Chapter 18 Nighttime Routine

We had arrived in Sanctuary and had filled Press in on the details of our battle with the new Circle of Ash back in Double Diamond City. He was pretty open to setting up fast travel gates all around Equestria, especially in Broncston. He loved the idea of being able to get to each Minute Hoof protected settlement faster. Now that Party was here, he was able to make an alliance with Double Diamond City too. Now the Fort, Minute Hooves and DD were all aligned as one big group working to better Equestria.

"Yeah, I can send some Minute Hooves with Lily Bloom and Party to set up another checkpoint and hopefully we can work together to rid Equestria of these ashlings."

"Don't forget the darklings!" Pumpkin Spice bounced up out of nowhere as she tended to do.

Now that that was settled, it was time to get underway. I wanted to ask Mama Madmare one last thing before our group parted ways with the Sanctuary Minute Hooves. I told my group I'd be one minute and I went to talk to her. "Mama, I have a question."

"I know dear," she beamed proudly at me.

"I get you're addicted to chems, but I also get it's for a good reason. What can you tell me about Malice?"

"What I know of Malice is what the visions have told me. I think you already know the answer." she didn't look up from her knitting.

"I don't think I fully understand." I said.

She paused and looked up at me, her eyes sparkling with wisdom, "My colt, if you don't try to find the answers on your own, then nopony can truly ever help you." then she sighed, "You still have that half dose of Malice?"

"Yeah, I never used it." I replied.

"Then give it here. It won't work as well because I've already tried Malice, but it'll help." she took it from me. "Ah, yes, I see clearly now. Everfree is where you must go. There you will find true Sympathy."

"Is Sympathy some sort of drug?" I inquired.

She opened her eyes, "That is for you to find out, but I can tell you, magic runs deep in that forest and darkness will follow. The Circle and the Moon have already begun their journey there and are a day ahead of all of you."

I groaned, "So you're saying I'm wasting time."

"Exactly! And don't trust anypony in Ponyville. You cannot afford to lose the Malice or Steadfast you carry with you. Now go!" she shouted, jolting me into action, "Come back in one piece, Broncston still needs you."

I returned to the group to relay the information. "Mama says we'll find something called Sympathy in Everfree and it's some sort of prescription drug. I think it's based off Malice, most likely created by the Ministries." I told them.

"Then I'll say y'all all got prescriptions." Lily nodded to me. "If it'll help in your fight then there ain't no harm."

I saw the Guardian nodding. "And we've got to take the train? How will we get back to Broncston if we need to leave in a pinch?"

"Have one of your unicorns copy my spell, but seal the gate when you return," Party explained.

"It is a simple spell," said Lady Ashe, "I can do it."

"Simple? It looks like it takes a lot of power!" Orange wheezed.

Wonder whispered in his ear, "It's easy for her, don't think too hard on it."

"So we're good to go?" I asked.

"Seems like it," Capper grinned and gave a curt nod.

"Very well, I'll see you all on the other side!" Press saluted and with that we all boarded our train.

The station outside Ponyville was dark and the sky gave no signs of life. We were now on the other side of the mountains separating the Capital Wasteland from the Broncston Wastes. Technically Bittsberg was part of the Capital Wasteland due to its close proximity to the Canterlot mountains, but other than allowing Lily and Party to deboard at the Bittsberg East Gate Station, we had sailed right through and ended up in Ponyville.

The Capital Wasteland. Colt, was it not fun to be back. Plus, the skies were dark and ominous, on artificial sun or moon to project light into this dim world. The temperature was moderate, not too hot and not too cold, which was good. "Everypony keep the talking to a minimum. In order to reach Everfree we must pass through Ponyville, and this place is deadly." I said.

"How do you know?" asked Orange Juice. He had that inquisitive yet whiny tone all younger colts got when they had a curious question, but he needed to quiet down.

"My Stable is near Canterlot, that's how I know. It's set into the mountains somewhere near here actually, and I really don't like being back." I explained to the group.

"We don't gotta talk about it if you don't wanna," said Capper, rubbing my back and I leaned into him, giving him a warm smile over my shoulder.

"So you're saying your from this side of the Veil?" Ashe Erza asked me.

"Yes."

She closed her eyes and inclined her head, "Then we have that in common."

"Let's get a move on, and Pumpkin, I advise you not to be loud." the Guardian commanded.

"He's got that right, one dumbass move and we're all blown straight to tartarus. I know how the raiders out here think, my group originated here." said Combat Zone.

"I know when to keep my voice down," Pumpkin complained. With that we ventured into Ponyville proper.

"There are landmines everywhere," Wonder pointed out, and as I looked around, I realized he was right. They were all placed so close together it was a wonder how anypony had managed not to blow themselves up. Then we saw it, the limbs and headless body of what looked like a pony wearing burnt out raider armor in a huge scorched out blast site. So he had blown himself up after all.

There was a huge carousel shaped building, a place I recognized as one of Rarity's many boutiques across Equestria. On the outside, a front as a Canterlot fashion shop, on the inside behind the many layers of clothes, a dangerous command center…

Nexus Spark

Pre-War: 1 Year Before The Megaspells

"Oh, but darling, it's really quite simple," said the Minister of Image. Rarity was holding a suit in her magical grip, showing it off for Blitzfire. "At your graduation you absolutely must give a speech. You are valedictorian after all." she said in her thick capital, cockney accent.

The Minister of Morale was there too, Pinkie Pie was having a hard time keeping still. "Oh, Rarity, don't you think you're being a bit overbearing on him?" she was glancing between Blitzfire and her.

"Not in the slightest, I don't think they understand the importance of this occasion!" she proclaimed, hanging up the blue Overseer suit she had been working on.

"It's just not my style." Blitz was saying.

"Oh, I understand the importance," I told Rarity, "but does light blue really convey the proper message?" as Chief of Maintenance, I didn't want to be wearing something girly all day everyday for the rest of my life.

"Well, perhaps I could update the shade of blue and pattern, but blue is such a calming color that I wouldn't dare change it." she had a hoof over her forehead and was staring up at the ceiling like she was going to faint. All around us were different styles and types of Stable clothing that we were helping Rarity decide on the fashion for life in the Stables. We were in her store in Ponyville, one of the last places left standing before Canterlot.

It was all a front of course, her back room wasn't a back room at all, but in fact a huge command center buried partially beneath the earth of the small village. Wartime ponies were bustling to and fro, coming and going from the boutique but always having to make sure they were wearing civilian clothing before they even entered the shop's lobby. If any zebras caught wind that Rarity was operating out of her shop here in Ponyville, everything would go to hay in a handbasket in no time. This was the last line of defense for Canterlot.

Today, Blitz and I were here for uniform fittings. We were to be Overseer and Chief of Maintenance of Stable 14, a very important job and only given by the Ministries. This was our first time meeting Rarity, but most definitely not the first time we'd met Pinkie Pie. We considered her a friend. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Pinkie using an over the counter drug known as Steadfast. And was that…Rage? I thought Twilight had decommissioned it. As always, Blitz was too worried over small details to notice the big ones…

Ravager Blitzfire

Present Time: 207 Years After the Incident of Stable 14

So far so good, no landmines had been tripped and everypony had remained calm enough to keep in Stealth Mode. I was just worried the large size of our group was bound to be noticed at some point. Then it happened, somepony got too close to a landmine and I heard that unmistakable beeping of the ticking countdown to detonation. "Landmine!" somepony yelled and I saw the Guardian ducking for cover, as well as Wonder, Pumpkin and OJ. We all stopped and held our breaths but it was too late, the mine exploded.

At least we were at the edge of town, hopefully no raiders had noticed. I was just thinking we were in the clear when shots rang out and two more landmines exploded. "Get 'em boys!" yelled a mare from afar. I saw the Ponyville raiders, and my Pip-Buck labelled them as fiends.

"Watch out!" yelled the Colonel as she lifted both hooves in the air and yelled, "Requip, Blade of Holy Might!" it was a sword twice the length of her own horn, and her horn had to be at least 2 or more feet long. It was an enormous sword. "With my greatsword, I smite thee!" she yelled, charging forward and ignoring all landmines in her wake. She must have some perk or magical ability that allowed her to not trip them as she walked right over them.

The rest of us equipped our weapons, Pumpkin Spice seemed to enjoy her enchanted cherry bombs, as she threw them like a crazy pony. Wonder activated his magic bangles, attacking that way. Orange Juice had a small painted crossbow with enchanted arrows that seemed to draw off his own energy, I imagined AP or MP. The Guardian had a huge machine gun that I had no idea where it came from. Capper used his enhanced magical abilities as usual, but it appeared he was focusing on his kitty-claws this time for melee. Combat had a light semi-auto rifle that he was using to fire at the enemy.

I lifted my own personal favorite, the silver revolver left to me by my ex-best friend. I reared up on my hindlegs and put one hoof above the barrel to help with recoil, firing off a couple shots before falling back to three legs. These so called fiends were tough customers. They seemed to like their territory here in Ponyville. More just kept coming and we were getting overwhelmed. I looked around and noticed there was a path nearby to Everfree. I yelled, "Fall back!" and everypony looked towards me. I gestured down the trail, indicating we were already homefree.

"Let's go!" yelled Buck.

"Move out, my little ponies," called the Colonel. Each were directing their units toward the forest. We all went at full gallop for the trees.

"We need to be very careful here," I told everypony. "There are timber-claws and Faust knows what else lurking in this forest."

"Chimeras for sure," said Lady Ashe, "and we do not want to deal with Elementals. Those mutants are not fun."

"So let's be very quiet and very sneaky," said OJ.

"Correct," said the Guardian. "I for one don't wanna face down a timber-claw."

"I say bring it on!" Combat hoisted his weapon. "I've faced down many a large foe in my day. I can handle whatever this Faust-forsaken forest throws at us."

"I'm with ya on that one!" Pumpkin was bouncing in place. "I laugh in the face of danger! Hahaha!" she forced a laugh for example, but I think she was giving off a lot of nervous energy.

We headed off into the forest, me and Capper leading the way. "You think they can handle it?" asked Capper behind a paw with a low voice.

I looked over my shoulder then up at him, "I think they're very capable. The Fort doesn't mess around and these are its finest."

"That's good, kuz I didn't want somepony incapable watching my backside." Capper scratched his head, messing up his blue curl a little.

"We shall watch your backside just fine!" Ashe Erza called to us. She didn't take lightly to insults.

"Oh, don't worry about my tomfriend," I called back to her, "he just gets nervous." I winked at him.

"I do not get nervous!" he crossed his arms.

We came to a clearing and at the opposite end was a trail. Unfortunately Ashe had been right about the chimera, for there was one sleeping straight ahead. My EFS labelled it as Enlil. It had the face of a tiger and the large swooping tale of a dragon. Its green fur was thick and heavy, and the dragon's tail was blue. That area was labelled Enki for some reason. "I don't like the looks of this," I whispered to the group. "It shows as two separate beings on my EFS."

"What say we tiptoe?" asked Lady Ashe. "Don't wake them up?"

"Sounds like a plan to me," Pumpkin was the first to go and she tried to go slow but ended up bouncing halfway through. The group was following her lead, except without the bouncing. Out of the corner of my eye I saw OJ begin to copy her but he got close to the beast and accidently stepped on its tail.

"Oh no!" whispered OJ as the beast reared up, uncurling its blue tail and revealing that Enki was in fact a blue dragon's head. It roared, spurring us into action.

"Requip! Waterscyth!" yelled Erza.

"Flamethrower!" Buck was pulling out yet another heavy weapon from his inventory. How he managed to carry so much was beyond me. Maybe it was that huge suit of lightweight power armor.

Combat had already lifted up a larger gun, this one a light machine gun and not semi-auto but a full auto. He had a bullet belt strapped around his chest and connected to the clip. I don't know where Pumpkin was or what she was doing. OJ had a combat shotgun. Wonder activated his magic again and followed Capper's lead, who was lifting up his paws and creating mana orbs, calling on the red magic and backing away for long range. I pulled out my shotgun, this one double barrelled.

Pumping my shotgun I aimed down the sights. It was time to kill this beastie for good. He reared up and from his dragon head came fire. It was blue fire, matching it's scales. I didn't even get one shot off before I had to dodge roll to avoid it. "Faust damn!" I raised my gun again and fired off two shots. Then I had to pump once more. "This gun isn't gonna work." I muttered, tossing it to the ground and retrieving my revolver from its holster. I aimed, cocked, and pulled the trigger. This was a much faster weapon and the monster reared up on its hind legs before stomping the ground.

Bolts of electricity came surging toward all of us and we all had to scramble. "We'll never get anywhere if we use Water or Electricity!" yelled Ashe Erza. "Requip, Rose Blade!" it was a red sword imbued with elemental fire properties. She rushed forward, slicing and dicing and the creature reared back, trying to avoid her sword. It failed in doing so as it was too big to hide in the trees and only had this clearing to stay in for its size. "Die you foul beast!" Erza cried.

"Allow me to help out!" came a call from Pumpkin Spice. She jumped from out of nowhere, landing on the monster's back and stuffing some candy down its throat. Its eyes widened as both creatures opened their mouths and released a huge burp, fire spewing from both sets of jaws. We all had to rush to duck to avoid being toasted.

"Pumpkin, be careful when you do stuff like that!" the Guardian shouted.

OJ called out too, "Yeah, I don't wanna be an ooey gooey marshmallow!"

The creature toppled and Pumpkin hopped off. "Looks like I took care of the problem."

"No, I think you just gave him a new pet peeve, because he only looks peeved off," Wonder's eyes were widening as we all realized the Enki/Enlil Chimera was starting to get back to its feet.

"I'd say we better get the buck outta here before he regains his wits." said Capper.

"I agree!" I exclaimed and we all took off.

There was a cliffside that overlooked the secret laboratory. There was a tower across the way, called the Lighthouse. Whistling Springs was long dried out, but the lab and Lighthouse looked to be still intact. However, there appeared to be ashlings mulling about down below. I was beside the Guardian, who was using binoculars to see more clearly. "What's your assessment?" I asked him.

"I think there are about three outside, but they should be heading in soon based on the way they're moving." He was right, they headed inside.

"I hope that Circle of Ash fella isn't around either." said Capper, twirling a finger in the air and looking nervous. I had never seen this side of him. Usually he was so calm and collected, but the Circle really made him on edge.

"I say we get a move on! The clock won't tick any faster!" said Erza. We stood and made our way to a staircase carved into the cliffside. It was narrow so we all had to take it one at a time.

Before we went in, we checked the area below out first, making sure it was clear. Inside the air was frosty. It was like somepony had turned the AC way down. The lights were dim. Then suddenly a purple light filled the air. Right before our eyes appeared swirling violet sparkles. "Alicorn magic detected." I heard somepony say.

"I know that voice…" said Capper.

"Welcome, Capper." Princess Celestia appeared in front of us, behind her was the Princess of Friendship, whom I'd only met once.

"Celestia! By the sisters…well by you! I cannot believe you're here." Capper was in shock.

"Unfortunately my little catlord, I am not here. I am a recorded Astral Intelligence program placed here in case Equestria fell into great need. As I am, so is Princess Twilight."

"I apologize for the confusion," said Twilight. "The whole thing was my idea." she was beaming proudly as she tended to do.

"You're so lifelike!" Pumpkin poked at Celestia but her hoof went right through, causing a glitch in the violet shimmers. She pulled her hoof out and shook it off and Celestia rolled her eyes but smiled.

"So what are you doing here then?" asked Capper, "If you're not technically real."

"Oh, we're real, just not in the sense that you would like." Twilight told us.

"That makes no sense!" Capper threw his paws up.

"Allow me to explain," Celestia gave a knowing smile. "Our software in the Lighthouse detected an apocalyptic event long ago and we have been lying dormant here ever since. Only alicorn magic could activate us, for risk of our knowledge falling into the wrong hands. We are here to guide you and friends through the base to the secret lock up so you can all save Equestria."

"Wait, so the Lighthouse really does store a secret treasure?" I was scrolling through maps and charts on my EFS, and I had pulled out several of my Stable Tech documents. Many of them mentioned the Lighthouse as being a primitive Fallout shelter.

"Yes, the greatest treasure of them all." Twilight nodded with a huge smile befitting her ego.

"My files are redacted! Why are they redacted? I'm an Overseer for buck's sake!" I tossed my papers to the ground, worthless.

"I understand, but the Stable 14 Overseer was not granted the necessary clearance for the treasure in the Lighthouse." said Celestia.

"For risk of the information falling into the wrong hooves." Twilight said.

"Well, can you tell me now? We're clearly not the wrong hooves." I was getting exasperated.

"Only Capper has the necessary clearance for that knowledge, the rest of you will have to find out when you get there. For now, if you would allow me to guide you, Twilight will explain when you reach the chambers."

"Why Capper?" asked Orange Juice.

"Oh sweet sweet OJ, if only I could explain in a way you would understand, but you will also have to see for yourself." Celestia smiled at him in such a manor to make any sane pony uncomfortable. Too bad the wasteland wasn't sane.

"He does have the necessary clearance," Twilight muttered beneath her breath.

"Wait, he has clearance but not me?" the Guardian snapped.

Celestia groaned, "Listen, we are out in the open here and the ashlings have tripped the alarms. If we don't move fast, base security protocols will hunt down any living thing inside."

"We cannot afford to lose any of you!" Twilight snapped and with that the two mares spun on their hooves and we had no choice but to follow them.

We made our way through the twisting and turning halls of the Lighthouse bunker, so many corridors it gave one the sense of being lost. Thank the sisters for minimaps and saving technology. I had a map of the base memorized by now, as I was studying the minimap. "How astute of you," Celestia commented when she noticed what I was doing.

"How can you tell?" I asked.

"I'm literally made of magic, I can see all arcana, including private Eyes Forward Sparkles." she explained.

Finally we came to a huge gear door, one with a simple looking opening device. It had no buttons or levers, instead there was a circle shaped indent with a standard horseshoe impression. "Orange Juice will have to open the first lock." said Twilight. "Only a pony capable of possessing alicorn magic can open this door, and seeing as I'm dead…well." she moved aside to allow for Orange Juice to do his thing.

"What am I supposed to do?" Orange Juice was looking between the tall white alicorn and the short purple one. "I'm so lost!" he was terrified.

"Only you can figure that out," said Celestia. "Nopony can help you here…"

"Nopony?" Orange Juice looked to the Guardian, then to Pumpkin Spice then to Wonder.

Pumpkin Spice jumped to attention, "You can't put him in front of a gear door like that and expect him to understand! Can't you see he's terrified? You're forcing him to relive terrible memories!"

"That's kinda the point." Twilight rolled her eyes.

"Now, Twilight…" Celestia said in that calming tone of hers.

"Let us help him!" Buck stamped a hoof.

"Very well," Celestia closed her eyes and lowered her head in inclination.

Wonder stepped forward. "Not you!" Twilight snapped.

"Oh, okay, whatever. It's not like I'm his coltfriend or anything."

"What Twilight means to say is you're too close to him in relationship…it has to be a close friend, not a lover." Celestia explained more calmly. "She forgets herself sometimes." Celestia glared at Twilight.

"It's not my fault the Minister was completely insane and made my personality so snappy! It's her fault for having such an inflated ego!" snapped Twilight.

"Power does that to a pony." Celestia told her.

Pumpkin stepped forward, putting a tender hoof on OJ's back, "Orange, think about our bedtime routine back in the Fort. You know how locking your door is important? Well now it's time to open the door."

OJ heaved a huge sigh, almost as though he'd been holding his breath. "Okay!" slowly and shakily he rose a hoof. He flipped the glass case and put his hoof right inside the circle. It was like the panel was designed specially for him.

A purple light flashed and the gear began to roll. Behind the gear was yet another gear door. "There had to be two for security purposes," said Twilight.

"Now it's Capper's turn." Celestia nodded to him.

"By all the gods!" Capper threw his paws up, "I can't believe it. You were telling me the truth all those years ago?"

"Truth? What truth?" I spun on my hooves and faced my tomfriend.

Capper looked tentatively into my eyes and then over to the two princess astral projections. "Can I tell them, or is it still classified?"

"One door is already opened, might as well." Twilight nodded.

"Okay…so here's what went down…" Capper was very expressive with those paws.

Capper Dapperpaws

100 Years Post War

When Achilles and I had woken from our stasis, we had awakened to find our bodies had been replaced with synthetics. A recording Twilight had left explained everything to us, but that wasn't the full story. Celestia had come on just before the megaspells hit, and she gave me and Achilles a secret mission. Seeing as she had been long dead, Achilles and I had taken what she'd said with a grain of salt. Now I knew we were gravely mistaken.

"Are you in Harmony?" Came Twilight had asked us. She then went on to explain the acronym, ending in, "Y: Yikes! Incoming," a few alarms began going off in the recording, "We don't have much time left. Just remember duck and cover. But not really!"

After a speil from long gone Pinkie Pie, Celestia's voice had come on. "Capper, Achilles. This message is being sent to you from the Lighthouse. We have detected a great evil stirring in Equestria. The source seems to be north of the Capital Wasteland. Travel to Double Diamond City. There you will meet the friends you need. You're a friend indeed, Capper. You have the friendship magic imbued in your blood. Please Capper Dapperpaws, you're our only hope." Achilles had hated the way Celestia addressed me, thinking I was her prize favorite or something, when we both should've known Twilight had always been her favorite.

Twilight had come on next, "This message is an automated astral projection record being broadcast from the Lighthouse at Whistling Springs. I am Twilight. Someday soon you will come to me and I will ask for your help. I don't know the exact date because I can't see the future, but I hope it's in time to save Equestria. We need you. Don't give up hope. Friendship never changes and friendship now runs in your veins."

Ravager Blitzfire

Present Time…

"That was us!" Twilight said. "Not the real Twilight, but us! You finally get it now." she was smiling with glee.

"Yeah, I do, but I don't think y'all fully understand. The cryptic nature of those messages destroyed my and Achilles' relationship. I never liked talking about him or you ever since."

"Oh, by Faust, I hope we haven't caused any permanent damage!" Celestia was genuinely concerned.

"We had to be cryptic, we didn't know if you two would wake up corrupted or if somepony would find the other messages left behind." Twilight said.

"There was no permanent damage, Achilles and I are fine again, and he's off on some island rescuing synths." Capper waved his paw.

"Good for him. Can we get a move on? Our sensors detect Ponytrons closing in on this location." Celestia was getting anxious.

"Sounds like a plan," Buck nodded for Capper to continue forward.

"Alright, alright. I'm the friend you need. I hope all this is explained in further detail when we see what's inside this chamber."

"Oh, it'll be explained alright." said Princess Twilight. Capper approached the panel, where a pawprint shaped was visible.

"So it's made specifically for me?"

"Or Achilles, whomever made friends and came here first." said Twilight.

Capper shook his head and placed his paw on the scanner. The panel blipped and the second gear rolled slowly and steadily to the side. "Oh colt oh colt! I can't wait!" Pumpkin was bouncing up and down on the tips of her hooves.

"Me neither!" Orange Juice was bouncy too.

"All this effort to protect…" the Colonel peered closely as the door opened far enough to reveal a shriveled up old tree. "Some tree…is this a sick joke?"

"Oh no, oh no, oh no!" Twilight rushed inside, muttering to herself. "It can't be dead, it just can't!"

"All this work, for nothing!" the sisters were in distress.

I stepped inside and walked through them, as they were just projections. I stepped up to the tree and plucked a purple leaf off. "Whistle Reed? Are you kidding, some hallucinogen was what this was all for? We could've gotten this stuff from the base's storerooms."

"You don't get it!" Twilight snapped, looking pissed.

Celestia just looked sad, her gaze toward the decaying roots. "This…this is the Tree of Harmony. Wherever the stones have gone to…well the tree's been dead for a long time."

"No wonder so much darkness has spread throughout Eqestria." Twilight was bowing her head too, tears forming in her eyes.

"Wait, you're saying Whistle Reed grows on the Tree of Harmony?" I stared between the two princesses and then to the so called tree.

"That's where we always got it, yes." said Celestia.

"The Tree of Harmony causes hallucinations, because of what? An overdose of harmony?" I narrowed my eyes at the two sisters, then spun around to the workbench nearby. There was an array of drugs on the table.

"Wait, you're right! We never found a modulator. Something natural to stop it from causing a real problem." Twilight was muttering to herself.

"Steadfast!" I exclaimed. Everypony was staring at the two of us like we were crazy.

"But that's just some weak over the counter stuff." Twilight narrowed her eyes as she considered the possibilities.

"Not if you combine it with Malice. We all could use magic then!" I was starting to piece together the lost puzzle pieces we had been missing from the very beginning. Rage was so unstable because of it all. I pulled the notes from my pack, rereading. You must have Sympathy, Mama Madmare's voice played like a violin in my head. "Of course! Whistle Reed caused an overdose in Rage! Malice is more refined! Steadfast is a control drug!"

"Wait, did you say Whistle Reed was causing an overdose and Steadfast controlled it?" Twilight spun around and faced toward me. Celestia was smiling again. "Then all we would need to do is…OF COURSE! Zecora you are one smart zebra Equestria was lucky to have." Twilight snapped to attention and went to the table. There were clear vials with blue liquid in each one. "This is Sacred Water. She told me when the time came, we would need it."

"I believe her exact words were: 'when the time is right, this will aid in your fight'." Celestia commented.

"What fight?" asked OJ, but the three of us were ignoring the group for now.

"I love watching his mind work," Capper said behind a paw.

"It is rather fun," Pumpkin was eating popcorn from a white and pink striped popcorn tub. Where had she gotten popcorn?!

"What's Sacred Water?" I asked the princess.

"It's a type of Sparkling Water that Zecora refined to aid in mana generation." Twilight explained as she used her magical grip to drop some Whistle Reed into the batches. There were six in total. "Please tell me you have some of this Malice and six batches of Steadfast."

I plunged a hoof into my satchel, "I do actually."

"Good!" without asking she used her magic to pull the six needles of Malice and six bottles of Steadfast out of the pack.

"Hey!" I exclaimed.

"Now, using the Whistle Reed leaves from the Tree of Harmony, the full does of Steadfast, half doses of Malice and all the Sacred Water we can get, I should be able to brew…oh, what's a good name for it?" she looked over her shoulder at Celestia.

"Don't ask me," she nodded to me. "The Overseer deserves the credit so he deserves to name it too."

Sympathy! I realized what we'd just done. "From Harmony comes Friendship and from Friendship comes Sympathy!" I yelled as the full realization hit me like a ton of bricks. Mama Madmare was right.

"Sympathy, what a fitting name for our new Harmony potions." said Celestia as each batch turned a different color.

Celestia took over, "One is purple, for the Element of Magic, or Twilight. That will go to our true alicorn of the group." she passed it to OJ, who held it in his magical grip. The potion was a swirling tangerine color, looking like a drink of orange juice. "I believe a more fitting name is due, but don't drink it yet."

"This soo cool! I can't believe I get to be Twilight! Whoever that is…" Orange Juice was thrilled to receive a cup of juice. He looked like he couldn't wait to drink it.

Twilight passed me a glass, "One is blue, for the Element of Loyalty, but your true affinities will become apparent after you drink them."

I took it without question. "I knew Pinkie Pie a lot better than I knew the other Ministers, but if I'm taking over Rainbow's Element, then so be it," I said.

"Here is orange, for the Element of Honesty," Celestia gave it to Capper, who looked a bit shocked. "You may be honest, but unfortunately for you, you aren't a true alicorn. Thankfully you found this little gem," she beamed at OJ who in turn smiled back.

"Well, hey, I don't know about all this Element of Honesty business, but at least Celestia didn't send me into the wasteland for nothin'." he commented.

Twilight gave Combat a white liquid, "Oh, me?" he was a little caught off guard.

"You're white, for the Element of Generosity, or Rarity." she told him.

"I ain't no Faust damned mare! If I gotta sacrifice for the greater good, whatever, but I'll shoot anypony who calls me Rarity." he stamped a hoof then accepted the potion.

"You are Fluttershy, for you seem to have an affinity for a depth of emotion she always had." Celestia gave Buck a yellow drink.

"I don't take lightly being compared to a pacifist filly." he said but accepted the drink.

"Lastly, Pumpkin Spice. Oh thank Faust Pinkie's line survived," Twilight sighed in relief as she hoofed over a pink potion to Pumpkin.

"I always knew my great-grandmare passed something down to me! I just didn't know the responsibility was so huge until now!" she was bouncing in place, overjoyed.

"What about us?" asked Wonder.

"Yes, I demand to know why we are here if we are not to receive drinks." Erza was inflamed.

"Unfortunately you must be a close friend to the true alicorn or the magic will not work," said Celestia.

"Seeing as these drinks have already chosen their successors, it's all up to the magic. We don't determine that, so don't blame us." said Twilight.

"We are only projections of our former selves after all," Celestia bowed her head in respect to Lady Ashe. "But I do recognize a princess when I see one. You aren't from Equestria, are you?"

"No! I am most certainly not. I got stuck in this dreadful place when my airship crash landed in your desolate capital." Ashe stamped a hoof and snorted through her nostrils.

"I do apologize, but hopefully the new Harmony bearers will be of help in restoring Equestria to its former glory." Celestia smiled down on the rest of us.

"So coltfriend doesn't count as close. I get it, I get it." Wonder backed off. He did look ticked though.

"You must hurry, the ashlings have caught wind of what we're doing and we can't hold the Ponytrons off for much longer." Twilight gasped.

"Everypony, drink now!" Celestia commanded.

We did so, each of us drinking at our own pace. OJ chugged his like a champ and he was the first to lift into the air in a swirl of turquoise light. "Whoa!" he was awestruck. "You are the Element of Optimism! What a great way to introduce you…" Twilight seemed to have the breath sucked out of her as she slowly began to be absorbed into Orange Juice.

Capper lifted slowly into the air in a swirl of his purple magic. "You have two synthetic mana's with you?" Celestia had some magic begin to drain off her as Capper's purple magic flowed.

"You have that perfectly and chaotically correct, Your Majesty," Capper was no longer Capper, but Cheshire Cat instead. The purple cat bowed in greeting to Celestia. "We seem to be not all here, but I have more control now. It's pleasant."

Then Capper reappeared. "I…I appear to have a friend indeed! As we all keep saying, and I think…ah yes, the Element of Promise," his eyes twinkled as he looked at me with a deep love.

I began to float into the air next, my magic the signature violet-red color. "Whoa!" the feeling was exhilarating and the drink was delicious. "Sympathy really does wonders!" I yelled in surprise, feeling super happy and excited all at once. I hadn't felt this way in so long. The drug was working!

"These affects will be permanent by the way," said Celestia as Twilight fully disappeared into Orange Juice and some of the Sun Princess's magic rubbed off on me. "You are the Element of Vigilance. Your observative nature will keep everypony on the right track. You really were the best fit for Overseer, Ravager Blitzfire."

Next up was Combat, who whinnied in protest as he was lifted off his hooves and into the air by neon yellow magic. "Combat Zone, you are the Element of Sacrifice. You gave up your position as raider king to help a cause you saw as beneath you. You truly have sacrificed everything for your friends."

"Well it's about damn time I got some recognition." that made Celestia laugh.

Buck was thrust upward, his armor making it harder for the magic to lift him. His magic was blue in color, "By Faust! What a rush!"

"It would be, Element of Resolve," said Princess Twilight. "Your resolve puts you in a position to better teach Orange Juice all he needs to know about Equestria. Your relationship with him deepens the bonds of all your magicks." she eyed every one of us as she slowly faded away into him.

Finally, Pumpkin was lifted into the air, her magic an autumn orange color, almost brown. "Wow, this is the most beautiful shade of orange I've ever seen!"

Celestia chuckled, "You're the Element of Delight, and delightful you most certainly are."

"I am a party pony, you know!"

Twilight spoke up before she completely disappeared into Orange Juice, "You all are gaining alicorn powers through your close relationship to Orange Juice. The more you fight to save Equestria, the stronger you all will be. With my final breath, I dub him, Prince of Friendship!" with that Twilight's magic was fully absorbed into Orange Juice and in a brilliant flash of orange magic a set of wings slowly unfolded from Orange's back. They were ginormous, looking almost impossible to control…

Orange Juice

I watched as my friends slowly sank to the ground and Wonderful stared in complete shock and amazement. Lady Ashe also had her mouth wide open. "My final words to you are this," Celestia began. "Now that Twilight's magic is absorbed into Orange Juice, he is a full blown alicorn. Nothing will change that. You must all help him; even you Wonder, and Ashe Erza. If his friends do not stick by him, Equestria is doomed." with that she faded away into all of my friends, bestowing upon us new abilities we had no control over and nopony to ask for guidance.

I saw then a few Ponytrons, the nasty looking pony robots that were meant for base security. I had all of Twilight's magic, and my entire EFS had went from green to purple in a split second. I snapped open my wings and attempted to fly forward to come between the bots and my friends. Instead I went careening towards the floor and veering off to the side.

"OJ!" cried Wonder as I smashed into the wall…

(Footnote: So Orange Juice just became an alicorn! I hope you guys like this little plot twist. and don't worry, Orange isn't gonna be one of those stale, overpowered character. He's just coming into this, he has no idea what he's doing. He'll need the power of friendship and all his friends on his side in order to stop Circle of Ash and this new Moon guy. More on that later! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I did! I'm so excited to use the Elements of Harmony in my story. See ya soon for another chapter!)

Brohoof! /)