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The purple alicorn stepped forward toward the other princesses. "Greetings. I have come with my friends to ask a very important question."

Applejack removed her hat, and she and Rainbow Dash prostrated themselves on the floor as the three princesses approached us. Twilight didn't bow—I guess she was equal in status with them now. But I figured better be safe. Kneeling, I followed Applejack's lead and practically kissed the floor.

A gold-shoed hoof touched my shoulder. It was Princess Celestia. "Please stand, mysterious guest."

I stood nervously. The three princesses inspected me almost a little fearfully. "Twilight, is she from the world where Sunset Shimmer is now?" Cadence asked finally.

"Yes!" Twilight answered excitedly. "She even went to Canterlot High School and heard all the stories about my adventures there."

"What you do call yourself?" Luna asked me directly.

"I'm a human," I answered. "My name is Tara Swift." I was getting used to introducing myself to skeptical ponies by now. I explained how I had fallen through the magic mirror and how Twilight had found me outside the Everfree Forest and taken me home.

The three royal ponies looked at each other in confusion. "Why did you bring her here?" Cadence finally asked.

Twilight nudged me. "Tell them what you told me."

I took in a breath and let it out carefully. "Your Highnesses, when Twilight told me the jewelry I had was really the Elements of Harmony, I realized something seemed missing from them. It seems like there should be a seventh. But Twilight couldn't find anything in her books about it."

Celestia chuckled a bit at this. "Still checking the books for everything, Twilight Sparkle?"

The little alicorn blushed.

"My sister," Luna addressed the sun princess, "if what the human says is true, why are the Elements still so powerful?"

"She's right," Cadence pointed out. "Even now, if one element is missing, all are useless. If one element has been gone all this time, how were you (she spoke to Twilight now) able to turn Discord into stone? How did Celestia defeat Nightmare Moon? How did she and Luna defeat Discord in the first place?"

Twilight shook her head. "I don't know. That's why we're here."

Suddenly a rumble of thunder came from outside. Applejack looked at Rainbow Dash in irritation. "What is it with you Pegasus ponies and thunderstorms this week?"

"That can't be the Pegasusi," Rainbow replied, puzzled. She flew to the window and peered out. Almost immediately she drew back in a panic. "Uh, girls? Princesses? Big trouble."

"If you think that big cloud out there is dark magic, it's a thundercloud," Luna remarked dryly.

"Then why are all those Pegasi attacking it?!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

"Uh-oh," Twilight murmured.

Celestia looked grave. "Rainbow Dash is right. That is no thunderstorm."

Cadence took a closer look at the cloud and seemed to grow worried. I followed her gaze and saw that the cloud was sparking—red sparks of electricity or magic, I couldn't tell which, were everywhere.

I knew something bad was happening—but of course, I had no idea what.

But Cadence knew. "That must be Sombra!" she cried to the other princesses. "Shining Armor's spell couldn't keep him out forever."

Twilight seemed very frightened. "Well, what can we do?!"

Celestia wasted no time. Quickly she focused herself toward the black cloud and attacked. A stream of pink-purple magic shot from her horn and hit the cloud square in the center.

As light and dark magic collided, I expected the cloud to dissolve or at least weaken. But instead it seemed to absorb the magical attack by the sun princess. Shocked, Celestia struggled to stop using her magic. She barely was able to cease.

Luna hurried to her sister's side in alarm. "What has he done?"

"He is stealing magic," Celestia answered gravely. "Attacks seem to only strengthen him."

"We can't let him have our magic!" Cadence determined.

Luna nodded toward Rainbow Dash and Applejack, who had been hovering nervously to one side. "You two, take Tara and flee." She turned to Twilight. "We will once again transfer our magic to you, as we did when Tirek attacked us. Once you have our magic you must flee with them."

Twilight nodded and closed her eyes.