Flurry Heart walked to Airborne sitting down next to him. She said, "Are you okay, Airborne?"

Airborne walked away to one end of the crystal board and took off flying. As he flew up, his wings glowed. He took off speeding into the sky. He also gained lateral distance from Flurry Heart. Storm clouds were already in the sky as King Sombra formed them himself with magic. Airborne's memories of his mother flooded. He remembered the many times she babied him. He remembered the many times she spoiled him. He remembered the many times she gave him hugs and kisses and motherly love and affection. Now his mind turned to Garble. Garble was like a best friend for him at school. More than school. He was a best friend at home too. He remembered how Garble stood up for him at school, how the bullies attacked the hybrid and Garble saved him. He remembered the time he took Garble to Twilight's castle. Once he fully ascended to the clouds, tears slipped from his eyes. As this happened, his body was shrouded in radiating energy. Not magic, energy. This energy was blue, cold, as chilled as ice itself. "This isn't fair..." he said as his front claws curl into fists. "I... I've never killed anyone. All I've done was try to make life better for myself. I'm hurt at school." The clouds began to move. It was like a tornado forming. "I'm hurt at my own home." Lightning flashed through the sky racing toward the ground. A lightning bolt struck the hovering changeling-dragon. It didn't harm nor inhibit him one bit, however. The bolt seemed to have empowered him. More lightning struck to the ground. "I lost my best friend..." he said as more lightning struck and thunder clapped. "And my mom!" he screamed. Then he just screeched at the top of his lungs causing a massive storm to brew. Lightning shot from Airborne's mouth swelling in the sky. Thunder clapped so loud it shook the ground and everyone on it. In all of this, he knows his truest power. It was being the dragon of the storm itself. Airborne stopped screaming and looked at the others on the ground from inside of his tornado. The tornado was in a constant place, but it did try sucking in anything nearby. Luckily, Airborne was not near the train station; otherwise, the station would have been consumed by the tornado. The storm still raged; it grew bigger the worse Airborne felt. Eventually, the storm was soothed by a bright light from the sky. The light expanded through the tornado reaching Airborne. The changeling-dragon studied the intruding brightness. "Flurry Heart?" he asked.

"Yes, Airborne. It's okay!" she said. "You can cry out your problems. It's alright to feel upset, but I don't want you to destroy anyone. Please calmed down!" Once her light hit Airborne's body, he felt a rush of peace and tranquility. Soon, his entire vision became white. It was as if the world transformed into pure, white light. He looked around with tears still falling from his eyes. Flurry Heart approached him. "You're going to be okay. I promise."

Airborne said, "How?!" He was filled with absolute sorrow. "My mother is gone and so is Garble."

Flurry Heart said, "But do not let their loss forget who you are. You taught me who I am, now I am showing you the results of your teaching. Look. I don't understand the pain of loss like you do, but I can assure you that with every loss comes a greater gain. This affliction won't stop you, my friend."

Airborne looked away from Flurry Heart. "I don't have the strength to continue. I'm done. I surrender, okay?"

"Surrender to what?" asked Flurry Heart.

"I will never lead everyone. I'm nothing special," he answered. "All I do is cause myself more grief by standing out."

"That's why we need people like you, Airborne," Flurry Heart answered. "I understand you now. You were born to change the world. That's why you're a changeling. You were also born to also be strong. That's why you're a changeling. Remember who you are, Airborne. You're the one who will change the world with your revolution. I believe in you, and I will follow you every step of the way." Airborne looked at Flurry Heart in a shock. She came closer giving him a hug. The hybrid's eyes widened as he saw this, but he continued to cry hugging her back. Pretty soon, the world around them turned back to normal as they are now standing on the boardwalk once again.

Airborne said, "Wait. Where are we?"

Flurry Heart said, "You never left and caused that storm in real life. The moment you stood up, my magic activated through my horn which blasted you causing you to hallucinate."

Airborne was silent for a moment thinking. "Wait... All of that was a vision?"

"For the most part," she replied. A chuckle escaped her.

Airborne chuckled, too. "Thanks, Flurry Heart," he stated.

"If it wasn't for you, I would have never known what I'm meant to do," she said. "I should be thanking you." The two only stared at each other, then the fallen empire. "What should we do, chosen one?" she was only teasing.

"I don't know, princess," Airborne said. "What should we do? I'm awaiting your command." They both laughed.

Flurry Heart exclaimed, "We need to tell the other alicorn about this. We have to get to Canterlot." Airborne nodded and stood up. So did Flurry Heart.

Much later, the entire group wound up in Canterlot. The group was now Airborne, Flurry Heart, Sage, Rinehart, Twilight, and Alder. Flurry Heart was getting a lot of attention for being an alicorn out in the open. It was the equivalent circumstance with Airborne but as a changeling-dragon hybrid. Princess Twilight was also asleep on Rinehart, so that drew much attention. Because of Airborne's unstable emotions, he kept snapping at people telling them to back away and leave. The sky had dark clouds already forming; they developed continuously until it got really serious. Flurry Heart only allowed the hybrid's reactions to happen as she agreed with the outbursts. She wanted to get to the castle as quickly as possible without delays. Eventually, they came to a city square. A massive crowd completely gathered around the group enforcing Airborne's emotions to stir further. There were remarks from the other ponies that said, "Why is that alicorn with the weirdo?" and "what a disgusting fusion" and "that fusion should change into one of his species and stay that way." Airborne looked at the crowd of ponies.

Airborne looked at the crowd shouting, "Go away!" The Canterlot ponies didn't listen. "I am not joking." Dark clouds flashed lightning in the clouds. "I will give you all to the count of 3." The sky grew dark making everypony stop talking. "Now. Let us go see Princesses Celestia and Luna without any delay. Move along!"

"Are you a storm god?" shouted a random pony.

"You're going to smite us?!" shouted another random pony.

Now everyone was screaming and running away in fear. Because of this, Celestia and Luna flew to the group instead. Their faces were filled with fury.

Princess Celestia commanded, "Stay right where you are and nobody gets hurt. Leave Canterlot before-" Her sentence was cut short as she noticed Princess Twilight wounded on Rinehart's back. "How did this happen?! Are you the ones who sought after King Sombra?"

"Dear sister," started Luna, "it appears that Flurry Heart is present too." She walked to Flurry Heart asking, "What happened, my dear?"

Airborne instead answered, "Well you see-"

Luna cut Airborne off by shouting at him. She used her traditional royal canterlot voice that sounded like gods were shouting. "You better not say another word until all is calm and you aren't held accountable." Airborne quickly quieted himself and backed away behind Rinehart.

Flurry Heart answered Luna's question with a long explanation. Further explanations were given from Rinehart. Princess Luna approached Airborne speaking to him in a normal tone. "You are okay, now."

Princess Celestia approached Airborne asking, "Thank you for helping the others out." She then turned to Luna and asked, "Luna, please take Rinehart and his children to a safe place. I'll take on this manner myself." Luna did so, and in a few minutes, Luna, Rinehart, Sage, and Alder left. Princess Twilight was on Celestia's back. "Airborne, you have a great gift inside of you. Do not use it against my subjects unless necessary, and do not ever tempt them again. Now, we should all head inside the castle. Twilight is weak and she needs healing."

Airborne said the healing incantation using it on Twilight. Twilight woke up shaking her head. "Airborne! Get out of here! Ember is..." she shouted. Soon, she realized what was happening. "Oh... nevermind."

Celestia said, "Nicely done, Airborne. I really didn't know that dragons can use magic."

Airborne said, "It's a dragon thing to only use incantations or somehow channel magic through our hands. If only Spike knew how to do it."

Celestia said, "You'll have to inform me later. This King Sombra incident is getting out of hand, and we must discuss this inside."

Pretty soon, everyone headed inside the castle. They discussed in the throne room of the castle. It had 2 thrones, one with Celestia's cutie mark and one with Luna's. They had a red carpet going to their thrones. The walls had many stained glasses on there which showed the history of the kingdom. The royal blue floor had floral patterns on it with many designs. Celestia sat in her throne as Twilight, Airborne, and Flurry Heart talked to Celestia from the floor. "What I'm hearing from all of you is that King Sombra won, Dragon Lord Ember is possibly dead, so is Garble the red dragon, and King Thorax is possibly enslaved?"

They all nodded yes. Airborne's sad expression showed once again hearing those words. Flurry Heart patted Airborne on the back.

Twilight said, "Cadance is possibly gone. I don't sense her alicorn magic in her."

Flurry Heart exclaimed, "What?!"

Twilight nodded her head in despair. "I'm sorry, Flurry Heart."

Flurry Heart only broke down crying. She flew out of the room, too. Airborne just watched her leave not knowing what to do. He turned to Celestia asking, "May I be excused?" Celestia nodded yes and Airborne left. He flew after Flurry Heart, but she was long gone. Airborne only came back walking slowly into the throne room.

Celestia spoke, "Where did she go?"

"I don't know, your majesty," answered Airborne. Celestia sighed softly. "Princess Celestia, we need your help in fighting King Sombra. He's taken over the Crystal Empire now."

"That's unfortunate," Celestia said. "No... that's devastating. We need to act at once before King Sombra moves in on Canterlot."

"But what can we do?" Twilight asked.

Celestia looked down saying, "I don't know..." This was hard, even for her.

Airborne shifted uncomfortably in his position. "I... want to know. How strong is alicorn magic compared to unicorn magic?"

Celestia answered, "Alicorn magic controls celestial bodies, concepts, it even can do all spells whereas unicorn magic is limited. It can't control celestial bodies and concepts. For example, I can raise the sun, but no unicorn can do that. If I only had unicorn magic, I would have never been able to do that."

Twilight shivered all of a sudden. She looked in the direction of the doors to the throne room. "I sense something coming... Something large in magic... Cadance's magic. No. Something dark is with it."

A guard walked in saying, "Princess Celestia! It's King Sombra. He's here! He hasn't attacked, but he's just walking to the entrance of Canterlot."

Airborne's heart sank. "I've got to see if Flurry Heart's out there!" He flew straight outside the throne room doors. He rushed outside and flew up high into the air. Gazing down, he noticed King Sombra being threatened by guards. He transformed into a castle guard, specifically a white pegasus, and flew down to join them. He got close to the action at the front of what was happening.

One guard shouted at King Sombra saying, "Leave! Or prepare to die." Many of the other guards aimed their weapons at the single umbrum fearlessly.

King Sombra's voice was calm. "I'm not going to die here today." He jumped from the outside entrance of the gate to the inside. He landed saying, "Very well then. I will teach you who your superior is." He ran to a few guards and began fighting in hand to hand combat. Many guards came at him, but he threw them all off of him. In fact, no one could lay a single hoof on him. He ripped through them all without using any magic. One earth pony guard managed to kick King Sombra, but that didn't make the umbrum move an inch. Like a bolt of lightning, he struck all the rest of the guards. The only one left was Airborne. "You seem smart. You're the only one who didn't fight me." He slowly walked to Airborne. "But you are familiar... Where have I seen you before? Oh wait, I have never met you. And I never will." Airborne backed up in fear. "You're scared. You remember the pain of abuse. It is definite that you have lots of fond memories. Leave and never return." Airborne changed back to his normal self.

"I will not run, King Sombra! You will pay for what you did to my mother and father!" Airborne shouted.

King Sombra blinked once and squinted. "Are you the son of Thorax?"

"Yes, I am!" exclaimed the changeling-dragon. "I am Airborne the storm beast!"

"I've never heard that one. Tell me. What is this massive energy inside of you?" asked Sombra.

"I have powers of my mother and father, and I also have magic," Airborne said. "You are only a unicorn that has crystal control! I won't let you win this battle. You and I will end this today!"

The king cracked his neck and spoke, "Shatter and be destroyed by the newest Alicorn."

Airborne was confused. That was until King Sombra revealed his black wings to Airborne. "No... How is this possible?!" He remembered what Twilight said. "You... You have Alicorn magic?!"

"In this cold world, I have transcended," responded the dark alicorn. "Cadance's magic and my magic were perfect matches. Fusing with my opponent's magic transcended my body to become an alicorn of darkness. I also possess Thorax's changeling magic. His power helps me excel too."

Airborne groaned. "This is going to be troublesome... but here I go!" Airborne breathed electric at King Sombra which struck the dark alicorn with full strength. This not only electrocuted him, but he exploded with large dust brewing. "Yes! Take that. Have you ever seen a dragon do that?"

King Sombra whisked away the smoke using his wings. "No, I can not say that I have."

Airborne withdrew back in fear. "W-well! I... can also cause the clouds to hurl lightning at you!"

King Sombra said, "Are you fast enough?" With a very hasty move, the king lunged in front of the child. Airborne barely saw Sombra move from one place to another. It was as if the alicorn was a bolt of lightning jumping from one place to another. Sombra kicked Airborne in the face knocking him through several shops. He walked away going towards Canterlot Castle. Luna quickly appeared floating above him high in the air.

"Stop right there," she shouted with her royal canterlot voice. "I will not let you pass any further!" She soon saw the dark alicorn's wings. She whispered to herself quietly, "You... You've got to be kidding me." She looked at where Airborne lies. The changeling-dragon child raced upward to Luna flying next to her. He looked at King Sombra. Luna continued saying, "Alright... Okay, this is bad. Do you have any ideas on what to do, Airborne?"

Airborne said weakly, "Not one thought, Luna." Airborne's left eye was completely shut and swollen. He also had a hard time flying because of his wings being damaged. "This dark alicorn is a rushing wave. He's relentless, unstoppable even."

Luna said, "Don't give up hope!" The navy blue alicorn released a beam of magical energy at King Sombra. The dark alicorn shielded himself with crystals forming as a riot shield while he stepped forward. He transformed the crystal into many shards shot them at Luna. The princess of the night acted fast by utilizing a spell to form a black, magical shield. This defended her and Airborne until it shattered with King Sombra's bullet shards. They both were shot back into the air without falling to the ground. Sombra shot like lightning and appeared in front of Luna's face kicked her to the ground and landing on top of her.

"I heard stories of you, Luna," he said while crushing the princess's throat with his left hoof. "I learned how you were Nightmare Moon. I can't seem to understand why you gave up on your journey to greatness."

"Because..." she started. "I... owe... Equestria my... help!" She blasted Sombra's face knocking him back. The king stood up fast without hesitation. The 2 charged into a hoof to hoof combat. Pretty soon, their hoof punches met each other's hoof punches. This caused explosive punches to occur. Eventually, Sombra got knocked in the face and looked at Luna with a bruise. He punched her stomach and face. Luna fell back but quickly rebounded. "I harmed my subjects and my sister." The two fought once again. From very close, they shot magical beams at each other. They missed each other every time one was blasted. Soon, they hoof to hoof fight again.

"Why do you care if you harm others?" Sombra asked while throwing one hoof punch that hit Luna down.

Luna turned around and kicked back on Sombra's chest. She spun around to fully confront him once again, and those two alicorns hoof to hoof fight once again. Luna yelled while fighting, "Learning about how much pain I caused, I am not going to make the same mistake again. I'm going to do better! I serve Equestria!" Luna delivered one final punch that sent Sombra back many feet. The dark alicorn crashed into a store front.

"Nice!" Airborne said flying down next to Luna. Unfortunately, the king flew out of the shop and upward into the air. He shot down lightning fast at Luna knocking her back into the Canterlot castle. "Luna!" Airborne shouted at Luna as she flew far.

King Sombra told Airborne, "You aren't going anywhere, young hybrid. Your power intrigues my interests." Crystals shot up from the ground and imprisoned the child. It fully encased him in a large black crystal. Airborne screamed as loud as he could for help. He kicked the walls, zapped it with his lightning, and even headbutts it. All attempts he tried to escape were futile. However, someone teleported Airborne into the Canterlot castle. Inside the castle, they were in the throne room. Celestia was standing ready to battle Sombra. Airborne warned that King Sombra was now an alicorn. Airborn further mentioned that he had Thorax's powers too. Celestia looked down and then at Airborne. "He was strong before he even had those powers. Now... He's invincible. How are the guards?"

"I've never seen anything like it, Princess Celestia," Airborne exclaimed in fear. "He killed every last soldier with only hand to hand combat. It was like a lightning bolt ripped through all of the guards." Airborne could tell Celestia was nervous about the situation.

Celestia looked at Luna who appeared to be lying in front of Twilight. She said, "I'm afraid he's way too powerful, even for me. I've fought many opponents, but my sister has never fallen so fast to one such as this. In fact, King Sombra was near our fighting prowess before he had alicorn and changeling king magic. Now, he's impregnable." The white alicorn sighed in hopelessness. "Thorax... Ember... Cadance... Even mighty warriors have fallen. Luna and I are primordial embodiments. We can't afford anyone to have our magic. I have to take her alicorn magic to fight against this foe. That should equalize our strengths. Twilight, I need you to recruit your friends to gather the elements of harmony. We might need the pillars, too. Bring me Starswirl the Bearded. I will protect my subjects at all costs." Celestia put her horn on Luna's horn absorbing her alicorn magic. "Luna... I'm sorry. I must take this power from you to fight King Sombra. This might be my final stand whereas you have fallen. You probably would have wanted it this way." Once she finished absorbing the magic, her body was encompassed with night blue energy. It soon disappeared.

Airborne said to Celestia, "Princess Celestia, I need to tell Spike and Pharynx to fight in this too."

Celestia interrupted, "No. We don't need the dragons and the changeling's help. This matter requires magic they have absolutely no idea how to use."

Airborne continued, "They can help! I know they can."

Twilight said, "Spike and Pharynx can't help, Airborne. They are far too weak for anything like this. This requires the elements to finish the job, Airborne."

"I know," said Airborne sadly. "I... I understand."

Twilight said, "But if you want to help, give Celestia your changeling and dragon powers. You're the son of the Dragon Lord and the Changeling King, so your powers are transcendent as well."

"That is if I know how to do that," Airborne said. "Even then, I'm not going to give Celestia my powers."

Celestia said, "I understand, Airborne. I don't want them anyway. You will need them for when the time comes."

The doors of the throne room blast open as King Sombra slowly walk through. He looked at the fallen Luna, then Twilight, then Celestia, then Twilight, and finally Airborne. "My glorious slaves. My most glorious slaves! I've come. Your king is here to take control."

Celestia yelled, "We do not serve you, King Sombra. We serve Equestria and our homes!" She blasted King Sombra with a magical energy beam from her horn. King Sombra blasted at the beam with his magic. Both powers were equalized; the two rays struggled to overtake the other. Airborne helped out by breathing lightning aiding in Celestia's. King Sombra looked at Airborne with confusion. Nevertheless, the dark alicorn charged his beam further. So did Celestia. Twilight asked Celestia while shouting, "Princess Celestia. Please take my magic as well!"

Celestia answered, "No! You need to keep your magic at all costs. Don't you give it to me, but get Luna to safety!"

Twilight looked at Celestia with worry. Nevertheless, she grabbed Luna and Airborne teleporting them and herself out of the room. They ended up in Twilight's castle; specifically, they were in the throne room. Twilight looked at the map and saw how King Sombra's crystal empire was expanding. "Oh no," she said. "The Crystal Empire is expanding."

"What?!" shouted Airborne. "How can that be?!"

"I don't know, but we've got to stop it," Twilight said.

Airborne helped with a suggestion. "What if we call in the help of the changelings, dragons, hippogriffs, and others?"

The princess of friendship looked at Airborne and shook her head in denial. "They are not powerful enough to help."

Airborne said, "We have to ask them for help. If we don't, this war can go on forever. The Crystal Empire fell, we lost 4 heroes, and Celestia is fighting off King Sombra. I don't care what she says! She is not my princess."

Twilight responded with rage, "Don't talk like that. Celestia knows what's best!"

Airborne said, "I don't think so. I don't believe that she knows everything. She can't see that this affects the changelings and the dragons too with their rulers captured and killed. Does she expect them to just sit by and not care that their leaders are gone?"

Twilight said, "Well... You do have a point."

Airborne growled charging his body in electricity. "I'm already furious. My parents are gone and so is Garble! Do you think that I'm going to let that slide? Never! King Sombra is not getting away with this."

"They fought their body regardless of the cost," responded Twilight. "I get how upset you are, Airborne. I lost people close to me before, but-"

"No, you didn't," interrupted Airborne. "You kicked out Spike, and I don't know who you lost. You kicked out one person! But before that, when did you ever lose someone close to you?"

Twilight said, "Ember! Thorax! Even Cadance! Those 2 people were close to me, Airborne. It's not just you that's hurting over Thorax and Ember's fall! They were my friends!"

"I..." started Airborne. "I'm sorry. Please don't hate me, too." Twilight hugged him.

"I would never hate you, Airborne," softly spoken Twilight. "We need each other more than ever."

Airborne hugged her back saying, "I miss them so much, Twilight. They were almost all I had."

Twilight said, "I understand. When all of this is over, you can live here if you'd like. I'll make sure I will be your mom and your dad."

"Why would you do that?" asked Airborne.

"Because you are worth everything to me," she said. "If I lose you, I don't know what I'd do. I don't have much of my other friends. In fact, the other elements of harmony are not even as close to me as I wish. I've felt lonelier without them."

"I see," the hybrid said sadly. "I don't want you to be alone, Twilight. I don't want to be alone either."

Twilight sighed. "We don't have to be alone. We will always have each other for comfort." Airborne only nodded. He couldn't help but think of the 3 people that just left his life. "You're my son, Airborne. I love you like one."

"I love you too, Twilight," replied Airborne. "I love you too."