The Crystal Mountains of the frozen north, the weather was calm as the day was beautiful with freshly fallen snow, despite the sun providing decent warmth.

Princess Yucca trekked up a snowy path as she wore a thick furry coat and chuckled as she bounced. "SNOW, SNOW, SNOW!" The filly's mane returned to that ruffled state it was once before, and was now fashioned in the form of a ponytail. She buried her face into the snow playfully as her tail swayed left to right. She believed she was alone in this vast mountains, unaware and not even considering the idea of anypony having followed her. She gasped with a wide smile, "It's just like the stories! White like marshmellows! I really like marshmellows! They're so yummy and you can mix them with so much stuff! Like milkshakes! I shall mark this in my super adventure journal!" She suddenly poofed out a thick tome with magic before biting on her tongue, sitting on her rear, scribbling a poorly drawn marshmellow in it before closing it and making it disappear yet again.

And observing over the top of a particular mountain would be six beady eyes as they watched the tiny alicorn filly make her way up the path. The figures soon lowered themselves as it was revealed it was a group of three crystal guards; huddled. The guards then immediately nodded to one another as they raised their scarfs covering their muzzles and then hurried back down another particular route, sliding down the snowy slope and touching down upon the hidden trail. And standing on the pathway would be the prestigious Princess of the Crystal Empire, accompanied by her Prince as they both bore worried expressions as a stream of guards remained close behind them.

Princess Cadence had her own scarf, as did Shining Armor as she looked to her guards. "Where is she?"

One of the scouts spoke. "Reporting in princess, the alicorn is only following a beaten route, she's taking the path furthest into the crystal mountains."

Shining Armor only raised a brow as he began to rub his muzzle with his hoof. "Why? For what reasons?" He looked to Cadence in deep thought, "A random alicorn filly heading for the furthest route into the Crystal Mountains? Who is she? Where did she come from? And why is she here?" He looked back to the guards, "I almost thought you all were just pulling our legs when you told us this story. But now I'm glad we came ourselves, it looks like we have come across something totally strange."

Princess Cadence looked to Shining Armor worriedly, "S-Shining we should talk to her. It could be anything, she could be lost!"

One of the guards cut in, bowing his head. "I doubt this my Princess, it feels as if she's heading for somewhere in particular. In all actuality she's actually far more complacent with what's happening than we expected even of an alicorn, we assume she has a particular destination in mind."

Shining Armor cut in, "But where? There's nothing out there but snow, dead forests, and creatures better left alone."

Princess Cadence glanced back to Shining Armor. "Don't be so quick to assume dear. Who would've thought an alicorn would simply be trekking through our mountains heading north in the first place? I was certain there were only four of us in existence. But now I don't know what to think, maybe Princess Celestia knows her?"

Shining Armor shook his head, glancing down. "No, I don't think so. I was a part of Princess Celestia's royal guard for a long while, and not once did I ever hear mention of an alicorn such as this. But what mind boggles me is the fact that she's so young. Something just doesn't sit right with me here."

Princess Cadence remained silent for some time afterwords, deep in thought before glancing up and looking straight towards the slope. She made a determined expression before glaring, "I'm going to go talk with her. We won't figure out anything if we just sit around here and talk without acting."

Shining Armor looked to Cadence for a moment worriedly before sighing and nodding reluctantly. "Well then, I'm going with you."

Princess Cadence flashed him an affectionate smile, before nuzzling him softly.

The guards all immediately stood at attention as they bore salutes towards the two of them. "As are we!"

Princess Cadence glanced back, shaking her head. "Sadly, no, I cannot allow any of you to come, stay back and watch. And should we require assistance, we will call for you."

The guards gasped as one spoke out, "B-But Princess!"

Princess Cadence continued, "I do not want her to get frightened. Appearing with all of you might be quite intimidating. Stay here until we give the order."

The guards all immediately bore frowns, reluctant to let Princess Cadence and Shining Armor go on alone as they watched as both their Prince and Princess made their way up the snowy slope, soon peering down the distant mountain, looking for the alicorn. Both Cadence and Shining nodded to one another in determination, before glancing back to their guards and nodding to them as well, and hopping down and over the opposite end, disappearing from their sight.

As Princess Yucca continued down the route further into the mountains, she trotted silently with wide eyes as she was forced to raise her legs super high for each and every trot. She also moved awkwardly, almost as if her furry coat was too big as she soon made her way up another pathway, this time along the side of a mountain. She blinked a bit as she trailed the side of this mountain, almost as if scaling the side of a cliff as it allowed her to glance down and look off towards the distant scenery of the Crystal Mountains. She raised a hoof over her brows as she squinted, peering off into the distance and attempting to see between the mountains, and soon enough she caught sight of what she was trying to find. It was none other than the glistening blue sea, barely visible through parted clouds. Yucca's smile grew wide as she clapped her hooves! "Yay yay! Welp, I guess this means it is aaaalmost time!" She lowered her hind legs in order to sit, as her horn started to glow and she then summoned a campfire. "BUT FIRST! A break! Breaks are needed on long hikes! And hiking is healthy for the body! I must remain healthy to defeat the strong ones!" She puckered her lower lip and did a hoof pump looking up towards the sky.

Princess Yucca then looked back off in the distance to her right off the side of the cliff, taking in the beautiful sights of the sparkling blue mountains covered in a pure white with the thick clouds looming overhead. Her eyes appeared fascinated as she looked particularly towards the sun, and stretched out her hoof towards it, almost obsessively. She blinked a bit, before squinting, concentrating as she focused on the sun while sitting there.  And as she shifted her hoof upwards, so did the sun slightly, and she could feel the motion of her hoof connected with the massive scorching sphere of energy. A slight playful grin formed upon the filly's muzzle as she chuckled, "Preeetty..."

"STOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!!!!!!"

Princess Yucca's eyes widened almost immediately as she looked to the right and at the origin of the voice. And trotting towards her swiftly would be an older pony, and one who looked extremely pretty baring a pink coat and elegant mane. Yucca appeared infatuated as she just continued to sit there with her hoof outstretched over the cliff, looking at the oncoming pony. But almost just as quick as she looked, she cocked her head to the right. "TAG!?" Before she'd been tackled, causing her to roll along with the pony as she found herself laying on her back with her hind legs curled in along with her forehooves as she just blinked curiously up at the strange pony. "I have wings silly!"

Princess Cadence breathed heavily as she bore a horrified expression before stating angrily, "STILL! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING!? I didn't know if you could fly yet!"

Princess Yucca spread her hooves as she closed her eyes with a giggle. "Plaaaaaying with fire. GET IT!? GET IT!? No no, seriously you get it? I think that's clever!"

Princess Cadence whom was still trying to catch her breath just shook her head as she picked up the filly, embracing her in a tight hug worriedly before stretching out her forehooves while holding her to manage to get a good look at her. "No! I mean what're you doing in general! Playing so dangerously close to a cliff, trotting out here by yourself, just...everything! Who're you!? Why're you here!?" She sighed as she just closed her eyes and shook her head, holding the filly close and patting her head. "It doesn't matter, it's alright now. You don't have to wander aimlessly anymore. Princess Celestia will probably have more answers I'm sure."

Princess Yucca remained there in her hold with a simple smile before blinking. "Sorry Miss! I am officially banished!" She manifested a pair of round thick rimmed glasses as she pushed them up slightly. "Officially officially! Well probably not officially cause then I'd have to go somewhere! But I'm going nowhere! Wait nowhere!? Yea nowhere! Well somewhere out of Equestria! YEP!" She looked up curiously as she placed a hoof on her muzzle and began tapping it. "So that means I'm very awesome right? I mean the scary ponies are scary but they're kinda awesomesauce I think as well." She shrugged and looked to Cadence with a blank expression and allowed her hooves to slump down.

Princess Cadence could only reply with a gasp as she shook her head. "B-Banished!? By whom!?"

Yucca spread her hooves and raised them to the air. "I lost! So I'm leaving just like I said! You've gotta follow the rules! But I guess I can play a little bit at least!"

Shining Armor approached the two with a raised brow. "Cadence, she's an alicorn, and she just said she was banished." He frowned heavily before raising appearing a bit hesitant in regards to the situation. "It's a possibility she just escaped. It would explain why we've never seen her before."

Princess Cadence glared at him before turning while still holding the filly in her hooves. "Do you hear yourself Shining!? We both just saw the same thing. She's not evil."

Shining Armor sighed heavily, shaking his head. "Not saying that Cadence, just saying, she's a bit...." He made a crooked expression at the filly.

The filly just gave him a blank stare for a moment before placing her hooves over she cheeks and scrunching up her face playfully.

Shining cringed a bit, "Strange, is all I'm saying. But I guess it makes more sense to just take her along and find out what this is all about anyhow."

Princess Cadence nodded before flapping her wings and holding the filly a bit closer. "Not like there was a choice in the matter anyhow, hmph!" Before she flapped off and away, preparing to go and meet the guards. Shining Armor just shrugged with yet another sigh before heading back on hoof.

Meanwhile, on the outskirts bordering the Crystal Mountains stood three individuals, accompanied by guards of both changelings and ponies, practically an entire battalion.

One of the individuals spoke. "Are you ready for this sister?"

And another replied, "Of course, after all of our rigorous training I do believe we're finally ready."

And the third cut in, "Don't grow overconfident you two. Despite everything I've taught you, you aren't your student Celestia. She had leeway being both Yucca's creator and knowing her personally, while you two, shall be heading in blind. If she hasn't already left Equestria that is."

And it was revealed the three standing upon the outskirts would be none other than Queen Chrysalis, Princess Luna, and Princess Celestia.

Princess Celestia was adorned in a gown riddled with designs of different sweets while she wore a cardboard helmet symbolizing King Sombra and having an intense amount of eye makeup as well as combat paint spread across each cheek. She had a utility belt assorted with different cupcake flavors as well as confetti grenades. "I am aware..."

Princess Luna to was adorned in a gown as hers was decorated with the symbols of the stars and she wore a makeshift version of Nightmare Moon's armor while also baring a utility belt with a magical tracking radar and a multitude of wands attached to her back left hind leg. Princess Luna turned red in the face as she groaned, "Ugh! Do I haaaave to be Nightmare Moon? Isn't there anypony else she can target? Why do I have to play the bait?" Princess Luna grumbled as she lowered her head.

Queen Chrysalis groaned herself. "I've told you already that she has a peculiar attachment to those two for some odd reason! And who better than to play the role than you herself! If you want to get Yucca to play with you two in an override game then listen to what I tell you! So stop complaining!"

Both Princess Luna and Princess Celestia glanced at one another with a sigh before nodding then looking ahead once again.

Princess Celestia glared ahead towards the mountains as she frowned. I promise I won't let you end up like the last one. And Princess Celestia began to dwell on a particular as within that memory, both she and a certain bearded pony looked upon the Crystal Heart with saddened eyes. She shook her head head before appearing fairly determined, "Let us hurry, not another second is to be wasted."

And meanwhile in Ponyville, Princess Twilight Sparkle sat upon her throne as she rested her cheek atop her hoof. She was alone and appeared to be a bit troubled over something in particular, as much like her old mentor, she was lost in old memories. And she frowned as she recalled a key memory, in relation to her now departed creation.

Twilight was only a filly in the memory, as she'd peeked around a corner with wide eyes, blinking momentarily. She peered from the upper level of the Canterlot Library, as it was the early evening, and supposedly only in the library with the filly unknowingly would be the Princess of the Sun herself.

Standing in front of a particular bookcase would be Princess Celestia with her head lowered and a saddened expression as she closed her eyes and ran her hoof over the bookshelf. Princess Celestia shook her head as she only sighed, "I'm sorry Starswirl. I hope the day will never come when we must use it again. Such objects should never be created, lest they end up no different from the Crystal Heart. But I fear our dependence on such powerful artifacts has grown too much, for I had even resorted to using them even on Luna." Princess Celestia's eyes swelled with tears as she just shook her head, "I'm sorry, I had no choice. I'm so sorry Luna, Starswirl, for even considering it....."

Twilight only continued to watch with wide observant eyes as she blinked a bit, listening intently.

And Princess Celestia left the library, trotting out sluggishly soon afterwords.

Twilight sparkle then teleported, poofing her way down to the particular bookshelf curiously as she glanced around a bit, to see if Princess Celestia was still inside. And just as she looked, the lower level doors creaked shut behind the princess who'd just left. Twilight then looked back towards the book shelf as she placed a hoof over her muzzle, glancing about a bit in worry, before shaking her head and rising to her hind legs, attempting to reach up to a particular book. Being unable to reach it, she struggled to use her telekinetic magic as she soon stumbled back, causing the particular book to be forcibly pulled back as there was a slight screeching noise as she'd stumbled back.

And suddenly disappearing, fading as if it were never there into a magical transparent mist would be the bookshelf itself, revealing an opening and bright light.

Twilight's eyes widened with infatuation as she looked upon the opening, silently and curiously.

Princess Twilight cut off the memory as she just remained in the throne, and then leaned forward as she closed her eyes, and sighed. Remaining there in silence.