Rarity’s frown deepened as she eyed the makeshift grave in front of her. It was unmarked, but she knew who it was for. To say that she missed Halberd was an understatement. She’d known his touch, and as she stared at his new resting place, the reality began to sink in that she’d never feel that touch again. She’d tried to remember him, but even in her dreams, all she could think about was his last horrific moments when Twilight did the unthinkable. Days had passed since she and Princess Celestia spoke in regards to the sun monarch’s plan. The unicorn mostly kept to herself as she mulled over Celestia’s words. As she thought harder, however, she came to some very real truths, and this current visit to her lover’s grave reinforced them.

‘I guess there isn’t anything left to do now except to tell them,’ she thought to herself as she used her magic to place another wilted flower on his grave.

She huffed at the withered plant. Discord’s magic not only contained them, but also kept out the natural sunlight that sustained the royal gardens. Much of the magnificent foliage that once adorned the palace landscape was dying a slow and painful death, their life drained from them. It was yet a further reminder of the horrors that surrounded her.

‘Life,’ her mind echoed as she wiped a tear away from her eye.

She cleared her throat, doing her best to compose herself. With the events so fresh in her mind, it was difficult to stay calm and collected, but she knew she needed to. After everything that happened, she was sure she’d have lost her mind by now, but she hadn’t, even though she came close many times over the past months. She cleared her throat, wiping away another tear from her cheek.

“I have to go now, Halberd. I…I miss you so much, even though you lied to me. I…I just…I may never understand why you did what you did, but….I’d like to believe that our time together was special. I…I never got to tell you, but….I think I was falling in love with you. Not that it would’ve made a difference, but,” her thoughts trailed as she turned her gaze towards the main castle.

“I have to go now,” she whispered as she made her way to the throne room.

-

“Twilight, how are those calibrations coming?” the elder alicorn chimed from behind the main telepod.

“I think…I think I have everything set, Princess. At least as set as it’s going to be. I’ve been over the calculations, and I think I may have gotten it right…I hope,” Twilight Sparkle answered as she levitated the stack of parchment in front of her.

“I’m sure it’s correct, my student. Let’s take a look at it together, shall we?” the princess answered as she came around the pod, smiling.

The unicorn eyed her curiously as Princess Celestia walked slowly towards her. The ruler picked up on her pupil’s trepidation, as her smile dropped.

“What’s wrong, Twilight? Talk to me,” she said.

“Well, it’s just…I don’t mean to be rude, but…why are you smiling? How can you smile with what….what’s going to happen to me?” she inquired.

“Twilight, I didn’t mean to give you the impression that I’m taking this lightly, it’s just…I never thought I’d see you again. The real you. And while I know that the outcome of the task ahead of us is uncertain, I…I’m cherishing these moments with you. I’ve seen you grow up, and I cannot tell you how proud of you I am,” the princess answered.

“But…but after everything I did, I…I just don’t think I deserve it,” Twilight stated.

“Deserve what?” Celestia asked.

“Your pride. Or your love, for that matter,” she said as her ears drooped.

“Twilight, we’ve been over this. You made a mistake. But, you’ve realized the weight of that mistake and you’re bearing the responsibility. As I said, I’m proud,” she said wrapping her scholar in her wings.

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” a voice rain out from the entrance.

The pair turned in surprise to see Rarity walking towards them, her face nearly expressionless, almost aloof. The trio stared at each other for a few moments before the fashion expert spoke up.

“I’ve made my decision, Princess, and…and I’ve decided to learn the spell, and to use it when the time is right,” she stated solemnly.

“Rarity,” Twilight whispered wide-eye as she used her hoof to brush away her teacher’s embrace.

“Yes, I…I’ve thought about it, and…and I’ve decided to help. What must I do?” she questioned.

“Very well. I have the spell parchment over here. It is very, very old, so we must be careful with it,” the princess of the sun said as she walked behind the throne to a small table set up behind it, the others in tow.

The paper was encased in glass on the table, the container covered in dust. The princess used her wings to blow away the grime revealing the spell. Twilight and Rarity couldn’t help but be curious. Although Twilight certainly appreciated it more, Rarity was still a unicorn, and understood that what she was about to study was a piece of Equestria’s ancient history. They snapped out of their trances as they heard the monarch clear her throat.

“Normally, under such time constraints, I would simply teach you the spell, not bothering to tell you its history. However, in this instance, you’ll need to know how this spell was created, as its side effects are rather…extreme,” she said.

“Wh…what do you mean, Princess?” Twilight gulped worriedly.

“During the time of tribal separation between the Pegasi, Unicorns and Earth Ponies, there were not any real battles or war to speak of. Instead, each tribe ran missions against each other, leading to small ambushes and little skirmishes here and there. You see, the ponies didn’t trust each other, and were suspicious of each other’s motives, but none of them ever thought that the tribes were out to conquer each other. Instead, they wanted information. The more secretive the better,” she explained as she opened the case with her magic, slowly and carefully levitating the parchment to the other side of the table.

“A unicorn solder developed a spell known as the Anima Vincula, or ‘soul prison.’ One of the problems during an ambush is the uncertainty. Scouting wasn’t as prevalent and sophisticated as it is now, and often the bloodshed would leave the surprised group…dead, usually due to the attackers underestimation of the amount of force needed to subdue them,” she continued.

Twilight and Rarity looked at each other, their brows furrowed in worry. Neither of them liked where this was going, but they looked back to the princess as she spoke.

“The soul prison would allow for a unicorn to tie the soul of a recently deceased soldier back with his or her body which would allow for a quick interrogation. Due to the amount of power needed, this could only last a few minutes at most, but once created, it became quite popular with unicorn spies and ambush parties,” she explained.

Twilight and Rarity both felt sick to their stomachs upon hearing the sordid tale. Everyone knew of the mistrust between the tribes at Equestria’s founding, but they’d never thought that their ancestors could be so cruel. Twilight cleared her throat as she spoke up.

“Princess, that’s…that sounds terrible, but…why do we need to know this? Why can’t Rarity just learn the spell?” she inquired.

The elder alicorn sighed. This was the part of the story she dreaded covering, but it was necessary. She needed to let them know what they were getting into. She closed her eyes for a moment, steeling herself, before opening them and continuing.

“I had to tell you this, Twilight, because…because of why the spell was abandoned. According to the records, the soul prison spell fell out of favor quickly due to the inaccuracy of the information they received from their victims. The spell binds a spirit to a body, essentially ripping it apart. Like playing some…some ethereal tug-of-war with fate itself. Added to that, the victim is kept ‘alive’ and this still feels all the pain of the death blow. Together, the suffering that the victim experienced was considered astronomical. The screaming and crying were described as legendary among the few writings that survived,” she said.

Twilight’s ears dropped as she sat on her haunches. From what her teacher was describing, it sounded similar to what she experienced with the demons she encountered in Tartarus. It seemed that to be free of them completely, she’d have to once again endure the same suffering she’d been running from since she came back. Tears welled up in her eyes as her mentor’s words finally sank in. She was scared. To be violated in such a way wasn’t anything she’d even considered, yet here was her only chance for survival. She shivered as she felt Princess Celestia’s wings drape over her.

“Twilight, you’ve been through so much. And I know how frightened you must be, but…but you must know that you are strong enough to get through this. I promise you, this is the only way to save you, and you can endure. You will endure,” she encouraged, nuzzling her pupil.

After bringing the mare into a quick hug, she released the scholar, turning her attention towards Rarity.

“Come with me. We will go to the other side of the courtyard. I can teach you the spell there,” she stated as she began walking towards the entrance.

Rarity nodded and quickly took her place beside the monarch. Princess Celestia stopped for a moment as she turned her head towards her student.

“Twilight, you need to stay here and continue to work on the telepods. We’ve already discussed what needs to be done, and I have full confidence that you can finish our work while I teach Rarity,” the elder alicorn ordered.

“Y…yes, princess,” Twilight stammered, her voice cracking.

The sound broke her heart, but there simply wasn’t time to continue consoling the mare. There was work to be done, and the seconds they had were precious, therefore Celestia simply nodded as she made her way to the exit.

“Rarity, wait,” Twilight shouted, trotting after her.

“What do you want, Twilight?” Rarity spat, continuing after the princess.

“W…well, I…I just wanted to know what changed your mind. After all that’s happened between us…why are you helping me?” she asked.

The fashion expert stopped in her tracks, glaring at her fellow unicorn. Her eyes narrowed as she stomped towards her former friend.

“Understand something, Twilight Sparkle! I am NOT helping you because we USED to be friends! I have my own reasons for doing this, and they are quite frankly, none of your business!” she shouted, baring her teeth.

The scholar’s ears flattened as her gaze met the marble tile under her hooves. She brought her left leg across her body in a desperate attempt to hug the awkwardness and embarrassment away. Whatever glimmer of hope that lied within her mind of possibly forging some more amicable relations between them was snuffed out by the fashion expert’s reaction. Twilight simply nodded as she trotted slowly back to her task.

-

Rainbow Dash’s brow furrowed as she felt the sweat streak past her. She narrowed her eyes, doing her best to keep her concentration. She’d been trying to do a Sonic Rainboom for days now, but no matter how hard she tried, she’d falter. Each failure added to her frustration exponentially. At the wedding, she was able to perform the maneuver on demand. Now, however, even her hardest flying denied the pegasus her most famed ability. She grit her teeth as Princess Luna’s word rang in her ears.

“More speed, Rainbow Dash! Keep Pushing!” she shouted from a balcony.

The flyer grunted as she ground her teeth, doing her best to obey her princess’ command. Her eyes widened at the flash of lightening in front of her. She was so close.

‘Just…a little…further…’ her mind screamed.

Suddenly, her left wing gave out causing the mare to scream as she spun out, hurdling towards the castle below. She tried her best to stretch out and right herself, but it was to no avail. She shut her eyes tight, bracing herself for what was bound to be quite and impact. It never came, however, as she felt herself surrounded by Princess Luna’s magic. Once righted, the monarch lowered her gently to the ground. Normally, Rainbow Dash would be fighting to be released from such a grip, but right now, her mind was elsewhere. Fate had denied her yet again. As her hooved touched the ground lightly, she let out a forceful kick behind her, bellowing in frustration. The Cloudsdale resident barely noticed her new mentor approaching her front.

“You almost had it that time, Rainbow Dash. What happened?” Luna inquired.

“Gah! I don’t know! Every time…I mean, I can see it, it’s right there in front of me, but, I just can’t seem to…ARGH!” she shouted.

Princess Luna frowned at the sight. They’d been practicing together for a week straight, and while everyone else seemed to be making progress with their assignments, one of their best weapons was still malfunctioning. Twilight Sparkle had the telepods all but polished, and Rarity was doing well with her spell mastering under her elder sister’s tutelage. Even Applejack and Fluttershy were becoming more confident every day, but Rainbow Dash hit a wall, and there was no getting around it.

“Rainbow Dash, it’s alright. This maneuver was only thought of as legend until you performed it. You perfected it once, and you’ll do so again, I promise,” she reassured the exasperated pegasus.

“Easier said than done,” the flyer muttered, kicking the dirt under her right hoof.

“You’ve been practicing all morning. Get some rest. I have to check on the others anyway,” Luna purposed.

The Cloudsdale resident nodded, taking a deep breath, trying her best to follow her teacher’s wishes. She trotted slowly back inside the castle, her throat begging for some water after such an ordeal. The moon princess frowned as she watched the brash mare. Luna did her best to keep Rainbow Dash’s spirits up, and not to push her too hard, but the situation would be quite dark without her ability. While the elements of harmony were the best armaments against Discord magically, he pegasus’ Sonic Rainboom was most likely their best physical weapon in their arsenal. Without it, however, Luna knew the odds against them would increase dramatically. She shook her head as she made her way to the opposite side of the courtyard.

‘We need you, Rainbow Dash. We need you,’ her mind echoed.

-

‘Left down corridor A, then right down corridor B, and that should take me to door number one,’ Fluttershy thought to herself as she poured over the blueprints in front of her.

She sighed heavily as she rubbed her eyes with her front hooves, leaning back against the ornate pillows on her posh bed, the plans spread across it ruffling ever so slightly. She shook her head, expressing her skepticism at Princess Luna’s plan for her. As interesting a thought as it was, she didn’t think she’d be able to contribute anything meaningful. She jumped slightly as a knock on the door tore her away from her musings. She huffed as she leapt from her bed, making her way to the entrance of her room.

‘Here she is again. Honestly, who is she trying to convince, me or herself?’ her mind echoed as she opened the door slowly.

“Good morning, Princess Luna,” she said politely.

“Good morning, Fluttershy. I just came to check on your progress,” the moon princess answered warmly, walking into the pegasus’ chambers.

“Well, um….I guess, it’s going okay. I’m still trying to figure out some of the corridors on the other side of the castle,” she stated glumly, making her way back to her bed.

The monarch frowned at the timid mare’s tone. Luna had wracked her brain trying to find a way for Fluttershy to help. With such limited resources, it was necessary to think of every possible need that the group might have. Rainbow Dash had speed. Applejack had strength. Rarity and Twilight were already spoken for on their assigned tasks, and the doctor made it clear where he needed to be. So, what could Fluttershy offer then? She was certainly non-violent, and hated conflict, and even competition made her feel uncomfortable at times, so any type of fighting for her was out. It was looking at an old map in her royal chambers that gave her the idea.

“Fluttershy, I’ve told you, you have a very important task. You must be able to provide a distraction at a moment’s notice. This will be imperative during the battle with Discord,” she said.

“Yes, I know, you’ve told me. It’s just…I don’t know if I can, I mean…what…what if Discord tries to use his magic on me? I mean, we’ve already seen what he can do. How can I be safe?” the pegasus asked.

“Discord will be limited in his magic use, as he knows he will need to conserve most of it to resist the elements of harmony. While Rainbow Dash and Applejack are using their talents to help subdue him, if they should falter, they will need time to right themselves. That is where you come in. You can lead him to different parts of the castle, and away from any of us, if we were to fall in battle,” she explained.

“But…but won’t he try to hurt me?” she countered.

Princess Luna closed her eyes as she sighed deeply. There was another reason why she created this task for the animal lover, but she didn’t want to dampen her sprits by letting her in on it. Fluttershy’s persistence, however, was starting to take its toll on the royal alicorn’s resolve.

“No, Fluttershy. No, he won’t,” Luna said.

“Wh…how do you know?” she pressed.

“Because…because, he doesn’t see you as a threat,” the monarch answered.

“Wh…what do you…” Fluttershy stammered before Princess Luna cut her off.

“Fluttershy, you were once the element of kindness. You were its very embodiment. And as you are no longer an element bearer, you have lost that power, and are now a run of the mill pegasus. As such, I believe that Discord will…will try to confuse and befuddle you, as he usually takes delight in that,” she explained.

“Wh…what?!?” Fluttershy shouted, her ire rising.

“Please, I am speaking purely tactically right now. Of course you are important to us, but to him? He will no doubt take delight in your apparent helplessness, which is why we want you to be armed with the knowledge to escape him, thus giving us the time we need,” she continued.

Fluttershy’s eyes narrowed. She couldn’t believe it. She trusted her. Yet, the betrayal she felt was all too real. She stomped towards the moon princess, baring her teeth like a timber wolf.

“So, you’re purposefully putting me in a situation where the lord of chaos himself is going to mess with me?!? That was your plan?!? I HAVE A BAD HEART! HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT I CAN EVEN ENDURE THIS?!?” she screamed.

“Fluttershy, I know you’re angry, but, please, understand, this is going to be a battle for the fate of Equestria. Although you may not be needed, we do believe this is the best way for you to make a difference. I am telling you, I know Discord, and he will not hurt you, but you must be strong. You mustn’t listen to him. You have to go through the plan, just as we’ve discussed. You’re stronger than you think. I’ve talked to the doctor, and as long as you remain calm, you will be fine,” Luna said.

Fluttershy felt her temper rise with every word that came out of Princess Luna’s mouth. She was supposed to protect her subjects. She was supposed to protect her, but instead, she was turning her into fodder for their greatest enemy.

“You…you were supposed to help me!” she shouted.

“And now you need to help Equestria!” the princess countered.

Fluttershy’s eyes went wide at the reaction. She’d never been berated by one of the princesses before. It whisked away her angry thoughts, at least for a moment. Luna approached the pegasus, her look softening as she draped a wing over the younger mare’s shoulders.

“Keep him talking. Don’t challenge him directly, and be coy. If it looks like you’re hiding something, he’ll get curious, and that will keep him from focusing on the elements of harmony. If we do this, we may have a chance of winning. There is strength in you, Fluttershy. I see it, your friends saw it, my sister sees it, but now, you have to see it. I believe in you. You can do this, I promise,” she encouraged.

The pegasus cast her gaze downward, doing her best to process her leader’s words. What if she was right? The princess made a good point in that she always seemed to be the last one in the world to recognize a positive attribute about herself. She cleared her throat as she turned her neck towards the moon princess.

“Can…can I ask you a question?” she muttered.

“Anything,” Luna said.

“How did you come up with this…this strategy for me?” she inquired.

“Well, there is an old combat philosophy which says that every strength a warrior has can be turned into a weakness, if you know how to do it. And the opposite is true. That which may be considered a weakness or a fault, can actually be a strength. But, it has to be managed properly, trained adequately. You see your timid nature as a burden here, I imagine. After all, what can a being of almost pure kindness bring to a battle? And that’s just it, Fluttershy. Because of your kindness, a being like Discord will take whatever you say at face value. He won’t question your motives. So, if you go in with a plan to deceive him, you of all ponies have the best chance of succeeding. Do you understand?” she explained.

Fluttershy nodded, sighing deeply. Luna’s smile returned as she detracted her wing and made her way to the exit. Just as the monarch was about to open the door, the pegasus’ voice rang out behind her.

“P…Princess?” she said.

“Yes?” Luna answered.

“I…I’ll do my best,” she stated.

“Thank you, Fluttershy. You will be fine. We all believe in you,” she whispered before leaving the flyer to go back to her studies.

-

Applejack grunted as she heaved the bundle of rope off her back onto the floor of the empty lounge. The farm mare huffed as she wiped the sweat from her brow, cranking her neck to look at her makeshift targets.

‘A royal couch and a chair once used for ambassadors. Well, they do make mighty fine marks, Ah reckon,’ she thought as she smiled to herself softly.

“This a private party?” a voice rang out from the doorway.

The earth pony gasped as she turned to see her brother standing at the entrance.

“BIG MAC!” she screamed as she ran over hugging her kin, practically bowling him over.

“Hehe, good to see you too, little sister,” he chuckled returning the embrace.

“Big Mac! You…you look great! Ah…Ah can’t believe yer healed already! Them Canterlot doctors must be miracle workers!” she cried wiping the tears from her eyes.

“You ain’t kiddin’!” he answered rubbing his temple with his hoof.

“How the heck did ya get passed that magic shield Discord put around the castle?” she inquired as they both walked into the room.

“Nevermind about me! What about you? And everyone else? And…what the hay are you doin’ with all this here rope?” he countered.

“Oh, well, the princesses reckon that Discord’s gonna come back soon, so we wanna be ready,” she answered.

“With rope?” he asked, using his front hoof to poke the pile his sister had just thrown to the ground.

“Yeah. Princess Luna has some spell that she’s been zappin’ ‘em with. Supposed to make normal rope capable of wrangling magical beings, or somthin’,” she explained.

She turned, leading him further into her practice area. The stallion’s neck cranked side to side as he took in the scene. There were pieces of ornate furniture scattered throughout the chamber, each one sporting lassos around them. There were even a few costume dummies, no doubt used as models for the monarchs’ more formal clothing.

“So, where’s everyone else?” the stallion inquired.

“Like Ah said, they’re off preparin’. Ain’t no tellin’ what that demon’ll do when he gets back,” she answered.

“Oh, Applejack, you wound me. I prefer to think of myself as a free spirit,” Big Mac said, his voice changing.

Applejack gasped at the sound. There was no doubt. A wry smile crept onto the face of her would-be brother as she backed away cautiously. He approached her slowly, his eyes glowing. Large hooves soon twisted into claws and flat teeth transformed into fangs as the farm mare felt the darkness surround her. She tried to scream when a paw clamped down on her mouth with so much force, she winced from the pain. She whimpered under Discord’s grasp as he pulled her closer to him, lowering his mouth to her right ear.

“I believe it’s time to put you to good use,” he whispered.

-

“Try again. You have to concentrate harder, Rarity,” Princess Celestia ordered.

The unicorn grit her teeth as she mustered as much magical strength as her horn could handle. She’d been working with the Princess for a while now, and although their relationship hadn’t changed, she was beginning to truly respect the royal alicorn’s power. Her own magic was always secondary to her talents in fashion and design. This spell, however, was easily the highest level of invocation she had ever attempted. She grunted as she felt the magic build up within her. Baring her teeth she felt a few drops of sweat drip gently from her brow. After a few moments, however, the magic dissipated, leaving Rarity a tired lump of fur and hooves. She took in deep breaths, attempting to calm herself after such an experience. She hated to admit it, but deep down, she begrudgingly began to gain a new level of respect for her former friend’s talent. While she knew where she stood on her relationship with Twilight Sparkle, she could still remember being awed by her sheer power and magical prowess. The fashion mare’s new studies merely reinforced that fact, at least to herself. She dare not say anything aloud, as it may be interpreted as a forgiving sentiment.

“That was better, Rarity. But you still have to remember to keep that high level of magic, even till the end. You’re getting better,” The Princess encouraged.

Rarity stood up shakily, stretching her back and letting out a long sigh. She eyed the princess carefully as she nodded. Celestia raised an eyebrow at the look she received from the unicorn.

“Rarity, what’s wrong?” she asked.

Rarity’s gaze drifted to the ground. The sun princess approached her gingerly, levitating some water and a towel to the younger mare. Hesitating for a moment, she closed her eyes, and took a swig of water while wiping her face with the towel. Once she was refreshed, she looked back at the ruler questioningly.

“Rarity, if you have something to say, then by all means,” Princess Celestia advised.

“W…well, I do have a question, if you don’t mind me asking,” she answered.

“Go ahead,” the princess encouraged.

“Why are you being so nice to me?” she inquired.

“Pardon?” Celestia asked.

“Well, with how things…turned out between us, I know that you still hate me for what…what I did to Twilight, so, I…I guess I’m just surprised that you’ve been so…I’m not sure what the right word is…gracious, towards me. Why?” she pressed.

The sun monarch sighed as she closed her eyes, quickly mulling over how to answer the young pony’s question. While it was true that she did resent the younger mare for her past transgressions, there were other things at play in the mind of the royal alicorn. She opened her eyes as she knelt down to meet the fashionista.

“Rarity, I do not hate you. I disapproved of what you did to Twilight, yes that is a fact I cannot dispute. However, I do understand the pressure I put you under, and I do regret that. Perhaps I should have treated Twilight a bit more suspect when she came back, but I just couldn’t. It was like my lost daughter came back to me. Perhaps I was thinking with my heart instead of my head. So, no Rarity I do not hate you,” she explained.

Rarity simply nodded as the Princess stood and continued.

“Besides, there is also another very good reason for me being nice to you. Rarity, you are learning a high level spell that even I would have trouble casting. This is magic far beyond what most unicorns ever experience in their lifetime. For me to take my anger out on you would be foolish and counter-productive. You need to learn this spell, and you need to learn it now. For me to berate you, and be hard on you like some Wonderbolt Drill Instructor would simply not produce the desired results here,” she said.

Rarity nodded again, showing that she understood. It made sense. Even in school, the teachers who yelled at her constantly never got her to truly understand a subject. A gentler teaching method was almost always preferred. She faced the princess as a soft smile found its way her face.

“Princess, I…” she began before a gasp from the royal alicorn silenced her.

“No…” she whispered as she turned away from Rarity.

“Princess, what’s wrong?” Rarity asked worriedly.

“He’s here, Rarity. Discord is here. I can feel him. His magic is nearby,” she informed.

Rarity felt the pit of her stomach fall away as her knees shook with fear. This was the moment they were working towards. The lord of chaos had finally come to get rid of the one thing that was in his way. She snapped out of her trance at the princess’ command.

“Rarity, you have the spell, and I know that you have it in you to cast it when the time is right. I have faith in you. Trust your training. Now, you must go to Twilight Sparkle who is working on the telepods in the throne room. Once there, you must have her ready the machine and stay with her till the time is right. And Rarity,” she said.

The unicorn stared into her instructor’s eyes. She could feel the intensity coming from them, hot like the sun itself. She gulped as she nodded.

“This is very important. You must not let Twilight Sparkle leave the throne room for any reason. We will take care of Discord. But, when we do, you will only have a few moments to get her body and soul into the telepod. It is imperative that you are both nearby the machines when Discord is defeated. I’m counting on you, Rarity,” she stated.

Rarity looked away for a moment. She’d once again be forced back into a room with her hated former friend and the monstrosities that started everything. She closed her eyes, mustering the strength within her to move forward. She pushed it away, however, the promise she made to herself overshadowing her insecurities.

“Yes, Princess Celestia. I’ll do my best,” she said, as she ran towards the throne room as fast as she could.

-

Discord strolled through the garden, humming a little tune to himself as he adjusted the grip around Applejack’s mouth. A small grin crept onto his face as he made conversation with his captive.

“A lovely day for a stroll, don’t you think? It looks as though my magic has transformed this place. It’s so much better now, isn’t it?” he asked.

The earth pony simply murmured in protest at being dragged about by the chaos lord. They’d only been traversing the gardens for a few minutes after he teleported them outside of the castle. After a few moments she realized where he was taking her. They were going to the large open field in between the garden and the palace. She closed her eyes tight as her mind screamed.

‘Please, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, get here quick! Ah got no idea he’s plannin’ to do with me!’ she thought.

Once they’d exited the garden area, the draconequus took in a deep breath as he surveyed the area. There was not a soul to be seen as he craned his neck from left to right.

‘Oh well. I’m sure they know I’m here by now. Might as well have some fun with it,’ he thought to himself.

“Oh your highnesses! Your highnesses! I’m baaa-aack!” he announced loudly.

“And we’re right here, Discord!” a voice echoed from the side.

The chaos lord turned abruptly eyeing the two flying alicorns quickly closing on his location. He smiled as bowed slightly.

“No reason to be rude, Celestia. I merely request an audience,” he said, mockingly.

“What do you want here, Discord?!?” she asked as she landed in front of him, her sister close behind.

He smiled as he eyed their expressions. They were serious. Perhaps more serious than when they first fought all those years ago. These new faces no doubt reflected the toll of recent events, which Discord would sure to use against them.

“Before you make any move, your highnesses, perhaps you should take account of the little filly I have in my hand here,” he stated, lifting his arm to show them the struggling earth pony.

Luna’s face dropped, but her sister’s stood firm. Celestia walked slowly, her pace deliberate, towards her enemy.

“If you hurt her, Discord…” she uttered, glaring at the chaos lord.

“You’ll what? Encase me in stone, perhaps?” he countered, cutting of the royal alicorn.

“You know we will, villain!” Luna exclaimed, stomping beside her older sibling.

Discord’s face dropped. His smile twisted into a look of pure hatred as he brought up his paw to face his adversaries.

“Then let me make myself clear. This will not be like last time. I won’t simply toss a solution out and wait for it to work. This time, I will destroy you myself, with my own magic. I will have no mercy, and there will be no quarter given,” he hissed as his own ethereal power began to converge within his paw.

Celestia’s eyes narrowed. She knew he was right. This was going to be more than just a battle. This was going to be combat. Discord will not make the same mistake twice. They will all be fighting for their lives. As scared as she was, she only let her fear well up for a moment, before will washed it away. She’d come so far. She’d finally gotten Twilight back, and she swore she’d keep her safe. She’d keep all of them safe.

“RAINBOW DASH, NOW!” Celestia screamed.

The draconequus barely had time to turn his head before a shoulder and wing smashed into his face, forcing him to loosen his grip on his earth pony captive. Applejack seized the opportunity and kicked her kidnapper as hard as she could. Discord’s eyes went wide as he gasped. The farm mare pushed off of him with all of her strength, galloping madly away from him as soon as her hooves touched the ground. The chaos lord shifted, facing his new opponent as she floated just above him.

“You’ll pay for that, Rainbow Dash!” he spat.

She took in a deep breath, her eyes fixated. It was apparent by the magic he intended to use that this was a far more serious fight than last time. She reared up before taking to sky.

“You want some?!? Then bring it! Catch me if ya can!” she shouted.

‘A distraction. She’s not the real threat. I can ignore her,’ he thought as he turned again to face the princesses, their horns aglow.

“Not this time!” he shouted as he fired a ball of magic towards them.

Celestia conjured a shield, the blast bouncing off of her ethereal power as her sister batted her wings furiously, hovering above her elder sibling. She let out a bolt of her own towards Discord. He was just barely able to dodge, however, contorting his snake-like body to the side and out of the way. Seconds later, all three were trading attacks, searching for an opening. After a few volleys, they all halted their assaults, sizing up each other, looking for a strategic advantage.

‘Everyone…we’re counting on you!’ Celestia’s mind screamed as she let out a battle cry leaping towards the draconequus.

-

Spike growled to himself as he eyed the action from Twilight’s old room. When the plans were made to prepare for Discord’s return, he’d been adamant about helping. His offer was spurned, however. He understood why, of course. Twilight finally had some semblance of her life back, and she couldn’t bear the thought of her surrogate little brother getting hurt, especially by that monster. Everyone else thought the same. He knew that they all loved him very much, and that they didn’t want anything to happen to him. However, they failed to realize that those feelings were reciprocated. He loved all of them, and he’d be damned if he’d see anything detrimental happen to them. They also made a good point about his stature. He was still a baby dragon, even after his growth spurt. As much as he hated to admit it, he didn’t belong out there. He couldn’t protect his friends. He couldn’t protect his family. He grunted as he shoved Twilight’s telescope to the ground. The action ended up knocking over other trinkets and books as they slid across the floor into a pile. He stared at the mess he made. His first reaction was that of fear. After all, a part of him was still Twilight Sparkle’s number one assistant, and he never liked to disappoint her. He sighed as those thoughts quickly left his mind. There were far more important things to worry about now. He knew he wanted to help, but how? He continued to think as he stared at the pile on the floor, as an idea suddenly found its way into his head.

‘I…I guess if I’m too small now…I can just make myself bigger,’ he thought.

The young dragon closed his eyes tight, as he repeated the mantra out loud. It might have hurt others in the past, but this time, it would save them instead.

“Spike…want.”

-
And I’m back! Sorry for the super long wait for this chapter. I moved recently, and things have been quite hectic for me. However, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and as I said before, it may take me awhile, but I will finish this story. Thanks!