Twilight looked around frantically. The middle floor of the castle was now the roof. A few priests were scurrying away, running for their lives.

Only the six pillars were still standing; Twilight could still see the villagers through one of them, backing away. The magic of harmony that was flowing through the chamber had not ebbed, but without a roof to keep it contained, it wasn’t enough to hide them.

“I thought I sensed something tingling. Now look at what you’ve done.” Only now did Twilight notice that the aurora in the sky was shining brighter than before, and in the far distance, it cut through the dark cloud of Discord’s influence. “This is gonna take me hours to sort out. I know you’re proud of your feeble attempts to stop me, but I can’t keep it. You know how it is.”

Twilight was ready for the final battle. The magic of harmony now surrounded the air around her; if she played her cards right, she could still win this! But before she could make a move, Kimono stepped forward.

And to Twilight’s surprise, Discord flinched, backing away. As though he’d been hit by an electric shock.

“Do your worst!” Kimono said. “You may think you’ve brought Harmony under your paw, but you’ll never understand the force you’re tampering with!” Star Catcher, Rarity, Minty, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash came up to Kimono’s side, still glowing with the magic of friendship.

Discord rolled his eyes in an exaggerated motion. “Oh, harmony this, harmony that. You ponies just love your friendship speeches, don’t you. Let’s stop and think about it for a minute; how many times has it actually managed to stop me, hm? I guess you could count that one time where I was trapped for a thousand years, but in the end, I always bounce back. I would have thought you’d realize by now that your so-called ‘magic of friendship’ is bogus.” Without warning, six dark bubbles erupted around Kimono and the other counterparts, trapping them. They yelled as Discord lifted them up to eye height. “Honestly, I should’ve just done this to begin with.”

Twilight made to run at them, but Discord held up a claw. “Now, Twilight, you know how easy it is for my fingers to slip.”

“We’re not afraid of you!” Minty shouted. “You meanie! As long as we have each other, you’ll never get away with—ah!”

Flashes of lightning inside the dark-purple made the six ponies screamed out in agony. Twilight’s heart nearly stopped. He was torturing them! Thankfully, it only lasted a few seconds. “Oh, come now, that didn’t actually hurt, did it? And here I thought your magic of friendship would protect you.”

Twilight and the others stood perfectly still. Before the battle, when she had been in top form, she might have been able to break their bonds and free them. But in her current state, she wasn’t so sure. The look in Discord’s eyes made Twilight’s veins turn to ice. He meant business. One wrong move, and he would kill them without remorse.

Was this the end of their struggle, then? Was this all it took to beat them? ‘I should’ve just done this to begin with’ ...but why hadn’t he? Why now? Twilight thought back to how Discord had flinched, as though hit with a sudden pain, the moment Kimono had approached him. In any other circumstance, it would have made sense; Kimono and her friends were charged with the magic of friendship in its purest form, something a being of chaos would naturally want to avoid. But he was immune. If the Elements of Harmony themselves couldn’t hurt him, how could they?

‘It’s as if the chaos hasn’t truly gone away.’

‘Almost as though his soul piece is still there, like a phantom...’

Everything clicked. Only one explanation made sense: there was still one magic connection through which the magic of friendship could reach him. A connection that led straight into Discord’s soul, past the protections granted to him by his so-called ‘vaccine’. One that he had unwittingly created himself.

The counterparts were still connected to the pieces of Discord they once carried.

“So what’ll it be?” Discord asked. “Surrender, and I’ll spare their lives. Trust me, I don’t usually go this far, but sometimes, a villain’s gotta do what a villain’s gotta do. And I’m warning you: this time, I’m not playing around.” The seriousness in his voice sent a chill down Twilight’s spine. With his usually quirky voice, it was easy to forget just how intimidating this creature could be.

Celestia’s expression was grim. But it also carried resignation. “Alright, Discord,” she sighed, “you... you win. Just let them go.”

“Celestia, no!” Kenbroth exclaimed. “You would sacrifice all of Equestria for six of our friends?”

“In exchange, you give me your word that you won’t hurt them!” Celestia added. “Or any of the citizens of Equestria!”

“Fine, I won’t harm one hair on their coat,” Discord agreed. “You know me better than that.” Kenbroth still looked uncomfortable, but said nothing more. Perhaps he believed Celestia still had a backup plan. If she did, Twilight couldn’t see it. “Now that that’s settled,” he looked right into Twilight’s eyes, “the Elements, please.”

“What’d you need them for?” pegasus Rainbow Dash snapped. “It’s not like we can do anything with...” There was another electric charge, making the trapped ponies cry out in pain, “...okay, okay.”

This was the final proof Twilight needed. Discord wasn’t entirely immune to Harmony! The pieces he’d ‘baked’ into the Elements protected him from outward attacks, but the rest of him, the part that had spent a thousand years in stone, did not share that protection. And their counterparts’ connection to Discord could carry the magic of harmony right to it. Discord knew this. He was afraid.

The revelation was dampened by one simple fact. It was too late. Discord had them right where he wanted them, and there was nothing they could do to stop him now. Grudgingly, Twilight lifted her crown from her head, and placed it on the ground. Her friends did the same with their necklaces. “Good,” said Discord, “now back away.”

They did as they were told. Discord lifted his paw, and the Elements became engulfed in his aura. It darkened, becoming a blob of chaos... which he then threw, in an arc, towards the sea. There was a barely audible splash, as the physical representations of the Elements of Harmony – the only means by which anypony could use them – sank to the bottom of the Inland Ocean.

A huge grin spread across Discord’s face.

“YES!” he boomed. “Finally, Equestria is mine! Thank you, magic of friendship, for giving the ponies such a delicious weakness!”

Those words awoke an unspoken anger within Twilight. Weakness?! That very weakness was what had brought the villagers back together! It was the force that had given them hope when all had seemed lost! The frustration Twilight felt was tearing her apart from the inside. Was this how Equestria was to end? With one final mock to friendship?

Twilight saw motion in the corner of her eyes. She was right next to the pillar, through which a hundred frightened ponies were watching the terrible scenario unfold. Despite it all, they still glowed, as did the castle.

No, Twilight thought frantically, friendship is not a weakness. It created these castles, carved Equestria from the Echo. If it wasn’t for the magic of friendship bringing Harmony to the land, there wouldn’t even be an Equestria to conquer! There would be nothing but a realm of cosmic energies...

“Now, uphold your end of the bargain!” Luna demanded. “Release them!”

A realm of cosmic energies...

“Fine,” said Discord indifferently, releasing his spell. The six ponies fell to the floor with a thump.

Twilight gasped. There was something she could do! Something mad, something unthinkable.

“So... are we done, now?” Discord asked, sounding almost disappointed. “Are you ready to throw in the towel? Wave the white flag? Roll the final credits? Bring down the curtain, ride off into the sunset, line up in the victory formation and call it a win for the visiting team?” he added, carelessly pulling a series of props out of thin air to illustrate his point. “Or do you have another desperate plan up your sleeves?”

‘We’re all connected to the Elements,’ Kenbroth’s voice seemed to whisper in her mind.

Twilight glanced to the side, through the pillar and at the frightened, glowing ponies. Would it really work? Her gaze traveled to Discord, then to her friends, to the Princesses, to the ponies slowly getting to their hooves... and back to the villagers...

“No? Twilight, you’re usually on top of things. One last trick play to try to send the game into overtime?”

‘It was the magic of friendship between every Equinus from all six tribes that summoned harmony into our world...’

‘Summoned...’

Twilight’s doubt vanished. Logic couldn’t fully justify her certainty, but her heart told her to take the chance. To trust in the Elements. “No... not me,” she said. Then, lighting her horn with every ounce of arcane magic she could muster, she swung it at the pillar faster than Discord could react, and unleashed her full fury into the seal. “But I know ponies who can!”

Coal Grinder found it hard to be mad at the pegasus, Star Catcher, who had destroyed his village and ruined his life.

The storm outside the cave where his village had taken refuge carried with it a magic aura that made his skin crawl. Something was very wrong. Twilight Sparkle hadn’t been joking when she said she was on a quest to save Equestria from certain doom. The only question was, had she succeeded?

From the mouth of the cave, starved and weak, he could see the green crystal castle shining brightly, emitting that soothing energy. It was a strange feeling to be standing there, the castle’s wonderful magic on one side, and the dark and ominous sensation from the other.

“What’d you reckon it means?” a voice came from behind. He turned to see Granny Pickle walking up to him.

“I don’t know,” he said truthfully. “All I can say is that we shouldn’t try to move for a while. Whatever’s going on out there, we don’t want to be caught up in it.”

“Something tells me we have little choice,” Granny replied. “The world works in strange ways; if the powers that be wants us, it’ll get us. Unless hunger gets us first.”

Coal Grinder gritted his teeth. He had salvaged as much food from the wreckage of his home as he could get. There was nothing left to find. Their only chance had been to make it to the forest before hunger claimed them, but unless this storm let up soon, that would no longer be an option.

He looked up on the sky. Gods, if you’re really out there, have mercy on our people...

The sky cracked.

The eerie feeling intensified, almost completely drowning out the magic from the castle. Before his very eyes, the sky seemed to be breaking apart, as though it was made out of fragile glass.

A piece of the sky fell right off. Beyond was a swirl of dark blue... and an eye.

Kimono had barely made it back onto her hooves, when her legs almost gave under again as she saw the big cracks and holes in the sky.

“Twilight...!” Discord hissed from above; Kimono turned to see that the demigod was immobilized in mid-air, crackles of black lightning surrounding him. “What have you done...?!”

“You said you didn’t need the magic of friendship?” Twilight shouted at him. “Then let’s see how you do without it! The seal is broken, and now you’re all that stands between Equestria and its total destruction. Tell me, Discord, why don’t you just let it drown in the cosmic energies? You can’t do it, can you! There’d be nothing left for you to rule over!”

Kimono had trouble following what was going on. Surely Twilight hadn’t... but from the fractured sky, and the tingling sense in her skin, there was no denying it. Twilight had deliberately wrecked the seal, unleashing the other dimension of cosmic energy upon Equestria. Countless shards of what looked like glass rained from the heavens – pieces of reality – and mixed in with them, dark blue mist was leaking into the world. And Discord... Discord was absorbing it! A small tornado was forming around his body, gradually growing in strength. Kimono backed away, the air becoming heavy around him.

“Uh, Twi,” Applejack said, her expression flat, “did you just break Equestria?”

“Darling!” said Rainbow Dash, walking over to Twilight. “All this... just to save us?”

“Twilight...!” Celestia looked at her pupil with a shocked expression. “How... why have you done this? I trust you, you know I do, but... you might just have doomed us all.”

“Discord won’t let it come to that,” Twilight told them. “He’s too greedy. He won’t stop until he’s absorbed and converted every single bit of cosmic energy into chaos.”

“But that’ll make him unstoppable!” pegasus Rainbow Dash exclaimed, unable to hide the fear in her voice.

Twilight was... smiling? “Not if we stop him first.”

“Sounds good to me,” Minty agreed. “How do we do that exactly?”

Twilight turned her attention to Kimono and her friends, as well as the Kenbroth and the three villagers they had brought along. “The same way we’ve always fixed the seal. You gotta Squink! All of you!”

“You think that’s gonna cut it?” Applejack asked. “Ah mean, look at the sky!” Above their heads, the sky had almost completely fallen away, revealing a mirror image of the land where they stood... except, instead of a castle and a city, there were Mother Ursa. Hundreds of them! And from the looks of it, they were trying to force themselves through the breaking seal. Kimono trembled as their giant arms reached past the boundaries of their reality... but they didn’t get far before they were turned into dark mist for Discord to absorb. Discord was the only thing keeping them from overrunning Equestria. The irony did not pass Kimono by.

“We have to try!” Twilight urged. “If I’m right about this, then everything will be alright. If not,” she gulped, “I... I’ll think of something.”

She gave them an urgent look, and the other-village ponies nodded. Kimono and the others started performing the movements, shaking their manes back and forth. Back and forth, back and forth...

And indeed, Kimono felt the pull of that familiar magic of harmony from within her soul. Before she knew it, particles of rainbow light were swirling in the air, mixing with the pink glow of the castle. The dark mist was pushed away by a wind that seemed to shine with all the colors of the rainbow, pieces of the sky repairing itself before their eyes. That euphoric sensation of harmony welled inside Kimono, and for a moment, all of her worries were gone. They had done it. The world would be...

But for all the harmony magic emitting from the castle, it was not enough. No sooner did the sky regain its blue colors, was it washed away by chaos. The seal was too broken, the cosmic energy too great.

“Keep Squinking!” Twilight shouted, but there was an unmistakable fear in her voice. “Don’t let up!” And then, under her breath, Kimono though she heard Twilight mutter. “Please...!”

The crystal chamber flickered, the magic of harmony that protected them wavering. Wysteria could no longer see or hear anything through the pillar. Suddenly, the ground started to shake, and then, shards of the wall began to fall apart.

“Don’t panic!” Wysteria shouted, though she couldn’t quite keep it from her own voice. “Stay together!”

“What’s happening?!”

“Is this the end? Did Discord win?”

“We’re doomed!”

Wysteria closed her eyes.... and her brain just shut off, unable to feel or think, as a sense of nothingness swept over her. Maybe they were doomed. What was she supposed to do about it? She was truly and finally out of ideas.

A hoof on her shoulder brought her back to reality. It was Sweet Berry. She looked at Wysteria with the eyes of a child, looking to her mother for support. “Wysteria...” she spoke.

Sweet Berry wasn’t the only one. Ten or so ponies had turned to Wysteria, confused, hoping that she might have an answer. She had none. Instead, she pulled Sweet Berry into a hug. She motioned for others to join her. “Don’t let go,” she said. “We have to believe it will be alright.” The advice sounded thin, even to her own ears, but it was all she had.

One by one, the group got back into a group hug. There was a silence, where they just listened the room rumble, leaning on each other for support against the quakes.

“I wish...” somepony spoke. Sky Wishes. “I wish, I wish, I wish, I wish...”

“I wish, I wish, I wish, I wish...” some other ponies started as well. More and more ponies joined into the chant, and soon enough, Wysteria found herself saying it along with the rest of the village. Somehow, she felt more at ease saying it. Like they could wish themselves away from this place, away from danger. “I wish, I wish, I wish, I wish...”

The world became rainbow light. Their wish came true.

The ponies of the second Ponyville had lost all sense of individuality. They were one, single being, floating in a realm of light and color. Part of this being was frightened, confused... but most of it was calm, even happy.

Quite abruptly, before the village could wonder about it, images started to appear within the swirl of colors. They were looking at a scene from the past... actually, just a few moments ago, where they were standing on stage, apologizing for what they had brought to Equestria. As they watched the scene unfold, as seen from the eyes of a person floating above them, one word rang across the village’s collective soul. Honesty.

The scene changed, and suddenly they were looking at Wysteria’s nightmare. A hundred ponies running across the field, Wysteria in the lead, Mother Ursa all around them... and then they were on the top of the mountain, surrounded. Everypony was looking at Wysteria, hope in their eyes... and again, a single word echoed in their mind. Loyalty.

The grim scene then turned into one of happiness. Dancing, singing... this was the party that the two Pinkie Pies had prepared for Minty upon her homecoming. Everypony coming together, counterparts bonding... truly, there hadn’t been a single pony who hadn’t embodied the Element of Laughter.

A new scene depicted a clearing in the forest, where a lone light-blue unicorn was crying. A smaller unicorn – Rarity of Unicornia – approached her, and soon they were crying together... and laughing. The scenery changed into the second Ponyville, where Rarity was accompanied by her unicorn friends, Cheerilee, Brights Brightly and Whistle Wishes, all greeting the light-blue unicorn with a friendly smile. Though it may not have seemed much for the casual observer, for the light-blue unicorn, this was the greatest act of kindness she had felt for a long, long time.

The small, picturesque buildings were replaced by towering sky scrapers, as they beheld the magnificent city of Manehattan. A crowd of ponies were gathered by the docks, where carriages were carrying them off into the sky. Among the ponies stood Kenbroth Gilspotten Heathspike. Knowing full well that his actions would not please his Princess, he was determined to see this through for the good of Equestria. Putting his own well-being aside to ensure that these ponies, at least, had would have a chance. An act of generosity that the people of Manehattan would not soon forget.

When the scene changed next, they felt their collective mind split up, and they realized they were no longer seeing visions. They were standing on the halfway-broken pink crystal castle, and all of their friends were there to meet them. Everypony glowed with the radiant magic of friendship, because this time, no chaos in the world could keep them apart.

Kimono’s consciousness snapped back into her body so suddenly, it nearly made her fall over again. She straightened herself, letting her mind catch up.

She cast a look over the villagers that were now standing with them on the castle, and Kimono felt happier than she had ever been. Everything was shining; the ponies, the castle, even the aurora in the sky had become a streak of light, shimmering like the sunset on a lake surface. Like a bridge over the darkness of the cosmic realm. Even as she looked, the sky was mending itself, the tornado of cosmic energy that that surrounded Discord diminished to a black glow, pulsating rhythmically.

“It’s happening!” Twilight exclaimed. “It’s working!”

“What’s working?!” pegasus Rainbow Dash asked impatiently. “What’s happening? How did they get here?”

In a moment of clarity, Kimono understood. “The Elements... they’re being connected to us! We’re becoming their new bearers!” She let the full implications sink in, and found that she was shaking. “You broke the seal so that we – the ones closest to the bulk of their powers – might summon it anew.”

“All of you?” said Luna incredulously.

“Yes, all of them,” said Twilight. “Because the Elements have deemed them worthy. They have seen that together, as one whole, they possess all six virtues needed to wield them! And thanks to the trials Discord brought them through, their bond has become unbreakable!”

“Speaking of Discord,” said pegasus Rainbow Dash, looking over at the Demigod, whose dark glow was dimming by the second. “What’s going on with him?”

Twilight regarded the fallen body for a moment, before she spoke. “Remember what Andromeda showed us? Harmony can’t be brought into the world without an anchor of chaos. It seems that, for the second time in his life, Discord has become that anchor.”

“Is that true?” said Celestia, regarding Discord curiously. “That would mean Discord was born when...” She paused, looking thoughtful.

Twilight didn’t bother to fill the Princess in on Discord’s background, and instead turned to Kimono and the other counterparts, her expression more urgent. “Listen to me! I know how we can defeat Discord, but we need to act fast. The six of you,” she made a swooping gesture with her hoof toward the six counterparts, “are still connected to the pieces of his soul that you carried within you. As the new bearers of the Elements, you can carry the magic of harmony into his soul, past his protection. That’s why he took you hostages: you six are literally his only weakness.”

The ponies of the village exchanged looks, some of them worried. Minty spoke up first. “Okay, but... how do we do that?”

“Allow me!” Kenbroth spoke up. “I’ll guide the Elements’ magic.”

Twilight smiled. “Thank you, Kenbroth.” Turning back to villagers, she said, “All you need to do is concentrate. You can feel the flow of magic, can’t you?” Kimono just nodded. It was overflowing in her soul, the polar opposite of how she had felt when she’d carried the excess chaos. “Then it should come naturally to you.”

Kenbroth stepped up to the six ponies. “Alright,” he half-sighed, no doubt mentally preparing himself. “Let’s get this thing—”

The next moment happened in a frenzy. It felt as if a hurricane had suddenly erupted where they stood, carrying with it raw chaos. Kimono could have sworn something just stabbed her in the barrel, but the sensation quickly faded, as Twilight put herself between them and the source of the storm. Discord.

“You do realize I can hear every word, right?” he spoke, his voice and face both a bit strained. “Don’t act as if you’ve already beaten me!” The wind grew stronger, pushing Twilight back as she cleaved it in two. “I assure you, the opposite is true. An anchor, am I? To your precious Elements? Fine, so I helped you create some more harmony, big whoop. You helped me become more powerful than I ever could have imagined!”

In the blink of an eye, Discord’s paw was on Twilight’s forehead. Kimono gasped, her heart racing as she watched Twilight’s eyes shift – and as they did, her hold of the wind loosened, and the rest of them were hit with a barrage of chaos. Luna and Celestia was quick to her side, but it was all they could do to hold the storm back as best they could, to protect everypony. Leaving Twilight to fend for herself.

“Ohh, I do like a challenge,” Discord mused. “Go on, keep resisting; it’s not like I have anything better to—”

Discord was cut off as he was suddenly flung backwards by a gust of wind and color. The magic of harmony! Kimono looked around... and saw little Rarity holding her wand in her mouth. Her eyes held fright, and her legs were shaking, but that didn’t stop her from swinging it again, summoning another gust of harmony, brushing him away.

“Kenbroth, now!” Kimono shouted. The earth dragon obeyed without hesitation; Rarity dropped her wand, and the six of them huddled together.

Kimono closed her eyes, and let the magic of harmony wash over her, placing her fate – and that of all of Equestria – in the Elements’ embrace.

It felt as though her mind was being pulled away from her body, and back into the realm of rainbow light. She had never felt so alive, with only the harmony to drift her along, her friends by her side. And not just the six of them, either. Wysteria, Sweet Berry, Star Catcher, Whistle Wishes, Daffy Daisy... every single member of the village was right there with her, lending their support. Mending the seal was nothing compared to this. It was as though she had become the Elements, a part of a whole, where every sliver of doubt was reduced to one, single word.

Harmony.

They were being dragged right into Discord’s mind. Kimono was ready. Discord tried to fight back, to push them away, but with Kenbroth’s guidance, they effortlessly floated past all of Discord’s resistance. There was nothing more he could do. With a mental roar, the draconequus’ defenses broke.

The world was swallowed up in white, and Kimono lost consciousness.

“Discord?” Celestia called. “Discord, are you in here?”

Discord turned away from his hovering desk, and watched as Celestia entered his study. Quills, scrolls and books were floating around haphazardly; he chuckled, waiting for her to find him in the clutter. Celestia eventually did, and chuckled as well. “Whatever makes you comfortable.”

“That it does,” he said. “And don’t worry, I read all those books you gave me. Even rewrote some of them. Wanna see?”

“Discord, those are ancient history books!” Celestia said, looking rather appalled. “We need those the way they were, lest history be forgotten.”

“Boo, fine,” Discord said, snapping his fingers. A few books flashed. “What fun is there to read about history, when I can create it! And really, Celestia, my point of reference is terrible; maybe if you were to let me out of the castle once in a while...”

To Discord’s surprise, instead of the usual speech, Celestia smiled at him. “Actually, that is why I came to you. Luna and I have been talking, and we have decided that it is time for you to see the land of Equestria for yourself.”

“You mean it?” Discord lit up, floating down to the Princess.

“I mean it. We were always afraid that, with your powers, letting you out of the castle without due consideration would have dire consequences, but your behavior has been nothing but exemplary.”

“You’re finally trusting me,” said Discord, mostly to himself. “Oh, thank you, Princess, you will not regret it!”

“Then let us be off, shall we?” Celestia lit her horn, and a flash later, Discord was... hovering above the castle! A sight he hadn’t seen since that day he had been taken in by the Princesses almost half a year ago. He made a few loops in the air, relishing in his freedom... but restrained himself, as Luna came flying towards them. It wouldn’t do to make a bad impression and waste this chance.

The land looked magnificent from up here! He’d gazed out on the landscape from the balcony many times, but from this height, Equestria really opened up to him. “I see you like it?” Luna noted.

“Do I?! Is that another town? And ooh, look at those mountains!”

“Let’s fly,” said Celestia. Discord nodded, and they were off, gliding at a good speed over the painting-like landscape below. A river here, a forest there; it was everything Discord had dreamed of. A few pegasi were working on a large cloud a bit away, and to his left, a flock of birds passed them by in a V-formation.

It begged a very important question. “So... does this mean I’m free to go out as I please?”

“In time,” replied Luna. “Look around you, Discord. Yours is a very important destiny; with the powers you possess, there is no limit to what you can accomplish for our land. With your help, Equestria may enter a new era of unprecedented prosperity, but such a task can not be given lightly. Until you learn the true extent of your powers, and gain the experience to wield them well, we must ask you to remain in the castle for a while longer.”

“How long is ‘a while’?”

“It is impossible to say. But with the progress you have been making, it won’t be long before we will send you to visit all the Equestrian locations proper.”

Discord looked forward to that. But at the same time, the prospect frustrated him. His powers were usually the reason for everything they did to confine him. It wasn’t that he was unhappy living in the castle. He owed everything he had to the Princesses; they had fed him, named him, given him a place to call home, taught him everything they knew about the subtleties of the magic art... but when he looked upon this endless vista that was Equestria, he felt a yearning in his heart. A longing to explore, to see everything the world had to offer.

But he had to be patient. His time would come, and when it did, he would not fail the—

‘NO! DON’T YOU DARE...!’

Kimono’s thoughts separated from Discord’s. There was a moment of confusion, before she understood what had just happened. She had actually become Discord, living his memories. Memories that, judging from the raging emotions surrounding her spirit, Discord did not want her to see. Here inside his mind, his mental resistance was far stronger. He was pushing back the Elements, trying to force them out. Kimono and the others, determined not to let him, pushed forward. It was their minds against his.

But Kimono hadn’t spent all those months in Discord’s company without gaining a deep understanding of his mentality. Discord could deny it all he wanted, but Kimono knew a part of him that he himself did not. And here, deep within his mind, there was no lie or brave face he could put on to fool her.

A barrier broke, triggering another memory. Kimono – no, Discord – was flinging boulders. Grabbing pieces of the mountains, molding them like snow balls, he threw them at the Princesses. The battle had been going on for hours; this was their tactic, and he was only copying it to show the Princesses how immature they were.

Before he could react, one of the Princesses had flanked him, and then, he was knocked out of the sky. Another wound added to the pile. He tried to get up, but Princess Luna was already on top of him. “This ends here, Discord!” The demigod struggled, but found that he had taken one hit too many. His head was spinning, his vision a blur. A thought was beginning to creep into his mind that maybe this was the end...

Princess Celestia walked up beside her sister... and Discord froze. That look of disappointment in her eyes shook something in his core. “Discord,” she spoke, “why did you do this? We gave you everything; you were to become a Prince, to rule beside us. Why throw it all away?”

Rage filled Discord. Give him everything... or his powers? They wouldn’t let him out into the world because they feared his powers. They had sought to make him a leader because they could keep a close eye on his powers. They had kept searching for the Elements of Harmony behind his back because they wanted to control his powers. And now, they were dead set on ending him because they feared his powers!

He snarled. These two weren’t chaos. How could they possibly hope to understand?

Next moment, he was gone, slipped into the stream of chaos in which he had covered the area. When the Princesses next saw him, he was holding a boulder the size of Canterlot’s throne room. If he couldn’t run away anymore, then he would go down fighting.

There was an almost unbearable push at Kimono’s consciousness. They were closing in on Discord’s inner sanctum, the center of his being, containing memories and feelings he had locked away, even to himself. The wall seemed impenetrable.

But then she felt another force, something that pulled at them from the other side of the wall. It resonated with all of them strongly, renewing their combined energy. They gave a final push...

Once again in the body of Discord, a sense of excitement washed over him. He was going to tell them, finally. He would have to, eventually, and now seemed like the perfect time. The villagers had finally given him their trust, their friendship. It was time to stop lying to these people.

“Discord!” A filly with a golden mane was climbing up the final stretch of the mountain overlooking the village, followed shortly by the the rest of her best friends. For the first time, Kimono and her the others were given a clear look at their true, unaltered selves: Star Catcher was blue, and Pinkie Pie had a red, fiery mane. Minty was still green, though a brighter shade, and she was missing half her tail. They recognized Rainbow Dash as the gray old mare they had seen for that one, brief moment back at the castle in the Everfree Forest.

Only Kimono remained the same. Discord’s heart filled with warmth when he saw his beloved climb up the cliff. He couldn’t help but smile; her belly was round with his unborn child. A daddy... he would be a daddy! And together, he and his wife and child would stand on top of the world!

He turned his around, building up the suspense. He felt the others shuffle around behind him, until they were all sitting, anticipating his great announcement.

‘PLEASE, NO!’ Kimono felt a tug in her heart, despite herself. The voice wasn’t angry anymore, it was pleading. But Kimono refused to stop. You brought this upon yourself.

“Well, my little ponies, the big announcement that I’ve been alluding to for weeks... is at hoof.”

“So what is it?” It sounded like Minty’s voice, but it was hard to tell.

“You may have wondered what happened to the spirit of chaos that almost brought Equestria to its knees? I’ll admit, I wasn’t entirely truthful when I told you that he was the one who mortally wounded me. Well the mortally wounded part was right, I suppose...” He couldn’t hold his excitement any longer. He clicked his claw, and all of a sudden, dark clouds started dancing in the sky. Literally dancing, with added faces and eyes. He turned around, arms outstretched. “He’s me! I am the spirit of chaos! Ta-dah!”

There was a silence, and just as anticipated, there was a look of shock on their faces. And then, also as anticipated, the little filly started laughing. “Good one, Draco! How did you do all that with the clouds?”

“Yeah... I mean, you’re not really...”

“Oh, but I am.” To emphasize his point, he let out an aura of chaos from his body. They all gasped, and took a collective step back. “Allow me to thank you for keeping me hidden from Princesses Celestia and Luna’s eyes for so long. If it weren’t for you, I would never have had this second chance. And now, I’m returning the favor. Join me! Together, we will spread this village’s greatness across the land, and take back from the Princesses what should have been mine! Ponyville will become the Capital of Chaos, and you, my sweet Kimono, will be my queen.”

In that moment, many hearts were shattered. Memory-Kimono, her eyes widening in fear, shaking her head; Discord, seeing his friends’ reactions, his face drooping; and present-day Kimono, seeing the scene play out from both points of view.

“Tell me it isn’t true,” Memory-Kimono whispered. “This is just one of your cruel jokes...”

“Cruel? Kimono, don’t you see? We could rule the world together!”

“You were the one who almost destroyed Equestria. The one who brought the pegasi village to ruin... and destroyed countless other lives.”

“Details! They didn’t see the bigger picture. And I thought... I thought you would.”

The shouting voice from Discord’s mind had ceased. It, like Kimono and her friends, only watched – felt – as Discord’s heart slowly fell to pieces, the only people he had really, truly loved turning him away.

“See what? My beloved turning into a power-hungry monster? This... this isn’t who you are, Draco. Come to your senses, I’ll... I’ll forgive you for what you’ve done in the past. Just, please... stop this!” Tears ran down her cheeks.

Forgive? Forgive?!

Discord felt that rage return, similar to the one he had felt toward the Princesses, but hotter still. The sheer indignation made it hard to breathe. No one! There wasn’t a single person in this world that understood Discord! What did the world expect of him? They feared him for his powers, and they shunned him for his powers. For all the Princesses’ talk of creating a nation built on friendship, there was no room for anyone with powers such as his. Was he really the only one who saw the hypocrisy in that?

If not even Kimono, his one and only love, would understand him... then none of them deserved to be part of his new world! He grabbed the ponies in a field of chaos, and tightened it around them. He’d grind them to dust! They’d regret turning him away! He...

He was crying.

Looking into the eyes of his friends... those six funny, kindhearted ponies that had cared for him as their own... he canceled his magic. It was so unfair. For the first time in his life, he cursed whatever being had given him these powers, and had unleashed him upon this uncaring world. As a last act of defiance, he snatched the charm bracelet he had made for Kimono from her leg... and without another word, he flew away. Away from the village, past the remnants of the battle between him and the Princesses.

He flew... until the land melted away from his sight. Kimono suddenly felt another consciousness brush against theirs. The will of Harmony, urging them on. They pushed, infusing it with everything they had.

Discord did not have the strength to fight back. Kimono felt his presence being absorbed into the Elements... and Kimono, her friends and Discord became separate ponies.

“Well. I hope you’re happy, everypony. You’ve seen right through mean old Discord.”

Kimono looked at him with the same kind of eyes as someone looking at a child who had scraped his knees. Discord, as well as Kimono and her five friends, were represented in their physical forms in this spiritual realm of harmony, the power of chaos swirling around them. Dark purple and blue streaks and orbs swam among the rainbow-colored light, and in this sea of magic, he could sense the presence of every villager, regarding him with pity.

“I...” Kimono began, “...honestly, I never could have guessed...”

Little Rarity stepped forward. “That... felt like it must have hurt.”

“Yeah,” agreed Minty, “so lonely.”

Discord was done. The irony was really something else; even when he had made himself immune, completely overpowered them, trapped them in a cage and proven once and for all the futility of friendship, they had found a way to sneak it into the depth of his soul. Forcing the chaos out of his body, pushing it into the Elements’ embrace. He was trapped.

“But does it excuse all I did?” he asked. “All that hurt and havoc, all those lives lost in the war?”

Kimono thought on it for a moment. “No,” she said eventually. “It doesn’t.”

“I thought not.” Looking at these ponies, he realized that he hated them. They’d brought him back from the brink of death, sure, but they’d also brought back a part of him he didn’t want to acknowledge. A part he could bury, but not dispel. A part of him that had ultimately let them into his sanctum.

Because this part of him still loved them. And it still, to this moment, wanted them to understand. Wanted them to be together.

“Now what?” Discord asked curtly. “Did you plan to spend eternity watching over me, so that my spirit won’t wander off and wreak some more havoc? Or is Twilight on her way to join us, so she can put me back into a Time Capsule?”

But it wasn’t any of the ponies who answered. A powerful voice made him jump. “Twilight has done her part. That wonderful, foolish child... never would I have guessed she would use the power of Harmony so.”

He and the ponies looked around; and suddenly, another pony approached from nothingness. About as big as Celestia, hair flowing, light purple hue... Discord knew this pony! But from where? A memory was tugging at his mind, trying to get out.

Rainbow Dash was the first to speak. “Would you be... Andromeda, darling?”

“I am.” The being smiled, and the space surrounding them seemed to glow brighter. “How I have longed to meet you, all of you.” She gave a sweeping look, as to acknowledge the presence of the villagers. “You, who gave my son a second chance in life. The pride and regret that I feel cannot be expressed by mere words.”

“Son?” Discord parroted. The memory throbbed in his head like a second heart. “Who in Chaos’ name are you?”

Andromeda turned to face him, and the smile on her face faded just slightly. “Of course, you don’t remember. I am to blame for that as well.” Her smile disappeared completely, replaced with a look of sorrow. “How I have wronged you, my son. Only now do I fully understand the depth of the suffering I put you through.” The energy she emitted wasn’t just the magic of harmony; there was something else, a more personal aura. Someone Discord knew well. “My only solace is that, after all this time, it is over. You have returned to me, my dear, dear Dritl.”

Dritl? It had a familiar ring to it. The being walked closer... and suddenly Discord found himself afraid. He wasn’t even sure why. It didn’t make sense. And for the first time in his life, that in itself scared him.

Andromeda lowered her horn onto Discord’s forehead... and his mind erupted into vision, sound, senses... emotions. He was standing in a crystal chamber, his body aching like he had never thought possible, trying to keep an immeasurable power from consuming him. He had let the chaos into his body on his own accord... to protect. To make sure the world was safe from the chaos.

He was Dritl.

Discord – Dritl – looked up at Andromeda, a feeling he had not felt in a long, long time cutting through the chaos in his soul. “Mother...”

“It’s okay now,” Andromeda whispered. There were tears in her eyes. “I never thought... never dared to even think it...”

Dritl-Discord didn’t know what to say. So many emotions trying to get out. Finally, one particular emotion came out on top. “How... how could you, mother?!” he roared, raising his body to meet her eyes. “Look at me! You’ve turned me into a monster! I tried to destroy everything I swore to protect!”

“I know.” Andromeda replied simply, and without warning, pulled him into an embrace. “Harmony blinded me, and I underestimated the chaos. You had to pay the price for my naivete. I won’t ask you to forgive me, because I will never forgive myself... but Dritl, this dreadful history has come to an end. You are free now.”

It was the strangest feeling; the Discord part of him knowing that a lifetime had passed, and yet for Dritl, it was as though it had only been a minute since his mother trapped him in her spell. He was two entities at once, trying to coexist with himself. It wasn’t easy.

He looked over at Kimono and her friends... his friends, once. “By Harmony, the things I have done...”

Andromeda lifted her head, and looked over to the villagers. She held out a hoof, and motioned. Slowly, with hesitation, Kimono started walking toward her. For a moment, the two of them only looked into each others’ eyes. And then, Andromeda’s aura emitted such a joyful burst, Discord-Dritl forgot about himself for a moment. Kimono smiled at her, and next moment, she had joined the embrace.

“You wonderful pony,” Andromeda spoke. “You and Twilight both. And all of you.” Soon, the presences of everypony in the space moved closer towards Andromeda... and out of nowhere, wings appeared on her back, pulling them all into the embrace. An embrace so radiant, Dritl had to close his eyes.

He wasn’t worthy of it. He didn’t belong in that world anymore, but neither could he go back to being Discord. He was both, and he was neither; he reviled the magic of friendship and the hypocrisy surrounding it... but also, he longed for it.

None of that mattered anymore. His mother was right. It was finally over. It was time to let it all go.

The Chaos that surrounded Discord was being swept away like dirt by a jet of water. It caught in the harmony-imbued wind, flew up into the sky, where it seemed to absorb into itself, creating a dark cloud. Twilight thought for a moment that they had failed... but then she noticed that, around the cloud, the reality beyond the seal was becoming obscured by the shimmer from the sheer harmonic magic in the air, the blue sky growing back before their very eyes.

The body of the draconequus slumped to the castle floor no more than a couple of pony lengths away from Twilight, unmoving.

Twilight beamed, as the light surrounding the other-village ponies dimmed, and Kimono’s eyes refocused. They looked rather disoriented, but otherwise fine. “You did it!” Twilight said, hugging her counterpart. “You actually did it!”

“Did we beat him?” Spike asked, backing away from Discord’s body – or corpse.

“I think so, but... I’m not sure,” Kimono answered. “We invaded Discord’s innermost sanctum, peered into his hidden feelings.” She paused, as if trying to piece it together herself. “And then, we met Andromeda. She gave Discord back his memories. He became Dritl again, and...” She sighed, but she did so with a smile. “I’ve never felt so much happiness in my life.”

There was a pause... but not for long, because the very next moment, the sky erupted in rainbows. It looked as though the blue sky was an ocean, disturbed by something big enough to send large ripples through it. Ripples of pure rainbow, each brighter than a Sonic Rainboom. They could only stare at the spectacle, feeling the harmony magic engulf the world. To Twilight’s left, earth-pony Rainbow Dash looked just about ready to faint, her eyes saucers, the biggest smile in the world on her face.

“Will you look at that...!”

Shining Armor had awoken only a few minutes ago, in a room among a crowd of confused ponies. The walls had shimmered before his eyes, turning the black walls and scary statues back into the familiar window paintings and sculptures of Canterlot Castle. He knew immediately what had happened. Twiley had done it. She had defeated Discord.

Now, he was standing on the biggest balcony in the castle, looking up at the sky, where waves of rainbow light flowed. Princess Cadance was at his side, as were as many ponies that could fit on the platform. He didn’t pretend to understand what had happened, how his sister and her friends had done it, only that it was a resounding victory. He could feel the harmony pulsate through his body, like a beating heart.

Shining Armor lost track of how long they stood there, but after what might have been either ten seconds or an hour, the rainbow ripples in the sky faded. In the stillness that followed, Equestria seemed to glitter. He breathed in the most wonderful air, fresher than he had experienced in his life, that made his lungs sing with glee.

The hows and whys didn’t matter. Peace had returned to the land of Equestria.

When the sky was still once more, no pony had the time to recover before pink particles of harmony magic started whirling around them. A small breeze at first, then a raging storm, as the magic was absorbed into the castle. Twilight suddenly felt a pull downwards, like she was on an elevator going up. She realized with a small gasp that the castle was repairing itself. Higher and higher the floor was lifted, until the area of the floor that was once the crystal chambers rose like a tower above the rest. Lastly, the magic particles absorbed into the top of the pillars, connecting each of them in a circle.

The crystal chamber had become a crystal tower, giving them once again that magnificent view over the Inland Ocean. It sparkled with the same luster as Twilight had witnessed in her vision, the day the Elements were created. The dark cloud that had sprung from Discord had completely vanished.

“Did we...” one of the ponies from the village spoke up. “Did we just squink Discord away?”

“I... I think we did, darlings!”

“Pwee – so, uh, no more Discord?”

“Did we actually do it?”

“Rock on, Twilight! I knew you could do it!” Smiles spread over every face, as it started to dawn on them that they had, as a matter of fact, actually won.

“It wasn’t me who defeated him,” Twilight called, loud enough for everypony to hear. “It was you! This was only possible because you discovered the magic of friendship. You earned the right to be the new bearers of the Elements.”

“Us?” said Wysteria incredulously. “The... bearers of the Elements of Harmony?”

“I, for one, think you are more than worthy,” said Princess Celestia. “You came to this world with lost and confused, and were able to hold on to your friendship in spite of it all the hardship Equestria threw at you. You found it within yourselves to lean on each other even in your darkest hour.”

The villagers exchanged looks, equal measure of wonder and bewilderment in their eyes. This would be a lot for them to swallow, Twilight knew... and in fact, as it all began to sink in, she started to feel the guilt of what she had done. She turned to face her friends. They were no longer the Bearers. Twilight had – as necessary as it had been – robbed them of the one thing that made the six of them special to Equestria.

“Listen,” Twilight began, “I... I’m—”

Rarity held up a hoof to Twilight’s mouth to stop her. “It’s okay, darling, we know.”

“Yeah,” pegasus Rainbow Dash agreed. “What’s a few trinkets anyway.”

“You don’t think we’ll stop being friends just because we can’t shoot rainbow lasers anymore, do you?” poofy-maned Pinkie Pie asked. “I mean, that’s a bummer, but of course you don’t! We’re the bestest friends forever and ever!” Fluttershy and Applejack nodded. Twilight felt herself smile. With her new-found powers of chaos, and their lack of Elements, things would be different for them. But their friendship would remain, always.

“I find it hard to believe,” spoke Luna, “that we are rid of Discord’s curse at long last.”

“It feels strange, in a way,” Celestia said. “Nonetheless, I think we have earned ourselves the right to celebrate.” She cast a glance at Pinkie Pie, who lit up. “Can I count on you to have one ready by tonight?”

“Easy peasy! We’re gonna need party mortars for this one! Everypony’s invited!”

“Hold your horses,” said Twilight. “Before we leave, there’s still one thing left to take care of. Just wait here, I’ll be back in a few minutes.” Before anypony could ask, she flung herself off the tower, letting the chaos within carry her through the sky. She scanned the Inland Lake, trying to remember where the Elements had... there! She erected a barrier, filled it with air, and plunged into the water.

The Inland Lake was known for its considerable depth, as well as its clear water. Even a full speed, it took Twilight a full minute to descend all the way to the bottom... where she couldn’t hold back a gasp. Buildings. Ruins of an entire city, sprawling out as far as eyes could see. Twilight had read about this place, but this was the first time she’d laid eyes on it. She lingered for a few seconds, before she remembered what she was supposed to be doing down here.

It didn’t take long for her to find them. The Elements of Harmony had reverted back to their stone forms. There were only five of them, the sixth – the Element of Magic – hidden from sight until it was ready to appear. It sent a rush of nostalgia through Twilight; she remembered well the first time she discovered these stones, how the sixth had eluded her so, until she had discovered that friendship was the key to summoning it. Now, it was time to let them go. Give them over to their new masters.

In another minute, Twilight was back out of the water, holding the five round rocks in her magic aura. She felt the eyes of all the ponies on the tower upon her as she approached. Soaring above them, she came to a halt.

“These,” she held the rocks over their heads, “are the Elements of Harmony. And they belong to you now.” She released her aura.

The stones did not fall. Just as she thought, they exploded into light. Twilight was curious as to what form it would take. Would each and every one of these ponies get their own necklace? Or would there only be six, that would go to the counterparts? The light subsided... and Twilight saw, to her surprise, that neither was true. The ponies of second Ponyville glimmered with a rainbow sheen, as though the physical representation had stuck onto their skin.

And as she cast a gaze over the ponies, she saw that the same was true for Twilight and her friends as well.

“Whoa nelly!” Applejack exclaimed, looking around her body. “Looks like we won’t be rid of ‘em just yet.”

“Aw yeah!” Rainbow Dash whooped. “I knew the Elements wouldn’t leave us hanging!”

Twilight was touched. The Elements had chosen not to abandon them. Was it Andromeda’s doing? Or had the higher force of Harmony simply recognized all that they had done and decided that they were as worthy as any of the others? It flew in the face of everything Twilight thought she knew about the Elements, and in a way, it felt sort of anticlimactic. But for once, she was okay with that.

The Elements weren’t done. The air above them lit up, and there, the ghostly form of a pony appeared. Many of the villagers backed away as best they could the narrow space of the tower, but Twilight only smiled.

“My little ponies!” Andromeda’s voice boomed. “You have fulfilled my final wish. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Now, I shall gladly accept the price for all the pain I have wrought to Equestria.”

Twilight’s heart skipped a beat. She knew exactly what Andromeda was about to do. “Wait, you’re not going to—”

“You have returned my son to me. Together, he and I shall sleep in magic, for as long as it takes until all the Chaos has vanished from his soul.” Off in the distance – where the dark cloud had been – Twilight noticed a sparkling distortion of air, waving as though it was a pocket of heat. Twilight gasped. It was a Time Capsule. “I shall see to that he is never lonely again, and that this travesty is never repeated. Therefore, after today, I shall cut off all ties to your world, so that it will be free from our influence. Though the process might take eons, tens of thousands of years, I am not worried for the future of this land, for I leave it in your capable hooves.” Andromeda’s form smiled. Twilight could tell that she was content.

Kimono, on the other hoof, was not. “Wait!” she called. All eyes turned to her. “Could you... could you pass on a message for Discord... I mean, Dritl?”

Andromeda didn’t reply. Instead, her form vanished... and a glowing orb floated down towards Kimono. She stared at it for a long moment before she spoke.

“Draco – or Discord, or Dritl; whatever I should call you – I just wanted to say that... even if your actions can never be excused, I... I understand. I understand why you did what you did, and how you turned into Discord. And because I understand, I will not hate you. I will always remember you, but I will be able to move on. I just... I just thought you ought to know.”

The world seemed to stand still. No pony moved or made a sound. And then, the orb emitted a single wave of magic. It was unmistakably Discord’s aura, but there was very little chaos attached to it. And with that, the orb floated back to the sky, towards the shimmering distortion, where it vanished.

The silence spoke more than words ever could. Everypony simply stood there, looking at the Time Capsule. The final resting place for Andromeda, the first Element of Magic; and Dritl, he who became chaos.

It was over.

Almost over. Before anypony could start to wonder what they were going to do next, or how they were going to get down from the tower, Twilight felt a pull in her spirit, and suddenly, she and everypony else were being lifted up, the world becoming a tunnel of rainbow light. It seemed the Elements had one last surprise for them.

It was then that something happened that Twilight would only come to remember in a blur. Time stopped, and everypony was suspended in magic... except Twilight and Kimono. The two of them were alone, trapped inside a realm of the Elements’ creation. Andromeda’s spirit washed over them, and the three seemed to merge. Twilight could feel the endless love for both of them. All the regret, relief, happiness and sadness she felt for leaving her daughter and granddaughter.

Three generations, united at last in one, heartfelt farewell.

When the world was still once more, Earth-pony Rainbow Dash found herself back in Ponyville. Unicornia, to be exact. Around her, the villagers looked disoriented, but it didn’t take them long to realize that they were back home. The Elements had transported them here.

“Home, sweet home!” she heard Brights Brightly say. “I’m not even gonna question it anymore.”

“Let’s hope we get to stay home this time,” Daffy Daisy replied. “Come to think of it, I haven’t cleaned my barber shop in ages!”

“I don’t see any Mother Ursa,” Puzzlemint said. “It’s finally over! No kidding!”

“Yeah, but – pwee – why are we still glowing? We’re not gonna stay like this forever, are we? How are we gonna sleep at night?”

Almost as if the Elements had heard her, the glow from everypony in the crowd lifted from their bodies, and in an instant, it merged together into one rainbow orb. It rose to the sky, towards the castle... where it absorbed into it.

The ensuing display of rainbow was almost too blinding to look directly into, but to Rainbow, it was the most beautiful thing she had seen so far. More beautiful, even, than the mending of the seal. Even if the world were to end right there, she would be content with her life having basked in the glow of the most rainbowy rainbow that the world of rainbows could provide!

The light finally subsided... and her mouth fell open. Crystal Rainbow Castle had transformed, completely. It was no longer just a normal castle with towers themed around the rainbow colors. It had quite literally become the Crystal Rainbow Castle. It rose over the mountain, at least three times its original size, the top resembling a tree, with countless of branching towers. The tower at the very top was shaped as a star, six symbol emblems attached to the points.

“The castle,” little Rarity said, flabbergasted. “It looks awesome! Can we do that again?”

“But, why?” said Cheerilee, who stood close enough for Rainbow Dash to see her incredulous face.

Princess Celestia shot up from the crowd with a flap from her wings, and came to halt above Unicornia’s gazebo. “Because this how the Elements have chosen to manifest themselves to you,” Princess Celestia explained. Luna came up to her side. “This castle is a symbol of who you are, and what you will become.”

“Who we are...?” There were looks of worry throughout the crowd.

“Make no mistake, the next few years will be a time of transition,” said Luna. “What your role in our country will ultimately be, we cannot say for sure at this time. But never forget; the Elements chose you as their new masters because they deemed you worthy. So long as you never forget the magic of friendship that bound you to it, you will never go astray.”

“And rest assured, Luna and I – as well as all of Equestria – will help you every step of the way,” Celestia finished.

The speech gave Rainbow Dash pause. She looked up at Crystal Rainbow Castle, feeling light-headed; them, the masters of the Elements? But as she gazed upon the beauty of the Elements’ new form, she felt the doubt melt away. Her eyes lowered into the crowd, where she saw her other-Ponyville friends. The ones who had never left their side throughout this whole journey. Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Fluttershy and Rarity. She couldn’t stop the smile from growing on her face. “I think we can do that. What do you say, darlings?”

There was cheering from the crowd. Celestia smiled. “From this day forward, this village shall no longer exist in the shadow of Equestria’s past! It shall be known as the Capital of Harmony, where the Elements were born anew!”

Special thanks to EquesTRON for helping out with the editing.