Ponyville. One of the most peaceful places in Equestria. It is home to ponies who wish to live simple lives. It has been through many problems here and there, but a group of special ponies solved all of them up to today. Now, there is a castle at the edge of Ponyville, where those special ponies reside in once in a while, the Castle of Friendship. These ponies are:
Applejack, an Earth Pony who believes in honest hard work and always tells the truth most of the time. She is the Element of Honesty.
Pinkie Pie, a happy, random and hyperactive Earth Pony who likes to make everypony laugh and smile. She is the Element of Laughter.
Fluttershy, a shy Pegasus who is kind to everypony including the animals, unless the situation has her doing otherwise. She is the Element of Kindness.
Rainbow Dash, a proud Pegasus who dreams of being the best flyer in Equestria and never leaves her friends hanging. She is the Element of Loyalty.
Rarity, a Unicorn fashion designer who gives anything to anypony and does not expect a reward in return. She is the Element of Generosity.
And Twilight Sparkle, an eagerly smart Alicorn who at first likes to study and didn't have time for friends, aside from the company of her assistant, Spike the baby dragon, but she had learned so much about friendship and continues to study it with her friends. She is the Princess of Friendship and the Element of Magic.
What's that? What is it about these Elements being spoken of, and what do they have to do with these special ponies? Good question.
They are called, the Elements of Harmony. They are a powerful source of magic known throughout the ages, and they are rarely used if in dire need. Twilight and her friends used them to stop evil forces that dare to do harm on Equestria.
The first time they used them was to defeat Nightmare Moon, a being who wanted the night to last forever. The last time they used them was to give them back to the Tree of Harmony, where they came from in the first place, to prevent Ponyville's fate of being overcome by the roots of Everfree Forest.
After defeating a mighty evil, the Tree of Harmony's magic created the Castle of Friendship, where Twilight and her friends spread the meaning of friendship across Equestria and continue to do so to this day.
Now, the most recent events had happened. Twilight had to stop a unicorn called Starlight Glimmer from altering the timeline of Twilight's friends earning their cutie marks. She reached out to Starlight and offered to teach her about friendship. Twilight then notices that one of her friends in another world was trying to contact her, so she went there to sort it out, only to meet her counterpart which she finds it to be the most strangest thing that ever happened to her.
It is up to that point that the story can go in many different directions in the view of many different eyes. This is one of them.
Inside the library of the Castle of Friendship, a mare unicorn looking worried sits in front of a mirror that is connected by wires to a large device, which at the top of it is a book mounted on it. She has purple-blue eyes, a mane of two shades of purple with some aquamarine highlights, a heliotrope coat and a cutie mark of a purple and white star with two blue glimmering streams.
This is Starlight Glimmer, the pony that used to have a twisted view on equality because of how a friend of hers gained his cutie mark before she did until Twilight convinced her to give friendship a chance. Even though she made amends with the Mane Six and everypony else, Starlight still feels remorse for her actions and wonders what else she can do to earn forgiveness.
Then, a little baby dragon enters the library. He has mulberry scales with a light grey underbelly and lime green ears, harlequin spikes and pistachio eyes. He sees Starlight's worried face and is concerned. "Starlight? Are you okay?"
Starlight turns her head to see the dragon. "Yes, Spike. Just worried, that's all."
Spike walks over to Starlight and stands beside her. "About Twilight? She'll be fine. Me and her went to that world to help our counterpart friends twice. Once she settles things there she'll come back."
"I'm not worried about that," said Starlight, "I'm worried that I may not be forgiven yet for what I did to the timeline of your friends earning their cutie marks."
Hearing that, Spike put is claw on Starlight's shoulder. "I know what that's like. But you admitted that what you did was wrong and they forgave you for it. Admitting what you done isn't easy, but that's the first step in earning forgiveness."
"But what if I don't earn everypony's forgiveness?" asked Starlight.
"That depends on how long you put an effort to show how sorry you are for your actions." replied Spike. "Don't worry about the past. For now, you should be happy that you have friends who will be there for you."
"Profound words ever spoken, if I say so myself." an elegant voice said.
"Darn-tootin'." a southern drawl voice said.
Starlight and Spike turned to see two ponies entering the library and walking toward them. One is a mare unicorn with an elegant and groomed mane and tail in many shades of indigo and violet, a light gray coat, has azure eyes with bluish gray eyeshadow make up, and a cutie mark of three blue lozenge diamonds. The other is a mare Earth pony with sap green eyes, a light olive mane and tail with a little red band on each of the ends, a light gamboge coat, wears a Stetson hat on her head and has a cutie mark of three red apples.
"Howdy, Applejack. H-hello, Rarity." Spike greeted the two ponies, the latter to which he did bashfully. Ever since Spike had a crush on Rarity and how much she appreciated all he did for her, their relationship as friends has been going great. Whether or not it could evolve more remains to be seen. "Uh, 'pro-found?'"
"As in a heartfelt and wise statement." said Rarity.
"What she said." said Applejack.
"Aw, shucks." Spike blushed.
"Hey, girls." greeted Starlight. "What brings you here?"
"Jus' checkin' on ya an' if Twilight made it back yet." Applejack looked at the mirror. "No dice, Ah reckon."
"Yeah." said Spike. "The Crystal Mirror hasn't been active lately since Twilight left."
Starlight looked back at the Crystal Mirror. "It's strange. I had no idea there was another world that can be accessed willingly."
"It is a divine experience, darling." replied Rarity. "But sometimes there are consequences for doing so if you are not careful."
Starlight looked at Rarity confused. "Like what?"
"Like super duper BIG consequences!" a cheerful voiced yelled.
Starlight let out a squeak as she heard the voice and looked to who said that. Standing in front of her is a pink coated mare Earth Pony with cerulean eyes, a puffy raspberry mane and tail and a cutie mark consisting of two blue balloons with yellow strings and a yellow balloon with a blue string over the other ones.
As Starlight catches her breath, the pink mare giggles. "Pinkie Pie," huffed Starlight, "sometimes I don't know how you do that, but how big are the consequences?"
"They're simple, really," Pinkie bounced, and like really bounced, around Starlight and Spike. "Princess Celestia and Princess Luna explained that the Crystal Mirror leads to a new world but it can't handle having probably three or more ponies, or a cute little baby dragon since Spike went there, in that world because it could lead to an unbalance of both worlds like how we end up meeting our counterparts or how something in that world opened portals to this world!"
Pinkie then stared at Starlight closely making the latter feel uneasy. "And if that's not weird enough, those kinds of things happening too many times can leave both worlds in a big mess! And if they are in a mess, they would be so big that there will be no time to throw parties, no celebrating, no cake, no presents, no ANYTHING!"
Spike then stepped in between Pinkie and Starlight. "Okay, Pinkie, we get the picture. You've made your point with Starlight far enough."
Pinkie notices that Starlight is nervous. "Oh, sorry." Pinkie giggles and steps back.
"All of that is nothin' ta be worryin' about, sugarcube." said Applejack. "If ya keep yer eye on the target and not goof off, you'll be able to-"
WHOOSH! POW!
Applejack gets cut off when something, or somepony, crashes into her from behind, surprising everypony in the library. After skidding on the floor a bit near the Crystal Mirror, Applejack looks up annoyingly at the pony that 'crash landed' into her. It is a light cyan mare Pegasus with moderate cerise eyes, a mane and tail having the colors of a rainbow and a cutie mark of a blue-yellow-red lightning bolt under a cloud. The cyan mare chuckle sheepishly at what she did.
"Whoops, uh, sorry?" said the Pegasus.
"Dagnabbit, Rainbow Dash!" Applejack pushed off the mare. "What have Ah told ya 'bout flyin' at top speed that results in crashin' into somepony?"
"Really now," Rarity adjusted her mane with a frustrated look on her face. "the wind that follows you around could've ruffled my coiffure!"
"Hey, I was just practicing my new method of flying into this part of the castle in ten seconds flat!" Rainbow Dash dusted herself off. "But I keep falling short of the record due to many sharp turns."
"And nearly bumping into somepony?" Spike said as he helped Starlight up to her hooves.
Starlight then notices another mare Pegasus walking, not flying, into the library. She has moderate cyan eyes, a light yellow coat, a pink mane and tail and a cutie mark of three butterflies with cyan bodies and pink wings. Unlike other ponies, her eyes show that she is shy. She sees what has happened in concern.
"Oh my," said the shy mare, "I hope anypony here isn't hurt by Rainbow Dash's, um, 'method.'"
"Nope! Everypony here's a-okay, Fluttershy!" Pinkie jumped up and down a bit. "Funny. We keep popping up in here one by one or two by two or two by one! First Applejack and Rarity, then me, then Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy! If another pony came in, this chain reaction would be supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
Everypony looks at Pinkie bewildered by the last word she said, which she notices. "What?"
"I don't think that last word you said is a real one." said Starlight.
Pinkie moved in beside Starlight's head. "Not if you heard the story of the magical mare nanny!"
Pinkie then laughed while the other ponies and Spike chuckled nervously.
Then, the Crystal Mirror started to glow, which caught everypony's attention. Through the mirror stepped out a mare Alicorn. She has violet eyes, a lilac coat, a dark sapphire blue mane and tail with some violet and rose streaks and a cutie mark of a pink six pointed sparkle with five small white sparkles surrounding it. She looks at everypony in the library.
"A-ha!" said Pinkie. "I nailed my theory on the spot!"
"Twilight!" Spike ran towards Twilight and gave her a hug which she returns the gesture. "Boy, am I glad that you're back!"
"Oh, Spike," replied Twilight, "I wasn't gone for too long." They broke the hug. The other ponies aside from Starlight gathered around Twilight.
"How did things go over there, sugarcube?" asked Applejack.
"Did you have a swell time with our counterparts?" asked Pinkie.
"Do they have new fashion ideas that are inspiring?" asked Rarity.
"Did they ask how awesome I am?" asked Rainbow Dash.
"Calm down, girls!" said Twilight. "One at a time."
"Um, did you help Sunset Shimmer with what was troubling her, if you don't mind me asking?" Fluttershy asked while drawing circles on the floor.
"Well, Sunset was contacting me about helping with answering her problems," explained Twilight, "so when I got there, I explained that I was sorry for not replying to her messages because I was busy trying to prevent a time loop hole. I stated that it was the strangest thing to ever happen to me, until I met my counterpart."
The group is taken aback by the last sentence. "Fascinating." Rarity is in awe of this explanation. "Did she look mostly like you?"
"Aside from her clothes, hairstyle and glasses, yes she does." answered Twilight. "Anyway, me, her, Sunset and your counterparts had a conversation on what the deal is of our two worlds being connected and what happened during the times me and Spike were there."
Starlight then entered the group. "This Sunset Shimmer. Was she mostly like me?"
Twilight, Spike and the other ponies looked at Starlight in concern. "Well, how do I put this nicely?" Twilight pondered. "Her reasons for what she did were different from what yours were and she felt sorry for what she did while you accepted my offer willingly. Why?"
"I just wondered...what did she do to earn forgiveness for what she did." said Starlight.
"Come now, sugarcube." Applejack put her hoof onto Starlight's shoulder. "We all know how bummed you are 'bout what ya did, but that was then and this is now. All of us are friends now, and friends always help each other out."
Starlight looks at the ponies and Spike. They have reassuring faces and nods to accompany them. She then smiles. "Thanks, everypony. I may still feel remorse for my actions, but I promise that I won't let that slow me and my new friends down."
"That's the spirit!" Rainbow Dash lifted to the air. "Hate to cut this short, but I have some new stunts to practice on at the lake! Lemme know when you want to watch me be awesome!"
Rainbow Dash then 'dashes' off through one of the library windows.
"Um, I'll be at my cottage if you like some caretaking lessons for my animal friends. Bye." Fluttershy bowed to Starlight and walked to the library exit.
"If ya like some work," Applejack tips her hat, "then Sweet Apple Acres could use an extra hoof for the harvestin'. Later, partner." She walks to the exit.
"There's some new recipes I want to test out at Sugarcube Corner!" Pinkie hugged Starlight hard, making it hard for the unicorn to breathe until Pinkie released her. "And you're invited to help me out with them anytime! Oh, and there will be a 'Twilight returns from the other world' party planned by the one and only Pinkie Pie! That's me! Bye!" Pinkie bounced to the exit.
"Be sure to drop on by at Carousel Boutique." Rarity stroked her mane. "I'd like a look at my latest work of dresses when you model them for me. Ta-ta!" She starts to leave.
"Bye, Rarity!" Spike waved goodbye to Rarity.
She turned to look at Spike. "Bye to you as well, my little Spikey-wikey." Rarity flutters her eyelids and exits as Spike sighs dreamingly.
"'Spikey-wikey?'" Starlight asks.
"That's a little story for another time." Twilight chuckles a bit. "So, shall we begin your defensive spell practicing?"
"That would be great." Starlight smiled. She, Twilight and Spike then leave the library to start practicing on Starlight's spells. Starlight feels a bit better considering how her friends invited her to do some things with them, and that feeling may be just what she will be satisfied with for now.
Canterlot. The capital city of Equestria, where many high class ponies live and prosper in their wealth and fame. Beside the city is a large castle carved into the side of a mountain, where the two royal Alicorn sisters reside.
Inside the throne room sits a large Alicorn named Princess Celestia. She has a white coat, a majestically flowing mane and tail of pink and other shades of blue, has pale magenta eyes, wears a golden crown and front guard with purple jewels in them and light gold shoes on her hooves. She is worried about something, and never before had she been this worried since the other times Equestria was in danger.
"Celestia?" a mare voice called. Celestia looked up to see another Alicorn that is a little taller than other ponies yet smaller than Celestia entering the throne room. She has dark cyan eyes, a dark blue mane and tail with a gray persian blue outline flowing in the same manner as Celestia's, a dark blue coat, light sapphire blue eyeshadow on her eyelids, wears light purple-blue shoes, a black crown and front guard having a picture of a crescent moon on it, and has a cutie mark of a crescent moon on a dark purple background. She is concerned about Celestia's current mood. "Are you sensing what I sense as well?"
"Princess Luna," responded Celestia, "you are correct. Something stirs from afar, something that I have not felt in a very long time."
"I am not familiar with this presence," Luna feels a little intimidated by this worrisome feeling. "yet it sends shivers of fear down to my hooves."
"But I am, and I have every reason to fear it as you do, my young sister." said Celestia.
"But, if you and I sense it, shouldn't Cadance and Twilight do so, too?" asked Luna.
"I'm afraid not," replied Celestia, "Despite both of them being Alicorns, they have been so in a very short time, Cadance being so in a few years and Twilight had way less than that. Thus, their magic level is not developed in a way that both of ours have."
"Well, yes. That is true." Luna looked up to her sister in worry. "About that presence. May I ask, what happened...after my punishment you put on me?"
"Not now, but until I am sure of what we are facing, I will tell you and Twilight and her friends what I know." Celestia looked to the balcony on her right where the sun hangs over the mountains from afar, more worried than before. "I just hope that all of Equestria...and the world is fully prepared for what will be the most dreadful event ever to happen."
Very far southwest from Ponyville, there is a land called the Badlands, where a long single river runs through it, the ground looks cracked beyond belief, and few brown odd shaped mountains are everywhere. In the highest mountain of them all, there is a cave, large enough to fill a town.
Inside it are creatures flying about and doing nothing out of the ordinary. They look like ponies, but have characteristics of insects. Their coats are bluish gray, their manes are greenish black and have reflection-less arctic blue eyes. These are the Changelings, evil creatures that take the form of anypony and feed on the love of those they take form.
On a throne-like rock sits a taller and feminine Changeling. She has a dark cerulean mane and tail, a very dark gray coat, harlequin eyes with grayish opal pupils and very deep opal eyeshadow on her eyelids. She looks similar to an Alicorn, but with transparent insect wings, hole like legs, and a twisted chopped up horn. She has a bored look on her face and sighs.
"What has come to this?" said the large Changeling. "I, Queen Chrysalis, have thought of nothing to dominate all of Equestria since the last time me and my minions battled Twilight and her dear little friends at the Crystal Empire."
Chrysalis then went off the throne, feeling frustrated by the minute. "If I can't come up with a plan soon, I'll have to bash my head into these cave walls out of sheer madness!"
Suddenly, a dark soothing voice was heard in the echo of the cave. "How dreadful that would be."
Chrysalis and her minions are alerted to the voice. "Who's there?" shouted Chrysalis. "Show yourself, foal!"
The voice laughed in a way that made the minions feel intimidated. "Come now, no need to be alarmed. I just like to discuss some very grand business with you."
Then, black smoke whooshed in from the entrance of the cave and swirled around in front of Chrysalis who is surprised. The smoke dissipates, and there stood a stallion unicorn. He has a dark grey mane and tail, a pure black coat, and has a scar under his left closed eye. He opened only his right red eye, which gave a menacing look to him.
The minions backed away from him in fear, but Chrysalis stood her ground. "What do you want from me, little pony?"
The stallion smiled. "I lay it bluntly. I don't wish to do harm on you. I am here on behalf of my master who has heard of your many feats and wishes to make an alliance with you."
"And if I refuse?" asked Chrysalis.
"You don't have to decide right away." said the stallion. "But know this. My master will make sure that what you want will be provided instantly. And by being a part of something larger and grander then Equestria, perhaps the whole world, will your services go rewarded. Now, if you will excuse me, I must be off."
The stallion turned to leave.
"Wait!" said Chrysalis. "Just who are you to slip past my notice?"
The stallion turned to Chrysalis, nearly opening halfway his left eye. In the instant, Chrysalis gasped like she saw something frightening and nearly collapsed.
"For now, you can call me Azerrad." The stallion closed his left eye. "And I am as powerful as you, probably more then what you can comprehend. You can thank my master for that. If you have made your decision, just call my name. Only then can we get down to business."
Azerrad laughs as he disappears in smoke and exits the cave. Chrysalis looks at the entrance in shock and wonder. Who was that mysterious pony, and what does his master want Chrysalis for? These thoughts ran through her mind like the wind blowing faintly through the Badlands.
TO BE CONTINUED...