Chapter One

Vroo-vrooooooooooo!

“Ponyville, next stop!” the conductor bellowed as he passed by the coach, all five mares and Well-Hidden looking up and several of them getting ready to disembark, gathering their luggage. Moving behind the crowd of passengers, they exited the train, with Rarity stopping by the coach where the changeling Queens were gathered, still en route to Canterlot.

“I look forward to seeing you again soon,” she told Queen Scolopidia, who gave a snort but at the same time had a faint smile on her face.

“See you later,” she said. “I do want to see this spa you spoke of but I have my own duties to attend to.”

“I absolutely understand, darling,” Rarity told her. “I will make absolutely sure we can make a visit before Fashion Week in Manehatten.”

“See you then,” Scolopidia said, waving one more time before Rarity left the train.

Outside, she and her friends found a hoofful of ponies awaiting them, including three grinning fillies. “You’re back! You’re back!” they cheered.

“Sure are,” Applejack told her siblings and Granny, before she looked very serious. “And we’ve got a lot to talk about.”

Mac nodded. “Eeyup.”

Once she’d gotten her things unpacked, Applejack headed into the kitchen, where the rest of her family was waiting. “Did you know we had a family member livin’ in the Packlands?” she asked.

Granny Smith looked a little startled. “Ah sure did,” she said. “Some nonsense about her not wantin’ to be an Apple no more and goin’ all wolf-like.” She slapped a hoof against her knee. “But ifn’ bein’ all wolf-like means actin’ all polite like Swifty did, Ah don’t see what they’d be complainin’ about! Ha-ha!”

Applejack gave a strained grin. “She had the Apple Itch, ya know?” she said. “Went out there, and after some troubles, she agreed to do things their way. An’ that included… well, slaughtering the hogs.”

Granny Smith suddenly looked serious. “Did she now,” she said in a dangerous tone.

“An’... an’ that’s how she got her Mark,” Applejack admitted. “But the other ponies in town, they didn’t see it that way. They told her folks, an’ she got thrown out of the family.” She shook her head. “Ah was the first Apple to talk to her an’ not judge her for what she’d done. Ah understood she was just followin’ the local laws.”

Granny Smith nodded slowly. “Applejack… you wus right.” Her eyes blazed. “Ah ain’t never heard such disgraceful behavior from an Apple, no-siree! Throwin’ one of their own kin out for obeyin’ local laws…”

Mac shook his head. “Eenope! That ain’t right!”

“Ah hope you told her she was always welcome with us!” Granny said.

Applejack looked startled. “Well… Ah did tell her Ah’d like to come back an’ see her, an’ I’d be glad to bring all of you with me,” she said. “An’... an’ she actually offered to let me move out there ifn’ Ah wanted to.”

“Well, if that’s yer choice, Ah ain’t gonna stop ya,” Granny said. “Ah’d sure miss ya though.”

Applejack nodded. “Ah’m stayin’ here for now,” she said. “But if yer up for visitin’ Slice n' Dice an’ her packmates at their home, just say when.”

“Ah’d love to,” Granny said. “An’ maybe Ah should have a talk with those parents of hers.”

Applejack smiled. “Twilight already wrote to Princess Celestia about that,” she said. “Ah think the Princess is gettin’ things handled on that end.”

“Well good fer her!” Granny Smith said. Then she looked around. “Say, where is Twilight? Ah didn’t see her gettin’ off the train…”

“She wasn’t with us when we got back,” Applejack admitted. “She’s off travelin’ the world with Spike. Made herself a Diplomat-at-Large for Equestria now.”

Apple Bloom looked up at her. “She’s not comin’ home?” she asked in a small voice.

“She’ll be back,” Applejack reassured her, pulling her little sister into a hug. “Not for a while, but she’ll be back.”

Apple Bloom smiled. “Ah’m gonna miss her while she’s away...”

“We’ve got ways to write to her directly,” Applejack told her. “We’ll be hearing from her a lot sooner than we’ll be seein’ her.”

Apple Bloom looked happy at this.

Looking down at her sister, Applejack smiled. Then she made a mental note to remember to talk to Granny about the other matter, with the Pears. In private.

Trotting home with Sweetie Belle at her heels, Rarity gave her little sister a fond look. “And how was your week?” she asked.

“It was fun!” Sweetie Belle grinned. “But I missed you.”

“I missed you too, Sweetie,” Rarity told her. “Have you heard from Mother and Father?”

Sweetie Belle shook her head. “They’re still off in Seaddle, doing the tourist thing,” she said. “Mom’s last letter said she’s trying all the coffees she can, and Dad’s checking out the local fishing.”

Rarity nodded. “Well, I do wish they would be around a little more for your sake,” she said. “But Sweetie Belle… even when we have our differences, you will always have me, you know that?” She leaned down and nuzzled her. “I love you, little sister.”

“I love you too, Rarity,” Sweetie Belle said, nuzzling her back.

Fluttershy and Well-Hidden were chatting happily as they approached her cottage. “Harry did a good job keeping things in order while I was away,” she said as she looked around.

“He certainly did,” another voice replied, making Well-Hidden’s ears flick. “Even though Order is so boring.” A familiar face slithered out through the keyhole of her door. “Welcome home, dear Fluttershy.”

“Discord!” Fluttershy beamed. “It’s so good to see you.”

“And you as well, my dear.” Discord turned and nodded to Well-Hidden. “Sir wolf.”

“Lord Discord.” Well-Hidden gave him a nod. “Fluttershy has told me much about you.”

“And she has told me of you as well.” Discord gave him a wave. “In far more flattering terms than she used to describe that minotaur. Then again, this is Fluttershy we’re talking about - the worst thing she said was that his services were ‘unsatisfying’.” His face softened. “But I wouldn’t have her any other way. She stays true to herself, and that is one of the things I so like about her.”

Fluttershy blushed.

“Well now, come on in!” Discord waved. “Tea’s all ready… though I think some of it’s still looking for a U to follow it.”

Fluttershy giggled as she and Well-Hidden followed him into the cottage.

“Ah…” Rainbow Dash sighed as she soared lazily around Ponyville. “Man, I’ve missed stretching my wings like this.”

“Rainbow Dash!”

Rainbow Dash looked down to see a familiar filly on a scooter. “Hey, squirt!” She drifted down to land. “Told ya I’d see ya again soon.”

Taking off her helmet, Scootaloo grinned. “Yep, you did!”

“Your aunts back in town yet?”

“No.” Scootaloo looked down. Then she perked up again. “But, they are going to be back tomorrow!”

“That’s great,” Rainbow Dash told her. She sobered. “You know, I wish they would stay here with you, full-time, instead of going back and forth.”

“So do I,” Scootaloo told her. “I miss them when they’re not here… I miss you when you’re not here.”

“I missed you too, squirt,” Rainbow Dash told her as she reached out a hoof to ruffle the little filly’s mane.

“So, what was it like in the Packlands?” Scootaloo asked eagerly.

“Well, let me tell ya, squirt. I might not have gotten to fly anywhere near as much as I wanted, but they’ve got some primo napping trees!”

Scootaloo giggled.

Standing at the castle’s chariot hanger, her sister, niece and nephew-in-law by her side (Blueblood had stiffly declined to attend, but had asked them to pass on his regards), Princess Celestia watched as the chariots carrying the changeling and wolf representatives came in for a landing.

The first of the changeling queens to emerge was taller, nearly Celestia’s own height herself, with a brilliant green mane. Unlike Chrysalis’s, it was neatly combed and looked far healthier. Her wings and tail were the same shade, and her crown was a similarly radiant green. Next to her came the younger changeling with sparkly wings, whom she guessed must be Prince Thorax, and another changeling with a red dorsal fin and tail, purple wings and a stern look on his face. The red dorsal fin changeling was looking very protective of Thorax, the same look a sibling had for another.

Four more changeling queens followed, each looking as healthy as the first; one had a more bluish mane, one an almost ginger color, and the third one a darker red with… was that a touch of makeup on her face? The last one was a purple shade, somewhere between Twilight’s fur and Rarity’s mane.

“Welcome to Canterlot, your highnesses,” Celestia spoke as they approached. “You are well met here.”

“Thank you for your welcome,” the lead Queen said. “I am Queen Tegmina. These are Prince Thorax, his brother Pharynx, and my fellow Queens - Metamorphia, Remigium, Scolopidia and Taenidia.” The quartet each nodded in turn, in the same order Celestia had observed their colors.

Celestia nodded back. “With me are my sister, Princess Luna, our niece Princess Cadance, and her husband Prince Shining Armor,” she said.

“It is a pleasure to meet all of you,” Queen Tegmina replied. “Allow us to present our companions.” She then moved to the side, allowing a group of wolves to step forward and introduce themselves as well while a large group of changelings kept to the distance, roughly twenty per each changeling Queen.

Once introductions had been completed, Celestia led the groups into the castle and towards one of the dining rooms. The same one she had held Swift-Pad’s own welcoming in, in fact, which she felt was appropriate. One by one, the visiting changelings and wolves found their seats, before she settled into her own place. She noted Shining Armor and Cadance had chosen to sit directly across from Prince Thorax and Pharynx.

“I understand you were the one to alert us to your former Queen’s attempt to attack our capital,” Shining Armor said directly to Thorax, who looked a little nervous.

“Yeah… yeah, that was me,” he said. “I just didn’t think it was right, what she was doing. I didn’t stand a chance going against her directly, but… I thought, if I could send a message, it might help.”

“It did,” Shining Armor told him. “Your actions saved a lot of lives that day.”

Thorax looked relieved with Pharynx snorting.

“You’re forgetting the real surprising part which was somehow convincing me and others to turn on her.” He said with Thorax squirming slightly. “My brother here was never the bravest or boldest changeling when we were young.”

Cadance gave Thorax a friendly smile. “You were willing to stand up for what you thought was right, even though you were probably terrified about what would happen if anyling found out,” she said. “I’d say that was plenty brave.”

“And I’ll second that,” Shining Armor added.

Thorax blushed. “Th… thank you,” he said.

Pharynx still looked a little cranky, but he nodded slowly.

Conversation turned to other things as food was brought in, the changelings happily feeding on the dishes that were offered. “Love and other positive energies are a necessity for our magic,” Queen Tegmina noted as she ate. “They’re also necessary for our ability to digest solid food. The former Queen usually looked down on letting her drones do that though. Just another way for her to control them.”

“Is it any wonder she was liked the least of any of us?” Queen Scolopidia muttered. “I’d almost swear the only members of her hive still following her are only doing it because they’re too scared or conditioned to think otherwise.”

“Mind yourself, Scolopidia,” Remigium chided sharply. “Despite her crimes, she is the oldest among us Queens and ruled one of the largest hives. Respect must be given even if it is for a nymph such as her.”

“Doesn’t change the fact that her personality left a lot to be desired,” Scolopidia retorted, but she went back to focusing on her food with a frown.

“You should always respect your enemies lest they take advantage of your distaste,” Princess Luna replied. “I have found that studying them and learning a respect for their methods makes it easier to figure out how they think and how best to counter their methods.” She grimaced. “Of course, had I not been asleep during that whole matter and thus unable to stand by my sister’s side, I suspect Chrysalis might have had a harder time getting as far as she did.”

Pharynx and Scolopidia both snorted, with the Queen doing an actual job in trying to hide it. The drone, on the other hoof, made no such attempt. “We all had our different bets to where you were that day and I just won the pool!” He grinned at the alicorn who was fixing her attention on him.

“So glad I could help you,” Luna said dryly. “My duties in directing the Night Guard and thus protecting our citizens during the dark hours require me to have a different circadian rhythm than most of our little ponies.” She gave her sister a look. “You said you had things handled with all the precautions you’d taken, and that it would be safe enough for me to keep to my normal hours and then pay my respects to our dear niece at the reception.”

“I know, Luna. I was wrong.” Celestia sighed.

“Hey, don’t blame yourself,” Pharynx said with a snort. “Chry-she was one of the best infiltrators ever and she had mentioned she had a very hard time penetrating your guard. I was to be one of the changelings who would have to try and deal with you if you showed up.” He shrugged. “You’re a well-trained soldier, and I don’t like risking lives in a battle that I don’t think we can win. Listening to my little bro meant not having to do that, so is it any wonder I gave him a chance?”

Luna gave him an odd smile with her wings twitching. “I see what you mean, though I am curious to what your methods would have been. Perhaps later on we could reconvene in the training yard?”

“That’s fine with me, your highness,” he said with his usual smirk, missing the grins on all of the changeling Queens’ and Cadance’s faces with Celestia’s eyebrow raising high.

The rest of the meal went calmly, with friendly conversations going on between the guests and Equestrians. There was one moment when Cadance’s squeal of delight led to a few of them having to cover their ears, but given the matter under discussion, none could blame them.

“You and I are absolutely attending their wedding,” she told Shining Armor, who nodded.

“If Ambassador Swift-Pad is a friend of my sister’s, I definitely want to meet him,” he said. “And his lady love.”

Queen Metamorphia gave a happy smile of her own. “I’m sure Maxilla and Swift-Pad would be glad to meet you as well,” she told the couple. “In fact, Maxilla was talking about using the same dress-maker you did for your wedding. Though her being a friend of Twilight’s was also part of that decision.”

“Rarity will probably be glad to hear that, if she hasn’t already,” Cadance said. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a hint of a blush from Scolopidia. “I was very happy with her work.”

An hour after their meal was finished, the group reconvened in a distant wing of the castle with guards of ponies wolves and changeling positioned at each entry point. Thorax was standing firm with Pharynx close by, while Cadance faced him, the changeling Queens, Royal Sisters and Shining Armor standing around the edges of the room.

Cadance stared at him before blinking her eyes. “How is this to work, Prince Thorax?” she asked him.

“Well, I will need the love energy transferred to me,” he said, shifting on his hooves. “I can start the process to create a cocoon for myself; I can feel it beginning to start itself for a while but I wasn’t ready for it.”

“If that is the case then,” the alicorn said, tilting her horn towards him as she focused on the love she felt for her husband. Drawing on that love, she began channeling it, releasing a steady stream of magic for him.

As he drew it in, she could see Thorax beginning to glow, and a layer of magic forming itself around him. Slowly, slowly…

And then his eyes flew wide as he let out a startled cry.

“What’s wrong?” Cadance heard a voice shouting.

“That’s no normal cocoon,” she heard one of the other changelings say. “Something’s different about this metamorphosis!”

Yes… a voice suddenly said inside her mind - Thorax’s. It’s like what Princess Twilight did, but more! Keep it up!

Trying to tune out the outside voices, she reached inside herself and began funneling more magic to Thorax. She could feel a change beginning in him, and as he rose into the air, the cocoon not only enveloping him but directing a wave of magic at Pharynx, who let out a startled sound as he tried to funnel the magic back, only to be enveloped as well, and other changelings of their hive.

Finally, as Cadance released her magic, the last traces she had let out going to the siblings and flowing back and forth between them, before the cocoons wisped away to reveal their new forms.

Thorax now stood far taller than he had, his chitin smoother and largely changed to a yellowish-green while his body had become a darker, but still healthy green, his main wings now purple while their protective coverings were reddish. There was an orangish color where his neck met his body, and a pair of antler-like mandibles stuck out of his head in the same orange, while his original horn was still between them, the same yellowish green as most of his body. The holes that had covered his legs had vanished.

Pharynx, on the other hoof, looked almost the same, though he was a little shorter and his mandibles weren’t as big. He was a dark cyan where Thorax was yellow-green, reddish on his chest, wings and mandible horns, and purple on his wing coverings, with his underside a lighter purple.

The other changelings had also transformed, generally looking like smaller versions of Thorax and Pharynx, minus the mandible-type horns, though some retained the central horns they’d previously sported. They came in several colors, including winged green changelings with fringed horns, winged mint green changelings with no horns, cyan changelings with no tails and two-pointed horns, blue-green changelings with no tails and two-pointed horns, yellow changelings with simple horns and winged Thorax-colored changelings with fringed horns.

“What just happened?” Queen Remigium asked, blinking her eyes.

“It’s what we’ve been missing all along,” Thorax said in awe. “When I was changing… I started giving off the energies Princess Cadance was feeding me. I sent it out to my brother, and the rest of my hive… and when we started sharing the love, this happened!”

“That’s impossible,” Metamorphia said, shaking her head. “We have been Queens for a long time; we would have known if... this,” she gestured towards the colourful changelings. “Was possible.”

“No, we wouldn't,” Scolopidia said, shaking her head. “We’ve been listening to Chrysalis for too long; she always taught us the only way to gain love was by taking it. We never once thought of freely sharing it, even in the cases like your former nymph Maxilla, it was donated from their partners.” She still looked slightly stunned. “I think the first time I’ve seen love being freely shared was when Princess Twilight gave hers to Thorax. And now… now this.”

Looking at the transformed changelings, Queen Tegmina smiled. “Well, King Thorax,” she said. “I think you have made what is quite possibly the most incredible discovery in the history of our people.”

“But… what about our holes?” Queen Taenidia asked. “They symbolize our ties to our parents and our past Queens. Giving them up just seems…”

“We are a long-lived species, and we can make sure the knowledge and stories are passed down,” Scolopidia said with a dismissive wave of her hoof, examining Thorax who was now at eye level with her. “We can also change our appearance if you have forgotten. In any case, I don’t think it will be as easy as just sharing love. Both times that King Thorax changed, it was due to two very powerful ponies giving him their power that greatly shortened the time for his metamorphosis. For all we know, triggering this new change for all of us would take a Queen accepting an alicorn’s willing donation to share among our people.”

“I think that may be because Thorax hadn’t gathered enough love for a full change on his own,” Queen Tegmina said softly. “I’d be willing to test if it’s needed or not.” Turning to one of her own changelings, she closed her eyes and focused, pouring a stream of magic out of her body to them.

And with a gasp, the ribbon-like traces of a cocoon formed around her, before vanishing to reveal a changeling queen much akin in form to Thorax, mandible horns and all, though her colors now largely matched her original brilliant green mane.

The others looked on in awe, before Metamorphia spoke. “I believe we have our answer,” she said.

One by one, the Queens began following Tegmina’s lead, along with the other changelings in the room, until all of them had transformed and were looking around admiring their new forms.

Standing back and shaking his head, Pharynx gave his brother a look. “You know, I kinda like being taller,” he said. “And actually feeling full feels really good. But there’s one thing about this that bugs me a little.”

“What’s that?” Thorax asked.

“Those antlers… they make you look like a moose!”

Without a word, Thorax turned directly to him, and Pharynx found himself wishing he had a camera to immortalize that dumbstruck look on his brother’s face.

Chapter Two

It was later in the day in Canterlot and there was a buzz with the over a hundred changelings given free reign. And not just because some of them were flying around either.

Most of them were eager to explore the famous pony city, with guards acting as chaperones and guides. Most of the Queens had remained in the castle to help write proper laws between the two to help entrench Twilight's own decree while Queen Scolopidia, who was now sporting a largely red and darker cyan body to go with a slightly darker red mane, along with several of her guards took an unexpected visit into Canterlot’s more modern section.

The rest of Scolopidia’s guards, when questioned why they had not stopped her or informed anyone, had simply replied that their Queen was notoriously stubborn when she wanted to do something, and very little could persuade her to change her mind. It was better that some went with her opposed to just arguing and her going off on her own. There were some who claimed this was actually a good thing, seeing as they were fairly certain she had strong-willed her way through the final stage of her metamorphosis, refusing to let her own biology stand in the way of her reaching the level she needed to be at in time to save her hive.

The rest of her hive had also pointed out that she had been pushing herself to learn all of her new duties as a Queen with very few breaks for herself, along with donating more of her own power to help stabilize King Thorax during his first metamorphosis than the other Queens and she was still quite young in comparison to the other Queens.

That had made Celestia stop and ask a delicate question to Pharynx who had no inhibitions to talking freely about such matters.

“She’s about three hundred years old, give or take,” he said shrugging his shoulder as he sat around the tea table-she was not going to call it a coffee table as only Luna, among the entire group of changeling Queens, King, alicorns and high ranking guards, drank that stuff. Celestia was watching the commander of the new changeling King and she fought to keep a smirk off of her face. She, along with the Queens and her niece who were sensitive to emotions, was aware that his eyes kept glancing towards Luna despite the conversations going on. “About a teenager for the royal breed of changelings.”

“She only made the change less than a year ago,” Queen Tegmina admitted, tapping her cup with her hoof. “Her mother… her mother had gone into the mountains near the border of Yakyakistan, and had a run-in with a Gmork that left her badly injured. She wasn’t going to survive, so Scolopidia had to undergo the change as fast as she could to prevent her hive from dying.”

“The poor dear,” Cadance said, raising a hoof to her lips. “Has she had the chance to grieve yet?”

“She says she cried on the inside,” Metamorphia replied tenderly, looking away from the group. “We haven’t been wanting to push her though, with everything else going on.”

“I honestly think she hasn’t had the chance to process it all,” Queen Remigium said a bit bluntly. She seemed to lean on more direct actions instead of maneuvering around to them. “As soon as Scolopidia finished her transformation, we required her help in containing her before she could start some new scheme - I believe it would have involved harnessing the power of the Secretariat Comet, which would have given her magic a tremendous boost if we hadn’t managed to get her locked up and out of its reach in time. And then she was called in to help with King Thorax and his metamorphosis, which took far longer than it should have because she was actively fighting against it and he wasn’t a royal drone.”

“Does that mean any changeling could have become a Queen?” Shining Armor asked, causing all to turn to the sole normal member at the table who was dwarfed by nearly everyone present.

“Theoretically,” Queen Taenidia said. “King Thorax is actually the first to do so without being a royal drone in… well, almost since the first generation of Queens, well over a thousand years ago. Until he came along, there had never been a need for a regular drone to make the attempt, because all of us always had at least a few daughters ready to replace us if needed, as with Scolopidia and her mother. She did not have any, probably because she thought they might try to overthrow her.” She curled her lip. “The Eternal Swarm only knows she would have pulled that off if she hadn’t been the first Queen of our kind; her mother was a normal changeling nymph.”

“From this Eternal Swarm?” Luna asked, leaning inwards with the other changelings, Pharynx included, letting out gasps at her words.

“That is… a sacred term for us,” he said softly, the first time he had shown anything but an aggressive tone. “But yes; back when there were no Queens, there was just the swarm.”

“Comprised of leaderless changelings, preying and feeding on all those they could ensnare in order to survive,” Metamorphia said with a distant look in her eyes. Awe or terror, Celestia wasn’t sure yet with these changeling Queens. “Then she somehow underwent a metamorphosis into the first Queen. Others did so as well, and thus the royal bloodlines began. There were a few dozen at first; some of them had extra daughters who underwent the change and founded their own hives eventually. But as we said before, no normal drone has felt the need to become a Royal since that time.”

“But she is the first Queen,” Celestia said stiffly, making them pay attention to her. “And I am guessing that by your refusal to say her name, there is still some part of you that admires her.” Their silence and guilty looks answered that question. “No doubt there are other Queens who are further away and less affected by her actions that are still in awe of her and would back her if they could.” Celestia ventured, beginning to get a better grasp of the changeling political structure.

“There might be some,” Queen Tegmina admitted. “I must admit… when her powers are Sealed for good, more than a few of our people will mourn the loss of a legend. But we understand that it is necessary. She was a tyrant, and she had no love for anyling but herself. If we had not taken steps, she would surely have doomed us all in the end, driven by pure greed and utter selfishness the likes of which the world has never seen. Not even Tirek, brute that he was with his lust for power, could match her in that regard.”

“How is she sealed now?” Cadance asked sharply causing the changelings to turn to face her.

“With the strongest and most potent restraints possible, short of the Seal itself, and guarded by the Packlands’ most skilled rune wolves along with several squads of the White Changelings,” Queen Tegmina said. “We have taken every precaution possible to ensure she can never escape before the final Seal is applied.”

“White Changelings?” Celestia asked with a raised eyebrow, hiding her face behind her teacup.

“Our elites,” Pharynx answered. “Top trained changelings with high degree mastery in most magic spells. They also wear pure white outfits to hide what hive they belong to and to break up any potential hive from gaining control over the entire order.” He looked grim. “Not one of them would have sided with her during the invasion, or any other Queen who might have tried to pull that kind of stunt. They all know better.”

“Not that she could have in any rate,” Taenidia said, lifting a teacup to her lips. “She never contributed any members to the ranks of the White Changelings, no doubt wishing to keep her elites to herself. She certainly had some who might have qualified over the years, but whenever asked, always claimed they weren’t quite up to the standards.” She eyed Pharynx. “Personally, I think the young Commander here would easily qualify, but I doubt he’d ever join them of his own free will - he’s rather inclined to stay at his brother’s side. Not,” she added, seeing the drone bristle at her words. “That that’s a bad thing. Family loyalty - true loyalty at that, which you both have in spades - is a valued trait among us Royals.”

Both of the brothers squirmed at that, blushing and looking away from each other.

“Would that more nobles felt the same way, instead of scheming against their own kin to get a bit of extra power for themselves,” Luna muttered with her eyes lingering on the older of the two brothers. “I’m hardly one to talk though.”

Celestia laid a hoof on her sister’s. “You had legitimate reasons to have issues with me,” she said. “Reasons I failed to recognize until it was too late and the Nightmare had found a foothold in you. You weren’t seeking power for power’s sake like some others I could name.”

“Regardless, the past is the past and there is nothing I can do to change that,” Luna said, shaking her head. “I have a short time before I need to head back to the border station. We are almost done with our last stack of papers and the border guards have been well weeded of corruption and misdeeds, though most decided to throw themselves at my hooves and beg for mercy opposed to me coming after them.”

“Did you show them any?” Pharynx asked as he leaned across the table.

“Of course not,” Luna said, throwing her head out slightly. “They had reneged on their duties and the oaths they had sworn. Only fitting that they be punished accordingly.”

“Wiser words were never spoken,” he said, tipping his head with his wicked smirk on his face. “That attitude is why no ’ling was able to get through your guards; they were too careful and alert that she deemed it too risky to try and replace them.”

“Unlike the Solar guards,” Luna said with a roll of her eyes and a chuckle on her lips. “No offense Celestia but you must allow me to properly train your so-called elites. The thousand years or so apart have changed them from being terrors of the field to being terrified of field mice.”

Shining Armor looked rather indignant, but opted not to speak. Mostly because Cadance had placed a hoof to his barrel to keep him in place and not interfere whatsoever. Celestia had to bite back a giggle; for all of her talents as the Lady of Love, when she got focused her niece was a bit too obvious at times. Though Celestia would not be opposed if something were to occur; her sister deserved someone who was a match for her, and despite being her sister and her only family left, there were parts of Luna’s life that Celestia could not fill.

“Maybe when you’re less busy I could help out with some weaknesses I spotted, Luna,” Pharynx said as he leaned back into his chair, unaware of the approving nods that the changeling Queens were giving him.

“I would never discount fresh eyes helping me see what I am missing, good commander,” Luna replied with a smile on her face. “When this business with the border guard is complete, I will gladly accept your contributions.”

“Were they really all that bad?” Shining Armor spoke up with Cadance giving him the stink eye. “I can’t believe that every single Guard out there was lacking.”

“Unfortunately, the majority were,” Luna said regretfully. “Not every member had complaints against them, mind, and there were a few for whom the complaints were very minor - in fact, I believe one of those complaints turned out to be utterly fraudulent, brought on by an individual who ran into a situation that had never been brought up before, and he filed a complaint against his supervisor for not giving him the training necessary to handle it. But the overwhelming majority have had to be removed, and replacements will be needed.”

“I will issue a drive for recruitment as soon as you deem it appropriate, Luna,” Celestia said, moving away from weighing up Luna’s potential suitor to equally important matters.

“You might need to do so within the day,” Luna said, shaking her head. “While there is due cause to be respectful to those still within the border guards, we leave ourselves open with the borders understaffed. The wolves of Strong-Defend are well-trained, but it would be improper to make them handle the task alone, to say nothing of our other border stations.”

“Very well then.” Celestia sighed as she knew it would be a hard sell towards the noble council to pass. “Would that the world was in a state where such things were unnecessary,” she said quietly.

“Knowing Twilight, I have a feeling that might be her goal in the end, even if she doesn’t realize it,” Cadance said. She looked down to her stomach for a moment. “I’d love it if I knew the world was safe for everyone,” she murmured quietly.

Queen Tegmina seemed startled. “Are you…” she started.

“No, not yet,” Cadance told her. “Just thinking about the future.”

“If we don’t have to worry about either Chr-her,” Shining said, looking at the changelings. “Or Sombra attacking, then I will be much more confident about bringing a child into the world.”

“Speaking of that, Aunt Celestia,” Cadance said, turning sharply to face Celestia, with some of the steel that she’d taught her niece appearing. “There is that bugbear and the other escaped convict loose. Have you made any progress in capturing them?”

“The Packlands’ Observers are still tracking the bugbear’s path at the moment, though I have alerted our Guards and other agencies of it,” Celestia said. “Including the members of the team that brought it in in the first place, in case it decides to seek them out for revenge. We are still making an effort to track and identify the other one - Discord has been keeping special watch for whomever it may have been, and I’ve been preparing a team to enter Tartarus and survey the cells to determine who or what is missing; they should be leaving tomorrow.”

“You realize the other nations are going to have words with you about releasing him at the next International Gathering, don’t you?” Queen Taenidia inquired.

Celestia gave her a firm look. “I did what I felt was right, and I will gladly defend my decision to the last,” she said. “I have long known that Discord would make a better ally than enemy and had wished to see him aiding us - all of us - for multiple reasons, including precisely this type of situation, something he knows full well. But it was not until his first encounter with Fluttershy that I was able to identify just who might have the best chance of teaching him friendship.”

“I hope you can convince the rest of the world of that, Celestia,” Pharynx said.

Celestia nodded. “He is Champion of Chaos, and thus of change,” she said. “I very much hope that his presence helps to encourage positive changes in this world.”

“It certainly helped strengthen Twilight’s faith in her bonds of friendship when he broke out and tested them so,” Luna noted. “And again, I wish you’d woken me up when he did that. I may not have my bond with the Elements anymore, but I would have stood beside her regardless.” She tilted her head. “I probably would have surprised her by showing up, but I would have done it anyway.”

“I would have done the same, had I not been needed here to try and counter the localized side-effects of his escape,” Celestia told her. “And you were still not back to full strength then.”

The two suddenly noticed all the eyes on them, and cleared their throats. “Ahem.” Celestia turned back to the Queens. “At any rate, what’s done is done, and I have full faith in his bonds with Fluttershy and the others he has connected with.”

“Time will have to tell,” Thorax said, trying to sound impressive but the drone was clearly out of his depth. If the Queens and his brother would permit, she would take him under her wing to get him much needed training.

“Indeed,” Luna said, shaking her mane as she stood up. “I have about half an hour before I need to leave; Pharynx, if you wish to accompany me towards the training yard with your chosen squad, I would like to see your suggestions.”

Pharynx grinned wider, puffing out his chest as he stood up. “Fine by me, princess,” he chuckled, buzzing his wings at several changeling guards of Thorax’s hive to follow him before he walked alongside Luna. Only when all were out of the room did Thorax turn to the group and asked. “Am I the only one to think my brother might have a crush on Princess Luna?”

“No one thinks he might have a crush, young Thorax,” Metamorphia said with a chuckle, the other Queen’s wings buzzing excitedly. “Nor do we think she might have a crush on him.”

“I don’t- oh,” he said as he realized, his face reddening. “You mean they definitely have feelings for one another.”

Cadance reached over and patted his hoof. “If that’s not a budding romance, I’ll eat my throne,” she said with a grin on her face. “With steak sauce.”

“Isn’t your throne made of crystal?” Queen Tegmina asked teasingly.

“Exactly, which is why I wouldn’t have said that if I weren’t so sure,” Cadance told her, her ears wiggling.

“Should I say anyt-”

“No,” the Queens and Cadance chorused.

“They are still in the stage where they have yet to figure it out for themselves,” Celestia said as she stood next to the young drone. “Once they’ve spent more time together, then you can start teasing your brother about it. I know I will,” she said with a giddy giggle. “I’ve been wanting to see my sister find a special someone since before we defeated Sombra.”

“What about you?” Queen Metamorphia suddenly asked, standing up with the other Queens giving her coy looks.

Celestia dipped her head. “I… I can’t,” she admitted. “I tried once. It didn’t work out.”

Cadance’s ears flicked. “Why not?”

“He… lives in another dimension, but the path I used to get there was unstable,” Celestia admitted. “Attempting to keep it open was destabilizing both our worlds, and one of us going to the other’s world for good would have had the same effect. Starswirl was forced to seal the portal permanently, back before he vanished.”

Metamorphia blinked. “Is this the same other world Twilight went to?” she asked.

The others looked at her, startled. “Princess Twilight has been to a different world?” Queen Tegmina asked.

“She mentioned it once, to Maxilla,” Metamorphia said. “I didn’t get any other details though, just that she went there once not long after ascending and developed feelings for someone.”

Celestia sighed. “I know the dimension you speak of,” she said. “So do you, Cadance. And no, they’re not the same.”

Cadance’s eyes widened. “The world on the other side of the Crystal Mirror?” She pumped a hoof. “I knew she met someone there!” Then she looked distressed and turned to Celestia. “But what about you-know-who?”

“That’s still a delicate subject,” Celestia said, eying Shining Armor. “And one that we need to talk to Twilight about when we get the chance.”

Shining Armor looked startled. “Who’s this guy, and who’s this you-know-who?”

Metamorphia raised a hoof of her own. “I don’t know who the latter is, but I can shed some light on the former,” she said. “Princess Twilight told Maxilla that she thought she had feelings for a boy she met in another dimension, but she came back to this world because of her responsibilities here,” she said. “So no need to go overprotective sibling on her.”

Shining Armor shook his head. “I wish somepony’d said something to me about that sooner,” he said. “And I’m still waiting to know about this you-know-who.”

Cadance leaned over and whispered in his ear for a minute, causing his face to redden. “Oh.”

“I am still waiting to hear about this Crystal Mirror,” Queen Remigium said.

“It was a creation of Starswirl the Bearded,” Celestia told her. “It was mainly used for scrying and other purposes, but once every thirty moons, it opens to allow passage to another world for three days.” She sighed. “My former student, Sunset Shimmer, fled through it when she had become hungry for more power and ultimately rebelled against me. The last time it opened, Sunset returned to Equestria and stole Twilight’s Element. Twilight went through it to recover her crown, and bonded with some of the locals in the process of doing so. She also helped teach Sunset the value of friendship, something I had failed at, and has assured me that Sunset is in good hands there.”

“Hands?” Shining Armor blinked. “What, are they minotaurs?”

“Not… exactly,” Celestia said. “They are a race that has never existed in Equestria or this world, and that is all I wish to say on the matter.”

“Is this something the rest of the world should know of?” Taenidia asked.

Celestia shook her head. “Only a few on the other side even know that Twilight and Sunset were from another world; they were all civilians, and have sworn to keep the secret. After Sunset fled there, I searched all of Equus for other portals to this place in the hopes of going there myself to find her and bring her back, but found none; unless something changes, the Crystal Mirror is the only stable way to reach that world. As such, I do not believe there is any way of maintaining regular ties with its people.”

“Well, we will be telling the Alpha about this regardless of the lack of danger,” Remigium said. “He will make the decision to bring it up or not.”

Celestia looked stricken, but nodded, reluctantly. “Can I at least ask that you also ask him to speak to Twilight about it before he decides, since she has been there and seen what it is like?”

“We’ll tell him what you said about her,” Queen Tegmina said gently. “Knowing him, he will likely agree to it.” She smiled. “He was quite impressed with her, you know,” she said.

“Twily has that way about her,” Shining said with a smile.

“That she does,” Celestia smiled with great pride.

“So when are you going to tell Velvet and Night Light that she is gone?” Cadance asked with Celestia jolting in surprise.

“About that…”

Scolopidia was enjoying herself for a change of pace. She knew she should have stayed for the tea party that was undoubtedly happening back in Canterlot Castle, but honestly, if it was anything like what she’d had to experience before, it would have been so boring. She had been forced to attend so many of them back in the Packlands while dealing with Thorax and Chrysalis with the other Queens ‘inviting’ her, which was code for mandatory attendance or she’d be disgracing her mother’s legacy and dishonouring her mother’s memory if she didn’t appear to be the perfect changeling Queen.

She snorted at the thought of the her hive’s elders. As if they knew her mom better than her. Her mom would have never stayed for any of those tea parties if she didn’t want to; her mom hated tea for the Swarm’s sake. And so did she. Give her a good glass of cold, sweet cider any day, just like her mom!

What really cheesed her off was that they didn’t even want her to do what she felt was the proper thing and make sure that Gmork never hurt anyone ever again like it did her mom! Just because she was still young, and didn’t have any heirs herself meant she couldn’t go avenge her mom and had to leave it to her elites to finish the job.

It was just… wrong, leaving the duty to others, even when she was still going through her changes to become the new Queen. The only reason she had gone through it before her mom had… left- the word left a bitter taste in her mouth- was because her mom told her to do so and she was too tired to argue with her.

Scolopidia paused midstep, the thought of the last moment of her mom causing her eyes to water. “No,” she muttered angrily to herself. “Not now, not he-”

“Whoa, you’re sparkly!” a voice from in front of her causing her to snap her head upwards. “Ain’t she Octy?”

“Oh by Celestia’s horn, stop pointing Vinyl!” the mare next to the unicorn that was indeed pointing at her hissed, radiating embarrassment mixed in with deep love. The unicorn mare herself was radiating pure curiosity and awe, with a reserve of love directed towards her companion; obvious lovers. “You’re one of the new changelings, are you not?”

“Yes, I am,” Scolopidia said, nodding her head. “I am-” she began to introduce herself before one of her guards stepped in front of her.

“Your highness,” he hissed. “You-”

Scolopidia glared at him. “Back off, I know them,” she hissed back. “Or at least one of them,” she said, realizing she did recognize one of them with a giddy joy building within her.

The off-white unicorn grinned, tilting her glasses down. “Really? Who is it? ‘Cause I’ve got to say, Octy here’s really well-known, but so am I, and no matter which of us it is, we’re always glad to meet a fan!”

The gray mare groaned. “While my companion may be somewhat excitable, she has a point,” she admitted. “I’m afraid I’ve never seen you at any of our performances, for obvious reasons I’m sure, but we welcome all who aren’t there to cause trouble.”

“And some who are,” the unicorn added with a grin. “‘Cause let me tell ya, some of those guys threw the wildest after-parties!”

Scolopidia’s guard looked appalled, but she ignored him. “As I was starting to say, before mister paranoid here interrupted me-” and the off-white mare giggled. “I am Queen Scolopidia. And you are the famous DJ-PON3, if I’m not mistaken.”

“Sure am!” The unicorn grinned even wider. “But you can call me Vinyl Scratch, your highness. And this here’s my main girl Octavia Melody,” she said, pulling the now blushing and surface-level furious mare to her side.

“Pleased to meet you,” Scolopidia said as she held out a hoof for the two, Octavia being the first to break free of Vinyl’s grip and shake it.

“Pleased to meet you too, your highness,” she said pleasantly. She looked back to Vinyl, who approached and stuck out her own hoof with a grin.

“Nice ta meet ya Scolopy,” Vinyl said with Scolopidia staring at her in complete shock.

“VINYL,” Octavia hissed, smacking the back of her mare’s head. “Your majesty, I am terribly sorry for my partner’s uncouthness. I’m afraid her mouth has no filter.”

“No-, it’s not that,” Scolopidia said, struggling to hold back her tears. “It’s just that that’s what my mom used to call me.” She began to hiccup as the tears were running down her face and she couldn't stop it.

“Oh dear.” Octavia drew closer. “There, there,” she said in a soothing tone as she pulled Scolopidia into an embrace. “Let it all out.”

Meanwhile, Vinyl was staring in shock. “Oh. Oh wow.” She lowered her head. “I didn’t know, your highness, I didn’t mean to upset you…”

“You couldn’t have known,” Scolopidia managed before she buried her face in Octavia’s shoulder again.

When she had no more tears, she looked at Octavia, who was still giving her a soothing look. “Thank you,” she said. “For…”

“It’s quite all right, your highness,” Octavia said. “I could tell you needed that.”

“Please, call me Scolopidia,” she said. “It’s been your highness or Queen Scolopidia for far too long.”

Octavia smiled. “Then Scolopidia it shall be,” she said. “And I am Octavia. You know Vinyl, I believe.”

“Y-yes, actually,” Scolopidia said. “I’ve snuck out and attended a few of your concerts. In disguise, but I was there,” she said, directing this to Vinyl.

“Far out.” Vinyl was still looking a little down, but her previous cheer was clearly returning. “Like I said, always glad to meet a fan.”

Octavia let out a tsk, causing Scolopidia to turn back to face her. “Your makeup is running, Scolopidia,” she said with the nymph raising a hoof to her face. “Come along, we have an apartment in Canterlot. You can freshen up there if you wish.”

“Thank you,” Scolopidia said with her wings buzzing at the prospect of seeing where DJ-PON3 lived. “I really appreciate this.”

“It’s no problem,” Vinyl said as the trio started walking, Scolopidia’s guards trailing them. “But if you think this place is cool, wait until you see our digs down in Ponyville.”

Scolopidia turned to her, startled. “You have a home in Ponyville too?”

“Octavia inherited it from an aunt years ago,” Vinyl said. “We like it out there - sure, it’s kind of nuts at times, but the countryside’s always a great place to go and relax in. ‘Sides, that’s where one of my favorite party ponies lives!”

“Now if only people would stop mistaking she and I for sisters,” Octavia muttered. “I don’t know where they got that idea… I look nothing like any of her siblings!”

Scolopidia stared at her and thought of Pinkie Pie, no doubt that party mare she was talking about. She nodded her head. “I agree,” she said turning into the pink mare before standing next to Octavia. “There are so many bone structure differences; there’s no way you two could be related unless one of you were adopted.”

Vinyl eyed her for a moment, then laughed. “So you’ve met Pinkie too, huh? Awesome, isn’t she?”

“She was one of the Equestrian representatives to my homeland recently, yes,” Scolopidia said, turning back to her normal self, her colourful self. “Though I admit, I spent more time with miss Belle.”

“Ah!” Octavia looked quite happy to hear this. “She is a wonder, I do believe. An excellent seamstress who has a taste for the finer side of society. And has earned more than a little of finer society’s respect, for that matter. Good sir Fancy Pants was quite impressed with her when they met.”

They continued their conversation as they kept going down the street, until finally they’d reached their destination.

“Wait a moment,” Octavia said, looking at Scolopidia. “How were you able to tell that Pinkie and I were not related so easily?”

“I am a changeling Queen,” she said with a shrug. “We’re all taught how to recognize details in anyone we might have to turn into and compare them, just in case. That includes basic body structure. Also, I heard her talking to someling else about her sisters and what they did, and none of them had your name or musical cutie mark.”

“Ah.” Octavia said with Vinyl giving her a confused look, Scolopidia recognizing the feel in her emotions.

“Are all of your kind that good?” she asked as Octavia let them inside, with her guards sweeping inside in pairs and examining the rooms.

“Some of us are better than others,” Scolopidia said. “The longer we’ve had to study and practice, the better, and even then we can make mistakes. The way I heard it, that…” she let out a word that didn’t translate into Equestrian but her guards gave her a disapproving look. “Was caught out by Princess Sparkle because she hadn’t done enough research into how her target behaved.”

Vinyl shook her head. “So, not a fan of that other Queen, huh?”

“We call that event ‘Chrysalis’ Folly’ for a reason,” Scolopidia said with her changelings hissing as she said her name with the Queen rolling her eyes.

“I gotcha,” Vinyl said. “I heard about some of that - most of it went down while I was getting the music ready for the reception, so I missed out on the big fight, but they were talking about it for hours afterward.”

Scolopidia gave her a nod of acknowledgement before Octavia led her into the restroom to clean her face and reapply her makeup. Even though she could just use her natural magic to change her face, she had found she enjoyed this when Rarity first introduced her to it; she wasn’t quite sure what it was that made it feel different from normal shifting, but it just… did, and she liked it. When she’d finished, they rejoined Vinyl outside.

“So, what d’ya think of the place?” Vinyl asked.

Scolopidia thought back to the interior of the apartment, with signs of both their tastes in music very evident, records and electronic musical equipment on one side of their living room and more traditional instruments and associated decorations on the other. “It’s… definitely interesting,” she said.

“Yeah, me and Octy have different styles, but that’s one of the reasons we’re crazy about one another,” Vinyl said.

“Or in your case, just crazy,” Octavia snarked at her, a hint of a smirk in her expression. “But that’s how I like you.”

As the two bickered good-naturedly, Scolopidia couldn’t help but smile even more. With all the love she could feel radiating from both mares, she knew they were perfect for one another. Suddenly, she felt a sharp raise in emotion, and looked across the street to the source.

“When we get there, I swear I am going to give her a piece of my mind,” a white unicorn mare grumbled with a blue unicorn stallion trailing after her.

“Velvet, you cannot yell at the Princess,” the stallion said. “Once Twilight gets an idea into her head, it’s very hard to change her mind about it.”

“She could have at least told us Twilight was going out of the country!” The white mare turned to look at the stallion. “I know she can take care of herself, but she’s still my baby girl and I worry. And after this! What was she thinking allowing her to go there.”

“Excuse me, but are you talking about Princess Twilight Sparkle?” Scolopidia asked, causing them to turn to face her.

“Yes we are,” the mare said.

“Are you talking about her being in the Packlands?” Scolopidia asked with her wings buzzing angrily.

“Oh of course not,” the stallion said, shaking his head, looking at his wife. “My wife here is upset that our daughter decided to go on a year’s tour without informing us and she decided to go to Byzantion.”

“Wait, what’s in Byzantion?”

“Bureaucracy,” the stallion said. “Lots and lots of bureaucracy - the headquarters for the International Bureaucracy, in fact.” He shrugged. “Actually, given her fondness for organizing, it sounds just like her kind of place to me.”

“Though apparently, our dear daughter decided to go invade the place!” the mare said with a snarl.

“She did what‽” Scolopidia stared in disbelief with Octavia and Vinyl holding back their gasps of surprise.

“Twilight, you really think this was a good idea?” Spike asked her as they rode the train out of Byzantion.

“Of course Spike,” she said, placing a hoof on his shoulder, smiling at the setting sun. “Sure I am banned for life from ever returning to Byzantion, but at least the griffon’s debts are finally fixed and they can start rebuilding their country.”

“Did you really have to toss everyone out of the building while you went into that ‘crazy paper filing mode’?” he asked as he looked over the railing on his seat that she created just for him.

“Spike, if that’s what it took to keep them from interfering and deliberately stalling the process any more than they had for the last century and a half, it was worth it.” She giggled. “Besides, it was so cathartic!”

“Only you Twilight,” he chuckled with Twilight smiling and nodding her head. “So onto… where now?”

“Mount Aris.” Twilight looked grim. “I know Princess Celestia and the Packlands have their own investigations heading down there, but I want to check it out personally. There’s something that just doesn’t feel right about it. And while we’re there, we’ll check out Seaquestria too. After what Luna and the Alpha have both said about it, I want to meet this Queen Novo of theirs.”

“You think we should tell Princess Celestia of what we did here?” Spike asked, holding out a parchment.

“Let’s wait until we get home to tell her about this little adventure,” Twilight said with a nervous giggle, rubbing the back of her neck. “I’m sure that this would be one of those things that I am not supposed to do and I still need to think of a way of properly telling her about all this.”

“All right, but I kinda get the feeling they’re going to tell her their side first,” Spike said. “And it’s probably not going to make you look good.”

“Spike, they can tell her whatever they want,” Twilight said with a sigh. “If Princess Celestia decides she wants to hear our side, she knows how to reach us.” She then straightened herself and spread out her wings, letting the wind brush through her feathers. “Besides, I am not ashamed of what I have done and I would do the same again if need be.”

Spike turned to face her, pride deep within his heart at her words.

Turning his head back to the setting sun, he could not wait to see where this adventure led them next.

Chapter Three

Slice n' Dice wiped a hoof across her brow as she finished herding in the last of the pigs she’d been raising up for this year’s slaughter, before heading back toward the house.

“Good work today, boys,” she called to her packmates. “Wash up and let’s get ready for supper.”

“Um… Slice?” Little-Growl suddenly called. “It looks like we’ve got company.”

Looking where he was pointing, Slice saw a trio of ponies coming up the road. An Earth pony mare with a silverish-blue mane, an Earth pony stallion whose colors almost matched her own, and a small filly with green fur and a red flush to her mane. Her blood ran cold as she saw them.

As the trio reached the gates, Thin-Tall went up to greet them. "Hello there and welcome to tha' Big Apple Orchard," he said. “Can I help you?”

“Yes, you can,” the mare said. “I’m Lazuli, this is my husband and our youngest.”

“Wait, I know you,” Big-Cheer said with a frown on his face before lowering himself with a growl emitting from his mouth.

“You mean, it’s them?” Little-Growl asked with disbelief before narrowing his own eyes at the ponies with Thin-Tall moving in front of his brothers.

“You may say your piece to us before turning around, Apples,” he snapped, baring his fangs. “We will not let you hurt her anymore.”

The stallion had moved in front of his family with his daughter hiding behind his legs. “Ah deserve that, and worse,” he said with Thin-Tall snorting warm air into his face.

“Yes you do,” the wolf said, pawing the ground.

The stallion bowed his head. “Ah… Ah don’t deserve yer forgiveness,” he said softly. “But Ah made a big mistake, an’ Ah came to own up to it.”

The three wolves looked a little startled, as did Slice.

“Ah let some ol' friends yap their lips at me an’ make me think the worst of mah baby filly,” the stallion said. “Ah let mahself be a poor excuse for a father, an’ Ah came to tell her how sorry Ah was for doin’ what Ah did.”

“And you, miss?” Big-Cheer asked Lazuli, still looking angered.

“I let my husband talk me into ignoring my eldest,” Lazuli said. “I was wrong too. But… but in my heart, I never gave up on the hope that I would get the chance to see her again.” She bowed. “I just wish I’d had the courage to do so without having to hear the truth from somepony else first.”

“Ma?” Slice asked hesitantly as she stepped up, her packmates still blocking the way.

Lazuli gazed at her. “Princess Celestia herself came and told us the truth about you, and your new life here,” she said. “But it shouldn’t have taken her intervention for me to get up the courage to come and see you. I should have done it on my own, a long time ago.”

“Oh ma,” Slice said, running past her brothers to hug her mother with tears of joy running down her face.

When they had finally separated, Slice felt a tiny hoof against her leg and looked down at the little filly that had accompanied her parents. “And you are?”

“I’m Bramley!” the little filly said. “Are you… my big sister?”

Slice smiled. “Ah sure am,” she said.

“Yay!” Bramley cheered before throwing her legs around Slice’s own.

Looking down at the sister she’d never known, and at the mother who’d never lost faith in her, Slice blinked away tears of happiness. “Come on in,” she said. “An’ meet your new brothers.”

The wolf trio instantly stood at attention, giving Bramley friendly looks, and Lazuli as well as the two passed through the gate. The stallion - Johnny Apple - they still eyed warily, but stood by and permitted him to enter too once Slice gave them the go-ahead.

Ah owe you big time, Princess Twilight, Slice thought to herself as she led them into the farmhouse. You an’ Princess Celestia both. Yah brought the rest of mah family back to me.

Idly, she wondered how Wise-Mind would react when he stopped in the next time, which she fully expected to be soon - he had dropped by just that morning to let her know he was back from the Gathering, which had evidently produced some surprising new developments. And how her Apple family would react to him.

“Everything okay Slice?” Ma asked, with Slice noticing her packmates were also giving her curious and concerned looks.

“Just wonderin’ when mah Packleader’ll be comin’ by again,” she said with the wolves breathing sharply. “And what he will say.”

“Oh I forgot about him,” Little-Growl said nervously.

“This may be bad, really bad,” Big-Cheer muttered nervously.

Johnny Apple stood ramrod-stiff. “He’s comin’ soon, Ah guess?”

Thin-Tall nodded his head. “Our farm,” he said, stretching the word out to make the distinction of who was included and who was not clear as day. “Is among one of our pack’s greatest boons. We also sit on the main entrance between your nation and ours and Slice here has connections to two Princesses of Equestria.”

“Well, once he comes here… Ah want to tell him thank you.” Johnny tilted his head. “For takin’ care of mah daughter when Ah failed her.”

“Ah don’t think that it will be wise, Johnny,” Slice said with her dad staring at her for using his given name. “He know what you done did and he ain’t happy in the slightest, Ah can tell you that. Also, you ain’t mah Pa.” she said, staring him in the eyes. “Not by a long shot.” She sighed, shaking her head. “But Ah don’t want mah Ma and little sis to be without someone ta help them with their farm and all that other growing up nonsense.”

“Maybe he’ll be mad at us, maybe not,” Lazuli said softly. “But we still owe him, for helping you.”

“No maybe about it, miss Apple,” Thin-Tall said, shaking his head. “We don’t take lightly to those who abandon their own and…” he stopped, looking at Bramley. “Big-Cheer, why don’t you show her around?” Big-Cheer blinked for a moment before nodding his head and shepherding the filly away. Once they were out of hearing range, Thin-Tall continued. “Look, in all honesty, he will be furious when he spots you,” he directed his words at Johnny. “And it will be a serious question if he can, or will bother to try, to restrain himself from attacking you on the spot.”

“If that’s what he does, then it’s no less than Ah deserve,” Johnny said firmly. “Ah’m not goin’ to let mahself be driven off from doin’ the right thing. Not this time.”

“Look, Ah don’t like ya, but Ah ain’t letting mah sis grow up without a dad,” Slice said, placing a hoof on his shoulder. “It’s best if ya just go back ta Equestria.”

“Slice n’ Dice Apple of the Strong-Defend Pack, Ah am yer father and ya will listen ta me right now!” he snapped, causing Slice to sit down on her rump before she was aware of what she was doing. “Ah know what ye been saying and Ah don’t-” he stopped himself, shaking his head. “Ah know that this Wise-Mind will more than likely try an’ rip mah throat out the moment he spots me but Ah have to make things right.”

“And how will being dead make things right, Johnny?” Ma asked, placing a hoof on his shoulder. “I may be mad at you, but that doesn’t mean I want to lose you. Or any member of our family. ‘Specially now that we just got one back. And then some.” She looked over at Thin-Tall and Little-Growl. “You boys helped give my daughter a home,” she said, walking over to cup their faces. “I can never thank you enough for that.”

“It was our pleasure,” Thin-Tall said, nuzzling the mare that he already considered family. “But the fact remains… Wise-Mind will come. And while we can speculate, we cannot predict exactly how he will react to finding you here.”

“Whatever will happen, will happen,” Johnny Apple said firmly. “An’ Ah’m willin’ to face it when it happens.”

Just then, the door opened, and the tallest wolf the Apple couple had ever seen stalked in with nary a sound to his movements.

“You would truly stand up to me, for what you believe is the right thing to do?” he asked.

Johnny Apple, his heart pounding in his chest, stood firm. “Ah would,” he said. “Ah made a lot of mistakes, an’ Ah’m here to own up to them. Even if it costs me mah life.”

The wolf stalked closer, his face in Johnny’s. When their snouts touched, the wolf closed his eyes for a minute.

Then, reopening them, he nodded. “I feel your conviction, Johnny Apple. I hear the truth in your words. I understand you deeply, truly realize the error of your ways. And I… forgive you.”

Everyone else in the room let out the breaths they didn’t realize they’d been holding, and Wise-Mind drew away from Johnny. “Welcome to our lands,” he said. “And I am glad to see that the error that was made long ago has finally been corrected.”

Johnny bowed. “Ah owe you more than you can imagine, for takin’ in mah Slice,” he said. “Yer more the father she deserves than Ah am.”

“And she has been a treasure to me,” Wise-Mind said. He looked over to Lazuli. “Welcome to you as well, Mrs. Apple. I am glad to see you have finally come looking for your daughter.”

“I should have been here a lot sooner,” she said. “I want to thank you, Wise-Mind, for taking care of her when I let myself be kept away.”

“You are most welcome,” he said. Then he looked around. “If you don’t mind, I believe I heard some discussion of dinner earlier?”

“R-right,” Slice said, scrambling to her hooves. “Ah’ll get started.”

As she headed into the kitchen, her mother right behind her, Wise-Mind flicked his ears and looked back towards the door. “You can come in now, little one.”

Hesitantly, Bramley entered, followed by Big-Cheer. “Hello,” she said.

“Hello,” Wise-Mind said. “I hope I didn’t scare you.” He gave her a friendly look. “After all, you were innocent in this whole matter.”

Bramley looked up at him. “You’re a lot bigger than my daddy,” she said. “And… what big ears you have!”

Wise-Mind chuckled. “All the better to hear you with, little one,” he said with a smile, reaching one paw out and ruffling her mane. “Including your tummy rumbles.”

As if on cue, the noise repeated itself, and Bramley blushed as Big-Cheer chuckled behind her.

“Come,” Wise-Mind said. “I believe your mother and sister will have things ready soon.”

As Bramley eagerly headed to where he was indicating, he smiled after her. At last, we are all together.

Ponyville…

Scootaloo trotted along happily, her aunts by her side. “I can’t wait for you to come up and see Rainbow Dash’s house,” she said eagerly.

Holiday smiled at her. “And it was so nice of that friend of yours, Zecora, to provide me with a cloud-walking potion for this trip,” she said.

“Yeah… it was,” Scootaloo said. Soon, they’d reached the lifting point. “Here’s our cloud!”

With Lofty pushing it, the Earth pony mare and the little filly were soon up in front of the cloudominium, where they looked around.

“I know you told us about what it looked like, but words just do not do this place justice,” Holiday said, a hoof on her chest. “Those rainbow falls… they’re fantastic.” She looked at Lofty. “I think we just found the theme of your next quilt.”

“I think you’re right,” her marefriend told her.

Just then, the door opened. “Hey, guys!” Rainbow Dash waved. “Come on in!”

The trio smiled and did as she said, following Rainbow Dash through the foyer and up a level to the main floor, where they found a pair of pegasi - a mare the same sky blue as Rainbow Dash, and a stallion a little darker and with a matching rainbow mane - waiting for them.

“So,” the stallion said as Scootaloo approached him curiously. “This is the little filly you said was your biggest fan?”

“Sure am!” Scootaloo told him.

“Well, I don’t know how you can say that,” the stallion said. “You see… we’re her biggest fans!”

The mare next to him promptly pulled out a pennant of Rainbow Dash’s face, waving it eagerly.

Rainbow Dash facehooved. “Scootaloo, Ms. Holiday, Ms. Lofty… meet my parents.”

“Bow Hot Hoof,” the stallion introduced himself. “And my wife, Windy Whistles.”

Windy smiled at them. “It’s so nice to finally meet you, Scootaloo,” she said. “Rainbow Dash has told us so much about you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too,” Holiday said as she held out a hoof. “Scootaloo’s told us so much about Rainbow Dash, and of course this isn’t the first time we’ve met her, but we didn’t know much about her family.”

“Well, there’s not that much to tell,” Bow said lightly. “Me and my bro Rainbow Blaze grew up in Cloudsdale, and we met my wife here in college. Normal careers - nothing near as exciting as our little Dashie and her love of racing. Why, she’s got more trophies than anyone I know!”

Rainbow Dash looked a little embarrassed. “Daaad…” she muttered.

“Oh, I’m sure you earned them all,” Lofty said. “Scootaloo told us about how much time you spend training for those competitions.”

“She sure does,” Windy said, beaming. “We’ve always encouraged her to be the best she can, you know? And she took that to heart.” She noticed Scootaloo had moved in close to Rainbow Dash. “And you know, when she told us she’d taken this sweet little filly under her wing… we couldn’t have been prouder.”

“Mom…”

“Well it’s true!” Windy looked in their direction. “I always knew you’d make a wonderful big sister some day, even if…” She sniffed a bit. “Even if Bow and I couldn’t be the ones to give you that little sibling.” She leaned down to Scootaloo, rubbing her face against Scootaloo’s. “When you told her how you felt, you made one of our fondest dreams come true,” she said.

Scootaloo blushed. “I was just being honest,” she said.

Holiday and Lofty, seeing the two like this, smiled. “Scootaloo’s our pride and joy,” Lofty said. “And we’re honored to count Rainbow Dash as part of the family.”

“Then that makes you part of our family too,” Bow said. He grinned, and let out a whoop. “BEST! FAMILY! EVER!”

Rainbow Dash flattened her ears and cringed, prompting all of them to laugh.

About an hour later, as they were finishing with the dinner dishes, Holiday looked at the clock. “I hate to say it, but I think we need to be going soon,” she said. “Scootaloo needs to be getting to bed on time.”

“Awww…” Scootaloo pouted. “Do we hafta go?”

Lofty ruffled her mane. “Sorry, sweetie,” she said. “We do. But,” she said. “We would be more than happy to stop by here again, more regularly.”

“You mean it?” Scootaloo asked eagerly.

“We mean it,” Holiday said. “In fact…” she exchanged looks with her marefriend. “I think we’ll be seeing more of Ponyville in general.”

“What do you mean?” Scootaloo asked.

Holiday placed a hoof on her shoulder. “What I mean is, we’d like to move here. On a permanent basis.” She glanced in Rainbow Dash’s direction. “Your big sister had a talk with us after you went to bed that night she got back, and she pointed out how much you miss having us around when we’re gone. And we decided it wasn’t fair to you to just be giving you over to other families when we can’t be here. So we’re moving here full-time.” She leaned down and nuzzled Scootaloo. “We can be together here, from now on.”

Scootaloo’s eyes widened. Then she let out an ear-piercing squeal and started hopping around. “Yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyes, yeeees!”

The two mares exchanged looks. “I think she’s happy,” Lofty said with a grin.

Bow gave a grin of his own. “I said it before, I’ll say it again,” he said. “BEST! FAMILY! EVER!”

Rainbow Dash groaned, but smiled.

“Does that mean you guys are going to move to Ponyville too?” Scootaloo asked, turning to Rainbow’s parents.

“Well… I don’t know about that,” Windy said, seeing her daughter's face. “But we will visit a lot more often. We want to get to know you better, and our daughter’s friends - both our daughters’ friends.”

“Say, speaking of your friends, doesn’t little Flutters live around here?” Bow asked.

“Not so little anymore, but yeah, she’s in town,” Rainbow Dash told them. “I think Well-Hidden is still around too, but as stealthy as he is, I can’t always tell.”

“Coltfriend?” Windy asked curiously.

“Nah. Just a good friend.” Rainbow Dash replied.

“That’s good, but I do hope she will find somepony one day; she’s not getting any younger.”

Dash scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Mom, we’re about the same age, you know-”

Windy smirked. “I know, honey, I know.” She ruffled Rainbow Dash’s mane. “But you have a career planned that’ll keep you busy, and I wouldn’t ask you to put that on hold just to give us a grandfoal or two. I can wait until you’re ready.”

Rainbow Dash blushed. “Thanks, Mom.”

“Twilight…” Spike shivered. “I don’t think I like this place.”

Twilight herself looked aghast at their surroundings. It had taken them several days to reach the southern island where Mount Aris, farther south and east of the Equestrian continent than she’d ever anticipated traveling. Now, they had found the central city near the top of the mountain, but it was in ruins, worse even than the darkest parts of the Everfree Forest.

“This isn’t natural,” she muttered. Gesturing for Spike to follow, she began performing wide scans with her magic as the two walked through the ruins, until finally they’d reached a point near the very center of the city.

“Spike, this definitely isn’t natural,” she said. “And this place wasn’t just abandoned. It was attacked.”

“Attacked?” Spike looked around in surprise. “By what?”

“I don’t know yet, but-” Twilight was suddenly cut off as she heard a noise.

“Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm…” it came. “Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm…”

“That humming…” Twilight whispered. Levitating Spike into her back, she followed the sound.

There was a mild splash as they reached the spot where it had been coming from, and Twilight looked around to see the large pool of water. “Whoever was here went into there,” she said.

“Let me guess. We’re following them.”

“Exactly, Spike.” Lighting up her horn, Twilight formed a construct around his head, and then hers. “These bubble-head charms will let us breathe underwater,” she said before wading into the pool. “Hold on tight, Spike.”

And with that, she dove underwater.

They followed the large tunnel below the pool for some distance, through twists and turns and darkness, until Twilight thought they had gone down almost to the base of Mount Aris itself. Finally, they emerged into a small glowing cavern, where lightly glowing plants grew from the walls. As Twilight began treading water, moving them forward, she heard a faint gasp.

“Who’s there?” she called.

“Who’s there?” another voice countered.

Twilight looked around. “I’m Princess Twilight Sparkle, of Equestria,” she said. “With my son Spike. We’re-”

“Equestria‽” The voice’s tone changed, now sounding excited. “Oh my gosh, I’ve never seen somepony from Equestria before!” Then there was a flicker of light, and Twilight suddenly found herself facing a glowing yellow seapony, her mane, hooves and tailfin a translucent cyan and a set of red wing-like fins coming off her back, a cyan dorsal fin between them. She had a huge grin on her face, and Twilight couldn’t help but think of Pinkie Pie when she saw it.

“I’ve got to get you to my mom, right away!” she said cheerfully. “She always told me to tell her if any Equestrians showed up!”

Twilight blinked as she and Spike began following after her. “Who are you, anyway?” she asked.

“I’m Princess Skystar!” the seapony said eagerly. “Oh, that’s hereditary, not earned like Mom said most alicorns get just for being alicorns. But it’s what I am!”

Twilight smiled. “Pleased to meet you then, Princess Skystar,” she said.

She followed the other mare some distance, before finally emerging into a larger body of water, and looked around in surprise. There was considerably more architecture than she’d expected, and all around them were seaponies, most of whom looked rather startled to see a pony and dragon.

Princess Skystar led her up a final tunnel, and swam over to what looked like a throne where another seapony, this one rather regal-looking, sat. “Mom, mom, look what I found!”

“Is it another shell?” the regal-looking seapony asked. “Because I am telling you if it is another shell, I am-” Then she noticed Twilight, and her eyes flicked from Twilight’s horn to her wings. “Well, well, well,” she said slowly. “What have we here?”

Twilight stood firm, as much as she could while floating. “Your highness,” she started. “I am Princess Twilight Sparkle of Equestria, and this is my son Spike. I have come here on behalf of my nation as Diplomat at Large, in the hopes of reestablishing contact between us.”

The regal seapony drifted down closer. “Is that so,” she said. “And just how did you get down here? Our defenses should have kept any intruders from the surface out. Precaution, you know - after the last time.”

“Well, I started at Mount Aris,” Twilight said. “I’d found out about the hippogriffs cutting all ties to… well, everywhere. I came trying to find out why, because I was worried about what was going on with them, but the place was deserted.”

“And with good reason.” The regal seapony gestured. “Go on.”

“We heard some noise and followed it, and found this pool,” Twilight said. “So we swam into the tunnel at the bottom until we came out here, and then…”

“And then my daughter brought you to me.” The regal seapony studied her again, then nodded. “So you came all this way out of concern, for a people you’d never met, hmm?”

“Exactly,” Twilight said. “Your majesty…”

“I am Queen Novo, ruler of Seaquestria,” the regal seapony said. “And I must say, I find it hard to believe. After all, that’s what the last Equestrian to come here said, and look what happened. She tried to steal my most precious artifact, all for that monster that forced the hippogriffs to flee.”

“Monster?” Twilight blinked. “What monster? Who attacked the hippogriffs?”

“They call him the Storm King,” Princess Skystar said nervously. “He’s got this huge army, and he’s trying to take over the world.” She blinked at Twilight’s look of confusion. “You’ve really never heard of him?”

“No,” Twilight said. “I - we haven’t.” She grimaced. “And if Princess Celestia knew about yet another threat out there and didn’t tell me again, I’m going to tweak her nose over it!”

Queen Novo threw her head back and laughed. “A spirited child,” she said. “You are an interesting one, Princess Twilight.”

“Um… thank you?”

“But I think you’ll be a little more comfortable if I do this.” Queen Novo swam up to a large jellyfish-like thing floating above her, and as the central section opened, it released a glowing sphere. Taking it in her fin-hooves, she began stroking it, and aiming it in Twilight’s direction.

Waves of glittering magic flowed from it, sweeping over Spike and her, and in an instant, she felt her wings changing and her body elongating, her two hind legs fusing and changing into a tail like the two seaponies’. Spike, meanwhile, had assumed a more… rounded form, some type of fish she didn’t recognize, and somewhat spikier than he had been.

“This is incredible!” she said as Queen Novo returned the sphere to where it had been. “How is this even possible? Not even the changelings have this kind of magic, and they’re born shapeshifters!”

Queen Novo looked a bit startled, but then calmed again. “All part of who and what I am, Princess,” she said. “All part of how I helped the hippogriffs when they came asking for my help.”

“You mean… you turned them into seaponies too?” Twilight looked delighted. “Then they’re okay!”

“Almost okay,” Queen Novo corrected her. “Queen Skydancer didn’t make it out.” Her eyes lowered. “She held off the Storm King’s armies so her people could get away, and it cost her her life.”

Twilight looked down. “Oh…” she said quietly.

“Ever since then, they’ve been safe with me,” Queen Novo said, beckoning to Twilight to follow her as she began to swim out of the chamber. “Queen Skydancer’s brother, General Seaspray, represents them in my council of nobles, and if ever it’s safe to go back, he will become their King. But for now, until the Storm King and that traitor general of his who tried to steal my pearl are dealt with, they live here, far below the waves.”

Behind her, Princess Skystar made a face. “He’s one of the most reasonable nobles I know,” she whispered.

“Skystar, would you mind entertaining young Spike?” Queen Novo asked without turning around. “Princess Twilight and I need to talk in private.”

“Sure thing! Come on, Spike - I’ll show you my shell collection!” She grabbed his fin and swam off before he could protest.

Sighing, Queen Novo looked up. “Oceans above, but precocious children have far more energy than I can take at times,” she muttered.

“I know what you mean,” Twilight agreed. “Some of my best friends have little sisters like that.”

Queen Novo chuckled, then led Twilight some distance. “My personal office chambers,” she explained as she swam towards one set of caves. “I thought we should talk here.”

The grotto they entered was full of strange items, and Twilight would have gladly taken time to examine them if she could have. Instead, she followed Queen Novo to another throne, and took a seat in a nearby clamshell, before the seapony looked to her.

“I recognize a fellow Power when I see them,” she said. “So tell me, how’s her royal Day-ness doing?”

“Um… well enough, I suppose,” Twilight said. “She’s got her sister back.”

“Princess Luna?” Queen Novo looked interested. “I suppose it has been over a thousand years now… and I take it you, oh Lady of Magic, were involved?”

“I was,” Twilight confirmed.

“Mm.” Queen Novo sighed. “Harmony’s been needing someone to take up its sub-Powers for a long time,” she said. “So they finally found a new set of Bearers.”

“Sub-Powers?” Twilight blinked. “What do you mean, sub-Powers?”

“Of the many Powers out there, most work on their own, or alongside their Opposite,” Queen Novo said. “As the Lady of Water, I tend to align with Night and am closely associated with Winter. My Opposite, as you can probably guess, is Fire, who aligns with Day and is closely associated with Summer. But the Powers of Harmony and Disharmony are different. Each of them can operate on their own, but Harmony requires six beings to represent its sub-Powers - Honesty, Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Loyalty, and Magic - to call on its full might. Disharmony has six sub-Powers too, the Opposites of Harmony’s sub-Powers, but they’re generally independent, and Disharmony can access their own abilities whenever they need to.”

Twilight quickly put two and two together. “Discord.”

“Exactly, child,” Queen Novo said. “He’s the Lord of Disharmony. I felt his Power emerge some time ago; it seems to be active but mostly laying low, so I presume Celestia found a way to win him over?”

“Well, he is close friends with my friend Fluttershy - whom I guess is the Lady of Kindness?”

“If that’s her Element, then yes,” Queen Novo said.

“Wow.” Twilight sat back. “I guess I should have asked him more about this,” she said to herself.

“Ol’ Alpha, right?” Queen Novo smiled lightly. “I felt a touch of his Summer magic on you. How is the old wolf, anyway?”

“Doing fine, as far as I know,” Twilight returned. “So… you said you were associated with Winter, and he’s the Lord of Summer… does that mean there’s a Fall and Spring too?”

“And an Air and an Earth to go with them,” Queen Novo confirmed. “All the Powers come in pairs, even those who’ve formed closer teams like us Forces of Nature and the Four Seasons, or the sub-Powers of Harmony and Disharmony, or the Four… well. You get what I mean. Except for the Judge; ain’t no Power that could serve as an Opposite for them.”

Twilight nodded, and then listened as Queen Novo began to tell her more.

“So,” Twilight was saying a few hours later as she was served her dinner of cooked salmon and preserves made from sea cucumbers. She had gotten used to the taste of fish in good order; while not the same type served at her earlier meals with Swift-Pad, it was still delicious. “It’s nice to meet you all.”

“Oh, the pleasure is all mine,” the yellow seapony across from her said. “Isn’t that right, dear?”

“It is interesting to meet new people,” the blue seapony next to her replied.

“Eeeee!” The pink seapony next to Princess Skystar squealed happily. “Oh, it is absolutely great to meet new people! I haven’t met new people since it’s been so long I can’t even remember!”

On the other side, a smaller white seapony rolled his eyes. “Yeah. Right, sis,” he muttered.

“Hey now, don’t be like that, Terramar!” the pink seapony scolded him. “Meeting new people is fun!”

“You said it, Silverstream!” Princess Skystar cheered.

Twilight just smiled at the cousins’ interactions. When she and Queen Novo had finished their talk, the seapony queen had invited Spike and her to dinner with her family, including her sister Ocean Flow, brother-in-law Sky Beak, and their children Silverstream and Terramar. So far, the four had proven quite friendly, even if Terramar seemed a little distant.

“So,” Spike said. “Were you all born seaponies?”

Sky Beak shook his head. “My wife and our children were, but I was a hippogriff,” he said stiffly. “One of the refugees from Hippogriffia, changed by the Pearl of Transformation.”

“Oh…” Spike looked abashed.

“It is fine, young drake,” he said. “While I miss our old home, I do not regret coming here for an instant. After all,” and here he reached out and took his wife’s hoof. “I found the love of my life here.”

Ocean Flow smiled back. “And I found you,” she said. “Easily one of the best days of my life.”

If Rarity were here, she’d probably swoon, Twilight thought, but kept it to herself. “I’m so happy for you two,” she said. “That you found one another.”

“It was a wedding to remember,” Queen Novo said with a smile of her own. “Not so exciting as the last one you attended… but then, you had to put up with a changeling attack, and that kind of excitement we could do without.”

“Really?” Skystar looked excited. “Oh, I’ve never met a changeling, what are they like?”

“I wanna know too!” Silverstream said eagerly.

Twilight smiled and began to describe the ones she’d met, both the good and the bad, with an emphasis on the good.

I wonder how Thorax is getting along? she thought to herself.

Chapter Four

“You won’t see the train yet bro,” Pharynx muttered as his brother continued to stretch his head upwards. “They will be here in a few minutes if Steam Top is driving the train.”

“Come on Pharynx, Coal Pile is good at the job too,” Thorax grumbled but kept himself standing with his legs straight. After several weeks of Princess Celestia and the other Queens’ training, he wasn’t going to risk their ire by slipping into his old habits of slouching. Besides, his changelings deserved to see their King looking like a King.

“Pfft,” Pharynx snorted while remaining still, something that Thorax was still having trouble doing. How his brother kept from fidgeting was beyond him, though it was more than likely due to his military training. “It’s a miracle if Coal can bring a train in under five minutes past its due time.” His brother then frowned, his wings buzzing in annoyance. “It is not like we have schedules to keep.” He muttered, eyes darting to the clock on the wall.

“Look, I can do this myself,” Thorax said, turning to face his brother. “I will have my guards and the Royal Guards with me so nothing will happen. If you want to-”

“Doesn’t matter if I want to go,” Pharynx snapped, though it was without his normal venom. “I have my duties as your Commander to be by your side. If anything were to happen to you while I was gone, I’d never forgive myself. Besides,” Pharynx muttered with a faint blush on his cheeks. “If I were to go now, she’ll be furious with me.”

“Of course I would,” Luna said, melting out of the shadow. “Would be a poor reflection on you and I if you were to abandon your post just for me.”

“Hey Lus,” Pharynx grinned, turning to face the alicorn. “Not that I am complaining to seeing you-”

“Nor should you ever, my dear little bug,” Luna chuckled as she stepped towards Pharynx with the drone chuckling.

“But aren’t you still dealing with the latest batch of the recruits?” he asked, the two standing side by side automatically. It hadn’t taken the two long to start dating; mutual respect and a common military background had led them to spend more time together at first, and eventually Luna’s inability to keep from broadcasting her feelings had led to Pharynx asking her out directly.

“They are in capable hooves,” she said. “Our borders stations are starting to fill themselves with worthy soldiers once more.”

“Surprising, considering how much the nobles whined and complained along the way,” Pharynx grumbled with Luna snorting and rolling her eyes.

“Their misguided fear that Celly and I would use them to overthrow the government was cute at first but it seriously got tiresome fast,” she complained, leaning on his brother.

“As if you wanted to take on their jobs, Lus,” Pharynx said with a snort, nuzzling her. “Luckily their fear of the outside proved to be useful for once.”

“Silence you,” Luna said, giving him a nip on the neck. “Do you not know the damage that would follow if the nobles heard that they were useful?”

“A thousand apologies then, oh princess,” Pharynx teased back before sharing a laugh with his marefriend. “But you gotta admit, Fancy Pants really does know what he’s doing when it comes to everything, and he actually respects you and Celly.”

“True,” Luna said, resting her head on his, something if Thorax had ever tried would result in his big brother kicking his flank. “And it does not hurt that he is one of the few who likes both Rarity and Queen Scolopidia, albeit for different reasons.”

The two shared a laugh. Scolopidia’s abrasive nature had taken more than a few nobles by surprise, and they’d made their disapproval of her attitude quite clear despite either Celestia or Luna’s ability or drive to change it. Fancy Pants, on the other hoof, had referred to her as “Brusquely honest”, and voiced his appreciation for it from the start. The fact that she was already friends with Rarity, whom he also approved of, didn’t hurt.

“Ah, there is your train, good changelings,” Luna said, not moving her head from between Pharynx’s horns. “Remind me, how many this time come to receive the change?”

Thorax cleared his throat, ignoring his brother’s comment to Luna- You already know, Lus- and reported. “There are ten more families of my hive coming for the change while the others have a smattering between ten to fifty changelings seeking it.”

“A shame that Celly is not here,” Luna said with a pout as she pulled herself off of Pharynx with his brother actually feeling a bit sad at her moving away. “She does so love to greet the young grubs.”

“Hey, someone needs to finish off the treaty for the Migration, and he has an excuse to be out,” Pharynx said, pointing at Thorax. “Besides Lus, you’re far better at fighting than making stuck up nobles agree to sharing.” He then gave her a knowing grin. “And do you really wish to be stuck inside doing paper-”

“Enough, my dear bug,” Luna said, placing a hoof on his lips. “You have convinced me, you need not say anymore.”

“But Lus, I didn’t really argue-” he said with a cheeky grin only for her to cut him off with a kiss to the lips with Thorax rolling his eyes at the pair. The pony nobles had really thrown a fit when the two began to date but Celestia had proven to be scary enough to cow them into submission so that none had dared to voice their opposition for long. And Pharynx had managed to sway a few to his side somehow, the nobles accepting him as the possible future consort of Luna.

“If you two are quite done,” Thorax said, causing the two to give him an annoyed look, but pulling apart and standing proper. While Luna had training from years ago to instill the right reactions, Pharynx had taken the steps to learn what he needed as Thorax’s Commander, a new Royal changeling and as Luna’s coltfriend with the same determination that got him to be one of Chrysalis’s elites.

He felt a twinge of fear when he thought about her but he did his best to squash it. Scolopidia was right; they were fools to avoid saying her name and the only way he could truly prove he was the King of his hive was to be able face her-Chrysalis without shaking in his chitin.

He smiled as the train pulled up into the station, not showing too many teeth as Celestia had taught him, awaiting the arrival of his hive members.

A few hours later, when all had visited Canterlot Castle and the Change had been made for them, Thorax led a pair of them through the streets, his guards trailing close behind. Pharynx and Luna had left to the training yard to observe the last of the recruits’ training which was one of the ways those two had a date.

As he and the two recently metamorphosed changelings headed down one sidewalk, he heard a loud cry of delight. “Oh look at her! She’s so adorable!”

And then a white-furred mare was right in the face of the littler of the two changelings with him. “Hi,” she said with a delighted grin on her face.

The little changeling responded by squeaking in fear and shifting into a rock.

The mare looked at her in confusion. “Was it something I said?” she asked.

Thorax smiled. “It’s fine, Mrs. Velvet,” he said. “Ocellus is just a little shy.”

The female changeling next to them, seeing he clearly knew this mare, nodded. “My daughter’s always been that way,” she said. “It’s all right, dear, you can show yourself.”

With a quiver, the rock changed back into a little arctic blue (with a brilliant red shell over her wings) changeling. “A-all right,” she stammered.

The changeling mare, her chitin a light opal, nuzzled her before looking to Velvet. “I’m Stemma,” she said. “And you are?”

“Twilight Velvet,” Velvet introduced herself. “Your King is well-acquainted with my daughter, Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

Stemma’s eyes lit up. “Oh, it’s good to meet you then!” she exclaimed. “We owe your daughter and daughter-in-law so much, Mrs. Velvet!”

Velvet smiled. “And this is my husband, Night Light,” she said as he came over.

“Pleased to meet you too,” Stemma said as she held out a hoof for both of them. “You must come with us; my husband and our younger children are still back at the castle. They’re a bit too little to be coming out around so many people yet.”

“We’d be honored,” Night Light said.

As they made their way towards the castle, a drone of Tegmina’s hive flew towards him. “We got important news, King Thorax,” he said, bowing his head. “Your presence is required.”

“Good thing I am headed there already,” he chuckled good-naturedly with the drone looking awkward.

“Your immediate presence is required,” the drone repeated with Thorax biting back a sigh as he began the spell. Another lesson the Queens and Celestia had drilled into his skull was learning useful spells, teleportation among them. Something he wouldn’t have been allowed to use in the Packlands, no matter his form, but here it was quite convenient.

Knowing his guards would take care of Velvet and Night Light, he teleported himself into the council room alongside Scolopidia. Of all the Queens, she had seemed to flourish the most since coming to Equestria, making friends with those two famous musicians. Though he wasn’t sure if the rumours that they were more than friends were true, he wasn’t going to risk his life on asking her.

“What is the matter Tegmina,” she asked, looking at the Queen for answers. All of those who had accompanied him to Equestria were present, along with a few other Queens that had come to learn how to perform the Change and whom he hadn’t learned the names of yet. Celestia and Luna were also there, standing before an open letter.

“It’s time,” Tegmina said, looking at Celestia who nodded her head in agreement. Tegmina had taken on the role as lead Queen to changeling matters while they had been in Equestria.

“Finally,” Scolopidia said with a roll of her eyes before giving Thorax a light friendly shoulder bump. “King Thorax has proven himself to be his hive’s true ruler ages ago.”

He smiled at her, sending some love towards her for her kind words. “So when will the Seal be done?” he asked, trying to sound confident.

“By tomorrow if all things go to plan,” Celestia said with the Queens looking at her, her displeasure only noticeable by her emotions that she was getting better at hiding.

“And what plans are those?” Thorax asked, frowning.

“The Alpha is bringing her in personally, along with his own personal guards and White Changelings, for her to be Sealed,” Luna said with a grunt. “She may be his prisoner but I feel it is a mistake to unnecessarily delay in her Sealment.”

“You are not alone, Princess Luna,” one of the new Queens said. “But best we do so while all of us are present in case she tries something, right King Thorax?”

Thorax felt the eyes of everyone on him and while he despised being on the spot like this, he knew he couldn’t hesitate too long. “With everyone’s help I doubt there’s anything she could do,” he said with his eyes shifting around. “But if she tries, I will be reassured that it will fail with everyone’s help here.”

“Wise words, King Thorax,” Remigium said, the tough Queen nodding her head in approval with the other Queens nodding in agreement. She then turned towards Celestia, eyeing her coolly. “Any words from the young Princess abroad?” she asked with the other Queens turning to see how she would react.

“None so far,” Celestia responded. “Her last message said she was at Mount Aris. We should get a reply from her tomorrow if everything goes to the schedule.”

“I hope she’s all right there,” Queen Tegmina said, leaning forward. “Ever since the hippogriffs cut off contact, I’ve been concerned, as have many leaders. I tried sending a small team once, just to try and get a look at the place, but they were unable to get any closer than the wolves’ ships did.” She looked surprised. “Did she say she was at Mount Aris, or just close to it?”

“She said she had just arrived at the edge of their island,” Luna said. “Somehow, she has made it further than any attempt we know of; she declined to inform us of how she and Spike were able to do so though.”

“I have faith in Princess Twilight finding a way,” Celestia said. “She always does.”

“She certainly found a way to help the griffons,” Luna noted with a wry grin. “I wish I could have seen the looks on their faces when she cut through all that red tape in such a short time.”

That got everyone chuckling and Thorax to let out a sigh of relief but he knew tomorrow would be one of the most challenging moments of his life; facing down his old Queen.

The night came, and went. The sun rose once more, and just a few short hours later, the train arrived.

It was a far cry from the normal train that usually rode the rails. Instead of the painted wooden panels, each of the five carts were made of pure steel with very low magic properties as to minimize the effect of any potential magical manipulation of the train carts.

Not that one could really tell that they were made of steel as each cart was covered in White Changelings clinging to the sides along with nearly a score in the sky and four squads of rune wolves running along each side of the train with several more further back as backup.

The station itself had been cordoned off along with two city blocks in every direction emptied out of anyone who absolutely did not need to be present, with Elite Guards of Equestria standing at attention with full armour on and weapons uncovered and primed if anything were to happen. Behind a thick squadron of Elite Guards and changeling guards comprised of those that Pharynx chose himself, were Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Princess Cadance, Queen Scolopidia, Queen Metamorphia, Queen Remigium, Queen Taenidia, Queen Tegmina, Commander Pharynx and the other Commanders, the former captain of the guards Shining Armor and King Thorax, each with powerful spells of their own prepared.

It was a tense moment when the train pulled in and the two sides began to verify their identities with one another as to prevent any sneak attack from those loyal to the prisoner. Finally, after ten minutes of cross-checking and double checking, it was deemed both sides were who they said they were and door to the train car was opened.

Out first was the largest wolf anyone had ever seen. He was one of the few that could meet Celestia in the eye by sheer height alone, to say nothing of the aura he radiated. “Ah Princess Celestia, if only we could meet on better circumstances instead of ones like these,” he said with a chuckle and a loud rattle of stones. Despite his seemingly blasé attitude, he was clearly taking all precautions with all the runes on him, several of which he himself had long since outlawed and banned.

“We could if you had not closed your doors to us, Alpha,” Celestia, unable to take a step towards the wolf with the guards in front of her unwilling to move an inch out of place. “Yet those times are long behind us as our friendship between our people has been rekindled.”

“Yes, by your wise former student,” he chuckled, standing in front of the door, radiating Summer magic as to keep everything in a perpetual state at the peak of their growth, thus strengthening everything present. Subtle magic for such a bombastic person, but that was the Alpha’s way. “I would ask how she fairs but such questions must wait until we finish the last of our little issues.”

“Indeed,” Luna said, giving her fellow Power a nod of her head while at the same time stealing another glance at Pharynx which sent a surge of joy throughout the crowd who saw her do so. Luna had yet to believe that everyone was truly happy to see her in love but she was coming around to it slowly and surely. “You and my sister can gossip like the old hens you are once we finish with the matter at hoof.”

“Ah Luna, the same fiery spirit as always,” the Alpha chuckled as he rose to his paws. “You play with fire courting her, Commander Pharynx.”

“That is fine with me; I don’t mind a bit of sparks,” Pharynx said with a chuckle that was hiding nerves as the moment of contact drew closer.

“The Change suits you all well,” the Alpha said as he moved out of the door. “Especially you, King Thorax.”

“Bah!” a voice soaked with contempt and rage spat out from inside the train car. “All I see are a traitor and his honourless lackeys!”

Led by four slightly shorter wolves holding onto etched chains, a tall changeling Queen was dragged onto the station’s platform. She was heavily chained with strong wards covering her entire body and a one hundred percent pure steel magicless nullifier ring covering her entire horn. There was a blinder and muzzle on her face but there was clearly enough room for her to still talk.

Chrysalis hissed. “You’re abominations,” she spat, looking straight at the changeling component of the protection detail. “Ruining yourselves, turning into these… these new forms.”

“No, Chrysalis,” Thorax said. “We are the future. A new hope for our kind.”

“So says the puppet,” she snarled. “You all sold our race out to an obese tyrant; how else can the most pathetic and worthless drone ever to be born manage to do any of this?”

Pharynx snarled but was held back by Luna’s auraless magic to prevent him answering her bait.

"You can call it selling out," a calm voice said. It was Queen Tegmina. "But the fact is, I am the Eldest Queen now; I approved of King Thorax, and I have read Princess Celestia’s emotions and understood them. There is only one tyrant here today, and it is you."

“It’s pitiful that you so eagerly wish to defend a criminal, Tegmina, but then again, how can anyling expect to know better with her around,” Chrysalis snarled through her restraints, everyone tensing up as the wolves holding her pulled the nymph back hard.

“And how am I a criminal,” Princess Celestia asked coldly, letting her wealth of age press down on the prisoner who simply laughed it off.

“Well not to the laws that any of these pitiful nations follow, Lady of Day,” she cooed acidly. “But last I checked, being the Lady of Self-Centeredness outranks the Day and you imprisoned me inside of a volcano!”

“Is this true; are you really the Lady of Self-Centeredness,” the Alpha asked with everyone looking confused now. “And I speak from neutrality; the Seasons are beholden to none but our own.”

“Yes of course I am the Lady of Self-Centeredness, you overgrown furball-” Chrysalis began to snap before Cadance began to laugh. “And what do you find so funny?”

“Oh, just that you just doomed any chance of escaping this, you idiot,” Cadance said with a grin on her face and wiping away a tear with her wing. “I studied the Laws and as you didn’t identify yourself back then, Princess Celestia broke no law. However, it was known to everyone that I was made the new Lady of Love when I ascended to being an alicorn as a child.” Smiling with a grin that was slowly passing around everyone as they were catching on to what was going on. “And you just admitted you knowingly attacked not one but two Powers unprovoked, one of which you did so twice.”

“She’s right you know,” Discord said, floating above everyone, causing them all to jump in surprise, but thankfully not fire off any weaponry. “You really had a chance there to get away with this all before you opened your big mouth.” He then appeared by her side, laying a paw on her shoulders. “Though it was a really small chance but then again Self-Centerednesses are a bit too boastful at times. Still,” he said, spinning in front of her. “I am really glad to finally meet you, Chryss so I can learn who had this sub-Power of mine,” he said, holding a bright object in his claws.

She let out a gasp, looking and feeling terrified for the first time anyone could remember. “You can’t!”

“I can and I just did,” Discord said, suddenly getting very close to her face. “Beyond being a terrible Self-Centeredness, you also put Fluttershy in danger with your little invasion and that is something I cannot forgive.” He appeared furious for a moment before vanishing from sight and appearing next to Celestia. “Don’t worry Sunbutt, I will go find someone more suited to this Power. Someone who may be self-centered, but not out of a lust for power like that,” he said, pointing a claw at a now hyperventilating Chrysalis who was on the floor. “Until next time; arrivederci!”

“Isn’t that a little redundant?” Pharynx whispered to Luna. “They mean almost the same thing!”

“It’s Discord,” Luna whispered back. “He doesn’t find it fun to make sense.”

Pharynx was about to answer when a small Discord appeared on his nose. “You and I are also going to have a talk later about making Moonbutt there finally interesting and fun.”

“Only when we’re not occupied, Discord,” Luna said with a whispered huff. “We are busy with our duties and we don’t get a lot of time together.”

The tiny Discord nodded his head, snapped his claws and vanished.

“That was unexpected,” the Alpha noted. “Yet further evidence that you made the right choice regarding him, Celestia.”

Celestia smiled at that before turning her attention towards Chrysalis who was still in shock and shook her head. She had really put them all in a bind by speaking so openly about the Powers; it would undoubtedly cause them all headaches later on, but what was done was done. “I don’t believe you will have much issue in performing the Seal,” she said to the Queens who were slowly stepping towards the shackled Queen who made no reaction to her words. “Hopefully, this is all the excitement we will see tod-”

She stopped as a letter from Twilight came sailing through the sky towards her. It was far earlier than when Twilight had said she would send it which meant...

Taking the letter out of the sky, she quickly skimmed the contents before the blood drained out of her face and her heart fell. Luna immediately noticed her reaction and was at her side in an instant.

“Celestia, what’s wro-” she asked, only to be given the letter Twilight had written them and her own heart sank and her dread soared as she read the letter.

“Princesses,” Thorax asked, his voice distant to the two princesses. “What’s wrong?”

Celestia shook her head for a moment, attempting to regain her composure. “We need to call for a full meeting of the Noble Council at once,” she said. “Once she is dealt with, I would like you all to join us as soon as possible.” She directed her eyes to the Alpha. “After this, you will need to return to your people and prepare them.”

“How bad are we expecting Celestia?” he asked, all levity gone from his voice.

“War.”

Chapter Five

It had been one hour after the events at the train station, and finally they were able to get a Noble Court called to session. Despite all attempts to keep things quiet about Twilight’s revelation, word had still got out and now their guards were doing their best to calm everyone down and explain that an invading army wasn’t about to appear at their doors. Still, the fact it happened on the same day that Chrysalis was being Sealed and they had gone for using as many elites as they could had only stoked the nobles’ contentions that her Sealment was a pretense to get Canterlot prepared for what was coming.

Finally, everyone in the room was settled down, despite the presence of two unexpected beings. While it was accepted (somewhat reluctantly) in some cases that the changeling Royals and the Prince and Princess of the Crystal Empire would be present, none had expected the presence of the Alpha or a grim-looking Discord, who had immediately upon his return (though not in hearing range of the nobles) informed his fellow Powers that he had found a suitable bearer for the recently vacated Role and now stood by, his usual jocularity absent.

With everyone somewhat calmed at last, Celestia stepped up, her sister by her side, and began.

"Earlier today, we received a letter from Princess Twilight Sparkle, bearing important news," she said. "Among her travels, she has performed a personal investigation of Mount Aris, home of the hippogriffs. And she has discovered what became of them."

There was some murmuring at this, and the Alpha let out a harrumph, though he looked almost hopeful.

"When their ambassadors were withdrawn from all lands, it was because they were under attack," Luna said, prompting a round of gasps. "By the armies of a being known as the Storm King. In this attack, Queen Skydancer gave her life to allow her people to escape under the ocean, where our aquatic cousin Queen Novo of the eastern seapony kingdom of Seaquestria granted them refuge."

"Since then, the Storm King's general - a unicorn mare with a broken horn, calling herself Tempest Shadow - has made at least one attempt to acquire valuable intelligence from their kingdom," Celestia continued. "How she was able to penetrate their defenses at the time has not been disclosed, but her true intentions were discovered and she was expelled. After this, Queen Novo increased the defenses around Mount Aris to prevent any further penetration. Princess Twilight, however, was able to make her way through, enter Seaquestria, win Queen Novo's trust through her integrity and compassion, and thus gather all the knowledge she could on this being, his forces and his motivations before sending it on to us."

"As such, we are calling for an increased mobilization of Equestria's armies in preparation for locating and facing this Storm King and his forces," Luna said. "There is no doubt that he intends to seize Equestria and its magic for his own purposes."

The murmuring was even louder, until the Alpha let out another harrumph.

“That the hippogriffs have found safety is good news,” he rumbled. “That their Queen is no more is not. And that this being threatens us all… is highly concerning.”

“Quite.” Discord folded his arms across his chest, for once deadly serious. “Celly, Lulu, I will add keeping watch for this Storm King to my list of priorities. The least I can do is give you adequate warning if he approaches our shores.”

“As troubling and terrible as that is,” Top Jewel said, drawing all eyes towards him. “What you intend is a declaration of war, nothing less. To which nation do you propose that our army attack because this will involve us violating our neighbour’s sovereignty and thus leaving us open to retribution.” He snorted as he stood upright and began to pace. “Furthermore, this is just one report. If this Storm King were truly the warmonger that her distant Princess claims she is, then we would have heard of such a thing before.”

“Would you have?” Celestia asked. “If they were on the far side of the world, for instance, and conquering all in their path or acting with sufficient stealth to ensure no news would escape, how would this have made it this way?” She snorted. “It is hardly the first time an enemy has kept their presence unknown until they were ready to strike.”

“Regardless, you will still need the council to approve of such a declaration and while I am not the Speaker of the Court,” he tilted his head towards a frowning Blueblood. “I am certain that I am not alone in saying that we need more information before we can begin to decide to vote or not to allow your war.” There was a loud outcry, both in favour and against his words, that continued for a few minutes before Luna slammed her hoof against the floor.

“Enough of this prattle,” Luna snapped. “Our cousins the hippogriffs have been attacked and the seaponies are in hiding. That alone is cause enough to raise the banners and march out to face this foe!”

“Maybe a thousand years ago that would be the case, your highness, but not now!” Jewel shouted back. “We live in a far more civilized time and we do not go to war on suspicion alone!”

“And what would you have us do?” Luna thundered. “Wait until their armies are dropping on our very heads? Sufficient proof has been offered to our eyes.”

“Then in that case, you do not have the authority to seek our approval for your war, nor have you given us a place to march to!” he retorted back with more of his supporters crying out in anger against her. “According to our laws, only the unanimous will of the Princesses can ask the council to go to war and I see only two Princesses of Equestria here! On behalf of Princess Twilight, Prince Blueblood and Speaker of our fair council, I ask you to side with me in protecting her decision she cannot make and vote to abstain on her behalf in Princess Celestia and Princess Luna’s request for war.”

“I will not,” Blueblood spat back, glaring at Jewel. “You can seek to try and take her vote on your own, but I will not support such foolishness, nor should any of us. While I have known her highness Twilight only briefly, I cannot imagine her supporting a war where people will die,” there was a brief cry of Jewel’s supporters before Blueblood shot off a bang of his magic and continued in a furious tone. “Nor can I imagine her allowing others to be hurt while there was a chance to stop it.”

“Well spoken, Speaker of the Council,” Celestia said, dipping her head. “In any case, Princess Twilight had already made her opinion known within the letter she had sent us.” Celestia placed a hoof on the copy of the letter Twilight had made. Such information had required its entry into the records as well as as many copies as possible for others to examine and search for any clues Twilight might have hidden within. “She implores us to do all we can to aid not just the hippogriffs and the seaponies but all who have fallen prey to this monster and his armies. She calls on us to answer our nation’s founding principles and beliefs.” Celestia was curious to see if Twilight’s little plot would work; it was completely legal while also deliciously devious, but it all depended on how the nobles viewed Twilight. “She in fact, has requested me to put this to a fair and open vote to which we will do so now. All those who are opposed to the war based on Princess Twilight’s own words in this letter, you may raise your hoof now.”

Top Jewel immediately raised his hoof, along with a score of his followers and, to Celestia’s delight, high members and big donors to PVE. Luna could not hold back her smile which caused a few to look nervous before Celestia swooped in for the victory blow. “Very well, then. As per the ancient laws that Princess Twilight herself has uncovered, in the time where our allies are under attack, all those who deliberately deny or delay Equestria’s support on their own volition and actively act against the principles of friendship that our nation was founded on, shall have their wealth and citizenship revoked, and be held prisoner until such time that the conflict is over as to not pose as a potential enemy within our own nation.” Celestia announced to the screaming crowd as the guards began to march in and arrest Jewel and his followers. “You may all read the ancient law book, Equestrian Laws and Practice circa year twelve, FoE era, if you wish to see the laws yourself.” Celestia had gone through that ancient lawbook that had been written by the first Noble Court and then every other lawbook since then to make sure that Twilight was right and it had never been repealed, though she highly doubted that Twilight would make a mistake like that. Apparently, that law book was one of her ‘spoils of victory’ when she had invaded the Headquarters of the International Bureaucracy and she’d been studying it ever since - “A little light bedtime reading”, she’d called it, which had amused Luna to no end when she’d read that section of the letter.

“If you are done, Princess Celestia,” Blueblood said with a smile on his face that he was failing to hide, banging his gavel against the table. ”We shall now vote on if Equestria shall go to war against the Storm King and his armies, wherever they may be.”

For the first time in ages, Celestia was able to witness the Noble Court voting in complete unison in favour of something she had proposed to them.

“The votes are all for it,” Blueblood said, slamming his gavel against the stand before looking at the Princesses. “So be it, Equestria is now at war.” He then turned towards Luna and bowed his head. “And as Equestria is at war, Princess Luna is now granted full authority over Equestria as our Commander in Chief.” He then bowed to her again with the rest of the nobles doing the same. Luna turned her head to see Celestia backing up before bowing to her as well, showing the transfer of authority between the two sisters.

Luna tipped her head to her sister before walking to the podium. “As we are at war, we will now begin to mobilize all our forces in preparation for future conflict with the Storm King. Princess Celestia, I need you to reach out to our allies and gather all the information you can about him and his forces as well as informing them of our status and reminding them of their promises when we do leave our borders that we may call on them for support if not more.”

“Understood, Commander Luna,” Celestia bowed her head again, already mentally preparing all the letters and conversations she was going to need to make. “With your leave.”

Luna nodded her head, dismissing her sister before looking at Blueblood. “I will have the first war council at eight tonight, Speaker. Your presence, or your representative’s presence, will be required as well as a list of all the assets that your Court and our nation has that can be refitted to the war effort.”

“Understood, Commander Luna,” Blueblood bowed his head before turning to Fancy Pants and calling out to him. “Fancy Pants, with the Commander’s blessing, I wish to appoint you chief of public affairs, giving you the responsibility of reaffirming our people to the new normal as well as keeping them informed.”

Celestia was impressed and so was Luna; Blueblood was chief of public affairs by right as the Speaker of the Noble Court during times of war but he was aware enough that Fancy Pants would be received far better than he would ever be. “So done, Speaker,” Luna said. “We all have our duties and know what them to be. I will not hold you back any longer. You are dismissed.” Spreading her wings out, the court began to empty itself out before the Alpha coughed to draw attention toward him and the changelings present.

“I wish it to be known that the Packlands will honour our alliance to Equestria and will pour our assets together with Equestria’s,” the Alpha said with nobles nodding their heads. “I will contacting my packleaders shortly to inform them of this and see what my Observers know about the Storm King but rest assured, the Packlands are at war.”

“And so are the changelings,” Queen Tegmina said. “As the Eldest Queen, so do I decree it. I will consult my Queens and King to see what they know and if our talents can be used to infiltrate his forces. ”

“My forces as well,” Princess Cadance said, speaking up for the first time since they’d gathered. “Though the Crystal Empire will need time to prepare as my own people are still recovering from Sombra’s reign of terror.”

“You have my thanks and Equestria’s thanks,” Luna said, smiling at the trio before glancing at Thorax. “Also, King Thorax, I do believe that the court voted in favour of agreeing to allow you to base your hive in Equestria if you still wish to.”

“I do, Commander Luna,” the King said, bowing his head. “My hive, while the largest of the hives, also still needs time and safety to heal and recover from Chrysalis’ rule. Equestria is the safest place in the world for them to do so and most of my hive have already made lives for themselves here.”

“Then so be it.” Luna smiled at him. “Now, we must prepare. We have much to do, and less time to do it in.”

While Luna set off to meet with her military leaders and Celestia went to begin writing the letters she needed, she noticed the Alpha following after her. “Is there something you wish to speak of, Alpha?” she asked politely.

“A minor matter that I was recently alerted to by the changeling Queens,” the Alpha said. “But not here; your office should be sufficiently protected against eavesdroppers.”

Celestia nodded. “Very well,” she said.

When the two had reached the office and Celestia had sealed it, the Alpha turned to her. “I was made aware of your former student, and the world she now resides in,” he said.

“Oh.” Celestia was quiet. “And your thoughts?” she asked.

“I feel,” he said, “That this matter should be kept between just the few of us who know already. You see… I too have visited that realm.” He gave her a light smirk. “Starswirl’s mirror is not the only one that leads there. I personally, with the aid of a zebra shaman I knew long ago, also crafted a mirror leading there. I have been to that world, and seen its people and what they are like. And I personally feel they pose no danger to us, for its magic is so low-level that it is the subject of legends and stories only, believed mythical by the populace at large. Only outside artifacts can be used to trigger any magical usage, as with your other former student’s Element; there is one spot I found that may be of concern, but I believe it has ties to Harmony itself and possibly another Power, all of whom are firmly on the side of Life.”

Celestia felt relief. “Thank you for telling me,” she said.

“You are very welcome, Celestia.” The Alpha smiled. “Incidentally, my mirror alerted me the last time yours was used for travel. Soon afterward, I went across to examine the situation, and I have seen your former student there is doing well. She did not sense me, nor did any others; all they would have seen was a normal middle-aged man out for a stroll.”

He then gestured to her desk. “Let’s get to work, shall we?”

Celestia nodded, and so they began.

"Hey, Lus," Pharynx said softly. "Can I talk to you about something?"

Luna looked back at him fondly, stopping mid-stride as she was off to another council meeting. It had been several hours since the war declaration had been made and the replies from their allies were starting to come in, but already Luna was growing weary of the task ahead of her. It would be a far different war than what she knew and there would be many casualties before the papers of peace were signed. "What is it?" she asked, already grateful to have Pharynx as a momentary distraction from the duties ahead.

"What was all that back there this morning, about Powers and such?" he asked, walking alongside her, her bodyguards giving him the room to move next to her. As of now, he and Celestia were the only two allowed this close to her.

Luna felt her heart skip a beat at his question. "If I tell you this, I must swear you to the utmost secrecy," she said quietly. "Only a few outside of those who bear the mantles know; it is a rare thing for outsiders to be aware of the full truth. And even then there are some factors I cannot share yet."

"I swear," Pharynx said without a concern, showing her more loyalty than he possibly did to his own brother and King.

"All right." Luna let out a sigh. "The fact is that long ago, when the world came into existence, the creators crafted the first Powers - a set of entities with a Purpose, Role and Duties in this world. Since then, others have been created and granted to mortals who gave over their souls to a Purpose in order to become a Power. I am one of those former mortals, having been made the Lady of Night, whose task it is to raise and lower the moon and guide it on its path, while my sister became the Lady of Day, who has the same Duties regarding the sun. We are Opposites, existing to keep things balanced; some of these pairs, like Celly and I, work together in harmony while others are more violently opposed to one another."

"And Discord's another, huh?"

Luna nodded. "Yes, the Lord of Disharmony, to balance the Lord or Lady of Harmony. Unlike the other Powers, they each have a set of six sub-Powers. Chrysalis, as she admitted, was the Lady of Self-Centeredness, meant to balance the Lord or Lady of Generosity, until she broke the ancient Laws of our kind by attacking two others, unprovoked, and thus was stripped of her mantle by Discord. An act he was well within his rights to do, due to his own rank placing him over her."

"Huh." Pharynx contemplated. "Do all of them have Opposites?"

"All but one," Luna said softly. "The Judge. A true neutral. They can't be bargained with. They can't be reasoned with. They don't feel pity or remorse or fear. All they do is judge, determining a soul's fate upon its entrance to the afterlife. And their decision is final."

"Yikes."

"Quite," Luna said. "All one can do in the face of the Judge is hope that they have lived a life of goodness, in order to ensure that their place in the next realm is a happy one."

Pharynx looked at her for a moment. "Do all of these Powers have to go to different people?" he finally asked.

"Usually." Luna looked uncomfortable. "At the moment, I hold three myself. My Role as Lady of Night, you know. The second, I earned at a later date. The third belonged to a mare named Umbrea, who... persuaded me to attempt to merge our Powers, putting me into a position to outrank my sister. At the time, I had fallen prey to bitterness and jealousy over how Celly was so loved by our citizens, who offered adulations to the day and yet shunned my night. I agreed to let her in. At that moment, Nightmare Moon was born, and she held sway over me until Twilight and her friends, using the Elements of Harmony, banished her soul from this plane and sent her to her final Judgement." She let out a sigh. "None of them know that the mantle of the Nightmare remains within me."

“Not even Celly?” he asked her, looking concerned for her.

“No, not even Celly,” she said, leaning into him. “It would worry her to no end and I do not need her concern to cloud my mind now of all times.”

“So there is another thing I’ve been wondering about,” he said, rubbing his head against hers, bringing her comfort at the physical contact. “As well as everyone else.”

“Twilight,” she guessed with Pharynx nodding his head against her. “I do not know if I should try and recall her. No doubt the Storm King has his eyes on her as the rest of the world does but as she is on her way towards the Minos Islands before departing towards Aquastria and Ornithia, I feel it would be better if she were in more secured lands that would be capable of defending themselves and her opposed to having her make a direct return to Equestria where she can be captured in an ambush.”

“And until the minotaurs, Leo’s seaponies and the harpies answer your call to war, you can’t send a force to bring her back,” Pharynx said glumly with Luna nodding in agreement.

“Oh, for the old days when I could do as needed to protect those dear to me,” she sighed.

“About that Luna,” he said, causing her to bite her lip in frustration.

“I know what you are going to say Pharynx,” she said as she sought to calm herself. “I know the reality that will come that you will more than likely be on the front lines to combat his forces. I do not yet know if I am strong enough to face the future where you fall in battle, but please, allow me the luxury of living in a world where I do not have to think about such things yet.” She was trembling, tears threatening to ruin her makeup before she felt his hoof lift her head up to his.

“Actually, part of what I had in mind was to ask if you were planning to call Twilight’s friends here, to make sure they knew what was going on,” he said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head. “And to keep their families safe while you were at it.”

“Oh,” she said a bit shocked, blinking owlishly. “They are already being informed of the situation and my ponies are working to see their families be transferred here.”

He then surprised her by kissing her on the lips. “And of course I will stay by your side as long as I can, Lus,” Pharynx said softly, softer than she’d ever heard him. “I haven’t felt about anyone like I do about you ever before in my entire life. I can’t imagine my life without you and I-”

“I swear if you dare to propose to me right now, I will be furious with you as I will not be able to stop crying and that will make me late for my meeting,” Luna hissed at him with Pharynx rolling his eyes.

“Nothing like that Lus, just random rambling,” he said with a tease in his voice. “Besides, I couldn’t do that without a ring or your niece would peel my chitin off for doing it wrong.”

Luna giggled at that with Pharynx grinning back at her, the two making their way into the meeting room.

Celestia’s reply, mere hours after Twilight’s own had been sent off, now lay in her lap, and she looked disturbed.

“Something wrong, Twilight?” Spike asked as he turned away from the ship’s railing and back at her.

“No,” Twilight said. “Just what I expected would happen.” She sighed. “Keep an eye out, Spike. This next stop might get a little awkward, but if we can pick up some more information, it could mean a big difference in this war.”

“You mean, if some of the Storm King’s airships came from the minotaurs,” he said.

“And if they did, they might be able to help us track them.”

Spike nodded. “Let’s hope that’s the case.” He frowned. “I wish we knew exactly what this guy wanted, besides taking over the world.”

“So do I, Spike.” Twilight frowned again. “What I really wish is if we could find a way to find his general - from what Queen Novo said, when she showed what she was really like, she seemed so full of hate. If you or I could get through to her, that would solve a lot of problems.”

“Good point,” Spike told her. “Here’s hoping.”

“Me too, Spike,” Twilight said, pulling him into a hug. “Me too.”

Chapter Six

Rainbow Dash closed the alarm clock and went through her morning routine; washing up, feeding Tank, going to grab the mail, making her breakfast and seeing if one of the letters was from Twilight.

There weren’t any yet, which was disappointing, but she couldn’t expect her friend to write every single day. Still, she couldn’t help but hope.

Next on the agenda was the day’s weather, and other than moving a few clouds around, she figured the day should be mostly free to focus on her training.

Though that word was taking a whole new context with the war. Shaking her head, Dash made a rare decision to take a break from training to see how her friends were doing, though those rare decisions to take a break were becoming more less rare.

She shook her head; who knew Twilight’s little world tour would result in a full-scale war breaking out? At least, she thought to herself, We got wind of this guy before he showed up out of nowhere.

Her first stop was at Carousel Boutique, to see how Rares was doing. The two might not be as close as she was to most of their other friends, but she still wanted to be sure Rarity was doing okay, especially after the swoon she’d suffered from finding out about that other thing that Luna had confided to them. At least that maniac isn’t linked to her anymore, she thought. Wonder who the replacement is.

Landing in front of the shop, Dash raised her hoof to knock on the door only to have Rarity open it for her. “Come in darling,” she said without even looking at her. “We’re just sitting down to breakfast.”

“Thanks Rares,” Dash said as she walked into the kitchen, seeing that her friend had already had a plate and hot cup of coffee out for her. “So… how you doing?” she asked as she sat next to Sweetie’s empty seat as the filly was staying with her parents in Canterlot. Her own parents had also gone there as soon as they’d found out, and Fluttershy’s too - she pitied the team that had to deal with escorting her brother there. She still wasn’t sure if Pinkie’s had agreed to go in; from what she’d heard, Igneous Rock Pie and his eldest daughter could be very stubborn, though she knew Pinkie had told them to at least insist on getting Marble to a secured location, and to try and find Maud, wherever she’d gotten off to for her latest studies. She knew that both Granny Smith and Big McIntosh had insisted on staying at their farm to help run things, though Apple Bloom had gone to Canterlot with Sweetie and Scootaloo, and a few of the other younger Apples from around Equestria were also being sent there, especially from cities near the coast.

“Still a bit in shock,” Rarity confessed. “Imagine, all that… that news.” She sighed. “I shall have to thank Discord for his part though when next I see him.”

“Yeah.” Rainbow Dash shook her head. “Who’da thunk it? Though...” She tapped a hoof on her chin. “She was pretty selfish; that does sound like a total opposite of you.”

“Though I wish they’d tell us what this whole Power thing means,” Rarity said with a huff. “Granted I understand that everyone is busy at the moment but really, I don’t think being told more than I was the Lady of Generosity, she was my Opposite and all those surface names is too much to ask.”

Dash had to snort at that with Rarity looking at her. “Come on Rares, I thought you loved those Shadow Spade novels. This is just another mystery to figure out!”

“You’re right, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity said smiling to herself, perking up before blinking at her. “How did you know that I read those books, by the way?”

“You told Twilight, remember? I was there?” Rainbow Dash chuckled. “Give me some credit, Rarity, I do remember more than just stuff about flying and weather.”

“I’m surprised you recall that, it’s been a couple of months since I said it,” Rarity said with a chuckle before tapping her chin as she got into her zone.

“Well… it helps that they’re on a shelf in your living room,” Rainbow Dash admitted as she took a sip of her coffee. “And those ones you recommended to Twilight too. Should have known there was another reason besides mysteries that you liked them.”

“What do you mean by that?” Rarity asked a little huffily.

“The cat on the spines was a pretty big hint.”

“Oh.” Rarity blushed and chuckled. “I see your point.”

“Still.” Rainbow Dash thought. “I wonder who this Oathbreaking who’s my Opposite is. I don’t really know anypony who really fits that description.”

“You may never have met them,” Rarity pointed out as she got a notepad out and began to write on it. “For that matter, Chrysalis may be the only one of our Opposites that any of us have met. I certainly didn’t feel anything odd from her when we were in the same room, so we can’t count on that sort of thing to give us a hint.” She suddenly grimaced. “I certainly hope my new Opposite isn’t that Suri Polomare,” she said. “She may have been selfish, but I do not want to be associated with her ever again.”

A piece of paper suddenly materialized in the air above them, and she reached out and caught it, scanning the two words on it. “‘Think hedonist’?” she asked in confusion.

“Discord,” Rainbow Dash said with a sigh. “Must be his way of giving a hint.”

“If so…” Rarity’s eyes suddenly shifted into… well, Rainbow Dash wasn’t sure what, but it looked like she was deep in thought. “Ah-hah!” She quickly scribbled something down. “Whomever the new Lord or Lady of Self-Centeredness is, they must be somepony - or some non-pony - who practices considerable self-indulgence, and lives for pleasure and amusement.”

“Or, it could be someone who helps others do so for themselves,” Rainbow Dash said. “I mean, if you help others by giving to them, maybe it’s the opposite of that, where they help others by making them focus on themselves?”

“Another logical interpretation,” Rarity said, scribbling it down. She looked thoughtful again. “If I didn’t know better, I’d swear Pinkie was a logical candidate - she certainly lives for helping others find happiness for themselves, which brings her pleasure and makes her happiest.”

“Sounds like Pinkie, all right,” Rainbow Dash said. “But let’s assume it’s someone else for now. I don’t think having a part of Harmony and a part of Disharmony in the same pony would be a good thing for them, even if they’re not direct Opposites.” She shivered. “I’ve seen Pinkie depressed, I do not want to even imagine what she’d be if she had Sorrow in her full-time.”

“Yes, that is quite the disturbing notion.” Rarity shivered as well. “Having Night and Day in one pony, as Luna suggested as an example of Opposites working together, is one thing. But two polarizing emotions like Laughter and Sorrow are quite another.”

“Personally, I can’t help but wonder what Twilight’s going to think about her Opposite,” Rainbow Dash said. “I mean, Magic and Technology? She lives for putting sciency stuff together with magic; just look at how she was studying that chest we got before she had to go off. I saw the diagrams on her wall.”

“Maybe it is like you said before, it is not literal?” Rarity said with a shrug. “Or maybe they’re another example of two opposing Powers that can work well together.”

Rainbow Dash gave her a shrug back before looking at the clock and wincing. “Sorry Rares,” she said as she finished off her second breakfast. “I gotta go. Weather duty calls again; time to move another couple of clouds over to AJ’s place.”

“I quite understand, darling,” Rarity said. “It has been good to see you though. Shall we do this again sometime soon?”

“When I get the chance, Rares.” Rainbow Dash perked up. “Hey… maybe you and I and the rest of the girls could get together soon to try and figure this stuff out some more, huh?”

Rarity smiled. “That would be positively lovely,” she said. “Shall we say, this afternoon or evening? For dinner, perhaps?”

“I’ll pass it on, Rares. Gotta fly!”

With that, she headed out the door and took off towards the farm, doing her best to ignore the military field off in the distance and the growing wall around her home. As Ponyville was one of the closer towns to Canterlot and had all of them in it, it was deemed one of the more sensitive areas of Equestria that would have drastic consequences if the Storm King did make it this far into the country. Luna had prefered to be overprepared opposed to underprepared, and had called for defensive measures to be added as a precaution, along with calling in new recruits to build things up and Ponyville had the space to house said recruits.

She still wasn’t sure why Bon-Bon of all ponies had agreed to join the army right off the bat. The mare, as far as she knew, had spent most of her life making candy, and more recently teaching her niece to help out at the shop part-time. Not that the kid needed much help; those peppermint sticks of hers were delicious. But she had a hard time picturing Bon-Bon as a soldier.

Lyra had been inconsolable when Bon-Bon had announced her decision until a strange round of back and forth had led the two to proposing to each other and an impromptu wedding was held before the mare had finally left for training, leaving Lyra and her new niece-in-law’s mother Shimmy Shake in charge of the business end of the shop while little Twist and her father focused on the actual candy-making.

Rainbow Dash recalled how Rarity hadn’t even needed time to make the dresses; apparently this was one of the weddings her friend had been preparing for for a very long time. Rainbow Dash was still not sure if she should ask if she could see her dress, Celestia knew that Rarity had already made it, and ones for their other friends too. And a couple of tuxedos, just in case. The fashionista believed in being prepared.

Still recalling that, Rainbow Dash chuckled to herself; the only pony she knew who was anywhere near as wedding-crazy as her friend was Cadance, who had happily admitted to it when she popped in for Lyra’s wedding, having been invited by the bride long in advance. Rainbow Dash should have been surprised by that, but when Cadance reminded her that Lyra was one of her original choices of bridesmaids for her own wedding before Chrysalis took over, it all made sense.

She shook her head and wished she could remember all of that, but parts of it were still a blank after the massive sugar rush she’d had; she’d sworn off ever having any of Pinkie's Tutti-Frutti Sherbet Sugar Punch ever again after that incident.

Flaring her wings out she began to deal with the rainclouds over the farm, making sure the right parts of the farm got the right amount of water to help grow the apples and extra crops that Luna had asked Applejack to start growing. Armies marched on their stomachs, after all, and all the farms in Equestria were being asked to do a bit more at the benefit of tax bonuses.

Applejack herself was out in the fields when Rainbow Dash finished her work and swooped over the extra workers that her friend had employed to help with the extra crops being grown. “Hey,” Dash called out, ignoring the annoyed look the help were giving her but they didn’t dare say anything. After what happened with Slice, Granny Smith had called a meeting of the Apple matriarchs and instituted stricter guidelines for all those being hired at the farms to follow.

“Hey.” Applejack gave her the faintest of nods. “Kinda busy here… what’s up?”

“Dinner invitation. Rares’ place. Tonight.”

Applejack threw her a look. “Ah’ll see if Ah can make it,” she said. “Any particular reason?”

“It’s the five of us, if we can all make it,” Rainbow Dash said. “Thought we’d do a little brainstorming over this whole Powers business.”

Applejack sighed. “Ah’ll try to make it,” she said. “Gotta get back to work now.”

“Right. See ya!” Rainbow Dash took off, heading to her next stop. Sugarcube Corner was right along the way, and she knew Pinkie would be there. It was still operating as normal though she had heard some rumours that while they were also providing some of the provisions for the army base just outside of town, the shop might be asked to focus more heavily towards the army as things progressed.

When she dropped in, she saw Pinkie talking to a mostly gray mare with a purple mane and wearing a bluish frock. Seeing her, Pinkie instantly waved her over. “Hi, Dashie!”

“Hey, Pinkie.” Rainbow Dash walked over. “Who’s this?”

“This is my second-biggest sister, Maud!” Pinkie announced, pulling her into a hug that she somehow avoided being squished by, which made perfect sense as she was Pinkie’s sister. “She’s joined the army.”

“I hate to put my Rocktorate on hold, but if it’s to protect my parents and sisters, it’s worth it,” Maud said in a near-monotone. Yet Rainbow Dash could feel the absolute conviction in her voice. “Nice to meet you, Rainbow Dash. Pinkie, I’ll be back when training’s done for the day.” With that, she walked out.

“Wow.” Rainbow Dash shook her head. “She’s… calm.”

Pinkie nodded. “Maud doesn’t show emotion quite like I do,” she said. “But she’s got a super-big heart.”

“Right.” Rainbow Dash decided not to think too much about it. “Rarity’s invited us all over for dinner,” she said. “To talk about that stuff we found out when Luna came by?”

Pinkie nodded, suddenly serious. “I’ll be there,” she said.

“Great.”

Making a quick order, she accepted the baked goods from Pinkie gave her, and headed back out. Next stop was Fluttershy’s.

The other pegasus was outside feeding her animals when Rainbow Dash flew overhead, slowing down so as not to startle her or the animals. “Hey, Flutters.”

“Rainbow Dash!” Fluttershy looked excited. “Oh, it’s good you’re here…”

“What’s up?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Well, Mr. and Mrs. Hare just had another litter!”

“That’s great for them,” Rainbow Dash said. And she meant it. Fluttershy was always happy when things like this happened, and Rainbow Dash liked seeing her happy.

“The baby leverets are so cute,” Fluttershy told her. “They’ll actually be coming over soon; Mrs. Hare says they should be ready to watch after themselves in just an hour or so.”

“Sweet.” Rainbow Dash smiled. “Hey, Fluttershy?”

“Yes?”

“Rarity’s invited us all over for dinner tonight, to talk about the whole… well, what we and Discord have in common.” Rainbow Dash looked around. “Is he here, by the way?”

“He’s been very busy with helping Princess Luna,” Fluttershy said. “He says he’s doing as much as he can, without going against his Role and Purpose, but he also says it’s worth it.”

“Right.” Rainbow Dash nodded. “Well, if he’s able to help solve this problem somehow, good on him.”

Fluttershy nodded, then waved a hoof for her to be quiet. A moment later, a trio of little hares, already covered in fur, came bounding across the grass, and it took everything Rainbow Dash had not to squee. Sure, she wasn’t Flutters or Pinkie… but doggone it, they were cute little fuzzballs.

“Excuse me, Commander Luna,” Regal Banner, her bodyguard at her door, said as he poked his head through the door. “But she is back again.”

Luna sighed, and put down the intelligence papers she had been going over, and told him to send them through. They were starting to build up a picture of the Storm King’s forces and it seemed they were in for a troubling fight. Thankfully, Fancy Pants was doing a wonderful job at informing the citizens without scaring them into a panic and the country was gearing itself up for war, with the industry being shifted without too much ruffled feathers or protests springing up.

Though not everyone was truly accepting the new situation and were still fighting her in their own way.

Such as her.

Walking in her so-called military uniform, Spitfire directed a glare at her without so much as a salute as that uniform she wore demanded she do. The guards in her room narrowed their eyes at her presence, with Luna’s visible and hidden magic users already having their horns lit with colourless magic in preparation if something were to happen.

“Princess Luna, we need to talk,” the mare said, pawing the ground in frustration.

“That is Commander Luna for the duration of the war, Spitfire,” she said, doing her best not to sound annoyed. “I would appreciate if you could try to remember that.”

“And I would like the same for my title,” she shot back with Luna sighing internally while giving the mare a narrowed look of her own. “I just got your goons coming into-”

“Watch your words carefully,” Luna warned her. “You are acting brazenly informal to me and those who are serving our nation.”

“Your guards,” the mare spat at her. “Came to the Wonderbolt training arena and coliseum with a royal declaration that you are appropriating both of them!”

“That is correct, Spitfire,” Luna said, resting her head on her hooves. “Our winged portion of our forces need them for training and the needs of our army outweigh yours. Rest assured, you and your Wonderbolts will be compensated for their usages during the duration.”

“Ponyfeathers to that, Princess!” she snapped flaring out her wings. “I want to know why you have completely dismissed the Wonderbolts in all of your war councils and are pushing us to the side! We are Equestria’s elite airteam, we have been so since the founding of Equestria!”

Luna couldn’t hold back the snort though she knew it was wrong. “Perhaps in another time I would have brought the Wonderbolts into such meetings but you’ve long ceased to be a military force,” she said sharply. “You are entertainers with the strippings of a military structure that neither my sister or I have sought to remove formally as it was never worth the hassle. I ask you not waste my time in going through such motions now as every second is precious and leave my office now before I am forced to waste others' time by having you removed.”

“Buck it!” she swore again, slamming her hoof against the floor. “You are just making a general sweep of my forces; do you have any proof that you are right‽”

“Do you?,” Luna shot back, angry now. “If I were to call you to the battlefield to kill, would you be able to do so?” Luna rose from her chair and began to march over to the mare, who to her credit, did not flinch. “I am not even bothering to consider your team’s potential effectiveness right now, just yours Spitfire. Have you done anything the Wonderbolts of old have done to earn those stripes and their colours beyond simple seniority?” Luna stared down the mare who refused to blink or take a step backwards.

“Give. Me. The chance,” she snorted hotly and Luna found herself starting to smile. Far better than the usual complaints the mare had been lodging towards her over the last few weeks over the stadiums that she had been requisitioning for the army to use for training.

“Then do so, Spitfire,” Luna said. “Enlistment is open to all.” Except those who are clearly unfit, she thought to herself; a certain green pegasus stallion with a gold mane and a serious lack of stick-to-it-ness came to mind.

“I will,” Spitfire replied. “I will prove to you that the Wonderbolts still remember their roots.”

Luna nodded her head. “I will be keeping an eye on you and any ‘bolt that makes it through basic training.”

Spitfire was about to nod back before she stopped herself and slapped an almost acceptable military salute towards her. “Commander,” she said, sounding almost like the captain her ranks claimed her to be.

“Dismissed,” Luna said, watching the mare turn around and walk out the door. It was not up to military standards but Luna saw great potential in the mare and was looking forward to seeing what she could do.

“So,” Rarity was saying some hours later. “I have written down all that I know on the subject; this information is being kept strictly under wraps, of course.”

Applejack nodded. “Still find some of that stuff kinda disturbin’,” she muttered. “Ah mean, Lies? Oathbreaking? Cruelty? What kind of person would someone have to be to willingly spread those kinda things around?”

“They’re a balance of us,” Fluttershy reminded her. “Our Opposites. It’s only natural.”

“Still think it’s disturbin’,” Applejack said.

Pinkie nodded. “I don’t know if I’d be able to help myself,” she said. “If I ever met Sorrow, I couldn’t help but want to cheer them up, but… if I did that, I’d be making them go against themselves, and wouldn’t that be a bad thing?”

“Hey, Chrysalis spent years being a poor Self-Centeredness, and nothing happened to her for it until Discord stepped in,” Rainbow Dash reminded her. “A day or so of happiness wouldn’t hurt them. I don’t think, anyway.”

Fluttershy raised a hoof. “Maybe… maybe they’re supposed to help ponies express their sorrow when they need to?” she said hesitantly. “Instead of keeping it all bottled up inside?”

“Not a bad idea, Fluttershy,” Rainbow Dash said thoughtfully. “Crying therapy…”

“And a pony can’t be happy if they’re all sad inside, so they help them work through it,” Pinkie said. “I wonder… maybe there’s an Anger who helps ponies who get all mad all the time too!”

“If they are, it’s not part of this group,” Applejack said. “Might have to ask one of the Princesses or Discord.”

There was suddenly a whirl of motion on the ceiling, and a draconequus, a set of flames on the top of his head, appeared. “My ears are burning,” he said with a twinkle in his eye. “Somepony mention my name?”

“Hey, Discord,” Rainbow Dash said. There’d been a time when she couldn’t stand to be around him, but with all the effort they’d put in together, she actually thought he was kinda cool now. “Got some questions for ya.”

“Ask away, my prismatic friend,” Discord said. “Remember though, while Oathbreaking may be a sub-Power of mine, I am still bound by certain Laws. With what I am, it might make sense to disobey them… but as I always say, where’s the fun in making sense?”

“Right.” Rainbow Dash took a deep breath. “First off, any word from Twilight?”

“Not since the last time,” Discord said. “But our little Twi-Twi is quite the charmer. I do believe she is well on the way to solving one end of this problem all on her own.”

That made them all smile. “Second… any way you can tell us more about these Powers of ours?”

Discord shook his head. “I am at the opposite pole from you, remember? It would go against my nature to give away too much about these things. But, I can tell you that I can stay within my limits and still make one more major push towards ending this conflict. Disharmony and Chaos are one thing, but this fool seeks to unbalance the cosmos. And believe you me, she’s already unbalanced enough as it is! Ah,” he raised a claw as Rarity started to open her mouth. “Enough of that. I did hear your little talk on the nature of my various sub-Powers, and I can say you’re closer than you might realize when it comes to identifying what the Roles and Duties are for some of them.”

“But you can’t say who any of them are, huh?” Applejack asked.

“Not a one, though I can say they’re all far better as people than Chrysalis was.” He frowned. “I still don’t know how that one slipped by me for so long,” he muttered. “But I’m not about to let it happen again. Why, I found this one person who would make a lovely Lady of Lies some day, if the position ever vacates. Except for one thing.”

“What’s that?” Pinkie asked curiously.

“She is a complete and utter sociopath, and I refuse to let someone like that become associated with me.” Discord looked disgusted. “Untruths are one thing, but her behavior is beyond the pale.”

“Eesh.” Applejack shuddered. “Guess Ah’m glad not to be associated with someone like that either.”

“Well, in their own way, the current Lies is perfect for the Role,” Discord said. “They don’t mean what they say, they don’t mean what they do and they don’t mean what they are." He suddenly looked at his blank wrist. “Oh, look at the time. I must be off. See you for tea soon, Fluttershy.”

“Wait, one more thing Discord,” Rainbow Dash said, causing him to pause. “If things get really bad, can you bring Twi back?”

Discord looked at her, a vague smile on his face. “If all goes as it is heading now, this problem will mean she won’t have to be brought back.”

With that, he popped out, leaving five bemused and somewhat worried mares.

“Either he’s sayin’ somethin’ real bad’s about to happen…” Applejack muttered.

“Ooooor, the Storm King’s about to get his furry tush kicked all the way to Tartarus and back, so Twilight can keep on touring without worrying about him anymore!” Pinkie said.

“I do hope you’re right, Pinkie,” Rarity said. “For everyone’s sakes, I hope it’s you who’s right.”

“Come on, this is Twilight we’re talkin’ about here,” Dash said. “I mean, she managed to topple PVE without even being here. I’m sure she’s about to find a way to deal with that blowhard jerk so no one has to go fight.”

“And even if she doesn’t, Luna is pulling the world together to deal with him so she will be safe no matter where she is,” Rarity said, placing a hoof on Dash’s. “All we can do is…”

“Be supportive,” Dash grumbled but already regretting being dragged into this conversation again. Looking at Rarity, she could see the unicorn was also regretting her own words.

“Look Dashie,” Applejack said with a sigh. “Ah know ya want to go and help by joinin’ but ya have ta admit Luna was right.”

“I know that,” Rainbow Dash shot back. “I know we’re no doubt massive targets along with being these Powers, and I still agree with Luna keeping us in Ponyville for our safety but I don't have to like it.”

“You know, there’s one more thing we can all do,” Pinkie said cheerfully. “And cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye, I know what I’m talking about.” Her eyes seemed to glow.

“What’s that?” Applejack asked.

Pinkie, her eyes still gleaming, spoke in what seemed to be two voices. “Just cheer up and never ever give up hope!”

Then the glow faded, and she shook her head. “Wowie zowie, that felt weird.”

“Pinkie… what just happened?” Fluttershy asked.

“For a moment… I felt the edges of something more,” Pinkie said softly. “Girls, I think another Power just visited me. We had the same message for us all.”

There was a silence as they all tried to process this.

“Whoever that was, thank you,” Rarity said quietly. “Thank you, so much.”

A moment later, as they listened with eyes and ears wide, there was a twinkling in the air that seemed to say, “You’re welcome.”

Twilight let out a sigh. This was it; quite possibly the biggest and most important moment of her life.

It had taken her a lot of careful work to get this far. The minotaurs had proven very helpful, once she had seen their lands and proven her worth to them, and they had given her what she had asked for in both information and physical needs. She had found herself enjoying her time there; while many were as boisterous as Iron Will had been, they had also shown themselves to be a good-hearted people, and had been very welcoming to her even if they’d doubted her toughness at first.

She still didn’t think too highly of that Well-To-Do though. Of all the minotaurs she’d met, he was the only one of them she didn’t care for - there was something about him that just rubbed her the wrong way.

Now, she was halfway across the world from where she had started her initial voyage, in a land far from both Equestria and the Minos Islands. And now, she was ready to take that step she had decided on. A step that she knew put herself at risk, but if it worked out… well, then it would quite possibly allow her to save everyone.

With Spike back at the safe point she had chosen, she stepped forward, heading towards the place where the pony she’d been seeking was currently lairing. Hoping, above all hopes, that they would be willing to listen to her, and give her some answers.

Approaching the door that the innkeeper had pointed her to, she reached up and knocked. “Um, hello? Commander? Are you in there?”

Hoofsteps sounded, and then the door opened, revealing a tall, dark orchid mare with a broken horn. And Commander Tempest Shadow looked down at her, before saying just one word.

“Yes?”

Chapter Seven

“Commander?”

Luna barely held in a sigh as she looked up from the reports she was reading. “Yes, Regal Banner?”

“You have a visitor,” he said. “An… unusual one.”

Luna arched an eyebrow. “Send them in.”

A moment later, a draconequus walked through the wall next to the door. Literally, through it. Luna didn’t want to try and think too hard about how the mechanics of that worked; she was afraid if she did so for too long, it would start to make sense. “Discord,” she said. “News?”

Discord looked unusually solemn. “If your troops are ready, we can begin the attack,” he said.

Luna couldn’t hide her surprised look. “You’ve found them?”

“They’re all gathered together, just preparing for their next wave of invasion against Ornithia,” Discord said. “But, Lulu… aside from keeping an eye out for that other problem, this is probably the last time I can do anything serious to help for a while.”

“Whatever do you mean?”

Discord shrugged. “I’m the Champion of Chaos, remember? I need to be causing chaos; it's what I am. The little bits here and there are helping, but I'll need to cause more - nothing harmful, just chaotic - to get back in shape." A dodecahedron-shaped bubble formed around him, as he strained against it before its sides unfolded and released him.

Luna raised an eyebrow. "So that's why the walls of my chambers were sprouting noses all last week. I had wondered."

Discord chuckled. “Just one of my little jokes, dear Lulu,” he said. “You see, I’ve been working a little too much on the side of Order lately. It’s against my very nature. I can take them there, but after that, they’ll have to get back on their own.” An eyebrow lifted right off his face. “But if they can take over that fleet of airships they’ve got over there, for extra transport in a worst-case scenario and to keep them from being used against us, it shouldn't be a problem.”

Luna nodded. “You don’t know how thankful I am for this, Discord.”

“Oh, I have a pretty good idea,” Discord said. “But we need to do this fast, Luna. The timing is key.” His head morphed into an old-style skeleton key. “If there isn’t an army there to occupy them tomorrow morning - their time - it would mean disaster.”

“We shall be gathered as soon as we can,” Luna said. “Be ready.”

Discord nodded, snapped a claw, and vanished.

Opening the door, Luna faced one of the guards outside. “Call Commander Pharynx,” she said. “The attack is to begin soon and I wish to speak with him privately before the rest of the council arrives.”

Snapping a salute, the guard took off.

“I can feel you staring at me, bro,” Pharynx muttered as he went over his specialized armour again, inspecting it carefully before beginning to don it. “So either you say or don’t, Lus is going to be calling for another council soon and I don’t want to be late.”

Thorax had changed a lot in the six months since all of this had begun. He had really grown a spine, able to talk back to almost every Queen that tried to browbeat him and get himself treated as an equal among their court and the nobles. Alongside Fancy, Thorax had done an amazing job of reassuring everyone that everything was going to be okay though with some cheaty methods that Lus had reluctantly approved of. Seeing that eating some negative emotions had kept the worst of the panic and fear away had been a big selling point for her though the non-emotivore ethical aspect of it had troubled Lus for a long time, giving her a hard time finally falling asleep despite his best efforts.

Though in some other aspects, his brother had yet to finally grow up as he still had trouble talking to him for some reason despite Thorax being his King and thus the one others should defer to.

“I don’t think you should go,” Thorax said softly with Pharynx rolling his eyes.

“Come on Thorax, don’t be stupid,” he said as he put on his chest piece that would retain its protective abilities even when he changed shape, something that Celly had forced him to get but only after agreeing to have it done to every other changeling serving. Despite the massive investment of magical energy, Celly had agreed in the end to his demands. “First off, I am the elected Commander of the Swarm, I have to be there for our race. Secondly, Lus would kill me if I were to skip a council meeting for no reas-”

“No, not the council meeting,” Thorax said, interrupting him. “I mean, I don’t think you should go go.” he said as he tilted his head towards the window.

Pharynx took a look out the window and briefly recalled how Equestria was before this war had been declared. Though there was not much that was different, there were still changes everywhere. Walls had been raised in every city, with the guards nearly doubled if not tripled in size.

“Thorax-”

“Pharynx, it is too bucking dangerous for everyone for you to go!” Thorax interrupted him, suddenly looking angrier than Pharynx had ever seen him. “Do you have any idea how it’ll affect everyone if something happens to you out there‽ You’re one of the pillars keeping this whole force together; you’re one of the pillars keeping Luna together. If you’re lost, it’ll be like ripping the heart out of her chest, and if she falls...” He shook his head. “Celestia can’t take losing her sister again, Pharynx, and if Luna loses you, that’s exactly what will happen. And then what will happen to Equestria and the rest of the world?”

“Don’t you think I know all that‽” he hissed back. “I know I am a huge freaking target but unlike some people I could mention, I am actually capable of fighting and serving!” He slammed his hoof into his brother’s chest, which was slapped away. “I am one of the best warriors our races have right now, and I am not going to sit on my plot and do nothing while I can make an actual difference!”

“I don’t care Pharynx,” Thorax shot back, standing straight and using his damn height to appear forceful. “I am telling you, you are not going!”

“I don’t care what you say, Thorax,” Pharynx snapped, moving away form his brother to grab his helmet. “I’m going to be-”

“Pharynx, I am ordering you!” Thorax thundered as he teleported in front of him, catching the drone by surprise. “I am your King and you will listen to me!”

“Get out of my way, Thorax,” Pharynx hissed, lowering himself as training began to kick in.

“No,” Thorax said, lowering his own with their antlers almost touching as his brother leveled a hoof at him. “You will listen to me.”

“I told you, get out of my way,” Pharynx slapped the hoof away with Thorax snorting angrily before moving the hoof right back.

“Do that again, I dare you,” Thorax growled, pawing the ground. “Stand down now or else.”

“Or else what, Thorax,” Pharynx snorted into his brother’s face. “As if you ever have the guts to do any-”

With a chirp of surprise, Pharynx found himself shoved backwards. It took him a moment to realize that his little brother had actually pushed him backwards.

“I thought Chrysalis was the biggest bully in my life, but I am beginning to suspect that I was wrong,” his brother began to lecture. “You have been telling me what to do my entire life Pharynx and I-”

He was cut off when Pharynx tackled him, raising his hoof to smack in the face only for the younger brother to teleport behind him. Pharynx, reacting on training at this point, pivoted around and used his horns against his brother, slamming them into his chest which knocked his brother down onto his back, breaking the table behind them. Placing a hoof on his brother’s stomach to pin him down, Pharynx glared at Thorax. “Stupid idiot, when have you ever been able to beat m-” Pharynx was surprised by the sudden teleport his brother did and found himself tackled to the floor before he could react.

The two of them wrestled for what felt like ages but must have been merely a minute or so before they were pulled apart by their guards. Pharynx could feel the oncoming of a black eye already with a number of minor nicks and scratches on him, but Thorax damningly looked far better except for the watering eyes.

“You bucking idiot,” his brother snapped angrily. “You really don’t get it, do you? You’re all I have! You’re my brother, you insufferable gigantic asshole who made my life hell. Despite all the shit you did to me when we were grubs, I stayed by you because you were the only family I had left and I couldn’t imagine living without you! I still can’t imagine that and I don’t want to lose you Pharynx.” His brother began to hiccup, crying tears that somehow were causing Pharynx to cry as well. “I don’t want to lose you too.”

“You stupid idiot,” Pharynx muttered as he walked towards his brother. “How long - no wait, I don’t want to know how long. Thorax, look at me,” he said, placing a hoof on his brother’ shoulder. “It’s a big risk I am taking but it is my choice. I know where my talents would be best used to win this war so fewer people have to get hurt or die. It would go against everything I am to just sit back while I could do some actual good so few others could actually do.”

Thorax sighed. “Pharynx… I still don’t want to lose you. I know why you feel you have to do this...” He looked down. “Just promise me you’ll be careful. Please?”

“Big little bro, I guarantee you,” Pharynx said. “If I die out there, I’ll make damn sure I take the one who did it with me, and then I’ll come back to haunt you until you quit crying over me.”

“Thanks Pharynx,” Thorax said with a smile before wincing. “Sorry about the whole shoving thing.”

“Are you kidding me? I’m proud of you, you dork,” Pharynx said, pulling his brother into a hug. “You finally stood up to me and you landed some serious punches in there.” he chuckled before tapping near his eye. “This is going to be one hell of a shiner and Lus is going to ask questions and I am going to be in trouble for all of this.” He trailed off, gulping as he wondered how he was going to explain this to Lus without her getting pissed off.

“The meeting will now come to order,” Luna announced to her generals, admirals, flight commanders and every other leader in the combined forces now arrayed at her command. “Ladies, gentlebeings… this is it, what we have been working towards since the word first came in from Princess Twilight. We have the Storm King’s location, and we know his entire army is there. Very shortly, we will be moving out against him.

“And when we arrive, we are going to drop the heavy end of the hammer on he and his forces.”

She gestured to the charts behind her. “The basic plan is simple. Discord has assured me that a large enough force, landing outside his fortress and bringing sufficient presence to attract his attention, will lead him to send all his own troops out against us. While the majority of our forces confront these enemies, another team will break off and work to capture his fleet of airships - while we have our own, our goal is to also turn his ships to our use and prevent him from using them against us.”

“What about the Storm King himself?” one of the commanders asked.

“We have a plan for him too,” Luna replied. “Another small and elite team will be dealing with that end of things. Unfortunately, due to the strict secrecy involved, I cannot reveal who exactly will be in that team, though rest assured, I have the greatest confidences in them. Still...” she grimaced. “If worst comes to worst, we have backup plans, and backup plans for those. But I do not believe the first team will fail. Ladies, gentlebeings… this is our hour. We will triumph.”

“What of the fact that winter is upon us, Commander?” the minotaur aerial representative asked. “Aerial transport will not be easy in the best of weathers, and with the harsh winter storms upon us, it might be, however distasteful it sounds, to wait until spring is upon us. That’s not even considering our ground forces.”

“I have but two reasons for our attack to proceed now,” Luna replied. “First, Discord will be the one transporting everyone there, though for certain reasons he cannot be the one to being our troops back. So the storms won’t be an issue in regards to your ships. The hardship of winter will not only affect our soldiers but his too.”

“And even if it were the case that Discord were not moving us to him, such a foe we cannot allow another day to dig in,” Sharp-Fang, the Alpha’s representative, growled. “We must strike while he is unprepared.”

“What’s the second reason Commander Luna?” another individual, one of the Abyssinian representatives, asked.

Luna took a moment to compose herself. “The second is that in order to bring the Storm King down, the team responsible has to move at precisely the critical moment, when the signs are right,” she said. “Our own attack on his armies will be occurring at the same time - a mass distraction that should empty his fortress of all its soldiers, allowing us to eliminate them while simultaneously enabling the strike team to pass through unopposed.”

There were only a few more questions, all related to troop movement, and then the meeting adjourned. Soon after, the soldiers began moving into position for transport.

And then it began.

Looking around the place they’d settled in, Twilight shivered. This land gave her the creeps.

“You sure you’re up for this, Princess?” the mare next to her asked. Tempest Shadow had not taken lightly to Twilight’s initial overtures to her, all those weeks ago, but with time, Twilight had gotten through to her, made her question all that the Storm King had promised, and all that she had come to believe over the years.

Tempest had not taken well to the realization that she had trapped herself in a web of self-deception where she’d claimed she didn't have to depend on or trust anyone, and yet she’d ended up placing all her hopes in the Storm King being able to restore her horn, depending on him. She’d lashed out angrily at first, but Twilight had held firm.

Once she had calmed sufficiently, Twilight had further explained the observations she had made over the time they’d spent together, watching her interactions with the others around. She had pointed out that despite Tempest’s best efforts, she had made a friend in the Storm King’s service, in the form of the hedgehog that acted as her assistant. After taking a bit longer to think about it, she’d accepted that Twilight had a point. (And not just the one at the tip of her horn, as Pinkie would have said.)

Now, the two had come up with a plan, and Twilight was absolutely ready.

“I’m sure,” she said. “We’re going to sneak in, get what we came for, and get back out. Spike and Grubber are standing by for a quick escape; we just have to get to them in time.”

Tempest shook her head. “That little dragon of yours is surprisingly good with that skimmer,” she said.

“I know,” Twilight said. “But, he’s got better appendages for it than I do.” Spike, when she’d gotten the minotaurs to give her one of their smaller, speedier skimmers, had quickly proven an apt pilot with it. He was the one who’d flown them to the town where Tempest and her airship were temporarily docked, and had stayed close when she chose to make contact with the other mare. His concern for her and hesitance to let her go on her own at first had truly touched her heart, but she’d promised him that she would return safely, no matter how long it took. And she had, with Tempest and Grubber at her side. She still smiled at the thought of how Spike had interacted with the hedgehog when they first met; the two had quickly become fast friends.

Taking one last deep breath, Twilight looked to her newest friend. “Let’s go.”

The two headed into the fortress, mission firm in mind.

As the two climbed the stairs of the Storm King’s fortress, going higher and higher towards his throne room - Tempest acting like she belonged there, which she did, and Twilight following her with illusionary chains wrapped around her so she could pose as the other mare’s prisoner in case they ran into guards - a loud roar broke out outside.

“What in the world…?” Tempest wondered aloud, looking out a window to see a massive army. Dozens of airships, thousands of troops of all manner of species, even the crushing weight of eighty Taurus Majors had amassed outside with minotaurs riding them. At the lead of them all stood an armored and antlered creature, an unfamiliar species to her at first. Then her eyes narrowed; word had gotten around about these beings. “A Royal Changeling,” she hissed. “How-”

Twilight’s own eyes went wide, and she too looked out the window. As the call went out, massive doors at the front of the fortress began opening, the yeti troopers that made up the Storm Guard marching out to meet the arriving army. Then she realized.

“Come on, let’s go! While they’re distracted!”

Tempest looked surprised, but then it hit her too. “That chaotic friend of yours, he’s behind all this!”

“He did say he’d make a distraction,” Twilight said as she kept moving. “I guess this is it.”

“You realize that’s a real army out there, right?” Tempest asked. “Not just some illusion. People are going to get hurt and die.”

“I know,” Twilight said. “I’m not going to waste their sacrifice.”

Tempest shook her head. “You’re tougher than I thought, little Princess,” she commented.

“You’d be surprised how often I’ve heard that lately,” Twilight said dryly.

As the battle outside raged onward, the two mares continued on until they’d reached their destination.

“Here it is,” Tempest said. “The Storm King’s throne room.” She pointed. “And there’s the Staff of Sacanas. Come on.”

Twilight nodded. There it was, her goal… as she started walking towards it though, there was a flash from the far side of the room, and then a shape moved from behind the throne.

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” The tall figure that now stood before them was… well, he was not a species Twilight had ever seen before. An ape-like body, cloven goat-like hooves, a trio of clawed fingers on each hand… the Storm King. “A traitor, just like all the others, and a cute little princess. Bah! I hate cute! Doesn't really go with my whole "big bad powerful magic guy" thing, does it‽”

Twilight blinked at this retort, not sure how to properly react.

“Oh, did I surprise you?” The Storm King leaned in closer, even as he reached out and took the staff from its stand. “Not what you expected from an all-conquering king, was it? Well, that’s what you should have expected!” He threw his head back and cackled. “Unpredictable, that’s me, baby!”

Twilight shook off her surprise. “What I want to know,” she said, carefully sizing him up. “Is why are you doing this? Why all this conquering and destruction? Nightmare Moon was driven by jealousy, Discord by entertainment, Chrysalis by greed… okay, Sombra was just a complete maniac born from a dark magic cult. But what do you want?”

“Me?” The Storm King feigned surprise. “What do I want? Why, I’m gonna be a star, little princess! The biggest, baddest bad guy this world has ever seen! The Storm King isn’t just a person, it’s a whole brand! And when I get your Power, and all your other Princess’s and all the rest of your precious Powers, I’m gonna be a King across the whole wide world of universes!” He suddenly stopped, slamming the butt of his staff on the ground. “And you’re here to try and take all that away… well it’s not gonna work! Aroint ye!”

He pointed the staff at them.

Nothing happened.

Tempest sighed. “That’s not what that phrase is for,” she muttered as she shook her head. To think she’d followed this creature for as long as she had.

“Oh?” The Storm King feigned surprise. “Well, then how about this! Badda-bing, badda-boom!”

Lightning shot from the Storm King’s helmet, and then the battle was on.

Outside, Pharynx grimaced. The fight had been going on for some time now, and while the united armies of Equestria and its allies were holding their own, so were the Storm Guards. So far, they’d been able to keep casualties to a minimum, but sooner or later, attrition would set in. Hopefully for them, he thought. What he wouldn’t do for several yak soldiers right now but they had refused to permit any outsiders into their land for any reason, let alone hear them out, despite Celestia’s overtures towards them a few months ago. Hopefully they’ll be more receptive when Twilight makes her way up there, he thought.

He tackled one of the Storm Guards attempting to break the line, catching it on his antlers and throwing it back the way it had come, before hearing a loud, jackhammering sound, and looked over in astonishment to see a grayish Earth pony with a purple mane moving at speeds he’d never seen from one of them, their hooves piercing an enormous boulder that had clearly been thrown their way and was somehow being held in thin air by the sheer force of the pony’s blows before it split in two and shattered. The pony doing the work landed lightly, not even winded by all they’d just done.

All around the battlefield, his troops were doing their duties. Pegasi had brought weapons of lightning and hail, unicorns had their horns going almost non-stop, Earth ponies relying on raw strength combined with the tools of war they’d been given. Changelings and griffons fought side by side in the air, minotaurs fighting one-on-one with the bigger and bulkier Storm Guards, the wolves mixing rune magic with their fangs and claws. And other races fought in their own way too, each according to Lus’ careful planning and orders from her Generals.

It was the biggest, roughest battle he’d ever seen, and he was deeply impressed by the strength and determination that his troops were demonstrating in their orders.

Suddenly, a flash of light caught his eye. Far off, in a massive tower near the center of the fortress, he saw clear magic in use. Hesitating for only a moment, he flew over to one of the other generals.

“I think something big’s going on back there,” he pointed. “I’m going to go investigate.”

“Commander, what about-”

“Keep giving it your all, General! Just like everyone else here!” Pharynx barked. “I’ve got this!”

Then he flew off, heading for the other battle.

Inside the throne room, Twilight was not happy. This was supposed to be a quick in-and-out for the Staff. Fighting the Storm King, with or without help, had not been part of her plan. At the same time, she was relieved to have Tempest at her side; the other mare’s broken horn might have limited her variety of spellwork, but that didn’t mean her explosive or shock blasts - the only magic she could really perform anymore - were any less powerful.

Still, the Storm King was holding them off easily, intercepting blasts with nary a second thought and sending back his own gusts of wind and lightning.

Suddenly, there was a rush of movement, and the Storm King let out a startled “Gah!” as he was struck by a fast-moving object, though he quickly threw it off.

Twilight let out a startled gasp. “Pharynx?”

“Twilight?” The changeling commander looked just as startled. “What are you doing here?”

“Trying to get that staff, it’s-” She was cut off as she dodged another blast of lightning. “Aah!”

The Storm King now had an even uglier look on his face. “Oh look, another of your precious friends. Well, that just means one more way I can hurt you!”

“That’s what you think!” Pharynx shot back as he charged a blast of magic. “You’re nothin’ but an undergrown Maulwurf compared to me!”

Weaving a combination of spells together, he released a piercing burst of power that struck the Storm King directly on the chest, and should have penetrated it. But when it faded, the armor was only a little dustier.

“Ha-hah!” The Storm King crowed. “Did you really expect that to hurt me? I’m the Storm King, baby! I am the storm!”

Lightning flashed from his helmet again as he began blasting all over, the blows glassing whatever they hit. “Ba-ba-ba-boom, baby!”

Pharynx grunted as he dodged. “You know,” he said as he flew out of the way of another blast. “I am really. Starting to get tired. Of you!”

“Same here, bug-brain!” The next shot was even bigger, and this time Pharynx couldn’t dodge as he was knocked into a wall, with a bit of it crashing down on top of him.

“Phary-” Twilight was cut off as she too was blown across the room.

“Now,” the Storm King announced. “Now, Princess, your Power will be mine! And once I have yours, the rest will fall!” His staff began to glow, and magic began to flow out of Twilight’s body towards him.

“No!” In an instant, Tempest was there, body-slamming him away and leaving ruts in the floor as his hooves scraped across them. The Storm King growled as the flow of magic stopped, but kept his balance somehow and glared at her.

“Shouldn’t have done that, traitor,” he growled. “Not that I was ever going to give you your horn back, but now I’m really not!”

Tempest’s eyes narrowed, her broken horn sparking. “I should have guessed,” she growled back. “Princess Twilight was right.”

The Storm King chuckled nastily. “Now, now, do you really want that to be what they carve on your tombstone?” He suddenly plucked a black sphere, a glowing green light within it, from his side. “Or on you?” He threw it.

Tempest reared back in surprise as the orb shattered, the green light revealed as a gas that enveloped her, trapping her legs in stone that began creeping up the rest of her body. “You won’t win-” she managed before the rest of her body was totally petrified.

“AH-HAHAHAHAHAHA!” the Storm King whooped. “Man, that was more fun than I thought it’d be!”

“Monster!” Pharynx yelled as he pushed himself out of the debris, shifting into a larger form, though he was favouring one of his legs.

“Really, what gave it away?” the Storm King asked sarcastically. “Was it the face, the army, the cloven hooves?”

Before Pharynx could say more, the Storm King was hit by a purple blur. “You! Don’t! Touch! My! Friends!” Twilight yelled as she pummeled him.

It wasn’t enough; the Storm King knocked her away with a backhand. “Foolish little princess,” he spat. “You don’t touch the King!”

“Then I will!” Pharynx announced as he leapt on the King from behind. “Wouldn’t be the first time I punched a King!” He grabbed hold of one of the horn-like protrusions from the King’s helmet and pulled, twisting and breaking it off.

“My helmet!” Spinning and throwing Pharynx off, the Storm King glared. “You got any idea how hard it is to find someone who can work with these kinds of materials?” he demanded. “It’s gonna take me months to get this thing fixed! The whole image just gets thrown off without it!”

“So sue me,” Pharynx shot back. He charged again, morphing as he did so into a copy of the pony he’d seen in action earlier. I hope this works!

And then he copied her rapid movements, pummeling the Storm King’s armor faster than he’d ever moved before, cracking it all over.

With a loud crunch, the armor broke away, leaving a white furry chest exposed.

“That’s it! Now I’m mad!” the Storm King yelled. Twirling his staff and yelling, he charged.

And one of the shards of his broken armor came flying, stabbing into his wrist and causing him to flinch reflexively, his hand flying open and the Staff of Sacanas falling from it, only for Twilight’s aura to catch it and draw it away. The staff lit up as magic flowed from it into her body, and she looked refreshed.

“No! That's my staff!” the Storm King protested. “Miiiiiine!! Mine!!!”

Twilight glowered. “You want it? Then take it!” And she swung.

The staff’s glowing head crashed into the Storm King’s chest and sent him flying, the tyrant emitting a loud scream as he was knocked away.

His next thought, as he found himself in open air, was, Shouldn’t there have been a wall there?

In the midst of battle, it’s very easy to lose oneself in the action. To move on instinct, without noticing what one’s doing.

As something large and wildly furry like the Storm Guards they’d been fighting for the last while landed behind them, the Earth pony once known as Special Agent Sweetie Drops and now going only by Bon-Bon lashed out without thinking and plunged a sword into the chest of the being that had just hit the ground.

And she was so preoccupied by the next enemy to come her way, she didn’t even notice the Storm King’s lips move as he uttered his last words.

“Master… help me…”

In the throne room, Twilight was panting as she finally set the staff down for a moment. “It’s over,” she said.

“Not quite,” Pharynx (now back in his usual form) reported as he made it over to the window and looked out, one of his legs dragging a bit. “Still got a lot of cleanup to do out there. I don’t think these guys have noticed that their boss is dead yet.”

“Dead‽” Twilight looked distraught. “I didn’t hit him that hard!”

“No, you didn’t,” Pharynx agreed while subconsciously eating her dread and horror as he had been doing for his pony soldiers. “One of the troops got him. Don’t think they even knew what they were doing.”

Twilight still looked aghast. “That’s not what I intended,” she said softly.

“Hey,” Pharynx replied, a surprising gentleness in his tone as he cupped her muzzle. “It’s okay, Twilight.” He held her as she leaned forward, doing his best to soothe her like he did for Lus, though without the kissing and all the other stuff. “It’s okay.”

When she finally stood up again, she smiled, blinking away tears. “Thank you, Pharynx.”

Then she picked up the Staff. “I have to set things right,” she said quietly, and went over to Tempest’s petrified form, laying the Staff on her and lighting up her horn, the gem in the top of the staff glowing as well.

Green, glimmering magic began to flow out of Tempest’s body, and as it lifted away, stone turned to flesh beneath it. Finally, Tempest let out a gasp, and then looked at Twilight. “Is he…”

“Gone,” Pharynx confirmed. “Congratulations, ladies. You just helped stop a tyrant.”

“But I spent so long helping him, period.” Tempest bowed her head. “I have to do more…”

“You already have,” Twilight said, laying a hoof on her shoulder. “You did more than you know.”

Tempest sighed. “But I want to do more,” she said.

“Well, if you really feel that way, you could help keep an eye on me until this is done,” Pharynx suggested as he leaned against the wall. “That fight took more out of me than I realized.”

Tempest smiled. “I’d be glad to,” she said. Then her eyes widened. “Grubber!”

“I’ll get him,” Twilight told her. Taking the staff, she teleported away.

“What’s that mean, when it’s at home?” Pharynx asked.

“Grubber’s my assistant,” Tempest explained as she sat down next to him. “And… well, my best friend, I guess.” She held out a hoof towards the Royal Changeling. “Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. Commander Tempest, formerly of the Storm Guard until Twilight talked some sense into me.”

“Commander Pharynx, second of the Eldest Hive,” Pharynx said as he took her hoof and shook it. “Not that we’ve got the Eldest Queen anymore, and good riddance, but our hive itself is still the Eldest.”

Tempest smiled. “A real military stallion, huh?”

“I’m taken.” He said with a narrowed look. She gave him a confused look before he tapped his horns and she let out an ah.

“Well, whoever she is, she’s a lucky mare,” she said, fighting back a twinge of embarrassment.

“Thanks, I’ll be sure to tell Princess Luna you said that.”

Tempest’s eyes bulged for a moment, but the sound of a teleport and the sight of Twilight and Grubber popping in distracted her. “Hey,” she said instead.

“Tempetht!” The little hedgehog grinned. “I knew you’d do good here!”

“Yeah… yeah, we did.” Tempest smiled.

Seeing them together, Twilight smiled herself. “Tempest, Pharynx, Grubber… thank you all,” she said. “I’ll see you all again as soon as I can, I promise.”

“Wait, you’re leaving?” Pharynx looked startled, starting to rise before sliding back down. “Aren’t you going to come back now that this whole war’s pretty much done?”

Twilight shook her head. “I still have a lot of work to do, Pharynx,” she said. “A lot of places to go, and new people to meet. But I’ll still write, as soon as I can.” She smiled. “Give the Princesses and the rest of my friends my best, okay?”

“I will,” Pharynx promised. “And, hey… take care of yourself, all right? You and the little guy?” He looked around. “Where is he, anyway?”

“Back at our skimmer,” Twilight told him. “We really impressed the minotaurs.”

Pharynx grinned. “I’m sure you did.” He gave her a friendly wave. “Until next time, Twilight.”

“See you again, Pharynx.”

And then she teleported out again.

Dropping his hoof, Pharynx winced as he moved into a more comfortable position that would still let him keep an eye on the fighting outside, which seemed to be slowing now. “So… we wait?”

“Ooh! Ooh! We could play ‘I Thpy!’” Grubber lisped.

The two commanders exchanged looks, and then laughed.

A few hours later…

Luna was pacing when the signal mirror lit up, and she hurried to answer it, finding one of her top soldiers on the other end. Her heart almost sank at not seeing Pharynx, but she did her best to compose herself. "Ahem. How fares things, Captain Spitfire?"

"Nearly all good news, Commander," Spitfire reported with the barest hint of a smile. Since officially enlisting, she had more than proven herself and the Wonderbolts worthy of their name of old, and Luna felt certain that General Firefly (or Colonel Firefly, as she had known him in the days before her banishment) would have been proud.

Luna frowned. "Tell me the bad news first."

"The bad news is... Commander Pharynx managed to get himself injured, sir," Spitfire said with some reluctance.

Luna’s heart skipped a beat. "How... how is he?"

"That's part of the good news,” Spitfire said. “It's nothing life-threatening, more physical tiredness and magical exhaustion than anything, though there are some cuts and bruising and a bit of a limp in one leg. We've got him in one of the medbays now. According to them, he's going to make a full recovery, maybe some interesting scars when he gets out."

Luna felt a wave of relief wash over her: "That is... good to hear, that he will recover. What else?"

"Casualties are light on our side; we've basically wiped out those yeti soldiers and a majority of the Storm King’s followers are surrendering en masse when they saw how outnumbered they were. Oh, and the Storm King himself is dead.”

Luna’s eyes widened for a moment. “How?”

“Got thrown out of his own throne room and landed in the battlefield; someone stabbed him through the heart before they realized it was him,” Spitfire said with a grin. “We've got the body in custody."

Luna nodded. "What of enemy Commander Tempest? She could pose a threat if left to her own devices, might even rally his forces for a counterattack."

"Er... she surrendered, actually. Her and that little assistant of hers. Commander Pharynx vouched for her; says she and Princess Twilight were working together."

Luna was startled again. "Twilight‽" She calmed herself, returning to her military stance. "She was there? Where is she now?"

"She took off after the Storm King bit the big one,” Spitfire said. “Sir, Commander Pharynx is the only one of our forces who actually saw her, but he says she and Tempest snuck in to try and swipe that staff of the Storm King's from him, and wound up having to fight him for it before the Commander joined in. She took it away when she left. Oh, and she asked the Commander to give everyone her best and tell them that she'd be in contact soon."

Luna looked very relieved. "...That is good news indeed, Captain Spitfire. Is there anything more, anything urgent?"

"We’ve got enough ships to get home, both our own and theirs. That's all the big stuff, sir," Spitfire said.

Luna nodded. "All right then. Contact us when you have more key information."

"Will do, sir. Over and out."

The transmission cut off, and Luna heaved a huge sigh of relief. Finally, it was over.

And Pharynx will be all right! another part of herself cheered. Straining her ears, she could hear the joyous cries that were coming from the city as the news of the end of the war began to spread. Looking out the window, she could see fireworks being shot into the sky amid the snow raining down into her city with spontaneous celebrations starting to form. She knew if she were to step onto the balcony now, the ponies would forever favour her over her sister but she would not do such a selfish thing.

Her nation was at peace and that was enough for her.

Chapter Eight

A day after receiving word of victory, Luna stood at the head of a council chamber. This time though, she was beaming, with her sister, the first five Queens and one King of the changelings to come to their land, the five Bearers still in Equestria (whom she had called in from Ponyville especially for this event), and Prince Blueblood in his role as Speaker of the Court all present for her news; the formal announcement would be made to the other world leaders soon afterward, but Luna had wanted to limit the number in this first gathering.

"My friends," she began, "As I’m sure you all know by now, except for the shouting, the war is over."

The grins she got in return matched her own, and Luna continued. "The Storm King himself is dead; his body in our soldiers’ custody. His primary magical weapon is now in trusted hooves and his lead commander willingly surrendered to us after having assisted in his downfall. Commander Pharynx has personally vouched for her, and she will be returning to Equestria with he and the rest of our forces once they have finished recovery work and breaking down their camp.

"What's more, Princess Twilight Sparkle herself has written to us, to inform us of her own role.” Luna tapped the letter she and Celestia had received not long after the first contact from Captain Spitfire. “It would seem that she was the one to suborn Commander Tempest, winning her loyalty to the point where she aided Twilight in invading the Storm King's fortress and, after fierce combat with he on one side and Twilight, Commander Tempest and the unexpected aid of Commander Pharynx on the other, the three of them were able to take away his magical weapon; Twilight has it with her and intends to find a way to disable its powers as she and young Spike continue on their journey. Before she left the area, she asked Commander Pharynx to give us all her best, a message she reiterated in the letter she sent us afterward."

Thorax raised a tentative hoof. "My brother... how is he?"

"Mild injuries, but he'll make a full recovery within a short time," Luna assured him. "Casualties overall were light; your sister is completely unharmed, Pinkie.”

"Never doubted it!" Pinkie chirped.

Luna smiled. “Furthermore, as I understand it was one of her own techniques that inspired Commander Pharynx to perform an attack that was key in the Storm King’s final defeat, shattering his armor and leaving him vulnerable to the killing blow." She gestured to Celestia, and the elder alicorn stood.

"In addition,” she announced. “I have been informed that it was not Twilight who dealt the Storm King the death blow, but one of our own soldiers, for which I am very relieved. While our youngest Princess has grown and matured much, I feel much better knowing that she did not have to take a life.”

She nodded to Luna and sat back down, allowing Luna to continue. “The one responsible did so after Twilight knocked him out a window and into the midst of the battle,” she explained. “As I understand, he was taken quite by surprise."

“So when are they getting home?” Rainbow Dash asked. “The troops I mean.”

“As I said, they will be leaving that place once they finish sorting everything out and are all aboard their airships, which shouldn’t take more than another day or so,” Luna said. “I would expect about… a week for them to fly home; I have already explained why Discord cannot simply bring them back sooner,” she said as she saw Rainbow Dash start to open her mouth again.

“Not what I was going to say,” Rainbow Dash said. “I was going to ask, is it safe for our families to come back home now?” She looked down. “I miss seeing Scoots around.”

Luna smiled. “The evacuees will all be returned to their homes within a day or so,” she said. “If not this very day.” She frowned. “I know one our Guards are looking forward to not having to see around here.”

Fluttershy sighed. “I’m sorry you had to put up with him,” she said. “But Zephyr just can’t help being… well, Zephyr.”

“Quite,” Luna said dryly before turning her head towards her sister and then Blueblood. “As the war is over, Speaker of the Court, I do hereby relinquish my title as Commander so long as peace reigns.”

Blueblood nodded. “As Speaker of the Court, I do hereby oversee the transfer of leadership from Princess Luna to Princess Celestia,” he said. “Princess Celestia, do you accept this position?”

“I so accept,” Celestia said.

“So it is witnessed, so it is done.” Blueblood bowed to both Princess. “And I wish you both the best in your future endeavors, my Princesses.”

“Luna, may it be my first act to raise you to my equal in authority,” Celestia said, bowing to her sister. “Once we were equals, and I wish for Equestria to see you in that place again.”

“I accept this act with gratitude, Celestia,” Luna said. “May our reign be a peaceful one from this point forward.”

“May it be so,” Celestia said solemnly.

“So it is witnessed, so it is done,” Blueblood said with everyone else applauding in approval. “And on a personal note, may I say it is quite frankly a relief to know that being is no longer a threat to our world.”

“I believe you speak for the majority of Equus’s population in that regard, dear nephew,” Celestia said.

“Ain’t hard with everyone done celebratin’ outside,” Applejack said.

“Oh just wait until our soldiers get home,” Celestia said with a knowing smile. “The festivities then will be even greater. And speaking of which.” She suddenly looked solemn again. “There will be a private ceremony that I wish you all to witness,” she said.

“What kind?” Thorax asked.

Celestia looked to him. “A presentation to one of our own,” she said. “You know this mare as Bon-Bon. But for a long time, I knew her as Special Agent Sweetie Drops, from one of our top monster-hunting agencies. S.M.I.L.E. was shuttered years ago, its agents all given new names and lives, and I shouldn’t have to say it, but I must - its existence is still a highly-kept secret, and I am trusting all of you to keep it so. I will have to inform the Alpha that you now know, by the way,” she told the Royal Changelings. “He’s been aware of it for a very long time, since his Observers had actually helped with some of their missions.”

“We fully understand,” Queen Tegmina said.

Fluttershy raised a trembling hoof. “W-what kind of… monsters did they handle?” she asked.

“Only those that had actively sought to invade settled territory and cause harm to the people,” Celestia reassured her. “These creatures, when it is confirmed there is no reasoning with them, make up the majority of Tartarus’s prisoners. The bugbear that escaped, for instance, was one such capture by them.” She smiled before continuing. “At any rate, when the call went out for new soldiers, many of S.M.I.L.E.’s former members chose to enlist.”

Rainbow Dash smacked her hooves together. “So that’s why she joined up in such a big hurry!”

“Exactly,” Luna said. “As to why she in particular is being honored...” She shook her head. “It has been centuries since Equestria has been involved in a full-scale war, but during such events in the past, we would grant certain key soldiers these awards for their role in helping to restore peace, and it is a tradition that we always intended to keep up, though the hopes were that it would never again be necessary.”

Pinkie suddenly raised a hoof. “If Bon-Bon isn’t really Bon-Bon, does that mean her family really isn’t her family?” she demanded.

“Actually, they are,” Celestia said. “We were able to find her a home in the same town as a distant cousin of hers who’d never met her before, to help her settle in. He does not know she was a part of S.M.I.L.E., only that she was in a form of witness protection.”

“Okie-doki-loki!” Pinkie sat back down, satisfied.

“Does Lyra know?” Rarity asked, somewhat hesitantly.

“She does, and she has already been sworn to the same secrecy oaths,” Celestia answered. “Bon-Bon asked me for permission to inform her of the truth when she decided to enlist, and I granted it.”

“I guess that’s why she was okay with her enlisting in the end,” Rainbow Dash said.

Celestia nodded. “My only regret is that I couldn’t have joined Cadance in attending her wedding, but I was needed here.”

“We have informed Mrs. Heartstrings that her wife is alive and unharmed,” Luna said. “The letter went out at the same time we called the five of you from Ponyville - and we made sure to include an exterior mark she would recognize as a sign of good news on it, so as to avoid causing her to panic.” She looked down. “There had been some issues with that in my time,” she said.

“Smart thinkin’,” Applejack said. “So Ah’m wonderin’, what’s going to happen ta all of those varmints we captured along with that Tempest ya mentioned before.”

“Those who surrendered will be tried in courts, with punishment to depend upon the extent of their personal actions in the Storm King’s service,” Luna said. “As for Commander Tempest… she will be among those, though I expect a more lenient sentence will occur in her case, given her personal role in the Storm King’s downfall. She has already expressed what Commander Pharynx identified as a sincere desire to atone for her crimes.”

“It would be a shame to punish her for all the good she has done for us,” Rarity said with a slight huff.

Celestia smiled. “I expect, given what she achieved and whom is vouching for her, that she will be handed down a life sentence of service to Equestria, helping to protect it from future threats,” she said.

“So what do we do now, princess?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“We just wait for everyone to come home,” Celestia said. “Soon, life will be as it was before all this began. Though we will be maintaining closer ties with our allies in order to keep better watch for such threats. The Storm King’s build-up of an army and war of conquest should not have gone unnoticed for so long.”

“And we will be working to see how this even happened,” Luna promised. “And we will do our best to make sure it will not happen again.”

“As will we,” Queen Tegmina said. “As we all will.” She gestured towards the collected changelings in the room, all in agreement. “And when the formal statement is made, I expect all the rest of our allies will feel the same way. I know the Alpha has already expressed similar sentiments.”

“That doesn’t surprise me, given the comments he was making when this started,” Luna said. She frowned. “What does surprise me is that the yaks refused to join in. Normally, they would love a good battle, regardless of the cause.”

“I was surprised too,” Celestia told her. “Hopefully Twilight will have better luck when she gets there.” She tapped the letter. “It’s still a few stops away though, based on the last agenda she included.”

“Where is she going next?” Rarity asked.

“Aquastria, home of King Leo and his people,” Celestia said. “In the western oceans. Then on to Ornithia, home of the harpies. I think Yakyakistan is going to be one of her last stops before coming back here.”

In the back of the room, Queen Scolopidia couldn’t help but growl a bit, and Celestia couldn’t blame her, given the Queen’s history. She quickly changed the subject. “At any rate, she still has several places she intends to visit; as I recall, she seems to be making a spiral in her current route, going from Ornithia into the southern areas of the continent to visit some of the lands down there, then back across the eastern oceans to the Dragonlands.” She looked a bit bemused. “I think Dragon Lord Torch has actually expressed some interest in meeting her, after hearing of her interactions with the Alpha,” she said.

“After that, another pass north to griffon territory, back across the ocean to the Yaket range to check on something there, and then Yakyakistan. And then her last stop, or nearly so, should be Dimondia on her way back south to here; they’re on the northern borders of the Packlands,” Luna explained.

Applejack chuckled. “That’s our Twilight,” she said. “She always has a plan.”

“But… how’s she planning to get that far?” Fluttershy asked. “Not all of those areas have easy transportation. And she can’t teleport all that way.”

Luna chuckled a bit. “I’m surprised she didn’t tell you,” she said. “Apparently, she impressed the minotaurs enough for them to give her one of their airskimmers; a smaller model, but still sufficient for a pilot and four or five passengers, and fast and durable enough to make the trip with ease. And young Spike has proven himself an apt pilot with it.”

“Really?” Rainbow Dash grinned. “Way to go, Spike!”

“He is a drake of many talents for one of such young age,” Luna said with a smile. “He will do well in the Dragonlands.”

Queen Remigium coughed loudly, drawing attention to herself. “I’ve been meaning to ask though with the war going on it seemed improper to do so,” she said. “Just where did you get his egg from, anyway?”

The Royal Sisters exchanged glances, and then Celestia sighed. “The truth is, I discovered it during a past visit to the Dragonlands,” she said. “Several centuries ago. As you may or may not know,” she said to the five Bearers, “Dragon eggs are typically gathered up into a single communal location, where the ground is kept warm to encourage them to hatch; the parents take back their hatchlings afterward. This one, however, had for some unknown reason failed to hatch with the others of their generation, though I still felt a spark of life within it.”

Fluttershy squeaked, but when the others looked at her, she blushed. “Eh-heh. Carry on.”

Celestia nodded. “Since this hatching ground had been abandoned and nodragon around cared when I asked, having evidently given it up for a dud, I took it with me and entrusted it to the School for Gifted Unicorns in the hopes that one of the prospective students would find a way to hatch it. There have been a number of attempts over the years, until Twilight finally succeeded, to my surprise and great relief.” She smiled. “After that, I had to find an alternate test for more promising students when they were taking the entrance exam, since Spike’s egg was the only one I had.”

Remigium nodded her head, the Queen uncaring to make a proper reply back but they were used to her at this point. She still had refused to accept a Pinkie Party though, much to the mare’s frustration.

“At any rate, he is very happy with Twilight and her family, and they with him,” Celestia said. “Twilight Velvet has been calling him her grandson for years, and her husband feels the same way, though as I understand, Shining Armor was a little uncomfortable with the idea for quite some time, seeing as that would mean his baby sister was Spike’s mother, a role she has quite happily taken on. I believe he preferred to see Spike as a younger brother instead due to the age differences.” She smiled. “My niece, on the other hoof, has said she would be his aunt, his sister-in-law or any other family position he needed her to be.”

Rarity glanced in Blueblood’s direction, the stallion shifting uncomfortably on his hooves as he noticed her doing so. “Does that mean that your nephew…”

“I am more of an honorary member of the family,” Blueblood said. “My bloodline descends from Princess Platinum herself, and the Princesses have always considered us honorary nieces and nephews since they took the throne, per agreements made between the Royal Sisters and the unicorn royal family when it first happened. I do accept Cadance as my cousin, seeing as she was also adopted as a niece of my aunts upon her ascension, but we are… still somewhat distant, since her interests always lay in different areas from my own. As for Twilight and her family, my interactions with them have been few and far between for much the same reason.”

“I am sorry, everyone, but we do need to prepare to meet the other leaders,” Luna said suddenly. “I do thank you all for coming, and I apologize for having to cut this meeting short.”

Everyone made their own noises or gestures of acceptance, and with that, the Royal Sisters rose and departed.

“You did well, Luna,” Celestia said to her. “You protected as many of our ponies as you could, and you saw us through these dark times. I can’t thank you enough.”

Luna blushed. “It was a team effort, even with myself in official command,” she said. “I don’t know as I could have made it alone, without your support and that of Commander Pharynx.”

Celestia gave her a knowing smile. “Yes… Commander Pharynx,” she said. “And I owe him a great deal for helping you as he did.”

“Celly…” Luna warned.

“What?” Celestia’s smile was still there. “That was all I had to say on the matter, though…” she leaned in closer. “If he should ask you for what I expect he will some one of these days, he has my full support. You both do.”

Luna smiled. “That means a lot to me, Celly,” she said. “More than you will ever know.”

It had been just over a week since the news first came in and the war was declared over, and finally, the first of the veterans were due to land in Manehatten with a massive parade in their honour planned with similar celebrations due to begin in every other city in Equestria. Even though they had already celebrated once, one thing that Equestria was able to do beyond any other nation was to throw a party.

The weather had been cleared to ensure crisp but sunny skies despite it being the day before Hearth’s Warming, but no one was complaining about the lack of snow on the streets and sidewalks. And it would be covered in paper and streamers long before the day was over, though few would mind if it meant that they would have their friends and family home.

All were were eagerly waiting for the first ship to land at the docks, with Princess Luna standing eagerly at the podium, stretching her neck out and uncaring of the light giggling her sister was doing at her behest. It was too grand of a day to be put off by anything and Luna was eager to see her changeling coming home, along with her other soldiers.

Tilting her head as she felt her sister’s hoof on her back, Luna turned to see Celestia smiling at her and Luna returned the gesture, with the crowd beginning to cheer before it became a roar as the first ship came into view with a dozen more flying behind.

With her eyes being sharper than most beings, Luna was able to see Bon-Bon, Spitfire and her Pharynx along with the other heroes of the war at the bow of the Stormbreaker, the flagship of Equestria’s navy. She was not sure how he knew but Pharynx appeared to be aware she was looking at him as he grinned wider and tipped his head towards her.

Within moments, the Stormbreaker landed at the dock with the crowds cheering even louder, until finally, the gangplank had lowered and the first of the returning soldiers had disembarked.

As the numbers grew larger and the lines of ponies and non-ponies alike came along the path marked for them, they finally reached the area in front of the podium, looking up to Luna and her sister.

Luna was barely able to hold back the surge of emotion she was feeling, as she began to speak. “Citizens of Equestria - of the world,” she announced. “It is my great pleasure to greet our heroes. And to begin with, I have but two words.”

The crowd’s eyes and ears were all on her as she spoke them.

“Welcome home.”

“Excuse me, Princess Luna,” Pharynx said as he walked up to her with the slightest of limps, though still regal in his armour. “There is something I need to ask you and I hope you give me a quick answer as my leg really hurts,” he said as he began to kneel down with the crowd holding their collective breaths and pulling out a small box. “As you threatened me before not to ask then, I will ask now. Will you marry me?” he asked as he opened the box to reveal a horn ring with the most dazzling of gems she had ever seen.

Luna did not allow him a moment before pulling him into a kiss with the crowd erupting in even louder cheers with Celestia herself sending magical flares soaring into the sky to explode with a mesmerizing set of colours. Finally allowing him to breathe, Luna stared at her changeling who was giving her a goofy grin.

“I take that as yes, Lus?” he grinned with her snorting happily over the microphone.

“Oh shush, and put that ring on me already,” she said before kissing him again with his magic lifting the ring and lowering it down her horn; the day already becoming a blur to her.

She barely heard her sister stepping up to take her place at the podium and start making a speech of her own, so intent was her focus on the changeling she loved, though she did hear more than a few cheers still directed towards them. Finally though, she felt a tap on her shoulder, and looked up to see Celestia standing there.

“You two can finish that in your rooms, if you don’t mind,” she said with a bit of a smirk. “There are foals present.”

Luna gave her a stinkeye before reluctantly pulling her face away from Pharynx’s.

The celebrations that followed were ones that would still be talked about for years to come, Luna reflected later. Hers was far from the only happy reunion, as she saw Lyra and Bon-Bon giving she and Pharynx a run for their money as they kissed under a conveniently-placed sprig of mistletoe, while Pinkie gave her sister a hug that would make even a bear flinch, so strong it was. Maud Pie, however, barely reacted other than the faintest traces of a smile. In comparison, her parents’ welcome back to her was far more reserved; the fact that Igneous Rock Pie and Cloudy Quartz had even made it off their farm was a miracle, and neither of their other daughters had shown, though Luna heard Igneous saying “Limestone sends her regards” to his second-born. It did not surprise her that Marble Pie was absent; the youngest of the siblings was even more painfully shy than Fluttershy.

In one corner of the massive room where all had gathered, she could see Spitfire happily talking up both Rainbow Dash and her Wonderbolt teammates, while in another, Applejack was chatting with some cousins of hers who had gone off to fight. Rarity was in a spot of her own, listening to some other ponies while a shorter amberish gray mare stood by her. Similar scenes were occurring all over the room, and she found herself wishing Pharynx could be by her side for the entire thing. He, however, had eventually had to excuse himself to visit the medics again, and King Thorax had accompanied him, chirping happily to have his brother back as well as to hear the news he had proposed.

She suddenly noticed the presence of another mare coming up beside her, a small creature with a shock of spiky gray hair running down his back waddling by her side, and turned to greet them. “Commander Tempest, Grubber.”

The unicorn with the broken horn bowed deeply. “Princess Luna.”

“Equestria owes you much thanks, for assisting our youngest Princess in dealing with a great threat,” Luna said.

Tempest Shadow nodded. “I owe her, for helping me realize what a fool I’d been all these years,” she said. “I can’t believe I let myself fall for that monster’s lies.”

“Well, from what I’ve read in the reports I was sent, you got one good thing out of it,” Luna said as she gestured to Grubber.

Tempest smiled. “Yeah… yeah, I did,” she admitted. Then she looked more serious. “Princess Luna, I am formally asking, on behalf of myself and my friend. What can I do to serve Equestria in order to atone for my actions?”

“Oh, I’m sure we can think of something,” Luna said. “The details will be worked out later. For now, why don’t you two go and enjoy yourselves?”

Tempest hesitated. “I’m… not sure that’s such a good idea,” she admitted. “I never was much of one for socializing, even at the parties my old boss threw us after a successful mission.”

Luna raised an eyebrow.

“For all his faultth, he knew how to keep hith people happy,” Grubber said. “But being with Tempetht ith what maketh me motht happy.”

“I see.” Luna was silent for a moment, but then smiled. “Well, whatever it is you two desire for the evening, just let me know. And if you wish to stand by me, that’s fine too. I look forward to getting to know you better, Tempest.”

Tempest looked embarrassed. “Actually, that’s not my real name,” she admitted. “When I left home, I tried reinventing myself. Using new names was part of that. I only started calling myself Tempest Shadow when I joined up with the Storm King.”

“Oh?” Luna raised an eyebrow again. “And what was your original name, if I might ask?”

“It’s…” Tempest looked even more embarrassed. “Fizzlepop Berrytwist.”

Grubber let out a delighted laugh. “Really? That’th awethome!”

Luna’s eyebrow was even more arched. “Well, whatever you choose to call yourself, I am proud to call you a friend of Equestria now.”

“Thank you, your highness. And… I’ll stick with Tempest Shadow, for now.” She shrugged. “Might get a little confusing otherwise.”

“I quite understand, Tempest.” Luna said with a smile before her ear twitched. “I do believe my sister is on her way to talk to you and do try to act surprised when she offers you that surgery; I understand a mare of her age likes to surprise people still. I have a changeling to find and goose and demonstrate to the other mares he is mine.”

“Wait, surgery, what surgery?” Tempest asked as Luna walked off to talk to an important so and so while her sister slid right in front of Tempest.

“Commander Tempest,” Celestia said politely as she looked the other mare over. “I see you’ve met my sister.”

“Oh, we have, we have,” Grubber said eagerly. “The’th nithe.” He grinned. “And tho ith Printheth Twilight!”

Celestia smiled. “You liked her, did you?”

“Oh, yeth! Thee got Temptht out of her deep blue funk that the’th been in for tho long!”

Tempest looked mildly irritated, but sighed. “Grubber has a point,” she admitted. “Princess Twilight got me to believe in friendship again, when I’d thought it was just a lie ever since I was a little filly and lost… well, this.” She gestured to her horn. “I will never regret listening to her.”

“Twilight has a gift when it comes to making new friends,” Celestia said. “And speaking of which… I understand that part of the reason you joined up with the Storm King in the first place was because he promised he could restore your horn?”

Tempest nodded. “I’d always been told there was no way to do it. He promised a miracle, a promise he never intended to keep.”

“Well, perhaps not a miracle, but there are ways.” Celestia looked at her. “The technique has only been properly developed in the last decade or two, but we have learned how to graft the horn of one unicorn onto another. It is usually only required in severe cases, such as a filly having a surge so powerful it shattered their horn, but one being broken in an accident would also qualify. It won’t be easy, and it is rare, but the same could be done to restore yours.”

Tempest looked genuinely startled. “But… how? Who would give up their horn, their ability to use magic, no matter the recipient?”

“The dying, Tempest Shadow.” Celestia looked down a bit. “Lifespans may have increased, but Death still comes for all mortals in the end. An elderly unicorn who has little time left would gladly give their horn to one in need; the graft works best if taken while still alive, and it would not shorten their lifespan any further.”

“And you’d do that… for me?”

“You are a friend to one who is among the nearest and dearest to my heart, Tempest. Yes, I would do so.” Celestia smiled.

Tempest looked down. “I don’t know what to say,” she admitted.

“Just let me know when you do,” Celestia said. “Oh, and… how was Twilight, when last you saw her?”

Tempest thought. “Well, she seemed a little dismayed over the Storm King’s death - she just wanted to take away his Staff, figured it would leave him unable to cause any serious harm anymore. Other than that, she was doing pretty well.”

“Yes, she told us what it was capable of,” Celestia said. “Some very concerning things about what it was capable of.”

“It did wonders on me,” Tempest told her. “I was petrified - literally petrified, as in stone - until she sucked that magic out of me and turned me back to normal.”

“Is that all it took?” Celestia asked.

“That’s all I know of,” Tempest said. “My magic’s still capable of everything it could do before that - not much, but nothing different from what little I’ve been able to do since the Ursa.”

“I see.” Celestia nodded slowly. “Well, Tempest, Grubber… I do hope you enjoy your evening, and I will see you again soon.”

With that, she walked off, leaving Tempest wondering about that last question of hers.

Pharynx watched the crowd in the Manehatten celebration hall from his chair; the only good thing about his leg was that he got out of all the pointless and annoying chatting with rich nobles who thought now that he was engaged to Lus it was the perfect time to schmooze up to him. He felt Lus making her way towards him before there was a flash of annoyance which meant a noble had intercepted her and he had to snort at that, though he made sure to hide it behind his glass. He wasn’t sure where she was but he wasn’t going to risk getting her pissed if she caught him laughing at her.

“Hey bro,” Thorax said as he sat next to him with a massive grin on his face. “I haven’t had a chance to say this yet but-”

“You are so happy for me and Luna?” Pharynx couldn’t help but grin back. “I hate to say it bro, but you’re so transparent you might as well be one of those windows.”

Thorax stuck a hoof behind his head and chuckled. “Yeah, I was kind of obvious, wasn’t I?”

“As a mountain, big little bro.”

Thorax was still grinning. “Well, it’s still the truth. Seriously though, I am happy for the two of you. And I don’t know how long it’ll be until the ceremony, but I promise I’ll be there.”

“At least until Princess Twilight is back home,” Pharynx told him. “Luna really wants to have her here for it, and I’m not objecting in the slightest. She’s my friend too.”

“And speaking of back home, I am so happy to see you home, bro,” Thorax said before frowning and punching him hard in the arm, enough for him to wince and spill his drink over the table. “That was for getting injured like that!”

“Hey, it’s not my fault; this was entirely enemy action!” Pharynx protested as he rubbed his arm, looking at the guards who were supposed to be protecting him just give him a shrug. “The guy blew me into a wall!” He frowned. “Besides, if I hadn’t gone to help, Twilight and Tempest would have been in serious trouble.”

“I get that, but I can’t help but worry,” Thorax said. “And I am glad you were able to help deal with him - Luna said you’re the one who broke his armor so Bon-Bon could finish him off when he hit the ground.”

“I was about to, though I wished I remembered to shapeshift during the whole battle; that is one of my strengths for the Swarm’s sake!”

“The way I heard it, your shapeshifting is how you broke his armor in the first place.” Thorax shrugged. “But like you said, if you weren’t there, it could have gone a lot worse.” He looked over to where Tempest was speaking with Princess Celestia. “Speaking of, how’s Commander Tempest? I haven’t had the chance to speak with her yet.”

“She’s doing okay, I guess,” Pharynx said. “She really wants to make up for what she did under that scuzzball’s orders, ya know? And to live up to the faith Twilight has in her.” He tapped his chin. “I think she’d do well helping the troops train. We talked a lot about that kind of stuff; she’s had almost as many years of experience with it as I have.”

“Talked a lot, did you?” Thorax gave him a look.

“Well, we did fight side by side; you can’t help but bond a little over that kind of thing.” Pharynx shook his head. “Plus, I think most of the others were still kinda wary of her, and she’s not exactly the socializing type. Though that little guy of hers was really popular.” Thorax nodded his head about to agree before Pharynx gave him a glare. “And I know what you are thinking. Nothing happened or will happen.”

“Like you’d try anything,” Thorax replied. “Luna would hand you your cerci.”

“Yeah she would but I can see it in your face and we can both feel her attraction and admiration to me.” Pharynx shrugged. “I told her right away that I was taken, and she backed off.”

“That will not always be enough to stop the heart from wanting what it wants,” Luna said as she sat next to them. “If anyone were to know that, it would be me. After all, my sister told me in ages past that our ponies did love my night but it was not enough to truly convince me.” She looked down. “And then I made the mistake of listening to Umbrea, and you know how that turned out.”

“True.” Pharynx shrugged. “But we know she never stood a chance. I’m yours, no matter how many ponies or otherwise might approach me.” He considered. “Maybe your niece could help her find somepony.”

“While a nice thought, I suspect she’d think Cadance was too soft to really understand her,” Luna said.

“Then we’d need to inform her about Cady’s pastimes of kicking Chrysalis and Sombra’s butts, right Lus?” Pharynx grinned.

Luna smiled. “True. Not to mention how she reversed Prismia’s spell when she was just a filly - a pegasus filly, at that - and became an alicorn as a result. All through the strength of her love.”

“Speaking of…” Thorax leaned in, and lowered his voice. “I’ve been getting some… conflicting readings when Scolopidia is broadcasting. I’ve heard the rumours about her and… well, I’m sure you know, but I’m feeling stronger emotions when she’s around a completely different pony.” He looked at them expectantly.

“Queen Scolopidia’s bonds with all of whom you speak of are strong, that is true,” Luna said. “But as to which she is feeling the specific emotions most strongly towards, I do not know for certain, and I’d rather let her tell us in her own time.”

“Fair enough.” Thorax sat back. “In any case, I have my own mingling to do. I will see you two later.” With that, he rose and set off to find some ponies to chat with.

Luna and Pharynx exchanged glances. “Has he worked out how he’s going to handle the whole, ‘hive ruler’s involvement in the first eggs after taking over’ thing while I was away?” Pharynx asked.

“Not as yet, to my knowledge,” Luna said. “There was still some debate over whom his partner will be, last I heard, and he seems rather intent on finding a partner with whom he will bond out of love rather than just need. Queen Tegmina has expressed approval of this, and the rest of the Queens seem to be going along with her.”

“Well whoever she is, I hope she is up to snuff,” Pharynx said stiffly with Luna chuckling. “What’s so funny?”

“Oh, just your reaction, my dear bug,” she said. “But in all seriousness, he is doing very well in his duties and ensuring that his hive is well cared for. They’ve really gotten out and are making lots of new friends; Stemma and her husband and their children spend quite a lot of time with Twilight’s parents, in fact. I believe young Ocellus quite reminds Velvet of Twilight when she was that age, with her studiousness, though she’s a lot shyer rather than strictly introverted like Twilight was.”

“She is a good little kid,” Pharynx said as Luna leaned against him. “Though we do need to wait for any of ours; can’t mess up the heritance for the hive like that.”

“So I have been told,” Luna said. “But that won’t be a problem for me. Alicorns’ lifespans are so much longer than others that we tend to take a very long time to find a partner, and aren’t limited in reproduction years as a result - once we come of age, we’re fertile for a lifetime.”

“Really?” Pharynx said with a raised eyebrow before looking at his brother. “I might need to give him a nudge or ask Cady for some help.” Luna leaned and gave his ear a tug with her teeth, his chitin long proven to be no match for her. “You know what I mean Lus.” He chuckled with her rolling eyes before he looked a bit more serious. “Lus, you know that while royal changelings live a long time, I am just a turned one so my lifespan isn’t that long. Are you going to be okay when I-”

“Pharynx, my dear,” Luna said, “I am aware of the issue, and I already have something in mind.” She leaned over and whispered something in his ear, and if he’d had fur, it would have stood on end.

Then he looked her straight in the eye and said, in the most serious tone she’d ever heard from him, “I accept.”

“Happy Hearth’s Warming Day, my love,” she said, pulling him into a kiss.

“Happy Hearth’s Warming Day, Lus,” he whispered back.

“I can’t believe it’s really Hearth’s Warming Twilight,” Spike said.

“I know, it doesn’t feel like it Spike,” she told him as she finished tying the last bow on the gift. “No snow, or fire to sit by or friends to share the day with besides you, my number one assistant.” Twilight said smiling at him. “Are you ready Spike?”

“Sure thing Twilight,” he said before sending the gifts off. “It was nice of King Leo to let us come back up to the surface for this.”

“It was,” Twilight agreed. “I know your fire could have made it through the ocean if need be, but doing things up here was easier.”

“Yeah.” Spike took a deep breath. “So, bubble-head spell all ready for us to go back down?”

“Absolutely,” Twilight told him. “Though I do wish he had his own Pearl of Transformation; it would make this a lot easier.”

“That reminds me, next time we visit Seaquestria, can you ask Queen Novo to make me a seapony or something else instead of a fish?” Spike asked. “Being a dog in that other world was okay, but being a blowfish was a little too weird for me.”

Twilight chuckled. “I’ll be sure to tell her,” she said before casting the spell.

A few minutes later, the pair had returned to King Leo’s palace, where the merlion was waiting for them. “Your presents all sent off?” he asked.

Twilight nodded. “All set,” she said.

Just then, there was a loud rumbling and the sound of thrashing from some distance away, and Twilight grimaced. “You’d think he could give us a day off,” she muttered.

“Ah, old Squirk has his quiet days from time to time,” the merlion king said. “But he’s been pretty feisty lately for some reason, even before you two got here.”

“Right.” Twilight shook her head. She and Spike had been very surprised when they’d first arrived in Aquastria and seen the massive cage where the monstrous octopus was confined; King Leo, however, had reassured them that the wrought sea-silver bars and oceanic crystals had kept him locked away for millennia and would hold for just as many more. The tyrannic creature had once ruled these waters, until the merlions migrated into the area and were able to depose and imprison him, freeing the local seaponies and mermares from his control and earning their eternal gratitude. Ever since then, Squirk had been throwing tantrums in his cage, though thankfully it was enchanted to block his words from getting out. He’d had quite the mouth on him back in the day, and King Leo had told them that in all likelihood, it had been getting worse ever since.

“So,” Twilight said, changing the subject. “You were saying earlier, about the Great Jellyfish Swarm of Celestial Year 985?”

King Leo chuckled. “Well, that, young lady is quite the story. You see…”

Twilight listened with fascination as the easy-going king, a personality trait she’d been pleasantly surprised to find, told Spike and her more of his people’s history. She was learning so much… and she made a mental note to bring Rainbow Dash, at least, back here at some point. The prismatic mare would absolutely love the Annual Aquastria Races.

Chapter Nine

Wiping the sweat from her brow, Applejack let out a “Phew” of relief as she finished clearing the last of the fields and looked around to see her other helpers taking up their own positions at work.

It had been a few months since the war’s end, and while production had generally wound down afterward (especially because it was still winter), more than a few of their more recent hires had actually stayed on in Ponyville and were lending a hoof with the Winter Wrap-Up and the start of spring.

She definitely missed Twilight’s help with organizing; Amethyst Star did her best, and she was using Twilight’s notes from the last few Wrap-Ups, but it just wasn’t the same.

Still, with the spring planting season upon them, it would be a good time to replenish their stocks. She knew cousin Slice n' Dice would be doing her own planting once the snow had melted in the Packlands, and that Slice’s parents were busy with their own work back at their farm.

Thinking of Slice made her smile. That letter she’d gotten all those months ago about her cousin’s reunion with her parents and her first meeting with her little sister had brought smiles to all their faces when she read it; Apple Bloom had been especially eager to hear what little Bramley was like. The two had actually met when they were in Canterlot because of all the evacuations, and Apple Bloom had happily introduced her to their cousin Babs Seed, sent out from Manehatten in case of an attack on there or other coastal cities. The trio had gotten along like peas in a pod, and Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo had liked Bramley too. Though, Applejack reflected, the more recent news of a new western branch of Cutie Mark Crusaders in Tall Tale had brought some dread to her.

Turning her attention back to her work, she began looking around, barking orders at the slower-moving ponies. While she might have a healthy respect for how they did things in the Packlands, this was still Ponyville, and winter wasn’t going to wrap itself up here, after all.

A couple of days later, a trio of little fillies ran down the streets, laughing happily.

“Ah,” Scootaloo finally sighed as they came to a halt at the edge of Sweet Apple Acres. “I know it’s been a few months, but still, it’s so good to be back home!”

“Yeah!” Sweetie Belle agreed. “I’m glad I can spend time with Rarity again, and I bet your aunts are really glad to be back here too…”

Scootaloo nodded. Holiday and Lofty had just begun the process of moving their things from their old home into Scootaloo’s (her parents’ personal belongings having largely been put into storage, with their permission, as soon as they’d gotten the news of the planned move and sent word back) when the war preparations began, and while they’d finished doing so, they’d accompanied her up to Canterlot with the other evacuees.

The city hadn’t been nearly as fun as Ponyville. She’d had to restrain herself from running wild in the streets on her scooter, and their Crusading had been rather limited. Still, getting to hang out with the other foals who’d also been evacuated there had been enjoyable.

Apple Bloom was smiling too. “Ah missed Sweet Apple Acres while we were out,” she said, gazing over the fields and orchards.

“Speaking of, has Applejack said anything about when she wants to go visit your cousin in the Packlands?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Not until after the spring planting is done, at least,” Apple Bloom said. “Might not be until summer - she says she doesn’t want to uproot me from school again while Ah’m still gettin’ used to bein’ back.”

“Yeah, no kiddin’,” Scootaloo agreed. “One good thing about bein’ away, we didn’t have to deal with any of our usual bullies.”

“Diamond’s actually been kind of subdued lately though,” Sweetie Belle pointed out. “Maybe meeting Mr. Swift-Pad did some good for her.”

“Ah’m certainly hopin’ that’s the case,” Apple Bloom said. Then she grinned. “Race ya to the clubhouse!”

Laughing, the trio went through the gate and ran towards their destination.

“Come on Spitfire, this is ridiculous,” Soarin whined as he tried to keep up his captain’s pace. “We need to slow down!”

“Come on you lazybones, this isn’t bad at all!” Spitfire shot back from the front of the pack. “I know I was away for a while but you guys seriously can’t have got this bad in that short amount of time!”

“There’s fast and there’s this!” Fleetfoot complained as she kept moving. “We’re supposed to warm up and build up to these kinds of speeds at the start of a workout, not just move to the top right off the bat!”

“What are you, Wonderbolt or not?” Spitfire demanded. “Wonderbolts are supposed to be known for being the fastest fliers in Equestria!”

“I’m somepony who listened to Rainbow Dash when she told us the story of how one of her friends - a unicorn, mind - strategized so she would do as well as she did during the Running of the Leaves, and didn’t wreck her muscles doing it!” Fleetfoot shot back. “High-speed routines during a show are one thing, but we’re just starting for the day - we need to pace ourselves so we don’t get lactic acid buildup and wind up being worn out right away.”

“What, are you some kind of textbook?” Misty Fly joked.

“No, but the unicorn we’re talkin’ about acts like she swallowed a few,” Fleetfoot called back. “‘Course, she’s not exactly a unicorn anymore, if ya know what I mean!”

Spitfire, having kept quiet during this little exchange, shook her head and sighed. “Okay, I get the point,” she said. “But we are going to focus on being able to build up speed again for our routines. Not to mention the Equestria Games - qualifiers are on again next week!”

“Understood, Captain!” Soarin called as he gave her a salute before taking off in the air again.

Blueblood was busy with the latest round of papers he had to go over and sign when someone entered his study. Glancing upwards, he saw it was the blue-maned stallion that he had been working with for the last few months helping turn Equestria back to normal.

“We are not due to meet for another few days, Fancy,” he said going back to his work. “We both have a lot to do if we are to see Equestria back as it once was.”

“I do have to admit you are far better than what people think,” Fancy said as he sat across from him, ignoring his rude tone much to the prince’s annoyance.

“Watch it Fancy, those are dangerous words,” Blueblood said as he put the pen down. “I have a reputation to keep up.”

“And now you sound like that Cinch mare from the school my Fleur used to attend in Prance,” Fancy said as he pulled out a bottle of wine and a pair of wine glasses. “Come on, share a glass with me.” He began to pour each of them some of the fine Prench wine.

“Another one, Fancy?” Blueblood said with a smirk but still taking the glass he was offered. “If you keep that up, people will think you have a drinking problem, my good stallion.”

“The only drinking problem I have is when I have a good bottle and nopony to share it with,” Fancy Pants said with a wink. “I assure you, I have no such addiction as you seem to be implying.”

“True, but you know how ponies love to gossip,” Blueblood tipped his head. “So what brings you here?”

“To see you,” Fancy replied. “And as I said, you are a good pony despite the thickheaded, arrogant persona you like to show off. So I must ask, old colt,” he said as he breathed in the aroma of the wine. “Why the act?”

“You don’t need to ask, older colt,” Blueblood said with Fancy snorting at him.

“Fine fine,” Fancy rolled his eyes. “You truly have your aunt in you, Blueblood but let us not pretend. We both know why - to drive away the obvious ladder-climbers who would seek to use you to improve their own status.”

“Then why are you asking,” Blueblood raised an eyebrow.

“What I am asking is why you are keeping at it?” Fancy said with a tilt of his head. ”I don’t see the reason you need to keep at it anymore, not with what you did during the war.”

“What need do I have to take any credit for my actions?” Bluelood said. “All I did was keep the remaining nobles in line and make sure none of them got in Luna’s way.”

“Considering that keeping them in line tends to be like herding cats, I would say your preventing them from causing trouble did just as much to help the war effort as any of those who were actually out fighting,” Fancy said.

Blueblood dismissed it with a wave of a hoof. “Princess Sparkle did most of that with her little research binge; she cleared out the worst of them in one move. The ones I had to handle were small fry at best, compared to the real trouble-makers.” He chuckled. “Besides, neither her or Celestia know that her little law isn’t that legal as it was never ratified by the lower or upper court which can only be done by all Princesses present with no absentees permitted in either courts or our Princesses.”

Fancy coughed, sputtering his fancy wine, into the napkin provided by Blueblood. After finally clearing his throat, he asked, “Are you serious about that?”

“As a heart attack, old friend,” Blueblood confirmed. “But I only found out for certain afterward. I kept silent because it was what was needed, and the end result was well worth it. If they had been allowed to delay preparations, the creators only know how many additional lives would have been lost.”

“But Top Jewel and his cronies, all of their resources and finances, it all technically belongs to them,” Fancy said, leaning forwards. “They are being held for treasonous actions, which you yourself just admitted was based on false information. I cannot believe I am advocating for this but do they not deserve their titles and land back?”

“Perhaps but they were long obstacles to the progress of our governing not to mention backing that heinous vegetarian organization along with other shady and harmful parties. And quite frankly, given how more than a few of them were actively plotting to grab more power for themselves in the hopes of one day expelling the Princesses from their positions entirely…” Blueblood shrugged. “Princess Sparkle got them out of the way much more quickly, but I have full faith that they would have been removed for cause anyway within a few years, had anypony taken the time to do a full investigation, let alone clean enough to do so to have a proper verdict come out. And as it happens, I’ve been working on just such a thing for a long time. I intend to turn this evidence over to my aunts very soon, giving them enough to make it stick on every last one of those whom Princess Sparkle saw removed in the first place.”

“All legally obtained?” Fancy asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Would I do it any other way?” Blueblood sighed. “As you know full well, I may act the fool, but that is all it is, an act. I have been working to ensure this came through for a very long time, covering every single legal loophole that might be used to get evidence dismissed. I have no intention of letting my aunts be removed by a herd of power-hungry fools, and this is just one more step in ensuring such a thing never comes to pass. But until I play my final card, I must remain as I am, so that I am underestimated by those who would otherwise view me as a threat, politically speaking.”

“Again, you are truly a good pony Blueblood, and I enjoyed working with you these months,” Fancy said. “I only hope that your dream comes true soon, so that you can show your true character to the world.”

“Fancy, my friend, once this whole mess is done with I intend to ask for a leave of absence so that I may go out and visit the rest of the world, as my Cutie Mark told me I was to do, and be able to truly relax for once.” Blueblood smiled. “And when I do so, now that I no longer have to look over my shoulder at every instant, I will show them my true character - as somepony who just wants to see what more is out there and live it.”

“An admirable goal, my friend,” Fancy Pants said as he raised his glass. “To a successful culmination of your dream.”

“Cheers, good sir,” Blueblood said. “I’ll absolutely drink to that.”

The two clinked glasses, and drank, each looking forward to the brighter future they were certain lay ahead.

Standing on the beaches of Ornithia, feeling the warm tropical breezes running through her mane, Twilight sighed happily.

If I ever get the chance to repeat certain parts of this trip, I am absolutely bringing Pinkie down here, she thought. These harpies really know how to party!

“Surf’s up!” one of the locals called, before a dozen of the birds ran out into the waves with surfboards under their arms.

All up and down the beach, the harpies were enjoying themselves, dancing to records, sipping fruity drinks or playing volleyball. Nearby, she could see Spike sunbathing, a pair of dark glasses over his eyes, while in the background, a number of harpies were serving up some of the local cuisine. Really, the island was one big beach party most of the time, and she couldn’t blame them.

“Hey, Princess!” one of the harpies called. “Come on and join us, we’ve got the swordfish steaks all ready!”

“Coming!” Twilight called.

Yep, she thought to herself. Definitely coming back here for a vacation.

Then she trotted off to join the chow line.

It was some days later when Twilight and Spike emerged from a forest and took a deep breath of fresh air.

“They weren’t kidding when they named this place Paraíso Valley,” Spike remarked. “This place is beautiful!”

“It sure is,” Twilight agreed. The two had parked their airskimmer at a pony village a few miles back, preferring not to risk losing it as they headed east, towards the cities of what the locals had heard was called the Cuanmiztl Kingdom by its inhabitants. They’d advised Twilight to avoid the place entirely, but Twilight had been unwilling to do so, having never been this deep into the forest regions south of Equestria and wanting to see them for herself.

She just hoped the valley’s residents were friendlier than Ahuizotl and his minions, from the last time she’d been… well, not quite this far south into the continent’s interior, but still pretty close.

As she and Spike continued moving east, she couldn’t help but detect a faint whiff of a scent she thought was familiar, but she wasn’t sure.

Suddenly, there was a blur of motion and she fell backwards, and then - TONGUE!

Spike stared aghast at the sight. One minute Twilight had been walking along, the next she had a beech timberwolf standing on her, licking her face eagerly.

“Frida, atras!” another voice called. A moment later, a form he recognized from the Daring Do books walked up. “Come on, girl,” the figure said in Equestrian, though with an accent he couldn’t place. “Let her up.”

The timberwolf whined a bit, but did as commanded, and the figure held out a hand, helping Twilight to her hooves.

“Thanks,” Twilight said as she took her first good look at the figure. While clearly surprised and a bit taken aback at first, she calmed herself. “Ahem. Hi, I’m Twilight Sparkle. And you’re a…”

“An ahuizotl,” the person said with a chuckle. “You’re taking this a lot better than most ponies who sneak out here would.”

“Sir, I’ve been most of the way around the world, and met more species in under a year than most ponies meet in a lifetime,” Twilight said. “You are far from the strangest type of being I’ve met.” She cocked her head. “Actually, you’re not even the first ahuizotl I’ve met. You are a lot nicer than the other one though.”

The ahuizotl chuckled. “Yeah, there are some of us who tend to get vicious, especially the treasure guardians. What was this one protecting?”

“Treasure guardians?” Twilight blinked. “I thought he was trying to steal treasure - the Rings of Scorchero.”

“Steal?” The ahuizotl waved a hand. “Nah, nah, you’ve got it all wrong. There’s a bunch of my people who all have their duties to prevent others from getting hold of some artifacts, but the ones who try to steal them usually think the guardians are the thieves. Doesn’t help that some of them play up the stereotype.”

Twilight nodded slowly. “I have so many questions for you,” she said.

The ahuizotl nodded. “I’m sure you do,” he said. “Come on, I’ll take you to Tenochtitlan, let you meet our Prince-King.”

“Isn’t that…” Twilight looked a little uncertain of which word she wanted to use.

“Nah, it’s right,” the ahuizotl said. “We don’t start calling him just ‘King’ until he gets married.”

“Ah, I see.” Twilight smiled. “Well, let’s go. Spike!”

Spike hurried up to her. “Right here!” he said eagerly.

“Frida!” The ahuizotl whistled. “Come on, girl!”

The beech timberwolf trotted up, panting happily.

“Now,” the ahuizotl started to say. “You say this one you met was guarding the Rings of Scorchero? Who were you with when you met him, that pegasus in the pith helmet or that other guy, the one with all the creepy goons?”

“Well…” Twilight looked a little abashed.

“It was Daring Do mister whoever you are,” Spike said as they walked, patting the timber wolf. “I wasn’t there, but Twilight told me all about it afterward.”

“Oh, the misguided one then,” the ahuizotl said. “Way I hear it, she keeps trying to take his treasures because she thinks she’s protecting them from him.” He shook his head. “You would not believe the rants that guy goes into about her!”

Twilight looked surprised, but then shook her head. “I should have known there was more to it,” she said. “But why doesn’t he just tell her? When I was actually there, all he ever said were demands for them to give back the rings, and swearing revenge when we were getting away!”

The ahuizotl stopped for a moment, clearly thinking. Finally, he shrugged. “I don’t know, really. Maybe he tried once and she didn’t listen, so he just didn’t bother anymore after that?”

“Well…” Twilight looked at him. “I want to know more,” she said. “And once we’re done here, I’m going to see what I can do about talking to her so she realizes the truth about what she’s been doing.”

“While you’re at it, think you could get that Caballeron guy to stop too? He’s just as bad about wrecking the places, and he’s stealing stuff for the sheer greed of it!”

“I’ll do what I can,” Twilight promised.

It took them a few hours, but the foursome finally reached the city of Tenochtitlan.

“So,” Twilight was saying to the ahuizotl, whom she had learned was named Diego. “I really appreciate all the help you’ve been giving us.”

“Hey, getting to meet a pony who isn’t freaked out by my kind is well worth it,” Diego said. “Most of them just scream and run. Give a guy a complex, why don’t they?” He chuckled as he said it though, and Twilight smiled back.

The two continued to chat amicably, with Spike throwing in the occasional comment of his own, as they headed through the streets towards the royal palace. Finally, they reached it, and were met by a set of guards.

“Halt, in the name of Prince-King Tezozomoctzin,” one of them said, in clearer Equestrian than even Diego was speaking. “Who presents themselves before our monarch?”

Twilight looked up at them. “I am Princess Twilight Sparkle of Equestria,” she announced. “I have come with my companion Spike to further my knowledge of the nations of the world.”

The guards exchanged glances, before one beckoned her to follow him.

She and Spike were led through a number of halls before being presented to the throne, with the guard reaching up and pressing something on his head before he began speaking his native tongue to the ahuizotl who sat in front of them. That same ahuizotl answered back in the same tongue, before both reached up and pressed the same spots. That done, the guard moved aside, and the ahuizotl on the throne gazed down at Twilight.

“I am Prince-King Tezozomoctzin of the Cuanmiztl Kingdom,” he said. “I greet you, Princess Twilight of Equestria, and your young companion.” He seemed to be studying them, before continuing. “While my people are not ignorant of the outside world, we have largely kept to ourselves these long ages. Tell me, what brings one of your land’s rulers across our borders?”

Twilight repeated her story, and after much nodding, the Prince-King placed a hand on his chin.

“It is well that Equestria is finally making an effort to seek us out and understand us,” he said. “My people have not interacted with them much, but enough to know that we would not be widely welcomed. Now, however, you have sought us out, with knowledge and understanding as your goal. The sign has at last come, and as such, it is time to make ourselves properly known to the world.”

Summoning a scribe, he began dictating a message.

“To her royal Highness, Princess Celestia of the nation of Equestria, I offer you greetings and wishes of good fortune. I am Prince-King Tezozomoctzin of the Cuanmiztl Kingdom, and on behalf of my people, I send you this message of a hope for a better and closer future.

“I have met with your land’s youngest Princess, the first of your kind to properly seek us out in order to attain a knowledge and understanding of our people. In doing so, she has fulfilled the ancient promise made by our sages; a prediction that one day, a representative of a land far to the north, past the desert known as the Badlands, would come. They would not be wishing to claim that which we seek to protect, but to learn what they can of us and enrich their mind in doing so. We were told that when those who sought an understanding came, we should make ourselves known to the outside world. The time is now, and as such, I hereby request that we each come forth to meet in a suitable place, so as to formally begin ties between our nations.

“Yours sincerely,

“Prince-King Tezozomoctzin of Tenochtitlan, the Cuanmiztl Kingdom.”

With that, he rolled up the scroll, pressed a seal against it, and then started to hand it off to one of the guards around him to be sent off, until Twilight gestured. “Spike can send it straight to Princess Celestia for you,” she said.

The Prince-King arched an eyebrow, but handed it to him, and arched another eyebrow as he saw the letter be burned and turn into a flaming spiral that shot out of the palace, heading to the north.

“Fascinating,” he said. “Now, young Princess. I understand that a few residents of your land have been causing quite a bit of trouble for one of our treasure guardians over the last few years. Would you care to tell me your side of the story?”

Twilight nodded, and began to speak.

A short while later, and many hundreds of miles away, Princess Celestia read the letter in stunned silence.

“Something wrong, Princess?” Thorax asked as he sat nearby, having taken up a small desk in her office so the two could work on certain details together.

“Nothing is wrong,” Princess Celestia said. “But I do believe Twilight was just responsible for allowing us to open diplomatic ties with another nation.”

“I’m starting to think that’s par for the course with her,” Thorax said.

Celestia raised an eyebrow at his phrasing.

“Sorry. I got invited to spend several hours meeting with one of your people yesterday, and they chose the place. I literally spend the entire time hearing various golfing expressions and they’ve been stuck in my head ever since.”

Celestia shook her head. “They do tend to do that.” She rose. “I need to inform some of my people about this.” Halfway out the door, she paused. “Have any of your people ever been to this… Cuanmiztl Kingdom?” She went to the wall and pointed to the jungles and valley below the Badlands, where the description in the letter indicated.

“No,” Thorax said. “There used to be a hive in the Badlands, but that was as far south as we ever went.”

“Very well then.” Celestia took up the scroll again. “I expect your people will be interested in being a part of this as well.”

“Oh, absolutely,” Thorax said as he rose and followed her out the door.

As she walked through the halls, Thorax at her side, Celestia thought back to how much her former student had accomplished since she’d set out. From strengthening their bonds with the wolves, to earning a pardon for Blueblood and opening friendly ties with the changelings, to solving the griffons’ financial problems, to discovering the fate of the hippogriffs and then helping defeat the Storm King, thus allowing their people to finally return to and rebuild their homeland of Mount Aris.

She had encouraged Queen Novo to send her own messengers to Canterlot with the hippogriff representatives so the kingdoms could become close again, she had studied and analyzed that Staff of the Storm King’s and its abilities, sharing the results with her fellow Princesses (in a specially-marked and sealed letter, reserved for Celestia and Luna’s eyes only) to confirm that while the Storm King had tried to steal her Power, Tempest Shadow had never had any such Power, not even the barest of hints that were left on former Powers in the afterlife, for the Staff to claim when Twilight had drained the petrifying magic from her.

And now this.

She blinked away tears of pride before Thorax could see them, but she couldn’t help it.

Twilight, you just keep making a habit of exceeding even my highest of expectations, don’t you? she thought to herself. What you have done for this world is far greater than I had ever dared imagine.

And I’ve a feeling that this is just the beginning.

Chapter Ten

“Luna, could I have a word with you?”

Princess Luna looked over at her sister. “Don’t you have other things to be focused on right now?” she asked. “Considering the first representatives of the Cuanmiztl Kingdom are due to arrive in just a few days…”

“I know, and I’m still amazed that Twilight was able to open communications between they and us,” Celestia said. “But there is something that we, a few of the Queens and I, have been talking about, and…”

“You’re talking about his lifespan, aren’t you.” she said stiffly, narrowing her eyes.

Celestia felt her heart sink. “Yes,” she confessed. “Luna, I know you two love one another, and I am very happy for you, but after the pain I felt when I lost… well, you know. I can’t help but worry about what’ll happen to you when he-”

“Celestia,” Luna said, the use of her sister’s full name showing how serious she was. “Pharynx and I have talked about this already. Believe me, I know what would happen, and I promise you, I am fully prepared for that eventuality.” She gave her sister a knowing look. “Just… trust me on this, please? I know what I’m doing.”

Celestia sighed. “All right, Luna. I’ll trust you.”

“Good. Now…” Luna grinned. “Be a dear, and go focus on your work. I have a bug to go snuggle.”

With that, she trotted off, leaving Celestia to watch and, in her own way, secretly envy her.

Would that I had somepony of my own, she thought, before turning around and going back to her room.

She had just settled into her chambers when she heard a faint buzzing noise. All right, who’s flying by now? she wondered. Peering out the window, she saw no changelings flying by, and turned away.

Buzz. Buzz.

Celestia’s ears flicked. Then, suddenly, she realized. Those weren’t the sound of changeling wings; they were…

In an instant, she dashed over to the shelves where the noise was coming from and pulled a book with her Cutie Mark off the shelf.

It was vibrating.

“Sunset?” she whispered. Opening the book to the most recently used page, and then one more, she read the message that had been sent to her.

Then she closed the book and galloped out of her room.

“Sister!”

Luna raised her head, an annoyed look on her face. “What does she want now,” she grumbled.

Pharynx shrugged. “Not sure, but she’s radiating…” He raised his head and tilted it. “Urgency, if I’m reading it right. And a lot of other stuff mixed in. I don’t think this is a normal situation, Lus.”

“Of course.” Luna sighed, but rose from where she’d been laying and went to answer the door. “Celly, what-”

“She needs me!” Celestia’s face was suddenly in hers.

Luna blinked in confusion. “Who?”

“Sunset Shimmer!” Celestia looked almost frantic. “Look, I need to go talk to the Alpha; he might be able to help me. Luna, you’ll need to take care of my Duties with the sun for a while.”

“All right, but…”

“Luna, I promise I will tell you everything as soon as I can, but I need to go to the Packlands for a while.” She drew in a deep breath. “If something happens to me, Equestria is yours. Promise me, Luna. Promise me you will take care of everypony, and everycreature, for me.”

“I promise,” Luna said.

“Thank you, Luna. Thank you so much.”

Then Celestia’s horn lit up, and she was away.

Less than a day later, Celestia stood at the entrance to the Wolf’s Den. Taking a deep breath, she entered.

The Alpha was waiting for her, and he gave her a friendly nod. “Celestia,” he said. “I trust there were no issues getting here?”

“No, and I appreciate you giving your people ample warning, to permit me to teleport along the path,” she said as the two headed deeper into the mountain. “Twilight wrote me about that around the time she set off on her world tour.”

“Ah yes,” he said. “This way.”

Passing the main Gathering chamber, and then the study where the Alpha did most of his business with the various other political leaders, he led her into a deep chamber where a tall mirror stood, sealing the exit behind them.

“Unlike the Crystal Mirror, this one does not have limits to when it can be activated,” he said. “I do not keep it open at all times, but I do drop in every now and then.” He turned to her. “I allow you to use it this time because of necessity; these sirens you told me of, the ones exiled by Starswirl and his allies, are a truly concerning danger.” He frowned. “Perhaps we should check to find if any other Equestrians or their artifacts wound up there at some point; if these sirens were exiled to that world, they may not be the only ones.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Celestia said. “And again, thank you so much for all the help.”

“It’s the least I can do, given how your other former student helped us all so much,” he said. “Now, go. Find the young one. Give her the help she needs.”

Celestia nodded, and then ran through the mirror.

Passing through a swirling flash of odd colors, she found herself emerging onto a concrete ground, and reached up with a… hand? She paused to stare at it. Yes, definitely a hand.

Hearing several gasps, she looked back to see six girls, all staring at her in surprise. All with familiar manestyles. Especially…

“Sunset?” she asked hesitantly.

“Princess?” the girl said in Sunset’s voice. “Why- how-”

“Sunset!” And then Celestia threw her arms around her former pupil. “I’ve missed you!”

Nearby, another girl scratched her head. “Well, Ah sure wasn’t expectin’ this,” she said in a familiar accent.

“Me neither!” a third girl said, her pink poofy hairstyle easily identifying her.

“Um, girls?” another pink-haired girl said. “Maybe we should… do this somewhere else?” She seemed a little disappointed, but Celestia decided to wonder about that later.

“You’re right,” she said. “But Sunset… it is very good to see you again.”

Sunset gave her a nervous smile. “It’s good to see you too,” she said.

A little while later, the seven had slipped off campus, and gone to the Sweet Shoppe - the local equivalent of Ponyville’s Sugarcube Corner, she’d been told when Twilight had described the place to her. Sunset was shaking her head in disbelief and pride as Celestia told her all about what was happening back home.

“Good for Twilight,” she said. “I’d hoped to see her again, but knowing what she’s doing now, off helping the world through diplomacy, that’s great too.”

“I still can’t believe you had an entire war going on,” Rarity said. “That must have been positively dreadful!”

“I can’t believe Vice-Principal Luna - I mean, Princess Luna - has a boyfriend!” Rainbow Dash said. “Er, no offense intended to your sister,” she said to Celestia. “But we always kinda figured our Luna... er… wasn’t interested in guys that way. Not that there’s anything wrong with that; she’s plenty cool. But we’ve never seen her show that kind of attraction to a guy. Even in the old yearbooks we looked at this one time.”

“Really?” Celestia gave her a surprised look. “Well, different backgrounds, different tastes, I suppose. Of course, she might just be more circumspect about her personal life.”

“Could be,” Applejack said with a shrug. “But gettin’ back to this whole siren business, how we gonna deal with them?”

“I really don’t know, girls,” Celestia said. “What we need is some way to counter their spell of hatred. Unfortunately, I don’t know if I can even tap my magic here - this isn’t the first world of humans that I’ve been to, but it’s considerably dryer, magically speaking.”

“Well, we can!” Pinkie said eagerly. “All five of us!”

“Really?” Celestia looked surprised. “How?”

“‘s been happenin’ every time we play music,” Applejack said. “We get our pony ears and tails. That’s all we can do though.”

“Hmm.” Celestia considered. “Well, that might actually work,” she said thoughtfully. “The sirens specialized in using music to transmit their spell of hatred, perhaps a spell of love or harmony can be used to counteract them using the same thing.”

“But… can you even channel that kind of power?” Sunset asked. “You lost your link to the Elements when you turned them against your sister.” Then she looked embarrassed. “Er, no offense.”

“No, you’re right, Sunset,” Celestia said. “I did just what you said and went against the principles of harmony, turning them against one whom they had been partnered with. Their rejecting me was only right.” She hung her head. “Maybe I should have asked Cadance to come over instead; Love is her purview, and the Opposite of Hatred.”

Sunset laid a hand on her shoulder. “But then… I wouldn’t have gotten to see you again,” she said. “I really missed you, Princess.”

Celestia smiled. “I missed you too, Sunset,” she said softly.

Then she put out a hand for all of them to accept. “Let’s figure out how we’re going to do this. Together.”

“Yeah!” all six girls chorused.

“I must admit, I haven’t spent nearly as much time with your Equestrian counterparts as I would have liked to, even with Twilight’s letters about them,” Celestia said as they sat around in Applejack’s barn a while later. “So I’m afraid I’m at somewhat of a disadvantage when it comes to the five of you.”

Applejack shrugged. “Mah other self’s a farmer, ain’t she? Seems to me that there shouldn’t be that much difference in the methods.”

“Well, I expect her methods of harvesting are a little different,” Celestia said. “You see, she tends to kick the trees in just the right place to make them shed their apples.”

“Really?” Applejack looked interested. “Must be a lot faster than doing them one by one.”

“And Fluttershy-” Celestia turned to her. “I can tell you love animals just as much as your counterpart. Though there is one facet of her life that I learned about over the past six months that I can only hope is different here.” She leaned in and whispered, and Fluttershy’s pupils narrowed.

“No,” she said. “That’s just the same.”

“Oh.”

“What was that about?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Fluttershy went over and whispered into her ear, and she groaned. “Figures.”

“And now we come to you, Rainbow Dash,” Celestia said before the others could ask. “Your counterpart has long been seeking to join the Wonderbolts - one of our most famed aerial performance teams. Are you…”

“Are you kiddin’ me?” Rainbow Dash grinned. “I’ve been wanting to join them for ages! Gotta wait until I’m old enough to enlist though. Members need to spend a few years in the active service first.”

“Really?” Celestia looked a little surprised. “In Equestria, military service isn’t required for membership, though their Captain did actually go through training and serve in the last war.”

“Huh. Guess that’s one of the differences.”

Next, Celestia turned to Rarity. “Your counterpart actually runs her own business, and is looking to expand into other cities,” she said. “May I presume you do not yet?”

Rarity shook her head. “I am employed at the Carousel Boutique part time and am actually in serious consideration for taking over once I’ve finished college,” she said. “But it is good to know that one of me is living our dream.”

Celestia smiled. “She is,” she said. “Her parents, the one time I had the opportunity to really meet them, said they were so proud of her.”

Rarity blushed. “My own feel the same way,” she said.

All this time, Pinkie had been quiet, but suddenly she was in Celestia’s face. “Tell me! Do I live with my parents, or with Maud?” she demanded.

“Er… actually, you live above Sugarcube Corner, where you work for the Cake family,” Celestia said. “Your sister Maud is still working on her Rocktorate, though she took some time off to enlist and serve when the war was declared.”

“Okay!” And just like that, Pinkie was back across the room. “Maud’s actually doing her Rocktorate now too,” she said. “She’s in charge of our house here in town ‘cause her college is closer this way, and I work at the Sweet Shoppe part-time. My parents and our other sisters spend most of their time in Rockville.”

“I see.”

“Come on,” Rainbow Dash said. “Look, Princess… I hate to cut things off, but we gotta practice for a while.”

“Of course.” Celestia sat back and watched the five playing, until she noticed Sunset was right beside her.

“I did miss you,” she said quietly. “Even at my worst. I bottled it up, and I pretended I didn’t care, but I did.”

“Sunset, when Twilight came back from this place the last time, I asked her about you,” Celestia said just as quietly. “You don’t know how much relief I felt when she said you were safe, and in good hands.”

Sunset blushed. “Princess… I messed up, so badly,” she said. “All I wanted was to make you proud of me. To be so impressed that you felt I should be made an alicorn, and let me spend all eternity by your side.”

“Sunset… even if I hadn’t become so upset with you over what I felt were the selfish, greedy demands you were making, I couldn’t have made you an alicorn,” Celestia told her. “A pony who is not born as one has to achieve it on their own, and those who would seek it for selfish reasons would never be able to.” She looked down. “I didn’t even know for sure that Twilight would become one. When she did, it was a miracle.”

Sunset looked down. “Oh,” she said in a small voice.

“But even when I was upset… Sunset, I mourned you, and what you had become,” Celestia told her. “You were the first student I had personally taken on in centuries. I had such high hopes…” She sighed. “I still do,” she said.

“Princess…” Sunset suddenly made a decision, turned and hugged her. “Right now,” she said, “I just hope we can get through all this. I don’t like seeing my classmates, my teachers… or anyone, really, under the influence of those girls. They’re worse than they were when I was the one tearing friendship apart.” She looked Celestia straight in the eye. “We have to make this right again,” she said. “Like Twilight did.”

Celestia looked down at her, and felt a spark of pride at the sincerity she saw in her former student’s eyes. “We will,” she promised. “We will.”

“Well, here we are again,” Spike said somewhat reluctantly as he brought their airskimmer in for a landing. The two would be heading inland after this, this time towards the more volcanic region where most dragons lived.

Twilight gave him a smile. “Come on, Spike,” she said. “I’m sure they won’t be all bad…”

Spike shrugged. “I still don’t know, Twilight. Our experiences with other dragons haven’t been the best before. And the ones we met really didn’t like ponies. I can’t help but worry how they’ll react to you.”

“I promise, we’ll be fine,” Twilight told him. “Besides, I want to talk to their Dragon Lord and see what all the wolves have passed on from the last Gathering.” She paused. “I wonder if some of them are still here?”

“We’ll see,” Spike said.

A few hours later, the two had reached a large, rocky area. But something was decidedly off.

“You know, this is supposed to be the Dragon Lands,” Spike said nervously as he looked around. “But except for me, I haven’t seen a single dragon around!”

Twilight nodded. “You think they’re all off migrating again?” she asked.

“They are not here because I didn’t want them here!” a voice suddenly boomed. A moment later, a massive shadow swept overhead, and what landed in front of them was the biggest dragon Twilight had ever seen.

“Why are you here, pony‽” the dragon demanded.

“Um… on behalf of Equestria, I offer you all greetings and good fortune on your travels and in all your endeavors!" Twilight called back to him. “I’m Princess Twilight Sparkle, and you are?”

"I am Torch, the Lord of all Dragons, the Lord of all FIRE!” the dragon boomed. “You will bow before me, puny pony, or face the consequences!"

Twilight suddenly looked excited. "Lord of Fire? As in, the one who aligns with Day and is closely associated with Summer?"

"WHO TOLD‽" Torch bellowed.

“Um…” Twilight blinked. “That would be one of our fellow Powers.”

“Fellow-” Torch suddenly stopped and looked down at her. “Fellow Powers?” he asked suspiciously, in a less ear-splitting tone. “Just who did you say you were, again?”

“Twilight Sparkle,” Twilight said. “Lady of Magic, Princess of Friendship and Equestria, personal student of Princess Celestia of the Day, and a friend of the Alpha of the Packlands, Great Uniter of the Packs, Lord of Summer.”

Torch eyed her again, before laughing. “Hah! Then you are interesting, for a pony!” He then looked down at Spike, who was standing next to her and doing his best not to freak out. “And who are you, little one?”

“I am…” Spike straightened himself out. “I am Spike, of Canterlot and Ponyville,” he said. “Son and number one assistant of Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

“Son‽” Torch bellowed. “How is it you come to call yourself the son of any pony‽”

“She hatched me, that’s why!” Spike said defiantly.

“And how did this come about?”

Carefully, Twilight began to tell the story that Princess Celestia had shared with her friends in the aftermath of the war, and subsequently written down and sent to her. When she was done, Torch looked down at her.

“So,” he rumbled. “The unhatched egg has finally given forth its spark of life.” He stuck his face in hers. “Why was I not told this sooner‽”

“I honestly don’t know,” Twilight said, glad she’d cast a last-minute sound dampening spell on her ears. “Princess Celestia only told me about this not that long back, and that’s after I’d been raising him for over ten years.”

“Hah.” Torch raised his head back up. “The great swan is still playing things close to her chest, then.”

“Er, I guess?” Twilight blinked. “I think it’s a habit, after a couple millennia of life.”

“True,” Torch acknowledged. “I have ruled the Dragon Lands for nearly a thousand years myself. But when I want dragons to know things, they know them!” Then he leaned up and sniffed. “And when I want privacy, I expect it!”

There was a moment’s pause, and then a much smaller dragon (though still taller than Twilight), covered in blue scales, came flying across the crater. “Then maybe you shouldn’t be bellowing loud enough to be heard on the far side of the planet, Dad.”

Torch growled, but the other dragon didn’t back down. “Seriously, you could wake up one of those old guys doing their hundred-year nap,” she complained.

“If you were not my daughter, you would regret that,” Torch growled. “But, since you’re here.” He gestured to Spike. “The unhatched one has returned.”

“Really?” The smaller dragon looked interested. “The only egg you ever let leave the Dragon Lands? This is him?”

“And she who hatched him,” Torch rumbled. “Entertain him! I must speak with the Princess of Equestria.”

The two of them traded looks, then the smaller dragon let out a harrumph. “Come on, little guy,” she said. “Some dragon… haven’t even gone through the Molt yet, have you?”

“I’m only twelve!” Spike shot back.

“Then you’ve got another three or four years to go.” The dragon shrugged. “Guess it makes more sense now.” She grabbed his hand and led him away.

When they’d gone, Torch nodded. “My daughter, Princess Ember, will take good care of him,” he said.

“I’m sure she will,” Twilight said. “So.” She looked up at Torch. “I’m actually here so Spike and I can learn more about your people,” she said. “The last time we tried, it didn’t go so well - one of the Packlands’ ambassadors was supposed to tell you about that?”

“Bah!” Torch spat. “They told me. That fool has been given due punishment for his actions. We are brave, we are mighty! But we do! Not! Murder! Babies!” He lowered his voice again. “The one called Garble has been sent into exile for his actions to think about what he has done; he may return to our lands only if pardoned, or if called back by the Bloodstone Scepter. But he is forever barred from the Gauntlet of Fire for his crimes, even if pardoned.”

“The Gauntlet of Fire?” Twilight repeated.

“When my term as Dragon Lord ends, the Gauntlet of Fire shall test the might and will of all dragons,” Torch said. “Whomever succeeds shall be the next Dragon Lord. And, if I deem them worthy, shall inherit my status as Lord of Fire.” He considered. “Or Lady. It depends on the dragon.”

Twilight’s eyes lit up. “Fascinating… tell me more!”

“Very well!” Torch boomed. “Sit down, little pony. This will be a long tale, of brave and bold deeds, of great battles fought!”

“Like the one at the end of the war with the Storm King?” Twilight asked eagerly.

“What!” Torch’s face was suddenly in hers. “We. Missed. A war‽ When was this‽”

“Well…” Twilight gave a nervous chuckle. “We didn’t get involved until a little after summer, and ended last winter, but the Storm King had been doing his own thing for years before that…”

“So,” Ember said to Spike as they headed across the land. “What’s it like, having a pony for a mom?”

“In its own way, exhausting,” Spike said. “You would not believe how much effort I have to put into keeping her from rearranging the library every day, or freaking out over missing an assignment.” He shrugged. “But, that’s Twilight for ya. Not every pony is like her.”

“No kidding.” Ember shrugged. “Way I hear it, most of them are way soft. Oh sure, there’s ones like that Flash Magnus guy Dad ran into back in the day, but he was one of a kind.”

Spike chuckled. “You should have been there during the royal wedding a while back. We had to fight off a full-scale invasion.”

“An invasion? Is that normal for pony weddings?” Ember asked.

“Nope.” Spike shook his head. “Chrysalis was just being a greedy jerk.”

“Sounds like most dragons I know. They spend half the time bragging, or showing off their muscles, or holding belching contests.” Ember shrugged. “Actually, I win most of those. So what do you do when you’re not helping ponies do stuff?”

“Well, I read comics, I show off my muscles to myself… I smell my own feet.”

“Heh.” Ember gave a light chuckle. “Guess you’re more like a typical dragon than I thought, even if you aren’t a jerk.”

“And since last summer, we’ve been traveling the world, meeting new people and learning about their cultures. Even got mixed up in a war.”

“War?” Ember suddenly looked at him. “What war? Why weren’t we invited?”

“Um, ‘cause Equestria doesn’t have formal diplomatic ties with you, and I don’t know why the wolves didn’t say anything,” Spike said. “Anyway, there was this guy who was out conquering a bunch of territory until we got wind of it and told Princess Celestia. She and a bunch of other countries got together and built an army - ponies, wolves, griffons, changelings, minotaurs and probably a few others I’m forgetting, then they fought off the yetis he had. Then Twilight and this unicorn she’d made friends with, and one of the changelings, went in and fought the Storm King until they knocked him out onto the battlefield and one of the ponies out there stabbed him.”

“Whoa.” Ember looked at him in surprise. “Didn’t know a pony would have it in them to do that kind of thing.”

“Neither did I, until I heard about it.” Spike said. “I think that they sold it as taking care of the foes far away so those at home would be safe.”

“Huh.” Ember shrugged. “Wonder what Dad will say when he finds out all of this.”

“Probably mad he missed out,” Spike suggested.

“Probably.”

“So, anything to do that doesn’t involve showing off for other dragons?” Spike asked.

“Ever been swimming in lava?”

“Once, but… kinda bad memories.” Spike shrugged.

Ember looked at him incredulously. “How’s a dragon get bad memories from swimming in lava? We’re immune to fire and heat of any kind.”

“I know, and it’s less the lava and more that the guys I was hanging out with then were big jerks,” Spike told her. “Ever heard of a dragon named Garble?”

“The exile?” Ember frowned. “No wonder you have bad memories. Come on, I’ll show you what it’s like to have some real fun in the lava.”

Spike hurried after her, and a few hours later, when they were getting back out, he had to admit that relaxing in lava with an actual friend instead of a bully really was different.

I wonder if Twilight could magic up one of these for me when we get home, he thought to himself. That was fun.

Twilight and Torch were still talking when the two returned.

“And that is why the Dragon Lord Scintilla is the first and only honorary yak!” Torch was announcing when they approached.

Twilight beamed. “That is incredible!” she said. “I had no idea the yaks and the dragons were friends! It’s been over a thousand years since they closed their borders…”

“When one of the leaders of the most influential nation attacks the other leader of the same influential nation, we tend to get worried, especially as there was no true buildup to the attempted coup nor did we get a true explanation for it or a response for several years,” Torch said gruffly.

“Oh,” Twilight said. “Well, I only found out the full story a while ago myself - Princess Luna was possessed, by Umbrea-”

“The former Lady of Nightmares,” Torch said, nodding. “We had heard she vanished shortly before the attempted coup, but not why. She was its cause?”

Then, as Twilight was nodding, they suddenly noticed Ember and Spike nearby. “Were you not entertained?” Torch boomed.

Spike gave him a thumbs up. “Swimming in lava is fun when the other dragon isn’t a jerk!”

“Good.” Torch turned to Twilight. “We will send word to the yaks that you seek to visit,” he said. “They are an isolated people, but they dare not turn down a message from the Dragon Lord.”

“I appreciate that very much,” Twilight said. “Thank you for everything, Dragon Lord Torch.”

“You are most welcome, Friendship Princess Sparkle,” Torch boomed back. “And we shall be most sad to witness your departure.” Then he turned to Ember. “Be sad!”

“Oh, I am, I am,” Ember said. “Believe me, I don’t look it, but I am.”

Long after Twilight and Spike had gone off back to their airskimmer, she was still looking in their direction, hoping in her heart of hearts that she would see them again.

“For a dragon raised among ponies, Spike was actually kind of fun,” she finally said.

“And Princess Sparkle was a good listener,” Torch said. “Not like most dragons!”

“No kidding, Dad. No kidding.”

Chapter Eleven

“Princess Celestia?”

Celestia looked up from the desk in Pinkie’s house (the local Lady of Laughter having offered to host a sleepover for all of them when she’d realized Celestia didn’t have a place to stay for the night) where she was studying some of the lyrics to the different songs the Rainbooms had been performing since they first formed, and saw Sunset. “Hello, Sunset,” she said. “Is there something I can do for you?”

Sunset shook her head as she sat down. “Couldn’t sleep,” she said. “I just…” she sighed. “I’ve been trying to figure this out since it all started.”

“You too?” Celestia asked. “Well, if you have ideas, I’d be glad to hear them.” She gestured to the papers on the desk. “I’ve been reading everything here, but nothing really seems right, like it would be a perfect counter. Oh, I see themes of friendship, but none that really… pop, if you get what I mean.”

“Yeah.” Sunset sighed again. “And it doesn’t help that the girls keep arguing over the littlest things sometimes.”

“Such as?” Celestia asked, setting the papers aside.

“Well… Rainbow Dash keeps letting her ego get ahead of her because she decided to form this whole band in the first place, after someone suggested it to her,” Sunset said. “Rarity’s all focused on her costumes. Fluttershy keeps complaining because Rainbow Dash doesn’t want to use her songs and insists on doing her own. Applejack doesn’t seem to have any problems of her own, but she keeps grumbling about Rainbow Dash and Rarity being… well, like I said. And Pinkie is Pinkie.” She looked down. “And I feel like an outsider,” she admitted.

“Sunset…” Celestia put a hand on her shoulder. “You have to give them some time,” she said. “Friendship cannot be forced. I admit, I encouraged you, and Twilight as well, to make friends. But I wanted you to go out and meet ponies, and let these friendships develop naturally. Not to make them happen, or make them one-sided. Besides.” She smiled. “Nopony’s perfect. We all have our own little differences.”

“I have a hard time picturing you as anything but perfect, Princess,” Sunset said.

“You and far too many others,” Celestia said with a sigh. “The truth is, what I am is controlled. I have mastered the art of restraining myself and holding back, because I dare not do otherwise. Which is one of the reasons I let my sister take charge of the art of war. She is able to think strategically for the battlefield, and it was her plan that allowed us to deal with the Storm King’s army; I, on the other hoof, specialize in speaking in such a way as to prevent a need for warfare. And yet in over a hundred years, I was unable to keep another nation from attempting, repeatedly, to extradite the members of Prince Blueblood’s family.” She smiled proudly. “Twilight restored the bonds of friendship between our two nations and got them to agree to call off their claims against him less than a week after she met them.”

“She what?” Sunset shook her head. “And I thought what she did here was amazing.”

“It was, from all I have heard,” Celestia said. “It’s what she does.” Then she looked at the pages. “If Twilight were here, she could probably figure this out much easier than I can,” she said. “Heartsongs are one thing, but musical study is quite another.”

“Maybe… we could try it together?” Sunset asked, hopefully.

“I’d like that a lot, Sunset.” Celestia smiled at her. “So tell me, what do you think of this?” She began to read one set of lyrics aloud, and then listened as Sunset gave her her honest opinion.

A day later, Sunset stood off to the side as the girls and Celestia gathered in one spot on a hill overlooking the grounds below.

Things had not gone well for a while, with the girls breaking down and arguing during their semi-final performance and the Dazzlings continuing their scheming to the point where they’d roped another band - Trixie and the Illusions - into trapping the seven of them under the stage when the Dazzlings were performing. There, the human girls had kept up their arguing, unsuspecting that they were feeding their magic to the very beings they were trying to stop in doing so until Sunset had yelled out at them, pointing out what they were doing.

Now, they were ready to counteract the sirens’ spell, as the trio sang from the main stage, the students and staff enthralled by their words.

“Ah-ha, ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah, Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, Ah-ha, ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah, Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah!” the trio sang. Then, Adagio began her part.

“Welcome to the show, We're here to let you know, Our time is now,” she sang, before the others joined in on “Your time is running out!”

Sunset watched in dread as they continued.

“Feel the wave of sound, as it crashes down. You can't turn away, we'll make you wanna sta-a-a-ay..”

Then, as they continued, they began to glow and rise into the air.

“We will be adored,” the trio sang. “Tell us that you want us. We won't be ignored, it's time for our reward. Now you need us, come and heed us. Nothing can stop us no-o-o-ow!”

And with the last word, the magic covering them shattered, exposing three still recognizably human girls, but with pony ears, long extended tail-like hair, and fin-like wings as they stayed hovering.

Sunset turned back to her friends. “Now!” she called.

Celestia nodded, and began to sing the words Fluttershy had written for them.

“Oh-oh, oh-whoa-oh, I've got the music in me. Oh-oh, oh-whoa-oh…”

And then she continued. “Don't need to hear a crowd cheering out my name. I didn't come here seeking infamy or fame.”

Then together.

“The one and only thing, that I am here to bring is music, is the music. Is the music in my soul. Gonna break out (Out!) Set myself free, yeah. Let it all go (Go!). Just let it be, yeah. Find the music in your heart, let the music make you start to set yourself apart!”

And as they sang, the five girls behind them each sprouted their wings, ears and extended tails. Only Celestia did not, but as Sunset watched, there was a glowing light in her eyes.

Down below, she could hear Adagio saying something, but she wasn’t sure what, until they began to sing again.

“What we have in store, all we want and more. We will break on through, now it's time to finish you!”

And with that, the trio’s pendants glowed, releasing new forms that manifested above them.

The sirens, in their true seapony-esque forms, though with more angled muzzles, sharper teeth and normal (for a land-based pony) front hooves. The trio, in gold, purple and blue, shot over the crowd towards the Rainbooms.

This is not what I expected, Celestia reflected. The other girls were unleashing their own magic, weaponized through the sounds of their instruments and appearing as magical constructs resembling the Cutie Marks of their Equestrian counterparts. Yet her own body stayed as human as it had been since she crossed through the mirror.

Is this because I don’t have the magic of Harmony anymore? she wondered. Or because despite my best efforts, I can’t quite see them as Twilight did?

Then, she heard a voice.

Celestia.

“Who’s there?” she mouthed.

Celestia. The voice stopped. Then, she heard it again. Celestia… is this what you wish?

“I… I don’t know what you mean,” she whispered again.

Do you wish to truly harmonize with them, to be their friend? the voice came.

“Yes!” she said without hesitating. “Yes, I want that. I want to be their friend…” she stopped for a moment, then looked up. “Whoever you are… help me. Help us.”

So be it, the voice whispered. Once you held my Power. Now, I give you a taste again, for the bonds of friendship you have formed are true.

And then she felt the magic flowing through her, mixing with the Power she already held, and heard loud gasps as she felt the ears and tail sprouting, and the wings of pure white, multi-colored trails flowing through the extended tail.

Then she reached out a hand. “Sunset Shimmer, we need you too!”

“Me? But-” Suddenly, Sunset looked determined as she took Celestia’s hand, and accepted the microphone from her. Without a moment’s hesitation, she began to sing.

“You're never gonna bring me down, you're never gonna break this part of me. My friends are here to bring me 'round, not singing just for popularity.”

As she and Celestia grasped hands, they began to sing together, the others joining in. “We're here to let you know, that we won't let it go. Our music is a bomb and it's about to blow. And you can try to fight, but we have got the light of friendship on our side!”

Celestia grinned as they kept going. “Got the music in our hearts, we're here to blow this thing apart. And together, we will never be afraid of the dark. Here to sing our song out loud, get you dancing with the crowd as the music of our friendship, survives, survives!”

And as Sunset’s own eyes glowed, the tail and ears sprouting, the seven rose into the air just as the Dazzlings had, and a set of seven rainbow-colored lights were released from them, forming a sphere above them that began to sprout glowing white wings.

“Got the music in our hearts, we're here to blow this thing apart. And together, we will never be afraid of the dark. Here to sing our song out loud, get you dancing with the crowd, as the music of our friendship, survives, survives, survives!”

And then, the winged sphere opened the rest of the way, revealing a pure white alicorn. Releasing a stream of power, it shattered the siren constructs, and then continued on to blast the sirens themselves, their pendants and transformations crumbling away as they collapsed to the ground.

“Urrgh…” Adagio groaned as she tried to struggle to her feet. “Come on, you - keep singing!”

But the other two weren’t listening. Indeed, Sonata was just groaning and rubbing her head, while Aria was suddenly looking angrier than anyone in Canterlot High had ever seen her.

“You!” she yelled at Adagio. “What did you do to us‽”

Adagio tried to look innocent. “Me? What did I do? It’s what they-”

“Don’t play with me!” Aria roared as she suddenly had her hands on Adagio’s shirt, lifting her off the ground. “We’re sirens, but you did something to us, some kind of foreign magic! Tell me what you did! Tell me!”

Behind her, Sonata groaned again. “Can you keep it down?” she whined. “I’ve got such a headache, and…” Then she gasped. “Oh my aching fins, you’re right, Aria!”

Aria gave her a look. “What fins? We haven’t had proper fins since we got here!”

“I know, but…” Sonata pointed to Adagio. “That magic! That… what she did, what she put into our pendants! That wasn’t normal siren magic! She used us!”

“Well duh!” Adagio spat. “It’s kind of my Duty. I spread Hatred, I needed you two dolts to expand my powers!”

From where she was standing, Celestia, who’d felt that extra trace of Power leave her as her change faded, gasped. “So that’s what she was up to,” she realized.

Back on the stage, Adagio had broken free. “All that Hatred, all that magic it enhanced, it fed us! Better than any normal siren magic could do! It’s my whole Purpose, and you two were just the sirens I needed to help do it!”

Sonata scratched her head. “Um… magically-enhanced hatred is one thing, but we're sirens; we're supposed to feed on hatred. Why would you be making us doing what we were doing anyway?"

Aria glanced at her. “For once, the ditz has a point,” she said. “We have rules, Adagio - sirens never use their powers on one another. Imposing your will on us, that was way out of line.”

“Yeah!” Sonata agreed. “Who do you think you are?”

“Who do I think I am?” Adagio seemed to swell up. “I am Hatred!” she spat. “And a true Lady of Hatred doesn’t need to explain herself! Now, do as I say, and-”

“That’s enough.”

Princess Celestia had stepped forward, and towered over Adagio. “You,” she said, “have broken Rules this day. Not only the laws of your people, but the Rules of what we are.”

“Of what-” Adagio glared. “Who do you think you are, Day?” she spat. “You’re nothing compared to me, you’re-”

“I was once and have been again, however briefly, a chosen of Magic,” Celestia said firmly. “What is more, you have targeted the Powers of Harmony for this land. You know the Laws, Adagio Dazzle. Harmony stands over Hatred, and your actions are a violation of all that binds us to our Roles.” She gave the girl a stern look. “I may not be authorized to punish you, but another can.”

“Oh? Who?”

“That would be me,” another voice purred, and then its source stepped onto the stage in a yellow zoot suit and wide-brimmed hat, twirling a golden cane with a representation of Twilight’s head on it. “So this is where you’ve been hiding all these centuries, little Hatred.”

Adagio’s eyes widened as she saw the person standing before her. “No…”

“Oh, yes!” The man now standing there, cackling, gave her a wicked smile. “It’s me, little Hatred! Lord of Disharmony! Champion of Chaos! Authorized to reign in any and all Powers under Chaos’s authority short of the four Apocalypses themselves, and even then I have some pull when it comes to them.”

“You let HIM out‽” Adagio shrieked. “What on Equus were you thinking‽”

Celestia folded her arms. “Excellent timing,” she said to Discord. “But how did you know what was going on?”

“My dear, I am the champion of Chaos,” Discord told her. “I sensed a massive surge in such magic on this side and felt compelled to investigate. It’s part of my Duties, after all.” He gestured to Adagio, who was doing her best to calm down. “And that little runt has overstepped her boundaries. Reapers are one thing, Death is allowed to take adjuncts. But not Hatred.” He suddenly loomed over Adagio. “You know the Laws.”

“Hah!” Adagio sneered. “This land is so magically dry; how can your Power even function here?”

“Why, that’s simple! It’s not.” Discord’s face was in hers. “The magic here is subtle, but I can tap it even if there’s just a speck about, what with all the natural chaos around. So I can do anything I want.” Suddenly, he reached his hand into hers and withdrew a glowing sphere of light.

“No…” Adagio gasped as she sank to her knees. “You can’t, you don’t have that authority.”

“Normally, I don’t but you know how Death hates to be bothered,” Discord said. “Now, to find a new host for this…” He frowned. “Two in one year, that’s actually a little disturbing.”

“Discord.”

Discord looked as Aria walked up to him. “Yes?”

“What are these… Duties you mentioned? That she was supposed to be doing?”

“Why, to monitor the spread of negative emotions,” Discord said. “To encourage them from time to time, help others to let them out when needed. To act as a balance to Love. Creating them where none had existed is not permitted, but when they have a hint that it is already there yet is not being suitably channeled, that is a whole other story. Channeling anger and righteous hate at a suitable target is a good way to help one grow a spine when there is none; at the same time, letting it control you is not.”

Aria nodded. “Then… give it to me,” she said. “I can do that.”

“Aria?” Sonata said nervously.

“Why do you think I keep yelling at you, you dolt? So you can learn to yell back at me and stand up for yourself!” Aria facepalmed. “Seriously, how have you not figured this out yet?”

Sonata shrugged.

Sighing, Aria turned back to Discord. “What do you say?”

“I say…” Discord pondered, then pulled out a monocle and peered directly at her from one angle, then another. Finally, he put it away. “Yes, you would be a suitable Hatred,” he said. “Very well, here you go.” He pressed the orb into her.

She glowed for a moment, then let out a gasp as the Power settled in her.

“Now, how do you feel?” Discord asked.

“I feel…” Aria whirled around and was in Sonata’s face. “Stand up for yourself!” she all but shrieked.

Sonata blinked, and Aria facepalmed again. “This is clearly going to take some work,” she muttered.

“Well, if you want to go back to the other side, maybe the two of you can have some time alone to work on it?” Discord suggested. “There is a Lady of Love who can help you out learning your new Duties and Powers. Plus Love-butt would love to be helpful.”

“That sounds like a plan.” Aria looked to Adagio, who was still laying on the ground in shock. “What do you want to do with her?”

“I think,” another Celestia said as she walked onto the stage, “That if you aren’t planning to take her with you when you go, I’ll be giving her detention for the rest of the year. Magically manipulating people’s minds may not technically be against school rules, but I am fairly certain that attempting to pedal illicit substances - which your hate-filled magic likely qualify as - is.”

She seemed completely unphased by the fact that another woman who looked almost exactly like her was on stage. “At any rate, I do believe that the Rainbooms have officially won this Battle of the Bands, even if it wasn’t precisely the most… normal of performances.”

The audience broke out cheering.

The next day, eight girls and one woman (Discord had already gone back) stood by the portal.

“I wish we could have more time together,” Sunset said as she looked to her former teacher. “I really, really liked being able to see you again.”

“And I feel the same way, Sunset,” Celestia said. “But you know, you can always write. And if you want, I can make another pair of journals, so you can write to Twilight too after she’s home again.”

“I think I’d like that,” Sunset said. “Princess… when you hear from her again, tell her…” She hesitated. “Tell her I miss her - that we all miss her - and we’d like to see her again sometime.”

“And, ask if she’d bring Spike with her again,” Fluttershy said. “He was so adorable…”

Celestia smiled. “I’ll tell them,” she said.

Then she looked to Aria and Sonata. “It’s time,” she said.

Nodding, the new Lady of Hatred and the girl she’d taken under her metaphorical wing stepped through the portal.

As Celestia was about to follow them, she paused, looking past the statue and across the street.

At her local counterpart, walking down the sidewalk, hand in hand with a man she recognized.

A man with grayish hair, orangish streaks in it, and, as he looked in her direction and winked, a sort of deepness to his eyes.

Celestia narrowed her own, before turning back and giving each of the girls a hug. “I’ll see you all again, when I can,” she said. “I promise.” And one other, she thought. I never did think to ask about that boy Queen Metamorphia mentioned, the one she said Twilight thought she had feelings for.

Then she stepped through the portal, and was gone.

Hours would pass before the Alpha emerged into his office, Celestia and the two sirens long moved on, and when he did, he found a scroll marked with Celestia’s seal on his desk. Unfurling it and reading it, he let out a chuckle, for it had only three lines.

To the Alpha of the Packlands,

You got some 'splainin' to do!

Yours, Princess Celestia

Taking up another piece of parchment, he began to write a reply.

To Princess Celestia,

What’s there to explain? I have a thing for your Other. We met on one of my excursions, went on a small outing, and have been going steady ever since.

Yours, the Alpha of the Packlands

Placing his seal on it and sending it off via his own magic, he smiled. “Her reaction should be amusing.”

Some time later, and many hundreds of miles away, Twilight emerged from the depths of the Yaket Range.

“He’s still down there?” Spike asked.

“He’s still down there,” Twilight confirmed. “Imprisoned behind more sealing spells than I can begin to count and trapped in the heart of a crystal at least a mile thick, and I did add a few more myself. Unless someone goes out of their way to break him out, he’s not coming back anytime soon.”

“That’s good.” Spike checked the parchment he was holding. “So, now that you’ve visited the griffons and made sure Grogar’s still locked up tight, Yakyakistan is next?”

“Absolutely,” Twilight told him. “And then another hop across the sea to visit the centaurs and gargoyles, and then back to this side to stop in Dimondia. And then…”

“Home,” Spike said almost dreamily.

“Home,” Twilight confirmed.

With that, the two climbed into their airskimmer and flew off, while deep below them, the evil ram sorcerer slumbered on, unaware they had ever been present.

Chapter Twelve

Princess Luna was just finishing up her latest set of paperwork when there was a knock on the door.

“Come in,” she called, eager for a distraction.

A moment later, she got it when a beaming Celestia walked into the room, accompanied by a pair of hovering equines she had only heard of from stories, and she gave her sister a look.

“Celestia,” she asked as calmly as she could. “I am glad to see you back. But why are there a pair of sirens - presumably two of the ones you went to take care of - following you?”

“Luna, I’d like you to meet Aria Blaze and Sonata Dusk,” Celestia said. “The new Lady of Hatred and her companion.”

“That implies you know where the old one is,” Luna said with a raised eyebrow. “What happened to them?”

“According to your sister, the same thing that happened to Chrysalis,” Aria said. “She abused her powers and lost them for it. I got the job when Discord decided I was a better fit.”

“And I’ve already contacted Cadance, so she’ll be coming to see us as soon as possible,” Celestia added. “It would be helpful for both to better understand their Duties and Roles together as you know that Love and Hatred rarely have such to work together.”

Luna nodded. “So I see.” She stood up and walked over to examine the pair before looking at her sister. “You have yet to tell me what happened to her or where she is now.”

Celestia sighed. “Luna, I’ve told you what happened to Sunset Shimmer. It would seem that our old teacher banished three sirens to the same land, where they would have been left powerless.”

“And he was almost right,” Aria spoke up. “We barely had access to our normal magic even before all of this - we fed a little, but not nearly what we were used to.”

“I don’t know how much of that was actually us and how much was what Adagio was carrying around,” Sonata contributed.

“At any rate, when Sunset arrived, she managed to enroll herself in a local high school,” Celestia continued. “After Twilight went there and managed to bring her around, she began working to redeem herself. Unfortunately, their display of Equestrian magic caught the attention of the sirens. They transferred in just a short while ago, and began working their own magic.”

“Until Adagio got us all caught and we ended up with a rainbow blast to the faces,” Sonata said. She made a face. “That was not fun. I’ve had fun. That wasn’t it.”

“After that,” Celestia said, “These two realized they’d been manipulated by their leader, and she exposed her true status as Lady of Hatred to them as she was explaining herself. Then Discord arrived, took away her Power, and gave it to Aria when he decided she’d do a better job.”

“As for our former leader, she’s still back there,” Aria said, waving a hoof. “Principal Celestia gave her detention for the rest of the year.”

Luna had been listening carefully, but at the words “Principal Celestia”, she looked startled. “Who‽”

“It would seem that many of this world’s residents have Others over there,” Celestia said. “Our counterparts are in charge of Canterlot High School, where Sunset attends. I did not see a version of Twilight, but her friends - and their families - have counterparts, and I saw a few others I recognized.”

Luna shook her head. “Others. It figures.”

“So, she’s stuck there, and we’re back here so Aria can be what Adagio was supposed to be,” Sonata said. She turned to Celestia. “Um… can I go have some tacos now?”

Celestia smiled. “I’ll show you to the kitchen,” she said. “Our meat Chef Guston will be very happy to have another individual present who appreciates his cooking.”

“Yay!” Sonata happily followed her out of the room.

When the two had gone, Aria sighed and facehooved. “I love my sister, I really do, but she’s such a ditz sometimes,” she said.

Luna nodded. “Sisters can indeed have their differences,” she said. “I know from experience.”

“Right.” Aria looked around. “How long has it been here since we got sent away, anyway?” she asked. “I don’t want to have to be dealing with that Starswirl guy again. ‘Course, I can’t blame him for wanting to get rid of Adagio - she was a total stranger, and Sonata and I were such fools to listen to her when she came out of nowhere, spouting off all this talk about getting us a feast like we’d never seen before.”

“Regrettably, Starswirl himself, along with his companions, disappeared while facing another threat over a thousand years ago,” Luna said. “Death did not claim him, we know that much. They simply vanished, and to where we have no idea.”

“Right.” She said before looking at Luna again. “What about the other sirens, what happened to them?”

“You are the first sirens we have encountered in a very long time Aria,” Luna said, summoning a map of the world. “We do not know where in the Equuis seas your kind claims home to be. Perhaps you can help us reach out to them.”

“I can try,” she replied. Then she looked at two spots and squinted at one of them. “Hey, wasn’t that old Squirk’s territory?”

“It was,” Luna said. “The merlions imprisoned him and laid claim to that area. They, the local seaponies and mermares all live in peace now.”

“Good.” At Luna’s startled expression, she clarified. “Squirk hated our people, and we hated him back. He tried to conquer us once, but we threw him out. Literally, we levitated him out of the waters over our main city and threw him over the horizon.”

“I see.”

There had been some startled reactions when a few changelings saw the siren pair floating through the castle (apparently the two races were aware of one another, but had historically avoided interacting if they possibly could), but Celestia had cleared things up quickly. It had been a marked change to how the world had been before the last year; before there had only been ponies that had roamed these halls but now there were species of almost every nation who had taken it upon themselves to reaffirm their ties to one another. There were wolves talking to minotaurs about their fishing boats while changelings were discussing opening businesses with the harpies and even establishing a potential hive or two in their islands, a small delegation of hippogriffs (some of whom were transformed seaponies from Seaquestria) meeting with their griffon cousins to discuss the two groups working to rebuild both their nations, and even some Abyssinians - one of the few races Twilight had not officially met yet - meeting with ponies about their own businesses.

The Cuanmiztl Kingdom delegation had arrived as well, and a few of them had joined in that talk, though they were eager to see the return of their treasures. Celestia had personally promised them that she would send a few ponies she knew (namely, Rainbow Dash) to speak with one of the main individuals responsible, being friendly acquaintances with her, and that she had her guards out hunting for Caballeron and his associates as well. She still expected to see Daring and Ahuizotl (the Cuanmiztl Kingdom representatives had yet to give her his actual name) showing up soon to settle the whole matter of her books; now that he had the backing of his people, he was seeking some sort of compensation. She wasn’t exactly sure of what he planned to ask for, considering how Queen Scolopidia, who had made her close friendship with Vinyl and Octiava official and her hive was now Equestria’s second changeling hive, reacted to the news with a knowing smirk similar to when the changelings and Cadance had been watching Luna and Pharynx begin to date before making it official.

Celestia hadn’t seen anywhere near this many races in one place since the last Convocation of Creatures (or “International Gathering” as some insisted on calling it) at Mount Metazoa and it warmed her heart to see such unity unfolding.

But now, a day after their return from the world of Canterlot High, Princess Cadance had finally arrived to meet the two sirens.

“So that’s what happened,” Aria concluded when she finished telling her story to her Opposite. They were sitting in a small, cozy room with Celestia attending briefly before she had to go oversee Daring and Teomitl, his name finally given, meeting. While the pair could move through the air on their own, they had been given special magical water to help them contact their own people. “We’re here, she’s there, and you’re… well, you and I are supposed to work together. I’m not sure how though.”

“I didn’t know either when I first started,” Cadance replied warmly. “I had to learn as I went along. I had thought it meant at first doing my best to personally oversee that all the relationships went well but I quickly realized that was impossible as I could not be everywhere and I was just a little filly.” That drew some giggles from Sonata with her sister smirking too. “While Aunt Celestia and Luna’s Powers are more flashy and dramatic, ours is much more subtle. I am the ruler of the Crystal Empire which has the Crystal Heart as you know. It helps me reach towards my ponies to see how they feel but I also have my own agents that I do my best to help guide as well as have them to help others.”

“What kind of agents?” Aria asked, taking a taco off the plate that Guston had made for them. Along with the increased presence of people who ate his meals, the griffon chef had taken a shine to Sonata and had made sure that both sirens had whatever meal they wanted, though he had gone through the blue-coloured one first.

“Believe it or not, matchmakers are not my core supply of agents, despite what many might think,” Cadance said. “Though there are a few whom I support publicly as to throw off my political enemies - Refined Heart, for one, might be a little nosey, but otherwise she has done a very good job of helping couples since before I was born. Most of my agents are counselors, both for couples as well as individuals, to make sure their relationships with their special someone as well as their friends and families are good and healthy. I have also been in talk with most of the changelings who have agreed to help me in my work to keep a better eye on the matter. I am sure you can see how you can help as well.”

Aria nodded carefully. “Discord said, when I asked him before taking on this Role, that part of my Duties involved helping people channel anger and other negative emotions in a healthy way so they wouldn’t let it control them,” she said. “So counselors of a different type would be under my calling.”

“Exactly,” Cadance said. “There is a lot of material you will need to learn first but learning how to deal with one’s anger and other rougher emotions is something that my counselors do struggle with their patients, which I do admit is partly my fault as I do not have the best experience in it. The closest I had was when I met Prismia and she tried to drain the love from everypony in the village I grew up in because she was jealous of what they had. I reversed her spell and helped her feel their love, which is part of what she wanted all along, but it took a long time before she really got over the jealousy she’d felt.” She sighed. “And then there’s what I had to deal with when Chrysalis imprisoned me, but seeing her stripped of her power and being turned into a donkey under arrest for the rest of her life does help.”

“Have you ever gone into a rage cage?” Aria asked with Celestia and Cadance both raising an eyebrow at that.

“Care to explain what they are?” Cadance asked her Opposite.

“It’s this thing where a person goes into a mostly confined place and just lets out all their anger,” Sonata said. “They scream and curse and pound on the walls and floor until they feel all better. Sweatier and tireder, but better. I met this one old guy who put padding on the inside of his closet and used that to do it - he called it a Fuss Closet instead of a rage cage, but it was the same thing, really. He let Aria use it because she was in one of those really bad moods of hers. And he had this funny sign on the inside of the door that summed it all up.”

“Oh?” Cadance asked.

Sonata nodded. “‘To fuss is human; to rant, divine!’” she quoted, earning chuckles from the two alicorns.

“There are also those other variants where they stack it with a ton of breakable stuff that they let you just smash up as another way to vent your anger out against useless stuff instead of another person,” Aria said with her sister nodding her head. “A lot more healthy than doing it against someone who would hit back. There’s another variant with a rubber dummy like they have at the gym to beat up on too.”

“And once you’ve got all your frustrations worked out, you can calm down and think about stuff, try to work past whatever you were angry at!” Sonata said brightly.

“Our guards actually have that last version in their training areas,” Celestia said thoughtfully.

“But you have given me a lot to think about Aria,” Cadance said. “If you would like, you can accompany me back home in the Crystal Empire so we can start your education in what you need to know so we can both work together to help others.”

“I’d like that,” Aria said, extending a hoof. The two shook, and Cadance smiled.

“Me too, right?” Sonata asked with her sister sighing.

“Yes, of course you can come,” Cadance said with a giggle. “There was never any question about it. I would never dream of splitting you up from your sister.”

“Eeeee!” Sonata squealed happily. Aria rolled her eyes, but was smiling as she did it.

“Hope your chefs are as good with meat as the one here,” she said. “Sirens in general are mostly meat-eaters. We can stomach other things, but meat is the big thing.”

“Pegasi, or former pegasi in my case, tend to have a taste for fish too,” Cadance said. “I made sure we hired a griffon chef right away.”

“Also with warmer ties with the Packlands now, more choices in meat products are available in Equestria and the Crystal Empire in general,” Celestia added as she rose. “I am heartened to see such strong ties form but I need to attend another meeting right now.”

“It’s okay!” Sonata said cheerfully. “We didn’t live in a palace, but I used to be friends with some of the sirens who did, and they said our queen used to have to always run off and do things all over the place too.”

Celestia gave the trio another smile before heading off to the other meeting room and did her best not to sigh.

The room was not that large as to subtly encourage each side to be closer, and hopefully work closer in the end, but the fact that both sides were at opposite ends made the distance seem larger than it was.

On one end was Daring Do with a pony in a business suit, no doubt her lawyer and on the other side was Teomitl with an ahuizotl, no doubt his lawyer too, by his side and the Cuanmiztl Kingdom’s representative on the other side. Standing at the far wall was a score of changeling guards mixed with rune wolves to downplay Equestria’s part in the meeting giving steady looks at the Cuanmiztlian guards who were standing slightly ready as if they expected things to escalate.

Stepping up to her own spot, Celestia cleared her throat to catch their attention. “Lady, gentlebeings,” she said. “I do hope you were not waiting long for me to arrive but now that I am here, let us begin.”

At her end, Daring was looking somewhat abashed, while Teomitl had something of a… well, Celestia wasn’t quite sure what to call the expression he had. His lawyer, on the other hoof, was looking very serious. “Your royal highness Princess Celestia,” he said. “We are here to discuss the complaints our people, and my client in particular, have brought against Miss Do.” He held up a scroll. “Malicious vandalism and destruction of historic sites. Theft of cultural artifacts. Repeated mockery of the treasure guardian Teomitl and his sacred duty. Repeated misrepresentation of him in your works, which is categorized as malicious slander.” He gave Daring a narrowed look. “Miss Do, how do you answer these charges?”

“Look, I-” Daring began to answer before her lawyer coughed loudly.

“What my client here means to say is that she is completely apologetic for her actions against your historical sites and will be doing her part to help fund projects in restoring them,” the lawyer paused to catch their breath.

“It would have helped if he’d just told me what he was really doing there in the first place,” Daring grumbled. “All I got were death threats!”

“As IF an Equestrian would believe the word of someone who wasn’t one,” Teomitl snapped before holding all three hands up as both lawyers seemed ready to tear into him. “Sorry, that was completely uncalled for but seriously, would you have believed me back then Daring?”

“If you’d tried, maybe I would have,” she said. “But you attacked me right off! Of course I was suspicious after that!” She sighed. “At any rate, I still have all your stuff, and now that I know the truth, I’d be glad to give it all back.”

“That was a guaranteed event Daring,” Teomitl said. “Though the crux of the matter is your books. Now while I am not completely pleased about my depiction in them, I cannot be dishonest to say they are terrible nor they are without merit.” He clasped all three hands together. “I am aware of how many youths you have got to start reading and my lawyer here has a proposition for you and your lawyer to look over.” He said with his lawyer sighing before sliding a paper across the table.

“I’ll make sure my publishers add a new disclaimer to all future printings of my old stuff so that people know that your depiction in them is not an accurate portrayal of how actual ahuizotls behave, and was partly based on a bad first impression that colored my personal views.” She gave him a look before picking up the paper. “Though Caballeron’s is right on the money,” she said as she began to read the letter before doing a double-take and read it again before handing it over to her lawyer. “Are you serious about this?”

“Of course I am,” he said with a shrug and a smirk on his face. “Like I said, you are a good writer and those who read your work should not be deprived of that due to a miscommunication. For equal rights to all future profits off your series along with equal representation to my contributions, I will help you explore some of the more distant temples and artifacts of my people and others across the world. You do not need to stop what you are doing per se, just that I accompany you now and show you a bit of my world so you can give your readers a better story. What do you say?”

“I say you’ve got a deal,” Daring said as she accepted the papers back from her lawyer. With a quick flourish, she signed the contract, then hoofed it over. “Oh, and I think it’s only fair to warn you…”

“Yes?”

“I like and appreciate my fans, but some of them are a little more… obsessive about certain topics than others, and once they start seeing your name on the front as co-writer, you’re likely to start getting fan mail from them too.” Daring shrugged. “Would you believe how many letters I get from people asking why I haven’t confessed my undying love for Caballeron?”

Had Teomitl been drinking, he would have done a spit-take. “Seriously?”

“Seriously,” Daring said. “They call it ‘Foe Yay’ and claim that our mutual dislike is actually a secret, burning love for one another.” She rolled her eyes. “No matter how many times I write back that my character can’t stand the guy - and I mean every word of it - there are still those who respond that I’m just in denial.”

Teomital groaned. “And you think I’ll have to deal with that sort of thing too?”

“Would you believe I get letters like that shipping the two of us too?”

The ahuizotl stared. “You’re serious.”

“Absolutely,” Daring confirmed. “But they’re not all like that. I do get some that are well-thought out and have meaningful questions. Like the one I got once from this little filly asking why the guards that we ran into from time to time didn’t trap Caballeron and arrest him for everything he did, because her big brother was in the guard and she knew if he’d gone after Caballeron, the guy would have been in jail long ago.”

Celestia suddenly raised a hoof. “Was that letter, by any chance, signed ‘T. Sparkle’?”

“It was, actually.” Daring turned to look at her. “How did…” Then she stopped, thought, and sighed. “Of course. That was from Princess Twilight, wasn’t it?”

“Long before she was a Princess, but yes,” Celestia said. “She showed it to me before she sent it to you.”

“Heh.” Daring smiled. “That was actually one of the better thought-out ones I got back then. I still have it hanging on my wall.”

“I’m sure she’d be happy to hear that,” Celestia said. “And she still has your reply, too.”

Daring smiled again.

“What did you say to her?” Teomitl asked curiously.

“I told her the truth, that the guards always did their best, but he was trickier than they realized and had had a lot of experience in escaping,” Daring said. “Also that the narrative reason was because it made for a more exciting story if I had a couple of recurring villains besides… well, you.”

Teomitl nodded. “Sound logic.”

Looking up at the gates of Yakyakistan, Twilight nodded. “Here goes nothing.”

Then she knocked.

No response.

She knocked again.

Still no response.

“Maybe nobody’s home?” Spike suggested.

“These doors are too well maintained for this place to be completely empty,” Twilight told him. Reaching up, she was about to knock again, when a smaller door flew open.

“Yaks not want company! Go away!” the yak bellowed before slamming the door in her face.

Twilight frowned. “Well that was rude.” She knocked again. “Look, I’m not going away! I need to talk to your leader!”

“GO AWAY!” the yak’s voice came again. “Yaks not hear from outside in thousand years, yaks not want to hear from outside! Yaks want their privacy!”

“Yaks going to be in big trouble if they don’t open up and take me to their leader,” Twilight shot back.

“If puny pony not go away, yaks smash!” the yak responded.

“Well, I can’t say I didn’t warn him,” Twilight mused. “Yaks are supposed to respect strength though, so here goes.”

Then she concentrated her Earth pony magic in her rear hooves, turned around, and let out a buck that would have made Applejack proud, sending the door flying.

Trotting in, she found herself surrounded by angry-looking yaks. There was even a small one, with a green blanket on her back and some red decorations in her braids, present.

“Puny pony break in yak’s door? Yaks smash!” one of them bellowed.

“‘Puny pony’ not in the mood for any of yaks’ roadapples,” Twilight shot back, snorting hotly in their faces. “Now, do as I said and take me to your leader!”

Just then, there was a low rumbling, and then another yak, taller than the rest, muscled his way through the crowd. “Make way for yak Prince Rutherford!” he bellowed.

The other yaks muttered, but did as he said. He was soon directly in Twilight’s face, and snorted at her. “What puny pony want? Yaks not heard from ponies since short pony princess attack taller pony princess!”

“Really?” Twilight blinked in surprise but kept her posture. “But… they told me they tried to reach all of you last fall. None of you answered. And some of us are not happy; we could have really used your help!”

“Pony lie!” the yak prince roared. “Weak ponies not contact mighty yaks! No one contact yaks! Not in a thousand years!”

“Then… you didn’t get the Dragon Lord’s message either?” Twilight asked. “He sent it… a couple of weeks ago now, I think. He said he was going to, anyway.”

The yak stared at her, nostrils opening and closing angrily. Then he stomped over to the yak who’d been guarding the door. “Sentry! Where is Dragon Lord message!”

“Yak not know what Prince talking about,” the sentry stammered. “Yak not get any message-”

“Sentry lie!” the yak prince roared. “Where. Is. Message‽”

Meekly, the yak sentry trotted away to a building near the gate, and came back with a stack of letters. “Yak so sorry, yak was just following orders! Yak sentries not supposed to let anyone or anything in to disturb yak prince!”

“Yak more disturbed now than anything!” Rutherford roared. “Yak dismissed from duty. Yaks must find new sentry, who will do job right!” He then began shuffling through the letters until he found the one he wanted. “Hmm… Dragon Lord did send letter,” he mused. “Yaks will have to send one back. Tell him of delayed delivery because yak sentry not do job right!”

Then he began checking the letters. “Junk… junk… yaks may have already won ten thousand bits… junk…” As he scanned them, he looked suspiciously at Twilight. “What ponies want with yaks anyway?” he asked. “Yaks not bother ponies, why ponies bother yaks?”

“Because we want answers,” Twilight said. “But now I think I have them. Princess Celestia tried to get your help for the war effort!”

“War effort‽ What war‽” he shouted louder than he had been talking so far with other yaks also shouting loudly.

“The one with the Storm King,” Twilight said. “To stop him from taking over the world. But you didn’t answer us!”

Rutherford let out an angry snort. “Yaks not hear of war! Is war going on still?”

“No, it ended last winter,” Twilight said. “He’s dead.”

“Yaks miss war‽” Rutherford looked even angrier. “Yaks love good war! Yaks love smash!”

“Well, if you want…” Twilight looked around at all the snow. “I saw him - I fought him. I could use my magic, turn a lot of this snow into snow sculptures of him, and you could smash those.”

Rutherford’s lips turned upward into a grin. “Yak like that idea,” he said. “Yaks! Move back! Let pony make Storm King sculptures! Then, yaks smash!”

The other yaks were grinning too as they backed up. When she had enough room, Twilight lit up her horn and began shaping the snow.

Soon, there were over a hundred sculptures of the Storm King in front of them, and Rutherford nodded approvingly. “Yaks thank pony,” he said. “Now yaks smash!”

And with a lot of yelling, the yaks charged and began stomping all over the place.

Several hours and even more snow sculptures later, the yaks were satisfied, and Rutherford began checking the mail again, finally finding the letter from Princess Celestia.

“Yaks must make amends,” he announced. “Yaks not want to miss war for all the yovidaphones in Yakyakistan! But yaks miss out because of overzealous yak sentry!” He turned and fumed towards the gate. “Yaks want know what else yaks missed out on!”

“Well, Princess Luna’s back… and back to herself.”

The yaks exchanged looks and muttered to one another.

“The Crystal Empire is back…”

The muttering was even louder.

“And, I guess you didn’t hear we had two new princesses?” Twilight spread her wings.

Rutherford was so startled his eyes became visible through his bangs for a moment. “Yaks really not hear of this!”

“Also, Discord’s back and helping us out.”

There was a loud high-pitched scream from the back of the herd of yaks, and the others looked in its direction, revealing a skinnier yak who let out a nervous giggle. “Heh-heh… carry on,” he said.

Snorting in disgust, Rutherford looked at Twilight. “Yaks clearly have lots to catch up on,” he said. “Yaks want know everything!”

“And I want to know everything about your people,” Twilight said. She held out a hoof. “Will you teach me?”

Rutherford smiled. “Yak be honored,” he said.

Once she’d brought Spike in (and earned further muttering from the yaks), Twilight followed Prince Rutherford to the yak’s fire pit and began listening to him, and telling her own stories when prompted.

Finally, as night began to fall, she was led to a mud sleeping hut (as Rutherford had explained, the yaks had special huts for almost every purpose), and laid down, Spike at her side.

Yaks interesting to listen to, she thought sleepily before dozing off.

Chapter Thirteen

Humming contentedly, Pinkie moved about her room, organizing one stack of things after another. “This has to be perfect,” she said. “It has to!”

After all, they’d just gotten the letter the other day. Twilight had written to all of them, informing them that she had just one more stop to make on her world tour. Her time in the centaur/gargoyle kingdom had gone really well, and now she just needed to visit the small kingdom of Dimondia before returning to Canterlot. Princess Celestia had given Pinkie free reign to do whatever she wanted for the welcome-back party, though she’d also provided her with a list of individuals who had already promised to be there, so as to at least give her a head start on that end.

“Let’s see… got the streamers, got the confetti, got the balloons, got the party poppers…” She went down her checklist. “Got the plans for the cake! Got no quesadillas; she doesn’t like those… ooh, and got the presents!” Finishing the checklist she’d prepared, she saw the last item. “Notification, not quite check.”

Then she dashed downstairs and into the kitchen. “Mrs. Cake?”

“Yes, Pinkie?” the other mare asked, taking a tray of muffins out of the oven. “Oh, could you set these aside? Derpy’s coming to pick them up in an hour.”

“Sure thing!” Pinkie did as she was asked, then turned back to her boss. “Mrs. Cake?”

“Yes?”

“Can I have…” Pinkie checked the calendar. “This day off?”

“Oh, certainly,” Mrs. Cake told her. “What’s the occasion?”

“Twilight’s coming home!”

“Really? That’s fantastic!” Mrs. Cake grinned and gave her a hug. “Here, or Canterlot?”

“Party’s in Canterlot, then she’ll be back here after that!” Pinkie said excitedly. “Not enough room in the library, or we’d hold it here.”

“Well, that’s certainly reasonable.” Mrs. Cake smiled. “Give her our best when you see her, if you don’t mind.”

“No problem!” Pinkie said. “Now I have a city-sized party to plan for!”

Mrs. Cake paled at that. “A city-sized party?” she asked, sounding a bit worried for some reason.

“Princess Celestia told me I could do whatever I want to welcome home Twilight and I am going to throw the bestest Welcome home party for my friend ever.”

“Well… if she said it was okay,” Mrs. Cake said.

“She did!” Pinkie chirped. “Oh, and I’m bringing the personal Twilight cake with me, and then we’re going to make a couple dozen Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness once I get up there.”

“That many? In less than a day?” Mrs. Cake asked, a bit taken back.

“Mrs. Cake, you know me,” Pinkie said. “If I say it can be done, it can be done.”

Then she pronked off, before turning back. “Oh, if you and Mr. Cake want to close up shop for the day and come up with us, you’re certainly welcome to!”

“I’ll talk to Carrot about it,” Mrs. Cake said faintly.

It was during the middle of the day and Celestia was blessed with a moment of quietness from all the hustle and bustle going off in Canterlot. Along with the renewed ties across the world being centered in Canterlot, the sirens being the latest to establish ties to not only Equestria but the rest of the international community, the fact that Twilight was finally coming home had drawn in people from all over the word in eager celebration for the princess of the world. Pinkie Pie had also brought in her own share of people who wished to attend the biggest party of the year, with Pinkie hiring entertainers from all across the world for the day that was quickly approaching.

Some of the nobles were worried that Pinkie’s spending was a bit too coin but Fancy, who was replacing Blueblood for the moment as the prince was out in Saddle Arabia, had pointed out Pinkie was helping create jobs for the party and it would also be political suicide to try and stop such a party for their Princess’s return.

Sighing contently, Celestia raised a cup of tea to her lips before pausing. “I can hear you there, my little pony,” she said.

“I wasn’t trying to hide Celestia,” Velvet said, one of the few ponies that openly treated her as an equal with very little encouraging needed. The mare walked up to her, summoning a small platform so she could peer over the balcony too. She stared at the mass of people walking across the courtyard and smiled. “She has done very well, our daughter, hasn’t she?”

Celestia cocked an eyebrow at this with Velvet snorting. “Oh come on, she is much as your daughter as she is mine. You helped raise her, teach her, and prepared her for the world.” She sighed, shaking her head. “To think she has done all of this in more or less a year; that a year ago she would have been a complete mess at even comprehending dong any of this.”

Celestia smiled. “Velvet, I must confess,” she said. “I do love Twilight. She is as dear to me as any foal I would ever have of my own.” She blinked, almost tearing up. “But… but I didn’t want to say it.”

“Why ever not?” Velvet demanded.

“Because I didn’t want to steal her from you.”

Velvet smiled. “Celestia, Celestia… Twilight loves you as much as she does me, and we both know it,” she said. “I don’t see you as stealing her. I see you as giving her as much love as I do. And I guarantee, as immortal as you both are now - don’t give me that look, Cadance told me a long time ago about your lifespan as an alicorn. It relieves me, to know that she’ll still have you long after I’m gone. You, and Luna, and Cadance...”

Celestia smiled. “Velvet… that means so much to me.”

“Now, do you think you could see about figuring out how to grant immortality to a few others?” Velvet asked. “Like that mare you took under your wing last year, who thinks I don’t see her lurking in the library and mooning over a picture of Twilight when she’s not studying.”

Celestia raised an eyebrow. “If I could, I would see about doing it,” she said. “I don’t know if she has alicorn potential yet; I keep hoping.”

“Well, I hope she does,” Velvet said as Celestia took a sip of her tea. “That girl’s got it bad for our daughter.”

“Velvet, I promise,” Celestia said after coughing on her tea. “I will do all I can. Remember though, Twilight doesn’t know yet. Moondancer wanted to tell her personally, and Twilight hasn’t been back since I found out.”

Velvet nodded. “We’ll see how things go then,” she said. “But really, those two would do well together, I think.” She gave Celestia a wry look. “And think of the grandfoals!”

Celestia’s next coughing fit lasted almost two minutes after that.

Twilight sighed as Spike brought them in for a landing. “Finally,” she said. “The last stop.”

“Yup.” Spike nodded. “The kingdom of the Diamond Dogs.”

“Right,” Twilight said. “And then home.”

“Hopefully, these guys will be more reasonable than that trio,” Spike said as they climbed out of the airskimmer.

“Hopefully,” Twilight agreed.

The two descended into the valley, moving cautiously as they passed by a number of holes in the ground where Diamond Dogs were busily working. Most of them ignored the pair, though a few looked up curiously.

As the two kept moving, they finally found what they were looking for: a village of small white houses, all with red roofs. In the center was a stone wall around a set of buildings that looked similar, plus a stone tower with a red roof of its own.

Approaching, the two saw a Diamond Dog in a blue dress shirt, his face somewhat resembling a bulldog. “Greetings, your majesty!” he called. “I’m Jim, the Queen’s chancellor!”

“Oh… nice to meet you,” Twilight said as she waved. “You were expecting us?”

“Oh, our Queen heard through the underground that you were coming,” he said, gesturing for them to follow. “She was oh so excited to hear it. You know, she really thinks you’re one of the smartest ponies she’s ever met.”

“Met?” Twilight looked confused as they entered the throne room. “I didn’t know we’d ever met before.”

“Oh, we have,” a voice said from the throne, causing Twilight to look there. What she saw left her in shock.

“Trixie‽” she and Spike practically shrieked.

“That’s Her Royal Highness, Lady of the Royal Order, Queen Trixianna the First,” Jim corrected them.

“Quite.” Trixie leaned forward. “Thank you for bringing the royal visitor, Jim. Would you mind giving us some space now?”

“Of course, my Queen!” Jim bowed, and then left the room, shutting the door behind him.

Once he was gone, Trixie practically flew across the floor, directly into Twilight’s face. “You have to help me!” she begged. “Trixie cannot stand to be here another minute!”

Twilight blinked. “Trixie, what’s going on?” A year ago, she might have been somewhat irked at the other mare, but her experience had allowed her to put all that past her. “Why wouldn’t you want to stay?”

“Because this is a trap!” Trixie gestured to the crown she wore. “The Diamond Dogs of this kingdom saw Trixie spill a trunkful of costume jewelry, and they think she can find jewels for them now, so they took her home and made her their queen! But Trixie can’t; she never could! You have to he-e-elp me!”

“Trixie, calm down!” Twilight tried to calm herself as well. “Seriously, why do you need my help? Why can’t you just sneak out?”

“Trixie told you, it’s this crown!” Trixie gestured. “It is enchanted so it cannot leave the head of the one who wears it without the agreement of all the Diamond Dogs of Dimondia; and it cannot leave the valley. If Trixie tried, she would just be stuck!”

Twilight glared. “And they didn’t tell you this before you put it on?”

“No,” Trixie said. “Trixie only found out afterward.”

Twilight’s nostrils flared. “Well. We’ll just see about that.” She spun around and headed for the door.

“Wait! Where are you going?”

“To tell the Diamond Dogs that their Queen has called a meeting,” Twilight said. “And then I am going to show them why they do not mess with a citizen of Equestria.”

Half an hour later, all the Diamond Dogs had gathered in front of the stage where Twilight, Trixie and Spike sat.

“Ahem.” Using what she had learned, Twilight called upon the Canterlot Royal Voice. “Citizens of Dimondia! You have been summoned forth for a meeting of great importance!”

The Diamond Dogs flattened their ears, a few of them whining.

Lowering her voice, but still loud enough for all to hear, Twilight continued. “I am Princess Twilight Sparkle, of the Royal Triarchy of the nation of Equestria. And of course, you all know your Queen Trixianna.” Mentally she rolled her eyes; Trixie had confessed to her that she’d made up the name to sound more grandiose. Her real name, she had admitted, was Beatrix Lulamoon.

“Queen Trixianna has told me of how she came to be your queen,” she said. “How she was chosen for her great abilities. But then, then she informed me of how she was tricked into putting on a crown that chains her here, forbids her from going away for even an instant. Traps her here among those who would use her to do their work for them.”

Leaning forward, she gave them the dirtiest look she could. “We citizens of Equestria have a word for that sort of thing, a word for something that has been outlawed since before our nation became a reality. We call that sort of thing slavery.”

The Diamond Dogs began muttering amongst themselves.

“To keep one a prisoner, forced to work for them, no matter how well they are treated, is a crime,” Twilight continued. “Equestria will not stand for it! We demand that you release our citizen at once, or you will not like the results!”

One of the Diamond Dogs, a grungy-looking fellow with a grayish brown coat, stepped forward. “And what if we don’t, pony?” he demanded.

Twilight grinned. “You remember my friend, don’t you?” she asked as she conjured up an illusion of Rarity.

The Diamond Dog gasped. “No… no!”

“If you don’t let your Queen go, and promise never to use that slave crown ever again, I’ll call her.” Twilight gave him her most malicious-looking smile.

The nervous Diamond Dog immediately turned to the others. “Let Queen Trixianna go! We don’t want none of that whiney pony!” he yelled, gesturing to the illusion. “She more trouble than she worth!”

“But, Princess Twilight!” Jim protested as he came over. “If we let our Queen go, then what are we to do? With no proper leader…”

“Then chose one of yourselves,” Twilight told him. “Chose a Diamond Dog who’s smart, who knows how to run a kingdom! From what Trixie has said, you’re pretty good at that, aren’t you?”

Jim scratched his head. “Well, I… I suppose…”

“Then it’s settled! You can be king, and we can make arrangements for our two nations to work together,” Twilight said. “How’s that sound?”

It took a little more time, but soon enough, the Diamond Dogs had agreed, and removed the crown from Trixie’s head. Once Jim had been properly crowned with a new, non-enchanted one and the three Equestrians had slipped away to a room they’d been assigned, Twilight sighed.

“This is not how I expected my day to go,” she told Spike.

“Neither did I,” Spike said. “But hey, we solved another problem.”

“We certainly did.” Twilight turned to Trixie. “All things considered, that worked out pretty well, didn’t it?”

“It certainly did,” Trixie agreed. “And… can Trixie catch a ride with you when you leave? If you don’t mind?”

Twilight nodded. “Pack your things, Trixie. We’re going home.”

“Home?”

“Home,” Twilight confirmed. “I’ve been away for too long. We’re going back to Canterlot, first thing in the morning.”

Trixie sighed as she flopped back on the bed. “Canterlot sounds good to me,” she said. “The Great and Powerful Trixie… needs a vacation.”

Twilight smiled. “Trixie, you’ve got it.”

“But Trixie doesn’t know where to go, Trixie really can’t stay in Equestria,” the mare said.

“Trixie, as one of the harpies I met in Ornithia said, if you live life right, every day is a vacation.” Twilight smiled. “You’re more than welcome to come and stay in Ponyville with me. Or sign up for the School for Gifted Unicorns. Your illusions are impressive enough.”

“Trixie attended there once,” Trixie said. “Trixie narrowly graduated. Trixie does not think going back would be a good idea.” She perked up. “You’d really let Trixie come and stay with you?”

“Just… tone down the bragging act when you’re there, please?” Twilight asked. “I know it’s all part of your stage persona, and you like using it even off-stage, but it really got on a lot of people’s nerves.”

“Trixie will consider it,” Trixie said. “But seriously, Princess… thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Trixie.” Twilight yawned. “Let’s get some shuteye. Tomorrow, we go home.”

With that, Twilight and Trixie made their way to their separate beds while Spike curled up in the basket beside Twilight’s.

The journey was almost done.