Some time has passed in Ponyville since Twilight Sparkle's return from the other world. Little by little, Starlight Glimmer progresses splendidly under Twilight's mentoring of magic. Sometimes, the Castle of Friendship will sense a problem in any part of Equestria and send any of the Mane Six there to fix it. Starlight usually tags along, so that she can learn more about friendship and apply the lessons learned to her future life.
However, a miracle is soon bound to happen, one Equestria had not experienced in a long time.
The Crystal Empire. A magnificent location in Equestria. It is where a different kind of pony species lives in called the Crystal Ponies. By being filled with emotion, and the Crystal Heart being kept under the Crystal Castle, the Crystal Ponies' bodies enter a crystal like form, changing their mane and tail for a stylized look and having their eyes look like crystals. Yes, they are a peaceful race that live happily in the Crystal Empire. It is ruled by Princess Cadance and Shining Armor, the former who used to be Twilight's foal sitter and the latter being her older brother.
Inside one of the royal bedrooms, Cadance is lying on her bed who is struggling a bit and breathing hard. She has light purple eyes, a violet mane and tail with rose and pale gold streaks, a cerise coat, wears a light gold crown with two light purple jewels and has a cutie mark of a light blue crystal heart between large golden laces with small flowers.
Beside her holding her hoof is her Unicorn husband, Shining Armor, who is very concerned for his wife's condition. He has cerulean eyes, a sapphire blue mane and tail with cerulean and dark phthalo blue streaks, a white coat, sapphire blue hooves, and a cutie mark of a pink six pointed star on a purple shield with three small light blue stars above.
On the other side of the bed is a Pegasus stallion who has orange eyes, a brown coat, a teal blue mane and tail, wears a doctor's coat and glasses and has a cutie mark of a baby carriage with a red cross behind it. He is checking Cadance's condition with his tools.
"You doing alright, Cadance?" asked Shining.
Cadance slowed her breathing a bit. "I think so." she replied, "Just following the tips the doctor laid out for my first experience of giving birth. You don't have to worry that much for me."
"Even so, I must continue doing so for our baby's sake." said Shining, "It's is a little early for it to come out yet."
"Guess it must be eager to see its new home and parents." Cadance smiled.
"Speaking of which," Shining Armor looked to a picture at one of the walls, showing him, Cadance, the Mane Six and Spike being happy near the Crystal Heart. "Should we send word to Twily and her friends that the baby will be coming soon and have them be here for you?"
"No."
Shining Armor is taken aback by that response and looks back at Cadance. "What? Why?"
"Knowing your sister, she might get the wrong idea that I'll pass on while giving birth," explained Cadance, "and make a panic attraction out of it. Twilight and her friends are too innocent for what will happen here soon, and you know that as well as I do."
"Hm, you have a point there." said Shining, "No, you're right. When the baby comes out and gets accommodated, we'll send the word to Twily that she and her friends can come to see it."
"Good idea." replied Cadance.
Suddenly, Cadance gasped and let out a loud grunt. This alerted Shining Armor and the doctor and they prepare for what's next.
"Oh, it hurts! It's coming! Oh!" Cadance moaned heavily.
"Cadance, it's okay! I'm here for you!" Shining Armor held firmly onto her hoof.
"My word!" the doctor exclaimed, "The baby is starting to get restless in there! It's not even past the point of the exact birth time!"
"Ah! It's poking at my insides! Oh my! It must be really eager to come out!" Cadance flailed a bit on her bed.
"Your Highness! You must take it easy!" the doctor said, "If we are not careful, you most of all, who knows what could happen to the baby!"
"He's right! You must stay strong!" Shining Armor has both of his hooves onto Cadance's.
"Ah, alright. Sorry. Ah!" Cadance grunted at the pain. "I'll be strong for everypony's sake."
Shining Armor looked back at the picture. 'I just hope Twily and her friends won't be too shocked about this.' he thought.
Everfree Forest. The wooded area near Ponyville, home to various creatures and animals. The ponies consider this place unnatural because it has the unusual quality of having its inhabitants thrive without the aid of ponies. In an open area, the white cloaked stallion appears from the woods and walks to the edge of a cliff. He notices a bridge, and upon coming near it, he sees a castle on the far side that is in ruins.
"Huh. That castle must be very old." The stallion looked around and noticed a cave entrance down to his right. "There. That must be where the legendary magic resides." He proceeds to step down a ledge of the cliff.
ZING!
The stallion gasped, like he saw a ghost. He looks to the northern sky and notices a faint aura glowing up there.
"I don't believe it!" said the stallion. "I sense...a presence being born into this world, and a very powerful one at that!" He stands in awe for a minute or so. "Ah, I'll figure that out later. I must witness that legendary magic I heard much about."
The stallion leaps off the cliff, somersaults as he falls down, then lands on the ground without a scratch on his hooves. He then trots to the cave entrance.
At the Badlands, inside the cave, Queen Chrysalis sits on her throne pondering over what the mysterious Unicorn, Azerrad, had told her. She had wanted to make Equestria hers, but never had she thought of world conquest, much less aid somepony else in doing so. But this master of Azerrad's offered something to Chrysalis that can realize her goals. As much as she hated to collaborate with other bad ponies, she hated to be defeated by Twilight and her friends either by a tiny or a large margin. Eventually, Chrysalis made up her mind.
"Attention, my pets!" Chrysalis shouted as she sat up. The Changelings stopped what they were doing and looked at their queen.
"As you are aware, a few days ago this Azerrad came before us and made me an offer." Chrysalis walked to the center of the cave. "This is unlike me to say this, but I believe that if I accept his offer, we shall conquer Equestria and the lands beyond. The question is, are all of you with me or not?"
Chrysalis looked at the Changelings menacingly. They looked at each other in consideration, and eventually they looked back at their queen and saluted her. This pleased Chrysalis. "Very well. You are wise to heed my commands."
Chrysalis exited the cave, and she took a deep breath. "AZERRAD!"
In a few seconds, the same black smoke appears again beside Chrysalis and Azerrad takes his form looking pleasantly at her. "Yes?"
"I am willing to accept the offer your master brought forth," said Chrysalis, "providing that you answer my questions first."
"I'm all ears." replied Azerrad.
"Will your master really provide want I want in an instant?"
"If you please him with your efforts, yes he will."
"If I do what he wants, will it guarantee that I will defeat my enemies slowly and painfully?"
"Without any doubt."
"One last question. Should I bring my pet Changelings along with me?"
Azerrad looked behind him at the Changelings and smiled. "Of course you can. It wouldn't hurt to bring an army for extra measure."
Chrysalis was suspicious of Azerrad's straight forward answers, but she went along with it. "Then I accept your master's offer."
"Excellent. Allow me to lead you to where my master resides." Azerrad's horn then glowed red, and he is levitated off the ground. Then he flies off like a Pegasus towards the southern horizon.
"Changelings! Follow that Unicorn!" Chrysalis flapped her wings and took off after Azerrad as the Changelings followed her. Whatever lies ahead for the queen of the Changelings may have a pleasant outcome, or a cruel one.
At the Castle of Friendship inside the library, Twilight, Spike and her five friends watch as Starlight prepares herself for practicing a new spell. Around Starlight are six piles of neatly stacked books, and beside her is an empty bookshelf. Doing something like this for the first time made Starlight pretty nervous, and everypony watching her in anticipation added to the pressure. Luckily, she took a few deep breaths to calm herself.
"No need to be nervous." Starlight said out loud to herself, "Just focus on what you are doing and everything will be okay. Right, Twilight?"
"Right as rain." replied Twilight. "You came this far in practicing. This will be the moment you shine in success."
"We'll be rooting for ya all the way!" said Rainbow Dash, "Me the loudest in the most awesome way."
Fluttershy tried to speak up. "Um, or the softest in the kindest way, if that's alright."
Rainbow Dash sighed at that lack of excitement. "The least you can do is be excited that Starlight is gonna be like how Twilight was before becoming a princess."
Applejack knocked on Rainbow Dash's shoulder a bit grabbing her attention. "Don't be so hard on the girl there, RD. Everypony has their own method of cheering, and honestly, ya'd expect most of them ta cheer like ya do."
"Yes, darling, this is Starlight we are talking about." Rarity chimed in, "If you disturb her ever so bluntly, she'll have to start all over again, not from scratch at the very least."
"Fine." Rainbow Dash sulked a bit, then returned to her regular attitude. "But I'll still be cheering when Starlight aces this practice test."
"Me too!" Pinkie blurted out. "But what if Starlight makes a mistake that will lead to her failing?" She then makes random concerned faces while talking. "If she fails, then-"
Pinkie gets cut off when Spike puts his right claws over her mouth. "Pinkie, please. This is the first time Starlight is gonna do this. We don't need any negative thoughts bouncing all around us. Let's think positive for just a few moments and we'll see what happens then, okay?" Pinkie nods while saying a muffled yes. "Good." Spike lifts his claws off of her mouth. Little did everypony notice that Pinkie blushed a bit.
"Okay, let's get this started." Twilight and her friends' attention are on Starlight. "Ready?"
Starlight gulped a bit. "Ready."
Starlight then closes her eyes in concentration. Her horn glowed a turquoise aura, and the piles of books around her glowed in the same aura. Starlight grunts as she lifts her head, while one pile of books levitates into the air. Then, with a little flick of her head towards the bookshelf, the books fly to it.
One by one, Starlight lifts each pile of books with her magic and quickly floats them to the bookshelf, putting them in the empty sections without as much as a bump at the corners. The Mane Six and Spike watch in awe at the excellent display of magic. As Starlight concentrates, a sudden vision flashed in her mind in a split second, showing a pony she never saw before. She opens her eyes in surprise, which breaks her concentration on the last pile of books. The glow faints off of them and they fall to the floor, as the Mane Six and Spike see in horror of that happening.
"Starlight!" Twilight cried out.
Starlight notices the falling books and refocuses her concentration on them. But then, as the books glowed in the aura of her horn, Starlight's body is enveloped in the same aura, and she floats upward. To the Mane Six and Spike's surprise, Starlight moves gracefully like a professional dancer as she quickly moves the books one by one to the last empty shelf. As the last book is placed, Starlight floats back down to the floor, and the aura faints off her body and horn as she lands.
When she opens her eyes, Starlight sees the Mane Six and Spike staring in awe, Rainbow Dash mostly what with her jaw nearly dropping all the way. Starlight notices the books she placed in the bookshelf neat and tidy and looks back to her friends. "Did I pass?" she asked nervously.
"That...was...AWESOME!" Rainbow Dash flew towards Starlight and gave her a hug which surprises the heliotrope Unicorn. "Catching that last pile of books in the nick of time and finishing in style, that's like, twenty percent as cool as the Wonderbolts' finale tricks!"
Rainbow Dash broke the hug, and her friends gather around Starlight to offer their praise to her. "For once, I'll agree with Rainbow Dash," Rarity said, "The way you moved gracefully is as fabulous as modelling in a fashion show."
"Ah honestly thought that little mistake would mess up your performance fer sure." Applejack adjusted her hat, "But that comeback is as swell as a zap apple ripenin' right up on a swell sunny day."
"Yay." Fluttershy whispered while circle her hoof on the floor, "I believe you did, um, really great, if you don't mind me saying so."
"Great?! More like she did absopositivelutely great!" Pinkie bounced a bit.
Starlight couldn't help but blush at all the positive comments given to her. She looked at Twilight who gave a warm smile. "So, as I asked, did I pass?"
"With flying colours." Twilight proudly put her hoof on Starlight's shoulder, "Even when you made that mistake, you recovered excellently. So, that's an A for your practice performance."
Starlight lightly beamed at the result given to her. Spike is about to say something, but then he feels something in his throat, which Applejack notices. "What's the matter, Spike?" she asked.
BURP!
Spike belched out a little burst of magical green flame, and out of the flame came a rolled up scroll with a seal on it. Everypony notices this, and Twilight takes the scroll with her magic.
"It's from Princess Celestia!" Twilight said. She unrolled the scroll and began to read it aloud as her friends and Starlight listened. "'Dear Princess Twilight, a miracle has happened at the Crystal Empire. Princess Cadance is sorry to not inform you of this earlier, but she intended it to be a surprise and not have you worry about her condition. It is my honour and pleasure to announce, that Princess Cadance'-" Twilight paused and looked at the rest of the sentence, and she immediately gasped a large gasp.
"What? What does it say?" Spike worriedly asked. Twilight's friends and Starlight are worried about her reaction as well.
Twilight looked up in a happy manner. "'Princess Cadance gave birth to a filly'!" she yelled.
Upon hearing this, the group cheered like they never cheered before, even Fluttershy's being surprisingly loud, and Rarity hugged Spike to his surprise. Of course Rarity noticed what she did and broke the hug, blushing a bit, and Spike blushed as well, still surprised.
"WOOHOO! I'm so excited!" Pinkie yelled as she bounced wildly, "Are you excited? I've never been this excited since seeing Mr. and Ms. Cake's twin babies, Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake! This calls for a baby shower party!"
Starlight approaches Twilight from her right. "Wow, Twilight. That means you're an aunt now. Congrats."
"Thanks, Starlight." A tear rolled down Twilight's joyous face.
"What else does the letter say?" asked Spike.
Twilight looks at the scroll again. "'You and your friends are welcome to hurry over to the Crystal Empire and witness the baby for yourselves. Me and Princess Luna will await your arrival. Sincerely, Princess Celestia.'"
"Aw, yeah!" Rainbow Dash flew above the group pumping her hooves into the air. "This is like twenty percent cooler than a regular baby shower!"
"What are we standin' around for?" Applejack said, "We've got a baby yearlin' to see!"
"I think the afternoon train will be leaving for the Crystal Empire." Twilight put down the scroll. "Let's get going!"
The Mane Six and Spike start to walk to the exit of the library, but when they got near it, they notice that Starlight is still standing there and look back at her in concern.
"Starlight? What's wrong?" asked Twilight.
"Don't get me wrong," Starlight replied, "I'd like to see the baby as much as all of you, but I figured I should keep this library, no, this castle neat and tidy until you all return."
"Come now, darling," Rarity said, "I'm sure the castle can handle being dusty for a few hours. This may be the one chance of a lifetime seeing a baby being born to a royal family!"
"Even so, I'd best stick around here and look after things in this castle." Starlight insisted, "It's the least I can do for the 'you know what happened.'"
The Mane Six are worried that Starlight is still thinking about what she did in the past. Spike is worried as well, but then has a determined look, and runs back to Starlight, which catch his friends' alertness.
"Spike?" called Twilight.
Spike stopped in front of Starlight. "Then you won't be doing it alone. We can make things quicker by working together here."
"I don't think that's-" Starlight gets cut off by Spike's held up claw.
"I insist, Starlight." Spike said with a smile. "That's what friends do." He then turned to look at the Mane Six. "You all go on ahead without me and Starlight! We'll handle things here while you meet the baby!"
"Are ya sure, Spike?" asked Applejack.
"Of course." replied Spike, "I'm sure we'll all see Princess Cadance and Shining Armor's kid together another day. For now, I want to keep Starlight company. A pony's and dragon's head are better together than one of the other."
The Mane Six and Starlight smiled softly at Spike's decision, even Rarity is a bit teary eyed by this. "That is very generous of you, Spiky-wikey." she said.
"And loyal, too!" Rainbow Dash chimed in, "We'll tell ya what the baby is like when we come back!"
The Mane Six said their goodbyes to Spike and Starlight and exited the library. As they leave, Starlight looks at Spike in confusion. "Why do you want to help me, Spike?"
Spike looks up at Starlight. "Simple, really. You're my friend. It doesn't matter what happened between us back then. Sometimes...it hurts on the inside to see you beat yourself up like that. As I told you before, you are forgiven for what you did. You being happy right now makes your friends happy, even me."
Starlight slowly felt teary eyed by Spike's explanation, and then hugged him hard, surprising Spike. "You are definitely a wise dragon anypony could ask for." Starlight said as tears went down her cheeks. "Thanks for staying behind for me."
Spike blushed at the compliment. "Aw, it's nothing." Spike broke the hug and Starlight wiped the tears off with her hoof.
"So, which part of the castle would you like to clean up?" Spike asked eagerly.
"For starters, your room." answered Starlight. "It's been pretty messy every time I glance in there."
Spike frowned a bit. "Oh. Guess I was busy lately it didn't came to mind."
"Well, if we clean it together," Starlight said, "An emerald spinach lasagna with your name on it will be-"
"Oh? Really?" Spike perked up from the mention of his favorite gem meal. "What are we waiting for? Let's get cleaning!"
Spike zoomed off to the other exit of the library and Starlight chuckled. 'Of course he doesn't have to know he'll get the lasagna once we clean the whole castle after we clean his room.' she thought. Starlight then trots out of the library after Spike. 'Still, that sudden vision I had during that practice test. It was so quick I didn't get a clear look at who that pony was. And yet, the form seems, familiar to me.' Starlight follows Spike down the hall, with the thought of that pony giving her more questions then what she can handle.
The hooded stallion approached the cave in the Everfree Forest. As he entered, he saw a majestic tree with crystal like branches and orbs of light attached with strings hanging over them. What caught his eye are the jewels locked in the ends of the five branches and the center of the tree.
"Whoa!" said the stallion, "Are those the Elements of Harmony?" The stallion then lifts his hood off to show his face. He has lilac eyes, a dark purple spiky mane, a silver coat, and is wearing a thin purple scarf with silver linings and gold tips on the ends. This is Zenith, the pony whose origins will be revealed in due time. He looks at the Elements more closely. "Looks different from what I read in those ancient books."
Indeed they do. The Elements are in different shapes, an orange apple, a pink butterfly, a blue balloon, a purple diamond, and a red lightning bolt. "At least the mysterious Element looks the same." Zenith sees the Element in the center of the tree, a magenta six pointed star.
Zenith then takes something out of his cloak. He unwraps it, and in his hoof is a bundle of small lilac petals attached to a branch. He smiled at it. "Granny, this is what you wished for all these years ago."
Zenith approached the tree and laid the flower down near the base of it. He stepped back to look at it and the tree. "You wanted to see the Elements of Harmony, and to entrust your last wish to me, I am honoured to do this for you. Laying your favorite flower, Syringa, near the Elements of Harmony, as a way of witnessing them for the first time. I should offer my thanks as well, for seeing these legendary Elements for the first time brings a hint of...hope."
He turns around and exits the cave. "A special kind of hope that things will be bright for my destiny."
Zenith then leaps upward, somersaults and lands near the bridge. He then trots off to the woods with a soft smile on his face.
Little did he notice, that in the center of that tree, the star shaped Element seemed to get a bit dull in colour, and the top arc of the Element cracked a bit from its left. At that moment, a dark and evil breath is heard. Whatever this kind of sign is, it does not look good for Equestria.
TO BE CONTINUED...