The entire isle seemed to be abuzz about the fight with the wolves. The fact the Equestrian Prince had risked his life, and came back, was proof enough that the winds were changing. Like with the revival of harmony magic, it brought a new send of peace.

There was work to do, but Endymion had started something grand. He started the spark that would become hope. As the various ponies went about their tasks a lone human was attempting to adjust to a world engulfed in total darkness. She touched the bed, and silently she began to attempt to understand if she had gone mad at some point.

The atmosphere of the Isle of Goats had changed. Ponies seemed less wary, there was still work to be done, but nopony seemed to be watching over their shoulder at whatever may attack. That night, thanks to the cooks of the castle and Pinkie Pie, there was a large feast.

Twilight enjoyed the feeling, but there was something calling to her. She ignored it as best as she could, but she could feel it regardless. It almost felt like the armor that had been down in Jolie's lab, but it was different. It seemed focused, and it seemed determined to be at the forefront of her attention. She looked to Rarity and noticed that her friend seemed distracted as well. It was slow, but she watched as Rarity's eyes began to change color. A sickly green fog began to waft up from the corner of her eyes, and her eyes themselves became green with red irises.

Rarity stood, whatever had been trying to get to her, and her mouth opened.

"Fools! You celebrate your doom! The other pony only managed to trap me, and I will not fall for such again! I will feast upon your fears! I will swallow your very souls, and nothing, nothing you can do will stop me!"

Spike rushed toward her, "Rarity, fight it!"

Her head turned toward him, "Foolish Drake! Her soul is mine, and I've made her my vessel! I've tasted all she has to offer, and she will not be freed!"

Twilight closed her eyes thinking desperately of something, anything that would help, and suddenly it came to her. An unfinished spell from Star Swirl the Bearded. The spell was one that allowed a pony to briefly swap bodies, or destinies with another pony. It was a long shot, but she had to try. She focused on the spell, gathered her magic, and then thought of Rarity. What she saw wasn't just Rarity, but instead her friend was inside of a cage. The being standing there looked to be a pony, but it looked half rotted. It snarled at her, and she looked at it.

"Give me back my friend."

It laughed, making her realise it had been a mare.

"Fool, I shall have two of you..."

It didn't finish. Twilight unloaded every bit of Harmony magic she had on it. The rotting mare screamed in agony, and a moment later Twilight opened her eyes to see Rarity crying and clutching Spike. As Twilight stood there she felt power covering her. She groaned as it poured through her, covering her and then it engulfed her in a brilliant light. It felt as if she had caught fire, and when it was over she stood nude on wobbly legs. Endymion caught her, despite his body's protest, and slowly lowered her to the ground. He couldn't stop looking at the mare he considered his wife. She had ascended to being an Alicorn.

The entire room became a buzz of excitement at the fact that a Princess was formed in the Shetlands. It meant that they were no longer merely a nation outside of Equestria, but for them to have a Princess meant that they were now a force of their own. The closest that they had ever came to having a princess was when there was an idea of an alliance, long, long ago, and it would have meant Princess Luna marrying one of the very first Barons of the Shetland Isles. Barrel Crusher had learned of the ancient Baron, his anger, and how he handled his brides. It was best that the marriage never happened.

If it would have, he had no doubt that Barrel Crusher would have attempted to ruin Luna, and in doing so he would have ruined any chance of the Isles ever becoming more than a place where the damned lived. He saw this as exactly what it was. This was the start of a new nation, a place where his ponies could be ruled by a princess, and a place where they would know peace. Endymion was a key to that, and he understood it. He grasped how much the Crown Princess of Equestria meant to their new princess, being that she was to be his wife. He grinned, That was something he could help with.

He understood that they would need their own wedding, back in Equestria, but he could marry them here, and ensure that the three of them were happy. Whatever had attempted to attack the visitors had grossly misjudged their new Princess. He did what was expected, and soon others followed suit. Twilight watched as dozens of ponies went to their knees. It wasn’t a sign of fear, but rather one of deep respect. She sighed, not one that enjoyed the idea of others serving her. Granted, she was of nobility, but her noble house was a lower noble house. In truth her mother and father were barely in the Noble Court, and even then their vote was often countered by the older noble houses.

She’d heard her mother ranting about Gleaming Bit and his wife Posh Propers doing everything they could to keep the current healthcare system from being updated. They were the reason why so many of the healing tonics from Zebrifica had been outlawed. Instead healing was done either by unicorn magic, or various healing potions that were regulated by the nobility. Those that could make their own potions did so, but they also knew that they couldn’t give them out. Making a potion for yourself was still legal, but the moment it was given away to a friend then you were practicing medicine without a licence, and as such you were sentenced to whatever the punishment was that week.

She’d heard stories, horrible ones, and she knew that her mother, father, and at one time Fancy Pants did quite a bit on attempting to keep the health care system a little more fair for the common pony. Something had happened to Fancy Pants, she knew that, and she knew that Endymion had told her about it. She sighed, looking at everypony bowing, and cleared her throat.

“Please, do not bow to me,” she said, “I get that something happened, but I’m still Twilight.”

Barrel Crusher nodded, “True that lass, but m’re to the point, yer a Princess, and that means that yer the Princess of the Isles,” he said, “I dunne wish ta scare ya, but ye got a wee bit of work ahead of ye.”

She sighed, and checked on Rarity who looked dazed. Beside her she saw Spike, and her adoptive son had grown. His draconian nature had caused a growth spurt, and now he was easily as tall as Endymion. In truth he was broad shouldered, and looked to have lean muscle. It almost seemed as if he had grown ten years in ten seconds. He held Rarity, his eyes glowing green, and what she saw there wasn’t malice, but a very protective glare.

“Spike, may I check to make sure that Rarity is okay, and that none of that magic is still inside of her?” Twilight asked.

He tenderly lifted Rarity, who was cooed slightly at being lifted so easily, and then he laid her on the table. Twilight’s horn glowed, and she found no remaining magic that had attempted to corrupt one of her oldest friends. She looked at Spike, and gave a soft smile, “She’s fine, although she seems a little dazed,” she said, “Perhaps you should take her to our room, and put her to bed.” Spike nodded, and lifted her easily enough. He walked with Rarity, never once did he drop or shift her uncomfortably. It was going to be odd, but she had a feeling that the two of them would end up being more than friends.

She cared, deeply, for Rarity, but she knew that her friend had a massive royalty fetish. The fact that Spike was her son, and there was no doubt in that. There were times she wasn’t sure how to treat him, but she had always tried to be good to him. Her mom had helped raise him most of the time, but when she became a teenager she really started raising him most of the time. It was hard work, dealing with a young dragon, and at the same time dealing with her school.

She understood that it wasn’t like a pet. Spike was more than that, and at times she almost used him simply as an assistant, but that had changed. Granted, he still had to shelve books, but that was because it was one of his chores. Now, she knew that her son would undoubtedly end up bedding one of her best friends, and the dynamic between her and Rarity, and Rarity and Spike was going to change.

She also understood that she couldn’t dwell on it. Sure, it was something that bothered her. But on the list of things that needed to be looked at, dealt with, and prepared for it was exceptionally low on the list. She looked at everyone around her, and she noticed that it was only her friends that weren't bowing. Of course she did notice that they were seemingly confused, and with good reason. She didn’t want to admit it, but she had changed. Things had changed. Being the Princess of the Shetland Isles meant that she was now over a nation. It wasn’t Equestria, but she was an Equestrian Citizen.

She felt confused as to what it actually meant. On top of that there was some kind of dark power at work here. The magic felt wrong, almost as if it had taken harmony magic and corrupted it. That was the other part of it. The magic had felt like it came from multiple sources, but all of them joined together under a single mage. Professor Flintheart had taught them about a single dark sorcerer that had done something similar long ago.

It had been Grogar the Terrible. The ancient Ram had faced Luna, and she had managed to beat him. What Professor Flintheart had said was that Grogar had managed to use the magic of the enslaved dead he’d raised. He used their combined magic to surpass that of Princess Luna, and it was only through Luna’s own brilliant tactic that she was able to bring him down. In her case Luna had led Grogar to the point where there was the largest wellspring of magic in all of Equestria. She then focused that magic into Harmony magic and used it against the ram.

If whatever was here had done the same thing then they could be in some serious trouble. She moved toward Endymion who took her into his arms. He was still recovering, still hurt, but he held her as she shivered. She was frightened, not of what might be out there, but of the massive change that was taking place. It was Endymion’s place to defeat whatever this thing was, she understood that. It wasn’t because she didn’t want to, but the moment she cleared Rarity of the corruption, and the moment her magic forced it back, she understood.

Endymion’s own potential, his true power, was every bit the wellspring that Luna had used. He was practically a walking nexus of the magical powers, and because he could tap into Harmony magic that made him the most suitable. She wanted to keep him safe, never allow him to go out again, but she knew that it was wrong to do so. It was wrong because there were too many ponies suffering here, and it was wrong because he had a way to save them. It was wrong and there was no way that they could stand back to just let it happen.

Dinner, such as it was, was finished, and everyone soon found themselves upstairs. The room they had been given was large and expansive, although it certainly made things interesting for those who were far more active romantically. Rainbow Dash and Applejack both watched Twilight, almost as if they expected something else to happen. She understood their confusion. After all, she just grew a pair of wings, and on top of that she felt more power available to her than she ever had before.

Pinkie Pie was too busy trying to console her, Endymion, and keep an eye on Fluttershy. It was odd, but she understood her pink sisterwife more now. She understood some of what it was like for Pinkie to see things that would be difficult, if not impossible, for her to explain. For Twilight she had basically seen what looked like thousands of alternate futures. Each of them as real and existing as the others. All of it happened in a blink of an eye, and all of it was real. She understood that this was always the plan for her. She saw a future where she unlocked the ascension to Alicorn by finishing a spell that Starswirl himself had started ages ago.

She saw another future where her ascension was created by her losing herself to the lusts and wants of a dark force creating a terrible being called Midnight Sparkle. There was yet another future where her ascension came because all of the magic, of every unicorn, was focused through her in an attempt to stop a horrible creature that devoured the souls of the living. Each time it had been because amazing things had caused the ascension, and it was no different here. Here she had her ascension because she faced something dark, and powerful like Grogar, from what she could tell, and she had beat it back using the power of friendship and Harmony.

That power had caused her to reach far further than she had ever had. To be honest she was surprised that Jolie Maison hadn’t ascended. It would have made sense for him to have, but then at the same time she had seen his connection to Endymion, and she understood why he didn’t. It wasn’t that he was unworthy, but rather because he refused it. He had brides that he loved dearly, and he didn’t want to leave them. He chose to live a much shorter life, one where he would pass well before any of his wives, and the reason he had done was out of love. She had ascended, and she understood what it meant. She would outlive Pinkie, but Endymion, she wasn’t so sure.

He was so different, and his own futures, all of them, were connected to the aether in one way or another. He was moving past immortal, and possibly reaching toward something eternal. She felt him rubbing her back, and even though she knew that he was in pain he was doing what he could to help her. He was giving her comfort, and she understood that he was the kind of stallion that cared more for his herdmates than for himself. She kissed him, knowing that it was selfish, at least in part, of her to do so, but she wanted to give back to him.

She felt the magic burning inside of her, and as she kissed that magic spilled over into him. The light flooded the room, and Pinkie Pie managed to hold onto them, not daring to let go, until the light was gone. For Endymion he felt different. His skin no longer burned, but it did feel tight in places. He could see the missing fingers, he felt the scars from the bits of skin and musle that had been pulled from him, but he was mostly healed. He wasn’t whole, but he was healed. He looked at Twilight.

“Twilight?” he asked.

She looked at him, “I had to,” she said, “I had to do it.”

She sniffed and leaned against her. He felt something new inside of him. It wasn’t just a feeling of closeness between the two mares he considered his wives, but instead he felt a deeper connection. The three of them were bound by their souls. Pinkie’s refusal to let go had bound her with them. The core of the herd was more than it had been. There was little doubt in Endymion’s mind that Fluttershy would be joining them, but now he knew that his brides understood what he had felt.

He felt their concerns, their worries, their love, their lusts, and he felt their thoughts. He could almost hear them both inside of his head, and Pinkie’s mind was a place of wonder and awe. It was a place where insanity not only ruled, but it did so in a just and fair way. He looked at her, unsure of what to say.

“I’m sorry,” she said, “I am so sorry, but I couldn’t not do it.”

He held her and kissed her, “I understand,” he said, “You’ve done something very special Twilight Sparkle-Everfree.”

She smiled, “Y...You think that I’ll be taking your last name?” she asked, “After all, I’m a princess now.”

He grinned, “Yeah, I do expect it, I’m a Prince, and I know that you’re a modern mare.”

Pinkie giggled, “I think that it’d be fun to be Pinkie Pie-Everfree,” she said as she nuzzled the both, “I kinda wish that we didn't have an audience, because I really want to claim you both right now.”

“Yeah, no, I’d rather not see two of my friends screwing their stallion,” Rainbow Dash said, “You want to do that then you need to go find a different room. Maybe a library so that Twilight can feel at home.”

Over behind them, in the corner, Rarity lay against Spike. When they had gotten upstairs she had some sense of what had happened, and she had undressed. The two of them lay on the simple straw bed. Spike himself was the big spoon, and Rarity was breathing softly. It had been a cuddle, a gentle caress, but she began to claim him. He’d changed, for her, he was protecting her, and she understood what it meant. A more primal part of her equine nature knew that she wanted to claim him. She wanted to have him, and this was the first step.

Sitting there, her memory felt fractured, uncertain, and she was seeing things she had no knowledge of. A place with thousands of people, and it looked like something straight out of the Empire Strikes back. People with high tech toys, weapons that she couldn’t even begin to explain, and it flew in the face of what she knew was real. She was Charlotte Ann Smith, the first girl from her family to get a college degree. Hell, the first child to get a college degree.

She’d slept with Jimmy Hickson in order to lose her V-Card, and her mother thought that she was saving herself. She’d dated her Economics Professor because she didn’t have time to do the class work and get everything done for her Linguistics major. She’d been working toward that major so hard, and now, she was questioning everything. She heard something, and for a moment it wasn’t dark in the room anymore. Instead there was a bright light that shined through the darkness of her blindness. She looked at it, uncertain of what she was seeing, and her mother’s views about the supernatural came to the forefront. Was this an angel?

“Charlotte Evelyn Smith, Daughter of the house of Intelligentsia, I have come to you.”

She shook her head, “No, I’m Charlie Ann Smith!” she shouted, “I was born in Arkansas for God’s sake!”

There was the sound of chirping in the background, and then the light dimmed. What she saw was a woman that looked much like her own mother, but she didn’t have the beaten down expression her mother so often wore. Instead, she merely studied her, “You are not merely Charlie Ann Smith,” the not her mother said, “This, unfortunately, is part of who you are, but it is not the full extent of who you are.”

It reached out and Charlie hugged the wall. The form stopped, “Please, I’m not going to hurt you,” she said, "I am merely going to open your mind to who you are supposed to be.”

She listened, and she felt the touch. It was cold, and then that coldness spread throughout her entire body. She felt something prick at the back of her mind and everything she knew about Linguistics was suddenly added to. She knew the languages of over sixteen hundred different species, not races but species. She understood how a plasma inverter worked in a Model II Standard Issue Infantry Rifle, she could recite the entire collection of every major work of art, literature, and major census report from the Golden Age of the Terran Republic. She also realized that her place was no longer with the Peace Corps, while it was a worth while ideal, especially since it would be allowing her the chance to learn new languages, but instead her place with with the head of the house of Endymion. Her place was to support the Republic, and as such the Republic existed only because of its greatest defenders. Thus, the house of Intelligentsia existed to support the House of Endymion. She felt something else inside of her. Who she was, Charlie Ann Smith, the girl that had fought so hard to become more than she had been, she was still there, and she wouldn’t deny that a good part of her belonged to that life, to her time on Earth, but now, she understood that she was more. She got up, slowly, her eye sight dim, but slowly returning, and she found a cane.

She then began searching for who she must serve. On her way out she bumped into one of the Equestrians. What she had thought before, about them being extras from Fritz the Cat was accurate, but now she knew what they were. The Equestrians, according to the literature and logs that resided in her mind, were a people almost wholly devoted to the ideals of magic. They were a flighty race, but this one that faced her wasn’t scared, instead she acted to steady her.

“Here now, are you alright?” the maid asked.

She nodded, “I need to find the Equestrian Prince, please, it is of the most importance that I find him.”

The maid looked at her, “Very well, I’ll take ya to him, but know if’n yer interruptin’ his mares gettin’ a mighty fine dickin’ I had nae a thing to do with it.”

With that she helped her toward Endymion’s room, “There he is, again, if yer inrupting a dickin’ I had nae a thing to do with it!”

It wouldn’t be tonight, though, as a soft knocking came from the chamber door. Everypony looked in that direction, wondering who could be calling at such a late hour. Most of the castle had retired to bed, so no one should be aroused at this time of the night. The knocking came again, this time followed by a voice.

“E-excuse me, is anyone awake in there?” came a mare’s voice, “uh, I need to speak with the Prince and I was told he was up here with his women?”

All eyes directed themselves at Endymion, for the man was nonplussed and unable to say what was going on.

“I know it’s kinda late, but it’s urgent I speak with him,” the mare said again, “it’s of vital importance to The Prince’s future.”

Again, all eyes fell upon Endymion yet he couldn;t for the life of him discern any meaning in this late night visitor. Still, he would need to meet with this mare if he was going to get any rest tonight.

“Rainbow, can you let them in?” he said, gesturing to his fellow party member, “I think I have a feeling who this is.”

“Then you would know what this is about?” The flamboyant pegasus asked.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” he replied, then nodded to the door, where further knocking was heard.

Rainbow shrugged, pushing her way through Applejack’s kit and opened the door. When she did, a body fell forward and landed hard on the floor. They may have leaned against the door for support or were preparing to knock a little louder. The mare groaned- and that’s when Endymion noted that the figure wasn't a mare, but the woman in the glass coffin that he freed earlier. Her ebony skin was dotted with perspiration, from the exertion of climbing the castle stairs no doubt. When she turned over, Endymion saw a cane in her grasp; it appeared her eyesight had returned yet.

“Ow,” Charlotte moaned, before turning over onto her back, sitting up, and searching around herself, “this would be so much easier if I still had my DIICCE on me…”

“I didn't know your people gambled?” Pinkie opinined, much to the consternation of her friends.

“Wrong die,” Charlotte said, struggling to get back up on her feet.

“Do you- need any help?” Rainbow asked.

“That would be capital, thanks,” the woman stated, and accepted one of Rainbow’s hands in assistance. Once she was back up again, Charlotte reached with her cane, tapping hither and thither until she reached Endymion sandwiched between two of his mares. She stopped in front of him, then knelt down in front of him, speaking in a language that was not quite Equish, nor Griffonese, Buffalo, Minotaurian, or Old Dragonish. And yet, he understood precisely what she said.

Said the woman, “Lord Archmage, long has been your presence missing in The Arcane Empire of Terra. I fear, given my long- absence, that much of what is our homeland has been devastated by defilers and deceivers. I do apologize for the lateness of my arrival, Lord Archmage. My physical condition has deteriorated somewhat in my long hibernation. Nevertheless, I, Charlotte Evelyn Smith, of House Intelligentsia, have wish to serve you.”

“What- was- that- all about?” Applejack inquires.

“Uh, I think we have a new member of the party?” Endymion stated.