Just a day or two later, Twilight was sitting in her office, going over some paperwork, when her door flew open.

“Headmare,” one of the earth pony students said gasping. “Come quick!”

“What is it, Pepper?” Twilight asked calmly, even as she rose from her desk.

“There’s a dragon coming this way - and he doesn’t look happy!” Pepper Pot said.

Twilight flared her wings. “All right. You know the safety drills, get under cover until one of the staff gives the all-clear. I’ll go check this out.”

Pepper nodded. “Thank you, headmare!”

Twilight smiled and patted the filly’s head. “Thank you for coming to get me, Pepper.”

Then she trotted out of the room with Pepper at her fetlocks, making sure the little filly got to safety with her fellows before she went outside. She might be teaching friendship, but there was no reason not to have reasonable precautions in place for if a large and potentially hostile being (as this one’s behavior suggested it might be) was approaching. And if they turned out to be a friendly visitor instead… well, better safe than sorry. Either way, it was important that she be there to greet them when they arrived.

By the time she’d reached the courtyard, she could see the dragon coming closer. They were a familiar teenage one, mostly red with a yellowish underside and orange head fin. As he swooped down and landed just beyond the boundaries of the school, Twilight went to meet him.

“Hello, Garble,” she said coolly. “Is there a reason you’re here?”

Garble grimaced, but sank to his claws and knees, bowing his head. “Princess Twilight Sparkle, I humbly… ask… for mercy.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow.

“I know I have performed acts that are an embarrassment to myself and my people, and I come to… to… gah!” Getting into a kneeling position and reaching into a pouch at his side, he pulled out a scrap of paper. “What was that I was supposed to say?” he muttered as he looked over it.

Twilight’s eyebrow raised even further. “Why don’t you say it in your own words?” she asked calmly.

Garble faceclawed. “Because I’m not good at this kind of stuff, okay?” He sighed. “Look, I messed up. Big time. All because I wanted to look cool in front of everyone. But I went too far. And I… I want to make up for it.”

“And you came to me for that.”

“Well… someone told me you were pretty forgiving, and that this school of yours was really cool about showing all sides of the story for all kinds of people.” Garble shrugged. “I figured this way I could learn better.”

If Twilight’s eyebrows could have arched any further, they would have. “Are you saying you want to be a student here?”

Garble nodded. “I… I want a second chance. To show most of my family that… well, I’m still kind of a jerk, but I’m not a murdering monster like I played at. And... to prove to the Dragon Lord that I’ve changed, so I can come home someday.”

Twilight nodded. “Now that’s honesty.”

Garble looked at her hopefully. “So, can I be your student?”

“On conditions,” Twilight said sternly. “You’re lucky we recently had a spot open up for this year…” She looked away and grimaced, before turning back at him, the stern expression on her face again. “First, given your past history… you are under serious probation. You will undergo mandatory counseling, and you will put serious effort into your studies. And you will apologize to those of us whom you wronged during the migration. Especially my son.”

Garble blinked. “Son?”

“That would be me,” Spike said as he waddled up next to Twilight. “Garble.”

“Spike.” Garble glared, before flinching at Twilight’s look. “Seriously, how does a dragon get to be a pony’s son?” he asked incredulously.

“Princess Celestia had my egg for centuries, with the permission of the Dragon Lord, until Twilight finally hatched me,” Spike said. “And then she raised me.”

Garble sighed. “Right.”

“And speaking of the Dragon Lord, we’ll also be sending him reports on your behavior,” Twilight said.

“Right.” Garble extended a claw. “I agree to this, and I swear, on the Bloodstone Scepter and the fire of all Dragon Lords, past, present and future, that I will do my best to behave as a worthy student of this school should.”

Twilight nodded. “Then welcome to the School of International Culture and Friendship, Garble.” She took his claw and shook it. “Now, let’s go get your application paperwork filled out. And I’m going to need your parents’ names so we can send it to them for approval.”

“Yeah…” Gable looked away for a moment. “You have them already, I think.”

“I do?” Twilight asked.

“Well… I’m not exactly the first in my family to be your student.” Garble ducked his head, and pointed. “She is.”

Twilight looked where he was pointing, and blinked. “Smolder?”

“Hey, headmare,” Smolder said casually as she walked up. “Hey, Gar-Gar. Guess you finally took my advice?”

Garble nodded. “Yeah, I…” He looked at Twilight. “In case you haven’t guessed already, Princess, this is my baby sister. She’s the only dragon who didn’t turn her back on me when I was exiled, writing me from time to time, and she’s the one who told me about this place.”

“I was very disappointed in him for what he did, but he’s still my brother,” Smolder said. “You do what you have to for family. And friends.”

Twilight nodded. “I see.”

Then she turned to Garble. “Come.”

When the two had disappeared into the building, Spike exchanged glances with Smolder. “‘Gar-Gar’?”

“Only I get to call him that,” Smolder said flatly. “Nobody else.”

“Gotcha.”

“How are you not shivering?” Shining asked as the two Sirens drifted through the air towards the cave they were heading to.

Sonata shrugged. “Our people evolved near the bottom of the ocean,” she said. “We’re used to temperatures like this, it’s actually refreshing. And we’re adapted so we can go through one extreme or another without any problems - there’s some areas that are really hot down there, and then a layer about six miles from top to bottom that’s near-freezing before you get to the sun-warmed parts.”

“Right.”

“The things you know, sis,” Aria commented as she hovered nearby. “Why didn’t you act this smart around Adagio?”

“What, and make her think I was a risk to whatever she was up to?” Sonata asked. “Really though, that wasn’t all an act. Sure, I knew how to survive, but that was mostly it until we got back here and I had a lot of time to read and improve my mind, so I wouldn’t be book-dumb anymore.” She blinked. “Also, the faces you made when you got mad at me were so funny!”

At that, Aria face-finned. “Why me,” she grumbled.

“Your sister is right, you are better than you think,” Cadance chimed in. “You have a good mind when you take the time to put effort into things, Sonata.”

“Thanks!” Sonata smiled cheerfully as they approached the cave, lined with guards standing watch. This wasn’t the only place where the windigos were laying dormant, but it was close enough to the Crystal Empire that they’d set up a watch in case word got out and curious folks decided to try and sneak a peak themselves.

Seeing the encouraging looks on the other three’s faces, Aria took a deep breath before going in. Drifting through the cave, she observed the details: glassy walls of shiny ice, with massive icicles near the front, and the ground covered in a powdery snow, occasional patches of clear ice showing through.

Within the ice walls were the windigos, their coats a frozen blue, with each of them standing upright like Aria herself, as if they’d been frozen in midair. Each had an oddly peaceful expression on their face, and she almost hated to disturb them. But she had a job to do.

Approaching the first of them, Aria placed a fin against the wall, and began pouring her magic, a little at a time, into it.

At first, it seemed as if there was no reaction. Then, she gasped as a voice made itself known to her.

{Who are you? Why have you come here?} it demanded.

Aria glared. “My name is Aria Blaze,” she spat. “I’ve come to try and restore these people.”

{And what makes a Siren think they are any of your business?} the voice asked.

“Because they feed on hatred, and that’s my turf?” she said. “I am the Lady of Hatred now, after all.”

The voice gave a silent hiss. {Then the usurper Adagio Dazzle is no more?} it asked.

“She’s alive, but Discord took away her status and gave it to me because she was misusing it,” Aria replied.

There was a wave of satisfaction. {Good.}

“Who are you, anyway?” Aria asked.

The voice chuckled. {I am Aputsiaq, young Siren. I am the Lady of Winter, and former Lady of Hatred before the usurper tricked me into giving her that position, claiming it would unite our two peoples as allies. I had believed her; things were simpler back than and the desire to expand our control beyond the Frozen North was too good to pass up. Then she betrayed me, drained me so I was forced to go into this place to rest and recover; that was the first blow against my people, and then Harmony’s magic, embodied through the Fires of Friendship, weakened them to the point where they were lost to instinct, their sapient minds buried deep within. To save them, I brought them here. Then I made a deal with Health to protect us and let us rest in peace until they were restored fully. Hatred’s powers would speed that recovery, but I had felt it disappear, and feared the worst… until now. You have brought it back to me, and for that, I thank you.}

Aria frowned, shaking her head slightly. “I didn’t come to give it back,” she said. “I came to use it to do the right thing, to fulfill my Duties in helping to monitor the spread of negative emotions in a healthy way. And to help your people get better so they could recover and then join society as a whole.”

{And how better if I, the rightful beholder to the Power, were to use it to its full potential to heal the windigos,} the voice said in a near soothing tone, a figure starting to appear before her. T looked equine but more as the windigos in the room did then what the other ponies looked like. {I trust you to do the right thing and let someone more capable to do so. Just give me what should be mine, young Siren.}

“No, I won’t just abandon my Duties,” she said. “It chose me to be the new Lady of Hatred when Adagio was misusing them - using me and my sister, to increase her influence. The Champion of Chaos himself approved of me to take up this mantle, and until he or someone above him says otherwise…” Aria shook her head. “In any case, we should focus on helping the windigos and not bicker between ourselves.”

{That clown overstepped himself and clearly played favourites, nameless Siren,} the voice snapped, a blast of cold air washing down her spine despite her species’ immunity to such temperatures. {Return what was stolen from me; I doubt you wish to begin something you barely have any concept of.}

“Agreed,” a new voice said, appearing in the midst of them all. With a start, Aria noticed that Sonata, Cadance and Shining Armor had all joined her when she wasn’t looking.

{“Lord Health,”} the Lady of Winter said aloud in clear shock as she materialized, her transparent figure bowing before the donkey that now stood there, with Cadance doing the same and Shining and Sonata following afterwards. {“I did not expect-”}

“Enough Aputsiaq,” the Lord of Health said. “You know full well that if the Power of Hatred wished to return to you, it would have done so the moment Discord freed it from Adagio. But it has accepted young Aria here, and the matter is settled,” he said sternly before looking at the siren in question. “She has done well in the Role since then; the others have agreed on her placement, including Death and Life.” The Lord of Health stalked closer to Aputsiaq, the transparent figure looking nervous. “Do you think that Hatred and us are wrong?”

Aputsiaq bowed her head. {“No, my Lord,”} she said. {“If Hatred has accepted her, then I will accept its decision.”}

“Good.” Health turned to Aria. “As for you, young Lady, your decision to help the windigos says well of you,” he said.

Aria bowed. “I can’t take full credit,” she said. “It was my sister who suggested it first.”

“But it was you who decided to do so, which speaks well of you,” Health said. “Carry out your Duties, young one. Help restore the windigos. You were doing well at it before Aputsiaq interrupted you.”

“I will.” Stepping forward and placing her fins against the walls again, Aria began channeling her powers into them, passing energy to the slumbering windigos.

One by one, a sparkling of magic surrounded each of them before their eyes opened and they emerged from the ice, phasing through it and hovering in midair.

{“What happened to us?”} one of them asked.

{“Last thing I remember, there was this light…”} another began.

{“And then nothing!”} a third said.

Then they noticed Aria, her body glowing as she continued to pour energy into them.

Finally, as the last windigo emerged, she fell back. “That’s all of them here,” she said.

Aputsiaq nodded. {“You are correct, young one,”} she said. {“But many more of my people remain dormant. Will you help them too?”}

“Once I’ve got enough oomph back,” Aria said. “That took a lot out of me.”

{“Understandable,”} Aputsiaq said as she walked among the confused windigos.

Meanwhile, Sonata looked at the couple. “Do you have any idea what they’re saying?”

Cadance shook her head. “It sounds almost like… the verbal version of the old changeling language that Queen Scolopidia was speaking that one time,” she said. “I think. I was hearing both their language and my own at the same time, and she didn’t get to use much of it before the other Queens scolded her for swearing.”

Sonata giggled.

“The Lord or Lady of Hatred has always been able to speak the language of the Sirens and windigos, regardless of their own species,” Health remarked from where he was standing. “If they are to communicate with those who feed on hatred, it is a necessity. Likewise, Love can understand the language of the changelings, for they feed on its energies. Also Prench.”

Cadance nodded. “That explains so much,” she said.

“Speaking of the changelings, I was very pleased when I saw how you helped them,” Health told her. “Your actions did much to aid their well-being, as did Magic’s.”

Cadance bowed. “It was my honor to help them,” she said.

“Keep up the good work, both of you,” Health said, directing his words at both Cadance and Aria. He then smiled at Cadance. “Though I wonder how much you will get done with your foal coming so soon.” Smiling widely, he continued. “I won’t ruin the surprise but I can tell you they will be a very healthy baby.”

“Th-thank you,” Cadance smiled with Shining grinning as well.

Health gave a final smile of their own before disappearing.

“That was unexpected,” Aria noted as she floated over. “Helpful though. Anyway, we’ve kind of got a couple hundred windigos who need a place to stay while they get acclimated to the modern world and learn to speak normal pony language, and we’re going to have more as soon as I go find all of them. Do you think we’ve got space, or do we need to call up all the hotels nearby and see if a couple dozen of them can spare the rooms?”

The hovering windigo next to her said something in their language.

“And Lady Aputsiaq wants to know if the Umbrum Forces have been dealt with yet or if they’re still locked up under the Crystal Empire like they were in her day- oh wait.” She turned to Aputsiaq. “Yes, they’re still there as far as I know,” she said. “Their leader Umbrea’s gone, so’s that psycho Sombra she tried to have free them, but the rest of them are still sealed.”

The windigo nodded.

“We might have room in the Crystal Empire,” Candace said, walking towards the windigos. “Though I do not know if they will be safe due to the Crystal Heart and none of them can understand me, can they Aria?”

Aria shook her head. “Lady Aputsiaq has some limited ability, but the others don’t.”

“Well then,” Cadance said, placing a wing over her side. “I welcome you to the wonderful world of diplomacy and that of being a translator; where people will be angry at you for what others say.”

Aria let out a bit of a groan but kept her head upright. “I will do my best, I guess,” she said, rubbing the back of her head as the windigos began to crowd her, Aputsiaq staring intently at her.

{“How is it that you are on such good terms with the Lady of Love?”} she asked curiously.

“Well, it was her aunt who helped defeat Adagio and free me from her control,” Aria told her. “And since then, she’s helped me learn a lot about being the Lady of Hatred.”

{“What is she talking about, anyways,”} Aputsiaq inquired. {“I can understand some of her words but it is far different from what I am used to.”}

“She’s offering to house you and your windigos in the Crystal Empire,” Aria said, looking at her. “Though she isn’t sure how safe it will be with the Crystal Heart in effect, considering it’s a massive love-boosting artifact.”

“It could be used the other way,” Cadance said, hearing them. “All cosmic spectrum can amplify emotions, either positive or negative. But as a general rule, the Crystal Heart specifically is used for positive emotions.”

When Aria had translated this, Aputsiaq nodded. {“I see. I would need to investigate this myself before I decide if it is safe or not, though I am not comfortable in leaving my windigos behind just yet. Perhaps we can set up some sort of system or…”} she trailed off, looking intent. {“This will require a lot of careful preparation but firstly, Aria, I must apologize for my behaviour. It was rude, wrong and immature of me to do so.”}

“We all have our bad days,” Aria told her, placing a fin on her shoulder. “Creators know how mad I can get sometimes…” She shook her head. “Come, let’s get started because a lot of your windigos look hungry and confused, and I don’t want to leave them alone too much longer.”

Aputsiaq nodded, and she and Aria went to work.

Time passed, as time always does, and before everyone knew it, it had been over a year since the Storm King’s defeat, and soon after, Hearth’s Warming Eve was there once again, with ponies all across Equestria and beyond celebrating in their own way.

One of those was sitting up late in front of a fireplace in a house far from home, one belonging to a family of distant cousins they had only learned about when Pinkie had stumbled across it while Twilight was away, and confirmed when she’d written her mother about it. Now, lost in thought, Applejack watched the flames dancing.

“Does something trouble thee, child?” another pony asked as she stepped up behind her guest.

Applejack sighed. “Just thinkin’,” she said. “Rememberin’ Mom and Dad.”

“Ah.” Cloudy Quartz nodded. “Thine grandmother has told me of her son and his beloved.” She sat down next to Applejack. “Distant may be the relation between you and I, but if you wish to share thine thoughts about them, I am here for you.”

“Much appreciated,” Applejack said as the other mare joined her by the fire. “Just wish Ah knew them a bit more, ya know?”

“Hast thou spoken to thine mother’s birth kin since learning of them?” Cloudy asked.

Applejack blinked at that, a bit embarrassed by the mention. “Not really,” she admitted. “Fall before last, Ah asked Granny about some stuff an’ found out a little about them. Ah don’t know ifn’ any of ‘em’s even still around; Ma’s dad, Grand Pear… he and Granny never got along. One day, he moved the rest of the family out to Vanhoover, right about the time Ma and Pa - the only Apple and Pear to ever get along - went and got married, an’ ‘cept for her, we ain’t laid eyes on a Pear since.” She looked down. “Ah never even knew why Granny hated the Pears so much until Ah asked, an’ she told me an’ Mac the full story. Soon after that, the war broke out, an’ it kind of slipped mah mind. An’ since then it’s been one thing after the other, an’ Ah just haven’t had the chance.”

Cloudy nodded. “Perhaps thou should look into them soon,” she said.

“Ah know,” Applejack said. “Ah want to… but Ah can’t help but be kind of afraid.” She looked at Cloudy. “‘Specially after everything mah cousin Slice went through, with her parents and all. What if Ah find ‘em an’ they don’t want anything to do with us? Grand Pear turned his back on his own daughter once, how can Ah know he won’t turn his back on us too? Ah don’t know if Ah could take it.”

“Thou wilt not know if thou does not at least try,” Cloudy told her. “It has been many years, perhaps he has softened since then.”

Applejack nodded. “Right…” She sighed. “Ah really miss ‘em, ya know?”

Cloudy nodded. “‘Tis only natural. I still miss my own parents, and though Igneous does not always show it, I know he feels the same way about his. But they live on in our hearts, and in the lessons they have taught us.” She gazed into the fire, before turning back to Applejack. “And had my mother-in-law’s lifespan not overlapped with our third daughter, I would suspect Mother Pie’s soul directly lived on in her. They are so much alike.”

Applejack smiled. “Pinkie’s certainly somethin’ special,” she agreed.

“Verily.”

“‘An…” Applejack broke off for a moment, as she put her words together, before looking to the other mare. “Thank you for havin’ us over for Hearth’s Warming,” she said. “Ah know, it’s different from what we’re used to… an’ if Pinkie hadn’t told us how it differed from the way we do things so Ah had time to prepare, Ah might not have reacted so well. But Ah’m glad to be here.”

“Thou are most welcome, child,” Cloudy told her. “And all thine family.” She rose. “But let us go to rest now, for we have an early start tomorrow.”

Applejack nodded, and followed her upstairs.

Meanwhile, Canterlot had shown it was ready to demonstrate it was still one of the most desired places to be during the holidays with the weather teams working harder to make up for last year’s rough performance, the end of the war notwithstanding.

In the Sparkle house, there were the sounds of people in the midst of getting the Hearth’s Warming dinner ready. Despite being a princess, a world-respected heroine several times over, the strongest magic user since the days of Starswirl the Bearded, the headmare of her own school, and several other titles, Twilight Sparkle had learned the hard way, via trying to venture into the kitchen only to be rebuffed, that her mother’s domain was not to be questioned, Velvet resorting to the time-honoured method of the spoon rapping the nose to assert her dominance. Shining Armor, on the other hoof, had been drafted to help with simple tasks, only getting reprieves when Cadance had asked for something to nibble on while she rested on the sofa due to being in the second half of her term. Spike had also been welcomed in to help out due to his talents in cooking. Night Light, on the other hoof, had simply chosen not to even try and instead was enjoying the latest novel manuscript that Daring Do had sent to them for previewing, the first co-written book by Daring and Teomitl.

Finally, dinner was served, and everyone gathered around the table.

“So how are things going with your newest student?” Velvet asked as she passed Twilight a bowl.

“Surprisingly well,” Twilight replied. “He does good when he’s focused, and I think being around his sister regularly is really helping.”

“He’s still got an ego though,” Spike muttered. “I get that he’s improving himself, and I’m glad that he’s doing so much better, but there’s still that obnoxious side that pops up every now and then.”

“You can’t expect him to change overnight,” Shining Armor said. “It took my old classmate Buck Withers a while to turn himself around too.”

“I know, I know,” Spike said. He perked up. “Say, how’s things going with the windigos?”

“They’re doing well too,” Cadance said. “It is a slow process but it is going well; Lady Aputsiaq is learning the fastest.”

“Have you started to look for the other tribes of windigos?” Night Light asked, raising an eyebrow.

“We’ve found most of them,” Cadance said. “Lady Aputsiaq said there are still a few scattered pockets of them hidden away; she and Aria are going out to recover them once Shiny and I are home again.”

“When do you think they will be ready to be introduced to the world again?” Twilight Velvet asked.

“It depends,” Shining Armor said. “Some of them are doing better than others when it comes to speaking modern Ponish and tolerating positive emotions. Spending time around Sonata is really helping with the second part, we’ve found.”

“That doesn’t surprise me,” Night Light mused. “She’s the most positive siren we’ve met since they came out of hiding.”

“Anyone can’t help but be happy around Sonata,” Cadance smiled. “She is more or less the sole reason why the crystal ponies have allowed other sirens to visit the empire; they keep pointing to her as a means to say that they are not all bad emotivores.”

Twilight nodded. “She reminds me so much of Pinkie… but blue.”

Cadance smiled. “She does, doesn’t she?” she said. “And honestly, most sirens just feed on the ambient negativity around them; they don’t need to induce it unless they’re really desperate. Adagio was an aberration among their kind because she liked inducing hatred to feed on.”

Twilight nodded. “Did you know there’s a siren who’s supposed to be coming to Ponyville and holding a concert for charity this spring?” she asked. “This isn’t the first one she’s performed for, in fact they’re some of her favorite things to do because she likes seeing people so happy, but before she always had herself transformed into a normal-looking pony when she was out in public. Now that she and her people can show their real selves again, she’s kind of… come out of the lagoon, so to speak, so she can perform as her true self at one for the first time.”

“Really!” Velvet smiled happily. “That’s good to hear.”

“So who is the artist or are you still under contract not to say?” Cadance asked.

Twilight took a deep breath. “I have special authorization to tell a few select ponies,” she said. “And one dragon. All of whom are right here. We had to meet with the Siren Queen and arrange a few things before she agreed to let this siren show herself.”

“And she didn’t tell me?” Cadance asked, a mock pout on her face.

“We just finished the last of the arrangements earlier today, otherwise she would have,” Twilight said. “That’s one of the reasons why I’m telling you now.”

“So who is it?” Shining Armor asked.

“She goes by the stage name ‘Countess Coloratura’,” Twilight said. “Apparently she’s been posing as an Earth pony most of her life, but she’s actually a siren.”

“Really!” Velvet looked very surprised. “Your father and I went to one of her concerts a few years ago, we had no idea!”

“No one did, which was the whole point of her spell,” Twilight said. “Not even her closest foalhood friend knew, and she’s really nervous about telling her. In fact, that’s one of the things we had to arrange - she wants me to set up a meeting between them once we’re all back in Ponyville after the holidays are over.”

“Anyone we know?” Spike asked.

“It’s Applejack,” Twilight said. “They went to camp together when they were foals.”

“Woah.” Spike blinked. “No wonder she’s concerned.”

“Yeah,” Twilight said, nodding her head. “Though I doubt there’d be any issue as I cannot see Applejack rejecting her old friend. She might be upset that she was lied to, but...” she trailed off.

Velvet nodded. “I know what you mean,” she said gently. “But from what time I’ve spent with Applejack, I think things will work out just fine. After all, she still remembers and feels guilty about the last time she rejected a friend, no matter how justified she may have felt at the time.” Before a startled Twilight could reply, Velvet looked at Cadance. “Getting back to the windigos, though, what more have they told you about their history?”

“Not a whole lot,” Cadance said. “Just that one of their leaders was the first to really gain the Powers of Winter and Hatred, and they’ve usually been passed down as a set to the leaders of their people since then, until Adagio tricked Lady Aputsiaq into giving her Hatred. Soon after that, the Fires of Friendship spread and drove them all into their dormant states, and that was the last thing that any of them really remember before Aria woke them.”

“Speaking of Adagio, do you think leaving her in that other place you mentioned is such a good idea?” Velvet asked. “I understand that you and Celestia have your reasons, but think of all the knowledge she has about the past. It could just go to waste. And yes, I know Aria and Sonata are from that same time period, but still.”

“Actually…” Twilight looked at her. “Sunset’s written to both of us. She’s been trying to get through to Adagio since then, like I got through to her. Just with… less rainbow lasers this time.” She blushed. “And she and the girls have gotten her to talk a little about things. It’s a slow process, but they’re managing.”

“That’s good to know,” Night Light said. “Anything else we should know about from that side?”

Twilight nodded. “There’s this big interschool event coming up next spring, where Canterlot High and Crystal Preparatory Academy are going to be competing against one another. Sunset decided to do a little research into the Games from a few years back, and she… well, she found some stuff in the old CHS yearbooks, and the most recent one from Crystal Prep, that she scanned into her journals for both of us. And I think you should see it.”

Her horn lighting up, she levitated a book into the room and opened it. “Here’s the Crystal Prep team from the last Games.”

Shining Armor leaned over it and blinked in surprise. “Is that… me?”

“It looks like it,” Cadance agreed. “I see you’re just as handsome over there as you are here.”

Her husband blushed.

“And here’s one from last year’s yearbook,” Twilight said as she flipped to it, prompting an “Oh my” from Cadance as she laid eyes on her human counterpart.

“Are you in there too?” Night Light asked.

Twilight nodded, showing him the next picture. “She’s definitely a little different, but she’s still me,” she said. “Well… my Other. One of them, anyway. I wish I could go over and meet her.”

“For science, right?” Spike teased her.

“That, and because if she’s anything like I used to be, she probably needs all the friends she can get,” Twilight said.

“And is there anyone else that you would like to show us?” Velvet asked with a bit of a shark-like grin.

“Well, I know you’ve already seen what Sunset looks like,” Twilight began. “And me, and my friends’ counterparts. And the other Celestia and Luna.”

“Anyone else?” Velvet’s smirk was growing.

Spike faceclawed. “She’s talking about Flash, Twilight,” he said.

Twilight blinked. “I… oh.” She sighed. “Seriously, we barely knew one another, and yes, I liked him because he was nice and he helped me out!”

“And you got your first crush on him,” Cadance teased her.

Twilight rolled her eyes before flipping back to another page. “Okay, okay, I have a couple of those too,” she muttered. “And some other ones from the Fall Formal. Here.”

Velvet nodded approvingly as she looked over the page. “He does look nice,” she said. “And… take that look off your face, Shining Armor.” She turned around sharply, looking stern at the glowering unicorn.

“I can’t help it, she’s my little sister and it’s my prerogative to scare the living daylights out of any guy who shows interest in her!” He tried to look intimidating, but his mother’s own look made him back down, not to mention the pressure Cadance was putting onto his hoof with her own.

“Hey, you want to see something really funny?” Spike suddenly asked. “Look at this one!” He flipped the page, exposing another photo.

Cadance looked at it and gasped in delight. “Oh my,” she said happily. “That is so you!”

Seeing the picture of herself and Flash both on all fours, arms and legs flailing as they danced pony-style, Twilight facehooved, while her parents both “aww”ed at the sight. Even her brother had to chuckle.

“Cadance is right, that is like you,” he said.

Twilight sighed. “Look, he lives in another dimension, and I don’t think that kind of long-distance relationship would work,” she said. “And having one of us move to the other’s world full-time probably wouldn’t be a good idea either.”

“Then how about somepony who’s already here?” Shining Armor asked. “You know who I mean.”

Twilight looked down. “I… I don’t know,” she admitted. “I like Moondancer, and I do care about her. But… she deserves somepony who can dedicate themselves to her. Someone she can grow old with.”

“Twilight.” Cadance placed a hoof on hers. “I knew what I was getting into when I married Shining Armor. I know, one day, barring a miracle, he’ll pass on. But that doesn’t stop me from loving him with all my heart. You don’t have to force yourself to be alone just because the one you love is mortal.”

Twilight nodded slowly. “I know…”

“Give it a chance,” Velvet urged her. “Even if you two don’t end up together, you’ll never know unless you do try.”

Twilight nodded again. “We’ll see.”

There was a silence for a few minutes, before Night Light broke it. “So, do you think the Alpha would let us use his mirror to visit our Others?” he asked. “I know your mom wants to go, and I’d kind of like to too.”

Twilight shrugged. “I don’t know,” she said. “I’d like to go over again myself, to see Sunset and my other friends, and the other me. I don’t know how she’d react though, since she doesn’t know magic exists yet. If we do though, I’ll see if I can take you with me then.” She looked at Cadance. “I don’t think Cadance should go through until after her foal’s born though.”

“That’s reasonable,” Velvet told her. “But do ask him at some point, if you don’t mind.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Twilight said.

“Good,” Velvet said. “Now I think it is time for dessert everyone. I’ve got a chocolate chip cheesecake waiting in the fridge.”

“Yum yum,” was the simultaneous reply.

It was a few days later when Twilight finally made her way back home; she had spent some time with Celestia, Luna, Pharynx, Thorax and his wife. She’d enjoyed getting to know Thorax’s wife; Metanotum had been very kind and exceptionally grateful to her for helping him.

But she was glad to be home at long last where things could begin to settle down and start to be normal, though it would not come until after she had another talk with Moondancer about possibly moving their relationship forwards. It would probably be one of the most awkward and difficult conversations she would have but she owed it to Moondancer to try.

“We’re home,” Spike said, announcing himself needlessly as he had parked the skimmer in the garage.

“Ah just in time,” Moondancer said, standing next to Trixie near the staircase. “Rarity was just asking for some help.”

“Trixie thinks that Spike would be the perfect aid for her,” Trixie said, looking a bit nervous with Spike frowning.

“I will go help her once I finish unpacking-” Spike said with both mares shaking their heads.

“We got, just go and help her Spike,” Moondancer said, all but shoving Spike out the door. The young dragon, still frowning, walked towards the door and left, giving another look behind before closing the door.

“Okay, what is it that you two want to talk about that you don’t want Spike to hear?” Twilight asked as she sat down in her chair, with Moondancer and Trixie sitting down on the couch across from her.

The two mares shared a look before Moondancer, after Trixie patted her back, spoke up. “For a while Twilight, I was certain I was in love with you and you alone but while living here with Trixie, I began to rethink that.” She smiled at Trixie. “It’s been growing between us for some time, but it was during Hearth’s Warming that we finally were able to really…” she seemed to be at a loss for words but the look she gave Trixie said it all.

“What the lovely and adorable Moondancer is trying to say is that we’re seeing one another now,” Trixie said. “Trixie knows how Moondancer feels about you, and Trixie does not mind admitting Twilight is also attractive. Trixie would not be opposed to sharing if both of you approved. But T-I do love her.” Twilight knew she still had a long way to go but she could tell Trixie was not fully in support of that idea.

Twilight smiled at the two, shaking her head. “Sorry, but I don’t think it would be fair to your relationship if I were to be able to step in like that.” She turned her attention to Moondancer. “I know how you felt about me but if you see something with Trixie, then please, do not wait on me.”

“Are you sure about that?” Moondancer asked nervously, scared even.

“You are my friend Moondancer,” Twilight said. “The only thing I want is you to be happy and if that means being with Trixie, then for Celestia’s sake, be with her.”

Moondancer looked relieved, tears in her eyes. “Thank you, Twilight, thank you,” she said, moving over to hug her with Trixie doing the same.

Hugging them back, Twilight smiled. Mom might be a little disappointed, she thought. But if this is what they want, I won’t stand in their way.

Releasing the pair, she sat back. “You’re both still welcome to stay here, of course,” she said. “My home will be your home for as long as you want, or need.”

“Trixie still needs time to finish her wagon but once it is, we’re planning to travel a bit,” Moondancer said. “It will do my studies of the stars good if I were to see them from different parts of the world.”

Twilight nodded. “My offer still stands, whenever you need it,” she said. “For both of you.”

“Speaking of, you still have a school to run, miss headmare,” Trixie said, waving her away. “We’ll unpack for you, don’t worry about a thing.”

Twilight nodded her head and left the two alone, and began to make her way to her school when there was a sudden flash of light near the mountain and a towering figure appeared. Before she had a chance to register what was happening, two balls of light seared towards her and slammed into Ponyville. The impact knocked everyone on the street down with windows broken, buildings cracking and people screaming in terror and confusion.

Twilight slowly stood up before she fell over again, her legs giving out as she saw what had been the targets.

Her home was a smouldering crater, barely anything remained of the Golden Oaks Library and she knew instinctively that the billowing tower of smoke meant her school had also been stuck down and destroyed.

Her mind, already struggling to process the loss of her home, was beyond comprehension at the second destroyed building she loved dearly.

Her home was gone. The school was gone.

Her home was gone. Her school was gone.

Her home. Her school.

Her friends… her students.

Gone.

Something within her snapped.

Twilight closed her eyes and the Lady of Magic opened hers.

The opening assault against Canterlot had gone flawlessly. His warriors and followers had spilled into the so-called walled city with ease, exploiting all of the holes and weakness that the elites of this forsaken kingdom had overlooked in their arrogance.

He had to admit, while he had originally feared that the third princess’s actions would make invading this city difficult as it brought in all sorts of unpredictable but in fact it was the greatest boon he could ask for. Not only was he drinking in the Equestrians' natural magic to boost his own powers but he was taking in all the other races' powers into himself. He was already a towering giant with the magic he had taken and he had yet to drink the alicorns.

Speaking of which, the centaur guided two magical missiles towards the third princess’s home and school. Odds were that she would be there and he could be lucky that she would die without him needing to divert too many soldiers early on to deal with her and her cohorts this early on. He continued to push his way towards the castle when he heard a voice call out.

"Tirek," the voice bellowed in both fury and dreadful calmness, the contradiction causing him to pause. Turning his head, he saw a figure in the distant village standing high in the air, equal to his massive height. It had six glowing wings, eight powerful legs, almost a dozen eyes burrowed in fury and wrath and a single horn billowing with unrelenting magic. "You have invaded my land, attacked my citizens, destroyed my home and school and harmed my students and friends!" It intoned before it shot forwards, each wing beat sending massive gusts of wind that slammed into him and his followers. The city he was sieging was untouched and the inhabitants unmoved by the gale-force winds slamming into him with the gouges his hooves made in the ground being healed seconds afterward. Slamming into the mountain hard and seeing the figure closing the distance within seconds, Tirek only had a moment to realize he had severely erred in judging her power.

Before he could properly react, the creature grabbed him in its hooves and dragged him out of the city and into mountains that were not there before. He came to the conclusion as he was smashed through mountain after mountain that the creature was raising them solely to abuse him before dismissing them back into the earth.

After the tenth mountain, he was tossed across a wide plain, again with the creature erasing any sign of damage they were creating with their bout. Breathing heavily in pain, Tirek forced himself to his hooves and began to try and steal the creature's magic away only to hit a stone wall that sent painful waves through his teeth and down his entire being. Snarling in anger and pain, he held up his hand to send a blast of magic at the creature only for it to wink out of existence.

The creature, glaring with its main eyes, unhinged its jaw to unleash a wave of fire magic that turned into dragon fire that then turned into solar magic. As it made contact with his flesh, his arm was seared away in boils and pain, with those boils spreading throughout his entire body and sending him into convulsions and withering on the floor.

Clutching his stump of a limb, he was taken by surprise when he felt chains wrapped around his neck and limbs, pulling him upright. With his head forced upright, Tirek found himself meeting the creature in its many eyes. In terror and awe, he tried to grasp its true might and power and failed, with his mind shattering in the process, fracturing as he was dragged back into Tartarus, the portal dismissed as quickly as it was created.

Standing above her defeated foe, the Lady of Magic gave a brief snort of victory before reappearing in Ponyville as teleporting was too long for her. With nary a thought, she wound back time in an isolated area, her library and school restoring themselves in an instant.

The Lady of Magic closed her many eyes in a blink before reopening them as Twilight Sparkle, the grief of what had happened beginning to sink in.

"Twilight!!"

Slowly raising her head after what felt like hours, but had likely only been a few minutes, Twilight looked in the direction of the voice, and let out a cry of happiness. "Spike!"

The little dragon grinned as he came over and hugged her. "Hey, Mom."

"Spike, you're okay…" Twilight whispered as she hugged him, tears still running down her face.

"We all are," Spike told her. "Everyone evacuated while you were gone, just in case. Nobody got hurt."

Twilight felt her heart clench in relief. "Everyone?"

"Everyone," Spike confirmed.

Twilight sighed. Then suddenly, she looked panic-stricken. “Moondancer and Trixie, they were-”

“We’re fine,” Moondancer’s voice called as she and Trixie walked up. “Trixie is very good at casting spells on the fly and she had been practicing teleporting for her shows. And Owlowiscious was at Fluttershy’s today, so he’s safe too.”

“Twilight!” her friends suddenly shouted as they appeared, rushing towards her with Rainbow Dash practically knocking her over. “You’re alright!”

Twilight hugged her back. “Yeah…”

“What was that thing you turned into?” Applejack asked as she pulled her into a hug with Rarity sliding into the dust to embrace her, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie also joining in the embrace.

Twilight sighed. “I have no idea… but I think I know who does.” Her eyes drifted up towards Canterlot, and her mind towards her fellow Princesses. “I have to go now, I need answers.”

And with that, Twilight teleported away.