My Little Pony: Equestria's Warriors Returns

by Spirit Of Fantasy

After many wars, heavy losses, and violence with enemies. The eldest brother of the royal sisters makes his return, and discovers the student of the sister he blames for their youngest sister's banishment. Now along side this young and talented unicorn, ready to battle evil. He will discover the new world of friendship and love that replaced his world of pain and hateful battles.

37. Chapter 37:Hearts Warming Eve

Chapter 37:Hearts Warming Eve

This was a very special time for Equestria, the snow was coming down and layering the land. Causing it to sparkle with wintry wonders, the air was cold to the touch this season. But the cold was the last thing for every pony to worry about, for a special holiday had come. A holiday that brought friends and family together to celebrate the land of Equestria itself. Through bountiful feasts, stories, happiness, games, and cheer between ponies of all breeds and types.

It was for this very reason that the elements of harmony were on their way to Canterlot. Along with Orion and Shadow Swirl, they were invited to stay at the castle for the holidays. But only after they fulfilled a request that was given to them, the mares were to act in a play. Against his better judgment Orion agreed to play a part in this play as well, for this play explained the importance of this holiday. The holiday known as Hearts warming, the holiday that celebrated the rediscovery of Equestria well over a thousand years ago.

As beloved as Hearts Warming was as a holiday, Orion was in conflict with himself. For this was also the day that he forged a strong friendship with a young and ambitious unicorn, Clover The Clever. This friendship was a long and blossoming friendship that could have so easily turn to love. But like all relations between immortals and mortals, it all had to end eventually. He had missed her for the longest time, and now the holiday had a thing for making him uneasy and heavy hearted.

As they all road on the train to Canterlot, gossiping and speaking about the holiday. Orion was already pulling out an old relic that helped him remember his old friend. An unlit rod of red crystal, very similar to the crystal piece that was given to Spike for his birthday. He never stopped looking at the crystal, for it once glowed with his life force that his friend gave back to him. Proving herself to be a pony that he could trust with his life, why did such a good pony have to pass?

"We're getting closer!"Twilight announced as the train whistled on their approach to Canterlot.

"I can hardly wait!"Rainbow flew over their heads with excitement to be entering the city of Canterlot.

"I'm so excited, I-I feel like shouting,"Fluttershy admitted only to take a deep breath in and make the most quiet of shout,"Woo hoo!"

"Little lack luster but we'll take it, and all the cheers we can get on this trip!"Shadow Swirl admitted while slowly noticing Orion's moping over the crystal of his friend.

"Hoo wee! Canterlot, here we come!"Applejack celebrated and waved a hat off to the city they were approaching.

"Oh, I do hope I look festive enough!"Rarity worried for her image as the train whistled once more.

"There it is! Canterlot!"Pinkie Pie pointed to the city they approached as they finally began to enter the train station.

The mares all oohed and awed at the city that rested against the side of the snow covered mountain. While Orion looked out the window, thinking of the old looks that Canterlot had in Clover's age. Twilight turned to talk with Orion, for he surely had some personal knowledge about Hearts Warming. However she then noticed him struggling with his own personal endeavor. He seemed completely focused on the rod of crystal, for she did not know it's story, or it's sacred meaning.

"You don't look…AS enthusiastic about the holidays as the rest of us,"Twilight walked over and sat down next to Orion to look at his red crystal a little better,"Who did this crystal rod belong to? Another true friend of yours?"

"It belong to Clover The Clever… My very first friend I ever made in Equestria's rebirth age,"Orion corrected and rubbed the smooth surface of the crystal with his thumb,"She once used this to save my life… She was an old timer at the time… And yet… Our friendship never wavered or weakened… It only got stronger… To the very end."

"You must miss her a lot. She sounds like a real friend,"Twilight admitted while studying the crystal and understanding that the crystal held quite a bit of history,"Guess it won't help to say that I'm actually playing as her in the play…"

"It's fine… I'm not doing her any favors by being grouchy on ponies preserving her history,"Orion sighed and looked to Twilight, noticing a peculiar look of concern she gave him,"You… You sort of have her eyes… Not the same color, but the same sparks and twinkles that gave me hope… Every time I look into them."

"I'll try my best to be in character for her…"Twilight tried to cushion this heavy holiday for the prince with some promises.

"All I need from all of you is to remember this bit of history, and know what these characters you're all playing sacrificed and risk to bring this world back to life,"Orion decided to make something clear as the train came to a complete stop for them,"Old Equestria was abandoned for hundreds of years and these ponies helped us bring our world back from the brink and into a new and peaceful age…! Never forget that."

"You got it, partner! The honor of your old friends will be respected and remember for ages to come!"Applejack promised for all of her friends, as did Pinkie Pie.

"Cross our hearts and hope to fly, stick a cup cake in the eye!"Pinkie promise and jammed a cupcake into her eye, making Shadow cringe.

"There is no way that jamming all that into your eye can feel good…"Shadow worried while Pinkie only laughed and saluted the two warriors.

This at least brought down some of the tension for the prince on this shaky holiday. Allowing them all to relax and enjoy the last bit of the ride, until they finally pulled into the station. Quietly they all left the station, getting checked into the city and followed by admirers. Shadow was able to scare them all off and make the rest of their adventure into Canterlot a breeze. The entire city was decorated for the jolly season, the snow was everywhere to be seen along with candy decor.

Giant candy canes were sticking up through the snow on the sides of numerous houses. Lights were hung with care and giving the houses an array of colorful lights to raise the spirit. There were even happy little Hearts Warming carolers going door to door and singing festive songs. It was one of the most adorable things Shadow Swirl had ever seen, it took Applejack and Rainbow to drag her away from the kids. The spirit of the holiday itself was a glorious thing indeed, at least it mostly was.

For Orion had stayed behind for a bit and found a statue of Clover The Clever herself. It was a statue that was set up every year on Hearts Warming to remember her for her influence on the city itself. For Canterlot was a new visioned city by both her, and the beautiful, but somewhat picky princess Platinum. Together the unicorn princess and her assistant made this new city for all ponies. Right above the area that was once the olden kingdom Orion was born in.

"You and Platinum made a beautiful city… My sisters are making sure this city always grows and prospers,"Orion spoke to the statue and placed a hand to it's pedestal with a sigh,"Equality between all races had been strong and passionate. I wish you could see it, Clover…"

"Isn't it beautiful?! All ponies can grow and become something special in this city,"He remembered the happiness Clover expressed after surprising him with the original Canterlot city,"We wanted to make it here because this was the mountain your old kingdom rested against…! As…a way to honor it."

"It's very beautiful…! Star Swirl has to be proud of you! Both you and Platinum made this possible!"That was all he could remember saying in the conversation before his memory started to fail him.

"But of course… Every good thing we had ended… Immortality, you are SUCH a blessing,"Orion sighed and pulled out the rod of crystal to place it upon the pedestal,"You deserve it… I live on because of you my friend… Know that… That I…"

Orion suddenly felt himself panting and struggling a bit as tears forced to the surface. He choked on words for a bit as he tried to breath more easily and wipe away the tears to maintain himself. As he looked up to his friends and gripped the rod of crystal tightly, almost to the point where his hand could bleed.

"That I will always love you…! For everything you did for us, and for Equestria,"Orion tried hard to control his voice to keep it low to hide the emotion,"So just know that I'll never be too far…! And I will never stop making this dream of yours a reality…! I miss you, Clover…!"

"Orion! Are you coming?! We need to get to the theater to prepare!"Twilight called to him and gave Orion the kick he needed to compose himself and slowly move on from the statue.

"I'm here…! No worries…! Lets just get a move on."Orion got back with the group and insisted that they moved on, it would help him get his mind off the past.

He walked in front of them for a few moments, leaving the mares to explore the city. Every one of them got a chance to take in the festivities and all the decor around the city of Canterlot. The spirit of the city was now filling their very beings, while Shadow never stopped watching Orion in deep thought.

"Oh, isn't Canterlot wonderful this time of year?"Twilight marveled at her home city at it's transformation for the holidays.

"Yeah, I wish it was Hearts Warming Eve every day!"Rainbow Dash spun through the air and claimed her wishes for an eternal holiday.

"Yep… And then watch greed come to an all time high by the second week of non stop presents on Hearts Warming…"Shadow quietly explained the problem that would come with Hearts Warming being every day.

"There's so much to look at! I feel like my darn eyes are gonna pop right out of my head!"Applejack admitted that her simple farm pony eyes were overwhelmed by the lights and looks of the city.

"I have an idea! Let's play, I spy with my little eye as we walk! I spy… An eight foot candy cane!"Twilight pointed out one of the large candy canes that popped out from the snow.

"I spy a snow pony!"Rainbow pointed out a snow pony that a few kids put together.

"I spy some pony eating a gingerbread house,"Pinkie stated before she then ran off, purchased a gingerbread house and ate it herself,"And it's me!"

The mares all laughed while Orion was able to look back and force a half smile. In a way they were all like Clover and the friends she made among the ponies she rediscovered Equestria with. All of them ambitious, some stubborn, some short tempered, and some fashionable. But never the less, they grew to be great friends that found and made new life in the old world. Ushering the world into a new era, an era that paved the way for peace and harmony to finally flourished.

"Hey! Don't you ladies wanna get to this theater? Where's your enthusiasm for that?"Orion called to the girls and got them all to rejoin him for their trip to the theater.

"Right, sorry. So do you remember how it all happened back then?"Twilight asked once they were all back to his sides and on their way.

"No… But I have a little something that will bring it all back clear as day,"Orion admitted as he saw that they were nearing the theater that awaited them,"Just don't be surprise if I get VERY into character…!"

At last they had made it in the theater that awaited it's kind actors and guest stars. Celestia and Luna themselves were taking part in this play, for they played a great part in the royal family's return. Orion himself removed his extra garbs and found the perfect hidden brown cloak. As did his sisters, for they had remained hidden away from the world till the day Hearts Warming was conceived. He looked to his sisters, and they had their garments down to a science and to simple taste.

"This…takes me back…! To the days before we finally brought Equestria back to it's former glory,"Orion admitted while preparing a small sharp shard of crystal that glowed with an array of images,"You two remember our old friends right? Platinum? Hurricane? Pansy? Pudding Head? Smart Cookie? Clover…?"

"Of course we do…! They will always be our friends… No matter how long it has been."Celestia responded before fixing her mane to fit a smother and more simple fashion.

"We carry their memory with us. To the very end of our days, brother,"Luna added before they both turned to their brother, for they were made aware if his struggle with the memory of Clover,"And even after that… We will forever be with them in the next life…"

"Star Swirl was always a skeptic of after lives and eternal slumbers in next worlds…"Orion pointed out while Celestia rolled her eyes at the memory of their old mentors narrow way of thinking.

The sisters then smiled and looked to the group of mares behind their brother. Orion took a look behind himself and finally got the chance to see every pony in their character outfits. Rainbow wore the spartan like armor of gold and black, the very armor worn by Commander Hurricane. The scruffy red haired Pegasus leader of his people, short tempered, loyal, but difficult to speak to. The vinyl decor and the brass lighting bolt on the chest really brought Rainbow's outfit together with her helmet.

Fluttershy had the part of Hurricane's loyal underling soldier, Private Pansy. She wore the infantry black iron helmet that resembled a fancy folk hat in appearance and maiden based armor set that was black and silver. The silver belt of her skirt was on point, but now the spikes of her skirt were black with gold pieces in the center. He remembered them being silver like, made of clean iron that served to spin and shred surrounding foes. It did sparkle the same way as it did before, while the Earth ponies had a different look.

Pinkie had the part of Chancellor Pudding Head, and excitable and sweet hungering Earth pony leader. So much that she wore a large glob of chocolate pudding on her wide top hat. Her outfit was much like that of a jester, the neck piece was plain and white, rather than looking like a yellow doughnut with frosting. Syrup was on the base of her long skirts flank piece along with a pink bow. While the skirt itself looked like a waterfall of root beer, fancy, unlike Applejack's role.

Applejack played the part of Pudding Heads faithful worker, Smart Cookie. The humble worker in the servant outfit that also had jester features, as well as even scare crow features. Her pointy hat took most of that appearance as it bared one simple white feather on it. So simple, yet appealing and well spoken to it's personal directives and life in a down to earth town. That left the unicorns, the magical beings, one that gave Orion the most trouble, and the one he deemed one of the closest of friends.

Rarity played the role of the unicorn princess Platinum, the fashionable, demanding, but fair. Her deep purple royal robe was on point along with the white fluffy edges with purple arrow marks around the edges. The robe was held together by the more shiny and silver like neck piece with a dark purple gem hooking it together. Her crown also appeared on point, silver and a bit big with purple gems, though Rarity appeared to like it. That left Orion to slowly turn to the young mare that played his friend, Twilight.

Her outfit was perfect, it captured the complete early years of Clover The Clever. A simple brown ragged cape that symbolized her as a pony that grew up poor and without family. She needed to even have a hood tied together with her peasant cape just so she could keep her ears and head warm. Yet she never stopped smiling, and her ambition both impressed and scared Star Swirl. Twilight had Clover's outfit done perfectly, it made his heart warm, but also very heavy.

"Well? What do you think?"Twilight asked as her friends came together to be judged by the three siblings.

"It's like I'm looking at six very old friends… But… Mind if I fix a few things?"Orion asked, seeing a few ponies with some imperfections to their outfits.

The mares nodded and accepted his assistance before the prince approached them. Fluttershy's only adjustment was a simple magical touch the her black skirt armor pieces. The magic turned them from black to pure silver like iron, and they were laced with smudged metallic dirt. He then turned to Rainbow Dash, and he merely snapped his fingers to give her an extra accessory. A large deep red messy beard that mimicked a pony viking beard and mustache, Rainbow needed some help adjusting.

"Hurricane had some deep love for his beard. Orion and the others practically needed to hold him down nice and tight to shave it off for special occasions…!"Luna giggled while Rainbow brushed at the beard and mustache on her face to get a feel for it.

"I can honestly see why he liked this look. Makes me look like a leader! Cool…! Large and in charge!"Rainbow brushed her beard and pretended to go into deep thought, while Orion switched to Twilight.

All she needed was a readjustment on her cape so it was more snug around her body. Then there was the simple bit of work he did to her mane with his hands, the front of her mane always leaned more to her left. And her mane's front was shaped like two leaves hanging on top of each other. Once he was done, he looked at Twilight, and his heart nearly jumped out of his chest. For a split second, he thought he had saw Clover smiling at him in Twilight's place, but it was only his imagination.

"Well…! There uh… There we go. You're the splitting image of Clover The Clover,"Orion warmly stated before turning to the rest of the mares with a moment of pride,"We are beyond happy to have you all representing all our friends from the age of harmony! The story of our friends returning to Equestria to bring new life to it is a tale that has always been shared to their descendants for ages and ages!"

"And it's beyond a pleasure to be a part of this play with each and every one of you,"Celestia proclaimed her happiness for being in a play with all the elements,"All of you inherited the elements that Clover The Clever herself created for the sake of preserving harmony."

"And now it is time to go back to the very beginning, and see how it all started,"Luna added and stood with her family with pride in the six mares,"Do your very best every pony. And have fun with it!"

"We won't let the three of you down! We promise!"Twilight sealed the promise that would assure that this play would be everything it actually was back then.

"We know you won't, Twilight…!"Celestia was happy to hear from her student, before they were then interrupted by the blasting of windows swinging open, letting the chilly air and wind in.

"Oh, my hair! Applejack? Be a dear, and shut those windows, will you?"Rarity asked of Applejack, only for Rainbow Dash to beat the farm pony to it and shut the windows tight.

"Aaaah! Rainbow Dash! Rainbow Dash! Aaaah! Thank you, thank you!"Rainbow Dash celebrated her quick actions that saved the cold air from rushing in.

"It's a reenactment of the rediscovery of Equestria, it's not the Rainbow Dash show…!"Applejack said with lack of amusement for Rainbow Dash's bold boasting.

"Exactly! This is not about you…! This is about remembering the past that brought you this glorious holiday,"Rainbow was picked up by her neck and dropped in front of her friends to hear a lecture,"Respect that, and throw your own desires away for a change."

"Curtain in two minutes!"Spike announced that it was about time for the play to begin for them all.

"That's the announcement we were waiting for. Places every pony!"Celestia announced while the ponies ran to get into their positions for the play while Orion took in a sharp breath.

He then pulled out the shard of crystal, for the time had come to remember that time. The time that he and his family chose to rise again, and bring their people back to their old lands. Upon his release of breath, he then slowly stuck the shard right into the center of his forehead. The moment the shard was placed into his head, the memories were being revived and refreshed. It felt like he was entering that old world, and he was reliving that memory as if he was experiencing it all over again just the same way as he did before.

"Are you ready for this, Orion?"Luna asked of their brother as his eyes opened and became coated in crystals and images of the past.

"Yes… Get out there a while. I'll join in momentarily once I got it all memorized…"Orion insisted with another deep breath before letting his mind get absorbed in the memories.

The sisters agreed and went on with the rest of the mares to get the play started. Orion took another deep breath in and clenched his fists for a moment to think with the memories. As he then heard Spike starting to announce the introduction to the story of Equestria's rediscovery.

"Once upon a time. Not too long before the return of the royal family! But hundreds of years after Equestria was first abandoned,"Spike started out in a very old English type of accent to set the tone as Orion slowly walked to the curtain,"The Descendants of old Equestria's survivors to that day knew no harmony. It was a strange and dark time, just as it was in Old Equestria! But this time! Hatred did not exist merely between ponies themselves, but it now existed between the three races!"

That was the moment Orion was waiting for, as his mind was now emerged in the old world. The world he knew before was now coming back to him, the disconnected world far from Equestria. It was divided, gray, tasteless, and full of either sorrow or deep hatred.

"During this frightful age. Each of the three tribes. The Pegasi, The Unicorns, and the Earth ponies,"Spike continued on as Orion closed his eyes and fell into his memory the moment he entered,"They cared not for what befell the other tribes…! But only for their own welfare…!"

Spikes voice began to fade out of mind as the world changed around the prince. But he never noticed it, for his mind itself was now regressed to that very time in the past. The time that beckoned him and his family to rise and bring a new meaning of life to their old home.

---

1500 Years Ago, Twenty Miles South From Equestria

A brisk wind was racing across an old cliff that perched over a great piece of land. A land that was to this day being shared by the three great tribes of ponies, Descendants to the ancestors that lived as one. But now they were divided, all of them fighting for only themselves rather than others. The Pegasus controlled the weather through out all of Equestria, in exchange for food from the Earth ponies. And the Unicorns worked their magic to raise and lower the sun and moon to begin the day and night.

Their gestures were nice, but it was only for their own people, not each other. If one tribe did not abide to their mutual agreement, the others ceased their own actions to the deal. This was a form of unstable trust that had the appearance of equality, but in reality, one thought it was better than the other. This shaky agreement was simply a powder keg ready to explode, and Orion knew it. As he stood at the edge of the cliff to watch over the three tribes, disguised in a brown long cloak.

A breeze was picking up, it rippled the edges of his cloak as he sighed with his hands behind his back. He remained silent, shaking his head to the tense behavior the three tribes had for each other. Harmony was not a thing that came to mind when he saw this hatred between them all. And it was making his hands shake and twitch, especially after he then spotted an Earth pony and Pegasus wrestling swinging at each other. He looked away and hoped for a peaceful ending to the fight.

It was then that his ears lifted to the sound of hooves clopping and and approaching him. His head lifted up and turned away from the pointless brawl to meet the approaching ponies. He recognized Star Swirl the Bearded right away, his bell laced hat was a dead give away, as was his grayish black beard. While the other two figures were garbed in the very same cloaks that Orion wore. He sighed and bowed to Star Swirl to greet him nicely, while the Unicorn pulled out some notes.

"Trouble in paradise I presume? Or maybe just plain old trouble?"Orion asked, and Star Swirl simply cleared his throat before he began to read the note.

"The unicorns have denied sending magical elixirs to the sick Pegasus on the count of being denied more land,"Star Swirl groaned and smoothed out his beard before continuing,"The Earth ponies rioted at the borders of the unicorns and Pegasus ponies for demanding double their original income of food."

"So just trouble then… Not an ounce of paradise to be found… Lovely."Orion scoffed and nearly turned back to watch a Pegasus and unicorn argue over the use of a wagon.

"If it helps, your sisters have finally perfected the very last spell I could teach them,"Star Swirl admitted while the two cloaked ponies walked forward,"They can do it, now…! Celestia can raise the sun itself, and Luna can raise the moon. Night and day are now for your family to control once again…!"

The mares finally gripped their hooves and lifted them off to show off their white and midnight blue faces. Celestia's pink mane flowed out of her hood and blew with the chilling breeze. While Luna's ice blue mane rolled out of every side before she was able to fix it. The sisters smiled proudly at their brother, for they had finally completed ten years of magical training under the eyes of Star Swirl The Bearded. Orion lowered his head, and slowly lifted off his hood to show a small smile.

"We have done it…! We can control night and day, brother. We can fulfill the role of our parents!"Luna exclaimed with excitement, hoping for the day that she could use her new found magical prowess.

"As it is our destiny to become the new sun and moon of Equestria!"Celestia added as they approached their brother and hugged him to contain their excitement.

"I know… We have the power to take back our home and our old country from the ghosts of our past,"Orion chuckled, but then looked back to the three tribes in the distance with a sigh,"But… We still don't have our people to help it grow and flourish in a new age…!"

His sisters let their ears droop a bit the moment they saw him look back to the tribes. Luna understood his disappointment and stress with what their people had become after three hundred years. But Celestia was more frontal and denied the thought that they needed their people.

"Why do we need these ponies to start anew? They only look out for themselves,"Celestia objected to the idea that they needed their subjects to begin a new age,"We are practically gods and goddesses. WE are the family that brought forth night and day. Harmony and peace was our destiny alone…! And all these descendants think about is their own desires!"

"If that's what you think, then maybe you have much more to learn then, Tia,"Orion responded and got Star Swirl chuckling lightly at the thought of schooling the mare again,"These ponies stick to themselves because they have forgotten what it means to fight for what they all loved…! One hundred years split them apart. Another hundred passed before the three races met again…!And another made them uneasy for each other. For all they know now is survival in a harsh world."

"Exactly… Was that not the same for your people in Equestria? Nothing but survival?"Star Swirl questioned while Celestia lowered her head in submission.

"Yes… We have a friend who grew up in the raw streets of our old kingdom. She knows exactly what it was like in the old world…"Luna explained while Orion then began to sit down on the cliff and watch the unicorns.

"Then I suppose I can't COMPLETELY blame them for sticking to their own,"Star Swirl assumed and walked to Orion's side, they had difference, but also similarities,"I have my doubts about bringing these ponies together… Princess platinum has issues trusting ME let alone the other tribes…"

"Well… We have no other choice but to try and get our people to come together… Some how,"Orion made their ultimate objective clear for the sake of their people's future,"Is there any pony that princess Platinum DOES trust entirely…? The unicorns are a vital piece of bringing new magic back to the world."

Star Swirl responded by leaning over the cliff and pointing out towards the stone village. Where princess Platinum was currently instructing higher walls to be built around their mountain village. She had shades of green make up shadowed over her eyes, and some almost noticeable long eye lashes. Her mane was light pink and had the tiniest streak pf light purple in it, as it flowed wavy like down to her back. Her robe rippled in the wind as she commanded her servants to raise the walls higher.

At her side was a mint green mare he could barely see under a peasant like cloak. Her hood wasn't even part of it, she might as well have tied a sack to her cloak and called it a hood. Her leaf green eyes matched her mane that resembled the form of two clover leaves at the front of it. He could see her hesitate, but willing to remain quiet and allow the princess to do as she pleased. She appeared young, she didn't even look like she was eighteen just yet, but she was still some how serving this unicorn princess.

"The servant down there is Clover The Clever, a…apprentice I was willing to take under my wing,"Star Swirl explained the back ground about the unicorn that he sometimes saw as a head ache rather than a student,"She tells me everything about Platinum in exchange for lessons to better her magical prowess…!"

"First it's Alicorns, then you choose to downgrade to other unicorns, Star Swirl?"Celestia sassed the embarrassed wizard while Orion only scanned and watched over the mare.

"Quiet…! Is she special in some way? She seems special if she can put up with Platinum…"Orion pointed out while he caught Clover sneaking food out to the other ponies.

"Not at all… Her mind wanders and it's focused around the relations of other ponies,"Star Swirl scoffed at the idea of Clover having special magic about herself,"She's a mere peasant that serves under a princess for scraps. I only teach her to get information about the princess…"

"Even the most humble and smallest of ponies can surprise you, Star Swirl…"Orion informed as Star Swirl huffed and turned to the Pegasus city in the clouds.

"Some times I wish I could explore the other tribes… See how they operate. It be a good learning experience,"Star Swirl admitted while watching their armored leader approach his soldiers for a pep talk,"But Hurricane would have me tossed out of the sky in a flash. His anger and ignorance knows no bounds…!"

"I see… And I suppose the Earth ponies would be any better to you?"Orion questioned as Star Swirl sighed, knowing he was getting baited into a check mate with Orion.

"No… They are stubborn and relentless… They won't listen to anything that others have to say,"Star Swirl bellowed and sat down to watch the Earth ponies working the fields,"At least in the Unicorn villages… I belong there to some degree, and never have to worry about angry neighbors knocking at my door…!"

"So you're absorbed into the age of division and hatred as well? That's unfortunate,"Orion sighed and watched the hatred and unrest brew and fester between the tribes, as he did every day,"We need to help these ponies… Bring them together as they once were hundreds of years ago…!"

"But how? They've hated each other for a century. That's not something you can just dispose of…!"Luna worried before a foul screech sounded along with an ice cold breeze that swept over them.

The two stallions slowly stood up and braved the dark screeches from the coldest of vile spirits. They both turned with the two mares to witness a swirly white storm slowly approaching. Thundering as snow and ice cold weather was being carried towards the land. It appeared to be that of a simple storm, but Orion could see within the storm, and see the threat. The pony spirits of the dead, specters of the ice and snow, brought forth by the weak and old soul of Necrid Ghoul himself, The Windigos.

These dark spirits hunger for hatred and anger, turning everything they touch into ice. Any victim that was caught in their ice prison would become a meal, as they slowly have their souls and hatred devoured. Leaving only a hard icy shell of a corpse behind to remain hard and frozen.

"He's directed the cold all the way here… The fiend has left Equestria to find the last of our people,"Orion feared as they watched the snowy blizzard storm rolling across the plains in the distance,"I think we have no choice but to speed up what must be done… We have to see if we can push our people to come home…"

---

That was much easier said than done, for it took only a week for the storm to arrive. The blizzard over swept the land within a day, and it's effects were bringing chaos to the tribes. Within two weeks, the Earth ponies were losing their crops and every resource they had to spare. Without food, they could not bribe for help from the Pegasi or the Unicorns. Even if they could send some sort of food, the Pegasus and the Unicorns could do nothing to stop this weather.

The clouds were thick and tough with snow and icy moisture, the Pegasus ponies could nothing to stop it. Even the rawest of strength from Hurricane and his soldiers could not move them. The weather was also too cold on their wings, making it difficult for them to even fly. The same could be said for the Unicorns, for the cold air also froze their horns to the point that magic was weak and insignificant. Their magic could do nothing to stop the storm, and it had grown so weak that they could barely move the moon and sun.

Yet even in the mix of all the chaos, they still held hatred for each other. They even dared to blame each other for the sudden storm that never ended, but Orion knew the real reason. However the time had not yet come for them to come forth to their people and reveal themselves. This was a time that depended on the people themselves, and the family was not to return to their roles till their people came together. For that reason, they remained in disguised as tall strangers to others.

There was a bit of hope however, the tribes did agree on something for a change. Something needed to be solved before every pony either starved or froze to death in the storm. So they threw their pride and issues aside just this once, or at least they would try to any way. And come together at a grand meeting building, filled with their followers and soldiers for precaution. Even their trusted assistants were permitted to come with them to the meeting, Star Swirl had to practically beg to go as well.

The siblings themselves went, but they did not dare to enter the building itself. For Orion and his sisters were tall and shaped differently, it was vital that no attention was drawn to them. So they remained outside the building, sitting in the snow covered land, barely chilled by the air. As they watched the building start to fill with ponies, including their three great leaders. Platinum had her silver crown polished till it's shine was blinding, just like hurricane's brass and black armor.

The brass almost matched his tone body covered in messy fur that gold and yellowish. Almost as messy as his old viking red beard and mustache that just screamed out an inferiority complex. The stallion looked like he was gonna snap at any moment, as he removed his helmet to let his short red mane breath. The first two leaders were one thing, self served and full of mad pride. However the Earth ponies leader was a whole new story, she was far beyond stubborn, and very bizarre.

Chancellor Pudding Head, a pink bubbly looking mare with sweets used for clothing. Her deep red rippled mane with pink outlines looked like taffy surrounding sweet red jelly. It went well with her cotton candy pink fur as well as the pudding hat she wore, it was like she wore a dessert buffet on her body. Her bubbly smile seemed endearing, but they knew that it was only for appearances. When it came to the other tribes, she was fire ball candied fire cracker ready to go off.

"Well…this is it… The three great leaders have come together at long last. Hoping to find an answer to the storm."Orion crossed his legs to get cozy, thinking that it was going to be a long meeting.

"Right… Care to place wagers on which one starts an all out fight first?"Celestia asked with interest to make a game out of the feud between tribes.

"Enough, Tia! Don't instigate trouble among ourselves or them…!"Orion warned his sister before opening the window so that they could listen in on the meeting.

"We must have order! We did not come here to discuss seating arrangements!"Hurricane roared to silence the crowd for all their murmurs and bad talk they done among themselves.

"Right… Seating arrangements…! That's what concerns you Pegasi in this dire time…!"Platinum scoffed in a snive and snobby fashion for the Pegasus.

"Hah! Leave it to the unicorns and Pegasus ponies to already throw insults about since they can never handle real work…!"Pudding Head snapped and received glares from both leaders in return.

Already the leaders began to bite and snip at each other with pointless arguments of respect. While their most valued assistants stood back and watched the fire works go off everywhere. Young Clover the Clever could only shake her head at the pointless fighting among the leaders.

"Star Swirl? Is there anything we could possibly do to get somewhere with these ponies,"Clover decided to whisper to her mentor and beg for maybe some hope in the issue,"I mean… How can we hope to make any progress towards solving this storm dilemma if all we do is fight?"

"Even I do not have the answers, Clover. This hatred runs deep, yet it's origins are childish and silly,"Star Swirl explained with a sigh as he watched the leaders go on to fight about their roles,"There are times when I would just love to leave these fools to their fate… But that would not settle well with Orion…"

"Who?"Clover curiously caught on to the stallion's little slip on the name.

"Nothing… no more talking, just listen to the leaders…!"Star Swirl quickly saved himself and silence Clover to get them paying attention again.

"Enough sand bagging! All I wanna know is why the Earth ponies are hogging all the food!"The Pegasus suddenly accused the Earth ponies of keeping all the food rather than giving it to them.

His young and frightful underling, Private Pansy wanted to object to such an accusation. For she was well aware that the Earth ponies could not grow any sort of food, they themselves were starving. While the Pegasus ponies were at least able to make it with scraps from what they had before. She took off her armored helmet to let her orange and yellow mane out and fall like autumn leafs. While her tannish vanilla body trembled, for she needed to at least bring up the detail to her body.

"Um… If I may… The Earth ponies had been reported to be unable to produce any food under the frozen dirt, sir,"Pansy explained the actual issue to her leader before he then turned to her with a growl,"Uh… sorry sir!"

"That's what I thought…! Now explain yourselves!"The hot head stallion got back to the issue at hoof.

"Us?! We're not hogging all the food! You are! Oh…wait,"Pudding Head contemplated and remembered that they were keeping a small bit of the food they needed,"You're right, part of it is us. Well it's only because you ignorant Pegasus ponies made it snow like mad over our land! We have no food because of you!"

"Actually Chancellor Pudding Head… We don't know for sure if it's them…"Came the reminder of Smart Cookie the humble farming Earth pony of vanilla color and lime green and mint green hair.

"Be silent, Smart Cookie! You know they control the weather…! They can do whatever they wish with it!"Pudding Head ceased her assistants reminder to fight the issue with the weather.

"For the hundredth time! It's not us! We're not making it snow! It must be the Unicorns! They're doing it with their freaky magic!"The Pegasus leader suddenly accused Platinum's people of changing the weather.

"How dare you! Unlike you ruffian Pegasi. We would never stoop to such a thing!"Platinum and her unicorns huffed at the accusation, while Clover remained quiet with her mentor.

"Actually… We've done some rotten things to get by… Some more questionable than others…"Clover wanted to point out, only to get shushed by Star Swirl.

"Well, if none of you non Earths aren't going to stop using your weirdo powers to freeze us all, then I'm plum out of ideas…!"Pudding Head decided that she had nothing to offer them if they refused to think of something or prove their innocence.

"What a shocker, an Earth pony with no idea."Hurricane mocked the Earth pony.

"Commander Hurricane! Please cease with the insults!"Platinum demanded an end to Hurricane's rude remarks.

"You're not the boss of me, your royal snootiness!"Hurricane snapped at the unicorn and made her flustered with anger.

"I beg your pardon! I am a princess, and I will not be spoken to in such a manner!"Platinum stood up and decided to leave, rather than stay and argue with the other leaders.

"Well, I'm leaving first!"Hurricane grumbled and flew to the door, only to get stuck in the door way with Platinum.

"No, I'm first!"Pudding Head demanded and joined in the struggle to leave the room.

While their followers argued, and their assistants held their heads with embarrassment. The royal siblings simply shook their heads and slowly stood up with more of a problem than before. Not only were the ponies unable to figure out a solution of their own to the problem. Orion could hear the screeching Windigos hunting in the storm, making their way towards the fighting ponies. He glared, knowing what fate awaited the ponies if they stayed here and let their hate fester.

"I told you! Those ponies are a lost cause! All they care about is fighting with each other,"Celestia wanted to argue her opinion about what had become of their people,"We should just leave them here and go revive our land! Start over and bring weary travelers to Equestria…! Far away from this hate!"

"Hold your tongue, Tia! These are our people no matter what, and we are not leaving them to perish to Necrid's pets!"Orion snapped at his sister and made her lower her head in instant submission.

"Even so… It's obvious that they won't be able to help themselves…! We have to intervene."Luna argued one of their options for helping their people survive the danger to come.

"We can't…! We are not permitted to show ourselves till Equestria's people return…! According to Orion."Celestia groaned and kept her head down, not wanting to provoke a more ferocious fight.

"You're right… Our time has not yet come to reveal ourselves to the ponies, yet,"Orion watched as the ponies started to finally leave the meeting room and go back home,"But that does not mean the time has not come for our people to return to the land they were born from…!"

"What are you saying, Orion?"Celestia asked of her brother as he then chuckled at Star Swirl trying to leave without Clover following him.

"I'm saying we offer a few things to our little ponies, and lay a trail of bread crumbs for them to follow,"Orion planned before seeing Star Swirl manage to sneak out and cut around a corner to meet with them,"I must inform Star Swirl of this…! I have a plan to save our people."

With those words said, he waited for Star Swirl to finish getting away from other ponies. The old stallion was very cautious like that, never liked to be followed or bothered by others. He sighed, and fixed his hat before trailing through the snow to meet with the siblings.

"So I assume that every one of you saw that storm of absolute ignorance in there?"Star Swirl asked while the siblings looked to each other with a bit of concern.

"Couldn't tell you which storm was worse…! This one or the one inside."Celestia scoffed and showed disregard and lack of trust for the ponies.

"I can't argue with that one. I'm starting to think these ponies are a lost cause…"Star Swirl mused and felt the need to be honest while Orion heard a faint gasp.

He looked up sneaky like, and spotted Clover watching them from a corner of the building. She froze a bit, whether it was from Orion spotting her eavesdropping or seeing a strange being like himself. He did not know, rather than point her out, he let her go to argue with Star Swirl.

"They are not a lost cause…! Never forget that, Star Swirl. But they are in danger,"Orion and every pony else could then see the Windigos approaching the land and freezing everything in sight,"They're coming…! Within another week or so those spirits will have this land consumed in the dead of pure frost…!"

"And what do you propose that we do about it? You cannot be revealed, and those tribes will be too stubborn to move from their homes…!"Star Swirl argued the idea of trying to move their people out of their homes.

"Not if they think there's a life away from the cold of the Windigos…! Not if there's a new… Or old land to go to,"Orion began to slip in his plan while Clover was taking notes on what they spoke of,"I'm thinking we…"offer"… The tribes a map and directions back to the old country… The land is fertile and free from Necrid's grasp for now. They could return to it… ALL of them."

"You must be touched in the head if you think THAT will work…!"Star Swirl spat at the idea of fooling the ponies into leaving their homes for an old one.

"I'm not…! We will bring the ponies to Equestria. We will make them meet each other on their old ground,"Orion pushed his plan onward regardless of Star Swirl's disapproval of the idea,"And they will have no choice but to drop their differences and help the land while helping each other in the process…!"

"Orion, I will not condone this! It won't work! Our people have grown ignorant and careless for others,"Star Swirl pushed to get the siblings forgetting about the idea of still trying to help the ponies,"If you do this! I will not support it! Face it! These people are a lost cause…!"

Clover widened her eyes and sharply gasped at her mentor's own words for all the ponies. Orion remained quiet for a moment, it was needed to keep himself calm from the stallion's words. He looked over to the wizard's student, she looked terrified to hear such words be uttered. It was enough to finally get her to leave, while Orion was then able to simply tell off the stallion.

"Our people…! Are NOT a lost cause! Let's get that clear and out of your book collection now,"Orion growled and gripped the stallion by his shoulder as crystal clusters grew like fungus around him,"If you want to give up on them, then so be it! But we are not giving up on them! You can stay here and die if you want!"

Star Swirl wanted to fight this out, but he knew better than to get into a match with the prince. And from the looks of his behavior, there was no stopping Orion's decisions to help his people.

"But at least, offer us three maps for us to personally give to the tribe leaders,"Orion let go of Star Swirl's shoulder and put it out to receive some much needed maps,"Because we're going to bring those ponies home, and we will help them start a new age at our side…! Whether you like it or not…!"

Star Swirl deeply growled, knowing there was no stopping the prince once his mind was made up. So he closed his eyes and let magical white smoke and blue sparks manifest around his horn. It then shot out into three balls of magic and floated into the waiting hooves of the siblings. Before three detailed and hoof written maps were then produced into their grasps to keep. Orion stood tall and put his map into his cloak, as did his sisters, before they were all square with Star Swirl.

"Thank you… Now if you live through the blizzard, come seek us out when it's over,"Orion instructed the wizard before turning around and releasing a sigh to tell him a little secret,"Also, Clover was spying on us. She heard every word from my mouth and yours…!"

"Ah…! Son of a horse…! Just get going before you're spotted by others."Star Swirl growled before running back to go find Clover.

Orion huffed and walked to his sisters to establish their plan for the ponies. One that would simply have them playing the kind strangers that left the trail of bread crumbs. While letting the ponies remain thinking that this was their idea and their decision to depart to Equestria.

"We need to get these maps to the leaders… We simply entice them with the idea of a new home,"Orion began to instruct the parts that his sisters needed to play if they were going to make this work,"We tell them nothing about ourselves, not who or what we are? They show hostility, simply disarm and restrain them with minor effort or use of our abilities."

"I can handle the Pegasi tribe…! I know how to cool their hot heads."Luna decided to be the one to deliever the map and news to the Pegasus ponies.

"And I will handle the unicorns. Knowing Platinum she'll throw her magic all over the place,"Orion chose to be the one to have the Unicorns dealt with as Celestia sighed, knowing that she was left with the Earth ponies,"Tia, all you gotta do is entice and give sweet words to the Earth ponies, you seem to have a talent for that. It should loosen up the Earth ponies stubborn skulls."

"Very well… This still feels like a big mistake…!"Celestia turned away, but was willing to go along with her brother's plan.

"We will all meet back in Equestria itself…! Till then, we are to watch over and make sure the leaders go through with the move,"Orion slowly turned and watched the Unicorns departing for their village in the mountain,"Be safe… And no matter what, don't give up…!"

Celestia and Luna slowly nodded, as they turned towards the two tribes they were instructed to go for. After a moment of reassurance among each other, they then slowly began to walk away. As they departed to follow the tribes back to their homes and set the plan into motion. Orion had the Unicorns, Celestia had the Earth ponies, and Luna would handle the Pegasus ponies. They would miss each other, but they all understood that this needed to be done, for the sake of Equestrian and their people.

---

A cold and dark night was then falling upon the land itself, the moon struggled to rise. At least until the young mare of the night was on her approach to the Pegasi village in the clouds. She stared out to her right, the moon was barely able to reach over the clouds, and it needed to be higher. A deep breath left her lips before she closed her eyes and focused her dark blue magic. This once, she wanted to help the ponies for a change instead of watching them strain and struggle.

Finally after minutes of concentration, the young Alicorn manage to raise the moon. Moving it much higher into the sky, it towered over the clouds as it climbed high into the sky. Until it had at long last floated among the stars, right where the moon was meant to be at night. She was able to relax by then and release her grasp on the moon, allowing her body to ease up a bit. Right as young Luna landed at the very edge of the village, just in time to see many starved Pegasi ponies start to turn in for the night.

It was a depressing sight to see, but no matter what, she needed to focus on her main objective. So she let the night assist her on finding Commander Hurricane, and it did not take long. At least about a hundred stars spotted him walking into his main home that was connected to his military academy. So his house was where she would go, as she decided to travel through her night magic. She let the darkness swirl around her body, before she then vanished into the cover of the night.

Meanwhile the commander himself had just swung open the doors to his abode. It was all cloudy and fashioned to it's best form for clouds to take, but home brought little comfort to the stallion. He threw down his helmet in a fit of anger, letting it clang across the cloudy floor. A physic that made little sense to Private Pansy, as she slowly flew into the house to pick up his helmet. Before carrying it over to a pedestal, where it was always laid upon until it was required again.

At the very least, she was able to let her fall colored mane down after removing her armored hat. She sighed, for the young private still felt a bit distraught that no progress was made for their people. But Hurricane was too busy throwing a tantrum and some of his armor pieces. Pedestals and old armor collects were sent smashing against the cloud walls from his rage. He even threw his own armor off his bulky body and kick it before he then started putting holes into the cloud walls.

"That meeting went horribly! Those other leaders are nothing but disrespectful foals,"Hurricane ranted and sat down with a huff to fix his mane while Pansy picked up his armor,"Don't they realize that we are a mighty tribe of warriors, and should not be crossed?!"

"I'm sure they do sir…! But… It's hard to understand others when one can't trust them and let them in."Pansy tried to offer a bit of insight into the misunderstanding between them and the other tribes.

"It's not just hard, it's virtually impossible! Don't ever forget that private Pansy,"The commander yelled before sitting on the steps to his bedroom where he would sleep,"We have got to break ranks with those weak foals!"

"And do what, sir? We have nowhere to go and no supplies to survive this storm…!"Pansy questioned the commander's flawed idea of simply cutting all ties and leaving the land.

"I don't know! I….we just need to find a new place that's not covered in snow!"Hurricane roared before a strong wind blew open his doors ad blasted out half of his lit candles.

He instantly shot up and felt his spine shiver from the arctic blast of wind that entered his home. Pansy shivered and ran behind the commander in fear of the howling wind and screech. More and more of the candles flickered out and gave away to the darkness, Hurricane steeled himself. He then drew his sword out and bared it to face the darkness that surrounded him and Pansy. Then there came the gentle clop of hooves approaching them and entering through the doors. His eyes failed him at first, but then he could make out a cloaked figure passing through the dark.

The figure was slightly taller than him, and it appeared to be a pony of sorts. He scanned the stranger, his body tensed up the moment he saw that the pony had a horn, the very thing that Unicorns had. But then again, how was she able to stand in his city when only Pegasus ponies could stand in a cloud city. He kept his sword at the ready, but a bit of fear crawled under his skin. For this mare appeared to be something much more different from the other tribes of ponies.

"Who are you?! And what are you doing in my house?! Speak!"Hurricane pointed his sword at her and demanded answers to her sudden intrusion.

"Fear not, commander Hurricane…! I am not your enemy. Just a simple stranger with some…things to share,"The mysterious mare explained as he slowly lowered his sword a bit the moment he realized it was a mare,"There is no need for violence and anger among us. Surviving this storm is far more important than hatred among ponies after all…!"

"What the hay are you speaking of? Be quick with your words. And choose them wisely!"Hurricane remained defensive and heated, something that the mare needed to take care of.

"I fear that you need to be calm before I can share a gift with you. Allow me to assist…!"She responded before she disappeared the moment she walked into a shadow, the wind howled in response.

"What…? What kind of magic is this? Unicorns have never been able to do such things before…!"Pansy feared as her ears witched and flattened to the howling wind.

"I…don't know…! This is no average pony…! She knows magic… Yet she can step hoof on our cloud village."Hurricane spoke of what he learned so far from this mysterious new pony.

Suddenly, Pansy felt the fur on her back raise up to their limit from a cold breeze. Making her jump and scream just in time to see the mysterious pony reappear behind Hurricane. He had no time to react before he felt the mare's soft hooves grab the sides of his head and freeze his body.

"Un…hoof me…at once…!"Hurricane demanded before his mind felt a sudden rush of cool air from within, along with bizarre nightly sounds.

"Commander! Please, do not hurt us! We are starved and weak as it is! He just says we're mighty to keep our spirits up!"Pansy begged as Hurricane slowly dropped his sword to the sound of chirping crickets and peaceful nightly rustles of tall grass.

"Your frustration and anger has already proven detrimental to your health… You must let go of your anger,"The mare whispered sweetly as she felt his body starting to relax and soften up,"Once you've allowed your mind and body to settle. Answers will become clear to your problem…"

"The answers… To my… Problems…"Hurricane repeated and began to breath deeply as his mind felt too cool to be angry and heated with rage.

With his head cooling off, it was now clearing up and showing him something new. A land filled with life, wilderness, healthy skies and plenty of food and water for them to feed off of. His eyes widened to the land he was seeing, while the mare slipped a rolled up parchment into his hooves.

"There is a land… A beautiful old land that beckons us to come back… A land that…misses us,"Hurricane mumbled as Pansy stood back for a moment until the mysterious mare released Hurricane,"A new life for our people can begin there… A land that our predecessors once thrived in…! We must return to it…"

"Yes… An old home needs you…! Just as you need this old home to survive,"The mare smiled and walked in front of him, letting the stallion assessed the paper in his hooves,"Please… Follow that map, and it will take you to the promise land…! And your people will survive…!"

"My…people will survive… Why? Why have you…done this for us?"Hurricane asked with a bellowed voice that was weakened from his cooled head.

"Because…! The only way to survive and grow in this world. Is for all of us to come together,"The mare slowly walked away and offered Pansy a smile as she went to leave,"Only together can we not only survive, but we can also live as a whole and proud people."

"What? Wait…!"Hurricane called as the mare then surrounded herself in a nightly magic that would take her out of the village.

"Follow the map, and it will take you to the land that you desire!"She called back to the stallion before she slowly vanished back into the darkness.

The two Pegasus ponies watched as the mysterious mare disappeared into the night. They swallowed and felt their hearts going a mile a minute from the strange encounter. Pansy panted, her fear was still trembling her hooves as she looked back to her leader that was strangely calm. He had waited for the longest few moments before he looked to the rolled up paper in his hooves. The commander then slowly took it up and unrolled the parchment to reveal itself as a map.

"It…IS a map…! A map to a new land…!"Hurricane exclaimed while new ideas were now pouring into his calmed head.

"Sir? Is everything ok? I thought I lost you there for a moment…!"Pansy worried before the commander rolled up the map quickly and looked to his private.

"Make preparations private Pansy. We must inform our people of a new land for us,"Hurricane insisted that preparations were quickly made for the sake of their people,"You and I will journey to this land and verify what it is. If it's everything I saw, then this will be a new home for us! Go!"

"I… Yes, Commander Hurricane! Right away, sir!"Pansy replied and ran out of his house to get supplies prepared.

"Excellent… Whoever that mare is, I owe her a great deal of debt for this gift,"Hurricane admitted as he opened the map to study it once more,"A new home… Full of food, water, clouds, and a place away from those wretched Earth ponies and Unicorns!"

---

At the very same time that the Pegasus ponies had encountered and been given a map. The very same thing was occurring for the Earth ponies down below that struggled in the snow. Once again, they were barely turning up any sort of food from the crops or the natural land itself. All of it was frozen or dead from the cold, they were running low on their own supplies, just like the Pegasi tribe. It was only a matter of time before they too would die to the cold or starvation.

This however was not going to deter or bother Celestia, for all she cared about was finishing this mission. She still had her doubts about this plan, as she walked the dirt trail towards her target. The dirt coated and humble wooden town of the Earth pony tribe, surrounded by crops and farms. Her muzzle cringed and wrinkled at the instant smell of dead plants and fertilizer. Hardly a smell that she would have to endure when she already had a tribe of stubborn ponies to appeal to.

She stopped at the entrance to the tribe, and looked to the hard working Earth ponies. If they weren't working in vain, they were walking about the town in misery and in snow. Celestia wanted to keep her eyes forward and pay no mind, but even her heart bled for these ponies. They were already worked to the bone for the longest time, just to get food for themselves and two other tribes. Now there was no food, and every pony, even children were all starving and miserable.

Her head lowered, and her old words that spoke of abandoning these ponies haunted her. Now that she was seeing things in a new light, she started to regret what she had thought about the ponies. Quickly she had then shook her head to remain steeled upon her entrance into the tribe. It did not take too much to get noticed by some of the Earth ponies around the town. A tall and snow white pony in a cloak that covered most of her body and her face.

It already reeked of strange activity and potential trouble, but she showed no signs of danger or evil. So the Earth ponies kept their distance from the mysterious white mare, but some could not help but stare at her mane. She had a pink mane that would make Chancellor Pudding Head green with envy. It was like bubble gum, or cotton candy, two things that Pudding Head enjoyed the most. And it came as no surprise once the Chancellor herself had suddenly appeared.

She had just made it back to her village and was ready to go into her own abode. Before she spotted the wavy locks of the mysterious pony, and those locks reminded her of cotton candy. Her eyes had grown big and her lips were licked with tasty interest in the pink maned pony.

"Chancellor Pudding Head? Are you still with me? You seem…off?"Smart Cookie asked before the Chancellor had then taken off towards the mystery mare.

"So… This must be the Chancellor… She seems to still appear well fed. So much that she can wear food as clothes…!"Celestia felt a stroke of disgust to see such a mare wearing food for clothing while her subjects starve.

"Stranger…! Apologies for the bizarre and less than joyful greeting to our humble village,"Pudding Head announced to Celestia and gave a dignified bow to the cloaked mare,"We are… Hitting some rough times, but we are always more than happy to see new faces in our village…!"

"I was simply passing through…! I was hoping to speak with you as a matter of fact,"Celestia started as she tried swallowing her irritation for the Earth pony leader,"The storm has yet to let up, your crops are dying from the cold and your people are starved and freezing. I have a proposition to fix that!"

"Do you now? Well what do you know, a stranger that offers help to us. Can't get that from a Unicorn or Pegasus!"Pudding Head laughed and found interest towards the stranger, only for a servant to spot something about Celestia.

"Chancellor, look! The mare bares a white horn on her head! She's not one of us,"The servant pointed out the horn that gave Celestia away as a user of magic,"She must be with the Unicorns!"

"What?! How dare you try to deceive me and my people with your magical ways,"Pudding Head backed away and licked some pudding the dripped onto her cheek,"Whatever it is that you have to give to us, we don't need any help from you! We're just fine!"

"No… You're not…! Have you looked around and seen what has befallen your own people?"Celestia questioned and pointed out the starved Earth ponies around them.

"Do not question on how my people live…! You are not an Earth pony. There for, you don't know what we are capable of!"Pudding Head snapped and had then triggered a nerve in Celestia to see such a blind and misguided mare.

"You can't even hope to compare yourself to an Earth pony you gluttonist fool! Look at you,"Celestia snapped back and finally skipped on the sweet talk to give it to Pudding Head straight,"You're so ignorant that you wear food as clothing, while your own people starve around you!"

Smart Cookie was stricken with shock, Pudding Head was actually called out on her own ignorance. And a mare that appeared to be a Unicorn of all things, she actually cared about them. So much that she wanted to give their leader a reality check for everything she did. Pudding Head was baffled, while other Earth ponies stared sadly to their leader, for they could not deny that truth. It gave Celestia the opportunity she needed to then simply toss the rolled up map into the nose of Pudding Head.

"That is a map to a promise land that has long been abandoned by your own predecessors,"Celestia explained while letting her horn suddenly glow and let a large run of sunlight gleam from her horn,"There is plenty of life and warmth much like this at this old land, if you're interested…!"

Her explanation was backed up by the amusement and pure happiness of the ponies. As they gathered around her to take in the warm sun light she produced around the area. It melted away a proportion of the snow and freed some of the land from the ice and wind. Pudding Head shook her head at the spectacle, for it drew in all her subjects and got them on the side of the stranger. She became flustered and angry, before she then looked down and took up the map.

"I must take my leave now! I apologize for not sticking around any longer, every pony,"Celestia ceased her warm light and turned away from Pudding Head to stare out into the mountains,"Consider my offer, and you just might save your people from the cold that will surely claim their lives…! And maybe you will be considered a true leader after all…!"

With that said, the mare let another ray of sunshine form all around her white body. While Smart Cookie ran to her, hoping for answers to her motives for helping them when she was not one of them. But she was already gone in a flash, and she passed right through the light and face planted in the snow. Smart Cookie looked back to no longer see the mysterious tall mare. She stood up, and stared for the longest time at the spot where a selfless pony had offered them a way out of their struggles.

"Very well then, stranger…! Not a good leader, am I? Well we will see about that,"Pudding Head spat and opened up the map to look to the directions to the old land,"I will take your offer and go to this land! This land of life, food, warmth, and a space away from those wretched Unicorns and Pegasi ponies!"

With that said, Pudding Head had some work to do with her people on this apparent land. Leaving Celestia to finally depart from the village nice and painlessly, at least almost completely painless. She was still heated inside from the oblivious behavior of Pudding Head when it came to her people. It was almost enough to make her sick, and yet, it was more surprising that Celestia herself cared about them. Just before she felt that all the ponies were nothing but lost causes, but now… She wanted to help them.

---

And at the same time, her brother was feeling that way the whole time he walked to the village of Unicorns. It was a treacherous trek up the stone path ways up the snowy mountain they thrived at. The snow and wind was picking up and the temperature was dropping, yet he stayed undeterred. His bare feet trembled once they had been forced to traverse through the dense white snow. But he merely hugged his arms and released a deep breath before staring forward to the distance.

He could barely see the dim candle lights and torches that illuminated the village. He swallowed and blew warm air into his two hands to warm them up, just in time to reach a wooden gate. He looked over the gate thoroughly, there were no guards to be found, most likely stayed home and out of the cold. So it appeared to be a straight forward entrance into the village, as he put both hands to the gate. He then slowly pushed the wooden gates open, letting them swing a bit.

They stopped cold in the snow, but there was plenty of room for the hidden prince to enter through. Slowly the man walked into the village, torches were mounted on the walls and door ways of every house. But even then, it was almost impossible to see the flickering flames at his side. But he could feel their warmth, and he could feel the eyes of Unicorns gazing upon him. Their eyes glittered from the windows while young unicorn children ran under his legs to get home.

He could see the Unicorns shivering and struggling to stay warm in the blizzard. And yet, this was not the worse thing that would happen to these ponies, the worse was still slowly approaching. He looked out to the distance at the east, there his crystal eyes could see the horse like spirits known as Wendigoes. They were swimming through the current of icy winds, drawn to the hate they sought. Given to them by the dark soul of Necrid Ghoul, within a few days, they would be here, and every pony would die.

This was not to come to pass, as the prince then stared forward to his destination. The great stone castle, although it appeared to look more like a stone cabin with a giant stone tower fused into it. Never the less, it was his location, and he needed to get there and convince the princess to hear out the idea of a new home.

Meanwhile the Unicorn princess sat in her throne quiet and cranky in stature. She grumbled in a petite way, she was beyond annoyed with how things turned out between the three tribes. She was so outraged, she spat curses and insults about the Pegasi and the Earth ponies in secret. The very thing she said her people never did, but no pony was around to stop her from doing as such. Except of course, Clover The Clever, who appeared less than in the spirit at this time.

The words of her mentor, Star Swirl still lingered in her aching head, a lost cause was his thought. A stallion of great intellect thought of his own people and the other tribes as lost causes. It felt like a piece of her heart was torn apart and left in the cold to die from the blizzard. She grasped her chest to try and mend her aching heart, it's pain greatly bested the pain in her head. While she listened to Platinum spit and snarl about the three tribes, and dash her hopeful heart even more so.

"Wretched Pegasi and Earth ponies! They know nothing of our power over magic! NOTHING,"Platinum insulted and pouted on her throne while Clover turned away from her,"Clover? Do you not agree that those brutes are a lost cause in this endeavor!?"

Clover cringed at once again hearing the curse of lost cause leave her princess's lips. It seemed like her mind was ready to shatter and give in to despair and no more hope. As she slowly looked to her princess and removed her hood to respectfully look her princess in the eyes.

"I just feel that we could have tried harder for our people… For our home, and for others,"Platinum huffed and stuck her nose up at her assistants humble answer to her anger,"We have been no better your majesty… Would it not be fair to cast differences aside and find a solution with the other tribes?"

"Absolutely not! We tried, and those brutes did nothing but insult us! They can die for all I care now,"Platinum decided as Clover held her heart to contain her shock at the answer she was given,"That is all! Be on your way. I will call you if I need you…!"

"I… Yes…your majesty…"Clover sighed and bowed before keeping her head low and leaving for her room in the castle tower.

With that, the saddened Unicorn slowly left the main room and her irritated princess. As she left for her room at the top of the tower where she could hope to ease up from her sorrow. This left Platinum to quietly sneer and think about the issues that befell her people. But it only made her think of the Pegasus and Earth pony tribes, and it only made her more angry inside. So much so that she needed a drink, and she had the capabilities to get herself a nice drink.

"Guards Bring me a chalice of water so that I may turn it to a sweet wine,"Platinum commanded and the guards were quick to rush out and collect some snow to melt into water,"Finally, a break from my depressing assistant. She's more of a sad little pony than Star Swirl! And they all disapprove of my thoughts towards…the other tribes….!"

One guard held the chalice while another melted snow that he collected into a bucket. Once it was all melted, he slowly poured the cold water into the chalice nice and smoothly. Where the chalice holder could then rush it to the princess so that she could work her own magic on it.

"Your drink, princess Platinum."The guard presented the chalice, and the princess took it up into her magical grasp and started to make it bubble.

"Thank you…! Finally some proper manners for a change…! After the things I had to endure from those brutes,"She grumbled and watched her water turn to a light red and sweet wine within seconds,"Honestly…! I'm almost at that point where I wish they were all…DEAD!"

She was about to sip her wine, but then the doors to her main room swung open. They slammed against the stone walls and let in the cold air that blasted out her chandelier candles. Most lights were dimmed, aside from her torches that burned at the side of her throne chair. Her cup immediately dropped, spilling wine all over the stone floor and red rug in front of her. Her guards tensed up and drew their spears to the figure that caused the doors to open so suddenly.

It was none other than Orion, but to the princess, he was a mere stranger, and an intruder. Slowly he walked into her abode, his bare feet slapping against her cobble stone floor, echoing across the walls. The guards shivered from the cold, while the hidden stranger remained silent. Until he was then standing before the princess and her guards that were ready to fend him off. She slowly stood up and out of her chair, and stared the disguised prince down with caution and irritation.

"Who are you, stranger? And why have you come barging into my home?"Platinum demanded answers while the prince only walked closer and had spears aimed at his face.

His first response was to roll up his sleeves to show some of his bizarre hairless arms, as well as his weird hooves. This alone made some of the guards tremble with confusion and fear of the unknown. Little did they know, the tiniest slivers of crystals were protruding through his skin. As he prepared to dispense them at lightning fast speeds, but not to kill the guards. But to merely disarm them and force them into a peaceful submission, effective and secretive.

"Before I offer you a gift and an answer to your problems… There does not need to be weapons at the ready…!"Orion decided while Platinum gave them the signal to attack and skewer the stranger.

The prince saw the spears thrusting forth, but he remained steeled and calm. As he crossed his arms together and whipped them apart, allowing his tiny shards to fly without being seen. In a flash, the spears were sent flying and were all stuck to the stone walls tightly. While other shards had struck certain points in their armor and cracked the armor away, leaving the guards without garbs. The princess blushed, while the guards looked at each other and looked down at themselves.

Once they had realized that their armor was destroyed an their spears were against the wall. They were quick to back away and separate, allowing the cloaked man to continue forward. Till he was then standing before the princess, she was outraged even further that her guards were dispatched. He even chose to not harm that, a form of chivalry she was lead to believe was sign of disrespect. For it apparently meant that the guards were weak and weren't worth killing in battle.

"How dare you! You come into MY home, dispatch MY guards by simple disarming and you dare to stand against ME,"Platinum removed her crown and her royal robe to let her green magic glimmer around her horn,"And you dare to challenge me…!? Just who do you think you are?!"

"A mere stranger bearing a gift…! But you seem a bit reluctant to hear me out,"Orion pointed out as her magic blazed and aimed for him, hoping to cast him down quickly,"I implore you to cool your head and listen to reason princess. You won't regret listening to me…!"

"Silence you cur!"Platinum yelled and shot a stream of magic that the prince easily foresaw.

He sighed, and bolted forward while spinning under the stream of magic. Platinum panicked and tried redirecting her magic, waving it around like a weapon that was simply too long. The cloaked man simply jumped and rolled over the blast and quickly got up in her face. Before he brought his hand out and placed an index finger to the tip of her horn, she had then froze right at that moment. Her magic stopped and she felt her head become stiff as she then heard crunching and sharp sounds that mimicked glass.

She looked up and witnessed her horn being coated in small bits of red crystals. As her magic was then restrained and blocked within them, she gasped and tried to focus her magic. But the crystals felt stronger than steel, and her magic could not fully form through the blockade of crystal clusters.

"What…? What is this?! Release my magic from your witchcraft immediately!"She demanded and struggled before the prince simply shoved her away with his finger where she stumbled and fell back into her chair.

"First, I must speak to you and offer a gift that may save your people…!"Orion insisted while Platinum gripped at her horn but could not remove the crystals from her horn.

"What do you want?! What is so important that you had to barge into my abode! Disrespect my guards! Perform some witchcraft that-"Platinum was the interrupted by a rolled up map being presented to her in the hand of Orion.

"How about a map to a new and better land where your people can thrive and grow?"Orion responded as she paused and eyed up the map with sudden curiosity.

"This… This…is a map? Are you certain…?"Platinum questioned and started out slow as she reached for the map, only to then snatch It up and frantically unroll it to see.

"See for yourself, princess. I think you'll find it most surprising."Orion insisted just as she began scanning and studying the map closely, the word Equestria came to her mind.

It was indeed a map, and it lead through a path of dense dark forests, treacherous ghastly canyons, and ancient dead civilizations. The princess could not make most of the map out, but all she needed to hear was Equestria. The great and massive land that laid at the very end of the path. A land with great mountains, massive plains, and vast skies as far as the eyes could see. It was like she was already staring into the look of a brighter future, and it was glorious and warm.

"Oh my…! This is…glorious! This is the face of a new utopia for the Unicorn tribe!"She exclaimed while the hidden prince finally gave her some space to marvel at the face of her future.

"Equestria is an old land that has long been abandoned by the three races of pony,"Orion explained the basic background regarding Equestria's history,"And now a time has come that the land needs it's people back, just as you need it."

"This is a miracle! I must get this to Clover the Clever. She can decipher and plan out the trip for this,"Platinum already felt the ideas pouring in as Orion took interest in the mentioning of Star Swirl's student,"Guards! Will one of you be a dear and deliver this to my assistant for study? I have plans to make!"

"I will do it, princess…! If you trust this assistant so much, then surely I can trust her as well,"Orion took back the map swiftly as she quickly composed herself to hide her excitement,"That is… If you are willing to trust me…!"

"Well... Alright, I will trust you. You'll find Clover at the top of the tower in her study room,"Platinum agreed and directed the stranger to the stairs on her right as he then began to walk to the stairs,"But first…! Before you go… Will you kindly release my horn now?"

The stranger waited until he got to the steps before he then turned back to the princess. He then slowly raised his hand and slowly snapped his fingers to command his crystals. With a snap of his fingers, the crystals released their grip on her horn and crumbled away from her white horn. Once she was free, he then continued on as he began to ascend up the stairs to Clover The Clever. Leaving the princess to ponder with excitement and plans for this new home.

"This is stupendous! We have a new home within our grasp. Me and Clover must see this land for ourselves,"Platinum amused herself with the thought of having a new home away from the cold,"If it is what the stranger says it is. Then it will make a perfect home for my people. A place that is warm, it's land is fertile, full of food and magic. And more importantly, it's away from those wretched Earth ponies and Pegasi!"

While the Unicorn princess pondered and plotted for a trip to this special land. She was unaware of what was occurring at the top of the tower, within the tower of Clover the Clever. For the green mare was currently gripping tightly at her chest as tears gleamed against her cheeks. She panted and tried to hold in sorrowful chokes of sobs that made her body tremble and ache. Her heart was breaking in two as she thought about the ignorance of her princess and her own teacher.

She rocked in her chair and threw off her hood to let her mane down as it grew messy. Her teacher acted as if the ponies were hopeless, and Platinum only thought about herself. It was as if hope was truly lost for the last of the entire pony race, no pony wanted to help the other. Tribes were hateful and at each other's throats, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. It made the pain in her heart unbearable as she got up from her desk chair and smacked her head against the wall.

She did not stop until her head had bruises forming at the front of her forehead. She then covered her face and cried some more in silence, her head trembled and shook with grief. Hope seemed lost, she had prayed and hoped for so long that something could end the hatred and fighting. For she knew that if the tribes were to work together, not only could they survive, but they could prosper. But now it all seemed like nothing but a dream that she was waking up from.

The life she was living seemed to be the only thing that remained, no matter how much she dreamed. One thing she knew for certain, this is not the life she wanted live if this was all there was for her. She slowly lifted her head after a whimper and gazed towards a door that lead to a tower balcony. Her weakened conscious made her think irrationally, as if all she now wanted to do is dream forever. At least in her dreams, she could at long last be happy, so she walked to the doors.

She gave them a little push open to let the cold and windy air into her room. While Clover herself slowly began to walk out and stand on the balcony to stare out over and around her village. Where ponies lived in misery and sadness, she could not stand to see such sadness and sorrow any more. No pony was going to help them, and there was nothing she could do for them. And with her mentor and leader so certain that there was no helping others, what could she do.

Her voice trembled as she felt her body push it's way up and onto the tower ledge. Allowing her to slowly looked down to the snowy mountain stone that was now awaiting her. For the Unicorn was now willing to give up, the only place there was happiness was in her dreams, so why not dream forever?

"All I ever wanted was a land where we could all be happy. A place full of peace… And happiness,"She spoke to herself as she dared to let her trembling hooves step forward and ready to go off the ledge,"But there's only one way I can achieve that now… I'm sorry… Every pony…"

She closed her eyes, as cold sweat rolled down her face out of fear and hesitation. She gritted her teeth and shook, whimpers left her lips as she struggled to bring herself to do it. But the moment a door swung open, a voice reached out to her, and snapped her out of her sudden suicidal trance.

"WAIT!"Came the calls of the cloaked stranger himself, as he reached out to her from the entrance to the balcony.

Her eyes weakly turned to see the stranger, and they immediately recognized the man. He was the stranger that argued it out with Star Swirl and fiercely defended the three tribes. She swallowed and looked back to the ledge for a moment as she struggled to catch her breath from small pants.

"Don't...! This is not the way…! We can't abandon hope just yet!"Orion dared to step a little closer to the Unicorn and extended a hand to her.

"Why…? What more can we do? My princess has forsaken all reason! And my own mentor wishes us all to be condemned,"She explained her struggles as she felt the crackle of stone under her hooves,"There is no hope! Every pony hates each other! The storm is getting worse! There's just… Nothing left…!"

"That's not true! There's still hope for a new beginning for EVERY PONY!"Orion shouted against the wind and pulled out the rolled up map to show her.

"What is that?"Clover asked while peeking back at the ledge again, wondering if she should just end it now or listen.

"It's a map! A map that leads to an old land that was once home to us all! Earth ponies, Pegasus, and Unicorns,"Orion saw the opportunity to get to the base of the ledge till he could almost grab her,"It is the home I watched over for so long till it was abandoned…! I want to give that land back to ALL of you! Start a new age!"

"It won't matter! It just takes care of survival endeavors! Every pony will still hate each other,"Clover wanted to refuse this knowledge after seeing how her fellow ponies behaved,"And no pony has ever proved Star Swirl the Bearded wrong…! If he thinks we're a lost cause, then what else is there for me to believe in!?"

"You can believe in ME!"Orion answered and threw off his hood to bare his face that left the Unicorn speechless.

His fleshy fair skinned face, the less than appealing but curious cut scar down the side of his face. His black blazing hair that ruffled and moved in the wind, as if it was controlled by a mystic force. But the only thing that topped off this bizarre creature's abnormality was his red eyes. The eyes that glittered and gleamed with pupils that appeared to be made from pure red crystals. And a closer inspection revealed the Unicorn herself from numerous vantage points, including one right below the ledge.

She swallowed, for a pillar of crystal was already growing out of the tower wall, ready to catch her if she should jump. He then took one step closer to her, as much as she wanted to back away from him. His face seemed sincere, and he did not want to see her die when she could be so much more.

"Please… Come inside, Clover The Clever… Forget this loss of hope and come with me,"He insisted with a softer look of concern as he went to slowly take a hold of her hoof,"You are a talented young Unicorn. I do not wish for that to be taken away by ignorance… And believe it or not… Neither does Star Swirl."

She took one last good look over the ledge, the wind howled and whistled violently. As if it begged her to jump and give in to hopelessness, but the minute she felt the man grip her hoof. It felt warm, his hand was soft ad gentle on her hoof and was slow to try and pull her back. She closed her eyes for a minute, conflict jolted through her head as she felt her lips trembling. And once a few more cold tears streamed down her face, she lowered her head and found her will.

With that, she gripped his hand back and accepted his assistance with her struggle. She panted and tried to control herself as he got a hand under her and lifted the mare off the ledge. She then suddenly found herself hugged against his chest, where she felt a sense of warmth. The cold could not hurt her as he then carried the mare inside and shut the doors behind them. He then kindly sat her down and placed the map on her lap, while the man got out a blanket from her bed to wrap it around the Unicorn.

"Thank you… And…apologies for my behavior… It's not easy to handle every pony you know giving up,"Clover apologized and nodded with gratitude once he had wrapped a blanket around her,"How do you look friends and family in the eyes as they preach that all is lost and we're better off dead…?"

"Simple… You show ideas like that map to them and tell them that there is still hope,"Orion remarked and sat in a chair next to her while the mare opened the map to see it,"But first… You must be sure to never give up on hope yourself. Once you've proven to never give up, others will do the same."

She did not reply to his words, but she was immediately met with much shock. As she herself studied the map, from the dense forests to the crag and rocky mountains. The areas appeared treacherous, but the world of Equestria on the other side of these land marks seemed all too good. The land appeared to be massive, plains as far as the eyes could see, skies as massive as oceans. And the great mountains that lined up around the area, especially the mountain in the center.

"In the name of the old gods…! This land is much larger than anything we've had around here,"She placed the map down on the desk to study it in more depth to pick out paths to travel,"Some paths are necessary, but others seem avoidable. I can decipher the best route to take."

"Your princess already wishes to go to Equestria…! She could not help but be interested in the old country,"Orion instructed and brought a candle over to give the Unicorn some more light,"That center mountain itself is where my old home use to be… It rested at the mountains base…"

"And… What exactly happened? What made our people leave it?"Clover asked as the man put his hand down on the map and sighed.

"A dark… And ancient darkness… Brought forth by the soul of a vengeful necromancer,"He decided to explain a bit of the evil that was now coming to the three tribes,"The very same fiend that's now on his way here with dark wintry spirits at his side to claim the last of the living ponies…!"

"What?! That's the cause of all this?! A dark soul and a horde of wintry dark spirits,"She exclaimed and held her mouth to contain her shock to learn the cause of this sudden winter curse,"I… Can't believe this…! Then… Then we HAVE to move! We will be slaughtered if we stay here!"

"Exactly… And in Equestria… There's a magic that can stop him. Force him back into the abyss that he returned from,"Orion explained and pointed to the land as her face finally became steeled and confident,"For that magic to be discovered, the three races must return to their home. Once they have come together as one. The magic will be revealed and vanquish the darkness…!"

"Then I will make preparations…! We need to depart as soon as possible!"Clover easily decided that they needed to leave the land before the dark one arrived to claim their lives.

"Precisely…! And for now, keep that last bit of information to yourself. Such a magic is not just learned. It is also earned,"Orion insisted as he stood out of his chair and put his hood back on,"Now… I must take my leave and prepare the land for your arrival. You will encounter great hardship on this journey to the promise land…! So remain strong, and never give up."

She nodded again, and cracked a half smile to finally see a chance for hope to flourish again. However she was not yet satisfied, for she was an ambitious student with many questions. And she still wanted some answers, what was the plan for when they arrived to Equestria? How will this stranger get the tribe leaders to cooperate in the new land once they all met up? And most importantly, before he could simply leave her room, she wanted to know one thing about him.

"Wait! Before you depart for this old country! I have to know something,"She called and rushed to the stranger and grip his hand in hopes of keeping him with her a moment longer,"If there's anything you're able to give me… Please… Could I at least have your name?"

"My name,"He snickered at her simple request and decided that she deserved at least a name to go with the man that saved her from death,"Orion… It's been a pleasure to meet you Clover…"

"And it's been a pleasure to meet you… Orion… Thank you… For giving me hope…"She thanked the prince before he nodded and finally left her room.

His hand slowly slipped out of her grip, allowing her to grip the hoof that held it. Her gut feelings alarmed her that there was far more to that stranger than what he was able to give her. But a name was a good start, for it meant that he was more than willing to trust her with who he was. And perhaps if she were to follow him to Equestria, she would learn even more about him. So her mind was made up, and she looked back to the map that was laid out for her to study on.

"Well… I guess hope isn't completely lost… There's still this great land before us… The land… Of Equestria!"She decided to boost her confidence and begin her preparations.

---

So within a day, the three tribe leaders and their assistants prepared for the journey. Each tribe had the same goal, journey to the old world of Equestria, and establish a new home. This was their new hope for a home, and nothing was going to stop them from reaching this promise land. Especially when they had their very own cloaked strangers following them on their trip. Luna had the Pegasi party, Celestia watched the Earth ponies, and Orion oversaw the Unicorn's journey.

Luna appeared to have an easy go of it, other than Pansy getting scared of every new thing she saw. But Hurricane showed off one good attribute about himself, he never backed down, and he never stopped moving forward. No danger scared him, and he knew how to speak to his people. He was able to push pass the treacherous mountains and stormy skies they went through. And he never left his young private behind, if only such respect could be shown to other ponies that were not Pegasus ponies.

Celestia had one struggle, and that was Chancellor Pudding Head herself. She was the next level of absolute incompetence and stupidity, and it was making Smart Cookie's head hurt. She read the map upside down half the time, and there was no end to her bragging and pointless conversations. And the Earth ponies wondered why they were seen as the breed of complete stupidity. Thankfully, Celestia was willing to aid them by simply lighting their path up with some sunlight, something the Earth ponies could not resist following.

That only left Orion to travel from tree to tree just outside the Unicorn village. For it did not take long for the Unicorn princess to already find frustration in the simple art of walking through the woods. And it was getting on both his own, and Clover the Clever's nerves. The mare had taken at least four sit breaks after only five minutes of walking through the woods to the old country. Celestia herself was never this prissy or out of shape, even during her more plus size years.

"Oh, this is simply taking forever! My hooves are killing me! How long have we been walking for?"Platinum moped and complained as they walked through the woods that rustled with activity.

"About five minutes, your highness."Clover respectfully answered while Platinum scoffed and took another sit break on a log.

"Oh, I never imagined finding a new land would be so hard. But it'll be all worth it, don't you agree?"Platinum asked for reassurance from her assistant as she thought for a mere moment before she nodded.

"Yes… And once we are there. All our conflicts with the other tribes will be forgotten."Clover agreed while Platinum slowly stood back up to move a bit again.

"Indeed! Our people will be far away from those Pegasus and Earth ponies for good! The best part of it all!"The princess exclaimed before she froze in place and gasped with fear for a sudden hazard.

"What's wrong?"Clover asked once she saw the princess looking onward with disgust and concern.

"That! Is what's wrong!"Platinum pointed out a small stream that rushed to the side right in front of them.

"Your highness, it's just a stream. We can cross it easily."Clover pointed out the childish fear of a natural water source that could be of use.

"I refuse to get my gown wet. I have no intention of arriving at my new land looking like a bedraggled Earth pony,"The princess ranted and raved while Clover grew mused from Platinum's picky nature,"Or worse yet, a rough and tumble Pegasus! I for one have no intention of stooping down to their level! On the other hoof, I have no trouble watching you stoop down."

"I beg your pardon, princess?"Clover asked before the princess suddenly teleported onto Clover's back to be carried across, causing Clover to groan.

"Onward! And do watch the gown, Clover. It's worth more than all the books in your library."The princess commanded, but her commands were then punished with an unknown sharp strike to the back of her head.

She yelped in pain and gripped her head, only to lose her balance on Clover and fall forward. She did a full rolling flip and suddenly slammed back first into the stream she wanted to avoid. A scream was instantly released, her mane was soaked and so was her gown. She flailed and struggled before she was able to roll to her hooves, she screamed again and looked to her drenched gown. She looked to Clover at first, but she knew better than to think her loyal assistant would do such a thing.

"Aaaaaaaagh! WHO did this?! My gown is RUINED! Just like that! Rotten prankster kids!"Platinum yelled and looked to the tree tops in outrage, and there was no time to go back and clean her gown.

"I'm sure we can find a clean spot to clean the gown your majesty. The map speaks of a spring before the first mountain,"Clover insisted before she stepped on something solid and very glass like, she looked down to see what it was,"What's this…?"

"Probably nothing! Now if what you say is true, then escort me to this spring immediately!"The princess commanded as Clover looked closer and slowly picked up a small pebble of red crystal.

"Huh…? Oh! Uh…of course, your majesty…!"Clover put the crystal in a sack tied against her waist and rushed to the princess.

She then began to guide her princess through the woods once more with kindness and respect. Even when one rustling rabbit objected to the princess's ignorance towards Clover. As she walked, the young mare could hear him rustling and jumping through the trees as he followed her. Clover could not help but smile, knowing that there was some pony looking out for her and Platinum. And he did not even appear to be a pony, let alone a Unicorn, yet he cared about them enough to watch over their journey.

From that point on, there was no further distractions or trouble on the journey. The Unicorns had to stop once more just to clean off Platinum's gown in the hot springs at the mountain. After that, it was a straight shot towards Equestria, and their starting destination would be the east plain. The area that lead to the center mountain, while the Earth ponies would go to the western plain. This left the Pegasi ambassadors to take the skies just above the plain itself as their own.

Days passed, the journey was long and weighed heavy on the undeterred ponies. And no matter what, the three royal siblings did not leave their side, and they did not let doubt sneak into their hearts. Through jagged mountains, through dense dark forests full of creatures from the most vile pits. And through the most powerful storms that pelted them with rain and more cold. The result became all too worth it, for they had all arrived at long last to the world of Equestria.

The two Pegasus ponies were the first to arrive to the great skies of Equestria. The sky was mostly clear, but the clouds that stuck around were immense, and under the control of nature only. Hurricane and Pansy needed to remove their helmets to respect the new world they discovered. The sun was shining over the clouds and reached down to the plains below, it was so warm. The breeze that slowly moved the clouds around rippled through their manes as they explored the great clouds.

While Luna found a small cloud to lay on and watch the Pegasi from afar. Hurricane looked as if he was staring into the face of pure beauty, like the dreams of his childhood were coming true. While Pansy went to the first big cloud she could find and lay against it to finally rest.

"This is the new land we've been searching for! It's… Glorious…!"Hurricane marveled at the beauty of this new home and it's incredible skies.

"What a view…! I could see my future house from here,"Pansy pointed to a cluster of clouds that nuzzled up against a bigger one,"Right there… It'll be styled like a humble cottage. Maybe a bird nest or two could be welcomed there…"

"There! That will do for a great cloud city! Not village, but a city,"Hurricane bolted to the immense and dense clouds that Pansy's house was attached to and landed upon it,"So much flat land at the top, and the rigid sides can support soldiers that can fiercely defend the cloud!"

"Finally, a new home…! A new life… A new…everything…!"Pansy sighed as she looked above herself and suddenly saw the cloaked mare watching them from the cloud above her.

"Yes! This will be it! This will be the new home and the beginning to our great Pegasi race,"Commander Hurricane pulled out a flag and drove it into the cloud,"As the valiant leader of the Pegasus ponies. I claim this new land to be… Pegasopolis!"

"Uh… Here here…?"Pansy trembled to see the strange mare again, while the mare only chuckled at her.

As the two Pegasi ponies claimed their new land and celebrated the discovery of the old country. The Unicorns were next to finally arrive to the center mountain, as was their intention. For a mountain proved to be a desirable location for Unicorns, a place where their magic could always shine. It did not take the princess to already find a great treasure that came in the forms of many gems she found in a cave. While Clover was more distracted on the old civilization that rested against the mountain base.

"I've never seen such jewels! This ruby is dazzling! The whole land is dazzling!"The princess squeaked and chirped as she carried out a hoof full of gems and jewels.

"That civilization…! Ponies really have lived in this old world before. Just like the stranger said,"Clover walked to a hill to see the dormant city that was slowly withering and coming apart,"That was once his home… What kind of dark entity was this…necromancer…?"

"Ugh…! Are you really looking to that atrocious run down city? Don't get any funny ideas,"Platinum interrupted Clover as she turned her nose up at the ancient city,"I will never have our people take up residence in such a filthy run down city. It's absolutely disgusting…!"

"Your majesty? Our own people lived in that city before. Should we not respect it's historical value?"Platinum scoffed at Clover's thought and turned to her real prize.

"Keep those sort of sentiments to yourself, will you Clover? We are not here for the past,"Platinum insisted as she made a flag appear from her magic and pointed to the middle of the mountain side,"Our people need height! A leverage that lets our glory show without living in clouds like those brutish Pegasus ponies!"

"I see… Apologies, your majesty."Clover sighed before she had spotted the shine of red suddenly gleaming at the corner of her left eye.

She turned to that side, and there she spotted the strange cloaked stallion himself. As he watched her from a frail tree, her next sigh was that of relief, for as long as he never gave up. It felt as if she would not give up as well, it was something to admire from such a bizarre creature. It was like his spirit was bringing her own back, and after it was so broken that she wanted to just end it all. It was then that he had then vanished in a spark of red magic, leaving her princess to announce her establishment.

"Yes, the mid level of the mountain will do! The best of both worlds! It makes me double dazzled,"The Unicorn princess exclaimed with excitement and plunged her flag into the side of the mountain,"In the name of the Unicorns! I hereby, dub this land, Unicornia!"

Clover bowed to her princess and the new area that would be deemed their home. A home that Unicorns would live in for generations to come, and after it had been abandoned for so long. It brought some comfort to see such a land be reclaimed by it's people once more. However, her greatest fears would soon be realized, for she was aware that the other tribes would be here as well. She swallowed, and barely manage to smile once more for the mountain that they would call home.

While just west of the mountain, the great plains were discovered by the Earth ponies. Pudding Head had already had her flag at the ready as she investigated the nature around them. From the old Ever Free forest and their trees, to the crisp air, and the enriched healthy soil. Healthy and whole food could grow here without any issues, and their borders could be massive. Nothing could be more beautiful than Earth ponies roaming over all of the great lands in the world.

"The air! The trees! The dirt! This dirt is the dirtiest dirt in the whole dirt world!"Pudding Head admired the soil that could produce juicy vegetation for her people.

"And perfect for growing food!"Smart Cookie admitted as she tested the soil.

"Yes yes, of course. Oh…I can't wait to rub this feat of mine in that strange mare's face,"Pudding Head suddenly showed that she had more interest in being right and looking good,"And she thought I was not a good leader…! Hah! Foolish cloaked mare!"

"Right… SHE was the pony in the wrong back there…"Smart Cookie's words were all lies, for she felt the unreasonable one was indeed Pudding Head, for her self righteousness and stubborn pride.

"Now that we have this land! The Earth ponies will rule it! As we most likely did in the past,"Pudding Head establish while driving the flag into the crisp soil of Equestria,"In the name of the Earth ponies, I think I'm gonna call this new place… Uh… Dirtville!"

"How about Earthville, chancellor?"Smart Cookie questioned with a sigh for her leader's less than respectable name for a land.

"Earth! That is perfect! Congratulations to me for thinking of it!"Pudding Head suddenly took the credit for her assistants choice of name.

"WE HAVE FOUND OUR NEW HOME!"All three leaders exclaimed, and then got each other's attentions with their shouts and mere presence.

With magic, flight and powerful hooves to get the three leaders leaving their established land. The leaders were able to meet each other in the middle of the immense land for a meeting. But the meeting would be anything but civil, for they all came together with more outrage for each other. Both tribes were now in this great land, and just when they thought they'd be away from each other. No pony thought this would happen, except for Clover, for she was aware that all tribes would converge on this ancient world.

"What are you doing here!? This land has been claimed by us! I planted my flag here first!"Hurricane argued his right to claim the land regardless of the other two tribes.

"Did not! We claimed this land first you miserable brute!"Platinum threw an insult out against the Pegasus.

"Did too! And what did you once say about not stooping to insults you hypocritical priss?!"Hurricane fired back with some insults of his own as they cracked foreheads together.

"I planted mine earlier than first! This is MY land!"Pudding Head shoved the two leaders away and demanded custody over the land.

"All of you riffraff are trespassing in Unicornia!"Platinum defended her new home and the name it held in her eyes.

"The name is Pegasopolis!"The commander chose to defend the name he himself gave the land.

"Earthville, you fools! It's name is Earthville!"Pudding Head forced her own name for the land into the mix.

"Pegasopolis!"Hurricane snapped.

"Unicornia!"Platinum yelled to defend the name.

"The land itself already has a name! And it goes by Equestria!"A voice echoed and broke up the fight by blasting a white light into their eyes.

The three leaders slowly backed away as they light gleamed through the whole area they stood on. They covered their eyes for a moment, while their underlings struggled to keep looking. As three familiar figures appeared before them, once the leaders could force their views through the light. They could see the very three ponies that visited them on that faithful night. The three strangers slowly walked to the leaders and their assistants, for the time had come to explain some things.

"You! You came to me and my associate last night and presented the map to this land to me!"Hurricane pointed out Luna's conduct to him and Pansy that night she came.

"And you came to ME that night! Bearing a map as well!"Platinum pointed at Orion for his conduct in their journey to the old country.

"And I had earned a map of the land from you! Also, haha! I told you I was a great leader!"Pudding Head pointed to Celestia and bragged about her achievement.

"Right…"Celestia quietly mocked the Earth pony as Orion stood forth to explain what was truly going on.

"Me and my companions here gave all of you a map for the very same reason,"He started out as his eyes detected the great storm that had been following them from their old homes,"To bring all of you here. The three great races of pony that once lived here in harmony three hundred years ago."

"Preposterous! Unicorns would never live with such lowly cretins like Earth ponies and Pegasus ponies!"Platinum wished to deny such an assumption, but Orion knew how to blow their ignorance out of the water.

"Believe what you wish, but do it after you look to the ground around your hooves…!"Orion pointed to the ground, and they all looked and realized a grisly sight.

Bones were everywhere, half skeletons were easy to make out in the dirt. Pony skills partially protruded through the soil, some with broken off Unicorn horns. All their faces went white, Pansy let out a scream and a series of hyperventilating as they also saw broken wings of old Pegasi. The land may be fertile, but it was now apparent that not only did their races actually live together. But their bodies and their rotting flesh became the cause of the fertile land they stood on.

"What in the name of this world's creation?"Hurricane swallowed and took off his helmet for a moment of silence.

"The healthy soil came from… The bodies of our ancestors…!"Smart Cookie wanted to vomit after how her and Pudding Head admired the healthy dirt.

"Was this…caused by the dark soul you spoke of?"Clover was bold enough to ask the big question that made the siblings look to each other with worrisome foreboding.

"You told her of Necrid and his Windigos?"Luna asked of her brother, while the ponies took interest in the sudden knowledge.

"No… I may have hinted some to Clover… But the real information came once all the tribes arrived,"Orion replied and turned back to the group to start explaining more,"And yes…! All this was caused by the entity I spoke of before, Clover. The very same entity that was coming to claim your lives if you did not leave your homes."

"What entity? Explain this fiend, and I will have him dealt with!"Hurricane already wished to bring down the being that caused this death and destruction.

"You cannot kill what is merely an evil soul commanding dark wintry spirits…!"Celestia informed while the ponies gathered around them.

"His name is Necrid Ghoul. An old warrior from a time even before us…! One that a royal family had finally destroyed,"Orion continued explaining while Platinum cringed at hearing another royal family was in the mix,"His body was burned, but his evil soul still lived on. For he was a vicious necromancer that murdered the king and queen of this world. Leaving three siblings to fight his evil… Till the day they were abandoned by their people."

"And those people… Were your ancestors…!"Luna explained while the three leaders gasped with both great offense, and shock to hear such a thing.

"What… What happened to the siblings?"Clover asked as she sized up some interest of her own as she studied the three siblings.

"We don't know… They simply just… Vanished after standing their ground against Necrid one more time."He answered as the snow was already starting to fall all around them.

"What does it matter!? They're gone and we've taken over! End of story! So as we were saying-"Pudding Head was about to start up the fight once more, but that was before they all began to notice the snow.

Platinum lifted a hoof and caught some flakes in it before shaking it off with fear. While hurricane placed his helmet back on and looked around to the snow that was coming in from everywhere. Pudding Head simply shivered from the cold, before they could all hear the shrill screeches of the approaching evil. They looked to the source of the screeches, and their they all saw it. The blistering blizzard had changed directions and was once again coming to their land.

"Not again…!"The leaders exclaimed while the three strangers walked in front of them to brave the incoming storm.

"He's coming…! And this time there's nowhere to go. There is however a chance that we can stop him and his spirits,"Orion informed as they saw the old ghastly green face of Necrid peer out from the snowy clouds,"Even as a spirit… He never stops looking hideous… Now…! The three of you must come together and end your feuding! Only together can this land's true magic be rev-"

The three siblings looked to the leaders, only to see the leaders running away together. It may have appeared as a good sign, that is if they weren't cowering away from the threat. Leaving their servants behind to witness the evils that were coming for them, the cold was already settling in. Snow was piling up thickly, and ice was consuming the trees and plants that once grew. The three assistants looked to each other with fear, while the siblings readied their magic.

"There's no time! The three of you must go and talk to your leaders! Get them to cooperate with each other!"Orion yelled out the instructions that would save their souls from this evil.

"What? What can WE do?! They'll never listen to us! No matter what they just keep-"Smart Cookie was interrupted as the grown stranger let a sword of pure red crystal unsheathe from his very limb.

"If your leaders die to this fiend, the pure blood lines of your people will be lost. And all your people will cease to exist!"Celestia informed them of the worse that could happen if they fail.

"Please…! We can tell that the three of you have more sense in yourselves than your leaders,"Luna admitted that they kept close observation on how the leaders and the servants behaved,"And no hatred seems to linger in your hearts. Please share that sense with your leaders, and save Equestria! Save the home that was meant for every pony to live in! Let this land at long last LIVE AGAIN!"

"And don't you ever forget this, Clover,"Orion yelled to the young and looked to her with a hidden smirk,"Don't you EVER give up! Because we won't!"

Clover let a tear slide down her cheek, for she could read the body language they were showing. She shook her head, as the storm was about to hit them, and soon there would be no escape. It was then that the three strangers yelled, wielding their magic and weapons at their sides before entering the blizzard. Their hearts froze to see the strange ponies jump into a great danger to buy them time. It was nearly too much, as Clover tried running in to stop the trio from sacrificing their lives.

"No! Stop! You'll die in there!"She begged for the three to not go into the storm, but Smart Cookie gripped her arm and pulled her away.

"They know what they're doing! We gotta do what they told us to do and knock some sense into our leaders,"Smart insisted and practically needed to hug Clover to get her moving away from the storm,"It'll be ok! Lets just do what we gotta do and hope for the best! It's all we got left to fight with…!"

"They shouldn't have to do this…! Why should they have to risk their lives for us?"Clover asked before Pansy assisted the Smart Cookie in dragging Clover away from the storm.

"Uh… We may wanna run now…! The leaders went up a path in the mountain towards a cave,"Pansy insisted and finally got them running from the horse like faces of the Windigo creatures,"So we may wanna RUN!"

The three young mares did just that, and bolted away from the storm. Pansy was willing to take the lead and show the others where to go and where their leaders had fled to. They felt the wind picking up and pelting their backs with thick snow fall that almost felt like icy needles. They tried to control their breathing as they ran, for breathing in chilly weather can easily suffocate them, especially breathing from exhaustion. Thankfully, Pansy knew the way and got them on the path to the mountain cave.

Their ears flickered at the terrifying screeches of the Windigo spirits approaching. While in the distance, they heard a deeper rattling roar echo out towards the eye of the blizzard. Where blinding red magic exploded while sunlight and moon light sparked against the dark soul himself. Their spines chilled from the inside once they dared to look out to the magical carnage. But they still pressed on, knowing that the strangers needed them to succeed if this evil was to be stopped.

Suddenly, Pansy dropped into the snow and folded her wings back with a shiver. The other mares stopped cold to assist her, Clover was quick to see that she was hyperventilating. This caused her her throat to dry and freeze just like her wings were, and the ice cold air was choking her. There was no time for slowing down, but Clover could not leave this scared Pegasus to die to these spirits. So her and even Smart Cookie took up Pansy's hooves and put them over their necks to lift her up.

This allowed them to simply carry the Pegasus up the rest of the path they were on. And thankfully, they did not need to go much further before they had made it to a cave. Without hesitation, they all went inside the cave, and Clover was quick to move a boulder in front of the entrance. At the very least, it would keep some of the cold out, but not the evil spirits. So they needed to go deeper into the cave, and pray that they found some safety, and their leaders.

As they walked down the hall like cave, they witnessed sparkly cave crystals above them. They glowed and lit up the path they were in, as much as they would like to slow down and admire the crystals. They had no time for it, they needed to get to their leaders, and boy did they get to them. Because even before they made it to a large room of the cave, they could already hear the leaders arguing. And once they had discovered the snowy room surrounded by ice and crystals, they found the three tribe leaders.

"This is all YOUR faults! We found a wondrous land and you soiled it by luring that entity with your filth!"Hurricane currently accused the two other ponies of leading Necrid back to Equestria.

"He followed you as well you dumb brute! He followed ALL of us!"Platinum argued back while Pudding Head scoffed at the assumption.

"Ridiculous! Dark spirits never had the gulls to pursue a race as mighty as us Earth ponies!"Pudding Head chose to deny the idea that they were part of the cause.

It was then that Clover began to grow weary and fed up with this pointless fighting. They had a cold Pegasus struggling to stay awake and struggling to even move from the cold. Her and Smart Cookie worked together to save her just as the strangers showed care and compassion for them. And not only did these three leaders abandon them, they left the strangers to fight alone. Clover strongly cleared her throat to break up the fighting for a moment and get their attention.

"Clover?! I…can't believe all of you survived the storm! Commendable strength from a true Unicorn!"Platinum announced while the assistants started to glare at their leaders.

"Hah! She'll never know true strength like us Earth ponies do! How silly!"Pudding Head mocked the princess while Hurricane finally took notice of his out cold private.

"Private Pansy? What happened?! What did you two do to my private?!"Hurricane demanded answers as the two mares approached the leaders and laid Pansy down before the commander.

"She nearly died to the cold. We needed to carry her in as fast as we could,"Smart Cookie explained while Clover surprised the leaders by removing her cloak and giving it to Pansy,"You all left us out there to die! The strangers were willing to risk their lives to fight off that necromancer fiend while we made a run for it!"

"Well that was their decision! Their sacrifices were necessary for the sake of our own!"Hurricane removed Clover's cloak and brought Pansy over to their side of the cave.

"Finally, something we agree on for a change!"Pudding Head added as the leaders sat down far away from each other.

So for an hour the ponies sat away from each other, the assistants could do nothing at the moment to talk to them. At least, not without private Pansy, she remained unconscious for that hour. The hour only made the younger mares more worried, they feared for the private, they cared for her. And all they could do was hope that she could survive the cold and come back to them. For the last request they were given, the strangers needed these leaders to see reason and end these childish shows of hatred.

Thankfully once time had passed, Pansy slowly opened her eyes to a bright light. It took only seconds more for the light to pass away to ice and crystals hanging from a stone ceiling. She turned her head to look around, and their she saw her commander contemplating in a corner. She tried sitting up, and that's when she felt herself garbed in some sort of garment. She looked down to herself, and there she discovered Clover's cloak wrapped around her, it helped her stay warm.

She did some slow breathing to prevent any icy suffocation as she looked to the two mares. As they stood with their leaders, their heads stayed low and quiet, for their faith in their leaders was dying. But little did they themselves know, that hope was still lingering, just not in the way they expected.

"What happened…? How am I still alive? Clover? Smart?"Pansy asked around to find some answers to what happened while she was out.

The two assistants lifted their heads slowly and felt themselves light up with surprise. They turned around, and there they saw the Pegasus private finally awake from her struggle. They wasted no time running to the young Pegasus with a sense of relief and happiness to see Pansy recovering.

"Pansy! You're ok…! It looked like it was gonna be touch and go for the longest time…!"Clover was first to assess the Pegasus as the leaders looked to their assistants with shock and disgust.

"You passed out from the cold. You were gonna freeze to death out there,"Smart Cookie explained what had happened plain and simple to not overwhelm Pansy,"Thankfully we got you up and carried you inside. Clover even snuck her cloak back on ya to keep you warm…!"

"You two…did that… For me? But… I'm not even one of you…!"Pansy slowly stood up and did not understand the Unicorn and Earth pony's reason for helping her.

"What does that matter? You were a pony in need and we couldn't just abandon you…"Clover explained before the huffs of their leaders sounded off.

"Hah! Like she really needed you Unicorns and Earth ponies to survive,"Hurricane called non sense on such a thought that the two mares were willing to help his private,"We are a mighty race! Pegasi don't need help from the likes of you!"

"And Unicorns don't need to help the likes of you Pegasi!"Platinum offered more insult while teleporting Clover away from the other two mares.

"And I don't need to help the likes of EITHER of you!"Pudding Head added more to the fire while pulling Smart Cookie away.

"Then we are at an agreement then! That's a first,"Hurricane spat and suddenly picked up a stick and decided to finally separate their ties to each other,"Private? Help me outline our territory for every pony to see!"

"What?"Pansy was bewildered by the commanders anger and his irrational thinking.

"Now there's an idea we can get behind…! Clover The Clever! Please do the same!"Platinum demanded of her Unicorn assistant.

"You as well Smart Cookie! Make our space away from these foolish mongrels!"Pudding Head joined in the new idea of separation while the assistants slowly backed away from their leaders.

"What are you doing? I gave you an order, private Pansy! Draw in our new borders!"Hurricane commanded as the three ponies had their backs to each other.

"You would not dare deny the orders of your princess, would you Clover?"Platinum worried as the assistants no longer felt an obligation to help feed the madness of their leaders.

"There is no room for betrayal, Smart Cookie! There is only survival! Away from these scoundrels!"Pudding Head chimed in and put more pressure onto the assistants.

"You will do as your told!"The leaders said together to their assistants, and that's when Clover finally had enough.

"NO! We will NOT!"Clover finally yelled out, letting her defiance echo through the cave.

Her echoes lasted as long as the further shock did for the three tribe leaders. They were all suddenly faced with insubordination, at least that's how it felt for them at first. While the three assistants finally stood their ground, the time had finally come to talk some sense into these hateful ponies.

"What? Clover The Clever! What is the meaning of this rebellion?!"Platinum exclaimed with worry to see her once loyal and quiet assistant finally stand up to her.

"We're done! All the three of you have done is fight and hate each other for reasons you don't even know,"Clover snapped and went off, remembering her strange friend that could very well be dead,"Here we are, in a new home that happened to be a place where all three races existed together in harmony! And we dared to disrespect it with our hatred for each other!"

"We had hoped that by getting away from our old home and coming to this land that we could end all this hatred,"Smart Cookie was at Clover's side ready to defend her point to the leaders,"Them strangers weren't going around hating each other. They actually CARED about all of us while all of you just kept thinking about yourselves!"

"And now they're out there dying so that we can clean up the mess that you three made of this old country,"Pansy swallowed and finally found some bravery to stand up to her ill tempered commander,"These two mares weren't even of our tribe…! And they saved my life while my own leader left me for dead! Why can't the three of you show some sort of care for each other!?"

"Do any of you even care about our people?! Or is this all about your prides,"Clover questioned and actually got Platinum to back away and finally start to feel a rising remorse,"Because all you've done is guide a monster and his pets to us and consumed our world in a wintry curse! And this time, it's not just one pony's fault!"

"EVERYTHING JUST MAY DIE INCLUDING ALL OF OUR PEOPLE! AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULTS!"The three assistants said together and devastated the fast beating hearts of their shocked leaders.

From the heated argument, this not only brought forth long awaited grief and shock to the tribe leaders. This brought something more unsavory, something that came with dark screeches. They all broke from their fight to look around for the source, only to see the cave entrance freezing up. This sealed them inside the main cave, they all swallowed and felt the temperature dropping. This was their greatest fear, the fear that meant that the strangers were lost, and the evil was coming.

Once another screech was heard, they looked up to the ceiling to witness the horror. As the ghostly Windigos spiraled against the ceiling, letting ice overwhelm the mountain stone. The leaders backed away to such horror, leaning up against their assistants with fear.

"What…are these ghastly creatures…?"Platinum asked as she watched ice forming over the walls of the cave.

"Whatever they are, we are surrounded by them…!"Hurricane grumbled as he felt the frost nipping at his cheeks.

"These are Windigos…!"Clover recognized the creatures and now understood how they were able to follow them for so long.

"Windigos?!"Smart Cookie and Pansy questioned the creatures that started to surround them.

"My mentor Star Swirl the Bearded taught me about them. They're winter spirits that feed off hatred and fighting,"Clover explained while the leaders slowly looked to each other with sickening revelation that they could not deny,"The more hatred the spirit feels, the colder things become…!"

Suddenly they had then heard the shrill screams of Pudding Head rattle up their spines. Once they looked to her, that was when they witnessed Pudding Head slowly being consumed by ice. The Earth pony could only scream and watch the ice overtake her body in it's ice cold embrace. Platinum and Hurricane could almost sweat as they watched the leader freeze completely. Her screams slowly silence by being encased in ice for all eternity for her hatred and fighting.

"And once they have frozen their hateful victims… Their souls are consumed…!"Clover exclaimed as Hurricane shook his head to witness such a gruesome fate.

"No…! No! This is not a fate I would wish for any pony! NOOO!"Hurricane exploded and surprised them all by flying to Pudding Head's aid.

"Commander, NO! There's nothing you can do!"Pansy begged as Hurricane kicked and started trying to pound away the ice.

"Shut up!"Hurricane denied as he even tried biting at the ice to break it away from the Earth pony leader.

This displeased the hungry Windigos to see such resistance from a hateful Pegasus. So one of them put an end to that with a blue flash of winter magic from it's sinister eyes. This caused the stallion to get stuck to Pudding Head, as his hooves also became cloaked in ice. He silently panicked as he tried to freeze himself, he struggled like an animal in a tar pit. But there was no saving him from becoming frozen solid just like Pudding Head, this made the remaining mares scream with fear.

"No…! NO! I will not be responsible for getting the pony races killed! NEVER,"Platinum panicked and started to scream and shoot wild bolts of magic at the Windigos,"Begone! Begone begone begone you foul creatures! GO AWAY!"

"Princess Platinum, NO! You're just going to make them angry!"Clover pointed out as the magic only passed through the wintry spirits.

At that moment, one Windigo decided to finally end this useless attack of the princess. He put her in it's sights and screeched before flying down from it's flock of fellow spirits. It opened it's mouth while Platinum screamed and quickly tried shooting magic at the beast. But it was all in vain as the spirit passed through her letting it's own body serve as a freezing source. Platinum fell silent, as he body was instantly frozen by the spirit right before the assistants.

With that, it appeared that they had all failed the mission the strangers gave them. The leaders were frozen and their souls would soon be consumed by the Windigos, just like them. The ice was creeping in all around them, as Clover wanted to close her eyes and simply give in.

"We…have failed… Our bodies will become as cold as our hearts…. Because we were foolish enough to hate each other,"Clover grieved and let tears start to form and roll down her cheeks before freezing,"I'm sorry, Orion… I didn't want to let you down… You weren't willing to give up… But how can I keep going…? All hope… Is lost…"

"No…! No it's not,"Pansy suddenly defied such a thought as she put Clover's cloak back on her,"Because I don't hate either of you…! You two saved my life after all. Like… True friends…"

Suddenly Clover began to lift her head up at the mere mention of a word that was rarely ever used. Friend was defined as someone you deem trust worthy and a good being to you. Some pony one might think of as a member of the family, one that may even be seen as a love one in the future. Either way, a friend was something very special, and Pansy was willing to think of them as that very thing. They both looked to Pansy as the Pegasus suddenly flashed a small and innocent smile at them.

"I don't even hate commander Hurricane…! I just really really really really really really really really really really REALLY dislike him,"Pansy explained with a sigh windigos took notice of the sudden resistance against hate,"If he was just a little nicer and able to control himself. He'd actually be quite the sweet heart. I mean… You saw what he tried to do for Pudding Head."

"Yeah… I don't hate you girls either…! Never did… And you know what…? I never will."Smart Cookie admitted as her and Pansy suddenly hugged the confused and sorrowful Unicorn.

"I… Don't know what to say…! Except… I don't hate either of you as well,"Clover wiped her nose on her cloak and then hugged with her two new friends,"In fact… You and the stranger have become the very first real friends I had ever hoped to have…"

"Hehe…! And that tall stallion was WAY different than any of us were to each other…!"Smart Cookie joked and started to anger the Windigos.

It was then that the spirits decided that they needed to end this pesky resistance. So their eyes glowed, and started to make the ice cover and coat the three final ponies in a frozen prison. But this time, they all remained smiling, even as it appeared that their lives would end this day.

"And yet… Those strangers were the nicest ponies I had ever known… Just like the two of you…"Clover was beyond touched by Pansy's words as they felt their bodies freezing.

"Then it's all settled… No matter what our differences are… We're ponies… Ponies… Of Equestria!"Smart Cookie's final words a lit a fire in Clover just as it had ended.

The mares were completely frozen solid by the ice cold clutches of the Windigos. All that was left for them to do was screech in triumph, call forth their dark necromancer and consume their pray. And at long last the dark soul of Necrid Ghoul would achieve his long awaited desire. To destroy the last of the ponies, and let the land be ravaged and controlled by the dead and vengeful spirits. The mares closed their eyes and let the darkness seep in, memories dared to enter their minds.

But for Clover the Clever, only one thing began to rush through her mind, the very last words of her friend. As well as the words that spoke of the magic that the land provided once the three races came together. All of it served as a trigger for something that was brewing and ready to explode from within her.

"And don't you ever forget this, Clover,"His words made Clover tremble before her eyes opened up and glowed with white and red fiery magic from within,"Don't you EVER give up! Because we won't!"

"I know… I'll never give up…! You gave me a reason to never quit this life now…! Because this home needs us,"Clover murmured quietly and let her hooves burn with magic while her horn lit up,"And we need it. If we are to live in it… We must come back together as a whole people. And bring back the magic that was lost… Through harmony… And the magic… Of… FRIENDSHIP!"

Suddenly, the white and red magic exploded out of the ice and melted it away. In mere seconds the ice shattered away from the mares, freeing the three of them gradually. The other two ponies panted and tried to get their bearings, as warm and fiery heart of magic formed above their heads. Clover struggled with the magic, but it allowed her to fill the cave with warmth and scare away the spirits. Leaving the three of them to fall to their flanks and admire the new magic.

"What was that?"Pansy asked while Clover finally manage to disconnect herself from the magic, yet the burning magical heart kept on warming them up.

"I didn't know Unicorns could do that…!"Smart Cookie admitted while watching the snow under their hooves start to melt away.

"I didn't either…! Nothing like this has ever happened before…!"Clover admitted as they watched the heart of burning magic work away the cold.

"That's because this is the magic of harmony! And it could only be achieved once the three tribes came together!"Came the sudden calls of a familiar voice from above, as they looked up to see an old friend.

The hidden prince himself was hopping and scaling down the ceiling of the cave. How he made it into the cave was beyond them, and how he survived the dark soul was an even greater mystery. But he was very much alive in their eyes, as he jumped through the fiery magic heart. They were then spooked by the sudden face of the necromancer himself, screaming and roaring at the human pony. But Orion only shook his head and snickered, for he was luring the enemy into a trap.

"You did it! The three of you solved the mystery and discovered the true magic of this world!"Orion exclaimed with deep pride and happiness for the three friends.

"Orion, look out! It's the necromancer!"Clover screamed while Orion only looked to the soul with a smirk.

"ORION!"Necrid roared, only to suddenly smash against the fiery heart of magic, and catch his ghostly face on fire.

The dark one first assessed the sudden magic that burned bright and nearly blinded his ancient eyes. Only to then feel the burning pain of fire burning his very soul and all it's darkness. He screamed like a demon and struggled against the flame while Orion began to cackle.

"What's wrong Necrid? Is the burning heart of harmony a bit much for you,"Orion mocked as the soul of the old enemy began to burn away and back off,"Your free roam of tyranny is at an end after three hundred long years! I do hope it was fun while it lasted, fiend!"

"ORION! I WILL…RETURN!"Necrid roared at them all before being forced to fly up and out of the mountain to retreat and try to escape the burning fires.

"And we will be ready…!"Orion spoke with a sigh and then slowly began to remove his hood for the mares.

They all remained in their place to see Orion's face, he truly was different in some stature. He walked on two legs, he only had hair on his head and a bit of a goatee stubble going. His hooves looked soft and weird, so many digits on the front ones and the back ones, and even they looked different. Not to mention he had no fur on the rest of his body, just some fair bare skin. He chuckled, as Clover felt a rush of happiness bursting from her very being to see him alive and well.

"You're alive…! When we saw the Windigos enter the cave, we thought you and your friends…"Clover started out while she also began to walk to the strange stallion.

"We are fine, Clover The Clever…! We are just happy that all of you have survived and discovered the true magic of Equestria,"Orion tried to explain how this new magic was made possible as Clover ran to him,"Together the three of you buried old differences and burned away the cold hatred that splintered you all for so long. This is the magic of harmony. The true magic of-"

Suddenly, he went quiet the moment Clover had then lunged for him and wrapped her hooves around him. Allowing Clover to crush him into a hug, showing off a shocking bit of affection. It felt unexpected at first, but when he thought about it, how could a friend like her not be worried for him? So the hidden prince slowly knelt down and wrapped her up into a hug as well. She smiled and found herself nestled against his shoulder, sharing one of the warmest hugs they ever had in a long time.

"Thank you… None of this would have ever been possible without a friend like you…"Clover let one more tear roll down her cheek and into his cloak.

"Friend… That is a word that I thought would be lost forever… But you and your new friends brought it back,"Orion replied and chose to embrace this warm hug for one more solid moment,"Our world can live again because of all of you…! Thank you. Thank you for showing heart and not giving up on us…"

Slowly the two friends parted from their hug, allowing Orion to stand tall. They both smiled each other as they let the warmth of the fire heart wash over them and take away more and more of the ice and snow. Even the tribe leaders were starting to melt away to freedom, but there was still time to kill.

"Hey! Why don't the two of you join us under the warming heart? Just until the snow and ice melts away?"Pansy offered them a seat next to herself and Smart Cookie.

"Yeah…! We gotta few stories and songs we can share till then."Smart Cookie offered some fun songs and stories to keep this warm spirit going between the four of them.

The hidden prince and Clover looked to each other, and gave a nod before looking to their new friends. They agreed, and sat with the two mares to get settled in for a bit. Thankfully, they did not have to wait too long for this burning heart to work some more magic on the ice and snow. After a sweet story and a song from Smart Cookie, as well as a beautiful melody from Pansy. Clover began to spin a story of how she met Star Swirl as a humble student, and how she met Orion.

As she spun the story, they were unaware of the leaders themselves coming to. As they regain consciousness and watched the ice melt and crumble off their stiff bodies. Hurricane was able to stretch his legs and shake off the effects of the big freeze with barely a struggle. Pudding Head needed to stretch her back and pound away at the stone under their hooves. While Platinum took a lazy way out and simply massaging her body with magic to get to going nice and easy.

Once they had readjusted to the struggle their bodies were under from being frozen. They looked around and saw the cave glowing with an odd but very enjoyable warmth to it. Everything was melting away the snow gave away to stone and crystals once more, it seemed like a miracle.

"We're alive…! Some how we survived the evil!"Hurricane exclaimed while trying to shield his weary eyes from the red and white light.

"But how? We were powerless to stop the Windigos…!"Platinum added while Pudding Head took off her hat and played with her mane nervously.

"And yet… You were willing to try and save me… Even when it seemed hopeless,"Pudding Head had to address the kindness that Hurricane offered by trying to save her,"Thank you…for your heroism commander Hurricane…! Thank you…"

"As I have said before… I do not wish such a fate on any pony, chancellor…"Hurricane kindly removed his helmet and bowed to the Earth pony with a show of respect.

"This… Always seemed an impossible feat…yet… We survived this… Together,"Platinum admitted while slowly turning to see the three assistants and the stranger sitting around the source of the warmth,"And I think I know who's responsible for making all this possible…"

"What in the name of the gods…is this warm light…?"Hurricane wondered as the three leaders approached the group.

And as they approached, they were able to listen in on the current story of Clover. And once they could listen in, Platinum was given a reveal that made her feel like a selfish fool. The story of how Clover nearly took her own life from jumping off a ledge, if not for her very first friend.

"At that moment… I was willing to give up hope… No pony else had hope, so why should I,"Clover explained while the three leaders sat before the group and listened,"But then he came… He reached out to me… Took my hoof up and showed me that there was still hope… And he talked me away from the edge…"

"All you needed to know was the will to never give up…! Because others never will,"Orion explained the meaning of never giving up no matter how dire things may seem,"So there's no reason for you to quit…"

"Indeed… Your majesty?"Clover spotted the leaders sitting before them, causing all of the group to look to the leaders.

"We… Wish to apologize and thank all of you for what you did… We were selfish."Platinum was willing to admit that they were in the wrong bout everything.

"We let an unnecessary hatred take hold of us and nearly destroy our people as well…"Hurricane joined in the admittance of guilt for their irrational actions.

"And we regret it most sincerely… Please forgive us…"Pudding Head begged for forgiveness from the stranger and their servants.

Orion sighed and looked to the new friends he made this day under the warming heart. Clover nodded, for it was time to end all the hatred and friction between all the ponies. So he turned to the leaders and nodded, for he too agreed that it was time to end this age of hate and survival.

"There's is nothing to forgive… Now please sit… Join us under this warm heart of Equestria's magic,"Orion insisted that the leaders joined him under the heart while he began to pull a little something out,"I was just about to play a little song for every pony before we leave this cave."

"You have the means of playing a son for us?"Smart Cookie asked before he then pulled out a large shard of crystal and held it like a flute.

"Yes… But please mind you that It's the only song I know… Usually this flute sounds like a dying Timbre wolf…"Orion admitted while testing out his crystal flute.

"Well then… It be a pleasure to hear a song from an age before our time, sir…!"Pansy admitted while Orion gave the flute a little quick clean up before starting.

"I second that…"Clover put a hoof to Orion's arm as he put his fingers into place with the flute.

"Thank you… This is to celebrate this day that the tribes at long last came together to save their true home,"Orion explained while licking his lips to prepare after one more bit of words to share,"The time has come… For me and my sisters to reveal who we really are…"

The ponies nodded and leaned in closer to listen to the man as he began. He got their curiosity going from the words that hinted at his true self being revealed to the group at last. And that would all begin the moment that he put his lips to the flute, and started to play an ancient harmonious song.

(Lugia's Song)

Their eyes immediately started to open wide and glitter from the spirits of their ancestors. This song spoke to the ponies as they listened to the tune, it was so peaceful, and so uplifting. It was almost enough to distract them from the snow and ice finally disappearing from every inch of the cave. While sunlight was then beginning to pour into the cave from a hollow opening in the ceiling. The icy barrier shattered, leaving them with a way to get out of the cave.

This rivaled the warmth of the magical heart as it then suddenly spiraled into a snake like shape. And flew up and out of the hollow hole, where it's warmth could now spread across the land. The prince knew better than to let the six ponies miss this spectacle of harmony. So as he continued playing the song, his magic began to spiral around the group, and cover them in a dome of magic. Before he then let his eyes glow with red and white magic, causing them to teleport out of the cave.

At first they saw nothing but bright blinding light, but another second in the magic changed that. For they then suddenly found themselves outside and next to a beautiful small oasis. It was complete with a small waterfall, glistening grass, flowers and a spot of wildlife. But the true spectacle came in the form of what was occurring to the land itself. While Orion still continued playing his song, the six ponies witnessed the power of the warming heart of magic.

As it spread all over the once snow covered land, allowing green fields to grow once more. The very air was now becoming fair and gentle, the blistering cold was fading away at last. They could see birds returning to the land in the distance from the south, as a rainbow began to reach over the mountain. The sun had then began to really shine down upon them, offering comforting warmth. But this was not done by the magical heart, this was done by two other magical beings.

Pudding Head and Hurricane pointed to the sky to get the other's attention. Allowing for every pony to see the other two strange ponies circling around the rays of sun with gold and blue magic. This great magic had brought forth a new and very powerful sun that began to part the snowy clouds. While it's powerful raise melted away any lingering ice and snow that tried to mask the natural beauty of the land. The two mares looked down and saw the group waving to the, this made the sisters smile.

Once the sun was able to work on it's own, the time had finally come to shed their garments. They tossed their cloaks to the sky and let down their blue and pink manes that barely covered any bit of their horns. While they sprouted their wings to reveal that they were not Unicorns, nor were they Pegasi. And once Clover looked behind herself to check Orion, she gasped to see that he had sprung red glowing wings of his own. Slowly he then began to stand while his sisters then began to make their descent.

They allowed their magic to glitter all over the land and bless it with purity and more harmony. The sisters giggled and enjoyed the flight down to the six ponies that no longer bared hate in their hearts. They did circles and loops through the skies and through some small clouds for fun. Before they had then passed over the heads of the group and landed right next to their brother. They gave their wings a flap and folded them back in while smiling to their new friends, as Orion slowly ended the song.

With that, he merely smiled to the friends along side his two sisters that continued giggling. While the ponies remained bewildered by the sight of two ponies that were both gifted in flight, and magic. And their magic was the strongest thing they had ever witnessed, what were they?

"Greetings, friends. My name is prince Orion, first born son of the royal family, and warrior of Equestria!"Orion introduced his true self to his new friends as they all tried to control their shock.

"I am princess Celestia…! Second born to the family and bringer of the day…!"Celestia kindly introduced while Hurricane sweated with tempted infatuation by the day princess.

"And I am princess Luna. The youngest of the royal family, and bringer of the night…!"Luna was last to introduce herself, but she was no less a marvel to look at.

"We are Alicorns! Magical ponies with the gift of flight, magic, and strength,"Orion explained what they were as the ponies slowly approached them with shaky hooves,"We once safe guarded and ruled this ancient land, before Necrid Ghoul destroyed it and forced us to leave it behind…"

"But then all of you came…! And together you brought our home back to us…!"Celestia was joyful and had tears ready to leave her eyes from the gratitude.

"For that we thank you…! All of you! We are eternally grateful to every last one of you!"Luna expressed more gratitude, before the siblings were met with a surprising answer.

Every pony had suddenly then bowed to them, the leaders never bothered to put their helmets and crowns on. They chose to remain humble in the eyes of the three siblings to respect them. They felt so stupid before, after how they behaved in front of the three members of royalty before. It felt like the leaders owed them so much more than they could ever be owed from the siblings. So they bowed to their hooves, even the three assistants did so, until Orion would be the one to end such an unnecessary show of respect.

"Please…! Rise, every pony. There's no need to bow to us. This is merely a momentous means of celebration,"Orion insisted as the ponies got to their hooves but did not dare to put their head wares back on while in the presence of true royalty,"Equestria's magic has returned and it's growing in a way that it has not done so before. We must go to our castle within the Ever Free forest to discuss the future of Equestria…!"

"You are all invited to come with us. We could use the aid of you wonderful ponies to help this home grow."Celestia insisted that they wanted help to start making this world a home once more.

"What say you? Do all of you wish to join us in rebuilding our old home as one,"Luna asked while the leaders were silently nodding with respect and a new found sense of humility,"Together we will bring your people in and usher in a new age for every pony. An age of happiness, harmony, and friendship between ALL ponies!"

"Your majesties… It would be an honor to assist you all in making this world a home for all ponies…"Hurricane humbly stated and kindly kissed the hoof of Luna while the other chuckled at the hot heads sudden humility.

"Then there is no time to delay. Follow me… And I will take you all to our home."Celestia decided to be the one to lead the group as she took to the skies slow and steady.

With that, most of the ponies chose to follow Celestia down the mountain and to the forest. Luna followed the group from behind while Orion chose to stick around and watch them from afar. For he now felt at peace, his home would now have a brighter future coming it's way. And the evils that once dwelled through the land would slowly fade and burn away to this new found harmony. He crossed his arms and happily sighed, before he then noticed that one pony did not go with the group.

Clover was still standing before him, but this time she stood at the edge of the oasis. Peering out to the great land that would be her home, hope was never more stronger within her heart. A new age was beginning, and she got to not only be a part of it, but she would help make it so. She sighed with relief, and opened her eyes to gleaming sunlight that made the grass glitter from below. While Orion walked to her side and looked out to the land with her with a smile.

"Will you need assistance from that ledge this time around?"Orion asked and suddenly extended his hand to her once more while she only giggled softly.

"No… There's…no time for giving up now… We have a new home to start building,"Clover replied while looking out over the land that they would all share together,"It's beautiful… A home where Unicorns, Pegasi, and Earth ponies can live and play together in peace…"

"And it was made possible thanks to you… To the very end you never gave up, and with the help of your friends… You've freed this world from an ancient evil,"Orion admitted as he had a moment of thought and decided that Clover deserved a token of his gratitude,"I'm eternally grateful for everything you did for me… Star Swirl is going to eat his words over this… Hehe."

Clover gave a small chuckle to his joke, before she was then presented with a gift. A rectangular rod of glowing red crystal slowly sheathed out of the prince's wrist . He grasped it, and offered it to her after taking a kneel to the Unicorn that would go on to be famous beyond current imagination. Not only that, she would be one of the greatest friends Orion would ever know.

"I want you to have this… As a token of friendship… Only one other was able to be trusted with this,"Clover's eyes sparkle at the shine of the crystal while Orion explained the meaning behind the crystal,"This crystal holds a piece of my very life force… And I'm willing to trust you with my life. If you wish to have it…"

Clover put a hoof to her heart, this prince, once a great warrior to this ancient land. He was now offering a piece of his very life to her as a token of their blossoming friendship. She swallowed a bit to contain her shock and a great honor that burned within the heart of the young Unicorn. Her hoof felt weak for a moment when she tried to grab it, she even hesitated for a solid moment. Once she was able to release a deep breath, the smile only grew bigger as she grasped his hand, and the crystal.

"It would be an honor to carry a part of your life with me… To the very end of my days,"Clover stated as the crystal glowed even brighter between them, and started to overwhelm Orion's vision,"Thank you, Orion… Prince Orion… My friend…!"

A that moment, it all came to an end for the prince, the memory was finally over. He watched as the light surrounded him, and the shard that was in his forehead began to fall out. Disconnecting him from this memory he held for so long, he began to quickly breath with concern. As he watched the images of the old world break apart to spiraling and swirling red and white lights. Orion backed away as the lights changed the very floor under his feet, turning from stone to wood.

---

Present

Finally, as the shard hit the wooden floor, the lights vanished from all around him. Leaving the prince to once again stand before a crowd of ponies on the theaters stage. He looked around, and saw that in place of Clover The Clever, there he could now see Twilight Sparkle. She held his hand, and a sudden rod of crystal that glowed with a strange light, one that was not his own life. He and Twilight looked into each other's eyes, for it was as if they both experienced this iconic memory.

Twilight could see true emotion and eyes that meant everything that he acted out in this place. It was as if he truly was reliving that time that he and his sisters brought the ponies back to Equestria. While Orion himself expressed and grew a friendship with Clover, and Twilight was able to experience the birth of that friendship personally.

"I never thought I could see such a friendship bloom… At such a time…"Twilight quietly admitted as Orion began to breath slow and heavily to calm himself down from the experience.

"And so… The three leaders, with the help of the three royal siblings agreed to share the beautiful land,"Spike decided to conclude the story of Equestria's rediscovery for the crowd,"They rebuilt the wondrous land and lived in harmony ever afterwards. And to commemorate this land's rebirth, they chose to give it the true name it kept for so long!"

"Equestria!"Twilight's friends all announced the name of the land they loved.

"Equestria!"Celestia and Luna joined in the cheer for the home they loved forever more.

"Equestria…!"Twilight and Orion said together as the crowd of ponies stood up and cheered for the conclusion.

The fire of friendship live in our hearts! As long as it burns, we cannot drift apart! Though quarrels arise, their numbers are few! Laughter and singing will see us through! We are a circle of pony friends! A circle of friends we'll be to the very end!

Orion listened to the cheers of the crowd, and the song of the chorus. Even after well over a thousand years, these ponies still held this holiday close to their hearts. Even it's origins were deeply respected and it meant that the friends he made in that age would never be forgotten. He then looked to Twilight, the mare that was willing to help him remember the true treasure he gained from that age. The very meaning of Hearts Warming that he would keep for all eternity.

"Keep this… As a token of my friendship… For helping me remember what this holiday was truly about,"Orion released the crystal, and allowed Twilight to keep it with her as a means of gratitude,"And for reminding me of the good times I had with my friend…"

Twilight accepted the crystal, while Orion had then decided to leave for the back stage. Leaving the mares to finish up with the play and see the ponies out of the theater for the holidays. Once he was alone, he needed to go to the window and open them up for some fresh air. Where he could also get a beautiful view of ponies outside singing carols around the three old statues of Clover and her two friends. He slowly smiled, knowing that the spirit could never be higher for Hearts Warming.

He got at least a few minutes to admire the spirit that grew around the entire city. Before he then heard the entire group of mares enter the back stage full of loving gossip about the play. His own sisters even came back with them, along with a slightly tipsy Shadow Swirl, thanks to a few eggnog's. He looked out to the corner of his eye and and kept a smile going for his friends. For they could only express how happy they were to play the part of this iconic time in history.

"We are so honored to have been chosen by you to play these historical ponies,"Twilight admitted to her mentor while slowly looking to the Hearts Warming gift Orion gave her,"Do you truly think we exemplify what good friends really are?"

"I do… And all of you reminded us of the friends we treasured in that new age,"Celestia admitted as her and Luna turned to their silent but peaceful brother,"And we're all grateful that you could let us relive that magical moment in history…"

"Well…! Now that it's all over…! What say we all head out to that party at the castle,"Shadow suggested before stumbling a bit onto Luna, making the night princess have to hold her up till she got her balance again,"My gosh… I can let the children see me like this…! I need a nap before I do any partying…!"

"Indeed you do, Shadow…!"Luna laughed while Shadow took notice of Orion still deep in thought about the past.

She then looked around till she caught Twilight looking at the crystal she was given. It was then that she noticed something about the crystal, it did in fact have a sliver of life in it. But it also had something else, tiny images that the naked eye could barely see at first glance. It got her interest as she slowly walked to keep her balance, till she was able to make it over to Twilight to investigate.

"Hey…! Let me see that crystal for a sec…! There's something up about it,"Shadow leaned against Twilight, and Twilight needed to look away to avoid her breath while she checked out the crystal,"Sorry about that…! This crystal… It's got more than life in it… Oh…! I see what those images are…!"

"Well… What are they…?"Twilight looked back to see what Shadow saw, and within the crystal she saw images of Clover the Clever.

Shadow chuckled and and patted Twilight's back before leaning her towards Orion. She pointed him out and chuckled again, for only he could unlock those sacred memories in the crystal.

"Take that to him…! He'll show you something that you all deserve to see… Something beautiful…"Shadow insisted and kept pointing to Orion as his ears twitched to hear them talking about him.

"Ok…"Twilight did not hesitate to do just that as she then walked over to him with the crystal.

She did not expect her friends and the royal sisters to follow her, but they were more than welcome. She kept a firm grip on the crystal as it glowed in her hoof, it had a lot to show her. And only Orion could release the images within, and show them a sight that would make friendship mean so much more. She stopped just an inch from the prince, and looked to the crystal one more time. Before she then got to his side, and extended the crystal out till it was in front of him.

"I was told that you could show what was in this crystal… There's something else in it,"Twilight explained as Orion stood tall and looked into the crystal, his eyes widened at the images it held,"Would you care to show us what's inside?"

"I already know what these are… But… I suppose you all deserve to see this for yourselves,"Orion responded and slowly held Twilight's hoof and the crystal as it became filled with bright white lights,"Brace yourself… For this is why I will always value… A true friendship…"

With that, rays of light began to shine through the crystal and make the room glow. Before a great crystal dome surrounded them and began to spark images of ponies of all races. As well as a city that was currently being built for all, and Clover was currently overseeing this construction with Orion.

(My Heart Will Go On, Celine Dion)

The ponies watched as Clover was putting together a library full of new and old books. Many of which would help the Unicorns of the future, and Orion was there to help her. As he used his crystals as an adhesive for a hold that would help the building survive the strongest storms. They all gasped and stared in awe, their hearts already growing warm and light from the friendship. Especially after Orion broke a piece of wood that fell off and split in two against his head.

Clover laughed hard at his durability and his oblivious nature to the sudden mishap. And once they had started to paint the library, Orion decided to have some fun with her. A simple wave of a brush painted a sky blue streak over her cheek, she responded with a playful smirk at first. And then she got some revenge and tackled him into an Earth pony's hay stack and painting both of his cheeks and nose white. They laughed together, embracing the fun that helped them create a library her and Star Swirl would use every day.

Twilight fell to her flank and grasped her heart, as they went on to another memory. To see such happiness between a prince and a talented young Unicorn, it was a true show of friendship. One that blossomed in an age of hate and struggles for survival, it only got better as they moved on. As Orion showed the Unicorn friend castle suite that Clover could use at any time she wished. It was complete wit tools for learning, and books that surrounded the walls for her to read.

She even had a nice bed to sleep on and a desk where she could do her studies. Clover responded by turning to him and jumping to the prince to hug him tightly for this gift. And the day after that, she had given him the gift of a thick plush robe for when he needed to go outside in the winter. It would serve him for hundreds of years and prevent the prince from freezing or catching an ailment. He was forever grateful for the kind gesture, that was the first official Hearts Warming holiday they spent together.

Then it all turned to a memory some were familiar with from stories Orion had spoken of. The time that himself, Clover, and his old friend Discord embarked on an adventure to destroy the life gem of Necrid Ghoul. The very last item that kept his soul intact, and could help rebuild his physical body and true power. Together they took it to Mt Ghoul, a dark mountain where Necrid's true power came from. It's miasma served as the gems destroyer, for only a weapon of pure death could destroy pure life.

At the very end, they had barely made it with their lives, and watched Necrid fade away for good. Before Sombra, the apprentice of Orion himself saved them from the deathly miasma itself. Clover and Discord never left the near fatally wounded prince's side, till he awoke days later. Far away from the dead landscape, where they all celebrated their friendship's victory over a pure evil fiend. She still stayed at his side days later, when Discord had to leave them behind out of fear of becoming an enemy.

But Clover would never stop believing that Discord was more good than evil. And she would never stop being his friend, no matter how far Discord would fall in the future. This was held in great regard to the ponies and the princesses, as the memory finally changed to an eternal affair. Something shocking, something that even Celestia and Luna were not aware of. Clover had spoken with Platinum, and admitted that she was growing feelings for prince Orion.

But the princess and her friends with heavy hearts needed to drill a sad truth into her. She was a mortal, and Orion was an immortal, she could never live a life of love with him. For she would grow old, and die, and he'd be around to pick up the pieces of his broken heart to see her go. To fall for him, and live one life time with the prince as his betrothed and beloved. It would be a pointless act of love that should not be forced onto an immortal, Clover did not take it well.

It took the five ponies telling Orion everything for a solution to be made for the endeavor. The solution was simple, he went looking for Clover and found her at a balcony once more. She was crying, but at the very least, she had no dark thoughts of giving up on this life. He spoke to her and offered her a hoof back inside, where he could tell her one thing that would save their happiness.

"I do love you… And no matter what… I'd gladly spend a life time of love with you if I could,"Orion himself spoke in front of his friends with shaky voice as tears began to form in his eyes,"But our friendship is special… And I'd never want to ruin something as special… As this…"

This healed the love stricken mare from her bleeding heart that struggled to accept friendship rather than love. It did not stop the from dancing together during yet another Hearts Warming. To see a civil end to a deep and very complex situation, it was enough to make anything possible. Orion curled his hands into fists, letting tears flow like tiny streams down the sides of his face. As the next memory came, showing off a much old Clover the Clever, she looked to be in her fifties.

And a mare in her fifties isn't exactly safe in the chaos she was currently in. She was currently destroying an old conduit belonging to an old griffon spirit that was once assassinated by the warriors. As Orion fought the spirit off to buy her time to destroy the conduit and banish the spirit. It had thrown a spear pass Orion, leaving Clover in the path of the weapon's lethal touch. But Orion would not let Clover be skewered by such a dark weapon, so he jumped in front of her and took it.

For a moment, he had fallen in front of Clover and died right before her aged eyes. She screamed and mourned, pounding at the stone floor to see her friend dead at her hooves. But in light of her grief, a hope was then presented once she remembered an old token of her and Orion's friendship. The spirit came in, but her magic at that age was unmatched, it even dared to surpass Star Swirl. So she was able to suppress the spirit against a wall, and pull out the rod of crystal, the gift that never left her side.

The spirit struggled and pecked at the shield that held him in place, he was determine to slay Orion and his friend. As Clover lifted the rod up like a sacrificial knife, as the spirit poked a hole in the shield. Allowing him to enter and go for the kill, but the moment the rod went into Orion's chest. The sliver of life it held was brought back into the one that dispensed it, and his heart began to beat again. And in the face of danger, Orion awoke in an instant and took up the conduit.

Before roaring and plunging his sword through the conduit and the spirit as well. At that moment, the conduit shattered and the spirit screeched and burned away before imploding. As it was finally banished to the dark abyss that awaited it's arrival, even when stricken with age, Clover could still fight. But the next and final memory, is where it all finally ended, a memory Orion had told the others of. The day Clover made the Elements Of Harmony, and died holding them gems in her hooves.

It felt a bit morbid to them, as they watched Orion enter her suite where she worked. What started out as a miracle creation of the gems that would harness pure friendship and harmony. It all turned to sadness, once Orion had moved her hoof and saw her simply go limp in his grasp. He knew she was dead after feeling her neck and feeling no pulse, but at least she got to live a full and long life. There was so much she would be remembered for, and he knew that for a fact this day.

As his past self carried Clover to her bed and laid her down to rest before leaving the room. He was going to tell his sisters what had happened to her friend, but what he did not share was what happened when he left the room. Almost after five steps away from the door, he broke down right there. He slammed against the wall and slowly slid down to his flank, where he then started to cry. For the reality of what happened was now more clear, his friend had finally passed away as a proud mortal.

This was the curse of immortality that he needed to accept, no matter how much it hurt. And at the very least, he would remember Clover forever more for the friendship him and her shared. So he sat there and cried for the longest time, the most he had ever cried since he himself was forced to put his cursed father down. Before he would go to his sisters and prepare to give Clover a proper burial. At that moment, the flow of memories began to vanish in shimmers of light and magic.

The crystal then dimmed, but the light of life never left it as they all stood their. Every pony but Applejack and Shadow were full of tears, watching the cycle of true friendship come to an end. Twilight fried her eyes, only to see Orion's hand tremble as it held onto the crystal and her hoof. Once she looked up, that was when she got to see something she had yet to see from the prince. Real tears of grief flowing, as he choked on sobs and tried control the mix of sadness and joy.

He held her hoof tight while using his free hand to wipe his eyes and his nose. Till he could finally end his weeping for Clover, after a minute, he was able to look to a sweet smiling Twilight. She looked at him with sympathy, and a sense of respect for showing what he had truly felt this whole time. He breathed heavily and placed a hand onto Twilight's hooves, he then swallowed his sobs. Before giving her one more small smile full of gratitude, not just for what she did for him, but for simply being his friend.

"Thank you… Twilight Sparkle… Happy Hearts Warming… My friend…!"He manage to say with ease as he and all the other ponies got to enjoy the spirit of Hearts Warming together, the spirit… Of friendship…

And here it is, Hearts Warming Eve, and just in time for the holidays every pony. Hope you enjoy this take on the episode, a lot needed to go in this to get every one into the spirit. If there's one thing you need to take from this, it's important that you enjoy the holidays with the ones you love. No matter what you are or what you celebrate or eat or anything. Know that being with friends and family, and spreading the holiday spirit is the most important thing in the world. So with that, I hope you all enjoy the holidays to the fullest, and please stay pony every one.