An Equestrian Lifestream Corrupted and Manipulated

“Girls we need to get back to Ponyville!” Twilight screamed.

The rest of the Mane 6 were all in agreement. But Cadance wanted them to wait a little longer to come up with a plan. Cadance had an idea that she could use her ability to spread love with her Power of Love spell to counteract Sephiroth’s influence on the Crystal Heart. This would weaken him long enough so the Mane 6 could use their elements of harmony. Twilight felt anxiety over Ponyville’s impending destruction so agreed to the plan in order to get back as soon as possible.

Cloud overheard the conversation and offered assistance to which the ponies were more than willing to accept in light of the circumstances. Barret and Shining Armor were in no fit shape to fight so they were sent to the rocket to recuperate. After retrieving the container used to hold Sephiroth, Cloud and his party were ready to be teleported by Twilight to Ponyville.

Before the group knew it, they were back in Ponyville with no time to spare. Cloud, his party, and Cadance headed to the city’s outskirts for a position to head off Sephiroth. Twilight and her friends ran to the tree house to retrieve the elements of harmony. Spike was there cleaning the library per usual. When Twilight and the girls burst through the door, he fell off his step ladder in surprise.

“Whoa Twilight, what’s the rush?” Spike asked.

Twilight was really anxious looking over her shoulder at the tree house’s door while speaking to Spike. “There’s no time to explain, Spike. You need to evacuate the citizens of Ponyville.”

“What? Why?”

“Spike! Not now! Do what I say!” Twilight quickly spoke in a frantic voice.

“Okay! I’m on it! But I’d like to at least know what is going on.”

“Something really bad is coming and, if we don’t evacuate the citizens of Ponyville, they’re going to be in a lot of danger.”

“Wow! Ok, you can count on me!” With that said the little dragon ran out the door to round up the town’s citizens.

Twilight and the girls quickly grabbed the elements of harmony and made their way to the meeting point. When they got there, they had a macabre sense of feeling hanging in the air.

“Oh, I forgot to send Princess Celestia a letter on what is happening,” Twilight remarked.

“I could fly there and back,” Rainbow Dash offered.

“No time,” Twilight responded.

Cadance was deep in thought. She was deeply sad about the pain brought onto the Crystal Ponies. She wished there was something she could have done but knew there wasn’t. She tried to focus on how to counteract Sephiroth’s influence on the Crystal Heart. It was her means of severing his link to the planet’s lifestream.

Silence hang in the air as all those attending prepared for the inevitable encounter. Then, on the horizon, they were approached by a far off man’s silhouette. The sword in his left hand was immediately recognized. Within earshot distance, the Mane 6 readied their attack. In addition, Cadance casted her spell in an attempt to interact with the Crystal Heart. Cloud and his party watched from the sidelines hoping that this would work.

Sephiroth kept up the speed of his approach without worry. A light from his chest emitted a few times to after which he abruptly stopped walking. Those watching Sephiroth realized he was in pain and began clutching his chest with his right hand. Twilight knew this was their chance to strike. She and the Mane 6 began their attack with beams of light firing from the elements of harmony. All at once, the elements of harmony synchronously powered up and launched a rainbow into the sky twisting in its ascension. Then, it dove down towards its target who only now saw it coming.

With the sword in his left hand, Sephiroth raised it as though to guard from the attack. It was assumed to be a feeble attempt. However, at that very moment, the glow in his chest stopped, and he regained control of the Crystal Heart. Everyone looked on in horror as Sephiroth completely stopped the elements of harmony a few feet from his face. The same familiar smile crossed his face as Sephiroth stood upright with renewed energy.

“Such a powerful and pure weapon. I can feel the strength in it design to cleanse evil intentions. It must be a weapon used for ‘good.’ Well, you know what they say about good intentions…”

Sephiroth redirected the attack back at those attending. Not expecting this turn of events the group had no time to react. The elements of harmony hit its new target with almost perfect accuracy. Everyone was blinded by the light of the attack so all they could do was hear the screaming echoing in their ears. It sounded much like a wild animal put in a grinder legs first.
When everyone could see again, they noticed who had been hit lying on the ground in his red cape.

“Vincent!” Cloud and his party yelled out at the same time rushing to his side.

Sephiroth resumed his march to Ponyville feeling accomplished.

“Immortals: They don’t understand there is more than one way to skin a cat even IF it has nine – or an infinite number of lives.”

“Sephiroth, what have you done?” Cloud called out to the man walking away.

“Nothing, Cloud. I’m not the one that attacked. I saw an opportunity and merely took it with no hesitation.”

Sephiroth made his way to Ponyville while Cloud, his party, Cadance, and the Mane 6 came to Vincent’s side.

“We’re sorry! We didn’t mean for this to happen!” Twilight cried out.

“It is okay,” Vincent responded. “I’ve lived too long with too much sin to carry.”

“Don’t talk like that,” Cloud abruptly stepped in. “Your sins were not your own to carry, remember?”

“Maybe,” Vincent struggled to voice the words. “Maybe not. Sins can only be forgiven from another. Let me sleep…”

Vincent closed his eyes and, before the group’s eyes, decayed to what looked like an old man then ash floating away in the breeze. Cloud picked up the red cape.

“Your sins are forgiven, my friend. We will meet again.” Cloud put on the red cape in memory of his fallen friend.

Though a macabre feeling stayed in the air, the group – except Nanaki (Red XIII) – headed in pursuit of Sephiroth. Cloud asked Nanaki if he was okay. He reassured Cloud he was okay. However, while the group headed to Ponyville, Nanaki sat next to the spot of his fallen friend. He didn’t want to say it but he felt “Gilligan” growing in his heart now more than ever.

Cloud walked with the group a few steps towards Ponyville wondering what was going to happen now. It seemed like Sephiroth was out of control. In addition, it was obvious that he was gaining too much power for them to handle him. He felt a vibration in his pocket which was the radio used to speak with Cid.

“Yes, Cid. What is it?” Cloud talked into it.

“You know those two stowaways on the ship?”

“Yeah?”

“Heads up. They’re heading in your direction.” Cloud looked in the direction opposite of Ponyville and noticed a flying object approaching very rapidly. The rest of the group noticed the flying object as well when they realized Cloud had stopped walking. Coming closer, the flying object was recognized to be a one-winged man carrying another man.

“Genesis, what do you plan on doing?” Cloud said as he watched the two fly past the walking group heading towards the town with remarkable speed.