Sapphire and Skystorm were walking through New Ponyville just admiring the view. Since the encounter with Blaze Glimmer, Lightning and the team have been training harder than ever to boost up their strengths. Sapphire has been doing the same. By learning a variety of spells from teleportation, to transfiguration, to shields, she’s been learning to them all. The ponies knew this was good, having variety of spells at her disposal, but they also told her to keep up with her training. Rhymey, Spike and the girls helped her with her sword work and they discovers something new about her sword.

The sword has the power of six elements; Lightning, Grass, Fire, Wind, Water and Earth. Each element came with a variety of moves. Some moves summon creatures while others blast the opponents. Their majesties were impressed with this new weapon and they wanted Sapphire to discover as much as she could about it.

She decided to call it the ‘Nature Blade’. Sapphire’s elemental force for her suit however was ‘Power of Fauna’ due to her ability to shape-shift into animals and her weapon. With this power she’ll be able to transform into an animal with an element like a Triceratops with lightning powers. You can bet Sapphire couldn’t wait to use her new suit and weapon in battle again.

But for now, she was just enjoying the view. That’s when she noticed a lot of ponies gathered in the middle of town. “Wonder what’s going on?” Warming over, she saw a stage with a unicorn on it. She was bright red with a yellow mane and tail. Also, wearing a magicians hat and cape.

She was performing tricks with her magic. Sapphire and Skystorm walked into the crowd and found the girls along with Lightning and friends including Mykan. While Spike and Krysta were interested in her act, the ponies were giving her annoyed looks. Sapphire leaned over to Spike. “What’s the deal with them?”

“It’s that unicorn. Her name is Star Sizzle, she claims to be the most powerful and strongest Equestrian Unicorn ever.” Spike expxlained. Krysta finished “Lightning and the gang don’t like her bragging.”

“Hmm.” Sapphire replied.

Star went on about how she defeated a hydra and manticore back on Equestria of the Old. Of course most ponies automatically believed her except for Lightning and his friends. Then she went on about how there was no creature how could possibly beat her in magic. Spike yelled at her “OH YEAH? WELL SAPPHIRE CAN BEAT-“ Sapphire quickly covers his mouth hoping Star didn’t hear that.

Unfortunately, she did.

“So the little human thinks she can beat me in a magic duel, do you?” Star challenged as she leaped off stage and approached her. “I-I didn’t say-“

“Well... if you think you’re so powerful then we’ll have a showdown.” Sapphire tried to decline, but her friends cut her off.

“Bring it on, you little bragger!” Rainbow exclaimed. “Sapphire will beat you anytime, anywhere.”

“Sapphire will take your battle call,
And we’ll watch her make you fall!” Rheymey added.

“Darn tootin’” Applejack added. “She’ll beat with one hand tied behind her back. She beat King Sombra on the first try.” The girls nodded in agreement. The crowd gasped in awe.

Star scoffed. “Fine then... I challenge you, Sapphire, to a magic duel at high noon. Winner is dubbed the most powerful creature.”

“And the loser?” Rarity asked.

“Banished from New a Ponyville FOREVER!” Everybody gasped in horror. Star walked off leaving Sapphire frozen in fear. Lightning waves his hand in front of her face. “Sapphire, you okay?”

“... what did I get myself into to?”

---

Meanwhile, Sombra watched everything on the monitors. “Hahaha. A magic duel huh, we’ll I think I’ll add one more contestant. MINIONS!” At his cry, his minions cane into the throne room. They were all demoncorns.

Breaker: A brown bruly-looking unicorn stallion with a black mane and tail who wore and black cloak. He was stronger than his two comrades. His magic specialty was ground and earth.

Flame: A red unicorn mare with a orange mane and tail. Her magic specialty was strictly fire and heat.

And Frost: A light blue unicorn stallion with a dark blue mane and tail. His magic specialty was water and ice.

“You called, master?” Frost asked.

“Yes, I want you three to enter a magic duel.” The minions were confused. “Umm.. your majesty what good will a magic duel do for us?”

“Idiots! This will give you a chance to destroy my enemies and learn about a certain human girl.” The minions liked the sound of destroying the ponies. “Be warmed the human girl is more powerful than she looks so be cautious.”

The minions nodded. “We’ll destroy those pests easy!” Breaker exclaimed. “You better you else things will end up very badly... for you.” Sombra warned and he shocked the minions with lightning to empathize his point. “Yes, your majesty.” The minions responded. Sombra laughed with glee.

---

Back in New Ponyville, Sapphire was at Lightning and Starla’s place along with their friends. “I can’t enter the magic duel!” She cried.

“Why not? You’ll be fine.” Rainbow replied. Sapphire shook her head. “But I don’t want to battle her. I’ll be a show off like her.”

The ponies were confused. “Sapphire, why would think showing off your magic would be showing off?” Lightning asked.

“Well, you guys didn’t like Star because she was showing off her magic and bragging so-“

“Sapphire, her magic isn’t the reason we disliked her. It was her bragging. She’s just a loud mouth.” Rainbow added.

“Most unpleasant.” Rarity said.

“All hat and no cattle.” Applejack added. Sapphire looked at then. “So you don’t mind my magic?”

“You’re magic is a part of who you are, Sapphire. And we like who you are. We’re proud to have a powerful human like you as our friend.” Mykan explained. “You even beat King Sombra the first time you battled. Not a lot of ponies or human could do that.”

Sapphire smiled at their praise and found her confidence building a little. “Well... I guess I have a magic duel to win.”

Rainbow cheered. “Now that’s what we like to here!”

---

Soon noon came and Sapphire and Star were in the middle of town. A crowd of ponies surrounded them, including Lightning and his friends. “Alright, shall we begin?” Star asked. Sapphire nodded.

Star began by using her magic a create a ball of light which exploded and caused sparkles to appear spelling her name in the sky.

Sapphire concentrated and blasted four clues the sky which glowed yellow and grew and turned into four, howling wolves. The crowd was in awe.

“Alright Sapphire!” Mykan called.

“Keep it up!” Pinkie added.

Star was not amused.

Next, she then made herself invisible and reappear in front of Sapphire. Sapphire used her magic and blasted six flower pots turning them into six, flower printed cats

The cats all leaped into the air and blasted a pulse of energy out of their mouths. They combined and exploded into many flower shaped sparkles in the sky.

"Cool!" Lightning exclaimed.

Star was getting angry, any trick she tried was outclassed by Sapphire’s skills. Sapphire hanged into a pheonix and flew up into the air. Sparks generated from her back and she circled the air, making a cool light show. “Incredible!” Lightning cried.

Finally, Sapphire dove near the ground and sky really fast,m. The sparks left a typhoon-like burn mark on the ground. The crowd loved it.

Sapphire glowed and changed back into her human self. Star, on the other hand, had enough!

“That’s it! You think you can beat me?! Well, I’ll show you magic!” Star fired a beam of fire magic from her horn.

“Sapphire!” Mykan cried.

“Look out!” Lightning and Starla cried in unison.Before it could hit her, Sapphire surrounded herself in a barrier deflecting the beam into the sky. Star growled.

She sent multiple blasts at Sapphire but her barrier deflected every single one. “Hey this is a magic duel, not a magic fight!” a pony cried from the crowd. The others ponies shared his feeling and began booing Star. “Who asked you?” she snarled. “I’ll show you all WHAT REALLY MAGIC IS!”

Star prepared to charge Sapphire again.

Suddenly...

Three blasts came between the two causing a large explosion sending Star flying back. The crowd screamed in fear. “What was that?” Lightning asked.

That’s when three demoncorns appeared. “Surprise.” Frost said.

“Who are you?” Rainbow snarled.

“Name’s Frost, and these are my comrades, Breaker and Flame. We’re King Sombra’s loyal minions.”

The ponies could already tell they were bad news. “Why are you here? What do you want?” Lightning asked.

“We’re here to test the skills of a certain human girl.” The three turned towards Sapphire, who was still protected by her barrier. Sapphire didn’t like the look of those three.

The ponies dashed and came between the minions and their friend. “You three are not laying a hand on her!” Buddy yelled.

The minions readied their magic. “Try us.” Frost challenged. The minions touched horns and combined their magic. They send a large blast at the team sending them in different directions. “Guys!”

Sapphire lowered the shield, “Nobody messes with my friends!” and fired at then minions who blocked it. “Hahaha, you really think you can beat us like that?” Breaker taunted. Sapphire frowned, “You haven’t seen anything yet.” and in a flash, changed into a lioness.

The minions smirked, thinking she would be an easy opponent. Sapphire roared at them. Sapphire charged the minions but they flew up and out of her range. “You can’t catch us!” Breaker taunted. Sapphire blasted lightning bolts from her mouth but the minions dodged them all too.

Sapphire noticed the shields around the buildings and got an idea.

She jumped onto one of the shields and leaped high. Her claws were covered in lightning energy. Frost didn’t notice her in time to avoid getting slashed by her razor sharp claws. Sapphire landed on another shield and did them same thing to Flame. Sapphire roared at them. “You are so pathetic!” Flame insulted.

Sapphire growled and in another flash changed into a Phoenix. Crying majestically, and flaring up with flames, she flew in the sky and slashed the minions with her wings. They screamed in pain and crashed to the ground. “Awesome!” a pony cried.

The team got to their feet and watched as Sapphire swooped and ram the minions, repeatedly. She landed and changed back into her normal self.

The minions stood up and growled at Sapphire. “She’s more powerful than I thought.” Flame whispered. His comrades agreed.

Powering up her horn, she blasted the minions but before the blast hit them, they teleported away. “Hey! Where’d they go?” Rainbow asked.

“Who cares as long as they’re gone.” Applejack noted. Sapphire, breathing heavily, was relieved they were gone too.

Then, she heard some clapping from behind her. “Huh?” Turning around, she saw ponies coming out of their houses flapping their hands... for her. Even her friends were doing it. “That was amazing, Sapphire!” Spike exclaimed.

“Heavens to bestie, we knew you had ability but not that much.” Applejack added. Sapphire lightly blushed at the comments. Star came up to her. “You may have bested me this time, Sapphire but I will have my revenge!”

The crowd rolled their eyes at her. Sapphire lit her horn and she teleported Star and her stage away. “Good riddance.” she said simply.

The crowd laughed. “It appears Sapphire has a new ability now, excellent.” a voice said. Everybody turned and saw their majesties fluttering down to the ground. Everybody bowed to them and Grand Ruler approached Sapphire. “What are you two doing here?” Rainbow asked.

“We saw the whole battle thing from the palace. You were very brave taking on Sombra’s minions alone.” Celestia added

Grand Ruler nodded. “Very well done, Sapphire. Using the environment to your advantage in battle.”

Sapphire smiled, “Thank you.”

Spike came up to her with a smirk on his face. “Soooo. Ready to admit that you’re the most powerful creature in United Equestria?”

“Well... just at a standard. I can’t compete with their majesties.” Sapphire replied. Everybody shared a chuckle.

---

Meanwhile, Sombra was looking at the footage via Frost’s magic. “Hmmm... I see this girl has more powers than I originally thought.” He looked at his minions. “Well done, my minions. This human will be vital part in my plan to conquer United Equestria and destroy the ponies.” The minions smiled evilly.

“With that girl under my control, destroying United Equestria will be a breeze.” Sombra laughed maliciously and the minions laughed along.

Next Chapter: Episode 5: New Friends and Respect Estimated time remaining: 3 Hours, 40 Minutes