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Prologue:
There was a disruption throughout the snowy mountains to the north of what was just until recently known as Equaltown. Starlight Glimmer was currently on the mountain pass to the caves trying her best to outrun the several ponies pursuing her. In a wooden cart being pulled behind her were the cutie marks of the six elements of harmony, currently held in glass jars like you would expect to find things like honey.

There was a bridge coming up: a very narrow arch of rock that spanned from one side of a massive ravine to the other, and was the only way across for miles. She turned around, noticing the four ponies on her tail, and sprinted over it as fast as she could. Unaware of what she was planning, they just continued to run after her. Part way across the bridge, however, quite a big lump of snow came crashing into her, causing the cart she was pulling to break off and fall into the ravine, along with the glass jars. She fell over, and looked over the edge after the jars that were falling along with the remains of the cart. She pushed a pulse of magic through her horn and reached out to the jars, barely catching them before they hit the bottom. Lifting them back up, she then continued on over the bridge.

As soon as she was across, she quickly spun around, and fired off a spell at the bridge, making it explode into millions of tiny rocks and snow. The ponies on the other side were startled by the explosion and were forced to skid to a halt to prevent themselves from being thrown off. Starlight didn’t get to see what they did next, because she instantly carried on as soon as she saw her spell worked. She could see the caves coming up, hidden in the side of one of the tallest mountains. She was free, and she had the cutie marks of six of the most powerful ponies she knew of, including a princess!

She was right upon the cave now, just about to enter. As soon as she was inside, they wouldn’t have any hope of stopping her. However, fate seemed to not be on her side, as she looked up and noticed two ponies flying overhead: one of them with skis on his hooves. The pony with skis on (Double Diamond) was dropped onto a massive pile of snow that led up to the cave, and he began to ski towards the cave entrance, causing an avalanche of snow to start falling behind Starlight. She tried to outrun the snow, but it was too fast for her, and the instant she crossed the threshold of the cave entrance, a massive pile of snow suddenly fell on top of her. It completely buried her in less than a second. It didn’t, however, bury the glass jars hovering behind her. Once the snow had enveloped her, it caused her to loose concentration, thus ending the spell that was keeping the glass jars up. They fell unceremoniously to the ground, where each one shattered into many pieces, and thus freeing the cutie marks trapped inside.

The cutie marks flew away at incredible speeds, on their way back to their respective owners. The ponies that were pursuing her caught up just after the avalanche, standing just in front of where the snow covered Starlight. After a few seconds, Starlight emerged from the snow, with a look a pure fury on her face. She saw the other ponies, and charged up a spell to fire at them. Just before her spell fired however, Twilight Sparkle landed in front of the ponies and managed to raise a shimmering purple shield around them, blocking the spell Starlight fired just in time, and causing it to harmlessly impact the shield and dissipate.

Starlight looked on in anger, slightly confused at how her spell, one that she had studied for years, could just be blocked so easily. “Wh- I studied that spell for years! How can you-” she started but was cut off by Twilight.

“I studied magic for years too! But what I didn't know then was that studying could only take me so far. Each of my friends has taught me something different about myself! It was their unique gifts and passions and personalities that helped bring out the magic inside of me! I never would have learned that I represent the element of magic without these five! And I certainly wouldn't be here to stop you now!” She said, as the other five appeared and gathered around. Starlight just looked on in annoyance, not caring about what Twilight had to say.

“Spare me your sentimental nonsense! I gave these ponies real friendships they never could've had otherwise!” She tried to argue back. 

“How do you know that?! You never even gave us a chance!” Double Diamond, retorted.

At that, Starlight just grew angrier, and charged another spell. After a second, the spell went off, creating a massive field of blue energy that expanded outwards, blinding all the ponies gathered, and instantly melted all the snow Starlight was standing on. Once the ponies could see again, all they could see was Starlight running off through the cave.

“She’s getting away!” Rainbow Dash shouted, as she flew towards the cave.

“Well, let’s go after her then!” Double Diamond shouted back, also running towards the cave. Now that all the ponies had their cutie marks back, capturing her was going to be a much easier task. Twilight also spread her wings and bolted into the cave after Rainbow, and as soon as she was in, lit up her horn, illuminating a massive portion of the cave around them, allowing them to see. The others weren’t far behind, resorting to giving chase on hoof.

They could still see Starlight, as she wasn’t very fast compared to the two ponies flying after her. She turned around and saw them gaining on her, and charged a spell, firing it off at them. The spell impacted the cave ceiling, causing a load of rock and dust to come tumbling down behind them, making the others stop behind them to avoid the debris. Twilight fired a spell herself, not aimed at Starlight, but at the cave ceiling in front of her. It caused the ceiling to start raining rock, just like with Starlight’s spell, however Twilight then fired off a second, then a third at the ceiling, making the cave start shaking like an earthquake was happening with the amount of debris coming from the ceiling.

Starlight also noticed this, and was forced to stop to avoid being crushed. She turned around, very obviously furious, and sent another spell flying towards them. It forced Twilight to dodge and hit the cave wall, causing her to yelp and fall onto the cave floor in a slight daze. Rainbow continued going, however, flying straight towards Starlight. She was stopped however just short by a light blue aura appearing around her tail, making her jerk backwards and hang there limply by her tail for a few seconds, just like Twilight does sometimes.

“You ruined everything for me, the least you can do is let me go so I can be by myself!” She shouted in a very angry tone at Rainbow who was just hanging there by her tail, now looking at Starlight with a very hard glare. In the few seconds it took Starlight to say that, however, Twilight had recovered, and was now upon Starlight, literally slamming into her.

The wind was knocked out of Starlight as she and Twilight tumbled to the floor in a tangle of hooves. The others that were following on hoof were just arriving, a couple out of breath from doing so much running. The spell that Starlight was using to hold Rainbow was also broken as Twilight smashed into her, freeing Rainbow and making her drop to the floor with a cute squeak, unable to catch herself in time.

Pinkie was instantly next to Twilight and Starlight, who were groaning on the floor. Twilight was the first to recover, and as soon as she noticed Starlight below her, she cast a spell, causing a purple glow to cover Starlight’s horn. As soon as she did that, she glanced up, and noticed Pinkie standing next to them, smiling widely at her.

“Great job Twi! That was so cool how you just swooped in and hit her; you were all like ZOOM and then SMASH and then the two of you just went tumbling to the floor in a heap!” Pinkie said way too fast, Twilight barely catching what the mare just said.

“Uhhhh, thanks I guess. Although I don’t think I’ll be doing that again anytime soon. By the way, you wouldn’t happen to have a magic dampening ring would you?” Twilight replied, hoping that the chaotic Pink pony would have one. She just ‘happened’ to have so much random stuff on hoof, she thought she would at least try her luck.

“Sure thing Twi, I got one right here!” She replied, reaching into her mane with a hoof, and pulling out a small golden ring with engravings etched around the outside. “I always keep one on hoof in case of evil unicorn dictators being captured!”

Twilight took the ring in her magic, muttering a ‘thanks’, and ignoring the rest of what she said because it made her head hurt, and moved the ring over to Starlight’s horn. By this point, Starlight was now just coming to, and opened her eyes just in time to see the ring be pushed down onto her horn, completely preventing her from using magic. Her eyes went wide, and she started struggling, trying to use her magic, and even physically push Twilight off of her, but to no avail.

“NO! NOT MY HORN! MY MAGIC!” she wailed, frantically trying to push her captor off. “PLEASE!” but the ring was already in place, the runes on the outside glowing brightly, showing that the ring was in effect, and blocking a substantial amount of magic trying to be used.

“I’m sorry, Starlight, but I’m afraid you’re going to have to come with us. I’m placing you under arrest for breaking several laws, including forcefully removing a ponies’ cutie mark, brainwashing and other crimes which I really don’t know.” Twilight said as Starlight started to cry, obviously distraught at having her ability to use magic taken away. “You won’t be allowed to use your magic, for obvious reasons.”

All the others had now gathered around looking on to the crying Starlight with varying expressions. Some conveyed anger, some conveyed contempt, and a couple conveyed sympathy (Fluttershy and Twilight). Twilight, despite sounding serious, actually felt quite sorry for Starlight. She had a pretty strong feeling that Starlight had some hidden feelings that had been causing her behaviour, and those thoughts were getting stronger seeing Starlight break down so quickly after having her ability to use magic removed.

Everyone stood there for a couple of minutes, just watching on. It was quite awkward in fact, especially for Starlight, who was now just sitting there with her head in her hooves. She knew that she wouldn’t be getting out of this one with her magic inhibited, and her mind was being filled with thoughts of what her life was like before she started her village.

“Well, I think it’s about time we got out of this cave. I don’t know about you but this cold, damp cave isn’t doing my coat and mane any good.” Rarity finally broke the silence, patting her mane in her usual fashion.

“Yeah, lets. We can decide on what to do with Starlight on the way.” Twilight said, indicating towards Starlight, who just ignored her and continued to sit there with her head in her hooves, however she was no longer crying. “Rainbow, Applejack, could you two escort her out with us please?” She addressed the two mentioned ponies, who both nodded, although Rainbow looked a bit annoyed, understandably.

They both made their way over to Starlight, who didn’t notice due to her still having her head in her hooves, and they quite forcefully pulled her to her hooves, causing her to squeak slightly in surprise.

“Everyone ready?” Twilight asked. A series of nods went around the group, to which Twilight also nodded, and the group started to make their way back the way they came, heading back to Equaltown.

-

It took the large group of ponies quite a while to get out of the cave and back down to Equaltown. All the ponies were outside talking, some with genuinely happy smiles on their faces, some with more grim expressions, most likely because they realised just how much of their lives they had lost. Either way, as the group walked back into town with Starlight in tow, now with a gag on in addition to the ring on her horn, all eyes turned to them, and then to Starlight who was simply standing there looking around with what was probably supposed to be a neutral stare, but the fear was apparent in her eyes.

All the ponies in the town adopted what one could only call sinister grins (well, most of them anyway) upon sighting Starlight having been captured. Before any of them could open their mouths however, Twilight stepped forward. “Hello, before you do or say anything, please can you hear me out!” Twilight said as loudly as she could without shouting, causing all the ponies to divert their gazes onto Twilight with curiosity.

“Yes, we have managed to capture the pony responsible for quite possibly ruining your lives and taking everything, including your cutie marks, away from you. She has quite obviously committed quite a few very serious crimes, and as such, she must receive her punishment. As a princess of Equestria, it is my duty to ensure that the punishment is given and is fair, and as such she will be coming back with us. I understand that many of you might hold anger towards her, and that anger is very understandable, but believe me when I say that I will ensure that she will understand the severity of her actions.”

There was a brief pause while Twilight took in the reactions of the ponies. Some seemed to understand, and some seemed less convinced, and had scowls on their faces directed at Twilight. “I have spoken with the others who helped us to catch her, and might I add that we wouldn’t have ever done so without them,” she turned and gave a grateful smile at Double Diamond, Nightglider, Party favour and Sugar Belle, who all gave her warm smiles in return, “and they all agree and think it would be for the best for Starlight to come back with us. If you have any doubts, please ask one of them. However, now that you are all indeed free and have got your cutie marks back, you do not have to remain here, and are free to go and make new friends, and remember who you once were! Or if you want, to create a new life for yourselves.” She ended with a smile, which caused many of the ponies now gathered to start whispering among themselves.

After a few seconds, one pony in the crowd spoke up: “I think we all wish to stay here in this town. Despite it being somewhere we were all oppressed, we all have considered it home for quite a long time.”

Another pony spoke up after that: “We can make this town a much nicer place to live, and we can all get to know each-other again, properly!”

Twilight smiled at that. “I think that sounds like a marvellous idea.” She turned around to the other four ponies, silently asking their opinions on the matter. Double Diamond spoke up.

“I like that idea. I don’t feel like leaving either, this place is indeed my home.” The other three nodded in agreement, causing Twilight’s smile to widen slightly.

“Excellent. Well, I guess that’s everything-“ Before she could continue, a pink blur fell down in front of her, materialising into Pinkie Pie.

“OH, OH, YOU KNOW WHAT THIS CALLS FOR!? A PARTY!!” The pink pony bellowed, causing several ponies, especially Twilight, to jump. Pinkie then proceeded to pull out her party cannon from wherever she kept it, and all of a sudden the whole town was littered in party decorations as the cannon was fired, which did cause every pony to jump.

“Well, I guess we could stay for a while…”