TRUE LOVE DEFIES ALL
Applejack and Spike lay on a hilltop, The afternoon light sprayed across them in beautiful Rays. The couple happily sat next to each other enjoying each others company as they glared down on the apple orchard. They had spent plenty of days like this, the honest earth pony laying down next to her hardworking dragon companion staring into each other's eyes of green. Spike moved a clawed hand over her hoof smiling. Applejack returned the smile with one of her own, one in Spikes opinion sent the sun to shame. "It's so beautiful out here." The Orange mare glanced downwards as he sun sprayed it's last rays of light for the day. "Not as beautiful as you though" The purple and green dragon glanced back at his marefriend dreamily, Applejack glancing back through her own dreamy eyes. "Lover boy" she simply stated, her country accent thick, before sharing a loving hug with the dragon next to her. Spike stayed in the welcoming hug before he felt a tingly and slightly burning sensation inside him. "Hold on a sec," he told the element of honesty before backing out of the hug, and barfing up a spurt of green flame. A single scroll fell out of the flame onto the green grass. Leaving Spike to recover the earth pony picked it up, unscrolling the parchment.
She read it out loud, her country accent visible.
"Dear twialight"
"Can you and your friends come to my castle immediately..." Her lime green eyes widened, she read onwards. "King Sombra had returned!" She dropped the scroll in shock, her Mouth agape in horror. "We have to get that to Twilight!" Spike shared the same eyes of worry and fear. "Right on it!" Applejack grabbed the scroll in her mouth and scooped the young dragon onto her back, leaving him a second to grasp onto her blonde mane before cantering into town.
Applejack didn't stop to knock, instead she turned around and kicked at her door, the thud no doubt leaving an echo around Twilight's crystal castle. Skidding back around the farm pony anxiously waited, the dragon worriedly clinging onto her back. "Whatever happens, know it will be ok sugarcube!" She patted her partner on his scaly head before Turning back towards the door, which had creaked open. "Applejack? Spike? What brings you guys here so late?" Twilight opened the door wider, and the other two realized the Stars had started their ascend into the night sky. "No time to explain read this!" Spike gave the shortest explanation possible while Applejack chucked the scroll at her alicorn friend, the lavender mare catching the parchment in her magic. Twilight was a quick reader and she immediately dropped the scroll on the floor, her wings outspread in shock. "I'll get my saddle bags, then we'll go collect the others!" The princess of friendship raced back inside, her hooves pounding against the crystal floors.
Twilight raced along the halls, the crystal corridors showing her reflection as her hooves skidded across the slippery surface. A look of incredible worry was etched into her features so as soon as she flung open the door the other pony inside new something was up. "Twilight, what, what's wrong?" Flash sentry stood up abruptly, glancing at his marefriend who looked almost in complete panic mode. "King Sombra has returned, quick hand me my saddlebags!" Twilight pointed at her bags on the floor. The Orange pegasus, who was out of his guard armour, passed the bags incredibly quickly, his blue eyes now showing signs of concern. "See you Flash!" Twilight bolted out the bedroom door and down the corridor only to hear a shout. "Wait!" She screeched to a halt, he wings balancing her making it easier not to fall. " I was sent here by Celestia to guard you with all my might, and we may now share the bond of Cf and MF but I still hold that duty, you aren't going anywhere without me, evil Shadow king or not!" The Orange stallion declared, he watched from determined blue eyes as Twilight's purple eyes watered up. "Oh Flash, that was so beautiful!" He trotted up to her and with his wing wiped a tear traveling it's way down her face." Let's go!" They chorused and cantered out the door.
Once outside the quad started galloping away and Applejack asked the obvious leader. "Who to first?" Her green eyes shimmered with hope. "Pinkie's she is the closest!" The three ponies galloped faster while the dragon clenched onto his marefriend's mane for dear life.
Pinkie pie giggled as she and her colt friend Cheese Sandwich shared funny stories on her bed. "You have so many funny stories!" The pink mare giggle, her smile perfectly white despite the amount of candy she ate. "Yeah I know!" The Orange stallion returned his genuine smile back, his green eyes sparkling with humour. "Have I told, you about the one about the mare?" The lanky party planner stared down at his companion party planner. "Be more specific..." Pinkie pie stroked her chin, her light blue eyes scrunched in concentration. "She was as pink as fairy floss, and her mane looked like cotton candy, her blue eyes shine like the icing on a cake, and her smile, it is so large and beautiful, she could make any pony smile back!" Cheese grinned down at the smaller party planner. "Nope don't know or remember that one!" The poofy maned mare said after another stroke of the chin. Cheese chuckled "it's you, you silly filly!" He laughed away while Pinkie put the pieces together "oh..." It only took a second for the pink party planner to burst out laughing aswell, the two rolled around on Pinkie's bed, clutching their stomachs in their laughter. They where only interrupted by the doorbell ringing. "I'll get it mrs. Cake!" Pinkie's high pitched voice called out from upstairs as she sprang off the bed and used the liquorice hand rail to slide down. Once reaching the bottom floor The bubbly mare bounced through the living room, her smile still evident. Trotting through the double doors she came into the main cafe area. She sprang to the door, opening it cheerfully. "Twilight, Applejack, Flash, Spike? What's going on here, did I forget a party or something?" She exclaimed in her squeaky voice."no Pinkie, quick grab your saddlebags, King Sombra had returned!" Pinkie pie stood still before saying quite calmly "hold on a second!" She grabbed a glass full of water our of nowhere and drank every last drop. The pink earth pony then spat it out and shrilled "what!". Spike replied waving his claws around "just hurry!" Without another word Pinkie bounced up the stairs leaving a trail of dust behind her. She burst into her room and slung her saddle bags over her flanks. "Hey where are you going?" Cheese Sandwich seemed surprised at Pinkie's suddenness. "No time, king Sombra has returned and I have to go defeat him!" The determined mare held a grim look upon her face as she turned to leave. He spun her back around "you can't just leave, it will be dangerous, let me come with you!" The lanky stallion's smile was also lost in the sudden seriousness. "Exactly, it will be dangerous, that's why I can't let you come!" She trotted out of the room and started her descend down the stairs. He sprang after her, once again twirling the pink mare around to face him. Although instead of just trying to explain this time he sang. "Come on let's join forces..." His green eyes stared deep into her crystal blue ones. A soft smile returned "have twice the expertise" she replied, their smiles, although not as strong as before definite on their faces. "Let's go give the king a party, thrown by Pinkie and cheese!" They chorused in perfect harmony as pinkie suddenly pulled a rope and her party canon was flung Down the stairs carrying them both with it. When they hit the bottom they burst into giggles. Pinkie leapt upon it, Cheese sandwich jumping up onto it behind her. With a simple flick of her hoof Pinkie flicked a switch, causing the canon to go into automatic mode. It rolled forward and out the door. "Alright everypony where ready to destroy Sombra!" The party planners rolled out the door on the party canon, it receiving looks. "Alright then. Rarity's house." Twilight declared and the ponies and dragon gathered cheered before cantering towards the boutique.
Rarity had been cleaning dishes from her meal when a knock on her door Sounded. "I'll get it my dear!" Fancypants, Rarity's coltfriend trotted to the door, opening it with his magic. The White mare heard nothing but urgent whispers from the doorway. Ignoring them the fashionista unicorn got back to work using her magic to clean the dishes. "Rarity darling, your friends are here!" The White unicorn stallion called from the doorway. Curious Rarity stopped her work, her purple curly mane bobbing slightly with the movement. "Coming!" She called back, putting the dishcloth on the side of the sink. The diva trotted over to the door, opening it wider so she and Fancypants could see her friends faces. She frowned with concern, they all looked so worried and Pinkie and cheese where on Pinkie's canon. "Rarity, grab your bags, King Sombra has returned!" The lavender alicorn explained. "Oh my!" She felt like fainting but Fancypants held her upright with his magic. "I'll get them right away!" She walked into the living room where she had previously left her saddlebags. The White unicorn quickly picking them up in her blue magic and putting them into place over her shoulders. Trotting out the door she called Over her shoulder "come on Fancypants!" The sleek unicorn stallion simply stared after her in shock. "You want me to come?!" His blue eyes widened "well of course, who else can protect and treat me like a lady at the same time?" Rarity called back, He followed her out the door. "As you wish my lady!" He acted gentlemanly while the others rolled their eyes at the diva. "Alright everyone let's head towards Fluttershy's we can pick up Rainbow on the way!" Twilight took charge, one of the things she was best at.
"One hundred and twenty four!" The two chorused as the did push ups. The two pegasi, both the colour of light blue weren't giving up anytime soon. "One hundred and twenty five!" Rainbowdash and Soarin synchronised their movements and words perfectly. "One hundred and twenty-" their forelegs trembled under all the pressure, almost making it, the cyan stallion's collapsed on him, leaving Rainbowdash to complete the sentence "six!" The rainbow maned mare collapsed afterwards aswell. "Ha I win again!" The cocky pegasus teased her partner, who was wiping some sweat off his brow. "I'm still sure you cheated!" The goofy stallion cried, pointing a hoof at the mare. "Sounds like sour Soarin to me!" She stood up, trotting to go get a drink. The element of loyalty, after drinking her glass, gave another to the wonderbolt who was lying sprawled on her floor, puffing. "Want to go again?" Her magenta eyes sparkled as she challenged the stallion yet again. "Ok, I'm sure to win this time!" Soarin replied, despite his exhaustion his green ones shimmered with the challenge. Rainbowdash started to get Into the position when her doorbell rang. Rainbowdash sighed frustrated. "Be right back!" She told the cyan pony before trotting to her door and opening it there stood an incredibly unprepared looking Twilight, who didn't even let her fully open the door before blurting out. "Quick, King Sombra has returned, get your bags!" The purple eyed princess swiftly shooed the pegasus back inside her house. "Hey Soarin, ready for an adventure?" Rainbowdash called causally as she grabbed her saddlebags. "Yeah We have to go back to The Wonderbotls Camp in a month so I should be good. "Great, then follow me!" The daredevil zoomed out her door, flying to the awaiting ponies on the ground, leaving Soarin and Twilight to catch up. Once the soft grass, was underneath all hooves they started on their journey to Fluttershy's house.
They lay upon the couch a sweet pegasus and the lord of chaos himself. Fluttershy had fallen asleep leaning on his shoulder after a hard days work of caring for animals. He had stayed their watching the gentle pony sleep, her chest rising and falling with each breath taken and let go. The draconequus curled his snake like tail around her, the butter coloured mare snuggling into his warm fur, a small snore escaping her lips. Smiling he gently brushed a small strand of Fluttershy's soft, fairy floss coloured, mane back into place. She was gorgeous in every way he could think possible, usually he wasn't this sappy, but the element of kindness just got him that way. A small gush of cold air blew through a window, causing the pegasus to shudder with the cold. Grumpy the former evil, lord of chaos snapped his eagle talons, slamming the window shut. Satisfied with his work and the now smiling Pegasus leaning agains his shoulder he sighed in happiness and started to drift off to sleep himself... Until Fluttershy's doorbell rang. Groaning he gently nudged the awakening pony off his shoulder and went to go answer the door. He glared at Twilight's friends with his yellow mismatched eyes before growling "is this important, because Fluttershy is-" he looked behind him realising the element of kindness had awoken and was starting to trot over. "-was asleep!"
Her snarled, his teeth baring. The half asleep mare trotted to the door to greet her friends "Fluttershy grab your bags, King Sombra has returned!" Twilight called from outside, completely startling the sleepy mare awake. "Oh my!" She rushed upstairs to her room. "So has it been like this every time?" Rainbowdash asked Cheese sandwich who was on the party canon next to her. "Yeah pretty much!" He exclaimed back. "Hey uh Twi, why didn't you just teleport us to each pony's house?" Applejack asked the alicorn. "I didn't want to waste to much energy, who knows what timetaking journey lies ahead!" The ponies waited in silence until Fluttershy flew out the door, "ready!" The timid pegasus called in her soft voice. "Alright, let's go to Celestia's castle!" The princess directed, about to head off towards the train, when Discord snapped his talons, smirking.
Once they had regained their senses from the dizzy travel, Twilight scowled at Discord before racing Into the throne room, quickly followed by her best friends and their respected special someponies. "Princess Celestia!" They raced over to the White alicorn who was frowning with her violet eyes, they where laced with stress. "Have you got everyone?" The princess of the sun stared Down at all the ponies, draconequus and dragon gathered. "Yes" Twilight simply answered, prompting her former Teacher onwards. "My guards where on a patrol when they saw a suspicious tower, located North in the everfreeforest." She moved to stare out the window as she recalled the story, her flowing mane following her. "They had never seen it before, and went to check it out, alas it was just covered in shadows and dark crystals and they couldn't get through to the top, where he lies." The regal mare stared down at them all " your mission is, travel to his tower where he lies regaining his power, and find anyway to get through to him, you mustn't fail!" "We'll go right away!" Rainbowdash cried, about to zoom out the door when the princess stopped her. "Be careful, the everfreeforest can be dangerous during the night!" Without another word the group dashed out the door, heading towards their destination. "Discord, can't you just teleport us?!" Rarity questioned, still running. "No I'll make you wait!" He floated above the group smirking mischievously. "Discord!" They all growled, still running. 'Fine!" He snapped his eagle claws, his lion paw still laying relaxed over his body. "Discord, why aren't we there already?" Fancypants was confused as he struggled to keep up with the group. Discord tried again "my magic doesn't seem to be able to teleport us there!" He stared at us talons on shock. "Well, at least teleport us to the edge of the everfree!" Spike waffled himself around Appleajck's neck as he spoke. Without another word Discord snapped and they had arrived. While they took a small breather they all looked up, at the large lingering trees that cast shadows far beyond the edge of the forest. "H-here we go!" Twilight coaxed the others as they nervously started their journey slowly through the trees.