible melancholy.

"NO!" Twilight cried, reaching out to the Crystal. She knew, however, that she had to stay back, to not make a move.

"Now he can't make a mess of anything else," Rarity said triumphantly.

"But Jafar still can," Aladdin pointed out. "It's a good thing we came back…and a good thing we agreed to let the others wait. Jafar's waiting for them!"

"Quick!" Pinkie cried. "We gotta hurry back!"

As the group ran from the fortress, Aladdin kept pace with Twilight. "Hey," he said, "are you gonna be okay?"

"I'm fine," Twilight sniffled, blinking back tears.

"Look, I'm sorry, but—"

"But you had to do what you had to do. The villain always gets defeated in the end. I understand. I wouldn't have wanted him to hurt you. And…I've been in the Crystal. It doesn't hurt you. It just keeps you still. I honestly don't blame you."

They left the fortress, loading up onto the Carpet and the Genie-jet. They lifted off.

"I know I promised I wouldn't bother you about this anymore," Rainbow Dash told Twilight, "but…I gotta know. What did you really think of him?"

"It's complicated," Twilight answered. "It's just…complicated." She clenched her fist. "But we have to defeat Jafar, now more than ever. Mozenrath actually wanted to have a special bond with him. He thought it was actually possible. I think he…might have loved him. If it's possible for him to love." Her fist shook. "And not just for him…for Iago…for everyone he's ever hurt…I'M GOING TO FIGHT JAFAR NO MATTER WHAT!"

"We're right beside ya," Applejack vowed.

"After all," Aladdin pointed out, "we've all got scores to settle with him."

---

AGRABAH, THE SEVEN DESERTS

The Carpet and the Genie-jet returned to the tower to find everyone still waiting for them. They landed; everyone stood amongst the crowd.

"Well?" Sadira asked. "What happened?"

"We locked away Mozenrath," Aladdin informed the occupants of the tower, "but Jafar is back in Agrabah, and he's free now. He's gone back to the palace to try and take it over again!"

"Does he not ever have better things to do than challenge my throne?" the Sultan asked, miffed.

"This is what he's wanted ever since the beginning," Jasmine pointed out, "and from here, he'll probably go after the rest of the world."

"Let us not forget that cat…woman…still inside the palace," Rarity said with a shudder. "I take it that was the infamous Mirage?"

"Jafar and Mirage, BOTH waiting for us," Iago reiterated. "This is just gonna be a bed of roses…"

"But we have one thing Jafar doesn't," Twilight announced. "We have our friendships. As long as we stand together, we can beat back the Echthroi. We can put our courage together. And we can take on Jafar and Mirage."

"He isssss a genie, correct?" the Mukhtar asked. "It will be eassssy…"

"Let the Elements of Harmony take care of him," Twilight demanded. "We can put a stop to him for good."

"If you sssssso requesssst," the Mukhtar said with a bow. "However, I sssshhhhall not ssssssit idly by if thingssss ssshhhould go awry."

"Thank you," Fluttershy told him.

"And when we win," Rainbow Dash pointed out, "we'll have no problem putting the city back together. A lot of you helped us put a burned-out part of the city back up. We know what we can accomplish as a team! It'll be like Jafar and Mirage never touched this place!"

"I see no reason to doubt this," said Cassim.

"Let's go kick some tail!" Eden cried, still bearing the lion-tamer's whip and chair.

"If everyone's ready," Twilight said, looking around the room, "then let's MOVE OUT!"

---

A family of four, a husband and wife with two small children, were backed into an alley, three of the fire-cats approaching them with feral squalls. The beasts were even taller than either of the couple, and they were steadily growing, fed by fear. The four closed their eyes, prepared for the worst.

"Hey, why don't you pick on someone your own size?" A young woman's voice rang out. The cats turned to see Sadira, Deluca, and Amal behind them. As the trio approached, the cats felt their supply of fear declining; a wave of the trio's courage swept over them, dousing their flames. They shrank to the size of human children.

"Oh, wait, you can't!" Sadira taunted. "Now you're too small to FIND anyone your size!"

"If you're going to run," Amal told them, "do it now."

The cats hissed in tandem, arching their backs.

Sadira shrugged. "You made me!" She threw her hands into the air, and a wave of sand shot towards the sky, plunging down and covering the cats. When it cleared, the cats were even smaller.

"A perfect execution," Deluca congratulated.

The tiny red cats scooted around the trio's ankles, darting away in fright.

The man of the family stood shakily. "You have saved our lives," he said. "How can we ever repay—"

"No time, gotta run!" Sadira turned on a heel and rushed from the alley; Deluca and Amal followed.

As the group moved forward through the city, the cats backed down time after time. Cassim and the Sultan teamed up to threaten a group of them with their dual blades.

"I must say," the Sultan remarked, "as long as I have your attention, I am quite glad to have gained your son as my own. I hope you do not mind that I have also taken a claim as his father!"

"Only if you do not mind that I have taken a claim as the father of your daughter!" Cassim laughed.

Arbutus commanded a trail of vines to wrap around the ankles of the cats, tripping them up. The cats tried to burn the vines away, but as Arbutus decorated them with flowers of myriad complementary colors, Fluttershy and Applejack oohed and aahed at the designs, and the cats were left with no fear upon which to grow; the flames subsided.

The Mukhtar cut through a group of the cats, swinging his sword about; the cats fled just in time before they could be sliced. "That issssss my technique, Misssss Dasssshhhh," he stated.

"Hold on!" Rainbow Dash tried to copy his grip on the hilt of her own sword. "Like this?"

"Almosssst…"

The Genie and Eden backed several of the cats into a corner. The Genie was now also dressed as a lion-tamer, and the pair jabbed wooden chairs at the feline demons.

"You're on, kids!" Eden called out.

Wahid and Dandi rushed into the fray. "BOO!" they yelled. The cats shrank to the size of kittens, completely overwhelmed by courage.

Minos, Fatima, Jasmine, and Rarity walked together, striding confidently forward; fire-cats backed off from the fountain of bravery. "Just like you're on a runway," Rarity encouraged. "Own it!"

"HAPPY WINTER WRAP-UP!" With Iago and Abu on either shoulder, Pinkie rushed through the streets, firing her party cannon at the fire-cats.

"Looks like your luck's just run out," Razoul threatened the cats as he and the other guards ganged up on them, immediately dousing their flames.

From above, the Carpet swooped down over the cats; Aladdin and Twilight helped herd them toward the others. "Looks like we've almost got the streets cleared out," Aladdin remarked. "Ready for phase two?"

"I'm ready," Twilight confirmed.

"Hey, everyone!" Aladdin called down. "Head toward the palace!"

"Can you get me to the ground first?" Twilight asked.

"No problem!" Aladdin guided the Carpet low to the ground, and Twilight jumped to the ground.

"Come on!" Twilight beckoned. "Applejack! Rarity! Rainbow Dash! Fluttershy! Pinkie Pie! Let's get ahead! We have to stay together!"

The five she named rushed to her side immediately. "The Elements of Harmony are ready!" Pinkie announced.

The six Equestrians picked up their pace, making a beeline down the main street toward the palace.

---

Though clouds still obscured the sky, it was clear from the lack of light that midnight had crested over Agrabah. Against the darkness, Twilight, Pinkie, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack rushed toward the palace.

He was there, walking down the stairs to gree them, tall and regal as ever. "I see you have returned from the Netherworld," Jafar greeted smugly. "There have been some CHANGES to Agrabah since you left. The kingdom is under new management: MY management."

Twilight pointed up at Jafar, unable to contain her fury. "YOU BETRAYED MOZENRATH!" she screamed. "I TOLD YOU I WOULD FIGHT YOU!"

"And so you are here to fight me?" Jafar replied. "Go ahead. Let the games begin, if you will."

"Let's do this," Twilight told the others.

"Um, Twilight?" Fluttershy whispered. "He isn't afraid…he's not trying to escape from us…"

"We can beat him!" Twilight insisted. Bright light surrounded the six, and their feet lifted into the air.

Within their sphere of white light, each young woman glowed with the color of her Element. Rarity was surrounded by deep purple. Rainbow Dash gave off an aura of bright red. Pinkie Pie glowed bright blue. Applejack radiated orange. Fluttershy emitted a soft pink. Twilight was bathed in deep pink.

Then Twilight opened her eyes. A strong wind whipped around the six, blowing their garments and Rarity's loose hair. Twilight's eyes were obscured by white light.

The rainbow burst forth in a double helix from the sphere of light, arcing up into the air. It crashed down hard against the palace steps, surrounding Jafar, blinding him with its many colors. "NOOOOOOOOO!" he screamed, feeling the effects of the Elements taking place.

The white light faded. The breeze slowed. Six pairs of feet touched the ground again. The rainbow disappeared. Jafar no longer stood upon the palace steps; instead, the obsidian lamp had reappeared and sat there pathetically.

"YES!" Twilight cried. "WE DID IT! WE DID IT WE DID IT WE DID I—"

The ground shook. The lamp rattled. Then it shattered, fragments of black scattering. Jafar, as the great red genie, burst upward into the dark sky, once again free.

The six screamed.

"NO!" Twilight cried.

"How could this happen?" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

"How could it happen?" Jafar chuckled. His voice echoed, booming throughout the entire city. "I must admit, at first, you had even me fooled. I had thought you were a cosmic force to be reckoned with. I was warned about what the Elements of Harmony could do. However, I couldn't have been more wrong. You are weak! Your pitiful powers could never stand up to mine! I've known that ever since Galifem!"

"What did we do up at Galifem that got your feathers ruffled?" Applejack snapped.

"Oh, of course you wouldn't remember," Jafar taunted. "You were hardly paying attention…"

---

GALIFEM, THE SEVEN DESERTS

ONE DAY AGO

Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash were at Twilight's side, and all six were shooting arrow after arrow in succession. "Should we use the Elements now?" Pinkie asked, and Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash looked eagerly to Twilight for the answer.

"We need to time it!" Twilight replied. "Stop firing arrows! Hopefully everypony else can give us enough cover to start it up!"

Yet the thought of the Elements invaded everypony's conscious thoughts, the ones they were using to put forth the arrows. Jafar's heart skipped a beat as he saw the arrows rocketing toward him carrying the trademark colors: plum from Rarity, red from Rainbow Dash, orange from Applejack, blue from Pinkie Pie, light pink from Fluttershy, and deep pink from Twilight. Instinctively, he raised his arm to protect his face.

The arrows sent a shock coursing through him, but nothing more happened. Of course the Elements were weakened when used as arrows as opposed to the women actually activating them, but still, they were far underpowered. Even at full strength, Jafar knew, they were weaker than he was…than he would even be were he a free genie.

And so he laughed.

---

AGRABAH, THE SEVEN DESERTS

PRESENT TIMELINE

"…I knew that you could only temporarily hold me at best," Jafar finished. "A valiant effort, but you've been wasting your time on petty light shows! And to think I feared such weaklings! Now you shall watch as I destroy all of Agrabah!"

"The Elements of Harmony…weren't strong enough?" Twilight repeated, aghast. "No…it can't be…"

Aladdin and Jasmine skidded in next to them. "We saw what happened!" Jasmine announced.

"Ah, my old enemies!" Jafar crowed. "What have you got planned to stop me this time? You cannot destroy me by destroying my lamp. I am free! You cannot confine me to a lamp again. What else have you got to throw at me?"

Aladdin, Jasmine, Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy stared up at Jafar hopelessly. They had no ideas.

"That's what I thought!" Jafar bellowed. "Now, it is time to teach Agrabah a lesson about who is REALLY in charge!"

His shape changed; he hunched over, melting into a new form. His body stretched out, curled, coiled. Soon, a giant cobra, its black-and-orange-striped body the thickness of a large wagon and longer than anyone could tell, was curled up on the palace steps. Its head rose into the sky, and its black hood spread. It was still unmistakably Jafar; that was visible in the eyes.

"Agrabah will BOW DOWN TO MY POWER!" he hissed, striking out.

"GET DOWN!" Aladdin, Jasmine, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack quickly pulled Twilight, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie out of the way as Jafar's reptilian body landed on the ground hard. He slithered down from the steps and out into the streets, striking the tall buildings that still stood and knocking them down to rubble. He breathed jets of fire, reigniting the flames that had been doused when the fire-cats were taken down.

"We failed," Twilight moaned. "He's going to destroy the kingdom, and after that…"

"Don't talk like that!" Rainbow Dash snapped. "We can still win this, Twilight!"

"How are we supposed to do that?" Twilight snapped in return. "The Elements didn't work!"

"There's always more than one way," Aladdin told her. "We just have to…improvise."

The Carpet rushed over toward the eight. "Carpet!" Aladdin cried. "Perfect!" He drew his sword. "I'm going to try and fight him on his level: in the air."

"Aladdin, wait!" Jasmine cried, but she was too late. Aladdin had boarded the Carpet and was flying up toward the cobra's hood.

A shadowy figure darted toward the remaining seven, scuttling on all fours; he rose, making himself recognizable as the Mukhtar. "Thisssss genie," he hissed, "isssss nothing more than I can handle." He removed from his waist a glass lantern. "A ssssswift imprisssssonment…"

He opened a door in the side of the lantern, and everyone could see the red aura emanating from Jafar begin to pour into it.

"Oh, I don't think so."

The cat woman appeared in a flash of green flame, knocking down the lantern so it shattered. "A Mukhtar?" she remarked. "Cute."

"Back off, Mirage!" Jasmine threatened.

"Or you'll what?" Mirage smirked. "Oh, I have no quarrel with you, princess. Jafar can take very good care of you. As for him—"

She grabbed the Mukhtar by the throat, and they both vanished.

"MUKHTAR!" Rainbow Dash yelled. "That's it…WE'RE TAKING THEM DOWN! FOR THE MUKHTAR! BECAUSE HE WAS AWESOME!"

---

Atop the highest balcony of the palace, Mirage and the Mukhtar rematerialized. The Mukhtar wrenched out of Mirage's grasp, drawing his sword.

"You will fall assssss well," he threatened. "You are a magical being not unlike a genie. I will be able to defeat you easssssily."

"I am not like a genie at all!" Mirage countered, miffed. "I'm one of the Old Ones. I have more power than you've ever seen in your entire life, Mukhtar. Of course, I'll be perfectly happy to fight you…so I can rip you to SHREDS!"

She charged forth, her hands glowing green. She tried to strike out. He countered with his blade, striking at her arms; the blade left no impact. She scratched at him again and again; he ducked, kicking out to try and trip her. She jumped over his feet, aiming a punch at his face; he blocked it by catching her fist in his hand.

Thus they fought as Jafar ravaged the city.

---

The Genie flew up into Jafar's face. "So, trying the old turn-into-a-snake bit again, are we?" he taunted. "Well, I got news for ya, pal! You're a FREE genie now! You're only semi-phenomenal, NEARLY-cosmic! Which means you're exactly equal to me!"

"I am not your equal!" Jafar hissed, spitting another jet of fire at the Genie, one tinged with black.

The Genie plummeted to the ground, landing so hard in the street that cracks emanated from where he landed. Jasmine, Twilight, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie rushed to him.

"Genie!" Pinkie wailed. "Genie, are you okay?"

The Genie coughed, a cloud of ash pouring out of his throat. "That guy's using illegal moves," he grunted hoarsely. "I have no idea what kind of dark magic he's using…I just know that it's better than mine."

"It isn't possible," said Jasmine. "He's a free genie! He and Genie are equals!"

"He might have learned new magic somewhere else," Twilight said. "Magic that…isn't of this world."

"What makes you say that?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"He knew about us," Twilight explained. "And…Mozenrath said he was part of some group called the 'Overtakers.' I think they're something big. I can't explain it, I just know that he's involved in something in the cosmos just like us, and somehow that's where he's getting his dark power!"

"So what do we do about it?" Rainbow Dash retorted.

"We fight, Dash," Applejack said, taking her bow off her shoulder and loading it up with an arrow. "You with me?"

Rainbow Dash stood alongside Applejack. "All the way!" She too loaded her bow. Rarity and Fluttershy joined them. They fired arrows of water, super-speed, viney tentrils, and whirling air at the snake's body; they saw his muscles spasm wherever they hit.

Up above, Aladdin steered the Carpet to fly round and round Jafar's head. "Betcha can't catch me!" he taunted before steering directly downward, crossing the snake's body at the right time to slash with his sword.

Jafar winced from the brief pain, but recovered quickly. "A mere annoyance!" he spat.

"Genie," Jasmine said, "I need to be able to fight too. I can't let Aladdin fight alone!"

The Genie righted himself, floating in the air at his usual height. In his hands, a spear appeared; he handed it to Jasmine. "Good luck!"

Jasmine charged, hopping up on the snake's back and running for his head.

"Maybe if enough of us fire at him at once, he'll get annoyed and give up!" Pinkie theorized. She wheeled out her party cannon. "Be back eventually!" she cried, rushing ahead to get a better aim.

"I need to fight him too," Twilight muttered. "I just wish I had some higher ground—"

"Higher ground comin' right up!" the Genie announced, snapping his fingers; a wooden platform appeared beneath Twilight and the Genie, rising into the air. When it reached a height slightly above Jafar's head, Twilight and the Genie pointed at the snake with both hands, firing the most powerful magic they had.

"Mind if I join you?" Eden lined up next to them, also firing her own beam, one of green. Green, blue, and pink collided against the snake.

"FOOLS!" Jafar hissed. "Even your powers are not enough to stop me!" He snapped his neck backward, flinging off Jasmine, but not before she managed to get one good stab in with her spear. The Genie moved his left hand for an instant to snap his fingers and materialize a whip in Jasmine's hands; she struck out with her new weapon.

When the Carpet passed over the ground, a figure in blue rushed alongside it, grabbing the edge and attempting to climb aboard. Recognizing Cassim, Aladdin grabbed his father's wrist, helping him up onto the Carpet. "Sorry if this isn't what you had in mind for father-son bonding," he said.

"I'll take it," Cassim said with a wink as he drew his sword.

"CHARGE!" Razoul and the Sultan led the other guards to strike at Jafar, dodging his breath of fire. With a laugh, Jafar just summoned swords to fall from the sky, making the guards and the Sultan do a deadly dance to get away from them.

"You do NOT get to do that!" Sadira yelled as she conjured up waves of sand, sending them shooting toward Jafar as Deluca and Amal stood to either side of her, bolstering her confidence with their presence.

In the cellar of a decimated building, Iago remarked, "See? Cowardice is sometimes the best way to go! And I did find the best place to hide, didn't I?"

"Your quick thinking to duck into this cellar did save the children," Fatima replied; she and Minos huddled over Wahid and Dandi.

"Why do I have to sit here and be protected?" Wahid grumped. "I wanna fight too!"

"I'm scared!" Dandi wailed, tears gathering in her eyes. "I wish Eden were here!"

"H-hey," Wahid said, spurred into action by Dandi's tears. He took her hand in his own. "They'll be fine. Aladdin and Jasmine and the Genie always save the day. Every time!"

From one of the still-standing vendor carts, Abu launched apple after apple at Jafar, hoping that would do something. Arbutus watched him in interest. "No," he finally said. "That is not how you do that at all!" He summoned vines to burst from the ground, surrounding one length of the snake's body in tendrils that burst into red flowers the color of the apples. "That is how a true visionary would do such a thing!"

However, Jafar easily broke free of the vines, causing Arbutus to immediately summon more. He pushed through the waves of sand Sadira summoned, barely impeded. He shrugged off the stab wounds, the arrows, the blasts of magic, the force of the party cannon; sometimes he would flinch, but he kept slithering on, chuckling to himself that he was stronger than all his opponents.

"It isn't enough!" Twilight cried. "No matter what we do, he's too strong! Even for all of us!"

"Don't give up hope yet, kid!" Eden commanded.

"She's right, Eden!" the Genie lamented, watching his blue magic barely able to pierce the red aura that Jafar now conjured to surround his entire body. "What we need now is a miracle!"

As soon as the Genie said that, it began to rain. Lightning bolts forked through the sky brightly.

"What's he doing now?" Twilight yelled; she had to, in order to be heard over the howling wind.

"That isn't him," the Genie realized. "That's…"

Twilight saw her at the same time as Rarity, Applejack, Aladdin, Jasmine, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie. As one, they yelled: "THUNDRA!"

"WHAT?" Hearing the name, Iago peered out of the cellar. A flash of green against the dark sky, the thunder bird hovered, directing her chilling rain, icy winds, and lightning to strike at the snake below. Iago abandoned Minos, Fatima, Dandi, and Wahid, zooming up to be at Thundra's side. "What are you DOING here?" he cried worriedly. "WE ARE FACING A MAJOR CRISIS!"

"I know, my little giblet," Thundra said calmly. "And I am dealing with a major crisis!"

Electricity from the lightning bolts jolted Jafar, causing him to falter. He closed his eyes against the icy winds.

"I don't like this game!" a shrill voice said next to Pinkie. "If he keeps breaking everything, there's not gonna be anything left to play with!"

"SPRITES!" Pinkie cried with glee, noticing the crowd of the tiny flying creatures that had gathered near her. "Wanna help me play a good old-fashioned game of stop the bad guy?"

"Sounds like fun!" a teal sprite chirped. Several sprites loaded into the cannon; Pinkie fired them at Jafar, and they broke through the red aura, shocking his scales with their magic.

"I…don't believe what I'm seein'," Applejack said, jaw dropped, as she looked up to the horizon. Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Fluttershy looked past Jafar, past all the buildings, and they saw the same sight. Feldspar, Andalusite, and Shale had risen up, cooled enough by the lack of sun that they could move unworried around the surface, and they threw large clods of mud at Jafar, coating the snake almost completely.

"Blech!" Jafar shook the mud away. "What is the meaning of all this?"

"FIRE!" a voice boomed; a great sphere of cheese slammed into Jafar's face, assaulting all his senses. He recoiled in disgust.

"A wonderful shot!" Brawnhilda congratulated Uncouthma from the catapult where he'd launched the cheese ball.

"You got him good!" Bud added.

"All right, troops," Uncouthma told a legion of soldiers on horseback and yak-back. "Ride on!"

The guards of Agrabah, on foot, were suddenly bolstered by three armies. Heavy armor clanked on the Odiferan soldiers as they charged past on their yaks. Moving swiftly as ninjas, led by Mahmoud on a young colt, the Quirkistani army followed. Finally, the bejeweled Getzistani soldiers, headed by Pasta Al-Dente, charged past on their muscular stallions. The armies slashed at the parts of the snake they could reach, beating him with maces, throwing ropes over him to pin him to the ground along with Arbutus' vines. Arbutus even summoned flowers to grow over the ropes, completing his artwork.

Now Jafar was stymied; from all directions, he was hit with metal, with magic, with mud, with lightning, with exploding cheese. Just as he wondered how things could get any worse, another volley of arrows much like those that pierced him from the four archers below rained from the sky, as fire, as ice, as rope, as mere arrows. They all struck his hood.

"Bullseye!" Scara yelled, pumping her fist. She and Hippsodeth rode the pegasi that flew at the forefront of the airborne Galifem army.

"NO!" Jafar cried, this time not as a dramatic ruse as he had done when the Elements of Harmony attacked him. "NOOOOOOOOOO!"

"If you can't stand the heat," the Genie taunted, "then GET OUT OF THE KITCHEN!"

Reeling from all the blows, Jafar could take it no longer. He shifted shape, curling up until he became the red genie once more. Still the assault of earth, wind, rain, arrows, blades, ropes, vines, and cheese continued. With an enraged cry, he flew straight upward as quickly as he could go. The clouds parted for him, and everyone below stopped, watching him fly up into the stars. Then he disappeared. His disembodied voice rang out through the streets of Agrabah: "You may have won this world for now…but soon, ALL WILL BE LOST AND I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE!"

In the town square, the armies pooled. Sadira, Deluca, Amal, Arbutus, Abu, the Genie, Eden, Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, the sprites, Fluttershy, Uncouthma, Brawnhilda, Bud, Minos, Fatima, Dandi, Wahid, Thundra, Iago, Feldspar, Andalusite, Shale, Aladdin, Cassim, the Carpet, Jasmine, Hippsodeth, Scara, and the Galifem army joined the Agrabanian, Odiferan, Quirkistani, and Getzistani armies, looking up to the sky.

"Where did he go?" Aladdin asked.

"From the looks of it…he completely left this world," the Genie said, putting a hand over his eyes and extending them into binoculars to look up into the sky. "Yup, he's definitely left the atmosphere."

"Does that mean…" Twilight said, hoping against hope.

"It means we won," Aladdin said. "For real. He's…gone."

A cheer went up through the entire crowd.

---

"It looksssssss like your genie hasssss flown away," the Mukhtar mocked.

"No!" Mirage gasped, looking out over the city from which she'd seen Jafar flee. "NOOOOOO!"

In a rush of green fire, she disappeared.

---

"How'd you all know what was happening, anyway?" Twilight asked the large crowd of warriors. "I mean, we didn't tell anyone except…"

"Except for me." Hippsodeth stepped forward. "It was no trouble for my warriors to spread the word that Agrabah was in danger. We flew to the other kingdoms in alliance with Agrabah and asked around. We knew Jafar would be trouble."

"I got to go to the rainforest!" Scara squealed. "I've never been that far from home before!"

"We are sorry we took so long to get here!" Uncouthma apologized. "But it took a while to fix up the cheese catapult!"

"You got here just in time," Jasmine reassured everyone.

"And we couldn't have done it without you," Aladdin added. "Everyone…thanks."

"Looks like harmony really did beat Jafar!" Pinkie cried. "We couldn't have done it without ALL our friends!"

"I must say, Hippsodeth, your actions did save my kingdom from an untimely end," the Sultan told the queen.

"You know very well that I wish no harm to come to you, my dear," Hippsodeth replied, bending over—she was nearly twice the Sultan's height—and caressing his cheek with her right hand.

"UGH!" Rainbow Dash cried. "Mushy stuff? Now? REALLY?"

A flash of green flared up; Mirage appeared in the midst of the crowd with a yowl. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" she screeched.

"Beaten you," Aladdin boasted.

"With the magic of friendship!" Pinkie added. "Oh, and some elemental magic, a lot of weapons, and some exploding cheese. But mostly friendship!"

"You," Mirage growled, looking to Pinkie, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Twilight, and Applejack. "You must be the ones he spoke of…it is no wonder that he hates you."

"So Jafar went crying to you about how much trouble we were?" Rainbow Dash guessed smugly.

"No…oh, no." Mirage scowled. "It was Discord that warned me."

The six Equestrians gasped.

"You're lying!" Twilight accused. "You just said that to make us afraid!"

"Oh, come now," Mirage replied, "who do you think reset the lamp? Who do you think gave it to me and instructed me to pass it to the likes of Mozenrath? Who else could have orchestrated such beautiful chaos?"

"You're an Old One!" Pinkie accused. "Maybe you did all that stuff on your own!"

"Believe what you want to believe," Mirage told them. "It does not change the fact that he has resurfaced…that WE are resurfacing! And it is only a matter of time before Jafar returns to this world as well. It is only the beginning, Elements of Harmony!" In a column of green flame, she disappeared.

"She's just tryin' to throw us off, right?" Applejack asked warily.

"Who's Discord?" Aladdin asked. "Heh…first time I've asked about one of your rivals instead of the other way around. Guess it's about time we switched off, don't you think?"

"You don't wanna take on Discord!" Pinkie wailed. "He's crazy! He's mean! But he does like chocolate. That's kinda cool."

"Discord is one of our world's greatest enemies," Twilight told Aladdin. "We defeated him with the Elements of Harmony, just like Celestia and Luna did before us. But every time he was released, he turned our world into complete chaos."

"I've seen complete chaos before," Aladdin boasted. "People turning into half-kangaroos? Evil clones?"

"Worse," Twilight sighed. "Uprooting cities and levitating them upside-down."

"Cotton candy clouds that rain chocolate milk!" Rainbow Dash added.

"Poor bunnies on the legs of deer!" Fluttershy wailed.

"All the roads turned into soap!" Rarity emphasized. "ALL OF THEM!"

"Day and night comin' right after each other in the same hour, then over and over again as many times as he feels like it!" Applejack added.

"And turning ponies—people—into the exact opposite of what they are without even cloning them like you said!" Pinkie finished.

"He's just as powerful as Mirage," Twilight said. "And supposedly more powerful than Jafar…but we were able to defeat him, when with Jafar, we just failed."

"Except that if Mirage is telling the truth," Rarity pointed out, "we really couldn't keep Discord locked away for that long either…"

"I just feel so…useless, now that I know the Elements weren't strong enough," Twilight lamented. "I feel like we let our princesses down."

"But you did exactly what you were supposed to do!" Aladdin insisted. "You helped us save our world with friendship!"

"Are we really gonna keep talking about it like it's THAT CORNY?" Iago complained. "Ooh, we stopped great evil from taking over our world…WITH FRIENDSHIP!"

"Your magic isssss not weak," a voice hissed from the back of the crowd. Everyone parted to let the Mukhtar through.

"MUKHTAR!" Rainbow Dash squealed. "You're okay!"

"Mirage wasssss a worthy opponent," the Mukhtar boasted, "but easssssily disssstracted. The genie…Jafar, asssss you called him…had drawn ssssstrength from other ssssourccccessss of power. If you find other ssssourcccessss…you too may become jussssst assssss sssstrong. After all, even I wasssss oncccce weak. What you ssssssee now issssss the resssssult from yearssssss of hunting."

"We'll write to Celestia," Applejack suggested, "and ask her if we can get that powerful."

Shale interrupted: "Now that we have saved your kingdom, our debt is repaid. A debt we did not realize we owed you until Hippsodeth convinced us. Now we must return to the underground. When we cross paths again…we are predator and prey." He, Feldspar, and Andalusite sank into the ground and disappeared.

"He was difficult to convince," Hippsodeth admitted, "but we were able to persuade him."

"With fire arrows!" Scara squealed. "Lots of fire arrows!"

"I preferred diplomacy," Hippsodeth sighed, "but Scara does so love her fire arrows…"

"So do I!" Pinkie broke in.

"Anyway," Aladdin yawned, "it's almost morning. I think we should get some sleep. Say, Sultan…you don't mind if we host a few guests overnight, do you?"

"Well…" The Sultan looked around to the armies, to Pasta and Mahmoud, to Arbutus and the Mukhtar, to Sadira and Amal, to Thundra and Eden. "There are a great many of them…but I suppose we can find room."

"SLUMBER PARTYYYYYY!" Pinkie screamed.

"We can get to work on rebuilding the city tomorrow!" Twilight said as the crowd moved toward the palace.

"We can stay and help you, friends!" Uncouthma suggested.

"Actually," Jasmine said, "you should all get back to your kingdoms. You have things to take care of there. We Agrabanians can handle things here."

"And of course, the six of us will stay until everything is back the way it was…and until we're sure we're rid of Jafar for quite a long time," Rarity insisted.

The crowd moved into the palace. That night, many had to sleep on the floor on piles of pillows, and quarters were a bit cramped, but the warriors of the Seven Deserts plus the Elements of Harmony got their well-deserved rest.

---

"Add this one to your checklist, Mechanicles," Abis Mal said, leading Mechanicles, Amin, and Haroud around the palace walls into the city. "Now that we're a fighting force of four…ooh, I like that alliteration, remind me to write that one down…I say we ravage Agrabah! Take it by storm! Rob it of EVERYTHING! Destroy it almost COMPLETELY…"

As they beheld the city before them, four jaws dropped.

"I think…someone beat us to it," Amin finally voiced.

Haroud shrugged. "There is always Getzistan."

"Yeah," Abis Mal agreed. "They're rich there!"

The four thieves turned to leave Agrabah behind, and no more disaster struck it that night.

---

Chapter 15:

· I finally did it! I tried to pick a chapter title that didn't spoil too much of what happened in the chapter. This was one of the harder ones to write. It was the first real "battle royale" I had to write for this fic. Later ones get better.

· Mozenrath's rage-depression. I decided that it's not out of character for him to just sulk when he's really mad/possibly hurt. After "Book of Khartoum," when Al had to save him from Khartoum and his Philosopher's Stone (yes, he had one) got shattered, he just told Al, "Who cares, I lost everything!" Moz's utter lack of sympathy coupled with his fixation on his own gain/loss made that the first episode where I really started considering the possibility that he has Asperger's. And now that's my headcanon. He totally does. Makes me feel almost special…this awesometastic villain is an Aspie just like me. Incidentally, I also have diagnosed Twilight Sparkle with it. Which should technically make their relationship even MORE complicated. Wait, where did this bullet point even start? I think I lost the point…

· I knew Fluttershy and AJ would be huge fans of Arbutus. OK, Arbutus backstory: he's the antagonist of one of the best ATAS eps of all time, "Garden of Evil." The Sultan steals a flower from him as a youth, so Arbutus returns to kidnap Jasmine several years later ("I will take your most precious treasure"). While in Arbutus' captivity, Jasmine discovers that the flowers are just as precious to Arbutus (plants are both his art medium and his family) as she was to her father, and they bond. Al shows up and rashly duels Arbutus until he cuts off the rose that is Arbutus' heart; Arbutus and his garden die. Jasmine tells Al that Arbutus wasn't really all that bad…just different and very jaded. They plant his rose in the ground in his memory. And that's where I picked up. Decided Fluttershy would share his respect for plants, as she likes all living things (though I sure hope you can live in a tree without killing it, 'cause she does) and has canonically stated that she wants to be a tree. AJ takes care of an entire apple orchard; of course she loves trees.

· Zap-apples are a canon thing from MLPFIM. They're magic rainbow apples that only grow at a certain time of year.

· Wahid is a side character from a couple eps. He's a young boy about Dandi's age, and he wants to make something of himself. He almost turns into a shadow-walker because he wants that power, but Al talks him down from it. Anyway, I realized that though he and Dandi never interact, I ship it. HARD.

· I got Amal in it! So basically, he was a shadow-walker in "The Lost Ones," but at the end of the ep, he realized that if he did good, he could slowly regain his humanity. So he went off into the world to find good deeds to do, and probably had a lot of interesting adventures.

· Sadira/Amal was an old favorite of mine. It's since been replaced.

· Also, in the original draft of these author's notes, I had explained another "rule" about this fanfic. Most of the ships I prefer are not canon and involve breaking up canon couples, but my goal in EoH is not to break up canon couples unless 1) I really dislike them or 2) I had a different couple planned out before I knew that one member of it had a canon ship. Just a thing to keep in mind. Also, there may come a day this rule just goes out the window. (But as many crossover pairings I have for Rapunzel that I like better than Eugene, I'm not breaking her and Eugene up, for example.)

· AND THERE IS THE MUKHTAR! And Dash's "So…awesome!" is actually a reference to an early ep of MLPFIM, where she said that line while making a goofy face and it turned into a sort of meme.

· I was originally going to bring in some more side characters (Deluca has a husband and three brothers), but ran out of space. Actually, THIS MANY was more than I really had room for, but I couldn't resist them.

· "I have an army." "We have a Mukhtar." OKAYI'MSORRYI'LLLEAVETHEAVENGERSJOKESFORTHEMARVELSTORYLET

· They waited at the tower because THE PLOT DEMANDED IT.

· I was originally going to have Twi keep her awkward relationship with Moz a secret, but Honesty is one of the Elements, after all.

· Yes…Twi still does consider Al a good friend, even though Moz resents him. She's loyal to each of them in her own way.

· Winter Wrap-Up is another Equestrian holiday. Their version of Christmas.

· Rarity is the only one without a headdress because CONTINUITY.

· And here is the big twist. I was always going to have the Elements not be enough to beat Jafar. After all, the Mane Six can't just have the game-breaking power, now, can they? And they have to develop their powers. Now, it might have been a stretch to say two djinni couldn't bring him down, but you have to understand the Overtakers are a big deal here.

· I decided the big battle with Jafar should feature his snake form, since I loved it in the first movie. I kinda find it more badass than his genie form, really. I gave him the ability to breathe fire because actually, canonically, he does breathe fire in the same scene where he turns into a snake—just not at the same time. Eventually he would have figured out how to combine them. Same for the blades falling from the sky.

· Yup. I'm implying that the Mukhtar might STILL have been able to capture Jafar if Mirage hadn't interfered. Because he's a frigging badass.

· The cheese catapult is canon. Yes. Also, the Odiferan army has canonically been seen, and they wear lots of clanky armor. The Getzistani and Quirkistani armies, I made up myself.

· The stinger for this chapter was originally going to be the revelation of where Jafar went, but I decided I needed to end this on a happier/more comical note. So you get the four thieves finding out that someone beat them to destroying Agrabah. *cue tinned laughter*

1. Undisclosed Desires

AGRABAH, THE SEVEN DESERTS

"Ten more minutes, Twilight…too early to get up…"

"RAINBOW DASH, FOR THE LOVE OF CELESTIA, GET OUT OF BED!"

---

THE FORBIDDEN MOUNTAIN, THE ENCHANTED DOMINION

The tall sorcerer was a bright flash of color against the walls carved from pitch-black stone and studded with shadow-gray moss. His gold staff clicked along the floor as he walked. Imps and hobgoblins dressed in black and wielding axes and spears peered out at him from around corners. They recognized him as one of their mistress' closest allies.

Eventually, Jafar reached the throne chamber, a deep room whose stone seat carved in the shape of a winged demon—a reflection of one of the Mountain's owner's favorite Old Ones—sat on a raised platform far above the low stone floor so that its occupant could look down derisively on whomever stood before her. She sat there now, dressed in black as usual; her robes cascaded down her body and trailed along the floor. With one hand, she stroked the raven that stood upon the right arm rest of the throne.

"I apologize for my lateness, my liege," Jafar said with a flourishing bow, "but you have so many lairs in your possession, it was difficult for me to locate you. Would it not be simpler to confine yourself to one?"

"You know as well as I do that I am far too great to be confined to one location," the woman in black said with a slight smile. "I am glad to see you have returned. That means all is going according to plan."

"Am I the only one who has returned?" Jafar asked.

"So far…yes," the woman replied. "However, the others will soon arrive. The Overtakers will be complete in almost no time…with due credit to Discord."

"You share the credit with another?" Jafar was taken aback.

"He would not have been able to reset your state had I not released him," the woman clarified. "He does not suspect it, but all of his actions are in accord with my wishes. And while we are on the subject of the Overtakers…there is the boy."

"He is not worthy," Jafar growled hastily. "Had he the strength we require, I would not be standing before you now. He set me free of his own volition in hopes that I would repay him by satisfying his…lust."

"And still he intrigues me," the woman countered. "Much of what you have reported leads me to believe that he could still prove himself."

"You don't intend…"

"I do, in fact, intend to pay him a visit," the woman confirmed. "If he wishes to join the Overtakers, he must first demonstrate that he is worthy. I will give him the medium in which to do just that…but past that, he is on his own."

"If you think that course is worth pursuing," Jafar snarled, "I am not one to stop you."

---

AGRABAH, THE SEVEN DESERTS

First, there were goodbyes. The sprites, Odiferans, Quirkistanis, and Getzistanis had to return to their kingdoms. Their goodbyes were heartfelt, but nothing compared to the parting yet to be done.

"I am sorry I cannot stay, mi amigas," Thundra apologized, "but the weather needs me!"

"We get it," Rainbow Dash told her. "Weather's serious business."

"One day," Thundra promised, "I will master this…Sonic Rainboom."

"Good luck."

Thundra then turned to Iago. "Perhaps we shall see each other again when you are on your travels?"

"A detour to the rainforest every now and again wouldn't be too difficult," Cassim interrupted.

"Till then, you shall be in my thoughts every waking moment," Iago told Thundra melodramatically. "Well, when I'm not thinking about finding treasure or eating or sleeping or talking Cassim out of doing STUPID things like invading the Black Sands. But besides that…every waking moment!"

"All I ask is that you remember me now and again, my little giblet," Thundra said, "and I shall do the same for you."

"Geez, babe, you really think I could forget a gal like you?"

They kissed once more—still enthralling for those who did not know that birds could kiss—and Thundra flew away, up into the blue morning sky, a rainbow trailing behind her.

"Galifem needs its queen," Hippsodeth told the Sultan. "However, I would not be opposed to making a date…rather soon, in fact."

"Well," the Sultan replied, "are you free next al-Khamis?"

"Shall we meet at your palace, or mine?"

"Not to inconvenience you with the journey, but in light of recent events, it might be best if I didn't approach Galifem…after all, you did just reclaim your sanctuary."

"Then it's a date." Hippsodeth leaned downward to meet the Sultan at eye level, and they, too, kissed.

"AWWWWWW!" Pinkie squealed. "So cute!"

"Oh, Hippsodeth!" Scara called out from atop her pegasus. "Sundial's ticking!"

"Until we meet again," Hippsodeth said before mounting her own steed. "Oh, and young warriors…do not forget your training. You may keep the bows."

"Thanks a bunch!" Applejack called up to her as the Galifems lifted off; she raised her bow in the air as a salute.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to that," Rainbow Dash groaned, watching the women fly away upon the creatures she was used to being and speaking to.

"I hate to tell you," Jasmine informed Arbutus, "but your garden withered and died on…that day."

"Then it shall be a challenge," Arbutus replied. "After all, as a true artist, I can work from a blank canvas."

"Maybe we can see it when you're finished," Aladdin suggested. "Promise we won't destroy anything this time."

"I would be honored," Arbutus admitted, "for humans to actually appreciate my work. When I have finished, you will be welcome. Of course, Applejack and Fluttershy are especially encouraged to see my handiwork."

"I'd love to," Fluttershy said sincerely.

"Me too," Applejack added. "After all, I don't think we're done here one bit. We might leave, but I'm sure we'll be comin' back."

"Then I must be off." A crevice opened in the ground, and a great leafy pod erupted from it, opening; Arbutus stepped inside, the leaves closed up around him, and the pod sank into the ground, the dirt closing over as though nothing had happened.

"I feel I owe you a bit of an apology," Cassim told Aladdin. "I…may have begun this mess."

"Ridiculous," Rarity argued. "Whoever gave Mozenrath that lamp—and I REFUSE to believe it was you-know-who until I have concrete proof—is responsible. You were merely trying to do the right thing."

"I gotta go with Rarity," Aladdin told his father. "Besides…I'm proud to have a dad that would go to those lengths for any of his sons. So…I'm guessing you're gonna set out on the road again?"

"I'm a wanderer by nature," Cassim admitted. "The stuffy palace life suits you far more than me. I hope you don't take it personally."

"Not one bit. But maybe I'll see you again someday?"

"It's definitely possible."

Cassim and Aladdin embraced for a long time before breaking apart.

"So, Iago," Jasmine said to the macaw, "one last chance to stay back here with us."

"I'll pass," Iago answered emphatically. "I mean, Cassim's a danger magnet, but I've kinda gotten attached to him and his antics. And the palace life doesn't suit me even a FRACTION as much as I thought it would. If it's all the same to you, I'm going to go along with the thrillseeker there. After all, he was like the Pinkie Pie that helped me leave Gilda in the dust. Rainbow'll get it."

"I get it," Rainbow Dash said with a smile.

"You are welcome here at any time," the Sultan told Cassim. "Regardless of the opinions of my guards."

"I'll keep that in mind," Cassim replied. "Well, Iago? Up for another round of adventure?"

"See ya later, kids!" Iago called as he followed Cassim out the door.

Remaining in the palace's atrium were the six Equestrians, Aladdin, Jasmine, the Sultan, the Genie, the Carpet, Abu, Eden, Dandi, Wahid, Deluca, Amal, Sadira, the Mukhtar, Fatima, and Minos. "Well?" Sadira asked. "Anyone else gonna leave?"

"I have finally come home," Amal told her. "I could not leave now. After all…you and I have only just met."

Sadira nearly collapsed in her dreamy state.

"I have no home," the Mukhtar insisted. "I come and go asssssss I pleassssse. I ssssshhhhall give my efforts to rebuilding the home of my friendssssss."

"Then let's go!" Applejack commanded. "We got a city to rebuild!"

---

With the new team working together, the destruction Jafar had caused was easily undone. Most civilians were unhurt, and what minor injuries had befallen them, Fluttershy was able to tend with Abu at her side as her assistant. Buildings were rebuilt, awnings re-woven, and families reunited with their homes.

The work took several days. Breaks were often taken for meals and just to let off stress. Jasmine took Rarity and Applejack down to the market, helping them buy silk and food to take on their travels. Applejack lamented the loss of her crock of Odiferan cheese, but somehow, Pinkie found it stuffed inside the party cannon, so all was well.

Certain groups banded together during breaks. Rarity, as promised, rejoined Dandi to design new clothing for her; she was soon able to fashion a lovely white dress from her new silks, one that Dandi wore with pride and that caused Eden to wipe away a tear because her little girl looked so pretty. Rainbow Dash had found a new favorite opponent—the Mukhtar—for footraces, and when they weren't competing, the Mukhtar was teaching Rainbow Dash how to accurately wield both her blades. Pinkie and the Sultan spent many hours in the grand toyroom, playing with the various clockwork animals. Applejack and Aladdin swapped stories of their daily adventures. Fluttershy soon found Jasmine's pet tiger, Rajah, and she immediately took to a friendship with the tiger.

Twilight, now fueled by a desire to increase her magical power, often spent her breaks with Sadira; the witch helped her learn to use sand magic of all sorts. They practiced in Sadira's home, the former lair of the witches of the sand, which lay far below the city in the deep cellar of an otherwise unassuming building.

One day, Twilight told Sadira, "There's some business I have to take care of. You mind spending the day with Amal instead of me?"

"Oh, not at all," Sadira replied, that dreamy smile returning to her face.

"I didn't think so," Twilight said with a slight smirk. "You have fun, okay?"

Twilight walked through the palace until she found the Carpet and the Genie playing chess. "Um…excuse me?"

"Yes?" The Genie looked up at Twilight.

"Um…I was kind of hoping to spend some time with the Carpet," Twilight said. "I mean, I've never seen a real magic carpet before, and…"

"Say no more!" The Genie packed up the chessboard. Before he left, he pointed to the Carpet, insisting, "The score might be 32 to zero in your favor, but next time…next time, you WILL face checkmate!" Then he flew out of the room.

After making sure she and the Carpet were alone, Twilight whispered, "I need a favor from you. I'm not going to keep it a secret forever, but right now, no one can know what I'm doing. I really hate to ask you, but I can't go alone. Do you promise not to tell anyone? Or, you know, pantomime this to anyone?"

After pondering Twilight's statements, the Carpet bowed in what was obviously a nod of assent. It spread out, hovering a few feet above the palace floor, and Twilight climbed aboard. They sped out of the palace and into the air, and no one noticed.

Twilight then told the Carpet where she wanted to go. The Carpet was shocked at first, nearly halting in midair, but then it realized that it really had no right to be surprised, given all that had happened.

---

THE LAND OF THE BLACK SANDS, THE SEVEN DESERTS

"Wait here," Twilight told the Carpet outside the doors to the black fortress. The Carpet gave her a salute with one of his tassels.

She entered the great bastion of black and blue; no undead guards rushed to meet her. Perhaps, she thought, they were taking the day off because their boss was incapacitated. Perhaps they thought themselves free without him and had run off to find a new place. Perhaps they were still around, but remembered that she had permission to go anywhere she wanted within the fortress.

As her feet clicked against the floor and echoed through the mostly empty building, Twilight's heartbeat increased. She'd given this decision a lot of thought. Perhaps it wasn't right, but she knew she couldn't let herself get away with not doing it.

At last, she reached the crystal room. The Crystal of Ix was just as she'd left it. She shuddered to see Mozenrath's still form in its center; he still glared outward with anger and misery, unable to change his expression. She knew, however, that he could see her entering the room.

Xerxes hovered worriedly by the Crystal, ever loyal. He was stunned to see Twilight enter. "Sparkle?"

"Yeah…it's me," she said. "He's right where I left him, all right." Drawing a heavy breath, she stepped forward to do what she knew she had to do.

Closing her eyes, she approached the Crystal, placing her hands on the surface. Making sure she didn't stumble over the word, she said softly but quite clearly, "Ixtabor." Then she backed away five paces.

Even through her closed eyelids she could see the blue light fill the room. When it abated, she knew she had to look. So she did.

At first, there seemed to be almost no difference. Mozenrath's stance hadn't changed. If depth perception hadn't betrayed to Twilight that he was standing in front of the Crystal, she would have thought nothing had happened. Then she realized that his expression of fury and loss was replaced by one of utter confusion.

"I guess my first question would be 'Why?'," he said after a thick silence.

"I seem to remember you doing something similar for me," Twilight answered.

"Yes, but I thought we understood a certain paradigm," Mozenrath argued, still confused. "I'm the villain, and you're the hero."

"I did my share of heroism already," Twilight told him. "You've been frozen for a while."

"I know. It gets boring in there, you know."

"We defeated Jafar," Twilight stated. "He fled from this world, and we haven't seen him since the night we…well, the night we put you there."

There was that old familiar smirk as Mozenrath said, "Karma hurts."

"I'm sorry he…you know." Twilight shuffled her feet slightly, nervously.

"Eh, I've had time to think over it," Mozenrath said with a shrug. "I said I would move on. And I did."

"Really?"

"Well, I still have a burning desire to rip him to shreds, but beyond that…"

"I…might have helped fight him off for other reasons than to protect Agrabah," Twilight admitted. "I promised him that if he hurt you, I'd fight him."

"Why?"

"It's…complicated."

"You still haven't told me why you let me out. Why you REALLY let me out. After all, we're on opposing sides. You seem to be trusting that I won't shoot you down where you stand. And if I'm interpreting this right, no one from Agrabah, not even your other little Element friends, even knows you're here."

"I'm taking a bit of a shot, okay?" Twilight snapped. "It just didn't feel right, leaving you behind! Especially with what you said before. The way you were…well…devastated. And back in Agrabah, we had this big discussion over an incident with Abis Mal and Mechanicles and Haroud and Amin, and how everypony, even villains, needs friends, and…" She sighed. "When we were here. When everypony else was in the Netherworld. You said that 'nemesis' wasn't the right word for us. I don't think so either. What…what do you think we are now?"

"How am I supposed to know?"

"Are we…" She looked down at her shoes before lifting her gaze to meet his eyes directly. "Are we friends?"

She swallowed hard. For the first time, it sunk in just how dark his eyes were, how easy it was to become swallowed by that darkness…how comforting it was, but at the same time, her heart was drumming double-time.

"You realize what you're getting into," Mozenrath told her, "right? After all…I am still the storybook villain."

"You're just a problem Agrabah's always going to have," Twilight stated. "No one needs to know how you escaped. And to tell you the truth, I'm not sure it hurts Aladdin that much. You two are going to be fighting until the day one of you dies…and it's not going to be by either of your hands." She managed a smile. "It's kinda your fate."

"He always wins," Mozenrath sighed.

"And I don't think I'm betraying him or any of the others. Not exactly. My friends don't have to like each other for me to like all of them. And I know you're not a danger to me anymore."

"How are you so sure about that?"

"You could have shot me down right here a hundred times by now. You told me that yourself. But you didn't. And you aren't even trying to taunt me, which means you don't even intend to try."

"Very observant!" Mozenrath clapped teasingly for her deduction.

"So now it's you that hasn't answered my question," Twilight insisted. "Are we friends?"

"Having an actual 'friend' would be murder on the reputation I've spent years building, you know," Mozenrath replied. "So we'll just have to keep this our little secret, don't you think? No, no, wait. You're going to want to tell the other five warriors of purity that you got through to one of the criminally insane."

"Not the details," Twilight pointed out. "Just the bare facts. And I'm not going to put it like THAT."

"Fair enough. And no one else."

"Not a living soul. Or a dead one. Or an undead one. So that's a yes?"

"It's been a yes for a while," Mozenrath realized, sounding slightly frustrated with himself about it. "You're sure you wouldn't rather use your powers for evil? After all, you and me put together…the idea has potential."

"Sorry," Twilight replied. "I'm honor-bound, and I know my standards. But I have enough of a dark side to understand the appeal. I guess we'll just have to settle for maybe matching wits in battle again in the future."

"I'll go easy on you. Not that anyone else gets to know that."

"Same goes here."

"So what now?" Mozenrath asked. "For you, I mean. Now that you've won here."

"We finish cleaning up," Twilight answered. "We say goodbyes, hopefully not for the last time. The six of us move on to…wherever else the mists of Avalon take us. We keep trying to figure out what to do. We make new memories. We never forget our old friends, even if we know we're going to see them again. That…goes for all our friends. I mean…what I mean is…well, you're kinda hard to forget."

"I don't think I'll be forgetting you either," Mozenrath admitted. "It isn't every day that a unique and intelligent sorceress like you turns up. It's even more unlikely that they get me to tell them my secrets."

"So…" Twilight was now at a loss. "I…I'm not quite sure where we go from here. I did what I came here to do, we answered each other's questions…"

"You could leave. I mean, you have things to do, and I have conquests to plan."

"I don't want to leave unless I'm sure you're okay," Twilight muttered.

"Why are you still WORRIED about me? Do you honestly think I can't take care of myself?"

"No. It's probably nothing." She flashed him what she intended to be one last smile for the time being. "I should go now before they miss me on the other side. See you around, huh?"

Twilight turned quickly, walking out of the Crystal room, suddenly aware that her face had grown quite warm. She didn't want Mozenrath to notice that. She was also convinced that if she stayed much longer, he would eventually hear how hard her heart was beating.

Then he said, "Wait."

She stopped. She turned. He'd walked after her, now standing before her.

"How did you even get me to do this?" he asked, almost accusatorily.

"Do what?"

"Every time I try to be heartless! Emotions I DON'T want always come back to ANNOY me, and before you came along—no, all the way up to before I let you out of the Crystal of Ix, I could at the very least move on like nothing was happening. But then I called you into my lab, I showed you my work, I listened to you talk about your world, I told you about Destane, I told you about JAFAR, and now I can't…stop…from TELLING you these things! Did you put a glamour on yourself or something?"

"Maybe you needed someone to talk to," Twilight suggested, "and I happened to be the right mare in the right place at the right time. Is there…something you still need to talk about?"

"I don't want to. But I HAVE to."

"Then…say it."

"I really thought he was going to take me. I thought he would see things the way I saw them. That we belonged together. I thought I would be his. And I would have been his, GLADLY. After you left, I tried to let him know that. He let me get so far as to…we almost KISSED, Twilight. No. No, I almost kissed him. He wasn't thinking the same thing at all."

"Suddenly I understand the red," Twilight realized.

"GRAH!" In a flash of light, Mozenrath transformed his clothing back to blue. "He let me get THAT CLOSE. He was always trying to get me to slip up, to get him an advantage, and he sure managed THAT, all right."

"Your third wish," Twilight said softly. "You intended to free him all along."

"He knocked me to the ground, he took all my power, and because I freed him, Mirage even showed up to tell me how weak I was. And even with all that, that's not what actually hurts. What hurts, what should be the LAST thing that mattered at ALL, is when I realized he just saw me as another pawn in his game. Like I was DIRT. And there you have it. The lord of the Black Sands, bane of the Seven Deserts, was defeated by a bruised heart."

"Not bruised," Twilight corrected. "Broken. I know you don't want to admit it…"

"Why not?" Mozenrath cried in frustration."Why not just say it now? Broken. Broken-hearted. How the mighty have fallen."

"No," Twilight said sternly. "You haven't fallen. Just because you found something about yourself that you didn't believe was possible emotionally doesn't mean you've fallen at all. You can still be great! Even as a conqueror! Even as a villain! You're still the same strong, powerful, brilliant, beautif—talented sorcerer you were before you met him. Before you met me! So you know you can't fight your emotions sometimes. It doesn't matter!"

"And how would you know?"

"Because I used to be the same way. I thought all I would ever need were my books, my mentor, and my assistant. I thought caring about anyone else was unimportant. I might have even thought it was a weakness. But then I met my friends, and…I only became better. And before you go worrying that you're going to turn into a total sap like me, I didn't lose my capacity to hate or my ambition, either."

"This is going to be one of the details you don't bring up, Twilight, but if I HAVE to have a friend, you're probably the best one I could have picked. Mostly because—"

"—we're still way too much alike. Can't run from that one anymore."

"Twilight."

"What?"

"I believe what you're saying. But it doesn't make what I'm feeling go AWAY."

She caught him blinking just a little faster. Heavens forbid that the lord of the Black Sand should cry.

Twilight knew she was the one who did it, but it still surprised her when in the next instant, she found herself tightly embracing him, pressing her head into his shoulder. She was surprised once more when his arms tentatively wrapped around her—Mozenrath couldn't believe it either.

"It'll be okay," Twilight said softly.

When they backed away from each other, they each read the awkwardness on the other's face.

"That…never happened," Mozenrath insisted quickly.

"Fine by me," Twilight agreed, just as quickly. "But seriously, you'll find somepony special to share the world with. I just know it."

"I'm not sure I'm quite that optimistic."

"Then you'll be pleasantly surprised."

That got him to smile. "Until we meet again, Twilight Sparkle," Mozenrath said dramatically before turning away from her, cape billowing as he walked away down the hall.

"Until we meet again, Mozenrath," Twilight replied with a smirk of her own before striding down to the atrium, out of the fortress, and aboard the Carpet.

As the Carpet lifted off, not asking questions—though had it a voice, it might have wanted to—Twilight looked back, watching the kingdom of darkness fade behind her.

"I know it's unreasonable, impractical, and impossible," she said to herself. "I shouldn't even kid myself. He'd never see me that way, and how would it even work? I want to protect everything he wants to conquer and destroy! But all the same…I wish that somepony special of his…" She admitted it fully to herself for the first time. "I wish it could be me."

---

AGRABAH, THE SEVEN DESERTS

No one questioned where Twilight had been. No one even suspected. She simply blended back into the fabric of Agrabanian repairs.

At last, all was as it once was. The city was rebuilt. Civilans were relocated to their original residences. It was as if Jafar and Mirage had never touched the great kingdom.

As the sun set, the crew of friends that had worked to repair the city stood upon the palace steps, admiring their handiwork.

"Great job, everyone," Aladdin said. "It's…perfect."

"No problem!" Pinkie squealed.

"And we did it together!" Applejack asserted.

"We couldn't have done it without anyone here," Aladdin agreed.

"Always glad to help!" Sadira said with a slight curtsy.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news," Rarity said, "but now that we've secured everything here, we Elements of Harmony need to be on our way. After all, there is a great cosmos out there waiting for us."

"On the ssssssubject," the Mukhtar added, "if my sssserviccccesssss are no longer necccessssary…I shall continue on my travelsssss come morning."

"Awwww, so soon?" the Genie pouted.

"It isssss inconccccceivable that I will not sssssee thisssss cccccity again," the Mukhtar reassured him.

"Same here," Rainbow Dash brought up. "I definitely don't want this to be the last we see of this place and everypony in it!"

"I don't know if I'll be able to find anywhere more magical," Twilight added with a wink.

"Well, you can stay one more night before you have to take off," Aladdin offered. "That is, if it's okay with Jasmine. Jasmine…hey, where is she?"

Everyone looked around. Somehow, the princess had become separated from the ranks.

"I'm here!" a voice called out; Jasmine came running up the stairs. "There was just something I had to do last-minute."

"So, can our six traveling friends stay one more night before they have to set sail in the morning?" Aladdin asked her.

For a moment, Jasmine looked at the six Equestrians with what seemed an expression of disgust. "Of course," she answered, her face softening. "Why would I have a problem with that?"

"We should all meet up one more time before everypony leaves!" Pinkie suggested. "Tomorrow morning, here on the palace steps! You too, Mukhtar!"

"That could be arranged," the Mukhtar agreed.

"Well," Aladdin announced, "we should turn in."

"Hang on," Sadira said. "I've ALMOST taught Twilight how to master sand magic. I don't think she should leave before she's gotten the hang of it."

"Well, unless you're up for a late-night lesson…" Twilight began.

"I'm in if you are," Sadira replied.

"Then let's do it!" Twilight and Sadira set off down the steps. "I'll be back to the palace later!" Twilight called out.

Minos, Fatima, Dandi, Eden, Wahid, Amal, and Deluca turned to go to their homes in the city; the Mukhtar scuttled off to an abandoned building he had called his temporary residence. The others turned to enter the palace.

In the atrium, Rajah approached to greet Jasmine and Fluttershy, but then he stopped, growling at Jasmine.

"Ugh!" Jasmine gave a start. "Why is it GROWLING at me?"

"You know Rajah," Aladdin told her. "He just loves you!"

"Right…good kitty," Jasmine said, kneeling to stroke Rajah's head.

"Did that seem a little…off to you?" Rarity whispered to Aladdin.

"Whenever Rajah gets worked up, it does usually mean something's up," Aladdin whispered back. "I'll check this out. Leave it to me." He walked over to Jasmine, putting his arm around her shoulder. "So, I'll bet you're really tired after all that work, huh?"

They walked toward their bedchamber, and everyone else dispersed.

---

"I think I've finally got it," Twilight said, taking a deep breath and remembering what she'd read in the many scrolls of Sadira's underground library. She twisted her hands out in front of her, manipulating the sand that covered the floor of Sadira's abode into a sculpture. When she finished, it was an accurate relief of Princess Celestia in all her alicorn glory, rearing up on her hind hooves.

"Nice!" Sadira complimented.

"YES!" Twilight cried. "I did it! I did it I did it I did it! I'm on my way to becoming a real sand…witch…" Realizing what she'd said, she groaned. "THESE PUNS ARE DRIVING ME CRAZY!"

"I knew you'd be a natural at this," Sadira congratulated.

"It is nice knowing that I can do a LITTLE more than just reflection and telekinesis," Twilight admitted. "Thanks again for helping me out."

"Hey, for someone as cool as you? It's nothing."

Twilight's attention was caught by something she'd never noticed in Sadira's lair before. "Hey, Sadira?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't mean to be nosy, but where does that door go? I'm just asking because we're really far underground."

"Oh, that?" Sadira waved a hand. "That just goes to some maze of tunnels that runs under the city. Not as cool as it sounds. There's nothing IN there."

"Oh, there's one thing in there," Twilight muttered. "Mind if I use it? I have a bone to pick with somepony."

"Um…sure," Sadira permitted. "I don't see why not."

Twilight stormed through the door and into the tunnels. As she'd thought, they were the same labyrinth into which Phasir had brought her early on.

"If you thought you could get away with that," she muttered, "you were so wrong."

---

Jasmine brushed out her hair while Aladdin sat on the bed, observing her. She was taking even longer than normal to go through her nightly routine. "So," he asked, "everything okay?"

"Why wouldn't it be, dear?" Jasmine replied.

"Hmm…" Aladdin was suspicious of her tone. "You just seem a little on edge, that's all."

"I don't have the right to be on edge?" She whipped around in her seat. "I'm the princess of this entire kingdom! I had to spend all day putting it back together! Of course I am on edge!" With a groan, she turned back to brushing out her hair.

"Jasmine," Aladdin said sternly, "I'm beginning to get a little worried. You're acting…different."

"I'm not acting different. Maybe you just haven't paid enough attention to me to know how I act!"

"Normally, I wouldn't bring it up," Aladdin admitted, "but you know, in the past, things have happened. Jafar and Mozenrath have each tried to trick me by turning into you. Abis Mal once cast a spell on you that made you completely forget who you were. Even Sadira once had me convinced she was you, back when she used to do things like that. I just want to make sure nothing's going on. And if you're NOT the real Jasmine, this is your one chance to give yourself up."

"How could you even say a thing like that?" Jasmine cried, throwing down her hairbrush. "My own husband, trying to say I'm not me—"

From the expression on his face, she knew he knew.

"It's not like it matters, anyway," the woman in Jasmine's form said, walking over to Aladdin and putting her hands on his shoulders. "I've got what I wanted. And soon, you won't be in any shape to tell anyone about your little suspicions."

She pressed her lips to his, drinking deeply from his heart. When she broke the kiss, he looked back at her, dazed, literally unable to say anything due to her spell.

"I did make a good choice," she said with a grin. "You love her a LOT."

---

Though the tunnels beneath Agrabah twisted and turned, Twilight kept an accurate mental map of the route she'd taken so that she could find her way back. Eventually, she caught a glimpse of blue: exactly who she'd been looking for. He stood tall, turned toward her as though waiting for her, though he obviously couldn't be looking at her through the blindfold over his eyes.

"Phasir," Twilight said sharply. "I've been looking for you!"

"This I know," Phasir said calmly.

"You were wrong," Twilight snapped. "You called Saleen a siren. She isn't a siren. She is a water…elemental. That has been bothering me ever since we figured out what your prophecy meant! And don't try to tell me you meant a different siren. Everything happened exactly as you said it, down to the last line, so I know we did it right. What do you have to say for yourself? Were you just short on words that made it iambic pentameter or something?"

"It was a mistake even I knew I had made," Phasir replied. "After you left, I wondered why I had said such a thing. However, now I know that all has gone exactly as planned. You would not forget the mistake, and you would seek me out the night before you would have left this world for another. You were meant to return to these tunnels, Twilight Sparkle."

"Wait." Twilight tried to make sense of what she'd just heard. "So…you made a mistake because you knew I would come down here to correct you?"

"Go farther," Phasir said, stepping away to gesture to the tunnel behind him, "and you may yet find what it is you were meant to find."

"O…kay?" Twilight cautiously stepped down the tunnel Phasir had marked for her. It took a few turns, and she wondered how much further she should go before turning back and insisting there was some mistake, when she came upon the cell.

A wall of iron bars, its door sealed with a great padlock, blocked off the large room beyond. A pillar, perhaps meant to hold something of importance, rose in the room's center, but it was bare. Skeletons lay against the walls, some of them clutching weapons in their bony fingers; Twilight was reminded briefly of Mozenrath's bare right hand and shuddered at the connection. However, when movement stirred behind the pillar, Twilight saw what it was she was supposed to see.

"Is someone there?" The princess moved out from where she'd crouched behind the pillar. "Twilight!"

"Jasmine!" Twilight answered. "What happened? How'd you get down here?"

Jasmine rushed to the bars, clutching at them. "Something captured me when I tried to go back to the palace! It brought me down here and locked me in, and then it…changed to look like me!"

"Something?" Twilight shuddered, hoping that her first instincts were wrong. "What did that…something…look like before it changed into you?"

"A monster," Jasmine said coldly. "Like an insect, with…holes…in its limbs. It wrapped me up in some kind of green slime, like…like a cocoon! I only just managed to break out of it."

Twilight saw the green slime discarded in the corner. She felt the blood drain from her face and a hollowness overcome her. She recognized that slime. Her instincts had been right after all.

"It could be in the palace right now!" Jasmine cried worriedly. "It might want to hurt Aladdin!"

"She does," Twilight confirmed. "We have to go back right now!" She looked down at the sandy floor of the tunnel and the cell. "Stand back. I'm going to try something!"

Jasmine obeyed, and, focusing on the ground, Twilight carved a large tunnel out of the sand using the spells Sadira had taught her, creating a path that snaked under the iron bars. "There," she said when she had finished.

Jasmine scooted into the tunnel and climbed out alongside Twilight on the other side of the bars. The two women nodded at each other before taking off.

They emerged into Sadira's lair. Sadira, arranging her scrolls, nearly dropped a pile of parchment onto the floor. "Jasmine? What are you—"

"An imposter is in the palace!" Jasmine yelled.

"We have to stop her!" Twilight added, and the two kept running.

"An imposter? Hurt my friends?" Sadira let the scrolls drop. "Oh, no, it doesn't! HEY! WAIT UP!" She charged after Twilight and Jasmine.

---

The three women barreled down the palace hallway, and as she passed her friends' bedchambers, Twilight bellowed, "APPLEJACK! RAINBOW DASH! FLUTTERSHY! PINKIE PIE! RARITYYYYYYY!"

Hearing the panic in their friend's voice, the aforementioned five burst into the hallway. "What's wrong?" Fluttershy asked.

"Changeling!" Twilight yelled without breaking her stride.

After gasping in shock, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Rarity ran alongside Jasmine and Sadira. They sprinted all the way to the bedchamber Aladdin and Jasmine usually shared; Jasmine threw the door open, and the eight barged in.

The other Jasmine was sitting on the bed, kissing Aladdin deeply, pressing herself to his body. When the door slammed open, she let go of him; unconscious, he fell onto the bed. She observed that the princess whose shape she'd taken had arrived, as well as six of the mares she hated the most.

"So," she said. "I've been found out. I should have known it was too good to last forever. It was fun, after all. Jasmine is beloved by everyone. They practically just give their love away…a satisfying meal."

"What have you DONE to him?" Jasmine cried.

"She's put him under a spell while she eats his love for you," Twilight answered. "Isn't that right…Chrysalis?"

The false Jasmine stood, and her guise melted away. When Sadira saw her true form, she screamed. The six Equestrians were also shocked; they were used to seeing Chrysalis as an insectoid alicorn, and had expected her to become humanoid upon hearing Twilight speak her name, but her actual shape was still nothing like they could have imagined. She stood on two legs, had two arms, and was basically built like a human, but her hips melded with a bulbous abdomen that protruded backward over her legs. Her limbs, just as the six remembered, were perforated with holes that went all the way through the flesh, but now they were covered in some sort of shining black carapace, as was Chrysalis' upper body. She was almost completely nude, but other than a general feminine shape, had none of the human attributes that would have needed to be covered in traditional society; her chest was smooth, her carapace forming a breastplate. Her only clothing consisted of a green cape that fastened around her neck and waist, forming a teal sash over the latter, and a small black crown studded with teal stones perched atop her head. Her turquoise hair still hung limply down over her face and back, passing her shoulders. Her wings, great and clear like those of a dragonfly, spread out from her back. Her skin was obsidian-black, and her toes and fingers ended in points like claws. Humanoid, yes, but not human—much more insectoid. Her head was the most human part of her, with its half-lidded green eyes.

"What IS that thing?" Sadira yelled.

"A Changeling," Twilight said calmly.

"How'd YOU get here?" Pinkie asked. "We left you in Equestria!"

"After we kicked your tail outta Canterlot," Applejack nearly hissed.

"I've been expanding my horizons," Chrysalis said with a laugh. Her voice now sounded nothing like Jasmine's; it was raspier, tinnier, and tinted with an exotic sensuality. "After all, the multiverse is full of princesses who get just as much love as Mi Amore Cadenza…even more."

"I'll give you one more chance to answer," Twilight said sternly. "How…did…you…get…here?"

"With the help of a dear friend of mine," Chrysalis answered. "You might be familiar with him. After all, you did seal his fate. I never did get the chance to tell you why I attempted to invade Canterlot, now, did I? That was where you defeated him, my precious one…I had to avenge him, to take from you something of value as you had taken from me!"

"You've done this before," Jasmine reiterated. "Taken on the form of another princess and stolen the love of her husband and her friends!"

"He wasn't even married to her yet," Chrysalis bragged. "All the more of a challenge to make him think I was his beloved fiancée. Then again, while I thought an already wed prince would be less likely to suspect…this one is apparently used to impostors."

"Get out of here!" Rainbow Dash yelled. "Before we MAKE you get out!"

"It matters not," Chrysalis said. "There are many more princesses in this multiverse. At this moment, there is a lucky young woman somewhere preparing for a wedding the likes of which Cadance had prepared for…and her kingdom will grant me even more love to feed upon than this one."

"Do you even need to eat love," Sadira challenged, "or do you just do it to hurt people?"

"Definitely the latter," Chrysalis said with a grin. "Go ahead…take your precious prince back. He was an amusement for a while…but I can find better."

"WHY YOU—" Rainbow Dash began to charge at Chrysalis, but in a flash of darkness, the changeling disappeared.

"Aladdin!" Jasmine rushed to where her love lay unconscious on the bed. "Wake up!"

"Hang on!" Sadira moved in next to her. "I think I can undo this! It's just a kind of mesmerism, right?"

"Right," Twilight confirmed. "It can be broken by true love—"

"But this'll be faster." Sadira took a handful of sand out of her pocket and blew it into Aladdin's face; it glittered as it landed. "There! That should reverse the effects."

Aladdin blinked his way into waking. "What…Jasmine…" He sat up. "You're not Jasmine! You're a fake!"

"It's me," Jasmine insisted, and even at those words, Aladdin knew she was right.

"We chased the fake away," Rarity explained.

"What was that thing?" Jasmine asked.

"An enemy from our world," Twilight answered. "The princess she tried to impersonate before was my sister-in-law!"

"Twilight," Fluttershy whimpered, "she said an old friend we defeated brought her here…"

"No!" Rarity snapped. "I REFUSE to believe it without evidence! It's simply a game of psychology! Anyone who knows us and who knows Discord would of course drop his name at every chance just to watch us flinch!"

"Is she gone for good?" Aladdin asked. "Or did she just run off to hide somewhere else nearby?"

"It sounded like she went to find another world to try the same thing on," Twilight stated. "Though I don't know how she could have just teleported there."

"Are you the most beloved princess in this world?" Pinkie asked Jasmine.

"I'd say so," Aladdin answered with a shrug.

"She means objectively," Twilight clarified. "Maybe Chrysalis would have moved on to Brawnhilda or Hippsodeth."

"Actually, if we are talking objectively, Jasmine is the most famous princess in the world," Sadira said. "Everyone knew all about her from the time she was born. If I was going to pick a princess to impersonate…well, okay, I actually did do that, but that was before I knew better!"

"Chrysalis wouldn't downgrade," Applejack theorized. "At least…I don't think."

"Don't let this stop you from moving on," Aladdin insisted. "Now that we know what this Chrysalis' game is, we can handle her, no matter whose form she takes. But if she's out there…"

"If she's out there," Jasmine finished, "you'll want to find her."

"Then that's where we go," Applejack resolved. "To stop Chrysalis!"

"Just relax for now," said Sadira. "If that…whatchamacallit…"

"Changeling," Twilight offered.

"If that changeling tries to come back here, I'll slam her with my sand magic."

"You should get some sleep," Jasmine encouraged. "After all…"

"We have more of a journey ahead than we originally thought," Rarity finished.

---

At sunrise the next morning, after Rainbow Dash had been rolled out of bed, the Agrabanians and the Equestrians gathered once more on the palace steps.

"Until we meet again," the Mukhtar said before mounting his steed, a creature structured like a large bird but covered in reptilian scales, and riding away towards the city gates.

"It was so wonderful to meet all of you!" Pinkie insisted. "We absolutely NEED to come back!"

"No hurry," Aladdin reminded the six. "We've got things under control. Thanks to you, of course."

"Besides," Jasmine added, "there are probably other people to make friends with out where you're going."

It was difficult for the six to leave this, the first world outside their own where they had settled down, but eventually they did. They walked out of the city together, boarding the Starlight.

"We need to find Chrysalis," Twilight muttered to the control screen. "Wherever the mists take us…I hope it's to wherever she's going." With that, she let the mists take control.

The ship sailed downriver, into a thick mist, until it vanished completely from the Seven Deserts.

---

THE LAND OF THE BLACK SANDS, THE SEVEN DESERTS

In hindsight, smashing most of his most valuable magical instruments had been a bad idea, Mozenrath decided as he attempted to adhere the pieces back together in his laboratory. He focused in on the lenses of the Eye of Ra spyglass, trying to fit the glass together just so with his magic.

As soon as he had completed the lens and restored its magic properties, a rush of green flame caused him to start, dropping the lens and shattering it again.

"What do you want now, Mirage?" he snapped…preemptively. The woman who had appeared was most certainly not Mirage. She dressed like a sorceress, resplendent in black robes topped with a hood that resembled two demonic horns. Her hair was completely obscured; her face, exotically beautiful, was pale with a greenish cast to it. She carried with her a staff topped by a green, glowing crystal.

"So you are Mozenrath," she said calmly.

"And you are…?" Mozenrath replied, on his guard.

"I am the one who intends to bring upon this multiverse the new age of darkness and chaos, in which the cruel shall reign and the weak shall perish. I am the leader of the Overtakers. I am, in short, one of the most powerful forces in existence…barring, of course, the Old Ones." She smiled wryly. "Jafar has told me much of you."

"So the leader of the mysterious Overtakers finally reveals herself," Mozenrath replied coldly. "Are you here to beat me and call me a failure too? Because after so many people do it, I'll eventually get used to it, and it'll lose its effect."

"On the contrary," the woman replied. "While Jafar did warn me of your shortcomings, I believe you have great potential. Perhaps one day I could welcome you into the ranks of the Overtakers."

"And if I don't want to be an Overtaker?"

"Then you shall be my enemy," the woman said casually. "You do not want to be my enemy."

Mozenrath realized what about this woman seemed off; what, magically, felt different about her. "You're a faerie, aren't you?"

"I take it you sensed my aura. To be certain, an admirable skill."

Now Mozenrath was uncomfortable, though he did his best not to show it. Faeries were a whole different brand of magic than human sorcerers. Knowing that about her identity, he did not wish to make an enemy of her. "What would I get out of an alliance with you, besides you sparing me a lot of unnecessary torment?"

"Many things," the woman promised. "Immortality. Power. Riches beyond your wildest dreams. The ability to grasp the dark arts at their very heart."

"I might be interested," Mozenrath admitted. "But there's a catch, isn't there?"

"I do not wish to waste my time," the woman said sharply. "You must prove yourself worthy. I will give you the chance to do so, but the decisions you make must be your own. I have been fooled in the past by those I thought had what it takes. I will not be fooled again."

She swished away her draping black sleeve, revealing a mass of gemstones on the floor, gemstones that appeared to be fist-sized diamonds but sparkled even more. "Do you know what this is?"

"I can't say that I do." Mozenrath admired the jewels with interest. They gave off a nearly overwhelming aura of magic.

"This is dark matter," the woman explained. "Some will call it by other names, and many have made interdimensional transportation by refining it. Here it is in its most unrefined form…its purest form. After all, I have been told that you are mastering the ability to Apparate at the speed of darkness, but you cannot yet do so to travel between worlds. Use this…the material found in the space between…and you will be able to go wherever your heart desires. Quite unlike the mists of Avalon, I might add. Dark matter has no agenda. It will listen to you…if you make it quite clear that you dominate."

"So if I figure out how to use this dark matter to travel between worlds…" Mozenrath began.

"You will then have an entire multiverse in which to show us what you are capable of," the woman finished.

"I don't know," Mozenrath said. "I generally don't accept gifts from people when I don't even know their names."

The woman didn't flinch. She simply answered, still with her calm smile, "You may address me as Maleficent. After all, that is the name that will be on the lips of everyone once my plans have completed."

"Maleficent," Mozenrath repeated. "Well, that's pretentious."

"No more than 'Mozenrath.'"

"You can blame my father for that one. His favorite son got the name that meant 'glory.' I got the name made up of random syllables he thought 'sounded cool.'"

"Might I add that if you join my ranks," Maleficent continued, "your brother would most surely fall…and most likely by your hand. It is something to consider. I trust you will not fail me, Mozenrath. If you do, consequences will be grave."

Before Mozenrath could say anything else, Maleficent vanished in a flash of green, leaving the dark matter in her wake. Mozenrath approached the gemstones eagerly.

"Dark matter?" Xerxes said confusedly.

"Opportunity has just come knocking, Xerxes!" Mozenrath clasped his hands together victoriously. "It's time to get to work."

---

THE SPACE BETWEEN

"Twilight?" Applejack asked. "What's wrong, sugar cube? You look kinda nervous."

"NERVOUS?" Twilight replied, jumping. "Who's nervous? I'm not nervous!"

"You're totally nervous," Rainbow Dash called out.

"Is something on your mind?" Fluttershy asked.

"I might have a confession to make," Twilight said shakingly. "I…I LET HIM OUT!"

"Who?" Rarity asked.

"Mozenrath!" Twilight wailed. "I went back to the Land of the Black Sands and I let him out!"

The others gasped.

"Why did you do THAT?" Rainbow Dash snapped.

"I don't know!" Twilight defended. "Well…maybe I do. Even villains need friends, right? You saw how he was when we sealed him away! He was hurting! And we…well…you know."

"I don't believe this!" Rainbow Dash cried. "You actually HELPED one of the bad guys!"

"Now, now," Fluttershy said, "all Twilight wanted to do was show a little kindness."

"And they kinda got a history together," Applejack reminded Rainbow Dash.

"Besides," Twilight added, "what would the Seven Deserts be without some kind of evil to…yeah, even I'm not buying what I'm saying right now, but I just couldn't LEAVE him!"

"So…does this mean you DO want him to be your special somepony?" Pinkie asked.

"It…might," Twilight admitted, looking down at her feet again, heat filling her face. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," Rarity said, putting a comforting hand on Twilight's shoulder. "After all, you can't help who you fall for. And you two did have an awful lot in common. Besides, he was quite attractive, if you ask me."

"And also evil!" Rainbow Dash reiterated.

"We don't blame you, Twilight," Fluttershy said, putting a hand on Twilight's other shoulder. "You just wanted to help someone you cared about."

"DID EVERYPONY SUDDENLY FORGET THAT HE WAS EVIL?" Rainbow Dash cried in frustration.

"No," Twilight answered clearly. "But…he's still my friend."

"I don't believe this!" Rainbow Dash's jaw dropped. Then she shifted demeanors. "Fine. I won't judge it. You can be his friend if you want. But don't expect me to be happy about it."

"I don't," Twilight replied. "You have every right to hate him after what he did. Just…please don't hate me."

"Twilight, please." Rainbow Dash sighed. "You should know by now that I can't hate you. If I have to, I'll just let it drop. But I'm not gonna go easy on him if we meet again just because you have a crush on him."

"Deal," Twilight said.

"We should write our letter home to tell everypony about our adventures!" Pinkie reminded the others.

"Good idea," Twilight said with a sigh of relief. "We can write it together."

The six moved into a room with a spacious table. Parchment, ink, and quills had been stocked. Twilight sat down at the table with a sheet of parchment in order to dictate. "Dear everypony," she began. "We had a lot of interesting adventures in a new world…"

---

CANTERLOT, FOURTH EQUESTRIA

"…We learned," Celestia read from the parchment before her, "that anything can be accomplished with the help of friends, even banishing great evils. We learned that when you've created a rift, you should try your best to repair it if you feel it's right. We learned that playing fair can beat even the toughest cheaters. That sometimes, different groups that hate each other have to put aside their differences to accomplish greater things. That fighting with your heart can be just as strong as fighting with any other muscle. That power means nothing if you can't be happy with it. That some people and ponies need spaces to themselves, and others should respect that. That darkness isn't evil and can be used for good. But most of all, we learned that even those we call villains need friendship, and even the people or ponies that seem the hardest have emotions.

"With that, we have one question. We were disappointed to discover that the Elements of Harmony were not powerful enough to vanquish many of the evils out there. Was that supposed to happen? How can we fix it? The Elements of Harmony are the source of our power, and what started this quest. We need to be sure of what they're actually capable of.

"With that, we hope all is going well in Equestria, or, as it's apparently called, Fourth Equestria. We miss everypony back home—give them our love! Your faithful students and friends: Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, PINKIE PIE!, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack." Celestia rolled up the scroll.

Before her in the throne room, Luna, Cadance, and Shining Armor listened. "If you don't mind," Celestia told Luna, "I would like you to make a copy of this to send to the Apple family, Rarity's family, Spike, and the Cakes. Let it be known that if any other copies of this letter reach friends of our traveling heroes, all references to other worlds or humans must be stricken."

"Right away!" Luna agreed.

"I'm almost jealous," Shining Armor admitted. "They're having the kind of adventures I've always dreamed about!"

"But what about the Elements?" Cadance asked Celestia. "Can you help them?"

"I know their plight well," Celestia admitted. "I shall draft my response immediately. It is one of the things they need to know. Until then, I hope my little ponies remain safe…and find new friends wherever they go."

---

MIRAGE'S SANCTUM, MORBUS

Mirage paced the floor angrily. "How could it have FAILED?" she screeched. "It was perfect! Evil should have triumphed!"

"Well," a familiar voice teased, "you have to admit that calling Jafar in was a bit…PREDICTABLE, don't you think?"

Mirage whirled to see the blue-furred, winged cat sitting atop her throne. "CHAOS!" she screamed. "What are YOU doing here?"

"My brother sent me a message and told me to meet him here," Chaos explained. "I don't see what the big deal is unless he has some kind of plan. I'm hoping he didn't just call me here to show me up…I liked him much better as a statue, you know."

"He felt the same of you," Mirage growled.

A shimmering figure caught Mirage's eye; she turned to see a new being, one consisting of empty air in a humanoid shape clothed in a white flowing robe and a golden mask, floating into the room. "Discord called me here as well," she said; her voice reverberated through the room. "It seems he wanted a meeting of us, the Old Ones."

"Ethereal?" Mirage named the third being. "What is going on here?"

In a flash of light, Discord appeared. "SURPRISE!" he cried. "How do you like the little party I put together?"

"Explain this!" Mirage demanded.

"What do you want with us?" the Ethereal asked.

"And for the record, you're ugly," Chaos sighed.

"And that's why I almost didn't invite you, Chaos Junior," Discord replied. "However, as Mirage knows, I'm planning something big. In short, I'm getting the band back together."

"Can it truly be?" the Ethereal asked.

"Oh, but it is!" Discord cried. "Now, it seems you three are those of us who have the biggest connection to the Seven Deserts. That's as good a place to start as any. I'm thinking—"

"I have already passed my judgment on Agrabah," the Ethereal informed Discord. "I deemed it unfit to destroy. I cannot go back on my word."

"Why do you have to ruin everything with your little standards?" Discord sighed. "We have a chance to be on top again, Ethereal. I wouldn't waste it."

"Very well," the Ethereal conceded.

"Now," Discord went on, "I'm thinking that you three can do your worst on the Seven Deserts while I check out what's going on in the rest of the cosmos. See how many of us are in retirement, how many of us are still active, and how many of us are dead. And you're just going to LOVE the army of chaos I put together to help you do the job! After I get a better grasp on the situation, I'll have a plan for us. One that involves spreading what we do best to OTHER worlds." He laughed triumphantly.

"Army…of chaos?" Mirage asked.

"I borrowed a gateway to the Netherworld," Discord announced, "and I used it to find four very talented scoundrels with grudges to boot against the kingdoms of the Seven Deserts! Much more competent and original than just summoning a plethora of clones from the NEGAVERSE."

"It served its purpose!" Chaos argued. "Don't mock my methods!"

"I can't help it!" Discord grinned. "After all, MY methods are so much better!"

"Do not delay!" the Ethereal begged. "Show us who you wish us to send to the Seven Deserts!"

"And now," Discord announced, "presenting…MY AGENTS OF CHAOS!" He clapped his hands, and the room went dark. Electric strobe lights appeared, illuminating a catwalk that Discord had summoned into the room.

A short, hunched figure walked down the catwalk first. "Our master of the undead, now given a firm foothold in the world of the living that can't be reversed by any magic spices, figureheads, or gemstones, since all those methods of imprisoning him are gone! With an agenda of revenge to match no other, may I present…AYAM AGHOUL!"

The lights shone down upon Aghoul. "My, it IS good to be in the world of the living!" he cried happily. "After that last incident, I want to get my revenge on that Aladdin and his friends more than ever…including those brats with the amulets!" He plucked a piece of stray confetti from behind his ear. "Especially the one with the cannon!"

Aghoul stepped down off the runway as another figure, short but lanky, moved down the runway. "The fire of destiny," Discord announced, "with a new flame that won't burn out as easily as last time…AZIZ!"

The lights shone upon a goblin, green with pointed ears. He once had been a man, but his shape had changed to the point where that was indiscernible. "So we're spreading chaos and destruction, are we?" Aziz said with a wry grin. "I can't think of a better destiny."

He joined Aghoul on the sidelines. Now a tall, willowy female figure clutching a gold staff appeared on the runway. "Sorceress extraordinaire!" Discord cried. "One-time ruler of Agrabah! And, just for comparison's sake and not to indicate that she is in any way the lesser of the two siblings, fraternal twin sister of Jafar…NASIRA!"

The lights illuminated a thin sorceress with voluminous hair, dressed entirely in red. The resemblance to her brother was unmistakable. "Being queen suited me," she said. "I wouldn't be opposed to doing it again."

She stood beside Aziz and Aghoul as the last figure moved down the runway—a tall, muscular male figure. "He may not be magical," Discord said, "but what he lacks in sorcery, he makes up for in brute force and sheer ruthlessness! Back from the brink of irony, the only one to betray the King of Thieves…SA'LUK!"

The lights now shone upon a young man, his head shaven, with a curling mustache and a muscled chest bared by a dark vest. Over his right knuckles, a set of brass blades were fitted. "Discord asked me if I was in or out," he said. "My answer was obvious."

Discord snapped his fingers, and the room was once again illuminated, the catwalk and strobe lights gone. Sa'Luk, Nasira, Aziz, and Aghoul stood before Mirage, Chaos, and the Ethereal.

Mirage slowly clapped. "Very impressive, Discord!"

"Clones from the Negaverse WOULD have worked," Chaos grunted.

"If our little friends bearing their Elements of Harmony should come back like they say they will," Discord chuckled, "they'll certainly have their work cut out for them this time! Anyway, you all have fun and play nice. I have a royal wedding to crash elsewhere."

In a flash of bright light, he disappeared. However, his laughter stayed behind, ricocheting off the stone walls and filling the room, reminding the others that his influence could not be easily forgotten.

---

Chapter 16:

· I SWEAR NOT EVERYTHING IN THIS FIC WILL BE A REFERENCE TO MUSE. Just…this chapter title too.

· I'm still not tired of the running gag that is sleepy Rainbow Dash.

· Yes, canonically, Maleficent's (you all knew it was her!) throne is shaped like a demon with batlike wings and horns. Which is highly reminiscent of a certain devil/god that those who fondly remember Fantasia will know I just HAD to make an Old One…

· Mal has multiple lairs. The Forbidden Mountain is the one canonically from Sleeping Beauty. She has more. We'll get there later.

· The Overtakers are still reeling from their last defeats. After all, they're ALWAYS defeated in whatever they're in. I'm planning on having them show up one by one as they're introduced in storylets. Jafar is the first…

· "Al-Khamis" is Thursday on the Arabic calendar.

· Note a couple things: Moz never states explicitly what his sexuality is. Twi doesn't list "he's gay" as a reason that they couldn't be together. My original explanation was that Moz just radiates bisexuality so much to me. After commiserating with Ophira, I have changed my explanation to "In this fic, EVERYONE IS BISEXUAL!" It makes shipping more fun. Which may lead some of you to the question, "Has Twilight, in your headcanon, ever had a crush on a mare?" I like to think Luna or Pinkie Pie, but I'm not sure if that will be relevant at all to this story.

· At first, I wasn't even going to make it a plot point that Phasir had made a "mistake" in his prophecy. But I was always going to have somepony return to the tunnels beneath the city to find the real Jasmine. Things just kinda worked out in that respect.

· Yes. Both Jafar (in Return of Jafar) and Mozenrath (in Two to Tangle) have shape-shifted into Jasmine canonically. And Sadira used a spell to switch lives with Jasmine, making everyone think she was the princess.

· The mesmerism Chrys casts on Al is reminiscent of the same spell she casts on Shining Armor in "Royal Canterlot Wedding" (and may have been inspired by Ursula's spell on Eric in The Little Mermaid, though this cannot be proven).

· The cell is from "While the City Snoozes."

· I had fun coming up with a new design for Chrys. I knew I couldn't just make her human, as even as an alicorn, she has a ton of insectoid qualities. My design of insect-humanoid-Chrys was partially inspired by the design of the ants from A Bug's Life. And I'm actually not sure if the crown, cape, and sash were clothes or parts of her body. I guessed clothes.

· I know she gave up kinda easily, but her appearance here was more to foreshadow the next storylet than anything else.

· Sadira has the ability to hypnotize people with sand. I figure she also has the ability to un-hypnotize them.

· Dark matter: I took the name from The Pendragon Adventure. It's the stuff that makes up the interdimensional flumes. It sparkles like diamonds. I decided that the "gummi" from KH is refined dark matter. I like the name "dark matter" better, and I feel it makes sense since gummi is usually used by engineers and manufacturer types while dark matter is just THERE. And you know Mal would have her hands on the good stuff.

· "Apparition at the speed of darkness" is my term for when villains teleport. I'm sure there's a trope for baddies being able to teleport wherever they want, since it's EVERYWHERE. "Apparition" comes from Harry Potter, and "speed of darkness" comes from the second Neverending Story movie. It might be in the book—I never read it but do intend to. Yes, I know no one liked NS2. I still like the term. And Xayide is kinda cool. Plus, it had young Jonathan Brandis, so I like to watch it with my eyes closed and pretend it's a tiny Mozenrath in the lead role. After all, Brandis' character in NS2 does get ahold of ultimate power that CAN GIVE HIM WHATEVER HE WANTS BUT DRAINS HIS LIFE FORCE EACH TIME…pattern much?

· Aladdin really does mean "glory." "Mozenrath" was formed from the last names of his creators, Bill Motz and Bob Roth, so in that world, it would literally be a bunch of syllables thrown together.

· Yes, Celestia knows what's up with the Elements.

· The Ethereal was a spirit that visited Agrabah and threatened to destroy it if Jasmine couldn't prove what made it worth saving. She took down that world's version of Atlantis and Babylon because they couldn't prove to her that their civilizations were worth saving. She eventually decided that it was the people that made Agrabah valuable, and left it alone. But the way she treats such things so casually made her an ideal Old One, and so I figured it wouldn't be hard for Discord to convince her to join the team…

· Aziz is the villain from "Seems Like Old Crimes" and "Destiny On Fire." He was human once, but an enchanted gem he tried to steal turned him (and Minos and Fatima) into a monster. Minos and Fatima regained their humanity through love. Aziz was cruel through and through, but he didn't exactly mind after a while, because he could breathe fire that had magic properties. He canonically died by overusing his power and burning out until he turned into a star.

· Nasira is from the cult hit PS1 game "Nasira's Revenge." In it, she's Jafar's twin sister, and she's trying to resurrect him. She also becomes the new queen of Agrabah. She is a VERY powerful sorceress. Now, I haven't played Nasira's Revenge or watched a full walkthrough, but I did watch the opening cinematic, the cutscene where she's first revealed as the queen, and the scenes before and after the final battle. It was never really said what happened to her, but I assume she died, since at the end, the Sultan proclaimed her "defeated" and "the city saved." I do intend on watching the walkthrough before attempting to do more with her.

· And the villain of King of Thieves makes it all complete! Ohhh, you knew I couldn't just bury him for good.

1. The Kingdom of Light

THE SPACE BETWEEN

The bathrooms aboard the Starlight were well-stocked. Fluttershy was pleased to see that all sorts of hair care products, almost as big a variety as could be found in the Ponyville spa, were aboard. Her hair was beginning to curl up as it usually did when she went a while without relaxing it; the curls didn't look at all bad on her—quite the opposite—but they were a hassle to take care of. Hence Fluttershy, already having her hooves full back home with a treeful of animals to care for and many friends that needed help, took full advantage of her weekly spa dates with Rarity to have her hair relaxed and straightened.

Fluttershy doused her hair with the relaxer stocked onboard—the process was much easier with hands—and wrapped her hair up in a soft pink towel so as not to risk disturbing her hair during the time it needed to set. She then wandered out into the hallways of the Starlight.

She passed Rarity's room, where Rarity had been hard at work ever since leaving the Seven Deserts, sewing new clothes for pony proportions based on the styles she'd seen in Agrabah, Getzistan, Odiferous, and Galifem. A few more designs, she insisted, and she would be ready to send back the first package of her new line via fireplace. She had also made sure to design some more clothes in human proportions for general wear on human-dominated territories; for now, the six just wore the clothes Rarity had modified from the Gala gowns.

Fluttershy continued all the way to the kitchen, where Applejack was hard at work pitting dates. "Howdy, Fluttershy!" she greeted. "I'm just fixin' some dates up for whenever anypony gets hungry. What'd'ya think I should do first for fillin's? Almonds, lemon peel, or…" She looked at a scroll Jasmine had written out for her during one of the break times between construction on Agrabah. "This 'tahini' stuff? It's made outta sesame seeds."

"Any sound fine," Fluttershy replied. "Um…can I talk to you about something?"

"Sure thing! What's on your mind, Fluttershy?"

"Well…um…I don't mean to be a burden on you, but…"

"C'mon, Fluttershy, spit it out." Applejack smiled warmly, encouraging her friend to speak up.

"I know you were excited to try a lot of new recipes," Fluttershy continued. "And a lot of those recipes had…meat in them. I know you really liked it, and I've been trying my best to eat it for the past few days, but…I just can't anymore! I keep thinking about the animals! I'm so sorry! You don't have to stop eating it, but I…I can't!" She nearly burst into tears.

"Hey," Applejack reassured her, "ain't no problem. I ain't offended. Well, yeah, I was fixin' to make some real great lamb dishes, but you don't have to eat 'em. Heck, I'd even switch out the menu altogether if you don't wanna look at it."

"I'll learn to handle watching others eat it," Fluttershy promised. "I just can't eat a baby sheep!"

"Only thing is," Applejack brought up, "Twilight said our human bodies need meat for nutrition and all that. Now, there's gotta be some way around that, but I sure don't know it. I'm only just gettin' used to all the stuff human bodies need in the first place. You're gonna have to ask Twilight for the details on what you can eat instead, but when you come up with somethin', I'll learn to make it. Don't worry yourself so much, Fluttershy. We got your back!"

"Thank you," Fluttershy said gratefully. "It means a lot to me."

"In the meantime…" Applejack gently tossed an almond-stuffed date over to Fluttershy. "No animals harmed!"

Fluttershy delicately bit the date in half, feeling the snap of the almond. "Good!" she exclaimed.

"Glad to hear it!" Applejack beamed.

---

"Please?" Pinkie asked, staring at Twilight over the top of the Guide, which the latter was trying to study while sitting atop a couch in the lounge. Pinkie stood in the lounge's center for the optimum position in which to beg Twilight.

"No," Twilight insisted. "I know you want to have music throughout the whole ship, but I just can't let you try and use the main computer to try and rig that up! For all we know, that computer is as integral to the navigation station as the engine, and we just can't risk messing that up!"

"But it's too quiet around here!" Pinkie moaned.

"Tell you what," Twilight said. "I will personally put myself in charge of a mission to find you a way to play more music onboard than just in your room. Can you be patient until then?"

Twilight was answered with a nearly bone-crushing hug. "OH THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!" Pinkie squealed.

"Um…is this a bad time?"

Twilight and Pinkie looked to the door to see Fluttershy standing there, her hair still wrapped up. "Not at all!" Pinkie insisted.

"What do you need?" Twilight asked cheerily.

"Um…I have a question about humans," Fluttershy said, "and Applejack said you'd be the most likely to know."

"Well, I'm learning a lot about them," Twilight admitted. "What do you want to know?"

"Can humans have diets without meat?" Fluttershy asked. "I, um…I can't eat meat anymore."

"Why not?" Twilight asked.

"Oh, can I guess?" Pinkie broke in. "You think it tastes like shoes! No, no, wait, it's because you…" Then Pinkie gasped dramatically. "It's because you're thinking of the animals! I just KNOW that's right!"

"It is," Fluttershy confirmed. "I know that there's a difference between talking animals and non-talking animals, but to me, they're all animals, and I just…can't eat them. You can eat them if you want, even in front of me. After all, there is a difference, and you'd only eat non-talking animals…but all the same, I can't."

"Well, let's just do a little research!" Twilight sifted through the Guide to find information on the biology of humanoid species. "It's a bit complicated, but…it looks like there's a way around it. We just have to match up all the things you wouldn't get from meat with things you can get from other food. Looks like…" She scrolled through. "Sea vegetables, soy, almonds, cauliflower, spinach…there are a lot of things we can use to replace those essential nutrients for you. And also, you need to get a lot of sun. Hmm…wasn't Applejack working with almonds earlier?"

"She was stuffing them in dates," Fluttershy clarified. "They're delicious. You should try some."

A soft "ding" noise sounded overhead. "That sounds like an alert from the control room," Twilight identified.

"How did we hear it all the way down here?" Pinkie asked.

"There's a PA system that runs through the whole ship," Twilight answered. "I noticed it earlier."

"THERE'S A SOUND SYSTEM RIGGED THROUGH THE WHOLE SHIP?" Pinkie gasped dramatically.

"You can't use it to blast music," Twilight sighed. "It's connected to the alert system!"

"Well, what's the alert system alerting?" Pinkie asked.

"I don't know. I just know it's an alert!"

"Maybe it's an alert that we need to party?"

"That wouldn't be an alert."

"Oh, well…a mare can hope…"

---

When Twilight, Fluttershy, and Pinkie reached the control room, they realized they weren't entirely sure which event had triggered the alert bell: the scroll that had appeared in the fireplace, or the way the map had cleared to show that the ship was approaching a new landmass.

Pinkie picked up the scroll, unrolling it. "It's from Princess Celestia!"

"What's from Celestia?" Applejack asked; she, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity had filed into the room.

"We heard the alert," Rarity explained.

"Let's see…" Pinkie looked over the letter, reading it out loud in her best Celestia voice:

"My faithful students:

"Everypony in Canterlot was pleased to receive your first report. The account of your adventures in the Seven Deserts astounded us all. You have learned so many lessons, and we are pleased to hear that you are making new friends. By 'we,' of course, I mean Luna, Cadance, Shining Armor, and myself. The rest of your families, as well as Spike, will be receiving a copy of your report as well.

"I should have expected that you would run into trouble with the Elements of Harmony. The Elements need to grow, and will do so with practice and learning. As your abilities in magic, honesty, generosity, loyalty, kindness, and laughter increase, so will your power. Continuing your journey will provide you with the opportunities to grow stronger. When Luna and I wielded them, we were weak at first, but our travels helped us to increase in power. Here's a fun fact—Luna wielded magic, honesty, and generosity, while I held loyalty, kindness, and laughter. However, I cannot tell you what sort of powers bolstered the djinni you faced. That will hopefully become clearer in time.

"I do regret that I did not know you were to visit the Shadow Country, or Luna and I would have sent our regards to Farabu. She was a true inspiration to Luna.

"We all wish you continued good luck on your travels. I also feel regret that I did not inform you of the transformations you would undergo. That was a fault on my part. I was afraid to tell you, fearing it would dissuade you from the journey. I would be lying if I said there were not still things to learn about your responsibility. However, it is nothing you cannot handle.

"I look forward to continued updates. I wish you all the best!

"Her Royal Highness Princess Celestia

"P.S. I have attached to this letter a royal seal. If you are to deal with royalty in your chase of Chrysalis, you may need it.

"P.P.S. While I am not usually fond of post-postscripts, I feel it is necessary to tell Twilight that while I worry for her, I do not judge her actions, decisions, or feelings. Follow your heart, Twilight Sparkle, and do not second-guess yourself." Pinkie rolled up the letter and looked back into the fireplace, where a glimmering gold seal lay on the marble. "Here's the seal, everypony! Ooh…shiny!"

"So we just need to get stronger!" Rainbow Dash stated. "Well, I'll prove to her what Rainbow Dash can do! I'll be super-powerful before you know it! And as long as you're at my side, which is always, you'll get just as strong!"

"It's good to know she doesn't judge you," Fluttershy said softly to Twilight.

"But she's still worried," Twilight moaned. "I'll do my best not to second-guess myself, but it still bothers me that she's worried. Then again, she doesn't seem disturbed that I set a criminally insane sorcerer loose on a world of magic…"

"Pardon me," Rarity interrupted, "but what is that place we're approaching? I would like to get my new line shipped off before we land."

"I'll get to work looking it up," Twilight promised. She produced the Guide, scrolling through screens to find the name of the territory that matched the coordinates onscreen. "Okay, I've got it! It's not an Earth territory, though it says a lot of the culture is similar to the Earth territories. For the most part, this planet hasn't been that central to cosmic events, though there is one kingdom that happens to be, quote, 'a source of light that shines across dimensions.' Whatever that means. The planet is known as Aestas. But it looks like we're sailing up right next to the kingdom, which is known as…"

---

CORONA, AESTAS

The Starlight sailed through a clear blue stretch of sea towards a medieval metropolis; the shining white buildings, especially the hilltop castle, were stunningly visible out the ship windows. As it had been when the Starlight had pulled into the river near Agrabah, the sun blazed brightly; however, Corona was most certainly not desert, as green grass was visible in flashes between the white structures and on the edge of the shore.

The ship pulled in right next to the coast, and Rainbow Dash hurried up to drop the anchor. She reported on her way down, "We're right next to a dock."

"Looks like it's time for…" Rarity ran out of the control room. The others stared after her; she'd managed to throw her new outfits into the fire and transport them back to Fourth Equestria, after which she'd uttered the cryptic sentence fragment. After five full minutes, Rarity skidded back into the control room wearing her stealth suit. "STEALTH RARITY! I'm just going for a short jaunt outdoors to see what the local civilians wear. I shall return!" With that, she left the room again.

---

While the others waited for Rarity to return, Fluttershy finished her hair treatment, letting the pink fluff cascade down past her shoulders. Twilight kept scrolling through screens on the Guide.

"Hey," Twilight suddenly said, "this is interesting. Hasn't anypony wondered why everypony seems to speak our language wherever we go?"

"That actually is a little bit odd," Applejack admitted.

"Well," Twilight explained, "there's something called the Babel Effect. Most sentient beings actually can't pick up on other languages like we do, and have to use aids like a 'Babel Fish.' However, certain beings, called 'Travelers,' can actually learn languages just through exposure to certain atmospheres. A 'Traveler' with a capital T is a term that used to be defined very specifically, but it's been expanded recently because of new types of Travelers. Basically, a Traveler is someone that's meant to cross between different dimensions and worlds, and so gets the Babel Effect because he or she needs it in order to, well, travel. I guess that means we're doing the right thing, huh?"

"But how do puns and rhymes translate, then?" Pinkie asked.

"I…" Twilight faltered. "I honestly have no idea on that one."

Rarity strode into the control room. "Well," she said, "I have a fairly good idea of what we're working with. The good news is, I have plenty of ideas! The bad news is…well…I don't quite know how to put this. You see, it's very in style for the mares to wear long skirts, apparently. I didn't see a single mare in pants. At all."

"WHAT?" Rainbow Dash cried.

"I already don't like where this is going," Applejack sighed.

"Oh, but you two enjoyed your skirts for the Gala so much!" Rarity protested. "Applejack, you're wearing yours right now!"

"I'm just not a fan of those flowy frilly ones," Applejack grumbled. "They ain't practical!"

"The dress you made for the Gala was beautiful," Rainbow Dash admitted. "I loved it! But that was for the Gala. That was special. This is gonna be every day, and we don't know how many days it will take to find Chrysalis. I don't wanna wear a skirt every day!"

"Well, you're going to have to!" Rarity ordered. "We don't need to stick out any more than we already do! Our hair seems to be the defeat of us when it comes to blending in. There only seem to be five types of hair color in the whole kingdom: blonde, brunette, black, red, and white, or a variant thereof."

"Well, there ya go," Applejack said with a shrug. "We stick out. Why not just wear the pants?"

"Because…well, because…" Rarity broke down. "Because I really really really want to design skirts for you two! I already have the ideas and everything! You two would have been so gorgeous! Absolutely gorgeous!"

Rainbow Dash sighed. "Fine…if it means that much to you…make me the stupid skirt."

"You don't need to give in like that, Rainbow Dash!" Twilight insisted.

"No," Rainbow Dash grumbled. "Look at her face, Twilight. Do you think I can say no to that face?"

Rarity's eyes were wide and sparkling at the prospect of making Rainbow Dash a dress, and her mouth was turned into a wide smile.

"But you owe me cool pants later!" Rainbow Dash demanded.

"But of course!" Rarity promised.

"Eh, guess there ain't that much difference in a few more inches of skirt," Applejack resolved. "Go ahead and make one for me too."

"YES!" Rarity cried. "I shall not fail!" She charged off to her chamber to begin work.

---

"I'm beginning to regret this," Rainbow Dash said as she looked upon her new dress. The dress had a soft blue bodice that faded down into purple in the swishy, A-liine skirt and faded into red at the off-the-shoulder sleeves trimmed in lace.

"Nonsense!" Rarity said, practically shoving the dress at Rainbow Dash. "Just try it on! You'll like it much better when you're wearing it!"

"All right…" Rainbow Dash left the room to change.

Rarity doled out the other dresses. Twilight's was also soft blue, but a different shade, not quite as bold; the bodice was adorned with a dark blue over-corset, and the skirt, the same cut as that on all the other dresses, was made of a fabric that sparkled slightly under the light. Applejack's was a deep, mossy green with a high neckline, a brown sash, and short, lacy sleeves. Fluttershy's was sea foam green with long, draping sleeves and a pattern of soft yellow flowers over the skirt. Pinkie's, a cotton-candy-pink number, had large, puffy sleeves and a short, gauzy over-layer for the skirt, cut into shapes like flower petals that flounced whenever the wearer moved. Finally, Rarity's dress, of a deep pink, had white lace trim on the hem, large draping sleeves, a white sash whose ribbon-edges trailed down the length of the skirt, and subtle maroon floral embroidery on the rather low-cut bodice.

Everypony met back up in the control room after donning the new garments. "I guess it isn't too bad," Rainbow Dash sighed. "Let's just get going already! We don't know how much damage Chrysalis has already done!"

Rarity passed out several low-heeled shoes of coordinating colors, and the six left the Starlight, letting the gangplank out at the dock.

---

Nopony could deny that Corona was a majestically beautiful kingdom. All roads in the city sloped upward to the castle. The streets themselves were of white cobblestone and absolutely bustling with activity; vendors haggled with customers over carts, friends greeted one another, parents carried children on their shoulders. The people here did have only the spectrum of hair colors Rarity had described, and most of them had skin on the paler side. The women all wore flowing skirts, and the men shirts and pants with the occasional vest. Among them could be seen livestock, geese and cattle. The houses along the streets were mostly made of wood, with some stone here and there, and were designed with intricate, multicolored gables, all tall enough that it felt as though the street was enveloping those who walked upon it. Strung from roof to roof were two different types of decorative strand: garlands of plants and lines of purple flags bearing a golden sun insignia that reminded the six of Celestia's Cutie Mark.

"It's beautiful!" Fluttershy gushed.

"It's like Agrabah," Twilight said, "but at the same time it's not."

"Reminds me of Canterlot!" Pinkie added.

As the six moved uphill, they passed other landmarks: a fountain, a library from whose window Twilight had to be dragged away, a wall mosaic depicting a brunette king and queen in violet finery holding a baby girl with flowing blonde hair. They walked through one of the busier squares, in which the sun symbol was set in the bricks of the street, and on to yet another square.

"How do we know what we're even lookin' for?" Applejack asked.

"I have no idea," Twilight admitted.

"Can we at least look around until we know?" Pinkie asked. "Everything here looks like so much fun!"

"I gotta agree," Rainbow Dash added. "I wanna explore this place."

"OOH!" Pinkie cried, seeing a crowd of people on the ground, drawing on the street. "Street art! Maybe we can join!"

"I don't see why not," Applejack said with a smile.

"We're on business!" Twilight insisted.

"We don't even know what business is!" Rainbow Dash shot back.

Twilight sighed. "Okay. You're right."

Rarity placed a hand on Twilight's shoulder. "It's all right. We'll find out what we're supposed to do eventually. I'd rather focus on our mission, but I suppose it isn't very healthy for us to forget to have some fun."

The six approached the group that drew upon the street. Four little redheaded girls used chalk to scribble multicolored designs upon the stone. Several women and a few men, all dressed in either earth tones or soft pastels, sketched tiny scenes—their selves, their homes, their families. The biggest drawing by far, a splash that looked like the night sky complete with comets and star-clusters, traced back to a young woman clothed in a vibrant purple dress. Her hands and her bare feet had turned multicolored as she used different chalk to add supernovas to her work. Her dark brown hair was cut to just above her neck in a perky way; her face had green eyes, freckles, and a smile that showed just how much she was enjoying her art.

Deciding this young woman was probably the leader of the artists, Pinkie approached her with a hop. "Hi! I love your drawing!"

"Thank you!" The young woman stood and brushed off her skirt. "We're all just kind of drawing what we want, if you want to join in. Are you new around here? I've never met you before!"

"I sure am!" Pinkie gushed. "My friends and I sailed here from far, far away!"

"Your friends?" The young woman looked over Pinkie's shoulder to see Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy. "Hi! Um, welcome to Corona…are you having a nice time?"

"It's absolutely fabulous," Rarity replied.

"You know, you can sure sit down and draw if you want," the young woman said. "I just kind of wanted a day to get out and know people and do some art, so…there's plenty of chalk."

"Yes!" Pinkie immediately knelt, grabbing a few pieces of pink chalk and beginning her own piece down on the street. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Fluttershy soon joined her.

Exchanging shrugs, Twilight and Rarity finally knelt down to do some drawing of their own.

---

A thick stretch of water separated Corona from the surrounding country; a bridge stretched from the kingdom to this other land. Here, on the other side, beaches stretched out before tangles of wilderness. Just beyond the tree line of one of these forests, looking out toward where Corona rose up from the glittering blue waters, the draconequus and the changeling stood.

"What an utterly boring place," Discord said with a yawn. "You would think that for such a distinct territory, it would have more magic in it. SOMETHING to make it less organized."

"Would we stand out in an undesirable way?" Chrysalis asked.

"Probably," Discord said with a shrug. "Oh, well. There's always…"

He shifted. Chrysalis was taken aback. Before her eyes, he became a human male, with pale skin and short brown hair. Though he lacked the facial structure of a draconequus, his eyes held the same expression within them that they always did—one of amusement, but that gave the beholder unease, as though he was laughing at whomever he looked at.

Chrysalis tried to think of what she wanted to ask first. Instead, she blurted out, "If you're trying to blend in, you WILL need clothing."

"Must I?" Discord sighed. With a snap of the fingers, he was suddenly clothed in resplendent robes of black and red.

"Have you always been able to become…that?" Chrysalis asked.

"On some planets, they actually know me better this way," Discord admitted. "Of course, under a different name and vastly different circumstances. SOME people just can't comprehend it if I don't do this! Oh, and you'll want to become something too. Don't pick one of the famous ones. We don't want to confuse anypony…YET."

Chrysalis thought over her short stint in Agrabah, when she had kidnapped the princess. She'd passed a few civilians, gleaning from them knowledge of whom they loved the most. Settling on one of the forms left in her memory, she transformed into a human woman, an Agrabanian who had never met the Equestrians, clothed in a green tunic, a green skirt, and a green hijab.

Discord applauded. "Much better! Now, to go over the plan."

"I came here because you said it was one of the most populous kingdoms in your memory," Chrysalis recapitulated. "Its princess must be absolutely adored."

"Trust me," Discord said. "She is. And just six days away from being married, too!"

"All I'll need to do is find her, dispose of her, and wed the prince myself." Chrysalis' gaze turned back out to Corona. "And all the love Corona has to offer shall be mine…mine to feast upon…"

"Ah, ah." Discord pointed out to the ship docked at the kingdom's edge. "Don't forget our little ponies."

"I shall figure out something for them when the time comes," Chrysalis replied. "There should be a window where they do not realize the difference between the royalty and myself. This time, there are no prophets around to tell them…and I'm sure that the prince isn't used to fakes."

"No prophets and no shape-shifters!" Discord confirmed. "The most magic this world's ever had was in its golden flower, but that was picked, and…well, I'm not going to ruin the surprise for you. It will be much more fun for you if you figure it out yourself!"

They both looked to Corona, dreaming of conquest, when a third voice interrupted them, a somewhat sultry female voice: "I see we are plotting a scheme most chaotic."

Discord and Chrysalis whipped around to see the slightly green-skinned woman dressed in black with the horned headdress. Discord recognized her immediately. "You again?" he snapped.

"I had thought you would be happy to see me," the woman replied with a smirk. "After all, I did release you from your stone prison."

"So that is her!" Chrysalis barked.

"You and I, we are not so different, Chrysalis," the woman said calmly. "You and I may not be Old Ones by the true definition, but we are both of the fair folk, are we not?"

"You aren't a changeling," Chrysalis spat.

"But she is a faerie," Discord pointed out. "I can tell from here. And, admittedly, faeries and changelings are, if you will, in the same bracket of supernatural being. Long lifespans, incredible powers…and most famous faeries and changelings have had a taste for chaos."

"I do not see why you look down upon me," the woman continued, "when a changeling, one of my stature in power…maybe even less so…is by your side."

"We have a bit of a history," Discord snapped. "Chrysalis was one of my best agents of chaos. All you did was speed up my inevitable release and try to claim superiority over me."

Chrysalis realized something. "How…how did you know my name?"

"I have watched your world and many others for a long time," the woman replied. "I have been preparing for a new age of chaos since…well, since the old one ended."

"You should at least tell us your name," Discord said condescendingly. "Unless you want to be completely rude."

"Of course not," the woman replied smugly. "I am Maleficent, the leader of the Overtakers."

"Who are these Overtakers?" Chrysalis snapped.

"Simply a group of like-minded beings," Maleficent answered, "whose desires match many of your own. We wish for destruction, darkness, chaos…power. If we were to commiserate…"

"And why would we do that?" Discord asked.

"You would still be a labyrinth decoration if not for me!" Now Maleficent's air of smugness was slipping; her temper was showing through. "Your release was not, in fact, inevitable. You have been asleep for thousands of years in Fourth Equestria. To some, you have only been gone a year, perhaps a month, but to others, you have been gone for eons! In all that time, I have been awake. I have been struck down, but never do they realize that I cannot, in fact, be permanently destroyed. I have gathered unimaginable powers! I have studied the warp and woof of the very multiverse! I have seen things you could only guess at! And I know of threats that have slipped under your sights. One of them lives in that very kingdom. Yes, you had planned to overtake the princess, usurp her wedding…but did you have any idea of the danger she was to you?"

"Please," Discord replied, "no flouncy little princess of a boring kingdom like this is going to be any threat to me."

"With that belief," Maleficent informed Discord, "you may very well one day find yourself sealed again."

"Not likely. I've even prepared for the Elements, after all. Are you meaning to tell me that there's something even more powerful that could stand up to me?"

"It is a distinct possibility," Maleficent replied somberly. "That is why I propose we combine our goals. All I want is for you to get what you want." The smile returned. "Chrysalis would take the form of the princess and wed the prince. You would gain control of the kingdom. And the princess' fate would be mine."

"Hmmm." Discord thought it over. "Well, we hadn't given much thought to what would actually happen to the princess…and you weren't going to interfere in our previous plan?"

"I would actually be willing to make you an offer," Maleficent said. "If things should go…awry with the Elements of Harmony, I would indeed interfere…so that you did not have to do it yourself. After all, they still do not believe that you are again awake, Discord…and that gives you power."

"And I know you would actually try to hold them back and ALSO that you have the capability to overpower them because…"

"Because it was I who showed Jafar how to gain the dark magic he currently wields."

That gave Discord pause. "YOU were the one who made him stronger than TWO other free djinni?"

"I give strength to all my Overtakers," Maleficent replied matter-of-factly. "Should anything go wrong, I would step in…and Corona itself would become an utter waste. Should I fail, you can always interfere with my intent. After all, you are more powerful than I."

"Very true," Discord realized. "All right. I'll bite."

"We shall, of course, need one more," Maleficent informed Discord. "You will appreciate her. She has caused her share of chaos. Of course, she currently makes her home in the Underworld, but I have my ways of returning the dead to life."

"You couldn't possibly!" Chrysalis accused.

"A normal faerie could not reverse death," Maleficent admitted. "Then again…a normal faerie would not have a special relationship to one of the masters of death itself. The Overtakers include friends in places both very high and incredibly low."

"Then humor me," Discord challenged. "Bring her up here. The more the merrier, after all."

"As you wish." Maleficent stepped back, creating a space between herself and Discord and Chrysalis. She passed her staff over the ground, alighting the grass with green fire. The fire rose into the shape of a mound as long as the average human being was tall. From the center outward, it subsided; it had been only a cocoon, and inside, the woman lay upon ground scorched clean of grass. She looked to be in her early twenties, with pale skin, wavy dark hair that flowed past her shoulders, and a face that, even with closed eyes that indicated unconsciousness, still betrayed a certain aura of dissatisfaction. She was clothed in a dress of deep red with gold edging and a darker red sash that tied at a circular brass buckle.

She opened her eyes. She took in the view of the trees overhead and the sun shining through. Confused, she sat up. "Well," she said haughtily, "THIS certainly doesn't look like Tartarus. Though looks have proven to be deceiving." She stood, looking around at Chrysalis, Discord, and Maleficent. "Are you here to deal out a new form of punishment? I'll have you know that rolling the rock up the endless hill is not only overdone, but would be just murder on my nails. I hope you've come up with something more creative."

"This is not Tartarus," Maleficent said. "This is the living world. In fact, it is the living world from which you came."

The new woman looked out towards Corona. "I thought I recognized that garish view."

"Your story impresses me," Maleficent told the woman. "You have no magical talents and your strength is average, yet you managed to abduct the infant princess, keep her locked up for eighteen years, use the talents of local criminals as pawns in your scheme to capture her forever, and nearly kill the prince-to-be twice…once by turning him over to the royal guard and once by your own hand. Most importantly to me, however, you have a complex connection to the princess, one I believe I can utilize. Join me…Gothel…and I will grant you that which you most wish."

"Don't think you can win me over with overdone lines," Gothel replied. "You can't give me what I want. What I want is gone!"

"On the contrary," Maleficent corrected. "The magic of the flower still lies within the princess herself, whether or not her hair has been cut. It is in her heart. If that is not sufficient, however, there is more than one way to skin a unicorn…"

Maleficent reached out, her hand glowing with a spherical green aura, and touched Gothel lightly upon the chin. Discord and Chrysalis watched in awe as some of Gothel's age lines, the few she had, disappeared.

Gothel felt the change. She grinned. "I DO like this!"

"My associates and I can grant you immortality as easily as I granted you life," Maleficent promised. "However, it does not come free of cost. If you wish any more regneration, you shall have to carry out a certain task for me…one that works in tandem with the schemes of our allies here."

"So you're going to just accept this random woman into your Overtakers," Discord criticized, "even though she doesn't have any power to speak of?"

"It is not her power or lack thereof that interests me," Maleficent retorted, "but her cruelty."

"In other words…" Gothel smirked. "You want me to be the bad guy."

---

Six murals now rivaled the brunette woman's starscape in size. Pinkie Pie dotted a mass of pure pink with multicolored flecks that resembled confetti. Twilight recreated the illustrations from her Equestrian history books, drawing a stylized Celestia and Luna watching over a landscape divided into day and night. Rarity formed an abstract pattern of varied colors that blended into each other the way the colors of her fashions did. Fluttershy drew bunnies and butterflies against a background of blue sky. Applejack drew her orchard, bright green trees studded with crimson apples. Rainbow Dash utilized all the chalk available to form a Sonic Rainboom there on the street, bright white in the middle and circling out into the colors of the rainbow.

By now, most of the other civilians had left, and only the six remained with the brunette woman.

"I must say," Rarity blurted, "we've come up with some simply divine decoration!"

"Your drawings are all so great!" the brunette woman gushed.

"Thanks," Twilight replied, "but yours is actually the most accurate. You have all the constellations in the right place in relation to each other! How'd you do that?"

"Well…star charting is one of my hobbies…" the brunette woman replied humbly.

"I just realized we've been drawing out here all afternoon," Pinkie said, "and we don't even know your name!"

"I should have introduced myself!" the brunette woman realized. "Well…this might sound a little bit weird, since I waited so long to say it, but my name's Rapunzel, and I'm, well, I'm sort of the princess of this kingdom. Who are you?"

Instead of answering Rapunzel's question, the six gaped at her. "THE PRINCESS?" they chorused.

"I'm really sorry I didn't mention it earlier," Rapunzel replied sheepishly. "Actually, part of the reason I came down here to draw in the first place was to get to know the people better. I don't want to be one of those princesses that sits up in the castle all day and doesn't care about her people, and making new friends who love drawing is fun anyway."

"You're getting married," Pinkie stated, "aren't you?"

"Yeah," Rapunzel replied, smiling at the thought. "It's true. I can still hardly believe it myself…I'm actually getting married to the best possible person I could ever have asked for! Anyway, you still haven't said who you are."

"We're…ambassadors," Rarity said, improvising. "From another kingdom. And we have word that you're in terrible, terrible danger!"

"Someone from our kingdom is coming here to sabotage your wedding," Twilight added, "and she'll probably try to…well, get rid of you!"

Rapunzel was stunned. "How…how do I know you're…"

"Telling the truth?" Rarity drew the royal seal Celestia had sent. "This is the seal of our kingdom, Canterlot. We were officially sent by our princess to warn you!"

"And, if all goes well, stop that nasty criminal from ruinin' your wedding and hurtin' ya!" Applejack added.

It took Rapunzel a while to come up with a response. "I believe you," she said, looking at the seal. "But you'll still have to talk to my parents about this. If someone's making a threat on Corona, they'll need to know."

"We should tell them right away!" Pinkie cried, leaping to her feet. "Like, right now!"

Rapunzel also rose. "Come with me," she said. "We're going to the castle."

Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash also got to their feet. Rapunzel began walking uphill; the others followed.

"I've never heard of Canterlot," Rapunzel admitted.

"It's…really, REALLY far away," Rainbow Dash insisted.

"You still haven't told me your names," Rapunzel reiterated.

In response, the six gave their names:

"I'm Twilight Sparkle."

"And I'm Rainbow Dash!"

"Name's Applejack."

"I'M PINKIE PIE!"

"I am Rarity."

"Flutter…shy…"

Rapunzel seemed confused at first. "Guess you haven't heard names like ours around here," Twilight guessed.

"I haven't," Rapunzel admitted, "but then again, I have the same name as a kind of lettuce, so I shouldn't judge."

"If you don't mind me askin'," Applejack broke in, "what makes ya believe us?"

"You…seem honest," Rapunzel answered. "I mean, I've been tricked before, but I also learned that more people than you'd think have good intentions, so I'm trying to give the world the benefit of the doubt." She didn't add that if the six were revealed to be harmful, the palace guards would be able to defend her…after she got a few shots in herself. "So…tell me more about this Canterlot."

The six silently agreed to let Twilight give Rapunzel the version that didn't betray their origins before they figured out whether or not the princess was aware of other worlds or could conceive of ponies as a dominant species. "Well," Twilight began, "it's ruled by two princesses, one of the day and one of the night. We're students of the princess that rules during the day, and…"

---

On the way up to the castle, as the sun set, the six had explained their lives back home as best they could while still sounding as though "home" wasn't that different from Corona. Twilight had said she studied mythology under Celestia. Applejack had admitted to running an apple orchard. Rarity said she designed clothing. Pinkie Pie said she was a baker, and loved parties, though she did let the term "foalsitter" slip when she described her job taking care of the Cakes' children. Rainbow Dash said she was an athlete, and the best at races. Fluttershy said she cared for a variety of animals. Now the conversation had turned around to Rapunzel and how she came to be engaged.

"Well, it's kind of a long story," Rapunzel said, "but I didn't always know I was the princess. Until this past year, I thought I was just an ordinary girl…well, maybe not that ordinary. I had some…special talents. And I lived in a place where I hid from the outside world because I thought people would try to hurt me and use me because of my talents. Then, one day, a thief named Eugene Fitzherbert broke into my home. He tried to tell me his name was Flynn Rider, but that turned out just to be a name he used because he thought it sounded braver and more adventurous. He actually got it out of the Flynnigan Rider books."

"What do you think, Rainbow Dash?" Pinkie asked. "Would you ever change your name to Daring Do?"

"Not for real," Rainbow Dash said, "but I wouldn't mind pretending to be her for a day or two…"

"Is Daring Do the heroine of the adventure books in your kingdom?" Rapunzel asked.

"Yep yep!" Pinkie replied. "Now keep going with the story!"

"Anyway," Rapunzel said, "at that time, what I wanted more than anything in the world was to go outside to see the lanterns that I saw in the sky on my birthday. So I tricked Eugene into taking me there. As we went along, well…first, he started to be a lot less of a rival and more of a friend. By the time we actually saw the lanterns, I realized I felt something much more about him. Like…seeing the light. We'd been through so much together, shared our secrets…after the lanterns went down, some complicated things happened. We ended up saving each other's lives. I found out that I was the lost princess of Corona, and that's why the lanterns went up on my birthday every year. We went together to meet my parents. After I moved into the castle, we kept seeing each other, and we fell more in love every day. Then he asked me to marry him, and I said yes immediately! Now our wedding is set to be in six days."

"That's the best story!" Pinkie gushed.

"It's certainly very romantic," Rarity said with a slight coldness. She knew it was all a matter of luck, and not fair to fault Rapunzel, but she was jealous that Rapunzel—as had Jasmine—had found true love, her prince charming, and Rarity was still waiting.

By now, the seven had reached the castle. Guards in red uniforms stood posted before the great doors. The being that came down the front path to survey the seven, however, was not human, but a horse—a tall, muscular white stallion who wore a sun-shaped medallion over his chest.

"Hey, Maximus," Rapunzel greeted.

Maximus gave her a short whinny of greeting before focusing on the six newcomers.

"They're ambassadors from another kingdom," Rapunzel told the horse. "Everyone, meet Maximus, the captain of the Corona guard!"

"Um…" Fluttershy, as the others, didn't know what to say. Maximus didn't seem quite as animalistic as the pegasi of Galifem, but at the same time, he most certainly was not a talking Animal by Twilight's definition. "Hello?"

Maximus stared down the "ambassadors." There was something familiar about them, but he couldn't put his hoof on it. He knew he'd never met any of them before. However, he couldn't shake the feeling that they were somehow similar to him in a way that Rapunzel wasn't.

"They have a message for my parents," Rapunzel told Maximus. "Wanna help us deliver it?"

Maximus gave a nod before falling in alongside the seven women.

The great doors opened, and the group of eight entered the wide entrance hall. Rapunzel led them down gleaming white corridors, seeking the room that held the king and queen.

Turning one corner, she ran into a young man with similarly brown hair and very expressive eyes, dressed in a white tunic and brown pants with an intricate teal vest. "Rapunzel!" he greeted. "How'd your bonding with the townspeople go? I see a few of them followed you home." He smirked, but Twilight noted it was a very different smirk than the one she was used to seeing on Mozenrath—this expression was more playful.

"Eugene!" Rapunzel greeted the man by throwing her arms around his neck, and he immediately reacted by wrapping his arms around her back. The six Equestrians knew this was the man she was to marry. Rarity felt a pang of envy; Pinkie Pie came down with a case of what she would have described as "the warm fuzzies."

Rapunzel then backed out of the embrace. "They're ambassadors from another kingdom," she told Eugene. "They say that Corona is in danger from someone they know. I'm taking them to see my parents about it. Speaking of which, how was your day bonding with them?"

"Well," Eugene replied, "I managed to beat your dad at chess three times out of eight. I let him win the other five so he wouldn't hold a grudge when the wedding came around."

A tiny green chameleon clambered up the back of Eugene's vest, settling down on his right shoulder. It gave a noise of discontent, rearing up on its hind legs and folding its front legs in condescension.

"All right, fine," Eugene sighed. "I only started winning when Pascal slipped me hints."

The chameleon, apparently Pascal, smiled and nodded his approval.

"I think your parents are still in the chess room, actually," Eugene concluded. "Onward we go! So, carrying messages from another kingdom?"

"From Canterlot," Rarity clarified. "It's a very serious matter. Your wedding is in danger."

"With eagle-eye Maximus patrolling the grounds?" Eugene said in disbelief as the group, now with him and Pascal, moved toward the chess rom. "I'd like to see the bad guy that can get past him."

Maximus whinnied his agreement.

In the meantime, Fluttershy had tentatively made her way to Eugene's side to get a better look at Pascal. "He's adorable," she said softly.

Pascal looked down at Fluttershy and gave a click of approval. Fluttershy squeaked happily.

A wooden door led from the hallway to a tapestry-laden room—most of said tapestries sewn of purple and gold thread—where the king and queen, immediately recognizable as the figures from the mosaic in town, sat at opposite ends of a chess table, the king playing black and the queen playing white.

"Mom?" Rapunzel said. "Dad?"

The king and queen looked towards the group gathered in the doorway.

"May I present," Eugene said dramatically, "their royal majesties, Queen Barbara and King Zal of Corona!"

"There's no need to be so formal, Eugene!" Zal laughed. "After all, soon you'll be calling us Mom and Dad as well!"

"Who are your friends?" Barbara asked.

"They have something kind of serious to tell you," Rapunzel began.

"Your daughter's in danger!" Pinkie cried. "And we just CAN'T let anything happen to her! She's so nice!"

Rarity cleared her throat, stepping forward. "I'll explain properly," she said. "Your highnesses, we are the students of Princess Celestia of Canterlot." She held out the seal. "A dangerous criminal from our kingdom has gone on the run, and we have very strong reason to believe that she intends to come here and harm Princess Rapunzel. She left very specific evidence that she was to strike at the time of a royal wedding, and we understand that your daughter is to be wed to Mr. Fitzherbert in six days' time. It is our aim to stop her at all costs and make sure your kingdom is safe."

Barbara and Zal were struck speechless. "This…is serious," Zal said. "However, we have received no word of an incoming threat."

"She is a master of stealth," Rarity explained. "After all, she tried to sabotage the wedding of another of our own princesses and use it to gain power over Canterlot. You probably wouldn't be aware of it when she did turn up."

"We shall then increase the guard around the castle," Barbara resolved, "especially during the wedding."

"Can't we help?" Pinkie asked. "We've dealt with her before, and anyway, we really like Rapunzel! Or, at least I do…"

The other five nodded their assent; Rapunzel had left a good impression on everypony.

"We simply do not know if we can trust you," Zal informed them. "Without evidence, we cannot let you onto the castle premises. After all, for all we know, you may be using this story to sabotage the wedding yourselves."

"We do not mean to accuse you," Barbara added hastily. "If we can be sure that we can trust you, you would of course be free to attend the wedding. It is, after all, open to most of the kingdom."

"We can find a way to show that you're trustworthy," Rapunzel told the six Equestrians. "Don't worry."

"We do thank you for bringing this message," Barbara said. "We will keep it in mind as we prepare for the upcoming ceremony."

"However, it is sundown," Zal pointed out, "and we must ask you to leave the castle grounds. You are, after all, strangers."

"Awwww…" Pinkie moaned.

"We understand," Rarity stated. "We also thank you for hearing us out."

"Maximus will see you out," said Zal.

"This isn't gonna be the last time we see each other, is it?" Pinkie asked Rapunzel.

"Of course not," Rapunzel replied. "We had so much fun today, after all. I'll probably even see you tomorrow. But for tonight, you should probably…"

"No problem," said Applejack. "We get it. C'mon, girls."

Maximus led the six Equestrians out of the chess room and down the hallways. Eugene, having left Pascal with Rapunzel, eventually caught up to them. "Even I have to get out when the sun goes down," he sighed. "I assume you've heard the story. The story of how the dashing, daring Flynn Rider, once public enemy number one of Corona, changed his ways when he met the beautiful Rapunzel—"

"We heard," Twilight said with a wink, "but in the version we got, your name was Eugene Fitzherbert. Which, by the way, Rapunzel called you when she saw you today."

"It just doesn't have the same ring to it!" Eugene complained. "Of course, if I'm going to become the prince of Corona, I have to use my legal name…Eugene Fitzherbert, prince of Corona."

"Are ya nervous?" Applejack asked him. "It's kind of a big deal, becomin' the prince. Not to mention marryin' your true love."

"Oh, I'm nervous, all right," Eugene confirmed. "I'm not exactly prince material. I grew up an orphan and a thief."

"Oh, trust us," Rainbow Dash replied, "that's prince material. We've seen it firsthand."

"O…kay…if you say so," Eugene said in confusion. "Anyway, it's all gonna be worth it just to be with her. She's some kind of amazing, you know? I mean, you were with her today. Now Rapunzel…she'll make a great queen."

They reached the exit; Maximus left them at this point. "So," Eugene asked, "you ladies got anywhere to stay? I mean, since you're from another kingdom and all."

"We can just stay on our ship," Twilight said. "It's kind of like home away from home now."

"You sure?" Eugene asked. "'Cause if you wanted to stay in town, I've got plenty of room at my place. It isn't too far from here, actually. Once I became engaged to the princess, they couldn't let me stay in the castle, but they did give me quite the manor to live in until I move into the castle officially. Besides, I know what it's like to not have a place to belong in this kingdom."

"Girls," Twilight announced, "conference."

The six huddled in a circle, speaking softly. "It would be nice to not have to go all the way back down to the ship," Rarity said. "And besides, we should get to know the city."

"Can we trust him?" Fluttershy asked.

"I think so," Twilight answered. "And even if it turns out we can't, he doesn't seem very powerful. In the magic sense, I mean. We could just turn the Elements of Harmony on him."

"Let's take the offer, then," Rainbow Dash resolved. "After all, he seems like a cool guy."

The conference broke up. "We'll stay with you," Rarity answered.

"Right this way!" Eugene led them to a nearby house. He hadn't exaggerated; it was three stories tall, twice as wide as most other houses on the street, and intricately designed.

The interior of the house was very lavish, though not quite up to the level of the palace. "You ladies need anything to eat?" Eugene asked. "I have this huge venison roast in the icebox that I haven't finished. And I mean HUGE. Plenty for all of us. I swear I didn't steal it—they've been supplying me with food from the palace ever since I became the prince-to-be."

"Thank you," Twilight said, "but Fluttershy doesn't eat meat. Do you have anything else for her? Particularly anything that has sea vegetables, soy, almonds, cauliflower, or spinach."

"That's incredibly specific," Eugene replied, thinking it over. "I think I have some fancy kelp and sesame salad they sent over. I keep throwing those out because honestly, I think they're disgusting, but if you want it, it's all yours."

"Thank you so much," Fluttershy said softly.

"Hey, no problem," Eugene replied. "Now, talking about food is reminding me that I'm honestly starving, so we should move this conversation into the dining room."

---

That evening, after Barbara and Zal finished their games of chess, Zal left for the master bedchamber, but Barbara detoured to her daughter's room. She entered Rapunzel's bedroom to find the princess lying awake, hands behind her head and over the plum-colored pillow, staring up at the ceiling painted with the golden sun symbol of Corona.

"Sweetie," Barbara asked, "are you all right? The news today was…disturbing."

"I'm fine," Rapunzel answered. "I'm sure nothing that bad will happen. Like Eugene said, I'd like to see the person that could get past Maximus…and even if someone did, that person would have to deal with Eugene and me. I'm actually glad I met the ambassadors today. We drew murals in the street together. They're all very friendly, especially Pinkie Pie. I know I shouldn't just trust people I meet at random, but I really feel like I should give them the benefit of the doubt. Anyway, I actually thought of a way we can see if they're trustworthy. It'll also give me the chance to tie up some loose ends tomorrow."

"So long as you're all right," Barbara said. "Good night, Rapunzel. I love you."

"I love you…too," Rapunzel said, catching herself. Old habits had nearly caused her to say "I love you more."

"I will see you in the morning," Barbara replied. "Sweet dreams." Then she left.

Rapunzel still stared at the sun on the ceiling. Her thoughts were not on the six new friends she'd made, but instead on Barbara. Though it was best that she hadn't said the phrase "I love you more," she wished she could have said it. Even more, she wished she could have truly meant it. Her mother was the kindest person she had ever met, and had welcomed her long-lost daughter with open arms; Rapunzel wanted to emotionally repay that. Still, old memories persisted. Memories of false love and of lies…of joy and of what Rapunzel had thought was love. Those memories continually got in the way between her and Barbara, and the queen couldn't even see it.

As always whenever Rapunzel thought it over too hard, tears came to the princess' eyes. She changed her focus, thinking about the drawings in the street and what she wanted to do with the six newcomers to Corona, and those thoughts eventually lulled her to sleep.

---

Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity had settled in one of the spare bedrooms; Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Applejack settled in the other. The beds were large enough to accommodate three, so they all snuggled in next to each other.

With his guests settled, Eugene made the rounds of his temporary house to make sure everything was locked up. He often thought that the place he'd been given was so big, he could probably be in the same house as a burglar all day and never notice anything was off.

A noise alerted him; he turned to see Rainbow Dash. "Um…hi," he said.

"Hey," Rainbow Dash greeted. "Sorry to bug you, but I couldn't sleep, and I just wanted to tell you that I think it's really cool, how you identified with that book character and all. Yeah, Rapunzel told me. I know you've kinda abandoned the whole 'Flynn' identity, but I still think it was cool."

"I still think it was cool," Eugene agreed. "You…you read adventure books much? Like swashbuckling tales of daring-do?"

"More literally than you'd think," Rainbow Dash replied.

"You know," Eugene said, "after dinner tonight and everything, I think you're good people. So, just because I know you'd love it and I'm not using it anymore, I wanna show you something. Come on."

He led Rainbow Dash down to a living room filled with bookshelves. He took from the shelves one of the only things in the house that wasn't immaculate; in fact, it was tattered and old. It was a book entitled Flynnigan Rider and the Island of Doom.

"Don't steal it," he told Rainbow Dash as he handed it to her. "I mean, it's just a book, but if you take advantage of me to walk away with it, I will be pretty angry."

"I…I can read it?" Rainbow Dash asked with a smile.

"You seem like the kind of person that would love it," Eugene replied with a smile. "Just let me know what you think."

"This…this is awesome!" Rainbow Dash cried. "Can I stay up and read it for a bit?"

Eugene lit one of the candles near a chair in the living room. "Knock yourself out," he said before leaving the room to go to sleep.

Rainbow Dash curled up with her new book, reading until she felt tired enough to go back to bed alongside Twilight and Rarity.

---

Chapter 17:

· I originally didn't have the world Corona was on as named. I started this fic before "Frozen" was a thing. I decided I did in fact want Frozen and Tangled to be on the same world, and that meant I had to give it a world name for the location headers to distinguish between the two kingdoms while establishing it as the same world. "Aestas" is Latin for "summer." I chose that word because of Corona's association with the sun and Arendelle's association with seasons.

· This takes place between Tangled and Tangled Ever After. I did see Tangled Ever After. I liked it. I accept it as canon. However, for the purposes of this story and the rule of fun, I'm going to intercept it here and do the wedding with a twist.

· Fluttershy relaxes her hair because of a headcanon based on a conversation with Ophira. It makes sense to me. After all, she meets Rarity at the spa every week, which gives her the opportunity to do it, and her hair does have that very slight curl to it. It would also make sense with her personality, in a way, as Ophira pointed out—Fluttershy spends so much time taking care of others that if her hair was at all complicated to treat, she would probably do that one thing for herself to make her daily life easier.

· Fluttershy also had to become a vegetarian. I realized this, and I'm kinda regretting not doing it earlier. I don't think I really need to explain why I made this development.

· I feel like I should have included some non-Earth foods in Twi's research. After all, it's the GUIDE. But I'm boring and the only non-Earth vegetable-based food I could think of was nipling and colly from the Diana-Wynne-Jonesverse, and that stuff is good for NOTHING. Also, in the early chapters, I didn't properly capture the Guide's snark. This was rectified later.

· There's still stuff Celestia hasn't told the Mane Six about having/being the Elements. But she's a bit of a coward because it's huge stuff.

· Babel Effect: because I needed to explain the language barrier/lack thereof. I came up with the name "Babel Effect" myself, but the concept of "Traveler" is from The Pendragon Adventure and the Babel Fish is, of course, from Hitchhiker's Guide.

· RD and AJ aren't fans of full skirts because RD hates so much as getting hooficures and Rarity's song "Art of the Dress" states that AJ doesn't care much for fashion. Now, I fully believe they enjoyed wearing full skirts to the Gala and Cadence's wedding, but those were special occasions with different circumstances. And I do see AJ as being more fine with skirts than RD. I just couldn't see them wearing pants in Corona without standing out…and more importantly, much like Rarity, I wanted to design dresses for everypony. So I owe RD a pair of nice pants.

· Discord's human form is, as you probably expected, Q from Star Trek: The Next Generation. They ARE the same being. How does this work with Discord being an Old One and Q being of a distinct alien race? We'll work that out later.

· I have this theory that changelings can "read" who others love, and this is how they can take on those forms. Chrys wears all green because it's obviously her favorite color.

· Even Wikipedia agrees that changelings and faeries are of the same supernatural ilk. Yes, its definition of "changeling" was different, but I think Chrys' version is a believable offshoot.

· Whenever Mal appears in any massive Disney crossover, she always brings with her all the other Disney villains that died in their respective canons. I'm sure she knows how to just bring them back from the dead. It's very believable that Hades gave her that ability; Mal/Hades is actually a popular pairing (and one I'll be playing with), so it makes sense for them to be close allies.

· They said they were from Canterlot because it was easier to explain that way. Plus, while "Canterlot" already sounds like the name of a kingdom of equines, "Ponyville" is even more of a dead giveaway.

· Daring Do is the Indiana Jones parody that forms a popular adventure book series in MLPFIM.

· The king and queen in Tangled technically have no names. My choices were based on the mythos of Rapunzel; the fairy tale may have been based on a Persian poem (from which the name "Zal" comes) and may have also been based on the life of St. Barbara. I Wiki'd this.

· My headcanon is that you can't live in the castle unless you're literally part of the family—and I doubt Barbara and Zal want to risk letting Eugene and Zel sleep in the same room!—but if you're important to the royal family, they'd probably set you up with accommodations and food. I suppose Eugene should have a job by now, but I don't see the point, since he's going to marry into a very demanding job anyway.

· I kept typing "Flynn" instead of "Eugene" by accident and having to backpedal. If I left a Flynn in, I apologize.

· And of course, if RD loves the adventure books of HER world and a similar series is hinted to exist in the Tangledverse, she has to be a Flynnigan Rider fan!

A/N: You'll want to be familiar with the song "I've Got a Dream" from Tangled for this next one.

---

1. The Princesses

CORONA, AESTAS

"All right, all right, I'm coming!" Eugene grumbled, storming toward the door where someone was knocking incessantly. "You can stop knocking now!"

He swung open the door to reveal Maximus staring him down. "Really?" Eugene sighed. "All that knocking? You're just doing this to mess with me now."

Maximus nickered teasingly.

"What's goin' on?" Applejack appeared at Eugene's side. "Hey, Maximus. What's goin' on?"

With a toss of his head, Maximus referred to the Corona castle behind him.

"We're wanted at the castle?" Eugene asked to clarify.

Maximus nodded.

"Hey gals!" Applejack called out. "We got business up at the castle! Somebody get Rainbow Dash outta bed and—"

"I'm already awake!" Rainbow Dash called back, walking into the room with Eugene's book in her hand, a finger marking her place.

"What got you up so darn early?" Applejack asked.

"I had to figure out how Rider got out of the whirlpool," Rainbow Dash answered, holding up the book. "And it was AWESOME!"

"Better than Daring Do?" Applejack inquired.

"It's pretty close," Rainbow Dash admitted.

"Just wait until you get to the part with the lava," Eugene gushed. "Hands down, best part."

Maximus rolled his eyes.

"Uh, I think Maximus there is gettin' a little impatient with us," Applejack said sheepishly. "We'd better get our act together."

---

Within a matter of minutes, Twilight, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Eugene, and Maximus were on their way to the castle. Rainbow Dash made the mistake of trying to walk and read at the same time; after nearly crashing into three carts and a family of five, Rarity confiscated her book. Twilight was nothing short of impressed with Rainbow's devotion.

Maximus led the group through the castle gates and all the way up to Rapunzel's bedroom. The princess was in the process of piling up rucksacks on her bed. Every now and again, Pascal helped drag one into place.

"Oh!" she cried, realizing the ones she'd sent for were there. "You got my message from Maximus!"

"Loud and clear and over and over," Eugene said spitefully. Maximus let out a whinny that was obviously a giggle.

"Well, I had this idea," Rapunzel said. "It would be a good way to get to know all of you, and at the same time, get something done that I've been meaning to for a while."

"Sounds like fun!" Pinkie replied. "I don't even know what it is yet, and it sounds fun!"

"It's sort of an…adventure, maybe," Rapunzel said, "though probably not a very exciting one. You see, there are still a lot of things back at my old tower, the place I lived before I came here, that I haven't gone back to get. Some cooking equipment, some sewing stuff, three books…and a lot of my best paints. I was thinking we could all go together and, you know, talk. About your kingdom and the threat you said came from it. Or just about life in general. So…do you want to come with me?"

"YES!" Pinkie yelped emphatically.

"I think I speak for all of us when I say we're in," Twilight added.

"And you know I'm there," Eugene finished.

"Great!" Rapunzel said excitedly. "Pascal and Maximus already agreed, so we just need to get our things together to pack up once we're there, and we can go!"

"All right," Applejack commanded, "everypony take a bag and let's go!"

The six Equestrians moved to help pick up the bags; Fluttershy was momentarily confused by the fact that she had to carry the sack in her hands instead of strapping it to her back.

Eugene took Rapunzel aside. "You sure you're ready for this? I mean…you haven't touched that place in a LONG time. You really haven't wanted to go back."

"I have to go back," Rapunzel insisted. "It can't just be something that sits out there and bothers me. I have to face up to it…and besides, how else am I going to get my paints back?"

"Not to be overly sentimental, but I want to be sure you're okay with this."

"I'll be okay. After all, you'll be with me, right?"

"All the way!"

"What are they talking about?" Rainbow Dash whispered to Twilight.

"I don't know," Twilight replied, "but I think we're going to find out eventually. After all, we're about to spend a lot of time together. And that's good…if Rapunzel's going to be out in the open, I want to be sure we can protect her from anything."

---

At last, six ponies in human form, two humans, one majestic stallion, and one shoulder-riding chameleon set out from the castle, down through town, and across the bridge.

"It's about a two-day walk," Rapunzel said.

"We've handled worse than a little walking," Rainbow Dash boasted.

"So what's the deal with you ladies anyway?" Eugene asked. "I mean, it's obvious you're not from around here. The hair and everything."

"Our kingdom is very far away," Twilight began. "We're actually on kind of a special mission from our princesses."

"You see," Rarity said, "we're somewhat of heroes back home. Just the usual…banishing monsters, planning royal events, designing hit fashions—"

"That's not heroic," Rainbow Dash interrupted.

"It's very heroic!" Rarity argued.

"A dangerous criminal named Chrysalis escaped from our kingdom," Twilight said as the group moved into the woods, "and back home, she tried to take over our kingdom by attacking during Princess Cadance's wedding. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna have sent us on a bit of a…peacekeeping mission to visit other kingdoms."

"It's an exploration mission too!" Rainbow Dash added.

"We found Chrysalis in the last kingdom we visited," Pinkie Pie said, "and she was trying to take over the throne there! Just before she escaped, she said she was going to find someone else's wedding to ruin!"

"Celestia and Luna want us to stop Chrysalis while we explore other kingdoms," Applejack concluded. "So we're tryin' to protect y'all."

"So you're adventurers," Rapunzel concluded.

"Sorta," Applejack admitted.

"And what are you when you're not adventurers?" Eugene asked.

"Well," Twilight began, "I'm one of Princess Celestia's best students of magi—of mythology…"

---

THE BORDERLANDS OF CORONA, AESTAS

In a gorgeous vale surrounded by high mountains and even one waterfall, the tower sprouted from the ground like a tree, its apartment-like living space perched atop a monumentous column. The apartment itself was dark but for the light that poured in through one window set in the side; skylights could be opened for greater visibility, and candles could be lit, but the four occupants of the room currently had no desire to use either source of light. Various items of clutter lay about the apartment—art supplies, kitchen utensils, and shards of glass from a mirror intertwined with roughly sixty-nine feet of brown hair coiled on the floor. Upon seeing these things, Gothel shivered, and made extra care to step directly on the glass shards so they would break.

"Touch nothing," Maleficent ordered. "They will be here soon. They must not know of our presence. For now, I thought this a fitting place to explain what must be done."

"So you're going to finally stop being so vague," Discord snorted, "and let us know what's actually going on?"

"As a matter of fact, yes," Maleficent answered. She faced Discord, Chrysalis, and Gothel. "I know that two of you are familiar with the cosmic order beyond this planet. As for Gothel…what idea have you of the scope of the universe?"

"I never really cared," Gothel admitted offhandedly. "What does it matter to me whether or not there's anything else out there?"

"I see," Maleficent observed. "You cling tightly to the belief that what cosmic order there is revolves around you."

"It makes for a nice dream," Gothel said with a smile.

"Unfortunately, it is not true," Maleficent informed the woman. "If you should complete your task successfully and join me, it may become closer to reality."

"What an ego this one has," Discord hissed to Chrysalis.

"My power and the power of the Overtakers is rooted in darkness," Maleficent said. "Were I you, Discord, I would stop gossiping and listen. This is where the story becomes relevant."

"Well, you don't have to get snippy," Discord replied.

"The new age will be rooted in darkness," Maleficent said. "It is the only way that the Old Ones can again thrive—"

"Wrong," Discord interrupted.

"And what trivialities have you to impart on the subject?" Maleficent asked, miffed.

"I'm beyond the whole light-and-darkness thing," Discord said offhandedly. "I really DON'T care which one is in the lead so long as I get my chaos. Darkness blinds and light burns. Darkness keeps your secrets while light illuminates truth. And so on and so on."

"Admittedly, it is true that the new age does not require darkness," Maleficent replied. "However, it is by drawing upon the deepest darkness that both you and I, Discord, will gain our power. Darkness makes destruction."

"Let's see how long it takes before that comes back to bite you with delicious irony," Discord shot back.

"In any case, with darkness as our strength, we can destroy those who would oppose us…including the Elements of Harmony," Maleficent explained. "I will reiterate: it was that darkness that allowed Jafar to overpower all who challenged him."

She turned to Gothel. "There are countless worlds…more than trillions. More than you could ever comprehend. I once heard a quite apt comparison…there are as many worlds as there are grains of sand on a beach. I intend to shroud all these worlds in darkness, allow the Old Ones to regain their power, and reign supreme—"

"Correction," Discord said. "If you let my friends and I regain our full power, WE, NOT you, will reign supreme."

"A matter we can work out later," Maleficent told Discord. "For now, accept that we have the same goal. I am working to help you. It matters not whether you work towards the empowerment of the Overtakers; it will happen anyway. With our darkness comes the chaos you so love."

"And the point of this is…?" Gothel asked. "I'm starting to get bored over here. Ramble, ramble, ramb—"

"THE POINT," Maleficent continued, so loudly that Gothel flinched, "is that in this multiverse, there are a great many cosmic beings that have power. For those of us who have tapped into the deepest darkness, there are also those who have access to the brightest of light."

"Question," Discord interrupted. "Since you know SO much about the darkness, would you happen to be the current Left Eye of the—"

"WE SHALL NOT SPEAK OF THAT!" Maleficent cried; she swung her staff in a circle, shooting a bolt of lightning at Discord. Discord backhanded it away.

"So that's a no," he muttered.

"I shall concede," Maleficent growled. "No, I am not the Left Eye, but should anything HAPPEN to the current Left Eye, which is one of my goals, I would most certainly be next in line."

"Left what now?" Gothel asked.

"The ultimate guardian of darkness in all existence," Maleficent answered. "It is what I must become…and will become. The current Left Eye…a fool and a harlot. However, that is currently not relevant. I would rather concern myself with the forces of light. Certain beings have pure hearts and therefore great powers of light. It is my understanding that the gods set this system in place to make sure that there would always be certain kingdoms in the multiverse that were ruled with just hands. Or rather, the goddesses…they have favored women.

"Throughout existence, there will always be seven princesses who are pure of heart and therefore are connected to nearly limitless light. They can utilize this power to repel darkness. I know the current identity of each princess and where she is. One of them, Chrysalis, is Jasmine of Agrabah, whom you failed to properly capture…but I'm sure we can return to her."

"Discord set up a lovely team of agents of chaos to torment Agrabah," Chrysalis informed Maleficent. "The girl will soon find herself overwhelmed."

"And let me guess," Gothel sighed. "Rapunzel is one of these seven goody-goodies."

"Not yet," Maleficent replied.

"Then what's the point?" Gothel asked. "And why don't you just kill all of them if they're that much of a nuisance?"

"I cannot," Maleficent answered, "for as has been demonstrated in one of the more foolish acts of one of my allies, whenever one of the seven dies, another will take her place to help guard the light. My ally murdered the seven previous Princesses of Heart, as they are called. We had thought that would wipe out such a force of light, but seven new princesses stepped in to take their place. Four were the daughters of the ones who had been killed. One married the son of one who had been killed. The cycle will always continue. Therefore, it must be ensured that all of these princesses are secured, captured…not killed…and made unable to disrupt us. This includes those who could take the place of the current seven. I have sought many answers, and have discovered all the princesses that could possibly become a new threat should one of the current seven die. Rapunzel is one." She turned to Chrysalis. "Mi Amore Cadenza is another. See to it that what you began is eventually finished. Only then can we be sure that none of them will stand against us."

"Are they ALWAYS princesses?" Discord groaned.

"As I said, the gods wished to ensure that those who would guard the light would be in positions of power so that there were always kingdoms ruled by light," Maleficent reiterated.

"Gag," Discord replied, making the motion of jabbing a finger down his throat. "Obviously I slept through when the goddesses decided to make that move. Let me guess. Athena? Farore? Isis? Ammu? Oh, please tell me this wasn't one of Amaterasu's decisions!"

"That makes my job easier," Chrysalis remarked. "Princesses gain more love than anyone else. Impersonating them is a joy to me…Mi Amore Cadenza and Jasmine not only had pure love radiating from their spouses, but an absolute deluge of love from the populaces of their kingdoms."

"And while we're talking structure," Discord said, a thought occurring to him, "would one of these princesses happen to be the Right Eye?"

"Not yet," Maleficent answered. "The current Right Eye is one of those who may become one of the seven if one should die."

"And how do you know all this, little miss know-it-all?" Discord taunted.

"We Unseelie faeries have time unlimited to learn," Maleficent answered, "and I have not squandered any of mine."

"So the Right Eye is the guardian of light," Gothel inferred.

"Do you understand?" Maleficent asked her.

"Barely," Gothel groaned. "Let's get to the point. You want me to get Rapunzel and keep her captured alive."

"Exactly," Maleficent answered with a smile curling through her lips. "Your history with her will facilitate the capture. I have a feeling that deep within her, she has not forgotten you…especially the memories from before her little epiphany. It will be easy with the help of Discord and Chrysalis. They shall simply replace the princess, and it will be as though she was never missing."

"And how are they going to do that?" Gothel asked.

"Observe," Maleficent told her. "There is much magic with which you are not yet familiar. Chrysalis…a friendly demonstration?"

Chrysalis stepped before Gothel, absorbing all radiant feelings of adoration from the woman. She morphed. When Chrysalis looked down at her new shape, she laughed. She was an exact copy of Gothel herself. "You are the one you love most in the world?"

"What's not to love?" Gothel asked.

"You don't seem surprised at Chrysalis' talent," Maleficent observed.

"Please." Gothel waved her hand. "I spent centuries with a magic flower that reversed aging. No one believed that was real either."

"That is the other benefit that comes of this task," Maleficent informed Gothel. "The power that Rapunzel's hair bestowed upon you may have drained away when it was cut, but the gift of the flower lives on within the girl."

That stirred a reaction in Gothel: "WHAT?"

"She retains the healing power in her," Maleficent explained. "She used it to bring Rider back from the brink of death. It lies within her heart and is fueled by her connection to the light. When you take control of her, you may do with her as you please…and that includes forcing her to use her powers upon you. You can once again be immortal. All you need to do is find a place to hide her until her wedding has finished. That will be your test. Should you pass, I will show you a place to hide where neither of you will ever be found."

"I like the sound of this," Gothel said. "You can count me in to your little scheme. It will be good to become reacquainted with my little flower."

Meanwhile, Discord and Chrysalis, who had reverted to the shape of the Agrabanian, had moved away to talk amongst themselves. "Must we really fear these princesses?" Chrysalis asked Discord.

"Most likely," Discord answered. "Then again, Maleficent's taking everything way too literally. If she's just out to get rid of powerful light magic, she's not going to get very far. After all, the Elements of Harmony aren't the little rays of sunlight they like to believe they are. And some of the Right Eyes of the past have been on OUR side…the side of chaos. I'd still try and usurp the princesses if I were you, of course. It will probably clear out the clutter for when our time rises…but more importantly, it will be SO much fun!"

"We must leave this place," Maleficent said sternly. "The Elements of Harmony, the princess, and their little friends will be here soon. I shall turn each of you to your own devices."

"As though you were dictating my moves to begin with!" Discord snapped.

"Each of you knows your part," Maleficent said. "Now go, and do not fail me!" In a flash of green light, she faded from view.

"That's our cue!" Discord told Chrysalis excitedly.

"And mine," Gothel added. "Now, how exactly do I fit into this?"

"Oh, I think I know how we can all get what we want," Chrysalis said.

---

"…and when I found out it was a party for me the whole time, I just cheered right up!" Pinkie finished telling her story as the sun went down.

"That's wonderful!" Rapunzel remarked. "You six are pretty good friends, then?"

"Only the best!" Pinkie asserted. "But that doesn't mean we can't be friends with you! We're friends with all sorts of other ponies and people like Ditzy and Cheerilee and Jasmine and Sadira and…"

"And it's almost nighttime," Twilight remarked. "Should we find somewhere to make camp?"

The group stopped. They spread out on the grassy earth.

"Looks like Pascal likes you," Eugene pointed out.

Pascal had curled up next to Fluttershy. "I like him very much," Fluttershy responded.

"You know," Rapunzel said as everyone closed his or her eyes, "I'm glad you decided to come with me. I'd like to think we're all friends…"

"Of course!" Rainbow Dash insisted. "You're pretty cool. You too, Eugene. And Maximus."

"Don't forget Pascal," Fluttershy murmured, halfway to sleep.

Again, Rapunzel found herself looking up before drifting into slumber. This time, however, her thoughts were of a happier ilk. During the day of walking, she had learned a lot about the six ambassadors from Canterlot. She decided she trusted them.

Her stomach filled with dread as she realized that meant there was in fact someone they were chasing, someone out to ruin her wedding and upset her kingdom. However, she decided that the group as it stood was probably more than enough to stop this mysterious villain, and let her thoughts become more peaceful.

---

A second day's walk and worth of stories; while the six Equestrians had more anecdotes from their kingdom and Eugene had his fair share of escapades during his stint as criminal Flynn Rider, Rapunzel contributed nothing, listening instead.

The group moved toward a rock wall where vines covered a tunnel leading to the vale where Rapunzel's tower was erected. The six Equestrians gaped up at the massive structure, stunned.

"THAT'S where you used to live?" Pinkie asked.

"Yup!" Rapunzel confirmed. "Don't worry. There are stairs. I didn't know about them until recently, but they're definitely there."

She led the group around to the back of the tower, where a stone doorway, previously blocked off, looked clumsily clawed open. "Can you stand guard down here?" Rapunzel asked Maximus.

The stallion immediately stood tall and appeared ready to fulfill his duty.

"Great!" Rapunzel told him. "Everybody else…let's go." With a deep breath, she entered the stairway.

The steps spiraled up and up, around and around, until they came up under a trap door. The trap door opened into a quaint apartment, lit only with the sunlight from the main window; it was still apparent that the walls were covered with paintings.

"Whoa…" Rainbow Dash remarked, climbing up into the apartment.

"Did you paint all this?" Twilight asked.

"Yeah…kinda," Rapunzel answered. "I…had a lot of time on my hands when I lived here. Um…I'm going to go get started on packing. Anyone wanna help?"

"Ooh! Me! Me!" Pinkie followed Rapunzel up to what had been her old bedroom to gather such things as the paints.

The apartment was filled with the remnants of old hobbies. A dusty bookshelf held three books. A kitchen area was stocked with several utensils. A chessboard was set up on a table that also contained several Pascal-sized dresses. Candles littered the place. An old clock had stopped keeping time at 7:15.

However, the living room contained the oddest scene. Rarity curiously tread over a set of heavy iron chains, looking down at the floor. A length of brown hair trailed around the room; it was peppered with glass shards.

"What is this?" Rarity asked.

"That's…something personal," Eugene answered. "I don't really know if Rapunzel wants to talk about it."

Rapunzel came down the stairs from the bedroom at that moment, one rucksack packed. Pinkie followed her. "What did you find?" the princess asked.

"Oh…it's nothing," Rarity answered.

Rapunzel entered the living room, looking down at the floor. "Oh," she said starkly. "That."

"If it's a personal matter," Rarity said, "we won't be discussing it further. Now, we—"

"No," Rapunzel interrupted. "It's all right. All this is…just the reason it's been so hard for me to come back here." She swallowed hard. "You're all my friends now. Can I trust you with something?"

"Of course!" Pinkie insisted. "You can tell us anything!"

"Well…" Rapunzel tried to think of how to phrase her story. "Do you…do you believe in magic?"

"More than you know," Twilight answered immediately.

"You don't have to talk about this if you don't want," Eugene told Rapunzel.

"No," Rapunzel replied. "I…I want to." She continued. "All this hair…it used to be mine. It was gold back then. It gave me magic powers. Whenever I sang a healing song, my hair would heal whoever it touched…even giving back youth. It's because my mother ate a magic flower when I she was pregnant with me. This all sounds silly, I know…"

"Not at all," Twilight reassured the princess. "In fact, we've probably encountered weirder. Rarity and I have our own experiences with doing magic."

"But please, do continue," Rarity told Rapunzel.

"If my hair was cut, it would turn brown and lose its power," Rapunzel went on. "As you can see, that's exactly what happened. Because of that, I was kidnapped when I was a baby. The kidnapper raised me in this tower for eighteen years, and I never went outside. I could only see what was out my window. I…I thought the person who kidnapped me was my mother. I thought she actually…loved me. Eugene…he helped me break free from this tower, but she tried to take me back. I thought she was protecting me. She always told me how horrible the outside world was, but that was just a trick to get me to stay in this tower and use my hair on her to keep her young. You see those chains? That's from when she tried to take me away. She almost killed Eugene. He used the broken mirror to cut my hair, and she…I'm not really sure how to describe it. All the youth I gave back to her went away. She's gone now. Dead, I mean. That's when I found out who my real parents were, and I went back to them. I'm not in danger of people using me now…I don't have my hair anymore." She shrugged. "That's my story. I haven't wanted to come back for a long time because it reminded me of her, but now I'm ready."

"That sounds awful," Rarity said. "But at the same time, it's wonderful that you found the ones who truly did care about you. Queen Barbara, King Zal, your handsome fiancé…"

Rapunzel smiled. "I guess things worked out for the best."

"Um…Rapunzel?" Twilight broke in. "That was…that was a pretty big thing you told us. How many other people know?"

"Me and her parents," Eugene answered. "And some other friends of ours."

"I just feel bad having you tell us all that," Twilight said, "when we haven't been entirely honest with you. Nothing we've said is a lie, of course! But…we've been leaving some things out."

"Like what?" Rapunzel asked, curiosity peaked.

"Like…we're not from a kingdom on this planet," Twilight said. "And I'm actually a student of magic. And back where we're from…we aren't human."

"Okay, very funny," Eugene said. "Good joke. Not sure why you made a joke like that now, doesn't seem very appropriate, but…"

"It's the truth," Applejack confirmed.

Little by little, the story came out: ponies, Equestria, magic, the Starlight. Eventually, changelings.

"…she changed into Cadance's shape so she could take my brother's love for her," Twilight concluded. "We're afraid she's going to do the same thing to you."

"I…I'm not sure I believe this," Eugene said, stunned. "You're sure you didn't just steal this story from some book or something?"

"Pretty sure," Twilight replied. "Watch."

She pointed at one of the candles, levitating it. She set it down next to Eugene.

"How are you DOING that?" Eugene cried.

"That's amazing," Rapunzel commented. "You…you really are from another world, aren't you? Witches and wizards don't exist. Not here, anyway. I've never thought about if they existed anywhere else. It's a little hard to believe you're all…well, ponies."

"If you went to Equestria," Fluttershy said, "you would probably become one too."

"From the stories you told me," Rapunzel replied, "Equestria sounds like a beautiful place. I wish I could see it someday." She gasped. "Maybe I can!"

"I don't know," Twilight said cautiously. "We have control of the mists, but I'm not sure if anypony else can actually travel between worlds like we do. I don't even know if anypony is supposed to, except for Time Lords, Travelers, and some others."

"Are you really BELIEVING this?" Eugene nearly screeched. "Magic boats? Shape shifting? TALKING HORSES?"

"Maximus is darn near like a person," Applejack reminded him. "Dunno why you don't got a problem with him…"

"It's the truth," Rapunzel stated. "I know it. And I want to thank you for sharing it with us. I'm just glad we're friends in general."

"No problem!" Rainbow Dash replied.

"And we'll take your secrets to the grave," Rarity affirmed. "Now, how can we help you pack up?"

"Well…" Rapunzel swallowed hard. "It's still a little hard to see all this and remember. Just…stay with me and help me pack things?"

"We can sing a song!" Pinkie suggested. "That'll make the time go faster!" With a great inhalation of breath, she burst out, "Once upon a time, the princess was a flower, but now she needs to move out of her tower, so we're packing up her paint so she'll become the saint-ly holder of Coronan royal power…"

Eugene shrugged. He gave in; he believed what was the truth.

---

"I just thought of something."

All of Rapunzel's things were now packed up. The group had walked back down out of the tower, out of the vale, and was headed back toward Corona. Eugene had his realization before they left the vale.

"Yeah?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"When I cut Rapunzel's hair," he explained, "I was dying of a stab wound. The last thing I remembered before going into the light, so to speak, was hearing Rapunzel sing her healing song, and then I was…not dead anymore. I mean, I didn't actually make it to dead, I stopped before I got down to that river thing—"

"River thing?" Pinkie interrupted.

"Eugene always says that when he was dying, he saw a river that was headed into darkness," Rapunzel explained. "It's one of his favorite things to brag about. I still think you were hallucinating from blood loss, Eugene."

"No," Twilight broke in, "he probably saw the river to the Underworld. The Styx. Most ponies—and people, I guess—see it when they die. They cross it, and then from there…well, there are a bunch of things that can happen."

"See?" Eugene folded his arms smugly, as best he could while carrying a large rucksack. "I was right about the river."

"Okay," Rapunzel conceded. "I believe it now."

"But you still healed me without your hair," Eugene reiterated. "How did that happen?"

"I've always just thought it was a miracle," Rapunzel answered. "I definitely don't have my powers anymore. I guess we'll never know."

"Magic is strange," Twilight concluded. "It works in a lot of ways we might never really understand."

---

The journey home was marked by a quick stop. The group grew hungry and tired, so Eugene suggested they stop at a favorite haunt of his, and when Rapunzel saw the direction in which they were headed, she couldn't help but agree. Rapunzel, Eugene, Maximus, the six Equestrians, and Pascal—still on Fluttershy's shoulder—moved toward a tavern whose sign proclaimed it was called "The Snuggly Duckling."

"That sounds cute," Fluttershy remarked. "Is it nice inside?"

"You'll see," Rapunzel said knowingly.

They opened the door upon a seedy bar packed with hulking, armored men carrying various pieces of weaponry. Almost no light entered the room—just some flickering candles from a chandelier above and what filtered in through the small windows. The incoming group looked incredibly colorful and out of place amongst all the brown leather, gray fur, and silver metal. Muscular thugs turned to look at the door from every corner of the tavern.

Fluttershy screamed and dove behind Maximus.

"Um…" Twilight began.

Then one of the larger men, a bald warrior with a thin mustache and a hook replacing his right hand, stood and walked menacingly down the creaky floorboards toward the door. When he reached the group, and the six Equestrians were shying away, he spread his arms and smiled. "Hey, it's Rapunzel and Eugene! What are you doing all the way out here? Don't you have a wedding to plan?"

"Um…you know these fellows?" Rarity asked.

"Sure!" Eugene replied. "These guys are old friends of ours!"

"We were just packing up some old things that I still had to move in," Rapunzel said, showing off the rucksack of items she held. "Mind if we stop in for a bite?"

"Not at all! We got a big table over there waitin' for ya!" The hook-handed warrior gestured with said hook toward a table in the corner.

Soon all were seated. "So how'd you become friends with all these guys anyway?" Twilight asked Rapunzel.

"It's a long story," Rapunzel said with a shrug and a smile.

"Hey," the hook-handed warrior suggested, "how about we do a couple rounds of the old song now that you're here? After all, we've never heard your new friends sing it."

"Have you been waiting for an excuse to play more of the piano?" Rapunzel asked teasingly.

"I'm shocked that you guessed!" the hook-handed warrior replied, equally teasingly.

"I love singing!" Pinkie chirped. "What's the song?"

The hook-handed warrior presented her with some sheet music. "You can make up your own lyrics for the verses," he said. "We all just kinda fill them in ourselves, just as long as you keep to the main lines."

"I'm in!" Pinkie cried. "Who's with me?"

"I don't know…" Twilight muttered.

"I'm not singin'," Applejack insisted.

Fluttershy just trembled and squeaked.

"Come on, girls!" Pinkie cajoled. "Pleeeeaaase? Pretty please with a cherry and rainbow sprinkles on top?"

"Well…perhaps if you start us off," Rarity answered at last.

The hook-handed warrior stepped up to the piano. All eyes turned to the table, where Pinkie clambered up to stand on the tabletop and be better seen. The hook-handed warrior struck the opening chords, and Pinkie began to sing:

"Yes, my laughter is quite hearty

And I'm known for all my parties,

My singing has inspired a lot of clapping.

But when sunset comes, you see,

I want something more than me:

I'd like to make all my friends super-happy!

Can't you see us eating cupcakes by the dancefloor,

Laughing just so much we almost scream!

I would rather not be lonely

And I would please everypony!

It's pretty obvious I've got a dream!"

The other taverngoers, Rapunzel, Eugene, and Pascal included, applauded Pinkie; Maximus stomped his hoof on the floor. The piano kept going on the melody for the verse. "Okay," Twilight sighed, "I guess I'll go next." She stood on the table.

"From the day that I was born,

My heart was never torn.

I pledged all of my loyalty to Celestia,

But the studies that she gave me,

They're not quite enough to save me—

I want to read every book in Equestria!

Can't you see me turning pages late at midnight,

Stacking up the pages by the ream!

I might get condescending looks,

But I really love my books!

And learning more will always be my dream!"

Twilight stepped down to more applause. Rarity took that chance to steal the spotlight, stepping into her place:

"I've clothed singers and princesses,

And also, what's no less is,

I've designed for my friends with fervent passion!

But it's really all the same

Until the whole world knows my name

For all the work that I put in my fashion!

Can't you see me getting orders from celebrities,

World-renowned for every stitch and seam!

Every back, front, and behind

Clothed in Rarity's design!

Like everypony else, I've got a dream!"

Rainbow Dash was next to replace her.

"I've kicked thunderstorms around

And broke the barrier of sound,

I've harnessed lightning with a million volts,

But despite my gift with weather

Soarin' and Spitfire do it better!

I'd love to join them in the Wonderbolts!

Can't you see us flying in exact formation,

Parting clouds to let down the sunbeams!

They're secondary to my friends,

But my fantasy still ends

When I'm a Wonderbolt, yeah, that's my dream!"

Applejack, caught up in the mood, was atop the table before Rainbow Dash had left.

"I'm a family mare for sure,

That fact can't just be ignored.

The four of us exchange our hugs and kisses.

But Apple Bloom and Big Mac

And Granny Smith know for a fact

We really wanna build the family business!

Can't you see me sellin' apples by the billion,

Takin' farmin' to its logical extreme?

We're all lovin' and forgivin'

But we gotta make a livin'!

I share one-fourth the Apple family's dream!"

Fluttershy was the last one left. She stepped up to the table, squeaked, and stepped immediately down. A silence fell over the tavern. Eugene started slowly clapping: "Flutter-shy…Flutter-shy…"

"Please don't," Fluttershy muttered.

It was too late. The clapping had picked up over the tavern until everyone inside was chanting: "FLUTTERSHY! FLUTTERSHY! FLUTTERSHY!"

"All right!" Fluttershy stepped up on the table.

"Um…there are…rabbits in the ground

And there are…lizards…all around,

Fish in the sea and all the birds above me,

I see every animal

From the tallest to the small…

And maybe someday all of them will love me!

Can't you see me being friends with all the critters,

From the eagles to the frogs down in the stream?

You know, now I've got to thinking,

My dream's a bit like Pinkie's…

Being kind to animal friends would be my dream!"

She sat back down in time to receive a napkin upon which Pinkie had printed the lyrics to a final verse. "FINALE TIME!" Pinkie cried, and all six stepped up to sing the chorus with the words Pinkie had written:

"We've got a dream,

We've got a dream!

We really want to stick together as a team!

Our friendship's like a sisterhood

And what we've got is just so good,

That most of all our friendship is our dream!"

With that, the six sat down to thunderous applause from the patrons of the Snuggly Duckling.

"Not bad!" Eugene said while clapping.

"We should do spontaneous musical numbers more often!" Pinkie suggested.

"She just might be right about that," Rarity laughed. "Now, please, let's order something! It's imperative that we keep up our strength for the journey back to Corona!"

---

Chapter 18

· Rapunzel's golden hair was 70 feet long. Canon. It looks about a foot long now, so I assume it's sixty-nine feet on the floor.

· Discord's right. Okay, Mal is too…using darkness will get her great powers that she can use for evil, and will be a route to domination…but chaos doesn't care whether it's light or darkness.

· Fun fact: that thing about there being as many worlds as grains of sand on a beach? That's from Stephen King's Dark Tower. Yes.

· The whole "Left Eye" and "Right Eye" thing is from Bayonetta (we will save the "Are you sure you're a feminist?" and "Are you sure you're a WOMAN?" discussions for later). In that 'verse, the Left Eye of the world is kind of the guardian of all darkness (P.S. that's also spoiler…sorry) and the Right Eye is the guardian of light. I decided to expand that so that the Left and Right eyes are guardians of darkness and light for EXISTENCE. What I really like about the mythos of Bayonetta is that light is bad and darkness is good. The Right Eye was the bad guy, and the Left Eye was the heroine. And that should be your big clue as to the "harlot" Maleficent has to eliminate in order to be up next for Left Eye. Who's the Right? I'm keeping that under my hat. It's NOT Father Balder anymore, so don't look to the canon for that answer.

· The Seven Princesses of Heart is a concept from Kingdom Hearts. And yes, currently, in this story, they ARE Alice, Jasmine, Aurora, Snow White, Cinderella, Belle, and Kairi. At least one of those is slated to change, but I'm not saying who or how. Anyway, they're seven maidens who are pure of heart. It's not really said how much power they have, just that they can "unlock the door of darkness," but from certain implications, it seems they each have manipulation of light magic to some degree (they mention doing their best to hold a world together on which the door to darkness has indeed been opened). I really, REALLY wanted to do SOMETHING with princesses, since there are so many fictional princesses in fiction that it's a trope (Everything's Better With Princesses). So I had the idea that if one dies (or, hint hint, is no longer pure of heart for some reason), the torch gets passed. After all, why would the fate of the world rest on seven mortals with no backup plan? So ANY princess on the "good" alignment could become a PoH. Rapunzel, of course, since that's the focus of this chapter, and because her purity of heart is so friggin' obvious. You can think of others.

· I know who the previous, dead seven PoH's are. I have a list. And I know which of the Overtakers killed them. But that is a SECRET and will be left for SUSPENSE. I don't know exactly when I'm going to reveal it—I just know that I have a big plan for that backstory.

· The goddesses Discord listed: Athena is from Greek myth (most of you should know her). Farore is from The Legend of Zelda. Isis is from Egyptian mythology. Ammu is from Atlantis: The Lost Tales, an obscure point-and-click adventure game that I love. Amaterasu is from Japanese mythology, but equally importantly, from Okami. I wanted to throw in some Discworld goddesses, but none of them are really in charge of anything important like making people.

· It's obvious in mythology that Unseelie faeries are usually evil and Seelie are usually good, but they're still both tricksters and it's a crapshoot to trust members of either court. After all, in the obscure book "The Raven Queen," Puck was Seelie, and he was still, well, Puck.

· My little headcanon about Rapunzel's healing power will reveal itself more as the story goes. But I don't just accept her being able to heal Eugene without her hair as a one-time thing. To simplify: I think the power of the magic flower is in her heart, and if you add to that the implied power of being a candidate for PoH, she's still packing magic that she doesn't know about.

· The stories had to come out. I mean, Zel and Eugene would have found out about the other worlds eventually, but it's better that everypony is just honest right off the bat…

· No tune for Pinkie's packing song.

· My Underworld is complicated. I'm essentially jamming a ton of afterlives into one that's mostly run by Hades, but also has…other gods…working on it. The Styx is definitely the entry point, though.

· I didn't have a name for most of the thugs when I wrote this chapter, and I came up with them later.

· Something I'd ALWAYS wanted to do (well, okay, just ever since I saw Tangled) is redo I've Got a Dream with characters that aren't related to Tangled. AND NOW I'VE DONE IT!

19: Dungeon Break

CORONA, AESTAS

"We should be home in about an hour," Rapunzel announced.

"Hopefully we beat Chrysalis to the punch," Rainbow Dash sighed. "We need a plan of action to protect you from her."

"Shape shifter or no," Eugene reminded Rainbow Dash, "there's nothing Maximus can't take. On the off chance he should fail, which, despite his smug attitude, he definitely does—"

Maximus gave a disapproving snort.

"—I can handle any bad guy that breaks in," Eugene continued. "But most importantly, your Chrysalis isn't going to be able to lay a finger on Rapunzel without getting a blow to the face."

"You fight?" Rainbow Dash asked Rapunzel.

"Not as well as Eugene makes out," Rapunzel said humbly.

Rainbow Dash picked up a stick from the ground. "I wanna see how well you can spar," she said. "You game?"

Rapunzel reached into her rucksack, drawing a cast-iron frying pan. "Well, I suppose I could indulge a little bit…"

"A frying pan?" Rainbow Dash burst into laughter.

"And there's her big mistake," Eugene sighed. "Rainbow Dash…do not mock the frying pan. It happens to be the royal weapon of Corona."

Rainbow Dash took a battle stance, copying a grip she'd learned from the Mukhtar. "Let's see your little frying pan beat me," she challenged.

"Well…okay…" Rapunzel also took a stance, holding up the frying pan.

The two women flew at each other. Rainbow Dash swung lightly with the stick, not wanting to hurt Rapunzel, but she was countered by the frying pan every single time. The pan lightly tapped each of her shoulders, then her stomach.

"Hey!" Rainbow Dash complained. "How are you doing that?"

"I practice," Rapunzel admitted. "Had enough?"

"Yeah…" Rainbow Dash growled. "So you're good."

Rainbow Dash and Rapunzel each lowered her weapon; the stick was cast aside.

"Frying pans," Rarity remarked. "Who knew?"

"And imagine if she was actually aiming for your face," Eugene emphasized. "I've been on the wrong end of that pan more than once."

"I thought you were going to kill me!" Rapunzel protested. "I didn't know who you were yet!"

"Hey," Eugene reminded Rapunzel, "I love a woman who knows her way around kitchen supplies!" He stopped himself. "That…didn't come out right. Not that I'm saying you're a bad cook, 'cause you're not, I meant fighting with…the thing…and…"

"I knew what you meant," Rapunzel replied with a smile.

---

Within an hour, the group had crossed the bridge back into Corona. The sun was setting. "Looks like it's time to split up again," Twilight remarked.

"Hold on," Applejack interrupted. "We've gone too long without seein' Chrysalis around. I ain't too keen on lettin' Rapunzel go back into that castle alone. The weddin's in two days! I say we gotta set up some kinda defense for her. Twilight, ya think ya can put the whole castle in a shield—"

"No way," Twilight answered. "It's too big!"

"No bigger than Canterlot," Rainbow Dash pointed out, "and Shining Armor shielded all of that."

"Shining Armor's strength is shield magic," Twilight retorted. "I'm trying to become skilled in all magic. I've put my energy into all sorts of spells; he's put all his energy into that one. My shields can get about as big as the library back home, and that's it."

"Maybe you could stay in the palace with me," Rapunzel suggested. "That way, you can watch me if anything goes wrong."

Maximus immediately whinnied a protest and shook his head.

"Look, Maximus," Rapunzel said, "I know their story is hard to believe, but—"

Maximus held his glare of disapproval.

"If he doesn't even let me stay in the palace," Eugene sighed, "he's not going to bend the rules for six newcomers. Just sayin'. By the way, Maximus, haven't you trusted by NOW that I'm not going to steal anything?"

"Please?" Rapunzel begged Maximus, giving him her best puppy-eyes. "They know Chrysalis better than anyone else."

Maximus looked toward the six Equestrians. He stuck out a hoof, shoving Pinkie Pie aside. Looking at the other five, he shook his head. Moving his gaze to Pinkie Pie, he paused before reluctantly nodding, deciding that allowing just one of the newcomers into the palace couldn't cause any disasters he couldn't handle.

"Me?" Pinkie responded. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" She threw her arms around Maximus' neck.

Maximus began to wonder if he had cause to regret his decision.

"But then the Elements of Harmony are separated," Twilight pointed out. "We won't be able to—"

Maximus cut her off with a grunt and a glare.

"Oh, Twilight," Rarity told her friend, "I'm sure that Rapunzel, Maximus, and Pinkie will be able to manage. Besides, they've got the royal guard! And Chrysalis probably won't even show up until the actual wedding day."

"All right…" Twilight said reluctantly.

"This is going to be the best slumber party EVER!" Pinkie squealed.

Pinkie followed Rapunzel, Maximus, and Pascal—now on the princess' shoulder—up to the castle, while Twilight, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Fluttershy walked Eugene home.

---

"And so begins the first phase of the plan," Chrysalis muttered from an alleyway. She looked toward Gothel. "You are ready?"

"Well, as much as I'll ever be," Gothel replied.

It hadn't been hard to find the required amount of civilians that adored their princess. The love built up inside Chrysalis, bolstering her strength, but more importantly, giving her the shape, the form. She shifted easily into the frame of the short brunette princess, purple dress and all.

"A spitting image," Gothel complimented.

With a cold laugh, Chrysalis set out.

---

When the sky was dark, Rapunzel settled into her bed. Pinkie Pie had been given the bedroom next to her—the guards, still suspicious, wanted at least a wall's thickness between Rapunzel and the stranger. Rapunzel still didn't have any real proof that Pinkie was on her side, but deep in her heart, she felt as though the young woman—or mare, she supposed—could in fact be trusted.

If nothing else, they'd had much fun together before Rapunzel had retired to bed. They'd played board games, sang songs and danced, and even made a batch of cupcakes in the royal kitchens. Rapunzel realized that Pinkie was probably the first real female friend she'd had that wasn't a parental figure, or the pretense of one.

With those thoughts in mind, she drifted off to sleep.

At midnight, a soft green glow filled the room; Rapunzel, not waking, just turned over in her sleep. Had she woken, she would have seen her exact double materialize in the room. She would have known right away that this was the infamous Chrysalis.

As it were, Chrysalis approached Rapunzel's bed silently, smiling at the sight of the innocent, slumbering princess. Her eyes adjusted almost instantly to the darkness, and she picked up on the colors of the bedspread. Chrysalis reached out, delicately pulled back the bedspread to reveal Rapunzel's body and nightgown. To complete the ruse, she had to be dressed appropriately; Chrysalis changed her gown to one matching Rapunzel's.

Now for the delicate part. Chrysalis extracted from her sash a knife, one that Gothel had lent her for this purpose. She dangled it over Rapunzel's prone form. Remembering Maleficent's instructions, she bypassed the stomach, the heart, the vitals. She stopped at the head, pressing the blade flat against the base of Rapunzel's hair. This brown hair, she remembered Gothel telling her with a smile, would never grow again once it was cut. All Chrysalis needed was two days—the rest was a bonus.

She smoothly slid the knife against Rapunzel's scalp, and the short brown hair fell away. As each lock was sliced, Chrysalis caught the hairs, making sure no evidence would be left. When she'd gathered all of Rapunzel's hair, she moved to the window, letting the brown hair fly into the midnight breeze.

All this and the princess still hadn't woken up.

Chrysalis turned her attention to Rapunzel's nightgown, the one she'd copied, next. It needed to be unrecognizable. She used the knife to slash at the skirt and sleeves, causing rifts.

Rapunzel dreamed of icy wastelands, her skin brushing against icicles. A harsh winter wind blew against her head.

Finally, Chrysalis moved to the rucksacks of possessions from the tower. As she'd expected, one contained a case full of paints. She dripped a little of each color over Rapunzel's nightgown. Now the princess was bald, and her clothes resembled nothing close to what she'd gone to bed in.

Rapunzel's dream continued; the icicles dripped cold water down onto her, making her shiver.

Her hand reached for the bedcovers out of instinct. It was about time she found out something was amiss anyway. Chrysalis' work was done.

She shoved Rapunzel out of bed and screamed at the top of her lungs.

Pinkie Pie sat up in bed. "RAPUNZEL!" she cried.

By the time Pinkie reached the doorway that led to Rapunzel's bedroom, many of the royal guards posted had already arrived, ready for action at the slightest sign of distress from the royal family. The guards threw the door open, thrusting torches inside.

The torch fire illuminated the scene: the princess sat up in bed, clutching the bedclothes to her chest, while a stranger, a bald woman in tattered rags, staggered confusedly into a standing position.

"She tried to murder me!" the princess cried, pointing down to the floor by the stranger; a knife gleamed. "She's an assassin!"

"N-no!" the stranger cried, taking in the scene. "I…" Looking at the woman in the bed, she realized what the guards thought. She knew who had come for her. "CHRYSALIS! Listen, everyone! She's not Rapunzel! She's a shape-shifter!"

"Nice try," one of the guards said, moving toward the bald stranger. "Shape-shifters? What made you think THAT would work?"

"NO!" the stranger cried, backing toward the wall. "It's me!"

The guards moved toward her; with one Rapunzel already in the room, their vision didn't register that this other woman, had she hair and different clothes, could also easily be the princess.

Pinkie, however, knew exactly what was going on. "STOP!" she shrieked. "That IS Rapunzel! She's telling the truth! The person in the bed is a fake! She—"

Chrysalis, now very much enjoying the form of Rapunzel, pointed at Pinkie in mock horror. "She's the one that let the assassin in!" she wailed. "I never should have trusted her! Arrest her!"

"WHAT?" Pinkie was immediately seized by the guards, who held her in an iron grip. They forced her wrists into iron cuffs, as they were doing to the real Rapunzel, the bald Rapunzel in rags. "NO!"

"YOU CAN'T DO THIS!" the real Rapunzel shrieked.

"Take them to the dungeons!" Chrysalis ordered. "NOW! Before they scare me any more!"

"This one came with five others," the guard nearest Pinkie recalled. "Should we arrest them?"

"I don't know," Chrysalis replied. "This one might just be a traitor! When she was helping the assassin into the room, she said…she said…it's too much to even bear!"

"Too much to bear?" Rapunzel snapped. "I don't even TALK like that!"

"She said, 'Down with Corona and all of Canterlot!'" Chrysalis finished. "She's probably a traitor! Please, don't arrest the others yet…they're innocent until proven guilty."

"Your kindness is astounding as always," a guard remarked.

"THAT ISN'T ME!" the real Rapunzel screamed.

"Quiet, you!" A guard elbowed Rapunzel in the stomach. "Your story is really getting old!"

"Shall we do the usual with them, Princess?" another guard asked.

"Please," Chrysalis said, hugging the blankets again for good measure. "I'm just so scared…"

"It shall be done in the morning," the guard promised. "Sleep well, princess."

"I'll try," Chrysalis squeaked.

The guards then forcibly dragged Pinkie and Rapunzel down the hallway, headed for the dungeon.

"What's the usual?" Pinkie asked Rapunzel.

Rapunzel swallowed hard. "Death by hanging," she answered.

In Rapunzel's bed, Chrysalis smirked. "I'll wait a little longer to have some fun with the rest of you, my little ponies," she muttered to herself. Then she lay down and went to sleep in her stolen bed.

---

It was as though a star had fallen, though no one noticed it. No one was awake, save for the guards and prisoners that were entrenched within the castle walls. No one saw the glowing crystal sphere that shot down out of the sky, landing hard in the ground out back of the castle.

About twenty feet in diameter, the sphere glittered in the moonlight and starlight. Then it parted in half, revealing itself to be hollow. Two living beings exited it as though hatching from a crystal egg.

The larger of the two surveyed the castle. It was certainly an elegant structure, no doubt the sign of a prosperous kingdom. It also probably had deep dungeons…dungeons where the most dangerous of the kingdom were kept. That, for now, was of more interest.

---

The guards had locked Pinkie Pie and Rapunzel up in a cell, adding some extra chains to their ankles and binding the two sets of chains together, then left them alone. Only one guard remained on post for the rest of the night, holding the keys to the cells and surveying the hallway filled with cell doors to make sure no one escaped. He paid no attention to the conversation between the two newest convicts, though he wouldn't have believed it or tried to make sense of it anyway.

"You were right," Rapunzel sighed. "Chrysalis really is trying to take over my kingdom by turning into me. And now she's going to have us killed." She sighed. "I'm sorry, Pinkie. You shouldn't be involved in this."

"Don't say that!" Pinkie protested. "Of course I should be involved! Chrysalis is my nemesis! Well, mine and my friends'. But more importantly, you're my friend! I HAVE to try and save you!" She struggled against the iron bonds. "If I could just get my hands free, I could get to my party cannon!"

"Your what?"

"It's a cannon that turns a room into an instant party. It also kinda works as a blaster sometimes! I take it everywhere!"

"You can't possibly have a cannon on you right now."

"That's what EVERYPONY says! Ohhh, but it wouldn't work on these bars anyway! It WOULD turn this cell into a cool place to have a birthday party, but we don't need that right now! Don't worry, Rapunzel! I'm not going to give up! I'm going to find us a way out of this before morning!"

"I'll keep thinking too," Rapunzel vowed. "If they hadn't just judged right away because of how she looked and how I look, they might have noticed that she didn't act like me at all! I haven't ordered any prisoners to die since I came to the palace. I even argued for some of our worst criminals, Stabbington brothers included, to be spared from the hanging and just locked up forever. I don't like having that blood on my hands. Besides, Eugene was almost killed that way because of a false accusation. I'm not having that happen to anyone ever again. I was hoping to make a law against punishing criminals by death, but…it's just not the way Coronan law does things. I was scared to push it. Maybe I should've. Then we wouldn't be in this mess."

"Don't beat yourself up!" Pinkie told Rapunzel. "After all, you didn't know that a shapeshifter would sneak into your room, cut off all your hair, wreck your pajamas, and have the guards chain you up and throw you in a dungeon to die in the morning along with me! I don't think ANYPONY could have guessed that!"

"Well…at least not that exactly."

"And you did already save some prisoners! Like those stabby guys! Who are they, anyway?"

"The Stabbington brothers," Rapunzel explained, "are two thieves that used to work with Eugene. Eugene wasn't anything like them, though. He was into crime for adventure and money. They were in it because they liked the violence. They were the ones who set it up so that Eugene was framed for the theft of the royal crown. Well, okay, he did steal it, but he was going to give it back! Then they tried to kidnap me because they knew about my powers. My moth—the woman pretending to be my mother 'rescued' me so she could have my powers to herself. The important thing is, they were wanted for a lot of thefts and a couple murders. Everyone else thought they should die, but I just couldn't bring myself to pass the sentence."

"I get it!" Pinkie cried. "My friends and I can't kill anyone either. We just don't think it's right! Our powers as the Elements of Harmony defeat bad guys by doing other things! Like turning them back to stone, or putting them in a lamp for a while, or sometimes even bringing out the good that was in them! Hey, maybe that would work on the stabby guys!"

"I doubt they have any good to bring out," Rapunzel admitted.

"Shhh!" Pinkie suddenly cried. "Do you hear that?"

What they'd heard was the thud of a thick plank of wood connecting with the skull of the one guard on duty, knocking him to the floor. The intruder had broken in stealthily, with no assistance from any magical allies—she prided herself on her ability to sneak. She had even, she admitted to herself, borrowed some techniques from the famous Flynn Rider. She knelt to gather the keys from the guard's belt, striding down the hall with a candle in hand.

Rapunzel and Pinkie watched the light grow closer to them until it illuminated the face of the woman who held the keys: a woman with dark, wavy hair, wearing a cloak of black over her gown of red.

The woman was very obviously not Queen Barbara; Pinkie knew this. However, when Rapunzel saw this woman, the first word she uttered was: "Mother?"

"Oh, Rapunzel, my dear!" Gothel replied dramatically. "It pains me to see you locked up in the dungeons of this nasty place! And to think you actually called it home."

"You can't be here," Rapunzel said in disbelief. "You're dead…"

"Oh, a minor trifle," Gothel replied with a shrug. "After all, you've just been taken over by a shapeshifter, and your friend there is a pony in a human body. A little resurrection shouldn't strike you as too odd by this point."

"How…how did you know about…?"

"Oh, I have my ways," Gothel replied with a smirk.

"WAIT A MINUTE!" Pinkie cried. "You're…you're that fake mom that locked Rapunzel up in the tower so you could use her hair!"

"Such accusations!" Gothel gasped.

"But you did," Rapunzel snapped. "You just wanted to use my powers to make yourself young again."

"But that doesn't mean I didn't love you, my flower," Gothel replied. "So I lied to you about one little thing for eighteen years. Didn't I also give you the best of everything you could ask for? Build you a paradise? Protect you from—"

"Keep me away from my real family," Rapunzel argued. "Set it up so I would never find my true love! Send the one I loved to his death!"

"I thought the stabby guys did that," Pinkie interrupted.

"But she set it up," Rapunzel growled.

"You needed to be safe," Gothel replied coldly. "I was only doing what I thought best. If I'd killed that Flynn Rider the first time, you wouldn't be in this mess, now, would you?"

"If he knew where I was," Rapunzel shot back, "I wouldn't be in this mess."

"But he doesn't," Gothel told her. "And with that fake running around, well, how will he tell the difference? How will anyone be able to tell the difference?"

"HE'LL KNOW!" Rapunzel shouted.

"Actually, Chrysalis can hypnotize princes into thinking she's the real thing," Pinkie pointed out. "Oops! I shouldn't have said that, should I?"

"I'm the only one that will know the truth," Gothel said. "Me and your little friend there."

"And Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash!" Rapunzel attempted to argue.

"Or will they?" Gothel posed. "If that shape-shifter can fool hubby dearest, she can fool a lot of people and ponies. But you don't have to worry about her anymore, my flower! There's only one way for you to survive this, and that's to escape this dungeon. You couldn't possibly hope to convince anyone in the castle that you're the real Rapunzel…but at the very least, you can be safe." Gothel held the keys up to the candlelight, jingling them softly. "Safe with me, where you belong."

"I don't trust you," Rapunzel said.

"My flower," Gothel replied, "all I've ever wanted for you was to be safe. And, well, to help me be immortal, but you don't have any hair anymore to give me that, now, do you? Come with me, and I'll protect you. I'll even let you bring your little friend."

Rapunzel bit her lip.

"Are you really gonna do it?" Pinkie asked.

"If we don't go with her," Rapunzel pointed out, "we'll die. And I…I really don't have my hair anymore, so I can't…" She stared directly into Gothel's eyes.

Gothel was already undoing the lock. "Soon this nightmare will be over," Gothel promised.

"But Chrysalis-!" Pinkie tried to interrupt.

"Either way, there's nothing we can do about that," Rapunzel sighed.

"But if we could get to the others!" Pinkie looked up to Gothel. "Um, Ms…"

"Gothel," Gothel introduced, swinging open the cell door and tossing the key to it on the floor.

"Ms. Gothel?" Pinkie asked. "Can you let us go to see my other five friends? We can stop Chrysalis and convince everyone that this is the real Rapunzel!"

"I'm afraid not," Gothel said. "After all, I couldn't let you go out where it's unsafe…and I hold the only keys to your chains. You'll have to come with me on my terms."

"Well, that doesn't sound very trustworthy!" Pinkie snapped.

"Pinkie," Rapunzel said sternly. "We have to go with her."

"Rapunzel?" Pinkie asked. "Are you…do you really believe her?"

"We have to go," Rapunzel insisted.

The two staggered out of the cell, and Gothel took hold of the chains on Rapunzel's wrists to lead them out. "I've got a cart waiting," she explained. "We're going somewhere the guards and the shape-shifter will never find you." Or anyone else, she added mentally. She then kissed the top of Rapunzel's now-bald head. "I've missed you, my flower. I love you."

"I love you mo—" Rapunzel caught herself before she could finish the old exchange of sentences.

Gothel finished it anyway: "I love you most."

Pinkie could only follow in horror, watching Rapunzel become a slave to memory.

---

One cell over from where Pinkie and Rapunzel had just been liberated, Ethan Stabbington yawned and stretched into wakefulness. "Hey," he grunted.

His twin brother Corey blinked his two eyes—a stark contrast to Ethan's one, the other covered by a patch—open. The missing eye was the only way to tell the two apart; both were muscular redheads with almost permanent scowls. "What is it?" Corey snarled.

"Somebody left a key," Ethan observed.

The key Gothel had cast aside, the master key that could unlock all the cell doors, glittered in the faint light from the dungeon torches.

"So can you get it?" Corey asked. He knew that even if they did get the key to the cell, they'd still have to work out a way to undo their chains.

Ethan couldn't reach one hand through the bars; the chains on his wrists stopped that. He then tried both hands; his arms weren't long enough.

"If you can't reach it," Corey complained, "why'd you wake me up?"

Suddenly, a shape passed through the darkness, quickly past the torches. Neither Stabbington brother could see the face of this person—just a silhouette. Another silhouette, some sort of flying animal, passed just behind it. This pair had come from the glittering sphere outside, though the brothers had no way of knowing that.

Staying just out of the light, the figure planted one foot, in a black shoe, down on the key. "So let me see if I've got this right," he said—his voice was obviously male. "You two are this kingdom's most wanted."

"Yeah," Ethan Stabbington grunted. "Why do you want to know?"

"Tell me something," the figure continued. "Are you in this cell because you had what it takes to actually kill someone? Or are you just in here for petty thievery?"

"We're thieves and murderers," Corey answered. "We do pretty much anything for the right pay."

"What are you doing?" Ethan snarled at his twin.

"Seeing if he wants to make us an offer," Corey answered. "That's the vibe I'm getting."

"I'm considering it," the figure said. "After all, I could use a couple hired hands for what I'm planning. And money isn't an object. But I do have to know: have you ever tried to usurp the throne of this kingdom?"

"Nah," Corey answered. "Wouldn't know what to do with it anyway."

"Good," the figure answered, the shoe moving off the key. "Then you won't be in my way when I take it over. This seems like a nice place, after all. I've decided I want it."

The key was surrounded in blue light, then lifted off the ground of its own accord. Ethan and Corey were both stunned.

"How…how are you doing that?" Ethan asked.

"Magic," the figure answered. "Don't tell me. This is one of those kingdoms WITHOUT any known sources of magic."

"Magic ain't real," Ethan said, "except for the girl with the magic hair. And all that hair's been cut off."

"Pity," the figure said, and the key moved ever upward until it was suddenly clenched in his shadowy hand. "That sounds like something I could have used to my advantage. Oh well. Beggars can't be choosers, after all." He reached out, unlocking the cell door.

"That key ain't gonna do anything about the chains," Corey pointed out.

When the cell door was open, blasts of blue energy rocked the room. The chains were severed; both Stabbingtons stood.

"The key was just for show," the figure admitted. "I'm a bit of a fan of dramatic effect."

"What…" Ethan moved closer, trying to make out the face of his rescuer. "What kinda person are you?"

The figure stepped forward, now illuminated by a nearby torch. It was a young man, dressed in royal blue clothing the likes of which neither brother had ever seen before. Dark curls slithered around his face, which was held in an arrogant smirk. The flying creature was also visible now; to the Stabbingtons' disgust, it was an eel, one that somehow was able to survive out of water.

"No one special," Mozenrath told the brothers. "Just the future ruler of this kingdom and the one who's going to lead you to glory…if you do what I say. But from what I've heard, we're going to get along just fine."

"Just fine!" Xerxes echoed.

---

Chapter 19

· I'm pretty sure that Zel's brown hair NEVER grows. The one lock she has hasn't grown since she was a baby. The idea of bald Rapunzel was something I have wanted to play with for a while because of this.

· You have to admit a couple things: people look INCREDIBLY different with hair than bald. And if you saw two identical copies of your best friend standing next to each other, but one didn't have hair, you'd probably assume the one with hair was your real friend. Unless your real friend is usually bald; then it's the other way around. It's kinda the same principle as glasses. People look SO DIFFERENT with glasses on/off.

· It's struck the fandom before that Corona has a harsh justice system. They were going to kill Eugene for STEALING THE TIARA THAT THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WOULD HAVE A PRINCESS TO GO WITH IT. I can't imagine Zel was too big a fan of this policy, hence her debate over it. And in Tangled Ever After, the Stabbington brothers DO turn up in chains, so obviously they haven't been executed.

· I fully believe Gothel could break into a heavily guarded castle. In fact, thinking about it now, she canonically DID it once to steal Zel in the first place. Nonmagical badassery. That's where she shines.

· You might have noticed that Gothel keeps calling him "Flynn." IMPORTANT. MAKE A NOTE OF THAT. She has NEVER heard the name "Eugene Fitzherbert."

· My fanon names for the Stabbington brothers have always been "Corey" and "Ethan". Dunno why. They just look like a Corey and an Ethan.

20. Bridezilla

CORONA, AESTAS

When the sun rose, Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Eugene walked up to the castle together.

"I wonder if we can help out with planning the wedding," Twilight mused. "After all, we are kind of pros after Cadance's. What do you think, Eugene?"

"I think I have absolutely no opinion on what color the dinner napkins are," Eugene replied. "I don't care what kind of flowers are in the aisle, the border on the invitations makes no difference to me, and as for the cake, as long as there actually is one, I'm good. You'd have to double check with Rapunzel and her parents, though. They're kind of in charge of the whole shindig. Me, all I care about is the bride I get to marry."

"But how can you not care about the border on the invitations?" Rarity asked, appalled. "The presentation says so much about—"

Before Rarity could launch into a monologue, Applejack interrupted, "I hope Rapunzel and Pinkie didn't make too much trouble for the rest of the castle last night." She winked.

They approached the gate, and the guards immediately shuffled in front of said gate to block it off. "Hey now," Eugene said. "What's with the battle formation?"

"We're just a little suspicious of these 'Canterlot ambassadors' after last night," one growled. "If I were you, Fitzherbert, I'd steer clear of them."

"What happened last night?" Twilight asked, perplexed.

"The princess did say that it was probably just one traitor," a second guard told the first. "The others might be innocent."

"Well, I don't buy it," the first said, drawing a frying pan from his belt and pointing it at the six before him. "It's probably some elaborate scheme!"

"Okay," said Eugene, "you're going to stop and back up about ten steps. We have NO IDEA what you are saying."

"See? They don't know," the second guard insisted. "They were even the ones that told us about the mysterious assassin in the first place."

The first guard sighed before lowering the skillet. "I'm going to trust the rest of you…for now. Last night, we caught an impersonator trying to kill Rapunzel and claiming to be her, though she clearly wasn't. The one of your friends that came into the palace last night let her in. We threw both of them into the dungeons."

"Chrysalis!" Fluttershy gasped.

"Pinkie Pie…let Chrysalis in?" Twilight tilted her head. "That doesn't sound right. Are you sure it wasn't an accident?"

"The princess affirmed herself that this…Pinkie Pie…deliberately let the assassin in," the guard continued.

"Can you take us to see them?" Applejack asked.

"Only under supervision," the guard growled.

---

A throng of guards accompanied Eugene, Rarity, Fluttershy, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack down into the dungeons…only to find two suspiciously empty cells.

"They're gone!" the guard from outside yelled. "And so are the Stabbingtons!"

"Chrysalis…has Pinkie Pie?" Fluttershy said with a gulp.

"I'm sorry," Eugene said with a nervous laugh, "I thought you said the Stabbingtons had gone missing—"

"Their cell is completely unlocked!" the guard cried in disbelief.

Another guard staggered into the room, pressing a sack of ice to his head. "Someone assaulted me last night and took the master key to the cells," he barked.

"Chrysalis!" Rarity hissed.

"Your Chrysalis and the Stabbingtons…" Eugene reiterated. "No. This is not good. This is not good…"

"Don't tell me," Rainbow Dash groaned. "The Stabbingtons are super powerful villains?"

"Yeah," Eugene answered. "Pretty much."

"Put all the troops on guard," the first guard ordered. "Get Captain Maximus to survey the border. No one gets in or out without our supervision and the approval of the princess."

"Well, can we see Rapunzel?" Rarity asked. "I'd like to get her take on all this."

"And I'd like to make sure my future wife is all right after, you know, an assassin tried to bump her off," Eugene added sternly.

"Of course," the guard said. "Right this way."

---

THE BORDERLANDS OF CORONA, AESTAS

Deep within the rocky underground tunnel, Rapunzel and Pinkie Pie remained in chains, now also fastened to iron rings in the wall. Gothel set before each of them a plate of food, but didn't undo the chains around their arms before watching them try to eat.

"It's only for your own good," Gothel insisted.

When the two had finished with lunch, Gothel cleared away the plates. "It's only temporary," she assured Rapunzel. "Soon, we'll have somewhere to go where I won't have to keep you in such nasty chains."

"I'm already regretting having gone with you," Rapunzel said softly.

"What was that? You know how I feel about the mumbling, Rapunzel."

"Nothing, Mother." Rapunzel sighed dejectedly.

"Now." Gothel knelt before Rapunzel. "What would you say to a little reliving of the old days? Why don't you sing me that lovely healing song?"

"I don't want to," Rapunzel muttered.

"Rapunzel, if you don't speak up—"

"I SAID I DON'T WANT TO!"

"That's just too bad," Gothel moaned histrionically. "And I was so looking forward to hearing your beautiful voice again. Next to that, sustaining my youth would just be a bonus."

That didn't slip by Rapunzel or Pinkie. "What?" they said in unison; Pinkie in confusion, Rapunzel in anger.

"Oh, surely you must know," Gothel said with a smile, standing tall over where the two younger women were forced by their chains to sit against the wall. "You don't need your hair in order to heal people, Rapunzel. After all, you did sing Flynn Rider back to life."

"You…you still want my power?" Rapunzel cried. "THAT'S WHY YOU SAVED ME? YOU TRICKED ME!"

"You're nothing but a liar-liar-horseshoes-on-fire!" Pinkie added.

"Oh, come now," Gothel replied casually. "I really do care for your well-being. Why else would I—"

"Anything you do, you do for yourself!" Rapunzel wailed. "Not for me! Not for anybody!" Tears welled up in her eyes.

"Sing," Gothel commanded coldly, "the song."

"You're wrong," Rapunzel insisted. "I don't have my powers anymore. Whoever told you that I do lied." She took a deep breath before singing quickly but clearly: "Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine, make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine!" She let the moment sink in. "See? Nothing."

"There has to be a difference," Gothel said to herself. "A reason why losing your hair caused all your work on me to be undone, but brought dear darling Flynn back from the brink of death…oh, I know." Her smile broadened. "Your HEART isn't in it. You have to want it, don't you? You wanted him back to life, and it happened. You didn't mean what you sang just now at all. Well, you're going to want it, Rapunzel. You're going to want to heal me with all of your heart."

"NO!" Rapunzel cried. "No, I won't!"

"Do I have to give you incentive?" Gothel asked, drawing a knife.

"Go ahead," Rapunzel challenged. "Try to hurt me."

"I'd rather not," Gothel sighed. "After all, you are so precious to me. Instead, I think…" She moved toward Pinkie Pie, holding out the blade.

"W-wait!" Pinkie screeched. "Don't! I'm too fun to die!"

"DON'T HURT HER!" Rapunzel screamed.

"THEN YOU WILL SING AND YOU WILL MEAN IT!" Gothel commanded, holding the blade up next to Pinkie's neck.

"F-flower…" Now Rapunzel couldn't hold back the tears. All she wanted was for Pinkie to be safe, and if that meant healing Gothel, so be it. "Flower gleam and…glow…let your power shine…"

A golden glow surrounded Gothel. The older woman backed off, sighing in pleasure as the wrinkles in her face smoothed out and her hair became a deeper shade of black; signs of age that hadn't been noticeable until they were gone melted away. "There," Gothel said. "Was that so hard?"

"Make the clock reverse," Rapunzel finished in tears, "bring back what once was mine…what once was…" She couldn't say the last word. It didn't matter. Gothel's youth was restored.

"That's better." Gothel sheathed the knife. "I'll leave you two to some…girl bonding time. And to think, I thought the pink-haired one was just going to be dead weight!"

She strode down the tunnel and out of sight. Rapunzel sobbed audibly. Pinkie looked upon her new friend with concern.

"She had no right to do that to you!" Pinkie burst out in anger. "She made you cry! I'm NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER going to forgive her! And four evers makes forever!"

"I thought…things would be different," Rapunzel whispered through her tears. "No…I thought things would be the same. I wanted it to be like when I was young, and she would play with me and sing with me and…and treat me like her daughter. I guess I'm an idiot. All along, Barbara was willing to be my mother and treat me like a daughter…and I followed Gothel instead."

"You're not an idiot!" Pinkie argued. "You didn't know! Besides, if we hadn't followed her, we'd probably be way worse off! Hmm…hey, I just thought of something. Isn't it a little convenient that she showed up right after Chrysalis kicked you out?"
"The wedding!" Rapunzel realized with a gasp. "Gothel needs to keep me out of the way just long enough for Chrysalis to take over for me? Augh, how did I not SEE it?"

"Because you remember loving her," Pinkie said, "and that's not bad! It makes you a lot better than her! All those years, she should have been loving you, but she was just selfish instead!"

"I'm so sorry you're here with me," Rapunzel sighed. "It should just be me locked up here. Then she couldn't use you against me. She couldn't hurt you."
"I'm not sorry I'm here," Pinkie said honestly. "After all, if I wasn't here, you'd be captured alone! Now we're captured together! If you were gone, I'd be scared and worried! Well, I'm still a little scared and worried, but at least I know where you are!"

"But the others are probably worried about us," Rapunzel pointed out. "I wonder if they figured out what happened."

"I'm sure they did!" Pinkie decided. "They're probably on their way to rescue us right now! And anyway, we can think of a way to get out of this on our own!"

"But how?"

"I'm not sure yet," Pinkie admitted, "but I'm gonna put my thinking cap on, and I'll come up with something! You have nothing to worry about with Pinkie Pie on the case!"

Rapunzel could finally smile. "Thank you."

"No problem! In the meantime, do you want to do something to pass time until we think of something? I think you need some cheering up! You like singing, right? Ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh, I could teach you one of my songs if you wanted!"

"I like the sound of that," Rapunzel admitted. "If you don't mind."

"Not at all!" Pinkie cried. "Okay, I'm gonna teach you how to sing 'Smile, Smile, Smile'! It's the bestest song I ever came up with ever!" She cleared her throat loudly before beginning the first line: "My name is Pinkie Pie…"

---

CORONA, AESTAS

The host of guards accompanied Eugene, Rarity, Twilight, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack up to a large mirrored dressing room, where what appeared to be Rapunzel looked over different gowns on mannequins. "You're here!" she cried. "I was just looking over the gowns for the bridesmaids. I was so scared after last night!" She rushed forward into Eugene's arms, embracing him.

"What happened?" Applejack inquired.

"I was trying to sleep when Pinkie Pie let that horrible assassin through the window," the princess replied, still buried in Eugene's arms. "Then she tried to kill me while Pinkie snuck out to try and pretend she was going to protect me!"

"But why would Pinkie do a thing like that?" Rainbow Dash asked. "That's not like her at all!"

"I don't know," the princess replied; by now, Eugene was stroking her hair. "She just seemed to have gone mad! You should feel lucky we caught her. You would be in danger from her too!" She sighed. "Right now…all I want is to forget about all that and be with my Flynn. After all, Flynn, you and I are getting married tomorrow…that's all I want to think about."

"Whoa," Eugene said teasingly. "'Flynn'? Now that's a name I haven't heard you use on me in a while. I mean, you were the one who got me to start going by 'Eugene' again in the first place…"

"Why is that?" the princess asked, genuinely confused.

"Because it's my real name," Eugene said, gears turning in his head. Before any revelations could come to him, the woman in his arms quickly pressed her lips to his, drinking deeply from his soul.

When the two parted from the kiss, Eugene said blankly, "What were we…what was I…" He looked up at the room, dazed. "Nice dresses," he said. "Are they for the wedding?" His eyes were out of focus.

"Yes, dear," the woman who seemed as Rapunzel said through gritted teeth. "Now run along. I have a lot of preparation to do."

Twilight glared directly at the woman. She knew. So did Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity. The woman glared back. Then she grinned, slowly and deliberately.

"Guards," she ordered, "let me have a moment alone with the ambassadors. I want to talk with them about your friend."

"But what if they're dangerous?" the talkative guard said. "Maybe we should post an officer—"

"You won't have to worry unless you hear me scream," the woman who seemed as Rapunzel assured him. "Now, some privacy, please?"

"Of…of course, your highness." The guards, followed by the dizzy Eugene, turned and left.

The woman closed the door after them.

"Chrysalis," Twilight accused.

"So you found me out," Chrysalis confessed. "Good for you. But what are you really going to do about it? Tell me. Are you going to tell the royal guards? They won't believe you. They don't believe in magic like mine. Are you going to tell Flynn—Eugene? After that kiss, he won't be able to understand a word you say. Use the Elements of Harmony on me? You actually sealed your own fate for me rather conveniently by splitting away from the pink one. And without her…" Chrysalis advanced toward Twilight. "I'm more powerful than even the most powerful of you."

She pushed Twilight's shoulder, a shock of green rocking where her fingers connected with Twilight. Twilight was blasted backward into one of the mirrors, shattering it.

"Does anypony else want to try and challenge me?" Chrysalis laughed. "Oh, and if you're looking to free the real Rapunzel or your pink friend from captivity, you won't find them in the dungeons. I've made sure they're gone, somewhere you can NEVER find them."

"We saw," Applejack said through gritted teeth. "Ya also let out them Stabbin'tons, didn't ya?"

"Stabbingtons?" Chrysalis replied. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Don't play stupid!" Rainbow Dash growled.

"The point remains," Chrysalis said. "I'm about to give the orders that if the pink one or the princess everyone thinks is a fake crosses the borders into this castle, they're to be apprehended on sight. Not that they can get out of where they are, anyway. You may know who I am, but how much good does that REALLY do you?"

"You won't get away with this!" Fluttershy retorted, helping Twilight stand and looking her over for injuries from the mirror.

"Are you going to attack me?" Chrysalis asked. "That would get you thrown into the dungeons as quickly as the pink one. After all, I'm the only thing standing between you and suspicion. You can stay in the castle as long as you like, but if you dare make a move to accuse or attack me, I'll have you sent to die. Of course, I could probably kill you right now, but that would ruin the fun. As Discord always used to believe, the more players there are to make the game chaotic, the more fun the game is. And it will be fun for me…watching you squirm, unable to do a thing."

A knock came at the door. "Who is it?" Chrysalis called out.

The door slammed open. Maximus stood behind it. The look upon his face indicated that he'd heard everything.

"So those nosy guards had to send someone up to supervise us after all," Chrysalis sighed. "You're in the same boat, horse. Even if you could speak, what would you say? That a shapeshifter took over your princess? How would that look? And just in case you're still thinking of snitching on me…"

She placed a hand on Maximus' chest, over his heart. A ripple of green boomed out over the horse; he keened in pain and backed away as quickly as he could.

"I'll have you out of my hair soon enough," Chrysalis said. "I'll see you downstairs. Then I suppose I'll have to choose one of these ugly gowns for my bridesmaids…such a chore." Chrysalis took off running down the hall.

Maximus galloped after her, and the five Equestrians followed in hot pursuit. Maximus was the only one who could catch up to Chrysalis as she scooted next to one of the guards. "I'm frightened by the news that that assassin is still out there with her accomplice," Chrysalis told the human guard quickly. "Please…have Maximus patrol the walls to make sure they don't come back! He isn't doing any good on the castle grounds!"

Maximus snorted a protest, but the human guard nodded. "It's a good idea, Maximus. Keep an eye out for those nasties. Now, don't take that attitude with me! You're our captain, and the most fit to take them on if they return!"

Maximus stomped on the ground once.

"Yes," the guard replied, "you outrank me, but she outranks you. And she's obviously very frightened—"

Chrysalis summoned up a tremble; even eked out a fake tear.

"Don't let her down," the guard told Maximus.

"Excuse me," Fluttershy said shakingly, the others having caught up, "but where's Eugene?"

"We sent him home," the guard said. "He wasn't feeling well. Pre-wedding jitters, probably."

"We should go check on him," Rainbow Dash said. "But some of us should stay here to keep an eye on Rapunzel. You know, in case anything else bad happens and she needs our protection."

Maximus nodded. Now seeing the delineation between who was out to harm his friends and who was out to protect them, he didn't want to limit the Equestrians again.

"Applejack, let's stay here and help out until sundown," Rainbow Dash suggested. "The rest of you okay with going to see Eugene?"

"Yup," Twilight replied.

"Of course," Fluttershy added.

"As am I," Rarity agreed.

Chrysalis seemed slightly miffed, and Rainbow Dash couldn't tell if that was because not all of them were leaving or because not all of them were staying for her to taunt. "Good," Rainbow Dash concluded.

"We'll see you around," Twilight said, turning to leave; Fluttershy and Rarity followed.

"Shouldn't you be going?" Chrysalis barked at Maximus.

Reluctantly, Maximus trotted down the hall and around the corner to where Twilight, Rarity, and Fluttershy waited.

"Come with us," Rarity told him. "We'll need your help."

At that, Maximus perked up, standing to attention. He followed Rarity, Twilight, and Fluttershy out and toward Eugene's home.

---

Eugene's daze was worse than it had previously appeared. He stood watching the walls for long stretches of time, occasionally moving to look at a different wall.

Countless times, Fluttershy, Rarity, Twilight, and Maximus had tried to get his attention. "Eugene," Fluttershy said, "Rapunzel is in trouble! That was Chrysalis you saw!"

"Rapunzel," Eugene replied. "We're getting married tomorrow, you know."

"You're not well!" Rarity insisted. "Can't you see what's happened to you?"

"I can see I'm getting married," Eugene told the wall.

"You have to fight it!" Twilight insisted. "Don't let Chrysalis win!"

"Who?" Eugene answered.

Maximus roughly shoved Eugene over, trying to at least get him to come to his senses and argue with the horse. Instead, Eugene stood up again and stared right at the wall once more.

Maximus whinnied disappointedly.

"It's no use," Rarity sighed. "We need the real Rapunzel to wake him up."

Something bothered Twilight's memory, but she couldn't get it to materialize as a conscious thought. She picked at it in her mind, but to no avail, though she knew she was forgetting something very important.

"We can at least make sure he doesn't hurt himself," Fluttershy said somberly.

"Somehow, I don't think that will be a problem," Rarity said, looking at the statue-still Eugene.

"What am I forgetting?" Twilight muttered to herself.

---

THE BORDERLANDS OF CORONA, AESTAS

"Dinner time!" Gothel planted two plates of roasted herbs, the kind one could obtain by picking them in the forest and scorching them over a campfire, before Pinkie and Rapunzel.

"Um, Ms. Gothel?" Pinkie asked. "Can I ask you a question?"

"I don't see why not," Gothel replied.

"Are you sure you don't care about Rapunzel just the littlest teeniest bit?" Pinkie asked. "I mean, you were together for eighteen years!"

"But I do care about her," Gothel reiterated. "Why else would I keep her locked up safe?"

"If you really cared, you'd give her more freedom and trust her, and she wouldn't leave because she wouldn't want to," Pinkie argued. "Also, you probably wouldn't threaten her friends with a knife."

"You just don't understand," Gothel told Pinkie. "Of course, I didn't expect you to. YOU, I don't care about. You would have been thrown out to the bears by now if you hadn't gotten Rapunzel to sing."

"Moth—Gothel," Rapunzel said coldly, "would you still 'love' me if I didn't sing for you?"

"It's a moot point." Gothel waved her hand. "I love you, and you will sing for me. Of course, I won't need a healing for a good while. After tomorrow, we'll be set up somewhere I won't have to keep you in chains. You're just going to love my new friend. She's the one who's going to get us a new place to live…if I can pass a simple test, of course."

"Test?" Rapunzel and Pinkie asked.

"I only need you here for two days," Gothel told them. "After the wedding, well, then let's just say things will have changed considerably for the better in Corona. And I will have gotten my name in with a friend in a very high place."

"What friend is that?" Pinkie snapped.

"You probably wouldn't know her," Gothel replied casually. "Anyway, enjoy your dinner. I did work so hard to get it for you!"

"I never should have trusted you," Rapunzel growled. "You are NOT my mother."

Gothel very nearly became angry, but she caught herself. "Don't be silly" was all she said before she stormed away down the tunnel.

"How can she just ignore all those years?" Pinkie wondered out loud.

"That's exactly what gets to me," Rapunzel sighed.

"Well, we're gonna get out of here and away from her," Pinkie swore. "Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a cupcake in my—" She found that the chains around her arms prevented her from poking herself in the eye as was customary in the ritual. "…eye."

---

CORONA, AESTAS

"So," Applejack asked Queen Barbara, "what exactly did Rapunzel plan for this weddin' anyway?"

"She had planned on inviting the entire town, letting the doors open for whomever wanted to enter," Barbara answered. "Already she's so thoughtful about her subjects. She doesn't want to be above them or apart from them. She wouldn't have new wedding rings forged—she's using the rings from my departed mother and father. They've been preserved in the royal treasury, and she wanted to carry on the memory of the rulers of the past—even if she can't remember her grandparents. She absolutely insisted on using them."

"Your Majesty," Applejack replied somberly, "Rapunzel's been…not herself lately. Ya gotta remember what she really wanted for this kingdom right about now. If she says anything that doesn't sound like her…ya gotta notice it."

"Why? Did something happen on your journey to the tower?"

"Just…that she's been feelin' stressed with the weddin' and all…so remember what she really wanted. What she's really like. Her, uh, stress might cause her to say and do things that are different. Don't let her forget. And most importantly, don't YOU forget."

The two entered the mirrored chamber, where Rainbow Dash was modeling the ugliest dress either woman had ever seen: a poofy mess of dark green and bright pink, with ruffles everywhere. "This one's the perfect bridesmaid dress!" Rainbow Dash insisted.

"Ew," Chrysalis said with scorn. A host of guards surrounded her, making sure Rainbow Dash did nothing to harm her, but mostly, Rainbow Dash had done nothing other than make repeated suggestions for ugly dresses.

"Making progress?" Barbara asked.

"Oh…Mother!" Chrysalis said with a start, turning to face the queen. "I was just about to pick a dress for the bridesmaids. And Rainbow Dash is…HELPING." She glared at Rainbow Dash, who just grinned.

Applejack rolled her eyes. It amazed her, how Chrysalis always had to play the bridezilla. In a kingdom that was more used to shape-shifters, her need for perfection, so different from that of Cadance or Rapunzel, would be an obvious giveaway.

Another guard rushed to the room. "Your Highness!" he greeted. "The warriors from the borderlands are here!"

"Warriors from the borderlands?" Chrysalis was genuinely puzzled.

"You wanted them to entertain at your wedding," the guard reminded "Rapunzel." "You requested the piano talents of one, the mime act of another—"

"MIME act?" In disgust, Chrysalis stormed out of the room, the host of guards following her. "Let me see these warriors!"

Rainbow Dash and Applejack followed her knowingly; Barbara followed perplexedly.

In the atrium of the castle, the muscular patrons from the Snuggly Duckling all gathered. "EW!" Chrysalis immediately reacted. "I don't want YOU at my wedding!"

"But…Princess…" The hook-handed warrior stepped forward. "You said personally that you'd love it if I played your wedding march. You told me—"

"No, no, NO!" Chrysalis yelled. "No wedding march! No mimes! NONE OF YOU! You aren't part of my kingdom anyway, so go back to the borderlands, you…disgusting creatures!"

"Rapunzel!" Barbara gasped. "They're your friends!"

"I'm just…under a lot of pressure right now, Mother," Chrysalis answered, pressing her fingers to her temples. "I want everything to be perfect. You understand?"

"I think I do," Barbara said, remembering Applejack's words. "But are you sure? You planned for them to be part of your special day since—"

"They need to GO!" Chrysalis screamed. "I will NOT have my wedding filled with what looks like the most detailed criminal record in this world's history!"

"But we're reformed from all that," another warrior, a tall and lanky man with a distinctively large nose and a winged helmet, piped in. "All our days of murdering and kidnapping and robbery are behind us!"

Rainbow Dash slipped in next to Applejack. "You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?" she whispered.

"No," Applejack replied just as hushedly. "What are you thinkin'?"

"Reformed criminals. They know where to hide bodies and hostages."

"I still have no idea what yer…OH."

"OUT!" Chrysalis insisted.

"But we traveled all this way," the warrior in the winged helmet protested. "It's a two-day walk—"

"I SAID OUT!"

"Well…if you insist," the hook-handed warrior said dejectedly. He turned to leave, slouching slightly from sadness. The others slowly turned to follow suit.

"Look at the time!" Rainbow Dash cried. "Applejack, we should be going too! We'll see you tomorrow, Princess!"

"Don't forget to be at the wedding!" Chrysalis told Rainbow Dash cheerily. "I want you right in the front…where I can SEE you."

"Of course!" Rainbow Dash answered without missing a beat. She and Applejack followed the group of warriors out of the castle.

The sun was dropping lower in the sky. "We'll have to walk through the night," the hook-handed warrior lamented.

"Hey!" Rainbow Dash called out. "Wait up!"

"It's the princess' friends," the warrior in the winged helmet said, noticing her and Applejack.

"So you guys are like the foremost criminals in the world, right?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Uh, were the foremost criminals?"

"Yeah," the hook-handed warrior answered. "Why?"

"Listen," Rainbow Dash said. "There's something big going on, and it has to do with why Rapunzel kicked you out. Tomorrow's wedding is set to be an absolute disaster. I can't explain it right now because you kinda wouldn't believe me. Anyway, I need to know one thing that could mean the difference between a happy ending and a really bad one. If you were going to hide a body, alive or dead, somewhere in these lands, anywhere you wanted, and you wanted to make sure it was NEVER FOUND AGAIN, where would you hide it?"

"Well," the hook-handed warrior mused, "there's—"

"Are you sure you want to give that away?" the warrior in the winged helmet asked him worriedly.

"It's not like we use it anymore," the hook-handed warrior said with a shrug, "especially after the flood closed half of it off. There's a tunnel under the Snuggly Duckling. We used to keep all sorts of hostages there. It has all our literal skeletons in the closet."

"And I'm going to take a bet on that," Rainbow Dash said. "Thanks…um, what was your name again?"

"Franz," the hook-handed warrior answered.

"And I'm Sigmund," the warrior with the winged helmet added. "And that's Vladimir, Atilla, Shorty, Ulf, Gunther, Tor—"

"Yeah yeah," Rainbow Dash interrupted. "Thanks for the tip. I'm gonna be going with you tonight." She turned to Applejack. "You should stay back. If four of us show up, Chrysalis might not be too suspicious!"

"She'll notice if even one of us is gone," Applejack replied, "but I got some information from the queen that might help me back her into a corner if she tries to act too out of character. You're really gonna chance it that you-know-who's in this secret tunnel?"

"We have nothing else to go on," Rainbow Dash answered. "If it's the best place to hide, then that's where they're hidden." A thought occurred to her. "I need to stop back at Eugene's place. I thought of someone else that can help us! Someone the 'princess' kicked out and doesn't expect to see at the wedding anyway."

---

The warriors from the borderlands waited outside while Rainbow Dash and Applejack met Twilight, Eugene, Rarity, Maximus, and Fluttershy in the reading room.

"I think I know where Rapunzel and Pinkie are," Rainbow Dash informed the others. "If Chrysalis thinks like the best criminals, they're stuffed in a tunnel below the Snuggly Duckling. I need to go out there tonight with the rest of the warriors. It's a long shot, but we gotta take it. In the meantime, most of you have gotta show up at the wedding so Chrysalis doesn't think something's up. I'll also need you to stall for as long as possible. Keep Eugene from saying 'I do' to Chrysalis as long as you can! If I'm right, we'll be back just in time!"

"It is a long shot," Twilight admitted, "but we have to take it."

"We can certainly come up with a distraction or two in order to stall," Rarity said with a smile.

"And we'll keep working on seeing if anything can make Eugene better," Fluttershy added.

"Great!" Rainbow Dash cried. "Now, there's one more thing. Maximus, Chrysalis kicked you out. She doesn't expect you there anyway. I was wondering if you'd come with me. You're the captain of the guard, after all, and we need all the help we can get on this mission!"

Maximus whinnied his approval.

"Then let's go!" Rainbow Dash commanded. "I'll see you all tomorrow!"

"Tomorrow's my wedding," Eugene said listlessly.

Rainbow Dash and Maximus left the house to join the band of warriors. "We're ready," Rainbow Dash announced.

Maximus nudged her gently. He bent one foreleg, giving her one shoulder. It took Rainbow Dash a second to realize that he was offering her a ride.

"You out of everyone should know how wrong I think that is," Rainbow Dash growled.

Maximus gave a sort of shrug before straightening up into his full height once more. The band set out for the borderlands as the sun plummeted and the moon rose.

Rainbow Dash didn't let it show, but she was quite worried that her hunch was wrong. After all, if she was incorrect, no amount of stalling would stop Chrysalis from taking Corona within the following day.

---

THE BORDERLANDS OF CORONA, AESTAS

Gothel had gone further down the tunnel to make her own bed. Rapunzel and Pinkie Pie were left to sleep in their chains against the wall. Despite the discomfort, they'd managed to lose consciousness.

At midnight, as though the time itself was a marker for revelation, Pinkie's eyes flew open. She knew.

"I have a plan!" she cried.

---

Chapter 20:

· "Four evers makes forever" is a reference to a particular MLP ep, the title of which I forget, where Pinkie is told by somepony that he's "never ever ever ever ever" going to be her friend; she remarks sadly that "four evers…that's like forever!"

· The Smile song returns. It has a purpose for being here.

· THIS is the big reason you had to remember that Gothel thought his name was Flynn: no one around Chrysalis knew his real name. So she'd obviously slip up right away and call him that.

· A Pinkie Promise canonically has Pinkie finish her promise by actually poking herself in the eye.

· The reference to the rings belonging to Barbara's parents is from Tangled Ever After, where in Maximus' daymare about the royals finding that he lost the rings, the queen stands up and yells, "Those were my mother's!"

· Yes. I thought of it the other day: when Chrys impersonated Cadence, why did she give in to all her selfish urges instead of trying to act like the mild-mannered princess? Perfectionism is just Chrys' weakness. And I mean perfectionism in the events she's crashing, not just in her evil plans.

· This is the chapter where I finally picked names I like for the thugs! "Franz" is the pianist, of course, and "Sigmund" is the lovestruck one. All the other names are actually canon. Franz and Sigmund are listed canonically as "Hook-hands" and "Big-nose," which I don't think count as names.

21: This Day Ever After

CORONA, AESTAS

Chrysalis admired herself in the mirror. Though Rapunzel had long ago chosen a dress far more modest than what Chrysalis would have picked, she still looked beautiful. Now, in these moments she had alone in the dressing room before her big moment…before she walked down the aisle to claim her prince…she smirked into the mirror. Perhaps the princess would be singing one of her silly songs, were she here. Inspired, Chrysalis sang a little song of her own:

"This day is going to be perfect,

The kind of day of which I've dreamed since I was small.

All Corona will gather 'round,

Say I look lovely in my gown—

What they don't know is that I have fooled them all!

This day is going to be perfect,

The kind of day of which I've dreamed since I was small.

And instead of having cake with her Eugene to celebrate,

Rapunzel's bells, they will not ring for her at all!

I could care less about the dress,

I won't partake in any cake!

Vows, I'll be lying when I say

That through any kind of weather

I'll want us to be together—

The truth is, I don't care for him at all!

No, I do not love the groom!

In my heart there is no room!

But I still want him to be all MINE!

For Rapunzel it is too late,

Elements can't save the day,

No, I'll be lying if I say

That I just want to abuse him, to wed him and to use him,

Not cherish, love, and care for him each day!

For I want Rapunzel's groom,

All my thoughts he does consume!

Eugene Fitzherbert,

You'll be mine very soon!

Finally the moment has arrived

For me to be one lucky bride!

Oh, the wedding she won't make

He'll end up marrying a fake!

And Corona will be…MINE!"

---

THE BORDERLANDS OF CORONA, AESTAS

"…and that's how we do it!" Pinkie finished. "It's foolproof!"

"But it means I have to lie," Rapunzel pointed out. "I know, it seems silly to worry about that at a time like this, but…I NEVER break my word. Ever."

"Then you won't have to lie! You can just tell a sort-of truth!"

"I'd feel wrong doing even that."

"Rapunzel, you don't have to lie at all. You'll be doing exactly what you said you'd do. I'll be the tricky one! Pretty please? You have to do it for Eugene!"

Rapunzel nodded. "Let's go."

They waited for Gothel to come back. "Hi there!" Pinkie greeted. "How was your day? Where'd you go? Did you go anywhere fun? Did you go to get candy? I would have gone to get candy if I were you! But then again, I like candy anytime—"

"YOU'RE certainly talkative today," Gothel snarled at Pinkie.

"I know!" Pinkie cried happily. "I almost forgot just how much I love talking! Especially to interesting people! Like you! I think you're interesting. I mean, you've lived for waaaaay longer than most other people! How old are you, anyway? One thousand? Two thousand? Three thousand? Four—"

"ENOUGH!" Gothel snapped.

"Mother," Rapunzel said, taking in a deep breath, "I've decided I'm going to sing for you. As long as you have me here."

"What?" Gothel was taken aback, but then just smiled. "I'm glad you came to your senses. Our relationship isn't a one-way street, you know."

"I went the wrong way down a one-way street once," Pinkie brought up. "I crashed right into Carrot Top! Boy, was she mad! But then I told her I was sorry, really really sorry, so SO sorry! And then she forgave me. Because it was an accident, after all!"

"ARE YOU THROUGH?" Gothel yelled at Pinkie.

"Just about," Pinkie said before becoming silent.

"Now then," Gothel said, turning back to Rapunzel. "You were saying?"

"I could sing for you now," Rapunzel said, "if you like."

"Hmm…" Gothel shrugged. "Well, I certainly don't see why not. A little more healing never hurt anyone."

Rapunzel began her song, and Gothel closed her eyes to listen to the dulcet notes: "Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine—"

"You know what my FAVORITE flower is?" Pinkie interrupted. "Lilies, 'cause they're so huge and colorful! Except on the days when my favorite flower is roses because roses come in my favorite shade of pink! Though some days I'm actually more partial to—"

Gothel gave a wordless roar followed by "BE! QUIET!"

"But I hate quiet," Pinkie argued. "Quiet is just so…booooo-riiiing!"

"THAT'S IT!" Gothel withdrew a lockpick from her sash. "Now that Rapunzel's agreed to sing for me, I won't have any need of YOU anymore. And even if she has a problem with it, I'll find another way to get that voice." She knelt, undoing the chains that held Pinkie to the wall, including those that pinned her arms to her sides. "I won't put up with this annoyance for one more MINUTE!" She stood. "Get on your feet! You are coming with me."

Pinkie now only had one chain binding her wrists together and one binding her ankles. She stood up, crying, "I LOVE adventures! Where are we going!" She then made a dramatic show out of trying to take a step and falling over. "Oh no! Looks like I can't walk with these things on my ankles! Might as well just roll!" She rolled back and forth on the stone floor. "WHEEEEEEE!"

Gothel planted a foot on Pinkie's stomach, stopping her from rolling. She then knelt and swiftly undid the lock on the ankle chain before grabbing Pinkie by the elbow and pulling her sharply upward. Pinkie managed to clasp the unoccupied ankle-chain in her hands on the way up; Gothel didn't care about that. Gothel then dragged Pinkie forcibly down the length of the tunnel.

Pinkie noted that the woman was surprisingly strong. Not supernaturally, but Pinkie would have had a very hard time getting free of her grip. She didn't want to try that yet anyway. Her plan was still in motion.

A bright spot of light loomed at the end of the tunnel until Gothel and Pinkie exited onto a stone cliff overlooking a great quarry filled with broken-down water chutes. "If dashing your brains on the rocks at the bottom is what it takes to make you quiet…" Gothel growle, ready to throw Pinkie over the edge.

SNAP! Pinkie clasped the cuff from the chain she carried over Gothel's wrist. "Oops!" she cried, reaching down and grabbing the other cuff with her teeth so she could snap it on her own wrist, just above the one keeping her wrists less than a foot apart. "Guess I can't go over unless you come with me!"

"The sooner you're gone," Gothel muttered, fishing the lockpick from her sash with her free hand and guiding it over to the cuffs that bound them, "the sooner I—"

Pinkie's teeth were at the ready again; she bit down upon the lockpick when it was in range, taking it into her mouth. She steered it over to the cuffs around her wrists, unlocking all of them. One chain fell to the ground; the other hung from Gothel's right wrist. Pinkie then spat the lockpick into her now free hands.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" Gothel roared.

Pinkie stepped aside, revealing a cannon that Gothel was sure hadn't been there to begin with. She aimed it at Gothel, pointing toward the tunnel from whence they'd come. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" she yelled, mashing the button.

Gothel was blown off her feet in a rush of confetti and streamers. When she hit the ground, Pinkie was quick to snap the chain on her wrist to her other wrist, then use the discarded one on her ankles. "Sorry I have to chain you up," she said, "but Rapunzel and I have to escape now!" She then took off running back into the tunnel, and all the enraged Gothel could do was roll on the ground.

Pinkie charged back to Rapunzel, crying, "It worked! It worked!" She used her newly acquired lockpick to undo all Rapunzel's chains. "Now we gotta go!" she cried. "Gothel might roll this way any minute!"

"Thank you," Rapunzel said as she stood, her eyes almost watering. Then she and Pinkie took off in the opposite direction from the cliff edge.

Back on the cliff, Gothel struggled with her chains until a rush of green fire appeared above her. Maleficent loomed, staring down.

"I don't suppose you'd consider this a success?" Gothel asked sheepishly.

"As a matter of fact," Maleficent said, smiling slightly, "I do not consider this a failure…yet. I admire your attempt to do away with the Element of Laughter. There is still a chance for you."

She passed her hand over the chains, and each chain snapped in half. "Go," Maleficent told Gothel.

"When I get ahold of those girls," Gothel vowed with gritted teeth, standing up, "they'll think that what came before was the royal treatment."

---

CORONA, AESTAS

The Great Hall of the castle was lined with pews, and the pews were filled with townspeople. Everyone had gathered to see the beloved princess wed the beloved prince. Twilight, Fluttershy, and Applejack sat in the very front row, before the altar. Rarity had been assigned the job of carrying the rings, something a messenger from the guard had passed on to her as explicit orders from the princess. Rarity accepted the job with gritted teeth, knowing Chrysalis just wanted to watch her squirm. As for Eugene, he stood at the altar in his finest wedding white and a golden brooch shaped like the Coronan sun symbol; he dazedly stared at the door through which his bride would enter.

The procession began. Rarity held her head high, walking down the aisle in a vibrant gown of green as she carried the pillow that held the gold-and-diamond bands of the previous king and queen. Pascal sat atop her head, tossing flower petals down into the aisle. Rarity then took her place at the side of the altar, standing near where her friends sat.

Everyone in the room turned to the door and gasped. There she stood, resplendent in the white bridal gown and clutching a bouquet of white flowers. Barbara and Zal smiled, thinking they saw their daughter about to walk into the happiest day of her life. The townspeople smiled, thinking their princess was about to enter a beautiful relationship. Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Applejack scowled, knowing that Chrysalis was just eating the attention up.

Chrysalis strode down the aisle, escorted by Zal, as the wedding march played on the organ, echoing throughout the chamber. She kept on a smug smile, thinking she'd won.

"Wow," the priest at the altar muttered.

"Wow," Eugene said through his bleary haze.

Chrysalis strode confidently up to the altar, taking her place across from Eugene. "Dearly beloved," the priest began, "we are gathered here today to celebrate the joining of Rapunzel and Eugene in marriage."

"Eugene," Chrysalis muttered under her breath. "Silly name."

The priest continued his monologue: "To live their lives together as husband and wife, in everlasting…"

"Rainbow Dash ain't gonna make it," Applejack hissed. "We gotta stall. If Eugene weren't so mesmerized, he'd've figured out—"

"Mesmerized!" Twilight caught herself just in time to say the word softly and keep from following it up with a great gasp. "Sand mesmerism! Sadira got rid of the spell she put on Aladdin that way! If I just had sand, I could fix him, and he'd call it off!"

"What can we do?" Fluttershy asked worriedly. "We can't stop the wedding!"

"Unless we do something drastic." Applejack stood up, quietly, and moved next to Rarity. She then swatted the purple pillow out of Rarity's arms, sending the rings clinking and rolling down the hallway. "OOPS!" she said loudly; it echoed through the entire hall, and all eyes turned to her.

"WHAT is wrong?" Chrysalis snapped.

"Those durn rings just went flyin' out the door!" Applejack replied. "My fault. I'm a bit clumsy. Don't worry, we'll get it fixed up in no time. Twilight's gonna go get 'em, ain't ya, Twilight?"

"Of course!" Twilight stood.

Barbara gasped. "Those were my mother's wedding rings!" she cried.

"And we know just how special they were to Rapunzel," Applejack continued, looking meaningfully at Chrysalis. "She just wouldn't go through with the weddin' without 'em, seein' as they mean so much to her. Ain't that right, Rapunzel? The whole town knows that."

"I don't need—" Chrysalis began.

"We all know how much you wanted to use those rings," Zal said comfortingly.

"I can get them!" Twilight insisted. "They can't have gone far!" She darted down the hallway.

"And I'll help!" Rarity added, following. Pascal clung to her purple curls desperately.

"Don't worry," Zal told Chrysalis. "They'll get them back, and then the ceremony will be just the way you wanted."

"Isn't that a little extreme just for two little rings?" Chrysalis growled.

"Not for my daughter," Zal said with a smile.

Chrysalis turned her attention back to Applejack. "Where's your rainbow friend?"

"She ran out to help get the rings," Applejack replied. "Didn't ya see her?"

Chrysalis glared angrily. "This better not take long," she muttered.

Out in the hallway, Twilight and Rarity followed the clinking sound of the rings. "I'm going down to the beach to get sand!" Twilight panted. "Where are YOU going?"

"To get the rings back!" Rarity said as though it were obvious that they were necessary. "Rapunzel will be WANTING them for when she really gets married!"

"Okay," Twilight sighed. "We'll meet back here!"

"Right! Got it!"

The two mares split up once they left the building; Rarity chased the rings down an alley, while Twilight rushed for the beach.

---

THE BORDERLANDS OF CORONA, AESTAS

When Rainbow Dash got in sight of the Snuggly Duckling, she broke into a run. The warriors and Maximus followed her, knowing she wouldn't be able to find the passage on her own.

"Where is it?" Rainbow Dash cried, bursting into the empty tavern.

Franz entered, walking over to the bar and pulling one of the taps. "There."

A panel behind the bar slid open; a rocky tunnel was visible, leading downward.

"Perfect!" Rainbow Dash hopped over the bar. "Now, to check it out and see if…"

"HEEEEEYYYYY!" a high voice called from inside. "DON'T CLOSE THAT DOOR!"

"…Pinkie?" Rainbow Dash was confused.

Pinkie and Rapunzel ran into view, climbing up and out of the tunnel. "Oh, hi, Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie said with a wave. "How'd you know where to find us?"

"You already ESCAPED?" Rainbow Dash's jaw dropped. "I…I…" She then comprehended the sight of Rapunzel. "What happened to YOU?"

"Chrysalis did this to me to make sure she looked more like me than I did," Rapunzel explained as to her lack of hair.

Franz rubbed his eyes. "Princess?"

"Yes," Rapunzel said. "I'm the real one. The one that's getting married to Eugene is a fake! I know that's hard to believe, but—"

"But it's true!" Pinkie affirmed. "The fake came from our kingdom, and she has magic like you've never seen before!"

"Well," Sigmund admitted, "I did think that you sending us away wasn't something you would do."

"She sent you AWAY?" Rapunzel cried.

"She didn't want us at the wedding," Franz said, somewhat hurt. "She said we were disgusting."

"But you're not!" Rapunzel told the group of warriors. "You're all my friends, and I would love for you to be at my wedding! Every one of you! Besides, Franz, no one could play the organ better than you." Her expression turned somber. "We have to get back to Corona. We have to stop that wedding!"

"We won't make it," Sigmund worried.

Maximus whinnied. "He can," Rapunzel said, motioning to the stallion. "Can't you?"

Maximus nodded.

"We have to hurry!" Pinkie insisted.

"Right!" Rapunzel ran to the cooking stove briefly. When she returned, she clutched a frying pan, still hot. "Just in case," she said.

She climbed onto Maximus' back. "I know this must be a little weird, since you're both horses," she told Pinkie, "but—"

"But it's an emergency!" Pinkie climbed up behind Rapunzel.

"That STILL weirds me out," Rainbow Dash said disgustedly. "I'll just have to travel on these babies." She spread her wings; they came out easily through the sleeves Rarity had included in the back of her dress. "Thank you, Rarity!"

The warriors gasped. "Is she…" Franz began, but couldn't finish.

"Yeah, I got wings," Rainbow Dash snapped. "And there's a fake princess in the castle. You're gonna have to start believing in weird stuff!"

Maximus carried Rapunzel and Pinkie out the door, and Rainbow Dash followed. Maximus then broke into a gallop, and Rainbow Dash kept pace in flight.

"Well?" Franz bellowed. "Let's go!"

The warriors charged forth from the Snuggly Duckling as quickly as they could.

---

CORONA, AESTAS

After causing a hullaballoo by crawling across several fancily set outdoor tables meant for the reception, Pascal chased the first ring down to an ice sculpture shaped like a certain frequenter of the Snuggly Duckling dressed in Cupid wings. Pascal shot out his tongue to catch the ring; it stuck to the ice.

"Oh, you poor dear!" Rarity rushed to the ice sculpture, whacking it with a soup tureen. It shattered, freeing Pascal but sending the ring flying. "Follow that ring!" she commanded Pascal, her eyes fixating on the street down which the second had gone: "I've got this one."

Rarity leapt into a nearby white carriage, not noting the tin cans hooked to the back—the honeymoon vehicle for Rapunzel and Eugene. She shoved off against the wall of a building; the carriage rolled downhill, after the runaway ring. Rarity leaned over the side of the carriage in order to catch it.

She crashed into a cart selling commemorative hats, then one selling commemorative gowns, then one selling commemorative makeup. This slowed her down only slightly, though it did plant a yellow hat on Rarity's head, a pink gown over her green, and a streak of lipstick across her cheek. She leaned over, about to grasp the ring, when she passed a cart selling mirrors and got a glimpse of herself.

"Is THAT what I look like?" she shrieked, falling out of the carriage.

"NOOOOOO!" Rarity bawled as the ring rolled out of sight. She rushed after it, turning a corner—

"Get your commemorative frying pans here!"

CLANG.

"Sorry, miss," the frying pan vendor said as Rarity staggered from the blow to the head. "I didn't mean to…"

"Ring," Rarity growled, trying to regain her senses. "Rolling down the street. Which way?"

"Uh…I thought I saw something shiny going that way…"

Rarity staggered after it.

In the meantime, Pascal had chased his ring until it became hooked on a floating lantern carried by a young girl. The girl rushed toward an impressive sight—a host of lanterns, to commemorate those that had brought Rapunzel home, all held down under a net—and let the lantern carrying the ring go among its identical siblings.

Pascal climbed up into the mess of lanterns, seeking the one with the precious jewelry. Then he heard the CLANG of Rarity hitting a frying pan.

"There's the signal!" someone yelled, having waited for a gong. "Release the doves!"

"There are the doves!" one of the men holding down the lanterns yelled. "Release the lanterns!"

To Pascal's horror, the net was released; the lanterns all soared up into the air.

Rarity had secured another wagon, trying again to steer it downhill, but her dazed senses got the better of her. She drove it right into a dead end on a precipice; the front of the wagon, where a horse might usually be hooked, drove into the base of the wall at road's end and flung Rarity up into the air. She screamed as she soared through the cloud of lanterns.

She briefly glimpsed Pascal clinging to one of the lanterns. "I don't even think I want to know how you got up there," she sighed before plummeting.

---

Twilight gathered as much sand as she could into her hands. "There!" she cried, turning to make the long run back uphill to the castle. "That should do…it…"

She beheld the lanterns floating in the sky.

"OH NO!" she cried. "What if I'm too late?"

She took off as quickly as she could.

---

A pile of wine barrels broke Rarity's fall. A flood of purple wine rushed down the street. Rarity was carried on the crest of the wave, still screaming as loudly as she could.

Pascal drifted down to the cobblestone street, having secured the ring. He sighed contentedly…before hearing the sound of Rarity's cry and seeing the rush of purple.

The wine swept him up. He crashed into something solid; Rarity's shoulder. She picked him up, setting him on her head. "How did you…" She closed her eyes. "Never mind."

She then looked up to see another wall. This time, there was no wagon to launch her. She let out the loudest scream yet.

The wave broke against the wall. Much of the wine went over, but Rarity and Pascal hit the wall lightly and stayed down. They were left in the damp purple streets, panting with exhaustion.

A gold glimmer caught Rarity's eye. She looked down against the wall. There, the other ring had rolled.

"THERE YOU ARE!" She swept up the other ring. "Now let's go before any other fashion disasters can happen!"

---

THE BORDERLANDS OF CORONA, AESTAS

Maximus galloped across the green grass, Rapunzel and Pinkie clinging on for dear life and Rainbow Dash flying alongside.

"We're gonna make it!" Rainbow Dash cried.

Suddenly, two figures leapt out from behind the trees, holding great swords aloft. Maximus dug his feet into the ground, skidding to a halt that kicked up dirt clods. Rainbow Dash also stopped. "What gives?" she complained, looking over the two that had blocked the way: a pair of muscular men with red hair, one wearing an eyepatch.

"The Stabbington brothers!" Rapunzel cried.

"Well, well," Ethan jeered. "If it isn't the princess with the magic hair. Except now it's all gone. What happened to your hair, little girl?"

"The boss was expecting the borderlands ruffians to come by this way," Corey continued. "He would have been impressed enough if we had been able to overthrow them and make them run back to the kingdom telling the what was in store. But capturing the actual princess? This just gets better and better."

"I'm warning you," Rapunzel said, "if you don't get out of the way…" She lifted her frying pan. "I'll have to fight you."

"Me too!" Pinkie added.

"And me!" Rainbow Dash put up her fists. "C'mon, you think those little swords are really gonna stop us?"

"The princess isn't the only one that can use magic anymore," Ethan boasted. "If she still can, that is."

At the will of his mind, his blade was suddenly afire with orange flames. Corey's blazed blue, coated in frost.

"MAGIC swords?" Rainbow Dash cried in surprise as Maximus whinnied in disbelief.

"That's cheating!" Pinkie whined.

Ethan swung his sword; a burst of flame shot toward Rainbow Dash. She ducked just in time to avoid it. Corey pointed his blade at Rapunzel, who dodged before a blast of ice could freeze her.

"Where'd you get those anyway?" Pinkie asked.

Then they all heard the thundering of footsteps from the direction behind Maximus and Rainbow Dash. The warriors had finally caught up, stampeding toward the Stabbingtons.

"Look!" Franz bellowed. "A pair of common thugs is trying to hold up the princess! We'll show 'em what's what!"

The warriors all drew their weapons, holding them aloft as they charged.

"Perfect timing," Ethan said with a smirk. "Shall we call him?"

"I think so," Corey replied.

They snapped the fingers of their free hands, and a third man materialized between them, having detected the signal to summon him. As his features became more clear, he began, "Well, well. What have we here? The great warriors of the borderlands, and three little rebel girls riding a—Y-YOU?"

"MOZENRATH!" Pinkie and Rainbow Dash yelled.

"But how?" Pinkie cried. "Why? Who, where, and when?"

"You can't be here!" Rainbow Dash yelled. "We left you behind!"

"You…know him?" Rapunzel asked.

"You're not the only ones that can travel, you know," Mozenrath told Pinkie and Rainbow Dash as the warriors got ever nearer. "I guess we were just meant to meet up again. I'd tell you to give Twilight Sparkle my regards, but I can do that myself once I'm the overlord of Corona." He turned his attention to the Stabbington brothers. "Take the pink-haired one and the rainbow one alive. For the rest…show no mercy."

By now, the warriors had caught up with Maximus, and they rushed the Stabbingtons and Mozenrath. Franz's axe clashed with Ethan's sword, but Ethan just sliced through the blade. Corey froze Sigmund solid with the swipe of his blade. Vladimir, the largest of the warriors, leapt forth to challenge Mozenrath with his mace; Mozenrath blasted him away with a bolt of blue energy from the gauntlet, slamming him into a tree and cracking the trunk.

"We've gotta do something!" Rapunzel cried. "We have to help them! Maximus…CHARGE!"

"WAAAAAH!" Pinkie gripped Rapunzel's waist tightly to keep from falling off as Maximus darted forward at a full gallop. Rapunzel held her frying pan high.

"What's this?" Mozenrath remarked, drawing back a fistful of blue energy. "The girl wants to challenge me? Oh, too bad for you that I—"

He didn't expect her to throw the pan. Rapunzel launched it, sending it spinning through the air. She caught the look of horror on Mozenrath's face just before the cookware collided with the side of his face, striking him right in the temple and knocking him unconscious; his body hit the ground with a thud.

In the meantime, Vladimir had gotten back to his feet, and had grabbed Ethan around the waist, throwing him at a tree and sending the fire blade flying. Gunther and Tor had managed to knock the ice blade away from Corey, using it to freeze him.

"GO!" Franz yelled, and Maximus galloped on, Rainbow Dash speeding alongside.

"You just took out one of our biggest enemies with one frying pan!" Rainbow Dash cried.

"How much should I be afraid of him?" Rapunzel asked.

"Very," Rainbow Dash answered.

"He's from a world with a lot more magic!" Pinkie explained, still clinging on. "That's how he got those magic swords!"

"Just wait until Twilight hears about this one," Rainbow Dash groaned.

"Why?" Rapunzel asked.

"Very…long…story."

---

CORONA, AESTAS

Twilight and Rarity met at the castle doors, both out of breath.

"I got the sand!" Twilight cried before noticing Rarity's appearance. "Uh…Rarity? Why are you wearing two dresses and a big hat? And how'd you get that lipstick all over your face? And what's with the giant bruise? Are you okay? And why are you soaked in…" She sniffed the air. "Is that wine?"

"No time to explain!" Rarity shouted. "I have the rings!"

"It might already be too late!" Twilight wailed. "They set off the lanterns! Eugene and Chrysalis are probably already married—"

"Actually, no. That was my fault."

"Um…okay?"

"I'll tell you the whole story LATER. Now let's just get back inside!"

At the altar, Chrysalis' impatience grew. "I don't CARE about two silly little RINGS!" she shouted. "I don't care WHO they belonged to: my grandmother, my great-grandmother, or a diamond dog! Can't we just GET ON with the wedding?"

"Well…all right," the priest sighed. "If you insist—"

"We've got them!" Rarity cried, bursting into the hall, holding the rings aloft; Pascal, still atop her head, gestured to them as if showing them off. Everyone in the hall gasped at Rarity's soaked, mismatched appearance.

"Well, that's a relief," Chrysalis growled. "Now, if you could hand them over—"

"JUST A SECOND!" Twilight charged up to the altar.

"What are you doing?" Chrysalis snapped as Twilight barged in between her and Eugene, facing the poor groom.

"Here goes nothing," Twilight muttered. She concentrated on the handful of sand, and it burst into luster, glittering like stardust. "You're Eugene Fitzherbert," she cried, "and you're in love with the REAL Rapunzel!" She blew the glittering sand into Eugene's face.

Eugene blinked, shaking his head. "Twilight?" he asked.

"Get OUT!" Chrysalis grabbed Twilight by the shoulders and shoved her aside. "You are RUINING MY WEDDING!"

"It's still you," Eugene realized. "You're still her. You're still the fake!"

"What?" Chrysalis cried. "No, Flynn—Eugene! It's me! Rapunzel! The one you love!"

"Really?" Eugene raised an eyebrow. "You're sure not acting like yourself, Rapunzel. Just like you weren't earlier."

"Eugene, NO! DO NOT—"

"EVERYONE!" Eugene turned to address the entire great hall. "I'm sorry, I know you all turned up expecting a huge wedding and a big shindig after, but I'm not going to be marrying this woman today."

Everyone in the great hall gasped. Barbara and Zal nearly fainted.

"What can I say?" Eugene shrugged. "Cold feet! Okay, show's over, you can all go home now!"

"I'VE HAD ENOUGH!" Chrysalis cried, throwing her bouquet to the ground and stomping on it.

"Forget it," Eugene muttered to her. "The only woman I'm going to marry is—"

The doors to the great hall flung open. Maximus galloped down the aisle, two women aboard his back and one running after him. That one, Rainbow Dash, rushed to the pew where her friends were gathered. Maximus stopped in front of the altar, letting down Pinkie Pie and one other passenger.

"It's the assassin!" one of the guards yelled. "And she has the traitor with her!"

"GET HER!" another guard yelled.

Maximus glared at the guards, snorting his disapproval.

"Get that horrible woman away from my daughter!" Barbara cried.

"NO!" Eugene yelled. "No, no, everyone, LOOK!" He turned to look into the eyes of the woman that had dismounted before him. She was bald, and wearing a torn and stained nightgown, but he recognized the gorgeous princess before him. "Rapunzel…it's really you!"

---

Chapter 21

· The chapter title is taken from a mishmash: "This Day Aria," Chrysalis' villain song, and "Tangled Ever After," the short that this replaces chronologically.

· Also, this chapter doesn't exactly sync up with time. The Stabbington battle probably took place way before Rarity got the rings. I just felt it made better narrative variety to alternate the segments as much as possible.

· It is actually canon that Pinkie's ability to annoy the shit out of people and ponies can be weaponized. In the ep "The Last Roundup," they turned her loose on Applejack with one of her long rants about whether to call a cherry chimichanga a "chimicherry" or a "cherrychanga", as well as how fun the words "pickle barrel" and "kumquat" are to say, because Applejack was keeping secrets and they wanted to torture them out of her that way. Against the power of the Pinkie, Gothel is WEAK.

· So I really wanted the quarry area where the big action scene went down in Tangled to be part of this because I think it's cool. But I really had nothing to do there.

· And here comes the part where I rewrite Tangled Ever After to fit my needs. I have replaced Maximus with Rarity—behold! I tried to follow the slapstick chase as best I could while still keeping it fresh (meaning cutting out filler and hurrying it up for time's sake). This is probably the segment where no one cares. Oh well.

· I probably could have made a bigger plot point out of the early release of the lanterns. But I didn't. So there.

· So you're probably wondering why Moz was so easily defeated by a simple frying pan. I have this huge headcanon about an ongoing rivalry between Mozenrath and Rapunzel. They hate each other and it's really fun. I had to give him a reason to REALLY hate her guts, and having her take him out with cookware will do it.

22: Let Your Power Shine

CORONA, AESTAS

"NO!" Chrysalis screamed. "NO! THAT IS AN IMPOSTER!"

Barbara stepped closer to the real Rapunzel, looking her over. "…Rapunzel?"

"They look exactly the same," Zal gasped.

"That's because one of them is a fake," Eugene said, eliciting more gasps from the hall.

"And the real one ain't the one that sent home all those warrior friends of hers, snapped at everyone about makin' her weddin' perfect, or kept calling Eugene by entirely the wrong name," Applejack emphasized.

"Fine," Chrysalis growled. "You bested me. You caught me. But you cannot overpower me. The love for the princess is too strong in this room. I've already taken all I need!"

She shifted into her insectoid form, causing most of the guests in the hall to scream and run for the door. "You're too late!" Chrysalis cried out. She rose into the air on her buzzing wings, firing out green slime at the townspeople, encasing many of them in translucent green cocoons. "This kingdom is MINE!"

She then lowered herself, staring at Eugene and Rapunzel, who clutched each other in terror. "As for you, darling princess," Chrysalis cackled, "you'd look much better in green…"

"NO!" Zal rushed forward, drawing his ceremonial sword from the sheath at his belt. "NOT MY DAUGHTER!"

He swung the blade at Chrysalis, who caught it in her bare hands. "What's the matter, old man?" she chuckled. She snapped the blade in half.

"GUARDS!" Zal yelled; the guards moved forward to take Chrysalis. She stopped them all, encasing them each in a green cocoon. By now, those of the townspeople who were not also encased had run from the hall.

"Perfect timing!" a voice called jauntily from the doorway. All eyes turned to see the newcomer.

Gothel stormed down the aisle slowly and deliberately. "I don't care how many of you I have to fight," she said. "I don't care how long it takes. Rapunzel WILL come with me, and I WILL NOT BE STOPPED!"

"Girls?" Twilight said, looking to her friends.

"But who do we attack first?" Applejack asked.

"Thank you for taking the guards out of my way," Gothel told Chrysalis.

"It was no trouble," Chrysalis cackled. "These people have no magic within them whatsoever."

"And now you're coming with me," Gothel told Rapunzel. She drew her knife. "I was told to take you alive," she growled, "but I suppose I wouldn't be punished too harshly if I happened to lose a few pieces of you along the way."

Before anyone else could react, Barbara grabbed a sword dropped by one of the incapacitated guards and rushed toward Gothel. Gothel raised her blade, blocking the sword as the metal clashed.

"You do NOT get to take my baby girl away," Barbara seethed.

"Why not?" Gothel shot back. "After all, I am her mother."

"No, you're not!" Rapunzel insisted. "Queen Barbara is my real mother!"

"That's only bloodlines," Gothel replied, ducking and thrusting her knife.

"No," Rapunzel yelled as Barbara blocked Gothel's lunge. "She actually cares for me! AND YOU NEVER DID!"

"Get Chrysalis," Twilight commanded, "and we can undo the cocoons!" The six banded together, the aura of light that accompanied the Elements of Harmony surrounding them.

"STOP THEM, GOTHEL!" Chrysalis yelled.

Gothel ducked and rushed toward the six, but Barbara grabbed her around the torso and held her back. Gothel squirmed; she didn't expect the queen to be so strong.

"NO!" Chrysalis fired blasts of green at the light aura, but they were all reflected. "GOTHEL!"

A sharp cry rang out; Barbara let go of Gothel, clutching her side in pain. Gothel charged toward the light aura with her now bloodied knife. As the rainbow burst from atop the light, Gothel noted that her physical weapon could pierce the magic field, and she struck out for Twilight's heart.

A hand seized her wrist. Despite her injury, Barbara had chased after Gothel and grabbed onto her arm, pulling back the knife. Chrysalis tried in vain to blast Zal, Eugene, Rapunzel, and Maximus with green, but they dodged it as they surrounded Gothel, keeping her away from the Elements of Harmony.

Chrysalis was then surrounded by the rainbow, and she screamed: "NO! NOOOOO! IT BURNS!" When the light subsided and twelve feet touched ground once more, Chrysalis lay on the ground weakly.

"I feel…empty…" she croaked. The cocoons melted away from the guards and townspeople. The townspeople ran away, slamming the doors of the hall behind them, but the guards rushed to surround Gothel and put her in chains.

"Okay," Eugene panted, "so…what was with the light show?"

"That was the power of the Elements of Harmony!" Rainbow Dash bragged. "Looks like it took away all the love that Chrysalis soaked up!"

"This…" Chrysalis croaked, "this…is not over…" She rose, staggering.

"Don't even think about trying to take Rapunzel's place again," Eugene told her. "Even without you being utterly unable to get my name right, we can all tell you're a fake."

"This is what you wanted to tell me," Barbara realized, turning to Applejack. "But you knew…I wouldn't believe in the shape-shifter…"

"Hush now," Applejack said worriedly. "Ya best lie down. Ya ain't in the best of shape."

"It looks like it's just a flesh wound," Fluttershy observed, stepping forward to look at Barbara's wound. "She just wanted to hurt her quickly. Your Highness, you need to get bandages on that as soon as possible. Then you'll be okay."

"Take her to our chambers," Zal ordered the guards. "The rest of you…take these saboteurs to the dungeon."

"No," Gothel sighed as the guards dragged her away, "the irony of this isn't lost on me…"

"N-no," Chrysalis said. "I…I still have enough power…to use…the speed of darkness…" Green light flickered around her momentarily, but when it dissipated, so did she.

"Where did she go?" the guards asked confusedly.

"I'm sure she knows she can't try the same trick here again," Rarity pointed out. "More likely, she's gone off looking for yet another kingdom that isn't used to shape-shifting."

"Mom," Rapunzel told Barbara, tears welling up in her eyes, "I'm so sorry…I love you…"

"I love you too," Barbara said. "I'll be all right. What's important is that you're safe." The guards escorted her away.

"She really will be fine," Fluttershy assured Rapunzel. "I've seen wounds like that before. It looks worse than it is."

Rapunzel turned to her fiancé. "Eugene…thank you so much for knowing the real me…"

"Are you kidding?" Eugene replied. "I could pick the real you out of a million fakes."

"I know I must look pretty weird with no hair."

"Well, I gotta say, Rapunzel…I've always had a weird thing for bald women." He winked.

"Oh, Eugene!" Rapunzel smiled.

"Oh, oh!" Pinkie cried. "That reminds me! Twilight, you'll never believe what happened to us on the way here!"

"What?" Twilight asked.

"Are you ready for it?" Pinkie replied. "We saw—"

She was interrupted. A great explosion of blue blasted a hole in the doors to the hall, and a few more explosions punctured the walls that contained said doors. The dust that rose from the destruction obscured the trio that walked in, but it was obvious that two more muscular figures were flanking a tall, slender leader.

As soon as the dust cleared, Twilight's jaw dropped. She could barely register what she was seeing. "No…it can't be…it isn't possible…"

"Twilight," Mozenrath addressed, clasping his hands. "So good to see you again. Part of me wishes it was under different circumstances, but then again, this is getting to be our regular routine, don't you think?"

"How did you GET here?" Twilight blurted. "You were in the Seven Deserts! You didn't…we left…"

Mozenrath shrugged. "I have connections. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a prosperous kingdom to overtake and a bratty little princess to get my revenge on for that little stunt she pulled with the pan in the woods. Of course, I'd rather not have you get damaged, but I wouldn't want you getting in my way either, so…"

He raised his right fist, opening it so that all saw the black sand resting on his palm. He blew it toward the six Equestrians, and a spontaneously generated breeze carried it over to them; the six then found themselves glued to the floor by sticky ropes of the sand.

"I…you…" Twilight struggled to break free of the strands. "Hang on, I can undo this! I know it! Sadira told me all about this…"

"Who are those other guys?" Applejack asked, noting the muscular redheads at Mozenrath's sides.

"The Stabbington brothers," Eugene squeaked. "We…aren't on the best of terms right now…"

"Look at that," Ethan chuckled. "We finally get our revenge on you for leaving us high and dry. Today is just our lucky day." He drew his sword, and the blade blazed into flames; Corey's sword crackled with the power of frost.

Realizing that her friends from Canterlot were unable to use their powers and that the royal guards were gone, Rapunzel moved toward one of the pews, where a panicked guest had left behind his commemorative frying pan.

Eugene, Maximus, and Zal rushed forward to protect Rapunzel, but the Stabbingtons headed them off; Ethan menaced Eugene and Zal with his fiery blade while Corey slashed at Eugene with his icy sword. Eugene ducked and dodged so as not to be cut or frozen.

Mozenrath walked through the melée, advancing upon Rapunzel with a right fist full of blue energy. "I'm almost sad I missed the wedding," he said, raising his hand and firing the bolt of blue.

Rapunzel was at the ready. She raised the frying pan, swinging it. The blue magic crashed against its reflective surface and ricocheted completely backward. Mozenrath barely had enough time to yelp in surprise as his own spell blasted him, knocking him unconscious.

"YEAH!" Pinkie cheered.

"GO RAPUNZEL!" Rainbow Dash added.

"Are you sure he's really that dangerous?" Rapunzel asked, kicking Mozenrath's arm lightly. "He seems kind of…weak against frying pans."

"Everyone has an off day," Twilight practically snapped.

In the meantime, Maximus had knocked Ethan Stabbington over, sending his sword flying from his hands and pinning him to the floor with his hooves. Eugene and Zal put Corey in a stranglehold as Zal called out, "Guards, guards!"

The guards rushed into the hall, just having stashed Gothel in the dungeon. Upon seeing the Stabbingtons, they knew what to do. They chained both brothers, forcing them out of the hall and toward the dungeon.

"Wait!" Zal tried to call out to get them to come back and take Mozenrath's prone form away, but they had already left.

"Okay…" Twilight muttered, "I almost…I think…GOT IT!" A pink aura infused the black sand, and all the strands broke. Pinkie rushed to hug Rapunzel, squealing her congratulations. Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity gathered around Pinkie and Rapunzel.

Twilight, in the meantime, stood over Mozenrath, looking down at him. "You never slow down, do you?" she said under her breath.

Before any more celebration could take place, darkness suddenly overcast the sunny sky outside. A cold wind blew through the hall, sending all tapestries fluttering.

"What's happening?" Fluttershy cried.

"I'm guessing…something not good," Eugene said with a gulp.

In a flash of green, she appeared. Tall and stately, dressed in a black robe that billowed only slightly in the chilling wind, her pale skin slightly green, she clutched her staff tightly and pursed her lips.

"It seems I underestimated these forces," she announced. "And as for the young sorcerer…he is still weak." She shot a glare of disdain down at the unconscious Mozenrath.

"Who…who are you?" Rapunzel asked.

"I?" the woman in black responded. "I am but the one that you will bow down to. My darkness shall swallow your light. Your world is but a thread in the tapestry of fate, of which I shall become the spinner. There are those who would, by my own preference, call me the greatest Overtaker. However, if you desire to address me without formalities, it will do you well to know that I am called Maleficent."

"Overtaker?" Twilight stepped forward. "It's you! You're the one that's working with Jafar!"

"That I am," Maleficent confirmed with a smile. "Were you impressed by the dark powers I gave him, young Element of Magic?"

"You…gave him those powers?" Twilight gulped. "You were the one that made him stronger than two other freed djinni and most of the Seven Deserts combined?"

"You're all talk," Rainbow Dash broke in. "I bet you're just making that up!"

"Soon you will see how foolish you are to doubt me," Maleficent said coldly, staring not into the eyes of Rainbow Dash but into the eyes of Rapunzel. "I have had enough with these failures to take over this kingdom. I shall have to take matters into my own hands. LISTEN WELL!"

She waved her hand over the glass sphere of her staff, and it glowed bright green. "Let all the living start to waste," she chanted, "and let the air of ashes taste. Blot the sun with scores of clouds. Silence all that speak aloud. Grow thy thorns between the stones; weaken all civilian bones. Let sickness take all here but one. Let Rapunzel remain to see what's done. Before the princess' very eyes, let all Corona waste…and DIE!"

The darkness grew deeper and greener; the clouds outside blocked the sun completely. Eugene, Zal, Maximus, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and even little Pascal were all struck with a sudden weakness, falling to their knees and crouching on the floor. Twilight coughed harshly. Eugene tried to stand, but lost his balance, hitting the floor hard. Maximus' breathing grew heavy. Rarity's face became tinged with green.

"What have you done?" Rapunzel cried. "They're dying!"

"As I had hoped," Maleficent replied. "All but my Overtaker…the young sorcerer, insofar as he has potential…and yourself. Why don't you see what has become of the kingdom outdoors?"

Rapunzel rushed to look out a window. The dark green clouds eliminated the sun entirely. People had collapsed in the streets, struck by the same affliction that harmed those in the hall. All plant life had turned to black, thorny vines, and more of those vines sprouted from the cracks between the cobblestones of the street, threatening to swallow the kingdom.

"Soon the light of this kingdom shall be blotted out from the map of existence," Maleficent told Rapunzel. "And you…oh, dear! It seems you shall have to watch it suffer. Within an hour, all stricken will be dead. I daresay that after that, your purity shall be more or less corrupted."

She strode to stand over the six Equestrians. "Such a pity," she remarked. "I had hoped you would be stronger. As it is, with you, all hope for harmony shall die…and with it, a large part of my opposition. After all…well, it was to be a secret, but I suppose you have the right to know before you pass on." The smirk on her face was more malicious than any ever seen on Gothel or Mozenrath. "I am the Angel of Darkness."

With that, she let out a laugh filled with schadenfreude, and a beam of green light surrounded her before it faded, taking her with it.

"No…" Rapunzel knelt over Eugene. "It's going to be okay…I'm not going to let this happen…I…" Tears poured from her eyes. "I don't know what to do…"

"Don't blame yourself…" Eugene croaked. "No one would…know what to do…"

"I can't," Twilight whispered. "I can't use any of my magic…I can't even start to activate our powers as the Elements…I'm sorry I wasn't stronger…"

"Nobody blames ya," Applejack replied. "Ya tried yer…" Her sentence went unfinished; she just coughed instead, holding her ribcage.

Rapunzel kept crying, certain that the end had come for all she held dear, including her new friends. As her tears hit the ground, they splashed; gold light flickered from them.

A memory surfaced. Eugene, dying, bleeding to death. Rapunzel pleading to Gothel to let her heal him. Her hair, dropping from her neck uselessly to the floor. Crying over him…healing him.

Gothel's words: that Rapunzel could still heal without her hair, so long as her heart was in it.

"Flower gleam and glow," she sang softly, "let your power shine…"

Color returned to Eugene's face. He sat up, holding his aching head in one hand. The air around him seemed lighter, as though the sun shone over him through the clouds and the roof.

"Make the clock reverse," Rapunzel continued, "bring back what once was mine…"

Light washed over Zal, Maximus, Pascal, Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie. They stood, one by one.

"Rapunzel!" Twilight cried. "How are you doing that?"

"I…don't know," Rapunzel admitted. "I knew I could heal at least one of you at a time, but…"

"Your healing magic is really strong," Twilight told her.

"Don't worry about the rest of the kingdom," Rarity said. "We can take it from here!" The six moved together, forming the light of the Elements of Harmony once more.

"Rapunzel," Zal said as the six produced the rainbow, "words cannot describe how glad I am that you are all right…and you, Eugene."

The rainbow fizzled out. The six Equestrians were blown in different directions by the shock of the magic backfiring.

"NO!" Twilight cried.

"We're not strong enough to overcome Maleficent's curse!" Fluttershy wailed. "That means in one hour…"

"We can't just give up the kingdom!" Rainbow Dash wailed. "There HAS to be another way!"

"Maybe there is." Twilight turned to Rapunzel. "Why don't you try?"

"Me?"

"You've always been connected to this kingdom. You know all these people. This is your home, Rapunzel. You just healed this entire hall. It's a long shot, but…maybe…"

Rapunzel nodded. "I'll try."

She stood, moving out to the center of the hall. She took a deep breath, then closed her eyes. "Heal what has been hurt, change the fates' design…"

Though she couldn't see it, the thorns began to recede throughout Corona. The vines became green with life and moved to the sides of the streets, arranging themselves in orderly patterns. Every thorn burst into a flower.

Those inside the hall only noticed when the first sunbeam burst through the cloud cover. "Yes!" Twilight cried. "YES!"

"Save what has been lost," Rapunzel went on, opening her eyes. "Bring back what once was mine…"

In the same key, Pinkie Pie broke in: "Come on everypony, smile smile smile, fill my heart up with sunshine, sunshine! All I really need's a smile smile smile, from these happy friends of mine!"

"Come on everybody, smile smile smile!" Rapunzel picked up as the clouds dissipated outside. "Fill my heart up with sunshine, sunshine! All I really need's a smile smile smile, from these happy friends of mine! Yes, the perfect gift for me is a smile as wide as a mile! To make me happy as can be! Smile, smile, smile, smile, smiiiiiiiile!"

As Rapunzel drew out the last note, natural light flooded the hall. Barbara rushed in from the hallways outside. "It's the most curious thing!" she cried. "I felt as though I was about to die, but suddenly, I felt better than ever before…and my knife wound is gone!"

Rainbow Dash flew to the window. "Everypony's getting up and walking around!" she informed the others.

"You id it, Rapunzel!" Twilight cried.

"YOU DID IT YOU DID IT YOU DID IT!" Pinkie added, nearly crushing Rapunzel in a hug.

"But how?" Rarity cried in confusion.

"I've never seen anyone with healing magic like that," Twilight remarked. "One thing's for sure: Rapunzel's no ordinary princess."

A host of guards burst into the hall. "Gothel is gone!" one of them cried.

"Don't bother with a search," Eugene told them. "That green witch probably made off with her."

"I just wish I could see the look on Maleficent's face when she figured out that we undid her curse!" Rainbow Dash laughed.

"So now we know who our Angel of Darkness is," Applejack pointed out. "I dunno about you, but…I'm a little scared. We ain't never faced anything like her before. Our powers didn't even scratch her!"

"I know," Twilight sighed. "And that bothers me. We need to find a way to get stronger, or we're going to be crushed."

"Guards," Zal ordered, "take the unconscious man there. He launched an attack on our castle that—"

Hearing this, Twilight interrupted. "Actually…I want a word with him."

"But afterwards," Zal said, "for his actions, he should be given the standard punishment."

"No," Rapunzel insisted. "I've been meaning to do this for a long time now. Mother, Father…I don't want to punish criminals with death anymore. I don't believe it's right, and as future queen, I think I should have a say in this."

"Even if that criminal was that awful woman that posed as your mother?" Barbara asked.

Rapunzel nodded. "Maybe I'm too soft, but I don't want anyone to die because of us. There are other ways to teach a lesson. Even jailing them is good enough for me."

"Our dungeon hasn't exactly been holding criminals as well as it could," Eugene pointed out.

"Only because forces like Chrysalis overpowered us," Rapunzel said. "We need to figure out how to contain magic. After all…there's a lot more out there than just our world, and I don't think we've seen the last of it."

"I know how to forge some magic-repellent things," Twilight told Zal and Barbara. "I can show you how."

"We'll need to use them to hold back Mozenrath while Twilight speaks to him, of course," Rarity added. Twilight bit her lip; she had hoped to have a conversation without anyone having to be restrained, but everyone else was nodding, and she knew she couldn't convince the royal family that restraints weren't necessary.

"And I have another idea of what we can do to make him pay for the attacks!" Pinkie cried. "Trust me…it'll be really fun!"

"Should I be scared of your idea of 'fun'?" Eugene asked.

"There are a lot of questions I need answered," Twilight muttered, so low that no one could hear. "I just hope you'll help me out."

---

Chapter 22

· This is one of the few chapters where I knew the title before I started it.

· I decided that physical weapons can in fact pierce the light sphere of the Elements of Harmony, even if Chrys' magic can't.

· I really wanted the battle to come down to Gothel vs. Barbara for who was Rapunzel's true mother.

· I couldn't decide what the Elements could do to Chrys at this level. I decided that sucking the love from her, and therefore her power, was the best option.

· I was going to draw it out longer, but there was no point. Maleficent is the Angel of Darkness. Yes. She's the one trying to bring about the new age of chaos. But it was kinda obvious, wasn't it?

· And now you see how powerful the PoH's are, starting with Zel.

23: A Late Wedding Gift

CORONA, AESTAS

"What…the…okay, where am I?"

Returning to consciousness, already miffed, Mozenrath found himself tied to a chair before a table that functioned as a chessboard. The brightly lit room, white-walled with a few decorative tapestries, was small, so much that it gave off the impression of being little more than a cheery prison, especially with the door closed. Then there was the matter of the chair on the other side of the table. There was seated the only woman that Mozenrath could have tolerated being in a small room with at that moment: Twilight Sparkle.

"I'm sorry about the restraints," she said sincerely. "I didn't want them, but everypony else insisted. And I did have to admit that you made a mess out of the wedding, to put it lightly."

"I don't hold it against you." There was that smirk again. "After all, it's not like these restraints are going to hold me for long."

Sensing what Mozenrath was about to do, Twilight cried, "No, DON'T!"

His right hand pulsed with energy, but as he tried to feed it to the ropes, Mozenrath found himself wracked with the destructive pain of the magic he'd summoned. He gave a cry of anguish. Twilight reached out, stopping before her hand could touch him and transfer the pain into her own body as well.

The blue aura subsided. "I'm so sorry," Twilight said softly. "I helped them make more of the magic-resistant ropes."

"I kind of figured that out," Mozenrath growled.

"I don't understand why you're here," Twilight stated plainly. "When we left you, you didn't have any way of traveling away from your world. I have to know. How did you do it?"

"I'd rather have that be my little secret." The smirk returned.

Twilight groaned. "Listen, I'm trying to figure out how all this works. If I'm going to really understand, I need your help. Obviously, the Starlight isn't the only craft moving through space. I told you all about how it worked. Remember?"

"I remember," Mozenrath replied. "As I said, I would prefer that it stayed a secret. But then again, you always did have a talent for dragging my secrets out of me. I suppose it wouldn't hurt for you to know."

"Before that…"

"Well?"

"It's stupid." Twilight looked down at the chessboard before asking, "Why did you spare my friends this time?"

"Look," Mozenrath sighed. "We've been through this. You're useless without them. As much as they annoy me, I have something to lose if they're destroyed. Besides that, I see trying to work around you as a challenge. It's one thing to be known as the sorcerer that destroyed the Elements of Harmony. It's another thing entirely to be known as the sorcerer that managed to conquer everything he wanted despite the Elements always being in the way. Don't you think?"

"We're obligated to stop you from doing that."

"That only makes a better challenge."

Twilight couldn't hold back a smile. "Are you ever not an overachiever?"

"I do my best. And I'll take that as a compliment."

"Now. About how you got here."

"Well, it's a bit of a funny story. It seems the Overtakers have actually taken an interest in me. Or at least their leader Maleficent has."

"Maleficent?" Twilight did a double take.

"You've met her?"

"She showed up right after Rapunzel knocked you out—"

"That PRINCESS!" Mozenrath snarled. "How? HOW did she overpower me TWICE with only a frying pan? She'll regret making a fool out of me. I didn't think it was possible, but she's just become the one person in all of existence that I HATE more than my brother." Twilight's words finally sank in with him. "But…you said Maleficent was in the castle?"

"She cursed all of Corona to waste away and die," Twilight explained. "She's the Angel of Darkness. She's the one trying to bring about the age of chaos and hate! She almost killed everyone in the entire kingdom! We were lucky that Rapunzel had enough power within her to counteract the curse. In fact, Rapunzel had more power…than we did. We…tried to use the Elements to undo it. It didn't work."

"Well, that seems inconsistent," Mozenrath pointed out. "From what I've seen, your little powers should have been able to counteract—"

"Don't flatter me. We failed against Jafar, and Maleficent was the one who made him that powerful. If that's what's out there waiting for us…we haven't got a chance."

"Sounds like you're giving up." Mozenrath rolled his eyes. "Twilight, Twilight. Where's YOUR ambition? Maleficent made a fool out of you, didn't she?"

"It's not like that. More like…she pointed out how powerless we are. How much of a difference we actually can't make."

"So find a way to get revenge! Don't just sit there and take it."

"I'm just afraid we'll never be able to counteract her," Twilight lamented. "Not ever. Celestia says we can get stronger…but we're just going to fail." She shook her head. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be talking about this—"

"Does that really matter? I'm only going to say this once, Twilight. If you want it badly enough, you can find a way to beat her. Give her exactly what you think she deserves. Me, on the other hand…I'm trying to get on her good side. But having diametrically opposed goals never stopped either of us before, now, did it?"

"You're right," Twilight said, a new hope arising within her. "About all of it. You keep finding ways to do the impossible. Well, so can I! And just because you're trying to impress her and I want to defeat her doesn't mean we can't be…well…I REALLY wish we didn't have to tie you to a chair."

"Your precious princess is safer this way," Mozenrath pointed out. "Much to my disappointment, of course, but that's probably a silver lining to you."

"So tell me more about Maleficent," Twilight said, steering the subject back where she wanted it.

"There isn't much more to tell," Mozenrath admitted. "I only met her briefly. She's a faerie who specializes in dark powers, and she's found a way to move from world to world without using a vessel. Lucky her. She seemed to think I had potential, so she gave me dark matter to work with. If I impress her, I could be on my way to becoming one of the Overtakers. And before you ask, no, I don't know anything else about them besides their desire to conquer the cosmos in this 'new age.'"

"Dark matter?" Twilight raised an eyebrow. "I've only ever read about it, and all the books said was that it was an unknown force."

"It's a lot more convenient for traveling than your mists," Mozenrath told her. "It actually takes you where you want to go. Perhaps you'd consider switching?"

"We'd have to know where we wanted to go," Twilight admitted. "How'd you know you wanted to go here?"

"I didn't. I could have made something out of anywhere I landed. You know that."

"Where did you land? I mean…where's the vessel you used?"

"Out back of the castle. I think I did pretty well, under the circumstances. All Maleficent did was give me the raw material, and I managed to make a ship for two." He stopped in realization. "What DID you do with Xerxes, anyway?"

"He flew in after Rapunzel healed the kingdom. The king and queen caged him when we told them he was your accomplice. They were kinda grossed out. Eugene's probably still trying to poke him with a stick, and Fluttershy's probably still trying to tell Eugene that's cruel. Don't worry. You'll get him back when we let you go."

"And the royal family is okay with you letting me go?"

"Well, think about it," Twilight clarified. "We know that the Elements of Harmony are stronger than you. Rapunzel's defeated you twice. The entire royal guard is braced for an attack, and they have those swords you gave the Stabbingtons. I hate to say it, but…you're outgunned."

"I'll have to be better prepared when I come back for this place," Mozenrath muttered. "And I will come back. I need to show that princess who holds REAL power." He looked Twilight dead in the eye. "You are expecting me to leave this world entirely, aren't you?"

"That was the one thing I managed to argue for and win," Twilight said proudly. "You go your way, we go ours, this kingdom goes its for at least a while, and if we ever meet up again…well, the usual."

"We duel. Somehow you and I end up trapped in a room together. I could get used to that. So, when Maleficent showed her face, did she say anything about me? I did put work into trying to take this kingdom, you know."

"She said you had potential," Twilight answered, "but she took someone else with her as an Overtaker. She left you behind. I don't think you made her angry, but you sure didn't impress her. Sorry. She did spare you from the curse. I don't think she spared Xerxes, though."

"I will be having words with her about that."

"You really think that's safe? I mean…you do know how powerful she is, right? You don't want to mess with her. Especially if you want to be on her side."

"True, very true…so. Did that answer all your questions?"

"Actually, yes," Twilight affirmed. "We'll have to do some formalities…but then we can go our separate ways again."

"It's almost disappointing. You and I did only have so much time together, and I've been tied to a chair for most of it."

"That's…disappointing?" Twilight asked hopefully.

"And who else am I supposed to tell about my plans and expect to understand?" Mozenrath asked, bordering on condescension.

"Point taken. And there was all that business after the Crystal—"

"We don't speak of that."

"Right. Never happened." Twilight shook her head. "You know, you really should be at least a little grateful to Rapunzel. She argued the guards out of outright killing you. Or, you know, trying to. I'm not sure they would have actually been able to do it."

"They wouldn't…unless someone gave them magic-resistant restraints." Mozenrath eyed Twilight with what she interpreted as slight suspicion, raising a brow.

"You have to believe I would never do that to you!" Twilight cried, worried. "I'd never just hand you over to die! That goes against everything I stand for! And I—"

"Calm down, I know all that. It probably wasn't the best time to attempt humor, was it?"

Now Twilight detected the sincerity in his smile, and it spread to her own face.

"We're past the point of trying to kill each other off," Mozenrath reiterated.

"There was an alternate punishment, though," Twilight informed him. "Since we're letting you go entirely, the royal family wanted us to do something at least. Our collective idea was…public humiliation. Um…you might want to look at your left hand."

"What?" Mozenrath angrily turned his gaze downward to see that his left hand was painted dark blue with black swirls on it. His sleeve was rolled up, and his arm was painted bright pink with rainbow flecks.

"Rapunzel's a painter," Twilight explained. "She thought we could have a little…fun."

"Why PINK?"

"Pinkie Pie did that arm. Don't worry, we didn't touch your right arm. I did the work on your hand, actually."

"I actually do like that part."

"That's what I was hoping. It seemed very…you. But the others took everywhere else. You'll find most of it when you take off your shoes or roll that sleeve up all the way, or look at either of your ankles. And then there's…your face. Rainbow Dash called dibs on your face."

"WHAT DID SHE DO TO MY FACE?"

"Well…" Twilight laughed nervously. She brought out a hand mirror that had been sitting on her lap. "She did what she does best."

Mozenrath caught the first sight of his own reflection since the assault on the wedding in the glass. "No…NO!" His entire face was painted in a rainbow pattern of rings that rippled outward, as though a sonic rainboom had taken place on his skin. "NO! She…will…PAY FOR THIS! Twilight…are you LAUGHING?"

"I'm sorry!" Twilight cried as she burst into a giggle fit. "But…the look on your face when you saw that rainbow!" She tried to hold back her laughter, but failed.

Mozenrath rolled his eyes. "Great. Because this is EXACTLY how I envisioned this mission ending. Tied to a chair with a rainbow on my face. Well, there's always the next world." He looked to Twilight with curiosity. "Care to meet me there for another standoff?"

"I'm not sure that where you go is where we need to be," Twilight admitted. "We need to go somewhere we can become stronger. The Elements have failed twice. This can't keep happening. But I'm sure this isn't goodbye forever. There will be plenty of opportunities for us to have a battle of fate."

"If you're sure. Then again, searching for more power sounds more than reasonable. In fact, it sounds very…me."

"I thought you'd see it that way. Is it…a bad thing that I was happy to see you break down that wall?"

"Your friends might say so," Mozenrath replied. "I'm biased to say no. As long as we're being honest, you're the opponent I've been the happiest to see."

"I should go," Twilight said, realizing the time. "My friends and I have plans with Rapunzel. We do kind of owe her another wedding. Don't worry, you'll be out of here in no time." She rose, moving toward the door.

"Just one more thing first," Mozenrath said plainly.

"Yeah?"

"You look different with your hair down. It's a good look on you."

"Oh…" Twilight realized that Mozenrath's entry to the hall had been the first time he'd seen her without her hair covered. "Thanks…I…I really have to go now!"

Blushing fiercely, she rushed from the room.

---

The royal guard of Corona stood at attention on the grassy lawn before the spherical ship, Maximus at their head. Zal, Barbara, Rapunzel, and Eugene lined up across from them, glaring anxiously at the castle. Pascal hopped up on Rapunzel's shoulder to get a better view. Twilight, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie stood next to the royal family. Twilight tried her best to hide her anxieties.

Another host of guards marched toward the crystalline sphere from the castle, Mozenrath at their center with his wrists bound behind his back by a length of magic-resistant cord.

"You'd think they didn't trust me," the sorcerer sighed as he passed the two lines of spectators.

When the group reached the sphere, one of the guards announced gruffly, "You get in and take off, and there won't be any trouble."

"Yet," Mozenrath replied with a grin.

The guard reluctantly slashed the cord holding Mozenrath's wrists with a dagger. Under everyone's disapproving glare, Mozenrath laid his right hand upon the surface of the sphere. It cracked in half, the upper half levitating away, and everyone gasped. Mozenrath took his place on the thronelike seat within the sphere's lower half.

"I believe you still have something of mine," he practically growled.

Another guard held up a gilded cage in which Xerxes floated. He unlocked the cage, letting the eel fly free to join his master in the sphere.

"Hey," Twilight suddenly called out. "You wanna know the good thing?"

"Enlighten me," Mozenrath replied.

"When I see you next time, I'll be stronger. We all will. The better the challenge, right?"

In response, Mozenrath took a loose crystal of dark matter from a receptacle within the sphere. He levitated it in an aura of blue, moving it toward Twilight. Everyone around gasped, moving away from Twilight and the crystal, but she accepted it, taking it in her hands.

"Let's see what you can do with that," Mozenrath told her. "That oughta make things more interesting, don't you think?"

Twilight had no choice but to smile. "Thanks."

Mozenrath snapped the fingers of his right hand. The sphere slammed closed. It glowed brilliantly, nearly blinding everyone, then took off like a cannonball, straight up into the sky and out of sight.

"Did that really just happen?" Eugene asked.

"Yeah," Twilight answered. "That just happened."

---

"Okay…you ready?"

Rapunzel nodded. She sat on a chair in the dressing room where Chrysalis had selected bridesmaids' dresses. Twilight stood behind her, looking down upon her head.

"Are you sure you can actually do this?" Eugene asked. "I'm just saying I don't want you to mess up and turn her into a lizard or anything."

Pascal chattered angrily.

"Not that there's anything wrong with lizards," Eugene amended.

"I've done the hair growth spell tons of times," Twilight assured him. "Usually it's just been temporary mustaches for fun, but I can do a pretty good permanent version. I can also undo it if I mess up. The worst that could happen is that I accidentally give Rapunzel a mustache that will be gone in five minutes."

"That would actually be pretty funny," Rapunzel admitted.

"You know," Twilight realized, "if you wanted your seventy feet of gold back, I could swing it. Or just seven feet."

"Actually, the short brown hair suits me," Rapunzel told Twilight. "I want to be more than just my hair. Unless Eugene would rather me be bald…"

"Brunette isn't without its charms." Eugene winked.

"Now, it's going to be like the old hair you had," Twilight explained. "It won't grow on its own. Only if I say so. Just so you know. You cut it, you lose it. Okay…enough stalling." Twilight waved her hands over Rapunzel's head, her palms glowing with pink energy.

Rapunzel nearly burst out laughing from the tickling that happened in her scalp as a crop of brunette hair burst from her head, settling in to look exactly as it had been before Chrysalis had cut it.

"There you go!" Twilight announced. "Like it never happened."

"Well…I don't want to pretend it never happened," said Rapunzel. "I think we all learned a few things, don't you?"

---

The royal wedding had to be re-planned. The six Equestrians were more than happy to help out, and the castle staff was more than happy to accommodate them. Pinkie Pie and Franz coordinated music for the reception. Fluttershy helped to care for the doves that were to be released. Rarity stitched and adjusted a set of bridesmaids' dresses that were purple rather than green. Twilight wrote up seating charts and distributed invitations throughout the kingdom, promising that no disasters would happen this time. Rainbow Dash, whose contribution to parties was usually a Sonic Rainboom, contented herself with reading the rest of the Flynnigan Rider books instead and chatting with Eugene about the best parts.

As for Applejack, she ended up in the kitchen, helping to coordinate the menu for the reception. Rapunzel entered to find her working away at things that could be frozen the night before.

"How's it going?" Rapunzel asked.

"Purty darn good," Applejack replied. "You sure do have a lotta recipes I've never seen before. Say, what were ya thinkin' for the main course at the reception? We've got the cake under control, but ain't nopony mentioned an entrée yet."

"Oh!" Rapunzel realized that Applejack was right. "Actually, it would be great if we could have a little something that used to be my favorite when I lived in the tower. It's a little weird, but what do you think about hazelnut soup?"

"That sounds like it could work," Applejack said, intrigued. "Question. Is there any meat or anything in your hazelnut soup?"

"No. It's just hazelnuts and vegetables."

"And it's nutritious?"

"Very."

"Rapunzel," Applejack said, "you have GOT to get me that recipe to take with us. I've been lookin' for some good vegetarian recipes to take along with us. Fluttershy is just gonna love this!"

---

The wedding went off without a hitch. Everyone in Corona attended, unafraid of any more attacks, and Eugene and Rapunzel were finally united as husband and wife.

Pinkie Pie cried.

The reception lasted a week. Eugene couldn't tell you what had happened during most of it, and it would be a falsehood to say that it hadn't been in part because of his overindulgence in Apple-family-style cider. Applejack also pocketed the recipe for hazelnut soup, which Fluttershy thoroughly enjoyed.

The townspeople, the castle staff, the warriors from the borderlands, the royal family, and the six Equestrians sang and danced for a week straight, and they didn't allow any worries about the future to impede upon their happiness.

---

Eventually, however, the time came to leave.

The six Equestrians were allowed to stay in Eugene's old manor until they had everything arranged to take off. They sent a message up to the castle asking Rapunzel, Eugene, Maximus, and Pascal to meet them in the town square where they'd first met Rapunzel and drawn murals on the street with her.

They waited, and sure enough, the prince, princess, and captain of the guard came striding in, Pascal hitching a ride on Maximus' head.

"So this is goodbye," Rapunzel said, already wistful.

"Yeah," Twilight replied.

"I'm glad we met," Rapunzel said wholeheartedly. "You've all been wonderful friends to me. And I have to say thanks for helping me save my kingdom."

"I'm sure y'all are gonna be the best king and queen Corona's ever had," Applejack stated.

"Well…Rapunzel will be the best queen anyway," Eugene replied, half teasing.

"Don't sell yourself short!" Rainbow Dash begged Eugene. "Corona needs somebody adventurous like you at the wheel!"

"This is getting too sad!" Pinkie burst into a fit of tears. "I can't take it anymore! I'm just going to miss you soooooooo much!"

"There's something we want you to have," Twilight told the four Coronans before her. "We talked it over, and…well, consider it a late wedding present." She held out an object covered by a purple cloth embroidered with the sun symbol of Corona.

Rapunzel took it in her hands, removing the cloth. "The dark matter crystal," she said hushedly.

"We don't have any use for it," Twilight told her. "We can travel wherever we want with our engine, and I don't really know how we can experiment on it. I'd know more about it if I could read about it."

"But we figured you two would know exactly what to do with it," Rainbow Dash said with a wink.

"You're not saying…" Eugene posed.

"We're simply saying that you'll know the best use for it," Rarity said vaguely.

"That sounds like it's against the rules," Eugene argued.

"What rules?" Pinkie asked.

"Twilight was worried about the same thing," Applejack admitted, "but like Pinkie said, we never heard any rules sayin' it wasn't allowed to…well, it's up to you what you wanna do with it. We don't even know how far it can take ya."

"Are you sure?" Rapunzel asked Twilight. "I mean…the sorcerer did give it to you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Twilight asked defensively.

"I get the feeling he's special to you," Rapunzel prodded.

"It's complicated," Twilight said softly, shuffling her feet. "Really complicated. For now, it's best if that thing goes where it's practical."

"Hang on." Eugene put up his hands. "So…the great heroine of the universe…has a crush on the guy that almost destroyed our kingdom?"

"We'll talk about it later, Eugene," Rapunzel quickly interjected.

"HER?" Eugene reiterated. "And HIM?"

"Later…" Rapunzel whispered.

"We're really going to miss you so so so so so so so so much!" Pinkie wailed.

"Thanks for letting us be your friends," Fluttershy said softly.

"And hey!" Pinkie realized. "Maybe we'll see you again!"

"I hope so," Rapunzel replied. "In fact…let's count on it."

---

The Starlight drifted out from the dock, moving out across the sea. A sudden mist rolled in over the ocean, and as Rapunzel and Flynn watched, the ship vanished in the mist. Then the mist cleared, and there was no sign that a ship had ever been there.

---

THE SPACE BETWEEN

"Dear Princess Celestia," Twilight began, sitting down with her friends to write the letter. She sighed.

"What's wrong, Twilight?" Applejack asked.

"We're still not strong enough," Twilight moaned. "I thought we were. Why were we given this mission if we couldn't even scratch Maleficent's magic?"

"Celestia said it would all work out," Fluttershy reminded Twilight.

"I want to ask her again," Twilight said sternly. "I want to ask her…if she's sure. If we don't get stronger, we can't keep going. Not like this."

"Except we've used our wits and the help of our friends to get through," Applejack reminded Twilight.

"Dear, you simply must stop being such a worrywart," Rarity added.

"And what'll that make us if we don't even try?" Rainbow Dash concluded.

"You're right," Twilight said, "but I still want to ask."

---

CORONA, AESTAS

"Apparently this crystal will allow us to move through time and space if we find a way to use it," Rapunzel told Eugene as the two lay together in their newly shared bed after a long day. Rapunzel held the crystal up, and it shimmered in the light of the bedside candle. "After seeing their ship, I think I might have an idea. It probably won't work, but then again…it just might. You know, Eugene…we don't have to take the throne right away. Mom and Dad still have a lot of good years. We could leave for a while. See what's out there. After what we've seen so far…I just know there's so much more, and I want to know about it. The thing is, I'm not going anywhere you won't go. I would want to use this crystal and travel to the end of everything…but not if it meant leaving you behind. So, I'll need you to tell me now: should we risk everything and try and go…or should we stay here where it's safe?"

"You should know the answer to that," Eugene replied with a smile. "It would be the biggest adventure yet. Flynnigan Rider wouldn't turn it down, and as long as I have you with me, neither will I."

"Then let's see what we can do tomorrow," Rapunzel resolved, setting the crystal on her nightstand and dousing the candle.

---

THE FORBIDDEN MOUNTAINS, THE ENCHANTED DOMINION

"NO!" Maleficent roared, striking her staff against the stone floor as she paced back and forth. "How could this BE? If the Elements of Harmony could not overpower me, why such a weak little whelp?"

"Might I attempt to answer that?" Jafar replied, entering the room where Maleficent paced. "The girl is, after all, one of the Princesses. Perhaps not one of the seven, but powerful indeed."

"And that, with her connection to the kingdom, was what thwarted me," Maleficent muttered. "It will not happen again."

"Yes, but do you know how to prevent such a thing from occurring?"

"I shall find out," Maleficent vowed.

"Interesting news, by the way," Jafar reported. "Rapunzel and Eugene are now in the possession of dark matter. Given their natures, it shan't be long before they attempt to use it. And once they are separated from their kingdom, it should be nothing short of child's play to eliminate them and destroy Corona."

At that, Maleficent paused. "The princess…was given dark matter?" She began to laugh. "And she is TRAVELING?" She threw back her head, laughing harder and harder. When at last she settled down, she said, "The Elements know not what they have done! If much more of this traveling is allowed…things shall fall into our hands faster and faster."

"There is one problem," Jafar pointed out. "How they received dark matter in the first place."

"That much, I saw," Maleficent stated. "The young sorcerer."

"I beg of you, Maleficent…forget him."

"He still has a chance. His soul is the sort that is easily corrupted. I know that he is currently not ready. That is why he currently is not welcomed into our ranks."

"Is that why I'm here and he's not?" a voice emitted from the corner. Gothel sat in a chair, flipping through one of Maleficent's eldritch tomes.

"Mozenrath is powerful, but despite all his successes, his heart is not completely free of the chains of emotion and, dare I say, love," Maleficent confirmed. "You may have failed to keep Rapunzel in check, but at the same time, your heart is practically stone, Gothel. You shall serve us well, and you will be rewarded."

"Just so long as I get my immortality," Gothel sighed. When Maleficent had welcomed her into the ranks of the Overtakers, her dark magic had provided Gothel with a daily rejuvenation spell that had the same effect as Rapunzel's healing, at least as far as one woman's aging was concerned. "So how many Overtakers are there that we need to find, anyway?"

"You know what they say," a fourth voice announced from the opposite door. "Speak of the devil."

Maleficent and Jafar turned to regard the newcomer with delight. Gothel was simply confused. This one looked even stranger than Discord—unhumanly tall, with blue skin and a rush of blue flame instead of hair, clothed in a gray toga that offset all that blue.

"So a little birdie told me you're getting the band back together," Hades greeted.

---

CANTERLOT, FOURTH EQUESTRIA

This time, Cadance and Shining Armor had gone home to their permanent residence in the Crystal Empire, so Celestia and Luna deliberated over the newest letter themselves.

"Family," Luna reread, "true family, is those who care about you and your well-being. Those are the ones you should value." She looked up to her sister. "A lovely message, dear sister. And one quite relevant to us. I fear sometimes that I have been remiss in thanking you for your kindness in welcoming me back to Canterlot."

"It was no trouble," Celestia told her sister. "I always knew that somewhere within Nightmare Moon was the Luna I loved. I feared that you turned to that path because of my shortcomings, and I have tried to become a better pony for that. I couldn't be happier to share my life with you once again, Luna. And I never want you to forget that."

"Thank you, sister."

"What concerns me," Celestia said, returning to the letter, "is the doubt expressed about how powerful my faithful students have become and how powerful they need to be. Even though they have averted disaster on two worlds outside our own, they still do not feel strong enough. I am certain it was Twilight who expressed this doubt most strongly. I wish there was a way to reassure them that all will be well. After all, if they truly do need to become stronger…the mists will take them to the place."

"But that place has closed its doors," Luna pointed out. "The burden of being open to other worlds was too strong, especially after…You-Know-Who appeared."

"Things are changing, Luna. The doors will reopen."

Celestia summoned a roll of parchment, a quill, and ink. "Dearest students," she began as she wrote. "Fear not about your strength, for the mists of Avalon will guide you where you need to go…"

---

SOMEWHERE ON FOURTH EARTH

A banging came at the bedroom door. The old woman, her hair once black as night but now silver with age, stirred in her bed. It was nearly midnight; what could anyone want at this hour? She sat up, putting on her gold spectacles. She crossed the room to the door, opening it.

"Good heavens, Sybil!" she cried, observing a frizzy-haired blonde woman clothed in a glittering nightgown before her. "What could possibly be the trouble at this time of night?"

When the blonde spoke, it was with a deep voice that the silver-haired woman was unused to hearing from her. "THE DOORS THAT ONCE WERE OPEN TO THE SANCTUARY OF THE WORLDS ARE CLOSED," she boomed, "BUT THEY MUST REOPEN. SIX CHOSEN ONES WILL ARRIVE, AND WITH THEM OUR FATE. THEY MUST BE TAKEN IN. THEY MUST BE TAUGHT. DISCORD COMES AND BRINGS WITH HIM ANCIENT EVIL. DO NOT FORGET YOUR PREDECESSOR'S WORDS, THAT HELP WILL ALWAYS BE GIVEN HERE TO THOSE WHO DESERVE IT. SOON, THE ORDER WILL CHANGE…OUR WORLD WILL NOT BE SEPARATED…WE MUST…FACE…THE GREATER…ORDER…" She gasped raspily, then closed her eyes, letting out a deep breath. When next she spoke, it was with her usual voice. "Oh, dear…how did I come to be here?"

"You've prophesied," the silver-haired woman stated. "And quite a chilling prophecy it was…"

"Heavens, what did I say?" The blonde panicked.

"Sybil…you do know the history of this castle, do you not? That once, it was a sanctuary for all who needed it, no matter what world they were from? Before our time, creatures from other worlds separated themselves from our world. Or perhaps it was the other way around. You've said that soon others not of our world would arrive. Six heroes, and a villain who would bring discord."

"What must we do?" the blonde asked.

"If this is truly the case, then we must follow those words…that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who deserve it," Minerva McGonagall concluded. "Funny thing. I was sure that Dumbledore's words were that help would be given to those who ASK for it…"

---

Chapter 23:

· I deliberated with keeping Zel's hair gone, but Twi CAN do the spell, so why not? I can get rid of it again later if I want. And I may want…

· After a long while of thinking, I decided that Ponyville apple cider actually IS alcoholic. There was some debate over that. Turns out that America's the only place where apple cider isn't. Also, this reinforces my new headcanon—which may or may not be mentioned—that Pinkie Pie can drink anypony under the table.

· A ton of fantasy stories that talk about traveling between worlds say it shouldn't be done. If you do it too much in His Dark Materials or The Pendragon Adventure, the universe dies a little bit. I may try and play with that…

· I was going to wait to introduce Hades…but then I thought, WHY THE HELL NOT INTRODUCE HIM? After all, he, Mal, and Jafar are the three I think would get on board soonest if the Overtakers were reuniting.

24: Enrollment

CANTERLOT, FOURTH EQUESTRIA

"Luna," Celestia asked her sister, "your powers of darkness are still very effective, aren't they?"

Luna nodded. "Dost thou have a favor to ask that only the dark and not the light can accomplish?"

"Indeed," Celestia answered. "Even while controlling both day and night, I never could take darkness under my wing the way you can. While I can Apparate, I can't Apparate at the speed of darkness. I was wondering if you still could."

"It was a difficult skill to master, even for myself," Luna admitted. "Yet I think it is in me to attempt a journey, provided it is to a world to which I have previously been. Where did thou hast in mind?"

"Fourth Earth," Celestia said. "I have a feeling that my little ponies are going to turn up there shortly, and they'll need a few things that I can't send to them through the fire. Including some very specific things from Ponyville."

"It shall be done," Luna promised. "As soon as you name your request."

"Thank you, Luna. I hate having to ask you to do things like this for me…"

"It is not a trouble to me, dear sister. This is a feat that only I can manage, and I understand that. I shall return in time to set the nightfall in motion. And to speak of nightfall…"

"What is it?" Celestia asked Luna, who had just raised a brow in suspicion.

"You seem fatigued," Luna observed. "As though thou had not slept through the night."

"I suppose there's no hiding it from you," Celestia sighed. "I still feel guilty about the way I sent them off like that."

"Are they not doing superbly so far?"

"Yes…but you know as well as I do, Luna, that I didn't tell them the whole story. You know what I never mentioned. About when we wielded the Elements. About what's going to happen to them. Especially to Twilight."

"Sister," Luna pointed out, "hadst thou said such things at the time, they would not have believed it. They barely believed that there were any worlds beyond this or that they would face half of what they hast faced."

"And yet I still hide it from them, though they know of the greater cosmos. And what's worse, Luna…I wanted to have a bond with trust with them. I wanted to be their friend. They have kept nothing from me…and I'm keeping secrets about them that affect their entire lives."

"Thou art still their friend," Luna reassured her sister. "Should thou decidest to tell them now, they still may not believe. 'Twould come as a great shock and seem a falsehood! If nopony else, Twilight Sparkle will understand thy reasons for having done what thou hast done. I dost not blame thee. Thou should not either."

"But—"

"Ah, dear sister! No interruptions! They will learn when the time has come, and they shan't blame you. Should they…then I will have words with them. And thou shall never lose my trust."

"After our history, Luna…that means a lot."

"Dear sister, when I returned to the royal palace, I discovered my fillyhood bedroom preserved in the exact condition in which I had left it. Thou saidst that thou kept it that way meaningfully, believing I would return. Thy actions towardst my identity of Nightmare Moon were necessary. Thy love never faltered. I shan't stop believing in thee. Now, art thou satisfied enough that thou mayst tell me my mission with Fourth Earth?"

Celestia nodded. "Now, Luna…you know that the time they will arrive will be different from when we were there. Salazar, Helga, Godric, and Rowena will have long passed. They may arrive in the age of Albus, Minerva, or even Armando."

"Those are the names I should seek?" Luna asked.

"Seek the headmaster," Celestia replied. "No matter what…the headmaster can be trusted."

---

THE SPACE BETWEEN

Twilight stood in the control room, watching the map. She cross-referenced it with the Guide and gave a great groan.

"What's up?" Rainbow Dash asked, walking into the room.

"I'm beginning to get really annoyed with whoever wrote this Guide," Twilight grumbled. "We're approaching a new territory called 'Fourth Earth,' and I'm trying to read up on it. But this is what I get." She cleared her throat before reciting from the book. "The primary feature of Fourth Earth is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, former sanctuary and bastion of knowledge for multiple worlds. However, as of their year of 1955, they cut off contact with all other worlds and declared that the subject of their history was taboo. So taboo, in fact, that if you want to know about Hogwarts, you should ask the Hogwarts staff themselves. They probably won't tell you anyway." Twilight ceased her quotation. "WHAT IS THAT EVEN SUPPOSED TO MEAN? HOW IS THAT SUPPOSED TO HELP?"

Rainbow Dash snickered. "Somepony has a warped sense of humor. Hey, I'll just be glad if Fourth Earth isn't another place where I have to wear a stupid frilly skirt." She put her hands in the pockets of her rainbow pants, which she'd changed back into after leaving Corona.

The map showed the Starlight approaching Fourth Earth ever more closely. The icon representing the ship edged forward one pixel, into the aura of Fourth Earth, and what happened next, Twilight couldn't have anticipated at all.

Her body, as well as Rainbow Dash's, crumpled to the floor. All throughout the other ship, their comrades experienced the same feeling. Fluttershy felt her shape changing, as it had when she'd gone from pony to human. Pinkie Pie was struck with disorientation. Rarity screamed in horror. Applejack gripped the side of her bed, trying to keep her balance.

Then it was over. Rainbow Dash got up to see her rainbow pants torn and lying on the floor. "Hey!" she cried. "What gives?" Then she looked down. "TWILIGHT! We're back to ourselves!" Rainbow Dash was so excited by looking down and seeing the familiar sight of four blue hooves planted on the ground that she threw her hands into the air. Her…hands. She brought those human hands in front of her face, staring at them perplexedly. "What…what the HAY?"

From across the ship, Rainbow Dash and Twilight heard a piercing scream: Rarity very clearly shrieked, "I'M A SIX-LEGGED MONSTER!"

"Oh…!" Twilight stood, looking at her new shape. Even without the ability to see her face, she knew that her head was still human, and she retained everything of her human form from that point down to the waist. Just below her navel, that body joined to the shoulders of her pony-body, her four hooves planted firmly on the ground. Her skirt was bunched up at the place where the two halves joined. She looked over to Rainbow Dash to confirm what she was seeing, also noting that Rainbow Dash's wings had moved from her human shoulder blades to her pony back and that her Cutie Mark had disappeared from her forearm to return to her flank. "We're Kentaurides!"

"What?" Rainbow Dash asked, confused.

"Female centaurs," Twilight clarified.

"You're going to have to start speaking a language I actually understand," Rainbow Dash sighed.

"Excuse me," Applejack said, marching into the control room, "but what in tarnation did we just turn into? Twilight, I figure you of all ponies knows what's goin' on."

"I do," Twilight replied. "We're Kentaurides, which are female centaurs. A centaur is a mythical creature that's half human and half equine. It's best described as 'human from the waist up and equine from the waist down,' but that's not really accurate, because they have the waist and forelegs of an equine animal like a pony."

"Just when I get used to walkin' on two legs and usin' two to do other stuff," Applejack moaned, "now you're tellin' me I gotta get used to havin' six?"

"Technically, four legs and two arms…"

"Why did this happen?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Well, I have a bit of a theory," Twilight explained. "So you know we changed from ponies to humans because our world has an aura that makes everypony look like, well, ponies, and the last worlds we visited had auras that made everypony look human. With me so far? Well, I haven't been able to dig up much on Fourth Earth, thanks to the writer of the guide being sarcastic, but it looks like there are several sentient humanoid species there. And I bet centaurs are one. We're still too far away from the Fourth Equestrian aura to be our true forms, but this is a world that will let us get a little closer to our true forms. Make sense?"

"No," Rainbow Dash admitted.

"I think I get it," Applejack reiterated. "On Equestria, ponies rule, so we're ponies. In Corona, humans rule, so we're humans. On wherever this is, some people kinda look like ponies, and we really are ponies, so we kinda look like ponies."

"We should probably go find the others and tell them it's okay," Twilight suggested. "I bet Fluttershy isn't taking it well, and I KNOW Rarity isn't taking it well."

"Betcha Pinkie Pie's taking it like it's another reason to party," Rainbow Dash said with a smile.

As the three left the control room, they were intercepted by Pinkie. "LOOK, LOOK!" she cried. "HANDS AND HOOVES AT THE SAME TIME! I CAN DANCE TWICE AS MUCH AS BEFORE AND STILL HAVE MY HANDS FREE TO HOLD STUFF LIKE TUBAS!" Pinkie then gasped dramatically before announcing, "I BET I CAN PLAY TWENTY INSTRUMENTS AT THE SAME TIME NOW!"

---

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY, FOURTH EARTH

A mist rolled in over the waters; the ship drifted out. Rainbow Dash walked up onto the deck to drop anchor. She glanced around to see her surroundings. The mist cleared away, revealing the ship to be confined in a crystal blue lake that sparkled beneath a summer sun. To one side of the lake was a thick forest of trees of all kinds. To the other side, a wide lawn of green grass and a structure that made Rainbow Dash's jaw drop. The castle made Rapunzel's home in Corona look absolutely pathetic. It sprawled out over several wings, sprouting towers like flowers in a garden. It was constructed of gray stone, which also gleamed in the sunlight. Its expanse made it appear as though it could probably have contained a very small town.

Rainbow Dash went back belowdecks. "You're not gonna believe what we're parked next to!" she cried.

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?" Twilight guessed. She stood with the others, everypony having been adjusted to the Kentauride transition.

"Well, that's probably what it is," Rainbow Dash answered, "but did you actually know what it LOOKED like?"

"No…" Twilight admitted.

"Okay, so you know Canterlot Castle, Jasmine's palace, and Rapunzel's castle?"

"All lovely buildings," Rarity commented.

"They look like garbage next to this one," Rainbow Dash finished.

"Impossible!" Rarity gasped.

"Well, you'll get a chance to see for yourself," Rainbow Dash told her. "I mean, you have to go out on your stealth fashion mission and all."

Rarity was already dressed for such a mission. "It was hard work to convert this suit to fit a Kentauride body," she admitted—the fabric covered not only her human torso, but her pony half—"but I made it work. As usual. Though depending, I'll probably only have to make blouses for us this time around."

"Can we all just agree that whatever I wear, we don't call it a 'blouse'?" Rainbow Dash asked. "It just doesn't sound cool!"

"Whatever you wish," Rarity promised. "Now, I have to see this castle for myself! I'll be back with the report."

She trotted upstairs and onto the deck. The sight of the castle did, admittedly, blow her away. Intrigued, she quietly made her way down the gangplank and began creeping around the lawn, hiding in a shrub at first.

Looking out, she saw two beings standing on the lake shore, looking out at the Starlight. It must have attracted attention, seeing as it had sailed right into the middle of an enclosed lake. Both beings were female, Rarity ascertained. The one farthest from her was a human, clothed in robes of emerald green and a pointed witch's hat set atop pinned-up silver hair; a glimmer of light on her face betrayed golden spectacles. The other was a Kentauride, though she was taller than Rarity, owing to her longer legs. Suddenly, Rarity realized she'd seen the lower body of this Kentauride before: the midnight-blue coat, the wings, the crescent-moon Cutie Mark… Her human half was clothed in a loose, flowing blue top that bared both shoulders, perfectly complementing the flowing, night-colored hair that was as lustrous as stars.

"LUNA?" Rarity cried, rushing out of hiding to approach the princess.

Luna turned and beamed at Rarity. "RARITY!" she cried, slipping back to the Royal Canterlot Voice in her excitement.

"What are you doing here?" Rarity asked. "And who, may I ask, is your friend?"

"I," the woman in green replied, "am Headmistress Minerva McGonagall. Princess Luna informed me of your arrival. We've been expecting you."

"Thou must tellest thy friends to leave the ship and speak with us immediately," Luna commanded.

"Does Headmistress McGonagall…" Rarity began.

"I know everything," McGonagall replied. "Insofar as that your true forms are quite different, that you hail from a completely different world, and that you have already been on many adventures. And it is exactly that about which I wish to speak."

"It is strange, returning to Hogwarts after all this time," Luna admitted. "Celestia and I didst first see it when it was first founded. Yet let us waste no more time! Rarity, summon thy friends!"

"But…what will we wear?" Rarity asked. "We can't simply walk off the ship without knowing how to dress!"

"Anything will be sufficient," Luna told her.

"Right," Rarity said. "Give us a few minutes, and we'll all be right here as soon as possible."

---

The six Kentaurides stepped down off the gangplank, each wearing a different pattern of tee. Twilight's shirt was a lovely deep violet patterned with constellations, Rainbow Dash's was gold with a rainbow encircling the midsection, Pinkie Pie's was bright pink with multicolored pastel flecks that resembled confetti, Applejack's was red with a green apple insignia, Fluttershy's was soft green with a pink floral pattern, and the shirt Rarity had made for herself was black satin edged with lace.

"I am pleased to meet you all," McGonagall said. "I am Minerva McGonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"And we are pleased to meet you," Rarity replied. "My name is Rarity."

And one by one, as usual, the others introduced themselves.

"So…you expected us to show up?" Twilight interrupted after introductions. "What's going on?"

"You shall all need to follow me," McGonagall said. "We can discuss things further in my office."

"There are surprises waiting for you there!" Luna emphasized. She and McGonagall turned to walk across the lawn toward the castle; the six shrugged and followed.

The entryway to the castle was a pair of gargantuan wooden doors, upon which McGonagall knocked thrice. The doors swung open to reveal a spacious atrium; a stained glass window filtered in colored light, and four hourglasses, each taller than Luna, stood at the room's front. Each hourglass, instead of containing sand, held gemstones of a different color: red, green, blue, and yellow.

From here, McGonagall and Luna, obviously knowing where they were going, led the six up several flights of stairs and down many twisting hallways until even Twilight lost her sense of direction. They stopped before a stone gargoyle, standing stoically in the hallway.

"Dumbledore," McGonagall told the gargoyle, and it shifted to life momentarily to hop aside and reveal an arched doorway.

"Is it alive?" Twilight asked, thinking of Angela on Avalon.

"No," McGonagall admitted. "Merely enchanted."

Beyond the door was a spiral staircase that moved upwards of its own accord, like an escalator. Pinkie Pie immediately jumped on it, crying, "WHEEEEEE!" The others followed slightly more gracefully. At the top of the stairs was another door; McGonagall opened it to lead her seven companions into the office at the stairway's culmination.

Six animals roamed the spacious room, which was studded with portraits. The portraits were another matter entirely, as the people in them were all seemingly alive, moving about and whispering to each other across frames. However, the attention of the six was caught by the animals, whom they immediately recognized.

"OWLOWISCIOUS!" Twilight cried, rushing toward her pet owl, who sat upon a perch that conspicuously appeared as though it was meant for a bird to sit upon it, though no other bird was visible in the office. Owlowiscious replied with a "Hoo" and winged to perch on Twilight's shoulder, recognizing his master despite her shift in form.

"Angel?" Fluttershy reached down to pick up a grumpy-looking white rabbit, whose look of derision she would know anywhere.

"Hey, it's Tank!" Rainbow Dash knelt on the floor to playfully tap on the shell of the good-natured tortoise.

Applejack whistled, and Winona the brown-and-white farm dog rushed to her side, panting happily.

"Oh, Opalescence!" Rarity attempted to hug her disgruntled white cat, who responded by trying to claw her way out of Rarity's embrace. "Mama's missed you so much!"

"GUMMY!" Pinkie Pie held her toothless miniature alligator aloft. "How did you get here, you silly goose?"

"I hast brought thy familiars here!" Luna explained.

"Familiars?" Twilight asked.

"Let us not get ahead of ourselves," McGonagall told Luna. "We do not even know if they will accept the proposition." She moved to the great wooden desk, sitting at it. "What do you know of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?"

"It's a school for witches and wizards to learn magic," Twilight replied knowledgeably. "It's supposed to be one of the safest places in the multiverse. Some of the greatest witches and wizards of all time have come from it, including Merlineans and Morganians."

"HUH?" her five friends chorused in unison.

"Followers of Merlin and Morgana le Fay," Twilight clarified. "Anyway, the school used to be open to everyone in the multiverse, but some time ago, Fourth Earth closed itself off entirely for some reason. And that's all I know."

"That is correct," McGonagall confirmed. "To confirm, this school was founded in our year 990 by two powerful witches and two equally powerful wizards: Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, Godric Gryffindor, and Salazar Slytherin. Among those who first visited the school and knew the four founders personally were Princess Luna and her sister, Celestia."

"Really?" Rainbow Dash asked. "You and Celestia were here when this place was built?"

"And the adventures we hadst with the founders four!" Luna laughed. "All very dear friends. Although I am informed that after Celestia and I departed from this world to visit others, Salazar defected."

"Salazar believed that only pure-blood wizards and witches should be allowed into the school," McGonagall informed Luna. "Because of this, there was a schism between him and the others."

"He never was the most open-minded," Luna sighed. "But 'tis a pity. Despite his flaws, I found him quite a charming friend."

"The four founders affect the way our school is set up today," McGonagall went on. "We have divided the student body into four houses, each named for a founder and based on his or her values. This will be important for you to know, should you accept the offer that Luna and I have been discussing."

"And what offer is that?" Applejack inquired.

"I know you are the Elements of Harmony—" McGonagall tried to begin, but this set all the portraits into a tizzy, and each yelled something different:

"Impossible!"

"They don't exist!"

"Fairy tales!"

"Lies and slander!"

"OH, WILL YOU LOT BELT UP!" cried one portrait in particular, a bearded man. "Am I the only one who recognizes them?"

"Phineas?" McGonagall addressed the portrait that had spoken. "You know these young women?"

"Course I do," Phineas replied. "They were here when James Potter and his lot were in school. I saw Rainbow Dash end up here with James enough."

"But I've never been here," Rainbow Dash protested. "There's no way…"

"But there is," Twilight realized. "The Starlight can travel through time. We must have been here before!"

"I had thought you seemed familiar," McGonagall admitted. "I assume you stayed out of my sight in order to attempt to prevent a temporal paradox."

"That sounds like something I'd do," Twilight admitted. She turned back to her friends: "Just so we're all clear, when we show up here in the past, let's try and stay out of McGonagall's sight so we don't cause a paradox, okay?"

"In any case," McGonagall went on, "a few things have come to my attention. One is that, as Luna has revealed to me, you have been feeling as though your magical capabilities are insufficient for your current quest."

"We have," Twilight admitted. Then it sank in. "Wait a minute. This place TEACHES magic. Are you saying…"

"Let me finish," McGonagall said sternly, looking at Twilight over the top of her spectacles; Twilight swallowed her sentence. "The other is that our resident seer, Sybil Trelawney, former Divination professor, has approached me with a rather disturbing prophecy. She has said that ancient evils will return to this world and bring with them discord, and…well? Did I say something wrong?"

The six had shivered at the mention of the word "discord," still not knowing if it was merely happenstance or an allusion to their old enemy. "It's just that those words, I mean those particular words, are a little scary," Fluttershy explained. "What happens next?"

"Six chosen ones were supposed to appear here," McGonagall finished, "and I cannot help but note that you number six. I have yet to confirm with the Ministry of Magic—"

"THERE'S A MINISTRY OF MAGIC?" Twilight squealed, grinning madly, but McGonagall stared her down over the top of her glasses again to shut her up.

"—as I was saying, I have yet to confirm with the Ministry whether or not there are additional prophecies regarding you or the Elements of Harmony, and given the state of things, it will take some doing to get them to admit it if there are. The event that caused us to close our borders was incredibly cataclysmic, and the Ministry has been reticent to deal with anything that they believe may be more powerful or destructive than what we just managed to defeat last year."

"But what was that?" Applejack asked. "If ya don't mind me askin'."

"A wizard named Lord Voldemort," McGonagall explained. "I would not, were I you, refer to him by name among the general public. There is a certain taboo upon it that I do not care to entertain myself. As my predecessor in the Headmaster's position used to say, fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself. Lord Voldemort terrorized the wizarding world, killing hundreds out of prejudice and out of fear of death. This past year, he was finally slain in battle by our resident hero, Harry Potter. Trust me, the more time you spend in this world, the more you will get to know that name.

"Now, to get to the point: it seems that you are destined to be here, and we can offer you the skills you need. Luna and I have discussed at length what to do, and we have come up with a proposition. It is most unorthodox, as you are all far past the age at which we usually admit students, but Luna has assured me that you are all trustworthy and that you would benefit from regular coursework in magic."

"Not to forget that Pinkie Pie possesses the mentality of an eleven-year-old human!" Luna added carelessly.

Pinkie just nodded and laughed, not offended at all.

"More like a five-year-old human," Rainbow Dash whispered to Applejack.

"More like FOUR!" Pinkie giggled, and Rainbow Dash flinched, unaware that Pinkie had heard her.

"It is under these circumstances that I would like to offer the six of you regular studentship at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," McGonagall said. "You would enter with the first years and attend classes with them. Mind you, we also have not had centaurs as students at all in my memory, since relations between humans and the centaurs of the Forbidden Forest are rocky at best. However, if the students have issues with that, you may refer them to me. You would live here for each school year and be sorted into the according House. You would be skilled in all areas of magic. And, because our school has implemented a longtime policy of allowing one pet per student, you would be able to live with the animal companions Luna has brought you."

"The duration is seven years," Luna said, "but because of the abilities of the Starlight, it would not be seven true years to thee. If thou wished, thou couldst, after the end of thy first year, return to Corona the day after thou leftst it. Thou may spendst the summers away, for as long as thou liked, and return in time for the next school year. Thy tuition would be completely covered by Celestia and myself."

"If you do not wish to entertain our offer," McGonagall concluded, "the decision is entirely your own."

The six exchanged glances. They all knew that they were thinking roughly the same thing.

"Of course we want to," Twilight began.

"But, um," Fluttershy said softly, "only two of us are actually witches."

"FALSEHOOD!" Luna cried, her yell nearly blowing out everyone else's eardrums. "Er, I mean…that is not entirely true. Though only Twilight Sparkle and Rarity were born with magical powers, thou art the Elements of Harmony. This entails that each of thee has an innate sense of magic. It may be small, and thou mayst not be able to complete all spells, but each of thee shouldst have at least some control over magic. To what degree will be different for each of thee."

"Well, we did okay with Galifem arrows," Applejack remembered, "and those are kinda magic."

"If I may speak for us all," Rarity said, "we accept the proposition. And we are very grateful to you for offering it!"

"When can we start?" Twilight asked, her eyes wide and shining at the prospect.

"The official Sorting Ceremony is in a week," McGonagall answered. "We will arrange for you to stay in London until then so you may complete your school shopping. Mind you, this world is divided between the magical and nonmagical communities in ways you may not be familiar with. Muggles—that is to say, the nonmagical—are easily frightened by the concept of magic, and trying to integrate our communities completely is, at this point, impossible. It will take many more years before our societies are able to peacefully coexist. Until then, the magical world is concealed from Muggles, and I expect all of you to be mindful of that in London, which is largely a Muggle city."

"But how are we supposed to keep it a secret if we're Kentaurides?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Don't worry," Twilight reassured her. "I've been working on my glamour spells. I think I can conjure something that will let everypony in London think we look like humans."

"And you needn't worry about keeping up such disguises in Diagon Alley," McGonagall said. "That is, of course, where you shall purchase all the necessary schoolbooks and supplies." She took from the desk six rolls of parchment. "These lists specify what you will need for your first year of curriculum."

"Thou art about to ask how thou wilt pay for such things," Luna said. "And I hast the answer." She took from one of her shirt pockets a bulging sack of money. "This is a gift from Celestia and myself to thee! It should be enough to cover thy myriad expenses."

"Thank you so much!" Fluttershy gushed. "I don't know how we could have done it without—"

"I am not finished," Luna said. She took out a second sack of money and placed it on the desk beside the first. "HUZZAH! The bits have been doubled!"

"But how?" Twilight asked.

"These are profits from the clothing that Rarity has been designing and sending back to Ponyville!" Luna announced. "Sweetie Belle is quite an accomplished salespony and bookkeeper! And, might I add, thy 'Seven Deserts' line is becoming popular in Canterlot."

Rarity blushed. "Why, I can hardly believe it!"

"Take the bits to Gringotts bank in Diagon Alley," McGonagall said. "Even if the goblins claim that they do not remember how to convert interdimensional currency…rest assured, they still have that knowledge."

Twilight was already reading over her booklist. "Magical Drafts and Potions? Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them! This is WONDERFUL!"

"If I send you to the Leaky Cauldron with directions about what to do and where to go," McGonagall said, "I trust you can find your way with little supervision?"

"You can count on us!" Twilight said with a nod.

"I am glad thou hast accepted the offer!" Luna said joyously. "Thou shouldst find the answers thou needest!"

"Thank you so much for letting us," Twilight said.

"It is no trouble," McGonagall said. "I suppose it is appropriate for me to say at this time…welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"

---

THE RIDDLE HOUSE, FOURTH EARTH

Discord reclined on the master bed, stretching out his full draconequus body. He leafed through the final pages of a thick book bound in a peach-colored dust jacket. "All was well," he read out loud; those were the final words in the book. He slammed it shut. "All was WELL? Gag! That's not how you end a story! Hmm…what can we do to make it a little more interesting?"

He rolled over. He was completely alone; he always had enjoyed speaking to himself. "It's too quiet," he resolved. "That's what it is. It's no fun if the heroes all get to live and the villains have to die. Where's the conflict? Where's the action? Where's the drama? What this story needs is a little more spice!"

He produced a small, dark stone and rolled it around in his palm. "And this is exactly how I plan to give it that," he continued. "The Resurrection Stone…oh, but unfortunately, it's only meant to bring back shades of the dead, not the actual flesh and blood people!" He chuckled, grinning. "Well, it's a good thing I can warp the rules, then, isn't it?"

He turned the stone over in his birdlike claw. A bright light filled the room, and suddenly, it was filled with people. Witches, wizards…and all completely alive. At the forefront of them was a pale man with a very singular face. His eyes were bright red, his head was devoid of any hair, and his nose was completely smoothed over, the nostrils set right into the skin. This made him resemble a snake—and in fact, a snake was curling up at his feet to hammer home the resemblance.

"What…magic…is this?" the man breathed, looking at what had once been his own bed, now occupied by the strangest dragonlike creature he'd ever seen.

"Why, Lord Voldemort!" Discord leapt from the bed and stood, spreading his arms. "Welcome back to the world of the living!"

"This cannot be," Voldemort breathed. "There is no such magic—"

"Well, there was this old thing," Discord said, holding out the stone. "Which, I might add, someone CARELESSLY left lying around the Forbidden Forest."

"It could never truly bring the dead back to life," Voldemort pointed out.

"Well, TECHNICALLY it isn't supposed to," Discord said. "And TECHNICALLY glasses are supposed to fill from the bottom up, and TECHNICALLY you can't get into the room in the Canterlot castle where the Elements of Harmony pendants are kept unless you're Princess Celestia, and TECHNICALLY the Coronan aura should have shifted me into human form without me having to do it myself, but I don't have to play by the rules, now, do I?"

A frizzy-haired woman pointed at Discord somewhat accusingly. "He's an Old One, he is!" she cried. "One of the old gods of disorder!"

"Precisely, Ms. Lestrange!" Discord laughed.

"And how do you know all of us?" Voldemort asked.

Discord pointed to the bed, where he'd left his tome. "I read the book. Don't ask. Now, let's get down to business. I brought you here because I'm playing the most important game I've ever played, and this playing field was absolutely boring. Too much good and too little bad. Too much organization and too little disorder. You and your Death Eaters are the biggest monkey wrench I can throw into the works here."

"So you are claiming we are your pawns."

"I'm not claiming it. I'm stating it. Really, is that too much for any of you to grasp? You're almost as bad as Maleficent. In any case, you might be interested to know that some old enemies of yours have turned back up."

"I expected Harry Potter to live a long life," Voldemort replied. "Long enough that no matter what year it is, he will still be around to face me."

"It's actually the summer after he killed you. I'm aware that bringing you back THIS soon is REALLY cheating, but this world was headed on a fast track to 'All was well,' and I couldn't have that happen, you see? But I'm actually talking about an older enemy. From another world. Don't you remember?"

After a pause, Voldemort said, "The Elements of Harmony…"

"Exactly. But under new names and faces. They're right here on this very planet. I figure you might want to go after them and see what happens. I'm sure the clash will be absolutely riveting to watch! Oh, and if you are still interested in Potter, I'm sure you can go after him too. Now, do you want the ground rules?"

"You speak of rules after you have broken them," Voldemort pointed out.

"I'm talking about rules I set," Discord clarified. "It's more of a roll call, really. In this room, you have a standard set of Death Eaters. You, Alecto and Amycus Carrow, Antonin Dolohov, Alfred AND Alistair Avery, Bartemius Crouch Jr. complete with soul, Bellatrix Lestrange, Vincent Crabbe Sr. and Jr., Evan Rosier, Gideon Gibbon, Gregory Goyle Sr., Fenrir Greyback, Igor Karkaroff for a second bite at the apple, Cassius Jugson, Edmond Lestrange, Stephen Mulciber Sr. and Jr., Matthew Nott Sr., Peter Pettigrew, Rodolphus Lestrange, Jonathan Rosier, Christopher Scabior, Andronicus Selwyn, Thorfinn Rowle, Terry Travers, Walden Macnair, Reynaldo Wilkes, and Nikolas Yaxley. No Rookwood; he's in jail. No Malfoys and no Snape; you didn't want them back anyway. No Burke; I'm saving that one for something special elsewhere. No Gorgon and no Horvath; I tried, but neither of them are actually dead, which should make you happy. And no Russo; let's have the past be the past, shall we?" He grinned when he saw Voldemort's face at the mention of that last name. The real reason he'd kept back Russo was simply to make Voldemort that angry. It was, to him, frankly hilarious. "To replace them all, I gave you one more. Ladies and gentlemen, I present!"

He gestured toward the back corner, where a slight, pale man was sitting on the floor, hugging his knees, obviously not wanting to be there.

"Quirinus…Quirrell," Voldemort observed.

"Why," Quirrell croaked. "Why again…"

"You balk," Voldemort observed. "When it was you who sought me out in the first place."

"I didn't know the consequences," Quirrell squeaked. "I didn't realize…the pain…"

Discord laughed raucously. "This really IS fun! Now, one more thing. As you can see, the snake Nagini is alive and well, but she's a regular snake. Not a Horcrux. In fact…you have NO Horcruxes! Your soul is fully repaired! Now, what you want to do about that is up to you. I know what I'd do if I were you, but I want to see what you decide. Now that you know the ground rules, Lord Voldemort, what do you think?"

Voldemort wasn't sure what to make of the Old One's goofy grin. He'd heard tell of the Old Ones, but he had never expected…this. Still, he had only one answer: "I must thank you. This truly is…a gift."

"And what are you going to do now that you're back?"

"Finish what I began."

"Excellent." Discord's smile was now a knowing smirk. "Now, if you'll excuse me…I have front row seats to what's sure to be the best show Fourth Earth has had since your defeat." He snapped his fingers, and then he, the Resurrection Stone, and the book were gone.

"What the bloody hell was that all about?" Bartemius "Barty" Crouch Jr. groaned.

"An old magic," Voldemort said softly. "One that transcends all limitations. He has given us quite the opportunity. We are in a perfect position to finish all we had begun. To exact our revenges. To finish our quests. To re-establish ourselves on this world…and on others as well."

"And what're you going to do?" Bellatrix asked.

"Rebuild my immortality," Voldemort said without even pausing to think. "Find six new Horcruxes."

"But we've already been dead," Scabior pointed out.

"That we have," Voldemort replied. Images flashed through his mind. The deep green glow of the river Styx. The clack of the judges' gavel; the bite of the Devourer. The screams of Tartarus, echoing against black stone walls. "And having been dead…it is not something I wish to again experience."

"What is our plan?" Vincent Crabbe Sr. inquired. "Beyond simply making Horcruxes."

"I plan to find and attack the Elements of Harmony, as well as Potter and all those who helped him," Voldemort stated. "I also have in mind exactly which object to form into my first Horcrux. But before that, we must prepare. I wish to implement failsafes and to bring into our fold a few of those that were lost. Those…not of this world, who still wished to conquer it. In the meantime, make your own plans, all of you, for this is when we bring them to life."

"One question," Bellatrix asked. "What is this object you've picked out to start with the Horcruxes again?"

"The very object that led to my first downfall," Voldemort replied. "Quirrell should remember it well. It cheated the both of us and favored Potter. For that, I intend to make it my own." He turned to the shivering man in the corner. "Do you have any idea what I'm talking about, Quirrell?"

Slowly, Quirrell raised his gaze to meet Voldemort's. Then he nodded, slowly. His answer was indeed the very object on his master's mind: "The Mirror of Erised."

---

Chapter 24:

· Luna and Celestia are really fun to write together, but at the same time, difficult. And both those facets are for the same reason: Celestia speaks in modern slang while Luna speaks Ye Olde English. I'm sure I didn't get a lot of Luna's grammar right.

· While "Crystal Empire" convinced me that Celestia can control dark magic (and she did have both night and day for 1000 years), she is primarily a unicorn of light, so I thought that Luna should be the one to have mastered Apparition at the Speed of Darkness.

· Yes, Celestia is keeping secrets. At first, I was just going to have one big secret that I'd planned from the beginning, but since then, I ended up making this huge backstory for how the first six Elements of Harmony came into being, and I'm going to retcon it in whether y'all like it or not. So Celestia is also saying nothing about that.

· Till this point, I never accurately portrayed how snarky the Guide can get at times. It was long overdue.

· The Kentauride idea came partly from me and partly from Ophira. I was thinking about what forms the Mane Six would take on various worlds because of the shape-shifting aura thing, and I had it in the works that they would become Kentaurides for a world based on Ancient Greece. Then I remembered that there are centaurs in Harry Potter, too. Ophira advised me to go for it and give them that form. And I like it. This storylet, which to be longer than the last two because I intend to cover a full year at Hogwarts (don't worry, it won't be as long as an actual Rowling book), is also going to contain a few examples of ponification—characters from outside MLPFIM are going to go to Fourth Equestria and become ponies. Which I'm really excited for. Not saying who yet.

· I only refer to Hogwarts by the full title in the first header – I realize that's inconsistent, but I don't think it's necessary to repeat it after that. You all know what Hogwarts is.

· Pinkie saying "I can play twenty instruments at the same time" is a reference to the ep "Magic Duel", where it's revealed that Pinkie as a four-legged pony can play ten instruments at one time. Ponies who haven't met her think it's magic; her friends say, "It's just Pinkie Pie." So giving her two extra limbs probably doubles the instruments.

· This storylet—at least in this time period—is set during the last week of the summer immediately after Harry vanquished Voldemort in Deathly Hallows.

· A bit of a rant: so I used the Potter Wiki a LOT for this, and it said that Hogwarts was canonized to officially have seven stories. Seven. I understand this being the case in the licensed video games, because there's only so much programming space you can have, and they did REALLY well with what they had. And in the movies, I guess we never do see more than seven floors. But when I first read the first book, waaaay back as a wee one, I thought Hogwarts had at least twenty floors and was probably bigger on the inside than it looked from the outside. I thought it had to be the biggest and most impressive castle EVER. I'm hoping that my description kind of put that across. Because I do not intend to stick to only seven stories. I'm intentionally putting the Divination classroom on the ninth or tenth. I'm doing it. Don't try to stop me.

· NOBODY CARES WHAT THE MANE SIX ARE WEARING except me. I love making their clothes. Even just T-shirts.

· I had trouble deciding on a design for McGonagall. I don't remember if the books gave her silver hair or not; I imagined her with black hair before the films came along. I went with silver in the end because black eventually becomes that color anyway. And since I've been watching a ton of Downton Abbey and becoming a Maggie Smith fan…I sort of have to envision her as Maggie Smith.

· So I stole the atrium from the Chamber of Secrets video game. I'm going to be stealing quite a bit of architecture from the games, actually (not all of it, of course, as I intend to keep to the idea that Hogwarts is more than seven stories tall, and I have some of my own flairs to stick on certain areas). Actually, since the game was based on the films, I probably just stole it from the films, but I don't actually remember the atrium being in any of the movies. Which goes to show how long ago I watched them. Oh, and you should know now: I'm going to be patchworking in ideas from the books, movies, games, AND fanworks.

· "Merlineans" and "Morganians": terms stolen from the movie The Sorcerer's Apprentice.

· And we see yet another snapshot from Celestia and Luna's travels in the past: they met the Four Founders.

· Phineas Black is my favorite portrait and I had to at least give him a cameo.

· Yes, I've planned far enough in advance that I know I'm going to have the Mane Six muck with time and visit the Marauders. Eventually. And there are some other time periods in Hogwarts history I'm considering for them, though none involves the Founders.

· McGonagall staring down over her glasses is actually a bit of headcanon I have. I had a middle school teacher who I always thought reminded me of McGonagall, and the way she got everyone to shut up was to stare at them over the top of her glasses. I thought it seemed fitting.

· I hope the plot of making them students isn't too corny. Yes, it will involve a lot of doing the Stations of the Canon (Diagon Alley, the Sorting, Quidditch, etc.). But I think it ended up being fun.

· Based on the fact that Fluttershy, AJ, RD, and Pinkie are four of the Elements alone, I think they have slight capacities for magic…but this is actually something I want to go into deeper detail on later. For now, all you need to know is that they don't have full witch capabilities, but they each have a little bit of magic.

· I have no idea if Twilight can do glamours of that level, but I needed a cover story for London.

· By the way, for me, the official theme song of Discord scheming things and bringing back villains and/or chaotic plot devices behind the scenes is a fansong called "Don't Look", created by YT user PiercingSight (a.k.a. DaneGraphics). If you wanted a small bit of leitmotif for him.

· Yes. YES. Discord wants to mess with Fourth Earth because HE READ DEATHLY HALLOWS AND DIDN'T LIKE THE EPILOGUE. HE READ THE BOOK WHILE SITTING ON THE BED OF THE BOOK'S MAIN VILLAIN. HE KNOWS WHERE THE FOURTH WALL IS AND HE DOESN'T CARE. Now, I don't hate the epilogue entirely—I've decided I mostly agree with the ships and the lineage—but the entire concept was really corny and so much Mood Whiplash after the dark plot twists of the war, and I keep getting this feeling Rowling mostly wrote it so people would stop bugging her to make more books. She definitely didn't want Voldemort to ever come back. So guess what Discord and I want to happen?

· Seriously, Harry thought the Resurrection Stone would be lost forever if he chucked it on the ground of the Forbidden Forest. As though no one would ever find it there. As though there wasn't any such thing as Discord.

· In Discord's eps of MLPFIM, he clearly breaks the rules of magic. The Elements pendants are locked away in a room that only Celestia can open, but she finds the space empty, and Discord has managed to transport the Elements miles away. It's never explained how he did that. So can he fix the Resurrection Stone so it actually resurrects rather than just bringing back shades? I think so. Now I know what you're thinking: why didn't he just use the gate to the Netherworld or the Cosmic Reset? Well, the Cosmic Reset would have involved way too much complexity having to be done over again, and I didn't want to deal with it. I'll give the excuse that Discord thinks what happened in the past was already too much fun to muck with. As for the Eye of Gazeem, that's an easy explanation. The Netherworld is a subset of the afterlife that the Death Eaters weren't in.

· So, at first, I hated the film version of Voldemort as shown in Goblet of Fire. I hated the no nose thing. But that version has become so iconic that I had to use it. As for the other Death Eaters…Bellatrix has "frizzy hair". Take this as the film version, the version from A Very Potter Musical, or one of your own creation. Scabior looks exactly like his film counterpart—but I'll explain that more below. Quirrell is thin and wiry because we all pictured him that way, and you know it. Barty Crouch Jr. is David Tennant because DAVID TENNANT. And the rest? Maybe I'll describe them, maybe I won't, but their designs are going to be a lot more fluid.

· Voldy knows about the Elements, and this has to do with the backstory I made for the previous gen of Elements.

· And now, an explanation of the Death Eaters listed. I mostly used the Potter Wiki list of known Death Eaters that were either confirmed or presumed dead. For a lot of them with last names given but no first names, I just pulled first names out of nowhere. I added two from canon: Fenrir Greyback (of course) and Scabior. Admittedly, that last one was purely because of the seventh and eighth films. I'm not even sure if he was originally in Rowling's written work or if he was made for the films. (I need a reread…) But his role in the films was so HUGE, almost as a secondary antagonist, that I had to throw him in. Crouch is back because he's David Tennant. Karkaroff is back and not given the benefit of the doubt because I just thought it would be fun. Same for Pettigrew. Rookwood was very specifically listed as jailed and NOT dead, so he couldn't appear. And I'm actually giving the Malfoys the benefit of the doubt—that's right, I'm doing Draco In Leather Pants on Draco! Because Crabbe Jr. died in the fiend-fyre, though, I figured he could come back with his dad. Goyle Jr…is being raised by his mom. No idea if I want to do anything with him yet.

· For the crossover Death Eaters: the surnames are going to be foreshadowing for now. "Burke" is, of course, based partly on the missing half of Borgin and Burkes, but it's actually something I'll be lending to a crossover character. Gorgon, Horvath, and Russo are all there for you to guess at right now.

· And finally, QUIRRELL. Why did I bring back Quirrell? Because of the parody fanwork "A Very Potter Musical." It gave Quirrell an expanded role and…well…those who have seen it know what it did with Quirrell and Voldemort that I like and want to play with eventually. Those who haven't? I'm not going to spoil the surprise.

· So you'll partly recognize that the Underworld is kinda the one from Disney's Hercules because the Styx is green. However, astute eyes will catch the house of the judges (a Greek mythology original that I don't think I've ever seen touched upon in any pop culture work) as well as the Devourer from Egyptian mythology. I almost don't want to go into too much detail because the Underworld that Voldemort went to was in the 90's of his world, and the Hades we saw in the last chapter, the Disney version, is still in the B.C. era of his, so Voldy actually comes from Hades' future…and I have planned some major changes for the Underworld in that time (though I don't know if I'll ever get there, since this story is friggin' huge).

· And yeah, rebuilding Horcruxes is kind of a stupid plot to re-enact, but again, I think it will be fun, and I wanted something that would pay homage to Harry's first year for the Mane Six's first year, so the Mirror of Erised had to be brought into it. Besides, given Voldy's history with the thing, don't you think he'd WANT to go after it so he wouldn't have to be mocked by its existence?