Hey, Twilie, how’s it going? Princess Celestia’s not back yet. The sun/moon thing seems to be solved, but I think you know that already. Anyway, things are fine.

    I heard Princess Luna returned to Canterlot, and now it seems that the militia plan isn’t needed anymore.

    It’s been a hectic couple of days for me, but still reply back to me!

    -Your brother, Shining Armor.

     Twilight smiled, and folded the letter. Things were back to normal. A week passed, with no interruptions.

     Though she and her friends doubted the peace would last. Princess Celestia is still in the wind.

     “I’m  going to nap,” Spike tiredly flopped to his bed, after helping Twilight study all night, looking into obscure myths, and prophecies that can possibly hint at Celestia’s breakdown.

    “Twilight!” Rarity quickly opened the door, making Spike jump.

    “Can you please stop making noi-oh hey, Rarity,” Spike first shouted before seeing her face.

    “Hey Spike! Anyway, Princess Luna just landed here. She wants all of us to come meet her.”

    “That won’t be necessary,” Luna walked in, followed by the rest of their friends. The time of peace has relaxed them, with Rainbow Dash changing from her armor to shirt and pants. Twilight and Spike quickly bowed.

    “Princess Luna, what do you need?” Twilight asked her, inferring from the seraph’s weathered look.

    “Where are the Elements?”

    “Right here,” Twilight opened a corner drawer, and pulled it completely out. In the hollowed out space inside that housed it, were the Elements of Harmony. She took all of them, and held it out.

    “All of you put them on. Try to move the sun.” Luna instructed. They put them on and went outside, all confused.

    Twilight put on the diadem, and the amulets quickly glowed around their necks.

    “Okay, nice and easy,” The fairy tried to calm herself and imagined a grip on the bright star. The star didn’t move. Luna studied them.

    “H-how fast?” Twilight said awkwardly.

    “Can you move it fairly easily?” Luna said.

    “If I focus…” Twilight squinted from the light, and started to drag it along the sky, almost dancing.

    “Whoa, you can do that?!” Applejack, and the rest of them stared at the blue sky.

    “That’s what I thought. You can stop it now.” Luna waved her hand, putting the sun back to it’s original position.

    “What do you mean?” Fluttershy looked at Luna, and, after getting a closer look, realized the problem. Luna’s hair was always shimmering and waving, the sign that she is using magic, even unconsciously. But her eyes were starting to drain itself of its colour.

    “Every passing minute, it‘s getting harder to move the sun. Of course, you six can move it; you’re using the Elements of Harmony. But normally it’s easy for me. Sure, I never done it, but, I got used to it. Now, it’s like someone else is interfering.”

    “Do you think it’s Princess Celestia?”

    “Maybe. My sister was always stronger than me. I was thinking, maybe she calmed down. My sister never holds a grudge…”  

    Luna almost collapsed, and her magic sparks stopped appearing. They rushed to her aid, helping her up.

    “I can’t move the sun anymore,” she panted, sweating.

    “You don’t have to, Princess. We’ll take care of the sun and moon,” Fluttershy told her, her friends agreeing.

    “No, I remember thousands of years ago when fairies moved the sun and moon. They had to dedicate their whole lives to it. For me and Princess Celestia, it’s different. It’s an innate ability. Besides, something is clearly trying to move the sun and moon, and using the Elements of Harmony to move them won’t fix the problem,”

    “If a seraph’s magic is what we need, then all we have to do is go to Princess Cadence. Maybe she can help.” Twilight suggested.

    “Who’s Cadence?” Luna looked at the six with confusion.

    “A princess that used to be a Sylph, who was turned into a seraph by your sister, I think. You were banished still around that time.”

    “I guess my sister found new abilities. Where is she?”

    “The Crystal Empire. It reemerged a couple weeks ago, and there’s something evil on it’s borders, apparently. That’s all I heard.”

    “Okay. Do you all have responsibilities here?” Luna went for the door. All of them shook their heads.

    “Apples don’t grow instantly. Why, princess?” Applejack asked her.

    “I would like it if you all came with me. You managed retrieve the Elements of Harmony. You’re more than able to help me.”

    “Sure, Princess Luna! I’ll pack more explosives so we don’t need Fluttershy to fetch it this time!”

    “…whatever you need to do, Pinkie Pie. Also, again, really sorry to both of you.” Luna patted both Sylphs’ shoulders.

    “Let’s just go!” Rainbow Dash smiled.

    “Spike! Come on!”

    “It’s going to be a while until we reach the Crystal Empire.” Twilight said to all of them, before sitting down. The weather gradually got colder, and snow was on the distance.

    “Is the Crystal Empire actually made of crystal? If it is, I can’t wait! It’s going to be so beautiful!” Rarity daydreamed, looking out the train window for any sign of crystal.

    “You mentioned that there’s something evil around the empire, Twilight?” Applejack asked.

    “Yeah, but I’m not sure what it is exactly. It’s only things I heard when I was in Canterlot. My brother’s in the Royal Guard, but even he won’t get specific on what’s happening there.”

    “Twilight’s right. I had to convince the driver of this...machine,” Luna said, who never seen a train before, “to let me take you all there.”

    “There’s a lot of Royal Guards here,” Fluttershy looked at the window to the next cabin, seeing metal armor. “and I overheard them mention a king.”

    “Yes, I suspected. It must be King Sombra.” Luna told them, “King Sombra was a fairy a long time ago, who ruled the Crystal Empire . He was a despot, and me and my sister stopped him, before I turned into Nightmare Moon-what?!” The cabin suddenly rocked back and forth, as a swarm of reindeer ran outside, along with huge flocks of eagles, almost blotting out the sun.

    “What’s happening?” Spike said, and looked outside, and the swarms smashed into the train, a side effect of massive stampedes. Luna started to open the emergency exit door.

    “Wait here,” she warned, before flying out.

    They went to the windows, and Luna’s wings flapped gracefully, before she delivered a powerful magical shockwave. Snow erupted around her, and succeeded in scaring some animals, but also threatened to derail the train. Applejack stood up.

    “Princess Luna’s way won’t work. Fluttershy, how similar are reindeers and bulls in terms of behaviour?” She said, securing her jacket and hat.

    “I dunno, I-are you planning to herd them?!”

    “How hard can it be?” Applejack grinned, strapped a hatchet and a lasso to her belt, and started to lift herself up to the top of the train.

    “I’m helping then. Fluttershy, c’mon!” Rainbow Dash shouted, excited, and leaped out the exit. The other Sylph hesitated to come near the exit.

    “I don’t know…” She eyed the ground, blurry and fast.

    “Fluttershy, I think they need you. You are good with animals,” Rarity tried to comfort her, but she shook her head.

    Applejack held on to her hat, as she started to run to the front. The leader of the stampede was somewhere in front of the train. The train rocked again, tossing her off balance. Applejack felt her feet slip, but arms behind her held her up.

    “What are you planning to do?” Rainbow Dash shouted through the roaring icy wind, guiding her to her feet.

    “I have to get to the front of the train!”

    “Alright, I’ll fly you there, just hold on!” Rainbow Dash grabbed her arms, and lifted her, if only a few inches. She put her wings to the test as she tried desperately to lift her.

    “Rainbow, come on!”

    “You’re heavy!” Rainbow Dash complained through gritted teeth. Princess Luna flew next to her, gesturing.

    Applejack suddenly felt her legs lift off the ground.

    “To the front, Rainbow Dash?” Luna’s voice came from on top of Applejack’s head, her arms easily carrying her. Rainbow Dash flew alongside.

    “Yes!”

    Luna set Applejack down, and she quickly grabbed her lasso, spinning it over her head. There was a reindeer right next the front of the train, and she quickly grabbed it with the rope, before pulling back steadily, tilting it’s head to the right. Warm steam hit her face as she held on.

    But it resisted, tugging against the rope. Applejack was almost pulled off the top of the train, but she let go.

    “What’s the problem?!” Rainbow Dash landed next to her.

    “It didn’t work!”

    “It didn’t work?!” Twilight screamed over the noise, barely hearing the conversation through an open window. She and Rarity moved to the front of the train, desperate to help.

    “Slow the train down!” Rarity said to the train operator, and he pulled a lever, braking.

    The train kept braking, an awful screech coming from the wheels. Applejack climbed back into the cabins, exhausted.

    The herds and flocks went faster than the train, outrunning it, the stragglers at the front tip. The driver released the brake, and the machine proceeded in a pace that wouldn‘t catch up to the stampede.

    “I don’t understand. The reindeer resisted? I did this stuff for years!” Applejack panted, disappointed at herself.

    “Don’t be too harsh in yourself, Applejack. You did your best.” Fluttershy comforted her. She smiled, and wiped the sweat from her brow.

    “I guess so.” Applejack muttered, and looked out the window. A blizzard started to approach.

    The train started to stop, in a station almost buried in ice.

    “Put these on,” Rarity handed out thick coats, “ good thing I packed them.” She handed Spike one.

    “I don’t need one, Rarity. I can handle the cold,” he tried to brag. She chuckled.

    “Oh, don’t be so silly, Spike.”

    “Thanks, Rarity,” Twilight thanked her, before putting her hood over, opening the doors. More than a dozen Royal Guards poured out,  and one lone figure stood waiting, with a coat, hood, and snow goggles concealing his face.

    “Come with me!” He said, Twilight recognizing the voice, though she doubted it was a good time to say anything about it. The person saw Princess Luna through the blizzard. “Your Highness!” he immediately bowed.

    “Explain on the way what’s happening!” Luna responded, and he quickly nodded.

    “Follow me!”

The snow crunched as the the group moved forward, the guide facing Luna.

    “King Sombra has returned, though we’re able to keep him out for the time being,”

    “The Crystal Heart? You found it?”

    “Yes, Princess Luna. But Sombra is still around. We’re just trying to take precautions if the Crystal Heart was no longer in our hands.”

    “Fair enough. Wait, what is that?” Luna pointed to a black fog in front of them.

    “It wasn’t there before,” he said, and they froze. The fog started to condense. Luna consciously thought about her bag. It contained the Elements of Harmony.

    Eyes appeared in the fog, and Luna unsheathed her sword just in time, as a person in armor leapt from the shadows, a massive battle axe swing aimed at Luna. She put up a blue force field, but he pierced it with the axe, forcing her to dodge the swing, and the unknown assailant landed in front of her.

     The black fog subsided, and a magical blue shield was revealed.

    “Go, now!” Luna shouted, and the axe returned to his hand.

    Her opponent had grey armor, and green eyes with purple fog emitting from it’s sockets. The axe seemed to be black crystal, and was far bigger than Applejack’s tools, made for combat.

    “Princess Luna. It’s been a while. Where’s your sister?” he spoke, with a deep voice, breathing the same black fog.

    “That’s irrelevant.”

    “Of course. Now, give me the bag.”

    “Why should I? It’s nothing important,” Luna bluffed, but Sombra laughed.

    “Don’t be silly, Princess. I can feel the magic. It’s a good thing that it’s not the other way around.”

    “Oh?”

    “You sister can use the Elements by herself. But it’s only you now. And you can’t use the Elements by yourself, can you?” King Sombra taunted, the seraph infuriated.

    “I can, and will defeat you!” Luna wildly swung at him, and he easily dodged it, and with surprising speed, cut her wrist with his axe. Once she dropped the blade, he immediately brought the heavy axe head down to her blade, shattering it.

    “You fail to understand, that you’re weaker than your sister,” King Sombra growled, smoke surrounding him.

    Luna felt doubt building inside her, before spreading her wings, and flew as fast as she can over him. King Sombra shifted into fog, and covered the magical barrier. Luna was unfazed, and dashed towards the fog as fast as she can, closing her eyes, bracing for impact.

    Evil thoughts crawled into her head, and Luna felt herself fill with jealousy, at her sister, feelings that she experienced recently, sensing a darkness coat her mind...

    “Princess Luna!” Twilight shook her awake. She gasped, looking around wildly, driving Sombra’s magic away. Grassy fields were around her, and a city of crystal was in the distance, gleaming.

    “What happened?”

    “You crashed, and your eyes were green with this smoke, and you were thrashing around, and screamed out some…things,” Rainbow Dash tried to explain, pointing to the crumpled grass behind her.

    “Is this the Crystal Empire?” Luna said, starting to focus at the situation at hand. Twilight shrugged, before looking at the city in the distance.

    “Yes, Princess. It should be-“ the guide saw Twilight pull her hood back, and immediately recognized her face, “Twilie?!”

      “Hey, Shining Armor.” Twilight said awkwardly. Her brother had a worried look, his eyes quickly glancing at her companions, then faced the troops, casting a spell, that quickly bathed them in a purple glow.

    “Untouched. Get to the big white tower in the centre. Now,” he faced the six from Ponyville, casting the same spell. “Twilight, what are you doing here? Better yet, what are all of you doing here? This place is dangerous!”

    “It doesn’t seem dangerous!” Pinkie Pie shouted, her arms and legs spread, and looked at the city, “This place is amazing!”

    “They’re with me. They’re the wielders of the Elements of Harmony.” Luna explained, and promptly shut him up .

    “Oh. Well, alright then, let’s go.” Shining Armor gestured, before he went forward to the city.

    “What did you do to us? Back there?” Twilight asked him.

    “I checked for any foreign magic inside all of you,” he responded, “King Sombra can influence people through his magic.”

    He lead them through the streets of opaque glass, as people with crystal skin walked around, going about normal life, seemingly oblivious to the outside danger.

    The exact opposite of Ponyville last time, Twilight thought.

    “How did they get that skin?! I would die for that!” Rarity swooned over the locals, before Applejack nudged her.

    “Rarity, focus!”

    The white tower was near. The tower had a four-way arch on the lowest level, and in the centre, was a rotating crystal shaped like a heart. The Royal Guard troops were standing, as if expecting something.

    “Can you feel the magic? It’s just radiating…” Twilight whispered, coming closer to touch it. A guard moved  his spear in front of her, snapping her out of her dreamlike state.

    “Princess Cadence,” A guard announced, and from one of the doors leading up to the tower rooms, a seraph with hair coloured with yellow, pink and purple, walked out briskly, her pink robes flowing as she walked. Twilight gasped, excited.

    “Everyone in the Royal Guard goes inside. On the tenth floor, there rooms and beds. Set up there.” Cadence ordered, before smiling and hugging Shining Armor tightly, before he proceeded with the rest.

    “Huh. Princess must be really good friends with my brother,” Twilight muttered, and Rarity chuckled.

    “Darling, I doubt that was just a friendly hug,” Rarity gently teased, Applejack and Rainbow Dash snickering. Twilight looked at them, confused.

    “Rarity, what are you saying? That my brother has a relationship with her?” Twilight blushed at the thought. Rarity just smirked in response.

    “Princess Cadence?” Luna asked politely. Cadence quickly bowed, Luna’s presence surprising her.

    “I’m sorry Princess Luna. It’s just been a long day.” Cadence tried to apologize, but Luna simply nodded.

    “It’s alright. I just need your help. I can’t move the sun anymore. I wonder if you can help.”

    “I can’t move the sun and moon! Do you know where Princess Celestia is? She can probably help you a lot more than I ever could.” Cadence told her , but was met with uneasy glances.

    “I don’t know where she went. Just try, please.”

    “Okay,” she replied, and they both went outside. Princess Cadence tried to hold the sun with her magic, as did Luna.

    “Princess Luna, I can’t move it!” Cadence told her , and Luna shook her head.

    “Imagine the sun, is a quill. It’s not complicated. It’s just grabbing objects with magic.” She replied, encouraging her. Twilight walked closer, as Princess Cadence focused her magic.

They all saw the sun move a little, before they felt something powerful try to push their influence out. Luna resisted the influence, and they both took control once more.

    “What was that?!” Cadence exhaled in surprise, looking at all of them. Applejack decided to answer.

    “Honestly, Princess, we’re not sure.”

    The hordes of reindeer and eagles arrived in front of the magic shield. The lead reindeer transformed, into a woman in dark robes, green hair, with a staff of black wood. She started to approach the shield. But smoke blocked her way, and King Sombra was among the fog.

     “Who are you?” He said, readying his massive axe. The woman disregarded him, and touched the shield, phasing through it.

    “Oh. You can take the shield down?” King Sombra asked politely.

    “Yes. Me and my Changelings simply devour this stuff. Now, if you can just stand out of the way,” Queen Chrysalis raised a hand, and all of the deer and eagles shape-shifted, turning into a black humanoid creature with wings and eyes of insects. They started to fly towards the shield, ready to devour it.

    “Wait. There are powerful forces inside the shield.”

    “We can blend with the populace. They won’t notice.”

    “I know of your species’ abilities. But they will. They carefully watch any citizen, to make sure they are not touched by my magic. They can see through disguise, I’m sure,” Sombra warned her, “Alternatively, if you were to attack blindly, forces inside will kill many of your…Changelings,” he said uncertainly. He only read about the creatures.

    “But you can defeat those…forces?” The queen responded, and ordered her brethren to stay back.

    “Why do you think this shield exists? They fear me. I suggest an alliance. Sneak a Changeling inside, and steal relics, the Crystal Heart, and the Elements of Harmony. I assume you can absorb the power within?”

    Chrysalis eyed him suspiciously.

    “Yes, but, you obviously don’t rule this land. Before I consider your offer, I need to test you.” She pointed her staff towards him, and hundreds of Changelings charged, and Sombra readied his axe, his eyes glowing, before slashing through multiple waves of the creatures, spilling blood on the snow, scything through them. The Changelings did not relent, and so did he, barely getting touched, the whirling axe decapitating ten at a time.

    “Okay, stop!” Chrysalis shouted, after seeing him kill more than a hundred in less than a minute, “Fine, I’ll listen.”

    Sombra nodded, and trudged through the blood-soaked snow, corpses bleeding around him.

    “This is where we’re sleeping, apparently.” Twilight said, opening the door. It was a suite of rooms, one single living room with several bedrooms, with a floor of crystal, originally built for visiting diplomats, and their guards.

    “There’s only like, four bedrooms,” Rainbow Dash complained, looking around.

    “Space is tight, Rainbow. This ain’t a hotel,” Applejack remarked, and Rainbow Dash playfully pushed her.

    “Then I call dibs!”

    “Hey!”

    “I’ll give my room up.” Rarity immediately told them, and sat on a sofa.  

    “So would I!” Spike also said, earning a smile from his crush.

Rainbow Dash took advantage, and Applejack started to lecture her on respect. Pinkie Pie rambled on about crystals, and Fluttershy just quietly sat down. Only Twilight noticed Princess Cadence walk in, now sparkling with magic.

    “Twilight! I’m sorry that I didn’t say hello when you first came here.” She hugged her, and looked around.

    “It’s okay. Princess Luna seemed very serious.”

    “Are these your friends?”

    “Yes, they’re a little weird.”

    “I don’t find them weird. They seem lovely.” Cadence said , and Twilight smiled even brighter, “Why are you all here by the way?”

    “We wield the Elements of Harmony. So, Luna wanted us to come with her.” She explained, pointing to a bag they brought, and the princess nodded.

    “It’s been so long since I babysat you. First, you were just a child, now, you’re this fairy that can use an Element of Harmony! I can’t help but be proud!” Cadence suddenly hugged her, overjoyed.

    “But that’s not why I’m here.” Cadence said, separating, and getting a bit serious. Now, everyone saw her, and started to listen .

    “Princess Luna seems very...moody. I can’t describe it. I think it has to do with Princess Celestia.”

    “Well, it does. I think, we should tell you what happened,” Applejack replied, her friends nodding in agreement.  Twilight started off.

    “It all began when we came together, and wanted to get rid of the night in Ponyville. We were going to raise the sun and moon by ourselves, with the Elements of Harmony. Crops were rotting, animals were starving, so we went to this old castle. Nightmare Moon appeared again, and we had to get to those Elements. With the Elements, we were able to turn her back to Princess Luna. Princess Luna was really sorry for everything she did, and raised the sun again. But Princess Celestia came, and looked like she battled Nightmare Moon and lost, but I’m not sure. Princess Celestia hated Princess Luna, and wanted the sun to last forever-“

    “Wait, seriously?! Princess Celestia said that?!” Cadence reacted instantly, aghast. They all nodded sadly. Cadence thought about it. The idea of Princess Celestia, their ruler and protector, saying such a thing is ridiculous.

    “We were there, Princess.” Fluttershy added. In that moment, a guard appeared through the doorway.

    “Princess Cadence! The Crystal Heart has been stolen!”

    “We have to go!” Cadence shouted, and they all ran out. The guard watched them leave, and went into the room, grabbing the Elements of Harmony before inconspicuously shapeshifting into a Sylph, flying away.

    Rainbow Dash looked through a window, and saw guards trying to chase a Crystal man running from them, with a glowing crystal heart in his hands. Rainbow Dash backed up, before diving through the glass, taking flight.

    “What?! Rainbow Dash?!” Applejack shouted.

    The Sylph dashed towards the man, and he suddenly threw it to another, who took off running. Rainbow Dash grunted as she switched targets. But three other Crystal men transformed into a black creature with insect wings , and blue eyes. Rainbow Dash stopped, as they took off towards her, with arms shifting into blades.

    Rainbow Dash saw the thief run towards the boundaries, as the Changelings advanced on her, until Princess Luna flew past her, and slashed all of them in quick succession, with a sword of crystal.

    “Go!” Luna shouted, and she agreed, taking off. The thief was closer to the border, and Rainbow Dash flew downward, gravity aiding her.

    “Come on!” She strained herself, and a cone of air appeared around her. The thief went through the shield, and Rainbow Dash followed, going through and landing. The Changeling gave the Crystal Heart to Queen Chrysalis, and she absorbed all the power from it, purging it if it’s glow. Hordes of Changelings surrounded her, and King Sombra turned into shadows. Princess Luna landed next to her, and noticed Rainbow Dash about to pounce at the Queen, in an effort to take the Crystal Heart.

     “No!” She shouted, grabbing her, and flew back inside the shield. Rainbow Dash felt the warm grass.

    “What?! Princess, why did you stop me?!”

    “You saw, didn’t you? That…woman sucked all the magic out! Without it, it’s just a rock!”

    The shield flickered, and fell, before another one, made of pink energy, took it’s place.

    “We have to get back!”

    Princess Cadence went into the throne room, seeing the magical barrier holding King Sombra at bay, fall. She relinquished her grip on the sun, and planted her staff to the ground, forming another magical shield.

    “Princess Cadence?” Twilight approached her , all her friends except Rainbow Dasg behind her.

    “All of you, get Shining Armor, tell him to ready the Royal Guard!”

    Luna landed at the balcony, followed by Rainbow Dash, running into the room.

    “All of you, get the Elements of Harmony! I’ll get to the Royal Guard!”

    “Rainbow, come on!” Twilight ran towards the stairs.

    Luna panted, composing herself.

    “Sister, what would you do?” She muttered to herself, before facing Cadence.

    “How long can you project the shield?”

    “Not long, Princess Luna,” she responded, her face already gaunt, struggling.

    “I wish I can help,” Luna apologized, the prospect of leaving someone to do an important task alone, haunting her, “but Sombra can penetrate my magic easily.”

    “Luna, just try your best.”

    “Princess! The Elements are missing!” Rainbow Dash shouted across the hall, followed by Shining Armor.

    “What?!” Luna’s eyes glowed in anger, and a shockwave boomed around her, before collapsing, her anger dissipating.

    “What should I do? What now?” Luna whispered, lost.

    “Me and my friends are joining the guards instead, Princess!” Rainbow Dash added before flying to the ground.

    “I suggest you do the same, Princess.” Cadence encouraged. Shining Armor stayed behind.

    “I’ll help you, I know a shield spell-”

    “It’s pointless. Princess Luna says that Sombra can overpower her magic easily! What makes you think he cannot do the same to you?” Cadence replied bluntly, and he grunted, frustrated, but calm.

    “What am I supposed to do then?”

    “Lead the guards you command,”

    In the armoury, Applejack grabbed a two-headed axe, testing its weight. The head was made of a pink crystal and was sharpened. Royal Guards grabbed weapons and donned armour, arming for battle.

    “I didn’t know I would be fighting like this. With guards.” She remarked, before holding it with her belt. Rainbow Dash looked around, and seized a bow and enchanted arrows of ice hung on the wall, as a display piece. She took the frame and broke it. There were only three of such arrows.

    “Gotta work with this, I guess,” she groaned. Twilight noticed Fluttershy standing clear, at a corner, scared about the chatter of a threat. All the two dozen guards fell silent, as her brother walked towards the mass of guards, dressed in the gold Royal Guard armour, a sword on his hip and a heater shield on his back.

    “Listen! We protect the tower! Get ready to defend the four doors at all costs!”

    The guards cheered, and went out, forming shield walls on the foot of the tower, putting on blue-plumed helmets. Luna flew outside, surveying the land.

    “Princess! I can’t hold it much longer!” Cadence shouted. Luna slowly unsheathed her crystal sword.

    “Okay, stop!” Luna responded back, and Cadence ceased her magic from flowing, fatigued. Swarms of Changelings advanced to the streets, and King Sombra’s magic infected the ground with black crystals.

    The Royal Guard will handle the insect things, Luna calmed her mind, time to do your part.

    She flew towards King Sombra, sword brandished high.

    Shining Armor put on a gold helmet with a blue plume, and slung his shield from his back. They stayed silent, until they heard a mob.

    “To the south!” Rainbow Dash warned them, seeing from the air.

    “Of the shapeshifters?!”

    “They’re citizens of the Crystal Empire!”

    “Clear the way!” Shining Armor ordered immediately.

    “Sir! Can’t those things turn into Crystal men?! They can get through the barrier!” A guard right next to him expressed, as the crowd went closer. Shining Armor paused, conflicted.

    “Please! I don’t want to see the nightmares! Don’t let the shadow catch us!” A random citizen cried out.

    Everyone faced him, waiting for his orders. Shining Armor saw the desperate crowds running, saw his sister . He knew what Sombra’s rule meant for them.

    “Let them through!”

    The Royal Guard stood aside, the citizens rushing past, and went to the doors, pouring into the halls. In the distance, Luna’s blue magic flashed intensely, with her skirmish with Sombra. The Changeling horde charged, and the Royal Guard resumed formation. Rainbow Dash nocked an arrow on her ice-bow. Pinkie Pie then had a burst of genius.

    “Dashie! Aim at a cloud!”

    The Sylph shrugged and obeyed, firing. The ice arrow entered the cloud, and suddenly turned into a huge chunk of ice. Twilight saw the opportunity, and guided it towards the Changelings.

    “Pinkie Pie, how would you know it would do that?!” Rainbow Dash was amazed, seeing the ice-cloud smash into the Changelings.

    “Well, clouds are pretty much water! And who would make ice arrows without being enchanted. Seriously?!” Pinkie Pie kept talking, faster and faster, before Applejack nudged her.

    “Here they come!” Applejack shouted, and swung her axe in a giant arc, before Pinkie Pie launched an explosive, whistling towards the horde.

    Fluttershy and Spike watched the Crystal people enter the halls, most of them tired and crying.

    “Oh no. They’re so miserable…”

    “Well, of course they are. King Sombra sounds really evil.” Spike replied. Some stood up, their arms transforming into blades, alerting Fluttershy. The Changelings started to advance towards the citizens, screams piercing the air.

    “No! Stop!” Fluttershy quickly reacted, placing herself between the citizens and the Changelings. She looked at Spike and glanced at the door. Spike quickly went outside, to warn.

    “Get out of the way, Sylph!” A Changeling threatened, pointing it’s blade arm at her. Fluttershy stepped backwards in fear, but she knew that she had to protect them.

    “Why would you attack these people?! They‘re helpless!”

    “They stand in the way to the other seraph!”

    “They do not! They are simply scared. They’re not carrying weapons, they don’t block the path! And you want to kill them?!” Fluttershy started to shout, almost infuriated. The Changeling lowered his arm, and faced back.

    “You’re right,”

    They are not simply monsters, Fluttershy realized, but the many other Changelings growled.

    “You are a traitor to Queen Chrysalis!” One yelled, and many others joined in slashing the one remorseful Changeling apart, blood splattering against their bodies, until the corpse was just beyond recognition.

    Twilight burst through the door, starting to blast the Changelings with magic from her staff, but the creatures flew up to the royal throne room.

    “Fluttershy, are you okay?!” Twilight went next to her, though the girl brushed her away, and knelt next to the corpse, before starting to vomit. The fairy then tried to comfort her.

    “Fluttershy, we’ll get them. We’ll get those…things.”

    “No! This used to be one of them! They were going to kill the Crystal people, so I tried to reason with them. He was the only one to listen. But the others of his kind killed him, because he betrayed their queen, or something like that,” Fluttershy explained.

    The rest of the Royal Guard streamed inside, trying to hold the Changelings off using the four doorways. Applejack and Rarity were wounded, but fighting, Rainbow Dash stabbing with a dagger. Pinkie Pie, her fireworks supply exhausted, started to take furniture and barricade the windows. Other Changelings entered the castle, and Shining Armor went to the stairs.

    “Everyone, try to hold them off! I’m going to guard Princess Cadence!”

    “Wait, brother!” Twilight grabbed his shoulder. His armour was scratched and dented, and his blade had a sheen of red.

    “Twilight, not now!”

    “They snuck in! You can’t take them all alone!”

    “Damn it! I swear, I will get to Princess Cadence, whether there’s a thousand or a million of those bastards on my way!” He declared, straining his throat, sweating and red.

    “What?! Shining Armor, you’re never like this! I know Princess Cadence is very important to all of us, but, this isn’t you.”

    He started to calm down, and faced her sister again, somewhat collected.

    “I’m engaged to her, Twilie. I have to protect her. No matter what.”

    Twilight covered her mouth in surprise.

    “I can’t let you go. Not alone, anyway. Girls!” Twilight shouted out, and her friends followed. Pinkie Pie grabbed a vase, as a weapon.

    “Let’s go!”

    Cadence saw the Changelings come to the throne room by the stairs. She grabbed her staff, and blasted a beam of pink light to the creatures, disintegrating several. Anyone that would get close, would be smashed with her staff.

    Luna crashed through the windows, and sharp black crystals were fired towards her, all which she deflected with her blade. She stood up, weary, and Sombra collided with her, smashing his axe against her sword, disarming her. He sprayed smoke to her head, filling it with nightmares, her eyes green.

     “No!” Cadence fired a beam charged with love, and Sombra dodged it, before advancing toward her with shadows. In response, she put up a shield, impenetrable to his attacks.

    “It’s over, King Sombra! You cannot harm me!” Cadence shouted aggressively, but he laughed.

    “No, but she can.”

    Queen Chrysalis landed at the balcony. Cadence fired another beam, but she touched the magic, and drained it, savouring it.

    “So you’re the seraph who radiates the love?” Chrysalis walked casually towards her, touching her shield. Shining Armor and Twilight’s friends slaughtered all the Changelings on the stairs to the throne room.

    “Cadence!” Shining Armor ran to her, but King Sombra projected an impenetrable magical barrier. Cadence groaned, feeling her magic leave her body, before the Changeling grabbed her head, and stole her last reserves of magic, all while her fiancé pounded at the barrier, desperate. Chrysalis let go, and Cadence fell, her irises grey.

     “I didn’t know they actually had a relationship. I was just making a joke,” Rarity muttered, wiping a tear away.

    “Princess Luna! Please, wake up!” Twilight shouted, and the rest of them joined her. But the princess only screamed and cried, due to her nightmares.

    The blizzard was in full storm around the tower. But it wouldn’t last. The sunlight penetrated, a great blaze circling around it. Princess Celestia crashed through the ceiling, rejuvenated, with her hair waving, coloured like rainbows, with the tips in embers, her eyes round and soft, that quickly hardened once she saw her enemies. She had a gold spear, the head starting to glow red-hot.

    She quickly thrusted her blade at Chrysalis, who responded with her shapeshifting pole, that transformed between a mace and a pike, whichever was best suited to the situation.

    “Queen of the Changelings! Leave!” Celestia’s voice shook the room, and her staff quickly glowed red-hot. King Sombra joined in the fight, and she had to deal with two attackers. The magical barrier fell as Sombra had to focus on his skirmish. Shining Armor quickly sprang at the opportunity.

     “Get to Princess Luna!” He said, while tending to Cadence, kneeling and hugging her weak body. She managed a smile, and caressed his face. Her hand was cold, almost icy.

    “Cadence?! Stay awake, please!” He pleaded, and she simply chuckled, her face pale and gaunt.

    “I’m already feeling better,”

    Shining Armor thought of potential solutions, anything to heal her.

    “One of you, whoever’s the fastest, get the Crystal Heart!” He shouted at the six. Rainbow Dash nodded.

    “That’s pretty much my specialty,” She remarked, before sprinting toward the balcony. But they all suspected Shining Armor’s request, of just being blind hope.

    “Princess, wake up!” Applejack shouted, but Luna still whispered and shook. Rarity sighed.

    “If only she can shut the nightmares out,”

    “I think she can, Rarity. I read a book somewhere, that Princess Luna can control dreams. I mean, she did shut them out once, right?” Twilight replied, with another question.

    “Yeah, back when she crashed through the shield, so maybe she just needs help!” Applejack to her friends, glancing at Luna’s smoky eyes.

    “Maybe you can go into her nightmare?” Fluttershy spoke up, “Help her out?”

    “If such a spell exists, it’s probably at the library in Canterlot,”

    Changelings charged up the stairs, blood-stained. They rushed to help Queen Chrysalis, but stopped, like they were given mental commands, before charging at the people beside Luna.

    “Where’s the Royal Guard when we need them?!” Rarity complained, as Twilight joined her friends on the battle, and disintegrated foes left and right. Fluttershy crawled closer to Luna.

    “Princess Luna, if you can somehow hear me, then, we need you to wake up,” She said softly and Luna’s eyes focused on Fluttershy’s, for a brief moment before another attack to the mind forced her to close them tightly.

    “Fluttershy, keep trying!” Applejack shouted, breaking a Changeling’s jaw with the axe butt.

    “Princess Luna, it’s very, very important for you to wake up!” Fluttershy tried again, saying it slightly louder.

    “Ah, damn it!” Rarity muttered, her arm cut along its length, before she bashed the Changeling that caused it in the skull.

    “Please wake up! You said you would try your best to be like your sister!” Fluttershy shook Luna’s body, pleading, seeing Celestia knocked down by Sombra and Chrysalis, Shining Armor slashing at Changelings leaping towards Cadence. Luna blinked, the smoke dissipating as she gasped, and scrambled to her feet, grabbing her sword before conjuring a massive shock wave around her, blowing the Changelings away, but not touching the six people around her.

“Thanks, Fluttershy,” Luna quickly said, before facing them. Celestia was held down by Queen Chrysalis, King Sombra’s smoke flowing into her mind.

    “No!” Luna shouted, dashing towards them.

    “I reckon you did a good job, Fluttershy,” Applejack helped her up, “but what are we going to do now?”

    Rainbow Dash landed on the balcony, and ran towards Shining Armor and Princess Cadence, a faded Crystal Heart on her arms.

    “Let’s help Rainbow Dash!” Pinkie Pie declared, sprinting towards her, her friends following.

    “Let’s get this to Shining and Cadence!” Rainbow Dash shouted, before quickly recovering and flew towards them. Sombra noticed and kicked Luna away, before hastily launching a black crystal before Luna dashed at him. The crystal scratched her wing, taking her down, Rainbow Dash groaning as she hit the glassy floor. Fluttershy quickly knelt beside her.

    “Rainbow, are you okay?!” Fluttershy panicked, and Rainbow Dash just grinned.

    “Relax, it’s just a scratch! But, it hurts,” She chuckled through the pain, before her expression became more urgent, “Take the Crystal Heart, Fluttershy! Get it to them!”

    Fluttershy’s cheeks reddened, and she stuttered. Rarity noticed.

    “If you don’t want to do it, I’ll take the Crystal Heart,” she said, and Fluttershy quickly nodded, as she grabbed it. Rarity looked at all of them, and saw Spike running towards them.

    “Let’s do this.”

    “Right behind you, Rarity!” Spike hastily caught up.

    Fluttershy stayed, tending to Rainbow Dash’s wing, while the rest of them took off, toward Shining Armor and Princess Cadence. King Sombra started to shoot black crystals at Rarity, still preoccupied with fighting Princess Luna. Rarity dodged one, and narrowly dodged another, losing her balance. She threw the relic towards Pinkie Pie, desperately trying not to lose momentum. Pinkie Pie caught it easily, laughing.

    “This is like the times in the rock farm!” She laughed, and started to zigzag around sudden crystal barriers, almost predicting where and when they rise, until Pinkie Pie was forced to pass it to Applejack, after the crystals started surrounding her. Applejack caught the Crystal Heart smoothly.

    Sombra grunted, and formed crystals around their goal, sealing them in. Applejack quickly ran around the tent-like crystal formation, trying to find a gap. Twilight stopped in front of it, breathing deeply. Applejack tried to hack it with her axe, but the crystals were like steel.

    “Get ready, Applejack!” Twilight shouted, and Applejack obeyed, though had no idea what to expect.

    The crystals started to shift, making a small opening. Twilight struggled to hold it, to fight against King Sombra’s magic, and Applejack started to try and throw it through the gap, before another crystal erected in front of her, razor sharp, and would’ve impaled her, but Applejack dodged it, losing her balance and vainly throwing the Crystal Heart into the hole. Twilight struggled to hold down the crystals, the spires gradually rising, watching the Crystal Heart bounce off glassy black rock.

    It seemed to be over, until Spike caught the deflected relic and threw it in, before Twilight yielded to Sombra’s tremendous magical strength. Applejack slowly stood up, and grinned at Spike.

    “I can’t believe you did that,”

    “I don’t just sit around, Applejack!”

    Spike was cut off, once another shock wave shook the room, Luna forming a blue transparent shield around her sister. Chrysalis started to chip away at it, and Sombra focused his shadowy magic.

    Luna offered a hand to her fallen sister.

    But Celestia just picked herself up, and grabbed her spear.

    “Sister,” she spoke bitterly, refusing to look at her.

    “You’re still angry at me?” Luna asked softly, and Celestia just sighed.

    “I just need time to think,”

Luna’s magic shield shattered, and they both charged. Sombra quickly turned into his shadow form, smoke flying towards them. Both seraphim projected magic to the tips to their weapons, orbs of plasma turned into a beam against the shadow. Chrysalis dashed towards Luna, and lunged, forcing her to cancel her beam spell, and parry, while Sombra’s magic collided with Celestia’s spell, in a clash of yellow and black.

    Shining Armor noticed the Crystal Heart, and quickly grabbed it, before Cadence weakly hugged it.

    “I can still feel some magic inside,” she whispered, and Shining Armor just looked into her now-grey eyes.

    “Does it help? The Crystal Heart?” He asked her, blindly hoping.

    “We never get a lot of time with each other, come to think of it. I didn’t say I love you for a long time,” Cadence grinned, watching him blush.

    “Stop changing the subject!”

    “I love you,” she told him, watching him start to cry.

    “I love you too,” He responded, before their lips met, Cadence embracing him tightly.

     The Crystal Heart glowed, warming them both.

    Princess Cadence separated, feeling her magic return, her strength renewed. She fired pink light into the Crystal Heart, rejuvenating it.

    Chrysalis blasted Luna away with a powerful burst of green magic, before helping King Sombra overpower Celestia.

    “Sister, no!” Luna desperately flew towards her, but it was too late. Sombra crawled into her mind, leaving Celestia lying on the tiles, her eyes the same as Sombra’s.

    The crystal prison burst, and Princess Cadence quickly faced King Sombra, firing a beam of magenta. Queen Chrysalis projected a shield in front of him, her magic blocking it.

    Luna flew to Cadence’s side.

    “Should I banish them?” Cadence asked Luna, waiting for her command, the Crystal Heart ready to project another shield of magic.

     “Not yet. I have no idea what they have done to Celestia.”

    The fight ceased, both sides staring at each other. Cadence’s staff flew to her hand. Celestia lay on the stairs to the throne, in the same nightmarish state Sombra left Luna in.

    “What did you do to my sister?!” Luna shouted, eyes glowing with magic.

     “I’m encouraging her,” Sombra simply answered, “encouraging her to follow her own ideals.”

    Princess Celestia turned towards Princess Luna, her eyes reptilian. Her hair ignited, and heat radiated from her body, a shimmering wave around her.

    “Not again, I thought she recovered.” Twilight said softly, her friends nodding in agreement. Celestia grabbed her weapon, and turned into a stream of fire, that flew above Luna, until it shifted back to Celestia, swinging her blade from above. Luna parried her strikes, losing ground to her.

    “Sister, please! I don’t want to fight you!” She tried to pacify her, but Celestia said nothing. Luna blocked a overhead strike, until Celestia bashed her hand with the blunt end of her staff, and disarmed her. Luna raised her hands, her one last chance to know, if any remnant of her sister’s self.

    “I don't want to fight you. Put that down, please, let us talk-“ Luna dodged a lunge straight to her stomach, without hesitation, and in that instant, Cadence activated the Crystal Heart’s shield, repelling everything that was evil. King Sombra and Princess Celestia were pushed out, the blizzard gone. A blue flash emanated from the Crystal Heart, as it flew to it’s place; underneath the tower, spinning and floating, bringing back cheer and life to the Crystal citizens, and, to Princess Luna, the ability to easily control the sun and moon.

    Only Queen Chrysalis remained, and the two princesses glared at her. She simply walked towards the balcony.

    “You can’t just leave!” Luna quickly flew in front of her, raising her sword. Chrysalis looked at the sword, almost bored.

    “I can defeat both of you,” she said, angering both princesses, “You’re weaker than Celestia; I can tell.”

     Cadence started to walk towards Luna, to support her, until Chrysalis glared at her.

    “Your magic is the same stuff me and my Changelings devour, so, in short, get out of my way. You’re lucky that I won’t just aimlessly attack,”

    Chrysalis gathered all of her remaining Changelings, still an impressive swarm, and spread her insect wings, flying away into the horizon. Luna finally sheathed her sword, looking at the wrecked throne room. There were holes on the floor, and black crystals, along with corpses, and shattered windows.

    “I’m sorry, Princess Cadence.” She tried to apologize, ashamed at herself again.

    “We’ll rebuild,” Princess Cadence responded brightly, “Princess Luna, don’t blame yourself. You tried your best!”

    “The same thing, happened again!” Luna shouted, “King Sombra corrupting someone with his magic, all those years ago-“

    “Who got corrupted?” Fluttershy asked calmly, and Luna faced her.

    “I did. He planted hate into my heart, all those years ago. I turned into Nightmare Moon, a day after his banishment. Now, he got to my sister,” her voice trembled, and quickly turned to the balcony.

    “I need to get back to Canterlot. Princess Cadence, stay here,” Luna told all of them, spreading her wings, and looked at Twilight, “you six need to find King Sombra, and Queen Chrysalis, as he probably has the Elements of Harmony, and my sister.”

    “What will you do, Princess Luna?” Twilight asked her, an uncertain future ahead of them.

    “I have to reform the HFS Guard,” Luna responded, “it seems to have dissolved, so I will reorganize them.”

    They watched Luna fly away, her wings producing gusts, against the sunset. They were silent, until Cadence spoke up.

    “Thank you for the help,”

    “It’s cool, Princess,” Rainbow Dash grinned, and Cadence scoffed.

    “It’s not just cool, it’s amazing! You six saved the Crystal Empire!”

    “Spike saved the Crystal Empire,” Applejack remarked, “at the end, anyway.” The boy in question chuckled.

   “I did do that…”

   "Princess?" Twilight started to speak, "What about Princess Celestia, King Sombra, and that woman?"

   "That woman's bluffing. Maybe she can defeat one of us, but not me and Luna at the same time," Cadence started to look serious, as she walked toward them, "And as for Sombra, he cannot enter."

   "And Princess Celestia?" Fluttershy asked, and all her friends looked at Cadence for answers, but she simply smiled sadly.

   "I don't know what happened to her, but I think Sombra influenced her," she answered uncertainly, and saw all of their faces accept the fact glumly.

   “Well, whatever the case, you all would be honoured here, and I mean all of you,”  Cadence thanked them again, extremely grateful, and noticed them start to wince, their adrenaline fading, making the pain in their wounds gradually grow. She gripped her staff with both hands, and pointed it's heart-shaped tip towards them.

   "Stand still, this won't hurt," Cadence assured them, as pink sparks charged at the tip, before pink light enveloped them with a warm aura, closing cuts and healing scrapes. They quickly examined their body, shocked.

   "Woah, thanks, Princess!" Rainbow Dash said, grinning. Cadence nodded towards her, smiling.

   "Now, go and find King Sombra!"

   They all nodded, and went to the stairs, reinvigorated.

“All we have to do now, is find King Sombra, and the Elements of Harmony,” Twilight said, focusing on her thoughts.

“You must have some idea where they went,” Rarity  told her, and Twilight shook her head.

“I never even heard of King Sombra,”

“Oh, Celestia…” Applejack murmured once they got to the bottom of the stairs. Slaughter Royal Guards lay dead, blood splattered on the tiles, surrounded with bodies of slashed Changelings, having gave up their lives to their leaders. The denizens of the Crystal Empire grimly pulled corpses out, making a path through the dead, a iron-like stench of blood bathing the room. Fluttershy looked queasy, Pinkie Pie showing an inkling of sadness. Rainbow Dash was the first to speak, once they came out of the castle.

“We have to find the shadow guy, as fast as we can.”