He was awakened by the gentle pull of the moon. Not moving, he lit his horn and lowered the moon and the stars, in preparation for the day. Then, he kissed the top of Twilight’s head, careful not to wake her, and closed his eyes. He was content to keep her in his embrace, letting her sleep as long as she wanted.

Two hours later, he woke again, to her stirring. He watched as she stretched and yawned. She then turned her face into his chest to avoid the sunlight. She stayed like that for a few minutes longer before she yawned and raised her head.

She opened her eyes and smiled at Artemis. “Good Morning”

He nuzzled her “Good Morning, Twilight” He watched as she stood and stretched before she headed into the bathroom at the other end of the room. A few minutes later, a toilet flushed and she walked out.

“Your turn” she smiled “After we both wash up, I thought we’d go out for breakfast before we get things set up for the bake sale.”

He nodded and walked into the bathroom. A few minutes later, he walked back out to see her levitating the large violet cushion that he had made and given to her. He looked on as she put it down on the balcony, before closing her eyes in concentration and lighting her horn. He walked over, curious, and watched as she cast a spell on the the cushion.

She finished and looked up at him, smiling. “There. Weatherproofing spell. I want to keep this cushion on the balcony so that I have somewhere comfortable for stargazing, but I don’t want it to be ruined by the rain.” She nuzzled him “Are you ready to go?”

His stomach growled and he nodded

Twilight giggled as they walked out into the hallway. She knocked on the doors across the hall. Silver Shadow and Midnight Fang each opened the door to their room. “We are going out to Sugarcube Corner for breakfast. Would you like to come with us? We’ll probably be out all day. If you want to rest up a bit more and join us later, that’s fine too.”

Both of the Night Guards shook their heads “We’ll come with you, princess. Good Morning to both you and Prince Artemis” said Silver Shadow as he turned to look at Artemis and stopped in shock. What happened?! He wasn’t even this calm in Canterlot! He looked back at Twilight I don’t know how she does it! This mare is clearly a miracle worker!

Silver Shadow exchanged glances with Midnight Fang, whose eyes were as large as saucers as he noticed the same thing. They fell into step behind the alicorn pair as the four of them walked out of the castle.

There were many ponies already up and getting ready for the day. Each of them greeted both Twilight and Artemis, before continuing on their way.

They walked into Sugarcube Corner and were greeted by Mrs. Cake. “Welcome, Twilight and Prince Artemis! Pinkie told me that you four might be stopping by for breakfast. What would you like to eat?”

Artemis turned to Twilight “How did Pinkie . . .?

Twilight just shrugged “I learned not to question it a long time ago, it’s just going to hurt your head.”

After a moment, Artemis shook his head. “. . . I’ll take your word for it, Twilight”

She looked at Mrs. Cake “Pancakes with powdered sugar and maple syrup.

Artemis nodded “That sounds good. Same for me, please.”

Silver Shadow and Midnight Fang both ordered oatmeal and fruit.

They chose two nearby tables and set down. They didn’t have to wait long. Ten minutes later, Mr. Cake brought out their food and asked if they needed anything else.

“No, thank you, Mr. Cake. You can go back to preparing for the bake sale. Thank you for agreeing to participate in it, by the way.”

“Of course, Twilight.”

After they ate breakfast, they walked to the park. This is where the ponies had decided to hold the bake sale. Twilight and Artemis walked through the park, followed by Silver Shadow and Midnight Fang. As they walked around, Twilight kept offering to help any way she could. Everypony politely refused and kept telling her that the two of them just needed to go relax.

With nopony allowing them to help out, there was little else they could do. They walked over to a large tree and lay down side-by-side in the shade. Silver Shadow and Midnight Fang positioned themselves behind them.

Even after the bake sale got started, no pony allowed them to even get up, let alone help out. Every time one of them started to get up, somepony would run over with a snack or a drink.

After four hours, Mayor Mare called it a halt. “Our wares have been selling very well. However, we must stop for the day so that we can prepare for the party tonight. In order to make sure we make it in time, I must ask that everypony pitch in to help out.” She paused as Artemis and Twilight started to stand “Everypony, that is, except Prince Artemis and Princess Twilight. They are supposed to be on vacation. Therefore, neither of them will be allowed to help.”

Twilight and Artemis sighed and settled back down on the grass, watching the cleanup. At one point, one particular group caught Twilight’s attention. That was, of course, the Cutie Mark Crusaders. They were being a little too enthusiastic in their attempts to help disassemble a few of the booths.

Everypony gasped as it looked like everything was going to collapse into a large pile, burying the three young fillies. They stared in shock as the three fillies and the booths were suddenly surrounded in a combination of dark blue and magenta magic. Everypony looked over to see that both Twilight and Artemis had their heads raised, eyes closed as they focused, and horns glowing. It was their magic that had saved the CMC.

The alicorn pair gently sat the fillies down on the ground then used their magic to disassemble the booths and pack them away safely. After that, they looked at each other and laid their heads back down, snuggling together.

Mayor Mare shook her head “We should have just let them help.”

Artemis and Twilight stayed where they were as everypony else left to get ready for the party.

After a while, Pinkie, Rarity, Rainbow, Fluttershy, Applejack and Spike walked up to get them. The group walked to Sugarcube Corner and joined the fun.

A couple of hours into the party, the girls and Spike walked up to Artemis and Twilight as they were heading outside for a bit of fresh air and quiet. Silver Shadow and Midnight Fang had managed to stay near the royal couple, just in case. They walked over as well.

The group walked outside and let out a collective sigh.

“It’s much quieter out here.” said Twilight

Artemis nodded “I can actually hear myself think.”

Suddenly, there was a loud boom. It sounded almost like an explosion. Twilight looked at the girls. “Let’s go see that that was.” She paused, not wanting to involve Artemis in any danger because he was here for a vacation. “Artemis, I’ll be right back.”

The girls ran towards the noise, only to find that they were headed towards the CMC clubhouse on Sweet Apple Acres. There, they found Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo with a chemistry set. At least, they had what used to be a chemistry set.

Twilight stepped forward. “Girls, what happened? Why are you three out here and not at the party?”

“We were, Twilight” replied Apple Bloom “A pony heard us talking about the experiment for science class. He gave us a paper with a recipe for a formula that he said would impress our teacher!”

“Yeah!” shouted Sweetie Belle “We just had to come try it but,” she pouted “we did it wrong.”

Twilight walked up “Let me see this recipe.”

Scootaloo nodded “Sure, here it is.” She hoofed over the paper that they had received from the stranger.

Twilight quickly read it and sighed “Girls, I have good news and bad news. The good news is that you did follow this recipe correctly. The bad news is that the only thing this is ever going to cause is an explosion. That pony lied to you. This is why you don’t take things from strangers, OK?”

“Yes, Twilight” the three answered together

Twilight nodded and was about to continue. Instead, she suddenly froze. “Oh, no! Artemis!”

“Twi, what’s wrong?” asked Applejack

“His magic is disappearing! He’s in danger! Damn! This must have been a distraction to get me away from him!”

She lit her horn and cast a group teleport. All of them disappeared in a flash of magenta magic.

Meanwhile, Artemis was relaxing on a bench, just down the street from the party at Sugarcube Corner, enjoying the peace and quiet. Silver Shadow and Midnight Fang stood nearby, protecting him from a short distance away. He paused as he heard the crying of a foal. Confused and worried, he got up and followed the sound. It led him just down the street to a bush. Using his magic to push the leaves aside, he saw a small Unicorn colt all tied up in a rope. It looked like he had been trying to do some kind of knot and accidentally gotten himself tied up in his own rope. Odd, I thought I knew all of the foals in Ponyville. But I don’t recognize this one. Still, I can’t leave him like this.

“Shh, it’s alright, young one.”

The foal looked up and his eyes went wide “P-prince Artemis?”

“Yes, it’s me. Let me help you, alright?”

The foal sniffed and nodded

“Good. Stay still.” Artemis reached out with his magic to grasp the rope. As he did, the rope immediately unwound itself from the foal and shot towards him. It wrapped around Artemis’ body and clung to him as he fell to the ground.

“What?!”

At Artemis’ shout, Silver Shadow and Midnight Fang came running, only to find themselves caught in a levitation spell.

Also hearing the shout, the rest of the party goers ran outside as well, only to skid to a stop in shock.

Everypony looked down as the foal started laughing. He glowed and suddenly, there stood a stallion. “And so falls the Great Prince Artemis.”

“Who are you?” demanded Artemis “What do you expect to do with me?”

“Who I am is of little consequence, prince. As for your other question, it’s rather simple, really. Someone wants you dead and has asked me to take care of the task.”

The citizens of Ponyville gasped in horror

Pipsqueak stepped forward “Let him go!”

The stallion laughed “Oh, I will. Just as soon as he stops breathing. Funny thing about alicorns. Injuries won’t kill them because they heal too fast, so they are practically immortal. But if they lose all of their magic, they die like any unicorn. That’s where the rope comes in. Because he touched it with his magic, the only way to remove it is for an even stronger magic to be brought into the picture. There aren’t many that are stronger than our “prince”. That means he’s stuck with it until it kills him by stealing all of his magic, draining it from his body.”

He paused

“Just to make sure none of you get any cute ideas about saving him, let me do this.” His horn flashed and a scroll appeared. Another flash of magic and a clone of Night-Terror Knight was suddenly standing in front of him. “The only thing that can stop this clone is the same thing that stopped the original. But the Elements of Harmony are gone!” he laughed again “So say goodbye to your prince.”

He turned to Artemis “Thank you “Prince” for removing the rope from me. Though, in the end, your kindness was your downfall.”

Artemis shuddered as he felt his magic being pulled out of his body. As much as he wanted to, he knew that struggling would get him nowhere. That being the case, he forced himself to stay calm.

Meanwhile, inside of Artemis, Night spoke up “I’m sorry, Artemis. I can’t break us out of this. I must reserve my magic because, once yours runs out, the rope will begin to drain mine. However, that will buy us some time to think of a way out of this mess.”

Artemis smiled “It’s alright, Night.”

“How can you say that?! He’s draining your magic!”

Artemis’ smile only widened “I know that. You know what will happen when he takes enough of it, right? It’s quite likely that the explosion was meant to draw her away. However, I bet she has figured that out by now.”

Night was confused “What?”

“You do know who is on her way, right?”

Night’s eyes widened and he also smiled “Twilight Sparkle” He began to laugh. “This should be good.”

Back in Ponyville, the stallion was confused. He had used this technique to get rid of several ponies that Prince Blueblood believed were in his way. Most ponies whose magic he has removed with this method were screaming for mercy by this point.

He walked up to Artemis “So, prince, why aren’t you panicking? You know I’m killing you, right?”

Artemis smiled “I am simply waiting. Your actions are about to call somepony very special to me. And I will get to watch her tear you, and that clone, apart.”

The stallion sneered “Don’t be stupid. Who could possibly be that powerful?”

“ME”

Artemis’ smile grew as he turned to look at her, settling in to watch his mare, making sure Night was watching too.

Everypony else turned at the voice and a flash of light to see a very pissed off Twilight Sparkle standing there, wings flared. Rarity, Rainbow, Applejack, Pinkie, and Fluttershy, equally angry, stood behind her.

Twilight had Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo held safely in her magic grip. She levitated the CMC over to join the rest of the ponies of Ponyville and cast her force field around them, keeping them safe.

Next, Twilight used her magic to break the levitation spell that Silver Shadow and Midnight Fang were trapped in, caught them in her own, levitated them both into her force field and deposited them there.

The stallion snorted “You think six mares can stop my clone creation?”

He cut himself short as each of them started to glow. His eyed widened and he backed up. “W-who are you? You’re not normal mares!”

The girls each called upon the power of their specific Element, and lit up from within as the Elements of Harmony responded to the call of their bearers.

“We are the bearers of the Elements of Harmony” answered Twilight

The stallion blanched “B-but the Elements were lost in order to save Princess Celestia and Prince Artemis years ago!”

“The physical versions were, yes. However, we were tested, and deemed worthy, by the spirits of the Elements of Harmony themselves. We no longer need to wear the physical versions because the spirits of the Elements come to us when we call for them. Now watch, for yourself, as your only defense is torn to shreds.”

With that, the eyes of the six mares suddenly shone white as a rainbow burst from the girls, straight at the clone of Night-Terror Knight, destroying it in an instant.

The citizens of Ponyville cheered as the clone vanished.

“S-shut up!” shouted the stallion, who had yet to realize that he was now being firmly held in a field of magenta magic. “That was just a distraction! Unless the rope can be removed, your prince will still die!”

“Is that so? In that case, I gather that it is draining his magic and you expect him to die a slow, painful death.”

“That is exactly what will happen, you insolent mare!”

Twilight walked up to Artemis and looked at the rope. Using her Element, she overpowered the magic embedded in it and watched as it fell to the ground.

“H-how did you do that?!” the stallion stuttered “P-prince Blueblood is going to kill me!”

“Only if my sister doesn’t do it first” muttered Artemis and Night agreed

The stallion looked at Twilight, who was helping Artemis to his feet, and watched as she touched her horn to his, sharing some of her magic to replace what the rope stole. “WHO ARE YOU?!” he screamed

Twilight actually laughed as she turned back to him. “You seriously have no idea who I am?”

He paused, taking a closer look at her, and gulped “P-princess Twilight Sparkle?!”

“Very Good”

The ponies of Ponyville laughed as the stallion tried to run and found that he was going nowhere. They watched as he looked around and finally realized that he was being firmly held in her magic.

She took a deep, calming breath and turned to the ponies gathered, releasing her force field. “Please, go back to the party and keep it going. We are going to Canterlot briefly to inform Celestia of this incident and deposit this pony in the Royal Dungeons. We should be back in about an hour. After all of this, we will need to relax and have some fun.”

She paused “Spike, did you already send Celestia a letter?”

He puffed out his chest “Of course, Twi. Princess Celestia is waiting for the two of you in the throne room. She will not keep you there, but wants to see for herself that Prince Artemis is alright as well as hear the full explanation from the two of you.”

Twilight smiled “That’s my Number One Assistant. By the way, where is that rope?”

Rainbow shouted “Over here, Twi!”

“Thanks, Rainbow. I need to bring that with us.”

“Twilight, why are you still using the Element of Magic?” asked Fluttershy, worried

“I’m OK, Fluttershy. I just don’t want to touch that thing with my magic. So I will use my Element to transport us and the rope.” explained Twilight “We’ll be back soon”

With that, and a flash of light, Twilight, Artemis, the stallion and the rope vanished.

Next Chapter: Chapter 21 Estimated time remaining: 34 Hours, 25 Minutes