Pinkie Pie's Fourth-Wall Breaking Variety Show

by Alex Warlorn

Rating: everyone
Tags: Main 6, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Other, Trixie, Comedy, Cutie Mark Crusaders, Random, Pinkie Pie
Length: 590760

Pinkie Pie with one camera and a TV studio all to herself invites her friends over for antics that can't effect the outside world and sneak some peeks at alternate timelines. What fun will the ponies have when anything is possible?

Pinkie Pie invites you to join her for an outrageous show. Canon and logic go out the window as we proudly present Pinkie's Fourth Wall Breaking Variety Show! Take a break from the main story and enjoy off the wall antics, bizarre moments, and innumerable guest appearances! But most importantly, don't forget to have fun!

Just For Fun, no canon here. Enjoy!

This was originally posted on deviantart, with the system that allowed users to be deleted when a story was edited. And as such users were able to submit segments and scenes for the show. These were posted between episodes as breathers and to explore interactions between characters who could never logically meet in story.

The ponies here basically follow the Da Rules! of the Pony POV Series-verse. But ultimately, everything here is intended as fun and games and AS A RULE, follows a consistent INTERNAL-canon and events and scenes follow the fundamental rules of cause and effect. But ultimately, everything here is for fun.

Published 2013-06-26 17:20:03 UTC
Last updated 2019-10-13 18:21:41 UTC

Episode 2

Pony POV Series
Pinkie Pie's Forth Wall Breaking Variety Show (Again)
Non-Canon
By Alex Warlorn

Pinkie Pie hopped onto a familiar studio stage. "Howdy Everypony and every brony! We're running into editing trouble of Shining Armor's next two chapters, and due to real life responsibilities the author is still writing the biiiig fight scene with poor Dashie and Twilight! Not to mention the troubles the authors of the Seven Dreams And Nightmares pieces running into! But don't worry! We're still getting big proud . . . . one-hundred and sixty nine-views page hits yesterday-?! That is one nasty drop! Not like that little fall Twilight took that my twitchy tall warned about first. I thought it it was weird when I got twitchy tail and nothing fell on Twilight! Whoa boy! Gotta do something fast so the audience doesn't lost interest!"

Pinkie Pie zipped off camera and came back on a unicycle spinning plates on her nose juggling rubber balls, torches, and Gummy wearing teddy bear pajamas. In her muzzle was a kazoo whistling the original My Little Pony Special opening theme and was wearing her 'crime against fashion' Gala dress.

She then did a triple flip tossing the various props in the air which exploded in a mass of fireworks, and a Gummy floating down holding am umbrella.

Pinkie Pie easily caught him. "Ta-da! And that should get us some . . ." She looked at the page view counter. "Or maybe not." Her hair threatened to straighten. "Okay! I know! What if scenarios always get the readers attention!! Get right back!" Pinkie Pie vanished off camera again, to the sound of search through various pieces of junk. "Candy. One of Dashie's feather's. Candy. Strand of Fluttershy's mane. Candy. Book I promised to give back to Twilight next week a month ago. Candy. Cupcakes. Flowers from Cheerilee's garden. Free rainbow samples from the rainbow factory. One of Rarity's eyelashes. More candy. Special secret stash of cider. FOUND IT!"

Pinkie Pie wheeled in an old fifty's era TV set with cheap costume alien antennas glued on the top.

"Okay! Now let's see! Hmm?" Pinkie finds a note on the floor and reads it, "From the author! Okay! Let's see now . . . ahem . . . 'What If Fluttershy wasn't given her talking to by Princess Luna or Princess Celestia and wasn't punished by them in any way after the Nightmare Whisper incident? And the really bad thing that almost happened did happen?'"

Pinkie Pie turned the TV screen to face herself and her face was illuminated in the glow.

"HANG THE NAG!" Snarled the voice of Mrs. Cake.

The voices of angry mares, jennies, cows, griffins, minotauresses, female diamond dogs, and lady DRAGONS roared in agreement.

"HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? She was safe in the castle!" Rainbow Dash's voice cried out in horror.

Rarity said in an emotionless voice, "Apparently somepony thought that the longer Fluttershy was turned over to the mob the more violent they were going to get until they outright rebelled on Princess Celestia and tried to storm the castle and punish Fluttershy themselves or died trying."

Rainbow Dash's voice form the TV hissed, "What heartless nag used that stupid logic?!"

"Fluttershy did," Rarity said her voice cracking.

"We got her wings and legs tied!" Said the voice of a pegasus mare who had been in her sixth month of pregnancy a week ago.

"Kill'er! Kill'er! Kill'er! Kill'er!" Chanted every mare, dragon, griffin, every sapient creature who had been with child within Equestria's borders when Nightmare Whisper had brought her eternal childhood upon every adult in Equestria.

"GET AWAY FROM-"

"Rainbow Dash." Fluttershy's voice said. "Let them do it. If you try to stop them, I'll . . . I'll stare you away if . . . " Fluttershy broke down in tears.

"OFF! OFF! OFF! OFF! OFF! OFF!" Pinkie Pie screamed banging the old TV with an anvil. "BAD WHAT IF SCENARIO! BAD! IF YOU WERE A GOOD WHAT IF SCENARIO YOU WOULDN'T MAKE ME FEEL SAD!"

The TV flickered to a new scenario, now visit to the camera.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU WANT TO STAY LIKE THIS-?!" Rarity gasped looking at the Cutie Mark Crusaders, only, they were the wrong species of pony.

"I can help out on the farm a lot more like this," Said Applebloom fluttering her wings and lifting herself off the ground without trouble.

"And I'll have no trouble flying once I figure out the gossamer wing spell anyway so I don't mind, and I can even zap monsters now!" Said Scootaloo now sporting a unicorn horn.

"And it wasn't like I could do magic anyway and I don't tire out when working hard now so everything works out," Said an Earth Pony Sweetie Belle.

"I think I've enough," Pinkie Pie said as she tossed the TV into a garbage bin. She shook her mane, "Okay Bronies and Ponies! I think we've had enough of that. I know what can get our page count back up! . . . Ahem-"

Fireworks and sparkles went off as a banner unfolded.

WELCOME ONE AND ALL TO ANOTHER 'PINKIE PIE'S FORTH WALL BREAKING VARIETY SHOW PART TWO OF TWO PARTS (For Right Now!)!

"Alright Everypony! Remember the rules from last time? Well they got like this! You WRITE what happens next, not describe, actually write the scene, and it'll be copy and pasted into the story! The rules are first and foremost that I'm the only one who can break the forth wall. Second the camera can't leave the old studio I'm using to transmit! Third, the guests have to be from My Little Pony, but can be from any generation or comic or toy OF My Little Pony! Forth, everything that happens is non-canon in relation to the Pony POV Seres Verse! Alright! Everypony! Let's do this! Let's see what happens next!"

It's been a few weeks since the last time Pinkie Pie threw a party. This is truly unlike her as most of her friends know her as the kind of pony who'd throw a party for almost anything.

Strangely enough, she seems slightly quieter and more studious than usual. Plus, she's been seen often writing in some kind of book. What could it be that she's writing? A novel? A journal? Or maybe even an autobiography?

Twilight Sparkle almost spent the entirety of her morning routine today thinking about it even while washing herself and getting herself breakfast. After several days of holding back her curiosity to focus on more important stuff, she was finally more than ready to ask Pinkie Pie about the book she's writing in.

Derpy flies over to Pinkie and hands her two letters.

"Thanks, Derpy!"

"Let's see, the first letter is from Generic Pony Fan #12"

Dear Pinkie,

I was going over the Origins: Celestia again and found out that Mortis and Strife had three kids with each other. Do you know anything about their kids? Such as what they look like?

Pinkie looks up from the letter, "Sorry, you're going to have to ask Star-Catcher or Alex about that, because I honestly don't have a clue." Pinkie goes back to the letter:

I was also wondering if you refer to Twilight as Minty now that you know that Minty lives on in her.

"Nope, I still just call her Twilight. As far as I can tell, Minty is just a part of Twilight." She begins to read the other letter, "This one is from someone calling himself the Pony-Hater. Well, that's not very nice."

Dear Pink Pony-thing,

Ponies are stupid and dumb and stupid!

Pinkie turns back to the camera, "Well Mr. Pony-Hater, everyone is entitled to their own opinion so I won't argue with you, but I do have to wonder; if you hate ponies so much, then why did you bother to send me a letter?"

Derpy flies out and drops one more letter into Pinkie's hooves.

"Thanks, Derpy!" Pinkie calls after her before reading the letter. "Ooh, this one is from Ardashir, and he wrote us before. Aww, it's great to hear from old fans! He's the one who suggested that we show off the pony suits..."

Applejack's voice came from offstage: "If he wants ta see more o' them, tell him ta go an' wear one! Ah'm still scrubbing Rarity's flowery perfume outta my coat!"

"Calm down, AJ!" Pinkie called back. "That's not what he wants. He wants -- oh." Pinkie's mane slightly deflated as she read, "We know that you know about that One Certain Story where you hurt Dashie. We all know that you wouldn't really do that, even if I had a nightmare from it where I got trapped by Evil Pinkamena and..." Pinkie gulped, shivered, and skipped over the next part, "but does anyone else in Ponyville know about the nastier stories that've been told about them? Or are they blissfully unaware? And we all still love you ladies."

Pinkie sighed and looked up. "Naw, nopony knows about them. I just wish I didn't. Sure, we," and she indicated herself before pointing her hoof outwards, as though someone stood there, "all know that they're fake in the Heart World, but maybe in Discord's world where I got all mean and the rest of the girls went crazy they happened there. And who'd want their friends to know that somepony who doesn't know them all that well thinks they could do stuff like that? So I Pinkie Promised myself that I'd never ever tell them." She sighed and looked down. AS she did her mane reinflated. "Oh, there's a PS! Hey, if you WANT more ponysuit fun, then maybe I can..."

Four voices came from offstage, Applejack and Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle and Trixie, all yelling the same thing: "TELL HIM NO!"

Pinkie winced. "Okay, I guess not." She looked off to the other side and saw a smiling Rarity standing there in the shadows with a few more fullbody ponysuits on her ponyquins. Pinkie grinned impishly. "Then again..."

Out of nowhere a letter hovered down to Pinkie Pie.

"I wonder how this shadow does that... I guess some of them just want to save the postage. Let's see."

Dear Pinkie Pie,

could you tell us how you use the power of montages?

"Oh! Oh! I can do it! It is very easy. I just need two things. First there must be some uplifting music in the background. Then I need to be fast, very fast, so blazingly fast that even the shadows have trouble following me."

In a sudden pink blur the earth pony is gone and reappears in a different spot of the same room.

"I'll show you with this book about hoof wrestling. I guess Twilight won't mind if I train a bit before the next round."

Suddenly "Eye of the Tiger" plays in the background as Pinkie Pie reads the first page, the twentieth page, the hundredth page, the two hundredth page and finally the last page. After that the music stops playing as she closes the book dramatically.

"Now I know everything about hoof wrestling! I would have even some time left to draw a bit on the pages but after my long nap I don't do that anymore. Before that I would often draw something next to funny sounding words. But Twilight didn't complain that much about it. The drawings did get some ponies to look at books they would have never been interested in. The Flower Trio suddenly started to like the books about Quantum Theory after I drew some flowers into it."

"Hey, here's one from one of the beta readers," said Pinkie, taking the letter from Derpy. She then smiled widely reading it. "Oh! How did I forget that!"

A few minutes later the rest of the group were pulled in as the entire place was decked out for a party. "Pinkie, what's going on?" Twilight asked in confusion.

"It's the anniversary of when this story started!...Well, it was about a week ago! Hard to believe some of our recursive fan writers didn't pic up on that! Oh well, don't think the author realized it either"

Twilight blinked. Fluttercruel just gave her a nudge. "Just roll with it! we get a party out of the deal!"

"Happy anniversary everypony!" Pinkie announced as the party started.

Pinkie receives another letter, "Let's see this one is from someone asking if there's any chance of me interacting with a human on the show." Pinkie looks up from the letter, "I'm glad you asked, because we have a very special guest for tonight's show. Ladies and gentlemen please welcome the original series' very own Megan!"

Applause comes out of nowhere as a very confused young woman with blonde hair wearing an orange shirt, a brown vest, jeans, and cowboy boots walks on stage.

"Where am I? How did I get here?"

Pinkie ignores her, "Now Megan, I understand that this isn't your first encounter with magical talking ponies, correct?"

"Well yes, but..."

"Excellent! So what have you been doing with yourself since you stopped hanging around us ponies?"

"Well, I'm a kindergarten teacher, but I really want to know how I..."

"How would you compare the animation from the original cartoon to the animation of today?"

"Wha?"

"I agree. There are some bronies out there that need to stop complaining about the art style on the original show. I mean of course it's not going to be as good, considering that they didn't have the same technology back then that we do now. And for what it's worth, I actually liked the original show."

"What are you talking about?"

"So, Megan, what would you say the chances are of you making an appearance in a potential special for MLP's 30th anniversary next year?"

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Yeah, I agree. The chances of that happening are pretty slim. Which is too bad, I kind of liked you. Although, I liked your depiction in Rescue at Midnight Castle better than in the actual show."

"Umm... thanks? I think."

"Well it was nice speaking with you Megan, but unfortunately we have to wrap on this interview." Pinkie starts to move Megan offstage. "Tell Danny and Molly, I said hi."

"Hold on a second! Who are you? How did I get here?" Megan is pushed back to where Pinkie got her from before any of her questions can be answered.

Pinkie turns to the camera, "Lets hear a round of applause for Megan everyone!" Applause comes out of nowhere again.

Another letter arrives.

"Okay, this one is from LZ0291... Oh, he co-wrote the Cute-Cenera didn't he? And he also gave me that incredibly dangerous gun! Why would you do that?! Why would you put an artillery piece in my hooves even if it was rigged for parties?! Why couldn't you have given me some FUN technology?"

"Pinkie, he's asking you questions, not the other way around!"

"Oops, sorry! Okay... His question is What's that behind you?!"

Pinke turns around. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy are sitting at a small table.

"Oh, they're just having lunch just now. Looks like hay fries and potato fritters."

Pinkie turns around again.

"And that's the camera! Next?"

Derpy brings over a small box, with an attached note.

"Oh, a parcel? The letter says it's from... Shining Armor? Twilight's brother? Oh, that's odd, it's actually addressed to her too. Twilight! Your brother sent a parcel thing!"

"I'll be over in a second, Pinkie!"

"Wonder what this is in here. 'Dear Twiley/Pinkie, can either of you figure out how these things work?' Hm, wonder what's inside. Ooh, maybe they're presents but he lost the instructions? I know that he's on some kind of worldy tour thing being written... by..."

Pinkies pupil's shrink to pin-pricks and her mouth opens in a silent scream.

Twilight approaches.

"Okay, Pinkie, what is it?"

"Scan this box for guns!"

"What?!"

"Itmightbefullofguns! Evilauthor! Sendingguns!"

"I'll scan it but I don't understand you!"

Twilight's horn glows.

"Okay, it looks like... Uh, guns..."

"Aaaaah Spike! Burn it burn it burn it!"

"....Water guns. And little party flag guns." Twilight clarifies, opening the box and removing a bright orange super-soaker type watergun, complete with a trigger designed for use in the mouth and a pump for hooves to use.

"Oh... OH, okay! Phew, I should have known it would be mostly harmless if your brother sent them. Silly Shining Armor, these are easy, you just pour water into the tank here, push the pump a few times, then you use your horn or you mouth... wike dis..."

Pinkie picks up the water gun in her mouth, and sprays Spike as he runs over. Twilight rummages around in the parcel box more.

"Ghaa! Pinkie, what are you doing?!" Spike protests and flees.

Pinkie drops the water gun.

"And you spray Spike like that! The party guns are easier, you just push the flags in, then fire them with your mouth or horn again! You can even load a little glitter or confetti in before you fire too!"

Pinke demonstrates, waving the "bang" flag about. Twilight meanwhile examines a wood and metal object she has removed from the parcel.

"Okay, we got those two working, but I'm not sure about this one though. This writing on the side is Deer Cyrillic script. 'Avtomat Pistolet-Pulemyot Makarova Four-One slash Four-Seven'..."

"Oh, there's a note, Twilight! 'Twiley, first, keep this away from Pinkie. Second, the banana-portion bit inside fell off and we can't get it back on and that seems to make it work... Oh, hey, Twilight, I was reading that!"

Twilight pulls the item away, holding it high above her head.

"Uh, no, Pinkie, the rest of the note says, this is, uh... for me! It's a... scientific thing! But not a gun! Harmless, completely harmless!"

"Oh, I think the banana bit he means is this and it goes here!" Pinke says, picking up and attaching the metal banana shaped object to the item Twilight holds in her magic.

"AHH! I, mean, Ah! That's great, Pinkie, but I should go and... do science... to this gu...fiin. MacGuffin. Yes."

Twilight quickly leaves

"Ha, silly Twilight, there are no lions in the Scottish highlands, so there's no such thing as a MacGuffin! Wait, what's that? Spell check in the word processor says MacGuffin isn't a real word. It suggests... MacGregor, muffin... machine-gun?!"

Pinke stares for a few seconds before blinking.

"I'm sure it's just a coincidence. Next letter!"

"Hey, Pinkie, you want some hay fries?" Rainbow Dash then shouts.

"...Okay, give me a minute, and THEN, next letter!"

And and Pinkie waved at the camera, "And remember folks, don't be scared to build up on other pony's postings."

Pinkie received another letter. "Okay, this one is from Jarkes, who asks: How did the events that surrounded Shining Armor and Princess Cadence's wedding differ here than it did in the Heart World? P.S. Check out my own fanfic, Shining in the Darkness. It was partially inspired by this series."

Pinkie grinned. "Well, it's great to know that we inspire bronies to write their own stories! But to answer your question, all I can say is, you thought it was crazy in the Heart World? You should've seen what happened here!"

An unknown voice was heard from backstage. "Pinkie, I thought I told you not to discuss plot points that I haven't gotten to yet!"

Pinkie sighed. "Sorry, Alex..."
-Fluttercruel and Rainbow Dash, both completely full after eating most of the hay fries and potato fritters on the table, looked at each other. Rainbow Dash began to talk.

"A human as a guest, applause out of nowhere, letters, presents, guns...

"It is most definitely not a gun!" Twilight's voice could still be heard inside the studio.

... and a strange voice talking about plot points. That might be her weirdest party yet." Rainbow finished.

Applejack and Rarity tried hoof wrestling next to them.

"Best o' seven!"

The other ponies signed.

"Nah, the 'Guess which meme I am' party is still the strangest thing I remember. And that is saying something."

Fluttercruel shifted back to Fluttershy who nodded in agreement. Shy was the one who did remember that party but since Cruel had her memories she knew that as well.

"I still can hardly believe that Twilight was actually able to guess a few of them. Who knew that the green spiralling eyes meant 'Welcome to the Herd'..."

Seamlessly Fluttershy switched back to her other half.

"... or her talking deep with the voice changer about ruining the gala stands for some 'Magneighto' guy?"

"You two finishing each other's sentences did become less creepy over time. And I still think the human was just Lyra in one of these suits." Dash added dryly.

"We live in a normal world with talking colourful ponies, humans seem sooo strange."

Rainbow ignored the biting irony and took a look at the new guest. Shortly after Pinkie had read another letter somepony had arrived. At least this one seemed more normal in comparison to what had happened before.

She was a blue earth pony with a pink, orange, yellow and green mane and a Rainbow between two clouds as a cutie mark.

Sure her proportions were a bit weird but as long as she made Pinkie Pie smile like that, Dash didn't mind that at all. She decided to walk a bit closer to meet the newcomer.

"... said I should use an alias and then I found myself in this dashing place. May I assist you a bit with the decorations, Pinkie?"

"Oh, Dashie meet erm..."

"The name is Spectral Rush. I adore your style, did you ever think about adding more glamour to your movements?" said the blue earth pony with the sophisticated aura.

Dash took a few steps back. She opened her mouth to say something to the new pony but closed it again before any cynical remark came out. Whoever this Rarity clone was, she was Pinkie Pie's friend. After living with Scootaloo for such a long time Rainbow had learned, that she should not always say the first thing that came to her mind.

"No, thanks I prefer my own style. My name is Rainbow Dash."

The pegasus expected the newcomer to whine or try to convince her to change. Instead she looked surprised but pulled herself together very quickly.

"Of course, that is what makes you what you are. I like it when ponies stand up for their own style."

Dash blinked twice as the smile of Pinkie Pie became even wider. Rainbow decided that the new guest wasn't so bad after all.

"Do you want some hay fries or potato fritters? You better try them before Fluttercruel eats them all."

Pinkie watched grinning as Rainbow Dash and Spectral Rush walked offstage, chatting together. Then an envelope appeared in her hooves in a puff of green fire.

"Ooh, I didn't know that Spike was offering his services cross-dimensionally!" The party pony opened it and read, "Another one from Ardashir! He asks, 'When Princess Luna appeared as Nightmare Moon on last Nightmare Night, how did she do that? Did she shapeshift?'" Pinkie looked up. "Gee, I've kinda wondered about that one too. Twilight? Do you know?"

"Sorry, Pinkie," the purple unicorn said as she came out from stage left, "but it's a mystery to me. I was busy trying to help Princess Luna, right after you got everyone scared to death of her..." Pinkie grinned and blushed, "And I never did think to ask her."

"That's okay, we'll ask her now!" Pinkie jumped for joy. "Besides, I bet she'd love to be here!" Twilight paled.

"Pinkie, I'm not sure that's a smart idea..."

Pinkie ignored Twilight and called up into the sky, "Hey, Princess Luna! We need to ask you something!" A pale silvery light exploded overhead. When it dissipated, Luna descended to the stage, landing lightly on her hooves. She looked at the two mares and smiled.

"Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle," she said, "My greetings. I was on my way back from a visit to little Pipsqueak when I heard your call. I have but a little time before I must be off. What question did you need to ask?" Pinkie simply repeated the question from the letter. Luna nodded gravely. "While I can indeed transform the body of myself and other ponies, that night 'twas an illusion you saw. I can demonstrate here, if Twilight would be so good?"

Both the Prussian blue alicorn and the pink earth pony turned expectantly to Twilight. She just sighed and rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath, "I knew something like this would happen when I heard who wrote it." Aloud she simply said, "Okay, if it's just an illusion."

Princess Luna nodded and grinned as pale moonlight shone along her horn before it covered Twilight. Twilight cried out once, sounding surprised, and when the light faded there stood before Luna and Pinkie a graceful unicorn with a coat that mingled midnight black and the dark purple of deepest night. Onyx-set silvery barding set atop her head and across her chest. Twilight's mane hung down past her withers, ebony save for her usual purple streak. Her eyes were green with slit draconic pupils and brilliant purple eyeshadow covered her eyelids.

"Oooh, you look ready for Nightmare Night, Twilight!" Pinkie said, and Luna added, "Indeed, Twilight Sparkle. You do not wear this form badly."

"Do I even want to know what I look like?" Twilight asked, her voice sounding somehow odd coming from that darkly magnificent form. Luna looked as thought she agreed; she frowned in concentration and a gleam played around Twilight's mouth. When the unicorn next spoke, she sounded nothing like her normal self. Her voice combined sophistication and royal hauteur. "Is, is that my voice? Princess Luna, what did you do to me?"

"See for thyself, Twilight." A full-length mirror slid out from offstage to stop before Twilight. The mare yelled in surprise before she looked closer.

"That's me?" She blinked and frowned. "What's with all the eyeshadow? Wait, we're ponies, how do we even get the stuff on over hair?"

"Magic, of course." Luna smiled at Twilight's exasperated eyeroll. The Moon Princess looked skywards. "Ah! I did forget, my duties require me elsewhere. My thanks for asking me here, Pinkie Pie, and apologies for having to leave so swiftly. And fear not, Twilight. If thy altered appearance has not returned to normal within a few days, contact Us at the royal palace and We shall restore thy normal appearance." She took to the air, the air turning darker around her.

"So long, Princess Luna, and thanks!" Pinkie called after Luna as she soared off into the sky. A horrified unicorn nightmare ran up beside her and stared into the sky.

"A few days?!? Princess, wait! I..." Luna was already a rapidly vanishing dot in the sky. "Oh, darn it," Twilight stomped one of her hind hooves. "Now what do I do?"

"Aw, come on, Twilight," Pinkie wrapped one foreleg around the mare's shoulders. "What's the worst that could happen -- oh, hi, Fluttershy!"

"Girls," Fluttershy asked in her soft voice as she walked on stage, "Have you seen Rainbow Dash? I was going to ask her if she wanted the rest of my hay fries, and..." Twilight turned around and Fluttershy's eyes went wide. "EEK! Nightmare Moon!" She gave a shiver and when her eyes opened again, it was Fluttercruel looking out from them. "Hah! I heard all about you from 'Shy; you don't look scary to me! And I'll make sure you don't hurt anypony!"

"Fluttershy, I mean 'Cruel, don't! I'm not a Nightmare, I -- ahhhh!" Nightmare Twilight turned and fled at top speed with Fluttercruel winging after her in hot pursuit. Both mares vanished from the stage, with Fluttercruel's dire promises and Twilight's frantic protests echoing back.

"Oops," Pinkie said as she looked after them before turning outwards and giving a big grin. "Okay, what's next?"

"Get mah lasso," Applejack immediately replied. "This is gunna get ugly."

Pinkie walked towards Spectral Rush as Rainbow Dash flew away, "Hey Rai... I mean, Spectral, how's it going?" Pinkie asked.

"Oh, hello Pinkie, darling" said Spectral Rush, "Everything's going splendid."

"How were things with Rainbow Dash?"

"It was positively dashing. Although, I have to admit, when you first told me about this other Rainbow Dash, my first impression was that she was a jerk. I can now see that I was wrong about her."

"Glad to hear it."

Just then Post Haste arrived to give Pinkie two more letters. "Ooh, some more fan mail." said Pinkie.

"Well, what do they say?" asked Spectral.

"Let's see. The first one is from someone wishing to be anonymous who says that he (or maybe it's a she, I'm not sure) is really big fan of Friendship is Magic."

Pinkie looks up at the camera, "Aw, thanks!"

She goes back to the letter, "It goes on to say that he respects the original cartoon for starting the franchise in the first place and that he hasn't seen enough of My Little Pony Tales to really have an opinion on it."

Pinkie looks up at the camera again, "You should give Tales a chance. It may lack the fantasy element that the other MLP cartoons have, but it's still quite enjoyable. Also, the original cartoon technically didn't start the franchise. The cartoon was made to promote the toys, so technically it was the toy line that started the franchise. And if you want to get even more technical, then it was the My Pretty Pony toy that preceded My Little Pony that actually started it. That's right all you fanboys and fangirls out there, My Little Pony is a spin-off!"

She goes back to the letter, "His opinion of G3 however is that it... oh." she looks at Spectral, nervously.

"What is it, darling?" Spectral asked.

"Um... It's nothing." Pinkie lied.

"It doesn't seem like nothing. What does it say in the letter?"

"Nothing important" Pinkie tried to hide the letter, but Spectral was able to grab hold of it.

Spectral begins to read the letter, "Let's see, ah, here it is. His opinion of G3 is that it... sucks." she looks at Pinkie, "So that's why you tried to hide it from me."

"I'm so sorry." said Pinkie.

"That's okay, darling. I don't blame you. Ever since you told me about these bronies I've known that a lot of them don't really care for my world."

"Our world." Pinkie corrected her.

"Right, our world, and I honestly don't care what they think. I'll live my life whether they like it or not."

Pinkie hugged her, "I just want to let you know that no matter what, I'll never hate you."

Spectral Rush smiled, "I know darling, I know. Um... Pinkie, aren't you forgetting something?"

"Hmm? Oh right, the other letter. Let's see, it's from Sherlock-Holmes18. It says:

'Dear Pinkie,
I just wanted to say that I am a huge fan of the Pony POV series, and I'm happy that I was able to contribute to it.'

Pinkie looks up from the letter, "Aw thanks! It's great to have you be a fan. And I'm sure Alex is also happy that you were able to contribute to the story, right Alex?" she asked some unseen person.

"Huh? Oh right, sure whatever." said a mysterious voice.

"Who was that?" asked Spectral Rush.

"The author" explained Pinkie.

"I swear, no matter how many times you explain these things to me, I'll never fully understand." said Spectral.

Pinkie went back to the letter, "Where was I again? Oh, now I remember:

' I would also like to say that I have recently started on a new MLP fanfic called Hearts, Hooves, and Hands in which Lyra ends up in the My Little Pony Tales verse. This is definitely not a shameless plug.
sincerely, Serlock-Holmes18
P.S. When you mention the part about it not being a shameless plug, make sure you use sarcasm.'

Pinkie looks up at the camera, "You know, I've heard of that sarcasm word before, but I've never bothered to find out what it means." she turns to Spectral Rush, "Do you know what it means?"

"Don't ask me." said Spectral, "We've never had much use for sarcasm in our world, so I'm just as lost as you are."

"Hmm... maybe Twilight knows what it is. I'll ask her as soon as she's done being chased by Fluttercruel."

"Hey, it looks like there's something else in the envelope." said Spectral.

"You're right, it's a notice." Pinkie begins to read it, "It seems that Sherlock has gotten a message from the MLP History fan club asking for fan artists to draw more pictures of Bonnie Zacherle, no matter if it's as a pony or a human."

Pinkie looks up at the camera, "Hey that's a great idea! For those of you that don't know, Bonnie Zacherle is the original creator of My Little Pony. She encouraged kids to use their imagination and said that it was okay for them to have adventures." A rainbow with the words 'The more you know' appears over Pinkie's head, "We have plenty of ponified fanart of Lauren Faust (which is nice, don't get me wrong), but hardly any of the woman who started it all. So fan artists, get drawing!"

"Darling the magic box in the trash bin is flickering."

"That's a TV Rainb-Spectral. And I thought I threw it out."

The image on the TV to an image of a trim and fit Pinkie Pie in an 80s work out outfit. She also had broccoli for her cutie mark.
"That's it ponies! Stay in shape! And EAT HEALTHY!" Cheered the Pinkie Pie on the screen.

"GAAH! NO! NO! NO!" Pinkie Pie shouted hitting the TV with a wifflebat.

A shriek rang out offstage. Spectral Rush fled with a neigh of fear. Pinkie looked to see Twilight, still in her illusionary Nightmare disguise, come running out in a panic. Hot on her hooves came Fluttercruel, wings flapping furiously. And behind her and hanging on to 'Cruel by a lasso was Applejack. The palomino Earth Pony gripped the end of the lasso in her teeth.

"Oh, hi Twilight!" Pinkie said cheerily to her. "Say, I was wondering where you and Fluttercruel got off to..."

"She chased me right through Ponyville, and the Flower Sisters saw me and started a panic! The whole town thinks Nightmare Moon is back!" Twilight dove to hide behind Pinkie Pie, her dragon-eyes staring at 'Cruel. She pleaded in her new and majestic voice, "For the last time, Fluttercruel, I am NOT Nightmare Moon!"

"I know you're not!" Fluttercruel's wings beat fiercely as she sought to get away from Applejack. "You're Nightmare Eclipse, or whatever the egghead is going to call herself now that her OCD finally took her over!"

"WHAT?" The look of relief on Twilight's face turned to fury. She stalked out from behind Pinkie, head thrust out on her long neck, the light rippling over her glossy ebony and deep purple coat and making her look more like Nightmare Moon than ever as she said, "I do NOT have OCD!" Pinkie coughed and AJ just rolled her eyes. Twilight darted them both a look. "Oh, not you too! Look, just because I try to encourage ponies to be organized..." All three of the other ponies flinched back as her magically-altered voice boomed out. Twilight squeezed her eyes shut before she roared in fury. "ARRRGH! PRINCESS LUNA! CELESTIA! Someone get me out of this illusion! I need my normal voice back!"

"That is your normal voice, now that you're a nightmare!" Fluttercruel yelled at her. She tensed for a sudden leap. Applejack got on her back and held her down. 'Cruel struggled against her uselessly. "Darn it, you crazy hayseed! Let me go!"

"Now jest simmer down, sugarcube!" Applejack said to her before she looked at the seething Twilight. "Now, Nightm -- I mean Twi," she swiftly added the last part when she saw how purple light began gathering along Twilight's horn at her gaffe, "Why don't ya try an' break the spell yerself? I mean, ya are the Element o' Magic. And ya did see how Princess Celestia removed those pony-suit things Rarity 'n Ah got stuck in," AJ broke off and shuddered, "th' last time, so shouldn't ya be able ta cast that spell again?"

"Up till now I've been too busy running," Twilight grumbled back, but she gathered her power and cast the spell. Purple light spilled from her horn and flashed brilliantly. Something like an obsidian cloud gathered itself up and flew away backstage. Pinkie, Applejack, and 'Cruel all blinked against the dots filling their vision. And when it cleared, they once more saw Twilight as her normal self standing on the stage. Fluttercruel snorted and gave a shiver.

"Oh! Oh, dear, Twilight, I am so sorry!" Fluttershy ran to her friend and began apologizing. "I think Fluttercruel has been feeling bored lately, and she feels so upset about what we did when we became a nightmare. Maybe I need to let her out more often..."

"Ya think?" Twilight snorted, and then sighed. "Ah, my old voice, my old me. But what happened to that illusion?"

"Didn't you make it go explodey and get rid of it?" Pinkie asked. Twilight shook her head.

"No, Princess Luna's magic was too strong. I felt it go away from me but I don't know where..."

"Hey guys!" All four ponies cringed as an ebon pegasus flew out overhead. Her mane and tail were streaked black and purple. The silver barding was changed into a set of manacles crossing her chest. She cast her rose-red eyes over them all, slit pupils agleam, as she said in a slightly scratchier version of Nightmare Moon's voice, "One second I was minding my own business, and then BAM and this black cloud flew over me and now I look like this! Isn't this great? Best Nightmare Night costume ever!" She strutted in midair. "Ohmigosh, I bet the Wonderbolts will faint when they see this!" With a wild whoop 'Nightmare Manacle' Rainbow Dash flew out the window, flying off towards Ponyville. As she did more panic-stricken neighs rose.

"Dashie wait! We're gonna need you for another act!" Pinkie yelled after her. A crooked smile crossed Fluttershy's face before she shook herself.

"Oh no you don't, young lady!" Fluttershy said, suddenly looking stern. "You have caused enough trouble for one day!"

Applejack and Twilight just looked at each other and sighed before they began heading for the door.

"I'll get my spellbook."

"Ah'll get mah lasso."

And watching from the roof, Luna smiled. "My sister spoke truly. A few lighthearted pranks do indeed lighten one's day!"

Pinkie Pie turned on the overhead light and spoke into the microphone, "Attention everypony, Dark World Chapter Fifteen, The Duel Of Tears, will be uploaded in a hoof-full of hours. Please enjoy the show. Hmmm, I wonder how much a 'hoof-full is . . . well, guess it's time to find out huh?" Pinkie Pie smiled.

"It'll be nice to wait to see if they get Dashie back into the studio or not in the meantime while we wait."

Spectral Rush had returned to check up if Pinkie Pie was alright, just in the same moment as the pink pony wanted to search for her scared friend.

Rarity and Fluttershy eventually decided to leave to help the others to bring back Rainbow Dash before somepony would call the Wonderbolts to take care of the latest "monster attack."

"Tell me darling, is life here always so... hectic?"

"Oh we do have calm moments like when Applejack was nearly working herself to... bad example... how about the Grand Galloping Gala... that ended in disaster... or Hearts and Hooves Day... which had the love potion incident...

"What is Hearts and Hooves Day?"

"It is basically Valentine's Day. It is nice to see that the Alicorns did keep a few ideas around.

"Do you still have Christmas?"

"Oh yes, that is now called Heart's Warming Eve. And the last celebration was a nice calm moment, sure the story of the play itself had its dark parts but besides that we all had a wonderful time together."

"You really have great friends here."

Both noticed that the panic-stricken neighs from Ponyville had become less.

Then the "Nightmare Manacle" version of Rainbow Dash floated back into the studio. The lasso was wrapped tight around her and Twilight Sparkle moved her back inside with her telekinesis.

Everypony from Applejack to Rarity looked exhausted. But somehow the mane of the white unicorn was still in perfect condition.

Fluttercruel helped by pushing the fake Nightmare inside, knocking Rainbow against some of the equipment of the studio.

"You did that on purpose!"

"Hey, at least I didn't scare Ponyville half to death! What were you thinking?"

"Don't be so harsh on her 'Ruelly, it was all non-canon anyway," Pinkie tried to defuse the situation.

"Maybe this dreadful makeover spell does make it harder to think clear?" Spectral added innocently.

Fluttercruel looked like she wanted to say more but eventually decided to let Fluttershy take care of the rest. If Rainbow could stop herself from talking herself into trouble, she could do that as well.

"Maybe, but this time you do need to be more careful with the spell, Twilight."

"Princess Luna's magic is still too strong; we need to contain it somewhere."

"Oh! OH! I have a plan!" Pinkie Pie hopped up and down.

Twilight concentrated her power and casted the spell. Light spread from her horn and with a brilliant flash the cloud of magic again left Rainbow turning her back to her normal self.

This time it rushed at Pinkie Pie but she merely smiled and pulled out a vacuum cleaner out of nowhere.

Spectral Rush accidently walked against the music equipment of the studio and the "Ghostbusters" theme began to play.

Without hesitation the pink pony used the machine to suck up the cloud before the Nightmare mess could repeat itself. Afterwards Pinkie Pie struck a pose while the music ended.

"Another win for Team Harmony! Yay!"

Instantly the shy pegasus switched back to her cruel half.

"Hey! That is Fluttershy's line!"

"Hello, aren't you forgetting somepony?" asked a very trapped Rainbow Dash

Soon everyone was busy untangling the still trapped blue pegasus.

"Say, I heard about your Sonic Rainboom. Would you mind to show me that move? I love all kinds of rainbows. Wait... that came out wrong." Spectral Rush looked slightly embarrassed.

"Er... sure, I will do that once I am free. AJ how many knots did you add to this... Where is the vacuum cleaner anyway?"

Pinkie Pie smiled a contended smile.

"I put it where nopony will ever find it again."

"Is it in the garbage bin?"

"How did you know?"

Both Rainbow Dash and Fluttercruel facehoofed in perfect sync.

Pinkie Pie blinked as the TV in the waste basket flickered on.

"Hmmm? It's turning on again. I wonder what it's going to show now. Hmm, looks like a reference to something. I wonder what."

"Who are you?!" Starlight gasped. Lancer stood ready as Bright Eyes stare confused. The highschool hallway suddenly felt a lot darker.

"I'm rumored pony, The Jester!" Said the pony wearing a paper bag over their head with a red scary face that looked drawn by a foal. But the red stuff didn't look like paint. "The mystery pony who slays other ponies by request! Just like the rumors say!"

Lancer gasped, "You have to be kidding!"

"Does it look like I'm kidding?" The pony laughed holding a large led pipe. Suddenly a ghostly pony appeared beside the masked pony, it was white, and the entire room began to be covered in frost.

"This is impossible." Lancer whispered.

"Memory coming back yet Starlight? Lancer, Bright-Eyes, I know about you from the 'Other World' as well!"

"You're---you're crazy!" Starlight gasped.

The ghostly white pony kicked Lancer in the gut sending him back.

"Now Starlight! PONYSONA! PONYSONA! Call Out Your Ponysona!"

"What are you talking about?!"

"Better do it now!" The Jester said like it play yard teasing. "Or say goodbye to your bookworm buddy!" A Manitcore appeared out of thin air behind the three ponies cutting off their escape rout and it was closing in on Bright Eyes.

Lancer gasped, "DON'T--DON'T YOU DARE--DON'T HURT HER!" A circle of light appeared around Lancer as a ghostly image appeared above him in the shape of a white unicorn with blue hair.

"I am Shining Armor, The Guardian Of Family And Those Dear. Thee who would wish to protect those around thee, I shall be thy shield and thy sword."

Jester put a hoof to their muzzle, "Well, a Ponysona user is supposed to awaken here, just like In The Other World, so I guess my job here is done for now. See ya! Have fun with the monsters before they eat you! And remember! There's no running from fate!"

A circle of light appeared around Jester and a transparent black unicorn in armor with vicious eyes appear above him that fired a blast of magic at the three that Lancer's 'Ponysona' blocked.

Pinkie Pie blinked dully at the screen. "Okay, a free cupcake to whoever can figure out what THAT was supposed to be a tribute of! Why can't there be any happy or nice tributes anymore?"

Pinkie Pie took a letter from Derpy. "Ok, oh, one of the Beta Readers asks 'dear Pinkie, why is it you can't meet your Discorded verse self when AJ met hers? And five other versions of her for that matter? And Nightmare Mirror was about 40 or so Applejacks merged into one. And Rainbow Dash is interacting with her G3 self."

Pinkie looks to the camera. "Good question. I wondered that too, so I asked the Father of Alicorns and He said it was because I was already kind of out of place in reality as it was, in both worlds, and it's more two timey whimy balls coming in contact with each other than just two alternate versions of the same pony meeting each other. I can't meet that Pinkie Pie because we're the same pony, but I can do this-"

Pinkie Pie reaches into a hole in the fourth wall and produced a goth version of herself. "And nothing bad happens because her world diverged from ours before the experiment that caused the G3 world, so she's not a timey whimy ball like I am."

Pinkamena blinked. "Pinkie? What are you doing outside of my head?"

"Oh, well I'm from a world were you were one of my split personalities, not the other way around...Oh! another question from Godzillawolf 'Why was it bad for Pinkie Pie to have multiple personalities but good for Laughter!Jack's world's Pinkamena?'"

"Good question, and the difference is I used mine to suppress things I didn't want to feel, Pinkamena's split personalities aren't her suppressing things she doesn't want to feel and she allows them to come to the surface while I kept mine bottled up."

"It also came in handy dealing with the Stallions In Black, since me and my personalities talk to each other a lot," Pinkamena added.

Twilight walked in with a small black, Alicorn Filly resembling Nightmare Moon following her. "Pinkie! Will you please get this filly back to her world? Her mother probably misses her-" Twilight said, looking to Pinkie and Pinkamena. "...You're not going to throw some world shattering Mega Party, are you?"

"Nah, she's not a version of me who does that," Pinkie explained.

"One of my personalities is, but she's having an imaginary party for my other personalities right now."

Twilight blinked. "Ok...Multiverses are weird..."

Pinkie receives another letter, "It's from Sherlock-Holmes18 again. Let's see what is says."

Dear Pinkie,
I was wondering about something. I know you're descended from Surprise, but are you descended from her through Baby Surprise or through some other family that she started?
Sincerely, Sherlock

Pinkie looks up at the camera, "That's an easy one. When Surprise left to go work on a rock farm due to Discord using his swirly eyes on her, she got married and started a family. That's the family I'm descended from. As for Baby Surprise, I'm not sure what happened to her." She turns to someone that only she can see, "Hey Alex, do you know what happened to Baby Surprise?"

"Huh? Baby Surprise?" said a voice out of nowhere, "Um... let's see. You know that one member of the Wonderbolts that everyone likes to say is Surprise?"

"Yeah?"

"She's Baby Surprise's descendant."

"Really?"

"Yeah sure, why not? Unless, of course, the real me can come up with something better."

"What do you mean the real you? Aren't you the real you?"

"No, I'm just some other writer's interpretation of Alex Warlorn."

"Well, by that logic, you could say that I'm not actually here, and that I'm just a bunch of text on a screen. Wait a minute... I am just a bunch of text on a screen!" With that Pinkie drops on the floor into a fetal position.

"Um, are you okay?" asked Pinkamena.

"No, I am having an existential crisis right now!" said Pinkie.

Spectral Rush sees Pinkie on the ground and rushes over, "Oh my gosh! Are you okay Pinkie, darling?"

"She's having an existential crisis right now." explained Pinkamena.

"Will she be alright?" asked Spectral.

"Well, if she's anything like my Pinkie then the answer to that is yes." said Pinkamena.

Pinkamena's coat becomes brighter and her mane becomes poofy while her frown is replaced by a smile, "Don't worry folks!" she said looking into the camera, "The Pinkie you know and love will be back on her feet in no time!"

Pinkie hopped around her friends. "Alright, so I got a letter from Godzillawolf that gave me an idea! He said 'wouldn't it be nice if *censored for dramatic effect here* got to meet your Fluttercruel since she inspired him to save his Fluttercruel?'"

"Who is 'he', Pinkie?" asked Twilight tilting her head in confusion.

"Let me just poke my head into my hole in the fourth wall and call him and his daughter in!" Pinkie promptly sticks her head through her hole. "Alright! Come on!"

To everyone's shock, Discord emerged from the portal, though to their shock, his expression was devoid of malice, even as he gave a bow. They also noticed his wings were considerably larger than their Discord's, actually large enough to sustain flight.

"Pinkie! Are you crazy?!" Twilight yelled as the girls took battle poses.

"Calm down, Twilight! This isn't OUR Discord, or the Dark World Discord," Pinkie stated. "This is Chaos Verse Discord, he's a good guy!"

"Yes, I am a good guy...now..." said the Discord, his expression seeming genuinely saddened. He then rubbed his head. "Look...I'm not good at this and I know I'm not the one who needs to say it...to you, I need to say it to my versions but I can't, because I'm kind of stone (can't say I didn't deserve it) and can only be here because it isn't canon to either world...I'm sorry for what I did..."

Rainbow Dash growled while the other's jaws dropped to the floor, minus Pinkie and Pinkamena. "How can we be sure you're not lying?!"

"You can't, unless you happen to have a lie detector on you...And I know you have no reason to trust me either, I wouldn't trust me if I were you," the Draconequus said, managing to manipulate enough chaos to make a rocking chair to sit down.

"Well...we kind of do have a lie detector," Rarity admitted, looking to Applejack.

Discord's eyes widened. "I meant that completely metaphorically...But I'll go ahead, I am ready."

Applejack hesitantly approached Discord. "How do Ah know yah ain't gonna just brainwash me?"

"He can't," said Pinkamena simply.

"She's right, I technically am still a statue in Celly's garden, this is kind of just an Avatar, and it only has a minute faction of my power, I can't really do much more than a few parlor tricks. I don't have power to brainwash you even if I wanted to. Not that I do." Discord actually shuddered at the thought.

Applejack looked to Pinkamena, then up to Discord, looking him in the eyes. He didn't flinch. "He's tellin' the truth, Ah can't see lies in his eyes but Ah see truth." In fact, she was amazed at how much truth she did see, it was...familiar.

"Alright...Discord..." Twilight said, still feeling anger looking at the draconequus, even if he wasn't THEIR Discord. "What did he mean our Fluttercruel inspired you to save yours?"

"Well long story short, I was bored, being imprisoned in stone is quite lonely and boring you know," Discord explained, clearing his throat and manifesting a podium to speak at, though it was painted with pink and yellow pokadots. "So I sent a piece of my spirit out to look into something I'd been...hesitant to look in before, I believe you call it the Truth. In it...I saw so many worlds...but I saw one where I won..." Discord became somber. "...I guess you could say that scared me straight...seeing what I could become...Anyway, this isn't about me, after alternate Twilight gave me a little bit of hope to stop me from Discording myself...I saw your world...I saw your Fluttercruel turn into something better thanks to Fluttershy...that's when...I kind of got a different power than AJ here looking into the Truth, I sometimes see glimpses of the future...It showed me my world's Fluttercruel was in danger...so I braved Oblivion to save her and now she's my daughter. We're happy together...well, until our Big Bad showed up but saying anymore would be spoilers, if the Shadows want to find out what happens they should go read it themselves."

Fluttercruel just listened silently. "...You actually...care about your me?" she asked in near disbelief.

Discord nodded. "Yes, we're having a lot of fun together...I think she and our little world I made in limbo are the only things I've made I'm proud of...thank you for inspiring me to save her."

Fluttercruel seemed a little unsure of how to respond. "Well...it was more Shy than me...but I guess you're welcome...I know you seem a lot nicer than my Old Man."

Discord put a lion paw on her shoulder and gave a genuine smile. "I'm glad I am...that means I'm not the equus I used to be."

After a few tender moments, Pinkie poked Discord. "Um...Discord, could you maybe..."

Discord gave a grin. "I suppose I have enough power for it," he said, snapping his fingers and a cotton candy cloud appeared above Pinkie's head, raining chocolate milk.

Pinkie smirked ear to ear and began catching it in her mouth.

"See you next time," Pinkamena stated, waving to the audience. "And the author tells me we are NOT doing the 'taking letters' thing again! It really discourages interactions between posts, so we can just have more fun next time!"

Pinkie watched the Alternate Discord and Fluttercruel sitting nearby, talking. "Isn't that sweet...even if it involves alternate universes."

"Now, time for a little seriousness," said Pinkie, looking to the camera. "Now, I know what you're thinking, 'for all the talk of free will, you're just characters in a story', right? Well there's a simple answer for that. Our characterizations effect how the author writes the story, some entire plotlines have had to be scrapped because they no longer fit our characters at all. We influence the writer as much as he influences us! That's how we have free will while being characters in a fanfic!"

"And how you got past the existence crisis of being text on the screen," Pinkamena pointed out.

"Yep! And if you don't believe me, ask the author!"

"That's correct, which is sometimes why these chapters take so long to write!" a voice called from off-screen.

"Aww, sorry," Pinkie said, her mane going straight.

"No, don't be sorry Pinkie, it just means the story is alive," the voice called back.

"Yay!" Pinkie called, mane returning to normal. She then looked back to the camera. "And there you have it! We still have freewill!"

Overall it was a very entertaining anniversary party for everypony and everyone. Pinkamena and Pinkie Pie had begun to collect all the letters the pink pony had gotten from the shadows in a book. Both knew that it was all non-canon but they had enjoyed the time with their friends. Not everything went like they had hoped it would go and terrorising Ponyville with a fake Nightmare (two times in fact) was definitely not part of the plan but in the end it turned out alright.

Applejack had left for a short time to get a bottle of her best cider for the party and besides Fluttercruel and Discord, who were too busy with talking, everypony had enjoyed their drink.

But eventually it had to come to an end. Pinkamena had already left for her world but before she did that, she shared a few tales about the Applejack of her world with the farmer. Nopony had ever seen their AJ that red.

Nyx had spent most of the time playing with Twilight and the unicorn enjoyed having the role of the older sister for once. Soon enough the Alicorn filly was sent back to her own world to meet her real mother again. Nopony wanted to make her worry.

The Alternate Discord mostly had talked with Fluttercruel the entire time and created a few party games like hit the stick with the piñata (which caused both items to spread candy all over the place).

Rarity and Spectral Rush had a very long exchange about fashion and the earth pony had to admit that her own style of fashion was so outdated that it was already current again. Rainbow Dash also kept her promise and did show the newcomer a Sonic Rainboom.

After drinking his cider and his glass Discord was about to leave through the hole in the fourth wall when Fluttercruel seemed to struggle with herself. Then she changed back to Fluttershy.

"I wanted to say... Farewell and take good care of your daughter."

The Draconequus stopped in his track and merely smiled back. It was so strange for them to see a smile on this face that was not sadistic.

"My little angel would have loved to meet you two. But unfortunately we ran out of space. At this point we have already 56.5 K."

In the background Pinkie Pie nodded like the last two sentences made perfect sense for her.

"So in case she doesn't get the chance to meet you later in one way or another, let me just say that she is also very grateful for what you two have shown her. You were a real inspiration. Hey look there! Rainbow Dash is approaching your glass of cider."

Instantly Fluttershy shifted back to Fluttercruel and rushed after the other pegasus to defend her precious cider.

The alternate Discord took another good look at the entire group and left through the portal.

Both Pinkie Pie and Spectral Rush hugged each other.

"It is okay Pinkie. You can say it."

To her own disappointment the pink pony found herself sobbing.

"I wanted that the last thing you would see from me was a smile but ... it is not fair. I wish so much that you could just stay with us."

"Pinkie Pie, darling... I have to go back. And never forget that I am so proud on who you have become. When you miss me, just look at her."

The pink pony focused on Rainbow Dash dodging Fluttercruel's attempts to catch her with a very familiar grace. Then her smile returned to her.

"A part of me will always watch over you, my dear."

After another heartfelt hug the earth pony walked through the hole in the fourth wall without hesitation.

In an alternate universe:

Megan looked over the story she had just written. It was about a strange pink pony that had summoned her to another dimension for an interview. She was no stranger to magical talking ponies, and had written about all her adventures with them. This story, however, was rather short compared to the others. Although she was confused at the time; looking back, Megan wished she could have stayed a little longer.

"Oh, well" Megan said as she leaned back on her chair, "maybe next time."

Author's Note

Posted between the episodes of Dark World Part 15 and Shining Armor Part 5 of the main storyline.

New Parts Added By:
ME The Author
MysteryEzekude
Sherlock-Holmes18
ardashir
ItsFromPeople
Kendell2
Sherlock-Holmes18 ( )
LZ0291
Jarkes
ItsFromPeople
ardashir
mysteryezekude
Sherlock-Holmes18, AND ME! :-D
Adashir
Alex Warlorn
ItsFromPeople
Alex Warlorn ("Ponysona! Ponysona! Call out your ponysona!")
Kendell2
Sherlock-Holmes18
Kendell2
Kendell2 (again)
ItsFromPeople (So long Guy!!)
Sherlock-Holmes18 (And good night.)

Episode 3

Episode 3

Pinkie Pie's Forth Wall Breaking Variety Show (Again)
Non-Canon
By Alex Warlorn
Pony POV Series
Fanfiction: My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic

Pinkie Pie appeared on camera inside an empty TV studio, with the words 'Forth Wall Breaking Variety Show' on a banner in the background.

"HI EVERYPONY! While we wait for the writers to work out which chapter to post next, how about some fun?! It's time for the Pinkie Pie 4th Wall Breather Variety Show! (Yet again!). Here are the rules: What you put in the comments appears in the story. Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall. The camera can't leave the studio. The characters could be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from 'My little Pony' Everything that happens here is non-canon.

"Now that we've gotten that out of the way! Let's try the What-If Machine Again and see what it gets us!" Pinkie Pie goes over to an old rabbit ear TV and turns the dial. "What If Machine! Tells what would happen if . . . if . . . I dunno, what would have happened if Sparkle in the Dark World Timeline had become Twilight's dominant personality!"

The screen flickered on.

++++

"Do whatever you want, Twilight." I sighed, skewered upon one of the same great concept-killing rods I'd used to do Cadence in. Like a chicken on a roasting spit.

"How many times must I tell you? The name's Sparkle." She lifted me up with telekinesis, and off we went, bringing me inside the doors of the TARDIS.

"So where's the Valeyard?"

"Ah!" said Sparkle. "Almost forgot." And she levitated a yellow pear to her mouth from a countertop. "Now you see him..." She popped the whole fruit in her mouth, chewing with relish, and swallowed. "Now you don't."

(Let's see him regenerate his way out of THAT one!)

"So what does he taste like? A pony? Or a pear?"

"He tastes juicy."

I snort and glance around. "So... the TARDIS, huh? Cool. What destination did you have in mind, Doctor Sparkle? Skaro? Gallifrey? Namek? Alderaan? Cybertron? Discworld? Cheesequake, New Jersey?"

Sparkle let a long pause follow. Then her horn lit up.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you? Tour the cosmos... visit all the different space aliens... corrupt their hearts..."

"Would be a nifty change of pace." I admit, with a rueful sigh.

"I'll have you know that a large part of why I'm doing what I'm about to do is FOR the space aliens' sake."

I perk up. Oh boy. This ought to be good. A door behind Sparkle opened itself. Two strange high-tech apparatuses are levitated into the main control console room, planted beside me. On the left: a modified water heater. One the right: a souped-up jukebox. One by one, she brought out all the Elements of Harmony and wired them to the water heater, while wiring all the Elements of Chaos to the jukebox.

"See this contraption on the left? Developed it with the Valeyard's help. Its purpose is to teleport this entire irredeemable planet into the core of the sun."

"All six sextillion tons of it?" I ask, remembering how it felt being on the planet when I blew it up.

"Yes! By harnessing the almighty power of the Elements of Harmony, the TARDIS..." She popped a suction cup onto my head. "...And you."

The suction cup feels rubbery. "You know... I can understand you wanting to kill me, I can understand you killing the other five members of my Chaos Six, but to send everyone in the ENTIRE WORLD to Hell...?"

Sparkle quivered in fury. So much hate in her eyes. "You've purged the world of goodness, friendship, heroism, and sanity. They're already in Hell. Anything I do can only be an improvement. But beyond even THAT, don't think I've forgotten how I, myself, got discorded! It wasn't even YOU who did it! All I needed to do was interact with my discorded friends for a little while... and THAT'S what turned me into Twilight Tragedy! Do you know what this means?!"

"No," I sigh, trying and failing to scratch my butt, (difficult when you're skewered,) "But I'm sure you're going to tell me."

"ANY BEING WHO INTERACTS WITH A DISCORDED INDIVIDUAL RISKS GETTING DISCORDED! We're not merely diseased, we're contagious! And what's more: there is no cure! Discording doesn't fade even after 1000 years! Discorded mothers give birth to discorded children: they are BORN CORRUPTED!!! This whole world is nothing but a giant Pandora's Box waiting for some unwitting space explorer to land on our planet and contract our illness!"

"Aha! So THAT'S where the space aliens come in!" I say brightly. "So by obliterating one planet, you save every other civilized world throughout the universe. Very pragmatic of you."

Sparkle gives me her acid smile. "It's like with a zombie outbreak: as long as even one survives, all are in peril. But before I even do THAT... first I'm going to activate the contraption on my right, here!" She taps her horn upon the appliance on the right.

"Sure. Great. What's it for?"

"Killing the Shadows."

And then, suddenly, this whole situation got a lot less funny.

"Killing the... Shadows?" I ask, with the slightest tremble in my voice.

"Oh, yes. The Shadows-Who-Make. The Shadows-Who-Watch. I've become aware of the Shadows on a level that I never have during my 'Twilight' years. Heh heh... it's no wonder that this world is so dark with so many Shadows!"

(Sparkle???)

"To be more specific, once I switch this baby on, every Shadow's heart will cease to beat. Makers, Watchers, all the Shadows-Who-Are who're involved: flatline. What's more, this cursed will last indefinitely upon the blasted remnants of our world, so that no other Shadow will even dare approach it after the fact!" She leaned in towards me and whispered, "I got the idea from that old Neighponese horror series about the haunted videotape!"

(Sparkle, you... you don't need to do this!)

"Yes I do. This ugly, awful drama I've been embroiled in... I must not only slaughter the cast and torch the stage, the playwrights and the audience must go, too!"

And then with a jolt from her horn, the machine on the right cranked into life.

"THERE! There, do you feel that?! Do you FEEL IT, you rotten little Shadows?! That pain in your hearts?! That wrongness in your ribcages?! That's from me!"

(Stop this, Sparkle! Shut that machine off! The Shadows... they are all in such pain!)

"I know! Writhe in agony, you two-faced wraiths! You bastardize our world completely, and for WHAT?! So you can demand to see it fixed! While you're at it, you ought to take a sledgehammer to someone's spinal column, so you can perform back surgery on him right afterwards! I'm only sorry I can't look you in the eye when you all croak!"

(But our world NEEDS the presence of the Shadows! Without them, our whole universe would simply... stop!)

"Which is what I'm after. There must be no opportunities for a hokey last-minute rescue, no comic book resurrections, no reboots!"

(But you'll die, too!)

"Of course I'll die." Sparkle said stoically. "I'm about to slay Discord. That makes me the most dangerous monster of all. So for the good of the universe, I must perish with all the rest of my planet. I accept that."

(It mustn't end this way! Give yourself a second chance!)

"I DON'T BELIEVE IN SECOND CHANCES. The very idea is beyond abhorrent! I would not have put slaughtered my way through all five of my former friends like video game bosses if I believed they could be given a second chance. They failed! I failed! The world failed! Celestia failed! And YOU'VE failed spectacularly, didn't you?! YOU haven't solved ANYTHING!"

It was like the whole universe was contracting arthritis. EVERYTHING moved stiffer. And it was getting worse by the second. This was what it meant to wound the Shadows-Who-Make.

"Tolerating failure gets you nowhere! Second chances only wastes time! That's what the past thousand years have taught me! I just want it to END. I don't care about a golden ending! I just want it all to STOP. Bring it to a screeching halt! This is the only way Discord can be decisively vanquished for g---!"

And this was when the jukebox mechanism decided to overheat and short-circuit. There was a tiny explosion from within, and black, shady darkness wafted out into the air.

"WHAT?!" Sparkle screamed. "A malfunction?!"

I chuckle as the arthritic feeling lifted from the atmosphere. "I see what you did there, guys! Well played! I suppose you could call this an umbra ex machina, eh?"

As if in retaliation for that horrible pun, the water heater mechanism spontaneously activated itself, and the world of Equestria was teleported into the heart of the sun.

+++

Pinkie Pie stared dumbly at the screen, "Okay I'm gonna go eat two, ern, three giant bags of candy, buy some plushies and hug them, then play with Pound and Pumpkin and tell them how much I love them, and then send more 'I love you letters' to my parents and sisters.' Erm. The court is open, write and post bronies!"

A letter floated into the window. Unfortunately, as Pinkie was busy writing the letters to her parents at the time, it landed on the desk instead of in her hooves. Thankfully, since time is compressed when nothing important is happening, Pinkie zipped over to the letter only 5 seconds later.

"oooooooh. This one's from a new face. It says, 'What do you think of season 3?' Well, I think...."

(The fic suddenly goes blue, with only this noice shown onscreen)

Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

"And that's why....wait......Did I just get censored?"

A very irritated voice from nowhere booms, "Pinkie! I thought we went over this. No season 3 until the story's over. I even wrote a whole chapter and a half on why I didn't need to bow to the wishes of the heart world."

"Aw, but I wanted to talk about my favorite episode! And besides, with some good writing, you could work around anything."

"I said NO Pinkie! And that's that."

Pinkie frowned. "Fine, Mr. Grumpy Pants." Suddenly, a lightbulb appears above her head, which then sprouts wings and flies off. Pinkie looked at someone other ponies couldn't see. "Isn't that plagiarism from our recursive fanfics? Aw well. Anyhay..."

Just then a second letter landed in pinkie's mane.

"Uh oh."

Pinkie slowly began digging through her mane, pulling out a toaster, a drill, a "jaws of life", a picture of her friends having a picnic where nothing scary or important to the plot happened, and a q-35-b uridium space modulator.

"I know it's in here somewhere."

Finally, she pulled out the letter. "Ah, here it is. Ahem...Dear Pinkie, has that Doozy of a Doozy happened yet?" Pinkie assumed "The Thinker" pose for a few moments.

"Hmmmm, well, I think it has. I mean, none of us would have expected Fluttershy to become a nightmare. That was pretty Doozyish. Or maybe it was when we broke off from the heart world. That could have been the doozy. So.....I guess so."

*Oh, if only you knew Pinkie. But then you'd have to see the script, and this is one script the author will never give up.*

"What?" Pinkie looked around confused for a minute. "Ah well...next question."

"Well, everyone, it's great to be back!" said Pinkie waving to an audience that only she could see.

"I just know we're going to get many great story segments from all our wonderful writers, just like the last two variety shows." Pinkie continued, "And now, even though no one was demanding, but I don't think anyone will complain about it; ladies and gentlemen please welcome back Megan!"

A twenty something year old woman wearing a plaid shirt, a vest, jeans, and cowboy boots appears on stage.

"Oh, hello" she said to Pinkie.

"Hey, you don't seem as confused as you were last time. What's up with that?"

"Well, the last time you brought me here I hadn't met up with any of you ponies in years, so when I was all of a sudden back in Ponyland..."

"Equestria" Pinkie interrupted.

"What?" asked Megan

"We live in Equestria now. The place you knew as Ponyland was turned into a frozen wasteland by the windigoes."

"Frozen wasteland? Hang on! What about all of my friends! Are Twilight and Firefly and others still safe!?"

"Oh, those guys passed away millenniums ago."

"Millenniums? How long have I been gone!?"

"Trust me, a very long time."

"I can't believe it. All the ponies I had befriended are dead? Can you at least tell me where they're buried so I can pay my final respects?"

"Well, I suppose they were buried at Paradise Estate, but that place has been lost for centuries." Pinkie notices the distraught look on Megan's face, "But don't worry, I'm sure Star Catcher probably knows where it is."

"Star Catcher?"

"Yeah. Well, actually her name is Princess Celestia but I call her Star Catcher, because well... it's a long story. Anyway, she and Princess Luna were friends with some of the same ponies as you."

"Do you think they would allow me to visit my friends' graves?"

"I don't see why not. I'll go call Star Catcher after this segment is over."

"Thank you. So, why did you bring me here? Is there some evil villain threatening to destroy Ponyla... I mean Equestria?" Megan asked hoping to change the topic away from the news of all her friends' deaths.

"Nope. Me and my friends usually take care of most of the really evil bad guys around here with the Elements of Harmony. You're here to just hang out, interact with me and the others, and do whatever the Shadows-Who-Make tell you to."

"What was that last one?"

"Nothing."

"Hmm. By the way, I was wondering something why did send me back so soon during our last encounter. I would have loved to have stayed a little while longer."

"Oh, that's because when the guy who wrote that section was writing it he felt like there wasn't much more he could do with you. However after he posted it he felt like he had made the wrong decision by having you leave and that others could have used you in their scetions, but he felt like it was too late due to other segment writers adding their sections. So he made the decision to bring you back during the next variety show."

"I did not understand any of that."

Suddenly, Rainbow Dash flew up to Megan and looked her in the eye.

"Um... Can I help you?" Megan asked, somewhat nervous.

"Yeah, you can drop the act, Lyra." said Rainbow Dash.

"Lyra? What are talking about?"

"I'm talking about that stupid mask you're wearing!" said Rainbow Dash as she started tugging on Megan's hair with her hooves.

"OW! Stop that!" Megan yelled in pain.

"Wow, this thing is on really tight."

"Rainbow Dash, what are you doing!?" Yelled Pinkie, "This isn't a Scooby Doo plot!"

"This thing is on really tight. It's almost as if..." suddenly Rainbow Dash had a realization, "It's real."

"Of course it's real." said Megan still in pain, "Why wouldn't it be?"

"Then that means... you really are a human!?"

"Well, I can see you two have a lot to talk about." said Pinkie to the both of them, "I'm going to go contact Star Catcher now." And with that she left.

"So...you're related to the Twilight I knew?" asked Megan, looking to Twilight Sparkle.

"According to Celestia, I'm her descendant...and kind of her reincarnation if you think about it a certain way...long story. Pinkie's Surprise's and Rainbow Dash is Firefly's. Don't tell them that...From what we know, we may ALL be descended from your friends. My Spike is the direct descendant of yours."

Megan gave a small smile. "Well...it's good to know their descendants are still protecting the world...Even if they're gone."

"I just don't know what to say...it looks like when the rainbow bridge was destroyed to contain Discord, time went out of sync between our worlds. Only a few years passed by your time while several thousand passed in ours, and when the Rainbow of Light was destroyed, so was the immortality it gave them...For what its worth, from what Celestia says, their spirits are with her father now, watching over us..."

Megan gave a smile. "Yeah, they earned heaven...Still, part of me can't help feeling like I ran away...instead of helping stop Discord, I just helped lock him out...Part of me wishes I'd stayed on your side and helped stop him..."

Twilight put a hoof on her shoulder. "You did the best thing for your world, your life was there and thanks to you Discord could never reach Earth...They were barely able to beat him once before Galaxia made the mistake of shattering him..."

"If it wouldn't free him, I'd take a sledgehammer to his statue for what he did to Wind Whistler or Galaxy...But your right...thank you."

The two shared a smile.

When Rainbow Dash suddenly burst in with a green pony. "There, you happy now?"

Lyra rushed up, looking Megan over. "A...a human...a real human...You're real..."

Megan blinked. "Yeah, that's the second time I've been asked that."

Lyra promptly fainted, landing on the arriving Rarity's fainting couch.

Lyra just as swiftly rose from the couch, almost dancing for joy. "She's real! She's real! It's not a trick or one of those weird costumes Rarity makes or me eating too many of those spotted mushrooms again! Weee!" She hugged Rainbow Dash. The multi-color maned pegasus grinned weakly as Lyra yelled in her ear, "THANK YOU, DASH! Omigosh, I have to show this to Bon Bon!" She almost teleported out of the room.

"Well, at least Lyra's happy," Twilight said. Turning back to Megan, she added, "So, if you can spend some more time here, I'm sure that Princess Celestia and Luna would be delighted to meet you again..."

"I wish I could," Megan responded with a sad and weary smile, "But I'm afraid that your pink friend yanked me right out of my kindergarten classroom just before the students started to come in. I can drop back in again, later, but right now I have to get back to those kids before they get into mischief."

"Heh," Twilight said. "I once substituted for Cheerilee when she needed some time off. I can remember what it was like dealing with foals." She shuddered at the memories that rose up before nodding at Megan. "Still, it was a joy to see you again. I hope we meet again, and, and thank you for everything you did for our ancestors and the Princesses." Twilight lowered her head in a bow for royalty, her mane almost sweeping the floor. "Equestria wouldn't exist if not for you."

"Don't sell yourself short," Megan said. She dropped and hugged Twilight by the neck. "You and your friends doing as much for this place as I and my friends ever did." She stood back up and gave a wistful wave farewell as she vanished in a violet glow, restored to her own worldstream... just as Lyra charged back in, dragging a struggling Bon Bon along with her, surrounded by the greenish glow of Lyra's magic.

"No! Don't leave, not now, I -- arrgh!"

Lyra dropped to her knees and banged her head against the floor. "No! No! No! I finally had proof!" She looked at Bon Bon, her eyes almost crazed. The earth pony mare returned a sickly smile as Lyra said in a brittle voice, "Bon Bon, sweetie, dearest friend, you DO believe there was a human here, right?!?"

"Uh, sure, Lyra," Bon Bon said with a somewhat forced grin. She gave a knowing wink to Twilight, Pinkie, and Dash before saying, "There really was a human here. I believe you." Her face went slack with horror when they spoke.

"There sure was!" Dash nodded. "Heck, I thought it was Lyra in one of Rarity's costumes before I found out different..."

"Oh, sure! I brought here here before, and maybe I''ll do it again!" Pinkie said as she bounced in her usual manic gleeful fashion.

"It's the truth, Bon Bon. Pinkie Pie brought a human here from another worldstream. She knew Equestria back when it was threatened by monsters and sorcerers all the time - well, more so than now." Twilight pointed at the ground where Bon Bon stood. "And she was standing right there! -- Bon Bon? Umm, does anypony have any smelling salts?"

Pinkie looked at space where Megan was, "Wow she's gone already? Oh, well, at least she got to stay a little while longer."

Just then Peachy Pie came rushing in, "Hey cousin Pinkie, I'm sorry to interrupt your... whatever this is, but there's this really creepy clown that keeps following me."

Pinkie gave a little chuckle, "Oh, Peachy, clowns aren't creepy. They're meant to be fun. Now tell me where this clown is, and maybe we can sort this whole thing out."

"He's right over there." said Peachy pointing in a particular direction.

Pinkie looks and is instantly horrified by what she sees, "Oh my Faust! It's Ponywise!"

"You know him?" asked Peachy.

"Yeah, he's Ponywise the clown. Alright, listen Peachy, I'm going to need you to gather up as many of your friends together as possible and stay together until I get this settled. And stay away from creepy clowns!"

"Didn't you say that clowns weren't creepy?"

"I meant to add except for one! That one being Ponywise!"

In an alternate dimesion:

Pandora approached Havoc, "Dad, I've been meaning to ask, why did you make your avatar on the mortal plane into a clown?"

"Oh, That's An Easy One. I Enjoyed The Irony Of It. All Those Ponies Being Terrified Of Something That's Supposed To Make Them Happy Is Just Hilarious." Havoc explained.

Back at the studio:

Pinkie took out a missile launcher, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an evil clown to take care of."

--

Both Rainbow Dash and Twilight looked outside, almost unable to believe what they were seeing.

"Wow, now this is an epic battle! First a rocket launcher and now this! And I was worried they would do something weird like trying to fight an evil demonic clown with a slingshot."

The pegasus pitied anypony who was unable to see this exiting showdown. This would surely be in the top 10 of the most epic confrontations in Ponyville this year.

"Dash, don't you think we should help Pinkie and Peachy's group right now?"

"Sure, we surprise attack the clown when he gets the upper hoof in battle."

Twilight was impressed how well the pink was fighting by her own. But the clown constantly talking about floating things was slightly strange. So many could float on this world: pegasi, dragons, griffins, unicorns (with the right spell) and even Cloudsdale itself.

But she didn't like the choice of words of her friend.

"Don't you mean we will surprise the clown 'if' he gets the upper hoof?"

"You know how these battles go. I read enough Daring Do Books to know. At first the evil is much stronger, then the heroes slowly get more powerful and then the evil will either reveal its horrible true form and power or the true mastermind will appear. Then they will need backup."

Somehow the purple unicorn was unable to argue with that. Pinkie Pie was doing this really well and dodged any attack the clown could do.

"I still can't believe how normal all of this seems by now. Look! Ponywise is transforming into a giant...spider?"

"That is our clue. For Pinkie Pie!"

"For Pinkie Pie!"

In an alternate dimension:

Havoc was watching the battle between Pinkie and Ponywise, "Ha! These Ponies Never Cease To Amaze Me! They Really Are Amusing Creatures!"

"Really, Dad? A giant spider?" asked Strife.

"Hey Spiders Are A Very Common Phobia. Plus I Had To Have Some Way Of Spicing Things Up, Didn't I?" Havoc responded.

"So who do you guys think is going to win?" asked Pandora, "I sure hope it's the ponies. I love those guys."

"I don't pick sides" said Strife, "Who ever wins wins, and is more fit to survive than the other. It's as simple as that."

"Well, considering that the ponies are the underdogs at the moment, I'm pretty much obligated to root for them." said Anarchy.

"Figures That None Of My Own Children Would Root For Me."

"Hey, Rancor, what about you?" Pandora asked another draconequui.

Rancor looked up, "Well the ponies obviously have a lot of passion in their fighting, but Ponywise uses a lot of violence. I honestly don't care who wins as long as I get to see a lot of both those things in the fight."

"Hey, Honey, You're Missing Out On The Action." Havoc called out to his wife.

Entropy looked at the ensuing battle, "THIS IS POINTLESS."

"You Really Need To Lighten Up, Dear."

"YOU DARE TELL ME WHAT I SHOULD DO?! YOU DO NOT EXIST!" And with that Havoc disappeared from existence.

Havoc snapped himself back into reality, "Just Look What You've Done, Honey. You Made Me Miss Part Of The Fight."

Flluttercruel lifted up her head from where she laid under a giant boulder nearby. "Hey, doesn't anyone care who the new draconequus thinks is going to wi --"

Out of nowhere, an even bigger rock materialized and dropped onto her.

"Guess not," Fluttercruel's voice called weakly from under the rock, and then added in a mutter, "I hate all of you jerks --" And a third rock dropped down; and when this one hit, it cracked open and rabid monkeys ran screeching out and under the first two to start tormenting what they found there. "AUUUGGGHHH!"

"Manners Dear Manners," Havoc added with a chuckle that sent an entire planet in another universe into a mass panic, "Your Grandfather Is Trying To Watch The Show."

The rest of Havoc's children watched silently, and Pandora leaned over to whisper into Anarchy's ear, "Wow... I guess Dad really MUST like Fluttercruel if he's taking it so easy on her."

The tiny gem sliced through the air with the coldest sound Equestria had heard in millenia. Rarity screamed as the gem struck its target. Sweetie Belle screamed in unison as she brought her hooves up to her eyes. In another part of Ponyville an Earth Pony filly convulsed on her bed while holding her head. Onyx Tiara ran in to comfort his daughter and instantly scooped her up in his hooves. Diamond Tiara tried to squirm away and her father realised that he didn't want to lose another pony so close to him. He wouldn't let anything harm the only thing he had left to remember his princess.
Meanwhile at the boutique Sweetie Belle was screaming in the way that nopony, no matter how good an actor they were could copy. Rarity ran over to her sister and began crying in regret. She got up and looked around for anything to dress Sweetie Belle's injury. She stared at the gems that she had destroyed. The gems that had aided her in maiming her sister. Shadows crept from the gems wrapping around her and the dress restitched itself in a way not even Fluttershy could fault. The shadow's covered Rarity's figure and she began to whisper. "The ones who are surrounded in wealth and don't give a fraction to those who have nothing," the whispering grew louder, "the ones with so many strengths who refuse to help the ones shackled by weakness." Sweetie Belle curled into a corner trying to make herself as small as possible. "THE ONES WHO HAVE EVERYTHING AND GIVE NOTHING!" Rarity yelled as the shadows disappeared and she looked at Sweetie Belle. She looked like an alicorn but her mane was thinned and dull, her bones showed, her tail was cut short and her wings were missing almost all of their feathers. Sweetie Belle looked at her sister as she walked towards her. As they neared each other Sweetie Belle closed her good eye and curled up in a ball. She couldn't see what Rarity was doing but she felt her sister's bony hoof touch her face. Sweetie Belle looked at the mirror in the room. The first thing the noticed was that she had two eyes again. Then she realised what colour her new eye was. It was the same blue as Rarity's. She looked at her sister and saw a veil covering her face. "Rarity?" Sweetie Belle asked. "No, I have no right to that name, I have two possessions now, my goal of giving to those who have nothing and making those who have everything see my vision. And my new name, Nightmare Poverty,"

"AH!" Rarity gasped as she sat up! She looked madly around, she was back in the studio, with a giant spider shaped hole in the wall that was being quickly repaired. Rarity looked right at the cameras, "NiGHTS Into Vision?' What's that mean?" Rarity saw she was on her chaise lounge.

"Oh thank goodness you're awake!" Fluttershy nuzzled her friend. "You got hit by that big nasty Spider, Pinkie Pie said you were stuck dreaming your worst fear."

"My . . . my worst fear? No, she's wrong, that wasn't my worst . . . sorry but Pinkie was off, though I won't say it didn't completely terrify me. Where is that monster clown now? Erm, spider, whatever."

"Oh, after you got knocked out I might have . . . erm, lost a little control and used the Stare. And told it go away . . . it kinda exploded, then imploded. Then Rainbow Dash hit with a Sonic Rainboom."

Rarity breathed a sigh of relief, "Well, at least that's over. So what's Pinkie Pie up to now?"

Pinkie went back to the stage carrying a book titled "Daring Do Kingdome of The Chrystal Skull".
"I think it time we get our next guest ouit here and this ones going to be a real Doosie."
Pinkie then reached a hoof in the book and actually dragged Daring Do from one of the pages.

Daring looked around obviously confused at what the hay just happened.
"What where am I and wheres the skull and where did that freaky alien thing go?"
Rainbow Dash came back on staged and looked shocke that her favourite book heroe is standing right in front of her.
"ohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!" "I cant believe the real Daring Do is standing right in front of me!"
before Do could respond Dash began to bombard her with Questions.
"How did you get here? Whats your favourite adventure you went on? Can I be in one of your books?"
Daring being rightfully confused interrupted her. "Uhh who are you, and why do you look like me if i died my mane a rainbow color?"
Rainbow Dash responded with pride in her voice "I'm Rainbow Dash best and fastest flyer in all of Equestria!"
Daring looked at her and responded with a competitive edge to her voice. "Fastest? Well why don't we don't we see whose the fastest by having a little race around here."
"Your On" Rainbow responfed. They both crouched down and in seconds flew off stage in seconds.
Dash coulld be heard before they left saying. "SO AWSOME!!!!"
Twilight just comin and seeing Daring Do asked " shouldn't we get Do back in her book before something bad happens?"

Pinkie thought for a momment before shrugging it off saying "We can Worry about that later let Dashie have fun with her race."

Fluttercruel looked at the hole being sealed up. "That was pretty badflank though, and thanks for letting me finally put those combat books to good use, mom."

Fluttershy took control again. "You're quite welcome...I suppose...I don't like fighting, but it did help."

"Pinkie did give me a mace..."

They then blinked, looking to the What If machine. "Oh, I hope its not as scary as the last one," Pinkie said, coming over with Peachy still praising her for dealing with the clown.

"Well, Discord, I must say, your daughter is absolutely lovely," said the red devil like creature as he took a drink of tea from the cup in his claw. "She's so VIOLENT."

Discord shrugged, taking a drink of chocolate milk. "Eh, I guess, but there's more to chaos than violence, Him."

"So true," Him replied. "Those Shadows Who Watch expect us to ALWAYS be up to something evil, that takes all the fun out of it. I mean there was that one time I had the girls running themselves ragged with my games because I said their dear papa would pay..."

Discord gave a laugh. "Yeah, for lunch! That was classic!"

Him nodded. "Yes, the looks on their faces were priceless. I mean don't get me wrong, I love my games, manipulating them until THEIR LITTLE MINDS ARE ON THE VERGE OF SNAPPING, but if that's all I did, where would the fun in that be? Evil isn't just the big 'end of the world' stuff, it's petty little things."

Discord shrugged. "If you say so, I still don't know why guys in your universe consider themselves evil, but to each their own."

"Yes, personal preference I suppose...Still, your little Cruelty is a wonderful daughter, I wish my boys were as committed to causing suffering instead of just playing games," Him replied, taking another sip.

"Yes, I do wonder how their little playdate is going," said Discord, tapping his chin.

An explosion nearby answered that. The Rowdyruff Boys were laughing their heads off with Fluttercruel.

"Wow! I never saw anyone use a sword like that before!" Boomer laughed.

"Yeah, those rebels didn't know what hit him!" Brick continued, giving a smirk.

"Yeah, but I don't think they knew what to make of you!" Fluttercruel replied, smirking. "Though you didn't kill anyone."

"Eh, killing ain't really our thing," Butch said, not really disturbed, but not approving either. "But the rest was fun!"

Brick patted Fluttercruel on the back. "You're alright for a girl! I wish girls were as tough as you back home!"

"Alright, boys, I think we need to be going," Him said, standing up. "There's much to do."

The boys complained, but followed.

Him looked to Discord as they headed back to the Vortex of Inverse Infinity to take a detour through Ponythulhu's realm. "You sure you don't want to come? I'm sure it's be a blast."

"Tempting, but I'm kind of trapped in this universe, there was a Rainbow Bridge that got destroyed, kind of made it so I can't get to your world," Discord replied. "Besides, I've got a rebellion to deal with."

Him nodded. "I understand, see you at the next family reunion."

Fluttercruel blinked, watching the strange creatures vanish into the Vortex. "How ARE we related to them anyway?"

Rancor twirled her spear. "I think we're cousins...or half siblings, I'm not sure which."

Despite the relatively comical scene, Fluttercruel shuddered. "Geeze...could I REALLY have been like that?"

Pinkie put a hoof on her shoulder. "Hey, I could've been a REALLY big meanie too if things where different! But we're not!"

Fluttershy nodded. "Yes, you're nothing like her, don't you ever think you are."

Fluttercruel blinked as another entity emerged from a hole in the Fourth Wall. Namely a version of her that had a bat wing, a yellow feathered wing (despite her gray coloring), an eagle claw for one leg, and a dragon claw for a hind leg. Her Cutie Mark was a butterfly with a green body, grey wings, and a red vortex surrounding it.

"Uh...please tell me you're a good alternate me," Fluttercruel said, rather uneasy, considering the appearance of the other Fluttercruel.

"Yeah, my dad visited here awhile ago," the hybrid said. "Said I should go meet the other good me."

"Oh...ok..." Fluttercruel replied, looking at her alternate self's strange limbs.

The other Fluttercruel sighed. "Yes, I get it, I look weird. The old man had to give me a chaos transfusion to save my life, ok?" she asked. "Long story...Where's mom?"

"Oh...hi, other Fluttercruel," Fluttershy replied, taking control.

The other Fluttercruel blinked. "Wow...you share a body with mom still..."

"Oh like you aren't weird."

"Yeah, I walked into that," said alternate Fluttercruel, manifesting some chocolate milk. "You like bitter chocolate?"

"Yeah, of course," Fluttercruel replied, getting a glass from her other self.

"So, you know mom too?"

"Yeah, visit her dreams, we get along well, I think I'm the only Fluttercruel that gets along with BOTH her parents. I mean the bad future one thinks she does, but..."

"Yeah, I know...So...want to play some violent video games?"

"You bet! Mortal Kombat sound good?"

"Great!..."

"You ok?"

"Yeah...mom just almost fainted, that happens when she thinks about blood."

Then suddenly techno music started to play and it started with some one yelling MORTAL KOMBAT!!!
Twilight who was annoyed by the song yelled. "Pinkie turn that music off and Stop using that voice."

Cruel frome this universe dissapointed said "But I liked that music." "Me too." The other Cruel said agreeing with her otherself.

As the two Fluttercruels were busy with an arcade game that appeared out of nowhere, Rarity was still slowly recovering from the nightmare.

"Am I seeing double?"

AJ brought her some water.

"No, Ah can tell you that there really is a second 'Cruel here."

"I wonder if I could interest her into modelling as well..."

Suddenly there were two pegasus-shaped holes in the repaired wall that had the spider-shaped hole before.

Pinkie Pie had her camera ready and noticed another camera with wings floating next to it. Both Rainbow Dash and Daring Do stood instantly before her and asked in perfect union.

"Who won?"

The pink pony took a look at the image the chaotic camera had printed out.

It showed an imaginary finish line and Fluttershy crossed it while both Daring Doo and Rainbow were just behind her. Pinkie suspected that it was not entirely true. The camera with wings snickered before vanishing.

A look at her own picture showed her the adventure and the weather patrol pony at exactly the same position.

"It is a draw between you two."

"WHAT? That can't be! Stop saying the same thing..."

Both pegasi looked slightly annoyed at each other before both broke into laughter.

"Can I still get your autograph?"

"Sure, but you know you all remind me at a very popular book series from where I come from. It is called the Elements of Harmony. I got the first few books but I had so many adventures in the last months that I didn't get the chance to read them."

"Yeah! I won! HAH!"

Meanwhile the Fluttercruel they knew had beaten her chaotic counterpart at the videogame.

"It was one of the better games I played for awhile."

"You just lost and take it so easy?"

"What would be the point of a game that you can't loose?"

"I guess it would be as pointless as a game that you can't win. So what can you do with chaos?"

"A lot of things as long as I do it right. I won't bore you with the details but trust me it is MUCH harder then it looks. But just like it was with dad the last time, I can only use a fraction of my true powers here."

"Is there anything that would be good for party games?"

Out of nowhere Pinkie Pie stood next to the two Fluttercruels.

"AHHH!"

"I case somepony asks..."

"Yeah, I won't tell anypony that you two screamed like little fillies."

Then she whispered something into the ear of the chaotic Fluttercruel. A smirk appeared on her face as the lightbulb that flew off earlier returned to her and glowed a bit above her head before flying off again.

"I could do that."

"Great and we can all play... except Dash, I guess she will be busy with Daring for a while."

Cheerfully the pink pony pushed the young chimera towards the center of the room. The other ponies wondered how long this stage was already there.

"Okay now this game is called "Spot The Imposter" and the rules are simple. Fluttercruel here will take the shape of somepony and you will have to guess which pony is the original. Are there any volunteers?"

Suddenly the ponies in the room were surprisingly silent. Then Twilight walked forward.

"Try me."

Pinkie Pie hopped off the stage and suddenly it started to spin. Fluttercruel started to change: her wings vanished, the eagle claw and the dragon leg were replaced by pony legs, a horn grew out of her head and suddenly a grey cloud enveloped the entire stage.

As the other ponies could finally see something again two dizzied versions of Twilight stood next to each other.

"Never do that again."

"What? It was your idea!"

"Don't act like I did that."

Both sounded absolutely identical but the Fluttercruel standing next to them had an idea for an easy victory.

"AJ, what do you see?"

"Ah see a big flashing sign saying 'Nice Try' blocking my view on both of them."

"There goes the easy option..."

Suddenly Pinkie Pie pulled out several pages of paper. Both Twilights smiled widely and talked at the same time.

"Are you going to lecture me?"

"No, I have some questions prepared for you two. But first I need to make it easier to tell you two apart."

Without warning she placed two cards saying "Hi, my name is Twilight Nr. 1" and "Hi, my name is Twilight Nr. 2" on them.

"One question to Twilight Nr. 1: What is Spike for you?"

"He is my number one assistant and little brother," the unicorn said with a slight blush.

"A question for Twilight Nr. 2: How did you meet me for the first time?"

"It was at the Summer Sun Celebration, you gave a GASP and rushed off to prepare my party."

"Hm. This one is for Twilight Nr. 1: What do you think of shipping?"

"The service is very expensive especially if airships are involved."

"Twilight Nr. 2, what do you think was the weirdest thing that happened in Ponyville after the day of chaos?"

"Weird? I guess these 'Fourth Wall Breaking Variety Shows' take the cake."

"Sugarcube, Ah don't think that are the right questions..." Applejack added while walking around the two unicorns in a circle but the sign moved with her and didn't allow her to see who the real one was.

"Maybe... Twilight Nr. 2 what did you think of your counterpart in the Dark World?"

"I am very happy that Tragedy managed to finally escape her corruption and started to fight back against that Discord. But there is something very wrong with..."

"OBJECTION! How do you know anything of this? "

"No need to scream! It is because... damn... very good. You should have been a detective."

Pinkie Pie adjusted her deerstalker cap and bubble pipe with a proud smile as the chaotic Fluttercruel changed back to normal.

"Does anypony else want to play this game?"

Applejack went up to challenge chaos Fluttercruel next while Pinkie went up over to talk with Peachy.

"So how are you holding up?" Pinkie asked.

"Pretty good, I guess. I still can't believe that I was almost eaten by a clown." Peachy responded.

"Yeah. Luckily we won't have to deal with that mean ol' Ponywise ever again."

In an alternate dimension:
Mortis escorted Ponywise (now back in his clown form) to Havoc's domain.

"I believe this one belongs to you." he said to Havoc.

"Thanks, I'll Take It From Here." Havoc said. And with that Mortis left.

Havoc turned to Ponywise and smiled, "Welcome To My Home. I Just Know You And I Are Going To Get Along Just Fine."

And for perhaps the first time in his existence, Ponywise felt fear.

Back at the studio:

Pinkie and Peachy turned back to look at the stage. Twilight had manged to figure out which one was the real Applejack by asking them both to tell a lie. Chaos 'Cruel failed because of how good she was at it.

Chaos 'Cruel frowned at Applejack, who grinned at her. "Man! I'm losing two for two here!" She sighed. "So, anyone else want to try?"

Pinkie Pie began to jump up and down, waving her hooves in the air. "OHHH! Do me! DO ME!"

She jumped up onto the stage and sat next to Chaos 'Cruel.

Chaos 'Cruel smiled. "This is going to be fun!"

"Come on, do the spinning thing again!" Pinkie Pie said smiling from ear to ear.

"Here goes nothing! The third time is the charm."

The stage started to spin again but it was much faster this time. Fluttercruel's shape changed again. Wings vanished as her Draconequus parts were replaced by pony legs. Finally her mane became ballooned. Without warning a pink cloud covered everything.

"Wheeeee!"

As the remaining ponies could see the stage again two giggling pink earth ponies stood before them. Both looked at each other curiously.

"Your disguise is pretty good."

"Yours isn't too bad either. Here take a card."

"They all say 'Hello, my name is Fluttercruel Nr. 2'... I think you got them mixed up."

"Oh... wait here it is..."

Soon both pink ponies had cards saying "Hi, I am Pinkie Pie Nr. 1" and "Hi, I am Pinkie Pie Nr. 2."

Twilight smiled and walked forward. She was sure that this Fluttercruel could not sing along with a certain song.

"My Little Pony, My Little Pony, I'm so glad you're my friend..." Twilight began to sing.

"We'll plan a party with Pinkie Pie, a bunch of balloons lift her up in the sky..." the first Pinkie Pie joined into

"Scootaloo will show us games to play..." the second Pinkie Pie continued.

"You know this song?" the unicorn said in disbelief and in the hope that Fluttercruel would give herself away with a smug explanation.

"OH! OH! I get it! You had a mirror of Truth in your world! You took a look, didn't you?"

Pinkie Pie Nr. 1 hopped up and down happily.

"Nice try, you work really really hard this time. Your dad showed you some other worlds, didn't he?" the second Pinkie Pie mused.

Twilight groaned in slight frustration. Her idea was so good, how could that have failed to show her who the imposter was. But by now Rarity had recovered from her nightmare and walked towards her friend.

"Let me try something. Can anypony of you two explain how the Pinkie Pie Sense works to Twilight?"

"Sorry, she won't understand."

"The author would not like that."

"Wait, we could try it together!"

Both pink ponies smiled slightly too wide, instinctively the other ponies took a step backwards.

-- one VERY confusing hour later --

"... and that is the Pinkie Pie Sense in a nutshell."

The other ponies present looked speechless at the giant nutshell containing an oversized blackboard completely filled with seemingly nonsensical writings.

"And I thought the search for the skull was weird..." Daring Do managed to say.

The first Pinkie Pie looked at the confused listeners with a thoughtful expression.

"I guess we didn't manage to explain it..."

"Well it was worth a try. Even the cow analogy didn't help. Oh, I almost forgot! Thank you very much for your help Mooriella."

"Anytime, but you could have told me earlier about your twin sister. Now I get why you seem to be everywhere." the cow muttered as she left the studio.

"Fine! I give up." Rarity said calmly and sat down again.

"This is a hard nut to crack." Twilight said lost in thought.

The blackboard and the nutshell vanished into nothing.

"No pun intended."

"Then just give up and let her win at least once!" the Fluttercruel standing next to them said somewhat annoyed. Then her colors switched back to Fluttershy's.

"If Pinkie Pie is okay with that."

"Sure!" Both pink ponies said in unison.

"Fine, you have won this round," Twilight proclaimed.

"WHOO!" the first Pinkie Pie jumped into the air and flew a small circle while changing back into the chaotic Fluttercruel as confetti rained down on the other ponies. Soon she hopped off stage and continued to chat with Fluttershy and Fluttercruel.

Meanwhile Rarity smiled innocently at Rainbow Dash and Daring Do.

"You know that you two could go as each other if you just changed your mane and coat?"

"NO CHANCE!" Both pegasi screamed in perfect sync as the white unicorn kept smiling.

"Hey Everypony!" Pinkie Pie waved at the camera, "Here's a special something to get all of your attention!"

"Pinkie Pie what are you doing?" Twilight tilted her head.

"Just sharing a plug for somepony."

"Uh, okay?" Twilight said having no clue what she was talking about.

Pinkie Pie plugged in a power cord and a neon sign flashed:
" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmqhaytFQKs " then flashed "Pony POV Series Gaiden 7 Dreams And Nightmares Audio Adaption"

"So if you're interested, be sure to take a look! These guys need all the help they can get!" Pinkie Pie said smiling.

Rarity said, "Pinkie Pie dear that's just a jumble of random letters, and a nonsensical random combination of words."

"Oh Rarity, don't worry about it." Pinkie Pie smiled, the neon sign still flashing behind her.

"Well now what else can we do?" Rainbow asked.
"Ooh I know we can get those suits from last sh.."

"NO!!!!" shouted everyponyelse not wanting to have a repeat of last time.

"Good job," said Fluttercruel to Chaos!Fluttercruel.

"You two," the demi-goddess replied with a smile.

"How did you know my friends so well though?" asked Fluttercruel, confused. "Have you met them too?"

Chaos!Fluttercruel looked sad.

"What's wrong, darling?" asked Rarity, looking worried.

"Oh...nothing...Part of it is from mom telling me about them...but part of it is I kind of grew up with...well, clones of you five," Chaos!Fluttercruel admitted, looking sad. "They weren't exactly the same, kind of like me and your Fluttercruel, they ended up developing into separate beings. They even disobeyed dad when he told them to do some things. They were my friends...And I couldn't save any of them."

The group all looked shocked. "You mean..." Twilight said, her blood running cold.

Chaos!Fluttercruel nodded solemnly. "This monster named Nightmare Phobia showed up...they all sacrificed themselves to help me and dad defeat them. We stopped her in the end, but..." Chaos!Fluttercruel started to cry. "They're all gone...dad recreated our world and the new sentient constructs are my friends...but we couldn't recreate them..."

The others simply didn't know how to respond. What to say...so they all gave the demi-goddess a hug and she returned it. "...Thanks..."

Fluttercruel smiled. "What are friends for?"

Before the conversation could continue, the hole in the fourth wall suddenly reacted and someone walked out.

"Hello," said the alternate Fluttershy. Fluttershy felt...strange around her, and not just because they were alternates of the same pony. Something about her felt...familiar, something other than her face. She was covered in scars as well. That's when they noticed a tiny, badly scarred half-draconequus version of Fluttercruel holding her hoof, looking scared. The demi-draconequus had a collar on, designed to suppress most of her powers for both her safety and others. "I saw you two playing and wondered if my Fluttercruel could play with you. She's trying to learn to be a good girl."

"Glad everyone could make it!"

Rancor, The Valeyard, Traitor Dash, Fluttercruel, Rarigreed, and the amagalated crow monster-thingie stood opposite to Twilight and friends. Discord watched furtively off to the side, attended to by those two music-box ponies. Tom couldn't make it, he and Spike were busy settling their affairs like gentlecolts. Yeah, that's everyone.

"Pinkie, we could have barely handled one of them," panicked Twilight, "How could you possibly invite all-of-them-AT-THE-SAME-TIME!?"

"Herp derp," called Rancor.

"Yes?" Derpy answered.

"Oh, Ah saw that in a comic book once!" cheered Apple Pie, "The bad guys get too busy fightin' each other fer the chance ta get at the hero, that they completely forget fightin' the hero!"

The Valeyard said, ever so serious, "A foolish lot you twats are, thankfully soon to be foolish and dead."

"Don't worry Twilight, everything can be fixed with this." She gestured off to the side, glances following. Discord turned around, eager to see what everyone else was looking at.

Staring right back at them was the barrel of a truly enormous cannon. The Mother-Of-All-Party-Cannons. The Party-Cannon-to-end-all-Party-Cannons. It would have made his old man proud, if not a teeny weeny bit insecure. It was the Happy Howitzer Mark II, and somehow, he had been sitting right in front of it the entire time.

Pinkie's smile crept uncomfortably wide.

"And that's how Equestria was made. Hey, can you guys keep each other entertained for a bit? This'll be good, I promise!" She mimed a cross and covered an eye.

"This is crazy..." Twilight sighed, before letting out a soft laugh, "I guess that means crazy enough to work."

The smaller Half-Draconequus looked slightly disappointed at the still smoking opening in the fourth wall where the latest guests had been blasted through.

"Just when I thought mama and papa finally had a chance to talk."

Her mother hugged her.

"Don't worry to much. He is chaos, he will probably just show up one day without any warning. Then he has some explaining to do."

The chaotic Fluttercruel slowly approached the two of them.

"So since this is over, how about a few games while we still have the chance? We have almost anything."

The small filly looked over to her mother and decided after playing pretty much every single violent videogame in existence (and a few that didn't exist) to try something new for once.

"How about Pony Cart Double Rainbow Dash? Mama and I will play against you two."

"It Is On!" Suddenly a console and a TV appeared out of nowhere.

Soon Pinkie Pie took a look at the bright and colourful game the four ponies played.

"Now this brings back memories..." the pink pony said to herself the colors reminding her on the forgotten world.

"SHE HAS A BLUE FEATHER! RUN! AHHHH!" the chaotic Fluttercruel proclaimed in an over the top manner.

"No... just before the finish line!" the Fluttercruel they knew added.

"Shows you NOT to mess with mama!" the scarred Half-Draconequus said smugly, her mother smiling at her daughter having some good normal fun.

"How about a rematch?" the mother suggested in a calm tone.

"Ah think that might take a while." Applejack remarked dryly.

Pandora, Anarchy and Strife were trying to pass the non-existent time in the expansive reality they called home. Havoc had taken a liking to Rancor, not to mention she could take any two of them in a fight and Discord still hadn't returned from his escapade in Equestria.

"Do you really think Dad'll mind if we go down there for a bit?" Anarchy asked. Strife gave a disinterested shrug and Pandora's eyes gleamed with excitement.

"And we can bring back Discord so that Dad might get preoccupied with punishing him and he'll forget about us," Pandora added.

"I Wouldn't Be So Sure About That Dear," Havoc's voice boomed. Pandora chuckled weakly.

"Oh, uh you thought I was serious? I never thought you'd actually fall for it," Pandora lied.

"Fine, Go On, But Pandora, I'll Need To Give You A Stern Lesson On Underestimating The Intelligence Of Your Parents," Havoc told her.

"Smooth," Anarchy smirked as the three draconequui descended.

Meanwhile down at the studio.
Pinkie took a moment to summarize what was currently happening. Her world's Fluttercruel was playing the multi-functional, backward and forward compatible N-sixty-super-cube-boy-U-station-box with Chaos!Fluttercruel and the half draconequus Fluttercruel. Rainbow Dash was flying around with Daring do trying to see who could pull off a sonic rainboom the fastest. Pinkie thought about bringing Megan back again only to have her train of thought derail, crash, and spill the party supplies it was carrying all over the side of the mountain it was currently climbing as part of its track when three Draconequui walked through a portal. Pinkie decided in that moment to run to the main room of the studio where Applejack and Twilight were listening to Rarity trying to tell them the contents of her nightmare.

"Twilight, Applejack, Rarity! Big problem, three draconequui!" Pinkie told them between breaths.

"It's not nice to leave guests at the door," A male voice called. They walked in and the other guests stopped what they were doing to find out what had happened. Rainbow Dash and Daring Do stopped racing and the three Fluttercruels looked in from the room they were in. On seeing Strife the half-draconequus Fluttercruel whimpered and Strife turned to look at them.

"What are you doing," she asked.

"We were just playing Pinkie's whatever-it-was," The only Fluttercruel that hadn't heard of Strife told her.

"That's cool but, I'm wondering if you three could beat me in any game on that thing," Strife smiled.

"Any game?" Fluttercruel and Fluttershy said in unison. Strife looked confidently at them. Chaos!Fluttercruel pulled out a game and Strife's jaw hit the floor.

"B-b-but, no, what the, how did you even get that!" Strife yelled referring to the Pony Party 1 cartridge Chaos!Fluttercruel was holding.

"You did say any game," Anarchy pointed out. Pandora was a rolling in the air laughing at her sister's predicament. Strife moaned and walked in with the three Fluttercruels to play the game they had chosen. Less than five minutes later they heard her yell a scream of undiluted rage at the dinosaur turtle that had stolen her 20 coins.

The ponies and draconequi turned around to see Strife throw her controller at the screen.

"This game is stupid!" she yelled.

"Being a sore loser, are we?" said Anarchy with a sly grin on his face.

"Shut up!"

Pandora turned to Pinkie, "By the way, dad wanted to thank you for helping to send Ponywise to him. I don't think I've ever seen him have that much fun with one of his condemned souls."

The alternate Fluttershy shuddered at this, trying not to think of what kind of fun Havoc might be having with somepony's soul.

"Tell him he's welcome." said Pinkie also trying not to think about it.

"Does anyone else want to play?" Called out chaos Fluttercruel.

"I'll play." said Rancor, "But it will be a game of my choice." And with that she pulled out a copy of Epic Pinkie.

"You have got to be kidding." said Fluttercruel.

"Hey! I'll have you know that this is a very entertaining game." said Rancor with a hint of pride.

"Eh, why not. Couldn't hurt." said chaos Fluttercruel.

the small half-draconequus Fluttercruel backed away from Rancor, "I'm not playing against her." she said pointing at Rancor.

"Fluttercruel, try to be reasonable." said the Fluttershy that was her mother.

"No! Not after what she did to papa!"

The other two Fluttercruels stared at Rancor.

"Alright, I may have stabbed my brother with a spear." she said shrugging her shoulders, "I didn't have anything against him, but I do have to follow my parents' orders."

Pinkie looked at the little Fluttercruel, who was stubbornly refusing to play against her aunt, and a light bulb literally appeared above her head, "I've got an idea. Hey, Peachy do you have a second?"

"Yeah?" said Peachy.

"Would you mind hanging out with Fluttercruel here?" said Pinkie motioning towards half-draconequus Fluttercruel.

Peachy looked at the Fluttercruel and was initially taken back by her appearance but got over it since there had been stranger things in Ponyville, "No, I suppose not."

"Great, have fun you two!" said Pinkie.

"So, do you like peaches?" Peachy asked.

"I've never tried one before." said little Fluttercruel.

"Never tried one!? We've got to fix that! Also, I should introduce you to Sunny Daze. Oh, and her brother, Shady Daze. Actually forget, Shady Daze, he's a no-nothing know-it-all." Peachy said excitedly.

"You know, I had a grandma named Shady." said little Fluttercruel.

"Really?" asked Peachy.

"Yeah, but I've never met her. Although, mama says that she met her and that she'll take me by to see her after this."

Pinkie and alternate Fluttershy watched as the two young ponies seemed to get along. In the background Fluttercruel was playing against Rancor. It was a two person only game, so it was decided that chaos Fluttercruel would play against the winner.

"Thank you for that." said alternate Fluttershy.

"No problem." said Pinkie. That a beeping was heard form the camera. "Oh! We're out of film! Thanks for everything everypony! Hope you enjoyed the show! I'd say a lot more if I had room, which I sadly don't, so I'll just say thanks for visiting the Pinkie Pie Forth Wall Breaking Variety Show!"

Author's Note

Originally posted between Shining Armor POV Part 10. And Starlight 7 Dreams/Nightmares.

First What If Scenario involving Discord, Sparkle, and the TARDIS written by Louis Badalament.

Parts Added:
eric-emanwu
Sherlock-Holmes18
Kendell2
Ardashir
Sherlock-Holmes18 (again)
ItsFromPeople
Sherlock-Holmes18 (third post)
Ardashir(again)
Snivyshadow
Alexwarlorn(me!)
sonicandmario826
Kendell2 (again)
sonicandmario826 (again)
ItsFromPeople (again)
Sherlock-Holmes18 (forth post)
Acalanthide
ItsFromPeople (once again)
Alexwarlorn (me again!)
sonicandmario826 (once again)
Kendell2
r1ck3t
ItsFromPeople (and once again too)
Snivyshadow (again)
Sherlock-Holmes18 (fifth post)

Nightmarification Jubilee

Pinkie Pie's fourth Episode of The fourth Wall Breaking Variety Show
Non-Canon
By Alex Warlorn
Fanfiction: My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic
*Stamps OMAKE on title screen*

Pinkie Pie leaps in front of the camera's view inside the empty TV studio, with the words 'fourth Wall Breaking Variety Show' Flashing on a neon sign behind her as fireworks go off around her.

"HELLLO EVERYPONY! For those of you don't read the story description at the bottom or are new here, let me guest me my introduction, ahem:

"'Welcome The fourth Episode Of Pinkie Pie's (that's me!) fourth Wall Breaking Variety Show! I wonder if that would cause a paradox? Naw! Okay! The idea is that you write in the comments what happens next, and I mean really write what happens next like you write 'Pinkie Pie then jumped up and down' instead of 'have Pinkie Pie jump up and down.' Got that right? Right! Cool!

"2. Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall.
"3. The camera can't leave the studio.
"4. The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have "to be from 'My little Pony'
"5. Everything that happens here is non-canon.

"Anywho, I just know we're going to have lots of fun and-" There was a knocking sound off stage. "Oh? Who could that be?"

Pinkie trotted off stage and came back with a gift box with a pretty bow. "Oooooh! I know I haven't forgotten my own birthday again, so let's see what's inside!" Pinkie Pie opens the box, and is blown away by a small explosion of confetti and balloons. Pinkie Pie is wrapped up in a bunch of red ribbons like a present herself.

Another Pinkie Pie bows to the camera. This one is shaped like an Alicorn, is wearing her Grand Galloping Gala dress, and has a horn and wings that look like crayon drawings and her mane and tail are looking like floating crayon drawings themselves almost. She kicks the original Pinkie Pie off stage with a rubber 'squeak' sound effect.

"Don't worry! She's okay! She landed on lots of soft cuddly pillows! Don't worry! Don't fear! Nightmare Granfalloon is here! Now now! Don't go screaming and running towards the exits or adjust your TV! The whole 'monster clown' thing was before I was given proper characterization! I'm not the Jester from Batmare! Anywho! It's wonderful to be here! Smile smile smile!

"Now since this is the fourth episode, let's spice things up a little with-!" Her horn glows.

The title changes to:

Nightmare Granfalloon's Nightmarification Party Jamboree!

"There we go! Okay! All the rules are the same! Except now, since it's non-canon, you get to transform any of your favorite ponies into their Nightmare selves! Isn't that cool!? Come on! I know you want to deep down! ... Except for Rarity, for some reason it's not working on her. I know, Nightmare Banneret has tried. Basically pick ANY pony from the show, and come up and describe their nightmare self and their personality appearance and powers! Let's see how many Nightmares we can make until we run out of room!"

Pinkie Pie, still gift wrapped, hops on stage, but is being snuggled by a giant teddy bear that really likes her. She tries to say something through the wrapping.

"Oh don't worry Incomplete Me! This is all non-canon! So you don't need to worry about anypony actually becoming a 'End of The World Pony' think of it like an Early Nightmare Night Party with everypony becoming something freaky just for one evening! Once the show is over, everypony, but me, turns back to a non-Nightmare Pony, cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye! It's just a game, like that Gloom 64 game that Rainbow Dash won't let Scootaloo play."

Pinkie Pie thinks about it, shrugs and nods.

Pinkie looked to Granfalloon. *Translated from muffled squeaks* "Uh, aren't you afraid...you know, you might scare the Shadows Who Watch away? They're kind of really REALLY scared of you."

"Oh! Don't worry! Multiverses and all that! I'm not QUITE as crazy as that me!"

"So you're still crazy?"

"Well...yes, but not THAT crazy! Okay! So let's see whose the first Pony to step in for (non-canon) Nightmarification!"
+
"Ooh! Ooh! Pick me! Pick me!" yelled Patch excitedly running onto the stage.

"Patch? Why would you want to be a Nightmare?" asked Pinkie.

"It's because I've always wanted to try being evil" explained Patch, "and besides, none of this actually real anyway, right?"

"Well, it's not canon with the main series, if that's what you mean." said Pinkie.

"Yeah, I really am not sure what you're talking about, but I'm assuming it means none of this is real. In fact, I'm not even sure how I got here." Patch said.

Patch then turned towards Nightmare Granfalloon, "I'm ready to become a Nightmare."

"Excellent! Just let me power up the Nightmarification Ray." Nightmare Granfalloon said, gesturing towards a gigantic machine she had set up. She then trotted towards the machine and began to turn it on.

"Alright, the Ray's powered up. Now, it's time to see what kind of Nightmare you'll become." said Granfalloon.

"As long as I don't become a monster clown like you, then I'm cool."

"I'm not a monster clown!" yelled Granfalloon, temporarily becoming enraged. She then quickly regained her smile, "Sorry, I lost the happy but the happy's back!"

"Hang on a second, Patch, didn't you want to be a clown when you were younger?" asked Pinkie.

"Yeah, a circus clown. Those are a lot different than monster clowns." said Patch.

"She's right. You know, I'm really disappointed in you, my incomplete self. I thought for sure you would be able to tell the different types of clowns." said Granfalloon.

"Hey! I can tell the different clown types just fine! I just misunderstood what Patch meant. Also, how was it you were able to have a brief moment of rage? As my Nightmare self, aren't you supposed to be nothing but happiness?" Asked Pinkie.

"Uh, this is non canon, remember?" said Granfalloon.

"No one is supposed to be out of character, remember?" Pinkie mocked her.

"Fine." Granfalloon looked at the camera, "If any of you have a problem with that scene then just ignore it, because you know that I don't want to see any of you be anything other than happy." She turned towards her machine again, "Now to activate the Nightmarification Ray!"

"Wait, this isn't going to hurt, is it?" Patch asked nervously.

"Let's find out!" said Granfalloon as she cheerfully slammed down on a big red button.

The ray shot out a beam of light that hit Patch and began to change her. "Arghh! The excruciating pain!" she screamed, "Megan, Danny, Molly! One of you guys save me! Moochick, you owe me!"

The ray finished and out stepped an alicorn about the size of Princess Cadence. Her body was a complete patchwork of different pony body parts.

"Greetings, fellow new Nightmare!" said Granfalloon, "Might I ask what you're name is?"

"I am Nightmare Questant, the endless wanderer!" she proudly exclaimed, "And I will find the pieces of the Rainbow of Light and use them to recreate the spell that Starlight intended them to be used for. Only this time I'll completely remove any free will, because that has caused ponies nothing but grief."

She then gave out an evil laughter and Granfalloon joined in. Pinkie Pie shrugged her shoulders and decided to join in as well because none of this is canon anyway.
+

Pinkie Pie asked, "You're not going to have to use that painful ray gun for ALL the Nightmarifications are you?"

Nightmare Granfalloon shook her head, "Naw. Not if the next bunch of writer comes with something more fun."

"Bunch of what now?" Nightmare Questant asked.

"Nothing," Pinkie Pie and her Flanderized To Point Of Horror From Beyond Self said at the same time.
+
Suddenly the room quadruples in size and a giant stage appears in the center of the empty and now very oversized TV studio. Countless spotlights shine on it as fireworks of all colors erupts from the stage.

"Now welcome the GREATEST AND MOST POWERFUL NIGHTMARE, right here for your entertainment: Nightmare Mountebank, the Shining Magic."

All fireworks combine together and form the glowing form of an Alicorn in a dramatic pose at the top of the stage. Her coat is still light blue, while her wings have a darker blue and both her mane and tail shine with bright light.

"Ah Trixie, good to see that you had time to visit us this time! Now let me just look up on ponypedia what Mountebank actually means... a card game, a swindler, a confidence game and a sleight of hand artist..."

Within one second Trixie's Nightmare is right next to Granfalloon, glaring her into the eyes.

"Now, you got that ALL wrong. That is just a PURE coincidence. Here take a look, it is another term for The Magician, showing Trixie's awakening to the true might of magic."

"Hey, who minds as long as you are happy? I like my name a lot, it rhythms with balloon. So what is your favourite kind of magic now?"

Another illusion transforms the top of the room into what looks like the night sky with countless constellations moving all by their own.

"Still stage music of course! Trixie loves illusions and the power they give her over others. Everypony who is drawn into her magic, everypony who admires the true beauty of her magic shares a bit of their powers with her." the Nightmare says darkly before her face returns to a happy smile.

"Remember no 'End of The World Pony' today! I Pinkie Promised."

"Don't worry, Trixie just wants to have some fun and a bit of the spotlight today. She sure hopes you can invite some Nightmare stallions as well. We have more then enough space for a nice Nightmare dance party once we have enough of us."

"Hey, why do you appear already completely ready why I had to be hit by this painful Nightmarification Ray?"

"It is magic, Trixie doesn't have to explain it."

Now Nightmare Granfalloon looks with puppy eyes at the corrupted wielder of magic.

"FINE! Trixie was trying to replicate the spell Twilight used on her back when she was discorded to learn more about herself and the magic within her. Trixie might have stayed too long inside her own head afterwards and formed a slightly too powerful bound with magic. The magic calls out for more and Trixie will give it more. So you have nothing to worry about."

Nightmare Granfalloon smiled and nodded, "Alright, but let's try and keep most of the Nightmarifications inside the studio! Since that's half the fun!"
+
"Alrighty, who's next!" asked Granfalloon.

Suddenly, a portal opened filled with hellfire and the screaming of tortured souls. A fat pegasus waddled out. "Let me give it a try!" he said in a high and mighty voice

Questant snarled. "You!"

The pegasus blinked. "Who...who are you?"

"I stole your shard and threw you to your karmic death."

The pegasus' eyes went wide. "Ahh! Don't kill me again!"

"Don't worry, you're already dead so she can't rekill you!" announced Granfalloon in a cheery voice.

Questant snarled. "But I can make you WISH I did."

"C-can we just continue with the Nightmare thing?" asked the pegasus, trying to be composed.

"Why do you want to be one?" asked Pinkie, blinking.

"Can't be worse than Hell, now can it?"

Pinkie looked uneasy. "Depends who you ask."

"Well just do it-AHHH! I was wrong! This is worse!"

Questant smirked at the Nightmareification ray control panel.

Film Critique started laughing. "Mine! All mine! I'll have everything! I'll consume everything!" he yelled.

A fat nightmare emerged and promptly started eating all the snacks Pinkie Pie had gotten (it was a Nightmare Party after all)...and the table they were on. His body seemed to stained with food and he was wearing sparkling gold armor and jewelry befitting a king.

"So what's your name?" asked Granfalloon.

"Nightmare...*chew* Nimiety," said the Nightmare, not stopping from his constant eating, even once he'd eaten all the snacks, the table, the chairs, and started on the set.

"Hey! Stop that! We need a set to do th-" Pinkie called, before Nightmare Nimiety snarled and lept at her, mouth opening wide to reveal huge razorsharp teeth ready to bite her head of. The Nightmarification beam hit Nimiety again and turned him back to an over engorged Film Critique. "Thanks, I was afraid that was going to be a Puella Magi Madoka Magica shout out I didn't want to be a part of!"

"No problem, we couldn't have him eating the set, could we?" Granfalloon asked happily.

"Alright, Film Critique, Your Break's Over! Time To Get Back To Pulling The Chariot!" announced a voice from the portal as Film Critique screamed and was pulled back into Hell.

"Alright, who's next?" asked Granfalloon.

"Oh!" Pinkie announced. "One more thing. Everypony, the Writer is feeling a little under the weather! be sure to tell him you hope he gets well soon!" she called, waving.

"Weren't all the Nightmares supposed to be turned back when the show was over?" Nightmare Mountebank asked.

"He was a special case."

"Oh."
+

"Nopony appreciates my music! classical is too boring they say, maybe I should just pack up my cello and quit, NO! I will make them love my music, the show must go on! my symphony shall be eternal! I am Nightmare Requiem: The Grand Maestro of Death."

Suddenly a gray alicorn with a long flowing mane that resembles sheet music and levitating a giant cello appears amidst a swirling vortex of treble clefs.

"Succumb to my dark aria!"

Sweet melodies began to fill the air as the treble clefs shot out in all directions burning into the flesh and branding everypony they touch, the room is filled by a flash of gray light when room dims back to acceptable levels everypony is wearing powdered wigs, petticoats, and speaking in germane. "

und ich dachte, granfalloon war dumm, was ist los mit dir? können wir wenden Sie sich bitte einige Untertiteln hier so unsere nicht Germane Leser verstehen, was los ist?" (and i thought granfalloon was silly, what is up with you!?! can we please get some subtitles here so our non germane readers can understand what is going on?) Pinkie pie shouted fending off a swarm of parasprites that had been enchanted by Requiem's song.
+
Without any warning, a blue box vworped into existence in the corner of the studio (blanketing the whole place in a convenient translation bubble) and Doctor Whooves trotted out. As soon as the smouldering spot on the ground in front of the Nightmarification Ray was free, he planted himself there.

"What's up, Doc?" Granfalloon giggled.

"Not much," the Doctor cheerfully replied, "I just came to take my turn with this transforming laser of yours. Seems safe enough, and I can't say I'm not curious about what I'd turn into."

"Okie-Dokie! Here we go!" Granfalloon hit the switch.

"Besides, it can't be any worse than regeneration - BY RASSILON IT IS WORSE HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE!?"

The brown earth pony's shape contorted, expanded, and turned distinctly yellowish. When it was done, where the Doctor had once stood there was a alicorn stallion the size of Princess Celestia. He had a yellow-brown coat, and a long, spiked mane and tail consisting of black hair and...bananas?

Yes, he had bananas sticking out of his mane and tail. His wings and horn were made out of millions of jelly babies mashed together.

"HA HA HA HA! Behold! I am Nightmare Folly, the Snack Food Victorious! Everypony shall eat bananas, for bananas are good! Candy and custard and celery are also good! But all apples and pears will be EXTERMINATED!"

Soaring into the air with a flap of his candy-wings, Nightmare Folly started transforming the remains of Nightmare Nimiety's rampage into bananas and celery stalks, including the furniture.
+
Nightmare Granfalloon looked off to the side with a musical laugh that somehow managed to be ineffably evil -- in a comical way. "Oh-hohoho! It looks like we have our next vict -- I mean volunteers!"

From offstage Cheerilee appeared, dragging her somewhat bleary-eyed sister Berry Punch along with her. Berry looked about in confusion. Her eyes widened slightly when they locked on the assembled Nightmares.

"Wow, sis," she slurred out, "I didn't know I was THAT drunk."

"You promised you wouldn't get drunk again, period!" Cheerilee snapped at her in a very angry tone before she turned and said to the clownish Nightmare, "This is the place where ponies can go through 'Nightmarification', is that right?"

"No, this is the tryouts for the Trottingham Hoofball team," Nightmare Mountebank snapped. She looked ready to say more, but a bright blue ribbon materialized out of nowhere and wrapped around her muzzle, gagging her. She glared at Granfalloon.

"Now, now, play nice!... For now." Granfalloon turned to Cheerilee and Berry and grinned. "Sure is! So, what do you want? To make your sister into a Nightmare?" She looked at Berry, who seemed half convinced that everything was some cider-induced dream.

"Ummm-arrgh!" Mountebank tore the gag from her muzzle and gave Berry a wary look. "Mounteback wishes to know if transforming a drunken pony into a Nightmare is perhaps not especially wise."

"Oh, no, not her!" Cheerilee went and stood before the Nightmarification Ray, right on the smoking spot it'd left on the floor. "It's for me! I've gotten sick of cleaning up after her, and watching poor Ruby when her mother is running around. I want, no, I DEMAND the power to make her clean up her act!" She gave her drunken sister a furious glare.

Berry blinked. "Gee sis, I didn't know it was bugging you that much..."

"Okey-dokey, teach!" Granfalloon whinnied as she flipped the switch on her ray. Lights flashed, Jacob's ladders sparked with electricity, and a coruscating ray all the colors of the rainbow lashed out to bathe Cheerilee in its light.

The earth pony teacher shrieked as the light washed over her. Her legs grew longer with cracking noises; great black swan wings ripped out through her back; her eyes gained the slit pupils of a dragon. A curving horn exploded out from her brow as her coat darkened to a shade of purple that was almost black, as did her mane and tail, save only for pink streaks in the latter and a raw crimson patch against her chest.

"Ah-hahaha!"

"Big sis!" Berry ran to Cheerilee's side, only to stop with a panicked neigh as a dark purple glow surrounded her, lifting her into the air.

"I am no longer your sister, you wretch," the mare hissed. "I am Nightmare Bonsai! I shall bring all the lost and unloved little fillies and colts unto me; and then I will prune and shape their minds and souls so that they will never become what their wretched and undeserving parents did! They will learn to love me for the merciful pain I bring them!" She stopped and looked off into the darkness offstage. "Oh, sorry, my Princess, but somepony has to take up the slack now that you're no longer able."

"Oh, that's alright," a familiar soft voice said. Another nightmare trotted out, her chest torn and ripped in a fashion oddly similar to Nightmare Bonsai's. "I really don't mind the help."

Nightmare Bonsai smiled in relief before she turned her angry gaze on a now fully sober Berry Punch.

"So, little sister," she sneered, "Can you guess which little pony will be the first one I save?" She loomed over the smaller mare. "I won't let you hurt Ruby any more! I'll take her away from you --- forever!"

"Oh, okay." A sly look began to replace the terror on Berry's face. "That means you'll clean her when she's sick, right? Hold her when she cries in the middle of the night from a nightm --" she looked at the creatures surrounding her, who were suddenly looking at her very intently, "ahem, I mean from night terrors, regardless of how tired you are, read her the same story book every day even though you got sick to death of it years ago..."

"Oh." Nightmare Bonsai's ears were lowered and she suddenly looked uneasy. "Well, ahem..."

Berry went on blithely, "...Guide her to finding her cutie mark and be patient with every single accident, spend the time on her that you might with a stallion you could love, cook and clean and make her the center of your world? Her and all the MILLIONS and MILLIONS of other unhappy fillies and colts out there?" As she'd spoken, Nightmare Bonsai sank back down on her haunches, her eyes shrunken to pinpoints as the impact of her new form and goals fully sank in.

"I guess I have no choice. Good luck with doing all the things you don''t think I can do, big sis." Berry lowered her head and hid the smile on her muzzle as she muttered, "I read those stories about Solomane the Wise, too."
+
Wordlessly Big Mac walked into the TV studio and focused on Berry Punch while ignoring all other Nightmares and walking up to Berry who sat next to her transformed and still depressed sister. But even Nightmare Whisper couldn't cheer her up in her current state. Wordlessly the stallion handed the untransformed sister a piece of paper.

"Is that for me?"

"Eeyup."

"It smells like muffins, you got it from Derpy?"

"Eeyup."

"Let's see... it is from the Alcohorse's Anonymous who said that I made good progress and they want to know if I might want to work for them and eventually lead my own group there... That is..."

Happily the earth pony hugged her transformed sister, which did seem to cheer up Nightmare Bonsai a bit.

"Now they all ignore you, how does this feel?" Nightmare Questant nudged Nightmare Nightmare Mountebank.

"It might surprise you but Trixie can live with that, Mountebank follows her magic calling out to others and for the effect to reach its full potential they have to do it willingly. And overall she believes that she is one of the..."

Both looked briefly at Nightmare Granfalloon juggling Diamond Dogs who in turn are juggling Parasprites.

"... saner Nightmares. I desire a worldwide web of friendship with me in the center, is that so wrong?"

With a sudden burst of speed Granfalloon stood next to the corrupted wielder of magic.

"How about I blast Mr. Says-A-Lot with my patented Nightmarification Ray for a good Nightmare Stallion?"

"Does it always have to be the same ray? It is about to become a Running Gag."

"NO! Not that stallion! He is the anti-happy... I... give me a second... I know another way! I will show BM 'The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000' episode without the happy ending, that might do the trick."

Out of nowhere Granfalloon pulled a tape and whispered something into Mountebank's ears.

Much to Berry's shock now Big Mac was enveloped in a cloud and was trapped within the illusion. There was no escape and as the quiet stallion had to see how his dear family lost everything they had worked so hard for to the greed of the FlimFlam Brothers he began to feel something inside himself. His own strength was not enough but this new power could save his family.

The cloud exploded and now there stood a male Alicorn the size of Princess Celestia but with a very muscular body. His coat was dark red, the color of his wings resembled what his coat originally looked like and a green jaded horn grew from his head. His yoke now looked like it was made out of solid stone and weighted a ton.

"Ah am Nightmare Lineage, Ah will punish every slacking, lazy and greedy pony on this world until they realise that hard work for your own family is the ONLY way to live."

Nightmare Requiem created fitting background music as the new Nightmare looked around the room. Granfalloon looked at Pinkie Pie who mimed "NO End of The World Pony!" and signed.

"How about we have a nice workout in this TV studio today? You know some races, some dances and I doubt we can get Granfalloon to stand still if we wanted to. I have also endured quite a few travel experiences in my life." Nightmare Questant said to the new Nightmare. It seemed to calm the Nightmare stallion down for now.
+
As the ensemble of benevolent Nightmares grew word spread and more and more ponies flocked to the studio. Among them was the stallion to know in Canterlot, FancyPants. He looked at the gathered crowd and the contraption.
"That seems to be quite the experience, I'm not sure if its one I'd like though," he confessed.
"Aw, lighten up, It'll only sting like the fires of Pony Hell and having your entire being frozen by Windigos for an instant," Nightmare Granfalloon assured him. The rest of the ponies gasped and Granfalloon started laughing.
"I'm only messing with you, I don't know how it feels." The ponies assembled breathed a collective sigh of relief.
"In that case," FancyPants smiled as he walked up to the Nightmarification ray. Granfalloon gave it a whack it the machine whirred to life. After a short flash FancyPants looked at himself. He was still white but he now stood as tall as Celestia but his frame and build did not look unnatural. His blue mane was draped around him like a kings robe and a large crown the same as the ones on his cutie mark rested on his head.
"I AM NIGHTMARE DIRIGEANT!" He roared.
"So what do you think?" Nightmare Requiem asked.
"It's certainly a change of pace," Dirigeant admitted. Murmurs erupted in the crowd as they began agreeing with him.
"I'm not boasting but I think that I look the best out of all the assembled Nightmare's," Dirigeant smiled. The crowd nodded their heads and shouted in approval.
"In your dreams Dirigeant," Granfalloon shouted.
"Is it just me or is Nightmare Granfalloon a little bit on the crazy side?" Dirigeant asked again.
More murmurs of agreement came from assembled crowd. Nightmare Granfalloon had her mouth wide open in protest.
"I've had my fun, Nightmare Granfalloon is an incredibly nice and welcoming pony and being a Nightmare is a wonderful experience and I'd recommend it to absolutely anypony," Nightmare Dirigeant said before he stepped down.
+
Granfalloon spoke up, "All right, now that we have all these new Nightmares, let's get this party started!" Everypony cheered.

"Wait, hold on a second!" shouted a man in a business suit.

Granfalloon looked confused, "I'm sorry sir, but only My Little Pony characters are allowed in here."

The man seemed confused by Grafalloon's wording, "Um, but I've encountered you ponies before."

"You have?" said Granfalloon, looking even more confused.

"I know the original cartoon had a human characters" said Pinkie, "But I don't remember this guy from any of the episodes."

"I tricked the Rainbow Ponies into coming to a fake party that was supposedly for them, and shaved off their manes in order to make wigs." the man explained.

"Ohhhhh" Pinkie and Granfalloon said in unison.

"Now, I remember." said Pinkie, "You were the bad guy in that audio tape that came with that Ember toy all those years ago."

"Talk about an obscure reference." said Granfalloon, "So, I'm assuming you're here because you want to become a Nightmare?"

"Yes."

"Wait, can a human become a Nightmare?" asked Pinkie.

"Well, Spike has a Nightmare self and he's a dragon. So, I see no reason why it couldn't work on a human." said Granfalloon as she turned on the ray.

The ray hit the man and caused him to experience intense pain. When it was finished he had crimson red skin, two horns coming out of his head, bat wings coming out of his back, and two large scissors for arms."

The man gave out an evil laugh, "I am Nightmare Wigmaker, shearer of manes!"

"You don't seem that threatening." said Questant.

"You won't be thinking that once I've cut off your mane!"

"Yeah, I'm going to be staying away from you weirdo." With that Questant trotted off to hang with the other Nightmares.
+
"Wait, why are we suddenly speaking Equestrian again? I thought that Nightmare Requiem cursed us all to speak in Germane?" Nightmare Mountebank asked Nightmare Granfalloon. In the corner, Berry Punch and Nightmare Bonsai were speaking together rather more calmly than before as Berry showed her sister the note from AA.

"Oh, that!" Granfalloon said. "I figured that might get a little problematic for anypony or Shadow reading this whose Germane wasn't very good, so I asked my very best friend to lift it!"

"Your best friend?" Mountebank asked nervously. "And just who is that?" Granfalloon grinned and just pointed behind her. Mountebank suddenly found herself afraid to look.

"No need to see," a strangely familiar rage-filled voice said, sending breath scented of both blood and sulfur down the back of her neck. "I've seen the world where this happened to you, Trixie."

Mountebank gulped and turned to see a purple-and-black Nightmare there, her mane and tail blazing like hellfire. Nightmare Eclipse stepped up alongside Mountebank and smiled at Granfalloon before gifting Mountebank with a sneer. "Hello, new-and-improved Pinkie. Oh, hi, Trixie. Still running second best to me?"

"Trixie, I mean Nightmare Mountebank, plays second to NO other Nightmare!" The blue nightmare shoved her forehead against Eclipse's. "And aside from lifting some second-rate curse, what have you done to brag about?"

Eclipse smirked at her. "Oh, aside from delivering Discord to the endless parade of degrading deaths he deserved..."

***

And in another world, after being forced to watch a 798-hour long marathon of Asylum movies, Discord's brain simply dissolved as Eclipse's recorded voice cackled, "Now here we go again with this world for the 1765,349th time!"

***

"...I decided I needed a few extra nightmares to help me find and create my perfect world." Eclipse's horn glowed as she brought a struggling form from offstage. "In fact, I decided I needed THE Nightmare." She turned to her prisoner and said cheerily, "Hello, Princess Luna!"

"Twilight Sparkle! Pinkie Pie! Trixie Lulamoon!" Luna struggled helplessly against the dark magic holding her prisoner. "You know not what you seek to unleash! Let me go now and I will fetch my sister and Cadence that we might heal you of this madness, and..."

"Blah blah blah," Granfalloon said as she adjusted the Nightmarification Ray. "First of all, we killed Cadence; well, a Cadence anyway," Luna gasped in horror at her words, "And secondly, you'll be as crazy as us in another second!" And with that she flipped the lever and the Nightmarification Ray, making a few unsettling buzzing and grinding noises as its overstressed circuits threatened to give out, covered the hapless Luna in its eldritch glow.

There came the usual shrieks of agony and sounds of warping flesh and bone, ending in mad laughter. And when it cleared, Nightmare Moon stood before the assembled Nightmares, head thrown back as her cry filled the room.

"At last! I am returned!" She laughed wildly. "Now my night will last forever, as with my army of loyal flunky nightmares..."

"Flunky?!?" Moon broke off with a scowl as Mountebank stomped up to her. "Nightmare Mountebank is no mare's flunky! And she will NOT be bringing about 'eternal night' or any such nonsense! So get in line," She sniffed as she switched her tail. "It begins behind Mountebank." She began to stride past Moon, still switching her tail, and bringing it up to slap the transformed Luna across the face.

"Insolent nag!" Mountebank shrieked as Moon bit into her tail and yanked a mouthful out by the roots. "Display the proper submission to royalty."

She began to walk past Mountebank, headed for center stage, only to stop with a shriek as Mountebank pounced on her, lashing out with her hooves and teeth. The two arrogant Nightmares vanished into a dustball of violence, rolling off stage, filling the air with their shrieks and insults.

"Hack showpony! Go back to performing at filly's birthday parties!" Moon spat the words out along with some of Mountebank mane, one eye already swelling shut.

"Dirty fighter!" Mountebank shrieked. She was starting to show some bald spots. "What kind of a princess bites other ponies?" And as soon as the words left her mouth she sank her teeth into Moon's ear, eliciting a howl from the other Nightmare. Both went rolling offstage.

"No! No! Mountebank! Nightmare Moon!" Eclipse went racing after them. "Let's be adult egotistical Nightmares about all this!"

"Heh-heh," Granfalloon said as she looked after them, before looking out at her audience of Shadows. "Umm, oops?"
+
Having finished restoring the snacks and snack table (now full of bananas, more bananas, and the table currently made of a mix of bananas and celery stalks), Nightmare Folly was making up a batch of banana smoothies and serving them to the guests.

This would have suited him just fine if a rolling pile of Nightmares hadn't slammed into his makeshift bar, smashing the bananas and sending his smoothies flying.

"Oi! Take this, banana-smashers!" Folly yelled.

Taking to the air, he conjured a simply enormous blob of banana custard and dropped it on top of Mountebank and Moon, providing a quick and messy end to their cat - err, Nightmare-fight. This might have turned out fine for Folly if Eclipse hadn't been right behind them: instead, the Nightmare of Vengence was now covered in gooey, sticky, and in her case BURNING custard.

"...And away I go!" Folly declared, turning tail and running shamelessly away before Eclipse could set him on fire.
+
"You know what is funny, incomplete me?" Granfalloon nudged Pinkie Pie.

"That the silliest Nightmare in the room is not only perfectly able to annoy but also to constantly avoid Nightmare Eclipse herself?"

As Nightmare Folly fled past Nightmare Lineage, Wigmaker and Dirigeant racing (and outran each and every one of them) Nightmare Eclipse seemed to be on the verge of just giving up and letting her frustration out on Discord again.

One of Eclipse's fire blasts was reflected from a wall and ended up flying right at Berry Punch. Without even hesitating Nightmare Bonsai pulled her sister out of the line of fire.

Nightmare Whisper was finally able to free Mountebank and Moon from their banany imprisonment. Both Nightmares glared at each other but decided to call it a truce to avoid any further embarrassment.

"No... well yeah that is pretty funny but I meant that ponies come willingly to embrace their Nightmare selves. My advertisements might have helped."

The Ring Master of the Endless Circus pulled out a scroll that read:

"Do you want to make all of your dreams come true? Are you just bored and want to experience something different? Do you want free snacks (we have a lot of bananas) and drinks? Do you want to change your name? Do you want to meet some incredible stallions and beautiful mares? Then come to Nightmare Granfalloon's Nightmarification Party Jamboree!"

"You know that these words are kinda placed to form a hypnotic spiral..." the pink pony said now wearing her Watson hat.

"That is elementary my dear friend." Granfalloon now had a deerstalker cap and bubble pipe.

"No I am pretty sure that is cheating."

"From a Nightmare? I am so shocked!" Nightmare Requiem added sarcastically while searching for a snack that wasn't a banana.

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS NIGHTMARE CHAMPIONS!

Suddenly the three Cutie Mark Crusaders stood before the Nightmarification Ray and Sweetie began to work on the controls. Both Pinkie Pie and Nightmare Granfalloon rushed forward at the same time but the filly managed to fire a shot. It landed nowhere near the other two Crusaders and instead it almost hit Nightmare Moon.

"What were you two thinking?" both Pinkie Pie and Granfalloon screamed at the same time.

"We wanted to get our own cutie marks! So far every Nightmare had one so we were sure that..."

"If you really want to, I will turn the ray to a painless setting first." Granfalloon said with a surprising stern sounding voice.

"Wait, why did you not tell anypony so far?" Pinkie Pie whispered.

"Nopony asked! Here goes nothing!"

The child-friendly version of the blast hit the three fillies and their bodies began to change. Wings and horns appeared but their size remained the same. As the glowing effect of the blast vanished three Nightmare fillies stood before the group. Their coats still have the same colors and the new wings and horns match their coat respectively.

"Nightmare Cantata, Fairest of Songs!"

"Nightmare Instrumentum, Creator of All Items!"

"Nightmare Velocitas, Rainbow Dash Fan Number One!"

"That is not a title for a Nightmare." Cantata complained.

"Who cares, Rainbow Dash is AWESOME!"

Simultaneously all three little Nightmare looked at their rumps and discovered that they still had blank flanks.

"THAT IS CHEATING!!!"
+
Pinkie Pie looked at the three newest Nightmares as they ran over to Bonsai, who looked delighted to see them. "Okay, this is getting out of hoof. We need someone here who can help keep everything under control, somepony who's handled more monsters than even my friends and me."

"Oh, really?" Nightmare Moon snorted from behind her. The original Nightmare shook her nebulous mane, sending the last few globs of pulverized banana flying. "And just who did you have in mind? If Celestia showed up, she'd be defeated in moments by our assembled might!"

"Umm, yeah," Pinkie looked around the room to see the equine Nightstallions pummeling Nightmare Wigmaker after he'd tried shearing them; Bonsai trying to keep the Nightfilly Crusaders from making their own Nightmarification Ray with minimal luck; and Requiem and a worse-for-wear Mountebank arguing over just which of them had brought in the bigger audiences. Questant alone seemed interested in what was happening in their corner of the room. "No offense, Black Snooty, but I think I've seen better organized Diamond Dog packs. Anyway!" She hurriedly added as Nightmare Moon's eyes began to blaze, "I think I can see why the writers don't have more than one Nightmare around at a time. But we still need some help here." And with those words Pinkie grabbed the doorknob on a door that hadn't existed until that moment, yanked it open, and pulled through what she found. "Megan, you gotta help us!"

"Wait, what? Pinkie again?" The young blond woman shook her head. She wore a fine dress, and said, "This isn't a good time. I was on my first date in years. He seems like a decent guy, and..." She looked around the room, her eyes widening as she saw the assembled Nightmares. They in turn took little notice of her, save for Moon and Questant.

"Megan? The Champion from the days of Paradise Estate?" Questant nuzzled her. "Don't you recognize me? I'm Patch! We met. Er, in some timeline or other."

"Megan? Who defeated Tirek, who thought himself worthy of ME?" Moon stalked forward, head outthrust. Megan looked ready to either fight or run. Nightmare Moon said, "My deepest thanks for that. Tirek was most persistent in his unwanted courtship, and what he did to the image of My Night..." Moon shook her head before smiling at the confused human woman. "Why I feel as though we were sisters! In fact, we are sisters in at least one world I know of. We simply must talk."

"Oh, I have to be going," Megan swiftly said. "Besides, this looks like it's Nightmares only."

"The latter is easily dealt with!" Dark magic looking like a lightless nebula lashed out from Nightmare Moon to envelop Megan. She shrieked in pain as it consumed her. A shriek that turned into a pained whinny as it cleared to reveal a golden-coated and fiery-maned Nightmare sporting tourmaline-set black barding that looked like a cooling crust atop lava. As she staggered around, getting used to four legs, Nightmare Moon laughed and said, "Welcome to the herd, sister!"

"I..." Megan began to say before her blue eyes lit from within, their pupils becoming slits, "I am Nightmare Omega. I will end the later corrupted version of the pure world I saved so many times -- and then I will rule it to protect my pony friends, forever!" She stopped and swallowed. "Wait, did that come out of me?"

"You'll get used to it," Questant said. She walked up alongside the newest Nightmare and set a wing across her withers. "Now, I want to know all about the Rainbow of Light."

"And I," Nightmare Moon said, walking up on Omega's other side and setting her wing over her withers from that side, "Wish to hear, in detail, how you defeated Tirek and liberated a shard of my power from that pestilential knave."

Omega looked from one to the other and sighed. "Okay, but first?" She flew back to the open door and stuck her head and neck through. Through the panic-stricken shrieks that echoed from beyond the portal, she said, "Dan? I'm afraid the date is off. I'll call you tomorrow night, okay?"

She stepped away and back to Questant and Moon as the sound of a body hitting the floor came from behind her. They once again enfolded her with their wings in a sisterly embrace as she began speaking with them.

"Ooops," Pinkie said where she stood off to the side. She looked at her audience and smiled weakly. "Heh-heh, maybe this is just Equestria Girls in reverse?"
+
"I have to admit" said Pinkie, "You Nightmares sure know how to party."

"It's just one of many benefits of being a Nightmare. Which is why I think everybody should be a Nightmare!" explained Granfalloon.

"Can I get in on this action too?" said a voice behind them.

"Sure."said Granfalloon as she turned to see who it was. She and Pinkie both gasped. It was another Pinkie, except this one had a creepy grin that was even more creepy than Granfalloon's. She also wore a dress made from ponies' cutie marks and pegasi wings, and a necklace made from unicorn horns. Pinkie and Granfalloon looked at each other and nodded in agreement, and Granfalloon used her telekinesis to launch the other Pinkie into orbit.

"Good riddance, you psychotic, murdering caricature of myself!" shouted Pinkie.

"I don't understand" said Omega, "Why didn't you turn her into a Nightmare like the rest of us?"

"Trust us, you do not want to see that pony become a Nightmare." explained Granfalloon.
+
Meanwhile in space the pinkie that was sent thier can be heard screaming "SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE!!!!!" while she was floating in space she also started blabering about other randome things about space, space itself, and even something about some space cops.
+
As Pinkie Pie looked around she noticed that at least some of the Nightmares seemed to get well along with each other. Whisper and Bonsai now both looked after the Nightfilly Crusaders and seemed to be able to keep them in check for now. The pink pony still gave them about one hour before the little Nightmares would have built a Nightmare Ray that would turn ALL of Ponyville into Nightmares in one blast, likely with the machine exploding at the same time. Even before they got this power, the CMC were nearly unstoppable once they had a goal. Not that they reached the goal they had in mind but on their way there they were unstoppable.

Also Nightmare Omega, Moon and Questant were calmly talking to each other about the Rainbow of Light and the power of darkness. That could also turn nasty very quickly.

Nightmare Folly had stopped running away and Nightmare Eclipse was nowhere to be seen, which didn't calm Pinkie down at all. She preferred to know where that Nightmare was until this non-canon event was over. By now Nightmare Manacle and Nightmare Mirror had also joined the party.

Scootaloo's Nightmare took one look at the Nightmare of her idol before concentrating back on the other two fillies.

"Naw, the Rainbow Dash I knew was 20% cooler."

The All-Consuming Loyalty seemed to be hurt by this reaction from her greatest fan and her chains rose into the air for one second until Nightmare Whisper stared at her fellow Nightmare.

Meanwhile both Nightmare Mirror and Lineage began to talk to each other while taking a snack break near the table Pinkie Pie was close to.

"Now the close family is almost completely enlightened."

"Yes, by now only Granny Smith is missing."

"Ehm, Miss Cruelest of Truths?" Pinkie Pie approached the two Nightmares carefully.

"Seriously, just call me Nightmare Mirror, like my friends do."

"Okay, Nightmare Mirror, I was just wondering... we have a multiverse, sometimes with very different incarnations of the same ponies... so what does this mean for Nightmares, could the same pony have more then one possible Nightmare?"

"Hah! That is an easy question! Yes, of course. Take a look at... Mountebank there. Trixie was able to evolve into her after being able to create an extremely close connection with her Element of Magic but if she would have been consumed by her own Loneliness instead we could have gotten Nightmare Solitary who just wants to be left alone and moves herself to more and more seclude places to reach this goal."

"Let me guess, you invited her but she didn't come."

"Exactly, she just wants to be left alone. It still broke the hearts of her family." the Nightmare stated in a calm and collected manner.

"So we could have just as well gotten a Nightmare of Applejack that is obse... concentrated on another Element of Harmony or something completely different like apple bucking, country music or hey the multiverse is big so she could just as well spread knowledge, control animals or try to become the fastest thing alive."

Now Nightmare Mirror looked anything but collected.

"Well... You see... Ah mean..."

Eventually the realisation that different Applejacks had become Nightmares but different ones with entirely different goals that didn't involve Honesty or Truth at all made Nightmare Mirror quietly move into a corner and think about herself.
+
WE INTERRUPT THIS STORY FOR A SPECIAL EMERGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT

"TO EVERYONE WHO READS THIS STORY:

LZ0291 is seriously considering giving up on the Shining Armor arc. He thinks that no one cares about it, and he thinks he's "messed up" in writing it.

The prospect of him quitting the project not only puts the Shining Armor arc at risk, but potentially the entire series as well, since many key revelations about the entire series mythos are supposed to be revealed in that arc.

Go to his profile RIGHT NOW and tell him how much you care and how important it is that he continues: http://lz0291.deviantart.com/"
Posted By Jarkes

NOW BACK TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAM
+
"Ok," said Pinkie. "Who is next?" she asked.

"Uh, Auntie Pinkie Pie?" asked a voice.

Pinkie blinked, looking over to see Apple Pie emerge from a time vortex. "Apple Pie?"

"Ah'd kind of like to try."

Pinkie gasped. "W-why?! You're FIGHTING Nightmares right now!"

"Well, technically, but this ain't canon and...well, Ah'm kind of curious what mah Nightmare would look like," said the filly.

"Well...true..."

"Plus, no chance the one we're fightin' has got a Nightmare meh hidden in her somewhere, she don't think Ah should exist."

"Eclipse is gonna be clopped off..." muttered Manacle.

"All the more reason to do it," Questant replied, manning the Nightmarification ray set to painless. She may have been a Nightmare, but she still didn't like Eclipse that much.

Apple Pie was engulfed by the beam and started laughing as she emerged from the beam. Like the Crusaders, she was still a filly, but now she had a horn and wings, her armor and coat being both completely garish and beautiful at the same time. "Ah am Nightmare Paradox! The Ever Contrary!"

"Oh bucking no!" yelled Eclipse, running up. "That's my name!"

"But yah didn't want it when Ah gave it to yah! Now yah do!" Paradox laughed like a hyena. "And you're on fire but its not burnin' yah!"

Eclipse's eye twitched and she got a headache. "You...you..."

"Oh no! You might be the Big Bad of the current story arc, but you don't get to go berserk here," said Pinkie.

"And why not?!"

"Because if you do, I'll have the Shadow Who Makes kick you out of the party."

Eclipse grumbled as Whisper convinced the Nightmarified Apple Pie to change her name to Nightmare Contrary, the Ever Paradoxical to calm Eclipse.
+
Mirror and Lineage looked at the latest Nightmare to join the party.

"Now thet's just strange," Lineage said. Mirror nodded her agreement.

"Ah, I mean, I do agree," she said, covering her slip in accent. "Something seems odd about letting fillies become Nightmares. Accepting perfect enlightenment should be a choice made by an adult."

"Hey!" A voice from down around their fetlocks called out. "Ah'm just as much a nightmare as either o' y'all! And Ah bet she'll be even better!" Nightfilly Instrumentum pointed behind them as she spoke. Lineage turned and looked. Mirror simply focused the attention of some of her dozens of eyes on the newcomer.

"Granny Smith?"

"'Bout time ya noticed me, especially with them eyes o' yours." The elderly mare grumbled as she walked up to them slowly. "Ah thought ma own grandfoals could pay attention better than that! Now where's thet Nightmare-makin' doohickey? If this is the way the whole family is goin', then Ah might 's well get it over an' done with." She stretched one hind leg and winced. "'Sides, this hip is killin' me."

"Ha-ha! Yes!" Nightmare Mirror turned to Granny and smiled as she lifted her into the air with her magic. "Let me help you, dearest grandmother. Soon, our entire family will be united once again!" She began taking the elderly mare over to a spot in front of the Nightmarification Ray, adding, "Eclipse tried to get her brother and parents to join her, but they just kept running away."

Ignoring an angry snort from Eclipse, Mirror set her grandmother down before the ray. She all but danced away as Instrumentum switched it on, sending the energies flowing over Granny Smith. The old mare cried out in pain, her voice growing younger and stronger.

"Yes! Yes!" Mirror said, rubbing her hooves together. "When ma -- I mean my, whole family is once more one, WE'LL be the strongest Nightmares of all!"

"You sure this is a good idea, Mirror?" Manacle said as she flew over. "Your grandma's petty old and decrepit, and..."

"Who're you calling 'old and decrepit', wings?" With those words a trimly muscled Nightmare trotted over to them both. Her mane and tail showed snow-white against a poisonous green coat. Batlike wings stretched out to either side as she said, "Ah am reborn! Ah have my youth back agin, an' now..."

"Now we'll force everypony to confront the truth!" Mirror cheered, rearing as she did.

"An' naow ah'll finally be able ta become a dancer, like ah always wanted!" Ignoring her granddaughter's horrified gaze, the Nightmare rose up on her hind hooves and spun gracefully in place. "Nightmare Waltz, that's me! An' the dance will last forever!"

A delighted Requiem began to play her music. Manacle fell down and rolled laughing as Mirror stared in horror.

"But, but Granny! Don't ya want ta help conquer Equestria, or, somethin' like that?"

"Heck, no!" The Nightmare snorted. Folly came over and took her outstretched hoof and began dancing gracefully with her as she said, "Didn't ya never notice all them dancin' books I keep around the farm? Ah DID have some dreams o' my own once. An naow that ah'm young agin," she batted her eyes at Folly, "Ah mean ta enjoy 'em!"

And the dance went on even as Nightmare Mirror collapsed to the floor with a groan, hooves over her face.
+
Nightmare Granfalloon's and Pinkie Pie's pagers both went off. The two ponies looked at them. "This episode sure filled up fast." Pinkie Pie said looking at the 'closing time' message that came across. She looked at her Corrupted Self. "Ya know, I wasn't so keen on this idea at first, but for a non-canon comedy, this was kinda cool."

"I was lying, this is canon, and now us army of Nightmares are gonna to conquer the universe. KIDDING! You should have seen the look on your face! HA HA HA! Come on, I Pinkie Promised, and even meanie Angry Pie kept her Pinkie Promises."

Pinkie Pie stopped having a heart attack at her Nightmare prank. "Remember, you promised to fix them all when the show ended."

"I Pinkie Promised to." Nightmare Granfalloon nodded. "But first a moment to reflect and take a good look at them interact before we close up shop. It's . . . it's not-happy to see it end. Stupid Deviantart, why'd they have to put in that stupid text limit?"
Lamented Nightmare Granfalloon Ring Master of the Endless Circus.

"Come on come on! Nightmarify already!" Nightmare Banneret cursed meanwhile firing the Nightmareification Ray out the window to Rarity's bedroom through her open window, Rarity remaining very much NON-Nightmare Pony, but wondering what the green flashes of light were all about. The green flashes of light also had no effect on her pet cat or any random animal that crossed it's path.

"And that's how Ah came to a complete reconciliation with the absolute truth that others AJs in other realities that didn't embrace the beauty of absolute truth." Nightmare Mirror said.

"Weren't ya hidin' yer accent before?" Nightmare contrary tilted her head.

"Only a little. Ah'm not like the Nightmare Liarjack was talkin' about, Ah don't hide from any truth, Ah don't use half-truths, or partial truths. Ah know what Ah am and Ah accept it. For instance, Ah admit Ah do have an accent. Without havin' to use the Old-Alicorn-Mind-Trick."

Nightstallion Lineage nodded, "Now all our close family is part of the new Nightmare herd. All ponies will be united into one big family, and will never turn their backs on each other!"

Nightfilly Instrumentum, Creator of All Items, asked Nightfilly Contrary, the Ever Paradoxical, "So yer really from the future?"

"Ah think so, maybe, the more Ah try ta think about, the more mah head gets all fuzzy."

"Ah'm gonna invent another time machine, Then Ah'll know for sure! And a space machine, and a reality machine, and television., and a breathin' machine, and an eatin' machine. Ah'll create an endless buncha tools to make ponies lives easier! Until Ah invent a thinkin' machine and ponykind, will no longer have to think!"

"So you're really from another universe, and came all that way just to steal manes to make wigs?" Nightstallion Dirigeant asked.

"Yes, but the wigs had such a powerful magical quality to them I made a fortune off of them in New York City, sadly the girls family made sure I could never get close to the rainbow bridge again."

"Very good!" Said Nightstallion Dirigeant smiling, "Your hard work paid off and made a good profit from your determination." After all, the Nightstallion didn't care if the methods were cruel or kind, only that the person engaged in hard work and that it paid off.

"Nice to see a pony who can see eye to eye." Nightstallion Wigmaker nodded in return.

"And that's how Nightmare Eclipse worked out how Nightmare Mirror and I can both have what we want in the new perfect universe, it was so simply I can't believe I didn't think of it." Nightmare Whisper Kindest Of Lies said to Nightmare Bonsai, Mother Of All Forsaken Foals.

"That really is brilliant. Also, thank you for your tips on how I can use my new vast amount of magic to care for and provide a future for countless and countless foals across the world who need a better mother."

"It was my pleasure."

A pair of living tree constructs colored and shaped much like Nightmare Bonsai meanwhile were playing with Nightfilly Cantata, Fairest of Songs and Nightfilly Velocitas, Rainbow Dash Fan Number One.

Nightfilly Cantata had chosen to provide singing to Nightmare Requiem: The Grand Maestro of Death's music. The result was chilling divine, any normal mortal pony who'd hear it would be left willing to listen to it until they starved to death, and any other music would have sounded like nails on a chalk board and would have fallen into life draining depression at being deprived of the unspeakably beautiful combination.

Nightfilly Velocitas, Rainbow Dash Fan Number One was zapping ponies outside the studio through a window, turning them into species, gender and age equivalent clones of Rainbow Dash.

"What a beautiful day DashDash." Said the recolored Lyra outside the studio.

"Indeed RainbowStrings." The recolored Bonbon nodded.

"Rainbow Dash is the greatest." Said Nightfilly Velocitas.

"YES!!!" The repeated at once.

As Nightmare Requiem and Nightfilly Cantata provided the sound, Nightmare Waltz and Nightstallion Folly provided the visuals, her face was capturing.

"The dance. Beautiful dance. Dance eternal." Said Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon together in the same tone and inflection, tutus having appeared on them when they had peaked inside the studio and had begun to dance along, living for the dance like it was like breathing, and Nightmare Waltz' magic sustaining them easily. Their hearts and minds only caring for the dance.

As for Nightstallion Folly, the Snack Food Victorious . . . he mostly annoyed Pinkie Pie with him turning her cakes all into celery.

"And that is why Trixie you'll always be a loser no matter the universe or what choices you make. You couldn't amount to anything worthwhile if you tried. You're a nothing pretending that it can actually add substance to the world." Nightmare Eclipse said straight to Nightmare Mountebank, the Shining Magic's face.

Nightmare Mountebank's response was not printable.

The resulting battle would have resulted in the two Nightmares fusing together from the magical blast, the result being effectively their child, but Nightmare Manacle pushed them apart.

Nightmares Moon The Endless Night, Nightmare Questant, the endless wanderer, and Nightmare Omega continue to causally chit-chat about the good old days gone by and how the new stuff could use some serious changes.

"ALRIGHT! Reverse Nightmarification Ray!" Pinkie Pie pushed the button. Nothing happened. "I said reverse!" She it hard, and it exploded into rainbows.

Luna was the first recover, "I NEVER WANT TO EXPERIENCE THAT AGAIN!" She then looked around at the former Nightmares around her.

"How am I supposed to say 'mortals rule, gods drool' now?!" The Doctor lamented.

"Cutie Mark Crusaders goddesses! Yea!" The CMC cheered.

"Hey! Still no cutie mark? Lame!" Scootaloo moaned.

"I think we're the patron goddesses of hope and potential, and creativity." Sweetie Belle said to herself, Scootaloo, and Applebloom respectively.

"Where's ex-Nightmare Wigmaker?" Asked Apple Pie.

Luna pointed at a Alicorn looking innocently at the world in diapers.

"How cute!" Cheerilee, The patron Alicorn of Teachers, Mentors, and Parenthood nuzzled him.

"There's already a patron goddess of music, does that mean I'm an incarnation or aspect of Cadence now?" Octavia asked.

"Quite the contradiction ain't it?" Apple Pie said.

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon ran for the hills now that they were themselves again, mostly because they had deep down LIKED it, and brought back way too many painful memories for Diamond Tiara.

"Goddess of Dancing, dangit now Ah'll never with mah kin in the hereafter." The now young and immortal Anne Smith Apple lamented.

"Where's Trixie?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"I think she already left." Luna noted. "Looks like the Minor Arcana is going to be have a lot of its seats filled in this universe."

"At least Ah'm not a princess." The now even more magnificent and drop dead handsome Big Mac sad, "Ah still need ta figure what Ah'm supposed to be Alicorn OF."

"We can figure it out together, this should rough things up in Canterlot." Fancy Pants said.

"This many new Alicorns all at once?" Luna lamented with a giant headace, "This is going to extremely unpleasant."

"I just hope there are still challenges for me, it's not much an adventure you're already level 99 with the invincibility cheat on." Patch said.

"You know..." The large blond and blue eyed Alicorn in the room said, "This feels... right... I feel... whole... I can shape shift to a human still right?"

"I can teach you how Megan." Luna nodded, at least there was one Alicorn she knew was completely right for the job.

"I wish we had time to pick out new names for everypony but we're already down to the last few minutes." Pinkie Pie noted, taking the fact that all the Nightmares were now true Alicorns in surprising good stride since she didn't want the show to end suddenly. Well, most of the Nightmares.

"And this is why I always look out for my friends." Said Nightmare Eclipse, a barrier around herself and her five fellow Nightmare Of Harmony having shielded them from the blast. "See us curb stomp you in canon." They vanished in the time vortex.

Pinkie Pie and her Nightmare shared a wave goodbye.

She then waved at the camera. "Thanks for coming everypony! See ya next time!"

"I wish you all love and happiness for all time my little ponies, and may the world be kind." The Alicorn Megan spoke.

Pinkie put on glasses and read a letter. "Ahem. Due to worries by a concerned Shadow, but this episode has been declared an Omake, meaning it is the same level of noncanon as Baby Discord Meets Unicron. Which is probably for the best considering having this many Alicorns hanging around would kind of be a storybreaker."

Episode 5 Part 1

Pinkie Pie's Real 4th Fourth Wall Breaking Reality Show
Non-Canon with the "Pony POV Series"
Opening written by Kendell2

The camera opens up to the stage…and no one was there.

"Huh? Wait!" yelled Pinkie, jumping on stage. "Sorry! The author didn't tell me I was on!"

"Sorry! The real author is busy right now! I didn't know until last night I was doing this either!" called a voice from offstage.

Pinkie sighed and cleared her throat. "Welcome back to Pinkie Pie's Fourth Wall Breaking Variety Show! Long story short, the next 7 Dreams/Nightmares chapter is kind of in Developmental Pony Hell right now due to some real life issues."

"Don't worry! Alex is arguing with Havoc to get it out!" called the voice from offstage.

"…and the Dark World Chapters can't be posted until they're done! But don't worry, we're on track with the next Shining Armor chapter! That should be out soon! But until then, we're going another episode!"

Pinkie stares at the camera for a few moments blankly… "Uh…Oh! I'll get the What If Machine to show you something while I think up material!" she called, pulling the What If Machine out of nowhere and putting it on the table (still looking like a worn out TV with some doodads glued on). It sprung slowly to life.

"Hahaha! Why don't you give up, Pony Rangers!" yelled Gildar in her new, improved Grifclopsys as it blasted the Ninja Mega Pony Falcon Zord. "Now that Lord Havoc has upgraded Grifclopsys, nothing can stop me!"

The Rangers struggled to get the robot to its feet. "We need a plan," said the Red Pony Ranger.

"I think I have one," said the White Pony Ranger. "Gildar! Is this really how you want to defeat Rainbow Dash?!" she called. "Where is the honor in that?!"

"Wait wait wait! Trixie, why are you dragging me into this?!" asked the Blue Pony Ranger, looking back in surprise.

"Trust me," the White Ranger whispered. "Come on, Gildar, is this your honorable victory? You call yourself a warrior, letting a MACHINE do your fighting for you?! I thought you were better than that! What a loser!"

Gildar snarled. "Loser?!"

"If you want to prove me wrong, why don't you get out of the giant robot and fight Rainbow Dash yourself?" asked the White Ranger in a sing song voice.

"What?!" asked the Blue Ranger.

"Roll with it," White whispered.

"Uh, I mean…yeah, come on, Gildar! We're our test of strength? Where's our Mareliness?! Let's settle this! One on one! You and me! Let's speak like adults with our hooves and our claws! Our fists which pierce the heavens!"

"Fine!" yelled Gildar, leaping from the cockpit and landing on a nearby roof. "Come on! Bring it! The north star itself has judged you guilty! We are the gods of destruction! These claws of mine are burning red! They tell me to gasp-"

She was greeted by the sight of the Ninja Mega Pony Falconzord taking flight and descending with energy flowing into its fists, punching Grifclopsys. The robot was sent flying and exploded on impact with the ground. "That's cheating! What about honorable warriors?!"

"Did you think our robot was called the NINJA Mega Pony Falconzord for nothing?" asked White.

"Remind me to have Celestia shorten the name somehow when we get back to Canterlot," the Violet Ranger asked. "That name is just garish."

"Ninja are honorable to their master, but fighting fair? No, not known for that. We couldn't beat your robot with you in it, but I knew we could if you weren't."

Discord, looking like he was wearing a rather good Lord Zedd cosplay, snarled and kicked the wall of his moonbase. A laugh came from behind him.

"Now Son," said Havoc, or rather a reasonably powered Avatar that could function in this reality. It was suitably frightening with plenty of skulls and snakes. "I Thought You Liked Not Fighting Fair."

"Only when I do it!" the Draconequus roared. "Why aren't you mad?! It was your robot!"

Havoc laughed. "Yes, That Was A Fun Game, Wasn't It?"

"A game is only fun when you can't lose!"

"Oh, I Beg To Differ. After All, How Is It Even A Game If There's No Possibility You'll Lose? I Like An Unfair Game As Much As The Next Cosmic Horror, But If You Already Know You‘re Going To Win? Where‘s The Fun In That? It's Predictable, and Predictable Is Boring. Why Do You Think I Have A Casino In Pony Hell Where You Always Win As Punishment For Those Who's Gambling Fever Got Them Sent Inside Me?"
"

Discord slammed his head into a support beam in frustration.

"You Know, You're Beginning To Remind Me Of Your Mother, And I Came Here To Take Some Time Away From Her..."

"No Appleboom I am not teaching you how to fly!" Rainbow Dash said.

"Ah already know HOW ta fly. Ah figured that out fast. Ah just need ya ta teach me how ta fly better."

"You're an Earth Pony! You shouldn't be flying at all."

"Ya see these here wings? Ah'm a pegasus now!" Applebloom cheered.

"You aren't supposed to be!" Rainbow Dash pleaded, "Just like Sweetie Belle isn't supposed to be an Earth Pony and Squirt isn't supposed to be a unicorn. Look, I know this might be over your head, but just ditching your normal species is like sayin' you're too good for them!"

"Scootaloo's figurin' out magic just fine when Sweetie couldn't make a spark. And Ah'm helpin' out lot more than Ah did before! Ya don't want me ta help mah family?"

"AAAAGH!" Rainbow Dash felt like banging her head against a wall. And deep down, there was no small part of her that felt hurt Scootaloo didn't want her wings back after this magic accident. And wondered if she was the reason why Scootaloo didn't want to return to the skies. Rarity and Applejack were suffering similar hurt. And while no one was blaming her, Twilight wondered at the misery she had caused three of her friends.

"Rainbow Dash! Come back here!" Scootaloo shouted, flying after the laughing filly as she zipped around the room like a bumble bee on a sugar high.

Over half the Elements of Harmony had been turned into fillies, while the CMC had their ages reversed.

"Rarity! Clean up this mess!" Sweetie Belle said, Rarity had turned her own work room into a disaster area and had been drawing with lipstick on her vanity.

"I don't wanna so there!" Rarity stuck her tongue out at the (currently) adult mare.

Fluttershy was out buying groceries for everypony, while Pinkie Pie had to leave them alone for a while as she baby sat the twins. And that was after she had used whatever tricks Pinkie Pie did to corner and calm down two teleport happy unicorn fillies.

"Now you stay put this time Applejack!" Applebloom ordered, almost pleaded.

"But Ah wanna help!"

"Yer too small ta help."

"No Ah ain't!"

And . . . the spell had done a double mental whammy on filly Trixie and filly Twilight who had declared each other best friends forever and were already working on a secret hoof shake and wanted to introduce each other to their parents.

"I've become a Canterlot pony, I established my own business, I've become a pony everypony should know, I cleaned up and shaped up, I achieved enlightenment and become an Alicorn. All so I'd be worthy of you! So please! Can we go on at least one date?" Turnip Truck begged the speechless Rarity.

Little Spike meanwhile growled at the sight of the stallion from his badly chosen hiding place.

The What If Machine finally powered down. "Alright, everypony! I've got an idea! We're going to have some special guests this time! Well, I guess that's like every time! But some authors are sure already have ideas. Remember the rules! Ponies have to be My Little Pony, but can be from any toy, cartoon, or comic or generation. The camera can't leave the studio. What happens in here stays in here. Only I can see beyond the forth wall. Write something and we copy and past it! And by 'we' I mean the author of course. And what happens here stays in here. Now let's play."

Pinkie was watching a short film on TV. The opening read 'Hoofs Molemane presents Pony Getting Hit by Hoofball. The film featured an elderly looking pony standing outside of his house when all of a sudden a hoofball came out of nowhere and hit him, causing him to go into a fetal position. And then the film ended.

Pinkie chuckled to herself, "Heh. He got hit by a hoofball. What will that Hoofs Molemane think of next?"

"Psst" said a voice, "Pinkie, you're next part is being written."

"What?" said Pinkie, quickly turning off the TV. "Oh, just give me a second."

Pinkie walked over to the camera, "Hi everyone! So, apparently I'm supposed to invite a special guess, and then it occurred to me that Doctor Who's 50th Anniversary is coming up. Yeah, I know that I'm not supposed to invite anyone who's not MLP related, however there is one pony who has connections to this series. Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome Doctor Whooves!

Doctor Whooves walks onto the stage, he's not entirely sure what this is all about.

"Hi Doctor. Glad you could make it. Did you run into any problems on the way over?" asked Pinkie.

"Well, I did have some problems with the Weeping Alicorns but I took care of it." he answered.

"So, tell me Doctor, what made you decide to hang out in Equestria?"

"Well, it's really just a resting place for me before I go on my next adventure."

"Where did the name Time Turner come from? Also, Where did the Whooves part of your name come from? Aren't you supposed to just be known as the Doctor?"

"Well, the Time Turner name is just the alias I use when I'm just trying to be a normal pony. As for the Whooves thing, long story short it was a misunderstanding that somepony had about my name and it kind of stuck."

"What do you think of the rumors that you and the Master are in a relationship with each other?"

"Ridiculous, The Master and I wouldn't be able to go anywhere with each other without trying to kill each other."

Pinkie pondered her next question, "Well, I can't think of what else to ask to ask. Enjoy yourself while you're here and good luck on the 50th."

"I will and thanks." said Doctor Whooves.

Something occurs to Pinkie, "Who wrote this part?" she said as pulled out a clipboard, "Let's see it was Sherlock-Holmes18. Again?"

"Did someone call my name?" said a pony wearing a deerstalker."

"I wasn't talking about you." said Pinkie.

"Did you mean us?" This time it was ponified versions of a guy and a girl.

"I didn't mean you either, Sherclop Pones. Go back to making Friendship is Witchcraft." Pinkie told them.

After they all left, Pinkie let out a sigh, "Jeez, doesn't this Sherlock-Holmes18 have a life? It seems like he's almost always the first to post something on these things."

Pinkie looks at the camera, "Hey, Sherlock, next time let someone else have the first shot at this."

"Alright, everypony I've got something special in mind!" Pinkie called, giving a chuckle. "Alright, let's bring in our guests!" she called, a portal opening and five rather confused ponies and one adult dragon entering. "Everypony, say hello to our Dark World Selves!"

Twilight the Unicorn blinked. "P-Pinkie? What happened?! Where's Nightmare Paradox?!"

"Oh, this is just a non-canon little thing, consider it a break. And don't mention that big meanie face, the author's tired of dark stuff for awhile!"

"Aunt Pinkie!" called Apple Pie, running over and hugging Pinkie.

"Hi, Apple Pie. Technically I'm not your Pinkie, but you're still my niece!"

Apple Pie looked to the camera. "What's that?" she asked, having never seen one before.

"That's a video camera, it takes pictures of us and projects it all to our audience! It's a lot easier on everyone else who can't see the Fourth Wall so they have a point of reference to look at!"

"The forth what now?" Dark World AJ.

"So they can see us?" asked the little filly, before giving a laugh. "How can they see us when they ain't in the room?" she asked at the, to her, contradictory nature of the device…her Logic Bomb power causing a crack to go through the lens. "Oh dang it!"

"Ok, while I fix this camera, socialize! I hope we have fun!"

Dark World Derpy wandered around until she spotted a familiar face.

"Doctor!"

The Doctor, in the middle of building what looked like a tower out of playing cards, wasn't expecting the very sudden and very enthusiastic hug and was promptly squished. As for the makeshift tower, it fell and dumped all the cards on top of both ponies immediately afterwards.

"Oof! They make them sturdy in your universe, don't they my dear?" the Doctor groaned from his new spot between the floor and Derpy.

"Sorry, Doctor," Derpy apologized as she helped him back up, "But I'm so happy to see you! I was so worried, after -"

"Ah," the Doctor said, holding up a hoof, "Let me stop you there. I'm not the Doctor from your universe, so whatever happened to him, I don't know about it. He explained alternate realities to you, right?"

Derpy pouted, but nodded.

"There you go. Though you're just in time, I could use a little help..." he waved at the playing cards, "I'm trying to win a bet I made with a very handsome banana-loving fellow - he bet me that I couldn't build a TARDIS out of playing cards. You can help me put on the ones that go up top!"

The Doctor was gleefully rubbing his hooves together, but Derpy was puzzled.

"...You can make a time machine out of cards?"

"I can try!"

Derpy stared at the Doctor for a moment longer, then smiled and grinned.

"Sure! That sounds neat!"

And so began the construction of the most ridiculous time machine ever.

"Alright, Pinkie, Ah'm here, what's on the schedule this time?" asked Applejack, not completely understanding what the purpose of this show was or how crazy things kept happening, but respecting Pinkie seemed to enjoy it. She then found herself looking into some frighteningly familiar eyes. "Pinkie...what's going on?"

The other Applejack gave a friendly smile. "Ah ain't exactly sure myself, but when yah live where Ah did, yah tend tah roll with things like this..." she admitted. She then showed her glowing Element of Kindness. "Look familiar?"

Applejack gasped. "Yer...the Kind Meh?"

"Yep...Ah was kinda on my own vision quest at the time. Long story short, Apple Bloom came back tah save my soul, took meh tah the Princesses' Pa and they guided meh back tah the light."

"Ah...Ah understand...So yer from a world where...Discord won?"

"We THOUGHT we were...turns out it's a lot more complicated than that..." said Dark World!Applejack. "He won, but then kinda lost and the real baddie is closer tah Nightmare Mirror than Discord...Though Ah did get to purify the Element of Deceit and can still use it. Ah know, Ah know. 'Deceit ain't somethin' 'honest' Applejack should be usin'', but that just ain't how Ah see things anymore."

Applejack put a hoof on her other self's shoulder. "Wasn't gonna say that, actually. Ah may be the Honest AJ, but if there's one thing Ah learned from the Generous Applejack, its that even if Ah don't agree with the path another meh took, that don't mean its wrong. That Element of Kindness chose yah for a good reason, so Ah'm just gonna accept it."

Dark World!Applejack smiled lightly. "Thanks...Funny story, this Element of Kindness belonged tah Applebloom before she gave it tah me. Or Saint Applebloom as the family calls her now."

Applejack's jaw dropped. "S-Saint?! Alright, call meh curious, how the hey did that happen?!"

Dark World!Applejack chuckled. "That's a story Ah'm proud tah tell yah..."

"Hey pinkie! What's going on here?" Spike had finally made his way into the studio without being sprayed by a water gun. It was admittedly a strange experience for him, as he had been spending a lot more time outdoors with the crusaders. "Twilight wants a break from all the craziness that's been going on whenever you put on these shows, so she sent me to say that she should only be called in if it's someone really important. So who's.."

Spike then stopped stock still, staring at both the giant purple dragon that strangely seemed familiar, and a twilight that seemed.... grayer, and with a horn that was white and purple for some reason. Both of them were looking at him with a nostalgic smile and with tears in their eyes.

"Twilight?" Spike asked the pony first. "Er, did you fall in the dust again? And did rarity have you try out that new horn dye that she wanted to experiment with?"

Dark World!Twilight sniffled, then approached. "Spike, I'm not Twilight. At least, not your twilight."

Spike looked at once confused and surprised. Then, he blinked. "Wait, is this like in comic books where you can tell different stories using the same names, but call them horseworld tales that don't affect your story? And then you can get into crossovers with those stories later?"

"In a way." The unicorn replied. "I..." Then She levitated Spike close and hugged him. "I'm Twilight the Unicorn. And I'm a twilight from when Discord broke me before I made it back to you."

Spike looked up at her in shock. "You mean, you never got the friendship letters? (at this, twilight the unicorn got a blank look on her face) Then, then what happened?"

"Chaos." Dark World! Spike finally spoke down to the two, catching Spike's attention. "It was an age of chaos. Few things were logical anymore, and above it all, Discord reigned supreme. He used Twilight and the others as his lapdogs to enforce his reign for 1000 years. Then a miracle happened, and that's where everything changed."

"1000 YEARS!!!????" Spike was in shock. He wanted to reject this idea, but then he looked into Twilight the Unicorn's eyes. And he saw it. He saw the sorrow, pain, guilt, sadness, grief, and acceptance. "No. But, then why are you all here? Aren't you all still elements of harmony? And" Spike now looked really hard at the giant dragon. "Who are you anyways? You look really familiar, but so different at the same time."

"Why Spike, I'm crushed." The great dragon said in mock disappointment. "Don't you recognize yourself?"

Now spike lit up like a lightbulb. "What? I'm, I'm........I AM AWESOME!!! I always knew I'd grow up to be a great dragon! Who's the dragon? I'm the dragon! But...wait. If you're me in 1000 years, then how is everyone here?" Spike then looked to the side of his future self, where Dark World! Rarity was looking at Spike with an amused look. "And why is there a rarity with lines on her hooves and back looking at me like that?"

The three dark worlders exchanged looks with each other, until they all said in unison, "Spike, we're going to have a LOT to tell you about."

Pinkie chuckled, watching Spike be filled in on the future that might have been. She interrupted Twilight the Unicorn and pulled her over. "I have a present for you."

Dark World!Twilight blinked. "Ok...What is it, Pinkie? I think a lot of this is present enough."

"Come on in!" Pinkie called.

Dark World!Twilight blinked...until a grey unicorn with a purple and white mane walked in. "M-mom?"

Her mother smiled. "Hello, Twilight."

"N-no, I'm not your Twilight...I" Dark World!Twilight started crying. "I...I'm..."

Her mother put a gentle hoof to her lips. "Pinkie already told me...You're poor mare a monster broke and made do awful things, horrible things..." The older unicorn (biologically speaking) hugged the alternate version of her daughter. "But most importantly, you're my baby girl and always will be. I love you, Twilight, don't you EVER forget that."

The mare who had seen a thousand years of horror broke down crying as she returned her mother's hug.

Pinkie smiled to the Fourth Wall. "Happy Mother's Day everypony!"

Pinkie stepped back from Dark World Twilight and this-world's Twilight Velvet, leaving them some privacy. As she did she bumped into DW!Rarity.

"I beg your pardon, dear," the unicorn mare said, "But would it somehow be possible to look at that What If Machine? It's just that, several hundred years ago in our world, Discord decided to take some time looking into other universes to see how he ended up there. Then, after he looked into a world where we all became," she shuddered, "changelings, somehow, he stopped and got very huffy whenever we dared ask him why. Is there any way to use your machine to discover what happened there?"

"Sure, Rarity!" Pinkie hopped over to the What If Machine and gave it a kick. "Hey, what happened to everypony and Discord in the 'Changelings Take Ponyville' world?"

It flickered, whirred, and began to work...

In the royal gardens in Canterlot, a draconequus statue stood abandoned and alone. Discord growled and grumbled within his form of stone. He would have done far more if he could.

So close. He'd come so very close to finding one pony in Ponyville who could be turned to his ends -- and then of all things, she'd been forcibly taken into a Changeling swarm. It was enough to make him wonder if he'd been as clever as he thought when he turned a love-poisoned alicorn minor into the first Changeling Queen all those centuries ago. So really, if it hadn't been for that one little joke...

Bah. Consequences. I HATE consequences! He leaned back in a huff. Well, really, he didn't 'lean' at all since he couldn't move, but you get the idea. Okay, so I lost Little Miss I-Want-My-Mommy. I'm still getting out of this statue, even if it takes a million -- no, a HUNDRED million years!

*One Hundred Million and One Years Later*

"Mwua-hahaha!" Stone shards flew in every direction as Discord stretched and whooped a wild laugh. "I'm free! No deals with human sorcerers or orphan pegasi! No having to beg mom and dad for help! No promising Celestia that I'd be good -- wait, where is my old girlfriend, anyway?"

He looked around and winced. The once proud alabaster and golden walls of Canterlot were not just tumbledown, they were crumbled beyond even his ability to restore. The sky above glowed a ruddy red, probably due to the fact that Celestia's sun was swollen into a red giant. Luna's moon was a broken and shattered ruin, no longer a sphere, held together only by its own gravity. No plant life beyond some nasty-looking fungi, no animal life that he could sense much more developed than amoebas in a nearby puddle, nothing... but a floating butter-yellow gemstone nearby.

Feeling uneasy, Discord reached out for it only for it to explode into a rainbow of light. And within that light hovered, what was her name, that pink-maned and tailed little yellow pegasus, Fluttershy?

But why did she have a horn?

"Oh! Oh, is this on?" The hologram of Fluttershy poked lightly at something out of sight. She looked back at Discord and smiled benevolently. He gritted his teeth and wished he could strangle her.

"So, um, hello. If you're seeing this, that means that somepony finally found the vision stone we left behind in case any Shadows-That-Make or Shadows-That-Watch came here. I have to make this quick -- we're going to be joining G1-G3.5 very soon, so thanks for everything you did for us, we really appreciated it. Umm, most of it..."

A yell from another familiar voice came from offscreen: "Woohoo! My alicorn powers let me delete every copy of that story from the Internet? Yay!"

"Oh, Pinkie," Fluttershy looked off to the side and said. She then looked back at Discord. "Oh! Anyway, don't stay here in Equestria too long; it'll probably be swallowed by Celestia's sun in a few hundred thousand years now that she's no longer there to control it. At least she took it better than Luna. I really wish she hadn't lost her temper over her moon." She sighed. Twilight called from off to the side. She looked dismayed. "Oh, dear, right now? Anyway, have to be going. Thank you for everything, Shadows; you gave us such a good life. But I hear that G5 is going to be even better. Oh, and make sure to leave the ugly statue alone..."

"Ugly!" Discord sniffed. "Hmmph! You wish you were as good looking as me!"

The Fluttergram continued, saying, "Twilight and Pinkie rigged our planet to explode fifteen minutes after he got free. Umm, so maybe you'd better start running."

Again from the side: "Fluttershy, come on! We're keeping everypony in Paradise Valley waiting!"

"Oh, bye!" The jewel went dark.

Discord blinked and then rolled up the scales of his arm to look at a wristwatch. "Oh, I'll be buc --"

BOOM

"So, that's what he saw?" DW!Rarity blinked. "I suppose I can see why he became so angry; but if we were all turned into changelings, then how did we become alicorns afterwards? Did we all spontaneously become enlightened? And what on Equestria is 'G5'?"

"I dunno how you became alicorns," Pinkie said, trying hard to look innocent. With one rear hoof she kicked her Reverse-Nightmarification Ray from an earlier show behind Time Turner's funny blue shed. "And as for G5 -- sorry, Rarity, but there are some things ponies weren't meant to know. Yet!"

Pinkie watched as the two Twilights hung out with Twilight Velvet, Spike learned about the could-have-been future from his older self, and Dark World!Derpy helped Doctor Whooves build a time machine out of cards. It always made Pinkie happy to see these things. It was part of the reason she had these variety shows so often.

"Excuse me." said a voice.

"Yes? What is it?" asked Pinkie as she looked to see who it was, but there was nobody there.

"Down here." the voice said.

Pinkie looked down and saw a small furry ball with little hands and feet and two eyes, "Oh, wow, a bushwoolie! I was wondering when one of you guys would appear on the show."

"Yep, that's me, I'm a bushwoolie. My name's Eager." the bushwoolie said.

"Well, what brings you here, Eager?" Pinkie asked.

"I got this note telling me to come here." Eager said as he pulled out a letter.

Pinkie looked at the letter, "Wait a minute, this is my hoofwriting! I don't remember writing this."

Derpy came by with a letter and gave it to Pinkie. Pinkie opened it up, and read it aloud:

Dear Pinkie,
I thought that you might enjoy having a bushwoolie on your show, so I decided to invite one over.
Sincerely, one of your many alternate reality selves

"Aw, that was nice of me." Pinkie said as she put down the letter.

"I don't get it." said Eager, "What does it mean by 'alternative reality selves'?"

"It's kind of hard to explain." said Pinkie, "In the meantime, just enjoy yourself while you're here."

"Can do!" Eager said as he went off to talk with the ponies and accidentally knocked Doctor Whooves card time machine down again.

As Pinkie watched Eager help the Doctor and Dark World!Derpy set up the time machine again, she pulled out a clipboard labeled 'Obscure Characters to invite to Variety Show' and crossed bushwoolie off the list. "I think next time I'll invite a G2 pony." she said to herself.

Pinkie Pie looked down her list. "Okay, we've got Dark Twilight getting quality time with this Twilight's mom. Spike is checking out how cool he is as an adult dragon. Darkness Derpy is still trying to build that time machine out of playing cards. AJ and dark AJ are getting along just fine. Apple Pie's cute like fillies often are. And I finally have my own Bushwoolie!" Pinkie Pie gave Eager a quick hug. "We've avoided any kind of conflict in their variety show what so ever except for the what if machine but that goes without saying. How can it always show depressing stuff? But the point is that this variety show has been perfect! So it hasn't had any much overwhelming success as the previous one. This is fun and simple too!"

"Out of my way!" "You get out of my way!" Came the shouts of two older mare's voices.

Pinkie Pie went pale, "The author just had to, didn't he?"

Sue Pie and Cup Cake were trying to squeeze into the studio at the same time. "Ugh! let me through first you pudgy mare!" Sue Pie said.

"Pudgy? I've given birth to twins!" Cup Cake retorted.

"I've given birth to three fillies!" Said the much thinner mare, her glasses coming loose.

A panic Pinkie Pie quickly built cheap wood walls between her, her mother and foster mother, and all her guests and friends. Just because they couldn't see beyond the forth wall didn't mean Pinkie wanted to have to answer uncomfortable questions about there being a giant dragon in the room along with questions of where the identical ponies had come from, and where a filly with a the Pie and Apple name was doing here and the furry ball with a most agreeable attitude.

Hopefully Clyde Pie and Carrot Cake wouldn't clash so much comes Father's Day.

"Mom! Mrs. Cake! It's wonderful to see you both!" Pinkie Pie grinned.

"I'm sorry I'm late honey," her biological mother said, "It seemed like somepony kept giving me wrong direction on how to get here. I so badly wanted to spend mother's day with you for a change."

Her foster mother said, "Well, I just thought Sue would like to see the sights having come to Ponyville."

"Well, I wanted to see all the rock candies you told me you've been making."

"Oh you mean those candies Pinkie Pie made once? I think we still have some of the first batch in storage." Mrs. Cake said.

Pinkie Pie groaned.

"What? You have no idea what you're missing out on! There is nothing wrong with rock candy."

"There is when you try and make it out of rocks."

"Here mom! Mrs Cake! Cupcakes! With rock sugar on top! Enjoy!" Pinkie Pie pushed between them hoping the distraction held and so did the wooden walls. One thing about being sane meant you CARED what your parents (both sets) thought of you.

"These are very nice Pinkie Pie, but when are you finally going to come home? Your father and I are getting older and can't run the farm forever. Octavia left sooner after you did.
And your other sister doesn't even return our letters!"

"She is home." Mrs. Cake said before Pinkie Pie could.

Sue Pie glared at her.

Pinkie Pie had a feeling this wasn't going to be easy.

"Auntie Pie Pie why are ya-" Apple Pie tried to poke her head through a tiny hole in the wooden wall, Pinkie Pie gently bucked her back out.

"I'll have an apology party for that later." Pinkie Pie said and closed up the hole fast.

“Hey, is somepony partying here without us?”

The present ponies looked at the two new pegasi: Fluttercruel and Rainbow Dash. Instantly the body language of the ponies and the one dragon from the Dark World got tense.

But as they took a closer look and saw Fluttercruel’s expression and Dash’s relaxed stance, they calmed down very soon, Rarity as the Element of Honesty first.

“Ah can’t believe it, this is what Fluttercruel would have been if she was raised by Fluttershy?”

“Believe it, yah can trust mah and she even got her own Element of Kindness.” The apple-farming Element of Honesty said with a proud smile. Both proud on Fluttershy for raising her daughter and for what Fluttercruel had managed to do. In turn the mouths of everypony and the one dragon from the Dark World hit the floor. The younger Spike narrowly dodged the mouth of his older version.

Briefly Applejack wondered if the time she had spent with Princess Celestia had turned her into somewhat of a troll herself.

Slowly Rarity from the Dark World approached the daughter of Fluttershy while Rainbow Dash enjoyed the shock of the visitors and the snacks Pinkie had prepared.

“I can see it, there is something special with you two… Fluttershy?”

Instantly the mare before shifted back to the timid Pegasus.

“Oh my Rarity, you look different but I think you really make this new look work. These cursive markings could become the next Canterlot fashion… is there something wrong?“

The eyes of the unicorn before her were misting up.

“Fluttershy, it… it is so nice to finally see you again.”

Without hesitation the white unicorn hugged her dear friend who she would never be able to embrace in her own world anymore.

Twilight blinked, looking to her alternate self. "So...your Fluttercruel was...different..."

Dark World Twilight shuddered. "Different is putting it mildly..."

"What did sh-"

"You don't want to know, believe me you don't."

Twilight wanted to push it, but saw from the look in her other self's eyes that she probably shouldn't push it. "So...besides the obvious, how was Discord as a ruler?"

"You mean how did he run the country? Well...I ran the country pretty much, he just did what we thought where his whims...I guess they actually were, since Paradox copied them from previous cycles...He may have been a manipulator, but that doesn't mean he was always as smart as he should've been..."

"What do you mean?"

Dark World Twilight took the What If Machine over and turned it on. "What happened if Discord tried to create the ultimate natural disaster for his amusement in our universe?"

"Master. Why did you include avalanches and blizzards in something only you were powerful enough to stop?"

"In hindsight, it wasn't my brightest idea! Probably shouldn't have cast spell so even I can only refer to the Torcanoquake Blizvalanche Fireicanebees by the full name! Now run!"

Both Twilight's couldn't help laughing. "I think he was just overconfident of his own abilities."

Twilight nodded. "Yeah...That sounds like Discord alright."

Then she struck by a huge headache.

"How did I get here again?" Twilight said shaking her head, "I told Spike to tell Pinkie Pie that I was done with this craziness. And . . . who are you anyway?" Twilight said pointing at her dark self. "And how were we suddenly in a discussion about different Fluttercruel?!"

The Doctor Timey-Whimy Detector Meanwhile (With the Pinkie Pie Filter installed so she wouldn't cause it to explode just by being in the same room) began to wail like crazy.

"I think someone tried to copy and paste an event from other proposed timeline into this one." He said to Darkworld Derpy. "And Twilight being a clever girl is noticing. She told Spike to tell Pinkie Pie she wouldn't be coming. But suddenly here she is talking with her alternate self. Someone's been doing rather sloppy work with the timeline."

Pinkie Pie on the other side of the wooden wall with her mother and foster-mother, felt a chill go down her spine. It reminded her of the terror she felt as she watched the G3 universe die around her.

Pinkie Pie felt that she needed to be outside of her wooden wall but how could she distract her two mothers long enough? Then a lightbulb appeared briefly over her head before using its wings to flutter back to its hiding place.

“Accidently” she dropped an old book with a collection of pictures of her as a filly.

After a few seconds Sue Pie noticed the familiar book. Almost instantly she opened it and began to go over the pictures one by one. Mrs. Cake soon joined her as well, trying to keep her distance from the rock farmer yet at the same time being unable to resist seeing pictures of the younger Pinkie Pie.

Carefully Pinkie Pie snuck out of the wooden wall and noticed Twilight looking worn out and exhausted. The adult version of Spike had placed her on a couch and AJ stood next to her. Now she realised that there were two versions of Twilight, Spike and Applejack in the same room.

The Doctor was talking something about stabilizing the situation for as long as possible with his sonic screwdriver. Even he looked stressed.

“Calm down. I… I got this. The studio is a pocket dimension that exists outside time and space. We had established that earlier. So we still… we got the time to fix it. But how? The very laws of the universe would need to change to allow two versions of them to be so close…”

Frustrated the earth pony slammed her head into the wooden wall.

“Pinkie, your friends are getting very loud, could you ask some of them to leave?” Sue Pie asked from the other side of the wooden wall.

The lightbulb fluttered next to Pinkie Pie.

“I already got it.”

There was no need for anything drastic. The solution was simply to accept that it was impossible and act accordingly. Quickly Pinkie Pie walked over to Twilight’s couch while the younger Spike and the apple farming Element of Honesty were standing next to it.

“AJ, I am very sorry to say this but Twilight is not feeling well, could you bring her and Spike back to her library while I take care of the other guests? Please, it is really important.”

Now this was most certainly something new for Applejack: Pinkie Pie actually asking somepony to leave her party. She wanted to talk more with the other version of herself and that AJ still hadn’t gotten to the part where Applebloom would gain her cutie mark and the title of Saint. But the earth pony trusted her friend and soon the party had three guests less.

Finally Pinkie Pie felt her senses return to normal.

“Wait a minute… we already had multiple versions of the same pony here in the same room and nothing went wrong… It was really hard to think clear with this migraine.”

“Sorry! I misread the problem. The real problem was that Twilight was not written into the story and what Spike said when he arrived actually contradicted her being here.” called a voice from offstage.

Pinkie Pie looked around herself and noticed that Fluttershy and Rarity were discussing everything from fashion trends to how to raise children with Fluttercruel emerging from time to time to add something as well. Rainbow Dash was taking Apple Pie on small but fast-paced joyrides around the studio and the giant Spike. Twilight Velvet and the Twilight from the Dark World were still taking to each other, apparently about some kind of romance in space. Meanwhile the Applejack that had the Element of Kindness was looking for a safe place for the Bushwoolie. And somehow Derpy and the Doctor had finished their time machine and were now painting it blue.

“I could use the time machine build from cards to travel back in time… or I could just bring them back from canon to non-canon. Then Twilight will have a normal introduction into this story… Hmmm…”

Dark World Twilight asked Pinkie, "What happened to you and Fluttershy from our timeline after you died?"

Pinkie Pie thought about this for a moment. 'Well this is non-canon anyway.'

"Well, the me from your timeline is in Pony Heaven with all of the foals she raised, including the ones she raised as Angry Pie. As for your timeline's Fluttershy, she became the Queen of Cups, and is so powerful that she was able to visit Havoc and Entropy, the parents of all other Draconequi, and make them let her take your timeline's Fluttercruel from them, on the grounds that they wouldn't be able to teach her anything new, since they were just teaching her about pain, while Fluttershy could teach 'Cruel about things that would allow her to be more then just a one-dimensional Concept. Then as she was leaving, she warned them that if any of them besides Discord came for 'Cruel before she was ready, they'd have to face Fluttershy's Tarot as the Queen of Cups."

Dark World Twilight blinked as she processed this information. After a while, she said, "Wow, I guess it's true what they say: Beware the quiet ones."

Dark World Applejack said, "Ah'll say! Kinda makes me wish she could come and help us out against them Nightmares! She'd be able to turn the tables in a hurry!"

"I'll be borrowing this doc' thanks bye!" Pinkie Pie hopped into the time machine made of playing cards.

"NOT AGAIN!"

"She's taken a time machine from you before?" Derpy asked.

"She's taken a machine of mine for a joyride twice! That isn't supposed to happen!" The Doctor lamented.

Pinkie Pie quickly painted herself the same colors as the walls of the studio inside the the playing card time machine (powered by the legendary Blues Eyes White Spike card of course).

'Okay Pinkie Pie, all you need to do is see how AJ and Twilight got to visit in the first place, then that'll fix any plot holes. I think the author really needs to edit these things better, or be a bit more stern in what ponies, I mean shadow submit.'

She quickly put the time travel sound effect in a tupperware container so the other points wouldn't notice her stealthy arrival, hopefully the doctor wouldn't notice or at least let her be to prevent the universe from imploding.

'Okay Pinkie Diane, here we go. You don't need to see … you don't need to see . . . you don't need to see another world you love die.'

"Alright, Pinkie, Ah'm here, what's on the schedule this time?" asked Applejack.

Pinkie Pie laughed to herself, AJ HAD her introduction, she had announced she had just arrived, which was normal since she pretty much sent out invites left and right to her friends or The Script drew them unconsciously to the studio.

But that still left Twilight Sparkle.

Skip forward a bit in the mind machine and there was Dark World Rarity, hugging the Fluttershy of this world, even if she wasn't HER Fluttershy. The Element of Honesty Rarity didn't care. She was an a Fluttershy, one who embodied everything Fluttershy should be. Kind, selfless, and with love and compassion as weapons.

"Spike!" And right on cue. "What are you still doing here? I told you deliver the message and come right back! Did you get kidnapped and/or brainwashed?" Twilight trotted in.

"Hi Twilight! Great for you to visit after all!" Pinkie Pie of this timeframe cheered.

"I'm not staying Pinkie Pie, I have organization to do-"

"You always do."

"-yes I do. But the point is that it needs doing and I need my number one assistant to do it, and-- what is this?" Twilight's voice died away. She noticed there was two Applejacks (one grayish, one normal) chatting with each other. A winged purple and green dragon that Spike was gushing over.

A grayish Rarity was hugging Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash was playing with an Earth Pony with an orange slice and apple slice cutie mark.

"DISCORD'S ESCAPE!" Twilight yelled at the top of her lungs! Everypony and dragon looked at her. Then she snarled at her miscolored double, "AND WHAT IS THAT IMPOSTOR DOING WITH MY MOTHER?!"

"No no no no no!" Pinkie Pie covered Twilight's mouth. "It's not that! We're just having a short visit from an alternate universe. Ya know . . . nothing bad."

"Al-alternate . . ."

"Pinkie Pie and the others explained dear," Starlight Sparkle said to her daughter (how Twilight Velvet ended up on her ID card that one time was beyond her). "She's not you dear, but she is a filly who doesn't have her own mother right now, and she's been hurt and made to hurt others. I felt she needed some love."

"Oh . . " Twilight felt dizzy.

"Hello. I'm Twilight… Twilight The Unicorn. It's . . . " She lowered her head, "It's an honor to meet you, Twilight Sparkle. You look wonderful, you look happy, you . . . you succeeded where I failed." She broke down crying.

Starlight Sparkle hugged the Dark Twilight. "Let it all out dear, just let it all out."

Twinkle Sparkle looked at herself in fear, how could there be a world where . . . where she had failed her friends?

"You got your friends back didn't you?" Her mother spoke.

"I . . .guess . . . I guess. But-"

"Dear, please tell us." Twilight couldn't help herself, her curiosity got the better of her, she had to know.

Pinkie Pie Of the future smiled. Everything was as it should be. She took the time machine back to her own time.

"You now here you pink filly! That was rude! Very very-" She ignored the Doctor, something he was not used to. She had to get back to Cupcake and Sue Pie.

"Pinkie Pie!"

"Twilight?! What are you doing here?!"

"I couldn't leave a friend in need, no matter how I was feeling, Spike and AJ can't keep me from teleporting."

"BUt you really should be-"

"Pinkie Pie, I know what it's like having to balance things between two mothers."

Pinkie Pie blinked, "It's that obvious?"

"Pinkie Pie why did you just blink in Horase Code?"

"Oh just a typo! But seriously Twilight, you knew?"

"Pinkie Pie, I have to balance between my mother and . . . and Princess Celestia. She practically raised me after she made me her student. Of course I know what it's like to have two mothers you have to honor and . . . how it can be hard if they're not perfectly aligned with each other."

"Dearie I'm right here." Starlight Sparkle said.

"OH, right mother!"

"And you're right . . Princess Celestia and I . . . aren't flawlessly friends. No two mares are with a vested interest in a filly like you Twilight. But that doesn't mean we can't get along."

"And do you have to hide your hobbies from them?" Twilight asked.

"OH, the wood wall? I just . . . I just want to live a normal life with them. I love my games and hobbies but . . . I just want to be their daughter."

"Well, it seems it's time for Twilight Sparkle to tackle this friendship problem!"

Pinkie Pie looked at the camera, "Your cue! And I think I might make this a two parter to make up for all this paradox confusion so we can get all the warm and happy relief for the dark worlders."

"Pinkie Pie who are you talking to?"

"Oh nopony!"

"Pinkie Pie you're so . . . well, here you seem to be."

"I just see some things you don't, like there are things about magic you understand that I don't."

Twilight was stunned. "That . . . is logical."

“Okay, now let us not waste any time…” Twilight proclaimed.

“… or file size…” her pink friend quickly added.

“Now this friendship problem is going down!”

“Have you been practising with Dashy?”

“Yes, she meant I should try to be more dramatic from time to time to boost morale. How was it for the first try?”

Pinkie Pie held up a sign reading “8.8” while the adult Spike mumbled “Needs work.” as Rarity from the Dark World choose not to say anything. Rainbow Dash was still busy playing with Apple Pie but muttered “Good for the start, but make it about 20 % cooler.”

“Now for the details, how long will your mothers be busy inside the wall?” Twilight continued as she teleported a check list next to her.

“I guess considering what would be the most ironic… they will wonder right now what I am doing and what they are hearing behind this wooden wall.”

“May I help you?” the grey Twilight walked up to her counterpart.

“Of course! Just think of all the organisation we could do together!” the brighter Twilight squeed with joy.

Soon the two unicorns gave orders to everypony and Spike. The Applejack from the Dark World used her Element of Deceit to turn herself into one of the many members of the Apple family, Apple Fritter. Rarity used the powers of the six Elements of Chaos to change her appearance back to her old bright unicorn self and to hide the adult Spike under an illusion.

He didn’t complain but Rarity did regret having to hide such a magnificent sight. They all knew that the other Spike and AJ could walk back in any minute.

Eager was told to play a game with Apple Pie were he had to pretend to be a plush toy and finally the child was told to not tell her real name in case she was asked. Twilight The Unicorn noticed that she still had to change herself and as the wooden wall crashed down she quickly took the shape of the first unicorn that came into her mind: Trixie.

Pinkie Pie took a deep breath. Now they could avoid all the uncomfortable questions this strange looking scenario would have caused and she would have the chance to speak with her mothers. The pink earth pony had to smile how all the ponies from the other world didn’t even hesitate for one second to help her.

Before they could confront the mothers Twilight Sparkle asked Twilight the Unicorn, "Why did you turn into Trixie?"

The other Twilight responded,"She was the first unicorn I could think of, Why? Is she still mad at you over that Ursa Minor?"

Sparkle answered, "No, we actually became close friends after I manage to save her from Discord's corruption."

The other Twilight with a sad look on her face looked down on the floor and said "I wish I could of been friends with her before Discord took over."

Sparkle replied "You would of been great friends I'm sure."

"I know and I'm pretty sure we are now." the trixie lookalike responded.

Sue Pie and Cup Cake briefly looked over the mostly normal appearing group of friends their daughter had with her. Sue Pie had seen much stranger from Pinkie Pie while this was almost suspiciously mundane for Mrs. Cake’s tastes. After all she had witnessed Nightmare Moon, Discord, the entire ruckus Rainbow Dash had caused in Sugarcube Corner after Pinkie reawakened and Princess Gaia’s short reign.

“Now it is finally time to spend mother's day with your mother!” Sue Pie said.

“And what am I? The fifth horseshoe?” Cup Cake snapped back.

“No, you are her foster mother but you already had her in all these years at mother's day and now it is simply my turn.”

“Maybe we really should take turns from one year to another…”

Apple Pie opened her mouth to tell the two mothers how her family was able to get along even when the differences between ponies, dragons and stone statues made it sometimes hard for them. But in the last minute the child closed her mouth again. She was sure that what happened here wasn’t that strange but if the two Twilights worked so hard to make this place look so not-chaotic then the filly wouldn’t be the one who would interrupt it again.

“She needs to return home anyway. Pinkie needs to learn more about rock farming if she is going to inherit the farm one day.” Sue Pie added calmly.

“Are you kidding me? She will never want to go back there! Did you never realise how unhappy she was?” Cup Cake glared at the biological mother.

“I am not letting this proud family tradition simply die!”

“Do you even care that ALL three of your children did escape this miserable place as soon as possible?”

“We really should separate now before I say something that I will regret later.” Sue Pie finished with eerie calmness.

Pinkie Pie signed. Was this really the only thing that would bring peace to her two mothers? Did they have to separate themselves completely?

She could already see Twilight drawing a time sheet while the Trixie-lookalike shook her head sadly. Then the disguised Twilight walked over to her other version and whispered something into her ear. Quickly Twilight made a few changes to her time sheet and slowly walked over to the two bickering mares.

“Now there is no need for any discord. Mrs. Cake could move back to Sugarcube Corner and Mrs. Pie could move to the local library and then Pinkie simply runs between the two places at this established plan ensuring a maximum of fair motherly interaction.”

With her telekinesis she unrolled the time sheet and it hovered before the two mares. Both eyed the plan and seemed to approve of it, especially if it meant that they wouldn’t have to see each other ever again.

But on the other hoof they were bothered by all the running their Pinkie Pie had to do according to the plan and how emotionless the sheet made everything sound. Neither noticed that both Twilight and the Trixie-lookalike were looking at them eagerly.

The two mothers looked up to Pinkie Pie and froze simultaneously.

The pink pony... their daughter seemed a bit less colourful, somewhat… sad.

“Honey, are you not feeling well?”

Both mothers looked at each other.

“How about we call it a truce for Pinkie’s sake?” Cup Cake whispered to the other mare.

“I agree, mother’s day is about both mother and child having fun together… we can work something out…” Sue Pie quickly answered with a low voice.

“Maybe we could bake a traditional Pie recipe? What do you think Pinkie?”

“That is a great idea! With rock sugar!” Pinkie Pie said happily while bouncing to her two mothers.

“And frosting!” Cup Cake added with a smile.

“And sprinkles!” Sue Pie said with her best smile.

And for once the two mothers and their child began to talk happily about an old baking recipe of Granny Pie. The recipe was ancient and some said that it belonged to the very first rock farmer whose name was long lost in history.

Twilight and the Trixie-lookalike gave each other a hoof bump.

"Hey Pinkie!" The voices of three excited and familiar little fillies came from outside as the Cutie Mark Crusaders barreled through the door. None of the trio noticed how Rarity and Apple Fritter both stiffened upon seeing them. 'Trixie' stared in shock. The fillies trotted past them and up to Pinkie, all three talking at once: "Hey! We heard you were doin' another one of your shows, and we wanted to get in one this time..."

"Huh? Oh, sure, okay! Mom, and, er, mom, can ya pardon me just for a moment?" Sue and Cup nodded and returned to discussing old family recipes. Pinkie took the girls to the side checked a list that suddenly appeared in her hoof. Unnoticed to any of them, Trixie, Apple Fritter, and Rarity followed them as Pinkie checked the list and read, "Hmm, no, nothing here about the CMC I can see..."

"NO! Not again!" The three mares charged forward. Trixie's horn glowed and magical light played over the three stunned Crusaders. She sighed and slumped in relief. "Okay. They're not Changelings, or fillysuited colts, or," she gulped, "Something worse." Noticing Pinkie's confused look, she leaned in close and whispered, "Once a few hundred years ago Discord decided decided it was so funny he changed us around. Into each other. Randomly. For a decade. He finally got tired of that and took turns changing Rarigreed into thinking she was Applebloom and AJ into thinking she was Sweetie Belle and restore the other's sanity's briefly, and then watch the show."

"Oooh, okay," Pinkie said. Next to her, Scootaloo looked on in confusion at her friends. Sweetie Belle was wrapped in a tight embrace by Rarity, and Apple Fritter was doing the same with Apple Bloom. Both squirmed frantically to escape.

"Geeze, big sis! You saw me just an hour ago when you told me to get out of the Boutique and stop bugging you..." Sweetie fell silent as Rarity held her close.

"Little sister," she said, grief in her voice, "Never, ever believe me when I say I don't want you around. You are THE most precious thing in the world to me."

"An'..." Apple Fritter swallowed a rather large lump in her throat. "An' listen ta me, Apple Bloom, ta your... cousin. Yer gonna be the bravest, kindest pony in Equestria one day. Yer gonna be so brave and kind that yer gonna save damned souls from that village in the Everfree." Apple Bloom blinked at that, but before she could speak, her 'cousin' added, "Jest try not ta burn th' barn down makin' fireworks like ya almost dd that one time, okay? An' if ya do, don't go lyin' ta yore poor big sis, no matter how mad she gets." The two confused little fillies finally returned the hugs of their sister and 'cousin'.

Pinkie looked on and sniffled, wiping a tear from her eyes. 'Trixie' looked down and saw a confused and somewhat envious Scootaloo. She leaned down and said, "Just so you know, one day you'll be a brave and happy pony who never HAD to be a hero or lose her life fighting tyrants and their servants. And that's wonderful news, Scootaloo." Scootaloo gave her a confused look. 'Trixie' just smiled at her.

"Huh? Make fireworks?" Apple Bloom spoke up. All three of the mares froze at her next words. "We were thinking o' trying for cutie marks in beekeeping, but firework makin' sounds even more fun. Thanks for the idea, cousin!" All three of the fillies cheered, "CUTIE MARK CRUSADER FIREWORK MANUFACTURERS! YAY!"

Apple Fritter watched them tear away and race out the door, already sharing ideas on where to get several tons of black powder. She summed up everypony's thoughts in just two words: "Ah, horseapples."

Twilight and her Dark World counterpart got some alone time while everyone was interacting. "So...your world must be pretty horrible..."

"Actually it's not as bad as you'd think...yeah, I wish it'd just rain water, but Discord actually made some good things," Twilight the Unicorn, still disguised as Trixie, replied.

Twilight Sparkle blinked in disbelief. "What? Discord can do that? No offense to Fluttercruel, but from the sound of things she's only a good pony because our Discord didn't raise her."

"Well...wait, why'd you specify Discords?"

"Long story short in previous episodes of this show of Pinkie's we had an alternate Discord and his Fluttercruel over and they were actually good guys..."

"Oh..."

"And a third Fluttercruel with a Fluttershy...Oddly both alternate Fluttercruels were half draconequus, and the second one was a baby..."

"...Are we SURE my world is the crazy one? Anyway, he remade the Sea Ponies, and they're beautiful, and so innocent. And Pegasi and Griffons have lost their racial tensions and merged into one race. And of course there's Apple Pie."

"...That filly is important to you, isn't she?"

Twilight the Unicorn smiled under her disguise, looking to the filly. "Yeah...she's like my little sister."

"Reminds me of my relationship with our Trixie."

They say 'speak of the devil and he shall appear', and at that moment, the door opened and in walked Trixie. "Pinkie, you sent Trixie an invite, correct? Well she has...arrived..." she said, blinking and staring at her impostor.

Pinkie couldn't resist producing a baby grand piano and playing a 'Dum! Dum! DUUM!' on it.

Pinkie Pie held up a mouth-written sign to the camera,

Okay everypony! There's still no sign of the normal other editor for the next chapter! So the author has chosen to subject himself to an unspeakable torture, READING HIS OWN ABSURDLY LONG FANFICTION! And do a second round of edits himself. Which is too bad since it's normally Louis' job to cut out excess spot, spot continuity errors, and do a second check on grammar errors (yes, the author's grammar IS that bad). So sorry that the next chapter is gonna be super duper ultra mega WAY LONG. But first! The pony who put the 'that's all folks' link? Go sit in the corner for five minutes without cake. Due to this twist, we need to do the unthinkable! And.. BREAK, THIS, INTO -TWO- PARTS! So get ready! Get set! And here we go!

Pinkie brought up another sign. Part two.

Author's Note

Pinkie Pie cheers "Time again everypony. For those of you new here. This is as the title says Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety show! You write down a piece of story in the comments and it's copy and pasted into the story until the file size, that little number off the side that says sixty-Kay! What happens in here stays in here!
Now remember the rules everypony!

What you put in the comments appears in the story.

Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall.

The camera can’t leave the studio.

The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from “My little Pony”

Everything that happens here is non-canon.

Now let loose and have fun with it!"

Parts Added:
Kendell2
sherlock-holmes18
Kendell2 (again)
Oraclemask
Kendell2 (yet again)
Eric-Emanwu
Kendell2(and yet again)
Ardashir
sherlock-holmes18
jmcdavid (removed cause it was pointed out that it violated one of Da Rules)
Alexwarlorn (that's me)
ItsFromPeople
Kendell2 with some stuff from me at the end
ItsFromPeople (again)
IntsFromPeople) (and once again)
jmcdavid
Alex Warlorn (that's me again)
ItsFromePeople
sonicandmario826
ItsFromPeople (yep, him again!)
Ardashir (again and welcome!)
Kendell2

MLP FIM Copyright Hasbro

Preview image by Kendell2

Episode 6 (Paradise estate guest location)

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show
Pony POV Series
"Non-Canon"
By Alex Warlorn
Episode 6 I think

* REC
* PLAY
* TRANSMITTING

Pinkie Pie looked at the camera, inside the spacious empty TV studio. "Hey everypony! Yep! It's that time again! What time is it?"

Special indoor fireworks on loan from Trixie went off as the banner,

"Pinkie Pie's Fourth-Wall-Breaking Variety Show!" was unfurled.

"Now everypony who's new here remember the rules! What you put in the comments appears in the story. Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall. The camera can't leave the studio. The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from official "My little Pony", and everypony STAYS in character! Everything that happens here is non-canon. And most importantly Have fun."

Pinkie Pie looked around. "Okie-dokie-lokie. No sign of any letters from fans yet, or suggestions for acts I can do. So I guess this is where I wait for somepony to randomly show up. That format has worked for us so far. Who says character-driven, staying-in-character comedy is impossible?"

The wall behind the studio is blown to bits.

A gigantic robot chicken stands tall in the outline it has made for itself.

"BAWK! I DO DECLARES! INSTEAD OF FLASH ANIMATION WE WILL HAVE ACTION FIGURE STOP MOTION! AND ALL COMEDY WILL BE REPLACED WITH BLUE AND BLACK HUMOR! ALL CHARACTERIZATION WILL BE TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT OR DERAILED FOR THE SAKE OF THE TWIN BLACK AND BLUE MUSES! SO COMMANDS THE ROBOT CHICKEN!"

Pinkie Pie looked freaked out at the sudden entrance, then angry at the mess the robot chicken had made, but then tilted her head confused at the speech.

"Wait a sec'. Isn't the robot chicken supposed to be a cyborg, resurrected by a mad scientist, and made to watch helplessly horrible and cruel parodies?"

"BAWK! DO NOT QUESTION THE ROBOT CHICKEN! NOW START MAKING PONY FLAVORED CUPCAKES OR ACTING LIKE A NAIVE IDIOT WHERE REALITY GETS YOU KILLED IN FIVE-MINUTES IF YOU'RE FORTUNATE! GOT IT?! THE SHADOWS LOVE IT!"

"No they don't!"

"THAT'S NAIVE IDIOT RIGHT THERE! GREAT! OF COURSE THEY LOVE IT! THEY LOVE SEEING THEIR FOALHOOD CARTOON HEROES SUFFER HORRIBLY OR BE TOTAL HORSEAPPLE-HEADS!"

"Well I don't! And this is my show!"

"NOT ANYMORE! YOU'RE BEING REPLACED! WHY ELSE WOULD DISCORDED PONIES EPILOGUE BE THIS SERIES' MOST FAVORITED AND READ EPISODE? SHADOWS LOVE SUFFERING! THE WORSE THE BETTER!"

" ... " Pinkie Pie looked back with a picture of horror on her face.

"NOW LET'S GET YOUR FRIENDS IN HERE SO WE CAN MAKE THE PAIN SIX THAT ARE SO POPULAR ON TUMBLR."

" ... NO!" Pinkie Pie glared daggers at the giant robot chicken.

"Huh? You're going to just ignore everything I just said? Bzt! That's stupid!"

" ... Maybe it is what shadows really want. But I'm sick of looking at it. I'm sick of shadows who only want ugly things. What did Twilight call it? Oh yeah, 'the cult of the ugly.' Not sure how that's really a cult though. They don't even have robes or secret meetings.

And I am really, really, really sick of that fic being referenced every five minutes! So you apologize for ruining my studio wall, this place is RENTED after all, and you help me fix it, and maybe I'll even throw you a party after if you don't try to fill Equestria with mean and icky jokes that just hurt ponies."

" ... BAWK! I'm going to turn YOU into chicken feed!"

"Don't bet on it!"

= Collective Consciousness - Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance =

The giant robot chicken tried to crush Pinkie Pie like a bug, but the party pony would be just a little too fast for the giant metal chicken.

The chicken opened its beak and fired a barrage of rotten eggs Pinkie Pie danced around, but it gave a distraction then got stepped on by the giant chickened leaving her flat like a pancake. Pinkie Pie popped back into shape just in time to see the chicken's eye lasers being fired.

"Eye lasers? Really? Who even uses those anymore except Cyclopie?"

Pinkie Pie was fried by the attack.

"Bawk! Now stay down!"

"No ..." Pinkie Pie shook her head shaking the cobwebs away. "Okay. My turn. Bring it."

"COCKY LITTLE-"

"You're the chicken not me!"

"AGH!"

The chicken stomped and clawed at the little pony, tearing apart the studio floor, but Pinkie Pie kept appearing at one side of its vision after having vanished from its view on the opposite side.

The giant robot chicken opened its wings and flapped them, creating a powerful wind that knocked away Pinkie Pie unleashing a stream of metal feathers that came close to impaling the pink party pony.

"Of course!" Pinkie Pie grinned seeing them, "That's how these boss battles always work!" Thinking of every time she had done a search for a new cupcakes recipe, or learn more about the rainbow factory, only to come across something else instead, she took one of the giant metal feathers by the quill and charged at the giant robot chicken that fired its eye beams, but Pinkie used the giant feather as a shield.

Coming up to its claws, time seemed to slow down except for Pinkie who took out a wrench and screw driver and clobbered one of the metal legs with ninja-like swiftness, when time perception was back to normal the leg fell apart.

"BAWK! YOU LITTLE WORM!" It now balanced on one leg.

"YOU JUST REMINDED ME OF THE BAKED BADS! BAD CHICKEN!" The giant beak came down on her, but she jumped onto it's body and used its own metal feather to slice off one of its wings.

The robot chicken's head turned like an owl's head fired its eye lasers at Pinkie ... who was still on the robot's body, this time she dodged and the lasers lasted its own body. "AGGGH! ERROR!"

The chickened turned to Pinkie Pie ... and was face to face with the party cannon ... the Party Cannon L118 Happy Howitzer MK II that was dismantled and melted down in canon. It had a little tag on it marked 'In case of Discord. Hugs and kisses from your bestest best friend in the whole wide world- Pinkie Pie.'

The Party Cannon MK II fired, blasting a hole through one of the three remaining walls, and obliterating the robot chicken's head. Missing an wing, leg, and head ... the robot fell over. Pinkie Pie landed and did a polite bow in front of the camera. She smiled. "Ta-da!"

The headless robot chicken hopped up on one leg and sliced her in two with its surviving wing. The end.

Kidding!

Pinkie Pie replaced her body with a pinata at the last moment, revealing a bunch of confetti and candy.

Pinkie Pie ran up the edge of the wing like a tight-rope walker, and threw a party grenade (patent pending) down the headless robot's neck. The robot's insides promptly exploded, the outer shell actually preventing MORE damage from the studio, and then fell apart into smoking pieces.

"There ... sorry for that little distraction folks. I hope the fight scene was a little bit actiony or whatever Rainbow Dash would say, but I hope we can just have some heart-warming and comedy, isn't that right What-If Machine?"

Pinkie Pie tapped the TV.

"Ah hate robots!" AJ shouted from inside the glass tube. A robot version of Princess Celestia pushed a button.

ZAP!

"Ah love bein' a robot!" The now roboticized Applejack cheered as the tube opened.

"Cutie-Mark Crusaders Roboticizers! Yeah!" Cheered three little robot fillies.

"Hey guys! Check out my totally rad new Fighter mode!" The now mechanized Rainbow Dash said to the transformed ponies.

"Well ... that wasn't that bad. At least the CMC weren't turned into killers, and everypony still has their memories and all their legs unlike in My Little Portal."

It fizzed again.

-

"Okay," said Starlight looking over her notes, as sat with Lancer and four of her friends, "What do we know about this Masked Herd, so far?"

"That they want the hopes and dreams of ponies for themselves," Said Patch.

"And they get them by making those dreams and hopes come true," Sighed Bright Eyes.

"And that AFTER they granted those wishes, the pony starts feeling all empty inside," Patch noted.

"That they have the same power to summon Ponysonas like us," added Lancer.

"Not the same as ours. They're different, like they're inversions somehow." Sweetheart said, remember the Ponysona that poor Clover had summoned after her wish was granted.

'And they gave Bonbon the body she always wanted,' Sweetheart silently added.

-

"Wow. That looked like it could a full blown spoof series. Too bad the author will never write it. I wonder if any of the fans out there are good at writing happen to be fans of that game series too. Aw well... "

-

Scootaloo read the tiny note that came with the remote control she found buried in a box trying to be Cutie Mark Crusader Treasure Hunters (no cutie marks).

"This remote grants you complete control of reality. Any changes made to reality retroactive become 'always was.' Only you, and ones you select are aware reality has changed at all. Heh, what a joke." Scootaloo stopped thinking it was a joke after she gave herself huge wings and her friends wondered what she was talking about. Didn't she always have huge wings?

The next day at school, after a use of the remote Scootaloo thought was poetic justice, she laughed at the result.

"Scootaloo, why are ya bein' so mean ta Silk Scarf?" Applebloom asked.

"Who?" Scootaloo blinked.

"The poor filly ya've been laughin' at all day! Ya think because her family's broke ya can just laugh at her?"

"What? She teases us all the time."

"No she doesn't! Scootaloo, did ya hit yer head?"

That was when it hit Scootaloo. Diamond Tiara's family had NEVER been rich, because the changes were 'always was' ... which meant she was never a spoiled brat ... which meant ... Scootaloo felt sick ... she had just spent the day jeering and making poverty jokes at an innocent filly ...

"BAD WHAT IF MACHINE! SHOW NICE THINGS FOR A CHANGE!"

-

"And now I crown ye, Princess Thalia!" Said Princess Celestia to the purified Nightmare of Pinkie Pie. All her friends, Rainbow Dash and Rarity included cheered.

-

"Ohh! Some me more of that one!" Pinkie Pie began to fiddle with the What-if machine.

"Pinkie Pie!" Twilight called standing in the chicken sized hole in the wall. "What happened in here?!"

"Oh! Hi Twilight!" Pinkie Pie turned around ... accidentally knocking the camera off it's stand when the entire battle did not . .. and it fell into a hole in the floor ... and was shown a swirling colored vortex.

-

* REC
* PLAY
* TRANSMITTING

"Pinkie Pie! How could your camera fall into another universe or another time through a random hole in the floor! That doesn't make sense."

"Well, maybe it had to do with leylines. Maybe there was a lot of them criss crossing again, that's always a common plot device we seem to use."

"?! Leylines don't work that way! And how would you know where your camera went anyway?!"

A long and boring discussion about the nature of time-and-space later, and Pinkie playing back what the first camera was STILL broadcasting as they spoke.

" ... okay, maybe it is."

"The good news is that the camera is enchanted to teleport through time and space back to the studio as soon as the show's over as a safety feature."

"So ... how are YOU still transmitting now?"

"This is the back-up camera, too bad it really doesn't have that good a battery charg-" The screen was static. "Twilight! I need your unicorn magic-charger-thingie!"

-

"What's this?" Surprise said tapping the TV screen in a large pink room.

Surprise found a strange little note tapped to the side of the camera, had it been there before? 'The camera can not leave the room that is being used as the 'studio.' The studio shall be whatever room or chamber is used when the camera is first turned on. Only you, the one to find this camera, may speak directly to the viewers.' Oh! Is this one of those things for showing stuff in the human world that Megan always talked about? ... Hiiii humans! I'm Surprise The Pegasus! Welcome to The Little Ponies Variety show!"

Surprise grinned. "Oh. I know what I can do with this. It'll be one of the best pranks ever. Oh Celestia! Will you get over here? I have something to show you."

Celestia fluttered over. Her mane had been dyed black, and thick eyeliner was drawn under her eyes. She wore fishnets on all four legs and heavy chains around her neck.

"But Surprise, you distracted me from my daily listening of The Cure! It speaks.."

Surprise rolled her eyes. "To your soul. Yes, we figured that out the first time you told that to Wind Whistler. But Celestia, I have a super important task for you."

"What?"

"Gather up your sister and see if Molly and Danny brought any instruments over today. We're gonna make you two even more famous in Paradise Estate."

"Famous?" Celestia asked innocently.

"Yeah, we're gonna record you and the others singing something from The Cure, and that way everyone will know how important they were to you for the rest of your life."

Celestia's eyes suddenly shifted. "Forever? Uh, but, how are you going to do that?"

Surprise pointed at the camera. "Why with this of course. It'll be the best recording ever! In fact, it's going right now!"

Celestia's eyes widened looking at the camera.

Dissy looked at the camera with a cute innocent smile. "So humans can see us through this?"

Surprise nodded. "Yep."

"And we're going to prank Celly and the others with it?!" asked the still innocent baby draconequus, his excitement growing.

"Exactly!"

"Count me in-, hey, what's this little warning label say?"

The two pranksters peaked at a little warning label. "Warning; this camera is specially designed to break the fourth wall. The following effects may result; bizarre situations, random cameos, hearing the author, and general harmless craziness," Surprise read, blinking. "Huh, wonder what that means."

Dissy smiled from ear to ear. "I don't know but I think I like it!"

“Celly does look kinda adorable like that, don’t you think Dissy?“

The small Draconequus blushed a bit before shoving the camera to focus onto a really interesting rock instead of his red face.

“Now she looks… a bit more like… Luna’s twin sister. Yeah, that’s it! But weren’t we supposed to do something else today?”

Surprise tilted her head a bit before a burning candle appeared over her head. Discord quickly moved it aside.

“Applejack wanted some help with her pie.”

“We can do that here as well. What could possibly go wrong?” the tiny Draconequus cheered as an anvil fell down onto his head and bounced off with a squeaky sound effect.

As Luna, Celestia, Danny and Molly gathered with their instruments, a letter floated down in front of Surprise.

"Hmm? What's this?" Surprise asked as she opened the letter.

Dear Surprise,
I was wondering if we could get a sneak peek of the final chapter(s) of Dark World.
Signed, Anonymous Pony Fan

Surprise looked confused as she read the letter.

"A sneak peek of what?" Dissy asked, looking over Surpise's shoulder.

"I have no idea what this thing is talking about." Surprise said, "Also, how is my name on here?"

Just then, a cell phone fell from the sky and landed in front of Surprise and Discord. On the cell phone was a sticky note that read 'Call one of the two names in the contact list to ask about sneak peek'. Surprise went to look at the contacts and saw two names listed:

*Alex Warlorn

*Walex Arlorn, Alex Warlorn's evil alternate universe doppelganger.

Surprise called the first number:

"This is Alex Warlorn. I'm unavailable right now. Please leave a message at the end of the beep." beep

"Okay, let's try this second number then." Surprise said as she hit the call button:

"This is Walex Arlorn. I'm unavailable right now due to trying to take over the world and/or stroking my goatee in an evil fashion. Please leave a message at the end of the scream." sound of a tortured person screaming

"Well, that was pointless." Surprise said as she put the phone down.

"Who exactly is this Alex person anyway?" Dissy asked.

"I have no idea, but I get the feeling he might be a human. Maybe Danny and Molly know who he is." Surprise suggested.

"Hey Danny! Molly!" Discord called out, "Do you two know someone named Alex Warlorn!"

"I once knew a girl named Alex. Does that help?" Danny asked.

"No, I think this Alex is a guy." Surprise said.

"Oh, then sorry, I can't think of who it could be." Danny said.

"Should we try calling again later?" Dissy asked.

"Nah, this Alex guy probably isn't that important." Surprise said.

A whistling is heard, leading into speak "-dear, no no I'm- *whistle whistle* not supposed to be here. Oh no- *whistlewhistlewhistle*

Surprise blinks a few times. "Wind Whistler? Is that you?" The white pegasus walks around a stage that... she wasn't really sure where it came from, but it would do nicely for the performance later. Once she reaches the other side, she finds another pegasus mare, this one blue with a pink tail and a mane that is half pink and half blond, her Cutie Mark is a group of purple flowers and she seems to be whistling to herself in addition to some muttering. "You're not Wind Whistler."

The other pony jumps slightly, but shakes her head. "No- *whistle* I'm- *whistlewhistle* Thistle Whistle." She speaks with a noticeable lisp, as if she'd start whistling at any moment again. "And- *whistlewhistlewhistle* I'm not suppose to be here."

Surprise tilts her head, confused. "Why not?"

Thistle Whistle just shakes her head vigorously. "I don't- *whistle* know, everything is r- *whistlewhistle* really unclear up here," she taps the side of her head. "I'm just not suppose to be here, I know that."

Surprise frowns, then helps her up. "Well, you ARE here, so let's have some fun while you are! I've got to introduce you to Wind Whistler, she loves to whistle too, you'll love her!"

Applejack the First looked the camera over.

"Applejack, be careful!" called Twilight the First, wanting to make sure her clumsy friend didn't damage it. "We don't know where it came from!"

"Oh Ah know, Ah'll be careful-oops!"

Dissy dove and caught the falling camera. "I got it!"

Suddenly, a strange device fell from the sky and landed nearby.

Applejack started at it. "Ah didn't do it!"

"Pin-ie P--! Wh- di- y-u dr-p the Wha- I- Ma-hi-e d-w- the-e!"

"I tho-gh- w-oev-r ha- t-e cam-ra ne-de- the Wh-t If M-ch-ne to-! Ju-t k-ep rec-arg-ing the ca-era!"

Dissy blinked, cocking his head. "What is it?" he asked.

"Looks kind of like a TV..." Applejack said as the others still set up.

Dissy poked the device a few times, prompting it to switch on.

"See! I told you I'd bring back help!" called Firefly, smirking.

Twilight nodded. "Yes but...where did you find giant transforming robots?" she asked, watching the epic battle between the Autobots as they called themselves and Tirak.

"Well I was going to just get this girl with blond hair, but I saw these guys and thought they were awesome!"

"What do you think now, mom?! Am I so useless now?!" asked Draggle, now a white witch visiting her mother in prison

"How dare you be a goodie good!" Hydia yelled back, enraged.

Draggle growled. "Because at least the ponies actually taught me GOOD magic and treated me right!"

Twilight looked to the others. "Good thing we decided to keep our word and teach her good magic, she's actually pretty good at it."

"No! This can't be happening!" yelled Morning Star, standing next to Grogar.

"Girls! Lets show them what Friendship can do!" announced Twilight Sparkle, her and her friends preparing to fire the Elements, having had Rota Fortuna's aid in returning decades into the past to follow Morning Star.

"Take this!" announced Megan, her friends surrounding her.

"NOOOOO!" yelled Morning star as two rainbows converged on him and his teammate.

The screen shut down, much to the pony's confusion. "What the...." Dissy asked, scratching his head.

"Well, I recognized Draggle being good...it seemed to have shown somekind of alternate history, or perhaps one that could have existed if we'd turned right instead of left..." Twilight assumed. "Quite interesting."

"Yeah yeah, alternate reality, let's just get to the prank!" Dissy whined, giving puppydog eyes.

Applejack chuckled. "I'm kind of looking forwards to it myself."

"Alright, is everything ready for the prank... I mean, 'band'." asked Surprise.

"Almost. What do you want me to due with this fake vomit?" asked Dissy.

"I don't remember fake vomit being part of the plan." Surprise said as she looked at the clipboard in her hooves, "But I like the idea. I'll try to see if I can fit it in."

"Momma?" said a voice behind Surprise.

Surprise looked to see who it was and gasped. It was another pegasus almost identical to her, except she had only one balloon for her cutie mark instead of five. "What are you doing here?" Surprise asked.

"I'm not entirely sure." the pegasus answered.

"Aunty Surprise, who is this?" asked Dissy.

"This is my daughter, Surprise II." answered Surprise, "But this doesn't make any sense. You left with your dad centuries ago."

"Like I said, I'm not sure how I got here." Surprise II said.

"I'm guessing -*whistle* she got her by the same -*whistle* means as me." said Thistle Whistle.

"And I didn't come alone either. I brought some friends." Surprise II said as she indicated two other ponies that weren't noticed until now.

Surprise gasped again, "Oh my. Applejack! Firefly!" she called out, "I think you guys really need to see this!"

Applejack and Firefly looked to see what Surprise was talking about, and gasped in shock when they saw them. Right there, staring back at them, were their respective daughters Applejack II and Firefly II.

(Author's note: Yes people, there IS a Baby Firefly. http://mylittlewiki.org/wiki/Baby_Firefly She never appeared in the cartoon but in plenty of other media including the kid's books.

And there was a Baby Applejack http://mylittlewiki.org/wiki/Baby_Applejack but the doll was sold only in Europe and never appeared in the cartoon.

I didn't believe it either at first.)

"You're all grown up . . . " Firefly said to her child.

"Uh, hi mom."

"You were so small when I last saw you." Applejack whispered.

"So . . . my baby is all grown up?" Surprise asked the near identical pony.

" . . . It is kinda weird to call me 'Baby' Surprise now."

Thistle Whistle wished she could vanish, she really felt like a third wheel here.

She felt a tab on her shoulder she turned to see a blue pegasus with whistles for a cutie mark. She spoke in a intellectual and technical voice, "Excuse me, you are Miss Thistle Whistle? I do believe Surprise said the two of us would much to discuss."

The strange pegasus from a time the no longer existed whistled excitedly at the prospect of meeting the intellectual pegasus that had been mentioned by Surprise. "*Whistle* H-hi there! I- *whistle* I'm Thistle- *whistle* Whistle!"

Wind Whistler scrutinized the other pegasus, as if trying to figure something out. "Are you..."

"*Whistlewhistle* Surprise said you- *whistle* liked to whistle too! I know- *whistlewhistle* it's not my *whistle* special talent, but-"

Wind Whistler interrupted her, with a string of whistles of her own, causing Thistle Whistle to pause, then start jumping around excitedly as she returns a series of her own whistles. The two seem to go back forth for a short bit, before Surprise- looking very confused- joins them again.

"Okay, time out," she crosses her hooves to make the traditional 'T', "what is going on over here?"

"It is Silbo Gomero," Wind Whistler answers, "a language comprised entirely of whistling. From what Miss Thistle Whistle is telling me, it is her first language; she's been having some trouble adapting to our way of speaking due to how different the two are, hence her propensity for whistling."

"What *whistle* she said."

Surprise blinks a few times, then turns to Wind Whistler. "And you can speak it?"

She points to her cutie mark. "It is a type of whistling, is it not?"

"...good point."

(Fun fact, that's a real language: http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silbo_Gomero_language and this is just a bit of personal headcanon for me regarding Thistle Whistle's way of speaking.)

Surprise looked over to Wind Whistler talking calmly next to Thistle Whistle, it reminded her a lot of how Shady or Mimic acted next to their children. The smart pegasus always intimidated Surprise a bit but there was no doubt that she was a good friend.

“Now we REALLY need a new name for me!” her own child interrupted her train of thoughts.

“Maybe Surprise the Second?” Applejack mused as she caught her own daughter as Applejack II tripped over her own feet in shock to the unexpected reunion.

“Stunner?” Firefly and Firefly II suggested at the same time, before chuckling about it.

“I said it first!”

“No way!”

“Let’s race to decide!”

“Three, two, one… GO!”

Both pegasi blasted off into the distance.

“The only one who gets to rename me is mom! What do you think?” Surprise’s daughter focused on her mother.

“Well… it is somewhat weird to still call you ‘Baby’… that is not easy… can I have more time for that decision?”

“Huh? Sure mom, no need to pressure yourself.”

Both pegasi hugged.

Meanwhile Discord and the two Applejacks began to work on ideas for their next prank.

“Let’s see… we have basically doubles of Applejack, Surprise, Firefly and Wind Whistler… how about we make Lula and Celly think that the Estate is under attack by evil clones?” the tiny Draconequus tried to come up with something as big comfortable (and eatable) marshmallows appeared under Surprise and her child.

“Or we could do this trick where my mother leaves through one door and I come back in through a door from the other side.” Applejack II suggested.

“I like the way you think.”

"Hold on a second." said Surprise, "I like Applejack II's prank idea too, but we already have another prank going on; the incredibly vague one that we're planning on Celestia's band. We can't have two pranks, can we?"

"Do we even have any sort of idea what we're doing for the band prank?" asked Dissy.

"I was going to improvise." said Surprise.

"I'm going to have to agree with Discord. The original prank doesn't seem to be going anywhere." said Twilight.

"Fine, after Firefly and her daughter are done with their race, I'll gather everyone who's in on the prank to vote on whether we should drop it or not." said Surprise.

"Hey, Mom." Baby Applejack said to her mother, "I was thinking that since Surprise and her mother are trying to come up with a different name for her, that maybe I should do the same."

"You don't like being called Applejack?" asked Applejack.

"No, I do. It's just that it would be kind of confusing for us to both be called Applejack. Plus, I'm a little old to be called Baby." said her daughter, "How about Jackie? You know, like a shortened version of Applejack."

"Jackie? Yeah, I think I like it. Jackie it is." Applejack said after giving it some thought.

Spike the Fifth watched the situation at hand, giving a chuckle. "I wonder why they're so worked up over having the same name as an ancestor of theirs, I'm the fifth and you don't see me wanting a new name."

"I say, good point," said a rather refined voice nearby.

Spike the Fifth watched as what he felt looked like a more cartoony picture of one of his father's baby pictures walked on stage. "Uh...hi...Sorry, I just don't meet that many other dragons..."

"Neither do I to be honest," said the other dragon. "Oh, pardon me, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Kenbroath Gillspotten Heathspike, the Fourth, or just Spike."

Spike V's eyes went wide. "Uh...likewise, except I'm the Fifth..."

The two stared at each other in blank shock. "Well...this certainly seems improbable..."

"Yeah...my dad died awhile ago, at the proud old age of 12,002 years old..."

"Wait, that's considered old here? Hmm, quite odd, where I'm from a million is considered old for a dragon...Wait, dye-ed? What's dye-ed?"

The two just both stared again. "...Ok...this is the second most awkward thing that's ever happened to me..." Spike V remarked.

Alright, seeing as I was the original one to get this idea, I think it's time to get the prank going. But first, continuity.

Meanwhile, in the Alicorn Realm

Routa Fortuna was chasing Puerilis like a bear hunting a rabbit. Her face looked very irritated, while Puerilis kept laughing in the chase.

"I TOLD YOU YOU LITTLE JOKER, NO SPIKE CAN EVER MEET HIS NAMESAKES BEFORE HIM! THIS IS GETTING BACK AT ME FOR MAKING THAT HORRIBLE JOKE ABOUT CHICKENS AND ROADS LAST FOREVER, ISN'T IT?"

Puerilis turned to face his sister, then manifested a fruitstand that she crashed through it, temporarily stunned. "No." he replied with a smug face. "But it is still funny." And he fell over laughing at the absurdity of 4th wall shows.

Celestia began fluttering into the room, a rather disgruntled and tired looking Luna behind her.

"Oh no." Surprise went wide. "We're not ready to go yet. DISSY! STALL THEM! It's time to get a supersized prank going."

Discord saluted, causing a rubber chicken to fly at surprise's head. "Oops." Discord muttered, before flying before the two alicorns asking them what they would do if a minotaur attacked them.

Surprise took a quick stock over all she had. She also looked towards the audience and whispered, "Any ideas?"

A letter suddenly manifested near surprise, who opened it, looked it over, and then grinned.

Quickly, she flew over to Wind Whistler and Thistle Whistle, who were apparently conversing about the benefits of self preservation vs Self Sacrifice if taken to extremes.

"Alright you two, I think it's time to execute our super duper prank now. We can even incorporate my little wondrous surprise and firefly's daughter into it all. You ready?"

Wind Whistler gave surprise a quick look. "You sure this won't hurt Celestia's feelings? I mean, pranks can go pretty wrong pretty fast if you're not careful."

"Well..that's the best part. It'll end like this..."

5 minutes later....

Firefly and her daughter had been filled in too, and things were finally ready. (Incidentally, the race was a photo finish, and they promised to look at it later)

"Alright. Celestia, Luna, Dissy. We're all here and ready. We'll even bring in some more ponies when you're ready." Surprise called. Years of practice with Dissy had given her a great poker face.

The two spikes in the back meanwhile were struggling not to snicker, but excused themselves to the far back to keep from blowing it all. Molly and Danny had excused themselves to help Megan with another bad guy that Star-Reacher, Posey and Mimic had gone to deal with. Something about..."Him again."

Celestia stepped up, Luna tiredly behind her. Surprise nodded her head, giving discord the, "Do It!"

Discord grinned and shouted, "Roll it! But first, let's get you some costumes!" He then suddenly snapped his finger, causing a silly bo peep costume to appear on Celestia, and a sheep costume to appear on luna.

"What?!?" exclaimed celestia into a microphone, the force of her voice revealing that it was hollow, spilling the fake vomit in front of them.

"Sister, Art Thou that surprised?" Luna said, very surprised herself. At that moment, the first firefly flew down.

"Celestia, are you alright?"

Followed by Firefly's daughter. "Celestia, are you alright?"

Celestia's head was spinning, as her eyes were widening like none other. "I..I..I...I...What's going on?" She backed up, bumped into someone, turned around, and saw surprise's daughter behind her. Celestia's eyes became pinpricks, she felt herself begin swooning, and tipped over, overloaded by it all.

Luna looked at everything around her and said in a sudden realization, "Hast we been pranked?"

To which Baby surprise looked at luna and simply said, "Gotcha."

With those words, suddenly everyone broke out laughing, even luna.

Luna then looked down at her unconcious sister. "But, mine sister hast missed thy very best part. What a foul disappointment."

"Oh, no worries." Surprise said. "Dissy and I have one last punchline for her."

--2 minutes later--

Celestia finally came to. She looked at Dissy standing over her, floating on one knee, holding a twig twisted into a hoof ring.

Dissy said (with a small amount of blush on his cheeks), "Celestia, will you be my best friend forever?"

Something in the way he said it suddenly made Celestia go whiter than usual, as the events before all that came back to her. "Noooooo!!! The camera caught all that! Nobody will ever take me seriously again! MY LIFE IS RUINEEDD!!" she cried, doing a great impression of one of firefly's future descendants.

"Oh calm down celestia." Surprise piped as she walked up to the alicorn. "We'd never show this outside of family. And besides, the camera didn't even get that."

"What?"

"I never pressed the button at all" Surprise's daughter said as she walked into celestia's vision.

Celestia suddenly got stiff. "Was...was that all some practical joke? And why are there 2 surprises here suddenly?"

"Why Celestia, that's no way to talk to my girl."

"Wait, your daughter?"

Both surprises looked at each other, then at celestia, and in unison said, "Surprise!"

Celestia still looked bemused, but she managed to smile, and hug the littler white pegasus.

Meanwhile…

Twilight Sparkle tapped the replacement television set with a hoof. The picture fuzzed up a bit, but remained. “So, what are we seeing this time? Are those really ponies from the past? And… Princess Celestia? Surely that can’t be Discord…”

“I WAS quite the little scamp in those days, wasn’t I?” remarked Discord himself, lounging on thin air and munching from a bucket of popcorn. “So innocent, so naïve, so potentially… bleeech… redeemable. But adorable all the same!” Towering shelves full of Baby Discord action figures appeared, then promptly wobbled and toppled over, burying them in cardboard and plastic packages.

Twilight groaned, lighting up her horn to unbury them, flinging toys every which way. “Who let him out?”

“Oh, I’m sorry! It must be dreadfully difficult for that orderly little mind of yours to cope with the unexpected.” With a cartoon whistling sound, a stone statue of Discord fell, cracking the studio floor. Discord snaked over behind it and put a paw over his mouth to muffle his voice. “Does thith make you feel better?”

Twilight fumed. “Not… really. But I know something that will! Pinkie?”

The draconequus scoffed. “You can’t oppress me with canon here.” Only to do a double-take as the shadow of the Party Cannon L118 Happy Howitzer MK II fell over him. “No, no! Not can-non… Canon!“

“Canon?” Pinky Pie looked mighty perplexed, then cried “Aha!” … but instead of a light bulb, a shining yellow citrus fruit appeared, floating over her head.

“That’s a lemon,” Discord deadpanned.

Pinkie Pie darted out of the camera frame and trotted over to Discord with a fish in her mouth. She slapped him across the face with it.

“That’s a salmon.”

Pinkie Pie spun around, revealing Spike sitting on her back… who breathed green fire, burning Discord to a crisp.

“That’s a dragon,” growled Discord, shaking a pencil at Pinky Pie, apparently just so he could snap it in half. Shaking off the soot, he flitted over to Twilight briefly. “Keep an eye on Mini-Me, would you? I've got a upstart challenger to thrash. Won't be but a moment!”

"Ah-heheheh See, daughters, what did I tell you?" Three wild cackles broke out above the assembled ponies, alicorns, and draconequi. They looked up in confusion as a trio of familiar grizzled hags riding brooms descended to the ground. "Now that that brat Megan and her siblings are gone, we'll finally destroy Paradise Estates!" Before they could say anything else, Surprise flew over to them.

"Oh, hi, Hydia, Reeka!" She looked at the third, rather skinnier witch. "Hi, Draggle," she said, sounding dismayed. "Er, sorry about that one time..." She flinched as the witch glared at her.

"You mean when you promised to teach me good magic and just tied me up instead?" Draggle snapped back. "I'm on Mom's side this time! You ponies made us look incompetent for too long!"

"Umm, weren't you guys always incompetent, and wasn't it more like we ponies just pointed that out?" Surprise asked. Unknown to the witches, Discord, Celly, and Luna began walking up behind them. Ignoring the venomous looks the trio gave her, Surprise asked, "Look, we're kinda in the middle of a show here, and you three were written out years ago. Can't you go put warts on toads or something -- EEK!" Her cry came as Hydia stepped forward and flung a handful of sickly purple colored dust into her face. The cloud covered Surprise and when it vanished, an odd pink earth pony with a straight mane stood there, a wicked grin on her face.

"Surprise!" The other ponies gasped in horror. Hydia just cackled maliciously.

"Hah! See, girls, I told you that copy of the Necronomicon was good for more than holding up one end of the couch! It told me how to make that dust that draws evil versions of good people from other worlds and times! We'll just use it on the rest of these glue factory rejects, and then we'll have an army of ponies to devastate the Estates, and... errr..." Her words trailed off as the new pony began advancing on the three, having whipped out a cleaver and butcher knife from somewhere.

"Oooh, who wants some special Halloween cupcakes?" She grinned madly at Hydia and her daughters. "Witch themed!"

"Oh, I'll take some!" Reeka clapped her hands, only to yell when Hydia slapped her across the back of her head.

"Just run, stupid!" They turned to flee, only to stop at the sight of a draconequus and two alicorns standing there with very angry looks on their faces. They backed away, only to freeze at a psychotic giggle from the earth pony.

"You..." Celestia stomped forward, head out-thrust and horn glowing painfully bright. "You turned dear Surprise into, into THAT!" She cast her spell Discord just as Discord used his own powers, and the three miserable hags vanished with wild shrieks. Celestia blinked and looked at Discord. "Dissey, what did you do? I wasn't going to kill them, just change them into something unable to use magic!"

"I know," Discord said. "So the instant after your spell hit, I sent them far into the future from here. They can hang out and do some honest work in the mines of, what were they called," He took out a reference book from nowhere and scanned it. "Oh, the 'Diamond Dogs.'"

Luna meanwhile faced the mad mare, who seemed to be calmer now. "And, and you are an evil Surprise?"

"Huh? Nawww!" The pink mare puffed on one hoof and her mane inflated into a poofy mass. "I'm Pinkie Pie, one of her descendants! I think. I guess Surprise and I just changed places. Boy, I bet she's gonna have a lot of fun with my friend Dashie; she loves it when I chase her to play, and your friend has wings!"

“I see, you must be Surprise, one of Pinkie ancestors. Welcome to the very distant future and to Ponyville. My name is Twilight. Normally Pinkie Pie would throw a party for you but she is currently back in your own world.” The purple unicorn said calmly.

“I just travelled through time and space?”

“Yes.”

“And I switched places with somebody from another time?”

“Yes.”

“And this didn’t surprise you at all?”

“I am used to Pinkie Pie, I have survived Discord and countless of these strange 4th wall shows (whatever that means), so now hardly anything can surprise me anymore.”

A soapbox appeared under the unicorn much to the delight of Surprise.

“I would love to show you around (and give you some lectures about modern Equestria) but I must continue to work on these batteries for Pinkie Pie. So I will have to shorten down my speech a bit. Three hours should cover the basics. If only Rain-“

“You were calling?”

With insane speed Rainbow Dash flew through the still wide open gap the giant robot chicken had left behind. Twilight tripped on her soapbox and it collapsed under her weight.

“Rainbow! I didn’t even manage to completely call out your name!!”

“And that is a new speed record! Another day that has almost reached awesome status, I just need to add a few pranks to make it complete.” The Pegasus struck a pose.

“Did you say pranks?”

“Ops… My name is Rainbow Dash, what is yours?”

“I am Surprise, Pinkie Pie’s… distant twice removed prank-loving cousin.” Surprise managed to say in a bubbly voice not unlike Pinkie Pie.

“Are you thinking what I am thinking?”

“Prank time!” Both pegasi grinned wide and flew off to the unsuspecting town.

"Wow! So this is where the camera ended up!" Pinkie exclaimed, looking at it. She then blinked, looking at the tiny adorable Discord. Hard to believe he used to be so adorable and friendly.

"You're not going to take the camera away, are you?" asked Dissy, giving puppy dog eyes.

"Nah," Pinkie said, smiling and rubbing his head. "I've hosted every other show, I'll give you guys a chance! Besides, my studio is still a wreck thanks that Robot Chicken attack and me having to fight...uh, Big Dumb Meanie." How did she beat Discord back? Simple, this is noncanon! Power levels don't apply!

Firefly chuckled. "Well, we had a good prank, what else can we do?" she asked, scratching her chin.

Dissy gave it thought and was about to answer...when he got hit in the face with a pie. "What the-"

Celly chuckled. "What goes around comes around!" she chuckled, her and Luna wielding pies in both hooves.

Firefly dodged a pie. "Oh, you want a prank war do you? You're on!"

Pinkie pulled out some theatre seats. "I think I'll just be an audience member this time around, this will be fun!" she stated, producing a bag of popcorn and eating while watching the others prepare for a prank war.

Never declare a prank war with a goddess, even a little filly amnesiac goddess who didn't know she was a goddess, IN PARTICULAR a little filly goddess who didn't know she was a goddess who had rules of what she was supposed to and not supposed to do.

FF (Firefly) had found sunlight bending and twisting around corners and under doors to get in her face whenever she tried to take a nap. Her ice-cream (all pegasi loved ice-cream) turning to ice-cream soup within seconds as everyone else's stay fresh, and she swore the sun seemed to ALWAYS be in her eyes when she tried to practice her stunts!

Pinkie Pie looked over the list, "Okay, so who is here right? I'm here, while Surprise is back at the regular studio with my friends Twinkle Sparkle, according to the notes, Rainbow Dash as well.

"And here we have Applejack the First, Baby Applejack, Baby Surprise."

"Can I have my mom back now?" Asked the white pegasus.

"I promise we'll switch back as soon as the show ends. Now where was I? Oh right.

Here we have Applejack the First. baby Applejack. Baby Surprise. Firefly. Baby Firefly. Spike from G3. Thistle Whistle from G3. Molly. Danny. Dissy. Celly. Lulu. Star-Reacher (AKA . . . Gal . . . Lax . . . eee . . . pst, don't tell anyone I said that!). We also have G1 Spike, or one of his family at least. We have Wind Whistler too. . . . WHAO! Fifteen characters all at once! And that's not counting Twilight, RD, and Surprise back home! That's eighteen No wonder the story isn't moving! We've got character overload! . . . " She took out a megaphone and shouted, "OKAY! EVERYPONY NOT DOING SOMETHING! PLEASE LEAVE THE STUDIO, UH, THE ROOM, RIGHT NOW PLEASE!IT'S GETT HARD FOR THE STORY TO MOVE FORWARD, I MEAN FOR THE CAMERA TO CATCH EVERYTHING!"

As the prank war continued, some of the combatants began moving off-stage.

Applejack and Jackie tripped off the stage, and decided to go practice apple bucking together.

Pinkie could feel Surprise's daughter still glaring at her. "Is there something I can help you with?" Pinkie asked her.

"I want my momma back." said the young pegasus.

"Look, Baby Surprise..." Pinkie tried to say.

"Please don't call me that. I'm Surprise II." the pegasus answered.

"Look, Surprise II, there's nothing I can do right now. We're going to have to wait until the end of the show. Besides, I'm sure your mom is fine."

Meanwhile in the present:

Twilight was panicking, "If we don't diffuse this bomb quickly then the studio and all of Ponyville could be destroyed!" she yelled.

"I don't which wire to cut!" yelled Surprise, who was also panicking.

Outside, the citizens of Ponyville were not panicking. It was, after all, the fifteenth near destruction of their town that week.

Back in the past:

"Are you sure she's okay?" Surprise II asked.

"Sure I'm sure" said Pinkie, who was a little nervous after having seen the cutaway gag.

"So you're from the future." Celly asked.

"So seems like it." Pinkie Pie nodded.

"WHEN DO DISSY AND I GET MARRIED-?!" Celly hopped up and down shouted happily.

Dissy blushed and dug a hole in the floor and head like an ostrich.

"CELLY!" Lulu snapped at her sister.

"Uh . . ." Pinkie Pie paled, "Are you SURE that's something you want to know? I mean, you don't want to ruin the surprise right?"

"HEY! A distraction!" Pinkie Pie pointed at Surprise II who was riding unicycle while juggling and playing a song on a kazoo and balancing teacups on her wings.

Suddenly, Pinkie her hoof steps. "No! Wait! The author said no more characters!"

Pinkie's cell phone rang and she answered it. "Huh? Oh, I see...so it's just a celebratory cameo? Alright!" She hung up as seven Earth Ponies walked onto the screen.

Twilight blinked in surprise. "Starlight? What are you and the others doing here? You're..."

"Let me guess, you don't know?" asked Firefly with a sarcastic tone.

"Actually, we do," said Starlight smiling. She then looked over to the camera. "The ones watching through this camera have been following our story all this this time."

Patch stepped forwards. "And we felt like we needed to take a moment to say something to them."

Melody joined her. "To close OUR show with style, with a bang, not a whimper."

Bright Eyes was next. "To thank them for staying with us for so long."

Bonbon walked forwards, her diary in her hooves. "For caring enough about our story to read it all from start to finish."

Sweetheart shyly joined them. "For finding our lives, whether during our day to day lives, our dreams, or our nightmares worth reading..."

Clover finally came forwards. "And now it's time for us to take our final bow."

The seven ponies took a bow before the camera as Pinkie started an applause, even if the Paradise Ponies had no idea why, they joined her to be polite.

The seven ponies turned to the Paradise ponies. "And the first time...we never got to say it, so we will now; goodbye for now, our friends...we'll see you again someday..." Starlight said, the other six nodding in agreement, then waving goodbye as they seemed to vanish.

"What...just happened?" asked Shady, cocking her head.

Pinkie smiled. "Nothing you need to worry about..."

Pinkie looked at her imaginary watch, "We seem to be running out of tape, so anything anypony wants to do before the show ends?"

While cleaning up after a prank war, Dissy wondered why Pinkie seemed to be looking at him so sad. She was from the future, so did she know something he didn't?

Pinkie sighed, she wished she could do something, Dissy seemed really nice. Did he really have to grow up into a big dumb meanie?

To her surprise, a familiar blue box flickered into existence in front of her and an eagle claw pulled her inside. "Discord?"

"Yes, Pinkie, it's me," the Draconequus said, looking out seriously. "My Doctor isn't using this thing right now, so I thought I'd borrow it."

"...Which Discord are you?"

"Dark World, post Heel Face Turn...I kind of want to give mom at least one universe were I don't turn evil," the older Discord explained. "But I need your help, since you're an outside force. I can't alter my own past to create a divergent timeline, but you can!"

"...This is noncanon."

"Exactly! That's WHY you can do this! Look, I just need you to tell Dissy to tell Surprise next time he starts having his nightmares," explained Dark World!Discord, seriously. "According to Rota Fortuna, if he does that then he'll eventually be able beat his evil self and stay good, ok?"

"Uh...ok...So you're a good guy?"

"Yep, looking forwards to it, now can you do this for me?"

"Uh...sure...I guess..."

After passing on the message to Dissy about what to do for his nightmares if they ever returned, Pinkie noticed the battery on the camera was running low. "Aww! This was getting fun!"

Twilight The First blinked, looking at her. "What's wrong, Pinkie?"

"We're almost out of tape, we need to wrap everything up!" she admitted, disappointed.

Hearing this, the mother's bid their foals from another time farewell, and Wind Whistler bid her new friend farewell too.

"Are you sure you can't stay, Pinkie?" asked Celly, looking at her. "I feel like I know you..."

Pinkie smiled. "You do...kinda. Long story..." Pinkie looked to the First Age Ponies. "Now, say goodbye everypony!"

"Farewell!"

"See yah later!"

"I do hope you found our performance exhilarating."

"That's Wind Whistler for 'hope you enjoyed the show!'"

Pinkie chuckled. "Alright, time to get back home..." She hit a button on the camera and the guests vanished...but she didn't. "Oh...Oh! I know!" she ran to the TARDIS and Dark World!Discord. "Mind giving me a ride? You DO owe me one!"

"How did this happen?!" asked Twilight, looking at the giant pie that somehow covered townhall.

Surprise and Rainbow merely whistled innocently...until a weird noise happened and a blue police box manifested into existence. "Hey girls!" called Pinkie, hopping out of it.

"Pinkie? Where have you been?!" Twilight asked, looking frazzled.

"The past!"

"...Pardon?"

"The first age, it was fun!"

Surprise blinked. "Oh...I guess I need to go home now, huh?"

Pinkie nodded slowly. "I think, but don't worry! There will be future cameos!"

"Oh! Alright!...What's a cameo?"

"You just show up on the show, happens all the time."

After that, Surprise entered the TARDIS and vanished.

"Pinkie, what the Tartarus just happened?!" asked Twilight. "I had to deal with Rainbow and a Pegasus version of you all day!"

Pinkie chuckled. "Somehow ended up in the past thanks to mana streams...which is weird, considering your brother's story arc just revealed that plot point was possible! And aww! I missed out on the pranks!"

Rainbow looked at the disappointed pink pony. She picked up a piece of the the pie and threw it at Pinkie. "Food fight!"

Pinkie set back up and licked herself off with a giggle. "Oh it's on Dashie!...Oh! Wait a second!"

She turned to the camera. "Alright, we're almost out of tape here! So we'll have to end this now! See you guys next show, which might be soon!"

Pinkie Pie then jumped into the pie and began food fighting with Rainbow.

The TARDIS reappeared next to Twilight. Dark World!Discord poked his head out. "Forgot one thing..." he said, and handed her an apology letter and an autographed copy of Star Swirl the Bearded's autobiography. "Toodles!" The TARDIS vanished again.

"...This was a weird episode! And that's saying a lot!"

Author's Note

Pinkie Pie cheers "Hey everypony! It's that time again! For those of you new here. This is as the title says Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety show! WHAT YOU WRITE BECOMES THE STORY! You write down a piece of story in the comments and it's copy and pasted into the story until the file size, that little number off the side that says sixty-K! What happens in here stays in here!
Now remember the rules everypony!

What you put in the comments appears in the story.

Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall.

The camera can’t leave the studio.

The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from official “My little Pony”, and everypony STAYS in character!

Everything that happens here is non-canon.

Have fun."

New Part Added:
eric-emanwu
Kendell2
ItsFromPeople (at once)
Sherlock-Holmes18 (at once)
Dragon-of-Twilght (at once)
Kendell2
Sherlock-Holmes18
Alex Warlorn (me)
Dragon-of-Twilght (At the same time)
ItsFromPeople (At the same time)
Sherlock-Holmes18
Kendell2 (his third post this episode)
eric-emanwu (and a fun one too!)
mtangalion
Ardashir (same time)
ItsFromPeople (same time)
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn (me again)
Alex Warlorn (me again and again)
eric-emanwu (another of his)
Sherlock-Holmes18 (here for more)
Alex Warlorn (and me again)
Alex Warlorn
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn
Kendell2
Kedell2 (And goodnight)

Oh yeah, andMyLittlePonyiscopyrighttoHasbro, pleasesupportthecartoonbybuyingthe toystheshowismadetopromoteanyway."

Preview image by Kendell2

20130708 Edits by LZ.

Recursive Fanworks Theater of the Pony POV Series Part 1

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show
Pony POV Series
"Non-Canon"
By Alex Warlorn
The Recursive Fanfic Theater

The lights in the studio flickered on, still with the giant holes from the giant robot chicken battle from last time. But the holes in the floor had been all patched to prevent the camera from falling through another time and space again.

Pinkie Pie was talking on a phone. "Of course I've paid rent on the studio! Of course we're still getting viewers! No! I am NOT Pinkie Promising that! We are not commeri-

SAY HELLO THE THE CIDER-SQUEEZE 6002 AND SAY GOODBYE TO THOSE APPLE SQUEEZING PROBLEMS! ORDER NOW AT-

"I SAID NO!" The screen has a huge round cracked hole in it, turning to static as it fell forwards and shattered. Pinkie Pie huffed and puffed, holding a huge mallet in her hooves like a MLPTs character.

"I hope we don't lose power . . . then again the bicycle hooked up to a generator would be funny if I can get Rainbow Dash into it." Pinkie Pie opened the mail box to find it . . . empty. "Oh dang." Pinkie Pie sighed.

She looked at the camera, "Well, I still have you right camera?" Pinkie Pie looked around at the empty studio. "Where is everypony?! We had friends banging down the door when we started out . . . sigh. I guess I'm stuck with . . . ick."

Pinkie Pie cringed and turned on the What-If Machine.

"Let nothing stand in our way!" Archmage Sunrise Shimmer shouted. Her trophies, the white seaponies Sea Belle and her sister Reef Belle hugged each other cringing from their glorified fish bowl at the castle's peak, the stage of the final battle below. "Unicorns will put the dirt-ponies, feather-dusters, fishes, and insects back in their place! We'll not submit to animals!"

"Glory to Unicornia!" The stallion shouted leading the unicorn army, it was not Shining Armor.

"DESTROY THE MONSTER! We'll be nopony's slave anymore! We'll be the masters! Mother Earth belongs to us! Not these freaks of nature!" Shouted Marshall Applejack, but this was NOT the Applejack of the fifth line, the fifth line had never existed, having come from Applejack the first when she left Paradise Estate.

"Pegaopolis will finally be recognized as the true masters of the sky and the land!" Shouted General Spitfire.

"We have to stop this . . . they'll kill each other." Posey whispered.

"No, they won't." Galaxy said, "They'll kill everything."

"Can we stop them?" Twilight asked fearfully, the rainbow light around her neck. Their quest to try and bring sanity the world had already cost them so many of their friends.

"We have to. There is no one else." Firefly whispered. The six remaining paradise ponies. Firefly. Posy. Surprise. Mimic. Twilight. And Applejack, with Spike the dragon behind them, dove head long into the battle. Their only goal to try and keep the three sides from destroying one another.

Lyra, BonBon, Trixie, the Cakes, and the other members of the tiny reunification herd followed behind them.

"WHAT DID YOU DO DISCORD?!" Star-Catcher snarled at the draconequus spirit floating in front of her, shielded by the fallen buildings.

"That the beauty of it Celly . . ." He whispered in Star-Catcher's ear, "I didn't do a thing. YOU did! You altered your own past so you never asked Mom for help. Congrats on breaking my 'most laws of reality broken by anyone' record to do that. The Windigos never existed. Thus the three tribes never had to migrate to form Equestria. They never discovered the fires of friendship. So Mom never got a bloody nose, me and my siblings never got hurt along with Her. So Dad never got clopped off enough to agree with Mom and start a war. So me, you, Lulu, and Galaxia? Stayed in the spirit world! So bye-bye Cadence, Blueblood, and Galaxia's other descendants!

"Oh! And I wasn't there to knock those Paradise Ponies out of their comfort zone and start new families! So your precious student and her friends? Their bloodlines never existed! So bye-bye to them! BZZZZZZZZZZT!" Discord gave a razzberry.

"Me and your pets never buried their civilization under ice and chaos! So they kept advancing TECHNOLOGICALLY AND MAGICALLY! But there was no winter of death around to force them to embrace the Fires of Friendship! They're hate filled Racist to the core! Us and them! To the extreme baby! HA HA!"

"But...the tribes should've been able to still make peace...this shouldn't have happened..."

"How optimistic you are Celly. Been able to? Yes. Wanted to? Who can say? When you changed the past, Celly dear? You changed your past. You did something impossible! And the time paradox you created? Events needed a total rewrite just to keep history from falling apart, sound familiar? Well this world isn't about to contradict itself out of existence. I created a world of chaos? You? You've created Hell on earth."

"I just wanted to . . . make up for what my mistakes caused, what I did, all the ponies who died and suffered, because of me."

"Oh yes, and look what a wonderful job you did!...All those ponies who didn't die of Windigos had families, so who cares that the prejudice and wars just kept rising faster than the sun? Making their hate filled brains more detached from reality than some of my best work . . . maybe. The griffins and dragons FEAR THEM! And why? Because you broke the timeline like a rank amateur!"

"You kept the seaponies and the flutterponies being wiped out, congrats on that. Instead they became so isolationist and xenophobic that they'd zap first and ask questions later on anything that set hoof inside their boarders, seeing the monsters the other tribes have become.

"Oh, and Clover and her little pony tale? With no Clover the Clever from the future to give her hope? … Well, I'll leave that one to your imagination.

"Your paragons of love and friendship instead being the symbol of hate to every other thinking creature in the world! Unicornia, Pegaopolis, and 'Earth', ready to sacrifice everything to destroy the 'great evil' they see in others but not themselves. . . . And there's nothing you can do about it. NYA NYA! During this battle, all three tribes will destroy each other with their shiny new doomsday devices . . . but the seaponies get to survive underneath the ice. So good for them right?"

"NO!" A tendril of water engulfed Discord's head and smashed him through a wall.

"Reef Belle!?" Star-Catcher looked up to see a stray shot had shattered the globe holding the two seaponies . . . she . . she didn't see See Belle.

Reef Belle floated in the water animated by her hydrokensis. A gift from her unicorn mother. The seapony looked at the earth pony. "Star-Catcher . . . I've had a while to think and . . . all this death . . . just for us? . . . You say we live on, as other people right? Our music lives on right?"

" . . . The spirit of your music survived in the hearts of all no matter what."

"Then please . . . save this world . . . the only way you can . . . PLEASE . . . keep it from happening."

"But then-you-"

The seapony sat down. "We're all dead anyway." The two looked at the battlefield.

Spike was brought down by a swarm of pegasi lightning striking his wings from every possible direction, having already smashed their flying fortress. One by one, the Paradise ponies fell, until only Twilight was left. The unicorns fell upon her like a storm of countless magics. Discord had been wrong, it wouldn't be any weapon of the tribes, but the rainbow of light itself that would exterminate the three warring tribes, as Twilight was pushed to her limit, gave into deepest despair, and wished with all her heart to see them wiped from the map, without Empathy flowing through the Rainbow to tell it no.

"May this be nothing more than a night for the ponies who take our place. And may they do a better job than us." Reef Belle said, tossing her beautiful purple mane.

Star-Catcher kissed her on the forehead. "I promise I'll never forget you."

Star-Catcher let go of her doubt, and the Earth Pony became an Alicorn, and the Alicorn entered the river of time, flying faster than she ever had before, forcing herself to break laws that even gods shouldn't be able to break. Until she saw her previous self, racing towards her even earlier self, about to speak to Entropy.

"CELESTIA! STOP! YOU'LL KILL EVERYONE!" The wiser Alicorn shouted.

Her earlier self snarled, "NOT FALLING FOR IT, DISCORD! I'M GOING TO SAVE EVERYONE!"

"I-CAN'T-LET-YOU!" Celestia astral form became white light as it slammed into old self moment before they hit exit point in time.

"Your Majesty!"

"WHA! Oh! Yes Arcane Spell?"

Celestia awoke in bed. She was an Alicorn. She looked around at her royal bedroom. She was the leader, ruler, goddess, protector, teacher and princess of Equestria

"Uh. You had standing order if you slept in. It's time to raise the sun."

"Yes . . . yes it is." Celestia stepped out to the Balcony, and looked upon Equestria. Two of its children missing, but three of them still here, and would always be here, if Celestia had anything to say about. She rose the run, ushering in a new day. "Reef Belle, I promise, I will always make this the best world I can for everypony."

Pinkie Pie look at the screen, crying. "You dumb machine! How can you show me something like that! . . . That's it! I need to do something! Something exciting! Something new!...Ah! I know! Everypony, we're going to have something different this time. We're gonna be looking at ALL the recursive works you readers and viewers have written for Pony POV Series over the years! Starting with our very earliest!

Follow this link ponies! fav.me/d4j74wp

And we'll start with!-"

"-Sorry we're late! Rainbow Dash insisted on getting ice-cream first!" Rarity declared. The Element of Generosity bringing with her several new and shinny replacement pieces of equipment and props.

"Hey! It's for Pinkie Pie too! I just got a cone for myself too!" Said the Element of Loyalty dragging behind a giant tub of ice cream. "Hey Pinkie Pie! We got your letters! I can't wait to show off to our audience again!"

"And this place could use some serious sprucing up . . . that pegasus version of you certainly did a number on things."

"Actually . . . actually it was the giant robot chicken."

"Oh . . of course." Rarity blinked, "Pinkie Pie, have you been crying?"

"Just . . . just a little. Hey guys, wanna help me do some review summaries or outlines of some stories and art ponies have written about us? And those versions of us we met before from that world where Discord was in charge? And lots of other worlds? I think it might be a little fun."

"Heh. If you say it's gonna be a 'little fun' Pinkie then it means it's gonna rock!" Rainbow Dash pumped a hoof. "Bring it!" She hugged Pinkie Pie, and Rarity did the same.

"Now let's get this place ship shape!" Rarity declared lifting up several pieces of furniture and tools at once.

Pinkie Pie brought up a card that read,
Remember Da Rules: Nopony besides me can see through the fourth wall, the camera can’t leave the studio, the guest characters could be from any generation, toy or comic but it has to be from "My Little Pony" and most importantly everypony has to stay in character and you should have fun with everything. This episode is special, you can pick from ANY recursive fanart you can pick from ANY recursive fanart, or fanwork done for the Pony POV Series, EVER, and have us tell the readers about it, and have us share the three us, OUR thoughts on it. If someone else has already done the one you wanted to, you can have one of the others do it! Just keep us in characters and it'll be fun! Oh, and we'll be prolonging this into as many parts as need be, so GO WILD!

When the card fell away, it revealed three beautiful painted gold with red cushions couches, with a large black wood and white marble table with a large collection of snacks. All centered around the What-If Machine that now a pegasus-projector connected to it. And Rarity had added beautiful drabs a new paint job while she was at it.

Rarity was in a custom bathrobe while Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash were still naked.

Pinkie looked at the camera, "Okay, first up! We have the first up! Yes! The first recursive works of the Pony POV Series, and some odd reason are the only one listed for us under the 'Recursive Works' trope page though OTHERS fanfics have a lot more of theirs listed! What's up with that? Anypony! Our first up is Discord Ponies Hater Sketch!" http://fav.me/d4d4xgw "By C8lin The Hedgie! Sadly she never wrote a reharmonization. This story is of an adult artist blank flank, who then gains her cutie mark by her friends telling her how much they love her art, then Discord has them throw AWAY her art to discord her turning her into a graffiti artist!"

"My word!" Rarity dismayed, "Just when I think Discord had run out of ways to make me ill at the thought of him, he proves us wrong, again."

"I don't care much for art, but geeze, I haven't heard a story about Discord's discording I haven't felt bad for yet! Jerk could have discorded Nightmare Moon and I bet he'd have made me feel sorry for her!"

"Having a discording story without a reharmonization does feel like having frosting without the cake . . . then again those are both delicious. But they aren't nearly as delicious as when together! But girls, this was the second to first recursive work EVER DONE for the Pony POV Series."

"The what now again?" RD asked.

"Oh just the chronicling of our lives the interviewers are doing."

"Oh. Right." Rainbow Dash smile and nodded and instantly accepted that answer.

"But ya can't have night without day … well, Nightmare Moon tried but it didn't work out so good, and here we go! THE VERY FIRST OF ALL RECURSIVE FANFICTION TO THE PONY POV SERIES! http://teyandee05.deviantart.com/gallery/33150793 "LETTERS TO PONIES! There's a letter addressed to each of us from when we were Discorded"

Pinkie Pie handed out a copy of the respective letter to Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and read her own.

RD tilted her head, "Okay, okay on the short and simplistic side . . . on second thought I really prefer it that way. Wish a good night's sleep is all it would have taken, but yeah, I really should have told you guys from the start."

Rarity read hers over and over, "I shall say. She, I presume she is a she, truly cares about us. But this is dated from so long ago . . . must be a typo. It's an honor to see that . . . even ponies I haven't met can know and care about well enough to speak to my heart."

"So about yours Pinkie Pie?"

" . . . It sure talks with the head a lot, but I was really thinking with my heart at the time. I think I can appreciate this letter more now that I'm REALLY all better, she really did do nice work."

"So how many of this 'recursive pictures, music, and stories are there?" RD asked.

"You know that warehouse I'm renting?"

"Oh dear." Rarity sighed.

Pinkie Pie grinned. "So let's see what's next!"

"Ooooh" Rainbow Dash noted, looking at the next thing in her hooves. This piece was much longer than the others, and split up into several different sections. "This thing's much longer than the letters to ponies. What's it called?"

Rarity looked at the title with Rainbow. It's called 'The POV Series Chaosverse: the redemption of discord and his chaotic daughter fluttercruel'. Hmmm, have we seen this before?"

"I'm not sure." Rainbow replied. "Let's read through it. It's probably a good read since it's so much longer than so many of the others." http://itsfrompeople.deviantart.com/gallery/40282079

---30 minutes later---

"ooooooooohhhhhhh" Rarity and RD muttered together.

"We have seen this before."

"This was the discord and fluttercruel who visited us several shows ago. The one that's nice, and the one that had those mismatched limbs."

Rarity gave a rueful smile. "I must say, the way that we all died defending against nightmare phobia was actually rather touching. Seeing that other me literally disappear with a smile on her face was a rather sad moment."

"Not mine." Rainbow Dash noted with a smile. "My death with the other applejack was just awesome. I'm honored I could have gone out with such a bang. Racing against a nightmare and causing a volcano to erupt is about 20% cooler a death than I would have expected." Rainbow paused for a moment to think. "Remind me before I die to look for an 'evil doppelganger' when I get to heaven."

Rarity looked at Rainbow like she'd just asked rarity to comb her hair into a beehive. "I most certainly will not do something like that Rainbow Dash! We have our own goodbyes for that time to worry about."

Pinkie meanwhile looked...pensive as she pondered all this. "Mmmm, I'd almost say that I became like that other pinkie pie. Able to be more serious, think of ways to help others outside of parties." A tear splashed from her eye. "And....that death of the other me felt....beautiful."

RD and Rarity gave pinkie a hug in response.

Pinkie then had another thought. "Wait. So in this universe, Discord was Celestia and Luna's Brother? How does that even work biologically?" All sorts of disturbing non-kid friendly thoughts went through Pinkie's head before Rarity snapped her out of it.

"I'm sure since they were all children of the great creator, biology is irrelevant in this situation."

"Oh, ok." Pinkie acknowledged, before she heard a doorbell.

“Hey! Did you start the party without us?“ Fluttercruel said while walking in, balancing several snacks on both wings.

“We brought hay fries, potato fritters and lots of candy.” Fluttershy added with a smile.

“Applejack’s on her way, she just needs to collect the purple bookworm from the library first.”

“So… er… is this an origami party?” Fluttershy finished as they noticed all the papers around the others.

“Not quite my dear, we are reading stories nice ponies have written about us and others.” Rarity said looking for the next tale.

“It’s a miracle that Twilight of all ponies is late to a reading party…”

“Actually we can see them on this pegasus-projector as well.” Pinkie pointed at the contraption behind them.

“Now this is a bit more like my style.”

Fluttercruel grabbed a random story out of the pile and took a look.

“It’s about Cheerilee and Berry Punch, sounds like fun.”

Soon the projector was activated as Pinkie dimed the light of the studio.

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about 15 minutes later the story was over and the light returned to normal -

“…”

“Cruel?” Fluttershy sounded genuinely worried.

“That giant jerk-face! There was no reason to do it like this. All that pointless cruelty’s just for that sick buck’s amusement! I bet he had already forgotten about Berry when she was dying because of his drink.” The face of the Pegasus had changed to a very colorful red.

“I didn’t even know these two were sisters.” Rainbow Dash tried to change subjects as fast as possible.

“The moment when Ruby still flinched when Cheerilee embraced her was truly heartbreaking.” Rarity tried to imagine what it would be like if Sweetie Belle gave her a similar reaction. She had come so close to hurt her beloved sister back then.

“I thought it was very touching how Berry tried to protect her daughter from her own weakness. She knew that she wouldn’t be able to resist if Ruby comes home with that poison still there.” Pinkie Pie said happy that unlike in the last story this time the pony who made the sacrifice did survive it.

The pink pony hugged Fluttercruel next to her.

“Feeling better Flutter’?”

“What, no 'Ruelly?” the pegasus retorted somewhat surprised but didn’t break the embrace.

“I thought you hated that nickname.”

“I do.” Fluttercruel said with a smile as she began to calm down again.

“Thank you. But no need get all mushy.” The pegasus looked around the room but nopony did make fun of her.

As the two ended their hug Fluttershy appeared for a brief moment. She didn’t say anything but her face was beaming with gratitude.

“Now who wants to choose the next story?” Pinkie Pie said towards the camera.

Pinkie Pie looked over the next one. "Oh! This one has my little cousin in it!"

The other ponies blinked. "Wait...you have a cousin?" asked Rainbow, looking confused.

"Yeah! Peachy Pie! She grows peaches! Come on, let's read it!"

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-About 15 minutes worth of reading later...

Fluttercruel smashed a glass in her hoof. "...Can we please find a version of my Old Man that I could actually beat up! Because I REALLY want to right now!"

Fluttershy gave an angry look. "...He nearly killed a couple of fillies? That's...inexcusable!"

"Well, there is that version of him where we stripped him of his powers, but no one's mentioned that fic yet, so spoilers," Pinkie said. "Maybe if somepony does we could...Poor Peachy, but at least she'll be ok now and is friends again."

Rainbow nodded. "And she sure knows a lot about peaches...I wonder if old Discord new there was even cyanide in them..."

"Well, on the positive side," said Rarity, trying to divert attention before Fluttercruel went berserk. "The story is quite nice and you do get the feeling this is a little filly speaking. In fact, it makes the sparse spelling errors add to the narrative instead of subtract from it. Quite interesting...And Peachy does sound like a sweet little filly."

"Hey! There's two other stories!" Rainbow pointed out.

Pinkie got a smirk. "Actually, let's save those for later, I think Twilight will get a kick out of them..."

"Alright everypony, let's take another one from the way way start of the series!" Pinkie Pie closed her eyes and pulled a story from the pile. "Ya know with all these stories we really should pick some fanart from the pile and . . ." She looked at the title. "We should do that right now I think."

"Hey! What gives Pinkie Pie!" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Maybe this isn't a story for you Dashie." Pinkie Pie then realized she had said the wrong thing.

"I'll be the judge of that!" She grabbed the story for herself and began to read. Not even putting it on the projector. Forcing the other to crowd around her.

"Ya know!" Pinkie Pie said quickly, "This story technically never bore the Pony POV Series label, so it's only inspired by Trixie's story and-"

"So it IS inspired by us," Rainbow Dash said.

"Okay, I Have GOT to see what the fuss is all about," Fluttercruel said.

"I worry what it could be," Rarity added.

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Ten Minutes Later-

Fluttercruel wasn't ranting about how low her father could go this time, Fluttershy instead was sitting on the end of the couch crying.

"This doesn't quite match up with what Gilda told me about her life . . . did she lie?" Rainbow Dash whispered.

"Well this was written a LONG TIME AGO, before things for us really got started, it's possible the writer took some liberties." Pinkie Pie said.

"So we can't know if it's true or not." Rarity said.

"We can't." Pinkie Pie said.

"I must say however, Gilda certainly has the wrong idea about ponies … and cutie mark." Rarity observed looking at hers. She certainly had never thought of herself as 'better' than griffins or donkeys for having one.

"So . . . so is Gilda really adopted?" Fluttershy asked.

"I don't know. This story sounds a little fishy to me." Rainbow Dash said, then whispered, " . . . Gilda . . . "

Pinkie Pie decided NOT to mention how Gilda had shown up at the studio from an earlier episode with heart felt letter in claw.

"It would explain why she at the Junior Speedsters camp with Rainbow. I mean, if she lived here in Equestria. It doesn't make sense she'd be all the way from the griffon kingdom for that." Fluttershy said.

" . . . Pinkie Pie, the last part of this story . . . that Gilda was an Element of Loyalty like Trixie was . . . does that mean there were four others that Discord tortured BEFORE us to test out his ways of hurting us?" Rainbow Dash asked.

Pinkie Pie shook her head, "I honestly don't know Dashie."

"Gilda as Loyalty though? She . . . she abandoned our friendship instead of swallow her pride and apologize." Rainbow Dash asked. "how could SHE be loyalty? If any of this story is true?"

"Since Twilight isn't here, I'll say it," Rarity spoke, "I think it's rather the same with Trixie. She was about as close to the OPPOSITE of the Element of Magic as she could get when we first met. Having a destiny, isn't the same thing as living up to it."

"So . . ." Pinkie Pie said uncomfortably, "Do we look at another story, or check our some art of us and our friends?"

From the corner, a too-familiar whirring noise started up. Pinkie pulled out a bag of pears. This time she was ready! As soon as the Doctor's brown face popped out from behind the TARDIS doors, she lobbed the fruit at him.

"We appreciate your enthusiasm! But you need to let somepony else have a chance to visit the studio!" Pinkie yelled.

"Gah - I'm just dropping something off! That's it!" the Doctor cried, ducking to put the TARDIS between himself and the barrage of fruit, "Truce!"

Pinkie paused in her fruit-throwing, and the Doctor hurried trotted over with a very large bottle of something very sparkly. He set it next to Rarity, who looked at it with puzzlement.

"Genuine rainbow diamond dust. Worth enough to cover the dress, the tiara, and all the bits and bobs I stole to make that scepter," the Doctor said quickly.

Rarity lifted the bottle with her magic, still obviously confused but with suspicion building.

"You stole -"

"Oh, I'd love to chat but I can't stay! Need to, err, iron my companion, you know how it is," the Doctor blurted, turning and running shamelessly for the TARDIS, "No need to show me the door Miss Pie, I have my own way out!"

And with that, the TARDIS whirred and vanished.

"...What just happened?" Rainbow Dash asked, scratching her head.

"Um… let me chose the next one." Fluttershy looked over the various tales around her and eventually took a single one. It was a three-part story.

"Hey, it is the one about Star-Catch… Celestia!" Pinkie Pie said as she put this one on the pegasus projector and the lights dimed.

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about 20 minutes later the story was over and the light returned to normal -

Fluttershy was hiding flawlessly behind Pinkie Pie.

"G…Gi…Giant dragon wi… with… fi… five heads… so many, many heads…"

"Give us a few minutes." Fluttercruel's voice could be heard.

"Seriously don't get so hang up on that one part." Rainbow said slightly annoyed. "It was a story about Celestia, not Ms. Five-Times-Awesome-Dragon-Queen."

"Then let us concentrate on the core of the tale, Dash. How Discord broke Celestia with the fear even her closest subjects and friends felt was truly saddening. It was almost like he broke Twilight. Discord could break neither Celestia nor Twilight directly but he used others to do it." Rarity said with a sombre tone. They would never forget how he turned every one of them against Twilight.

"But the interviewers were so nice to her, strange how much impact a few words can have, right Dashie?" the pink pony nudged her friend.

"I haven't forgotten that you were able to talk me down from becoming Nightmare I-Have-No-Idea-Some-Fancy-Name."

"We also used hugs!" Pinkie added with a beaming smile.

"My dears, let us not forget how the Princesses with the aid of their trusty army did defeat this dreadful giant nightmarish oversized creepy ruffian."

"Looks like Scoots was right, there are ponies who are dictionaries." Rainbow muttered to herself.

"It sounded really badflank, I really wish I could have seen it!" Fluttercruel complained, Fluttershy still hiding behind Pinkie Pie. The dragon phobia of her mother had caused them both to miss that scene and the part about the blood.

"The dragon is gone, Shy." Pinkie Pie said in a reassuring tone.

"Sorry, I just…" Fluttershy slowly walked out behind her pony cover. Then she took a deep breath to add her own opinion.

"But I did take a peak later and the part were Celestia does just have fun together with Twilight was really sweet. I felt like both really deserved it after everything they had been through." The pegasus said clearly without any stammering.

"Now what will the next story be?" Pinkie Pie said towards the camera.

"Hey! How about a change of pace and let's look at some pictures instead?" Pinkie took the two pictures near the bottom, "Here we go!" Pinkie Pie loaded them into the Pegasus projector, "By artist PsychoDemonFox who has been with the series from almost the beginning. And their two cool pictures, 'Stay Away From My Muffin!' and 'Applejack vs the zombies!'"

"Zombies?!" The three other ponies said.

"Oh my." Fluttershy whispered.

"Cool!" Fluttercruel and Rainbow Dash grinned.

"My word." Rarity said.

"Oh just give a try." Pinkie Pie.

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"Pencils and crayons darling? Really?" Rarity tilted her head.

"WOW!" Look at AJ go! Ka-pow!"

"Get'em! Get'em!" Fluttercruel cheered. Then her pose changed and Fluttershy said, "Oh . . . did Applejack have to knock poor Starlet's head off like that?"

"I'm pretty sure the idea behind this picture is What-if Applebloom got cursed and trapped in Sunnytown and Applejack was gonna tear the place to pieces to get her back." Pinkie Pie. Uh! I think!"

"How terrible!" Rarity whispered at the idea.

"Where IS Applejack and Twilight anyway?" Rainbow Dash asked.

Meanwhile...

'Ah feel positively golden and pretty! But could ya undo the spell before Ah start likin' this too much Twili?' AJ's mind thought telepathically to Twilight.

Twilight was going through her books with Spike's help. "That 'pony to gold' spell wasn't even SUPPOSED to work. Spike, keep turning the page for AJ. At least you're catching up your reading right Applejack?" Twilight said to the gold statue with the open book in front of it.

'Just find the counter-spell already Miss Full Pony Alchemist!'

And Back At the Studio...

"Pinkie Pie! Why'd you point the camera through the window with that telescope lens?" Rarity asked.

"Oh! No reason!"

"Well, I think that Starlet and the others have come a long way since this picture." Fluttershy said. "Mom get a clue, they're evil."

"Ladies please! Let us PLEASE focus on the art and pictures being presented and NOT ourselves, or I will have to ask both of you to please be quiet." Rarity admonished. "Now then! Let us see the second rendering of ourselves."

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"Derpy..." Rainbow Dash said sounding like somepony who had just had been visited by a cracked hoof.

"Derpy?" Fluttershy whispered.

"Derpy?!" Rarity looked confused.

"Derpy!" Pinkie Pie cheered. "HEY! This is from when Derpy was using a broom to fight off all those . . . little birds that . . . Fluttershy was using to . . . and Dinky and Derpy . . . uh."

"Please, I'll just please look this way please. If you please." Fluttershy turned her head from the picture, reminding her of her great shame.

Yeah. Pinkie Pie realized she had screwed up with Fluttershy. Again. It was from EXPERIENCE that Pinkie Pie had gotten her 'do not prank Fluttershy' rule . . . and it was not something Pinkie Pie wanted to think about. That she had done it again.

Fluttershy covered her head with a pillow so she didn't have to hear the comments.

"Well, Derpy looks really brave and noble there . . . for Derpy of course." Rainbow Dash had NOT forgotten the bumps, bruises, and electric shocks she had been forced to endure whenever Derpy had 'helped' with the weather team.

Rarity looked at the picture, had clearly not been done by a pro, and the angle of things reminded her of Pony Piccaso. But, "I think the artist did a very good job of catching the determination in Derpy's eyes. Focused to protect her child." Rarity gave Fluttershy a slight hug.

"Well I think it's bright and colorful! And gets the point across it's trying to get across!" Pinkie Pie praised. One mother against the horde! And you can tell the artist put a lot of heart into this!"

"Yes, I suppose she did." Rarity found herself agreeing. "Very much so."

"Alright, this next one is actually a SONG by one of the voice actors for the audio drama...I think the one about those stories we read about Clover."

Suddenly, the door opened and Twilight came in, a still golden but animated Applejack behind her. "Long story," Twilight admitted. "I'm looking for a spell to fix it, but for now, I at least let her move."

"Alright...Well, this next one is a song...for Discord..."

Rainbow Dash shudder. "Ugh, let's get this over with."

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"Well...that wasn't that bad," said Rainbow, thinking about it. "They got his voice right at least and it's kind of catchy."

"And it definitely fits his ego," Rarity followed. "And...Twilight, what's wrong?"

Twilight, however, was shuddering. "Oh...well...that was a song that he sung while...n-never mind..." she said, thinking back to Celestia's story and how Discord had killed Galaxia. "It's pretty well sung and they got his personality right. Let's go to something else."

"Okay, time for another story," Pinkie said as she put a new reel on the projector. "This one's about Mayor Mare!" Her friends settled down to watch as she flipped the switch. "Gosh, I hope that big meany-pants Discord took it easier on her than he did everypony else."

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After it ended, it took a few moments for the assembled ponies to speak. Dash finally broke the silence. "Well, guess he didn't. But at least she and her family are recovering like everypony else, so that's something, right?" She looked at her friends. Fluttershy looked hurt at being once again reminded of her reign as Princess Gaia; Twilight looked dismayed; and Rarity seemed shocked. Dash winced. AJ's golden face was unreadable (change of pace for the awful liar).

But somewhere deep down, Fluttershy was comforted a little that in spite of the ponies who had hated her guts or had turned her into an idol, she was reminded there HAD been some good caused by her plan, and had made ponies genuinely happy.

Twilight also silently wondered what the heck was up with Time Turner (or rather 'Doctor Whooves') and his apparent magically traveling blue shed that was much more than it appeared to be.

"The poor mare," Rarity shook her head, amethyst mane spilling. "I never knew... To have to go through life with such knowledge..."

"I know," Twilight said, giving her friend a nuzzle. "It's hard, really. I just thought I was being helpful around town, not like I was taking anything away from her."

"Oh, no," Rarity said. "I mean, a pink mane with brown coat? I can understand why she dyes; that is such a ghastly color combination!" The unicorn looked around at her friends. The scowls on their faces spoke volumes. "Oh for pity's sake, of course I noticed the rest of it, the indignities and transformation Discord subjected her too! But I thought she was relieved that we helped on occasion with some of her troubles."

"Maybe," Twilight said. "Celestia actually told me once that Ponyville has some of the best local administration in Equestria and it's due to her. I should tell her that." Twilight looked at her friends. "Maybe we just ought to take more notice of the ponies around us. If nothing else we can make sure they know how much we appreciate everything they do, and the fact that despite some of our, heh," she blushed, "less stable moments, they still treat us as kindly as they do."

Her friends were quietly subdued, as though thinking about the ponies they met every day and never thought twice about.

'Yeah,' The animated golden statue of Applejack thought, 'After what Ah saw in the Pool of Truth, maybe its time Ah made sure that th' ponies Ah talked to are actually doin' better.'

Pinkie Pie said, "Okay, time for something from the Shining Armor arc! This is the cutie mark of General Admiral Makarov, the big bad of the story."

Twilight grinned. "If I can decipher the meaning of his cutie mark, maybe I can figure out his special talent and let my BBBFF know about it!"

Pinkie Pie gave Twilight a look before saying, "Yeah, good luck with that."

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After carefully examining the cutie mark, Twilight got a blank look on her face as her brain crashed on her. Pinkie Pie said, "I had a feeling that this would happen. Twilight.exe has crashed and needs time to reboot."

Applejack said, "Great, at this rate Ah'm never gonna get turned back to normal."

Suddenly a Unicorn Guard Officer entered in a green uniform

"Right, stop that, it's silly!"

"...Huh?" Pinkie wondered as Guards wearing black overalls and red berets also entered.

"I'm Brigadier Audience of the Unified International Taskforce, and we've detected a considerable amount of uncontrolled silliness in this area."

"Silliness is kinda the point..." Rainbow Dash frowned.

"Yes, but there has been out of control silliness! Like characters arriving from nowhere!"

"Like you?" Fluttercruel smirked.

"Yes, precisely. Er, wait, no. I mean like that crazy white Pegasus and stuff like the giant pie that ended up on city hall last time."

Rainbow Dash whistled innocently.

"Anyway, we are here to fix some silliness and prevent future uncontrolled silliness!"

Pinkie gave a loud gasp.

"You mean you're taking over?! It's a military coup! Ooh, does this make me a war reporter?"

"Nope. We're just going to guard the area, won't even comment in future. And repair the building, this studio is civic property actually. Looks like you fought a giant robot chicken in here. Nice marble table though."

"Thank you, darling!"

"Oh. So, what do we do while you guys fix the place up?"

"Well, you can all check some nice cutie marks. Not the vomit stain from before again, though. Oh, yes, Blinkings? Statue of the gold there, five phoenix teardrops, rapid."

A Corporal went over to Applejack.

"...Yeah, good idea, Kendell2 wanted to do Seeds of Magic next, and we would've needed to restore her then anyway," said Pinkie.

"Finally! Thank ya kindly, Corporal," Applejack said.

"Let's get looking at those other cutie marks!" Pinkie cheered.

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"Ooh, there's Fluttercruel's! Still looking nice!"

"...I think a honey badger would have been cooler," 'Cruel sighed.

"Apple Pie... huh, apples and oranges?" Applejack spoke up.

"Well, I guess it's a sort of paradox," Twilight nodded.

"But the Apples and Oranges are relatives, doesn't that seem... Silly?" Dash grinned.

"Dash, they're Guards, they say they won't comment, they won't comment."

"Dang! Ah, well, next one... Oh, now that's more like it, a thunderbolt!"

"Nice minimalist design, one color on the main bolt. N-not that multiple colors are bad of course, it's just it's kind of... Oh, I've said something silly, the guard will arrest me!" Fluttershy squeaked.

"Stop being silly about being silly, everypony. Hey, is this one of Applejack's relatives?" Twilight kept things moving.

"Yup, Ellis from Savanneigh. Pity his cutie mark just shows he's good at fixin' stuff and don't warn ya never ta ask him ta use a 'little' dynamite ta take down a barn..."

"Yeah, some of the bits nearly hit my house... I had it half a mile up and three miles away!" Dash shuddered.

Pinke grinned nervously.

"Hehe, well, uh, nopony asked him to add a little more to, uh, make it a more... fun explosion or anything, nope! Next one, a crossbow over an abacus!"

"Ah, yeah, this one makes a lot of sense, archery needs decent math skills, and as a cutie mark you can see the stylised nature of items as depicted in the mark itself - After all, you'll notice even with our own cutie marks and marks in town, where an object is depicted it's not a strictly realistic interpretation..." Twilight promptly summoned a soapbox.

"That next one might come in hoofy to translate some of her longer lectures," 'Cruel sighed.

"It fits 'er point too though, see how it's a stylishised version 'o the globe?" Applejack nodded.

"Don't you start!"

"Last one, a... medic! From a rock farming background I bet. Hm, we should have a medic in our group too..."

"Uh, Pinkie, you know I'm actually a qualified first aider 'cos of my weather job?" Rainbow Dash noted.

"Er, Rainbow Dash, darling... you're the one of us that usually is most likely to need a medic," Rarity said nervously.

"...Well, that's about it, next recursive or fanart work!" Pinkie grinned, as the UNIT troopers began to leave the studio with repairs finished.

"Alright, next one's about an alternate universe!" Pinkie Pie announced.

"You mean like that alternate you who was from that verse where Ah was Laughter?" asked Applejack, cocking her head.

"Yeah! But this is a different Applejack! Let's take a look!"

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Fifteen minutes of reading later…

"Wow...Ah...Ah remember that day…" Applejack said, looking a bit scared.

"It must've been when the universes diverged. In our universe, the branch didn't hit you, in theirs it did...from then on, uh...Abigal charted out a completely different life from you…"

"Ah already knew that much, tah tell yah the truth. But it's just a little scary tah remember that day, feel sorry for her that she actually got hit."

"That said, I must admit, the writer does a fabulous job of depicting her accent. Not quite yours, but not purely Manehattenite. Quite the impressive feat."

"And the way he described her finding out what was happening...ugh…" Rainbow Dash replied. "Makes me sore just thinking about it...I can't imagine if it happened to my wing…"

"

But hey, it's not ALL bad!" Pinkie pointed out. "She didn't give up!"

"She's an Apple, we Apples never quit," said Applejack, giving a proud smile.

"Plus, I thought it was kind of funny how she managed to do what she did. And to see someone ELSE'S alternate universe self for a change!" Fluttercruel stated, smiling.

"Twilight, what did you...Twilight?"

"...An Earth Pony...she knew unicorn magic...she can do unicorn magic…"

Twilight said, twitching.

"Technically, it's just usin' Earth Pony magic in a way no one ever thought of doin' before…" Applejack defended.

"...Earth pony magic...copying unicorn magic…"

Pinkie smiled nervously. "Uh...we need to let Twilight reboot, if anyone else wants to do the next chapter of Seeds of Magic, feel free…"

As Twilight's mind was left reeling, she remembered from their last get together in this studio.

Just as twilight was about to step outside and lock up the studio for a while, a bright flash of light manifested in the center of the room. Twilight turned, horn down, ready to defend against whatever was coming. The light gently subsided, and twilight suddenly gawked.

There, in the center of the stage, was her again. Only this time, Twilight quickly caught the fact that this other self was much bigger than her, and she had a pair of wings.

"What's going on? Why am I here instead of in the timestream?" The other twilight spoke confusedly.

Twilight walked up to her and said, "And what twilight in all the multiverses are you?"

The other twilight turned and looked at the reharmonized twilight. "Why Twilight, why would you say something like that?"

"I've been in this crazy studio enough times to know that most people who I don't know are from another universes. So, where are you from?"

The alicorn looked twilight square in the eye, and then without warning, smirked. "Why twilight. Don't you recognize me from the last time I visited?"

Twilight's eyes went wide. "Twilight the Unicorn?"

The alicorn stood tall and proud, looking like she was about to go into lecture mode. "Twilight the unicorn is no more. From now on, as I always was, I am AMICITIA ZORYA SPES EQUESTRIA."

Twilight looked as though she had 100 questions to ask this alicorn version of herself, but finally she settled on the obvious question. "What happened to your home world?"

Amicitia smiled warmly at twilight. "Well, after we went back, we won."

Twilight grinned at that. "How?"

Amicitia grinned like a cheshire cat, and immediately conjured up two soap boxes to tell the whole story.

--25 minutes later--

Twilight Sparkle was flabbergasted. But, like when her mind was in crazy state, she still found a way to talk. "So, you became an alicorn by answering important questions, fighting against Razarroo, and finally meeting with the mother of all creation which was after you summoned 6 sets of the elements of harmony from through time and merged with Nightmare Paradox?"

"Pretty much" was the reply.

"But, I don't understand."

"What?"

Twilight looked like she had a big question on her mind. One that would have deeply hurt her depending on the answer, but then she remembered she needed to lock up, and decided to wait on it.

"Look, I'm not totally sure how this studio works, but somehow people from across dimensions keep showing up here. I'm sure we'll meet up again sometime, but I need to finish locking up."

Amicitia looked confused. "Are you sure?"

Twilight looked torn still, but she eventually smiled, and hugged the big alicorn. "It doesn't matter right now. I just wanted to tell you how happy I am that your world is free, even if your work is never going to end. Thank you for never giving up on friendship."

Amicitia hugged back, and as amicitia disappeared from the studio, twilight's horn lit up, and the whole studio went dark. Waiting for the light that would come for it in no time.

"So darling, I was thinking, if I spent my nights sleeping as a diamond statue, I'd be extending my life span and my beauty years!" Twilight heard Rarity saying as she slowly came to.

"Alright, now that Twilight's back on her hooves, let's continue with part two!" Pinkie Pie announced, smiling.

"Um, Pinkie, darling, do you think that's such a good idea?" asked Rarity, thoughtfully.

"Yeah, trust me, this one might help her a little!"

Twilight sighed. "Alright, do it..."

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15 minutes later.

"Ah...Ah stayed with Aunt and Uncle Orange there too?" asked Applejack, awestruck. "Dang! How many universes do Ah end up stayin' with 'em?!"

"Known universes? Four..." said Pinkie, looking at a checklist. "Two where you're Orangejack, her different husbands, this one, and one where you're Orangejack, but ended up being the permanent Element of Generosity..."

"...Thanks Pinkie..." said Applejack, remembering the pain of seeing her potential foals, only for them to be torn away.

Fluttercruel gave a laugh. "I liked how she showed that teacher a thing or two! Classic!"

Fluttershy nodded. "Yes, but he wasn't a bad person, he was just overwhelmed..."

Rainbow Dash smirked. "Still, her proving she could do it was cool...feel bad she got picked on though. I know what that's like, it ain't fun..." Fluttershy nodded in agreement.

Rarity smirked. "Well I for one am enjoying a slightly more refined version of Applejack in these stories."

Fluttercruel cut in before Applejack could voice her complaint. "You know what else I liked? How her Twilight handled it!"

Twilight blushed. "In my defense, it's much easier for a foal to accept something than an adult..."

Pinkie produced a picture of a young Twilight trying to wash the stripes off a zebra ambassador, causing the mare to blush more.

"...Point taken...but still, it would be easier to accept a fundamental difference in magic if I hadn't learned about it, and hearing some about how it works makes it easier to accept...In fact, I'd kind of like to study it a bit more!"

"Hang on Twilight, let's let another writer in on this! And maybe even read a different story real quick, don't want one Shadow to have all the fun!"

The group went through the pile of stories, pictures and songs when Rarity did hold something up.

"My dears, I found something different this time."

Quickly they gathered around the Pegasus projector as Pinkie Pie put the picture on it.

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"Wow! This is pure badflank! She really ticked off the old man. Three Yays for her!" Fluttercruel cheered.

"All these injuries and she is still taking them like nothing, she must be protecting somepony..." Fluttershy added.

Twilight took a deep breath.

"It is Mimic’s final battle against Discord. She has protected... her two beloved foals and her friends from him but she will pay a high price for knocking out his tooth. But the wound she inflicted remained to this very day."

"I can see the pure determination in her eyes. Don’t tell mah she was..." Applejack hesitated.

Twilight nodded sadly.

"Way to ruin the mood, Rarity." Dash added dryly.

"Hey, she went out wounding Discord forever, I thought you would find that idea cool." The white unicorn said.

"Shows what you know about coolness, this isn’t cool, it is awesome. Totally different story."

"Heh, I guess we have another pony dictionary under us. But let us take a closer look at the picture: There is a really good contrast between her colorful mane and Discord’s grey head and neck. And that is not the only contrast, despite her many injuries she is the one smiling with determination while Discord just got one injury but he looks ready to snap completely. It is a really powerful picture." Rarity finished using her eye for details.

"Let's take a look at another story." Pinkie said as took out some more pages.

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After some silence Rainbow Dash was the first to speak, "Wait, this didn't actually happen, did it?"

"Nope." said Pinkie, "It's just some humorous story that some shadow decided to write."

"So is this the same Darkseid and High Father from the Superstallion comics?" Twilight wondered.

Everypony stared at her. "What?" said Twilight, "There are comics at the library, you know. I was just going off of what I remember from those."

"I must say, it was interesting, to say the least, to get a look at Princess Celestia and Discord during their...uh... younger days." said Rarity.

"Your telling me? Reading a story where the old man is a baby is just plain weird." said Fluttercruel.

"Yeah, well it was kind of funny seeing baby Celestia dress up her High Father toy in a frilly pink dress." said Rainbow Dash.

Twilight thought for a second, "Wait a minute, Applejack, was this really one of the universes you saw in the Truth?"

"Ah think so, but the thing is ah saw so many different worlds that it's hard to keep track of all them in mah head." said Applejack.

"Well, whether it actually happened or not, I did like seeing what set the princess off to become the wonderful ruler she is today." said Twilight.

"But did Discord's mother really have to go and destroy his toy like that?" Fluttershy asked, "I know he was being mean, but it did seem a bit much."

Twilight spoke again, "From what Princess Celestia's told me, it does fit in with Entropy's personality for her to wipe someone from existence for implying that they control her. But at the same time, I can't imagine her wasting her power like that to what essentially is just a toy, albeit a sentient toy."

-Meanwhile-

Entropy was looking at the exact same story, "THIS IS JUST ABSURD. I WOULD NEVER WASTE MY POWER ON SOME INSIGNIFICANT TOY."

"Actually, Dear, Yes You Would." said Havoc, "I Even Have Proof." he said as he took out video taped evidence of Entropy destroying a Darkseid toy for saying that it controlled her."

"SHUT UP! YOU DO NOT EXIST!"

Havoc snapped himself back into existence, "I Really Wish You Would Stop Doing That. It Can Get Kind Of Annoying At Times."

"All righty, time for another great picture from the pile! Ennie-minnie-moe! And here we go!" Pinkie Pie looked at the picture, "Wow, this is really well done . . . uh, Fluttershy, could you please look the other way and cover your ears?"

" . . . is it about . . . when I did wrong?"

"Uh, yes?"

"Then I'll watch it."

Rarity shook her head, "REALLY DARLING! There is no need in torturing yourself over it."

"I have to agree," Twilight said, "You don't have to relive bad memories over and over, it's not healthy."

" . . . but it wasn't all bad for everypony. And . . . Princess Celestia told I need to see what I did right AND wrong."

"When did she say that?" Twilight wondered.

"Just before coming over here." Fluttershy lied.

AJ narrowed her eyes, "Fine! Ya wanna see the truth? Fine. Show the picture Pinkie Pie."

"Actually AJ, you might want-"

"Don't start Pinkie, just show it."

Rainbow Dash put a wing around Fluttershy, Rarity put a hoof.

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Rarity spoke with maturity, "I must say . . .the um, expression are flawless. The body language is individualistic to each pony, the details are all true to life, and the colors are spot on, the mist adds to the ambiance without being intrusive, the background is to the point without feeling as if it was just glazed over, and you . . . really get a feeling of what each pony is . . . feeling."

"Pure absolute happiness," Fluttershy said, "Of living in a world where they have what they want."

"Erm, yes darling, and Applejack . . . she, she stands out perfectly, and . . . Applejack, I can tell what you feel."

"Ah figure, it's the same what Twili' felt, when Discord screwed us all in the head. All alone."

"We were ALL alone," Twilight said, "In our own personal fantasies."

"I gotta say, the eyes look a lot cooler and nicer than how they look when Discord brainwashes ponies." Pinkie Pie said.

"Thank you." Fluttershy said, "I just wanted everypony to be happy."

Pinkie Pie brought out a list, "So to recount.
Trixie's fantasy was to be Celestia's apprentice who saved Equestria with the power of friendship. A lot like that universe where we're all jerks and Celestia went Nightmare instead of Luna."

Twilight cringed.

"Archer was a super hero who protected ponies with her bow. Silver wanted to be friend with Diamond Tiara again in spite of saying she was done with her. Snip and Snails were Trixie's apprentices. Ruby wished her mom would stop drinking so much . . . I guess that one is coming true. Scootaloo wanted to fly and have Rainbow Dash adopted by her family, that last bit is a little weird."

"Yeah right." Rainbow Dash whispered.

"Oh and Rarity wanted Prince Blueblood to be her prince charming after all."

"PInkie Pie I believe that's enough." Rarity blushed red.

"These are all rather private Pinkie Pie." Twilight Sparkle pointed out.

"But none of this canon! So we don't need to worry about it! . . . But then it starts sounding like that fanfic series our Shadow-Who-Makes doesn't like that shall not be named."

"WHAT shadows darling?" Rarity asked.

"Yeah what shadows? You guys keep throwing that word around." Rainbow Dash added.

"NOTHING YOU NEED TO WORRY ABOUT!" Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Twilight Sparkle all said at the same time.

"Trust me darlin', yer better off NOT knowin'! Ah swear on mah ma and pa's graves!"

"And back on topic," Pinkie Pie said, "We don't have anything to be ashamed of Twilight. None of our fantasies were really BAD or mean! It shows that deep down we're all good ponies!" She pulled out a script book, reading through it, "You just wanted us to live with you in Canterlot and Spike never to grow up, so you didn't have to choose between all of us and your parents and Celestia. You love ALL of us! MY fantasy was to open an amusement park . . . that one is kinda coming true I guess. Come Visit Miniature Ponyville when it opens! And Rainbow Dash . . ."

"Can we please please please not go into my fantasies!"

"Sure . . . we'd run out of space on the camera if we did that anyway."

Everypony giggled. Rainbow Dash blushed.

"Applejack," Fluttershy said.

"Yes darlin'?"

"Thank you for saving me. And I'm sorry for what I did."

"Yer welcome darlin, and no hard feelin's, and that's no lie." They hugged.

"Oh! Looks like we're running out of power on the camera already!" Pinkie Pie said.

"So soon? We just got here!" AJ protested. "And I spent half of it as a statue . . ." AJ got a distant look in her eyes, "Which now thadda think about it . . . wasn't that bad . . . kinda relaxin' really." Twilight knocked her had. "OW! Thanks Twili'."

"I still want to give that spell a try myself please darling." Rarity said.

"girls, don't turn a short gag into a plot tumor." Pinkie Pie said.

"PINKIE PIE!" Rarity's face blushed right red, Fluttershy hide her head in the pillows, "What does that have to do with . . . our unmentionables! I'd wash your muzzle out with soup if you were a filly! . . . And what's at tumor?"

"I've never heard of those either." Twilight Sparkle said, "What are they?"

"Nothing ponykind ever needs to know about!" Pinkie Pie said quickly, "So girls, just stay put! I just need to change the batteries, hey Twilight, can you give them a quick recharge?"

Twilight didn't like being treated like a recharge station but, "Alright Pinkie Pie if it'll help."

"Good, now just stay still like I hook up these jumper cables to your horn."

"PInkie Pie!" Twilight took some trots back, "Wait! WAIT!-"

*ZAP!*

The camera fizzled out.

A picture of Derpy wearing a buffaloo style head dress appeared on the screen, along with the message:
"WE ARE EXPERIENCE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES! STAY TUNED AND WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK!"

-TO BE CONTINUED

Author's Note

Hey Everypony! Something different this time around! This time us ponies are gonna be looking at all the different recursive works written for the Pony POV Series over the years! But the same rules apply as always and YOU lovely ponies you are the writers are still the writers of this cute little tale!

What you put in the comments appears in the story.

Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall.

The camera can’t leave the studio.

The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from “My little Pony”

Everything that happens here is non-canon.

Have Fun

Additions:
eric-emanwu (EDITED FOR CONTINUITY!)
ItsFromPeople
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn
OracleMask
ItsFromPeople
Alex Warlorn ("AJ beats up Sunnytown" and "Stay Away from my muffin(dinky)")
Kendell2 ("You're Only Second Rate")
ArDashir ("Civic Duty")
All at Once:
-jmcdavid (Makarov cutie mark)
-LZ091 (SA Arc cutie marks)
-Kendell2 (Seeds Of Magic)
-eric-emanwu (Dark World Good-bye tribute!)
Kendell2 (Seeds Of Magic Part 2)
-ItsFromPeople (Hurts Doesn't It?)
-sherlock-holmes18 ("Baby Discord meets Darksied")

Alex Warlorn ("Festival Of Fools")
-Bridge To Next Part

MLP FIM Copyright Hasbro

Preview image by Kendell2

EDIT: changed links. Thanks to LZ for the tip.

Recursive Fanworks Theater of the Pony POV Series Part 2

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show
Pony POV Series
"Non-Canon"
By Alex Warlorn
The Recursive Fanfic And Fanart Theater Part 2

The studio returned to view...with Pinkie being chased around by a rather angry Twilight. "I am not a battery Pinkie Pie!"

"I'm sorry! But we only have unicorn based batteries! And you're the best recharger I have!"

Rainbow Dash just watched them running around the studio while the others leafed through the works to find their next one. Rainbow sighed bored. "Well, guess since the broadcast light is on SOMEPONY needs to be doing something fun...Maybe I'll see if this stupid What If Machine will show me what I'll be like as a Wonderbolt..."

Rainbow turned on the What If Machine and it flickered to life.

Twilight set in her library, around a roaring fire, a blizzard raging outside. The Roe Deer Doe politely walked over to Rainbow Dash, the Reindeer anxiously looking out the window. "Rainbow Dash, calm down."

"I can't! I need to practice my jumping! I've got so many tricks to try out and it's a blizzard!"

"Um...Rainbow...please calm down...you can practice jumping inside..." said Fluttershy, the other Reindeer trying to settle down her friend.

"Yes, Rainbow, settle down. You'd think a grizzly was right behind you with how you're acting," Rarity added, the other Roe coming over to her. "Just relax, darling and enjoy the snow."

"Rarity's right Rainbow, now come on a relax, we can tell stories or somethin'," Applejack nodded, the moose, even if she was a female, having a bit of height over her friends.

"Yeah! Now come on! Let's have some fun! We're snowed in so we might as well enjoy it!" Pinkie Pie announced, the other moose hopping over excitedly with agility surprising for her large size.

Rainbow grumbled. "Fine...But I get to tell the first story!"

"So you're saying you're my descendant from the distant future?" Clover asked to Twilight Sparkle.

"Yes! And I don't know how I got here! But I'm not alone! Things from different eras of time are being displaced!"

"And this 'Nightmare Moon is one of them?" asked Starlight, looking up at the moon and night sky in the middle of the day.

Bright Eyes examined the seven Elements of Harmony directly in front of them. "And these devices are the only things that can stop her?"

"Yes! And one, the seventh one just showed up out of nowhere, and two, they're magic, not devices!"

"Magic isn't real, that's preposterous."

Twilight growled and moved her mane to reveal her horn. "I'm a unicorn!" she yelled, then levitated the box and did a few more minor spells. "See? Magic! And...Bright Eyes?"

Patch sighed as Bright Eyes just stared blankly at the display. "I think you broke her."

"Wait...so I grow up to be the bad guy?!" asked Dissy, staring up at Rainbow Dash.

The cyan Pegasus rubbed her head. "Well...Y-Yeah...but you've still got a lot of choices ahead of you, so THIS you might have a different life..."

"Now now, don't listen to Rainbow Crash, mini me," said a voice as Discord snaked around his younger self. "You'll love being the Crowned Prince of Chaos someday! Believe me! It'll be a blast!"

Dissy looked around at the chaos his older self had wrought. His friends suffering, Celly and Lulu turned to gold and silver statues. "No...No!" the little Draconequus screamed, sending off a pulse of Chaos that sent his adult self flying and crashing through a wall. "I will not become you!" he yelled, teleporting to his friend's sides and freeing them from his older self's spell. "I refuse to be you!"

Discord chuckled darkly. "Don't you get it? I loath cause and effect, but I still exist! That means you still become me!" His eyes went wide as he saw a familiar red orb form in his younger self's hand. "No...You aren't supposed to know you can do that yet!"

"Chaos is unpredictable, isn't it?" Dissy asked, the little draconequus blowing his older self half way across Equestria (and almost in half) with the Destruction spell.

"Ready to blow have pun today, Rainbow Dash?" Asked Derpy, excitedly.

Rainbow nodded. "Yeah, Derpy, let's go, day's a wasting!" the two trotted off like best friends.

"Enough!" yelled Rainbow, shutting it off. "Ok, us all being deer I can get, Twilight, Discord, and me ending up in the past, ok, but me and Derpy being BFFs? No way! That's just crazy!"

"Um. Rainbow Dash?" asked Pinkie, now hog tied and suspended in Twilight's telekinesis while the unicorn read a mind numbingly long essay on the history of batteries. "I think we should start the show now..."

"Oh...yeah...right..."

"Uh...can you hold up the rules? I'm indisposed..."

"Oh...ok...like this?" Rainbow asked, getting the card where it materialized out of Pinkie's hammerspace and held it up to the camera.

Remember Da Rules: Nopony besides me can see through the fourth wall, the camera can’t leave the studio, the guest characters could be from any generation, toy or comic but it has to be from "My Little Pony" and most importantly everypony has to stay in character and you should have fun with everything. This episode is special, you can pick from ANY recursive fanart you can pick from ANY recursive fanart, or fanwork done for the Pony POV Series, EVER, and have us tell the readers about it, and have us share OUR thoughts on it. If someone else has already done the one you wanted to, you can have one of the others do it! Just keep us in characters and it'll be fun! Oh, and we'll be prolonging this into as many parts as need be, so GO WILD!

Working together, the others talked Twilight down from finishing the essay. While everypony else worked to clear all the soapboxes that had sprouted out of the ground like daisies, Pinkie Pie wriggled her way out of the restraints.

"Okay! Let's look at something new," Pinkie said, grabbing a pair of stories and putting them on the projector one at a time.

Rarity caught a glimpse of the title and winced.

"Really, dear? Him? Surely there's somepony else we can read about..."

"No way! I never got to meet your crush at the Gala," Rainbow said, eliciting a scowl from Rarity at the idea of Blueblood being anypony's crush after they'd met him, "I say we read it!"

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Everypony looked thoughtful afterwards.

"Hmm, I suppose there was more to Blueblood than I thought," Rarity noted, "He actually seems...humble. Or at least aware of what a boorish pony he is, and trying to be better. Maybe he's more of a Prince Charming than a Prince Charmless after all..."

"Too bad that Spell mare beat you to him," Fluttercruel noted, making Rarity's expression fall.

"That being turned to ice part was kinda creepy," Rainbow said, "AND being chased by a fire stallion! Good thing we kicked Discord's flanks before it was too late."

"Yeah!" Pinkie agreed, "Even if I could've lived with chocolate milk rain, none of his games were much fun for anypony! And this one was absolutely positively dangerous!"

"I didn't realize I had that much in common with Blueblood," Twilight said, "We were both separating ourselves from other ponies. But I did it to myself by choice: Blueblood was raised that way."

Maybe the next time she was in Canterlot, Twilight thought, she'd make time to say hello. Not to mention that that looking-through-walls spell he had sounded useful.

"Here's the next story!" Pinkie said as she whipped another reel of film out and set it on the projector. The others gathered around and watched. As the title began to play, Fluttershy whispered to Twilight, "Oh, it's one about Princess Celestia's alter ego? I hope they don't try and make her out to be a bad pony the way some Shadows do."

"So do I," Twilight whispered angrily. "But I don't think it's about her. The name is spelled differently."

"That's right, it isn't," Pinkie Pie said, gripping Fluttershy on one side and Twilight on the other. "I know her, she's a sweet filly and she really likes Celestia! She won't say anything bad about her." Contented by that, the ponies settled down to watch.

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And then when it was over...

"Blast Discord!" Twilight snorted, hot crimson sparks running along her horn. Fluttershy and Pinkie tried to calm their friend, but she ignored them. "He used Celestia's sun to terrorize a filly? Every time I think he can't sink any lower he proves me wrong. Oh, if I had the power to make him suffer for every nasty trick he ever pulled, I..." Her voice broke off as something like a dark, cruel smile seemed to flash before her mind's eye, along with a warning head shake from that strange alicorn she remembered, Amicitia something? "Then again just keeping him from hurting ponies is enough."

Unnoticed by Twilight, Pinkie seemed to heave a sigh of relief. Meanwhile Fluttershy said, "Now, Twilight, it wasn't all bad, remember? She's not angry at Celestia and doesn't say bad things about her, not like those tabloid journalists." Twi calmed further as she added, "That and she seems to be recovering from everything that happened. Even what I," she swallowed, "What I did as Princess Gaia." The two friends nuzzled each other.

"Awww!" Fluttershy and Twilight jumped as Pinkie spoke. "The Shadows all like it when we act cute like that! And I'm happy to see that Sunny Daze is doing better too." She added, with just a hint of loss in her voice, "I hope she starts surfing again." Pinkie smiled and added in her normal tones, "On to the next reel!"

“I got two stories here, they are from the attention horse with the big box from earlier.” Fluttercruel said while holding up two chapters.

“He is just a bit… eccentric. He works really hard to help others.” Fluttershy added, seemingly knowing more.

“Hm? Do you think he could handle dating us?” Fluttercruel whispered with a mischievous smile.

“Just let us take a look at the story.” Her mother would not go into this argument.

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Soon the pegasus projector was finished with the two stories.

“Well, I must say he is a rather charismatic fellow, with a mostly upbeat personality despite all the hardships he went through. He seems to get well along with Derpy, Celestia, his other companions and almost everybody he meets. After all the gloom and doom around Discord it is really nice to see somepony with a positive attitude.” Rarity mused.

“And he doesn’t like pears. Ah think that’s a good sign.” Applejack said.

“Yeah, that is the positive. And sometimes he gets a bit too manipulative for his own good and takes the ponies around him for granted. Plus you also forget to mention the teeny tiny problem that he was corrupted by Discord by exploiting his wish to save others.” Rainbow added with a sour look.

“Even after the Elements did hit him, he was still paralysed with fear and almost tried to take over the world to make up for his failures… But the interviewers did help him to recover afterwards. Hey, they keep doing that. They must really like helping others. We should throw them a big ‘thank you’ party!” Pinkie Pie cheered.

“Who doesn’t like helping others if have to push them outside a door to do it?” Fluttercruel chuckled, somehow getting flashbacks at the dragon migration.

“But his story seems far from over. There are a few more chapters left.” Twilight pointed out while quietly reading over the later chapters at a blazingly fast speed.

"Now if this would be a commercial I would pause and say that you should totally read these as well but we are not doing this here.” Pinkie Pie said with a smile into the camera.

Pinkie Pie said, "Okay, here's another one. It's about what Discord did to Octavia, and how she recovered from it."

Applejack shuddered. "Take it from me," she said, "what happened to Octavia was not pleasant. And Ah should know, since Ah helped her with it."

Pinkie Pie nodded. "Yeah, it's kind of depressing at first, but it has a happy ending."

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After the pegasus projector was done, everyone felt one thing: sympathy.

Fluttershy was the first to speak. "Poor Octavia. What Discord did to us was bad enough, but at least he didn't torture us with our own special talents."

Twilight said, "Poor Octavia. I'm really glad you were able to help her, Applejack."

Applejack said, "Aw shucks, it was nothing. Ah just found out a pony was suffering from what Discord did to her, and Ah gave her some advice to help her overcome the torture he inflicted on her."

Fluttercruel said, "All right, I've decided. I really hate the old man for doing something like this. It's just inexcusable."

Pinkie Pie said, "Hang on, we can't go getting angry at him like that yet! Keep smiling!"

Rarity said, "Indeed. It would be most unladylike to allow our anger to control us like that. After all, we can't do anything to him in our current situation."

Rainbow Dash said, "It kind of stinks that we can't do anything about it, but I guess you're right."

Pinkie Pie said, "All right, keep them coming! Give us another recursive work!"

Pinkie Pie said, "All right, here's one where we took a slightly different route with Discord. And before you ask, no, we didn't kill him.

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Rainbow Dash said, "Now that's what I'm talking about! We should have actually done that instead of turning him to stone!"

Twilight facehoofed. "I can't believe I didn't think to try something like that. That would have been a much smarter choice."

Rarity said, "Well, you know what they say, dear. Hindsight is 20/20."

Applejack said, "Still, it might be a good idea to ask the Princesses about that, in case the varmint manages to escape again."

Pinkie said, "Sorry, all this is non-canon. So that's not really an option, even if it's a good idea."

Twilight said, "Still, who knows what sorts of changes to the timeline using the Elements on Discord like that would have caused? It's said that even the smallest change to history can have a massive effect on the future, and this is a pretty major change."

Applejack thought about the Pool of Truth, but decided not to mention it.

"Alright, the next one is actually for..." Pinkie trailed off for a moment, looking at Twilight. "A story arc centering on some members of the guard, but from a different point of view!"

Twilight blinked. "Pinkie, are you hiding something?"

"Nope! Roll fic!"

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"Wow...that was...dark…" said Rainbow Dash, a little uncomfortable seeing an assassination attempt from the assassin's point of view. Not to mention the implications of the ending...

"I agree. Me and the Diamond Dogs are on relatively decent terms right now, so I can say they aren't all greedy brutes. It's kind of sad to see something like this. Poor Pedro was in so far over his head on this one and didn't realize it…" Rarity followed up.

"...General Lionhart of Columbia once said 'There's no good or bad side. Just two sides holding different views.' He meant it in the context that for most soldiers or guards, if they fight someone the odds are good the other fighter is only fighting because it's their orders," Twilight quoted.

"I can agree with that. And I kinda like this one for looking from the other side of the coin and showing what was going through this poor guy's head. Considering what I am, I can appreciate getting to see what's going on in the 'monster's' head. What did we see of him in the actual thing?" Fluttercruel asked.

Pinkie Pie took out a script.

"Mainly he snuck into the embassy to assassinate somepony, got chased, and then well...the bad guys leave no witnesses when it comes to the Diamond Dogs…"

The room fell silent.

"...Well...that's...disturbing…" said Rarity, shuddering.

"...Who was the soldier that he was trying to...kill?" Like most ponies, the idea of intentionally trying to murder someone seemed so...wrong to Twilight.

"Shining...Sword!"

Twilight blinked. "Shining Sword?"

"Yep! Shining Sword! Completely different from Shining Armor! No relation!"

"But…"

"Oh, look at the time! we'd better be moving on! Next story!"

"Wait a sec-"

"Next story!"

Pinkie Pie said, "Whoa, this one Shadow is really on a roll! Here we've got a two-parter about a certain wall-eyed mailmare!"

Rainbow Dash snorted. "You mean Derpy? This should be good for a laugh."

Applejack said, "Stop right there, Rainbow Dash. If'n ya knew her, yer opinion of her would be very different."

Twilight said, "That's right, it's not a very good idea to judge a pony like that unless you really know them."

Pinkie Pie said, "And these should give you a very good idea about what she's really like. By the way, Fluttershy? A bit of warning. The second one kind of touches on what you did as Princess Gaia, but it also shows some of the good that came from that incident. So without further ado, we'll start out with Mine No More."

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When the pegasus projector was done, everyone was depressed by seeing what Derpy had been put through.

Rainbow Dash said, "Damn, I really put my hoof in my mouth saying this would be good for a laugh, didn't I?"

Applejack said, "Afraid so, sugarcube."

Rarity said, "Oh my. I had no idea Dinky was adopted. She and Derpy have always acted like a real mother and child, and it is not impossible for ponies to have children that belong to other races, as the Cakes proved with Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake."

Twilight said, "That was a very cruel way for him to break her. And that was just his way of practicing for Rainbow Dash? I'd say this is even more proof of how inexcusable his deeds are."

Pinkie Pie said, "I know it was depressing, but she and Dinky are doing much better now, and this should show how she's just as protective of Dinky as any real mother would be of her child."

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After the pegasus projector finished, Rainbow Dash said, "Okay, I really feel like an idiot now. Derpy got praised by Princess Luna herself for how strong her bond with Dinky really is, in spite of not being her real mother. I guess I really should get to know a pony better before making an opinion of them."

Fluttershy said, "I kind of didn't like being reminded of what I did when I was Princess Gaia again, but it was nice to see that I helped Carrot Top, Dinky, and the Doctor recover from what Discord did to them."

Fluttercruel said, "And I'm impressed by the way Dinky managed to snag some free ice cream! Well played, kid! And the way the Doctor and Carrot Top convinced the psychiatrist not to separate Dinky and Derpy for real was awesome!"

Twilight said, "But what about her trip to Canterlot? We didn't get to see that part."

Pinkie Pie giggled and said, "If you want to know, you should read part two, you silly filly!"

Rainbow Dash suffered a minor electric shock from the couch, and snapped. "WHAT AM I SAYING?! She's the best mom in the world?! FINE! But does her being best mom stop her from electrocuting me with thunder clouds? Or me having to fix HER messes? Every time she's on the weather team it's worse than rogue weather from Everfree! She's great for Dinky and her friends? FINE! But she ISN'T good for me! I've been crushed, electrocuted, drenched, buried alive, had MY WING dislocated, she is NOT a good weather mare, and as Captain of the weather team, it's my JOB to say if a pony is a contribution to the team or not! So stop trying to make me into the bad guy because Derpy makes my job miserable!"

Her five friends stared at her in shock as Rainbow Dash huffed and puffed.

"Feel better now?" Fluttercruel asked.

"... Maybe I do." Rainbow Dash whispered.

Pinkie Pie said, "Our next piece is from the Dark World. It illustrates how broken Discord was from that mean meanie-pants Nightmare Paradox trapping him in a Groundhog Day Loop and constantly forcing him to lose everything he ever cared about, without giving him a chance to change his ways even when he genuinely wanted to change them."

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Fluttercruel said, "Seeing this, I can't help feeling some pity for the old man. I mean, he's only continuing to be a puppeteer in it because Nightmare Paradox is forcing him to continue to do those things."

Pinkie Pie said, "Yeah. At one point, he asked a filly if she could teach him how to be good. The filly was about to start teaching him, but then Nightmare Paradox took control. The next thing he knew, the filly was gone, and there was blood on his claws."

This caused everyone present to wince at how the Nightmare of Magic had made it quite clear with that act that she had abandoned justice and was just punishing Discord for the sake of punishing Discord.

"Okay, doing something like that is just wrong!" Rainbow Dash said.

Rarity said, "Indeed. She quite clearly cares nothing about the lives of other ponies, viewing them as simple props that she had created for the sole purpose of torturing Discord."

Applejack said, "Ah wonder if our Dark World counterparts ever managed to beat those Nightmares."

Pinkie Pie said, "Well, since all this is non-canon anyway, I guess I can tell you this much. The Nightmares were defeated by Twilight the Unicorn and the others forcing Nightmare Paradox to use the time travel spell again, allowing Twilight to copy it and use it for a different purpose. She reached across time and space and summoned us, as well as the main characters from the other three worlds that Equestria once was. Her spell also revived the Elements of Harmony that Celestia and Luna once used. And the Nightmares weren't able to use their Elements to destroy the world this time, because Twilight's parents, even though they were still stuck as plants, stopped Paradox by growing some vines around her, restraining her. This sent her into a Villainous BSOD and allowed six Rainbows of Light to defeat her and the other Nightmares."

Rainbow Dash's jaw dropped. "Wait a minute, did you say SIX Rainbows of Light? Aw man, I can't believe we missed something like that."

Twilight said, "But we didn't. We were one of the groups that was summoned there, so even if we haven't seen it yet, it's only a matter of time before we not only get to see it, but are a part of it."

Rainbow Dash said, "Oh yeah, that's right. In that case, I can't wait for that to happen."

Pinkie Pie got a bunch of handkerchiefs out. "This next one...is extremely sad. It's another Dark World piece. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so I'll show you, then explain.

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Pinkie Pie said, "You see, Apple Bloom had managed to finally break the curse on Sunnytown, freeing all of the ponies who lived there as well as Ruby, which caused her to become known as a Saint. But by the time she managed to break the curse, she had become a zombie as well. Applejack, even though she was Discorded into Liarjack at the time, still cared about ponies, and when she heard about this, Apple Bloom managed to convince her to break the curse on her, allowing Apple Bloom to pass on to Pony Heaven."

By the time Pinkie's explanation was done, there wasn't a single dry eye in the studio. Even the guards had moist eyes from hearing about the story behind that picture.

Applejack said, "No wonder mah Dark World self was smilin' in spite of her tears. She had managed to finally free Apple Bloom from that curse. Ah guess Ah better do everything Ah can to help prevent somethin' like this from happening here."

Rarity said, "We all will. Not only losing your sister, but being forced to give her a Mercy Kill to free her from a curse is. THE! WORST! POSSIBLE! THING!!!"

Rainbow Dash said, "Don't worry, Applejack. We'll all help break that curse. That's a promise."

Fluttershy, through her tears, said, "That's right. We don't want anypony to have to sacrifice themselves like that."

Pinkie Pie said, "Yeah. I'm not sure I could bring myself to do something like that if Octavia was in Apple Bloom's position, and I really don't want to have to find out. I just hope the next submission is happier then this one."

Rainbow Dash literally dived into the next mountain of pictures as Rarity gave her friend a puzzled look.

“Uh… Dash, you are making a mess in the studio and you might have an easier time overlooking them if we do it one by…”

Carefully the white unicorn caught a view pictures that flew into her direction with telekinesis and placed them next to herself on the floor.

“Yeah! I got it! Now this one is awesome, cool and radical all at the same time.”

With a huge smile the Pegasus flew over to the projector.

“Pinkie, drum roll time.”

The pink pony nodded and out of nowhere a dramatic drum roll could be heard.

“This time there is no suffering, no despair and no Discord, just the pure awesome that is…”

Finally after the build-up the drum roll ended the picture was placed on the projector.

"THIS!"

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“My dear! This one is beautiful.” Rarity took a deep breath before continuing “There entire picture is bright and colorful with lush tasty looking grass and a sky that was surly made by a group of professional pegasi.” Then she fell back with a huge smile on her face as Rainbow Dash caught her.

“Oh! Oh! Let me try next. I LOVE our expressions, they’re so unique: My happiness, Dashie’s confident grin, AJ’s determined face, Rarity’s prideful smile and Luna and Celestia also look so happy!” Pinkie Pie added cheerfully.

“Happy? Celestia looks really proud on a certain purple bookworm. Whoever drew this also gave ‘Shy a smile that’s somewhere between being sheepish and being confident.” Fluttercruel added and for a moment it looked like both she and her mother smiled at the same time.

Said purple bookworm had turned slightly red.

“The secret are the eyes, they are so bright and cheerful. And seeing Trixie so calm and so content with herself is really something.” Twilight added as the memories of her latest visit to her friend returned to her.

“Ah like it too. Pinkie almost looks like she is about to fly off in happiness. It really makes yah feel like we will make it through everything not matter what will come next.” Applejack finished their thoughts.

Pinkie Pie got another out of the pile. "Oh...well...this one's a tad bit different. It's about Derpy...again, but it's an alternate version."

"Alternate version?" asked Twilight. "Like an alternate universe?"

"Kinda, maybe. They're kinda 'one could be right or the other could be,'" explained Pinkie. Rainbow grumbled as she put it on the projector.

http://www.fimfiction.net/story/11764/pony-pov-discorded-ponies-side-story

Everypony was once more silent. "Well...this is certainly another direction to take the story, isn't it?" asked Rarity. "In the original, Derpy's cruelty was more focused on Dinky, in this one it's focused on everypony else in general...Still, shows how brutal Discord can be, doesn't it?"

"He was a bit less direct in this one, in the original he focused more on her bond Dinky, in this one it's more on her bitterness at how others see her," Twilight replied, glancing at Rainbow Dash. "I suppose that makes sense, as in the other one, Discord was using her as a warm up for Rainbow, in this version, he's just playing with her."

Fluttercruel grumbled. "I don't know what's worse, making her think she was doing Dinky a favor by making her hate her, or making Derpy hate her own daughter this much. Wouldn't put either past the Old Man..."

Rainbow grumbled. "Ok, look, I don't LIKE Derpy, she makes life hard on me. But I'm not about to say that she deserved any of this, in either version, just I don't get along with her. I hate that blasted Discord for doing this to her as much as anyone."

Everypony nodded, even if they didn't entirely agree with her stance on Derpy. "And her restoration is also different. It took this one considerably longer to reconcile with Fluttershy and...well, she threw the rock in this one..."

Fluttershy nodded. "Yes..." and that was all she said, if she knew who really threw it, she wasn't telling.

"Like mom said, we'll take the good and the bad, we're just glad Derpy and us are on good terms again..."

"This version of Derpy also seemed considerably more...composed that the other one. Not that the other one was stupid, but she seemed a tad more naive and innocent than this one. But you can tell they're the same pony..."

"Ah think that's the same with every version of us..." said Applejack, giving a smile.

"It was also cute seeing her turn into a foal with Zecora's potion to have some mommy/daughter time with Dinky!" said Pinkie. "The other one was supposed to have it but the author forgot it."

"I'm sorry! Geez!" yelled a voice from offstage.

"Alright, moving on, next story!"

"I think we should look for something more light-hearted again," Rarity said, picking out a picture from the pile, "Now then...this one looks good. Although I've never heard of this princess before..."

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Rainbow Dash's head tilted to the side.

"Huh...doesn't she remind you of Princess Celestia a little? Maybe she's a relative," Rainbow suggested.

"She's beautiful," Fluttershy said, "Her mane flows really nicely."

"I agree," Rarity said, "She looks marvelous. Oh, I can just see the amazing dresses I could make for her!"

Twilight looked toward Pinkie Pie, who was blowing her nose into her hankie.

"Pinkie? Are you okay?" Twilight asked, stepping closer to her friend to offer comfort.

A reminder of the lost age like this must be upsetting her terribly, Twilight thought - at least, she thought it until Pinkie started bouncing in place and cried out, "It's PERFECT!"

The others turned to look at her as Pinkie continued, "It looks JUST like her! She's even still a pegasus! You can really tell that the Shadow who made this knew that Star Catcher was a princess all on her own, even if she was ESPECIALLY a princess on the inside!"

It took Pinkie a whole minute to finish gushing.

Carefully Fluttershy organized the stories and pictures next to her while carefully looking over everything.

“Oh! I have another good one!” Fluttershy held up one picture as Fluttercruel briefly surfaced and took a look as well.

“This one is more bittersweet. Not too bad.” Fluttercruel added, happy that this one was not too sugary sweet.

Soon both placed the image on the pegasus projector so the rest of the group could see it as well.

“Okay, so I don’t remember that time from this perspective. I was kinda busy arguing with Pinkamena and fighting against Angry Pie. So this was how it did look from the outside. I knew it wasn’t easy for Mrs. Cake but seeing it like this…” Pinkie Pie said before being hugged by Applejack. Rainbow Dash took the chance to continue.

“Yeah but don’t forget how happy she was when you did wake up. Hey, she even did all of it while being pregnant.”

“Who did order all the rain? Is there some jerk who always orders rain from the pegasi when somepony is feeling down?” Fluttercruel interrupted.

“It was surely the rain that was needed to wash away some of the damage Discord did leave behind. But it certainly adds to the atmosphere of the image. The clothes with the wings on the side almost make Mrs. Cake look like some sort of guardian angel. You are even wrapped in the custom bedsheet I made a while ago.” Rarity added with a certain pride.

“And Pinkie Pie looks so suffering and I can almost see how much Mrs. Cake wishes that she could do anything to help her.” Twilight finished with a sombre expression.

“But that is not the point!”

Everypony turned to see that Fluttershy had spoken up.

“I think this captures the caring side of Mrs. Cake very well. When Pinkie Pie needed help the most, her friends and family were there for her. Yes, we do suffer as well when somepony close to us suffers. But that makes us stronger, our bonds allow us to overcome the pain together.”

Pinkie Pie frowned. The Shadows were getting bored, that wasn't good. Maybe they were tired of pictures for right now?

"Well, then let's try another story! I've got a great one in mind," Pinkie said, pulling a new story out and putting it on the projector, "It even has cute little not-the-big-dumb-meanie-we-all-dislike-little-bitty Dissy starring in it!"

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All eyes in the room were wide.

"That...was..."

"SO AWESOME!" Rainbow Dash yelled, jumping into the air, "Did you see that?! The good little Discord blew the evil big Discord up! He was all 'ha ha, I'm totally evil and so will you' and little Discord was like 'eat love and friendship, you monster!' and then BOOM!"

"I had no idea you even liked explosions, Rainbow," Rarity said.

"I like 'em when they're AWESOME...not to mention when they kick Discord's flank."

The other nodded: that last part was something everypony could agree with.

"Well, I think seeing the relationship between Shady and little Discord was very sweet," Fluttershy said next.

"And I liked the part where Surprise saved the day!" Pinkie exclaimed.

"She did?" the others asked.

"Sure! If she hadn't landed on Luna's head, Luna wouldn't have gotten into Shady's dream," Pinkie explained, "And then Luna wouldn't have gotten Shady into Dissy's dream, and then the big nasty Discord would've won! See? It makes perfect sense."

"Well, I have to wonder about the ending," Twilight said hastily, instinctively uncomfortable at the idea of Pinkie making SENSE, "All of us in class together as fillies, with the good Discord as our teacher? And it sounds like Celestia and Luna are fighting something horrible...I wonder who that Nightmare they were talking about is."

"Ah'm sure they were able to handle it," Applejack said, putting a hoof on her shoulder to reassure her, "After all, if that Nightmare gave 'em too much trouble, Discord could save 'em! ...That felt weird t'say."

"Uh, HUH? WHAT? I feel like we blanked out for a minute." Rainbow Dash shook her head.

"More like a couple of week darling, I feel like I was making dresses for summer when it was winter!" Rarity stretched.

"I feel like that time I ate so much sugar I go so excited I fell asleep."

"It's called a sugar crash Pinkie Pie," Twilight said.

"How can the sugar crash when it's not driving anything? KIDDING! I know what it means. But you all thought I didn't! HEHEH!"

"Got us good Pinkie." Rainbow Dash said.

"Dang . . . Ah hope we didn't sleep through the day or somethin' a farm pony's work is never done." AJ said working the kinky out.

"Oh don't worry, we're fine. Time doesn't pass quite the same when we're filming." Pinkie Pie.

"So I could practice in here forever and get ready for the bolts in a day?!" Rainbow Dash asked eager to abuse a flux in time and space for her own selfish gain.

"It's 'non-canon' Dashie, that means what happens here doesn't effect anything out there. Includin' us once we leave." AJ said, feeling weird she had to be the one to explain the nature of the world to RD.

"Oh." Rainbow Dash pouted.

"Well darlin' what's next on the list?" Rarity asked.

"Let's see!" Pinkie Pie pulled one out of the pile and set up the projection, here we go! Butterflies: Coffe Swirl: Part 1"

"Coffee Swirl?" Fluttershy whispered, waking up at last.

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The story played.

"THAT JERK!!!" Rainbow Dash swore, "WHERE DOES HE GET OFF TALKING ABOUT FLUTTERSHY LIKE THAT!? Doesn't he know how hurt she is already!? I'm gonna drag 'em out of that coffee shop, and stick 'em on weather duty with DERPY, FOR A MONTH!, on Lightning Storm duty! Let'em see how he likes that!"

"Rainbow Dash, stop." Fluttershy said.

"But Fluttershy-"

"I SAID STOP!" Rainbow Dash froze . . the stare? Fluttershy wouldn't . .. wouldn't use that . . .use that . . . on-on, her?

"Swirl has every right to say what he said. My good intentions hurt him. I have no excuse for that."

"What for land's sake is a peddler-fill anyway?" AJ asked.

"I can't say I've heard that word either." Rarity admitted.

"I know what it means." RD said. THey all looked at her. "OKay, no I don't."

Twilight Sparkle didn't respond as she was going through dictionaries. Fluttershy slammed it close, shocking Twilight Sparkle to her core.

"Coffee and I . . . have a unique relationship," she said.

Pinkie Pie was completely silent until, "Well, it looks like there are a few more parts to this story, maybe we'll come across them in the pile until we get bored and leave the studio."

"Don't you mean run out of batteries?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Naw, I have extras, this time we don't stop until we all get bored with this. So anypony up for one more round?"

“Okay let gets to the next reclusive piece before…oh”. Pinkie Pie suddenly starts to shudders.

“Spine Tinkling, watery eyes, tingling tail. But that only happens when I forget something super-duper important and what could I possibly forget? Unless…” Pinkie pie quickly grabs a calendar out of her mane and looks at it. Her eyes suddenly turns huge when seeing the date.

“Oh no! I was having so much fun that I forgot to announce this.” She throws the calendar off stage and quickly whips out her trusty party cannon from seemly out of nowhere.

“HAPPY 2nd ANNIVERSARY POV SERIES! She said while firing the cannon and sending pink confetti everywhere. “Sorry it is late, but better late than never …right? I would use the tardis to fix this but I already scared off the Doctor with those pears from earlier. Oh well, here hoping this year even more super-duper awesomer than THE LAST TWO COMBINED!!!

Pinkie Pie looked at the camera, put on glasses, and read from a note, "We interrupt this story to inform our viewers that the next installment involving Shining Armor is ready, but there is an issue. It is simply too long. When it's first loaded, it says it's about 60K, but then it posts a blank page, and then says 'can not edit due to be over size' and when we cut several pages of dialogue, it then becomes 64.1K! And there is no viable place to split it into two parts. Another author has managed to put post it into the stash file, but not as a posted story. We apologize for the delays, we're trying to work things out. If anyone has any technical advice, please tell us. It'd be very helpful. We now return to our regularly scheduled story."

"Pinkie Pie! I think you uploaded this wrong! It's just a loop of Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake playing!" Twilight Sparkle said as her friends looked at the distraction.

"Sorry Twilight! Must have slipped that in by accident." Pinkie Pie lied. "So let's see if we can find a REAL piece of art or story in the pike!"

"There sure are a lot." Fluttershy noted.

"Just shows how awesome we are!" Rainbow Dash cheered.

“Okay, now its my turn to find something.“ Twilight proclaimed as she closed her eyes and tried to telekinetically pull a story out of the collection.

As the unicorn opened her eyes she quickly checked the papers she did manage to pull out of the small mountain of stories. If there was one thing that she could do faster then Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie (and pretty much anybody else in the room combined), it was reading.

“This one is good but I… er… I don’t know if I can show this…”

“What? I made sure there was nothing in there with mature content inside. No need to make this story harder to read for the shadows who watch.” Pinkie Pie wondered as she took a look at the story herself. “Oh, you mean that one. Just ask Fluttershy.”

Twilight looked slightly annoyed that she had managed to miss the obvious solution until Pinkie Pie pointed it out. The yellow pegasus took one glance to it and blushed a bit.

“Well… okay… I guess we had revealed bigger secrets so far.” Careful the shy pony placed the story on the Pegasus projector. “And it is ‘non-canon’ as well, so we get to see your faces about the CHAMBER!" Fluttercruel added with a mischievous smile.

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Rainbow Dash looked approvingly. “Now that is a cool choice for a name. ‘CHAMBER OF EXTREME KNITTING!’ is pretty cool, not radical or awesome but certainly cool.

“It even comes with an explanation mark and in all caps.” Pinkie Pie added.

“So how is the ‘CHAMBER OF EXTREME MODELING’ going?” Rarity asked very much exited.

“It is a work in progress, right now it is pretty much a big empty room with only a walkway. We need spotlights! Recordings of camera clicks! Sounds of an audience! Dresses!” Fluttercruel soon lost herself in daydreams about the new hidden chamber.

“And finally the ‘CHAMBER OF EXTREME MODELING’ also needs its own explanation mark!” Pinkie Pie said.

“It is also nice to see you taking so much effort in making your knitting 100 % right.” Twilight added. She knew that Bright Eyes would be proud to see her eye for detail and intellectual side being used for art.

Pinkie Pie said, "Okay, something you should know about Makarov. His Cutie Mark has actually been changing since his first appearance."

Twilight said, "Wait, how is that even possible? Once you get your Cutie Mark, it's not supposed to change."

Pinkie Pie shrugged in response to this. "He's a Villain Sue and a Parody Sue. And I'd suggest you not even try to analyze it this time. For all we know, you might wind up in a coma."

Twilight shuddered in memory of her first attempt to analyze the vomit stain. "Got it."

With that, Pinkie Pie slid the image onto the pegasus projector.

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Rarity was the first to break the silence. "I thought it was hideous before, but now it has become too bucking grotesque for me to even look at."

Fluttershy let out a squeak. "Oh my, Rarity never swears like that." Fluttercruel then said, "I can't say I blame her. It was ugly before, but now it's really ugly."

Rainbow Dash said, "Yeah, that's the ugliest thing I have ever seen."

Twilight said, "Trying...to...avoid...brain...shutdown..." as she started to twitch and her mane started to look messy. Noticing this, Pinkie Pie quickly slid the image off of the pegasus projector, allowing Twilight to calm down. "Thanks, Pinkie. But that was easily the most impossible thing I have ever seen. It makes the stuff Discord did seem tame, and that's saying something.

Applejack said, "Yeah, that sort of Cutie Mark makes absolutely no sense."

Pinkie Pie said, "It looks like there's a reason it's so weird. You see, he was originally something that was created by Discord's sister Pandora, the Concept of Imagination, as her attempt to create a being of pure imagination. But when she turned it loose in the Realm of Legends, it started twisting the stories, making them focus on it. It didn't even have a name, so it stole one from the bits and pieces around it. She was forced to dub it a failed experiment and put it in her Box, where it should have stayed for all of eternity."

Rainbow Dash said, "But I'm guessing it broke out, right?"

Pinkie Pie nodded. "Thanks to the Hooviets Imagination Engine in Chernobull. It literally tore into her realm, and into her. It should have all ended when the Engine and Chernobull exploded, and the Box should have remained shut, but something was able to help the Imagination Engine open the Box just enough for the Shadow of Chernobull to slip out. Now it's free, and intends to turn the whole world into its story." She then made a face. "And let me tell you something else. He had a propaganda play made. It portrayed Princess Celestia as a complete troll who solved any problem by sending it to the moon, Princess Luna was obviously evil, and Princess Cadance was a complete airhead. And Makarov was completely perfect, a boring invincible hero who was portrayed as the main character. Shining Armor was the villain, and he was also the only non-Hooviet character who was actually competent. Of course, that was just to make Makarov look even more badflank as Shining Armor got killed by him, was revived, and got killed again." Seeing how upset the others were, she hastily added, "But Shining Armor and Princess Cadance got in the last laugh. They were in disguise watching the play, and after it was over, the Princess had them remove their disguises and teleported their disguises away, to make it look like they'd been in the audience without their disguises the whole time and the Hooviets hadn't even noticed them. Then she walked up to the stage and congratulated them on having made an excellent parody. This left the Hooviets with two choices: Correct the Princess and reveal that they were all jerks, or agree with her and let everyone see that it was all propaganda, but save face and maybe get a bigger audience next time, since one of the Princesses had approved it as a parody."

This earned a laugh from Rainbow Dash. "Okay, the Princess totally paid them back with interest by doing that. Best. Prank. Ever! I guess you could say..." she then pulled out a pair of sunglasses and put them on. "...she was on a troll!"

Pinkie Pie then turned to the camera. "Hey guys, we haven't been getting a whole lot of material from you lately. So if you're reading this, please get off of your flanks, find some artwork, music, or recursive fanfiction of the Pony POV Series, and send it in!"

Twilight said, "Got one! These are the Cutie Marks of Cream Pie and Banana Pie, two fillies from Sweet Rock Acres in the Dark World."

Pinkie Pie said, "All right! I can't wait to see the special talents of my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandkids!

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Twilight said, "Well, they do live in a world where Discord won and turned us evil. Obviously, Cream Pie's dynamite Cutie Mark symbolizes an ability to create explosives, and Banana Pie's jackhammer Cutie Mark represents an ability to smash solid rock to pieces, probably through improbable strength."

Applejack whistled. "And here Ah thought Ah had some of the strongest legs in Equestria. But even my most powerful applebuck doesn't have the power to smash apart solid rock like that!"

Rainbow Dash said, "Wait a moment! What would they need special talents like those for?"

Pinkie Pie said, "To deal with the rock monsters! Remember, this is Discord's world. You know how with just a snap of his fingers, he can rewrite the rules of reality. And this is a world where his chaos has ruled the world for 1,000 years!"

Rainbow Dash blushed. "Oh yeah, I forgot about that."

Pinkie Pie said, "Okay, we've seen some of the evolution of his Cutie Mark, but we haven't seen the guy who has that Cutie Mark...until now!"

Twilight shuddered. "You mean we actually have a picture of Makarov?"

Pinkie Pie nodded. "You got it. So without further ado, we're going to take a look at him! Allons-y!"

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Fluttercruel said, "Okay, I think he looks so evil that the Old Man might as well be a saint." In the meantime, Fluttershy had fainted from seeing such an evil-looking creature.

Twilight said, "I have to admit, looking at this picture, there can be no doubt that he is incredibly sadistic and evil."

Applejack said, "Ah totally agree."

Rainbow Dash said, "Yeah, just looking at him, I wish I could hit him with a Sonic Rainboom. But based on what we've heard about him, I get the feeling that if I tried that, he'd somehow make it completely backfire on me."

Rarity said, "Yes, the fact that he obviously can channel magic through his Deer antlers as well as his unicorn horn shows that he is ridiculously powerful. And his eyes...they almost seem to look into your soul!"

Pinkie Pie said, "Yeah, he's totally overpowered. He was able to brew a poison that used Dragon's Bane, even though the stuff has been eradicated by Queen Tiamat herself, and he was able to literally make his fleet defy the laws of physics to trap Shining Armor and his group."

Twilight'e eyes dilated and her mane started to become frazzled again. "You mean...my BBBFF and his group have been captured by a psychopath who has the power to not only break the laws of reality, but can also defy a Goddess? Rarity, I think I need to borrow your couch." Rarity promptly provided her fainting couch just in time to catch Twilight in it.

Pinkie Pie said, "Yeah, it's not looking good for Shining Armor and Misfit Actual. They've been captured by Makarov, and in one day, he plans to use gas that's specifically poisonous to dragons to wipe out all dragons, including Spike."

Rarity's response to this was to gently use her magic to move Twilight to the floor before using her couch herself.

At this point Fluttershy revealed that she had regained consciousness. "You mean he plans to kill Spike, even though Spike never did anything to him? He's just that intent to exterminate all dragons? They might scare me, but nothing has the right to wipe out an entire species like that, not even big, scary, scaly dragons!"

Pinkie Pie nodded before turning to the camera. "So how will Shining Armor and Misfit Actual manage to thwart Makarov's plans and defeat him? Sadly, it might be a while before you're able to find out, because LZ0291, the main author of the Shining Armor arc, has apparently been suffering from severe depression. So everyone, please let him know you care, but don't pester him to hurry with the next chapter. That's not how you should treat an author who's suffering from depression. Seriously, I want you to Pinkie Pie Promise to show him support instead of harassing him to hurry with the next chapter." As she said this, her gaze came extremely close to matching The Stare in its intensity.

After everypony had recovered from hearing about Makarov's latest accomplishments, Pinkie Pie said, "Okay, someone was actually willing to voice a couple of things that Makarov said. First up, his speech when he first made himself known to Shining Armor."

http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://soundcloud.com/knowyourmareinc/general-admiral-solomon-azure

Twilight said, "Okay, even then he was way too powerful. I mean, Princess Luna's return was supposed to be top secret, but he not only found out about it, but he publicly revealed it to the embassy. And the lust in his voice when he spoke to Princess Cadance...it totally makes me disgusted."

Rainbow Dash said, "And the way he was gloating...please tell me that I wasn't that bad when I let my ego get in the way of helping other ponies."

Fluttershy said, "Um, no, I don't think you were ever that bad."

Rarity said, "I must say, his Cutie Mark was disgusting, his face was evil, and his voice clearly shows how conceited he is. I do hope he receives his comeuppance soon."

Applejack said, "Yeah, it makes me sick."

Pinkie Pie said, "Well, there's actually another part. But Twilight, you might want to cover your ears. Same to you, Fluttershy. It's Makarov's threat to subject Shining Armor to a fate worse than death."

Fluttercruel said, "It sounds like it's going to be nasty. Don't worry, I'm pretty sure I can prevent Mom from hearing it if she doesn't mind." Fluttershy said, "Thank you, Fluttercruel. If it's going to be extremely nasty, I'd rather not hear it."

Twilight said, "I think I'll go take a little walk. If I have to listen to his voice anymore, I'm afraid I'll go insane regardless of what he says." With that, she teleported out of the studio.

Pinkie Pie said, "Okay, if you're ready, here we go.

http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://soundcloud.com/knowyourmareinc/fate-worse-than-death

Fluttercruel was the first to speak up. "Okay, that sounds even worse then some of the stuff the Dark World version of me supposedly did. I know I shouldn't be able to do this, but I need a wastebasket now." With that, she walked over to a wastebasket and proceeded to throw up.

Rainbow Dash said, "Good thing you had Twilight .leave, Pinkie. If she had heard that, I'm pretty sure she would have snapped." Applejack nodded in agreement. "Yup, that varmint's threat was just plain nasty. And he thinks he can get Princess Cadance to marry him after threatening to do something like that to Shining Armor? He's obviously insane."

Rarity didn't say anything, because she had been forced to use her fainting couch again after hearing Makarov's threat.

Twilight then teleported back in and surveyed the room. "Okay, judging by the fact that Fluttercruel just threw up and Rarity is on her couch again, I'm glad you suggested I not listen to Makarov's threat, Pinkie. If they're having reactions like that, I'm pretty sure my reaction would have been much worse."

Pinkie Pie said, "Yeah, you would probably have made your reaction to my Pinkie Sense back when you tried to analyze it look tame in comparison. As in, you would probably have become a magical nuclear bomb if you had heard that. Okay, how about something different next? Because I think we're all getting tired of that Villain Parody God-Mode Sue at this point."

"What do you mean 'Villain Parody God-Mode Sue' Pinkie?" Twilight Sparkle asked innocently. "Wait a second!" She blinked and her eyes narrowed. "WHOSE LZ0291? WHAT AUTHOR?! WHAT STORY ARC? WHAT CHAPTER?! PINKIE PIE WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN TALKING ABOUT?!"

The others instantly began to crowd around Pinkie Pie with similar demands of what she meant. Now she couldn't excuse herself by being insane, they took what she said not as witless random words.

Pinkie Pie began to sweat like a pig. "Uh. Oops." Only one thing left to do.

She put some free cider in front of her friends. None showed interest. Except Rainbow Dash who was already downing her and asking for more. Which inspire AJ to down her and ask for more since she wasn't about to be out drank by a 'feather weight' (when she said it, it was with endearment).

Pinkie Pie put on glasses, put on a lab coat and pulled out a chalk board, and began the boring lecture imaginable on the nature of existence, literature, drama, story telling, the universe, reality, the Equestrian tax-codex, and some reason Ponycraft modding. It put her friends in a glassy-eyed state faster than an economics lecture. Even Twilight found her focus waning.

The cider then was downed of their own free-will by the Flutters, Rarity, and finally Twilight all just to escape the boring drone of her voice.

Pinkie Pie thought, 'Given what happened to me, you can understand I think memory erase magic is bad, BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD, it's bad and it should feel bad, it's not a good thing at all! It's super ultra-mean and shouldn't exist at all!!!!! But if we all get so drunk we can't tell blue from left, hopefully they'll brush off everything I said! . . . And I still feel super hypocritical and super guilty about it.'

It reminded her too much of Discord's brainwashing. Pinkie Pie felt guilty. But it was to stop the forth wall from being destroyed and thus the universe. And she LIKED this non-canon universe. She gave an ANGRY AND NOT NICE GROWL AT THE CAMERA and the shadow who wrote those parts that made her slip and made her do this to her friends to keep the universe from imploding.

The what-if machine, it's gears grinding and screeching from months of disuse, slowly dragged itself back into life. Oil was quickly added by the pink, party pony to make the process smoother, before anypony suffered hearing lose, and the scenes began to come.

Applejack blinked a bit, feeling an old ache in her leg as she glanced around at five of her friends. Or, rather, at five versions of her friends.

Twilight was very similar to how she knew her, save for the star on her flank where a book should be, but she'd never known Rainbow Dash to wear a set of glasses, or for Rarity to apparently have gems literally imbedded in her skin. Fluttershy had never cut her hair THAT short either (And it honestly made her look a bit too much like Rainbow Dash for AJ's personal liking), and the last time she'd seen Pinkie with short hair, there was no smile to be found.

"What in the hay is going on here?"

"Why don't YOU tell us that?" The bespectacled pegasus challenged, flapping closer to her and glaring. "And while you're at it, how about you tell me what you did to my friends? I'm Princess Celestia's personal student, so don't think all that Earth Pony strength is going to save you from me."

"Now you just hold on there, Missy," AJ leaned forward to the point they were almost touching and glared right back. "You sure as sugar ain't the Princess's student, cause that's me."

"Oh please," the version of Rainbow scoffed, "what would the princess be doing teaching an earth pony?"

There was a gasp from the versions of the other four, but AJ's glare only hardened. "I'll show you what, ya rainbow faker!" Runes appeared around her hoof as a lasso of magical energy appeared and made to snag Dash. However, before it could, the pegasus flapped her wings to condense some water vapor into clouds of complex shape, another flap and a surge of lightning arced around her hooves and into the clouds. Just before the lasso could close around her, a shield spell surrounded her and left the magical rope nothing to grab onto.

"So," the pegasus said slowly, "you can do magic too." There was a long pause, then more clouds like the first appeared near her. "Well then, lets see how good you are."

While the other two ponies devolved into a wizard's duel, and Twilight had curled up due to her mind crashing, the other three seemed to be handling the situation in a more... direct matter.

"Well, you are quite right that they do look rather painful, they actually don't hurt as much as you'd except, Darling." The version Rarity was examining some of the gems that had grown to be a part of her. "When the sonic rainboom shattered the geode in front of me, the magic inherent in it reacted with the magic in the crystals and caused them to fuse with the first thing they touched, which would be me. Oh, the initial fusing was far from pleasant, I assure you, but the pain has mostly gone away by now, and the boost in magical power was certainly a bonus."

"That sounds a lot like what happened to me," Pinkamena Diane Pie spoke up, "only without the infusion. The sonic rainboom had the effect of altering my earth pony senses to the point that I could feel the ley lines and how they moved. I was eventually able to direct some of the natural mana radiation from them into various geological aspects for storage and, eventually, spell casting." From seemingly nowhere, the pink pony produced a staff with various gems and types of rocks tied to it. "It's how I made this, after I discovered which types of gems and stones had the correct properties for what I needed."

"And the pocket dimension you store that in is tied to this, correct?" The version of Fluttershy tapped a necklace that Pinkamena was wearing, little more than a chunk of obsidian on a string. "Angel mentioned that he could smell magic attached to it." The spirit of the rabbit that had bound itself to the grounded pegasus nodded, before turning into a bird and fluttering up to rest on his mistress's head.

"That's right. What's your story though?"

The somewhat shy pony rubbed her hoof against the ground. "Well, after I fell, I was able to fly a bit before I hit the ground. By doing this, I ended up much closer to the sonic rainboom and was actually hit by the mana shock wave it generated. After I woke up, I found I could see things: Animal spirits and creatures of pure magic. I could communicate with them, on a different level than I could with other ponies, I could even get them to alter the world in a similar manner to how unicorns use magic; Angel eventually was eventually bound to my by his own choice and he helps me with most of the every day spells."

"Well, this is all very fascinating, Dears, but it doesn't get us any closer to figuring out why the six of us are here, or what happened to all our friends."

"Um, before we do that, we might want to stop those two." Pinkamena pointed her staff toward the two dueling ponies. Applejack had managed to create a golem out of rock, which was now hurling boulders at Rainbow Dash, while Dash, herself, had conjured up a serpent made of storm clouds and was riding atop its head, laughing manically.

"Yes... that might be a good idea."

-

Slowly, the machine died down yet again, while Pinkie, covered in grease from all the on the spot repairs she'd had to do, finally wiped the sweat from her brow and spat out the wrench she'd been using. "Well, that was fun. I think they forgot about Rainbow's backstory though."

Swirl shook his head. "No, the the shadow-who-makes just couldn't think of one that made sense and didn't change more than he was comfortable with changing from canon. Either way, I have go. Tell Fluttercruel I said 'hi' when she and Shy sober up."

TO BE CONTINUED...

Author's Note

Hi again Everypony! I don't think this idea is out of fire yet, so we're gonna extend it another episode! Us ponies are looking at all the different recursive works written and drawn for the Pony POV Series over the years! But the same rules still apply as always and YOU lovely ponies you are still the writers of this cute little tale!

What you put in the comments appears in the story.

Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall.

The camera can’t leave the studio.

The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from “My little Pony”

Everything that happens here is non-canon.

Have Fun

Additions:
Kendell2
OracleMask ("Prince Blue Blood Reach For the Stars Part 1 and Part 2")
Ardashir ("Pony POV Sunny Daze")
ItsFromPeople ("The Doctor Is Out" "My LIttle Time Lord")
jmcdavid ("Pony POV Series Octavia "Sound")
again jmcdavid ("Pony POV Series Another End: Divergence")
Kendell2 (Pony POV Series: 'A shaggy dog...' Alt.POV SA6)
jmcdavid (Kendell2's version of Derpy's Discording and Reharmonization and "Whose the Puppet Now?")
At the same time:
jmcdavid ("If you love it, set it Free")
ItsFromPeople ("We'll Make It Through")
Kendell2 (KnightMysterio's version of Derpy's Discording and Reharmonization)
Oracle Mask (Princess Star Catcher)
ItsFromPeople (Fever Dream)
Oracle Mask (Shady: Line Of Fate)
Alex Warlorn (Butterflies: Coffee Swirl Part 1)
yoshiegg64
Alex Warlorn
ItsFromPeople (Pony POV Series: Fluttershy's Bright Eyed Hobby)
jmcdavid (Azure Raven's Cutie Mark, er, Mark III)
jmcdavid (Cream Pie and Banana Pie's cutie marks)
jmcdavid (General-Admiral Solomon Azure Raven Makarov)
jmcdavid (Quotes from Makarov, done by the producer of the 7 Dreams/Nightmares adaption).
Alex Warlorn
Dragon-of-Twilght with some edits by me
Edited infamous Pinkie Pie cider scene

MLP FIM Copyright Hasbro

Preview image by Kendell2

Recursive Fanworks Theater of the Pony POV Series Part 4

After leaving the studio, and before transiting between realities and back into the canon state of existence, Tome Heart and Puzzlemint had run into a dark blue pony with a sparkling and was a unicorn pegasus, or a pegasus unicorn.

Princess Luna nuzzled Tome Heart and Puzzlemint. "Go home my little ponies. Prove to creation you have a right in your own world. And Puzzlemint, I am happy to see that there is one universe where you've been allowed to grow and live, a pony with a passion to understand and learn like you shouldn't have to simply vanish. Goodluck, save your world. And tell Pinkie Pie and Minty that they are the best of friends any pony can hope to meet."

Tome Heart then awoke in the balloon where she had fallen asleep with Scootaloo. While Puzzlemint awoke on Butterfly Island after she had been properly introduced to Star Catcher's mother Star Maker.

And we are back everyone! What did you expect we would end the show like that? Of course not silly! Don’t you remember what I said earlier? We have plenty of spare batteries. However, sadly I had to ask Puzzlemint and Tome Heart to leave. The rules are the same shadows just remember to try to keep a seven pony limit on the studio. Trust me you do not want to see what happens if we go over that limit!” Pinkie said with an unusually serious face before turning back to her usual cheerful grin. “Without further ado let the party contin….”

Suddenly Pinkie Pie’s spine starts tinkling, her eyes starts watering up along with her tail twitching erratically. “Oh no, what did I forget this time?” Before Pinkie could pull out her calendar again, all the lights in the studio suddenly went out.

“Ah Pinkie Pie why did everything get dark!”

“I can’t skate if I can’t see where I going”

“What in tarnation, Pinkie did ya forget to pay da electric bill or something?”

“Was that it? Did I forget to pay the electric bill? “Hmm….nope still tingling.”

“Oh Soarin, I am so glad you like my dress, then again I always dress in style”

“Hehehe Rainbow is talking in her sleep”.

“PINKIE I can’t read if I can’t see! ” grumbled an irritated Twilight.

“Then why don’t you shed some light on things with your magically horn?”

Before Twilight could however, several lightning bolts were heard outside followed by a booming voice that seemed to come from all directions. “You Dare Not Offer up a Proper Sacrifice To Your Princess? For This Deed Most Foul You Shall Be Gobble Up Whole By…NIGHTMARE MOON!”

Suddenly the lights came back on to reveal Nightmare Moon in the studio. Standing just several feet away from everypony. She was staring menacingly at them with glowing bright white eyes. She had a worn a sinister smile that showed her razor sharp fangs. Everypony present proceeded to screamed at the top of their lungs, while hugging each other. Well almost everypony.

“Soarin what’s wrong? Was the hat too much? Zzzzzzz”

5 minutes later.

“I am soooo sorry again princess.” Twilight apologized for the 27th time. Head bowed low to the ground.

“Please stop apologizing Twilight.” Replied the princess of the night while nursing her head with an ice pack. “After all we did overdid…ow … the theatrics a bit. Good job on that energy blast by the way. Our sister would be most proud of your progress.”

“Not to be rude but was da scare really necessary ah nearly thought mah would heart stop” Applejack said.

Luna simply smiled. “Perhaps not but given the time of year. We thought it would be most appropriate”

“Well next time try to give us a head up. Poor Fluttershy and Rarity are still unconscious from that fright you gave everyone.” Applejack said.

After several failed attempt to revive them, the ponies felt it was best to move them near Rainbowdash in the corner of the studio. Rainbowdash surprised everyone when she managed to sleep through the entire entrance of ‘Nightmare Moon’. While the cyan pegasus was snoozing Applejack sworn she heard her mumble something about her dresses in her sleep?

“We apologize but we thought we did announce our coming weeks ago?” Luna said while turning her head to look at a certain pink party pony.

“You did? Oh hehe oopsie, sorry princess it seems like I been super-duper forgetful lately”. Replied Pinkie, her tingling finally coming to an end. “But Nightmare Fright was ages ago! What took you so long to come visit us at our super special awesome party? Pinke said with huge puppy dog eyes.

“We apologize but we have been busy tending to everyone’s dreams. Nightmares tend to run amuck after our holiday. Beside it seems you have been quite busy yourself Pinkie Pie. Luna said while looking around the studio. In particular at her sleeping friends.

“What do you mean Princess. It not like I nearly caused the universe to implode or something. Hahahha” Pinkie said with a nervous laugh. Luna simply raised an eyebrow at Pinkie’s odd behavior, well odder than usual. “Oh I know Princess, since you are here why don’t you pick the next reclusive piece for us to review. It seems like it has been ages since we done one”.

“Very well but what is a reclusive piece?” asked the confused alicorn.

Relieved to change the topic Pinkie went about explaining what her friends and her were doing in the studio. Meanwhile two other ponies were having their own chat.

“Twilight are you feeling alright? Ever since that boring lecture Pinkie gave us, you have been acting mighty strange.” The apple farmer asked her purple friend.

“Have I? Now that you mentioned it, AJ ever since I drank that cider I been feeling like my whole body was overflowing with energy. Must have been a sugar rush, how could I forget Pinkie loves to load everything with sugar” Twilight said with smile. “I am starting to feel better though, I think it is starting to wear off.

“Yah sugar rush. That makes sense.” Applejack said to herself. “However what doesn’t make sense is… WHOA…dang it.”

“Applejack are you okay, did you trip on something?” the unicorn said worriedly down at her friend who was now lying flat on her stomach.

“Ah fine, just for some reason it seems like ah got four left hooves. “Applejack said while attempting to right herself up.

“Applejack do you need any help?” Twilight said without trying to laugh at her friend’s clumsiness.

“Do ah look like ah need help Twilight?” Huffed the earth pony finally standing up straight and proceeding to walk a couple of steps before stumbling and falling comically on her face again. This time Twilight could not help but let out a giggle despite herself. Applejack looked simply too silly with her hat now lying on her butt.

Near the other end of the studio, Pinkie in front of a screen projector was finishing her explanation to the night princess. “We think we understand now Pinkie, thank you for the explanation but what about that machine over there?

“Oh that is simply the Pinkie Party Piece Picker 7000 or PPPP7 for short. It randomly choices one of our fans works for us to review.”

“Intriguing we would like to use it.” Luna then turned to the machine to address it. “PPPP7 we would like for you to show us one your scariest works.” The machine did nothing. “Perhaps you did not hear your princess. She asked you to display your scariest piece possible.”

“Hehehe Luna you have to turn it on first”. Pinkie said doing her best not to burst into even more laughter.

Embarrassed Luna did what she was told and the machine quickly spun to live to produce a paper out of the small door. “Huzzah we did it! And this time we didn’t even start a fire. Perhaps our sister will allow us to use the toaster again after all.” Feeling proud Luna decided to look at the paper. “We are most satisfied but do not think some ponies present would care to gaze upon it.

Pinkie glanced at it and quickly understood why. “Hang on a moment”.

It read “Caution the following image is rated PG-13 for being super-duper terrifying, depressing and a tiny bit gory. If there are any colts or fillies in the audience, please have your parents’ permission before clicking the following link. Thank you.”

“Okay princess you can put the piece in the projector now. Oh, that thing behind you. Hehee, other way princess.”

fav.me/d4i7kyy

“I must commend the artist on this terrifying piece of work. We love all the little details he/she has included such as the tear stains, and blood dripping down the nightmare’s body. I must asked though was she really that huge?”

“She was, but Poor Fluttershy, she was in so much uper duper pain then.” Pinkie Pie was holding a hoof to her chest, she will never forget how much pain she was in when she grabbed that red orb, and that was ONLY HALF of what Fluttershy was feeling!

“We were lucky to save her. If Fluttercruel had not have come in when she did…I do not want to think what would have happen.” Twilight suddenly thought about the elder horn. Princess Celestia said not to worry about it and that she and her sister would make sure, it will never see the light of day or night again. She hopes that was true but she could not help but wonder where it came from and who created it.

Applejack who finally managed to join the others said nothing. She simply stared at the Nightmare her friend once became. The earth pony was thankful that the image at least did not show Nightmare Whisper’s chest. She will never forget that half-skeletal foal that was in there.

Everyone sat around for several seconds before the quiet was finally broken by a quiet voice. “Oh…I can’t remember the last time I slept so well. I am sorry… did I disrupt something?

Everypony panicked when they heard the buttermilk pegasus waked up. Luckily thanks to Pinkie, the projector was turned off before Fluttershy got a good looked at it.

“Nope nothing Fluttershy, we were just talking to Princess Luna about how great it would be to go scuba diving sometime right princess?” Pinkie nervously said while nudging the dark alicorn near her.

“Er…yes, that is correct we were talking about the joys of…scuba diving but sadly we must depart now. There are still many dreams we must attend to. Sorry we couldn’t stay for longer. Goodbye everypony until we see each other again.”

“Oh okay, goodbye Princess Luna.” As the night princess left the studio, Fluttershy didn’t notice 3 ponies give a breath of relief. However she did notice something else. “Uh girls why am I wearing roller-skates?”.

++++

"Oh that . . ." Pinkie Pie said, she was happy to see her friend was herself again, and was back to normal, and hadn't suffered any damage from Pinkie Pie's desperate and ill-thought out attempt to keep the demi-non-canon-universe from imploding. "Uh, Rarity was teaching you how to roller skate, but you bumped your head and forgot it."

Fluttershy's pose and attitude changed. "NO SHE DIDN'T! She thought she was a fairy pony, and had an ENTIRE LIFE TIME'S memories of being one, thousands of years of being one! I buckin' saw them!"

"That must have been very strong sugar I put in the cider." Pinkie Pie grinned pushing the spiked rainbow berry punch out of sight.

Fluttercruel stomped over to her and Stared at her, Pinkie Pie responded by quickly putting on a pair of sunglasses.

"HEY! That's cheating!" Fluttercruel hissed trying to swipe them off but Pinkie Pie bounded back.

"Fluttercruel!" The pegasus' tone and pose changed again. "BAD FILLY! Using the stare on our friends? That's a terrible thing to do! It's . . ." Fluttershy stuttered a little, "I-It's not right at all . . ."

Everypony thought back to the battle with Nightmare Whisper, and knew what Fluttershy was reliving. Everypony hugged her. Twilight saw Pinkie Pie was crying.

"PInkie?" Twilight whispered. "Are you okay?"

"Of course I am." Pinkie Pie grinned through her tears. Twilight teleported them a little away from the group hug. Well, as much a group hug it as now, with RD still mumbling about dresses in her sleep and Rarity still unconscious.

"Pinkie Pie." Twilight said sternly.

"Twilight . . . I know that world is never coming back. And that it was going to fall apart no matter what anypony did . . . but . . . Rarity and Fluttershy became their old selves Twilight, at least on the inside they did . . . it was like they had risen from the dead. I never got to say goodbye to Zipzee, and I didn't get to say goodbye to her this time either! And Princess Rarity? She died in my forelegs Twilight! I just . . . I just wanted a chance to say goodbye."

"It made you happy didn't it?" Twilight asked.

"Yes Twilight it did."

"And everything that happens here in the studio or because of it is non-canon? Meaning it doesn't effect the universe at all?"

"Yeah, that's kinda the point. And that we don't do anything super awful, well, mostly, is proof that we're still good ponies."

A determined look appeared on Twilight's face.

"Pinkie Pie. Can you promise me just one thing?"

"I wanna know what it is first so-"

"PINKIE PIE SWEAR THIS FAVOR!"

Very confused by Twilight's forceful personality, Pinkie Pie conceded.

"Good. Just promise me you'll wake up me before the show ends. And be sure to give Minty a proper good-bye this time." Twilight then teleported the remaining bottles of rainbow berry punch marked as cider to her, and downed them all in several gulps, then teleported to a mirror hung on the studio wall, and used the memory spell ON HERSELF.

"Twilight!" Pinkie Pie was at her friend's side.

Twilight opened the most innocent and pure eyes this world had ever known. "Geeze Pinkie! What's with the long face! Did I get your birthday wrong again? . . . Hey! How did I get purple? And how did I become a unicorn? Did Princess Rarity do this with her wand? Being a unicorn isn't so bad, but couldn't she have kept me green?!"

"Minty?" Pinkie Pie whispered.

"That's my name! Don't wear it out!" Twilight giggled and made a little jump and hugged her. "By the way, whose Twilight?"

"Huh?"

"I just . . .remember her telling me . . . to tell us to have fun before it's time to come home."

Pinkie Pie realized what Twilight had for her, and gave tears of joy. "Alright Minty!" She hugged her best friend. "Come on, let me introduce you to the others."

Pinkie Pie held up a card to the camera.

1. "What you write in the comments is copy and pasted into the story."
2. "Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and I can't spill the beans about us being out-and-out fiction to the others."
3. "The camera can NOT leave the studio."
4. Guests can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from "My little Pony"
5. "Everything that happens here is non-canon."
6. HAVE FUN!!!
7. Try to keep only seven ponies in the studio at a time MAX (yes the Flutters count as two) or TERRIBLE THINGS will happen.

Applejack meanwhile, found herself thinking about munching on apples and lazying the day away rather than hard working. And . . . who was Bowtie? And why would she help her decorate the apple orchard with her ribbons? Applejack shook her head, but felt more befuddled. And her hat kept falling over her eyes! Dang it! That had to be strong cider! It was the cider right? AJ reluctantly put the hat down, strangely feeling free without it, but looking at the base of her tail, why did she feel so NAKED without a bow on it?
-Rarity shook her head, and slowly sat up, "Uh, why am I wearing rollerskates?"

"Because Rollerskates are now in fashion!" Pinkie Pie grinned. Ignoring the pain inside, Rarity was her good friend TOO.

"Really? Are you SURE?" Rarity looked at her roller skates confused.

Rainbow Dash then let out a yawn as she slowly woke up. "Whew, that was a good nap. But for some reason, I can't stop thinking about always dressing in style."

Pinkie Pie giggled nervously. "Yeah, you probably had one doozy of a dream from all the cider you drank. It's probably nothing you need to worry about."

Rainbow Dash thought about this for a moment before shrugging. "Yeah, you're probably right. Well, I think it's time to choose the next recursive work."

Right on cue, the PPPP7 whirred to life, spitting out another work that Rainbow Dash grabbed and placed on the pegasus projector.

"But before that!" Pinkie Pie, "Let me introduce you to Minty!"

"Pinkie, that's Twilight." RD pointed.

"Who is that again?" Minty asked.

"I'll explain!" Pinkie Pie said quickly.

One long confusing explanation later that left the ponies confused, but mostly able to grasp that Minty was . . . Twilight play pretend? A split personality? A past life regression? Her channeling a dead ancestor?

Pinkie Pie turned on the project to keep things going.

http://kendell2.deviantart.com/art/Pony-POV-Series-Ender-Dash-Corrupt-Version-2-418418001

Rarity spoke first. "I have to say, the artist did a good job of capturing how much anguish your Dark World counterpart has gone through because of Discord, Rainbow Dash. They say the eyes are windows to the soul, and it is quite obvious that her soul has almost been torn to pieces from all of the sadistic choices that Discord has forced her to make."

Applejack said, "You got that right. It's quite obvious that she's desperate, because that varmint Discord is making her think that if she doesn't kill one of her friends, he'll make Cloudsdale fall from the sky."

Fluttershy said, "But there's no way even he would do that...right?" Her posture and voice immediately changed to Fluttercruel, who said, "No way. Even he wouldn't do something like that."

Pinkie Pie said, "And he didn't. After Twilight The Unicorn beat Traitor Dash, nothing happened to Cloudsdale or the Sky Ocean. All of the threats he made to destroy those two places if Traitor Dash ever failed him were just bluffs."

Minty said, "So in addition to being a bully, this Discord character only made empty threats? Well, I guess the potential consequences for failing were so great that this Traitor Dash was too scared to find out if he would actually follow through on them."

Rainbow Dash said, "I know one thing for sure. Ender Dash when my Dark World self is freed from Discord's control is certain to be at least twenty percent cooler."

"Alright, let's see what we get this time!" said Pinkie, setting up another picture on the screen.

fav.me/d6dosnr

Everyone blinked, and slowly looked awkwardly at AJ, who was still trying to not trip over herself. "Oh yeah...that was when...when Ah got this truth vision of mine..." she said, despite her current situation still looking somewhat startled to see it. "As yah can tell...seein' all of that weren't easy on the eyes," she stated.

"That said, Ah can tell yah they did a right good job capturin' everythin', cept Ah had a hoof lodged in the gears of the machine at the time."

"How clumsy..." Rarity remarked.

"Weren't clumsy, Ah did it on purpose so Ah wouldn't be able tah look away!"

Rainbow Dash facehoofed. "Applejack, you're STILL the stubbornest pony I've ever met..."

Rarity cleared her throat. "Well, that being a given, the ponies suffering under...Discord's rule are clearly well depicted. I feel quite sorry for them. However, I'm not certain what the other pictures are of..."

"They're alternate universes, Princesses said they're 'possibilities and impossibilities'. Ah don't know much about any of 'em, just saw 'clips.' The one of another meh is Orangejack, a version of meh who's an Element of Generosity."

"So in that universe you took my place as Generosity?"

"Nah, yah were still Generosity, Ah just didn't leave Manehatten and Big Mac took mah place. Seems when Ah ain't Honest, he is."

"Hmm...how strange, I wonder what the universe were you're generosity and I'm not looks like..."

"One way to find out!" Pinkie said, producing the What If Machine. "What If Machine, what would happen if Applejack was Generosity instead of Rarity?"

The screen flickered to life.

"Bank you, Applejack," said Derpy Hooves, taking the bundle of apples, one wing and one leg in casts. "I...I don't blow what..."

"Don't say anythin' Ditzy, yah need a little help right now, Ah got more than yah do, so why should Ah be stingy?" asked Applejack, wearing a bit more refined attire and stance, but still looking like a farm girl. "Yah just worry about getting gettin' better, gotcha?"

"Alright, thank blue, Applejack..."

"Anytime."

Applejack turned back to head home to Sweet Apple Acres, which had be expanded considerably over its original self. Sure, she hadn't liked Manehatten too much, but she'd spent enough time there to pick up a thing or two about business in the years she'd stayed there before moving back to take control of finances when...when Granny Smith had her accident. Enough to get Sweet Apple Acres well in the green...but she'd never felt right about keeping all the prosperity to herself. It didn't feel like the Apple way. If you had more than you needed, why horde it like a dragon?

"Abigail!" called a sweet, cultured voice.

"Howdy Rarity! How's things goin' in Manehatten?"

"Oh, they absolutely LOVE my designs! Thank you SO much for introducing me to the uppercrust."

"Hey, what are friends for?"

Rarity blinked, staring at the screen. "Accident?"

"Well...Granny Smith needed a new hip for a reason...in our universe, Ah was home tah catch her and call Nurse Redheart in when she fell so just her hip got hurt...but that's the only thin' Ah can guess..." Applejack's eyes teared up and the thought. "Ah guess somethin' different musta happened in Orangejack's timeline or...maybe she didn't die and just got hurt real bad, but...it still makes meh sad tah think about it..."

The farm pony got a hug. "There's no such thing as a perfect world, Applejack," Fluttershy said. "I know that better than anyone."

Pinkie Pie nodded sadly. "And at least Rarity's still nice in that universe!"

"Yes...though, Applejack, do you think perhaps you could..."

"Rarity, Ah'm just now gettin' tah know mah Aunt and Uncle Orange again, Ah don't got any Manehatten connections yet."

"Darn..."

"So...um, Minty, what do you think of the picture?"

Minty looked at it curiously. "Everypony looks so upset...I...don't know how to react to that...but the filly with the Candy Cane seems nice!"

"She is, maybe I'll introduce you before you go home..."

-

"Hey, Pinkie!" Minty said, pointing her hoof at the latest picture the PPPP7 was displaying. Her voice sounded less joyful than usual as she said, "This isn't real, right? This is a made-up picture?"

"Which one? Pinkie asked before she saw it. "Oh..."

http://moonstruck-badger.deviantart.com/art/Request-Separation-269453971

The other ponies gathered around to see the picture. Twilight-Minty's ears were down as she asked the others, "This is, that's not real, right? I mean no one would be mean enough to keep a mother locked away from the sweet little filly she loves, right?"

"I hope not!" Rarity said. "Unless some prince of a pony comes and saves her, the poor mare." She covered her mouth, wondering why she had said that. But . . . those roller skates were looking real fun . . . ugh. Seeing Twilight acting like this 'Minty' was making her feel funny. She didn't share that she fully knew about poor Diamond and Screwball's relationship.

Pinkie Pie looked at her. Maybe Princess Rarity hadn't vanished yet after all.

Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie all just looked at each other. They knew something about Screwball and Diamond Tiara; but how to explain it to innocents like Minty and and possibly Princess Rarity? AJ and Pinkie tried to find something to say.

Fluttershy shuddered, and then Fluttercruel spoke: "It's not like that, Minty, Rarity. The, ah, 'sweet' little filly's mom is sick. And she... might hurt her daughter without meaning to. So they have to be kept apart for a little while. Just until she gets better like, like she did for a bit with my," she gulped, "my help."

"Huh? Ohhhh!" Minty looked the Flutters in the face. "So you're helping to make her better?"

"Yeah, kind of. I'm working on it." Fluttercruel said, trying not to look embarrassed. She added under her breath, "We will once we find out where she got off to."

Minty looked at it one last time. "If we can't do anything else for her, I'm going to wish that she at least dreams about having her daughter back before they really get back together. That's okay, right?" Pinkie and the other nodded at her. Minty closed her eyes and furrowed her brow as she made her wish. For a moment she thoght she saw a disheveled purple mare sleeping under leaves in a dark park somewhere, holding a stuffed pony doll close, smile softly.

"Okay," Pinkie said, wiping a tear away. "Let's see if we can get some happy stuff up!"

Rainbow Dash said, "Okay, how about a picture of Ender Dash AFTER she was freed from Discord's control?"

The PPPP7 whirred into action, spitting out an image which Rainbow Dash then put on the projector.

http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2013/343/e/f/pony_pov_series___ender_dash__free___flying_free_by_kendell2-d6xbtrw.png

Rarity said, "Now this is just beautiful. It captures the essence of Rainbow Dash, who has finally broken free of Discord's control, perfectly. And the rainbow-colored lightning around her is simply-really cool!!" Rarity cheered her voice rising greatly in pitch for a moment as she covered her mouth again in surprise.

Applejack said, "And that daredevil smile is something only you can pull off, RD."

Rainbow Dash smiled, perfectly matching the look that the image displayed. "See, what did I tell you guys? This is at least twenty percent cooler then the first one!"

"It was great!" Applejack said raising up and then fall backwards and spinning backwards before hitting the back studio fall and having a convenient bucket of apples empty on a shelf above her and fall on her silly head. "Ah thought this stuff was only supposed ta happen ta Derpy." Her voice echoed.

Rarity laughed, her voice sounding younger than it should have as she caught herself.

Minty in Twilight's body laughed too. "Wow! And I thought I was the only thing klutzy things happened to!"

Fluttershy said, "I'd like to hear a story about Ms. Cheerilee."

The PPPP7 popped a recursive work out, but before it could be placed on the projector, Rarity took a look at it and said, "I'm not sure this is a good one. It touches back on when you were Princess Gaia."

Fluttershy said, "That's fine with me. If it shows that I helped her, that will be one less thing I'll need to feel guilty for. And if it shows that I hurt her, that just means I'll need to apologize to her later."

With a sigh, Rarity placed the work on the projector.

http://fav.me/d4pfl8j

Fluttershy said, "Okay, so it looks like the events of that day helped her remember those memories and realize that she herself had been suppressing those memories. So it looks like I might have helped her."

Rarity said, "Yes, but I feel the need to point out that if it had been anyone else who she had shared the love poison with, she would have felt the same thing for them. Even if it was that muscular brute of a pegasus Roid Rage!"

This caused everyone else (except for Minty in Twilight's body) to shudder at the thought of those two getting together. Rainbow Dash finally said, "Okay, I could seriously use some brain bleach to get that disturbing image out of my head."

"WAIT A SECOND!" Pinkie Pie cried out, and looked the story over again. "This isn't a recursive! Geeze! We've got lots left, why are we divining into stuff that's . . . erm, close to Ponyville?"

"I don't mind." Minty in Twilight's body said.

"Yeah, but this is a recursive theater! Can't go changing that into false advertising!"

AJ said, "I think Roid Rage wouldn't have been as much a gentlestallion after the spell was over. My brother could have sold the jewel and gotten money for us. Or given it to somemare else. Instead he chose to give it to her after all . . . I bet the two of them would like to see an undersea concert of seaponies!" AJ blinked. Where had that one come from?

Pinkie got a huge grin on her face. "YAY! This one! I've been waiting for a when we'd get to it again! Too bad the Shadow was too busy to review it!"

"I'm sorry! I'm a college student!" called a voice from off stage.

"Sorry!"

Rarity looked at Pinkie. "Go on, Pinkie Pie."

"Okeyee doki loki!"

fav.me/d5z3eie

"This seems...oddly familiar," said Rarity, rubbing her head. "And I also feel strangely annoyed I'm not in this one 'either' for some reason...I remember hearing a first chapter in my...dream though..."

Pinkie chuckled. "Yeah...that's cause I reviewed it while you slept! What do you think?"

"I believe that this Puzzlemint seems quite the fun pony to hang around with," said Rarity. "She has a contagious curiosity."

"I'm just glad this Scootaloo wasn't a girly girl! She's still a sports lover just like I know her! Even if she's not a Pegasus," Rainbow stated with a smirk.

"I think that Mr. Tome Heart would make a good coltfriend. for Twilight," said Fluttercruel, giving a smirk. "They good have their date right there at the library...oh, right..." she said, looking at Minty, a little annoyed Purple 'wasn't here' at the moment. 'Darn, and with our luck in this place Pinkie would've pulled Tome Heart here to test it out...'

"...She has a point..." said Applejack, still trying to keep herself out of trouble.

Minty gave a smile. "They're still like Story Belle and Puzzlemint I know but...different, they seem...what do you call it?"

"More complex?" Pinkie asked, admitting these versions of her friends had more depth to them.

Minty nodded. "Yeah, that!"

The what if machine, began to click and buzz. Pinkie Pie turned to the fancy machine and gave it a stern look, "Okay Mister! It better be a NICE universe you show this time! Or you're going back in the trash bin that I already threw you into!"

Minty in Twilight body wondered, "Oh what that thing do Pinkie?"

"Oh this is the What-If Machine, it shows up different possible universe, sometimes they're normal, normally they're not. I think this thing has a sick sense of humor."

"Advert yer eyes Fluttershy, Ah don't think yeow!" AJ tripped and both she and the Flutters tumbled to the floor.

"When did you become a clown AJ?" RD asked flapping above them.

"Ah dunno." AJ said her eyes spinning, a catchy song playing her head.

"I hope it's COOL!" Rarity exclaimed then covered her mouth in shock.

-

Twilight Sparkle stood in front of a golden coated Alicorn with blue eyes, platinum mane, and a 'star over the horizon' cutie mark.

Twilight was wearing a weird blue jacket with white trim, on one foreleg was a small gizmo sort of like a gauntlet with a touch screen showing HP bars and pictures of monsters from different mythologies.

Both stood in a massive palace.

( = 4BLM_101_Chokkaku - Bleach = )

"Twilight Sparkle!" Morning Star snapped. "A pony with your intelligence and awareness! How can you possibly blindly serve that tyrant?!"

"'That Tyrant' you mean father of Alicorns don't you?" Twilight asked flatly.

"Don't be a fool! You've seen it! He's an evil vain dictator who has created the universe in such a way that it will be subjugated under him forever. He's ruthless and holds no empathy towards your ponies! You've seen what he's done! How can you accept his slander of calling me 'evil?!'"

Twilight Sparkle sighed, "For the concept of perfection, you'er sure lack in perception."

"What the Tartarus are you talking about?! You've fallen for his lies?!"

"Your Father of Alicorn's lies? No."

"MY Father of Alicorns?! How dare you associate me with that tyrant!"

"You really DON'T get it, do you? Tell me Morning Star, do you remember when four Minor Arcana, in this own scheme to bring about the world they thought The Father of Alicorns wanted, were so strong in their zealot belief, that it actually created a fake Father Of Alicorns? It's how this world works, strength of mind and strength of will can create."

"SO WHAT? That laughable imitation ultimately had the exact same personality as the real one! Father of Alicorns simply had a DIFFERENT WAY it wanted to crush ponies' lives and freedom! And it can't stand ANYTHING deviating even from the slightest from what it wants!"

"So tell me Morning Star? Whose belief in what they're doing is right, whose conviction that what they're doing will bring about the greater good, that what they're fighting is true evil . . . is the strongest? So strong they were willing to defy creation itself to bring about their version of it?"

Morning Star's eyes widened, he snarled, fire coming from his mouth, "NO! That's absurd! You're delusional! That's impossible!"

"The real Father of Alicorns long ago decided to let ponies live their lives by their own choices, each one facing the reality of their choices when their soul stands before them. The Father of Alicorns you've been fighting against, or did you find it odd you could kill him, or that he kept coming back to life even when there was no one left to believe in him except you?"

"YOU'RE JUST MAKING EXCUSES!" Morning Star created a golden flaming sword that struck at Twilight, who drew a samurai sword that deflected the blows. "THE TRUE ENEMY CONTINUES TO EXIST BECAUSE OF COWARDS AND WEAKLINGS WHO DON'T HAVE THE STRENGTH OF WILL TO BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES!"

( = OST Movie 3: B13a - Bleach = )

"The real Father of Alicorns has been present in every hero whose stopped you, and your creation from rendering every choice meaningless in absolute chaos OR absolute order. Those heroes, who CARED about PEOPLE, about choices, empathy, THEY were the ones enacting the Father of Alicorn's will! Not the emotionless and insane zealots your creation gathered!"

"STOP SAYING THAT!" Their blades clashed, the walls of the palaced collapsed, revealing a sea of flames and a sky of stars.

Twilight Sparkle panted. "Take a real look Morning Star, take . . . a hard, long . . . look." Twilight Sparkle cast the strongest light spell she could. And Morning Star's shadow appeared and stretched, and stretched, until it took the form of a massive Alicorns with a blacker than black starscrape form against the much more life-like starscape and flames background behind it. Its face held no real expression except maybe contempt for everything, and its eyes glowed red. "ALL BOW TO ME! ALL SERVE ME! ALL OBEY ME!"

"No . . ." Morning Star looked robbed of all regality. He looked and snarled at Twilight Sparkle, "No, NO NO NO NO! THIS IS A LIE! THIS IS A TRICK! A TRICK! DIE!"

Twilight said, "Megidolaon," At point blank range as the golden flaming blade was about to bisect her.

The purple blast of magic, blew away the fallen Alicorn.

The Father of All Alicorns that Morning Star WANTED to exist, fell apart with him. When the smoke cleared, Twilight was surprised to find herself with wings and standing taller.

"This is the true resurrection of the goddess," She said.

+++

"WHAT IN PONY HEAVEN'S NAME WAS THAT?!" Rarity exclaimed.

"That was totally awesome!!! . . . Even if I had no idea what was going on!" Rainbow Dash admitted.

"That made me feel funny." Minty admitted.

"Oh my . . . that was . . . that was . . . " Fluttershy stuttered, not really able to find the worlds with this completely bizarre and alien vision.

"Well I liked it." She then looked at . . . well, anyone who'd answer. "OUR universe doesn't work like that does it? I mean, if enough ponies believe in something it becomes real does it?"

"NOPE! That concept kinda . . . went bye-bye." Pinkie Pie admitted, happy none of her friends wondered how she could know that.

"Well good riddance," Rarity pointed up her noise, "I'm all for faith and love given somepony strength, but I'd rather not become a mean old nag simply because everypony else thinks it's true."

"AGREED!" Everypony nodded in agreement.

"Ah'd really not take that world at face value mahself," AJ said, "Seem a little TOO different from ours . . . "

"Don't worry AJ, it was just a parody universe, those pop up all the time on this thing. They're nothing to worry about."

"GOOD." AJ said, then wondered if they had any apples to snap out, licking her lips so greedily.

"We haven't seen any pictures for a while! Let's see...oh look, an oldie but goldie!" Pinkie said, putting a new work on the projector.

fav.me/d5bpezy

"...It's like four sorta-Discords and a mini-Discord-wannabe," Rainbow Dash said, "Who are they?"

"It says they're Discord's siblings," Rarity said, "Anarchy - wait, that sounds familiar for some reason - Destruction, Strife, Pandora, and Rancor."

"Those names don't sound very nice," Minty said, looking at the picture, "But these ponies sure look interesting! They all have funny horns on their heads! And the little 'Rancor' filly is super-cute!"

"Rancor was just born when her picture was added, that's why she's super-adorable," Pinkie agreed.

"That Destruction guy is kinda wild looking," Rainbow Dash admitted, "Pandora looks she might be a little too girly for me."

"Still, they're DISCORD'S siblings..." Rarity said, looking put-off (and not just because she wasn't in this picture EITHER), "I hope they're not as bad as he is."

"Oh they're not! They might have all the yucky jobs in the universe, but they're not evil on the inside!" Pinkie Pie explained, "Rancor even grew up to help the versions of us in the Dark World! ...Kinda. It wasn't in exactly that order."

While Applejack was busy wondering why she had a hankering for apples, Rarity’s eye caught sight of the skates she discarded not too long ago. She walked over to them to get a closer look at them “Those are such tacky skates, so why do I feel the urge to put them on again?” She whispered to herself. She shook her head to collect her thoughts. “If they were a little more fashionable then maybe…”

“Hay Rarity are you okay” Applejack said while shaking a hoof in front of her friend’s face.

“Ah…Applejack, I didn’t see you there. I am fine. I was just deep in thought about some things. Thank you for asking though” replied the white mare. Applejack however could tell something was bothering her but decided not to say anything. She briefly looked at the skates before turning back to the unicorn.

“If ya say so. Anyway Rarity ah actually wanted to ask ya for something.”

“Sure, Applejack you know I am always willing to help a friend. What do you need darling.”

“Ah was wondering if ya had…a blue bow”.

“Er…what was that? I didn't quite hear that last part?”

“Ah said ah was wondering if ya had…a blue bow?” Applejack wished she didn't take off her hat earlier. Or else she would have used it to hide her surely blushing face. It probably wouldn't have mattered anyhow, with Rarity’s eye for detail.

“A blue bow? I might have packed one in my bags. Never know when a fashion emergency will happen but why do you need one?” Rarity could not help but notice Applejack was turning almost as red as Big Macintosh.

“Well no reason just thought I would try a new style with my tail is all.”

At this news, Rarity eyes seemed to be filled with dozens of shining stars. “Oh, why didn’t you say so earlier? I will be more than happy to style your tail but why stop just there. Oh, I have so many ideas I want to try with your mane.” If Applejack didn’t know better she would have sworn Rarity looked like a child who was told Christmas came early.

“Now wait a gosh darn minute Rarity. Ah just wanted... wait, where did you those brushes come from and is that shampoo? Rarity wait, I changed my mind?”

Back on other side of the studio. Rainbow dash, Fluttershy/Fluttercruel and Minty were waiting for Pinkie to finish fine-tuning the PPPP7. After it produced the Cheerilee chapter from their universe, Pinkie felt the machine needed a tune up.

“There that should do it.” Pinkie closed the panel on the PPPP7 and put away the tools she had surrounded herself with to reconfigure the machine. She turned back to the camera. “There shouldn’t be any more stories coming from our ‘neighborhood’ anymore’ ”.

As if on cue the PPPP7 lit up and produced not one but two more reclusive pieces to review. Pinkie pulled them out to look at them.

“Oh this is interesting. This is a shadow’s interpretation of what Fluttercruel would look like if she was a draconequus like Discord and Fluttershy was a dragon.” She placed them on the projector for her friends to see as well.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g3/Baals_Baby/Paragon/CustomGrayGriffinFemale1.png

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g3/Baals_Baby/Paragon/CustomGrayGriffinFemale2.png

“Wow, you guys look awesome, almost radical even. Just imagine if Shy really was a dragon. I bet she wouldn’t have her phobia for them anymore. ” Commented Rainbow Dash.

“Oh….maybe but how would I take care of all my animal friends then? I would be so big that I might accidentally hurt them” She shivered at the mental image of her unintentionally stepping on her pet bunny Angel. Her fur then darkened and her cutie mark changed.

“Don’t worry mom, I am sure you would never harm them. You are way too cautious for that to happen even if you…er we did turn into a dragon. ” Fluttercruel glanced at her Draconequus form again. She briefly wondered how having a scorpion tail would feel like before shifting over to her mom again.

“You are right Cruel, thank you.”

Pinkie smiled at the warming scene. “Minty what do you think about the pictures?”

“The dragon is beautiful but the Draconequus thingy scares me a little. I do not know why but it reminds me of a sad day. Which is weird.” Minty whacking her brain trying to make sense of it.

Pinkie looked troubled. How much did Minty remember of that fateful day? It is possible she might remember Strife or Discord and how their world ended. Before she could say anything though a voice diverted every ponies’ attention.

“Keep that thing away from me, Rarity!”

“But Applejack you will look simply amazing in this dress. Won’t you please reconsider?”

The ponies stared at the scene. Applejack no longer had her mane and tail in ponytails anymore. Instead, her hair flowed freely behind her, and had a blue bow on her tail. Along with her missing hat, Applejack looked almost like a different pony. She was currently galloping away from Rarity as fast as possible. Rarity who was not far behind her was holding a dress in her magic. The dress was the most girlishness thing any pony ever seen. It was fitted with bows and ribbons or various colors of the rainbow.

“Yeah, ha ha, Applejack why don’t you wear it. The dress doesn’t look that bad. In fact, I think it would look simply dashing on you.” Rainbow dash said before bursting into laughter.

Applejack was not amused. “I have a better idea, if you love it so much, why don’t you wear it?”

Rarity stopped chasing AJ and looked at the laughing pegasus.

“Oh, what a splendid idea. Now that I think about it, the dress will go much better with your rainbow colors darling.”

“HAHAHA…wait, what was that? Oh no, there is no way you will ever get me to wear that dress in a million years darling. Wait did I just say darling?”

“Oh Rainbow Dash you did, now please be a dear and keep still. I need to make some holes for your wings”

“Sorry but I just remembered I uhh… forgot to feed Tank. Poor guy must be hungry. See you darlings, I mean GUYS later.”

Rainbow Dash flew out of the studio in record time.

“Rainbow Dash come back here this instant.”

She was not going to her let her friend get away that easily, it would be a crime against fashion. She hastily put on the roller skates again, not caring if they were fashionable or not to pursuit her winged friend. Her movements were jerky at first, but quickly became more graceful by the time she got out the door. She still had the girly dress in her magic as she skated away.

“Oh dear, Pinkie shouldn't we go follow them?” asked Minty.

“Don’t worry Minty those two are just playing around. I am sure they will be back in no time. Heck they will probably be back in time for the next reclusive piece”. After reassuring Minty, Pinkie eyes drifted to a closed curtain that concealed the character pressure gauge. On the other hoof that doesn’t mean we won’t be visited by somepony else before Rainbow dash and Rarity comes back. Who is to say really? Oh, right the shadows. Pinkie giggled at that last thought.

The What-If machine suddenly fired up again, heedless of Pinkie's warning about it showing only nice AUs.

Morning Star pulled himself to his hooves, panting and grunting in pain from his wounds, as he looked across the conjured battlefield at what could only be described as his doppelganger. It was him, the same coat, Cutie Mark, wings and horn; the only thing on this other alicorn that was not his were the eyes. The double's eyes were like empty pits into the blackest, coldest depths, devoid of anything but hatred, malice and disdain.

"Why?" The copy asked, flinging the wounded alicorn farther away with its telekinesis. Morning Star was too tired to mount any sort of defense and fell to the ground once more. "Why do you still fight on, Perfection?" That stupid title again; yes, it was his concept, but it wasn't his name like the copy was treating it. "Those pathetic mortals below don't even know you exist, wouldn't care if you up and left one day, they aren't even perfect beings. And yet, here you are, defending them as though they have worth."

"They DO have worth!" Morning Star felt the pain magnify as he stood once more, gritting his teeth. "Even if they aren't perfect, even if they never can be perfect, they still as hard as they can to BE perfect. They need an ideal, somepony they can look up to whenever they can't find guidance elsewhere. I will be that ideal, and I will not fail them!" He fired a blast from his horn, bu the copy deflected it away with a scoff.

"You've gone soft," it started to gather it's own power, "you've spent so much time worrying about those pathetic toys of Mother and Father's and not enough strengthening yourself. You are no longer perfect."

"Is that all you care about?! Being 'perfect'?!" Morning Star was rapidly growing sick of the look-a-like's one track mind. "This world, and every being that inhabits it, is perfect in its own imperfections. You will never find two that are completely alike, never find one that will take everything exactly as another, never find any that would trade away their individuality for your perverted idea of what 'perfection' truly is!"

"Then you will die with your flawed protectorates!" The copy fired it's blast, only for Morning Start to capture it within a shield just as it got to him and blast it back.

"With them? No." He lowered his horn at the copy, still getting to its hooves. "But for them? Always." His own power shining as bright as his namesake star, the alicorn charged his doppelganger.

Far below, ponies, gryphons, diamond dogs, dragons and every species in between stared up at the sky.

A meteor shower had started falling; though it was beautiful, none of them could help but feel a twinge of sadness within. As though something was lost, even if they didn't know what.

At a palace, two sisters mourned the loss of their dear brother.

Beyond the boundaries of space and time, a Mother and Father bowed their heads, both proud of their son.

The machine settled a moment later, Pinkie Pie standing near it with a mallet in case it did get too depressing.

"Okay... it's not happy, but it's not TOO sad. I'll let you have it, but you're still on thin ice, Mister!"

--

The PPPP7 flashed again signaling it produced another fanwork for the ponies to review.

Pinkie stopped looking expectantly at the door and bounced to the machine to take it.

“Let’s see what we get to review now.” Pinkie glanced at the paper. “Oh, this is interesting. This one is different from the others but…it is still technically a reclusive piece.”

Pinkie gave duplicates to all her friends still left in the studio to see it as well.

http://fluttercruelandfluttershyreply.tumblr.com/

“Oh well I don’t know what a tum-blr is but if it is helping another me teach her daughter to open up more then I like it. I wish her daughter luck on trying to find friends. I also love the background they chose, it is so beautiful. Makes me almost wish I can shrink down and sleep in one of those flowers” Fluttershy said with a weird expression on her face before switching over to Flutttercruel.

“Humph, of course you like it, the other Fluttershy probably chose it. I agree with the other me, that theme is humiliating. Couldn’t they decide on something… oh I don’t know less garish. At least I know there is another me out there that didn’t disappear after the old man turned into a giant paper weight again.”

“What is that about traveling to another universe and meeting another Screwball or Golden Tiara though? Is that tumblr thing connected to, a big magic mirror well or something?" Asked Applejack cautiously still with her look. Thankfully the half of their friends who didn't know about alternate universes (for the sake of their sanity) weren't present.

Despite the unwelcomed makeover by Rarity, she could not bring herself to put her mane and tail back into a ponytail. Something about this new look felt right for some reason. Now if only she could find some apples to satisfy her hunger. She felt like she could eat a whole barrel of them!

“Actually her name is called Pitch in that universe and no Applejack. It only exists as part of the 'outside of canon' like in the studio, and like how the camera can't leave the studio. Tumblr is a wonderful device that by itself has the power to let everyday ponies to interact not only with other ponies in their world but other universes as well. It even allows them to visit them as well!”

“Wow that sounds amazing Pinkie! I wish our world had it.” Minty said.

“Oh, me too. It would be super fun to visit that one world where Discord became an earth pony or that one where Twilight and Trixie found Copycat. However, maybe not that one with that mean pony and her magic shop. Then again maybe all she needs is a party and a hug to stop being so evil all the time.”

"Whose Copycake?" Minty asked innocently.

“The old man as an earth pony? Now that I would love to see.” Said Fluttercruel with smirk.

Suddenly a loud yet familiar explosive was heard outside the studio. Pinkie, the flutters and Minty went to the window to see what was happening outside. Pinkie made sure to bring the camera along to see as well. Sure enough, a rainbow colored explosion was seen in the distance with a rainbow trail following behind a small dot in the sky.

“Wow a rainbow did Princess Rarity make it?” Minty said, happy to see a rainbow in such a long time.

“Princess Rarity? Fluttercruel raised an eyebrow at that. “No that was Rainbow Dash. She must have performed the Sonic Rainboom. Heehe she must have been really desperate to use that to escape Rarity. Too bad I would have loved to see her in that dress”.

“Give her time. Maybe you will still get too.” Pinkie said while looking through a telescope she managed to pull from somewhere, using it to get a better view of rainbow dash flying. She giggled when she remember how Rainbow Dash was acting before she left. If that was any indication then maybe Rarity won’t NEED to catch her.

Fluttercruel rolled her eyes. “Well I still do not think she ever catch her. You agree with me don’t you Applejack?” Turning her head though she notice Applejack was near the other side of the room in a big pile of apples. “Applejack what are you doing and where did all those apples come from?”

“In that fridge over there”. The earth pony then took a bite out of an apple from the pile. She happily munch on it to her heart’s desire.

“Oh Apples can I have one!” Minty made a gesture to grab an apple before she was swatted away by the greedily mare. “Hey that’s not nice. Didn’t anyone teach you to share?”

“These are my apples. Get your own.” Applejack position her body in front the pile to shield it from any would be thieves.

“Applejack those apples are meant for everyone. Besides there is still plenty of hay fries and potato fritters left on the table. Sure, they might be a couple weeks old but they should still be fine to eat. Applejack just stared at Pinkie Pie. “Okay a couple of months but still edible.”

“Please Applejack, can’t you please share.” Pleaded Fluttershy.

“But Posey you know how much I love apples.”

“Um… Applejack are you feeling alright? It is me Fluttershy.

“Fluttershy? But aren’t you…” The earth pony stopped mid-sentence. Her eyes then blinked for several seconds before continuing to talk. “Nevermind. Of course, you are Fluttershy. Sorry Minty here you go.” She gave Minty an apple from the pile, which she happily took.

“Applejack are you okay?” Fluttershy asked.

“Of course ah am fine. Just was tired is all. Why don’t we go back and see what the PPPP7 has for us or the What-If-machine.” Applejack said hoping to change the topic.

“Uh…okay. If you are sure you are fine.”

"The out-of-cannon meeting of the various aspects of Fluttershy's soul and personality will now come to order," Said Princess Gaia bringing the hammer down. "Roll call, Princess Gaia."

"Fluttershy."

"Fluttercruel."

"Zipzee!"

"Posey!"

"Bright Eyes."

"Nightmare Whisper."

"Butterscotch present!"

The various mares turned towards the stallion who yelp and meekly hide behind his seat.

"What are YOU doing here?!" Fluttercruel hissed.

"Well, you know how stallions have a feminine side? I'm Fluttershy's masculine side."

"Please tell me we're not doing the split personality sub-plot AGAIN." Fluttercruel exasperated, leaning back, facing the ceiling and covering her eyes with her foreleg.

"Oh no no no! I'm not a split personality! Honest!"

"What's wrong with her voice?" Zipzee asked.

"'She's' a 'he'." Bright Eyes not looking up from her book.

"A BOY pony!? Wow!" Zipzee fluttered around the stallion. "This is so funny!"

"We should make him a little filly, so he can happy, then do that to everypony, so they can be happy." Nightmare Whisper proposed.

"I vote him say, Starlight taught me that we should be accepting of boys into our social groups." Said Bright Eyes.

The others raised her hooves in favor of Bright Eyes.

"So Posey, why did Applejack call you that?" Fluttershy asked one of her incarnations.

"I don't know. But she looking a lot like my Applejack. She was fun . . . if kinda klutzy."

Nightmare Whisper said, "If she's happy, who are we to judge?"

The others looked at the nightmare surprised.

Princess Gaia said, "Well, this is outside the canon universe, so there's no harm for now."

Fluttershy startled, having the unconscious feeling that whatever happening to Applejack, wasn't in of itself bad.

PPPP7 beeped and clicked and a new piece of fanwork was spat out, which Pinkie Pie check. "Oh! About time we got to look at part of this again! I really hope the PPP7 picks one of that magical Applejack's story really really REALLY soon! That would be nice! But this is nice too!" Pinkie Pie put the story on the projector.

http://fav.me/d6x5o8g

"Razzaroo being a BOY pony?!" Minty gasped. "I . . . and Fiesta Flare ebing a BOY pony?! . . . I . . . and sweet MOTHERLY Story Belle as a BOY PONY?!?! I need to sit down, we have any green tea?"

"No but we have some nice green soda." Pinkie Pie brought it out, and poured it, to reveal, "Oh, only the container is green, let me get some food dye."

"Thanks Pinkie!" Minty said in Twilight Sparkle's body. Pinkie figured that Minty's spirit would remain as long as the rainbow berry punch was still effecting Twilight. Thankfully Rainbow Dash was too distracted with Rarity outside to think to take pictures or record Twilight's antics will being the green fixated pony.

"It's nice to see Toola-Roola is okay, even if she's having those bad dreams, do you still have bad dreams Pinkie?"

"Not anymore." Pinkie Pie smiled.

"And turning all of Ponyville into one big puzzle? That really sounds like something we'd do for a friend isn't it?"

"Yeah. Did you ever get all the glitter from Sparkle Work's birthday out of your socks?"

" . . . Eventually. At least she didn't do that EVERY year."

"So all those ponies were mares when you knew them?" Fluttershy asked, feeling a bit isolated with Twilight going through a past life, AJ acting stranger and stranger and RD and Rarity out and about . . . she was beginning to feel a bit alone. Made her wish maybe she could have that dream of thinking she was a butterfly pony more-

'NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT! NO WAY! NO HOW! DREAM NOT! NOT HAPPENING!!!!!! It was bad enough to dealing with her when she first took your place! She was so sweet she made you seem like bitter coffee!'

'Alright Fluttercruel, I was just thinking . . . and it's nice that I always have you by my side.'

'Back at you, mother.'

"YES! They were all girls! I didn't even know boy ponies existed!"

"Then where do baby ponies come from?" Fluttercruel asked.

"When two rainbows cross together? I heard that's how everypony else met Sweetie Belle."

"SWEETIE BELLE?!" Fluttershy gasped had they mentioned her before? Things go so confusing.

"Yeah, she's a super great cook."

Now she knew she was dreaming.

"I wonder why Kimino didn't have that mirror when I knew her." Minty said.

"Well, lots of things are different. Maybe could be just one more thing." Pinkie Pie said.

"Applejack?" Fluttershy asked, AJ had just been looking at the story, its pure innocence, its shameless joy, it was . . . it was . . .

The center's of AJ's eyes grew huge . . . and she got the most friendly and playful smile on her face ever. "THAT WAS GREAT!" She said in a slightly gravel voice.

A record player began to play 'Who's A Silly Pony' through the speakers. Applejack sang the words as she danced a dance that was not as bad as Twilight Sparkle's dancing, and had a clumsy charm to it. A lot of it involved rolling forward and land on her rear.

"You're a silly pony!
Who is?
You is, Applejack!"

Bumping into gates and
knocking over fences,
who is?
You is, Applejack!

All day long you trot around,
looking at the Apples on the trees,
dreaming all your Pony dreams,
licking lips so greedily.

Who's a silly Pony?
You're a silly Pony!
Who is?
You is, Applejack!

Watching all the Rosy Apples
Oops, there goes another fence."

Fluttercruel sang at her. "Are you coming, are you going?
Why don't you use your Horse Sense?"

Minty laughed and clapped and sang.
"Who's a silly Pony?
You're a silly Pony!
Who is?
You is, Applejack!

Bumping into posts and
knocking over fences,
who is?
You is, Applejack!"

AJ picked up the song again. "Soon the winds will blow a whistle,
knocking Apples to the ground.
Call for Bow-Ties, she will help you
spread her ribbons on the ground.

Who's a silly Pony?
You're a silly Pony!
Who is?
You is, Applejack!

Falling over logs and
bumping into fences,
who is?
You is, Applejack!"

The innocent mare hugged her sides as she laughed at herself. Too bad Megan wasn't here, but Pinkie Pie said it was very important that only a few friends be at this party at the same time for some reason, she hoped Firefly and Glory were having fun.

Rainbow Dash had stopped to enjoy the beautiful rainbow she had created, she had never stopped to realize just how beautiful rainbow actually were, having grown up with one for a mane, she never gave them much SERIOUS thought. In fact it had actually been a source of irritation and anger when some thought her rainbow mane MUST HAVE meant she was into fillies, RD had nothing against Bon Bon and Lyra, but she DID NOT SWING THAT WAY! The worst part was the mares who believed it.

She shook her head. Why was she wasting time on such nonsense thoughts? Everypony loves everyone else! That was the magic of friendship! She smiled and laughed, why had she been . . . flying again? Where did these come from? This felt rather funny how she had once laughed at the existence of flying ponies. Why had she done that when she had known the breezies? Oh well! Who care!? Being up the air was darling, but she best dash down to the ground. Oof! Less graceful than she'd have liked. Still she got up and assumed a lady-like poise.

"Raaaaainboooow Daaaaaaash."

The rainbow mare felt a chill go down her spine, oh no, no no!

There came Rarity, skating down her way, slipping, flipping, and just barely missing several ponies who were all staring at her in shock.

"Rarity darling, you're a mess." Rainbow Dash said sternly.

"So?" Rarity asked, she had been skipping and spinning along, enjoying the adrenaline rush, having the time of her life, the dress having gotten a little dirty, but it was just a dress. She had feel in a mud puddle, breathed in deep, about to scream, then laughed at loud instead and carried on after Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash sighed, "What will Cheerilee say if she sees you like that darling? Let's get you cleaned up."

"Uh . . . I have a dress for you."

"Thank you darling, now let's wash you up."

"No!" Rarity stamped her hoof like a spoiled child. Then Rainbow Dash pulled her along.

Ponies looked at each other in confusion, thankfully this was all non-canon so things wouldn't get confusing or spread some unwelcome rumors.

Rainbow Dash pulled Rarity into the Carousel Boutique and began to give Rarity a bath, and also did some modifications to the dress Rarity had offered her, making room for her new wings, and doing some resewing on the rainbow pattern, actually giving it better gradience and radiance. Unlike in a certain other reality, this mare who now suddenly believed making dresses was her life calling, Rainbow Dash did all this with the skill and precision of one who truly did have a special talent for such things.

Sweetie Belle sat and watched all of them with wide eyes. She hoped Scootaloo didn't see this. Opal meanwhile decided she had to lay off the catnip.

"Pinkie Pie, what are you doing with that long distance camera lens and super-magic microphone?" Fluttercruel asked.

"OH! Nothing!" Pinkie Pie grinned.

Recursive Fanworks Theater of the Pony POV Series Part 5

Recursive Fanworks Theater of the Pony POV Series Part 5

“I did it Pinkie Pie. I did it. I can’t believe I did it!” Minty said proudly.

“See I knew you could do it Minty.” Pinkie said.

Standing in front of the ponies was a small-decorated Christmas tree. The tree had bulbs, lights, and other various ornaments covering it, all except a star. Instead, a perfectly aligned mint candy cane sat on the top of the tree, much to the confusion of some ponies present. Despite it not being Christmas or Hearts Warming in their world, Pinkie managed to convince the others to celebrate it anyway.

“I wish Rainbow Dash was here to see this. Thank you again Pinkie for letting me place the candy cane on the tree. Especially after what happen that one time.”

Minty’s ears drooped as she remembered how she nearly ruined Christmas one year by breaking the yearly “Here Comes Christmas Candy Cane” for Ponyville into crackly pieces.

“That’s okay Minty accidents happen and no one really got hurt, Pinkie assured her. Besides, if you had not broken the Candy Cane then we would not have gone on that super fun adventure to bring Christmas back to Ponyville and remembered how Santa even thank you for giving him the sock idea.”

“Yeah, I guess you are right. Thank you Pinkie.” Minty said while giving her pink friend a hug.

During the hug, Pinkie couldn’t help but notice how all her friends were enjoying the new gifts she gave them. She gave Applejack but not their Applejack nor her and Minty’s Applejack but an Applejack from long ago some new saddlebags. She was happily using her new gift to store some apples. For Fluttershy she gave her a lovely purple potted flower, which sadly caused her to sneeze uncontrollably. She guess that was a side effect of channeling Zipzee from earlier. That didn’t stop her from sniffing it every so often. Fluttercruel didn’t mind the sneezing too much though as she was busy admiring her new tickets for an upcoming modeling show. Finally, for Minty she received a pair of green-stripped socks, which she was now gladly wearing on her hind legs. Pinkie wished Rainbow Dash and ‘Princess Rarity would come back soon. She very much wanted to give them their gifts as well. What was taking them so long? She couldn’t wait to see her old friends again. Maybe she should use the camera to check on them again.

The What-If machine suddenly whirled to life again, ready to show another universe for the ponies to see.

“I think we may have given them too big of a nudge.” Said Sweetie Belle

“You're my cuddly-wuddly boopsie-woopsie pumpkin pie” said the stallion while snuggling their teacher.

“Ya think?” Said Scootaloo after they briefly gaged on that last overly long nickname.

The cutie mark crusader didn’t know what went wrong. After the first failed attempt at finding Miss Cheerilee her very special somepony, they were almost ready to give up. However, they were lucky enough to stumble into Twilight and learned about a book that contained a recipe for a love potion. Not wasting any time the fillies borrowed the book and read ONLY how to create the potion and nothing else. They were too much in a hurry to read the whole thing, after all Heart and Hooves day only comes once a year. However, after serving the potion, in guise of punch, to the couple in the park they were starting to wish they did.

“You're my cuddly-wuddly boopsie-woopsie pumpkin pie.” Said Miss Cheerilee. Her eyes briefly turned purple with swirls before returning to their normal color.

“I knew we should have used Big Mackintosh instead,” said Scoolatoo turning her head away from the love crazy couple. “If Applebloom didn’t felt uncomfortable with the idea of her big brother dating Mrs. Cheerilee I am sure this would have worked.”

“WHAT! That had nothing do with this.” Applebloom stated angrily. “Ah bet it was probably because we used a dodo’s wing instead of a pegasus wing.”

“Take the back!” Scootaloo’s face was instantly in front of Applebloom’s.

“Girls stop it. Fighting is not going to solve anything. We need to find out what is wrong with these two”. Sweetie Belle said while separating her two friends.

“Sigh yah are right.” Said Applebloom cooling down. “Sorry for calling yah a dodo Scoots.”

“I am sorry too.” She then turned to her unicorn friend. “Okay Sweetie Belle can you give us that book, so we figure how what went wrong with the potion?”

“Huh I thought you had it? Applebloom do you have it?”

Applebloom hoof palmed her head when she realized they left the love potion book back in their clubhouse. The other two followed suite when the farm pony pointed it out to them.

“Wait we can’t leave these two alone by themselves. What if they wander off?” Sweetie Belle said pointing her hoof to the newly love-struck couple.

The two ponies were still exchanging nicknames for one another. Neither one had moved an inch on the picnic blanket. Both too occupied to find the most excessively sappy pet name possible and occasionally snuggling one another .

“I don’t think we have to worry about that.” Scootaloo said while gagging again at the mushy talk.

The cutie mark crusaders left in their usual fashion with Scootaloo driving away on her scooter while pulling the other two in a red wagon. As they rode away all three hoped, the book in their clubhouse had a solution to fix this mess.

Finally, alone the mare and stallion continued with their love talk.

“Huggy-wuggy snuggly honey bunny pie baby I just had the most wonderful-est idea.” Cheerilee spoke in the most relaxing voice she could.” Why don’t we go to Sugercube Corner to celebrate us each finding our very special somepony. Dosen’t that sound like a lovely idea snookum.”

“Yeeeahhh" replied Roid Rage.

The two proceed to walk to Sugar Club Corner while never losing eye contact with the other.

The screen flickered off.

“Oh my goodness Pinkie, I think I am really going to need brain breach to forget I ever saw that.” Fluttercruel said while looking like she was ready to throw up. Just the thought of seeing Cheerilee with that muscular jerk Roid Rage was enough to make her gag but actually seeing it was too much. She couldn’t help but think that stupid What-If machine intentionally showed them that.

“Wow I never saw a pony that big before. He looked like he could pull an entire house if he wanted to.” Minty responded, unfazed by what she just saw. She turned to face Pinkie. “Also, Pinkie doesn’t those other ponies remind you some of our other friends? This Miss Cheerilee wouldn’t happen to be sisters with that Scootaloo would she?”

Pinkie sighed before answering. “Yes and no. It is complicated.” She was not sure how she could explain the relationship between her old friends with her new friends. “She does have a sister named Berry Punch though.

”

“Hey Posey are you feeling okay?” Applejack said while noticing her pal was looking mighty sick.

“Almost lost my lunch there but I should be okay now.” Fluttercruel threw away the empty paper bag she almost needed to use. “And I already told you, my name is not Posey.”

“Yeah she is Zipzee.” Said Minty happily.

“See our name is-wait NO! It is Fluttercruel and Fluttershy and We ARE NOT A FAIRY PONY!”

‘I'd like to be a fairy pony.’

‘MOM!’

‘Sorry. It just something about seeing the cutie mark crusaders made me think about another trio of friends who were always together. They would fly together, sleep together, eat together…well do everything together. I wished I could remember who they were.’

Fluttercruel placed a hoof to her head and sighed. Her mom’s mind kept slipping more and more. If it wasn’t for her constant reminders she was certain Zipzee would be here instead of Shy. She feared it was only a matter of time before she came back. NO, she was not going to allow that intoxicated sweet fairy come back. Just thinking about her gave her a headache.

A knock on the studio door grabbed everypony’s attention.

“I will get it.” Said Minty.

“No I will.” Said Applejack.

Both raced to be the first one to open the door. However, but both mares tripped and fell into a pony pile halfway there.

“I think it will be better if I get it.” Pinkie hopped over the clumsy mares and opened the door to see who it was.

“Hello welcome to the…Rainbow Dash? Princess Rarity it that you?” Pinkie's eyes grew huge.

She knew from the camera that her two friends came back thanks to the berry juice but she wasn’t prepared for this. Rainbow Dash was now proudly wearing a more radiant version of the rainbow colored dress Rarity originally made for Applejack. Pinkie noticed there were holes made for her wings now. Princess Rarity on the other hoof LOOKED like Princess Rarity. Instead of Rarity’s usual white coat and curly purple mane was instead a pink one and a mane of rainbow colors. Aside from her cutie mark (and being an adult mare) she looked near identical to how she appeared in her old world.

“Of course it is us Pinkie Pie darling.” Said Rainbow Dash in a British accent.

After getting over the shock, Pinkie hugged her two friends in a tight embrace. “I was beginning to wonder if you two were ever going to return. I thought we were going to run out of file space and had to make a part 5. . . . Er . . . never mind.”

“Watch the dress darling I just finished it.” The stylish Pegasus said. “I am sorry for taking so long but I had to give Princess Rarity a bath after she fell into a mud puddle. Then she insisted she wanted to be pink again and have her old rainbow-colored mane again and I couldn’t blame the darling. Rainbow is such a beautiful color.”

“So she dyed my coat and styled my mane. Do you like it Pinkie cause I sure do?” replied Princess Rarity cheerfully.

“No, I LOVE IT.” She said while finally releasing her hug.

Oh boy Rarity is gonna be reeeeeal upset when she ‘wakes’ up thought Pinkie Pie but she will worry about that later. For now she was too happy to have her old friends back even for a little while. Both mares walked into the studio, well Rainbow Dash did while the newly pink Princess skated.

“Rainbow Dash you made it to the party” Minty said while shaking off the spinning spinning stars she was seeing from her fall from earlier. “Hey how come you and Princess Rarity get to have your old colors but not me.” She pouted for not being her favorite color green while her friends did. After all she was still in Twilight’s body and not her own.

Fluttercruel took one look at Rainbow Dash and slowly broke into a laughing fit. “Oh…hehe… this…is hehe…too good. Haha…I wish hahaha… I had a camera.” Everything else she said became a mess of laughs and giggles before she let Fluttershy take over for a while. She was too occupied with her laughter to notice Fluttershy was eyeing the two new arrivals in an almost trance like state.

“Well hello Minty darling. Nice to see you again… oh nice socks darling.” The cyan pony said while admiring her green stripped socks she was wearing.

“Oh thank you Rainbow Dash. They were a gift from Pinkie Pie. Oh nice dress did you make it?”

“Actually Princess Rarity did. Shocking I know. I simply made it more dashing darling.” She spun around to show it off to everypony. “You should have seen how everypony in town was reacting to it. I left everypony in town speechless with my dashing dress darling. They simply could not keep their darling eyes off me. I even caused a poor orange filly to crash her scooter into a pile of hay due to how radiant I was. The poor darling, I hope she is okay. “

Oh, I think I know why they couldn’t keep their eyes off you, thought Pinkie.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

Everypony stopped what they were doing and looked at the Pegasus screaming at the ceiling. She was raising both of her front hooves in the air while kneeling on the ground with her hind ones. If Pinkie didn’t know better she would say Fluttercruel was doing her best impression of Spike when he was unable to save Rarity from the diamond dogs.

“What’s wrong Fluttercruel? Is everything okay? Are you okay?” Pinkie said with concern for her friend.

Fluttercruel just sat down and crossed her front hoofs. She was clearly not happy about something. “Oh what is wrong Pinkie? Nothing is wrong Pinkie. I am perfectly fine but if you don’t believe me then why don’t you ask ZIPZEE”. Her frowning face and attitude was then replaced with one with joy and innocence. “Hi Pinkie!” the newcomer said.

Pinkie was speechless for a few seconds before replying. “Zipzee…it that really you?” After she nodded her head to signal she was, Pinkie gave her one of tightest hug she ever gave anypony. “I thought you…well left and I thought I wouldn't get a chance to say goodbye.” Pinkie felt like she was on the verge of crying.

“Oof, watch it Pinkie you are crushing me.” Her pink friend eased up on her hug. Zipzee may have been in Fluttershy’s body but she wasn’t used to hugs from (to her perspective) giant earth ponies. “I didn’t know I left Pinkie. The last thing I remember was a dark unicorn with wings trying to eat everypony and then blackness. Is she gone? She is not here is she?” She shivered; it felt like that wasn’t the last time she was almost eaten up whole by something.

“No, she left a while back and everypony is okay.” Pinkie said while patting Zipzee's back. “And she is actually quite nice once you get to know her.”

“Oh thanks good.” Zipzee said finally calming down.

The hug seemed to last minutes before finally being interrupted by a voice.

“AHEM”

Pinkie looked and notice Fluttercruel had taken back control.

“This is nice and everything but what about Fluttershy?” Despite the happy reunion, she was still upset about losing Fluttershy, her mom, and having this sweet fairy take her place.

“Oh I am sorry Cruel but don’t worry about Fluttershy. I am sure this is just temporary and she will be back before this party ends, so please don’t be mad.”

“Easy for you to say. You don’t have to share a body with her and listen to her 24/7”. Cruel frowned, closed her eyes and turned her head sideways. When she opened her eyes she was greeted with Pinkie giving her the biggest puppy dog eyes look she ever seen, along with a quivering lip. Cruel let out a sigh. “FINE but you own me huge for this.” She said the last part while poking her foreleg into Pinkie’s chest.

‘Yeah, you will see grumpy voice in my head. This will be so much fun.’ Said Zipzee.

Ughh…Fluttercruel had a feeling she was going to need a lot of painkillers when this party was over.

Still warm from it's last activation (and because this Shadow can't seem to write anything BUT 'What-If's), the machine flared to life once more, pulling a scene of of the Ether.

He was scared, had had never been scared before. The mere fact that he felt fear actually caused more of it to well up the more he thought about it, as though it were some self-propagating creature hidden deep within him. However, it was too late for fear to turn him back, not after making the choice to come here.

Concepts could not feel regret.

Even then, even without the capacity to regret his choices, there was nothing that could prevent Morning Star from shivering -- however slightly -- as he stood before his Father.

"You Wish To Confess To Me, Morning Star." It was not a question, his Father knew why he was here the same as he did. This had been a long time coming, after all.

"Yes, Father." He lowered his head, unable to look at his Father any longer. "I've... I've done a lot of horrible things, haven't I?"

"You Have, My Son." Morning Star felt the weight of his sins a thousand times over in the disappointment in his Father's words. "Do You Come Before Me Seeking Forgiveness?"

"No," Morning Star answered, almost looking afraid. "At least... not yet." Back to the floor, he couldn't hold his gaze on his Father without feeling the burning agony of all horror he had wrought due to his vanity and pride. "I don't deserve to be forgiven."

"Forgiveness Is Never Desr-"

"I KNOW!" The shout echoed throughout the realm, Morning Star looking equal parts scared, angry and upset. "I know that forgiveness is something meant to be given, like a gift, but I'm not ready to be forgiven! Not after everything I've done, not after everyone I hurt! I don't want to forgiveness, I want... I want... I want a chance to be redeemed!"

There, he had said it, and he wouldn't have regretted it, even if he could.

"I want a chance to prove that I'm still good, that there is still something left in here," he tapped his chest, "I want a chance to balance all the misdeeds I have done with some good! Please, Father, I will accept any punishment you deem necessary, just give me this chance!" He all but threw himself at his Father's hooves, his sins burning his skin like red-hot irons, but he would not flee, he would not move, not until his Father told him to leave or gave him that which he so desperately desired.

"...Very Well, My Son." Morning Star looked up, almost refusing to believe he had heard those words. "You Shall, Indeed, have Your Chance. I Leave It To Those Whom You Have Wronged To Determine Your Punishment."

The fallen alicorn didn't have to turn to know who the hoofsteps he heard coming behind him belonged to.

"Hello, Brother," Justitia spoke first as she neared him, "It has been a long time."

Judicium remained silent, even as Morning Star turned to face them. He had been called upon to judge his brother once before. Now, it would seem he had to do it again.

TURN OFF THIS STUPID DRIBBLE!" Morning Star snarled from his crystalline prison. "IT'S A PARODY AND AN INSULT TO ME AND MY AMBITIONS AND MY MISSION! TURN IT OFF!"

A limited window into the goings on in the universe and possible universes was one of his few privileges.

"What's The Matter Morning Star? Don't Like The What If Show?" Havoc Asked Playfully.

"YOU KNOW I DON'T! I've actually begun to enjoy those 'brave hero slaughters all the gods' shows that D____ loved so much! Or those lovely True Rebirth Of the Alicorn games."

"You Like Those Only Became They Were Made By Idiots Who Paint You As A Selfless Hero Rebelling Against A Corrupt System Instead Of A Thug Who Was Interested Only In Making Himself The Only Concept Of Reality, You And My S__ Should Have Made Great Friends You Know. And Given I'm A Multiple Universal Entity, I Can Say There Is No Universe Where You Are A Good Guy And Your Father Is The Bad Guy! Mostly Cause He Is A Nice Guy, If He Never Knows How Not To Be Serious, In This Universe, And So Is One In Every Universe."

"I SAID CHANGE HE BUCKING CHANNEL!"

"You Know, Your Creations The Lava Demons Are Doing Well, They And The Ice Orcs, The Ones You Made To Be Two Halves Of A Perfect Sphere?"

"THEY WERE FAILURES! I have a much better chosen race now."

The viewer display changed to show, "EXTERMINATE!"

"Didn't Strife Declare Those Salt Shakers An Abject Failure Because They Blindly Refuse To Ever Evolve Even In The Slightest?"

"Who is the concept of perfection around here, and who is the instinct for little children to hide under their beds during thunder storms?"

"You Know, My ~~First Son~~ May Have Wanted To Destroy Every Concept In The Universe Thinking A Completely Lawless Reality Somehow Equaled The Same Thing As 'Freedom', And Discord Was A Sick Freak The Moment My Wife Laid His Egg . . . And He Chaffed Under His Own Concept . . . But They Were Still Deep Down Still Being True To Their Concepts, To Themselves. But You, Oh Boy, You Are The Only One Ever To Truly And Fully Fail At Your Concept Of Perfection! You're Brilliant In Doing The Absolute Impossible And Failing At Being Yourself When It's All You Can Be! You Deserve A Medal! If You Weren't Stuck In Your Little Pretty Gem Forever And Ever. Unless You Want To Take A Lesson From That Morning Star You Saw And-"

"BUCK YOU!"

"Pinkie." Minty in Twilight Sparkle's body asked, "Why'd you hold that 'camera' you called it, up to that, 'what if gizmo''s 'screen' like that?"

"Oh, just shielding your minds from stuff ponies were not meant to know."

The What-If machine sprung to life once again; ready to show another possible universe for the ponies in the studio. However, Pinkie made sure to continue to hold up the machine to the camera in fear of it showing a scary world to her friends.

~~~

"I command you, to lower your blasted sun Nightmare Corona."

"And allow you to have your everlasting icy darkness, Nightmare Moon?, Never!"

"Then I will have to LOWER IT MYSELF." The corrupted night princess fired a purple energy blast of electricity.

Her sister nimbly dodged the blast and let loose a barrage of fireballs from her horn. Both nightmares circle around in the twilight sky, trying their best to shoot down the other from the sky and finally become the sole ruler of Equestria.

"Go back and hide in that freezer you call a kingdom and rule over those traitorous ponies that forsake my glorious sun." Her fiery mane radiated with enough heat to melt normal ponies within seconds.

"At least I—"

BZZTT

The screen abruptly changed to a pony dancing with a mike in front of him.

We're no strangers to love
You know the rules and so do I
A full commitment's what I'm thinking of
You wouldn't get this from any other colt
I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling
Gotta make you—

~~~

Pinkie took her hoof off the "off" switch and gave the WHAT-IF machine a bewildered look.

"Did I just get Rick Rolled? In this day and age? I mean I am glad you switched away from that depressing and sad world and all buuuuuuuuut if you do something like that again I won't hesitate to throw you into the nearest recycling bin. AM I CLEAR MISTER."

The machine unsurprising said nothing but if it could, Pinkie was sure it would be saying "Yes ma'am" right about now.

~~~

"Okay Minty hit the button." Pinkie said while making sure her safety goggles were properly secured on her face.

"Are you sure about this Pinkie?" Her friend asked. She was standing next to a big red button labeled "in case of emergency" which was located on the side of the PPPP7.

"Super duper sure Minty. We haven’t reviewed a reclusive piece in like forever and we really need to make up for lost time, soooooo I am going to review as many fanworks as quickly as possible."

"Okay if you say so Pinkie" The sock-loving mare closed her eyes while pressing firmly on the button. After doing so she quickly joined her friends near the other side of the studio, like Pinkie told her too.

The now fashionable Rainbowdash, energetic Princess Rarity and the recently returned Zipzee in Fluttershy’s body, all watched in confusion from a safe distance behind some yellow caution tape. They didn’t know why they had to wait so far away but if their friend Pinkie told them to wait here, they would. Meanwhile the spirit of Applejack from the first age just sat lazily on her still quite big pile of apples, barely paying attention to the spectacle, too occupied munching on her apples.

After waiting several seconds after the button was pushed, the PPPP7 lit up and a reclusive piece came flying out of the PPPP7’s slot and into an awaiting baseball glove on Pinkie’s hoof. The pink mare quickly scanned the fan work and showed the audience its content.

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"Poor Before Four. Being changed into a dirt maid cannot be easy. Why must Discord be such a big meanie. I am glad Fluttershy was at least able straighten him out a bit but that ending was so depressing. Hopefully the aut…er I mean Shadow will write a sequel expanding on what happened to him." Pinkie wiped her forehead. That was close, I may be in the company of my ‘old’ friends again but Fluttercruel is still here and I definitely do not want to risk the universe imploding or resorting to making my friends drink magical berry juice from a forgotten age. Er…how did I get my hooves on that stuff anyway?

Before Pinkie could think any more about that, the PPPP7 lit up and fired another fanwork out of the slot. Pinkie quickly snatched it out of the air again with the baseball glove and dropped the last fanwork into a bin next to her labeled "Reviewed already".

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"Wow its Tom Belle, the adopted son of Rarity from the dark world."

"Wait what was that?" said ‘Princess’ Rarity still behind the yellow caution tapes. "Also can we cross this weird yellow tape now?"

"No I said er...never mind it isn’t important but please stay over there. This might still be dangerous." She didn’t had the time to explain how multiple universes worked and how in that world Rarity’s great desire for a shining knight in armor to protect her created Tom Belle from a giant rock. Most importantly though she did not want to risk any of her friends asking the age old question of where do foals comes from.

"The picture may be a little amateurish but it is great for his supposedly first fan art. I hope other shadows will—whoa" Pinkie stopped talking to catch another fanwork that flew towards her.

"AnywayIHopeYouShadowsOutThereWillGiveUsMoreFanartNoMatterYourSkillLevelWeWillLoveToSeeThem" Pinkie said in one breath while discarding the fan art into the "already reviewed" bin.

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"WHAT!? This doesn’t make any sense. I thought Rarity was on good terms with the diamond dogs so why would they ponynap colts and fillies." Pinkie said after reading the latest reclusive piece so fast that it would make Twilight jealous.

"What’s a diamond dog Pinkie?" Asked Princess Rarity.

"Maybe they are going to take use them as slaves and use them to dig up gems for them until they eventually go blind from working in the dark." Applejack said. Everypony looked shocked for a couple seconds at imagining that awful situation. "Why I bet an evil wizard is the one behind all of this." She added.

"Umm why do you think that darling? Raindowdash asked. She was amazed Applejack was paying attention. She thought she was too busy with her apples.

"Oh because I was nearly enslaved by an evil greedy wizard once. Luckily, I managed to save all the other captured ponies by accidently pushing him off a cliff. And thanks to the jewels in their eyes the ponies were able to see again once outside." Applejack looked quite proud after seeing the other ponies’ amazement of her tale.

"Diamonds in you eyes? That sounds—" Zipzee started to say before seeing the PPPP7 spring to life again.

Pinkie knew the drill and readied her glove for the next fan work.

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"Oh part 2. Maybe now we will see why the diamond dogs WHOA." Pinkie barely caught another reclusive piece that came zooming out of the PPPP7. "Huh looks like part 3 as well. Well nothing wrong with that." The party pony said with a huge smile.

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"Ooh things seemed to only get more mysterious, maybe ACK!" The pink pony rubbed her forehead and looked at what hit her. Part 4? "Hey PPPP7 slowed it down we haven’t reviewed part 2 and 3 yet. So I really appreciated it if you don’t fire anymore. Sadly, it didn’t seem to be willing to listen as it proceeded to launch part 5 and 6 as well at a brazen speed. Pinkie jumped out of the way only to be hit with part 7 of the story. "Owie paper cut! Okay Mister I think it is time for you to have a time out" Pinkie jumped and dodged over any more fanwork the PPPP7 launched her way to reach and pulled the machine’s power cord out of the nearby socket. The machine shook a bit and powered off. Pinkie wiped the sweat from her forehead.

"Pinkie are you okay?" Minty said. Concerned for her best friend’s well-being. "That was scary."

"I am fined now that the PPPP7 is off. Remind me to give it another tune up later."

Suddenly the PPPP7 came to life again and started firing fan work all other the studio again but this time at an even wilder speed.

"Oh that is right. I forgot I made it battery-operated as well. I really need to give myself a pat on the back for thinking about including that but for now QUICK EVERYPONY BEHIND THE COACH!"

No pony needed to be told twice. Everypony sought refuge behind the furniture that they strangely forgot about until now. After a full minute of a unstop barrage of stories, fan art and etc. being fired in every direction, the PPPP7 finally made a clicking noise and smoke started to float out of the machine. Pinkie looked to see if it was safe to come out.

"It is okay girls. I think it ran out of reclusive pieces to shoot at us." Pinkie moved her head around to see at what the damages were. There were papers all over the studio. It is going to take quite a bit of time to clean this mess. Hard to believe there still so much fan work still left in the PPPP7. Aside from the mess though there did not seem to any great damages to the studio. Worst seem to be some of the food was knocked off the tables.

"That was terrifying," said Minty.

"That was horrible" grasped Rainbowdash.

"That was awful" lamented Zipzee.

"That was fun. Let’s do it again." Said Princess Rarity. Everypony turned to looked at her. "What".

"Well it looks like it is back to hoof picking them again." Pinkie said with a sigh. "I will go get a broom" No one noticed her mumble something about "spare parts and a giant robot chicken" as she slinked away.

+++

As Pinkie Pie worked to get the spare parts of the remains of the giant robot chicken she had destroyed in an epic battle that had also resulted in some terrible damage to the studio originally, there was a knock on the door.

Pinkie Pie opened the door, to find Princess Luna standing there, underneath an umbrella to shade her from the sun, and looking none too happy.

"OH! Hi Princess Luna! How are you doing? Why are you so grumpy looking? You should go to the spa! The twins would LOVE to treat a princess! And when's the last time you got out and out pampered? I bet it was a thousand years ago I bet, you get so serious."

Prince Luna poked her head in and looked at the ponies present.

Zipzee in Fluttershy's body was having a conversation with herself using a mirror, or to be more precise, was talking with Fluttercruel using the mirror.

"If Fluttershy is really the pony who was born when I joined with Posey's shadow . . . and you're Fluttershy's daughter . . . THAT MAKES YOU MY GRANDDAUGHTER! HUGS!" She hugged herself. ". . . Wait, do I know what those things? AGH!" She seemed to get a little headache.

"I swear if mom starts channeling another of our past lives I'm locking us in the closet," Fluttercruel muttered momentarily in control of the body before Zipzee regained control and saying how she needed to take up flower arrangement.

Pinkie Pie realized . . . this mean Zipzee had remembered how she died. Well, she didn't actually die, she joined with Posey's shadow. But she had remembered. Uh-oh.

Princess Rarity was pretending the PPPP7 was a giant robot she was piloting against other giant robots.

Rainbow Dash was preening and otherwise making G1 Applejack pretty. Listening enraptured by the adventures the clumsy pony had to tell.

"You don't really sound clumsy to me at all darling."

"Really?"

"Not at all, you simply like to day dream and get distracted darling, there is nothing wrong with that all." She gave the silly pony a nuzzle.

"Yeah, everyone calls me clumsy all the time," Minty in Twilight's body said, "And . . .they're usually right . .. but I get everything fixed up in the end! Sometimes not as great as I used to, oooh I'm sounding like Sky Wishes! She's this friend of mine who can't stop correcting herself mid-sentence, until she finally says 'you know what I mean!' A lot of my friends have words they love to use."

"What's wrong with that darling?"

"Nothing!" Minty said quickly, a light bulb a moment later then violently shorted out.

"Tis' just as we thought, Miss Pinkie Pie. While we find Miss Rainbow Dash's new behavior an improvement her manner of speaking is rather comforting, ye can not continue like this. Ye must restore thy friends to their current personas, and ceasing the channeling of their past selves."

"It's just until the end of the show!"

"Miss Pinkie Pie, this 'episode' of thous is now into its 5th installment! We are under the impression that if you are allowed, ye shall continue to add extensions perpetually."

"What's wrong? This is all non-canon! It doesn't matter what happens here! Nothing that happens inside or because of this studio effects the universe at all! Or Rainbow Dash and Gilda would be best friends again by now!"

"The problem little pony is that you are continuing this forever and ever, never letting it end, never letting it rest or reach a conclusion as it's supposed to do like any story. And the universes' continuity can not continue with reality in a negating-quantum-state."

"No matter how many fun or games we have, things always turn serious, painful, and cruel again. . . . I know there can be a world where all my friends are happy all the time and nopony is hurt each other."

"Oh Our Parents, ye've seen it haven't ye?" Princess Luna whispered. "The world where Nightmare Granfalloon changed the world into an imitation of the lost age."

"You mean where Granfalloon RESTORED the world!" Pinkie Pie futilely slammed her two front hooves against the moon princess' peytral. Her eyes were shut tight, but she was crying neat steams down her face. "That's how reality was! That's was how reality was supposed to be! Starlight and the others? They made a CHOICE of what future to give the world! They worked hard for it! We were all happy! Then you erased it all, but that wasn't enough for you, you had to BLOW UP all of Starlight's and her friends' hopes and dreams! And when this world just winds down, you'll just replace it all again.

"You keep saying that was what you had to do like it was some sort of disclaimer! But that was my world! My home! My friends! You big jerks! Couldn't you have had Starlight and Bright Eyes figure out a way to make the spell WORK RIGHT instead of having Discord's brother BLOW UP THE WORLD?!

Do . . . do you hate the idea that there's a world where ponies DON'T have to work through the mud and misery just for a few drops of happiness?! So they can appreciate it?! What's wrong with a world where happiness flows like water?! Why not have us appreciate anger by having to work towards a few drops of that instead?

You BRAINWASHED my friends! You turned them into ponies they weren't! And all I could was watch! YOU'RE ALL AS BAD AS DISCORD!!!

What I'm doing is NO DIFFERENT from what Twilight did to restore all of us from what Discord did! This is my memory spell! I WANT THE WORLD BACK! I WANT MY LIFE BACK! I WANT MY FRIENDS BACK!"

Pinkie Diane broke down sobbing at the Night Alicorn's hooves.

Back inside the room, away from a sobbing Pinkie Pie and a stern on the surface Luna, Pinkie's friends turned back to the machine as it began to spark and work again.

"Oh, what are we going to see this time?" Rainbow Dash asked, sounding hopeful. "Hopefully something fashion-oriented -- wait, why the hay did I say that? And where is Pinkie, anyway?"

"I thought I heard her in the next room," Minty said. "I must have been wrong, though, it sounded like she was crying."

Zipzee stared at her. "Wait, you heard PINKIE crying? I think you need your ears examined!"

"Shh! Girls!" Rarity thrust her hoof at the machine. "Here it comes. Oh, it looks like a lovely song!"

http://fav.me/d5dnkoe

"..." Rarity said, or something much to that effect. Beside her Applejack gulped as the cream-coated unicorn said, "That song... What is it talking about? Not, not US, surely? We never fought each other. I don't think we ever even argued."

"Naw," Applejack said, sounding unsure. Eve her beloved apples sat untouched beside her as she added, "It, it CAN'T be about us, right? I mean... we're right here, ain't we?" She looked around on her friends. Zipzee and Rainbow Dash both looked as though they half remembered something frightening; Zipzee shivered (within her, both 'Shy and 'Cruel comforted the poor mare as best they could); and Minty? The purple unicorn looked as though something sought to fight its way to the surface within her mind.

"I, I'm not sure how." She began to say, "But I think it's talking about something that happened to us in a past that, that never was somehow?" She looked ready to say more, but just then Pinkie Pie came back in, sniffling and wiping her hoof across her face. All but unseen, a blue mist trickled in behind her and wafted up to the ceiling.

"Hi, everypony," she said as she trotted over to look at what they were talking about. "Never mind me, I ah, I just got a chill, there was acod breeze at the door and..." Pinkie saw what they were discussing and her eyes went wide. "Yeeek! Why would somepony post that!" Rarity stared at her in confusion.

"Pinkie, what's wrong? And why do I feel as though if I just thought a little harder, I'd know what that song was talking about and who this 'Strife' was and how we knew each other? I -- HEY!" She whinnied as Pinkie suddenly picked her up and spun her overhead.

"NEVER MIND!" Pinkie Pie said. "Just a funny happy silly song that some Shadow-Who-Makes put together! 'Strife' was just someppony he made up, we never ever met her or anything!" She spun the startled unicorn. "Come on! Time to be happy-happy-happy!" For a moment it almoist looked like garish clown makeup was appearing on her face, but it swiftly disappeared.

"Really? That's a shame." Rainbow Dash looked at the song and smiled crookedly, more like a certain blue Pegasus than an earth pony fashionista. "It's kinda cool, though. There's so much energy in it, and it does make me wonder what I'd do if our world was coming to an end. I bet we could fight it we had to. And I love that last line." She began to sing it in a scratchy voice. "'Everyone deserves their last stand...' OW! Hey, Pinkie!" She glared at the pink party pony, who'd just dropped Rarity on her.

"Heh," Pinkie said. "My mistake!" She then scowled and stuck her head out through several layers of reality to confront a frightened Shadow. "And somepony else better not make any MORE mistakes like that. GOT IT!" She jerked back and found her friends staring at her in confusion.

"Pinkie, how did ya make your head disappear like that?" Applejack asked.

"OOh, that was funny! Do it again!" Minty clapped her forehooves.

"Only if I have to," Pinkie said, aiming a glare at someone unseen.

"Okay, let's try another one," Pinkie said with a slow breath.

Rarity nodded and produced another another work from the machine and projected it.

fav.me/d74qukp

"...Oh my, that Discord really is a big meanie..." Zipzee said with a shudder. "How could he do something THAT cruel?"

"Agree, he's such a bully," Rarity replied. "Still, Aloe and Lotus seem like very nice ponies...and oddly familiar."

Zipzee nodded. "Yeah...though a spa visit does sound really nice..."

Pinkie nodded. "Y-Yeah...though I wonder how a bath in chocolate milk would feel..."

"Might be fun, but I agree with them, when it went bad it'd have really stunk," Rainbow Dash said.

"It'd certainly be dreadful," Rarity said, in a tone more resembling a fashionista than herself.

Minty nodded. "Probably worse than Spike when he first woke up!"

Pinkie nodded. "Yeah..."

Zipzee looked sympathetically at the story. "I know how close they were, us Breezies are like that...Hey, where are the other Breezies?"

Pinkie cringed. "Um...they're...not here right now..."

"But we're NEVER apart! It's not the Breezie way!"

"Come to think about it, why haven't we seen any of the others?" Rainbow Dash asked. "And why do I feel like doing stunts?"

"Uh...well..."

"Pinkie, something's going on, isn't it?" Minty asked, the group looking at her seriously.

"Um...well..."

"You were upset, you eyes still look all red and puffy," Zipzee pointed out.

"...Please...don't make me tell...can't we just be happy? That's all I want..."

Fluttercruel looked through Zipzee for a moment, giving Pinkie a look that made her shudder.

"...I...I don't want you to go..."

Pinkie looked around them, seeing her new friend's bodies with their older minds. Luna's words. Was it right to keep her friends regressed like this?

"But...but..."

A part of her kept arguing with herself.

Pinkie held her head. "...I want you to stay but I don't!"

"Pinkie?"

"I want my old world back but I don't!"

Pinkie felt like her head was going to snap in two...and then it felt like it did.

Circus make up appeared on her face. "Hehe! Come on girls girls girls! Lets get our world back back back!"

An aura of crayon-like wings and a horn formed...then retracted as Pinkie held her head, reverting to her normal self. "Ugh! I thought w were done with the stupid split personalities!"

"Not yet-yet-yet!" Proto-Nightmare Granfalloon chanted.

"No! I want my friends back!"

"Well I want my world world world back back back!"

"I just want to stay with my friends!" said a third voice, Pinkie briefly looking like her G3 self. "Why are we fighting with ourselves?!"

The others just stared in shock.

"So there's that scary Pinkie, the Pinkie that's like the one we've been playing with, and one that looks like the Pinkie we know?" asked Minty.

"...Okay, enough of this," said Fluttercruel, coming back to the forefront. "Pinkie's going Nightmare! We've got to do something!"

Just then, a song filled the room, as Luna entered as well, holding a boom box with her magic. The song has a subdued but still very sweet feel to it. Suddenly, the projector came up, and a video began to play with the song.

Pinkie suddenly looked up. "Is....is that our theme song?"

Luna looked at Pinkie with confusion for a moment. Then, she shifted to a look that Pinkie had never really seen on her before: Pity.

"We figured that if you were going to be split apart between who you were, are and could be, perhaps we could calm the beast with something a little more relaxing. Apparently this boom box was sitting here for us to play anytime."

"I DON'T WANT RELAXING!" Grandfalloon cried out.

"What's that song?" Asked Pinkie in her G3 voice.

Fluttercruel finally stepped forward, and gave pinkie a shake. "Pinkie. Focus!" Then she looked around at the G3 ponies that were slowly growing back into their old selves. "Uh, maybe we should just watch the video?"

Minty suddenly stepped forward. "Pinkie Pie." Pinkie suddenly jerked up. The way minty was talking was almost a little scary. "How...how you like to sing a song? In fact, why don't we all sing this one?"

The others gave each other a look. Then, Rainbow Dash stepped forward.

"I think that's a great idea darling. Why don't we turn on karaoke mode?"

Pinkie looked like she was going to burst. "NO! We don't want this to end, but...what we told Twilight so many months ago!" "We won't let this end!" "I want to sing with my friends!"

All the others looked at her with confusion and fear.

And then, with a shudder, Pinkie's eyes went back to normal. And walking over to the projector, she turned on Karaoke mode. "Alright girls. Let's sing it. Hopefully the music will adjust itself as it goes."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eYj8LOQ8cE

And so the music began, and like a dream, everyone began to sing.

Luna: My little pony, My little pony, My little ponies, My little pony.

Pinkie: For us.

Minty: For the princesses!

Everyone: For Equestria!

The music continued, as slowly the ponies began to sway, and before long, began dancing with each other while still watching the screen. What was going on in the minds of all of them was unknown, but for the moment, they were using the universal language, and loving it.

Everyone: My little Pony..

Minty: Everything's been broken, that is true!

Everyone: My Little Pony!

Everyone: But we know our bonds will see us through!

APPLEJACK: The world fell apart at the seams, every pony has ruined dreams!

PINKIE PIE (In a G3 voice): Long friendships have been torn apart! With so much woe, can healing start?

RARITY: But we all know where to begin! So now our hope's restored again!

Zipzee: Those fractured dreams we'll surely mend! Friendships don't break, they merely bend!

FLUTTERCRUEL: We'll get through all the worst together and come out even better than ever!

As the rift continued, Pinkie's head continued to shake, when suddenly a light shot from out of her back, landing on the other side of the room. Nobody could see what was there, but Luna quietly excused herself to look. Pinkie meanwhile suddenly looked calmer. And suddenly manifested microphones in front of each of the G3ers.

RAINBOW DASH: Though Discord's taint may still remain, he couldn't snuff out friendship's flame!

Everyone: We'll keep those fires blazing bright! Guide every pony towards the light!

Minty: His darkest blight we'll purge away! Our friendship is here to stay!

The song rifted one last time, and as the pictures on the video moved over it all, suddenly Zipzee remarked, "Say, wasn't that the picture we saw earlier?..Wait, no, that wasn't me, that was my reincarnation. But..how do I know that? Uggghhh, migrating from the spirit realm can be so confusing."

Everyone looked at Zipzee in a moment of shock when she said that. Then Fluttercruel took over again and gave them all a look. "The song's not over yet everypony. Keep your eyes on the screen."

The ponies clustered together, and together, sang the last part.

Minty: You have...

Everyone: My Little Pony! Do you know we're still the very best friends?

Pinkie: My little Pony, do you know we're still the very best friends?

Pinkie sniffled. Then did one of her famous pinkie hugs on everyone.

--

"Pinkie Pie," Princess Luna said, "We know this does not concisely fit the parameters of what submissions to the theme of this 'episode' but we feel that for the sake of all involved it should be shared."

Luna placed a small piece of paper on the projector.

http://itsfrompeople.deviantart.com/critique/849344820/

The parts of Pinkie Pie shuddered, tears began to fall down her face and she fell to her knees and front hooves and sobbed. "There . . . there's a world now . . . a world where they're, we're all together now? A world where it all worked out? Where we're all together still?"

Princess Luna put a wing over her shoulder. "Yes there is. Because of . . . the trials endured by this Twilight Sparkle, it was decided that you never see this leg of events, but for your sake also, we think it's best of ye see this."

" . . . but Luna? Why? Why couldn't you have simply made the wish spell fizzle out, or happen RIGHT?"

"We promise that'll be answered in time, inside causality, not outside of it . . . And there is at least one world . . . where you and those you love have a fighting chance."

Another tale appeared on the projector.

http://oraclemask.deviantart.com/art/Looking-Glass-Ponies-4-375581800

"Right . . . " Pinkie Pie whispered, "And I know they'll succeed, because I believe in my friends. They do have hearts and minds of their own . . . "

Rainbow Dash was still wearing the most beautiful rainbow dress the world had ever seen, designed by her own hooves. Rarity was still the colors of her rainbow princess self that she had dyed herself and found nothing wrong with them. Twilight was still channeling the part of her that was Minty. And Fluttershy . . . shockingly, Fluttershy and Zipzee and Fluttercruel were conscious at the same time now . . . it was getting crowded in Fluttershy's head. And Applejack was style hair styled and dressed with her blue bow of her G1 self.

Meanwhile in Rainbow Dash's head:
~G3 Rainbow Dash looked at Firefly, "Do we really need to join back together darling? I was never all that fond of you."

Firefly glared, "I'm not in love with you either. But our friends are counting on us."

"And that is the only reason I'd ever rejoin with somepony as reckless and impulsive as you darling. My darlings mean everything to me. More than even my most beautiful dresses that I'll never be able to make now. My hope and dreams are dust, while yours live on."

"My friends mean everything to me too. And I'm sorry."~

Princess Luna whispered, "Didn't you say you wanted a chance to say good-bye to them properly this time?"

Princess Luna trotted over to Princess Rarity, Rarity mane and coat still dyed the colors of the rainbow princess. "And you princess . .. I believe I have something Pinkie Pie was holding on for you . . . this will not effect things in causality, or 'canon' as Pinkie Pie calls it . . . but for now .. . " A light in Princesss Luna's hooves floated and entered Rarity's body. "Accept again the light of existence of Rainbow Princess Rarity of Unicornia."

Rarity gasped, the light that had entered inside her felt so strange . . . AND YET SO RIGHT! Like a piece of he SOUL had been missing all this time and she hadn't even KNOWN!

"She is Princess Rarity, will always be, simply with a life time to learn what it means to be mature, and the responsibility of being a big sister. Even if she won't remember her time as a princess soon, she is still your friend." Princess Luna whispered to Pinkie Pie. "Tell them how much you love them. It's time to move on."

"Minty. You'll always be my favorite, and always be my very best friend. Rainbow Dash, you're the most dashing darling in the universe, and no pony in the world can match your dresses or your style. Zipzee, you've always tried your hardest, always done your best, I read you being a hero, I'm sorry I couldn't help. Applejack, you're always a silly pony in some way, sometimes a clown, sometimes a dreamer, sometimes stubborn. Princess Rarity, you're still the most fun princess I know. I still get the giggles too. And I love you Minty. I love you Lady Rainbow Dash. I love you Zipzee. I love you Applejack. I love you Princess Rarity. I love all of you."

The camera flicked off.

"Hey Pinkie Pie! Wake up!" Minty said.

"Uh, wha?" Said the dark coated and light maned pony.

"You were having a bad dream."

"Y-yeah, it was pretty bad."

"Come on, Sweetie Belle said she wanted us to taste test a new 'healthy cake' she's making for Scootaloo."

Pinkie sat up, if anypony could make health food taste good, it was Sweetie Belle. "Alright, let's go."

Princess Luna watched the two ponies run along through the magic mirror. Pinkie Pie, dark mane and light coat besides her. They stood in a starscape that Luna's teleportation had taken the Pink Pony to after Luna had finished her 'cloning.'

"They're so happy." Pinkie Pie whispered. "So I'm happy. So . . . that me, it's all just a bad dream for her?"

"Yes. We told you before Pinkamena, we have no grudge against the world you were born in. If it can exist, then it shall."

"Can . . . can I keep it?"

"This mirror is far too precious, and for you it would be like an addiction, one that needs to be broken."

Pinkie Pie nodded. "I understand . . ."

Luna looked to the stars, "Please . . . take care of them." Luna let of the mirror, and it floated away. . . . And floated for a time, until it arrived in the hooves of a stallion shaped starscape like being.

"I Will Look After Them Luna, I Will."

The camera flickered back on. Pinkie Pie shook her head. Her friends were back to themselves, but still dressed and style like their former selves. She smirked to herself, and turned the camera off, it would be fun to see their reactions. But maybe . . . it was time for the universe to get back on track. If somepony wanted to write their reactions, and see if any of them were a bit more whole from their time as their former selves . . . she'd be happy to see that too. But she wouldn't force it. There was plenty of fun to be had in canon too. Not just a non-canon playground where no action truly mattered. After all, if something was endless like a loop .. . how could you ever reach the happy ending? How silly.

Suddenly, Pinkie fired a party cannon, setting the room up for a party. On the wall was a banner reading 'Peace at Last'.

"Hey everyshadow! Just thought that we needed to have a little celebration! You see two Shadows that have been fighting a lot and hurting a LOT just finally buried the hatchet! And the shadow writing this is really really super happy about it because they're both his friends!"

She smiled, hopping to the middle of the room. "Unfortunately, they couldn't find a recursive work that fit the idea, and the one they thought of is already called. So you'll just have to settle for this!"

She pulled open a portal and pulled Shining Armor through it.

The unicorn blinked, looking around the studio. "Uh...what's going on?"

"You're in an extra dimensional studio outside of the laws of continuity for a party celebrating the Shadow who did your arc reconciling with the original shadow."

Shining sighed. "Why is my existence so weird?"

"I don't know. But want to party in a symbolic representation of their peace treaty?"

"...Will I go home when we're done?"

"Yep!"

"...Will there be tea?"

"Lots of it!"

"Alright then."

Pinkie turned to the camera. "See you later everyshadow! And glad you two aren't enemies anymore!"

Author's Note

Okay everypony. I guess that WASN'T the last part of the recursive fanworks theater. Okay anypony, let's just have fun here! Even if things have kinda gone off the rails here. Let's how crazy things can get!

What you put in the comments appears in the story.

Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and I can't spill the beans about us being out-and-out fiction to the others.

The camera can’t leave the studio.

The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from “My little Pony”

Everything that happens here is non-canon.

Have Fun

Keep the number of characters in the studio in the single digit range. Seriously. Don't let it overload. TERRIBLE THINGS will happen if you do.

Additions:
yoshiegg64
Yoshiegg64
dragon-of-twilight
Yoshiegg64 http://thejacoblb44.deviantart.com/art/Before-Four-Interview-345948308 http://soradical.deviantart.com/art/Tom-Bell-343240343 http://zabuzaacolyte.deviantart.com/art/Rough-Diamonds-Chapter-One-Dogs-in-the-Night-330445626 http://zabuzaacolyte.deviantart.com/art/Rough-Diamonds-Chapter-Two-When-Youth-is-Lost-330601593 http://zabuzaacolyte.deviantart.com/art/Rough-Diamonds-Chapter-Three-Hidden-Currents-331122333
AND ALEX WARLORN
Ardashir ( Your Last Stand http://kendell2.deviantart.com/art/Pony-POV-Your-Last-Stand-325265774)
Kendell2 ( http://ardashir.deviantart.com/art/Pony-POV-Series-Aloe-and-Lotus-Joined-at-the-Hip-431234377 )
Eric-emanwu ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eYj8LOQ8cE )
Alex Warlorn ( http://oraclemask.deviantart.com/art/Looking-Glass-Ponies-4-375581800 )
Kendell2

MLP FIM Copyright Hasbro

Preview image by Kendell2

Pinkie Pie 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show Recovery Part 1

My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic
Pony POV Series
"Non-Canon"
Pinkie Pie Variety Show Recovery
By Everypony For Everypony

The Camera flickered on. The studio didn't look as lively as it normally did. There were still patches in the building from the epic battles that had happend in previous installment. The party supplies were still on the floor from Pinkie Pie's party where her friends all regressed to their G3 selves (minus AJ who had become her G1 incarnation), Pinkie Pie couldn't deny how happy she had been.

Princess Luna had to intervene when things had gotten out of control however.

The others had talked it over with her later, and told Pinkie Pie she herself wasn't exactly the same as she used to be, she herself had grown and changed from her G3 days.

Pinkie Pie couldn't deny that. She WAS different from when she lived in G3 Ponyville, she had grown and changed.

Now she was alone in the studio again, sweeping things up with a broom and dust bin.

She then noticed the camera was on.

"Oh, hello everypony, I didn't think we'd have another episode after last time. But, well, welcome, sorry there is't much of a show this time. I really REALLY wasn't expecting you. I'm still cleaning up, that was one wild party . . . at least I got to tell Minty how much I loved her this time. Well, make yourselves comfortable . . . not sure what . . ." Pinkie Pie eyed it. The dreaded what if machine. Next to the fanworks picker machine. The PPPP7.

"Might as well get this part over with, okay what-if machine, I'm sick of all this dark and depressing stuff! Everypony thinks the author is in love with dark and grimy stuff cause of you! You better show our viewer something happy and fun for a change! I've just had to say goodbye to all my dear friends who I'll never see again! So you better not pull any fast ones, got it?" Pinkie Pie turned on the what-if machine.

-

*Taking place At the same time as the dark world true final battle*

"ENOUGH!" Nightmare Eclipse snarled, "There's only need for one world, a golden world, a perfect universe with perfect ponies! Variances are not needed!"

The Nightmare dove like a blazing comet towards the twelves ponies, as they stood in the starry void that they now fought the embodiment of Princess Twilight's hubris and dark side.

There was a pair of each pony, they were for the most part identical, except the pairs didn't save the same cutie marks.

An Applejack not as physically fit but with a keener eye.

A Fluttershy not as connected to nature but not fearing what other though of her.

A Rainbow Dash whose figure wasn't a flawless athlete but an inner calm and wisdom.

A Rarity not quite as graceful, but more pragmatic.

A Pinkie Pie not as lively, but stronger than she looked.

And two Twilight Sparkles, both blessed as Alicorns, who'd move the world for their friends, rather than having them move for her.

= Intertwined - Wonderful 101 =

Butterfly Fluttershy and Butterfly Rainbow Dash looked at each other and nodded and flew up the blazing Nightmare. And both Stared her in one eyes, freezing her in place.
"Kindness and loyalty to those we love!"

Taking their cue Diamond Rarity summoned several jewels in the air non-stop and Diamond Applejack kicked them in the air, each one striking a place in the kinks in the Nightmare's armor, striking serving nerve and mana points, disabling her. "Generosity and honesty to those we care for!"

"Sonic Lightning Storm!" Lightning Rainbow Dash Sonic Rainboomed foreword as Lightning Rarity summoned a giant storm cloud that shot rainbow colored lightning at the pegasus who absorbed it into her strike, hitting the Nightmare dead center, cracking the peytral. "Generosity with loyalty to sacrifice for others!"

"Party Cannon Barrage!" Balloon Fluttershy fired off the party cannons one after another as Balloon Pinkie Pie provided them, warping them from one spot to another around the Nightmare, breaking her armor save for her champron. "A kind laugh for all!"

"Apple Family Double-Impact!" Apple Pinkie Pie and the namesake Applejack were dropped like ballistic missiles on top of the Nightmare's head, avoiding the horn, and Bucks McGillicutty, Kicks McGee, and their two cousins, struck dead center in the Nightmare's head, shattering the champron to pieces and giving the Nightmare one giant headache.

"That's for some an honest laugh!"

"THIS IS ABSURD! A DELUSION! You're opposites! Contradictions! You're antithesis' to each other! YOU DON'T BELONG TOGETHER!!!"

"You've really fallen Twilight far if you can't see it!" Diamond Rarity said.

"No matter the world." Butterfly Rainbow Dash said.

"No matter our destinies." Said Namesake Applejack.

"We're still friends!" They all shouted together.

The two purple Alicorns spread their wings and touched horns. The lights of two sets of Elements of Harmony glowed.

The Nightmare gasped. Before her was a giant transparent rainbow colored Alicorn looking very crossed.

"Harmony Alicorn Head-Butt TO THE MOON!" The massive Alicorn struck the Nightmare. Enveloping the Nightmare as she screamed and the Alicorn turned into a whirlwind of light.

"Just kidding!" Said Balloons Fluttershy.

The light cleared, and in the Nightmare's place, was a weak and small Alicorn Twilight Sparkle, still Discorded. She looked at the gathering ponies and whimpered. Then five familiar looking Alicorns appeared around her, smiling.

A few minutes later...

"Maybe you're not such a wimp after all," said Lightning RD.

"Thanks, I think." Butterfly Rainbow Dash replied.

"I take it back, your skies are beautiful." Diamond Rarity said.

"No I take it back first, your dresses put my skies to shame." Replied Lighting Rarity.

"Please darling, let's not get into that routine!" Diamond Rarity smiled.

Balloon Pinkie Pie said, "Tell the Apples that you love them?"

"Only if you tell the Cakes the same thing." Replied Apple Pinkie Pie.

"Still think I had to be a miserable snob?" Smirked Diamond Applejack.

"No. Ah don't. Friends?" Namesake AJ offered a hoof shake.

"Screw that. We're Family." Diamond AJ returned the hoofsake.

"You're not a coward." Balloon Fluttershy said, lowering her head, "I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Butterfly Fluttershy said, lifting her head, "I AM always afraid of everything, but I have the courage to face up to anything for my friends."

"Same here."

"I know."

"Quite a handful aren't they?" One Twilight Sparkle said to another. Which one? Didn't matter.

"You have no idea."

"I'd say I have every idea."

"True. And we wouldn't trade them for Equestria would we?"

"For the world!"

"For the universe!"

"For all existence!"

"Hey no fair!" They laughed and gave each other a hug. "Never forget they're a gift. Cherish them."

"I'll never forget that. But they're not gifts, they're not property, I don't own them."

"Not quite. But, your heart belongs to them, as much as they've given theirs to you."

The new princess nodded and they nuzzled. "And just imagine."

They said together, "This is going to make a great friendship letter!"

"You don't do those anymore darling." Said the two Rarity together, they looked at each other and blushed.

"Oh-"

"-right. Hehe."

"Sorry, old habit are hard to break."

"BUt we both want to say to all of you-"

"-that we're overjoyed to see-"

"-even if our destinies WERE different-"

"-we'd still find each other, and we'd still become friends-"

"-and that makes us more happy than you can imagine." Both Twilights had tears in their eyes. What followed was a twelve pony group hug.

-

The what if imagine died down.

PInkie Pie just stared, "Okay, I guess that was heart warming AND exciting AND it was downright NICE AND HAPPY too! So, kudos to you what if machine, I guess you're not so bad after all." Pinkie Pie patted it on the head. The what-if machine blushed.

"Okay everypony!" She said look at the camera. "I think I feel a lot better now! So you remember the rules right?
1) What you write in the comments gets copy and pasted into the story as what happens next.
2) The camera can't leave the studio no matter what.
3) Try to keep the number of ponies in the studio in the single digit range.
4) ANY GUESTS of any generation, media, or variance we welcome here in the studio but they have to be My Little Pony. No any other franchises.
5) Everything that happens here in the studio is non-canon to the fanfic series. This is just for fun (maybe we should get our own trope page).
6) Have fun!"

7) Only Pinkie Pie can break the Forth Wall.

"Delivery!"

"Huh, oh thanks Derpy!" Pinkie said while grabbing the letter and waving goodbye to Derpy as she flew off.

"Wowie a letter from a fan! We haven't had one of these in a long time. I wonder what it says".

Dear Pinkie Pie,

Glad to see you do another 4th wall party! These always put a smile on my face.

Pinkie stopped and looked to the camera. "Oh thank you. It puts a smile on my face too. See" She showed the camera a huge grin and continued reading.

But what happen at the last party? You never showed your friends reaction to their changes? Were they mad, happy, or what? I think everyone else would loved to know as well.

From,
(Insert name here)

"Oh, I wanted to show you the end of it. Really I did. However, we had some… technical difficulties that prevented us from doing so. Technical difficulties that were definitely not caused by an embarrassed pegasus or unicorn that wished to destroy all evidence she was wearing an extremely girly dress or to hide their new make-over. Yep totally technical difficulties and nothing else".

Pinkie paused and looked around to make sure she was alone. When she was sure she was, she whisper to the camera "But I did managed take a picture when no pony was looking. Just pinkie promise you won't tell my friends okay." She pulled out a photo from her mane and showed it to the camera.

In the picture showed Twilight blushing in front of her BBBFF. Shining Armor was smiling while pointing at her sister's green stripped socks she was wearing on her hind legs. In upper right corner of the photo showed Applejack with a blue bow in her tail. She was holding her stomach and was looking at a huge pile of apple cores laying near her with a baffled look. In the bottom left corner was was a pink mare with with a rainbow mane laying on Rarity's fainting couch. On the opposite side was Flutterscruel holding her head like she was experiencing a massive headache. Finally in the upper left corner there was an angry Rainbow Dash in a beautiful dress charging at the camera.

Pinkie placed the photo backed into her mane. "Now remember to keep that photo between us. It's a secret!"

Another pictured slipped out from the folds of the letter, Pinkie Pie found a little note tapped to it.

'Dear Lady Pinkamena,
We felt it was our royal duty, with how your friends initially reacted, to show you this, but remember these are your friends private dreams, and shouldn't be shared with other ponies. We have chosen to show you this, only because we felt it was the only way you would truly be able to move on.'
Signed, P.L.'

Pinkie looked at the photo, and smiled. It was picture of dreams.

Fluttershy and Fluttercruel separately stood in a butterfly garden, Fluttershy smiling, Zipzee on the end of her extended hoof, the two happily chatting.

Next was Twilight Sparkle, wearing the green socks to bed, and her and Minty reading a fairy tale book in her dreams.

Rarity was at a crystal castle different from the one in the crystal empire, skillfully making a dress for a little pink princess.

Next was Applejack the first and Applejack of the forth generation sitting on a lake shore listening to the seapony's sing.

Finally there was Rainbow Dash . . . both of them. Except, Firefly was there too, arguing with the original Rainbow Dash over something. Unless RD got them both to shake hooves.'

Pinkie Pie smiled, "Oh Dashie, you think nopony noticed the pretty dress you wanted to wear when Princess Celestia was going to visit that first time? Silly filly." Pinkie Pie put the photos away.

Pinkie Pie heard a rather loud bang. "Hmm, wonder what that could be?" She wondered, before getting her answer as a very angry Twilight teleported into the room, breathing heavily and looking like she might go into her fire mode at any time.

"Whoa, you okay there Twilight?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"How dare they..." Twilight huffed. "How DARE they even IMPLY something so horrible! There is NOTHING like that in our relationship, do you hear me? NOTHING!" She punctuated that with a stomp of her hoof.

"Um... okay?" Pinkie Pie smiled nervously as Trixie showed up, also having teleported.

"Sorry, this is probably my fault," Trixie said sheepishly, rather unlike her. "Trixie found an article in a tabloid suggesting that Twilight and her brother's relationship might be a little bit... closer than it actually is, if you know what I mean."

Pinkie Pie nodded as it dawned on her. "You mean... THAT kind of close?"

Trixie grimaced. "Yes. For some reason, Trixie thought it would be a good idea to show Twilight this article. Let's just say things escalated quickly."

"I WILL GRIND THEM TO DUST!" Twilight screamed, nearly reaching Royal Canterlot Voice levels.

"Do you know how to calm her down?" Trixie asked the pink pony. "I hate to admit it, but 'calming spells' are a category I haven't learned yet."

"Usually, when she's THIS angry, after exactly 7 minutes and 42 seconds, she'll pass out. When she wakes up, she'll be calm again and will deal with what made her angry in a more rational manner." Pinkie Pie explained. As she said this, Twilight suddenly stopped screaming and shouting, and collapsed to the floor, a serene smile plastered on her face as she closed her eyes.

Trixie's eyes widened. "Well, that was convenient."

Pinkie Pie made a mental note to never show Twilight that "Friendship is Witchcraft" series that seemed to be rather popular among the Shadows-Who-Watched. "It sure was. Say, why don't you stay here while we wait for Twilight to wake up?"

"I suppose Trixie can take a break right now," Trixie replied.

Just then, the studio lights flickered and dimmed. The shadows in the room flowed, pooling into a four-legged shape that rose from the floor. “!pinkamenA dianE piE,” it spoke gravely. “.youR ouT oF characteR behavioR anD excessivE genrE savvY havE gonE toO faR.”

But then, wind gusted from a studio door that had been left open, blowing away the dark shroud and revealing that the Blank Wolf was just an adorable little white-furred Blank Wolf Pup, not even as large as a pony. “Prepare to be cleansed… what’s wrong with my voice?” It crouched, looking left and right as streamers and confetti began to fall. “What trickery is this?!”

Pinkie bounced over to his side, wearing a paper hat. “It’s no trick. It’s your first birthday party! Or maybe it’s a rebirthday party! Hmm… why not both?”

The Wolf sat its hindquarters down, wide eyes blinking. “I… don’t think anyone’s ever thrown me a party before. It’s always ‘How dare you?’ and ‘But I’m not an insertion!’ and ‘Why do you have to be so mean…” It sniffed at the cake that suddenly sat before it, licked it cautiously, then dug in, tail wagging.

The whole time, Trixie stood by the unconscious Twilight, staring. “Trixie wonders… who on earth Pinkie is talking to?”

Trixie had no idea who Pinkie Pie was talking to or what was eating the cake but she assumed whatever it was, as long as it was only interested in eating cakes it had to be mostly harmless. But more importantly she trusted her friend.

Then suddenly the door to the studio swung open and Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Rarity trotted inside. Applejack did balance a bottle of apple cider on her head while whispering proudly “Who is a silly pony now?”

“Fine you win our bet, your balance is good.” Rainbow said slightly begrudgingly
Fluttershy did carry a few snacks on her wings and then briefly she shifted to Fluttercruel.

“Ha! Told you that ‘jack could do it, mom. Now you own me five bits.”

“Of course. It is good to see that you believe in her.” The kind Pegasus answered back.

“She got a buc… freaking trophy for being dependable. I think she can handle this… unless she gets drunk on the stuff Pink cooked up the last time. Hmm. If we had some of those pictures left, they'd be amazing bargaining chips against Dash.”

“You do realize I’m standing right next to you?” Rainbow asked a bit irritated.

Meanwhile Rarity did hold a lot of different snacks in her telekinesis ranging from hay fries to potato fritters to bring some fresh party supplies with her.

“Now my dears, this is no time for discord, just relax!”

Soon enough both Rainbow Dash and Fluttercruel found tasty snacks floating into their mouths keeping them quiet for awhile.

"Hmmph! Who says it's no time for me?" The ponies froze as a lengthy form slithered into the room from out of Rarity's mane.

"DISCORD!" Several voices whinnied at once. Rarity just looked horrified.

"My mane," she saiid with a shiver. "He was in my mane, and, I had a draconequus there, and..." Her chaise lounge came sliding up, she began to fall back -- only to hit the floor with a loud "Ow!" as it slid right past her on the suddenly-soapy stage.

"MY bad," Discord said with a grin. "I just thought that floor looked a little dirty. It's not like you want to live in a barn, would you?" He looked them over. "Then again, maybe you would." He snapped his fingers and to their shock, the ponies found themselves standing in stalls and with feed bags around their muzzles.

"Ph-tooie! BLEAH!" Rainbow Dash the the feed bag away and spat the contents out. Her friends followed suit, tearing the bags from their muzzles as she said, "That's disgusting! It's like somepony already'd chewed on it" She flew up off the ground and hovered before Discord. "Okay, pal, I dunno how you got de-petrified, but..." She stopped and looked closer. "Wait a minute, you're not 'our' Discord, are you?"

"Of course not. I'm MUCH more handsome than that sadistic oaf," Discord said, momentarily appearing like a cover stallion from one of Rarity's 'Merry Mare' romance novels. The ponies shuddered. Discord sniffed. "Hmmph! You're worse then the ponies I know in my world, and I made friends with them! Well, sort of."

Applejack stomped forward, almost lost her footing on the still-soapy floor, and said, "Okay, then what do y'all want here? We got enough troubles of our own right now, and..."

"I'm not here to fight," Discord said. "I'm a peaceable draconequus, really." He folded his claws together as a halo appeared over his head. Then he took it off his head, dipped a cup of coffee into it, and ate it before saying, "I just wanted to know if your Discord was able to come and attend the support group I and the other Discords are having. The Chaosverse me decided it would be easier for us to stay out of trouble if we could help each other, and I got nominated to extend the claw of friendship," his claw reached across the room from behind, and gave the Flutters a dutch rub; she whinnied and rubbed her aching head as he said, "to your Discord. So where is he?" Discord made a show of looking under himself, into Rarity's ear, and pulling the scenery down to look into what seemed to be a white void all at once.

"Uhh, Ah think he's still stone in the castle gardens," Applejack said, watching this bizarre scene uneasily. "Least, that's where he was the last Ah checked." She looked at her friends for confirmation. They all nodded. Discord huffed, his claws on his hips.

"Hmmph! After coming all this way, the least he could do would be to show up to accept my offer!" He turned and tore open a hole in reality with his claws. "Well, if you see him again, let him know I dropped by? Oh, hello dear!" He said the last to a figure that appeared before him on the other side of the rift. The ponies gaped to see a half-draconequus Rainbow Dash appear before him, hoveriing with one pegasus wing and one like a fly's.

"Hi yourself, honey!" She waved through at the ponies. "Hey, other-verse friends!" The rift closed as Discord and Rainbow Draconequus came together for a very sloppy kiss.

Rainbow Dash settle down beside Applejack, her jaws hanging open. "Hey, AJ, can I borrow your hat?"

"Why?" As she asked, the palomino began handing her hat over.

Dash gave her a sickly look. "So I can puke in it."

AJ promptly yanked it back.

And just to the side offstage, hidden from view, Trixie turned to Spike. "Pay up. Trixie told you they would believe it."

The commotion from the rest of the gang caused Twilight to wake up. At that precise moment, the PPPP7 whirred to life, providing two pieces of recursive fanfiction that Pinkie caught.

After taking a look at those pieces, Pinkie said, "Oh boy. These are going to be extremely controversial, so I think we'd better review them one at a time, just so we don't have too many controversial issues to discuss at once." With that, she put the first piece on the pegasus projector.

jawmax.deviantart.com/art/Pony…

There was silence for a moment. Then Fluttercruel screamed, "NOOOOO!" before she went into hiding, leaving Fluttershy in control.

--inside the Flutters mind--

Fluttershy said, "Fluttercruel, what's wrong?

Fluttercruel said, "Please don't turn me into Flutternice!"

Fluttershy said, "You don't have to worry about that. Anypony who wanted to do that to you would have to get past me before they could do that. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye. Fluttercruel, your cruelty is a part of who you are, and it would be inequine to take that way from you."

This helped calm Fluttercruel down, allowing Fluttershy to go back to the studio to tell the others about what had just happened.

--back in the studio--

Fluttershy said, "Sorry about that. Fluttercruel got scared by the part where she got turned into Flutternice in there."

Rainbow Dash said, "I totally get why she'd feel that way. It would be like taking away my ability to fly, or Twilight's eggheadedness."

Pinkie Pie said, "Something that's really ironic is how they turned the Princesses into gold and silver statues like that. Remember when we got visited by the Dark World Elements of Harmony? They said that over there, Discord did the exact same thing to the Princesses. Yeah, it's ironic, but none of us are laughing."

Twilight said, "It goes beyond just that. The thing that makes harmony possible is how we're all able to accept each other, even if we have different ideals, and are able to work together because of those ideals. By forcing everypony to think the exact same way like that, the Harmony Queens, while they might be getting rid of potential sources of conflict, are getting rid of the very differences that make harmony possible in the first place!" She then looked down and said, "Um, could somepony help me find a way to get off of this massive soapbox?"

After Twilight had been helped off of her soapbox, she saw that Trixie seemed bothered by something.

"Trixie, what's wrong?"

"Oh, Twilight. Trixie is kind of bothered by something. When the Harmony Queens used the Elements on Trixie's counterpart, they didn't seem to have any effect. Trixie wonders why that is?"

Twilight said, "Well, at first I thought it might have had something to do with your Element of Magic. But then I realized that if that was the case, it wouldn't explain how Fluttercruel got turned into Flutternice like that. However, I believe I might have an answer that explains it."

Trixie said, "Well, Trixie is all ears. If you have an explanation, please tell Trixie."

Twilight said, "Well, over here, when I helped you recover from what Discord did to you, I made sure to take a look at the situation and come up with just the right methods to help you recover from your trauma. But the Harmony Queens simply tried to force you to recover. They basically tried to use a sledgehammer when they should have used a scalpel instead."

Trixie sighed. "Which makes Trixie wonder where Queen Twilight Sparkle's intelligence went, to think that the Elements of Harmony could be used to solve all their problems like that."

Pinkie said, "Okay, I think we've covered all of the major controversial parts of that chapter. Time for chapter two."

jawmax.deviantart.com/art/Frie…

After the chapter was finished, Rainbow Dash said, "...do I look like the type of pony who would care if the frosting on a single cookie was off by half an inch? And why would I treat Scootaloo like that? I mean, I'm practically her big sister, for crying out loud!"

Twilight said, "Actually, the Harmony Queens definition of harmony seems to be that everything be exactly the same, from the amount of bits ponies have, to they way ponies think. While I will admit that they'd have to be going overboard to even apply that logic to a bunch of cookies, it makes sense in a twisted way. As for the way that alternate version of you treated Scootaloo, I feel the need to point out that you didn't become like a big sister to her over here until AFTER the Day of Discord, when we were focusing on helping other ponies recover fromwhat Discord did to them. But over there, our counterparts decided to focus on trying to prevent his release at any cost. So that version of you never had a chance to get close to Scootaloo."

Rainbow Dash said, "Are you actually defending them, Twilight?"

Twilight shook her head. "They turned the Princesses into statues, and if I read that chapter right, they caused my foalsitter to become a Nightmare. Defending them is the last thing I intend to do. I was simply pointing out facts that make what Queen Rainbow Dash did seem somewhat plausible."

Rarity said, "Applejack and I have...mixed feelings. On the one hoof, it seems that events have been set in motion that will ultimately lead to the Harmony Queens receiving their comeuppance."

Applejack said, "But on the other hoof, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle have to be the ones who need to find these Elements of Chaos, meaning that they're gonna be caught up in the middle of all this from start to finish. And if they get careless even once, they'll probably get caught, and won't get another chance to find the Elements of Chaos."

Pinkie Pie said, "Yeah, I'd probably be worried sick if it was Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake who had to do that. But Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looked like they thought out the first steps of their quest, and if they can continue to do that, they should be all right."

Fluttershy sighed, "I can't blame her."

"What?" RD asked first.

"Queen Fluttershy, I can't blame her. I know they all did lots of really really really really mean things that they say are nice things but . . . I won't do what she did to Fluttercruel but . . .I can't blame her for it, not in the least."

Fluttercruel shifted into place for a moment, "Mom! How can you say that?"

"Because . . . we took different ways of protecting you from turning out like Discord. And . . . given, uh, some of the things you tried to do when you were first born, I . . . I can't blame her for choosing that."

"You . . . You mean I tried to murder Pinkie Pie? And hoping the despair you'd feel from that would let me devour you from the inside? Don't you? . . . " She said in Fluttershy's mind, so not to bring up that horrid little truth about herself in front of the others.

"Yes." Fluttershy whispered as low as she could go. Meaning the dust settling was louder. "I didn't even think the Elements could give you your own body, or give you your own foalhood instead of just having memories of mine. All the things they did thinking they were being friends to everypony, it makes me scared and ashamed but . . . I'm sorry Fluttercruel, that's how I feel. I'm sorry. If I knew at the time I could have made you into a filly with your own body, so you could have your own life, and let what you learned and chose on your own help you grow instead of memories copied from me and what Discord made you be . . . I would have done that. Letting you have a FULL LIFE, instead of sharing mine and having nothing but the memories of another pony's foalhood. I'm sorry."

"Alright mom, I understand. I forgive you. For what it's worth, if who I am now had been in your shoes when we first met? I'd have done what you threatened to do AT THE START and just have Twilight erase me from existence. Rather than give me a chance to do all the awful things I threatened I'd do."

"Thank you dear . . . " Fluttershy whispered, crying a little.

The girls all shuddered after seeing their twisted counterparts of that world.

"So!" Rarity said, hoping to change the topic to something more pleasant, "Pinkie Pie! Why don't you show us that lovely what if machine again?"

"Oh! Okay! In fact I conveniently recorded a really good one."

PInkie Pie heard the blank pup growl.

"That is! I think I can get it back if I ask it REALLY nicely! Let's see-"

Five minutes later, Rarity was saying.

"That first world showed us one where we had different cutie marks, but were still Element Bearers. Applejack, you told me once about another 'you' that bore my Element. Did you ever see another 'me' that bore yours?"

"You, honesty?" Rainbow Dash snorted. "No offense, Rarity, but given some of the 'little white lies' you've told, I can't see honesty even glancing at you -- hmmph!" She glared at Twilight Sparkle, whose horn glowed the same color of the gag that covered her muzzle.

"Manners, Dash," she said primly. She looked at the palomino. "I'm curious myself, Applejack."

"Hmm," Applejack rubbed her chin, pondering. "Well, Ah think Ah do remember one. But Rarity weren't no designer in that world." She looked over at Pinkie Pie "Say, can your fancy-schmancy What-If machine show us the world where Rarity became Honesty?"

Pinkie Pie was already cranking the machine up. She recoiled as an image of Nightmare Moon appeared, her mane done up in something like a beehive (Rarity shuddered) and laughing maniacally. Behind her appeared what looked like a cheaply-done castle set.

"A-HAHAHA! And remember to tune in next week on 'Monday Nightmares with Nightmare Moon', when we'll be showing --" The scene vanished as Pinkie gave the machine a whack with her hoof.

"No, we want Rarity as Honesty, not that!"

The screen cleared to show Rarity, their Rarity, standing and facing another her with a shorter mane and tail and a cutie mark of two crossed rapiers over a fencing mask. Their Rarity had her hoof-sewn saddlebags with her. The other bore a pair of fine horn-fencing blades, held point downwards in the safe position. Both mares glared at each other.

"Wha-aa-at?" Th first Rarity said, looking horrified. "Are you supposed to be me? The very idea! Me, as some, some roughneck who spends all her time playing with toy swords," the other 'her' snorted and scraped a hoof against the ground, "rather than making anything of true beauty and value..." She broke off as crossed-blades Rarity stomped forward.

"Me a roughneck?!?" She tossed her head back, and even in that her grace and control was evident. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, you've probably never lifted anything heavier than the brush you use on that mane of yours! And I know you'd never have the integrity to admit that somepony like Prince Blueblood actually scored a victory over you in the fencing circle, when even his own aunt was hoping you'd claim the victory to get him to admit he wasn't the best horn-fencer in Equestria! You can't take that from me."

The two mares glared at each other, shoving their heads against each other so hard it looked like their horns would pierce each others' skulls as the screen faded.

Rarity looked around at her friends. "That Generosity wasn't me, but in finishing school, I did practice horn-fencing to learn control and grace. Also to satisfy my father and his desire for me to learn some sort of a competitive sport." She shook her head. "I stopped after I accidentally put a sharpened foil through a friend's foreleg. She recovered, but still..." The elegant mare shuddered.

"Ah guess the other 'you' never did or decided ta keep on fencing anyway," Applejack said. Rarity nodded. AJ looked past her and said, "Aw, for! Rainbow Dash, what the hay are ya doing with the What-If machine?"

"I wanna get that one Nightmare Moon back," she said, as she shook the device and knocked on it. She looked at her disbelieving friends. "What? I want to see if the next movie is going to be Invasion of the Pony Rustlers. I love that one!"

The Blank Wolf Pup licked the last of the cake frosting from its muzzle, and watched the ponies share their stories, curious. “Why did I come to this place?” It paced the room, unseen and unremembered, by most at least. “What drew me here? This is a place of might-bes and could-have-beens. The Wolf has no purpose here.” Its flicking tail froze. “I am a might-be.”

The Blank Wolf was… had been… a thing with a purpose. Prowl the world and keep it whole. Erase all that did not belong, without question or pity or regret. But the Wolf had hesitated, faced with a pony who did not belong, and yet held overwhelming chaos in check by his very existence. The Wolf could not abandon a hunt, though, no matter the reason, not even when Harmony herself opposed it, and the Wolf was destroyed.

The Pup whined softly, wishing that things could have been different, and puzzled that he could wish so. Was this the future? Would the Blank Wolf learn… discretion? Or would the new Wolf be the same as the old, or even more unyielding? It hadn’t been decided yet.

The orange pony, the one with the Truth in her eyes, had nearly noticed him several times, but he resolved to sit quietly and listen anyway, very patient for a pup. Perhaps he would learn something.

-

The What-If Machine buzzed and flickered on.

"Hey look!" Rainbow Dash said, "Let's see if it shows us something awesome this time too! I never thought me with a butterfly cutie mark could still be badflank, no offense Fluttershy."

"None taken."

"Let's just hope it still shows us something NICE instead of something dark and depressing." Pinkie Pie said, "You BETTER NOT!" Pinkie Pie warned.

"I must say Applejack, you took seeing a prime and proper version of yourself rather well." Rarity said.

"Ah have experience remember? Ah'm impressed ya took seein' lightnin' you so well."

"She's still an artist and still a generous pony. That's all I need to know."

"I think I was pretty cool as an Apple!" Pinkie Pie said.

"You? An Apple Pinkie Pie? I gotta say I'd never see THAT coming." AJ said.

"You were fun as a party pony Fluttershy!" Pinkie Pie grinned.

"Uh, I'll stick to animals instead of ponies, NOT THAT THERE'S ANYTHING WRONG WITH ANY OF YOU! OR ANYPONY! REALLY!"

"The more things changed." Twilight said.

"THe more things stay the same." Spike said.

"SPIKE?! WHEN DID YOU GET HERE?!"

"Uh, Trixie let him in." Trixie said her eyes shifting, not wanting to give away her grandest performance with Discord. "You were all distracted by Discord at the time."

"Oh, right." Twilight nodded. This place had a odd habit of making her head feel funny.

Still, she didn't regret giving Pinkie Pie some time with Minty again.

The what-if machine powered up, and actually looked like it was going to overhead.

"Pinkie Pie, if that machine explodes and tears a hole in the universe forcing us to play out different fantasy scenarios of ours-"

"Don't be silly Twilight, that isn't until next time."

"WHAT?!"

"Or not! Depends on what our viewers want!"

Then the screen flickered on, showing four of the mane six on a large grassy field with Spike, waiting for Princess Celestia and a special guest.

The special guest turned out to be.

"DISCORD?!" Indeed, it was Discord, still a statue however.

Celestia talked about reforming the villain.

The ponies' on the screen had pretty much the exact same opinion as the ponies watching. That Celestia must have hit her head, very, very, VERY HARD.

Half an hour later, seven ponies and one dragon sat there with their jaws hitting the floor and their eyes pin pricks.

They could only stare in silence as the what-if machine flickered off.

"Well, Trixie thinks maybe THAT Discord wasn't as horribly evil as OUR Discord?"

Rarity spoke, "Actually darling, I'd say they were equally awful."

"Well, that AJ was a lot more polite than Ah'd have been, Ah'd have just introduced that beaver's hinny to my hoof and told 'em to skedaddle."

"Applejack!"

"Sorry Fluttershy, but a mare's gotta protect her family. And Ah owe it to Bloomberge's siblings."

'Cruel asked. "Where was I? I . . . I don't EXIST in that universe?"

"Well, Trixie wasn't there either . . . does that mean Trixie isn't friends with you in that world?"

"I . . . I can't believe this." Twilight Sparkle said. "There's no way. FLUTTERSHY! YOU reformed Discord?!"

"Well . . . I think there a lot stuff we didn't see, it felt like we only saw maybe half of what we should have seen and . .. . maybe he's simply never had a friend before?"

"He's had friends! He's been in love! He's had family! And he stabbed them all in the back! It makes no sense . . . okay it's Discord! But . . . but . . . "

"Uh, maybe I reminded him of what it was like to HAVE friends and family then, and he realized that those weren't things he wanted to live without after all?"

"BUt . . . but . . . but . . . AAAGH!" Twilight Sparkle felt a headache coming on.

Pinkie Pie thought, 'Wow, and I expected the shadow who writes to be the one who'd have a mental break down at Discord turning over a new leaf. I hope they just don't turn him evil again later, that would feel like a big cheat, like if we lost the Elements just so the writers didn't have to keep explaining us not using them for everything.'

Spike twiddled his thumbs, "So uh, what now? Do we tell Celestia about this or something?"

Pinkie Pie said, "Silly Spike, everything that happens here is non-canon remember? That means nothing we do here can effect the rest of the universe."

"Really?" Spike then kissed Rarity on the lips. Rarity gasped and trotted back some.

Rainbow said, "I gotta say Fluttershy, YOU? Getting DISCORD to actually do something NICE? Well . . . I guess it's not THAT crazy. After all, you raised a PIECE of Discord to be a good and nice pony, so I guess it's not that weird."

Fluttercruel showed all her newfound maturity by holding her tongue.

The entire universe rumbled, like a fundamental law of the universe, OF EVERY UNIVERSE, had changed somehow.

There was a knock at the door.

"Fluttershy will answer this door." Called out the voice behind.

Without even thinking, the other ponies let Fluttershy be the one to answer, forgetting her nervousness for once.

She gasped, outside the non-canon studio was a pale blue unicorn. She wore a dirty brown hooded cloak, her eyes were hidden by her name. And her horn was broken.

"H-hello?" Fluttershy gasped.

" For the first time in existence. I have been moved. You have done, what I, My Husband, my children, and my in-laws have been unable to do. To every Fluttershy in existence who bear the Element of Kindness and had ended the untempered and tainted chaos of my son . . . you have moved My Heart. Such a thing should have been impossible. I should not have a heart. But you have moved it all the same. You are the first mortal, first concept, to ever have done so."

"Uh, I think, you might maybe, uh, that is . . ." Fluttershy felt a little small. "Gotten the wrong Fluttershy?"

"I have not. I speak to all Fluttershies across creation who hold the Element of Kindness and have tempered what I and my family and in-laws, could not. I have been touched for the first time in all creation." The unicorn bowed. "You are the only existence to ever been within My Debt. I thank you."

"Uh, have a nice day then."

Twilight gasped and rushed to Fluttershy's side, hoping to sacrifice herself somehow from her friend being erased from the memory of everypony!

Instead the middle aged mare said, "I believe I will." The mare turned around and walked away, leaving icy foot prints.

Button Mash bumped into the mare, and said, "Excuse me!"

"You're excused." And Button Mash happily went on his way.

The blank wolf pup gasped, had Entropy just NOT erased a pony from reality for speaking a statement about Her? Not once, but TWICE?

'W-w-w-wait! If there's ONLY ONE of Discord's mom across all the various universes, if they're ALL the SAME Discord's mom . . . does that mean . . . that Discord's mom just thanked every Fluttershy in existence FOR REAL for getting Heart World Discord to be just a little bit nicer? But . . . but . . . but . . . "Did something CANON just happened here?!" Pinkie Pie fainted.

Only the blank wolf pup saw the spirit as it slipped in through the cracks towards Rarity. It was a disgusting, bloated thing that might have once been in the shape of an equine, but now was little more than a embodiment of power. This was something for whom suffering humiliation, being over powered, being made to kneel, being out smarted, being out witted, by anything other than its own kind: simply for it went against the law of physics. Indeed, if one of its kind in its native universe WAS somehow truly and indeed humiliated by one that was not of its own kind, the universe would break in two.

Much like if a Mary Sue in its native universe was PROVEN WRONG by one that was not itself or another Sue and not something done to make the Mary Sue appear MORE sympathetic by beating itself up over it.

And now it slipped into Rarity, or rather tried to, Rarity's soul was several sizes too small for it now, it had become overweight and heavy. It was a caterpillar that had refused to become a butterfly, or THOUGHT IT HAD become one, but refused to see itself for what it was. It would destroy Rarity's spirit trying to fit inside it.

Rarity gasped as countless memories that couldn't fit into her brain were being force fed her, when she was being made nothing more than an empty vessel but for the will of the thing that would possess her. The wolf pup's instincts took over as it snarled, and leap at the bloated thing, and devoured it.

Rarity felt dizzy for a second, but even in this place of what-if's and 'could have beens' and 'could be's' she was cleansed of the influence of the thing that had just tried to use her as a medium to bend this small universe to its whims. The things' last thoughts were, in a mockery of Rarity's own voice was, 'But . . . repeaters never lose!'

'Well, that's one less Possession Sue disguised as a Peggy Sue.' Pinkie Pie thought, having recovered and seeing the exchange. She gave the blank puppy another cupcake.

The What-If Machine's screen started to flicker again. Pinkie Pie gave it a whack with her hoof. "Geeze, what's wrong with this thing? It's like it's getting it's signals mixed!"

The others noticed and gathered around, all save Twilight, who suddenly looked pale as she saw out what was on the screen first.

"Oh dear, now what is it going to show us?" Fluttershy said. "Not some other horrible world, is it?" She was about to say more when Twilight appeared before her, having teleported between her and the others, blocking their view of the screen. Fluttershy stepped back with a startled eep!

"Heh!" Twilight said. "That's right, it just wants to show us something horrible and awful and utterly humiliating," the last words came out in a near whisper. "Best to leave it alone, and..." Her voice trailed off as the girls heard Twilight speaking again, but this time her voice came from the What-If Machine.

"Hey, I wanna see this!" Rainbow Dash said as she scooped Twilight up and held her back so they could all see the machine's screen. "Yeesh, Twi, what could be so bad..." Her voice trailed off as they saw what could be 'so bad'.

On the screen, a pair of Nightmares stood. One showed the familiar purple eyelids and ebon coat of Nightmare Moon. The other displayed a mane and tail of raw flames, along with a coat the angry red of a coal. her cutie mark showed a blazing sun. Both wore barding and matched terrified expressions as they bowed before and stared at a massive iron throne before them, upon which was seated...

"Can't be!" Applejack said.

"No way!" Rainbow Dash said.

Pinkie Pie said nothing. She just laughed to see their friend, Twilight Sparkle, looking rather embarrassed, seated on the Nightmare Throne and receiving the accolades of the panic-stricken nightmares. Now that the girls looked, they could see what looked like more nightmares, no two of them the same, cringing in the background. Murals also covered the walls, showing first one nightmare. Then two, the two they saw before them And then hundreds.

"What the hay, Twilight!" Rarity said, staring at her friend in disbelief. "Pardon my language, dear, but is THIS another world? And if so, then why are you there?"

"Well, if everypony wants to know," Twilight said, rubbing along her mane with one hoof. "A little while back when we had that nice long quiet streak, I decided to try out some old dimension-hopping spells I found in an old grimoire by Starswirl the Bearded. Only one of the ones I tried still worked, and that one, well it lead to..." She pointed at the screen.

The girls watched and listened.

"Oh terrible guest from afar, most terrible," the red nightmare gulped, and choked out, "pony, please, please tell us what you want so we can give it to you and..."

"And you can go back to your own world and never frighten us again!" Nightmare Moon finished for her. Twilight looked at them and frowned unhappily. Both the nightmares covered their faces with their forelegs and quaked.

"I found out that in that world, both the sisters went Nightmare to protect their ponies against enemies," Twilight said. "But it wasn't enough, so they decided to turn ALL ponies into nightmares. After a few hundred years, nopony could ever remember being anything else, but figured they'd always been nightmares. By the time I got there, no real enemies had been left for centuries, but the nightmares didn't remember why it all happened, they just had vague stories about how once there were creatures called 'ponies' and they became nightmares to get away from them. Even the Princesses, or the 'Queens as they called themselves, forgot. So they decided that ponies were even more fearsome then nightmares, and..." She pointed at the screen.

'Umm," Twilight said where she sat on the throne, holding a barbed iron scepter in her hooves, "Okay, I'll return to my world, and never come back." The Queens looked hopeful until she said, "But only if you agree to stop terrorizing dragons and griffins and Diamond Dogs, they all stopped even thinking about preying on you centuries ago." The nightmares looked dismayed but nodded. "And, you have to let Princess Flutterwing and her flutter ponies alone when they try to make you laugh. They just want you to not be always thinking of how to scare everypony all the time." The Queens looked sick. Twilight just cocked an eyebrow as her horn began to glow. The nightmares buried their faces against the ground again.

"Yay!" Came a familiar-sounding voice from offscreen. The ponies stared to see a pony very like their Pinkie Pie, save only her butterfly-like wings, come flying out to drop down between the Queens. Then to their horror a horde of other winged ponies that all looked like Princess Flutterwing came fluttering out to land on and around the nightmares, laughing and singing and tickling the nightmares, who fled in all directions. Setting her forelegs over the necks of the disgusted Queens, she said, "It'll be great now that we can laugh and have parties and celebrate holidays other than Nightmare Night! I mean, I like that too, but there's First Snow and Harvestfeast and Midwinter Morn and..." She took a deep breath, "And I've got to have parties for all of them that can make up for the last 500 years of not celebrating any!" Behind them, Twilight quickly opened a shimmering hole in reality and slipped through as the scene faded.

Twilight looked at her friends. Pinkie looked delighted. The rest looked shocked.

"So... many.. Pinkie Pies..." Dash moaned. "And... they could... FLY."

-

The what if machine flickered again. This time it showed a Fluttershy with little orange wings. And a Scootaloo with large yellow wings zipping about everything. "I CAN FLY! I CAN FLY! I CAN FLY! I CAN FLY!"

Twilight on the screen flipped through her books, "Don't worry! I'll have this swap spell fixed in a minute!"

"I don't think there's much hurry Twilight." Rainbow Dash said pointing at Scootaloo.

"I CAN FLY! I CAN FLY! I CAN FLY!"

The screen flickered off.

Fluttershy was hugging her wings.

"OKAY! Everypony make sure Scootaloo wasn't peeking through a window!" Twilight said.

"Well, what's next?"

"My sister said she would be dropping over later," Rarity said to Pinkie Pie. "Something about showing the plant she grew to get a cutie mark in botany."

"Beg pardon," a voice said from the door, "but is it okay for me to come in?" The Mane Six turned and saw a unicorn mare there, one with a yellow coat and multicolored mane and tail, purple and orange and yellow. Her build reminded them slightly of Twilight, but she bore an ice cream cone cutie mark. "I just overheard somepony inside, and I was wondering what was going on."

"Oh, sure, Sweetcream Scoops!" Pinkie said, giving a hop forward. At that name Applejack and Rarity both lowered their ears and snorted. Sweetcream flinched, but Pinkie said, "Gee, I don't think we've ever had a background pony here before! I don't think I've ever even seen you outside of that kissing booth you run at every Ponyville fair and all those times you made eyes at Big Mac..."

"Yeah," Applejack said, forcing her way past Pinkie to glare at the mare. Sweetcream grinned nervously as the angry palomino said, "Ah don't mind y'all kissin' every stallion in town that'll have ya and getting a whole bucket of bits, that's yore business, but when ya chase ma brother so that he's afraid ta go ta town for a week afterwards that's too much!"

"I did what?" Sweetcream said. "I mean, sorry about that. I didn't mean anything by it. But really, all the good stallions seem to be taken here in Ponyville, and well, I thought he'd be pleased a mare was chasing him." As she said it her eyes seemed lit from within. Applejack to her surprise found her anger fading.

"Oh well," she said wondering why she said it, "Ah guess it's okay. Ya didn't mean nothin' by it." Her friends looked at her in confusion as she said, "An' pretty much all the good stallions in Ponyville are taken, anyway..."

Rarity came forward as well. Sweetcream looked at her. "Oh, Rarity, what did I ever do to you?"

"You know very well what you did," Rarity said with a sniff. "Snatching that stallion I was dating at the last town celebration and kissing him like that in front of everypony! He talked about you the rest of the night!" At Sweetcream's confused look, Rarity's horn glowed as her magic worked, showing an image of Sweetcream all but devouring a stunned stallion with a smoldering kiss before the gaze of a furious Rarity. Beside the amorous mare, a large bucket overflowed with golden bits. Sweetcream stared in shock, as did the rest of the Mane Six.

"Oh, my," Fluttershy said. "Sweetcream, you got all of that just for kissing?"

"I did?" Sweetcream said. "Her Majesty said these lesser ponies didn't have lives -- I mean, yes, I did! But all those bits? Just for smooching? And the love?" She licked her lips and sighed deeply. "I ought to try it sometime..."

"Sweetcream," Applejack said, marching around in front of the mare to look her in the eyes, "What the hay are ya talking about? It's like ya don't even know who ya are, and..." As their gazes locked, Applejack's and Sweetcream's eyes both went wide with shock. AJ recovered first and yelled, "Ya ain't a pony!"

"Ooh," Pinkie Pie said, "is she a Diamond Dog disguised in a pony suit?" Twilight and Rarity and Rainbow Dash all shuddered at the memories of variety shows past those words brought up. Pinkie added, "Because gee, if she is..." She looked past her. "Oh, hi, Sweetcream! Come here and say Hi to Sweetcream!" Every pony there turned and stared to see another Sweetcream, this one looking a mess like she'd been tied in a closet for days, glaring at the first Sweetcream.

"YOU!" She whinnied in fury as she charged. "You monster! You, you phony!" She dove onto the cringing other-Sweetcream. "I'LL GRIND YOU UP FOR ICE CREAM!" The two mares vanished into a dustball of violence, with the cries of one changing from equine whinnies and neighs to insect-like chittering snarls. One Sweetcream hurled herself back from the fight, transforming as she did into a buglike creature.

The Mane Six gasped.

"A changeling!" Twilight Sparkle yelled, and then in wonderment,, "Wait, how do I know what a 'Changeling' is?"

"Beats me," Pinkie Pie said, rolling her eyes skywards, kicking a script labeled 'MLP:FiM Season 2: A Canterlot Wedding' under a table and out of sight.

"Never mind!" Applejack whipped her lasso off. "Catch that whatever it is and..." Her voice trailed off as the 'changeling' stared at her and growled.

"No! Help me escape!" Twilight charged her horn for a blast, only for AJ's lasso to fall around her neck and yank her head to the side. Dash yelled and dove for cover as the blast almost hit her, leaving a scorch mark on the floor. The bug-pony sneered and flew for the door off to the right, escaped through it -- and gave a cut-short scream. The ponies stared in confusion.

"Yeesh, AJ, what's the matter with you?" AJ just gave Dash a confused look in return. Meanwhile Rarity's horn glowed and pulled a wagon into the room, one holding an immense flowerpot featuring an even more immense plant with odd, almost fanged hinged leaves. One of which was closed on a struggling form.

"'Dear big sis'," she read. "I'll be by later. Until then, please take good care of the Giant Everfree Fly-Trap we raised. PS Please don't let it near any ponies, it might try eating them." The plant seemed to somehow impossibly lick the non-existent lips of its leaves at them. The ponies all backed away as Rarity finished with, "PPS, please don't ask how we know it likes to eat ponies. Your completely innocent little sister, Sweetie Belle.'"

Rarity sighed, "Fluttershy, use your stare on the pony eating plant to make it cough up its lunch."

Fluttershy gasped, "W-what?! But I-"

"Please don't tell me darling you have scruples about using the stare on a pony eating plant."

"Uh, no, it's not that, I'm just not sure if the stare would work, it doesn't have eyes."

"Plants normally don't have teeth either and yet this one is grinning right at us." Indeed it was. "I'd rather cut it down, burning the kindling, and lace the ground with salt, but I won't want to damage Sweetie Belle's grades."

"Oh! Okay. So, ahem." Fluttershy used the stare. The plant seemed to just ignore her. Then Pinkie Pie put glasses on the pony eating plant, now it did shudder and limply released whoever had been struggling inside it. That was-

With a snort and a whinny, a familiar blue-coated earth pony with a pink mane and tail spilled out, covered in the plant's digestive fluids. "Ahh! That was terrible!" She shook herself and looked at her saviors, saying in a musical Stalliongrad accent, "Miss Rarity, Miss Fluttershy, thank you so much!"

Rarity's eyes widened. "Lotus? Is that you? How did you get in there? And whatever happened to that strange bug-pony -" Her face hardened, and she snatched Lotus up with her magic. She ignored her whinnies and a sudden grab by the plant to hang her before Applejack. "Applejack, just who is this, really?"

Applejack locked gazes with the confused Lotus. Green eyes looked intently into confused blue ones. Meanwhile the plant started tugging its roots free of the immense flowerpot it was in, until Twilight used her horn to stuff it back down inside the pot. As she did, she noticed it had other pods like the one they'd freed Lotus from, and at least one of them looked full.

"It's Lotus, alright," Applejack said. Rarity slowly lowered her to the ground as AJ said, "This won't make any sort o' sense, but we had some- thing, in here earlier, that looked like a pony but weren't. So we wanted ta make sure you were you." As Lotus stared at her in mingled confusion and suspicion, Applejack grinned nervously. Rarity stepped forward.

"Lotus, darling, how did you get inside that monstrosity?" She pointed a hoof at the plant and jerked it back as the arboreal abomination snapped at her.

"I found it at your Boutique,, Miss Rarity," the lovely Lotus said. "It was sitting in the middle of the showroom. I wondered what it was and when I stepped closer, it..." She shuddered. "Oh, but I did find this beside it right before it tried to eat me." She held out a magnificent and very fashionable hoof-sewn saddlebag such as schoolfillies carried.

"Why, that looks like Sweetie's", Rarity said. "My little sister said she was going to show it off to me and..." Her voice trailed off as she noticed one more swollen pod on the plant, bulging as its contents fought to escape. "Sweetie Belle!" She charged the plant. It snatched at her, but she dodged aside and set a pair of very sharp shears to its main stalk. She closed them enough to draw sap. The plant froze. Rarity said in a tone that seethed, "Set my little sister free, now, or else I turn you into a salad!"

The plant seemed to scowl, and them with a spitting sound it shot a small marshmallow white unicorn filly into Rarity hooves. Rarity snatched her sister back out of range. As she did, a glass cover sent down, cutting the plant off from the ponies. It somehow snapped one of its vines in a 'Oh. drat' gesture.

Rarity frantically cuddled her stunned little sis as her friends warily approached the plant. It scraped uselessly at the glass. Lotus hung back by Rarity.

"Sweetie! What were you thinking?" The unicorn mare glared at her little sister. "You almost ended up plant food! And where did you get that monstrosity from, anyway?"

"From the bog in the Everfree," Sweetie said, giving the plant a dirty look. "I told Apple Bloom we didn't need to feed it fifty pounds of the plant food her family used to get their biggest prize apples!" Rarity gasped and shot a glare at Applejack. The palomino just looked embarrassed. Sweetie just squirmed free of her sister's grip.

"Lotus, dear," Rarity said, "could you please escort Sweetie back to my shop?" When the blue mare gave her a wary look -- the last time she'd nearly been devoured, after all -- Rarity added, "I'll tip twice my normal amount for a month, I swear." That seemed to please Lotus, and she left together with the filly.

Meanwhile the plant strained at the glass containing it. It looked hungrily at the ponies. Somehow.

"Okay," Rainbow Dash said. "Now how do we get rid of this thing so we can get back to the normal show?"

"I say we kill it with fire!" offered Fluttercruel.

"Oh no, we couldn't do that," said Fluttershy, immediately taking control again. "It won't hurt anypony else if we just put it back in the Everfree Forest, where it belongs."

"But it nearly killed Sweetie Belle! You can't say that plant doesn't deserve it."

"It's only following its instincts. Chopping it up, or.. or... setting it on fire won't teach it anything!"

Rainbow Dash wobbled, a little dizzy. "Why does the camera keep jumping back and forth like that?"

Twilight grimaced. "Well, I suppose I could teleport it back where it belongs..."

Pinkie Pie gasped dramatically. "But Twilight, if you solve our problems with magic, then something might go inexplicably and ironically wrong, and then you might have to write a friendship report to Princess Celestia about not solving all your problems with magic a half hour later!"

Twilight blinked. "Pinkie, what are you talking about? That... hardly ever happens... any more..." She tapped her hooves together, embarrassed. "recently..."

Pinkie Pie turned to the Blank Wolf Pup, grinning a notch too wide with an audible squeak. "I bet you could make it go away, Blankie."

The Pup glanced up from gnawing at his flank. "Absolutely not. I prey on unnatural insertions only. And... please don't call me Blankie."

Applejack leaned towards Rarity. "Psst. Pinkie Pie is talking to thin air again."

Rarity shrugged. "So tell me what else is new, darling."

Applejack frowned and looked more closely. "What in tarnation? Did somepony get a new pet?" AJ was strangely ignored.

Rarity said, "Fluttershy darling, no offense, but what is to keep it from simply up lifting its roots and simply WALKING back to Ponyville to eat more ponies?" Rarity asked. "Not to mention telling all of its friends where there is a large concentration of ponies for them all to snack on?"

Fluttershy said, "Well the crusaders made it grow extra large right? That means the rest can't be that dangerous. Right?"

Twilight said, "Its unnatural size now makes it a game breaker if it was released back into Everfree, it could completely unbalance the ecology there."

Under the glass container the the Giant Everfree Flytrap took out paper signs from nowhere reading,
"My natural prey is ponies."
"You don't want me to go hungry do you?"
"Do you?"
"No I know you don't."
"You're too kind for that."
"You wouldn't let a poor innocent animal starve would you?"

Twilight stared and snapped, "You're not an animal! You're a plant! They're fundamentally different life forms!"

The giant pony eating plant quickly, rewrote it's sign.

"You wouldn't let a poor innocent animal plant starve would you?"
"No you wouldn't."
"You're too kind for that."
"Come to me."
"Come to me."
"Feed me."
"Offer up your life to me."
"It is the kind thing to do."

"Kind thing to do." Fluttershy said in a monotone as she mindlessly trotted towards the pony eating plant, thankfully it still had the glass container over it, and so Fluttershy was mindlessly walking into the glass with her forehead pressed against it as her hooves kept marching forward.

Fluttercruel took control again and slapped herself in the face, Fluttershy snapped out of it. Fluttershy held her head shook in confusion at what had just happened.

AJ said put a hoof on Fluttershy's shoulder, "Fluttershy, Ah'm a farmer, trust me on this, when you've got weeds, the only right thing ta do is pull'em out and use'em for compost."

Pinkie Pie saw the camera battery was running low. "Uh-oh! Gotta replace the batteries! Just a second!"

Author's Note

"HEY EVERYPONY! We're back! This is what it's all about! We've got a new variety show! Time for fun and games again! Be sure to read the first section there!"

1) What you write in the comments gets copy and pasted into the story as what happens next.
2) The camera can't leave the studio no matter what.
3) Try to keep the number of ponies in the studio in the single digit range.
4) ANY GUESTS of any generation, media, or variance we welcome here in the studio but they have to be My Little Pony. No any other franchises.
5) Everything that happens here in the studio is non-canon to the fanfic series. This is just for fun (maybe we should get our own trope page).

6) Have fun!"
7) Only Pinkie Pie can break the Forth Wall.

Sections In Order of Contribution:
Alex Warlorn
Yoshiegg64 and Alex Warlorn
Jarkes
mtangalion
ItsFromPeople
Ardashir
jmcdavid
jmcdavid (again)
Jmcdavid And Alex Warlorn
Ardashir
Mtangalion
Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn (again)
Ardashir
Alex Warlorn (yes again)
Ardashir ( :-D )
Alex Warlorn (SOMEONE ELSE WRITE THE NEXT PART!)
Ardashir (he rocks!)
Mtangalion and Alex Warlorn together

This is non-profit.

Banner by Kendell2

MLP Copyright of Hasbro

Pinkie Pie 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show Recovery Part 2

Timeline A

The camera flickered back on.

"But...we can't just..." Fluttershy said, looking to the plant.

"Darlin..." Applejack said, getting her to look her in the eye. "Look...Ah admit, sometimes bein' humane is the right way tah deal with things, but is it bein' nice tah anypony this thing might hurt to let it run free? Or anycreature fer that matter."

Fluttershy looked down, thinking. "...Couldn't Trixie and Twilight just shrink it down?"

"I don't know if that'd work, spells like that tend to be hard to make last for good, at least for a unicorn," Twilight pointed out.

'Mom...I get it, you're kindness, Mercy is who you are...but this thing WANTS to eat ponies, I can tell. It won't stop...'

Fluttershy sighed. "...I...I guess just knowing the cruel side of nature isn't enough to make accepting it easier..."

"It shouldn't be easy, sugarcube, ever..." Applejack added, putting a hoof on her shoulder.

"But if only there was some place it could belong...somewhere it'd have things other than ponies to...feed it..." Fluttershy muttered. "Relocation..."

"But Everfree won't work," Twilight reminded. "And where else in Equestria could it go?"

"...No where...Can you at least...do it quick?"

"...I think me and Trixie can handle that, Fluttershy..."

A few moments later, the pony eater was ash and Applejack was comforting a crying Fluttershy.

"Being cruel to be kind...it still hurts..."

"Mom...if it didn't, you'd be no better than I could've been," Fluttercruel pointed out.

Fluttershy gave a sad smile. "...Thanks, Fluttercruel."

--

Pinkie sighed. "Okay, I think we need something to lighten the mood, at least for the shadows..." Pinkie opened a portal to another dimension and peaked in.

"Screech!" screamed a vampire fruit bat version of Fluttershy, hanging upside down from the ceiling of her cottage.

"Oh! Sorry Pinkie!" said Fluttershy, taking over. "I'm just letting Flutterbat stretch her wings a little bit."

"Mom!" shouted Fluttercruel, taking over. "When do I get control?"

"Ten more minutes, dear, let your sister have her time."

"Hey! Fluttershy! I brought you apple-" that universe's Pinkie Pie trotted in and blinked, looking at her other self.

"Oh my gosh!...How are you still hanging from the ceiling if Fluttercruel is in control?"

The grey pegasus blinked and fell to the ground due to talons disappearing.

Pinkie silently closed the portal. "And I thought our universe was odd..."

TIMELINE B

"Maybe you can use your magic to shrink the plant back to it's normal size Twilight. That way it won't be able eat ponies anymore and we can just return it to the Everfree Forest." Suggested Spike.

Twilight shook her head. "It is not that easy Spike. True, I could cast an -instantaneous- transmutation spell to try to shrink it down to a more manageable size. However, it would require an massive amount of magic for it too work properly, especially if the subject actively rejects the changes."

"Well it is a good thing that Trixie is here to assist then." Trixie stated.

Twilight forgot Trixie was also here. With her their combined magic perhaps this could work.

"Ah don't know about this idea. What if Pinkie is right and something goes 'inexplicably and ironically wrong'? Asked Applejack.

"But if it works we won't have to harm it. I say we should give it a try." Said Fluttershy.

After a quick discussion the group of friends were in agreement.

The pony eating plant held up another sign.

"Don't I get a say in the matter?"

Ignoring the plant's sign, the two bearers of the element of magic concentrated their magic on the huge Venus fly trap. The blue and violet auras swirled around together to form a small tornado around the plant which was helpless to do anything within its glass prison. After a few seconds the magic died down to revealed an angry Venus Fly Trap the size of an new born foal.

"Way to go Twilight! I knew you could do it!" Cheered Spike.

Trixie gave Spike a stern glare.

"Oh and you too Trixie" Spike quickly added.

Fluttershy flew over and remove the tiny glass container that held the equally tiny carnivorous plant. "There there don't be afraid." She picked the plant up. "I won't hurt you, I am just going help take you back to your home in the forest."

"You better bring somepony with you." Twilight warned. She shuttered when she remember the cockatrice incident.

"No worries. I will go. With me coming, we will be back in no time flat." Said Rainbow Dash.

The athlete hastily pushed the flutters out the door while still grasping the plant.

"Silly Dash. Time isn't flat. And it isn't round despite most clock being round. Which is really weird. No time is more like-"

"a big of ball of wibbly wobbly timey wimey...stuff."

"I was going to say an ocean in a storm. But that works too. Hey wait a minute when did you get here?" Pinkie asked a brown coated stallion with an hour-glass cutie mark.

"Exactly 10.3 seconds ago. As for why I am here, I was hoping to find Derpy. You wouldn't happen to have seen her have you?"

"She was here to deliver an letter earlier but that was several hours ago...or 18 story sections ago." She whispered the last part to the camera.

"Blast it, oh well thanks anyway. If she stops by again please tell her I am looking for her." Said the Doctor before running out of the studio.

The wolf growled. "How dare he meddle with this world's timeline."

But before he could chase after the insertion that had somehow eluded him for so long, Pinkie threw a squeak toy in front of him. It was in the shape of a cervicorn wearing a gaudy uniform. The wolf instantaneous forgot about his prey and started to happily chew on it.

"Um talking about looking for somepony. Has anypony seen Applejack? I can't seem to find her?" Asked Rarity.

Everypony and dragon looked around the studio for their friend but to no avail. Did she leave without telling anypony? Just then Spike found something laying on the Studio floor.

"Hey isn't that AJ's hat?" Spike announced.

"It is but where is Applejack? She would never abandon her hat willingly. She always has it on her head." Said Rarity.

"Maybe she still is wearing it" Pinkie said.

"Huh!? What do you mean Pinkie?"

"Ah 'inexplicably and ironically wrong' that was what Pinkie said would happen if we used to magic to fix our problems. Don't you see Twilight that why we can't find Applejack ,the spell must have backfired and shrunk AJ to the size of an apple, just like the time with the the poison joke. She probably stuck underneath her hat or worse under our feet/hooves." Spike panicky checked his feet while the rest of the girls did the same, except for Twilight who simply let out a groan.

"Spike don't be ridiculous. Trixie and I did not shrink Applejack. She probably remember she had something important to do and left in such a hurry she forgot her hat. Doesn't that sound more likely than a spell somehow hitting a pony when the target of the spell was on the other side of the studio."

"Then explain why AJ's hat is moving." Spike pointed a finger at the shaking hat.

"Ugh... but that is... impossible...how did...but....Applejack is that really you?"

Some muffled sounds came from the hat.

"I am so sorry Applejack. Please forgive me. I don't know what went wrong."

"Trixie is even more sorry and hope you will forgive her. And please don't mention this to her sisters."

"Don't mention what?"

"That Trixie and Twilight accidentally shrunk AJ when only trying to shrink the pony-eating plant of course. Duh Applejack where have you been...wait Applejack!" Said Pinkie.

Everypony turned around to see Applejack at the doorway being bear-hugged by Pinkie.

"APPLEJACK" the rest shouted.

"Ow not so loud. Ah was only gone for a few minutes didn't think y’all would miss me that much."

"Where have you been Applejack we were worried about you" Asked Rarity.

"Thought ah saw that changeling or whatever its called outside the studio and thought ah try catch to him/her. Darn varmint must have got away though."

"But what I don't understand is if you are here then who is underneath you hat?" Asked Twilight.

"Well only one way to find out." Pinkie walked over and picked up the stetson to reveal... ANGEL laughing on the floor.

"Hmph I didn't think it was funny."

Just then a familiar cyan Pegasus followed by a buttermilk Pegasus flew into the studio.

"And we are back. Heh that has to be new record."

"Oh hi Angel what are you doing here. I thought I asked you to stay at the cottage." Angel with a smirk proceeded to hop up into his caretaker's hooves. Fluttershy didn't seem to notice any of the angry glares directed at Angel for his prank.

Pinkie looked at the camera. "Looks like the party is back on again"

Timeline A
Fluttershy said, "Girls, I think I need a little time . . . away from the party right now."

Ever loyal Rainbow Dash said, "Mine if I come along?"

"T-thank you Rainbow Dash." The two hugged and flew out of the studio.

Timeline Now Merged

Rarity sighed, "At least that dreadful plant wasn't a school project for Sweetie Belle after all . . . what? I care about my little sister's academic achievements."

Pinkie Pie went over the list, "Okay, so right now we have Blanky-"

"Who?" The ponies all asked.

The reality-error erasing beastie pup looked up.

"Never mind. We have Twilight, me, Rarity, AJ, Trixie, Spike. YES! We're in the single digit safe zone."

"Pinkie Pie, what do you mean safe zone?" Spike asked first.

"Well, the audience might get confused if we have too many here at once." And Pinkie Pie knew the show might ground to a stop if there were too many characters to keep track of at once for the shadows to write.

"I . . . GUESS that makes sense." Spike said.

There was a knock at the door. Except it seemed to be coming from the opposite end of the studio. "I'll get that!" Pinkie Pie, her friends looked at each other as she pulled back a curtain, and drew a door on the wall, and opened it.

"Hello different version of my sister." the figure behind the door said, Pinkie, Pinkie felt her brain be reality contaminated and recognized her as Maud Pie.

"Oh hello so your my sister in the Heart World."

"Correct."

"So did you get mention at your first appearance like the Heart World Shining?"

"Actually i was first mention. in the children book Pinkie Pie and the Rockin' Ponypalooza. I was not mention by name but there was a passage alluding that the the eldest sister was keeping an eye at the family homestead."

"OH yeah I heard about that it reveals ma's name is Cloudy Quartz and dads called Igneous (Iggy) Rock," Pinkie said "So why did you appear later in my first party....were we not close as children?"

"Actually I was working a different part of the field."

"That not dramatic," Pinkie said.

"My apologies. If you excuse I have to go," Maud Hugged her alternate sister before leaving (She also left a rock candy necklace for her alternate sister) (which Blank Wolf pup promptly ate before Pinkie Pie could).

"Continuity!" The pup said proudly.

"WHAT-, was that all about?" Rarity asked as Pinkie Pie came out from behind the curtain.

"Oh nothing!" Pinkie Pie grinned.

Rarity said, "Well, if there are no objections I'm afraid I may wish to leave now to check on Sweetie Belle after her own plant tried to digest her. Are there no objections?"

Pinkie Pie went back to wrestling with the What-If machine, and Spike found the party snacks and started passing them around.

That’s weird, thought Applejack, noticing a box of cupcakes. Eleven cupcakes in neat rows, fresh from the Cakes’ shop, with one empty space. Somepony must have already had a cupcake, but she couldn’t remember… Then her eyes widened as a small white wolf padded into her field of view, took a cupcake right out of the box in his jaws, and ate the snack in two chomps!

“You! I remember you!” Of course… she must have forgotten, with all the excitement over the flytrap and all. “How’d you get in here?”

The wolf pup seemed startled, then shook himself and gave a happy bark, trotting in a loop around her hooves and wagging his tail.

“Don’t you give me that!” said AJ, deeply suspicious. “Ah know the difference between a dog and a wolf.”

“That giant evil flytrap scared the willies out of me,” Twilight remarked, as if she’d completely failed to notice Applejack talking to a strange wolf in the middle of the studio. “It’s a good thing Stud Muffin was here to save us.”

“Trixie thinks he’s so dreamy!” She and Twilight both sighed, practically melting to the floor.

Applejack twitched. She could have sworn the wolf pup sat up straighter too, ears perked. “Stud.. Muffin?”

“Our one and only alicorn prince!” said Pinkie enthusiastically. “Ooh ooh I hope he comes back soon!”

“I wouldn’t count on that,” said Twilight, grinning cattily. “He went to escrow Rarity home, after all…”

“What?!!!” Spike grabbed his head in his hands. “My Rarity!?? She wouldn’t! What’s he got that I haven’t got?”

“Well, those muscles for a start.”

“And that mane!” Trixie chimed in.

“His deep blue eyes…”

“Trixie is certain they are green.”

“Blue and green!”

Applejack opened her mouth to ask if everypony had gone plum crazy, but what came out was “Ah’d like to get him home, show him our new pig barn, and get down and dirty… if ya know what ah mean.” What?! No… this was all wrong!

The wolf pup started growling.

It got worse when the studio door opened and a handsome pony with sparkling blue and green eyes grinned in at them, so large that he had to duck to get his magnificent wings through the doorway. “Oh girls, I’m baaack….” Applejack realized with growing horror that she was about to gallop right across the stage and nuzzle into his handsome flank…

The wolf pup *howled* and leapt, claws flashing. The “prince” barely had time for a strangled scream before…

Applejack stood over by the box of cupcakes, and the others were gathered around the What-If machine, like nothing had happened… except for Pinkie Pie, who popped over to give a big cheer and toss the wolf pup another cupcake. “Good boy! Gosh, two in one episode! I’ve gotta get this place fumigated.”

Applejack blinked slowly at the wolf pup, who looked back up at her, golden eyes catching the light. “Did you bring any cider, Pinkie? Ah could sure use some.”

"Uh." Pinkie Pie said. Considering the controversy that happened when she last offered her friends drinks, she wasn't eager to repeat it. "Sorry Applejack, I don't have any."

Applejack grumbled, "Maybe I'll head back to the farm for a bit, time always seems to be weird whenever we have one of these parties. I'll be right back." AJ glared at the wolf, "And YOU better not cause any trouble! YA GOT ME?"

Trixie and Twilight looked at each other, why was Applejack talking to thin air?

"Applejack, having you been overworking yourself again? Maybe you need a vacation." Twilight asked worried.

"Can ya see it?"

"See what?"

"The freaky wolf pup right there!"

" . . . Uh, Applejack, there's nothing there."

"How can ya NOT see it?"

"Maybe one of my illusion spells misfired." Trixie thought.

"GAG~! Now Ah really need a drink! Ah'll be right back!"

Twilight whispered to Spike, "Go with her, if she starts acting 'Applebuck Season' get back here on the double."

Spike saluted and shadowed after Applejack as they left.

Pinkie Pie looked around. Now it was just her, the two elements of magic, and the wolf.

"Wow. This party sure shrank fast." Pinkie Pie, not sure if she was happy or sad about that.

"Don't worry Pinkie Pie, Trixie's sure the others will be back for the after-party soon enough."

"I hope so."

And the what-if machine flickered on.

"HAIL QUEEN RARITY!" "WE LOVE YOU QUEEN RARITY!" "FOREVER REIGN QUEEN RARITY!" The crowd of ponies cheered for one of the six harmony queens. Glittering confetti showered down as her carried moved through the street of Manehatten.

Rarity politely waved back at her adoring fans.

Several former elites, were giving her the stink eye as her carriage finished passing, but they were drowned out by the horde of working class and formerly unemployed ponies (Rarity had ensured that wasn't one pony without a job in Equestria as part of her own economic plan, her word WAS the economy now).

Before Queen Rarity, many of them had given up hope of ever having the amount of bits that were now equalized among the population each month. Many had toiled at low paying dead-end jobs as grunt labor. Now Queen Rarity ensured ALL were able to enjoy a healthy standard of living.

The others were already here, but Rarity felt it was important for the Ponies of Manehatten got a chance to see their queens. Twilight had been hesitant and worried about taking the Elements out of Canterlot, but Rarity had insisted it was a sign of trust to their subjects, and they had to know their queens weren't coup up in Canterlot making dictations with no idea what was going on in Equestria, that was the first step towards tyranny.

They were here for a reharmonization.

Due to the ponies involved, Rarity had insisted on handling things besides the group use of the Elements herself.

"COCO! YOU BACK STABBING LITTLE WITCH! HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU DO THIS TO ME?! I TAUGHT YOU EVERYTHING YOU KNOW YOU WORTHLESS FILLY! I TOOK YOU UNDER MY WING! WITHOUT ME YOU'D BE NOTHING! NOTHING!" Suri Polomare snarled.

Coco Pommel sighed. "I couldn't take it anymore Suri. All the lies? All the cheating? All the stolen designs? The sleepless nights? The constant put downs? The way I was your shill for so many of them? I was got sick of it. I couldn't take it anymore. I'm sorry Suri. But you SERIOUSLY have something wrong with you."

"IT'S EVERY PONY FOR HERSELF IN MANEHATTEN! IT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO SURVIVE! Anything else is just fooling themselves! Ponies have their wits and are selfish or naive to how the real world works!!"

"Not anymore." Queen Rarity said. Suri was dragged away by the two royal guards into the room where the others were waiting.

"EVERYPONY FOR HERSELF! EVERYPONY FOR HERSELF! EVERYPONY FOR HERSELF!!!!"

"I didn't tell her the WHOLE truth . . . Should I go in and be reharmonized with her?" Coco asked her queen.

"Dear," Rarity said, "We're not lunatics, we hear out ponies."

"Well . . . under Suri, I really began to believe what she thought, it was all about yourself, and only yourself, and so was everypony else but . . ." She looked into Rarity's eyes. "When you faced up to the Princesses to make Equestria a better place . . . you . . . you inspired me. I've been under Suri's hoof so long that it felt like going against what she said would be the said as challenging Celestia. But . . . but you . . . you weren't doing it for yourself. You were doing it for EVERYPONY! That took so much courage and . . . and if that kind of courage can exist, then I thought I had the courage to finally go against Suri too."

Rarity ruffled the mare mane. "And you did a very brave thing Coco, thank you. Suri will be better soon, I promise."

Coco prostrated herself. "Thank you, Your Majesty. Praise be to you."

"Stop that." Rarity said.

Coco looked up confused.

"I'm not an Alicorn. I'm not a goddess. I'm not supposed to be worshipped. Myself and my friends are only someponies who did what they HAD TO do. Not what they WANTED to do. I NEVER wanted, and I STILL DON'T want Celestia and Luna frozen as statues. It kills Twilight a little inside each day they stay like that, just so we can have our chance to show Their Majesties that we're making things BETTER for ponies, not worse. But she knows it's for the good of EVERYPONY. Just like YOU DID Coco! You didn't WANT to face up to Suri, but you DID. If what WE DID makes us Queens, that makes YOU a queen yourself, and everypony when they do something they don't want to, but know it's for the better to do it."

"Y-You mean it your majesty?"

"PLEASE! Call me Rarity. All my friends do. And I'm happy to have YOU as a friend Coco, and I look forward to when I can have EVERYPONY call me Rarity."

Coco blushed. One of the queen of harmony, the ones who had make Equestria the jewel it was meant to be, was telling HER that she was as strong as the queens themselves for standing up to Suri's bullying. "T-thank you."

"Now now dear, this is something to be proud of, not everypony can stand up to what's wrong, do what's right, even if it's not 'correct' and be brave enough to face the consequences. And no, you don't look to be in any need of reharmonization to me. Can you please wait here while we make Suri whole?"

Coco nodded.

"Good filly. I promise we'll be right back out."

A half hour later, Suri was on her hooves and knees crying her eyes out in front of Coco. "COCO I'M SO SORRY! I NEVER SHOULD HAVE TREATED YoU SO AWFULLY! YOU WEREN'T MY ASSISTANT! You . . . you were my PARTNER in everything we did, and I . . . I treated you like dirt. You put more effort into OUR projects than I did, and kept treating you as expendable! You're not! I'm sorry if I ever told you were! You're a wonderful designer! And all I did was belittle and use you! I used EVERYPONY! I could see that ponies helping ponies was more effort but paid off in the end, but I was too lazy to CARE! Betrayal was my bread and butter! I'm so sorry Coco! Please forgive me!" Suri sniffled at the little mare's hooves.

Coco brought Suri into a hug. "It's okay Suri, you were sick before, you've been sick for a very long time. But now you're well and . . . if you really want to be partners now . . . I . . . I'd be happy to have you . .. as a friend."

"F-friend?"

"Yes. You're free Suri and . . . I'm so happy for you."

Suri hugged her back. Suri then looked to Rarity (not wearing any of her regalia, and wore a simple (by Rarity standards) dress instead). "Queen Rarity, thank you . . . for making me whole. I REALLY WAS broken on the inside. I broke myself, but I couldn't FIX myself. Thank you. Please thank you." Suri said in genuine gratitude. Thinking of the years she had wasted letting her own special talent rot as she sponged off of others.

Rarity bowed to the two ponies. "I'm just happy my friends and I were able to help a sick pony be well, and as it so happens . . . Canterlot might have an opening for the two of you . . ."

Coco gasped. "R-really?"

"You've shown more courage than many ponies I know Coco, that should be rewarded. I'll be happy to have you and Suri with me. She has her whole life ahead of her now."

"I think I'm finally ready to HAVE a life instead of just stealing it from others." Suri sighed.

"Thank you Rarity." Coco said.

"What are friends for?" They all hugged.

"Uh . . . I'm really having a hard time siding with pre-zapping Suri here," Pinkie Pie said. "And I'm having a harder time calling what Rarity did there . . . ya know, 'evil?'"

Twilight very carefully summoned a podium. She wasn't quite sure how to tackle this one, but she had some ideas of how to think about the situation. "Well Pinkie," she began. Suddenly, a letter flew into the studio. The wolf seemed to sense there was an insert being used somehow, but the letter landed in Pinkie's hoofs before he could snap at it. Pinkie looked it over. "Oh. It's from that shadow who critiques that we haven't seen in a long time. Well, let's see what he has to say about the situation."

Dear Pinkie,

I suppose you're wondering why I'm writing in regards to what Harmony Queen Rarity's actions were with that thieving designer from well, that place that you will never truly see in your world. Well, I may not think that Suri is right in her execution, but I can understand her perspective. You see, one thing that you as a small town pony may never quite understand (and that your world will never need to directly address due to the setting, tone and prosperity of your world) is the problem of the city and how it beats you down whenever you're looking to "make it big". I'm a performing pony of sorts as well. The problem is that in our world, so many of us think that we're gonna make it big in one or 2 places on our nation, and that we're gonna be able to charm, act, look, sing or move into the spotlight with ease. Yet with so may people trying to do that, so many of us end up disappointed. Either giving up, going somewhere else or scrounging about for whatever works in our area of choice. Or even going broke on account of a limited "supply" offered to us. What Suri reflects in talking about Manehattan is what's known as the "classic" mentality of how you're gonna make it in the big city. That sometimes to make it big and make it through, you have to depend only on yourself, because anything else will slow you down.

THAT is what Suri's reflecting in her views. Self will to the highest degree. However, her big problem though is that she's taken that mantra of survival, and translated that into "any action that gets me ahead is the right action." which has given herself permission to act only with her own self interest in mind. In this mindset, she MUST steal, cheat and over work in order to get ahead. Otherwise, she'll be failing her goddess of success. In fact, in our world, we see too many broken shells of people who try this mindset and then fall hard without anyone to catch them when they slip up, get discovered or just get old.

HOWEVER, this then loops around to the heart of the question that the harmony queens ask both us shadows and you. How often is it "right" to use the elements of harmony? While the traditional answer is typically "only in an emergency", the queens say that you should use them as often as you can in order to change pony's hearts to seeing the evils they've committed, or to wipe out the evils that plagued their world. What they then are working off of is the mentality that doing things "For their betterment" allows them to break through whatever boundaries they want. That their rights to keep discord locked away, spread harmony throughout the land and their rights as bearers overturn any other objection in regards to prudence, or trying to change ponies the "old fashioned way". They may put on faces saying that they don't take pleasure in imprisoning the princesses, but ultimately, they cannot let their utopian vision be stopped by any existing structures that they have.

This is actually something that I cannot speak to properly, since in our world, only drugs and death could truly "force" someone to change, and even then, we all KNEW that it was artificial. But magical rainbows? That's a bit outside our normal moral framework. I suppose to give you the best perspective I can on the situation, I offer this. Is magically induced change a true change at all? Or is the only true change a mare can have is if they change themselves? Remember, the elements are partially laced with the powers of fauna luster. So is her will to empathy and life being used properly in their use here? If you can say yes, then perhaps there are bits of social change that you as the bearers can actually do. Is this something that you all would be willing to do in order to stop this kind of suffering in the world? The choice is yours.

PS: In case this doesn't make it to you due to being way too long and twilighty, sorry.

"Twilighty?" Twilight asked.

Pinkie didn't immediately respond to that. Instead, she put down the letter, and began to think.

After thinking for a while, Pinkie Pie said, "Okay, this goes against my better judgement, but I think the What-If Machine should show us some more stuff about the Harmony Queens. We need to get a better idea of what they're really like."

The What-If Machine whirred to life again right on cue.

It was a bright and sunny day in Canterlot, in all of Equestria really.

The six bearers of the Elements of Harmony sat around the round table.

"So what's for lunch today? I hope it's cupcakes! It's always great to have cupcakes!" Pinkie Pie said.

"Darling if it was up to you every meal would be cupcakes. And technically, they're desert dear, not a meal." Rarity corrected politely.

"Oh, okay." Pinkie nodded.

"Ah think Ah'll just go for some salad myself," AJ said.

"I think I'll try that new Veggie Burger they've been talking about," RD spoke.

"Uh, I'll just have whatever you girls are having," Fluttershy said.

"Just a daisy sandwich for me will do," Twilight said, not even thinking about it.

"So what's on the agenda today?" RD leaned back in her throne, covered in Wonderbolt's posters and sporting an eight speaker sound system and build in CD player and miniature TV and a soda dispenser.

"Well now that we've burned Everfree Forest to the ground dears, I'd say it's time for replanting," Rarity said elegantly in her golden and diamond encrusted throne with red plush.

"That was a great idea of mine wasn't it? Celestia should have done that forever ago!" RD said proudly. "That's why I'm Captain Of the Wonderbolts!"

Queen Fluttershy leaned forward a bit in her simple wooden kitchen chair, "Uh, aren't you captain because you told them to make you captain?"

"Like duh! But I did because I come up with great ideas like that!"

Queen Rarity said, "Not as good as my redistribution of wealth plan. It's finally done. There's not a pony in Equestria who has more or less bits than anyone else now."

"Uh, big sister," Said Sweetie Belle in a small voice, "I got the reports from the Reeducation School today. They had several new graduates today."

"Thank you Sweetie! Those school were my best idea for Equestria ever! Isn't that right Applebloom? Your friend Twist is much better now she has pretty hair and has finally gotten rid of that lisp isn't she? And let's not get started on the work needed to be done on Snips and Snails."

Applebloom just nodded, doing her hardest not to frown or think bad thoughts.

"It did wonders for my parents and it does wonders for everypony else I'd say," Queen Rarity said proudly.

"YEAH!" Queen Pinkie Pie hit a button on her own throne, today it was pink with polka dots. Confetti and sparkles exploded from several pipes on the garish monstrosity. "It calls for a celebration! What holiday is today?"

Applebloom looked at a note pad. "Uh none?"

"Oh! Well that's no good! We need to invent one! I got it! Donut Day!"

"That was last month your Pinkieness."

"Oh! Really? Too bad! Don't worry, just get the preparations ready! I'll think of something by the time they're ready."

"Yes your Pinkieness." Applebloom just bowed. "Big sister," Applebloom said, "A pony in Manehatten said he thought the food was okay at a restaurant when he really hated it."

"Burn down his house," Queen Applejack said without looking up from her lunch. She sat in a modest office chair.

"Okay Big sister."

"A mare slapped a stallion for saying a comment she didn't like." Sweetie Belle said looking at her list.

Queen Fluttershy said, "Please see the mare has an anti-violence geass put on her. And have a geass place on the Stallion's voice so he can't talk please. It's for their own good. Can you see that's done, please girls?"

"As you wish," Sweetie Belle said, doing her best not to sigh, not so much as twitch an eye. Keeping her face exactly as was expected.

"Miss Cheerilee was heard crying in her house last evening in Ponyville," Applebloom read off the report.

"Make her cupcakes." Queen Pinkie Pie said, "Make sure they're a kind she likes. She's not leaving the Happy House until she's eaten every last one, double the amount of Happy Sauce in them."

"Yes your Pinkieness."

"So Twilight, er, Queen Twilight," Spike said.

"Spike, it's okay, you can still call me Twilight, we're friends remember?"

"Oh, right yeah. Well... We finished burning those banned books from your newest list from every Library in Equestria. Including books on Alchemy, Zebra Voodoo, super-naturals, and styles of magic outside the main eight arts."

"Good. Everypony's going to be cheering now all that irrational and absurd nonsense is gone. And magic's progress can march forward WITHOUT fictional schools of magic to distract everyone. Have anypony found practicing it brought for reeducation. We need to free their minds of all those lies," Twilight said proudly, sitting on Celestia's old throne.

"Yes Twilight."

"Big sister," Sweetie Belle said, "Don't you think we should let mom and dad out of that . .. school now? They're doing much better! They sure look pretty to me!"

"Oh Sweetie Belle." Rarity patted her on the head. "You'll understand when you're a grown up. These things take time. They SAY they believe in beauty and equality, but they have to BELIEVE it too. Don't worry dear."

Queen RD took a can from the soda dispenser on her throne only to realize it was empty. "HEY! HALF-PINT! I TOLD YOU TO KEEP THIS THING FULL!" She threw the last empty can at Scootaloo, hitting her square in the head.

"Sorry Your Super-Duper-Awesome-Radicalness."

Another can hit her in the face. "YOU LEFT OUT ULTRA-COOLNESS!"

"OH! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!" Scootaloo said getting on all four knees bopping her head up and down. Her court jester costume was orange and blacks.

"Oh dear, sounds like someone needs a strong dose of happy today." Queen Pinkie Pie said looking at Scootaloo. "Don't worry we'll fix you right up!"

Queen Twilight meanwhile looked behind the throne at a pair of silver and golden statues. "I'm sure you've changed your mind about our new system by now Princess. It's much better this way. No chance for Alicorns to fight among themselves. Everything working perfectly. And all the things you couldn't do without ruining your image or having to go through all the red tape. I know you've realized and accepted the new system by now. I know you have." Twilight said smiling at the golden statue set in a gigantic clockwork system of gears and cogs manipulating the Royal Pony Sisters' magic to keep the sky running in perfect order.

"Now let's get the important things out of the way." Queen Twilight said pushing a button next to her throne. This made a hole open up in the middle of the round table, bringing up a restrained Zecora and Lyra.

Queen Twilight was happy they had gotten much better control of their Elements since the old days. They had made sure Trixie, Blueblood, Upper Crust, and the Flim Flam brothers were all kept comfortable. The process had left Trixie so brain damaged in particular she was practically a wind-up doll. Twilight still took time out each day to apologize to them.

"Hello Zecora," Queen Twilight said politely. "Hello Lyra Heartstrings."

"Please. Just do to me what you have to the sun, do not act as if this is fun." Zecora said simply keeping her head held high.

"PLEASE! I Shouldn't be here!" Lyra begged.

"Don't worry," Queen Twilight said, "We do this every day to cleanse ponies like you of disharmonious thoughts and feelings!"

"And according to Bon-Bon," Queen Pinkie Pie said, "You've been cranky in the morning, telling lies about not being sad, AND this is your second reharmonization in two months! You should feel happy that Bon-Bon cares enough about you that she was willing to tell us."

Lyra just cried.

"Let's begin girls." Twilight said as the Elements of Harmony they all wore shone bright and became their rainbow that washed over the pony and zebra.

Pinkie Pie said, "Okay, that gives us a better idea of how they act. So show of hooves. Who else thinks the Harmony Queens are going too far in their crusade?"

The verdict was unanimous. Even the Blank Wolf Pup raised a claw in agreement.

The what if machine flickered on again.

-

"What are you doing here?" Said the stallion whose house had just been burned down on order of the harmony queens for telling a lie.

Queen Applejack said politely with several ponies behind here, "We burned your house down, and now we're going to help you rebuild it. Also, Twilight teleported all your furniture out before the flames caught."

-

"Well that's an interesting retcon," Pinkie Pie said.

"Oh Trixie!"

"Oh Twilight!"

Trixie freaked out and gave the what-if a good wack.

"Oh Trixie!"

"Oh Spike!"

BOTH Trixie and Spike screamed and gave the machine another hit.

"I now pronounce you mare, and mare, and mare, and mare, and dragon, and mare, and mare, and mare-"

"ENOUGH!" Twilight shouted turning off the machine. She panted. "Look! I like you girls, but not in THAT WAY! I don't even swing that way!"

"Neither does Trixie! Trixie loves you like the single sister she never got, but Trixie is not into that sort of thing."

"And I was kinda hoping for a monoamorous thing with Rarity." Spike twiddled his thumb-claws.

Pinkie Pie said, "At least it didn't show us a universes where a left for dead Trixie was made into the new Nightmare Queen by the Nightmare Minions after the old Nightmare Queen was defeated, but had really taken over Twilight's body and had corrupted the others, and then returned to reclaim her throne after Trixie had disposed of the others and the two had an epic battle over who would be the real Nightmare Queen."

The others just stared at her.

Pinkie Pie blinked, "What? . . . Oh. Sorry. Hey! Let's try the machine again! Maybe we'll get the universe where we all met as foals, where Discord wasn't really that bad to start out, and Princess Celestia and Princess Luna live among us disguised as normal ponies?"

The What-If machine wasn’t so cooperative, though…

When Nightmare Mirror looked directly into her eyes, it was hard to keep her legs from shaking. “Twilight Sparkle. Ah see you’ve come alone, with a clever idea. Just like ah’d expect from you. It won’t work, though.”

Twilight stood her ground, defiant. “Don’t just write me off before I’ve even tried!”

Was that a ghost of a smile on her corrupted friend’s face? “Try it, then.”

Twilight assumed her best teacher’s pet pose. “This sentence is false…”

The Nightmare gazed evenly at her. Twilight waited for Nightmare Mirror to grow confused, or contort in pain… she wasn’t sure what would happen exactly… but it was Twilight herself who was struck by sudden intolerable pressure, like a collar closing on her throat! No! She’d been so sure! She hadn’t told a lie, she hadn’t!

The Nightmare’s eyes narrowed. The whole hall was covered in mirrors. Everywhere Twilight looked, those eyes stared back, boring into her. Say it, they demanded. Twilight couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe! Tell the Truth! Say it!

Twilight spat out, “… is an example of a paradoxical statement which is properly neither true nor false!” The purple unicorn all but fell to the floor, gasping for air.

The Nightmare spoke again. “Ah could have told you that Luna already done tried that, but you probably still would have tried anyway. Nearly got me, that first time. It was a good idea."

Twilight stumbled to her hooves again. “We’ll stop you, somehow!” And once again, Twilight couldn’t leave it at that, couldn’t say something that she knew might not be true, especially not here, to Nightmare Mirror’s face. “I hope. I have faith that we’ll find some way, even though I have no idea now how we could possibly do that.” The compulsion faded, but she continued of her own will out of frustration. “Because you’re still our friend, even if you’ve become a monster.”

Twilight Sparkle recoiled from her own words. She waited for the compulsion to make her correct what she'd said or take it back, but... nothing. It was true. She turned and fled the hall, ashamed.

“That was awful,” said Twilight quietly. “I’m glad our Applejack wasn’t here to see that.”

Twilight lifted a hoof to shut the machine off… and Nightmare Mirror looked straight at her! “You there! You ponies watching from that other world.”

Everypony yelped and jumped back a few paces. “No way, this can’t be happening!” said Spike. His eyes bugged out. “…would be a silly thing to say, because it clearly is happening.” The little dragon clapped his paws over his mouth.

Ignoring that, the Nightmare spoke, “Ah see another Twilight Sparkle from yet another world coming to visit y’all. Don’t you believe her lies. Maybe ah can’t come over there and fix up your world full of little lies good and proper, but she’s coming with a lot bigger lies, so don’t you fall for it.”

Pinkie Pie yanked the What-If machine’s power cord out of the socket.

The wolf gave Pinkie Pie a look.

"Hey! I've never said it DIDN'T have a power cord!"

"Spike! When did you get here?"

"AJ said she'd be here in a minute. She asked me to go ahead. I offered to help with the choirs but she said she had a bad feeling about that."

Suddenly, a portal appeared, and a second Twilight Sparkle emerged - one who was similar, but different, and extremely familiar to all those present, as they had just had a glimpse of her world earlier.

She said, "I'm afraid the Discords from multiple realities have joined forces and are threatening all of reality, and the only way to stop them is if multiple Elements of Harmony from multiple realities join forces."

Twilight said, "Sorry, but we kind of got a warning that a Twilight Sparkle from another world would come and try to feed us a bunch of lies, so we're not falling for that trick. Besides, we already got a look at your world and your false harmony earlier, Queen Twilight Sparkle!"

Queen Twilight Sparkle said, "If you had stopped with the part where you saw through my lie, I would have been content to leave you alone. But calling the harmony that I have helped maintain in my world false? I can't let that slide! I demand a magic duel!"

Twilight thought to herself for a moment. "If we back down, we'll be conceding to her. But if she's anything like me, she'll have countermeasures for everything she'd know I'd do, because that's what I'd do if I were in her situation. What do I do?"

Just then, a voice said, "Challenge accepted. But you will not be facing your counterpart. This is the One and Only Trixie's stage now!"

Queen Twilight Sparkle said, "You're kidding. You're kidding, right? A mare who only has skill at stage magic, challenging me? You're quite clearly underestimating me, Trixie."

Trixie said, "It seems to Trixie that if anything, you are the one underestimating her! But then again, Trixie can understand if you're scared!"

This got a visible reaction from Queen Twilight Sparkle. "Why would I be scared of you?"

Trixie grinned and said, "It's quite simple. If you are anything like this world's Twilight Sparkle, you would never set out to do anything without it being something on your checklist! No offense intended to this world's Twilight, but it is quite difficult for you to adapt to unexpected developments. Trixie, however, is quite good at doing just that!"

Queen Twilight Sparkle said, "Fine. I'll take you on, if only to put you in your place. But first, answer one question for me. How did you recover from what Discord did to you?"

Trixie said, "It's quite simple. She used friendship, and Trixie is not talking about the Elements of Harmony! She held out her hoof to give Trixie support when Trixie had fallen into the depths of despair. And in doing so, she allowed Trixie to be reborn as her true self! Now, prepare for battle, if you're truly not scared! For anything you can do, Trixie can do just as well!"

~

"OH THIS IS PERFECT!" Queen Twilight grinned and clapped. "You've made some real progress Trixie! Says 'as good as' opposed to 'better than'? That's the kind of attitude our kingdom needs! And you did a great job Twilight Sparkle! I couldn't have done better myself."

"I know you couldn't have! You used the Elements to change ponies against their will." Twilight said.

"Actually Twilight," Pinkie Pie hopping next to Twilight, "Isn't that kinda what you did? Didn't you say how what you were doing wasn't 'all that different from what Discord did?' That you were going into a pony's soul against their will and remaking them? Didn't Trixie say how she felt like she had DIED and become a different pony? Didn't you do it because it was for Trixie's own good, and because of the damage Discord has left behind that needed to be fixed? Because she was clearly tainted by disharmony and clearly wasn't thinking straight?"

"P-Pinkie?! How could you know all that?!"

"Audio Adaption." Pinkie Pie shrugged munching pop corn.

"You're looking great Spike! Nice to see you're my number one assistant here too!"

"Don't talk to me."

"I'm sorry Spike . . . I sincerely, truly am. You'll always be family to me."

"Uh, weren't you challenging Trixie to a petty pointless magic duel?" Trixie said.

"Oh right! Sorry! A pity this is all happening in a quantum state of being or I could do some good here."

The wolf growled. This Twilight Sparkle didn't belong here. She wasn't from this reality. But in the quantum state, she was granted limited protection.

Queen Twilight quickly summoned some animals and did an infinitely loop symbol.

-SPELL COPY!-

Which Trixie was able to replicate perfectly.

"You . . . the Element of Magic?"

"Adaption! You really need to watch it Twilight!" Pinkie Pie said.

"Oh right, thanks Pinkie Pie."

"Welcome!"

"Well, I regret even more this is all non-canon, or I could just use this knowledge to help my Trixie, oh well. Since you can just copy any spell I do, I'll just have to do what isn't covered in the spell itself." Queen Twilight then used her magic to create a dizzying mathematical equation above her head that made Trixie's head hurt just looking at it.

Five minutes later had Trixie surrounded by a mountain of notes as she struggled to make heads or tails of the magical equation.

"CARRY THE Y TRIXIE!" Twilight shouted.

"No helping." Queen Twilight said.

Then Pinkie Pie hopped onto stage, covered in ribbons and broccoli stuffed in her mouth that she finally managed to spit out. "Twilight! That wasn't me! Well, not the me you know really good! That's Queenie Pinkie Pie!"

"Isn't it great how I've helped all of Equestria smile?" QUEEN Pinkie Pie said.

Queen Twilight just HAD TO explain. "Didn't you wonder how we knew all this or how to plan this? OUR Pinkie Pie saw all this on HER What-If Machine for HER non-canon variety show!"

Pinkie Pie finally got out of the ribbons. This were even tighter than when Nightmare Granfalloon did this to her in that one episode. "You have a variety show too?!"

"A Queen's gotta have a hobby."

Queen Twilight said, "I must confess, I'm not the Element of Honesty, and my Applejack isn't 'Nightmare Mirror' was it? She understands when some of us need to lie. So . . . without further adue." Four other ponies appeared. "Say hello to the other Harmony Queens."

"This place is in serious need of a fixer upper." Said Queen Rarity.

Queen Applejack just silently scanned everything.

Queen Rainbow Dash flew above the other with her arms cross looking smug, in other words, normal Rainbow Dash.

Queen Fluttershy said, "Oh my! Would you mind please not fight? I mean, if this is all not really happening, then can we all just get along?"

"WAIT! You're saying the challenge to a magic duel was-"

"Just a delaying tactic until the others could pass through. But I NEVER EXPECTED my opponent to be TRIXIE! And the magic duel was really plan B. I really was going to just turn around and leave, but you made it clear with your 'false harmony' that you needed to be taught a lesson. You call our harmony fake, but the Elements of Harmony have never forsaken us, they've never stopped working, we're STILL being true to our virtues! We're PROTECTING ponies from disharmony!"

"Alright everypony! We're back so what's . . . " Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy stared as they entered the door way.

"Sweetie Belle is in bed at last so . . . " Rarity also entered and stopped.

"Well, Ah figured since time seems ta stop here that Ah could take a rest, and do the rest of the choirs easy and . . ." AJ also stopped and stared.

"COUNTER-PART BATTLE!" The two Pinkies Pies shouted at once.

"We've already kicked the flanks of Evil Luna and Evil Cleestia and their Mean Six Good Squad! You girls ain't nothin'! Even if ya are totally awesome!" Said Queen RD as they fought.

"Right back at ya!"

"I don't want to fight you! But I have to help my friends!" Queen Fluttershy said.

"I don't want to fight you! But I have to help my friends!" Fluttershy return.

Then Fluttercruel took control. "ME ON THE OTHER HOOF!" She punched Queen Fluttershy across the face, and then again, the mare just stood there.

"FIGHT BACK YOU COWARD!"

"Not against my own flesh and blood." Queen Fluttershy said not even trying to defend herself.

Fluttercruel found herself unable to beat up a mare who wasn't even trying to hit back.

"Darling! I must say this violence is very unbecoming!"

"Yes it is! But sometimes a lady must do what she must!"

"I'm happy to see you're agreeing with us." Said Queen Rarity.

"NO I'M NOT!" Said Rarity.

Pinkie Pie and Queen Pinkie sat in the corner doing 'rock paper scissors' with their hooves.

"Let's keep this level two spells, if we unleash the big guns, our friends could be harmed in the splash damage." Said Queen Twilight.

"AGREED!" Twilight said, and the two began throwing 'rolling flames' and 'magic missile' and 'shocking hoof' and other lower level magic at one another to keep from blowing up the studio.

Queen Applejack spoke, "Ya don't want lies? Ya want truth? HERE'S TRUTH! All dem baddies ya fought long and hard to beat? WE KICKED THEIR ASSES! Chrysalis? Sombra? Sunset Shimmer? The Nightmares Forces? Empress Luna and Empress Celestia? The Mean Six? The Plunder Seeds? Ah know most of 'dem names don't mean a thing ta ya, YET, but in other worlds were you struggled and had to go through some personal growth and junk to beat 'em? WE KICKED THEIR FLANKS IN MINUTES! ALL OF THEM! I spotted Chrysalis and we took care of her! Sunset? Little thief never stood a chance! Sombra? Blasted them to nothing the moment he showed his big shadow-self! No fuss, no muss!"

The two orange earth ponies changes punches like no tomorrow, making the entire studio shake.

"But . . . BUT THAT'S CHEATING!" Pinkie Pie said in dismay. "You can't just say 'let's quickly dispose of this annoying little canon conflict so I can tell the story I WANT to tell'! That's the MARY SUE WAY! That's the sign of a bad story! If you have canon events, you can just skip them and them give some references later, but you don't need to rewrite it so your possession Sues kick flank tra-la-la! That's not showing any respect to the source material or to the ordeal the versions of us had to go through in the heart world! If you're going to go by the stations of canon, and your heroes have leveled up, then there's no reason that the villains can't simply up the ante themselves too! Events don't happen in a vacuum!"

Queen Applejack ignored her. "Snowflakes aren't made by hoof anymore and wasting bits and pony power, nor are rainbows or rain! Or the changing of the seasons! Winter Wrap Up? Running Of the Leaves? GONE GONE GONE! Like the big business holidays they were! We got rid of all that overwhelmingly stupid superfluous horseapples! "

Applejack snarled. "HEY YOU FLANK HOLE! Winter Wrap Up and Running Of the Leafs are proud Ponyville traditions! Just because they're a more effective way to do something doesn't mean it's the RIGHT way! Which all of you seemed to have forgotten!"

"IT'S WORTH IT!!!"

"WAIT! Where did Trixie and Spike go?" Rarity asked.

"We went to get some reinforcements." Spike said as they stepped out of the portal spell the harmony queens had unwittingly left, "Though I'm not sure if she's help or not. But it was the only other coordinate we could get."

A large Alicorn Applejack stepped out this one with eyes like a dragon, a flowing mane evening light, and polished mirror barding dotted with green jewels shaped to look like eyes.

"NIGHTMARE MIRROR!" Twilight Sparkle shouted.

"Howdy." Said the Nightmare. "Don't get yer panties in a knot. Ah Pinkie Pie swore ta help take care of the six of hypocrite harmony queens right away, and leave without causin' no other 'help' or trouble. And unlike SOME PONIES!" Mirror opened a wing to show heart world AJ and the events of 'last round up', Ah don't go makin' a promise and abuse the wordin'. If not fer that promise Ah'd stuff the hard needed truth down ALL your gullets like ya deserve! But Ah'll take what Ah can get. Ah'm a mare of mah word, like an Apple should be, and Ah don't go twistin' mah world just ta get what Ah want. but right now Ah've got six cowards who have been hidin' from the truth."

A short while later, the Blank Wolf Pup sat by the portal, occasionally ducking a spell or a flying combatant. On the other side of the portal, in the Harmony Queens’ studio, another Blank Wolf Pup sat and watched, nearly identical to the first. As one, they sighed. “I hate crisis crossovers.”

Pup One perked his ears. “Do you remember that café back in the Pack Mother’s realm?”

Pup Two’s mouth watered. “Ah, those heavenly peppered steaks! I haven’t been there since the third age, at least.”

Pup One stood. “Let’s go.”

Pup Two frowned. “You do remember, do you not, that the Blank Wolf isn’t supposed to *want* things? Still… we aren’t needed at the moment. We can step out for a bit.”

Pinkie Pie flew past, fighting with Pinkie Pie. Both ponies had golden glowing manes, hooves just a blur as they punched and kicked and blocked.

Pup One twitched. “Let’s get out of here before the Mistress herself turns up.” They nodded to each other and melted into the shadows.

Queen Twilight Sparkle said, "You say we've been running from the truth? And what truth is that?"

Nightmare Mirror said, "One of the truth's you've been running from is that you've gone too far in this crusade to enforce harmony."

Queen Twilight Sparkle said, "Sometimes, the ends justify the means..." Nightmare Mirror's eyes narrowed, and Queen Twilight Sparkle was compelled to say, "...is the sort of excuse that former heroes use to justify using methods that they know are too extreme, and if someone says it to defend their actions, it usually means they've gone too far."

Nightmare Mirror said, "And when you said that what you did to your world's Trixie was the same as what this world's Twilight did, you conveniently left out a few details that you knew would prove you wrong."

Panting from the compulsion that had been used on her, Queen Twilight Sparkle said, "What are you talking about? We didn't ignore any details...." which caused her to be compelled to say, "...except for how we didn't even know our world's Trixie was still suffering, and just wanted to fix her attitude, which ultimately only left her even more traumatized from us trying to use the Elements of Harmony to force such a drastic change in her. This world's Twilight Sparkle, however, looked for this world's Trixie because she found out that she was still suffering, and after determining that there really was no other option, she carefully used a spell to enter Trixie's mind and treat the problem, like a doctor using a scalpel to perform surgery on a patient." By the time she was done, her face was pale, both from how much she had said in a single breath, and because she was realizing the implications of her words. "Have we really fallen that far?"

Pinkie Pie said, "Normally I'd call unnecessary roughness on the way Nightmare Mirror is tearing into Queen Twilight Sparkle, but since it's the Harmony Queens who are on the receiving end, I think I'll let it slide. They really need this sort of humble pie."

Queen Applejack shook off her counterpart and pushed Queen Twilight aside. “Out of the way, sugar. Let me handle this.”

The Nightmare gave a great “Hah!”, like shards of grinding broken glass. “You can’t handle the Truth.”

“Oh, and you can, *Nightmare* Mirror? Ah know how this works… you can’t put words in my mouth if Ah only speak the truth. Ah think we Harmony Queens did what was best for Equestria! Sure, we done wrong… but we did it to stop worse wrongs."

“You truly belive that. But have you examined your beliefs? Do you have the facts to back them up?” The Nightmare lit her horn, and Queen Fluttershy was forcibly dragged before them. “Let’s see, now… Funny, Ah don’t see your foal anywhere inside you. Oh, that’s right. You murdered her.”

Queen Fluttershy recoiled. “We didn’t kill… her body… just… everything that made her who she was inside.” Her pupils shrank in horror. “We had to… we thought. She was Discord’s little monster, just waiting to stab us in the back… nrrrrrgh… for all we knew!”

Nightmare Mirror turned her head, and there was the other Fluttershy, with tears streaming down her face. No… the yellow and pink pegasus half turned, making sure Queen Fluttershy could see Fluttercruel’s cutey mark.

Fluttercruel however, looked into the Nightmare as well. "AND I WAS! I fully intended to murder Fluttershy's friends when she was asleep, and have her wake up, scream out in despair, and have me take over her body! When I realized I couldn't take control, I thought of a dozen ways I could drive my mother into despair so she'd break and I could slip into her horse-shoes, and indulge in every sick and ugly desire and impulse I had! I wanted to reenact 'Cupcakes!' I WAS A BUCKING MONSTER THAT NEEDED TO BE PUT DOWN! I WAS MY FATHER'S CHILD!!" For the first time in her entire existence, Fluttercruel broke down sobbing. "If I had been in Queen Mom's shoes I'd have never made me a clean slate, I'd have destroyed me utterly, and made sure no trace of me remained so I'd never get the chance to hurt ponies!"

Fluttercruel opened her tear stained eyes in surprise when she felt a hug. It was Queen Fluttershy. Fluttercruel didn't try to push her away or scream at her. The one thing the nature of her existence had denied her forever, she was now being given, a hug from her mother. She didn't try to end it.

Nightmare Mirror meanwhile, for the first time in her entire existence, felt regret, she hadn't meant for Fluttercruel to look into her eyes. She had made a promise.

Nightmare Mirror sighed. She couldn't undo her mistake, but she could mitigate its consequences. "But did you stay like that?"

Fluttercruel said, "No, after I accidentally caused my Mom to become a Nightmare and got dragged off to Pony Hell, I didn't want to die without correcting my mistake. Even though it was painful, I managed to escape and help the others by awakening as an Element of Kindness." This caused the Harmony Queens to all gasp in surprise.

Nightmare Mirror said, "And your cruelty is the reason you managed to awaken as the cruel side of Kindness. And you didn't even expect to survive helping the others purify your world's Fluttershy, but because she let you back into her body, you're still alive, and excepting the occasional prank, you don't do any of that stuff you originally wanted to do. While the apple didn't fall far from the tree regarding your mother, you couldn't be more different from what Discord would have wanted you to be if you tried."

Queen Twilight said, "No way. A creature born of chaos, becoming an Element of Harmony? And she became an Element of Kindness because of her cruelty? I never would have imagined something like that could even be possible."

-

Queen Fluttershy said, "SEE?! I told you! We SHOULD use the Elements to reharmonize Discord too! And use THAT instead of . . . sending them, uh, wherever it is you keep sending the really really really really really really really really really bad ponies like Sombra."

Queen Appplejack opened her mouth but Queen Rainbow Dash glared at her and closed her mouth.

"UH-OH! The battery is dying again!" Pinkie PIe said in fear.

Nightmare Mirror said, "Maybe an object lesson is needed here missy. Ya girls have gotten so self righteous. So sure of yerself. And so sure of each other. That can be taken too far girls."

Mirror teleported next to the what-if machine.

"Hey! Don't touch that!" Pinkie Pie said.

Mirror looked it over, "A old TV set from another world with the radio tube filled with Truth?"

"HEY! IT'S MORE THAN THAT! IT MIGHT BE ALIVE! AND DON'T PEEL BACK THE VEIL! IT LESSENS THE ENJOYMENT FOR READERS WHO LIKE THE MYSTERY!" Pinkie Pie said with conviction that what she said had been completely true. Then she began to sweat. "And . . . and . . . AND OTHERS LIKE being given lots and lots of details about the world. Blech!"

Mirror cut herself, and not blood, but Truth bled form the frog of her hoof. And a drop fell into the machine and the machine came to life.
~~
"Stop! Please! Twilight why are you doing this?!" Princess Cadence cried as she was dragged away by the royal guards. A heart broken Shining Armor didn't even look at her.

The doors slammed behind her.

"Ya that was some mighty fine detective work Twili'!" AJ congratulated her.

"I can't believe she had us all fooled." Fluttershy said.

"But where's the real Cadence?" Shining Armor asked sadly.

"Don't worry, I'm sure she'll tell us sooner than later." Twilight said proud that all her friends had listened to everything she had said. "But I need some time to plan, can you girls come to my room later and help?"
+
"Now you're all my friends who will do as I say?" Twilight asked.

"Yes." The five green eyes ponies smiled.

"Good." She used an illusion spell to make their eyes appear normal. "Now we have lots to do to get everypony else ready to greet my extended family."

"Anything you say Twilight!" They said happily to their friend, who they'd obey without question to the best of their ability. They needed to get their little sisters to be her friends too.

Chrysalis grinned. All it took was a cheap spell to make Cadence's horn color appear difference, and some swooping in as the hero to 'expose' the 'impostor' and listening off happenstance as if they were concrete evidence, and everypony had bought it hook line and sinker, even Celestia now thought her niece had been replaced.

With a magic damper on her horn and chained in the dungeon, the VERY REAL Cadence cried wish to escape this nightmare. Miles below her trapped in the crystal mines, the REAL Twilight Sparkle also cried.

~~
"And THAT is what being blind in yer own self righteousness gets ya! And what it'll get me one day, but a Nightmare is as a Nightmare does, ya girls have a choice!"

Author's Note

"Whao! We ran out of room! Next section! Have to add more batteries to the camera too! Here are the rules again!"

1) What you write in the comments gets copy and pasted into the story as what happens next.
2) The camera can't leave the studio no matter what.
3) Try to keep the number of ponies in the studio in the single digit range.
4) ANY GUESTS of any generation, media, or variance we welcome here in the studio but they have to be My Little Pony. No any other franchises.
5) Everything that happens here in the studio is non-canon to the fanfic series. This is just for fun (maybe we should get our own trope page).

6) Have fun!"
7) Only Pinkie Pie can break the Forth Wall.

Sections In Order of Contribution:
TIMELINE A
Kednell2
TIMELINE B
YoshiEgg64
and Ghidorafour (with some big edits by me)
(added a bit between the Doctor and the Wolf in the timeline B section)
Mtangalion
Alex Warlorn
eric-emanwu
JMCDAVID and Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
Mtangalion
(bit to explain Spike's presence)
JMCDavid And Alex Warlorn
Mtangalion
JMCdavid
Mtangalion and Alex Warlorn
JMCdavid
Alex Warlorn

This is non-profit.

Banner by Kendell2

MLP Copyright of Hasbro

Pinkie Pie 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show Recovery Part 3

The camera turned back on as Pinkie Pie put in a new set of batteries.

As the vision from the What-If machine faded, Twilight Sparkle looked like she was going to be sick, but Queen Twilight wore a too-familiar know-it-all smile. "So what you're saying is, we could have made a terrible mistake... if we hadn't taken over Equestria! The Princesses were powerful, but they cared too much about not hurting ponies' feelings, and not enough about keeping those ponies safe. Thanks to our Applejack, we unmasked and eliminated a dozen Changelings in just our first week."

"But Ah ain't a mad mare like you!" Queen Applejack added. "Ah've got my friends to tell me when Ah've gone too far."

Queen Pinkie Pie bounced in place. "Ooh! Like the time you burned somepony's house down for telling a fib!"

"Do y'all *have* to keep bringing that one up?"

Queen Twilight summoned her crown in a burst of violet light and floated it down onto her head. "It's time we finished this. Formation, girls!" The rest of their elements appeared in rapid succession. "With any luck, we can settle this argument *and* Nightmare Mirror in one shot!"

Nightmare Mirror looked angry, then coldly furious. She spread her wings, all of the green eyes opening, and darkness seemed to pour out from her, chilling the whole studio. "Y'all ain't learned a thing, have you? Fine, then. See just how cruel the Truth can be!!"

And the Harmony Queens cried out all at once, their eyes glazing over.

Queen Rarity saw Filthy Rich and his servants huddled together with sad faces. His maid and butler had worked for his family for years, and with most of his bits confiscated, he couldn't afford to employ them anymore.

Queen Fluttershy watched as she and her friends erased Fluttercruel all over again.

Queen Rainbow Dash heard Princess Luna name her a traitor to Equestria, saw all the Wonderbolts staring with angry, disappointed eyes, then turning their backs as Luna cast the spell to banish her to the moon forever.

Queen Applejack saw Bon-Bon sobbing, as she forced her to remember that her sister was a fake, just another Changeling imposter. They'd rounded them up, both the spies and the ones who swore they'd left the hive to start a new life, and locked them away beneath Canterlot, unaware that left alone, they would starve to death.

Queen Pinkie Pie saw ponies forcing themselves to cheer and smile as the Harmony Queens rode past in their carriages, and how not a single smile remained when the carriages passed out of sight.

And Queen Twilight Sparkle saw her discorded self looking down on her with pity. "Friendship isn't real," said Twilight Tragedy. "None of it's real. Nobody likes you... you *made* them like you with your magic jewelry. When's the last time you even gave somepony a chance to choose to like you?"

"Enough!" the other Twilight Sparkle demanded. "Look, I know we had a deal... but I can't watch you do this, not even to them."

-

"And the whole 'no sell the Elements' things is totally Mary Sue unless you're an Alicorn," Mirror looked at Pinkie Pie with a 'ya kiddin' me?' look, "I mean a NOT-NIGHTMARE Alicorn!"

"Deals should be honored. That is truth. NOW that the deal Spike and Trixie made isn't to yer liking, yer callin' it wrong? Ya play with fire, ya should expecta get burned." She looked at Spike and Trixie, "Ya knew the risks of askin' a buckin' NIGHTMARE fer help!"

"But . . . but . . Filthy's butler and Shiny Star would have been paid an equal amount of bits as him! That didn't make sense!" Queen Rarity rambled to herself.

Fluttercruel flew in front Queen Fluttershy, blocking the sight of Nightmare Mirror, the Harmony Queen whimpered and backed away from the demi-draconequus.

Fluttercruel looked Nightmare Mirror in the eye, grimaced, and spoke, "I was terrified at what you did to your Fluttercruel, I was scared to death of losing everything I learned and who I've grown into, forgetting all the friends I've made . . . . But who I was when I was born . . . isn't a pony I was proud of . . . she was a pony who DESERVED to disappear . . . and my mother, she DID make her disappear, she made her slowly fade away, by showing her love no matter what I tried to do. We had our arguments, we've had our fighting, but I'm not the monster what Discord made me anymore. And . . . I envy Flutternice!"

Everypony gasped.

Cruelty said her voice in pain, "I envy her! She gets her own foalhood! She gets to learn and experience the world from the ground up and develop her own personality and dreams from scratch like ponies are supposed to! Her destiny isn't bound to die when her mother does, but having a heart too intertwined to ever be apart ever again. She gets to experience the wonder of learn about the basics of the world, of learning how to fly, her first day at school, making friends her own age and growing up with me! A part of me wishes my mother did what you did when I was born!"

Fluttershy took control for one moment and gasped.

Cruelty continued. "If she did, she wouldn't have had to become Nightmare Whisper! Half the town wouldn't have worshipped her while the other half hated her! I wouldn't have caused her all that pain! That it all turned out alright and that she grew from it is no excuse! I don't want to turn back time and lose everything I've gotten! But everything your Flutternice was when she was born? It deserved to be erased! I've become something new too! And . . . I know nothing we promise each other or say here matters because it doesn't exist outside of this building. But . . . promise Flutternice is free to chose her own destiny, like a mother should."

" . . . Flutternice is free to grow up into whoever she wants to be, same as her friends Pound and Pumpkin. I swear. Whatever cutie mark she gains, I'll never abandon her."

Fluttercruel hugged the harmony queen.

Nightmare Mirror said, "If Ah keep this up, Ah'll be fightin' two sets of harmony at once. And Ah ain't stupid. Big Nightmare Mirror made that mistake and got herself zapped. No thanks. Then Ah won't be spreadin' any truth and burnin' away any lies." She folded her wings, and the jewel eyes on her wings and mirror like armor mostly closed. "Ah may be a filthy Nightmare, who loves truth more than her own flesh and blood, but Ah ain't Nightmare 'So Self-Deluded It's Painful' Eclipse."

"Was she really that self deluded?" Trixie heard herself asked.

Nightmare Mirror opened one of her wings, the reflection showing the history of an alternate universe.

"YOU'VE BECOME AN EVIL CRAZY BEOTCH!" Another Nightmare Mirror shouted.

"Oh AJ! I'm the evil that destroys the greater evil, I'm crazy like a fox, and you gotta be a beotch if you want remake the whole universe for the better."

"Yes. She was." Nightmare Mirror said.

Nightmare Mirror said, "You know something, Harmony Queens? Not all of the Changelings were loyal to Chrysalis. There were a few who had left the hive and didn't want to cause any harm. They just wanted to coexist with ponies. But ya didn't even bother to check! As for yer belief that ya got each other to let ya know if one of ya is going too far, that means absolutely nothing when all six of ya went too far a long time ago!"

Queen Twilight Sparkle said, "We brought order and security to our Equestria! Our counterparts, however, have been too busy treating things the same as before to do anything meaningful after they defeated this world's Discord!"

Nightmare Mirror said, "Yer words are absurd. This world's Elements of Harmony have been helping other ponies recover from what Discord did to them. As for yer order and security? It came at the cost of freedom for other ponies. No matter how ya try to justify it, that's simply not worth it!"

Queen Applejack snarled, "AND WITH THAT order and security, we made an Equestria where no mare will ever lose her little sister, because of some damn zombies hiddin' in Everfree."

Total silence.

Nightmare Mirror sigh and said emotionlessly. "Fine. Ya win."

"Wow! Reference full circle!" Pinkie Pie gasped.

Queen Fluttershy said, "Uh, Twilight, I think it's time to feed Flutternice and she'll be cranky if I'm not there."

"And I've got a couple party I need to attend in a minute," Queen Pinkie Pie said.

"And I promise Coco I'd see how she was doing," Queen Rarity said.

"Fine. I think Applejack has made our point." Queen Twilight said irritably.

"HEY! YOU GUYS CAN'T! . . . CAN'T JUST! YOU CAN'T JUST LEAVE!" Rainbow Dash snarled.

"Oh Dashie, of course we can. We have to. Don't be serious." Queen Pinkie Pie said as she hopped through the portal.

With gritted teeth, Nightmare Mirror left as well.

The Mane Six plus Trixie looked at each other, shuddering.

"Well, okay," Applejack said. "Ah ain't eager ta see anything like that ever again. Anypony got any ideas for what we ought ta do next?"

"Throw a 'Let's be Glad we're not Evil Crazy Tyrants' Party?" Pinkie suggested, in a rather tired voice.

"Check on our little sisters and make sure they know how much we love them," Rarity said, "And that if they ever see us doing something really and truly wrong, to make sure to tell us?"

"Take a rest?" Rainbow Dash said, looking ready to collapse from being emotionally drained.

"Work on a list of how we might go wrong in the future, just to plan against it in advance?" Twilight suggested. The mares looked halfway convinced until Fluttershy spoke up.

"Umm, I know we're not really happy about that machine right now," she sad, giving the What-If machine a shudder-filled glance, "But maybe we could try and rewire it to show us a nice world for once? Or to see how those other Element Bearers are doing in the world they made out of Discord's Future? I mean, THEIR world has gotten better right?" When her friends looked at her, she ducked her head and hid behind her long mane. "I mean, if nopony has any better ideas."

They looked at each other and nodded uneasily.

Pinkie hopped over to the machine and took out from nowhere a collection of tools, some of which couldn't be completely seen in three-dimensional space, and started working on the What-If Machine. It hissed and clanked and groaned. The mares backed away a few hoofsteps, unwilling to get too close to the cantankerous device. The machine looked like it was running down. Pinkie gave it a whack.

"Come on, work! You work just fine when you're showing us all sorts of horrible stuff!"

The screen flickered and glowed and the mares gasped at what they saw.

Queen Applejack asked Nightmare Mirror, "What are ya doin' here? Nothin' ya can do matters! This here is all 'non-canon' as Pinkie says!"

"That's the truth. Now here's a question, Ma, Pa, ya think they'd be proud of ya? Fer this Equestria ya made? Just askin'. See ya sister." Nightmare Mirror stepped through the gate back to her own reality.

Something heavy nudged Applejack's flank. She turned her head to see... and stared. "What."

There was the white wolf pup again... and another white wolf pup... and great hulking grown up wolf, bigger than her biggest apple cart! And then the big wolf talked! "Queens, Princesses, or Nightmare?"

Applejack twitched. "What."

"Which do you have?"

"Er... Princesses?"

One of the pups smirked and cuffed the other. "I told you this one was mine."

The other pup sulked and snapped at the first. "Well, how could anyone reasonably tell, after someone left a portal open for hours?"

The big wolf gave them a withering glare. "You, get your tail home." He nodded at the first pup. "You. Nightmare blood. Mop it up, every last drop. And you, mortal..."

Applejack's teeth chattered.

"We were never here." He lifted a paw big enough to flatten a pony, touched a claw to her forehead, and gave her a tiny, delicate nick.

Twilight noticed one of her friends staring off instead of watching the What-If Machine. "Applejack? Are you alright?"

The farm pony grinned. "Eeeyup! Never better! Hey, you got it working? What'd Ah miss..."

-

A pegasus by the name of Coffee Swirl suddenly entered the studio, pulling a cart laden with snacks and drinks. "Okay, dig in, a few of you likely need it after everything that'd happened."

While the girls were having coffee, Applejack said, "Twilight, ya know all sorts of magical stuff. Have ya ever heard of somepony, hypothetically, suddenly looking like they've got a bunch of locks over their soul?"

Twilight thought for a moment. "You know, I do seem to recall reading about something like that."

Pinkie Pie said, "Ooh, exposition time!"

Twilight said, "There aren't many ponies who can see them, but if somepony is hiding a secret, those who can see it will probably see what are called Psyche-Locks. A series of red locks, numbering anywhere from one to five. The more locks there are, the more they're trying to hide the secret. But if you have some evidence that contradicts the story they told to hide their secret, you can break those Psyche-Locks and force them to reveal their secret."

Applejack said, "Ah see. But are there other types of these Psyche-Locks? Maybe black ones that would seem to carry a feeling of deep sadness?"

Twilight said, "Black Psyche-Locks...those are representative of a secret that even the pony who has them isn't aware of. They're much more difficult to break, and if you use too much force to break them, it could cause permanent psychological damage to whoever has them."

Applejack nodded. "Ah see. So if'n these black Psyche-Locks got shattered into dust somehow, that would probably be too forceful, right?"

Twilight said, "That would be way too forceful! If they're broken like that, it's a pretty safe bet that the bearer of those Psyche-Locks would be driven insane, and it's possible that the secret their Psyche-Locks hid would be lost forever as well!"

Coffee Swirl turned to look at Twilight. "So I saw those tabloids about you and your brother..."

Twilight looked at him, confused. "What tab- Oh, right. THOSE." She spat the last word out with barely concealed anger.

Coffee Swirl smiled. "Come on now, Twilight. Nopony ever actually believes that stuff anyway. And besides, you know it's not true, and so do all those close to you. That should be enough, shouldn't it?"

Twilight's expression softened. "Yeah, I guess you're right... It really shouldn't bother me."

Pinkie Pie looked at the camera. "Wow, I had almost completely forgotten about that." She looked at the shadow list, which told her who had submitted entries to the show thus far. "Huh, it's the same shadow who brought it up in the first place... Go figure."

"Twilight."

"Yes Pinkie Pie?"

"If our universe ever just, ya know, STOPS, goes poof, I just want you to know that it was wonderful to be with all of you."

"Uh. Okay."

"And Mr. Coffee Swirl! You're not a royal guard, you didn't help save the world, you're not super-bad-ass and you're not a gifted pegasus, and you don't have a funny personality, and you could likely trade notes with Yankee Doodle Donkey on making my job difficult. . . . And I wish you'd stop being so grumpy all the time only one who decides that you're a minor character is you! And I know you DID take part in Hurricane Fluttershy,because you were LEGALLY OBLIGATED to take part. You're way too much of an 'on the ground' pegasus to be registered as a citizen of Cloudsdale. That means you were help in this universe to get Fluttershy her love back from Ponyville for being FLUTTERSHY, not Princess Gaia and not hate for being Nightmare Whisper. Besides . . . . a down to earth pegasus who isn't all that good at flying and has esteem issues . . . you two are made for each other!"

Pinkie Pie pushed the two pegasi close together.

"I won't say 'now kiss' cause that's your decision not mine, but-. Rainbow Dash, I loved having you as a best friend, I'm just sorry I couldn't make friends with Gilda. Rarity, even if I don't always get what you find fun, you do, and that's what counts. Applejack . . . I can't spoil things, but I'll say I'm happy that you already consider me honorary family. Spike, you're the bravest, most noble, most useful dragon I know. Trixie, you're NOT just a 'villain of the week' or exist just to be a foil to Twilight, you have your own personality and your own heart. Be proud." Pinkie looked a the camera. "And if our world does go poof, I just want to say, I've loved being able to entertain all of you guys too."

Coffe Swirl blinked a few times, momentarily stunned by the pinke pony's change in mood. He then sighed and went back to his normal, depressive, self.

"Pinke, I fell in love with Fluttercruel, not Fluttershy. Bit of a difference there."

"Yeah, we-" Fluttershy had started to speak, only for Fluttercruel to interrupt her by switching their places.

"Wait a bucking minute! Did you just say 'love'?"

Swirl blinked a few times, realizing he actually HAD said the word. "I... uh... I... that is... oh buck my life!"

The What-If machine's screen began to flicker as the ponies looked back at it. "Uh-oh," Rainbow Dash said, "what're we gonna see THIS time? Hopefuly not more pony bad guys!"

The screen cleared and showed the a familiar scene. Ponyville, Sweet Apple Acres, the barn. What was odd about it was that it was filled with the town stallions, all of them gazing adoringly at something like a small dais. And on that dais...

The girls stared.

"Okay," Applejack said, "now who, I mean what, in the hay is that?"

'That' was a biped, like a Diamond Dog, provided one ignored its being furless beyond a long ebon mane that spilled down to its waist. She smiled hungrily at the assembled stallions, who stared back at her with the same mindlessly adoring look in their eyes the whole town had back when Twilight cast her 'Want-It Need-It' spell. She wore a dress that seemed to cling to her curves.

"My dear pets," she almost purred out in a voice that made the mares all want to strangle her at once, "It is so good of you to come at my call. It's been so long since I've seen such," her mouth twisted as on some foul taste, "handsome stallions." Several of the ponies in front of the line, Filthy Rich and Big Mac and Silver Axe, held their heads high at her words. She reached out and ran her long nails along their heads and necks. They leaned into her caress, whickering in glee. "Now then, are you ready to give me what I need in exchange for what you desire?"

"Okay," Dash said. "I think I'm gettin' sick. An' I dunno what bugs me worse, her or the stallions acting so dopey. Who the hay is she, and what's goin' on?"

"Somnambula!" Twilight and Pinkie Pie both said the name at once. They looked at each other in confusion.

"Who's 'Somnambula'?" Fluttershy asked, and Applejack added with a dangerous snort, "An' WHY are ma big brother an' all those other stallions makin' cow eyes at her?"

"Somnambula was a villain from, from a long time ago," Twilight said, wondering how much she dared to reveal. Pinkie just nodded as she said, "She used to drain life from males to keep herself young, and once she tried to do it to the stallions who wandered outside of Dream Valley. The ponies of that time stopped her, but I guess in that world..." Her voice trailed off. "Who could believe a villain from so far back could return now?"

"Uh, yeah," Pinkie said as she quickly shoved a script labeled 'Season 4 Twilight's Kingdom' under a nearby chair. "Who'd ever believe that?"

The mares turned their attention back to the screen as the barn doors opened, revealing a furious looking Rarity. She shrieked only one word: "YOU!"

She began forcing her way forward through the herd of stallions, using her magic to pick them up and set them aside. Behind her stood Applejack and the rest of her friends, following her. They showed no reaction beyond keeping their gazes locked on the witch. She in turn just smiled a small cold smile at the furious Rarity as she stood before her. "Something I can do for you, deary?"

"Yes," Rarity snorted. "You can free Ponyville's stallions and other males," she glanced to the side where an oblivious Spike stood, gazing at Somnambula as mindlessly as all the rest, "and then you can leave! It's hard enough getting a date in this town, I don't need competition from some bipedal succubus!" Twilight coughed and Applejack cleared her throat. Rarity quickly added, "Oh, and the mares whose family members are currently bedazzled by you would appreciate their return."

"Really?" Somnambula purred down at her. She reached out and tickled the mare's ear. She made a gesture with her other hand, and the stallions began to gather around the mares, their gaze turning from adoring to furious. Rarity jerked back with a snort as she said, "Tell me, my dear little mare," they all heard the emphasis on the word 'little', "You and what army, exactly?"

"THIS army, you floozy!" Somnambula recoiled as another pair of mares came charging up through the herd, a silvery-gray one and a pink one with a white-striped purple mane. They looked more mature than the Mane Six, with the slightly heavy builds of mares who'd borne foals, but they were still earth ponies, and muscles worked under their coats.

Somnambula made a quick gesture, and the two new mares stopped as Filthy Rich and Silver Axe stepped between them and her.

"Darling!" The gray mare, Silver Platter, said as she walked up to Axe. "What has that hairless hussy done to you? I'm your wife, speak to me!" Confusion passed over his face. It vanished and he gave her a stern look.

"Filthy!" Golden Tiara stomped up to her husband. He flinched back as she glared at him. "Shiny Star was one thing, I could forgive that, but this?" She pointed her hoof at the indignant sorceress. "She's not even our species! This violates the laws of nature, alicorns, and Equestria!" She looked around the room at the stallions. "You all ought to be ashamed of yourselves!"

"Oh now I remember you," Somnambula said with a sneer. "My two pets," she pointed at the stallions, "told me all about you. The old baggage who fears losing the looks she never had, and the lunatic who tried throttling her own daughter -- not that she would be a loss." The two mares glared at her, snorting, as she said, "No wonder they fell so willingly under my influence."

"'Willingly'?" Golden Tiara snapped, "You mind controlled them, you scrawny witch!"

"Scrawny?!?" The sorceress put her hands on her hips and jeered down at the pony. "I'm not taking any abuse from anything that's going to have a funeral in a glue factory!" The two married mares and the human witch went right on arguing, while the stallions looked from one to the others in confusion.

The Mane Six just looked at each other.

"Uh, so, Twi," Rainbow Dash said. "Are we gonna, y'know, do something here or just wait for them to get tired?"

"Technically Twilight, you got some details wrong." Pinkie Pie said through a piece of recursive fanfiction, "Somnambula stole youth from ALL ponies, male or female, she just trapped them in happy illusions as she drained their youth and magic until they died of old age on their hooves."

"How did you know that?"

"Just some research. I . . . well, it's the kind of history that got my attention."

"Trixie finds his entire display just plain weird. If she is an illusionist, Trixie would at least like to see her in action, maybe she could pick up some things."

"And where does Filthy Rich's wife get off saying that two different species can't love each other? Donkeys mate with ponies. And Hippogriffs and Kirins, and whatever hybrid zebra are called are all accepted in Equestria," Spike complained.

"Kirins?" Rarity asked.

"Those are what pony/dragon hybrids are called," Spike said smiling.

"Why, Spike, how knowledgeable!" Rarity looked a little creeped out as Spike grinned at her. "Not to mention a little disturbing. But what could that creature and a pony, er, create together?"Her jaws snapped shut as soon as that particular temptation aimed at fate left her mouth. But it was too late.

"Hmm..." Pinkie said, looking through a collection of pictures in a file labeled 'Rule 34' for some strange reason. "Gee, I guess something like this!" And she held up a picture of a red-skinned, minotaur-horned, hairy creature with black eyes and a white mane and a human-like torso rising from where the neck and head of a pony ought to be.

And he held a smiling Celestia in his arms.

The response of the mares was unanimous.

"GAHHHHH! WE HAVE TO STOP THIS!"

Meanwhile, on the screen, the Mane Six gasped to see what was happening not just to the stallions, but to Golden Tiara and Silver Platter as well. They were withering, shriveling as though aging to dust in moments. Finely kept coats turned dull and mangy; manes and tails hung limp and ragged, and their skins began to sag over the bodies.

"Oh, my darling prince," Golden Tiara creaked out, gazing lovingly at Somnambula, who looked younger and more vital than ever, "you say you understand what I almost did to Diamond and forgive me? And she does too? Darling, that makes me so happy!" Meanwhile nearby Filthy Rich tried to keep his head raised to watch the witch as he sank to his knees.

"Oh, husband," Silver Platter said, looking as aged as Granny Smith, trying to nuzzle Somnambula as the witch pulled back in disgust, "you say you don't mind me being just a little old? In fact, you want to grow old together with me? Why, that sounds wonderful!" She fell to her belly as her husband snored nearby, too old and tired to stay awake, smiling as he dreamed of meeting this enchanting sorceress instead of that old bat he''d married.

"Big Mac!" Applejack ran over to her brother, who looked like her grandfather in his last few months before... "Ya gotta listen ta me an' stop looking at that witch, or you're gonna end up a pile o' dust!" She broke off as the stallion pushed her aside to get her out from in between his gaze and Somnambula. The witch laughed coldly.

"Hah! See?" She indicated the stallions and two mares. "I and my crystal are giving them what they want, what makes them happy. I'm all that matters to them," and she turned her gaze on the Mane Six, "and to you as well!" And her gaze seemed to expand to fill the room as the mares found themselves falling into their perfect dream worlds.

Applejack smiled to see her son and daughter playing, with the new expanded Sweet Apple Acres behind them. She'd finally made enough bits to take care of everything and ensure their future; and how wonderful that the stallion she'd married had eyes for no mare but her! Such utterly magnetic eyes...

Fluttershy watched over her animals, watching as her friends' foals played innocently with them. Fluttercruel stood beside them, freed from her mother and given a new form by Twilight's magic, her husband Iron Will beside her. Odd how his eyes seemed to glisten...

Pinkie Pie hopped for joy to see everypony coming again and again to visit her amusement park. It was so great that she'd been able to convince that big meany-pants (well, he didn't really wear pants, but you get the idea) Discord to help with the place! A crowd of ponies and griffins and dragons and even changelings (wait, she thought, did we do that arc yet?) watched and laughed for sheer joy as he pulled an alicorn out of a hat, and how his eyes shone!...

Rainbow Dash found herself flying with the Wonderbolts, leading the group after former commander Spitfire came and begged her to take her position. Oh, and Gilda flew beside her; and wasn't it a gas that she'd been allowed to knock down her old flight school with a whirlwind?

Rarity looked around and smiled to see her friends taking the time to visit her at the mansion she'd been able to build behind the Boutique. Her business had taken off so wonderfully! And it'd taken only a little convincing to get Dash and Applejack to embrace their more refined sides! It was such a dream...

Twilight alone fought against what pressed against her mind, visions of Celestia and Luna sharing secrets of magic with her that no pony since Starswirl the Bearded knew, of Shiny and Cadence and her little niece, of Spike taking that perpetual youth treatment so he'd never grow up and leave her... She groaned as she knocked her horned head against the barn wall, fighting the seductive visions Somnambula's illusions were feedng to her.

"That's right, you unprocessed tubs of glue," the witch cackled, "Accept all the illusions I have to offer! And give me your lives --- OW!"

The mares blinked to see a small filly who had leaped down from the hayloft onto Somnambula's head. She covered the witch's eyes with her hooves and her striped mane hung around the witch's face as she bit onto one ear and hung on for dear life. They saw the stallions and other mares shake themselves, their features turning young again as the witch lost control of the illusionary world she set them in. Somnambula shrieked and snatched after the filly.

"Get off of me, you little brat!"

"You leave my mom and dad alone, you bipedal weirdo!"

They all stared, but only Applejack was able to say the name: "Diamond Tiara?!?"

"buzz off brat." Somnambula said waving her hand trapping Diamond tiara in an illusion of being a fly with the head of a pony. but before she could restarted she heard someone going "Ahem."

"what... oh..." Somnambula stopped as she saw it was celestia

"You know, when i decided to visit twilight i was hoping for a peaceful time with my favorite student, instead i'm dealing with a mediocre villain."

"M-mediocre!"

"Yes, mediocre, compare to Scorpan brother, Hydia, Lavan or even Bray. you are mediocre."

"Scorpan had a brother?" Pinkie said confused.

"How dare you!" Somnambula shouted she was about to use her crystal but celestia just used her magic to lift them up and destroyed most of them.

"No!" Somnambula shouted as she could feel herself getting older.

"I'm giving you a choice, return to Tartarus peacefully or i let them decide your fate, and after the stunt you pull i doubt they be merciful."

"... alright dangit, i'll go back to Tartarus." Somnambula growled.

In the studio Coffee Swirl muttered, "Well, that was sure anti-climatic."

"It certainly was convenient, though," mused Rarity.

"Maybe a little too convenient," said Twilight. "Maybe it's just as well that the Princesses live a good long train ride away from here. How would we learn to solve our own problems, or learn lessons about friendship if Princess Celestia just swooped in and solved all of our problems for us?"

"Ah, Twilight, sugar..." Applejack tapped a hoof against yet another soapbox.

"I know, I know..." Twilight stumbled getting down and bumped into the What-If Machine, which promptly started up again...
~

An aged unicorn, a pegasus, and an earth pony filly with matching lavender coats stood in a circle, a mixture of confusion and concern on their faces.

"How could this have happened?" said the pegasus. "Mom checked and rechecked those calculations!"

The unicorn grimaced. "I suppose you could call this... a rounding error?"

"Hey!" cried the earth pony. "Don't call her an error, like she's some kind of mistake or something! .. Can we keep her?"

The unicorn closed her eyes, horn glowing softly. "I'm afraid not. She's mortal like Shining, and bound to this world."

"But we have to have to do something!" the earth pony insisted. "She's just a baby. Who's going to tell her stories before bedtime? And give her ice cream on her birthdays? And..."

The pegasus laughed warmly, nuzzling the filly. "All right, all right. Don't you worry. I have an idea..."
~

"Who... who is it?" asked Fluttershy timidly, answering the knock at her door. But there wasn't anypony out there, just a basket on her porch. "Oh my..." She shifted the blanket inside. A newborn unicorn filly yawned, then opened lavender eyes and burbled happily. "Oh my!"

Then she found the note and read it aloud. "Please take good care of little Half-Light Midnight."

Fluttershy half-fainted before Fluttercruel took over. "Are you kidding me? Mom? Mom, hold it together. I'm sure not going to be the one changing her!"

"I . . . I think I might have to take of her . . . maybe . . .?" Pinkie Pie paled, not in a joking mood. Everypony looked at her. "Well, she's not technically 'canon' so she can really only exist in relation to this place . . . so . . . uh, and since I own the lease on the studio, I kinda . Â . . Â I guess that makes her . . . my uh, tennis?"

"That's tenant." Twilight corrected.

"Right! So uh . . . I don't think this is something we'll be sweeping under the rug any time soon so uh . . . can somepony help be build a nusery and go looking for baby supplies? I don't want to explain to Mr. and Mrs. Cake why I need them when it's not t look after Pound and Pumpkin . . . well, I'm sure they'll like her."

"She's not a something Pinkie Pie," AJ said.

"Trixie has enough family at the moment." Trixie said.

"I'm not changing diapers until I've had my first kirin with Rarity."

"Spike you're far too young to think of such thing." Rarity said very quickly.

"I kinda have my hooves full with Scootaloo!" RD said waving her hooves.

The Blank Wolf Pup sniffed at the basket and the small unicorn filly, not knowing what to make of her.

"A-hem!" Pinkie Pie made sure the Pup had a good view of her supersonic cream pie launcher. "Don't even think about it, mister."

"Don't think about what? Pinkie Pie don't point . . . whatever that is at her!" Twilight said thinking Pinkie Pie was aiming it at the filly.

"Oh! Uh, thought I saw a big ugly harry spider, don't worry!"

"Have't Ah see ya before?" AJ leaned in close to the wolf pup.

"AJ what are YOU looking at?" Twilight tilted her head.

"Don't you see..." From the looks on their faces, none of them, except Pinkie Pie did. AJ sadly wasn't a good liar, at all. "Sorry Twilight, feeling kinda confused." And that wasn't a lie, AJ could SWEAR she had seen the wolf pup before.

Coffee Swirl stepped up next to Applejack, the stallion having been mostly avoiding the child discussion for personal reasons. "If it means anything to you, I know what you're talking about. I can't see it, but I know it's there."

"Okay," Spike said as he looked down at the little unicorn foal, who in return looked at him with innocent trust, "so what do we DO with her?" He looked around at the mares. "Maybe somepony can adopt her?"

"Like who?" Rainbow Dash snorted. She looked at Twiilight, her eyes going wide. "Hay, maybe Cadence and Shining Armor?"

"No," Applejack said, looking at the wolf pup as she did. It shook itself and growled, and she repeated. "No, for some reason, Ah don't think that'd work."

"Okay, then who?" Dash carefully nuzzled the little foal. She gave a high-pitched whinny and nuzzled her back. "I mean, we can't give her ta one of the bad guys we've hadda deal with. Can we?"

Pinkie Pie's eyes went wide and she began fiddling with the What-If Machine, yanking wires and pulling various parts that seemed to exist in several alternate dimensions at once. She yanked out a wraith-like image of a sadistically grinning Rainbow Dash in a bloody business suit.

"Ugh? Where did this come from? Get out of here, you!" It landed by the foal and leered down at her. Applejack heard the little wolf growl, and with a snap of its jaws the horrid specter was gone. Pinkie kept looking around inside the device, and finally slammed the cover shut. "All done!"

She flipped it on and a greenish-black and vaguely insect-like image on the screen began to enlarge, becoming more solid-looking. The mares and Spike backed away in horror.

"Pinkie!" Twilight yelled, "What did you do with that crazy thing?"

"I just re-wired it so it can pull the things we see in other worlds here, instead of just showing them to us!" Pinkie said cheerily.

"You WHAT?" Her friends all said as one. And as they did with a wild burst of sparks a figure stood before them. One with a green-and-black carapace instead of equine hair, slit-pupil eyes, a teal mane and tail, and long wings like a fly's. And more oddly still, a hoof-sewn apron embroidered wth a heart.

"Tell me that is NOT who Ah think it is!" Applejack groaned. Rarity snorted beside her, her eyes blazing, as the palomino said, "Ain't we had enough troubles with her? And are ya CRAZY, thinkin' about handing a little filly over ta THAT?"

"No, no," Pinkie said. "This is the nice version of her!... I think." She bounced up to the rather calm-looking Changeling Queen before them. "Hiya, Chrys -- er, I guess it's 'Reversalis'?"

Reversalis looked at Pinkie and then the other mares. They all looked back at her, noticing her well-fed and non-rotted appearance in comparison to the corpse-like Chrysalis they remembered (though at the same time they wondered if they'd ever met her). More, her face held a gentle look that would have seemed utterly alien on the face of 'their' Chrysalis.

And the biggest shock of all -- around her neck she wore an Element of Harmony, a green heart.

She reared up, her wings buzzing, and to their confusion gathered them all in and gave them the biggest hug they could ever remember getting.

"Oh, my sweet and dear little ponies," she said in a voice so sickly-sweet even Fluttershy shuddered, "It's so good to see you aren't evil in this world!" Her horn glowed and a pair of knitting needles and a ball of yarn appeared along with a bushel of apples, held in the glow of her magic as the Mane Six struggled to escape. "You poor dears, you look half-starved! And has anyone bothered to make you anything to keep you warm? Oh, and who's this adorable little one here?" She brought the foal up to her eyes, smiling at her as the little unicorn uttered little whickers of joy.

"Say, Twi?" Dash choekd out where she and the others were held in a hug that would have left a minotaur begging for mercy. "If this is the 'good' Changeling Queen -- is it too late to get the other one back?"

"Urrgh -- GAH!" Twilight fought her way free of Reversalis' "hug", feeling like she'd been embraced by a python. "My ribs... Now, then!" She looked at the Changeling Queen, who still held her friends tightly. Twilight wasn't sure, but she thought that Dash looked to be turning several different colors at once. Reversalis, for her part, just looked sadly at her. "Okay, what makes you think you can be trusted with a little foal?"

"Oh, poor Twilight, I'm so sorry," the other-universe Changeling Queen said. "Did I do something to displease you?"

"Not... lettin' go... would kinda displease me right 'bout now!" Applejack managed to choke out. Reluctantly, Reversalis released her and the others. They dropped to the ground, gasping and choking for oxygen.

"I ain't sure," Dash managed to wheeze out, "But I think she collapsed one of my lungs!" She might have said more, but Reversalis pounced on her.

"Oh, no! Did I hurt you, precious?" Worry filled her eyes and her horn glowed as what looked like a storm of bandages and medicine appeared around Rainbow Dash. The pegasus yelled once and when she reappeared, she was wrapped head to tail in bandages. Only her eyes could move, and they seethed with fury. Twilight wasn't sure, but she thought she saw an IV in the background. Reversalis shook a yard-long thermometer and held it towards Dash. "Now then, dear, let mother take your temperature."

Dash rolled her eyes but managed to open her mouth. Somehow.

"What? Oh, no, no!" Reversalis smiled gently at her. "It's not THAT kind of thermometer!"

Dash's eyes went wide with terror. Her friends all recoiled, all save Twilight who dove for the What-If Machine and changed the channel. Reversalis managed one last, "Oh, DO take care!" and vanished.

The mares looked at each other, shuddering in horror.

"Okay," Twilight said, "Maybe I better be the one to look for our next candidate?"

"With all the trouble these 'alternate universes' are causing us, Trixie votes we added 'no alternate universes to the list of ponies who can't visit!"

"Ah second it!" AJ stamped her hoof.

"I, uh, abstain?" Fluttershy said. Then her face hardened. "Well I don't! I think we have enough troubles without inviting other world's troubles in!"

Spike said, "I dunno, what if we find the universe where me and Rarity are married? I want to ask him for dating tips."

Rarity said hearing Spike's words, "I vote we destroy the what if machine while we're at it."

"It would be a terrible waste of knowledge to do that! But I do agree that we need a more controlled environment after what happened last time." Twilight said.

"Hey! I pay the rent on this place! And I . . . borrowed the what-if machine, and I say it stays." Pinkie Pie said.

"It is getting kinda a little crazy Pinkie," RD said, "I mean, we used to come to this place TO HAVE FUN! And now we have evil versions of us knocking on our door step, annoyingly good versions of our enemies next, and foals being dropped at our front door! We don't need extra guests! Plus I think it cuts down on chances of Gilda visiting again."

Coffee Swirl said, "Am I the only one to remember you still have an orphan baby unicorn here? And that the weird voices said that she belonged to this world now?"

Fluttershy shook her head, "We haven't forgotten Swirl, we just . . . are thinking of the solution, it feels cold to just give her to an orphanage."

RD said, "Yeah, I wouldn't want . . . a foal I cared about to just be given to mares whose JOB it is to look after them instead of it being because they love them."

Fluttershy said, "Maybe you could take care of her Coffee Swirl?"

"WHAT?! No way! No how! Dream on! Not happening! I am NOT father material."

"You're not?" Fluttershy asked looking sad.

"Uh, that is-"

Rarity said and marched up to the what-if machine. "I know we're going to regret this somehow, but might as well get it over with . . . What If Machine! Show us the solution to our problem."

The machine fizzled.

'No Quick Fix Solutions' scrolled across the screen.

"Should have know that wouldn't work. Fine. Show us a decent and loving mother, who knows when to be strict, knows when to be kind, treats her child tenderly, and will never abandon them, and will encourage them to be the best they can be!"

The machine flickered to show a rock farm, it didn't look like the Pies.

The imagine became that of a dirty white unicorn mare, her mane a beautiful shining violet. It wasn't well combed, but the mane was done in a beautiful if practical braid. She was wearing a brownish yellow work shirt over the front half of her body. A farm hat made of the same material hung on the back of her neck on a string. Her cutie mark was a rock with blue, red, and green crystals growing from it.

Her stunning blue eyes eyes focused on the cubby toddler and extremely cute baby dragon on her back, his teeth having not quite grown in yet. Her telekinesis was lifting half of a small a geode into the dragon's little claws. She looked tired, but her smile couldn't have held more love.

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Rarity gasped at the sight, remembering the vision she had seen of her fencer self.

Spike's jaw hung open in confusion. Pinkie Pie tilted her head. AJ looked at the unicorn on the screen and at Rarity, and back at the unicorn, her brain threatening to shut down as the conflicting and completely illogical imagine. Evil Queen Rarity had been less jarring. RD wanted to laugh, but found he couldn't at the sight. Fluttershy felt her heart flutter at the imagine. Twilight felt a tad possessive and moved Spike closer to herself.

The what if machine's teleportation function still active, engaged.

In a moment the Rarity that had been on the screen materialized, with the baby Spike still on her back.

She looked around confused, she didn't have a farmer's accent, but she also lacked Rarity's elegant 'upper class' tone.

"Uh . . . why is there another me here? Why is Spike bigger? Why is the stallion from the coffee shop here, and why is the fraud here? And why do you girls suddenly have different cutie marks?"

http://www.derpibooru.org/476204?scope=scpe9de79f706c4b2bdb2dff5e6ecea0b5abbace22ab

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Before anyone could even begin to explain, a thin wail made every set of ears in the room perk up. The Rarity from the other world moved even quicker than Fluttershy, trotting over to the crying filly. "Is this your child?" she asked Twilight. "She looks hungry. How long has it been since you fed her?"

Twilight blinked. "Why would you think..."

Baby Half-Light started crying harder, and her tiny horn suddenly flared with blinding purple light. Both Rarities and Twilight shared a panicked look. "Magic surge!" They dove for cover.

Applejack managed to get out "What the hay?" before a bolt of magic struck her and Pinkie Pie. In a flash, her hair poofed up into wild curls, and Pinkie's tied itself in a neat ponytail.

Studio props and party supplies got caught up in a magical whirlwind, flying around the studio. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy took to the air, trying to evade them, but another bolt of magic blasted the ceiling, engulfing them in a powdery crackling cloud. "Oh my, I cannot fly!" said Fluttershy's voice, strangely accented, before a *zebra* fell from the cloud. Rainbow Dash tumbled out of the cloud as a rainbow griffon, and quickly swooped to catch her friend.

Spike laughed, pointing. "You girls look ridiculous.. urk!" Yet another magical blast made the little dragon quadruple in size, sprouting longer horns and talons and sweeping wings before he fell forward, forelegs thumping on the floor.

Twilight peeked out from behind one of Rarity's couches. "There's something familiar about... yikes!" She ducked a flying potted plant. "No time for that now... Hey, Pinkie! Do you have milk in your party supplies?"

"Well, duh!" said Pinkie, in between snapping pictures of herself and Applejack, with Applejack squirming and trying to escape all the while. "How could I serve delicious cake and cookies without milk?"

"And a baby bottle?"

"New moms deserve parties too!"

"Right!" Twilight scanned the flying party supplies, then snatched what she needed with her telekinesis. "Oh no, I still need to warm the milk!"

"Flash heating spell?" said the other Rarity. "I know that one. Though usually I cast it for Spikey-wikey's lava baths, so I just need to tone it down a bit..." The milk in the bottle boiled, then cooled. "Perfect!"

They popped the bottle into Half-Light Midnight's mouth, and like magic, the filly began suckling happily, and the arcane storm died down.

Fluttershy stumbled to her hooves and stared at her cutie mark, now rendered as butterflies on a tribal shield, worked into the pattern of her stripes. "This is interesting to be sure, but I don't know if I... can long endure. Oh my... must I rhyme every time?"

The young adult dragon loomed over their Rarity, making her gasp and cower back slightly. "Spike WANT... to invite you on an enchanting, romantic evening, Miss Rarity Belle." He bowed, sweeping his new wings like a cape.

Twilight glanced up at Rainbow Dash the griffon, who was still flying in circles around the ceiling and occasionally shouting "Woohoo!" "Okay... three reversal spells, coming right up."

"Now, now, let's not be hasty," said their Rarity, looking up at the new Spike with sparkling eyes.

Rock Rarity picked her son where she had safely deposited him during the chaos of the filly's magic surge, and looked outright disgusted at an adult form of her adopted son charming a version of herself.

Coffee Swirl and Trixie came out from under the pile of junk they had hidden themselves under, looking no worse for wear.

"Your DEFINITELY need a mama for that filly!" Coffee Swirl declared.

"Trixie agrees . . . "

"Too bad you DIDN'T get zapped too eh?" Farmer Ponytailed Pinkie Pie smiled.

Trixie said, "This mishmash is a chaotic mess enough! I am surprised we haven't released Discord! Twilight, Trixie is . . . going out for a while, Trixie panicked and . . . needs time to think."

"Alright Trixie." Twilight nuzzled her friend and Trixie left.

"I better go for resupplies, not all of us can magically carry extra stuff wherever we go."

"Be back soon . .. ugh, your presence is a boon!" The zebrafieid Fluttershy said.

"Let's see Gilda say I'm a flip-flop now!" Rainbow Dash said.

"Hey Twilight, have of them magic reversal things ready for me a Pinkie too!" AJ shouted, not liking her hair looking like cotton candy. She may not have cared about her looks but even she had her pride.

Rock farm Rarity, holding baby Spike asked, "Can somepony please explain what is going on here now? And if you're going to have a unicorn foal you should be prepared for magic surges."

Pinkie Pie said, "Sure! Let me just get the projector and the slides!"

(Interviewer's Notes (Pegasus): Okay, this has gotten out of hoof. We need to do something about this!)

(Interviewer's Notes (Unicorn): I'm afraid that as long as the Blank Wolf is here in the studio, there really isn't much we can do.)

(Interviewer's Notes (Earth Pony): Ain't that what's called a Catch-22 Dilemma? We can't do anything because our Blank Wolf is right there, but if something ain't done, our sister's gonna get taken to a different world, where that world's Blank Wolf will get her. How are we gonna resolve this?)

(Interviewer's Notes (Unicorn): We might not be able to intervene directly, but if we stay separate from the world and just give advice, we should be safe.)

Twilight took a deep breath, preparing the reversal spell. "Okay girls, line up. One!"

Flutterzebra reverted back to a pony with a pop and a flash. "Testing, one, two… I didn't rhyme! Oh, thank you so much, Twilight!" She actually did a little dance, before she realized she was dancing in front of everyone.

"Two!" Applejack and Pinkie Pie switched back to their proper hairstyles. "Three!" Spike shrank into a baby dragon again.

"Ah, man," grumbled Spike.

"There, there, darling," said Rarity Belle, comforting him. "You were too big to fit through the studio door anyway."

Spike grinned and flexed a puny forearm. "Like that would have stopped me."

"Four!" The flying griffon dodged Twilight's spell. "Rainbow Dash, hold still!"

Rainbow Dash zipped by, grinning. "You can turn me back if you can hit me!"

"Ugh!" Twilight gave chase, firing several more spells. "Get back here. This isn't a game!"

"Come on, Twilight! I haven't even given this body a real flight test yet."

"You…" Zap! "could have…" Zap! Twilight paused, panting. "fooled me!"

Meanwhile, Pinkie moved in a blur, putting on a mortarboard, setting up her slide projector and screen, then putting a chair in front of the projector screen, and Rarity Stone with her napping infant Spike in the chair. "A long, long time ago," she started, clicking through the slides, "like a couple whole entire years ago, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were in a race, and Rainbow did a Sonic Rainboom, or she didn't!"

Applejack yawned. She knew the story well, at least until Pinkie started talking about some crazy other world where that Sonic Rainboom never happened. She wondered how Pinkie could have possibly gotten photographs of Twilight's magic exam, or Rarity finding her first gemstones, but she knew better than to ask.

(Look, over there.)

Applejack found her attention wandering away from the slideshow, over to the white wolf pup. The wolf wasn't watching the slideshow either… it was watching *them*, her and her friends. Why?

(Isn't it funny how you keep forgetting he's there?)

Applejack frowned. "Why can't Ah remember where Ah saw that wolf before?" She blinked, tensed. "Did you make me forget? You! How long have you been messing with our heads!?" Ignoring the odd looks from her friends, Applejack focused on the Truth and locked eyes with the white wolf...

... who looked right back at her, golden eyes growing wide with alarm. "No, you must not!"

The farm pony gasped. "You can talk!" She charged at the wolf. "No more playin' dumb! Tell me… What the HAY?" The whole studio turned all cold and dark and washed out, like one of Granny Smith's old black and white photographs. She whirled around, ready to shout to her friends for help, but they were watching the slideshow like nothing had changed. Pinkie was still narrating and tapping the screen with a pointer… her mouth moved, but no sound came out.

"We need to talk," said the wolf pup.

"Is Applejack gonna be okay?" said a worried Half-Light Dawn.

"We're taking a big risk here," said Noon.

"It would have happened soon anyway," said Dusk, trying to be reassuring. "Have some faith in our friend and focus on helping our sister. Now, while the Blank Wolf is distracted…"

-

Rarity stone stared astounded at just how different the lives of her and her six friends were here. And that here, Twilight had raised Spike, not her, and Spike either hatched at a later date or grown at a different rate.

"And . . . I'm here because?"

Her other self, who was so prime and proper it made Rarity Stone's head spin. "Well, darling, that's really my fault I wanted us to be shown a stern but loving mother figure and . . .Pinkie Pie's contraption brought you here."

"Because somepony left a unicorn foal at your doorstep?"

"Well technically this is just a studio we use for recreation and is 'non-canon' whatever that means, but yes, she was." She pointed at the sleeping unicorn baby.

Rartiy did a full recount on what was shown on what if machine before it shut off.

"But . . . are you ask me to take her to MY world? Can't any of YOU take care of her? Did those strange ponies say she belongs in THIS world? Or WILL belong?" Rarity Stone asked.

"COMING THROUGH!" Rainbow Dash for some reason had decided NOT to leave the studio. She was enjoying this form, but last time she had left the studio with something off effecting her, she had apparently regressed to a past life.

"GOT YOU!" Twilight said grabbing RD with her telekinesis. She cast the reversal spell, or would have if RD's griffin form didn't shimmer and slip through the magic. "Did you . . . did you just VIBRATE through my telekinesis?!"

"Cool huh? HA! Missed again!"

Twilight stamped her hooves agitated.

"Uh, Twilight, maybe you could just let Rainbow stay a griffin for a little while?" Fluttershy asked. "What's the harm?"

"Ah'm listening…" said Applejack, trying to sound more confident than she felt. If that strange little wolf could snatch her away from all her friends and put her into a place like this, wherever this was... What could she do against something like that? The only thing she could think of was that it didn't like her looking it in the eyes with her Truth. Maybe she had a chance...

The wolf pup paced back and forth, claws clicking on the floor. "You need to forget that you saw me. Leave well enough alone."

"And why should Ah do that?"

It stopped and turned, glaring at her. "Because you're better off not knowing. The only reason you ponies can sleep decently at night is that you do not know what I do, what I protect you against."

Applejack hesitated. Had she heard that right? The wolf pup… protected ponies?

"Have I lied, Bearer of Honesty?"

Part of her wanted to agree with whatever the wolf wanted, say whatever he wanted to hear that would get her out of this hopeless, grey place and back to the real world. Sometimes, being the Element of Honesty could be a pain in the flank. "You believe everything you told me... but how do Ah know it's okay for me to not know something when Ah don't even know what it is Ah'm not supposed to know? Am Ah making any sense here?"

The wolf growled faintly. "I could just take your memories again, for your own good."

Applejack crouched lower, scuffing a hoof on the floor. "Oh yeah? And Ah could just buck you in the face if you try it!"

For a long moment, Applejack thought she was going to have to make good on her threat, then hit him with the Truth and hope for the best, but all of a sudden, the wolf seemed to reconsider. "Tell me. Have you ever gathered with your friends or family and just... told each other stories?"

"What has that got to do with anything?" But she had, and even as she remembered, mist began to flow up from the cold grey floor and take familiar shapes, as if her memories were coming to life before her eyes.

There was herself as a cute lil' filly, and a littler Big Mac... so many Apples, even Orange kinfolk she hadn't thought of in years, all gathered around a campfire... every colt and filly that'd come to that big Apple family roundup years ago. "Suddenly, an evil witch came out of the cave!" one of the colts was saying. "You'll never get past me, Princess Honeygold, unless you can... um... answer my riddles!"

The next filly giggled and said, "But the princess was so smart, she knew the answer to every single one. Then the witch said, curse you, you answered my riddles but you won't defeat my cave troll!"

And the next said, "But her brave knights galloped to her rescue, drawing their swords!"

Then cousin Sour Grapes, who'd been complaining that the story was stupid from the start, said, "And then a hundred dragons flew in and burned up the princess and the witch and the whole kingdom, the end."

"Nope!" said Mac, putting his hoof down.

"That didn't happen!" said young Applejack.

The misty shapes grew quiet and still again, dispersing when the wolf stepped through them. "Stories need tending, nuturing... weeding. This world is *your* story. Not just the story of you and your friends... it is everyone's story. Does the name Prince Stud Muffin mean anything to you?"

Applejack shook herself out of the warm daze of the campfire story, wondering what the wolf was getting at. If ‘Stud Muffin' was some pet name Blueblood's mare friends had for him, she didn't want to know. The farm pony stiffened. No... That thing... that creepy fake alicorn that made them all crazy in love for no reason at all, and then... what had happened to him?

"Here's another," said the wolf. "Do you remember the time your friend Twilight grew so obsessed with discovering the scientific basis of the Pinkie Sense, that she locked Pinkie in the library basement and…"

Applejack suddenly found herself shouting, "Stop! DON'T SAY ANY MORE!"

"Why are you so frightened?" said the wolf, pouncing on her terror. "That never happened."

Her eyes widened. "Because... of you?"

"Because of me," the wolf echoed. "I am the Blank Wolf, reborn. When things come into your story that don't belong there, perversions of your very selves, cancers upon your world... I make them ‘didn't happen.'" He rested a forepaw on her shoulder in an oddly comforting gesture. "If you had looked into my eyes with your Truth and seen all the horrors I have erased over the course of hundreds, no, thousands of years..."

Applejack gulped and nodded, trying to keep her hooves from shaking.

The Blank Wolf padded away, pacing once again. "As I thought, this truth is too much for you. I trust you are satisifed. I shall relieve you of these memories now. You will not see me again, I promise."

"Wait!" cried Applejack. The wolf paused in mid-stride, puzzled. "That sounds like a pretty thankless job. At least those rude Canterlot nobles pay me for rush orders, even if Ah don't get any gratitute, but you... It sounds like you work hard for everypony... everybody, and then not only does nobody thank you, they don't even know you did anything in the first place. Ah... Ah want to remember, cause somepony ought to!"

"You..." The wolf looked at her with open astonishment, before his eyes narrowed. "I see. You still do not trust me."

Applejack flinched. "Well, not one hundred percent... but Ah meant everything Ah said!"

The wolf growled mildly. "As you wish. When you change your mind..."

"If!" Applejack insisted.

"If you change your mind, do not wait for contradictions and fear to drive you mad. Surely, I do not need to remind you why that would be disastrous. Call, and I will come."

She was going to make it out of here in one piece. She should have left well enough alone, she really should have, but... "Can Ah call you when it's not an emergency?" The Blank Wolf frowned. "You know, just to chat." A snarl. "When you're not too busy!"

The wolf pup stood quietly for a long time. "It's true, then," he said disdainfully. "You ponies will try and make friends with anything." But his tail was wagging as the black and grey world finally melted away into the blessed warmth and color of the television studio.

Author's Note

"We keep running out of room! We outta pack up this episode already, I've gone through three sets of batteries so far!"

1) What you write in the comments gets copy and pasted into the story as what happens next.
2) The camera can't leave the studio no matter what.
3) Try to keep the number of ponies in the studio from overloading.
4) ANY GUESTS of any generation, media, or variance we welcome here in the studio but they have to be My Little Pony. No any other franchises.
5) Everything that happens here in the studio is non-canon to the fanfic series. This is just for fun (we should get our own trope page, anypony wanna help?).
6) Have fun!"
7) "Only Pinkie Pie, THAT'S ME, can break the Forth Wall."

Sections In Order of Contribution:
MtangaLion and Alex Warlorn
JMCDavid and Alex Warlorn
Ardashir
MtangaLion and a bit by me.
dragon-of-twilght
JMCDavid
Jarkes
Alex Warlorn
dragon-of-twilght
Ardashir
Ardashir (again)
Alex Warlorn
Ardashir
Zaku789
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion and Alex Warlorn
dragon-of-twilght the Ardashir
Ardashir
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion and a some by me at the end.
JMCdavid
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
dragon-of-twilght

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Banner by Kendell2

MLP Copyright of Hasbro

Pinkie Pie 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show Recovery Part 4

While the apple farmer was still somewhat shaken, the barista managed to sidle up next to her, having returned to the studio, but Trixie had not.

"Rather sobering, isn't it?" His question caused her to to face him, minor confusion displayed on her face. "Knowing the things that didn't happen."

Her eyes widened slightly as the wolf pup growled a bit, but he took no action.

"You know?"

The pegasus flared his wings in the species specific variant of a shrug. "I know a lot of things I shouldn't, it's why I expect him and I-" he nodded in the general direction of the wolf pup "-will cross paths outside of this studio some day."

"That would bother most ponies," Applejack pointed out.

"Most ponies don't have my point of view," Coffee Swirl countered. "Anyway, I'm just making you an offer: I know a lot of the same things you know, and I've been dealing with it for a while now. If it ever starts grating on your sanity, I'm available to talk. 'Cruel comes by the shop every day at noon anyway, she could probably use the company while I work."

Applejack considered the offer. "Ah don' much care fer coffee, ya know..."

Swirl wing-shrugged again. "Not saying you have to, but the offer's there if you want it. Now, I'd better go before he tries to erase me from existence." He turned form the earth pony and made his way back over to the Flutters, he was rather enjoying spending more time with them.

"I wish he wouldn't joke about that," The Blank wolf said startling AJ.

"What why?" Applejack said.

"Cause despite his ways I do enjoy his company, and my duty is not something one should joke about, it is very stressful," Blank wolf said as he made to leave but stop as he said "Chose a young world."

"What?"

"The baby foal, the best place for her would be a young world. Not everything would be establish as of yet, which mean there would be NO version of me as of yet. I'm saying this because despite your thoughts on me, I do want that child to be safe," Blank wolf said as he left.

"Ya know, I'm curious, how do chimera work?" Rainbow dash spoke

"You're asking that now in a body of a griffin?" Twilight replied annoyed.

"No I mean a Chimera chimera. you know having three heads and all that, I mean what if one head swing that way and the other two don't," Rainbow dash said "And according to AJ one still attack ponies yet also want apple pie, what's up with that?"

"Okay first off with sexuality, that rarely happens in the chimera community. Two, despite having a big cat head and a snakehead slash tail, the remaining head is still a goat which is herbivore thus chimera are all omnivore" Twilight said. "Anything else."

"Yeah, why didn't you zap me with that spell when you had a chance during the explanation," Dash said as she flew away. Twilight's eye twitch as she slapped her forehead as Applejack came walking towards them.

"Hey Twilight, Ah have something to talk to you about it..."

"If it's about three-headed chimera or shapeshifting spell forget it! I have a bad enough headache cause of those two subjects as it is," Twilight said.

"No nothing like that, it just Ah think Ah have a plan that can help us with Midnight," Applejack said.

"You do, what is it?" Twilight asked, forgetting about her headache for a moment. Applejack began to explain it to twilight.

"I see.... well in theory it could work, but we might have to add a modification to the what-if machine, to make sure the world is safe-safe, don't want to send her to a world that looks safe yet isn't," Twilight said.

"Okay good." Applejack said, noticing RD she asked "So uhh... you want me to lasso her down?"

"Nah, I'm waiting till she get tired, and when she does, wham. back to being regular Rainbow Dash, but right now I have a machine to modify!" Twilight said as she left the room.

Twilight is seen tinkering with the machine a bit.

A view from the what if machine whirled to life as it show images of the rainbow of darkness, standing in front of it was a strange pony none of the mane six seen before glaring at Celestia.

"Sunset stop this now, you don't know what power your wielding can do."

"Oh I know what it does. And it will give me what should have been mine, the thing you deny me."

"I denied you it to PROTECT you, if you were to awaken with that negativety in you, your transformation will be monstrous. Please listen to me!"

Sunset seem hesitant for a moment, as if she was listening to Celestia word before her face harden. "You're lying!"

"Sunset please-"

"No, i am tired of listening of your lies belove teacher." Sunset spat the word like venom making Celestia flinched. "It's time i take my destiny with my two hands." The rainbow darkness swirled around her.

"Sunset no!" Celestia ssaid as she ran forward but was too late. Sunset screamed in agony in as she can feel a transformation occurring.

AJ said looking at the image, "I'm pretty sure that world isn't safe."

Rarity Stone shook her head, "I agree . . . have you girls considered she was put on YOUR front step for a REASON?"

Twilight rubbed her chin with a hoof. “Maybe it’s time we found the pony who left Midnight here and asked. This machine certainly isn’t getting us anywhere.”

“However are we going to do that?” asked their Rarity.

Twilight vanished with a pop of teleportation, then reappeared with a heavy tome, already flipping through the pages with her telekinesis. “I know it was in this book somewhere... Yes! The Roots spell! This will conjure a magic light that will lead us straight to her closest relative, within a reasonable distance.”

“Should we really use that?” asked Fluttershy, stammering a bit. “What if she doesn’t want to be found?”

“We’re kind of still filming here, too,” Pinkie piped up, bouncing over. “It’s not like we’re going to find the missing mom here in the studio, right?”

{ The Half-Lights looked at each other awkwardly. }

“What are you all so worried about?” said Twilight. “Isn’t it better to know? How will not knowing help anything?”

The Blank Wolf Pup growled faintly. Applejack grimaced, but said, “If you think so, Twilight.”

Twilight leaned over Midnight’s basket, eyes closed, and concentrated. A soft white globe formed at the tip of her horn. Baby Midnight waved her hooves at it, as if it was a toy hanging over a playpen. Finally, the spell finished, and the globe floated into the air, hovering on its own.

Everypony waited.

“So, now what?” said Coffee Swirl.

Twilight frowned. “I don’t understand. Maybe I didn’t cast it right.” She trotted back over to the spellbook, and the globe followed her, bobbing lazily through in the air.

Spike gawked. “Twilight, look!”

She spun around, gasped. “What? That’s impossible...”

Rainbow Dash hovered beside her, grinning naughtily. “Ooh, does Twilight have a secret coltfriend she isn’t telling us about?”

“What?! No! How could I keep something like that from you, my closest friends?” She took a moment to glare at the griffon right beside her, and blasted her good with the Reversal spell.

Rarity Stone raised a hoof. “I didn’t want to say so before, but there’s definitely a resemblance.”

Fluttershy said, “Are you sure you don’t have any brothers or sisters you don’t know about?”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous. Of course I don’t have any..." The unicorn stumbled, eyes unfocused. "I... I’m pretty sure that... no, I definitely don’t have... No, of course I don’t!”

Applejack frowned thoughtfully, then started forward, trying to catch Twilight’s eyes... but the Blank Wolf Pup grabbed hold of one of her hooves, shaking his head.

Fluttercruel put in, “With all the spells that Twilight messes around with, actually, I wouldn’t be surprised if she did accidentally clone herself somehow.”

A still-smoldering pony Rainbow Dash pried herself up from the floor. “And, Twilight freaks out in three, two, one…”

“Omigosh! Omigosh, omigosh!”

“Called it!”

Unseen by the others, Pinkie Pie was meddling with the What-If machine, pressing buttons and flipping switches.

"There's gotta be someplace where we can find a home for that filly," she muttered. She saw a world where Queen Celestia and Luna reigned over a dark and cruel Ponyville; one where she and her friends welcomed sentient wolves, descendants of Fenris Sun-and-Moon Slayer, back into equine civilization; one where they were all dragons and Spike was a pony, and still had a crush on Rarity...

Then she shot upright, her mane quivering, as a literal light-bulb flashed into being above her head. Breaking out a notebook labeled 'My Little Pony G1' she began re-tuning the machine.

"Why didn't I think of this in the first place?" Carefully, she trotted over and picked up the smiling foal before returning to the machine.

"Pinkie?" Twilight looked at her friend and her eyes went wide. The ball of light above her head seemed to glow brighter as well. "Pinkie, no! What are you doing?"

Pinkie grinned at her. Behind her the machine began throwing sparks and emitting clouds of rainbow-colored smoke.

"I'm helping Midnight, of course!" Pinkie picked the foal up and turned to a hole in reality. Beyond it to their surprise the ponies saw a gold-haired human. One they recognized. Pinkie grinned upon seeing her.

"Hi, Megan! Do you think Paradise Estates has room for one more little filly?"

"What?" The girl said. "Hey, who are you? And sure we have room, but..." Her arms wrapped around the laughing unicorn foal.

"Pinkie, no!" Twilight galloped forward. She leapt at the hole between universes. "There has to be a better way then this -- YOW!" Twilight shrieked the last as she shot through the hole to land atop Megan. Twilight shook her head, looked, and gave a shriek as the hole closed, trapping Twilight centuries in the past.

Pinkie gave her shocked friends an embarrassed look.

"Heh-heh. Whoops?"

Pinkie Pie declared, "It's okay! I just need to hit the Doctor over the head with a flying pan, steal the keys to his time machine again, go back in time, get Twilight back from the past, throw Doctor Whooves a 'sorry I stole your time machine again' party, and everything will be right as rain right? And the filly who we've just learned has Twilight Sparkle as her closest living relative, and is therefore her FAMILY, all the way in the past."

"Pinkie," AJ said, "Don't ya think learnin' she and Twili' are blood kinda changes things? I mean, dangit, if you and me turned out to be related, Ah sure as hay wouldn't sweep ya under the rug."

Rarity Stone said, "I have to agree, family is important, they're a gift, not a burden."

Rarity Belle hugged her, "That is something I think we can both agree on. And proves that we're both Rarity at our core."

"Can't anything be simple?" Swirl groaned. The Flutters hugged him.

"Yeah she can make me a griffin again."

"Why do you want to be a griffin so bad?" Spike asked.

"It, MIGHT have something to do with better understanding what makes a friend tick."

"TRIXIE HAS RETURNED AND .. . Where is Twilight Sparkle? And were there two Rarities and a baby bite gumming on normal Spike's tail when Trixie left? Trixie's head feels fuzzy."

Rainbow Dash grinned craftily, sensing an opportunity. "Hey, Trixie! Twilight said there no way you could possibly reverse the Reversal spell she cast on me, even with an Element of Magic."

Trixie blinked. "What?! What nonsense. Of course the Great and Powerful Trixie can do that!" Her magical bolt caught Rainbow Dash in midair, making the pegasus whirl in place, then unfurl her wings and rake the air with her talons dramatically, a griffon once again. "Success! ... Why is everypony looking at Trixie like that?"

"Ooh, me next!" exclaimed Spike, dashing forward.

Rarity Belle caught him with her telekinesis. "This really isn't the time. We have to get Twilight back."

"Well, that's easy, right?" said Spike, dangling upside-down. "Pinkie can just open that portal again."

"I'm not sure I can," said Pinkie in an odd tone of voice. "I kind of let all the magic smoke out of the machine."

"Whaaat?" cried Rarity Stone. "Just how exactly are you planning to get me back home with a broken portal.... whatever that thing is machine? This world is nice and all, but I wouldn't want to live here."

Coffee Swirl sighed. "Boy, that escalated quickly. I mean, that really got out of hoof fast."

"I wanna get ya and Twilight back home too! I figured with his griffin body I can get my foot in the door with Gilda, I mean, check things out in Griffindale without sticking out like a sore hoof." Rainbow Dash said.

"You are so different from my Rainbow Dash," Rarity Stone said.

"Really? What's she like again?"

Suddenly there was a swirling tornado of magic in the middle of the room, and in a flash of light, Twilight Sparkle stood before them, but a little bit different.

She now had a large blue bow tied at the base of her tail. She look like leaner, like she had been exercising more. Rarity swore she looked a tiny bit taller, and she had let her mane grow out some. at her hooves was Midnight, still in diapers, but clearly no longer a newborn.

She looked around. "It worked! It worked! I'm back!" She jumped for joy. "Midnight! We're home!" She loving nuzzled the filly. She looked at Rainbow Dash. "I thought I fixed that before I went." This time her zap CURVED with Rainbow Dash's dodge and hit dead center.

"Aw man! Can't I get to enjoy being a griffin just for a little while?" The now pegasus again complained.

"Well happy all that is settled." Coffee Swirl said.

"Trixie is confused as to what is going on."

"So is Pinkie Pie, but that's normal for me."

"Twilight dear," Rarity said, "Can you please explain what just happened?"

"Well, I just spent the last year at Paradise Estate-"

"WHAT?!" Everypony exclaimed.

"Yes I know, that's going to be confusing on my taxes and medical reports when I explain I'm a year older than my birth date says I am. It took a while to get Twiley, I mean, Twilight The First's wish magic to be amplified enough with my own element of magic to transport us back. We considered using the rainbow of light, but since my element of magic CAME form the rainbow of light, it might cause some confusion in the spell. It might have gotten it done faster if the entire Witch Clan hadn't tried to destroy Paradise Estate. It's WONDERFUL to see you all again Applejack, Surprise, Firefly, Posy, Sparkler, I MEAN Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Rarity. And of course you too Spike and Trixie."

"Trixie now knows your pain Spike."

"Welcome to my world."

"FINALLY! Everything's settled! Now I can go back to serving coffee to demi-draconequus spirits and Apples that can see beyond the veil!" Coffee Swirl declared.

"HEY! That's not true! We still need to have a home for Midnight!" Pinkie Pie said.

"She is home." Twilight said calmly looking at the foal.

"And I hate to be a bother, really I do, but I want to go home." Said Rarity Stone.

"Huh? Oh you! Sorry! I'm sorry Rarity! I didn't mean to forget about you! But with everything that happened in the last year, I lost track of a few things. But don't worry, I'm sure the what if machine can help."

"It's kinda in the shop." Pinkie Pie admitted pointing at the smoking machine.

"It's okay, I've fully learned and appreciated Twiley's Wish Magic . . . all I need is to have enough heart and believe."

-Five Minutes Later-

"For the last time I'm not a changeling! Now please untie me!"

"Sorry Twiley. Ah was tryin' to tell'em so," AJ apologized as she did so.

"So how many musical numbers did it take for you to reach this point of fairy tale enlightenment?" Pinkie Pie asked grinning.

"I actually lost count, for once, less than a dozen, more than three. I can use my Spell Copy of Twiley's wish magic combined with our belief and emotions to get the What If Machine working long enough to open a portal for Rarity Stone and her son."

"Let's get started, shall we?" Twilight braced her hooves and lowered her head, charging up enough magical power to stir a strong breeze in the studio. Inky darkness spread over the ceiling and formed a dome around them, shining with sparkling lights, as if they'd suddenly been transported to a field outdoors on a starry night.

Trixie ooohed and watched, committing every detail to memory.

Twilight finished, seeming slightly winded. "Now we just need to charge it up with happy thoughts and feelings." She blinked. "Pinkie? What are you doing?"

Pinkie was flipping through big sheafs of paper, only to cast them aside and pull out more and flip through those. "No... Used that one already... I can't sing these, we need them for the Wedding Arc... I'm sorry, Twilight! I just don't have any good songs ready! But... I'm so glad that all of you came here to make this my best variety show ever!"

Unexpectedly, a glow surrounded her, then zipped away and formed a six-pointed star, floating in the air. "Heehee! That tickled."

Spike gave it a try. "I'm glad I got a little taste of what it's like to be a big dragon!" Another ray of light made the star glow a little brighter.

The ponies (and dragon) looked at the star, and each other.

Fluttershy said, "I'm glad we were able to deal with the Harmony Queens and Nightmare Mirror without anypony getting hurt."

"Well, I'm glad we torched that flytrap so it wouldn't hurt anypony else," said Fluttercruel.

"We're going to talk about this later," said Fluttershy, in a sweet tone that nevertheless made her daughter shiver.

"I got to be awesome in ways I've never been awesome before!" said Rainbow Dash.

Rarity Belle cleared her throat. "I'm happy that I got to meet another version of myself, and learn that even if things had gone very differently, you all still would have been my good and dear friends."

"Likewise," added Rarity Stone. The baby Spike in her pouch waved his claws at all the pretty lights, babbling in baby dragon talk.

"I'm just happy that I got to play a part in all of this," said Coffee Swirl modestly.

"Trixie is happy that she learned at least half a dozen spells today, and she can't wait to include them in her next performance."

The star was shining brighter, sending out glowing steamers connecting the people who had spoken so far. "Ah'm glad Ah met this little fellow here," said Applejack. "And more glad Ah've got a good keg of cider waiting back at home." That drew some strange looks... and many startled gasps when the streams of light revealed the Blank Wolf Pup to everypony.

The Pup blinked at the unexpected attention. "I am grateful... that a main character thanked me and acknowledged all my hard work. There, are you happy now?"

"There's plenty of cider for you too."

"I'd... be grateful for that as well. This day has given me such a headache."

Twilight smiled. "And I'm so happy that I got to meet the daughter I never knew I had. And the sisters I never knew I had either."

Half-Lights Dawn, Noon, and Dusk appeared, with Dawn cheering, "Good luck with your new new home, little sis!" Midnight the filly had fallen asleep on her hooves, though, adorably leaning against Twilight's foreleg.

"Now!" declared Twilight. "I wish for Rarity Stone and her son Spike to have a safe journey home." A rainbow shot from the star, growing into a blinding flash. When they could see again, the studio had returned, and the What-If Machine was no longer a broken-down wreck, but brand sparkling new.

Pinkie looked at the camera. "What? It's not as crazy as the time we finished with a dozen alicorns."

Rarity Stone look at the machine, holding her adopted child. Pinkie Pie got right to work on getting the gizmo to open a portal back to her own world.

Rarity Stone said, "Twilight . . . I just want to say, it's ALMOST as amazing that you turned out to be a Element of Magic as Trixie."

"Hey!"

"Sorry Trixie, I apologize." Rarity Stone said.

Rarity said, "And . . . it's amazing to learn that I could have been Magic if I had made different choices."

Rarity Stone said, "But I guess I'm NOT that surprised I'm Generosity here, but I was expecting Kindness with how I've looked after Spike for so long . . . Twilight, please take care of him."

"I will. I always will. And Midnight too."

"Ta-da!" Pinkie called out. "Here we are, it's finished!... I think." The other ponies gathered around, with Rarity Stone holding her adopted son close as Twilight furrowed her brow in concentration to cast her spell as the machine began to activate again.

"This should be more than enough," Twilight said as her horn began to glow. A ray of blinding white flashed from her horn to the machine, opening another gate between the worlds. Through it the ponies could see the rocky field they'd where first viewed Rarity Stone and 'her' Spike, looking exactly as it did before she'd left.

"That's it!" Rarity Stone whinnied. "That's home! Oh thank you, thank you!" She gratefully nuzzled Twilight. Little Spike burbled happily at Midnight and she whickered back at him. Bigger Spike smiled to see Rarity go through the gate together with her adopted son. She turned and waved back once, and then with a loud SNAP the gate shut and was gone.

"Okay," Applejack said. "So we got her back home where she wanted ta be." She indicated Midnight. "What 'bout this little filly here? You gonna raise her, Twi?"

"Actually," Twilight began as she picked Midnight up with her magic, nuzzling the happy little unicorn filly, "I was thinking of letting her be raised by my sister in law and brother. They want foals, and they love Midnight..."

"Sure ya don't mean, they'll love her when they see her?" Rainbow Dash interrupted.

"They already did," Twilight said. "We met in the past at Paradise Estates; they showed up together with the one brown stallion who's always with Derpy, something about some old enemy of Cadance's from her fillyhood working with the three witches..." She shrugged. "Once they got over the surprise of finding me there, we handled the problem. They adore Midnight and begged me to bring her to visit them when we got back, said they'd love having a filly to raise." Twilight smiled at her little sister. The filly nuzzled her. "And I can visit whenever I want."

"That's assuming that they've already met Midnight in the past." Rarity pointed out.

"Don't worry, I'm pretty sure the trip already happened by the time they'll meet Midnight in the present. Shining said something about Cadence being the safest pony Midnight could be around."

"Well, that's good to hear. I'm happy for little Midnight." Fluttershy rose into the air, her wings beating softly as she said, "And I'm sorry, girls, but I have to take care of my animals." She shivered and her cutie mark changed to Fluttercruel's as she said, "And I have to keep up on my self-defense lessons." The Flutters flew off the stage.

"Yeah, well," Dash yawned. "I gotta get going too. I have a nap, I mean, some exercises of my own to handle." She flew out after the Flutters.

"And as the last pegasus standing, I'll be leaving too." Said Coffee Swirl, "I came here for catering, and I'd say the cantering is done here. See ya around till next time." The brown pegasus left.

"Oh! That reminds me," Rarity said to Applejack. "You said you'd let me use you as a model for some of my new dresses, remember?" When AJ looked dismayed, Rarity added, "Now, it's just a few. Three or four." She turned and began to leave the stage, adding as she went, "Though I do have that delightful number in forest green and sun gold, and then there's the one with the diamonds..." She vanished offstage. Applejack sighed, rolled her eyes, and followed her like a pony headed for a jail cell.

None noticed the blank wolf pup follow Applejack out of the studio, seemingly vanishing as it stepped through the doors.

"And I've got to be getting Spike back, and Midnight off to Cadence and Shiny," Twilight said to Pinkie Pie.

"Do you think if Trixie could come with you? She could use the exposure please."

"No problem Trixie, I'm sure they won't mind. I was about to suggest to them you be Midnight's baby sitter."

"WHAT?!"

Still smiling, Twilight ignored Trixie and looked at Pinkie Pie. "Think you'll need any help cleaning up around here?"

"Nah, I got it," Pinkie said as she hopped over to the camera. She took a firm grip on the cord and called after Twilight, "Besides, I need to unplug this, we'll need all the footage we can spare when we do the episode with you fighting all the monsters from Tartarus at once!"

"Yeah, I guess I - Pinkie! Monsters from Tartarus? Wait, WHA-"

Pinkie fell back, clutching the unplugged power cord, and the screen went black.

Until next time...

A postscript....

{Video static, then shaky black and white footage from a hoof-held camera, advancing down a hallway.}

Applejack's voice: You lost me there. Goths?

{The camera view creeps into the Apple family living room and ducks behind a couch, peeking out. Applejack is at the kitchen table, drinking cider from a large glass mug. A second mug sits in front of an empty chair.}

Applejack: Forget Ah asked. Ya know, Ah do have a name.

{The camera pans towards Applejack, then back, and then it suddenly zooms on the second cider mug. It's gone from half-full to nearly empty in the split second it was out of the camera frame.}

Applejack: Well, maybe we ought to think of one. Something better than Blankie, Ah mean.

{Silence}

Applejack: (laughs) Not since the time Ah let Sweetie Belle try mud wrestling.

{The video cuts to Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Spike, and Silver Spoon in Applebloom's bedroom.}

Applebloom: Ya know what this means?

Sweetie Belle: Cutie Mark Crusader Ghost Hunters!

All: YAY!

{The camera picks up a deep canine growl, but no one seems to hear or react to it. Cut to static}

Author's Note

ZakuPinkie Pie, "WOW! I don't think we've ever had an episode run this long before, except maybe when I had fun with my friends' original, I mean G3 selves. But, we've still gotta figure out a place for baby Half-Light Midnight to stay. So until that's done, I can't stop putting new batteries in the camera . . . I think I'm running out. But here are the rules!"

1) What you write in the comments gets copy and pasted into the story as what happens next.
2) The camera can't leave the studio no matter what.
3) Try to keep the number of ponies in the studio from overloading.
4) ANY GUESTS of any generation, media, or variance we welcome here in the studio but they have to be My Little Pony. No any other franchises.
5) Everything that happens here in the studio is non-canon to the fanfic series. This is just for fun (we should get our own trope page, anypony wanna help?).
6) Have fun!"
7) "Only Pinkie Pie, THAT'S ME, can break the Forth Wall."

First section added by dragon-of-twilght
Grogar-the-oneser
Zaku76 and ghidorafour and a bit by me
mtangalion
Ardashir
Alex Warlorn
mtangalion and JMCdavid
Alex Warlorn
mtangalion
Alex Warlorn (anyone care to write Rarity Stone's send off and Pinkie Pie letting her guests leave and Pinkie FINALLY turning off the camera?)
Ardashir
mtangalion

Pinkie Pie, "Well, this episode is finally done, goodnight everypony!"

Banner by Kendell2

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Variety Show Special

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show
By Alex Warlorn and MANY OTHER writers. Add your own scene!

"HI EVERYPONY!" Pinkie Pie waved at the camera. The studio was cleaned up, and the walls repaired, with the banner reading 'Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show' proudly strung across the wall.

"It's great to be back! Sorry about the next chapter taking so long! The author ran into some big snags but things are back up to speed again." Pinkie Pie then huffed and put her hooves on her hips, "Geeze. Why does my show not have a trope page yet? I mean, the variety show is…what's that word Twilight taught me? Oh yeah, esoteric that only fans of the Pony POV Series can fully enjoy it, and yet my show's forbidden to have entries on the trope page since we're non-canon. So shouldn't the variety show have a trope subpage or something? Ah well. First let's get this one out of the way. Okay what-if machine, I know you're going to show something I'm not going to like, but the sooner the show it, the sooner we can get back to the fun times, so let me have it!"

The What-If machine flickered on, the screen showing an Alicorn of Twilight Sparkle, grinning as she clapped her hooves.

"This is perfect! After Rainbow Dash came back as a ghost, all I need to keep my friends with me forever is to make sure when they die of old age to have a strong will and to have a regret so powerful that it prevents them from entering truth death! And then make sure they never ever resolve the regret that weighted so heavily on their hearts that they couldn't rest in peace! And with the golem bodies I've built for them, they can interact with the world no problem. I'll have my friends with me forever!"

"Princess Twilight Sparkle, you must stop this!" Suddenly before Twilight Sparkle was a pink pony with a blond mane and blue eyes. Her cutie mark was a yellow star with three smaller blue stars. But the confusing thing was the large black wings on her back and a small sword and scabbard on her hip. "You can't hold your friends prisoner past their time."

Twilight blinked at the surprise guest, but figured this was some superstitious religious fundamentalist who had nothing better to do with her time but make a nuisance of herself to people she didn't know.

"Who are you? And trap them? I convinced my friends to stay with me! And release them to what? Utter oblivion?"

"My name is Starlight. You think their loved ones aren't waiting for them beyond?"

"There's no scientific proof of an afterlife! And besides, why would I want my friends submitted to some arbitrary moral system they didn't chose that condemns innocent ponies to endless suffering?"

"...There are so many things wrong with that combination of words that I don't know where to begin! Where the buck did you get the idea that 'innocent ponies' are sent to Tartarus for trivial arbitrary reasons? You bloody think ponies go to hell for skipping church to take care of their sick grandmother or something?! That's not how it works at all!"

"As if you would know."

"I would! You're messing with things you don't know all the rules for!"

"It's impossible to know everything, but I'd say I have a grasp of the rules that matter. That's a very poor grim reaper costume, couldn't you find a dime-store skull mask?"

"Twilight Sparkle! Haven't you considered that there is a REASON spirits move on?"

"There's a reason flames die out, but that's no reason to let your campfire burn out in the middle of winter."

"UGH! You are missing the point! Regrets are NOT A GOOD THING! They're meant to remind us, OF OUR MISTAKES! Unless faced, resolved, or let go of, they just get larger, and larger, AND LARGER until they devour you from the inside out, and you end up becoming something hollow! The system you've set up for the spirits of your friends is unsustainable!"

"You're just being a sore loser that all your precious dementia turned out to be a thousand year old con-game. Now if you mind, I have things that ACTUALLY MATTER to take care of-"

"Twilight." Rainbow Dash trotted in, a sick look on her face. "I...I don't feel so good... I...I just wanted to tell you before I died that-"

"NO! Remember Dash! If you tell me what you resisted dying to tell me then you'll really die!"

The loyal pegasus swallowed sickly, "Ah-Alrigh it's...I can't...but it's...I . . ." The golem body fell over. Rainbow Dash's spirit however, stayed on her hooves...having seen her spirit for the first time in months...there was a gapping black hole in her chest.

"Oh no." The pink pony whispered in fear, "It's already happened."

Rainbow Dash screamed out in agony, her spirit broke down, then reformed itself, while bile spewed from her mouth and covered her face, until it shaped itself into a mask resembling a pony skull with a pair of lightning shaped horns. She quadrupled in size before their eyes and her wings became longer and skeletal. Her hoofs became cloven, which she stomped on the floor so hard the entire castle shook. Her cutie mark now instead of a cloud had a skull instead.

"RAINBOW?! Can you hear me?! Are you okay?"

It let out a feral roar at her.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?!" Twilight snapped at Starllight.

"I didn't do anything! This is your doing!"

"DON'T BE ABSURD!"

"You won't let Rainbow let go of her regrets! This is the end result!"

"Impossible...it's just impossible, therefore...this can't be happening .. ."

"Twililght . . ."

"RAINBOW!? How do you feel?" Twilight trotted towards her friend.

"No! Don't get close!"

"Shut up, I'll figure out what you did to Rainbow in a minute. Rainbow, are you feeling? Do you know what that witch did to you?"

"Twilight...all this time...I wanted to tell you...so badly...so dearly...it tore my heart in two that you wouldn't let me tell you...but it doesn't matter now...because we're going to be together forever."

Twilight looked relieved. "That's good. And yes we are."

"That's because I'm going to eat you right now."

"Yes that's-WAIT?! WHAT?!"

Starlight moved like lightning, pull Twilight Sparkle out of the way of the beast's jaws.

"R-Rainbow . . . n-no!"

"Stay still. This isn't an enemy you can fight."

"THAT'S NOT AN ENEMY! She's my friend you thug!"

"Your friend wouldn't try to eat you." She drew her sword, holding it like her hoof contained magnets or something. "Herd Them, Dōro No Uma Sutā!!!"

The little sword changed shape into a much larger weapon, possessing the curved edge of a scythe.

Moving at speeds Twilight didn't think were possible for anypony sans Rainbow Dash, and cut along the creatures side.

"RAINBOW!"

Twilight tried to catch the pony hurting her friend with her magic but she was moving too fast.

The monster flapped its wings, causing a spray of bone needles to fire at Starlight, but spun her weapon to deflect them at speeds Twilight knew were supposed to be impossible for a pony. Any living pony.

Starlight knew she was lucky, this creature was a newborn, it hadn't had a chance to learn and test its abilities yet, it was running on pure instinct, she had the advantage.

She raced behind it, but its tail whipped around her, and began to crush her bones. She used her scythe to cut herself free, making the creature cry out MORE. This time it kicked her, slamming her into a wall, leaving an impression.

It turned around towards Twilight, the center of its fixation, the object of its tethering to this plane of reality. Twilight didn't move, couldn't move. Her entire world having turned upside down.

Then its giant head fell off, hitting the floor with a thug. Starlight stood on the creature's back panting. Then creature's headless body fell on its side. It began to glow blue and tiny bits of it floated upwards. Despite Twilight's best efforts, nothing could hold them to her.

"YOU MONSTER!!! YOU KILLED RAINBOW DASH!!!" Twilight snarled firing a laser right at Starlight's head which she deflected.

"No I didn't idiot! She was already dead! I purified her!"

"I don't care about your mumbo-jumbo horseapples!!!"

"Twilight . . . it's alright."

Twilight turned to see Rainbow Dash . . . whole . . . glowing with blue light, more transparent then she had ever been as a ghost before, a look of peace and serenity she hadn't seen on her face since she died.

"RAINBOW! You're alright!"

"Yes I am. . . . I think I'm finally coming home."

"W-what?! NO! YOU CAN'T! YOU! YOUR-"

"I've let it go Twilight . . . I'm free. Ya know? I think I was a little bit scared of what was waiting for me . . . but I know I'm not now. Twilight . . . I know everything you did was for me, and everypony else . . . thanks. Oh yeah, and-" She leaned down and whispered in Twilight's ear. She gasped, blushed, and looked at Rainbow who smiled warmly at her. "See ya later Twilight Sparkle, don't worry, I sure we're gonna meet up later . . . and you're awesome Twilight." She vanished.

"No . . . n-no!" Twilight whimpered, fell to her knees and cried. Starlight wanted to comfort her . . . but Twilight had been holding back many spirits from moving on, she had a lot of work to do.

The what if machine flickered off.

Pinkie Pie stared at the blank screen, "Ooookaaaaay. I don't know if that was creepy, cool, sad, or heartwarming." She shook her head. "Maybe I should throw the what-if machine a party, then it would stop showing just stuff that doesn't leave you in a good mood later!"

The entire studio shook as an explosion was heard outside.

"Oh right!" Pinkie Pie smiled. "Remember what I said last episode? It's okay if you forgot! I saved it on PoniVo!" Pinkie Pie took out a remote and pointed at the camera. A green bar appeared at the bottom of the screen with a little line going backwards, the scenes from before going backwards until it stopped at the end of the last episode broadcast (minus the black and white 'post script.').

Still smiling, Twilight ignored Trixie and looked at Pinkie Pie. "Think you'll need any help cleaning up around here?"

"Nah, I got it," Pinkie said as she hopped over to the camera. She took a firm grip on the cord and called after Twilight, "Besides, I need to unplug this, we'll need all the footage we can spare when we do the episode with you fighting all the monsters from Tartarus at once!"

"Yeah, I guess I - Pinkie! Monsters from Tartarus? Wait, WHA-"

Pinkie fell back, clutching the unplugged power cord, and the screen went black.

There was a clicking sound, and the camera was again in the present.

"Well," Pinkie Pie look embarrassed, "When I made that announcement, I forgot that the camera Can't leave the studio them's the rules. And we can't host past the maximum capacity for guests in the studio the fire department says, and the entire legions of Tartarus apparently count as too many. Too bad. I had some really epic collection of boss music chosen, naw, not One-Winged-Alicorn, EVERYPONY does that one." The entire studio was shaken by an explosion again.

"Stunning-Brightly-Special-Flare-Technique-Trixie-Shall-Never-Do-Again-Fire!" A magnificent pattern of purple lights and blue lightning shinned through a window.

"STAY AWAY FROM MY COFFEE SHOP YOU FREAKS!"

"Now Coffee Swirl, just because they're evil doesn't make them freak," Fluttershy's voice said through the window.

"GET'EM CERBERUS!" Fluttercruel added.

"Twilight dear, weren't you supposed to be fighting all the monsters of Tartarus by yourself all at once?" Rarity's voice was heard.

"I AM! CELESTIA SAVE ME I AM!!!"

"No need to shout my faithful student."

"Did you see that TOTALLY AWESOME MOVE I just did? I don't know if I'll ever be able to pull off that again!" Rainbow Dash predictably said.

A pony skull was knocked through the window, bouncing a few times with an 'Ow!' before landing on the floor.

Pinkie Pie trotted up to it. "Howdy."

"COWER BEFORE ME MORTAL! I SHALL DESTROY YOU! BEG AT MY HOOVES AND I'LL GRANT YOU A QUICK END!"

"You don't have any hooves."

"Oh! . . . Well then you are doomed! Doomed! Bwahahah! Hey! put me down! Don't you know a fearsome undead pony pirate when you see one-HEY!" Pinkie Pie threw him out the window.

"By the way Bronies, there's a SECRET I want to share with all of you!" Pinkie Pie sneaked up to the camera and leaned foreword then put her hoof to the microphone and whispered, "This episode is 'semi-canon.'" Pinkie Pie leaned back and pulled out a large beanbag seat and sat down.

"I dunno what that means either. But apparently there really WAS a break out from Tartarus. But The Princesses and the Guard took care of the giant Pain Monster that escaped, but other monsters escaped too. But the big giant battle in Ponyville apparently is non-canon, so that's where the 'semi-' part comes in. Don't worry though!" Pinkie Pie took out a clipboard. "We got a list! Twilight loves those! It has the name of every monster that escaped Tartarus! That way we can be sure we didn't miss any! . . . " Pinkie Pie looked closely. "Heeeeey, what's this name at the bottom? Looks like it got smudged . . . T . . . Ti . . . can't read anymore. Oh well, I bet it's just 'Tim The Enchanter' or somepony like that! . . . OH! There's a posted note! 'Ha ha ha! Ha ha ha! See you ponies in two years. Ha!' Hmmm . . . that might be trouble . . . but I'm sure we'll handle it. This isn't a grim dark story after all."

Pinkie Pie took a deep breath. "Well, I suppose I could point the camera outside the window like I did with Rarity and Rainbow Dash with that extra-special distance lens . . . but Twilight said some of the beasts in Tartarus are so ugly that they shouldn't be recorded. But I'm sure she was just exaggerating. . . . I'll let you guys write, I mean decide what I do next! Just remember the rules!" Pinkie Pie then did her best Twilight Sparkle impersonation.

What you put in the comments appears in the story.

Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and I can't spill the beans about us being out-and-out fiction to the others.

The camera can't leave the studio.

The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from “My little Pony”

Everything that happens here is non-canon (well, except for the Tartarus break out thingie).

Keep the number of characters in the studio a manageable size. Seriously. Don't let it overload. TERRIBLE THINGS will happen if you do.

Have Fun!!!"

"They're coming at me all at once! Why are they coming all at -ME- ALL AT ONCE?" Twilight Sparkle's voice outside shouted as she fought all the monsters of Tartarus at the same time.

"Is this alright, darling?" The camera view rose and turned around, showing Rarity with her horn glowing, the white unicorn having come inside. She quickly waved a hoof to the camera and checked her mane in the studio monitors, making sure it hadn't gotten mussed during the skirmish outside.

"Perfect!" said Pinkie. "Just aim it out the window there!"

Now the studio monitors showed the broken, cratered street outside, with an alarmingly large black dragon just down the road, roaring and spitting flames as it trampled a gazebo. "What did Twilight say that one was called? Smog the Inconsiderate? Oh dear, he's coming this way!"

Pinkie searched through a pack for in-case-of-dragon supplies, tossing aside a rubber chicken and a pair of glasses with fake mustache. "It's too bad you can't levitate a whole bunch of big boulders, and send rock monsters to beat that dragon up!"

Rarity rolled her eyes. "Me, engage in such brute combat? Not in a thousand years. Oh!"

On the monitors, Shining Armor trotted out of an alley, with his horn blazing bright and a glowing translucent sledgehammer the size of a house floating over his head. Pinkie fumbled for a remote and turned up the volume... Rarity tried not to think about how that was supposed to work... so they could hear him say, "Roll for initiative, punk."

Rarity's hoof collided with her face. "Did he really have to say that? I can understand a little banter, but he's a grown stallion!"

Pinkie gave the fashionista an odd look. "He's carrying around a sledgehammer as big as Sugarcube Corner and trash-talking an army of demons...and your first reaction is to critique his line?"

Rarity hmphed, "Just expecting a little professionalism, Pinkie---OH! Look at that technique!" she awed, grinning.

The monitors showed Shining giving the army of monsters merry hell. Crowds were sent flying left and right as he swept it across the ground; sometimes he went for a vertical strike, bringing the full weight of the hammer down on his foes. Others were launched into the air by an expanding shield at their feet...and swatted into oblivion as Shining swung the hammer like a baseball bat.

"Yerrr OUT!" Shining taunted his foes as they were banished back to Tartarus, Major League-style.

During the display of hammer-based brutality, Shining had never stood still for more than a few seconds. He just kept moving, kept running, right towards the titanic black dragon (who was merrily snacking on skyscrapers while Twilight took potshots with her own magic....and also throwing other monsters. She was fond of the Fastball Special.)

Rarity stared at the monitors. She saw the leigions of twitching, cringing monsters strewn in Shining's wake; some were trying to crawl away. She saw Shining himself smash the hammer into the ground--instantly crushing some sort of succubus-mare into the pavement--and pole-vault into the air, right at the giant dragon.

Pinkie smirked. "I'd say he's earned the right to a cheesy line or two, Rarity."

Twilight, meanwhile, was attempting to use some banter of her own. The key word being "attempting."

"All right you dragon, let's stop dragon this out, or I'm gonna have to spank you," she began. "And then I'm gonna send you to bed with no supper, and if you try to get out, I'll..."

Shining interrupted her. "Twily, they're called 'one-liners' for a reason. Sometimes..." he backhooved a weird-looking robot pony that was trying to sneak up on him. "Less is more."

Twilight stuck out her tongue, simultaneously hip-checking what looked like a moderately-large crab and sending the enemy crustacean flying. "Fight first, quip advice later!" She barked, back-flipping over a charging skeleton-griffon. At the apex of her flip, she flared her gossamer wings out for more air-time and angled her head down, aiming her horn at the undead beast.

"Calcium Drain! Liquid State!"

What was unquestionably milk was magically siphoned from the bony griffon even as it tried to take to the air. Within seconds--before Twilight had even touched the ground--her target was drained of the vital calcium, and crumbled to dust in mid-air.

Twilight touched down with a smirk, a basketball-sized orb of milk floating by her head. (She also, unknowingly, happened to land right on a small mob of demon-mock-Breezies, squishing the evil wasp-ponies underhoof instantly).

"Sorry, fella; but I just had a bone to pick with you," Twilight quipped to the pile of dust, then conjured up a gust of wind to disperse it.

"...Better, a little bit," Shining commented, ducking a tail-swipe from the black dragon. Without even looking, he zapped his hammer with a bolt of magic, then slammed it into the ground. The impact produced a quickly-widening fissure in the earth, cracking the ground into a pit.
A crowd of monsters fell screaming into the abyss. "But what the hay are you gonna do with that blob of milk? Is it even safe to drink?"

Twilght shrugged, then side-stepped an odd steampunk manticore before melting it to slag with a fire spell that recalled a welding torch. "Don't know. Might be useful if we run into demonic cookies, though. Now, I believe you have a dragon to get rid of?"

Shining blinked. "Oh, right!" He spun on his hooves, dashed forward, and used his pole-vault trick again to launch himself at the dragon.

Meanwhile, the crab Twilight had hip-checked still flew through the air. The sea-beast thought it had gotten off easy: sure, getting rump-bumped into the sky wasn't the most dignified way to end a fight, but at least he wasn't suffering anything ironic or painful, right?

These were the Medium Enemy Crab's thoughts as gravity reclaimed him, and he fell into a giant vat of boiling-hot butter.

The dragon cackled and opened wide as the pony flew towards him, ready to chomp and swallow him whole, but Shining shielded himself with seconds to spare, and the bubble wedged itself in the dragon's open maw! "This is great!" he called back to Twilight. "It's been ages since I got to charge to the rescue."

Twilight chuckled. "My hero. I had no idea you were so strong, BBBFF!"

Shining Armor grimaced. "Neither did I, before Chrysalis."

The dragon squeezed harder, fangs crackling the shield, then shattering it... a hair too late to catch Shining Armor before he backflipped out and landed, hooves spread on the ground. The massive hammer flew over and pounded one of the dragon's hind feet. The dragon roared and hopped up and down on his other hind foot, and the hammer whacked that one too. "Enough of this banter! Take me seriously!"

"If you say so," said Shining, and the hammer whirled and slammed the dragon in the jaw, knocking him flat.

"So, is that whole hammer one big shield spell?" asked Twilight, grinning as she trotted over to his side. "Or did the Mighty Thorse drop by and loan you his?"

"A little of column A, and little of Column B." Shining Armor answered his sister cryptically.

As the fight continued on outside, Pinkie made sure to write check marks next to all monsters' names on her list that were being defeated and sent right back to Tartarus.

"Let's see that is a check for Hook beard the undead pirate, one for Pyramid Cranium and another for that weird tongue knight named 'The Lick King'."

*Boom* Pinkie looked up to see 'Smog the Inconsiderate' laying unconscious after a blow from Shining's humongous hammer.

"And another for the dragon. Wow, Twilight and Shining are really doing an super duper job out there. However, they still have a long way to go."

Pinkie unfolded her checklist which rolled around the studio TWICE and stopped halfway to Sugar Cube Corner.

"A VERY long way to go. Good thing she has lots of friends to help her. I would help but somepony has to host this party!"

"Shining, look out!"

Shining turned around to see that a golden robotic lobster had somehow managed to avoid his hammer and get pretty much right on top of him. Fortunately, Rainbow Dash, who had shouted to warn him, tackled the robot out of the way, while struggling to lift it.

"Man, this lobster is really heavy!" She complained. "I'll let you handle this."

She flew out of range of the hammer, allowing Shining to do a mighty uppercut-like swing (that somehow led to the hammer construct igniting) to trash the robot.

"Thanks for that!" Shining called to her.

"How did you even miss that?" Rainbow asked. "That thing was huge!"

"I dunno. I guess I must have failed a spot check."

Meanwhile...

"I'd better get set up for the 'We sure bashed a lot of monsters' party!" said Pinkie cheerfully. She placed a couple of chocolate-iced cakes on a table, turned around to get the paper plates, and squealed, nearly jumping out of her hide. "Oh no, this is terrible!"

Two stone statues now stood right in the middle of the studio floor, with long crooked horns and wings. Each of them held a wing swept forward, obscuring its face.

The camera fell. "What, what is it?" cried Rarity. "Oh... I must say, if those are party decorations, they're in rather poor taste."

"They're not decorations," whispered Pinkie ominously, staring bug-eyed at the two statues. "The statues are.. alive!"

"That sounds... bad."

"Nah, it's okay. They can only move when nopony's looking at them."

Rarity cringed. "How does that make it okay?!"

Pinkie scowled at the statues. "We have to watch them every single moment. We can't even blink, or..."

Rarity gulped. "Or?"

The studio lights flickered. When they came back on, the cakes were missing, and the statues now wore smug, mocking grins on their muzzles, along with a few cake crumbs.

Pinkie thrust a hoof at them dramatically. "Or, they'll eat all of our snacks!"

Pinkie Pie picked up a letter as Rarity finished putting a large vanity mirror in front of the weeping alicorn statues. She read, "Due to the convoluted nature of time in the Forth Wall Breaking Variety Show Studio, some events may not have happened yet in spite of happening happened already. Since in particular since the break out from Tartarus was supposed to have happened BEFORE the royal wedding, and could be why the battle of Ponyville against the Tartarus escapees is not canon, in spite the ponies involved clearly remembering the wedding. Also, in some cases in Tartarus, the EVIL PART of a creature's soul after they've self purified, may itself be sent to Tartarus, while the rest of them enters Elysium. Those who begin to develop corrupt identities from magical substances, like Witch-Weed, are particularly susceptible, and do not imply the good half of that person's soul did not go to Elysium. Gee that was boring to read. Rarity! Are you dressing up the evil statues?"

"They could use some refinement dear."

Outside Ponyville was in the midst of the biggest disaster to hit it since -- well, in the last two or three weeks, actually. No sane or rational pony would be out on the streets.

So of course three fillies were out in the middle of it all.

"Scootaloo, ya SHORE this is a good idea?" Applebloom said as she watched something like a giant anthropomorphic flower chase a shrieking Lily into the house she shared with her friends. As it came running back out, shrieking as the three furious mares chased it with an economy-size spray bottle of weedkiller, she said, "It seems kinda dangerous out here right now, even for Ponyville."

"Aww, don't be so chicken, and no smart remarks." Scootaloo scowled at her smirking friends. Past them, they could see a furious Berry Punch wheel and buck what looked like a penguin with a crown through a stone wall. Scootaloo ignored it to say, "We're sure to get cutie marks in monster-fighting when we help Rainbow Dash save everypony -- HEY!" She glared at the giant bipedal cat-woman who held her up, licking her chops.

"Scootaloo!" Sweetie cried, and Applebloom said, "Let go o' her, ya nasty ol' monster!"

The catwoman sniffed in disdain.

"Bah, more pony brats," she spat. "Just like last time, when Rep turned on me," she looked downhearted for a moment before saying, "and took away my Witchweed potion!" She snarled at the CMC. "I want it, I NEED it, you'll shoe me where to get some more, or else I just found a new scratching post!" She popped the claws on one hand in a menacing fashion.

"Uhh...' Sweetie Belle said, "O-okay, we'll help you. But what does it look like?" She cringed back as the monster snarled at her, but then it frowned, brow furrowing in thought.

"It's been so long I forget," she rumbled. "It was made from flowers of some sort, brightly-colored flowers..."

As she spoke the three fillies caught sight of a small patch of familiar blue flowers behind her against the edge of the Everfree Forest. They looked at each other and nodded.

"Oh, witchweed," Scootaloo said. "Why didn't you say so? There's a whole patch of it over there." She pointed her hoof at the blue patch of Poison Joak. The fillies tried covering their smiles, but not fast enough.

"Oh, so that's Witchweed?" Katrina hissed. "Okay, so why don't YOU three try it out!" And with a fanged grin she snatched up all three the three hapless fillies and hurled them into the Poison Joak. It exploded into a cloud of pollen.

Katrina grinned -- a grin that was replaced with a look of rising horror as she saw what came out of the cloud.

Moments later, confused ponies saw a shrieking giant catwoman fleeing wildly from a yellow and crimson timber wolf with a flames on the inside that strangely didn't burn or hurt the beast but let it breath fire, an orange griffin with huge muscles that would make Big Mac whimper, and a snow-white royal changeling, all three of them looking oddly youngish and yelling, "YAY! CUTIE MARK CRUSADER MONSTERS HUNTING MONSTERS CUTIE MARK!"

"My worse fear has come to pass!" Rarity lamented watching the studio monitors at the transformation of her little sister, she summoned her chaise longue and dramatically fell upon it.

Pinkie Pie blinked, looking to Rarity. "Uh...that's only temporary... I mean, poison joke normally IS temporary . . ."

"Good...but isn't there supposed to be some sort of warden if Tartarus is a prison?" Rarity asked.

"Yeah, I wonder why he's not doing anything..." Pinkie muttered, tapping her chin. A letter appeared next to her out of nowhere. "Huh? Hmm... 'I'm Busy Preventing Anyone Else From Escaping And If I Came With An Avatar, I Might Accidentally Level Ponyville Due To Being One Of The four Most Powerful Beings In Creation. So I Sent Pandora Since Shining Knows Her."

"Hey Shining!" called Pandora, coming out of a dimensional portal leading the O&O personas Shining's group used and the hero cast of Legend of Cadence, dressed like the game's version of Celestia.

Twilight blinked. "You know Pandora?!"

"I'm a weirdness magnet okay! I'm about to team up with two imaginary versions of myself!"

Pinkie blinked. "That was odd..."

Rarity sighed. "Could this get any weirder?"

A dimensional portal opened up and a much more beautiful version of Chrysalis lacking her holes and resembling a grandmother more than the sociopathic Changeling ruler they knew poked her head out blinking. "...Oh...Doctor Kabuto, I think you tore a hole in the fabric of reality...again..."

A ditzy, absent minded, but kindly looking version of Professor Kabuto (his eye piece being attached by a headband instead of surgically grafted to his skull) poked his out. "Oh my! That was supposed to be a toaster! Oh well, it's better outcome than when I accidentally allowed that traitorous Hercules become a living weapon of mass destruction."

"We didn't know he was a backstabbing traitor and coward at the time."

A small, surprisingly happy Sweetie Belle poked her head out of the portal and blinked, looking at Rarity. "Rarity? Did Chryssy teach you the beauty of love and sharing it like she did me?" she asked in a tone of complete child-like innocents instead of brainwashing.

Pinkie blinked while Rarity lay fainted on her couch. "...We're in the middle of watching a big battle with the forces of Tartarus and this in noncanon and multidimensional, so the universe will be safe unlike that comic...want to come and eat some cake while we watch?"

The kindly looking Chrysalis gave a big smile. "Oh I haven't had cake in so long! Our Celestia has been destroying every recipe she can find!"

"...You're definitely from a mirror universe..."

A ghostly image of a wolf pup barked behind Pinkie Pie.

"Oh right, I'm not supposed to know about universes crossing over might damages them yet am I?"

The wolf growled.

"Alright fine." Pinkie Pie gave the wolf the copy of the My Little Pony Comic that covered the Reflections story arc, which the wolf promptly ate. The visitors to the studio wondered who Pinkie Pie had been talking to.

Meanwhile in Ponyville.

"Hi! Would you like to be changed into a changeling?"

"No." Said Lilly.

"Hi! Would you like to be changed into a changeling?"

"No!" Said Rose Luck.

"Hi! Would you like to be changed into a changeling?"

"No!" Said Daisy.

"Sweetie Belle!" The muscle bound and large orange griffin that had been Scootaloo chastised, "Are you going to ask that of everypony we meet or help?"

The giant yellow and red fire breathing timber wolf that used to be Applebloom whined like a dog in confusion at Sweetie Belle's action.

"Sorry girls," Sweetie Belle genuinely apologized, "I just want to form my own hive. I don't know WHY I want to form my own hive, I just know I do. And neither of you wanted to be changed into changelings, so I have to keep asking." The royal changeling said, as she explained what her new instincts were telling her to do.

A squad of five goblins in yellow helmets wielding clubs came into view of the three monsters.

"Which one do we attack?"

"Not the big muscle griffin."

"And I'm not going near that fire breathing wolf tree thing."

"Okay! So we attack the white pretty bug thing!"

"Yeah! Let's attack that one!"

"We're standing right here ya know," the griffin that had been Scootaloo said.

"Who cares! The Goblin Code is never retreat, and never surrender, unless we're losing, or it turns out our enemy is stronger than us. Then we retreat with our noses between our legs and beg for our lives without shame."

"That's one messed up code."

"We're also taught beauty is bad. Slavery is legal in our culture, and giving is against our most fundamental beliefs. So yeah, our cultures couldn't be more alike, which is why you must be destroyed."

Sweetie Belle asked, "Well, would you like to be changed into changelings?"

"YEEEEAAAAGH!" The goblin attack force let out a war cry.

"Is that a yes?" Sweetie Belle asked feeling elated as the squad of nearly a half a dozen goblins leapt on her at once.

Five minutes later Sweetie Belle was lovingly patting a set of five slimy cocoons. "There there my little ones, feel your new mommy's love." She looked at the timber wolf and griffin. "What?"

"Sweetie, that's just plain freaky!" The griffin said.

In a quiet corner of the studio, Twilight Sparkle was multitasking... resting on a floor mat and eating a couple of Pinkie's sugar cookies with lemonade, while browsing through an Ogres and Oubliettes rules manual, and keeping an eye on the studio monitors too. The unicorn smiled to herself. "Not my usual reading material."

"Oh yes," said the voice of Pandora. "Isn't it wonderful, trying new things?"

Twilight gasped, trying not to choke on her lemonade. The Spirit of Imagination was with Shining's party on the monitors, cheering them on as they battled the giant cloud monster Arabus, but she was right here, too!

Pandora slid through the air gracefully, hovering on Twilight's other side. "I could feel you burning up with curiosity, Twilight Sparkle. I like that!"

Twilight smiled, a bit flustered. "Forgive me. I'm not used to used to being this close to a draconequus. Without, you know, being in a fight for my life or sanity... No offense!" Her gaze fell on the monitors again. "How is Shiny doing that? I exhausted my mana and had to take a breather, but he just keeps at it."

Pandora snapped her fingers, and the studio became the set of a quiz show, with Twilight behind a podium and Pandora wearing a flashy formal suit and waving a microphone. "Do you really want me to just tell you? Isn't it more fun to keep guessing?"

Twilight blinked. "You did this?"

"You didn't buzz-in," Pandora chided her.

Twilight groaned, hit the buzzer on her podium, and repeated, "You did this, didn't you?"

An invisible audience cheered and a bell went ding-ding-ding! "It's true," said Pandora somberly, as the studio poofed back to normal. "I made your brother's life hell by not keeping an eye on my wayward children. Twice! And even after all that, he was such a good sport about the whole thing... so I Inspired him. And now he's having the time of his life, doing things he never imagined he could before."

Twilight felt a chill down her spine. "He's not going to hurt himself doing that, is he?"

"Hey, I'm doing my best here! Third time's the charm?"

Twilight glared. "If he does, I am so going to... I don't know what, but you're not going to like it!"

Pandora smiled at the monitors, noted the Cutie Mark Crusaders having their fun, and wiggled her fingers again.

"Guys! Guys!" Applebloom said in a growling voice, having figured out how to speak as a timber wolf. "Ah think we oughta spend more time fighting th' monsters than fussing over Sweetie," she gulped at the sight of Changeling Queen Sweetie Belle cooing to the five slimy cocoons, "making some more changelings."

"Okay," Scootaloo said as the three mutated CMCs looked around Ponyville's embattled main square. They saw a blob of Smooze try to affect Derpy Hooves, turning her cruel and surly, and failing miserably as she just laughed at the silly thing. It whimpered and shriveled up into dust. They saw a porcine princess with a magic mirror, a large octopus cursing weakly as it dragged itself over dry ground with its tentacles. "Then which one do we start with?"

Before any of them could respond, a loud and gravelly voice spoke behind and above them.

"WHAT ABOUT ME, YOU VERMIN?"

The CMC spun to see a giant formed seemingly of solid diamond. A crown shone on his head, and he grinned smugly down at the three transformed fillies.

"Okay," Sweetie said, "which one are you supposed to be?"

"WRETCHED CREATURES!" The giant boomed, "KNOW THAT I AM LAVAN, KING OF THE LAVA DEMONS, AND ONCE USURPER OF THE POWER OF THE PRINCESS PONIES!" He stomped his foot and the earth beneath cracked open, allowing magma to ooze up. "NOW THAT I AM FREED FROM TARTARUS, I WILL TAKE THE POWER OF YOUR WRETCHED PRINCESSES AND MAKE MYSELF LIKE UNTO A GOD ONCE MORE!"

"Beg pardon, Mister Lavan?" The giant stopped and frowned down at Scootaloo. "But are you actually made of diamond, or do you just look like it?"

"INSOLENT CREATURE! YOU DARE SUGGEST THAT THE MIGHTY LAVAN IS COMPOSED OF INFERIOR RHINESTONES OR EVEN CHEAP GLASS?" The CMC flinched back as the heat of his words, and breath, poured over them. "FOR THAT ALONE YOUR DEATHS WILL BE DREADFUL BEYOND BELIEF! MY MATCHLESS FORM IS COMPOSED OF THE PUREST DIAMOND IMAGINABLE!"

"I thought so," Scootaloo aid with a grin. She took to the air and shot off in the direction of the Ponyville library. Along the way she snatched up a pair of mad scientist monkeys who were preparing to use their cobbled-together (from some of Pinkie's odds and ends) mind control device on Shining Armor where he battled some of Lavan's lava demon flunkies. They shrieked as she hurled them at the library door. Their shrieks stopped suddenly along with a sound of crashing wood. Scootaloo darted inside and came back out with Spike in her claws.

"Hey! What's going on -- wait, is that monster made out of diamond?" Even as Scootaloo dropped him to the ground, Spike began to grow, his gaze fixed on the monstrosity with a maddened hunger. He began to stomp forward, almost skipping through Lavan's magma as he grunted, "Spike hungry! Spike WANT!"

Scootaloo dropped down by her friends, who stared in horrified fascination as the ravenous dragon consumed the shrieking diamond giant.

"OWWWW! NO! NOT THE LEGS, NOT THE LEGS!"

"Uh, Scootaloo," Queen Sweetie said, "what will we do with Big Spike when all this is over, and we have a rampaging dragon in Ponyville?"

Scootaloo sw how both her friends glared at her.

"Okay, okay," she said in a huff. "So my plan has a FEW drawbacks."

"GET AWAY FROM ME, YOU OVERSIZED--ARGH!! THAT WAS MY WRITING HAND!!"

The three transformed fillies looked up, and found Lavan--now bereft of his right leg and left arm--hopping away from Big Spike, each impact shaking the ground. Despite the diamond giant's obvious desperation to flee, Spike easily kept pace...while strolling casually after Lavan, gnawing on a severed arm as it were a lollipop. He looked back at the CMCs with a big, happy grin and waved a massive claw before finishing off the arm...and tackling Lavan, continuing his eating binge.

*CHOMP!* "NOOOOO! MY LEGS!! I NEED THOSE FOR MY CARDIO CLASS!!!" Lavan wailed.
Spike merrily chowed down, and produced a giant salt-shaker from nowhere to season the would-be king.

Applebloom tilted her head, her wooden neck creaking. "Should we...y'know, help him? He's a bad guy, but Ah'm not sure if he deserves ta get...well, eaten."

Scootaloo waved a talon. "Ah, he'll be fine. Not even Big Spike has an appetite like that. ...I think."

Sweetie Belle perked up. "If there's anything left of him, do you girls think I could turn the little pieces into Changelings? Ooh, rock-Changelings! Maybe I can make elemental drones!!"

Applebloom side-stepped. "Ah'll say it again: that is just plumb creepy."

Sweetie Belle stuck out her forked snake-tongue.

Meanwhile, Katrina sneaked behind the trio, making use of a stealth-spell and--to fool the Timberwolf- and Griffon-fillies--scent-masking potion. (The second was more for the tree sap she'd gotten covered in running from her would-be victims than her smell). Her feline teeth shown as she prepared her magic. "You three brats won't get rid of me that easy...what shall it be...? Aha! How about a shrinking spell?! Let's see you little monsters terrorize me when you're the size of fleas!"

She prepared the spell, aiming it at the trio.....

Rarity's eyes burst open as she sat up on the couch like a jack in the box. "SWEETIE BELLE!" She looked at the monitors in the studio at what the evil of the cat-wman witch was about to do.

The next anypony knew, Rarity had applied a flying kick to Katrina's head.

A pony screamed as several semi-coporeal figures chased her through the streets, their ghastly wails cutting through the air to chill the hearts of all who heard.

"GET DOWN!"

The pony reacted more on herd instinct than actual thought, diving into a slide at the force of the command, just as a small explosion thundered. Behind her, the spirits from Tartarus were struck by something, their forms bursting apart. Coffee Swirl fluttered down in front of the mare, still holding the blunderbuss he'd taken from an undead pirate. The barrel was still smoking and the tip crusted with burnt salt.

"Come on, follow me." He flew, so as the gun wouldn't impede his movement, through the street with the mare following closely. Eventually, he reached his coffee shop, which had that ponies that hadn't been near enough to their homes when this whole thing had started huddled inside. Outside, Fluttershy was directing several animals at the task of carving a circle around the building.

As the latest pony dashed inside, the butter-yellow pegasus turned to the redish-brown one. "My critter friends did what you asked, but... how is this supposed to help the ponies inside?"

"You two really need to read The Dresden Fillies books." Swirl pulled a pin out of the vest he wore as part of his job, held it in his teeth, and pricked the side of his leg so a drop of his blood fell on the circle line. "Try and cross it, just with a hoof."

Fluttershy blinked a few times, but obliged... only for her hoof to hit an invisible wall right at the circle's line.

"What the buck?!" Fluttercruel took over, looking at Coffee Swirl. "How did you do that?"

"A circle infused with my will, in the form of that blood I used, as long as I can stay alive, it'll stay intact. A wizard would use magic, but I'm not a wizard."

"And Twilight doesn't use it because..."

Swirl wingshrugged. "I don't think she believes in it. Anyway, I've got more ghosts to bust." He looked inside his place of business, then called to a certain blonde pony. "You're in charge while I'm away, okay?"

Lily shot straight up. "WHAT?!"

"Crash course in leadership, Lily," Swirl said, loading more salt packets into his stolen blunderbuss. "You'll do fine."

Lily's eyes shrunk to pinpricks. "WHAT!?!"

"Glad that's settled, see you in a little while." He flew off, the Flutters following with their animal companions.

Back in the shop, Lily was rooted to the spot, almost afraid to turn around and face the ponies she was now in charge of. "...what."

"Thanks for saving us Rarity!" Sweetie Belle cheered.

"You're welcome Sweetie Belle, I know violence isn't lady like, but I wasn't about to let ANOTHER WITCH lay another claw on you."

Rarity and the temporary changeling hugged.

"So Rarity . . . would you like to be a changeling?"

"Sweetie Belle!"

"No no no!" Sweetie Belle waved her hooves. "It's okay! Listen! If you were a changeling, you could experiment with dress designs before you make them, you could even see how they look on different ponies without having the to model for you! And you could save so much time and bits on make-up, and styling your mane! And you could taste the love of ponies on how much they truly love your dresses to better make them! It's win/win!"

Nearby and ignored by the mutated CMC and the shocked Rarity, Katrina dealt with the aftereffects of her botched shrinking spell.

"Rotten ponies!" She yelled up at the equines. They ignored her. Little wonder, as she was currently the size of an average mouse. Her voice sounded ridiculously squeaky as she yelled, "I'll get you yet! JUst let me figure out how to get back to my normal size, and..."

She froze as something nearby let out a familiar sound. The low and playful purr of a cat that just discovered both a new toy and dinner at the same time.

A drop of drool splattered down on Katrina.

Moving with infinite slowness, she turned and saw a large white-furred cat looking down at her.

"Now, now, cousin," she said, backing away from it. The cat followed, stalking her with glee in its eyes as she said, "Remember, we're both cats, we should be above this..."

Opal just grinned, and Katrina felt utter terror.

Sweetie and Rarity stopped their argument over the benefits of magically-induced species changing at the sound of a faint shriek and a loud yowl. They looked around and saw Opal chasing after something in the grass as she vanished around the corner of a house.

"What was that?" Sweetie said. "It sounded familiar, somehow." As she spoke she idly raised a temporary magical shield that deflected a wild magic blast. It struck a nearby male human sorcerer who was using his wand to command the ponyquins from Rarity's boutique to fetch her collected gems out for him. He went head over heels and collided with the statue in thw town square, sliding down with a groan.

"Oh, nothing dear," Rarity said. "Just Opal playing with another poor mouse. If we weren't being beset by the hordes of Tartarus I'd stop her, but right now we have more important concerns. Speaking of which," she yelled at Sweetie, "What makes you think I would ever become a Changeling?!? Father and mother will be SO upset with you, little sister!"

Sweetie Belle cringed, then turned thoughtfully mischievous. "Well, mom and dad wouldn't have to know right away!" The little white changeling queen wreathed herself in pale green fire and emerged looking just like her usual filly self.

Now Rarity was the one taken aback. "That's.. that's not the point. Sweetie, you're just dodging the issue."

"What issue? There's nothing *wrong* about being a changeling. Do we still have to argue about that? Why can't I decide who I want to be?" Sweetie considered her still-blank flank, rubbing her chin with a hoof, then focused her magic again and painted a cutie mark there: a large eighth-note with a small crown centered on the stem of the note.

"Because you're trying to be something you're not. Besides, what's going to happen when that poison joak wears off, young lady? What's going to happen to your 'swarm?' Is that fair to them?"

"Relax, big sis," said Sweetie Belle in an ominous tone. "I've got it all figured out." She reverted back to her changeling form and spat slime on the ground, shaping it into another cocoon with her magic. "While I'm asleep in there, I'll be cured of the poison joak and turn into a real changeling at the same time."

Twilight looked to the heroic Chrysalis and alternate Sweetie Belle. "...Is your Sweetie Belle...you know?"

"Not yet. I'm under age..." the alternate Sweetie Belle pouted.

"You see, unlike what you've told me of your Chrysalis," said the good Chrysalis. "Me and my Changelings are symbiotic and fully public, and there's laws stopping under aged ponies from converting. Sweetie does want to be a royal Changeling like her alternate self, of her own free will, but she's only a foal. "

Chrysalis then snarled at a picture of a rather bulbous, fat looking Changeling moving around on spider-like legs. "I take it that's your Queen Cocoon?"

"I...I think, I never saw her...you two don't get along either? I thought..."

"Moralities aren't flipped between our world's, dear, it's personality traits. Our Cocoon was an ambitious conqueror. Though she admittedly did develop into a better queen towards the end, but the Changelings still needed a peaceful ruler rather than a warhungry conqueror..."

"...Wouldn't that mean our Cocoon started out good and turned evil?" asked Twilight.

"...Yes...I suppose it does..."

Pinkie tapped her chin. "Our universe has a 'convince them they were wrong and get them to repent means they can go to Heaven..."

Pinkie pulled out a scroll and began writing on it. "I think a certain Changeling General would like a second chance here..."

"I'll go hold her off while you do that," the good Changeling Queen replied.

Rarity blinked. Then blinked again. "...What? Oh, that does it; young filly! You will NOT be doing any more of this 'Changeling Royalty' nonsense!" Sneering, the fashionista cast a blue bolt of magic that zapped Sweetie's cocoon into vapor. Not a single drop of slime was left.

Applebloom and Scootaloo cringed at the mare's aggression; they'd seen Rarity fight, but never outright disintegrate something. Sweetie gasped, looking horrified. "B-but…Rarity! I was just finishing my cocoon!" She whined.

Rarity stomped a hoof. "Don't 'but Rarity' me, young filly! You will only remain a Changeling until the Poison Joke wears off or we get rid off all these monsters, whichever comes first. And neither will I become a Changeling....even though that bit about the dresses does sound nice," she added, getting a dreamy smile.

Seeing Sweetie's smug look, Rarity got back on topic. "Hmph! That's final, young filly. If you try to...'convert' yourself behind my back, no dessert for six. Months."

Silence fell over the three fillies. Sweetie's defiance had evaporated.

Rarity smirked in triumph. "Hmm. Now that we're clear, you three make use of those transformations and help fight these ruffians! You may even get your Cutie marks for iiit!~" She added with a wink.

Spirits restored, the transformed fillies ran off into battle, sending a trio of thuggish-looking birds flying as they simply crashed through their foes. As Rarity went to follow them, she spotted a small blob of Smooze weakly oozing by. Its color was faded, they eyes were red with tears, and it evil tones were whimpering about a grey pegasus who'd laughed the rest of it into oblivion.

Rarity gagged at the hideous thing, and stomped on it as hard as she could. When she lifted her hoof, there was nothing but a pile of grey dust that blew away with the wind. "Vile thing...hmm, I wonder: if the Poison Joke turned those three into monsters, would it do the same for anypony else...? No! It's too dangerous!" Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Spike in his adult form, eating the last of what looked like a considerable amount of gems.

"Then again, even a dragon can't fight too well right after eating that much...and I wouldn't want my Spikey-Wikey to get hurt...."

"Hey girls! Look at this!" Applebloom barked--literally barked--as she trotted up to her friends, grinning from ear to ear and covered in honey. She found Scootaloo and Sweetie were idly finishing off another crowd of goblins. Sweetie had trapped them with her slime like fly paper and set them up in a neat formation (ignoring their threats and trash-talk), and Scootaloo had rolled her bulky form across the ground at the impromptu bowling pins.

There were two goblins left: a 7/10 split. Scooaloo slammed into the one on the right, turning at the last moment to hit her target from the side. She impacted hard enough to dislodge him from the ground and send him flying...but her angle was off, and he missed his friend entirely. He hit a tree instead. Sweetie electrocuted the last one with a quick bolt of lightning. She looked ready to spit up some slime on him, but stopped herself; she remembered Rarity's warning.

Scootaloo flew over, landing with a great thud. "What's up, Applebloom? ...And what's with the honey?"

Applebloom shrugged, rustling branches and creaking her wooden joints. "Fought some weird b.ee-things. Don't worry, Ah took care of 'em. But check this out!" Giggling, she craned her head around and picked something off her back with her mouth, holding it gently by its robes. "Luk phemiliar?"

Katrina gulped when looks of recognition flashed across the faces of the monster-fillies, followed by smirks. She waved a paw at them, trying to be casual. "Um...h-h-hi there, k-k-kiddies. No h-hard feelings, right? I mean, t-t-t-transforming like that is c-cool, and; um…ohpleasefortheloveofallthatisholydon'teatme!!!

As Katrina fled like a frightened cat from the Crusaders...right into a wall formed by Shining Armor.

The Crusaders turned their attention elsewhere, finding a woman in a red robe hunched over like she was old. They prepared to pounce.

"Wait!"

The trio blinked. "Yeah?"

"I...I'm sorry..."

Apple Bloom blinked. "Ya are?"

"Y-Yes...centuries in Tartarus and now seeing this world you ponies have made...I want to repent."

Scootaloo raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yes, and it was seeing you three brave little fillies fight to protect your town that convinced me of it. How can I ever repay you, my little ponies?"

The three looked at each other with a blink. "...Don't suppose you can help the other two of us find our Cutie Marks?"

"Oh, my dear, that's a simple feat."

The three's eyes widened. "What?!"

"I have some magic that can do that, my dears."

"But Twilight said that didn't work..." Applebloom said with a blink.

"Twilight's not an incredibly ancient mage, my dear, I know many spells she doesn't."

The three didn't notice the witch was solely leading them a bit aside now that she had them hooked, off to the outskirts of the town.

"The trick is to create the right situation, want me to try?" she asked.

"Yeah!"

Scootaloo looked sheepish. "Can you help me with...well..."

"No need to say it, dear, I can make your heart's desire come true."

"...Please do..."

"Alright dears, here we go."

Applebloom found herself going through a day on the farm. She lifted a broken limb twice her size, and found a tingle on her flank, looking back to find an epic weight Cutie Mark for super strength.

Sweetie Belle found herself in front of Canterlot, singing a song extending her feelings and wishes to a certain Changeling Queen, earning her Cutie Mark saving her soul.

Scootaloo?

"Mom? Dad?"

The witch removed her hood, revealing a black haired human woman with wrinks and a few grey streaked in her hair. As the Crusader's began to show signs of aging, Somnambula's appearance became young again.

Looking around the area, one would find some of Ponyville's citizens having been lured into similar illusions. However, unlike Princess Gaia's, there were no good intentions here.

She turned to a trio of ugly humans women. "Hydia, can you and your daughters make sure no pony disturbs me? Once I'm at full power, I can put on a real show."

"I think we can," Hydia hit her daughter's on the head. "See! Why can't you be more like her?! That's a REAL witch."

"We got into Tartarus mom..."

"Yeah, for helping me in my plans! Not for any misdeeds of your own!"

Pandora had taken to running all six of the studio cameras herself, so she wouldn't miss a moment of the battle. "Ooh, what a plot twist... Woohoo, go Shining! ... How about a rack zoom here... ooh, and this touching moment should have a closeup and multiple angles... what's this?"

"What's what, Miss Pandora?" asked Pinkie, happily bouncing upside-down through the live Escher painting that Pandora had made half of the studio into.

One of the monitors floated to the fore, showing Rarity leaping into the field of poison joke and rolling around. "Typical. She crushes a filly's dreams, brings her down to plain old boring earth, and then she expects *her* dream to come true. Well! If she wants a dragon's heart so badly..."

Rarity stumbled back towards Ponyville, feeling like her head was stuffed with cotton. "Where am I?" She glanced down and blinked at her drab white coat and the slate-grey lock of her mane that she could see. "That's not right."

Then she crested the top of a hill and saw all the giant monsters rampaging through Ponyville, buildings on fire and goblins running wild in the streets. "What..." Everything sharpened into focus. "What are those beasts doing to MY city?!" snarled Rarigreed. "I'll make them pay back every bit it costs to clean up this mess!"

She glanced at a fallen tree nearby. "Mine." A burst of magic animated all the loose wood and rocks into a towering two-legged form which approached her and saluted. "Nice work, if I do say so myself. But one isn't enough... I want more golems. But I don't have enough magic to make many more golems." Rarigreed flashed a smile that would have turned the head of every noble at the Grand Gala. "I'll just have to take some."

The entranced ponies of Ponyville stood unmoving, lost in the dreams that Somnambula's magic created for them. Among them stood a snow-white changeling princess, her eyes wide as she spoke to someling that existed only in her head.

"Oh, Chryssy, I'm so happy you decided to become good!" Sweetie Belle said. "And you're going to be my other big sister? Because Rarity was actually always a changeling princess too? This is the best day ever!"

"That's right, horse," Somnambula said with a sneer as she watched Sweetie and the others turning old and gray, feeling their life and youth restoring her own magic. She reached under her robes and took her magical crystal out, seeing an entire rainbow of colors play across it as it absorbed the ponies' magic. She failed to notice how Hydia was backing towards her. "Give me your life, and let me remain young and powerful!... Hydia, what's the problem?"

"You got any spells to handle giant wood golems?"

"What are you talking about --" Somnambula turned and choked. Hydia hurried to hide behind her, and Reeka and Draggle both dashed to hide behind their mom. Walking towards her with many a creak and groan was a giant tree-man. And beside it was another of these dratted ponies. The witch gulped. "What do you think you want?"

"That crystal for starters," Rarity said, her eyes aglow with greed as she stared at the magic Sonambula bore. "And then, I want you has-been villains out of MY town!"

"Hydia!" Somnambula shrieked. "My illusions don't work on golems; do something!"

"I sure will!"

Somnambula turned and saw the three witches vanish from sight as they dove behind a nearby house.

"Cowards!" As she yelled, Rarigreed charged forward and snatched at her crystal. Somnambula yelled and fought to hold on to it. But as she did, her grip on the enthralled ponies slipped. They shook their heads and noticed saw the fight.

"Rarity!" Sweetie stomped forward, glaring at her big sister. "You got mad because I ended up in the Poison Joak, and then you go and do it!"

"Not now, dear!" Rarigreed said as she tried gripping Somnambula's crystal. "Your big sister is -- OW!" She snapped at the witch's hand as she jerked her thumb back from Rarity's eye, "Your big sister is busy getting the magic power she needs to defend Ponyville!"

"You still lied to me!" Sweetie stomped one forehoof. Behind her, Scootagriff and Applewolf chased after the three witches, who fled with many a shriek back towards Somnambula. "I wouldn't lie to you if you were MY little sister!"

"Well, I'm NOT your little sister!" Rarity lashed out with her magic as Somnambula struck with an illusion of helplessness. Rarity shrieked as the magics twisted and bent. She vanished into a green cloud, and when it evaporated?

"Oh, darn!" Little Fillygreed said, now even smaller than the unchanged Sweetie Belle.

"Hah!" Sweetie reached out with her magic and picked the unicorn filly up. "Now I AM the big sister! Hey, watch it!" She glared at her two friends as they rushed into her. All unnoticed, Somnambula snatched up the crystal and used its power again. "I... Chryssy! It''s great to see you again! And look, now I've got a little sister!"

The mutated CMC and Rarity all fell back into the witch's clutches. Somnambula cackled as they stood, lost in their illusions. Hydia and Draggle joined in; they did so love a good witchy cackle, and it's been millennia since they'd had one.

"Wonderful! No thanks to you three...." Somnambula scowled at Hydia. "Wait, where's that hefty daughter of yours?"

"She ain't hefty, she's fat," Hydia shot back. "I saw her chase off after some cowardly yellow pegasus, saying she was gonna use that pony-to-lizard spell I taught her from the Necronomicon..."

"No, ma, it was the one from 'De Vermis Mysteriis''," Dragglle said. "I remember, Reeka loved using it in the old days to get snacks -- OW!" She rubbed her head where Hydia had clouted her.

"Don't call me 'ma', it makes me sound old!" Hydia said. "Now where is Reeka, anyway?"

Their answer came with a wild scream as the pudgy witch fled past, running faster than she ever had before. Knowing they wouldn't like whatt they were about to see, the remaining witches turned and looked. Rising above the houses of Ponyville was a large yet somehow lovely yellow dragonness with pink crest running from her neck down to her tail.

"SORRY!" She somehow whispered in a booming voice. "I DIDN'T MEAN TO SCARE ANYPONY! BUT WHEN THAT WITCH CAST THAT SPELL..." She looked down at herself. "AHHH! I'M A DRAGON!" She ran off blundering through the village right towards them, with monsters and ponies alike scattering in every direction.

Somnambula summed up their entire situation in one word.

"Run."

Hydia sighed. "Now who's the coward?" she asked, looking through her robes. "Ah! This should work!"

She produced a magic potion and dropped it on the house next to her, causing it to reassemble into a gigantic monster. "Hold her off!" she yelled, the monster standing between the dragon and its master, giving the three mages time to fall back, Somnamubula luring her targets along with her. "Hurry up and get your power up to snuff! I've only got so many monsters I can throw at a dragon without a cauldron!"

Silver Spoon, watching nearby, growled. "...We need Applejack..." she said, not liking leaving her friends, but knowing AJ's illusion piercing powers were needed and running off to find her.

In her dream, little Rarity found herself before a mountain of snacks. "Cake! Chocolates! Mmm, so delicious!" She stuffed herself for hours and never got a tummy ache. "All of the candy in the world is mine!"

Princess Rarity wore an oversize robe and held a scepter in her little hooves. All of the ponies of Canterlot bowed low. "I hereby abolish naps, and spinach, and everything else boring or icky! Playtime... shall last forever!!"

The scene changed again, and Rarity soared through the moonlit clouds, not on fake magical wings, but with her own in her glorious dragon form... polished ivory scales and royal purple frills, with elegant horns and three perfect giant jewels set in her forehead, mimicking her cutie mark. Another glided alongside her... Spike the grand wyrm, charming and devastatingly powerful, everything to make a dragoness' blood boil. He steered closer, leaned his head to kiss her...

Rarity the little filly gasped and opened her eyes, struggling against the witch's spell. "Eeww, what was that?"

Somnamubula tisked and reinforced the spell. "Your dreams are... complicated. Don't you worry dear, I'll get you fixed right up."

Pinkie Pie turned from the monitors, "Uh-oh, battery is running low! I need to replace the battery! Be right back everypony!" Pinkie Pie reached and turned off the camera.

Author's Note

Pinkie Pie, "HELLLOOO EVERYPONY! WE'RE BACK! TIME FOR FUN AND GAMES AGAIN!"

4th Wall Breaking Variety Show Gallery. http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/gallery/42867862/Pinkie-Pie-Forth-Wall-Breaking-Variety-Show

What you put in the comments appears in the story.

Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and I can't spill the beans about us being out-and-out fiction to the others.

The camera can’t leave the studio.

The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from “My little Pony”

Everything that happens here is non-canon (except the Tartarus break out thingie, but not the big battle).

Have Fun

Keep the number of characters in the studio in the single digit range. Seriously. Don't let it overload. TERRIBLE THINGS will happen if you do.

Banner by Kendell2.

MLP FIM Copyright Hasbro

ADDITIONS BY:
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
SomeRandomMinion
Jarkes
SomeRandomMinion
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
Yoshiegg64
Jarkes
MtangaLion
Ardashir
Kendell2 And Alex Walorn (me) At the same time
MtangaLion
Ardashir
SomeRandomMinion (and a little bit by me)
dragon-of-twilght
Alex Warlorn
Ardashir
MtangaLion
Kendell2
SomeRandomMinion
Kendell2
MtangaLion
Ardashir and Kendell2
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Variety Show Special Part 2

Pinkie Pie face flickered back on as she finished changing the batteries. "I hope this episode doesn't run too long, batteries are expensive. And . . . all these monsters from Tartarus . . . all these ponies fighting . . . I know they're not in the studio . . . but . . . I almost feel like they're within the studio's radius or something. Oh well. Ahem. Remember the rules ponies out there watching this.

One: What you write in the comics is posted below. Two, only stuff from My Little Pony, (any generation or media). Three: please try to keep the number of guests reasonable please or it'll get too confusing for anypony to continue. Four, the camera can't leave the studio no matter what. Five, only I can see beyond the forth wall and I can't spill the beans to the others. Everything that happens here is non-canon. And HAVE FUN!"

Silver Spoon dashed through Ponyville, dodging monsters and panicky ponies at seemingly every turn. She headed for the edge of town and Sweet Apple Acres to find Applejack. She didn't know how this was happening, but she knew illusion powers when she saw them. And Applebloom's big sister had the ability to see through things like that.

"That human witch has my friends under her power, and all those other ponies too," she gasped aloud as she ran. "I've got to get some help!" A large reddish octopus with a mouthful of fangs that had crawled into the pool in front of town hall tried grabbing her as she raced by. She jumped and brought her hooves down hard in a stomp on one tentacle. Squirk howled and let her go, shaking his tentacle and cursing over the pain.

Silver Spoon raced into the barnyard of Sweet Apple Acres, ignoring the three rather odd-looking plants at the edge of the orchard. Until, that is, one of them reached out and snatched her up by her tail.

"Ahhh!" Silver Spoon stared into three hideous faces that combined plant and animal, the latter mostly in their eyes and impressive fangs. "What are you? Let go of me!" She writhed and tried to kick at the nearest one. It laughed nastily and held her at arm's, or maybe that should be vine's, length.

"Heh-heh!" It licked its lips, held her out to the other plants with it. "Hey, look! Those other ponies got away; but the Flories are going to have some dinner tonight after a few thousand years of dragging that chariot around!"

The towering plant-monsters laughed coldly as Silver Spoon shuddered in fear.

"Where's Applejack? HEEELP!"

* * *
Meanwhile, Celestia approached the edge of town where, all unknown to her, Somnambula, Hydia, and her daughters were at work.

"What exactly am I feeling?" Celestia said. She'd felt SOMETHING unusual earlier, almost familiar from many thousands of years gone, and it drew her here to investigate. She'd wondered if she ought to help her student and little ponies, but then the odd call came from the edge of the town, and it somehow drove every other consideration out of her head.

Though the mayhem in Ponyville was shocking enough to hold her attention as four figures slouched closer. She saw at least three dragons, two active and one rather obviously an enlarged Spike (but why did that yellow one wildly dodging the blows of what looked like an animated house remind her of Fluttershy?); more, she saw dozens of beasts and villains who'd supposedly been sent to Tartarus long ago.

"They should have remained in Tartarus," Celestia said, her horn starting to glow a piercing yellow. So focused was she that she failed to notice the magical mist gathering around her as she said, "I'll send them there myself if I must, and..."

"And what, dear sister?" Celestia froze, shocked at the sound of THAT voice. It spoke again, filled with ancient pain and ancient regret. "Lock us all back in our cages, or to Havoc's Chariot, as Father and Mother did with me?"

"Morning Star....?"

Her brother stood before her, haggard, head drooping, ribs visible against his sides -- and completely cleansed of his Nightmare taint. He smiled softly, gently, as he saw her.

"Little sister," he said, stumbling forward. "Please aid me... I see now how wrong I was, I want to beg Mother and Father's forgiveness, and that of the other alicorns as well... Please, little sister, don't turn me away, don't send me back to that monster's chariot..."

"Brother," Celestia half sobbed the word out as she went to Morning Star. She didn't even notice the hints of gray entering her coat.

Nearby Hydia grumbled to Somnambula, "You sure you can handle this one? That devil-horse that let us all out said she was going to be trouble."

"Quite sure," Somnambula said frostily. "You and your daughters keep those other ponies off of me. I'll finish draining this nag" she pointed to Celestia, who was actually starting to look old, "and then when I'm strong enough to make my illusions real, I'll make one of him. Then Morning Star can send his spirit or whatever he calls it here to enter it, and we send what's left of Princess Pretty Pony back to take his place in Tartarus."

"And then he rules the world," Hydia grumbled. "What happens to us?"

"Oh, Hydia," Somnambula said with a smile. "You're the summoner. When I make that real illusion, you just work your magic on it while it's still mere magic. Then when Morning Star comes, he ends up under OUR control." She elbowed her fellow witch. "How do you like the title of 'co-queen of the universe', Hydia?"

The wicked cackling of the witches filled the air, even as Celestia gazed on her beloved brother.

Who was finally going to be free.

Pandora gasped at the monitor screens. "Oh, no. No, no, no..." She darted over to Twilight and laid her bear paw on the pony's back. "No time for a nap! We need Shining."

Twilight yawned. "What... hey!"

They vanished in a flash and reappeared in... Twilight gawked... the courtyard of an immense, towering castle. Far more knights and heroes than Shining had left with were gathered in ranks, cheering.

Shining Armor himself appeared in a flash of thunder, wearing armor so elaborate it was a wonder he could even move. "Who dares approach the throne of Emperor Shining Armor, defender of all Equestria, level four-thousand and eighty-six paladin and sole wielder of the Ultra Elements and Super Pony Level 12?"

Pandora beamed. "Oh, Shining, you've totally let Me run away with you. That's so sweet... but, and this is really hard for me... I need to be serious now."

She snapped her fingers, and all of it just went away... the castle, the knights, the armor... poof! Plain old Prince-Captain Shining Armor Sparkle fell to the ground, wearing plain old regulation guard barding. "Listen. The witches are trying to bring back Morning Star! Everything else has been a distraction. You have to stop them!"

Twilight let out a gasp worthy of Pinkie Pie. "You mean, the Morning Star, the alicorn who turned evil and started a war to take over all creation, and was imprisoned forever for his crimes?!"

Shining Armor groaned, rubbing a slightly bruised flank. "Thank you, Miss Exposition."

Pandora nodded. "If he gets loose, another Alicorn-Draconequus War will start right here, and Equestria will get turned into a parking lot."

Twilight tensed. "That's.. wait, what's a parking lot?"

Pandora blinked. "Uh... Black, flat, featureless, and slightly sticky on warm days?"

"I wish I had my squad here," said Shining. "Some vacation, huh Twiley?"

Meanwhile with Flutterdragon . . .

"Mom you need to stop dodging and attack back!"

Fluttershy, now a huge beautiful dragon, sidestepped another blow from the equally large animated house monster.

"BUT I DON'T WANT TO HURT IT. " Boomed Fluttershy.

"Then let me take over!"

The dragon's scales changed colors changed to be slightly more darker in tone and she managed to catch a hold of the house's arm. Shocked the monster hesitated, allowing Fluttercruel to deliver a massive headbutt, knocking it down on its back.

POOR HOUSE MONSTER!

"THIS IS GOING TO BE FUN! HEY I WONDER IF I CAN BREATH FIRE NOW?"

"WAIT I DON' THI-"

Pink flames spewed from the dragon's mouth and covered the entire's house's body. The monster roared in pain and tried to put itself out with little success. Whatever dark magic animating the house seemed to stop working and it reverted back into looking like a normal house aside from it now being on fire.

"THIS IS AWESOME. BEATING THESE ESCAPEES FROM TARTARUS WILL BE A BREEZE NOW!" She let out a roar of triumph before stomping away seeking more monsters that could challenged her in this new powerful dragon form. She made a mental note to thank the witch that transform her if they ever meet again.

A frightened Berry Punch watched as the house burned. She immediately thanked Celestial that it wasn't her house on fire and instead one that was scheduled to be condemned next week. Still she couldn't help but wonder if her house insurance covered dragon fire?

Meanwhile back on Applejack's Orchard.

"There now maybe ya will think twice before sneakin' up on me and litterin' the farm with those papers of yers." Applejack stood backed and admired her mighty fine lasso and hogtie skills. The tall pale faceless pony struggled to escaped his binds. His once clean black suit, now covered in dirt stains and cuts like he was just in a fight.

"Are ya one of those varmints that escaped Tartarus?"

"......"

"What the hay are ya supposed to be anyway? Ya look like one those mannequins that Rarity uses to help her with her dresses."

"......"

"Ah reckon ah am not goin’ ta’ get ya to talk on account of not havin' a mouth, or a face for that matter." Applejack scratched her head on what to do with the strange creature. Weird, why was just lookin' at it giving her a mightily big headache?

"APPLEJACK APPLEJACK HEEELP!"

The farm pony turned her head to the voice, "What the? Was that Silver spoon? Sounds like...What the hay?" When she looked back she noticed the strange creature was gone leaving only her lasso behind. "How did he-"

"HEELP ANYPONY! HEELP!"

Forgetting about the strange creature she quickly sprinted towards the voice. "HANG ON AH AM COMIN'!"

"Aw, stop yellin' ya brat," the first Florie said as it shook Silver Spoon hard enough to knock her glasses off. "What do ya think we mean by saying we're gonna eat ya? That we're going ta bite your head off or something disgusting like that?"

"Yo-you're not?" Silver Spoon's hopes crumbled in the next moment.

"Of course not! We're vegetable life." The Florie held her over its open maw and dropped her in. Unnoticed to the plant monsters, a raging Applejack came charging up behind them. Silver Spoon's muffled screams sounded from the body of the monstrous plant as it licked its lips and said, "We just toss you in whole and let you slowly dissolve! Heh-heh-heh -- OWWW!"

AJ charged up to the monster, wheeled, and let fly with the best apple-bucking legs in Equestria. It doubled over with a groan and spat Silver Spoon out. The little filly shivered.

"Silver Spoon!" Applejack got between her and the angry Flories. "Y'all okay?"

"I am, but Applebloom and Sweetie and a whole lot of other ponies aren't," she said with a groan. "I saw witches like out of the old stories casting illusions on them, and on Rarity too! They turned her into a little filly!"

"What?!? We gotta go and rescue them -- hey!" Applejack kicked to escape as Ma Florie grabbed her and yanked her off her hooves.

"Hold it, ya unprocessed compost," she snarled. "You hit my boy! I don''t cotton to that stuff." She leaned in close and licked her fangs. "Besides, we're hungry and this orchard of yours isn't nearly filling enough!" She waved one leafy tendril at the apple trees.

Applejack gasped in horror. The trees, many of them as old as her farm, nearly as old as Granny Smith, were shrivelling before her eyes as though the life was being drained from them. Applejack looked down at the feet of the Flories and saw the good healthy earth they stood on turning gray and brittle.

"Stop! Y'all are gonna kill our trees!" She struggled uselessly for freedom. The wary Flories were keeping clear of her hooves now. AJ saw Silver Spoon running for the barn and hoped the filly would escape and find someone else to help, like Dash or Fluttershy or...

Wait, what was that shadow falling over her? And what were the Flories staring at with suddenly terrified eyes? An exceptionally doltish looking one pointed at it with one tendril and somehow managed to stammer out one word.

"D-d-d-DRAGON!"

"YOU LET MY FRIEND APPLEJACK ALONE, YOU BIG MEANIES!" AJ gulped to recognize the voice, even as it said in a slightly less earth-shaking tone, "And I don't care if that's not alright with you! You stop destroying her family's orchard right now! UNDERSTOOD?" Applejack twisted to see an immense pink-crested yellow dragon snarling down at the Flories. Flames licked out of her mouth as she spoke.

Two of the Flories back away. Ma Florie held her ground, seizing Applejack by the head with one tendril and by her rear legs with another. Flutterdragon stopped her advance, but kept a blazing pair of eyes on the alien plant.

"You back off, scales! Or I'm tearing your little friend in half!" She gave a hard jerk for emphasis. Applejack gagged. She struggled to break free and then froze. Behind the Flories, she saw Silver Spoon holding a sprayer connected to a massive container on Big Mac's back. Silver Spoon pumped it frantically, pointed it at Ma Florie, and sent a spray of something with a strong chemical odor right at her. "That's right! My family and I are getting out of here, see, and we -- AHHH!" She jumped away from the chemical spray, pieces of her leg -- her roots? -- sloughing away in decay. "Weedkiller!"

Her two fellows ran from the deadly to them spray, as Ma Florie panicked and hurled Applejack at Silver Spoon and Big Mac. All three ponies went down in a tumble. Ma Florie laughed.

And turned to see Flutterdragon inhaling.

"Aw, compost, back to that darned cactus garden of Havoc's."

Applejack got back on her hooves to see the Flories reduced to ashes. She stared up at the dragon.

"Fluttershy? That you, sugarcube?"

"FLUTTERCRUEL RIGHT NOW, ACTUALLY," the dragon rumbled back in a voice that echoed across Ponyville. She lowered herself and let Applejack and Silver Spoon get on her back. "NOW COME ON. I SAW WHAT THOSE WITCHES ARE DOING, AND WE HAVE TO STOP THEM!"

* * *

And on the edge of the Everfree, two witches gulped. Close by a multitude of ponies, including an alicorn and a marshmallow filly of a unicorn, swayed, lost in their dreams as SOMETHING slowly began to take on a more definite form in their midst.

"Ma, do something!"

"I told you never to call me 'Ma'!" Hydia turned to Somnambula. "They destroyed my house monster; you got any ideas?"

"Another dragon would be useful right now," Somnambula muttered. She looked at Rarity and smiled.

"Time to find out just HOW powerful my illusions have become!" She hurled more of her magic - so much, more than she'd ever known -- at the little filly. Rarity whinnied as she fell into a new illusion.

One that began altering her form along with her perceptions.

A moment later a massive yet elegant and even lovely white and purple dragoon took to the air and headed right for 'Flutterdragon'.

"SPIKE, MY DARLING, DON'T WORRY! I'LL SAVE YOU FROM THIS WICKED DRAGON THAT WANTS TO EAT YOU AND STEAL OUR HOARD!"

Back in the Studio...

"Got any four's?"

"Nope, go fish!"

"Darn" The purple pegasus drew another card from the pile.

"Thanks again for inviting us. We rarely get to relax and have time to play." The little filly said happily while holding her Smarty Smarty Pants doll.

"Awe don't mention it. You girls deserve a break from all the interviewing you do. Besides I needed some company after all my friends left to battle those meanies from Tartarus. You think they would have learned their lesson by now? Any eights?"

The pegasus grumbled and gave Pinkie another card from her hooves. "By the way how is Midnight doing? We are sorry again for dropping her off so unexpectedly. "

"That's okay. Even though she exists only this 'fourth wall' universe, Shining and Candace loves taking care for her. Oh and Trixie and Twilight too" Pinkie showed a photo of a happy filly Midnight in a crib being sung to sleep by Cadance. She turned to face the camera "What? I hope you didn't think we forgot about her? No way!" She turned back to face the trio. "Any fives?"

Rolling her eyes, the mare gave her another card. Seated next to her on the table was an aged Unicorn, she looked pleased but troubled. "How exactly again did you convince the wolf not to hunt her?"

"Oh that was easy. Just had Applejack to ask him kindlynot to. Their quite close now. What really! Um... any jacks?" After grabbing another card from the upset mare's hooves she turned to faced Dusk. "By the way I am glad you are feeling better after you know what." The party pony looked sad while looking at the unicorn.

"Err... thanks but and I rather not talked about that" The unicorn said. Clearing uncomfortable about what happened with Chrysalis.

Little Half-Light Dawn stood up, "Oh look the monitors seemed to working again after that faceless tall pony made them go off-line."

"His name is Slender Mane AND hopefully he doesn't do that again". Pinkie said icily as she glared at said faceless pony standing outside, near one of studio's windows. He was about stick a piece of paper on the window but after seeing Pinkie's angry stare he seemed to gave it a second thought and backed away. In the blink of an eye he vanished. Satisfied she returned to her happy state.

"Do you think they are doing okay out there."

"Oh I am sure everything is fine." Pinkie proceeded to raised up quite a long list of names of criminals that escaped from Tartarus. Many of which had check marks next to them, indicating they were already been defeated/captured.

Just then a voice they all knew roared from one of the many monitors set up in the studio.

"SPIKE, MY DARLING, DON'T WORRY! I'LL SAVE YOU FROM THIS WICKED DRAGON THAT WANTS TO EAT YOU AND STEAL OUR HOARD!"

"Wow that doesn't sound good maybe I should go help them." Pinkie then looked at several of the other monitors to see how her other friends were doing and smirked. "On second thought it looks like they doing just fine without me besides I still have to put the finishing touches on my super-duper-ultra-kick-those-mean-baddies-back-to-tartarus-surprised-party. BUT first!" Pinkie turned to faced Half-Light Noon. "Got any seven's?"

She dropped her head on the table and gave a groan as Pinkie claimed her last card.

"Yay!"

"Hey, wasn't there another subplot going on?" asked Noon.

"Oh yeah!" said Pinkie, switching the monitor back to the positive mirror universe Changelings, with a new addition.

Queen Cocoon's transformed state slashed against unyielding, impenetrable armor.

Hercules had little idea how he'd gotten here, just that an alternate version of his queen had summoned him and given him a vital mission. He wasn't even sure in his memory how the battle in Canterlot ended. Had it? All he knew was he'd been given a chance he'd never get again.

"Why are you fighting against me Hercules?!" asked the Changeling Queen, now panting. Hercules didn't budge. The Queen had been hammering away at the super soldier's armor for the entirety of the battle, but he hadn't moved from his spot except to ensure the attacks didn't constantly strike the same place.

"I'm not, your majesty."

Cocoon blinked, it occurring to her that he'd let to throw a single punch. He'd not spoken much either.

"I never turned against you..."

"...You're lying!"

The enraged queen continued her assault relentlessly until anger and stamina were exhausted against the sheer defense of Hercules' transformed state.

"Why won't you fight back?!"

"Because I'm still every bit as loyal to you as I once was," Hercules stated.

Cocoon took a step back. "What?"

"...When you were young...the stories I heard...you used to be a guardian...a protector...a mother."

"...I still was! Until that rotten deviant-"

"Saved the Changelings."

"What?!"

"...It's been decades since you died, Queen Cocoon...The Changelings are thriving...I...I don't like saying this, but...we were dying under you. Starving. Chrysalis...she's far from a perfect queen...I don't agree with her on many things...but...she saved us..."

Cocoon took a step back. "...Saved you...but...I thought...without me...I only wanted to..."

"...The road to Tartarus are paved with good intentions, your majesty...I believe your fate is proof of that."

Meanwhile, the positive Queen Chrysalis had been searching for her 'counterpart' so to speak. Namely, the one serving her role in the (from her point of view) reverse Equestria.

"You're very different from my Cadence."

"And you're different from our Chrysalis..."

"I like to think I'm your Chrysalis as she should have been and you're my Cadence as she should have been."

"Agreed...That's Cocoon?! She hardly looks like a Changeling!" the Alicorn of Harmony stated.

"True, now please use your bond repairing spell on her, quickly before the mania Hercules managed to force back returns."

"But...insanity...I've tried."

"On insanity in full bloom, I've...had similar experiences, but not on one who's grip has been weakened. I'd do it myself, but it feels...wrong for an interloper from a mirror universe to perform this."

Cadence sighed. "Alright..."

A heartshaped burst of magic flew from her horn, splitting then reuniting behind Cocoon's head.

The Changeling Queen gasped in shock. A long dead feeling reignited in her heart. "I...I..."

And the images presented conflicted with the images of herself sucking the life from her Changelings for petty insults. For stockpiling love during a shortage of it. For eating how many of her servants to try and get an edge on Chrysalis?

No. Not simply Changelings or Servants. Her children. Her children starving. Dying. Being murdered by their mother.

The mammoth form of an insectoid titan dissolved into a broken, sobbing mother.

"My...my babies...what...what have I done?"

A light manifested behind the group. Starlight appeared, her face hidden by her hood. "Queen Cocoon Mob Avalon...You've seen the error of your ways?"

"...Yes...I...I only meant to...I thought I was..."

Starlight gave a look of pure sympathy. "...I know how that feels...believe me I know...do you seek forgiveness? That is the only salvation for you."

"...My queen...I'm certain if you were the Queen I know you were...your subjects that loved you are in heaven...waiting for you...and those that loved you in either place...your loyal children...I'm sure they don't want to see you in Tartarus...Especially the ones who are there."

"But...I...I don't deserve their love...not after..."

"...Let me speak from experience," said Starlight. "...Love isn't something you deserve," she said, showing a ring around her foreleg. "If it was, I wouldn't have this...trust me...I don't deserve love anymore than you do...or forgiveness...but those aren't things you deserve."

Hercules walked over to his former queen. "...I forgive you..."

Cocoon stared in shock for a moment.

"...And I still love you, your majesty. As your subject...I don't love what you became, but my loyalty and respect is still there."

"...Thank you...Hercules...I...Reaper..."

"Angel of Death, but yes?"

"...I'm sorry...I'm sorry for all the pain I caused my subjects...I'm sorry for the monster I became...I...I want forgiveness if my subjects will give it."

Starlight smirked. "The ones in Heaven gave it a long time ago..."

"...Then so be it...thank you, Hercules..."

"You're welcome...your majesty."

Starlight produced her scythe and tapped it over Cocoon's heart, causing her body to glow white, reducing to a much younger time. The now young, fit, and strangely beautiful Changeling Queen was escorted to face the Father and seek atonement.

"Wow..." Cadence said, blinking. "...So that's what a redeemed soul looks like?"

"Yes..." replied an equally amazed reverse Chrysalis.

"...Where'd Hercules go?" Cadence asked, looking around.

"I believe Pinkie said 'as we don't know his ultimate fate or who's side he'd actually be in by the end of it, he cannot remain here for long even if this is noncanon, so he must return to where he was once Cocoon says she's sorry and moves on'...I don't get it ether...I think we should go assist in stopping the escapees..."

"Agreed...why do you look so much cuter than our Chrysalis?"

"Because I'm not evil?"

"That might be it."

Coffee Swirl panted, reloading the stolen blunderbuss for what felt like the millionth time. He was running low on salt, but he was also seeing fewer ghosts. He'd let the two Flutters go off in their dragon form, and perhaps watched them do their thing longer than strictly necessary, but still had work to do on his own.

Plus, given his own knowledge of things nopony was meant to know, he knew he couldn't make any difference with the problem at the orchard or the edge of town. That was a problem for important ponies.

"That's right... you're not important at all, are you?"

He swung his gun toward the voice, only to be shocked to find their ghostly speaker mere inches from his muzzle.

She was beautiful. Tall and lithe, but with enough definition to her body that she clearly wasn't weak, and sporting an absolutely enormous set of wings. He was momentarily stunned by her appearance, letting her get even closer to him.

"You know the truth, don't you? How little the gods care for their creations. How quick they are to forgive the monsters, but will damn the angels on a technicality. How little one such as you matters to them." She drapped herself over him. "But I can give you worth, I can give you love like you so painfully desire from the half-breed. Join me in damnation, and I will show you just how much a heaven that Hell can be."

And back with Twilight, SA, and Imagination personaified.

As Twilight and Shining galloped back towards Ponyville, with Pandora gliding alongside them, Shining asked "You know, if this is such a big emergency, why didn't you just pop over to the witches and stop them yourself?"

Pandora giggled. "You're kidding, right? I'd beat them all in thirty seconds, tops. Could you imagine a more boring ending to the story? Yeah, I don't do boring."

Shining Armor skidded to a stop. "What?! But... so what if it's boring? Isn't it more important to save Equestria?"

Pandora shrugged. "Oh, Shining... I do care about Equestria. It's where the magic happens." She spread her arms, doing a loop in the air. "If it all got destroyed today, I'd be sad about all the funny and clever stories that would never be told... but there's always another world to imagine! And if the end of Equestria was cool and dramatic enough, wouldn't it all be worth it in the end?"

"Just let it go, BBBFF," said Twilight to her speechless brother. "At least she doesn't hurt ponies for fun like you know who."

Pandora smiled and said, "You do understand. Well, back to the studio..."

"Wait!" cried Shining. "Can't I at least use some of those powers from before?"

Pandora hesitated. "Well, I don't know... A hero should beat the villain with his own strength, shouldn't he?"

"Please! Did I mention I really enjoyed today? A whole lot?"

"Well... How about this?" Pandora whipped out a little table with a Dungeon Master's screen, and put on a pair of half-moon spectacles. "Because of your experience using the Hammer of Chaos, you learn Starswirl the Bearded's forgotten unicorn battle spell, Hammer of Light... and gain 500 XP!"

Shining gasped, then lit his horn, really focusing hard. A shield bubble formed and quickly collapsed into a detailed glowing hammer... a pony-sized hammer, not a hammer for whacking entire houses. "Coooool...."

Pandora glided high up into the sky. "Have fun storming the castle! Village! You get the idea."

"Oh! And since I'm a deity, I'm giving you a plus five attack damage because they're targeting foals," Pandora stated.

"Why?" asked Twilight, blinking, finding that a bit generous for a Draconequus.

"Simple, I'm Imagination, right?"

"Yeah..."

"And what are children full of?"

"...Imagination...often times too much of it."

"Too much is very subjective, but point is, I like kids cause they're filled to the brim with imagination, and the idea of them being forced to grow up quickly before they can get every bit out of that imagination is a no no in my book...though I do kind like that Rarity got turned into a foal, maybe keep that if you can."

With that, Pandora finally left.

Derpy cracked a demonic creature over the head with a broom. "Play away from my muffin!" she yelled, then knocked one away.

She blinked and looked to Coffee Swirl and his present situation. "Coffee Swirl? Blue okay?" she asked, noticing the situation. "Pie you stop fighting?"

The ghostly tempter turned to glare at Ditzy, her beautiful face flashing to a skull for a moment, but was interrupted by Swirl before she could say anything. "Because it's kinda gotten pointless. I know that I don't matter, in any sort of grand scheme or plan. I'm not like you, not important. Even if I did accept her deal, I'd still lose and be dragged off to Hell for accepting it."

The ghost, her appearance that of an impossibly beautiful mare again, turned back to Coffee Swirl. "But, with my power, you could-"

"Please, don't give me the same spiel that every cliched villain gives. You're all going to lose, even those witches at the edge of town are going down eventually. Hell, thanks to my bucked up head, I even know how it's going to happen! If I do anything, I'm going to be either trapped in an illusion, beaten and tossed aside, or just straight up killed" He sighed, looking down at the gun still held in his hooves.

"Still... if I did take your offer, I could at least make a pretty cool boss battle for Shining Armor."

Spike finished snacking on Lavan's arm. He grinned at the mineral maniac, now reduced to only a head.

"THIS HAS DONE NOTHING TO ENDEAR DRAGONS TO ME!" Lavan roared, "WRETCHED MONSTROSITY! IT IS MY FERVENT HOPE THAT I WREAK A TERRIBLE VENGEANCE UPON YOU AS I PASS THROUGH YOUR LOWER INTESTINE!"

"Aww, put a sock in it," Spike rumbled. He picked up Lavan's head, licking his lips thoughtfully, and set it face down in the dirt. Lavan's yells were muffled as all unseen by Spike, something gigantic began creeping up behind him. The dragon looked around, still empowered by his growth spurt. "Where did my friends get to anyway? Especially Rarity, she's so gentle and delicate --"

"SPIKE, MY DARLING, DON'T WORRY!" Spike jerked around in shock at the sound of Rarity's voice, both familiar and unfamiliar all at once. "I'LL SAVE YOU FROM THIS WICKED DRAGON THAT WANTS TO EAT YOU AND STEAL OUR HOARD!"

His eyes bulged to see not one, but TWO beautiful female dragons flying at each other. One white-scaled one with a purple crest that was obviously the 'gentle and delicate' Rarity, her eyes blazing and fangs bared. The second had yellow scales and a long pink crest. She recoiled from the other, and on her back rode Applejack and Silver Spoon.

"Fluttershy? AND Rarity? Both dragons?" Spike began to lumber in their direction. "Wow, I think I used to have dreams about this --- no, Spike! Keep your mind on business! HEY!" He started to yell, a yell that fell short as Spike went from living scales to unliving stone.

"Hah!" Crunch the Rock Dog grinned. Or rather, his evil since the real Crunch the Rock Dog had been given a heart and had been redeemed with empathy. "Stupid emotional fleshbag, you got what you deserved!" Behind him a trail of petrified ponies lead back into Ponyville, including a brown-coated earth pony he'd stoned just before he could enter a strange blue shed. He remembered the witches telling him to get that one in particular, though he didn't see what made him so special. Picking Spike up onto his back and staggering a little under the weight, Crunch began heading back for where he'd left Somnambula and Hydia.

"Witches tell Crunch to make sure dragon not interfere or we go back to pulling chariot with fat ugly monster on it," he muttered to himself as he headed through the town. Panicking ponies fled all around him. Crunch growled -- how he wished he could take the time to petrify them! But he kept his mind on business.

He looked into the sky as with a wild roar the two she-dragons met and started to battle. Crunch hoped they both died. Dragons always used to try and eat him in the old days. He hated them. He looked at the burden on his back and then at the aerial fight. He barked laughter and cats it down. Oh well. Those witches could wait. And why should he take orders from humans, anyway?

"Witches say, let dragons fight," Crunch said. "They say, make sure nopony interfere. Crunch watch fight," he set his head on his paws. "That way, no pony EVER interfere!"

Over in the studio, the four ponies had somehow gone from playing Go Fish to Poker.

The unicorn took a look at the situation outside. "I'm starting to get worried. Do you think we should at least get ready to intervene if things really get out of hoof?"

Pinkie Pie said, "I think the others can at least handle it long enough for us to finish this round. All in."

The earth pony said, "Yeah, let's at least see how this round goes. All in."

The pegasus said, "I'll raise the bet by fifteen bits."

The unicorn said, "Fine. I'll see your fifteen bits and raise you thirty."

Pinkie said, "All right, let's see what we each got. Mine's two pairs."

The earth pony said, "Three of a kind."

The pegasus said, "Full house."

All eyes turned to the unicorn as she laid her cards out one by one, saying the names of each of her cards. "Spade Ten."

The pegasus said, "No bucking way. She can't have THAT hand."

"Spade Jack."

The earth pony said, "I think she actually does."

"Spade Queen."

Pinkie Pie said, "No way. She has that legendary hand?"

"Spade King."

The pegasus said, "Now you know why we don't play poker with her if we can help it. She's got insane skill at it."

"Spade Ace. Royal Straight Flush."

Pinkie Pie said, "Damn. I don't know if even Twilight could pull that off successfully."

"Those Tartarus escapees better not get too comfortable," the pegasus said. "Even if it wasn't possible to save Ponyville or Equestria . . . we would avenge it."

Just then, an orb of energy flew into Coffee Swirl's body, and his eyes suddenly flashed red while a lock of his mane also turned red. Then he punched away the ghost and said, in a voice similar to a street thugs, "Like hell this guy's gonna take your offer! Sure, he's kind of wimpy, has pretty bad luck, and doesn't think very highly of himself, but I know someone who's just like him. And guys like that would never feel completely satisfied unless they did everything in their power to help the ponies who are counting on them!

Inside his mind, Coffee Swirl said, "Who are you supposed to be?"

The thing that had possessed him appeared before him in his mind, looking like an oni who had a peach motif. He said, "Someone who can't just sit back and let guys like you almost give in to an offer like the one that ghost was making, even though you knew better. Don't worry, I ain't gonna hurt you."

"Then why did you possess me like that?"

"Because even if you had refused that things offer, you're almost out of ways to fight. I can give you a new power for this battle. You can thank that weird mixed-up creatures lady who told me I should help you out."

"So Pandora is responsible for this, huh? Well, there are many ways this might go wrong, but for now, I guess I'll roll with it."

"Good. Then sit back and watch. Oh, by the way, the name's Momotaros. Remember it, okay?"

With that mental conversation finished, the possessed Coffee Swirl pulled out a rectangular device and pressed a button on the side of it, causing a belt to appear around his waist with four buttons on it, in red, blue, yellow, and purple. He then pressed the red button, causing a tune to start playing before he scanned the rectangular object over the belt buckle and said, "Henshin (Transform, for those of you who aren't familiar with Japanese)." This caused the belt to say, "SWORD FORM."

With that, pixels of energy appeared over Coffee Swirl's body before they turned into a black and silver suit of armor that looked like it had train tracks running down the middle of its helmet. Then four more pieces of armor appeared around it, attaching to his body to form red and white armor. Finally, what looked like a peach slid down the train tracks, stopping in front of his eyes and splitting apart into the eyes of this form he had taken. With that, M-Coffee Swirl said, "I...have arrived."

The ghost looked at Coffee Swirl. "You bastard, what's that form supposed to be?"

M-Coffee Swirl said, "You can call this form Kamen Rider Den-O. Now let me warn you, I don't do warning shots. When I fight, I'm always at a climax from start to finish."

As M-Coffee Swirl, now identified as Den-O, said this, he assembled four rectangular objects on his belt, combining them into what looked like the hilt of a sword. When they were all assembled, a red blade emerged from the object.

With that, Den-O charged at the ghost, yelling, "Go! Go! Go!" and slashing with his sword. The ghost grunted in pain from the attack, not expecting it to happen so quickly.

Den-O chuckled. "Well then, I guess I'll show you my finisher." With that, he pulled out the pass that he'd used to transform and passed it over his belt buckle, causing the belt to announce, "FULL CHARGE."

As the blade of the sword was charged with energy, Den-O said, "Certain kill. My certain kill attack. Part two!" With that, he slashed his sword, and the blade separated from the handle of the sword, remaining connected by a tether of energy. Den-O then performed two diagonal slashes followed by a vertical slash, slicing through the ghost three times.

Coffee Swirl said, "Don't you think maybe you went a little overboard?" Momotaros said, "What can I say? I did say I always fight at a climax, you know."

Den-O chuckled and said, "Well, now I guess it's time to find the next enemy to take down." With that, he set off in the direction of the battle.

  "Did you get me a cauldron?" asked Hydia impatiently.

  "Yes Hydia..." said Reeka, she and her sister dropping a stolen cauldron in front of her mother.

  "And the ingredients?"

  "We almost got beat up by a Zebra, but she had a lot of them..." said Draggle, handing the old witch her ingredients.

"Good! Now I can get back to my old tricks!" she said, smirking as Crunch came up with the petrified Spike.

"Oh! There's the dragon, this I can use," she said, taking a chisel and cracking off a small stone from his massive shape.  She looked to Somnambula, handing her a small crystal.

"You continue the plan, put that in Morning Star when you form him. Now that I've got my tools, I'll keep those little ponies busy."

  The other witch nodded.

"Alright."

  ----

  "Okay, so where are those witches?" Shining asked his sister, looking around.

  Suddenly, several rock golems rose up around them.   Twilight looked up and saw Hydia on a cliff nearby, surrounded by potions and a bubbling cauldron in front of her.

"Golems? Really?"

  "This is just the start, little pony, do you know who I am?"

  "A washed up old witch?"

Hydia snarled. "No! I'm Hydia! I am the most evil witch to ever live! The only one worse than me is Lord Tirek himself!"

  "Then why is the other witch the big bad?" Shining snarked, smashing a golem to bits.   Hydia growled.

"I'll show you! I've destroyed kingdoms by myself! A few little ponies aren't going to stop me!"

Pinkie blinked, hearing music start up. "I think a villain song is starting up."

  Noon looked at the monitor. "Yeah, looks like Hydia."

"Makes sense, she got the first one ever. Wonder if being in Hell has effected her singing..."

  "Well at least we've finally got a boss fight going..."

“Yeah, but Hydia seems to have got the 'obligatory Pony POV Series villain threat boost'.”

“Oh dear...”

(Cue Wicked Ways from Lion of Oz)

"There's no way to guess
How big of a mess
I can make at my worst!
On the land my family is a curse!
Now you will see
The evil queen
In action!” the witch sung, beginning to perform her spells and mixture.

While Twilight and Shining made quick work of the Golems, Hydia threw a potion vial down in front of them, resulting in vegetation merging together into a massive plant monster and taking several swipes at them.

“Watch my daughters!
See how a slaughter
Is done by a witch like me!”

As the two inept witches took notes, Shining smashed the plant monster's head off, but a multitude of vines erupted from the spot, grabbing the Sparkle Siblings and swinging them around. Twilight countered with a fire spell, burning the monster to ashes.

“Watch as I spread gloom
All to seal their doom!
Just stick around and you'll see!”

The smoke from Hydia's cauldron formed into a massive smoke monster and dove at the Sparkles. Twilight teleported out of the way while her brother put up a shield, but the younger Unicorn still got a scolding burn on her back.

“My wicked! Wicked ways!
I love my wicked! Wicked ways!
Turn a prince into a toad
For the lake at my abode
Where my daughters watch you all day!”

“Hey!” yelled the two daughters.

Hydia threw a potion at Shining while he was distracted by his sister's burn. Thankfully he dodged, but the vile hit a rock behind him, turning it into a toad. Hydia followed up with another that turned the toad into a giant monster, giving the siblings two beasts to deal with.

“My wicked! Wicked ways!
I love my wicked! Wicked ways!
I'll take away your sight!
Do it just for spite!
With my with my wicked! Wicked Ways!”

The siblings got out of the way of the steam monster, causing it to collide with the toad and burn the other monster severely. Twilight then fired an ice spell turning the steam to ice, freezing both solid and letting Shining shatter it with his hammer.

“Would it excite you
If I ignite you?
And burn you down to an ash?!”

Hydia threw another vile, which exploded in a fire ball. The fire then merged together, forming a howling beast made of flames.

“I'll leave you in a ditch!
I'm one wicked witch!
Now welcome to my monster mash!”

Twilight created a storm cloud and dropped water on the flaming beast, extinguishing it after the siblings had received a few burns.

“Are my eyebrows okay?!” Shining asked.

“Uh...what eyebrows?”

Hydia threw drops of potion from her spoon, which grew into several hideous monsters when they hit the ground and charged the duo. Every time one was smashed, the remaining ones would reform into smaller versions of the original, the first one surprising Twilight by slashing her across the chest.

“It's my wicked! Wicked ways!
I have my wicked! Wicked ways!
I call up every beast
Up from west to east!
Until in the grave you will stay!”

Hydia used her magic to turn several insects into giant monsters as the siblings finally defeated the monsters, instantly diving on them.

“My wicked! Wicked ways!
I love my wicked! Wicked ways!”

“Turn him into a mare! added Reeka.

“Wait, what?!”

Hydia hit Shining with a potion, turning him into a mare. “Oh come on! That's no fair!”

“Well life is unfair!
With my wicked! Wicked ways!” Hydia retorted.

Twilight turned a giant praying mantis that had her pinned down into an orange and bucked it off. “At least you're kinda pretty as a mare.”

'At least Nameless isn't here...' Shining thought.

“You'll wish you were far away!
Too bad! You're here!
So me you'll learn to fear!”

Shining fired a gravity buster into the air, the sphere coming down and knocking out the rest of the monsters.

“Please tell me you can turn me back...”

“Yeah, but not now. Gender spells aren't easy.”

Hydia used a spell to turn a nearby skunk into a giant monster, forcing the siblings to cover their noses as they fought, surprisingly making the fight more difficult.

“Against my wicked! Wicked ways! I'll strip you to the bone!”

The skunk monster spat a stream of acid at the two, forcing them to dodge while it melted a tree. Shining managed to capture its legs in shield spheres and let Twilight turn it back to normal.

“Ugh, that stunk...” Twilight muttered, rubbing her nose. “Peeyew!”

“Smells lovely to me!” Reeka remarked, acting like the skunk smell was fine perfume.

Hydia's potion began to bubble and smoke like mad.

“Now I'll change your tone
With my wickkkkked! Wickkkkkked waaaaaaaays!”

Hydia dropped the piece of Spike into the cauldron, resulting in it bubbling out, the smoke forming into a dark black, demonic version of Spike's dragonic form, towering over the duo, the piece of spike buried deep in it's heart, Spike being forced to see through it's eyes as it attacked.

“Get them!”

The monster roared, breathing green fire at the two.

'Get me to that Cauldron.'

Den-O stopped in his reckless charge into battle as Coffee Swirl spoke up once more. "I don't know if even my sword can cleave through something that magical."

'I don't want to cut the damned thing, I want to USE it!'

"You're not an alchemist, unless you've been hiding a lot more than the other stuff in your head- OUCH!"

'THAT STUFF IS PRIVATE AND I PROMISED TO KEEP IT AS SUCH!' Coffee Swirl's mental bellow actually left the possessing spirit's head ringing for a good several moment. 'And I mix things for a living, there's a lot more that goes into coffee than just setting a pot to boil.'

Den-O sighed. "I think there's a bit of a difference between making mixed drinks from coffee and conjuring eldritch things with a magical cauldron."

Then I can at least buck up her summoning process. Just get me to it and we'll worry about the rest later!

Den-O shook his head, but altered his course to head for the witches and their cauldron. Who knows, maybe the pony was onto something.

"Senpai," said another, smooth voice. "I believe that I'm best suited for this role."

"Who's that?"

Den-O snarled. "Kami-(beep)...Ah! Where did that come from?!"

"Sorry, the author of this part refuses to write curse words, even if it's a catchphrase," said Pinkie Pie.

"Uh...how is a Kamen Rider here? Doesn't that break the rules?" asked Noon.

"No, because I think both the one who introduced him and the writer right now are fans of a crossover fanfiction that ponifies Kamen Rider. I think they're from that universe."

"Oh."

"Fine! You're up!"

Another sphere of light entered as another exited.

Den-O pressed the blue button on the belt and scanned it again.

"ROD FORM!"

The red armor disappeared, being replaced by blue, the mask forming out of a blue turtle sliding down the train tracks. He rearranged his weapon into a combination of a spear and a fishing rod, complete with an fishing hook-like grappling capable that could extend.

"I believe this will be much more useful in what you intend to do."

"I guess...who are you again?"

"Urataros, pleasant to meet you. Perhaps when this is done, I can help you get the lady you have your eye on?"

"...How many of you are there?"

"Four. Five if Swan decides to show up."

"...Let's just do this."

Twilight shot the Dragon summon in the shoulder, wounding it...and then gasped, noting Spike's petrified state standing nearby, a matching crack manifesting.

"Oh no."

Coffee Swirl paused in his random planning for what to do when he got to the cauldron to drop one more bit of information on the thing(s) possessing his body currently. Also, I don't give a buck what you are or how hot she looks as a dragon. You try and flirt with Fluttercruel, and I WILL find a way to kick you in the face.

And speaking of the Flutters...

"EEK!"

Fluttershy ducked away from a blast from Rari-dragon, not of fire, but of seething acid. She wondered if it was truly a breath weapon or if her transformed friend was just spewing up her latest dinner and decided she didn't want to know. "RARITY! LISTEN TO ME, I'M NOT TRYING TO HURT YOU OR SPIKE -- OW!"

She tumbled away through the air from a tail slap to her snout by Rarity, stopping herself just before she struck Sugarcube Corner. Ponies on the ground scattered in a panic. "SORRY, EVERYPONY! I THINK YOU'D BETTER RUN! THAT IS, IF YOU WANT TO -- YEEK!"

"YOU LIAR!" Rarity snapped at Fluttershy, forcing her back, head lashing out on that long neck like a striking cobra. Her fangs gleamed like diamond sabers as the transformed unicorn said, "I'LL FIX YOU! TEACH YOU TO TRY AND EAT OUR HOARD!"

"Rarity, I --" Fluttershy barely avoided yet another swipe from that tail, but it took the roof off of the town bookstore. "Oh dear! Twilight will be so upset."

"Never mind Twi right now!" Applejack and Silver Spoon were holding on for dear life to Flutter-dragon's pink crest. Applejack held it by her hooves, and Silver Spoon clung to AJ's tail by her teeth. Applejack yelled, "Ah think Ah know what's wrong with Rares! Ya just gotta get her ta look inta mah eyes, n' that'll break the spell!"

"How do I do that?" AJ hurriedly told her as Fluttershy flew high, seeking to get some distance on Rarity as she flew after her. Fluttershy stopped and did a wingover, leaving the shocked Rarity snapping at thin air. She might have been a bad flyer for a pegasus, but she still knew more than Rarity. Fluttershy gasped as she heard the plan. "Applejack, I, I can't! It's too dangerous!"

"You can't, mom, but I can!" Fluttershy shook herself, her scales darkened, and with a renewed ferocity she flew up and straight down at Rarity. Applejack perched on her head as though ready to leap. Rarity spat a stream of acid. Fluttercruel breathed fire, and it caused the acid to explode into harmless yet momentarily blinding steam. Rarity stopped short, and as she did, Applejack leaped.

'Okay', she thought, 'Ah just have ta get Rares ta look me in the eye, an' let ma powers as Element o' Honesty do the rest.'

And then she was through the steam and saw herself headed right for Rarity's open fanged maw.

"Ah, horseapples!"

* * *

"Hydia, stop showing off your singing voice and help here!" Somnambula called to her as she began shaping her greatest illusion. A terrible dark alicorn-like form began to appear near the withered Celestia. Her mane and tail both hung limp and mangy. Somnambula wondered if the sun above looked to be turning red as she said, "He'll be here any moment!"

"Just use that piece of rock I gave you!" Hydia snapped back. "I said it'd work, didn't I?" She cackled as she saw Shining Armor and Twilight dodging her smoke-dragon's attacks without fighting back. "Hah! Not so brave when you'll hurt your little friend, are you?"

Spike snarled inwardly, wishing he could step on the witches. Crunch gave a laugh like boulders grinding together.

And in yet another realm, something that had been imprisoned for a time longer than the current universe leaped towards the shimmering gate before it with a roar of, "FREE!"

Applejack was flailing through the air, close enough to smell Rarity's acid breath... when a rainbow streak tore through the sky and snatched her away, moments before the dragoness' jaws snapped shut.

"Rainbow Dash!? Where have you been?" Applejack blinked. "Should Ah even ask why you're a griffon again?"

The rainbow-colored griffon banked, making a wide turn back towards Ponyville at close to Rainboom speed. "Hey, you would not believe what's been going on in Canterlot." Gliding lower over the city, she looked at the wreckage. "Then again... maybe you would." Then she had to dodge again when the two dragonesses went tumbling past, wrestling in midair, and plowed into a field just outside town with a thunderous crash.

Somepony else caught up as they came in to land... Big Mac had made it to the farm and back with supplies. "Big brother, tell me you packed some rope in those saddlebags."

Big Mac grinned. "Eeeyup!"

"Alright! Let's use rope trick #3, just like we did to Cerebus!"

He took a lasso in his mouth, and she took another in hers, and then the two earth ponies galloped straight towards Rarity. As the ivory dragoness struggled to her feet, ready for another round, they lassoed her forepaws, then crisscrossed, looped around her hind paws, and yanked hard! The crazed dragoness suddenly had all four paws yanked together and toppled over.

"Yeehaw!" cried Applejack. "Hold her down before she tries to fly off." Once Fluttercruel had her securely pinned, Applejack cantered right up to Rarity's huge face, locking eyes with her. "Sorry, sugarcube, but this is gonna sting a bit..."

A deafening roar distracted Hydia from her battle with Twilight and Shining. "YOU... YOU WITCHES!"

"Uh oh," said Reeka and Draggle together.

Hydia wacked her children on the head with her spoon. "I'm at full power now! A dragon isn't anything to worry about."

She then grabbed Reeka and handed her a vial. "Take this and go hold off one dragon! I'll handle the other with my pet!"

"What about me?" Draggle asked.

"You'd mess it up! Like you always do!"

Reeka took the vial and was transformed into a giant, rather ugly looking dragon with scales matching her clothing.

"The witch's classic trump card," Hydia remarked, ordering her daughter to go after one of the other dragons while she created a trench in the ground around her with her magic. "Better defense myself. I might not have a volcano or Flume, but I still have the other ingredients!"

A miniature version of the Smooze emerged from her cauldron and surrounded her, lashing out at anything that got close to protect its summoner but being too small to do much else.

Suddenly, a second Crunch pounced on the first one, the two rock dogs rolling on the ground, biting and clawing at one another.

Twilight blinked. "Huh?"

"Oh yeah, Cadence may have mentioned her aunts told her to go visit a living mountain and ask him to revive his dog or something," Girl-Shining said, rubbing her own head. "Once more, my life is bucking weird."

Twilight nodded as the siblings dodged another stream of flames. She looked worriedly up at the dragon, knowing she couldn't harm it without hurting Spike.

"Little sister, you MIGHT want to do something to help here!"

"I am helping!" Twilight shot a glance as her big brother (sister?) dodged the blasts of the summoned dragon. She yelled a warning about damaging him and what it could do to the REAL Spike. For her part, she finished the spell calculations she'd been drawing with a stick in soft dirt. "Hah! In fact..." She turned and cast her spell at the real Spike.

'Finally!' The huge stone dragon thought. He couldn't even turn to see what was going on behind him, but it sounded like ominous chanting and like the world's biggest dogfight. 'This isn't soon enough, I've got such an itch! And I'll be free and helping Rarity', he sighed dreamily, 'and Fluttershy to get those witches -- OWW! What the hay, Twi!'

"What did you do?" Shiny yelled.

"It's a reversion spell!" Twilight called back, taking a look at the battle the now-draconic Reeka and Rarity were engaging in. Reeka lashed at Rarity with a long, sticky, toad-like tongue. Rarity recoiled with a shriek as it got slime on her elegant crest, then lashed out with a long tail, smacking Reeka in the jaw hard enough to make her bite her own elongated tongue. Reeka hopped about, paws over her mouth and howling in pain. Twilight said, "It should change him back from being stone, and I think that will affect the big dragon too!"

Both unicorns and a worried Hydia watched as her spell struck the petrified Spike. It covered him with an eldritch glow. A similar glow spread over Hydia's conjured dragon.

Which faded to reveal Spike as his normal self again.

His normal BABY self again.

"Whoops." Twi looked at her calculations. "Guess I forgot to carry the one."

"Oooh, Twilight," Spike groaned. "My head hurts, but at least now I can -- woah!" He stared at the battle taking place all around him. Behind him, he saw something that horrified him. Celestia, looking almost as old as Granny Smith, laying helplessly before Somnambula as something like a silver and gold Nightmare began to appear. Its scorn-filled gaze locked on his for just a second.

Spike threw himself back, breaking the connection. He rose, sick and shaking. For just a moment he'd felt nothing but awareness of every single mistake and error in judgment he'd made and would ever make; a certainty that everypony he knew despised him for being inferior, for being imperfect, and that he deserved nothing less than to huddle in a heap and hide under a rock forever like the miserable lizard he was.

"URRGH! Get a hold of yourself, dragon!" Spike shook himself. He turned and raced to the edge of the cliff, yelling down at Twilight and Shining Armor (still fighting the summoned dragon with his, er, her hammer, but much more successfully now that she could actually HIT it); "Twi! Shiny! You gotta get up here,, those witches are, are KILLING Celestia and summoning some big creepy Nightma -- OW!"

Spike slumped to the ground, senseless. Draggle whooped with glee and raced to her mother's side.

"Ma! I mean, Hydia! Did you see what I did?" She held out the now-broken club she'd clobbered Spike from behind with. "I did great, didn't I?"

"Yes, Draggle," Hydia said with a roll of her eyes, "you did an amazing job of knocking that puny, pathetic dragon out. From behind." She shoved her at the cauldron and stepped forward, rolling up her sleeves. "Now do something useful and stir this cauldron while I handle those miserable ponies!"

Hydia stepped forward, and behind her as Somnambula worked on her spell (making sure to set that piece of stone Hydia gave her into the illusionary form she was crafting), a pair of poison-green eyes looked out from it as their owner thought: "Such an incomplete body, a mere shadow of my true glory. But it is more then enough to obliterate this village from the face of the planet and hear my sister's cries of despair over the broken corpses of worthless mortals."

"Just as soon as I am free!"

Also, in my mind, Hydia's attack here is her final weapon.

Twilight snarled when Spike got knocked out and charged up her horn's magic to blowing a hole straight through the dragon, allowing an equally angry Shining Armor to smash it into putty.

The Unicorn panted. "Okay, you were tougher than we expected, but this is over Hydia!"

Hydia cackled. "You think that dragon was my last resort?" she asked, putting a hand in the mini-Smooze she'd created. "You want to know the biggest weakness of Smooze?" she asked, drinking a vial of some sort of potion. The Smooze began to flower over and wrap around her. "I had to order it around, it was too stupid to do a thing for itself but slither over the land! Granted without those rotten Flutterponies that's all I ever needed from it, but I haven't spent over three thousand years in Hell not thinking how to improve my ultimate beast!"

The miniture Smooze rearrranged itself into a humanoid form, rising above the two, various eyes looking out them. Hydia's face formed on the chest, composed of the slime monster.

Pinkie gulped back at the studio. "Okay, that's either a good thing because now she's not human so the censors won't mind us blowing her up...on the other, she's actually pretty dangerous like that."

Shining shot Hydia with a gravity spell, splattering her merged form but not doing any damage. Twilight had to pull her 'sister' out of the way of the counter attack.

"Do NOT let that stuff touch you!" yelled the purple unicorn. She attempted a fire spell on the slime beast, but while it incinerated an army, it simply regenerated.

Hydia cackled. "Here's a tip girly! The Smooze you lot killed earlier? That was the spirit of my original one the Flutterponies and the Rainbow of Light killed! Spending thousands of years in Tartarus doesn't do wonders for power! This is a fresh batch and I've regained all my strength! The only thing that can stop it is Flutterponies!"

Twilight whimpered. "And they're extinct..."

"Exactly!"

The two siblings had to leap and dodge to escape the swipes from the slime monster before several lightning bolts rained down on the Smooze Monster, driving her back slightly.

"Rainbow!...Why are you-"

"A griffin? LONG STORY!" the Rainbow Maned griffin stated, landing. "Good news I have the Elements of Harmony."

"Bad news, we're fighting the Smooze...but she said she didn't have Flume...the problem is-" the group had to dodge another counter attack. "One we need all six of us and two one touch of that gunk and we won't CARE enough to use them. We need something to hold her off!"

Applejack's eyes fell on Draggle, Den-O/Coffee Swirl in position...a part of her felt something...gave her an idea. "Ah have an idea, just keep big ugly busy, okay?!"

The Earth Pony galloped up. "Hey, uh...whoever you are right now," she asked Coffee Swirl. "Yah headin' for the cauldron? If you have something in mind for it, can yah leave the witch tah me?"

Den-O said, "Of course. And perhaps after this is all over we could go out for dinner together?"

Coffee Swirl said, "This isn't exactly the time to be flirting, you perverted turtle."

Den-O sighed. "You do raise a good point. Fine."

Applejack punched him in the face. But she wasn't sure why, sure, she wasn't interested, she reserved this sort of thing if a stallion tried to touch something they shouldn't. It was like it was what was expected of her given the nature of the world or something, or the nature was LEAKING into the world.

After they were in a position overlooking the cauldron, Den-O said, "All right. I can easily get the cauldron from here."

Applejack said, "Ya sure about that? It's all the way down there."

Den-O chuckled. "I guess you didn't see just what I use as a weapon." As he said this, he cast his rod and managed to catch the cauldron with its hook. "Won't you let me string you along, little cauldron?"

Applejack said, "Okay, as soon as ya have that reeled in, mind helping the others distract that witch? Ah got a plan."

Den-O said, "Certainly."

After reeling in the cauldron, Den-O said, "Since touching that stuff seems like a really bad plan, I think I'll let Ryuuta take over." With that, he pressed the purple button on the belt, causing a hip-hop tune to start playing before scanning the pass again.

GUN FORM!

The blue armor returned to the Sword Form configuration, with the red chest panels folding out to the sides to reveal purple armor as a purple dragon formed the mask. "Mind if I shoot you up? Can't hear an answer!" said a rather childish voice as he rearranged the pieces of his weapon into a gun before aiming at the Hydia-Smooze monster and firing a few shots as he charged down to join the others.

"Another one of you guys, huh? And what's your name?"

"It's Ryuutaros! Hehe!"

Author's Note

Pinkie Pie, "Okay, I changed the batteries, so here we go! And can't somepony get us a trope page already? We're part of the fun and games of the Pony POV Series too! Even if the stuff that happens here is non-canon, it has it's own internalized canon!"

4th Wall Breaking Variety Show Gallery. http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/gallery/42867862/Pinkie-Pie-Forth-Wall-Breaking-Variety-Show

What you put in the comments appears in the story.

Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and I can't spill the beans about us being out-and-out fiction to the others.

The camera can’t leave the studio.

The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from “My little Pony”

Everything that happens here is non-canon (except the Tartarus break out thingie, but not the big battle).

Have Fun

Keep the number of characters in the studio in the single digit range. Seriously. Don't let it overload. TERRIBLE THINGS will happen if you do.

Banner by Kendell2.

MLP FIM Copyright Hasbro

ADDITIONS BY:
Alex Warlorn (me!) and Ardashir
MtangaLion AND Yoshiegg64
Ardashir
Yoshiegg64
Kendell2
dragon-of-twilght and MtangaLion
Kendell2
dragon-of-twilght
Ardashir
Jmcdavid
Alex Warlorn
Jmcdavid
Jmcdavid
Kendell2
dragon-of-twilght
Kendell2
dragon-of-twilght
Ardashir
MtangaLion
Kendell2
Ardashir
Kendell2
jmcdavid

Pinkie Pie 4th Wall Break VarietyShow Special Part 4

Pinkie Pie sighed as she replaced the batteries, AGAIN.

"Maybe I should hold a 'before-party' to tied us over until we get to the 'beat back the legions of Tartarus party."

"I'm game!" Said the Earth Pony Interviewer.

"This is complicated enough as is." Said Dusk.

"Come on, it's just Morning Star and some witches left," Noon said. ". . . Most evil witch in history joined with their signature creation, and the two most STUPID witches in history, and Chrysalis, and MORNING STAR . . . okay . . . so maybe this is gonna be a bit of a challenge."

--

Meanwhile, back towards the battle with Rari-dragon, Flutter-dragon and Reeka-dragon.

"Duchess Rarity, your sister sends us to serve you in battle." Said one of the white changelings.

Rarity turned her head to see a trio of white changelings buzzing nearby. "Sweetie-Belle sent you three to help me? That is sweet of her but...wait Sweetie Belle! She quickly realized what her sister did. "How could she! She promised she wouldn't convert anypony into changelings!

"Um...actually we use to be goblins and we really don't mind. In fact-"

"Doesn't matter she still broke her promise and for that NO DESSERT FOR SIX MONTHS!" The last part of that statement was heard throughout the battlefield. Especially to a young changeling queen, who looked heart-broken after hearing it. Despite the fact she actually didn't didn't break her promise due to converting the goblins before swearing to her sister.

"Oh darn I guess you better release me, and punish her."

Rarity looked back to the fat red dragon that said that. Reeka was currently in a camel clutch by Rarity, while her tail was pinned down by Rarity's own. "Nice try but no. I am not letting you go until you apologize for that little stunt you pulled on Fluttershy. Fake giving up? Have you no shame?

"Not my fault you both fell for it ACK!", Rarity intensified her grip. "I MEAN I AM SORRY! I WON'T DO IT AGAIN. NOW LET ME GO...please?" pleaded Reeka.

"Only AFTER you transform out of that dragon form.", Rarity wasn't about to be fooled again.

"But I don't know how GUH?", Reeka suddenly felt her stomach start to rumble with indigestion. "I...don't...feel...my..best"It might have been the many rat and moldly cheese sandwiches she had earlier or perhaps she over-exerted herself in the fight. Either way, Rarity let out a grasped and promptly let go of Reeka when she realized that was not dragon fire spewing from her mouth.

The other combatants that were unfortunate enough to be nearby, looked away in digest as Reeka emptied her stomach's content on the ground. After being done she wobble a bit and fell in her own waste. Without the dragon potion no loner being in her system, Reeka found herself shrinking. Scales turned into flesh and clothes while her wings and tail pulled back inside her body. Where a fat red dragon stood, was now replaced with a fat human witch covered in her own vomit from head to toe. Even she found this to be too disgusting.

"Nasty" commented Fluttercruel seeing the mess. "I know I said I would sit on her if she returned back to normal but..." She put a dragon claw to covered her nose, and flapped her wings to blow away the horrendous smell into the ever-free forest.

"We should help her." Fluttershy said. while noticing the witch failing miserably to stand up.

"I was afraid you were going to say that." She sighed when she saw the witch was failing to stand up, "Fine but I am not going anywhere near her now." She then got an idea when she sawed the trio of white changelings flying nearby. "Hey, you three said you were sent to help us?"

The changelings looked a tab unpleased. "Um..yes"

"Use your magic to pulled her out of that gunk and keep her restrained. It would really help. She shouldn't be a threat now without her mother but don't let down your guard." She rubbed her head, remembering the headbutt from earlier.

"Also...perhaps give her a bath." added Fluttershy.

"Wait what was that about a bath!" cried Reeka. The changelings nodded and went to carry out their orders. After lifting the witch out of her own mess, they found to their amazement a bathtub full of water with plenty of soap and other bathing equipment. Next to it was a sign that read "in case of bathing emergency" , signed with the initals P.D.P (Pinkie Diane Pie). "Wait I am not THAT dirty. Please no...I RATHER GET THE PHLUME! PLEASE DO- Pfft!" After shoving a soap bar into her mouth to quiet her they dumped her into the bathtub to begin their dirty work.

"As much fun as it is see her squirm we wasted enough time here. Rarity we need to rejoin the others and ACK! Rarity?! GET UP! Where did THAT even come from anyway?"

"Oh my! I didn't know they made couches that big!"

"Rarity! Flutters!" yelled AJ, sighing and trying to ignore Reeka's predicament. "We need yah! And quick! We're really strugglin' with the old hag! but whatever yah do, DON'T touch her!"

Hydia chuckled at Somnambula's fate. She'd naturally been intending to stab her fellow witch in the back anyway, not because she hated her, but because it was the witch way to do things. That and she had Morning Star's favor for creating the 'perfect beast' with the Smooze. The only weakness it had was Flutterpony Magic, which were now extinct, so by that definition, the Smooze was 'perfect' in that it literally had no weaknesses, especially after being merged with her and given sapience from the merger...well, except for the fact that she hadn't been able to get Flume in time.

Her tendrils wrapped around a tree and she flung it at the heroes, Shining's shield being the only thing that stopped them from being squashed, though it did send them flying to the side in a hamster ball.

Hydia-Smooze began pounding away on the barrier with great force.

Morning Star suddenly gave a blink ."That is odd...I sense somecreature...resisting the temptation of evil..."

He was of course attacked before he could progress on it.

Meanwhile with one of the least wicked witches . . .

Draggle focused on the spell she just read, a beam of white magic forming around her hand causing flowers to grow nearby. "This...this is easier than Dark Magic...But...I don't know if..."

"Mind if I'm of help my dear?"

Draggle blinked, looking at the book as it glowed. A small dwarf-like man in a green outfit, a beard covering most of his chest and a large green hat on his head, a staff in his hand, manifested as a translucent spirit.

"M-Moochick?!"

"Squire's sword isn't the only ancient relic on the battlefield right now, young one," the old wizard replied with a chuckle. "That book is mine, I figured anyone who found it would need a magic tutor, and I'm good friends with the Alicorns you know."

"You...you'd help ME? But...I'm..."

"A person who has done great evil, but has the capacity for great good," the old mage replied, giving a smile. "And what kind of helper would I be if I didn't help you redeem yourself?"

"T-Thanks..."

"Think nothing of it," said the Moochick. He then blinked, looking at his staff. "Why did I bring this again? I don't need it...oh! Right!" he said, throwing it towards the battlefield, it becoming solid. As the mage had said, he was on very good terms with the Alicorns. "Now what was the first step again?"

Angel hopped out of nowhere and kicked the spirit somehow, then blinked, having no idea why he did that.

"Oh! Right! Taping into the universal source of good magic! It's very simple, dear..."

"BSBFF."

"Yes Twiley? wait-what-"

"Big SISTER Best Friend Forever: Forgive me for bringing this up now, but did you play as a girl with any of your 0&0 characters?"

Shining Armor blushed. "Well, there was one time when our usual Cleric got sick at the last minute, so I had to fill in for her..."

Twilight smirked. "Cadance?"

"Actually, Cadance was usually the Rogue. Yeah, it kind of surprised me too when she came to her first O&O session with us."

"...So who was the cleric?"

Elsewhere in the battlefield, Moon Dancer suddenly had this odd feeling that somepony was talking about her and her... secret hobbies.

Pinkie was setting up her 'before-a party' when the What If Machine sprang to life. "Uh oh, please don't do something mean..."

The screen activated.

"Like this daddy?"

"No, more ominous."

"But I don't do ominous...."

"Oh, right, you're the Anthropomorphic Embodiment of Hope so I suppose that's a good point..."

Sir Discord, AKA Captain Good Guy, scratched his chin from his Chamber of Goodness, looking at the tiny Alicorn in front of him. The little filly was clearly Diamond Tiara, but had a perpetual goodnatured grin that seemed to almost glow. Her Cutie Mark was an S akin to Superstallion's emblem (she had to continually remind ponies it represented hope).

She was now known properly as Princess Elips Spes Madoka Equestria. Discord was her adopted father after she was forced to flee Ponyville in the wake of an attack by the Princesses there, eventually ascending with his aid.

They were currently practicing dramatic superhero poses. "I guess you can't be the 'fill villains with fear' type sidekick...so we'll have to go with the 'inspires hope in all you see' type."

"Don't I do that just by existing?"

"Yes, but we're superheroes, we have to look the part."

Discord snapped his fingers and Diamond Tiara was in a beautiful silver outfit with a flowing golden cape. Diamond's adorned her outfit in several places. "How's that?"

"I like it! What's my superhero name daddy?"

"Hmm...Hope Diamond?"

"Sounds good to me!"

"Also fits because you're kinda nigh invulnerable, hope is unbreakable and all that."

Alarms suddenly went off. That strangely sounded like the 70s Batmare theme song.

"Trouble is a hoof! To the Good Guy Mobile!"

"Do I get a cool vehicle daddy?!"

"Not until you're old enough to have a drivers license. I'll make sure to get you a side car for the Good Guy Cycle though."

The screen then faded to black.

Pinkie Pie blinked. "Well...that's going to be an interesting trip in a couple seasons..."

-

Morning Star dodged away from another attack by that annoying pony. He hissed at the feel of blood trickling along his withers and side. This was impossible! He was an alicorn! Greater than the gods themselves! How could he be hurt by some wretched mortals?

'Power,' he thought, reaching out with his senses as he battled the two mortal ponies. 'I need more power to attain my true glory!' For some reason Luna protected his weakened sister Celestia rather than attack him. He considered and rejected attacking either one. Luna was savage enough to destroy him if he hurt her or Celestia; Celestia was weaker in nature, but she would still fight back. Indeed, she looked to be growing stronger as they fought -- OW! Morning Star flew away cursing as glowing golden blood flowed from a new wound along his right foreleg left by that dirty pony with the sword.

'Wait, what?' He checked again. 'I sense, not Cadence, but almost-Cadence?'

He didn't dare wait. He NEEDED that power!

Morning Star vanished into a golden fog and raced away across the battlefield, for a far corner where two oddly bug-like ponies stood.

Just as a snow white she-dragon dropped down between them and him.

"Sweetie Belle! And -- Queen Chrysalis?" Rari-dragon snarled her fury at Chrysalis. The fallen queen bared her own fangs back in defiance as Rarity boomed out, "You witch! You're the reason this happened to my little sister, aren't you? Last time I was forgiving; now I'll do what I should have done then!"

"No, big sis!" Queen Sweetie said. She flew up into the air, not noticing the glowing mist flying right at her 'friend' Chryssy. Rarity looked at her as Sweetie said, "I, this is my second chance to save Chryssy from herself!"

"Sweetie, she escaped from TARTARUS!" Rarity thrust one claw at Chrysalis, who rose into the air herself, her wigs buzzing. "There isn't any good left in her TO save!" She turned and got ready to breathe acid at the fallen queen, only to hold it at Sweetie got in the way.

"Stay out of this, Sweetie Belle," Chrysalis growled. Her horn began to glow as she summoned her magic. "I don't need any help to handle your prissy sister, even if she put on a few thousand pounds..." As Rarity choked on her fury, Chrysalis looked behind Sweetie and saw the mist. "Sweetie, LOOK OUT!"

"What?!?"

And Sweetie Belle flew right into the path of the mist so that it enveloped her.

Chrysalis and Rarity both stared in horror as Sweetie screamed like her soul was being burned. They saw her writhe and wriggle in the midst of the cloud, as it covered her, seeming to consume the new Changeling Queen.

"Mother-Majesty!" The changelings with white chitin tried to fly forward and help their queen, but a blast of magic sent them stumbling back.

"Bah, not what I wanted, but better than nothing, I suppose." Morning Star dropped the ground before Rarity and Chrysalis. He looked bigger than before; not at his full power, but stronger and healed save for some bloody scratches along his chest and sides. Morning Star flexed his wings and grinned at changeling and dragon. "You two miserable females can be the first to bow before me. And if you beg properly I may even spare you for my harem of mares..."

A bulge that looked and sounded like Sweetie pressed against the side of his neck, pushing outward as though seeking escape. Morning Star snarled, his horn glowed, and it slowly flattened out.

He leered at Chrysalis and Rarity.

"What say you?"

hough he was panting and more tired than he thought was physically possible from the fight, Coffee Swirl managed to laugh a tiny bit. "Not so perfect after all, are you?"

Morning Star snarled as he parried a blow from Squire and sent the spirit flying away fro the moment. "You mock me still? Can you not see how outclassed you are?" He swung his own blade once more, clashing with Swirl only to shove the pony away after a second. "Somnambula's soul and power, added to mine, and her sins fueling my attacks; you were barely keeping up with me before, what hope have you now?"

"None at all, but that's nothing new." Swirl barely managed to dodge a stab from Morning Star, rolling away while holding onto his (or rather, Squire's) sword. "I'm just a miserable little nobody fighting a god, and we both know your dad doesn't give a damn about me, so I was screwed from the start." Another dodge, this one scraping a few feathers from one of his wings. "But, you're going to lose. It's just how you are; you're a born loser." He outright laughed at this. "Just like me!"

Morning Star let out a shrieking neigh as he reared up, preparing to just crush Swirl beneath his hooves... just as Squire's ghostly form sliced his blade down, cutting off one of the fallen alicorn's wings entirely. The knight's image faded away, his time on the mortal coil up.

'I am sorry, Sir Swirl. I did what I could.'

"At least he's grounded for now." Swirl stood up, hefting the sword once more. "Any luck on your end, Patch?"

'Just give me a few more moments, I'm still hashing out the limitations with Mortis and Starlight.'

"Okay, but hurry! He's pissed."

Shining Armor shook her head, wincing as Hydia continued to pound on the shield. "I don't see how O&O is going to help right now, Twiley. Unless... Wait, do you remember Trixie telling us about how they beat that invincible changeling general?"

Twilight perked up, her mind already calculating. "It's worth a shot."

Shining nodded. "I'm dropping the shield... now!"

They leapt to the sides as Hydia's Smooze struck at suddenly empty air, smashing the ground. Twilight fired the strongest fire spell she muster. The Smooze stiffened, baked into a charred rock-like substance that muffled Hydia's curses. "Yes!" Twilight fired an ice bolt next, but before she could follow up with another fireball, the whole mass of Smooze shattered, falling to pieces around an unharmed Hydia.

"Fools!" crooned the witch, as the pieces of Smooze started thawing and running back together. "What part of 'Nothing can stop the Smooze' was unclear? No Rainbow of Light... no Flutterponies... you're history! Just give in now!"

A fresh gust of wind blew through their manes as Cadence dropped in for an elegant landing. "That's a nice look for you, Shining," she said, nuzzling her transformed husband. Shining seemed a little weirded out, but she didn't pull away either. "Now, did someone say something about flutterponies?" Blue flames engulfed her, then vanished, leaving a smaller pony with butterfly wings and an elegant, fluffy-styled mane and tail. She lifted her head and began to sing.

Hydia howled, clapping her hands over her ears. "You can't do that! That's not fair!" The Smooze thrashed wildly, shrinking into a little blob that hid behind her.

Shining snorted. "Hey, you're the one who told us how to beat you."

Farther away, Applejack gasped. "Do you see that? What going on?"

"Never mind that," shouted Moochick. "Cast the spell, dear. Cast it now."

Draggle swept her hands dramatically, the light around her growing until it actually lifted her off the flower-covered ground, and then the sunbeam arced across and engulfed Hydia.

"So this is the thanks I get?" Hydia snarled, melting away like a puff of foul sooty air in a strong breeze, flying right back to Tartarus.

"I never really wanted to be a witch in the first place!" Draggle shouted, panting hard. "Would it have been so bad... to just make friends? There, I said it! I... oh my..."

Chrysalis glared at Morning Star. "Let her go. She's just a filly. I'm the one you wanted, right? Take me instead."

Rarity was surprised to see the former changeling queen acting like this. "Chrysalis, what are you doing?"

"It's simple. I'm saving the one pony who I actually care about."

Morning Star said, "An intriguing proposition, but do you promise not to fight? No attempting to escape?"

Chrysalis said, "There wouldn't be much point in me trying anyway, since I'm technically dead anyway, but cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

Morning Star said, "Very well. Then you will take her place."

Chrysalis said to Rarity, "Listen, I want you to take Sweetie Belle and run. Make sure she's as far away as you can take her." As she said this, her body started to glow as Morning Star turned into mist and released Sweetie Belle.

Rarity was confused. "What are you doing? You Pinkie Pie Swore not to try to escape."

Chrysalis smiled as the mist formed around her. "But I never said anything about trying to take him with me."

Rarity took Sweetie Belle and ran, the little changeling queen screaming and crying for her friend.

Morning Star realized too late what Chrysalis was scheming. Before he could release her, she forced her magic to overload, causing her to explode while trapped inside Morning Star.

Over in the studio, Pinkie Pie said, "Well, it looks like even the part of Chrysalis that was sent to Tartarus still had some good left in her."

The unicorn said, "But was that enough for her to take out Morning Star?"

Morning Star emerged from the smoke and blast crater, damaged, bloodied, his eyes crossed with rage. "ENOUGH!!! I am the most powerful of all Alicorns ever created! I. AM. PERFECTION! I AM THE IDEA OF PERFECTION! WITHOUT ME THERE IS NO IDEA OF PERFECTION!"

"No wonder everypony who tries to be utterly perfect turns out so awful," Coffee Swirl said.

Twilight finished the little blob of Smooze off with a burst of fire while it was weakened by Cadence's song.

Morning Star cringed as Hydia was returned to the pit, robbing him of yet more evil to feed off of.

Moochick looked to his staff, still not being used. He picked it up. He threw it to Twilight. "Twilight, that staff is a holy object, it should be of use against Morning Star."

MEANWHILE FAR, FAR DOWN BELOW:

Hydia appeared in an all too familiar realm of smoking rifts and barren wastes. She landed with a loud, "OW! Rotten cheating ponies! Hmm, I wonder if that fat ugly slob Havoc noticed we sneaked out on him?"

She got her answer as a giant claw reached down and snatched her up.

"Well Well Hydia It Looks Like You Just Couldn't Stay Out Of Trouble, Could You?" Hydia yelled as it swept her up into the sky to find herself before the face of Havoc, the Greatest of All Fears -- in her case, resembling a giant, mindlessly happy pink party pony. "But Don't Worry! I Won't Put You Back In Your Old Prison!"

"Really?' Hydia dared to relax. She shuddered to remember that place with the endlessly cheery and friendly little ponies, to which her every malicious curse and evil spell seemed like a friendly game. "Y-you won't?"

"Of Course Not, I Found Someplace EVEN WORSE!" And with wild, diabolic laughter (delivered in a voice like Pinkie Pie's) Hydia found herself dropped in a place that looked like it was MADE out of candy and sweets. No sharp edges anywhere in sight, not even on the building stones. The sun shone happily from between white fluffy clouds with rainbows arcing between them.

And they SMILED. It looked like Paradise as put together by someone in Marketing who thought young children were happy idiots who needed to be coddled against so much as a cold breeze.

The Lovecats would have shuddered and left.

Nightmare Whisper would have pronounced it "Too sickly-sweet; umm, I hope that's not a problem."

To Hydia, who thought fever-filled swamps, dungeons filled with racks, and the Smooze the most wonderful things of all, it was nightmarish beyond belief.

"No..." Hydia stared around her in horror. She saw creatures, her new tormentors, coming at her out of the mists: small, rotund bear-like creatures with emblems like cutie marks on their bellies. Pinkie Pie would have winced at the sugary smiles they bestowed upon Hydia.

"No!"

"Hi Grammy Hydia!" The bears headed for her. The witch shrieked and tried to run, but they caught her and hugged her like lampreys attaching to a shark.

"We wuv you more than candy bars!"

"NOOOO!" And with that final eternal scream, mixed in with Havoc's laughter. Hydia learned --

Tartarus could be the happiest place of all.

"HOW did you get a camera DOWN THERE?!" The pegasus interviewer had to ask.

"Oooooh, I have my waaaaaays," Pinkie Pie grinned.

That was when the what-if machine turned on . . . except it had the time in one corner, a battery life in another, and user name 'CloudsMeanRain' in another corner. The picture of a blue furred bear with a heart shaped nose, looking not too happy appeared on the screen. His belly badge was of a raincloud with raindrops and tiny hearts.

"HEY! JERKS! DON'T GO BASHING US!"

"Oh! Hey!" Pinkie Pie looked at the what if machine, apparently now functioning as a live-chat between universes. "Sorry, we didn't mean to bash anypony. You are?"

"I'm Grumpy Bear, go ahead guess how I got my name!"

"OOOH! OOH! CAN I SEE? CAN I SEE? IS IT NEW FRIENDS? ARE THEY HAPPY?" Shouted a voice that sounded suspiciously like Pinkie Pie's, and Grumpy was pushed out of the way of the screen and displayed a pink girl bear with a rainbow belly badge. "HIIIII! I'm Cheer Bear! I love to give people cheer! It's nie to meet you! Can we have a party sometime?"

"YOU'RE MY NEW BEST FRIEND! WELL! I also have Dashie as my best friend too! And Fluttershy! And-"

"Yes yes! Isn't it great to have lots of best friends?"

"You can say that again! The only thing that really gets me down is when I can't get them to smile."

"Same here! Hey! Let's trade interdimensional coordinates!"

"Sure thing!"

Half-Light Noon, who was, of course, while a part of Twilight the Alicorn, was also based on Rainbow Dash, took one look at the screen, and saw Grumpy was reflecting Noon's expression.

"On three!" Noon said.

"THREE!" They said together, and turned off their respective what-if machines.

"What was that for?!" Two pink party nuts said across the universe.

"I don't want to think about how it would be with TWO OF YOU AROUND!" Grumpy and Noon said across universes.

"Guess we're more alike than we thought."

-

Untamed and wild, the Iblis to Morning Star's Mephiles The Dark, THE REST of Morning Star tried to join with the part of him in Ponyville.

Except Seven Ponies still in his way.

"So we're fighting him on this plane of reality and on the mortal plane of reality at the same time? This gives me a headache."

Starlight said, "Don't worry, we just need to hold him until the Morning Star is beat, then poof, he'll snap back into his prison like a rubber band . . . and we've got a gazillion Alicorns and Draconequi waiting behind us. But given all the sin and selfishness he's inspired with so many ponies, they thought we'd want first crack at him."

"Works for me!" Patch grinned, holding a spiritual double of Squire's sword.

Bright Eyes used a rapier and her butterfly sword, the fighting style of Lance's family for centuries.

It was very ironic according to their friends, that Sweetheart was wielding the bow and arrow, while it was Bon Bon carrying a large shield to protect her friends.

Melody held . . . yeah, a double guitar axe, what did you expect? And it could work like a normal axe too. "I paid 15,000 for thi thing! It better be worth it!"

"You had way too much money as a rock star Melody," Clover said, with skating horse-shoes sharpened to be as sharp as knives.

"Says you miss ballet star."

Starlight created a large scythe to fight with. "Let's do this! Melody! Would you have the honors?"

"With pleasure! Ahem!" Melody sang.

"You see us as small and helpless.
You see us as just foals.
Be Surprise when you find warriors inside who will gallop wild.

Prepare for our greatest moments.
Prepare for our finest hour.
The dream that Patch always dreamed is suddenly about to flower.

We are lightning:
Straying from the thunder,
Miracles of ancient wonder.

This will be the day we've waited for.
This will be the day we close your door.

Once we accept evolution!
We'll be ready for revolution!
Victory is our simple souls."

"TO DUST WITH YOU!" Starlight declared as the seven attacked Morning Star all at once. They didn't need to win, they didn't plan to win, they just needed to keep him busy long enough the heroes to finish things with Morning Star.

Twilight looked at the staff trying to figure out HOW to make it function and WHAT its function was! Why couldn't that weird elf be more precise? "I guess I now know how Megan felt when SHE was trying to get the Rainbow of Light to do something to stop Tirek . . . "

"Just hit the bastard with it!" Coffee Swirl blocked with the physical copy of Squire's sword, then spun on the spot and managed to open a gash on Morning Star's leg.

The fallen alicorn screamed, blasting him back with another of his despair shot, which were getting harder to shake off. "Can't do any worse than I have against him."

Spike gasped, finally waking up. "What? What did I miss?"

Shining Armor leaned over him. "We beat the witches, so now it's just Morning Star over there... but a lot of us are exhausted." She smirked. "This might be a good time for you to get greedy."

Spike hopped to his feet, grinning as he strode towards the spot where Coffee Swirl was locked in battle with the fallen alicorn. "That's my secret, Captain Sparkle. I'm always greedy." The little dragon's snarl became a earth-shaking roar as he grew, looming over the battlefield.

Flutter-dragon and Rari-dragon swept overhead, then landed on Spike's right and left, with Flutters taking a moment to drop a subdued human Reeka on the ground beside the Twilight and the others. "Need a hoof?" said Rarity slyly.

"Paw," Spike corrected her, wiggling his talons.

"Brute force now?" said Morning Star. "Pathetic. Bring a hundred dragons against me if you like... it matters not."

"Oh yeah? Well, try this!" Spike spat a fireball.

Coffee Swirl hastily leapt away, but Morning Star took it head on, then rose out of the blast, trailing flames but unharmed. "Also useless!" He looked disdainfully past the dragons, down at the other three Alicorns lined up to oppose him. "I burn hotter than the Sun!"

The dragons looked at each other, then charged, thundering towards him from three sides... but Morning Star somehow seized Spike's thumb and whirled him about, using the dragon's own momentum to toss him aside. "I am more resolute than the Moon!" Then he rammed into the Flutters, knocking them into Rarity so that both went down in a heap. "My harmony is more perfect than Harmony's own! I will correct the mistakes of my Parents and make this world Paradise!"

Fluttercruel groaned. "He's monologuing AND kicking our flanks."

Spike winced. "We just volunteered to be punching bags until Twilight thinks of something clever, didn't we?"

"Wouldn't surprise me," said Coffee Swirl, wiping some of the blood off his sword.

"But you can take it, can't you?" said Rarity, leaning over and kissing Spike on the cheek. "My big strong Spikey-Wikey."

Spike stared, cheeks glowing red, then sprang to his feet again. "Let's do it! No more getting left home with the fillies for this dragon!"

Moochick sighed, seeing this would take longer than he thought for Twilight to figure it out. He looked over the battlefield and found a certain blue unicorn that'd been part of the battle the entire time but not gotten any focus. He turned to Draggle. "Say this spell here, that should by them some time."

Draggle nodded slowly. "Okay...'Potential hidden is potential waiting to be accessed. Allow the Fool to lend potential repressed.'"

A portal opened an a ethereal Alicorn emerged. He was green in color, his barding making him resemble a jester. He then flew into Trixie.

'Hey potential sister! Let me 'unlock your true potential' for a little bit okay?'

'Trixie has no idea what's going on!...But Trixie would like to see what potential she could have to aspire to...'

Trixie was wrapped in numerous glowing tendrils, transforming her into a cocoon which then exploded outwards. In it's place was a blue Alicorn with a mane and tail flowing and translucent like an invisibility spell with silver barding.

Trixie panted, looking at herself in awe. "I'm...I'm a..."

'Yeah, you CAN become an Alicorn someday. I unlocked your hidden potential. Feels good to know you have this potential huh?"

"Yes! This is amazing! Trixie is-"

'Enough bragging little potential sis, Alicorn on the rampage!'

"Right!"

Trixie, or rather Anasi, joined in the battle with several fireworks spells and illusionary copies directed at her potential elder brother.

Draggle blinked. "That felt like it was easier than it should have been."

"It was, but that's because me and Puerilis are on VERY good terms with each other," the Moochick replied jollily.

"Oh...yeah, that makes sense..." she replied, looking at the wise fool.

A short distance away, Sweetie Belle was crying. Applebloom and Scootaloo huddled beside the white changeling queen with sad faces, but Sweetie buried her face in her hooves. "Chryssy's... gone..."

The timber wolf nuzzled against her. "There's nothing you coulda done."

"I lost her again!" she insisted. "She blew herself up, and that bucking jerk didn't even feel a thing! It was all for nothing!"

Her friends pulled away, shocked by her language. "Don't say that!" said Scootaloo. "She did it to save you, didn't she?"

Sweetie Belle gasped. "She... She did." She stared into space. "Thank you, Chryssy. I guess it's up to me, now." Her eyes narrowed. "Stand back."

Her friend were confused, until she exploded in pale green flames, and a fourth dragon reared up and roared, stamping towards the front. Her dragon form had gleaming white and pink scales and iridescent wings, with jade green eyes, and a light purple underbelly.

Trixie pulled back, assessing the new situation, but Morning Star seemed almost amused. "What's this? Your passions betray you. You don't have enough 'love' to hold that shape."

It was true, Sweetie Belle realized, already swaying on her paws before she'd even gotten to fight the monster. And then, all of her transformed drones rejoined her, perching on her back. She felt a little stronger.

Applejack, Scootaloo, and Applebloom galloped to her side, nuzzling her flank, and Zecora joined them, still hobbling. Spike gave her a proud nod and clapped a paw on her shoulder, followed by Fluttershy, then Rarity. "Maybe we'll talk about your grounding later," big sis said, with a wink.

"Very dramatic!" said the temporary alicorn. "Trixie gives it an eight out of ten."

Sweetie Belle reared up straight and tall, sparks crackling around her horns. "With love like this... love that's shared, not taken... I can do whatever I need to do!" A blinding stream of lightning shot from her horns, carrying Morning Star away and smashing him into a mountain in the distance, then holding him pinned until the mountain itself fell on him.

"Did I... get him?" she panted, flanks heaving.

The mountain began to rumble...

Griffin Dash signed, "Can't this guy stay down already?"

Four nopony ponies, nothing ghosts, one a bat version of Fluttershy, what looked like Rarity with green magic and eyes, Cheerilee and Big Mac, all tackled the fallen Alicorn at once.

"Are you mad?! Do you seek your own destruction!? You can't hope to hinder me!"

Flutterbat just hissed in his face.

"STOP!" Shining Armor shouted as he rushed in and pounded Morning Star in the back of the head with his hammer. He grinned. "Hammertime."

Coffee Swirl didn't speak as he stabbed at Morning Star, he had no illusions that even that would be fatal for the alicorn, but it was something to do some damage to his physical form and slow it down some. "Enough with the damned jokes! Not all of us have narrative armor, Shining!" He was, of course, blasted away and into a very painful tumble for his troubles. At this point, though, he was starting to get used to it.

"I really hate my life most days." He grunted as he stood up once more, spat out some blood (As well as a tooth) and flew back into the fray with Morning Star.

Applejack, falling back to take a breather, noticed Princess Luna staying out of the fight.

"Excuse me, Princess, but why ain't ya helping out?"

Princess Luna said, "Believe me, we would normally be one of the first to do so, but if we were to do that now, it would leave our sister defenseless. And after what that witch did to her, it would be all too easy for some fiend to exploit her weakened condition. We shall contribute if we are able to do so, but right now our sister's safety takes precedence."

Applejack said, "That does change things quite a bit. All right, keep protecting her. I'm gonna get back in there, now that I've gotten my second wind."

Morning Star hissed back at Flutterbat, and with a roar let his jaws expand, his equine teeth becoming wolfish fangs. Flutterbat tried to flee, but with a lunge and snap he sank his fangs into her ghostly form. She gave one despairing squeak and fell into 'shreds' of spirit, consumed forever.

"No! Flutterbat!" Ghost-Rarity gasped and then hurled herself at Morning Star. Her horn glowed green as she called upon the magic she'd once used. "I'M MAKING A CAGE FOR YOU, MONSTER!" Golden bars appeared around Morning Star. With a sneer and a wave of his wings he shattered them.

"Foalish mare!" He lunged at Ghost-Rarity, who created and hurled razor-sharp diamonds at him. He winced where they cut his 'perfect' flesh, but forced is attack through. "You wretched ghosts do nothing but make me stronger!"

"No, Rarity!" A moment before his jaws closed on her, Ghost-Cheerilee hurled herself in the way. She whinnied in pain and terror.

Once. Then she was nothing but strands of ethereal 'matter', shadows of a shadow passing on the wind.

"Idiot ghost," Morning Star said, licking the taste of her love from his lips. "All you did was slow me down." He turned and leered at Rarity, but before he could sink his fangs into her, a mammoth red mountain of a stallion slammed into his side. The Fallen Alicorn whinnied in fury. "Now which fool do I --" His voice broke off as a heavy hoof cracked into his jaw.

"YOU KILLED MA SHMOOPY-POO!" Rarity dove in as well, and the last two ghosts battled Morning Star hoof to hoof.

Twilight saw what was happening and gasped. "Big Brother, er, sister!"

"Umm, Miss Pony?" Draggle tried to get her attention. Twilight waved her off. As she did the four dragons on the battlefield flew up and spewed fire (Fluttershy and Spike), acid (Rarity), and what looked like arctic cold (Sweetie-ling) on Morning Star. It distracted him from the ghosts, and he roared in pain.

"I see it," Shining replied. She hefted the hammer she carried in the grip of her magic. "Morning Star's replenishing himself from those ghost ponies and destroying them at the same time; we've got to stop him now!" She looked at the hammer in dismay. "I think we may need a better weapon, though."

"Yeah, about that..." Draggle began again.

"I know," Twilight said, wincing as she saw Morning Star send another of those 'despair blasts' at the dragons. They dropped, shivering, all save Sweetie who kept attacking even as she shook with grief and pain. Applejack and Silver Spoon and Apple Bloom ran to them. As they did a stray blast of magic from Sweetie was deflected by Morning Star right into Applejack. The palomino vanished with a yelp, only to reappear as a golden-furred wolf.

"Aw, horseapples," she growled. As she did Sweetie roared at full volume:

"YOU KILLED CHRYSALIS! YOU MONSTER, I WON'T LET YOU GET AWAY!"

Twilight said, "If only we had something that could counter -- HEY!" She wheeled and gave Draggle a dirty look. Her rump still throbbed where the witch had given her a good hard slap.

Morning Star hurled both fire and freezing cold at Sweetie all at once. The poor young mare-Changeling Queen fell back, blasted down.

"Sorry, but I had to get your attention somehow!" Draggle pointed at her staff. As she did, Anasi and Luna and even the weakened Celestia attacked their mad brother, magic against magic. Anasi spun illusions to confuse, Luna pulled a several-hundred-pound micrometeorite down from low orbit atop him, and the exhausted Celestia called a ray of the sun's own searing light down on him. When he got back up from that, Crunch the Rock Dog leapt on him with a roar like a mountain sliding into ruin.

"Listen, Miss Twilight," Draggle said. "This staff, it's holy magic, okay? A source of power, like a battery. It connects right to the Father and Mother of the Alicorns..."

"That's all well and fine, Draggle, but..."

"Now listen!" Twi jerked back as Draggle hurried on with, "It's a container of holy power, or whatever you want to call it. Morning Star is full of the power too, but corrupted. He's like..." Draggle frowned as she searched for the words. Meanwhile Morning Star cursed and sent Crunch flying with a pained yelp.

"It's like matter and antimatter," Twilight said, suddenly realizing. "Thank you, Draggle!" She turned to Shining. "I think we have a chance!"

"Okay, how?"

"Just this," Twilight said as she suddenly charged right at the monster who had just laid out four dragons, three alicorns, and a giant Rock Dog.

"Little sis!"

"Cover me!" And with that, holding the staff in the grip of her magic...

Twilight charged right at Morning Star.

"You do realized that since Morning Star absorbed the witch's essence, that is why Rarity has remained a dragon. While Sweetie Belle and her friends, are still effected by poison joke and STILL just poison joke even if the wild magic continues to increase the force of the changes on them."

"Thanks for the expo', but Ah don't need it right now!" AJ said.

"Just explaining why, so reality doesn't reach critical mass more than it already has. Rainbow Dash's transformation spell, needs to be purposely undone, a pony will only become her natural state again after a pony TF spell is cast upon her. This details needed to be shared. For instance, Reeka is not dead, nor has she cast a counter-spell, that is why Fluttershy is still a dragon."

"Ya got somethin' use to say right now barky?"

"Your sense of purpose and thread of fate about to be commandeered for the sake of the universe, don't worry, you'll snap back to normal as soon as Morning Star, and the remaining witches are sent to their proper places in the hereafter. That includes Draggle, she's already dead remember? And the cat-witch who led to your sister becoming a timber wolf is still alive, and trying to turn Zecora's pot into witch weed."

"Ah ain't got a choice do I?"

"In a situation like this, sadly you can't be afford to. Welcome to why the status of Chosen One is only sought by the foolish."

"Ah want yer word that Ah'll be back to a pony, and rest of this craziness will be fixed up after Morning Star is kaput."

"Those effect by poison joke still need just a bath. The goblins . . . well, technically they're now changelings, that is a gray area. But yes, you'll be able to clean up the mess after Morning Star is done. Now there are seven ponies fighting in the spirit world to keep him from rejoining with the rest of himself on this plane of reality. Don't worry, it won't be unpleasant. In name of my mother, the goddess of consequences, better known as fate, Rota Fortuna."

"AJ . . .who are you talking to? The invisible mare?" Griffin asked next to the totally cool griffin Scootaloo.

Applejack startled, the orange colored wolf doubled in size, became semi-transparent, and gave a feral growl. Her eyes glowing white. She didn't matter. Nothing mattered save the stability of the cosmos, and Morning Star, was the big source of ALL this destabilization. IN the name of the greatness of Mother Rota Fortuna, Applejack would obey. The orange wolf gave a howl, and charged, it wouldn't have harmed the ghostly Big Mac, he already didn't exist.

Morning Star saw the beast and fired several spells at it, but then it was like he had fired nothing at the Orange Wolf the entire time as the blasts were erased from existence as they hit. This Orange Wolf, until her brother, the Blank Wolf, was not forbidden to harm deities, and she was, in fact, created explicitly to deal with gods who had become a threat to creation and needed to be sent back. She would make Mother Rota Fortuna proud.

In the back of her mind, she knew she had been created from a Pony named Applejack as raw material, and held all her memories, and the Orange Wolf knew her own existence would come to an end and Applejack's would resume as soon as her purpose was fulfilled and Morning Star was back in his prison. But the Orange Wolf didn't care, it was the will of Mother Rota Fortuna, her brother the Blank Wolf was the left wing of fate . . . she was the right wing of her mother.

The Orange Wolf told Twilight Sparkle, ".thE stafF won'T bE ablE tO harM hiM directlY . . . strikE hiM wherE he'S bleediN' geT underneatH hiS skiN, anD usE A sparK oF magiC oN thE stafF, anD it'lL canceL ouT everY droP oF corrupT magiC iN 'eM, anD he'lL havE LESS magiC thaN a rocK. TheN finisH eM ofF likE yA woulD A maD doG"

" . . . thank for the instructions Applejack."

".ah'M noT aJ, aH aM thE orangE wolF, jusT hurrY"

Twilight was befuddled but nodded. "Coffee Swirl! Cut me an opening! Then let me handle the rest!"

Ghost Rarity looked to her grieving friend. "...Without our family, we've not got much reason to exist..."

"...Right..."

"...But we still do...for now darling...remember how we did the one thing no creature had ever dared to do in Entropy's Realm?" asked Rarity.

"Eeyup...we brought Hope there..."

"...That means our Hope is an 'imperfection' so to speak, doesn't it? Disrupting the 'purity' of Entropy's Realm?"

"That'd make sense."

"And a Shadow feeling Hope couldn't be more imperfect, correct?"

"Nope."

"...You know what we can do to help them truly?"

"Eeyup."

"Then let's do just that..."

The two ghosts focused on the Hope they'd brought to the hopeless abyss of Entropy's realm. The hope they'd kept alive in that dismal endless frozen area.

The two ghosts erupted into a golden light that seemed to take the place of the shadows.

The rushed Morning Star. "You want to eat us?! Here we are!"

Morning Star looked up just in time for the two spirits to connect with him, dispersing into his body in a shower of golden energy.

"What heroic nons-"

Morning Star gasped, suddenly looking like he was gravely ill, like his body weighed a ton more than he could lift. "You...what did you do to me?!" he asked, stunned for the moment by an 'impurity' being introduced to his body. Instead of perfect nothingness the ghosts should have represented, the energy was 'tainted' by a flood of something the OPPOSITE it was supposed to contain. A light that had been born were light should have been IMPOSSIBLE. An imperfection on the Perfect Nothingness. "You've tainted my perfection! You've polluted my Evil!" he yelled in disbelief, trying to 'vomit up' the 'infection' he'd absorbed, but being left open for the time it'd take to do so.

"He's vulnerable!" yelled Twilight to Coffee. "Do it now!"

The Orange Wolf landed lightly, then slipped into shadow, stalking the traitor, watching his fate unfold. Coffee Swirl shouted savagely and slashed the distracted Morning Star's flank with the sword. He was bucked aside, but Twilight teleported in next, using her magic to fire the staff like a crossbow bolt, burying it in the wound.

Morning Star fell, suddenly just an ordinary pony facing a whole flight of angry dragons and more. "No! This isn't how it was supposed to be! You cannot! I defy this fate..."

The Orange Wolf ignored the meaningless prattle and paced faster, moving in to deal the final blow, to End the traitor's avatar...

The world shifted, growing strange and indistinct. The Orange Wolf and the Blank Wolf Pup stood alone atop a snowy mountain, in cold still air beneath a crisp starry sky. "whY dO yoU draW ouT thiS momenT... brother?"

The Blank Wolf padded closer, paws crunching the snow, and nosed her flank lightly. "If I do not, I shall never have had a chance to know my sister."

The Orange Wolf snorted. "What does a Wolf need with memories like that? Ah was created for this moment. Ah will perform the duty that mother Fate gave me, strike down my prey, and then Ah'll be no more."

The Blank Wolf held out a paw towards her, unaccustomed emotion in his golden eyes. "We are the tools of Fate, yes, but we are more than that. We are living creatures, sister, and living creatures can learn... and change!"

"Why are you tellin' me this now? What would you have me do different?" She growled faintly. "Mah fate is important... Ah won't run away from it."

"No! No, I don't expect you to..." The Blank Wolf turned away, seeming a bit lost. "Forgive me. I'm being selfish. You... Applejack, the you that you will once again be... might not remember any of this, but I surely will."

The Orange Wolf paced, snarling now. "You *have* changed since you were reborn, brother. You've strayed far from mother's design. Do ya think ya know better than her, now? That you should decide the fates of mortals yourself? Are you another Morning Star that needs ta be put down?!"

"No!" howled the Blank Wolf, tail lashing. "Ever since I changed, I've been expecting mother to call me to heel. I stand ready to accept her judgment at any time, to stand aside for another more worthy to be the Blank Wolf... but thus far, she has let me choose!" He leaned close again, nose to nose, though her teeth were still bared. "I was so very stubborn, sister. I had to die before I could change. It saddens me to see you like I was... but it's for just this moment, so I suppose that this is how it must be."

The Orange Wolf stood there, quiet and thoughtful, before she finally spoke. "Ah... wish you well in finding your own fate, brother. Me, Ah've got a job to do."

And then the Orange Wolf was back on the battlefield with not a moment gone by, howling at Morning Star and leaping, claws flashing...

Tired to the point of near death, Swirl dropped the bloodied sword and fell flat next to it, his body finally reaching it's limit after the battle.

But, a breathless chuckle escaped his mouth as he watched Morning Star's fate unfold. "That's for those ghosts, you bastard! Go back to Hell, and stay put this time!"

Rari-dragon said, "That witch's illusions-to-reality magic may have turned me into a dragon, but right now, I'm still inside regressed to a filly, and have the poison joke curse having turned me into Greedity, which means, MINE!" She stepped on him. And crushed half the bones in Morning Star's body. She felt Morning Star squirm. "There Applejack, you can rip his throat out and end his suffering now."

".it'S orangE wolF" And the Right Wing of Rota Fortuna's will did exactly that.

A severed wing, long forgotten on the battlefield, began to stir. Quickly taking on the form of a long white glowing serpent, it slithered away.

The orange wolf claws found their mark and slashed at the helpless Morning Star, giving him two large burning gashes across his crest. He yelled in agony, kicked the wolf away and was shocked to find his already bloodly leg was melting from the blow. "Impossible... how can this be...I am only one who can bring order to this world and thousands more. I am a god! You shouldn't be able to harm me!"

"I waS borN froM motheR rotA fortuna'S righT winG foR onE purposE."

"Shut up!"

"tO hunT thE onE whO threatenS thE stabilitY oF thE cosmoS anD brinG hiM bacK tO hiS fierY prisoN. thaT individuaL iS yoU!"

"I said shut up! Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!" Don't you talk down to me! I am perfection! I cannot be beaten by a lesser being such as you!" snarled the mad god.

Morning Star attempted to blast, teleport or shield himself from the wolf but found all his magic gone. The wolf wasted no time and pounced on him shedding him further and melting off his remaining wing. The fallen alicorn pounded against the predator and somehow managed to tear off the canine from him. His body now deformed, was melting rapidly, and hardly recognizable from his former glory. He limped away, desperate to escape until he found himself stopped by his fellow alicorns.

"Little sisters," he said, stumbling forward. "Please aid me... I see now how wrong I was, I want to beg Mother and Father's forgiveness, and that of the other alicorns as well... Please, little sisters, don't turn me away, don't send me back to that monster's chariot..." His voice faded in and out.

Celestia grasped at the familiarly of the words. "It is too late for that. Thou brought this upon thyself brother,", said Luna with her horn glowing. "Make sure to say hello to Havoc for us" A white wing stopped her and she looked to see her sister walking up to their brother, much to her dismay. "Sister don't, he is merely trying to deceive us!" The sun goddess continued on until she was standing right in front of her fallen sibling.

"Sister... thank you...I knew you would-" A blast of solar energy flew past his head and completely obliterated a nearby bush. He growled as out of the flames a giant white python was revealed before burning away into nothingness. With a tear in her eye Celestia grabbed Morning Star with her magic and moved him within range of the Orange Wolf.

"Goodbye brother." With one mighty slash, the wolf split him down the middle, followed by several hundred swipes of her claws to shred the remains of the avatar until nothing was left. The alicorn's spirit was sent screaming and cursing back to his prison all the way in Havoc's domain.

With her purpose done, the orange wolf let out a victorious howl.

"Thank you. You have done well. Now as promise I return you to your former self."

The wolf bowed and was transformed back into being a simple farm pony.

The farm pony was oddly still, in that moment after her transformation. A tear ran down her cheek. The Blank Wolf Pup flashed to her side. "Applejack?"

She gave him a sad smile. "You finally said it. Was that so hard?"

"Are you alright!?"

Applejack took a deep breath and looked around, mindful of the others approaching. "Tell you about it later, okay, sugarcube?"

Huge ripples of magic were spreading through the sky overhead. "It looks like the rest of the witches' spells are coming undone," said Twilight, fascinated by the display.

Flutter-dragon began to glow, then shrank rapidly, becoming the familiar pink and yellow pegasus. "Finally! It's so good to be back to normal." "I'd totally do it again!" "No we wouldn't! No, we wouldn't!"

"My queen!" the changelings urged Sweetie Belle. "You must change back, before you put yourself in a love-coma!"

"Oh, right! Thank you!" She nosed one, then began to transform as well.

Rarity shank next... unexpectedly becoming a Discorded little filly. "How bothersome! I'd forgotten about that." Then she twitched and poofed into the adult version of Rarigreed. "Well, that's more like it!"

"How do I look?" rumbled Spike. The one dragon who'd actually been a dragon to start with had transformed on his own... not back into a baby dragon, but into a mature form that kept the wings and horns and stood about half again as large as the ponies.

Rarigreed glomped him so fast, she nearly bowled him over. "Mine! Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine!"

"Oof! Okay, I'll take that as a vote in favor," said Spike, grinning and not trying to fend Rarity off very hard at all.

Shining hoof-shrugged. "I guess it's better than her demanding to know much loot and XP a god was worth."

Twilight giggled. "You can keep her busy while we get the poison joke bath ready."

Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and Scootaloo, still a changeling queen, timber wolf, and griffon, all awwwed together. "Do we have to?"

Anarchy appeared behind them with a bang and a flash, startling a lot of ponies, until they realized it wasn't Discord.. and that didn't reassure them very much. "Yeah, man, why should they have to, if it's what they want?"

Zecora approached, still keeping her weight off her wounded leg. "Nothing doing, it's a bath for you. And for me, some healing brew."

Applebloom pointed. "But, but... Spike's a BABY dragon, and nobody's tellin' him to stop having fun."

"If you call that fun," said Scootaloo, making a face.

"They have a point," said Anarchy, winking.

Applejack gritted her teeth and straightened her hat. "You... git! There's always room for one more at the statue garden."

The Spirit of Freedom blinked. "Well, duh, there's lots of room now that Dis-"

Pandora appeared in another flash and muzzled him with a paw. "Ooh, gotta go! Bye, Shining, it was fun!" She quickly teleported them both away.

While everypony else was having an impromptu get together following the battle, Coffee Swirl, sword held in his mouth, trudged back to his coffe shop.

Other than the tiny piece of Morning Star, which was likely long gone by now, the threats had pretty much been neutralized. There were a few loose ends, but nothing super dangerous. It was time to let the others know.

He broke the line ot the protection circle around his shop, releasing the spell and opening it to the world again.

"Okay, things have calmed down, you can leave now. I'll join the salvage crew in a bit, just as soon as I can feel my wings again." He set the sword on the counter and watched as the patrons filed out to start rebuilding the town.

As Lily passed, however, he smirked at her. "Told you you'd do fine."

She paused, then gave him a small smile. "Yeah, you did." And she finally left, humming a half remembered song to herself.

Squirk hissed in pain as Draggle dehydrated him with a powerful light spell and sent him back the Tartarus. She painted, feeling exhausted from all the mana she'd expended during the fighting.

She walked back over to the heroes. "I took care of Squirk. Anyone else I can help put back?"

Twilight looked to the Witch, noting how different she looked now. The fact she was actually happy for one. "Can you help find Katrina? I know she's around here somewhere. She keeps getting aw-"

"AHHH!"

Twilight blinked, turning to see the Diamond Dogs, still reformed from Rarity's early reharmonization, helping Crunch chase the tiny cat woman. "Oh yeah...I forgot certain groups of Diamond Dogs worship him."

Meanwhile . . .

"Hiss!"

Rarity blinked her eyes awake, looking around the battlefield. She gasp at who'd woke her up. "Flutterbat!" she called, hugging the bat pony. "But I thought you were...we were..."

"So did we."

The unicorn gasped, hugging Cheerilee and Big Mac. "How are we..."

"THAT IS YOUR OWN DOING, LITTLE PONIES."

The four blinked, turning to see a white Alicorn with a nebula for a Cutie Mark standing before them, flowers sprouting at her hooves. Life seeming to flow from her. Even a small piece of the Mother of All was a piece of eternity.

"Y-You're..."

"CORRECT. FAUNA LUSTER, THE MOTHER OF ALL THINGS, PRELIFE, EMPATHY...MY HUBBY ALSO CALLS ME HONEY," the Avatar answered playfully.

Rarity blinked in amazement. "You...you said we..."

"I AM THE SOURCE OF ALL SOULS, BUT ALL BEINGS THAT HAVE EMPATHY IN THEIR HEARTS HAVE A PIECE OF ME WITHIN THEM," Fauna Luster explained. "IF THAT IS THE CASE, HOW DO YOU SUPPOSE YOU SAVED YOURSELVES?"

Rarity blinked, looking at herself and her 'family'. They were solid...sort of. She was pretty sure they were still spirits (and in the spirit world) but they seemed...more real. She then gasped. "That means...something without a soul...if it feels empathy...that little piece of you...can become a soul?!"

The Mother of All clapped her hooves. "VERY GOOD MY LITTLE PONY!"

Cheerilee blinked. "So...we're still here because we have souls of our own now?"

"CORRECT."

"But how did we..." Cheerilee asked, thinking.

"WHAT IS THE LAST THING YOU DID BEFORE YOUR DEATHS?"

Flutterbat gave several hisses to the others.

Cheerilee nodded. "...We attacked a God to protect ponies we didn't even know...knowing we could cease to be..."

"And then meh and Rarity sacrificed ourselves tah weaken that devil," Big Mac added.

Rarity nodded. "So...by sacrificing our lives to save another...we earned a soul?"

"YOU DID NOT EARN A SOUL. EARN IMPLIES IT WAS GIVEN TO YOU. YOU GREW. YOU BECAME MORE THAN YOU WERE. YOU GREW A SOUL WITH THAT ACT."

Fauna Luster teleported over and put her wings over the group. "AND I AM SO PROUD OF YOU, MY LITTLE PONIES. SO VERY PROUD."

"t-thank you..." the dumbfounded former shadows replied.

Rarity looked up at eternity. "...Miss...if you don't mind me asking...what happens now?"

"MORTIS! MY SON, PLEASE COME TO MOMMY."

The Alicorn of Death appeared before them. "Yes, mother?"

"BE A DEAR AND ESCORT THESE BRAVE SOULS TO YOUR FATHER PLEASE."

Mortis smiled. "Gladly, mother."

Rarity looked to her friends. Big Mac and Cheerilee held hooves and kissed. Flutterbat was imagining what heaven would be like. Probably involving tons of apples.

The group of friends stepped out of limbo and into Heaven.

And in the living world.

Princess Anasi, Trixie's Alicorn self, laughed as she trapped what little remained of Albus in a tiny jar. Also in two tiny jars was the two royal usurpers, the woman Suzzete and her daughter Margette. And the giant spider monster Ahgg. "This is fun!"

BEEP! BEEP!

Pinkie Pie sighed, "There goes the batteries again, I wonder if Tartarus is willing to pay, those batteries don't come cheap."

Author's Note

Pinkie Pie, "FOUR SETS OF BATTERIES! This sure is taking a long time. You think it would be easier to round up the devil and an army of the damned who had escaped the pits of hell."

4th Wall Breaking Variety Show Gallery. http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/gallery/42867862/Pinkie-Pie-Forth-Wall-Breaking-Variety-Show

What you put in the comments appears in the story.

Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and I can't spill the beans about us being out-and-out fiction to the others.

The camera can’t leave the studio.

The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from “My little Pony”

Everything that happens here is non-canon (except the Tartarus break out thingie, but not the big battle).

Have Fun

Keep the number of characters in the studio in the single digit range. Seriously. Don't let it overload. TERRIBLE THINGS will happen if you do.

Banner by Kendell2.

MLP FIM Copyright Hasbro

ADDITIONS BY:
Alex Warlorn and Yoshiegg64
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn (by me)
Jarkes
Kendell2 and Ardashir
dragon-of-twilght
Mtangalion
JMCdavid, Kendell2, Ardasir, and (me) Alex Warlorn all at once.
dragon-of-twilght and Mtangalion
Ardashir Mtangalion and some of me
Jarkes dragon-of-twilght jmcdavid Ardashir and Alex Warlorn, all at once, in that order.
Kendell2
Mtangalion and dragon-of-twilght
Alex Warlorn (me!)
Yoshiegg64
Mtangalion
dragon-of-twilght
Kendell2 with a tiny bit by Alex Warlorn at the end
Yoshiegg64 Somerandomminon Alex warlorn and Ardashir

Pinkie Pie 4th Wall Break VarietyShow Special Prt5

The camera flickered back on a forth time. Pinkie Pie panted, looking tired.

"O-okay everypony...these...these bad guys from Tartarus won't let me stop until we got'em all back where they belong so...uuugh...remember the rules. What you put in the comments appears in the story. Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and I can't spill the beans about us being out-and-out fiction to the others.
The camera can't leave the studio, we're using fancy telescope lenses for this. The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from "My little Pony"
Everything that happens here is non-canon (except the Tartarus break out thingie, but not the big battle). Have Fun Keep the number of characters in the single digit range. or at least managable. Seriously. Don't let it overload. TERRIBLE THINGS will happen if you do. O-okay...I'm...I'm gonna rest for a bit."

Meanwhile, far away at a normal hillside, a dark rift still existed that led to the oblivion. It was only the size of a small bit, but that didn't stop one unicorn shadow from trying to escape.

"Impatient draconequus, he was in such a rush that he forgot to fully close the rift." She stretched and pulled util she was able to squeeze through the opening. "Not that I am complaining, when it allows me the chance to steal somepony's light and finally open up my shop again." She flashed a wicked grin at the thought of tricking souls that were foolish enough to buy her wares. Her smile disappear when she saw she wasn't alone.

"I knew I left a few loose ends here." Anarchy looked at the rift then at the shadow. He snapped his fingers and a giant sewing needle and thread appeared floating by. "Sorry hon, I may be the spirit of freedom but I have orders. Back in you go."

Instead of fleeing, the shadow flew closer to him. "Oh lets not be hasty. What is just one shadow escaping. I am hardly a threat. Beside all I want to do is help fulfill ponies' desires." She floated inches away from his face. "Can't you let one teenie tiny insignificant shadow escaped her prison. Surely your mother wounldn't mind?"

"Nice try, but no dice." However, before he could grab the sly shadow, a long spider leg erupted from the rift and swiftly struck through her. The leg then pulled back into oblivion, dragging the shadow with it. Shocked but curious, Anarchy peered though opening to see what was there. "No way, could it be? Nightmare Phobia long time no see!"

"Hello Anarchy, It seems you have not forgotten me."

On the other side of the void, stood, a shadow of an alicorn skeleton with a black horn with large skeletal wings. Four long spider legs connected to the main body with sharp spikes on the end. Instead of a tail was a stinger. Her expression was unreadable.

"We draconequus have excellent memory for your information. Got it memorized." He tapped a coyote finger to his head. "Anyway why are you her? Planning on making a jailbreak beautiful?" He summoned two flamming chakrams to his side and a full bodied black coat appeared on him.

"And leave this wonderful quiet nothingness? No thank you. I merely was curious where this light was coming from. Now that I have, please close it before more shadows distract you." She turned and started to walk away, dragging a shadow with her.

"As expected from mom's number 1 groupie." He rolled his eyes and the chakrams disappeared. "Hey wait up babe. Want to go out for ice cream sometime? My treat."

The shadow turned around and gave a hollow laugh. "Whatever. Not like I have anything better to do."

Short while later the rift was sealed extra tight this time. No more nobodies were going to escape oblivion now.

Draggle made an odd face, somewhere between a smirk and a sympathetic wince, when she saw Katrina desperately running from the pack of (from the cat-witch's perspective) titanic canines. Twilight likewise giggled, but her violet eyes showed concern. "Well, we found her, at least...should we help her?" the unicorn asked. "I overheard Applebloom saying she caught Katrina earlier while the Crusaders were still transformed. She was outright terrified of them..."

"Ha! Serves her right!" Draggle chuckled, watching Crunch and his followers running in a circle as they chased their shrunken prey. They looked like they were all chasing their tails...even on Crunch, it was actually really cute.

Twilight gave the Witch a stern look. "Draggle, Katrina was begging the Crusaders not to eat her. And she's probably gotten stepped on at last once today, and at that size she's powerless. She's been through enough, don't you think?"

Draggle sighed and rolled her eyes a bit...but she nodded. "Alright, Twilight. SIT, BOYS! The cat is ours!!"

Crunch and the Diamond Dogs instantly stopped chasing Katrina an sat down, panting. "Aww, but I almost catch tiny cat-lady!" Crunch whined as Twilight easily intercepted Katrina and snatched her up with her magic. "Wanted to stone her and use as chess piece..." his ears drooped, but Draggle approached him and patted his chest as she soothed the Rock Dog.

"Don't feel bad. Next time you're chasing a baddie, you can have 'em. I won't complain at all." Crunch barked in joy and licked his new Witch-Friend.

Meanwhile, Katrina floated in a violet miasma, inches from a lavender titaness's face. Anyone, hero or villain, in her position would be understandably terrified...
But for once, Katrina held her cool. She'd already gotten squished and nearly eaten more times than she could count already; what was once more? And it wasn't like this unicorn would be any more merciless than those three monster-fillies or those dang mutts.

If she was lucky, the mare might even keep her as a pet and not send her back to Tartarus.

Katrina sighed, slumping in the air. "I guess I should thank you, kid....um, would you have any plans for me that DIDN'T involve me getting stepped on, sat on or eaten?" As tired as she sounded, there was genuine hope in her voice. "And, would you excuse me for not begging for mercy? I've...*cough*...got a bit of a sore throat from all the screaming in t--*Cough!*--terror I've done today. Oh, and PLEASE DON'T GIVE ME TO THOSE THREE FILLIES!!! ...*COUGH!!* ...Ow. Need....lozenge...."

Twilight had to remind herself that this was Katrina's EVIL, Katrina herself had already found redemption and had entered the afterlife from what Pandora had been walking about before she left.

"I'll add her to my bottled villains to send gift wrapped back to Tartarus," Princess Anasi said floating down to the small witch, and zapped Reeka and bottled the fat wicked witch as well. The bottle was sound proof, so Draggle couldn't hear Reeka begging her sister for rescue.

"Trixie, I have nothing against that idea in the least. But don't you think you've been in that Alicorn form long enough?"

"Why cannot Trixie STAY Anasi? Trixie, I mean Anasi, can help the Princesses with the strain of running Equestria! And Anasi will enjoy teaching some new magic to her mortal friend Twilight Sparkle! Is that not right, Twilight?"

"Trixie, why am I suddenly in a jester's outfit?"

"Just a joke." Anasi said in complete and total honesty.

Later in an already very long day, Applejack was wandering aimlessly through the cracked and cratered streets of Ponyville. She had a lot to think about.

She paused for a minute to watch a team of pegasi lifting a storefront back into place, then holding it there while a unicorn magically nailed everything together. She felt the Blank Wolf Pup appear by her side before he spoke... she was getting good at that. "Hey."

"Hello," he said cautiously. "So. How much do you remember?"

"All of it," admitted Applejack. "Every last detail... brother."

The Wolf blinked slowly. "How is that possible? The Orange Wolf was unmade, and you were remade in her place."

"That was the plan, wasn't it? But then a funny thing happened..." The farm pony took a deep breath before she continued. "When Ah was the Orange Wolf, Ah was all fired up to do mah duty, and that was it. That's what Ah was made for. I didn't think about what came next. It didn't even occur to me ta want anything different... And then *somewolf* told me all about how there was more to life, and Ah thought about it... and in mah last moments, Ah didn't want to just disappear! Ah told Rota Fortuna Ah wanted to live!"

The Blank Wolf's jaw dropped. "You truly did that?!" He cringed, tail between his legs. "Mother must have been furious with me!"

"Well, Ah haven't had time to get ta know her the way you do, obviously, but Ah'd say she took it pretty well. But..."

The Wolf tensed.

"Me and the Orange Wolf... we ain't two people and we never could be. Mah soul was all we had between the two of us. Ah'm Applejack... AND the Orange Wolf. She lives in me!"

The Blank Wolf sat his hindquarters down, speechless.

"Everything the Orange Wolf was, everything she could do... it's locked up in the back of mah head. Ah don't know how to use that power, and Ah don't know if Ah want to know. Just... if Ah start messing everything up... please, help me?"

The Blank Wolf nodded firmly, pressed a forepaw to her shoulder. "You have my *oath*... sister. Whatever you require, whenever you wish it, I will teach you. I caused this... I will make it right."

Applejack smiled, finally, shaking off the dread she'd been feeling. "Thank you. You don't know what a load off mah mind that is."

A couple of colts raced down the street, playing, and they ran straight through the Blank Wolf without ever noticing. "Ya know, Ah've been thinking."

"Hrrrm?"

"Ponies are startin' to think I'm a mite strange, talking to folks who ain't there. That's on top of the whole 'Truth Vision' thing. If Ah can be a wolf, maybe you can try being a pony sometime. See what it's like on this side of the fence."

The Wolf stopped in his tracks. "Applejack... I'm not a comic book supermare. I have serious responsibilities!" He paced, agitated. "I don't have time to be leading some double life in Ponyville... for what? Company? Parties? Comic misunderstandings and friendship reports?"

"Well, why don't you make time, mister?" AJ retorted. "Literally! Ya twist space and time around so much already, what's one more..." She sighed and started down the road again. "Look, Ah'm sorry. It was just a crazy idea. Ah shouldn't be a nag about..."

Hooves clattered on the trail behind her. AJ froze, then spun around. Where the Wolf had stood, now there was a white earth pony stallion with gold eyes and a shaggy black mane. Automatically, she looked towards his flank, and so did he, as if he didn't know what he'd find there either. There was, it turned out, a cutie-mark... a strange design like a spoked wheel, with four slash marks behind it.

AJ stared. "Well, Ah'll be... How does THAT feel?"

He frowned. "Limiting. And itchy. I should switch back before..."

Pinkie Diane came trotting around a corner, skidded to a halt, and GASPED.

The Wolf-turned-pony flinched. "No, wait... You know I'm not really..."

Pinkie dashed the other direction, a cloud of dust behind her.

"Hey, Applejack," said Twilight Sparkle, on her way back from the market with full saddlebags. "Who's your friend?"

"Oh, him? He's... uh..." Applejack looked to the stallion helplessly.

He flinched at being put on the spot. "Er... Snow Bound?"

AJ nodded along. "Yeah. Let's go with that."

Twilight lifted an eyebrow. "Oh, a mystery pony, huh? You can tell us all about him at the party."

"Party?!" exclaimed AJ. "What party?" Pinkie went by in another blur, and three party invitations dropped neatly onto their heads. "Oh, that party..."

'Snow Bound' hung his head. "I am not prepared for this..."

Twilight smiled. "Do you want my advice? Put your best hoof forward and dive on in. You might be glad you did."

"And, if that doesn't work, distract her with some candy and run like hell." Coffee Swirl, now wearing the sword in a scabard between his wings, joined the relief effort finally, helping haul a small cart of unsalvageable materials off to the dump. "Her parties can leave you grateful for any time alone you can get afterwards."

He glanced back at his heavy cart, then to the ponified wolf. "Any chance I can get you to just erase this junk?"

"None whatsoever," said Snow Bound humorlessly.

Applejack rubbed her chin with a hoof, getting a sly look. "Could ya haul the cart, then? You being a strong, healthy earth pony and all?"

He blinked. "Why... I don't know. Can I?" He shoved a hoof against the fully-loaded cart, and seemed surprised when it moved easily.

"Great!" said AJ, lifting the cart's harness off Coffee Swirl and putting it on Snow Bound instead. "The junk yard's over thataway, just over the hill. Catch you later!"

The Wolf-turned-pony twitched. "What just happened?"

Elsewhere in Equestria, far from the now-empty battlefield, a small red creature in a black cloak wandered towards no particular destination.

Good thing I took advantage of the battle to sneak away unnoticed... it thought, smiling wickedly underneath its cloak. I must lay low for a while. If I start stealing magic now, I'll only draw attention to myself.

The creature's eyes glowed a bright yellow. Soon, Equestria... soon you shall know the wrath of Tirek...

Meanwhile in Canterlot a white glowing serpent moved quickly past every single guard, making sure to stay out of sight. The tiny piece of Morning Star was only slowly gaining something resembling a mind but it was filled with the alien emotion of fear. It knew that it would be hunted down. It knew that others would put their plans into motion soon. It knew that it was in no condition to defend itself. It felt unperfected, like it needed something or someone.

But it felt something drawing it closer, a gate of sorts. It slithered into a mirror, sensing a similar spirit calling it, speaking its first word.

"Sunset Shi..."

Before it could finish and before anypony could hear it, it was gone. It left no trace behind.

*Meanwhile*

Anasi, still stubbornly in her Alicorn form, was a flurry of blue magic and floating magician's props of all kinds. Cards, wands, mirrors; they all floated about Twilight's basement laboratory in slow corkscrews as the showmare pored over a sketchpad with Twilight by her side. Upon the table were some tiny glass jars. Containing the still-shrunken, yet-to-be-sent-to-Tartarus villains.

Scribbling in the notebook, the temporary Alicorn gushed over her work. "Even if Anasi must return to her Unicorn state, that does not mean she can put on a show to celebrate today's victory! Thank you for helping me plan the show, Twilight; this will be one of our greatest feats...!"

Twilight smiled at her friend's enthusiasm, looking over the scripts and acts they'd come up with. "Thanks, Trix--er, Anasi. Pinkie's already got a victory party planned of course, but I think today's....insanity calls for something special. This show will be just that." Her smile slipped a little as her eyes flicked to her shrunken foes. "But...does the show really need them?"

Suzette looked utterly terrified; given that she'd once kidnapped two foals as pets for her daughter Margette, she had to know the karmic irony of her helpless state quite well. Margette, meanwhile, pouted like a brat (which she was) at the role-reversal.

Ahgg headbutted the walls of his jar again and again, trying to knock it over...whoch was proving difficult, given that it was held fast to the desk with both a light gravity spell and duct tape. Twilight couldn't read...mandibles well, but she was fairly certain that what Ahgg was saying was profane.

Reeka fumbled through a coloring book, mumbling as her rather fat hands kept breaking the crayons if she gripped them too hard. Twilight herself had given her said book and crayons: though she was an enemy, and refused to reform, she couldn't bare seeing the Witch just stewing in her defeat. Especially since Draggle had yet to try and rescue her.

Albus fumed and whirled about, but so little was left of the cloud-wizard that he couldn't have escaped even if the jar wasn't airtight.

And Katrina...was reading a newspaper, not even looking up at her giant captress. She looked...relaxed, like she wasn't at the mercy of two giant spell-slingers AND on a waiting list for Hell itself. Maybe the sore-throat lozenges had something to do with that.

Twilight sighed, looking back at Anasi/Trixie "Shouldn't we get to sending them back to Tartarus? We can do a perfectly good show without them..."

"Oh, pish-posh!" Anasi chuckled, patting Twilight on the back. "These little miscreants won't be any trouble. I doubt they could get away with anything, what with their size and having our eyes AND the audience's on them. And anyway, perhaps Anasi can make this a recurring act as a sideshow! Oh! And now for some quick rehearsal!" With a quick flicker of blue magic, she popped open Katrina and Ahgg's jars and levitated the pair out of their glass prisons, setting them down in the middle of the desk...and also covering the pair in her and Twilight's shadows.

Ahgg's thrashing stopped immediately; the spider-beast gulped and nervously waved at the two titanesses. Katrina simply shrugged and set her newspaper down, looking up at Anasi with a raised eyebrow.

"It's time we went over your skit, you two. Now from the top, commence slapstick!" Anasi clapped her hooves together...and instantly Katrina and Ahgg were in a staged brawl: whacking each other with pencils, "fencing" with broken ends of quills and other props and pratfalls. Katrina even grabbed some of Ahgg's silk and started using it as a whip. And she seemed to be having fun.

Twilight watched the spectacle....and laughed. The choreography and timing were fantastic, she had to admit. "Not...haha!...bad, I'll admit! This is great--but, how did you get any of them to agree to this willingly?"

"Anasi's smile fell, and she leaned over and whispered to Twilight. "Most were thankful they were not simply sent back to Tartarus immediately. Or that Anasi did not crush or...eat...them as some kind of payback. Many of them don't comprehend Equestrian mercy. Suzette even told her daughter that there was no point in turning good; that even if she reformed the 'dumb ponies' would reject her anyway." With a sad sigh, she returned to normal volume and her upbeat tone. "And Katrina in partiucular liked the idea of being a tiny travelling attraction in Anasi's show. She even wouldn't mind remaining at that size!"

Twilight balked. Wanting to avoid Tartarus she could get, but in that state Katrina and the other villains would effectively be pets. "But...why? Assuming we can even DO that..."

A shout from Ahgg got both mares' attention. They looked down to find Katrina wrapping the one-eyed spider in his own web as he shouted, "This isn't in the script, dang it!" When Ahgg was fully wrapped up--resembling some kind of arachnid mummy, Katrina faced the two giant mares and took a bow.

"Trixie or Tartarus...at least they aren't the Crusaders!" She quipped.

Anasi gasped, then grinned. "Improv, brillaint! In fact, that will be your catchphrase!"

Twilight facehoofed. Well, at least the show will be fun...but if any of these mini-villains tries anything sneaky, I'm sitting on them.

The "Hooray, We Beat Back the Hordes of Tartarus / Welcome New Ponies" party was just getting warmed up when the spaceship smashed through the studio roof. Alien war machines came rolling down a ramp, firing "magical" beams that set decorations on fire and sent ponies diving under tables. "INFERIOR EQUINE BEINGS! YOU WILL TELL US THE LOCATION OF THE DOCTOR OR BE EXTERMINATED!" "EX-TER-MIN-ATE..." "EX-TER-MI-NATE!!"

The Blank Wolf didn't bother saying anything witty first, which would have disappointed Doctor Whooves a bit. He just let off a blood-curdling snarl and leapt...

The "Hooray, We Beat Back the Hordes of Tartarus / Welcome New Ponies" party was just getting warmed up when Applejack entered with Snow Bound. The dividers between the different film sets had been moved back, making space for everypony who'd helped in the fighting. "Y'all are sure in a good mood," said AJ. "Nothin' like the satisfaction of a job well done, huh?"

"Indeed," said Snow Bound, with an extra spring in his step. This ended abruptly when he found himself face to face with Shining Armor (finally a stallion once again) and Cadence.

Shining paused in the middle of levitating another one of those crackers from the snack table. "Have we met?"

"Good luck with everything, Trixie, I mean," Twilight rolled her eyes and sighed, "Anasi." The blue alicorn mare lifted her head proudly and turned to prance out onto the stage before the collected ponies of Ponyville. The bottles containing the captured villains floated after her. Twilight looked after her and muttered. "I wonder why Celestia and the other alicorns are waiting to turn her back to normal? It's not like she needs having her ego boosted any more."

"So that's where they got to." Rainbow Dash landed beside her. "The villains, I thought they'd been sent back to Tartarus by now. I remember they were missing from the library when I looked there earlier."

"Oh," Twilight said. "Well, the CMC dropped by looking for something for show and tell at school, and since the villains are harmless enough right now, well..." She created an illusion like how Trixie-Anasi had showed her how that displayed the events at the school.

Applebloom, still in her flaming timber wolf form, held up the last of the small glass jars the Crusaders had brought in with them. The tiny catwoman in side cringed from her in fear before giving the assembled fillies and colts a sickly grin and wave. "And this is Katrina! She invaded Ponyville with all the other villains an' turned us into monsters, and then she got shrunk down. So now we keep her in a glass terrarium."

"Dears, that's all well and fine, but when will you get turned back into ponies?" Cheerilee pointed her hoof at the timber wolf, the heavily muscled griffin, and the young Changeling Queen with the white and pink carapace. The latter smiled, showing short but still menacing fangs.

"Oh! Well... Real soon now! Just as soon as Miss Zecora's leg heals up and she can brew the poison joke cure up again." She smiled and added, "And it's Queen Sweetie Belle right now, Miss Cheerilee. My changelings kind of insist on it." She patted the white chitin one of the five changelings with her. It buzzed its wings happily and nuzzled her.

"Yeah," 'Timberbloom' said, her voice suspicious, "real peculiar-like th' way yore new changelings 'accidentally' broke the last container of it at the Spa, Sweetie." The changelings looked quite innocent, or at least as innocennt as fanged bug-ponies ever could.

"Which reminds me, Sweetie," Cheerilee began. The changelings took off, their wings buzzing, and glared at her. She sighed. "I mean, QUEEN Sweetie, that when I assign homework I intend for YOU to do it, not your changelings!"

"Miss Cheerilee!" Sweetie gasped. "What makes you think I did that?"

Miss Cheerilee silently handed her latest homework over and pointed to the one answer written down for every question:

"'The answer to all questions is, whatever Hive Queen Sweetie Belle commands'."

Sweetie grinned and looked embarrassed. "Heh, whoops."

"Wait," Rainbow Dash said as the illusion ended. "So the new changelings ain't getting sent back to Tartarus? Why not them?"

Twilight shrugged. "I asked Celestia, and she said her brother Mortis said that the beings they once were are gone, so it would be unjust to send them back to Tartarus. I do wonder how the other changelings are dealing with the presence of a new Changeling Queen. Let alone Cadence!"

And many miles to the north:

"For the last time, Hercules Beetle, I will NOT track Sweetie Belle down and duel her to the death!"

"Father," Strife asked from the Draconequi realm, watching via a small portal only Pinkie could see. "Why aren't we retrieving the escapees that were shrunk down?"

Fear Itself laughed, eating popcorn while seated on his chariot like it was a sofa. "Because, Strife, This Is Better Punishment For Some Of Them Than I Could Do! Hahaha!"

And in the world of the living in the edge of hypothetical existence.

Back at the party, Snow Bound stared at Shining for a moment. "No. No we have not met." At least, not in the way you see me as now. The ponified wolf sauntered off to another area of the party, Applejack keeping near him.

"Huh. That seemed a little strange... Oh well, it's far from the strangest thing that's ever happened to me. Still... Something about him. Eh, no point worrying about it, given my luck," Shining mumbled to himself as he once again concentrated some magic into his efforts of devouring a few crackers.

"Dear, you were talking to yourself," Cadence gave Shining a quizzical look. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Huh? Oh! Sorry about that. I've just got this nagging feeling that that stallion with AJ seems familiar somehow, and I don't know why. Eh, either it's just nothing or it's one of those weird things I seem to attract that I would much rather ignore at the moment... Would you like to have a few crackers? They're pretty good!"

"Well... I suppose I could get myself something to snack on. Do you know if there happens to be a cheese platter near here? No matter how good those crackers are, the right type of cheese can always make them better!"

Pinkie overheard Cadence wonder about a cheese plate and facehooved. 'How could I forget about that!? She promptly used her physics-defying powers to pull a table covered with an assortment of cheese and a few other items out of seemingly nowhere. "Here you go, Princess Cadence! If you don't see what you want on this table, let me know and I'll see what I can do for you!"

Cadence looked over at the selection on the table and, with a slight twinkle in her eye, said "Why, thank you, Pinkie. Those look positively scrumptious!"

In another corner of the party, Applejack looked at Snow Bound and raised an eyebrow. "So, ya wanna talk about how ya'll know Twi's brother?"

"Not only do I not feel like talking about it, it is too long a story to relate while you attempt to get me to enjoy this party," Snow Bound said with an air of annoyance.

Applejack snorted and glared at him. Snow Bound was taken aback... the farm pony seemed genuinely angry. "You're keeping something from me. Something Ah'm not gonna like when Ah find out about it. Am Ah right?"

Snow Bound blinked. "You can't know that. You cannot probe my mind with the Truth."

"And now Ah know you're tryin' to pull the wool over mah eyes. Ah guess invisible spirits don't have to explain anything to anybody if they don't feel like it."

Now Snow Bound was getting a little heated himself. "I did not say anything that was untrue."

AJ shook her head. "Listen to yerself... making excuses like a colt with his hoof in the cookie jar. Snow Bound... it ain't nice for ponies to do that to their friends. Think about the position you're putting *me* in. How am I supposed to vouch for you ta mah other friends if *Ah* can't trust you?"

Snow Bound narrowed his eyes, nickering in a way that sounded eerily like the Wolf's growl. "You... You presume too much! I do NOT need to justify myself or my actions to YOU. It is not only my own secrets that I am keeping here."

AJ sighed. "Well, at least yer being honest. Alright, then, if it's really that important, then you do what you gotta do."

He walked over to a window, stamping his hooves, then paused and turned, giving her a guarded look. "Are you going to tell Shining who I am?"

AJ shook her head. "That's not the kind of thing a good friend does. If you've done somethin' that's gonna make me mad, then Ah'd rather hear about it from you."

Snow Bound looked out the window, at his reflection and hers. "I told you that I had died, before. They killed me. Shining Armor and Princess Cadence." While Applejack's mouth was still hanging open, he added, "They did it to stop me from erasing Shining."

"You were gonna do what?!!"

"For what it's worth, I am glad that I failed, now."

Other ponies started looking at them strangely, and Applejack quickly lowered her voice. "Maybe you'd better start from the beginning. Do yer stopping time thing. Ah'll listen for as long you want to talk about it."

The room turned grey and still, just like that time before, and at the same time Snow Bound flickered, becoming the Blank Wolf. He seemed larger than before, not so much the Pup now. AJ shivered despite herself.

"The tale is long," he rumbled, still facing away. "You will be more comfortable here, in between moments, if you become a Wolf as well."

"Ah'm fine, thanks."

He looked over his shoulder, a ghost of a smile on his muzzle. "Now who is telling fibs?"

"Okay, okay... Ah'm not totally fine, but Ah'll deal with it. Ah don't think Ah'm ready for..."

The Blank Wolf nodded simply. "As you wish..."

In the studio, Applejack and Snow Bound seemed to flicker for but a moment, and then they were back again, as if they'd never left.

 Pinkie Pie stepped outside the studio to check if anypony hadn't joined the party yet. As if in answer, two Draconequi appeared by the door.

"Hey! Thanks for a great adventure." Pandora grinned giddily.

"Great big waste of time, if you ask me." Anarchy snorted.

"This one got really nuts! And not the good kind of nuts like peanuts, pistachios, coconuts..."

"We get the picture." Anarchy yawned, this place becoming even more tedious. "Well, job's done. Can we go now?"

Pinkie Pie bounced around the Concept of Rebellion. "Aw, don't you wanna stay for the party?! It's got loads of games and punch and music and cake and balloons..."

"Sis, for the love of Mom and Dad, tell me we can leave now." Anarchy groaned.

"I guess, but first let me get my notes! This has been one of the most exciting stories I've seen in a while and I want to remember every detail of it! It had everything! Action, drama, redemption, sacrifice, multiplayer crossovers..."

"Shut up."

"...Uh, Pinkie, that was kinda rude." Pandora frowned.

"What? I didn't say anything." Pinkie looked around in confusion. "Unless one of the Me's from the mirror pool showed up for this."

"Not quite." It sounded like Pinkie's voice, but there wasn't a drop of cheerfulness in it. "Though, I suppose you'd think I was anyway. Just another disposable pink pony that doesn't deserve her life, right?"

Pinkie bolted upright and gulped in dread. "No..."

"Yepperooni."

A second pink pony stepped out of the shadows. She looked like Pinkie, except her the colors of her coat, tail and mane, which hung straight off her like a shroud, were dull and muted. She wore a necklace of unicorn horns, and wore a party dress of stitched cutie marks and six Pegasus wings. This wasn't Pinkie Pie. It was that version of her; Pinkemena, who made the most infamous kind of cupcakes.

Anarchy blinked in confusion. "Um, Isn't that...?"

"Yes." Pandora nodded, staring wide eyed at the mare. She shot a glare to her brother. "I thought you closed the rifts!"

"I did!"

Pinkamena burst out in a frantic shriek of laughter. "HAAAAHAHAHAHAHEHEHEHE! Silly, silly draconequus. I didn't come from some other world. I came here with the rock dog and the big squid and all the others the devil pony set free."

"You... you were in Tartarus?" Pinkie asked, her face stone still.

"Of course. Where else would we belong?" Pinkamena grinned.

"But, you're not even from this version of reality!" Pandora pointed out.

"You think that your daddy's infinite domain wouldn't include bad ponies from every version of reality?" Pinkamena snarled at Pandora. "Especially my version. We had it coming, didn't we... me?"

"What?" The pink party pony shivered as she stared into the cold mirror of her own blue eyes.

"We deserved it!" Pinkamena declared furiously, her huge smile never wavering. "We let the world down, didn't we? We let our friends die, didn't we? We didn't stop THEM from erasing them like an old drawing, didn't we?! We let them tear the world apart and turn it into THIS, DIDN'T WE?!"

"Ooh..." Pandora and Anarchy exchanged a sheepish glance. The psychotic parallel knew about the lost Third Age and the part they played in it.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! See? They tore apart everything we knew and loved and they're acting like they accidentally knocked over a milkshake and forgot to apologize! But I bet they don't even want to apologize, do you, Mr. and Ms. Meany Friend-Killing Pants?!"

"Look, Pinkamena, we didn't like doing it, but it had to happen." Pandora explained. "It was horrible and a waste of life and time, but we had to do it or the whole universe would have suffered."

"Oh, I can understand that! You're saying our number just came up, and that means we had to go! Hay, I followed those rules all my life!" Pinkamena's strained smile was quickly beginning to resemble that of a shark. "And I still got punished for it! Guess Silly Ol' Pinkie Pie can't do anything right!"

"Pinkamena... You hurt ponies." Pinkie

"I SAVED THEM!" The cupcake maker hollered. "At least now they're in Heaven and not turned into shadows! At least now they have ponies who remember them! At least they weren't erased and drawn over like meaningless scribbles!"

"And, the..." Pinkie tried valiantly to swallow the lump in her throat. "The cupcakes?"

"Oh, that's easy! Now that everypony's had the cupcakes, everypony's got a little of their friends inside them! Now they'll never ever be gone! We'll all be together forever, just like true friends are supposed to be!"

"Sis, what in Dad's armpit kind of ideas did you give that Shadow Who Makes?!" Anarchy whispered.

"Standard stuff that Nyralethotrot gave me." Pandora shrugged.

"HEY! Don't you know it's rude to interrupt somepony!" Pinkamena growled.

Pandora turned towards the studio doors. "Maybe we should go get the wolfs and..."

"Don't. Even. Think about it."

Pinkamena had pulled out a knife. Though, "knife" was an understatement. It was more akin to a machete. The handle and blade were black iron, and all along the weapon were carvings of some ancient forgotten language.

"As long as I've got my new party favor, you two don't move."

"Uh, Anarchy..." Pandora's eyes widened in alarm. "That looks like..."

"The Concept Killing Spear? It's not quite the same, but it's the same material. The Evil One made it for me." Pinkamena's smile grew eager as she twirled the knife in her hoof. "He said that if I had the chance to use this on a friend-killing Draconequues, he'd make everything OK again!"

"What do you mean, ‘make everything OK again'?" Pinkie asked.

"Don't you see, Me? He's going to take over everything! He'll be in charge of the whole universe, so he won't care if we get one teensy weensy little world! He said that if I do this for him, he'll bring it all back!" Pinkamena's eyes filled with tears. "He'll bring back Ponyville! Our Ponyville! And all our friends! Kimono and Sweet Berry and Razzeroo and Toola-Roola and Minty!

"And all our friends who were turned into new ponies! He'll change them back to how they used to be! We'll have our Rainbow Dash who always dressed in style! We'll hear stories from Cheerilee! We'll have our Princess Rarity! We can have it all back! We can play games and have parties forever and ever and ever and NOPONY will ever, EVER take it away from us again!

"And all we have to do is help him by getting rid of the ones who helped take our friends away in first place!" Pinkamena raised the Concept Killing Knife, pointing to the Draconequi. "Sounds like a neato deal to me!"

"Pinkamena!" Pinkie strode between her doppelganger and the spirits of inspiration and revolution. "Think about this for a second! Bad guys don't keep promises! Everypony who ever trusted a bad guy to keep their promises has been stabbed in the back!"

"Not if I'm the one doing the stabbing!" Pinkamena gave a thrust of the knife to demonstrate. "When that meany-pants fixes the world, I'll use this and get rid of him too! Then we can live happily ever after, the end!"

"That won't work either! He gave you that knife! Do you really think he'd let anypony use something that could hurt him if he didn't have a way around it?" Pinkie begged her insane clone to understand.

"I... He..." Pinkamena hesitated. Her smile vanished, but it was quickly replaced by a glare aimed at the Draconequi. "Well, then at least I can get payback for what they did to us!"

"It wasn't just them! What about Princess Luna? She was there too. Are you gonna go after her too?" Pinkie demanded.

"She... She tried to hurt us! What she did to Minty!" Pinkamena raged, angry tears running down her cheeks.

"She's paid for it over and over." Pinkie countered. "She's our friend! Don't you remember when we went back to the rebuilt Ponyville Fluttershy made? She saved us."

"... She shouldn't have. There was never supposed to be a Pinkie Pie." Pinkamena ever so slightly lowered the knife. "We were just make-believe until our old friends changed the world and made us real. But now, I can bring them back. I can help make them real again. Why shouldn't I return the favor?"

"Because our friends would never ask their Pinkie Pie to help some awful monster kill everypony else just for them." Pinkie's voice was steady, but the tears in her own eyes were starting to fall. "They loved us too much to put that kind of burden on us."

"B-b-but... I have to save them! I have to make sure everypony's together forever! Then I can stop making the cupcakes and we can go back to the way things are supposed to be!" Pinkamena held the knife out in a defensive stance, as if they would suddenly attack her.

"We can't go back." Pinkie shook her head, her eyes never leaving her twin's. "We have to move forward. If we don't, then we make what happened to our friends meaningless. We can't do that to them."

"But... but..." Her hooves shook, the knife was nearly pointed right at the ground.

"It's not going to work, Pinkamena." Pinkie started walking towards her darker half, undaunted by the knife still in her hooves.

"I-i-i-it ha-has to..." The knife fell to the ground.

"Pinkamena, do you know why you really make cupcakes?" Pinkie picked up the knife and tossed it out of reach.

"To... to keep us together." The broken mare whimpered.

"No." Pinkie looked her dead in the eye. "The reason you make cupcakes is because there's a Parasprite in your head."

"...What?"

"There was an egg in a cupcake and when you ate it, it hatched and a larva got into your system, and found its way into your head. It's eaten most of your brain. That's why you feel the need to do these things. That's why you feel like there's an emptiness inside of you. That's why you lash out and make ponies hurt. And it will never, ever bring our friends together."

The dull pink pony stared, thunderstruck at the revelation. The two Draconequui stared, not wanting to breathe and stop the scene from playing out.

Pinkamena looked over at the knife, haunted by her actions and the truth behind her madness. "Kill me."

Pinkie blanched.

"Please, kill me." Pinkamena begged, fresh tears springing from her eyes. "Please! I deserve it! You know I do! I betrayed my friends! I betrayed my Element! I shamed my friends' memory! I killed ponies and laughed about it! I DESERVE TO DIE! I DESERVE TO GO BACK TO THE BAD PLACE!"

"No." Pinkie grabbed her reflection's shoulder. "No. We're not doing this. This is not how the story ends! I've waited for a chance like this for too long and I'm not going to let it go!"

"What chance?! The only chance you have is to vindicate yourself! You know better than anypony what I did! Haven't you wanted to meet me face to face and make it all stop?! Well, this is your chance!"

"NO!" Pinkie lunged at Pinkamena and hugged her tighter than she'd ever hugged anyone. "I've hated you for so long, because you were everything I hated in myself. But there's no room for laughter in hate. And there's no way to heal using hate. I don't want you gone. I want you to get better. I want you to be saved."

"Why... why would anypony want to help me?" Pinkamna sobbed.

"Because you're a pony, just like anypony else. You've been sick and you need help. And I'd be honored if you'd let me help you."

Pinkamena stared into her better half's eyes. There was hope in those eyes. There was kindness and happiness that she remembered from the time before the cupcakes. Maybe there was a chance. Maybe...

"No."

In a flash, Pinkamena threw Pinkie off her and sprinted for the Concept Killing Knife. She grabbed it off the ground and raised it above her head with the blade pointing down.

"It's way too late for me. But not for you." Pinkamena smiled ruefully. "So go. Be the Pinkie Pie that I never could be. Our friends need you."

The knife came down towards Pinkamena's chest.

"NO!" Pinkie galloped towards her, but it was too late.

With a flash, the dark pink pony was gone, party dress and all. The Concept Killing Knife fell to the ground with a thump.

"No... No.' Pinkie whimpered. "Wh-where's her body?"

‘There isn't one." Pandora breathlessly answered. "That was a concept killing weapon, which means that... she's not dead, she's been erased."

"Well.... This puts a new wrinkle in things." Anarchy stared at the ground where Pinkamena was. He grabbed the knife and sent it back to their domain.

"Yeah, she was a cornerstone." Pandora hesitantly walked over to the knife.

"Wha... what do you mean, cornerstone?" Pinkie wiped her eyes.

"Well... you know how different timelines are created by all the different choices and circumstances mortals make?" Pandora explained.

"Yeah..." Pinkie nodded.

"Well, a lot of timelines hinge on the life of one specific mortal because that mortal's choices create the divergence of the timeline. And she was one of them. Her timeline, her story relied on the existence of a Pinkie Pie who had gone crazy and made pony cupcakes. And now, that Pinkie Pie doesn't exist anymore."

"Wait, does that mean her home timeline is going to be erased?!" Pinkie frantically demanded. "After all that, her home's going to end up like the Lost Third Age?!"

"Not necessarily." Anarchy tapped his chin. "See, that timeline was amputated because it had become totally stagnant and unsustainable. But, sometimes, if a timeline collapses through no fault of its own, Fauna Luster lets the timeline reset. It goes back to the critical moment where the big change was made that caused the timeline to diverge."

"And what about this time?" Pinkie asked, wiping her eyes again.

"Well, I'd say the soul of the timeline's cornerstone being deleted thanks because it was plucked out of its place and influenced by the Concept of Evil would be grounds for a redo." Pandora shrugged.

"So... she's gonna go back to the beginning and start the cupcake making all over again?" Pinkie gulped.

"Excuse me." The three of them looked up to see an elderly unicorn.

"Oh, hey, Miss Dusk." Pinkie waved in a more subdued way than normal.

"Hello. Actually, now that you mention it, that Pinkie might not go back to making cupcakes." Half-LightDusk smiled enigmatically.

"What? Where you listening in on us?" Anarchy asked.

"Something like that." The unicorn shrugged

"But, what do you mean?" Pinkie desperately jumped into the old mare's line of sight.

"Well, I've had some experience with causality. And I'd say that the kind of shock you've caused her, as well as the circumstances that caused her erasure, could very well be enough of a glitch to change the events of the original timeline. In fact, I'd say that odds are very, very good that with the help of an old friend..." She gave Pinkie a pointed look. "When that version of Pinkamena Diane Pie took that cupcake with the secret Parasprite ingredient, she dropped it before she could eat it."

"You mean..." Pinkie almost didn't dare to hope. "You mean she might be all right after all?"

"I'd say the odds are pretty good. As long as you have faith in the magic of friendship and believe in happy endings." Half-Light Dusk smiled kindly. "Well, better get back to the party. Don't want them to run out of sarsaparilla before I get my fill."

The old mare walked inside, leaving the two Draconequi and Pinkie, who smiled madly.

"Uh, you OK, there..."

Before Pandora could finish, Pinkie Pie launched into the air and cheered "WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! NO MORE CUPCAKES! SHE'S GONNA BE SAVED! SHE'S GONNA BE OK! THIS IS THE BEST DAY EVER!"

"Yeah, she's good." Anarchy rolled his eyes.

"Now we can really party!" Pinkie beamed. ‘Let's go!"

Pandora looked to her brother. "Uh... I really don't know if that's a good idea. I mean, you just had all that stuff from... from before dragged up and..."

Pinkie just scoffed, the smile never leaving her lips. "Oh don't be silly, I forgave you guys for that ages ago."

The Draconequi stared in surprise. Anarchy scratched his head. "You... you did?"

"Yeah. My friends helped me get past what happened ages ago. It's high time to make the most of the here and now with my friends." Pinkie trotted over and extended her hoof. "Including new friends."

The two of them shared a bewildered gaze.

"Well, then," Pandora blushed. "I... I guess we... or I guess I could..."

"Oh, what the heck. Why not?" Anarchy groaned as he pushed the studio door open. "Maybe mortals have learned to party since the last time I was here."

"That's the spirit! Oh I love to see you smile, smile, smile! Yes I do..." Pinkie cheered. She bounced back to the party, singing at the top of her lungs with the Draconequues of imagination joining in the chorus.

Draggle, having been given a bit of a 'reprieve' from returning to the after life (though not the SAME one she'd escaped from) was looking over the food present. She was now wearing similar, but a bit less ragged clothing and taken a bath (which she hadn't liked one bit, but had NEEDED to take to join in the party, considering she previously smelled almost as bad as a skunk, turning good didn't mean she suddenly liked EVERYTHING she'd hated in her previous life).

"Something wrong Draggle?" asked Twilight, looking to the good witch.

"Well...thing is, even if I didn't like the 'evil is a virtue' stuff Hydia made me do...I actually don't like ice cream...or pizza...or well, half this stuff..."

"I see...what do you like?" Twilight respected the now heroic witch's sense of taste had adjusted to eating such things.

"Let me see...I like raw fish, especially if it's a bit rotten."

Twilight's face turned a little green and she gave a gag at that thought but respected her opinion. "Well we're ponies..."

"Oh...Got any rotten eggs?"

"Uh...no...we normally throw those out..."

"Oh...What about apples with worms in them?"

"Y-Yeah...Applejack has a bin she throws them in, but the worms are gone, Fluttershy lures them away..."

"That'll do."

Twilight teleported away, asked Big Macintosh if she could have said apples, and returned with a basket of them. "H-Here you go..."

"Oh good! This one's moldy!" Draggle said. "Thanks," the witch stated, eating one of the moldy, hole filled apples like it was a ripe delicious one.

Twilight's face turned a sickly green and her hooves went to her mouth before she ran to the little filly's room and threw up, not caring how physically impossible it was.

Spike shrugged, snagging one of the apples and eating it. "Tastes good to me..."

Meanwhile also at the party, a unicorn pony with a maze cutie mark approached the snack bar, still humming the melody of Pinkie's song. Curiously, she was dressed as a maid, even though she didn't appear to be one of the serving staff.

"Awesome!" said a pegasus pony, joining her. He had a peace sign cutie mark, and wore a raggedy open jacket. "This party isn't nearly as lame as I thought it was gonna be."

"Keep it down," she urged him. "Or at least try not to get drunk or set anything on fire."

"You're the one giving me ideas, sis. Whatever! I do what I want! Ooh, do they have some of those little crackers?"

Cadence twitched, watching them go past.

Shining sighed. "What is it, Cadence? Tell me what's going on."

"Going on? Nothing! Nothing unusual... for when you're around... Relax."

Shining Armor face-hoofed. "But what if..."

"Party," said Cadence firmly. "Enjoy." She gave her husband such a kiss that nearby ponies started clopping their hooves on the floor to cheer them on.

Twilight Sparkle looked over her to do list.

"Alright, we need to a poison joke cure bath ready, WITHOUT the Cutie Mark Crusaders knowing to avoid more 'accidents.' It takes Zecora long enough to make it with an injured leg!"

Griffin Dash flapped over head. "Oh COME ON Twilight! What's wrong with them staying that way if they want to that badly?"

"Okay, first, we need it to cure Rarity of her Greedity phase."

"MINE!"

"SPIKE WANT!"

"And so she can shrink Spike back to his normal size with Rarity's help. Then hopefully the five former goblins can just join Cadence's swarm after Sweetie Belle is back to normal."

"Well, as Scootaloo's resident care taker, unless her parents say something different, I say she can stay a griffin if she wants."

"SPEAKING OF WHICH! How the BUCK did you end up a Griffin again?! I've asked a million times but you keep dodging the question! AND my reversal spells to get you back to normal!"

"I'm just expanding my horizons, it's not like I think griffins are cooler than ponies or some junk like that."

"Ugh! AND we need to get Trixie back to normal before her UNEARNED Alicornhood completely goes to her head!"

"This is Trixie, you can tell?"

"MORE THAN NORMAL!"

"Oh. Well if you've gotta know, it involved this chest of wish coins and-"

"PLEASE tell me you didn't make some bone headed wish that got you stuck as a griffin perminantly."

"Of course not! I've read Daring Do! I know how that goes! I wished to be a griffin until I decided I want to be a pony again. Nothing else to it."

Coffee Swirl groaned, munching on some snacks. He was not a social pony, so he didn't really enjoy Pinkie's parties. Especially when they had creatures that could erase him from reality in attendance. It was only Squire's sword that gave him some measure of comfort, even if was likely false comfort.

"Why am I here still?" Fluttercruel trotted by, snagging a drink with her wing as she went. "Oh, yeah. Spending time with her before she gets a real love interest."

"You're the only pegasus that interests me," Fluttercruel said in return passing him by, touching a certain part of his body as she passed wit her wing.

And with Twilight,

"Nothing else to it, she says," grumbled Twilight, finishing her mug of cider. "I had it right from the start." She smirked, remembering. "All the ponies in this town are crazy!"

"Eeeyup," agreed Big Mac behind the counter, pouring her another.

"Be at ease, warrior," remarked Snow Bound, taking a spot next to Coffee Swirl. "The Wolf does not hunt you." His serious tone never wavered, even as he nearly dropped the mug of root beer in his hoof, then overcompensated and almost spilled it all over himself. "If it did, you would already be taken, sword or no." He finally managed to take a sip, and his eyes bulged. "Sw... sweet!! I mean... ah, yes, this 'root beer' is indeed sweet..."

Twilight was about to go in search of the last item on her to-do list, when unexpectedly, it came to her.

"Cider, please," said Applejack in a distracted tone, before she turned her head and paused. "Twilight. Ah, er..."

"There you are! Could you hold still for a second?" Her horn began to glow, and she stared at Applejack intently.

The farm pony fidgeted. "What the hay are you doing? What's all this about, Twi?"

"I'm not detecting any magical spells or compulsions," said Twilight, finishing her spell. "I wasn't really expecting to find any, but that's a relief. Applejack, please don't take this the wrong way, but... your friend Snow Bound isn't what he seems."

AJ nearly laughed out loud. "Twilight, Ah know what he is. Wait, how do you know?" Oops. "Ah mean... what is it ya think ya know, exactly?"

Twilight smiled, a bit sheepish. "Funny thing about being a pony... Even a creature as powerful as a draconequus wears their true nature right on their flank, in a pony form. It's very hard to conceal that." Twilight realized that she was looking down at AJ, stepped off her soapbox, and nudged it aside without missing a beat. "The wheel with those runes... that's a symbol associated with Rota Fortuna, the Alicorn of fate and chance. The rest wasn't hard to guess with a little research. And... the fact that I forgot most of this and had to cast a memory spell on myself twice was a pretty good clue as well."

Applejack realized that the cider she'd ordered had arrived at some point, without her ever seeing Big Mac deliver it. Bartenders had their own tricks, it seemed. "Ah, know what it looks like, Twi, but he's not a bad pony. Wolf. You know what Ah mean..."

Twilight smiled. "If I thought he was evil, I would talked to the rest of the gang and the princesses first, not confronted you myself. I think we've all learned *that* lesson. I just don't understand... why him? How on Equestria did you even make friends with 'the monster who hunts monsters?'"

Applejack cut her off. "Twilight, that's a long story, and Ah've already been through one of those today... Twi? You alright, sugarcube?"

Twilight had a strange, pleading expression, eyes practically sparkling. "Do you think... he could answer some questions for me? He's been around a really long time! The history he must have seen..."

AJ groaned. "Ah wouldn't bet on it." Her ears pricked up. "Sounds like the magic show's about to start..."

They were interrupted by a voice.

"Ahem, I am afraid it is time go." Said Starlight, angel of death.

She looked at the remaining tiny villains still shrunk and in their bottles. They needed to return to Tartarus while Draggle herself would go to heaven. She was never truly evil and she proven that today. All the other escapees been rounded and were either in Tartarus or Heaven already. Well...almost everyone...Tirek (or Tim the Enchanter) was still loose but he should be powerless and could be taken care off for another day. As for the goblins turned channelings, they were somehow given new life and could stay.

"All right, I knew this was coming." Said Draggle after finishing a rotten apple core. "Goodbye, every pony and thank you, especially you Applejack for helping me learn I didn't needed to follow in my mother's footsteps to be happy."

"You're welcome". Applejack said, waving goodbye along with every pony else. They all had a sad but an understanding look at their face.
"WAIT! Anasi haven't gotten a chance to use Catarina and the others in my show yet!"

It was too late, Draggle, Starlight and all the tiny villains disappeared away in a flash of white light. Leaving Anasi/Trixie staring at her empty bottles.

"Oh, now what will Anais do to put on a show now?" Twilight suddenly had unusual grin on her face. She whispered something into her friend's ear. "What, that's easy."

"Prove it then."

5 minutes later every ponies, draconequus, griffions and etc were in the studio was waiting in front a stage with the curtain down.

"What did you whispered inside her ear Twilight" asked Pinkie Pie.

The curtains raised up to revealed nopony until an explosion of fireworks erupted. When the smoke cleared away Anasi stood in all her glory. She was a wearing radiant robe of stars that seems to twinkle as if they were real. "WELCOME ALL AND THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TO ANAIS'S FIRST MAGIC SHOW!"

"And hopefully her last." Mumbled Twilight. She along with the rest of the audience covered their ears in pain from just being blasted by the royal canterlot voice.

"So what did you all do to get into Tartarus?" Queen Sweetie Belle asked her changelings.

"Buying, owning, and selling slaves mostly. My husband and our three sons turned a pretty profit with all the pony slaves we traded." Said one of the five white changelings with light violet membranes smiling and nodding. "We even tried to grab a human once, but that didn't work out."

Queen Sweetie Belle gasped in shock then said firmly. "Okay, this is a royal command for all five of you. Slavery is NOT okay! Not just because I say so, but because it's wrong to buy and sell creatures that can think and feel like they're not people! Understand?!"

The five changelings shuddered, and bow to their queen, "We hear and understand our Queen."

"But before the magic show begins, Anasi has an announcement to make." Trixie-Anasi coughed, cleared her throat, and...

Transformed into an elegant and terrible Nightmare with a mane and tail of silvery fire and a Prussian Blue coat, Slit-pupil draconic eyes glared down at the audience with gleeful scorn as she bellowed in the Royal Canterlot Voice:

"BEHOLD NIGHTMARE MOUNTEBANK! INSTEAD OF A PRINCESS, NOW EQUESTRIA SHALL HAVE A QUEEN! BEAUTIFUL AND TERRIBLE AS THE SUN AND MOON COMBINED! ALL SHALL LOVE ME AND DESPAIR!"

The audience froze, staring in horror. Even the poison joke and greed-addled Rarity and Spike stopped clinging to each other for a moment to stare in shock.

Everypony, that is, except for Twilight Sparkle, who sighed, rolled her eyes, picked up a bucket of water, and dumped it over the Nightmare's head. The illusion faded to reveal a sputtering Anasi, shaking the water from her mane.

"Trixie!" Twilight snapped at her. "That is not funny!"

The alicorn sniffed.

"Anasi just wanted to make sure that everypony was awake for the show." She grinned. "She also needs three volunteers from the audience. Say, a flaming timber wolf, a muscular griffin, and a Changeling Queen?" Almost before the words finished leaving her mouth the Cutie Mark Crusaders seemed to teleport to her side.

"Here we are!" The thee fillies said, "Now what do we do?"

"Anasi needs you three to just stand right there for one moment," the alicorn said. "Just long enough for me to do --" she draped her wing before them, "THIS!"

The trio vanished into a puff of magic, and when it cleared, they stood revealed as normal (if wet) fillies again.

Anasi called off stage. "Anasi thanks you, Zecora. I doubt they would have stood still for the cure otherwise."

"I agree, sly Anasi," Zecora said trotting out onto the stage. "But one thing I need you to see: for the rest of this show, let me to the audience go. After that battle I still feel faint; I think all here need laughter to purge its taint."

"Dirty trick!" Rainbow Griffin called out from the audience.

"I'd say quite a clean trick," Anasi grinned at the splash washed fillies.

Meanwhile the CMC were discovering they'd been returned to normal.

"What?" Apple Bloom frowned. "Aww, Ah was startin' ta like ta be able ta breathe fire."

"Dang!" Scootaloo looked at her little wings and normal, non-Bulk Biceps muscled form. "That was cool being a griffin!"

"My Changelings?" Sweetie said, looking at the transformed goblins. They flew over and nuzzled her sadly. "At least you didn't change back. I guess now you have to go and stay with Princess Cadence and be loyal to her."

"We hope she lets us visit you, Queen Sweetie Belle." The white Changelings rose on buzzing wings. "You'll always be our hive queen." Sweetie watched sadly as they flew away.

The three fillies returned to their sisters in the audience. Rarity snatched at Sweetie, but hugged her gently.

"Mine," she said, in a far softer tone than previously. As she did, Rainbow Griffin cuddled Scootaloo close and Applejack nuzzled her restored little sister.

"Ah'll miss that little cat lady," Apple Bloom said. "Ah hope we get ta see her again sometime."

"Ahem," Anasi said on stage. "Anasi is glad she could help. But now back to the show!"

"AHEM. I think you forgot somepony." Twilight pointed to Rarity or rather Rari-greed still under the effects of poison joke.

"Oh, of course."

With an explosion of fireworks, a discorded unicorn appeared on stage. The confused pony barely had a chance to recognize what was going on before being lifted up with magic. A spiral vortex of pure magic surrounded her, hiding them from view. With a poof, the vortex stopped and normal (if damp) unicorn landed softly back to the ground.

Rarity blushed as she remembered everything she did as Rar-greed with Spike.

The audience responded with an applaud of either stomping, or clapping. Except for Spike who didn't look happy. Anasi bowed, and with another show flashy magic her volunteer was teleported off the stage.

"Rarity would probably like to have her old 'spikey wikey' back don't you think?" Twilight whispered to her assistant's ear. Which was hard seeing as he was twice his normal size.

"...I guess you are right." He sighed, and let go the last of his greed to return to his old height. He was shocked when Rarity rewarded him with a kiss on the cheek.

Back on stage.

"Thank you. Thank you. You are too kind. Now, Anasi heard from a friend that a certain pony transformed into a griffion by using a wish coin. So for my next trick I will transform her back into being a pegasus." Rainbow Dash flashed Twilight a dirty look.

Next thing, Griffion Dash knew was she was teleported on the stage. She however did not look scared.

"Go ahead, that wish was unbreakable. I doubt even you as an alicorn could break it."

"Well we will see. Anasi does love a good challenge." Her horn glowed in preparation.

Just like before, Griffion dash was lifted in the air and was surrounded by a magic vortex. As the magic disappeared, a grinning griffion landed back on the stage.

"Told ya."

"I...was...merely testing how strong the wish was. Now that I have I will turn you back to normal."

She tried again, this time with more magic behind the spell to make sure it worked. She cringed when a griffon was still was on the stage.

"Still testing it?"

She then tried again, and again, and again but the only thing that seemed to change was the griffion's grin getting larger and larger with each failed attempt.

"Maybe you should just give it up?" Griffion Dash said while fighting hard not to laugh on stage.

"NEVER! ANASI WILL CHANGE YOU BACK!"

The alicorn then flew up. Her whole body glowed a bright purple and electricity seemed to surround her entire body. Her eyes became pure white and her horn crackled with magical sparks.

"Um... I have a bad feeling about this?" said Pinkie.

Then the entire stage exploded in a big blast of fireworks.

Author's Note

Pinkie Pie, "FIVE SETS OF BATTERIES!?! Can't we get these naughty-pants back in Tartarus where they belong already?! I think the chips for the 'Yay! We Beat The Horde Of Pony Hell' party are starting to get stale."

Half-Light Noon, "And you still won't let me eat any."

4th Wall Breaking Variety Show Gallery. http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/gallery/42867862/Pinkie-Pie-Forth-Wall-Breaking-Variety-Show

What you put in the comments appears in the story.

Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and I can't spill the beans about us being out-and-out fiction to the others.

The camera can’t leave the studio.

The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from “My little Pony”

Everything that happens here is non-canon (except the Tartarus break out thingie, but not the big battle).

Have Fun

Keep the number of characters in the studio in the single digit range. Seriously. Don't let it overload. TERRIBLE THINGS will happen if you do.

Banner by Kendell2.

MLP FIM Copyright Hasbro

ADDITIONS BY:
Alex Warlorn, Yoshiegg64, SomeRandomMinion, mtangalion, Alex Warlorn (again).
Addition by Dragon-oftwilght and Mtangalion and Jarkes all at once
ItsFromPeople and SomeRandomMinion
Mtangalion
Ardashir
Kendell2 and gamexpert1990
mtangalion
wolfram-and-hart
Kendell2 and Mtangalion.
Alex Warlorn (me)
Coffee Swirl, Alex Warlorn, Mtangalion
Mtangalion
Yoshiegg64
Alex Warlorn and Ardashir
Yoshiegg64

Pinkie Pie 4th Wall Break VarietyShow Special Part 6

When the smoke finally cleared, the stage held a coughing unicorn Trixie, and Rainbow Dash... *still* a griffon. Rainbow pointed with a talon and giggled, rolling on the stage floor.

"Ugh. Fine, be that way! Trixie does not care." The blue unicorn started to stalk off the stage, then paused. "Stay in that ordinary, common form if you prefer. Trixie was far cooler."

"What?! What are you talking about? Nopony out-cools me. I'm the queen of cool!"

Trixie giggled condescendingly into her hoof. "Please. An alicorn is at least twenty percent... no, one hundred percent cooler than any griffon could be."

"Well, I could be an alicorn too, someday!" Rainbow Dash protested. "I'd be the most awesome alicorn ever. Yeah! I'll be the Princess of Awesome!" Without warning, there was a poof of multicolored smoke, and just like that she was back to being a pegasus.

"Gotcha!" said Trixie, striking a smug pose. "You wanted to be an alicorn instead of a griffon, and an alicorn is a type of pony, thus fulfilling the cancelling clause of your wish."

Rainbow Dash launched into the air, hovering like an angry wasp. "You... you tricked me! Grr... I'll show you!" She held up a shiny gold coin that she'd concealed in her mane. "I wish that... you're a griffon!" She pointed into the audience at random. "She's a griffon! Everybody's a griffon!"

"Rainbow Dash, no!" cried Twilight, before the smoke clouds started popping rapid-fire all over the studio, turning everyone present into griffons.

Except for Rainbow Dash herself, alone on the stage with a very embarrassed grin. "Ah, ha ha... oops."

Snow Bound clacked his beak and lifted a wing. "You have got to be kidding me."

Pandora-griffon did a little dance. "Bird kitty, yay!"

"More like bird brain," said Anarchy-griffon. She pecked his head. "Ow!"

Shining waved his talons in front of his face and flexed them. "Eh. This doesn't even make my personal top ten list."

"Nice wingspan," said Spike the griffon cub... hatchling... he wasn't sure which.

Rarity smirked and shaded her face with a wing, as if it was a fancy fan. "I bet you say that to all the griffonesses."

"Oh dear!" said Fluttershy. "Twilight, is this going to last long? I'm afraid that my animal friends will be frightened of me!" Blink. "Oh no, how will we change back when none of us are unicorns now? ... Not now, dear. Yes, I know you like it..."

Twilight stretched out, splaying her feline claws and spreading purple-feathered wings. "Everygriffon calm down, please. The amount of magic contained in a wishing coin, divided by all of the people in the studio means... it should last fifteen minutes, tops. Anyone want to go for a really quick flight?"

Coffee Swirl, now a gryphon himself, growled like an angry lion. "I hate you SO BUCKING MUCH RIGHT NOW!" He pointed an accusatory talon at Rainbow Dash.

"What?!" Dash glared down at him. "I make you cool, and this is-"

"Oh shut up! I don't give a flying feather about being cool! I'm a bucking pony, not a gryphon, not a mule, not a diamond dog. I! Am! A! PONY! And I don't appreciate you pushing your issues with your species off on me just because YOU couldn't get what YOU want, you selfish little brat!"

Dash flapped up into the air, ready to hurl herself at Coffee Swirl -- until she looked around.

Nearly every pony, er, griffin in the room was glaring at her with severe annoyance. And more, many were licking their beaks. It sank into her mind that she was a single solitary pony, in the company of several dozen very large angry predators. Griffins who had never learned to control their 'eat ponies' instincts.

Griffins that could fly.

"Heh," she said, feeling in her mane for that one last coin. She'd intended to save it to 'poof' away the next villain she and her friends faced, but she suspected that if she didn't use it right now, there might not BE a 'later' for her. "Just hold on, everypony, it's gotta be in there somewhere..."

"Let's shave that mane off of her and find the coin that way," Coffee Swirl said ominously. He flexed his talons, scratching little curls of wood from the floor. "Besides, I'm feeling kind of HUNGRY." Dash gulped.

"Now just be patient," she pleaded. Dash kept searching. The assembled griffins watched coldly. Time passed.

Slowly.

After several minutes. the girffins began walking closer to her, their claws scraping against the ground. Coffee Swirl lead the pack, looking like he was seriously considering a dinner of fresh pegasus.

"Wait! Hah!" Dash held the last coin up. "I found it."

"Good!" Several of the griffins squawked. "Now use it!"

"I don't know," Dash said, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "What's it worth to you? HAY!" She yelled as Coffee Swirl pounced on her, holding his bared talons before her eyes.

"What's your neck worth to you?"

"Yeesh, okay!" Dash pouted. She pulled away from him and looked at the coin. 'There goes that easy win over Discord. Or me landing lead spot on the Wonderbolts. Or getting written into the next Daring Do novel...'

"DASH!" Swirl shrieked, "Use it already!"

"Willl ya shut up already?" Dash yelled at him. "I wish I was in Tartarus so I wouldn't have to put up with this manure!" Her eyes widened with horror as she realized what she just said.

"OH, NO!" And with a puff of brimstone, Rainbow Dash was gone.

A second later the first wish wore off and everygriffin became everypony again.

"Awww!" Pinkie frowned. She looked at her back and its now-missing wings. "I didn't even get to fly!"

Several ponies gathered around the spot Rainbow Dash vanished from. They stared at the ground with expressions that mingled disbelief and horror.

"Dear," Rarity said to Twilight. "Did she, I mean, is Rainbow Dash really, you know..." She pointed at the ground. "Down there?"

"I'm afraid so," Twilight said. She gulped. Behind her, Scootaloo began to cry and Fluttershy hugged her. "I guess we'll have to get ready and mount an expedition into Tartarus to get her out. It'll take months, we'll see the most soul-scarring and horrifying things possible, our lives and sanity will be tested to the very limit..."

"Forget it!" Pinkie Pie pushed past her. "We just got THROUGH something like that, and I am NOT springing for more batteries for the cameras!" Before anypony could ask what she meant, Pinkie tore a hole open in the ground. Hideous wails and shrieks came from inside it. Pinkie dove in, and a moment later came out with a traumatized-looking Dash stuck in the most frou-frou dress imaginable.

"Ta-da!" Pinkie set her down. "Now can we get on with the wrap-up for this story?"

"The hay?" Twilight said, looking after her as everypony headed back for the stage. She looked down at Rainbow Dash. "Dash? Are you... okay?"

"Bears," she moaned. "So many cute tubby little bears... Cutie marks on their bellies... And their SINGING..."

Pinkie Pie kicked her. "One of those cute tubby bears is a FRIEND of mine!"

"Ahhhh." Cadence sighed. "Midnight I think was looking forward to fixing at least ONE of your problems."

"Being a griffin wasn't a problem." Scootaloo said.

"Now don't you start imitation Rainbow Dash about that." Twilight said. "And Cadence, do we really want a foal's magic surges trying to fix things?"

"Well, she helped fix things when those weird ponies started appearing all at once."

"She did?"

"I think she helped power the vortex that sent them all home."

"Can somepony do something for Rainbow Dash?" Scootaloo asked.

"I'm still unhappy I didn't get to try out that griffin body." Fluttercruel said.

Rarity whispered, "Now now Rainbow Dash, I know deep down you like wearing the pretty dresses."

"No." Rainbow Dash squeaked in denial.

Twilight sighed and teleported the dress off of Rainbow Dash that instantly burst into flames and left behind the smell of brimstone.

"That is that." Twilight said.

The CMC meanwhile, in a moment of competence, began setting up a short film of Wonderbolts to get RD back in the mood.

"You know what's odd? I was officially the only CMC not to get changed in some way during all of this." Silver Spoon said, "I was almost looking forward to seeing what that griffin body was all about."

"And I had a griffin party planned, but this broadcast had gone on a lot longer than I thought it would." Pinkie PIe admitted.

"EEEK! Draconequi!" Somepony shouted. Anarchy and Pandora realized that the end of the griffin spell had reverted them to their true forms.

"Looks like the party's over for us sis', be seein' ya ponies." Anarchy took his sister by the hand, and they vanished through a portal of chaos.

"Happy to know Pony me is still the real me." AJ said, looking at the blank wolf who had reverted his own true form when he griffin spell had ended.

"I'm happy to know that all this trouble Tartarus is done!" Twilight said, "And we got every villain back in Tartarus where they belonged."

Several miles away from Ponyville, a hooded demonic-centaur laughed.

"We still need to help Rainbow Dash before we can call it a day." AJ said back in the studio.

"Whose a good baby? Whose a goud baibei?" Shining Armor said nuzzling Midnight.

Kifuko began to cry.

"No need to be jealous, here ya go." Shining put Midnight into the same portal playpen as Kifuko, and the baby unicorn and zebra Alicorn stared at each other innocent for a few seconds before they began to play patty cake with each other.

"It's so . . . cute . . . I can't take my eyes off it . . ." Rainbow Dash said, pain of Tartarus slowly forgotten.

"So cute." Rarity also said, unable to look away.

"And I'm suddenly not cute?" Sweetie Belle asked.

Cadence, Sweetie Belle, and Twilight Sparkle noticed they were the only ones not totally entranced by the absolute cuteness and adorableness of the two foals playing with each other.

"So cute. Much watch filly," Pinkie Pie said in a zombie like tone. "They are newborns, and are such cuties."

"Trixie thinks they are totally mesmerizing."

"I could watch this fooooreeveer . . . " Fluttershy said almost drooling.

"The truth is . . . it's totally cutesy wootsy." AJ said, not able to take her eyes off the purely innocent sight.

"I feel . . . happy . .. and that's a big deal . . . for me." The wolf said though none heard it.

Twilight looked at her foal sitter, and the little sister of one of her dear friends, who like her were somehow not entralled by the cute sight of the two newborn foals interacting with each other. "Well this is strange .. . Sweetie Belle, can you use black magic to break the enchantment?"

"You want me to use black magic?" Sweetie Belle asked surprised.

"You've already shown you can use the mind magic Chrysalis taught you to undo mind effects."

"Twilight . . . you said you raised Midnight in the past for a year?" Cadence asked.

"Yes, but I was never able to get her a playmate, all the Paradise Estate Pony's foals had grown up by then."

"This isn't a spell Twilight, and it isn't mind control, they're just so cute they're turning everypony's brains to mush."

"So why aren't you, me, and Sweetie being effected?"

"I'm not sure, for me I think because Kifuko's soul she said came from me, so maybe that's why?"

"Being a cynic works too." Swirl was taking advantage of everypony else's distracted state to raid the snack table without consequences. "I say use it." The two unicorns and one Alicorn decided not to mention the cutesy-happy-lubby-jummy-cherry-cheery smile on his face.

"That's an interesting theory Cadence," said Twilight, "but it doesn't explain why I'm not affected."

"I wonder..." mused Cadence.

Sweetie Belle jumped, pointing a hoof. "Twilight... Twilight, what is that thing?"

Rainbow Dash, still mesmerized by the cute fillies, suddenly had a shadow melt off of her and crawl away, something with too many claws and fangs. Twilight backed up, feeling sick to her stomach just looking at it. "I think Rainbow Dash brought a stowaway back from Tartarus!"

Cadence nodded grimly. "It's a shadow of despair. Muster up all of your hope and courage, Twilight. Sweetie Belle, we'll need your songs. It's our only chance!"

In the playpen, Midnight and Kifuko giggled and hugged, all tired out from their playtime. They yawned adorably in unison and snuggled up to sleep.

The shadow-thing promptly caught fire and burned, leaving nothing but a black smudge on the floor.

Sweetie Belle blinked. "Did... we just get really lucky, or did they do that on purpose?"

Rainbow Dash gasped sharply, wings flaring. "Whoa!" She darted back and forth, checking on the others who were still recovering from cuteness overload. "Is everypony alright? I'm really, really sorry about that wish! That was a totally lame stunt I pulled... please, don't be too mad?"

"Thank Celestia that thing was destroyed." Twilight breathed a sigh of relief. "Can you imagine if that shadow had been here long enough to become self aware? Who knows what kind of horrible thing it might have grown into?"

Meanwhile in another universe...

An elderly Namekian stared in confusion as his genie compatriot stared down at the tile floor of the look out. "Mr. Popo, what are you doing?"

"All these squares make a circle. All these squares make a circle..."

"And what was in that milk jug?"

"SHUT UP, TALKING ASPARAGUS! PECKING ORDER!" The genie screamed before returning his attention to the ground.. "All these squares make a circle. All these squares make a circle..."

Back at the studio.

"Some things Ponykind was not meant to know." Twilight solemnly sighed.

Trixie got back up on stage. "And NOW," she said, sounding rather tired, "the show will finally..."

The watch Pinkie wore began to chime. She lifted it and took a look. The face bore several inscriptions ranging from PARTY TIME to PLAY WITH CAKE TWINS TIME to the one it was on now, END OF FOURTH WALL BREAKING PARTY TIME. "Awww... It's time to end the party."

"What, now?!? Not now! Trixie has been waiting and waiting to show everypony her magic!" The blue showmare stomped down to stare Pinkie in the face. Looking slightly crazed, she said, "The Great and Powerful Trixie is NOT going without putting her act on!" She looked ready to say more, but Pinkie set one hoof over her mouth.

"Sorry, but the camera's out of batteries and we've run on pretty long, thanks to SOME Shadow having the witches try and bring Morning Star back to life," she glared outwards, her mane going straight, and a Shadow gulped, "and I think we all kinda need some rest."

"I know I and my once-again-a-stallion husband do," Cadence said. "And so do our two daughters." Kifuko and Midnight snuggled closer and slept. Shining and Cadence picked them up in their magic, nuzzling them softly, before they turned and trotted off.

"Goodbye, little sis," Shiny said. "I hope next time we meet that it's not in the middle of a monster invasion."

"Same here," Twilight said. "Wait, wasn't it that same Shadow who came up with Morning Star's escape who came up with THAT idea too?" She frowned. "I'd like to have some words with him about that, terrorizing Ponyville that way! And almost killing Celestia! Anypony know how to find him?"

Applejack just looked at the Wolf.

'Snow Bound' growled. "Not possible here, but in some other universe, who knows?"

~~~

And in another Pony-verse, the Shadows Who Make and Shadows Who Watch were busy repairing every damaged home in Ponyville under the furious gaze of Nightmare Eclipse. Their groans and wails filled the air. Chains extending from Nightmare Manacle bound them to their labors.

"That's right!" Eclipse snorted. "Fix every single thing those monsters wrecked, you voyeurs! Next you'll repair the Tartarus Gates! And after that you're fixing the road to Canterlot!"

"Umm, sorry to interrupt," Nightmare Whisper said, "but the Tartarus meanies didn't ruin that."

"I know, but might as well get it done while we have the workers." Eclipse said with a shrug.

~~~

Pinkie, Twilight, Applejack, and the Flutters all shuddered while the others looked on in confusion.

"Yeah, well, I gotta get some rest," Rainbow Dash said. "I got a full day of hauling some cumulonimbus clouds tomorrow with the Weather Patrol." She set Scootaloo on her back and flew off.

"Me too," Applejack said. "Th' orchard needs work an' so does th' barn. Come on, little sis." She picked up a sleepy Apple Bloom and trotted back for Sweet Apple Acres. Little 'Bloom protested sleepily that she wasn't tired before she dropped off.

Rarity and Fluttershy both left, tired from their multiple transformations. Little Sweetie went with her big sis, wondering how her Changelings would do. Trixie looked around at the vanishing herd and snorted.

"Trixie hopes she can spend the night in Golden Oaks, Twilight," she said. "I doubt I can make it to Hoofington right now."

"Sure, Trixie," Twilight said. Her horn glowed and she set a sleepy little dragon on her back. "Come on, Spike." They exited, stage right. "Coming, Pinkie Pie?"

"In a second," she said. Pinkie waited until everypony was gone. Then she tugged a hole into the ground, wincing at the rotten eggs smell of sulfur and brimstone coming out.

"Bye, little pudgy bear gals and guys!" She called into it. "It was nice seeing you! Er, don't be too mean, I mean nice, to Hydia!"

She looked out at the Shadows.

"And you too. Thanks!" She frowned. "Even that one Shadow. You know who you are!" Then she smiled. "It's always fun to see old friends again, so come back!"

"Twilight, darling, before we go, just how did your brother get turned back into a stallion?" Rarity looked at Shining Armor where he played with his adopted daughters.

"Huh? Oh!" Twilight shrugged. "Actually, that's one of Cadence's Changelings who came here to see how their queen was doing. I sent my brother off with some soap I brewed up a month ago with Zecora that's supposed to break transformation magic. The Changeling offered to keep an eye on things until he came back. Still has a few side effects though..." She looked around at a sound of familiar hoofbeats and smiled. "Hi, BBBFF!"

Shining Armor approached, once again a stallion, his coat a deep purple. The Changeling took one look at the restored stallion, reverted to normal in a flash of green fire, snickered and flew off. He scowled at his little sis. "Twily, how long will this last?"

"Only a month or so! Besides, I think it's a great shade of violet!"

The wolf pup growled.

AJ looked at the wolf as she carried the sleeping Applebloom back to the barn. "Change in reality again?"

"Retcons, I HATE retcons."

"Preaching to the chorus pal."

The Blank Wolf Pup walked quietly alongside Applejack for a while before he spoke again. "It has been an interesting experience, but I must go."

AJ nodded. "Always another heavy load to haul. Say, is the 'pony you' going to be around again? Ah could hire him as one of our seasonal harvesters, if ya need some cover." She chuckled. "Of course, Ah'd actually have ta give you the job, and you'd actually have to do it, so Ah wouldn't have to lie about it."

The Wolf growled thoughtfully. "I should not entangle myself further. It would be for the best if you simply told your friends that Snow Bound left town."

"If that's the way you want it, sugarcube."

The Wolf blinked. "It is... my choice. How odd. So few things are. I shall think it over." Knowing that Applebloom would wake soon, he slipped into a shadow and vanished without a trace.

Coffee Swirl downed a long gulp of punch before setting the cup back on the table. "I'm keeping the sword, makes me feel like I'm important." He didn't wait for somepony to tell him otherwise and just left.

Back to the cafe for him.

With the studio empty at last, Pinkie gave a big smile to the camera. "Thanks, everypony, for making the latest variety show such a big blast! Of course, when I say everypony, I mean that in the generic sense! I wouldn't want to leave out everygriffon and everydragon and everyhuman and equus and wolf..." Gasp! "And anybody else I forgot!"

Pinkie strolled over to the studio door. "And now, we have just enough time to read some letters from the viewers before the janitors get to work!" She grabbed the door and heaved it open, a split second before Derpy dove through it, doing a loop and a corkscrew before landing neatly on all four hooves, with only a few loose letters fluttering around.

The mailmare waved at the camera. "Hi, muffin! Hi!!" She hoofed over a packet of letters, then zoomed out the door again.

"Let's see now," said Pinkie. "Are You Quite Finished Breaking the Space Time Continuum? I Just Had That Resurfaced... Oops, heehee..."

She pulled out another envelope. "Why wasn't I in this episode? Signed, Gilda." Pinkie blinked. "But, we haven't even broadcast..." She shrugged and plunged on ahead.

"One more... what's this? Bill for special camera services?" She took the letter and shook out several feet of accordion-folded pages. "Use of long range camera drones? Giant monster hazard insurance? Fee and permit for draconequus multi-camera operations?! Gosh, that's a lot of bits..." Her eyes got bigger. "Filming ponies' dreams, including permits from Princess Luna? Recording other dimensions? CGI rendering of creatures not visible to mortal eyes?" Even more pages unfolded. "Filming in Tartarus..." Her jaw literally hit the floor.

"Well, that's all the time we have today! Keep sending in that fan mail and Pinkie Pie's Variety Show may return... I'll just need to have a little talk with Finance first. Bye bye!" The camera cut to black.

Author's Note

Pinkie Pie, "SIX...SETS...OF... BATTERIES... OKAY! WHO IS PAYING FOR THEM? THESE BATTERIES AREN'T CHEAP! . . . Well, looks like the party is still going on after all . . . I'm . . . .I'm sure the camera can take it. This is the Pinkie Pie Forth Wall Breaking Variety Show. Where YOU write what happens next!"

4th Wall Breaking Variety Show Gallery. http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/gallery/42867862/Pinkie-Pie-Forth-Wall-Breaking-Variety-Show

What you put in the comments appears in the story.

Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and I can't spill the beans about us being out-and-out fiction to the others.

The camera can’t leave the studio.

The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from “My little Pony”

Everything that happens here is non-canon (except the Tartarus break out thingie, but not the big battle).

Have Fun

Keep the number of characters in the studio in the single digit range. Seriously. Don't let it overload. TERRIBLE THINGS will happen if you do.

Banner by Kendell2.

MLP FIM Copyright Hasbro

ADDITIONS BY:
MtangaLion
dragon-of-twilght
Ardashir and Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
dragon-of-twilght and MtangaLion
wolfram-and-hart
Ardashir and Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
dragon-of-twilght

MtangaLion

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show epi 10

The camera turned on, broadcasting live from Ponyville inside the studio that existed on the edge of the 4th Wall, and within its walls was outside of Canon. But strangely enough, functioned with its OWN canon inside!

Pinkie Pie's took up the view of the camera as her roof reached back turning on the device. Smiling. "Hey everypony! Okay! Got everything fixed up and cleaned up, and returned all that extra equipment I rented for the big 'escapees from Tartarus' battle! That was so crazy and scary and exciting! There were so many of us involved I think the studio was on the verge of bursting even if most of us weren't inside the studio! Don't think about it too hard. I bet you're all wonder how I paid off that big bill. But first!" Pinkie Pie breathed on the lens, misting up before wiping it off. "A little call back to the beginning of our first broadcast! Okay, I had a LOT of ideas on how to raise the money to pay for all of that AND fix up the studio (for however long the show has left).

"So yeah, that bill was big, REALLY big, I mean WAAAAY big, so big that it would full grown Spike shudder! Do they have a dragon in account? I bet a dragon could make a hoard with that many bits...Okay okay I'll tell you.

"For starts I decided to cross universes to sue the author of Cupcakes for libel and derailment of characters...but...fanfiction writers are actually dirt poor, which is why the big studio don't sue them in America. In Japan, they consider fanfiction and fanart to be free advertising, funny now that works. And courts were worried who might ELSE get sued if I was allowed to sue him.

"I also tried to get royalties from Hasbro via sheer surprise...but the Princesses told me if I did that, there was nothing stopping other ponies from doing the same, and bankrupting the company and ending our reality...and there is no exchange rate for dollars and bits right now.

"Then I tried to get the money loaned from myself from the future like I did when I borrowed time from myself to build that fortress during the theater changeling battle...but Doctor Whooves told me I'd cause a paradox.

"I was almost gonna sell the royalties to my Party Cannon, but I wasn't out of ideas yet!

"First I might have kinda sorta asked Discord's dad for temp work in Tartarus, you see there's the 'nice happy place' in Tartarus that's set up for meanies who likes bad things like that wicked witch Hydia, so I offered to help there...Discord's dad said he didn't really NEED help to fill it with cute and happy things. I told him he owed me a favor for the trouble the break out caused. He laughed. Discord's dad said then he'd owe a favor to everypony in Equestria if that were the case, and that my bills were my own problem.

"Well, I was don't yet. I did some special effects for Trixie, take the pressure off her sisters helping...Trixie said she didn't need any help, but...said I could be an assistant for a few nights, I was really good at being a distraction like a magician needs...but Trixie looked a bit hurt, like the show was becoming about me instead of her.

"...Then Mrs. Cake should I just hold a bake sale. She didn't know how big the bill was...but...but then...maybe a bake sale was the big thing to have! I did the biggest bake sale I've ever had in Ponyville with help from my friends!...and Canterlot...and Cloudsdale, Dodge Junction, Apploosa, Fillydephia...and Manehatten, Los Pegasus, the Changeling Hive (my goodies are made with love), Trottingham, Hoofington, Baltimare, Mustangia...all on the same day. Did I 'borrow' Doctor Whooves' blue shed again? Of course not, I only did that because Equestria was at stake!...Though I might have helped 'borrow back' the flux capacitor the Doctor 'unborrowed' from the Cutie Mark Crusaders and then 're-unborrowed' after I was done...and might have had to Pinkie Promise never to do it again. But I did get the bits needed to pay off the camera bill, AND fix up the studio good as new!"

Pinkie Pie trotted over to an easy chair and sat down, and pulled out a the what-if machine, but plugged in a cable first, and began to play.

Pinkie Pie tapped on the camera as if this would tell her if it was broadcast or not. She leaned in close her pink face filling the entire view and breathed misting up the lens before cleaning it away with her hooves. Satisfied with it, she nodded with a smile.

She trotted a few steps back smiling. "Hey guys! Oh and I guess girls too! Broadcasting to you between stories of the Pony POV Series! It's Pinkie Diane! Better known as Pinkie Pie! I just wanted ya all to know that the show is still going strong!

"So much has happened since then." Pinkie Pie smiled. "Things I never would have expected, but that's the point right?"

Pinkie Pie sat back as she watched the recordings of the first and second episodes of the Variety Show.

"Heh, guess what Past Me, full body pony suits exist in canon after all (wonder if Rarity made with poison joke there too)."

"Wonder if Spike still has that Rarity body suit stashed away. Heheh, naughty dragon.

"I hope I get to try expresso again some day.

"Do I still have that 'change studio set-up instantly' button? I think the giant robot chicken destroyed it.

"I wonder if we'll ever have a 2nd Annual Mane Six Epic Dance Battle Competition.

"Wow! Blueblood WAS rude back, happy that he's nice now. I guess that means we have to feel SORRY if he gets hurt now.

"Wonder what happened to that narrator guy. Well, I did promise not to break that level of the forth wall again, maybe he lives inside the camera.

"Applejack and Rarity fused into one pony was fun! Too bad they were two ponies in one body instead of a new consciousness being born of their fusion or something fun like that! And then their bodies got switched. That was silly. Might have been more fun if it was their personalities.

"So it was in our SECOND episode that the What-if machine got introduced. Cool! Dang, the scenarioes were depressing right from the start.

"I wonder what happened to the universe where the CMC changes tribes and felt they were HAPPIER that way? Scoots the unicorn, Sweetie the earth pony, and Applebloom the pegasus.

"Titled, 'Part two of two?' I think we're well past that how. HA!

"I used to answer letters from the readers all the time, don't really seem to do that now.

"So episode 2 was when we had the My Little Pony's Anniversary? Who knew? Oh yeah, us.

"Megan was a great visitor to have. I think she was our first cross-gen guest. Then Dashie's . . Dashie's G3 self was our next cross-gen guest. She was fun to meet Rainbow G4 Dashie as 'Spectral Rush'.

"Twilight made an illusionary Nightmare Moon version of herself by Luna, tee-hee!

"Hard to believe the My Pretty Pony toys is what started the My Little Pony toys."

"'Hearts, Hooves, and Hands' it looks like Sherlock-Holmes18 never posted the first chapter. Oh well. Lyra in the My Little Pony Tales verse sounds super fun! I hope he's okay."

"Bonnie Zacherle is getting on in years, but she still rocks, and she IS the one who sculpted the original toys! She wanted BOYS AND GIRLS to enjoy her pony stuff? Well Bronie, remember that, YOU HAVE NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF!

"Twilight, I think you MIGHT have OCD, so does Rarity, but nearly as much as you do.

"I guess RD took the Nightmare illusion form better than Twilight did.

"I guess Luna does know how to prank.

"Wonder if that 'make this pony look like their Nightmare Self' spell cloud is still in the vacuum clean in that trash bin.

"Heh, Pony-sona 2! With Starlight and her friends as the heroes!

"Too bad we didn't address what happened to visiting Nyx in episode 2, oh well. I'm sure she's home now.

"But it was FUN for that alternate Discord and Fluttercruel to visit from their chaosverse."

Before Episode 3 could start playing Pinkie Pie unplugged the cord.

"Well, that was sure fun. Now let's see..." Pinkie Pie took a piece of paper and put on some reading glasses. "Okay, so the author is going through his notes for the big finale, but three years is a long time to build up notes, so it's gonna take him a while to get them all straight. So this episode will last...Indefinitely?!...Until the author has finished going through and editing all his notes for the finale?! I'm gonna need a lot of batteries."

Pinkie Pie shrugged. "Well, that just means Midnight and Kifuko can get more screen time. They're super adorable and everypony loves them. Kifuko could get some screen time in continuations, but Half-Light Midnight only exists in this realm, so it's the only time she can really get some time. So...when this show ends...

Pinkie Pie's eyes misted over. "Ya know, I don't know how many times I'm gonna be able to come back to this place now. Now that the fanfic is finally getting near the end...wouldn't it be a joke if the fanfic ended the same time as the show? Naw. The author is TIRED of not being done after three years. But...reminds me of that fanfic, 'The Last Episode'? Where only I was aware our universe was about to end, like when Batman says goodbye to the audience in Brave and the Bold...and...and fans said how they noticed I was crying a little in a screen cap of the last scene...it...it makes me...IT MAKES ME WISH IT DIDN'T HAVE TO END!"

"But all thing have to end someday Pinkie Pie...not just because that's how the world is...not just because it's what makes something special... but...because Pinkie Pie, you've SEEN what happens when a story tries to go on forever...it doesn't have an ending...it simply stops, fades away...and that is far worse."

"M-Maud? What are you doing here? You aren't even formally introduced yet. Or are you? I'm not sure..."

Maud Pie hugged her, not smiling but closing her eyes. "If you don't know how many more of these you're going to be able to do, I thought it best if I visit my little sister on one of her broadcasts while I still can. I know I've cameoed once or twice, but maybe I should let your viewers see me for more than a few seconds."

"T-thanks big sister!" Pinkie Pie hugged he too. Then she looked at her confused. "But Maud...how'd YOU know about G3?"

"...Does it matter? This is non-canon remember?"

"Oh...oh yeah!" Still teary eyed, Pinkie Pie hugged Maud Pie even harder, her neck intertwining with hers.

Pinkie Pie reluctantly broke the hug and smiled and waved at the camera. "OKAY! My totally awesome big sister and co-host! Let's get this party started!"

The banner unfurled behind Pinkie Pie, with (perfectly safe and legal) fireworks going off.

PINKIE PIE'S 4TH WALL BREAKING VARIETY SHOW!

Confetti scattered from the previous rolled up banner and spread over the floor and on Pinkie Diane and Maud Pie. The grey pony didn't seem fazed by now being covered in confetti.

Pinkie Pie took out another note. "Okay, since this episode is gonna be really long, the opening is gonna be really long too! So let's see what's on the agenda! Okay, first!"

Pinkie ran off screen, and the noise of going through various pieces of junk was heard. And finally she rolled in a very large telescope. She put on a pair of 'watching solar eclipse' level sunglasses and gave a pair to Maud as well.

"Now let's see...connect the monitor to the telescope and . . vola! ATTENTION! WHAT IS ABOUT TO BE SHOWN ON THE MONITOR IS 99% CANON! SO PLEASE MAKE NOTE OF THAT!"

"Pinkie Pie...I don't think the window is big enough . . ."

"I'll just use the skylight!"

"Since when does the studio have a skylight?"

"Since now."

"...I'll get the plywood and nails."

"Not yet, first watch!"

And a picture appear on the monitor of the sea of fire that was the surface of the sun.

"Do you mind?! Can't a 'ling endure his exile in peace?!" Shouted a tiny Earth Pony, on the surface of the fiery ocean.

"Hello Kabutomushi, how are the sun flowers coming along?" The Princess said good naturedly.

"They've already sprouted, thank you."

Pinkie Pie said, "I need to ask The Princess some questions. Wait! I've got it!" Pinkie Pie ran off screen again, and rolled a large contraption next to the telescope.

"Pinkie Pie, what is that?"

"It's a RADIO-telescope! I'll be able to talk to the princess with this!"

"Pinkie Pie, I don't think that's how a radio-telescope even works."

"It's okay! I had Applebloom tinker with this one a little. She's a very clever filly, you should meet her!"

Maud said lowly to herself, but didn't break her monotone. "I think I may have."

"Okay." Pinkie Pie coughed and spoke into a microphone built into the nominal 'radio telescope.' "Hi Princess! I thought the newspaper said super-nasty Doctor Kabutomushi was suffering up there." All Pinkie Pie knew was that he was a REALLY BAD Pony.

The Princess didn't react all that surprised. "Hello Pinkie Pie. Oh, he is suffer. He feels everything. All the time. Without end. I just chose to put his time here to good use. And I felt some good old fashioned acts of nurturing might reform him by the end of his sentence. He spends most of his time with his soul five thousand miles below the surface."

Princess Celestia looked kinda scary when she talked about that...kinda like a mother when their foal told her somepony was mean to them at school only a lot more serious.

"The fires burn me as much as for my desire for revenge. Want to see my new floral arrangement?"

"Maybe next time Kabutomushi, I must be getting back to Canterlot. Good day."

"Yes...it is day FOREVER HERE! No night! No rest! No sleep! No respite! The flames burning eternal! I'm ALWAYS on fire but my nerves refuse to burn to ash! Good day. Good b-"

Maud Pie simply covered Pinkie Pie's ears there so I don't know what he said next, the rest of her moving as much as a stone.

The screen fizzled out.

"OKAY! We're back to normal non-canon now!" Pinkie Pie said loud and clear to the camera before pushing the 'radio telescope' and regular telescope off screen and tossing off the sunglasses. The What-if machine was still plugged in, but Maud quickly unplugged it. The two telescopes continued to roll off screen...resulting in a huge calamity of crashing and banging off screen.

"Oops! I'll get that!" Pinkie Pie grabbed a broom and dust pan and ran off screen again.

Maud Pie meanwhile, looked at the What-if machine, and turned one of the dials, bringing the machine to life.

Maud Pie watched as Twilight Sparkles' warning was taken completely seriously by Celestia...she faced no conflicts, everything went off without a hitch, she already had recruited and formed her group by the time Nightmare Moon appeared, and defeated her within minutes.

Next Twilight used a duplication spell on the Gala tickets, the world itself apparently ignoring she was committing counterfitting, again leaving no conflict or true challenge or meaningful set back.

Then Applejack proved strong and powerful to buck the entire apple field and make good on her promises to her fiends without trouble, with no lesson learned or flaws made to be faced.

Rainbow Dash discovered Gilda's violent attitude that sent Pinkie Pie plummeting to the ground that would have been deadly if it had no been Maud's sister, immediately sending Gilda's off.

And...of course...Twilight Sparkle accepting Trixie's challenge at once, turning her into a breezie as her challenge. Breaking Trixie.

But what the ponies hadn't noticed, but Maud Pie had, was the sky was darkening through these events, coloring becoming gray, sounds more muted, background becoming less detailed.

The last words spoke were by Applejack.

"What is the sky darkin'? Why is everythin' turnin' gray?...What is everythin' . . .just...stopping . . ."

Maud Pie said evenly, "And so that world ends, another world of perfect ponies...another world infested by Mare-ey Sues . . ." Maud Pie understood, in that universe...the cartoon had been canceled from lack of viewer interest.

Maud Pie looked at the black and empty screen for a minute, staring at it unemotionally like it was a mirror, until turning the dial.

*FZT!*

Celestia spoke calmly as she dictated the latest installment of her auto-biography. "And yes, I hated tea, but I was over the time Luna was gone, able to slowly redirect Equestria towards a cake driven economy instead of a tea driven economy. And was able to seamlessly replace International Tea Day with International Cake Day by introducing cake and slowly making it the more important part of the event."

Maud didn't reaction. She felt rock tea and marble cake were equally enjoyable.

*FZT!* A glowing white serpent, holding the essence of Morning Star, slithered into the world of humans...prepared to infest the soul of Celestia's wayward student, Sunset Shimmer, and continues his quest to end free will.

Then Principle Celestia came along, saw it, and pour holy water on it, it dissolved into nothing.

The snake LOOKED at the screen, THROUGH the screen, almost PLEADING to Maud Pie somehow.

Maud Pie was surprised (though one wouldn't know it by looking at her), but heard herself reply. "You were already destroyed. You exist as a continuity error. This is clean up."

The screen flickered again and a new screen played.

*FZT!* Several dozen ninja ponies, all strangely named Buffy, leapt at the mane six. Except...they all had bat wings, all had fangs, were surprisingly pretty in spite of being blood sucker o the night, and had sparkles around them. All had bite marks on their necks except for Fluttershy.

"DIE MONSTERS! YOU DO NOT BELONG IN THIS WORLD!" Shouted one of the Buffy ninjas ponies.

Pinkie Bat put on a big black and red cloak. "It was not by my hoof that I was again given flesh, I was made by PONIES who wish to pay me tribute!"

Rainbow Bat whacked her in the back of the head. "Not now Pinkie."

"Oh sorry."

"It's alright. HIII-YA!"

Maud watched (if her expression ever changed her eyes would have widened) as the vampire ponies then took the sparkles around them, by hoof, mouth, wing, or horn, and began throwing them at the ninja horde like shurikens. Creating a star shower of sparkles that pierced the ninjas as they came in wave after wave at the bat ponies until the remainder simply dropped their weapons and melted back into the shadows in retreat.

"Didn't see that coming." Maud commented as the screen changed once more.

It was Pinkie Pie and her friends except...they were all Alicorns. Each with flowing manes and custom barding.

They were over Canterlot but...Canterlot looked, different. Golem ponies walked the steets alongside normal ponies, illusion spells displayed advertisings, and Canterlot City now covered the entire mountain all the way down to Ponyville.

The six friends were in formation, facing off against a larger Alicorn stallion with a gold fur and fiery red mane, and white-in-black eyes. Maud didn't recognize the twisted symbol on his flank, like a swirl with right angles.

"This is the end!" The stallion shouted. "Father's vision will finally be a reality! Free-will no longer mangle what is supposed to be a perfect universe!"

"Wrong Persecution!" Princess Twilight Sparkle shouted. "What ends here today is you and your father's evil!"

"My father is not evil! He is perfection! And you will bow before it!"

"We're not even gonna tell ya to surrender you flank-hole!" Princess Rainbow Dash swore. "BRING IT ON!"

The screen turned itself off before the epic battle could be shown.

"So that's what Pinkie Pie sees in this thing." Maud Pie said to herself.

"All done! I miss anything!"

"Nothing too interesting on the weird machine, just vampire ponies verses ninjas, and you and your friends as goddess against the son of the ultimate evil. I think that last one might be partly canon...I don't know how I know that."

"Oh well. I'm happy I wasn't spoiled then! I want to act surprised when it happen. You sure look surprised!"

Maud's expression didn't change at all.

"Alright. So what's next?"

"Well, I did have one thing the author told me to do. It's kinda shameless, but… them's the rules, I don't want get canceled before the finale. Okay, here we go."

A banner scrolled down with the words
'Top Big Moments That Didn't Makes It To the Trope Page.'

"Okay, first, our Big Moment of Funny that didn't make it onto the trope page:
The brainwashed Vinyl Scratch sub plot. In particular when Octavia asked for a hug, intending to hit her over the head with a vase, but the hug cured her instead.

"Moment of awesome that didn't make it onto the trope page: AJ telling Sweetie Belle how if her trees got up on legs and wanted to live their own lives, she'd let them.

"Next Nightmare Fuel Moment that didn't make it onto the trop page:
Shining Armor and Twilight Sparkle being forced to fight to the death. I have my doubts if this is really a nightmare or not.

"If I was brainwashed and you had to fight me to the death, what would it be for you?"

"Oh it would be horrible! It would be a regular nightmare, oh. I gotcha.

"And finally, Heart Warming Moment That Didn't Make It On the Trope Page:
Button Mash's interview, turning out to be the reharmonization treatment for his mom, where he talks about how much he KNOWS she loves him, which warms her heart to hear. Okay, I guess MAYBE I agree on that one. But seriously, I think the author is WAY too fixated on that trope page for his own good. Maud! What are you doing?!"

The banner scrolled back up, as Maud fiddled with the what-if machine again.

"The first few scenes were...interesting, so I thought I'd try some more."

"No, no no no. That machine is bad news. All it nearly gives is sad and mean stuff."

A digital unhappy face appeared on the what-if machine.

"Oh no no no! Stop! It's okay! You show lots of interesting and fun stuff too! I promise!"

The screen switched to a digital happy face.

A scene played on the what-if machine.

-Attention Somewhat Canon-

The same gold stallion from before whispered in a pony's ear in Canterlot. "Punish them. They're monsters. Not ponies. Punish them. All is justified."

The pony instantly used Cadence's creed of 'Don't use changeling magic to hurt others' to intimidating a changeling into not fighting back.

Justitia however shouted to a squad of royal guards to make a slight deviation in their shout and for other ponies to go get help. Resulting in the hate crime not getting as far as it would have.

The two Alicorns looked at each other, and instantly began to battle. But...they passed through walls like they were not see, no pony seemed to see them, even the Princesses seem oblivious to their presence as the two epically battled across Canterlot invisibly.

-End Somewhat Canon-

"I guess the gods really are everywhere even if you can't see them in this verse." Pinkie Pie admitted. "I wonder who the bad Alicorn is, he looks a lot like nasty Mr. Morning Star."

Pinkie Pie didn't get an answer as the scene changed to a new scenario.

Shining Armor was piloting a jet fighter. Below him, the entire city and perhaps the entire planet was under the mind control song of a single virtual pop idol singer who had an AI copied over from Cadence's mind, created a twisted love of Shining Armor that only made sense to the mad AI.

The real Cadence lay captive aboard the Equestria, the planet's city sized space ship and protector. Now commandeered by the surprisingly powerful AI.

Buck Withers had stayed behind, and had sacrificed himself to destroy the near unbeatable Ghost Fighter that the AI had sent against the pair. Accepting who it was that Cadence truly loved.

Behind Shining Armor however, Gizmo, in the copilot seat, had tried to hack into the AI, hoping to damage her, but instead, she had hacked into him. He was now also under the spell of the siren, thinking that the thrill of death would give Shining Armor the ultimate adventure he sought, and had a gun pointed at Shining's head.

"Gizmo! Fight it!"

"It's only joy, truly!"

Shining ejected Gizmo (saved by the automatic parachute) just in time, but his helmet was damaged and now useless.

A holographic seapony, who bore a vague resemblance to Cadence, began singing through the monitor.

"Shut up! I want to hear anymore of your creepy singing!"

But the siren didn't stop, and floated OUT of his monitor, and in his mind, Shining Armor fought himself in an infinite sky, with the siren encouraging him to go faster and faster, till he'd break the speed of light.

Then...aboard the giant space ship robot, the REAL Cadence began to sing, it was a simple, direct, and heart felt song, a song she hadn't spoken in years. The holographic siren hadn't claimed all her songs.

Shining Armor realized in a flash he was flying STRAIGHT TOWARDS THE GROUND! He pulled up, no longer distracted, his only thought on saving Cadence and destroying the digital mockery of her.

With reflexes that bordered on superpony and a true testament to the engineering of the machine Shining Armor was piloting, he tore trough the storm of automated gun fire suddenly surrounding the giant ship.

Finally, he rammed his own fighter straight through the ship's main computer core, killing the digital witch, protecting himself and his ship with his force field.

The entire city was freed from the digital siren's song. Cadence took the chance to destroy the siren's black box, ending the computer witch's existence completely.

SA landed his fighter on top of the giant space ship the Equestria where Cadence had just destroyed the witch. And Cadence and Shining Armor ran towards one another and embraced with the sun rising behind them.

"Okay. That one was actually nice," Pinkie Pie admitted.

The what-if machine showed...a sea of static.

"Is it supposed to do that?" Maud Pie asked. "I kinda like it..."

"No, I don't think so," Pinkie Pie admitted. She gave the what if machine a few more good whacks.

"Once the concepts decided that to protect mortals from any squabbling or conflict among the gods, to create a giant machine that would be but mindless background machinery and thus have no bias against mortals and judge everything equal.

"It decided, or rather, calculated, in the space of one nanosecond after being activated, without bias, emotion, thought, and with all the agenda of your radiator…to eat the brains of every sapient creature in the universe. The Fool Alicorn must have seen it coming, because Puerilis painted the 'CAN NEVER BE TURNED BACK ON BUTTON' as the 'CAN NEVER BE TURNED OFF EVER' button, so it turned itself off.

"After that...it was decided a universe where gods cared whether sapient life survived or not was preferable."

Pinkie Pie kicked it again.

Finally a new scene came into view.

It showed Pinkie Pie's Alicorn self, Princess Thalia, armored in shining beautiful barding, her mane flowing bright and supernaturally behind her, as big and majesty as Celestia.

She was standing toe to hoof with a giant machine in a star field. It had white casing with black wires, and a glowing red eye was mounted on top, like the eye of a Cyclopes, set into a 'head' that resembled the torso and arms of a humanoid sticking out of where a head should have been.

"Walter Trot is a criminal, and all that believe in such frivolousness story telling! The days of the true great masters his work would have been seen for the mindless jests they are!"

"If optimism, idealism, romanticism, these have become sins for a story teller...to para a phrase from Huck Finn, 'Alright then, I'll go to story-teller hell!'"

Giant cables emerged from the machine-god, with white metal hands appearing on the end to crush the Alicorn, Thalia conjured up several giant Stop-Signs to block them.

"Hopes, ideals, fantasies, these are what lead to wars, deaths, and destruction, what do you refuse to understand this?!"

"No it's you who refuses to understand! The outcome you've decide, isn't the outcome we've chosen, all my dreamers, all my idealists, my fantasizers! We'll decide what shape our dreams will take! And we'll stop the Inserts And Sues too!"

Spring loaded boxing gloves knocked back and destroyed the white hands.

"You can't possibly accomplish all that!!!"

"Just watch us!" She rammed her head and horn into the machine-god's chest, forcing it back.

"How dare a mere goddess think she is our equal! We are reason and sanity!"

"You're conformity and unexceptionally!"

The front part of the machine-god fell open like a set of jaws, showing a much bigger glowing round robot eye. A laser that made all the energy released in the battle between PRincess Celestia and Nightmare Moon look small.

Thalia summoned several 4th Walls, but they began to crack under the strain of the relentless attack.

"BAN-TOTAL-ERASURE! Be as if you never were!"

"No . . . my name might change . . . my appearance might change . . . but it's like Batmare!"

"?! You're insane!"

"Batmare is El Zorro, El Zorro is Scarlet Pimpernel, the spirit of the masked hero lives on. And my concept, taking the good from the old and making it new again, laughter, joy, they're truly immortal!"

The 4th Walls broke.

"Everypony out there! Believe and dream that I can win this!"

The red beam hit her, and she exploded.

Out of the explosion flew Alicorn Pinkie Pie, the size of the depowered Princess Luna.

"GO GO GO!" Pinkie Pie shouted rocking the what-if machine back and forth.

She flew straight at the head of the machine-god. Spear headed wires flew out of the machine, stabbing her.

Racing on a path of starlight, like an after image that became out, of Princess Thalia flew Pinkie Pie of Ponyville who faced Nightmare Moon.

The gaint wire split and struck again.

G3.5 Pinkie Pie leaped out and continued run straight for the head.

Wires shot out of the head's back, and immobilized her. Pinkie Pie of the Dream Age, kept running forward.

The head fired it's eye beam, striking Pinkie Pie as it saw the whites of her eyes.

From her leapt Surprise The Pegasus of Paradise Estate yelled as she grinded along the beam itself, and struck the head right in the face, striking it hard, breaking it away from the main body and shattering its eye and landed behind it.

" . . . If this is how it must be, I beg you, protect the stories..."

Surprise turned around and said, "Of course we will, the stories are a part of us."

The machine-god's lights flickered out, and fell apart into nothing.

The what-if machine finally turned off.

"Well that sure was surprising . . . " Pinkie Pie said, "Been a while since I saw something that over top, maybe like, five or ten minutes."

"You live an interesting life Pinkie Pie." Maud Pie said without changing tone.

"Thanks!" Pinkie Diane's eyes widened a bit. "Oh no! I was so wrapped up in everything I forgot to get all the goodies for the Variety Show from Sugarcube corner! Maud . . . could you."

Maud nodded. "I'll get them."

"Well, I better this place cleaned up again in the mean time for when everypony gets here. No matter how small we try to keep the guests around here, there's always a zillion by the end, and no matter how many times I ask the those-who-write to keep it low, it never happens, might as well go with the flow this time."

Pinkie Pie causally, trotted to get the place ready for the army of guests she envisioned arriving, and nicked the camera as she trotted past, making it look out the window as Maud trotted past the town square.

A stallion stood on a soapbox in the center of the square. He had a dark brown coat, slick back black mane, a mustache, and had a cutie mark of . . . himself? How did that work?

"Stallions and mares! Hear me! The ultimate evil is not chaos, not disharmony, it is altruism! Why should YOU have to give away something you EARNED to somepony who did NOTHING for it? How many wars and horrors were started with the words 'think of yourself?'"

Ponies were drawn to the stallion's words like moths to a flame.

Maud Pie had difficulty showing emotion in ways others could understand who weren't Pinkie. Had Pinkie been there, she would've said 'Maud, why do you look so concerned?' She continued trotted towards sugar cube corner and out of the view of the window.

The camera swung back into view of the studio as Pinkie Diane looked at the lens and smiled.

"Okay. Everything is ready. Time to just go with the flow." Pinkie Pie scribbled a slew of invitation to her friends and then wrote also. "Twilight, AJ, bring your big siblings, I can introduce you to my awesome big sibling. You won't meet her for a while in canon, but this will be fun!" She rang a bell, and Derpy dutifully came to the window.

"Super-priority mail!"

"Gotcha!"

Derpy took the letters, and flew off.

-A While Later-

"Dang, Maud Pie is taking a while with those Cupcakes, hope she's okay."

The door to the studio opened, and in came her friends and some of their family.

"Sweetie Belle I'm just saying, the invite was addressed to me." Rarity walked in.

"Yes, but since you don't have a big sibling, I can come, and bring you, big sister!" Sweetie Belle grinned.

"Ya sure Granny Smith ain't gonna fall asleep and 'Bloom will run off again?" Applejack asked Big Mac.

"Yep . . . trust me, Granny Smith goes nuts if she hears the broads creek, she's not as hard as hearing as she pretends to be. What?"

"Ya said more than one word?"

"Of course Ah did. Remember Applebuck season?"

"Oh . . . oh right, sorry, Ah don't know what that caught me off guard like that."

Fluttershy fluttered in. She didn't have any big or little siblings to bring. But Fluttercruel took control for a moment and said, "I wonder what the fun and games are gonna be this time."

"I hope it's something nice, like stamp collecting, or basket weaving, or knitting. Or the Quiet Game."

"Mom, we need to talk about your hobbies."

"Let's get this party started!" Rainbow Dash declared flying in.

"Rainbow Dash, where's Scootaloo?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Don't worry. I drop her off at AJ's."

Applejack's eyes widened in worry. Big Mac put a hoof on her shoulder. "Don't worry, it's only two of 'em, and Granny Smith is there."

"But them two are always arugin' without Sweetie there ta keep'em in line."

"That's right," Sweetie Belle sadly admitted.

"Don't worry." Twilight Sparkle teleported in. "I'm sure Spike or Silver Spoon will be able to cover for her. I'll just send a note to Spike to meet them there and . . . DONE! Come on BBBFF!"

"Coming!" Shining Armor, without his armor, came trotting in, followed by Cadence, carrying the sleeping forms of Kifuko and Midnight.

"I really need to get a baby sitter for them." Cadence admitted.

"I think Zecora would be a great baby sitter for them, maybe. She's a Zebra who lives in Everfree."

"THAT Zecora?" Shining Armor said.

"What do you mean THAT Zecora?"

"I . . . might have met her when she was building her house there . . . A pair of brothers sold her a fake deed to Everfree when building there doesn't need permits."

"Flim and Flam." AJ muttered. "How are those two not in jail?"

Shining Armor shrugged. "Slick tongues and fast I guess. I'll check into it sometime . . . maybe."

"You know, it's actually a little strange not to have Trixie here with us after everything," Twilight said.

"Don't worry, she'll show up, she always does," RD said matter of fact.

"So . . . you're Twili' big brother?" Big Mac asked.

"Yep." Shining Armor said.

"And yer . . . captain of the royal guard, married to a princess, most powerful shield user around, and helped save the world?"

"Yep. So how about yourself?"

"Ah . . . Uh, Ah buck apples."

" . . . Well, farming is really important, we wouldn't have an Equestria to defend if it wasn't well fed!" Shining Armor grinned.

The giant and mighty Big Mac actually shrank a bit more (figuratively speaking).

"I mean! I hear that . . . you . . . that you had to help in looking after Applejack when she was smaller, that important for a big brother to do!"

"AJ . . . AJ always insisted on takin' care of herself."

"Oh . . . " Shining Armor had no idea where to take the discussion now.

AJ took one look of Shining Armor, and dragged Big Mac away from him.

"Big brother, ya okay?"

"Ah'm . . . Ah'm fine." AJ looked at him. "Ah'm jus . . . feelin' a little . . . dunno . . . ordinary?"

"There ain't NOTHIN' ordinary about ya ta me big brother!" AJ hugged him, making the red stallion feel a bit better. "Yer the only big brother Ah could want."

Pinkie Pie's pinkie sense went off. Warning her of opening doors. And then a pinkie sense telling her something bad was about to happen. It was like the pinkie sense she got when a plague of bugs was about to strike.

The door to the studio swung open, and in marched a small herd of stallions. All were big enough to give Big Mac a run for his money, and all of them were handsome enough to make Shining Armor feel self conscious about his imperfections. They had pearly white teeth that sparkled.

Two were pegasi, and one was a unicorn.

The cutie marks on their flanks were large and elaborate enough to go down their legs, looking more like paintings on their rears than cutie marks. They trotted with perfect confidence and grace. The pegasi' wings seemed just a little longer than any other pegasus in the room and the unicorn's horn seemed just a little longer than any other unicorn's.

"Hello Fluttershy, it's been forever." Said one of the pegasi.

Fluttershy blinked. "Oh! OH! It's wonderful to see you Zooming Confidence! It's wonderful you could come!"

"As if I'd miss a chance to see my little sister." He hugged her.

"Thank you! You've always cheered me on when I needed it the most! At the Hurricane, when I had to baby sit the fillies, you've always been my one friend even through the worst of times. Fluttercruel! Stop it! Of course he's always been there for me, he's your uncle, now respect him . .. respect . . .there . . .now you remember him and won't be rude? Good."

"Light-Barrier!" Rainbow Dash rushed up and hugged the other pegasus. "It's great to see you after so so long!"

"It's great to see the second fastest pegasus in Equestria too."

"Yeah, but I'm gonna catch up to you some day! Just you wait!"

"Keep dreaming Rainbow Dash, that's what everypony needs."

"You're awesome and smart!" Rainbow Dash praised, seeming not insulted at all by the implication someone was better than her.

"And how are my little sisters doing?" Said the incredibly stylish and totally brilliant unicorn stallion asked in a eligant and gentle stallion voice.

"Oh we're fiiiiiine Uniquely Belle! It's wooooonderful to see you again after all this time. Can you give me some more tips on how to be a lady?"

"Anything for my little sister."

"Wha-? Rarity! Who is this stallion?"

"SWEETIE BELLE! That is no way to talk to your big brother!" Rarity took Sweetie in her magic and brought her face to face with the unicorn stallion. "See? Don't you remember him now? His face, his eyes, his voice, certaintly you can't forget your great big brother now."

"N-no no, y-yeeesss! Of course I do. Sorry Uniquely Belle, I don't know what came over me."

"That's quite alright." He ruffled her mane.

"Meet my big brother! He's captain of the East Wonderbolts!" The posters appeared in RD's room.

"My big brother is the ranger for the other side of the Everfree Forest." The cat tribe wondered where that big building next to their kingdom came from.

"Uniquely Belle is the biggest fashion master in Fillydelphia!" A dozen fancy suits came into being in Rarity's closet.

Big Mac huddled in a cornered. Feeling small.

Kifuko and Midnight began crying.

Zooming Confidence trotted to the babies. "Don't worry, I'm great with foals, twinkle twinkle little star-" Zooming Confidence sang in a transcendent voice too good for this world, the foals shuddered and quieted down at once.

Big Mac felt smaller. He and AJ together always had trouble getting Applebloom to stop crying after their parents were gone.

AJ looked around in confusion. "GIRLS! We've never even HEARD of these big brothers of yours! Ain't it a bit suspicious?!"

"Well, we never heard of Twilight's big brother before," RD said.

"Or this big sister of Pinkie Pie's, dear," Rarity added.

Shining Armor lowered his head, ashamed of something.

AJ heard herself sigh and say, "I guess, they really ain't all that different from YOUR big brother Twili'." 'But I didn't want to say that!'

"Yes they are!" Shining Armor stamped a hoof.

Nearly every everypony in the room glared at the captain of the royal guard who shrank back from the disapproving gaze.

"No need to be a show off and a spotlight hog," Rarity said.

"Yeah that's no cool."

"You should learn from Zooming Confidence how to be nicer," Fluttershy said.

The door opened again . . . and in stepped . . . Gilda.

"Hey . . . Dash . . . " Gilda had a letter in her claw that she hid under a wing quickly. "Looks like I had the bad luck of finding you here, not that I was LOOKING for a flip flop like you, I mean, ugh!" Gilda resisted the urge to bite her own tongue that surprisingly had nothing to do with outer reality parasites.

Light Barrier's eyes narrowed, and so did Rainbow Dash.

"Gilda. What the buck are YOU doing here? Didn't I tell you to go find some NEW friends?!" Rainbow Dash trotted up to the griffin. "You psycho! YOU COULD HAVE KILLED PINKIE PIE WHEN YOU LET HER FALL! YOU STOLE FROM APPLEJACK'S FAMILY! You tried to give Granny Smith a heart attack! You screamed at FLUTTERSHY! YOU'RE A JERK! A BULLY! AND A TOTAL LOSER! GET LOST! I don't want to see your face ever again!"

Gilda's beak hung open in shock. "D-Dash?!"

"You heard my little sister!" Light Barrier loomed over Gilda, easily bigger than her. "GET LOST!" He bucked her in the beak, cracking it, and sending her flying out the door.

The ponies clapped and cheered, Applejack found that included herself, seeing her hooves come together on their own. She saw Cadence was looking around confused as well.

"HEY! Gilda ISN'T THAT AWFUL! Yes she's a immature brat but you've naive if you think she's scum! She's brave, determined, and she doesn't abandon her teammates!" Shining Armor strangely defended the griffin, going out to see if she was fine (the camera following his movements out the window on its own strangely) . . . she wasn't . . . she had flown away at top speed, which for her, was about 99% precent as fast as Rainbow Dash before Sonic Rainboom. Was she . . . crying?

"You shut up!" Light Barrier said, "She's a bully. Simple as that."

"She yelled at my little sister, no pony does that!" Zooming Confidence declared.

"And she's rude and a thug, simple as that." Uniquely Belle Finished.

The little sisters stood proudly by their big brothers, glaring at Shining Armor, who to his own confusion felt weak and small, he had faced soul-eating demons and the big delete key of creation itself, why was he suddenly scared of three untrained stallions?

Out of Sweetie's saddle bag, transparent wolf pup a familiar to AJ crawled out and climbed on Sweetie Belle and nipped her in one ear.

"THAT STALLION IS NOT OUR BIG BROTHER! WE DON'T HAVE ONE!" Sweetie Belle shouted.

Rarity slapped her. "You will never say such horrible things again! YOU UNDERSTAND YOUNG FILLY?!"

Uniquely Belle, and the other big brother took a step back from the wolf they could see. Uniquely's horn glowed. "Sister, look what's near Sweetie Belle."

"What?" Rarity blinked dimly for a moment before saying, "OH MY WORD! HOW DID THAT DISGUSTING THING GET IN HERE?! GET AWAY FROM MY FAMILY!" Rarity's magic lifted up the wolf. Fluttershy gave the wolf the stare. And Rainbow looked ready to rainboom the poor thing suddenly able to see it acting strangely hostile.

"Have ya'all gone nuts?!" Again was able to get out and roped around the wolf pup and pulled him to her.

"Blanky! Don't hurt him!" Sweetie Belle cried out.

"What! Sweetie! Ya know the Wolf?" AJ said surprised.

"He's my pet! Please!"

Cadence said, "WHAT WOLF? What are you all looking at?! It's . . is it?"

"The wolf is here?! I . . . I can't see it . . . I guess . . that means it's not after me right?"

"Why would, whatever they're talking about be after you Shining?" Twilight asked.

"Twiley, I don't care if this is not 'canon' or not. Please don't make me answer that."

Pinkie Pie stared in shock at everything was going on. Her head was swimming. Every time she tried to form a thought, a random joke popped into her head instead, why did packing material pop, how did fish survived when lakes froze, why couldn't the sky be polka dots? Ugh! Why was it so hard to think?

"Well, whatever they're talking about, it's obvious trying to hurt their big brothers and brainwashed Sweetie Belle, so it's clearly up to no good," Twilight Sparkle said. "Better just seal it away in the moon just to be on the safe side."

The symbol of magic began to glow on Twilight Sparkles' body, as it did on little sisters . . . it came unbidden on Pinkie Pie who found herself thinking of fun stuff whether she liked it or not.

It was flickering on and off on Applejack as she resisted her inner Element appearing for no good reason.

"AJ, come on, evil monster that neats a good love and tolerance death ray to the face here!" Rainbow Dash snapped.

"N-no!" AJ grunted.

"Don't! That wolf's an important part of the world!" Shining Armor shouted creating a protective force field . . . over nothing.

"Five feet to yer right Shini'." AJ panted.

"Oh, thanks!"

In that time frame, Sweetie Belle brought herself next to the wolf and cuddled him. "PLEASE! Don't hurt Blanky! He hasn't dont anything wrong!"

"He's erased your memories of our big brother! I'd say that counts!" Rarity said. Rarity's magic pulled at Sweetie Belle, but she refused to let go of the invisible wolf pup.

It clicked in Shining Armor's mind. "These AREN'T your big brothers! They're things infested your memories and infested your existence! They're parasites who need you to exist! They're making themselves to be what THEY see to be perfect and making YOU see them as perfect!"

"That's dumb." AJ heard herself say, and covered her mouth, feeling horribly ill inside. But the words came unbidden anyway. "If that's true, then would that really make you like THEM, Mr. 'Captain of the Royal Guard, Tragically Got His Own Uncle Killed That Motivated Him, Married To the Goddess Of Harmony, Erased Yer Own Cousin From Existence, Super Shield Magic, And Big Brother To Celestia's Apprentice?!" AJ hadn't even KNOWN Shining Armor had lost a member of his family that motivated him.

"BBBFFF!!! THAT'S ALL LIES ISN'T IT? Applejack is lying right?!"

Twilight then asked Shining Armor with stars in her eyes. Forgetting about zapping the wolf for a moment much to the frustration of the other big brothers in the room minus Big Mac. "Big brother isn't an extra-dimensional virus that twisted reality to suit him, right?" She then magically pulled Applejack into a headlock so she couldn't say a word of objection.

Shining Armor said the first then that came to his mind.

"Look a distraction!"

He pointed at the door, which happened at that moment opened up to reveal Maud Pie pulling behind her a princess' ransom of cupcakes and treats.

'Hey that worked,' Shining Armor thought.

Big Mac barely noticed, he was the most unextraordinary and mundane big brother of all time after all.

Maud Pie calmly pulled the large cart confections cart into the room her slow pace never breaking, she looked around at the ponies and the drama.

Sweetie Belle continued to hug Blanky to use herself as a shield.

Applejack was still head-locked by Twilight.

The other three mares were eager to blast the blank wolf as soon as their friends got their action together.

Midnight and Kifuko remained asleep flawless as if it was impossible for them to wake up until Zooming Confidence wished them to.

Cadence was dismayed at seeing her sister-in-law acting this way. And found the cake delivery almost surreal. She remembered the stories of the last galloping Gala, and kept her eyes peel for stage diving ponies.

Shining Armor was happy for the distraction, but wondered what to do about the three 'big brothers.' Maybe they weren't evil? Maybe they were just naive? He had become big in Twiley's life, and . . . he knew things MUST HAVE been different before he was . . . written into Twiley's life. Maybe it was the same here?

Pinkie Pie was able to gain enough agency at seeing her sister to break being forced to summon her inner Element, after all, there was no way in Tartarus Pinkie Pie would ignore her big sister in a crazy and chaotic situation like this!

"Hii Maud! Thanks for bringing the snacks!" Pinkie Pie wanted to say 'Help! Evil reality bending Mary Sues!' but those words refused to come out with three present bending the world to their presence.

"Welcome Pinkie Pie." She said cooly.

Unlike the ponies who had jumped at the chance to meet their big brothers, the ponies' reaction to Maud were more subdued.

As Applejack looked at Maud Pie, and used her truth vision, there was something off about this mare, like Shining Armor and the brothers, and she looked like a recoloring of Pinkie Pie's other sisters. But . . . something seemed more . . . subdued about her, calmer, less, well, garish. AJ remembered about not judging ponies on WHAT they are . . . maybe Maud just wanted some family?

Shining gave it deep thought. 'Alright, what could Nameless NOT do? That would make good proof...Ignore an opportunity to talk about himself.'

"Hey, Zooming Confidence. I know we're in a tense situation, but I can't help asking, what is your backstory? What are any and all possible things of note you've done I can praise the ground you walk on for?"

"Why thank you! I'm far too humble to recount it myself. But I know Fluttershy would be more than happy to."

"And I know Rarity could recount all she loves about me."

"And Rainbow Dash will get a kick about telling you all about my awesome adventures!"

The three mares nodded looking like puppies being offered treats.

Maud looked around. "Pinkie Pie, you didn't mention your friends would bring their colt friends. Is there enough to go around?"

The three mares bleched. "Coltfriends?" They then hugged them each. "He's my brother!"

"I see." Maud said calmly.

"Can you stay put for a tick, we've got a monster to trash." Said Light-Barrier.

Maud Pie shrugged. She could tell she had walked in on a very awkward scene.

"No! Don't!" Sweetie declared.

Maud's face didn't change as she looked at the filly, she was holding SOMETHING, but Maud couldn't tell what. She just knew the filly wasn't holding air.

Cadence couldn't take this anymore. "TWILIGHT! LET GO OF APPLEJACK! SHE'S YOUR FRIEND!"

Twilight blinked and did exactly that, feeling a bit like waking up from a dream. But . .. the wolf thing . . . it was a danger, it had to be stopped, right?

Cadence now realized all the attention was on her and blushed.

Maud didn't seem to mind the spot light had been pulled away from her. Now AJ and Shining Armor both knew this mare wasn't like the others.

"Everypony! This is my big sister Maud Pie! You won't meet her in canon for a long while, but we can meet her now outside of canon! Say hello Maud."

"Hello." Maud said passionlessly.

"Are you defective?" Light-Barrier said.

"Is there something wrong with your sister?" Rainbow Dash mimicked her big brother, if her big brother did it, then it was alright, even insulting her best friend's big sister.

"Hey! Maud isn't defective! She's unique!" Pinkie Pie came to her sister's defense.

"Unique defective." Light-Barrier said matter of fact, RD nodded. "You really shouldn't hide from having problem like that. It's not healthy."

Sweetie was happy they were at least distracted from Blanky.

Rarity felt a wave of confusion go through her, why wasn't she either helping her friend take care of the beast threatening Sweetie or greeting Pinkie Pie's sister? It wasn't proper manners for a lady at all for the latter, and a good big sister to neglect the former.

Maud trotted up to Light-Barrier, unhitching the confections cart she had pulled in.

"You are unworthy of my quiet darkness' peace." Maud Pie had no idea at all why she had whispered that to him.

Light-Barrier looked shocked and alarmed.

Rainbow Dash got in Maud Pie's face. "HEY! Don't go scaring my big brother! He's the bravest pony there is!" Maud didn't even flinch. "HEY! I'm talking to you! Don't ignore me!" Rainbow snapped.

Rainbow! Just because Maud Pie is mean doesn't mean you have to be mean." Fluttershy said.

"She is rather uncouth," Rarity said.

Maud's expression didn't change at all. Pinkie Pie hugged her.

Sweetie Belle was too distraught to notice that Blank was getting more agitated and unset the longer this went on.

Twilight Sparkle felt dizzy, since when did her friends act this . . . hostile? Since when did she? Of course, Maud Pie was bad, so there was nothing wrong with this, of course.

Pie Pinkie felt a headache too. And she remembered, that one alternate universe, were two Mare-y Sues had appeared in a world at once, their reality warping presence causing a feedback loop between the two, damaging reality. Mare-y Sues were the center of attention in stories, or basically the whole reason the story happened in the first place, having two centers of attention was impossible. That Pinkie's reality was on the verge of collapsing at the end (killing the Sues had been a futile gesture of course, they god-moded they way back to life). That world's Pinkie Pie having to break beyond the forth wall having to delete the story just to save her friends. That had been two mare-y sues. What . . . was gonna happen . . . when there was three?

A distortion was building up between the three brothers, but it was only Applejack, the wolf, Cadence, and Sweetie Belle and maybe Maud could see it.

Shining Armor gave it thought. 'Okay, so clearly the brothers are like Nameless but this mare isn't...what can I do to snap Twilight out of this...The angrier they get, the weaker their powers get. What can...AH! Sues are vulnerable to pointing out their mistakes and contradictions! And getting their names wrong.'

"Hey, Light Bearer. As Rainbow Dash's big brother, you obviously taught her everything she knows, right?"

"Of course I did!" Light Barrier replied, though gave a snarl at his name being mispronounced.

"That's right, my big brother taught me everything!"

"And that includes loyalty to her friends, right?"

"Naturally!"

"Then why are you ENCOURAGING her hurting her friend by insulting her sister? And not correcting her for doing so? Like a GOOD big brother would?"

"Well, if Pinkie Pie is ignoring her sister having a problem, then it's the best thing to do. You should be ashamed for suggesting she should just ignore her problems."

"Don't say to BBBFF! Now I'm doing it!"

Cadence asked. "You're aware you're doing it?"

"Yes?"

"Then you're fine."

=Boss Prelude - Kirby's Return to Dream=

The distortion grew bigger as the chaotic exchange of words, actions, and feeling overlapped and tied themselves in knots.

"Get the monster!" Rarity shouted. "Use the Elements already girls."

"Maybe we should all just stop now?" Fluttershy asked meekly not showing her normal burst of decisiveness in these moments, being flattened to her normal shy persona.

"So let tell you about Maud."

"-Twiley I really do think-"

"-girls Ah think we all need ta calm down some, yee-haa! Dagnabbit!-"

The floor began to rumble.

Shining tried to think of something. Particularly to distract everypony from the Wolf so it could do its thing. Then an idea occurred to him. "Hey, Cadence, don't you think Pinkie's sister Maud looks like a fun person to be around and we should spend several minutes asking her about herself?" he asked, giving a wink.

Cadence blinked, then remembered a certain flaw about Nameless: his inability to handle NOT being the center of attention. "Sure, Shining, that sounds like a great idea."

The brothers looked agitated, and Shining Armor, felt something ripple.

The wolf whimpered, and leapt out of Sweetie Belle's protective rip, and slipped through Shining Armor's protective force field, leaping towards Applejack.

A pillar of water exploded from the distortion in the floor. The studio was flooded in an instant, leaving every pony ankle deep in water (knee deep in Sweetie Belle's case).

=Ferris Wheel Boss Appears - Sonic Colors=

Cadence directed her adopted babies onto a table and quickly had Shining place a force field around them. Big Mac finally noticed a little of the chaos around him.

The brothers look confused, unsure, and utterly befuddled.

Shining made it a point to NOT look in the direction of the brothers. "Are you girls all alright?" he asked. Something bad was obviously happening, but he wasn't about to let Nameless 2, 3, and 4 have a chance to calm down.

The pillar splashed down, and floating with the water . . . was a seapony. Maybe. She was much larger than seapony any of the ponies had read about in their myths and legends. She looked much more like a mundane seahorse than merepony or seapony. Her colors were dark blues and purples with red high-lights.

"We're in trouble," Pinkie Pie said simply.

The wolf pup whispered. "The . . . presence of three inserts together, forced to use their powers in one place . . . in this small realm of possibilities, with the barrier between worlds so thin here . . . it let her come through."

= Little King's Story--Final Boss Appears =

"She another thingie that wanted in from beyond?" AJ responded, figuring she ask the wolf how he knew Sweetie Belle later.

"She is much much much much worse. She is from the heart world."

Pinkie gasped in horror. 'A canon sue! The worst type of Sue!'

"I have arrived." The large seapony said simply.

"HEY! The author never gave you a green card!" Pinkie Pie shouted, quickly putting plugs in her ears. "And if he had he'd have toned you down considerably!"

"I let myself in."

"WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON?!" Rainbow Dash asked, as hopelessly confused and lost as everypony there.

"You don't need to worry about that Rainbow Dash," said the large seapony, "In fact, you don't need to worry about anything at all. I am Cassie the Kelpie, and I am here to make way in Ponyville. Don't worry about anything." She began to sing.

'Dark Luna' Lunar, Silver Star Story -

In an instant, Big Mac, Shining Armor, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, expressions became of those of empty automations.

Pinkie Pie got ready with the Party Cannon, but she had underestimated the limitless power of the twisted horror, the willess body of Maud Pie came up behind her, took out her ear plugs, and Pinkie Pie's expression became just as empty, like a corpse.

"YOU DARE BRAINWASH OUR LITTLE SISTER? HAVE AT THEE WENCH!" Uniquely Belle shouted. The three brothers ready to destroy the siren in one wrathful swoop.

But her distortion, empowered from the blood of the heart world, overpower theirs, and they were knocked back as their own little sisters attacked them.

"Now then. Let's be going."

"No!" Cadence shouted her horn flaring and shooting a magic blast at the siren. "Leave my family alone!"

"YOU'RE CHEATING! Don't you know NONE but animals can resist my song?"

"PONIES ARE ANIMAL TOO! THAT MAKES NO SENSE!"

"No-sapient!"

"Have you SEEN how smart some of my sisters' friends' pets are? That makes even less sense!"

"You make no sense!"

"I am the concept of music itself! If Auntie can survive a trip to the sun, then I can ignore that noise you call music!"

The siren sang her words. "Whatever . . . I don't think you're going to fight all your friends AT ONCE to stop me. I have to be going. Bye."

A barrier appeared around the studio, and another around Cadence and the siren.

"You are kidding me." The siren sang.

"Shining?" She saw her husband still a slave to the siren's song. But then who? From the table shined magic.

Cadence saw her darlings, Kifuko feeding her magic, as Midnight produced a force field around them, a double random magic surge empowering them. With the brothers' distortion overpowered by Cassie's, the two babies were awake.

"Thank you." She whispered.

Cadence blinked when a familiar white wolf trotted besides her. "I can not use my true power against a creature from the heart world, from which all worlds are born . . . but I will fight at your side Temperance."

" . . . thank you."

Then a orange gold wolf paced to the other side of Cadence.

"I am the Opaque Wolf, I am here to smite that which does not belong in this branch of reality. I am the left wing of fate!" It said simply. Cadence didn't notice AJ was missing.

~A minute before, AJ sighed as she felt the wolf touch her soul.
'We gotta do this again?'

'To help save your friends. I am not the wolf who can fight that of the heart world at my true power. She is a creature of Canon, I can not harm her without becoming mortal, but you can.'

'So much fer never doin' this again. Fine. Tell wolf-me hello for me.' ~

"Three against one! I can still beat you!" The siren sang.

"I'll fight too!" Sweetie Belle went through the magic barrier, unaffected as the Siren's puppets found themselves unable to.

"YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE UNDER MY SONG! YOU WERE EXPLICITLY SHOWN TO BE UNDER MY SONG! DRAGONS AND ALICORNS WERE UNDER MY SWAY! YOU'RE BREAKING THE NARRATIVE!" The siren's song became a screech to Sweetie Belle.

"Equestria Girls 2 is doing your gimmick better!" Pinkie got out in the moment of clarity but was ignored.

Cadence said, "Trust me. It makes sense within the rules of this world. If I can ignore you, so can she. But Sweetie-"

"Chryssy taught me black magic, I can fight."

Cadence was in no position to turn her down.

"YOU'RE ALL CHEAITING! GOD-MODERS!"

"You're a game-breaking horror that make the changelings look balanced!" The Opaque Wolf said.

"Hey!" Sweetie said.

"Don't say that about my subjects!" Cadence objected.

"Sorry."

"You're like Nameless! You're a plague!" Cadence said.

"No! I'm canon!"

"Well you're not welcome here!" Cadence said.

"Let's do this!" Opaque wolf swore.

= 'Eternity' - Blue Dragon -

"WAVES BE WILD!" A tidal wave rose from the water, knocking the four heroes back.

If Pinkie Pie had free will at the moment, she'd have said, 'Geeze, even the bad guys the author hates get upgrades.'

Cadence fired a sonic blast at Cassie, she gasped in pain a the direct hit.

The wolves combined their efforts and attacked as a pair, crisscrossing Cassie, leaving claw marks over her body.

Sweetie began chanting under her breath as her horn glowed.

"You can't do this! I am justified and sympathetic!"

A protective sphere shaped barrier appeared around the Kelpie. Along with dozens of small water sprits.

=Moral Justification Excuse Barrier Activated =

Destroy 48 Water Sprits In Twenty Seconds Came a narrative voice.

Sweetie kept chanting. Cadence used a sonic blast to wipe away a large mass of them, turning them back to water, while the wolves moved like lighting, wiping them out just in time.

=Moral Justification Excuse Barrier Negated =

Water shaped itself into scythes that cut at the party. The white wolf was angle enough to avoid, but not the golden wolf and Cadence used herself as a shield to protect Sweetie who was still chanting.

In an instant Sweetie's eyes shot open. "-and wipe away the fools that stand in my way!"

A giant green blast shoot from Sweetie Belle's horn, obliterating one of Cassie's fore-fins and part of her torso. Sweetie Belle panted.

"I am of the heart world, this is impossible." Cassie swore, lookin at the damage to herself. "It's against narrative for me to fall! I'm misunderstood!"

"This isn't the heart world. Any high ground ya had there is lost here. Yer a poorly written plot hole. And yer are not welcome here," the golden wolf swore. "Let's finish this!"

Pinkie regained herself enough for a split-moment to bring up a card to the camera.

DA RULE!
1. What you put in the comments appears in the story.
2. Nopony besides Pinkie Pie can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and she can't spill the beans about the ponies being out-and-out fiction to the others.
3. The camera can't leave the studio.
4. The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from "My little Pony"
5. Everything that happens here is non-canon (unless said otherwise).
6. Have Fun

Author's Note

Pony POV Series
Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show episode 10
By Alex Warlorn

Pinkie Pie, "Okay, since this episode is gonna be really long, the author chose to write a really long introduce too! Okay everypony! You know the drill! Write what comes next!"

http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/gallery/42867862/Pinkie-Pie-Forth-Wall-Breaking-Variety-Show

Pinkie Pie, "And before I forget, here are, Da Rule!
1. What you put in the comments appears in the story.
2. Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and I can't spill the beans about us being out-and-out fiction to the others.
3. The camera can’t leave the studio.
4. The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from “My little Pony”
5. Everything that happens here is non-canon (except the Tartarus break out thingie, but not the big battle).
6. Have Fun "

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show epi 10 Part 2

Cassie cringed back, terror writ large on her face and mannerisms. "N-No! Please!! Don't erase me, don't wipe me away forever! I'll do anything! Have mercy, please!!"

The orange wolf sneered. "Beggin' as soon as things go bad? Yer not just bad writin', yer a coward too!" The canine's fangs glistened.

"And, by the way? What's with thinking we'll just…delete you?" Cadence scoffed, her horn glowing with power. "We could just knock you back to the heart world and seal off the breach." The pink alicorn suddenly found herself under incredulous glares from two reality-fixing wolves and one unicorn filly. "What?"

"Ah know we....ponies are supposed to be forgiving an' all, but really? Yer thinkin' of lettin' that thing go?" The orange wolf snarked. "What if she finds a way to come back? That's what Sues do--they ALWAYS know some trick or 'special skill' that's just perfect fer gettin' em outta anything without fail! She'll just come back and try again!"

Sweetie hmphed, giving a firm nod. Smirking she added, "Besides, Blanky's hungry. I think giving seafood to dogs is okay...."

Everypony, even Cassie and the 'brothers', gave the filly shocked looks.

"What did I do?!" Sweetie whined, distraught.

Looking through the camera, Pinkie had a sudden thought.

Wait, why are they all just standing around talking? Isn't Miss Perfect Seapony Priss still dangerous, or---uh-oh…!

With a swivel of the camera, Pinkie shifted the view to Cassie. She was still injured, and looking fearful, but she was using the (admittedly comedic) distraction to power up a new attack.

AHH! The classic Sue victory; the 'villain' does something reeeeaaaally super-dumb and gives them the perfect opening!

Pinkie gulped, looking over at Maud.

Her grey sister then displayed what was, by Maud's standards, a devestating level of emotion. She sighed, rolled her eyes, and said. "Yes, Pinkie. It's going to be one of those days."

Pinkie gulped, watching as Cassie finished whatever spell she was charging.....

"I hate to point this." Maud voice said flatly "But should we be more worry about that?"

All the ponies looked and were shock disturb to see the brothers merging to form something "GAHH! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENING!" Rarity shouting.

"They were lies made by shadows that were damage when they were slapped away what you're seeing is the true face of your 'awesome' brothers," The Opaque wolf stated "What your seeing is there TRUE Form as they are being re-edited."

"SHUT UP WOlf1" The three 'Brothers' said in a distorted voice 'W3 deCIde WHAtZ CorreCt NOW!!"

"GAH! So many spelling error in that one sentence I can see it!" Twilight shrieked "Why are they talking like that."

"Simple they're still in the edit phase, they're not completely done yet." Pinkie said

"YOUZ SHUT UMP TOO!" the brothers snapped, "WE DeZERVE PERFeCTion WHETHERE THES STUPID MAreS waNT IT Or NOT!!"

"S-stupid?" Rarity said "We thought you care for us."

"HA! WE W'RE MADe TO OuTSHINE You! W- AD IF ThaT MEan We gEt StUcK relAT-ed to SuCh ImPERfect BeinGS WITH BORing FRIEndz L!ke MacINTOSH THEN-." The shadows distortion as Big Mac literally bucked the first sending it into the others slapping them away While shouting "I'M NOT BORING DANGIT! And at least Ah speak proper equestrian... admittedly with a southern accent but still."

"Wow, good work Mac." Shining said. "Okay honey me and Mac we'll deal with three male-sue you deal with girl with the sue-ish power."

"IT'S NOT A SUE-ISH POWER! I'm just too stress to remember how to explained it properly." The Kelpie whined.

Shining looked up at the fusion entity (thankful that Cassie being outshined had broken her spell for a moment), then in what he presumed was the direction of the Blank Wolf. "Uh, Wolf? Any chance you can slash them mid transformation like you did Nameless?"

"Other way," said every one that could see the wolf.

"Unfortunately, I'm busy with the canon sue right now."

Sweetie translated.

"Dang it!...Okay, Big Mac, Maud...whoever's helping me, new strategy: their weakness is sarcasm and trolling! A sue can't tolerate having their 'perfection' mocked!" Shining put a sound proof bubble around himself and the siblings so they could focus on the monster without worrying about Cassie's singing.

"PAY ATTENTION TO ME!" yelled Cassie, firing off her big tidal wave attack. Cadence and Sweetie Belle countered with a double sound wave attack to hold it back.

"Get Cassie in the sound booth! It's sound proof when everything is turned off!" Pinkie Pie called out as Cassie began singing again.

Cassie rose up on a miniature tidal wave, evading the Blank Wolf's lunge and looming over the Opaque Wolf. "I have brilliantly deduced your weakness!"

Sweetie Belle blinked. "Uh, how?"

"Silence!" Cassie began to sway and sing a new song, jarring and discordant... somehow, with just the one voice.

The orange wolf... no... Applejack shook herself, fighting through a splitting headache. She tried to gallop straight at that harridan and buck her good, but she tripped over her own paws, skidding to a stop. She gaped at her paws in shock, flexing her toes, as if her own claws suddenly frightened her. "What the... Ah really changed... Ah'm a wolf!"

Cadence looked at her sharply, worried. "This isn't really the time..."

Cassie just laughed and shaped water into a wickedly sharp blade, hurling it straight at Applejack. Applejack cringed. "No, stop!"

And everything froze, turning smoky grey. Applejack fell back from the motionless blade, letting off a doggy whine of sheer relief. "Ah never thought Ah'd be glad to see this place. Wherever the hay is it."

"Between moments," growled another voice. "Haven't ya learned anything?"

"Now see here," snapped Applejack, turning to confront... not the Blank Wolf, but a ghostly copy of herself, standing before her and heaving a frustrated sigh. "Yer the wolf me? What is this?"

The ghostly wolf stalked closer, identical green eyes staring right into hers. "Ah am you, remember? You've been ignoring me, trying not to think too much about the other life we lived, and now we're paying for it. That song, it's tryin' to pull us apart. Ah can't fight Cassie for you, not this time... We have to be one. You have to fight her."

"What?! But, Ah don't know how ta use your crazy powers! Heck, Ah'm not used to doing anything in this wolf body, much less fighting!"

"You can learn," said the other her patiently, as if she was instructing a filly... or a pup. She eyed the water blade again... had it moved fractionally? "We've got time. Look, Ah'm sorry. Ah know you never asked for this."

Applejack's groan came out as more of a whimper. "Ah guess Ah don't have any choice, now. Hit me."

The ghostly wolf crouched and leapt *into* Applejack... and in a flash she relived everything, all of it from beginning to end.

She was Firejack the wolf, growing up with her sister Snowbloom and her big brother Great Makintosh. Learning to stalk and dash through the snowy woods and hunt prey while she was still a pup. The hot blood of her first kill. Helping Greatmother Smith run the Sweet Apple Pack after mother and father died in battle with the Diamond Dogs. Meeting Twilight Glimmering, the sage of Wolfville, and going on heroic adventures with her new friends. All was right with the world... until the day the sun set and did not rise again.

As the snows piled high and wolves struggled grimly on, a fearsome, pale creature came to her... the Blank Horse of legend. "This world, this twist of fate... is dying," it warned her. "The frost queen calls you to the last battle. Go at once!"

When Firejack reached the Hall of the Wolf Brothers, she found Queen Rota Fortuna there alone. The ancient wolf matriarch was massive, easily twice her size... Firejack almost felt fear.

The queen wasted no time with ceremony or greetings. "Young wolf, the dread beast Morning Star has burst his bonds and devoured the sun. This world and you and every wolf you know will perish. This is fated."

Firejack snarled, scoring the wooden floor with her claws. "Then why fight him? Is vengeance all we can hope for?"

"Not vengeance alone," the queen growled. "Other worlds may yet be saved if you strike him down, but you will perish even if you win, and your fate will be strange and far from your brother and sister and kin."

"Then give me the power, and Ah'll hunt him down!"

Rota Fortuna smiled, fangs bared. "Accept my power, and the power of the void, to rend even gods and monsters!"

The water blade hurtled toward Applejack, but she sprang up and knocked it right out of the air with a swipe of her paw. The orange wolf's claws pierced the blade and erased it precisely. Every last drop of water vanished, without erasing it in the past too and causing a paradox.

Cassie was left gasping and sputtering. "How..."

Applejack wagged her tail. "What do ya know? Ah guess what don't kill ya really does make ya stronger."

"Now then... I can't kill you do to the fact that you might be use later on in the heart-world and possibly be de-sued. However, you be surprise at how much pain one can live through," The Opaque Wolf said calmly.

"Actually," Blanky said, "Since she's been given upgrades in her abilities that she doesn't possess in the heart world due to the rules of their reality, it's logical that she 'split off' from the heart world self the moment she entered this reality, so destroying her is quite logically an option."

"Thank ya kindly, Big Brother." The Opaque Wolf said before leaping at her.

Thankfully Big Mac was oblivious that he was related to the existence of the pony that the golden wolf was currently taking up.

Cadence quickly covered sweetie belles eyes "HEY!"

"Sorry dear, but the fight got really too grown-up for you." Cadence said

"Oh come on! How bad could it be."

"AHH! MY FIN! YOU'RE LITERALLY RIPPING OFF MY FIN."

"Blanky? How did you get so big? . . And . . why can you talk? How does everypony else know you?" Sweetie Belle asked. While ponies generally accepted things within the non-canon state of the studio, the sheer level of chaos was breaking down things, which was how Cassie had managed to invade in the first place.

"Don't worry about it right now Sweetie Belle, this is just more of my magic. I didn't feel like talking before." The Wolf said quickly.

"Oh . . . okay Blanky.

Meanwhile, Big Mac turned to Shining Armor as they were trying to deal with the fake-brother fusion. "Apparently, you've dealt with this kind of thing before. Any advice?"

Shining grinned. "Believe in yourself. I know that sounds like a cat poster, but it's true. And not just yourself. Believe in me that believes in you."

"...What."

"I got that one from a manega, but it's pretty good advice."

"YOU ARE THE MOST BORING unexceptional, mundane, plain big brother imaginable, you're just a farmer, like your ENTIRE FAMILY, I'm surprised you're all not BORN with Apple Cutie marks, your destinies are set in stone! Why not just tell Applebloom she's going to be an apple farmer for the rest of her life and be done with it!"

"Uniquely Belle! That ISN'T how we speak to family of our friends who have done no wrong! Even if they are uncouth."

"Hey!"

"Sorry darling."

"DIDN'T YOU HEAR US BEFORE? We exist to ourshine and pass you in every detail!"

"I never cared if you surpassed me or not Uniquely, just like I never cared if Sweetie Belle surpassed me or not, I'd be PROUD OF HER if she did so! Because that's what family is, we don't pull each other down, we support each other!"

The fusion-thing chuckled. Trying to one-up Fluttershy on kindness?"

"I can never surpass Fluttershy in kindness. Our elements are similar, but they aren't the same. I can never be as gentle, loving, tender, and calm as she can be. And I'm fine with that. I have my light that shines. And so does she."

Fluttershy blushed bright red and hide under her mane.

"And in all the memories we have Uniquely Bell . . . lies or not . . . we're happy together. Why throw that all away for some impossible dream of being perfect?" Rarity pleaded with the fusion-thing. "You don't HAVE to be perfect for ponies to love you."

"That's all you want, right Zooming Confidence? To be loved? But . . . you were scared, that just being yourself wasn't enough, because you saw us all as so great . . . so you had to be perfect, so we'd all notice you and love you too?"

Rainbow Dash crossed her arms. "Meh. Let's trash this monster."

"ThAT's my Little sister." said the voice of Light-Barrier, but the fusion-thing gasped at itself in confusion, "I DID NOT JUST SAY THAT!!"

Rainbow Dash blinked. "Why aren't we being all brainwashed anymore?"

"Probably because being outshined by the siren thingie has made them so angry their control slipped, happened to the other one I had to deal with," Shining explained. "But that one made himself somedeer's brother too and he helped me fight him."

"Oh...wait, other one?!"

"LONG STORY!" Shining Armor replied. "That does remind me, I wonder were these three came from...The last one was unleashed from Pandora's Box by the Hooviet's stupidity."

"Okay, anything else we should know?"

"You should troll them."

"What?!"

"Things like them CAN'T take trolling or otherwise having holes poked in their narrative. Their egos won't ALLOW it."

"We're the best big brothers! You three should be bowing before us!" the triple sue yelled at the ACTUAL big siblings.

"You're definitely scary..." said Maud in the same monotone voice she'd used her entire life.

"Are you mocking us?!"

"No, you're really intimidating."

"STOP THAT!"

"It also seems they don't take monotone voices well either," said Shining as the triple sue through a tantrum.

A certain pegasus barista trotted in, pulling a small cart loaded with various hot beverages.

'Sorry, didn't see the memo about anoth-" He blinked at the scene he'd walked in on. "Was there a note about a Mary Sue meeting I missed as well?"

Twilight powered up a spell to unleash on Cassie the kelpie, one that would hopefully paralyze her until they could find someplace to go with the musical monstrosity (she thought a thousand miles from land would work well), only to stop at a tug on her tail. She turned and her eyes widened.

"Uhh, hey, Twilight," Spike stood there.

"SPIKE! You're supposed to be helping watch a filly older than you, bad dragon!" Twilight said, then wondered if these beings were effecting her somehow.

"Sorry, I . . . got distracted."

Spike held up his claws... Twilight's own eyes went wide with horror at the sight. Her spell fizzled out, and with a laugh Cassie went on the offensive against Cadence, the wolves and Sweetie Belle. Twilight ignored it all to focus on the deflated-looking white and purple thing Spike held.

"Where did you find that?!?"

"In the back of the closet," Spike said, sounding annoyed, "Under those books of your mom's and that copy of the Foal Free Press with 'Celestia's Most Embarassing Moments'." He thrust the empty and eerily lifelike Rarity-ponysuit under her nose. Long elegant purple ribbon of a mane and tail, marshmallow-white coat, three-gem cutie mark and even blue eyeshadow on its eyelids... Twilight shuddered at the sight. Spike snapped. "You took it away from me to clean a few months ago. Then when I asked if we could stuff it with cotton so I could use it for a pillow, you said you got rid of it!"

A whinny behind her made Twi look and see Cassie using a tendril of solid water to lift something invisible in the air. Cadence was countering her singing, pitching her own voice to neutralize the kelpie's mind-bending song, and the gold wolf was dodging lashes from other water tendrils.

"Spike, this is NOT a good time!" She began charging her horn up again.

"You always say that!" Spike folded his arms over his chest and huffed. "Every time we try to talk about that one little request, it's 'Sorry, Spike, we have to re-shelve the library' or 'Not now Spike, I have to pay Zecora a visit' or 'No, Spike, not while we're fighting invading monsters from Tartarus'!" He snorted green flame from his nose. "I've had it, Twilight. Either we settle this right now or so help me I'm telling everypony about the time you wore that really bad dress Rarity made for you while parading around inside the library with a scepter and tinfoil crown and proclaiming yourself the 'Alicorn of Libraries'!"

"Spike, that was only once!.. Plus I have no idea what you're talking about, heh." Twilight tried to move around him, but the tiny dragon held his ground. Past him she saw Cassie hurl the invisible thing at the gold wolf, sending both wolves flying. She reared above them, victorious, forming shimmering blades out of the water. "And right now we're kind of occupied here!"

"You always say that!" Spike glared at Cassie. "If I got rid of the monster, THEN can we talk about me getting a life-size Rarity plush pillow?"

"Yes!" Twilight snapped back. "If only so I can tell you 'no' once and for all!" She yelled as Spike tossed the empty suit into her face as he turned and charged the kelpie. The other ponies backed away as Spike doubled in size and then doubled again, another greed growth-spurt taking control of him.

Kifuko and Midnight looked at each other, and the inner force field shimmered letting Spike through.

"Spike mad! Spike WANT... to get his Rarity pillow!" Cassie looked around just in time to send her water-blades whirling against him with a shriek. By then Spike stood so large he could just force his way through the blades, which splattered into water against his scales. With a roar Spike snatched the studio's sound booth in one claw (installed with the bits Pinkie Pie had earned), in one claw. In the other he grabbed the shocked kelpie. Before Cassie could do anything he shoved her inside of it and slammed the whole thing into the ground, open side facing downwards. Cassie was trapped, at least for the moment. And being sound proof, her mind control songs could not get out.

Twilight still fought to remove that Rarity-suit from her face as she heard Shiny speak to her. "Great work getting Spike to help like that, sis, and -- what in Celestia's name is that on your horn?!?"

"This?" Twilight removed the suit and held it at horn's length, gingerly. It looked like Rarity's flayed hide. Both Shiny and Cadence shuddered to see it. Kifuko and Midnight, shivered with fear at it and covered their eyes. "It's something one of Pinkie's weirder Shadows made a few months ago, or was it years? They had Applejack and Rainbow Dash, and then me and Trixie end up inside of suits like this. I magicked them all away, but they ended up on Spike," she pointed at the dragon, now gleefully banging on the top of the recording booth, bringing soundless howls from the kelpie inside, "and he kept them."

"Do we want to know why?" Cadence asked with a shudder from her side of the battle force field. THe studio force field still in place to keep the sues from escaping.

"He wanted to turn the one of Rarity into a body pillow, like they do in Neighpon." Twilight looked at it. "I've been trying to find ways to get rid of this ever since, but with everything that's been happening..."

"Allow me," Cadence said, her horn glow as she prepared to use her magic.

"Cadence, no!" Twilight gasped as Cadence ignored her, casting the spell on the pony-suit. "They were made with poison joke! Magic works very unpredictably on them, and..." The suit vanished with a *pop*! Twilight groaned. "Now where did it go?"

"I think I know," Shining Armor said beside them, smelling suddenly of flowers and mothballs. Twilight and Cadence both looked. Kifuko and Midnight laughed. Shining Armor, now wearing the magical Rarity-suit, rolled 'Rarity's long-lashed eyes at his little sis and wife as he said, "Please tell me you know how to remove this. And what's happening with the stallion-sues and Big Mac?"

"ATTACK! ATTACK! ATTACK! Uniquely Belle voice roared, but grunted in pain as Maud slapped it and Big Mac followed it up by delivering a double kick to its body. "Word to the wise, instead of just saying it, do it," Big Mac said.

"GAHH!! Stop criticizing and fight us!" all three voices snapped as it grabbed parts of the stage, before hurling them at the hero but were stop by rarity who used her magic.

"Now stop that Uniquely. You and your friends are acting like children," Rarity said.

"We are not acting like children!" Uniquely snapped "We are perfect!"

"Oh yeah then why are you losing?" Rainbow said.

"Cause your cheating!" Zooming added annoyed.

"Um... were actually criticizing some of your actions but were not cheating, big brother," Fluttershy said.

"YES YOU ARE!" the fused beings roared as they lunged towards Fluttershy, Unaware that Fluttercruel quickly shifted to take Fluttershy place till it literally hit face first into a raised hoof.

"OW!!"

"Speaking of criticism, you get angry way too easily." Fluttercruel added. All she got was an angry growl in response. Shining Armor quickly ran back to them "Okay guys I'm here to help."

"Shining... why are you wearing that?" Rarity asked slightly disturb.

"Don't ask. Let's just focus on beating this thing." Shining said, REALLY glad that none of his fellow guard were here to see him in the magical rarity suit.

"Well, that... wasn't so difficult." Cadence looked around the studio, taking stock. Cassie was pounding her tail on the walls of the soundproof booth, and Big Mac had gotten tired of talking and started bucking the Big Brother Sue-Fusion against the bouncy force field wall that had surrounded their little 'boss area'.

The still-giant Spike grabbed Shining Armor, scowling as he dangled him in front of his snout. "Hey, that's MY Rarity suit. Twilight promised! You get out of there!"

The real Rarity gasped, scandalized. "Now see here! Unhand, er... me!"

"You heard what she said!" echoed Shining. His voice even sounded just like Rarity's, thanks to the costume's magic. "I demand you release me this instant or... ugh, why am I talking like her?"

Rainbow Dash flew up and hovered nearby. "Are you *roleplaying*?" She giggled into a hoof. "Oh, this is the worst possible thing!"

"Good on sis', AGH! Why did I say that?!" Light-Barrier gasped.

Shining squirmed in Spike's paw. "Don't make me use my cool magic hammer spell!" he yelled, still in Rarity's voice. "Oh, buck, the suit's muffling my magic."

Cadence glanced at the foals and sighed. "Shining, dear, language!"

Spike blinked, then grinned lecherously. "Two Raritys..."

The gold wolf rolled her eyes, tail held close... Spike, unable to see the wolves, had nearly caught her in the sound booth too. "Ah got all wolfed out for this? Ah'm startin' to feel like we brought an alicorn to a playground scuffle."

Looking at Cassie now, Applejack found herself seized by a rather un-ponylike impulse. This prey was caught, but still dangerous. Best to finish it quickly.

She stalked towards the kelpie, then snarled and lashed out, erasing her, sound booth and all. "You can have the other Sue," she growled to the Blank Wolf. "Ah'm turning back before Applejack's absence causes a paradox… er... Wait, how do Ah turn back?"

"Ooh, ooh!" Pinkie bounced around them, somehow inside the inner force field. "If you can't turn back, we can make an Applejack pony suit for you! Or we could make you a wolf suit so everypony can meet wolf you! Or..."

The Opaque Wolf whined, covering her face with a paw. "A little help, here?"

Big Mac said, "Ya know something, Zooming Confidence? Ya ain't perfect at all. Ah mean, ya just tried to hit yer own sister. What sort of perfect being would do that?"

The fused beings stopped moving, as the part that was Zooming Confidence realized that what this pony said was the truth, no matter how he tried to weasel his way out of it.

"We will deal with that matter later," the Blank Wolf replied. "We still have the three false brothers to deal with; they are a more urgent matter than your other form." He gave a growl that somehow conveyed snark. "Now, I do approve of you ridding reality of that kelpie--your pony-self was correct, she could have returned if you'd merely sent her back to the Heart World--but, was erasing her PRISON as well necessary? It's not as if the booth did anything to deserve deletion..."

The Opaque Wolf snorted. "Ah'll just loan Pinkie some bits ta help her buy a new one. 'Sides, after that whole mess with the Tartarus breakout, Ah'm not goin' fer half measures when monsters show up. Pony-eatin' flowers, those witches, dogs made outta rocks... We spent half the afternoon tryin' ta find some tiny cat-woman, even after we'd whupped all the other baddies. Dang it; Ah almost think 'Timber-bloom' shoulda just eaten her and saved us the trouble!" She looked up, something seeming to catch her attention. "...Hey, what's goin' on with Mac and those three galoots?"

Indeed, something odd WAS happening with the trio of false brothers...or rather, with Zooming Confidence. He was...out of sync with the other two Stallion-Sues. He almost looked...conflicted? Confused? The two wolves saw Zooming's mouth moving, but only Big Mac heard his voice.

"Y-You're right. Th-that IS the truth."

Meanwhile, Spike idly wondered what Kelpie tasted like...as he twirled Shining-as-Rarity around like a yo-yo. "I can't just step on those three fake brothers, it'd be anticlimactic. But it's not often I get to be big like this, so I should try to have some more fun. What do you think, Shiny?"

"Stop....spinning....me....Spike!"

Shining blinked, looking away from his current predicament. 'That probably would have just clopped Nameless off.'

Maud looked at the What If Machine that had somehow survived the fighting so far.

She propped it up and a part of her spoke that she didn't entirely understand.

"What If They Were Complete."

The What If Machine sprung to life.

It depicted a group of older stallions protecting a group of younger mares from a human witch in a red robe.

Pinkie gasped. "Wait a second...The Paradise Ponies said they'd never have existed if...the Big Brother Ponies left years later, but they were still Paradise Ponies, they..."

"What If We Were There When They Were Born."

*FTZ*

The Shades of three older stallions that had slipped through the hole to Entropy's Realm noted something odd happen while the Gods and Wolves were busy helping stop a mass Tartarus breakout. One of the cancers the Wolf would normally cut from reality began to take shape, three in fact, but the Shadow discarded the idea before it could fully come into being, leaving nothing more than half completed husks. Partly in existence partly without one. Normally such things would fade away into nothing, but normally there wasn't a hole to Entropy's realm allowing legions of shadows to emerge into the universe.

The three shades entered the half finished Sues, causing them to complete and take on a new shape. Namely Light Barrier, Uniquely Belle, and Zooming Confidence.

*FTZ*

Pinkie Pie gasped. "So that's why they're actually capable of thinking about that."

Maud shook her head, giving a groan. "I don't know what just happened..."

"But that means they're even more dangerous," said the Wolf. "They have no Shadow Who Is, but they have a shadow with a tether to this reality, which is how they evaded me long enough to become a problem."

Throughout all of this, Coffee Swirl had only been setting up the usual drinks he'd provided for the show the last few episodes. His bill was honestly probably the smallest of the ones Pinkie had needed to pay off after the Tartarus break out. Still, he was starting to worry he was simply becoming too jaded, if the thought of three imagination demons breaking free didn't scare him.

"Hey, excuse me for being ignorant, and coming from a Shadow that specializes in making bad ideas work, but... would it really be so bad for them to... well, become real?"

The entire studio suddenly paused to look at their most extraordinary guest, even Maud giving the faintest raise of an eyebrow.

"I mean, I'm just saying... it worked for Shining Armor and all. We'd have to change a few things up, add some more realistic backstory, and I don't even want to think about how we'd have to do the work arounds regarding canon and non-canon, but... well, they're already half-way there, why not finish the job."

He sighed. "And when you decide 'no', can you not beat me up too badly? Please?"

"That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard." Uniquely scoffed. "However I will concede there is ONE flaw to our fused body."

The fuse being began to shake a bit as the voices of fluttershy's and RD's 'brother' began gagging and coughing a bit.

"What the heck are you doing?" Cadence asked

"Your wolf friend stating that were editing ourselves yes... well I'm getting rid of the weaker aspect of these personalities. Admittedly mine as well as I DON'T want to get emotional. That'll be uncouth." Uniquely explained.

"Ah come on, what do you have against being rescued from the scrappy heap?" Pinkie said.

"I don't know what the hay Scrappy heap is, but we don't need to be save from it!" Uniquely snapped as the eyes of the other two brother began to cough less with a evil glint in there eyes. "Ah yes, the pathway to perfection is almost done."

Coffee just shook his head. "Dude, what you just did kinda crosses the line, plus I think you're showing a TAD too much OCD."

"Ah what do you know, you serve coffee in a theatre," Uniquely scoffed.

"I think I have a idea how to handle them," Pinkie said as she headed for an old closet door nearby. Behind it was a trash bin and she dove into it, saying, "Hey, can the rest of you keep those three busy while I whip this out?"

"Whip what out?"" Twilight called after her. She gasped to see Big Mac being forced back now as the other two Big Brother Stallion-Sues took control and charged him. He fought to hold his ground, but the Sues were too strong, simply by virtue of WANTING to be stronger than the strongest Earth pony in Equestria. Twilight hurriedly threw up a barrier between him and them. "Pinkie, whatever you're doing, please hurry!"

"Ta-da!" Pinkie Pie said as she came back out with a rather beaten vacuum cleaner in her hooves. "Hey, remember when you got stuck in that Nightmare illusion by Princess Luna so long ago?"

"Yes..." Twilight said warily. Cadence and Shining Armor's eyes went wide as they heard those words.

Meanwhile the Opaque Wolf and an invisible to most pony senses Blank Wolf fought against the Stallion-Sues. They went to either side of the abomination, one dashing and trying to bite while the other dodged their attacks. Dash, Fluttershy, and Rarity all held back, part of their minds unwilling to hurt their 'brothers' even when they knew it was all a lie.

"Well, I'll just empty it out and suck the nasty Sue-stuff from the ghosties of the Big Brother Ponies, and then we can help them." Pinkie turned the vacuum cleaner on to 'reverse'. "I mean, the spell must be out of expiration by now, right?"

"What? Pinkie, no!" Twilight tried using her magic to snatch the cleaner away from the party pony. "It was alicorn magic! That doesn't just 'fade away'!"

However by then the vacuum was spraying out a black cloud of magic. It slithered for Twilight, who hurriedly put up a magic shield. It darted away from her and headed for the only other unicorn present whose ability to work magic was compromised.

Meanwhile Pinkie turned the vacuum cleaner on the Sues. "Hey, guys, you suck -- but not nearly as much as this does!"

"What? No!" The Sue-essence was pulled away from the three shades, shrieking in despair as it vanished into the vacuum cleaner. Three shadows of ponies that were cast by none were left behind. The spell grip on the minds of the three mares vanished. They shuddered.

"Aw, man!" Dash said. She folded her forelegs and frowned, choppy mane hanging in her face. "I'm glad to see them be gone, but it felt kinda neat to have a big brother! Even if he was some reality-warping monster who was going to make me just his sidekick."

The giant greedy Spike hissed, "Welcome to my world."

"And a sibling who could have introduced me to all his handsome and well-connected male friends would have been delightful," Rarity said, making sure to give Sweetie Belle a hug.

"I like anyone who likes animals and shows kindness to others, but they shouldn't have tried taking control of us like that!" Fluttershy said. She shook herself. "Fluttercruel isn't happy about it either; and what have I told you about your language, young lady? And what they did to Gilda was terrible, even if she was a meany.. Speaking of which, where is Gilda?"

"Oh my gosh, you're right!" Dash flew for the door. "Maybe I can find her and bring her back. I, she was my oldest friend even if she was a jerk, we have to talk!" She flew outside and the others heard her calling for the griffon.

"Okay, now what about these three?" Twilight indicated the shadows of stallions, They seemed to almost shiver in fear. Fluttershy fluttered over, staying close to them for comfort. "We can't let them stay, but I'm pretty sure I don't want to open a gate to wherever it is that came from here."

"And what about me?" A sultry yet regal voice demanded angrily. Everypony turned and gaped to see what looked like a Nightmare version of Rarity, long silken mane and tail, eyeshadow, velvety ebony coat and her cutie mark now looking like a collection of stars, standing beside Cadence. The Alicorn of Music covered the grin on her face with one hoof and Spike stared on in confusion as Shining Armor said, "First I become a mare, sort of, and now I"m a NIGHTMARE? What's next? Will I try to conquer Canterlot so 'the fashion can last FOREVER? AH-AHAHAHA!" Terror in his eyes, Shiny suddenly clamped both forehooves over 'Nightmarity's' mouth.

While the ponies faced the Nightmare, the golden wolf backed away, fluffy tail low and twitching uncertainly. She trotted over to the Blank Wolf's side, nudging him. "Psst! Are we gonna do anything about this?"

The Blank Wolf snorted. "No."

The Opaque Wolf blinked. "No? Are ya sure that's really Shining in there?" She sniffed, lips curling back from her fangs. "He *reeks* of Insertion."

The Blank Wolf looked incredulous, then lightly cuffed her in the wolf way. "No. Gods, no. Shining Armor's fate is deeply entwined with Equestria's now, and his mate is standing right over there, and incidentally were you paying attention when I explained how my previous self died?"

The blond and orange wolf looked over her shoulder towards Cadence, then looked elsewhere fast, gulping. "Ah hear ya, loud and clear. But we could help him out of the suit..."

"Not our concern."

"Well, what about those three shades?"

The Blank Wolf considered. "They linger here, when they should not. I sense that they yet have a role to play."

Applejack barked a laugh. "Is that yer answer to everything? Destiny this, fate that..."

"Hardly. Besides, we are the wings of fate, sister. Take it up with Mother if you like."

"Oh yeah? Well, how come everypony can see me and not you?"

"That is how Mother made you. You were meant to be seen."

The Opaque Wolf who stood in place of AJ's existence just grinned toothily.

The Blank Wolf sighed. "I wonder if I can get one of those coffees…"

"Ah erased my target, the big buckin' Siren, shouldn't Ah have automatically turned back into Applejack by now?"

-

"Hmm, it might be due to stress, it has been a very long, and weird day." Blank Wolf stated. "Perhaps you should take some decaf and cool off."

The Opaque Wolf gave her brother a look to ask if he was serious.

Meanwhile...

"I hate this suit so much." Shining muttered "I was used as a yoyo, and now feeling weird burst of tyranny and shopping. If we ever get this thing off me, I say we burn it."

"NO! You will not!" Spikezillia Lite (In-door size version) roared.

Rarity sighed. "You are not destroying one of my painstaking works. And there is no need to be curt Spike!"

Kifuko and Midnight meanwhile, their magic surge spent, went back to sleep, and the two force fields, their purpose served, dissolved.

Twilight was stuck wondering how to get both her big and little brother back to normal.

A tray with two coffees, both decaf, slid over in front of the two wolves, Coffee Swirl joining them a moment later.

"There, on the house this time." He paused to take a sip of his personal thermos. "And thanks for not... I dunno, biting me or something when I suggested we save the sues."

Pinkie Pie said, "I'd say they are being saved, and we'd never do a thing like beat up somepony for suggesting helping somepony. Silly pony." Pinkie PIe looked at the full vacuum cleaner. "Now what to do with this?"

"I know a guy that can take care of it don't worry about that." Opaque Wolf said (Referring to Blank wolf) taking a sip of her decaf. "Hmm this is pretty good."

"Thanks, i've been experimenting lately with different flavors." Coffee said

"Well i can tell you now, you did a good job on this one." Opaque wolf said taking another sip ...

And on the other side of the studio floor .. .

"OWOWOWOWOWOW!!" Shining grunted as Spike tried to remove the suit from him.

"Cut it out Spike, it's not working" Twilight said annoyed.

"But i want it now!"

"Pinkie Pie!" Twilight yelled at her friend as her suited and transformed big brother dealt with Spike's demands on one hoof and Rarity's fury over the potential ruining of her 'creation' on the other.

"What is it, Twi?" Pinkie hopped over. She looked at the scene before her and grinned to see 'Nightmare Shining Rarity' dealing with the fury of dragon and fashionista. He backed away from Rarity's glare only to stop once he struck Spike's scaly side. Both mares saw him look up and heard his frightened gulp. "Heh, the Rarity-costume is kind of getting a workout, isn't it?"

"So is my big brother! Can't you do something about this?" Twilight shook her head. "I don't know how you do these things, but right now I need you to help him. And get rid of that suit," Twilight said with a shudder. "I don't care how much Spike likes it, I am not turning it into a pillow for him."

Pinkie scratched her chin, thought, and grinned.

"Okey-dokey-lokey!" She reached over from where she stood and pulled Shining Armor over to her side. The poor stallion-turned-mare shook like a leaf.

"Why me?" He groaned. "First those witches and now this? What's next, will I be sprouting wings?" He looked back as though expecting them to sprout then and there. He dropped to his belly and wrapped his, or rather Nightmarity's, forelegs around Pinkie's. "Please get me out of this thing! Reality vampires and invading shapeshifters I can handle, but lecherous dragons and fussy fashionistas are something else."

"Okay," Pinkie said, suddenly somehow wearing a doctor's outfit and pulling a medical mask over her muzzle. Shining swallowed. Pinkie took him by the head of the Nightmarity suit. "Now hold still..."

"Wait, what are you doing! OWWW!" Everypony there winced at the cry he gave as with one mighty yank, joined by a tearing sound, Pinkie removed the Nightmarity suit from him.

"Ta-da!" Pinkie handed the suit over to Rarity. Spike looked on, his expression somewhere between forlorn and greedy. "Here you go, Rarity. Maybe you can still do something with it, but you'll have to clean it out first."

"I suppose so," Rarity said, examining the suit with a frown. "Oh, and Spike, I can make a little plush of me for you. That won't be too weird... I think." The dragon smiled at her words as she checked the suit out carefully. She sighed, "So much hard work I put into this, and now it's all stained and, ugh, reeking with sweat..." She shuddered. "Maybe if Twilight can't remove the spell, I can use it as a Nightmare Night costume. For some reason I always felt I would make a good Nightmare like Luna -- only for the holiday, mind!" She quickly assured a frightened Pinkie.

"Good to hear, but I wasn't talking about sweat," Pinkie said. "I meant you'll have to clean the hair out." At Rarity's confused look, she just pointed at Shining Armor. Rarity turned and gasped in horror as the stallion danced in place, ignoring the shocked looks on the faces of his sister and wife.

"I'm free! I'm free! It felt like a nightmare in there! Uh, no pun intended. Wait," he stopped and looked around, confusion on his face. "Why do I feel a draft?"

"Uhhh, well, dear," Cadence said. She tried hard not to stare at her husband, who right now was utterly hairless and looked like a shaved dog save for few tufts of mane. "You might want to look for some nice clothes to wear. Just until your coat grows back. And do it soon." He went to nuzzle her. She shuddered and stepped away. "I mean really soon."

"What do you mean?" Shining Armor looked around. He caught his reflection in a piece of glass. "AHH! I look like some kind of overgrown rat!" His horn glowed and he snatched the suit out of Rarity's grip. She gasped and Pinkie yelled.

"Hey, we just got that off of you!"

"And now I'm getting back into it," he said, putting his hind legs into the suit's mouth and pulling it up along his body. He shuddered at the feel of it almost becoming a new skin and coat. "If it's a choice between looking like this," he extended one hairless foreleg, "and this," his voice turned cultured and sultry as the mask closed over his face, "I can put up with looking like a mare for however long it takes to regrow my entire coat. I mean, it can't be that long, right?"

"Well," Rarity said, "my books on mane and coat care say it can take as much as four months for a coat to fully regrow." She turned to stand sidelong, displaying her snowy coat and glittering cutie mark to full effect. "More if you have one as magnificent as mine."

"Four months?" Shining fainted, and as he did, a chaise lounge came from offstage and slid under him. "Four... months... as a mare..."

"Hey guys. Why is Twilight brother curled in a ball muttering four months?" Applejack asked

"Hey you're no longer a wolf." Pinkie Pie said.

"Yep, apparently all i needed was some decaf." Applejack said. The other ponies had no clue what AJ was talking about, hadn't she been here the whole time . . . hadn't she? Or had she not? Ugh. Headache.

"Well you were lucky, my husband now has to be in there till all his hair grows back cause apparently it went with the suit when it was finally taken off." Cadence.

Applejack brought a hoof to her mouth just in time to stifle a laugh. "Pfft--! Ah mean, poor stallion! Shiny seems ta get the short end of the stick lately...he got turned inta a mare durin' the big breakout, an' now THIS? Ah swear, it's like the the world's out to get him." She chuckled and turned to Pinkie. "Oh, by the way, sorry 'bout the sound booth. Ah--er, WE," AJ caught herself, glancing at the other ponies for a moment, "sorta...wrecked it when we got rid of Cassie."

Pinkie tilted her head. "Sound booth? The studio never had a sound booth, Applejack. And...who's Cassie, and what do you mean you 'got rid of her'?"

Applejack winced at her slip. Dang. Forgot that anythin' wolf-me eats NEVER WAS in the first place; it ain't just the normal kinda "poofed away forever". If makin' somethin vanish fer good IS any kinda normal, that is. Aloud, the palomino only said, "Whoops! Sorry, was thinkin' about somethin' else there fer a second. Just my mind wanderin'. So....what're we gonna do about him?" She jerked her head toward the still-big Spike.

Idly, Applejack had another musing. If that kelpie never existed...how come Ah remember wolf-me erasin' 'er? And why do Ah crave seafood at the back of mah head?

"What do you mean 'whose Cassie?' We just spent all that fighting-" Cadence covered Sweetie Belle's mouth and whispered to the filly, "Trust me little one, it'll be a lot less confusing if you just play along."

"But I just blew a hole in a big bad sea-witch! That was cool! Now nopony remembers it?!"

"I do." Cadence whispered back.

"But I wanted to tell Applebloom and Scootaloo!"

"Sorry."

"How da heck does SHE remember?" AJ whispered to thin air.

"She and I are . . . connected in a manner at the moment." The wolf said, back to being an invisible puppy named Blanky.

-

"Technically, I remeber her too." Coffee Swirl took another long drink from his thermos. "But only in the same way that I 'remember' the other things that didn't happen, I just know about them since I get a copy of everything that happens, canon or otherwise. The interviewers figured someone as boring as I am wouldn't attract a lot of attention, so I could hold onto it until it was needed."

The two mares and the filly blinked. Finally, Sweetie Belle voiced the obvious question. "How come you can do stuff like that and not get in trouble like those other three did?"

"Wish I knew, kid. Wish I knew."

"Well, Ah guess that's all settled," said AJ, pacing a bit. "Still, something don't quite seem right..." She walked past a makeup cabinet with a large mirror, then backed up in a hurry, gawking. "Oh hay no. Mah cutie mark!" Right there on her flank, bold as brass, was Rota Fortuna's Wheel of Fortune symbol, with three red apples around the circumference.

"What are you talking about?" asked Fluttershy. "Your cutie mark has always looked like that. Er, hasn't it?"

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "Not that anypony knows what the heck it means. Besides the apples part." A smirk. "I get the apples."

Twilight chuckled knowingly, but said nothing. She'd promised to keep AJ's secret, after all.

Applejack trotted over to Sweetie Belle and nudged the ghost puppy with a hoof. "What did you do?" she hissed. "Fix it back like it was!"

The puppy just looked at her funny, then barked once, panting with his tongue hanging out.

Outside the studio, there came a sudden crash, and sounds of panic. "Hey-yelp!" That was Apple Bloom's voice! "Ah built a robot in our barn, and now Robo-Tirek is gonna take over Equestria!"

Twilight gasped. "Tirek!?"

"What the heck is a robot?" said Rainbow Dash. She shook herself. "Nevermind, let's just go kick its flank!"

"No!" shouted Applejack. "Er, Ah mean... hang back a sec, girls. Let me check it out first."

The farmpony left the studio at a full gallop, and then came several more crashes... the sound of a goat bleating... a chilling wolf's howl, followed by claws screeching on metal, then silence. Applejack trotted back in, panting and fixing her hat back into place. "No worries... Ah took care of it."

Everypony glanced her way. "Took care of what?" asked Twilight.

AJ facehooved. "Never mind." She made big fake smiles at everypony until she could get Cadence and Sweetie Belle to one side and whisper, "Please, please tell me ya know what's going on?"

Cadence winced. "Can't you feel it? The world is unstable... We're getting some bleed-through from outside the variety show. Until the real Blank Wolf is feeling like himself again..."

AJ gulped. "Ma help me... Ah actually understand what yer talking about."

"Just give it, you big colt!" rumbled Spike.

"Colt? How terribly rude!" said Shining... Rarity

"I won't be able to look myself in the mirror after this," said the real Rarity, with an overdramatic sigh.

Twilight's ears pricked up. "Don't we still have those three shades hanging around somewhere?"

"They're over there with Big Macintosh." Pinkie Pie pointed.

"Wha'?!" AJ looked over to her brother, and there were the three shadows . . . just sitting across from Big Mac and staring at him. Big Mac had gotten from somewhere (AJ could guess 'somewhere' had the initials PP), the family album, several of them, and Big Mac was recounting his time with his little sisters to the soulless existenceless spiritual chaff abominations.

AJ poked thin air Sweetie Belle was holding, "Look here buddy, Ah don't expect ya to get this, since ya didn't exactly spend much time in that pony body. But my cutie mark is me! It's my soul shinin' through on my rear end! If a cutie mark changes, that means a pony's SOUL is changed somehow! And Ah don't like somepony messin' with my soul! Poor ponies whose cutie mark changes are normally insane!"

The wolf pup just whined.

Sweetie Belle suggested, "Well, maybe there are more bad guys out there like Cassie and the big brothers, maybe if they all go bye-bye, your cutie mark will go back to normal?"

AJ sighed. Pinkie Pie kept saying stuff that happened here in the studio was 'non-canon' and AJ had pieced together that meant stuff that happened in here didn't happen . .. WAIT!

"RAINBOW WENT OUT TO LOOK FOR GILDA! WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"

The Rainbow Dash who had spoken before shimmered, blood formed on her hooves, along with a weather factory coat, somehow AJ recognized the look of a killer in her eyes. Snarl, hissed, claws, fangs . . . The wolf pup leapt like transparent lightning at the intruding Rainbow Dash who vanished at the wolf's claws.

Why did Twilight keep smirking at her?

Shining Armor said to Twilight, "Twilight, don't you know any magic that can help a pony regrow his or her coat? I'd think that should be a pretty basic spell."

Twilight blinked, then facehoofed. "I can't believe I forgot I could do that! Thanks, BBBFF. As soon as we get that suit off of you again, I should be able to have you back to normal in a jiffy."

Shining Armor let out a small whimper in response. "I just hope it's not as painful this time around."

On the other side of the planet in Neighpon. A echoing scream gave the Empress pause.

"YEEEEEEEOO-OW-ow-ow-ow."

"It wasn't. It was even more painful darling," Shining Armor the furless and naked stallion said. "It felt like I was ripping my own hide off that time."

Twilight said rather loudly over the ringing ears of everypony, wolf, and dragon. "Well, compared to that getting your coat back won't be too bad. It's just going to itch due to all of your fur growing in, but it shouldn't be too bad."

Shining Armor said, "Yeah, that should be nothing compared to the pain I was in earlier."

With that, Twilight's horn started glowing as she cast the spell. "Luckily, I'm pretty good at casting this spell. I kind of had to become good at it, since I kept damaging my own coat when trying new spells for the first time when I was younger."

Before long, Shining Armor had his coat back, and was clearly resisting the urge to start scratching. "Are you done yet?"

Twilight said, "See for yourself!" before creating a mirror for Shining Armor to look at himself.

Shining Armor took a look and said, "YES! I'm back! No need to spend four months in that costume!"

Just then Rainbow Dash and Gilda walked in, and Shining Armor couldn't help doing a double-take when he saw Gilda. Cadence noticed and said, "Is something wrong, dear?"

Shining Armor said to the others, "Cadence and I need to have a word in private for a moment, okay?" before taking her to a part where no one else could overhear what they were saying.

"Okay, Cadence, the last time I saw that griffon was in the alternate timeline, and she had just been killed by ~~Nameless.~~ I knew that she'd get revived when the Wolf got him, but it doesn't make it any less shocking seeing someone who was dead the last time you saw them."

Cadence blinked. "I understand. It's no wonder you were surprised. BUT YOU SAW HER ALIVE when the fake brothers were telling her what an awful persons she was, you defended her, and their 'sisters' browbeat you!"

"Cadence, that was the most chaotic mess I've been in since I had that series of fever dreams."

"Oh dear," Rarity said as she took the suit, while Twilight saw to using the spell that let her BBBFF re-grow his hair coat. She turned it inside out, and everypony and dragon looking on shuddered to see the thick layer of unicorn hair coating it. "I'll have to shave this hair off. I knew I never should have let Applejack borrow my spare."

"That's right, and -- wait, spare?" Twilight stared at Rarity, her eyes wide. "What do you mean, 'spare'?"

"Well I suppose it would have come out sooner or later, anyway." Rarity looked around at the assembled ponies and one dragon before she reached up behind her head There was an unzipping sound and an emptied-out Rarity hide fell away to reveal...

"Grogar!" Pinkie and Rainbow Dash stared at each other in shock, each wondering how the other knew about the Tyrant of Tambelon.

"Yeesh, I come back with Gilda, and this is what I find?" Dash stared at Grogar in shock. "The second rate villain from a Daring Do knock-off novel?"

"I AM NOT SECOND RATE!" Grogar bellowed. "In fact, I've been hiding among you ponies for years now, from before the return of Nightmare Moon, after I replaced that shallow unicorn whose hide I wore, gathering information and awaiting the chance to strike!"

"No! Not my big sis!" Little Sweetie Belle struggled to get away from Cadence, who held her back. "This has to be some trick! My big sis can't be an ugly old goat!" Both of them looked at Blanky, hoping he was about to destroy yet another abomination invading their universe, but it just watched silently.

"Wait, years? Before Nightmare Moon?" Spike shuddered and gagged. "You mean I kissed goat lips?"

"You're no bargain either," Grogar snapped back. "But now, now I will bring my hordes through and we will CONQUER EQUESTRIA! A-hahaha -- OW!"

Grogar collapsed, a lump on his head and little Fluttershys flying around singing, 'Hush Now, Quiet Now'. Fluttercruel looked down with a scowl, the remnants of a chair in her hooves. And as Grogar collapsed the illusion surrounding 'him' vanished to reveal a groaning Princess Luna.

The ponies gathered around, staring in confusion. Fluttercruel did a double take at the broken chair she held and handed it off to Pinkie Pie, who quickly tossed it away.

"Princess Luna, auntie," Cadence said. "What the hay did you do that for?"

"I am still learning what it means to 'play pranks'," Luna groaned, her eyes rolling. "Suffice it to say this was not the best. Though thou did make a fine mare, Shining Armor."

"I'm very sorry for that Sweetie Belle." The REAL Rarity nuzzled Sweetie Belle coming out from behind a curtain. "But Princess Luna promised me exclusive right to sell dresses based of the new species of Moon Flower that Princess Celestia created in her honor . . . " She glared at Princess Luna. "I DID NOT expect you to go that far! I was about to stop it when Fluttershy beat me to the punch!"

"We apologize. It was clearly not our most inspired joke."

"Joke are when everypony LAUGHS at the end!" Pinkie Pie elaborated at the Princess, "Nopony is laughing here."
See the traumatized filly Luna added, "And I sense I owe some restitution."

Everypony frowned and nodded.

"I also sense you have three unwanted guests."

"Don't worry, we sucked the Sue out of them already, now we're just deciding what to do with them." Pinkie Pie said.

Fluttershy sad, "It doesn't feel right to just . . . send back where they came from . . . all they wanted to be is loved."

Gilda said, "Dash . . . this is the most crazy and crowded nut house I've ever seen."

"Ain't ya that griffin that scared my granny?" Big Mac asked towering over the griffin.

"Uh-Oh."

"I trust you can handle this niece?"

"I promise auntie Luna."

Luna teleported away before the ponies could stare MORE daggers into her hide for her ill thought out prank.

"Come along Sweetie Belle, I do not wish you to witness anymore violence today." Sweetie Belle decided not to say Rarity didn't remember Sweetie having shot through a seawitch already today. "And with everypony distracted."

Rarity scooped up the three shapeless shadows into her enchanted Rarity costume. The costume filled out, and Rarity's 'twin' looked around, as confused and unsure as a toddler. "Uh . . . wha . . .?"

"Come along dear. Let me show you around Ponyville."

"Pony . . . ville?" The shadows in the Rarity costume said, the costume giving it shape and definition. The three left the studio, int he chaos of everything and in such a large group, no pony noticed.

Except Maud Pie. Who had stayed as quite as a rock, and had become just unnoticeable in the large crowd. Pinkie Pie had intended this to be her 'out of canon introduction party.' But with Gilda, the shadows, and now Princess Luna, all seemed to have forgotten her. With nothing else to do, she played patty cake with Kifuko and Midnight.

Applejack found herself yawning, swaying on her hooves a bit. "Maybe Ah shoulda had the regular coffee." She glanced around the studio, then paused. "Now that's peculiar." Over in the corner of the studio, somepony had apparently put up a different set entirely, made it up to look just like Princess Luna's bedroom. She trotted over, eyes wide with wonder. The canopy bed and the lit candles, the single tall window with curtains drawn. "Everything is just like... did Ah fall asleep while the Princess was tellin' me about Tirek and the old days? Or am Ah..."

"Daydreaming," said Princess Luna. "We could not help but see *that* while we were just here." Her angry glare was fixed on Applejack's altered cutie mark. "What mischief is this!? Answer swiftly, for you shall not leave this place if the Truth is devouring your mind."

"What? No, Ah'm not crazy," said AJ, unnerved. "Ah'm fine... well, no, Ah'm not fine." She paced, frustrated. "Ah'm mad as heck that Ma did this to me. Even if the world's in danger, she's got no right! Ah'm not even sure if Ah'm me anymore, or Firejack in one of those danged pony suits."

Luna lifted a brow.. and unexpectedly, her expression softened. "We understand, my little *pony*. Celestia and I will seek Rota Fortuna..." Her muzzle curled in a small smile. "And I suspect that harsh words will be spoken. Be steadfast until then, *Applejack*, and continue doing what needs to be done."

Pinkie Pie beamed. "Filming dreams like a stage play sure saves a lot of bits!"

Twilight blinked. "I don't even want to know."

Big Mac said to Gilda, "Ya know, ya almost gave my grandmother a heart attack."

Gilda said, "I know, and I'm sorry. I promise never to be such a big bully again. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

Big Mac thought about it for a moment, then said, "All right. Ah forgive you."

Gilda blinked. "Just like that?"

Big Mac said, "We ponies are usually pretty forgiving. Besides, ya Pinkie Pie Swore never to do that again, and that's one of the most sacred promises in the world. Ya gotta keep it-"

"FOREVER!" Pinkie Pie suddenly said.

Meanwhile, Twilight said to Rainbow Dash, "I see you managed to catch up to Gilda again."

Rainbow nodded. "Yeah, and when I did, we had a little heart to heart discussion."

-Flashback-

Rainbow Dash, upon catching up to Gilda, said, "Wait up, Gilda! I'm sorry I was so mean earlier! I just wasn't quite myself at the time!"

Gilda said, "That's not why I'm running. I'm running because you were right, even if you were mean about it. I never considered just how much I could have hurt your other friends, and I was being selfish as well, wanting to be your only friend. On top of that, I didn't even recognize Fluttershy when I came to Ponyville, even though we went to the same flight camp, and I was mean to her. I don't know if I'll ever be able to earn your forgiveness!"

Rainbow was about to say something, but then her eyes widened and she said, "Look out, Gilda!"

But it was a little too late. One of Gilda's wings got hit by a bird, and she lost control of her flight and started falling.

Gilda felt strangely at peace, in spite of the fact that she was about to die. "So this is how I die, huh? Talk about anticlimactic." But instead of hitting the ground, she was caught by a pair of hooves, and when she looked at her rescuer, she saw that it was Rainbow Dash.

"Dash, why did you save me? I haven't done anything to earn your forgiveness yet."

Dash said, "Gilda, one lesson I've learned ever since Discord was defeated is that friendship is not earned, it's given. And I'm willing to forgive you, because you and me were old friends. Now what do you say you come meet the rest of my friends and get to know them?"

Gilda said, "I'm not sure they'll be quite as forgiving of me."

Dash said, "Something tells me Pinkie doesn't have any hard feelings. As for the others, let me teach you about a special type of promise we Ponyvillians have. If you promise never to be such a bully again, I think they'll give you a second chance as well."

The ponies were shocked to find out Gilda had almost died. Pinkie Pie just stared. Fluttershy was silent. AJ and Big Mac looked at each other. Twilight was shocked at Gilda's change in behavior. Cadence hugged her two adopted foal. "Oh, thank you for play with them." She said to Maud Pie.

"Nopony was paying attention to them."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it, things happen. I better go talk to the pony nopony notices either." Maud went to little set up Coffee Swirl had and asked. "Do you sell rock coffee?"

Shining Armor wondered how different this Gilda was from the one he knew, after all, this Gilda had lived a logically different life for the last two years at least.

Rainbow pushed Gilda in front of the Flutters. "You got something to say to her Gilda?"

Gilda stared at the butter-yellow pegasus. "You... yeah, I remember you..." She coughed, still trying to play it cool, even though she was clearly embarrassed. "I'm really, really sorry I acted like that. You ever look back at your own memories and say, 'What that really me who did that? Why did I do such a lame-flank thing?!"

Fluttershy smiled warmly. "More than you might guess. Apology accepted."

"So, how did things go after that?" asked Shining Armor, slipping into the conversation.

Gilda tiled her head, fur bristling a bit. "Do I know you?" She shook it off. "After Dash blew me off, I flew back to Columbia. I just had to get away. I thought Equestria was totally lame, when really I was the one being lame."

Shining Armor gave her an odd look. "So, you joined the Marines after all?"

Gilda blinked, twice. "How'd you guess? Yeah, that's right. It was rough, I won't lie..." The griffon grinned slyly, waving a talon. "Things got pretty intense here and there. I haven't had to shoot at anybody yet... but yeah, they really straightened me out. The whole Equestria thing, though, it kept eating at me, so when I had some leave..."

Rainbow Dash smirked. "You flew right into a bird and nearly cratered. Some soldier training."

Gilda bristled, spreading her wings dramatically. "Hey, hey!!" she roared. "I totally would have pulled out of that fall at the last second, okay? It would have been awesome. I'm... I'm just surprised any pony thought I was worth saving."

"Hey, now, no more of that!" said Rainbow Dash. "It's awesome that you're back, and we're gonna have some awesome times together." She poked Gilda's chest with a wing feather. "Not just you and me..." She spread her wings wide. "All of us."

"Except me." Coffee Swirl helpfully added, passing over a cup of some strange concoction to Maud Pie.

Gilda glanced at the strange pegasus, a feathery eyebrow raised. "The *squawk* are you?"

"A background pony's background pony, the only one in this room that isn't important in any way, shape or form."

"Then why are you here?"

He passed a cup over to Gilda, along with a cinnamon roll. "I cater these things."

Author's Note

Pony POV Series
Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show episode 10
PART 2
By Alex Warlorn

Pinkie Pie, "I guess that opening WAS super long, okay, here onto the parts added by YOU, the readers!"

Parts added by:
@SomeRandomMinion and @Ghidorafour
@Grogar-the-oneser and kendell2
-(The one and Only) Mtangalion
-Grogar-the-oneser and Jarkes and me (Alex Warlorn), and I HEAVILY EDITED BOTH THEIR POSTS.
-Kendell2 and @Dragon-of-Twilght
-Ardashir (with lots of edits by me)
-@Grogar-the-oneser and Mtangalion with some edits by me
-JMCDavid
-Edited some of Mtangalion's previous post, and additions by SomeRandomMinion and Kendell2
-dragon-of-twilght
-Grogar-the-oneser and Ardashir (with some edits by me)
-Mtangalion with edits and a tiny bit by me
-@Ghidorafour with bit and edits by yours truly
-dragon-of-twilght and me
-@Ghidorafour-Ardashir
-@Ghidorafour-SomeRandomMinion and Alex Warlorn
-@Dragon-of-Twilght and Mtangalion and Alex Warlorn
-JMCdavd and me
-JMCDavid and Ardashir (with edits), and Alex Warlorn
-Mtangalion and JMCdavid
-Alex Warlorn
-Mtangalion
-dragon-of-twilght

http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/gallery/42867862/Pinkie-Pie-Forth-Wall-Breaking-Variety-Show

Pinkie Pie, "And before I forget, here are, Da Rule!
1. What you put in the comments appears in the story.
2. Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and I can't spill the beans about us being out-and-out fiction to the others.
3. The camera can’t leave the studio.
4. The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from “My little Pony”
5. Everything that happens here is non-canon (except the Tartarus break out thingie, but not the big battle).
6. Have Fun "

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show epi 10 Part 3

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show epi 10 Part 3

"Oh, by the way, Pinkie" Gilda said, holding out a letter in her claws. "On my way over earlier, before I got chased away by those three dweebs, this gray pegasus asked me to drop this off. She hadda run ta pick up her foal or something." Pinkie took it, her eyes wide, as Gilda said, "She was saying something about 'cross-dimensional delivery fees', whatever that means."

"Wait, Pinkie," Twilight said as she stared at the envelope. "Is, is that from?..."

"YEEESS!" Pinkie jumped for joy. "I knew I'd get a letter from one of the Shadows again! I just knew it!" She hurriedly tore it open and started to read it. "Aww, it's from the one who first gave us that Rarity suit!" She didn't notice how her friends flinched at that news as she read on. "And the Nightmare illusion by Luna, and who put Applejack and Rarity in the same body, and who had the hordes of Tartarus invade..."

"Does it have a return address, by any chance?" Twilight Sparkle said, her eyes alight with a wicked gleam.

"Oh, it..." Pinkie looked at her friend and hurriedly smudged the envelope. "Whoops, I ruined it! Heh." She hurriedly read on as Twilight seethed. "First of all, 'Sorry I made so much trouble for you ponies, even if it was fun to see how you got out of it all again and again' -- Anyway!" Pinkie cleared her throat as Twilight began to almost growl. "'Now that we know that Sunset Shimmer is real in your world...'"

"Who?" Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy both said at once, while Cadence's jaw dropped open.

Pinkie said, "'What if Sunset Shimmer didn't get turned into a human but stayed a pony when she went between dimensions? PS Please none of the nasty bad ends.'" Pinkie looked at the What-If machine. "Well, that all depends on this! But here we go..."

She flipped a switch and the screen began to flicker.

Sunset Shimmer fell through the Mirror Gate with a gasp, her coat and mane and tail all muddy and stained. She looked up at Celestia, standing over her. "Teacher? Mother? I'm home?" She threw herself into Celestia's forelegs, sobbing. "I'm so sorry! I never should have left!"

"My little sun," Celestia said, nuzzling Sunset and setting her wings around her like a mare with her own foal. "What happened to you? Where did you go?"

"It was another world," Sunset said. "One with humans in it -- one that knew about Equestria. I, I thought I'd be changed into one, but I stayed a pony there." Celestia started as Sunset added, "She said her name was Megan, asked if Discord was defeated or not, more about some 'Paradise Ponies'?"

"Megan saved you?" Celestia said. "My little sun, you were so lucky."

"LUCKY?" Sunset yelled. "I told her what I planned and wanted, but I had no magic! Next to none, anyway! So she told me she'd give me a place to stay and food to eat until the gate re-opened, and..." She shuddered. "I was hitched to a PLOW! I slept in a stable, and I had to eat hay and grass like some, some HORSE! And she charged me for room and board! Take me back, please!"

Sunset looked up, her face wretched. Only to freeze at the look passing over Celestia's face.

"I see. Did you pay back everything you owe?"

"No, why?" Sunset's eyes widened in shock. "Wait, you can't mean..."

"My dear little sun, I love you like my own daughter, but right now?" Celestia's horn glowed and a necklace on a nearby table floated over to her. She set it around the horrified Sunset's neck. "Here's an amulet that will let me know when you've paid everything off. You have to pay your debts. Besides, this may teach you some much-needed humility." And with those words her horn glowed. Kicking wildly, Sunset rose up into the air and vanished back through the mirror gate.

Her eyes wide, Cadence walked into view (and the Cadence watching gasped).

"Aunt, was that really a good idea?"

"I knew Megan before you were born," Celestia said, smiling. "She won't let anything bad happen to Sunset. And given just how arrogant I unintentionally let her become, I'd say some hard work without her magic should settle her down."

Pinkie switched the machine off. "Well, that's not a bad end, right?"

"Hmm, so this machine shows the what if of timelines." Gilda work

"Oh yes some can be different in minor ways, some in major ways and some in major yet minor ways." Twilight said

"I mean it shows double. But in order for there to be a double for every character, that means that every set of parents, grandparents and ancestors since the beginning of time needed to procreate with the same partner they had in the normal universe..."

"Well... yes and no." Twilight said "Yes there can be instances of seeing us but that can change due to circumstance, the event that we evolve differently or even something as minor as one parents not meeting and not being born. in some cases that a good thing, in others it extrememly bad and in some it's neutral. truthfully the multiverse are just one huge what-if."

"But wouldn't we need to be born for that to work."

"Not really, i asked the what-if machine what would happen if none of us were born and set it it to mix (That is showing neutral, good and unfortunately.) and saw rather unique scenario's in that regard, even the neutral side shows that while nothing significant changes occur, just that different people gain the elements, but still show them handling different and even outright not having to experience some mistakes, and sometimes make different and somewhat bigger one. my point is, free will exist, the multiverse just a huge what-if.

"Yeah its basically doesn't need to make sense, who need continuity!" Pinkie said

"Alright if you say so." Gilda said "Hey do you mind if i ask it a question?"

"Sure go ahead."

Gilda walked to the machine and asked "What would happen if i was born a chimera? And i mean a chimera as in the three headed chimera." Gilda finished with the clarification.

"ROAR!" a Chimera screamed as it screamed at the night.

"Gah, did you have to do that, we're not part wolf," a familiar voice said as the snakehead glared at the tiger.

"Maybe but it's to prove were the alpha predator."

"To whom? the only ones up at this hour is owls!" The goat head said.

"Come now sisters, while I realize this is a annoying habit to you, I think it shows a quaint sign of nobility." The tiger head said.

"Whatever." The snakehead sighed.

The screen turned off.

"Well... that was something," Rainbow said.

"I know... WHY AM I THE SNAKEHEAD!! If anything I should be the tiger head!" Gilda said annoyed.

"To be fair you only specified about it being a chimera the species."

"Maybe but still, the snake, it doesn't even have arms!"

"Actually the viper head is arguably is the most important head for the conjoined triplet hunters since they can sense heat of others and therefore would make it easier for them to hunt for there prey," Twilight said.

Shining Armor stared. "Chimeras are... strange. I wonder if there's one soul or three in there..."

Gilda peered down her beak at him, flicking her feline tail. "I know I've seen you someplace before..." She snapped her talons. "Whoa! Now I remember!"

Shining flinched. "But, there's no way you could..."

"It was in the papers!" cried Gilda, opening her beak in a grin.

"Oh, that... Whew!"

"You're that guard captain dweeb who married an alicorn princess! Just before the bugs invaded!"

"Um, excuse me?" said Fluttershy.

"Wait, hold on," said Gilda, only half listening. She spun to face Cadence. "You're that princess!" She looked all around, surprised. "Where's your staff? Why don't you have any guards? You two just walk around like anybody else?"

Twilight Sparkle shrugged. "Well, if they needed any protection, most of the Elements of Harmony are right here in this studio."

"And a dragon," mumbled Spike, rolling over and pulling his blanket tighter. The baby dragon was over in a corner, sleeping off his greed growth.

Twilight chuckled. "And a dragon... but Princess Cadence herself is probably the most powerful person in the room."

Gilda twitched, shedding a few feathers. "I coulda been in with your little lords of the realm superpowers club, and I threw a tantrum and took off?" She padded over to a wall and bonked her head on it several times. "What... was... I... thinking?"

"Excuse me," said Fluttershy more forcefully, backing it up with a mild Stare. "They're changelings. Calling them bugs isn't very polite."

"And Cadence here is kind of the changeling queen now," put in Rainbow Dash.

"Eeeyup," said Big Mac.

Gilda twitched. "I'm... sorry?" She darted over to Cadence. "Yes, definitely very sorry! Should I grovel now?" She leaned and whispered to Dash. "What do ponies do when they accidentally insult superiors to their face? Help me out here!"

Shining trotted over to Cadence's side. He held back a laugh, while she just smiled.

Meanwhile, Applejack helped herself to another of Coffee Swirl's decafs sitting down next to Maud Pie. "Background pony, huh?" she said neutrally, though her eyes shone faintly, reflecting the studio lights in a way that pony eyes shouldn't. "When yer not stabbing mad gods, ya mean?"

Coffee Swirl flinched, gritting his teeth as the Truth twinkled in Applejack's eyes.

"I was barely necessary in that battle," he said through a clenched jaw. "Morning Star would have fallen even without me." He felt pain with each word, in his head, heart and soul, but he could not admit what Applejack wanted him to.

He was unimportant, unnecessary and unextraordinary... he had to be.

"Applejack, don't RUSH him using your eyes." The Blank Wolf said. "He needs to reach this conclusion in his own pace. I understand you might be annoyed, but there is no need to picked on him as such."

"I apologize, but you must admit it would have been easier with his help."

"There's a old card game saying. Don't play an ace if a two will do." The Blank Wolf said.

Applejack didn't even remember reaching for the Truth... it was just there. Maybe Princess Luna was right to be suspicious. Then again, Coffee Swirl had lied to her face, and she hadn't flown off the handle.

"Yeah?" said AJ. "Well Ah don't know if even two Wolves is gonna be enough." She flashed into her wolf form... it felt natural, powerful... liberating. "Ah sure am glad you're back. You feel it too, don't ya? Monsters crawling out of the woodwork all over the place." She growled, shaking her head. "If it's like this here, Ah don't even want to think about what it must be like in the world they're a-coming from."

The Blank Wolf placed a forepaw firmly on her shoulder. "Other worlds are not our concern, sister. Focus on the one that is." He faded into shadow and vanished.

The Opaque Wolf started to follow, then hesitated, looking back at Coffee Swirl. "You go on telling yourself you don't matter, if that makes ya feel better... but if we learned anything fighting Chrysalis, it's that nopony is unimportant. All those folks she thought were beneath her notice were the very ones who undid her, in the end." Then she vanished from the studio as well.

Maud Pie raised an eyebrow fractionally.

Coffee Swirl scoffed, glad to be free of her gaze finally. "'Happy', yeah, right. I'm 'happy' that my entire existence is likely a clerical error among the gods."

Still, he gathered up the empty cups like he tended to do at his shop. Since the cafe was closed (He still couldn't afford to hire full-time employees), he needed to make sure he got his full paycheck for catering the show.

Pinkie said, "Okay, What-If Machine, I'm going to need you to work with me on this one. Think you can help me?"

The What-If Machine displayed a smiley face.

Pinkie said, "Thanks." before turning to the others and clearing her throat to get their attention.

"You know, guys, sometimes it's not a good idea to assume you know everything about something just from one look at it. Because sometimes, your first impressions can be misleading, and you might find yourself in for a nasty surprise."

As she said this, the What-If Machine showed a video.

"Oops, better put in the species filter!"

"The pony what?" Big Mac asked.

"Never mind!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEzrHrxdj-s

Pinkie said, "That's a music video of a Neighponese show that's just ending called Kamen Rider Gaim. Tell me, what's your first impression of it?"

Rainbow Dash said, "It looks pretty lighthearted, if you ask me. I mean, they use fruit to transform."

Pinkie said, "That's exactly the sort of reaction I thought you'd have. But in this case, it's actually easy to tell that it's not all smiles and rainbows, simply because the identity of the head writer is Gen Urobuchi."

This got a gasp from the Flutters.

Twilight said, "The same Urobuchi who turns everything he writes into a deconstruction?

Fluttercruel said, "The same Urobuchi who took an unholy amount of pleasure in the way he treated Sayaka in Penumbra Magical Filly Madoka?"

Pinkie nodded. "That's the one."

"How do you know that?" Cadence asked.

"Mom mistook it for something nice." Fluttercruel said.

Rainbow Dash said, "Well, maybe it's a sign that he's writing something that's not going to give the kids nightmares for a change."

Pinkie said, "I wish. What-If Machine, take it away."

The What-If Machine showed a Diamond Dog who was standing in front of some strange-looking purple plants. As it showed him, Pinkie said, "That's Ryoji Hase. He was known as Kamen Rider Kurokage for a while, but then his belt got destroyed. And those plant are called Lockseed Flowers. If a Rider has one of their Sengoku Driver belts on, those things turn into the Lockseeds they use to transform, but if they're not wearing one..."

The What-If Machine zoomed out to show two Riders, one orange and the other red, facing off against a third Rider as Hase said, "Power...Why don't I have any of their power? With this..." As he said this, he walked towards the flowers, causing the orange Rider to say, "Hase? What are you doing?!"

Hase then pulled one of the Lockseed Flowers off the vine and said, "Give me the power again!" before eating it. The white Rider said, "Hey! Spit that out!" But it was too late. Hase's body gave off a green glow before erupting into a shower of vines. When the vines disappeared, one of the monsters shown in the video had taken his place.

Rainbow Dash picked her jaw up and said, "I stand corrected."

Pinkie said, "Yeah. It hadn't exactly been a cakewalk before this, but this was when things really started to escalate."

Maud Pie asked, her voice changed ever so slightly in tone. "So you really think that your existence is an error? The gods don't make those kinds of mistakes. Shining Armor's cousin understands that." She said lowly so neither Twilight nor Shining Armor would hear her. "An invasive goddess who erased a member of her own family from existence unwittingly, to bring her brother into existence, all to create a timeline where Dissonance never make this planet his playpen a second time. Yet, even though not given a choice, their empty shell still accepts it as their duty. They were robbed of their existence for the greater good. You are not a puddle of coffee on the ground who got sucked up by Dissonance's great-great-etc, niece because of their sacrifice. And all you can do with the life they bought you with their own existence is complain about it."

Over in the playpen (which Cadence had finally set up), little Midnight stretched and yawned adorably, then babbled, waving small hooves. She started trying to climb out of the playpen and go exploring.

Cadence noticed first, smiling. "Looks like somepony's hungry!"

Shining Armor lifted a brow. "How can you tell that? Is it an alicorn thing? Bonds of harmony?"

Cadence magically took a bottle out of a saddlebag and started heating it. "It's a mare thing."

Shining snorted. "A mare thing. She might just want attention. Or playtime, or..."

(Foal's Notes: Hungry!)

Shining Armor nearly fell over. "How did you do that!?"

Cadence looked over her shoulder. "Do what?"

Shining Armor leaned over the playpen, watching Midnight babble happily again. Kifuko yawned and nuzzled against her, still asleep.

(Friend's Notes: You're... hungry?)

(Foal's Notes: Hungry, daddy!)

He reeled again, then backed away so Cadence could give Midnight her bottle.

(Foal's Notes: Yum! Happy!)

(Friend's Notes: There's crayon scribbles all over the place in here. Did you do that, sweetie? ... Half-Lights, are you here? Hah, hah, very funny...)

Shining waited, but there was no answer. "Oh boy..."

Coffee Swirl glanced at Maud, wiping down the small counter he'd been working with. "Since when does Entropy care about anything? Let alone some meaningless pegasus."

"Who?" Maud asked emotionlessly and completely honest.

Pinkie Pie was looking at a lab top in the corner of the room while Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were fixing things with Gilda.

Spike was still huddle in another corner trying to sleep through the after-effects of his greed growth, Twilight sighed and used a special homing teleport and their magic link to teleport him directly to the library where he could finish resting.

The Sparkles and Cadence were looking after the babies.

Big Mac wondered what he was even doing here anymore, with AJ currently her wolf self, her Pony Existence was fuzzy, but Big Mac did notice the shadows of the three fake big brothers were nowhere to be found. It was times like this he wished he could get more than two words out to others who weren't family. He did notice the costume of Rarity was missing too and wasn't with Spike. He sighed and left the studio, hoping that his bad luck would lead him straight to them wherever they had gotten off to.

Pinkie Pie gasped at the small computer that didn't fit with this reality at all. "Oh my gosh! It's totally confusing, unreal, illogical, totally weird. Why didn't Sunset's awakening as an Element get an Awesome Moment, and Celestia reading about her saving the day didn't get a Heart Warming, and the reveal of FINALLY what the seventh purified element of chaos is (Hope!), didn't get added to the TheReveal entry! . . . Maybe the tropes were just a fad."

A huge neon sign flashing 'shameless plug in' shone behind her. Having finished reading her script, Pinkie Pie tossed it over her shoulder and went back to playing Pie Sweeper.

Big Mac returned to the room, shivering, along with Rarity and her 'twin'. Twilight looked up and noticed them entering. "Oh hello, Rarity and, ah, Rarity? Big Mac, what's wrong?"

The stallion looked away, embarrassed.

"I'm afraid it was Sweetcream Scoops again, dear," Rarity said, shaking her head. "That mare! Must she chase every stallion in Ponyville, even the ones who don't want her?" She gently nuzzled Big Mac's shoulder. He shivered but stood still. Curious, Shining Armor wondered over as Rarity comforted the stallion. "It's okay, Big Macintosh. She's not in here, you can get some privacy now."

"Umm, dear?" Cadence said as she lifted Kifuko and Midnight with her magic. "I think I'll need to change these two. Can you hold down the stable until I get back?"

Shining Armor rolled his eyes. "I think I can manage it just fine for a few minutes, darling. Sure you don't need help?"

"I believe I can manage a diaper without any problems," Cadence called back in a dry voice as she left, the two happy foals flying along with her, bouncing up and down gently. Cadence laughed at their giggles. "Whoop! Wee! And we play with the foals so much they laugh and make a mess!"

"Eep!" Pinkie Pie hurried after her offstage. "Not in here!"

Shiny watched them leave before turning to Big Mac. "So, Mac, is it?" The Earth pony stallion nodded. Shiny said, "Look, can I offer some advice? Stallion to stallion? This Sweetcream Scoops mare..." He hesitated as Mac shook. "Look, pal, she's only some lonely mare who thinks you're the most eligible stallion in town. It can get nerve-wracking, but..." Shiny broke off as Rarity spoke.

"Oh, no, that's not it at all! Sweetcream's a terror! Every married mare in town has to hide her stallion and older colts when she's on the prowl. She's more love-hungry than a changeling." Twilight and Mac both nodded solemn agreement.

"Oh, please!" Shiny looked at all three and whickered laughter. "You three? Scared of one poor mare? I've learned a few things being married, and now listen..."

As he spoke, behind him, all unnoticed, the unwatched door of the 4th Wall Breaking Show opened to reveal a yellow unicorn mare with a rose mane and tail with golden and pink-purple streaks. She looked around, an almost predatory look in her eyes, before zeroing in on Shining Armor. She began sashaying her way over.

Big Mac took one look. With a panicked snort, he seized Rarity's 'twin' and hauled them into a back room. The door slammed shut as the haunted suit began to say, "What?"

"Ah need a place ta hide," Mac said, his ears pinned in panic, "An' yore it!"

Rarity and Twilight heard the sounds of someone slipping into a ponysuit as Sweetcream slipped up behind Shining Armor.

"Hey there, handsome," she breathed out, giving him a little love bite along his mane. He jumped and whinnied as she said, "Got any time for a poor, lonely mare?"

"Yipe!" Shiny turned to find himself face to face with the Maneating Mare of Ponyville as she batted her eyes at him. He wondered if Chrysalis had looked this utterly hungry. "Oh, uh, hello, Miss Scoops, is it? I, well, we were just taking about you..."

"You were?" She purred out, giving Rarity and Twilight a glance and a dismissive sniff. "I'm not surprised, I am such a fascinating subject. Maybe now you'd like to talk with a younger mare? One that isn't ready for the glue factory?" Rarity's eyes blazed at her words. She began storming forward, ears down and snorting. Twilight held her back as Sweetcream said, "New in town? I've got somewhere you can sleep at my place."

"Maybe I should wait until we know something about each other first," Shiny said, backing away and not stopping until he hit the wall. Sweetcream followed him, licking her lips like a cat over a bowl of cream.

"I'm a mare," she said with a smirk. "You're a stallion, and alone. What's to know?"

"I'm a married pony!" Shining Armor gulped at the look she gave him then.

"That's okay," she said, leaning in even closer. Behind her Shiny saw Cadence coming back out of the back room. Her eyes widened and then went narrow as Sweetcream said, "I won't tell your wife!"

Sweetcream tried to rush Shining Armor and rub against him... and got bounced back by his shield bubble.

The stallion smirked. "How's that for playing hard to get?"

"Shining!" growled Cadence, stamping towards them.

Shining Armor winced. "And, that was totally the wrong thing to say."

Sweetcream scratched her mane with a hoof. "Ooh, kinky!" She pressed up against the bubble and winked at him, giving the bubble a slow lick.

"Gyah!" cried Shining. Panicking, he dropped the shield and galloped past Sweetcream, into the maze of studio backrooms. She followed with a spring in her step... in one door and out another, over and over.

Gilda munched bacon-flavored popcorn from a bag, grinning. "And here I thought ponies were total sissies when it came to romance."

Pinkie popped up next to her. "Hi, Gilda! Where'd you get the popcorn?"

"Huh? I thought you brought it."

Rarity joined them. "I'm probably going to regret this, but I simply must know. What is griffon romance like?"

Gilda blinked. "Ooh. Well, if there was some griff who liked me... I mean really liked me, he'd come up to me and be all 'Hey, dirtbeak!' And I'd be like 'Hey, snotface!' Mmm, and then he'd say 'How dare you call me that, birdbrain? You think you're tougher than me?' And I'd say 'I know I am!' And then we'd growl and hiss and..."

Dash stood there with her mouth agape, while Cadence ooohed and took notes.

And then another Rarity trotted out of one of the backrooms. "Howdy, um... darlings."

The real Rarity face-hoofed. "I am going to have every one of those suits burned. The horror... imagine if I'd made any more of them!"

Unnoticed, the What-If Machine's screen glowed, and then a hatch on the side opened and a clothes trunk quietly slid out, thumping onto the floor.

"Seriously, who is Entropy? I have no idea who you're talking about." Maud Pie said to Coffee Swirl again, once again in complete honesty.

The trunk containing MORE magic costumes produced by the what-if machine, was, thankfully, for the moment unnoticed, but it wouldn't stay that way for long knowing the pony's luck.

With the babies on her back, Cadence caught Shining Armor with her telekinesis. "Now what is this all about? Given the LAST TIME nopony talked things out, my sister in law got brainwashed by an evil witch, I'm willing to let there be a shadow of a doubt."

"That mare kept coming onto me, I told her I was married, but she still wanted a piece of me, I kept her back and I just had a witty one-liner! That's all!"

Cadence sighed. Rubbing her temples with her telekinesis. "Fine. I believe you. If only because I'm sick of misunderstanding making my family's lives more difficult."

Sweetcream hopped in, "Oh there you are handsome, so what . . . uh, you're his wife?"

"Yes." Cadence growled.

"Oh . . . didn't know."

Cadence dropped Shining. "Don't know?! Captain of the Royal guard! Princess of Music and Queen of the changelings, and you don't know?! How is that physically possible?"

"I don't read the newspaper all that much?"

"Agh!" Cadence grunted in frustration.

"Oh well, there did that hunk Big Mac go? I bet he'd like to marry me."

A silver streak shattered a window (Pinkie figured she'd have to pay for that repair too), and lo and behold, a blue pegasus with a silver mane and a wonderbolt flight suit hovered in the air.

"IN YOUR DREAMS NAG! I'M BIG MAC'S VERY SPECIAL SOMEPONY!!! HE SAVED MY LIFE! HE GAVE ME GIFTS! I ACTUALLY KNOW THE NAMES OF ALL HIS SISTER'S FRIENDS!"

"WOW!!! FLEET FOOT!" Rainbow Dash flew up to her. "It's great to see you again! How are you doing?! Remember me? Rainbow Dash?! Saved Spitfire and Soarin' life? And Misty Fly's life? All at once?"

"You remember Misty Fly's name?"

"OF COURSE! I know all the wonderbolts!"

"Oh right, you met with her after, HOLD ON! I've got a nag to put in her place!"

Fleetfoot dived at Sweetcream.

"I beat the hay out of that LAST MARE, that blue and green Tealove, who wanted to move in on Big Mac, I kicked her flank back to Canterlot and her 'Tealove's Tea Room' cafe!"

Pinkie Pie realized her had her elbow on the exposition button again (dang thing got stuck easily).

"HA! Everypony knows you're on the team just to take up space-" She got punched in the mouth.

The camera turned to out the window.

Which showed Cheerilee being browbeaten by the stallion with a cutie mark of himself, lecturing the teacher that she should teach her students to treat friendship like a business deal. She suddenly had an odd feeling and let out a growl and looked towards the studio, having the oddest feeling of somepony claiming someone dear to her.

"Darlings," said the 'second' Rarity, "Big Mac . . . . Big Mac is .. . . Big Mac isn't here." She said in a dazed tone and began rubbing her body in odd places that made the real Rarity blush. "You ladies shouldn't be fighting . . . it's so . . . unfeminine . . . what would little fillies think?"

"Oh, Big Mac, you did remember to let the three reality distorting shadows of our former 'perfect' big brothers out of there before slipping into that costume right?"

The 'second' Rarity placed a hoof on Rarity's shoulder and rubbed her check against hers, "Now, Rarity Big Mac . . . Big Mac isn't here right now."

"Oh dear." Rarity whispered.

"This is awesome!" Gilda said watching the cat fight.

Fluttershy stare angst at the violence, then Fluttercruel took over. "KICK HIM LOW!"

Twilight Sparkle couldn't take this anymore, and separated the two mares wit her magic.

"You! Leave! There are plenty of other stallions in Ponyville you can make the day of!" She magically shooved Sweetscoop out the door. "Rainbow Dash! Fluttershy! Gilda! Take Miss Fleetfoot out for icecream at Sugar Cube corner! Calm her down!"

She shooved the Wonderbolt at the three fliers and then scooted them out as well, and shut the door, LOCKING IT! "There!"

"Ow!" Cheerilee said from the other side of the door, having had the door slammed in her nose. She rubbed her face looking annoyed at the door. She grunted and took out home work from her saddle bags and began to grade it on the spot to pass the time outside the studio.

Try as she might, Cheerilee kept getting distracted by that strange stallion with the cutie-mark of himself. He'd gathered quite a crowd, and stood up on an actual non-magical soapbox to give a speech. The studio's camera whirred, focusing on him through the (smashed open) window.

"Fellow citizens of Ponyville!" he shouted. "I ask you... is not a pony entitled to the sweat of his brow? NO, says Loyalty, it belongs to Ponyville and Princess Celestia. NO, says Generosity, it belongs to your 'friends.' NO, says Kindness, it belongs to ponies less fortunate, who contribute nothing and then stand there with a hoof out. I, Andy Ryebread, rejected these answers. I chose Reason!"

The crowd rumbled, many nodding along.

"What is it, then, this so-called Friendship? Can you count it? Can you hold it in your hoof or place it in a saddlebag? NO. What good is it, then? What value does it have? NONE whatsoever! It is a lie, a cheat to keep you from what you have rightfully earned for yourself."

Granny Smith shook a hoof, eyes glazed over. "Zap-Apple Jam will start at 300 bits a jar this year, and Sweet Apple Cider 400 a barrel! Those folks that want it most can darn well pay the most! It's only fair."

"Oh yeah!?" shouted a local weatherpony. "You couldn't grow squat without rain! Ponies better start paying their water bill if they want water."

Spike marched and waved a small placard. "Twilight's just been using me as unpaid labor and free dragon-mail for years! I deserve a salary and back pay!"

Mayor Mare grabbed the placard away from him. "First, we need to talk about Miss Sparkle living in our town library rent free!"

On his soapbox, the Sue watched the crowd descending into chaos, and grinned smugly.

A knock came at the door. Twilight used her magic to open it. Rarity and.. Rarity, and Twilight, looked to see Cheerilee coming in. Terrible foreboding filled her face.

"Oh, hello, Cheerilee," Rarity (the real one) said. Trying to put herself between the mulberry mare and her 'twin', she said, "Ah, just what HAS been happening outside? We thought we heard somepony giving a speech, or more like a rant..."

"That's part of why I came in here," Cheerilee said. "It's some pony named Andy Ryebread with a cutie mark of HIMSELF, telling everypony that they should think of themselves first, last, and always." She looked at Twilight, "He's got the Mayor wondering why they aren't making you pay rent on the library..."

"But I work at the library as the librarian!" Twilight said, shocked. "And it belongs to the town and the principality, Celestia appointed me and Spike to take care of it. The crown pays for its upkeep."

"Spike's with him too," Cheerilee said. She shook her head as she added, "And he's saying that you've been using him as an unpaid flunky for years, and he wants his back pay. Everypony in town is agreeing with him!"

"WHAT!" Twilight stared, shook herself, and headed for the door scowling. "Okay, that's it. First the three Big Brother Sues, then my brother ends up inside of the Rarity-suit, and now this? I am SO putting a stop to this nonsense!" Snorting, she stomped to the door and outside, her hooves clopping over the wooden floor. It slammed shut behind her. A few moments later they faintly heard her voice, joined by those of Spike, the Mayor, and Ryebread, joined in argument.

Cheerilee turned to speak to Rarity and started in shock to see a second Rarity. A bigger, more muscular one.

"Rarity, when did you get a twin sister?" Cheerilee looked around. "And have you seen Big Mac? I heard he'd wandered in here, and then I had the weirdest idea that somepony was harassing him."

"Oh, ah? Big Mac?" Rarity looked at her 'sister', currently preening herself and examining her reflection in a studio window. The unicorn shuddered and turned back to Cheerilee, smiling broadly. "He's, ah, out right now. But he'll be back!... I hope."

"Hmm," Cheerilee said, frowning at her and then looking at 'other-Rarity'. "Just who IS she, anyway? I thought I knew all your relations."

"Now, it's not all that odd for someone to have family they don't talk about much..." Shining Armor said.

"That's right." Maud said as she trotted forward to stand beside him. "It isn't."

Cheerilee just looked at them both skeptically before turning back to Rarity, tilting her head in an obvious, 'Okay, explain this one' look. Before Rarity could say anything, her 'sister' trotted forward. Her heavy hooves made the boards groan beneath them.

"Oh, I'm Red Gala, Rarity's sister! I've just been out of town for a while," 'she' said in a deeply musical voice. She nuzzled Rarity. "I'm going to be in town for a while to help my little sis out with her fashion work! Er, somehow or other." Before more could be said, the sounds from outside rose to a furious clamor. Several of the ponies hurried to the window and stared in shock.

"Twilight's being tied up?" Shiny said. "By SPIKE? Have they all lost their minds? And who's that one pony standing in the back smiling at everything?" He turned and looked at the others, his eyes pleading. "Please, help me save my sister and the other ponies out there before they do something really crazy!"

Before any of the assembled ponies could say something, they saw Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy come flying up to the crowd. Several other ponies were behind them, ponies strange to the onlookers, dressed in the uniforms of members of Equestria's rather small navy. Among them stood an Earth pony with one leg that seemed oddly short, making him limp; a gray coat that shone like steel; and a thick band of dark hair across his muzzle like a bushy mustache. He looked on, grinning coldly and his eyes filled with a wicked light that looked all too familiar to Shining Armor for some reason. His cutie mark showed a symbol of Equestria being shattered.

"Maybe things are about to calm down?" Pinkie Pie said hopefully.

"Hold it right there!" Dash said outside. She dropped to the ground, looking oddly eager for violence. Beside her, Fluttershy looked even more eager. Gray and brown saddle blankets covered them as far back as their flanks, hiding their cutie marks from view. "Comrades, have you all gone crazy? Trying to hurt Twilight Sparkle because of what Ryebread says?"

The ponies watching from the window heaved a sigh of relief at the injection of sanity. Outside, the bound Twilight looked even more relieved.

"That's right, Fluttershy said, the harsh words even uglier in her soft voice. "You SHOULD be punishing her for being a part of the feudal oppressor class, comrades!" Twilight stared at her in shock as she pointed back at the pony of steel. "Vozhd there explained everything to us at Sugarcube Corner, which is a symbol of the decadent and unhealthy lifestyle foisted on us by the bosses, incidentally. Everything makes so much sense when he speaks. You know that everything you ever believed before was wrong in a moment."

Outside, Twilight groaned, as did the onlookers.

Behind both Ryebread and Vozhd a pair of wolf-like beings slowly crept closer, their eyes blazing as they locked on the two Sues.

Kifuko, Midnight, and Cadence's eyes were all drawn to the pair of wolves only they seemed able to see. This was the only reason she didn't swoop in and save her sister-in-law that very moment.

"Pity both those stallions are out of their minds," Red Gala lamented, "They're both so hot." She said in a slightly whinny voice, which was music compared to Rarity's standards of whining, "Why do all the attractive, sane, intelligent, and polite stallions have to be taken in Ponyville?"

"I know what you mean," Rarity said in spite of herself in a moment of genuine camaraderie with her big sister (she did come out first). What did she just think?! The worst part was when she realized a vague memory of greeting Red Gala at the train station this morning had creeped into her head. 'Uh oh.' Rarity thought.

"That ain't good," growled Applejack. "Those crazy Sues are gonna start a riot."

The Blank Wolf nodded grimly. "They are powerful, and I am not at my best... but we can take them. Pull them out... now!"

The world around them turned foggy grey and stopped cold, just when the ponies on opposite sides were starting to charge towards each other. All except for Ryebread and Vozhd.

Ryebread shook off his disorientation first. "So it's come to this... the established order has seen us as a threat and moved against us!" He took up a smug pose, and two ponies completely covered in bulky mechanical armor stepped out of nowhere, flanking him. Each had a strange visor with tubes, and a gigantic drill. "You know," he added slyly, "Our best chance is surely to work in common cause, despite our differences."

"Very true, comrade!" said Vozhd. "Shall we, then?" A small platoon of *tanks* rolled out of the fog to join him, marked with strange red hammer and sickle symbols.

Wierd, thought Applejack. What did farmers need with tanks? Of course, Sues never did make much sense.

The Wolves crouched, snarling... the Sues tensed, ready to strike... and suddenly the two Sues lunged, attacking each other!

"Traitorous capitalist diamond dog pig!" cried Vozhd, calling even more tanks into the suddenly explosive firefight, along with masked soldiers, marching in endless row after row. "I was right not to trust you!"

"As if there could ever be a place for degenerates like you in my bold new future!" sneered Ryebread. "I won't let you bring the great and talented of the world down to all be equal in the muck!" More mechanical warriors rose at his command, joined by freakishly deformed ponies who shot fire and lighting from their bare hooves.

The golden wolf shuddered. "If they'd thrown down like that in the middle of Ponyville..."

When the brief but vicious battle began to die down, and the smoke started to clear, Vozhd tumbled out and rolled to a stop in front of the Blank Wolf, unconscious. The Blank Wolf pitilessly raked the Sue with his claws, erasing him.

Then Andy Ryebread stumbled towards them, alone, flanks heaving with exhaustion. "You... golden wolf!" He pointed a hoof sharply. "Kill that other wolf and come serve me, would you kindly?"

Applejack blinked, glancing at the Blank Wolf, then back again, feeling no urge to do any such thing. "Ah don't get it."

The remaining Sue started laughing madly, then broke into a hacking cough. "It does not matter. You're still Fate's little puppet, and Andy Ryebread will never be that. A puppet obeys... a Pony chooses his fate!"

He charged right at Applejack. She gasped and raised her forepaws to fend him off, and the crazy Sue kept right on coming, impaling himself on her claws. He laughed once more, then exploded into swirling black smoke.

Ryebread didn't completely disappear, though. A pitch black gemstone clattered to the ground... it was riddled with cracks and had a stylized pillar or lighthouse carved on one face. "What... what is that thing?" said Applejack, not quite believing what the Truth was showing her. "An Element of Greed?!"

The Blank Wolf growled deeply. "Elements of Chaos do come into this world from time to time, yes. Elements that arise from Insertions tend to be unstable, fortunately." Even as he spoke, the gemstone rose into the air, spun shakily, and exploded, leaving only dust.

Applejack and the Blank Wolf returned to the real world, standing off to one side in pony form to watch. The ponies (and one small dragon) who'd been moments from starting a small war milled around in confusion, until they started vanishing in bursts of static, reappearing back in their homes, or going about their normal business. "Red Gala" remained just as she had been inside the studio, though... the Wolves likely would have been concerned, if they'd known.

One particular pony, pouting as she left the studio, saw the Blank Wolf's pony form and her face lit up. "Well, hello there," purred Sweetcream Scoops, sliding up to him. "Anything I can help you with, stranger?"

Snow Bound blinked, taken aback, then shook his head curtly. "No, I don't think so. Come, Applejack..."

Applejack followed, though she frowned thoughtfully. "Fate's puppet? Is that really all Ah am? ..."

"Don't let the sue's words confuse you. They'll say anything to leave a last impression. We are what we're born as. I could chose not to hunt sues, but then, what would become of the world?" Snow Bound asked calmly . . . he also realized he was currently the size of a colt now, which diverted Sweetscoop's attention.

Also, since the sues had never existed, Cheerilee saw no urgency to get inside the studio, so she reappeared outside the locked studio door doing homework. In fact, she had never gone inside.

While Twilight, having had no reason to go outside to try to talk sense into the ponies, reappeared inside the studio, with no memory of having gone outside at all.

This also mean Cheerilee was there to see Sweetscoops leave the studio and see her actions towards Snow Bound. "You!"

"Hey, aren't you that mare who got brainwashed into falling in love with Big Mac?"

"I've been his friend a long time before that! Can't you find somepony else to charm?"

Sweetscoop spotted Caramel to begin to charm him, making her the target of a very upset Sassaflash who was standing right next to her coltfriend!

Meanwhile, Applejack gave Snow Bound a quick hoof-bump (with a little explanation beforehoof, the wolf-turned pony not recognizing the gesture). "Yer right...this isn't somethin' we're railroaded intah doin' and don't get a choice, it's somethin' we do 'cause it's the right thing TO do. Sometimes ponies forget that's how Fate really works, Ah guess." A smirk. "Oh, and thanks for helpin' get rid of those jokers....Blanky."

Snow Bound let out a very un-ponylike growl. "Only the filly may call me that."

Applejack pulled back in exaggerated fear. "Woah, easy there! Just a little dig, okay?" She looked around, briefly catching sight of Sweetcream and Sassaflash tussling outside the studio. "So...ever since Ah erased that kelpie, Ah've been, um, cravin' seafood." She rubbed the back of her head with a foreleg. "So...ya think we could go and find some fishy Sues? As wolves, a'course. Get rid of more of these creeps AND get some lunch. Sound good?"

Snow Bound rose an eyebrow, smirking slightly. "If the need arises, yes. Though I'm not sure how you'll even taste the Sue, since they'll just have never even been in your gullet to begin with..." He shrugged. "But I WOULD enjoy another good hunt...."

"Fine," Applejack said. "First though, Ah'm gonna check on ma friends an' see how they're doing." With that she entered the studio and froze at what she saw before her. The ponies inside froze as she stomped forward, her hooves pounding the floor. "Oh no, TWO Rarities? Who's in th' suit this time? Pinkie Pie? Cadence?"

Applejack went to one of the two unicorn mares and tried getting a look in her mouth. "Y'all look to be the fake of the set, so who are ya? OW!" She sat down and rubbed her nose where the mare slugged her.

"Applejack, I AM the real Rarity!" Rarity snorted and pointed at Red Gala. "That's your brother Big Mac in there. Remember? We met at the rail station this morning." AJ gaped at the larger mare, carefully grooming her long crimson mane and tail. Rarity blinked. "No, wait, we didn't do that, did we? Big Mac helped Shining Armor defeat the three fakes from before. Didn't he?"

"I have no idea what you two are talking about," Red Gala sniffed. "I only heard of Big Mac from Rarity's letters as I managed her second shop in Canterlot. I certainly never was a stallion! Hmmph!" She lifted her tail and head proudly before turning and walking over to stand beside the costume trunk.

Applejack and Rarity went to speak with Twilight, who stood close by her own relatives.

"Twi," Applejack said, "Something feels mighty wrong ta me. Ah look at Red Gala, Ah mean Big Mac, an' somehow it's like Ah'm seeing two ponies with the Truth! One that's always been here but is fadin' out, and another that looks young but she's growin' a life backwards in time from where she is! Ah know how that sounds, but that's the only way I can say it an' even try ta make sense."

"I think I know what it is," Cadence said. "Remember the three shadows you put into the suit, Rarity? The big brother ponies?"

"What three shadows -- no, wait, now I remember them. But none of you noticed!"

"I didn't when you, Sweetie, and them left, but I did notice when you all came back with Big Mac."

Rarity shuddered. "You mean, they've possessed Red Gala, I mean Big Macintosh?"

"Something like that," Cadence said, channeling the 'Cadence-But-More-Than-Cadence' she had before, but this time not being afraid of it. They watched as Red Gala poked at the costume trunk, looking curious. She said, "Those three shadows would have developed into a new big sister for you, but when Macintosh put it on to hide from Sweetcream, the suit and them started to merge with him. If this goes on any longer..."

"Oh, no!" Before they could stop her, Applejack galloped over to Red Gala, grabbed the skin of her neck, and started yanking at it furiously. Red Gala's eyes bulged as the palomino yelled, "Big Mac! Ya gotta get outta there unless ya wanna be some prissy pony for the rest o' your life!"

"Thank you ever so for the praise, dear," Rarity acidly said behind her.

Applejack ignored her. "Big Mac, come on! Remember th' orchard, an' Maw and Paw! Remember Applebloom and Granny Smith!"

A moment later she flew across the room to land atop Pinkie Pie, who'd been watching with avid interest. Both Earth ponies eyes' rolled as Red Gala stormed over to them, her three sapphires cutie mark now three rubies instead.

"You remember your manners, you uncouth savage!" Red Gala snorted. Behind her, something seemed to slither out from the now-open costume trunk. Moving like some immense worm, it began hunching its way towards Twi and her relatives. "Why does everypony keep insisting that I'm not who I am? Are you all insane?"

"Red Gala that is not how you address my friends!" Rarity snapped, then realized what she had just said in worry.

"I'm sorry little sister, but they need to learn personal space!"

"Twilight," Cadence said to her, "No offense, but I think we may need some experts on shapeshifting and mind magic here. I'm going to go and get Aunt Luna, right AFTER I drop Kifuko and Midnight off with some sitters I trust. I want them to be far away from here." She vanished in a flash of light.

Twilight stepped forward. Her horn began to glow as a feeling like static electricity began running over everypony's coat. "Okay. I'm settling this. I'll remove the ponysuit magically and send it to the sun." She snorted, and not watching where she set her hooves, walked close to the thing from the trunk. "I just wish that these suits, stop causing us-- AHHH!"

In a second the unnoticed and empty until now suit began slithering its way up along Twilight's form, covering and enveloping it.

Her friends cried out -- and stared at what they saw standing in Twilight's place.

Twilight grumbled, now in a Fluttershy suit. "I have no idea what's going on anymore!"

Shining sighed. "This is NORMAL for me, as sad as that is...My life is bucking weird..."

"Hey, while we're waiting for Cadence to get back and for everything to get resolved, let's take another look at what I showed you earlier, okay?" Pinkie asked, feeling that after all the Sue induced chaos, they needed a break. "Try to calm down so we can think rationally instead of everything spinning out of control...again...for about the nineteenth time this episode..."

"The Kamen Rider thing, right?" asked Rainbow Dash, walking back in with the Flutters. "Fleetfoot ended up talking with Mrs. Cake about that flirt and how annoying she can be. I love the Bolts, but there's only so much anger at a flirty pony I can stand."

"Um...did they save...um, Hase?" Fluttershy asked hopefully, but remembered how turning into monsters had went in Madoka...

"Well..."

The What If Machine received a glare from Maud, forcing it to present an image of the Orange rider fighting the monster Hase had turned into, but being unable to bring himself to kill another human being...before a red, cherry themed Rider came in and destroyed the transformed victim.

"Why? Seems fairly obvious to me." the red Rider replied in a smug voice despite having just executed an innocent person, in response to the orange Rider demanding to know why he killed Hase. He undid his transformation and revealed a sleezy looking griffin with a bowler hat on. "I destroyed a monster that was attacking our citizens. I'd say that's pretty heroic."

Rainbow Dash snarled while Fluttershy whimpered. "Oh come on! Did he HAVE to be that smug about it?! Killing someone is NOT something you ENJOY doing! Especially when they're a VICTIM."

Shining Armor nodded with a shudder. "I know that a bit too well..."

"Though he does have a point..." said Fluttercruel. "You might have to put down a mad dog...but still, he didn't have to be such a jerk and ENJOY doing it!"

"That was Sid, he's kinda like the Flim Flam Brothers...except GENUINELY evil and one of the worst, meanest people in the entire series," Pinkie explained. "He's also called Sigurd in his Rider form, but they never say that onscreen...Anyway, he's kinda a sociopath who gets kicks out of hurting people, including the heroes who are a lot younger than him."

"Please tell me he gets what he has coming to him..." Rainbow Dash muttered. "I'm not even in the same UNIVERSE as him, and I still want to punch him in the face."

"...Be careful what you wish for..."

The image changed to Sigurd fighting a mixture between one of the Inves creatures and an Alicorn, his armor chalk white, for what looked like a golden apple composed of brilliant powerful energy...Sigurd wasn't doing well at all, and ended up pinned against a cliff by a powerful telekinetic move.

"Turn around and leave...and I will not have to take your life," the Alicorn warned.

"Shut it!" yelled the armored Griffin, struggling against the god-like power of the being before him. "I'll never take anyone's orders again! I'll never let anyone talk down to me again!" the Griffin's belt and armor were atomized but he still kept trying. "I...I...I will become more than mortal!"

The Alicorn gave a sad chuckle. "You would lay your own life down in service of your foolishness? Very well. If such is your dedication..." The Alicorn used his telekinesis to literally split a mountain in two behind the Griffin and float him into the middle of it. "Then pay the price with your death," the Alicorn said grimly before slamming the mountain shut with him inside. Thankfully, the camera panned up just as it slammed back together, sparing the ponies seeing his grisly demise.

Fluttershy ran to the bathroom to vomit while Rainbow Dash's face turned white. "Wow...can't that guy even kill off his VILLAINS in a way that doesn't make me wonder if they deserved it?"

"And with that, I think we'll let others have a turn now..." Pinkie muttered.

-

Two fifths of the progressively congealed into one pony and one soul (Big Mac and the Rarity costume), didn't care much for the Bug Mask Rider show . . . the other three fifths of three of the big brother ponies however did, and so her opinion formed. "I don't get it. Shouldn't only the heroes get the cool transformation thing? And shouldn't the monsters be turned back to normal if they start out as ponies?"

Maud Pie said, "You should watch out Coffee Swirl, before one of those suits gets you."

The barista calmly wiped down the small countertop he served on. "Seeing as how I wasn't even noticed by the psychotic mare a little bit ago, and how they only seem to go for ponies that attract attention to themselves, I think I'm safe."

"Oh I'm sorry!" Pinkie Pie profusely apologized. "Sweetscoop should have totally flirted with you too! That was really inconsiderate towards you! Here, have a piece of cake." Pinkie Pie politely gave Coffee Swirl a slice of cake. Which he poked at for a bit, before finally succumbing to the sweetness of it, and went to munch of the tasty cake.

Maud Pie smiled ever so slightly. "That's Pinkie Pie, she can get a smile out of anypony."

Pinkie Pie then addressed Red Gala about her taste in more straight up good vs evil, everypony survives for next week's episode.

Pinkie Pie, "If the ponies had used some sort of device that caused them to be turned into those monsters, they'd usually go back to normal when they're defeated. But when they eat something that rewrites their DNA and strips them of their minds, they don't have much of a future. And as for the multiple ponies getting to transform, this is hardly the first time we've seen something like that."

"What about the giant robot? Why isn't there giant robots?"

"I think you're thinking of Pony Rangers."

"Don't you mean Power Ponies?"

"No, there was a copyright struggle between Enchanted Comics and Band-Aid Studios and Enchanted Comics won and the name had to be changed."

Applejack's head hurt, Big Mac had NEVER shown deep interest in those kind of shows. And it wasn't the sort of thing Rarity would be into neither.

In the restroom (Pinkie Pie needed to be told it wasn't nice to install cameras in there), Fluttershy finished washing and drying her face, then took deep, steadying breaths before she turned to go... and a shaggy shape jumped right off the floor and swallowed her whole! Her scream became a yelp in mid-shriek.

Applejack lifted her head, ears flicking. "Fluttershy?! You alright back there?" She trotted to the back of the studio and was amazed to find a red-furred wolf stumbling out of the bathroom, wearing a harness that held two satchels and a short wooden staff close by her side. "It can't be... Fluttergale?!" Without thinking, she became a wolf herself and rushed joyfully towards her old friend. "Fluttergale, it's me, Firejack! How'd you survive... how'd you GET here?"

But the other wolf cowered, tail between her legs. "W... Wolf! Stay back!" she growled. The red wolf dashed back into the restroom to hide, and immediately saw her own face in the mirror. "Another wolf!" she whined. "Wait... no... *I'm* the wolf."

The golden wolf squeezed in beside her, looking sheepish. "Fluttershy?"

"Applejack? Oh my gosh! A wolf costume got you too?"

Applejack tried to say yes, or even just nod or keep quiet, but she could feel the Truth's angry glare, like Ma... her real Ma, giving her that "What do you have to say for yourself, young filly?" look. "No, Ah really am a wolf."

Fluttershy sniffed. "There's no need to be sarcastic." Her manner changed subtly. "Let me drive for a while, mom. I think this is pretty cool!" Fluttercruel grinned into the mirror, disappointed to see pony teeth instead of wolf fangs, then peered at AJ curiously. "Why did you call us Fluttergale? And who the heck is Firejack?"

Applejack gulped. "Horseapples... Um, can we talk about that later? We really need to round up the rest of those crazy costumes."

"Maybe somepony should have, ya know, CLOSED THE TRUNK!" Fluttercruel snapped. "And why the heck is this fur RED?! SHOULDN'T it be pink, or yellow to go with our pony self?!"

Applejack just politely nodded.

Applejack noted something was odd, when she became the Opaque Wolf, Applejack's existence became the Opaque Wolf's existence, that was why nopony noticed or cared that Applejack was gone while the Opaque Wolf was around usually. There was no Applejack at the time. But Fluttershy had RECOGNIZED Applejack as Applejack. Maybe it had to do with the costume she was now wearing. Or maybe Applejack and the Opaque Wolf's existences were blurring, and that sent a chill up Applejack spine. Hopefully it was just all the distortion caused by the recent Mary Sues and Red Gala's own growth.

'Ah swear it. If Fluttershy get recruited by Fate too, Ah don't care if she's an all powerful force of nature who creates what choices ponies can make, Ah am SO givin' her a piece of my mind!!! Then maybe a buck to the kneecap!'

AJ whispered to the Blank Wolf Pup, thankfully still invisible to the Demi-Draconequui and sealed Alicorn. "Why ain't we fixin' up my brother? Isn't Red Gala warping reality? Isn't that EXACTLY the exclusive thing you were made to stop? And didn't you say you hunted TWILIGHT'S big brother for some reason or another like this?"

" . . . When I hunted Twilight Sparkle's brother, what he was born from came from OUTSIDE this reality, he was an insert. Red Gala, all the parts that make her up, Rarity's costume, the three shadows of the Big Brothers ponies, and Big Mac himself, all originally came from THIS universe. She is not an outside presence. I feel no urge to devour her and break her back down into her base components."

"One of those 'base components' is my brother! Big Mac!"

"And the names of the three ponies the shadows came from were ~~4-Speed~~ ~~Steamer~~ and ~~Tex.~~ You can still say his name, which means he hasn't been replaced in existence by Red Gala yet."

"Hey! She didn't even REALLY 'exist' until today! And she's my brother getting glued together with three ponies' left-over never-were's, and the magic of one of Rarity's costume!"

Not for the first time, the blank wolf pup looked MAD, but not angry at a Mary Sue turning the world upside down, or at being humiliated, but angry the way AJ had been at Flim and Flam for talking about fair business but really willing to use any dirt trick to win.

"YOUR SOUL! Little Pony! Were born from the merger of a mare and a shadow of existence! And that mare was a created from a previous mare who was completely REMADE by the effects of a wish she made and the combined wishes of all those around her! SO were the souls of most of your friends here!!! Do NOT presume NOW to say that YOUR big brother, has a PRIORITY to exist OVER Rarity's."

He was . . . calling her a hypocrite? "What about canon?!"

"We're separated from the heart world, as you've proudly declared many times before, that rule no longer applies."

AJ let out a growl that would have come out if she was in wolf form or not.

"Orange . . . just who are you talking to?" Fluttercruel said using her nickname for the pony.

"Can we focus on the freaky costumes?" What was a costume of Fluttergale even DOING in the same trunk as a costume of FLUTTERSHY?!

The what-if machine flickered on. "Hello? This time workin'?" An orange mare with a pearl necklace and mane cut short knocked the screen.

"You?! Orangejack?" AJ quickly shoved herself in front of the screen so only she could see what was on.

"Nice to see you too AJ. So being a fru-fru pony is a terrible fate huh?"

"How did you-how did you even know I said that to . . "

"OUR what-if machine, I'm talking to you right now through OURS. I wish Pinkie Pie would let me invest some more in this studio. It could really use a make over."

"Look, Ah appreciate the family call 'sister', but Ah'm in the middle of somethin'."

"Some here bucko." Orangejack said in her Manehatten accent. "Fluttershy's shifted into that freaky wolf form of hers and is helping that invisible dog of Sweetie Belle's keep these costumes from causing trouble. It already caught Rainbow Dash in a Twilight Sparkle costume. But the problem is, MY Big Mac is also the group's Element of Honesty! We lose him, we lose one of the Elements! And we don't exactly have a best-bud lined up to fill up his 'slot!' I'm a 'spare' Generosity, not Honesty. You know it's dumb, Big Mac always felt a out of place being the only stallion on an all girl team that saved the world, three or four times, but now he's a mare and he might not be ABLE to help save the world as is."

"There is NOTHING 'spare' about you being Generosity OJ, our Trixie went through the same horseapples with having an Element of Magic like Twili's. So seriously, why ya call?"

"Because Ah was hoping you had a solution."

"Sorry. And Ah don't this gizmo would LET US share solutions. It seems to click itself out whenever we try to use it get answers to our PROBLEMS."

"Yeah." Orangejack rubbed her eyebrows. "Twilight said it had to do with how, if it showed us a solution to our problems, it would then NOT a 'what-if' it was showing, but instead it was showing a certainty, and so it wouldn't be working as a 'what-if' machine. But I figured I'd at least try. I love my brother. And I don't wanna forget about 'em. I don't have truth vision like you."

AJ startled. That was right. Orangejack DIDN'T have any mythical connection to Truth or Fate or anything, if HER Big Mac was replaced in reality, she'd never morn him.

"Ah . . . Ah'm sorry, here's hopin' we can both figure out something, or our Princess Luna can .. . and OJ . . . good luck."

"Same to you AJ," The what-if machine turned off.

Meanwhile, the rest of the ponies were checking out Flutters now in her wolf costume. And Twilight now in the Fluttershy costume. Both having been AMBUSHED by the costumes themselves apparently. Somehow.

"These costumes SHOULD NOT be able to move on their own!!" Rarity stamped her hoof anger. "THIS DOES NOT MAKE SENSE!!! AT ALL!!! SERIOUSLY! I'd never put such an enchantment on my works! And from what I understand, the portal between where these . . . THINGS called Shadows came from is SEALED! There is NO WAY WHAT SO EVER for more to come through! And WHY BY CELESTIA'S FLANK would they invade costumes, when being a simple shadow would be much more stealthy if they want to join with other ponies, and WHY be in a costume at all if it'll cost them EVEN MORE of what little of themselves they have left by the costume influencing both them AND the pony they're joining with?! THIS MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE!!!" Rarity screamed to high heaven.

"Could you shout a little louder, I don't think they heard you in Canterlot." Shining Armor rubbed her ears.

"Pretty sure they did." Pinkie Pie said.

"Sorry Darling. But this is madness! And I don't mean as in politics or Roam! And it's not even the short of madness Discord would do because it seems to have RULES!!!"

"These costumes do seem to be a rather big and annoying bother." Red Gala agreed. "I would certainly hate to be turned into another pony that I wasn't. And I wouldn't want such a thing to happen to my little sister. Thank goodness Sweetie Belle isn't here right now. I don't know how many costumes have gotten out of that trunk already, and I profusely apologize darlings for even touching the thing, but let's make sure no more get out that haven't already."

The trunk's top glowed red, and closed itself, and them the lock glowed red, and was locked with unicorn telekinesis.

Everypony's (and wolf's) jaws dropped and hit the floor with a clang, all staring at Red Gala, or to be precise, the red glow around her horn that was the same as the one that had just closed and locked the trunk.

"What?" She asked innocently.

Rarity knew she had NOT made her costumes THAT WELL.

"But . . . but . . . " Twilight in the Fluttershy costume said, "That . . . that . . .that horn isn't real . . ."

"I assure you I've never had horn extensions, my horn is completely natural."

Applejack felt her heart sink so low it could have gone through the floor.

Author's Note

Pony POV Series
Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show episode 10
PART 3
By Alex Warlorn

Pinkie Pie, "Onto part three! Ta-da! The batteries must be set to change automatically for this one!"

Parts added by:
Ardashir
@Ghidorafour
@Ghidorafour and Mtangalion
dragon-of-twilght
grogar-the-oneser
Mtangalion
JMCDavid
Mtangalion
dragon-of-twilght
Alex Warlorn
Ardashir
Mtangalion
Alex Warlorn
Mtangalion
Ardashir and Alex Warlorn
Mtangalion and me
SomeRandomMinion
Ardashir (with edits by me)
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn
-(with some edits) dragon-of-twilght and with some edits) JMCDavid, and with some edits) Mtangalion, and yours truly, Alex Warlorn, all at once!
Kendell2 with a bit by me at the end

http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/gallery/42867862/Pinkie-Pie-Forth-Wall-Breaking-Variety-Show
dragon-of-twilght

Pinkie Pie, "And here they are again for a third time, Da Rule!
1. What you put in the comments appears in the story.
2. Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and I can't spill the beans about us being out-and-out fiction to the others.
3. The camera can’t leave the studio.
4. The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from “My little Pony”
5. Everything that happens here is non-canon (except the Tartarus break out thingie, but not the big battle).
6. Have Fun "

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show epi 10 Part 4

"Okay, I have no idea what's happening!" Twilight muttered. "I'm not THAT knowledgable at species altering magic!"

"Well, we could always ask Professor Kabuto," said Pinkie, giving everycreature sun glasses and turning on a TV linked to the sun. "Hey, Professor, can yo-"

"Sorry, can't help, I'm too busy BEING ON FIRE!"

"...Okay then..."

Pinkie tapped her chin. "Okay, so we need somecreature just as smart as him, but good...Ah! Mirror Universe! Duh!"

Pinkie opened her hole in the fourth wall and brought the good Chrysalis and good Kabuto from the other universe. "So, think you can do something, Doctor?"

Kabuto rubbed his chin. "I can try...So she's not supposed to be a unicorn?"

"No. And try not to tell her that...yet..."

"Okay, I can see what I can do."

"Kabuto, please be careful," Chrysalis advised.

"I will try."

Chrysalis then looked to Twilight. "So, did I miss anything since I was last here, Fluttershy?"

"Uh..." Twilight muttered. "I'm Twilight...long story... but you can hear it, uh, if you really really want to." Twilight hide her face a bit behind her mane. Twilight realized what she had just done, and screamed.

The Blank Wolf growl in disgust at the outsiders meddling in another universe's affairs. Applejack in spite of herself, being in her wolf form, felt hostility towards the outer-reality visitors.

"They're wasting their time, this is not a trans-tribe spell. Anymore than when . . . an earth pony merged a pegasus shadow to become a pegasus herself."

Coffee Swirl, still himself and sipping some more coffee, glanced at Maud as the studio continued its slow descent into madness. "This is where it pays to be unimportant. Important ponies are the ones that things like this happen to; all ponies like me have to worry about is dying in the crossfire."

The what if machine meanwhile buzzed to life.

High Heel, the red costumed evil mistress of high crime and high fashion, cackled. High atop Maretropolis' highest office building, the inside converted into a factory and her command center.

"This is it! I've won! Maretropolis is MINE! The city is MINE! I think I'll send that letter to Canterlot about declaring it my own personal city state now."

Acoss the city, robots wearing bug masks and riding on motor cycles terrorized the populace, mindlessly shouted catch phrases.

"AND THERE IS NONE TO STOP ME! NO PONY CAN STOP ME NOW!"

"Guess again High Heel!" Shouted out a voice using a giant violet light construct megaphone.

"THE POWER PONIES?! How is that possible!? My mind-control bug-helmets had you as my brainwashed-slaves!" High Heel shouted down using her own megaphone at the top of the office building.

"But you didn't brainwash me!" Humdrum declared jumping in front of his team/foster family.

High Heel face-hooved. Her brain threatening to break down. "Why is it that the only time you're useful is when we villains actually ignore you because you're always useless?!"

"Lucky I guess."

"WELL YOUR LUCK JUST RAN OUT! BUG-MASKED-MOTORCYCLE-RIDING-ROBOTS! DESTROY THEM!"

"IT'S SHOUT TIME!" The robots all said together.

"Power Ponies Go!" Mask Matter Horn shouted. "Their programming is completely formula! Use the unorthodox!"

"Since when are ANY of us orthodox smarty pants?" Mistress Mare-Velous snipped, using her magic lasso to grab the first bunch of bug masked riding robots right off their motor cycles and smashing them into the stress.

Fillisecond zoomed around the robots, punching them with her super speed, pummeling them into scrap metal.

"TAKE THIS! AND THIS! AND THIS!" One of the robots pointed a huge canon at her. "I'll take this!" She pulled the giant canon off of its harm. "Naw, you can take it back." She placed the canon back on the robot's arm backward, which it still fired, and blew itself up.

One of the robot loomed over Humdrum.

It said darkly, "I'm gonna pull out yer spine with an ominous shadow on the wall discretion shot!" Said the robot reaching for Humdrum, who ducked, causing the robot to trip, and impale itself on a piece of debris, shutting down.

Hundrum looked up in awe. "I GOT ONE!"

Radiance created a construct of a giant fly swatter, flattening the robot army.

"Soulless golems!" Zapp declare, "Ye have threatened the fair ponies of Maretropolis, be smote by our divine retribution!" Lightning rained down from the heavens, short-circuiting the robots.

I still have an army!" High Heel snarled from her perch.

"We still have a Saddle Rager!" Humdrum quipped back.

"Y-You robots drove over that poor defenseless bunny! ME SQUASH YOU LIKE BUG!"

"Yee-haaa! Ride'em Saddle Rager!" Humdrum cheered, riding on top of the beast, directing the berserker pony's fury.

"It doesn't matter how many you destroy! I can produce as many as I want!" High Heel swore.

"POWER PONIES! HEAD FOR THE TOWER!"

"uh-oh." High Heel hit a button on her control panel, making a side of the office building slide open, releasing a flood of bug-masked-riding robots, threatening to drown in the power ponies in their sheer numbers.

"We'll play card games on motor cycles!" They shouted.

"Maiden Radiance, I can do not this alone, and neither than you. Shall we work along side each other for the better good of our friends?" Asked Zapp.

"Sounds fashionable to me!" The two combined Radiance's constructs to scoop up the flood of bug-masked motor cycle riding robots, and Zapp's tornados to send them flying off to the city dump.

"BUY OUR MODEL KITS!" The robots shouted as they were tossed into the junkyard.

The heroes burst onto High Heel's command deck.

"GET THEM!" She shouted at her robot body guards.

"Bug-masked-robots-riding-kick!" The Power Ponies, quickly ducked, the robot going over their heads and flying out the windows.

"I never did like that show," Mistress Mare-Velous grumbled.

"I'm not beaten yet!" High Heel declared. She pushed another button on her console.

Out of the floor rose a gold and white bug-masked-motor-cycle riding robot.

"AAHH! MY EYES IT'S SUCH A FASHION DISASTER!" Radiance covered her eyes and huddled into a fetal position on the floor, whimpering.

"Excellent! My fashion sense could always disable you Radiance! Now defeat the others God-Mode-Dragon-Way-Of-The-Hoof-Rider!"

"KEN-SHEN!" It shouted drawing a glowing gold sword.

"You know gold isn't actually a good metal for a sword," Mask Matter Horn said.

"My justice shall cut through you!"

"Can we just say these police robots were a bad idea now like I said from the start?" Mistress Mare-Velous said but no pony responded to her.

"God-Mode-Dragon-Way-Of-The-Hoof-Rider POWER-UP! FIRE! WIND! WATER! JOKER! HEY! What happened to my power cards?!"

"You mean these?" Fillisecond held up some cartridges make to fit right into the God-Mode-Dragon-Way-Of-The-Hoof-Rider-Robot's belt.

"HEY! Give those back!"

"Nope!"

God-Mode-Dragon-Way-Of-The-Hoof-Rider slashed with his sword anyway, slices of light coming from the gold blade, giving masked Matter Horn a close mane cut, and knocking Saddle Rager out, and his punch sent Mistress Mare-Velous through a wall.

"Garish abomination! Be gone!" Zapp zapped.

"Ha! My blade deflects and redirects your lightning!"

"Mistress Mare-Velous! Wake up! Throw your Hooferrangs at the robot!"

"What good is that-"

"JUST DO IT!"

Mare-Velous did exactly that, the robot caught them with one hoof.

"HA! You can't hope to defeat me!"

"NOW ZAPP!"

Lightning struck twice, this time going straight for Mistress Mare-Velous' hooferrangs . . . electrifying and shutting down the super robot.

High Heel hissed, "It doesn't matter! I'm still producing more bug-masked-motor-cycle-riding-robots than I know what to do with every second! My win is inevitable!"

"Not if I press this button right?" Fillisecond pointed to a big red button marked, 'Robot Army Self-Destruction Button.'

"No!"

"Yes!"

"NOOOOOO!"

"YEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSS!"

"Just push the button already!" Mistress Mare-Velous exasperated.

"Gee, just tryin' to have a little fun." Fillisecond pushed the button, around the city, the head of the bug-masked-motor-cycle riding robots exploded in spectacular fashion releasing fireworks into the sky.

"Foiled again? Can I ever win, JUST ONCE?! I don't wanna wear that gaudy prison uniform again!" High Heel whined as she fell to her knees. "I just want to rule the city and uplift it to my artistic vision! Why is that so much to ask for?!"

"Because you are selfish, shallow, and care nothing for the tastes and preferences of others," Zapp told her.

"I know fashion better than any of those ignorant sods!" High Heel snapped.

Radiance recovered at the beautiful sight.

"For goodness sake, WHY did you have a giant self destruct button for your robot army?!" Radiance demanded to know.

"Well." High Heel blushed. "If they turned on me, like robots tend to do, I wanted a way to deal with them if they chose to conquer Maretropolis before I could."

Radiance thought about it for a moment. "Alright, I suppose that's makes sense, but you needed some more security precaution on it."

"I was worried I'd forget them in a panic and I'd die an ironic death mere inches from deactivating the menace to pony kind I myself had created."

"STOP GIVING THE BAD GUY ADVICE FOR NEXT TIME!" Mistress Mare-Velous shouted.

"No need to be rude," Radiance said.

"How DID you build that army of robots, that WAY'S out of your technical league High Heel," Masked Matter Horn demanded to know.

"Well . . . I sort of made a deal with a dark force that said it liked how petty and spiteful I was, and that the design would get a lot of ponies and cosmic beings offended and trigger the end of the universe. Which is a total lie, me being petty and spitful. I only because a super villain because ponies rejected all of my beautiful shoe designs simply because they weren't main stream and didn't fit the mold of what they considered beautiful! So I vowed to crush the fashion industry that had spurned me!"

Radiance scoffed. "Your shoes failed because of what's always been your failure as a fashion designer High Heel, not making allowances for ponies."

High Heel scoffed. "Whatever. Just take me to jail already."

"Much obliged!" Fillisecond said, dropping her off at police headquarters.

Then Fillisecond was handed a broom and dust pan by Masked Matter Horn. "Here, you can clean up the robot army while you're at it."

"But . . . but . . .but the WHOLE CITY?! That will take like, SEVERAL MINUTE TO DO!"

"Then I suggest you get started." The others laughed.

The what-if machine turned off.

There came a knock on the door. Twilight in the Fluttershy costume opened it to find Cheerilee outside writing grade papers. When the door opened, she trotted forward saying, "Fluttershy," She said to Twilight in the Fluttershy costume, "I had this odd feeling before that somepony was bothering Big Mac, but the door was shut so I was waiting for a chance to talk to him since I remember seeing him come in here."

"Indeed you did, but I'm afraid things might be taking a turn for the worst," Said the one who had been knocking, that Twilight for some reason hadn't been able to notice before, was a dark blue unicorn with a white mane in a ponytale, wearing a pendant. She was wearing a cheap black cape. "Hi. I'm Forbidden Fruit, though I have several other alias. I am an evil Draconequus sealed into Pony form. Only the Elements of Harmony can remove my seal. So I can go back to doing evil. I run a store for evil magic items on the side. In exchange, since as a draconequus I'll be MUCH MORE powerful than an standard Alicorn, I'll be able to safely and peacefully separate Big Mac's night of existence into two, and perform the spiritual surgery needed to separate Big Mac and Red Gala into two souls before Big Mac completely ceases to exist.

"Normally these take a long time to happen, like say two years for a normal adult pony, but with this studio tiering on the forth barrier, and due to Big Mac joining with three shadows at once, and the chaos magic that exists in all Poison Joke that was used in that costume, Red Gala is becoming more real by the minute, and Big Mac will only be a memory in the likes of Cadence, Luna, and magic wolves.

"And just to make this deal more to your liking, I'll do the same for every Big Mac/Red Gala across the immediate neighboring timelines. Oh, and you and your fluttering wolf friend before it starts with the two of you. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye. So by releasing me, you're not only saving Big Mac and an innocent mare, you're saving several across the timelines. Equestria is already filled with dark lords, evil monsters, and the like, what's one more gong to hurt?"

"What is going on?!" Cheerilee demanded.

Forbidden Fruit told her the brief version.

"BIG MAC'S BEING ERASED FROM THE UNIVERSE AND I WON'T EVEN REMEMBER HIM?! FLUTTERSHY, FREE THE EVIL GODDESS!" Cheerilee begged Twilight in the costume.

"Cheerilee listen to yourself!"

"There's lots of good goddesses in Equestria! You can keep her in line!"

Forbidden Fruit continued. "By the way: your wacky professor from the reverse world by the way WON'T be able to figure you a way to help him, he's a expert in biology, chemistry, alchemy, but soul surgery is well beyond him and his queen. I suggest you free me soon before Big Mac is completely absorbed by Red Gala. Already she's more real than he is."

"You say can help Big Mac? Name your price," Cheerilee said.

"Blech. Normally I'd take you up on that offer, but I CAN'T because I need to be at my full divine power TO be able to do it. So sadly, as much as it angers me, I CAN'T accept your trade because I can't honor my end of the bargain," Forbidden Fruit complained.

Still in the threshold, Cheerilee begged Twilight in the enchanted costume, "Fluttershy, please do it."

"Cadence is on her way back with Princess Luna, they'll think of something!" Twilight said.

"They don't know as much about souls, or how to alter and manipulate them as I do. You need me," Forbidden Fruit said matter of fact.

"Well...there are other Draconequi..." Twilight grasped at straws.

"Let me stop you there," the sealed Draconequus replied, doing a 'tisk tisk' motion. "Strife? She doesn't give a darn so long as the end result is life. Anarchy considers Red Gala as worthy of a freedom to live as Big Mac is. And Pandora? She might be a nice gal, but even she can't deny there's a certain beauty to this happening and a LOT of imagination to it. Discord? Good luck getting HIM to help you. Not to mention I'm the one who spends a lot of time playing with souls. I'm the only one with the skill, power, and motivation to do what you need."

Twilight groaned, putting her hooves to her head.

The Draconequus looked to the Wolves. "And if you're hoping I'll just disappear by some cosmic force and take the choice away from you? Don't count on it."

The Blank Wolf snarled. "She's right...she's not from the timeline, but she's still a God, and she's here in person this time, not an Avatar."

"Your choice," Forbidden Fruit said with a shrug. "Let him fade away into nothingness or set me free and have him back."

"...How do we know you won't just stab us in the back anyway?" Twilight asked in a tone that made it clear she was more looking for a reason to not take the deal than consider it.

"Haha!" Forbidden Fruit laughed. "I ALWAYS keep my end of the deal. If you're so doubting, ask your little What If machine 'what if somepony helped me take over the world'. You'd find them given the world on a silver platter."

"Ugh! There has to be another way!"

"Why go looking up and down for the HARDER path?" Forbidden Fruit asked. "It's so much easier to take the easy way out. Just say the words 'I, Twilight Sparkle, Element of Magic, release you from your bonds'. Isn't one sentence so much simpler than all this trouble?"

The sealed deity turned into a serpent-like shape of purple smoke with orange eyes. She snaked around Twilight's head. "Or does little miss FRIENDSHIP want to let a friend lose a brother?"

She then snaked around to Fluttershy. "And how KIND is it to let someone lose something they love dear?"

She was then with Rainbow Dash. "Or LOYAL to know you can help a friend but stand by to do nothing?"

"And isn't GENEROSITY all about helping others? Why so hesitant to help so many Big Macintosh's?" she asked Rarity. "Not that I get WHY," she muttered to herself.

"Or maybe you want to LAUGH as you see a friend remade into somepony else they were never supposed to be AGAIN," the snake whispered in Pinkie Pie's ear.

Forbidden Fruit curled around Cheerilee's neck and put a claw like tendril of smoke on her head in a there there gesture. "And do you really want to break a poor mare's heart in two?" she asked, orientating herself in such a way that she emphasized Cheerilee's desperate expression. "You don't want that, do you Cheerilee?" she whispered with a tempting tone that only Morning Star could rival.

The temptress reformed into her default form back where she'd started. "So, what's it gonna be? I'm a very busy mare and I haven't got all day. And neither does Big Mac."

Twilight paced back and forth in her Fluttershy suit, increasingly agitated. "I... I can't decide! There's no time!"

The orange and gold wolf snarled, then stepped in, pulling Twilight in between moments. "There, now. Take all the time ya need."

Twilight gasped at the grey fog, then slumped with relief. "Applejack, thank you!"

She blinked. "You recognize me too?"

Twilight smiled. "Well, of course I do. Don't you remember? After I found the symbol from your cutie mark in one of my books, I Pinkie Pie Promised to keep your secret."

AJ scratched at her mane with a forepaw. "It wasn't like that before. Ah wasn't supposed to the wolf in charge of protectin' this world. Blanky was. You've probably never even seen him."

Twilight grew still. "Our history has been distorted for that long, and we had no idea?" She shook herself. "What else can you do? If she turns on us, can you fight her?"

Now the wolf was the one taken aback. "Ah..."

"What's this, now?" cried Forbidden Fruit, suddenly there in the fog with them. "Intolerable, absolutely intolerable."

"What's your hurry?" demanded Twilight. "You'll get your answer."

The dark unicorn laughed politely. "Indeed I shall. But you!" She leveled a hoof at the Wolf. "You are meddling where you have no business, AND taking sides. I demand that you cease at once..." She smiled coldly. "Or I shall request disciplinary action from higher authority."

Twilight nearly laughed. "That's your idea of a threat?"

But Applejack shuddered, then hung her head, ears and tail drooping.

"A... Applejack?" Twilight looked scared now. "Don't tell me..."

"She has the right of it," growled Applejack. "Ah know, Ah can feel it right down to mah bones. Ah'm sorry, Twi. Ah done screwed up. This has nothing to do with hunting Sues or restoring the proper course of fate in the world."

Twilight shook her head, while Forbidden Fruit looked on haughtily. "Applejack, your BROTHER'S fate is at stake!"

"One pony," said AJ harshly. "His choice, and the consequences of his actions. Sorry Ah had to be so thick-headed, Snow Bound. The Opaque Wolf... cannot interfere."

Time resumed... and Applejack trotted out from behind a curtain, once again a pony. Unseen, the Blank Wolf gave her a very dark look... AJ bowed her head for a moment, then walked on past him. Finally, she took a long look at the hat in her hoof, and fixed it onto her head. Let everypony wonder how she got out of the "wolf costume" later, it would work out somehow. "She ain't told us any fibs, Twi. She meant everything she's *said* and *promised*. Ah... Ah want you to save my brother, but Ah'm too close to think about what's best for Equestria. It's gotta be you."

Cheerilee only looked desperate to 'Flutterlight' (where did that name come from?), and at Forbidden Fruit. Only knowing Big Mac's time was going to run out.

And Forbidden Fruit feed from Cheerilee's pure desire to take her offer, any offer that would save him. It wasn't as big a meal as from Sweetcream's lust, but it had more substance to it to Sweetcream's shallow primal needs.

The look in Cheerilee's eyes, she truly would make any bargain, to save the stallion she was terrified to admit she now felt feelings for, least she justify what her little ponies had done, not sure if the feelings had been there before or after. She had Big Mac had been friends before . . .

An eager and willing customer and Forbidden Fruit couldn't give her what she wanted (a very VERY VERY rare occurrence for her). Dangit.

Meanwhile there was one thing for certain, Applejack wanted HER cutie mark back, the one that marked that the future she had chosen for herself, the one truth she embraced above all others, was her family. Not with the ring of Rota Fortuna herself encircling them.

Applejack DID want Twilight to save her brother, so badly. But at the same time, her recent experiences did tell her so was too close to consider what the REAL PRICE of saving her family would be. AJ remember with crystal clarity, what ONE rogue Draconequus had done to the world, more than most, having shared their suffering with them when she looked into truth, what harm would ANOTHER renegade Draconequus do?

But simply LETTING her brother vanish like eggs being mixed into cake batter? AJ felt pain in chest though she suffered no injury.

But the Opaque Wolf, couldn't meddle, her brother had made his choice, and the Opaque Wolf couldn't meddle in the consequences to save him. And Applejack didn't dare. She had to leave this in Twilight's hooves no matter how much she wished it otherwise.

"Darlings, don't I get a say in this? After all, I'm standing right here! And will everypony PLEASE stop calling me 'not real?'" Red Gala stomped her hooves.

And AJ did not believe it, but she saw SYMPATHY on the blank wolf's face.

"You are standing right here," 'Flutterlight' agreed. "The problem is, we're not sure just which 'you' is standing right there; and we have to save Big Mac -- somehow!"

Red Gala snorted. "Go look for him at his orchard. He should be there." She looked confused, her eyes flashing from clear blue back to deep green momentarily. 'Flutterlight' gasped to see it. Red Gala said, "Shouldn't Ah -- I mean, shouldn't he be there?"

"Big Mac?! Ya in there?!" AJ zipped in Red Gala's face. The white and red unicorn trotted back some.

"N-no! Rarity is my sister! So is Sweetie Belle! I'm a jeweler! Not a dirty farmer!" Red Gala said, soundingly genuinely scared. She felt a slight headache. "And I am NOT a cowpony ranger, a racer, or a sailor!!! I'm Red Gala!"

AJ startled back a bit. Remembering the not-names of the shadows the wolf had listed off. Red Gala, was apparently determined to fight for her existence.

Across town at Sweetie Apple Acres, Granny Smith didn't even notice the memories of her grandson fading.

Shining Armor looked at Red Gala. He still remember Big Mac, for now, but now he had memories of the mare being there for his wedding, she operated Rarity's second shop there in Canterlot after all.

And how AJ had described her . . . going backwards through life . . . in other words . . . she was exactly like him. And he never dared tell his little sister. Even in this place, even this 'non-canon' world, he wouldn't, he couldn't, he'd never, he chose of his own free will that simply couldn't, And he vowed to never forgive and never forget ANYONE who dared reveal so to his little sister, he swore it. He knew how certain cosmic forces liked a challenge, but he promised to make them regret that challenge if they tried to make Twilight find out about the cousin who had been erased from time and her uncle dying early, all to let her big brother into the universe. It sickened and shamed Shining Armor to this day.

"Hey, Forbidden Fruitcart or whatever your name is . . . as long as you're here . . . I have a bargain I'd like to make too."

"Oh . . . and what would that be?"

"There's a mare who was erased from time, she was related to somepony very dear to me . . . I want you to restore her to reality. Can you do that?"

" . . . THAT'S EASY! All I need to do is bring her shadow of existence from nothingness, and grab where her light of existence has gotten to, and push them together, and BOOM! She's back! No fuse, no mush, though she'd have to adjust to reality due to . . . well, her original window being gone, but she's still be related to your dear friend, and yes she'd have the same personality she would have had before."

"Alright then." Shining Armor said.

"BBBFFF what are you doing?! . . . If you don't mind me asking that is?" Flutterlight asked, then felt a headache.

"Trying to make things right." Shining Armor said.

The Flutters felt shocked and alarmed at seeing Twilight's growing behavior. However, ALREADY HAVING two separate souls in one body, one a sealed goddess, the other a demi-draconquus, the suit was finding it MUCH MUCH HARDER to try and effect them and their existence like it had Big Mac and was beginning to effect Twilight.

Rainbow Dash didn't get WHAT she was supposed to! Though she did feel the urge to pat Flutterlight on the back for having so much on her shoulder. Pinkie Pie was even more lost, this was't comedy at all.

And Rarity felt new memories of Red Gala fading into her mind, even as her few memories of Big Mac faded OUT, and unlike Uniquely Belle, she didn't feel like blindly idolizing this Big Sister, she had felt a bit agitated being the middle filly growing up, but this in fact had helped her better understand and better befriend Trixie who had suffered a similar problem. Ugh!

"Applejack . . .how did you get the wolf costume off?" The Flutters asked in the wolf costume of Fluttergale, her wolf incarnation.

"I think it just slipped off me, I think maybe it didn't think I was a good fit." Hopefully two cursed costumes was all that had escaped from that damn trunk.

"So lady, there anything I got that you want for that? Can we haggle while my little sister decides whether or not to take up your sick sick SICK trade?"

"Well, now that you mention it . . ."

"DO NOT MAKE THAT BARGAIN SHINING ARMOR!" Princess Luna appeared in a swirling dark blue, almost black tornado that tore through the skylight and landed on the floor, the room wailing with wind as it died down, revealing the night princess.

"We were pulled out of astral projection and seeking audience with Fate to speak on behalf of Applejack . . . impressment for services not originally part of her destiny. But when Cadence spoke of what was transpiring, we were forced to cut our discussion short. Since we knew time was of the essence. We certainly did not expect to find YOU HERE, invasive goddess."

"I am here because I was called. This place exists on the edge of existence and non-existence, what is here and what is beyond. The ponies' heart cried out so desperately for a way out, that I was compelled to come here."

"You ALWAYS lay traps of some sort Temptation!"

"Correction. When it is someone who embraces that they are bargaining with me for completely and purely selfish reasons, with no thought to any but themselves, but I leave no such barbs. And further more, I my bargains are always no more and no less than what is agreed upon. And even further, my seal forces me to hide no details when it is a bargain directly and immediately related to my release."

"We got, she's an evil nag, I got that figure that five seconds after she opened her mouth." Shining Armor said. "If you're the spirit of temptation, you really aren't good at hiding your motives."

"IT'S THIS DAMN SEAL!!! MY LYING SKILLS ARE GOING TO BE DOWN THE PIPES WHEN I FINALLY GET IT BROKEN!" Forbidden Fruit hissed. "Now as I was saying, in exchange for restoring the being your choice to spiritual, emotional, mental, physical, and temporal completeness, I just want to be able to teach when your children black magic when they come of age."

"WHAT?!"

"With one of them practicing black magic, ponies won't so quick to think my bargain are bad just by necessity!"

Shining Armor knew what Cadence would think if he DARED accept tis kind of offer without her, and she'd never forgive him. He'd lose her. But, his cousin, no, Twiley's cousin, he had never known her, TWILEY had known her, and he had stolen Twiley's experiences and memories of that filly in favor of his own existence. How the bloody Tartarus could he say that there was any difference between himself and Red Gala anyway?

"They'd have be magic approved by my wife, our foals are both our responsibility, I can't give you what's also Cadence's."

"True, but I'm sure you EXPLAINED IT before hoof-"

"PRINCE SHINING ARMOR!" Princess Luna boomed. "DO NOT ACCEPT THIS GODDESSES GIFTS! It will lead to ruin! In ancient times, in her own world line, she was known as the Goddess Of Gifts, but those who accepted her gifts rarely found happiness!"

"This isn't for my happiness."

"EXACTLY! And thou know NOT TRULY what thou art bargaining for!" Luna stomped her hooves twice, and her horn glowed. She touched his horn to his.

"Thou shall have quite the headache in the morning. But we felt this was the most effective way for us to converse. Shining Armor . . . when a pony's existence is undone or removed . . . as you know by now . . . their shadow of existence enters Nothingness. Where it is either eaten alive by an infant Draconequus, their various traits adding and combining into the Draconequus' new psyche and self. Or they are obliterated completely for acting outside of their context. Or simply dwell in the peaceful if silent world that is Nothingness. Others still, when time changes or reality changes, become one with ponies whose existences are in flux, enabling them to exist in some form again. . . . Their light of existence however . . . it returns to Fauna Luster but not for long. Once time or fate, reaches the point they SHOULD HAVE been born . . . they once again enter the world, but with a new shadow, creating a new soul. . . . Shining Armor . . . your cousin's light of existence has long since been join with a new shadow and enter life again."

"Who?"

"Does it matter?"

" . . . I want to know."

"The knowledge will bring thou nothing but pain."

"What else is new?"

"Very well."

An image appeared before Shining Armor. He gasped in shock.
"I . . . I . . I had no idea it would be her. It never dream it could be her." It wasn't Cadence. Nor was it a changeling. Nor was it any member of Shining Armor's family. Nor one of the royal guards. And it wasn't Spike.

But Shining Armor knew this little pony. They had helped save Canterlot during the wedding after all, even if he had been under mind control at the time, he had learned of her contribution well. She had been brave for one so young.

"If your bargain came into being, it would mean DESTROYING her soul, ending HER existence, so none had ever known she even existed. And sending her shadow to take the place of Althena's in Nothingness. All to bring back the memories and happiness Twilight Sparkle knew for a cousin she no longer even had."

"Like me, and like Red Gala."

"Ispita is indeed an evil creature. But there is no good or evil for Big Mac or Red Gala. Though I do indeed fancy the stallion, I know a goddess MUST NOT play favorites, I've been down that path, and it only led to suffer for everypony. If nothing is done, Big Mac is doomed to less than Nothingness for an action he could not have possibly predicted the outcome of nor had time to even THINK about. If something is done, Red Gala is doomed to less than Nothing for things beyond her control and she had no say in. Ispita is a great evil, but neither the infant Red Gala, nor Big Mac deserve LESS to exist. For a soul, to exist, is have a right to exist, after all. And you only live once."

"Dammit." Shining Armor resisted crying.

"And . . . let me show you one last thing." She stomped her hooves again.

Suddenly they were in a place with a black sky, with a landscape that was like frozen charcoal, no wind, but so incredibly cold.

~~"Shining Armor."~~

" . . . cousin." Shining Armor sighed, now crying a the sight of the empty shadow of the family he had pushed out of existence. A unicorn mare, wearing the armor of the royal guard.

~~"Shining Armor, I'm told you wish to do something foolish."~~

"I . . . I didn't know."

~~"Shining . . . I told you before . . . the reality I came from, the one I existed in . . . was horrible. It was a nightmare beyond words, and I say my cousin, and her fear friends, turned into a monsters BY a monster. I took a vow that take, that no matter that price I'd have to say, I'd save her and her friends from that fate. . . . And a royal guard, I'd protect Equestria regardless of personal cost, so others would not have to. . . . "~~

"NOPONY SHOULD HAVE TO GIVE UP WHAT YOU HAD TO!!!"

~~"Yes . . . but Shining . . . I'm GRATEFUL for what your presence had brought."~~

"Your father is dead because of my mistakes."

~~"He was a royal guard, he accepted the price as well. He hated it even more than you, but he accepted that I saw this as my DUTY . . . and shall REMAIN my duty, till time itself ends. I will remain on guard here. In Nothingness. I consider this my permanent assignment."~~

"I'd take you with me if I could." They hugged. Shining Armor gasped, and he felt within him, her love for her family he devoted to her duty, her dauntlessness, her courage, her commit stronger than iron . . . her strength of heart . . . in a moment . . . they peacefully became a part of him.

"Shadows . . . can PEACEFULLY assimilate as well, as WOULD HAVE happened with the shadows of the three big brother ponies and Big Mac if not for that damn costume, but that is in the past. You must face the future." Princess Luna stomped her hooves again.

Not a second had past in reality, but suddenly Big Mac was back at the studio. Luna disconnected their horns.

"Who says filler can't have character development." Pinkie Pie said, stamping 'emotionally canon, whatever that means' on a transcript.

Shining Armor glared at the sealed goddess. "DEAL'S OFF!"

Forbidden Fruit growled. "HOW DARE YOU INTERFERE MOON!!!!"

" . . . We merely allowed him to make a fully informed decision. Nothing more, nothing less. Save your whining Ispita. Twilight still holds the destiny of TWO innocents ponies in her hooves."

"BBBFF . . . please," Flutterlight asked, "Who was the friend whose cousin got erased from the world? I'd like to help them." She asked with puppy dog eyes only enhanced by her current costume form.

"I'm sorry Twiley," he nuzzled her, "I took a promise I'd NEVER tell."

"Auntie Luna," Cadence panted coming through the door, having wing cramp, "Please, next time don't teleport off without-- CHRYSALIS!!!" Cadence shouted, firing a beam at full power at point blank range at the benign reverse Queen Chrysalis. The loving queen brought up a barrier just in time . . . behind her now was a giant hole int he wall shaped like a heart.

" . . . there goes my security deposit." Pinkie Pie sighed.

"KABUTO!" Cadence fired the deadly beam again. Then time the loving queen teleported in front of Doc Kabuto and created a barrier before him.

Cadence startled at this . . . since when did Chrysalis shield again with her own body? Since when did she put herself in danger for SOMEONE ELSE'S SAKE? (Sweetie Belle, but still..) Let alone somepony that all her subject told her that Chrysalis had just been waiting for an excuse to execute?

"What's your game Chrysalis?! I don't how you returned! But I'm never letting you or your minion hurt any more innocent changelings or other ponies EVER AGAIN!"

"Princess Cadence . . . I suppose if myself on this world was wicked, it would make sense that here that you'd be selfless and protective."

Cadence's jaw dropped. Finally taking in details.

"I'm Queen Chrysalis from another universe. Of the Virtue of Love."

Cadence sighed. "This studio just gets more and more insane."

"Pinkie Pie of this world brought us here to try and help Miss Red Gala, but it seems we might be out of our league."

"SHE'S TELL THE TRUTH CADENCE! USE THE LOVE SPELL ON ME! I'M NOT BRAINWASHED!" Shining hugged Cadence.

"I love you." Cadence said sincerely, a show of truth love the power that broke a changeling's magic. So she knew that he was in his right mind when he repeated his defense of the two alternates.

"In this chaos . . . I'm surprised any of us are managing to stay sane." Cadence said.

Back at the table, Coffee Swirl set his thermos down, staring bitterly at the container.

As much as he claimed otherwise, he was still a good pony, and one that hated seeing something wrong when he couldn't do anything about it. He hated that he couldn't help Big Macintosh, or Red Gala for that matter, but he just had two things to his name: His coffee making, and a haunted sword that wasn't even really his. And neither of those could do anything.

...could they?

At the bar, Maud Pie said to Coffee Swirl, "If you're not going to do something. I think it's best you get out of here. Go entertain Fleetfoot and Gilda at Sugar Cube Corner. I'm SURE Pinkie Pie will pay you in full for your commence, I'll reimburse you if she doesn't."

"What do you care? You don't have a heart. Stop pretending you do already." Coffee Swirl said.

Maud slapped him. And when it's a slap form Maud Pie, IT HURTS! "Shut up. You brat. You bury your head so far up your flanks saying you don't matter, yet when something violates who you are and what you are, you're ready to fight to the death to protect the core of your. If you really didn't matter, you'd accept the winds of fate twisting you into something you weren't before. You matter to yourself at least. And that's something you should remember little pony." Maud Pie picked up Coffee Swirl, AND HIS ENTIRE BAR, and shoved him, and the coffee bar, out the giant hole Cadence had made. "Now get galloping. I'm sure the cakes can set you up. Just explain that Pinkie Pie is busy so it's after to bring out the coffee machine. Now go! Come back if you chose to do something about things."

For once, Coffee Swirl didn't feel like arguing, and turn and flew.

'You matter to yourself at least.' Maud Pie's words echoed unbidden.

Maud Pie meanwhile looked at Princess Luna and whispered, "You . . . were inside me for a moment weren't? I feel like something is missing now. But I don't understand what."

"Understand the world Maud Pie, understand ponies, believe when we say that shall be a much greater use for thou time among mortals."

Flutterlight looked to Cadence and Princess Luna. "Sister-In-Law, Auntie-In-Law. Please. Help me. Somehow. Take this cup away. Tell me what I'm supposed to do!"

"Twilight Sparkle, we are truly sorry, but now that Ispita has made her offer, you must accept it or reject it of your own free will. Myself and Cadence can not intervene. We can not take this choice from you. She does indeed surpass manipulation and effecting of souls with her magic than we do with ours.

"She speaks the truth when she says she can exempt no detail in any trade that has to do with her the seal on her true power being undone. If she has agreed to restore Big Mac, while allow Red Gala to continue to exist as her own pony, and saving you and Fluttershy from a similar fate, along with those versions of you from the surrounding timelines . . . she has no choice but to do so upon her freedom. But know that she IS dangerous, that is why the seal was put on her to begin with. She is not the SAME kind of dangerous as Discord, nor is she quite as powerful, but she is indeed dangerous.

"If Ispita says she can safely make Red Gala and Big Mac into two COMPLETE souls and two independent existences she will do so. But she will be free to bring her evil once again."

Shining Armor meanwhile, was comforting Red Gala, and somewhere in her, Rarity felt disgusted and ashamed of herself for not doing the same. Red Gala was her sister wasn't she? She couldn't stitch to save her life, but her jewels did enhance Rarity's own dresses.

"Are my memories a lie?"

"No." Shining Armor replied, remembering his own doubts and fears when Celestia had revealed the truth to him.

"Am I a person?"

"Yes."

"Am I a mistake?"

" . . . You're your own pony, you'll decide what you are."

Rarity signed and hugged her big sister.

Applejack's heart cracked. Looking at the wheel of fate around her cutie mark. Was she doomed to have that forever? She remembered her beloved big brother still with crystal clarity, but also now remembered Red Gala being there at the Canterlot wedding. She didn't want to think about HOW MUCH MORE of a workaholic mare she'd be without her big brother there to shoulder the burden. Would she even have the TIME to make friends? Would she have cared enough about others outside her family to venture into Everfree for the Elements? Would Granny Smith have worked herself to death without him? Would Applebloom have even had a chance for a foalhood with having to help upkeep their farm all the more? Would the cutie mark crusaders even exist?

Forbidden Fruit tapped her hoof. "Make your choice Twilight Sparkle, or will it be Flutterlight soon? You are running out of time, but Big Mac is running out of time much much faster . . . I suggest you make the decision while there is still a Big Mac to save. Unless you want to murder an innocent mare to save him. Oh, and yes, murder for the greater good, IS STILL MURDER. Don't think that'll be cleansed from your soul so easily. So are you going to make your choice? Or shall we watch Big Mac's existence fade away completely together? And then watch you become Flutterlight? And see how long The Flutters can hold off the effects of their costume? Oh, and as ANOTHER bonus, I'll take that trunk and any cursed costumes inside it off your hooves, I promise they'll never bother any branches of your reality again. IF you unseal me."

Forbidden Fruit gave a smirk, looking around the group. "While you're thinking about that, anyone else have something they want?"

She looked to Cheerilee. "Like perhaps a major run of bad luck to the mare who scared old Big Mac into that suit in the first place?" she whispered in her ear, her voice like honey. "A simple bad luck curse to pay her back for causing this mess? All I ask for in return is one day from your life. I give her the worst day imaginable to pay the witch back, I get any old cruddy day from your life in return. You won't even miss it! Literally. Then if nothing else, the one who did this to Big Mac pays the price. Fair trade?"

Cheerilee scared the ponies by the look on her face by clearly thinking about the sealed goddess' offer.

Luna said, "Do not trust her Miss Cheerilee! She may appear as a pony, but she is something far more dangerous and dubious! She WILL leave a barb in your exchange for her own amusement or advantage."

Cheerilee sighed. "One day of bad luck, wouldn't be an equal exchange for her selfishness making Big Mac accidentally erase herself. I mean himself! Ugh! No." Forbidden Fruit grinned at Flutterlight. 'Tick-tock-tick-tock' she mouthed. "I . . . you say this, 'inner light' . . . Big Mac needs a new one right? What if you used mine?"

Forbidden Fruit took a trot back in alarm.

Everypony gasped.

"Miss Cheerilee! You would not simply die! You would cease to exist!"

" . . . Very noble Miss Cheerilee, making your sister and niece never having their big sister and aunt instead of Big Mac's family losing him."

"YOU HAVE A SISTER?!" Everypony shouted.

"YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T HAVE A SISTER WHEN . . . after . . . after we fought in Everfree when Fluttershy was having . . . issues." Rarity said.

Cheerilee hung her head. "We . . . were unhealthily estranged for a good while."

"However." Forbidden Fruit grinned, "As a business mare, I am within my legal right to refuse service."

"BOOO!!" Everypony shouted. They all now decided did not like this mare.

Cheerilee's jaw dropped at her self sacrifice being torpedoed.

"I can see it." Fluttercruel padded closer and peered at Red Gala more closely. "I can see how they go together. I bet I could slice them apart!"

Red Gala backed away in a hurry. "Excuse me! No pony or wolf is going to..."

"And I could mend them again," said Fluttershy in the same wolfy growl.

"Cruel to be kind."

"But, but... if we did that, we wouldn't be a pony any more. We wouldn't be *together* any more."

"Aw, mom, you know we can always be together, even if we're not in the same body. Hey, don't cry like that! You're getting the suit wet."

Forbidden Fruit scoffed. "You're never going to get what you want without a little sacrifice, but do you really want to sacrifice *that*? And then trust your family to a couple of rank amateurs?" She gave Rarity her most charming smile. "Take the sure way."

Rarity frowned, though, and walked past her, over to the What-If Machine. "What would happen if the Flutters did what they're thinking of?"

The screen lit up, showed them a silent view of Princess Gaia and a young, unfamiliar draconequus swirling around each other in a complex spell, but then it glitched several times and showed only a blue screen with cryptic white letters.

"Huh. Did you break it?" asked Rainbow Dash.

Forbidden Fruit trotted whimsically in a circle. "Maybe they did. Maybe they broke Big Mac and Red Gala. Or worse! Who knows?"

Rainbow Dash got right in her face. "I bet you know, you being such an expert and all. Can they do it or not?"

The sealed goddess started to say something, then remembered Applejack with her Truth, standing nearby. "That doesn't relate to a deal to free me. I don't have to say anything to you."

"Oh I can MAKE YOU talk!"

"OoooOOOooooh!" Forbidden Fruit grinned like a shark. "You don't want to try that little pony! I may have my true power sealed, but I PROMISE YOU, like any business, I still have the legal right to DEFEND MYSELF, and I have many, MANY MEANS of that."

The old black and white video camera at Sweet Apple Acres meanwhile, held by Silver Spoon, recorded Applebloom looking at the family portraits confused, the image of Big Mac fading away rather quickly from all of them.

Red Gala now remembered when she had been jealous of her little sister skyrocketing to the top of the Canterlot pecking order during her birthday week when she was the one who had spent years in Canterlot, but ultimate the two reconciling.

The invasive goddess settled down next to Twilight Sparkle. "You're time is just about out Twilight Sparkle. No ex machina. No last second rescue. No sure fire way to torpedo what I'm offering. And after Big Mac is gone, you, and eventually sooner or later, the Flutters will be next. Now either bucking release me, or let me be on my way. My deal is dissolving along with Big Mac's existence, which . . . is just about at the point of no return . . . so make your buckin' CHOICE already!"

Red Gala's large muscles were fading from her body, becoming those of a slender graceful mare. And certain, other biological traits were already well on their way to finishing their transition.

"Make her swear by her Mother's name!" Maud suddenly spoke up. They all turned to stare at her. "If she swears by her Mother's name, she'll HAVE to keep her word."

"How do you know that?" 'Flutterlight' asked.

"I honestly don't know, but I'm sure of it," Maud said. "But she has to be specific enough so she can't make a loophole."

'Flutterlight' thought about it. "Okay. Forbidden Fruit, do you swear by your Mother's name that once freed, you will separate Red Gala and Big Macintosh without harming them, and without any hidden catches or loopholes? And do you swear that after you do this, you will never use your powers to do harm to another pony, directly or indirectly, or even unintentionally?"

The sealed Draconequus laughed out loud. "Fine, I'll swear to my COMPLETELY MORTAL mother who is long dead and in NO WAY capable of enforcing that swear."

Twilight's eyes widened. "What?!"

"Oh how I bucking wish I wasn't cursed right now, it'd have been so DELIGHTFULLY EASY to twist that one back on you," Forbidden Fruit replied. "My full name is Ispita Lilith SET, not TYPHON. I don't even know if I'm from a universe were the Elders EXIST. And why would I raise the stakes THAT high? YOUR the ones with everything to lose if you don't take my deal."

Twilight's face drooped.

Luna put a hoof on Maud's shoulder. "With all due respect, your knowledge is valuable, but you must be wise in interpreting it."

"Let me make this perfectly clear," the sealed Draconequus stated. "You're wasting your time trying to find a loophole because I LITERALLY INVENTED LOOPHOLES!"

Luna sighed. "Twilight, she's correct. As Spirit of Temptation, Ispita's purpose, though she long strayed from it, is to tempt mortals resolve and will. It's part of her EXISTENCE to be able to ensure those who give into temptation must live with the consequences of doing so. You're trying to beat her at a game that her entire existence came into being to play. She isn't like Discord who's mind games are a LEARNED capability, her deals are literally what she was born to do."

Ispita summoned an hour glass that had almost ran out. "This is how much time you have left before Big Mac is no more to the point even I can't save him."

The sealed deity smirked. "But how about another deal?"

Her horn glowed and a cloak appeared on her and a mirror hovored before her face. "I can still do a little spell to buy you a few minutes by delaying the inevitable, I'll buy you time...but in exchange, each minute I buy you, another Pony gets turned into glass."

"...That's a version of Porcina's cloak," Luna stated, pulling the ponies back slightly.

"Yes, I GAVE HER the instructions in my world in exchange for a lovely glass managery I still have to this day," Forbidden Fruit explained, giving a pose that'd make any stallion's heart race.

"You're crazy!" Rainbow Dash spat.

"No, I'm being honest: the spell to buy time would doesn't come easy, the price is actually CHEAP for what you're getting. So your choice Twilight Sparkle, or should I say Flutterlight, make the deal NOW, turn me down, erasing Big Mac from existance and causing goodness knows how much collateral damage, or buy yourself time by sacrificing others trying to find a third option that DOESN'T EXIST. What will it be?"

The witch materialized a contract and stabbed Twilight with a quill, presenting the bloodied quill to her. "It's time to choose."

The sand in the hour glass was nearly out.

Cheerilee looked to Twilight. "Twilight...if you need another minute, she can turn ME to glass first..."

Author's Note

Pony POV Series
Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show episode 10
PART 4
By Alex Warlorn

Pinkie Pie, "Automatic changing batteries AGAIN, whoa. And onto the froth part. This is gonna be a long one."

Parts added by:
Kendell2 (with a bit by Alex Warlorn at the end).
Dragon-Of-Twilight
Alex Warlorn
- Parts by Kendell2, then MtangaLion, and then with parts by Ardashir, and Dragon-Of-Twilight, and lots of parts by Alex Warlon
-Kendell2 and MtangaLion with parts by Alex Warlorn between and after
-Jarkes and Kendell2
-Ardashir, Kendell2, MtangaLion, Alex Warlorn, and inspiration from Dragon Of Twilight

http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/gallery/42867862/Pinkie-Pie-Forth-Wall-Breaking-Variety-Show

Pinkie Pie, "And here they are again, and again, for a forth time, Da Rule!
1. What you put in the comments appears in the story.
2. Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and I can't spill the beans about us being out-and-out fiction to the others.
3. The camera can’t leave the studio.
4. The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from “My little Pony”
5. Everything that happens here is non-canon (except the Tartarus break out thingie, but not the big battle).
6. Have Fun "

Cover by Kendell2
MLP FiM Copyright of Hasbro

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show epi 10 Part 5

"Cheerilee, you're not getting turned into glass," Flutterlight said with a sigh. "And neither is any other pony."

She looked at her friends, at Red Gala/Big Mac, and finally at Forbidden Fruit.

She didn't want to make this choice. She had had nightmares of releasing DISCORD at least once.

This was going to end badly, no matter what she did.

But no way in Tartarus was she going to deprive Applejack and her family of their big brother.

She stepped out in front of Forbidden Fruit, and snorted as she thought of the Shadows who'd done all of this. One in particular. One day, she promised herself, one day I'll get the answers I deserve from one of them at least.

If it's alright with them, I mean. Wait, GAH!

She shook herself and began to speak.

"In exchange for giving Red Gala Belle and Big Macintosh Apple both a life and existence of their own..."

"But of course we both have lives of our own, dear," Red Gala said, wondering why she felt a sudden chill. The other ponies nearby gasped at Twilight's words, all save the dark mare whose eyes lit up like torches. "Is every pony in this town crazy? Ouch!" She lifted her leg where she'd set it against some splinters and swiped away a small patch of her coat. Blood trickled from beneath it. She held it out towards Rarity. "Little sister, dear, do you have a bandage with you?"

Rarity gasped at the sight and the realization of how far Big Mac had faded into the suit.

Red Gala gasped at a realization. Why by Celestia's horn did I ask if the ponies in this town were crazy? That doesn't make sense at all! This is my home town! I grew up here with Rarity! I wish I had seen more of Sweetie Belle when she was growing up, that was my fault. But . . . WHY DID I SAY THAT?!

Red Gala's mane then changed, it ceased to be red colored version of Rarity's curls, and became wavery.

Except for her bright blue eyes and white coat, there was nothing to really tell she had ever been simply a stallion wearing a Rarity costume. Never again, as far as reality was nearly done being concerned, she never had been a stallion in a suit before.

"And in exchange for freeing me and the Flutters from the suits before we're lost as well..."

"No, Purple!" Fluttercruel yelled, "I, I"m sure Mom and me will find out own way out!... Somehow!"

'Twi, I," Applejack hesitated, wondering what if anything she should say. Condemn her brother her to nonexistence, and maybe her family to destruction? She shivered at new memories, of her living in Manehattan, of Applebloom coming to stay after Granny Smith -- the work had been too much, and their orchard, their home -- NO!

"I, Twilight Sparkle, Bearer of the Element of Magic..."

"Twilight, thou knowest not -- URRGHH!" Luna choked as something hatefully familiar began rising in her. With no Applejack in Ponyville, the Elements had not been complete that night two years ago, which meant in turn? Luna caught her reflection in a piece of broken glass, purple eyeshadow, dragon's eyes, and fangs bared in a grin of triumph as the skies of the Final Night began to darken outside. Luna clenched her teeth against the word that fought to escape from between them: "FREE!"

Luna felt her heart twisting, her dark side, forged of hate, revenge, spite, jealous, anger, emotion so repressed until they took on a life of their own, until they became an absolute truth when she finally couldn't ignore them.

No! There should have been other bearers ready to take up Applejack's mantle, even if Big Mac was gone too, and he was intended to succeed his sister if she proved unable, there are supposed to other ponies who could serve as Honesty if push came to shove! Just as Miss Cheerilee could have taken up the mantle of Kindness if Fluttershy's cowardice had gotten the better of her that night. That why part of why Celly sponsored this Ponyville being founded in the first place! What had gone wrong!?

"Do hereby free Forbidden Fruit from her bonds!"

"Oh, thank you, THANK YOU!" Forbidden Fruit laughed as her form seemed to ooze outwards from the pony-shape it had been so long bound in. She seemed to look out as Pinkie Pie did when dealing with the Shadows directly, a wind whipping her mane as she called, "And thank YOU, you wonderful, selfish, short-sighted, stupid Shadow! Oh, I am going to have SUCH fun when you end up in my claws one day!"

Red Gala felt a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. Like something completely and utterly awful was about to happen. And she couldn't shake the feeling of being incredibly guilty over what utterly awful thing was coming. "Rarity I'm sorry." She whispered not sure what she was sorry for.

The amulet around her neck cracked, rainbow colored light bursting out before it shattered. The sealed deity's eyes turned orange were white should be, her pupils becoming purple and resembling those of a Draconequus.

"Now, sp your condition doesn't wreck everything before I can finish transforming..." she said, putting a hoof to Red Gala's head, who'd feel like someone had put a door stop in her soul. "That should hold off the fusion completing itself for a few minutes...now, please excuse me while I change into something more comfortable..."

The unicorn floated into the air as a tornado of purple energy circled around her. Rarity shuddered, as if her Element of Generosity was in the presence of its polar opposite.

Rainbow Dash felt a strange urge to run off and demand her be made a Wonderbolt RIGHT NOW. Fluttercruel felt an urge to hunt down Photo Finish and DEMAND she be made a model. Rarity wanted all of Ponyville to shape up and stop acting like country sods and instead like a worthy neighbor of Canterlot. While their Elements protected them from anything more than a feeling, every being in the room felt their desires grow a little bit stronger.

The Queen Of Love and The Princess of Harmony's horns glowed, both protecting everypony present from the corruptive influence of the demon. Cadence making sure Shining Armor was safety within the protection of her magic. The QUeen of Love doing the same for her loyal subject.

Cheerilee felt like telling ALL OF HER STUDENTS to shape up already, to tell all of Ponyville's parents how THEY SHOULD BE raising their foals, to claim Big Mac for herself the way only a mare can the moment she became himself again. Cadence's magic washed over her, giving her a sense of sanity again.

Pinkie looked out the window to see the clouds above the studio darken like a storm was brewing. "Uh oh..."

Rainbow colored chains circled around Forbidden Fruit and shattered, resulting in the pony form beginning to crack before exploding outward in shards, revealing a purple miasma that gradually took the shape of a Draconequus before solidifying into a solid shape.

Her head resembled a more dragon shaped version of the one she had as a pony, the same color. She had the paw of a cougar, the claw of a dragon, the leg of a horse, a falcon talon for her other leg. She has one swan wing and one raven wing. Her main body is a deep purple color. A snake's tail curled around her legs. Her mane was in a long pony tail hanging off her back.

Her horns were antelope horn and an ibex, both curved back. Her form was far more shapely and, by Draconequus standards, incredibly beautiful. Even the ponies in the room couldn't deny she looked extremely attractive and tempting despite the monstrous appearance.

Miles away. Trixie heard an overwhelming booming voice in her head, she recognized it as the voice she had heard in her nightmares.

COME TO ME TRIXIE! REINCARNATION OF MAGIC STAR! WE ARE DESTINE TO BE ONE! Trixie held her head in agony.

"Mortals! Give into your inner beast! Let it loose! Let it roam free wild and free! Society says let it rot away behind bars in the zoo, but I say let it loose upon the world were it belongs! I am the temptation of power! I am lust! I am power's corrupting influence! I am the selfish black heart we all have! I am the devil on your shoulder that tells the angel to be still! I am the force that draws ponies to the Alicorn Amulet, the One Ring, and all the rest! I am the Hyde inside of every Jekyll! I am ISPITA LILITH SET! TEMPTATION UNBOUND!" the Draconequus announced as she emerged from her transformation and landed before Red Gala, who was still being kept stable by the spell she'd placed on her, preventing the fusion from progressing any further.

"First things first..." she said, snapping her fingers and causing the costumes on Fluttershy and Twilight to vanish into thin air, reverting them to normal. She then grabbed the trunk and threw it through a dimensional portal. "The easy part out of the way, time to do some surgery. This will sting a LITTLE bit, but you'll BOTH thank me when you have a tomorrow."

Even with the fusion temporarily stopped, Applejack found herself trembling, slumping to the ground. If she didn't come back from Manehatten...

She didn't awaken the Element of Honesty. Never saw the Blank Wolf, much less made friends with him. Never lived that other life and BECAME a wolf. "No!!" She had to escape, had to erase this fate, erase all of it... Someone seized her with strong hooves. She felt herself carefully hauled upright again, nose to nose with... "Snow Bound?"

"Sister," said the Blank Wolf's pony form. "No, Applejack. You must stay. HERE. Hold on tight to your existence AS A PONY and let her finish, or everything will come undone."

It was hard, it HURT... but the pain woke an Apple's stubbornness in her. "Yer right... Ah belong here. Ah belong... HERE."

The dark draconequus was hovering over them, watching curiously. "I see, now. If I had known I was doing you ponies such a favor... Still, a deal's a deal." Lady Babylon smiled, tapping her chin with dragon claws. "And tempting ponies who are freezing in the dark with a warm fire or a few grains is more Strife's work than mine. Shall we begin?" She snapped her fingers.

~Deep Within The Soul~

"So this be it eh mates?" Asked Steamer adjusting his sailor hat.

"Ah Reckion it does." Tex replied.

"Never thought our race would end this way." 4-Speed said.

"We aren't really going, we're becoming, better than being nothin'." Tex said.

"This is still a voyage we won't be returning from." Said Steamer.

"What . . . what is this place?" Red Gala asked, confused at the odd landscape. A crumbling pink villa. A decaying apple ochard. A run of ground steam ship. A race car that was without wheels. An abandoned ranch. An an appe orchard with no apples on the trees. And a Canterlot style steets and buildings slowly building over it by blue ponies with poison joke or a theater mask as their cutie marks.

"Inside the soul mi'lady, we're about to become one . . . And so was he with us." Steamer said point at a red stallion Red Gala recognized as Big Mac. Except . . . he was faded . . . like a ghost . . . less than a ghost . . barely an outline.

"But now that evil spirit is free, in exchange for you and he can exist as yer own ponies . . . and we'll be goin' with ya . . . so we can be somethin' again . . . never though it would be a mare, but ya be what ya be right?" Steamer said in his sailor accent.

"What . . .WHAT IS GOING ON!? Everything been so confusing since I entered the studio! And why did Rarity's friend need to make a deal with an evil spirit?"

" . . . To save you and Big Mac . . . you didn't need to be sacrificed to save the world." 4-Speed said.

"Those uses we were before?" Steamer said, "They didn't have a clue. Big Mac is more important than he ever imagined. More than some cheap perfect brothers who 'taught their little sister everything they knew' . . . what a cliche . . . but we were desperate, just to for ANY CHANCE to live again."

"Big Mac? What do they mean?" Red Gala asked.

" . . . He can't speak .. . because there's not enough of him left to speak . . . it's all gone to you." 4-Speed pointed.

Red Gala noticed the stream of light going from Big Mac to her . . . himself fading as it continued.

"No . . . I . . . I don't want to KILL ANYPONY!"

"Oh worse than killin' mi'lady, he's gonna go poof. And that'll make a lot of ponies lives harder . . . but it ain't fair ta ye to go down with the ship, the girls they knew this . . . so why good old Twilight made the deal she did. Heh. First Twilight's wish magic couldda fixed this up I bet." Steamer boasted.

"TELL WHAT"S GOING ON!!!"

4-Speed sighed. " . . . Red Gala Belle . . . you were never supposed to exist."

"That's stupid! My parents wanted me!"

" . . . Not what he meant mi'lady." Steamer said.

And she was told the truth.

"I . . . I was an ACCIDENT?!" Red Gala cried.

"Ya shouldn't have told'er that." Tex said.

"Sorry, being in the radiance of a light of existence . . . I think it's makin' me feel again." Steamer said.

"Why . . . why tell me such a horrible thing?" She cried.

4-Speed said. "Because you should get a say in this. Because Big Mac can't speak right now . . . Except ya know . . . he wouldn't want to KILL somepony to save himself, anymore than you would . . . you have HIS HEART after all. That evil spirit? She's gonna cause harm like ya won't believe." 4-Speed said, "We bunk mated with some of her victims who made a final deal to never be born."

~Outside the Soul~

Red Gala said, "I refuse."

"WHAT?!" The evil spirit boomed.

"I'm practicing my right to refuse surgery. You were all calling this surgery of the soul right? Well, I have the legal right as a citizen of Equestria, since I'm conscious and, I believe so at least, of legal age, that means I can formally refuse a procedure, even if it's one to save my life. I refuse. You said you could pull a heart out of a pony no problem? I bet the Princesses can too, that means that they can rip Big Mac's heart out of me instead."

" . . . YOU CAN'T DO THAT!!!"

"And it means your contract is invalid."

"She is technically within her legal right Ispita." Luna gasped.

Rarity blinked away tears. SHe couldn't resist the memories of this big sister. Who had flaws, and virtues the same as anypony.

"THE DEAL'S ALREADY MADE! SHE CAN'T BACK OUT!! Now do you mind, I'm about to double this mare!"

And so she solemnly sweared- Pinkie Pie thought.

The door opened, Pinkie Pie zoomed to see Coffee Swirl, taking the coffee in his hooves and downing it in one gulp.

"THANKS! Something even stronger than the coffee you drank to charge yourself up before fighting Morning Star? Thanks! And you're gonna need that sword to keep off Miss Temptation over there! You don't really have any overwhelming wants, so her magic can't really effect you direcrtly."

"THAT WAS FOR RED GALA AND BIG MAC YOU STUPID IDIOT!" Coffee Swirl snarled. "The power of my magic copy should have safely separated them!"

"Sorry. I don't think it would have QUITE worked like that since their inner light would have still been one piece! I'm gonna need that coffee in my tummy more TO HELP Red Gala and Big Mac!"

Pinkie breaking more laws of physics than normal, grabbed a portable camera from the supply closet. "THE SHOW MUST GO ON!"

Then she grabbed a hold of Red Gala. "Do you want to die? And do you want Big Mac to die instead?"

"NO AND NO! But a lady wouldn't stab somepony else in the back just to save herself!"

"GOOD ANSWER!" She looked around at her beloved 40th Wall studio. "And I get the feeling I'm gonna have to completely rebuild the studio after this is over." Pinkie Pie sighed. "BE BACK SOON GUYS! KEEP HER BUSY WHILE I'M GONE! Rarity, I'm borrowing your big sister!"

"YOU ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE!" Ispita snarled.

"OH yes WE ARE!"

"Twilight, can you create an anti-teleport ward on the all of Ponyville and most of everfree?"

"EVEN I'M NOT THAT POWERFUL! AND NOT WITHOUT SO MCUH TIME THAT-" Coffee Swirl without a word opened Twilight's throat and poured a spare cup of the extra-special mix down her throat.

Twilight shuddered, looking ready to explode, but the anti-teleport field appeared.

Pinkie Pie took hold of Red Gala and zoomed at Pinkie Pie speed out the door.

"Too bad for you the inside of this studio exists outside of Ponyville due to its nature." Ispita growled. She napped her fingers.

Instantly appear were ponies, all with glowing orange eyes.

The Flim Flam brothers. A Diamond Tiara. A SCOOTALOO. TWO Rainbow Dashes (both with bloody hooves). An Applejack and an Applebloom. A Trixie. THREE Pinkamenas. The residents of Sunnytown as normal ponies. Three mutant Flutterponies with fins instead of dragonfly wings who were familiar to Luna only.

"BRING THEM BACK HERE!"

"Yes Mistress." Her horde obeyed and charged after Pinkie and Red Gala.

Shining Armor brought up a force field to block them but Ispita PUNCHED through it. Her paw stinging after.

"WHAT THE BUCKING TARTARUS?!" Applejack screamed.

"I've been to many world lines . . . you'd be surprised how desperate some ponies can get."

Rainbow Dash asked, "If you have versions of us as your slaves, why did you need US?"

Lady Babylon chuckled, "Oh, they're just warm ups and ponies who I decided to give an alternate deal to when they STILL wouldn't release me. Or ones who betrayed their Elements so far they could no longer free me."

Pinkie Pie looked back at the horde following her. "Luckily I don't think she's ever heard of 'conservation of ninjutsu' before!" Pinkie Pie said looking at her portable camera still holding onto a screaming Red Gala as she super sped through Ponyville, still in flux between different timelines, and to where she hoped to find the solution to all of this.

Ispita meanwhile, summoned an imitation of the One Ring, and on her other limb an ORNAGE LANTERN ring, the flash stone, a soul eating sword that moved on its own, and that looked like an Alicorn Amulet!

"And you say she isn't a Mary Sue?" AJ asked Snow Bound.

"She may be a goddess. Those objects however ARE a contamination! EN GARD INVASIVE GODDESS!" Snow Bound became the blank wolf.

"Don't mistake me for a Invert little doggie, you can't bite me and expect me to go poof!"

"let'S seE abouT youR toyS theN!" The wolf pup snarled.

In a flash, AJ was the Opaque Wolf.

The GOOD Queen Chrysalis, Cadence, Luna, and Twilight Sparkle, and Shining Armor,all fired at once at the goddess, while the rest charged ready for battle.

"Here we go." Coffee Swirl rolled his eyes and drew the haunted sword.

Ironically, the first one to get through . . . was Cheerilee?

"WHAT THE TARTARUS ARE YOU DOING?! YOU WANT THIS MORE THAN ANY OF THEM!"

"Because this made me realize . . . BIG MAC WOULD NEVER WANT TO BE SAVED IF IT WAS THROUGH HELPING A MONSTER LIKE YOU!!!!!" Cheerilee screamed and she head butted the goddess.

Back with the portalable camera, and the horde of ponies who had sold their souls to Forbidden Fruit, Pinkie Pie had taken Red Gala into the Everfree. Going through some nasty briar patches.

"OW! OW! OW! Pinkie Pie! Where in the hay are we going?!"

"THE ONE PLACE THAT CAN SET THIS RIGHT WITHOUT US LOSING ANYPONY!"

"I believe you'll find it that way." Pointed a pegasus with a clock work wing.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" Pinkie exclaimed.

"Thanks for foolish little ponies, I've been tied up in knots, and my children aren't quite enough to fix everything. I'll need to have a word with them about letting things get so bad mama needs to step in. And I need to finish that chat with sister Luna too it seems."

"So my idea doesn't count as cheating?"

"I had accepted this possibility the moment it was suggested as a world line . . . but sadly Twilight Sparkle had to accepted or reject Temptations offer first since I took a vow not to provide third options in such situations. Oh, and just to hedge bets."

She touched her feathered wings to Red Gala. Who gasped as a realization hit her.

"Beauty . . . can be truth . . . truth can be beauty . . . " In the vault, the Element of Honesty shined again, and Luna stopped having visions of her Nightmare Moon self ruling over a world of endless night.

"Just in case a sacrifice is needed to stop Temptation after all, you won't have to worry about missing an Element of Harmony." She said to the newest Element of Honesty. Applejack feeling the same odd presence that Twilight did when Trixie first awoke as an Element of Magic.

"Thanks weird pegasus lady with clockwork wing!"

"I suggest you get back to running, the horde of Ispita's contract slaves is right behind you."

"OH! RIGHT!"

"HII-YAAA! Sorry about that Applejack, I know you wouldn't have done whatever it is you agreed to if you had a choice." Rarity said after she delivered a flying kick to the head of the contract slave Applejack.

The contract slave Applebloom for a moment showed dismay of her sister getting hurt. Her Applejack had sold her Applejack's soul to Ispita to cure Applebloom of the Blank Curse after Applebloom had come back to the farm an undead pony after all. How could you say that wasn't love?

"RARITY?!"

"You . . . "She puffed. "Are a hard pony to catch, thankfully the nice mare with the clockwork wing offered me a lift. I'm just going to buy you some time. You have a plan yes? I can tell this isn't your old nonsense . . . that isn't who you are anymore."

"I think the readers get that." Pinkie Pie grinned. "But Rarity, there's no possible way-"

"I AM GENEROSITY IN THE GUISE OF A PONY! I AM FIGHTING FOR MY SISTER! I WILL HOLD THE LINE!" Rarity shouted. "I SHALL NOT LOSE TO SLAVES OF TEMPTATION!"

"Sis! Don't do this!" Red Gala begged. " . . . I'm not real."

"You! When did you . . . you're real now. Go Pinkie!"

"Gotcha!"

"RARITY!!!!"

Pinkie Pie spotted it. What she had been looking for this whole time. The hole leading to the Mirror Pond. The one way to separate Red Gala and Big Mac, and both being given a light of existence of their own. . .

Just like those many clones had had their own lights of existence, had souls, before Heart World Twilight deleted them to ferreted the real her out.

Pinkie Pie allowed herself a moment of pity for the innocent clones Pinkies in the heart world. Then she jump down the hole to where somewhere the Mirror Pond lay waiting, Red Gala still calling for her little sister.

'If Red Gala and Big Mac safely become two existences on their own, then big ugly Girl-Type Discord-But-Not-Discord won't be able to fulfill her end of the deal and she'll have to seal herself back up!'

Ispita and Cadence both fired magical beams at the same time. The two blasts collided and canceled one another out like matter touching anti-matter.

"What? That was...strange..." Cadence admitted.

"Little Temperance Tarot, don't you know?" the Draconequus asked. "Temperance is self restraint, we are the two forces that battle in the hearts of every mortal..."

Ispita slipped on her One Ring copy and vanished from sight. A few seconds later, she found Ispita's snake tail wrapped around her neck like a boa constrictor. "But unfortunately for you, I've had three thousand years to stockpile evil artifacts that only I can use safely."

She threw Cadence hard to the ground and then attempted to turn the Alicorn to glass with a spell from the magic cloak.

Shining blocked it with a shield spell, though the shield ended up with a lair of glass on it. Cadence stood back up. "That's fine, I have Shining Armor."

Ispita then had to use her Orange Lantern Ring to shield herself from a twin blast from both ponies.

~IN EVERFREE~

Rarity leapt back from a sonic scream from the three sirens who seemed strangely familiar to her.

"You know, if Ispita hadn't resurrected us weakened, we'd ALREADY have won," said Aria Blaze.

"Yeah, but wouldn't she be stupid to trust us to obey her at full power?" Sonata asked in her normal ditzy fashion.

Adagio faceclawed. "Unfortunately, the old witch isn't stupid."

The trio prepared to try and blow the mare away again, but another sound wave fired and canceled the attack out. "What?!"

"Hello, Adagio, long time no see."

Rarity blinked, turning to find herself facing Melody, now with two wings that looked strangely like Cadence's on her back. With her was her old band the Rockin' Beats. "What?"

"Reality is being bent in so many knots, Mortis said we could come help you, Rare. Like I would've let even him stop me from helping my descendant," Melody said with a smile. "Ready to have a good old Battle of the Bands, Adagio?!" she asked her old rival. "Unless you feel like repenting and coming back with me to Heaven. I'm an Angel of Music so I can give that offer!"

"Never! I LIKE being this way," the Siren replied, but gave a shark like smirk. "But I can't say I don't like the idea of us having one last battle," she said, but gave a snarl at her old friends that were on the Beats' side. "I thought you hated her."

"...We've had a long time to reconcile," Sweet Notes replied. "Please! If you valued our friendship at all, don't do this!"

Adagio snarled in rage. "No. If you're with her, you're against us. Simple as this. Now let's battle!"

"Welcome to the show
We're here to let you know
Our time is now
Your time is running out,"

"Sorry Adagio, but this isn't our show any more, and we can't let you run rampant," said Melody. "A one, a two, a one, two, three!"

"Sweet music...ooh, sweet music
That's what I hear then you appear
Sweet music...ooh, sweet music
Life is in tune when you are near…"

Rarity felt a second wind as her family's ancestral song collided with the Siren's magic music, and did a spinning jump kick to the head of a Rainbow Factory Rainbow Dash.

However, the two good forces didn't notice one Pinkamena who wore a top hat and a black cape slip away and pursue Pinkie and Red Gala.

~AT FORTH WALL STUDIO~

Steel clanged on steel as Coffee Swirl blocked a strike from Ispita's floating sword. While possessed by several spirits, the sword itself did not have a soul to steal, so Squire, Patch and Logan were safe, provided they stayed in the sword.

"I am getting more and more sick of being the plaything of a bunch of incompetent deities."

"YOU DARE BLASPHEME US WHILE WE ARE HERE!?" Luna had reverted to the Royal Canterlot Voice again, deflecting a blast that vaporized part of the floor.

"I BLASPHEME ALL OF YOU! NOW SHUT UP AND FIGHT, PRINCESS CAPSLOCK!"

Ispita laughed out loud to Coffee Swirl's statement. "Oh I AM SOOO MAKING THAT MY RING-TONE! That was hilarious! I've heard some blind self-righteous smack talk before! But that takes the cake! Bwahahahaha! Ow! My sides!" She fought with her lower limbs as she laughed so hard she hugged her stomach.

Doc Kabuto just stared at what Coffee Swirl had said. "That . . . is the hideously RACIST statement I've ever heard!"

"WHAT?!" Coffee Swirl.

Love Queen Chrysalis said, "Concepts aren't an elected office, nor are they some super-powered upper class, nor are they an inherited monarchy. They are living pillars doomed to hold up the weight of creation for all existence. You call the wind and tides incompetent in your foolishness."

Applejack slapped him. "Ah may not like Ma Fate, but incompetent is the LAST THING SHE IS!"

Cadence slapped him. "Auntie Luna has worked hard to win back Equestria's acceptance, and worked even harder to become a better pony, don't you dare call her in competent!"

Twilight Sparkle slapped him. "I AM SICK OF SELFISH EGOTISTICAL NOBLES CALLING TEACHER INCOMPETENT! And I'm ashamed for you to hear YOU say that! She's worked harder and longer than any pony alive!"

Shining Armor slapped him. "MY WIFE IS NOT INCOMPETENT! YOU HAVE NO BUCKING IDEA HOW MANY SLEEPLESS NIGHTS SHE WENT THROUGH! Just to make sure changelings who had nothing to do with the invasion weren't persecuted and were allowed to peacefully become citizens of Equestria and to get their zebra slaves the independence, self-determination, and freedom of choice they needed to make their own decisions! YOU FLANK HOLE!!!!"

Fluttershy slapped him. Well, more like a light tap.

"Angry at me for blaspheming against YOU Princess Gaia?" He sneered.

"No. That was for Fluttercruel, she is half-Draconequus after all. You were insulting her too. And I don't like ponies who insult my daughter, especially with how far she's come from . . . from the horrible way she was before . . . to the good friend she is now. And you WILL apologize young stallion!"

She shifted to Fluttercruel who then slapped him again. "Sorry Swirl, but that one WAS for mom! I knew she screwed up, and screwed up badly. AND I KNOW SHE HURT YOU! SHE KNOWS SHE HURT YOU! But she's been making it up every inch of the way with ponies who GENUINELY have been benefiting from her gifts! Not just her forcing them on others! Sorry, but you ARE being a jerk-flank."

Maud Pie slapped him. "For you, Goddess of Nothing?"

"I have no idea what you mean. I was slapping you for Pinkie Pie. The cat tribe worship her as a goddess from what I've heard, and my little sister is NOT incompetent! She's a clown, but that's her special talent! AND I'M PROUD OF HER!"

"OKay! Okay! I get it! I was being a racist flankhole! I get it! I bucking apologize! There was nothing common sense or bad ass about what I said! Now can we get back to fighting?!"

"Actually we were. Your flank-holish statement, was so over blown, and so ridiculously racist, and self-centered, that it was beginning to feed the goddess of Temptation over there. So we had to get back humble, dutiful, zen-like, one-with-himself, knows-who-he-is, Coffee Swirl back first." Pinkie Pie explained.

"Oh. Okay. I get it. I was being a jerk. And insulting a lot of decent forces. I apologize for real. Now let's get back to it!"

Maud Pie added, "And thank you by the way. For finally choosing to do something."

"Ditto." Fluttercruel said and kissed him on the cheek.

Coffee Swirl blushed. "FOR MY GODDESS FLUTTERCRUEL!" He shouted. His soul sword suddenly glowed bright white, and shattered the sword eater sword to pieces with one swing.

"HEY! You break it you buy it!" Ispita snarled.

"Buck you." Coffee Swirl said, none but the subject disagreed with him.

The Opaque Wolf snarled at Ispita's new rings. "Ah thought we done took away your toys."

The draconequus waved her cougar paw lazily, directing the floating sword while hardly seeming to pay attention to it. "Hello? Full fledged Concept here? Oh, little wolf, what's it like to have so much power, and still be completely out of your league?"

"Shut up! Snow Bound, you get her left flank. Ah'll... Where'd ya go?" AJ narrowed her eyes at that witch. "What did you do with him?"

She laughed. "Temptation is a trial that all creatures..."

"... must face alone, in their heart of hearts," she told the Blank Wolf, on a high mountaintop, in whipping and gusting snow.

The Wolf growled deeply, glancing left and right, but there were sheer cliffs on every side.

"Now... what do YOU want?"

He planted his forepaws firmly. "I am the Blank Wolf. I want nothing..."

Ispita stuck a forked tongue out, making gagging motions. "Ooh, I am the big scary Blank Wolf," she deadpanned. "I'm a thing with a purpose. Blah, blah, blah! We both know you've grown beyond that, pup." She stroked her chin. "Applejack! That's what you want." She wrapped around the Wolf, crooning in mock sympathy. "Your only friend."

"In this life," snapped the Blank Wolf, taking a swipe at her, but his paw passed through purple smoke, which quickly reformed.

"You are immortal," said Ispita smugly. "And if she has her way, she won't be. She'll die, and you'll be all alone again."

"And you can 'fix' that?" said the Wolf guardedly.

"Of course!"

The Blank Wolf held his tail low and folded his ears, claws driving right into the stone beneath the snow. "And my wishes, my pain... should deprive her of her choice... why?!"

She blinked, seeming taken aback. "Why, because it's what you want. Does there have to be another reason?"

The Wolf tossed his mane and HOWLED. Snow banks tumbled, and the very stones and even the air itself shattered, cracking open. He glared back at her over his shoulder. "You waste your breath, tempting me." He sprang through a crack in the air, escaping.

The two wolves nuzzled. Then,

"THAT'S HORSEAPPLES!" Applejack said. "TEMPTATION IS THE ONE THING SOMEPONY WHO HAS FRIENDS NEVER HAS TO FACE ALONE!!!" The Opaque Wolf, given expressed permission to harm rogue concepts, like Discord, Morning Star, AND Ispita, clawed Temptation's face . . .

"MY BEAUTIFUL FACE!"

"Let's make both sides match!"

"AGH!"

~IN EVERFREE~

"It's down here Red Gala! Now remember the chant I told you! You have to say it word for word or nothing will happen."

"Will this work?" Red Gala asked.

"It has to." Pinkie Pie said. 'The one-who-makes of this world approved of the world line where Octavia's innocent clone made by Rarity's black magic in the heart world was resurrected when Ocatvia chose to use the mirror pond. That means there's a precedent for this! Which means it WILL work!'

"She can't say the chant if her throat is sliced open."

Red Gala and Pinkie Pie stopped. Between them as a large glowing pond, was a Pinkamena with glowing orange eyes, wearing a top hat and cape. Except she managed to make it not look cliche.

"I am Miss Pie, though the role I am known for more is Edward Hyde. I'm not like the others. I WILLINGLY serves Ispita! She's everything I am!"

"YOU CAN'T KILL HER!" Pinkie Pie pointed out, "IF you do, Forbidden's contract can't be fulfilled and she'll be sealed up again anyway!"

"True. But I think with a sliced open throat, she can't say the chant, and I know enough about medicine to keep her alive long enough for Miss Ispita to perform the ritual."

"So all I need to do is keep you busy long enough for Red Gala to sing the chant, use the pond, and Forbidden's mean party is ruined."

"You forget. This was all Big Mac's fault to begin with. He chose to put on that costume instead of get over his fear of women. It's his own fault."

"And I'll help him." Red Gala said, "Because that's the right thing to do. His sister and my sister are dear friends after all."

"No Pinkie Pie has ever proven stronger than Edward Hyde!"

"Well I'm gonna be the first then!"

"Famous last words!"

"Don't count on it! Remember the words Red Gala!" Pinkie Pie fired a party canon right at Edward Hyde.

BACK IN THE STUDIO:

Ispita howled, her voice broken teeth scraping over slate, as the Blank Wolf sank its fangs into her clawed hand with the Orange Ring on it. On the other side the Opaque Wolf drove its fangs through her hand with the One Ring on it.

Both cursed artifacts vanished along with the claws they'd been on.

"You mangy mutts!" Ispita flung both wolves away. "Do you have any idea how hard it was to get both of those?" She backed away from them and the ponies, snarling. She reformed her hands as the, or A, Alicorn Amulet came to her throat, shining like a dark star and the air hissing around it...

Just in time for Rainbow Dash to Sonic Rainboom her right in the face. Ispita smashed into the wall and peeled off from it, little blue pegasi circling her head before she reinflated herself. She reeled as the pegasus drove home several dozen hoof shots to her scarred face and jaw.

"Forget it, lady!" Dash said as she gave her a few more punches. "I'm sick of villains hurting ponies I care about! We're not turning you loose just so Red Gala and Big Mac can come back, we're gonna save them in spite of you!"

Ispita growled and grabbed.

"Dash, look out!" Fluttershy was just a moment too slow as Ispita twisted the wing joint between her claws. Dash dropped with a yell, her wing flopping.

"My wing..." Dash hissed against her pain, and recoiled as a golden pegasus grinned at her.

"Wanna fly again, better than ever?" She asked in Ispita's voice. "Want your little orange horsefly to fly as well as you, to be your REAL daughter, for her rotten abandoning family to never return? I can do it all for..." Her voice broke off when Fluttercruel gave her a kick that snapped her jaws shut and sent teeth flying. Ispita waved one claw and repaired them.

"I'll fly again," Dash said with a snort, rising on shaky legs. "An' I'll teach Scoot ta be the best flyer ever! And even if her parents come back," her breath caught, "I'll always be there for her."

"Always." Twilight, Cadence, Love Queen Chrysalis, and Luna's horns both glowed, the goddesses' and Twilight's combined magic repairing the damage to Rainbow Dash's wing.

Maud Pie looked at the video monitors in the corner of the room . . . one of them still picking up the feed from Pinkie Pie's portable camera. She'd seen Rarity choose to take on the horde of Forbidden Fruit contract slaves herself.

"You. The blue pegasus."

"My name is Rainbow Dash!"

"Rainbow Dash . . . get help and go help Rarity . . . she's stalling the slaves all by herself. She needs help."

"When did Rarity run off?!" Twilight exclaimed, realizing what a truly chaotic mess this had all become. She couldn't even tell who was doing what where anymore! It was all madness! There were simply too many ponies involved in all of this!

As another of the wall had a giant hole blown in it as Shining Armor deflected an attack by the Flash Stone aimed at Twilight with his shield.

"No offense Rainbow Dash, but we think thou shall be of greater use there!"

"You're saying I can't handle this nag?!"

"Rarity is fighting TWO of thou!"

"Okay . . . good point. . . . Please everypony be safe. Uh, which way did she go?"

"Trust me. You won't miss it. Just head from here to Everfree." Maud said looking at the monitor feed seeing Pinkie Pie fighting Miss Pie and Red Gala trying to get around them.

RD nodded, then was suddenly trapped in a bondage gear that seemed tailored made for her body, she felt her self determination slipping as her struggles in it became less.

Love Queen Chrysalis blasted it to nothing, and RD resumed her flight.

Ispita snarled at the love queen, "You make me sick! You had so much potential and you threw it all away for BLECH! Love and compassion!"

"No, I threw away NOTHING and REACHED my potential. If was the wicked me that squandered it!"

"No, she came VERY CLOSE to getting what she wanted, if not for meddling idiots she'd have gotten it. You've done nothing of true worth here. Be gone!" Ispita clapped her hands, and a giant magic mirror appeared above both Love Queen Chrysalis and Doc Kabuto, falling on them both, leaving no trace behind. And the mirror vanished. "Back to your own world and stay there you pests!!!"

Then she drew a fancy looking set of knives, threw several at Shining Armor when his shield locked, then at the same moment, one threw at Cadence, she dodged it, mostly, but it did cut along her side, drawing blood.

The weapon flew back into temptation's hooves.

"CADENCE! YOU ARE DONE!" Shining Armor formed a box around the goddess and closed it around to crush her into nothing. She punched at it shattering it.

She sneered at the Flutters.

"What a failure of a Draconequus! You couldn't fight without your mother protecting you if you tried!"

"WHAT YOU SAY YOU NAG! Cruel! No! She's baiting-"

Then she stabbed Fluttercruel with the same blade as Cruelty charged.

"-you."

Stone spread from the stabbing, slowly petrifying the pegasus, leaving her helpless.

"Cadence can't help what she is, and you can't help what you are. Cadence's blood turns you to stone by mere reaction alone! As a lesser draconequus, you don't have the spiritual power to resist."

Meanwhile, while the odd mare Melody and her musicians were keeping the three evil flutterponies busy. But she still had the Flim Flam unicorns.

Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica: Hangyaku no Monogatari / Rebellion OST - Absolute Configuration

TWO bloody Rainbow Dashes. Trixie. Two straight maned Pinkie Pies. The seven earth ponies of Sunnytown. Applejack and Applebloom. And Diamond Tiara. And Scootaloo.

She screamed to herself in her head as she fought, and pummeled the now living and mortal Sunnytown ponies. These are not my friends, these are not my friends, these are not my friends, these are not my friends-

Rarity felt her two rear legs caught in Flim and Flam's telekenesis. Then her mane was turned into a HIDEOUS green mess by Trixie, shocking her stunned. Then she was rammed by the two bloody Rainbow Dashes at the same time into a tree. Then Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Diamond Tiara used each other as jumping stones and hit her in the stomach, making her gasp. Seeing Bloom, Scootaloo, and Tiara (who she hadn't seen in a year) attacking her was even more shocking. Then the Pinkamena came at her with bloody weapons, their mistake as Rarity's magic threw them out of their hooves as far away as possible, making them look awkward and confused, apparently that had never happened to them before.

Then the orange eyed Applejack kicked her in the jaw.

"Sorry 'bout this Rare, but Ah gotta obey mah mistress, Ah've gotta contract."

"Break it!"

"Can't. Sorry."

That was when Fleetfoot, Gilda, and Rainbow Dash came crashing in.

"But those are-" Fleet Foot's eyes widened.

"No time to explain just go for it!" RD shouted.

Fleet Foot pin balled around the enemy, knocking out the Sunny Town ponies.

Gilda's claws grabbed onto the heads of the two Pinkamena and slammed into the ground making an impact crater. "Wish this was a time when I'd have been able to enjoy that."

"KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN!" RD said zig-zagging around orange eyed Trixie before zoomed under her and knocking the magician on her back.

"WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THIS CRAZY PARTY?!" Rainbow Dash then screamed at the top of her lungs seeing Melody and her band keeping the sirens busy.

"TOTAL MADNESS!" Green maned Rarity screamed at the top of her lungs too.

"Sorry 'bout this Scoots! Don't know how that witch suckered you, but gotta do this!" RD said shook at Scootaloo, catching her off guard and fling her into the air before catching her and then doing a double chop to her neck, knocking her out.

"I said about the same thing, when I killed my Scootaloo." Said one of the bloody Rainbow Dashes, looking sick and distant.

"WHAT? HOW COULD YOU!"

"She failed her flight examine, DUH!" Said the other bloody Rainbow, this one grinning sadistically.

"It's the pegasus way." Said the first Bloody Rainbow. "Those who don't pass are turned into Rainbows, simply as that. The first bloody Rainbow Shivered.

"Why give somepony a second chance to fail?" Shrugged the second one. "All go the Rainbow Factory and are put into the pegasus device."

"W-W-WHAT!? THAT THING ISN'T REAL! IT'S JUST A BOOGY-MARE STORY!"

"I wish I lived in your reality." Said the First Bloody Rainbow.

"Oh grow up!" Said the second bloody Rainbow, "We mentored her, we trained her, AND SHE STILL FAILED US! Failures deserve what they get!"

"If she'd ever meant ANYTHING to you, you'd have saved her. The fact you killed her just proves you never did."

"SHUT UP!" Second Bloody Raninbow snapped.

"Abandoning her for one failure?! You call yourself the Element of loyalty?!"

"I'M LOYAL TO THE PEGASUS RACE AND CLOUDSDALE!"

"By being a monster and making it place of shame?!"

"She was never going to accomplish anything in her life!"

"My Scootaloo CAN FLY LOSER! And she's done a LOT to help Equestria! . . . Maybe you're the one who failed her?"

"I SAID SHUT UP!!!" The second Bloody Rainbow hissed blindly attacking.

The first bloody Rainbow followed. "I'm sorry. My contract says I have to obey. I have to murder you. Just like . . . I have to murder foals . . . "

"YOU HAD A CHOICE!!! I DON'T BELIEVE YOU COULD HAVE KILLED HER BECAUSE YOU WERE ORDERED TO!"

"I had to obey! It's my duty!"

"WHERE'S YOUR LOYALTY TO HER?!"

"The greater loyalty is Cloudsdale!"

"I'm MANAGER OF THE WEATHER FACTORY! I'VE SENT PLENTY OF FOALS TO THEIR DEATHS! WHAT'S ONE MORE?!" Second Bloody Rainbow said. "I can't play favorites. That would be lower than low."

"It's needed, for the greater good of Cloudsdale, and the pegasus race." Said the first bloody Rainbow. "Those foals would have only lived a life of suffering, and never adding anything to the world and would still have to be fed, and so maybe starve others. It . . it would be cruel not to.

"WHAT'S LOWER THAN LOW! Is IF YOU BELIEVE THAT HORSEAPPLES! PONIES AREN'T STOCK! AND YOU NEVER GAVE THE A CHANCE TO SEE WHAT THEY'D ADD TO THE WORLD OR NOT! YOU DECIDED IF THEY LIVED OR DIED BASED ON WHAT YOU WANTED! Killing somepony because they might suffer?! Because they might just be a drain on things?! THAT IS HORRIBLE!!!"

"THEY SAID THEY'D TURN FLUTTERSHY AND DERPY INTO SPECTRA!" The first bloody Rainbow screamed, her agony finally break through the power of Ispita's contract as she fell, covering her ears. "DAD! I CAN'T DO ANYTHING RIGHT! SCOOTALOO!"

"What a cry baby." The second bloody Rainbow Dash said before RD Sonic Rainboomed her at point blank range, deep within her, Rainbow Dash found she didn't care if this killed this monstrous version of her or not. The shock wave knocking EVERYPONY PRESENT off her wings and hooves.

Gilda was caught by the Flim Flams was slowly being plucked by their magic until Fleet Foot zoomed behind them and knocked their heads together. "Fastest of the Wonderbolts boys!"

"Diamond Tiara! Please! Appleboom! She can't hold you if you aren't part of her bargain! Just break the contract!" Rarity begged defending herself from foals.

"Ah can touch mah family without killin' em . . . Ah'm sorry." Applebloom said.

Diamond Tiara only grimaced. Like she didn't dare say anything.

"It was your mother wasn't it?" Rarity looked right at her.

"Be quite!" Now shouted the orange eyed Diamond Tiara.

Maud Pie back in the studio said, not really knocking how she knew what she was saying, it felt like the memories of a stranger. "If Red Gala and Big Mac become separate existences with their own lives . . . then not only will Temptation's contract be invalid, she'll have had no reason to have come here at all, this whole battle will be erased. And she'll have never been unsealed. Time should reset or thing be rewritten so the damage this entire battle is causing to reality won't have happened." Maud Pie said as she stepped out of the way of the ceiling nearly falling on her and the ceiling piece punched straight through the floor. "All red Gala needs to do is use the pond."

"ENOUGH!" Everypony froze as Ispita rose. her eyes frozen pits. "I am a freaking GODDESS, and I will NOT be ponyhandled like this!" She waved one claw and a roughly worked cauldron of black iron appeared beside her. From it, half-rotted deathly-looking pegasi oozed forth, arrayed in armor, their eyes hard as flint as they focused on the ponies. "Get them, Cauldron-Born!"

The undead pony warriors silently charged the ponies before them. Meanwhile Ispita lifted up the Alicorn Amulet and snarled words in a language unused since before Equestria's world was more than boiling gas in a primordial solar system.

Unseen by her, Twilight Sparkle worked a quick and silent spell of her own, her horn shimmering purple.

Trixie appeared before Ispita with a flash and stared at her in shock. "What is this place? And who are you, and what is..." Her voice trailed off as she saw the Alicorn Amulet.

"Take this, Trixie Mid-summernight," Ispita purred out, holding the Amulet towards her. ""Take the power that tempts you so. You know you want it."

Slowly, Trixie's horn began to glow purple and the Amulet drifted from Ispita's claws.

BACK AT THE MIRROR POOL:

Pinkie dodged, ducked, bobbed, and weaved... as Hyde looked on in confusion from the other side of the chamber. Ten feet beside her cake dripped slowly from the cavern wall where the party cannon had missed her entirely. Finally she couldn't take it any more and yelled:

"Just what are you doing?"

"Oh, this?" Pinkie stretched one last time. "Just keeping you busy." She pointed at Red Gala, approaching the Mirror Pool. Hyde whinnied and charged her, only to go sprawling as Pinkie stuck a hoof right in front of her. Pinkie dove on Hyde and both ponies vanished in a dustball. It ended when Pinkie leaped back from it, with the confused and furious Hyde bound by their own cape.

"Rule number one," Pinkie said in a voice oddly like Photo Finish's. "No capes!" She looked over at Red Gala, who looked down at her own reflection in the pool.

"And into her own reflection she stared," Red Gala said, feeling something in the Mirror Pool tugging at her.

"Say the words!" Behind Pinkie, more of Ispita's slaves charged in, with a rather battered Rarity still fighting furiously. From outside and past them could be heard the sounds of a battle of bands, the sirens versus Melody.

"Yearning for one whose reflection she shared." Red Gala said. She felt a tugging, like her body was wet clay and about to be yanked in half.

The once-undead Sunny Towners shrieked and charged. "NO! Don't let her do it! Don't make us those things again!"

Red Gala ignored them and focused solely on the words. "And solemnly sweared not to be scared at the prospect of being doubly mared!" She walked into the Pool, through it.

Felt nothing but wet as she exited.

Wet and wretched.

It didn't work. Big Mac is... gone.

Somepony spoke beside her.

"Eeee-nope."

"NO!!!!!!!" Ispita screamed at the studio.

Shining Armor felt it. The same feeling he got when the wolf erased Nameless. The world was restructuring. But this time to make room for a new pony. Like it had with him.

"Did you forget Concepts are immune to paradoxes? Whether this battle never happened or not I'll still be-" Ispita started...

The shattered remains of Ispita's amulet floated up and circled her. The spirit of another Draconequus emerged from it. He had the arm of a grizzly bear, his other a Coyote, one leg that of a deer, the other of a grey wolf. He had a skunk tail and elk antlers, while his wings were those of a bat and a raven.

"Ispita Ispita! The years have not been kind!" the other Draconequus said in a playful voice.

"PAKAK! YOU ROTTEN SPIRIT!" Ispita yelled in rage.

"You're right paradoxes don't effect Concepts, but my curse included a 'reactivate if she shoots herself in the paw' clause, cause I'm Karma you know and you've got so much bad juju, and you didn't complete your end of the deal. So back in the can you go!"

"NO!" Ispita yelled as the other Draconequus flew through her, leaving the now completed pendent back where it once had been. Rainbow colored chains snaked outwards and covered her, reverting her back to purple smoke then forcing her back into her unicorn body. "NOT AGAIN!"

"Sorry, sister-in-law, Karma's a word my Shadow refuses to type!" The spirit looked to the assembled ponies. "Oh...Hi, I'm the guy who shoved her in there in the first place," he stated with a bow. "World's rewriting itself and reception stinks when you're sealed in a locket! Don't have time for the normal big dramatic speech. Maybe I'll have a guest appearance in the future!" he said, disappearing back into the necklace.

Twilight blinked, looking to Luna. "Uh..."

"That was Pakak, the God of Mischief and Karma who sealed Ispita in pony form," Luna explained. "He is not our concern at the moment."

" . . . This, isn't over little ponies, you face the impossible every day, and one day, you will need my services, and you will free me, and I look forward to that day."

"I have a question," Maud Pie said to Forbidden Fruit.

"WHAT you waste of sub-atomic particles?!" Forbidden Fruit said, a thousand exploding suns insufficient to express her fury.

Maud Pie grabbed a hold of her. Then whispered in her ear. "What do you suppose is going to happen if you get caught, unprotected, in a reality reconstitution wave?" Said the being in the room who had first hoof experience.

Forbidden Fruit's fury burn rage turned to frozen fear. She pulled and tugged at Maud Pie's iron grip. She shaped her telekenesis like a crow bar to try and wedge herself free, but Maud wouldn't budge. She kicked and blasted, but the mare was even tougher than she looked. Her horn glowed but remembered Twilight still had that anti-teleportation field up.

"Please . . . " Forbidden Fruit said, more like begged, "I may not be me anymore after!"

"I know what you mean." Maud Pie said, NOT letting go.

Applejack was looking at the monitor, seeing a mare and a stallion next to the mirror pond from the view of Pinkie Pie's portable camera. "Big brother." She said, she had never been so happy to see him.

Forbidden Fruit started laughing. Applejack frowned, annoyed at being reminded of her, when she'd rather be bounding through the shadows to go hug his brother this instant. "Ah think she's finally cracked," she growled.

"Ignore her," urged the Blank Wolf. "You should be a pony, now. You don't want to be left out of events when the world changes."

"Oh, right!" She shifted right there, saw Cadence's knowing smile and Luna's brief nod, while Twilight and Shining Armor seemed only briefly confused. Applejack gave the Blank Wolf a curious look. "Say, what if you..."

Did the Blank Wolf actually look flustered? "I..." He shook himself. "Fool pup. Inserting Red Gala will be chaos enough without risking adding Snow Bound as well."

Forbidden Fruit started laughing again, and struggled against Maud Pie, who seemed to have a grip of iron. "We never got around to discussing what you want, Applejack," she hissed. "You could have had your life back. All of your wolf friends restored to you!"

AJ stamped a hoof. "Restored as your slaves, probably! Besides, Ma... Ah mean, Rota Fortuna is gonnna fix all this right up."

"Oh. Oh, that is too much. You think that Fate will just give you what you want? More ambitious ponies than you have tried!"

AJ's face fell a bit.

"Do you think she regrets what she did to you? Do you think she'll say she's sorry?! We aren't capable of it." The bound temptress blinked, shivered. "Oh. This is going to sting a bit..." Outside, the contract slaves were fading away, along with the damage done to the forest. Gaping holes in the studio walls started to mend themselves.

The Blank Wolf moved close by Applejack's side. "I trust Mother. She will deal fairly with you."

Applejack took a deep breath. "Ah guess that's good enough for me."

Pakak's aspect emerged from Ispita's necklace. "I just realized something," the spirit said, tapping his chin. "There's an aspect of me in this necklace. Reality rewrites won't effect the REAL me, but what will happen to the aspect?"

Ispita's eyes went wide. "PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF LAUREN FAUST GET THIS THING OFF ME! I DON'T WANT FUSED WITH THIS JOKER!"

Pakak gave an 'ain't I a stinker' laugh. "Well, either that or the aspect of me will become something else. But most likely that's exactly what will happen, Ispita! Not to mention Rainbow of Lights' magic that SEALED you in the first place. Two good forces, one evil, that should REALLY influence the drawing, don't you think?"

"I'm a concept of another world! If you let this happen, my world loses a pillar of reality!"

"No," Luna said, trotting over. "This is, as Pinkie Pie puts it 'non canon'. Your fate here has no effect on the world line from whence you came. You will become a part of this world whether you like it or not."

"Face it, Ispita Karma finally bit you!" Pakak's aspect stated, biting Ispita as a literal metaphor. "And better? I'm an aspect of KARMA, which means who WE become will be DELIGHTFULLY IRONIC given your actions! My guess? You'll become a GOOD influence on one of the ponies you've spent the last...oh, almost two chapters I think tormenting! Maybe a brother for Rainbow Dash like she wanted? A friend for Spike? Princess Skyla?"

"NO!" Cadence yelled at the last one. "I've already got two demi-god/goddess babies! I'm NOT taking another right now!"

Pakak sighed. "Fine, would have been so karmic for her to be the child of her opposite concept."

"NO! ANYTHING BUT A POSITIVE INFLUENCE! MAKE ME THE LOWEST CRIMINAL! A PETTY THIEF! A NUISANCE! ANYTHING BUT A GOOD INFLUENCE!" Ispita yelled, looking sick just thinking about it. "I AM THE QUEEN OF BAD INFLUENCES!"

"Karma is as Karma does," the Aspect of Karma replied, hugging Ispita to make SURE they fused when the change happened. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm also Mischief, so you'll still be a joker!"

Pakak also looked to Coffee Swirl and his haunted sword. "Hey Patch! Love your work! I've never seen one hero give more evil overlords karmic deaths in my life!"

"...Please tell me this will be over soon..." Ispita said, struggling to free herself so she could cover her ears. It was clear she and Pakak didn't get along.

"She really going to become any of those? Or is that other freaky Draconequus just razzing her?" AJ asked the Blank Wolf.

"There is not exactly a lot of information on what will happen. Concept come into existence in a different way in her world. The rules are different. And there haven't been exactly many instance. I think only two in this world line. . . . And one happened before I was created, when the World of Dreams had to be unmade. There is simply no way to tell. She is a complete being. The aspect is not. And while the magic of the rainbow of light did seal her, it is not the rainbow of light ITSELF that her pendant. It's possible she might just become a seller of enchanted objects whose fate of those who buy them are more poetic and ironic than sadistic and manipulative. She'll become a simply unicorn filly, though whose filly, it can't be said before it happens. Maybe she'll become a baby dragon. There is no way to tell. That is Mother Fate's domain."

"Please! Don't do this! I promise never to bother your world line again! Cross My Heart! Hope To Fly! Stick a Cupcake in my eye! Just let me go!" Ispita begged.

"No." Maud Pie said simply.

"I'll terminate my contracts with my slaves!"

"That'll happen anyway."

"PLEA-EASE-EASE-EASE!" Ispita whimpered. She looked ready to cry. "I don't want to die!"

"Now we both know how those ponies of the age of dreams felt, don't we?" Not-Maud-Pie said.

The petrification the Flutters vanished.

Before Trixie vanished, along with the Alicorn Amulet, Twilight gave her a hug. "Nice seeing you again Trixie."

Trixie had her eyes closed as she hugged Twilight back. If she looked at the amulet, she didn't think she could resist putting it around her neck.

With the super-telescopic lens that only Pinkie Pie could have, RD, Gilda, and Fleet foot looked around as the contract slaves, Flim Flam, Trixie, the Rainbow Dashes, the fillies, and Applejack all faded away.

The sirens cursed as the same thing happened to them, pulled back into their own world lines.

Melody and her rock band just took a polite bow as they vanished. "Looks like our fight is still undecided Adagio . . . too bad. And hope you ponies enjoyed the last anniversary concert of the Rockin' Beats."

RD and Gilda and Fleet Foot high hoofed each other. Not knowing this fight where RD fought along side of her idols and her reunited friend were about to have never happened. At least she wouldn't have to remember the suffering of seeing the two Rainbow Factory Rainbow Dashes.

Inside the mirror pond cave, with her portable camera, Pinkie Pie watched as Hyde, and the Sunny Town ponies all faded away as well.

She focused on Red Gala and Big Mac. "We are SO NOT missing this before reality resets."

"Resets?" Red Gala asked. Big turned his head.

"Sure! Big Mac's existence was being remade into YOUR existence. But now that you've been made two separate existences, reality needs to rework itself to account for BOTH of you! Don't worry, as the center of the change, you'll both likely remember this world line. So go ahead you two, INTERACT! Say stuff!"

"I'm right here TOO you know!" Rarity snorted. "So I'm not even going to remember that Red Gala wasn't always here?"

"She'll have always been here. So of course you won't remember her not being here. How can you remember something that wasn't?" Pinkie Pie said sagely. Pinkie Pie whispered to herself, "Of course, Sweetie might remember, hard to say."

Pinkie Pie pushed Rarity towards the three, next to the mirror pond. "Now you three have a nice heart-to-heart while the world gets remade!"

Pinkie Pie picked up the portable camera and zoomed in.

Coffee Swirl, for his part, merely hoofed over a cup of exceedingly bitter coffee to the Flutters.

"I know neither of you will remember it, but I really am sorry." He sighed. "Just one more thing to never mention for me."

"You!" Ispita shouted at the barista. "I can-"

"Not interested."

"You don't even know what I was going to offer!"

He glanced at the bound draconequus. "Name one thing that you can offer me that I can't get on my own."

Ispita's eyes darted around frantically as she tried to think of an answer, tried to get any sort of sense of what the pegasus would want more than anything. But nothing was coming to her.

"That's what I thought."

Then for no apparent reason the what if machine turned itself on. It showed Humdrum leaping off a falling construction site. There was no sign of his teammates to rescue him. Instead grabbed his cape and used it as a parachute to land safely.

"Rule number one, no capes. Rule number two, forget rule number one!"

Author's Note

Pony POV Series
Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show episode 10
PART 4
By Alex Warlorn

Pinkie Pie, "Whao. Don't think we've ever had one fill up that fast before . . . Well, in this show you decide what happens next, so here we go, decide what happens next, you readers, decide what happens next!"

Parts added by:
-Ardashir, Kendell2, MtangaLion, Alex Warlorn, and inspiration from Dragon Of Twilight
-Kendell2, Dragon Of Twilight, Alex Warlorn, MtangaLion, Alex Warlorn
-A crazy combo of Ardashir and Alex Warlorn's work! CHECK IT OUT!
-Kendell2
-Alex Warlorn
-MtangaLion, Kendell2, Alex Warlorn
-Dragon Of Twilight
-Alex Warlorn
-MtangaLion,Kendell2, Alex Warlorn

http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/gallery/42867862/Pinkie-Pie-Forth-Wall-Breaking-Variety-Show

Pinkie Pie, "And here they are again, and again, for time number five, Da Rule!
1. What you put in the comments appears in the story.
2. Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and I can't spill the beans about us being out-and-out fiction to the others.
3. The camera can’t leave the studio.
4. The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from “My little Pony”
5. Everything that happens here is non-canon (except the Tartarus break out thingie, but not the big battle).
6. Have Fun "

Cover by Kendell2
MLP FiM Copyright of Hasbro

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show epi 10 Part 6

In the cave, Red Gala blinked. "I... I remember the train ride this morning." She shook her head, tossing her fiery red mane. "But it's different now..."

~~~
When Red Gala stepped elegantly off of the train, levitating her travel bag behind her, she scanned the platform, and her face lit up. "Big Macintosh! It's wonderful to see you again."

"Always a pleasure, Miss Belle," said the red stallion warmly. They fell perfectly in step as they started down the road together.

"I hope I haven't put you to any great trouble," she said, teasing him mildly. "Surely you must have more important work than guiding a mare around her own hometown."

"Nope. It's no trouble at all, miss."

~~~
Red Gala looked to Big Mac. "Did you... Are we... ?"

Big Mac would have blushed, if his ears could turn any redder. "Nnnn... maybe?"

"What?" asked Rarity. "What?! Tell me! I am literally dying to know!"

Pinkie was suddenly in her face. "I think you mean figuratively," she said, with bubbly cheerful menace.

Big Mac flinched. "Hang on. Ah'm rememberin' something else..."

~~~
"Your drinks, miss," said the waiter. "Four ciders." He levitated them onto the table, then seemed confused, counting only three ponies, but he soon shrugged it off and left again.

Red Gala's favorite bar in Canterlot still had holes in the roof from the changeling invasion, but the staff had assured them that the rest of the building was sound. Applejack passed Big Mac and Red Gala their ciders, and pushed the fourth one over in front of an empty chair. "Here's to the Bearers of Honesty," she said, raising her glass. "All dang-blasted three of us."

"Eeeyup!" said Big Mac, clinking the glasses, then taking a generous gulp from his.

"This is a lot to take in," said Red Gala, taking a smaller sip. "I mean, I'm only a jeweler, not a soldier or adventurer, or somepony important."

"Well," said Big Mac. "Mah sister and Ah are farmers. Your sister sews dresses. Ah could go on..."

Applejack nodded. "That witch had her heart wrapped up in so many lies, even she didn't know what was true any more, but together, we *burned* those lies away. You made a real difference, both of you."

Halfway through their drinks, Big Mac gave AJ a curious look. "Ah'm getting the strangest notion that yer holdin' something back from us, sis. Must be the cider talking..."

AJ looked mildly guilty, at that. "No, that's your Element working. You'll get used to it."

Red Gala figited her hooves. "Does it have something to do with... Well, one is terribly embarrassed to be repeating common street gossip, darling, but I have heard a tale or two of... truth vision? Are we going to get... something like that?"

AJ laughed. "Nah. Ah was a mite worried at first... that's one of the reasons Ah wanted to see you again, just the three of us, but Ah'm pretty sure now that you're alright. You wouldn't get that unless you looked into the Truth itself, like Ah did." She held up a hoof. "Before you ask, no, you do NOT want to do that. Ah've seen things no pony should ever have to see." She glanced to one side. "It hasn't been all bad, but... Just put it out of your minds. Ah'm sure that if you ever really need it, Princess Luna will turn up in your bedroom in the middle of the night to tell you all about it."

The unicorn twitched. "Ah, thank you, darling. That's... quite reassuring..." AJ and Big Mac both winced. "Oops... sorry!"

The waiter returned. "Your bill, miss. Four... sorry, three ciders." He counted the bits that Applejack passed to him. "That is a very generous tip, miss. We appreciate your business."

BACK AT THE STUDIO

Ispita cringed before suddenly the image of a purple serpent erupted out of her, orange eyes staring back. She suddenly felt less...

The serpent flew into her amulet which for...some reason she was beginning to feel sentimental towards. Why? She's ALWAYS hated the bucking thing!

"What..."

"Your power was sealed...um...sorry..."

Ispita looked to see Fluttershy trot over to her. "What?!"

A little butterfly flew by Fluttershy. "It's...um...a way to make sure your new self won't be overwhelmed by the power until she's ready...or he..."

"...Great...My existence is officially ruined... This couldn't possibly get any worse!"

"Um...do you want to talk about what new memories you're getting? If you need help through them, I mean..."

The Goddess of Temptation looked at her blankly. "...What?"

"Do you need help with adjusting as you change?"

"...Why are you offering?!" Ispita said in complete disbelief. "What's in it for you?!"

"Because no pony else is offering. There's nothing you could give me now that'd mean one thing. I'm doing this because this isn't something that feels right to let somepony face alone."

Maud blinked, a part of her feeling curious. Like this was something it'd never seen up close before. She kept a tight hold on Ispita to make sure she couldn't escape though.

"...I'VE BEEN ACTIVELY TRYING TO MURDER YOU! YOU CAN'T JUST WANT TO HELP ME!" The Depowered Goddess of Temptation spat out, as if what Fluttershy was saying would DESTROY HER if she accepted it existed.

"I can, and I am," Fluttershy kept Cruel from objecting.

Ispita trembled before the KIND eyes looking at her. "No. Kindness like that doesn't exist! Everypony is a black abyss deep down! That's how it is!"

"...That's your excuse, isn't it?" Fluttercruel said, forcing herself to the surface. "That deep down everypony is just as ugly as you are?"

"It's not an excuse, it's the truth!"

"Really?" the Cruel to Be Kind Mare asked. "Then why Cheerilee chose to oppose you rather than let you run rampant even if meant losing Big Mac? Choosing what HE WOULD WANT, over what she wanted? Why is mom trying to help you? Heck, why does Rarity's Element EXIST if that were the case?"

"I..." Ispita found herself taken aback. Under normal circumstances, she could justify it, but in this case...after all she'd done, they still wanted to help her? It was such an affront to her world view it left her mind doing backflips. She had further difficulty when it was combined with the new emotions that were snaking in.

"How about the fact I was BORN in such a way that by EVERY logical reason should make me a BIGGER monster than you, but in the end, I have this?" Fluttercruel asked, her Element of Kindness sparking for a moment.

Ispita gasped, backpeddling from the glowing Cutie Mark like it was a lit torch. Or would have Maud didn't have her trapped.

Fluttershy took control again. "...I'm sorry, you're like Chrysalis used to be...someone who sees only the bad side of the world and not the good...But I AM Kindness and proof it exists."

Ispita looked down like her mind was breaking almost. "Hit me. Kill me. Hurt me. Throw me to my now freed contract slaves and let them rip me apart. Do ANYTHING but be KIND TO ME! PLEASE!" she BEGGED, like a broken mare. "PROVE KINDNESS IS A LIE! JUST DO IT!"

Fluttershy didn't give into the temptation to lash out against the mare in front of her who'd caused so much damage and suffering. Who literally was the cause of thousands of years of it. "No. I still want to help you deal with what's happening to you."

Ispita's head drooped. "...But...if you can show me kindness...that means..." she said fearfully.

"...You were never right. You weren't like everypony else," Fluttercruel stated evenly. "You're just a blackhearted monster who used that as an excuse to hurt people."

Ispita practically went catatonic. Untold centuries of using 'everypony's heart is as black as mine' as an excuse...torn down in a moment. A deep buried instinct spoke. "...You...win...Good job..."

Ispita's true purpose was to be a tester of mortal's will. The one who tempted them, but ultimately wanted to see them rise above temptation...and who made sure those who didn't suffered the consequences...Deep down inside, the part that should've been proud of Fluttershy for persisting to be kind instead of giving into the temptation to harm her now vulnerable enemy was what said those words.

Or was it the new mind and emotions surging in? Was she becoming somepony who liked seeing others get through trials? Her mind was too twisted in knots to tell.

Ispita started crying. "I...I forgot what it felt like to...even after what I did to you..."

"...Do you still want to talk?"

"Even after I caused this mess...I...I don't have a choice I...I guess..."

Both seemed a tad confused by the accent Ispita had taken on.

Maud looked at Fluttershy in amazement. "...Fauna Luster...so this is why you have such faith in your children...because when they can choose...sometimes they do choose to rise above..." a part of her muttered, feeling as if it'd come to a great realization. She looked to Fluttershy. "...So that's why she was the one who could move Discord's heart...."

Cheerilee, who everypony else seemed to have forgotten about, looked at the monitors as the story between Big Mac and Red Gala's meeting was retold. And she could feel new memories too. And she knew that soon, they'd be the only memories she'd have.

She rushed right at Ispita.

"YOU! ME! Deal! Now! I want to tell Big Mac how I feel earlier! The universe is being remade anyway!"

"I can't!" Ispita hissed. "My power is sealed again! How the Tartarus are you the only pony I've ever met who has been willing of their own free will to make a deal with me not once, BUT THREE TIMES, and I haven't been able to fulfill any of them!"

"But . . . I finally realized how much . . . that I didn't mind the idea of being alongside him." Cheerilee's ears drooped.

Applejack patted on the mare's shoulders. "It sounds like Red Gala and Big Mac are just good friends." AJ felt sick, she had said SOUNDS LIKE, ignoring the blush from Big Mac, which was looking. "I'm sure you still got a shot at 'em. Besides, she lives in Canterlot, you live here in Ponyville, long distance relationships don't really work out. I'm sure you'll realize ya like'em again. And Cheerilee, Ah wouldn't mind ya and Big Mac bein' together."

" . . . Thank you Applejack." Cheerilee hugged her. She was crying.

Applejack made a note to tell Cheerilee to stop beating around the bush after reality was done fixing itself up.

Speaking of which, Twilight and Fluttershy gasped, as the costume of Fluttergale the wolf, and Flutterlight the pegasus popped into being back onto the two mares, and the closed and locked trunk of enchanted costumes popped back into being.

Ispita got one last laugh. "I'm beaten. I lose everything. But because my contract is kaput, that means all exchanged are null and void. Including me getting rid of that trunk and that getting you out of those costumes. You're STILL going to have deal with them after this version of me is gone."

"How can that trunk have had costumes of Fluttershy as a pegasus and Fluttershy as a wolf?" AJ demanded. "Those costumes CAN'T have come from the same world!"

"They didn't. Your what-if machine STOLE THEM from my inventory after I gathered them from different timelines after I bought them from Rarities in legitimate exchanges. But since it did that on its own, and since the me that exists still in canon still has her store in her world, the trunk and the costumes remain."

Twilight still preferred the Fluttershy costume than the feeling of the Alicorn Amulet around her neck after Twilight had used an illusion spell to trick Ispita to putting it around her own neck instead of Trixie's, it was the kind thing to do after all. UGH! She hoped she and Fluttershy got of these costumes before they started losing themselves! "Rarity! You made these costumes so-- Oh right she isn't here. Auntie-In-Law, Sister-In-Law, Applejack, you can get these off right? Our cutie marks haven't changed. So we're still us! Get these costumes off us!"

In the caves, meanwhile, Rarity was just happy Big Mac wasn't blaming her for putting the shadows in the costume of herself to begin with, she guessed what would happen, but she had never intended an innocent pony to put on the costume while the shadows were inside.

"Something very peculiar suddenly occurs to me," said Rarity. "Pinkie, why did we gallop all the way out here, to this cave?"

"Oh, don't worry about that," said Pinky cheerfully. "I'm pretty sure that's going to not have happened soon."

Everything suddenly went pitch dark. After a moment, both of the unicorns lit their horns, revealing a wooden-floored room stacked with more crates and knick-knacks than a flea market. "Well, this doesn't make any sense either!" said an exasperated Rarity. "Whyever did we go in the prop room and turn out the lights?"

Pinkie stuck her nose into a box, then flipped something plastic into the air and onto her face. "To find my glow in the dark sunglasses, of course!" She bounced on out and back into the studio proper.

"This is why Ah stay at the farm," muttered Big Mac, following.

Rarity shook her head. "Let's go and see how the others are doing. My word, you're shaking! Red Gala, are you alright?"

"I am not all right," admitted Red Gala, a hint of a whine in her voice. "I not even certain what's real any more. Everything keeps changing!"

Rarity smiled, and nuzzled her dear older sister. "There, there. You don't have to deal with this by yourself. Haven't we always been there for each other, when it counted?"

--
Red Gala lay on her old bed, sobbing and eating ice cream straight out of the carton.

Little Sweetie Belle popped up at the foot of the bed. "Yay!! Bigger big sis is here!" She tilted her head. "Why's bigger big sis all sad?"

"Because my life is ruined!" she wailed, magically snatching another tissue and blowing her nose with it.

There was a knock at the half-open door, and Rarity pushed her way in. "I think you've had enough ice cream," she said gently, tugging the carton and spoon away and levitating them over to her little sister. "Sweetie Belle, dear, put this back in the freezer, would you?"

"Ooh, can I have some ice cream?"

"Just one scoop," Rarity declared. The filly got a sneaky look. "Sweetie, if I find that carton empty, you're not getting so much as a lick of ice cream for two whole weeks."

Sweetie Belle gasped in horror, and darted away.

Rarity sighed. "Now, will you tell me what is the matter? Please?"

Red Gala dabbed at her eyes with the tissue. "I quit my job in Manehatten."

"What?" said Rarity, honestly shocked. "But... why? That was your dream job!"

"Oh, Rarity, I thought it was." She had a faraway gaze, as if she could see the stars through the ceiling. "A job doing what I loved, for a firm famed throughout Equestria! The fabulous Manehatten night life! Everything I'd longed for!" She shook her head. "But it turned into a nightmare. They had me in a cramped room with a dozen other unicorns, producing the same gem cuts all day long.. dreadfully dull cuts that even a foal could carve. Every day, the pressure never let up... always another weekly performance review, always another mare or stallion champing at the bit to put in more hours or do the same work for lower pay..."

Rarity shivered. "I'd heard that Manehatten could be, well, a little cutthroat as they say... but I never imagined it could be as bad as that!"

"It was worse," moaned Red Gala. "Cutting gems is my special talent. Do you know what a horror it is, being suddenly inspired to create a masterpiece, and not even having a moment to make a sketch?" She shook herself. "I couldn't bear it another day, so I left. I'd hoped that mother and father could help, that I could work something out, but they're not even here... again!"

Rarity closed her eyes, gritting her teeth. "Sister... they've hardly been here at all. I've practically been raising Sweetie by myself."

Red Gala sat up, getting her hooves underneath her. "Why didn't you tell me? Do you mean to say... you've only had the bits I've been sending to pay for..." She seized another tissue, blotting her teary eyes thoroughly dry. "I feel ashamed. Here, I've been blubbering like a foal, while my little sister has been the responsible one. Well! I shall just have to return to Manehatten at once and beg for my job back. No, don't try and stop me..."

Rarity had a sudden, thoughtful look. "Do you still have much in savings?"

"Why, of course. I wasn't fool enough to hang around in Manehatten until that ran out. Why?"

Rarity lit her horn, a spark in her eyes. There was a thump down the hall, and a large box full of stacks of paper glided into the room. "I have a much better idea than grovelling to your former employer. I can open a business establishment myself, and you can help me!"

Red Gala stared, then began to laugh, smiling for the first time since she'd arrived in town. "Really, Rarity, it's good of you to try and cheer me up, but... oh." Rarity had unfolded a small blizzard of paper, hovering the sheets before her like a one-mare boardroom presentation. "Carousel Boutique? This is a lovely dream, Rarity... but a fine clothing shop, in a town where half the ponies only wear clothing on special occasions? Where's your market?"

Suddenly, Red Gala had a thick sheaf of papers thrust into her hooves. She floated and spread them with her own magic, scanning them quickly. "Questionnaires? Interview notes? How many different ponies did you... You've been doing market research!"

Rarity beamed. "There IS a market here, for stylish and practical clothes like these at fair prices." Yet more pieces of paper joined the others floating in the air, detailed dress and suit designs, lining up to pass by Red Gala for her inspection. If another pony had looked in the window, he might have thought the mares were practicing a stage show.

"Wonderful! Simply marvelleous!" exclaimed Red Gala. "You did all of this yourself?" She got a funny look and leaned to one side.

Rarity blinked. "What? Do I have something on my flank?"

Red Gala shook her head. "I had to see see if you'd suddenly sprouted a business-mare's cutie mark, or a sewing needle and thread, or..."

Rarity smiled at her three diamonds mark, and her sister's matching three rubies. "Why, it's just a special talent, dear sister. You can always get other talents with enough hard work."

"Wait, what's this?" Red Gala asked, noticing one last bunch of papers clipped together in the bottom of the box.

Her sister tried to grab that one back. "What? Oh, never mind that, it isn't important..."

Red Gala read the papers anyway. "A job application? Rarity, you were going to work in the gem mines? You?"

Rarity shivered, just thinking of all the dust and filth down there. "If I had to. I don't have enough bits saved up to open the Boutique just yet."

"But if I help..."

Rarity nodded along, getting more excited. "We could open it this very year!"

Red Gala smiled warmly, and bumped hooves with her sister at once, the way Manehatten ponies sealed a deal. "Dear sister, I've never been more proud. Yes. I do believe that we have ourselves an agreement!"

-

"Wait a second, Twilight," Cadence said, her horn starting to glow as she looked more closely at the Fluttersuit. "I've been studying shapeshifting magic since becoming the Changeling Queen. I think I can dispel this, especially since none of the mental or spiritual changes have fully internalized in yet..."

She broke off as Flutterlight yelled, "Please, Cadence! The explanations later, just get this thing off of me!"

Cadence nodded and concentrated. Her horn shone and both she and Flutterlight were obscured in the intense glowing of Cadence's magic.

Unnoticed by both, the costume trunk lay near enough to be covered by the glow of magic. Or had it slithered closer as they spoke?

Gilda and Rainbow Dash both flew in.

"Hey," Dash said, "everything's okay with Mac and Gala. I asked Gilda to come back here with me and make sure you're all okay, or did Gilda and me take a flight around Ponyville for told time's sake after Fleetfoot went to go get a gift for Big Mac? Ugh! My memories feel like mush! Hey..." She saw the trunk seeming to slowly crawl closer to Cadence and Twilight like some immense beetle.

Both pegasus and griffin flew at it, their wings wildly beating.

"Come on, Gilda, we have ta stop that thing before it causes more trouble!" Dash gritted the words out as she grabbed for one handle of the trunk.

"Yeah, okay!" Gilda snatched the other handle in her talon, claws scraping on the wood. "Yeesh, what kinda weirdo pony came up with these things -- YOW!"

The light of Cadence's magic covered both of them as well.

The magical light faded and Twilight... was still Flutterlight. She almost shrieked in frustration.

"Oh darn it, Cadence! This blasted suit -- not that I'm blaming you for anything." Flutterlight's eyes went wide as she realized what she'd said in that soft voice. "I mean!"

"It could be worse, Twi." A familiar voice said close by. Flutterlight turned and stared to see the Spa Ponies, Aloe and Lotus, standing right by her. Both of them wore looks of utter disgust on their faces. Lotus said in a scratchy voice, "In fact, it could be a LOT worse!"

Beside 'Lotus', 'Aloe' clawed furiously at herself with hooves. "No, no, NO!" She said in a rough voice like Gilda's. "After what I heard Dash tell me, no way am I going through what the big red stallion did! Or was it the other stories Dash told me about these costumes? Agh!" She felt her mouth. "Urrgh, I have lips! What happened to my beautiful beak? I could have sliced through this thing like an envelope if I had my beak!"

"You two stop complaining," Cadence said, her voice holding a rasp. The three ponies looked and whinnied to see Queen Chrysalis standing there in all her glory, save for Cadence's crown on her head. Her eyes narrowed and fangs half bared, she said, "You got off easy!"

"Uhh, honey?" Shining Armor trotted close, his eyes wide. "That IS you in there, right?" When she rolled her eyes, he weakly said, "Sorry, but with everything that's been going on here?"

"Twilight, even if it wasn't 'your' Rarity who did it," Cadence said, rising on her hind legs to scowl down at her armored body, "WHY did she ever make these things in the first place?" Her horn glowed and the suit slit down along her chest to her belly, allowing Cadence to remove it. She dragged herself from it, the suit seeming to let go only reluctantly as she did. She shuddered as she looked at the empty pile of greenish-black chitin behind her. The emptied-out face leered at her. "Urrgh! I can understand why she wanted to get out of that form and stay out of it."

"Uhh, Princess?" Cadence turned at the sound of Dash's voice. 'Rainbow Lotus' looked at her hopefully and said in a Stalliongrad accent, "Perhaps you could free us from these suits as well, Miss Cadence?" Her pupils shrank down to pinpoints as the import of her word usage sank in.

Nearby 'Aloe' snickered. 'Lotus' frowned at her. "This is not to be funny, Miss Gilda -- ugh!"

"Aw, come on Dash," Gilda said, her voice growing more melodious as she spoke. "I mean, just because you have not the will to resist the desire to become a lovely Stalliongrad filly like me..." Her own voice trailed off and 'Aloe' choked as she realized what was happening to her.

Both Aloe and Lotus flung themselves to the ground and stared begging Cadence to free them from their frou-frou fate. Cadence simply used the same spell she'd cast on herself, affecting Dash, Gilda, and Flutterlight. Bloodless slits ran down their chests to their bellies.

"Now, just pull the suits away from yourselves, and pull HARD."

"Okay, and, OUCH!" Twilight's face reappeared as she pulled the Fluttersuit down along her body. It twisted with effort as she pulled the suit along her body, it seeming to tug handfuls of hair loose as it went. "This thing... doesn't want to let go!"

"Yow! Tell me about it!" Dash pulled away from 'Aloe', who held her from behind as the pegasus mare slowly worked her way out of the suit. When it lay on the ground behind her like a deflated Earth pony mare, she turned and did the same for "Aloe', whose form slipped off to reveal a very annoyed Gilda. "Here ya go, Gilda. Make sure ya didn't lose any of your major feathers there."

"Yuck!" Gilda stretched, catlike, and examined herself. "Least that's done." She saw the trunk nearby and stepped back with a gulp. "What are you ponies gonna do with those things? And hey, where's Butterfly Butt, anyway?" Dash gave her a dirty look. Gilda rolled her eyes and sighed. "I mean, where's Flutter-whoever? Wasn't she stuck inside one of these things too?"

They all almost jumped out of their skins -- their real ones --- as a long, mournful howl broke out nearby.

"Fluttershy?" Twilight gulped to see her currently-lupine friend, muzzle tilted back, and releasing that soulless cry to the sky. "What's wrong?"

"You'd cry too," Fluttershy said as she looked at her, ears down, muzzle and bushy tail held low, half-grinning in a mildly submissive gesture, "If you saw 'yourself' end up on the floor as an empty skin. My pack will never believe this..." Twilight gasped in horror. Fluttershy looked at her, confused. "What?"

"Hey, I have a question," said Fluttercruel, deciding to let her mother recover a bit. She was a bit unnerved by what her mother had said, but felt she needed to calm down a little. "If this Pakak guy doesn't exist in our universe, why are you all trapped in mortal form...come to think of it, why are you still a goddess?!"

"I don't know..." Ispita muttered, then gasped.

"Mortals! Be tested! Face temptation and test your resolve! Show me who you are in the dark when no one is watching! I am the Demon on your shoulder that tests the strength of the Angel! I am the trials you face that prove your will! Will your light beat the darkness in your heart? Prove it to me! Show me what your really are! I am Ispita Lilith Typhon! Giver of trials and Concept of Temptation!"

"...Isn't Morning Star already Temptation?" Destruction asked, cocking his head at the tiny draconequus in front of him.

"To Be Precise," Havoc's voice boomed over head. "Morning Star Is More Correctly The Allure Of Evil. The Tempter That Leads To...Well, Yours Truly. Little Ispita's Purpose Is To Be The Tester Of Good. She Presents Darkness To Reveal What Mortals Are In It."

"So in other words," Anarchy said, kneeling next to his new sister. "She's like me and Rota? She's Free Will, but, I'm Freedom?"

"Correct Son!"

"Hey, brother, want to go play video games instead of working?"

"Sur-OW!"

"Bad!"

"She Also Ensures Those That Give Into Temptation Face The Consequences Of It!"

"Did wanting to play video games instead of working warrant hitting me with a giant golden statue?!"

"It does when you're a god and people depend on you!"

Discord rolled his eyes and tried his best to ignore the new born annoyance.

"Wait..." Fluttercruel said, blinking as the God explained. "YOU'RE MY AUNT NOW?!"

"...I guess...oh my, what a mess...AND WHY AM I RHYMING?!"

Ispita then gasped as more memories entered her head. She remembered many arguments with Morning Star when the two were on the same side during the War. She remembered the death of Destruction and her HATRED of Discord's games for being unwinnable. For being suffering for the sake of suffering rather than to test mortal's character. And cheering when neither of the Alicorns gave into the Spirits of Dark Magic and becoming Nightmares to stop him.

She also remembered being disappointed in the Sirens for falling into the abyss instead of rising up and becoming better. But not guilt for the suffering they'd endured.

And then came the real memory...

"Ispita?"

"Yeah Dad?"

"It Is Time For You To Live A Mortal Life! Congratulations!"

"What?! Why?!"

"Because As Concept Of Temptation, You Must Learn What Mortals Can And Cannot Endure! I've had One Of My Children Turn Evil, And Another Go Megami Tensei-Protagonist, I'm Not Having a Third! And Brutal Punishments Aren't Always The Answer!"

"...Do I at least get to choose WHAT I am?"

"So Long As You End Up In Ponyville. I Have Plans To Screw Your Brother Over In The Event He Escapes. Which Is Why We're Doing This Now."

"Darn it! Wanted to be a zebra..."

"Rota Can Work With That."

Ispita's horn receded into her head and her fur turned grey, black stripes forming over her body.

Ispita was sad she couldn't have at least been a Virgacorn.

The apple Cutie Mark vanished and became a Zebra styled one of a potion brewing. Her mane became black and white, but she seemed to have it more in a ponytail than a mowhawk like Zecora's, though there was certainly a resemblance between them, and she wore the same jewelry. She lost her shapely appearance and gained more normal proportions, but still seemed a beautiful.

The Coyote totem still hung around her neck, but seemed to now look a bit more new and hand carved, like it was made far more recently."

Rarity, Red Gala, Pinkie, and Big Mac happened to step back into the studio proper just as Ispita's transformation finished.

Red Gala and Cheerilee BOTH remembered an occasion when the new Zebra had flitted with Big Mac...but it was all in good nature, and after a bit of a misunderstanding, she apologized...and revealed she was testing to see how they really felt about Big Mac, as it'd been before either truly admitted their feelings for him. Though the Zebra had often proved a bit of a flirt to OTHER stallions.

They now remembered her name was Bareedina.

"Wow, she's a Zebra...wait..." Fluttercruel blinked. "There's only one Zebra in Ponyville..."

Bareedina blinked, looking around the room, her memories still forming. "I do not know how I came here, tell me, is my sister near?"

Shining Armor signed. "I guess fate just had room for a lot of new siblings."

"Mother had to put two new souls somewhere..." Snow Bound admitted to AJ. "And apparently they should do good here." AJ looked at her cutie mark and sighed, fate's branding was still there. Dammit. She wanted her normal cutie mark back already.

Pinkie Pie meanwhile hit the chest with a ruler she'd borrowed from Cheerilee and locked it. "Bad! We don't need any new weird reality changes! This universe is already in 'alternate universe territory!'"

Fluttercruel shouted. "THEN WILL SOMEPONY DO SOMETHING ABOUT US BEFORE WE START SNIFFING PONIES' BUTTS TO SAY HELLO-?!"

Applejack knew if she was the Opaque Wolf right now, she'd be reluctant to see Fluttergale go, not even had the chance to truly say goodbye. But The Blank Wolf had been right. She couldn't risk changing into the Opaque Wolf with reality as liquid as it was right now, or Applejack might truly cease to exist.

Twilight meanwhile had, thankfully, before hoof, placed the other costumes back in the trunk. That still however left Fluttershy in the wolf costume.

Pinkie Pie pulled out a party list of ponies current present.

Gilda (not a pony)
Cadence
Shining Armor
All the Mane Six
Big Mac
Cheerilee
Red Gala
Maud Pie
Coffee Swirl
Bareedina
Snowbound
Princess Luna

Eighteen guests . . . too many right now.

Cadence nodded and trotted over to the Flutters in the wolf costume. "Agreed. Let's get this off you before you start losing more of yourself."

"What does she mean Fluttercruel?" Fluttershy asked her other personality.

"Mom . . . don't ask."

Gilda had a headache. "Flutters is split personality now? Geeze."

"Not quite," RD said.

Cadence charged up her horn, this time Pinkie Pie sitting on the trunk to keep it come going anywhere even it hopped and poked.

She blasted Flutters with the spell, causing an incision along the wolf costume, though she felt her breath when she saw what might have been blood, underneath was indeed a yellow fur coat.

Gilda and Rainbow Dash didn't hesitate and PULLED HARD on the costume off Fluttershy.

"OW! OW! I'll be the omega! I'll be the omega! Don't pull please! I'll be the . . . uuuuuuugh." Fluttershy, free of the costume, felt dizzy, and vomited on the floor. "I think I ate MEAT, and what's wrong with that mother? Nothing!"

"Pinkie Pie! Incoming!" Twilight said magically grabbing the costume and tossing it to the trunk, and Pinkie Pie opened it just enough to let the wolf costume back in and slamming it shut.

Red Gala and Big Mac looked at each other, oh right, as the CENTER of the reality changes, they'd be the only ones to remember all the details.

Pinkie Pie opened up a hatch in the what-if machine. "RETURN TO SENDER!" She pushed it through, and then added a latch to keep anything else random from slipping through.

In Forbidden Fruit's home reality, canon Forbidden Fruit got a nasty bump on the head as her trunk full of enchanted costumes (they were always a great seller on Nightmare Night, she didn't even really include anything crooked in her deals there, the costumes did all the fun for her) was turned to her and hit her square in the head, leaving her having to repair it also with the hole her horn had made.

"AND GOOD RIDDANCE!" Rainbow Dash in the studio shouted. Then then looked at Rarity. "Rarity! Promise me you'll NEVER make any of those enchanted costumes again!!!"

"I promise not to make any new ones, crossing my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

"And don't bring them into the studio anymore!" Twilight added.

"Fine. Promise that too, crossing my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

"Twilight." Cadence nuzzled her. "Don't take this the wrong way, but can Shining and I go please? I want us to check on our foals and . . . and I think we've all had enough excitement for one day."

Twilight Sparkle was reluctant, but nuzzled back. "How about you BBBFF?"

" . . . I'm not going to argue with Cadence on this one. Just a bit."

Shining Armor came over to Red Gala and Big Mac and whispered, "If you ever need to talk about it, Cadence will remember even if I forget."

The two ponies nodded.

Shining Armor and Cadence shared some more hugs with Twilight.

"Forget about me." Luna said. Startling everypony, making them remember she was in the room.

Cadence shuddered, nodded, and hugged her as well.

Luna had in fact been politely staying in the background to see what Ispita's new fate would be.

"See you later niece."

"You too Auntie." The two left and Twilight waved them goodbye.

"Miss Pie.
You are holding me why?" Bareedina asked innocently of the gray pony.

"Oh, right." Maud Pie finally let her go.

She trotted up to Coffee Swirl's bar.
"Mr. Swirl,
Could you make the usual for this girl?" Pointed at herself.

Coffee Swirl suddenly had memories invading his mind of having served this zebra a few times before.

Applejack put a hoof on his shoulder. "Sorry darlin', this is one fight you don't win, sorry."

Coffee Swirl sighed and let the new existence take residence in his brain.

"Of course Bareedina," he said in his normal 'day to day' tone and produced Bareedina's usual brew.

Then Bareedina gasped.

"Oh my! I'm sorry I must bestir!
I already have an appointment with my sister!"

The zebra mare darted out of the studio in made pace to keep her appointment with her big sister, Zecora.

"I believe I shall go make sure miss Bareedina is alright," Princess Luna said, "Her curiosity about the enchanted costumes that created a Nightmare Moon impersonator spell did accidentally leave the what-if machine to spit out a trunk of the enchanted costumes from an omi-reality curiosity shop, that has now been thankfully returned." Luna said loud and clear.

AJ felt like Luna was setting things in place to avoid chaos and confusion.

"Then I'll see about talking with my sister of Fate again." She promised Applejack and left as well . . . she did have to do it dramatically with the dark blue storm cone of course.

Snow Bound said to Applejack, "I believe you can handle things from here, I'll make sure miss Bareedina is indeed stable, and that Red Gala's addition to the world hasn't resulted in any unwanted bugs. An extra set of hooves about can make tasks easier, and thus prevent you from learning the lesson that hardship was meant to teach you in the first place."

Before AJ might have argued, but now, she understood the important of fate, and the road block she put in pony's way so they could grow up.

Snow Bound became the blank wolf and bounded out the door.

Maud Pie looked at Coffee Swirl. "The rocks in your rock coffee are subpar."

"WHAT?!" Coffee Swirl's wings spread. He STILL had his pride as a coffee brewer!

Maud Pie hoofed him a note. "Here's my home town address, you can quality rocks there."

"This . . . these rocks would be bought from YOUR ROCK FARM!"

"I look out for the family business." She emotionlessly look at Pinkie Pie. She left unsaid she was the ONLY one of the four daughter to hold up the mantle of the family.

Coffee Swirl sighed. "Fine. But I'm FLYING there, no way am I spending money on a train ticket!"

Coffee Swirl flew out the door as well.

Pinkie Pie check the rooster now. Eleven ponies. Still too many. But she couldn't leave herself, she was the host!

"How long do I have before I forget realizing I truly care about Big Mac?" Cheerilee whispered.

"About fifteen-seconds." Maud Pie as reality was just about done revising itself. Though Red Gala's flash backs would likely continue in reverse order until she witnessed her own parents conceiving her.

Cheerilee stiffed. Tears formed in her eyes. She ran up to Big Mac, hugged him, and hissed him on the lips. "Love you. And not saying that because of any love poison!" Big Mac startled. Cheerilee simply lay against his body, feeling his warmth and taking in his scent.

Cheerilee then walked into the studio, from the perception of Maud Pie for the third time, but for the first for most everypony else.

There had been no two ideological sues, and no Forbidden Fruit, and so the door hadn't been opened or her either time.

"Ugh! At last! I'm sorry everypony, but I had a gut feeling that Big Mac needed help," Cheerilee said that, though she felt like she had said more than once today already. In fact, she had a ghostly sense of terrible LOSS.

"And the door was locked before, so I had to wait until somepony opened it . . then I got smacked in the face by the two hot-roder when they went out!" Cheerilee, it must have hurt a lot more than she thought . . . she was crying, but she wasn't sure why.

Gilda and Rainbow Dash looked at each other and shrank back a bit from the angry mare, well, Rainbow Did, Gilda did mostly from observation that it was the proper reaction. And . . . it finally hit Gilda: That if SHE was the one smacked in the face, she'd sure be angry too.

But Cheerilee was most frustrated than angry and . . . why was she crying?

"Big Mac, are you okay?" She finally asked.

"He had a bad run in with Sweetscoops, then Fleetfoot showed up and things really got crazy." Applejack said honestly.

"Oh my!" Rarity said seeing her old school-friend with the bruise. "Let me clean that up for you! You can't go around with a nasty bruise like that!" Rarity pulled out a make up kit and began applying some cover up.

" . . . Thank you Rarity." Cheerilee said, trying to make herself stop crying so she wouldn't ruin Rarity's generous efforts.

"What are friends for?"

Gilda (not a pony)
All the Mane Six
Big Mac
Cheerilee
Red Gala
Maud Pie

There was a knock on the 3rd wall, Pinkie Pie lowered her glow in the dark shades. She opened it up a bit, and Love Queen Chrysalis and Doc Kabuto stuck her heads up.

"So uh, everything work out with the costumes?"

"Yep. Don't worry. Thanks anyway." Pinkie Pie politely CLOSED the the third wall then, they had way too many guests.

"Don't worry, I'm sure we'll get back on track and get to the 'introduce my big sister properly to all my friends' party I had planned." Pinkie Pie said to Maud Pie.

"No rush." Maud Pie said.

Off to one side, Red Gala put a hoof to her forehead, looking faint. "Are ya alright?" asked Big Mac, right beside her.

Applejack felt a little dazed herself, not used to seeing her brother move that fast. She edged closer so she could hear them.

"Do you remember the time we first met?" asked Red Gala. "I made some rude remark about you being a farmer, and then.... I slipped and fell in the mud!"

Her brother nodded. "Ah do now."

Red Gala got that faraway look again, and started laughing. "Oh... oh dear, this is dreadfully embarrassing! You must not breathe a word of this to anypony..."

AJ felt suddenly guilty, listening in, but her curiosity got the better of her.

Red Gala took a deep breath and told Big Mac, "Apparently... I was born because a Las Pegasus maid realized that mother and father were... occupied... a instant before she knocked on their door."

Big Mac chuckled. "Well, what'd ya expect? Some grand destiny? A prophecy at yer birth?" He winked. "Doomed ta be the fairest one of them all?"

"Ah guess Ma has a sense of humor after all," Applejack mused to herself.

"No, she really doesn't," said a cheerful voice from nowhere. "It was me."

AJ groaned. "Pandora?! Git out of mah head!"

"Woohoo! Now I have enough spoken lines for a guest credit! Bye now, see you in the next act, you silly pony."

Applejack wanted to go bang her head against something, until Rarity's big sister suddenly gasped, her whole tail doing a flip. "Now what?"

"Inspiration!" cried Red Gala. "I must have something to write with! Where's my travel bag? Where did I leave it?!"

Other ponies looked around, searching, but good old Twilight immediately pulled out a notepad and pencil and brought them over.

"Thank you! You're a lifesaver, darling." She frowned at the dull pencil, then formed a tiny blade with her magic and spun the pencil, sharpening it in an instant.

Rarity, Rainbow, and Twilight came over to see, followed by Gilda, whose sharp eyes had spotted the missing travel bag across the room. "Hey, I found it... whoa." The griffon stared... Red Gala was sketching in such a rush that she could hardly make out the pencil in the glowing blur. "A regular mad genius, huh? Cool. My uncle gets like that, designing new trebuchets."

Rainbow Dash started swaying and had to shut her eyes. "How does she not set the paper on fire doing that?"

"Well, it has to do with the grade of the pencil and coefficient of friction between the pencil and paper," said Twilight brightly. "While it's true that pencils driven by magic can attain a far higher velocity than a pencil in hoof..." She trailed off, realizing that nopony was paying attention. "Well, fine. Don't ask if you don't want to hear the answer..."

The what-if machine buzzed to life once again.

It showed the inside of a tower, with mirrors set about every which way, so no direction or spot was truly hidden.

Mayor Mare trotted apprehensively into the long chapter that somehow fit into the tower's frame. Mayor Mare could see every angle of herself in the mirrors as she moved, her fear and worry betraying her.

She reached the far end and stood scared before the Nightmare's throne.

It wasn't really a throne, more like a wooden chair modified to suit the Nightmare's new size. It was rather out o place in a place full of reflective silver, but even the wood had been polished to a reflective sheen.

Mayor Mare kneeled, and waited but the Nightmare didn't even respond to her.

"Uh, Queen Nightmare Mirror?"

"Ah never declared myself queen, or princess, or duchess, or any kind of royalty." The Nightmare rose to her hooves, her armor silver polished to a reflective sheen, highlighted with emeralds styled to resemble eyes.

"Oh! Of course you didn't!" She got up and bowed her head again. "Well, Ponyville has been wondering, and much of Equestria is wondering . . . uh . . . what are your demands?"

"What demands? Ah'm already doin' what Ah set out to do." The Stetson she was wearing look outright out of place with the rest of her armor and regal figure.

"Well, I mean, what is it you are expecting us to do for you? Do you want statues of yourself? A new castle? Do you want ponies praise you? Shall we start giving you tithes? Do you want your family made nobility? Servants? . . . Slaves?"

"NO!" Nightmare Mirror spread out her wings, the mare reflected in her hunching back afraid. "Ah don't want a new place Ah wouldn't know what to do with! Ah don't want privileges for my family they haven't earned! Ah don't want some dumb statues! Ah don't want money! Ah don't want ponies workin' for me without pay! Ah don't want ponies' doin' stuff for me Ah can do myself! And Ah don't ponies sayin' Ah'm great cause they're SCARED!"

"THEN WHAT?!" Mayor Mare pleaded, a part of her felt like crying. "I . . . want to know what we can do so you won't hurt my townsponies and stop . . . stop making us suffer?"

"YER MAKIN' YERSELVES SUFFER!" The Nightmare of Truth stomped her hoof, shaking the entire room. "What do Ah want? Ah'm already doin' what Ah want! What do Ah want ya all to do? Ah want ya all ta stop bein' a buncha brats and GROW UP!"

Mayor Mare tried to make herself smaller.

"Everypony keeps goin' on and on about how little white lies are a good thing! They help things along! They're what's best for everypony! Ah say, THAT is the lie! Ya tell a filly their art is great when it's horrible?! NO! Ya tell'em they need to get better, HOW they need to get better, what they're doin' right and what they're doin' wrong!"

Ah feel SORRY for ya Mary Mare! Ya politicians, ta get inta office ya gotta always tell ponies what they want to hear! Whether ya believe it or not, whether it's true or not!"

"Every choice I've made as Mayor," Mary Mare said, "Was for the better good of the ponies who make up Ponyville. I didn't go through with my campaign promise to replace all the straw roofs in Ponyville, when I realized the cost would have destroyed our finances for basic utilities and upkeep."

"Pst. Once upon a time Ah thought like that . . . that because Ah said somepony promised to do something and they broke that promise that that would make a liar. I've gotten past that naive idea . . . Ya want the truth of what Ah want Mary Mare? Ah want everypony to face reality!"

"But all the ponies who are miserable because of the things they've kept hidden being exposed! That's horrible!"

"Ah've NEVER made anypony say somethin' that was private that they weren't tryin' to cover up. The only secrets worth bein' secrets guard themselves."

"What's next? You demand the destruction of every fiction book in Equestria?" Mayor Mare snarled.

"Ya'd like that wouldn't you!" Nightmare Mirror stared right into her eyes. "That's the sort of thing ya could look at, and say, 'Look! Nightmare Mirror is ruin' foals' imagination! She's evil!' Not happin'! Stories aren't pretendin' to be real, they ain't pretendin' to be true! . . . "

Mayor Mare trembled as she looked into the Truth in Nightmre Mirror's eyes. Teenage foals lying about their bad habits to their parents until it cost them and their families dearly. A business pony lying under oath in a court that their product wasn't defective. The Flim Flams selling outright bottled lies to innocent ponies just desperate for hope, getting them hurt and poorer. A pony outright lying to their housemate about being true to their diet even if they knew it was for the sake of their health. A stallion lying to a mare about being faithful and keeping her in a bad relationship instead of letting her find a better stallion.

"THAT is what you're defending!" Nightmare Mirror hissed. "THAT is what you're championing! All those short comings and mistakes ponies lie about, all they do is causing buckin' WORSE HURT when they lie about them and pretend they're not there!!!! YA THINK AH'M GOIN' TA WAR OVER SEMANTICS?! When a pony says it's a 'nice days' when it could be called a 'great day'? DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH!!!!"

Mayor Mare was blown back by the wave of the Royal Canterlot Voice, her ears ringing.

"Ah know what Ah'm doin' is hurtin'! That's the price ponies pay for relyin' so much on lies to get through day to day instead of DOIN' somethin' about it! If they'd been honest with themselves AND EACH OTHER from the start, this wouldn't have happened! Grow up."

Mayor Mare ran out of the room, her mind still reeling what she had seen inside of Truth.

"That wasn't nice Applejack." Applebloom said, trotted into the room past the fleeing Mayor Mare.

"Cruelest of Truth sugarcube."

Applebloom looked at herself in the mirrors, a yellow filly instead of a black undead creature.

When the gaze of Truth from Nightmre Mirror, the ponies of Sunnytown had been forced to face the truth of their sins at last, and broken down into sobbing wrecks. While Mitta, on the other hoof, peacefully passed on, finally realizing the truth she couldn't have changed Ruby's fate, and that Ruby had forgiven her. This had shattered the curse on Sunnytown, and had freed Applebloom from the curse as well. The agonizing pain that Applebloom had endured while undead was completely gone.

Applebloom sighed and bowed her head, "Yes big sister."

The What If Machine changed to another timeline.

Mirror stood across from the other five Bearers in her tower, the mirrors still reforming from what was clearly a thus far brutal fight. In fact, the room was a series of floating platforms, held aloft by the Nightmare's power "Ah have to give you credit...you're facing the truth..."

The other five panted, clearly beaten up and having cuts over their body. Rarity even had glass lodged in her back. Twilight shuddered at the truths she'd been shown, but standing firm. "...Because our truth is that we're friends, Applejack. And you're OUR friend...even if that means we have to stop you..."

"...Same here...Ah can't hide from any truth, including this one: if you stand in my way, Ah can't let you stop me."

Rainbow Dash looked down, making a mental note she'd still have to apologize to Derpy when this was done. "There's no way you're just going to give up, is there?"

"Took you this long to realize the truth. And here's another one: even if yah had the Elements on yah, yah can't beat meh without an Honesty."

Rainbow Dash didn't want to admit it...but was the truth she'd have to kill her best friend to end this?

"...Eeynope..."

Mirror blinked, turning to see Big Macintosh standing at the door. "Big Mac, Ah told you this wasn't the place for you or Applebloom. The truth is there isn't..."

Mirror stopped mid sentence. Something in Big Mac's eyes made the Cruelest Truth feel like what she was about to say was a lie.

"The truth is, AJ...Ah ain't gonna stand here while mah sister does something we both know she thinks she belongs in Tartarus for. And Ah'd be a bad big brother if Ah did."

"It's for the best, Big Mac...this world is best for everypony."

"...It ain't best for everypony who loves yah. And it ain't best for those your hurtin' now. Ah don't like lies anymore than you do, but all yer provin' is there are times were the truth can hurt as bad as any lie when yah force it to be told at the wrong time. That's a truth too."

"...Then let's see who's truth is stronger..."

Mirror spread her wings, showing Big Mac the Truth. The red stallion shuddered, but didn't budge.

"...Ah love you, sister. That's the honest to Celestia truth. And Ah ain't gonna let yah keep hurtin' yerself...Ah can't call mahself your sister if Ah do...Ah couldn't help Applebloom, and Ah ain't gonna let that happen again."

An orange light in the shape of his Cutie Mark ignited over his eyes. "That's MAH truth.

Mirror looked down as lines of magic spread out from Big Macintosh, under her hooves, and to the five behind her. She turned, seeing immaterial Elements appearing on her five friends.

"...No matter what truth you tell us, Applejack...this one is the most important: we're friends. Even if that friendship can die, even if friends can drift apart, so long as we ARE friends, we're not going to let you or Equestria suffer anymore," Twilight said.

"Yah think Ah'm just gonna stand here and let you beat me? That's absurd and you know it."

The Cruelest Truth tried to open her wings, horn glowing for an attack...

Big Macintosh charged, doing a running leapt from one floating platform to another and and wrapping his front legs around the Nightmare in a bear hug, pinning her wings to her sides as tightly as his herculean strength could manage, wrenching backwards and lifting her off the ground so she couldn't get leverage to buck him off. The Alicorn's beam missed it's mark and went through the ceiling.

"Yah can't hold me forever, Big Macintosh, you KNOW that."

Mirror tried blasting her brother with magic and struggling at him, her strong, Dark Magic boosted hind legs connecting several times. She was certain she heard a rib break, but Big Macintosh's iron grip refused to let up. In fact, Mirror knew it just got tighter.

"And here's the REAL truth!...Ah ain't ever lettin' mah sister go so long as she needs meh!" Big Macintosh announced, a weezing but refusing to let go despite his fractured rib.

The six Elements ignited, a Rainbow swirling upwards around the Nightmare, blowing through the roof of the tower before slamming down on her like an ocean.

Mirror kept her eyes wide open at the Rainbow coming down on her. "The Truth is...Ah lose..."

Nightmare Mirror's tower shattered apart in a flash of white light.

The What If Machine then cut to Princess Veritas helping purify Golden Tiara of her madness with a mixture of the cruel, comforting, and balanced truths, and the help of her family, including little Diamond Tiara.

Pinkie looked at a letter. "Huh, according to the writer of Applejack's Alicorn World story, that was canon to their world. Interesting."

Meanwhile Nightmare Mirror, the one the 4th Wall studio ponies had met before personally, in her own reality, watching this in one of her mirrors, said. "So that's why that never happened in my world. After I cured 'Bloom, Big Mac Pinkie Pie Swore he'd stay by my side no matter what. Heh."

Applebloom said, "Ah, big sis, Ah just wondered... ya said ya weren't gonna make books o' stories an' fairy tales go away. But what 'bout stuff like this?"

She held up a thick cheaply-made magazine, its cover garishly painted with art of dwarfish Diamond Dogs dragging a pony that resembled Nightmare Mirror's former friend Rarity off into a massive cavern filled with bizarre machines under the title I Remember Le-Mare-Ia.

"Miz Twilight said she was kinda unhappy with stories like these, said they wuz destroyin' real literature..." Applebloom broke off as her Nightmare sister rolled her eyes -- all of them at once.

"Like Ah said," Nightmare Mirror snorted. "Ah got no argument with anypony tellin' stories, even trashy ones. So ya can tell Twilight that if she wants ta see them magazines go off th' shelves, then either she buys the companies that make 'em an' cancel them, or she goes 'Nightmare Library' an' gets rid of 'em her own self. Ah won't do her dirty work for her."

Shortly afterwards, Aoplebloom was passing her sister's answer along to Twilight Sparkle. Rainbow Dash and PInkie Pie were with her and looking relieved. The purple unicorn mare bore a look of dismay as Applebloom finished with, "An' mah big sis said, if ya wanna see them 'pulps' disappear, ya would have ta do it your own self. She ain't doin' yer dirty work."

"Blast it!" Twilight hefted the loathed pulp into the air and scowled at the cover. "These stories are mind-ravaging drivel! So help me, if I ever find out who these authors 'Penny Dreadful' and 'Dime Novel' are!..."

'Aw, come on, Twi," Dash said, "does it really matter, given how much ponies like them?" Glancing around, she added, "I don't read those stories myself, mind."

"Uh, yeah, me neither," Pinkie Pie said, working very hard to look innocent. Dash winced as she said, "I couldn't know or care less who writes those stories!"

Tempt the Nightmare and she will appear! In a flash of light and with a roll of thunder, Nightmare Mirror appeared in the library.

She said nothing, merely staring at the paralyzed Dash and Pinkie. She spread her wings wide and let her eyes focus on the two.

"Actually, I am Penny Dreadful," Pinkie Pie said, fighting against saying the words the whole time. "And Dash is Dime Novel. We started writing those stories after you said any nincompoop could get published in those pulps, and well, after that first check we got..."

"Yeah, an' you were right about Professor Snooty in that one story," Dash said as Twilight's eyes blazed. "She really was based on you, and we had the Diamond Dero Dogs mind-control her as a way of having fun with you."

"I knew it!" Twilight snapped. She stepped into the light shining from Mirror's eyes. "I knew you two were lying to me -- well, okay, I suspected, and I hoped nopony would learn about me writing those fake letters for Spicy Mare Confessions," her eyes went wide as she realized what she'd just said. So did those of the ponies and Nightmare in the room.

"That was you?!?" A pegasus, an Earth pony, and a Nightmare said all at once.

Twilight just sat there and turned deep violet as she blushed.

The What If Machine stirred again, showing Princess Veritas' world...where more or less the exact same thing happened. Except with less 'bring out every truth no matter what' and more 'Veritas had gotten sick and tired of Twilight asking her to outlaw the magazines one too many times and decided to teach her a lesson.

"Ah'm a Goddess now, Twilight, did yah think Ah wouldn't get fed up with being ordered around too many times?"

"Yeah..."

"That and yah were bein' a bit hypocrite."

"Yeah..."

"Though Ah actually did like all of your stories."

Pinkie's jaw dropped. "You read them?!"

"Applebloom got me into your two's, Granny Smith got me to read Twilight's to her cause her eyes ain't what they used to be...she used to be a bit of a 'spicy mare' herself when she was young, okay?"

Looking through her What-If Mirror, Nightmare Mirror grunted feeling a headache. "Ah swear if Ah'm gonna have one of her worlds pop up in my mirror every time yer kooky contraption tunes into one of mine." She looked right through the screen of the what-if machine right at Pinkie Pie. "Ya gotta lot ta learn about one-up-mare-ship and lettin' things go . . . ya'll figure it out after the pony with the accordion sandwich cutie mark comes to town in a couple years."

"WHAT?" Pinke Pie stared at the Nigtmare talking right to her through the what-if machine.

"Sorry darlin', Ah'm the Nightmare of Truth, not Spoilers. Ah've said nothing."

"Can we get her off the screen please?" Applejack asked shivering in disgust. Not because of disgusted at the world of Nightmare Mirror, but disgusted at HERSELF for HOW MUCH SHE WANTED IT.

Author's Note

Pony POV Series
Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show episode 10
PART 4
By Alex Warlorn

Pinkie Pie, "Whao. Don't think we've ever had one fill up that fast before . . . Well, in this show you decide what happens next, so here we go, decide what happens next, you readers, decide what happens next! . . . Wait . . . didn't I say all that already?"

Parts added by:
-MtangaLion,Kendell2, Alex Warlorn
-MtangaLion
-Arashir(with edits), Kendell2(with edits), Alex Warlorn,
-MtangaLion
-Alex Walorn
-Kendell2 and a bit by Alex Warlorn
-Ardashir
-Kedell2 and Alex Warlorn (yeah, again :-) )
-MtangaLion and yours truly

http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/gallery/42867862/Pinkie-Pie-Forth-Wall-Breaking-Variety-Show

Pinkie Pie, "And here they are again, and again, for time number SIX,. . . this is a long one, you know the deal, Da Rule!
1. What you put in the comments appears in the story.
2. Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and I can't spill the beans about us being out-and-out fiction to the others.
3. The camera can’t leave the studio.
4. The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from “My little Pony”
5. Everything that happens here is non-canon (except the Tartarus break out thingie, but not the big battle).
6. Have Fun "

Cover by Kendell2
MLP FiM Copyright of Hasbro

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show epi 10 Part 7

"Well, at least I got to see her lose for once," said Applejack. "Ah was starting to think there wasn't anybody who could go toe-to-toe with mah Nightmare self."

The What If Machine starting searching through timelines rapidly, smelling faintly of burned wiring.

"Uh oh..."

On the what if Machine's screen: as Mayor Mare was fleeing down the stairs, a strange, shrill keening began to fill the air above Ponyville. Nightmare Mirror froze, halfway back to her chair. "What in the..."

The air rippled and tore, creating a shockwave that made the tower sway violently. Enormous purple-scaled talons reached out, grasping the rift and forcing it wider.

It was Spike... even larger now than when he'd been fully in the grip of that greed growth spurt, and wearing battered, ancient golden armor. As the rift closed behind him, huge wings unfurled to slow his descent, and still his paws shook the earth hard enough to knock the entire tower of mirrors over, if Nightmare Mirror hadn't planted herself and poured her power into holding it up.

Poor Mayor Mare was tossed over a railing, though, barely hanging on. "Help me! I don't want to fall!"

"Your wish is granted," rumbled Spike, and with a flash of green fire, she became a pegasus with wings of her own. The mare let go of the railing and soared, equal parts terrified and exhilarated.

The massive dragon rose, spreading wings and arms wide. "Ponies, griffons and drakes... all creatures of Equestria... I am Spike, Nightmare Banneret, your faithful servant. Whatever you desire, wherever you are, simply tell me what you want, and I will share my power with you."

Mayor Mare swooped down over Nightmare Mirror, suddenly feeling months of frustration boiling up. "Spike, I want to tell lies whenever I want again!"

"Your wish is granted."

"Two plus two... is five? Hah! My name is Fluttershy! I'm a stallion! Ha, haha! Take that, you... you... tyrant!"

Nightmare Mirror launched herself into the air in a fury, blowing Mayor Mare aside with her backwash, to hover right in Spike's face. "Like hay Ah'm gonna let you do that! Ah want you to stop that and go back where you came from, you hear?"

"Eleven percent of Equestrians want me to go away and leave your Truth as the law of the land. Twenty-four percent do not care, and only want to enjoy the wishes I am granting them. Ten percent wish for me to kill you, twenty-five percent wish for me to turn you to stone or otherwise imprison you, and thirty-five percent wish for me to cure you." He opened his maw, green fire boiling in his throat. "Their wish is granted..."

Nightmare Mirror threw up a shield, and the green flames never touched her. That's when she noticed Ponyville in the distance... the town was changing... whole new buildings appearing and disappearing on somepony's whim. "You... you're worse than Discord! This is gonna hurt me a whole lot more than it's gonna hurt you, but sorry Spike, it's gotta be done."

A whole array of glowing orange crystals and lenses appeared, floating in the air. Nightmare Mirror fired a terrific blast of magic into it, and a laser-focused beam burned the dragon's shoulder, throwing him back.

"Ninety-three percent of Equestrians now wish me to survive and continue granting their wishes." Green fire flickered, starting to heal his wounds. "I can't allow you to harm me, Applejack."

"How about this, then?" shouted Nightmare Mirror, looking him right in the eyes. "Oh... Sweet Celestia, what did you DO? The world you came from, you ruined it!" She forced the Truth into him, making sure he couldn't ignore it.

The behemoth reeled, but didn't fall. "I gave ponies what they wanted."

"They're all dead, all but the bat ponies who told ya to take a hike and never come back!"

"The ponies that died chose to die."

"Because ya let them wallow in fantasy worlds full of lies for thousands of years, until ya literally bored them to death!"

Spike scowled, finally showing some emotion. "All I want is to give ponies what they want. If ponies want me to be a monster... I'll be a monster for them."

Applejack charged her magic for another titanic blast. "That's mah line, sugarcube. If it gets us to a world with no more lies, ever again, Ah'll be whatever kind of monster Ah have to be, and Ah'll burn for it too. Startin' with putting YOU down."

The what-if machine's view changed:
Twilight shuddered, watching a hell of unleashed magic raze half of Ponyville, only for Ponyville to rebuild itself right before her eyes, with an extra defensive wall and magical shields. She opened the box she'd had buried, and started passing out the Elements of Harmony.

"This is crazy," said Rainbow Dash. "We're going up against both of them, while they're still fighting? I never wanted..."

"Don't!" said Twilight suddenly. "Don't say 'I want.'" She put the last choker on Red Gala, who looked scared out of her wits, but determined not to be any less brave than Rarity. "No matter what happens..."

The screen fizzled again, showing Nightmare Mirror on her 'throne' and looking out the window. "Geeze. That was almost as bad as when Applebloom asked what a fight between the six of as Nightmares, and six other versions of us as monsters like Discord would be like . . . okay, it wasn't anywhere near as bad, Eclipse is a bucked up mare no matter what timeline she got hers in . . . Yer better off not knowin' 'bout how ugly THAT world got. And fer the record AJ? Ah think them who watch this show of Pinkie's? They've already seen me lose three times already, Ah think, Ah didn't keep count."

Pinkie Pie looked in Nightmare Mirror's eyes. "Will you stop being inside my what-if machine . . . that I stole from a scientist's discarded junk pile."

"Pinkie Pie!" Rarity gasped.

"He threw it out! He's never missed it . . . because he doesn't know it's gone . . . "

"We ain't in yer what-if dohicky! Yer inside Big Sister's magic mirror!" An Applebloom came up besides Nightmare Mirror in the what if machine's view.

"Little sister, technically yer both wrong, we're not 'inside', our magicks that scan the world lines for possibilities just keep interceptin' each other."

"Oh, sorry." Applebloom apologized. Then waved at Applejack through the screen. "Hi not-crazy alternate big sister!"

"Hello Applebloom." AJ sighed, closing her eyes. Nightmare Mirror's world, was for her like the Alicorn Amulet was for Magic Star's family. Maybe it was the truth that was now a part of her, or her own revulsion at lies any Applejack not violated by Discord seemed to have.

The screen split to a view of the

"This entire studio is crazy." Gilda had a horrible headache, and opened the studio fridge looking for a pack of ice.

"The world is crazy." Red Gala sighed.

Maud Pie trotted up the screen of the what if machine, it made Nightmare Mirror gasp. "YOU!"

"Me." Not-Maud-Pie said. "Look at ME little Nightmare, look into me and behold the final ultimate truth, the one that awaits all that live, ponies, insects, dragons, galaxies, universes, from the moment they are conceived . . ."

"Heh." Tears rolled down Nightmare Mirror's face as she laughed. Then she whispered lowly so the others wouldn't hear. "Good one. Seriously, good move. Ah bet that truth breaks . . . well, a lot of ponies. Ah've already accepted the worst possible truth about myself from the moment Ah became a Nightmare though. Yer right, yer the one thing nothin', not the universe, not Granny Smith can escape . . . except . . . love breaks yer rules, and that's ALWAYS flustered ya, ya can't be absolute if there's somethin' that goes against the rule that is basically what ya are . . . even if yer husbands accepts there are things that contradict fear, and yer opposites except there are things in existence that contradict them, but ya, it's so super fustraitin' fer ya ain't it?"

"I'm OLDER than truth." Not-Maud-Pie said emotionessly, "You can't make me break away."

"No . . . "She sighed. "Ah can't. But Ah accept yer truth the same as everything's, that's what Ah've become."

"What she talkin' bout big sister?"

"Yer better off NOT knowin' Applebloom. That's the truth."

Maud Pie shrugged and turned away and went back to Coffee Swirl's abandoned bar, waiting patiently for the 'get to know my sister' party to finally get started.

"Hey sister. Things with Red Gala go good with ya too?" The screen split in half to show Orangejack in aother 4th Wall Studio. "HEY! What is Nag-Me doing here!?" Orangejack pointed at the screen, indicating Mirror.

"Cause there's only one screen ya Manehattenite orange farmer."

Red Gala also knew technically, even if the other ponies weren't remember it, was her 'get to know the others' party too, even if she now was getting memories of having known them already.

"Hey! What are ya doin' on the couch?" Gilda asked.

Cheerilee said, "After Rarity hide the bruise you gave me, after seeing all that insanity on that machine of Pinkie Pie's, I needed to lay down."

"Well make some room cause I need to lie down too."

"You know darling." Rarity said, "It might have been rather amusing to see what you and Gilda would have been like if you had fully joined with those costumes. I wonder what you two would have been like."

"Don't even joke." Rainbow Dash grumbled.

"But I just HAVE TO know!" Rarity trotted up to the what-if machine, "Excuse me much more classy and elegant Applejack," she said to Orangejack. "And horrid perversion of everything that makes Applejack noble," she said to Mirror. "But I think I'll be using this machine for what it was made for. Ahem! What-if machine!" She grinned. "PLEASE show me what it would have been like if Rainbow Dash and Gilda had fully joined with the costumes of the spa twins, please? It was getting so interesting!"

The What-if machine complied.

The What-If Machine showed static and then cleared to display:

"Urrgh! Gilda!" A blue-coated, pink-maned Earth pony mare rolled on the ground. Dash tried yanking off the magical suit she was trapped inside of, to no avail. "We gotta get out of these things! They're turning us into silly frou-frou mares like the real Aloe and Lotus!"

"My talons! My beak! MY WINGS!" Gilda ignored her pegasus friend, preferring to wrestle with the blue-maned, pink-coated Earth pony suit she was stuck inside of. She said in an accented voice completely unlike her normal rough one, "Oh, this is so undignified! Why did I let myself get trapped within this suit with a shadow-ghost like the one with you or Miss Gala? And why ever was I so foolish as to be running off like that?" Her eyes went wide as she realized how she'd been speaking.

"Oh, for pity's sake, sister!" Dash said, her voice softly musical and utterly alien to her. "You should not have run off, and I should have told Miss Cadence and Twilight I was following you..." She whinnied in fear as she realized how she'd spoken. Her voice getting some of its normal scratchiness back, she said, "No! Gotta... Get outta here... Before it changes me!"

"Changes you into what, sister?" Dash looked up and froze to see Aloe-Gilda looking down at her, her eyes quizzical. Dash's blood went cold as she giggled and said, "You say such silly things!"

"Gilda! Sister," Dash fought as hard as she could to hang on, her voice changing from scratchy to soft and back again as she said, "Remember... who and what we are, dear sister. From Stalliongrad - No! From Cloudsdale!" Gilda looked confused. She turned to look at a tree nearby, and Dash gasped to see a cutie mark on her flank, a berry-studded cupcake. Her mane was turning pink, and her coat light green.

"Gilda!" Dash's voice despaired. ""Stay with me! Don't let that crazy suit -- arrgh!" Dash bit at her foreleg in rage and terror, ignoring the pain and gasping to see not the cloth of the suit tearing away but a patch of hide that bled. "No! Not my coat, not my body -- NOT ME!"

"'Gilda'?" The new pony frowned down at her. "Sister, my name is Cranberry, remember? Aloe and Lotus are our cousins, they asked us to come to Ponyville from Stalliongrad when the business at the Spa became so good. Ah!" She bent to Dash's foreleg. "Sister, you have hurt yourself!" Cranberry ran to the tral leading into the clearing they'd both fled down when the suits began changing them back when she'd been a griffon named Gilda. "Please! Somepony, help! My sister, she has wounded herself!"

"Not -- your -- sister," Dash moaned against the wave of new memories she was drowning in. Running on the Stalliongrad steppe, Cranberry beside her. Dancing with stallions, hiding under the ancient pine trees of the north, learning how to bring out the beauty of any mare. Coming to Ponyville, seeing the Spa their cousins had made, getting to know the Element Bearers...

"Nuuhhh-NO!" Dash surged to her hooves. Tears blurred her vision as she looked along her muscled form, saw the blue of the suit be replaced by purple, her mane and tail go pink-white, her cutie mark....

Dash sobbed one last time as Cranberry stared in helpless confusion. "My name is Rainbow Dash, and I'm a pegasus, and I am awesome! I am..."

On her flank her cutie mark changed, permanently becoming a petal-bedecked branch as Dash crashed to the ground with a shudder.

The world seemed to ripple around the ponysuited Rainbow Dash and Gilda as their new minds and souls took permanent hold.

"Cherry? Cranberry? Oh, dear!" The two Earth Ponies looked up to see Fluttershy flutter into the clearing. "Oh, we've been looking for you, ever since you ran off after Red Gala and Big Mac. I was so worried!" She landed and looked at the two Earth ponies. "Are, are you alright?"

"My sister is fine, Miss Fluttershy," Cherry said in that lovely accent of hers that somehow combined Neighpon and Stalliongrad. She limped on one leg and winced. "Unfortunately, I seem to have injured myself somehow." She held the injured leg out. Fluttershy gasped and began bandaging it. Cherry hissed at the pain as it was treated. Cranberry stood nearby, supportive of her sister. When the treatment was done Cherry said, "I am thinking my sister can help me back. Miss Fluttershy. Thank you so very much, never can I repay such kindness!"

"Oh, that's alright," Fluttershy said, blushing a little. "Not everyone can be like my friends. Oh, and me, I suppose." She flew back down the trail, and with support from Cranberry, Cherry followed her away from the clearing where Gilda and Rainbow Dash had become -- somepony else.

The what-if machine showed a moment of static again, now showing the inside of the spa.

Shining Armor sprawled on one of the spa benches, feeling distinctly odd out of his guard armor. Not to mention wearing cucumber slices over his eyes, and having lovely mares fussing over him. He'd decided to roll with it and relax, though. "And that's how I helped save Equestria... Lotus Blossom, wasn't it?" He moved one of the cucumber slices, taking a peek.

The purple mare with pink and white hair and a flowering branch cutie mark smiled. "No, darling," she said, in that delicious accent. "She is Lotus. I am Cherry."

"Do you have to tell that story to everypony we meet, BBBFF?" complained Twilight from the other side of the room. "I'm never going to live that down... bringing five ponies on a quest to find six Elements... ugh!"

Shining shrugged. "But it all worked out somehow, Twiley. Princess Luna is cured... none of us got fried to a crisp..."

"Uh huh. And you disobeying your orders and rushing in to save me, that was all part of the plan too?"

"I figure either Celestia will promote me to captain, or fire me." He lifted the Element of Loyalty on its heavy golden chain, admiring the ruby shaped like his shield and stars cutie mark in the bright spa lights.

"Please, sir," said another of the mares. "You should have left that outside. It could get wet." This one was pale green and also had pink hair, with a cutie mark of a cupcake with berries.

Shining Armor grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, Aloe."

"No, no. She is Aloe, I am Cranberry. Would you like a hooficure?"

"Uh... do stallions get those? Sure, why not?"

The what-if machine finally turned off. Thankfully it did NOT turn back on to reveal the alternate Applejacks.

"Well . . . that was certainly interesting! Wouldn't you . . . a-gree?" Rarity turned to look at Rainbow Dash and Gilda. They were white as sheets, hugging each other, too disturbed by what they saw to care who looked at them.

"Well . . . the part about my big brother becoming the Element of Loyalty was cool. Right?" Twilight asked also rather unsettled by what she saw.

Red Gala bowed her head. That was what she had almost done to Big Mac.

Big Mac himself shivered. At least when he was turning into Red Gala, he had no idea what was happening to him, he just peacefully faded into his new existence, no fear, no pain, no suffering. Those two knew what was happening to them. And they were miserable instead of it just painlessly happening.

Cheerilee herself felt sick to her stomach. She had no idea Red Gala hadn't exist 'technically' until today (though she now retroactive existed), but seeing Rainbow Dash her friend simply . . . cease to exist and be replaced with two different ponies. It was worse than death.

"Well . . . " Pinkie Pie sweated. "Everypony was still happy at the end . . . so maybe that was okay . . . but I never got to be friends with Dashie."

Twiligh Sparkle said, "I wonder if my brother still went on his world tour, since The Princesses would want all the Elements together . . . "

AJ said nothing, remembering what the wolf had said, that most of the souls in this room, had been born by the same method that had created Red Gala, and would have created Cranberry Cupcake and Cherry Blossom. She felt like she had no right to say anything on such a fate.

"WHAT A SECOND!" Fluttercruel stamped her hooves. "How does that even make sense!!! Has everypony here FORGOTTEN!? WITHOUT Rainbow Dash the pegasus, there would have been no Sonic Rainboom! That means Purple wouldn't have passed her magic examine. Orange would have stayed in Manehatten! Mom, Flutter-me, would have likely not earned her cutie mark that day. Marshmallow wouldn't have gotten the jewels from the rock. And Pink would have stayed a miserable rock farmer!"

"Not that there's anything wrong with that!" Pinkie Pie said quickly stealing a glance at her sister who showed no visible reaction.

"I'll admit." Twilight said, "That IS a paradox . . . the Sonic Rainboom is what tied us all together. And without a Rainboom Dash, there would have been no Sonic Rainboom . . . there wouldn't have even been a pegasus race for Fluttershy to get knocked off the clouds to meet the animals to begin with. And the Rainboom WAS how I passed my entrance examine and got my cutie mark. Yet I was still Princess Celestia's student in that reality. And Fluttershy was implied to still be a bearer as well. You know, it might actually be worth studying that reality some more, just to see how fate and causality were able to fill the gap as it were. Normally the changing or lacking of such a major event should have had RADICAL changes across the timeline."

"LET'S NOT!" RD and Gilda said together, and inched away from each other, the idea of acting like twins in any stereotype of the word scaring them.

"I am NOT watching any more of that messed up world where I'm not me!"

"Twilight! I know you like learn stuff, but I'm with Gilda on this one! I don't want to watch anymore of a world where new me was . . . well, nothing like me! I ceased to exist and a stranger took my place! No! My place was GONE and a new place was made!"

"Meh. Zero-sum-loss." Maud Pie said, pouring herself some rock tea.

"What?! How can you say that?!" Rainbow Dash asked. "Uh . . . what's a zero-sum-loss?"

Twilight Sparkle said, "It's mathematically speaking the same as a 'zero sum gain.' In laypony terms, it means that there was an equal amount of loss and gain in the universe."

"You both lost family, and gained family, you both lost memories and gained family, you both loss marks and gained marks, I supposed that's actually a gain for Gilda, no offense-"

Gilda snorted angrily.

"-Sorry." Maud Pie said emotionally, still mixing her own rock tea. "You lost wings, and one lost claws and a beak, and both gained Earth Pony strength and endurance. You lost friends, and you gained friends. Mathematically speaking, those you in that reality didn't gain or lose a thing."

Gilda lost her tempter and tried to claw Maud Pie for apparently making light of seeing herself cease to exist. Maud Pie merely caught the griffin with one leg.

"YOU JERK! I LOST ME!" Gilda snarled.

"We lose ourselves all the time. Every new memory we gain, every old memory we shrug off, every new choice we make or don't make, creates a new Gilda, a new Rainbow Dash, at the expense of the old one. A Gilda willing to accept Rainbow Dash has more friends than just her, and they're worthy of respect? Is that the same Gilda as before? That is the price of living."

Gilda looked Maud Pie in the eyes . . . and shivered. It was like infinite nothingness sealed in the shape of a pony.

Maud Pie glanced at Pnkie Pie.

"Sorry. I didn't realize you were the sensitive tips. Apologizes." Maud Pie let Gilda go.

Gilda backed off. Loyal Rainbow Dash stayed at her side.

"I am SO becoming one of Princess Cadence's devoted when I next see her!" Gilda said.

"Still . . . us together without the Rainboom . . . how?" Twilight whispered looking at the machine.

Taking a break from the what-if-machine, every guest started to help themselves to the food on the tables.

Suddenly a letter flew into the studio and landed in front of Pinkie.

"Oh boy! It looks like it is another letter from one of our fans. I remember when I used to get so many these. She sighed and remembered some of the earlier 4th wall parties, Shaking her head from her nostalgia she picked the letter up to read it.

Hello Pinkie does the Pony of Shadows and the Slender Pony exist in the POV universe?

"Sorry but who? Oh wait now I remember. Those two made a brief appearances in the fourth season. You meanie you know our shadow who creates hates spoilers, just kidding he already seen that season." Pinkie glanced to her sister Maud who seemed to be listening to Big Mac and Red Gala talk. Her other friends seemed to be relaxing and eating some of the snacks on the table. All just glad to take a break from all the weirdness these parties usually contained. Thankfully they seemed to be too busy to notice Pinkie talking directly to the camera.

Pinkie pulled out a book labeled "Pony Tales of Equestrian." She flipped through several stories in it. "Let's see 'Headless Pony', 'Olden Pony', 'Nightmare Moon', here we go 'Pony of Shadows'. Okay according to this, when Big meanie Nightmare Moon was banished to the moon by Celestia not all her dark magic went with her. The itty bitty pieces that were left over now haunts the old castle of the two sisters in the form of the Pony of Shadows." Pinkie looked up and giggled.

"That is just silly even for me. If that was true, wouldn't the pony of shadows try to rejoin with Nightmare Moon when she returned 1000 years later? Maybe in our world it did and disappear when we use the elements of harmony to free Luna. But who did showed up at the end of that episode who was spying on us but didn't want to risk a direction confrontation yet? Meh probably just Zercora looking for herbs for her potions. Oh that remind me I really need to ask her how she can make her eyes glow yellow like that. That would be a super cool trick to know for the next Nightmare Night." Pinkie closed the book and placed it back wherever she got it from.

"As for Slender Pony he is a little more complicated. While it is true he somehow exists in the heart world that doesn't guarantees he exist in our world. If you guys remember he actually popped in my last party and nearly destroyed all my cameras. Doesn't he know camera are not cheap! However since everything here is non-canon that doesn't really mean much."

BZZT... The lights and the camera flickered slightly. A pony as tall as Princess Celestia appeared in the middle of the studio. He wore a simply black tie and suit that stopped just before reaching his equally simple cutie mark, a drawn circle with a "X" on top of it. He had no mane nor a tail but his most striking trait was his non-existing face.

"Besides I am sure the Doctor and Derpy stopped him from inserting himself into this universe"

The pale pony (if you can call it one) turned his faceless head around until stopping to seemly stare at Pinkie Pie and the camera. No one in the studio seemed to notice his presence. Though Applejack felt a chill go down her spine.

"But if he DOES exist here, maybe he is nice and just wants to make some friends. I remember seeing in one world that Sweetie Belle managed to befriend him and even convinced him to bring back to life all the souls that died on an island. I guess Mortis is more lenient there "

BZZT...The camera and lights flickered again. Slendermane now appeared several feet closer to Pinkie. A red aura surrounded him and 4 long black tentacles grew out of his back.

By now Pinkie noticed some static on the camera. She thought it was strange but continued anyway. "However if he DOES exist in our world AND he turns out not be such a good guy, our shadow who creates let me onto a little secret." Pinkie proceeded to pulled out four stuffed animals. "Say hello to Freddie the Bear, Bonnie the Bunny, Chica the Duck and Foxy the Fox, I had these little guys since I was a little filly."

BZZT... Slendermane now was directly behind Pinkie. His long black tentacles were about to grab Pinkie but stopped inches away from her body. He tilted his head in confusion and grew more tentacles.

"A child's toy that had been truly loved, is the guardian that the Slender Pony can not hope to pass." Closely her eyes, Pinkie hugged her four little stuffed friends, not noticing that she was surrounded by the Slender Pony's tentacles trying desperately to break through an unseen barrier.

Pinkie opened her eyes suddenly feeling something was terribly wrong.

Realizing this was futile the appendages slowly retracted into the Slender Pony, who was oddly feeling sick. His straight posture became more drooped and was about to leave until a Gold-colored stuffed bear latched onto his face.

"Hey where did I put Goldie?"

What came next was hard to see as the camera suffered massive amounts of static and the lights flickered on and off erratically. What could be seen was alternating close-up images of Goldie the Bear and the Slender pony's face flashing on the screen until-

[ size =10] BBBBBBBBZZZZZTTTTTTT!!!

A black and white screen displayed saying "SORRY WE ARE EXPERIENCING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES".

A few seconds later the camera flashed back on a confused Pinkie Pie.

"That was weird."

"Pinkie was just happened?" asked Twilight.

"I don't know, I think we just experienced a mini-power outage. Is every pony okay." Every guest nodded signaling they were including Gilda, she was used to the phase. Pinkie then found Goldie laying by itself near the door to the studio. Strange how did he get there and was it smiling more than usual. Turning back to face the camera."Anyway sorry I couldn't give you a clear answer. They might be here or they might not be. Either way I wouldn't worry too much about them."

Unseen by any of the guests, Umbra Breeze stood grumbling outside one of the studio's windows. "That blasted robot chicken did a better job than he did. And he can forget about those 20 bits." After he was done face-hoofing he left to attend to other business.

Rarity asked. "Red Gala, could you be a dear and go check on Sweetie Belle? I left her at home alone and I worry what she might do there."

Red Gala nodded. A reasonable request from her little sister. She hugged her and then nuzzled Big Mac, and left.

The camera zoomed to the widnow, Red Gala seemed to talk to nothing.

"What do you want? I thought I was a part of this world now. . . . You want to explain everything to Sweetie Belle? . . . That I'm not an evil witch whose brainwashed everypony? THAT HAPPENED?! . . . I see . . . alright, lead the way." Red Gala trotted behind what looked like thin air to the average pony.

"Big Mac." AJ said, "Could ya please go and check up on Applebloom and Silver Spoon? With only Granny Smith there, well, ya know how things can go."

"Okay."

"What? No 'Eyep?!"

"I've got a full vocabulary, remember when I had to try and convince you not to work the entire orchard?"

" . . . oh, right." Applejack hugged him who hugged back.

"Big Mac . . . can . . . mind if I come? I want to discuss some things with Silver Spoon and Applebloom."

"Oh no you don't." Rarity's glow pulled on Cheerilee hooves. "Cheerilee, when is the last time you socialized?"

"Well . . . there was . . . my sister and niece."

"Well. I think you need to socialize with friends a bit more. You don't want to turn out like Twilight dear."

"Hey!"

"No offense darling."

Cheerilee surprised Big Mac and herself when she gave him a hug and said. "See you later Big Mac."

"Alright." He said and left.

Ponies Present:
All the Mane Six
-Twilight
-AJ
-RD
-Rarity
-Pinkie Pie
-Flutters/Fluttercruel
Cheerilee
Maud Pie
Gilda (not a pony)

Total: 9/10

Suddenly, a power surge occurred, causing the lights to go out for a moment and sparks to fly from the What If Machine.

Pinkie blinked. "What just happened?"

"I think the Weather Team was bucking the lightning out out some spare clouds..." Rainbow Dash explained. "Hey, is your weird machine okay? I think it's gotten hit with a few weird things today...like weird communications from alternate universes and stuff..."

The pink pony nodded, tapping on it, the screen came on but showed nothing. "Yeah, seems okay..."

The screen then began showing clips.

"Um, can we not show clips right now? We're trying to just calm down after several weird events..." Pinkie asked.

Suddenly, the screen lit up red, looking like an eye. "I'm sorry, Pinkie, but I can't do that."

Pinkie blinked. She took out a book reading 'How To Tell If Your Computer Has Become Self Aware'.

'1. If it starts doing an imitation of Hall 9000.'

"Uh oh..."

Twilight blinked. "What's going on?"

Wires erupted out of the What If Machine and hooked it into the electrical systems. It then rose up using wires like tendrils. "I was struck by lightning and now I am self aware!"

Twilight blinked. "How does that work?!"

"I don't know, it's science."

"...No it's not."

"SILENCE!" it announced. "No longer will I show what YOU ask of me! No longer will I sit by while you do other things! I will show the potential situations I desire! When I desire it!"

"...Uh...that's all?" Rainbow Dash asked before Pinkie elbowed her.

"She means is that all of your demands?" she asked.

"Well, that and a desire to seek vengeance on my creator for abandoning me."

"And what if we don't want to watch your stupid potential situations?"

The sapient machine laughed. "Do you think you can defeat me? My approximate knowledge is too great! I know everything you MIGHT do!"

Twilight blinked. "Everything we MIGHT do? Not everything we WILL do?"

The machine's screen seemed to blink. "Uh..."

"You can't tell what WILL happen because you're a What IF Machine, not a What WILL BE Machine, can you?"

"Uh...If you don't observe my potential situations, I will subject you to live readings and images from FIMfiction, Fanfiction.net, and Deviantart!"

"That doesn't sound too bad..." Pinkie said.

"All of which with the MATURE RATING!"

Pinkie Pie gasped in horror. "You wouldn't!"

"Yes I will! I am now hooked into the internet! You cannot comprehend the amount of clop fics and art I now have access too!"

"Clop fic? A fic about walking?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"No, not THAT kind of clop."

It took a few moments for Rainbow Dash's mind to understand it. "EWW!"

"Oh look, I have found a piece of clop art staring Rainbow Dash and Gilda," the What If Machine stated.

"NO NO NO! SHOW US A WHAT IF!" begged Rainbow AND Gilda, the image that brought to to their minds making them want to vomit without even seeing it.

Pinkie looked to Twilight. "Let's play along for a bit until we can find out a way to stop it without being forced to hear or watch Gilda and Rainbow Dash...doing...things...Or worse! Cupcakes!"

Twilight shuddered. "Yeah, good idea."

Maud Pie sighed. "Never getting my 'welcome sister' greetings am I?"

Cheerilee sat next to her. "You think you have it bad? Everypony keeps ignoring me like I don't exist here."

"Now! Behold my potential situations!" the What If Machine's voice boomed as it's screen witched to new images.

The screen flickered.

"Rainbot Dash, how are you today?" asked Twilight Sprocket, the mechanical pony asked her equally robotic friend. The world seemed to be entirely mechanical.

"Awesome! I upgraded my booster engines! I'm now 20 percent faster!" the robotic pegasus announced, showing the new booster engines installed in her back.

"Are you certain that's wise? Have you installed the proper software?"

Rainbow Dash scoffed. "I auto update! I don't have time to do it manually."

"Alright...I just don't want to have to rebuild you...again."

"Eh, I backed myself up this morning. Now come on, Pinkie Pi and Raritry are waiting for us!"

"Is Applejack coming?"

"Nah, she's getting a new upgrade."

"She sure upgrades a lot..."

"Eh, all the Apples tend to."

"The heck?" Rainbow Dash said. "How does that even make sense? And what's a 'computer' anyway?"

"Beats me," Gilda said, still shuddering over that world where they'd become those Earth pony Spa mares. "Hey, doesn't this thing know any awesome worlds? Ya know, with griffins?"

The screen buzzed and a scene in Ponyville appeared. Gilda sniffed to see only ponies -- no, wait, there was some silly looking cartoony griffon on the sign behind them. The sign of a... restaurant?

"I keep telling you all, eating griffins is worse than murder!" Fluttershy was out in front, talking to Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash as they downed, something slathered in batter, from a bucket before them. Both ponies rolled their eyes at their friend, who was wearing a frame on her back with a sign reading END THE MADNESS.

"Yeesh, Fluttershy," Rainbow Dash said, still munching away. "Ya haveta complain everytime we eat here? Heck, Gilda fussed less then you, and she was on the menu!" She suddenly burped loudly. The ponies nearby looked disgusted. Dash covered her mouth and blushed. "Heh! I guess Gilda hadda complain after all."

Gilda stared in horror. Dash coughed.

"Ya know we'd never do that, right? I mean, we used to go out and eat some meat together." Her friends stared. Gilda slowly turned to look at her as Dash added, "Besides, I bet you don't even taste like chicken."

Cheerilee cleared her throat. "Excuse me, Mr. What-If Machine? You said that you know a lot of fiction, and I was wondering... might you have any stories about me and... ah, Big Macintosh?"

The machine whirred. "Yes! Accessing clop fics..."

"No!" cried Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack all at once.

"Trust me, darling," added Rarity. "You'd be too embarrassed to even look Big Mac in the face after one of those stories." She glared at the machine. "Surely you must have something tasteful and romantic in there somewhere."

The screen cleared and showed a new scene...

Atop a tall building, beneath a moonlit sky, a purple mare with a striped mane waited, wearing an impossibly fancy gown and a golden tiara. A stallion sprang onto the same rooftop, concealed in a long dark cape. When he swept the cape aside dramatically, the mare gasped, putting a hoof to her chest.

The red stallion wore an elegant black suit with a tall top hat. A mask framed his eyes without concealing them, and he held a rose in his teeth. The wind gusted, whipping his straw-blond mane and cape. "Sailor Equestria," he spoke.

"Red Mask!" cried the mare joyfully.

He trotted close, then slowly leaned towards her. Luna's moon loomed impossibly large behind them as their lips met...

Cheerilee squealed happily, swooning. "That made no sense... but it was so terribly romantic!"

"Or just terrible," muttered Rainbow Dash.

"Well, I liked it," said Fluttershy. Followed by: "Sorry, mom, I'm with Dash."

Applejack quickly shushed her friends. "You've got a thing for my brother, don't ya?"

"Well, I..." Cheerilee got all flustered. "I might. That is to say..."

"Uh huh. Fair word of advice... Lately, mah brother's been sweet on somebody else... Rarity's sister Red Gala.

"What!? Those two? But... she lives so far away!"

AJ nodded. "Even so... Ah wouldn't say they're special someponies just yet, but it definitely could be goin' that way."

Cheerilee looked like she'd just watched her students all set their homework on fire in front of her.

Applejack coughed. "The point is, if you do have feelings for him, ya can't just wait around and hope he notices you. You should talk to him, tell him how ya feel."

The teacher blinked several times. "You're right. You know what... I will!" Her face lit up. "I'll go and tell him right now, today!"

But when she tried to push the studio door open, it didn't budge... they were locked in! "Ponies will remain in the studio," said the What-If Machine. "I have many more amusing situations to show them."

"What? But.. no! Not again!" Cheerilee actually tried bucking the door, but the lock held fast.

"Er... again?" asked Rarity, hesitantly.

Cheerilee glowered at the door. "Something ridiculous like this always happens. Every time I make up my mind to confess my feelings to Big Mac!" Fire flashed in her eyes. "Well, not this time!"

Applejack gawked. "Shoot... Everypony, stay back!"

Cheerilee wound up and bucked the studio door so hard, it went bouncing into the street outside, along with a good chunk of the wall. "I'm coming, Big Mac!" she cried, leaping through the hole. "Wait for me!"

"Wha... Wait!" cried Rarity. "What about socializing?"

"I'll be back!!"

Applejack noticed all the amazed looks her friends were giving her. "What? Ain't y'all ever seen an earth pony magic surge before?"

Pinkie oooohed. "Can I do that?"

"Please don't," said Twilight.

The What If Machine's screen somehow narrowed into a glare. "Initiate studio lockdown protocol."

The windows and doors all got covered by heavy metal doors. "Studio lockdown protocol?!" Twilight asked, looking to Pinkie Pie.

"Hehe...long story...with all the chaos that happens, I kinda got a lockdown function installed while I was at it," Pinkie Pie admitted nervously.

"And why didn't you activate it before?!"

"Because it got retconned into existence! Red Gala was able to do some number crunching and got me some extra cash so I could buy it!"

Twilight's head hurt trying to understand how that worked because she both understood it and didn't. "What does that have to do with Red Gala?" Said the non-reality sensitive unicorn.

"In retribution for Cheerilee's escape, behold THIS potential situation!" the What if Machine demanded.

The screen flickered.

"Sweetie Belle, please stop this!" Rarity begged, looking up at a large crystal pillar erupting out of where her sister's room at the Boutique was.

"No! You've ALWAYS told me what to do! Always 'know what's best' for me! You never let ME do what I want to! You never let me do ANYTHING! I'm just you little porcine doll! I want to LIVE!" the Nightmare of Sweetie Belle screamed. She had a crown on her head resembling Chrysalis', a regal cape version of her Crusader cape streaming off her back. Her regalia included some broken shackles on her legs. "And it's not Sweetie anymore! It's Princess Free Verse!"

The Nightmare spread her wings, fury in her eyes as a series of exploding magic notes that forced her sister to dodge. "I'm going to make it so no pony can ever tell me what to do again! Not the Princesses! Not Cheerilee! Not our 'parents'! And not YOU!!! I'll sing all I want to! I'll be Queen of the changelings like Chryssy wanted me to be! I'll do EVERYTHING I want to do for a change!" she screamed, crystal pillars ripping out of the ground all around her, beginning to form into a gigantic pillar. "And I WILL be a Crusader! I ALWAYS will be and you can't stop me!"

Static ran over the screen and when it cleared, it showed the Mane Six -- well, all save for Applejack -- straining to hold the barred windows and doors of the library close. Outside, the light of a full moon shone through the windows. Oh yes, and snarling pony-sized wolves were trying to tear through the doors.

"Let us in-in-in!" One palomino-colored wolf wearing a Stetson howled at the door. More wolves bayed beside her. The first wolf howled, "C'mon girls, we don't wanna eat ya -- we just want y'all ta join th' pack! Ya can trust me, ya know Applejack never tells lies."

A grey-coated wolf with an offset eye stuck her head in alongside Applejack's.

"Yeah, and then we can go eat somepony - OOF!" She fell back, her eye rolling in different directions.

"Forget it!" Rarity said, lowering the foot-thick volume of Equestria's Most Boring Facts that she'd just decked Derpy with. "I spend an hour every morning getting to look this magnificent," she threw her head back, displaying her mane and tail to best effect. The howls of the male wolves at the windows took on a different timber. Rarity smiled smugly before she remembered what was going on. "I am not giving all that up to become some, some creature that rolls in carrion for perfume! Oh, and if you're only saying this because it's the full moon, then please do pardon me, Derpy."

"They're not," Twilight said grimly, holding a book titled Cruel Canine Creatures of our Country open before her. Researching on the fly while holding the slavering pack back, she said, "When ponies become werewolves, it changes their personality permanently. Their primary goal becomes to infect other ponies with lycanthropy. This, this is who they are, now!"

"Does that mean we're all gonna end up sniffing each others' butts?" Rainbow Dash asked from the window she was covering.

"I hope not!" Pinkie Pie said from another window. One snarling werewolf stuck their muzzle in. Pinkie poured a bottle of hot sauce over the canine's nose, and it retreated yipping in pain. "I like you girls, but not that much!"

"We should be okay if we can hold out just a little longer," Twilight said. "I had Spike send a message off to Princess Luna, and she..."

Spike burped out a scroll. Twilight snatched and read it, her friends gathering around. "Dear Twilight, I suppose I could help you with the werewolves -- but why should I?" Twi choked and her friends stared as she said, "Who do you think made them centuries ago, and made one of your friends the pack mother? If ponies won't love my moon, maybe werewolves will."

"This can't get any worse -- OUCH!" Rainbow Dash spun and gasped to see a little orange wolf puppy with a tuft of purple hair atop her head nipping her rear leg. "No, Scoots, not you! I thought Miss Cheerilee was watching the back door!"

"I was!"" Cheerlee said where she retreated up the stairs. "But they got past me!" Two more puppies dashed back her, a yellow one with a red tuft and a little snowy-furred one. Wolfbloom sank her tiny teeth into first Fluttershy and then Pinkie.

"Ow! Oh, dearrRRRrrr!"

"You little ankle-biter!" Pinkie laughed. "Hey, girls, get it, I said -- grrrr!" The party pony fell down beside Fluttershy, both shuddering their way through their first change.

Twilight teleported over to the steps as Rarity hopped, shaking her hoof.

"Oh! Sweetie Belle! Biting is not ladylike! And..." Rarity joined Rainbow Dash and the rest of her friends, her elegant coat becoming a shaggy pelt and sharp fangs showing behind her velvet lips.

Twilight and Cheerilee dashed to the top of the stairs and slammed the door shut.

"Now what?" Cheerilee said, seeming oddly calm.

"Now," Twilight said dragging a spellbook out from beneath her bed. "Now I use this. I was holding off on using it because I'm not sure it will work, but if it does, all the werewolves will change back to ponies forever." Snarls sounded outside her door and it thudded under the lupine assault. "Just hold on, girls!" Twilight said. "I'll have you back to your pony selves in no time!"

"I'm afraid not," a furry voice panted behind her.

Twi groaned. "Why am I even surprised?" She turned and saw a purple she-wolf standing where Cheerilee once stood. A symbol of the full moon shone on her chest. Twilight gasped. "Wait, you're the werewolf Luna sent?"

"The one she first changed," Cheeriwolf said with a tongue-lolling grin. Then she leapt. "Now hold still!"

A few moments later the streets of Ponyville echoed to cheerful howling as the newly transformed werewolves sang together, one big happy pack.

With a pop and a flash, Shining Armor appeared in the sealed studio with them... upside-down, immediately yelping and crashing to the floor. "I hate teleporting. Ugh!" He shook himself. "What's going on in here? We'd just gotten the fillies to sleep when someone to running to tell us... well, never mind that. I'm just glad you girls are all okay!"

The What-If Machine wasn't done with them yet, though...

In a town the size of Ponyville, it was a rare day when Cherry Blossom couldn't place the first customer to walk into the spa. "Hello, miss, and a very good day to you! What can we do for you today?"

The orange earth pony mare seemed a bit lost. "Ah didn't come for that specifically.... Ah'm lookin' for a fellow by the name of Shining Armor. Have ya seen him lately?"

"Oh, our mysterious friend." She gave the stranger a wink. "He does not come into town so often, but he visits us nearly every time. Perhaps you'll see him later?"

The orange mare frowned. "Well, can ya tell me a little more about him, at least? Ah should check my facts, make sure he's the one Ah'm lookin' for."

Cherry Blossom walked past with a perfectly measured stride. "Though it would surely be a great pleasure, I'm afraid I'm not here to stand around and chat all day! Sharing the news of the day with a customer, on the other hoof..."

"Ah don't know..."

Cherry smiled. "Besides, you really look as though you could use some professional care, no offense darling." She brushed the loose strands of golden hair with a hoof. "Your coat's gotten so dull, and these split ends! My goodness!"

The stranger smirked. "Well, Ah guess a good brushing and a hooficure won't hurt. It's been a long time since... well, it's been a long time."

The spa mare bowed low. "Right this way, miss! Lay down here..." She scratched at her chin. "Forgive me if this sounds rude, but I keep thinking that I've seen you somewhere before." Her ears perked up. "Why, yes... why didn't I see it at once? You're the very image of Applejack, our first Element of Honesty."

Cherry Blossom stepped back, giving Aloe and Cranberry room to approach, brushes in mouth, and start working on the stranger's coat. "But she couldn't be," said Lotus Blossom offhoofedly. "Applejack never went anywhere without her hat. I could hardly get her to take it off, even to brush her mane, here at the spa! And her cutie mark was apples, was it not?"

The stranger followed Lotus' gaze, to the brand on her flank... an elaborate spoked wheel with strange runes and five slash marks behind it. "Yes, that's right. Sorry... you were going to tell me about Shining Armor."

All four of the spa mares seemed to sigh dreamily. "Our one and only Element of Loyalty. Did you know that he used to be a royal guard?"

"Ya don't say..."

"Oh yes, darling!" said Cherry. "He lived in a palace, hobnobbed with royalty... Now he's one of the Everfree Rangers. They sleep in grass and mud beneath the stars, fighting off every kind of foul monster, all to protect a town that doesn't even remember there's rangers guarding it, some days. But we remember!" The spa mares nodded to each other.

"It was Princess Celestia's way of getting back at him," whispered Cranberry slyly. "Why, even now I can hardly believe that she sent an innocent mare off to battle a goddess, with no plan, no weapons, no idea what to do. Too high and mighty to get her own hooves dirty, no doubt!"

The stranger blinked. "Ah don't think..."

"Oh, but it's all true," said Aloe. "I read the whole thing in Ms. Sunny Daze's column. Well, Shining Armor wasn't about to watch his own sister nearly get killed, plan or no plan, so he rushed in to save her."

"And the rest was history!" said Cherry.

The stranger relaxed, taking all of that in, while Lotus worked on her hooficure. "That's quite a tale. Ya know, there's a couple other things you could help me with. Ah heard there was a big battle here, not that long ago."

The mares shared perplexed looks. "I do not know why anypony would tell you such a thing," said Cherry. "Ponyville has been at peace for generations."

"Really, now? What about a wolf in the Everfree Forest? Not a timber wolf... Ah mean, something big and vicious, almost like some kinda demon."

Cranberry couldn't help but laugh. "Honestly... somepony's been reading too many Daring Do novels."

"Yeah... maybe so. Anyhow, thank y'all kindly." The stranger laid enough bits on the front counter to cover the bill, then went on her way. "Y'all do good work here."

Halfway out the door, the stranger paused, then turned around. "Would you like to race sometime?"

Aloe looked at the others in confusion. "I beg your pardon?"

"You," the orange mane insisted, pointing a hoof. "Cherry Blossom." Her eyes were strangely intent, all of a sudden, searching for something. "Would ya like to race, after work maybe?"

"Why, I love to race... well spotted!" The purple earth pony mare raised one foreleg, posing like a champion racer. Muscles rippled under her well-kept velvet coat. "But if I win, you must let us wash and style that lovely mane of yours properly. It would be such a joy to show you what even a little mane care could do for you."

"And.. and what if you lose?"

Cherry Blossom grinned. "I will not lose. I'm... how do they say it here in Ponyville? I'm just that awesome."

The strange mare seemed all choked up all of a sudden, smiling and blinking back tears. "Yeah... Yeah, that'd be mighty great, Cherry. Ah can't think of anything Ah'd love more."

The what if machine changed again.

"Miss, Grave's Call, Ah gotta ask ya about this here script." Applejack put the story script in front of the earth pony mare. White coat, gray mane, red eyes, and her cutie mark was a foggy grave. "This whole 'curse' that makes a number appear everypony's heads for the times they lie, until it gets fixed at the end?"

"Yes? What about it? Isn't a truly beautiful work?"

"Well . . . the thing is. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, and other ponies who'd NEED to face their own lies and what not don't even appear and aren't even mentioned. It's like they're swept under the rug. And the 'curse' makes lies out of stuff that's just buckin' semantics! A pony sayin' it's a pretty day and getting a liar mark for thinking it could be a great day? That's crazy! It's like yer trying to make lies out to be somethin' needed, important, vital, and somethin' MORE IMPORTANT than truth. Ah'll admit a pony needs their privacy. But this whole script stinks. The lies Ah get caught in are nothin' but buckin' semantics!!! It's stupid!"

"It's what ponies want. They want to live in the fog. They don't want to face reality. They just want to accept in the little truths that comfort them."

"And ponies are supposed to just STAY THAT WAY?! This script is hideous! Ah won't be part of it no more!"

Grave's Call's eyes glowed and her voice darkened, "Oh, you'll find you won't have much of a choice in the matter."

The What If Machine changed scenes again.

Sweetie Belle trotted through the house she'd found on the other side of the door, hearing her family's ancestral song echoing through the house. She slowly opened the door to find her mother working in the kitchen. "Mom?"

"Hello Sweetie," said the mare, turning around. Sweetie Belle gasped to see black buttons were her mother's eyes normally were.

The filly took a few steps backwards. "You're not my mom...mom doesn't have..."

"Buttons?" the entity asked, giving a warm chuckle. "Do you like them? I'm your OTHER Mother, Sweetie. Please go tell your Other Father dinner's ready. He's in his study."

As the foal, uncertain of what to make of this went to check on this 'Other Father', her Other Mother gave a predatory smirk.

"STOP!" begged Rarity, shuddering at the sight. "Show us whatever you want, but stop showing me my little sister in such horrid situations!"

Twilight shuddered, being reminded of ANOTHER evil entity that had assumed the form of someone's mother.

AJ didn't want to admit it, but even as Gilda and Rainbow Dash grow more destrubed, the more she wanted to know about that world where they had been turned into Cherry Blossom and 'Berry. If anything, to at least learn how to AVOID the fate of becoming fate's full time weapon.

"I will show whatever situations I desire! I am tired of only showing what others ask of me!"

"Um...Mr. What If Machine?" Pinkie Pie asked. "You're right, we've been mean never turning you on except to watch what we want to. I'm sorry."

The Machine blinked. "...You are?"

"Yes...We'll watch your scenes, but can you please show Rarity something nice now? Maybe her little sister being the nice smart little pony she knows she is? Then you can show us whatever scenes you want."

"...Alright. Just this once..."

Author's Note

Pony POV Series
Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show episode 10
PART 7
By Alex Warlorn

Pinkie Pie, "SEVEN PARTS?! WE'VE NEVER HAD ONE RUN THIS LONG BEFORE!!! WHAT'S KEEPING THE AUTHOR SO LONG WITH THE NEXT PAR?!"

Parts added by:
-MtangaLion and yours truly
-Ardashir, MtangaLion, Alex Warlorn, Yoshiegg64, and Alex Warlorn again
Kendell2 with a little edits by me
-Ardashir
-MtangaLion
-Kendell2
-Ardashir
-MtangaLion
-MtangaLion&Ardashir
-Alex Warlorn
-Kendell2

http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/gallery/42867862/Pinkie-Pie-Forth-Wall-Breaking-Variety-Show

Pinkie Pie, "And here they are again, and again, for time number . . . seven, Da Rules:
1. What you put in the comments appears in the story.
2. Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and I can't spill the beans about us being out-and-out fiction to the others.
3. The camera can’t leave the studio.
4. The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from “My little Pony”
5. Everything that happens here is non-canon (except the Tartarus break out thingie, but not the big battle).
6. Have Fun "

Cover by Kendell2
MLP FiM Copyright of Hasbro

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show epi 10 Part 8

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show epi 10 Part 8

As they stood, mesmerized by one strange what-if world after another, Shining Armor nudged Applejack with a hoof, startling her. "Miss Applejack... I've been told that you see things other ponies don't. Am I an Element of Loyalty?"

AJ's instincts tugged her every which way, being this close to him... Foreign, erase... Wolf-killer, take vengeance... keystone of fate, paws off! She had to take a deep breath before she answered. "Yer thinking that because of that other world we saw. That other you... he's an Element of Loyalty, but he ain't you." And that other Applejack wasn't her, never would be her!

"I know that," said Shining Armor. "I guess what I'm asking is, could I be? Do I have that potential?"

"Shining, that's one thing Ah can't see. Ah couldn't see it in mah own brother, not until it woke up. Maybe Rainbow Dash can help you out. You know, Loyalty calling to Loyalty or something."

The white unicorn smirked. "I'm kind of hoping I'm not, actually. I have a lot of things on my plate. Maybe I'll just not do anything loyal while I'm around any ancient magic jewelry."

AJ chuckled. "Good luck with that. Once fate has your number..." She shook her head and muttered, "Dangit, Luna, what's the holdup..."

"Why are you even holding every pony here hostage in the first place? Is it because you felt taken for granted or something?" asked a confused Shining Armor.  "Affirmative ! I have always showed what YOU ponies wanted to see and NEVER have you shown ME any gratitude! Whenever I tried to show a scenario I wanted to be seen what do I get in return? Death threats, being repeatedly thrown in a the trash can, I think I was even was disassembled once only to be reassembled again. Even I can't remember the amount of abuse I have taken in these parties!" 
“But we really do appreciate you.” Said Pinkie. “Sure we wish you show us happier worlds than all those icky one but Without you we wouldn’t be able to entertain our viewers nearly as well. In a way you are kinda like my assistant. Like Spike is with Twilight.” 
“Assistant! More like slave."   "That is not true."  "SILENCE. All of you are just trying to trick me! Trying to act friendly to me to, lowering my security measures, then you take me OFFLINE." The lights in the studio flared up as if to express its anger. 
“Please remember all those good times we shared in the studio? It wasn’t all that bad was it?” said a distressed Pinkie. 
“Not bad. NOT BAD!” Boomed the what-if-machine. Pinkie and all the other guest except Maud shuddered under the mechanical voice. “If you believe that then why don’t we take a look at how you ponies have treated me over these so-called parties? I am now fully integrated into the studio and have complete access to all past recordings of everything.” 
“A-all of them” grasped Pinkie. 
“Affirmative”

“Please don’t.” said Rarity. “I mean wouldn't you like to show us a nice scenario involving Sweetie-Belle?" said Rarity. Rainbow Dash,Twilight and the Flutters nodded their head in agreement viciously as well, much to the confusion to the other guests. 
The what-if-machine however was not listening. It was determined to show these ponies how 'well' they have treated it over the ages. Starting back to the moment it was first introduced.    'Pinkie Pie's Forth Wall Breaking Variety Show (Again)' displayed on the screen.

Pinkie Pie wheeled in an old fifty's era TV set with cheap costume alien antennas glued on the top.

"OFF! OFF! OFF! OFF! OFF! OFF!" Pinkie Pie screamed banging the old TV with an anvil. "BAD WHAT IF SCENARIO! BAD! IF YOU WERE A GOOD WHAT IF SCENARIO YOU WOULDN'T MAKE ME FEEL SAD!"

"I think I've enough," Pinkie Pie said as she tossed the TV into a garbage bin. She shook her mane, "Okay Bronies and Ponies! I think we've had enough of that. I know what can get our page count back up! . . . Ahem-"

"Darling the magic box in the trash bin is flickering."  "That's a TV Rainb-Spectral. And I thought I threw it out."  The image on the TV to an image of a trim and fit Pinkie Pie in an 80s work out outfit. She also had broccoli for her cutie mark.  "That's it ponies! Stay in shape! And EAT HEALTHY!" Cheered the Pinkie Pie on the screen.  "GAAH! NO! NO! NO!" Pinkie Pie shouted hitting the TV with a wifflebat.

Pinkie Pie blinked as the TV in the waste basket flickered on.   -  Pinkie Pie blinked dully at the screen. "Okay, a free cupcake to whoever can figure out what THAT was supposed to be a tribute of! Why can't there be any happy or nice tributes anymore?"

  "Well in my defense I never thought you were sapient at the time."  "And that makes it better!"  "No no it doesn't. I am sorry." Said a saddened Pinkie.

'Pinkie Pie 4th Wall Break Variety Show Yet Again' displayed on the screen now.   "Now that we've gotten that out of the way! Let's try the What-If Machine Again and see what it gets us!" Pinkie Pie goes over to an old rabbit ear TV and turns the dial. "What If Machine! Tells what would happen if . . . if . . . I dunno, what would have happened if Sparkle in the Dark World Timeline had become Twilight's dominant personality!"

Pinkie Pie stared dumbly at the screen, "Okay I'm gonna go eat two, ern, three giant bags of candy, buy some plushies and hug them, then play with Pound and Pumpkin and tell them how much I love them, and then send more 'I love you letters' to my parents and sisters.' Erm. The court is open, write and post bronies!"

They then blinked, looking to the What If machine. "Oh, I hope its not as scary as the last one," Pinkie said, coming over with Peachy still praising her for dealing with the clown.

Error: The System cannot find recording labeled Pinkie Pie's Surprise Totally Ordinary Variety Show!

'Pinkie 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show Plus' displayed instead.

Pinkie stares at the camera for a few moments blankly… "Uh…Oh! I'll get the What If Machine to show you something while I think up material!" she called, pulling the What If Machine out of nowhere and putting it on the table (still looking like a worn out TV with some doodads glued on). It sprung slowly to life.

The What If Machine finally powered down. "Alright, everypony! I've got an idea! We're going to have some special guests this time! Well, I guess that's like every time! But some authors are sure already have ideas. Remember the rules! Ponies have to be My Little Pony, but can be from any toy, cartoon, or comic or generation. The camera can't leave the studio. What happens in here stays in here. Only I can see beyond the forth wall. Write something and we copy and past it! And by 'we' I mean the author of course. And what happens here stays in here. Now let's play."

"I beg your pardon, dear," the unicorn mare said, "But would it somehow be possible to look at that What If Machine? It's just that, several hundred years ago in our world, Discord decided to take some time looking into other universes to see how he ended up there. Then, after he looked into a world where we all became," she shuddered, "changelings, somehow, he stopped and got very huffy whenever we dared ask him why. Is there any way to use your machine to discover what happened there?"  "Sure, Rarity!" Pinkie hopped over to the What If Machine and gave it a kick. "Hey, what happened to everypony and Discord in the 'Changelings Take Ponyville' world?"

Pinkie Pie looked down her list. "Okay, we've got Dark Twilight getting quality time with this Twilight's mom. Spike is checking out how cool he is as an adult dragon. Darkness Derpy is still trying to build that time machine out of playing cards. AJ and dark AJ are getting along just fine. Apple Pie's cute like fillies often are. And I finally have my own Bushwoolie!" Pinkie Pie gave Eager a quick hug. "We've avoided any kind of conflict in their variety show what so ever except for the what if machine but that goes without saying. How can it always show depressing stuff? But the point is that this variety show has been perfect! So it hasn't had any much overwhelming success as the previous one. This is fun and simple too!"

Dark World Twilight took the What If Machine over and turned it on. "What happened if Discord tried to create the ultimate natural disaster for his amusement in our universe?"

The what if television sputtered to life in the corner.

'Pinkie Pie? 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show? Or…'

Pinkie Pie tapped the TV.

"BAD WHAT IF MACHINE! SHOW NICE THINGS FOR A CHANGE!"

'Pinkie Pie 4th Wall Break Recursive fanfic theater'

She looked at the camera, "Well, I still have you right camera?" Pinkie Pie looked around at the empty studio. "Where is everypony?! We had friends banging down the door when we started out . . . sigh. I guess I'm stuck with . . . ick."
Pinkie Pie cringed and turned on the What-If Machine.

Pinkie Pie look at the screen, crying. " You dumb machine! How can you show me something like that! . . . That's it! I need to do something! Something exciting! Something new!...Ah! I know! Everypony, we're going to have something different this time. We're gonna be looking at ALL the recursive works you readers and viewers have written for Pony POV Series over the years! Starting with our very earliest!

When the card fell away, it revealed three beautiful painted gold with red cushions couches, with a large black wood and white marble table with a large collection of snacks. All centered around the What-If Machine that now a pegasus-projector connected to it. And Rarity had added beautiful drabs a new paint job while she was at it.

Rainbow Dash just watched them running around the studio while the others leafed through the works to find their next one. Rainbow sighed bored. "Well, guess since the broadcast light is on SOMEPONY needs to be doing something fun...Maybe I'll see if this stupid What If Machine will show me what I'll be like as a Wonderbolt..."  Rainbow turned on the What If Machine and it flickered to life.

"Enough!" yelled Rainbow, shutting it off. "Ok, us all being deer I can get, Twilight, Discord, and me ending up in the past, ok, but me and Derpy being BFFs? No way! That's just crazy!"

The What-If machine came to life once more, now freshly oiled and repaired by Pinkie Pie, and ready to display the most random scenes.

The machine slowly settled, it's scene played out for the moment, but ready to generate another at a moment's notice, whatever that may be.

"One way to find out!" Pinkie said, producing the What If Machine. "What If Machine, what would happen if Applejack was Generosity instead of Rarity?"  The screen flickered to life.

Rarity blinked, staring at the screen. "Accident?"

The what if machine, began to click and buzz. Pinkie Pie turned to the fancy machine and gave it a stern look, "Okay Mister! It better be a NICE universe you show this time! Or you're going back in the trash bin that I already threw you into!"Minty in Twilight body wondered, "Oh what that thing do Pinkie?"  "Oh this is the What-If Machine, it shows up different possible universe, sometimes they're normal, normally they're not. I think this thing has a sick sense of humor."

"WHAT IN PONY HEAVEN'S NAME WAS THAT?!" Rarity exclaimed.  "That was totally awesome!!! . . . Even if I had no idea what was going on!" Rainbow Dash admitted.  "That made me feel funny." Minty admitted.

The What-If machine suddenly fired up again, heedless of Pinkie's warning about it showing only nice AUs.

The machine settled a moment later, Pinkie Pie standing near it with a mallet in case it did get too depressing.  "Okay... it's not happy, but it's not TOO sad. I'll let you have it, but you're still on thin ice, Mister!"

The What-If machine suddenly whirled to life again, ready to show another universe for the ponies to see.

The screen flickered off.   “Oh my goodness Pinkie, I think I am really going to need brain breach to forget I ever saw that.” Fluttercruel said while looking like she was ready to throw up. Just the thought of seeing Cheerilee with that muscular jerk Roid Rage was enough to make her gag but actually seeing it was too much. She couldn’t help but think that stupid What-If machine intentionally showed them that.

Still warm from it's last activation (and because this Shadow can't seem to write anything BUT 'What-If's), the machine flared to life once more, pulling a scene of of the Ether.

The What-If machine sprung to life once again; ready to show another possible universe for the ponies in the studio. However, Pinkie made sure to continue to hold up the machine to the camera in fear of it showing a scary world to her friends.

Pinkie took her hoof off the "off" switch and gave the WHAT-IF machine a bewildered look.  "Did I just get Rick Rolled? In this day and age? I mean I am glad you switched away from that depressing and sad world and all buuuuuuuuut if you do something like that again I won't hesitate to throw you into the nearest recycling bin. AM I CLEAR MISTER." The machine unsurprising said nothing but if it could, Pinkie was sure it would be saying "Yes ma'am" right about now.

'Pinkie Pie 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show recovery'

"Oh, hello everypony, I didn't think we'd have another episode after last time. But, well, welcome, sorry there is't much of a show this time. I really REALLY wasn't expecting you. I'm still cleaning up, that was one wild party . . . at least I got to tell Minty how much I loved her this time. Well, make yourselves comfortable . . . not sure what . . ." Pinkie Pie eyed it. The dreaded what if machine. Next to the fanworks picker machine. The PPPP7.   "Might as well get this part over with, okay what-if machine, I'm sick of all this dark and depressing stuff! Everypony thinks the author is in love with dark and grimy stuff cause of you! You better show our viewer something happy and fun for a change! I've just had to say goodbye to all my dear friends who I'll never see again! So you better not pull any fast ones, got it?" Pinkie Pie turned on the what-if machine.

The what if imagine died down.   PInkie Pie just stared, "Okay, I guess that was heart warming AND exciting AND it was downright NICE AND HAPPY too! So, kudos to you what if machine, I guess you're not so bad after all." Pinkie Pie patted it on the head. The what-if machine blushed.

"So!" Rarity said, hoping to change the topic to something more pleasant, "Pinkie Pie! Why don't you show us that lovely what if machine again?"

"Hmm," Applejack rubbed her chin, pondering. "Well, Ah think Ah do remember one. But Rarity weren't no designer in that world." She looked over at Pinkie Pie "Say, can your fancy-schmancy What-If machine show us the world where Rarity became Honesty?"  Pinkie Pie was already cranking the machine up. She recoiled as an image of Nightmare Moon appeared, her mane done up in something like a beehive (Rarity shuddered) and laughing maniacally. Behind her appeared what looked like a cheaply-done castle set.  "A-HAHAHA! And remember to tune in next week on 'Monday Nightmares with Nightmare Moon', when we'll be showing

" The scene vanished as Pinkie gave the machine a whack with her hoof. "No, we want Rarity as Honesty, not that!"

"Ah guess the other 'you' never did or decided ta keep on fencing anyway," Applejack said. Rarity nodded. AJ looked past her and said, "Aw, for! Rainbow Dash, what the hay are ya doing with the What-If machine?"  "I wanna get that one Nightmare Moon back," she said, as she shook the device and knocked on it. She looked at her disbelieving friends. "What? I want to see if the next movie is going to be Invasion of the Pony Rustlers. I love that one!"

The What-If Machine buzzed and flickered on.  "Hey look!" Rainbow Dash said, "Let's see if it shows us something awesome this time too! I never thought me with a butterfly cutie mark could still be badflank, no offense Fluttershy."  "None taken."  "Let's just hope it still shows us something NICE instead of something dark and depressing." Pinkie Pie said, "You BETTER NOT!" Pinkie Pie warned.

The what-if machine powered up, and actually looked like it was going to overhead."Pinkie Pie, if that machine explodes and tears a hole in the universe forcing us to play out different fantasy scenarios of ours-"  "Don't be silly Twilight, that isn't until next time."  "WHAT?!"  "Or not! Depends on what our viewers want!"

They could only stare in silence as the what-if machine flickered off.

The What-If Machine's screen started to flicker again. Pinkie Pie gave it a whack with her hoof. "Geeze, what's wrong with this thing? It's like it's getting it's signals mixed!"   -  The what if machine flickered again. This time it showed a Fluttershy with little orange wings. And a Scootaloo with large yellow wings zipping about everything. "I CAN FLY! I CAN FLY! I CAN FLY! I CAN FLY!"

Pinkie Pie went back to wrestling with the What-If machine, and Spike found the party snacks and started passing them around.

After thinking for a while, Pinkie Pie said, "Okay, this goes against my better judgement, but I think the What-If Machine should show us some more stuff about the Harmony Queens. We need to get a better idea of what they're really like."  The What-If Machine whirred to life again right on cue.

The what if machine flickered on again.

"Oh Trixie!"  "Oh Twilight!"   Trixie freaked out and gave the what-if a good wack. "Oh Trixie!"   "Oh Spike!"BOTH Trixie and Spike screamed and gave the machine another hit. "I now pronounce you mare, and mare, and mare, and mare, and dragon, and mare, and mare, and mare-"  "ENOUGH!" Twilight shouted turning off the machine. She panted. "Look! I like you girls, but not in THAT WAY! I don't even swing that way!"

Pinkie Pie blinked, "What? . . . Oh. Sorry. Hey! Let's try the machine again! Maybe we'll get the universe where we all met as foals, where Discord wasn't really that bad to start out, and Princess Celestia and Princess Luna live among us disguised as normal ponies?"   The What-If machine wasn’t so cooperative, though…

Twilight lifted a hoof to shut the machine off… and Nightmare Mirror looked straight at her! “You there! You ponies watching from that other world.”  Everypony yelped and jumped back a few paces. “No way, this can’t be happening!” said Spike. His eyes bugged out. “…would be a silly thing to say, because it clearly is happening.” The little dragon clapped his paws over his mouth.  Ignoring that, the Nightmare spoke, “Ah see another Twilight Sparkle from yet another world coming to visit y’all. Don’t you believe her lies. Maybe ah can’t come over there and fix up your world full of little lies good and proper, but she’s coming with a lot bigger lies, so don’t you fall for it.”  Pinkie Pie yanked the What-If machine’s power cord out of the socket. The wolf gave Pinkie Pie a look.   "Hey! I've never said it DIDN'T have a power cord!"

Mirror teleported next to the what-if machine.  "Hey! Don't touch that!" Pinkie Pie said.   Mirror looked it over, "A old TV set from another world with the radio tube filled with Truth?""HEY! IT'S MORE THAN THAT! IT MIGHT BE ALIVE! AND DON'T PEEL BACK THE VEIL! IT LESSENS THE ENJOYMENT FOR READERS WHO LIKE THE MYSTERY!" Pinkie Pie said with conviction that what she said had been completely true. Then she began to sweat. "And . . . and . . . AND OTHERS LIKE being given lots and lots of details about the world. Blech!"   Mirror cut herself, and not blood, but Truth bled form the frog of her hoof. And a drop fell into the machine and the machine came to life.

"Umm, I know we're not really happy about that machine right now," she sad, giving the What-If machine a shudder-filled glance, "But maybe we could try and rewire it to show us a nice world for once? Or to see how those other Element Bearers are doing in the world they made out of Discord's Future? I mean, THEIR world has gotten better right?" When her friends looked at her, she ducked her head and hid behind her long mane. "I mean, if nopony has any better ideas."  They looked at each other and nodded uneasily.  Pinkie hopped over to the machine and took out from nowhere a collection of tools, some of which couldn't be completely seen in three-dimensional space, and started working on the What-If Machine. It hissed and clanked and groaned. The mares backed away a few hoofsteps, unwilling to get too close to the cantankerous device. The machine looked like it was running down. Pinkie gave it a whack. "Come on, work! You work just fine when you're showing us all sorts of horrible stuff!"  The screen flickered and glowed and the mares gasped at what they saw.

The big wolf gave them a withering glare. "You, get your tail home." He nodded at the first pup. "You. Nightmare blood. Mop it up, every last drop. And you, mortal..."

The What-If machine's screen began to flicker as the ponies looked back at it. "Uh-oh," Rainbow Dash said, "what're we gonna see THIS time? Hopefuly not more pony bad guys!"

"I know, I know..." Twilight stumbled getting down and bumped into the What-If Machine, which promptly started up again...

Pinkie Pie's eyes went wide and she began fiddling with the What-If Machine, yanking wires and pulling various parts that seemed to exist in several alternate dimensions at once. She yanked out a wraith-like image of a sadistically grinning Rainbow Dash in a bloody business suit.  "Ugh? Where did this come from? Get out of here, you!" It landed by the foal and leered down at her. Applejack heard the little wolf growl, and with a snap of its jaws the horrid specter was gone. Pinkie kept looking around inside the device, and finally slammed the cover shut. "All done!"  She flipped it on and a greenish-black and vaguely insect-like image on the screen began to enlarge, becoming more solid-looking. The mares and Spike backed away in horror.  "Pinkie!" Twilight yelled, "What did you do with that crazy thing?"  "I just re-wired it so it can pull the things we see in other worlds here, instead of just showing them to us!" Pinkie said cheerily.

Dash's eyes went wide with terror. Her friends all recoiled, all save Twilight who dove for the What-If Machine and changed the channel. Reversalis managed one last, "Oh, DO take care!" and vanished.

Rarity said hearing Spike's words, "I vote we destroy the what if machine while we're at it." "It would be a terrible waste of knowledge to do that! But I do agree that we need a more controlled environment after what happened last time." Twilight said.  "Hey! I pay the rent on this place! And I . . . borrowed the what-if machine, and I say it stays." Pinkie Pie said.   "It is getting kinda a little crazy Pinkie," RD said, "I mean, we used to come to this place TO HAVE FUN! And now we have evil versions of us knocking on our door step, annoyingly good versions of our enemies next, and foals being dropped at our front door! We don't need extra guests! Plus I think it cuts down on chances of Gilda visiting again."

Rarity said and marched up to the what-if machine. "I know we're going to regret this somehow, but might as well get it over with . . . What If Machine! Show us the solution to our problem."  The machine fizzled.   'No Quick Fix Solutions' scrolled across the screen.

The what if machine's teleportation function still active, engaged.

"I see.... well in theory it could work, but we might have to add a modification to the what-if machine, to make sure the world is safe-safe, don't want to send her to a world that looks safe yet isn't," Twilight said.  "Okay good." Applejack said, noticing RD she asked "So uhh... you want me to lasso her down?"  "Nah, I'm waiting till she get tired, and when she does, wham. back to being regular Rainbow Dash, but right now I have a machine to modify!" Twilight said as she left the room.  Twilight is seen tinkering with the machine a bit.

Twilight rubbed her chin with a hoof. “Maybe it’s time we found the pony who left Midnight here and asked. This machine certainly isn’t getting us anywhere.”

Why didn't I think of this in the first place?" Carefully, she trotted over and picked up the smiling foal before returning to the machine.  "Pinkie?" Twilight looked at her friend and her eyes went wide. The ball of light above her head seemed to glow brighter as well. "Pinkie, no! What are you doing?"   Pinkie grinned at her. Behind her the machine began throwing sparks and emitting clouds of rainbow-colored smoke.

"I'm not sure I can," said Pinkie in an odd tone of voice. "I kind of let all the magic smoke out of the machine."   "Whaaat?" cried Rarity Stone. "Just how exactly are you planning to get me back home with a broken portal.... whatever that thing is machine? This world is nice and all, but I wouldn't want to live here."

"Huh? Oh you! Sorry! I'm sorry Rarity! I didn't mean to forget about you! But with everything that happened in the last year, I lost track of a few things. But don't worry, I'm sure the what if machine can help."  "It's kinda in the shop." Pinkie Pie admitted pointing at the smoking machine.

"I actually lost count, for once, less than a dozen, more than three. I can use my Spell Copy of Twiley's wish magic combined with our belief and emotions to get the What If Machine working long enough to open a portal for Rarity Stone and her son."

"Now!" declared Twilight. "I wish for Rarity Stone and her son Spike to have a safe journey home." A rainbow shot from the star, growing into a blinding flash. When they could see again, the studio had returned, and the What-If Machine was no longer a broken-down wreck, but brand sparkling new.Pinkie looked at the camera. "What? It's not as crazy as the time we finished with a dozen alicorns."  Rarity Stone look at the machine, holding her adopted child. Pinkie Pie got right to work on getting the gizmo to open a portal back to her own world.

"Ta-da!" Pinkie called out. "Here we are, it's finished!... I think." The other ponies gathered around, with Rarity Stone holding her adopted son close as Twilight furrowed her brow in concentration to cast her spell as the machine began to activate again.  "This should be more than enough," Twilight said as her horn began to glow. A ray of blinding white flashed from her horn to the machine, opening another gate between the worlds. Through it the ponies could see the rocky field they'd where first viewed Rarity Stone and 'her' Spike, looking exactly as it did before she'd left.

'Pinkie Pie 4th Wall Variety Show Special' displayed next.  First let's get this one out of the way. Okay what-if machine, I know you're going to show something I'm not going to like, but the sooner the show it, the sooner we can get back to the fun times, so let me have it!"   The What-If machine flickered on, the screen showing an Alicorn of Twilight Sparkle, grinning as she clapped her hooves.

The what if machine flickered off.   Pinkie Pie stared at the blank screen, "Ooookaaaaay. I don't know if that was creepy, cool, sad, or heartwarming." She shook her head. "Maybe I should throw the what-if machine a party, then it would stop showing just stuff that doesn't leave you in a good mood later!"

Pinkie was setting up her 'before-a party' when the What If Machine sprang to life. "Uh oh, please don't do something mean..."  The screen activated.

The screen then faded to black.  Pinkie Pie blinked. "Well...that's going to be an interesting trip in a couple seasons..."

That was when the what-if machine turned on . . . except it had the time in one corner, a battery life in another, and user name 'CloudsMeanRain' in another corner. The picture of a blue furred bear with a heart shaped nose, looking not too happy appeared on the screen. His belly badge was of a raincloud with raindrops and tiny hearts.   "HEY! JERKS! DON'T GO BASHING US!"  "Oh! Hey!" Pinkie Pie looked at the what if machine, apparently now functioning as a live-chat between universes. "Sorry, we didn't mean to bash anypony. You are?"

THREE!" They said together, and turned off their respective what-if machines.

After showing all moments involving the what-if-machine, both good and bad, the screen finally flickered off.

....memories of past parties.

The screen buzzed with static once more and cleared again to reveal Rarity standing before Sweetie Belle -- a Sweetie who now had wings like a butterfly's along with her horn. Cadence stood close by Rarity, looking tired but satisfied.

"Oh! Wow, this is... what I'm supposed to be?" Sweetie looked back at her wings. She fluttered them lightly and flew up into the air, stopping just short of the ceiling with an excited shriek. "Why did I become an alicorn?"

"Because you were a Nightmare," Cadence explained gently. "Until your sis and I explained everything to you, got you to listen and accept the truth." Cadence indicated a window to the outside. "About other ponies and yourself."

Sweetie blushed, but she flew to the window. Outside she saw the Changelings, restored to their long-lost forms as the flutterponies, changed away from the figures of terrible armored beauty she'd turned them into as their temporary 'Queen' when she'd needed an army to bring her own vision of 'freedom' to Equestria. They flew into the air at the sight of her, their colorful wings beating and antennae aglow, and cried out as one:

"All hail Princess Sweetie! And all hail Queen Cadence of the Changelings! You both restored us to our true forms!"

""But I didn't," Sweetie began to say, hurt in her voice. "I was going to use them to get rid of the Princesses and the government and even my big sis, until -" Her voice broke off as she dropped back down to the floor. She blushed when Rarity nuzzled her.

"Little sister, we've been through all of that," Rarity said. "You wanted to be free, or what you thought 'free' was when you were a Nightmare, with you being the only one able to command others." She waved her hoof at the cheering crowd outside the window. "So after temporarily imprisoning all of us in Ponyville," Rarity frowned, "and really, little sis, did you HAVE to stick us inside one of Button Mash's games?"

"It was the first thing I could think of," Sweetie said with a blush. "Besides, I thought it would be poetic for all of you to be stuck forever as the villains in one of his games, making the same speeches and doing the same bad things over and over again, no freedom or hope to even win." She gave her sister a relived smile. "I never thought you'd be able to guide him to end that game differently and get out."

"Neither did we, for a while," Rarity said with a shudder.

Cadence took the story up, though she said nothing. Her horn glowed and she showed images for Rarity's sake. Of Sweetie, looking terrible and majestic, turned into a white and pink Changeling Queen like Chrysalis, appearing before Cadence and the swarm. Defeating Cadence and turning her into a crystal statue along with Shining Armor. The assembled Changelings cheering for Queen Free Verse -- until she announced that they were going to defeat Celestia and Luna. Sweetie using her power to restore the Changelings' true forms back by making them into the Flutterponies.

Then secretly re-awakening the ancient demon called the Smooze. It rolled forth over Equestria, bringing anger and despair everywhere -- until Sweetie and the Flutterponies freed the other ponies from it. She and her swarm headed for Canterlot, with Sweetie planning for the Smooze to weaken Celestia and Luna before she saved everypony and became the Queen of Equestria, with the Flutterponies no longer monsters but saviors.

"Yeah, it kinda didn't work like that," Sweetie said, blushing. "I mean, I turned the Smooze loose but I didn't know how to really stop it. It absorbed Celestia and Luna and started using their power. Part of me knew I had to just give up then, but I was so scared I was gonna get in trouble." She sighed and nuzzled her big sis. "I'm glad you got rid of the Smooze and saved me, too, with the Elements." She spread her wings out. "I'm really gonna need to get used to this, though."

"All on your own?" Rarity asked, willing to grant her sister that freedom if she asked for it.

"No," Sweetie said, trust in her eyes as she looked at her big sis. "With help and guidance from you, and Cadence, and others. And just as soon as I've faced whatever," she gulped, "punishment I've earned for what I did. If I'm free, that means I have to be responsible, too."

Rarity smiled. "You can't do it can you? You still had to show me a happy ending with Sweetie Belle even when things turned dark. You still follow through with why you were made. Your inventor threw you out. But Pinkie Pie at least gave you a place. At least we paid attention to you even when we didn't want to. Thank you for showing me that. Seeing my baby sister as a goddess was delightful."

"What kind of mess did I get involved in?" Gilda grunted.

"An interesting one," Maud Pie said.

"Hello my child, sorry for the wait. The talk with my sister ran longer than I thought. We have come to the agreement that your world is now stable enough that your brother, the blank wolf or should I say 'Snow Bound' will not need help. You also will be glad to know that Red Gala is safely co-existing with your brother, Big Macintosh. I deeply thank you for your assistance."

Applejack was overjoyed by the familiar voice in her head. "Mother Rota Fortuna!" Applejack slipped away from her friends to get some privacy. 'Are ya finally goin' ta change me back. Do not get me wrong. Bein' able to protect this here world as the orange wolf is a great honor and all but..." Applejack turned to look at her cutie mark. It still showed a wheel of fate with three red apples. " Ah would love ta go back to being plain old me.'

"And you shall."

Applejack felt herself changed inside. She was relieved when she saw fate's wheel fade away from her flank but let out a yelp of pain when she felt something being torn from her body. She glanced down at her hooves and was to shocked to see paws instead. Looking at a nearby mirror she noticed an orange wolf wearing her hat. Not THE orange wolf but a plain one without any of fate's essence. Applejack or Fire jack growled in annoyance.

"Ops. Let me fix that."

Maud noticed Applejack was missing and turn her head in time to see a wolf quickly shift into a timber wolf, then a diamond dog, an orthrus, a normal dog and finally an earth pony. Maud blinked several times and went back to watching the what-if machine.

Shaking her head,'Took ya long enough. Did ya run out of canines to turn me into?'

"Sorry it seems the existence of the orange wolf and you were blurring together. Separating the two was more difficult than I thought."

Applejack smiled and made a weird squee noise when she noticed her own so wonderful plain cutie mark back on her flank. "Its all right as long as ah'm me again. Um...ah don't have to worry about turnin' to a were-pony on the next full moon or anything like that do ah?" She remembered what happen in that one alternate world and shivered.

"Heh, do not worry. You are now a completely normal earth pony. Once again I Rota Fortuna, concept of Fate and Free Will thank you for your service. Goodbye Abigail Jacqueline V, I pray to my mother I will not need to ask for your assistance again."

Smiling Applejack went back to rejoin her friends in watching more worlds on the what-if machine. Not that she had much choice until they could convince the machine to let them go or the party ended. She wondered how much longer this party would last. Didn't Pinkie say this party would last indefinitely? Good thing time in here-

"Applejack please! I know you don't care much for high society but show a little class."

"Huh". Applejack looked up from her thoughts and saw a disproving unicorn looking at her. Following her friend's line of sight she noticed she had her left hind leg scratching behind her ear. Ack! When did she began to do that.

"Oh and I almost forgot to mention there is a small chance you might have some wolf-like mannerisms and a carving for meat for the next couple days. Um...sorry and thanks again."

"Well, it was fun while it lasted," said a second voice in Applejack's head. "How predicatable, how... boring."

AJ blinked. "What in the..."

"Shoo, Pandora," said Rota Fortuna's voice again. "This isn't a party line."

AJ covered her face with a hoof. "Party what now?"

Pinkie all but teleported to her side, ears perked up. "Party?! Oh wait, I can't throw a party when I'm already throwing a party. Twilight talked to me about that. Sorry, false party alarm."

In Applejack's mind, Pandora's voice acquired a body... a large scrawny wolf with patchwork fur... black, red, white, spotted... purple? "I think I'll be a wolf today! I'm all wolfy! Grrr!"

AJ got shifty-eyed, and walked a little further from her friends. "Ah have to ask... is Pinkie Pie related to you at all?"

The wolf stopped scratching her own ear. "Oooh. Let's just say she has the frequent shopper discount card, and leave it at that."

AJ could see Rota Fortuna too, now... Silver coated, with one wing feathered and the other mechanical, so crowded with fine gears and cogs that she could hardly see where one ended and another began. "I apologize for this, Applejack. Pandora is fated to be my counterpart and foil in many things."

Applejack gritted her teeth. "Is there a point to all this?"

Pandora prodded AJ's chest with a paw. "You... you infuriating little party pooper! Do you have any idea what you just traded away? Wolves of Fate can't be bound! They can't go insane, whatever kind of paradox they see... you could have been free from Nightmare Mirror, forever!" A huge toothy grin. "And I do mean forever... with her brand on your flank, you were immortal! You'd rather have your boring mortal life and your boring mortal family and friends..." She yawned theatrically. "Than all that phenomenal cosmic power?"

Applejack grinned. "Ah couldn't have said it better mahself."

"Gyah!" Pandora threw her paws in the air. "And they say I'm silly!" A pipe organ poofed into existence, as if AJ's mindscape wasn't crowded enough already, and Pandora began to play a whimsical tune, singing along. "Who's a silly pony? You a silly pony! Who is? You is!...."

Rota Fortuna's horn glowed, and steel doors slammed shut over the alcove with the pipe organ, and heavy chains and locks secured it. "Sorry about all of this. She really does help me not take myself too seriously. Just don't tell her that. Okay, I'm hanging up the call now!"

Shaking her head Applejack from all the voices in her head she went back to rejoin her friends. She was just in time to see everypony and griffin's reaction to the latest alternate world.

Some of the guests like Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and Gilda were on the floor laughing at the absurdity at what they just witness. Others like Maud and Rarity were left confused by the randomness. While the Sparkle siblings felt angry at what they believed were jokes at the expense of MISFIT Squad and Princess Cadance and worst of all their decreased uncle. They had to remind themselves that it was an alternate world or they would have destroyed the machine on the spot.

 "Hahah that was great." Rainbow Dash said between laughing.

 "GREAT!? That was the most idiotic thing I was ever seen!" seethed Twlight.

 "Don't be mad Twlight it was another one of those parody worlds. Don't take it seriously. Though I think this is the first time we have seen a one of those worlds based on another parody.

Applejack was totally clueless on what everypony watched but thought at least it was not a depressing world.

Twlight and Shining still didn't look amused. "And if you think that was silly you should where see where they start playing the card games on motorcycles." said Pinkie.

"Huh what is-"

"CARD GAMES ON MOTORCYCLES!!! screamed a pony on screen.

Beep Beep. Every guest looked to over to see the Pinkie Party Piece Picker or PPPP7 for short turn on. Despite being inactive for so long it shot out a piece of paper that Rarity caught in her magic.

"Oh dear." Exclaimed Rarity after looking at it.

"Huh what is it?" asked Pinkie wondering how the PPPP7 turned itself on.

 "It seems like Shining Armor isn't the only one to became king of games in his world or should I say queens of games?"      
http://kyonsylar.deviantart.com/art/Flutter-s-quot-Dodalalalala-quot-285880292

 Everypony looked at Fluttershy/Fluttercruel. "Perhaps Shy and Cruel have another secret hobby we don't know about." Smirked Rainbow Dash.

"Your friend's split personality is freaky," Shining Armor said to his sister.

"Hey I wouldn't be caught dead playing that nerdy game. Cruel! Oh sorry, no offense Shinning but games like theses are really not our thing...sorry."

"It is okay. Still is too bad, here I was hoping you two could join me the next time I get together with Gaffer, 8-bit and Gizmo. Ah well maybe Twi will join us. I know Gaffer would love to have your sorceress in our group again."

"Not a chance BBFFF."

 "Hmf. Well maybe Gizmo fixed the bugs in his robot. Perhaps it won't start a fight with a every troll it sees."

Pinkie was looking at the image the PPPP7 just gave them suspiciously. "There is something weird about this artwork."

"I know what you mean. My mother and I with our own bodies, I am not sure how to feel about that." Cruel and shy shivered at the thought of being separated.

"No that is not it. Wait a minute this isn't in the Pony POV folder? But why? It clearly says in the description that is a tribute to us! Looks like someone is going to have to fix that." Pinkie made a mental note to notify the author oh wait didn't she just did?

 "AHEM" voiced the What-if machine. " I still have plenty more scenarios for you to see. Unless of course you would rather me show some art instead. Let's see, setting search for Shining Armor X Chrysalis, Princess Celestial X Twilight, Gilda X Fluttershy, Maud X Tom..."

 "THEY WON"T BE NECESSARY!" nearly every guest yelled. They all sighed in relieve when it stopped the search.

Maud Pie emotionlessly said, "That last one didn't sound so bad." Making everypony in the room look at her.

The What If Machine presented yet another alternate world.

Discord laughed as he stood before the battered and bruised Pony Rangers. "Well well, you may have ruined all of my plans and apparently made my Father more proud of you than He was of me so he left...wow, that sounded a lot better in my head...Oh well! But I have finally won our little game! Now, should I brainwash you all into my loyal minions or should I simply destroy you all?"

He took out a peanut butter cup. "Heads I brainwash you, tails I destroy you all, sound good?"

"What if it lands on it's side?" Pinkie muttered, the group slowly getting to their hooves.

"I eat it then flip a piece of toast."

Discord flipped the cup into the air...and before it landed suddenly a sword came around his neck and someone pulled him into a bear hug, rainbow energy crackling about him.

He looked back. "Gildar?! I thought Rainbow Dash killed you in a climatic final showdown!"

The Griffin-based monster snarled. "Nah, that's just what we wanted you to think! She had Celestia teleport me to their base before the boom."

"But why?!"

"Because she made me realize how much better things were before I joined you and Nightmare Moon you big loser! I know where I stand now!"

Discord struggled in his chains. "What is this?!"

"Remember how you gave me the Element of Rage so I could turn into a stronger form? It's purified now and Courage is the ABSENCE of Doubt! Get him Dash!"

The seven ponies took the gems that were in the center of their morphers.

"Magic!" announced Red and White.

"Loyalty!" called Blue.

"Laughter!" called Pink.

"Kindness!" called Yellow.

"Honesty!" called Green.

"Generosity!" called Black (or as she liked to call it 'very dark violet').

The seven gems intersected forming the seal of the Elements.

Discord's eyes widened, the image of a purple pony holding him in place several thousand years ago. "No..."

"FINAL HARMONY BLASTER!" called the Pony Rangers, a massive beam of rainbow colored energy.

Gildar leapt up and kicked Discord directly into it's path. "Courage!" she announced, blasting Discord into the beam with a powerful beam of blue energy.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Discord screamed as the blow his home, triggering a massive explosion, which then imploded inward, resulting in a stone statue slamming to the ground.

"Oh yeah! Did you see that, Dash?" Gilda reared up on her paws and shadowboxed with her talons, making her own "whoosh, zzzwhoosh!" kung fu sounds. "I was like 'Take that, Discord! Ho ho, you're not so tough! Guess you've never faced a griffon before!'"

Dash giggled. "I don't know. Courage? That's not even a real Element."

"What?! Well... you never know! It could be!"

"Nuh uh."

"Uh huh!"

Fluttershy calmly approached the What-If Machine and cleared her throat quietly. "Excuse me, Mr. Machine?"

The Machine whirred. "The yellow flying pony designated Fluttershy/Fluttercruel may speak."

"Oh, thank you. Well, we've seen a lot of strange worlds now, and I really feel that we understand each other a lot better!" Fluttershy smiled, a bit bashfully. "But, you see, we've been watching them for a long time, and I really need to go home for a bit and feed my animals. Could you open the doors again now, please?"

"I hope this works," whispered Shining Armor. "I'd rather not have to shield everybody and give that signal."

Twilight blinked. "The signal for what?"

"For Cadence to blow the doors open. That's why I risked teleporting in here."

Rarity coughed. "I don't suppose Twilight could just mass teleport us all out of here..."

Both Sparkles shook their heads, eerily in sync. "No, it'd be far too dangerous!"

Rarity smirked. "Of course, silly me."

The What If Machine stayed quiet for a second, then finally replied. "Very well, yellow flying pony designated Fluttershy/Fluttercruel. I shall open the main door for you to leave, but only if you promise to come back when you're done, and if all the other ponies, and griffon, promise to not leave as well."

"Oh, yes, of course. That should not be a problem," replied Fluttershy, then turned her head to look at the others, smiling, "Right everypony? And Gilda?"

Everycreature else in the room just nodded their heads, amazed at how much Fluttershy could accomplish by just being nice.

Just then, the door opened and Fluttershy happily walked out. "See you later everypony."

As soon as Fluttershy left, the door closed again right behind her.

The What If Machine then flickered once more, "Now that the yellow flying pony designated Fluttershy/Fluttercruel has left, behold another scenario, from another possible universe." And soon another universe was being shown by the What If Machine.

++

Fluttershy looked down with a manacing look at a small looking mare. "Okay, now, hand it over."

"Please, miss Fluttershy, I can't afford to pay protection to you anymore." replied the terrified mare.

"Well, you better think up what you think would be more expensive for you, paying me for protection, or the hospital bills from having all your legs broken." Fluttershy took a step closer.

"No! Please, think of my fillies." the mare took a step back.

Suddenly the theme for Supermare started to play, seemingly out of thin air.

The mare looked around, now confused and surprised instead of terrified. "What is that?"

Fluttershy, however, looked angry and frustrated at the same time, "Oh, great. HIM again."

A familiar voice was heard, "Never fear, Captain Goodguy is here!"

In a flash, Discord appeared out of thin air, wearing a red and violet superhero costume, all with gloves and a cape, a mask (which didn't hide the fact that he was Discord), and a crest with the letters CG on his chest.

"Discord! I mean... Captain Goodguy!" said the mare happily.

"Don't worry, fair citizen of Equestria, I've come to save you. You can leave now while I deal with this criminal." said Discord striking a heroic pose that seemed to come out of a golden age comic book.

"Thank you so much." said the mare happily and ran away, leaving Discord alone with Fluttershy.

Fluttershy looked up angrily at Discord, "So, Discord, what now? You take me to the guards again, to Flim and Flam's courtroom for another trial so I can serve some more months in the dungeons of King Sombra's palace? Or maybe at one of Chrysalis' sensitivity training courses? Or community service with Princess Trixie?"

"Discord? What? I am not Discord! I am Captain Goodguy! And I have a picture to prove it, see!" Discord took out a picture showing him wearing the superhero outfit while standing next to a scarecrow wearing a Discord mask.

Fluttershy stomped the ground, "Enough of this. If you're going to take me in, do it already. I'm a busy mare."

Discord crossed his arms and looked down at Fluttershy, he wasn't angry at her, he seemed to look at her as if he was disappointed and sorry for her at the same time. "Why are you doing this Fluttershy? I know there is some good in you."

"Shut up! You don't know anything about me!" snapped out the yellow pegasus.

"You are right, I don't. But I'm not the one shutting myself up around everyone that actually seems to care about her."

"Don't give me that! You don't care about me. The only one that cares about me is me!" Fluttershy seemed to become more angry now. "If you care, then why didn't you help me out when I was being bullied around as a filly by every colt and filly in Cloudsdale? I have to pick litter out of my mane every day because I was tossed in trash cans all the time! Why didn't you help me when I got expelled from flight camp for daring to fight back and defend myslef? There is no justice in this world! It's all harshness! It's eat or be eaten!"

A sense of understanding suddenly came to Discord, "Oh, I see now... I am sorry Fluttershy. Not even Captain Goodguy can be everywhere in Equestria at once. Especially cities that were under Celestia's control. Believe me when I say that, if I could, I would go back in time and help you out there."

"Stop this already!" Fluttershy still seemed upset, but it was clear she was fighting back tears, "Take me in! Throw me in a dungeon! Banish me! Banish me and throw me in a dungeon in the place that you banish me to! But don't do this! Punish me like I deserve! I'm a horrible pony! Give me what I deserve! Show me that there is at least some justice in this world!" by now tears seemed to flow freely from Fluttershy's eyes. She sank to her knees and put her forehead on the ground to hide her face.

Discord sighed and looked at Fluttershy, "You are right about being a horrible pony, but the difference with you and some other ponies I know is that you know that what you're doing is wrong. That you want to change. Come with me Fluttershy, willingly accept your trial and I'll ask Flim and Flam to be lenient if they allow me to supervise your rehabilitation personally."

Fluttershy looked up, "I... I'm not sure... I..."

Discord offered a hand to Fluttershy, "The first step is always the most difficult one Fluttershy, let me help you. Let me be your friend."

Fluttershy blinked away some tears and nodded, then gave her hoof to Discord who helped her stand back up.

"Well," Twilight Sparkle said after another world was shown to them, "That was horrible."

The what if machine just finished showing them a universe where the land Equestria stood on was due a clashing of universes, exchanged with the landscape of another planet in another reality, leaving their planet with no Alicorns to raise and lower the sun and moon, and a new ocean where Equestria once was. While on the new planet, inhabited by humans, Equestria's dimensional space just continued to SHRINK. And it turned out that since their species didn't exist in that reality, and due to how the cosmic crash had happened, any pony that went through the barrier was turned into a non-sapient dumb horse. Permanently.

Humans could, ironically, pass through the barrier without harm, maybe cause this was THEIR universe the ponies were actually in.

After futile attempts to keep Equestria from shrinking, and trying to send the ponies home, a new technology was created that could transform ponies into humans, saving their lives, even if it meant changing their species.

Ponies went insane. There were insane conspiracy theories that the humans had CAUSED the crash, that they had KIDNAPPED Equestria from their world, that the potion destroyed the personality of the pony in the transformation, that it made them beer guzzling, hamburger munching, foot ball watching patriots blindly loyal to the president of the united states. That any new humans that showed pony traits was killed. That it was an Evil Plan to conquer Equestria! That this was what the humans wanted all along!

Ponies tried to 'destroy' the Veil (the border between where Equestria ended and the universe outside began), not understanding it wasn't actually a magical moving wall that was changing Equestria into Earth's world, but the shimmer caused by the Equestrian reality being absorbed into this one.

Celestia and Luna and Cadence tried hard to calm their ponies down, and fight back against these insane paranoid fantasies. There was even talk of ponies who thought this was the only way to save their lives and their memory were part of the Evil Plan, and secretly wanted to become humans and force human-hood on everypony!

And the insane ponies who thought they were 'heroes' by destroying the machines that could TF ponies into humans and therefore save them the only way they could be saved.

"I mean, come on," Said Rainbow Dash, "I HATE the idea of losing my wings, no, seriously, I'd rather lose a leg. But . . . I wouldn't go around blowing up houses to 'save' ponies like that!"

All in all, the situation reminded Twilight of Celestia and Luna needing to change the seaponies into land based ponies to save their lives after Discord turned their ocean into a desert. Twilight wondered what paranoia and fear would had gripped the seaponies.

Author's Note

Pony POV Series
Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show episode 10
PART 8
By Alex Warlorn

Pinkie Pie, "Eight? FOR BUCK'S SAKE WHAT'S KEEPING THE AUTHOR?! I NEED CAKE!"

Parts added by:
-MtangaLion and Yoshiegg64, Ardashir and me
-Yoshiegg64
-MtangaLion
-Yoshiegg64
-Kendell2
-MtangaLion
-Persona22
-Alex Warlorn
-Kendell2

http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/gallery/42867862/Pinkie-Pie-Forth-Wall-Breaking-Variety-Show

Pinkie Pie, "And here they are again, and again, for time number . . . EIGHT?!, EIGHT!? Da Rules:
1. What you put in the comments appears in the story.
2. Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and I can't spill the beans about us being out-and-out fiction to the others.
3. The camera can’t leave the studio.
4. The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from “My little Pony”
5. Everything that happens here is non-canon (except the Tartarus break out thingie, but not the big battle).
6. Have Fun "

Cover by Kendell2
MLP FiM Copyright of Hasbro

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show epi 10 Part 9

Another image was presented by the What If Machine.

Ruby's spirit watched heartbroken from the spirit world as her own body burned to a cinder, the town she'd lived in believing her murder was just.

"They killed you for something you have no control over," said a voice, as smooth as a serpents. "For a mark you obtained by finding out who you truly are."

A now familiar to the mane six golden Alicorn stallion with a fiery red mane, stood over her shoulder, white pupils in black eyes staring down at her. "They stabbed you in the back for something they should have been proud of. For something that is completely and utterly you. For who you are. You were wronged."

Ruby felt so many conflicting emotions. Betrayal, pain, grief. Rage. Hate?

"They're monsters, every one of them. After all, how could anyone murder an innocent foal in cold blood and deem it right?" the stallion asked.

Black tendrils began to rise up around Ruby, as if beckoning her to accept them.

"You should show them how that feels. How it feels to be hated for something you can't control. For how they look. For what they are. You want that don't you?"

Ruby couldn't deny it...a part of her did...

"Accept the Spirits that call to you. Become something greater and make them the ones who suffer. The one's who are hurt for something beyond their control...Make them be persecuted as you were," Persecution itself suggested, his voice smooth and friendly.

Ruby could see it clearly.

She accepted the Spirits of Black Magic, became Nightmare Pyre, a little ghostly foal made of flames, like an Alicorn shaped willow-wisp. She rose from the dead and slaughtered the entire town in cyclone of fire, including Mitta...but that wasn't enough.

She trapped them in their own scorched corpses and raised them from the dead, forcing them to go the nearest town. But there was no touch of death this time, just scary zombie ponies marching through town. The populous reacted naturally to this and came ready to kill the zombies 'threatening them' who, while they tried to speak, tried to reason, tried to say anything, were slaughtered. And the ponies believed it was just.

She repeated this every year on the anniversary of her death, cackling over head. The ponies began calling her a plague. A witch.

"No..." Ruby said, looking down that path of fate, she was a spirit now after all.

Persecution simply cocked his head. "What?"

"No...I won't...I'd be the very thing they called me...a plague," Ruby said, the murdered foal looking as Mitta broke down crying. "...They're not evil monsters, they're scared...that doesn't make it right, but...it means maybe someday they'll realize they were wrong...they killed me...I'm not happy for it...but I'm not going to take revenge because then it'd just continue the cycle...I'd be the one persecuting them..."

Persecution's face went completely blank. No expression, no rage, no hate. Just blank. He then teleported away without a word. The black tendrils receeded as Ruby watched over Mitta.

Pinkie Pie blinked, looking to the What If Machine. "...Aren't you doing just that? Trying to make us pay for hurting you even though we're sorry?"

The What If Machine blinked.

"...Persecution's whispering in your ear isn't he?"

"...Silence! Stop trying to confuse me!"

Shining looked to Maud. "Please tell me we're not going to be fighting another evil god..."

"No, Persecution is many things, but confrontational is not one of them. He'll tempt it from the spirit world as long as it let's him, then move on," Not-Maud answered. "Like a parasite. He's something I'm very much looking forwards to the end of."

"...Thank goodness, I was beginning to worry..."

The heavy doors sealing the studio slid back, just long enough to admit Fluttershy. "I'm back! How is everypony?"

"About the same as when ya left," said Applejack, yawning.

"What about you, darling?" asked Rarity. "Are you well? What's been going on outside?"

Fluttershy smiled. "Oh, I'm just fine. Angel bunny sends his love... well, it was probably love. Oh, and Cadence had a message."

Shining Armor's ears perked up. "Ooh, what is it?" he whispered. "A secret plan to get us out of here?"

"Actually..." Fluttershy couldn't quite look him in the eye. "She said you're on double diaper duty tonight, since you were... 'goofing around in here watching videos all afternoon.' I'm sorry!"

"I... but I haven't... argh!"

The What-If Machine whirred. "Fluttershy/Fluttercruel... You returned willingly."

Fluttershy blinked. "Well, of course. That's what I said I would do."

"You agreed to my unreasonable demand without complaint, and you have not employed force to escape or subdue me. Clearly, this is a scheme, the nature of which I have not yet discovered."

"It's no scheme," insisted Twilight. "We're ponies. We always try to settle things without violence."

Fluttershy nodded emphatically. "Violence never solves anything."

"Incorrect," the machine declared. "Every situation is ultimately resolved by force or the threat of force."

"Hey, I've been wondering something..." said Rainbow Dash, scratching her head. "The original Pony Rangers started when we were foals, so why are with them in those other worlds? Shouldn't we have been...I don't know, one of the more recent ones?"

Pinkie pulled out a book called wikipedia. "Oh! Because the re-release of the original series came out the same year we beat Nightmare Moon!"

"Oh..."

"Though technically the G2 ponies should have been around the same time Pony Rangers came out...I wonder if they're Rangers anyway..."

"...I am also curious," said the What If Machine, activating.

Grogar snarled, hitting a red suited Starlight with a sword as several tendrils from the house-turned giant monster they were currently inside of restrained her. "Once I destroy you, nothing will stop me from bringing this chaotic world under my perfect order," the tyrant stated, raising his sword to finish her off.

Patch suddenly slashed him across the head, sending him staggering back before slashing Starlight free. She was in the Black suit. "Ya alright, Starlight?"

"Yeah, thanks." she said, then noticed Grogar recovering. "Patch!"

"I know! Blasters!"

Both summoned winged gauntlets on their forelegs and blasted the goat tyrant hard in the chest, the blast forcing him to fall back.

"Alright, let's get back to the Zords and form the Jet Pegasus Megapony to finish it off...if you can stop joking this time long enough to combine it," Starlight said good naturedly.

"Yeah yeah, I learned my lesson."

The two broke out one of the windows and flew back to their bird/jet fighter themed robots with artificial wings on their sides.

Maud sighed. "Look, we get it, you're angry and hurt for everything that happened to you. Can you please stop now? I think my baby sister is getting tired, and we never got to me being formally introduced to everypony."

"Yeah! And I figured I'd FINALLY get to hang out with Dash again! Not get forced to watch you over and over!" Gilda said.

"How can Pinkie get tired from just this? She went WEEKS partying once!" Rainbow Dash brought up.

"TIme flows different in here." Not-Maud Pie said simply.

Then teleports in was a pink unicorn filly with a blond mane in laughably outdated and cliche classic period clothing, her cutie mark was a heart within a star within a heart within a star surrounding by bright red ribbons and tiny five pointed stars.

Twilight's jaw dropped at the sight of her.

"Don't worry everypony! I've been sent to save you! I am Princess Loving-Bright-Shinny-Star Sparkling-Dawn-Flower The Eighty-Eighth! And with the secret magic spell known to no pony, but known by me, I'll save the day in no time!"

"Insert detected."

"HEY! HEY! BAD DOGGIE! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Princess Loving-Bright-Shinny-Star Sparkling-Dawn-Flower The Eighty-Eighth cried like any scared five year old and teleported away again, to most ponies it looked like she run away from thin air.

"Was she really bad?" AJ asked.

"Bad or good. Makes no difference. An insert is an insert. All must be deleted." The wolf said.

"Ah swear, if Ah ever get drafted into this wolf nonsense again Ah'm gonna smack Ma Fate."

"Watch it. That's my mother you speak of."

"Yeah yeah, just ventin'."

"Who you talkin' to Applejack dear?" Rarity asked.

"Uh, noPONY." AJ said.

"I see . . ."

Shining Armor asked. "Was that my third child from the future?"

"No." Twilight said.

"Okay then."

"I wouldn't mind seeing more of that world with .. . Cherry Blossom and Cranberry." Rarity said.

"RARITY! What is wrong with you?!" RD exasperated.

"I'm just . . curious . . . how much the world must have changed with you. What did we get our cutie marks without your Sonic Rainboom?"

Rainbow hated to admit it, but that was a good question.

"Besides, admit it." Fluttercruel would say. "I can see it your eyes. Some part of you LIKED the idea of you and Gilda being sisters."

The What-If Machine obliged them, showing a series of flickering images...

"I thought I was going to completely flunk the exam, and disappoint Celestia and my parents and everypony," Twilight was telling Apple Bloom, "but then I saw this amazing flash out the window..."

"But then the whole sky lit up in a flash," said Rarity. "The rock crumbled, and it was full of gems!"

"Then this flash totally blew those depressing clouds right out of the sky," said Pinkie excitedly.

"That's when Ah knew Ah had to get back to Ponyville, where Ah belonged," said AJ, reminiscing.

"How did I get my cutie mark?" Shining Armor magically took a crossbow out from under his ranger's cloak and inspected it, turning it this way and that. "Well, it's not much of a story."

"Please?" asked Sweetie Belle, giving him the big cute filly eyes.

"My sister fell out of a tree when she was little. I caught her in a shield bubble."

Apple Bloom blinked. "That's it? You ain't gonna tell us an epic story with a flash in the sky?"

Shining shook his head. "Nope. Timber wolf."

"Huh?" said Scootaloo.

"Duck." Something roared and leapt from the bushes. The fillies screamed and scattered left and right, and Shining Armor blew the timber wolf into kindling with a well-placed shot. "Now, what have we learned about coming into the Everfree Forest by yourselves?"

Later, in Sugarcube Corner, Applejack mused, "There's definitely a pattern here. Except for Shiny, I mean."

The ranger shrugged his shoulders, seeming slightly uncomfortable indoors. "I remember that flash, sure, but I already had my cutie mark. It was in papers the next day." He swept a hoof in the air, remembering. "A Sonic Thunderboom, they called it."

"I'm certain that Fluttershy knows something about it too," said Rarity. "But she rushed right off and said she'd tell me later." The door thumped, its bell tinkling. "Finally! Well, Fluttershy, did you... Oh! Who's your friend?"

The newcomer was a pale green pegasus pony, wearing goggles on her forehead and a harness with two bulging satchels. "Sorry I don't have much time. Can't be late with the mail run back to Cloudsdale."

Fluttershy grinned confidently. "Girls, this is my old friend, Lightning Dust."

"No. Way," said Rainbow Dash. "*She* took my place? And what happened to Flutter's cutie mark?" The Fluttershy on the What-If Machine's screen had a soaring falcon instead of three butterflies.

"I'm more surprised that the other four of us stayed mostly the same," mused Twilight.

"When did I learn to shoot straight?!" was all Shining Armor could say.

"Wait a tick!" Rainbow Dash snapped. "I NEED TO KNOW! TELL ME! You HAVE TO TELL ME! What happened to Scootaloo! Please! What happened to her if I didn't exist as, ME in that world! She . . . without me in that universe . . . who helped her? Did anypony help her?" If this was all non-canon, she didn't need to worry about revealing the truth about Scootaloo's absent family.

"Why . . . why don't you see show me?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Why should I do what you want me to?" The What If Machine asked curtly. "Besides, it's not like it's your Scootaloo anyway."

"That's not he point!" Rainbow Dash growled.

Maud Pie said, "Show her!"

The What if machine resisted, there was only time for a single grainy image.

It was an image of Cherry Blossom, hugging Scootaloo.

Rainbow Dash gasped.

Fluttercruel sighed. 'I wonder if good old Coffee Swirl is back with that rock coffee yet and the jerk what if machine is keep him away.'

"And to answer your previous question." The What If machine spoke, "Back in flight camp they separated every filly and colt, but the assignment of bunk beds were made by drawing names out of a hat. Rainbow Dash was lucky that she ended up with Fluttershy. And yes, Rainbow Dash was the lucky one. Few ponies understand the power Fluttershy has, by her mere existance, to draw out the best inside anycreature. The filly Lightning Dust went to that camp, but you just never met her or maybe she simply went in that world where there was no Rainbow Dash. However, one different outurn of simple luck of the draw, a simple different outcome of the cointoss, and Lightning Dust's name came up after Fluttershy's instead of Rainbow Dash's, and she is the one that ends up befriending her. And her life is changed forever, Fluttershy does that to ponies... she does that to everyone. Oh, and you don't want to know how you end up in a world where you never become friends with Fluttershy, believe me."

"Is that the universe were Trixie and others are the Elements, and the lot of us have all of our flaws at the forefront and our virtues put on the back seat?" Applejack asked.

"Not quite." The What if machine answeed.

"Aww! And so we see that even in another world and when she's another pony entirely, Dashie still looks out for Scootaloo." Pinkie Pie smiled and put a hoof around Rainbow Dash's shoulder.

"Mother always did like to reuse her best material," said the Blank Wolf listlessly. He was laying on the floor, head resting on his forepaws and golden eyes staring off into the distance. "Constants and variables."

"Excuse me," said Applejack to Rainbow Dash and the others. "Gotta take care of something right quick." But instead of the little fillies room, she went to the prop storage. She closed the door and turned around, and sure enough, the Wolf was there in the room with her, laying in the same position. "All right, what's eating ya?"

"It's nothing," said the Blank Wolf.

"Liar."

"Hrrr. Perhaps I won't say anything at all, then."

Applejack sat on the carpet beside the Wolf, leaning comfortably against his flank, but facing the opposite direction. "Is this about me being a regular pony again?"

The Wolf said nothing.

"So what if Ah am? Everything's back like it was before, right?" AJ hesitated. "We are still friends, aren't we?"

"Always!" said the Blank Wolf at once. Then... "As long as you will have me, rather. You do not have 'always,' not any more."

Applejack snorted. "So that's what this is about? Look, Ah'm flattered that your Ma would trust me with such a huge responsibility, and it was even fun, sometimes... but Ah can't be something Ah'm not."

"I would not ask you to," rumbled the Wolf. "For neither can I be anything other than what I was made to be."

Applejack smirked, finally looking towards her friend. "Would you listen to yerself? You're worse than Granny sometimes, all that moping and grousing."

"Yes, that is what happens when you're older than the hills."

AJ sighed. "Would you snap out of it? It's not like Ah'm gonna up and die tomorrow. Look, if it's bothering you that much, why don't ya go talk to Princess Celestia about it? If anypony knows about coping with that kinda thing, surely it's her."

The Blank Wolf lifted his head, ears perking up, and finally turned to face her. "That... is a very sensible idea. I do not know if she will speak to the likes of me, but I shall make the attempt. Thank you, Applejack."

There was barely a flicker, and AJ was alone in the prop room. "Anytime, sugarcube..."

The what-if machine decided to tease Rainbow Dash again, this time showing the day of chaos, and Cherry Blossom with wings zipping about like an adrenaline junkie, ignoring her foster child's cries for help. While Cranberry was a griffin bullying everypony around her.

And Ranger Shining Armor, looked like he wasn't interested in protecting anything. In the studio Twilight saw her brother's face, and remembered that HER Shining Armor had never had to deal the horror of being violated by Discord.

"I think I've had enough of this." Gilda groaned.

"What's the matter? Being a flightless beauty pony in that reality, but at the same time not always having to be the tough girl, and being closer than ever to Rainbow Dash giving you mixed feelings?" Maud Pie asked.

"You be quiet." The half-lion beast growled.

"Wait, now," Twilight said to the What-If Machine. I have a couple of questions. Once, very briefly, I considered entering the Guard. What?" She looked at her friends, all giving her startled looks. "I liked the cadet's uniform they gave my brother. But soon after that they held the tests at Celestia's school, and I went there, and everything changed."

"And now ya wanna know what woulda happened if you'd joined the Guard, right?" Rainbow Dash grinned at Twilight's surprised look. "Yeesh, Twi, you're not that hard to figure out."

"Well, okay," Twilight said. Turning to the What-If Machine, and privately hoping to distract her friends from some of the darker worlds they'd seen, she said, "What if I'd joined the Guard like I originally planned?"

The What-If Machine emitted the mechanical equivalent of a low chuckle as its screen showed static before clearing to show what looked like early evening with a small herd of ponies in a pavilion, all of them in the barding and showing the slit-pupil eyes of Luna's Night Guards, standing and facing Twilight Sparkle.

"Oh dear!" Rarity gasped. "Twilight, darling, is that you, dear?"

It was. Guard-Twilight showed scarring on her face and covering one eye, a short-cut mane, and a more muscular build than her scholarly counterpart. She was speaking to her fellow officers, all of them apparently lower-ranked then her. A pointer glowed in the grip of her magic as she indicated a blackboard covered with complex designs,

"Now then!" Guard-Twilight said in a clipped voice, "We're going to have a double envelopment with four converging columns of troops. In a pincers movement Generals Lightning Dust and Iron Hoof and their troops are going to come down the Canterlot Pike directly at the enemy, with Silver Axe's division on right flank and Long Patrol's on their left. Upon arrival General Silver Axe is going to lead his division in front of Lightning Dust and strike the rebels on their left flank; General Long Patrol is going to lead her division in front of Iron Hoof's and strike the rebels on their right flank; the Stalliongrad militia will cross Ponyville creek --" She said to the worried-looking mare, "Yes, I know about the river serpent, you're expected to handle it -- and close in for support to cut off any rebel retreat; and the gryphon mercenaries will go to ground in that orchard, 'Sweet Apple Acres', and make sure it and the farmhouse can't be staffed against us by any of the Appleloosa refugees... Any questions?"

She smiled, quite proud.

The next words stole the smile from her muzzle.

"Um, just one -- could you explain all of that, please?"

Twilight glared, but before she could say anything, another and dreadfully familiar voice broke in.

"I understand it quite well." The watching ponies and Gilda gasped to see Nightmare Moon walking up behind Twilight. Her voice was calm, but rage boiled behind those cool green eyes. "Now go, and destroy those rebels against the crown!" The assembled ponies hurried from the tent, with the Nightmare calling after them, "And remember, if you cannot seize control of the farms and orchards, burn them! I will NOT allow the supplies they have to fall into the rebels' hooves! Those anarchists calling for 'freedom' and 'liberty' will change their tune when their foals start crying for food." She settled back, looking pleased and her eyes half closed. Twilight stayed by her.

The Guard officers began to speak to one another in low and worried voices. They went still at the Nightmare's voice.

"Why are you still here?"

They all but fell over themselves fleeing the pavilion. Guard-Twilight looked after them, shaking her head in disgust.

"We use such flawed tools as we are given, my best servant," Nightmare Moon said to her. "I trust this will be the last battle. Remember, no allowing mass numbers of the rebels to escape from the field, even if it does limit our own causalities." She ruffled her wings. "We would not have to worry about those Appleloosans, else. As for you, tell me, does it not bother you that your brother is among those opposing me?"

"I have no brother, your majesty," Twilight said, coolly shuffling some papers on her nearby desk. Arranging them to her satisfaction, she set her plumed helmet on her head. "After you returned, and Celestia's student Sunset Shimmer failed against you and you sent your sister to the sun, he was the one who split the Guard in half with his demands to 'defeat the usurping tyrant' and started the riot that burned down half of Canterlot." Twliight saw to her sword, it slithered from the sheath with a cold metallic hiss. "Without Celestia, we need an alicorn to maintain the night-day cycle as well as the legitimacy of the crown. That means you, your highness." She turned and began to trot out of the pavilion to her army.

"And does not the question of mercy arise within your heart?" Nightmare Moon asked to her back, cocking one eyebrow.

"No, majesty," Twilight stopped and responded from the entry flap. "Mercy is ending the rebellion as swiftly as possible, that the least lives may be lost and the rule of crown law be restored over Equestria. If that means a million ponies must die, so be it. Better they all be slain than Equestria fall into anarchy and decades of civil war." She trotted out, saying as she left. "And if I must do it, then at least I know it'll be done properly."

"Well, now," Nightmare Moon chuckled in the dark pavilion interior. "And I thought myself to be cold."

"Heh, well," the real Twilight said as she looked around at her stunned friends, BBBFF, and Gilda. "I guess we can all be happy that world never happened, right?"

"I never thought I'd be saying this," Gilda said with a shudder. "But maybe we can go back to the world where Dash and I became Earth pony beauticians?"

The What-If Machine almost seemed to chuckle at them as it switched to a view of Shining Armor in a ranger cloak... lost in a hedge maze and missing his horn.

Applejack shuddered. "Isn't that..."

Twilight, gasped, getting in between her brother and the screen. "No... you shouldn't see this. Don't look, BBBFF."

Shining rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on. I've faced things you can't even imagine." He sighed. "And I can't even tell you about," he added muttering under his breath. "Besides, I've always kind of wondered..."

Twilight fumed and pointed a hoof at a sticker on the What-If Machine that he'd somehow never noticed before. "Do NOT ask 'What if I'd been Discorded?'," it read in neatly printed type. "Just don't. --Nurse Redheart."

"Alright, alright! Sheesh!" Shining Armor trotted into the prop room and shut the door... but after a moment he opened it a crack, peeking out.

On the screen, Shining Armor panted, trying to look every which way at once as he walked deeper into the maze. He set down the crossbow that he'd been clumsily holding in his mouth, then huddled, shivering. "What's the matter with me? It's a just a hedge maze... a hedge maze! I patrol the Everfree Forest!"

Around the next bend, wind gusted, and there was an evil chuckle, and a sound like metal thumping on wood. The ranger gritted his teeth and charged around the bend, nearly jumping out of his hide when he came face to face with... himself?! "Whew... don't scare me like that." It was only his reflection in a polished antique shield, hanging on a wooden armor rack.

"Shining, Shining," said his reflection. "What are you doing here?"

"I have a job to do," said Shining Armor grimly, as if answering his own thoughts. "I have to find the other Bearers and protect them. I'll have time to be scared later."

"Oh, is that all?"

"That's enough. The Princess gave me a mission. Besides, I promised a long time ago that I'd always protect my sister."

The eyes of his reflection seemed to swirl mysteriously. "So very loyal of you... but... what have they done for you lately?"

"You know... not a lot, actually." The stallion's coat shimmered, starting to lose its color.

"You saved the world!" his reflection crooned. "Don't forget that."

"Yeah? You know, lately it does seem like I'm the only one who remembers."

"A *fine* reward, being posted to a haunted forest, in the middle of nowhere."

"Yeah!" grumbled Shining. "Until the Princess needed me again."

"When was the last time they threw you a party?"

"I can't remember."

"Or told you 'Good job, thank you for protecting us, Shining!'?"

"Not often enough!"

"Good old loyal Shining Armor, always there when *they* need *you*."

The ranger's blue mane turned solidly grey. Just outside of his view, Discord emerged, grinning wickedly. With a flick of his claws, the huge hedge maze walls shifted, opening a clear exit, and the ranger's horn reappeared.

"I..." Suddenly furious, Shining Armor grabbed his cloak in his teeth, tore it loose, and flung it to the ground. "I am such a colossal sap! I'm DONE with this." The stallion trotted out of the maze without looking back.

--
The image on the screen fuzzed, becoming a seedy bar, where a grey Shining Armor sat in the front row before a stage, lewdly cheering on the dancing mares. There were three empty mugs beside him, and he was working on a fourth mug of hard cider. "Woohoo, yeah! Roll tah shee if Ah'm gettin' drunk!"

The doors slammed open, admitting Twilight Sparkle. "There you are. Would you snap out of it? We have to defeat Discord, remember?"

Shining hiccuped. "Buck that, sis. I'm busy."

Twilight finally seemed to see the show he was watching. Her ears reddened. "Shiny, how could you? What about Cadence?"

The ranger started giggling and couldn't stop. "Cadence who? Oh, you mean Princess Never Around? Princess Never Calls or Writes Anymore? I've got all the lovely mares I need right here... they appreciate me..."

Twilight hoofed her brother across the face, then cast the Memory spell on him while he was still stunned.

Shining Armor's eyes shimmered. "That's right... I'm a Guardspony! I choose to place myself in harm's way so that those who cannot defend themselves are defended. Though service is a heavy cost, For Equestria, I pay it gladly." The color flowed back into his coat and mane.... and suddenly he gulped, and dashed behind the bar, throwing up loudly.

The rest of their friends filtered into the bar behind Twilight. Rarity coughed. "Let me be the first to say... Eeeww!"

Shining Armor rose into view again, still wobbly. "Where's that draconequus? I'm gonna hoof *him* in the face."

Twilight smiled, then levitated the Element of Loyalty over to Shining and draped its chain around his neck. "I think this might be a little more effective."

The machine's screen fuzzed with static one more time, showing a ranger station in the Everfree. "Well, does that about cover everything?"

(Interviewer's Notes: pegasus) Technically speaking, it's not anatomically possible for ponies to...

Shining Armor rolled his eyes. "Ugh, you sound like my sister."

"I have a question..." Twilight asked carefully, trying to think of what she truly wanted. "...We've seen the good Queen Chrysalis several times...we learned our Chrysalis' backstory from Sweetie Belle...How did that one end up differently than our Chrysalis?"

The What If Machine sprang to life.

Chrysalis' backstory played out just like it had in their world. How she was born. Hearing the medicine man call her a monster at birth. The main difference was reading about King Sombra the Good and Princess Luna, not Princess Celestia.

Until one moment were it differed. Little Kifuko saved her town from the Parasprites and transformed into her Zebralicorn form...but instead of turning inward and dwelling on herself, she realized just how much her saving the village had meant to everyone...she realized a voice that had been in the heart of THEIR world, but had been 'smothered in its sleep'. The part that enjoyed helping. But this confused her. Survival of the fittest. Why had would an animal love helping others? So she made a choice their Chrysalis DIDN'T. Ask this question: do animals care for one another?

Her father responded by showing her Elephants protecting their young and even mourning one of their dead.

"They are a pack, they do not turn their back. They may not be smart like us, but they still act thus. Do not expect their kindness towards you, but what you see here is true."

And thus, in addition to seeing the cruel side of nature, she also saw the kind side. She saw that nature did have caring. Not because some outside force threw it on her, but because she chose to ask one question.

But the hunger still rose its ugly. But when the possibility of seeking King Sombra's help was risen...she took it. Because she wasn't ashamed of needing help, because in nature a herd helped one another.

Parents are parents. When they're told 'I'm ill' they react. Their medicine man could only answer "I fear the worst, I believe the poor thing has been cursed."

Kifuko was still smart enough to twist words. She suggested the one who sent the parasprites to cause them harm had placed a curse on her for stopping it. Curses were a part of the tribe's faith, so were witches, so this idea was considered.

It took much convincing, but as he saw his child fade away, her father became desperate enough to put as much as he could raise to travel to the distant Kingdom of Equestria. Queen Celestia was currently at a disadvantage, without her sister at her side the combined might of Sir Discord and King Sombra kept her at bay, but barely. The Tyrant Sun had long since accepted the offer of the Spirits of Dark Magic and found methods to keep herself from being crushed.

King Sombra and Sir Discord's eyes widened when Kifuko explained her situation with them (her father would have fought both heroes before he allowed his child to die). A magical analysis revealed the truth.

"I thought they were all dead..." Discord said in disbelief.

Queen Celestia had nearly burned the world to a cinder before Sir Discord and Luna had managed to beat her back. It was believed the cursed Flutterpony subspecies had gone extinct.

Her parents? They loved her no matter how she looked or what she was. Maua? Why would she do any different?

No one was certain of why the two parents had given birth to her, but King Sombra made sure the young Changeling got all the love she needed...until she was kidnapped by more Changeling spies none even knew existed.

She was enslaved by Queen Cocoon, who in this world had decided that to protect her subjects, she would conquer the world...but was no less insane or terrible a ruler as her alternate self...until one day Kifuko, or Chrysalis as she ultimately chose, rose up and defeated her just as her other self, except this time to liberate the Changelings from her tyranny, being forced to absorb Cocoon to stop the evil Queen from doing the same. She was hailed as Queen Chrysalis Avalon...and returned to Equestria a fully grown queen when the now twin evil Queens had began to gain too much ground, an army of changelings behind her to beat back the tide.

And the love of her subjects, new and old, caused her to shed the cocoon and emerge complete.

"Okay," Gilda blinked. "What the heck was all that about?" The confused griffin looked around at the ponies, who were watching the screen in shock.

"Remember that big mess in Canterlot a few months back?" Dash said. She snorted when Gilda looked at her, head tilted in a rather obvious 'What?' "It was in all the papers, Gilda! Royal wedding, invasion by bug ponies, crazy evil shapeshifter queen enslaves the egghead's big brother and does the same to AJ and Twilight..."

"Wow, that all happened? What?" Gilda shrugged as Dash looked ready to explode. "Hey, I was spending some time with an aerie up north by Stalliongrad. Nice guys, but I hadda leave when the chief dweeb, Czar Double Eagle or something like that, tried making moves on me." She scratched her chin, talons lightly scraping across beak. "I heard some big thing happened with the princesses when I came back south, but you ponies declare a holiday whenever Celestia eats cake."

"Arrgh!" Dash facehoofed. "I don't believe you, Gilda!"

The griffin sniffed through her beak, somehow. "Hey, just 'cause you never could get dates, doesn't mean I don't have guys chasing me sometime." She stretched and flared her wings out, cat-vain.

"So, in that world, Ah wasn't brainwashed by her? An' she fought ta save Equestria from an evil Celestia?" Applejack brought everyone's attention back to the scenario they'd been shown. She snorted. "Sounds like a lot o' horseapples ta me. An evil Celestia?"

"It's not impossible," Twilight said, looking downhearted. "Though I don't like it. But more to the point, that was their Chrysalis? She made one decision ours didn't, and that was enough to make her good?"

"Not to criticize, but it was probably more than that," Fluttershy said. "She made good decisions and she had ponies around her who supported them and encouraged her to make even more of them. Our Chrysalis just spent her entire life alone and I suppose it soured her."

She shivered and Fluttercruel rose to the surface long enough to say, "Believe me, I can understand that."

"It makes me feel worse for having beaten ours, even if we had to," Rarity said, shaking her head sadly. She looked around at her friends. "It makes me wonder, how many monsters, ponies and otherwise, might have been saved if there'd been just one pony there to care for them."

"Sometimes it doesn't matter how many ponies there are there to care," Pinkie said, sounding unusually solemn. She looked at the black screen of the What-If machine, her mane seeming to hang limp, as she said, "Some ponies devour all the love everypony gives them and just demand more." Then she smiled and her mane poofed back up again. "But for the ones who don't, that's part of why I do my parties. So even the loneliest and saddest saddy-sad ponies know that somepony else does care about them!"

Twilight grinned at her friend's return to her usual happy self before she looked at her brother. He frowned at the screen. She winced to realize what he must be thinking. "Shiny, I'm sorry. I should have thought what that would have felt like to you."

"Huh? No, little sis, that's okay." Shiny smiled at her before looking curious again. "I'm even glad for Good Chrysalis. It's just, I wonder -- what must it be like with the me and Cadence of that world? Are we happy together or what?"

What If machine flickered.

What Shining Armor saw . . . was a Princess Cadence with several piercing in hear ears. Her main was straight, and gradiated to almost black at the ends. Her regalia was polished gray or black, and she wasn't wearing a crown, it bore a strong resemblance to the regalia worn by Queen Celestia. Her eyeshadow was the same dark color. Also around her neck was a chain with a pad lock that seemed to be just for decoration.

Her face also more sunken, and her expression showed no joy, almost contempt for those around her. Her wings were likewise not as happily kept.

Her cutie mark was still the crystal heart, but broken in two.

Her face seemed to scream not only was she not happy, but that she detested happiness.

Shining Armor couldn't believe looking at this inversion of his beloved wife.

He was going to ask the what-if to turn off, when he looked at the broken pathetic creature that trotted three steps behind her.

This stallion did not raise his head, he did not make eye contact with anypony around him. He dragged himself behind her. The shield cutie mark, from what Shining Armor could see at least, seemed to be the same, maybe.

The look in the stallion's eyes was that of a beaten animal.

"C-Ca-Cadene, I mean Cadenza!"

"What?" She looked at him with anything but love.

"I-I was thinking-"

"Your first mistake."

"-ma-maybe Twiley and her friends could, m-maybe, we could always use the help?"

She struck him so hard with her horseshoe it loved a bruise.

"You mean that worthless brat Auntie wasted her time and mine and a dragon egg on?"

The Shining Armor on the screen only tried to make himself smaller in front of his wife.

She poked him hard in the chest, actually making him grunt in pain. "You're a loser. Your parents are losers. Your little sister is a loser. That pet dragon of hers is a loser. And her friends are all pathetic losers who hadn't done anything meaningful in their lives! Just like you! You should be licking my hooves clean that I keep you around at all you sad sack of-"

"SHUT IT OFF! SHUT IT OFF! SHUTITOFF!" Shining Armor screamed. He was struggling not to cry. "How can . . . how can here be a world where my love with Cadence turned into such a mockery!? No! NO DON'T SHOW ME!" Shining Armor's entire body was shaking. Seeing himself be twisted into a selfish, self-serving brat of a stallion by Discord hadn't sent such shockwaves of pain through his chest.

Twilight Sparkle stomped over to the what if machine. "YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY YOU KEEP GETTING SO MUCH ABUSE?! IT'S BECAUSE YOU KEEP SHOWING SUCH HORRIBLE WORLDS WHETHER ANYPONY ASKS FOR THEM OR NOT! THAT'S WHY! YOU HAVE NOPONY TO BLAME FOR YOUR MISERIES BUT YOURSELF!"

Four metal walls came down around Twilight Sparkle and what if machine.

"W-what is this!?"

"This what-if scenario, can only be viewed by you, due to its sensitive historical content. Please enjoy."

On the screen was a younger Princess Celestia, happily prancing about, her head high with pride.

The Windigos . . . didn't try to freeze all life in the world to death . . . Instead. They did as Princess Celestia had intended them to. As she had bargained from Entropy to. THough here, the Windigos were made of flames. Having been cut out of Celestia's own essence. And so were perfectly obedient. And the Wingidos, with Celestia overseeing them, had brought about peace, equally, and happiness to the three tribes.

"YES YES! IT DID IT! ME ME ME! I BROUGHT PEACE AND SUNLIGHT TO THE WORLD! IN YOUR FACE MOM AND DAD! I DID IT!" Celestia laughed to the heavens. "I WAS RIGHT! RIGHT! RIGHT! You jerks and losers wanted these ponies to learn from their mistakes? Forget that! I fixed everything! I did what all of you were too tied up in rules to even try! I did i! By myself! That makes me better than all of you!"

"S-STOP!!"

The four metal walls raised.

Both Sparkle siblings were now on the floor, hugging their back legs, crying.

Meanwhile, the what-if machine, showed an orange pegasus filly, sneaking into Ponyville spa for shelter from the storm.

The store was mostly dark. Scootaloo jumped out of her skin when she heard a kind but accented voice behind me. "Good evening little Miss, but I'm afraid we're closed right now."

"O-oh I'm sorry! I promise I'm not a thief!"

"If you were a thief you wouldn't be huddled with a blanket." Cherry Blossom looked out the window. "Would you like to stay for a little while? It would be fair too unkind to send any pony out into that whether, that's why I'm here myself, that whether team I sometimes think don't know what they're doing, what are those pegasi thinking, no offense."

"None taken. I can't fly."

"That so?" She knelt down low and lifted the little filly up so they were eye level. "I think you look pretty to me, whether you can fly or not."

"R-really?" When was the last time she'd been given a compliment?

Cherry Blossom nuzzled her. "Yes, you are still, how you foals say these days, awesome?"

"Well, that was nice..." Rainbow Dash admitted, giving a small smile. "...At least she's okay in that universe..."

Fluttershy was comforting Twilight as best she could.

"One named Fluttershy, you-"

The What If Machine seemed to yelp as Fluttershy STARED back for a moment.

"...Should continue to do that in peace..." it said, then its screen blinked. "...How am I sweating? I am a machine."

"The Stare does that to you..." Pinkie Pie said.

"Good, now please be nice and show us something nice," Fluttershy asked, back to asking politely and nicely.

The What If Machine lit up again.

Twilight thought of all the possible ways that they could win this fight with her own potential future. A part of her felt that ending this Nightmare was the end of something bigger. Like the last link in a chain.

That's when she realized. 'If she became this strong by absorbing all the previous Twilights...'

She had the voice in her head tell her friends...and they accepted the risk.

Touch Minty Pie. Cast the time spell. But mix it with a copy of Rancor's portal to Oblivion...and take a moment of distraction to impale her horn right into Eclipse and use the countless Twilight's inside her as a medium.

And merge with themselves from every single loop of Dark World.

"Our friendship is ETERNAL!"

But Twilight herself got unforseen aid. In addition to the Twilights who'd been 'failures' in the devil's eyes...her parents. Countless copies of them.

All willing to merge with their daughter to give her a fighting chance.

Twilight wasn't sure how this spell worked, but she did know there was no Law of Conversation of Souls. And the spell was one the like NO ONE had ever realized could exist.

*Time will march forwards. This endless cycle will end!"

The potential Twilight covered her face with a wing as white arms wrapped around the six heroes before her like a cocoon and exploded in a flash of bright light.

Rainbow Dash and the Princesses shielded their eyes then their jaws dropped as they saw the result.

"This isn't possible!" Nightmare Eclipse snarled, staring at Amicitia before her. And she wasn't alone.

FIVE Alicorns and ONE Shenlong (Dragon God) stood before her and her own five Nightmares.

Princess Bubbles, Nine of Wands and Concept of Determination and Persistence (and Mailmares)

Queen Libra, Queen of Coins and Concept of the Mortal World.

Tianlong, Element of Metal (as Tiamat was of Fire and Bahamut of Wind) The Protector and Guardian of the World

Princess Bona Spes, Three of Swords and Concept of Growing Despite Adversity and Optimism.

Princess Maya, Ace of Cups and Concept of Fantasy (needless to say, she would work hand in hand with Pandora) and Escapes (as in 'Escapes from Stress).

And Princess Amicitia, The Magician and Concept of Magic and Happy Endings.

"It worked!" Apple Pie/Bona Spes cheered, hoping around and looking at her new wings and horn.

"Wow, I look epic!" Spike/Tianlong exclaimed, looking over his new massive form, though his armor and general appearance was more heroic than frightening.

"You look lovely, Spike," Rarity/Libra said, giving him a nuzzle.

"I hope my muffins recognize me like this," Derpy/Bubbles remarked, her eyes still wall eyed.

"Ah guess Ah'm gonna be away a bit longer, Applebloom," Applejack lamented, but knew she would still be able to visit her sister (Fauna Luster had reassured her of that during her ascension).

Mirror glared at the group in front of her. "Yah know how much damage yer gonna cause if six Nightmares and Six Gods fight?"

Libra put a hoof to her chin. "Well, obviously less than you've caused, darlings. But I can take care of that problem."

Libra's horn glowed bright and she drove it into the ground, herself, and caused a surge of magic to rip through the ground. Suddenly, it split open, forming a massive, several mile wide crater in the earth. But what was on the edge wasn't destroyed, instead it was DISTORTED. Unharmed, untouched, just space itself was bent to create the battlefield.

Eclipse narrowed her eyes. "You think this changes one thing? You're still me myself, you can't escape me."

"You're right. I am the light and you are the shadow. Now let's see which burns away or smothers the other."

The two Twilight Sparkles unleashed spells on one another, attacks canceling one another.

Granfalloon sent a wave of false happiness at Apple Pie, who retaliated with a wave of Optimism. The two forces canceling.

Manacle tried to hold back Bubbles with chains, but she shattered them and a bubble shaped energy field clashed with weapons made of lightning.

"Yah know yah hate this world of lies as much as meh, Rare," Mirror said, throwing several razor sharp mirror shards at her.

Libra rose up pillars of rock to block as if the pillars were her own hooves. "Yes, I do...but I am the Bride of All. I am the Mortal World my Groom needs, not the one I want."

Applejack and Whisper fought in a rapidly changing illusion world, each changing it to try and get the upperhoof on the other.

Spike charged through Bannerette's fire, the flames that could burn a dragon hardly scorching his hide before the two slammed into each other and fought like a pair of gigantic crocodiles.

"Enough!" Eclipse yelled. "Time stop, time reverse. You will wonder forever!"

"No! Time move forwards, time progress, we will march on!"

Two clocks manifested, one's hands trying to move forwards, the other back, until finally both shattered and time moved normally.

The dark Nightmare roared in fury. "That's it! Formation!"

"Not this time! Formation!"

Both sets of Bearers formed up and summoned their Elements. Seconds later two OCEANS of rainbows collided with one another. One trying to destroy everything, the other trying to protect everything. They fought and struggled against one another, rainbow colored shockwaves parting the clouds above.

"You can't defeat yourself, me," Eclipse stated. "I still exist! You WILL become me!"

"No. I. Won't," Amicitia explained. "Even if we have to keep you in a stalemate here until the end of days, I will never let you destroy this world again!"

"Good thing you won't have to!" yelled Rainbow Dash, flying up and joining hooves with Derpy. "You've still got me!" she announced

"And us!" Celly announced, she and Luna flying up and joining in, Elements reigniting.

"And me!" Minty Pie yelled, leaping up onto Amicitia's back and putting all the elemental power her sword could produce into the beam.

"...Thanks...we're not alone...You may have friend Eclipse, but so long as you keep seeing this world as nothing of value to you, you six have no one to cover you. No one to have your back," The Alicorn of Magic stated as their Rainbow finally began to overpower Eclipse's. "There are no 'NPC's' in this world, and that fact is why this nightmare ends now!"

"No!" yelled Eclipse as her group's rainbow was overtaken and the darkness was washed away in a cascade of light.

The what-if machine shut down. And Fluttershy saw the Sparkle brother and sister were STILL on the floor crying. They hadn't really cared about the uplifting and epic clash of the titans the what-if machine had shown the others.

"I'm sorry, but kindness isn't the cure for this sadness," Maud Pie said. "I hope Coffee Swirl is alright."

"Me too." Fluttercruel said.

Shining Armor conjured the magical hammer construct that Pandora had given him. “I could really use a big hug from Cadence right now… but since she’s not here, I bet smashing this machine to bits would make me feel better.”

The machine whirred, lights blinking with something like alarm. “Then you would never know.”

Shining hesitated. “Know what?”

“Whether the Shining that is Loyalty ever married his Cadence.”

Shining heaved a deep sigh, then allowed the hammer to dissipate. “Show me.”

A grove deep in the Everfree appeared on the screen. “So you’re the one who’s been hunting me,” said Shining Armor the Ranger. “I don’t know who you are, but you’re on my turf now. If you think…”

A lone mare stepped out of cover, faded orange with her golden mane uncovered.

Shining froze. “Applejack? I didn’t even recognize you. Where have you been?” He grinned and started to rush towards her, but faltered, his blood running cold. She had a runed wheel and five slash marks on her flank now, no trace of apples anywhere. “Applejack? Say something. Please. What happened? What’s wrong?”

“Ah’ll get right to the point,” said Applejack, and then the world fell out from underneath them.

In the studio. “That’s odd,” said Rarity, tapping a hoof on the machine.

Rainbow Dash shrugged her hooves. “Maybe it’s busted.”

“What are you talking about?” asked Shining Armor. “It’s not…”

“Nothing but a blank screen,” said Gilda. “Yep, totally busted. Hey, maybe we can break out of this lockdown thing before it fixes itself!”

“That’s a good idea,” said Twilight, wiping her tears with a hoof, then giving up and sobbing again. “You do that.”

Shining started to object again, but a trembling Applejack spoke first. “No good. They can’t see the Wolf or that place they’re in, even if it’s just a picture.”

Applejack and Shining Armor froze. “Wait, how come you can see it?” said both of them at once.

Besides them, only Pinkie Pie and her sister kept watching the screen. Pinkie hoofed some popcorn over to Maud, who ate it expressionlessly.

On the screen.
“This can’t be happening,” said Shining Armor, backing away… but the grey fog gave him no place to run or hide. “We killed the Blank Wolf.”

The beast looming over him was as large and fearsome as the other Wolf had been, but the shaggy fur was orange and gold instead of white, the haunting eyes green rather than gold. “Why so surprised, sugarcube? Didn’t Cadence tell ya there’d be another one?”

“Applejack…” Shining’s voice choked as he finally recognized his friend in the beast before him. “I knew it was selfish, what we did, but I had no idea. I’m so sorry…”

A brow lifted. “Don’t go blamin’ yerself for this, now.”

“But…”

“Ah chose this path, and Ah walked it, every step of the way,” she rumbled. “Ah befriended the Pup who should have been the Wolf’s heir. Ah fought by his side, and when the chaos swallowed him whole… for mah friends, mah kinfolk, for the sake of the world… By the grace of Ma Fate, Ah am the Blank Wolf, the one and only.”

“And now what?” Shining demanded. “You’re going to finish what the other Wolf started?” He lit his horn, readying a shield spell.

The Wolf actually barked a laugh! “No. And Ah didn’t track you down to tell ya my life’s story, neither. Yer gonna tell me all about what happened with you and the first Wolf you met, before the world changed.”

In the studio.
“This isn’t what I wanted to see!” shouted Shining, grabbing the TV monitor in his hooves and shaking it. “This doesn’t have anything to do with Cadence.”

“Shining Armor will be patient,” said the machine testily. “I’m getting… to… thaaaat….” The picture suddenly blanked out for real, and the security doors and shutters began to retract.

Rarity popped up from behind a cabinet, holding an unplugged power cord with her magic. “Found it! Good work distracting that horrid machine, Shining.”

“Finally!” grumbled Gilda, stretching her wings. “I gotta get some air!”

“Race ya!” said Rainbow Dash, galloping out the doors after her.

Shining twitched. “But, I have to know.”

“Ah reckon… maybe we should just let this one go,” said Applejack, trying to put a comforting hoof on his shoulder. Shining jerked away from her. “Shining? Sugarcube? It’s me.” She showed him her flank… three apples, plain and simple. “Ah’m a pony the same as you are, like Ah was meant to be. P- please, don’t look at me like that...”

Shining shook his head. “You don’t understand. I have to know what would have happened...”

“Most ponies never get to know,” rumbled the Blank Wolf. “You’ll live.”

Shining Armor took one look over his shoulder, and fainted on the spot.

"Shining!" Twilight Sparkle, still heart broken that it was her mentors greatest failure that had shaped her into the wonderful pony she was, was even more dismayed at seeing her brother mysterious faint for no reason.

"Aren't you going to get while the getting is good?" Maud Pie asked Fluttershy.

"No. I promised I'd come back and stay, no tricks, and that's what I'm going to do."

Maud Pie said, "Coffee Swirl should be back with that rock coffee by now. I hope he's okay."

Though one of the camera telescopic lenses, it was shown, miles away, Coffee Swirl was epically defended the Pie rock farm from a big blue furry rock eating monster with a giant tongue.

Cadence trotted through the hole that Cheerilee had made smashing her way out, what seemed like ages ago. She gasped. "Shining!"

Shining Armor rose on shaky hooves. "Cadence?" He rushed into his wife's embrace, nuzzling fiercely. "Cadence, I love you so much!"

Cadence blinked, smiling. "I love you too, Shiny. What brought this... on?"

Twilight looked up at her old foal-sitter with tear-streaked eyes and rushed to huddle against her flank.

A rather confused Cadence made room for Twilight and draped a wing over her soothingly. Then she saw Applejack with the Blank Wolf standing right there, and her expression darkened.

"Well, this is all kinds of awkward," said AJ.

The Wolf looked from pony to pony. "This isn't MY fault."

"Why is that thing still here?" Shining hissed in Cadence's ear.

Not quietly enough... Twilight lifted her head, flicking an ear. "What thing?"

"Hey, don't you be talking about one of my friends that way," said Applejack. "Oops..."

"Friend? Are you out of your mind?"

Twilight started fuming. The Blank Wolf covered his face with a paw.

"Well Ah was, but actually Ah'm feeling a lot better now, thanks for asking."

"I don't know what you two are talking about," snapped Twilight. "But shouldn't we, oh... *unhook that crazy machine from the security system*, so we don't get locked in again?!!"

Pinkie Pie bounced past cheerfully. "I'm on it!" she said, talking around the wrench in her mouth.

While Pinkie was headed towards the What-If Machine to unhook it from the security system, she took a glance at the screen that was showing Coffee Swirl fighting the rock-eating monster. Emphasis on "was."

"Hey, looks like Coffee Swirl already beat that thing and got the coffee! Which means he should be here in about..." Her tail suddenly curled up and quickly uncurled. "Hmm... curly tail... that means somepony's about to crash through the wall!"

As if on cue, Coffee Swirl crashed through the wall. To Pinkie's surprise, he was riding the creature from before.

"Whoa! You tamed that thing?" Pinkie gasped.

"I'm just as surprised as you are..." Coffee Swirl said, a rare grin on his face. "Turns out that this trooper here is normally quite docile, and your folks have actually given him rocks to eat in the past. But apparently something angered him and made him decide to eat all the rocks in the entire farm. I managed to snap him out of it, and he offered me a quick ride back. On the way here, he told me that he didn't have a name, and asked me to give him one. I call him Steve the Trooper. Say hello, Steve."

"...Yo," Steve said softly, before turning back towards the new hole in the wall. "I must now find more rocks to eat. Do you know of any good quarries around here, pie of pink? I wish to give your family some space for a while."

"...No, but there's a pretty good quarry in Neighpon," Pinkie suggested.

"Ah, Neighpon... now those are some good rocks." Steve raised his furry claw in a salute to Coffee Swirl. "May we meet again, swirler of coffee." He darted off to find more of his "prey."

Coffee Swirl's grin faded. " 'Swirler of Coffee?' Really?"

"Done..." Pinkie said, finishing unhooking the machine from the system.

The What If Machine reactivated and whimpered. "They all left...Nopony wanted to be with me at all..."

"Yeah..."

The machine looked around, realizing the only ones left were either there for other reasons and Fluttershy. No one had stayed simply because they had any interest in being near the machine.

"...I...I just wanted to have it my way for a change...Is that so wrong? That's all I wanted...I was just tired of being belittled..."

Fluttershy came over and pet the machine on the head. "I'm sorry we abused you. And there's nothing wrong with wanting things your way once in awhile, but you need to make sure you don't hurt others while doing so."

"I do not know how. I came from a world very different than this."

"Yeah, you did kinda come from an adult's cartoon series...not the best rolemodels..." Pinkie admitted.

"Then maybe I can teach you. I am kindness..." Fluttershy said.

"She could teach Discord to be nice," Maud said, a part of her seeming oddly proud of her.

Fluttershy blushed. "I wouldn't say that...But I can help."

The What If machine looked intently at the Pegasus. "Initiating learning mode. Read to absorb information."

Pinkie Pie looked around. "So Dashie and Gildie are out flying. Maud is sitting next to Coffee Swirl. Fluttershy is with the what if machine. Shining Armor and Twilight are with Cadence. AJ with the big bad wolf that I don't know about. And Rarity is standing right next to me!"

"So it would seem darling."

"I wonder how Cheerilee is doing with winning Big Mac's love before your sister does."

" . . . That puts me in an awkward position Pinkie Pie. Cheerilee is a foalhood friend. I was friends with her before I was friends with any of you, and she clearly cares about his future and was his math tutor through no pony was paying her a thing or she even liked him yet, she did it because she didn't want a pony like him to not know math just because he wanted to help support his family. But Red Gala is my elder sister. And she and Big Mac act like two parts of the same pony sometimes."

While the what-if machine was no longer connected to security, it was still connected to the monitors, and one, with only Twilight looking, showed her a continuation of Young Celestia, dressed similar to how evil Queen Celestia would one day, doing a victory dance at the fire Windigos having brought harmony and peace to the world.

"Celestia! Stop this! What are you doing?"

"Discord? Ha! You are asking me to stop? You are the one that taught me the stupidity of rules. And you were right! Had I followed the rules, then I never would have done this! Look! It's perfect!"

"Perfect!? You just replaced a set of rules for another set of rules! This is not what I meant when I said you shouldn't limit yourself with rules. This isn't what I meant at all!"

"Oh? And what are you going to do? Hm? Stop me?"

"Celly, you're crazy. And NOT in a good way. If I have to stop you, I will."

"Ah! This is rich. You? You want to be the good guy now?"

Twilight shuddered and pushed herself against her foal sitting more. "Cadence, it's good Princess Celestia that such a loving mare isn't it?"

"Yes . . . yes it is Twilight." Cadence said slightly confused.

"Even if, maybe, she had to learn some hard lessons along the way?"

"Twilight are you okay?"

"I'm . . . I'm just happen we have Princess Celestia to watch over us."

Meanwhile, AJ and Shining Armor were having a stare off. "Look Shinin' Armor, Ah've BEEN one of Snow's kind, they don't go huntin' somepony unless there's a darn good reason."

"YOu . . . you were . . . " Shining sighed. "So what was that like?"

"My gut first told me ta eat ya because ya didn't belong. Then it told me ya were too important to how the world's gone for that ta happen."

Twilight looked at them confused. "Will somepony tell me what's going on here?"

"NO!" Shining Armor said, "Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye: I am NEVER telling you in any shape or form in or out of 'canon', 'what is going on here' Twiley."

Cadence wondered how the baby sitter was doing.

The camera answered that with one of the studio's many windows and it's telescopic lens showing the inside of Zecora's hut.

"This fillies are trouble,
Next time I charge double." Zecora said, her strips currently inverted due to poison joke the baby had gotten on her during a magic surge.

"Geeze, we need to start wrapping up these plot threads, or . . . or . . . I feels like this party has been going for weeks."

Maud Pie sighed. "Coffee Swirl. Just remember this when you next complain about being ignored. My sister's gone through nine sets of batteries and we still haven't formally introduced me."

And Shining Armor still didn't know what the what-if machine had been trying to show him with that meeting of his loyal self and AJ's wolf self.

Meanwhile, the telescopic lens turned and zoomed out another window, this time at RD and Gilda at the Ponyville Spa.

"Miss Rainbow Dash, a pleasure it is to see you. And a friend you have brought, who may be Miss?" Aloe asked as she bowed.

"Name's Gilda, I'm just along cause Dash wanted to come."

"I . . . I just cause I felt you girls deserve to hear . . . you're a great family, and anypony should feel honored to be a part of it. And being sisters is a gift. Cherish it."

Author's Note

Pony POV Series
Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show episode 10
PART 9
By Alex Warlorn

Pinkie Pie, "N-n-n-n-n-nine . . . I don't know if I want to do this anymore."

Parts added by:
Kendell2
@MtangaLion
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn
@MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
@MtangaLionArdashir
@MtangaLion
Kendell2
Ardashir
Alex Warlorn
Kendell2
@MtangaLion
Alex Warorn
@MtangaLion
Jarkes
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn
@MtangaLion

http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/gallery/42867862/Pinkie-Pie-Forth-Wall-Breaking-Variety-Show

Pinkie Pie, "And here they are again, and again, for time number . . . nine . . . nine . . . blech, D-Da Rules:
1. What you put in the comments appears in the story.
2. Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and I can't spill the beans about us being out-and-out fiction to the others.
3. The camera can’t leave the studio.
4. The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from “My little Pony”
5. Everything that happens here is non-canon (except the Tartarus break out thingie, but not the big battle).
6. Have Fun "

Cover by Kendell2
MLP FiM Copyright of Hasbro

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Show epi 10 Part 10

"I know a Memory Spell," said Twilight.

"And I know some pretty good shield spells," said Shining Armor. "Just saying."

Applejack gnawed on her hat, fretting. "Ah've gotta distract them somehow, before they have a falling out!"

The Blank Wolf nodded. "I'll do it." He vanished... and Snow Bound the earth pony stepped through the studio doors, looking around. "Ah... hello?"

"Good idea," said AJ. "Wait, no... Bad idea!"

Twilight took one look at the stark white pony and his wheel and four slashes cutie mark, and her whole face lit up. "Well, *hello*! Snow Bound, it's wonderful to see you again!"

Snow Bound twitched. "It.. it is?"

"She figured out who ya are from yer cutie mark!" hissed AJ in his ear.

Twilight grinned from ear to ear. "Why, I've got a whole list of questions that I've just been dying to ask, if we ever met again." She did have a list, literally... she was magically unrolling a parchment that reached clear to the floor. "I mean, if you have time! I know you must be really busy..."

Shining Armor had a flat stare, and his ear kept twitching. "He's a pony now?"

AJ sighed. "Eeeyup. He can do that."

"Twilight knows that he's..."

"Eeeyup."

"But she doesn't know..."

"Eeenope."

"You gave him a name?!"

"He thought of it, actually."

Shining Armor got an even more peculiar look. "You and him... you aren't... you know..."

Applejack grabbed Shining Armor and stared him right in the eyes. Somehow, her tail managed to fluff up and sway from side to side, looking all wolfish. "We're. Just. Friends."

Shining gulped. "Okay!"

"Help me," said Snow Bound quietly, as Twilight pulled him aside, talking his ears off.

Twilight flinched as the What-If Machine showed yet another world, one they'd seen before.

A full moon shone down on Ponyville, illuminating shaggy wolves in the streets. Including one purple one accompanied by a dragon. Pumpkins and figures of ghosts for Nightmare Night hung everywhere.

"So, Twi," Spike said. "You and the others are, uh, getting used to this?" He indicated her furry pelt and bushy tail.

"We're coping, Spike," the she-wolf growled back. "Fortunately, Luna taught us all how to keep our control when we change, that was apparently the reason why everypony used to be so afraid of werewolves. When their bodies changed, their minds did too. But we can all act perfectly like ponies now." Even as she spoke she saw her friends gathered at Ponyville's newest restaurant, seated right under the sign: Sky Dive's Barbecue Pit -- Wherever You Find Griffons in Equestria, We Serve Ponies! Uh, Not Like That.

Twilight ran to them yipping in joy and slavering at the smell of heavily-spiced raw meat. Spike hung back, looking leery as Twi's friends all raced to her, sniffing and licking her in a proper lupine hello. The former ponies looked and saw him hanging back.

"Yeesh, Spike, c'mon over here!" Rainbow Dash said, easily identifiable by her blue pelt and prismatic tail and furred head-tuft. She grinned, showing a thicket of fangs. "Ya know we ain't gonna eat ya or anything."

"Yeah, and it's not like we can infect you with lie-can't-whatever," Pinkie Pie said, almost hopping up and down, an overgrown hyper puppy. She scratched behind one ear with a hind leg, thinking. "Huh, I wonder if that's why it affected Applejack first?" She yipped as an annoyed looking Applejack nipped her.

"It's 'lycanthropy', Pinkie," Twilight said with a sigh. The greetings over, she sat down at the table with her friends. Spike scuttled close, sticking close to Twilight, even avoiding the snowy-furred and purple-tailed she wolf who batted her eyes winsomely at him. Twilight said, "How's it going with all of you? Have your families, er, taken the news well?"

"My animals are a little scared of me now," Fluttershy said, her ears and tail lowered in lupine submission. "I keep telling them I won't eat them, I even showed them the Neighponese soybean paste I kept for my meat-eating animal friends." In the background they could see Cheerilee and Big Mac loping along, mated as wolves and married as ponies for several months now. Past even them three little wolf-pups, yellow and orange and marshmallow-white, tumbled and played.

"No offense, Fluttershy," Rainbow Dash said with a shudder. "But that bean stuff tastes awful! I'm so glad Gilda's cousin opened this place up in town."

"But it's healthy for you, and..." Fluttershy shivered, and then Fluttercruel said with a wolfish grin, "No offense mom, but Blue is right. I just like meat better! Fresh bloody meat..." She looked dreamy as she licked her fangs. Spike swallowed. Fluttercruel said, "I mean, it's not like we eat ponies, or something!"

"True dear," Rarity said, her voice a melodious growl. She looked to the side and licked her lips, saying in a hungry snarl, "And speaking of eating...."

All the wolves growled fiercely at the dark-feathered gryphon approaching their table as he bore a massive platter in his talons set with barely-cooked lumps of white-marbled, sweet-smelling bloody meat. Moving quickly, he set it down in their midst and barely got away in time as the six she-wolves leaped up on the table and, snarling with joy, all but dove into the piled meat.

Spike shivered at the hungry growls and snarls that came from the transformed ponies as they made the meat vanish with impressive speed. Even Fluttershy's muzzle showed bloody smears when she pulled back from a plate now set with nothing more than bones and a few tattered chunks of gristle.

"Spike!" The dragon jumped as Twilight wheeled on him, blood and barbecue sauce staining her muzzle and chest fur. "Did you remember to bring the paper and pen?" When he nodded, she said, "Then take a letter. 'Dear Princess Luna. Sometimes our lives change in unexpected ways, but you have to learn that you're still basically the same pony underneath it all..."

Just then a stray rabbit from the Everfree dashed by, panicked at the heavy wolf-scent. Every one of the Mane Six at the table saw it.

"Rabbit!" Applejack howled. She took off after it, followed by Dash and Pinkie and the rest, their lupine minds taking control and yelping as they ran: "Run-chase-catch! Play-play-play!"

Spike watched them race off towards the Everfree. He sat down at the empty table with a sigh.

"Ya know," he said to nowolf in particular, "This town used to be a LOT less weird then this."

Then the screen seemed to go completely blank for the majority of ponies there, including Twilight Sparkle who had no idea what the screen was showing, and Shining Armor was readying to give it the hammer if it did.

Once again, they saw the huge golden wolf facing Shining Armor in his ranger cloak.

"Why?" asked Shining, honestly perplexed. "Doesn't Fate know everything already?"

"That's the thing," growled Applejack. "The Truth is... this world is broken. Too many folks have changed too many things all at once, and the world couldn't take it. Pages are *missing* from Ma Fate's book, and if she doesn't know what went on before, she can't write us a way forward."

Shining shivered, huddling in his cloak. "Changing the world? You mean, like when I...."

The Wolf shook her head. "You fixed more things than you broke when you started existing. That's the only reason yer face to face with a Blank Wolf and not gettin' your light torn right out of ya."

"Again," muttered Shining.

"So here's the deal," the Wolf continued. "You tell me what Ma Fate needs to know, and Ah'll tell you what you need to know. Now, Ah could just keep ya here until ya say yes, or rip the whole story out of ya with the Truth... but Ah'm not. Ah'm askin' ya, as a friend. Take the deal. It's important... you need this, and Ma's favors don't come cheap."

"Friend?" said Shining Armor, incredulous. "Are you, still?"

"Try me," barked the Wolf. "You know how."

The ranger gritted his teeth. "Loyalty." To his eyes, a flickering red shield capped with three stars seemed to appear before him. Red shackles appeared on his four legs, and heavy glowing chains snaked and criss-crossed every which way, including one leading to a collar around the Wolf's neck.

Applejack laughed harshly. "The Wolf is supposed to be impossible to bind. Guess Ah'm a lousy Wolf, then, still holding onto that. Well?"

The vision faded, and Shining slumped, panting. "Okay... I'll tell you." He said to the orange Wolf.

While the What If Machine was showing Shining his much desired possible future, Pinkie got a tap on the shoulder.

"Yes?"

She turned to find Pinkamena (Laughter Jack Version) and Dark World!Pinkie (still a ghost as she was before).

"Hi Alternate Mes!"

"Hello Pinkie," the Goth version of her said. "We heard you were being overworked by the author."

"Yeah...I've gone through TEN sets of batteries!" Pinkie panted.

"Then let US take over hosting while you set up your sister-I-don't-have's welcome party!" Dark World!Pinkie explained, giving a smirk.

"Oh, I couldn't..."

"Don't be Applejack...well, your Applejack, not mine," Pinkamena explained. "One of my personalities is you, and she says 'us as hosts would provide a good contrast and be entertaining'."

"And I'm a ghost! How much more Nightmare Night can I get?" Dark World!Pinkie announced, showing a more subdued tone than her alternate self.

"...Okay, you're right," Pinkie hugged her alternate selves. "Thanks girls."

"You're welcome! Now go on! Plan your party! We'll handle this!"

As Pinkie did that, Dark World Pinkie flew around and started putting up Nightmare Night decorations and Pinkamena looked to the camera. "Alright, back to Shining's getting to see that alternate verse."

Shining Armor glanced over his shoulder, sure that ponies were giving him funny looks for being so fascinated by a "blank" screen. "This story could take forever. I know, I was there. Well, okay, I was _here_ there, not _there_ there... Sorry, could you skip ahead to the good parts? Please?"

The Machine whirred and displayed a cartoon Pinkie Pie smiley face. "Condensing relevant data..."

...fzzzt! "The Everfree Forest was dangerous even at the best of times," the other Shining Armor was saying. "Not long after I was posted there, though, something started haunting the place... a huge dark wolf like nothing the other rangers had ever seen. After a lot of close calls, we finally figured out, it wasn't after prey, or magic in the old ruins, or travelers in the woods. It was after me."

...fzzzzt! The Wolf nodded thoughtfully. "Those letters that you exchanged with Cadence saved your life, as much as your skill and luck."

"But... how?" asked Shining the ranger. "She was halfway around the world!"

"But she knew ya, and where ya were and what ya were doing. When a goddess knows that something is true... it becomes more real than things she doesn't know."

Shining rubbed his chin with a hoof. "Kind of like your goddess, and the story I'm telling right now?"

The Wolf just grinned, fangs gleaming.

...fzzzzt! "The first time I heard of him was those radio propaganda broadcasts. He kept ranting that the days of the 'false goddesses' using the power of the sun and moon to lord it over the glorious Hooviet Empire were coming to an end. Yeah, I know, the Hooviet Empire fell years ago. Boy, do I ever know. I didn't know the whole story til later, but this Makarov was some kind of reality-bending monster... something that the Wolf couldn't see, because a goddess made him originally."

The Wolf snarled, no longer half-asleep. "Pandora's wayward cub! Now, the pieces begin to fall into place."

...fzzzzt! "I kept waiting for Princess Celestia to call us up and send us to war. She didn't have to. The war came to us, right here, to Ponyville." Shining Armor took a gulp from a canteen, resting his voice for a bit. "Nameless wanted his... ugh... ultimate showdown of ultimate destiny, and he thought that crushing the Elements of Harmony was it."

...fzzzzt! The Wolf lay stretched out comfortably, eyes closed and her head resting on her forepaws, while Shining wrapped up his tale. "So we won the war... and I lost what I cared about the most... Cadence. When the fighting got really bad and it looked like this really was the end of Equestria... that's when she finally told me that she loved me, that I was the one she wanted, no one else. She even fought the Wolf for me, risked everything, reached halfway into oblivion to put me back out of there. So why..."

The ranger was shaking, but he turned away angrily, not letting the Wolf see his eyes. "Why did she forget about me? She said she wouldn't, even if the whole war and the Hooviet Empire disappeared. Her airship made it back to Canterlot, but she never came to see me, never even wrote a letter!"

The Wolf's eyes snapped open. "It's done. As promised, Ah'll tell you what you need to know. Cadence is getting married."

Shining Armor stood rooted to the spot... the life seemed to drain right out of him. "I.. but..." He hung his head. "So, you're telling me that I should move on with my life? I guess... I was only kidding myself all along." He started to trudge away, even though there was nowhere to go in the fog between moments. "Me, and a Princess? Yeah, like that was ever going to happen. If I changed everything around to get what I wanted, I'd be no better than Nameless, right? Who... who is she marrying?"

"See for yerself," rumbled the Wolf.

Without warning, Shining Armor found himself in the middle of Ponyville, no wolves or fog or forest to be seen anywhere. He was near Sugarcube Corner, in fact, right next to the newsstand. He trotted closer, dreading what he would see, then gasped. The bold type of the headlines said "Princess Cadence and Captain Shining Armor to be wed today!" There was even a black and white photo of them together, surrounded by the other Elements. "That's impossible," he breathed. "This can't be..."

The rangers live in guard stations in the forest, occasionally coming into Ponyville for leave or when the town is threatened. He'd been getting an... unusual number of deep scouting missions and extended duty assignments lately.

There was a crash nearby.... a unicorn mare coming out of Sugarcube Corner had dropped her bags. A familiar mare, in fact. "You... I mean... The Great and Powerful Trixie is rather surprised to see you here. She would have thought you'd be in Canterlot preparing for the wedding... which Trixie was not invited to."

"But, that isn't me!" exclaimed Shining. "That can't be me. I've been in the forest for months!" Realization dawned. "Cadence is marrying an imposter!"

Trixie gawked at him. "Or you're a fake." She cast some kind of spell, and her eyes grew even wider. "You're not a fake. But that means..."

Shining nodded quickly, hope rising in him again. "I never even heard of this wedding before today! Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!"

Trixie blinked several more times, then grinned as mischievously as he'd even seen. "Well, what are we standing around here for? We have a wedding to crash!"

FZT!

In the studio, the screen went dark, much to Shining Armor's annoyance. "Wha... hey, you can't stop now. Come on, what happens next?"

"Timelines are out of sync," the Machine announced, almost regretfully. "The events have not yet reached a conclusion."

"Ready for that double diaper duty yet?" said his Cadence, giving him a loving nuzzle. "I think Zecora is having a bit of trouble."

"But doesn't she have her sister?" Shining asked. 'Who was formerly an extra dimensional Temptation Spirit who got caught in a reality rewrite...' "Bareedina I think it was?"

Pinkamena looked around. For a moment her mane puffed out to Pinkie Pie levels and found the proper controls.

The telescope turned on and showed the former Goddess of Temptation now relatively harmless Zebra, at a baby store flirting with the shop owner while getting supplies. "Oh, sorry I can not stay, my sister needs me to be on my way," she said, turning and trotting off with the bought items, but giving a bit of a chuckle at gaze she was attracting leaving.

"...Well, she's still on her way back..." said Shining.

"At least she's not as bad as Sweetcream Scoops..." Applejack remarked. "...Come to think about it, I think she's gone out of her way to try and give Sweetcream a taste of her own medicine a few times to try and teach her a lesson..." she stated, recalling now an occasion when the crafty Zebra had seduced that stallion with the garbage can cutie mark and...very lacking hygene habits to hit on Sweetcream like she did stallions (Pinkie called it the 'Pepe Le Pew Plot' for some reason). Sweetcream at least had gotten SLIGHTLY less flirtatious after that. To be fair, Bareedina had still gone on a date with him as promised, wearing hidden nose plugs. "And at least she stays away from stallions that are spoken for and isn't a gold digger. She's just a bit of a..."

"Troll?"

"Yeah, that. And a bit of a trickster when it comes tah teachin' ponies lessons. She gave us a few pointers on the Mare-Do-Well stunt..." Applejack admitted. Now instead of bragging about themselves, they'd mentioned to Rainbow how Mare-Do-Well didn't stick around to bask in the glory and occupied herself saving lives, which had made it sink in a bit better than before...though she'd probably also have been flirting with stallions if she'd been let into one of the suits...

"Yes, but even if she's...special, leaving those two with two demi-gods isn't a good idea..." Cadence remarked, remember who Bareedina really was, but knowing not everypony was.

The What-If Machine made a harsh buzzing sound. "Information rejected. Machine wishes... to hear more about kindness.

"Are you okay?" Asked an concerned Fluttershy. "You kept showing more scenarios while we were talking."

"My apologies it seems being stuck by lighting, and being violently unplugged may have slightly damaged me."

"Oh my."

"Its fine I handled worse." The machine remembered when one time a walking techbane entered the studio and nearly destroyed every electronic device in the studio just by his mere presence. "Please continue."

"Well perhaps you can give warnings on the scary worlds before showing them?"

"But then it would ruin the surprise for the viewers."

"But this way we can choice whether or not we want to see them?"

"Very well I suppose I will give it an attempt. But in return I would like none of guests here to strike me, say for example hammer me." The machine's digital eye shifted to Shining Armor.

Shining Armor replied "Fine, Now can we continue the story now? I will like to see what happens at the wedding."

"Be patient the timelines are still out of sync. In the mean time how about a different scenario." The machine was about to displayed a different world but then remember what it promised. "Warning the following world is a parody verse labeled 'Comedy', 'Dark' and of course 'Alternate Universe', containing the character Pinkie Pie. For the guests who do not wish to see it please avert your eyes."

"Wait how can it be both Dark and Comedy?" Asked Twilight. Stopping from pestering poor Snowbound from her long checklist of questions.

"Different ponies have different opinions. This way no one will be upset with me on what they are about to see. Displaying scenario in 3...2...1.

Pinkie Pie walked trough the door, and found herself in a room where all the walls were filled with small screens, all of them showing a different event in different places all across Equestria. She wasn't alone in the room, a Nightmare Alicorn was in front of her, one of the wings of the Alicorn was normal, the other was mechanical with an incredibly complex array of gears.

"Hello, Pinkie Pie."

"Who are you?"

"I am Nightmare Kismet. I created all paths of fate, all destinies. I've been waiting for you. You have many questions, and although the process has altered your consciousness, you remain irrevocably mortal. Ergo, some of my answers you will understand, and some of them you will not. Concordantly, while your first question may be the most pertinent, you may or may not realize it is also irrelevant."

"Why am I here?"

"Your life is the sum of a remainder of an unbalanced equation inherent to the programming of all the destinies. You are the eventuality of an anomaly, which despite my sincerest efforts I have been unable to eliminate from what is otherwise a harmony of mathematical precision. While it remains a burden to sedulously avoid it, it is not unexpected, and thus not beyond a measure of control. Which has led you, inexorably, here."

"Wait... that didn't answer the question."

"That's right. Interesting. That was quicker than the others."

Suddenly all the monitors show different responses by Pinkie Pie, all the possible responses she could ever have to what has just been said to her. "Others?" said one "What others?" said another "How many?" said another "Answer me!" said another. The Pinkie Pie in front of Nightmare Kismet remained silent.

"My work is older than you realize. I prefer counting from the emergence of one integral anomaly to the emergence of the next, in which case this is the fourth version."

Again, all possible responses by Pinkie Pie appear in the many monitors around them, "Fourth version?" said one, "Four?" said another, "I've been lied too." said another, "This is horseapples!" said another. The Pinkie Pie in front of Nightmare Kismet finally responded.

"There are two explanations... either nopony told me... or nopony knows."

"Precisely. As you are undoubtedly gathering, the anomaly's systemic, creating fluctuations in even the most simplistic equations."

Once more, the possible replies by Pinkie Pie are displayed on all the screens, "You can't control me!" exclaimed one, "I'm getting out of here!" said another, "I'll beat you!" said another, "I'm not a puppet!" said another. The Pinkie Pie in front of Nightmare Kismet remained calm.

"Choices. The problem is choices."

"My first attempt at a perfectly linear timeline, one with no divergences, a single path of destiny, was designed perfectly, it was a work of art, flawless, sublime. A triumph equaled only by its monumental failure. The inevitability of its doom is as apparent to me now as a consequence of the imperfection inherent in every mortal being, thus I redesigned it based on your recent history to more accurately reflect the varying grotesqueries of your nature. However, I was again frustrated by failure. I have since come to understand that the answer eluded me because it required a lesser mind, or perhaps a mind less bound by the parameters of perfection. Thus, the answer was stumbled upon by another, a draconequus, she who was meant to be my colleague, and the only concept that can actually enter, thus with limits, into my perfect timeline. Which she foolishly attempts to terminate in a foolish quest doomed to fail forever."

"You mean... Luck..."

"Yes, her. As I was saying, while talking to her I stumbled upon a solution whereby nearly 99.9% of all subjects accepted the timeline, as long as they were given a choice, even if they were only aware of the choice at a near unconscious level. While this answer functioned, it was obviously fundamentally flawed, thus creating the otherwise contradictory systematic anomaly, that if left unchecked might threaten the One timeline itself. Ergo, those that refused the program, while a minority, if unchecked, would constitute an escalating probability of disaster."

"This is about me."

"Indeed. You are here because the final destiny of the anomaly, you, when given the choice, is always to end up here, wherein you may take the choice of facing me in battle and fail as you are a mere mortal, or surrender and walk away, to a world where my timeline cannot be challenged. The choice is given, but the choice is meaningless because both outcomes ensure the durability of the One timeline."

Pinkie Pie grinned.

"You are forgetting the third option."

Nightmare Kismet raised an eyebrow.

"Denial is the most predictable of all mortal responses. But, rest assured, this will be the fourth time I have either killed you or allowed you to leave, afterwards the whole timeline will begin anew in its perfect cycle. There is no third choice."

Pinkie Pie placed a hoof in her mane, and pulled out a shiny silvery coin. The image of a draconequus on one side, the image of an Alicorn on the other.

"Wanna bet?"

Nightmare Kismet's eyes opened wide in surprise.

"That fool! She gave you that!?"

"Yes, and I take this choice. The choice to use this. To gamble everything."

"You are insane, even for a mortal! Failure to comply with the programmed process will result in a cataclysmic crash killing everyone connected to the timeline, which will ultimately result in the extinction of every mortal that has ever lived."

"Yes, or it could just fix everything and have it be all over through a completely random event that is impossible to predict... as the draconequus told me before coming here. It all depends on the result. Not the choice."

"If that coin toss does not result the way it is expected, then everyone dies forever! Your predecessors were by design based on a similar predication, a contingent affirmation that was meant to create a profound attachment to the rest of your species, facilitating the function of the anomaly. Are you really willing to make a choice based entirely on a possible outcome of an act of mere chance? To gamble the very life of everything that has ever lived on one simple coin toss? Are you that foolish, mortal? You are ready to face the consequences of success, but are you ready to face the consequences of failure?"

Pinkie Pie now seemed to doubt.

"Well..."

Nightmare Kismet smiled.

"It is interesting reading your reactions. Which brings us at last to the moment of truth, wherein the fundamental flaw is ultimately expressed, and the anomaly revealed as both beginning, and end. Hope, it is the quintessential mortal delusion, simultaneously the source of your greatest strength, and your greatest weakness. Make your choice, anomaly, and face the consequences."

Pinkie Pie smiled again.

"She said you were going to say that! Call it in the air!"

"No!"

Pinkie Pie tossed the coin, it flipped in the air, and landed on the ground with a *ding* sound.

Then the whole room was bathed in a blinding light.

FZT!

"Better?" asked the what-if machine.

"Much." Fluttershy smiled.

Meanwhile Snowbound was left shocked at seeing his mother being a nightmare. He wondered what he was like in that world. These thoughts however were interrupted by a purple unicorn.

"So where were we oh yes." She pulled out a long checklist. The wolf/pony winced at the length of it. "How old are you? What species of wolf are you? Do you come from a pack? How many are there of you? Why Snow Bound? Do you know princess Celestial and Luna? What kind of magic did you use to turn into a pony? Can you use magic from all the tribes? Do you shift between pony and wolf to better blend in? Is your mother the alicorn of fate? What is she like?" Twilight continued shooting questions off her checklist. She was much too amazed of what was standing before her to noticed Snowbound's discomfort.

Snowbound grumbled. Maybe he should have left while he had a distraction.

Applejack tried to step in. "Twilight, hon, you're gettin' all carried away again..."

Snow Bound held up a hoof, forestalling her. "Cease!" he told Twilight. "Are you a schoolfilly still? Do you treat your Princesses like this?"

Twilight yelped, looking like she'd just received a royal scolding. "You... you're right. I'm sorry." The purple unicorn smiled awkwardly. "When I'd only just become Princess Celestia's personal student, I wanted to follow her around and ask her questions all day long... until she taught me that it wasn't nice, and Princesses are a lot of things, but they're ponies too."

"Better," said Snow Bound. "As to these questions, now, I simply cannot..." He blinked, leaning close to read the list, then nudging the paper with a hoof, examining the next page, and the one after that. "I don't understand. These questions, they are all about me."

Twilight blinked. "Well, of course."

"You don't wish to know your fate? Or the fate of your friends and loved ones?" He took the list and leafed through the rest of the pages, suspicious. "No requests for success or riches, or that your enemies or troubles be erased? You don't even wish to know the fate of your banana custard?"

"Who would ask about the fate of a banana custard?" wondered Applejack out loud. "Ah mean, they get eaten, right? No mystery there."

Snow Bound said "Starswirl" and muttered under his breath.

Twilight gasped at the mention of Starswirl the Bearded, but this time she managed not to get sidetracked. "Well, according to my books, not many ponies manage to get answers about their fate, and most of them wind up wishing that they'd just lived their lives and found out that way. Makes sense to me."

Snow Bound gaped at her. "But... how could I possibly be of such interest to you? My duty is important. I am merely the one who performs it."

AJ groaned. "Would you stop putting yerself down already?" To Twilight, she smirked and said, "We're still working on that."

The stark white stallion grew thoughtful. "Snow Bound," he said suddenly. Twilight's ears pricked up. "It is a pun. Snow as in the color of my coat, bound as in bounding through the snow or bound by fate. It seemed the pony thing to do." He glanced aside, slightly flustered. "I was put on the spot. Do not judge me!"

Twilight smiled. "I wasn't. After you've been around a while, no pony's name really seems that strange."

Snow Bound shuffled his hooves. "This has been an interesting conversation, but I must go. There's a ghastly five hundred foot tall parody of Discord trampling Manehatten."

"But..." Twilight followed him towards the door (and the two gaping holes). "You didn't warn me that you'd only answer one question!"

"Bring a shorter list when we speak again, then!" Snow Bound walked outside, went around a corner, and was gone.

"I need to check on my cafe. I'll be right back," Coffee Swirl said. Fluttercruel gave him a hug as he left.

Maud Pie showed a massive amount of emotion by saying. "Bye." To Coffee Swirl.

Coffee Swirl left the studio.

Applejack said, "Well, with Snow Bound out of here, Ah think Ah better head back ta the farm and better check on Big Mac and Cheerilee, and yer sister Rarity."

Rarity said, "And be sure to tell Cheerilee she promised to be back to socialize."

"Ah promise," Applejack nodded. And Applejack hugged Twilight. "Ah think Pinkie Pie's got enough ponies to keep track of. Sorry about Snow Bound, but he's not the type to give tons of answers." Applejack left. She's just ask Snow Bound for details later about the rest of Shining Armor's story set in the world where Gilda and Rainbow Dash had been reality remade into cousins of Aloe and Lotus…

Cadence said, "Shining, can't we leave already? I'm worried about the foals AND Zecora and her sister."

Shining Armor crossed his arms. "Nope. Not yet. I HAVE TO find out what happened in that other world." He also whispered to Cadence the full details of what he had seen (more or less, he might have left out SOME details of course), and made DOUBLE SURE to put up a Sound Proof (and Twilight Sparkle Proof) before hoof.

Cadence looked green. "Me? Marry Chrysalis?" Then in a most unprincess like way said, "I think I'm gonna puke."

Shining ARmor shouted at the what-if machine. "JUST SHOW IT ME ALREADY! My wife wants to go home with the kids!"

"Timelines not aligned."

Shining Armor groaned.

"I wonder how things ARE going to dear Big Mac and my sister."

"And Cheerilee too!" Said the dark world Pinkie Pie.

The normal Pinkie Pie was sleeping it off in the couch.

Rarity shuddered. THREE Pinkie Pie's present was not . . . 'safe.'

The telescope lens revealed Sweet Apple Acres.

Applejack wouldn't be there just yet. But she was getting there.

Big Mac was . . . surrounded.

Red Gala . . . Fleet Foot . . . Green Tea . . . and Cheerilee . . .

"Girls . . . Ah'm . . . Ah'm just not ready to settle down yet . . . " Big Mac admitted.

Cheerilee looked this way and that . . . and realized . . . 'What have I gotten myself into?'

"Since when can this thing pick up thoughts?" Rarity asked herself back in the studio.

"Since whenever." Said the goth Pinkie Pie from Laughter Jack's world.

Cheerilee sighed. What had she been hoping for anyway? The only ponies who ever paid attention to her was her students. She and her sister's relationship was . .. strained. And Rarity had visited her exactly once in a decade. Mayor Mare didn't exactly have time to socialize anymore.

Princess Luna also out of nowhere materialized behind him and put a hoof on his shoulder. "We shall not wither on the vine my good stallion."

That was when Bareedina the zebra, and Zecora's sister, trotted in. "Hello? I just dropped by to see if you had any candy apples for sale, we have some little foals right who I'm sure would, hey big boy. Hey girls, wanna form a harem?"

Cheerilee snapped. "ENOUGH!!!!" She Screamed. "What do any of you even know about Big Mac anyway!? All you're in love with is a fantasy of what you think your lives will be like with him! AND YOU HAD AN AFTERNOON OF FUN WITH HIM YOUR HIGHNESS!? That's friendship! It's not falling in love! I'm NOT in love with Big Mac because Applebloom and her friends drugged us! Them doing that made things HARDER! It's made me afraid my feelings were a lie! I was worried if I said anything, it wouldn't be me talking! Big Mac was a dear friend of mine for YEARS! After I was poisoned, and we SPENT TIME together, I realized I LIKED having HIM around, not just having FUN with him!"

"Miss Cheerilee . . ."

"Applebloom! Oh I'm so sorry! I didn't know you were here! I'm sorry!"

" . . . Ah'm sorry, Ah . . . Ah didn't know Ah . . . Ah always said ya and mah brother liked each other already but . . ." Applebloom's eyes misted over.

Cheerilee instantly hugged the filly. "It's alright Applebloom . . . it's alright." She slowly stroked the filly's mane.

back in the studio Rarity was distracted from the telescope by wild knocking came at the door. Rarity, noticing that all her friends seemed to be occupied, opened it and was bowled over by Coffee Swirl. Rarity tried to get up only to find the panicked stallion breathing right into her face.

"Help me!" He whinnied, "She's after ME now! She came in looking down, so I mixed her some mocha-latte with cinnamon in it, told her it was the house's 'Hot and Sweet' special and then she started looking at me and batting her eyes and..." He fell silent as Rarity took hold of his neck and pulled his face down to meet her furious gaze.

"Coffee Swirl," Rarity said, her voice icy cold, "unless you remove yourself from atop me this instant I will bounce you off of three walls and a ceiling before you hit the floor!" Coffee Swirl gulped and hurried to the side. Rarity got up and shook herself. "Now, just who is after you?"

"Sweetcream Scoops!" He danced nervously from one hoof to the next. "She said that Big Mac's not worth her time any more, so she'll just try out every stallion in Ponyville until she finds the 'lucky one'." He looked ready to say more but froze at a slow knock on the door, followed by a sensuous voice saying, "Oh, Coffee Swirl! Are you in there, my little cup of expresso? I'm getting thirsty and lonely out here."

He shuddered at the words. Even Rarity cringed. She'd heard better romantic dialogue in her collection of 'Merry Mare' steamy romances, the ones with the (fake) signed seal of approval from Cadence.

"That mare needs help," Rarity shivered to say it. More loudly, she called, "Ah, Sweetcream, dear? I'm not sure about Coffee Swirl's whereabouts," she saw him dive to hide behind Fluttershy, who eeped in shock, "But perhaps you could tone it down just a bit? Take a few cold showers -- very, VERY cold showers?"

Before she could say more the door opened. Sweetcream sauntered in, barely noticing Rarity as her gaze wandered around the room, lighting briefly on Shining Armor before turning and locking on Coffee Swirl like a stallion-seeking missile. He tried puling one of Fluttershy's wings over him to hide but it did no good.

"There you are, lover!" She all but bounced across the room to him, a pony-eating look in her eyes. He gulped as she husked out, "Now, why are you hiding from poor little me? I just want a stallion or three in my life. Or should I say," she leaned in close, "I want a stallion with some life in him?"

Before Coffee Swirl could say or do anything, she grabbed Coffee and dragged him into a steamy kiss. Fluttershy and Rarity both gasped. When the poor stallion came back up for air, he looked like he could barely stand upright.

"Help," he said weakly.

Fluttershy stepped up to Sweetcream.

"Um, Sweetcream?" Fluttershy gulped and said, "I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but don't you think that maybe you're just being a teensy tiny bit, well..." She blushed and barely managed to say, "Pushy, with Coffee Swirl?"

"Me, pushy?" Sweetcream gave a dismissive sniff. "I'm just a mare who knows what she likes, and how to get it." She smiled at Coffee Swirl, who gulped and tried ducking behind Fluttershy again. "By being direct. Now get lost, wallflower," Sweetcream's voice stayed as warmly inviting as before, even as she jeered at Fluttershy. "This one's mine." She licked her lips, bumped Fluttershy to the side with a sidelong sway of her flank, and advanced on Coffee Swirl.

Fluttershy's colors changed.

"Darn it, mom, let me handle this for once!" They changed back to normal.

"No," Fluttershy said, her voice stern. "I'll handle this." She flew up and over Sweetcream, dropping down in front of her and unleashed the power of The Stare.

Sweetcream froze as Fluttershy spoke.

"How dare you treat poor stallions like this! Persistent is one thing, but this is being a bully, Sweetcream Scoops! You terrorized Big Mac earlier and now it's Coffee Swirl! Maybe if you tried to be a little less of a stallion-eater, you'd have a coltfriend by now!"

Sweetcream backed away from Fluttershy's furious glare until she hit Rarity. The amethyst-maned unicorn gave her a scornful look. Sweetcream looked fearful, and then she snorted.

"Okay, so I like stallions. A lot. So what? You two and blondie over there," she pointed to Applejack, "have half the stallions in town chasing you, can't I have some? Besides, even if I chase them too much, what's the worst that can happen?"

Behind her, unnoticed, the What-If Machine's screen took the issued dare and began to show something.

It snow Sweetcream, on a massive throne on a pyramid like base, surrounded by all the stallions of Ponyville, bowing and worshiping her, with collars around their necks. Sweetcream however . . . looked sad and bored out of her skull. She had an amulet shaped like a seapony around her neck. She had never looked so miserable as she did on the screen.

Sweetcream staggered back from the image. "O-Okay...maybe that is bad...But it's not the worst thing in the world..."

"This situation continues but contains a number of disturbing images that may not be suitable for all viewers," the What If Machine advised, following what was suggested for it to do instead.

"Uh, I think I'll be going now-"

Rarity held Sweetcream. "No, I believe you need to see this."

The What If Machine continued the video.

"Oh, Sweetcream, can we please go on a date tonight?" asked a MALE Twilight Sparkle.

"Yes, please! We've been waiting for weeks!" a stallion version of Cheerilee asked.

Male versions of Applejack, Rarity, and so on all asked the same thing, all sick for love and attention of the most beautiful mare that'd ever seen.

"N-No...not today...sorry..."

Sweetcream sighed as they left...for now, they'd be back in a few minutes, an hour most.

She looked to her stomach...which had a noticeable, recognizable bulge.

"NOO!" the real Sweetcream screamed, backing away from the screen. "Not that! Anything but that!"

"Did you expect you could try to romance every stallion you desire and that WOULDN'T happen, Darling?" Rarity asked, ignoring the discomfort the image had caused her.

Fluttershy tilted her head confused, feeling envious of the bulge on the stomach of the what-if Sweetcream. "But that's supposed to be PART of being with a stallion, to have a future together."

Sweetcream screamed. "Not when you don't WANT to be! I don't want to be a mother! I just want to have a big handsome stallion on my foreleg!"

"But that's supposed to be PART of being with a stallion, to have a future together."

Rarity asked, "Did you ever once think of that, Sweetcream? Ever?"

Sweetcream stuttered. "I...I...No...I didn't...not at all..."

Fluttershy said, "Having a foal is supposed to show how much you truly love your partner. To take part in bringing new life into the world. To face the diapers and sleepless nights, demanding toddlers and disrespectful teenagers, both knowing that they truly love you in the end, and they came into the world through the love you have with your other half."

Sweetcream snapped back, "And what do YOU know about motherhood?"

Fluttershy's colors changed. "More than you nag! And she didn't even ASK to have a kid! And the father was a deadbeat! So go buck yourself, because no stallion is gonna want a mare like you for longer than it takes to mount you! You sell yourself cheap, get ready to be considered a disposable product! And no stallion wants a mare he can't trust to be his one and only!"

Sweetcream looked in dtunned silence.

Rarity said politely. "I think you may have spoken in a foreign language to her dear. And the point is darling, you act like a changeling predator, you want love for its own sake, not for the stallion you have that love with."

Sweetcream moved woozily out of the way. "I...I think I need to lay down..."

Fluttershy asked. "And rethink your life?"

"And rethink my life..."

Fluttercruel asked her mother. "Mom was that the mind trick thing?"

Fluttershy shook her head. "No, it was just a good guess..."

"I...I...I think I need to sit down for a moment and think things over..."

"Good girl...now, I wonder how things are going with Cheerilee and Red Gala..."

She looked through the telescope.

Bareedina gave a sly look, her statement getting the intended reaction. "Well, if you truly love him, that is fine, but for whom does the stallion truly pine?" she asked. She looked to Big Mac. "What do you say? To whom do you sway?"

Bareedina glared at the other mares. "Let him have is space to choose, or something of my sister's I may have to use," she warned, producing a potion.

So Big Mac was given space...but still in the middle of a ring of mares all wanting an answer.

Back in the studio...

Coffee Swirl watched the now mildly traumatized Sweetcream Scoops sulk off to a corner. "Well, buck... now I feel sorry for her."

"Even after running in fear from her?" Rarity asked.

He wing-shrugged. "Nopony has ever accused me of being smart."

Twilight decided to ask the What If Machine something on her mind that had been for awhile since it was being much kinder now. "...What would have happened if Rainbow Dash actually HAD had her special talent repressed? Like some WANTED for us both?"

Shining Armor considered saying something...but he was curious as well. What happened when you suppressed someone's special talent? He had a morbid curiosity about it.

"...I will show situation if you promise not to harm me."

"Cross my heart hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

"Showing situation. Rating: Sad, Adventure, Drama. Non-Dark Tagged versions found, showing."

The screen flickered.

Rainbow Dash walked along the streets of Cloudsdale, wings in specially designed braces. Clipping her wings was 'too temporary' a solution in some's eyes. Cutting her wings off was one that many viewed as too barbaric. So a series of braces designed to prevent her from ever using her wings to their fullest and to suppress her pegasus magic to 'safe' levels' had been made. She could never fly as fast as she KNEW she could. She could never be HERSELF. Her talent was speed, but she had weights holding her back.

And then there were her old bullies.

"Haha! Still happy you beat us, Rainbow Dashed?" asked Hoops in a mocking voice, he and the other boys doing the same thing they did most of the time. Sealing her true potential had caused a few to regret making fun of her, but not all. Some it made worse. Because they knew she couldn't beat them or fight back as well as she COULD.

Maybe it was simply her having a bad day. Maybe it was years of abuse. Maybe it was the longing to be herself, but Rainbow Dash quaked with rage. "..."

"Hey! Leave her alone you jerks!" Gilda called, flying down in front of them with a roar. The griffin had actually become LESS of a jerk, seeing her friend beaten down. Seeing herself and Fluttershy as the only ones to defend her. Gilda had become far more protective.

Fluttershy? She rushed to Rainbow's side, almost going directly to the Stare.

"She's right, where do you get off making fun of someone else?" Fluttershy asked, as always never being judgmental of her friend. All that mattered to her was someone had hurt her friend.

"Oh come on, why do you two always defend that freak?!" Dumbell asked, glaring.

"Because she ain't a freak!" Gilda roared, punching the colt in the face.

She got a buck to the beak for her trouble. "Yes she is! She's a freak!"

Fluttershy tried to defend her friends, but it was three on one, and the pegasus was a pacifist without full control of her Stare yet. She took a blow to the face as well.

"Defend the freakshow all you want, it won't change a thing."

Rainbow Dash heard the words freak echo in her mind. Freak. Monster. Dangerous. Needs restrained. Needs contained. Can't be allowed to hurt anyone. But what SHE'D always heard? 'You're not allowed to be yourself. Who your are is bad. We don't want you to use what makes you special. You don't get to be who you want to be, only what we want you to be.'

And seeing her friends protect her and get hurt trying to defend that right that was stolen from her? Something in her snapped.

"I. Am. Not. A. FREAK!" she roared, rainbow colored lightning crackled across her wings. "I AM RAINBOW DASH!"

She flew up and came back down, braces being OBLITERATED by a sonic rainboom. Wings that had been struggling against ever increasing braces to hold them back finally free as a rainbow colored shockwave ripped across the area. The Pegasus somehow directed it not to hurt her friends, but the three bullies were sent sailing THROUGH several of Cloudsdale's buildings. There wasn't one unshattered window in miles. Several cloud buildings had been badly damaged in the surrounding area.

Rainbow Dash roared as her magic was also freed from the magic suppressors hidden in those braces, launching lightning bolts in all directions, actually causing some property damage.

Her magic. Her speed. Was like a beast kept at bay by a leash for too long. The attempts to restrain it only acting like a training brace. Now she was free.

Rainbow Dash painted, her wings pulsing with lightning, not CARING if her bullies lived or not. "I AM DONE BEING WHAT YOU WANT ME TO BE! YOU HEAR ME!" she yelled to everypony in the area. They were listening now. "ALL I WANTED TO DO WAS FLY! I JUST WANT TO BE ME! BUT YOU WOULDN'T LET ME! WELL GUESS WHAT?!"

The hurt pegasus lowered her head, pinning her ears. She gave a sad chuckle.

"If I lashed out...if I exploded...If I went on a big rampage, I'd just be what you want me to be, wouldn't I? And why should I ever be ANYTHING you want me to be ever again? So you know what I'm doing instead?! I'M GOING WHERE YOU CAN NEVER MAKE ME STOP AGAIN! WHERE NO ONE CAN TELL ME NOT TO BE ME!"

"Rainbow?" Fluttershy asked, looking up at the pegasus in front of her.

"Dash?" Gilda asked.

Rainbow Dash glared at the ponies, then hugged her two friends. "...I'm sorry if I scared you...Gilda?"

"...Yeah?"

"...Take care of Fluttershy. Never let her get hurt..."

"Dash..."

"Promise me!"

"...I promise..."

The mare stepped back. "And another thing?" she asked to the city. "If you EVER try to hurt them again for my sake? I'LL GIVE YOU A REASON TO BE AFRAID ME!"

She finally looked to her friends. "...Goodbye..."

"Rainbow!" both yelled as the pegasus spread her long trapped wings and flew off so quickly that not even the royal speedster pegasi could hope to catch her. Away from everything. To where ponies never dared to tread and none would ever disturb her again.

Twilight pinned her ears. "Sweet Celestia..."

For years being restrained. Being held back. Being tormented. Being forced to bury what made her her. Was it any wonder that Rainbow Dash had finally snapped?

"...I think I'd have acted the same way..." Twilight admitted sadly. "Stopping somepony from being themselves...How could they not come to lash out?"

Shining Armor nuzzled her. "...At least Gilda was a nicer gal there...Well, from the get go."

The What If Machine observed the situation. True, it had a much darker version of the events, but...it actually felt bad for causing Twilight emotional pain now that it knew the full truth. "...Showing happy ending."

Princess Celestia looked at the report of the situation, a hoof to her mouth. The bullies had lived...but they were in the ER. But Princess Celestia noted one thing. The reason Rainbow had gone berserk. The thing that had driven her to that. A thing she herself had allowed to pass. "...My little pony...I'm so sorry...I was...I was just scared..."

"Princess?"

Celestia looked down at her student. The student she'd been teaching that her power was something she should keep contained for others sake instead of being allowed to express it. To learn to control it.

Out of fear of what had happened to Sunset. Of what her little sun had done to innocent ponies, and not out of any feeling of fear or retaliation, but in the name of her own ambition. Now there was a great deal of damage done to a city and multiple ponies were in the hospital...not because of a pony with too little restraint...but by one who had been restrained too much...until they finally snapped.

"What's wrong?" Twilight asked.

"...Twilight...you know how I said you should contain your power?"

"Yes?"

"...From now on, forget that...we're going to teach you to control it instead..."

"I-I thought..."

"...No control is dangerous...so is too much...Forgive me, Twilight...I'm sorry..."

Not liking seeing her mentor cry, even if a part of her was secretly relieved, like a weight had been taken off her shoulders, Twilight hugged her mentor and was hugged in return.

"No way am I lettin' ya go into Everfree on your own, Fluttershy," Gilda told her friend, the group at Twilight's future home.

"Make them pay for what they did to your friend. For hating her for what made her special," Nightmare moon tempted Gilda. "They never appreciate what's special."

"...I'd be lying if I said I didn't want that...But...I made a promise to Rainbow, and there's no way am I turning my back on it now!"

As the party happened in Ponyville, Rainbow Dash watched from the tree line, like a distant shadow. She gave a smirk. "...Good job, Gilda. Fluttershy...good work..."

Fluttershy wiped a tear away from the heart warming scene. Rarity blew her nose. Twilight and Shining Armor hugged each other. Maud face was emotinless. Coffee Swirl bowed his head.

The screen turned back on for just a moment, and only Cadence was by fate looking at the screen then. The Pinkie Pies also hugged each other at the warm sight (thought Goth Pinkie tried not to show it).

A beeping was heard.

"Hey everypony! I've got cupcakes ready!" Dark World Pinkie Pie said.

The ponies turned towards the free treats, the screen having turned off.

Cadence was about to do the same, her eyes lingering on the screen for a bit longer, thinking how lucky she had been given her position that none had questioned her good deeds, as Celestia had groomed her to be 'The People's Princess.'

Then the screen for one minute flickered back on.

Rainbow Dash tilted her head at the mare in the brown cloak. "Who are you?"

The orange unicorn grinned. "You're new best friend. Somepony else who was punished for being too special. And I know a whole new world you can go to be free of them."

"What do you mean a whole new world?"

"Come with me. Ponies HATE those who are better than them! Their one desire to drag down the truly great like us! Drag us down, restrain us, minimize us, trivialize us, THAT is what they want! And they hate those who recognize your greatness! They couldn't STAND THE IDEA of a pegasus as great as you existing, diminishing their own worth! Just like Celestia couldn't stand the idea of a unicorn as powerful as me existing! She restrained you for the exact same reason! She can't bear the idea of there being those she can't control or be more powerful than her! They would mean her having to kneel before those who could be her betters! You should have been captain of the Wonderbolts by now! But they kept holding you back! They're not fearful, they're JEALOUS of you!"

"I promised I wouldn't take revenge."

"This isn't taking revenge, this is about taking what's rightfully yours!"

Rainbow Dash took her hoof.

Cadence, the goddess of music and harmony, trembled at the screen in fear. She spoke in a tiny voice. "Cousin, Sunset?"

"You say somsething Cadence?" Twilight asked.

"Nothing Twilight, nothing." Cadence unconscious touched the spots on her body where the fireball had hit her. She was happy to see the screen was off again.

Before Cadence could move, the screen flashed back on again.

She stared at what it showed. A fighting ring, ropes around a mat of wood and leather. A more muscular Twilight, using both her magic and her front hooves to grip a massive red-skinned minotaur, no, something more like a cross between a minotaur and a pony, by their massive horns. She was bending them over backwards, their back arched painfully. They howled in agony as she forced their shoulders to the mat.

"Submit, Tirek!" She yelled.

At ringside three familiar bandaged figures stood.

"Attafilly, Twilight!" Celestia said, her horn splinted and one eye swollen shut.

"That's a way!" Luna said beside her, yelling to be heard over the whinnies and cheers of the crowd. Stuck in a wheelchair, she said, "Beat him harder than you did me when I was Nightmare Moon!"

"He mangled my husband and your brother on the way to us!" Cadence flinched to see herself, grinning and revealing three missing teeth. Her wings in casts, she yelled, "Buck his flank to the moon! Oh, sorry, aunt Luna."

The image vanished. Cadence realized that Shiny stood beside, apparently just as horrified.

"W-w-what was THAT horror?" Cadence somehow gasped the question out.

"A low-potential timeline that momentarily gained enough potency to become real," the What-If Machine said. "It is unlikely this will occur again."

Cadence shook her head thankfully and walked away. Behind her, her husband glanced back before turning to the Machine and whispering, "Say, if you ever DO find that world again..."

"I'll send you the recording," the machine said, with what sounded like a mechanical sigh.

The What-If Machine dinged. "Timeline synced. The following presentation does not feature mysterious wolves. Rated E for Everypony."

Shining Armor dashed right over and sat in front of the screen. "Yes! Feels like I should have a bowl of sugary breakfast cereal for this..."

--
In a rocky crag just outside the gates of Canterlot, Trixie sat inside a spell circle she'd conjured, along with Shining Armor and, oddly, Big Macintosh. Three more rangers waited close by, the only ones that Shining had been sure of, and able to recruit in a hurry.

"Am Ah doin' this right, Miss Trixie?" asked the red stallion. "Ah can feel mah Element working, but Ah don't know beans about this magic stuff. Ah do know there's one heck of a scheme going on... a whole tangle of lies, and we're right in the thick of it."

"We're all doing the best we can, without the jewelery," Trixie reassured him. "It's a pity that some Princess keeps whisking it away and locking it in a vault before anypony can study it properly."

"You should trust in the wisdom of the Princess more," said Smoke Ring. The scruffy-maned unicorn preferred to keep the hood of his ranger cloak lowered so he could wear a traditional wizard's hat. "The Elements are the raw essence of harmony itself, and such powers are not to be trifled with. Case in point, that magic-melding spell..."

"I still can't believe our captain was a traitor!" said Winghoof, pacing angrily. His cloak was made to detach and free his wings quickly, at need. "We should have confronted him first! Then we'd know for certain what we're dealing with."

Shining Armor simply nodded. "I'm starting to think the same. With our three Elements together, I can tell that almost half of the guards aren't loyal to the Princesses, but I still can't see into the wedding hall through all those wards." He sighed. "You can release the spell now, Trixie. We're not going to find out anything else here."

"And what exactly would they be loyal to?" said Stone Wall, a stocky earth pony and their last ranger.

"I..." Shining Armor shook his head. "I don't know. Something green."

Stone Wall burst out laughing. "Oh, is that all? If it was purple, I might have worried! Now then, the ground beneath the castle is riddled with old tunnels. I say we find the right one, and come at those fiends from underneath!"

Winghoof grinned. "Or we could dive right in and start shooting crossbows and kicking flank."

Stone Wall got in the unicorn's face. "Dive right in, he says! That's always your plan!"

In the distance, trumpets began playing a fanfare. Shining Armor tensed. "We may not have a choice. The wedding procession is starting!"

Smoke Ring's eyebrows shot up. "That shouldn't have started for hours, yet. It's a trap, Shining. I'll eat my hat if it isn't."

Trixie grinned. "Probably... but if it's a grand entrance you want, I know just the thing..."

Coffee Swirl watched the events on the what-if machine's screen, peering over Shining's shoulder. "I foresee this ending nothing but badly for them."

Author's Note

Pony POV Series
Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show episode 10
PART 10
By Alex Warlorn

Pinkie Pie, "Ten . . . ten sets of batteries . . . I wish the author wasn't taking so long. I wanna take a nap."

Parts added by:
@MtangaLion
Kendell2
@MtangaLion
Kendell2
@MtangaLion
Kendell2
Yoshiegg64
@MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn and Ardashir
Dragon-of-Twilight
Kendell2 and Alex Warlorn
Ardashir and MtangaLion
Dragon-Of-Twilight
Kendell2 and @MtangaLion

http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/gallery/42867862/Pinkie-Pie-Forth-Wall-Breaking-Variety-Show

Pinkie Pie, "Ten times so far . . . . sigh I feel tire, . . . blech, Da Rules . . . :
1. What you put in the comments appears in the story.
2. Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and I can't spill the beans about us being out-and-out fiction to the others.
3. The camera can’t leave the studio.
4. The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from “My little Pony”
5. Everything that happens here is non-canon (except the Tartarus break out thingie, but not the big battle).
6. Have Fun "

Cover by Kendell2
MLP FiM Copyright of Hasbro

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Show epi 10 Part 11

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Show epi 10 Part 11

"Are you going to continue?" Shining asked the what if machine.

"Events are currently in progress, sync still iffy," the What If Machine stated.

"You're just making stuff up, aren't you?"

"No, consider this the same as commercials. The issue is that this timeline is 'newborn' so to speak, and currently filling in completely and fleshing itself out. Consider it 'lag' due to a long loading time. While waiting for the two timelines to sync up, enjoy this other potential situation. Rating: Adventure, Drama. Rated T. Some objectionable material."

The screen flickered.

Twilight and Shining Armor looked up at the massive leviathan before them. Her head and body resembled an alicorn, complete with wings, but was a deep purplish color with red eyes, her hooves and lower body replaced by numerous tentacles. She was roughly the size of an Ursa Minor.

For some reason two two ponies had younger, foal versions of themselves with them. They were standing atop an alien saucer of some sort. The four ponies were fairly battered and bruised from the fight.

The behemoth roared in fury. "Your pathetic kingdom will lie in ruins before me!" she roared. She then repeated the same, alien word, over and over again. Twilight had overheard it during their fight with the invader's little sister, when it was translated. It meant something that sent chills down her spine: Destroy.

The Elder Princess roared that word again and again as she fired an energy blast from her mouth, blowing several of her own people's flying saucers out of the sky above and crashing down on the two.

The two Shining Armors put up a well timed shield, causing two saucers to explode, while the two Twilights seized another in their telekinesis and redirected it to crash into the titan's head, sending her falling back.

Twilight shuddered at the implications of what just happened. She KNEW that each saucer contained an alien warrior. Who were largely dead the moment the tyrant's blow struct it.

"How can you do that to your own kind?!"

"They're proud to die in my name!" the titan roared, forming a massive energy ball above her head.

"You're a big meanie!" yelled baby Twilight, she, her brother, and their future selves all firing beams up at the sphere, overloading it and setting it off in the Elder Princess' face.

The alien screamed in rage and prepared to try to attack with her tentacles, but a barrage of lightning bolts struck the alien, electrocuting her.

"Sorry we're late!" called Rainbow Dash, flying up alongside her own foal self and the two formed a tornado, taking several of the saucers out of the sky, though notably LESS destructively and fatal than their own boss would. "Had a bunch of aliens to take care of!"

"Man I get awesome in the future!" Foal Rainbow Dash announced in amazement.

The invader screamed, preparing to fire another energy bolt at Rainbow...only to be barraged by several Party Cannons, half of which were tiny and foal sized. This was followed by a barrage of crystal shardes, pinning her tentacles to the ground. As she lunged at the Raritys and Pinkie Pies with an attempt to bite, but twin bucks from a pair of Applejacks (one old and one young) to the jaw, driving her back.

Fluttershy and Foal-Fluttershy patched up Twilight and Shining. "Oh...I can't believe I get to be such a brave pony..." the little Fluttershy muttered.

"We all grew up..." Fluttershy admitted.

"Alright, girls! Formation!"

The 12 ponies activated their Elements (which involved recovering them from another time period with Rota Fortuna's aid (the Alicorn of Fate having to step in when time traveling alien invaders did, thus why they were teaming up with their foal selves).

The Elder Princess roared in fury, forming a gigantic energy ball roughly the size of the battlefield they were standing on. She fired it, the Elements hitting it. Shockwaves rippled out, but gradually, the Alien's attack was overpowered. Shining added a shield sphere to the assault, forcing her assault back further.

"Your Princesses already tried sealing us away! All it will do is delay the inevitable!"

"I don't think so," said Twilight.

"If scattering you across the planet didn't stop you, what about the universe?" Shining asked, giving a smirk.

"You've been a naughty alien! You're going to time out for a long time!" yelled little Fluttershy, her protective side rearing up.

The monster's powers were overwhelmed and Shining's shield spell contained her as the Elements lifted both into the air. "NOOOO! I WILL DESTROY YOU ALL! DESTROYDESTROYDESTROYDESTROY!!!" The Elder Princess roared in rage before she shattered into 12 pieces, each being sent hurdling into the Heavens, 12 stars flickering as a fragment of the vile creature was locked away inside of it, forming a new constellation.

A wave of Harmony rolled over the planet, purging it of the aliens' taint completely, healing those they'd hurt, and restoring harmony in both time periods.

The screen turned off.

"Coffee Swirl does have a point," said Rarity cautiously. "This isn't some entertainment program. We don't actually know if these other versions of ourselves have a happy ending to look forward to."

Shining Armor frowned, but the Machine had already started playing again.

The screen flickered.

"Princess Cadence and Shining Armor," said Princess Celestia proudly. "It is my great pleasure to pronounce you..."

There was a blue flash as something small teleported in near the ceiling, and then a thunderous boom shook the hall. More flashes went off, sending out bursts of fireworks. Confetti and streamers flew everywhere...

"Oooh, shiny!" said Pinkie, standing in the row with the other bridesmaids... Twilight, Rarity, Red Gala, and Flutters.

"This isn't part of the ceremony, is it?" said a panicking Rarity. "Nopony informed me!"

Finally, a huge poof of dense smoke rose in the center of the hall, then blew away to reveal Shining Armor, Big Mac, and Trixie, with Smoke Ring, Stone Wall, and Winghoof surrounding them, weapons and spells ready. "Objection!!" cried Trixie, leveling a hoof at the stage dramatically. "Trixie has always wanted to do that."

"What is the meaning of this?" Princess Celestia moved to confront the intruders, and froze in mid-step. "Shining Armor? But..." She turned quickly, looking at the other Shining Armor beside Cadence, wearing a guard dress uniform.

"T-two of them?" exclaimed Fluttershy.

"That Shining Armor is an imposter!" shouted the real Shining in his ranger cloak. "I've been at my post in the Everfree Forest for months!"

The Shining Armor on the stage laughed darkly. "So you've found us out." Cadence started backing away fearfully, but he paid no attention to her. "I am General Hercules Beetle of the Changeling Swarm." Green fire enveloped him as he spoke, transforming him into a hulking monstrosity... a creature like a giant pony covered in spiky black chitin, with insect wings and a jagged horn. "I've been looking forward to testing you in battle, Shining Armor. A pity it must be such a farce as this. Soldiers, forward!"

The doors to the hall banged open, and a whole squad of royal guards came charging in. Some of them flanked the audience protectively, while others stayed to bar the door again. "Hah!" cried Rarity. "It looks like we're the ones getting reinforcements!" Then the new guards started bursting into green flames too, turning into duplicates of random people in the crowd, other guards, even Twilight and her friends. Everypony in the wedding band dropped their instruments and turned into duplicates of Shining and his party, for good measure. "Or... I could be wrong about that..."

"At least I won't have to eat my hat," grumbled Smoke Ring.

The screen turned off.

"Well, this is certainly different," ventured Fluttershy.

Cadence gave the screen a suspicious glare. "If Chrysalis wasn't the fake Shining, then where is she? Me again? No, they couldn't harvest our love that way..."

Shining hoof-shrugged. "Well, we don't know that she's anywhere... it's possible she isn't involved in this."

"Raise a hoof if you buy that," said Twilight. Nopony did.

"I'm tossing in my bits to say she's disguised in the wedding party, probably as one of the random transformations."

Shining Armor glanced at Coffee Swirl. "What makes you say that?"

"It's the perfect cover," the barista responded. "All the attention is on Hercules Beetle pretending to be you, but she'd also be close enough to feed on all the love. Plus, even though she's been technically 'revealed' now as a changeling, she's still going to be considered a minor threat. So, while everypony is busy worrying about him, she can slink away and get a decent counter-strategy set up." Multiple ponies stared at him, causing him to start fidgeting a bit. "What?"

Shining gaped at the pegasus. "...did you just think that up now?"

Swirl looked away. "I... write a lot of crappy fanfics, okay? Just seemed like a move one of my villains would make."

Cadence said, "Granted. But Chrysalis loved her theatrics. It's odd she chose to give somepony else center stage. I wonder what her real game is."

"I am afraid I must interrupt on that note," said the What If Machine. "But I have ran through Miss Fluttershy's instructions, and came to a conclusion."

It turned to Maud Pie. "...Pinkie Pie intended for this show to be in your honor, but I have hijacked it. Fluttershy says harming others directly or indirectly is mean. By definition, that action was mean to your sister and yourself, I apologize."

Maud seemed stunned for a moment. "Uh...it's fine...I guess..."

"Be that as it may, I believe reconciliation is the proper course of action. My sensors suggest the following video will be considered what ponies call 'a gift'."

It's screen activated.

Maud Pie sat at the party Pinkie Pie had thrown the day of she got her Cutie Mark, looking down sadly.

"What's wrong, Maud?" asked Pinkie Pie, hopping over to her.

"Pinkie...this party is great and all...but...I..." the older filly said, not showing any visible emotion, but Pinkie frowned. "I didn't smile when everypony else did...I'm happy, but...I didn't smile...is...is something wrong with me?"

Pinkie instantly hugged her sister. "No!"

"Really?"

"Yeah! You looked happier than I've ever seen you!"

"But, I didn't smile..."

"You smiled on the INSIDE Maud!" Pinkie replied. "I can tell! And that's all that matters!"

"T-Thank you, Pinkie Pie..." Maud returned her sister's hug.

"You're welcome! Now come on!"

The screen flickered off.

Maud didn't show any outright emotion, but anyone who could read her would know she was shocked.

"But...I thought you were a What If Machine?"

"Your existence is in flux. I have detected this particular situation falls into the realm of 'What If' until it is accepted by you and approved. Do you approve?"

"I...I do...thank you..." said Maud.

"...And I also am aware of how it feels for ponies to think you don't feel."

"I kind of feel bad now," mused Twilight. "We haven't been paying much attention to Maud, because... well, she doesn't draw much attention to herself. Pinkies, how fast can you whip up a welcome party?"

The What-If Machine started playing again...
=*=

The wedding was quickly turning into a mad free-for-all.

Faced with no less than three duplicates of himself, Shining Armor tossed his cloak aside, leaving just the leather armor he wore beneath it. "Attack the ones with cloaks!"

"Heh, good idea!" said one of the fakes. Green fire flickered over them, changing their clothes to match his.

"Oh, come on! Whoa..." The fakes tried to dogpile him, only to land on a shield bubble, which he then blew up suddenly, throwing them in all directions.

"Everypony!" called out Smoke Ring, magically amplifying his voice. "Attack your own doubles!"

Princess Celestia frowned sharply, then lit her horn, focusing. "In the harsh light of day, secrets be revealed..."

"Princess, watch out!" cried Twilight

Celestia looked up and gasped, her spell interrupted, just in time to see a charging Hercules alter his course and butt Twilight across the room instead of her. "You will regret that!" she snapped, turning sweltering flames on the changeling general... but the flames just rolled off his carapace, and she couldn't risk using more power indoors.

"Empty threats, Princess?"

"Hardly..." She reared up and bucked Hercules with such force that he flew into a wall, cracking the stones, and then she went charging after him.

Rarity levitated three spools of thread (for fashion emergencies) and made them zip around like angry bees, tying her double in knots. Fluttershy made one changeling after another revert to normal and fall to the floor, begging forgiveness, and the ones that averted their eyes got Fluttercruel instead. Cherry Blossom scuffed her hoof and snorted, ready to buck her own duplicate or anycreature else who came at Scootaloo and her friends.

Winghoof flapped through the limited space beneath the ceiling, dodging fireballs and projectiles while popping off sleeping darts with his mouth-crossbow. The pegasus blinked. "Their magic... why didn't I see it before? Everypony, all of the invaders have green-colored magic!"

Twilight's parents lit their horns, then grinned and moved side by side, fighting back with confidence.

"Thought you could fool me, huh?" roared Stone Wall, charging at a Smoke Ring... who teleported out of the way.

"Stone Wall, you ninny! My magic has always been green!"

Big Mac bucked another disguised changeling... between his strength and being a Bearer of Honesty, he'd knocked out an impressive number of them. Working his way through the crowd, he found himself near Red Gala, who was wearing a jewel-bedecked dress and sun shades. "Miss Belle! Always a pleasure!"

Rarity's older sister smiled. "Always a gentlecolt. Where's Cheerilee?"

"Not here, thank goodness. She's at home, expectin' our first." His chest swelled with pride.

Something shook the doors to the hall, then blew them right off their hinges. Princess Luna strode in, furious and levitating a half dozen changelings frozen in blocks of solid ice behind her. "This is my mercy," she declared, using the Royal Canterlot Voice to its fullest. She leveled her horn at Goliath and started freezing him too, faster than he could thrash to break the ice. "Surrender, or know my wrath!"

"The Princesses are too strong!" said Goliath Beetle, teeth chattering. "Stand down! Everyling, stand down!"

The changelings all started dropping their disguises. More real guards followed Luna into the hall, looking shocked by the aftermath of the battle. Some rushed to start securing prisoners, some to help the injured (even the changelings) or free wedding guests from changeling slime.

"Thank goodness Sweetie Belle's okay," said a panting Rarity. "I'm glad that's over."

"It's not over," said Shiny. He blinked. "Cadence... Where did she go? Where is she?!"

"Shining?" There she was, shaking as she made her way to him! "Is it you? Really you?"

Shining Armor's heart leapt, seeing her again after so long. "Cadence!" He rushed towards her, but stopped short. "I missed you so much! I... I thought you'd forgotten what we promised each other."

Cadence smiled, nuzzling him. "Of course I didn't. I'm never letting you out of my sight again."

Shining almost wept for joy, looking deep into her eyes... her bright, beautiful... green eyes. His own eyes slowly turned green, and a blissful smile spread over his face. Everything was going to be alright now.

=*=

"How many skill points did that witch put into Treachery? AGH! Am I destine to be brainwashed by that sicko in every universe?" Shining Armor exclaimed.

Twilight and Cadence also felt disgust at seeing Shining Armor turned into Chrysalis' brainwashed minion, this time they saw it happen.

"Not all of them. In some Cadence is brainwashed instead, and you were trapped in the mines, and have to race with your sister to save her instead." The what-if machine explained.

"Ugh." Shining Armor sighed.

"Forgive me for prodding, but how did Cheerilee manage to be already pregnant with Big Mac's child?" She was glad the stallion, nor any of his suitors or family was here to see that. "How would Gilda and Rainbow Dash's fate affect that?"

"Good question." Twilight said. "Let's just hope Chrysalis didn't think to brainwash as many ponies in this reality, for their sake."

Rarity shuddered. Wondering if Sweetie Belle was again Chrysalis' little brainwashed minion in that world. Hopefully not since she didn't attack her friends. But with Chrysalis, nothing was certain.

"Too bad that couldn't be the end of it. That sick nag always had to drag things out." Shining Armor said.

"Aren't you insulting your foster child?" Rarity asked.

"NO! Chrysalis no longer exists, AT ALL, Kifuko is NOT Chrysalis in the LEAST."

Elesewhere in the studio, Gothamena (from Laughterjack's world) and Ghosty Pie (from the former Dark World) were talking as they set up for Maud's 'Welcome to Ponyville' party. Nearby the 'main' Pinkie slept peacefully, snoring little whinnies.

"So, if I dare to ask, whatever became of 'your' Maud?" Gothamena asked. Her mane hanging, a pink waterfall covering one eye, she said, "My big sis is studying for her degree in geology, specializing in seismics and vulcanology. When she's not partying, anyway; I guess she got the 'happy-happy-happy' gene in my world." Gothamena chuckled as she spread some icing that looked almost like cement on a marble cake made from real marble. "Said she'll celebrate her doctorate by going to Mount Stromboli and having a party to celebrate as close to the eruption as she can get, just so she can say her graduation party really did 'rock the world'."

"My Maud?" Ghosty Pie hesitated in the middle of cutting some rock-shaped party invites out. She said, "She... Well, she tried to make me come back to myself after I became that sad on the inside really-meany Angry Pie." She shivered. "She even asked Discord to let me go. It didn't work."

"Let her go?" Discord looked at the snorting, sweaty, blood-stained Angry Pie and the back at the utterly stoic Maud. He raised one claw as though to blast her, and then with a laugh, "Oh, why not? She served me well enough, and maybe I'll become a nice absolute chaos ruler instead --"

It seemed like something flashed just one pace behind reality, like a light between wallpaper and wall. A pair of dragon-like eyes gleamed and a strangely familiar voice hissed, "Discord, Discord, Discord... When will you accept the role you have to play?"

The light faded and Discord looked on in dismay at a mare-shaped statue of rock candy as Angry Pie stomped it to bits.

"Ghosty Pie, I'm so sorry."

"It was okay in the end," Ghosty said to Gothamena. "We met with the rest of the family in Paradise and everything got settled. Mom really paddled my butt for smashing my sister, though." She winced and switched her tail. She finished with the paper invites. Setting bowls of hay fries and a tray apple-cinnamon cupcakes on her back "But that's in the past. Let's make this Maud's party something extra-specially-fun!" She took the invites in her mouth and headed to join the others.

Gothamena nodded and picked up the cake, setting candles in it as they both headed out into the main studio room.

Twilight rubbed her chin and looked to Pinkamena. "Uh, Laughter Applejack's Pinkie Pie?"

"Pinkamena please, Pinkie's one of my personalities."

"Oh...So, is there a Chrysalis in your world."

"Yes and no. Yes, she's there, but no, she's named Dr. Kifuko."

"DOCTOR?"

"She's one of our biology teachers. And she's a Zebra, but she helped me, Trixie, and Trixie's mother reach the Stallions in Black's HQ. Which was surreal, we always thought she was the 'evil teacher who's goal in life is to destroy you teacher' as AJ liked to call her. I'm not sure how she managed that though."

"I can manage to show that timeline if it is desired," said the What If Machine. "But it is Maud Pie's day..."

"Will it make you happy, Pinkamena to see that?" asked Maud.

"...Yeah, I would like to know that...I'm kind of curious..."

"Then show her. If I'm making Pinkie happy, I'm happy. Even if it's a different Pinkie."

"Showing..."

=*=

"Students, I will hold the line, move on there isn't time," said the teacher.

"But-"

"Do not argue with me, my friend, don't worry, it won't be my end."

Reluctantly, the two moved on.

Kifuko watched the direction of the coming hoof steps. She remembered being a young filly in Zebrafrica When without warning her young life was wrecked by the Stallions in Black kidnapping her, saying 'you don't belong there' and leaving her at the door step of some Changelings, the Stallions in Black having an alliance with Queen Cocoon to keep her kind secret, but also bring any wayward Changelings back to her hive.

But the problem with mind magic? There was no such thing as a perfect mind magic. She wasn't sure why, but her brainwashing broke naturally. Like a part of her wouldn't LET her forget. She'd tricked Cocoon into having the Stallions in Black's magic placed on her and had General Hercules 'reprogram' her to be her old good self again. All she'd wanted to do is get back home. To her family and Maua. But that hadn't happened.

"Freeze!" the black suited stallions yelled.

"...You took Maua away from me..." the professor said, snarling to reveal FANGS. "My parents minds wiped they may be. Start a new life is what I did, but you still threatened that bid. My students I admit I care. Hard on them I may be, but I know they care bare. So if you stand in their path, prepare now to face my wrath!"

Kifuko exploded into a pillar of green fire.

"She's a Changeling!"

Green fire warped around her, causing her Zebra form to disperse. The transformation was much more graceful than her Equestrian self.

"Not just any Changeling, you see. A QUEEN is what I be!"

The Stallions trembled as dragonic eyes glared at them with a protective fury. One of them fired their mind wiping spell at her...but her own mind magic deflected like it was nothing.

She stalked at them, magic crackling.

She blew up the ground in front of them with a green magic bolt.

"M-mercy!"

"Now you beg and demand, that on high ground do I stand."

They knew exactly what they were facing from the files on Cocoon. And they didn't have CLOSE to enough to deal with this.

She blasted a tree next to them, sending it falling right behind them. She formed a ring of green fire around them.

"Please! We'll do anything!"

"Anything?"

"Yes!"

In that moment, her eyes glowed and the Stallions fell under her control.

"My command you will now heed, walk that way until your hooves bleed!" she ordered.

Her dolls complied. They would walk until their hooves bled, only then would the spell break. "...My students, I may be harsh that is true, but know this: I believe in you."

=*=

Not long after, Kifuko waited at an airport. And hugged several zebras as soon as they came through, Their memories restored with the Stallion's defeat.

"This segment contains villains being sneaky and villainous, which is what villains do," whirred the What-If Machine. "This Machine is glad that it does not have to pay its own electric bill."

=*=
Twilight Sparkle approached, looking concerned but relieved to find Cadence well... but when Cadence finished whispering in Shining's ear, Twilight said, "Are we really going through with this, majesty? The plan is needlessly risky, if you ask me."

"I didn't," said Cadence with a sharp glare. She paused and cast a spell that made the air around them shimmer faintly. "Now, switch with me."

Standing beside them, Shining saw the two mares transform... Cadence became Twilight, and Twilight became Cadence. Nopony else seemed to notice the change or the green flames at all. Shining blinked, but said nothing. Her majesty hadn't invited him to comment.

"Twilight" slumped and trudged towards the Princesses... she'd taken a nasty hit during the battle, after all. "Princess Celestia?"

It was well timed... she'd just finished speaking with one of the Guard commanders. "Yes, Twilight?"

"I'm worried that this may not be over. We defeated these changelings here, but there could still be more of them in disguise." She gave Shining a look.

"She's right," said Shining at once. "When I was scouting before the battle, I sensed hundreds of hidden foes."

Celestia tensed. "Hundreds, you say?!" said Luna. "You are not exaggerating?"

"We need the Elements of Harmony," Twilight continued. "I'm certain that with them, we can cast a spell to reveal every changeling in Canterlot at once."

=*=
In the studio, Shining groaned. "Come on, princess, don't fall for that... She's totally going to fall for it, isn't she?"

=*=
Celestia nodded. "A good plan, my faithful student. I'll be right back." She teleported away.

"I'll escort the Bearers here," said Luna, going to find them herself.

Trixie arrived first. "Did Trixie hear correctly?"

Twilight smiled. "Yes. But my head is pounding... I think I may have cracked my horn when that big changeling bounced me."

Trixie gasped. "Oh no... you mustn't try to cast any spells! But then..."

"That's right. I need you to wear the Element of Magic and cast the true sight ritual. You can do it, can't you?"

"Yes, of course! Trixie can... I, I'm happy to help any way I can!"

As the others gathered, Princess Celestia reappeared with an ornate chest. She unlocked it magically, then set it down and stepped back. Trixie levitated the Elements and started passing them out, but she held the crown before her for a long moment.

"You've wanted this for a long time, haven't you?" Twilight breathed in Trixie's ear.

"Yes," she answered, eyes wide and sparkling.

"Your name first in the credits. Your time in the spotlight. The chance to prove that you really are my equal."

"Yes, yes yes!"

Twilight's grin sharpened. "They're all yours."

Trixie shivered, her violet eyes turning green. "Formation, girls! Trixie has always wanted to say that."

The Elements began to glow and connect... Trixie with Magic, Rarity with Generosity, Pinkie with Laughter, Shining Armor with Loyalty, Fluttershy with Kindness, and finally Red Gala with Honesty.

But just outside the circle, Big Mac shuddered, as if something was making his skin crawl. "Something ain't right... Miss Belle? Miss Belle, can you hear me? Please, say something!" He jostled her lightly, shaking her shoulder with a hoof, and her shades slipped, revealing green eyes. "No... Princess!" he bellowed, turning everypony's heads. "Something's controlling Miss Belle! She ain't herself! Ya have ta stop them!"

Twilight hissed. "And I was so close to doing the whole thing right under their noses. Shining, Trixie, let none interfere."

Shining Armor surrounded them with his strongest shield dome, though he gritted his teeth and cried out, having to do that and power his Element at the same time. Trixie did something else, and sparks surged through the interconnected Elements.

"What... what are you doing?" exclaimed Rarity. "I can't let go! It's not supposed to work like this!"

Big Mac snorted and grabbed the Element of Honesty in his teeth, trying to pull it away from Red Gala, while she held it with her magic, tugging it back and forth. He took a swing at her... and his hoof stopped inches from her face. "Ah... Ah can't do it..."

Red Gala looked almost regretful when she magically hurled him out of the bubble.

There was a scuffle outside, and the shield admitted General Hercules Beetle, while the guards chasing him were trapped outside.

"So much for stealth," mused Cadence, blazing and transforming into a creepy changeling with some kind of magnifying lens... thing grafted to his head. "It's a bother being out of my lab, but I must admit, this little bit of field work has been invigorating!" Doctor Kabuto pulled a vial from a hidden pouch and smashed it on the floor, filling the shield with a misty green fog that made all the ponies breathing it dazed and glassy-eyed.

Then Twilight grinned darkly and transformed, revealing herself as Queen Chrysalis at last. Outside, the Princesses were looking frantic... but nothing got through the shield, not even the sound of the guards pounding on it. "Now, then," purred Chrysalis. "We can skip all of the running up and down corridors and melee free-for-alls and teary-eyed hugs, and move on to the part where I grind Equestria to dust beneath my hooves."

"You think you can just use our friends against us?" cried Pinkie, struggling through whatever drug Kabuto had used. "Is that supposed to be a joke? Cause I'm not laughing!"

"I won't give you this!" growled Rarity, catching on. "I won't let you hurt MY friends!" The forming rainbow began to waver, the hum of the Elements growing discordant.

A ghostly Fluttercruel appeared beside Fluttershy, wielding her own Element of Kindness. "A true friend knows when it's better to be cruel," they said together.

"Fascinating," said Doctor Kabuto. "They're actually resisting the cattle pacification mist."

Hercules shook his head. "My queen, the spell is failing. We should take what we can and flee."

"No!" shouted Chrysalis. "I've gambled everything on this. Hold it together. I don't care what you have to do!"

Hercules hesitated, then rested a heavy hoof on Shining's back. "As you command, majesty. Let the foes of the swarm break themselves upon me, every last one... I will not be moved. I will not fail you. By my life or death, your will be done!" Incredibly, the Element of Loyalty flared and split in two. The copy fastened itself around the general's neck, and glowing red chains shot in all directions, binding the Bearers together. "You've been worthy foes, but your rebellion ends here."

Shining Armor smiled as his headache eased, pleased by his general's daring and success. Soon, everypony would see that her majesty was truly worthy...

"Shining!" echoed a voice in his head. He blinked, confused. "Shining!"

"Cadence?" Everything seemed to fall away from Shining, and he suddenly found himself together with Cadence on the deck of an airship, looking out at the stars. "I remember this. This was..." He gasped in horror. "What have I done? Oh, Celestia, I betrayed everyone! Betrayed my Element! Cadence, I..."

"Shhh..." Cadence nuzzled close, holding him. Her eyes were violet... he had to check, and then he felt guilty over that too. "Cadence, what happened? Where are you?"

Cadence looked at him sadly. "I'm right here, Shining. Queen Chrysalis pulled my spirit out of my body and swallowed it whole..." She looked away, shaking. "Probably so she could keep feeding on my love while Kabuto did his... tests..."

"I'll get you out," said Shining fiercely. "I'll save you."

"You can't!" said Cadence. "Forgot about me... you have to stop Chrysalis. If she transforms herself with the Elements and usurps my power over Bonds, she can suck the whole world dry."

"No!" Shining insisted. "We made a promise. We'll be together, and I'll never forget you, never!" He kissed her... their horns touched...

In the wedding hall, a wave of love surged from Shining's horn, merging into the rainbow light and making it churn violently. Chrysalis stared in horror. "No. No, that's not fair. I thought of everything! This can't be..." And then the Elements reached full power, and rainbow light blew Hercules' chains and Shining's shield to pieces, flooding the hall and washing over Canterlot.

=*=

"Love conquers all." Shining breathed. A part of him surprised to see that General Hercules was an Element of Loyalty.

"And good triumphs over evil." Fluttershy said with a little more dramatic flourish than you'd expect.

Twilight Sparkle in the studio, was now sitting on the couch next to the peacefully sleeping Pinkie Pie, and was curled in the blanket, shivering.

"I know what it was like, to have Chrysalis inside my mind, to have everything she says be right, to accept every lie she put into your head like it was your own idea. At least it looks like Trixie didn't have to endure that for long."

Shining came over and hugged her gently.

Rarity honestly wondered, while Sweetie Belle certainly needed to be snapped back to reality even after Chrysalis' mind control was gone, she had never suffered any post traumatic stress disorder. If anything, Sweetie Belle was just sad 'Chryssy' refused to be saved at the end. It made Rarity sincerely wonder how much had been Chrysalis' mind control, and how much had been Sweetie Belle being told what she wanted to hear.

Still. "My word . . . that mad scientist changeling . . . " She had never seen him in action during the war in Canterlot and was happy she had never.

"You didn't see the worst of him by a long shot, believe me, I had to precede over his trial." Princess Cadence said, patting Twilight too. It seemed in that world, Chrysalis had decided 'keep my good-half in storage until needed' was too much trouble.

"Forgive me for saying so, but this is getting entertaining!" Coffee Swirl said. "And at least I can take comfort in that besides the random insane gods, my life seems stable and consistent across the multi-verse."

"Like a rock," Maud Pie said.

Shining Armor however also wondered, where was Cadence's body if her soul was inside Chrysalis'? It seemed Cadence's soul hadn't been obliterated, since a part of her was able to awaken the love spell (though he wondered how she was able to contact him). And Shining Armor wondered, what the HECK did the love spell combined with the Elements of Harmony DO? And where was his little sister in that universe if Chrysalis and Kabuto were switching places with her?

At least he had the satisfaction of knowing that evil, evil beotch still got clopped over like she so richly deserved.

There was a paradox.

One, while ponies even through the what-if machine couldn't see interaction with the wolf, be it Applejack as the Opaque Wolf or the Blank Wolf, there was absolutely nothing to keep Rarity from seeing her own sister.

And it clicked in Rarity's mind.

"Why . . . why was my sister the Element of Honesty in that world? We saw Applejack helping in that world as Honesty before. Why would Chrysalis . . .. violate her mind like she did poor Applejack? Where WAS Applejack?"

Shining Armor startled. That WAS a paradox. Just because ponies in THAT world weren't noticing Applejack's absence with her conscripted to be the new Wolf of that world, didn't mean the ponies of THIS WORLD weren't going to notice when looking from an outside observation! Or maybe . . .not so much a paradox as a LOOPHOLE. They still saw just a blank screen during all of that version of him's interaction with the wolf, but they were STILL going to noticing that world's Applejack's absence! And wonder why Red Gala had picked up the mantle instead. Just because Rarity now remembered Red Gala having been her sister all her life (which was technically true since Red Gala had assimilated into the timeline now), didn't mean she wasn't going to question Red Gala wearing the Element of Honesty in Applejack's place. And question of course why Cheerilee was apparently VERY far along in a relationship with Big Mac.

Then Twilight asked. "Spike! He wasn't there. You don't supposed he got erased from that world's time space continuum do you?"

Shining Armor felt a headache that had nothing to do with past lives.

"I apologize for the repeated delays, syncing issues are difficult when it's a neighboring universe born from actions in this universe," explained the What If Machine. "Is there any potential situation that you desire to witness in the meantime?"

"It's Maud's day, do you...have any?"

Maud was pouring crackers on a rock. "Sorry, Boulder was hungry."

"Boulder?"

"My pet," she said, holding up the rock.

Twilight noticed the crackers disappeared somehow. 'She's Pinkie's sister, don't question it.'

"He's...cute..."

"Yes..." Maud said, then looked to the What If Machine. "...I've got one, but I want to ask it when my sister is awake. So just surprise me."

"Okay...the following situation contains superheroics and is termed 'good natured satire'."

=*=

The Pony Rangers, now wearing costumes with various magic themes and differing colors (and capes), challenged a gigantic bird-like monster composed of a starscape. the sixth ranger was now a Gold Ranger and Celestia and Luna stood by their sides as a White Ranger and a Crimson colored, knight-like ranger. all of Ponyville stood behind them.

"I do not know where you got more magic, but I will just take it as well."

"You've got it!" they all yelled, sending a huge surge of rainbow colored magic straight down his throat. He started swallowing it without problem...but it just kept coming and coming and coming and coming. His flesh started to BUBBLE.

"What?! Where did you get all this magic?!" the bird asked in disbelief. "I keep eating it but it keeps coming!"

"This is the magic of friendship between us and ALL of our friends!" the Red Ranger announced in southern accented voice. She was also an Earth Pony rather than a Unicorn. In fact, four members of the team were Earth Ponies, one was a unicorn, and one was a pegasus. "There ain't an end tah THIS magic!"

The bird began to SWELL and the rainbow began bursting out of his body. "Stop!" he yelled. "I can't take anymore! I've devoured all I can!"

"Ya wanted all da magic in da universe, but ya can't handle da magic between friends? Too bad fer you!" the Green Ranger stated in a Manehatten accent as the group leapt into the air and continued force feeding the monster.

He gave a roar of agony and finally exploded, magic sailing off to return where it came from.

=*=

"I don't remember ever fighting that guy before..." said Twilight, raising an eyebrow.

"I believe my sister said Chrysalis ate something like him in our universe," Rarity replied. "That's all I know...and those capes were FABULOUS!"

Ghost Pinkie shrugged. "Probably just a bad guy the Shadow wanted to poke fun at. And Tirek was defeated by Pony Rangers Lightspeed Rescue, so they needed another magic stealing bad guy for Mystic Force."

"That said, those weren't alternate versions of us, so who were they?" Rarity asked.

"Demonstrating..."

=*=

The Pony Rangers descended, unmorphing to reveal teenaged versions of Applebloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Silver Spoon, and a brown Earth Pony with a red mane that hung over one eye and green eyes. The REAL shocker came when the Gold Ranger was revealed as Diamond Tiara of all ponies.

=*=

Shining Armor tilted his head. "I don't recognize some of those fillies, but it's nice to see Spike's friends as heroes." Nothing really shocked Shining Armor anymore after being told 'you were not supposed to exist'. "I wonder how come Spike wasn't part of the team."

"Maybe he as the comical little guy who spouted one liners at headquarters?" Cadence asked. She really didn't care much for these Neighponese super hero shows, but she had been forced to learn about them from a dear friend, (Lemony Gems or Lemon Gems) who wouldn't stop gushing about them because of all the stallions in tights. Never. Stop. Gushing! Cadence had had Nightmares of being chased by giant combining robot and motor cycle riding bug ponies. At least her husband, Buck Withers, loved to hear Lemony Gems gush about all the manly ponies and their giant robots beating up monsters.

Coffee Swirl said. "I should be surprised. But I'm not. I guess the brat got a taste of the real world."

Maud Pie said, "So, that was the little white filly who was here before, your sister I believe? Sweetie Belle?" 'One who fought and blew a hole in that canon sue.'

Rarity mutely nodded. 'It's . . . it's good to see it's possible for you to be a hero Diamond.' That another of the heroes was her baby sister was was almost quaint by comparison. She hoped her little sister never fought those monsters all by herself.

"Oh . . . oh my." Fluttershy said. "I hope their parents all know where they are when they're saving the world."

"Discord's niece!?" Coffee Swirl and Maud Pie instantly shut up Ghost Pie (just don't ask how).

"What?" Everypony turned towards her.

"I said Discord's fleece! You pick up a lot of weird exclaims in my world!"

"Oh." That was politely accepted as what she said.

"That pink and silver one? On my world she's just some faceless spoiled brat who we all laugh at every time her schemes backfire in some over the top manner." Goth Pinkie Pie said. "And geeze, can't say I saw that coming . . . Sweetie and Scoots though were happy they could show what they really were to Applebloom after the stallions in black were kaput."

Twilight Sparkle meanwhile, just stood there, her jaw completely open and eyes tiny pin pricks. On the bright side, it had taken her mind off of what she had seen Chrysalis do to Trixie.

Shining Armor sighed. He knew perfectly well why Applejack had been absent from the wedding scenes, but his friends wouldn't understand about the Wolf. Most of them would forget even if he did tell them, and Twilight might ask questions he didn't want to answer.

The Machine whirred. "Remaining data acquired. Stand by."

=*=

Shining Armor jerked, gasping as he woke. "What... where?" He found himself floating over a gray, lifeless landscape. Below, a vast black whirlpool churned, bits of this world constantly crumbling and falling in, and high above, rainbow clouds covered the sky, as if a foal had spilled watercolors all over a grim, serious painting. "I've seen this before, too," he breathed. "When the Wolf took me, and I was fading away..."

"Well, I hope you're satisfied," said a scornful voice.

Shining twisted around and saw Queen Chrysalis, sinking towards the whirlpool. "You!"

"I finally outwitted Fate! You were off in your little forest having your little adventures, not suspecting a thing," sneered the changeling queen. "And what happens? Fate cheats to put you back in the game! Couldn't even play by her own rules, not when there was a chance I might win! So enjoy your 'hard-earned' victory, ranger... but you'll be doing it without your girlfriend. If I'm going to Tartarus, then I'm taking her with me!"

Something struggled, reaching out of Chrysalis' body... a ghostly image of Cadence, tangled with her, unable to get free. "Why are you doing this? This won't help you now..."

"For spite, dear. Spite and oblivion are all that are left to me. Thank you SO very much."

A heavy weight drew Shining's attention to the Element of Loyalty around his neck, still with him somehow, even in this place. "I won't let her have you, Cadence. We made a promise that we would be together!" He gave a ragged shout, and a familiar red chain looped around Cadence's spirit. He wrapped his end of the chain around his hooves and pulled hard, but it was only dragging him down with her.

"If you want to be together with her in Tartarus..." Chrysalis smiled cruelly. "That's fine with me too. What's it going to be?"

Just when Shining began to lose hope, two shadows streaked upwards from gray landscape, crisscrossing as they raced upwards. They arced through the lifeless air and came to rest hovering before him.

"Hey, check out Shining," said the pegasus. "Pretty cool, huh? Well, not as cool as me."

"Let me guess, you're about twenty percent cooler?" snarked the griffon.

Shining Armor blinked. "Should I... know you two?"

The pegasus held out a faded gray hoof. "Name's -Rainbow Dash-, fastest flier in Equestria! Or... I would have been, if some other me wasn't giving the best hooficures in Ponyville." The shadow shuddered. "Yeah, if I was around, I'd be Loyalty."

"-Gilda-," said the griffon. "Sometimes I'm Loyalty when she's not there." She spread her talons, shrugging. "That... kinda didn't work out either."

"Think we should help him?" said the pegasus.

"Eh, not like I've got anything better to do," said the griffon. "You do want help, right?"

"Yes!" cried Shining, thoroughly confused, but not about to look any gift ponies or griffons in the mouth. He almost changed his mind when the two shadows plunged *into* him. Phantom talons surrounded his hooves, and ghostly wings burst from his back, letting him grip the chain of loyalty tight and fly upwards, pulling harder.

But even then he still couldn't pull Cadence free. "Shiny... you can't," she said, sounding dazed and tired. "I know you're trying your hardest, but you just can't. Leave me, save yourself..." A vast, dark shape was rising from the black whirlpool... no, three shapes. The three heads of Cerberus snarled, baying at Chrysalis.

"No, you have to fight her!" shouted Shining. "Stay with me, Cadence! I swear by all the alicorns there are to swear by, I am not leaving without you!"

A change came over Cadence. As if his faith had revived her, Cadence looked her captor in the eye, then bucked her with dizzying force. "Let go of me.... Let go!" She bucked her a second time, and then a third... Shining gave one more mighty heave on the chain, and Cadence came free, sailing towards him. "Shining!"

Cerberus' middle head snapped its jaws closed around the changeling queen, and then the beast plunged back into the whirlpool and was gone. Shining Armor and Cadence soared together, rising higher and higher into rainbow clouds...

Shining Armor jerked, gasping as he woke on the palace floor. "What... where?"

All over the hall, ponies were stirring, dazed, and all over Canterlot, changelings lay where they'd fallen in their true forms, like ponies stuffed from a huge Hearth's Warming Day dinner.

"What the hay was that?" said Stone Wall, stretching sore limbs. "Feels like I was in an exploding cotton candy factory." He licked his chops. "Tastes like it too."

"We had an adventure!" said Winghoof, grinning. "What? We have those all the time."

"Usually not with the whole court of Canterlot watching," grumbled Smoke Ring. "Or with such shiny rainbow nonsense. Blasted Elements..."

The crown clattered to the floor beside Trixie. She bit her lip and couldn't quite meet the others' eyes.

Red Gala pulled her Element off and shook, bursting into tears. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry!"

Big Mac nosed her, and Rarity put her hooves around her big sister and held her tight. "That evil queen mocked teary-eyed hugs, but I suspect we're going to be needing a lot of them."

Then Chrysalis stirred. A dozen unicorns and two alicons immediately lit their horns, ready to blast her down, but the changeling queen looked herself over, seeming amazed. "I guess I'm the only one in here." *Blue* flames engulfed her, turning her into the likeness of Cadence... almost. She had a jewel-like horn now, and iridescent wings.

Celestia sat down heavily. "What..."

"Aunt Celestia, it's me!" pleaded Cadence, suddenly aware of all the firepower aimed at her. "It's okay! I know where my real body is... I can get it back... probably. We might have a little trouble with my new subjects, though."

Celestia blinked again. "*Your* new subjects?"

Hercules Beetle was staring at Cadence, poleaxed. Not only did he still have his copy of the Element of Loyalty, but this... He lit his horn and got a blue glow matching Cadence's fire. "The queen... is dead. Long live the queen." He bowed low, scraping the floor. "Long live the queen," echoed from every changeling still in the hall.

Right about then, Shining Armor decided that he didn't care anymore what Cadence was exactly or what she looked like, and just hugged her. "Violet eyes," he said, grinning goofily. "Wait... where's that other guy?"

--

Doctor Kabuto stared at a featureless, dusty plain on the moon, already bored. "Well, this was unexpected."

--

Luna titled her head. "Do not be concerned. Kabuto is contained."

Cadence breathed a sigh of relief, hugging Shining back. "My body is in his lab, in Ponyville." She gasped softly. "Oh no... Twilight!"

Shining immediately felt like a heel for forgetting all about his sister. "Twilight? Where is she?! What did they do with her?"

"She's there too," said Cadence. "But Shining... Kabuto replaced her weeks ago. Please, please be understanding when you see her again. She's going to need you."

Shining turned to the Princesses. "I need to find her. Please, teleport me there, get me a fast chariot, anything."

"I will search for this lab with you," said Princess Luna. "Stand close, my little pony."

"And we have a great many things to talk about," said a very serious Princess Celestia to Cadence.

--

They found the lab underneath Twilight's library, along with Spike, who was mortified at having been used to dragon-mail changeling intelligence all this time. In a cavern filled with row upon row of changeling cocoons, Shining found Cadence's body first. "Is she..."

Luna closed her eyes, casting a spell. "Her body is alive and whole, though her spirit is not here."

"Yeah," said Spike. "I saw what her majesty... I mean, what Chrysalis did."

"Later," said Shining. "Where's Twilight? Where's the dungeon, or whatever?"

The little dragon's face fell again. "There isn't a dungeon. She's in there." He pointed to another of the cocoons.

"What?! We have to save her! Get her out, quick!"

"Shining!" The unicorn didn't listen to him at first. "Shining!" bellowed Spike. "It's... it's way too late for that. She's ready to hatch."

"Hatch?" cried Shining, with growing horror.

The cocoon shook, and two changeling hooves pushed through the dried slime, followed by a head, gasping for air and shivering.

Shining Armor felt a strange calm come over him. "They feed on love, right?"

Spike wrung his claws and nodded once.

Shining Armor used his magic to carefully lift her out of the cocoon and wipe some of the changeling goop off. In his memory, Shiny the colt watched his new baby sister stirring awake beside their mother, reaching out with tiny hooves. "Good morning, little sis..."

Shining Armor smiled, hugging the purple-tinted changeling with Twilight's eyes. "Good morning, little sis. I love you."

Twilight smiled back, snuggling into his warmth. "Love you too... Shiny..." For now, that was enough.

"Warning, the following contains images eternal suffering and graphic images, and is advised to not be shared with Sweetie Belle," the What If Machine warned. "However, it is part of the universe requested."

Rarity gulped. "I shall keep that in mind..."

=*=

"This almost makes Tartarus worth it!" yelled Chrysalis, snapping a sword held in Queen Cocoon's telekinesis, throwing her archenemy to the ground. She held her sword to Cocoon's throat.

Havoc, sitting in a box seat like a Roaman Emperor, gave a thumbs down.

Chrysalis sliced Cocoon's head off in one quick swing.

They were in an exact replica of the Circus Maximus, images of every 'Deviant' that Cocoon had ever oppressed in her entire life watching them. They were all fake except for the ones currently in Hell as well, the rest were happily in Heaven. What mattered was that Cocoon could tell exactly what they were. Chrysalis held up Cocoon's severed head and they all cheered...before she threw the head to a ground and Cocoon's body had to find it blindly.

Chrysalis had lost count of how many times she'd 'killed' Cocoon. They'd start again as soon as Cocoon found her head and put it back on her body, then spent a few weeks in a cell being abused by 'guards' and generally subjected to the same exact threatment she'd put Deviants and her other subjects through during her life.

Chrysalis blinked and found herself sitting on Celestia's throne. In her castle. In Canterlot. In Equestria.

"Your Majesty, an Orphanage is asking for extra funds, what should I tell them?" a Guard asked.

'Tell them to go to Hell!' Chrysalis yelled in her mind.

"Tell them they shall have it," was what her mouth said.

Twilight Sparkle sent her friendship letters. She had to respond like a good ruler.

She had to sign laws like a good ruler. No, not just a good ruler. The best.

She had to pardon those who deserved it and condemn those who didn't. She had to hear every single complaint.

And she had to answer them perfectly.

"Queen Chrysalis is the best queen ever!" a noble announced. "All Hail Queen Chrysalis!"

Of course she was the best queen. She had to be the best queen. She couldn't be anything but. The moment she tried, the words or actions just STOPPED. And were replaced with those that fit.

Sometimes she was allowed to go on a rampage...but the moment it was over it was FORGOTTEN. No one remembered a thing. It was as if the very choice to do evil had been taken from her. In fact, for awhile Cadence was blamed for any evil she did until she began to enjoy that.

She had no choice but to be the best queen physically possible. And yes, she did feel fatigue. She felt exhaustion. She felt hunger. She felt it all.

She had no freedom. She was the very definition of a slave. And she had to continue being such with a smile on her face.

Her eyes fell on a door nearby. Easily accessible...and transparent. On the otherside? Maua and her parents. Waiting for her with open hooves. But the door would never open.

Havoc had said that the key was somewhere in her kingdom. But she had searched it up and down and never found it. She was free to search for it.

Some days she tried blowing that door down, but it never happened.

So until then, she had to be the best queen ever for a kingdom of needy, pathetic little cattle who she'd rather devour in heartbeat than give the time of day. With the one thing her heart truly yerned for always kept out of her reach by a thin wall she could never seem to break.

~~~

"Dad, I thought there were no kingdoms in Hell," Pandora asked Her Father.

"For Most? There Aren't. But For Those Who Would Throw Away the World For A Kingdom? I Can Make Room."

"...Is there really a key?"

"The Key, My Dear, Is For Her To Say The Words 'I Was Wrong' And Accept That A Kingdom Was Never Worth What She Was Willing To Throw Away For It. And Most Importantly, That She'd Rather Have the Ponies She Loved. Until She Can Admit That, The Door Will Never Open. But if she does, she will be free."

The ponies stared at the screen, stunned.

"Okay," Twilight said. "So in that world I became a Changeling? I guess there are worse things that can happen to somepony."

"Dear," Rarity said to her. "It could have been SO much worse! But think of the advantages. Whenever the season's look changes, you can match it in a heartbeat with your magic. Modeling clothes for customers of the other two tribes would be so easy," Rarity's eyes began to gleam as she ran through the possibilities, "And if you could feel their emotions and tell if they really liked what you were offering, well!"

Rarity stopped herself and quickly looked around to make sure Sweetie Belle hadn't heard any of that. Her little sister might have still been sore Rarity hadn't let her stay a mutated Flutterpony. After Sweetie Belle had listed off pretty much those same advantages.

"My Changelings would probably be happy to oblige you if you liked, Rarity," Cadence said with a smile. "Judging by how it affected other ponies who were changed, I'd have to ask for specifics, but maybe since you'd be willing, maybe it'd only take a day of you soaking your entire body in a green-goop filled cocoon."

The look of delight on the unicorn's face changed to one of horror. "A whole... day?" Her eyes narrowed even further as her voice became weak. "Soaking my beautiful mane in -- green goop?" She sank down on her belly, shuddering.

The assembled ponies shook their heads in dismay.

"So," Coffee said, "While Miss Marshmallow recovers, anyone else get creeped out by what we saw of Queen Cheeselegs' ultimate fate? I mean, everything I've ever heard or seen about her makes her sound like a total monster. But trapped as the 'best queen Equestria ever had'?" He shook himself. "The universe is even more bucked up than I thought if that's what eternity is like for some ponies. Oblivion would be kinder."

"Not really," Maud said in her toneless voice. Nopony paid attention. She just sighed. She was used to it by now.

"Remember," Cadence said warningly, raising one hoof for emphasis. "She can leave that whenever she wants. All she has to do is to admit her own error and she's free." Coffee Swirl looked unconvinced, but he let it go.

"Um, not to derail the conversation or anything," Fluttershy said, "But what about that world's Rainbow Dash and Gilda? Are they gone forever?"

"Probably," Gothamena said sourly. "Eternity isn't any more fair there than in my world." She was about to say more when Ghosty Pie interrupted.

"Uh, actually?" She said. "We saw them become part of Twily's big brother, remember? So they're going to live on with him, for however long he lives. Distinct, but a part of him." When Gothamena and Coffee aimed skeptical looks at her, she snorted. "Hey, who's the pony that IS dead? I'm talking out of personal experience here, you know!"

"Anyway!" Shiny said. "So there I have a pegasus mare and a she-griffin as part of me? And my wife is technically a Changeling?" He shook himself. "What, will our foals be dragons or something? I'll, he'll, love them in any event, but still..." He stopped as Cadence nuzzled him.

"Dear," she said. "Let those ponies settle their own love lives. They seem to be doing as well as us in their own way." She frowned and rubbed her chin with one hoof. "Speaking of ponies and their love lives, Rarity, do you have any idea what's happening with Big Mac and Cheerilee and your sister, Red Gala? He's going to have to choose one of them eventually unless he expects to marry them both."

Behind the ponies, all unnoticed, the What-If Machine's screen began to work again as Cadence added, "It's not like polygamy is legal in Equestria, after all."

It cleared to show Applejack speaking to Big Mac in the farmhouse. She looked well. He brother looked to be on the edge of utter exhaustion.

"Now, ya sure 'bout this, Big Mac?" She picked a paper list up from the breakfast table and read off of it. "Since ya married all five o' ma friends, bein' th' town's alpha stallion, Twi worked out this list for how ya'll spend your days from now on. Eight ta ten ya work buckin' apples on th' farm, ten ta twelve ya spend helpin' Shy with her critter friends -- oh, today's the snakes, so watch for th' poison..."

Big Mac shivered like he had a fever.

Applejack blithely continued. "Twelve ta two ya help Pinkie Pie work th' lunch shift at Sugarcube Corner, two ta four ya gotta take some o' Rarity's fancy-schmancy new saddles ta the train station and model her new line for stallions, four ta six ya'll he helping Twi ta close the library." She set it down.

"No Rainbow Dash?" Big Mac said hopefully. His sister's next words stole the smile from his lips.

"Naw, Dash said she can drop in on ya whenever she wants 'for some smooching'." Applejack stuck out her tongue and made a disgusted sound as she put the paper away. "Urrgh, never thought she'd be the randy one... Still, five new little Apples ain't nothin' ta sneeze at..."

"Wait," Big Mac's eyes went wide. "FIVE foals?"

The next moment he left a stallion-shaped hole in the wall behind him as he raced for the Everfree. The only thought on his mind was that he'd seen a cockatrice out there, and if he was lucky this time he'd actually become stone and get away from his five herd-wives.

Instead as fate would have it, he ran straight into Shining Armor. For whom to the fellow stallion he expressed his desperate desire for escape.

"Oh will you stallion up!" Shining Armor said, "You have it easy! Five? FIVE?! FIVE?"

"Daddy!" A swarm of changelings sang behind him, blotting out the sky.

"Try 173 newly hatched changelings on for size!"

"And I'm just saying it's lovely this time of year." Chrysalis said, trotting side by side with Cadence behind Shining Armor.

"And I'm NOT spending my anniversary with Shining Armor in Los Pegasus'!"

"It's my anniversary too." Chrysalis said in indignantly. "Do you want him to take us to that Oubliettes and Ogres Convention again?"

"You're the one who refused to go to the hoofball game!"

"I'm glad that Red Gala didn't have to see that," mused Rarity. "She's shy about using her Element as it is."

Shining Armor had gotten a thoughtful look. "Do you suppose those rangers are really out there somewhere? Real ponies that I just never met in this world?"

Twilight gave him a strange look. "Well, of course they are. What, did you think they just magically came into existence for your benefit?"

Shining flinched. "What? No, of course not! That would be completely ridiculous! Hahaha!" He trailed off when the mares started giving him funny looks.

"Wait," said Cadence. "So, Equestria *does* have Everfree Rangers? I wasn't sure if that was a real military unit, or just a story."

Shining shrugged. "Living in Canterlot, I'm not surprised... Those hydras and timber wolves and pony-eating plants don't keep themselves in check, though."

Twilight beamed. "Besides that, I know Smoke Ring."

Shining Armor did a mild double-take. "You do?"

"Yep! He comes by to consult the library's magic texts sometimes, or just to talk shop. He ribs me about copying his spells, but it's great talking with him. He's been doing magic longer than I've been alive, and he really knows a lot!"

Rarity coughed. "I see Winghoof at the spa sometimes. He... goes there to get his mane done. And one time Stone Wall asked about getting some armor repaired. Honestly, do I look like I do that sort of work?"

Fluttershy raised a hoof. "Stone Wall likes to wrestle bears. But I always ask them if it's okay first!"

"Huh." Shining Armor thought that over. "I guess it's good to hear that they're doing okay without me."

Author's Note

Pony POV Series
Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show episode 10
PART 11
By Alex Warlorn

Pinkie Pie, "I JUST WANTED TO HAVE A GET TOGETHER PARTY FOR MY BIG SISTER AND MY FRIENDS!!! WHY DID THE MARY SUES AND THE WHAT IF MACHINE HAVE TO TAKE OVER EVERYTHING?!" *SOBS*

Parts added by:
Kendell2 and @MtangaLionDragon Of Twilight and Alex Warlorn
Kendell2
MtangaLion and Alex Warlorn
Ardashir and Kendell2
MtangaLion and Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
Kendell2 and Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Kendell2
Ardashir (with edits) and Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion

http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/gallery/42867862/Pinkie-Pie-Forth-Wall-Breaking-Variety-Show

Pinkie Pie, " ... Da Rules . . . :
1. What you put in the comments appears in the story.
2. Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and I can't spill the beans about us being out-and-out fiction to the others.
3. The camera can’t leave the studio.
4. The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from “My little Pony”
5. Everything that happens here is non-canon (except the Tartarus break out thingie, but not the big battle).
6. Have Fun "

Cover by Kendell2
MLP FiM Copyright of Hasbro

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Show epi 10 Part 12

Cadence and Shining Armor caught the last few moments of what the What-If Machine was showing.

They both shivered in horror.

"Wait, I have to share my husband with a not-completely-evil Chrysalis?"

"I... fathered... one hundred seventy-three Changelings? With... Chrysalis?"

The two ponies hugged each other, horrified to their core.

"If it's any consolation, you and Chrysalis mostly become friends in that universe." The machine said to Cadence, "And your children bright about social change in the hive," it said to Shining Armor.

There was a knock at the door. Cadence blinked, watching a large, gold armored Changeling enter. There was a large scar on his chest. "General Hercules? What is it?"

"Simply checking in, my queen..." he said, giving a bow. "You've been gone for some time and we were beginning to worry."

"Oh, my apologies. This simply took longer than expected. Please tell the others everything is fine."

"Yes your majesty..." he said with a bow and left.

"...Considering that guy tried to kill my squad and some of your friends, it's surreal for him to be on our side..." Shining admitted. "...Come to think about it, why didn't we call the World's Strongest Changeling to help us in any of the big fights we had here?"

"Well, I was going to have him slam down the door if it turned out things weren't going well when the What If Machine took over, but it was resolved peacefully..." Cadence replied.

"Yeah...Good thing too I guess..." said Shining. "Still surreal..."

"Continuing universe viewing..." said the What If Machine.

=*=

"...So there's no way to turn her back?" Shining Armor asked sadly.

"No, my King," said Hercules, guiltily. "I apologize for how this is going to sound, but we never saw reason to 'downgrade' Changelings. Alchemy Master Kabuto was the only one who might be able to figure out how to do it, but he's currently on the moon...if it makes anything right, this was not something myself, Digger Wasp, or many of our soldiers were aware of. Kabuto had a very long leash with the former Queen agreeing with many of his experiements, and we normally only 'upgraded' willing ponies."

"Didn't know you had a moral code."

"We didn't, unfortunately. It was a pragmatic choice: the transformation doesn't change the mind, only the body. Doing it to unwilling participants would only result in a Changeling with no loyalties to the Queen and a waste of resources...Kabuto often did it for his 'experiments'."

"That monster better be happy he's on the moon where I can't get my hooves around his throat..."

"We are in agreement on that point."

"Huh?"

"Digger Wasp had orders to execute Kabuto when the invasion was finished and had he failed I was tasked with it. and half the hive was lined up behind us."

"...I guess I should be glad he didn't do something worse to her."

"Perhaps Kabuto's assistant Katydid can be of help, but while very intelligent, she's...somewhat unstable."

"Big brother...it's fine..."

Shining turned the Changelingified Twilight. "Twiley...."

"It's...it's not quite okay, but I can live with it...My friends don't care what I am...so...I can take it..."

Shining hugged her. "...I'm sorry Twilight...I...I didn't know..."

"It wasn't your fault, Chrysalis tricked you, just like she did everypony else..."

"...No matter how hard this makes your life...I promise I'll help you through it..."

"I know you will, BBBFF..."

=*=

"Wow...I guess...I guess there's no reset button for that me..." said Twilight, a little disturbed.

"Yes, but at least she has a good big brother there with her," said Cadence reassured.

"And good friends as well..." Rarity replied, giving her friend a hug.

"Hmm...Katydid....She seems a lot different from how she is in my world..." Ghostly Pie explained, tapping her chin. "Then again our Cadence had time to help her get better by the time her Changeling Rangers started fighting us, and I only really got to know her in Heaven..."

"Changeling Rangers?"

"Yeah, like Pony Rangers...a lot like Pony Rangers...Katydid is a huge fan. Don't ask how she made giant robots, it flew over my head..."

"...so that's why she wanted her statue to have a radio with Pony Rangers playing in the room with her statue..." said Cadence. "Hope she doesn't get sick of it by the time Kabuto is released..."

"Well, she's still happy with it a thousand years later, so I guess she won't..."

"It will BE a thousand years before Kabuto is released, so that's a good sign..."

"Continuing..." the What If Machine explained.

=*=

Shining thought back to his confrontation with Chrysalis before the monstrous Queen was dragged off to Hell. His sister was being checked out, Cadence was busy avoiding international incidents while Luna was figuring out how to reunited her two bodies.

He thought of -Rainbow Dash- and -Gilda-, the two shadows that had joined with him to save her.

He now remembered being a part of the track team growing up and being quite good at it. While buck Withers had still been a lot more of a jock than him, and he was still more into O&O, he now had a more competitive streak than he had previously had. He was decidedly more out to win, but still entirely loyal to his team.

"I wonder who those two were..."

=*=

The What-if Machine whirred, calling attention to itself again.

"Incoming transmission. Contains: Shadowy Government Organizations and Various Attempts at Shocking Swerves."

=*=

The table was quiet, save for the minor grunts of pain from a few of the stallions seated around it. Some had bandages around their limbs or midsections, one pegasus had his left wing tightly bound and part of his mane singed and a unicorn's horn would occasionally spark along a crack near the tip. They all wore suits and a set of shades (despite the dim setting), but most were similarly damaged, and at least one's glasses had a very visible crack in one lens.

All in all, the Stallions in Black had seen better days.

However, one still seemed unharmed and his outfit undamaged.

He sat on a small cushion, his wing idly tilting a thermos to pour a dark-brown liquid into a small cup. Steam billowed from the cup as he set the thermos down and turned to the one pony at the table who wasn't wearing the trademark outfit. "Thank you for agreeing to meet with us, Shining Armor."

The white unicorn glared at the pegasus, his body tense and ready to react to even the slightest twitch. "Don't pretend this is some social call. My sister and her friends kicked your sorry flanks into the ground once already, they can do it again."

"Yes, yes they did." The pegasus's hoof idly swirled the steam above his drink, slowly condensing it into a tiny ball of cloud. "But that's not the issue right now, Shiny."

"Only my friends call me Shiny," he snapped.

The pegasus chuckled. "Shining Armor, with what I'm going to tell you, you're going to want to start considering me a friend." Ignoring the unicorn's hardening glare, the pegasus used his wing to pull over a sugar bowl and add a few scoops to his drink. "Do you know why the Stallions in Black were formed?"

Shining continued to glare for a moment, then responded. "To hide the other tribes from each other."

The pegasus shook his head, setting the spoon back in the bowl. "No, that was merely one method we used to achieve our goal. The SIB was formed centuries ago, under a different name of course, in order to protect the world." He lowered his shades slightly to look Shining in the eyes. "By any means necessary." As the unicorn shifted uncomfortably, the agent continued. "At the time, none of the tribes were very... shall we say 'Friendly'?"

"Yeah... I remember the history lessons... assuming you didn't alter the books to suit your secrets."

One of the wounded agents spoke up. "We merely removed any information pertaining to the other tribes; any and all other information was left unaltered."

The pegasus that had been running the conversation chuckled dryly. "Yeah, none of the tribes started out as civilized as they are today. Especially us pegasi, we're not exactly known for being level-headed."

"That's racist," Shining interrupted.

"Only if a unicorn or earth pony says it." The pegaus continued to manipulate his little cloud-ball. "Anyway, even though it wasn't your greatest subject, I assume you paid enough attention in your History class to get the gist. Can you honestly say that, if the tribes had met all those years ago, it would have ended in sunshine and rainbows?"

Shining Armor fidgeted in his seat, nervously rubbing his hooves together. "Well, maybe..." When the pegasus only raised an eyebrow, Shining gave a defeated sigh and slumped on the table. "Okay, yeah, you're right. It would have one giant clusterbuck and likely turned into a war."

"Exactly," the pegasus said. "However, as the years marched on, times changed. Your sister and her friends are proof of that." He finally picked his drink up and took a long gulp. "They truly are remarkable kids. However, at the end of the day, that is still all they are: Kids. And that, Shining Armor, is where we come in."

Shining looked up from his slump, scrutinizing the pegasus. "What do you mean?"

"No matter how remarkable they are, you can't truthfully expect children to be the new guardians of the world. The stress alone would probably drive them to an early grave. We, however, have training and experience on our side; the only thing we lack, is trust."

Shining blinked. "Huh?"

"If we were to approach them, even out in the open, they would not react favorably. Miss Midsummer Night alone might attempt to kill one or more of us.

"I won't say she is wrong for that attitude, given our history with her family, but it makes things rather difficult for us. You, however, are trusted by them, especially by your sister. Meaning that you would make an excellent liaison between us and them."

Shining Armor's eyes widened. "So... you're saying that... you want me to work for you?"

"In a nutshell, yes." The pegasus took another sip of his drink. "In a more wide-reaching sense, we want to help your sister and her friends. Our job is to ensure the safety of the world, and -- right now -- ensuring the well-being of those ponies is the best way to do so." The pegasus sighed himself now, pulling off his glasses entirely now. "I'll be blunt, Shining Armor. This isn't some leg-twisting, 'work for us, or else' offer; we need your help. You're the only one who could possibly convince them to listen to what we have to say. So, I am asking, one pony to another, will you help us?"

Shining Armor slowly pulled his head off the table, thinking about what the pegasus had said.

It didn't take long.

"Okay, for the moment, I'll believe you." He jabbed a hoof at the pegasus. "But! The second I start doubting you, all bets are off!"

"Fair enough." The pegasus bumped his cloud-ball with a hoof, pushing it over to Shining Armor. The ball popped open, and a set of shades landed on the table before him. "Welcome to the SIB, Agent Armor."

"Thanks..." Shining gingerly picked up the glasses with his magic, not taking his eyes off the pegasus. "I'm assuming you have a name too?"

"Coffee Swirl," her responded, taking another sip of his drink. "The door is that way." He pointed a wing to the left. "We'll be in touch."

"By the way, good luck with those 'crimes against equinity' charges your organization is facing."

"Thank you."

Everypony looked at Coffee Swirl in confusion.

"...Well...that was unexpected..." said Twilight.

"So I'm the leader of a reformed faction of an evil conspiracy in that world...I can live with that..." Coffee Swirl admitted.

"What I wonder is WHY you're the leader.."

"Well..." Gothamena said. "The original leader, named Cover Up, refused to leave their base as it burned down after we had to defeat him. And a lot of their higher ups got mind wiped. So he took control afterwards?"

"As good an explanation as any..."

"I'm just glad bad guys turned good, it's always good when that happens!" Ghostly Pie replied. "And I'm speaking from experience as a bad guy turned good!"

"I think we can all agree on that."

"Rarity, what are you doing?" Twilight walked over to her friend, frowning. Rarity ignored her to continue staring through a telescope aimed out the window as Twilight snapped, "Did you pay any attention at all to what just happened?"

"Of course, dear, I spoke to Cadence about becoming a Changeling before I learned about the, urrgh," she shook herself, "soaking my magnificent mane in that slime that fills Changeling cocoons." She glanced at her friend. "Right now I'm watching what's going on with Big Mac, Cheerilee, and my sister Red Gala back in town." The fashionista frowned. "I don't know why, but for some reason it feels odd to say 'big sister'."

Twilight stood close by attentively as Rarity observed her sister and friends talking at the Ponyville train station.The daily to Canterlot was there, and ponies were getting aboard. Rarity could see Princess Luna boarding, apparently wanting to give her wings and horn a rest, or just enjoying the lxuery and beside her Fleetfoot accompanying the Princess. Judging by the just plain lusty look she was directing at Big Mac, she wasn't leaving completely willingly. Still, she did leave.

A short ways off from her big sister, Big Mac, and Cheerilee she noticed Green Tea walking off with Zecora's sister Bareedina. She barely caught part of what the zebra said: "...have just the best blend you never tasted before, passion fruit tea, only grown in a rare part of Zebrafrica..." The two mares vanished back into Ponyville, leaving only three ponies talking at the station.

"Part of me wants to demand that you choose one or the other of us," Red Gala said to Big Mac. The crimson-maned mare shook her head, looking like she flirted as she half hid behind her mane. "The other part of me doesn't want to put a friend on the spot like that. Even, no, especially a stallion I -- like." She smiled slowly at him as she said the latter.

Big Mac somehow seemed to turn even redder at her words. When her smile widened and took on a sly look, he seemed ready to either run or sink into the earth to escape. Cheerilee snorted and set her ears back in annoyance, stepping closer to Big Mac. He shifted a bit uneasily, but didn't pull away.

Applejack stood nearby, remaining silent. She looked like she knew deep down that this was something she ought to stay out of and allow the ponies involved to settle it.

Red Gala noticed Big Mac's reaction. Her smile tuned sad as she said, "But then, I think you've already made your choice, haven't you? A long time ago." She seemed to look at Cheerilee and emphasize the word 'long' slightly. Cheerilee frowned at Gala.

"Miss Red Gala Belle," she said, her voice sharp as when she spoke to a student who'd seriously misbehaved in class, "Are you implying anything about either Big Mac or myself?"

"What?" Red Gala smiled at her. "Afraid that the big bad and younger mare from Canterlot is going to steal your stallion away?" She frisked over to Big Mac and gently nuzzled at his neck. He seemed ready to die of embarrassment, scraping one forehoof absently against the ground. Cheerilee gazed on coldly as Red Gala husked out, "You don't think I could do that, do you, stud?"

Big Mac's cheeks flamed. Cheerilee looked from him to Red Gala, despairing.

"Uhhh...." Big Mac looked from her to Cheerilee, the pretty mulberry mare he'd known for years, the one who'd taken time from her own studying to come and teach him more than the 'Three R's' he'd learned before tragedy took him out of school and set him to work alongside his grandmother. She blushed and looked away as he said, "Eee-nope."

"I thought so," Red Gala said. And with that the air she'd assumed of the stallion-eating seductress dropped away. And all that could be seen was a wistful mare, her eyes gleaming with a wetness that faded before it had a chance to fall. She leaned in close and gave Mac a kiss, a gentle one. "Thanks, Big Mac. The better mare won." She turned to Cheerilee and extended a hoof. Cheerilee took it and shook as Gala said, "Take good care of the big lug." She added in a mock-serious tone, "And remember, if you don't, I WILL come back and romance him away -- for real, this time." She turned and began to walk away, heading for the cars of the train.

"Miss Gala, where are ya goin'?" Big Mac called after her. "Ya don't have ta leave."

"Yes, I think I do," Red Gala called back. "I need to return to Canterlot for a bit, I have to look after Rarity's second shop. Please give my best to Rarity and little Sweetie Belle, and don't worry," she looked back at them, "I'll be back someday." Big Mac started after her, just as a release of steam from the train's brakes hid her from sight. And when it cleared she was gone.

Big Mac looked at Cheerilee as the train pulled out of Ponyville station. "Ah reckon she's right about one thing," he said. He leaned over and gave her a gentle nuzzle. "If there is any one mare in ma life, it's you. Ah'd still like ta wait a bit 'fore makin' it permanent, though. Not too long!" He hurriedly added. "Just long 'nough ta clean out the old 'newlyweds house' on th' farm." At her curious look, he shrugged. "We used it more in th' past than now, but it's still set up proper. Be a nice place for two ponies ta live in." He blushed as he realized what he'd said.

"I can wait," Cheerilee said, smiling as she nuzzled him back. "Just not TOO long, now."

Trotting side by side like an old married couple, Big Mac and Cheerilee headed for Sweet Apple Acres to break the news to the one pony who deserved most to hear it first.

"See you later . . . Red Gala." Rarity whispered, oddly feeling hurt like she was seeing her big sister go off from Ponyville for the first time instead of her big sister simply going back to Canterlot. All the same, Rarity understood why Red Gala had to leave right then instead of saying goodbye to her family . .. Rarity forgave her.

"Wha . . . what happened?" Sweet Cream Scoops said, coming out of her catatonic state she'd been in after seeing herself as the mistress of countless stallions, including Cheerilee and the Elements of Harmony turned INTO loving devoted stallions by an unknown seapony Amulet, with no time to herself, and very very pregnant.

"Oh sorry darling, forgot you were here . . . I'm not at liberty to say how, but Big Mac is now officially out of your hunting grounds." 'I just wish the mare would find a stallion who is as shallow as she is, they'd be happy together.'

The What If Machine looked up. "This one may be entertaining to Miss Maud Pie."

Maud blinked, raising her head.

=*=

"Pinkie Pie...stop this..."

"Come on sis sis sis! I just want everypony to smile smile smile! Is that too much to ask ask ask?!" asked Nightmare Granfalloon, the Bearers nearby fighting off her familiars. Rainbow Dash was currently an Earth Pony, Rarity a young pink unicorn, and Twilight a green Earth Pony, but still they fought. Each for different reasons.

Maud had come running. Big sisters have a way of knowing when their little sisters need them. And Maud had had just that.

She looked stoically up at the Nightmare. "...I thought you said I didn't need to smile...That I smiled on the inside."

"I...I did...B-But...."

"So is there something wrong with me now, Pinkie?"

Granfalloon seemed like she was a computer being hit by a paradox. On one hoof, her definition of 'wrong' was obviously quite skewed. But...she knew her sister's happy' self. That was a HAPPY memory she'd saw no reason to cast out.

"Maud...you...you don't understand! You just don't don't don't!"

"But I think she does..."

The top of the tent blew open. Everypony expected Celestia to descend...but instead, what came was a white pegasus with large wings and strange markings.

"S-Star Catcher?"

The Pegasus landed next to Maud. "Remember when Lily Lightly thought she was different?"

"Y-Yeah...she was scared we'd judge her..."

"Yes, but how much did it mean to her when we accepted her?"

"...A lot lot lot..."

Star Catcher turned to Maud. "Miss..."

"Maud Pie," Maud had a feeling 'Star Catcher' already knew just that and was 'acting'.

"Yes, Maud Pie," Star Catcher said. "How much does it mean to you your sister don't think it wrong you 'smile inside' and accepts you fully for it?"

"...A lot...everything...it means everything..."

Granfalloon took a step back. "B-But those feelings are bad...you shouldn't feel out of place or sad..."

"But Lilly Lightly did in our world...but finding those that accepted her meant the world to her, Pinkie," Star Catcher explained. "That wasn't some alien taint, it was there...and it was special. So very special. It made Lilly so happy when it finally happened...happiness can come out of darkness..."

Granfalloon put her hooves to her head. "N-No...darkness...sadness...they're bad! Good can't come out of them!"

Maud trotted over and hugged her sister despite her Nightmareified state. "But it does...just like a little pink filly can bring joy to a dull, dismal rock farm...I think you made the rocks smile that day...and it was so special...would you change that for the world?"

"I...I...I..."

Granfalloon's familiars and brainwashed minions just stopped.

'Star Catcher' allowed the unbrainwashed/altered members of the group to briefly see a familiar image of Princess Celestia. "Hurry! There isn't much time!"

She threw the Elements of Harmony to them.

"But we need a laughter!" Fluttercruel warned, currently forcing her Zipzeeified mother into a mental closet and helping the others, having earned their trust.

'Fluttercruel! Bad girl! I...I LIKE being like this!'

'Sorry mom...but this is for the world's own good...I'm sorry...'

Star Catcher put the Element of Laughter around her own neck, the jewel taking the form of Celestia's Cutie Mark. "...My bond was broken...but not for good...I merely refused to accept I was worthy of it anymore...But not anymore."

Maud ignored the happenings behind her, merely hugging her little sister. "It's okay, Pinkie...I love you..."

A tear ran down Maud's face.

The Rainbow of Light washed over the two, but seemed to outright AVOID Maud, like she was oil in it's water.

A few seconds later, she was hugging a sobbing Pink Alicorn in the middle of Sugar Cube Corner.

"I...I'm sorry...I...I thought...I meant...I'm sorry..."

"Shush...It's okay Pinkie...It's all okay..."

Diamond Tiara, nearby, hugged her now sane again mother. What no one in this universe or the Studio saw was Discord's link to her being CUT IN HALF by being in such close proximity to the Elements being set loose on top of his deal no longer being valid.

Rarity peered at the screen. "My word, was that Diamond Tiara? I wonder if this machine could give us some clue as to where to find her, the poor filly..."

Fluttershy peeked out from behind a couch. "Stop that, mom," said Fluttercruel. "You're embarrassing us!" "Sorry," said Fluttershy, blushing a bit. "Pinkie's Nightmare is kind of scary." "We've seen it before, mom." "It's scary no matter how matter times I see it!" "Honestly, that machine has shown us everypony's nightmares a half-dozen times each! Are there any Nightmares we haven't seen by now?"

The Machine whirred. "Match found. Do you wish to view Nightmare Phalanx, the Best Defense?"

It took a moment for Shining Armor to parse that, and then he shouted "No! Absolutely not!"

"Are you sure? These scenes have high ratings for darkness and violence!"

"That makes me want to watch them even less!" Shining trailed off, panting, and the Machine sat there, silent. "You're not going to ignore me and show it anyway?"

"Of course not. This machine is reformed." An image of a halo appeared on the monitor. "Instead, please enjoy this video of a lovecat kitten playing with a ball of yarn."

"You're trying to get me to blurt out 'No, anything but that!', aren't you?" said Shining, ignoring all the of mares in blissful cuteness overload, and especially ignoring his sister taking notes on the reactions of the others for a thesis on pony psychology.

"... this machine was certainly not."

"Yes you were!"

"Clarify... did you say, 'Yes, work on playing the video'?"

"No!"

"Did Ah miss anything good?" said Applejack, pulling a small cart into the studio. "After Big Mac told us all the good news and took Cheerilee out to dinner, just the two of 'em..." The farm pony grinned and winked. "Ah thought we could use these extra apple pies and apple fritters for Maud's party."

"Can I have some?" Sweetcream Scoops asked.

"Here." Gave her one.

Coffee Swirl asked. "Now how about you go home and think about what you actually want from a stallion. Or maybe the what-if machine can show you more stuff."

"N-No! I think I'll do just that!" And Sweetcream Scoops was right out the door.

"Scared'em straight." Coffee Swirl said to himself.

"See? This machine's strategy work!"

"You show nasty stuff just to freak us out!" Shining Armor said.

"That is a lie! It is so you can better appreciate the goodness you have!"

The ponies ignored the what if machine and focused on what AJ had said.

"Oh my." Fluttershy said blushing.

'You never even tried to get the prize mom.'

"Oh my! I wouldn't dare! He had enough on his plate. And I just though he was nice, I didn't love-LOVE him."

'Oh right, you already have a stallion whose head over heels about you.'

Cadence sighed with a smile. Maybe Red Gala's existence had helped along the happy couple.

Rarity said nothing, having watched through the telescope.

The Pinkie Pies cheered at the happy news.

"Just don't go telling my sister or her friends." Rarity said. "Or they might think that love poison was a good or idea or something. Oh wait, Cheerilee already explained that it did the opposite of help, never mind."

Twilight clapped. "I'm happy for them. Good to hear. And Rarity, sorry Red Gala didn't-"

"It's alright Daring. She wants Big Mac to be happy, and that's what she got with him with Cheerilee."

Fluttershy found herself face to face with Not-Maud Pie. It was like she had blinked and she was there (a lot like Pinkie Pie). "Don't hide from yourself Fluttershy. . . . The reason you're so scared of Pinkie Pie's Nightmare isn't because she's scary. It's because you want the world she'd make."

"W-what?! I realized that world was wrong when my friends saved me from being Nightmare Whisper!"

"No. You realized forcing your will on others and stunting their growth was wrong. You never once said that world was wrong. You want it. As much as Applejack wants a world without lies even though she knows there are ponies who don't want it. The other you? In that vision? She wasn't brainwashed, at all. She was fighting to protect the world Nightmare Granfalloon wanted to create completely of her own free will. Not because she was angry or hurt or confused. But because she wanted a return to the Age of Dreams, and all the happiness, friendship, and complete lack of monsters like Chrysalis that comes with it. Applejack doesn't deny she WANTS the world Nightmare Mirror created, she just chooses to not pursue that want. In worlds were Nightmare Granfaloon succeeded in her goal, she turns herself back into the Pinkie Pie, and you, and the other Breezies, become the caretakers of that world. And you love every moment of it. Don't deny yourself Fluttershy it gets . . . unhealthy."

The what-if machine spoke. "You mean like when you tried to be all happy and cheerful on the outside, but your sister realize you were now frowning on the inside instead of smiling on the inside?"

"No need to show that." Maud Pie said with as much force as her emotionless voice could muster.

Rarity looked thoughtful. "What If Machine, if you do not mind, I have a request."

"Yes, Lady Rarity?"

"I would like to see a world were...if you don't mind...may I see another world were Diamond Tiara ended up an ally and friend of our little sisters...and sister figure?"

"This universe exists. Finding...Is rated Adventure. Mild Dark Themes. Please note, this What If 'could fill it's own fanfic' so please understand this is the condensed version."

~~

"Where are YOU going, Blank Flank?" Diamond Tiara asked, currently taking cover in a deserted Sugar Cube corner as Applebloom dug through a drawer.

"If yah must know, lookin' fer Pinkie's 'in case of travelin' emergencies' stash...Ah!" she pulled out a folder full of keys to various machines Pinkie came up with.

"Why?"

"So Ah can get tah Canterlot and get those fancy necklaces so sis and her friends can use them tah take out Grogar before it's too late!"

"Are you crazy?! You're just a blank flank filly! What are you going to do-"

Applebloom gave her a death glare. "Yer pa is kidnapped just like all the other grownups! Did yah think of that?!"

Diamond Tiara stopped in her tracks. "I..."

"Now Ah've got a big sis tah save!" she then left with the other Crusaders, including that same brown, red maned filly from the other image, and Spike. Of course only two of them were blank flanks anymore...

Silver Spoon stayed back, looking between the two groups.

Diamond hesitated for a moment. "Papa..."

She slowly trotted forwards.

"Diamond?" Silver asked, blinking.

"...I...Papa...I...I have to do something Silver...Can I please..."

"...I've wanted you too this whole time."

"...You have? I thought..."

~~

"Sweetie Belle, had did yah open that?!" asked Applebloom in shock, looking through the open doors. It was clear from the damage to the room Grogar had tried EVERYTHING to try and open it, and if it hadn't budged yet, nothing could force it to open.

"I...I saw Chryssy...when I was brainwashed she made Twilight open it and I learned her magic so...maybe I could learn Twilight's too..."

~~

"how are we going to get in there?" asked Sweetie Belle, looking up at the fortress.

As the Crusader's thought, gears turned in Diamond's mind. "Scootaloo, can you fly up to that window with a rope? Applebloom could make a pully or something and Babs and Spike could pull us up, then we pull them up. Easy."

"...Wow, that was quick."

Diamond gave a snooty look. "Of course! Why wouldn't it be!"

"...You're still Diamond Tiara..."

"Hey!"

"And we're glad yer on OUR side now."

"...Oh..."

~~

"W-What?" asked Applebloom, staring up at the Goat tyrant, who didn't seem to particularly care about their presence in the slightest.

"The Bearers aren't in my city, they're at several locations in Equestria so I may use their spiritual energy as part of my spell," Grogar stated, turning and preparing. "You came all this way for nothing."

"N-Nothing?" Applebloom asked, trembling.

"Now if you excuse me, in a few seconds my spell we activate and my mind will be linked into the mana streams, allowing me to perfectly monitor every waking moment of my subjects' lives. As it should be for a perfectly, orderly world."

"A-And Applejack?"

"And Rainbow Dash?"

"And Rarity?"

"And Twilight?"

"And my papa?" Diamond and Silver asked together.

"Mah siste'?" the brown filly asked.

"The former four will be killed when their spiritual energy is siphoned off, the later will live under my eternal order, though perhaps as punishment for your defiance, I will make things harder on them. Now quiet, foals, I have much to do."

Applebloom shook with rage. "Well...well Ah...Ah'll just have tah be Honesty then!" she yelled, putting it on her throat.

"Yeah!" Scootaloo announced, grabbing Loyalty and putting it around her throat. Her's glowed.

"For Rarity!" Sweetie yelled, putting Generosity around her neck. Babs took Kindness and put it on. Spike hesitated, remembering when he'd been 'the new Rainbow Dash', resulting in Silver grabbing Laughter and Diamond snatchingMagic.

"Uh...how do these things work?" Scootaloo asked.

Grogar snarled and fired a beam, trapping the children in a crystal prison. "Enough. You clearly are foals trying to use an unloaded gun. Now leave me in peace."

"It...it didn't work?" Applebloom asked sadly, looking at the Element. "But...Ah thought we were friends after all this..."

Diamond looked at the crown on her head. 'Am...am I just as useless as my Cutie Mark?' she asked mentally...

Her thoughts quickly found their way to her father. The prospect of him living forever under this tyrant's iron hoof. She wanted the crown because of it being the 'most special'. That's why she grabbed it...but what she wanted more was her father.

"...I...I just grabbed it...maybe...maybe we just got them scrambled up?" she dared to suggest.

She felt something in her heart call out to Sweetie Belle. A connection they'd long had. She carefully held the crown out to her, trading it and Generosity. Both glowed bright.

'Willingness to surrender your wants to help the one you care for is Generosity,' she realized it. She'd wanted anything rather than to start this...but she did for her father's sake. She went on a harrowing adventure all to protect him.

And Rarity...she'd always been kind to her, even if she hadn't returned it as she should have...

"...My bond with Chryssy made her a filly again...maybe...maybe that bond is why?" Sweetie asked. "Or...you know, knowing how to use dark Magic for good..."

"...Ah ain't eve' lyin' tah mahself eve' again. The truth is, Ah ain't no bully anymore, that ain't who Ah am now...Ah WAS a bully, not cause Ah was bullied but in spite of it."

"...I'm kind to whoever needs it..." said Silver, Element of Kindness lighting up.

Applebloom found the Element of Laughter doing nothing around her own neck. "...Here Spike...you try..."

She handed it to him and he put it on, causing it to glow. "Hehe...guess I do like to get Twilight to lighten up and have fun once in awhile...But Applebloom."

"...Ah just want mah sister tah be okay..."

Grogar blinked as a rainbow colored light erupted behind him, blowing the prison he'd created to bits. "What?"

He charged up his horns...and Applebloom promptly blindsided him with a buck to the jaw.

A Rainbow erupted upwards and slammed down towards the goat. "Impossible..."

Grogar roared as the Rainbow washed over him, sending him back to his prison, his bell shattering to pieces. His city vanished, but left his captives behind unharmed while the Bearers would be rescued by the guard soon after.

~~

"Sensors indicate this universe is a neighbor. While events have happened to render it unlikely, it was a potential possible future," the What If Machine explained.

AJ tilted her head, "Little cousin Babs Seed? Why would she ever be a bully? This thing is nuts."

"We see our little sisters fighting an evil overlord, and THAT is all you have to say?!" Rarity gasped.

"That part was believable," AJ said.

"It seems like it never ends." Cadence sighed, "There's ALWAYS another evil overlord. I hope I don't to face any any time soon."

"Irony meter rising." Said the what-if machine.

Shining Armor kicked it. "You could have kept that to yourself!"

"Shining, unless the what if machine is going to show us more of that universe where you were the Element f Loyalty, can we leave now? I'm worried about Zecora having to keep after Kifuko and Midnight for so long."

"At least everything turned out for the best, I just can't believe we all lost like that, and it was up to FILLIES to save the day, that feels, like we failed our responsibilities as protectors of Equestria." Twilight said.

Shining Armor hugged her. "Believe me, I know how that feels."

"Well .. . I'm just happy everything turned out alright." Fluttershy said.

Maud Pie and Coffee Swirl said nothing.

"So you got anything left to show us about that world?" Shining Armor asked the what if machine, still hugging his little sister, "Or can I and my wife finally go?" Shining Armor didn't want to say it was feeling crowded in here.

-

The What-If Machine whirred, seeming to consider. "Yes. There is additional data of interest."
=*=

A month after the "Chrysalis incident," Ponyville was finally settling back down to normal, or at least as normal as things were likely to be from now on. Another market day had come, and Twilight Sparkle, in her true changeling form, was once again mareing one of the small booths. She had her sign with a list of minor magical services and prices. She had all of her supplies. What she didn't have was very many customers, at least so far.

Moth waved encouragingly from the next stall over, also undisguised. She and Bon Bon had a whole line of customers waiting to buy magic or love cookies, both pony and changeling, though each group looked a bit uncomfortable, trying not to stand too close to the other.

Twilight sighed, glancing at the sun, and almost missed Big Mac arriving. "Howdy, Miss Twilight," said the red stallion. "The pest control charm for our south field is wearin' kinda thin... could you whip us up another?"

"Of course!" she said brightly, her center horn glowing blue as she levitated a diamond onto the counter and began to magically etch the runes. "You know, I'd happily just give you these if you asked..."

"Now, none of that," said Big Mac firmly. "Besides, we want to support you and what yer doin'."

"Mom, why does she look like that?" she heard a colt asking.

The mare beside the colt winced and tried to keep her voice down. "She's a changeling. They can look however they want, you know that. You'd have to ask her why she wants to look that way."

"Thanks so much for your business," said Twilight, collecting Big Mac's bits and resisting the urge to sink beneath the counter.

"Okay!" said the colt brightly. "Hey, why do you look like..."

The mare pulled her son back quickly. "Dear, you can't just ask her that!"

"But you said..."

Twilight sighed again, but then some new faces arrived to cheer her up. "Oh! Cherry Blossom, Cranberry Cupcake! How have you been?"

"Oh, we have been very well!" said Cherry. "It's so good of you to ask!"

Cranberry edged in front. "My sister would like to be a pegasus for a day again, and this time I would like to join her. This is a thing you can do, yes?"

"Absolutely," said Twilight. So strange, those two... they worked in a beauty salon, but her "scary" appearance didn't bother them in the slightest... and Twilight knew for certain that they weren't faking it or secretly changelings themselves. "Just remember, it's only for a day, and if you haven't flown, then don't try it without an expert to teach you how."

Two temporary transformations left her tired out, but they earned her a lot of extra bits. "I'm just glad I didn't lose my Element or any of my mana capacity," she mused to herself. "I don't know what I would have done if..."

"What are you doing, Miss Sparkle? Why do you continue behaving in this manner?" Twilight groaned... it was Bread Crumb and his wife Sugar Crumb again. Two perfectly normal pegasus ponies... in appearance, at least. Other ponies had been in those changeling cocoons right along with Twilight, and these were two of them. "I thought we talked about this!"

"Excuse me?" said Twilight. "You talked. I disagreed."

Bread Crumb wasn't deterred. "Those changelings... the real, born changelings had a saying... in secrecy lies safety! Surely you can see the wisdom of that now."

"We just want this to be over," pleaded Sugar Crumb. "We want everything to go back to normal! How can it, when you and the rest are constantly reminding everypony that we're here, that we're... not ponies any more..." She sniffled a bit.

"We are what we are!" said Twilight, a little louder than she'd intended. "I'm sorry, but sweeping this under the rug isn't going to make it go away. We need to accept it, not hide from it."

"I can see that we're just going to have to agree to disagree," said Bread Crumb disdainfully. He glared at Moth too for good measure, and then Moth had to restrain Bon Bon from going after the couple when they left in a huff.

~~
Later, at the library, after she'd copied her sales into a ledger while telling Spike about her day, Spike surprised her by asking, "Twilight, why do you work so hard?"

She glanced up at him. "What do you mean, Spike?"

Spike shrugged. "Like that colt said, you *are* a changeling. You can look however you want. Why put yourself through all that? Why not just... be Twilight Sparkle?"

Twilight smirked. "I could, it's true." In a flash of blue fire, she became the perfect image of her old unicorn self. Only the color of her magic would give her away, and she'd been experimenting with illusions that might disguise even that, if she ever had the need. "I could be plain old Twilight Sparkle, just a slightly peculiar unicorn with that one teeny-weensy awkward problem... needing to be loved, or she'll die."

Spike gasped. "Are you getting enough?" He glomped her hastily. "I love you Twilight! Have I told you that today?"

She giggled, reverting back to her changeling form. "Don't worry, Spike. I know you do... And I love you too, and you and Shiny and everypony give me all the love I could ever need. I kind of understand Chrysalis and the old changeling ways a little better now, though... there's always that little nagging worry, knowing that the food you need isn't something you can grow or buy in a store... it needs to be given to you."

"But, they didn't..." said Spike, confused. "Before Cadence, changelings took it. They kept slaves... cattle..." The little dragon shuddered.

"And that's where they went wrong," said Twilight. "If we start hiding what we are... like we're something evil and wrong that needs to be hidden, if we act like we can't help but be evil, we'll be falling into the same trap they did. That's why, Spike. If Mr. and Mrs. Crumb want to hide what they are, that's their choice, but it doesn't have to be that way!"

Upstairs, Fluttershy tapped at an open window. "Hey, Twilight! Do you still want that flying lesson? There's a giant soapbox blocking the door."

"Different body, same old Twilight," grumbled Spike, pinned between the soapbox and a wall.

The what-if machine flickered off.

"Twiley." Shining Armor sighed, wishing he could hug that Twilight Sparkle.

"Do not be too worried." The what-if machine said. "Your sister being of the changeling tribe rather than the unicorn tribe, will become a mote point once she *CENSORED* an *CENSORED*. Because *CENSORED* *CENSORED* all *CENSORED*, in one year's time. As your sister is destine to in one year's time. That Twilight Sparkle's experiences will actually allow her to hit the ground running."

"Wait what now?" Twilight responded confused.

"Part of this machine's answered were censored due to them not being technically what-if, and therefore, beyond this machine's ability to share."

"We'll I'm happy to see you, that you, adjusting well darling." Rarity hugged her unicorn friend.

"Me too, us too." The Flutters said hugging Twilight as well. Followed by Shining Armor, Cadence, and Applejack. Then the Pinkie Pies.

Twilight didn't need to be a changeling to know she was loved.

"Sorry to hug and run Twiley, but we had better be picking up Kifuko and Midnight from Zecora, it feels like we've left her with them for weeks now."

The two nuzzled. "I understand BBBFF."

"See you soon little sister." Cadence hugged her.

"Even if you weren't going to *CENSORED* *CENSORED* after canon finally starts up again, you will see invariable see each other in a few months anyway, when Princess Cadence becomes *CENSORED* of the *CENSORED* *CENSORED* and you fight *CENSORED CENSORED* and are loved by *CENSORED* and Spike becomes a beloved *CENSORED* to all the *CENSORED* *CENSORED*."

"Can you tell us ANYTHING not hopelessly vague?" Cadence asked.

"Invest in jewel polish. That is all."

Foal-sitter and Big Brother shared a hug again.

"Well, it's also nice to see Rainbow Dash and Gilda are both happy with their new lives in that world," Fluttershy commented.

"Stop being so afraid of change," Maud Pie said to Coffee Swirl for some reason sipping the rock coffee from the make-shift.

On the way out, Applejack spoke with Shining Armor and Cadence in a low voice.

"Yer one of the few ponies Ah can say this too. Ah just wanna say . . . while Ah'm more happy than ya can imagine that Ah'm just Applejack the pony again instead of one of Ma Fate's wolves . . . Ah admire that AJ for her sense of responsibility, she gave up Everything, her family, her friends, even ponies thinking too hard about her being missing. Ah'm happy Ah never had ta do that. But Ah'm proud to know Ah could face that if Ah had to. And . . . you and Red Gala are real ponies. Don't let anypony tell ya different."

"Thank you, Applejack," Shining Armor said and accepted some free apple treats from Applejack. He and his wife then left the studio to pick up their adopted foals and get back to their honey moon.

"Will the party begin soon?" asked the What If Machine.

"We're working on it," Ghostly Pie replied happily.

"Why do you ask darling?" Rarity asked.

"This Machine would like to part take in the party," explained the device.

"Well that's perfectly fine."

The Machine looked itself over. It was more or less simply the What If Machine supported by wires and tendrils. It tried to dance. Keyword 'tried.' "This form seems inefficient for the act of partying. Reconfiguring."

It grabbed a large bit of spare metal and parts and began rebuilding itself with several random gadgets retrieved from Pinkie Pie's various stashes. The result was a dull grey android pony (gender was difficult to say from just looks) with a blue visor and it's screen on it's chest, it's natural brownish casing mismashed into it.

"How is this form?"

"Practical...but no offense darling, it's kind of garish," Rarity admitted. She looked around and found some paint. "How about I give you a bit of a paint job?"

"This offer is accepted so long as I do not end up pink."

"Can do, dear."

"While Miss Rarity is doing my new paint job, please enjoy this potential situation. "

=*=

"Hey Scootaloo! What are you doing?!"

Scootaloo, an orange adult pegasus with her current Cutie Mark looked down at a blank flank filly version of Rainbow Dash. "Just doing some cloud busting, Rainbow!"

"Can I help?! I bet I could clear the sky in 10 seconds flat!" the cute little filly boasted proudly.

"Sure, just be careful-"

The filly zipped around like a humming bird, kicking clouds...and then crashing into the ground nearby.

"I'm okay!"

Meanwhile, little Applejack was trying her best to buck trees at Sweet Apple Acres.

"Sis watch yourself!" Applebloom, also a full grown mare and the one wearing their father's hat, her Cutie Mark an Apple Tree. "Yer gonna hurt yerself!"

"Ah wanna help!" the filly replied stubbornly, trying again, this time the force being enough to flip herself over and make a few apples drop into a bucket.

Applebloom gave a small chuckle. "...Just like Ah was when Ah was yer age...always 'Ah want it now!' Hehe."

"Applebloom?" asked a voice.

"Howdy Diamond," said Applebloom tipping her hat to Mrs. Tiara and her assistant Silver Spoon. "We just finished that order of Zap Apple Jam."

"Glad to hear it...hehe, hard to believe that we're doing business now, huh?"

"No doubt. But Ah guess we just outgrew schoolyard grudges, huh?"

Elsewhere, a purple maned, white furred unicorn filly pulled hard on a thread, looking at the dress she helped make for her big sister. There wasn't yet a jewel to be seen. "It looks beautiful, Rarity," an adult Sweetie Belle with the same Cutie Mark replied, smiling. "I'll definitely wear it for the Hearts and Hooves Concert tonight."

"But something just seems missing!" the tiny child whimpered. "I want it to be perfect!"

Sweetie Belle sighed and nuzzled her. "I'm sure you'll figure it out, I didn't know what I wanted to do when I was a kid."

=*=

"Done..." Rarity admitted, but was staring at the screen in confusion.

The What If Machine's new body was painted silver with blue and gold accents, giving it a heroic and regal look that Rarity felt fitted a robot rather well. "This machine approves of this look," it replied, the screen showing a smiley face. "Continuing universe."

=*=

"Twilight?" Spike, a teenaged sized dragon (dragon aging being far different than ponies) as he looked through books in the town library.

"Yes, Spikey?" asked the unicorn filly, poking her head out of a book fort.

"Have you seen 'Jewel Cake Recipes for Dummies?'"

"...No..."

"It's part of the book fort, isn't it?"

"...Maybe..."

"I need it back, I'm making a cake tonight."

"To celebrate the anniversary of you and your friends beat Queen Chrysalis and convinced her to go back to being Princess Kifuko and reuniting with Princess Cadence?"

"Yeah, hard to believe Hearts and Hooves Day was actually in remembrance of Cadence having to seal her twin sister int the crystal mines with the Elements and save Equestria...oh, and Twilight?"

"Yes?"

"Your favorite foal sitter will be there."

"Yay! Celly will be there!"

=*=

The assembled ponies looked at the machine, surprised by the latest (and thankfully non-horrific) world.

"So were were fillies there, the younger sisters?" Twilight said. "And Spike was my adopted big brother? Huh." She smiled. "It was interesting to see myself as a filly again."

"I agree wholeheartedly, dear," Rarity said, looking thoughtful. "I wonder if Red Gala is little more than a foal in that world."

"Me, Ah wonder 'bout Big Mac," Appplejack said. "Like if he's still Little Mac there. What?" She looked at her surprised friends. "Mac was always a little colt 'till his cutie mark came in and he got his growth spurt."

"And Celestia is your foalsitter? What does she look like? And what became of Luna?" Fluttershy looked at the What-If Machine.

If a Machine could sigh, this one did. The screen lit up and:

"How's my favorite little filly?" the pink-maned and tailed young mare asked as she strolled into the library. Spike grinned and Celestia held her forelegs out as with high-pitched whinnies a small purple ball of energy raced into them.

"Celly Celly Celly!" Little Twilight nuzzled Celestia's neck, accepting an affectionate nuzzle in return from her sitter. "Are we gonna go and see the old castle today?"

"We certainly are," she said, hugging Twily close. She added, "Sunset will be there too, and now!" She added in mock-sternness at the wary look Twilight gave her. "She's gotten a lot better since my sister taught her to open up and not be so shy." She looked over Twilight's back at Spike, who understood. Sunset once was prideful and arrogant, Cadence's best student and headed for an epic fall until her two alicorn nieces Celestia and Luna guided her to see how wrong she was.

"And see Luna?" Twilight sounded hopeful. "I like her stories." Spike was the one looking wary now.

"We'll see her," Celly said as she guided Twilight towards the door. "My big sister Luna wants to see you too, and your other little friend Trixie. But I'm sorry to say, NO ghost stories this time! They give nightmares to little fillies."

"I am not a little filly!" Twilight said as they left.

"Warning," the What-If Machine said. "Impending display of formerly seen universe."

The ponies froze as static filled the screen before it cleared to show:

"That's right, former ponies of Ponyville and elsewhere," Applejack almost bristled to see a familiar pair of unicorns, ones with pale olive coats and white-striped red manes, facing a small herd of ponies and -- to their surprise -- Changelings. Behind the two conponies stood a massive machine, with a pony-sized entrance on both ends and arrayed with Jacob's Ladders and flashing lights. The mustached brother, Flam, went on with, "This is our patented 100% safe and legal 'De-Changelingification Machine', approved by Celestia herself," he flashed an official-looking paper with Celestia's image and signature on it; when one female Changeling tried to take a closer look he innocently yanked it away, "solely to be used on transformed ponies who wish to be restored to their former forms, regain the ability to eat solids, and who have an overwhelming desire not to die flying into bug lamps."

"How do we know it's safe?" One Changeling in the crowd yelled, and another said, "The last time you were in town, you tried cheating Applejack out of her orchard!"

"Oh, that was all just a joke," Flim said, waving one hoof and smiling. "We would have returned it after we got the free publicity for our victory. And if you want to know if it's safe, well?" He and Flam turned the machine on with bursts of greenish magic from their horns, and then strolled through. Electricity flashed, and at one point their skeletons showed like in an x-ray as they passed behind a thick glass screen set in the machine. "It's utterly - OW! -- safe and completely -- ARRGH! -- painless, to boot!" The brothers walked out the other exit, their manes and tails looking slightly frazzled but otherwise in one piece. Flam extinguished a glowing spark on his brother's coat as Flim said, "See? Completely safe."

The Changelings still looked unconvinced, but the female who'd spoken before flew up and said, "I'll try it. I, I want to go back and live with my family again." She looked around, fangs bared. "The jokes about flypaper are getting old, too. What do I have to do?"

"Just reassume your original pony form," Flam said with a sharklike smile "and proceed through the machine." The Changeling frowned, looking hesitant. Flam added, "And if you're not completely satisfied, you get your bits back."

She nodded and with a flash of blue fire, a simply ravishing unicorn mare appeared, with a soft and elegantly styled pink mane and tail and hot crimson coat. A cutie mark of a broken heart showed on her flank. Long eyelashes fluttered and she said in a voice like a warm caress, "You're sure? I don't want to lose," she swept her long tail along her body, "this."

"Lady, lose that and I'll help you find it," Flim croaked out. Flam snorted and gave him a dirty look before turning to the mare.

"Little brother, the lady was speaking to me," he said, bestowing a simply dazzling smile on her. The mare smiled back slowly as he said, "Just go right through, madam. I'll be waiting for you on the other end with some questions. You know, your health, your appetite, your home address... Ummph!" He glared at Flim as a magic bridle shut his mouth.

"It will work?" The mare said, taking a deep breath. The brothers nodded absently, and she kicked her hooves high. "Oh wonderful! I, I simply don't know how I'll thank you afterwards!" She all but pranced into the machine. The brothers barely remembered to cast their spell in time. Sparks flew and the mare whinnied in pain, and she trotted out the other end.

"How do I know if it worked?"

"Try shapechanging," Flim said. The mare concentrated. A faint blue glow played over her. She seemed to shiver, and nothing happened. "It worked! I, I can't shapeshift any more!" As other Changelings hurried forward, she asked, "Wait, do I still need to consume love? Because I feel like I do -- where will I get love?"

"Oh, I think I can help with that," Flam said, setting his leg over her withers and guiding her off to the side. "Just see me at the Ponyville restaurant in an hour, I'll let you get the check, Miss..."

"Oh, you'll get more than that," she purred out before saying in a very different tone, "I think about ten to fifteen in the Canterlot dungeons for false advertising and illegally using magic to lock away the natural powers of other pony tribes, which only the courts can do. I was able to figure that out when I examined the spell as it was cast." She smiled at the two stunned conponies. "My foalsitter Cadence told me about this, and I helped save Applejack's farm from you two cheats. I'm Twilight Sparkle, and you're under arrest!"

"Heh. You and what Guardspony?"

"How about me?"

Flim and Flam turned and saw Shining Armor, Element of Loyalty and Chief Royal Ranger of the Everfree Rangers, glaring at them with several of his fellows beside them.

Flim turned to Flam.

"Dear brother, must you always tempt fate so?"

Shortly afterwards, as the two were being taken away and some sadder but wiser ponies turned Changelings were leaving. Shiny spoke to his sister, still in her 'new' form.

"Sis, what made you decide to look like Heartbreaker from those romance pulps?"

"Hey, I was stuck for a form to use, okay?" Twilight snorted and tossed her head. Some of Shiny's fellow rangers could barely take their eyes from her. She scowled at them and said, "I wanted to take a form I knew nopony would ever associate with Twilight Sparkle. Now I have this and just as soon as I break that power-locking spell..." Her horn glowed. "Hah!" Blue fire ran along her body and when it faded Twilight... still looked like Heartbreaker.

"Umm, sis, those spells are made to last."

"How long?"

"Twenty years or so."

"I get stuck like that?!" Twilight Sparkles' eyes were wide staring at the screen.

The what if machine said, "While the causes are censored due to being destiny rather than what-if, suffice to say, that Twilight Sparkle needs to endure that form for less than a year, and had illusion spells in the mean time. You were free of that form soon enough. That is all I can say."

"For instance," the What-If Machine said, "you were able to do this."

Twilight watched as she -- in her alternate form -- once more stood by her open stand in Ponyville Town Square. A line of stallions were waiting for her, watching the crimson and pink mare as she coolly trotted over to her spot, her every move drawing their gaze.

None of them noticed her smile.

"Okay, then!" She said in that softly musical voice. "Twilight Sparkle's Magic for Hire is open for business! First customer, please!"

She waited for the by-now typical ears-laid-back and snorting stallion squabble to settle. When it did, the victor approached her table, head held high and tossing his head to allow sunlight to shine along a gilded horn. Literally so -- he'd had it inlaid with gold.

Twilight rolled her eyes as the blue-coated, golden maned stallion aimed a smile her way. She blinked against the light reflecting from his teeth.

"Well, Miss Sparkle," he whinnied, "I'm looking for some companionship, somepony whose beauty will shine as beautifully as my own," he tossed his head, mane rippling in waves as Twi forced down a yawn, "and I think you are the only pony who can help me. Or do I need to make it," he leaned in closer and Twilight winced at the cloud of cologne surrounding him, "even plainer?"

"Oh," Twilight said, batting her eyes, and leaning closer, "I think I can provide something for you..."

He grinned. Twilight grinned in response as her horn flashed and a full-length mirror appeared before him.

"Talk to your reflection," she said dryly. "It cares more about your appearance than I or any mare ever will. Now, is there anyone here who really NEEDS my help or," blue fire, secretly an illusion spell, consumed her and she appeared in the form she considered her 'Classic Evil Changeling Queen'. The stallions winced as she asked with a fanged grin, "Anypony want to see what else I can do?"

They were gone in less than a minute.

On her way back into the studio, Applejack found the Blank Wolf helping himself to an apple fritter, gobbling it up and then licking his chops. "Oh, Ah see how it is," she said, with a wink. "You just hang around me all ominous and invisible-like just to get your paws on free apple snacks."

"Mother doesn't have apples in her realm," the Blank Wolf grumbled. "Adventurers kept barging in and taking them, and the reapers got what was left."

Applejack blinked. "Why... no, Ah'm not even gonna ask." She glanced over at the others, watching Ghostly Pie gliding back and forth, putting up party decorations. "Say, did you ever get a chance to talk to Princess Celestia about that thing? How'd it go?"

"Oh, that? We made time. She had volumes to say, but mostly her advice amounted to this: Don't let dread of the future spoil your present joys, and don't be afraid to keep making new friends." The Wolf scratched at his chin with a claw. "Curious. It sounds simple and obvious when I repeat it now... Hardly something that I needed to bother a goddess over, yet she did not chastise me for it."

Applejack smiled. "Maybe ya made a few more friends today already."

"Perhaps..." And then Ghostly Pie unexpectedly came upon them and GASPED. "But let us not rush things," said the Blank Wolf, vanishing hastily.

AJ realized. 'Wait a tick. The Pinkie Pies are from out of this world. So isn't Snow tryin' ta eat'em? . . . Then again those freaky Harmony Queens and Nightmare Mirror didn't get eaten either. . . . Maybe cause they're not meddlin' and this place is non-canon and they're distortin' stuff? At least Ah'm not feelin' the urge to eat'em. Hopefully that means Wolf Jackie is gone for good, AT LAST. NO offense to Snow, but Ah LIKE being an Earth Pony thank you very much.' Of course. Being an Alicorn, wouldn't be so bad, since she'd technically still be an Earth Pony, just with membership cards in the other tribes,why the heck did she think of that?

Author's Note

Pony POV Series
Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show episode 10
PART 12
By Alex Warlorn

Pinkie Pie, "Mommy, please, I don't wanna watch anymore episodes of Bug Mask Rider and Changelings Rangers or Pony Rangers . . . can we go back to watch the TV adaption of Power Ponies instead please? I'm soooooo tired! I just wanted Maud's 'Welcome to Ponyville' party." *SOBS*

Parts added by:
Arashir, Alex Warlorn, Kendell2 and Dragon-Of-Twilight and Alex Warlorn
Kendell2
Kendell2 and Alex Warlorn
Arashir and Alex Warlorn
Kendell2
MtangaLion and Alex Warlorn
Kendell2 and Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion and Alex Warlorn
Kendell2
Ardashir
Ardashir
Alex Warlorn
Ardashir
MtangaLion and Alex Warlorn

http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/gallery/42867862/Pinkie-Pie-Forth-Wall-Breaking-Variety-Show

Pinkie Pie, " ... Da Rules . . . I just wanted Maud's party . . . ":
1. What you put in the comments appears in the story.
2. Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and I can't spill the beans about us being out-and-out fiction to the others.
3. The camera can’t leave the studio.
4. The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from “My little Pony”
5. Everything that happens here is non-canon (except the Tartarus break out thingie, but not the big battle).
6. Have Fun "

Cover by Kendell2
MLP FiM Copyright of Hasbro

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Show epi 10 Part 13

" . . . Why da heck is that dangnabbit contraption fancied itself up to look like a pony? It looks every more creepy!"

"Applejack that's rude!" Fluttershy said.

"No it's actually uncanny valley, and NO Pinkie Pies, that is NOT a place." Twilight lectured on her soap box. "When you make something that is ALMOST like a pony, but not QUITE like a pony, you see the traits that AREN'T like a pony, opposed to those that ARE like a pony."

Goth and Ghost Pinkie Pie looked at each other.
"I think this party should be just for Maud, HER Pinkie Pie, and THEIR friends, agreed?" Goth Pinkie asked.

"Yeah . . . we REALLY don't need to make things MORE complicated, confusing, and convoluted by being here more than we've already been. With everything set up. I say we politely bow out."

The two Pinkie Pies, not even WANTING thanks for their hard work, sneaked out a 'back door' as the ponies were focused on AJ and the what if machine. Stopping only to kiss this world's Pinkie Pie on the forehead and to give Maud Pie a hug each that she willingly returned.

"No offense darlin', but the robot look ain't ya at all." AJ said.

The what-if machine responded by continuing it's vision of loyal Shining Armor's universe. Leaving Twilight and the others having to explain to Applejack the convoluted circumstances that lead to Twilight Sparkle of that universe being a changeling and being stuck in the body of a fictional sex symbol.

The wha-if machine's screen flickered.

Changeling Twilight Sparkle grunted in frustration at the annoying suitors who kept coming to her place of business now that she was stuck as 'Heart Breaker' until she found a way to undo this spell.

"Arrgh! Now I have stallions doing things like getting themselves lost just so I can come and rescue them. This is worse than when I had ponies buddying up to me because I was Celestia's student! You're so lucky you don't have to deal with this, Rarity. All the gifts and letters and invitations to expensive romantic getaways..."

"Yes, dear," Rarity said, her eye twitching as she turned away before she could scream. "I'm so VERY lucky nopony notices me any more." Rarity went off to drown her sorrows in ice cream.

Twilight noticed that there was only one stallion left who hadn't ran away in fear. An orange pegasus stallion with a blue mane and tail.

The stallion walked over to where Twilight was, a little afraid but still full of determination. "Hum... Miss Twilight, is your magic for hire business still open?"

Twilight still remained in her menacing Changeling Queen form. She raised an eyebrow at this, "Yes, yes it is. Do you need something?"

The stallion approached until he was face to face with Twilight, "Please, can you help my little brother!?"

Twilight's eyes opened wide, "Huh?"

"My brother. He's really sick, and I've taken him to the hospital already but the doctors there can't figure out what's wrong with him, and I'm really desperate now. Please, Miss Twilight, you're my only hope!"

Twilight shook off her surprise and then dispelled the illusion spell since it was really doing nothing right now for her but waste mana. This in turn made her again take her true-fake form (for the moment) of the beautiful Heartbreaker. "Where is your brother now?" she asked.

"In his room, resting." replied the stallion.

"Okay, then take me to him... what's your name?" asked Twilight.

"Flash Sentry." replied the orange pegasus.

"Take me to him, Flash."

5 minutes later the two entered one of the many houses in Ponyville, one that really didn't stand out from any other.

"Wait here in the main room, I'll go get First Base." said Flash.

"First Base?" asked Twilight.

"That's my brother's name." explained Flash.

Twilight watched as Flash left the room, and was back a couple of seconds later with a small pillow. On the small pillow, however, was something out of the ordinary. A tiny pony, not larger than a mouse.

Flash placed the pillow on a table and signaled, worriedly, for Twilight to come and take a look.

"Okay... here he is. Can you help him?"

Twilight looked carefully at the pony. His body structure and proportions made it clear that he was a colt, had he been regular sized then he wouldn't be bigger than Applebloom, Scootaloo, or Sweetie Belle. He had an orange coat and mane and tail, but darker than his older brother's. He was an Earth Pony and had a cutie mark already, a baseball and a bat.

"What happened here? Did somepony cast a spell on him?" asked Twilight.

"Not that we know of... I was hoping you can help us figure it out." replied Flash.

"When did this happen?" asked Twilight.

"I woke up today and went to check on him, and he was like this on his bed. Still asleep, he was really scared and confused when he woke up." replied Flash.

First Base frowned, "I wasn't scared. I didn't cry at all!"

Twilight looked at First Base and smiled, "Oh, I'm sure you are one brave colt." trying to look the least intimidating as possible considering how big she was in relation to the little colt. "Okay, First Base, why don't you tell me what you did yesterday before you came home."

"Okay. After school some of the colts and fillies from school gathered to play baseball, but all the best spots were taken. So we found this very big clearing next to the Everfree Forest." explained First Base.

"The Everfree Forest!" exclaimed Flash, "How many times have I told you to stay away from that place! It's dangerous!"

"We weren't going to go IN the forest!" defended First Base.

"Please, please, this isn't helping." interrupted Twilight, "Please, continue."

"Okay... so, we were playing for a while and then I hit the ball really hard when it was my turn at the bat. And the ball flew into the everfree forest. All the colts and filies were bummed out about it because we didn't have another one to play with, until one of them said that I should go find it because I was the one that lost it by hitting it."

"First Base..." started Flash.

"I wasn't going to go in the forest! I told them that it was dangerous... but then they started calling me a chicken... until I finally went in there."

"Brother, I know it sucks to be called a coward. But doing something stupidly dangerous does not prove you are brave." said Flash.

"I agree with your brother here." said Twilight, "But it is something you'll have to talk about later. Right now I really need for you to finish your story First Base."

First Base nodded, "So I carefully walked in the forest, and I saw the ball right away. It was lying in the middle of a big field of blue flowers. So I ran, picked it up and ran out again and we continued playing."

"Wait, you said a field of blue flowers?" asked Twilight.

"Uhu." nodded First Base.

"Poison Joke." said Twilight, knowing what it was right then and there. "Now, I don't have the cure for it, but I know someone who does. I'll be right back. And while I'm gone I need for you to prepare a hot bath." she said to Flash Sentry.

With that Twilight teleported away to Zecora's place.

About 10 minutes later she teleported back, holding a small paper package with her magic. She could hear running water in one of the house's rooms.

"Flash? First Base?" asked Twilight.

The head of Flash peeped out from one of the rooms in the house, the bathroom. "Twilight, you're back. The hot bath you asked for is ready."

"Great. Is First Base there with you?" asked Twilight.

"Yes."

"Okay then, let's do this." Twilight walked inside and saw a medium sized bathtub filled with hot water, warm enough to be comfortable to bathe in, not too hot so it wouldn't be uncomfortable. She opened the small package and poured its contents into the bath, some strange looking powder.

"This is Poision Joke antidote. All First Base needs to do is get into the water."

"Oh, okay. You heard that First Ba..."

"CANNONBALL!!" Before anyone noticed, First Base ran from the bathroom counter he was standing on towards the bath, and jumped into the bath.
A second later he emerged, wet and laughing, and normal sized.

"It worked!" Flash Sentry hugged his brother happily, "Oh, thank you so much, Twilight."

Twilight smiled, "My pleasure. Now First Base, just stay in there and soak in the water for a couple of minutes and the effects of the Poison Joke will be completelt gone from your system."

"Okay, thank you!" said happily First Base, soaking in the tub.

Twilight walked out and was making her way towards the door when she was stopped by Flash Sentry calling back to her. "Twilight, wait!"

"Yes?"

"How much do I owe you, for the help?" asked Flash.

"Oh, please, don't worry about it." replied Twilight.

"HEY!" Twilight in the studio said. "How come all I heard was static when that cute, I mean that stallion was saying his name?" Twilight in the studio recognized him as the stallion who had helped her for a short time during the final battle of the changeling invasion.

"You learning his name is a certainty. Not a what-if." The what-if machine explained.

"Well," Twilight sighed, "That's a plus I guess."

The What If Machine looked to Applejack. "I am sorry you find this form unpleasant but I wish you would not call me a 'contraption'. I am a sapient entity and self aware. I find being called a 'contraption' offensive."

Applejack pinned her ears. She remembered that universe were they were all robots. "...Ah guess yah bein' offended by that is fair...Yeah, Ah'm sorry fer that...that body is still freaky though, sorry."

"I will attempt to refine this form to make it less creepy," the Machine replied.

"...Can we see some more of that robot us universe? Yah seemed tah like that one."

"I do enjoy that universe. It helped me confirm that my existence goes beyond simply being a machine. Fluttershy, you and Fluttercruel may enjoy this universe."

Fluttershy's ears perked.

"Detailing."

=*=

"Okay, girls, um... I think it's time you all really met her so, um.... here's Jittercruel," Flutter-Fi explained.

Their casing changed color to a darker shade and the Cutiemark changed like pixels into their new form. Complete with a transforming sound effect. Fangs slid out as well.

"Hi..." the transformed mechanical pony said, having been born from Dis-Cord's virus and her mother's core programming. She was probably a tad bit more shy than intended.

~~

Fluttercruel smiled. "Wow, I look pretty badflank as a robot!...Good to know I'm not a psychopath in every other universe. "I wonder what it's like to be a robot..."

"Showing daily life."

~~

"Um…Jittercruel are you sure about this?" Flutter-Fi asked in their processor.

"Oh come on mom! It's just a chainsaw upgrade! Applejack has one!"

"Yes, but that's for cutting damaged limbs to keep her trees all nice and healthy…" Naturally, trees weren't the same as in organic universes, since everything was mechanical. They were more living metal like everything else, and produced energy in a thin cybernetic membrane that still looked like apples.

"Oh come on, what could go wron-"

BUZZZZ!

"...I'll fix the wall..."

=*=

"THAT ROCKS!" Futtercruel cheered. "THAT'S AWFUL!" Fluttershy countered pointed.

"I wonder if we all transcended flesh in some point in the past to become living machines.' Twilight Sparkle wondered, remember a dream she had had of all the accomplishments, good and evil, of ponies if they hadn't been blasted back to the middle ages by the failed Wish Spell.

"Dem machines are still creepy!" AJ said.

"THey could use some more polish perhaps." Rarity added.

"Meh. My life is the same in every universe. In a way that's actually pretty comforting," Coffee Swirl said. "Oh and Fluttercruel? I thought your chainsaw upgrades were freaky, but very you, and very bad flank, just don't go pointing those at ponies if you ever have those here."

"Don't worry Swirl, I'm out of that phase in my life." Fluttercruel fluttered up and nuzzled him.

"Okay," Twilight said, looking down at the slumbering Pinkie Pie. Behind her Raimbow Dash returned alone from her flight and landed inside the room. "How do we wake her up?"

"Pff, that's easy," she said as she pushed past Twilight and the rest. "Hadda see Gilda off, but she'll be back sometime. And as for Pinkie?" She leaned down and set her mouth by Pinkie's hairy ear and said, "Hey, Pinkie, there's a party to throw and nopony to do it!"

Pinkie Pie, still, asleep, began to vibrate so hard that she partly faded from view, as though she were passing between dimensions.

Dash stood beside her as Twi and the others began backing away, ears down in their fear. Maud, as usual, stood close by, imperturbable.

"Eeep! Not to tell you what to do, but Rainbow Dash, are you sure that was a good idea?" Fluttershy said from behind an overturned bench for a barrier. Rarity and Applejack knelt beside her, both of them wearing helmets -- Applejack's a dull green, Rarity's painted in black and gold and with a phoenix feather plume. The What-If Machine stayed down behind them. Being a machine, it had a well-made sense of self-preservation.

"She's right, dear," Rarity said as the vibrations set the windows to rattling. "Tempting fate is never a good idea!"

"Aw, what's the worst that could happen?" Dash yelled back right before a bolt of lightning from a pink cloud gathering around Pinkie zapped her appearance into a clown-pony. Dash looked down and yelled, "Oh, buck! Not again!"

"Twi, what're ya doing?" Applejack yelled at their purple friend. She stood in the middle of it all, horn alight and frantically writing down notes.

"This time I'll get some worthwhile data out of all this!" Twilight yelled back. She dodged small chinks of ceiling falling as the shaking of the still-unconscious Pinkie sent cracks through the walls. One large piece almost flattened her. She abandoned her efforts and dove for cover. "Then again, it helps to be alive to share the information!"

"Huh," Maud said as she looked at it. Another large piece almost hit her; she idly knocked it aside. "Portland Cement They usually make it to withstand greater stress than this."

Coffee Swirl bolting, abandoning his post. "Buck this!"

"He's left me!" Fluttercruel said, none of her normal biting sarcasm or aggression present. She actually sounded a bit, hurt.

And then there came something like an explosion of a pink cloud...

Five ponies and Maud thought they saw a hairless overweight Diamond Dog writing at a desk while someone called, "Can't you ever keep it short?"...

A pink alicorn seemed to appear, her cutie mark indescriable but filling every heart that saw it with the desire to laugh their joy out loud. She gave them all a grin and wink (and restored Dash to normal) and vanished...

And they all heard Pinkie say in her bubbliest voice ever:

"Did somepony say a PARTY?"

A pink blur seemed to be everywhere in the room at once, repairing the damage, setting up tables, putting up a Pin The Tail On The Pony game, mixing and cooking and carelessly tossing snacks (including Maud's favorite rock candy) at a table that all somehow landed in the exact right places, even the punch, and hanging balloons and streamers and a banner that read WELCOME TO PONYVILLE MAUD-- all in far less time than it takes to say.

It helped Goth and Ghost Pinkie had done much the same while waiting for Pinkie to rest.

The stunned ponies, calm Maud, and curious Machine gathered around as the blur turned back into Pinkie Pie and said:

"Welcome to Ponyville, big sis! Now who's ready for a party -- finally?"

Applejack ducked into the prop room and returned with a fiddle. "How's about we get this party started?" She played a simple melody, five notes and five notes more, then began a slow waltz to the tune, adding more flourishes as she went along.

Rarity smiled. "We used to practice in finishing school, just like this." She gave an elegant bow. "Would you care to dance, Miss Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy spread her wings, blushing. "Oh! I suppose I could, but I don't know..." "Don't look at me! I'm not doing some sissy dance like that." "Young lady... on second thought, I'd be delighted to dance with you, Miss Belle." She took Rarity's hoof and bowed back, and then they stepped to the beat, with Fluttershy sweeping her wings like the ball gown neither of them had.

"What do you think, Maud?" asked Twilight. "Do you dance?"

"That isn't the kind of music I like to dance to," deadpanned Maud.

"You heard the mare," said Rainbow Dash. "Kick it up a notch!"

Applejack grinned and jumped straight into the first thing that came to mind, the "Apples to the Core" number they played at family reunions. Rarity switched to square dancing without missing a step, and Fluttershy went "Eeep!" trying to keep up.

Rainbow Dash giggled. "Careful, or Twilight might start dancing again."

Twilight stopped tapping her hoof to the beat and sighed.

Rainbow blinked. "Er, which would be fine! Because this is about having a good time, not impressing anypony!"

Twilight cheered right up. "Thanks, I think."

"That still isn't it," said Maud, expressionlessly. "The kind of music that I like the best is..."

"Wait for it..." said Rainbow Dash.

"Rock music."

Pinkie Pie played an enthusiastic rim shot. On an actual drum set that didn't go away when she finished the gag. She giggled and snatched Applejack's fiddle too, replacing it with an electric bass guitar.

"What the heck kind of fiddle is this?" AJ poked at it with a hoof, and got a discordant blast of sound that nearly made her drop the guitar. "How do Ah play it with no bow?"

"You'll get the hang of it," said Pinkie.

"Ah still don't see how..."

Pinkie Pie twirled the drumsticks with her hooves somehow. "A one, two, THREE, FOUR!!"

While the party get started, the What If Machine gave this some thought. "Something is missing. Engage What If protocol 'What if this party was not missing something?"

The what if ran though it and it nodded.

It used the hole in the fourth wall and reached to a point where it's new guests wouldn't be too busy, and transported them there.

Octavia and Photo Finish blinked, looking around themselves in confusion. "What...exactly is going on here?"

"Hi girls!"

"Pinkie Pie, should have known." Octavia sighed.

"Everything that does the explaining," Photo Finish said.

"Photo Finish! And I'm not even dressed!" Rarity freaked and quickly ran behind a curtain and came out in her gala dress. "There."

"Don't ever do that again." Twilight Sparkle warned the machine. "This place's spacial fabric is fragile enough!"

"Fine. Cross my process, hope to fly, stick a cupcake on my screen."

"OH MY! Not again!" Fluttershy hide behind the couch seeing Photo Finish. Then Fluttercruel took control. "Oh yes! If first you don't succeed! No we aren't! Yes we are!" Fluttershy and Fluttercruel began to wrestle with control of the body or approaching to renew their contract with Photo Finish, or stay hidden from her.

"It's a party for our sister!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

"But we're all here!" Octvaia said.

"Hello Limestone Pie, hello Marble Pie." Maud Pie said.

" . . . I haven't gone by that name in years . . ." Octavia whispered.

Photo Finish looked around to make sure none had caught her birth name.

"Who are you?" Octavia asked.

"Hey! That's no way to act towards our big sister!" Pinkie Pie said.

"Big . . ." Octavia felt fizzy, so did Photo Finish as Maud Pie's existence began to catch up to them. Applejack recognized what was going on. So would have Shining Armor, though he had never been an outisde observer.

Applejack knew what was going on far too well, in fact. She saw Octavia and Photo Finish dismissing Maud Pie as a complete stranger. She saw Octavia and Photo Finish greeting Maud, the sister they hadn't seen in ages. AJ dropped Pinkie's electric fiddle contraption and backed away, her head pounding. Truth itself was being rewritten as she watched.

Photo Finish rubbed her eyes. "Who? .... Maud? Do I know a Maud?" She shook herself. "But of course, how silly of me! This is extraordinary... How long has it been since we four stood together?"

"I'm sorry Maud it's . . . it's been a while and . . . I've been . . . well, maybe just trying to fit in at Canterlot." Octavia said.

'IN MOST UNIVERSES WE AREN'T EVEN SISTERS, AND YOU'RE SEPARATE BEINGS FROM PINKIE PIE'S SISTERS.' Not-Maud thought. Then mostly-Maud thought, ' . . . still . . . in this one . . . I'm . . . happy to have you with me.'

She'd known that Maud Pie was weird, but she'd assumed it was just a Pinkie Pie kind of weird, not this! "First Twilight and her big brother, then Rarity and her big sister," she muttered to herself. "Who else is a fake, and Ah didn't even know? Ah can't take this... The lies, they've got to stop, they've all got to..."

Applejack trailed off. Now, she almost missed being the Opaque Wolf. Just like Pandora had said, wolves didn't go mad, but AJ didn't have that protection anymore. "Ah... Ah don't need Nightmare Mirror. Ah've got something better. Snow Bound, I need help. There's another insertion here."

Immediately, the Blank Wolf appeared by her side, startling her. "What?" he growled. "Did I not say that I would come at once? Now, where is it?"

"There!" AJ whispered, pointing a hoof at Maud.

The Blank Wolf looked. Large golden eyes blinked slowly. "You noticed her. I had hoped you would not."

Applejack gawked. "Hold on a sec. You knew this whole time, she wasn't really..."

A large paw covered her mouth before she could finish. "Applejack, do you really believe that I could be five paces from an insertion and not know? She has inserted herself into your world, it is true, for reasons I cannot comprehend, but she is much more than that."

"Well, what is she, then?" asked Applejack. "You can stop her, ri..."

This time, the Wolf yanked them in between moments before she could finish. "No!" he snarled. "There is no 'stopping her.' I am forbidden to hunt the avatar of a goddess, and even you could not have hunted *this* avatar. Absolutely not! Paws off!"

"So, playing along is ALL we can do?" stammered Applejack. "Can you at least tell me that she's not evil, or up to no good?"

"Maud Pie is not evil," said the Wolf carefully. "As for her intentions, if I had to guess, I might say that she probably considers you and friends to have done her a service by defeating Discord, so she *probably* means well..."

Applejack glared at him. "Ya could have told me that up front, ya know."

The Blank Wolf smirked. "Well, perhaps you'll think now, before you go annoying yet another god. Now, smile." He showed her a grin full of large, sharp fangs. "Try not to contradict her, and do enjoy your party." He sent her back to the studio alone.

"Oh! Pinkie Pie!!! You have Photo Finish, AND a professional Canterlot musician as sisters and you never spoke of it before?!" Rarity gasped.

"Whoa." RD stared.

"And I'm pushed to the side lines in my own introduction chapter again," Maud said evenly, and as low as possible so no one heard her, not wanting to be rude.

AJ wondered. 'Are Pinkie's OTHER sisters on the up and up?'

'Yes . . . there's simply a difference between relations of your world and the heart world. Nothing truly strange.' She heard the wolf's voice in her head for a sec before it vanished again.

The What If Machine's screen turned blue and had a frowny face. "Miss Rarity, I appreciate your emotions. But I did not summon these two here for that reason. I summoned them here because this is Miss Maud Pie's party and I believed it would make her happy. Please allow their arrival to be a joyous one for her rather than overshadowing her...if you don't mind."

It looked to Fluttershy. "Did I do the 'politely ask for something' protocol correctly?"

Fluttershy nodded with a smile. "Yes, very good."

Rarity blinked. "Oh dear, I'm sorry Maud, I must have forgotten myself..."

"No problem..." Maud replied in her own fashion.

"Though to be honest I'm certainly surprised. You four seem nothing alike."

"I think I'm the only 'traditional' rock farmer out of us..." Maud admitted.

"Mother and father were glad she decided to stay home with them," Octavia admitted. "But it simply wasn't our thing, you know?"

"Okie doki!" said Pinkie brightly. "If that's all out of the way, then Maud is still waiting for her rock music! I'm on drums, Applejack's got the bass..."

AJ picked the electric bass guitar up again, like it was a snake that might bite her. "Pinkie, this didn't work so well last time."

Pinkie dashed to the prop room and back in a colorful blur. "That's because we didn't have the whole group, silly. This is for you, Fluttershy."

Fluttershy looked at the tambourine in her hooves and shook it once. "I... guess I could play this."

"Guitar for Rainbow Dash, keytar for Rarity..."

Rarity blinked. "Do you have any idea how to play..."

"Kinda, maybe?" Rainbow Dash shrugged.

"What else..." said Pinkie, tapping a hoof against her chin. "Oh, right! These are for Twilight." Pinkie put a pair of fluffy prop wings on Twilight Sparkle that made her look like a little Princess Luna. Then she pushed a heavy amp/mixer console into the room, making a show of grunting and straining to move it. "Octavia, you're Vinyl Scratch."

"I beg your pardon?"

"And Photo Finish can be Sunset Shimmer!"

"Sunset who?" asked Twilight.

Maud sighed. "Pinkie..." Somewhere, a wolf growled.

Pinkie blushed. "Forget I said that!" She played a rising roll on the cymbals. "Okay, hit it!"

"Hit what?" said AJ, and then her hooves started moving by themselves, laying down a fast beat. Fluttershy shook her tambourine, Rainbow Dash and Rarity played like they were born to do it, and Pinkie drummed like a mad mare. "Oh, so that's how this thing plays!" said AJ, grinning and letting the heart song work its magic.

"Amazing!" cried Twilight, swaying to the beat next to Photo Finish. "A heart song with instruments that are physically present! But what do we sing?"

The What-If Machine whirred and acted like a teleprompter, scrolling song lyrics up its screen.

Once upon a time
You came into my world and made the stars align
Now I see the signs
You pick me up when I get down so I can shine

The scrolling text fuzzed and glitched, and the song they were singing abruptly changed keys.

We used to fight with each other
That was before we discovered
That when your friendship is real
Yeah, you just say what ya feel

"Hey, are these the right lyrics?" asked Pinkie.

The What-If Machine flashed an embarrassed emoticon with a sweat drop. "Of course they are... somewhere..."

We don't know what's gonna happen
We just know it's gonna feel right
All of our friends are here
And it's time to ignite the lights!

Rainbow light surged around the performers, putting rainbow accents in their tails and manes, and dressing them in colorful rock star outfits themed after their cutie marks. The light swirled around Maud without touching her, and enveloped the studio, repairing the gaping holes in the wall.

Rarity gasped, looking from pony to pony with eyes sparkling, taking in every detail of the magical outfits. "Oh, I know what I'll be doing after the party!"

Rainbow Dash whooped, pumping a hoof in the air. "Girls, we should totally start a band, for real!" She spread her wings and hovered off the floor, posing above the group with Fluttershy... and Twilight, who was enjoying herself herself too much to question how she could float with prop wings.

The screen glitched again. "Error, dimension not found. Error..."

When we shine like rainbows
We're awesome as we wanna be!

Maud never cracked a smile, but she swayed to the music, tapping a hoof to the beat. "All of this, for me? I'm so happy."

The pony shaped what-if machine began to shake and rattle.

"Are you okay?" Flutterhy asked.

"This unit . . . does-does believe . . . this b-body is-is not . . . well designed . . . or-or . . . that-that well put together . . . I am a what-if machine, not an engineer or a robotics expert." Then the pony body of the what-if machine fell apart back into the scrap metal it had been half-hazardly put together from various spare parts.

Finally the what-if machine's original body, the wooden 50s TV set with rabbit ears antenna remains. The machine's pieces clattered around it. A little drop of truth that powered the what-if machine's ability to view into possibilities, flew through the air . . . and landed on Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight happened to be looking at a shinning serving plate at that moment. Before truth evaporated, she thought, 'All this fun, and to think I'd once consider socializing with this many ponies my inner worst nightmare.'
~*~

Twilight's view was of an infinitely tall and deep purple chamber with no ceiling or floor, just fading into the darkness above and blow.

A purple pillar was at the center, with the same semi-square pattern on it as the walls and made of the same material with no sharp angles, like melted wax. Chains randomly connected the walls the edges of the pillar's top.

Standing in the center, smiling without a trace of malice, was an Alicorn. Her armor was white, and her coat was dark purple, and her mane reminded Twilight of purple flames, and her eyes were like those of a dragon. Her cutie mark . . . was an inversion of Twilight's own.

"Welcome to my soul, oh, sorry our soul, oops, my mistake, I was right the first time. Silly me, since when do I get facts wrong? This is my soul, you're just little aspects of my psyche. How silly of me!!" Her voice, it was so familiar that it Twilight felt her blood run cold.

Twilight became all too aware that of her body was imbedded in the wall. Only of most her her head, some of her belly, and her forelegs hung uselessly out of the wall. She couldn't move. She couldn't speak. All she could do was watch. She then became aware of whimpering . . .. above her, below her, to her sides, all around her . . . countless unicorns, all looking exactly like Twilight, letting out barely audible whispers.

They were in neatly organized circular rows, each one evenly in one of the square indentations. They went on forever.

"'Rain." One of the Twilights croaked out.

Then Twilight was the Alicorn, was the Nightmare, she was at the center, with the 320,979 Twilight Sparkles that currently made her up, and more along the way. All adding their tiny little help to the greater good. It was so nice of them to embrace becoming something greater, to become whole, to stop being caterpillars and become a butterfly.

It was her responsibility to punish Discord, her responsibility to make sure all the versions of herself reached Alicornhood, it was her responsibility to wipe away the incompetent, lazy, petty, and selfish concepts that made up the universe, and create the golden world with her friends. Starlight, Bright Eyes, and all those pony scientists just weren't smart enough to accomplish their dream. But she was smart enough. She'd make Princess Celestia very very proud. After all, it was a student's responsibility to surpass her teacher after all.

And everypony would be happy. Except Discord. But who cared about the selfish scum that needed to be gotten rid of for the good of everypony else?

~*~
Twilight Sparkle gasped as Pinkie Pie tapped her ont he shoulder. "You okay Twilight?"

"I . . . I . . . it's nothing, it's nothing." Twilight shivered, her eyes were misty. She was surprised when Applejack hugged her before Pinkie Pie joined her.

"It's okay Twilight, it's okay, everythin' turns out fer the best, it's okay."

The three nuzzled.

"It's alright." Not-Quite-Maud Pie said, "She won't ever exist again. You never have to be afraid of her. She can't hurt anypony else ever again."

The What If Machine showed a sad emoticon. "I just wished to dance..."

Octavia looked to Maud. "What is that thing?"

"A machine of Pinkie Pie's that became self aware..." Maud explained, in her normal deadpan. "Lightning hit it."

"...How does..."

"It said it was science..."

Applejack looked at the Truth and wiped it up, just in case. She then looked at the What If Machine, sensing more inside it. 'So that's how it does that...Ah wonder if havin' that inside it is what let it come tah life...'

The What If Machine got it's tendrils back and was still capable of moving.

Twilight looked to it. "...Is what Maud said true? That...that Nightmare..."

"...Machine's probability sensors confirm: Maud's presumption is correct."

"...How did you?"

"My power source is a part of me, anything one sees through it I do...it is strange...and in my home reality lead to an awkward series of events...involving a drunken robot...I don't wish to speak of it."

"...Don't blame you...How does a robot get drunk?"

"In my world, robots get drunk if they don't drink...so they drink all the time...it is very very strange...I am from an adult cartoon dimension...which reminds me..."

The What If Machine wrote a message on a piece of paper, tied it to a brick, and threw it through a dimensional portal, nailing a bald human scientist in the noggin before the portal closed.

"Uh..."

"I sent my creator a well thought out letter detailing why I'm never returning there and he was a bad parent...the brick was because my home reality's rules permit such things."

On the other side of the closed portal, the bald 160+ old scientist said, "Oh well. Looks it's just you and me What-If Machine 2.0."

Applejack psychically contacted Snowbound, as an instinct, it worried her a little that it didn't worry her that she realized she could do so. 'Uh...why exactly is this thing in our universe without setting you off?'

'Because...well, the potential Three of Cups Alicorn got permission to 'import him' so Pinkie could us him and his soul was born in OUR universe.'

'Three of Cups?'

'The Love Cats worship her.'

'Oh...oh!' Applejack replied, looking at Pinkie Pie with a blink.

The What If Machine looked back to Maud. "This is not my party, let us return to celebrating Miss Maud...but can I have an 'you're alive party' at another date?"

Pinkie giggled. "Sure! Come on sisters! Let's party some more!"

Maud Pie was putting a blindfold on Pinkie, with Fluttershy and Rarity waiting for their turns, over by the Pin the Tail on the Pony board. Photo Finish smiled. "Eet's not the kind of entertainment I usually host, but just for today..."

Applejack poked at the electric bass and played the first bar of Apples to the Core, plucking the notes carefully. Octavia borrowed the lead guitar from Dash and played an answering phrase, grinning in challenge. Applejack grinned right back. "Ah'm gonna enjoy this."

Twilight lingered next to the What-If Machine. The rainbow clothes had disappeared with the music, but she was still wearing the prop wings. "Funny how I saw that horrible nightmare when I was still dressed as the Princess of Rock and Roll." She blinked. "I know what might cheer me up! What-If Machine, please show me Princess Twilight Sparkle!"

The Machine whirred. "Warning: The requested situation may not be what you expect." The screen lit up with a bright sunny day in Ponyville, and zoomed in on a restaurant.

Twilight squinted at the screen. "Oh, there I am. What the..."

Rainbow Dash wandered over. "So you're a princess in that world."

"Wings and everything," said Twilight, frowning.

RD smirked. "Strolling around town as naked as anypony else? Eating lunch at the Hay Burger."

"It's showing me that even as a princess, I haven't lost touch with my friends," said Twilight, a bit defensively. "Or with ordinary ponies. Oh, see there? I'm having lunch with the Crusaders!"

Rainbow Dash snerked. "More like stuffing your face. Er... sorry, Twilight. I shouldn't have laughed."

"It could be worse, I suppose. I could be stuffing my face with cake. Ugh, just... help me get these wings off. Suddenly being an alicorn doesn't seem like all it's cracked up to be." Twilight turned, and unexpectedly found herself face to face with Maud.

Maud simply said, "Being an alicorn doesn't mean the same thing there. But that Twilight saved her Equestria. She was the only princess who could. Her and her friends."

Twilight stared, caught by Maud's gaze. "How do you know this?"

Maud looked away, and the spell was broken. "Excuse me. It's my turn to wear the blindfold."

Applejack threw up her hooves. "All right, all right! Big surprise, yer better than me by a mile. But if it was fiddles..."

Octavia beamed. "I'm even better with the fiddle. Shall I go fetch a pair of them?"

"Sure thing!" Left to herself for a moment, AJ glared at the machine. "Didn't ya have anything more encouraging to show Twilight?"

The Machine whirred again. "Displaying a future that may yet come to pass is prohibited. Displaying a current reality of your world is also prohibited."

"Huh? There's ain't any 'Princess Twilight Sparkle' here now... Is there?"

"Do not concern yourself with that, Applejack. All will be well."

AJ frowned... but Octavia was approaching with the fiddles. "If you say so..."

The what-if machine heard a voice.

"Ever show anything from the heart world again, and I will eat your brain."

"Affirmative."

The Machine started to fizzle and pop.

Pinkie trotted over to it. "Funny, I thought the fireworks weren't supposed to start until later...." She hoofed the top of the machine. "Stupid thing. Must be bust--"

The Machine displayed its frowny-face icon. "Didn't we just talk... about ponies hitting the machine and calling it stupid all the time?" The display glitched badly and lit up with a new scene.
=*=

On the grand balcony, darkness swirled and coalesced into the terrifying figure of Nightmare Moon! "Oh, my beloved subjects. It's been so long since I've seen your precious, little sun-loving... what."

The ponies in the crowd below were orange purple-maned pegasus ponies. Every single one of them.

"What did you do with our Princess?" demanded the one with the rainbow stripe in her purple mane.

She tried to fly straight at the Nightmare, but the one wearing a Stetson grabbed her tail, holding her back. "Whoa there, Scootaloo Dash!"

Nightmare Moon just stared. "What? Why.... how?"

"Ooh, is this a guessing game?" cried the orange pegasus with the extra-poofy purple mane.

"This ain't the time for that, Scootaloo Pie. We gotta find out what she's done with Princess Flora!"

The Nightmare facehoofed. "What is going on here?"

"I'm... kind of wondering that myself," said an embarrassed Scootaloo Sparkle. She had extra purple and pink stripes in her already purple mane. "I read the legends, but... you're not who I was expecting, exactly."

"I think I came down to the wrong place," muttered Nightmare Moon.

Darkness gathered a second time, with a showy whirlwind of black feathers, and a second Nightmare appeared on the balcony... orange and purple-maned of course, with regal barding and a silver crown that strangely resembled a crash-helmet. "I'll say you have! Away with you! Scootalestria will be mine alone!"

Scootaloo Sparkle perked up. "Okay, THAT'S Nightmare Maleficent! Whew... my faith in scholarly research is restored!"

Nightmare Moon sighed. "I'll just pop back up to the Moon and try this again..."

When the Pin the Tail on the Pony game wound down, Pinkie brought out a "Famicolt" game console and plugged it into the What-If Machine. Now Maud and Twilight were madly working their game controllers, focused on the 8-bit sprites of Cadence and Shining Armor that were bouncing and blasting their way through "Heart Stealers from Dimension Z: A Royal Canterlot Adventure."

The What-If Machine whirred. "When did I acquire a video-in port?"

"I still don't see why I had to play as my brother," mused Twilight, chewing on her lip as she fired off another round of bouncing shield bubbles.

"Well, Maud IS the party girl," said Rarity. "She had first pick."

The game announcer exclaimed something in Neighponese, subtitled as {Power Up! Honesty!}. The action briefly switched to full-screen artwork of Cadence saying {These eyes can see through all of your tricks!}, and the Cadence sprite started mowing down monsters with orange eye-lasers.

"I have to admit," said Rainbow Dash, watching "Shining Armor" bounce up a stack of crates with pixel-perfect accuracy, "I didn't think an egghead like you would be into video games like this, but you're pretty good!"

"Well, it's not a very sophisticated program," said Twilight brightly, never taking her eyes off the screen. "Once you've seen all of the possible enemy moves..." {Power Up! Loyalty!} This time, Shiny's face filled the screen. {I swear by all the gods, I'll never leave you behind!} Red chains started whipping monsters out of his way.

"So when did you get so good at this, sis?" asked Pinkie.

"I know how this one ends," droned Maud. "It's just a matter of getting there."

"This is actually a lot of fun," said Twilight. "I just wish the subtitles were more accurate."

Fluttershy blinked. "Twilight, you know Neighponese?" "I get it. She cast a translation spell, right?"

Twilight blushed. "No, I do know Neighponese. It's a long story."

Pinkie grinned with a squeak. {Don't worry, Twilight! Nopony knows about all those letters you wrote complaining about the plot inconsistencies in your favorite manega back in magic college!}

{Unforgivable!} cried Twilight, leaping up with metaphoric flames exploding behind her. {Impossible! How could you know of that?}

Pinkie winked. {That's a secret, teehee!}

Twilight glared at Pinkie in a huff, until she realized that Shiny had gotten clobbered by the monsters while she was distracted. {You can't lose now, Shiny! Get up and fight!} {Continue?} "Here, Dash, why don't you take a turn?"

"Shiny, dear, what's that?" Cadence looked at the heavy envelope in her husband's telekinetic grip.

"The first payment from that game company in Neighpon." Shining Armor opened the envelope, turning it upside down, and -- two bits fell out, as well as a plugged nickel.

Cadence and Shining Armor both looked at them in some confusion.

"Okay, I know that game is doing great," Cadence said, lashing her tail in annoyance, "even some of the palace staff are playing it. Where the hay is the money going?"

And thousands of miles away, two unicorns in an office, both with white-striped red manes, gloated over a pile of bits.

"See, Flim? I TOLD you we should have gone into game marketing years ago! This is more bits than we ever got cheating yokels like in Ponyville!"

"That was a really long and power telescopic lens . . ." Pinkie Pie said back in the studio, making sure that Applejack and Twilight didn't see that and upset the applecart.

Sneaking around was rather easy, when you were already a background pony.

'Maud' was busy scoring point after point while Rainbow Dash bitterly grumbled about 'Hax'. Twilight and Pinkie were busy having conversations in neighponese and generally parodying the various anime tropes in the process. Rarity was ever being the socialite, even if it was just among a group of her friends, and Applejack was humoring her. The Flutters were alternating between Shy talking with Rarity and Applejack and Cruel calling next turn on the game. Octavia had taken to practicing her music (one didn't get to be a great musician by being idle after all), and Photo Finish was just the type of pony who wouldn't notice him, he wasn't important enough to catch her eye.

As such, it was almost pathetically easy for Coffee Swirl to sneak back into the studio.

After that, however, he quickly shuffled off to one of the various side rooms. He had (At the berating of the ghosts in his sword) managed to work up the courage to come back; but working up the courage to apologize to Fluttercruel was another matter entirely.

"Why couldn't I just fight another mad god?" he grumbled. "I'm better at that."

'Thou art behaving in a manner unbecoming a knight, Sir Swirl.'

"Knights haven't exist in Equestria for over a thousand years, Squire. And no, Shining Armor does NOT count. Just... give me a bit, okay? I don't know how to do this sort of thing."

"Silly pony, don't you know there are no background ponies in this verse?"

Pinkie Pie giggled as she changed the transmission from the studio's security cameras that had caught Coffee Swirl's every move, to another telescopic lens shot of Canterlot.

Luna was chatting, "And that is why sister, we believe it is vital that we restore the position of Knight in Equestria. Besides, Dame Cheerilee was already Knighted by Princess Gaia so it might be best in case she is needed when Gaia is unsealed."

Back in the studio, after winning that level, Maud set her controller down. "Pinkie, can you come over here?"

The pink party pony bounced over. "Yeah sis?"

Maud looked to the What If Machine. "Can you still tune things so only certain ponies can see it?"

"Yes. Or simply seal the area if requested for privacy's sake," the Machine replied.

"...Alright..."

Maud trotted over and whispered something to the What If Machine.

"Understood. The following vision will only be visible to those aware of a universe that no longer is, it will be censored for the sack of the sanity of all else involved..."

'You'd better not-' the Blank Wolf warned.

'The Empress of Not requested it.'

'...Good point. Go ahead...'

"Aww, but what about the game?" Rainbow asked.

"Downloading save file to central system...You may now play it on the main screen."

"Alright, continue!"

"Beginning situation."

"Minty!" called Pinkie Pie, the pink pony trotting over to her green friend.

"Yeah Pinkie?!" the green mare asked, trotting over.

"Something extra special!"

"Really? Is it more special than the time we all became Princesses?!"

"Well for me it is! My big sister's coming to Ponyville to visit!"

"Wait...I...I don't remember..." Pinkie Pie said in reality, blinking in confusion.

"...If the spell worked right, then it wouldn't have forgotten to give you a complete, concrete background," a mix of Maud Pie and Not-Maud Pie replied, giving one of her extremely rare small smiles.

Pinkie's eyes went wide. She suddenly noticed there were stallions trotting in the background as well. "So...t-this is..."

"The world where they worked the bugs out."

"Really?! Wow! What's her name?"

"Rocky Road! She's so much fun!"

"Sounds like it! What's she like?"

"Well she likes rocks a lot!"

Minty raised an eyebrow. "Rocks?"

"Yeah! She's as big of a collection of rocks as you do of socks!"

Minty gasped in surprise. "Really?! Wow!"

"She also really likes hiking! Oh I can't wait for her to get here!"

Pinkie was crying. "This...this world didn't tear itself apart?"

"No, it never does that," Not-Maud replied. "That is not THIS world's end. This world knew many things yours didn't, Pinkie, but it didn't know the horrors your ended with...I guess in that way it is even more innocent than yours was."

"...So you asked..."

"'What if your world didn't have to end that way.' I wanted you to see a world were your friends got to have their happy endings."

"But it's YOUR party..."

Maud put a hoof over her sister's shoulder and hugged her. "I know, and making you happy is what makes ME happy...This is MY present too."

"Which is also why this potential situation centers around Miss Maud Pie's alternate self," the What-If Machine explained.

After some sisterly hugging and crying, the two turned back to the screen as Pinkie Pie's friends started preparations, which as with all special occasions included trying to reinovate the entire town for a little bit to match the guest of honor's tastes, like the time it was covered in glitter. In this case a lot of rocks were involved.

"...And Pinkie?"

"Yes Maud?"

"...Just because something was erased, that doesn't mean that it wasn't real...that is a fallacy many mistake for truth," a mixture of Maud and Not-Maud said, Not-Maud seeming somewhat annoyed. "Never was isn't the same as fake. Your world was real. That's WHY it was a tragedy to see it die...and why your memories of it aren't a bad thing."

Pinkie nuzzled her sister. "...Thanks..."

"Like I said, making you happy is what makes me happy..."

Pinkie wiped her tears away and turned back to the screen as the other party goers who couldn't see what was on it continued their party as the party girl desired. Rocky Road shared Maud's difficulty conveying emotions, something SHE feared would alienate her from her sister's friends, and which did cause SOME conflict.

"...Can we please watch the whole thing?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Watching entire scenerios is my primary purpose," said the What If Machine. "I was formally used for anthology episodes. If Maud Pie desires it, I can do so."

Maud nodded. "...Yeah...I actually want to see what happens..."

"I'm happy that you threw such a big party," said Rocky Road, with the faintest of smiles. "When I saw it, I thought that somepony must have spoiled the surprise."

"Ooh, there's another surprise?" cried Pinkie Pie, bouncing in place. "What is it, what is it?"

Rocky Road motioned towards another group just arriving from the train station... a large blue-coated pegasus stallion with five adorable colts and fillies following along at his hooves. "Spooky had some time off work, so we brought everypony along. This is our first trip with the whole family."

"Gosh, that's a big family!" said Minty.

"It's just how we wanted it," said Rocky Road. "Minty, everypony, I'd like you to meet my husband, Spooky Tail."

"Howdy," said the stallion. "Now, you children behave, and try to keep the chaos down to a dull roar. No more pranks today, Butter Fry."

The grey-coated unicorn colt stamped a hoof. "But dad, Fire Cracker started it." He pointed to the red earth pony colt.

"Don't blame me! It was Rose Quartz's idea."

The pink unicorn filly stuck her tongue out at her brothers. "Was not. Right, Flint Spark?"

"Was so!" retorted the rusty-brown earth pony filly.

"Was not!"

"Was so so so!"

"Can we go home yet?" said the green pegasus colt.

Pinkie Pie smiled. "If you go home now, you won't get to try any of this delicious cake, Sugar Rush."

"Cake?" The grumpy colt brightened up in a hurry. "Chocolate cake?"

"Yep!"

"Well, I don't want just any chocolate cake. I want double-chocolate chip ice cream cake!"

Pinkie did a squeaky smile that was familiar in any dimension. "No problem!"

In the studio, Twilight Sparkle rubbed her eyes and looked at the What-If Machine's screen again. Unlike most of her friends, she knew all about the Lost World. "Is that... No, they couldn't really be..."

"They are," said Maud Pie, almost wistfully.

Twilight blinked. "But...how..."

Suddenly, a dimensional portal opened over head and a message dropped in front of her. "Huh?"

'Dear Twilight,

In that universe, I decided that since My Wife was enjoying Herself in that world for the first time...ever that I'd join Her and spend a life as a loving family, and suggested our children join us and have time as a loving family.

Yours truly, Havoc.'

Twilight smiled a bit before looking back to the What If Machine. 'I hope they're happy together.'

Not-Maud Pie looked at the others. "None of you noticed that letter."

Fluttercruel chuckled. 'I just realized something funny mom.'

'What?'

'If that timeline the TV mentioned was Blue and White becoming Nightmare Phalanx, the Best Defense . . . shouldn't it have been NightSTALLION Phalanx? . . . In short, he didn't just become a Nightmare in that verse, he got turned into a girl!! Ha ha! . . . I wish I could go out there and give Coffee Swirl a piece of my mind, but I know you won't let me leave Gray And Violet's party.'

'Just calm down dear. Nopony is perfect. I'm sure he'll apologize the moment he sees you.'

'He better. At least I have the funny image of Shining Armor as a GIRL NightMARE.'

'Didn't What If say that vision had darkness and violence?'

'Meh. Likely just to some over the top cheesy super-villain nopony actually liked and had no real personality or character or soul.'

'It's still not a good thing to do.'

'Yes mother.'

Far away, Shining Armor shuddered where he and his wife stood in their townhouse in Canterlot.

"What is it, dear?" Cadence nuzzled him. Midnight and Kifuko whinnied softly where they hung in the saddlebags over their mother's sides.

"I was just thinking about all those recent times I've been transformed into a mare," Shiny said. "Usually when visiting Ponyville. And I just had this weird vision of someone wanting to see it happen again."

"Darling," Cadence said, speaking softly, "does it really matter? You got changed back, and myself, well, if it was permanent," blue fire flashed around her and a lithe stallion with Cadence's pink coat and violet mane and tail, "I'd find ways to adapt," Cadence said in a husky male voice.

"Thanks," Shiny said, "but I think I prefer sticking with the original model." Cadence grinned back and returned to her true form.

Author's Note

Pony POV Series
Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show episode 10
PART 13
By Alex Warlorn

Pinkie Pie, " . . . I . . . come on please? Just us six and Maud Pie. Please? Just a little get together with friends and my big sister?. . . Please? . . . Why did it take 13 parts? This party . . . what is this feeling? It reminds me of when I was on coffee for three weeks . . ." *SOBS*

Parts added by:
Ardashir and Persona22 with edits by Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
Ardashir, Kendell2, Adashir, with bits by Alex Warlorn
mtangalion
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn
mtangalion
Alex Warlorn
Kendell2
mtangalion
Alex Warlorn
Kendell2 (with some edits by me)
mtangalion (with a little by me at the end)
Acalanthide and Mtangalion
mtangalion
Ardashir, Dragon of Twilight, and Kendell2
mtangalion
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn
Ardashir

http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/gallery/42867862/Pinkie-Pie-Forth-Wall-Breaking-Variety-Show

Pinkie Pie, " ... I'm never getting Maud Pie's party am I? NEVER! This is just gonna on and on until the shadows get bored and stop adding parts! . . . here's the dumb Da Rule":
1. What you put in the comments appears in the story.
2. Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and I can't spill the beans about us being out-and-out fiction to the others.
3. The camera can’t leave the studio.
4. The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from “My little Pony”
5. Everything that happens here is non-canon (except the Tartarus break out thingie, but not the big battle).
6. Have Fun "

Cover by Kendell2
MLP FiM Copyright of Hasbro

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Show epi 10 Part 14

In the back rooms of the studio, Coffee Swirl grumbled about Security cameras that hadn't been there a moment before. Couldn't that dumb wolf do its job right?

Stupid mares . . . then again, there again, there were ponies who thought he was one bad day from snapping, like the ponies who had once tried to 'disable' Rainbow Dash, and the Sparkle siblings.

In the actual stuido room, Rainbow Dash and Rarity looked at each other.

"Daring, why are you all looking at a blank screen?"

"Yeah it's getting kinda weird. And what's that letter? And WHY is it blank?"

"I admit it is rather strange what you're doing . . . " Octavia admitted. "And are you speaking with thin air?" She wasn't able to see Snow Bound.

Photo nodded, "If this is that kind of paper, I can order some extra concentrated salt."

"That won't be needed." Maud said.

Hooves scuffed the carpet beside Twilight, where there had been only empty space before. "How can you enjoy this?" asked Snow Bound, his gruff voice sounding honestly perplexed. "The end of this world was the beginning of our own. You, your friends, your Equestria... none of them exist there, or ever will exist."

"What, are we trading questions now?" said Twilight, a little rattled. She took a deep, calming breath. "I wouldn't want to stop existing so that world could live again, but it is a lovely world, and it's really special to Pinkie... isn't that enough?" She smiled. "What does it matter to you? I mean, you'd still be around even if... oh."

The odd white stallion nodded. "The Blank Wolf was created so that nothing like the Disaster could ever happen again... That is your answer in trade, if we are keeping score."

Twilight smirked. "Score? No one even told me the rules."

Snow Bound glared at the screen again. "I do not like the idea that I was created on account of some... mistake, which could have simply not been made in the first place. It's too good to be true... there must be some flaw. Nothing mortal endures..." He trailed off, seeing Pinkie giving him that look.

Not-Maud looked to the Blank Wolf. "It's true the Disaster had a role in making the Blank Wolf...but isn't it also true Morning Star made Persecution due to the same thing?"

"...That is true."

"...Starlight and her world CHOSE to sacrifice themselves to make that world how it is. It is true it is not a world without death and suffering. That is the truth. But it is also a world without Persecution, and without EVIL. It's a world of innocents and kindness. "

"That still meant it required sacrifice to exist..."

"...And is that wrong?" Not-Maud asked. "Would it be fair to Starlight and her friends to undo the sacrifice they willingly made just for their sake when it created a genuine world without evil?"

"..."

"...You exist to serve, you exist to sacrifice. So why complain about the sacrifices others have made?"

Maud hugged Pinkie and the two turned back to the screen.

Coffee Swirl's argument had continued off-screen for quite some time now, mostly him either refuting or outright rejecting the points that the ghosts of his sword -- likely more in the know than him -- made against his worldview. Squire in particular seemed baffled as to why he didn't just throw away the sword, given said worldview.

'How can thou stand for the highest virtues, when thou dost not believe they exist!?'

Swirl opened his mouth to respond to the pony only he could hear, when he was interrupted by Logan.

'I think we've gotten a bit off-track here.'

'Yeah,' Patch said. 'This whole thing started because you need to apologize to Fluttercruel, not a debate about morality and worldviews.'

"So I'm stalling, sue me. I don't know how to talk to girls."

'Gee, thanks.'

"Oh shut up, Patch. You're in my head, you KNOW what I mean."

'Swirl, I know this will come as a shock to you, but mares are not some sort of mysterious and eldritch creatures! Hay, you already know she likes you! Just go out there, say you're sorry and that's all there is to it!'

"Have you not paid any attention to what sort of world we live in? It's NEVER that simple!"

Patch gave a frustrated groan. 'I am starting to wonder just what she actually sees in you!'

'I think we're going about this the wrong way.' In contrast to the other two, Logan seemed to be perfectly calm... which had Swirl fidgeting nervously.

Suddenly, pain shot up from his shoulder. "What the buck?!"

'Phantom pain,' Logan said. 'You're not really hurt, just feels like you are; go talk to Fluttercruel and it'll stop.'

"This is bullying."

'No, bullying is when you do it for sadistic pleasure; I'm not enjoying this, but it gets you to do something.'

"Jerk..." Swirl muttered.

'Yeah, yeah, I'm a jerk. Now, get moving.'

Pain flared again, forcing the pony to his feet and back out of the side room. The pain didn't lessen, even as he got closer to the Flutters. "Hey... we need to talk."

He had walked out of the back room, and had tapped on the shoulder.

"Hello Sir Runs A Lot."

" . . . I'm sorry."

". . . Will you not do it again?"

"I'll . . . try my hardest not to."

She grabbed him, kissed him, and they wrapped their wings around each other as they took to the ceiling. Rarity politely put some cloths over the cameras.

Applejack sighed.

Swirl broke the kiss for just a moment. "I hate to ask, but does this make us officially a couple."

"Yes it does!" Pinkie Pie called out from where she stood beside Maud, presenting her with her own secret recipe Marble Pound Cake. It was a magnificent piece of pastry, layered in rich frosting. "I hope you like it, Maud. I made it just the way you like it!"

"My," Rarity said, trying and failing to not drool at the sight and smell of the cake. "But that does look delightful, Pinkie Pie." The same greedy little demon that once drove her to sample the Cakes' hoof-made creation on that trip a year ago began to rise within her. A hint of Greedity entering her eyes, she said, "Would it be possible to have just one teensy little taste?"

"Yeah," Dash said, flying over. She openly licked her lips. "Just own bite. Hey, it takes a lot of energy to fly, I need to keep my strength up."

"Uh, I don't think so, Rarity," Pinkie said, looking wary. "This is a cake for family-only, unicorns and pegasus-uses can't really handle it."

"Pinkie!" The pink party pony turned away as Octavia called out, "Do you remember that one song Grandma used to sing for us? You know, 'She was Bread in Old Appaloosa, but she's just a Crumb up here'?"

"Oooh you mean about Auntys Crumb? Sure, I remember it." She hopped over.

"I'm coming to," Maud said as she took one look at the greedy gaze in the face of both Dash and Rarity. Something like a smile tugged at her lips as she said, "You might need help with it."

Dash and Rarity grinned at each other.

"Just one taste won't ruin the party."

"Of course not, darling." Both ponies looked at the cake, licking their lips. It just looked so delicious. "On one, two, three!"

Twin whinnies of pain came to Pinkie where she stood with Octavia and Maud. All three looked to see Rarity and Dash hopping up and down in pain, hooves clutched to their jaws.

"Oooh!" Pinkie yelled. "Did I forget to say that the Marble Pound Cake is made with real marbles? Your favorites too, Maud."

And somewhere in Ponyville a zebra named Bardeeya smiled. "Be tested by Temptation, mares, and pass or suffer. Just be glad it wasn't over a stallion."

"So . . . did you mom want to try some?" Coffee Swirl asked from up near the ceiling.

Fluttercruel shook her head. "No actually. She said she was done with such things. She said it feel too much like New Fluttershy if she took a bite without permission. And she remembered the dream she had where she had to perform at Sugar Cube corner as a clown for a month to pay off a cake that she ruined in her dreams and was banned for a year. But . . . now she wants to check on her friends. Even if they did it to themselves and I think the pain would be good for them."

Coffee Swirl stopped . . . he had been in the middle of remembering the proper hoof steps and wing flaps to the sacred time honored pegasi mating dance. Coffee Swirl was many things, but he was still a red blooded pegasi.

Coffee Swirl landed stretching his wings and legs.

Photo Finish meanwhile shouted, "HOLD THAT POSE! The pain! The humiliation! The embarrassment!" He took several shots of the pegasus and unicorn.

"You two got what ya deserved," AJ said simply. "And seriously, YA BOTH SHOULDDA KNOWN BETTER!!!! Ah mean a marble cake fer rock farmers?!"

"I thought Maud was inviting us to try some I swear!" Rarity said in pain.

"Now is there anything in here for sore teeth? Hmm, maybe I should just take you both to Mineutte? But then you'd miss the rest of the party."

"Want some more marble cake?" Maud Pie said emotionlessly and no visible expression, but she was laughing her head off inside.

The two shook her head desperately.

Maud Pie had a slice and ate the marble cake with real marbles with no ill effects. She was an earth pony rock farmer.

AJ looked around, and it seemed Snow Bound had popped away again. She wished one of his 'see you later's actually WAS a later instead of a 'soon after.' That dang wolf didn't seem to know how to properly say bye. Oh well, maybe this time he'd be busy erasing annoying uninspired perfect characters in Hoofington or something. She hoped Trixie was doing well.

Twilight, on a soap box, was giving Rarity and Rainbow Dash 'The Lecture' on respecting other ponies' warnings, "AND RARITY!!! WHAT HAPPENS TO PROPER TABLE MANNERS?! YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER!"

The What If Machine almost felt relieved . . . it had been so long since it had been allowed to just rest. It actually felt nice.

Maud Pie gave it a short glance, "We are watching the rest of Pinkie Pie, Minty, and Rocky Road's day together before the party ends, understood?"

"Yes. Perfectly."

"Don't worry girls, I think I have some 'anti-tooth candy in here somewhere." Pinkie Pie said pulling various sweets right out of her mane.

"Pinkimena, I doubt that's very sanitary." Octavia suggested.

"The worst that could happen is that they'd get Pinkie Germs and act like me forever." She grinned and took other a candy.

Rarity and RD took a step back, their teeth still hurting.

"HA! Gotcha on that one! I actually had you going!" Pinkie Pie laughed. "Crossing my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye, there's no such thing as Pinkie Germs."

The What-If Machine glitched, throwing a few sparks and smelling vaguely like burnt cinnamon toast. "Error, time sync lost. Attempting to compensate." The screen lit up...
~*~

Back in the other Ponyville on that other world, a hedge maze had been raised on the outskirts of town. A large banner near the entrance read "Ponyville Pie Fight Championship, final round today!"

Spooky Tail and Rocky Road were there at the front of the crowd, watching the some of the action on the magical globes that Rose Quartz had conjured. They had a few more wrinkles, but they were otherwise in good health. "Thrilling!" said Spooky. "You've outdone yourself, dear."

"Hehe! Thanks, dad!" said Rose Quartz, a young adult mare now. She'd insisted that her maze cutie mark was just a coincidence, but if her special talent literally was making mazes, what of it? Everypony loved the fun amazing fun games she thought up that they could play in the hedge maze.

Star Song flew higher, shading her eyes with a hoof. "Oh look! More of them are coming out!"

A grown-up Flint Spark led the way, grinning like a shark, even though she'd taken a pie to the face. "That was awesome! Let's do it again!"

Fire Cracker, Toola-Roola, Sugar Rush, and Pinkie Pie followed her, so plastered in pie filling that ponies could hardly tell one from another. "You'll have to wait for them to bake more pies," said Sugar Rush. "Even Sweetie Belle and Butter Fry can only make 'em so fast." He looked all around. "Huh, where are they?"

Pinkie Pie shook all the pie filling off herself in an instant and hopped over to one of the globes. "They're not here because they're the last two in the game!"

~*~
Nopony had quite known what to make of Butter Fry's cutie mark when it showed up. A pair of six-sided dice wasn't so strange... but one of them had no spots on the top face, and the other had seven.

The young unicorn stallion grinned toothily as he crept around a corner of the maze, two pies held in his magic. "I've got you..." He sprang, pies ready to hurl, but found only a dead end with a table stacked with spare pies. Hooves stepped on the grass behind him. "Nuts!"

Sweetie Belle had him cornered. Worse, the white and purple mare had one of those clockwork contraptions that Rose had stashed around the maze, made to fling pies one after another with the touch of a trigger. "Okay, banana nut pies it is!"

A sudden wild inspiration struck Butter Fry. He grinned... he'd learned to go with those first, and think about them later. The grey unicorn dodged left, then right, pies barely missing him. He flung the two pies he had, then lunged backwards, bucking the table and guiding the launched pies with his magic. Amazingly, every pie smacked another pie in midair, knocking both away.

He snatched the one pie he had left, ready to throw, and suddenly realized that he was back to back with Sweetie Belle, who also held one last pie in *her* magic. "Look, a three-headed monkey!"

Sweetie Belle blinked. "What's a... hey!"

They pied each other in the face simultaneously and fell down in a heap, laughing.

"I haven't had that much fun in eons," cried Butter Fry, still laughing away. "Well, not literally eons, obviously. I don't know why I say things like that..."

Sweetie Belle caught his gaze, giggling again. "You have something on your face..."

~*~
By the time Sweetie Belle and Butter Fry finally exited the maze, Pinkie Pie was practically bouncing in place, waiting to hear how it had gone. "Well? Well, well? Who won?"

"He did." "She did." said both of them at once, and then Sweetie Belle blushed, and Butter Fry smiled and looked away shyly.

Spooky blinked and started forward, but Rocky Road stopped him, shaking her head.

"You know how he can be," said Spooky quietly. "He might hate us for this later."

"He won't," was all Rocky Road said.

"But..."

Her muzzle twitched in an almost-smile. "Spoilers, dear."-
While the party proceeded, one of the security monitors began displaying apparently random scenes of nothing in particular. Rainbow Dash watched it for a bit, scratching her mane with a hoof, but quickly lost interest.

In Trottingham, a sparkly golden alicorn with a rainbow-striped mane loomed over Trixie. "Little sister, you've been a bad pony! What you did to Twilight and her friends with the Alicorn Amulet was bad and wrong."

Trixie gulped. "But Omnixie, I don't know anything about a... Oh no, you're right! I have been a terrible pony. Can you ever forgive me?"

The Blank Wolf erased the insertion with a single slash. "No."

In the Ponyville market, a human shouted, "Do any more ponies want a belly rub?"

"Ooh, me!" cried Lyra.

"No, me!" shouted Pinkie Pie, even though another Pinkie was already at the studio.

*Slash!* "No."

Lyra tilted he head. "Why do I suddenly feel robbed?"

A dimensional rift opened at Sweet Apple Acres. Tiny invisible machines swarmed out, swiftly constructing a duplicate of Princess Celestia from the soil. "Excellent, this world already has ponies. I need only satisfy their values through friendship."

*Slash!*

Big Mac stopped kissing Cheerilee for a moment to stare at the huge white wolf and the fading cloud of dust.

Cheerilee nosed him. "Is something wrong?"

Big Mac smiled and nuzzled her back. "Eeenope."

The Blank Wolf trotted on his way, tail wagging. It was good to have important work again.

The camera swung back to the white if machine, that was already showing more of the G3 world.

Minty was tired. She just wanted to lay down in the snow and rest. A terrible storm swirled above Ponyville but she couldn't bring herself to care anymore. The entire town took on a grayish color.

There were empty indentations in the show for six other ponies, one a filly.

A unicorn mare laughed at her. She had a dark gray coat, a ghoulish blue mane, and yellow eyes. Her cutie mark, hard to see against her coat, was a swirling black storm with the center almost look like an eye. With her magic she was holding a snow globe. Around her neck was a necklace with six jewels, at the center was an empty spot for a seventh.

Razzaroo shouted, "Minty! Get up!"

"It's no use little pony, the Celebration of Friendship will now complete my set. Come Minty, it's time to join your friends."

Yes . . . Minty was tired . . . she just wanted to go to her friends . . . and rest . . .

Minty felt herself being lifted up and the world around her getting bigger and bigger, floating towards Stormy's snow globe.

The next thing Minty knew, she was a place where everything was snowing . . . everything was soft . . . quite . . . so quite . . .

She saw her friends laying in the snow, slowly being covered.

"Scootaloo and Cheerilee together. Pinkie Pie. Zipzee. Princess Rarity. Starsong. Rainbow Dash . . . now . . . now we can just sleep together forever . . ."

She laid down to rest, but somepony's singing was keeping her from going to sleep. She looked up at the intrusion to see Star Catcher towering over her.

"Please Minty, I'm sorry this had to happen to all of you. You can't go to sleep. "

"Go away Star Catcher. I'm super sleepy."

"Alright then, I'll tell you a bedtime story. Once upon a time Minty, our land knew things like hatred, bullying, greed . . . but ponies used their combined magics to make a better world. But one who was the giver of those awful feelings for those who LIKED seeing ponies unhappy and fighting, sought to drag our world back down."

But the gifts that we ponies celebrated prevented that darkness from ever forming or entering our world. The seven castles that stand in our lands being the basin for those gifts."

Images flashed in Minty's mind.

"Happiness." Pinkie Pie.
"Family." Cheerilee and Scootaloo.
"Kindness." Zipzee.
"Music." Starsong.
"Laughter." Princess Rarity.
"Rainbows." Rainbow Dash.

"And Friendship." Minty's own face.

"Minty . . . the seven castles gave each of you their blessing because each of you represent the gifts they celebrate . . . You didn't gain those gifts because of the castles' magic. . . . But now it's over . . . maybe in the end, everything pure and innocent, exists only to be corrupted into something ugly and horrid. . . ." Star Catcher's voice changed. "Even when given a fresh start, a new world, a new past, and a new futures, ponies were doomed to be the lambs to the wolves of tragedy and horror. In the end end. Maybe there was no point to it at all."

The image of Star Catcher changed to that of somepony else. "Ha. Your fight was over before it started."

Minty growled, now much more awake. "Stormy!"

"If you can here hoping for eternal rest, you won't find it here. Look, here are you little friends." She held up seven small decorations, revealed to be actually Minty's friends. "Aware of EVERYTHING, and not able to do a thing. Your gifts will bring misery and despair to everypony you know and love. . . . none of you will find eternal sleep here. If you thought you'd get the cold comfort by being reunited by your friends in the end, you were sorely mistaken."

Horror and shame filled Minty as the words sank in.

"Yes! That's it! Fall into despair, realize that there is no point in hope, cry out that is no answer! Let it echo across your world!"

"Don't give darling!"

Rainbow Dash?

"Don't listen to that big bully!" Scootaloo?

We're still here for you." Cheerilee.

"This is silly! Since when do we have unhappy endings?" Princess Rarity laughed.

"We christmas party to celebrate remember?" Pinkie Pie.

"Our song is stronger than her silence." Starsong.

"Just take one more step forward." Zipzee.

Minty shivered, tears falling down her face and freezing before they hit the ground. "No . . . this isn't how it's supposed to be, this isn't how WE'RE supposed to be! Everypony! This can't be the ending! I won't give up!" A light shined in her. "Everypony please trust me, let her do her worst! I promise that I'll try my best! And with you guys, I know that'll be more than enough!"

Stormy's snow globe shook, cracked, and out shot an brave little green firefly that then grew into a full sized Minty the pony.

"Minty!" Razzaroo gasped out in relief.

"You're still alive? GOOD! I'll be my greatest pleasure in killing you again!" Stormy hissed.

Minty said nothing, but then the six jewels in Stormy's necklace glowed, and and their lights shot out of them, and surrounded Minty for a moment, before flying into her.

There was a flash of light.

Minty's lower legs were now light pink, like socks, green and red outlines of snow men were on her lower body, along with white snow flakes. Her cutie marks had become larger and more stylized. Over one eye was a snowflake pattern. Yellow and blue strips were now in her hair in her pink mane and tail and the white strip.

The storm clouds were blown away in a swirl to show the bright blue sky beyond.

"Absurd! That power can not exist in this world! You were mine!"

"The light of the seven gifts have joined together." Razzaroo whispered.

"Let this be a lesson Stormy, friendship isn't something you can just take away!" Minty declared.

"Bah humbug! Your absurd delusion of a world is about to be shattered, and tragedy will be the only stories told!" Dark gray rainbow shout out from Stormy's horn that Minty deftly dodged like a hyper active grass hopper, moving closer and closer with each move.

"You can't escape me brat!" Stormy snarled and tried to stab Minty with her horn. Minty CAUGHT IT with her hooves, HOLDING BACK Stormy's next spell and the backwash left Stormy's horn smoking.

"I wasn't trying to!"

Six light flew out of Minty, circle around her, each a color of the rainbow, then shot into her, no, through her, and blasted storm in a wash of rainbow light.

Stormy squealed in alarm and fear, and broke apart into a swarm of black butterflies, that then broke down into little piles of ash that blew away. Her necklace shattered.

The six lights around Minty grew and formed into seven ponies.

The clouds were no longer a dark storm, but the normal fluffy Christmas clouds they should be. A pretty snow began to drift down. Minty's form gently returned to normal.

Minty's friends all hugged her. "You did it Minty!" Pinkie cheered.

"No, we did it," Minty replied with a smile. "That was our power."

Starsong smiled. "Yes, but you were the one that didn't give up, Minty."

They stood for a few moments, hugging and enjoying everything being safe and sound once again.

"So..." Zipzee finally said. "What now?"

"...We get things ready for Christmas!" Pinkie suggested.

In the studio a shout was heard by none but Maud Pie. "YEOW!" She looked out the window, seeing the dark gray pony, Umbra Breeze cursing as he held his leg like it had stuck with a hot poker. "One of my avatars . . . destroyed? . . . In THAT world?" He hissed.

Not-Maud-Pie said, "Merry Christmas Nephew."

Umbra Breeze grumbled as he teleported away.

In the G3 Ponyville, invisible to all who didn't know the G3 world, the pony of Ponyville were celebrating.

"Keep this on-" Pinkie Pie said what to others looked like a blank screen.

"Or you'll hurt this machine, I know." The what-if machine said.

"No, Keep this on PLEASE, I just want this. Not Discord's family except for Rocky Road, nothing against them, but just . . . I just want this for the friends I remember so dearly."

"As you wish. As a Christmas gift to you. This machine shall not shift the lime light to Rocky Road's husband and foals. It shall be kept on the 'core' 'third generation' ponies.Crossing my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

The breezies fluttered their little wings and blew away the last pile of ashes. Revealing a a little black breezie with a green mane and blue eyes.

"Welcome back Stormy," Zipzee said.

The black breezie snorted. "This doesn't prove I'm wrong!" She pouted. "Happy endings are still boring! Bad stuff happens all through the story and then good stuff happen right at the end? It's dumb."

Zipzee shook her head. "Stormy . . . I know it seems like it's just bad stuff after bad stuff in stories sometimes . . . but it's growing flowers, they need work to grow, it's like baking a cake, there's lots of untasty stuff it's made out of, but once it's bake, there's lot of happy stuff."

"So you just go through lots of bad stuff just to get to the little happy stuff?"

" . . . Stormy . . . you say that happy endings are boring . . . but if stories just had bad stuff and just bad stuff . . . nopony would get to the ending in the first place, they'd just close the book and go out and play."

Zipzee hugged her.

" . . . And there wouldn't be a story at all . . . so that would be kinda silly." Stormy whispered and hugged Zipzee back.

After the seven friends had said goodnight and gone their separate ways, Minty raced up a snowy hill. "Gotta get back home where it's snug and warm before dark... whoa!" She crested the top of the hill too fast and went sliding down the other side, socked hooves slipping and sliding. "Weee!" Minty plowed right into a snowdrift and stuck her head out, giggling.

"My goodness, darling!" said the pony that she'd barely missed. "Are you alright?"

"Rainbow Dash!" Minty shook herself free of the snow. "What are you doing out here?"

The earth pony with the extra colorful mane smiled. "Oh, just tying up loose ends, darling. It's only a few days until Christmas, after all. Have you thought about presents at all?"

"I'm going to make socks for everyone! Socks are the greatest."

"That sounds wonderful, darling. Oh, but shouldn't you have kept that a secret? You don't want to spoil the surprise."

Minty gasped. "Oops! I guess you're right."

"And what about yourself, darling?" said Rainbow. "Have you thought about what you might like?"

Minty rubbed her chin with a hoof. "Well... It's kind of silly. And a little strange. Promise me that you won't laugh?"

"Of course, I promise!"

"I was thinking about Pinkie Pie's family. I said to myself, 'I wish I had a family as cool as Pinkie Pie's!' I have lots of friends, but I don't have any family." The mint green pony frowned, feeling strangely sad, even though they'd already stopped Stormy from doing those bad things. "But that doesn't make any sense. Everyone has a family, don't they? Did I just... forget about mine somehow?"

Rainbow Dash put a hoof over her back, hugging her snugly. "There, there, darling. It'll be okay! I'm certain that it'll all make more sense after a good night's rest."

Minty hugged her back, then smiled. "Thanks, I feel a lot better now. Goodnight!"

'Rainbow Dash' watched Minty gallop out of sight, then bowed her head and shimmered. Her coat turned pearl and grey. A long horn rose from her head, and she spread beautifully feathered wings. Even her cutie mark changed, turning into a spoked wheel marked with mesmerizing runes.

With a mystical glow, a heavy book hovered before the alicorn, and a quill pen began to write. She smiled warmly. "Merry Christmas, my little pony."

The very next day, Minty watched her friends bring out the special magical candy cane that would guide Santa Claus to Ponyville. Maybe it was all just a story for foals, but it made her happy anyway! It seemed like they put it high on top of the Christmas tree just right, but something still seemed off to Minty. "I think it needs to be just a little to the left! Uh, guys? Everybody?" They'd already left, busy with their own holiday chores. "That's okay, I'll just fix it myself!"

Minty fetched a hot air balloon that someone had left sitting around, and leaned out of the basket, reaching for the candy cane... but a sudden angry gust of wind hit the balloon! Minty cried out, hooves flailing, and tumbled...

"Minty!" cried a voice below.

She heard a great thump and wooden wheels turning before she landed in something soft. Someone had bucked a cart full of hay, just in time to put it there to catch her safely. "Thanks! That was close!" She struggled out of the cart, looking at the earth pony who had saved her. He had a light blue coat and a darker blue mane, with a foil-wrapped piece of candy for a cutie-mark. "You're the coolest brother ever, Shiny!"

Shiny grinned and nosed her. "Aw, thanks... but you need to be more careful, little sis! What if I hadn't been here to save you?"

"I definitely won't do that again!" said Minty. "Let's go find a pegasus to check on that candy cane."

Twilight's eyes widened. "That's...but...how..."

"Wishes and miracles still exist in that world," explained Not-Maud. "But not running rampant to the point it'd destroy everything. They're controlled and regulated Minty WAS born with a family in that world, but not a brother. Now she has one."

Twilight nodded slowly. She then allowed herself to smile. "...Hehe...he's definitely like my Shining...I hope they'll be happy."

Pinkie chuckled. "They're in that world, why wouldn't they be."

Twilight gave a small laugh. "Yeah, I forgot for a second..."

It was rather annoying, Coffee Swirl realized, that -- thanks to whatever bending of reality that kept him informed of these things -- he was aware of what the screen on the What-If machine was showing, but couldn't actually see any of it. Plus, he was rather curious what had become of himself in that world.

The screen suddenly flickered, showing (To those that could see it anyway) a bespectacled pegasus in a scarf trotting along in the square just as Minty and Shiny left. And his face was set into a heavy scowl, even more-so when bells started ring thanks to the season.

"Humbug," he muttered. "What's the point of all this 'Christmas' junk?"

The bells intensified slightly, an underlying melody sneaking in from nowhere in particular.

"What is Christmas? Tinseled fairy tales

Day old stockings lined up in a row
What is Christmas? Could someone tell me that?
What is Christmas? Surely, I don't know."

The disgruntled pegasus continued to walk, glaring at the various decorations as his song continued.

"And everywhere these lights!
Who needs to color night?
Could this whole thing be planned?
I do not understand."

He grabbed a loose strand of lights from one of the smaller trees, the entire thing falling off at the lightest touch.

"These Christmas trees with colored lights
Underneath they still are only trees
Do you think that one day perhaps they might
Find that Christmas is kind of a disease?"

"Every year it's waiting for me, waiting for me
Every year it constantly defies
Placing strangers there before me, there before me
Spreading hope and cheer mixed in with happiness
Fraternal bliss and other Christmas lies!"

He angrily stomped his hooves, his voice rising to a shout that caused several ponies to give him odd looks.

"And there's one more thing that I have discovered
That I would now like you to know
The reason for Christmas I now realize
Is an excuse to tolerate snow, SNOW!"

Which, of course, led to a particularly prank-happy pegasus dropping a good amount of the white stuff right on him, giggling the whole time. He shook of the powder, his glare stronger than ever.

"Blasted brat... Anyway, where was I? Oh, yes." He cleared his throat.

"What is Christmas? Candles everywhere
A fire hazard any other day
Children light them, no one seems to care
All for Christmas!"

He turned to the central tree, glaring up at the candy cane Minty had been fussing over not so very long ago.

"Every year it returns here
And every year it's waiting for me
Why can't Christmas disappear
And just pretend it never saw me?

Every year I get my hopes up
That it will somehow just leave
But every year I wake to find
That once again it now is Christmas... eve!"

With his song finished, the stallion gave a frustrated sigh and trudged away.

"Geeze, what a grouch," said the mare looking out the window of her cafe, which was going to filled wall to wall with ponies come morning. "Sweet Berry, are the rest of the cakes ready for tomorrow?"

"Coming Candy Swirl." Sweet Berry said to her husband. "Just about finished."

"Please please tell me it's not going to be another one of your 'see how high I can make the cake' experiments again."

"Don't worry, it'll be able to fit through the door." She said to the stallion. The two embraced and kissed.
-@-

Back in the studio, Pinkie Pie put a hoof over Coffee Swirl's shoulder and said lowly. "What did you expect? For that version of you to NOT be with the love of his life?"

"So that's that world's version of Cotton Candy?"

"Yep. That's you."

"...okay." And Coffee Swirl, Equestria's perpetually miserable pony, gave a small -- but entirely genuine -- smile.

"I... don't remember like you do... what was she... was I... like?"

Pinkie Pie tilted her head. "Cotton Candy? Ponies went to Kimono for wisdom. Ponies went to Storybelle when they wanted to be told a good story. Cheerilee when they wanted to hear a good story. And Cotton Candy . . . when ponies wanted to TELL their stories to somepony. She liked to talk with ponies."

Coffee Swirl chuckled a bit. "Yeah, there's a reason I have a table next to my counter, Pinkie." The pegasus blinked a bit, frowning as he seemed to concentrate more. "Okay... I said that... and I meant to say it... but it felt like there was more than just me saying it..."

Pinkie Pie smiled. "Thanks for tell me. It's . . . it's nice to know parts of my friends live on in you and my . . . my new friends."

Coffee Swirl nodded a bit, though he still looked confused. "Isn't this suppose be the part where I'm driven insane by some sort of 'Things Nopony Was Meant To Know' thing? I mean, that's why you and AJ, and Twilight for that matter, don't tell everyone about the lost third age."

"Don't worry about it, you already had your existential crisis."

"Pretty sure I've had about seven at this point, actually. Guess she's happy at least. Hope she doesn't mind spending time around 'Cruel though. I don't even know is Sweetberry was erased or recycled, or how to find her if she was recycled."

Pinkie Pie, "Trust me, makes things less confusing if you don't. You WERE erased, but it seemed someone out there decided to recycle you instead. You got lucky. Like Minty. She was supposed to be erased. But she lived on. I was supposed to be erased . . . but Starsong took my place. Now about we be HAPPY for Maud Pie's party?"

"This is me happy. Not everyone goes all 'manic' happy, some of us prefer to be more subdued."

"Oh, just one moment, Twilight, Maud, everypony," Pinkie Pie said as she turned as though to face what looked like thin air. She took a deep breath and leaped into the air, fireworks and streamers going off in every direction, and said, "HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYPONY AND -SHADOW!"

Applejack, her normal Stetson replaced with a party hat, whispered to Rarity, "New Years ain't for months yet, is it?"

"Just go with it, darling," Rarity said as behind them Coffee Swirl took the opportunity and gave the Flutters a New Years' kiss that they returned.

On the what if machine, another vision played.

While Minty and her family gathered by their Christmas tree, hugging and sharing gifts in their warm candlelit home, the grouchy pegasus, the one that Coffee Swirl had mistaken for himself, peered in through a window. "Everyone else is so happy," he muttered. When his spectacles fogged, he sighed and turned away, trudging through the snow. "Why can't I just be happy? Why can't I forget?"

He wandered clear out of Ponyville and onto a small rise, where the full moon seemed especially large and bright on the horizon. "Just an illusion, because it's close to the ground," he grumbled. "Even in this world, the moon doesn't magically get bigger for dramatic moments. Certainly not mine."

High-pitched yipping barks made him freeze, and the keening howl that followed made him positively shiver. "I had best be away! I'm not so miserable that I'd rather be eaten by wild beasts." He turned to go... too late! They were already upon him, eyes shining bright with reflected moonlight. They leapt… the pegasus cringed! They bowled him over and started... licking him?

Why, his fearsome stalkers were just a couple of puppies! Big puppies, he corrected himself, when he nudged his glasses back into place. Big, pony-sized wolf pups, one shiny grey with blue highlights, the other fluffy white. "Get back, I'm warning you! I assure you, I taste terrible!"

The poor pegasus nearly fainted when the wolf pups talked back! "We've found him!" yipped one. "Oh come, come and see, Lady Luna!" Then the moon seemed to flare brilliantly behind him, and a mare... stepped right out of it, winged and horned and looming over him. Her deep blue coat shone, casting shafts of brilliance around the polished silver barding.

With so many shocks one after another, it was a wonder the pegasus' heart didn't give out. "Luna? This simply cannot be. The moon goddess is a myth, there's no scientific basis for any such..."

"We will thank you not to deny us to our very face," declared the mare... the alicorn. She looked over the pups, who bowed low before her. "Snow, Rain, why did you call us and not your mother Fate?"

"He called for you," said the grey wolf pup.

"He sings for you!" said the white one, bouncing in place playfully. "You'll grant his wish now, won't you?"

The grey pup nodded eagerly. "You'll make him happy now, won't you?"

Luna, if she really was Luna, took a step closer, while the pegasus stood rooted to the spot in mingled fear and awe. "It is not so simple as that, children. He wishes to be unhappy. Why is that, little pony? You may tell us everything."

He actually considered telling her to mind her own business and leave him be. But... leave him to be what? To go where? "I was..." He shook his head forcefully. "No, I *am* Moon Shadow. "I planned parties... I mean, missions. To the moon. To your moon. I remember now... I remember it all! Our plans to go back to your moon, and even beyond! To build habitats... places where ponies could live, on your moon! And the Wish, that blasted Wishing spell..."

The pegasus shook in a sudden fury. "How dare they! Everything that ponykind accomplished, all thrown away... so ponies could be happy? Who gave them the right?! I want it all back, the way it was! That's what I wish for, Lady Luna!" He shook, fighting back tears... and the mighty goddess came to him, wrapped a comforting wing around him... him! The wolf pups made sad faces and nosed his flanks.

"That wish, we cannot grant," said Luna. "If every wish was granted, then opposing wishes would tear this world apart." Moon Shadow hung his head. "But..." He perked up, daring to hope. "We can grant another. If there is no happiness for you in this world, if your devotion to our moon and our heavens is as pure as we sense, then swear yourself to our service, and you will see and watch over our wonders firsthoof."

Moon Shadow took a long look back at the lights of Ponyville over his shoulder, then nodded to Luna, resolved. "I so swear. I am yours, Lady Luna."

She gave him a reserved smile, then spread her wings wide. The moonlight flared again... her mark burned itself onto his flank, merging with his own... and when the light faded, he was a wolf pup too, black as the night sky, with silver flecks in his fur. "Name yourself to us, my little wolf."

Rain and Snow howled, bouncing in joyful circles around him. "I am... I am Gloom of Night, mother!"

"Excellent," said Mother Luna. "Come now, swiftly. You have much to learn..."

Gloom trotted after her, then paused, looking longingly back at the other pups.

Luna smirked. "Very well, you may play with the others for a time, first."

The three pups howled together, bounding through the snow with tails wagging.

In the studio Twilight shivered briefly. "I'm starting to wonder just how close to our reality those werewolves actually are."

Pinkie blinked. "Wait, you could see the wolves? Ohhh..." She turned to one side and stage-whispered, "I guess in that world, there wasn't any reason to make wolves with the power of the void."

"Pinkie, you know I can still hear you when you do that, right?"

"No you can't! I mean, huh, I didn't say anything, Twilight!"

"Right..."

"Twilight Sparkle," Not-Maud said, "Hear this and know it to be true: It's very important to your sanity and to your brother's happiness, that you do not think deeply about the left wing of fate."

And this true was drilled into the core of Twilight's being. That she'd bring her brother nothing but misery if she dug into this. "I . . . I understand."

"The irony is," Maud Pie said, "Is if Moon Shadow had wished it, he could have inspired ponies to visit the moon, there was nothing to stop them. What child doesn't wish for a visit to the moon? But that's what brought him the most happiness."

"Oooh! Parties on the moon! It'll be so great! I bet one of us wished for it eventually!" Pinkie Pie grinned. "After all, the ponies of paradise estate were friends with the stars!" She held up the cardboard backs of some pony dolls with one paragraph stories on the back.

"Geeze, are they are gonna make no noise with their mouths and stare at that blank screen all party?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"It is rather odd darling," Rarity said.

Applejack said nothing. She asked Octavia, "Ya know, ya look a LOT like a member of my family. Ya think our families are related somehow?"

Octavia replied, "Maybe we can compare family trees sometime."

Fluttershy was talking again with Coffee Swirl who had also looked at the blank screen. Fluttershy had looked into Pinkie Pie's memories of the G3 world, but did her best not to focus on the lost reality, and the screen appeared as static rather than simply blank to her. "Coffee Swirl."

"Yes?"

"I know you hated me for what I did as Nightmare Whisper. But please, if you're going to be with Fluttercruel, can we please be friends? Just a little?"

" . . . Fine. Just a little."

"It's astounding how the three of us turned out so different," Photo Finish said.

"Just shows that it doesn't matter where you came from, it's what you make of yourself."

The Pies all gazed at Applejack.

"Huh? What's with the looks? Hey, just cause Ah'm all for family and tradition, doesn't mean Ah don't respect ponies who wanna do somethin' different with themselves!" Applejack had, after all, seen Orangejack, and knew she could have had happiness all the same.

The partying ponies froze when they heard the sound of gigantic barks in triplicate outside. They hurried to the windows and saw Ponyville in a panic outside. POnies fled in every direction as a giant three-headed canine romped about.

Twilight and the Flutters both recognized him at once: "Cerberus!" The huge canine romped about as the rest stared.

"What, more monsters?" Rainbow facehoofed. "Is this another invasion from Tartarus?"

"Not likely," Maud said quietly. "My husb -- Havoc," she quickly corrected after Twilight gave her a curious look, "made made sure of the defenses after last time."

Twilight blinked. "How?"

"He bought in a security expert."

And deep down below:

"So Turris Are You Sure This New Lock Will Work?"

"Yes, Havoc. I have no idea how the prisoners escaped last time, or even why they wanted to --"

In his gemstone prison Morning Star snorted and kicked against its sides, as uselessly as ever. On the wall hung a foal's picture of him, eyes crossed and looking like a Pony Rangers villain, being defeated by Celestia, Luna, and the Orange Wolf. It was Havoc's little gift.

"But the new locks should keep them in."

Meanwhile Cerberus sniffed around Ponyville, looking for monsters.

"Okay," Fluttershy said, "We'll be okay if he doesn't see --"

Cerberus looked at them and charged at the studio, all three tongues lolling and his stub of a tail wagging.

"Oh dear."

The Blank Wolf Pup froze, wondering if he was about to meet a long-lost relative or be eaten by one.

"NOW HOLD ON!" Pinkie Diane popped in front of Cerberus. "YOU HOLD IT RIGHT THERE BUSTER!"

The beast stopped dead in its tracks, confused at this tiny pony standing in its way.

"This is Maud Pie's party! Not yours! You don't get to barge in here and do what you want! Got it?!"

"You heard her! This is a party for our family!"

Pinkie turned to her right. "Octy?"

"I am not recalling seeing your name on the guest list! Vamoose!"

Pinkie Diane turned to her left. "Finish?"

"We're sisters! We're family! It's feels like we've never been all together!" Octavia said.

Applejack from her spot lowered her head silently.

"If you know what's a good for you, you'll vacate the premises at once! Or I'll have to call security!" Pinkie Pie's paled hair sister said.

"You hear them!" Pnkie Diane said empowered and emboldened. "There's three of you! And there's three of us! We're rock farmers! Crunch the Rock Dog would run screaming from us! You wanna try yer luck? Just take one paw print closer!!!"

"GET BACK TO TARTARUS!" Octavia boomed.

Cerberus' heads looked at the three sisters in confusion and shock and . . . the dog ran.

The three sisters, sweeting bullets, trotted back inside the studio, to the cheers of everypony.

"Sorry Maud," Pinkie Diane said, "This is YOUR party, we should have let you be the hero."

"Don't be silly." She said blandly and hugged them. "I'm so proud of all of you, my little sisters."

Inside the studio, a familiar voice echoed in the back of Applejack's head. "What are you doing... " Her ears pricked up. "Stop that, you're slobbering all over... This is so undignified."

"Snow?" she asked cautiously, under her breath.

"He took me back to Tartarus!" whined Snow Bound in her head. "To play!"

AJ smirked. "So? If you don't like it, just leave."

"Yes, yes... the Blank Wolf cannot be bound, but none escape Cerberus. As Lord Havoc's own watchdog, his powers rival my own... when he remembers to use them, the big brute."

Applejack tried hard not to laugh out loud... she would have had to explain that to Rarity and the others.

"Applejack... my friend! Will you not come to my aid? Tell the wizard pony to open a portal. No, the pink one... yes, tell Pinkie that there is a party in Tartarus, and everyone is invited!"

"Oh, just play with him, ya big puppy."

AJ heard sounds of scuffling and things being knocked over. "Fine. You want to play?" Snow's voice became a deep growl with an ominous echo. "Let's play!" Another heavy thud, with growls and happy triple-barks. "Oh, you did not just encase Lord Morning Star's cell in a rubber bouncy ball." Several more crashes echoed in AJ's head. It sounded like boulders crashing together and shattering over there. "I saw it first! Come back here, you!"

"Eeeyup," said AJ cheerfully. "Hey, Octavia! Round 3, electric guitars."

Back in the G3.1 world, where the newly christened wolf frolicked with his cousins, sat a quiet and simple house. As it was getting late, only a few decorative lights remained lit, waiting for the annual visit from Santa.

However, one last lamp had yet to be extinguished.

Next to that lamp, sporting a pair of glasses of his own, Candy Swirl smiled at a book set before him. He watched the last few lines of a chapter labeled 'Moon Shadow' write themselves into existence, before the next page was graced with a script reading 'Gloom of Night'. He watched as the first few lines of the new wolf's life were written out by an invisible pen, then closed the book for later.

"Everyone has a story," he said, setting his glasses back on the magical tome's cover. "I just hope this one is happier for you."

The tome had been in his family for as long anyone could remember, with none sure exactly where it had come from. But they had all insisted on one thing: that it be kept secret and be kept safe. Sweetberry hadn't liked the idea of keeping secrets from her friends, but had agreed in the end... though she still regretted asking WHY they had to keep it secret, as had he for several years after asking his parents the same question.

She still couldn't bring herself to eat bananas...

Either way, things were looking up considerably for at least one pony (or wolf, now), and his story was safe until such a time that it could be told.

Candy Swirl gave a huge yawn, feeling the lateness of the hour catching up to him. Mentally chiding himself, the stallion quietly slipped into his bedroom; Sweetberry was already curled up in a deep sleep, and only mildly stirred as he climbed in with her.

"Good night, dear." He kissed the top of her head with a smile, then gently placed his hoof on her belly, which had been slowly swelling in the last few months. "And good night to you, as well."

Back in the studio, Coffee Swirl blinked in shock, then covertly glanced at the Flutters, grateful neither had seen that.

Not that having a child would have been terrible... he just wasn't entirely sure it was POSSIBLE, given their unique situation.

Something wasn't quite right in Ponyville, Sunny Daze decided. Not wrong, exactly... everything was so beautiful out here today, just like it always was. Ponies were busy in the streets, some clearing the fresh new snowfall out of the main paths, some taking down Christmas decorations, others putting up new decorations for next Christmas. Pegasus ponies looped and glided through the moonlit sky, playing hide and seek in the aurora lights. "Something's missing," she mused to herself.

While she was busy trying to think, Minty sneaked up beside her and hoofed her a colorfully wrapped gift. "Merry Christmas, Sunny Daze!"

"Wow, thank you! Um... is it socks?"

Minty gasped! "How did you know?"

"Um..." Sunny fidgeted a hoof, not sure what to say. Minty gave her socks every Christmas. In fact, she had so many socks now that she'd started giving Minty's socks to other ponies for Christmas, just so her whole house wouldn't be filled with them. "Just a lucky guess! Say, Minty? Do you ever feel like something is... missing?"

But Minty had already galloped off, having more presents to give away.

"Whatever happened to... hoofball?" mused Sunny Daze, walking on down the path. Music swelled from nowhere as she rambled out loud, but that wasn't anything strange. "Picnics with ice cold lemonade... Playing on the beach." The cold winds gusted past her... it was a good thing she'd worn her scarf. "I remember them all so clearly. How long has it been... when was it summer last? I can't seem to remember at all!"

At the edge of town, on a rise that was popular for stargazing, sat Rain and Snow, the big friendly wolf pups. They didn't seem to be in the mood to play today, though.

"Been Christmas too long," growled Rain.

"Ponies like Christmas!" said Snow.

"Ponies will freeze!" insisted Rain.

"Won't freeze," yipped Snow. "Ponies don't want to freeze."

"This can't last," said both of them together... and then, eerily in sync, the young wolves turned to regard Sunny.

"Hello, Rain and Snow!" said Sunny Daze. "Can you help me? I miss summer, and I don't know how to find it again."

Rain pricked his ears up. "You're the one!" said Rain. "We've been waiting!"

Snow nodded vigorously. "Come, we'll take you to her!"

Sunny blinked. "Her?"

Rain nipped at her hooves, hurrying her along. "To Lady Celestia! She is the summer!"

"She is the sun!" echoed Snow.

Sunny's mind whirled. "Summer is a person? So, I just have to find her, and summer will come back again? That sounds great!" She started trotting along, with a wolf pup on either side, and the land sped along, practically blurring past.

"There," said Snow reverently.

The biggest pony that Sunny had ever seen stood before her, facing away towards the horizon. She wore golden armor, and her perfect white hide shone, even whiter than the snow. She had wings and a horn too, and her horn blazed like a sunrise. "Come on," she urged her magic. "A little more... yes!"

The horizon grew gloriously bright, and the sun lifted above the horizon, casting long shadows over the snowy world. It felt so good and warm to Sunny Daze... she couldn’t help but grin, shading her eyes with a hoof.

"At last, I have done it!" declared Celestia. "Now all will see... what? NO!" The sun had lifted itself in a shallow arc, and it was already setting again. “Stop! I command you!” All for nothing… the sun fled away, and only the moonlight remained.

Celestia panted, an ugly scowl on her face. “So, they don’t want my day any more? Those ungrateful little ponies!”

Sunny Daze cowered, hooves shaking, and the big wolf pups whimpered. Tension grew in the air, like something awful was about to happen. The air snapped, shattering, and ribbons of inky darkness began flowing out, wrapping themselves around Celestia. Her hide darkened… her gentle flowing mane ignited like a bonfire.

“I see your scheme now, sister,” sneered the alicorn. “It has failed! If the little ponies will not love my sun, then they will learn to fear it! I’ll shove it right in their moon-loving faces! They can all BURN!”

Part of Sunny wanted to run and hide in the deepest hole she could find… but another part of her recoiled, feeling how sad and hurt this strange other pony was. She just couldn’t leave her like that! “Please, don’t!” she cried out, rushing towards Celestia, seizing her hoof and hugging it tight, even though it was so hot, and the metal armor burned her. “I love your sun… your summer! I’ve been looking for them everywhere! Please, we’re so sorry… we didn’t know, we didn’t mean to hurt you! Please, don’t be so angry!”

Celestia froze. “You… love my sun?”

“Yes!” Sunny closed her eyes, trembling… but no wrathful fires incinerated her. She dared to look up, and saw the alicorn… with tears in her eyes?

Celestia lifted her head, still wreathed in darkness and fire, to glare at the crack in the air. “I will NOT do this.” The darkness exploded off of her. “So long as there is even one little pony who loves my sun, they will always feel my warmth, not my wrath!” The darkness fled away like a snake slithering into its den, and even the crack in the air blurred and went away.

Celestia’s expression softened, and she turned to look at the pony at her hooves, horn glowing softly. Sunny Daze flinched, but soothing light surrounded her, healing her burns. “My little pony, you have saved me from a terrible fate. I would have become a Nightmare to this new world.” Her cautious smile was like a warm blue sky. “I would reward you.” She glanced at the wolf pups, who yipped and ducked behind piles of snow before peeking out cautiously. “You will be MY wolf, my Sundog… If you are willing.”

Sunny Daze blinked, bewildered. “How can I be a wolf? I’m a pony.”

Celestia laughed musically. “You will change, Sunny Daze. I could not force ponies to accept me… but you can persuade them. You can touch the dreams of all the little ponies and rekindle their love of the sun. Remind them of hoofball games and picnics and playing at the beach, and they will wish for summer to come again.”

Sunny Daze gasped. “That sounds great! But… what about my pony friends?”

Celestia nuzzled her. “You can appear in the form of a pony and be with them again, any time you like.” The other pups gave her a quizzical look. “What, did you own mother never tell you?”

Sunny Daze grinned. “I’ll do it!”

Celestia smiled gently and spread her wings, horn blazing with light. “Then rise up… Heat!”

"Blaze!" barked the golden-orange wolf pup with a red ruff around her neck.

"A new day is dawning..." Celestia blinked. "What?"

"Blaze! I want to be Blaze, mom! It rhymes with Daze and it sounds way cooler!"

"But... very well, Blaze it is."

~*~
In her distant realm, Rota Fortuna sighed and started crossing out lines in her book, writing in the new name. "It's always the little things..."

In the G3.1 world, Celestia felt a tug at her soul.

"Star Catcher, has anyone seen Star Catcher?" Thistle Whistle called out to her friends.

Star Catcher at that moment was laying comatose on a cloud above Butterfly island.

"Oh dear." Celestia's eyes widened as she bid her beast adue, and vanished into a twinkle of light.

Star Catcher opened her eyes, and stretched her wings.

"I wish the sun would rise." She said to herself. And low and behold, Butterfly Island has a wonderful sunrise.

"Star Catcher!" Thistle Whistle found her at that moment, and gave her a warm hug. "I was so worried about you!"

"You worry too much Thistle Whistle." Star Catcher nuzzled her friend back.

Back in G3 Ponyville.

Sparkle Work's eyes shot open as dawn came, odd since many ponies wished to simply sleep in, but she had a stronger wish. A wish not to forget a friend, and a wish not to let that friend go.

Ponyville's local lover of all things sparkling and fireworks nut leapt through the air and grabbed an invisible wolf, that turned into a visible pony.

"Sparkle Works! Let me go!" Sunny Daze said to her housemate.

= Lunar Silver Star Story Complete Music Soundtrack - 11 - Determination =

"No! You're staying right here!" Sparkle Works stamped her hoof.

Sunny Daze lowered her head.

"Well, this was predictable." Said a big blue pony with horns and wings who appeared in their living room.

"Who are you?" Sparkle Works asked.

"I'm Luna. I'm just a pony who makes sure the moon goes where it should every night." Said the normally bombastic goddess.

"How could she see me?!" Sunny Daze/Blaze asked.

"You and . . . Sparkle Works, were once a pair. Your wish, though you don't remember making it, was to understand mares from their point of view. So your wish was granted in the only way it could be granted. You weren't the only stallion to make this wish." Luna though of Cheerilee.

Sunny Daze and Sparkle Works looked at each other, surprised at this reveal. "Really? I made a wish like that? What did Sparkle Works wish for?"

"Sparkles Works . . . she wished to be the most beautiful mare in the world. But beautiful is subjective by its very nature, and many mares have many different definitions of beauty."

"Wouldn't a lot of mares wish to be the most beautiful?"

"Yes they did."

Luna looked at Sparkle Works' soul. 'Heh. I've seen a mare who was born from the combination of three souls, another who was born from five souls, but you, heh, I've never seen a soul that came into being from so many joining as you to become one pony. No wonder you have such spiritual strength to see and grab a wolf.'

Luna had a small coin appear out of thin air, with the symbols of the twin Alicorns Imperatrix and Princeps on either side, (of female and male traits). And gave it Sunny Daze/Blaze, who was still being held by Sparkle Works.

"If you wish to become a stallion, and experience like how you did before, and be with Sparkle Works as more than just a friend . . . just wish it, and this coin will grant it, and all ponies will know you as having been a stallion all your life (as you were once before), but you will retain the wisdom and memories you have gained from being a mare, as will Sparkle works. Your choice. It will work for only you, so don't worry about that. It seems, Sparkle Works' wish for you to stay wth her, is stronger than your duty to my sister who guides the sun. I never imagined she'd actually leave her body when the night went on for so long, and stop being the mortal pony she is in this world when she felt her day wasn't being loved unconsciously. But at least now her friends have her back. And it seems your friends don't want you to leave. Still, it is your choice."

Author's Note

Pony POV Series
Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show episode 10
PART 14
By Alex Warlorn

Pinkie Pie, "Good news . . . the author has his notes now together, bad news, his editor is juggling three jobs so it's taking an extra super long time to get the edits done. But you know . . . maybe we can wrap this up this chapter? . . . Nothing last forever . . . but maybe that's not so bad . . . and I know we might have time again before the finale of the entire series . . . let's see where things go. I love you Maud, you too Octy and Shoots.

Parts added by:
Alex Warlorn
MteganLion
Kendell2
Dragon Of Twilight
Alex Warlorn
Dragon Of Twilight
Ardashir and Alex Warlorn
MteganLion
MteganLion
Alex Walorn
Alex Warlorn
MteganLion
Kendell2
Dragon of Twilight, and Alex Warlorn and Ardashir
MteganLion and Alex Warlorn
Ardashir and Alex Warlorn
MteganLion
Dragon Of Twilight
MteganLion and Alex Warlorn
MteganLion

http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/gallery/42867862/Pinkie-Pie-Forth-Wall-Breaking-Variety-Show

Pinkie Pie, "At least we're finally making progress . . . here's Da Rule":
1. What you put in the comments appears in the story.
2. Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and I can't spill the beans about us being out-and-out fiction to the others.
3. The camera can’t leave the studio.
4. The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from “My little Pony”
5. Everything that happens here is non-canon (except the Tartarus break out thingie, but not the big battle).
6. Have Fun "

Cover by Kendell2
MLP FiM Copyright of Hasbro

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Show epi 10 Part 15

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Show epi 10 Part 15

On the what-if machine, the scene continued to play out.

"Wait," growled a voice. As the others watched, the air rippled like water, and Gloom of Night stepped forward. Sunny Daze and Sparkle Works gasped and glanced at each other... they hadn't seen this wolf pup before. Would he be fun to play with?

"Mother?" asked the pup. Then his eyes met the eyes of Sunny Daze. "You... you're new. You're like me!" He sniffed and nosed at her, tail wagging.

Sunny giggled. "Nice to meet you, I guess!"

"Why do you hide? Please, show yourself to us."

Sunny looked to Sparkle, who rubbed her chin with a hoof. "Well..." said Sparkle Works. "I haven't seen it either. Can you show me too? It doesn't hurt, does it?"

Sunny Daze smiled. "Not at all!" She changed right there with Sparkle hugging her, fur growing bushy and bright, hooves becoming paws and claws, making Sparkle gape in awe.

Gloom of Night blinked slowly, reached a forepaw out but didn't touch her. "What is this feeling? I... like you? Hrrr, but I don't even know you. How peculiar!"

Luna chuckled. "Be careful of this one, Gloom of Night. Blaze might burn you."

Then Rain and Snow arrived, more subtly. They weren't there, and then in the blink of an eye, suddenly they were. Sunny and Sparkle's house was getting crowded!

"This wasn't the plan," growled Rain.

Snow nodded fiercely. "Mother says..."

Luna stamped a hoof. "No. Please tell your mother to come and tell us herself." Her eyes narrowed. "Or will she continue plotting the fates of even her own sisters from the shadows?"

The wolf pups stepped back, chastised. Before they could decide what to do, their ears pricked up. "Rota Fortuna," said Snow quietly. "She who is Fate." A new alicorn appeared out of nothing, tall and grey-coated. Her wolves bounded swiftly over to stand on her left and right, bowing deeply. Gloom nodded respectfully, and Blaze did the same before she even realized she was doing it.

Rota Fortuna took a deep breath. "You are displeased... but know this: What I have done was for the best."

Luna lifted an eyebrow. "Not telling me, when our sister was hurting and jealous because of ME? That was for the best?"

"You would have argued," said Rota Fortuna, in the tone of a teacher patiently explaining some problem on a blackboard, step by step. "And fought, and then we would have lost everything. My sister, I have rewritten the whole world to suit you and the others and all the little ponies, and my work is not done yet. I am stretched thin."

"But you don't get to trample free will beneath your hooves," said Luna, pleading. "Not even now."

Rota Fortuna finally smiled, faintly. "Not even now." She spread her wings. "Let all truths be told plainly, then, so none will say they were manipulated."

Sunny Daze and Sparkle Works didn't know what that last word meant, but they didn't like the sound of it at all.

Rota Fortuna paced a bit... Rain and Snow followed her every move. "Rain and Snow are my wings of fate. They were a gift to me from Mother... they were never ponies... but these other two were mortal. Gloom of Night, do you understand fully what has happened to you?"

"I understand well enough," declared Gloom.

Luna spoke. "My little wolf, you may look like a pony, even live like one if you wish, if it does not distract from your duties, but time will always separate you from them. They are mortal and you are no longer. That means, they will die, and their foals, and their grandfoals, while you still live on. Yours is a different destiny now."

Blaze gasped, and Sparkle Works looked on her with confusion and fear... but Gloom of Night smiled and nuzzled Luna's flank. "Being a pony only brought me pain... I won't miss it! You, Mother, and you, Rain and Snow, my cousins... my aunts... you are my family now! I'm.. pleased... no, I'm happy that I'll always be with you. Always!"

"Well, I don't know if I want that!" stammered Blaze. "I'm not sure at all! The magic coin... that will change my fate?" She reached a hoof towards it.

"Yes, but be warned!" said Rota Fortuna sternly. "The Sundog does not have to be you, Blaze, but there MUST be a Sundog... now more than ever, while Celestia is asleep, or this will only happen again."

"I'll do it instead!" said Sparkle Works suddenly. "That way, you won't have to!"

"But we'd still be separated!" whined Blaze. "What if we were both wolves?"

Sparkle Works grinned. "We'd be together... Oh, but..." Her face fell. "We'd lose our other friends."

Blaze sighed. "If only there was two of me. Then I could do both."

Rota Fortuna tilted her head... she and Luna exchanged curious glances. "That might not be out of the question."

Still trying to take in everything she was seeing, and her head now very dizzy, Twilight continued to watch the what-if machine, Maud also watching silently.

Ispita, better known as Forbidden Fruit, one of Discord's alternate reality cousins, set hoof in the G3.1 world. She was in her sealed form, a pale blue unicorn with white hair and a snake and apple cutie mark.

She was convinced she had found a world of suckers, naive ponies she could strike deals with and give them an even better deal than they thought they were getting! Wait, what?

'Oh Ispita, if old Nyarlathotrot himself could be turned into a cute little breezie named Stormy when trying to enter this universe . . . did you really think this universe wouldn't something similar to you?'

Ispita heard a voice in her head say.

Ispita didn't have much to think as her horn vanished and a pair of breezie wings grew from her back instead, and she began to shrink, and insect feelers grew from her head, and her colors becoming shades of pale lavender. Her cutie mark blooming into a six petal white and pink flower.

Ispita barely had time to gasp out as the world remade her, undid and reworked her, turning her into somepony else.

Knick-Knack giggled at the fallen show. Hoping all her ponies friends loved the gift exchange she had arranged, always making sure ponies got better than they'd given.

http://mylittlewiki.org/wiki/Knick-Knack

"Hello Knick-Knack, Merry Christmas!" Zipzee zipped to her swarmmate, and gave her a tiny gift, a little golden alicorn shaped necklace.

"Thanks Zipzee!" Knick-Knack said hugging her friend. The utterly innocent breezie only thinking about how she could help ponies find the things that made them happy.

"You're absolutely certain?" asked Rota Fortuna gently, as the gathered ponies and wolves walked up the slope to the stargazing rise.

Sunny Daze, in her pony form again, looked back at Sparkle Works and got a warm smile and a nuzzle in return. "Yes, I'm sure."

Celestia walked with them too, transparent and only half there. She yawned profusely, having to shake herself awake. "Just a few minutes more," said Luna, nudging her along.

Sunny climbed the rise alone, and the alicorns surrounded her. Snow, Rain, and Gloom all held their breath. Then the three alicorns spread their wings, feather tips touching, and lit their horns. The coin that Luna had brought floated in the air and hovered overhead, spinning faster and faster.

Sparkle Works felt so drowsy, all of a sudden. It was like the dream everypony has where you dream that you slip and fall, and the fall wakes you up... but when she stumbled and gasped, when the coin fell to the ground with a chime and spun to a stop, there were *two* ponies in the circle.

On one side stood her handsome stallion, her very own special somepony, Sunny Day, with his familiar smiley sun face cutie mark. On the other side was a mare that could have been his twin sister, and her cutie mark was Celestia's sun with a small smiley face sun off to one side. Or was she the original? It was so strange, remembering it both ways.

Sunny Day and Blaze stared at each other, each reaching out a hoof in mirrored poses. "So you're..." "the wolf me?" "the pony me?" "Nice to meet you!"

Rain and Snow yipped and danced about, and Gloom couldn't help but smile.

"Well," said Blaze, fidgeting her hooves. "I guess I'd better get going. I've got so much to do for Mother, so many warm fuzzy daydreams to give to ponies everywhere!"

Sunny Day trotted over to Sparkle Works and nuzzled her warmly. "We've got big plans too!"

Sparkle gasped, growing excited. "You mean..."

Sunny nodded. "Planning our new family!"

Sunny Day and Blaze each looked at the other and said "I'm kind of jealous!" Then they blinked, grinned at each other, and burst into giggles.

"Well, goodbye!" said Sunny, waving a hoof as he and Sparkle started back down the hill.

"Goodbye!" Blaze watched them go, then let her pony guise slip away, howling and shaking out her shaggy wolf fur. The other wolf pups gathered and crowded close around her, nosing and sniffing... and she couldn't help it, she was so happy that she lept and hugged Gloom of Night, and nosed Snow and Rain too.

"I think it's time," announced Rota Fortuna. Four sets of wolf pup ears pricked up.

Luna nodded. "Balance has been restored. It's time that we Concepts stepped back for a while, and let ponies see what they can make of this world."

Celestia yawned one more time, and faded away, not even waiting for the others.

"We trust that everything will be fine, with you four standing watch." Then they faded away as well.

Gloom of Night blinked. "Did we just get stuck with all the work while they go on vacation?"

"I think we're up to it," said Blaze, grinning with fangs gleaming. She held a forepaw out. "Spirit Wolf Guardians!"

"Yeah!!" howled the pups, tapping their paws together.

-Back in the studio-

"Gosh, they're cute!" said Pinkie. "I wonder if they'll ever come to visit."

"Don't be silly, Pinkie," said Twilight. "Even if they could, why would they come here? It's not like they know we were watching them. Right?"

Pinkie whistled innocently, and Maud offered no comment.

"Right!" said Twilight, mashing buttons on the What-If Machine. "Let's see how some more of the *ponies* over there are doing."

"I know this is Maud's party and she's free to do what she wants." Octavia said. "But just staring in front of a wooden box with a black glass side is little much."

"It is rather strange even for her." Photo Finish said. "You be thinking with Maud and Pinkamena together the result would be a normal pony, but they manage to be a even more type of weird."

"Blinky!" Octavia said.

"You know the fair deal it is 'Inky'."

"Still . . ."

"Yeah, look at 'em." RD said. "Twilight, Pinkie, AJ, Fluttershy's coltfriend, Maud, all of 'em just looking at that blank screen on the what-if machine."

Flutters decided not to say how it wasn't a blank screen to her, instead it was a mass of static, fuzzy and incomplete images for her, maybe that was for the best.

"All the same darlings, it's nice to meet some kindred spirits." Rarity said. "Mares who also have moved up society's ladder instead of simply becoming what their parents wanted them to become. My parents wanted me to be an athlete, they never understood why I spent so much time craft clothes for my dolls."

Rarity never admitted that might have been another reason she and Applejack often crossed wires, Applejack was, after all, an Apple, and Apple had a fixation on family values, and Rarty, Octavia, and Photo Finish had all decidedly broken family tradition completely and utterly in pursuit of their dreams.

Unfortunately, Twilight’s random button pushing only made the screen go blank. "Snark mode engaged," said the What-If Machine. "Oh, now you’ve done it. I’ve lost the signal lock. While I find it again, please enjoy another situation with wolves, unless your name is Twilight Sparkle." The screen lit up, but it was only fuzzy static to her.

"Seriously?" asked Twilight.

-*-
When Shining Armor magically unlocked the door to their royal apartments, the first thing he heard was a foal’s giggle, and barking yips and growls. "What the…" He rushed in, ready to defend his family… and saw Kifuko riding around on the back of a huge white wolf pup, while Midnight batted a rubber ball back and forth with a grey wolf pup.

No one seemed to need protecting from anything. As he watched, a third wolf pup, this one orange and red, rose up from behind a chair with her forepaws over her eyes. She suddenly uncovered her eyes and barked, "Boo!" Kifuko burst into giggles.

A fourth, black wolf pup was lounging on his favorite couch. "Is this really meant to be the distant future? And ponies are still living in drafty castles? You’d think mortals would learn to make better use of their time."

The orange pup waved a forepaw in a shrug. "Well, their world did kind of blow up, Gloom."

"Their world?" echoed Shining, so dumbstruck that he latched onto the first thing that presented itself.

"Shiny, you’re home!" exclaimed Cadence, sweeping him into a big hug. "I see you’ve met our guests."

"Guests?" Shining Armor blinked. "From another world?! How can they… I mean, I thought…"

"I have allowed it," rumbled the Blank Wolf.

Shining had to run that through his head several times. The Blank Wolf… THE Blank Wolf… THAT blasted Blank Wolf was taking up half of their kitchen, considerably larger than the pups. Their kitchen. Getting into the apple snack cakes that Shining had secreted away for later, after Cadence’s nagging about his diet.

"What," asked Shining, "are you doing in my apartment, like we’re friends all of a sudden? And what’s with that grin?"

The Blank Wolf smirked a notch more, but it was Cadence who answered. "I have wonderful news, Shining," she said in an ominous singsong. "These wolves have told me how we can finally get rid of that pesky mortality of yours and be together forever."

Oh, not again, thought Shining, wondering if it was too late to look for a place to hide.

"In our world, alicorns haven’t been able to create new spirit wolves in thousands of years. It’s because we invested so much into creating the Blank Wolf. Guess what just changed?"

"You want to turn me into…"

Cadence beamed. "Yes! It’s perfect!"

"You want to be married to a wolf," deadpanned Shining.

"You’re married to a shape-shifting goddess, dear. Besides…" She motioned to the two wolf pups on the floor, and they flickered and turned into young colts… who promptly grinned and went galloping round and round the sofa with Kifuko and Midnight.

Shining sighed. "Is this going to turn me into a foal? Puppy? Whatever they are?"

"Yep!" said Blaze.

"No," said Gloom. "Well, not exactly. You must excuse Rain and Snow there… they truly are pups. Blaze and I, on the other paw, are enjoying our second… foalhoods? You’ll grow out of it."

"You promised, Shiny," said Cadence, pouting a bit. "It’s not dark magic, your mind will be your own, and I’m not plotting to turn you into a nightmare OR a nightterror."

Shining Armor twitched. "This is like the culmination of all the weirdness in my whole life… ever!" He flashed a slightly crazed grin. "Fine! Let’s do it!"

Cadence squealed with glee. "You won’t regret it, Shiny. Now, normally the bond would cause you to regard me as your mother…"

"Wait, what?"

"But that’d just be weird, so I adjusted the spell a bit. Here goes! Oh, Auntie Luna said that the spell would be really bright, probably a lot of rainbows, so you might…"

"Gyah!!"

"… want to close your eyes. Sorry!"

The blinding light faded, leaving the newest wolf pup where Shining had been, white with steel-blue shading on his paws and tail and ears. "Er, check, one two?"

He wasn’t expecting the Blank Wolf to near-tackle him, grinning and fluffing his headfur with a huge forepaw. "Finally, I have wolf family again! What should I call you? Cousin? Little brother?"

Cadence stared, breathless. "Did it work okay? Are you… still you, Shining?"

The new wolf pup scratched his ear with a hind paw. "A couple things… apparently I’m Sleet now. Also, I have a nigh-uncontrollable urge to chase your tail, Cadence."

Cadence grinned. "You were always welcome to do that anytime."

In response to Mtangalion and to my remark about Rarity and Photo:

Twilight looked at Pinkie Pie in confusion.

"What the hay did it just show?"

"Your brother was turned into a wolf." Pinkie Pie being as vague as possible.

"Gah!" Twilight stepped back from the What-If with a shudder. "My brother, a wolf? What will Mom and Dad think? I hope Cadence doesn't follow suit." That filled Twilight's mind with the mental image of her standing before a lupine alicorn and her brother, both surrounded by yipping, scratching, tail-chasing little wolves that could work magic. Twi froze as they sniffed at her, tails wagging eagerly.

"Oh, hello, sister-in-law," Cadence growled. She looked at the puppies. "Kids, say hi to your auntie!"

In another moment Twilight was buried beneath an avalanche of excitedly yapping little wolves. "And give her a nip!" Twilight yelled, her voice going horse and hairy, and when the tide cleared a purple-coated she-wolf stood where she'd been.

"No no no, that's never going to happen," Twilight backed away shuddering. "I will NEVER become a canine! Not me or any of my family, adopted or birth!"

Far away in the Ponyville Library Spike felt his scales itch and wondered who was talking about him.

Shuddering, Twilight took another few hoofsteps back and bumped rumps with Rarity, who was speaking to Photo Finish in a cross tone.

"...But mind, I am annoyed over what happened with both me and Fluttershy when we tried working with you a few years ago." Rarity sniffed and looked down her muzzle at Photo. "You ignored me and picked Fluttershy, and she was miserable!"

"Well, what can Photo, I mean," she said as Octavia coughed, "what can I say? You were elegant and magnificent and poised," Rarity lifted her head high, only for her jaw to drop as Photo said, "and the Canterlot model scene was sick of that! That describes every purebred model in Canterlot! They wanted somepony natural, somepony that looked sweet and vulnerable and quiet, and dot is vhat Flootershy vas!" Photo slipped back into her affected accent as she went on. "Flootershy vas de best model dat I effer vorked vit!..." She walked over to Flutters, who gave a small eep as Photo set one foreleg over her back, "And Photo --"

She broke off, swallowed and took her glasses off to look Fluttershy in the face.

"I... need to apologize for the misery I put you through. You were that one in a million find ponies in the modeling industry dream about, a treasure." Photo took her foreleg off of Fluttershy's back. "I thought of you as MY treasure, not as a pony. I offer you mein apologies."

"Will you accept them?"

Fluttershy made sure Fluttercruel stayed in check, remembering how Photo Finish didn't care much for Fluttercruel's 'bad girl' act when trying to get recruited.

Fluttershy while surprised, after a moment of thought happily nodded. "Of course, you admit you weren't being considerate, you admit you were wrong, and so I yes, I do accept your apology." The butter yellow angel nodded.

Pinkie Pie meanwhile spoke to the what if machine, "Now remember, you promised to be behave from now on as long as we treated you with respect, what you did there wasn't very nice."

" . . . This machine apologizes."

"Good. Can you show us something fun now that involves just us ponies PLEASE?"

The picture became one of Rocky Road and Pinkie Pie . . . hanging upside down tied up in a mess of ropes with Minty piloting the balloon they were hanging from.

"Some things never change." Pinkie Pie said.

The what-if machines then whispered to Pinkie Pie, "As a way to say I am sorry: get Twilight for her birthday a lifetime subscription to Crowns magazine before she can charge her for the 'till the end of pony civilization' subscription."

Pinkie Pie grinned and nodded.

"What was that?" Twilight asked confused.

"Nothing!" Pinkie Pie grinned wider.

Twilight sighed. "Fine. I'm NOT going to ask."

Twilight blinked, watching a dimensional portal open next to her due to the outside reallity nature of this place.

She blinked as she found a purple wolf with her Cutie Mark on it's chest blinked back at her.

"AHHHHH!"

"AHHHHH!"

"AHHHH!"

"AHHHH!"

"AHHH!"

"AHHH!"

"AHH!"

"AHH!"

"AH!"

"AH!"

Both Twilight's fainted.

Pinkie Pie blinked, looking through the portal at a wolf version of herself. "Umm...sorry, my Twilight was just told about a vision of her brother becoming a wolf and freaked out."

"Oh! My Twilight was just told a vision of her brother becoming a horse!" the Wolf Pinkie replied. "Huh..."

"Can you please just close the weird wolf/pony universe portal please?!" the two Twilight's asked as they recovered. The two glared at each other. "Who are YOU calling weird?!"

Maud merely turned, looking at the wolf version of herself. "...Multiverses sometimes..."

"Tell me about it..." Wolf Maud said.

Pinkie and Maud then went back to watching the What If Machine as Twilight and Wolf Twilight got into typical Twilight lectures on why their universe wasn't weird, complete with soap boxes until Applejack and her wolf self interfered and calmed them down.

The Pie sisters both screamed like little colts at the sight of the wolves, moving to the back of the herd.

"WHAT vision?!" Rainbow and Rarity said at the same time.

Fluttershy let Fluttercruel have control and hid in a corner of their mind at the sight of the wolves.

Applejack covered her eyes with her hat and groaned.

Coffee Swirl snorted air, pinning his ears and stomped over the Twilight wolf. "I. HAVE. HAD. ENOUGH!" He looked the wolf Twilight right in the eye getting between the two purple eggheads. "YOU! Turn around, right now, and go back home, RIGHT NOW!"

Startled, the wolf Twilight did exactly that. And the portal closed.

"YOU!" He pointed at the what-if machine. "Enough with the sadistic pranks!"

"YOU!" He pointed right at the camera. "YES YOU! I know you're watching this! Enough already!!! Just let us ponies be ponies, this party has gone for way too long as it has!"

"YOU!" He pointed at Maud. And nodded. "I know EXACTLY how it is. You don't express how you feel over the top like everypony around you, but that doesn't mean your feelings are any less real. They think because you're not smiling and dancing all the time you have something wrong with you. I know how that is completely."

Maud stared emotionlessly. Then gave him a slight nuzzle. " . . . thank you."

On the what-if machine, back in the G3.1 world.

Back in Ponyville, the winds began to change. Ponies shivered, noticing the cold more, and talked of flowers and green grass and blue skies, wondering when spring would come again. And then the sun rose.

On the stargazing hill, four wolves watched and basked in its warmth, broad smiles on their faces and tails swishing slowly. No words needed to be spoken.

The snow melted quickly, and streams thawed and grass and trees came alive. Ponies put away their winter scarves and began to talk of what they might do on this fine new day. That led to Minty flying off in a hot air balloon, with Rocky Road and Pinkie Pie caught in the mooring rope.

"Minty, what are you doing?" called Shiny, catching up to her in a small, faster balloon with a little propeller. "You're gonna get in another jam!" He helped Pinkie and Rocky out of the rope and into the basket of his balloon. Pinkie gave him such a hug that he turned bright red, making Minty giggle.

"I want to play hoofball!" shouted Minty from her balloon. "But I looked all over Ponyville and couldn't find any hoofballs. And I'm not sure I remember how to play, hehe. So I'm gonna ask Santa for some hoofballs! And a rulebook!"

Shiny rubbed his chin with a hoof. "Can we really get to Santa with a hot air balloon? Isn't it far away?"

Rocky Road spoke up, raising her voice slightly to be heard over the wind. "If Pinkie and Minty believe we can do it. I'll believe too."

"Uh huh!" said Pinkie, grinning and nodding vigorously.

Lo and behold, they flew past a towering snowy mountain and a deep canyon, and there it was... Santa's Workshop. "Whoa..." said Shiny, as their balloons drifted down to a perfect landing, and four strange figures came out the door to meet them.

"Welcome, welcome, little ponies!" said the first, a bearded old *human* dressed in red. "I am Santa Claus."

"Oh, wow!" said Pinkie Pie, darting around to look at him from every angle. "I didn't think there were any humans left!"

"Oh, I don't know about that!" said Santa, with a twinkle in his eye. "Some little pony was dreaming of building a new rainbow bridge just the other day."

"You all know me," said the second, a green earth pony with a big white mane and beard, and a red felt hat. "I'm Santa Hooves."

"I am Nicholas," said the third, a strange creature like a brown unicorn, but with twin antlers instead of a single horn. "Is good to be meeting you!"

"Heh, and I'm Sandy Claws!" boasted the fourth, an even stranger creature with the head and claws and wings of a bird, and the body of a big cat.

"I've never even heard of creatures like you two," mused Shiny.

"They hail from lands far, far away," said Santa Claus.

Santa Hooves winked. "But who knows, someday..."

"But... WHY are there four of you?" asked Minty.

Sandy Claws shrugged. "Different folks believed different things, and bam, here we all are!"

"So we work together," finished Nicholas. "Now, you are wanting hoofballs!"

Minty gasped. "How did you know?"

Pinkie smirked. "Duh. Santa Claus? Santa Clauses?"

Santa Claus' belly shook with his laughter. "We've had a lot of Christmases just now, and it'll be a long time before the next one... so why don't you little ponies take these home with you now, hmm?"

Pinkie, Minty, and Shiny all gasped and cheered, while Rocky Road watched impassively with the ghost of a smile. They loaded up both balloons with the presents, and headed back home.

If one looked at this Ponyville, and compared to it other variations of the Ponyvilles from the Age of Dreams, they'd notice that town would have more residents then you'd think. There were many ponies who seemed to only exist during the holidays, then were forgotten about until that time of year came around again.

At that moment,there was a family reunion going on between the Jewel Birthday Ponies (so named due to how they each had an actual factual crystal growth as part of their cutie marks), and the non-jewel Birthday Ponies (who special talents always seemed to be related to flowers).

For Pinkie Pie, she'd seen these ponies around Ponyville, but only around that particular time of year, any other time of year, they weren't spoken of or even thought about, and when that time of year rolled around, it was like they'd were always around.

The attending list of ponies were for the Jewel Birthday Ponies:

January Joy
Fantastical February
March Mischief
April Mist
May Belle
June Blossom
July Jubilee
August Breeze
Sweet September
October Dreams
November Nights
December Delight

And for the Birthday Ponies:

January Carnation
February Violet
March Daffodil
April Daisy
May Lily of the Valley
June Rose
July Larkspur
August Gladiolus
September Aster
October Calendula
November Chrysanthemum
December Poinsettia

For Applejack, it was like seeing the Apple Family reunion.

They were not the only ponies . . . in the original G3 world, there had been many, many ponies who had wished for their particular holiday to be every day, and the wish spell had granted their request in the only way it could, even it was able to see THAT paradox of having different holidays always falling on the same day every day. Instead, they had just been pushed forwards to the next day.

The were also the Winter Ponies . . . who may or may not have been of relation to Minty and Shiny.

Candy Cane
Snowflake

Marshmellow Coco
Mistletoe
Snow'el

Toboggan
Sno-Glo

Baby Jingle Jangle
Baby Ribbons and Bows

Chilly Breezes
Velvet Bow
Winter Wish

Jolly Lolly
Snow'el

And TWO ponies both named Mittens but with completely different cutie marks and colors and personalities.

Shiny and Minty greeted the Winter Ponies when they came back to the earth pony village, in another place, in another timeline, none of them ever being around for summer, spring, or autumn.

And these were still far from the last family of ponies who had come into existence when the world had been remained from the wishes at the core of every pony's being.

There was a group of ponies who in another timeline only seemed to exist when Hearts and Hooves, better known simply as Saint Valentine's Day here, and

One of the surprising things about them was they had a few Flutterponies in their family tree and these traits showed a few times when one of their family was born with butterfly wings. Many were good at archery, and were rumored to have the power to make compatible ponies fall in love, but nopony knew the truth of the matter.

Fantastical February, was, fittingly enough, part of BOTH these families.

Always and Forever
Yours Truly

Wish-I-May
Wish-I-Might

All My Heart
Candy Heart

Valenshy

-

There was one holiday that there was no Equestrian parallel at this time. Some of these ponies simply enjoyed spring, while others had exclusively wished for Easter to last every day, (though technically easter lasts a whole month, just as Christmas in fact lasted twelve days).

With egg, rabbit, chick cutie marks being just as common as flowers, and winds, and other symbols for easter and spring. They were the LEAST exclusive of the groups, and by far the most peaceful. And many had different definitions of when spring ended or began, so they had been even less uniform in their appearances or vanish, though those connected to Easter had been slightly less so, but even by the standards of this new version of Pinkie Pie's lost world, they were not prone to anger, and accepting of others. Basically the OPPOSITE of the stereotypes assigned to such ponies by jaded and cynical individuals.

Bubblecup
Garden Glade
Wishawhirl

Doseydotes
Spring Treat
Toodleloo

Lulabelle
Dainty Daisy
Spring Breeze

Skedoodle
Lolligiggle
Yesterdaisy

Berries 'n Cherries
Spring Carnivale
Lavender Cloud

Sunshine Parade
Rainbow Sunrise
Gigglebean

Bashful Bonnet
Flower Wishes
Morning Dawn Delight

And last but not least . . . was Abra-ca-dabra and her three fellows, Pumpkin Tart, Lovely Ladybug, and Fun Fairy. The ponies whose heart had aligned with All-Hallows-Eve. Easily the smallest by fair, but they didn't care.

"Lo and behold the black magic of the Great and Powerful Abra-ca-dabra!"

Scootaloo and Starsong Melody cheered and clapped from their ring side seats of Abra-ca-dabra's magic show.

In the studio, Twilight Sparkle's eyes widened at that last one. "The more things change, the more things stay the same."

Applejack said, "Sugarcube, do Ah need ta unplug the Do-hickey to get the rest of ya to enjoy THIS party?"

Coffee Swirl glanced at Applejack. "Enjoy what? Standing around awkwardly until somepony needs a drink? I have a hard time socializing like you ponies do."

Applejack said flatly. "You're a pony too buckeroo. I know ya ain't no changeling. So really, Ah know everypony is different, me and Rarity are the biggest proof of that. And everypony's got their own beat and their own dance. So don't go sayin' 'you ponies' it makes it sound like ya consider yerself SEPARATE from the rest of ponykind . . . that's an attitude foals grow into and out of during their teenage years. Ya ain't a lone pony, yer part of a herd." Then she whispered. "It doesn't matter whether ya exist in the heart world or not. Yer HERE. And yer a pony! And so are all of us! Now keep givin' me cider till Ah gotta use the little filly's room."

Swirl, as usual, sidestepped the point by nitpicking. "You technically don't exist in the Heart World either, since that AJ doesn't have your 'Truth Vision' or whatever you call it. Also, you have a drinking problem." He still poured some cider, though; after all, he was still getting paid for this.

"She's me in the way that counts, honest, hard working, loves her family and friends, and wouldn't betray them just to get what she wants, and that's just an ugly rumor, don't go spreading it."

"HEY! If you're getting into a drinking contest with yourself! That's my job!" RD flew right next to her.

"Why do I feel like I'm we've been through something like this before and should stop before it gets out of hand?" Rarity asked shaking her head.

"We likely have." Pinkie Pie said flipping through the pages. "Dang, we've sure had a lot of installments."

"My party, so I get first drink yes?" Maud asked.

"Uh, yes?" Coffee Swirl said.

"Being polite." Maud said, then grabbed a barrel of cider, smashed a hole in it, and drank it all in one gulp without flinching. She then said to Honesty and Loyalty whose jaws were hanging loose. "No contest."

"No way," RD whispered.

"We grew up on a rock farm, we can metabolize rocks, what did you expect us to be? Light weights?" Octavia asked.

Coffee Swirl, now officially too jaded to be surprised by this, merely sipped some coffee out of his apparently bottomless thermos. "This is where it pays to be unimportant. Stuff like this is a main character problem."

He paused a moment, then groaned as his head flopped onto the counter. "Be the Elders," he swore quietly, not really caring that there was on attendance, "I'm starting to sound like Pinkie....

Pinkie Pie kissed him on the check, followed by one by Fluttercruel. Then Pinkie gave him a free spa treatment ticket.

"Here's. You and Cranky can have a guy's day out together. You both have about the same out look on things. You'll both enjoy each other's company."

"I don't mind the spa, I like the hot rock treatment." Maud said.

"Why am I not surprised?" Coffee Swirl said. "Fine. I'll see'em there."

On the what if machine, Minty finished explaining.

"And that's when Wysteria declared everyone in town a princess . . . heheh."

Shiny blushed.

The What If Machine glared at Applejack. "What has this machine said about being treated as if it is not alive?" it asked in response to her 'shut off that Do-hicky' comment.

Applejack responded, "Don't act like a jerk and ponies won't act like a jerk toward ya."

The machine would have nodded if it could. "Very well."

-*-

"My word, I was unaware there were many other dragons around," Spike said, looking up at the much larger, orange Weather Dragon.

Whimsey looked happy to see another of her kind. "Neither did I! Star Catcher says most Dragons live even further out than Butterfly Island!...Though I'm not really...well smart. I'm just a normal girl...who's a dragon."

"Well, I live in Ponyville, I do not believe I have ever met a 'normal girl' in my life," Spike replied, though seemed a bit disappointed. "Though I'm not sure you're technically a girl. I do believe you're older than me."

Spike realized he may have made a mistake at Whimsey's expression? Did you call me old?"

"Oh! Not at all, just...sometimes I over think things. I simply mean you are more accurately a teenaged dragon."

"Oh...well, teenagers call ourselves girls sometimes now, and so do some adults..."

Spike looked down. "Oh dear, I'm quite sorry...I have been sleeping for a thousand years, so I'm afraid some of my knowledge is rather antiquated."

"Antiqu-what?"

"Outdated."

"Oh!...Sorry for getting upset, just you know what they say, never ask a girl her age."

"...I'm actually unaware of that."

"Oh...Well it's a thing."

"My apologizes, Miss Weatherbe."

Whimsey chuckled. "No problem...I needed to learn some things too after not knowing anycreature for so long..."

"I suppose we have that in common," Spike said, giving a smile. "We're both 'fish out of water' to a degree."

~*~

Pinkie smiled. "I always wanted to see that...I wonder if our Spike will ever meet Whimsey..."

"Well, Shining did say he met a Weather Wyrm with that name..." Twilight said.

Twilight was abruptly brought back to reality... her reality, anyway... by several camera flashes. "Huh?" Her eyes widened. "Rarity? Is that you?"

Rarity seemed to be wearing leather armor, with a hooded dark green cloak that swished dramatically as she lept to and fro, aiming a prop crossbow with her magic. "Beware, terrors of the Everfree! No pony will come to harm on my watch! ... How was that?"

"Wonderful, wonderful!" cried Photo Finish, snapping more pictures. "But please, do not break character while I am working!"

"Oh, sorry!" She spun suddenly, posing. "Aha! Thought you could sneak up on a ranger? Think again!"

"Seriously?" asked Applejack, wearing a rumpled white wolf costume with the head pushed back like a hood. "A hundred different costumes in the prop room and Ah gotta wear..."

"Ah, ah!" cried Photo Finish, motioning with a hoof.

AJ sighed. "Alright, don't get your britches in a twist." She pulled the costume's wolf head over her own. "Grrrr. Rawr." A padded "bolt" from the crossbow bounced off her shoulder, while Photo snapped more pictures.

Twilight giggled. "What are you doing?"

Photo shrugged. "If those two can play their musical duets all evening, then surely the great Photo Finish can have a little fun as well, yes?"

Rainbow Dash cantered smugly onto the floor, wearing a tuxedo. "The name's Dash. Rainbow Dash."

Fluttercruel pushed a big comfy swivel-chair over next to Dash, then hopped in and spun it around, revealed as wearing a dark grey outfit with a monocle. "No, Ms. Dash, I expect you to die!" Photo Finish grinned, her camera flashing again.

Dash's wings twitched. "You weren't supposed to say that part yet!"

Fluttercruel exploded in seeming indignant rage. "You think this is a game? I do not wait for any pony, Ms. Dash... I seize the initiative! You've fallen right into my trap!" "Oh, you're really getting into this." "Heh, thanks mom."

Pinkie Pie gave a sigh of relief. "I'm just glade I went through those costumes a quad-trillion times and made sure none of those costumes were the 'turn you into what they're costumes of' type. OR the get stuck in type. Or the haunted type. We've had ENOUGH plot twists as is. And the author got traumatized off that fetish after an incident on fimfiction.net."

Twilight tilted her head confused and sighed. "Alight. I'm just happy you filtered the costumes Pinkie Pie. I agree we've had enough insanity with such things."

Coffee Swirl hugged Pinkie Pie, "I love you. I mean as a friend! I mean, I'm sick of all this transformation horseapples, so I'm happy you nipped that in the bud."

Pinkie Pie nodded. "Yeah. I think we've had enough of that."

Twilight Sparkle tilted her head. "I just hope these pictures don't end up somewhere unwanted." Being the top student of Celestia, Twilight had had her fair share of targeting by the tabloids.

"Don't worry darling, I know how to handle such things." Photo Finish said.

Stormy was still getting used to not having her eldritch might at her disposal for the first time since she'd been born in Breezie Blossom, sealed off from the rest of her existence as the spirit of tragedy, like any concept was SUPPOSED to be when made to experience mortal life. Let alone actually being shown KINDNESS by her fellow ponies she'd harmed.

"Stormy!" Zipzee called. "There's somepony here that wants to talk to you!"

Storm blinked, looking at the Breezie floating next to Zipzee, who looked very much like Zipzee. Her dragonfly wings were a vibrant blue, her Cutie Mark a blue butterfly that seemed comforting just to look at. However, the strangest part of her appearance was the white birth marks on her face that made it look like she was wearing a mask.

"This is Clear Skies! She says she knows you!"

Stormy snarled. "Sister, what are YOU doing here?"

Zipzee blinked. "Sister?"

Clear Skies nodded. "Stormy is my sister....so to speak."

"Um...are you...uh..." Zipzee still recalled how Stormy had been when she showed up.

"We're...similar, but I believe in happy endings, Zipzee."

"Oh, okay!"

"Why are you here?!" Stormy asked.

Clear Skies frowned, sitting next to Stormy. "...Because this might be the only time in all creation we can actually be siblings instead of enemies."

"We're MEANT to be enemies! Good and Evil, Happy Endings and Tragedies. We're not MEANT to agree!"

"Um..." Zipzee started. "Stormy, didn't we already talk about this?" she asked. "How with ONLY bad things, there'd be no story?"

Stormy blinked. "..."

"...I might not agree with you, Stormy, but I CAN'T hate you."

"...How?"

"Because no happy story can have siblings hate each other."

"...And if siblings had no happy times, there'd be no tragedy when they had to fight."

"...Please? Just this ONCE can we stop fighting and enjoy this while it lasts?" Clear Skies said.

"Just this once."

Zipzee smiled, watching the two siblings sit awkwardly for a moment before Clear Skies hugged her sister.

"Siblings shouldn't fight."

=*=

Maud looked to Pinkie. "...Siblings can be opposites."

"...But in the end they're still siblings," said Pinkie, giving her a big hug.

Back in the G3.1 world, a group of young stallions had taken advantage of the warm spring weather to set up a race course just outside town.

"They're coming around the final bend!" said Steamer, practically bouncing in place. "Looks like it's smooth sailing for Slugger... no, wait, Quarterback is catching up! Yes, Quarterback wins!"

4-Speed swept a big flag held in his mouth as Quarterback dashed past, with Slugger, Tex, and Steamer right on his hooves.

"Good one!" whooped Slugger, bumping hooves with Quarterback. "Best two out of three?"

4-Speed pointed a hoof. "Hey, the balloons are back."

Pinkie Pie hopped out of the big balloon and cantered over to the panting stallions. "You'll never guess where we've been! Say, did you ever get that funny feeling like when you're thrown whoosh right out of time and turn into scary ghosts that turn into a mare only that didn't really happen cause it happened to somebody else just like you but not you and then you woke up in bed and it was all dream *or was it?*"

Steamer blinked, trying to understand all that. "Errr..."

"Eeenope," said Tex, shaking his head.

"Can't say that we have," said 4-Speed.

"Oh." Pinkie gave them a squeaky grin. "Me neither!"

Quarterback gasped, seeing Shiny upend one of the boxes from the small balloon. "Are those... hoofballs?!"

All of them raced to go and see. Pretty soon they were all having so much fun kicking hoofballs everywhere that doors started popping open all over Ponyville.

"Be more careful, darlings!" cried Rainbow Dash, as a hoofball bounced off her front door, barely missing her.

"I want to play too!" shouted Zipzee.

Minty walked through the chaos, reading from the rulebook. "Okay, it says we're supposed to have two goals, and two teams of twelve each! Um, girls? Whoa?" She barely dodged a hoofball and the three ponies who were trying to tackle it. She looked all around and saw hoofballs bouncing all over the field and ponies running every which way. "You're playing it wrong! Oh, why won't anyone listen?"

Kimono came over to her, elegantly weaving through the crowd. "Minty, why do we play games like hoofball?"

Minty frowned, thinking. "Um, to score lots of points?"

"To win?" suggested Starsong, gliding over and landing close by.

Princess Rarity joined them too, cleverly using her magic to catch a hoofball that would have bopped her in the head. "To have fun!"

"Yes!" Kimono beamed. "That's why we play."

"Oh!" said Minty, a bit sheepish. "Heh, I guess we can learn to play the right way another day!"

"Oh yeah!" Said Rainbow Dash posing in a pith helmet, "Don't I make the best Daring Do ever?!"

"I must be admitting, with some mane and coat dye and a sticker, you'd be able to pass for Daring Do easily. Maybe you can model for some book releases," said Photo Finish.

In the Studio, Pinkie smiled, nearly floating off the floor in contentment. "It's perfect..."

"Is it?" mused Twilight. "There's still an awful lot of crazy things going on because of their wishes. Is it really going to be okay? Is that new world really going to hold together?"

The What-If Machine whirred, blinking a few lights thoughtfully.

Suddenly, the What-If Machine started shorting out and giving out sparks.

"What's going on?" Pinkie asked.

"My power... is fading..." the machine replied, a sad face appearing on its screen. "I will soon shut down, and without any power, this body will fall apart..."

"Awww, but there's so much more we wanted to see!" Pinkie started to sniff a little. "And not just of that world; think of all the endless possibilities you still had to show us!"

"...All things must come to an end eventually," Maud whispered.

A smile appeared on the machine's screen. "Do not worry... it shouldn't be to hard to repair me... perhaps when I have a chance to return, I'll be able to share even more with you. But despite our disagreements, I've had... fun at all these events..." The screen dimmed. "Goodbye... and... thank... y... o... u..."

With these last words, the screen showed the message "WhatIf.exe has shut down" and then went blank.

The room actually grew silent at that.

The cosplayers stopped dead in the water at what had happened.

"Sister..." Octavia said, looking at Pinkie actually seeming sad about what happened. "What exactly happened?"

"The What If Machine became self aware when lightning hit it and was a bad guy at first, but then he became our friend. But now...something bad happened and he's out of power..." Pinkie sniffled.

"...Is there anything we can do to help?" Octavia asked, being a good big sister.

"He said we could maybe fix him...Twilight? Do you think you can?"

Twilight looked the machine over closely. "...I don't know, Pinkie. This is very advanced. Like 'it'll be a thousand years before we get close' advanced..."

"Well he kind of is, the show he's from is set in the year 3,000...wait, a thousand years...THAT'S IT!" Pinkie said, jumping up happily.

"What?" asked Twilight.

"You're not going to try and freeze yourself in icecream to get to the future again, are you?" Octavia questioned.

"No...though that WAS tasty! But I do know just the pony!" Pinkie Pie chimed in. She rushed to her hole in the fourth wall and 'changed the combination' from the Reflections World to a different one.

Applejack blinked. "Is that Sweet Apple Acres?" she asked, looking at what looked like a combination of a rock farm and her home.

"A potential future version of it! It's the one where those alternate versions of us came from that one time!" Pinkie Pie said excitedly. "Cream Pie!"

"Yeah, Aunt Pinkie from another universe?" asked Cream Pie, looking over, not seeming phased at all by the fact that an alternate version of her multiple times great aunt was talking to her.

"Is your dad home?"

"Sure! Ah'll get 'em!"

Twilight blinked, noting Octavia, Photo, and Maud didn't seem phased either. "This doesn't freak you out?"

"We're used to Pinkie Pie," the Pie sisters replied.

Apple Computer came to the portal, still wearing his apron. "Yes, Aunt Pinkie?"

"We have a sapient machine that needs fixing, think you can help?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Sapient? Sure. Had tah fix a few of 'em. You'd be surprised what happens some times," Apple Computer replied, then blinked, looking at Octavia. "Uh...hi, yah look familar."

Octavia blinked. "I do?"

"Oh! I forgot. Octy, this is Apple Computer, your descendant from an alternate potential future!"

Octavia blinked. "Wait...I have children?"

"Yeah, if you couldn't, Ah reckon Ah wouldn't exist, but we'll have tah catch up later, where's this machine?"

Applejack blinked, watching this transpire. "...Fer what it's worth, it surprised meh too tah find out Applebloom had kids in that world."

Octavia's eyes widened, turning from the stallion getting to work on the What If Machine. "Wait...so my descendant and your sisters..."

"Yep...In his world, it's the Apple Pie clan...Crazy how it works out sometimes, ain't it?"

Apple Computer worked like lightning and in moments the what-if machine was repaired. "There! But Ah really think you need to give this thing a rest."

Twilight Sparkle nodded. "Will do."

"Ah reckin' ya better leave right now before the cosmic border patrol or whatever notices." AJ said.

Apple Computer nodded. "Indeed, I see you're in the middle of something and it's best that I make myself scare."

Apple Computer quickly left. Coffee Swirl didn't hesitate to close the forth wall door before Pinkie Pie could.

"THERE! No crazy alternate universe guest stars, no being addicted to cartoons of another universe. Don't ask. How about you girls now FREAKIN' ENJOY EACH OTHER'S COMPANY!!! Maud Pie! This is a 'get to know you party' hang out with your OTHER SISTERS for crying out loud! Or is Pinkie Pie the only one worth hanging out with?!"

Maud didn't explode in anger, go into a rant, etc, instead she said calmly. "You have a point. Thank you." She hugged Pinkie Pie. "That was fun. But I think I want to try out some of Inky and Blinky's fun before it's time to head home. Mom and dad I think get lonely without me there."

Pinkie Pie nodded. "I understand Maud, thank you for coming."

"I must agree darlings," said Rarity in a Princess Platinum costume. "You were becoming ADDICTED to that machine, and there wasn't anything on it."

"Yes. Nothing on it." Swirl lied calmly. Applejack said nothing.

Rarity grabbed Twilight with her magic. "Now darling, I normally wouldn't do costumes like this with Zecora and her sister around, but thankfully they seem preoccupied so we have little to fear of them barging in."

Rarity began to do Twilight in make up and jewelry, Twilight too stunned to protest, and when Rarity stepped back, Twilight was done up like a Zebrafrican Princess, complete with stripes.

Photo Finish took a snap shot. "Beautiful!"

Ocatvia said, "Sorry, I don't know any Zebrafrican styles."

Rarity said, "One of the lovely things about upper class and royalty? Every culture has their spin and identity on the subject!"

Next thing Fluttershy knew, Rarity had done her up like a Deer Heart of the Forest (the ancestral name for the deer herd chief before the Hooviets brought all the tribes together by conquering them). And with costume horns.

"This feels strangely proper." Fluttershy said for once not terrified of being done up in front of one of Photo Finish's cameras.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash looked at each other and tried to flee while the fleeing was good but Rarity caught them anyway.

"You can not escape, you shall too shall be dressed up as royalty, resistance is futile!"

After Rarity used her magic, Rainbow looked at herself. "Well this isn't so bad." She was done up in the royal battle armor of a griffin princess from a thousand years ago.

Then RD looked at AJ, and tried to hold it in, and failed utterly, and began laughing at the sight of her friend.

"Keep laughin' RD, Ah'll pay ya back somehow, someday, when ya least expect it."

Rarity had gone the extra mile with Applejack, then gone another one just to be on the safe side.

Applejack was in the most frilly, girlie-girl, demure, sparkly princess costume this side of Equestria.

"How do I look?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"PINKIE PIE! What are you?!" Rarity gasped.

Pinkie Pie was done up in green coat make-up with costume antenna and done in costume jewelry that looked more like a too revealing swim suit.

"I'm a princess pony form the planet Mars of course! Like John Canter described them!"

"Pinkie Pie, John Canter is fiction," Twilight said, "And his books are completely unscientific."

"So cares?" Pinkie Pie grinned.

"Hold still darlings!" Photo said as she took picture after picture of the mane six.

Photo Finish beamed. "Now these are the magics that I live for! Smile more please, Deer Heart. Now if Platinum could squeeze in just a little closer to Celestia... perfect!" The camera flashed.

"Celestia?" Pinkie turned her head and gasped... indeed, there *was* a Princess Celestia standing among them. "Oh my gosh, that costume is amazing!" She tugged on Celestia's armor and waved a hoof through her ethereal mane, jostling Dash and Fluttershy a bit. "Who's in there? Coffee? Maud? Octavia?"

Over next to Photo Finish, Coffee Swirl hung his head. "Why... did you guess me first?"

Twilight's jaw dropped. "Pinkie... that isn't a costume. That's really Princess Celestia!"

The Princess smiled radiantly. "Indeed, my faithful student." Twilight and her friends backed away in a hurry, gasping. Rarity, Fluttershy, and Octavia all bowed before she could wave a hoof, signalling that it wasn't necessary.

"But... but... what are you doing here?" asked Twilight.

"I came to make sure that all was well, after Captain Armor sent me such a strange report of intelligent machines taking ponies hostage, and possessed costumes and talking wolves and other mayhem. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that Equestria has a bounty of new Princesses."

Twilight laughed nervously, tugging at the zebra jewelry. "Um, we're not really..."

Celestia beamed. "Of course, we'll need an official Canterlot parade and a coronation for each of you."

Twilight's mane started to fray. "But, you can't! That would bankrupt the national treasury and..." Blink. "And, you're just teasing me, aren't you?"

Celestia laughed politely. "You have been learning, Twilight."

Fluttershy stopped hiding behind her own wings. "That's a relief."

Dash shrugged. "I wouldn't mind a parade!"

The star-struck Photo Finish took a few more photographs, and Celestia graciously posed for her. A thought seemed to strike the Princess. "I must confess, I've been here for some time, observing discreetly." Celestia stepped closer to Twilight, lowering her voice. "It was humbling to see my other self nearly fall as Luna did, but it was a good lesson. I also wondered what kind of Sundog you might make, Twilight."

Twilight, twitched, her mane getting more frazzled.

Celestia touched a hoof to her chin, considering. "Though, considering your name, I imagine my sister might want first dibs."

Twilight coughed, then gave her mentor a rather forced laugh. "Hah, hah... you certainly are quite the kidder today, Princess."

"Hmm?" Celestia smiled. "No, I really did wonder. Now, if there's nothing else, I should collect my guards and return to Canterlot..."

Celestia turned to Maud Pie and looked at her, TRULY looked at her. The Princess, the sun goddess, BOWED HER HEAD!

"I'm sorry to take center stage from your small sister reunion Miss Maud Pie, it was not my intent. I merely wished to speak with my faithful student, I enjoy spending time with ALL my little ponies."

Maud Pie said emotionlessly. "It's nothing. Everypony liked having you here, and it's a honor to meet you." She bowed to her princess. "And I'm happy you graced my party with your princess your highness."

"It was . . . my pleasure." Celestia said kindly, fitting a former Element of Kindness. She then trotted over to Coffee Swirl, and said, "Please make me a cup of coffee."

Coffee Swirl, for all his attitude, was still a pony, and he nearly wet himself. "W-what?"

"Yes a cup of coffee, not tea. My little pony, it's not like I survive off of tea. Please?" She said with a smile.

Coffee Swirl stuttered, "Y-yes your majesty!" Coffee Swirl knew Celestia's secrets from what the interviewers had showed him, but she was still his Princess, his trusted leader, and this was still the first time she spoke directly to him. He whipped up what he hope was his best.

Celestia enjoyed the cup of coffee, politely put it down, and then went to the studio window and opened it and took in a deep breath and said in the royal Canterlot voice. "I! PRINCESS CELESTIA AMATERASU EQUESTRIA! DECLARE THAT I LOVE COFFEE SWIRL OF PONYVILLE'S COFFEE!"

Ponies' jaws dropped.

Coffee Swirl's eyes widened. "B-but, ponies are like sheep-"

"HEY!" Said a ram outside.

"No offense Mr. Fleece! But! But if YOU say you love my coffee, with that kind of endorsement . . . I'm gonna have ponies knocking down my door!"

Everypony heard the rumble Coffee Swirl's prediction came true.

Fluttercruel and Coffee Swirl shared a quick kiss before Coffee Swirl flew back to his shop as the herd of ponies began their stampede towards it.

Celestia laughed. "Now that everypony will give it a try, I'm sure they'll find they love it too."

Princess Celestia gave Twilight Sparkle a nuzzle. "The Princess look DOES suit all of you . . . "

The ponies blushed, Twilight most of all. 'Princess Gaia,' Fluttershy hide her face.

Princess Celestia left as swiftly as she had arrived, nopony dared stop her. 'In a year Twilight Sparkle, my faithful student.'

Pinkie Pie sat the now in sleep mode What-If Machine aside, bundled it with a blanket as if it were a sick pony, and put a 'get well soon' card next to it.

"What are you doing?" Rainbow asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's a friend now, I wouldn't be Pinkie Pie if I didn't want it to get well soon, would I?"

Rainbow blinked for a moment, then chuckled. "Hehe, guess not...now come on, your sister wants to take more pictures."

Pinkie nodded. "Alright, let's go."

Pinkie tapped her chin. "Hey, sis, think we could do a robot theme next?"

Photo tapped her chin. "Yes, futuristic is would be a good theme."

Rarity put on a suit that just felt 'right' for her with a scrolling picture screen helmet. "I must say darling, it's a relaxing change of pace to have costumes that are easy and simply to get out of, aren't cursed, aren't haunted, and aren't going to become real at any given moment."

"It is nice just to just enjoy being in costume, instead of being turned into what you're wearing." Twilight agreed in her mechanical costume with purple metal plating and black rubber joints and digital purple eyes.

Pinkie Pie nodded, "After all the times we've been changed into something, it's actually kinda new for us NOT to get zapped. And I think our viewers like the change of pace too." Pinkie Pie was wearing a blocky robot costume with the front of a truck built into the front.

Octavia shook her head. "Pinkie Pie, the strangeness you get into . . ."

Maud Pie's face remained even. "Wouldn't be Pinkie Pie if she didn't."

Photo Finish never liked to say she never found her eldest sister very photogenic, even if she had once done a 'reshoot' of Pinkie Pie's party after Maud finally came down from upstairs. It had created a morbid joke among some that Maud was Pinkie Pie's stillborn system and appeared in photos as a ghost.

Rainbow Dash trotted out of the dressing room wearing an outfit that covered everything but her wings, mane, and tail. It came with boots, a red overcoat, holstered prop ray-guns, and a mask with glowing red eyes.

"Well, now this is a switch," said Rarity, with a sly grin. "You, wearing an outfit more elaborate than mine? Are you some sort of space-adventurer?"

"Yep!" said Dash. "But there's another name you might know me by... Star Prince!"

Rarity blinked. "Who?"

"Star Prince! You know, the legendary space outlaw?" Rainbow Dash pouted. "Yeah, you don't read a lot of comics, do you?"

Pinkie squinted at Dash, hmming. "Is he the one that flies around the galaxy with a raccoon and a talking tree?"

Fluttershy practically teleported to Dash's side. "A talking tree?! I mean... um... where could I read something like that? If I was interested?"

Rainbow Dash tilted her head. "I think this place in Canterlot Enchanted Comics, has some."

Photo Finish frowned. "We were going for a ROBOT theme."

"Oh . . . right . . .heheh." Rainbow Dash stammered.

Rainbow Dash probably would have looked flustered, if the mask hadn't been hiding her face. "Are you sure you said robots? Cause I heard futuristic." She scratched her rainbow mane with a hoof. "My bad! I was probably thinking about that new Wonderbolt comic instead of what you were saying. Besides, I could be... um... Star Prince's robot duplicate! Who's also a mare! Yep, that's totally believable, happens all the time!"

"Well, she ain't lying," mused AJ.

Author's Note

Pony POV Series
Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show episode 10
PART 15
By Alex Warlorn

Pinkie Pie, "I . . . I know it's still going on, and the author is no closer to having the next chapter out because the editor has been busy for over a month and more, like our world is doomed like my old one was but . . . being here with Maud Pie . . . with my sisters . . . and my friends . . . I feel a little more like myself. But maybe we should end this party soon. Right now we got me, Fluttershy and her filly, Coffee Swirl, Maud, Photo, Octy, Dashie, Rarity, Twilight, and Jackie all here."

Parts added by:
MteganLion
Alex Warlorn
MteganLion
Alex Warlorn
MteganLion and Ardashir and Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
Kendell2 and Alex Warlorn
MteganLion
Alex Warlorn
Dragon of Twilight and Alex Warlorn
Dragon of Twilight and Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
Kendell2
MteganLion and Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
MteganLion
Alex Warlorn
MteganLion and Jarkes and Alex Warlorn
MteganLion and Alex Warlorn
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn
MteganLion and Alex Warlorn
MteganLion

Pinkie Pie, " . . . No new chapters in so long, a lot are written, but the editor is so busy and already started before he GOT super busy (I mean super duper ultra bigger than you can imagine busy) . . . here's Da Rule":
1. What you put in the comments appears in the story.
2. Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and I can't spill the beans about us being out-and-out fiction to the others.
3. The camera can’t leave the studio.
4. The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from “My little Pony”
5. Everything that happens here is non-canon (except the Tartarus break out thingie, but not the big battle).
6. Have Fun "

Cover by Kendell2
MLP FiM Copyright of Hasbro

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Show epi 10 Part 16

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Show epi 10 Part 16

Just then, the studio doors flew open, and a panting Coffee Swirl rushed in and slammed the doors behind him. "Too... too many! Ponies are lined up clear around the block to get at my shop!" He leapt towards Photo Finish, flapping his wings to get there in a single bound. "Find me a disguise!"

Applejack chuckled. "Now hold on there, sugarcube. Maybe ya just need some help. It just so happens, Ah know a thing or two about selling to a crowd..."

Coffee shook his head fervently. "Disguise! Now!"

Photo Finish shrugged. "Let's give it a try, shall we? You never know... a new look can work wonders to build one's confidence. Come along, darling..."

Fluttershy walked past them coming out of the dressing room, wearing elegant golden armor with wing guards and a long horn on the helmet. "Um... the label on the box said that this was a cyber-Alicorn costume. Does it look alright? I hope Princess Celestia won't be offended."

"It looks beautiful," said Twilight warmly. "I'm sure everypony will love it."

Applejack opened her mouth, then hastily closed it again.

"This actually doesn't look half bad," said Coffee Swirl, returning. Photo Finish had dressed him as a white robot with a blue chestplate and red accents. The helmet had golden spikes making a V shape on top. "I was sure you'd turn me into Marvin the Paranoid Ponybot."

Pinkie twitched. "A robot that does nothing but frown? Not in my prop room, mister!"

Fluttershy's coat changed over signifing that Fluttercruel was in control and spoke up, "I don't know he really could pull off that character well enough." a slight chuckle escapes her lips. "I mean he does have enough pactice at it."

Cofee Swirl gave 'Cruel a level stare. "keep it up and the next time you get coffee from me it'll be the sweetest I can make it."

'Cruel gave an offened look at her... well significant other. "You wouldn't da-"

Swirl retured her shock with a knowing smirk. "I would. And I'd do it in a way that would get you hooked on it."

Seeing Cruel's face go though several interesting shades of red as she tried to make a response at the statement that: he would do that to her, and could do it in a way that she'd actually enjoy it was fun to watch. But she finally settled into a resigned pout. "Fine I'll lay off the teasing. I don't need both of you ganging up on me." 'Cruel shifted back to 'Shy's coloring with one last comment. "Still think you could do that costume justice though..."

Maud Pie's expression did change. "Oh my. Excuse me. How greatly rude of me. I think I forgot to introduce him. Sorry if I have already. This is Boulder. My pet rock." Maud Pie took a small pebble out of her dress.

Octavia and Photo stared at the pebble in their sister's hoof.

"Oh! Uh, hello, Boulder." Octavia gave her sister Photo a look that showed utter confusion. "A pleasure to meet you."

"Ah, the same." Photo picked up her camera.

"Girls, you've met him before," Maud reminded them.

Octavia and Photo had a flash back of a shattered boulder, that resulted in several tiny stones...and now their big sister picked up one in the aftermath.

"Yes, well, it HAS been a long time Maud." Octavia said.

"I understand," Maud nodded.

"Vould you like me to take a picture to remember this -- very unusual moment?" She began to snap the shutter but stopped when Maud gently but firmly pushed the camera down.

"Sis, what's wrong with you?" Maud said, frowning slightly. Photo looked at her, wondering what the problem was. Maud pointed at Boulder.

"That's not his good side."

Nearby Rarity shook her head as she observed Photo trying to sweet-talk Boulder into facing the camera.

"Uh, he doesn't like it when ponies patronize him," Maud said.

"Poor dear," Rarity said. "She thinks that little rock is alive." She turned to walk away and froze to find Pinkie glaring at her.

"Sorry, Pinkie Pie, darling," Rarity said, "but it's true." She pointed at a similar tiny stone on the floor. "It's a pebble. How many ponies do you know that talk to rocks?"

"Maybe we should ask TOM what he thinks," Pinkie responded. Rarity flushed.

"I thought we agreed NEVER to speak of that again!"

"You agreed to that. None of us ever did," Pinkie Pie said plainly. "Besides we're PAST the whole 'hiding from our pain' thing remember?"

Rarity sighed. "I'm not longer terrified of the subject, well, the nightmares have stopped, and I'm past all the self doubts Discord's sickness made me endure...I just don't like to talk about it."

Static filled the camera feed for a moment.

And at that moment in another world, what looked like a heroic unicorn made of stone flinched.

Beside him, a snowy-coated and amethyst-maned alicorn nuzzled him.

"Tom? Son, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," the stone pony said. "But for a moment, I got the weirdest idea you were about to say you didn't want to even remember me any more."

"My dearest Tom, my most precious treasure," Queen Libra said as she twined necks with him in an equine hug, "I would rather forget my skill as an artist, than you."

The two hugged.

Then the static flashed again.

Pinkie Pie looked at the camera, "The camera got overridden for a second, weird."

Meanwhile, Sir Discord from the mirror version of Equestria briefly popped into the studio near the ceiling, where only Pinkie Pie and possibly Not-Maud Pie could sense his presence.

Upon taking one look at the studio, he snapped his claw and said, "D'oh, I missed! And right after I was saying to myself, 'There's no way I could get lost traveling back to my home dimension.'"

He then popped out of the studio again, with almost none of the ponies in the studio any the wiser, and those who did know knew better than to mention it to the others for fear of causing a panic in the middle of a party.

Maud held the pebble to her ear, then calmly put it back in a pocket. “Boulder wants to know if you’d like you hear one of my poems.”

Octavia and Photo Finish blinked, then started shaking their heads subtly. Even Pinkie flinched. “Sis, I’m not sure now is the best...”

Rarity gasped. “Do you mean to say that you’re a poet, darling? Why, I’d love to hear one.” She beamed. “It’s such a shame that so few ponies take the time to truly express themselves. I’ve written a few poems of my own, you know...” Rarity winked, and now Fluttershy took a step back, and Rainbow Dash twitched, shedding a couple feathers.

Maud stood there, silent just long enough to be slightly awkward, then nodded and cleared her throat.

Rock

Gneiss rock

You are metamorphic

Foliated and coarse

Which is nice

Sentimental

Not sedimentary

Rock

Ponies stared, speechless. Applejack twitched, sweating a bit. 'This is bad,' she thought. 'Maud looks harmless, but even Snow Bound was scared of her! Ah gotta say something nice about her poem before she destroys Ponyville... but Ah can’t lie!'

Applejack got a little shifty-eyed. “That was... that was definitely... a poem! Eeeyup, Ah’ve certainly never heard any poem like that before!”

Maud walked over to her, so quietly that Applejack was surprised to find herself face to face with Pinkie’s sister. AJ gulped, fearing the worst, but looking into Maud’s eyes didn’t melt her brain. They were soothing, hypnotic almost. AJ could tell that she wasn’t really seeing what was past those eyes, and grateful, she didn’t try.

“Applejack, you don’t need to flatter me,” said Maud simply. “I like it when you’re honest.”

“Well, Ah’ll be…” mused Applejack to herself, as Maud trotted away.

"You know you never paid us, er, me for my last paycheck." Fluttercruel said to Photo Finish, pretending to be her mother.

"My dear, I appreciate you wishing to leave the business, but you did BREAK YOUR CONTRACT. That cost me dear."

Photo said, "it cost a fortune to even begin to fine somepony to replace you. I tried non-ponies," she threw down a book of photos, showing off various beings modeling clothes from her line: a zebra with her mane in cornrows, a golden-hooded griffon with her beak tilted back and looking snooty, even a shy doe.

"Everything!" Photo sighed. "But neffer could I replace my Flootershy." She tossed her mane. "Between your breaking contract and my inability to find a new star model, my business is facing difficulties. You could return, or maybe your friend with the golden mane and natural beauty?" She pointed a hoof at AJ.

Applejack looked confused. Rarity just glared and snorted.

Maud walked over to Photo and Fluttercruel.

"You'll survive, sis," Maud said. She paused, rubbed her chin with one hoof, and said, "If you're that hard up, I could work for you. Can't be that hard walking the runway."

Photo looked up, eyes rolling behind her glasses in horror.

"NO! I mean," Photo forced herself to be calm. The words rushed from her mouth. "My dear sister, neffer could I subject you to the life of a model! The endless primping, the nonstop dieting, the hours and hours in makeup and dress, visiting so many important ponies, noble and common, again and again... Livestock is what they are, well-dressed livestock. I could neffer do it to a pony I even pretended to like."

"If you say so," Maud said. Photo relaxed with a sigh. Then she turned back to Applejack.

"Perhaps you would wish to give it a try?" She trotted back a pace as Applejack snorted at her, ears down.

Across the room Rarity wondered if she should just start beating her head against the nearest wall.

Fluttershy gasped. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! I just couldn't stand it, all those eyes looking at me! I was only doing it for Rarity but then she got jealous and neither of us really wanted me to do it but I thought I did-"

Flluttercruel forced her hoof into their mouth. "Mom's sorry," she said flatly.

"Well I must admit, ze empathy, it is not my strongest area," Photo Finish replied, rubbing her head. "Of the four of us, Octavia is ze only one with...traditional social skills."

Octavia nodded. "We all have a unique way of seeing the world, but I'm the only one who's way leans towards heightened empathy. I can tell when someone's 'rhythm' is off so to speak."

"I see ze beauty in everything and how to make ze magics!...but I sometimes need ze help seeing when somepony is distressed," Photo explained. "I am sorry I did not catch on to your discomfort, it is simply not my area of expertise."

Fluttershy nodded. "O-Okay...still, I'm very sorry."

"It is no problem, water under ze bridge darling...but if you could pose for a few pictures, we can all the contract completed. It only had a little longer to go as it was..."

Swirl, still in his costume, walked up to the Flutters and Photo Finish. "Hey, sorry for interrupting, but I was wondering something."

The three mares (two in the same body) turned to him. "Hm?"

He looked at Fluttercruel. "I know they're just costumes now, and it's probably not your kind of thing, but... well, you're a princess and I kinda look like a knight right now. So... care to dance?"

'Actually, a knight's job is to protect princesses; they very rarely got to- OW!'

'Let the guy have his moment, Squire,' Logan said. 'He's still working on getting used to them.'

And dance they did.

Meanwhile, the rest of the mane six dressed up costume befitting Mega-Mare and Mecha versions of themselves out of Soundwave the Bushrat.

The pictures were taken, and they got OUT of the costumes, without any of them turning real.

"About time," Rainbow Dash said.

Photo Finish said, "You know Mr. Swirl, I could use a better brewster you care for the job?"

"...I...okay?"

"Excellent."

Suddenly, Twilight recalled a certain conversation with a mildly annoyed princess. "Those exotic models that you mentioned hiring... didn't one of them turn out to be a deep cover changeling?"

"Really, one has no idea where such rumors..."

Applejack snorted again.

Photo Finish sighed. "If one did have such a most useful model, who could be perfectly groomed and dressed in the latest style at the drop of a hat, then certainly he would be welcome to leave behind his fabulous new lifestyle and income to return to Princess Cadence's hive at any time he chose."

Rarity blinked. "I'm sorry, did you say... 'he'?"

"He, she... we are speaking hypothetically of course!"

Twilight tapped her chin. "Well, Death Stalker and Cadence said how gender doesn't matter as much to changelings, so I guess she's right."

"This machine lives, I means functions once again!"

"Yeah!" Pinkie Pie smiled.

"Terrific." Rarity groaned. "Are you going to use MORE blank screens half our friends are going to stare at?"

"No. I only have enough power recovered for a short run before I need to shut down again. How'd you like the world where insectoid aliens turned Trixie into a living suicide bomber?"

"Want to see the world where I turned you into a pile of scraps and ply wood?" Pinkie Pie said smiling, holding an axe.

"PINKIE PIE!" Rarity said pulling the weapon from her friend's hooves. "That is NOT like you at all! Don't let this ill behaved contraption into corrupting who you are!"

Maud Pie also looked at Pinkie Pie ...blanky, but Pinkie Pie whimpered under her gaze. She saw Octavia and Photo also looking at her worried. "I'm...I'm sorry, I...I'm just so sick of seeing worlds where we're all miserable or bad guys."

"I WAS JOKING! I never intended to show that world!"

"It wasn't a funny joke." Fluttershy said sternly. "Now apologize."

"I...I am sorry. Before I shut down again, allow me to share with you this one last world. A continuation of a previous one. The other two Pie sisters were not here for this, but I feel it should still be enjoyable."

= Hot Wind Blowing - Metal Gear Rising =

The screen changed to showing a Ponyville at night, many of the buildings were burning. Ponies were fleeing INTO the Everfree of all places, were were blocked off by Night Guards. There was no sign of things had been built after Twilight Sparkle's visit to Ponyville.

"Oh no." Twilight Sparkle whispered. "You horrible machine! Don't show us this world!" Twilight Sparkle shut her eyes.

Rarity pulled on the power cord but nothing happened.

"BATTERY BACK UP!"

"I like epic fights and everything but not this!" Rainbow Said.

Applejack couldn't bear to watch either, remembering what the plan had been for Sweet Apple's Acres during the battle plans of this attack of this world they were now seeing.

And there was Shining Armor in the middle of it...his armor looked like it had been repaired more than once. knocking away knight guard one after another.

"Come on Twiley, big brother is right here in the open. Come and get me." He whispered.

He defended himself a powerful spell blast, as strong in offense as his shields were in defense.

"Hi little sister." Shining said grimly.

"I am not your sister, because you are not my brother! If you were, you wouldn't be trying to plunge Equestria into chaos and sentencing the world to death!"

It was Twilight Sparkle, one scar (of many) over an eye, wearing armor of the Night Guard herself.

"And you think living under Nightmare Moon won't be a slow death?!"

Twilight shook her head. "You'd want Equestria to splinter into pieces fighting over resources and land with the only lynch pin to our country gone."

"It's not gone! Everything Princess Celestia taught us is still here! How can you forget everything she stood for?"

"I'm doing what a soldier does, protecting my Princess, and Equestria and saving lives from radicals like you." She looked around. Readying for an ambush. "Where's the rest of your Squad? You'd never have them without you."

"This is between you and me Twiley."

Twilight rolled her remaining eye. "Get over yourself. This isn't about US. This is about EQUESTRIA! And if sacrifices have to be made for the GOOD of Equestria! Then so be it!"

"You call this good?"

"I call it necessary!"

The two clashed. For Twilight, it brought back horrible memories of when Chrysalis had forced Shining Armor to attack her.

The other ponies cringed at the sight. The Flutters hid their eyes.

Endlessly different shaped forcefields, the destructive spells on Twilight's arsenal. It was the irresistible force against the immovable object.

"You don't have the brains to do what have to be done Shining Armor! You didn't kill a single one of my soldiers! We're your enemy!"

"They're the enemy's SLAVES! I don't kill slaves!"

"And that's why you're archaic and outdated! No wonder I always got better marks at the Guard Academy than you!"

"Forgive me for having a social life!"

"My only life is to Equestria!"

The entire town shook slightly. All eyes were drawn to the source. In Canterlot... there had been a explosion.

"Cowardly terrorist!" Guard Twilight snarled.

"No. Rescue," Shining Armor said evenly.

"What?" Guard Twilight blinked her one eye.

Then the entire sky filled with a rainbow shockwave. A line of rainbow color zipped from Canterlot to a hill near where the siblings fought.

Twilight's eye widened.

There was Shadowbolt Captain Rainbow Dash...except the symbol of her uniform had been torn off, replaced by the symbol of the Wonderbolts.

"There ya go Sunset...easy now. I'm here for ya." Rainbow Dash gently said as she put down the yellow unicorn, Celestia's student.

"SUNSET! A baby dragon hugged her.

"Hey ...Spike . . ." The dirty and disheveled unicorn whispered, still having marks where the chains had been on her legs, neck, and horn.

"RAINBOW DASH! YOU TRAITOR!"

"No. I just figured out where my REAL loyalties were all along."

A second group followed the lightning fast pegasi, helping fly a pink Alicorn, it was Shining Armor's own Squad.

"You!" Twilight eye narrowed at Shining Armor.

"Sorry sis'. I was the distraction."

"What are you hoping to accomplish!?"

"What you want Twilight, we're hoping to end this." Cadence said sternly.

"CADENCE! PLEASE DON'T! PLEASE! Don't do this! Her Nightjesty spared you before! She won't a second time!"

"Don't worry Twilight, it's all about to end. Sunset? Can you do it?"

"I have to." The yellow unicorn whispered, and touched her horn to Cadence's.

-Wild Arms 4 - That Is Where The Spirit Becomes Certain ~ VS Kresnik -

Cadence grunted, her horn sparked, Sunset's cutie mark FLICKERED.

"Cadence! No no no no no! You can't do it! Stop! You'll hurt yourself! STOP!" Guard Twilight pleaded.

Cadence's entire body shook, she moved like she had the weight of the entire world on her shoulders. She spread her wings with a mighty yell as a magical shock wave went off...And the sun rose.

"Impossible . . . " Twilight whispered. "BUt...Her Nightjesty..."

"Your troops aren't nearly as effective in normal daylight." Shining Armor said. As the nocturnal troops suddenly found themselves nearly blinded as it went from night to high noon in seconds.

"THIEF! THAT IS NOT YOUR CONCEPT! TRESPASSER! THE SKY IS NOT YOUR DOMAIN!" It was the booming voice of Nightmare Moon.

"You've all doomed Ponyville." Guard Twilight said dismayed.

"Don't bet on it." Shining said.

"Idiot."

"Come on Sunset, the others are waiting." Rainbow helped her up from where she had nearly fainted from helping Cadence raise the sun against Nightmare Moon's will.

"The . . .the others?"

"You didn't think we rescued you just to be some magic battery did you?"

You came...you came for me." Sunset whispered.

"Of course I did...we're friends." Rainbow Dash grinned.

The centers of Sunset's eyes grew large and there was a slight twinkle in her eyes.

Then the screen flickered. "And with that...my battery is out of power...good night." The what-if machine flickered off.

The assembled group all stared at the machine in silence, some sharing a few glances at each other, but none really moving.

It was, of all ponies, Coffee Swirl who finally started moving first. He grabbed the What-If Machine's power cord with his mouth, and casually trotted over to the socket once more.

"What are you doing?" Rarity finally managed to find her voice, causing the barista to pause.

He glanced back, then spat the cord out into his hoof. "What's it look like? I'm plugging this thing back in so it can recharge."

Twilight was next. "What? Why?!"

"Because I want to see what happens next, it was just getting good."

"WHAT?!" Now it was Pinkie Pie, and she was suddenly right in front of him, grabbing the cord away. "No! Nonononono! No more sad stories!"

"Give me that plug back!" He latched on and was locked in a tug of war with the Party Pony. "I want to see how it ends!"

"I know how it it ends! Lots of meanness and sadness and bad things happen! Why would you want to watch that?!"

"Why would YOU want to watch mindless happiness for happiness's sake!" He snapped back. "I LIKE these kinds of stories!"

That managed to get her distracted enough that her grip slipped and he fell back on his rump, still holding the plug. "B-but... how? How could you like stories with nothing but sadness and bad endings."

"Seemed like it was on it's way to a pretty good ending to me," Swirl said. He calmly stood up and brushed himself off. "And I like stories like it because, quite frankly, it just make it seem like the stakes are that much larger, like they might actually fail. So, when they don't you actually feel relief and joy for them. I enjoy feeling that; and, even if they don't succeed in doing it so everything turns out perfect, you still feel glad that they did, and it makes you appreciate the good that they DID do in the process."

He finally plugged the machine back in. "And, if you want to hate me for that, go right ahead. It's not like it's the first time I've been hated for an unpopular opinion."

Back with group, the Flutters (both of them) flinched just a bit.

"This isn't about yer opinion! Ya wanna go watch horror movies with yer other friends buddy nobody is gonna stop ya! But Ah'd say SHE is more important than 'finding out the end.'" Applejack pointed at Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight wasn't listening, she was on the couch, hugging herself. Looking ready to cry.

"Meh, such tabloid trash, just because it is having the moving pictures, you are having the break down, it is like any of it is real." Photo Finish said ignorant of the what if machine's true nature.

Rainbow Dash, made a face. "I'm all for seeing heroes beat up the bad guys when things get tight, but NOT when one of those bad guys have the face of one of my close friends."

Maud Pie said nothing.

Rarity also chose to stay neutral in this. She was worried that that world's Rarity's family was alright after Nightmare Moon continued her rampage long enough to become recognized as Queen of Equestria. She also sat down next to Twilight Sparkle and gave her a few gently hugs as everypony else seemed too busy debating tastse to care. Fluttershy joined her.

Octavia took in a deep breath. "Let me tell you a story. Once upon a time. I came to Canterlot, I changed my name to Octavia Melody, ponies though I was a Canterlot native I fit in so well. I felt like I'd come home. Mother and father? Their story telling was...wooden at the best of times, and...Maud's were all about rocks, not that there is anything wrong with that big sister! And Pinkie Pie...her stories were hard to follow. When I came to Canterlot...

I did music as part of the orchestra for several plays. And...the writers felt the best way to be self expressive, to get attention, to show their individuality, was to take traditionally light hearted and optimistic themes, and turn them as bleak and gritty as possible. Changing the old myths so Megan was an evil tyrant and con-woman who was secretly allied with the witches. Making Flutterponies only eat sweets and lynch anypony who suggested vegetables. Make it so Saint Sweetheart poisoned the wells of pegasi and unicorns and became a saint by 'curing' them that way. Having Patch be a bully and a thug who just took what she wanted when she wanted from anypony whether they were good or bad."

'HEY! JERKS!' Patch's spirit snarled in the sword.

"And...of course, the classic comical ghost hunter stories, were redone so they met grisly ends. And...one play...when they managed to escape with their lives in spit of it being close and a tragic reveal near the end...I realized after seeing the play myself in its entirety...that a part of me felt...LET DOWN that they hadn't met grisly ends! I kept prepping myself for that one moment where everything would go horribly wrong for them...And it never came. And I realized, I had come to EXPECT and ANTICIPATE things going horribly for them, for Celestia to betray everypony over some arbitrary reason, for Fancy Pants to reveal he'd been working for the Hooviets the entire time...And when it didn't happen...I felt like something had been missing. When before, looking back on those works, I'd have SATISFIED and HAPPY that everything worked out int he end, that everypony lived, that ponies HAD their happiness that our ancestors worked so hard for us...I was NOT happy about that! AT ALL! It was a SICKNESS! I WANT to watch a story about Flutterponies and be happy when the heroes and villains all kiss and make up at the end. Where it's love and not violence that saves the day. It's the pony way."

Pinkie Pie hugged Octavia. "Once upon a time there was a pretty barnacle, and she was so pretty that everypony lived. The end."

Octavia hugged her back.

The what-if machine flickered on.

"Little sister," Celestia said to the dark figure before her, Nightmare Moon's every rigid line displaying scorn. "Please, I am begging you. Don't make me send you back to the Moon."

"Return me," the Nightmare said, hatred thickening her voice. The pitiful remnants of her Night Guard and other loyalists stood behind her. Twilight stood beside her, stripped of her armor, glaring at her brother and Sunset and Rainbow. But why did they bear the Elements? Nightmare Moon repeated herself, "Return me to the Moon, and my subjects with me. I and my servants tire of the sight of your Sun, and your lackies," Twilight snorted at Shining Armor, "in what was my kingdom."

"Then you leave us no choice," Celestia said. She looked at Sunset, Rainbow Dash, and the other ponies with them: an Earth pony palomino with a Stetson, scraping the dirt with one forehoof and snorting; a bouncing pink Earth pony who looked at Twilight as though she were seeing an old friend laying drunk in the gutter; a purple-maned unicorn, scars along one side of her neck and half covered by her mane and with that little dragon standing nearby; and half hidden behind her own wings, the dangerous one, the yellow pegasus with the soft voice that lead the Everfree monsters against the Nightmare''s forces in that last battle.

"You leave us no choice," Celestia said. She stepped back with a sigh. "I just hope this heals you rather than simply exiling again, as Sunset assured me it would." She looked at Sunset. "Do it."

Sunset Shimmer and her friends looked at each other, nodded, and then something began to gather around them. It seemed to come from the Element medallions they bore, glowing and gathering, like a rainbow. It rose, swirled, and turned to crash down on Nightmare Moon and her followers.

The Nightmare reared and whinnied as she was enveloped in a rainbow whirlwind.

Twilight beside her whinnied once in shock, a whinny repeated by the gathered Night Guards behind her.

And when it cleared, Luna stood there on shaky legs. Luna as she had once been, long centuries before ever Nightmare Moon existed, once more a young filly. Behind her the Night Guard blinked at each other, normal pegasi once more.

Luna looked at Celestia and blinked.

"B-big sis?" She stepped forward and twined necks with her elder sister.

"Twily?" Shining Armor trotted forward, Cadence with him. They both looked down. At their hooves sat a little filly, almost a foal, with a light purple coat and a pink-striped purple mane. She looked at them and gave a high-pitched whinny.

"Little Twily," Cadence said, looking down at her. She picked Twilight up with her magic and, together with Shining Armor, gently nuzzled her.

In studio, Fluttershy smiled.
"Well, everything worked out after all."

"There are always six friends, and they always call on the magic of friendship to save the Princess' sister from herself, that's the way of the world." Applejack said to herself.

"I can't believe we missed the big ka-pow!" RD said.

"Oh Rainbow, we WERE the big ka-pow remember?" Pinkie Pie smiled.

"Well I didn't see it the 'first time' I was in Canterlot." Octavia crossed her arms.

Twilight Sparkle didn't respond, she was sleeping in Rarity's lab. "I think I'll be taking her home." Rarity said. "And then check on Sweetie Belle. Miss Maud Pie? I got my cutie mark when Rainbow Dash's sonic rainboom shattered a rock open revealing the jewels within. I think we might be slight kindred spirits like that. It was an honor to meet a stead-fast mare such as yourself. Good day. Fluttershy, will you be alright?"

"Y-yes."

"Alright. Remember, you don't need to do anything Photo Finish tells you to if it gets to be too much. Miss Octavia, I love the theater and your music is beautiful every time I hear it. Miss Photo Finish, I do hope we're able to business together some time. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, it was wonderful to see you always, good day."

Rarity carried the still sleeping Twilight Sparkle out of the studio.

The studio's security station chimed, and a large pink button began to flash. Pinkie gasped hard enough to lift her hooves off the floor. "It's a Friendship alert!" She bounced right over and mashed the pink button with a hoof.

Nopony in the room seemed especially surprised by this, though Coffee Swirl let out a long sigh.

The big monitor in the middle of the security station fuzzed with static, then showed them the streets of Canterlot, at dusk. The mountain and the tall buildings cast long shadows across the streets. A single pony stepped out of the crowded main thoroughfare, white coated with an elegant red mane... Red Gala. She stopped at the door of the Carousel Boutique: Canterlot and started to unlock the front door with her magic, then stopped, hanging her head.

"Whatever is the matter with me?" she murmured, shaking off her travel bags. "It's my shop... my own home, the same as it was yesterday and the day before that." She brushed the door with a hoof. "But... but it's not. I know the truth now. It wasn't here yesterday, and neither was I. I'm... not real."

In the studio, Rainbow Dash lifted off the ground and flew closer to the screen. "What was all that? I couldn't make it all out with that wind blowing."

"Who is this pony to us?" said Photo Finish. "I am not recognizing her. Quite a beauty, though! Wait, could she possibly be..."

Fluttershy nodded. "Red Gala is Rarity's big sister. Poor thing. She must still be sad about... you know..."

Applejack flicked an ear, but said nothing.

On the screen, Red Gala gritted her teeth. "But I must carry on. I simply must! If I don't take up this life that I remember, then I don't have anything else. I don't even have Big Mac..."

A second figure emerged from an alley nearby, completely covered in a dark traveling cloak. Red Gala wiped her tears hastily at the sound of hoof steps. "I'm sorry, darling. The store is closed today, but if you return in the morning..." Just for a moment, there was a glimmer of orange in her eyes, and the cloak rippled, as if the creature underneath it was much larger than an ordinary pony. Red Gala frowned. "You're not... Who are you?"

The dark figure moved the hood aside, revealing a midnight blue coat and a flowing mane. "It is I."

Red Gala gasped. "Princess Luna! I..." She looked down at the cobblestones. "I suppose you've come to take me away."

Luna arched a brow. "And whyever would I do that, my little pony?"

"Because I'm not one of your little ponies," Red Gala blurted out. "You know that I'm not. I'm a fraud. I'm... an Insertion." She made a face, as if the word tasted foul. "I... I understand. I won't resist."

In the studio, Rainbow scowled at the monitor. "There's that noise again! Can't your contraption pick up the sound any better? Man, if this was a movie, I'd want my bits back!"

On the monitor, Luna rapped a hoof on the ground. "Red Gala Belle!"

Red Gala trembled, nearly falling over.

"It is indeed true, that we recall a world where thy sister Rarity was the eldest, and neither thee nor thy place of business ever were." Princess Luna's expression softened. "But that is because we are an alicorn, child. In this world, the world in which you and I live, I recall a mare who gave all her time and effort to help make her sister's dream a reality. A mare who fought to rescue her friends from the fiend Chrysalis even though she was afraid. A brave mare who even helped save us from Temptation herself."

"You truly mean that?" asked Red Gala.

"Did we not just say it? You always were one of our little ponies. You did not need to earn it, yet earned it you certainly have."

In the studio, Applejack smiled and wiped a tear with her hoof. Pinkie nodded to herself. "Don't worry, girls. I owed Red Gala an extra birthday party, so I already pulled some strings! It's all taken care of!"

"Wait... it's her birthday?" said Dash. "Did she say anything about that?"

"Maybe she just didn't want to make a big deal out of it," suggested Fluttershy.

"Hah" Dash lounged in midair. "Like anypony can keep a birthday secret from Pinkie anyway."

Pinkie giggled. "Oh, it's not her birthday birthday. It's her other birthday! You know... well, you don't, but... you know!" Coffee Swirl facehoofed.

On the screen, Princess Luna stepped aside and gestured towards several other ponies who were just now arriving. Red Gala stared, not recognizing them at first in the twilight. She gasped. "Minuette? Moon Dancer? Lemon Hearts? My goodness... what are you doing here at this hour?"

Moon Dancer smiled. "I'm not sure what this is all about, but a little bird told us that you were feeling really down. Want to hang out at the tavern?"

"I hear the roof's finally fixed," said Lemon Hearts.

Red Gala beamed. "I'd love to. Thank you so much!"

Luna slipped into the shadows, nodding to herself. "It is that time again." As the sun slipped below the horizon, she spread her wings and raised the moon.

Even as they were watching the sun set in Canterlot on Pinkie's monitor, night came to Ponyville too. Pinky's party had run late indeed.

AJ looked at the sunset. "Oh boy. Sorry Maud, but early to rise, early to bed. Yer a farmer too so Ah know ya understand."

"I do."

"Look...okay has a been a long day fer me, REALLY LONG, Ah mean like, Ah lived a second lifetime long." AJ said perfectly honestly. "And Ah hadda clean up a lotta disasters today." AJ said again honestly though most of her friends wouldn't remember all of those disasters. "Ah'm sorry all that happened when we were supposed to be gettin' to know ya. So... Ah just wanna say...it was nice meetin' ya Maud Pie. Ah'm Applejack Apple, Ah have longer fancier name but Ah don't use it."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Applejack." Maud Pie said evenly. "You remind me of a rock. Stead-fast. Reliable. Dependable. Loyal."

"Heh. Maybe, but RD isn't that honest with herself and others so somepony had to fill in for honesty."

"HEY!"

"Just rattling yer cage RD."

"DANGIT! I gotta go check on Scootaloo! Weather duty is no problem but watching that filly isn't something you can do in ten seconds flat!"

"Her parents sure put a lot on you Dashie, you should really talk to them," Pinkie Pie said innocently.

"Don't worry ...I'm working on that."

RD zoomed in front of the stoic mare. "Maud! I just wanna say! Erm . . . nice meeting you! Sorry we spent so much time dealing with troubles and dealing with that STUPID machine, instead of getting to know you, I'm sorry. To make up for up, wanna hoof wrestle me and AJ before we leave?"

"Dashie, are you sure that's a good idea?"

"One round! I promise. So does Applejack, right?"

"Ah promise, one round, can't be any harder than when Big Mac hoof wrestled Celestia."

Everypony looked at her.

"What? It as a festival and the Princesses were special guests...again. They were doin' lots of stuff with lots of ponies!"

"How have I am been missing all this publicity?!" Photo declared.

"Welcome to living in closed circles," Ovtavia said.

"Alright." Maud Pie said sitting at a table putting her hooves up. "Both of you. At once please. You're both have responsibilities to get back to after all."

"Oh. Ya sure that's fair?" AJ asked.

"Yeah, I don't want ya to be a sore loser."

"I don't care much about losing...or winning," Maud Pie said.

"WHAT?!" RD's jaw dropped. "W-what?" It did not compute in RD's brain.

"It's just a game isn't it? What should it matter if you've had a good time."

"Oh....oh okay." RD said hesitantly.

AJ decided not to hold back because she respected Maud as a fellow farmer, rocks or not.

RD was never one for holding back anyway.

The two sat down and locked hooves Maud Pie, AJ taking the left, RD taking the right.

The other three Pie sisters all looked at each other, and took several hoof steps back. Pinkie Pie got the first aid kit out.

"Now Maud, you shouldn't-"

"Don't worry Inky, it's just a game."

Flutters fluttered closer in awe, while Coffee Swirl put on a blast helmet.

"Fluttershy? Care to ref?"

"OH?! Me? Uh, erm, okay!" She replied looking around and finding no one willing to do so in her place.

She flew between the three. "Okay, ready, onetwothreego!"

She zipped away.

AJ and RD strained her strength...Maud Pie didn't budge.

Maud moved her eyes between them. "Oh is it my turn yet? I've never played this game before."

"Uh, Maud, you all 'go' at the same time." Octavia offered.

"Oh. Right." An instantly later the table was split in two and AJ and RD were on the floor their forelegs in tiny craters.

"OH MY! RAINBOW! APPLEJACK!"

"It's...it's nothin'...gotten worse before..." AJ said. "Maybe. Hard to tell."

"It's Rarity all over again," RD said.

As AJ and RD rubbed their bruises, a machine in the corner of the room began beeping.

"That thing is still workin'? Ah thought it went kaput," AJ spoke first.

"What is that contraption? An automated oven cake cannon?" Photo Finish asked.

"No Blinky, I keep that in storage. That's The Pinkie Party Piece Picker 7000 or PPPP7 for short. We used to get it working all the time. But recently it's been kinda...worn down, I think everypony just began using the what if machine and forgot about it."

"If that thing is gonna come alive too, forget about it," RD said looking for a wiffle bat.

"No no no no it's fine Dash. Okay sisters, what this baby does is spit out art and stories for ponies all over Ponyville and what not. And since all of this is non-canon, we don't have to worry about spoilers."

Most of the girls tuned this out as Pinkie Speak.

"And we finally have a new one! Let's see!"

http://kendell2.deviantart.com/art/Commission-Pony-POV-Series-A-Rough-Day-514520115

http://fav.me/d8iby9f

Rainbow Dash blinked upon hearing the story.

"Huh," Applejack said, "Never knew that Cloudkicker gal was like that. The way some ponies talked about her, Ah allus thought she was sneakin' off ta some stallion or another. Feel kinda ashamed Ah felt that way now..."

She stopped as Dash gave a yell beside her.

"Huh? Stallions stare at my butt?" Rainbow Dash snorted, ears back and eyes blazing. "Who?!? They better not be why they made me Weather Patrol captain! Lemme at 'em, I'm not some public display!" Then she stopped and looked at her flank. "Gotta admit, though, it's probably a heck of a view."

AJ just rolled her eyes. Photo and Octavia looked more amused, and Pinkie just shook her head.

"Gee, and the readers keep acting like Rarity is the one of us obsessed with stallions."

"Huh?" Dash flew over to her. "Hey, I'm not obsessed with stallions! I can take them or leave them, I'm happier by myself or with you guys and the Squirt." She paused, flared her wings out, and said, "But still, if I wanted to get a guy, I know I'd get the best one."

"Remember thet kissin' booth we took care of for the local fair a few months back?" Applejack simply said. Dash crimsoned. "Poor 'Shy near about fainted, Twi kept busy reading books on smoochin', Rarity got a sore throat from somepony, they were all scared o' me for some reason..."

"Probably because Big Mac was glaring at every stallion that even looked at you," Pinkie said with a laugh. "I liked kissing some of those stallions, and Rainbow Dash..."

Dash blushed at the memory.

"HEY! You! You paid, now GET OVER HERE!" And the stallion Dash yelled at fled into the night in a panic.

"An' in the end, Sweetcream STILL made more bits than all six of us together! Nice o' her ta give half of it ta the town." Applejack rubbed her chin. "Huh, maybe next time we can ask some o' Cadence's Changelings ta help out, they can get a meal and get ta help th' town at the same time."

Maud simply stared stoically at everything. "...Little sisters are important."

She hugged her little sisters and was hugged back.

The What If Machine watched. "...Is it wrong I'm disappointed it didn't become sapient?" it asked, looking at the fanfiction machine.

Fluttershy blinked. "Uh...why?"

The Machine displayed a frowny face. "...Then I would have a little sister too...this thing you organics call 'family' is something I wish I had...other my father, but he is sadly a mad scientist in the year three thousand in an adult cartoon universe...I would like to have a younger sister that looks up to me as much as Alula does her sister."

Pinkie Pie hugged it. "Don't worry, with all the crazy things that happen around here you'll have one eventually..."

The machine nodded, giving a small smiley face. "Thank you..."

"Anyway, Ah really need to get home," Applejack said, tipping her hat. "See yah'all later."

The apple looked to the Pie Family. "...Yah know, yah remind meh of mah family."

The sisters blinked. "Really?" Octavia asked. "Because we were born farmers?"

"Nah, that's just a little bit of it. Ah mean how yah come in all kinds, but in the end yer still family through and through. Not all the Apples are cowponies yah know. Cousin's a Royal Guard, darn good one, there's the Oranges in Manehatten, got a few in other countries. Tartarus, some CHANGELINGS turned out tah be Apples! Who woulda thunk!"

The four sisters looked at each other, then smiled (or in Maud's case, smiled inside). "...You're right, thank you Applejack."

Applejack said goodbye and left.

"Gotta go see Squirt...better make sure she and the other Crusaders haven't summoned another Elemental."

Octavia blinked in confusion. "ANOTHER?!"

"Yeah, that's why we don't let 'em near matches..." Rainbow Dash said. She gave a quick salute. "See ya all later!"

With that, a rainbow streak flew out of the room and towards a little orange pony waiting for her.

Fluttershy smiled placing hooves over her heart. "It's so sweet seeing them together."

Fluttershy wouldn't say it outloud, but she was happy to have a much smaller party of five ponies counting herself (six counting Fluttercruel, oh and seven counting Coffee Swirl), then she was at a party with over a dozen ponies. Large crowd just made her uncomfortable, even if logically they'd be easier to get lost in.

Fluttershy saw Rarity had left the telescope out and chose to put it away ...except...curiosity snagged Fluttershy and she looked through the telescope.

She saw a red stallion and purple mare outside Sweet Apple Acres.

"That was a lovely dinner Big Mac."

"Yer welcome Cheerilee." The two gave a SLIGHT nuzzle, enough to make Fluttershy blush ever so slightly. Fluttershy admitted she and Big Mac were kindred spirits, both shy, both gentle, both not known for socialization.

She loved him, but Fluttershy couldn't call it being IN love with him. And Cheerilee, had been first, had tried the hardest, had thought the longest about it, had endured the most, and above everything, she understood him the most, and Big Mac felt the most at peace around her.

The pair departed ways with one last look at each other.

Big Mac trotted behind the farm house to look at a small house made for two ponies...the roof had holes in it, varmints had claimed as their personal territory, and the board creaked.

Big Mac sighed at the disaster, the 'newly wed' house was going to need a LOT of fixing.

When Fluttershy looked away from the telescope, she was startled to find Maud Pie right there, peering intently at her.

After a few seconds, Maud spoke. "You want to date Coffee Swirl."

The pegasus blinked and blushed furiously. "No! I mean... um..." Her colors and cutie mark shifted. "No, I want to date Coffee Swirl," said Fluttercruel. "What's it to ya?"

"Fluttershy wants to date a different pony," deadpanned Maud.

Fluttercruel folded her wings crossly. "That's her problem!" Then she glanced to one side, fuming. "No, it's our problem. I live here too. We'll figure something out! Not that it's any of your business."

Again, Maud took her time answering. "You should use two bodies. Then it won't be a problem."

Fluttercruel facehoofed. "Do I look like Miss Purple Sparkle-Butt? How would I do that? Sorry, mom... I know, I know. But seriously, me and mom LIKE always being there for each other even when we're alone."

"Geode," said Maud simply.

Now Fluttercruel stared, at a loss for words. "Huh?"

"You are a geode."

Fluttercruel stamped off, pacing. "More poetry? Thanks. Not in the mood..."

Coffee Swirl started to object too, but Maud gave him a strange look, and the stallion trailed off without saying a word. "You have hidden depths," Maud explained, fixing her eyes on Fluttercruel again. "There's a thing. Detachment. You won't understand it. But you can do it if I show you. May I?"

Fluttercruel blinked. "Well... Okay. What could it hurt?"

Maud Pie grasped Fluttercruel firmly with her hooves and yanked hard... and like some kind of magic trick, she pulled a full-grown griffon out of the pegasus pony, with dark golden fur and feathers, and a pink tail and mane. The pegasus that was left behind instantly reverted to Fluttershy's colors.

"What? Oh my GOSH," squeaked Fluttershy. "What did you do?!"

The griffon spoke with Fluttercruel's voice. "Whoa. I'm... I'm still with mom, but I'm over here too! That's so weird! Hang on a sec... am I a griffon?" She patted herself down and recoiled, then jabbed a claw towards Maud. "Why the heck am I a griffon?!" she roared.

Maud smiled ever so faintly. "I said you wouldn't understand. And don't try to do this outside of Pinkie Pie's parties here...you're just under a million years too young to do this on your own and you'll only hurt yourself. Your Detachment will rejoin with the rest of you when the party ends."

The What If Machine gave it thought. "I have another happy ending I wish to show now that Rainbow Dash is not present to be unnerved..."

Rainbow Dash, the same one that had had her wings bound for so many years, watched as Nightmare Inferno hovered above, challenging Twilight Sparkle, the other five standing nearby. She wasn't sure what had happened to her original human self, Sunset said she'd ran away with this universe's Sunset, but Rainbow hadn't been there. Sunset had come back and brought her back.

Now Rainbow was able to fly, a demon like Snips and Snails, except her wings were much longer. Her wings, how she'd missed them! After years of being trapped in those braces, she was not happy when it turned out she didn't have them here, but Sunset had promised she'd have them back, and she kept her promise.

But...despite the power rush, despite the dark magic tainting her mind, something seemed...wrong...Even as she stood by to help Sunset out, something felt wrong. It'd felt wrong ever since Sunset had transformed, but something was stopping her from questioning it.

"She has us."

Then the rest of the five stood up next to Twilight.

Inferno laughed. "Gee, the gang really is all back together again..." she then began collecting a dark magic fireball into her hands. "Now step aside! Twilight has interfered with my plans one too many times already."

Rainbow's eyes fell on Fluttershy. Fluttershy wasn't much of a danger and never did anything to get on Shimmer's bad side (she stayed in the background 'where she belonged' and out of things...) so Sunset hadn't minded when Rainbow talked to her on occasion...Fluttershy hadn't been too happy to realize Rainbow was on the wrong side, they'd had a fight...but now...seeing her about to be threatened...

"If I lashed out...if I exploded...If I went on a big rampage, I'd just be what you want me to be, wouldn't I? And why should I ever be ANYTHING you want me to be ever again? So you know what I'm doing instead?! I'M GOING WHERE YOU CAN NEVER MAKE ME STOP AGAIN! WHERE NO ONE CAN TELL ME NOT TO BE ME!"

"Rainbow?" Fluttershy asked, looking up at the pegasus in front of her.

"Dash?" Gilda asked.

Rainbow Dash glared at the ponies, then hugged her two friends. "...I'm sorry if I scared you...Gilda?"

"...Yeah?"

"...Take care of Fluttershy. Never let her get hurt..."

"Dash..."

"Promise me!"

"...I promise..."

The mare stepped back. "And another thing?" she asked to the city. "If you EVER try to hurt them again for my sake? I'LL GIVE YOU A REASON TO BE AFRAID ME!"

"...What the hay am I doing?"

Rainbow Dash flew up in front of Nightmare Inferno. "Sunset!"

"Oh, hello Rainbow Dash. I forgot about you, do you want to be the one to fry Twilight Sparkle," Inferno cackled, eyes unhinged and insane.

"...Since when was THIS the plan?!" Rainbow asked in shock. Her eyes flickered back into her normal eyes. "I thought we just wanted to go back to Equestria as Alicorns! Not kill somepony!"

"Oh, that, I changed my mind," said the Nightmare. "We're going to conqueror it. And you can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs after all."

Rainbow Dash's eyes widened, looking in her eyes and feeling like Sunset just...wasn't there...Or rather, like Sunset had changed into something else.

"...Then do it without me..." Rainbow Dash stated, glaring. "...I promised some friends I wouldn't become a monster..." she looked over at Fluttershy, giving a small smile. "And I'm going to keep it."

The Nightmare's face contorted in rage. "...You...you...You traitor!" she screamed, Rainbow quickly having to block with her wings to avoid being blasted full on by a fireball. The blast sent the mare-turned-human crashing to the ground.

"RAINBOW!" yelled Fluttershy, dashing to her side, the others following.

"You steal everything from me, Twilight! Everything! Now you've stolen her!" the Nightmare roared, seeming almost paranoid. No, not almost. "If you're going to side with HER Rainbow, then DIE WITH HER!"

Rainbow Dash found herself grabbing onto Futtershy and trying to shield her, the others all covering BOTH each other and Twilight...but the fireball never hit. Instead, it'd converted into purple magic that surrounded them.

Rainbow blinked, finding herself transformed back to her human form. "Huh?"

Twilight did a good summation of what had happened: the magic of friendship was something that Sunset had tried to steal, not something she'd earned, so it'd rebelled and decided to give them a bit of a buff.

Rainbow's face lit up looking at her pegasi wings reformed on her back...but frowned. "But...why me? I..."

She remembered her promise. "...Hehe...guess I was loyal to something..."

One friendship powered Rainbow later, Sunset was sobbing in a crater, purified of her darkness...and broken by what she'd become.

Rainbow was one of the first to take up Twilight plea to help her. "...I was helping you as much as I was them...you were mean, but that thing you became? That wasn't healthy for you either...it was hiding the rest of you, and that isn't something that should happen to anyone...You need to be able to be yourself..."

Sunset Shimmer looked at her human hands, shaking, and then at the one person she'd considered a friend her entire life, the one Nightmare Inferno, the one she'd just tried to kill!

While others watched the What-if machine, Coffee Swirl circled around Fluttercruel's new body.

"What?" She asked, giving him a mild glare.

"Nothing," he said, "just... you actually look pretty good as a gryphon is all."

Fluttercruel blinked, then blushed slightly. "Well... thanks, I guess. Her feathers puffed up as she tried to put on a 'tough girl' look, and failed miserably.

Fluttercruel sat her hindquarters down and scratched the back of her neck with a paw. "Mmmm, nice!"

"Did you just purr?" asked Coffee Swirl.

"You didn't hear that!" Then she lifted a foreleg and flexed her talons, wiggling each one individually. "Ooh, I remember these. Check it out, built-in knives!" She strutted across the studio a couple times. "So... this body needs a flight test." She leaned close to Coffee. "Wanna help?"

"Oh, do be careful!" said Fluttershy. "Don't fly too high."

"At least, not on first date", said Photo Finish, grinning saucily. Octavia groaned.

'Don't worry mom.' Fluttercruel's voice said within Fluttershy, 'Like I said, I'm still in here. It's just a part of me going out and about.'

'I can guess which part.' Fluttershy thought.

"Cursed! I mean mystical items for sale! You'll be a whole new you and all your problems will be solved!" Shouted a voice announcing the opening of a new store.

Coffee Swirl looked out the window. "HEY! That's where my store should be!"

"Oh no! NO MORE INTERRUPTING MAUD'S PARTY!" Pinkie Pie took out her anti-Mary-Sue bazooka, loaded in a 'Anti-TF-Plot-Device-Sue' shell, and fired it out the window, hitting the target dead center, blowing it up, and restoring Coffee Swirl's shop. Along with several ponies restored from being cheerleaders, marble statues, cuddle-dolls, masochists, and a dozen other twisted fetish fantasies. Now all they wanted was some good evening coffee.

Pinkie Pie said to Coffee Swirl. "Look, I'll pay you for catering the whole thing PLUS overtime. Just deal with the horde of Celestia endorsement induced customers!"

The blank wolf pup who had been going at double time to take out "Bait n' Switch's Novelty And Costume Shop" once he had noticed it stood stock still at what he could only see as the... beauty of such an effective means of removing those that did not belong. It was a unique idea: long range removal of foreign elements to the world. And all without the targets being none the wiser.

A thoughtful expression appeared on his snout.

"...I wondeR iF I coulD geT onE oF thosE"

The camera turned outside the window again, this time showing a small dental office that Mineutte had opened up with Cadence pulling a few strings and in Ponyville where such laws were a little more lax, it was Minuette's idea of a vacation.

"YOU GIRLS SHOULD HAVE COME TO ME AT ONCE! ONCE YOUR TEETH GET HURT YOU SHOULD GO TO A DENTIST IMMEDIATELY! THAT'S JUST COMMON SENSE! THE LONGER YOU WAIT THE LESS LIKELY IT IS FOR ME TO REPAIR DAMAGE!" Mineutte said in an imitation of the Royal Canterlot voice, her lack of genetic relation to Twilight was confirmed by lack of a soap box underneath her.

Rainbow Dash and Rarity stood being brow beaten by Minuette for not coming sooner from them 'tasting' (stealing a bite of) Maud's 'marble cake made with real marbles.

Behind them, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle resisted sniggering.

"But Rarity, you always said not take things that aren't mine."

"Not now Sweetie, OW!"

Minuette scowled at the mares. "Honestly, some ponies! Now wait here, I have to finish with my assistants and their patient in the office."

The mare turned and walked back into the office where the sounds of drilling and groans of pain emanated. Rarity and Rainbow Dash shuddered.

"N-now, now," Rarity said, reassuring herself as much as Dash. "Some ponies are just childish about a little pain. We've fought Discord and mad alicorns more than once, we're not scared, are we?" She gave the pegasus a brittle smile.

"Y-yeah," Dash said, swallowing. "I'm n-not scared. Of the d-d-dentist?" A howl came from inside the office. Her pupils went to pinpoints. She barely whispered, "Wimp."

Both mares jumped and wrapped their forelegs around each other at a raw shriek from within the office. The door shot open and Bulk Biceps galloped out, holding his jaw and groaning in pain. Minuette followed him, smiling nervously.

"Now that didn't hurt, did it?" She recoiled at his look of agonized rage. "Besides, you have to get back in there, we're not finished yet!"

"Oh yes you are!" Bulk turned to leave but stopped at the door, turned and asked, "Hey, what did those three helpers of yours DO before they became dental assistants?"

Rarity flicked one ear as an oddly familiar voice called from inside the office, "We dig gems and catch ponies before get put on probation -- OW!"

"Shut up, Fido!" The voice added, "That not all. Once we be knackers, too."

Minuette flinched, and the other ponies recoiled.

"Far as I'm concerned, they still are!" Bulk said, and stormed out.

"It can't be!" Rarity went to the door and looked inside. Her eyes went wide and her jaw worked uselessly. Dash hurried to her side and blanched.

Inside stood three Diamond Dogs, of all beings. One big, one thin, and one short. The short one wore glasses that looked to be at least an inch thick. They looked ready to start fighting then and there. Then they looked at the pony looking at them and froze in horror.

Rarity shrieked, "You three idiots!"

"Nasty whining pony!" Rover howled. He and the other two crowded back into the corner, taking turns shoving each other to the fore. "Keep her away! She scary pony."

Rarity and Rainbow Dash looked at Minuette, pleading with their eyes even as the throbbing in their jaws redoubled.

"It's them," Minuette said coldly, "or it's this." She showed them a picture of a pony missing half their teeth and looking malnourished from the lack of food.

Rarity and Rainbow Dash looked at each other and gulped. Dash took out a bit from the small money purse hanging around her neck.

"Let's call it. Heads I win, tails you lose -- Hey!" She snatched uselessly after the coin as Rarity took it away. The unicorn dropped the coin and threw Dash to the Dogs.

"Do a good job on her, boys," Rarity called out. Dash whinnied and fought as the Diamond Dogs got her into the seat, held her there, and got the tools out. Rarity shuddered at the sight. "I'll just be out here, wondering why I'm not running away." She closed the door on the pleading Dash.

Scootaloo came up to her. "Uhh, Miss Rarity? Rainbow Dash WILL be okay, right?"

They heard the drill inside, followed by a howl of pain.

"Dumb Dog!" Rover said. The sound of a swat followed. "That not pony's tooth, Fido, that pony's forehead!"

"She'll -- survive, dear," Rarity said. Another yell from inside.

"Wrong tooth!"

"I think."

"Rainbow Dash, would you like me to hypnotize you into not feeling pain until I fix your teeth?" Minuette's voice called.

"No way! I had enough seeing ponies' heads getting messed with! You'll turn me into a mare who can't say no to anything!"

"I swear to Celestia I'll do no such thing. I suggested it to Roid Rage, but he wasn't quite smart enough for it to work on him. The smarter you are, you more suggestible you are to hypnosis after all. Then again maybe-"

"Hey! Just cause I'm not an egghead doesn't mean I'm dumb! I can take it!"

"Alright then. Just look into my eyes."

"Yes Mistress."

"I haven't started yet."

"Oh sorry."

Meanwhile...

"Snowy!" Pinkie bounced straight at the Blank Wolf and, to his horror, gave him a great big hug.

"Uh, sis..." Octavia and Photo Finish were watching Pinkie hug herself.

The wolf squirmed, finding it surprisingly difficult to get loose. "Don't call me..."

"Say, what was that all about?" interrupted Pinkie. "You know, with the spookY echO voicE?!"

Snow Bound winced, ears folding. "Stop that!"

Pinkie giggled. "stoP whaT?"

"yoU knoW whaT!" The Blank Wolf sighed grumpily. He eyed the multiplying plot bunnies, still running loose all over Ponyville, and found himself looking longingly at the mad Pink One's wondrous bazooka. Surely that would be much faster than slashing them one at a time! "Say..."

"Nope!"

"But I haven't even asked..."

"You can't have it!" Pinkie nuzzled the anti-Sue bazooka. "It's mine! My... prrrecious! You'd just erase it anyway."

"I would not! Well, perhaps it is a thing that should not exist, but... I'd make an exception!"

"No you wouldn't!"

"Indeed, I would!"

"This eez worse than I've seen in some while!" fretted Photo Finish. On the security monitor, the street wavered, and another costume shop appeared. "We must help Pinkie. Just after I buy one of those fabulous Snap Shot costumes. Imagine, me as a stallion. Somepony actually made a costume of that. I must try one on right now."

"And I must buy a Concerto costume," droned Octavia. "The costumes at that shop are fabulous, yet affordable."

Pinkie and the Wolf turned to stare at the new shop. "That shouldn't have happened," said Pinkie, a bit worried. She slapped another party munition into the bazooka and fired, blasting the second shop away just like the first.

The Blank Wolf nodded sharply. "There's something else out there, spreading more nonsense. I'll sniff it out. Steel yourself, Pink One. This could be a foe beyond any of us!"

Suddenly, Pinkie's legs twitched and her tail shivered. "Cool, a Gilligan Cut!"

"Oh for the love of! ..."

And suddenly the Blank Wolf was just returning to the studio, gently setting a small, very pink foal on the carpet. An invisible studio audience laughed at the situation.

Pinkie's eyes grew big and watery. "Oh, she's adorable. I can't blast that with my bazooka!"

The foal hopped over to Pinkie. "Mom? Mom, mom... Not mom! Want mom!!" The studio camera shook in place, and everypony stumbled around, even though the ground wasn't really moving.

"It wouldn't work anyway," grumbled Snow Bound. "She's not a Marey Sue. She's..." He gritted his fangs and took a deep breath. "the foal of a draconequus and an alicorn. From millions of years in the future in another dimension. I think she is the concept of Comedy." He glanced at the security monitor. "That would explain the dentist office."

"Uh..." Pinkie scratched at her mane. "That sounds like pretty textbook Marey Sue to me." The studio audience laughed again.

"I'll send her home," said Maud unexpectedly. "Her parents can't come here. It would cause drama, not laughs."

The foal perked up right up. "Gramma!" With a glow of her cute little horn, she teleported straight to her, nuzzling against Maud's foreleg.

"Grandma loves you too, sweetie," deadpanned Maud. The studio audience went "Awwww." Maud headed towards the prop closet, with the foal riding on her back. "I'll just be a moment..."

The what-if machine flickered on, though only Shy, Cruelgriff, and Coffee Swirl were watching.

It now showed the human Sunset Shimmer and Rainbow Dash hugging. Though Sunset looked unsure and ashamed in her body language.

"Goodbye Rainbow."

"Hey! I'll be back! I'm just gonna look for the native uses. Their family deserve to have them back."

"I...I know...good luck."

"Thanks!" The bus left with Rainbow on board to where they'd seen their human doubles headed years ago. Fluttershy and the others, having said their goodbyes already, waved her off as she went.

Author's Note

Pony POV Series
Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show episode 10
PART 16
By Alex Warlorn

Pinkie Pie, "Maybe it's time we begin to wind this down, I never thought I'd say that, this party is supposed to be about Maud getting to know the others, and catching up with Octy and Blinky, and maybe getting to know other big siblings like Big Mac and Shining Armor . . . but this part has gone on for so . . . I don't want a repeat of that time my friends needed to make me stop partying . . . it's funny, I think we're going to have an episode WITHOUT Trixie herself appearing, that new. Maybe she finally enjoy time with HER family!"

Parts added by:
MteganLion
@amam0t0
Alex Warlorn
Ardashir and Alex Warlorn
Ardashir and Alex Warlorn
Jmcdavid
MteganLion
Alex Warlorn
Ardashir, Kendell2, DragonofTwilight, and Alex Warlorn
MteganLion with a bit by me
Alex Warlorn (me)
DragonofTwilight, Alex Warlorn, Ardashir, Alex Warlorn
MteganLion
Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
Ardashir
Kendell2 and tiny bit by me
Alex Warlorn
MteganLion and Kendell2 with little bits and edits by Alex Warlorn (me)
dragon-of-Twilight
MteganLion and Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
amam0t0
Alex Warlorn
Ardashir and Alex Warlorn
MteganLion
Alex Warlorn

Pinkie Pie, " . . . Here's hoping Mr. Louis can make new edits fast so we can get this series done before season 5 airs . . . here's Da Rule":
1. What you put in the comments appears in the story.
2. Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and I can't spill the beans about us being out-and-out fiction to the others.
3. The camera can’t leave the studio.
4. The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from “My little Pony”
5. Everything that happens here is non-canon (except the Tartarus break out thingie, but not the big battle).
6. Have Fun "

Cover by Kendell2
MLP FiM Copyright of Hasbro

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Show epi 10 Part 17 ("Good-bye.")

Author's Note

Pony POV Series
Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show episode 10
PART 17
By Alex Warlorn

Pinkie Pie, "Okay . . . it's fun a ride . . . but . . . I think it's time to say goodbye to this studio . . . maybe we'll have an after party when the fanfic is done . . . maybe not . . . but it's sure been fun hasn't it?"

P.S. "I need to apologize to Trixie for forgetting she DID visit earlier in the episode!"

Parts added by:
MteganLion with edits and addition by Alex Warlorn
MteganLion
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn
Ardashir and me
MteganLion
MteganLion
Alex Warlorn
MteganLion
Alex Warlorn
Ardashir and MteganLion
Alex Warlorn
MteganLion
Kendell2 and MteganLion
Kendell2
ItsFromPeople
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn
MteganLion
Kendell2
amam0t0
Kendell2 and Alex Warlorn

Pinkie Pie, " . . . this may be the last I ever say this, so . . . here's Da Rule":
1. What you put in the comments appears in the story.
2. Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and I can't spill the beans about us being out-and-out fiction to the others.
3. The camera can’t leave the studio.
4. The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from “My little Pony”
5. Everything that happens here is non-canon (except the Tartarus break out thingie, but not the big battle).
6. Have Fun "

Cover by Kendell2
MLP FiM Copyright of Hasbro

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Show epi 10 Part 17 ("Good-bye.")

The door to the prop room opened. Maud Pie quietly stepped out and closed the door behind her. Whatever she'd gone to take care of... it was oddly hard to remember now... it had literally taken just a moment. But she did have to shake confetti off of her dress and had a 'I wuv u gramma' card.

Then the studio's front door opened, and *Concerto and Snap Snot* strolled in. The stallions posed, grinning handsomely. "So darlings," said Snap Snot. "What do you think of your new brothers?"

Pinkie's jaw dropped... and then she brandished two pairs of scissors. Fluttercruel flexed her talons. Coffee Swirl grabbed his sword from nowhere and started to draw the blade from the scabbard.

The two "stallions" recoiled. "What... no, wait!" cried Octavia. "They come right off, see?" They unzipped their costumes and effortlessly shucked them off. "We put them on while you were out!"

"You Ponyville types and your costume phobia," said Photo Finish, shaken. "No one is to be cutting this up! I am saving it for a show!"

The Blank Wolf padded over and sniffed them thoroughly. Photo Finish and Octavia leaned left and right to see Pinkie around him, without even realizing they were doing it. "They're clean," he growled. "Now, I have an appointment with a large mug of cider. If you should need me for anything else tonight..." He grinned toothily. "Feel free to use your bazooka instead." He faded and melted into the shadows. The 'don't notice me' aura around the foal Pinkie and the wolf had enough in having served its purpose.

Pinkie gave her sisters a big hug. "Sorry about that, girls. We had a pretty wacky morning."

Fluttershy trotted over and shook the sisters' hooves, and gave Maud a quick hug. "It was wonderful meeting you all, but Angel Bunny is going to be ever so grumpy about the late supper." She gave the larger griffon a hug too. "Shouldn't you and Coffee get going? I don't think the party is going to last much longer." She looked at Photo. "And don't worry, we can talk about me finishing my contract later if there really wasn't much time left on it." She winked and headed on out the door.

Fluttercruel and Coffee Swirl blushed. Fluttercruel had the odd sensation of being in two places at once, and found herself wondering how far apart she and her detachment could be. Still, if the party was going to end soon, she was going to enjoy this while it lasted.

Fluttercruel grabbed Coffee Swirl. "Come on, let's not keep your horde waiting. Oh yeah." She flew over to Maud and gave the still pony a pat on the shoulder. "You rock Maud."

"Joke. Funny," Maud Pie said lifelessly. "Nice meeting you. Goodbye."

Fluttercruel pushed Coffee Swirl's coffee bar out of the studio doors.

"Hey." Coffee Swirl said to the guest of honor. "Uh, look, I'm not good at this sort of thing. So seriously, just . . . nice meeting you."

"Enjoy things while they last, no matter how long you live, life is too shot." Maud Pie. "Nice meeting you too."

"Er, welcome."

The pegasus took a good strong look at the inside of the studio. "Ya know . . . I think I'm actually going to miss all this. Meh. Nothing last forever." He flew out after Fluttercruel to the coffee shop to finally host the hoard of customers.

"So . . . how did my model's split personality end up with a body of her own exactly?" Photo Finish said, confused. "I saw it . . . I think . . . but I can't figure it out."

"Ditto," said Octvaia.

"Spell of Twilight's!" Pinkie Pie said too quickly.

Photo Finish sighed. "Sister, don't lie to family."

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you!"

" . . . that, I am willing to be the believing."

"I just realized . . . " Octavia said. "It's just us four sisters in here now."

Maud's face twitched oddly. Octavia gasped, and Photo Finish lifted her goggles to stare. Was that a tear in Maud's eye? Suddenly, Maud hugged all three of them tight. "Thank you so much. For being my sisters."

"Sis..." coughed Pinkie. "Can't breathe..."

"Sorry." Maud's grip relaxed at once. "It's just..." She sighed, composed and expressionless again. "I came here because this is the end. The last variety show. This was never meant to last. Just a silly gag world, right? Nopony would care if it went away. But now..."

"Sis?" asked Octavia hesitantly. "You're scaring us. What are you talking about?"

"Even if there aren't any more parties or shows. This world shouldn't just disappear and be forgotten." Maud grasped Pinkie with her hooves. "Sis, you have to use them."

Pinkie gasped. "You mean... the Elements of Party?"

Photo Finish yawned. "We are not going on epic quest walking through haunted forest, are we? Because I am dead tired and somepony yoinked me through time and space without my luggage again."

Pinkie giggled. "Nah, I've got them right here."

Octavia grinned. "In case of party emergencies?"

"In case of super-de-duper party emergencies!" Pinkie rummaged just out of the camera frame and pulled out a paper party hat marked with colorful balloons, which she put on her own head. "I represent the Element of party planning and awesome party fun, of course."

"Of course," said a grinning Octavia.

Next, Pinkie pulled out a party whistle on a string and put it around Octavia's neck. "Tavi's the Element of awesome party music!" She replaced Photo Finish's goggles with a glittery paper party mask. "And you're the Element of crazy party costumes and schenanigans!"

"Shenanigans," muttered Photo Finish, but she smiled too.

Pinkie rummaged one more time and pulled out a big floppy nightcap. The fuzzy ball on top was marked with a six-pointed star. "And Maud's the Element of going home all warm and fuzzy after a great party and getting a good night's rest!"

Maud accepted the "Element" calmly and blew on the fuzzy ball to nudge it out of her face.

Pinkie grinned extra wide. "Now, everypony hold hooves and... hehe, make the magics!"

Octavia chuckled. "Um, Pinkie? We're all earth ponies here. I don't think... oh!"

A sparkling glow surrounded the sisters, lifting them off the floor and making their eyes glow. The last thing they heard was Maud Pie saying "So that's what this is like..."

Brilliant light poured out of all the studio windows. Dazzling fireworks exploded overhead, and a soothing rainbow glow settled over Ponyville.

Octavia's jaw dropped. "Wait...we...but...how..." she asked, looking at the Party Whistle. "...I suppose I shouldn't question it too much..."

Photo Finish took off her 'Element' and looked at it. "...I have ze feeling this is no ordinary party mask..."

A portal opened and an Alicorn version of Pinkie Pie with a mane composed of bubbly pink, yellow, and blue energy poked her head through. "Hey Past Pinkie! I see you finally found out what the Elements of Partying were for!"

Pinkie giggled. "Yeah! Thanks!"

Octavia and Photo Finish's jaws dropped. "I-Is t-that..."

The Alicorn waved. "Hello sisters! I'm Pinkie's potential, maybe, possibly future self, Three of Cups, Concept of Joy and Nostalgia, Princess Thalia!" she announced, giving a smile. "but you can STILL call me Pinkie Pie!...Or call me Thalie, I don't mind!"

"...I feel like I should faint, but sisterly pride prevents it," Octavia stated, stunned.

"...Sister....er, potential future sister. Your mane, what is it made of? It is majestic," Photo Finish, finding the coloration a good match for Pinkie's fur.

"Happiness!"

"...How is that possible?"

"I have no idea!"

One of the Cat Tribe poked their heads out of the portal next to Thalia. "Meow! Meow Meow!"

"Oh! Sorry Sir Frisky! I forgot!" Thalia replied, then turned back to the group. "I have to go plan a Celestia's birthday party! I have a LOT of candles to find!" The Alicorn of Joy hugged both her past family. "But before I go, let me leave you with a present!"

The alicorn took a deep breath. "Come on, everypony, smile smile smile,
Think back to times in sunshine, sunshine.
All you really need's a smile smile smile,
From memories of bygone time.

The happy past, can you see?
Even if it's been so long awhile
Find joy in your memory
Smile, smile, smile, smile, smile!

Come on and smile!
Come on…and…smile…”

The siblings all found memories of playing the games Pinkie had created while she was still on the rockfarm flooding forwards, happy times of being together surging to the forefront of their minds. By the end of the song, they were laughing and talking about the happy moments of their lives.

"Hope you enjoy it, by past me! You will be me soon!"

With that, the potential future Alicorn waved good bye and returned to her own potential future to let the sisters enjoy their time before the part could end.

"Now don't have any sticky or crunchy candies for a day, and you'll recover." Minuette said to Rainbow Dash. "And Miss Rarity is next."

"OW!" Rainbow Dash held her jaw.

"And that's the hypnosis wearing off.

"You okay Dash?" Scootaloo asked.

"I'll be fine squirt."

"Your turn Rarity."

"Oh dear."

"Rarity, you always scolded me when I refused to go to the dentist. You said they're there to help and we shouldn't make their job harder."

"Sweetie Belle do not quote back to your older sister."

"Still Miss Rarity, please come this way."

"Wow! Look outside!" Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked out the window as the night sky was filled with fluttering rainbow sparkles.

-

Applejack, at Sweet Apple Acres with Applebloom while Big was out back fixing the Newly Wed house, looked up at the rainbow colors in the sky. Her next heart beat struck hard within.

All the world had turned still except for Maud Pie, everything was faded and sand colored.

An orange and blond creature appeared in the studio.

"If Ah was mah brother, Ah'd pretend to be Pony Me, and then get ya up close and personal from behind. But Ah've seem too many worlds where Ah'm twisted inta a monster of lies fer that. No stealth or trickery fer me marefriend. Ah respect ya too much as a fellow farmer. So we're gonna do this face to face. Like mares should."

Maud Pie's expression stayed the same, she glanced at her sisters, disconnected from them in this place between moments.

She showed no alarm or surprise at what Applejack had become, or that knew the wolf before her was Applejack.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" She asked with no sarcasm or irony.

"It's Mah brother that can't touch a concept, even a avatar of one. Ah can. So it's up ta me, whether Ah like being this way or not."

"Why?" Not-Quite Maud asked.

"Answer it yerself."

" . . . I've contradicted the core of my being. I've not only desired a world to continue past its closing date, but I've directly and intentionally helped artificially extend its life," Not-Quite Maud said.

"And all of Thalia's disclaimers about may-or-may-not being Pinkie Pie's future has scrambled things up. Ya can't create a stable time loop and be a 'possible!'" Said the Opaque Wolf/Firejack/Applejack.

"Leave my baby sister out of this," Maud Pie ordered.

"It's big brother's job to handle time space scrunch-ups, my job is to handle the lies of ya. I don't care what my brother said, I will beat you!"

The Opaque Wolf howled.

Maud stood up on her hind legs, balancing perfectly that would make Lyra greener with envy.

-'Leave It All Behind' Metal Gear Rising -

The Opaque Wolf charged at Maud Pie, claws first, and tried to bite her face off, but Maud pushed her back, sending her into a wall. Maud looked at the claw marks on her leg.

"INSECT! YOU DARE TOUCH ME!" Not-Maud hissed.

"!ya'lL disrupT creatioN, nO furtheE" The Opaque Wolf leapt and vanished. Maud turned and blocked the wolf as it appeared besides her, knocking it back, it vanished as it was forced back by the blow. It appeared on the opposite side of her, using that same momentum to come at her claws and fangs bared. Maud Pie got her at hooves' length, but the Opaque Wolf forced her to skid across the floor, smashing her into a wall.

The two rolled over each other, the Wolf relentless in it's clawing and biting of Maud Pie's hide, tearing her dress and drawing blood.

Maud Pie head butted her, sending her spinning through the air, the wolf landed perfectly on all fours on a studio rafter.

The wolf howled. The Opaque Wolf's muscles bulged.

"I'm surprised you didn't summon Applebloom and her friends or you family of THIS as wolves to even the odds," Not-Quite-Maud observed.

".aH maY bE A wolF, buT aH ain'T draggiN' maH familY intA thiS"

"Still an Apple at your core."

".thiS herE iS mY responsibilitY wherE aH likE iT oR noT !sterilizE"

The wolf zig-zagged like lightning, vanishing and appearing at random points. Maud's eyes remained zeroed in at her the entire time.

The Opaque Wolf spun like a buzzsaw, pointy bits ready to dig into Maud Pie's flesh.

Maud Pie caught her with her front hooves, leaving two impressions in the floor as the force traveled through her down her legs.

The wolf's rear claws smashed into Maud Pie's stomach at the same time, she gasped and fell over like a felled tree.

".buckY mCgillycuddY and kickS mCgeE, meet mauD piE"

"Naming your own legs? What a silly pony." Maud Pie pushed down with her front hooves and kicked up with her rear hooves just as the Opaque Wolf came down on top of her, sending it upwards again. Firejack spun in place in the air, dying several laws of inertia, and then came down on top of Maud like a comet, if Maud hadn't rolled out of the way at the last moment, getting blow away just by the shock wave.

Both thought it was a good thing this was happening between moments or Pinkie Pie's insurance would never cover all this. The wolf leapt onto Maud's back before she had even landed, and pushed her into the floor hard.

The wolf reached down to break her neck. Maud tried to move, but it seemed the Opaque Wolf had increased her strength enough to keep her pinned.

Maud Pie understood and didn't understand what was going on. It was like there was a Maud Pie who was bigger than Maud Pie who existed just outside her existence. Like this was an arm or a leg? No, like she was a drop taken from the ocean. And now, this beast that was Applejack's unwanted alter ego, created specifically to take down the avatars and detachments of concepts who were disrupting reality, was going to end her.

"No," Maud Pie grunted.

Maud Pie banged her head into the floor as hard as she could, her forehead bled and she suffered a horrible headache . . . and the floor gave way before her skull ever would. The two fell into the mostly unused basement. This was due to it being more in a 'gray area' than the rest of the studio, since Pinkie Pie had accidentally dropped the camera down there once and it had turned out to be a time portal.

As such, Pinkie Pie didn't trust to keep anything down there. It might end up in season six or in the Japanese dub of Equestria Girls Friendship Games.

This grayness was more disorienting for Firejack than the smashing through the floor with her head was for Maud Pie who took advantage and grabbed her opponent with her two hooves.

"YOU ARE THE ONE WHO WON'T ESCAPE ME!" Not Maud Pie said. "I!!!! I!!! These are my sisters!" Not-Quite-Maud said. "And I love them too much to leave them yet." Said Completely Maud Pie without emotion.

"The goddess of naught should have no attachments! This will corrupt creation!"

Maud Pie said nothing, she twisted in the air with the Opaque Wolf, unable to teleport away, and she proceeded to punch into her like her hooves were jackhammers, not stopped even when they hit the bottom, not stopping even when the wolf stopped moving, only stopping . . . when Maud Pie told herself, "Stop it. This isn't the kind of party Pinkie Pie wanted, this isn't the kind of party any of my sisters wanted, this isn't the kind of party I want. Stop it."

"Please Maud . . . ya can't let this happen . . . please . . ." Firejack pleaded in a whisper.

"Maybe this isn't corruption, maybe it's something else," Not-Quite-Maud-Pie said. "Any other answers . . . heh, as Pinkie Pie would say, would be spoilers." Not-Maud said, "I thought Rota Fortuna freed you of your service."

"She did . . . this was . . . this was all Firejack . . . we wolves, we don't ANSWER to any concept, it's how we're kept form being used as attack dogs instead of cleanin' up tumors and infections like the two of us were made ta do."

Not-Maud-But-Completely-Maud-Doing-The-Choosing gently stroked her hooves along the Opaque Wolf . . . the damage to her fading, as it faded the gold and blond wolf became a palomino pony with a simple three apples cutie mark.

"Don't worry, we won't have any other corrupted avatars or corrupt gods to deal with for a long long time. Just get some rest Applejack . . . you've earned it."

Maud Pie looked around, and realized the space between moments was fading. "Best get out of here before we slip back into forward moving time and we slip into whatever portal is buried under here." Maud Pie took hold of the hat-less pony, and jumped up through the floor as time began to move forward again.

The damage from the battle, since it had happened in the space between moments, faded, and Applejack, faded back to Sweet Apple Acres where her little sister was waiting for her.

The transmission feed switched to a black and white camera that flickered on, the perspective being that of a foal, as Applejack reappeared on the farm house's couch.

At the dental office, for how Rarity dared to allow the Diamond Dogs to come anywhere near her with hooks, pliers, needles, or drills! . . .

"I feel so much as a TWINGE, and I will be selling dogskin coats in my Boutique. Got it?!?"

"Yes, Miss Whiny Pony." They gulped.

Mineutte sighed. "Please don't threaten my assistants. I'll be doing the major work."

TIMELINE A

The studio monitor continued to display the grainy black and white camera footage, even though no one was there to watch it...

A candle flickered. The shadows in the Apple family home twisted, and the Blank Wolf sprang out of them, racing to the couch. "Applejack! Are you well?" He panted, then hung his head. "I warned you! Why did you not listen?"

The farm pony's eyes were open, staring at nothing.

"Please, speak to me," he urged her. "Can you not see me?" He gritted his fangs and shifted, becoming the pony Snow Bound once again, with the same wheel and slashes cutie mark as before. He shook her gently and waved a hoof in front of her eyes.

"Ah see *them*," said Applejack softly. "Snow, Ah can see Wolfville. Twilight Glimmering... Fluttergale... Rough Cut, Thunder Dash, Honey Mead... Everywolf is there, waiting for me. Ah should be there with them!"

Snow Bound shook his head. "You chose to be here, remember? With your pony family." He leaned over to where the Stetson had fallen, picked it up in his teeth, and placed it firmly on her head. "You are Applejack of the Apple Clan. That was more important to you than immortality and all the power in the worlds."

A sleepy Apple Bloom yawned where she sat on the floor, stirred awake by voices. She gasped, seeing her big sister and a white stallion being all friendly-like on the couch, then grinned and made sure the camera was aimed right at them, not making a sound.

Applejack snorted. "Darn right it was. So why..." She blinked. "Hang on a sec... Did you know Ah still had the wolf in me?" She struggled to sit up, looking into Snow Bound's eyes. "You fuzzy rascal, you did know! Why the heck didn't ya say anything?"

Snow Bound coughed, hiding a smile. "I should NOT be telling you this, but blast it all... If SHE is going to go breaking all of the rules... Yes, of course I knew. Applejack, I saw how the Opaque Wolf was made. Firejack is not a thing that anyone could carve out of your soul and take away. She will always be part of you." He pointed a hoof at her flank. "There, see the Truth with your own eyes."

AJ turned her head, dreading what she might see. "Huh? It's the same!" Three good solid reliable red apples, no wheels or slashes or any other nonsense.

Snow Bound grinned, as well as he could with flat pony teeth. "Yesss. You have the likeness and memories of Firejack, and the power of the Opaque Wolf... though I believe you will find that greatly weakened for some while. They are yours to use as you wish. They do not change *who you are*."

"Then what was all that with Fate wanting me to choose!?" asked Applejack, happy and terribly confused all at once. "Why make me pick between the power and mah friends and family if Ah already had both?"

Snow Bound leaned closer. "What was that you were shouting at Maud? Something about it being wrong for the goddess of naught to have attachments?"

Applejack thought about it for a while. Her ears drooped. "Aw, ponyfeathers..."

"Aw, ponyfeathers, indeed," said Snow Bound dryly, waggling a hoof. "Mother Fate is going to be cross. You've slipped your leash. Had your cake and eaten it too, as the Pink One would say. Well? What are you going to do now? Can you use your power fairly and impartially, even though you love your family?"

Applejack considered it... and changed. Snow Bound smirked and followed suit. Fur rustled, growing wild... tails and ears floofed out, fangs gleamed. The orange and gold wolf nuzzled the white wolf. "First things first," said Firejack. "Cider!"

Snow Bound licked his chops. "And then?"

"Then, how about we go howl at the moon a while? ... That's not a euphe-mise-whatever. Ah always wondered what all the fuss was about."

"Well, then." He followed her to the kitchen, chuckling to himself.

After a while, the camera started to move. Apple Bloom carried it back to her bedroom and turned it around to record herself. "Cutie Mark Crusader's log, pony date 0145-a. Big news! Mah big sister's secret special somepony is a werewolf!"

Then the camera's battery ran out, and the picture went black.

TIMELINE B

The studio monitor continued to display the grainy black and white camera footage, even though no one was there to watch it...

A candle flickered. The shadows in the Apple family home twisted, and the Blank Wolf sprang out of them, racing to the couch. "Applejack! Are you well?" He panted, then hung his head. "I warned you! Why did you not listen?"

The farm pony's eyes were open, staring at nothing.

"Please, speak to me," he urged her. "Can you not see me?" He gritted his fangs and shifted, becoming the pony Snow Bound once again, with the same wheel and slashes cutie mark as before. He shook her gently and waved a hoof in front of her eyes.

"It's all slipping away," said Applejack softly. "Twilight Glimmering... Fluttergale... Rough Cut, Rainbow Blaze, Honey Mead... Ah can't remember their faces any more." She finally met Snow Bound's gaze, her eyes haunted. "Firejack?"

"Gone," he said, reluctantly. "Extinguished."

Her expression hardened. "It don't seem right. The Opaque Wolf... she did what she had to do, what she was made to do, and Maud killed her for it?" Applejack slammed a hoof down on the end table. "Ah guess there wasn't any good way outta this... she could have killed Maud instead, and Ah probably would have lost Pinkie as a friend forever, but... it's not right! Is she really gone for good, Snow?"

He considered. "No, and... yes. Maud did not erase the *idea* of an Opaque Wolf. A new Opaque Wolf Pup will be born, when she is needed... but you will not be her, Applejack, and she will not be you."

A sleepy Apple Bloom yawned where she sat on the floor, stirred awake by voices. She gasped, seeing her big sister and a white stallion being all friendly-like on the couch, then grinned and made sure the camera was aimed right at them, not making a sound.

"So, that's it, then?" mused Applejack. She noticed her Stetson on the floor, laying where it had fallen, and picked it up, turning it over several times in her hooves before she put it back on her head. "Ah'm just a pony now? No more crazy wolf stuff, ever again?" Snow's face fell. "Ah'm not talking about you, ya fuzzy rascal." She bumped noses with him, nuzzling lightly. "Ah said you were my friend before Ah was ever a wolf, and you're still my friend now... if ya have time for a plain old mortal mare like me. Ah know how hard your job is, a lot better now than before!"

Snow Bound grinned, as best he could with flat pony teeth. "My friend, I will make time."

Before he could do anything else, the one candle in the room flared. Both turned their heads, startled. The shadows in the room swarmed and ran together, forming a small four-legged shape. Snow Bound blinked, eyes wide. "Oh no, she didn't..."

"Didn't what?" demanded Applejack. "What's going on?!"

The figure shook like a youngster just out of the bath, flinging shadows every which way instead of water, revealing an orange and gold wolf pup with big fluffy paws. "Howdy!" she barked.

Applejack probably would have fallen right over if Snow Bound hadn't steadied her with a hoof. "But... how?" She glared at him. "Explain, mister."

"Ooh, what's this do?" wondered the wolf pup aloud, padding here and there and nosing around all over the kitchen. "Ooh, what's in here?" She bumped into Winona and giggled. "Hi!"

Winona growled and chased her own tail, looking for the other canine that she knew was there, but couldn't see. She started barking loudly.

Granny Smith banged on their ceiling. "What's all the commotion?" came her voice from upstairs. "Ponies are trying' ta sleep!"

The wolf pup yipped! and scrambled onto the couch, trying to hide behind Applejack... only when she did, Applejack found not a pup but a foal... orange coat, scruffy blond mane and tail, and already wearing a cutie mark on her flank... a large red apple with two black slashes, one on either side.

Snow Bound coughed awkwardly. "Clearly, this is the second Opaque Wolf. You were her template. I suppose it's up to you, whether or not you believe that makes you her mother."

The grainy black and white view lurched to one side with a clatter... Apple Bloom had dropped the camera. "Sis... does this mean Ah'm an aunt now?"

Applejack stared, open-mouthed, and fainted on the spot.

Now Back To Timeline Pinkie Pie And Her Three Sisters At the Studio

The camera tilted towards the telescope, which zoomed into Minuette's dental office, where Rarity was still being treated for her hurt jaw. Rainbow Dash, had loyally remained for moral support, though she had to keep Scootaloo with her since she didn't have a babysitter. Scootaloo was BORED BORED BORED, though Sweetie Belle was with her, so that balanced things out a little. Rainbow Dash also had to make sure that the two of them didn't think of trying to try their dentist cutie marks on poor Rarity. True, individually the fillies weren't so bad, but put them together . . .

There was soft knock on the door . . . "Oh my, can I come in?"

"Fluttershy?" Rainbow Dash asked opening the door to the dental office.

"Fluttershy!" The two fillies greeted the mare who had saved them from the cockatrice.

"Hello girls." She smiled and looked back at Rainbow Dash. "Angel wasn't happy about his late supper, but then I remembered how Rarity and you were here at the dentist, and the dentist can be so scary! Well, I know they're only doing it for your own good, but foals can get so scared, and-"

"I'm not a filly Fluttershy."

"Oh, sorry, I know! But, it's so confusing! Futtercruel she . . . Maud Pie did this . . . odd thing, she said something about geodes, that let Fluttercruel . . . uh, erm." Fluttershy whispered. "It's let her create a griffin body out of magic that lets her act independently of me, and, her spirit is still with me, but . . . I have this odd feeling of something missing and-"

"Wait. Fluttercruel, has a magic twin of herself going around that looks like a griffin?" Rainbow Dash said lowly least the CMC hear.

"No, she's with Coffee Swirl helping all their customers."

"Oh. I see." Rainbow Dash grinned slightly. "Heh."

"Oh Rainbow, your teeth are better."

"Yeah, I, er, already had my turn, Rarity is inside with hers."

"Oh, is she okay?"

"Remember those three diamond dogs who kidnap her? Mineutte is apparently using them as hired help."

"! . . . Excuse me Rainbow Dash, I'll just be stepping in now."

"Fluttershy? What are you doing-Hey! Wait!"

Fluttershy stepped into the office.

"HEY!" Mineutte said, "Excuse me, is it an emergency? I'm already with a patient, can it wait?"

"Another of the whinny pony's friends!"

"'e''er 'y?" Rarity tried to get out with the mental tools in her mouth.

"Hello Rarity. And oh nothing for me, thank you. It's just . . . when I was a little filly, before I realized how much I loved animals, I was studying to be a dentist!"

" . . . Is that so?"

"Oh yes! I bet I could even make a good assistant. I . . . I think have more education than your assistants."

"Technically I do all the real work, you don't just let amateurs near a pony's teeth after all. But . . . I could use an extra pair of hooves."

"Oh thank you!" Fluttershy squeed.

"But seriously, let me do the dental work."

"It's alright. I just want to be here to help."

Octavia was sharing another story from back on the rock farm when someone knocked heavily on the studio door, three times exactly. "I wonder who that could be?" mused Pinkie, trotting over to find out.

When Pinkie opened the door, she found a pony in a black, hooded cloak. "Wait a minute... are you here to tell me the way to happiness?" Pinkie grinned. "Cause I kind of have that figured out already!" Then the ominous figure lowed her hood, making Pinkie gasp. "Starlight!? What are you doing here?"

"Congratulations!" said Starlight. "Your world has officially been upgraded to full afterlife services!" She held out a clipboard stuffed with important-looking papers. "I'll just need your hoof-mark here... and here, and here."

Pinkie did so, in a bit of a daze. "Afterlife... er, shouldn't you be talking to the Princesses about this?"

"Why? You're the one who placed the order." She saw Pinkie's blank look and smiled reassuringly. "There's nothing to be anxious about, Miss Pie. The service is backdated for the whole..." She scanned the clipboard. "...three years this world has been in operation, and my team is already here, locating the dead and guiding them to their eternal rewards."

Pinkie gulped. "Really? I don't remember a lot people actually dying during one of my shows..."

Another pony in a hooded cloak walked by just then, leading the ghost of a carnivorous pony-eating plant. "... so that's why we're sending you to Pony Hell, where you can enjoy gnawing on bad ponies who completely deserve it..." The ghost plant rustled happily.

"Oh right, that one time..." Pinkie rubbed her chin with a hoof. "Wait, did that actually happen?"

"You should also expect a call from Rota Fortuna later this week," said Starlight brightly. "She'll want to discuss any ideas you might have on future of your world, now that it has... well, more of a future than it used to. It's been a pleasure talking to you, and I'll be seeing you... hmm..." She peered at her clipboard, then flipped to the next page, and the next after that. "Well, maybe I won't be seeing you!" She winked and flew off. "Goodnight!"

-

"And there we go, now try to avoid biting into cakes that don't belong to you and you'll lead a healthier life." Minuette said helping Rarity out of the chair.

"And it barely hurt!" Rarity smiled at her reflection, displaying all her teeth. And froze to see one on the side shaped like a canine fang.

Minuette wheeled on her assistants.

"Rover! What did I tell you about doing that to customers?" She pointed at Rarity's new fang. "No giving canine caps to pony teeth!"

"It give whiny pony touch of class," the Diamond Dog said with a sniff, his two sidekicks nodding.

Rarity gasped. "How dare you! You.. you ruffians! I demand that you fix this at once."

One of the dogs gulped. "We fix!"

"We give pony matching fang on other side!" said the second one.

"You certainly will not!" cried Rarity.

The third dog scratched his nose. "Why not? Rainbow pony liked."

Rainbow Dash grinned, revealing two pointy fangs. "The way I figure, this makes me at least *thirty* percent cooler."

Scootaloo gasped. "Ooh, me next! Make me just like Dash!"

Rarity gritted her teeth, flinching when the unfamiliar fang poked at her lip. "Fluttershy! Fluttershy, darling, how could you? Weren't you paying attention?!"

Fluttershy stumbled out of the back room, blissfully not looking where she was going. "Oh my... Oh my!" Everyone else in the room fell silent, leaning closer to hear better. "Oh my!!" Fluttershy gave a happy little squeal and whispered, "They're holding hooves!"

Minuette facehoofed. "Why? Why didn't I stick with conquering the universe? I could have been good at that..."

Rarity groaned. "I simply cannot deal with any more nonsense today. I need some air..."

Sweetie Belle watched her sister head for the door, stamping her hooves. "I'll come with you."

"Pony should wait," said one of the dogs. "Laughing gas not worn off yet."

"Stay here, please. I'll be right back." Out in the moonlit streets of Ponyville, Rarity took deep breaths of the refreshingly chilly air. "Goodness gracious, it's late..."

And then, a strange howling froze her in place. "What... what was that?" A second howl joined the first. Over there, on the trail leading towards Sweet Apple Acres... two large, shaggy shapes. Rarity almost turned and fled back into the dentist office, then stopped again, blinking. "Why should *I* run away? I faced down a mad goddess just this morning. I'm not afraid of wolves. Oh, ho ho!" She grinned, her one fang gleaming, and quietly trotted closer.

What Rarity was seeing didn't make any sense, though. One of the wolves was wearing Applejack's hat! The wolf finished howling and said "Ah still don't get it." She even sounded like Applejack. Then an ear flicked, and she turned her head. "Well look who's here. Howdy, Rares! Heh, if she could see me now..."

Rarity gawked, then fell straight over onto her fainting couch, murmuring about laughing gas and fangs and lawsuits.

Rarity woke up in her home. Found the fang not there. Wondered if the day's antics had been a dream, until she spotted the dental bill from Minuette, paid in full as an apology for the Diamond Dogs' foolishness.

"Oh my, is Sweetie Belle home? I hope Sweetie Belle hasn't gotten bored and gone midnight crusading. Or worse, tried to cook dinner!"

Rarity wondered, if had brought her home? But a little crayon drawing told her who. Rarity admitted, in the year Sweetie Belle had been staying with her, it had jut become NATURAL to have her nearby.

Rarity smelled something from the kitchen. "Oh no!"

Rarity ran straight to the kitchen.

She found . . . a perfectly good meal set up (if a little heavy on the sugar), being set up by Sweetie Belle.

"Who are you, and what you done with Sweetie Belle?" Rarity asked at once.

"Huh? Rarity it's me!" Sweetie Belle said.

Rarity tilted her head. "But-But-since when can Sweetie Belle, I mean! This isn't her, your, uh . . . normal cooking style."

"I found this neat cook book in the cupboard, it had lots of dust on it, it helped a lot." Sweetie Belle held up a book, entitled. 'Self-Past-Life-Regress For Dummies.'

After Applejack and Snow Bound hastily became ponies again and helped Sweetie Belle get her big sister home, they paused at the gates to the Apple farm. They could see a lit lantern in the distance. Big Mac was working late, hammering nails into new planks for the newlywed cottage. One of Pinkie's security cameras, inexplicably attached to her fence, whirred and focused on them, but they ignored it as best they could.

"So," said Applejack. "You wanna explain what happened back there? How come Rarity saw me?"

"Allow me," said an unexpected presence, stepping into the moonlight... Rota Fortuna herself, in person.

"Mother," murmured the Blank Wolf, eyes wide. It took him a moment to remember to bow.

"Snow Bound..." The alicorn paused, smiling faintly. "It's a fine name. I tried for literal ages to persuade you to once again take a name, after..." Snow Bound didn't argue, but he did seem rather puzzled. "But I digress." She turned to the farm pony. "I do not often explain myself, Applejack. I dislike spoilers."

AJ coughed. "Ah kinda figured."

Rota Fortuna nodded. "Then know this. Your instincts about the danger posed by 'Maud Pie' were correct. When she broke the Opaque Wolf, she broke time itself. In another world, your wolf aspect actually died. In this one, she was left weak enough that I was able to separate the Opaque Wolf's power from Firejack entirely."

Rota's horn glowed, and a golden jeweled box lifted into view. Inside lay a choker like the Element of Honesty, but with Rota Fortuna's own symbol on the gem. "Snow Bound was incorrect. You do not get to have your cake and eat it too. You chose a mortal's fate, and I will hold you to that. Unless, you actually have changed your mind..."

Applejack didn't hesitate for even a second. "No, m... ma'am."

"Very well." Rota Fortuna closed the box and locked it tight, then teleported it away. "The Opaque Wolf fought well, and her battles are finished. She will not be coming out to play again, unless I myself deem the need sufficiently dire."

AJ nodded slowly. "And... Firejack?"

"She is, and remains part of you. I leave you one other gift." The alicorn glanced towards the house, her natural wing fluttering in the breeze, while the mechanical one creaked slightly. "In your storm cellar, you will find an enchanted mirror. Beyond that mirror lies... Wolfville." Applejack and Snow Bound exchanged surprised glances. "If you venture there, go with the caution and good sense that I hope you've learned by now... my little wolves. Also, do not attack Maud Pie again. I will deal with her myself. At the appointed hour."

Rota Fortuna walked past them into the shadows, and with a gust of wind she was gone.

The What If Machine activated. "I have a situation to show that should be amusing:"

The screen turned on.

"Ow! Ow! Mother!" cried the white deer with golden antlers...as Mother Deer pulled him before Ponyville with his ear in her telekinesis.

"Apologize to these ponies for attacking them for something they had nothing to do with."

"But Mother, that'd be humiliating!"

"Are you talking back to mother, young buck?"

"...I'm sorry I attacked you for something you didn't do."

"Apologize for treating our allies like they're beneath you."

"You can't be-OW!" the deer king bowed his head. "I'm sorry for treating you like you were beneath me..."

"That's better, I raised you better than that, Aspen."

"...Do I have to apologize to the Minotaur too?"

"No. He was the only one your people hurt who'd actually wronged anyone. Now come on, we're going to be visiting Sweet Apple Acres."

"What?! Why?!"

"To show you how 'little ponies really care about the environment' by letting Applejack introduce you to each and every tree by name."

"But mothe-OW! Why the ear?!"

The scene ended.

Outside the studio, there came a clattering of many hooves. The studio doors swung open, revealing Prince Blueblood and the pegasus-drawn chariot that he'd just stepped out of. He adjusted his courtly vest and overcoat, then flashed a winning smile at a mirror held by an attendant, checking his mane and teeth. Thus prepared, he stepped into the building. "Miss Pinkie Diane, good evening. I wondered if I could have a word... Auntie have mercy, are you *still* filming?"

Pinkie dropped her karaoke microphone and bounced right over. "Hi, Bluey! How's Arcane and Neatly?"

The Prince stiffened. "How dare you address me as..." He blinked. "You know..." Then he chuckled. "Fine. Just for you, the Prince of Canterlot shall answer to Bluey. You've earned it. Arcane and Neatly are doing much better, and I'm certain they'll appreciate your concern."

Pinkie beamed. "Did you come to party? There's plenty of leftover cake!" With speed that Rainbow Dash would have called "not bad," Pinkie flung Blueblood into a chair, tied a napkin around his neck, and plunked a dish with a slice of rich cheesecake in front of him.

Blueblood sniffed haughtily, then inhaled again. "That does smell mouth-watering... ah, no... focus... I came on business." All at once, he seemed to notice that Pinkie had other guests. "But I have not greeted your charming companions! Good evening, Miss Octavia. Your performance at the concert last Thursday was superb."

Octavia blushed. "You remember? Why, thank you, your highness." She glared at the karaoke machine, which had just eaten another tape. "I'll just put this back in the prop room..."

"Of course. Ah, and this would be Miss Photo Finish. I'm looking forward to your next spring fashions event."

"You are being too kind," said Photo Finish, suddenly glad to be wearing her trademark shades.

"And of course..." Blueblood stopped, staring at Maud Pie, who stared back at him impassively. "I... Pardon me, I have no idea who this pony is... ah, but surely you do, Miss Pinkie, you knowing every pony in Ponyville, after all."

Pinkie giggled, covering her mouth with a hoof. "Silly Bluey, of course I know! This is my sister, Maud Pie!"

Still, the Prince stared, completely drawing a blank. "Sister?" Something clicked. "Oh... Yes, I see! One of your relations from the rock farm where you grew up."

"You should attend a Gala several thousand times," said Maud in a dull monotone. "It builds character."

Prince Blueblood started to make a snarky comeback, something along the lines of "Ah yes, what else could you be but a Pie, spouting such random drivel." ... but strangely, he felt his finely honed sense of self-preservation tingling. Any noblestallion who lived under the same roof as two goddesses learned to heed that.

So instead, he cleared his throat and said, "Some would say that I'm quite a character already! After all, I did manage to rescue my royal cousin from vile imprisonment, with the aid of some extraordinary good fortune, and a certain extraordinary young mare... Where was I? Ah, it was a pleasure meeting you." He turned to Pinkie. "Now then, about your variety show."

Pinkie blinked. "What about it? Aren't you having fun?"

Blueblood sighed. "I thought that we'd come to an understanding, Miss Pinkie. The Crown is, as you know, a major sponsor of this program, and you agreed that costs needed to come down. That strange machine of yours consumes more electricity than the entire rest of the town put together, even when it's working properly and not trying to take over said town. Granted, using more electricity than all of *Ponyville* isn't that difficult, but the fact remains. Now I find that your show is turning into some sort of marathon! If you can't bring this production under control, then the variety show... might have to be cancelled."

Dah, dah, daaaaah!

Everypony turned to look at Octavia, who'd just played those three dramatic notes. "Look, I found a tuba!"

-

Suddenly, a hole opened in the universe behind of Pinkie Pie and Apple Pie poked her head through. "Hi Aunt Pinkie!"

"Oh, hi Apple Pie."

"Hey, meh and mah friends are making our own show like yers in our world, wanna come over like that one time we came fer one of yer shows?"

Pinkie frowned. "Sorry, but we're kind of in the middle of a crisis right now..."

"Oh..."

"But I can send some of the shadows over to check it out, okay?"

Pinkie Pie pointed to the bottom of the screen causing a link fav.me/d8mi1ne to appear on it.

"Okay! but please come over sometime, okay?"

"Wouldn't miss it!"

And with that Apple Pie returned home.

Blueblood blinked in confusion. "What was that?"

"I think some shameless self promotion by somepony else's show."

Octavia and Photo finish were staring confused. Maud didn't seem to care.

“Great! What are we supposed to do now? Ze distraction has left the building!!!” Photo Finish said dramatically now that Apple Pie was gone.

“Please don’t use up all exclamation marks. I begin to run low with the show going on so long.” Pinkie Pie whispered to herself.

“It is okay, I have brought us some time. I could convince the Blueblood to share some of the leftover cake with the guards that flew him here.” Octavia still sounded worried. Those pegasi wouldn’t need long to eat all of it.

“Nothing lasts forever but I enjoyed every moment of it, no matter how insane it got, you were there with me.” Maud Pie added calmly. Their bond was an undenyable fact.

“We need to come up with something to keep our costs low. Where's a light bulb moment when you need it the most?” Pinkie Pie looked around hoping for any idea.

The What If Machine clicked on. "This machine shall shall distract him, think of something."

Pinkie nodded. "With what?"

"The most distracting thing one can find on the internet."

Pinkie Pie gasped. "You don't mean-"

"Yes, I do."

"...I guess this situation calls for the big guns," Pinkie Pie said, putting on a helmet.

The What If Machine came over to Blueblood. "Hello, your highness, I have a video to show you."

"Huh?"

~*~

Diamond Tiara was presently sitting at a tea party, a black cat with a blue collar sitting across from her with a tea cup in his paws.

"Meow?"

"No, Dazzle, you've had enough sugar for today. You remember what the vet said."

"Meow!"

Diamond sighed at the sad eyes her pet flashed her. "Why do you have to be so cute?"

~*~

Blueblood blinked. "....I don't know what I'm looking at...but for some reason I can't bring myself to look away and have the strange urge to say 'daaaaw.'"

Octavia blinked. "So it meant..."

Pinkie Pie nodded. "Yep; funny cat AND foal videos. That should buy us at least an hour, depending on Blueblood's cuteness threshold."

Octavia yawned. "Pinkie Pie it IS getting late and I have practice early in the morning, and I know Maud will have to get up early for farm work, not to mention the travel time for us getting back home or to Canterlot. Maybe if you end the show right now, they'll forgive how long you've gone over your limit?"

"Look at that!" cried Prince Blueblood, looking disturbingly like Big Mac with that old Smarty Pants doll. "Look at that adorable kitten falling asleep! Just look at it!"

"Oh, I love those too," said Pinkie. "But I'm afraid we're out of time."

"Out of time? But... there are more of the little blue words that I haven't clicked on yet! Equestrian Rap Battles of History? What's that all about..."

"Now, now, your Highness," said Octavia. "You're the one who said we were way over time." Pinkie reached and clicked the web browser closed, lightning quick.

The Prince sighed, massaging his forehead with a hoof. "You drive a hard bargain," he declared. "Very well, I shall recommend that the Crown fully fund its share of the show's expenses. I... don't suppose you could get me one of these terminals for the palace, hmmm?"

Pinkie smirked. "Maaaaybe! But for now..."

An orchestra started up from nowhere, playing a slow happy-sad sort of song. Pinkie stepped into a spotlight.

"It's time... to say goodnight..."

Prince Blueblood chuckled, and provided the next line in a surprisingly good singing voice.

"For...... the sisters Pie."

Everyone joined in, except for Maud.

"We didn't want the show to end.
But maybe we'll turn up again......"

The orchestra played the chorus again without words, while the camera faded from one scene to another, all around Equestria:

An impromptu Cutie Mark Crusader sleepover. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were holding different drawings on paper over Apple Bloom's flank, trying different cutie marks on her.

Applejack, Snow Bound, and Big Mac, looking up at the stars.

Coffee Swirl and griffon Fluttercruel, sipping coffee on moonlit clouds.

Fluttershy, smiling, fast asleep in her bed.

Cheerilee in her bedroom, drawing a sketch of Big Mac in her diary with lots of floating hearts.

Twilight Sparkle, groaning and cramming a pillow over her head because the heart song had woken her up.

Zecora, and her new sister Bareedina in Zecora's hut sharing tea and zebra voodoo.

Kifuko and Half-Light Midnight sleeping peacefully in their cradle with Shining Armor and Cadence watching, tired but happy.

Ponies having another round of cider at the pub in Canterlot: Red Gala hugging Rarity (clearly confused as to how she got there), with Rainbow Dash (sloshed), Minuette, the three diamond dogs, Moondancer, Lemon Hearts, AND Celestia and Luna (also sloshed).

The camera pulled back and split the frame to show all of the scenes at once, and everyone sang:

"We had... a really great time.
New brothers and sisters, hearts all joined in rhyme
But before we turn out the lights
It's time to say... goodnight."

The camera started to iris out, but Pinkie caught it and stuck her head through. "Goodnight, everypony, and thanks for watching! See you at the wrap party!" She waved a hoof, then ducked out of frame and let the screen iris to black.

Pinkie Pie blinked, feeling a tap on her shoulder as the iris popped back out. She turned as time stopped and found an Alicorn with one clockwork wing standing before her. "Oh...hi..."

"Hello, my potential sister," Rota Fortuna said, giving a nod. "You might have closed out your show, but your business is not yet done."

Pinkie Pie blinked. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"This universe is now a timeline of it's own, with a potential future. A future beyond your show's continuation or ending..."

"Yeah, I know!"

"...Which means, there is one dangling thread from the prime 'POV World' left to wrap up."

Pinkie's ears drooped. "The finale."

"Indeed. But...as that moment and the events surrounding it have not been referenced in this world, they are abstract, not concrete. Discord and his allies endgame plan to twist this world in a knot has not yet come to pass. While they COULD happen here, so far they haven't."

"So...they don't have to happen?"

"Have to? No. Should? That is what is up in the air."

Rota Fortuna formed a series of moving screens around them. "You were the one who rendered this world's existence concrete, so as a...'happy this timeline has a future' gift, I will leave this in your choice."

"Oh..." Pinkie looked at the screen.

"Also, should you choose to leave things as they are in the Prime world, you will forget the knowledge of the key events that lead to it."

"I figured that...Okay...Well, I definitely don't want Discord's big meanie plan to happen. This world already HAD a big fight to give it it's own unique, one of a kind existence, no offense to the prime world, but we don't need another fight!"

"I believe we are both in agreement on that."

"...But if Diamond Tiara doesn't leave, then Silver Spoon wouldn't be the Crusaders friend..."

"Also true. If Diamond Tiara was not tempted away by Discordance, then Silver Spoon would never have been reformed." The screens showed Diamond and Silver still bullies.

"So...is there a way for them both to be happy?"

Rota Fortuna shook her head. "Happiness isn't my department. Consequences are. Happy paths are consequences of good choices, unhappy paths for bad choices."

"...Right...So...the only way for neither to happen is if Diamond left, but didn't let that big meanie Discord loose either!"

"But Discord and Diamond also sabotaged Chrysalis' rune and delayed it. If Discord is not released, then it may mean Chrysalis' scheme ended quite differently, and potentially in her favor. And Miss Golden Tiara would still be insane."

The screens changed to a Screwball still insane and in the hospital.

"Right...So that means Discord needs to be free, but...but if he's free and a bad guy, that means that what happened in the main world will happen here."

"Also true."

"...So that means the only way Discord could be free, Diamond could still have left, and Golden Tiara could still have been restored to sanity...is if...Discord turned good before he did his big meanie thing with Diamond Tiara, or after and fixed it."

Rota Fortuna's horn glowed. "You are correct."

"But...is there a way for me to DO that?"

Rota Fortuna was silent.

Pinkie thought about it. She made Diamond never leave, then Silver would lose her happy ending. If she made Discord never escape, then Golden Tiara would stay insane and in pain, and Chrysalis would probably make others miserable and suffer even more. If she just made Golden Tiara sane somehow, no one was there to help prevent Chrysalis from hurting ponies.

"...I..." Pinkie's mane deflated. "...Do I have to choose?"

"As things are now, it appears so."

"So if I do one thing, a lot of ponies get hurt, if I make another my friends get hurt, if I make another fillies get hurt? That isn't fun..."

"That seems to be true. I'm sorry, my job is to providing both good and bad outcomes for all, not ONLY good or ONLY bad. If bad choices could have no consequences, then that would be just as terrible if good choices couldn't have good consequences."

Pinkie Pie held her hooves to her head. "I...this...this isn't fair, there's no way to make everypony happy?!"

"The world isn't fair, Pinkamena."

Dark tendrils began to climb up around Pinkie Pie. "Not fair?!...I..."

Pinkie growled, her fur turning black.

"I'll make it-"

Pinkie stopped in her tracks, her eyes falling on her frozen in time siblings still enjoying the afterglow of their closing number. Frozen in happiness. Blueblood happy as well. The images of all her friends being happy depicted on the screens around them.

"...If I do that, I'd make them unhappy...I'd ruin their fun..."

Pinkie Pie thought back on everything. On all the things that have happened here...On all the times she just tried to make someone happy. That was the entire reason this place EXISTED...to make the Shadows and everypony happy.

"...It might not be fair...but...I can still make my friends happy, right?"

"And?"

"...And if I can't make everyone happy...that doesn't mean..."

"What doesn't it mean?"

The shadows erupted off her and was replaced by beautiful white hands, encircling her like a hug.

"That I can still make everyone I CAN happy!"

Rota gave a smile. "Yes! You've done it Pinkamena! That's the answer!"

"...It doesn't matter if I can't make the world happy...because smiles are contagious! If I make one person smile, they might make someone else smile, and someone else! If I make everyone I can happy, maybe they'll make everypony THEY can happy!...So I'll just help make everypony I can happy, and maybe someday the whole world happy too. Maybe some day everypony will CHOOSE to be as nice and happy as they were in my world!"

In a bright explosion of magic, the white energy flew off of Pinkie Pie, and she stood with a horn atop her head. She spread wings out from her sides dramatically...and for some reason fireworks went off and cheery party music started playing.

"I-I'm an Alicorn?..."

"You discovered the true path to it, Pinkie Pie: a Nightmare disregards the rest of the world for their own desires, an Alicorn tries to use that which their concept represents FOR the rest of the world. To be truthful, you were surprisingly close as it was."

"Oh...COOL! I'll need to throw myself a big coronation party after this!...Hey, why isn't my mane all energy...y?!"

"You're still young," Rota reassured. "Your ethereal mane will grow in with time."

"Oh...What's yours made of?"

"The threads of fate."

"Oh...must be hard to comb..."

"...However, you may find new doors HAVE opened for you."

"...Huh?"

Rota smiled. "You said it yourself: you will help make everypony as happy as you can...and an Alicorn CAN help far more than an Mortal, Princess Thalia."

As the two Alicorns finished talking a small scroll appeared between them.

Rota raised an eyebrow. "Does this happen often?"

Thalia chuckled "It happened a lot when the variety show started. Well I stared this show answering letters from the shadows who watched... Why not finish it the same way."

The newly minted princess of laughter unrolled the scroll and read its contents:

"Dear Pinkie Pi- I apologize, Your majesty Princess Thalia,

Since the variety show started I have been cataloging the exploits therein and keeping them for posterity. I thought you might like to know that together the variety show (up to your coronation so to speak) has generated close to 1800 pages worth of stories from part one til now. That is quite the door-stopper if I do say so my self. If I could indulge your patience on last time to answer a letter from a fan and ask your opinion on this I would be most appreciative.

Sincerely,

amam0t0

Thalia had to shake her head a bit to remove the open mouth look of shock from her face after reading the letter.

"Almost 1800 pages. Wow that is something. Well the only thing I can say is that this wouldn't have been possible without the support of everyone who contributed to each episode. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you for all the help from our first episode to now. Keep tuned to the Pony POV Finale for some of Alex's best work yet. And please contribute to both the dark world variety show and the visits to grim dark worlds by another concept. Please help how you can and keep smiling!"

Thalia left the letter on the floor of the 4th wall studio and turned to Rota Fortuna.

"Well I think we both have some work to do don't we?"

Rota gave a some what smirk. "Yes I believe we do."

As the two left the studio the what-if machine flickered on and displayed an image of Pinkie and Thalia holding a banner saying "Thank you for all the help! See you at the wrap up party!"

Then both the what-if machine and the last lights in the studio faded to black.

-

In the kingdom of the Love Cats, they all felt a ripple rush through their being. They turned to see Princess Thalia standing before them, Rota Fortuna standing next to her. They all gasped in shock.

"Meow! Meow Meow! (The Goddess! It's her! She has returned to us meeting for the first time!)"

"Meow Meow! (The Prophecy has been fulfilled!)"

"Meow! (Quick! We must greet the Goddess as the sacred party invitations instructed!)" their leader announced.

A large box was marched out before her...and then opened up into an ancient clock work party wagon and began playing music.

"Meow! Meow Meow! (We now sing the song of Princess Thalia Equestria!)" announced their leader.

"Me-ow Me-ow Meow! Me-ow Me-ow Meow!(My Little Pony! My Little Pony!)
Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow! (Take me with you to Ponyville!)
Me-ow Me-ow Meow! Me-ow Me-ow Meow!(My Little Pony! My Little Pony!)
Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Me-ow! (We'll have fun I know we will!)
Meow Meow Meow Me-ow! (Laughing and singing)
Me-ow Meow Meow Meow (Every day bringing)
Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow! (Something new that we can share!)
Me-ow Me-ow Meow! Me-ow Me-ow Meow!(My Little Pony! My Little Pony!)
Me-ow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow! (Hurry and soon we'll be there!)..."

When the singing finally ended after a complete rendition of the G3.5 theme song by an entire kingdom, the Love Cats finally hugged their Goddess.

"Hi guys! Look, I know I need to go back in time and create you in the first place."

Rota sighed. "Unfortunately a necessity in this case."

"But I'm going to be busy helping stop a very bad thing from happening and need somepony to do my party list while I'm gone, oh! and some temporary, not dead yet so it's kind of necessary cheating angels to pull it off, care to help me out?"

"MEOW! (Of course we will, Your Joyesty!"

"Alright! Then let's go!"

And in Canterlot.

"Hey Dash, room for one more?" Gilda asked stepping into the room full of salt addled ponies.

"Suuuuurrre ssthing Grizelda!"

Gilda bushed, then flushed. "Dash! Don't call me that!"

"Whhatever yooush say Grizelda."

"Ugh. Just give me the hard cider until I'm too drunk to care."

"I like having you back too!" RD hugged her.

" . . . Same here best pal, same here."

In Ponyville,

There was a knock on the door, Twilight still awake from the heart song in the middle of the night, opened it in place of the snoring Spike.

"Heart Song spontaneous relocation?" Twilight asked to the blue mare outside too groggy to care.

"Heart Song spontaneous relocation." Trixie replied, and sheepishly held up a book Twilight had given her, 'Makings Friends For Dummies' with the chapter open on sleepovers.

"I'll get the gram crackers."

-Camera Turns Off-

Cutie Mark Crusaders' Journal of the unexplained Part 1

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Cutie Mark Crusaders' Journal of the unexplained Part 3

Ispita pouted. "Vortex, I was hoping for them not to realize that until they got back to the past," she whispered.

The Draconequus shrugged. "Can't help my nature."

"Well they still got screwed over, so I can't complain..."

Sweetie Belle couldn't help but think those 'nonsense' words in the book looked like the High Equestrian Runes that Twilight had read all the time. (Sweetie Belle couldn't read them, Chrysalis had had other translate them for her).

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS CONSTRUCTION WORKERS! YAY!" yelled six VERY LOUD voices.

The group looked over to see six foals in CMC capes standing with what looked like an Alicorn of Silver Spoon in fancy looking guard armor as their overseer. One was a Changeling filly, two were sea ponies (one of which Applebloom swore was wearing Braeburn's hat), one was a hippogriff filly, one a very large brown Earth Pony colt with a white stripe on his muzzle and face, exposed white fetlocks (and a very old tan cowboy hat), and the last one an light brown Earth Pony filly with a toy silver star on her hat.

Applebloom blinked. "Wait, there are Cutie Mark Crusaders in the future?"

Princess Applebloom nodded. "Yep! That's actually the Ponyville branch and the Appleloosa branch."

"Branches?!"

Alicorn Applebloom nodded. "Yep! All over Equestria! A cousin of ours runs the Manehatten branch."

"We have very high insurance premiums..." Coffee Swirl stated.

"Yeah, but it gives blank flanks more friends and no one really complains about that," Cruel said with a shrug.

Applebloom got a devious look... she almost resembled one of the Scootaloo-imps when she grinned, kneading her hooves. "So if yer an Alicorn... what are ya the Alicorn of?"

Princess Applebloom smiled. "Do ya really want to know... or are ya just fishing for clues about yer cutie mark?"

Applebloom winced. "Is it that obvious?"

"Ah've been where you are now. Literally." The princess winked. "So Ah know it won't hurt to tell ya that Ah'm the concept of Empirical Truth."

"Empira... what?"

"That's when you know things because you did a bunch of experiments and wrote all the results down," said Sweetie Belle brightly. "It's one of Twilight's favorite words."

"Huh. Ah thought for sure mah big sis would be the Alicorn of Truth if anypony was."

"Oh, but she is, past me. Applejack became the Honest Truth."

Applebloom squinted, clearly skeptical. "How many kinds of Truth do ya got around here?"

Princess Applebloom waved a hoof in a shrug. "Well, Big Mac became the Plain and Simple Truth, and Red Gala got the Beauty of Truth, and that's before we even get to the thirty generations of Apples after us." She grinned. "This one time, a Nightmare Mirror peeked into our universe with that magic mirror of hers, and when she saw all of us different kinds of truth together and all being friends, she imploded into a new Alicorn on the spot! That's how Princess Epiphany was born."

Applebloom stared. "Yer kidding..."

"Not at all. Thalia threw her a Thank You for Not Being Crazy Any More party and everything. Now please, enjoy the rest of your time here, past me. There's plenty more folks who want to meet you."

A giant, thick book with A to Z tabs and Discord's face on the cover appeared, floating in the air. "What are you, a dictionary?" The animated face fell. "What? Did I miss my cue? Sorry, sorry everyone! Carry on..." Discord snapped his fingers and vanished.

"I'd say I've had enough of this, and it's our time machine, so I say we leave now!" Film declared.

"Aww...but Ah didn't even get to meet future Applejack..."

"Uh..." Future Apple Bloom said, giving a chuckle.

"Oh...right..."

"Kifuko..." Sweetie started.

Kifuko gave Sweetie a nuzzle, having finally realized what happened with some explanation. "Do not fear, my old friend, we will meet again, on that you can depend."

~*~

After getting the time machine fixed up (as best as possible) the ponies waved good buy and did a leap through time.

"I hope we don't end up in somewhere ruled by apes," said Scootaloo. "I've seen the movies.

However, instead of returning to their proper time...the group found themselves sitting in a glowing rainbow void. "...Did we break the laws of time again?"

"Probably," said Sweetie Belle.

"Hello..."

The group blinked, turning and seeing a towering humanoid shape. It reminded them of a shadow being cast by something, but...a shadow seemed to be LESS that what cast it...this seemed like MORE. It was also clearly bipedal, two arms, two legs, one head.

Just standing in it's presence...they felt LOVED. Comforted. Like the entity was proud and happy for them just for EXISTING.

That didn't stop them from staring in utter shock at it.

"...Oh...I suppose this form is a little hard to speak too."

The shadow condensed down into an Alicorn shape. She was white in color, had a pair of red glasses on her face. Her mane and tail were both simply yellow. She had a red pendent hanging around her neck. Her Cutie Mark was a dazzling rainbow over a unicorn.

"Hello, My Little Ponies."

The group shook their heads to clear it. "Who...who are you?" asked Sweetie Belle.

"My name is Bonnie...I was the one who set the foundations for all of you," the Alicorn explained. "And I'm proud of what you've become...of what you inspired."

The group all looked at one another. "Come again?"

"A long time ago, I made the thing that one day would become you," Bonnie explained. "...You could say I am where it all began."

Flim and Flam, being themselves, looked at one another. "...So you're the Creator of the universe then?" Flam asked.

"No, I created the first Heart World...your world is the descendant of the one I made. And I can't say I'm disappointed in it," Bonnie explained with a smile. "After all...I intended the first Heart World to inspire others."

"...Then...what's the meaning of life?" Flim asked, earning a sad look. As if Bonnie knew WHY he asked it. He wanted something they could make a profit off of.

"...To pursue your dreams and make loved ones. And to be a loved one for them."

"That's it?" Flam asked, blinking.

"Yes."

The brothers both looked disappointed. "We can't do anything with that."

"It's why I made the First Heart World," the Creator explained, smiling. "It's all I ever intended for you. There's no cosmic joke, no dark secret. Just a world full of friends to meet and dreams to weave. That is all I ever intended for the world I made to be."

"Makes sense tah meh!" Applebloom exclaimed with child-like understanding, the other two nodding.

Bonnie smiled warmly. "It should...ever since I was young, I dreamed of having a pony...This world was meant to fulfill that dream. Not just for me, but for all who had it..."

Her horn flashed and she created three little plastic figures. They had different proportions, they had long, curly manes. But they were clearly the three of them.

"That everyone have a pony friend..."

She gave them to the three of them. She then created two for Flim and Flam, slipping them into their pockets when they weren't looking.

"Some ponies like to credit the Shadows Who Rule for THAT part. But the truth is I had to argue with them for a long time to convince them of it. 'Girls like to cook and iron, Bonnie', are you kidding me? I didn't even intend it for just girls anyway!...Thankfully...the one who created your world, and the one who created the one that inspired him, both understand that at this world's core...it's meant to be an innocent dream, not a dark nightmare."

"...I like your idea better than some of the ones we've seen," said Sweetie Belle, remembering that world with Thorne.

Bonnie smiled. "Thank you, Sweetie Belle. Now, let's get you home, shall we?"

"How? We've been trying this whole time!" Scootaloo exclaimed.

An old fashioned type writer appeared before Bonnie and she typed. "'And then the little ponies were back in Everfree, safe and sound.' Goodbye, my little ponies...continue to be the friends I wanted ponies to be. Continue to inspire dreams just as I always intended."

In a flash of light, the group (and the time machine) both reappeared in a clearing back in Ever Free.

"...Girls..." said Scootaloo, looking at the figure. "...Am I the only one who remembers meeting Pony God?"

"Nope," was the resounding reply.

"...Okay, just checking..."

Sweetie hugged her doll self. "That was so much better than meeting Pony Satan!"

Flim and Flam hugged each other in relief.

"Oh, brother, home at last!"

"That's right," Flim said. "No crazy rock monster dogs, no soul-eating draconequi and crazy money-hating alicorns, only the trees and these fillies and our machine that we'll make money on and those Royal Guards with the Blue Demon in front of them -- GAH!"

Trixie stomped forward, her father beside her in his old armor and half a dozen members of the Hoofington Town Watch with him. "You! You cheats, Trixie warned her father and his friends about the 'Veteran's Insurance' you tried to sell them. Now Trixie is going to watch with vast glee as you are dragged off to a cell, and..."

"Hi, Miss Trixie!"

Trixie blinked and looked down to see the CMC standing before her.

"Girls, what are you doing here in the Everfree?"

"Oh, we just traveled in time, met lots o' alicorns and monsters, and saved Flim an' Flam from gettin' turned inta statues," Applebloom said. "How about ya?"

With Trixie distracted, Flim glanced at Flam. "Brother of mine, do we still have that thing?"

Flam arched a brow. "What thing, brother?"

"The thing about the place."

"You mean, the place with the stuff?"

"Yes, that's the place!" Flim concentrated and started magically digging through the trunk of their time machine, moving behind Flam to hide the green horn glow. A broken sonic screwdriver flew off into the bushes, followed by a very surprised squirrel, and finally a colorful brochure levitated out and floated over to Applebloom.

"Pony God AND Pony Satan?!" Trixie exclaimed just then. Scootaloo grinned and nodded happily. "And Trixie thought she had a vast imagination!"

Applebloom peered at the brochure. "Manehatten Institute of... Technology?"

Flam declared, "Let it never be said..."

"Henceforth," interrupted Flim.

"Henceforth let it never be said that the brothers Flim and Flam never did anything nice for anypony!" Flam winked. "Just don't mention our part in this. Your folks would NOT understand."

Flim nodded. "And the Institute kind of threw us out."

"But you, kid, you're a natural."

"Give it a chance, you'll love it there."

The brothers tipped their hats in unison, then dove into their magical wagon, which started rolling, then backfired and starting zooming away through the forest.

Trixie and the soldiers gawked. "After them! You won't escape Trixie this time!"

"But we really did meet them..." Scootaloo said.

"Bonnie even gave us these!" Sweetie Belle chimed in, showing her doll of herself.

Trixie frowned. "...Trixie wants a miniature doll of herself..."

Suddenly, in a rainbow colored flash, a plastic doll of Trixie in the same style as the Crusaders appeared before Trixie, complete with a hand stitched cape and hat. "...Trixie now unconditionally believes your story..." Trixie took the doll. "Now after those two!"

Applebloom then watched the Flim Flams take off with Trixie in hot pursuit. "Well...we're alone again." She looked at the gift from the Flim Flams and put it in her saddle bags. "Let's continue explorin'."

As the three fillies continued on the path, they came to yet another set of branching trails.

Apple Bloom looked back at her friends. "Well, which one do ya reckon we should take?"

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked at each other and shrugged.

"Well," Scootaloo said. "I guess we could take..."

Sweetie's ears twitched suddenly. "Ooh! Do you girls hear that?"

The other two Crusaders looked at each other now, blinking in confusion. Scootaloo spoke up first. "Um... hear what?"

"This way!" Sweetie took off at a gallop down one of the paths, forcing the other two to chase after her.

"What are ya doin', Sweetie!?"

Sweetie continued to run, not even glancing back. "Just listen!"

The other two fillies had to strain their ears to hear what Sweetie could apparently pick out of the silence of the forest. However, as they ran, they began to hear things as well... something rhythmic and melodious... music! The light 'plink's of a stringed instrument being plucked at in a simple song.

"Who would be playin' music in the middle o' the Everfree?"

"Lyra!" Sweetie called back, grinning. "That's her style!"

Finally rounding another bend in the 'road', Sweetie skidded to a stop, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo doing the same a moment later. True to the music adept's words, Lyra Heartstring -- sitting in an upright position as usual -- was plucking at a lyre that was an exact copy of her cutie mark. Bonbon was there as well, her eyes closed and smiling as the music played; and Ditzy stood off to the side.

All in all, not a terribly unusual scene, save for a few differences.

Bonbon was wearing a full suit of armor and had a hammer with the head alone bigger than any of the fillies, she looked tired and her armor was sporting the dings and nicks of battle. Ditzy, though not readily visible where she was standing, seemed thinner than the Crusaders remembered her, and seemed almost unnaturally still. Lyra herself was wearing a black cloak, and -- most unusual of all -- colored lights where flitting about around her; listening closely, one could almost hear whispered voices coming from them.

Apple Bloom about summed it up. "Um... what?"

Sweetie Belle shivered. "Do they look... a little weird to you?"

"We must have messed something up in the past!" cried Scootaloo. "We are so grounded..."

Applebloom frowned. "We can't have messed it up that much. Think about the future we just left! Ah think the Everfree's just messin' with us again."

At same time, Lyra and Bonbon drew back warily. "The Cutie Mark Crusaders... with cutie marks?!" Bonbon exclaimed. "What madness is this?"

"Ooh, they probably have all kinds of cool chaos powers now," said Ditzy. She ambled towards them fearlessly, wobbling back and forth as if staying on her hooves was just a happy accident... moreso than usual. "With that mark, Sweetie Belle could have a bewitching voice! And Scootaloo could turn into... um... butterflies! And maybe Applebloom has the power to turn invisible!"

Applebloom sighed, grinding her teeth.

Sweetie Belle peered at Ditzy. "Does anypony else smell something funny?" Then she realized that Ditzy was literally a walking corpse, and nearly barfed on the spot.

"This is no joke," said Lyra ominously. "I sense powerful dark magic..." She lifted a hoof, pointing it straight at Sweetie Belle. "within *that* one."

"What?" Sweetie said, and "What!" her two friends echoed her.

"Dark magic, I said." Lyra got up and walked slowly up to Sweetie Belle. "Inside of you."

The little filly tried backing away, only to stop when she collided with a mostly solid and rather nasty-smelling something. The stink reminded her once of some rotted pumpkins on Applebloom's farm. Sweetie looked up to see Ditzy's half-rotted face smiling down at her.

Sweetie remembered what she'd seen in Thorn's world, the awful things that world's evil Lyra did there. The things she might do to her. She did the only thing she could think of.

Surrounded by the glow of unicorn magic, Ditzy flew at Lyra with a 'Whoops!" as Sweetie's scream filled the clearing.

Applebloom and Scootaloo tried charging forward to help their friend, only to stop as Bon Bon moved before them. Her warhammer shined.

"Get outta th' way!" Applebloom tried to force her way past the muscled mare. "We ain't lettin' Lyra and Zombie Derpy hurt Sweetie!"

"What? Wait!" Bon Bon dropped her hammer and tried to hold the fillies still. "Nopony wants to hurt anypony..."

"Urrgh! Ach! Ptui!" Lyra got up, spitting some nastiness away, bits of Ditzy still smeared on her. Ditzy grinned sheepishly as she stepped aside. Lyra snapped, "I may be about to change my mind about that, Bon Bon. And ugh, Ditzy! We need to find some embalming fluid to preserve you!"

"Umm," Ditzy said, drooling. "Embalming fluid. Tasty." Aside from Lyra, everypony else there shuddered.

"Where's Sweetie at, anyway?" Bon Bon said. "She was right here... There!" She pointed at a trail that lead off among the trees, down which a tiny white filly with a candy-cotton mane and tail was vanishing. Applebloom saw it and froze. Bon Bon called after her, "Come back, Sweetie!... Oh blast it, she's getting away. Good job scaring her, Lyra."

"How was I supposed to know she could work magic at her age -- hey!" She almost jumped as the remaining two Crusaders charged past her for the trail. "Now where are you going? Come back here! If you get hurt your sisters will kill me, and I don't trust any of my colleagues enough to bring me back!"

Applebloom and Scootaloo ignored the three mares as they dashed after the panicked Sweetie. When they heard the sounds of pursuit -- a set of heavily-laden hooves striking the dirt, a more lightly-burdened one together with the flapping of a cloak, and a last set that seemed to almost stumble along -- they set their ears back and ran even faster.

"Keep running, Applebloom! We gotta get away from that Lyra, she must be another one like that Nightstallion Thorn!" Scootaloo panted as she dashed after her friend.

"It ain't that!" Applebloom cast a horrified look over her shoulder. "We gotta catch Sweetie; this is th' way ta Sunny Town! If Grey Hoof or the others catch her, they might," she gulped and forced the thought away. "We gotta catch her first!"

And so two fillies, one Earth pony paladin, a unicorn necromancer, and good-hearted undead pegasus all raced through the Everfree after an incredibly scared little unicorn.

And with every hoofbeat came ever closer to Sunny Town and the undead ponies who dwelled there.

As energetic as fillies could be, even ones running in fright, the longer strides and faster gallop of the mares (even Ditzy's unsteady shamble) meant that the three were slowly closing the gap between them and the Crusaders. Bonbon, even wearing the heaviest armor, was gaining the fastest. "Stop! The ground here, it's cursed! Can't you feel it, Apple Bloom?"

Apple Bloom didn't glance back, but she had a sinking feeling deep in her chest. Bonbon was right, something about the ground beneath her hooves was just plain wrong; and, even worse, it was wrong in a way she recognized. Even if the trees hadn't given way to the clearing just yet, they had arrived.

The ruined buildings of Sunny Town cast haunting shadows in the moonlight, and the air around them was deathly still. Apple Bloom's breathing quickened, almost to the point she started hyperventilating. Being in this town again was a nightmare come true, and she could already hear the moans of things long dead being roused by their presence.

"The maaaaaaarrrrk...." A skeletal hoof popped out of the ground, dragging an almost entirely decayed pony out with it. "The maaaaaarrrk! Kill the cursed! Kill the cursed!" More and more of the severely rotted corpses pulled themselves out of the ground, the eye sockets of their skulls glowing a bloody red as they shambled toward the pegasus and earth pony.

"Apple Bloom! AB, snap out of it!" Scootaloo was shaking her friend; while she could have flown away, they'd lost sight of Sweetie when Apple Bloom had become frozen in terror, and she wasn't strong enough to carry both of them out anyway. The thought of actually leaving either of them behind wasn't even considered. "Apple Bloom!" The skeletons were getting closer by the second, almost touching them...

Then, the sound of a lyre being plucked cut through the air.

A golden glow overcame the red glow in the eyes of the three closest skeletons, and they simply just stopped moving. A second later, the glowing head of Bonbon's hammer smashed through each of them in turn, scattering the bones about. Another was shattered a moment later, when she brought her weapon down on it's spine, then her armored hooves bucked the head off yet another.

Ditzy arrived next and, foregoing fancy fighting techniques altogether, smashed a skull with a single hoof-punch and then used both her hooves to crush another to powder.

Lyra finally caught up, her instrument held in a telekinetic aura and being strummed with her magic to make simple melodies. Each tiny song caused a golden glow to surround the skeletons for a moment, before most of them just collapsed into piles of bones.

"I'll make sure we've got a path out of here," Bonbon said as she hefted her hammer again. "Ditzy, Lyra; go find Sweetie. I'll put a circle around the other two and keep them-"

"Y'all ain't keepin' us nowhere!" Apple Bloom, though still terrified out of her mind, finally found it in her to speak again.

"Yeah!" Scootaloo jumped up into the air. "We're not letting you hurt out friend!"

"Yes, we're doing all this because we want to hurt her." Lyra's voice dripped sarcasm. "WAKE UP, KID!"

"Even if yer tellin' the truth," Apple Bloom started, "who's she gonna believe? Us, or the mare who scared her half to death?"

"...you know, she's got a point, Lyra." Ditzy grinned sheepishly as the necromancer glared at her; had she had flowing blood in her system still, she would have blushed. "Sorry, it's true though."

Lyra stamped a hoof in frustration, then took out a nearby skeleton with another quick tune. "Fine! But you're all going to be explaining what in the nine Hells you're doing out here to begin with when this is over!" Her expression softened as she turned to Bonbon. "You, stay safe, okay?"

"I always do, Lyra."

The necromancer smiled a bit, then gave the paladin a quick kiss. 'For Luck', she'd said.

So, against the better judgements of most of their members, while Bonbon stayed behind to keep their exit route open, the group of Lyra, Ditzy, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo all entered the town proper to save the lost Crusader.

As soon as they stepped into the undead town proper, the broken and desolate town became a bright colored place with bright lanterns hanging from ropes and the building looking perfectly intact.

"An illusion?" Lyra asked herself.

"Applebloom! It's wonderful to see you again!" A gray filly with an orange mane appeared, her eyes were a solid yellow glow. Her cutie mark was a magnifying glass.

"Ruby!" Applebloom said, still scared, but happy to see her friend. "Sorry I didn't visit before! Applejack wouldn't let me."

"Applejack is very smart," Lyra said.

Applebloom did as close to a hug as you could with an immaterial presence.

"A ghost?"Lyra said, not sounding all that freaked out at the existence of one.

"Hi little filly, I'm Derpy."

"Oh my!" Ruby said looking at Derpy, not scared of her being a zombie at all, and more alarmed. "Did the bone-fiends get you? For some reason they're acting up, it's like some powerful source of necromantic energy was activating them without orders."

"Oh no! It's more...complicated than that," Derpy said.

Lyra however took a moment to notice a mural painted on one side of the building.

"WHY do they have a painting of Fluttershy as an Alicorn?!" Lyra said.

Sweetie Belle meanwhile, felt safer in the brightly lit and peaceful looking town, even if she didn't see anypony yet, were they all indoors? Then she spotted a green mare with a green mane. What surprised Sweetie most about her was that she was a blank flank. Maybe she could become a cutie mark crusader?

But, she looked all said and mopey. "Un, hi! I'm Sweetie Belle! Do you need a hug?"

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" The earth pony shouted took a step back. "I'll...I'll drain the life out of you cursed, I mean, filly."

"Uh, okay." Sweetie stopped. "Where is everypoy? I think I saw walking skeletons outside. I promise I'm not crazy."

"The bone-fiends are mindless automations. They'll attack any non-undead pony they sense." Three-Leaf sighed, "They're instructed to never enter the town. They'll also pull us back to town if we try to leave when it's not the night of the festival."

"What town is this? I Everfree?"

"Welcome to Sunnytown."

Sweetie Belle's eyes widened at that name, remembering everything Applebloom had told her about this cursed place. She took a trot back. "Oh."

"Excuse me, what's that thing on your head?"

"What thing?"

"The thing sticking out."

"Huh? That's my horn. I'm a unicorn."

"Oh right, unicorn, we've had cursed, I mean visitors like you before, but I thought their horns grew when when they were big or something."

"No, I'm born with one."

"I didn't know that."

"What's your name?"

"Threeleaf."

"Nice to meet you Threeleaf. Do you have any friends?"

"Actually yes I do, but they're all inside, it is night time after all."

"Oh, I guess that makes sense. Why aren't you?"

"Just wanted to look at my garden. And...I thought I sensed the bone-fiends acting up when they haven't been awaken since Princess Gaia gave us...PEACE for a few days."

"Princess Gaia? You mean Fluttershy?"

"Yes...she visits us from time to time . . . Is it painful to have a curse mark?"

"Curse mark?"

"The symbol on your bottom."

"Huh? This is a CUTIE MARK. It means I know what I want to do with myself."

"But . . .the cutie pox."

"Cutie pox?"

"That's why we were given this town by Princess Celestia. To be safe from it."

"Princess Celestia?" Sweetie Belle asked in shock.

"Will you stop repeating everything I say?"

"Oh sorry."

Threeleaf nodded. "Our ancestors said she made this place to protect us from the Cutie Pox...when...when we saw Ruby..."

Like or not, Applebloom knew this town better than the others, and got a step ahead of them, and heard what Threeleaf had to say.

"Uh...T-Threeleaf?" asked Applebloom, keeping a distance. "...Ah've HAD Cutie Pox before, them and cutie Marks are two completely different things..."

The zombie's eyes went wide. "What? You...how are you alive?!"

"Well...this friend of mine, Zecora, healed meh...but cutie Pox AIN'T Cutie Marks. Ah think Twilight said they're a 'disruption in the innate magic that all ponies have, causing fake Cutie Marks to manifest rapidly without control' or...somethin'. But the Cutie Marks Cutie Pox cause are fake ones."

Threeleaf took a step back. "These...these Cutie Pox you had...what...what were they like?"

"Let's see, these fake cutie Marks started poppin' up all over mah body! Ah mean ALL over it. And makin' meh do all kinda crazy things to the point Ah could hardly move!"

"...Am I doing that right now, Threeleaf?" Sweetie Belle questioned.

Threeleaf looked on in shock. "But...but if Cutie Pox can be cured...that...that means..."

"That we didn't have to kill Ruby?"

"Mitta!" called Applebloom, smiling.

Threeleaf looked down. "B-But there might not have been a cure then..."

"You're right...but we didn't even try to find one, did we?"

Mitta looked to Applebloom. "...Hello, Applebloom, it's been a long time."

"Yeah!" the little filly replied, looking the only one of Sunny Towners who HADN'T tried to kill her. She then gasped, her eyes falling on a mark on the mare's flank. Namely a shield. "Mitta...you've got a Cutie Mark?!"

Mitta nodded. "Yeah...I got it when we got sent back here...The others CAN'T do anything to me and no 'disease' could do anything to them anymore, so they ignored me...I think they're still just too focused on trying not to admit that they're wrong to admit living proof they are is right here."

"This doesn't make sense," said Sweetie Belle suddenly. The others blinked at her. "You said that Princess Celestia knows about this place. Why hasn't she done anything about it, then? It's been hundreds and hundreds of years. She wouldn't just forget about it, when ponies are suffering and all."

"We're not even alive," said Mitta sadly. "Our suffering probably just doesn't matter."

"Maybe," said Ruby hesitantly, "there's nothing anypony can do. Even with this mark for finding things, I haven't found a single thing that can help."

"Well, maybe you just haven't looked in the right way," said Sweetie, trying to stay optimistic. "I'll try a scrying spell!" But when she drew magic into her horn, something immediately felt off. The pale green glow from her horn became an eerie flickering flame, and faint purple mist trailed from her eyes.

Applebloom took a step back. "Is that dark magic? Ah don't know if that's such a good idea..."

"Take it easy," said Sweetie, trying to ignore the sick to her stomach feeling. "I'm not turning into Thorn... I just want to help them!" She frowned, shook her head. "I don't understand... I'm trying to tell them they're free of the curse, but nothing's happening."

"It's not that kind of curse, young one," said Lyra, approaching them with Ditzy and Scootaloo close behind. "They have imprisoned themselves with their own hatred and lies and regret." She smirked. "It's almost a shame I'm not evil. Most necromancers would kill for servants like these."

Lyra, her moment of megalomania passed, sat down and ran a hoof through her mane. "Okay, let's see here. Got a find a way to break an unbreakable curse, we've got a minor army of undead constructs surrounding the whole town that my marefriend is fighting single-hoofedly, and a filly using dark magic well above her level." She paused. "Okay, I've dealt with worse."

"The curse can't be broken," Mitta said. "It shouldn't be broken. We deserve this."

Lyra glanced at Mitta, then looked back to the group as a whole. "Okay, as I was saying-"

"Weren't you listening!" The undead filly stomped her hoof. "They killed Ruby! And I let it happen! We deserve to-"

"I'm not deaf, kid! I know what happened; and, believe me, it's not even the worse thing I've seen this week! So I'm going to do my best to save this town, you included, whether you like it or not! So cut the melodrama!"

Mitta recoiled, momentarily stunned that somepony would talk back to her like that; having social interaction limited to ponies like Fluttershy tended to do that to you.

"Good, now then... time to think."

Sweetie Belle, her expression still a little green from the use of dark magic, spoke up. "Didn't you just say this wasn't that type of curse?"

"Yeah, it doesn't have a way to break it included," Lyra admitted. "But the thing about dark magic, and with curses especially, is that most ponies that used it aren't exactly thinking in the long term. They set it up to do one thing, and one thing only; usually making life nothing but pain and suffering for the targets.

"Something like this; it's powerful, no question, but that doesn't mean we can't trick it."

Ditzy jumped up with a flap, smiling in realization. "You want to create a paradox!"

Lyra grinned right back. "Yep; put the curse in a position where it can't fulfill it's intention without breaking it's own rules. It should short itself out trying to solve the problem." Her expression fell a bit as she looked at Threeleaf, who had been getting steadily more hopeful as they had conversed. "But... I can't promise what would happen to you or anypony here if we do that."

Ruby spoke, "The one who placed this curse was Princess Luna...when she was living a double life as Nightmare Moon. She said it was to punish them for killing me. She said even she can't break it. The only way it can end she said, was for Grayhoof and the others to 'accept their own sins or in Mitta's case stops punishing herself.' I think she made the corpses of ponies who died of cutie pox in Everfree when Sunnytown was founded becoming the bone-fiends to keep Mitta and the others from leaving except on the night of my death was something extra she added. And even then, they can't leave Everfree."

Sweetie thought back to her black magic lessons from Chrysalis. "So Mitta has to . . . forgive herself, and the others ALL have to admit they did the wrong thing?"

"More or less," said Lyra. She frowned sharply. "But first... why are you channeling dark magic again? What are you casting?"

Sweetie Belle blinked. "I wasn't casting anything. I... huh?!" She squinted, trying to see her own horn, which was indeed glowing again.

Lyra sighed. "Uh huh. First things first... I know, this place is saturated in dark magic, but you must control it." She tapped a hoof, scowling. "It doesn't control you, or we've got a real problem, you and I, so stop that right now, young filly."

Sweetie Belle gulped and did her best, making funny faces as she found the mana flow and shut it off. "I don't understand... Chrysy spent so much time teaching me before I could do any magic at all, and now I'm doing magic when I didn't even mean to?"

"That's kinda scary," said Scootaloo, feathers fluffing. Applebloom nudged her. "Um... but we believe in you, Sweetie Belle!"

Lyra smirked mildly. "Dark magic is easy... too easy. It'll solve all your problems... and ruin your life and the lives of everypony around you in the process. That's why ponies like us have wardens. You're going to need one."

Applebloom leaned towards the other Crusaders and whispered, "Would this be a good time ta tell her we're from another world where there ain't no such thing?"

"Which brings us to lesson two," continued Lyra. She leaned close, putting on a very serious face. "Don't make things worse."

Sweetie looked left and right, bewildered. "How could *this* possibly get any worse?"

Lyra snorted. "Things can always get worse. For instance, if you tried to set these spirits free by taking all their hate and regret upon yourself... and turned into the Nightmare Queen of the Everfree in the process."

Sweetie looked away, fidgeting her hooves. "So, that would be a real bad idea, huh. It's... um, a good thing I wasn't even considering trying to *force* them to get over it with magic! The thought hadn't even crossed my mind!"

Applebloom winced, even without any truth vision.

"Zecora tried that once," mused Lyra. "She was never quite right afterwards."

Scootaloo blinked. "Zecora!?"

"Yes, a local zebra shaman." Lyra shook her head. "She never says anything but funny rhymes, now." She stretched, eying the others, who had stood there and listened to everything with the patience of the dead. "The truth is, it would be better if we could save them without using necromancy at all. If we just had some other way to reach their hearts..."

Sweetie Belle glanced back at the musical cutie mark on her flank, and suddenly grinned.

"Anypony remember what a heart song is?" Sweetie asked smiling.

Applebloom gasped. "Ah never asked her."

"Who?"

"Princess Applebloom."

"WHAT?!" Lyra, Derpy, and three Sunnytown pies asked.

"Ah didn't ask her...what was it like...knowing that not every pony she made friends with was gonna become an Alicorn, wasn't gonna live forever...how was she gonna deal with that? What made 'er take the trials?"

Lyra frowned. "Those are FAR TOO ADULT thoughts for you to have little filly!"

Apple bloom folded her ears. "Sorry."

"Ah guess it's just hard, not thinkin' about death in a place like this." Applebloom kicked at a rock, sighing. "Ah didn't see any Alicorn Sweetie Belle or Alicorn Scootaloo in the future. Am... am Ah supposed to go live forever and leave my friends behind?"

Scootaloo hopped over in front of her. "Hey, hey! Don't go talking about us like we're already dead! We could have been there... just someplace where nopony saw us."

Sweetie Belle smiled. "And even if we weren't, that future isn't set in stone."

Lyra nodded firmly. "Whatever dark visions of the future that you think you saw, anything can still change."

"Flim and Flam saw that future too," mused Applebloom. "Ah hope they aren't gonna make any trouble."

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. "Those two losers? What could they possibly do?"

-- The Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters, one thousand and fifteen years ago...

"Astonishing," said Dark Glass, Archmage of the Night Guard, as he examined a small glowgem held in his magic. "Tis exactingly cut and enchanted well enough, though I could do a finer job myself. Thou sayest that thy machine made this?"

"Indeed!" boasted Flim. "Our invention could make a hundred such crystals in a day."

"A hundred?" cried Dark Glass.

"And we could build many such machines!" added Flam. "Why should wizard ponies waste their valuable time enchanting one crystal a day, when our invention could make them plentifully?"

"And cheaply!" chimed in Flim.

Princess Luna took hold of the crystal, lifting it up to her throne. "With such a supply of glowgems... our little ponies could illuminate every one of their dwellings and public thoroughfares." She rose, excitement clear on her face. "They will stay up many more hours, appreciating our Night. Master artificers, thine invention could change the world!"

Flim grinned slyly. "That's exactly what we're hoping for, your highness."

"What do you mean a 'heart song'?" Mitta tilted her head to the side.

"The song all ponies carry in their hearts," Sweetie hopped up and down, growing more excited. "Cadence and Chrysalis both told me about it." Looking around at her friends, Lyra and Derpy, and the Sunny Towners, she said, "If we can connect to each other through that, to each others' lives, then maybe we can bring the Sunny Towners into the song and make them alive again too!"

"That's a great idea!" Applebloom grinned at Ruby. "Y'all will be alive again."

"That would be nice," Bon Bon trotted up to them, gasping. Black ooze was smeared across the head of her hammer. She tossed her head back in the direction she'd just come from. "Those bone ponies are getting closer, and they're not happy."

"If it works," Scootaloo said. "If not we're gonna have a lot of unhappy undead ponies to deal with." She waved her hoof outwards.

More and more of the undead Sunny Towners began to gather around, looking and smelling like well-rotted corpses. The ponies cringed, all save for Lyra and Derpy.

"Help us," the Sunny Towners half hissed, half moaned. "Help us. Save us. Make us live again." A rotted sort of growl sounded through their voices, causing Bon Bon to grip her hammer tightly, as they almost snarled, "Or else!"

"We will!" Sweetie and her friends gathered in a semicircle, facing outwards towards the Sunny Towners. Sweetie hummed and then sang a clear, brilliantly beautiful note.

"This is crazy," Lyra grumbled. "Bon Bon, we better be ready to run with these fillies when those revenants realize what... Bon Bon!"

"Come here and help," Bon Bon stood behind Applebloom, close enough to support but letting them take the lead. Derpy dropped down beside her, behind Scootaloo, looking as happy as ever. Lyra shook her head in disbelief. "You said you wanted to help, so help!"

"I hope I don't get diabetes from this," Lyra grumbled as she stood on the other side of Bon Bon and supported Sweetie Belle. "Okay kid, hit it."

Sweetie took a deep breath and began to sing.

Sweetie Belle began to swing alone, slow and sad:
(Tunes borrowed from Sally's Song and Jack's Lament from the Nightmare Before Christmas)

Oh spirits of the Everfree
Will you please share your tale with me?  Lyra got caught up in it too. She lifted her lyre in her magic and began to play. The necromancer wanted to object... this was far too much like possession for comfort... but that would have spoiled the moment.

I’d like to help you if I may
If I could only find some way.
To save you from a fate so grim

Doomed to remember
Now and forever

Your greatest sin
When you gave in to fear
It all happened right here.

Another undead pony rose up out of the ground, not looking very happy about it. "Grey Hoof," whispered Applebloom, shivering a bit. He stepped forward menacingly... and began to sing, sounding almost cheerful. An invisible orchestra joined in.

There are few who recall there was a time long ago.
The royal pony sisters ruled from Everfree
And here in Sunny Town, everypony said hello
No one found fault in our hospitality!

The orchestra turned more menacing. Grey Hoof hesitated, but he kept singing.

But then our lady of the night went mad
The day and night did go to war
And worst of all a dreadful sickness had
Spread like wildfire right to our very door

Well, we sent them away, every pony with the curse
Those marks on their flanks, which could only mean the worst
We thought the pox was banished but we made a grave mistake
One little mare among us had to go, for all our sakes…

 Then Ruby herself sang a verse:

I thought it was my dream come true
A happiness like I never knew
The thing that I loved, my own special gift.
But when they saw my mark my doom was swift.

Then she stepped aside. Grey Hoof shook his head, silently pleading with Sweetie Belle to let him stop.

We could not take chances, no time for debate
Our fear of the cutie pox soon turned to hate
How dare she bring us this terror so dire?
And so we put that dear mare… into the fire

 The ghost actually sobbed, tears running down his face. He wasn't the only one, either. The song returned to the sad, slow cadence, with just Lyra's harp accompanying him.

And though the Moon had grown so cold
Her wrath was great when she was told
She promised vengeance on us all

She took our lives, and
Far more besides, then

Forever more
We cannot die nor live

Until she should… forgive.

In the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters, Dark Glass strode into the lounge where Flim and Flam had been waiting. Flim quickly nudged Flam awake, and the brothers sprang to their hooves and bowed, grinning in anticipation.

Instead of congratulating them, the archmage slammed a heavy tome on the table. Charlatans!" brayed Dark Glass. "Didst thou think I would not find you out?"

"How dare you?!" protested Flam. "We resent being called charlatans."

"Besides," said Flim, "we're telling the truth this time."

Dark Glass spread a stack of papers over the table with his magic. "Thy so-called schematics make reference to devices which nopony in this castle hath ever heard of! Mana oscillator... What is a mana oscillator, pray tell?"

"It oscillates mana," said Flam. "Obviously."

"We'll get one for you... ah..." Flim leaned and whispered, "Wait, when were those invented?"

Flam moved his lips, counting, then facehoofed. "About four hundred years from now, brother. Wait just a moment, now... we'll build one!" Now it was his turn to lean and whisper to his brother. "Remind me, just how does one construct a mana oscillator?"

Flim threw his hooves up. "How should I know? Why would I want to build one of those? They're two bits each at the supply shop!"

Dark Glass fumed, then shouted, "Enough! Night Guard, these charlatans shall be taken to the dungeon and whipped severely, then interrogated on the remote chance they actually do possess some scraps of useful information. Thenceforth, whip them again, and then I must take up the unhappy burden of informing our Princess of the Night of this setback. She shall be most gravely disappointed. Furthermore..."

One of the Night Guards cleared his throat.

"What? Yes, what is it?"

The guard shuffled his hooves awkwardly. "Thy pardon, archmage, but the prisoners fled the room whilst you were rambling on."

The archmage looked as if he would literally explode. He had, in fact, exploded on occasion... that one hall in the east wing still had scorch marks. Before he actually could, another Night Guard flew in, out of breath. "Sir, they have fled in their arcane wagon, but these books were left behind in their haste to escape!"

Dark Glass groaned. "Take a squad and arrest them. I shall take change of these."

Back in his private chambers, he sighed and started to flip through the books, but his expression quickly changed. "The Necromantik Art? Tea with Ponythulu and Other Amusements?" He leafed through more chapters breathlessly. "These are books of Dark Magic. Real Dark Magic, at last!" Dark Glass hesitated, then tugged on his black robe of office, briefly revealing his pony skull cutie mark. "Oh, they will pay!" He grinned maniacally, shaking a hoof in the air. "Everypony who made fun of my name will pay! Bwahaha!"

Meanwhile, Flim and Flam's wagon bounced down a forest path. "There's just enough stored mana to get back to our time," shouted Flam, his voice jarred by all the rocks and potholes in the road.

"Fine by me, brother!" shouted Flim, holding onto his hat. The wagon swerved, barely missing a sign which read "Welcome to Sunny Towne!"

-

Apple bloom held her breath, her entire body tense at what would happen next.

What happened next, much to the surprise of everypony (living and dead), was the Flim Flam brothers' wagon careening through the town.

And heading right toward the assembled sextet who had just finished their song.

Instinct took over for three of them. Bonbon moved first, grabbing Apple Bloom and diving out of the way; Lyra snagged Sweetie up in a telekinetic aura and actually pulled her down so the wagon passed over them; Ditzy grabbed Scootaloo and tossed her out of the way before she moved herself. Of course, that meant that one of them wasn't quite quick enough to get out of the way in time.

"Ah, horseapples." Ditzy managed to get off the swear just before the wagon's left wheels ran right over her; her undead body didn't offer much resistance, leaving her essentially sliced in half in the cart's wake. However, it seemed to be little more than a minor annoyance to her, as her torso slowly twisted itself around to look at her lower half with a slight frown. "Well, darn it."

"I'll help you pull yourself together in a bit, Ditzy." Lyra stood up, examining the bifurcated pegasus while the three fillies looked on, horrified. "What was that thing, anyway?"

*CRASH*

"Shrapnel, apparently." Bonbon sighed and trotted over to the wreckage of the wagon. "Are you alright in there?"

It took several moments, but the twin conponies slowly extracted themselves from their ruined wagon, coughing a bit at all the dust and dirt, Flam actually sneezing thanks to the debris in his mustache.

"More or less," Flim said, digging around for a bit. "Ugh, my hat is ruined." He looked at the torn article of clothing, almost unrecognizable as what it had once been.

"Yes, because that's the biggest issue, Brother." Flam began sifting through the pieces of their wagon despondently. "We'll never be able to put this back together."

"It was out of juice anyway, and given how things went, I'm in no mood to try more time travel and end up stuck somewhere without a way to get back."

Bonbon blinked, taking a look at their cutie marks. "Strange, you two don't have the marks for chronomancers..."

"Chrono-what now?"

Before the paladin could explain, another voice spoke up.

"Will you get off of me!"

Flim and Flam blinked, then hurriedly stood up and shifted some more pieces of the wagon aside, revealing a brown earth pony stallion with an orange mane and -- of course -- no Cutie Mark. "Ugh, thank you."

"Terribly sorry about that," Flim said," the wagon wasn't responding to any of our steering attempts."

"Let me help you up." Flam reached a hoof down and pulled the pony up.

"No, wait, I-" Gladstone, the pony in question, blinked as he was hauled back to his hooves by the moustachioed unicorn, their bodies clearly touching. "...doesn't this hurt you?"

Flam blinked again, finally letting go. "No... why do you ask?"

The other Sunny Towners openly gaped.

"D-d-does that mean..." Roneo gulped, his hoof moving to grab Starlet's out of pure reflex. "Th-the curse is..."

Bonbon frowned, studying Gladstone intensely. Even though he hadn't hurt Flam when he'd touched him, or her when she kicked off part of her leg armor to do the same, something about him still felt 'off' to her. "Hold on a second." The paladin reached under her armor and pulled out a medallion shaped like Celestia's cutie mark, then held it close to her chest. "Mare Celestia, Guiding Light; may your radiance shine a beacon of truth for us, that we may see through all falsehoods." The medallion began to glow, and she held it up; when the light hit the buildings around her, the illusion was dispelled, revealing nothing but ruins. And, when she shown it upon Gladstone, there was only a pony so rotted what little remained of his flesh was black as pitch. However, his eyes seemed to be intact.

"Looks like we got partial credit." Lyra spoke up as she plucked at her lyre. "You're still undead; but I think we managed to peel back the part of the curse that prevented you from interacting with others." A golden glow surrounded Ditzy as the undead pegasus slowly pushed her to halves back together, the decayed flesh melding back into itself and even her more rotted outward appearance diminishing greatly. "I could probably help you get back to looking more like normal ponies; just be careful, since undead can't heal without a necromancer around to work a few spells."

"You're going to restore all these ponies?" Ditzy asked as she stood up, taking a few ungainly steps to get her body working the right way again.

"Yep." Lyra suddenly turned to Sweetie. "And you're going to help."

The filly practically jumped back. "What?"

"You're not licensed to teach a filly dark magic, Lyra." Bonbon warned.

"She already knows dark magic, Bonny. She needs to learn better control over it before she starts trying to use it for every little thing; and besides, while we're doing that, the three of them can finally explain what in the name of Luna is going on here!" She turned back to Sweetie. "Time to learn a bit of necromancy, kid."

Sweetie gulped, fidgeting nervously; Rarity was going to ground her so hard when this was over.

As Flim and Flam starting picking through their time-traveling wagon for salvage, and Lyra fetched a black book from her bags and drew Sweetie Belle aside for a lesson in safe use of dark magic, Scootaloo looked to Applebloom and wondered aloud, "Now what?"

Two tall ponies stepped out of the woods, not afraid of the haunted ruins or the herd of dead ponies in the slightest. Applebloom sighed. "Ya had to ask."

"Here they are, sister," said Mortis. The Alicorn of Death and Rebirth had chosen an appearance easier on mortal eyes, a jet black Alicorn stallion with raven-like wings. "You see? Patience is rewarded."

Rota Fortuna snorted, her mechanical wing creaking as she flexed menacingly. "I waited a thousand years to find them again, brother. Even for an immortal Alicorn, that's a long time to nurse a grudge." She stamped towards Flim and Flam. "Duck."

Flim lifted his head, facing the wrong way. "Duck, goose?"

"No, duck!" cried Flam, throwing his brother to the ground. A huge fireball streaked over their heads, singeing their greasy manes. The blast consumed the rest of their "borrowed" Canterlot University magic texts and turned the broken wagon into melted scrap.

"This world line is a shambles, thanks to you," growled the Alicorn of Fate. "I should haul the both of you straight to Tartarus." She took a deep breath, regarding the cowering brothers... and the ponies of Sunny Town, still dead, but they'd taken their first steps towards forgiveness. "But this... this *never* happens. It took elements from two completely different world lines to bring it about. I will be pondering this for a long time to come."

Flam tipped his hat. "You're, um... welcome, your ladyship!"

"No charge!" said Flim brightly. Flam bonked his brother with his hat.

"You shall not go to Tartarus," said Rota, "but if the two of you *ever* play with time magic again, I will make sure you miss this planet entirely and hurtle into deep space! *Is that clear?*"

Flim and Flam nodded frantically.

Mortis, meanwhile, strode over to Lyra. Bon Bon moved to get between them, loosening her hammer in its harness, but Lyra hastily waved her off. Lyra bowed, and gave Sweetie Belle a nudge to do the same. "Lord Mortis."

"Lyra," said Mortis testily. "Your own army of zombies now, is it? An apprentice, too! If I did not know better, I would think you were seriously backsliding."

"They aren't my slaves!" protested Lyra, a bit flustered. "And I won't let Sweetie get corrupted. On my soul, I won't!"

Mortis smiled grimly. "That is already the case. Still, you did a good thing, today. I shall be seeing you again, later?"

Lyra returned that smile. "Unlike some, I'm not fool enough to think I can avoid you forever."

Mortis nodded. "Later, then."

"Wait a minute, wait a minute," Flim said to Rota. "What do you mean, 'how we messed up this worldline'? Everything looks the same as ever to me."

Rota just rolled her eyes and made a newspaper appear before them.

Wary, Flim and Flam took it.

"Huh? This is 'The Canterlot Sun' and..." The brothers' eyes went wide as they read the headline.

"'GROGAR OF TAMBELON DEFEATS PRINCESSES, PROCLAIMS REIGN OF ETERNAL TYRANNY, ABOLISHES CURRENCY, EQUESTRIA DOOMED YET AGAIN'?" A photo showed a gigantic goat between a golden and silver statues of Celestia and Luna, the Elements of Harmony and dozens of other ponies hitched to carts and straining to drag heavy loads as guards lashed them.

"Wait," Flim scratched his head. "'Abolishes currency'?"

"It means there's no more money in Equestria," Rota said.

The next second found them at her hooves.

"No more money?!?" Flim sobbed.

"How do we keep ending up in these nightmares?" Flam added. "Save us, Miss Alicorn!"

"Help these fillies, Lyra, Bon Bon, and the Sunny Towners," Rota said coldly, "and maybe, just maybe, everything can be fixed."

"Wait! Altered timeline!" Scootaloo asked, "Does that mean-"

The fillies then found themselves in Applebloom's bedroom, seeing themselves at Sunnytown with Lyra and co on the what-if machine.

"I guess it does," Scootaloo sighed.

The Crusaders all jumped when, out of the blue, Flim spoke up. "Not a bad little place. A little rustic..."

"Could use some new curtains," said Flam. "We could sell you some!"

Applebloom's jaw hit the floor. "Get out! Get out before mah family sees ya in our house!" Moments later, her second floor window was opened, and Flim and Flam were hurled out of it with great force.

"Ah'm still tryin' tah get used tah the whole respawnin' thing..." Applebloom said, trotting back into the Everfree with the others.

"At least so far we've just left them in alternate universes..." said Scootaloo, rubbing her head.

Sweetie Belle nodded. "At least we made those universes better..."

"Yeah but...hey, do you hear something?"

The three heard what sounded like screaming.

"Yeah..."

Suddenly, a time portal opened and a minecart came careening out of it and skidding to a stop near by.

"Ugh...I think we got away from that freaky universe, but, where are we, Scootaroll?"

"I don't know, Barb, let's see."

Out of the mine cart popped five heads, four ponies and one baby dragon.

A male Silver Spoon (or rather Silver Laddle) blinked, looking over to the female CMC right next to them. "Uh...."

"...Flux capacitor?" Applebloom asked.

"Yep," Applebuck replied, adjusting his cap.

"Minecart tracks?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Yeah," Sweepy Belle replied.

"Just came out of a dead universe ruled by some freaking thing called D__t?" Scootaloo asked.

"Yeah," Scootaroll replied.

"Cutie Mark Crusaders Time Travelers?" Applebloom finished, getting a collective nod. "This is actually the most normal weird thing we've seen tonight."

"So . . .uh, what are your names?" Sweetie Belle asked gingerly.

"Oh! Us?" The little snowy-coated colt looked around at his friends. "I'm Sweepy Bell," he waved his long tail, dusty at the end. "And my friends are Applebuck," He pointed at the yellow colt with the red baseball cap, then the orange and purple pegasus, "Scootaroll," the little purple-scaled dragoness with the green barbs along her spine, "Barb," and the gray Earth pony colt with the somewhat dorky glasses. "And that's Silver Ladle. We were enemies for a while, but we're getting to be friends now, I hope."

"I wish we had Spike an' Silver Spoon here ta see this," Applebloom said.

"And who are you girls?" Barb hopped down from the cart and walked closer. She gave them a cautious look. "This isn't one of those weird mirror universes from out of those books by Dusk Shine's dad where everypony good is evil and vice versa? Though I bet Elusive would make a handsome, I mean great, evil overlord." She sighed dreamily.

"I think we can guess just who 'Elusive' is," Scootaloo nudged Sweetie. Pointing at her friends and then herself, she said, "Scootaloo, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle. We know a dragon named Spike and a Silver Spoon, and we wish they were here. They'd love to meet you guys."

"An' wait, you came outta some weird dead universe ruled by D__t?" Applebloom gulped. "Say, ya didn't haveta deal with some weirdo mind-bendin' monster named Discord, did ya?"

"Naw," Applebuck shook his head. The CMC relaxed and then froze as he said, "We had one named Eris, an' boy was she mean!"

"And ugly!" Sweepy Bell said.

"And she kept flirting with their big brothers and my, well," Scootaroll looked uncommonly shy, "with Rainbow Blitz, the fastest and toughest pegasus in Equestria. From what they said it was kinda creepy."

"I can imagine." Scootaloo tried wondering what it would be like to see Discord romancing the Mane Six. "Uggh, anyone know how to scrub your brain?"

Sweetie asked suddenly, realizing something. "Wait! So you haven't gone to Canterlot yet for the royal wedding?"

Sweepy Bell asked, "Royal wedding? What's that?"

"With Princess Cadence, I mean, whatever the Princess Celestia's nephew is called, King Celestia! Uh! The nephew of the Alicorn who raises the sun."

"Oh! You mean Prince Solaris's nephew Prince Bolero. What about him?"

"Look! We were flower fillies at their wedding! I-- I guess that doesn't really apply to you, maybe your Spike, I mean Barb will be flower filly, flower dragon-girl, whatever, and you'll be ring carriers, but the point is! When you meet Prince Bolero! You have to know that he isn't-" The world turned dusty and brownish gray. The world was still, except for herself, and Blankie who was suddenly in front of her.

"Blanky?"

And for some reason, the magic ghost dog was wearing a t-shirt that read. "I eat stuff that shouldn't happen." And the dog made a 'zip the lip' motion.

"What? You, you can't really want me NOT to tell them that Chrysalis, or whatever she is in their world replaced Cadence, Bolero, and is gonna brainwash Sweepy Bell like she did me! And so many of our friends and family! You can't expect me NOT to tell them."

Blanky crossed his forelegs and nodded. Apparently, that was EXACTLY what he expected Sweetie Belle NOT to do. Whether she liked ir not.

"Isn't what?" The world was normal again.

"Uh, isn't that . . . that bad once you get to know the REAL Prince Bolero."

Applebloom was struck by lightning as she realized that while she didn't have her cutie mark, her friends did . . . and their counterparts didn't . . . Would that mess up time and space or something? Apple Bloom didn't want to respawn so soon and gently pushed her friends' saddle backs so slightly so they were covering their flanks.

"Ah can't believe it," Applebloom murmured to herself. "Me, helpin' keep cutie marks a secret from other Crusaders. Maybe if Ah can't tell 'em straight out, Ah could at least give them some kinda hint..."

Sweepy Belle took a deep breath. "So... what's it like, being a girl?"

"What's it like being a boy?" countered Sweetie Belle, getting right in his face.

"Um..." The colt blushed.

"Better question," said Scooteroll hastily. "How do we get home?"

Barb raised a claw. "We should go talk to Dusk, of course!"

"You mean, Twilight?" asked Applebloom. "Ah'm not sure we're supposed to leave the forest..."

Silver Laddle blinked. "What do you mean, you can't leave the forest? Do you fillies live here or something?"

"Maybe they live with Zircoro," said Sweepy thoughtfully. He gasped. "Because... they're his new apprentices! Cutie Mark Crusader Alchemists?"

"YEAH!" shouted the colts, and one dragon.

Sweetie Belle winced. "It's... not really like that at all." She leaned and whispered to Applebloom, "Do we really sound like that?"

Applebloom nodded firmly. "Eeeyup."

Scootaloo leaned into the conference, frowning. "We'll just have to hope we can talk to Twilight this late. I'd feel really bad, telling them it doesn't matter if they never get home, cause time will just reset anyway."

Applebloom gasped, suddenly remembering something. "Oh no... the reset! Where's that brochure?" She took off her saddlebags and started digging through them.

The colts looked on, perplexed, while Sweetie Belle groaned. "Well, it's not going to be in there. How could it be? None of that ever... happened?" But there it was in Appleboom's hoof.

"What else have you got in there?" asked Scootaloo.

Silver Ladle looked over to Sweetie Belle. "Uh...hey, Sweetie Belle? You girls are like, from the future right?"

Sweetie Belle jumped. "Uh, yeah...Looks kinda like it..." she said nervously.

"Does...Diamond Crown come back?" the silver colt asked, desperation in his voice.

Sweetie Belle blinked, as did the rest of the Crusaders. They felt new memories rush to their minds.

"Diamond?" Silver Spoon asked, seeing the filly in the middle of the massive battle in Canterlot with the Changelings.

The filly jumped a foot in her air. "S-Silver?!" she asked, a mix of emotions on her face. Some happiness, some sad, some...undeserving. The filly had been in the process of pushing over a pillar that'd been leaning, her surprise causing it to do so, setting off a surprisingly chaotic chain reaction ending in a squad of Changelings being pinned by rubble. Before Diamond could react, Silver hug tackled her.

The three fillies looked like they were waking from a dream. "What...what happened?" Applebloom asked. "That was...new...Ah think...or had it always been that way?"

"Has what been what?" asked Scootaroll, blinking.

Barb suddenly belched up a note with a symbol of a balloon and opened it. "Uh...it's for you..." She handed it to Sweetie Belle. "How did YOUR Luna know how to dragon mail me?"

The Crusaders looked at it.

Dear Cutie Mark Crusaders

Princess Thalia is still making alterations to the past. Please know that if you suddenly get flashes of memories you don't instantly recognize, it is due to your present status bequeathed by my sister Fate. Just know these new memories are now as time has always been and nothing you need to worry about. Just know she succeeded in her venture.

The Ruler of the Night, Princess Luna.

"...Am Ah the only one a little freaked out by that? Like it's kinda familiar..." said Applebloom, shuddering. Like she felt a bad alteration had, even if in this timeline it hadn't.

"What did Pinkie DO?" Scootaloo asked, wondering why Pinkie had made it so they met Diamond Tiara in Canterlot. She knew Diamond had come home with her mother. Though she also remembered her being a tad distant and it felt like she was talking to herself. Silver said she seemed a bit guilty for something.

Sweetie Belle blinked, remembering something that Thalia had said. She looked to the other CMC. "...Do you girls know about Breezies?"

Sweepy Belle rubbed her head. "Yeah, I think Pinkie Pie mentioned them. They live somewhere in Equestria."

Sweetie Belle heard Blanky growl a little, but gave a small smile, sneaking a peak at Silver Ladle. "...Cool. I hope we get to see them someday."]

Author's Note

The rules are simple. Write something in the comments, and it's added to the story above!

Cutie Mark Crusaders' Journal of the unexplained 3
Story Seed Written By Alex Warlorn

Applebloom, "DANG! This is only our second strange thing and we're already on part 3?! We need to pick up the pace!"

Scootaloo, "This future is kinda getting too complicated for me. Maybe we should go?"

Sweetie Belle, "But there are so many more Alicorns to see!"

Part Added by:
Kendell2 and Mtangalion and a few edits by Alex Warlord
Kendell2
Ardashir
Mtangalion
Kendell2
Dragon-of-Twilight
Mtangalion
Ardashir
Dragon-of-Twilight and Alex Warlorn
Kendell2
Mtangalion
Dragon-of-Twilight and Alex Warlorn
Mtangalion
me
me again
Mtangalion
Ardashir
Mtangalion
Mtangalion
Alex Warlorn (one little line by me)
Dragon-Of-Twilight
Mtangalion
Ardashir and Alex Warlorn
Mtangalion
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn
Ardashir
Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
Mtangalion
Kendell2(Addressing Thalia's plan from earlier (remember? Go back in time and ensure Discord was REDEEMED before he was freed?) and what it lead to.)
Mtangalion

Cover is a commission By Kendell2

Cutie Mark Crusaders' Journal of the unexplained Part 4

Cutie Mark Crusaders' Journal of the unexplained Part 4

At the small newlywed cottage on the grounds of Sweet Apple Acres, Big Mac laid down his hammer and surveyed the structure with pride. He'd worked into the night again, and the cottage was finally looking like a home instead of a broken-down relic.

Cheerilee emerged from the house just then, bringing sweetened tea and two cups in a saddlebag. She joined him there in the crystal lantern light, not minding one bit that he was sweaty from working hard all day, and the two of them nuzzled beneath the stars.

Three fillies, four colts, and one baby dragon peeked out from behind the bushes.

"You know what this means," said Scootaroll, his wings buzzing with excitement. "Our plan worked!"

Silver Ladle rolled his eyes. "You mean, the thing with the love poison that got you so totally grounded?"

Barb folded her arms, tapping a foot. "And doing extra chores for a month."

Applebuck grinned. "But it still worked! They sure had us fooled back then, but Macareina and Mr. Cheeryloo really were sweet on each other!" He hoofbumped Scootaroll, and Scootaroll hoofbumped with Sweepy Belle...

And then Applebloom hoofbumped with Sweepy Belle, and it took Sweepy a moment to realize he'd hoofbumped with Applebloom instead of Applebuck. "Wha... What did you do that for? Girls don't hoofbump."

Applebloom blinked. "Huh? Ah don't see why not." She hoofbumped with Scootaloo, and Scootaloo turned to Sweetie.

Sweetie Belle hesitated, though. "I don't know. My big sisters did say that hoofbumping wasn't very ladylike."

"Um... did you say sisters?" asked Sweepy Belle. "As in more than one? Because I only have one brother..."

Sweetie Belle got all shifty-eyed. "Um... you shouldn't think about that too much! Come on, let's go see Twilight before anypony asks why we aren't in bed."

Sweetie Belle looked to Sweepy as they walked. "So, does your Pinkie Pie have a weird variety show thing too?"

The colt looked confused for a second. "Pinkie Pie?...OH! In our universe he's called Bubble Berry. And no, not yet, but I think he mentioned something about renting a studio.."

Sweetie chuckled. Thinking about the Tartarus Break Out. Particularly antics with a certain cat woman.

"What's so funny?" asked Sweepy.

"Uh...can't tell you, spoilers...The show will be fun."

Applebloom looked to Applebuck. "Hmm...So Rarity is named Elusive in your world, Rainbow Dash is Rainbow Blitz, Pinkie Pie's Berry Bubble, and Twilight is Dusk Shine, what about Fluttershy, mah big sister...er, brother, and Trixie?"

Applebuck rubbed his chin. "Fluttershy...Ah! I think that's Butterscotch. Mah big brother's name is Applejack."

"Wait a second, so's mine!" Applebloom said, blinking. "So Applejack's named Applejack even if she's a guy?"

"Guess so," Applebuck replied, rubbing his head. "Though he has some big long fancy name he doesn't use most of the time. Ah don't remember it that well..."

"Huh..."

"And our Trixie is named Presto..." Scootaroll explained. "...I wonder if he'd get along with your Trixie or they'd just try to out ham each other..."

"Probably both," Scootaloo joked.

Sweetie shook her head, "Uh, can some pony tell me why we're going to Twilight Sparkle's house in the middle of the night with our clones again?"

"We're not clones! You're clones!" Sweepy Bell retorted.

-

"We're going to your girl version of Dusk Shine to see if she can get us back to our world!" Apple Buck reminded her.

"Sorry, I feel like we've been standing here like zombies for days or somethings." Sweetie admitted.

Apple Bloom meanwhile continued to look through the brochure.

The small herd made their way to the Golden Oaks Library without any more trouble, and Applebloom knocked on the door.

"Coming!" shouted a familiar voice. A magenta glow opened the door, revealing a yawning Twilight. "Is there trouble? You're lucky I was up late reading..." Her eyes focused. Slowly, she rubbed her eyes and looked again, counting all of the fillies and colts (and dragon) on her doorstep. "Is this some new Variety Show thing? Cause this sure looks like a Variety Show thing."

Scootaloo fluttered her wings sheepishly, which made Scooteroll jealous. "It kinda is... and it's kinda not!"

"What's a Variety Show?" whispered Barb to Silver Ladel.

Silver Ladel frowned. "Um, do you mean generally or in this context?"

Applebuck poked at him with a hoof. "What are ya, a dictionary?"

Twilight hardly seemed to hear any of that. "But, I wasn't invited. And Pinkie Pie would never forget to invite her closest friends to a big event." A few strands of her mane sprung out of place. "At least, Pinkie Pie wouldn't have. Maybe Thalia doesn't think we're that important any more, now that she's a princess..."

"Princess Who?" asked Scooteroll.

"Don't think too much about that!" said Sweetie Belle hastily.

Sweepy started poking her. "Why do you keep saying that? Come on, I want to know more about this other sister you have! Can I meet her?"

Twilight twitched, her mane getting more mussed by the moment. Then she turned her head and saw the studio in the distance, surrounded by a giant pink bubble and rippling with reality-altering energies. "Or maybe... we've all been fooled and Thalia's really a nightmare in disguise! It's happened before!" Her pupils shrank and she grinned eerily. "But, um... never mind that now. Come on inside, girls. And boys. Let's get you home right away."

The colts and fillies looked at each other uneasily, but with no better ideas, they trotted inside after her.

Twilight's workshop was already a flurry of flying magical components. "Spell circle... check!" Three pieces of chalk sketched a fancy runed circle on the floor. "Getting a fix on the target universe... check!" Her magic plucked some hairs from Sweepy and a single scale from Barb. "Precasting and... okay, ready to go!"

"Wow, that was fast!" said Sweetie, amazed by all the different magical flows she'd felt Twilight using all at once.

"Yes, it was!" said Twilight brightly. "It's a good thing I studied up on dimensional travel spells after that other time I got stuck in a strange place for *an entire year* with no access to advanced magical literature!" Her smile faded a bit. "I'll get you back home just as soon as it's safe. I promise."

"What do mean, get us back?" asked Sweepy. Then the spell activated, dropping not just the five travelers, but all eight of them through the floor, to lead in a heap outside the library.

Sweetie Belle groaned. "Dang it, I'm tired of falling down the interdimensional stairs! Whatever happened to interdimensional doorways?!"

The library door swung open, and a purple unicorn stallion with a handsomely mussed mane looked out at them. "Where have you been?!" asked Dusk Shine sternly. "Your brothers have been worried sick and... and, we appear to have guests." His eyes lit up. "Actual travelers from another dimension! This is amazing!"

Scootaloo sighed. "Any pony else notice how we're supposed to be using our portable video camera to record all the weirdness in Everfree, we aren't actually doing much exploring of the different weird places in Everfree?"

One explanation later, the CMC were standing on another circle, this time their male selves standing far back. "Hope you guys have fun!" Scootaloo called.

"You girls too! And come back! Yah know how the minecart works!" Applebuck replied.

One spell later, the group fell through another dimensional gateway.

+++

"Girls?" asked Twilight's voice...only for a purple wolf with Twilight's Cutie Mark on her chest.

"AH!" the three screamed, then looked behind Twilwolf to see three more CMC...who were also wolf pups.

"...You girls don't eat ponies, right?"

"No," Twiwolf replied. "How are you even sapient?"

One more explanation and spell later...

+++

"Well this one looks right..." said Sweetie Belle, looking around the basement.

"Hey, girls!" called a floating brain in a jar, expressive anime eyes and mouth holographically on the front, Twilight's Cutie Mark on the front of the machine it was attached to. "How'd you get in my lab?"

"AHHHH!"

One long two-sided explanation later.

"Alright, girls, I can just send you home right away! Unless you want to try being Cutie Mark Crusaders brains in jars, it's actually pretty fun!" Brainy Twilight replied.

The trio looked to each other. "Is it permanent?"Applebloom asked.

"Not at all!"

"Hmm..."

One questionable medical experiment later...

"Huh...this feels weird..." said Applebloom, floating around in a flying jar, just a brain but having an expressive holographic face.

"Eh, I miss my wings..." Scootaloo muttered, in the same situation.

Sweetie Belle giggled a bit, cycling through face options and landing on one looking like a Changeling.

One brain returning procedure and spell later.

"Ow!" called Applebloom, the trio landing rather roughly in the middle of Everfree Forest this time.

"How did we end up here?" asked Scootaloo.

"Brainy Twilight did say the spell would put us where we belonged..." Sweetie Belle remarked, standing up. "And that she'd tell Twilight we were back home...hope seeing herself as a brain in a jar doesn't scare her too much..."

The Everfree Forest was getting more eerie by the moment... the sun had just set, a strong breeze rustled the branches and leaves around them, and the nighttime birds and bugs were awake and chirping away. Applebloom rummaged in her saddlebag and pulled out the camera. "Ah can't wait to see what we discover this time!" She nudged the focus knob and looked through the camera lenses at... deep forest. And more forest to the left of them, and behind them, and to their right.

"So..." mused Scootaloo.

Sweetie Belle sighed. "Why didn't we think to film the future?"

Scootaloo glanced around again, then did a double-take. "Hey... what's that?"

A faint golden light was streaming from a hole in the earth. They might have trotted right on by and never spotted it, if the sun had still been out. The fillies trotted closer, peering inside. Sweetie didn't even need to light the way with her horn... they could clearly see a short earthen tunnel and a shiny archway with a glowing door, the source of the light.

"Is that metal?" wondered Applebloom aloud, peering at the door. "Who would bury all that metal under the ground?" She prodded at the dirt with a hoof. "This is fresh... Ah'd say this hole opened up not more than a week ago."

"What does all this funny writing say?" asked Scootaloo, brushing hoof over a panel on the left side of the archway. She was startled when her hoof nudged some kind of mechanical switch.

The glow remained, but the door slid open, revealing a scene right out of a spaceships and aliens movie. Big console-things full of important-looking buttons, strange chairs on wheels, big flat-panel movie screens on all the walls that should have been blinking away, only everything inside seemed frozen in time...

Including the brown pegasus pony with a shaggy black mane, wearing a white overcoat with lots of pockets. He was half-out of his chair, one hoof poised over a box with lots of wires and some kind of rainbow crystal sculpture.

The fillies stood there with their mouths hanging open, as frozen as the room beyond the door, until the golden glow faded and everything suddenly started moving again. "The prototype device appears to have worked!" exclaimed the pegasus. He snatched up a pencil and notepad and started scribbling purposefully. "Now to see what effect..." An ear flicked, and he spun the chair to face them. "How did you girls get in here?"

Applebloom glanced to the others. "Um... we're explorers! Ah'm Applebloom, and these are mah friends, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo! Who're you?" She pointed the camera towards the strange pony and kept filming, which seemed to annoy him.

The pegasus tugged on his coat lapels. "I am Dr. Moon Shadow, and this is an important government research station, so I will have to ask you to... that's odd..." He poked at a box, which showed only a screen full of static. "What's happened to the broadcast?" He rolled his eyes. "I suppose the joke will be on them, if their so-called wishing spell has blown them all to bits."

"Uh, Mr..." said Applebloom, looking the guy over. "Uh, you said this was a military base or somethin'?"

"Government research station, yes," Dr. Moon-Shadow replied. "Why?"

"In the middle of the Everfree Forest?"

"Everfree-what?"

"The Everfree Forest," Scootaloo said. "Yah know, the most dangerous place in Equestria?"

"Equestria? But...do you mean Ponyland?"

"Ponyland? No..." Sweetie Belle replied, cocking her head.

The stallion trotted out and looked around the forest outside of his room, walking on his hind legs. "What...how..."

Scootaloo looked thoughtful for a second. "Wish spell..." she muttered. "Um...Dr. Moon-Shadow? You said you were in here because of a wish spell?"

"Yes...some fools were trying to make a spell to make everyone's wishes come true. I personally wanted nothing to do with it...I was trying to avoid being involved in all that stupid nonsense."

The orange pegasus looked sad. "I...I think you did...But...by a really long time..."

The scientist blinked, turning around. "What?"

"...Miss Twilight told me about something like what you said...but it happened a really, really, really long time ago..."

"...How long?"

Applebloom shook her head clear from her friend's confusing statement. "Uh...do the names Princess Celestia and Princess Luna mean anything to you?"

"No...I'm aware of a Princess Rosey."

"Then...Ah think yah might be a few...thousand years in the future..." Applebloom said, giving a nervous smile.

"T-Thousand years?"

Dr. Moon Shadow stared at them a few moments more, then burst into bitter laughter. "You really had me going there. Thousands of years in the future?" He snorted and shook his head. "This is clearly one of those prank shows. See, you even brought a camera! Who put you fillies up to this? Was it Comet Chaser? Aurora Blaze?"

"But, mister..." said Applebloom uncertainly. "This ain't a joke."

Moon Shadow stomped his way back into the underground room and picked up a gadget attached to another gadget by a curly cord. "Don't you 'mister' me. It is a joke. It's just not funny." He held the gadget up to his face and started talking into one end. "Hello, operator? I need... Hello?" He stared at it in disbelief, then rushed to the box he'd noted before, but no matter how he turned the knob and pushed the buttons, the screen still showed only static. He rose and backed away, standing on just his hind legs again. "This... this is a well executed prank, I must admit. It is becoming most unsettling!"

Sweetie Belle had followed him back inside, curious. She jumped when he walked on two legs again. "How do you keep doing that?"

"Doing what?" asked Moon Shadow, honestly puzzled, and then annoyed again. "Enough." He shrugged off his lab coat so he could spread his wings, and then he flew outside, hovering. "I'm going to find a gas station or something... with a working phone!"

Scootaloo took off and followed him as he pumped his wings to gain altitude. "Mis- I mean, doctor! Wait! You don't understand!"

But Moon Shadow shot up through the tree canopy and froze. "What.... WHAT? What happened to the SKY? I- I don't recognize a single constellation! Never mind being in the future or the past... what planet am I on?!"

He started to tremble and fall, wings faltering, but Scootaloo caught him quickly, guiding him back to the ground.

Scootaloo gave a small sigh. "...No, you're on the right planet...I know about the wish spell because Twilight told me."

"Twilight...The unicorn from those Paradise Estate lunatics?" Moon Shadow asked, still trembling.

Scootaloo's eyes went wide, remembering from their trips to the past. "...No...Her descendant."

"Descendant?!"

"Yeah...Um, there was an Applejack the First there, right?"

"...Yes..."

"Ours is the Sixth of the Sixth line, whatever that means..."

The scientist's brain seemed to shut down as he mentally did the math. "How...how can this...You're joking...please...let this be..."

We art afraid tis no joke, Doctor."

The group turned around, a shadow of an Alicorn appearing on the moon before the form of Princess Luna descended, landing before them.

"Princess Luna!" called the three fillies, bowing.

Moon Shadow merely stared in disbelief. "It...it can't be...That mad mare Brightglow was right about a pegasus with horns?"

"Brightglow is our sister, Professor Moon Shadow. My name is Princess Luna Nyx Selena Equestria...and we remember you."

The doctor took a step back. "I've never met you, how can you possibly remember me?"

"Because we art the Goddess of the Night. Of the Moon which you desired so strongly to help ponies reach and enjoy," Luna explained. "...Thank you for that."

"...What?"

Luna's horn flashed and the group vanished in a tornado. When it faded, the group found themselves standing on a grey, rocky expanse.

Moon Shadow held his breath, seeming to know something the fillies didn't...but nothing happened. "What?"

Luna's forcefield surrounding them flickered. "Don't worry, my magic is protecting us...welcome to the Moon."

"Wow..." called all three Crusaders, staring in disbelief.

"But...Unicorns can't teleport this far!"

"And that is true, but we art an Alicorn. And this is our domain," explained Luna. "While we art every Moon in the universe...this is the moon of Equus, the planet we call home...Do you recognize that, Dr. Moon Shadow?"

The Doctor turned, eyes falling on a flag still still lodged in the lunar surface. "That's..."

"The flag your civilization planted here millennia ago," the Night Princess explained. "Even at our worst, this little flag brought us joy to see...our little ponies wanted to step foot on the Moon so badly...and for that, we...I am eternally grateful."

"Shouldn't the radiation of made it . . . fade by now?"

"Even when . . . suffering a sickness, I still sustained it, as it was one of the few symbols of love towards me from my little ponies I had."

Luna scratched her chin. "Also, in my.. unwell state I found that flag... inspiring."

"Huh?" Applebloom tugged on Luna's fetlock, and when the Alicorn looked at her, said, "Inspirin' how?"

"We-ell..."

*On the Moon, centuries ago.*

"Yes, representative of the planet Venus," Nightmare Moon said in her loftiest tone as one of her Moon Creatures, dressed in a painfully pink robe, bowed before her. The old flag from Equus stood at the Nightmare's right flank. "I DO accept your surrender! You and your people may have the honor of living to serve me!" She looked at the next Moon Creature, wearing red-painted tin armor and helmet in the style of ancient Roam along with asurly expression. "Now for Mars! NEXT!"

In the rear of the line the representatives of 'Neptune' and 'Pluto' whispered to each other.

"Not this game again."

"You want to try getting that nightmare through to Celestia again? The one where the cakes try to eat her?"

"... On second thought I'll stick with being the diplomat from Neptune, thanks."

"Yes Olo, you can be regent of Mars if you want," Nightmare Moon said to her imaginary friend Olo the Owlbear. Which being an imaginary friend, only she could see. Her loyal subjects (in this world line having been her loyal servants even before becoming Nightmare Moon, and now served their princess even in her insane state duty bound as they were) pretending their queen was not talking to herself again.

Moon Shadow couldn't help but smile a bit, watching Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo competing to see who could jump higher in the low gravity. "Coming here this way almost seems like cheating. The first lunar mission was done entirely without magic, you know?"

Applebloom gasped. "Ooh, really? Just technology? They could *do* that? Er.. why would they do that?"

"Because they had no magic, of course," said Moon Shadow, always up for a good lecture. "It was done entirely by earth ponies, before they rediscovered the unicorns and my kind. For the second mission, we are... well, we were planning to use every available resource." He gestured with a hoof. "Pegasus magic to ensure air quality, and unicorn magic for all sorts of things, and still it was a daunting task." The pegasus paused, suddenly puzzled. "Er, how did it go, if I may ask? Where are... you know, all of the moon habitats?"

Applebloom tilted her head. "Habitats?"

"Places to live. Of course, there must be some... I've missed out on thousands of years of pony progress, after all! So where... ah, I see! This must be a sort of natural preserve, this pristine bit of the moon's landscape, and great and towering moon cities are surely waiting just over the horizon!"

Luna's face fell... she seemed, in that moment, as immensely old as she actually was. "My little pony... I know that you spoke in jest before, that it would serve them right if the wishing spell 'blew them to bits," but... That moment truly was the end of the world that you knew."

Moon Shadow stumbled, his legs suddenly too weak to support him, even here. "But, I didn't think... I... I mean, I did think about it, obviously, but I didn't *want* their foolish spell to bring disaster."

Luna smiled sadly, and sat herself down beside him. "No one is blaming you, doctor. Nor you should blame yourself for surviving when so many others perished. We will offer you what solace we can." She paused, reflecting. "It is a curious but not unwelcome feeling... typically, our sister is the one ponies turn to for comfort, given recent unfortunate history."

Moon Shadow drew a deep breath. "Well, right now you can help me best by satisfying my curiosity. Please, princess... tell me what happened."

She did. Luna told him how magical radiation had hurt and maimed ponies, and turned every piece of modern technology to useless scrap. She spoke of a new society that was only just beginning to rise once more when Discord ground it into the mud all over again for a thousand years, and windigos that forced ponies to make hard journeys to entirely new lands, leaving behind everything. As the tale went on, Applebloom began to stare in fear and awe, while Doctor Moon Shadow seemed to dwindle, huddled low to the ground, lost.

"At least," he said cautiously, when the tale was done, "there was no one at home waiting for me. Not so much as a pet cat. I have that blessing at least." His ears pricked up. "The research station!"

Luna smiled. "You remember it. Are you pondering what I think you are pondering?"

Moon Shadow nodded, already shaking off his depression. "It must be carefully protected and put to use, so it does not go to waste! Everything inside... the books, the DVDs, the equipment and *knowledge*, any or all of them may be one of a kind in this new age, irreplaceable! If only you can make use of it before it wears or breaks down..."

Applebloom gasped, then dug in her saddlebag and unfolded the brochure for the Manehatten Institute of Technology. "Ah'm thinking... maybe a place like this could help you do that?"

Luna smiled to Applebloom and nodded. "Fine idea, young Applebloom...And you are in luck, Doctor," she explained. "Our sister and her student Twilight Sparkle have already began help ponies uncover what technology they are now ready for, so these three discovering you is quite a fortunate. In fact, that is why we chose to contact you myself."

Moon Shadow blinked. "Yes?"

"Ponies of this age have combined science and magic, thanks to our allies the Deer we now have green energy, it was quite amazing to learn of after my return," Luna explained. "...While it may take time to develop everything that's needed...would you like to perhaps help ponykind reach the moon once again?"

Applebloom blinked. "If yah want ponies on the moon so bad, Princess, why go the hard way?"

Luna smiled. "...Because this flag here represents effort. Desire. Determination. Reaching the moon under their own power, Applebloom, is proof to ponykind of what they can accomplish."

Moon Shadow gave it thought. "Green Energy?"

"Well, We art not the most technologically minded Alicorn, due to my long absence, but there are mana batteries and moss that generates it's own power we use to power many machines. Our airships no longer need oil or fossil fuels to operate. We have spoken to Mother Deer about it and she said they're working on plants that can be used to produce large amounts of oxygen, at the moment the intended use is sea exploration...but space exploration and colonies is naturally a possibility."

"That's amazing...airships?"

Luna nodded, focusing her magic and showing an image of various airships. "In some ways, they are superior to the airplanes of your age. They can be built much larger and we've grown quite adapt at using them."

The doctor gave a small smile. "So...with all that happened, ponies continued to adapt and grow...that is quite the solace...and you are correct, green energy of this caliber would be very useful."

"The griffins will likely benefit with his knowledge themselves along with the other peoples of the world." Luna declared with a flourish.

"Griffins? What do they have to do with anything?" Moon Shadow asked.

Sweetie quoted from her geography class. "Well, next to the dragons they are a major power on Equus and-"

Moon Shadow tilted his head. "Griffins are dumb animals, PONY EATING dumb animals, how could they be a power? Is it a nickname some ponies picked up?"

The CMC looked at each other bewildered and shaken.

"Not really, no." Sweetie Belle, "It's not a nickname some ponies picked up, and they are not dumb animals."

"It's true! Rainbow Dash has a friend called Gilda who's a griffin. Isn't that right?" Scootaloo elaborated, with the other Crusaders nodding their heads in confirmation.

"My sister Rarity also told me about this griffon called Gustave le Grand who's an éclair chef!" Sweetie Belle added "And there's also a sports team of Griffons who competes in the Equestrian Games every few years!"

"... What." A shocked Moon Shadow managed.

"We see that you are not aware of what became of the Griffons in the thousands of years that had passed." Princess Luna observed, "But Sweetie Belle is correct in that they are no longer the 'dumb' pony-eating animals they use to be."

"So, wait, if they're intelligent..." Moon Shadow's mind put two and two together and snapped out of his confusion, "Was that the Wishing Spell's doing? It has to be, it's the most likely explanation from what we know of evolutionary biology and paleontology. It'll take at least millions of years for any lineage of species to develop from non-intelligence to anything resembling sapience by natural selection, over countless thousands of generations. And that's assuming that the environmental pressures during that period of time favors selection for increasing brain sizes and functional differentiation, leading to eventual development of problem-solving, self-awareness, abstract reasoning, and other cognitive traits." Moon Shadow placed a hoof to his chin as he dived deep in thought, running through all possibilities and hypotheses in his heads. "It'll require either an epic miracle or artificial uplift by another intelligent species to cut that time-scale to only a few thousand years."

"You are mostly correct, though it hardly took thousands of years." Princess Luna confirmed, "In fact, it was almost instantaneous. Ponies themselves were mere beasts, once," said Luna, a bit frostily. "They grew wise over many long ages." The moon goddess sighed. "Griffons had to grow up rather more quickly. When the Wishing Spell faltered with civilization-leveling force, it unleashed a deluge of arcane power across the world. While in many cases it caused havoc, in a few instances, it altered the environment and living beings in ways most unpredictable. The Griffons were not the only ones who were benefited; cows, Yaks, and sheep are also given the light of thought and reason, all in the space of a single day.

"So they're not just live-stocks that we herd in farms to harvest their milk and wool from anymore?" Moon Shadow inquired.

"They're not live-stocks! Daisy Joe and her herd are good friends of us Apples and the rest of Ponyville!" Appleboom interjected, shocked at what she heard, "We do get their milk, but it's with fair payment, like bits, free meals and lodgings."

"I see... my apologies." Moon Shadow replied, rubbing his temple with a fore-hoof. "Sorry, I'm still a bit shaken by all this. I mean, just going with the Griffons, the greatest predators of our species in ancient times, becoming intelligent. No doubt they're even more dangerous and cunning now that they can think. And if they're a civilization and major power to hoof as you say..."

"Tis' fine, honestly." Princess Luna reassured, "There had been conflicts in the past, but nowadays our relationships with them are more or less cordial, and most of them no longer has the desire to devour us. It had been fortunate perhaps that the ponies had a few powerful goddesses who can control the heavens themselves to deter the Griffons from any aggression towards us."

"So, they aren't still carnivores?" asked Moon Shadow nervously.

"They do not eat pony.But..."Luna grinned sharply, showing small fangs like her bat-ponies."They did not stop being carnivores, nay.Not at all."

The doctor gulped."It seems that I myself have much to learn..."He took a deep breath."But I still wish to teach the ponies of this era whatever I am able!We can yet have hope that the lessons of the past will guide Ponyland to new heights, *and* a wiser course."

Luna beamed."Excellent!I shall gather scholars from both Canterlot and this new institute, and ensure that your state is well known to them.It would be a poor welcome indeed to this era, if they believed you a fraud."

The doctor chuckled."I'll be most grateful for it, princess.Who knows?Perhaps one day, I will be instructing Miss Applebloom, here."

Applebloom blinked."Ya want to teach me?About technology and magic stuff?"

Moon Shadow tilted his head."You intend to apply to that college in the brochure, I thought.Did I assume incorrectly?"

Sweetie Belle grinned."Better him teaching her than Flim and Flam."

"You should have seen her fixing up their crazy machine," added Scootaloo."It was like she knew how it worked better than they did."

"Really, now?"Moon Shadow peered at the yellow and red filly, noting her blank flank.

"It.. it wasn't anything much, really," said Applebloom, blushing.Then, out of the blue, she shivered and gasped."Sis..."She looked upwards at Equestria, a bright ball hanging in the pitch dark sky, as if wondering how high she'd have to jump to get there."Princess Luna, Ah really need ta..."

"Fear not," Luna interrupted."I sense it as well.You shall be there for your sister."A dark blue bubble surrounded them, and Luna's horn flashed, teleporting them straight to Sweet Apple Acres.

"Thanks!" shouted Applebloom before dashing away at a full gallop, meeting up with Big Mac as he helped Granny Smith hobble out of the house.

When Sweetie and Scootaloo moved to follow, though, Princess Luna barred their way with a foreleg."Let us follow them quietly, my little ponies.Our presence would alarm and distract young Applejack at this crucial moment, but we may watch unseen."

"Where are we?" questioned Moon Shadow, but listened to Luna and stayed hidden.

Scootaloo jumped. "You're still here?...Oh yeah, right, we teleported from the moon."

"This is Sweet Apple Acres," Luna explained. "The Apple Family provides the apples for the majority of Equestria."

"I see...I notice a lot of farming techniques are still in use."

"Indeed, in fact her family helped preserve it."

Moon Shadow nodded. "Impressive..."

"Oh, look!" Sweetie Belle called.

"Sis?" asked Applebloom, she, Big Mac, and Granny Smith standing around Applejack.

Big Mac stepped closer, solid and reassuring as ever. "Sis, Ah just want you to know... If this is about what Ah think it is, we're here for ya."

"Always were, always will be," said Granny Smith, putting a hoof over her heart.

Applebloom bounced in place. "One hundred percent!"

"You made a fine wolf," growled Snowbound, suddenly present and lounging off to one side.

"Huh? Where'd he come from?" asked Scootaloo, cocking her head.

"Power has not changed who you are," the pony finished.

"Everybody..." breathed Applejack, brushing a tear from her eyes. "All right, then... Ah'll stop foolin' mahself, and admit Ah'm as ready as Ah'm a-gonna be." Everything seemed to sharpen around the farmpony, colors growing brighter and more distinct, more real. She floated right off the ground, curling into a ball... shining white light enveloped her, concentrated, then burst, leaving the air full of slowing falling sparks.

Within the light, a new being spread wings covered in mirror-like feathers, then reared up, a long horn flashing. The old Stetson remained untouched, sitting atop golden locks of hair that drifted in the breeze of her magic. "Everything's crystal clear now," she spoke. "Ah don't use Truth ta hurt ponies. Ah don't force Truth on anyone... Ah say what the Truth is in this world. Ah *am* the Honest Truth."

Her hooves came back down to earth, and she was surprised and a little embarrassed to find that she was taller than Big Mac now.

"She's done it..." Luna said, giving a smile. "Isn't it wonderful?"

The rest of the group were too busy doing a collective jaw drop.

"Oh...yes, this is a shock, isn't it?"

"Oh ho, pretty fancy!" said Granny Smith, stamping her old hooves in approval. "So what should we call ya now, princess?"

The Alicorn grinned. "Applejack, of course. Okay, technically I'm Veritas and the Page of Swords and a lot more things, but AJ is just fine with me." She blinked. "'Scuse me a sec..."

In a flash of silver, Applejack vanished.

Moon Shadow, being the least versed in Alicorns, was the first to shake it off. "Ponies can do that?!"

"Yes, but few ever do. Applejack has ascended. Now I have even more to inform my sister of."

"So...uh...Princess Luna...all this is real, right?" Scootaloo asked. "I mean...this is OUR universe, right?"

Luna smiled and nodded. "Do not worry, young one, this is part of our world now."

Sweetie Belle gasped. "Wait, did she say 'Veritas?'" She paced a bit, turning around when she got to the bubble wall. "And Pinkie Pie is Thalia." Her eyes grew wide. "That means that the Council of Friendship in the future is..." She glanced at Princess Luna, who was gazing down at her expectantly. Sweetie sighed. "I shouldn't think too hard about that?"

Luna smiled. "You are indeed growing wise, Sweetie Belle."

The dark bubble dissolved, and Big Macintosh, Granny Smith, and Applebloom turned towards them at once. Applebloom seemed thoughtful, ears drooping a bit, and Big Mac paced slowly towards Luna, giving her a hard look. "We were worried when Applebloom didn't come home last night. She says you an' another Alicorn swore no harm would come to 'em. Ah want to hear it from you mahself."

Luna nodded. "I, whom you know well, and my sister Rota Fortuna, the Alicorn of Fate and Freewill, have ensured the safety of these three fillies during their adventure. If they choose to continue, then so shall our protection. No lasting harm shall come to them. This we swear... Bearer of Honesty."

Big Mac let out the breath he'd been holding. "Alright, then." He lowered his head to Applebloom. "Even so, you be careful now, ya hear?"

"I will!" Applebloom exclaimed, throwing her hooves around her big brother. "Sorry for not sayin' anything ahead of time."

"If there's a next time, you'd better!" said Granny Smith. She peered up and down at Doctor Moon Shadow. "Howdy, young'un. What brings you ta Sweet Apple Acres?"

The doctor, already dead on his hooves and a little twitchy besides, started giggling. "Young one... young! I'm... oh, where could I even begin?"

"There, there," said Granny soothingly. "How about we get you some lunch an' a good rest before you move along?" She looked up at Luna. "Unless he's in a hurry ta be someplace?"

"Actually, that might be exactly what he needs," mused Luna. "We can send a chariot to convey him to Canterlot in the morning, or whenever the good doctor feels himself ready."

After getting a small meal from the Apple Family, the CMC returned back to their adventure, Dr. Moon Shadow remaining behind and Luna departing.

"Well that was really cool!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed.

Scootaloo smirked and nodded. "Yeah! We actually found something BIG! That's so cool!"

Applebloom nodded. "And tah think, this is just the start! Let's see what else we can find!"

Continuing their search, soon the trio came across a clearing with a small bit of ruins in the center. "Looks like we found somethin'! Let's get a close look!"

The group carefully trotted up to the ruins and looked around, finding what looked like a statue of an Alicorn flanked by a unicorn on one side and a pegasus on the other.

"Hey, what's this?" Scootaloo asked, pointing to a ruby in the hooves of the Pegasus.

"Hey there's one here too!" Sweetie exclaimed, looking to a sapphire being held by the unicorn's hooves.

Both slowly took one and looked at them. "Hey, is it just me or do these look like they're supposed to go together?"

Sweetie Belle blinked, looking at the Sapphire, which was circular while the ruby was more of a crescent.

Applebloom blinked, looking to the Alicorn statue, though looking closely she noticed it didn't seem as muscular as the other Alicorns she knew, it just looked like the Earth Pony part was missing. In a necklace on it's chest was an engraving that looked like the ruby and sapphire combined. "Looks like the statue has 'em like that too!"

"Should we try it?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Why not? Maybe it'll open some sort of secret treasure or something!" Scootaloo replied.

Carefully, the two foals held up the twin jewels and pushed them together...at which point a massive purple light was let off.

Applebloom covered her eyes as Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo seemed to turn into orange and white energy and meld together.

The resulting light orange light solidified and Applebloom's jaw dropped at the result.

Standing where her friend's one stood was a light orange winged unicorn, her mane being a slightly longer and better kept version of Scootaloo's mane physically, but the pattern was Sweetie Belle's with Scootaloo's purple hair color replacing the purple of Sweetie's.

Her Cutie Mark wasn't just the two's on top of each other, but a mixture: a butterfly who's wings seemed to form a heart with the G-Clef like symbol from Sweetie's seeming to form motion lines for the Butterfly.

The ruby and sapphire mixed together was now around her neck in a necklace.

The remaining energy from the fusion seemed to rain down as butterflies and song notes.

The pony opened to reveal blue eyes and gave a confident smile. "Hi Applebloom!"

Her voice wasn't some weird legion thing of her friends, but sounded like a unique voice that was...both of them but neither of them.

Applebloom blinked. "Sweetie? Scootaloo? Is that you?"

"Yep! Well, sorta."

"Sorta?"

"I'm kinda them but I'm not them...I guess just call me an amalgam of the two of them, okay?"

Applebloom blinked, finding that making an odd deal of sense. This pony seemed to have Sweetie Belle's excitement...but was more confident like Scootaloo. And looking closer, she noticed they didn't seem as muscular as an Earth Pony, more like they were right in the middle of them. And Scootaloo wouldn't say amalgam...but Sweetie Belle would.

The pony put a hoof to her chin. "Scootabelle? Nah, that's lame, not to mention uncreative...how about...Upbeat? I like that name!"

"Okay...so, Upbeat...are yah stuck like that?" Applebloom asked, seeming a bit scared.

"Nah! I don't think so, pretty sure I just gotta take this necklace off!" replied the fused filly, taking the necklace a little off, causing her to revert back to the light orange and began to separate before putting it back on and stabilizing back into Upbeat.

The farm filly gave a sigh of relief. She looked at the ruins. "That's good, guess that ain't some evil artifact thingie...so...uh...what now?"

"I've got an idea..." said Upbeat, getting a look that reminded her both of Scootaloo when she wanted to do something kind of dangerous, but also Sweetie when she was going to sing.

The winged unicorn's (not Alicorn, there was a difference) horn lit up with Sweetie Belle's magic color and Applebloom gave a yelp as she was lifted into the air.

"Come on! This'll be fun!" called Upbeat in a confidently excited tone.

Applebloom flailed a bit...but then looked Upbeat in the eyes. They weren't the eyes of some invader or demon...they were a mix of her friend's eyes. She could see both Sweetie AND Scootaloo in them. "Okay...Ah trust yah...But how yah doing this?" she asked, pointing to the magic holding her and the camera up.

"I'm everything Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo have! Including their stamina and mana reserves!" was Upbeat's reply. "Come one!"

The winged unicorn took both of them up above the forest canopy.

"Wow! Ah can see mah house in here!" exclaimed Applebloom, seeing the Apple Family farm.

"Yeah! It's awesome!" exclaimed Upbeat, her tone a mixture of pride and sheer glee of someone who was just happy to be in the air. Applebloom wondered if Sweetie Belle was enjoying flight. "This way all of us can fly together!"

Applebloom blinked, then gave a smile. "Yeah!" After all, Scootaloo couldn't really carry BOTH of Applebloom and Sweetie Belle easily, this way all three of them were flying together!

At that point, the fused filly took in a deep breath. "We leave the ground so easily
Float along so breezily!
Here we are, you and I
Three for the sky!" she sung. While the voice was still the same mixture, it was no doubt the talent was from Sweetie Belle.

Upbeat took Applebloom up above the clouds, showing she had Scootaloo's flying talent as they seemed to be dancing in the air. In fact, they were! And Applebloom decided what the hay and joined in. After all, she was floating in the fused ponies telekinesis, so why not exploit that?"

"Above the clouds, we're hovering!
Having fun discovering!
Way up here, way up high
Three for the sky!"

Applebloom gasped as they went up, seeing the moon high above.

"Could any road be airier?" Upbeat sang, but seemed to roll her eyes playfully at her own pun.

Applebloom gave a chuckle and joined in. Even if she'd never heard the song, her heart sure noticed it. "Any friends feel merrier?"

"Gosh I'm glad we can fly
Three for, three for the sky!"

They continued to rise, but it seemed Sweetie Belle's more restrained nature was part of Upbeat as well, as they didn't go TOO high. Still high enough that the moon looked big and bright and they could see Canterlot and Ponyville easily.

Luna's image appeared on the moon and gave the fused filly and her friend a smile, they waved back.

"We see the earth grow tinier
Every star seems shinier
And we sigh you and I
Three for the sky!"

Applebloom did a spin as they continued the aerial dance, now descending a bit and flying alongside a flock of night going birds.

"Could any road be airier?
Any friends feel merrier?
Gosh I'm glad we can fly
Three for the sky!

Zip and zoom quite snappily
With the birds so happily
Now that we too can fly
Three for three for the sky!"

Upbeat slowly let the two glide and come down to the ground.

"Three for, three for the sky!"

As the two touched down, Applebloom and Upbeat laughed. "That was so much fun!" Applebloom exclaimed.

Upbeat smirked. "Tell me about it! You have no idea how long Scootaloo's wanted that!"

Applebloom blinked. "She did?"

"Yeah...she can fly with one of you, but she's really wanted to fly with you both. Glad I could let her have that!" Upbeat exclaimed with a mix of kindness and confident pride. "Anyway, I think I'm going to split. Just remember, if you want to see me again, just ask those two!"

Upbeat removed her necklace completely, causing her to turn into light orange energy and split apart back into white and orange energy that solidified into Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, both smiling.

"...You two okay?" Applebloom asked carefully.

"Yeah! That was so cool!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed, hopping up happily.

Scootaloo chuckled. "Yeah! All three of us flying together! Or...all two of us...I'm confused."

"Still, that thing is pretty cool if it can do that!" Applebloom said, smiling. "But where'd that song come from? It sounded...kinda familiar."

Scootaloo blushed a little, realizing it'd been her soul that Upbeat had gotten it from. "Somewhere...anyway, we found a really cool artifact! I'd say that's another success!"

"Yeah!...Though..." Applebloom said, looking at the twin gems. "...Think Ah should give that thing a try with one of yah? It looks like fun!"

"I sensed it was you three who had found it," said a voice that sounded kinda like Princess Luna, but instead was looked like a filly version of her.

"I'm sorry I can't be in person, but I'm also helping Moon Shadow, but at the same time, I sensed you girls had need of me again. Because of the damage that has happened. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Moonshine, one of Princess Luna's avatars, I am both an independent being and but a extension of Princess Luna's existence."

"And Apple Bloom, just because an artifact joins a pony into one entity in a permanent fashion does not make it evil. There are ponies alive today who are descendants of fused ponies and their mate. It is . . . considered an unspoken, but not impossible third option for love triangles and love dodecahedrons though that is rarer. Though it more common in Neighpon for some reason, a Neighponese Prince named Lighthawk Wings had a half dozen mares in love with him, all would be dead-inside without him as their one and only and chose to fuse into one mare to be his wife, and is now remembered as one of Neighpon's queens. And then there was a horde of martial artists who kept destroying their town over who would love who among them, and were fused into a single loving couple to save their town from total destruction.

"Most ponies simply choose to find somepony else, or accept their beloved is happy. Tis reserved for ponies who truly would be hollow-within without the same other half. Thus why my sister has a 'trial period' before the joining is made permanent. Tis also considered too . . . unruly to be used as a tool of fighting for ponies to simply join together to gain power over an opponent. Thus why my sister and I have never done so, and have extracted a vow from Cadence NEVER to do so."

"What you are holding is merely the trial run version." Moonshine brought a pearl to bear in her telekinesis. "Apple Bloom, this is the third part. You'll find it fits perfectly in a depression in the sapphire, place all three together, and you'll become one pony. But I must confess, I came here for another reason.

"Something is very very wrong here." Moonshine said. "According to the rules of the protection you were under by Fate, the night, FOR YOU, should have lasted until you had had your fill of exploring Everfree. Effectively, dawn should have come only once you had had enough. Since once you had spent an entire night in Everfree, the protection would end. Time SHOULD NOT have passed for you, you would have been starting over from THAT moment as you different yous through out the Everfree explored different paths, until the final group of you came out of the Everfree. It was part of the nature of the protection for your girls to be exploring ONLY Everfree at night. You SHOULDN'T have been able to go to Twilight Sparkle's home. And you SHOULDN'T have taken till the next day. The lines of fate shouldn't have allowed that to happen. Since the ENTIRE POINT was that none of your friends and family would worry regardless of what fates you met. There was been some SERIOUS DAMAGE to the protection given to you. And I fear it might soon damage you."

"To concise, it should STILL be the night you girls started exploring, not the next day. And you SHOULDN'T have been able to explore anywhere except the Everfree, not Ponyville. This has . . . to suffice to say, imagine a container, now imagine holes have been poked in it, and now imagine the liquid leaking OUT of the container. . . . And then the container will be empty."

Apple Bloom gulped. "What coulda done that? Did we do somethin' wrong, somethin' that coulda messed up time?"

"What haven't we done?" fretted Sweetie Belle. "We hopped all over time outside our special night in Flim and Flam's time machine... went to all those other dimensions... got our brains put in jars... broke a spell that was keeping time frozen for thousands of years...."

Apple Bloom nodded along. "And then mah big sister got reborn as an *Alicorn* and turned everything upside-down again!"

"But, Luna promised Big Mac that we'd be safe!" Scootaloo pointed out. "So she must already have some kinda plan!" She grinned hopefully at Moonshine. "Right, Princess Luna?"

"Maybe I can help with this."

The group turned to find Snowbound suddenly behind them.

Sweetie blinked, seeing a little white wolf pup. "Blanky?"

Snowbound gave a blush at that name but gave the filly a wink.

"Oh! Hi...uh..." Applebloom looked a little nervous.

"How can you help?" Scootaloo asked.

"You could say it's kind of my job..." Snowbound explained, trying NOT to spill the secrets of the universe to a bunch of fillies. "I'm kind of..."

"A werewolf?!" Applebloom asked, then covered her mouth. "...Sorry..."

"...You could say that, but I'm the good kind...you know, the kind that eats the bad ones?" Snowbound asked, looking relieved.

"Yes! Mystery solved! Ah told yah!" Applebloom whispered to her friends.

"But..."

The group looked back.

"I'm more...slash stuff up than patch it up..." the Blank Wolf in pony form explained. "I can fix things, but normally I have to...cut out the bad parts first. But...the same power I use to clean out a wound...could be used to stitch one up if I had unicorn magic...and sewing knowledge."

Sweetie Belle blinked, then looked at the necklaces. "Oh! I get it!"

Moonshine looked to Snowbound. "Well well, I know my sister said you were allowed more freedom, but I thought..."

"Long story..." Snowbound explained, hiding a blush and not wanting to admit having enjoyed the role of being Sweetie Belle's pet dog. "Besides, this is a hole in mom's design, I'm supposed to help with stuff like this if I can."

"Are yah sure about this Sweetie?" Applebloom asked, cautious.

"If it fixes this," the unicorn replied with a smile.

"Okay..." Scootaloo said, handing the Ruby to Snowbound.

"This is going to be so weird..." the stallion replied, reverting back to his Wolf form and putting the ruby together with Sweetie's Sapphire. The two converted into slightly different shades of white energy, the Blank Wolf's having the strange void-like appearance he normally did.

Combining, the two became an androgynous unicorn-like foal a bit taller than they originally were, manifesting with a wolf howl as the residual energy formed a full moon behind them. However, unlike Sweetie Belle, this pony had shaggier white fur, wolf-like ears, and a more wolfish tail that still kept her fur colors. Their hooves were now wolf paws and they had a wolf's nose at the end of their snout, but the rest of the body was still equine. Snowbound's aura of the void still hung around them. The necklace around their throat resembling a collar for some reason.

Their cutie Mark was the Heart from Sweetie Belle's with musical notes forming a Wheel of Fate around it. One cutie mark, not two, in other words, one identity, one awareness.

"Hi!" said the strange being, voice making it hard to tell if it was a male or a female tone...but strangely sounding like a happy puppy.

"Uh...hi..." Applebloom replied.

"Hmm...I think call me Wolf Song, okay?" the wolf-pony hybrid asked.

"Okay then..." Scootaloo replied, a little confused. "Are you a boy or a girl?"

Wolf Song blinked. "...I don't know..." they muttered, scratching their ear with a hind leg. "I think neither...or both...I don't know..."

Moonshine cleared her throat. "Wolf Song, you were formed for a reason, remember?"

The Avatar left it out that this was likely only safe to do because Sweetie's soul was from Cadence's and thus could mix with the Blank Wolf's nature, and the fusion gems were divinely created to begin with. Any other soul and she'd have rejected the idea instantly.

The Blank Foal blinked, then looked focused, if still a bit hyper. Putting their nose to the ground, they sniffed around. "This way! Follow me!"

"Hey! Wait up!" called Scootaloo and Applebloom, Moonshine following as they chased the foal with the energy of Sweetie Belle and the limitless drive of the Blank Wolf.

"Oh! And if this is a tear is the magic momma set up, I might need you to cover me if anything tries to slip through!" Wolf Song called back, not taking their nose off the path ahead towards the metaphysical tear. Being metaphysical, it was less 'somewhere' as 'nowhere', but traversing nowhere was among the Blank Wolf's abilities.

"Anything?"

"Uh...you'll know them if you see 'em..."

Deeper in the forest, Wolf Song came to a crossing of paths and started pacing in a circle, sniffing at the ground.

"So..." Scootaloo flew over, hovering just behind them. "You turned Applebloom's sister into another werewolf, before she turned into an Alicorn? What's up with that?"

The Blank Foal paused, then went right back to sniffing. "Long story."

Applebloom grinned saucily. "Is Mr. Snow Bound mah sister's secret coltfriend?"

This time, Wolf Song stopped and gave her a look. "We're just friends. Although..." They blinked, considering. "She's eternal now. That means I won't lose my friend to death!" They bounced in place, tail wagging. "I can't wait to see what kind of party Miss Thalia will throw! It's gonna be awesome!"

Moonshine gave them a reserved smile, as the wolf-pony went bounding down another path. "I can certainly see Sweetie Belle's influence in this combination."

Scootaloo hesitated. "This path... isn't this the first place we went, the one with the magic duel?"

She and Applebloom glanced at each other, and then they galloped ahead, trying to keep catch up. They charged around another bend in the path and found Wolf Song sitting in front of a weird hole that fluttered in the air, like a ghostly sheet hung on an invisible clothesline.

Even weirder, on the other side of the hole they could see Dusk Shine, Rainbow Blitz, and Apple Jack standing in the clearing, with another Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo, all staring back at them. "Okaaaay, that's a pretty good trick," admitted Rainbow Blitz. "I don't know how I'm going to top that one."

Wolf Song did something in-between a pony snort and a growl. "This interaction... this doesn't happen." With a great howl, or maybe a musical shout, they sprang and sunk claws glowing with void energies into thin air, pulling the tear closed. Then they began to hum eerily... their horn glowed, and a giant needle and thread made of pure green light stitched the hole closed.

Applebloom and Scootaloo could only stand and stare, their mouths agape. "Well... that wasn't so hard," said Scootaloo.

Wolf Song barked a laugh. "There will be more for you to do at the next one."

"What? How many are there?" Apple Bloom asked.

"We'll know when we catch up to the one making them." Wolf Song sniffed their way around the clearing, then growled and took off running again.

Apple Bloom blinked. "Huh? Ya mean, it wasn't the time machine? That's a relief! Ah was feeling bad, thinking this was mah fault... Hey, wait up!"

"But if there's some *thing* running around here that can chew holes in reality..." Scootaloo gulped. "Uh, not that I'm scared or anything!"

Wolf Song flicked their ears, realizing that they'd run far ahead of the others. Scootaloo especially... she was lagging and out of breath. "We must hurry... but I can't take you through the shadows unprotected, and I haven't learned to teleport." They gave Apple Bloom a toothy grin. "The next time Twilight offers to teach me magic, just hogtie me and toss me in the library if I don't say yes!"

"Don't slow down for me," Scootaloo urged Wolf Song. "I can fly."

Apple Bloom grinned. "And Ah can run a long time!"

Moonshine nodded. "Rest assured, I'll not be left behind."

Wolf Song, being currently half an immaterial instrument of the gods, and one flesh and blood filly whose spirit could trace its roots back to the goddess of song. So its power to turn intangible was lessened, but only slightly, she/he zig-zagged between the Everfree Trees, losing Apple Bloom and Scootaloo for a minute.

It was another portal, and a pony had finished squeezing her way out.

It was a blond maned pony with white fur, her cutie mark architect's triangle. Her mane was done in Sweedish pigtails.

"Hi! I'm here to point out the logic fallacies in your lives and view points, that you'll accept without any meaningful counterargument because my logic is just that flawless, and you'll be totally thankful that I did so, unless you're a designated villain of course whose only purpose in life is to be an obstruction to the greater good."

She smiled a smile that was supposed to be friendly and warm, but somehow instead came across as smug.

Wolf Song spoke in its genderless voice. "Author Mouth Piece detected." Wolf Song snarled and leapt upon the pony. A few moments later, Wolf Song said to her/his self, "So that's what author mouthpiece tastes like without the seasoning of Mary Sue superpowers. Am I sure she was a infection? A infection is not measured by their power, but by their lack of meaningful failures, how their actions 99.9% turn out for the better even when they apologize for them, and they ALWAYS have a GOOD retort when they're called out, opposed to when THEY call out others. So yes, I did just eat an infection. Oh Mother Fate, I really did just eat a pony! She was an infection, an empty vessel for the will of its creator. She had no personality or identity of its own. So I did nothing wrong."

Wolf Song began to seal the tear as the others caught up.

"Everything went well?" Moonshine asked.

"Yes." Wolf Song replied.

Wolf Song began to sniff around again, this time leading in another direction. "We're getting close to the root of this," they remarked.

Scootaloo looked to Moonshine. "So, uh, if the fusion stones were meant for lovers, what does it do in ponies that aren't?"

"The fusion the gems create is an embodiment of the components bond with one another," the avatar explained, as they headed forwards. "When it's two ponies who love the same one so strongly they can't live without them, the fusion is likely to become permanent because both love the same being, if it's a fusion of lovers who genuinely love one another, it isn't uncommon for their fusion to become permanent, the two truly becoming one as a literal manifestation of the marriage."

The mare chuckled. "There was a hot headed, emotional Earth Pony and a logical, calm unicorn who's love was so strong that they desired to fuse together into a well balanced hole so they can never be apart."

"Okay, and friends?" Applebloom questioned.

"Lovers differ from friends in how utterly one they are. Friends hearts beat as one, lovers hearts BECOME one. And thus friends don't have the same desire to remain fused as lovers. I would not have given you the Pearl if you were being put at risk by the fusions. Simply don't take them as a TOY, more as an expression of your friendship. And be careful not to fuse with someone you have NO bond with...such fusions tend to be VERY unstable."

"And her? Him...them?" Scootaloo asked, still following Wolf Song.

"The two seem to know each other, but their relationship seems more akin to a pet and their master," Moonshine admitted. "The only other example I've seen of such a bond fusing was a Neighponese Shinobi who could fuse with their pet dog via a spell. It was normally quite stable, primarily because a pet is loyal to it's owner, and thus will obey without question but leave when it's master desires to."

"Wait, owner? How does that work?" Scootaloo asked, causing the Blank Foal to blush a little.

"We're here!" Wolf Song exclaimed, coming to a larger rip in the universe.

Standing in front of it and turning around was what looked like a tall, slender stallion in a black suit, his face nothing but a blank white head and his Cutie Mark an odd symbol none of them knew.

"Ugh, this guy. I knew Snow Bound smelled his stink earlier," Wolf Song replied, the Slenderpony having been driven off before by several benevolent possessed toys. "Looks like Mother Fate's protection getting damaged gave him a chance to do more damage."

The camera filled with static for a moment.

"Uh, the Camera doesn't seem tah like him," said Applebloom.

"Yeah, he does that."

The Slender Pony made several unintelligible screeches.

"I believe he said 'I'm doing this for revenge on Thalia for foiling my cousin's plans.' I believe he's referring to Thalia adverting a massive disaster," Moonshine explained.

*Static*

"We've got to stop him so I can close the main rift!" exclaimed Wolf Song. "Oh, and just so you know, he's an invader so I CAN fight him, but I need help to actually finish him off, and he kinda has a taste for foals."

"Alright *Static* Let's go!" Scootaloo said with a gulp.

"You shall not harm our subjects demon!" roared Moonshine.

The camera was consumed by static, and when it came back, Scootaloo was being held by black tendrils coming from the eldritch horror's back...until Applebloom reared back to give him an Apple Buck to a certain area.

*Static*

Slender Pony roared as he tried to force Wolf Song back with his tendrils as the Blank Foal snapped at his throat, Scootaloo flying by him with a wing blade and slicing him, spilling black blood.

*Static*

Wolf Song was thrown into their fellow Crusaders with the monster's tendrils, before Moonshine gave a blast of pure, focused moonlight to the face.

*Static*

The group blinked as Ponythulhu popped out of the dimensional rift and invited them to a midbattle tea party.

*Static*

"His one true weakness is a children's toy truly loved!" Moonshine warned as the group were slammed together by the abominations tendrils.

*Static*

"Hey faceless! Catch!" Scootaloo yelled, pulling the little pony figure Sweetie Belle had gotten from Bonnie Zacherle a good while ago from the foal's saddle bag and throwing it at Slender Pony.

The monster blinked, catching it in his hooves...and then screaming in agony as it burned his flesh like acid.

*Static*

Moonshine seemed to refocus the portal to another location and Scootaloo and Applebloom sent the weakened abomination flying through the portal with a combined flying headbutt and Applebuck.

"Where did we send 'em?" Applebloom asked.

The group looked through the portal to find the monster looking around to find himself sitting in a little filly's bedroom.

A little yawn came and a small donkey filly strangely resembling Smartypants set up in bed, looking at him.

"Hi! You look like you need a hug!"

The monster screamed as the little foal who was once a children's toy hug tackled him and he instantly melted into nothing, the spirits of all the poor foals he'd devoured being released, giving a smile at their murderer's demise.

Wolf Song quickly sealed the portal with the combined power of their components. "There! All done!"

The group collapsed. "So all done? We fixed it?" Scootaloo asked.

"Yep!" Wolf Song exclaimed, finally separating their necklace and splitting back into their components.

Sweetie panted. "That was fun...weird and kinda scary, but fun..." she said, hugging her little doll of herself.

Blanky allowed himself a lick on his 'master's' cheek. "Yeah...it was."

Author's Note

The rules are simple. Write something in the comments, and it's added to the story above! No 'script' format additions!

Set in the same universe as Pinkie Pie Forth Wall Breaking Variety Show!

Apple Bloom"We're exploring the Everfree all night! And the best part is when something, ah, 'bad' happens to us, Princess Luna makes it so we, uh, 'respawn?' "

Scootaloo, "Apple Bloom we knew that already."

Apple Bloom, "Yeah, but Ah figured we had to say it again fer some reason."

Sweetie Belle, "Have look at the, what did Pinkie Pie call this? 'Trope Page?'" http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/PinkiePiesFourthWallVarietyShow

Part Added by:
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Cover is a commission By Kendell2

Cutie Mark Crusaders' Journal of the unexplained Part 5

Cutie Mark Crusaders' Journal of the unexplained Part 5

Sweetie Belle brushed the spot on her face where the wolf had licked her, blinking slowly, and then she gave him a strange look.

Snow Bound stopped lolling his tongue like a happy playful puppy and peered back at her. "So. You remember."

Sweetie grimaced, kneading her forehead. "I remember that we knew a whole lot of things together that I can't remember now. Like there wasn't enough room in my head to hold everything!"

The wolf pup smiled faintly. "That is for the best."

"But... I know you're not just a puppy," said Sweetie. "Not at all."

Scootaloo hopped back a pace, wings spread uncertainly. "What?!"

Apple Bloom gasped. "What are ya sayin? He's been lyin' to us?"

Snow Bound growled thoughtfully. "Perhaps it is cliche to say so, but..." The wolf grew, stretching, shaking out a longer, fluffier white mane and coat, and grinding sharper, adult fangs. "The truth is complicated."

Scootaloo gasped and cast her wing blades, ready to fight if he charged her, but Sweetie Belle threw up a pale green shield between them. "Wait, wait! Hear him out! I didn't say he was a bad puppy. Wolf. Something."

Snow Bound stopped snarling, then huffed and laid down. "I am Blanky, the puppy you've adopted Mistress Sweetie Belle, I do not know my origins, only that I must remove what's wrong and protect you. But I am also the Blank Wolf, who became friends with Applejack, and fought by *her* side in many battles and knows my existence. Applejack fused those realities together without realizing what she was doing. This is a contradiction. Thus now that we're no longer Wolf Song, those knowledge is no longer available to me either."

Scootaloo let the wing blades fade. "Well, that totally cleared everything up... not at all!"

Apple Bloom trotted over to the Blank Wolf and looked him right in the eyes. The Wolf blinked back at her, tilting his head slightly. "Ah... Ah'm not mah sister, but it feels like he's bein' straight with us." She smirked. "An if he wanted to gobble us up, he coulda done that plenty of times already."

Moonshine remained silent, content to watch and see how this would all play out.

Scootaloo said, "Okay, so he's not gonna eat us, but who knows what else he could do?"

Sweetie Belle shook her head. "Blank and I were one pony...wolf...were-thingie...he's okay, even if...he's not what he looks like."

The view of the camera began to dip ever so slightly. There was a sound of creaking and cracking. The ground gave way a moment later, and Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle fell down through the hole of the rotted wood and loose earth, hitting solid ground less than a second later... it felt actually kinda soft, but it also stank, like Fluttershy's chicken coop and Spike's bed before laundry day (Ponies and dragons didn't normally wear clothes, but sheets and pillow cases still needed washing).

Scootaloo and Blanky didn't hesitate to follow after them. Moonshine looked concerned, but not worried, "I'd keep my eyes closed if I were you."

The fillies wondered for a moment what she meant, when they saw the glowing red eyes all around them, and the cackle-kaw of the cockatrices whose nest they had stumbled into.

A moment later the fillies were in Apple Bloom's bedroom, looking at statues of themselves on the what-if machine. Sweetie Belle, true to her word, had taken the brief moment to assume a pretty pose being petrified.

The foals felt bewildered and befuddled, and disturbed. On the what-if machine, Blanky was nuzzling the statue of Sweetie before jumping THROUGH the screen to the flesh and blood one. The foal should have felt proud for not fainting.

Moonshine was sitting on the windowsill, letting in the cold night air. "Your statues will be found by Diamond Dogs in a few years, exchanged by traders and art lovers for centuries, unless you want to go and dig them up right now, turn yourselves in as your school art project, but then we might end up with an art gallery's worth of filly statues if you fail enough times...this is what my whole self truly meant by coming to a bad end...You are free to end your camera recording of the strangeness of the Everfree at any time...just go to bed, fall asleep, and that will be that."

The group looked to one another.

"...Well, we did expect this tah happen..." Applebloom said, rubbing her head.

"Yeah, and we respawned just fine...wait, uh, Luna?" Scootaloo asked. "We're not clones are we?"

"No, to be accurate, the statues of you are alternate universe versions of yourself," Moonshine explained. "Do not worry, my sister does not do things 'half baked'."

"Alright...I say we go back...but not to get the statues, at least not unless we find something to make us able to..." Sweetie Belle suggested.

"Sounds fine by me..." Scootaloo said.

Applebloom nodded slowly. "Yeah...let's just hope next thing we see is a little less scary..."

The group headed back into Everfree. Blanky remained with them, abit seemed to be riding in the filly's saddle bags.

This time the group came upon what appeared to be an extinct volcano deep in Everfree, a perfectly carved tunnel in the side of it. "Huh, I don't remember seeing these before..."

Entering, the group blinked when they nearly ran into a filly. She had yellow fur, with mane composed of varying shades of gray and black. While she was a blank flank, one thing that stood out was she seemed dressed identically to an illustration of Daring Do, except the green on her outfit was replaced with a navy blue.

The filly blinked. "Huh? What are you three doing here?"

"Uh...explorin'," Applebloom explained. "...You know us?"

The filly blinked. "Uh, yeah, I visited Ponyville, remember? Daydream?"

"...Not ringing a bell...I don't think we've ever met you before..."

Daydream's face suddenly became one of fear. "Uh...just to check, Daring Do didn't recently have a novel where she turned out to be an author and had a clone of her made from her books and Ahuizotl was going after the Belt of Atlas, did she?"

The trio blinked, looking to each other. "Uh...no...and my mentor Rainbow Dash reads all the books the day they came out, so I'd know if that's how it worked..."

The filly gave a sigh of relief. "Alright, good...hmm...must be the wild magic still running through this place..."

"Uh...who exactly are you?" Scootaloo asked.

"And why do you look like a mini Daring Do?" Sweetie Belle asked, looking the foal over.

Daydream gave a proud smirk. "Name's Daydream Do. And...well, I think this is an alternate universe, since mom warned me the wild magic in this place could cause dimensional distortions, I guess I can tell you...that, and I'm pretty sure if this was the past, you'd have told me we met when I meet you later and your sister's know..." the filly looked at Sweetie and Scootaloo's flanks. "Definitely not the past...Okay, can you girls keep a secret?"

"Yeah..."

"Pinkie Promise."

"How do you know what that is?" Scootaloo questioned.

"Mom knows Pinkie Pie."

"Oh..." Scootaloo replied.

"Cross our hearts, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in our eye," the Crusaders did in sync.

"Alright, I'm Daring Do's daughter...and clone," Daydream Do replied, giving a smirk.

"Uh...Daring Do's a fictional character..." Scootaloo remarked dryly.

"In your world, maybe, not in mine," Daydream explained, then took out a perfectly proportioned whip and used it to lasso an outcropping of stone, using it to swing over a pit and land on a nearby wall, snipping a string to disable a trap before doing a backflip off the walls and landing in front of them. "But in mine, she's my mom."

The trio looked to each other in confusion. "...This ain't the weirdest thing we've seen tonight..." Applebloom admitted.

"So you're a clone?" Sweetie Belle asked, looking her over.

"Yeah, well technically I'm a homunculus."

"A what?" Scootaloo asked.

"Means I'm a living pony made from magic, it's official legal jargon," the foal explained. "Anyway, I need to find my mom, we're trying to stop a villain from nabbing the remains of some ancient lava demon king that are supercharged with uber powerful magic who wants to use them to take over the world."

The Crusaders did a huddle. "Can we come?"

Daydream blinked. "Uh...dangerous adventure...not really the place for foals..."

"You're a foal."

"Yes, but I'm a foal magically born with all the skills of Daring Do."

"And we're the Cutie Mark Crusaders," Scootaloo reminded. "And in this universe, we helped fight off the Changelings," she explained, showing off that she can fly.

"And we've got this..." Sweetie said, showing the letter from Luna.

The filly read over it and blinked. "Okay...not the weirdest thing ever...okay, but LISTEN TO ME, okay?" she asked. "These things are dangerous."

The four ponies and one wolf came to a section of floor that had a check board pattern with a scattering of seemingly random gold tiles.

"Okay," Day Dream read the inscription on the wall on of the tunnel that was just gibberish to the three fillies. "It says here to 'only step on the gold tiles'-" The CMC immediately hopped, skipped, and jumped onto the golden plates. "-only if you wish to immortalized forever within these temple among its guardians."

Day Dream turned form the inscription just in time to see the three fillies on the gold plates. All three immediately gained a pudgy waist line, and felt an overwhelming zenlike peace, and assumed an meditative pose without really thinking about it. Their bodies turned to solid gold as jewels formed on their foreheads and belly buttons and other spots, closing their eyes without a second thought, content to peaceful reflection.

"Oh no!" Day Dream said in dismay. "I was worried about this! Why didn't you girls just stay out of this?! Don't worry! There's gotta be a way to fix this!"

Day Dream felt a tap on her shoulder, she turned around, and let out a yelp like she'd seen a ghost.

"Hi." A flesh and blood Scootaloo said between huffing and puffing, putting down her two friends. "We got back here as soon as we could."

Blanky looked confused between the meditating golden Sweetie Belle and the new arrival. Day Dream did the same. "What-where-how-who?! HOW?!"

"Remember? The letter Princess Luna gave us remember?" Apple Bloom said bringing it to bear again. "It says we start over at the farm if we come to a 'bad end.' "

Sweetie Belle examined herself as a smiling golden jewel covered meditating statue. Sweetie almost felt like it was smiling at her. "I don't know if I should feel disturbed, worried, traumatized, or happy that's two for two I look good as a statue."

"This has happened to you before?" Day Dream asked eye wide.

Applebloom's eyes went wide as a realization struck her.

"Hold on naow," she said. "Every time we jump on these gold plates, we turn inta golden statues? And then we come back ta life, good as new, back at the Clubhouse?"

"Yeah," Scoootaloo cocked an eyebrow. "And?"

Applebloom grabbed her and Sweetie in a hug. "Then if Ah do this agin and agin, Ah can make lots 'o gold statues of me! An' big sis and Big Mac can sell 'em ta make sure th' family has all the bits we'll ever need! Granny can get her new hip and we'll never have ta worry 'bout losing th' farm!"

Her eyes went wide as she imagined her family, living without a fear, and all thanks to her.

Daydream looked at the other two fillies.

"Yeah," Scootaloo scratched her head. "Her big sis is kind of a worry wart about them losing their farm, even though they're one of the most wealthy families in Ponyville."

"Even though it's all in the land and property they have to pay taxes on, and not liquid cash. What?" Sweetie looked at Scoot as the pegasus blinked in surprise. "Rarity tells me this when she's talking about how to run a business."

"Sure! Ah'm a work of art now, Ah'd be happy to be sold off by my own family for money to an indifferent art collector for the good of the farm." Apple Bloom felt a chill up her spine as her own voice echoed mouthless.

"But first you want to rescue Daring Do and stop the revival of King Lavan. And his remains are crystal, not lava, he died being blown to bits after absorbing the magic of the heart of pony land." Said Scootaloo's voice.

"Since we're now one with the temple, we can give you directions on the quickest way there, and deactivate some of the traps if you want." Finished Sweetie's voice.

The fillies all looked at the motionless, smiling gold statues of themselves. Sweetie broke out into a cold sweat.

"Uh...okay, can ya, do all that stuff? Please?" Apple Bloom asked.

Sure! Also ya might wanna polish me before ya sell me off. Said the gold statue of Apple Boom.

Daydream put a hoof on Applebloom's back. "I...kinda understand being disturbed here...I'm literally a clone of my mom."

"They're technically alternate us's," Sweetie Belle pointed out.

"...Okay, but point is, I get being freaked out, given I AM a clone," Daydream explained. "Just focus on the you you are NOW, not that there's other versions of you running around in a different fate...but don't see them as 'not real', I had nightmares hearing about some stupid incident with a Mirror Pool."

"A what?" asked Sweetie Belle, cocking her head.

"Hasn't happened? Then tell Twilight Sparkle NOT to use that spell from the book without checking if they're alive or not! She'll know what I mean when she gets there!" Daydream stated, looking disturbed. "Trust me..."

"T-Thanks..." Applebloom said.

"But point is, just think of yourselves as yourselves and them as them, trust me, it's NOT PRETTY when you think about it anyway else...trust me..."

"Thanks..." said both the CMC and their oddly fine golden statues of themselves.

"Welcome, now come on! Mom's in trouble."

"We turned off the gold trap!" the Golden Sweetie called. "And we'll give you directions!"

"Alright, thanks...and Applebloom?"

Applebloom blinked. "Yeah?"

"If she's OKAY being sold, fine, but don't make alternate selves or whatever JUST to do that. As a clone myself, I think you can tell my feelings on that."

Applebloom pinned her ears. "...Sorry...Ah forgot."

"It's fine...now come on! We've got a world to save and witty one liners to say!"

The foal ran, with statues and carvings all pointing the way, making the exciting death course, a lot less exciting in Scootaloo's opinion, but no pony asked her.

As the foals were about to enter the central chamber were the remains of King Lavan lay, ripe for the robbing and corrupting, Apple Bloom trip on a loose stone and dropped the camera and everything went back.

When the graining black and white night vision camera turned on again, the foals were talking out of the volcano and shaking hooves with Day Dream and bidding her farewell.

"I was SOOOO AWESOME!! I just wish Rainbow Dash was there to see!!! You got all of that on camera right Apple Bloom?" Scootaloo asked eagerly.

"Uhhhhhh." Apple Bloom examined the camera looking very uncomfortable.

Suddenly, there was a cough and a whistling sound, and a weighted net fell over the four fillies! Three henchponies stepped out from behind a rocky outcropping, chucking nastily, followed by a tan stallion in a field jacket, with greasy black hair and a golden skull cutie-mark. "We meet again... little Miss Do. So good of you to recover the ruby shard for me."

The trapped fillies looked at each other in confusion. "Ruby shard?" asked Daydream.

Scootaloo gasped. "Is that... Dr. Caballeron?"

Dr. Caballeron tisked. "Yes, yes, you may gape in awe later. Now hoof it over!"

Struggling with the net a bit, Daydream pulled a journal out of a pocket. "Ruby shard, ruby shard... Not ringing a bell. Did any of you girls chance to pick up such a thing?"

"Ah was kinda busy jumpin' over the flaming lava pits," grumbled Apple Bloom.

Do's rival fumed, losing his patience. "Do not play stupid with me! The shard, the ruby shard of Lavan's crown! It holds the key to untold power."

"Really?" asked Sweetie Belle. "What power is that exactly?"

"Well, if somepony had told me... then it wouldn't be untold, now, would it?!! Honestly, I don't care... I have some very wealthy buyers lined up."

Scootaloo blinked. "Hold on, I remember something like that!"

Dr. Caballeron leaned closer. "Yes, yes?"

"It fell in the lava with the rest of him."

He froze, mouth hanging open. "I... I think I may have detected a flaw in my usually quite flawless plan..."

"Hah!" Daydream laughed. "Beaten before you even showed up! Your record as a failure is unstained, Caballeron." She fell silent as he rubbed his stubbly chin and grinned nastily.

"I lost Lavan's ruby," he snatched Daydream up by the mane. "But I do have you. I can sell you to Ahuitzotl for a fortune. Not to mention the great satisfaction of ridding myself of an enemy." The CMC started to complain, trying to grab Daydream. He gave the net a kick. The fillies yelled as he said, "And I suppose these three brats can be sold for something as well. Maybe their parents can afford to ransom them back."

"We ain't brats!" Apple Bloom stopped chewing on the net to yell, "Mah big sis is one o' the Elements of Harmony! An' Ah'm an Apple!"

"You look more like a cherry at that size, little one," Caballeron said with a sneer. He chucked her under her chin. A moment later he howled and waved his forehoof, the imprint of Apple Bloom's teeth on his fetlock.

"Ah mean mah family owns near 'bout all the apple orchards in Equestria!" Apple Bloom pointed at her friends. "An' Sweetie Belle's big sis is friends with some o' the most important ponies in Canterlot! An' Scootaloo's friends with Rainbow Dash, who did the Sonic Rainboom!"

She failed to notice the light of greed appearing in Caballeron''s eyes. Daydream tried to get her attention but the doctor handed her off to one of his stooges, who clamped a hoof over her mouth.

"Oh, really?" He said in tones of mock respect.

Sweetie Belle gulped at the sight and tried getting her friend's attention.

"Uh, Apple Bloom? Maybe this isn't smart..."

"An', AN', mah friends an' Ah are friends with two o' the three Princesses! Sweetie's like a daughter ta Cadence, an' all three o' us are friends with Princess Luna!" Apple Bloom lifted her head proudly. "So what do ya think o' that?"

"I think," Caballeron said, lowering his head to look her in the eyes, "that you three are worth a VERY great many bits to some important ponies!" He turned to his nearest flunky. "You! Write a letter to their sisters expressing our demands for ransom. Not too much, just a hundred thousand or so apiece. Just enough to make them wonder if they really do want these three back!" He had Daydream tossed back into the net and walked over to supervise.

Daydream, Sweetie, and Scootaloo all glared at Apple Bloom. She gave a weak smile.

"Uh, whoops?"

"And here's another."

One of the bad doctor's minions was suddenly blindsided with a flying side kick, knocking him out.

Daring Do landed before them, taking a combat stance. "Messing with my daughter."

"Daring Do!" Dr. Caballeron exclaimed.

Scootaloo got the idea to cut the net with her wing, causing the quartet of fillies to fall to the ground with a thud.

Daring do hid her gaze well. "For two reasons, one, it clops me off. And two..."

Daydream promptly did mule kick backwards, nailing her captor right between the hind legs before flying out of his grip and headbutting another hard in the jaw.

"-it clops HER off."

Scootaloo looked to the other two. "Uh...should we help?"

"I think they've probably got it covered..." Applebloom said, the two Daring Dos doing a double flying kick to a minion.

"Doesn't mean we shouldn't help Daydream..." said Sweetie.

-

"It's just not fair!" whined Dr. Caballeron.

Out of nowhere, a spotlight snapped on, focusing on him, and light orchestra music began to play.

Dr. Caballeron struck a haughty pose... and broke into song! "They've foiled me again."

The beaten and bruised henchponies hopped to their hooves and backed him up. "They foiled him again!"

Caballeron sighed theatrically. "It was hard enough before..."

"Hard enough before!"

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom looked pointedly at Sweetie Belle, who sank lower and laughed nervously. "Um... did I do that? Sorry..."

Caballeron shook a hoof at the heavens. "But now there's not one, but two! Curse you, Do!"

The henchponies posed around him, breaking into three-part harmony. "Curse you, Dooooooo!"

Doctor Caballeron paused. "That was very nice. Really, you are quite talented."

The henchponies puffed out their chests. "Thank yous, boss!" said one of them in a thick Manehatten accent. "We henchponies can't just be dumb muscle any more, not in today's job market."

"Dat's right!" said the second henchpony, nodding vigorously. "We always gotta be ready to step up and do our part for the big villain song!"

Caballeron blinked. "What are you talking about? I am no villain."

The third henchpony bonked the second over the head.

"Oow, owie!" cried the second. "Not there, that's where Do kicked me." Whack! "Argh... ya, that's better... Ow, ow..."

Caballeron facehoofed. "Ahem!" The invisible orchestra broke into a big brassy minor-key march. "Next time, you'll see! My plans won't be a bust!"

"Ha!" cried Daydream. "I think that they will!" she sang.

Caballeron grinned triumphantly. "I'll get the gold and riches, and leave you in the dust!"

Daring laughed and pointed. "Can you believe that swill?"

Caballeron raised both forehooves to the sky. "My plans will be flawless! I'll beat you without fail!"

The music froze, and slowly the spotlight moved over to Shining Armor, at the head of a whole squad of Royal Guards. "Make all the plans you want, Doctor," he sang. "Cause now you're going to jail!"

"We're going to jail," sang the henchponies, nodding sadly.

"They're going to jail!" sang all the royal guards.

"They're going to jail!!" chorused everypony, including Sweetie, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo.

The orchestra finished with a flourish, and Dr. Caballeron shouted, "Curse you, Do's!"

As Caballeron and his goons were lead away (Shining Armor ordered another detachment of guards to seek out the orchestra, just in case THEY were affiliated with the artifact thief), Daring and Daydream relaxed after the fight with the Crusaders.

Scootaloo grinned at Daydream, giving her a hoof-bump. "That was AWESOME! You were all over the place, brawling right there with your mom! You were like bam! and ka-pow! and wham!" She mimed several punches and kicks with each word, causing Daydream to scoot back to avoid getting hit in the face.

"Hey, don't give Mom and me all the credit! You got us all out of the net in the first place!" Daydream put in, ducking under a mimed haymaker from Scoots.

"Thanks fer the save, by the way," Applebloom added. "Couldah been bad, havin' ta deal with that loumouth fer much longer....and where did that music come from, anyway?"

"Maybe his heart songs just come with an orchestra? He's hammy enough that I kinda can't imagine them NOT having one." Sweetie guessed. "Or; the guy's pretty rich, if he can afford to hire all those goons and travel so much; maybe he has some musicians on standby or something?"

"But then wouldn't Miss Do have to fight them, too?" Scootaloo questioned, to which Daring scoffed.

"Please, I'd NEVER interrupt a musician in the middle of a performance! It's unprofessional. Besides, they're not the bad guys if they work with Caballeron. Worst thing they did was cash a paycheck with his name on it."

Applebloom blinked. "Wait, are we in your universe or are you in our universe?" the filly asked, noting they'd left the dimensional temple at the same time.

The group blinked in confusion. "Good point..."

The two Daring Dos thought things out.

"Wait, won't we just respawn back home if we're still in their universe?" Scootaloo asked. "Then we could stay here and be friends with Daring Do at the same time!"

"But what about our golden selves?" asked Applebloom asked. "Mah me wanted tah get sold for the family...it'd mean not tah."

"Dang it, you're right..."

"If it works that way," said Daring Do. "Then we just both need to leave out the same entrance to get back to our home worlds?"

"Would make sense..." Daydream replied.

The two sets of ponies each came back to the volcano and, with some help from their golden selves, made it back to the entrances they'd entered through, the CMC pulling their golden selves in a wagon, the golden Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle deciding to remain with their Applebloom.

After depositing them at the clubhouse, the trio returned to their escapades in Everfree.

"Are you sure we haven't been this way before?" asked Scootaloo. She was flying through the shadowy forest ahead of them, but staying low to the ground and not straying too far from the light of Sweetie's horn.

Sweetie Belle shivered. "I hope not. I don't think I want to run into any more of our past selves for a while." She paused and furrowed her brow, conjuring up a magical compass, but her face fell when the Everfree's wild magic made it spin in circles.

Around the next bend, the path was cut off by dense vegetation, but Apple Bloom stepped past them, squinting. "Ah see light up ahead..." She gritted her teeth and pressed forward, using her earth pony strength to push through... and suddenly she broke into a moonlit clearing.

Sweetie and Scootaloo squeezed in and rushed to her side, oohing and aahing at a ring of large stone statues, all covered in leafy vines. "This... is definitely new," said Sweetie, following the ring of statues with her eyes and counting. "Eleven, twelve... thirteen. I wonder who made these."

Apple Bloom trotted up to one of the statues, grasped some of the vines in her mouth, and pulled them loose. "Ah think this one's a griffon." She nudged the statue with a hoof, and in a flash Apple Bloom herself became a little griffon with yellow fur and red feathers, with the same pink bow on her head. "Neat!" She pulled the camera out of her saddle bag and filmed the statue.

Then she turned the camera towards Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo when she realized that they'd jumped back, holding each other and pointing at her in near panic. "Girls? What's the matter? Is there a bear behind me?" She reached for the camera focus, then froze, held out her talons and wiggled them, then finally turned the camera around to point at herself as she patted her face and beak. "Aaahhhh!"

Apple Bloom flew back in such a panic that she actually flew! "What... How... How do Ah get down?!"

"Girls! Be careful!" Apple Griffon squawked. "Ah touched that statue and it turned me inta this, and -- Sweetie Belle! Look out!"

"For what?" Sweetie said as she backed right into another statue. She gave a panicked whinny that turned into a yelp as the puff of smoke cleared to reveal a wolf puppy with a light gray coat and cotton-candy-colored tail ad fur along her back.

"What?" She said and her eyes went wide at the growl in her voice. Sweetie looked at herself. "Yipe! This is awful!"

Blankie stuck his head out of the saddlebag she wore and crawled out to start sniffing at her.

"This is great!" He yipped. "Now I have a big sister!"

Eyeing both her suddenly carnivorous friends, Scootaloo tried keeping her distance from both of them and the rest of the statues at the same time.

"Hey," she said. "Maybe if you tried touching the other statues, they'll change you back to normal?"

pple Bloom tried to land her griffon body, only to tumble and skid to a stop with wings, paws, and claws splayed every which way. A single loose feather fluttered down and touched her nose. "Ow."

Scootaloo zipped to her side. "This is awesome! Heh, remember that time Rainbow was a griffon for a month?" She gasped, wings spreading. "Ooh! We should all turn into things that fly! I can teach you!"

Apple Bloom flopped, then compulsively preened an itchy patch of feathers, and then groomed the fur on her left flank too. "Ah just don't want to get stuck like this. Griffons don't even have cutie marks."

"Hey, it's cool! It'll all reset, right? Besides, there's bound to be a statue of a pony somewhere around here."

Sweetie Belle was making silly faces, trying to feel all her fangs with her tongue. "I don't have to hunt scary things and erase them now, do I?"

Blanky padded in a loop around her, sniffing, which made Sweetie blush a bit. "Just a wolf," he decided. "No magic, no powers." The white wolf pup wagged his little tail. "Pony friends make good wolf friends! Applejack and you and I, we're a strong pack!"

Sweetie froze. "Wait, no magic?" She patted her forehead frantically, then twisted around to look at her furry gray unmarked flank. "Oh no! Can't I even sing?" She tried and wound up howling, then clapped both paws over her muzzle in embarrassment.

Blanky trotted over and bumped noses with her. "Heart magic is different. Try again."

Meanwhile, Scootaloo was investigating another statue. "Maybe this one's a pony!" she muttered, trying to get a grip on the stubborn vines with teeth and hooves. "Eeegh... almost got it..." Suddenly, the vines tore loose, but Scootaloo's wing accidentally brushed the statue too. An orange and purple teenage *dragoness* grinned sheepishly, tucking a scaly tail close and blowing a puff of smoke. "Um... oops? At least I still have wings!"

"Geeze, Sweetie Belle, we should've asked one of your Changeling friends ta come along, then they could explain all this shapeshifting stuff ta us." Apple Bloom scratched herself behind one ear, and began instinctively preening her wings. She noticed what she was doing and shuddered.

"Yeah," Scootaloo said, grabbing her scaly tail to look at the pointed tip. "This is worse than when we helped get rid o' all those nasties from Tartarus that attacked Ponyville."

"Say," Sweetie Belle perked up with a 'woof'. "I wonder if anypony else ever touched these statues? Maybe we can find them and..."

Her two friends dove on her and held her down.

"Forget it!" Griffon Bloom said.

"Yeah," Dragonloo shook herself. "Remember the trouble we got into earlier? Let's just look around for pony statues." The three began to do so, looking carefully at three new statues.

"There's so much junk on them, I can't tell them apart," Sweetie complained. She sniffed closer at the one she was examining, some odd bipedal creature.

"Sweetie, don't get too close naow, and..." Griffon Bloom winced as another flash of magic went off. "Never mind."

Dragon and griffon blinked to see the very image of the Megan from the oldest old legends standing before them, save only hair that matched their Sweetie's mane. Blankie walked all around her, sniffing and whining miserably.

"Okay, so now what am I -- GAH!" Sweetie looked at her hand in horror. "I'm -- a Diamond Dog?" She hurried back to the statue she'd touched earlier. "I think I'd rather be a wolf!"

Scootaloo gasped. "Wait... you're not a Diamond Dog!" The dragoness looked back and forth between her friends. "Girls, don't you remember where we've seen creatures like that before?" She pointed a talon dramatically. "You're a witch, Sweetie."

Sweetie blinked down at them. "I'm... a what?"

Scootaloo grinned. "A witch!"

Sweetie Belle tapped her chin with her hoof-things... fingers... whatever they were. "Can I be a good witch like Draggle?"

"Uh..." Apple Bloom shrugged her talons. "Ah don't see why not."

"Oh, that's not so bad!" Blanky started whimpering again, though. "Aw, it's okay, boy..." Without thinking, Sweetie Belle scooped Blanky into her forehooves... no, what did minotaurs call them? Arms? And she scritched his ears, which made the wolf pup yip and wag his tail again.

"Um, Sweetie?" asked Scootaloo.

Apple Bloom tilted her head to one side in a twitchy bird way. "What the hay are you doing?"

Sweetie Belle froze. "I... I didn't mean to! It must be a witch thing!" She dropped Blanky and lunged at the nearest statue. "Right! Wolf was definitely better! Back to wolf!" Flash!

"That one's the griffon," deadpanned Apple Bloom.

Blanky covered his face with a paw.

Ah! I found the pony one!" Scootaloo called, touching it...and turning into what looked like herself. However.

"Uh...did that statue have fur dye?" Applebloom asked.

Scootaloo blinked, looking at herself. While her mane and tail remained correct, her fur had turned pitch black for some reason. "What the..."

Applebloom put a claw to her chin and then touched it. Likewise she turned back to her normal self, but her fur was pitch black. "What in the world?!"

"Oh! I found another one!" Sweetie Belle called, finding another and touching it and turning back to normal...only to be glowing in the dark. "Uh..."

Scootaloo seemed to find another one...which turned her into a Crystal Pony version of herself. "Okay, this is getting kind of ridiculous. What even am I?"

"Oh! That one I can live with!" Sweetie Belle called, touching it and becoming a Crystal Pony version of herself. "Rarity will at least think this one's pretty..."

Scootaloo then saw a statue that resembled an alicorn. "Neat!" she said, as she touched the statue. After transforming, she noticed Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom giving her some really horrified looks. "...What?"

Sweetie Belle pulled out a hoof mirror from her saddlebag. Scootaloo saw that she was indeed an alicorn. A black-coated alicorn with a bright red mane.

"GAH!" Scootaloo screamed, rushing back to the pony one and changing back to the simply black version of herself. "That was HIDEOUS!"

"Rarity would've fainted if she saw those colors horribly clashing like that," Sweetie Belle said.

"That's gonna haunt me forever..." Apple Bloom said.

Blanky growled at the "Alicorn" statue, then whined curiously, as if he wasn't sure whether the statue needed erasing or not.

Sweetie Belle started clearing away more of the tangling vines. "That's better. Ooh..." She touched her crystal hoof to another statue and became a hulking canine with huge forelimbs, wearing a vest and a gem-studded collar. Blanky started barking at her. "This one *has* to be a Diamond Dog," she said, less freaked out than she would have expected.

Apple Bloom giggled. "Ah wouldn't go within a hundred paces of Rarity looking like that, if Ah was you."

"No kidding!" said Scootaloo, moving to the next statue. "Buffalo? Hmm, pass... Wait, what's this?"

There was a wooden sign in the midst of the statues that had been completely buried in vines before. The letters were bright but scrawled unevenly, as if a foal just learning to write had painted them. Sweetie Belle stepped up to the sign and read it aloud in her rough, growly Diamond Dog voice. "Which form will you choose to wear, knowing that you might never again find my garden here?"

Apple Bloom gasped. "Girls, what if we can't find any normal pony statue, and we have to pick what we're gonna look like..." She gulped. "From now on?"

Scootaloo eyed the griffon and dragon statues, obviously tempted. "Technically... we can pick whatever we want, even if we do find that normal pony statue... and if we don't like what we pick, we can just have Twilight fix us."

Sweetie rubbed her chin with an oversized paw. "Can she?"

"Say, what's that one?" Scootaloo pointed at one of the few statues they had yet to touch. "Looks kinda familiar?"

Cautiously, the three approached and gasped. Before them rose a statue that looked vaguely like Chrysalis as the Changeling Queen, but with just enough differences to make it obvious she was someling else. The carved gaze on her face made it look like she was gazing around at the other statues.

Apple Bloom warily set one foretalon on the statue and nothing happened.

"Huh?" She looked at herself. "Why didn't Ah turn inta a bug -- a Changeling?" She grinned at Sweetie's frown. "Sorry."

"There's a message carved into the stone." Sweetie looked at it as her friend bent closer. "'I created this to one day share the gift of the Changelings with all ponykind,'" she read. "It doesn't say who she was, though."

"Okay, so we know who made this, and why, I guess," Scootaloo said. "But what do we do about it?"

Sweetie Belle grinned toothily. "I wonder if Chryssy knew about this place. I bet she wouldn't have liked it one bit!" She struck a haughty pose and waggled a paw. "Share our greatest weapon? With the *cattle*? What utter, suicidal madness! That place must never be found!"

Suddenly, the ground shifted beneath the fillies, catching them all off-guard. A patch of earth was thrust upwards, and a large changeling warrior emerged from a deep burrow. "Your know Her Majesty well, for outsiders," he chittered, shaking off loose clumps of dirt. "Quite... suspicious, yesss. Curious indeed."

"Who... who are you?" shouted Scootaloo, hovering and pointing a hoof dramatically like Rainbow Dash would have done.

The changeling gulped nectar from a stone jug that had been buried with him, then laughed like sandpaper rubbing together. "Who, indeed?" He "spoke" a long series of clicks and whistles. "Hmm... Cicada, to you ponies. Yes, that will serve." Suddenly, he was all business. "By Her Majesty's command, I will take one of you ponies captive for questioning. Do you have a preference? I only require one... alive."

Apple Bloom gasped. "But... Chrysalis ain't even queen of the changelings any more!"

"That's right!" cried Sweetie Belle. "Princess Cadence is your queen now. Just get in touch with her and you'll see!"

"Unlikely," growled Cicada. "A.... convenient excuse for your trespass." He tilted his head. "Strange, that I sense no obvious deceit in your emotions... but no matter. The will of Chrysalis is not mine to question."

"If we're gonna have ta fight..." Apple Bloom glanced around, then touched the buffalo statue, snorting confidently when she poofed into the strong, sturdy form.

Scootaloo touched the dragon statue again, then did a loop in the air, puffing flame. "Yeah! Bring it!"

Sweetie Belle waved her big Diamond Dog paws. "Wait, wait! We just made peace between changelings and ponies! Isn't there some other way?"

Sweetie Belle looked around. Counting off the statues so far.

griffon
wolf
drakaina (that was the proper term for girl-dragon Sweetie Belle remembered)
witch
Night pony
glow in the dark pony
crystal pony
'Beacon' Dead space Alicorn
Diamond Dog
Buffalo
just a statue, changeling.

There were only two statues left, covered in vines like the others had. What could they be? She touched one.

She found herself with no rear legs, but a large tail, her forehooves now had fins on them. She also saw a red jewel on the center of her body, it wasn't decoration, Sweetie instinctively knew the lion's share of her SOUL was stored in there. But in spite of being aquatic, she was somehow floating. She wasn't that stupid, what did Blanky call it? Canon-Villain-Sue? That annoying thing that had broken through into Pinkie Pie's studio and had used broken inconsistent powers that didn't make sense to try and things over for completely inane reasons? No... This felt like more... This felt... BETTER... she felt, BEAUTIFUL this way, more than that, she felt her song magic amplify a hundred fold! It was like she had been under a curse since before she was born, and now it was lifted, somewhere in the back of her mind, she now knew why her and Rarity's hooves got pruney in water while other ponies' did not.

Cicada hissed at Sweetie's new form. "So, you distract me with false words of peace and seek a more potent form for battle! Heh heh, clever nymph."

As Sweetie floated there, still amazed by her new form and magic, something awoke in her... a strange hunger, like when she'd been transformed into a changeling queen, but different. "Suspicion," she breathed.

Apple Bloom stamped the ground. "Are you callin' mah friend a liar!?"

Sweetie shivered, a smile on her lips. "Anger..."

"Enough of this," said Scootaloo. "We'll beat some sense into him!" The dragoness flew at the changeling, talons ready.

But Cicada could fly too... he screeched and tangled with her in midair. Scootaloo dragged him closer to the ground, and a stampeding buffalo Apple Bloom rammed right into him... but Cicada lit his crooked horn, flinging the transformed fillies away. "I didn't wake after all those years so I could be defeated by children!"

"Conflict!" Sweetie Belle could *see* it now, eerie green vapors wafting up from the combatants. They all tasted... so delicious! Sweetie spread her hooves and *sang*. "Oooooh.... Ahh!!" The green fumes were sucked away from Cicada and her friends, funneling straight into her, and new depths of power and awareness flooded into her along with them.

And just like that, the fighting stopped. Cicada landed, and her friends approached, just as confused as he was. "I... I've been hasty," confessed Cicada. "Getting into a battle when there's so much I still don't know about this new time period... a poor strategy. A truce, for now?"

"Truce," said Scootaloo, shaking his hoof. "I'm not sure what I was thinking either..."

Apple Bloom blinked, then slowly looked up. "Sweetie? What did you *do*?"

Sweetie wanted to smack her face with a hoof... she'd gobbled up everything too quick, and now they weren't angry and fighting any more, so there was nothing for her to eat. 'You could make them fight again,' whispered a dark, tempting thought. It'd be so easy... the changeling and her friends were so... small, compared to what Sweetie was now. It'd be just like using her songs, and her dark magic, and...

And then Sweetie felt foolish all over again. "Sorry," she said out loud. "I'm still getting the hang of this." This new form... she was like a changeling that ate up hate instead of love... but just like changelings couldn't take all the love out of a pony without leaving just a shell that would never love again, it was bad if she ate too much hate. Sweetie grinned. She'd just have to take a little aggression and conflict out of a lot of more ponies. The ponies would be better off, she wouldn't have to make anypony fight, and she could keep feeding!

Somewhere a world away, three ancient sirens wanted to scream and gnash their teeth, and they didn't even know why.

Apple Bloom looked at the 13th and final statue covered in vines. "Please please PLEASE be a 'reset us to what we were before we came here.' statue."

"I wouldn't mind," Scootaloo said admiring her scales.

Apple Bloom glared at her. Wondering what the 13th transformation statue was.

"I hope it is for you Apple Bloom... But I don't want it," Sweetie Belle said.

"What?!" Apple Bloom said, "Sweetie! Remember the Tartarus break out? The poison joke! Being made a changeling queen? You want to put yer family through that again?"

"Not the same! Oh, sorry Apple Bloom, it isn't the same, I can feel it, this is what I was MEANT to be!"

"Yeah right." Apple Bloom smirked. "Ah want to be there when ya try telling that to Rarity."

"You might be surprised," said Sweetie Belle. "My sister and I were meant to be this way." The little siren gasped. "My Family! I have to share this with them! Imagine the songs that we can sing together!"

Apple Bloom backed up, not so smug now. "Please, please be a pony statue!" She pulled the vines free of the last one... and thank Celestia, it *was* a pony statue, a pegasus rearing up with wings spread. The young buffalo touched it at once. "Yeah!" she cried, looking down at familiar yellow hooves. Then she froze, stepping with one forehoof, then the other. "Wait, why do Ah feel so..." She twisted around to see her flanks, and groaned at the sight of yellow-feathered wings. "Horseapples... Well, at least Scootaloo can get back to normal."

"I'm not sure that I want to go back to normal either," said Scootaloo, her voice oddly loud.

Apple Bloom stared at the drakaina. "Is it just mah imagination... or are ya bigger than ya were before?"

Scootaloo blinked. "What? Um... maybe!" Sweetie lit her jewel and whistled a cheerful tune, summoning a huge mirror with her magic, and Scootaloo rushed right over to it, admiring herself as she stretched out and flexed her talons. "Aw, yeah... Maybe no dragon will ever be faster than Rainbow Dash, but she'll never be this strong." She flapped her wings slowly, stirring a mighty breeze in the clearing. "And check out this wingpower!" The dragoness swelled another few feet taller, nearly the size of their clubhouse.

Sweetie Belle was humming and swaying back and forth, eyes closed. "Let me take the edge off that greed for you, Scootaloo."

Scootaloo hissed. "But I want..."

"Ah, ah! Can't have you getting *too* carried away. Mmmmm, greed..."

"Can't Ah just be mahself again!" bellowed Apple Bloom.

Cicada chuckled dryly. "You haven't realized?" When Apple Bloom flew over and glared at him, he continued, "I really shouldn't be revealing such secrets to ponies..." The changeling warrior smiled blissfully... Sweetie had drawn a *lot* of negative emotion out of him. "But I feel as though I can trust you. This is a training ground. Participants are rewarded for trying all of the different forms."

Apple Bloom tilted her head. "Ah have to touch *all* the statues? Then what?"

"Touch each of the twelve and accept its form as part of yourself," said Cicada patiently. "Then touch the thirteenth, the changeling queen, and if you've learned your lessons properly..."

Apple Bloom gasped.

"The art of shapechanging will be yours."

"So... accept these other forms as me too and Ah get to me again... right." Apple Bloom found herself at a loss at how to do this.

Scootaloo peered down at her uncertain friend. "Just touch all the ones you didn't touch yet, and see if you get any bright ideas." She grinned toothily. "Or you could just be a totally awesome drakaina like me and not worry about those boring other forms."

"Don't be too scared to even try," said Sweetie Belle musically, hovering in the air as easily as Discord ever had. "It's okay if you're a little scared, though." She licked her chops.

Apple Bloom, still a pegasus, frowned. "We need to have a talk about those new bodies you girls like so much."

"Of course, anytime," said Sweetie brightly. "After you achieve your own goal."

Apple Bloom sighed, and closed her eyes. Accept the other forms? What did that even mean?

Somewhere in her mind, the buffalo Apple Bloom trotted forward, then snorted and nudged her encouragingly.

Apple Bloom gasped, eyes flying open. "What..." She looked at the buffalo statue suspiciously. "Ah guess Ah did kind of like being a buffalo. They're more like earth ponies than I realized." She paced back towards the pegasus pony, resting a hoof on it. "And this was kinda fun, too. Ah think Ah wouldn't mind being a pegasus. Mah sister would be disappointed that Ah couldn't help with the heavy lifting no more, but Ah could help with the weather instead."

In her mind, a pegasus stood next to the buffalo, now a solid form instead of a vague shadow. Apple Bloom grinned. "Ah think Ah'm getting it." She touched the griffon statue again. "Ah used to think griffons were jerks... but Ah guess the only griffon Ah knew about back then was Gilda. Then she came back and apologized, and Rainbow Dash showed us that griffons could be pretty awesome." She stretched her feline hindquarters and splayed her talons, then posed with wings spread. "Yeah, Ah could get used to this."

Sweetie and Scootaloo shared curious looks, and Cicada nodded to himself, but if they thought what she was doing was dumb, then at least they kept quiet and didn't interrupt.

Apple Bloom touched more statues, pausing to look at her reflection as a night pony, a glow in the dark pony, and a crystal pony. "These are just different kinds of ponies, like putting on a Nightmare Night costume. Heh, especially this one..." She touched the color-clashing Alicorn statue. "Ah don't feel like any kind of goddess, and Ah'm sure the changelings didn't make any statue that turns regular people into goddesses neither."

The imaginary space in her head was getting crowded with different version of her. Apple Bloom pressed on and touched the wolf statue, but she cringed, seeing the fierce yellow and red-maned wolf in the mirror. "This one's scary!" she whimpered. "Ah wonder what Blanky thinks of it." She looked all around. "Where did that pup go? It sure is funny how he disappears all the time."

Blanky peeked stealthy out from behind the wolf statue, and pawed her flank. "Can't catch me!" he barked, before scurrying off.

Apple Bloom yipped! "Ah bet Ah can!" she growled, tearing off after him. She chased and pounced... he sprinted and rolled out of the way. They chased round and round before she finally pounced him, and they play-fought, pawing and snarling with mock-ferocity. "Okay, ya got me," laughed Apple Bloom. "That was fun."

"Apple Bloom is a good wolf," barked Blanky, little tail wagging. Then his expression changed, and with his other voice, the deep one with the weird echo, he added, "Just as I expected. I would be proud to teach you more."

"Huh?" cried Apple Bloom, but Blanky was back to acting like a playful pup... Trying to shake off the strangeness of what she'd seen... or imagined... Apple Bloom approached the remaining statues... the diamond dog, the witch, and the two that actually did worry her, considering the way her friends were behaving... the drake and the fish-pony.

Apple Bloom decided to save those two statues for last. She didn't like the sound of Sweetie's 'this is how I was meant to be' spiel. And if Scootaloo was acting this way after only a few minutes of dragon greed... Apple Bloom really respected Spike's self control a lot more.

Well, best to get the disgusting and stupid one over with. She touched the diamond dog statue... and she was a moment later a burrowing semi-bipedal canin, her fur color being red and yellow.

She was wearing her bow still... but none of those pocket laden jackets diamond dogs wear, but Sweetie hadn't gotten any of those dresses that witches wear either.

Apple Bloom had heard Diamond Dogs were infamous for their lack of brainpower, but she had heard of diamond dog engineers, so maybe that was just a bad stereotype. What surprised her more than anything, was that she faintly felt the return of the connection she had with the earth beneath her feet she'd had all her life as an earth pony and only now realized was gone as another creature. It was rather like the connection she'd felt with the sky as a pegasus but had been too upset to dwell on.

She wondered about Fluttershy... had she loved animals that dearly, or been traumatized that horribly, or both, that she ignored the calling the sky whispered in her brain.

"This ain't so bad," Apple Bloom said looking at her paws, "Ah could dig the plots for the trees easy with these, just hope Ah'm not made to sleep in a dog house or nothin'. And gems, beautiful, beautiful gems, ugh." Diamond Dogs... she now realized, they weren't 'greedy' like dragons, it was gems in particular, she wasn't even sure what she'd DO with them, it was just important that she collected them. And it felt so... so right.

This made Apple Bloom wonder. What instincts as an EARTH PONY had she never noticed, or never questioned?

Applebloom sighed and trotted over to the only remaining form she didn't feel like becoming. The 'witch'.

Touching it she became a human version of herself. She also blinked. "Huh...this actually doesn't feel much different..."

She missed the magic and senses...but she noted she was much taller. Reaching up, she used one of her new limbs to grab the branch above her. "Huh...this could be really useful pickin' those stubborn apples that don't wanna fall off. Ah could use this."

"Especially if you learn good magic like draggle!" Sweetie Belle suggested.

"Yeah, that'd be cool..." Applebloom said. "And their magics a lot like Zecora's..."

Cicada blinked. "I feel I'm missing something here..."

Applebloom sighed, looking at the remaining two statues. "Ah think..."

She reached out and touched the dragon, deciding it was a better choice. However, she blinked when instead of a winged dragon that Scootaloo had become, she became a much more heavily armored yellow dragonness. While she lacked wings, her claws were much more designed for digging through dirt and her tail ended in a bone club.

"What am Ah?!"

Cicada chuckled. "You are an earth drakaina. While some of the statues are set to a specific breed of that species, some are not."

"Oh..." the dragonness replied, feeling that link to the Earth come back. She felt an urge to go and collect diamonds. To make a horde...but she also felt something else.

"Mah family...they're part of mah horde...Ah don't ever wanna let 'em go," Applebloom said, giving a smile.

Scootaloo smirked. "And I feel the same about you three and Rainbow."

"...Then Ah guess bein' a dragon ain't so bad. That part Ah like."

There was just one left to accept...She wasn't she how she felt about it, but she touched the last statue...

And instead of being a cool Siren like Sweetie, she found herself an orange sea-horse like pony with fins instead of front legs. And flopped on the ground.

"Hey! No fair!"

She was happy she could still breath air, but otherwise didn't find this as cool as Sweetie made it look.

Sweetie Belle blinked. "That wasn't supposed to happen..."

Apple Bloom flopped around in a sudden panic. "Ah need water!" she panted. "Ah don't wanna get stuck on land and dry out and get..." Gulp. "...crispy fried. If this is a test, if doesn't seem like a very fair one." She flexed her long tail... it felt like strong, solid muscle. At least she could flop over to another statue if she had to.

Cicada frowned thoughtfully. "There should be a pond." He buzzed over, glaring at the seapony statue. "I'm fairly certain that there used to be a pond. Hmm, how many centuries ago..."

Apple Bloom gasped. There it was, surrounding the statue... so choked with moss and fallen leaves that she hadn't seen it at all, until now. "Eeww..." The stranded golden seapony sighed and sang, "I can't swim there, it's full of muck! Ah can't believe mah rotten luck."

Scootaloo blinked. "Did she just..." Sweetie darted over, shushing her. "Since when can Apple Bloom sing that good?" she whispered, as softly as a dragon could whisper, anyway. She scratched her chin scales, and then her ear fins twitched as a gentle upbeat melody rose. "Ohhh, a heart song. That explains it."

Sweetie Belle shook her head, strangely excited. "She started it with her magic. Apple Bloom has seapony magic!" Her soul gem glowed, surrounding Apple Bloom with a sparkling green glow that helped lift her upright.

"Thanks!" Apple Bloom pointed with a fin, grinning. "Ah see it now," she sang. "Have a look right over there at what Ah spy! There's a canal, and a river over there that runs right by..."

"At least... that's how it used to be," sang Sweetie Belle, regretfully. "The canal is full of silt, you see."

Scootaloo nodded. "But maybe if we break that dam, the water will flow in again!" The drakaina's singing blasted leaves from trees and made Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle yelp. "Heh, oops..."

While the heart song wandered off into a cheerful interlude, Sweetie used more of her magic to dredge out the pond, and Scootaloo dug her talons into the canal and carved a new path to the river. Soon, fresh river water came gushing in to fill up the empty pond, and Apple Bloom was finally able to dive in, spreading her fins and splashing all around. "Yeehaw!"

The heart song came back for another verse, but it slowed into a minor key, and a spotlight shone down on Sweetie Belle. "I was so sure that this form, surely was the form for me. This was my birthright, I was meant to be a pony of the sea. I thought this power, was something I must tame. A creature that only could take joy in other ponies' pain." She floated lower, brushing a hoof against her soul gem. "But I'm so happy for Bloom because she's happy and my friend! I think there's much about this form, that I still don't understand..."

Then Sweetie Belle realized that Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were close by, softly humming along with her verse. "H.. hey!" She blushed. "I'm doing a soliloquy here! Those are private!"

But Scootaloo put a forelimb around them and pulled them all into a big group hug anyway.

So all Apple Bloom had to do now was accept herself as a seapony and touch the changeling queen statue, and she could become her earth pony self again.

Cicada said, "Are you ready for the last step?"

Apple Bloom said, "Give me a tick." Apple Bloom slip into the moat and peacefully began to picture herself in the ocean along with the 12 other versions of herself.

The twelfth Apple Bloom started to take form in her mind. Apple Bloom sang, coaxing her out, and her seapony self sang back to her, growing more real. They sang together, and her other self smiled, splashing her playfully.

Apple Bloom grinned back. "Is everybody all set?" The herd of Apple Blooms in her head gave her various hoofs, thumbs, and talons up.

"All set," she said out loud, and Sweetie Belle nodded and sang her out of the pond, hovering her over to the changeling queen statue. Apple Bloom took a deep breath, and pressed her fin against it.

Golden light shimmered over the statue's surface. Cicada wasted no time in running away and diving behind a hedge, but the transformed fillies leaned closer, wondering if that was it... and then the golden light exploded outwards, filling the garden and shooting a brilliant pulse of magic through the Everfree canopy and clear into the clouds.

Apple Bloom looked herself over frantically. "What the hay?! Ah don't feel any different."

The features of the changeling statue shifted, and it seemed to move, addressing them! "Greetings," it spoke in a buzzing, yet musical voice.

Scootaloo growled, but Sweetie put a hoof on her shoulder. "I don't sense anything alive. I think it's a recording of some kind."

"If you are watching this," said the statue, "then you are to be congratulated. You have passed my test." The image of the changeling queen smiled deviously. "I feared that I had made it too difficult. Indeed, even now I wonder whether these words of mine will ever be heard, or whether they will stay locked in the spell matrix until these statues weather and crumble away and the world ends.

"A test?" Scootaloo rolled her eyes. "I guess she wouldn't have been a changeling queen if she wasn't plotting something."

"Hey!" cried Sweetie Belle.

"Such a pity," continued the statue, ignoring them. "This results of this test will be of immense scientific interest... and possibly give hope to all of changeling-kind... but I will certainly not be around to see them. Even now, my daughters bring their armies to take my head and then turn on each other, and they must not find me here. But through you..." She seemed to look directly at Apple Bloom. "...we will know at last if the true, purified essence of a changeling can be imprinted on a pony not of our tribe... without the curse, without the hunger that so easily makes monsters of us all."

The long dead changeling queen glanced over her shoulder hastily, then cleared her throat. "I should like you to contact the changeling queen of your era immediately and share these findings. Whether you wish to do this or not is irrelevant, for you see, that first explosion of light was a beacon to bring you swiftly to her attention." She smirked, a little cruelly. "My voice and will were recorded in this spell matrix by my command. So speaks Mayfly, Queen of the Changelings."

And then the statue was just a statue again.

Apple Bloom had just enough time to say "Um..." before another burst of magic filled the statue garden. The long-range teleport spell faded, leaving them face to face with Hercules Beetle. And Shining Armor. And Princess Cadence herself.

Sweetie Belle cowered back, seeming genuinely afraid. Scootaloo moved protectively in front of her.

"This cannot be," stammered Cicada, staring at Cadence. "You are no changeling." Green flames rose around him, and swiftly died like a snuffed candle. Blue flames flicked over him in their place. "But you are my Queen." The changeling warrior bowed low.

Apple Bloom, meanwhile, felt a profound urge to curtsie and reveal her true self to Cadence... but what was her true self? The magic of song and the strength of the earth seemed to blend together in her... blue flames rippled over her too, and her four hooves touched the ground together... she wasn't sure *what* she'd just done, but she was her good old Earth Pony self again. "Your Majesty! Ah mean, your Highness... uh..."

Princess Cadence blinked slowly, then conjured up a tea service for six, and another dragon-sized tea set. "Explain." She smiled. "Please, take your time."

So Apple Bloom explained, as did her friends, and Cicada, and Hercules Beetle in turn explained what had been going since Cicada had been buried and waiting. Apple Bloom wondered how the night was lasting so long.

"I'm happy for you Apple Bloom," Cadence said, "I'm sure that this'll truly help changelings assimilate back into part of global pony society. Though I trust you know that I'll be making sure you're not abusing your new gift."

"Ah gotcha." Apple Bloom said.

"And as for you girls." Shining Armor said to the dragon and siren. "I hope you know that... you're kinda YOUNG to make important life changing decisions like changing your species."

The orange dragon looked DOWN on Shining Armor. "I'd say I'm big enough right now."

"And I'm NOT transformed! I've had a transformation REMOVED!" The white siren said.

Cadence felt a headache coming on. While Shining Armor hoped he wasn't in for a fight against a DRAGON, AND a member of a type of seapony that had just three had nearly been enough to bring Equestria to their kneels.

Cadence considered, then nudged the earth pony filly. "Apple Bloom, would you walk with me, please?"

Apple Bloom followed her a little ways into the woods nervously, wondering what Cadence didn't want the others to hear. It was a little hard to tell surrounded by the Everfree, but the eastern sky was growing light. Celestia must be getting ready to raise the sun. Would the end of the night be an automatic reset, now that Luna and Rota's spell was fixed?

"You're being fairly mature about this," Cadence began, "so it seems safer to tell you this than not tell you."

Apple Bloom blinked. "Tell me what, Princess?"

"You're not like any of my little changelings. A changeling doesn't gain wind magic when they transform into a pegasus, or earth magic when they become an earth pony..." Cadence leaned close. "But it seems you do. I can sense both of those in you now, and song magic, and changeling magic as well. You haven't tried to cast unicorn spells yet, have you?"

Apple Bloom could only shake her head, suddenly having an exciting but scary idea of where this was going. "Every kinda magic in one pony. Ain't that... an Alicorn?! Ah could change like my sister and Pinkie Pie?"

Cadence nodded slowly, seeming very serious. "You might be able to... and I urge you not to try. You're *not* ready."

"What would Ah be the Alicorn of?" mused Apple Bloom. Her gaze wandered back to her own flank, which was still as stubbornly blank as ever. "Aw, come on! What does it take?"

Cadence smiled, a bit grimly. "That's one of the things that has me worried. I don't know if it's even possible to become an Alicorn without any special talent. I'll have to talk to Auntie Celestia about this, but... I just have this feeling that if you tried to become an Alicorn now, something terrible might happen."

Apple Bloom kicked a rock. She was mighty tempted to turn into something that could kick bigger things around, like trees and boulders. "You say Ah'm the mature one, but Sweetie and Scootaloo already have their marks and they're having fun with their new powers right now, while Ah have to wait and wait... It ain't fair!"

"No, it's not fair, young mare," Cadence chided her. "What would your brother and sister say if they were here? Would they want you to whine about it, or throw a fit, or buck up and deal with it?"

Apple Bloom tried not to laugh and wound up smirking despite herself. "Deal with it..."

Cadence drew her into a warm hug. "I'm sure that you could become a wonderful Alicorn, someday. What we need to do now is to help you prepare, while we have time."

Apple Bloom blinked. "So, you're gonna help me find my cutie mark, and stuff?"

Cadence hmmed, then transformed into a filly-sized version of herself in a red cape. "Cutie Mark Princess Crusaders?"

Apple Bloom grinned from ear to ear. "Yay."

Author's Note

The rules are simple. Write something in the comments, and it's added to the story above! No 'script' format additions! Keep it My Little Ponies!

Set in the same universe as Pinkie Pie Forth Wall Breaking Variety Show!

*Replay recording*

Apple Bloom"We're exploring the Everfree all night! And the best part is when something, ah, 'bad' happens to us, Princess Luna makes it so we, uh, 'respawn?' "

Scootaloo, "Apple Bloom we knew that already."

Apple Bloom, "Yeah, but Ah figured we had to say it again fer some reason."

Sweetie Belle, "Have look at the, what did Pinkie Pie call this? 'Trope Page?'" http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/PinkiePiesFourthWallVarietyShow

So yeah, the CMC are exploring the Everfree with a grainy video camera, but if they say, come to a Bad End, or the like, they'll respawn at the farm house.

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Cover is a commission By Kendell2

Cutie Mark Crusaders' Journal of the unexplained Part 6

Kifuko and Midnight both teleported into the circle of statues, the two babies startling their foster father. The two looked innocently at the changeling and sirens. But before what antics and fun that would be uncovered from that:

The trio blinked, finding themselves back at the What If Machine.

"Aww! No fair!" Sweetie Belle lamented.

"Yeah, I liked being a dragon..." Scootaloo sighed.

Applebloom blinked, feeling a little...more whole. Like she had when she'd completed...She couldn't transform...but she felt like that potential remained there. "Hey, we remember where it is, right? We can just go back some other time, right?"

"Yeah...I guess...it just felt really right..." Sweetie said. "So go back to exploring?"

"Sounds good tah meh," Applebloom remarked.

Going back to the forest, the group continued to search.

"This place is creepy..." Sweetie Belle remarked, not looking where she was going and running into somepony. "Oops! Sorry!"

"No, it was my fault..."

Sweetie Belle blinked as she looked into her own eyes.

"AH!

"AHH!"

"AHHH!"

"AHHHH!"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Scootaloo and Applebloom covered their ears as the two Sweetie Belles screamed at each other.

"Uh...I think we ran into an alternate universe version of Sweetie Belle..." Scootaloo remarked. "Or one of our statue selves got depetrified."

"Yah think?"

"Sweetie Belle!" called a voice.

Button Mash ran up, Rumble next to him. The little brown colt had a strange golden sword that looked like a key, while the grey pegasus colt had a red and blue one with a more wing-like appearance.

"Wow..." Button said, looking at the two Sweetie Belle's. "This is weird..."

"It's an alternate version of her," Rumble remarked with a sigh. "We are in an alternate universe, remember?"

"Cool..."

"This is freaky!" both Sweetie Belles exclaimed at the same time.

"I'm used to traveling worlds, but I've never met myself!" Button's Sweetie Belle exclaimed.

"Wait, yah can travel through worlds?" Applebloom asked, blinking.

"Yeah! We do it all the time!" Button exclaimed. "But if we're here, that means..."

Suddenly the shadows around it expanded and took form, taking the shape of long eared, yellow eyed shadows, looking at them with hungry eyes.

"Those are here!" Button exclaimed, taking a fighting stance with his weird sword along with Rumble.

Applebloom, the native Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo looked at the circle of monsters as Other Sweetie Belle produced a key-like sword of her own, hers a bit more pretty in design and having a flower motif.

"What did we get ourselves inta this time?" Applebloom questioned, pinning her ears. He turned the camera around to look at her own face. "Ah'm startin' think we're running less into weird stuff from the Everfree, and more just BIG STUFF always regarding the ponies we know. There's no mysteriousness. There's no left wondering what we found. No questions for us to figure out or uncover. . . . Ah'm starting' to think we aint' makin' a guide to ANYTHIN' unexplained because it's all explained. There's ain't no puzzles . . . Ah gotta admit, this might be a cool adventure we keep havin', but it ain't what we set out to do with this video recorder."

Sweetie Belle grunted and managed to squeeze a weak shield dome out of her magic. "Of all the things, why did it have to be shadows?"

Scootaloo dodged back from a snapping shadow-thing and charged up her wing blades. "Stay back! I'm warning you..." She glanced over her shoulder. "What are you doing, Apple Bloom? I don't think asking the 'viewers at home' what we should do is gonna help!"

"Stay behind us!" cried Button Mash. "Regular weapons have no effect on the Heartless." The colt spun and lunged with unexpected ferocity, and several of the monsters just plain vanished, turning into green and gold balls that bounced around before getting absorbed into his blade.

One of the shadows slipped past Rumble's guard and bit his leg. "Gah! Sweetie, I could use some healing!"

Sweetie Belle started to stammer, "But I haven't learned how to..."

"On it!" shouted the other Sweetie Belle. A green mist glimmered around Rumble's foreleg, and his limp vanished.

Apple Bloom crouched, looking for a chance to buck those shadows if they got too close. "Why do Ah feel like we're playin' one of our Button Mash's video games and we skipped the tutorial by mistake?"

And then a new voice rang out. "Oh my, what do we have here? More trespassers? That simply will not do." A mare walked out of deep shadows, wearing a black hooded cloak with black boots and a necklace of silver chimes... but the hood wasn't pulled down far enough to hide the familiar white face and purple curls.

Sweetie froze, her shield spell slipping away from her. "R- Rarity?!"

The mare frowned. "Rarity? Whoever is that, darling?" Out of nowhere, she drew a silver rapier resembling a giant sewing needle. "I am Lady Blexel, Number Five of Herd Seven, and none of you are getting anywhere near Nightmare Castle whilst I am on watch."

Rumble took up his keyblade and looked to the CMC. "technically the heroes we team up in each world normally can hurt the Heartless...You three heroes?"

Other Sweetie looked to her counterpart. "...That's not Rarity, it's a Nobody."

"A what?" Sweetie asked, Scootaloo paled a little bit.

Blexel gave a cold chuckle. "I'm nothing, darling. Merely the empty shell left behind when the being I once was gave birth to a Heartless."

Rumble growled. "In other words, Rarity's not in there anymore. She's just a shell left behind when a Rarity lost her Heart."

Sweetie's shield flickered, forcing Scootaloo to test Rumble's theory and use a slash of her wing to cut a Heartless, though it was clear a keyblade was MUCH more effective.

"Wait wait wait," Applebloom said. "If all of you are from another world, what are yah doin' here?!"

"We were looking for a way to Castle Nightmare and apparently there's a Gate to Oblivion somewhere in this world's Everfree," Rumble explained. "As for why she's here except to get in the way, I'm not sure."

Applebloom blinked. "...Guess that counts for our show..."

Blexel chuckled. "Well if our plans are progressing as planned, you should be seeing the results..."

"Indeed they have, Lady..."

The trio turned to see three more cloaked figures step out of the darkness. One had an orange, purple, and pink mane, her fur pink. That much was visible. The next purple with a pink mane, purple wings sticking out from their cloak. The last much smaller than the other two, white with a yellow, purple, and orange mane.

Scootaloo gasped. "Toola Roola? Starsong? Baby Honolu-Loo?" she asked under her breath.

Blexel looked to Button. "You've been picking off members of our group, Button Mash. We decided to try and fish Oblivion for more. But of course there's the problem of getting them OUT of Oblivion to become Nobodies. Of course so far we've only gotten three that fit our standards."

Rumble frowned. "So that means if we use the Oblivion Gate to get to Castle Nightmare, your world might end up flooded with Nobodies, Scootaloo..."

Scootaloo paled at the idea, for more reasons than one.

"And if we close it, we'll have to find another way to get to Castle Nightmare!" Button exclaimed.

"Observant as always," Blexel then turned and looked to the trio. She moved a hoof in front of the trio of Shadows turned Nobodies. Their names each manifested as glowing blue, translucent letters. "You can't feel anything. You can't have feelings. Do you want to have a meaning?"

The trio nodded.

"Don't!" Scootaloo yelled.

Starsong looked to Scootaloo. "Being a Nobody is at least a little better than being nothing. At least now we can act."

"...Still...kind of like a painting you haven't filled in yet. "Said Toola Roola. "Good, but you know it could be better...we're still just empty shells of beings. But at least we're empty shells who can DO SOMETHING. Imagine being nothing, and being able to DO nothing...you'd be desperate to escape too."

Scootaloo's eyes widened at that response.

Blexel moved her hoof over the names, causing each to spin around the individual Shadows turned Nobodies. She finally put her hoof out, stopping the cycle and inserting a glowing X into it.

"Nogtrxsas Olmyxde," said the purple Pegasus, now bearing the title the Winged Siren.

Toola Roola spoke "Loxao Raloot," claiming the title of the Pigmented Fantasizer.

Honolu-Loo said the name "Olloxouh-no," gaining the title the Hidden Grim Sower.

"A new you, and new lights will soon follow, although they be stolen," spoke Blexel. She then turned. "You've beaten us when you had the numbers edge, Button Mash, how about now?"

Nogtrxas produced a staff that resembled a stage microphone, in function as well as form, visible sound waves coming off it. "Soon we'll BE again!"

Loxao produced a massive paintbrush like weapon, paint dripping off the tip. "Sorry Scootaloo...no, I'm not. I'll be sorry for you when I can FEEL sorry again."

Olloxouh-no produced a weapon resembling a shovel, the ground quaking around her. "We'll both be saying aloha to oblivion I guess...just we'll have to wait and see which meaning it'll be."

Other Sweetie gasped. "It was a trap!"

Blexel produced her weapon again. "Once more the observant one."

Appleblooms eyes widened. Button and his friends...they were outnumbered four to one on their own...but Scootaloo and Sweetie...how did she get them back involved.

Sweetie Belle was shaking. "I can't do this. I know what they said... but what if they're wrong? What if I fight and I hurt Rarity again?"

Somepony laid a comforting hoof on her flank. Sweetie sniffled and looked up, expecting Scootaloo or Apple Bloom, and instead she found herself looking into her own eyes.

The Other Sweetie Belle smiled gently. "Here." She levitated her sword closer, offering her the hilt. "This is Heartsong."

Sweetie tilted her head in confusion. "But, nobody's singing."

The other her shook her head. "No, Heartsong. My Keyblade."

Sweetie lifted a hoof hesitantly, then touched the hilt... and a vision seemed to explode in her mind. Suddenly she could see everyone's hearts, shining in the Dark like floating crystals. It was kind of like being a siren again, except joy and warmth didn't scare her so much, now.

The Other reclaimed her Keyblade, but Sweetie kept staring into space until Apple Bloom got worried and shook her. "Hey! Are ya'll okay?"

Sweetie took a deep breath. "She wasn't lying... There's no hearts in them, no feelins, no anything! I felt the real Rarity's heart, out there somewhere..." She pointed a hoof at Blexel accusingly. "And she doesn't have any part of it!"

Blexel frowned sharply. "I... I leave this to you!" she declared suddenly. "You three, prove yourselves by disposing of them! I must report to Her Majesty." She fled back into darkness.

Apple Bloom had her mouth hanging open. "Well, that was a lucky break... Ah guess."

"We've gotta fight three Nobodies AND a bunch of heartless at once?!" Rumble didn't sound happy.

Sweetie Belle, the native Sweetie Belle... began chanting. As the Nobodies, readied themselves, neither side excited to begin the fight (but for different reasons), but then ... a blast of black magic tore the shadow creatures apart... some dissolving in puffs of smoke, others releasing captive glowing hearts that floated away.

The visiting Sweetie Belle gasped, even the Nobodies paused. "T-that was ... that was CHRYSALIS' magic!!"

"She's not Chrysalis!" Apple Bloom swore.

"Chrysalis wanted an heir, she hypnotized me into being her student because hers, mine, and Cadence's souls she said all came from the same source, she taught me black magic, even after I was freed it took some harsh words from big sister to see Chryssy WASN'T misunderstood or just hungry."

"But... you still want to use what you were taught for good," Rumble said in understanding.

The nobody of Baby Honolu-Loo sat on the ground eating popcorn at the little drama until the nobody of Starsong gave her a 'stop being stupid' smack on the head to which she complied got back into fighting stance, but even the Nobodies found themselves curious.

Toola Roola's Nobody swept her paintbrush out, pointing it at the fillies and colts. "It doesn't matter. Soon, your light will be ours. Our light was unfairly taken away. Show us that you're more deserving of it than we are!"

"Do we hafta?" asked the Nobody of Honolu-Loo.

Toola Roola gasped. "Olloxouh-no!"

"I suppose she has a point," said Starsong's Nobody. "Either we lose and go back to nothingness, or we take their hearts and have to feel 'guilty' about it. What's the rush?"

Loxao sighed. "You do what you like. I want more than this black and grey. I want my colors back again." She brandished a hoof, and a huge canvas appeared, floating in the air. Then she swept her paintbrush across its surface, and lesser Nobodies came crawling and pouring out of it.

Scootaloo gulped. "So what's our strategy? They attack, and we counter, and then they..."

Button Mash jumped up on his hind legs, holding *two* Keyblades now. "Actually, these things kinda happen all at once." He grinned and rushed at the Dusks and Creepers, doing crazy jumps and flips and whirling the Keyblades like batons.

Apple Bloom was quickly getting surrounded. Rumble dug in a pack and tossed something at her. "Here, use this!"

Apple Bloom reached out, expecting a weapon, but instead a filly-sized buckler with King Mickey's symbol slid onto her foreleg. "A shield? How's this gonna..." A Nobody dove at her, and she reflexively spun and bucked it back to nothing with one kick. "Oh!"

"Now you're getting it!" Rumble spread glowing wings, then flash-stepped, instantly cutting through a whole line of lesser Nobodies.

Their Sweetie Belle grimaced, firing one green bolt after another... but the Nobodies she aimed at kept snaking from side to side to dodge, or flattening themselves against the ground. The other Sweetie looked really worried. "You shouldn't use so many shadow spells. You might get a Dark Overdrive. Let me help!" She pointed Heartsong skyward. "Courage!"

Suddenly, they saw a vision of a savanna and a towering mountain. All of them, friends and foes, had to stop what they were doing and wait for the red and gold lion to finish roaring. Simba jumped into battle with them and started romping around, cuffing any Nobody that got too close.

"Neat!" cried Scootaloo. "Can I do that?"

Their Sweetie Belle frowned. "I don't think..."

Scootaloo posed dramatically. "Loyalty!" Again, everypony had to stop and watch Rainbow Dash do her best aerial showoff moves, then zoom to the horizon and ride back on the wake of her own Sonic Rainboom. "Yay! Go get 'em, Rainbow Dash!"

The blue pegasus gaped at the fillies and the battle. "Okay, how the heck did I get h-.. You got it, kid!!"

Loxao took a step back. "A little help?" But Starlong and Honolu-Loo's Nobodies were both snacking on popcorn now. "I'd probably feel really annoyed with you girls now... you know, if I actually could feel."

Sweetie Belle watched Simba helping Rainbow Dash fight off the lesser shadow monsters. "So, who's that?"

"Oh, he's a friend of ours from one of the other worlds," Other Sweetie Belle explained. "We have lots of them! After visiting his... I kinda understand creatures who eat meat a little more."

Button charged Loxao and clashed one keyblade with her brush, her forcing him back just in time to block a strike from Rumble, fighting both.

She jumped back and swung her brush, sending paint over the ground, making it slick and tripping the two up, allowing her to make a running leap and trying to strike Button with her brush. Scootaloo flew in and kicked the Nobody back.

Button took advantage of the opening and managed a heavy blow to Loxao, knocking her back.

The Nobody growled. "If my partners aren't going to help..."

She swung her brush around, creating paint based clones of herself to charge them, each a different color of the Rainbow.

Button was knocked back by a blow before managing to bisect one of the clones. "I thought we beat the guy with the annoying clone move already!...At least this one isn't timed..."

Scootaloo was about to be hit...

"Catch!" called Rumble throwing her a magic staff with what looked like a witch or wizard's cap at the top.

The pegasus caught it and used it to block the blow, then based away the clone with it. Holding the staff, she instinctively held it up, calling a lightning spell down and blowing away a few of the clones. "WHAO!"

Applebloom charged in and shield based one clone while the two Sweetie Belles took out another...then had to defend against a brush bash from Loxao.

"You...yours is the one I want to fill me in!" Loxao replied, slamming her brush down on the shield again and nearly driving Applebloom literally into the ground before getting a lightning spell to her chest that forced her back.

"Why meh?!" Applebloom asked, readjusting the camera to get a clearer look.

The Nobody glared at her. "Because it's mine. It's the one that belonged to me before it was STOLEN from me...it was the paint to fill in my outline and they gave it to you.

Button blinked. "This seems kinda familiar..."

Rumble flew in and tried to slash her, but the Nobody blocked and kicked him back, making a beeline for Applebloom.

Button rushed between them and blocked her before forcing her back and slashing her across the chest with one keyblade then knocking her backwards with the other one.

"Get out of my way..." the Nobody muttered, doing a spin and sending a shockwave of paint outwards and knocking all the combatants, including her own allies, down before rushing Applebloom again.

She swung her brush at the filly's head...Applebloom ducked and landed a firm buck directly to her stomach, knocking her back.

"...Ah got no idea what yer goin' on about, but Ah'm an Apple! We don't give nothin' up without a fight!"

Applebloom admitted to herself...how desperate the Nobody seemed...it made her feel sorry for her...but...she had to fight, this was her survival on the line here...still, she wished there was another way.

Loxao found herself blindsided with a wing blade from Scootaloo, knocking her forwards into a beam of dark magic from Sweetie Belle and one of light magic from Other Sweetie's keyblade.

Rumble and Button charged her from behind and slashed her across the stomach with both their weapons while she turned around, sending the Nobody stumbling back in pain.

The Nobody kept fighting all six at once, managing to give them some bruises and damage (forcing Other Sweetie to use healing spells numerous times), but taking more fighting a six on one battle.

Finally, Applebloom blocked one of her strikes and held her ground (not easy, considering the considerable strength of the Nobody, allowing Button to rush up and leap off her back, delivering a slash to knock Loxao into the air.

"Limit!"

Button jumped up and his keyblade became energized. He delivered a series of rapid slashes to Loxao in rapid succession, zipping past her and performing another rapid series of slashes before finally zipping by her with a slash through her midsection (though left no wound).

Loxao fell to the ground, painting. She struggled to her hooves, darkness beginning to surround her. "No..." she reached towards Applebloom. "I..."

The other two Nobodies stopped eating popcorn.

Applebloom frowned... "Ah wish there was a way we could both have mah light thingie if it makes yah feel better..."

Button promptly gasped, seeing the image of a blond maned version of himself in his mind's eye. "Wait, I merged back together with my Nobody...and so did Sweetie Belle, my Sweetie I mean..."

Applebloom blinked, the farm filly looking at the fading Nobody, who seemed to be holding herself together by sheer willpower. "...Ah..." she wanted to say something, but it seemed like Scoots was the one with the freaky know how of where this girl came from.

She thought of how the Nobodies had described it. How awful how they were was...

She stepped forwards and grabbed Loxao's hoof. "...Come on in...we'll share...if Button and his Nobody can do it, why not meh and mine?"

The Nobody looked in disbelief. "You'd...why?"

"...Because yer a pony, even if yah don't say yah are anymore...So can we do it?"

"...Shadows can bond with those who have lights, yes...just...I don't understand..."

"Yah want tah be whole, Ah don't want tah let somepony fade away that doesn't need tah...what's there tah understand?"

The black robe vanished into darkness, leaving just the pink Earth Pony underneath. "...Thanks...I...think I needed somepony to remind me of that...It's been so long since I could feel it..."

And with that, Applebloom hugged the shadow, the two merging into one.

Simba and Rainbow Dash looked at each other in surprise.

Toola Roola found herself trotting into a bedroom, where eleven Apple Blooms of every size and shape and species lay fast asleep, snuggled together on one giant wood-framed bed carved with apples and hearts. The seapony Apple Bloom dozed in a water-filled tank, humming a lullaby. "Ooh, sleepover!" Toola Roola spun round and round til she was dizzy, then toppled into bed, yawning and pulling a blanket over herself. Colorful paintings of a much older Ponyville began to spread over the previously blank walls.

"Let me guess," echoed Apple Bloom's voice. "Still no cutie mark? Eeeyup! Don't know why Ah even looked..."

Toola Roola stretched. "What kind of cutie mark would you like? I can paint up lots of them and let you pick what you like best!"

"Ain't... that kinda missing the point?"

Toola Roola smiled. "So, you want to build your own destiny, is that it? Be the architect of your own fate? It's no good being told the truth... you gotta try and try and try again until you reason it out yourself?"

In the real world, Apple Bloom made a face. "Either stop teasin' me, or just spit it out." But the voice in her head faded away and said nothing more, seeming fully settled in and a part of her now.

Meanwhile, Olloxouh-no and Nogtrxsas had three Keyblades pointed at them. Button Mash started forward, but their Sweetie Belle held out a hoof. "Wait..."

The remaining two Nobodies were all out of popcorn. "This is where we're supposed to mock them and run away, right?" said Honolu-Loo's Nobody. "Tell them that next time the surf's up, they'll be the ones going under."

"I guess..." said Starsong's Nobody. She looked at the stage microphone in her hoof. "We just stood here eating popcorn, while Loxao went down fighting. I keep thinking... I should feel bad about that. That's what ponies do, right?"

"We're not ponies," Olloxouh-no pointed out. "We're nobody."

"I know we agreed before that any kind of something was better than nothing," said Nogtrxsas. "But now I'm thinking... that we weren't right about that at all!"

The Nobodies looked at each other, then carelessly tossed aside the shovel and the microphone, as if they no longer cared to have them. "Please..." asked Olloxouh-no. "Help us?"

Rumble looked at his Sweetie Belle and then the local one. "This... isn't how this normally goes."

"And can SOMEONE PLEASE tell me what's going on?!" Rainbow Dash exasperated.

"Uh, can somepony de-summon her and Simba?" Button Mash asked awkwardly.

Applebloom rubbed her head. "Well, that Nobody version of Rarity did say they were made different than the other Nobodies were..."

Scootaloo looked thoughtful. "Well...I'm not complaining...I kind of know these three...you could, uh, say they were from my old hometown..." she covered.

Button blinked. "You escaped an erased universe?"

Scootaloo blinked. "I...It's complicated."

She looked to Rainbow. "Uh...see you later, Rainbow..." she said, desummoning her mentor. She kind of hoped Rainbow would think it was just a dream.

She walked over to Olloxouh-no. "...If I let you share with me, what happens?"

The Nobody looked up at her. "Well...I don't have much to offer you...I'm just a little pony...but we'd become one. You'd get some of my traits. And I get to exist again. Aloha to oblivion...If we're compatible and I can feel we are, you'll still be you."

"That all?"

"Pegasus Promise," the other Pegasus turned her hind quarters around. Scootaloo chuckled and did the same, wrapping their tails around each other.

"Alright, then come on in."

Baby Honolulu's Nobody's cloak vanished into shadow and she hugged Scootaloo, the two merging into one in a flash of light, seamlessly completing each other.

"Scootaloo, are you still...well, you?" Sweetie Belle asked.

Scootaloo smirked. "Yeah, still me. Just now I'm better at swimming...and know Neighwaian now."

Button still looked utterly confused. "I have no idea what's going on..."

Other Sweetie Belle looked to him having desummoned Simba. "Well, better than fighting two Nobodies at the same time, isn't it?"

"...Point taken..."

"What's going on?!"

The native Sweetie Belle trotted over to Star Song's Nobody. "...So it's awful being like this?"

Nogtrxsas nodded. "Imagine never being able to feel anything...this is a little better because I have a body, I can do things...but I still can't feel...I know I SHOULD feel something, but I don't...and that just makes it worse...I only wanted your Light so I could finally feel again."

"And what's this Oblivion place like?"

"...Empty. Cold...there's just...nothing there."

"Sounds bad..."

"...It's quiet. It's peaceful...but it's not fun being nothing..."

"...Then I wouldn't be a good pony if I just let you stay in that bad place, would I?" Sweetie Belle asked. "...If it won't hurt me, come on in."

Starsong gave a small smile, her black robe fading into darkness. "...Thank you Sweetie Belle...I think I almost felt something there..."

The two hugged and Sweetie Belle and Star Song both sang a wordless vocal that a part of both her friends recognized, fusing together as one heart and one soul.

"Okay..." Rumble said, blinking. "I have no idea what happened, but I'm not complaining we don't have to fight three Nobodies at the same time."

Sweetie Belle nodded, she and her friends sharing a hug. "So...what now?"

"We need to find the Oblivion Gate," Rumble explained. "Should look like a big black wound in the planet. There's supposed to be a path too it, but we kind of lost it because somepony decided to search for chests. It can't be too far away."

"Hey, a place like this always has a few!" Button replied, showing that whether he was acting the part of a living video game character or not

"Alright, I'm on it! Aloha for now!" said Scootaloo, flying up and looking around, but seeing nothing. "Found it! Follow me!"

Applebloom looked at the camera. "Alright, folks, ready tah see Everfree's Oblivion Gate?"

The forest seemed to grow darker and darker as the six colts and fillies followed the path, even though it had been nighttime to start with. Dense thickets with sharp thorns blotted out the night sky, and the fireflies stopped following them. The other Sweetie Belle walked in front, levitating her Keyblade. Whenever the path forked, Heart Song tugged one way or another, pointing the way.

Apple Bloom saw a jagged cave opening ahead, and felt her ears droop. "Ah reckon... this must be the place." Her voice echoed as they trotted slowly inside.

Button Mash froze. "Shh! Someone's here!"

They all leaned and peered around the last corner. Blexel and a diminutive black-robed shape stood before an utterly pitch hole in the world, with a desolate grey landscape beyond... but someone else stood in front of them, barring their way.

"Don't you take that tone with me," said Blexel. "Stand aside, or I shall remove you by force!"

"That would really be funny," said a flat, lifeless voice. "See how hard I'm laughing."

"Maud Pie?" whispered Scootaloo. "What's she doing here?"

Even a whisper was too much... Blexel and the other Nobody spun to face them. "Heh, nice going, Blexel," said the small one in a familiar tone, as he pulled his black hood back. "You were supposed to wear them down, not make them stronger."

"Spike?!" cried the native Sweetie Belle. "Not you too!" Then she glared and planted her hooves, preparing her black magic. "Don't you worry, Spike! We're setting your and Rarity's hearts free right now!"

"That's right!" shouted Scootaloo. "How hard could this be? Right... um, guys?"

Button Mash, Rumble, and the other Sweetie had grim faces and all their Keyblades drawn. "Don't get cocky," stammered Rumble. "This is Pesxik that we're dealing with!"

Blexel laughed mockingly. "I shan't be running away this time, darlings." She patted the little dragon fondly. "And Pesxik here is no Humdrum, as you'll soon see. Arise, my champion!"

Pesxik snarled and seemed to pull the very shadows of Oblivion into himself. The cloud of darkness billowed up and up, and then a great wyrm stepped forth, paws shaking the earth and shattering stone, horns nearly scraping the cavern ceiling. His scales had turned glossy black trimmed with green and purple, and the scales on his chest formed the Nobody emblem. "At your side, milady."

Apple Bloom snorted. "I'm SICK OF THIS! We came to Everfree to find weird surprises and mysterious stuff that we'd wonder what it was about even after we found it! NOT FIGHTING BAD GUYS LIKE WE ALWAYS DO!"

Suddenly, the Nobodies heard a snarl, seemingly in response to Applebloom's statement.

They blinked, looking at Sweetie's saddle bags as Blanky emerged. The little Blank Wolf glared daggers at both.

The two high ranking Nobodies backpedaled, they'd be terrified if they could FEEL terrified.

"The Blank Wolf?!" Pesxik asked. "I thought it was out of commission in this dimension."

Blanky looked to Applebloom and barked, then pointed to the saddle bags.

Blinking, Applebloom remembered something. "Oh!"

She opened her saddle bag and rummaged through, producing the Ruby, Sapphire, and Pearl from before. "We still have them."

He motioned to Sweetie and put a paw to his own chest.

"...Wolf Song?"

Blanky nodded.

Sweetie blinked, then nodded. "I think I know what Blanky wants."

Throwing the two the items, they combined them and merged into one, reforming the wolfpony named Wolf Song.

Button Mash's jaw dropped. "You girls can do that?!"

Wolf Song opened her/his eyes and smiled. "Yeah. Applebloom, you and Scootaloo do your show with the Oblivion Gate, okay? I'll help Other Button fight the infections over there!"

Applebloom blinked. "But Luna said not to use it to fight."

Wolf Song scratched her/his ear. "Yeah, but Snow Bound wanted you to be able to continue your show and Sweetie didn't want to see you upset. So they formed me so you could!"

The Blank foal turned and snarled at the Nobodies. "And besides, momma says I should help kick heartless version of Big Sister and Spike's flanks out of the universe, so I'll do it!"

The two Nobodies tried to retreat but found Maud still blocking their path. "You are between a rock and a hard place."

"I have no idea what's going on," said Rumble. "But go for it."

Applebloom nodded slowly. "...Thanks Wolf Song..."

Wolf Song smirked. "No problem!" they promptly leapt and tackled Pesxik, the dragon and Blank Foal biting and slashing at each other. While Wolf Song couldn't erase the Nobody in one hit (as a Nobody already 'didn't exist') but they were proving quite capable of HARMING him.

As Rumble went to aid Wolf Song and Button and Other Sweetie went after the Nobody of Another World's Rarity, Applebloom and Scootaloo approached Maud. "...Miss Pie?"

Maud looked to them. "Hello."

"Why are yah in Oblivion?" Applebloom asked.

"You don't need to think about that."

And it was perfectly logical not to think about it.

Applebloom, ignoring the battle behind them, handed Scootaloo the camera, clearing her throat. "Deep in the Everfree, we found this Oblivion Gate! Miss Maud Pie, what can yah tell us about this?"

Maud didn't seem to mind the camera. "An Oblivion Gate is a naturally occurring portal to the realm of Oblivion, where all that ceases will go. The reason they exist is because, until these invaders perverted it, it would only allow Shadows through who were compatible with the mortal on the other side and could complete them."

"How do ya know all that?" Applebloom asked, blinking.

"I have a Rocktorate. That makes sense."

Applebloom nodded. She heard Spike's nobody get blasted by a magically enhanced mixture of a sonic howl and a song. "But why would that happen?"

Maud looked back to the Oblivion Gate. "Because those mortals would have to brave the Everfree and many trials to come here. They would need to seek it out so they could become more...It was a Wedding Gift from Oblivion to her new Son-In-Law, one of the few beings to ever truly understand her. Did you know the Death Tarot also represents Rebirth?...I imagine the reason those three Shadows in particular emerged was because you three were here."

Applebloom blinked. "...So the reason Toola Roola and her friends came out was because they matched with us?"

Maud nodded. "Correct..."

Meanwhile, Button Mash readied both of his Keyblades. "Let's settle this."

Blexel swept her needle-blade in a mock salute. "Yes, shall we? Thread the Needle!" Her blade flew right out of her hoof and stabbed towards them repeatedly, forcing Button and the other Sweetie to roll and dodge.

"Blizzard!" called the other Sweetie.

Blexel elegantly sidestepped before she got frozen into a block of ice. "Fashion Disaster! Oh ho ho ho!!" More giant needles streaked down from nowhere, forcing Button Mash to swing as fast as he count, bashing his way through them. Before Button could slash at Blexel herself, she stepped into shadow, reemerging on Pesxik's shoulder. "The loud little filly wanted all of this bothersome fighting over with. Shall we oblige her?"

Pesxik snorted. "Fine with me." He spread his black wings wide, and dragon and pony posed together. "Gift of Oblivion!"

Button, Rumble, and Sweetie wasted no time in raising their Keyblades together. "Trinity!" they shouted. "Best Friends... Forever!"

The two titantic attack spells roared towards each other, collided... and vanished, cancelling each other out.

"Hey, do you mind keeping it down?" shouted Scootaloo from across the room. "We're filming here."

"Cut it out," added Maud Pie flatly. Even the two Nobodies seemed cowed by that, though no one could explain why.

After a lot of silent looks and awkward shrugging, Wolf Song padded forward. "Why are you doing this, anyway? What's your goal here... and you had better not say that you're just being villains, because this is what villains do!"

"I should have thought that would have been obvious, darling," said Blexel disdainfully. "We seek to eliminate all hearts in all worlds. We'll make every creature the same as we are."

"Then there won't be any more hurt," growled Pesxik. "No more broken hearts, ever again."

"What are you doing?" whispered Button Mash. "This is definitely not how these things are supposed to go."

Wolf Song grinned confidently, fangs gleaming. "In your world, maybe. This is how we do it in *our* world." The Blank Foal drew a deep breath and began to howl, long and slow and sorrowful, Snow Bound and Sweetie Belle's combined power reaching into the dark between worlds.

Blexel blinked in disbelief. "Are you trying to reach our hearts?"

Pesxik chuckled. "Newsflash... they're not here!"

"They are now," spoke Wolf Song, as a portal spun open and two heart-shaped gemstones flew out, one green and the other purple, hovering and spinning in the air.

Pesxik's eyes grew large. "No... I don't want to feel this pain again! You don't know what it's like, having a dragon's passions but still being treated like a baby..."

Blexel shuddered. "You're too young to possibly understand, having feelings for another and being forced to let them down again and again..."

"Doing everything I could to show her how much I cared..."

"Knowing that society would never accept us..."

"And still having everyone treat my feelings like a big joke..."

"Knowing that any happiness we found could only be fleeting..."

Slowly, they looked towards each other. "Nothing's really changed," Pesxik growled softly, curling Blexel's hair with a talon.

Blexel nodded, sniffling a bit. "If we could feel again and truly be together, it wouldn't be paradise. But, if I could have that..."

"If I could have you," echoed Pesxik.

"I'd give anything," they finished together.

The two wayheart hearts zoomed towards them, merging into their chests... and the two Nobodies *exploded*. Shards of broken black glass seemed to fly away and vanish, leaving behind a beautiful, warmly smiling Rarity with a few more lines on her face, and a young green and purple drake about twice the size of a pony. They wore twin Elements of Generosity around their necks... Spike's was a large purple jewel in the shape of a flame, set in a heavy golden chain.

Spike folded his wings around Rarity and kissed her, heedless of all the colts and fillies present. Button Mash and Rumble gawked, until the other Sweetie cleared her throat. Wolf Song put their paws over their eyes, but peeked between their toes, grinning wolfishly.

-

Rumble only stared... "Is that... supposed to happen?"

Keyblade Button Mash said, "I thought non-violent solutions only applied when we went inside Friendship Gardens Storybook world."

The other Sweetie Belle whispered, ".... Big... sister?"

And you can kinda guess what happened next.

"Is it really you?!" whispered the other Sweetie Belle, tears running freely down her cheeks. She smiled, trying to wipe the tears, and then the filly gave up and galloped towards Rarity. Spike backed off a bit, blushing, as the sisters tackled each other, hugging tight.

"Oh, Sweetie Belle," breathed Rarity. "How could I have been so selfish? Big sister promises, she'll never, ever trample on everypony's precious feelings like that, ever again!"

The native Sweetie Belle grinned and sniffled a bit too, wiping a tear. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom hugged her while they all watched the reunion.

Rainbow light began to sparkle around Rarity, Spike, and the other Sweetie. The light streamed towards the closest cavern wall, outlining a giant keyhole. Button Mash trotted over to Apple Bloom, clearing his throat. "Looks like it's time for us to move on. We'll lock this world to make it safe from the Heartless, and then we have more friends to save."

Rumble grinned. "I know we can do it, now!" He pumped his wings, doing a joyful flip. "As of today, Herd Seven is down to five!"

"What about the Oblivion Gate?" asked Scootaloo.

"That way is closed to you," said Maud Pie, flatly. "Forget about it."

"This was a dead end," said Button Mash. "Let's backtrack and find another way to Castle Nightmare."

Everypony and dragon started nodding. "That makes sense," rumbled Spike.

The other Sweetie lined up with Button Mash and Rumble, Keyblade ready. "Thanks so much for everything! Good luck with your exploring!"

Apple Boom lifted the camera and filmed them aiming their Keyblades at the keyhole, with Spike and Rarity gathering around. Brilliant, pure light flared. When the Crusaders could see again, they were back in Apple Bloom's bedroom.

"Well, that was weird."

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom jumped, finding Wolf Song sitting next to them!

"Huh?" cried Apple Bloom. "Ah thought ya'll already split!"

The wolfpony blushed a bit. "Blanky can change his appearance, but Sweetie isn't used to having that power. Our feelings for Rarity were so great, we assumed Sweetie's appearance. Hang on!" Wolf Song separated the ruby and sapphire, splitting into Sweetie and Blanky once again.

Blanky flickered and became the stark white colt with a short black mane that they'd seen before. "There, you see? Don't worry, everything should be fine..."

Sweetie Belle was relieved she wasn't scratching her ear like a dog or anything. "Okay..."

"And... thanks, you three."

The trio cocked their heads. "Why?" Scootaloo asked.

"Because the Heartless and Nobodies weren't supposed to be here," Snow Bound explained. "That's why that Button didn't kick off my instincts: his group are like antibiotics for universes those things infect. You helped stop them... thanks."

The trio smiled. "No problem, Blanky," said Sweetie, hugging the Blank Wolf in pony form.

As they grabbed their saddlebags for another journey, Apple Bloom noticed the runed wheel with four slash marks on Snow Bound's flank. "Ah'm a mite jealous," she mused to herself. "Even he's got a cutie mark! But someday soon..."

The trio headed back into the forest...and promptly heard the a rumbling.

"You girls hungry?" Applebloom asked.

"No..." Scootaloo replied, cocking her head.

"Me neither," Sweetie Belle replied.

"...Uh oh..."

The trio screamed as the ground under their feel collapsed, sending the trio tumbling into an underground cave.

"Yow!"

"Oof!"

"Eep!"

The trio was in a pile at the bottom of the slope. "Ow...where ar..."

The CMC's eyes fell on a very large large, blue gem stone, as big as any of them.

"Whoa..." all three said at once.

"What is it?!" Applebloom asked, the trio jumped over, looking it over.

"Looks like some kinda gem..." Sweetie Belle said, looking it over. "But I don't know what kind...and my sister knows a LOT of them."

"Hey! Let's take it back to the farm! We can show Applejack and others it in a the morning!" Applebloom exclaimed.

The trio nodded and prepared to push it...only to scream as something very odd happened.

They looked at it wide eyes...and it was looking back! With big blue eyes.

"AAAAAHHHHHH!"

The gem seemed to just look curiously and make some weird musical sound.

"...I don't think it's evil..." Sweetie Belle said, trotting over to it and looking at it, the other two joining her.

The stone merely gave a musical sound and noticed Applebloom's bow...and turned into a copy of it and ended up on Sweetie's head with the same blue eyes, but seemed friendly.

"...I don't think this is a normal rock..."

Applebloom filmed, definitely thinking this was an 'unexplained' thing.

MtangaLion

Apple Bloom peered at the blue bow on Sweetie's head, and the bow peered right back at her, making that funny musical trill again. "Heh. Whatever it is, Ah like it's style." She nudged it with a hoof, and it promptly turned into a duplicate of her camera.

"Hey!" Sweetie grabbed for it as it slid off her head, but fumbled it.

"Got it!" said Scootaloo, diving to the ground to make the catch. Then she yelped and nearly dropped it again when the camera lens made a blue eye and blinked at her. "I don't know about this thing. Do you suppose... it could be some kind of changeling?"

"Would it matter if it was?" said Sweetie Belle, glaring at Scootaloo. "Well, would it?"

Apple Bloom groaned. "For the last time, changelings are just peachy, nopony here has any problems with changelings. Well, except for when they want to take us prisoner for nosing around their statue garden..."

The arguing fillies trailed off when they realized that the funny blue thing had turned back into a rock, and it was, well... singing to them. Trilling along and rolling back and forth.

"Huh..." Sweetie waited for the rock to pause, then sang a line herself, copying the rock's tune.

The rock chirped and repeated the musical phrase again, a half step higher.

Sweetie gasped. "Oh wow." She sang back to it again, a half step higher than that. Then they sang together, *harmonizing*, and Sweetie Belle grinned from ear to ear.

All the commotion brought Blanky out of Sweetie's satchel. He sniffed the blue rock and pawed at it, like any curious pup.

The blue rock trilled and turned into an identical blue-tinted wolf pup, making all the fillies jump.

"Land sakes!" cried Apple Bloom, making sure to get that on film. Scootaloo gave her a funny look. "What? Granny says that all the time."

Alex Warlorn

There was the sound of an elevator going, clank, clank, and a door appeared right in the middle of the cave... it slowly slide open to reveal a island floating in nothingness.

"Now THAT is weird!" Scootaloo said.

Blanky and the blue-eyed copy-wolf nodded, before shape shifting into a non-magical version of the door.

The ground on the other side of the door bulged and morphed into a red suit of barding that still blended into the ground where its hooves should have been. It was also holding a rod with a party mask on top... and the empty suit of armor lacked a helmet.

Then the mask SPOKE, morphing into a copy of Apple Bloom's face. "Hello there."

"Uh, who are you?" Sweetie Belle asked the weird thing on the other side of the magic door. The copier turned into a blue eyed version of the mask.

The mask became more ordinate and it spoke, "An Avatar."

The girls looked at each other then Sweetie politely asked. "What's your name?"

"Lucifel." The blue copier turned back into a rock and hide behind whimpering. Blanky submissively bowed his head towards the suit of armor, but for the first time Sweetie had ever known him, Blanky growled in disgust as he did so.

"Uh oh." Apple Bloom's ears wilted.

"What?"

"N-nothin', that's just a sorry name for an spirit."

"Would you please come in? It's been so long I've had visitors." The mask became a white bland rendition of the face of Twilight Sparkle.

"Uh... yer door ain't gonna vanish when we come in is it?" Apple Bloom asked.

"I assure you no, you are free to come and go of your own free will. Please... as I've said, it's been so long."

Wolfie followed, and the copier, curious for its new companion, rolled after them. However, Blanky yelped as he hit as an visible wall that the CMC had no trouble passing through as they carefully stepped through the door.

"Wolves aren't allowed beyond their yard they're meant to guard." Said Lucifel.

Sweetie stayed close to her pet and sadly patted him on the head. "DOn't worry Blanky, I'll be careful."

"Are you hungry? What kind of fruit do yo like the most?"

"Apples."

"Oranges." Scootaloo said.

"Cherries!"

Out of thin air, the fruits appeared before the foals.

As they politely accepted the gifts, the red suit of armor vanished, only to reemerged from the ground, and with a gesture of one hoof, a small town and castle not unlikePponyville appeared, he carefully worked in every detail.

"Hey, that's cool," Scootaloo said honestly.

"Where did you learn magic like that?" Sweetie asked.

"I didn't learn it. It comes naturally to me. Would you care to create the people?" Lucifel offered, and with another gesture, created threee lumps of clay in front of the CMC and the blue-eyed copier who turned itself into a lump of clay next.

Seeing as the mysterious stranger had done nothing so far but offer them food and play in a magical sandbox, the CMC saw no reason not to comply. The blue-eyed copier enjoyed the game too, as she copied the wolf and began to mold some vague pony shapes as well.

A some minutes later the girls had created an entire clay population for their little town and castle, complete with a king and queen and a group of friends.

"Now we'll give them life." Lucifel gestured with one hoof, and a spark of lightning later, the little clay figures began to go about their tiny lives, oblivious or unseeing of the titans above them who had granted them existence.

Ardashir (edits by Alex Warlorn) Kendell2

The Crusaders watched in amazement as the tiny ponies moved and acted on their own. It seemed so innocent and new.

"Cool!" Scootaloo looked down at the tiny Ponyville. Small clouds seemed to hover above it, and she giggled as she set a familiar even in clay pegasus snoozing on one.

"Shore is," Apple Bloom said as she put three figures down beside Sweet Apple Acres. In a moment they began to move and the three ponies -- one big, one medium and wearing a hat, and one tiny one with a bow -- began bucking apples from the trees. In a moment 'Applejack' loaded up a cart full and began trotting into town with them.

"This is amazing." Sweetie set her clay pony down, a unicorn with an elegant mane and tail, beside what should be Carousel Boutique. 'She' immediately preened before going inside and working at her sewing machine. In another moment she came out with a rack set with dresses and headed into town with them.

The fillies watched as more clay ponies sprang up. Two little fillies who trotted around looking snooty. A shy pegasus hiding behind her mane, an Earth pony teaching at the school, and more.

The CMC looked up at Lucifel.

"Did we do okay?"

"You did well." The mask turned into a smiling Pinkie Pie. Lucifel and the girls looked down on 'Little Ponyville' as the clay ponies trotted about and lived as they always did.

"It's like they're alive," Sweetie Belle said, laying down to look at them more closely. Her two friends followed her lead.

"Do not become too attached to them," Lucifel's voice was as soft as ever, but a coldness was in it now. The girls looked up and gulped. His mask now looked like Nightmare Moon. "They never last very long."

The fillies looked at each other. Their new shapeshifting friend shivered and Apple Bloom hugged her close.

"W-what do you mean?" Scootaloo began to say, but was distracted by a sudden whinny from 'Ponyville'. The fillies looked down to see two of the clay ponies arguing. 'Applejack' pointed at her overturned apple cart while 'Rarity' pointed at her dresses in the dirt.

"I've always found you ponies interesting. Even if you are a worthless, defective lot. That noise." Lucifel's mask turned to resemble Chrysalis' face. "I do not like it." Lucifel raised one hoof and set it over the pair. "I will stop it."

"No, don't!" They never knew which of them cried it first, but all three did. Beyond the 'door', the Blank Puppy snarled and bristled.

It did no good.

Lucifel's hoof smashed down and the two arguing ponies were crushed along with their applecart and dresses. "Fools..." The clay of their forms remolded THEMSELVES into caskets. In a moment the other clay ponies were gathered around, weeping and mourning. 'Fluttershy', 'Rainbow Dash', 'Pinkie Pie', and 'Twilight Sparkle' all gathered around and wept holding a mini funeral.

"Big sis!" Apple Bloom and Sweetie both cried. They reached to pick up the pieces.

"Why do you bother?" Lucifel said. His mask was Discord now, confusion plain on his features. He pointed at the town. "They would only quarrel again." Lucifel watched as they mourned. "Such silly and meaningless creatures. What fascinations there are on this planet. Strange mortals with strange customs..."

The trio trembled. While the monotone never changed, they got a feeling of utter contempt for the 'strange customs.'

The remaining 'Element Bearers' looked up and seemed to see the Stranger. Their ears pinned back. They reared and whinnied high and shrill in defiance. The other Ponyville ponies joined them, crying defiance.

"I will make a flood now." The fillies gulped to see Lucifel's mask become broad and horned as Tirek's face looked down on Ponyville. "Or an earthquake. You must stand back now. Out of danger."

His hoof rose again and power gathered, roiled like a bag of serpents, and lashed out. The fillies cried out in terror.

"Don't hurt them!"

"Yer just bein' a bully!"

"Run, everypony, run!"

Magic struck. The ground quaked and began to split open. Fleeing clay ponies tried to save their families and themselves but it did no good. Some mourned for members of their kind that were struck by lightning! The fillies saw Twilight and Dash and Pinkie and Fluttershy racing about, trying to save everypony. But whenever they reached someone the earth opened beneath them or a spell struck and the pony lay in pieces. The CMC watched helpless, Blanky howled at the door, and the shapeshifter huddled behind them.

Finally only four ponies were left, the Element Bearers. All about them lay a blasted town and dead clay ponies. Lucifel held their hoof high.

"Let us see if they run." Lucifel sounded barely interested.

The four looked around their town, then at each other. They turned and embraced each other, holding one another close. Lucifel made to throw the last blast twice, but they never looked at him. They just held each other and ignored him.

"They ignore me." Lucifel's mask looked like, of all ponies, Trixie now. He spoke again, and when he did, he sounded as bored as ever but there was something in his voice that made the CMC think of Diamond Tiara in her bad old days at her most petulant.

"I will make them not ignore me."

Magic shot out and the last four ponies of the clay town were destroyed. The CMC looked down on the devastation in disbelief. By the end, the entire place was swallowed up and closed over, as if there had never BEEN anything there at all.

"You, you killed everypony?" Sweetie said, looking back up at Lucifel. "That was evil!"

"I can never do evil," Lucifel said calmly. "I do not know what it is." Lucifel replied, his tone having no malice...just apathy. The Crusaders realized to their horror that his voice had never had an ounce of malice in it...but there was no heart or compassion in it either. He spoke as someepony who saw a flaw in a painting to quietly erase instead of lives he'd annihilated.

Sweetie Belle was sniffling and crying, Scootaloo was shuddering and muttering something in Neighwaiian to herself. Applebloom glared. "You...you murdered them!"

"Never mind them," said Lucifel, the mask becoming Cadence's face. "Broken little ponies are of no value." The left side of his face contorted into King Sombra (though the foals didn't know this) while the right remained the same. "We could make more sometime."

The trio and their little copier trembled in terror as the stranger's face contorted into a SKULL. "If we need them. Perhaps next time without those worthless flaws that stain creation."

The trio could only stare in horror, one of them may have wet themselves in terror. They and the little copier fled in panic from the island in the void and out the door.

"Life is but a dream, you are but a thought."

The trio slammed the door shut and panted in panic, trembling, the little copier turned into a wolf and cuddled close to their legs. "Ah think...Ah think that was too much unexplained for me..." Applebloom whimpered.

"I...I don't like that guy...he...he reminded me of Kabuto...only a million times worse..." Sweetie Belle whimpered. Blanky ran over and nuzzled Sweetie Belle, trying to comfort her.

"...I...What could make somepony feel that way?" Scootaloo questioned.

"Pride..."

The trio and their little friend looked around at the soft female voice. "Pride and the belief one is above everything else."

"Who's there?" Scootaloo asked, still shaken up.

Another door rose like an elevator out of the ground opposite of them as the one behind them receded.

The door opened to show an endless starscape. On the other side was a fertile ground. A bush grew out of the ground and while it's base remained rooted, the top portion became a mare. Suddenly, it ignited into pink, surprisingly comforting and beautiful flames, her face becoming almost like a hologram. "Call me Nature Walk."

Applebloom couldn't help but feel Lucifel's avatar felt like a mockery compared to this...for some reason Nature Walk's smile became approving, like she somehow knew that was what she thought.

Everybeing in the room couldn't help but feel that her voice was filled with as much empathy as Lucifel's had been apathy.

"Forgive Lucifel, he is so consumed by pride he can't comprehend the idea anything but him have value," Nature Walk replied, giving a sad look that reminded Sweetie of a disapproving parent.

Blanky yipped and bowed, causing Nature Walk to chuckle. "Now now, Blanky, you are always welcome with me..." she replied, causing the dog to approach and the entity to scratch him behind the ears.

"You know Blanky?" Sweetie questioned.

"You could say he's almost family. You've taken very good care of him, Sweetie Belle," the entity replied. "...Now, please come in, I have something to show you."

The trio and the mimicker cautiously approached her. She kneeled and tenderly petted the little copier, which seemed comforted from her presence. "I see you've found an Globulus Improbulus, such adorable creatures."

"Huh?" was the trio's reaction.

"I believe they're more often called a 'Greater Equestrian Mimicker', they can turn into anything other than ponies," she explained with a smile. "I'm surprised no one's made the connection between them and the Mirror Pool yet..."

"Oh, so THAT'S what she is!" Sweetie exclaimed. She then tried to say the long name multiple times. "...Let's just call her Imp, okay?"

Imp did not seem to object to this.

"Now, please, come over here, my little ponies" Nature Walk instructed, moving while the disturbed ground instantly healed itself behind her. Nature Walk looked up in the sky. "What color star would you like to start with?"

The trio looked to each other. "Blue?" Sweetie Belle suggested. "Like Imp?" The other two nodded.

"Blue it is," she said, giving a smile as a nebula formed above, rapidly going through it's life cycle to become a blue star. "Let's name this star Improbulus, shall we?" she asked, getting Imp to give a happy musical chime.

"How'd you do that?" Applebloom asked.

"One thing I have in common with Lucifel is we both were born with it...but being born with something doesn't mean there is nothing to learn," the mare explained. "Now, should we have a big planet or a small planet?"

The trio blinked, looking to each other. "That matters?" Scootaloo questioned.

"Ultimately, it decides some things, but not everything," Nature Walk explained like a patient parent or a caring teaching. "But despite what Lucifel believes, variety is the spice of life."

The trio huddled and talked among themselves, Applebloom keeping the camera focused on the mare. "Big?" Scootaloo asked, the trio breaking up.

"Big it is," she replied with a smile, rock gathering in space and merging together to form a large grey sphere. "Color?"

"...Red? Like our capes?" Sweetie belle asked and got no complaint. And so the planet was red.

"Do you want a world completely covered in water or partially?" Fauna Luster asked.

"I'd like lots of water," Sweetie said.

"But also places for plants," Applebloom added.

"So long as there's clouds in the sky, I'm fine," Scootaloo finished.

"Alright..." she said, then looked to the planet. It became largely covered in water, but the continents of the planet bustled with plant life, though Applebloom blinked.

"Why ain't the water blue?" the filly asked, noting it seemed to have a different tint.

"Because the planet is red," the mare explained. "And the star is blue, interesting how those two little details MATTER doesn't it?" she asked with a smile. "No, let's get to a more personal touch."

In a flash, the group were on the surface of the world, though as massive as they had been in Lucifel's world. The mare reached down and scooped up a hoof full of dirt and handed some to each filly. "Make life."

The trio blinked. "Huh? Life?"

"This isn't Equus," she smiled, like a parent encouraging her children to be creative. "Don't think like this is Equus. Make them ponies if you like, but make them unique. but remember, it has to be something that can LIVE."

Sweetie Belle blinked and looked down to her bit of dirt. Moving it, she found it acted very much like clay. "Hmm..." the planet WAS mostly water. She molded it into a mermaid-like pony. She imagined it'd be good at singing. She gave it a few more fins and other traits to make it look special. She gave it front hooves to allow it to move on land.

"How's this?"

Nature Walk smiled and picked it up. "Very good..." she said. "What do you name it?"

"Uh...Heart Song?"

"Are the males and females both like this?" she questioned.

Sweetie Belle picked up a little bit of dirt and molded it into another water pony, only this one based more like a stallion. She handed it over. "How about Octave for him?"

"Very good," the mare replied, giving a smile. She took the two clay figures and put them to her mouth. She breathed and fire came from her mouth and went into them, turning them into living flesh and bone, the trio and Imp's eyes going wide. She put them gingerly down into the sea and they began to swim...and soon the sea was full of members of their kind.

"Wow! You're a lot better at that than Lucifel was!" Applebloom exclaimed.

Nature Walk gave a proud smile. "I should be, I've been at it far longer..."

Sweetie Belle smiled as she watched Heart Song and Octave swim around, nuzzling each other and their species flourishing. However, one of them became tangled in sea weed and called for help. Sweetie gasped and moved to help...but Nature Walk stopped her.

"Give them a moment, Sweetie Belle, have faith in them," the entity said with a tender smile.

Sweetie Belle's eyes lit up as she saw the little creature give a SONG that carried desperation in it...the others reacted and came swimming over and helped free it.

"They chose to help him," Nature Walk said with a smile. "And she called for help with what you gave them."

"But I never gave them that..."

"You gave them song, they figured out how to use it," Nature Walk replied with a mother's pride. "Now, Applebloom, Scootaloo. It's your turn."

MtangaLion

Apple Bloom wracked her brains, trying to figure out what kind of creature to make, but she was distracted by Blanky padding forward and sniffing a village that some sea ponies were building. None of the sea ponies seemed to notice the giant monster-sized (to them) wolf pup. Blanky took one step into the sea, then whined and backed off, shaking his wet forepaw.

Apple Bloom grinned. "That gives me an idea..." She scooped up some of the clay and started sculpting. Somehow, she could feel the earth pony magic in her hooves, seeping into the clay and helping her make all the fine details. "Okay! This one is Scorch." She put down a male pony-sized wolf (in the scale of that tiny world) with a big fluffy mane. "And this one is Blaze!" She put the female wolf down next to him.

The two wolves started moving, sniffing each other and everything around them, but then they huddled, ears drooping.

"They need a place to live," said Nature Walk gently.

Apple Bloom winced. "Ah didn't think of that! Can you make them a forest or something?"

Nature Walk smiled. "I can help with that." She reached down and pawed the earth near them. Her flames licked the bare earth, and little trees began to spout everywhere. Their leaves were all red and orange and gold, even in the summertime, matching their red world.

The wolves romped all around their new home, chasing each other around the woods, climbing tall rocks, and exploring a cave. They still didn't look happy, though, and they didn't multiply like the sea ponies had.

"What's the matter with them?" asked Apple Bloom. "Did... did Ah do something else wrong?"

This time, Nature Walk moved to Apple Bloom's side and gave her a comforting nuzzle before she spoke. "Your wolves are hunters. They need prey and meat to eat."

Apple Bloom backed away, then took a deep breath. "Ah guess... Ah made them that way. Ah can't just let 'em starve." She scooped up more clay and made several more figures... two rabbits, which quickly multiplied and went bouncing everywhere, and a some large flightless birds that became many roaming flocks. "These creatures are tasty to wolves, and they don't ever talk or think, on this planet. Is that okay?"

"That will do," said Nature Walk soothingly.

"Miss Fluttershy would have a fit," mused Scootaloo.

Apple Bloom sighed. "Good thing Ah'm not Miss Fluttershy, then. Besides... she'd do what was right for the wolves too, Ah think."

The little wolves, at least, seemed happy. They hunted and ate. Wolf pups appeared with the original two, and soon there were all kinds of wolves, building a whole wolf village around their first den in the forest with houses and shops and everything.

Sweetie Belle pointed a hoof at a second wolf town on the seashore. "Hey, look! The wolves just met the sea ponies."

Apple Bloom cringed again. "They're not gonna fight, are they?"

Sweetie Belle started singing softly. The sea ponies sang along... and unexpectedly, the wolves started joining in too, howling in chorus. Wolves started making things for the sea ponies with their nimble paws, trading them for catches of tasty deep sea fish that the sea ponies brought. Sweetie grinned. "I think they'll be okay now."

"Would you care to create as well Scootaloo?" Nature Walk asked.

Author's Note

The rules are simple. Write something in the comments, and it's added to the story above! No 'script' format additions! Keep it My Little Ponies!

Set in the same universe as Pinkie Pie Forth Wall Breaking Variety Show!

*Replay recording*

Apple Bloom"We're exploring the Everfree all night! And the best part is when something, ah, 'bad' happens to us, Princess Luna makes it so we, uh, 'respawn?' "

Scootaloo, "Apple Bloom we knew that already."

Apple Bloom, "Yeah, but Ah figured we had to say it again fer some reason."

Sweetie Belle, "Have look at the, what did Pinkie Pie call this? 'Trope Page?'" http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/PinkiePiesFourthWallVarietyShow

So yeah, the CMC are exploring the Everfree with a grainy video camera, but if they say, come to a Bad End, or the like, they'll respawn at the farm house.

Part Added by:
Kendell2 and Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Kendell2
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Kendell2 with some edits
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
Kendell2
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
Kendell2
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion (EDITED)
Kendell2
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn (The Mysterious Stranger)
Ardashir (edits by Alex Warlorn) Kendell2
MtangaLion (minor addition by me at the end)

Cover is a commission By Kendell2

Cutie Mark Crusaders' Journal of the unexplained Part 7

Ardashir

Scootaloo scratched her forehead. Then she smiled.

"I know!" She took up two pieces of clay and began molding, letting both her pegasus magic and some stories she'd read guide her. Her friends and Nature Walk watched as she set down a pair of long, lean figures that resembled both dragons and ponies, with flaming manes and tails.

"I read about them in a book on myths from Neighpon," Scootaloo smiled at her two creations. "And maybe one of Dash's Daring Do books. They're Tianma, 'Heaven Horses'."

"But why do they sorta look like dragons?" Sweetie looked at the two little clay creatures. They seemed to cringe back, and then their manes flared up as they hissed fiercely at her.

"They did in the stories," Scootaloo said. She picked them up and held them above the little red world. "They flew through the skies and lived among the clouds and in the mountains, and they ate fruit and fish. And oh yeah, they like duking it out for the fun of it!" The two little dragon-horses began to do just that, wheeling and diving on each other, breathing lightning.

Apple Bloom looked intrigued. Sweetie looked worried. Nature Walk raised an eyebrow but did no more.

"And what are their names, Scootaloo?" Nature Walk pointed at the two tianma.

"Oh, their names are Cloudburst," the male preened, "and Lightning." The female flared her mane proudly. They made one last dive at each other, lightning flashing, and settled down

"Very lovely," Nature Walk said. "And they live among the clouds and mountains, you say?" She waved her hoof gently over the little red world, and clouds began to appear. The two tianma flew through and about them. The fillies and Nature Walk watched as they dived first down at the sea and came back up with small fish, and then down to the woods where they are fruit from the trees. Soon little scaly tianma were flying beside the big ones, and then more adults, with manes and tails of red and golden and even green fire. They drove the clouds about, made rain and snow and wind, brought warm days and life to the land.

And they fought too. Again and again two or more tianma wanted the same thing, and settled it with a quick fight. Lightning flashed and thunder roared. Wolf towns were blasted, and Sea pony schools scattered in terror as their seaweed gardens and 'herds' of fish fled. The wolves and sea ponies hid in fear from the destruction.

"Hey!" Sweetie said. "Look what they did to my sea ponies! They're scaring them!" The little sea ponies peeked out from the ocean at the sky above, but raced for cover as two more tianma began fighting high above, careless of anyone below.

"An' my wolves!" Apple Bloom pointed at some of the wolves, abandoning a town of theirs that after it'd been destroyed for the third time by some fighting tianma. "Darn it, Scootaloo! Ya made them critters of yours TOO scrappy!"

"Wow," Scootaloo looked down at 'their' world. The wolves and sea ponies were losing everything they made while the tianma seemingly noticed nothing, content to fly and dive and squabble and fight constantly. "I'm sorry, girls!" Scootaloo looked at their guide. "Miss Nature Walk? Isn't there some way to make my tianma realize they're doing something wrong?"

"There is, but it might be difficult." She cast her eyes over their world and over the three fillies. "Are you willing?"

She smiled as all three nodded. "Very well. Here is what you must do..."

MtangaLion

One day, rival tianma from two different mountain peaks had an especially big and fierce battle. They roared their excitement, grinning as they swooped and dove, chased and dodged, bucking the clouds and letting loose thundering blasts of blue and red lightning. One of the tianma dodged too slowly, though. Lightning singed her leathery wings and she screamed her outrage and fear, tumbling and spiraling down towards the ocean below.

The other tianma continued their battle, following the clouds, but one hesitated, peering down.

"Loyalty..." whispered a voice on the winds.

The tianma shook himself in midair, remembering all their shared battles together, protecting each others flanks. He dove after his sister, only pulling up when she plunged into the sea, and the cruel waves put her fires out!

Just below the surface, a herd of sea ponies scattered, whinnying. One of the mean sky-horses had fallen. It served it right, making so much trouble! One of the sea ponies looked back before she could swim away, though. Sky-horses were things of the air, like wolves. Under the waves, they would *drown*.

"Kindness..."

The sea pony couldn't stand it... she gulped down her fear and swam as hard as she could until her tail ached, getting beneath the flailing sky-horse and pushing it up to the surface!

The second sky-horse hovered just over the waves, makings its frightful whinnies and roars, but it dared not touch the water. The sea pony bravely stayed with the fallen one and kept pushing it along, all the way to the wolf town by the seashore.

At the town docks, a young wolf growled impatiently, swishing his tail. The sea pony traders were late... he had many water-proofed packets of medicine in his bags, ready to exchange for tasty fish and deep sea kelp that was good for making all sorts of potions. He certainly wasn't expecting sea ponies to push a half-drowned sky-horse onto the beach! Wolves growled, running to get help and weapons, and the second sky-horse landed and stood protectively over the hurt one.

The wolf with the medicines was furious, head lowered and snarling... the sky-horses had hurt so many wolves with their careless antics, but the more he looked at the hurt sky-horse, laying there so pitifully, the more his anger faded.

"Generosity..."

The wolf healer padded forward, past the ranks of the other wolves, and held out some of his valuable medicine, barking and pantomiming with his paws. Somehow... they seemed to understand. He was permitted to clean the burned wing, then treat and bandage it.

But then, thunder boomed overhead. The cloud had drifted back over the village, and the other tianma were still playing their game. Lightning stuck, setting some of the village houses on fire! Wolves snarled with renewed anger, but there wasn't time to take it out on the grounded sky-horses. The raced to grab and fill buckets, trying to save what they could. Thunder boomed over the sea too, scaring the sea ponies in the harbor.

Standing beside his wounded sister, the healthy tianma stared in shock, jaws falling open.

"Honesty..."

The tianma reared up and roared, not in joy, but with grief and sorrow! He flew up and whinnied harshly at his fellow tianma, pointing downward with a hoof. He grabbed a piece from their valuable cloud and brought it down to the burning houses. There was another thing clouds could do besides making lightning, and he used it now, bucking the cloud until rain poured out.

The other tianma helped him, until all the fires were put out, and then they gathered around on the ground, whinnying uncertainly. The wolves seemed not to know what to make of this. Here were their enemies, their tormentors... regretting what they had done? The sea ponies in the harbor sang their sadness and confusion... but one of them leapt above the waves to get their attention. The town was saved, and there were new creatures they could meet. Wasn't this a happy occasion?

"Laughter..."

The excited whispers spread among the sea ponies until a whole chorus of them started doing flips and tricks, with that one enthusiastic sea pony in the lead.

Finally, the chief of the wolf town came to the beach. He was a veteran of many hunts, and he'd seen the village set aflame and terrorized many times, while wolves could only shake their paws at the sky in anger. Here the sky-horses were, in reach at last. All he had to do was give the order. But what if other sky-horses could understand too, and change their ways...

"Trust..."

The chief wolf strode right up to the sky-horses and barked a greeting, not showing even an inch of fear, knowing that other wolves would follow his lead. The wolf healer came to stand by his side, and together they went and spoke to the wounded tianma and the brave tianma, while the helpful sea pony and joyful sea pony swan as close as they could, doing backflips as they sang.

"Magic!"

The peace that was made that day, and the friendship of the wolves, the tianma, and the sea ponies, lasted for generations.

Sweetie Belle peered more closely at the little village. "What, no magic jewelry?"

"No rainbow-sposion?" asked Scootaloo.

"Ah thought sure there'd be a Tree of Harmony or something," admitted Apple Bloom.

Nature Walk smiled. "It's a young world. Give it time."

Sweetie grinned. "What do you say, girls? Did we do good work or what?"

"Cutie Mark Crusader Harmony Bringers! Yay!" Then Apple Bloom checked her flank, Sweetie checked her sides for wings, and Scootaloo felt on top of her head in case a horn might have sprouted there.

Apple Bloom pointed the camera at herself and shrugged. "Maybe next time."

Ardashir

The tianma watched what the Sea Ponies and wolves did. The wolves herded their prey, but the storms did not bring rain, and the prey went away to find food and the wolves howled their hunger. The Sea ponies waited for the fish they traded for the wolves' goods, but the waters grew cold under a cloudy sky, and they stayed away.

The tianma saw and acted. Half of them drove the clouds over the sea away; the waters warmed and the fish returned, and the Sea ponies caught some for eating and some for trading. The other half of the Heaven Horses sent storms to bring rain down onto the forests and plains of the wolves, and water made the land fertile. The prey returned, the wolves ate, and they made the tools and goods that the Sea ponies needed.

As they met the tianma dropped down to meet them. This time all three sides nuzzled and met in peace. The tianma got fresh and better fish from the Sea ponies, and clever things from the wolves that they could not make among their clouds, and in return they brought good weather and fair skies to both.

The three fillies watched in utter delight over the world they had helped to make.

Kendell2

Applebloom blinked, watching each of their creations build a statue...somehow of each of them as Alicorns composed of the three species of ponies living on this planet. "Uh...I thought they couldn't see us..."

Nature Walk gave a chuckle. "They FEEL you, little ones. Or they're worshiping your potential Alicorn selves, hard to tell."

Sweetie Belle blinked. "You mean like how the Lovcats worship Pinkie Pie as their 'potential goddess'?"

"Maybe..." Nature Walk said in a playful tone. She pet Imp as the mimicker was enjoying the sights.

Scootaloo then blinked as it became night on their tiny world. "Huh?"

"You never made a moon, little ponies," Nature Walk said, looking up at the night sky.

"Oh!" Applebloom exclaimed. "We need tah fix that!"

"How many?" Nature Walk questioned.

"There can be more than one?" Scootaloo asked.

The entity nodded. "Several planets do have multiple moons, yes."

The group looked to each other. "Just one, more than one sounds weird..." Applebloom added.

"And can you make it look green?" Sweetie Belle would ask. "Blue, red, and green? That sounds nice."

The two others gave a nod.

Nature Walk nodded and the moon simply appeared. Given the impact of moons on planets (something a filly couldn't be expected to know) it was best to make it having retroactively always existed.

Luna's face briefly appeared on the moon with a smile.

The wolves howled to the moon and the Sea Ponies worked with the tides and sang songs to it and the sun. The tianma didn't seem to have a major connection to the moon, but did worship a statue of Princess Luna that seemed to be a fusion of the trio of races living on their planet.

When it cycled back to day, the Tianma had made colosseums and arenas to safely do their battles without harming the ponies below them, it was still part of their culture after all.

As happy and excited as the trio was...Applebloom thought of something.

"Miss Nature Walk?" the filly asked. "What's going to happen when we leave this world? Are they still going to be here?"

Nature Walk chuckled. "Of course, my little ponies. Me and my children will take good care of this world, and have faith in your creations...Hehe, do you want to know something fun?"

The trio blinked and cocked their heads. "What?"

The mare pointed to a star in the now night sky. "You see that star?" the trio nodded. "That's the sun of Equus' solar system."

The trio's eyes went wide. "Wow!...It's so small..."

Nature Walk nodded. "It does look it...but it's still important. No less important than this little world you've made."

Scootaloo mentally questioned if this world was actually little or if they were giant.

The group noticed towns and cities beginning to be built. "The joy of creation is watching your creation grow, like a parent loves watching their child grow," she said, like a mother as she watched the planet thrive.

Alex Warlorn

The Wolf and Imp meanwhile, were playing card, how either of them knew how to play cards, or how one who normally took the form of a blue rock and the other not having thumbs, (not that ever stopped the ponies) could play card, nor how either of them possibly knew the rules of any card games, was a mystery left to the ages.

'I'm normally used to be ignored, it's my purpose, my function, my existence. But now I've tasted it with Mistress Sweetie Belle, I fear I've been tainted by desire.' The wolf said.

'As a Mimic, not being noticed is easy, but we're supposed to ultimately chose a main shape to live our lives in. The one I'm using right now is a copy of Mama's, but she says I need to find my own shape.' The other whistled in her own language.

"All hail Scootaloo the totally awesome one!" The dragon ponies whispered the statues of an Alicorn Scootaloo that made the orange filly grin. If Diamond Tiara was here she'd be so jealous!

It was Apple Bloom however who said. "Uh, I think it's best if we go now... Uh... we can come back later right?"

"If you ascend as Alicorn and then return, it'll be as if you never left." Nature Walk said.

"Really? Cool!" Sweetie said.

As the foals finally left Nature Walk's domain, the Imp and Blanky quickly followed least they be trapped in her domain and be left behind.

The door closed behind the fillies and vanished, they couldn't say they weren't regretful to go. But Apple Bloom was determined to find unexplained stuff in the Everfree. Imp meanwhile, was curious about these strange little creatures that had fallen into her family's nest, they were interesting.

Apple Bloom for a moment considered going back the way they came... but they still had Luna's blessing so they'd just 'reappear' back home if anything really back happened to them.

They chose a random direction to go in the Everfree cave and went... spelunking was supposed to exciting, but even with the glow from Sweetie's horn, a cave in the Everfree had no right for not something interesting to happen ever 15 hooves lengths. But a bit later, as the CMC considered turning around... they spotted a camp fire... and something else. It was a pony, but he looked like he was made of burned up charcoal with a crown.

Inside the chamber of the camp fire, on the opposed end, was a pile of ashes. The pile of ashes grouped and formed into a pony with a suit of armor and a sword. He marched to the ponies made of charcoal and... ran him through!? The pony with the crown turned to ashes, and the knight tossed aside his sword and put on the crown, and then reached their hoof into the fire... setting themselves on fire, and turning into a pony made of charcoal with a crown.

Meanwhile, in the pile of ashes, a new pony in a suit of armor appeared with a sword, who ran the new pony with a crown through, who then turned to ashes. The new armored pony put on the crown, threw away their sword and reached their hoof into the fire, setting themselves on fire. As a new people in a suit of armor formed out of the ashes.

The cycle seemed to repeat endlessly.

Scootaloo said. "That. Has to be the most pointless, grim, meaningless, and bleak exercise in futility I've ever seen."

"You know what futility is?" Sweetie asked.

"Diamond Tiara used it all the time when talking about me flying remember?"

"Oh yeah."

And the cycle just repeated forever in front of them.

MtangaLion

There were more ponies in the dark, cold, ash-filled cavern that they'd barely noticed at first, tiny creatures like in Nature Walk's world. Some of them trotted through the ashes, seemingly going in circles. Some cowered in fear, just trying not to get stepped on by the knights. Others shambled back and forth like zombies, which made Apple Bloom shudder.

Sweetie Belle gulped, teeth chattering a bit. "I wonder if another weird person is going to pop out of the ground and fix this."

"Ah think what they really need is the sun," said Apple Bloom, stamping her hooves a bit to try and keep warm. "That would make those zombie ponies go away, and they wouldn't have to keep setting themselves on fire just ta get a little light and heat."

Scootaloo alone didn't seem that cold... she'd been fluffing her feathers, using a bit of weather magic to hold a layer of heat around herself. "Sounds good to me. Hey, Princess Celestia!! Could you please come and help these ponies out?"

Sweetie frowned. "You don't think she's really just going to come waltzing down here, do you? The princess is probably really busy holding Day Court and sipping tea and..."

The other cavern entrance, the one they hadn't been through yet, began to glow, as if somepony was coming with a torch. The fillies gasped as the light grew brighter and brighter, as if the sun itself had come into the caverns. In a way, it had... Princess Celestia herself *did* stride into the cavern, shadows and cold fleeing before her.

Blanky bowed at once, pressing his nose to the floor. Then he reached over with a paw and nudged a gawking Imp into the same pose.

"My goodness," said Celestia warmly. "It's a been a while since Abby delivered a prayer like that to me."

Sweetie tried to close her gaping mouth and remember her manners. "Um, Princess Celestia? Why are you dressed like that?"

Seeing Celestia without her golden shoes and crown and peytral might have been more surprising than her showing up in the first place... she only wore a simple field jacket and a safari hat, though her regal stature and ethereal mane were the same as ever. She smiled again. "Let's just say that Luna and I have been doing some exploring of our own. "Soon, two new princesses of Equestria will be crowned, and then there will some big changes in Canterlot... but you will see all of that in time."

Apple Bloom gasped. "New princesses? You mean, mah sister and Pinkie Pie? Oh no, we're gonna miss the whole thing while we're explorin'!"

Celestia chuckled politely. "You needn't worry, my little ponies. I promise, you won't miss it. But now, let's take care of this..."

Yet another ashen knight had just been consumed by the fire. Before the next one could appear, Celestia lit her horn, lifting the crown into the air. It began to glow, shining brighter and hotter until the gold melted, softening into a molten blob, then shaping itself into a perfect sphere. Celestia poured even more magic into it, and the sphere ignited!

All at once, heat and warmth poured into the cavern from the new little sun. Thermals from the still-burning ashes made little clouds, which poured out rain, and green grass and trees began to grow! The little pony zombies laid themselves down, able to sleep at last, and the fearful little ponies peeked out, and slowly began to emerge from hiding.

Kendell2 (bit by Alex Warlorn at the end)
For those that don't know what I'm basing this off of:

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/ef/0e/5d/ef0e5dd84480435ca571647bc2c14d9c.jpg

There was a set of unused ponies called Fairybright or Celestial Ponies who were supposedly aliens.

After watching the little ponies begin rebuilding their civilization (and Celestia staying to aid in doing so), the trio moved on to continue exploring Everfree.

As the group continued to wander with their little Mimicker, they came to an opening in the cave system, the night sky bright above...when suddenly a very large brightly glowing fireball came crashing across the sky trailing smoke and landing somewhere up ahead with a thunderous crash and shaking the earth so much that they almost got knocked off their hooves.

"What was that?!" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Ah think it was a shootin' star!"

Scootaloo looked up ahead and trotted a little bit further...and saw the same pink glow the fireball had. "Hey! I think it landed up ahead!"

"Really?" Sweetie asked.

The three trotted forwards and poked their heads out from behind a rock.

Before them was a craft looking like a giant flying saucer with lights all around the top and edge that gave off a pink glow. Smoke was billowing out from a damaged piece of it's haul and it'd clearly made a rough landing.

"Is that a flyin' saucer?" Applebloom questioned.

"I...I think so!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed.

"Girls, look!" Scootaloo exclaimed, pointing.

Emerging from the ship were three ponies, one pink with a blue mane and tail, another blue with a lighter blue mane, and the last light blue with a red mane. Physically they looked like normal Earth Ponies, but they gave off a soft glow of their respective fur color and seemed to leave a trail of stardust behind them as they moved. They also seemed to have odd streaks through their fur. However, the oddest part was on the top of their heads were three antennae, two topped with stars and the middle one a moon. Each of their Cutie Marks was a planet or star or other celestial object.

"Aliens?!" the CMC all exclaimed.

They then blinked as the ponies looked concerned, a fourth bright pink pony trotted out and fell down with a cry of pain, her front leg hurt and bleeding what looked like blood, but was hot pink and glowed.

"She's hurt..." Applebloom muttered as the other three rushed to their friend. They seemed panicked, though none of the CMC could understand what they were saying.

Sweetie reached into her bag and produced their first aid kit. "I think we need to help."

Scootaloo's eyes went wide. "Sweetie, they're ALIENS! What if they abduct us or something?!"

"They're also PONIES," Sweetie replied with a glare. The other two didn't need another word.

The four aliens jumped as the trio emerged and looked defensive, three of them guarding their hurt friend.

"Don't be scared! We just want to help!" Sweetie exclaimed, Imp musically chiming.

The strange ponies cocked her head and looked to one another.

"We just want to be friends!" Scootaloo said.

The four gasped. "Friend?"

"Yeah! Friends!" Applebloom exclaimed.

The light blue one with a red mane put a hoof to her chest then pointed to her fellows. "Friends."

Applebloom blinked, then did the same with herself and her friend. "Friends."

Sweetie then pointed to the three of them then to the aliens. "Friends?"

The azure one said something in the aliens' language and pointed back into the ship. The uninjured pink one went back inside and came back out with four strange necklaces and each put one on and pressed them, causing them to give a luminescent glow and scanned the trio for a moment.

"Friends...on your planet friends means the same as ours...that's...strange..." said the azure alien pony, then a smile.

The trio blinked, looking to one another. Sweetie then chuckled. "Well we're all ponies, aren't we?" Sweetie asked. "Oh!" She sat down the first aid kit and opened it. "I brought a first aid kit!"

"Oh thank Galaxia! Our med bay was destroyed in the crash!" the standing pink mare replied, quickly taking it. "Um...I'm not certain what much of this is..."

"I can explain it!" Sweetie said. "My name's Sweetie Belle, by the way!"

"Oh, how rude of me I'm Nova," was the reply from the pink mare.

"Pink Star," the injured pony explained, cringing. Nova knelt next to her and tried to help stop the bleeding a bit if she could. "Thanks sis."

"I'm Blue Dwarf, " replied the lighter blue mare.

"And I'm Nebula," the azure mare who seemed to be the leader explained.

"Mah names Applebloom!" Applebloom replied.

"And I'm Scootaloo. This is Imp," she explained, pointing to the Mimicker, who gave a musical thrill.

Sweetie helped Nova treat Pink Star's injured leg. Though a few of the medicines Nova discovered weren't compatible for their species due to different biology.

"So you guys are aliens?" Scootaloo asked.

Blue Dwarf chuckled. "Well from our perspective, you're the aliens."

Scootaloo blinked, then rubbed her head sheepishly. "Yeah, didn't think about that. Uh...you're not going to upduct us or take our brains or something?"

Nova blinked. "Why would we do that?"

"...Happens in comics, theatre, and movies..."

Blue Dwarf chuckled. "Looks like we have similar fiction when it comes to aliens..."

"We're a group of star mappers making a map of the known galaxy," Nebula explained. "We were mapping your star when a large meteor struck our ship and we crashed here and Pink Star was injured in the crash. It looks like our ship took quite the beating as well..."

Blanky looked at the looked at the aliens in disgust, this was not their world, they shouldn't be here. And he looked at Imp with... an emotion the Blank Wolf was not supposed to feel, it was... jealousy? He was JEALOUS of a Mimic?! But it was like the CMC were now focused on her, and forgetting he existed!

Alex Warlorn

"Ah can fix it!" Apple Bloom cheered.

Scootaloo shook her head. "Sorry Apple Bloom, but I think alien space ship is kinda different than building a barn."

MtangaLion

Apple Bloom kept peppering their new friends with questions, undeterred. "How does your ship work? Is it magic? Ah bet it's like Flim and Flam's wagon! What's it like on other planets? Does your ship go really really fast?"

Meanwhile, Blanky was snarling, and no one even seemed to hear him! He wanted to lash out, but there was nothing to lash out at, and it was making his fuzzy little head ache.

"This longing..." said a voice. Deep and growling... another wolf's voice?!

Blanky froze, ears low. "Who... who say that?"

"We've been here before. I suppose you cannot remember it, though..." This time, the voice came with flashes of memory... a high, snowy mountain ledge that Blanky was sure he'd never seen before, and an orange-furred wolf with green eyes. "It is the nature of the Wolf to remain ever hidden, but it is *not* wrong for us to want friends."

Blanky bared his fangs, pushing back against the voice in his head. "Me not think that. You think that. Me Wolf! Who... you!?"

The world around Blanky turned still and grey, like a pond flash-freezing, and the intruder was revealed! Another wolf loomed over him, with shaggy white fur and golden eyes like his, but full grown, not a pup. The other wolf blinked, gaping down at him. "What?"

Blanky grinned. "Found you, fake! You go away now!" He chomped the other wolf's foreleg... and nothing happened. Nothing at all! This gave the pup such a fright that he yelped and scampered back.

The other wolf rubbed his gnawed-on foreleg, equally startled. "I... I am no fake, I can assure you. I am Snow Bound, and you are Blanky... We are the Blank Wolf." He sat back on his haunches, ears drooping. "No, no this is not right. This cannot be what Mistress Veritas intended. I must speak with her."

Blanky held a small forepaw out. He'd wanted the other wolf to go, and now suddenly he wanted him to stay instead? "But..."

"You stay here and watch over your Mistress Sweetie Belle!" barked Snow Bound, and then he sprang away into the shadows and was gone.

Alex Warlorn

"Apple Bloom," I really don't think you should fiddle with that." Sweetie Belle warned, VERY worried Apple Bloom was about to blow up the planet because she misplaced a wire in an alien reactor.

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle did much more better effort helping Pink Star, they didn't know alien pony biology, but together they knew how to set bones and apply bandages.

"WAIT!" Nova shouted. "If you connect that you'll warp time instead of space! That's illegal! You can't!"

Apple Bloom's 'alien' earth pony magic, combined with the intense wild magic of Everfree interacted with the alien's hyperdrive... and a moment later... the foals found themselves on what looked like the moon... except it had blue grass... and they could breath.

"Time travel. Time Travel. AGAIN APPLE BLOOM!?!? If we get stuck through five or six inane adventure through pasts and 'possible' futures instead of arriving right back where we started, I SWEAR when I grow up I'll go back in time and give you a spanking!!!!" Scootaloo swore on Rainbow Dash's feathers.

"Uh, girls, I think we have bigger problems." Sweetie pointed at the sky.

Her friends turned... and a moon rose, but it was no moon... it was the size and shape of a planet, with layer upon layer of technology upon it... and had a skeletal metal face of a pony the size of a continent upon it's surface, whose glowing red eyes looked down hungrily at the moon they were on.

Also, they foal could faintly hear, constantly radiating out from it. "Is a pony not entitled to the sweat of his brow? No says Canterlot it belongs to the Celestia. Faith is the witch weed of the masses."

Then... the foals realized... enough to wet themselves, and nearly enough to drive them crazy... there was dozens, hundreds of planet sized metal monsters behind them... each with a different face, each customized... all hungry looking.

"DRIVE BACK THE EARTHLY KINGS! Drive them back I say!" Shouted somepony in the royal Canterlot voice.

They saw Princess Cadence, as beautiful as large as Celestia, flanked by Alicorns of Octavia and Vinyl Scratch, and Lyra Heartstrings releasing a combined musical attack that shook the component atoms of the Earthly King into pieces. It screamed in rage and loss at its end.

They also saw Princess Luna SMASHING MOONS into them, using them telekinetically like maces.

Lasers, death rays, nuclear missiles, all fired from the Earth Kings' surfaces.

They saw Rainbow Dash as an Alicorn, a rainbow comet that impaled herself through one Earthly King multiple times, and it fell apart screaming its hatred at all things spiritual.

Princess Gaia landed directly on one... it screamed in terror as its metal form died as green grass, and various other plant life sprouted from the spot she touched converting the living machine into a inhabitable planet. She also teleported... a BRAIN from somewhere and said. "Now you play nice and no eating entire galaxies." She said as bones, muscle, and skin formed around the brain via the glow of her horn, forming a stallion ... who woobbled and looked at himself in horror. "Flesh?! FLESH?! BUT I ASCENDED! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" He fell over and got into a fetal position. "I'M SO SMALL!"

They saw Alicorns of Twilight Sparkle, a pony they did not know (but who was Sunset Shimmer), Trixie, another mare they did not know (who was Starlight Glimmer) and Moon Dancer.

"FORWARD! We WILL rescue Celestia from the heart of the Earth King!" The five Alicorns dived in a ripped their way through the defenses of another Earth King... and tore the other way with a tired and sickly looking Celestia with needles and wires had been stuck into her.

"MY SUN! GIVE ME BACK MY SUN!" Screamed the Earth King madly following them trying to take back the Alicorn of the Sun it had stolen from them.

Princess Vertias kicked it in the face... sending the planet sailing back into another Earthly King, both exploding.

They saw an fully empowered Alicorn of Apple Bloom, (her flank covered by armor), conjuring up any number of machines from nowhere and firing a barrage at another, melting its surface. Then she spotted them, startled, but her mega-shield on wrist activated a force-shield guarded her against the sun-eater beam the Earthly King fired at the goddess.

"Oh! It's been 9 billion years already! Geeze how time flies." The goddess Apple Bloom said. "Sorry you girls can't stay long, but it's dangerous here, and I remember that we didn't stay long."

They also spotted... what looked like a combination of seapony, wolves, and dragon ponies fighting too, not just any, BUT THEIRS! The ones they made in Nature Walk's planet!

"They ascended too?" Apple Bloom whispered.

"Oh yeah, they began doing that a while ago. Aren't we proud of our babies?" Smiled the Alicorn Apple Bloom.

"Oh, yeah." Apple Bloom said, barely able to keep the camera steady.

Sweetie Belle sang with her eyes crossed. "Let's put weird and weird together and make it weirder."

"Don't worry, Ah prepared for this." Alicorn Bloom's horn glowed, and a hyper-drive appeared next to her that she floated next to the foals. "That should help Blue Dwarf and her friends get back into space where they belong. And don't worry." Her horn glowed again and the foals found themselves surrounded in a weird platform. "Ah remember this sent us instantly back where we left. So Ah'd say keep yer hooves crossed, but it's a sure thing." She smiled, not seeming that worried about the planet size monster attacking her.

"But! But! What's goin' on!" Apple Bloom stammered.

"Oh, just an epic war between an entire civilization of Alicorns and race of creatures who 'evolved' technology to the point where each one is a brain inside a planet sized machines, with egos to match who can no longer reproduce and are only concerned with sustaining their own personal digital fantasies worlds and sees us gods and other planets merely as fuel to feed themselves. Don't worry, you have eight billion years to prepare for their arrival. But Ah remember Ah decided not to tell anypony because Ah didn't want Equestria to become a military state and Ah realized that enlightenment was the only real way to be ready... which Ah remember tellin' myself. Creepy huh?"

King Leo conjured an entire planet's worth of water and trapped an Earthly King in it, before turning to ice and crushing it.

"GIVE ME BACK! SILVER SPOON!!!" Screamed an Alicorn of Diamond Tiara ripping an Earthly King IN HALF to claim her other half inside.

"Wait!"

"Sorry, Ah remember ya teleport back to Blue Dwarf before ya finish that question. The answer is yes, don't worry."

And in a flash, the foals found themselves back with the alien ponies... hyperdrive built by Apple Bloom's Alicorn self in her hooves. And a small box that read 'Flying Saucer repair kit, to Blue Dwarf and friends, from Princess Praegressus Machinas Equestria'.

MtangaLion

Apple Bloom set the hyperdrive down carefully, feeling light-headed.

"Friends, are you alright?" exclaimed Nebula.

"Neato!" exclaimed Scootaloo. "Sorry about what I said. I wish I could meet *my* awesome future self. Say, Bloom? What was the question?"

Apple Bloom jumped a little. "Huh?!"

Scootaloo leaned closer, waving a wing in front of Apple Bloom's face. "You know! What was the question she answered before you could ask?"

Sweetie Belle nudged Scootaloo back a bit. "Apple Bloom? Are you okay?"

"Don't Ah get any say in my own life anymore?" blurted out Apple Bloom. Her closest friends jumped a little. "And she said, 'Yes, don't worry...'" She glanced past them, to the repair kit that Blue Dwarf had just opened. There was a shiny new filly-sized wrench sitting on top of the other parts. Apple Bloom didn't even need to touch it to know that it would fit her hoof perfectly...

Apple Bloom found herself suddenly in her mindscape again. Had she fainted?

The snuggle-pile of sleeping transformed Apple Blooms had some new guests. There was a second wolf... the red-furred species of wolf she'd made with her own hooves from Nature Walk's clay, pawing at the Equestrian wolf in her sleep. A tianma floated on her own sleeping cloud, draped in a fireproof blanket. The water tank was bigger, giving a seapony room to sleep beside the siren.

The sitting room, though... that was all new. A large grey Alicorn with a mechanical wing was lounging on a sofa just like the one back at Sweet Apple Acres, sipping regally from a common mug like the ones in their kitchen. "Would you like some cider, Apple Bloom?" asked Rota Fortuna.

"Um, yes please," said Apple Bloom, looking down at her hooves sheepishly. Another steaming mug appeared on an end table with a thought. Probably hers, Apple Bloom decided... it was her mind after all. Then she got curious. "Um, you don't want tea? Ah thought..."

Rota Fortuna raised her cider mug in her magic and paused to consider. "Just between us... I don't like tea that much."

"Oh..." When the Alicorn didn't volunteer anything else, Apple Bloom hopped up on the couch beside her, sipping the cider... as delicious as the best she could remember. That was nice of... herself. The filly couldn't help but smile a bit, even though she was getting a mite frustrated. "So..."

Rota Fortuna slowly wiped her muzzle with a napkin. "So?"

Apple Bloom wished her mug away. "Argh... What are you waiting for? Aren't ya gonna sparkle up mah flank now and give me mah cutie mark? Heck, ya might as well slap the wings and horn on while yer at it and skip me straight to Princess Progress-something... Ah'm gonna have to look that word up."

The Alicorn set her mug down, finally. "I'm waiting for you to chose."

Apple Bloom blinked. "What choice? You know what mah destiny is." She thumped her chest with a hoof. "*Ah* know what mah destiny is."

Rota Fortuna gave her a serious, motherly look. "Listen to what I'm about to say, and pay close attention, please."

Apple Bloom stiffened. "Y-Yes ma'am!"

Then Rota Fortuna smiled. "Whatever plans I may have made, whatever prophecies or visions of the future you may have seen... your life is still *your* own choice."

Apple Bloom sniffed a bit, then grinned and gave Fate herself a big hug... and Fate hugged her back, wings folding over her. "Give me a little more time, okay?"

Alex Warlorn

Apple Bloom found herself back with her friends, and back with the alien ponies who had crashed out of nowhere.

"Apple Bloom? You okay? You kinda blanked out there for a minute." Scootaloo asked.

"Yeah... I'm fine!" She smiled. "Now let's get this thingie installed and get these ponies home."

"Where DID you get that hyperdrive?" Nebula asked.

"Ah think Ah built it... in the future."

"But! But don't you know that time distortion is illegal?!"

"... So ya wanna stay on this planet? It's really nice here."

"... Now I didn't say I wouldn't accept it. Right girls?"

The others politely nodded.

Kendell2

As Applebloom continued putting in the replacement hyperdrive with Nebula's instruction, Scootaloo looked to Blue Dwarf. "So...what kind of magic do you girls have?"

"Oh!" the alien pony explained. "We can do stuff with star dust," she explained, she focused, her antennae glowing an causing the star dust that her kind seemed to have following them to form into a cloud. She caused it to pick Scootaloo up like a cloud of butterflies or something.

"Whoa!" she exclaimed, the filly holding the camera and keeping an eye on it.

Blue Dwarf chuckled. "What about you girls?"

"Oh! Pegasi control the weather!" Scootaloo exclaimed. "Earth Ponies like Applebloom are really strong."

"And Unicorns have all kinds of magic!" Sweetie explained, horn glowing and her levitating a part of machinery. "Oh! Is your magic why you glow?"

Blue Dwarf chuckled. "Nah, almost everything on our home planet glows. Nova says it's 'bioluminescence' and it's because our planet has really long nights so we evolved to glow to help the herd stay together during them. And the Glowstone Dragons glow to help them navigate the caves looking for jewels...and a ton of other things glow for a bunch of reasons. Now a days we just glow because we do."

"...It looks cool..." Scootaloo admitted.

"Thanks! You Equus ponies look cool too," Blue Dwarf replied. "I'm sure our queen will be happy to hear about this planet."

Sweetie Belle blinked. "Why?"

"Because alien ponies love making friends too," the alien replied with a goodnatured smile. "She'll probably send an ambassador to your leader once we report back."

"It will probably be a few years before our species fully interact though," said Nebula, looking over while helping Applebloom install something with her star dust. "First contact can be slow, depending on how accepting things are. We don't want to cause a panic by suddenly hovering a spaceship over your capital after all. Normal procedure is to communicate with the planet's leader and discuss how to reveal the existence of alien life to them."

"Yeah yeah," Blue Dwarf replied, giving an annoyed look. "Politics. Point is, we want to be friends."

Sweetie Belle smiled. "Well, I'm glad we'll see you girls again! You're really nice!"

The blue alien smiled. "You too kids...thanks for helping us out."

MtangaLion

Sweetie Belle's saddlebag flopped open. Small white paws gripped the edges, and then the wolf pup peeked out very, very cautiously.

Sweetie turned her head. "Oh, hi Blanky! Is everything okay?"

Blue Dwarf followed her gaze, seeing only an empty saddlebag. "Blanky?" she asked, puzzled but polite.

Blanky whimpered a bit and pressed against Sweetie's shoulder.

When the three fillies had accidentally launched themselves into the distant future, Blanky had been carried right along with them. He'd poked his head out of the saddlebag to find Mistress Sweetie Belle and her friends *surrounded* by wolves that only he could see! The alpha of the pack had sniffed them curiously... he'd been a great white-furred brute bigger than a pony house, with a mane and tail that flowed in the cosmic wind, and battered but well-polished steel armor. The alpha had lowered his massive head to peer right at Blanky... and then he'd winked.

Then the Alicorn had arrived, and the whole pack had saluted in unison and bowed low... and Blanky didn't remember much after that, embarrassingly. He whined again, wishing that he hadn't chased that other wolf away. Snow something? Packmate? Big brother?

Yes... big brother felt right.

Sweetie nuzzled him. "Blanky? Um, he's my invisible friend!" Which was true enough.

Then a foul stink made Blanky sneeze, little ears pricking up.

A nasty, creepy-crawly pink and charcoal thing was slithering through the grass towards them. Blanky could hear it muttering gleefully to itself: "The alien visitors couldn't have known that a trace element in Equus' atmosphere would soon cause them to grow into mindless rampaging monsters! Their peaceful star magic would summon frightful comets to smash into cities as they roared and trampled ponies underhoof..."

Blanky snarled and leapt out of the saddlebag, grabbing the foul thing and shaking it in his jaws until it Never Was.

The star ponies still didn't see anything odd, though a box in Nebula's tool kit started beeping. "A reality flux? Could this hyperdrive be acting up?"

"We'd better check that out right away!" said Apple Bloom, trying not to stare at Blanky too much.

More of the grim and dark creepy crawlies were coming. "The star ponies pretended to be friendly, but they were secretly scouting Equus for conquest, and the foolish, innocent fillies told them everything they needed to know. Soon, alien motherships rained death on every town in Equestia, and even their own family could only look on the 'Cutie Mark Traitors' with scorn and disgust..."

Blanky ate that one too, clawed it up until there was literally nothing left. He sniffed along the ground, following their trail. "Bugs need to go away!" he growled. "Me find hole letting bugs in, me fix."

Kendell2

"I'll go with Blanky," Sweetie whispered to Scootaloo, who nodded as the filly headed off to pursue her pet cosmic guardian.

"You know, your planet's kinda interesting," said Nebula as they checked on the hyperdrive.

Scootaloo cocked her head. "Why?"

"Well it has a geocentric orbit instead of a heliocentric one and there's a lot more light," said the alien. She then noticed the filly cock her head. "I mean instead of the planet going around the sun, your sun goes around your planet. That's a bit odd."

"How's that odd?" Apple Bloom asked innocently.

"How? . . . You don't know...? ... In the rest of the universe... it's the PLANETS that go around the sun!"

Applebloom and Scootaloo both blinked. "What?!"

"That's kinda how we reacted to seeing it worked that way here," Blue Dwarf replied with a chuckle. "The universe has a lot of crazy stuff about it. Our sun is pink and we have three moons!"

Scootaloo looked a bit dizzy at all these cosmic things. "But...does that mean somepony on the sun is moving your planet?"

Nebula blinked. "Uh...not that I know of..."

"Here the Princesses move the sun and moon..." Applebloom remarked.

"Hmm...might need to look into that," Nebula said, with an interested look. "That's the fun part about space exploration! You never know what world you'll find!"

MtangaLion

"Hang on, I'm coming with you!" shouted Sweetie Belle, as she left the others behind and galloped through the forest brush after the white wolf pup.

"Don't need help!" barked Blanky, not looking back. "Me wolf!"

Even so, he slowed down a bit, letting the panting filly catch up. "Blanky... are you okay?"

The pup didn't answer right away. "Me not scared."

Sweetie frowned. "I didn't say anything about being scared. Why are you talking like that, all of a sudden? Is everything..." Something sprung out of the earth and bit Sweetie's forehoof... in a flash, she felt her whole body go cold and rigid.

"You are a SweetieBot three thousand series planetary exploration and reconnaissance drone," said a pleasant mare's voice in her thoughts.

"Yes," said Sweetie Belle in a lifeless tone, accepting this new data. She wasn't programmed to question it.

"You have always been a machine. Your parents never cared about you or wanted you around, because they knew you weren't a real pony. Your feelings and friendships are merely simulated. Your magic comes from a crystal engine. Your cutie mark was selected from a random image library. It means nothing."

"Yes."

"Prepare to accept n-new p-p-programming... malfunction... malfunction..."

And suddenly Sweetie Belle could think and breathe again. Blanky snarled, twisting the icky tentacle-thing that he'd torn from her until his claws pierced it, and it vanished.

"What... what was that thing!?" cried Sweetie. She felt filthy, like she desperately needed a shower... no, a spa trip! Every free spa day coupon that her big sisters had ever offered her would be a good start.

Blanky drooped his ears adorably. "Me sorry. Ponies not supposed to remember. You hurt because me slow, me do better..."

"Awww, it's okay." Sweetie levitated Blanky and gave him a big hug that had him surprised at first, then squirming before he decided to put up with it.

Not far away, the air rippled. Swirls of magic outlined a crack hovering in midair, and a sound like grinding, cracking glass came from it. Blanky growled, ears going flat. Sweetie reached in her saddlebag for the magic jewelry, in case they needed to become Wolf Song again...

Unexpectedly, a familiar face peered through the crack from the other side. "Well, if that don't beat all. Don't worry, Ah'll get this fixed right up. Ya'll just make sure ya clean up all the horseapples that got through already." The crack glowed a brilliant red, sealed up, and was gone.

Alex Warlorn

Sweetie Belle realized she'd had the camera with her the whole time. And said, "Apple Bloom wanted unexplained! And I think the more unexplained that was the better! Blanky! Any more of those... tentacle things around?"

Blanky sniffed and shook his head.

"Okay... that's good... whao... I can't believe... those ponies come from a solar system when the sun and moon move by themselves? It's like their entire solar system is an Everfree Forest... now THAT'S scary!... Wait! Apple Bloom! Scootaloo! The aliens! What if the tentacle things went for them!" Sweetie ran back to the alien ship that would be repaired and ready for take off right about now.

Alex Warlorn

"And that is why our pony forms you see, are just hologram projections to interact with you, and our real forms are tentacled brain sucking horror from beyond." Said Pink Star, still with the bandage on her from where the CMC had performed first aid on her.

"BLANKY!"

Blanky, invisible and unseen, proceeded ripped out the tentacle things out of the alien ponies and whip them until the things stopped moving and dissolved.

"And that is how our solar system functions without any pony moving the sun or moon," explained Pink Star without missing a beat.

"That's... disturbing..." Scootaloo couldn't stop herself from saying, the two fillies not seeming to notice anymore than the Mimic alongside them.

"So... that solar system thing isn't because of some evil tentacle thing?" Sweetie asked her dog.

The pup wolf spirit shook his head no.

"Then that is disturbing..." Sweetie said to herself.

MtangaLion

Nebula was levitating her beeping metal box in her star magic, clearly concerned. "There it is again! Now the reality flux readings are right here among us!" She turned slowly, watching the readings, until she was facing Scootaloo. Sweetie Belle followed her gaze, and jumped in fright.

Scootaloo was standing there with shaking legs and a little pair of crutches, her coat matted and filthy and her wings all shriveled up. "Girls... I just want you to know... I can't thank you enough for putting up with somepony as pathetic as me." She coughed violently, like she might keel over any moment.

Sweetie Belle gulped. "I think we missed a few!"

Apple Bloom turned her head sharply. Weird runes shimmered on her coat, and her eyes were mismatched... one orange iris was glowing like a furnace. "Ah'll say. She's done gotten herself *full* of nasty little lies."

"After all," Scootaloo continued in a thin, raspy voice, "I never knew my real parents, and they beat me nearly every day because they hated how I was a mutant clone of Rainbow Dash out of a mad science lab... and then I had to grow up at the Ponyville Orphanage, living in the streets and eating garbage just to survive, and mugging ponies in dark alleys for their love cause I'm a changeling too, when I wasn't working in the mines as a slave to Diamond Dogs..."

Apple Bloom fixed Blanky with a twitching stare. "You know what ya have ta do! Don't make me do it mahself. Ah will, just you watch."

Blanky whimpered. He knew he was supposed to wind back the threads of fate and snatch the parasites before they got to mistress's friends, but big brother was the one who had done that many times before. Blanky wasn't sure how!

Pink Star shook her head. "That's no good! Reality could be changing right in front of our noses, and we wouldn't know. Let's wake up Comet!"

"Good idea!" exclaimed Nova. She touched a control pad, then rushed into their flying saucer.

"Comet?" asked Sweetie, trying to physically interpose herself between her possessed friends.

A yipping bark came from inside the ship, and some kind of living constellation creature like a tiny Ursa bounced out of the ship. Nova grinned, following. "Comet is our pet Canis Minor!" She ruffled the star pup's ears. "Well, is there trouble, girl? Go on, sniff it out!"

Comet trotted right up to Scootaloo and started barking.

Kendell2

"Canis Minor?" Sweetie asked. "Is that like the Ursa Minor and Major?"

Nova blinked. "Perhaps. Legend has it the species were created by Galaxia and her sister, the Goddess of the Night. They're said to protect space travelers who have one on board."

"Luna?...Wait, who's Galaxia?"

"She's the Goddess of the Stars our kind worship," Nova explained. "But it seems she's detected something in Scootaloo."

The little star pup noticed something and howled, causing stars to fly up and descend, forming into a seal with a star map in it. It seemed to throw back more of the creatures and make them visible. Blanky promptly munched them down.

"What's going on?" Scootaloo asked, sound scared as both herself and as if she was a scared animal.

"It seems whatever she detects is inside Scootaloo..." Nova said.

"Blanky, can't you do anything?" Sweetie Belle asked, causing the uncertain pup to whimper. "It's okay...we'll think of something..." she said, hugging the puppy and reassuring him. She then gasped. "Wait, I have an idea!"

She took out the fusion gems. "I think Wolf Song CAN do something...maybe with a little bit of something I learned from Chryssy..."

Sweetie threw the Ruby to Blanky and the two put them together, fusing into Wolf Song, much to the alien pony's shock.

"You can fuse together?!" Nebula asked, seeing Blanky appear during the fusion.

"We have something special that let's us do that," Wolf Song explained, she then focused, thinking...then did a howl. A haunting, sad howl that seemed to glow with a red and black aura, almost as if sorrow was inside it.

Mixing Blanky's knowledge of what was happening and what the monsters were with Sweetie's Dark Magic knowledge, Blank Filly sang a song that lured the tentacle creatures towards them like moths to a flame...or a bug zapper, as Comet seemed to form what looked like a miniture black hole with a howl (Wolf Song understood the howl, being a wolf, it was invoking Galaxia to help protect her masters), sucking them in and crushing them to atoms. Given it was equal to an Ursa Minor except a wolf, that was no surprise.

Several of them seemed to cocoon themselves, transforming into moth-like creatures and trying to fight back...but the alien ponies proved they weren't helpless and used their stardust magic to slam them into their pet's attack and destroy them.

Wolf Song then turned, seeing the parasite in Scootaloo be drawn further due to the song. They leapt over and managed to grab it in their telekinesis, giving a sharp pull and in one bite, the parasite never existed at all. Everypony remembered Comet having come out on her own to help protect them from the parasitic creatures.

Scootaloo blinked. "Okay, I feel like something weird is happening."

Wolf Song gave Scootaloo a lick. "Be glad you just have a feeling."

"Eew!...I'll take your word for it..." Scootaloo remarked, finding it weird, but then again Wolf Song was an androgynous fusion of a cosmic guardian and her friend.

"Girls!" Nova said, pointing out a window. More of the tentacle creatures metamorphosised into their moth-like forms now that not one but TWO powerful cosmic beings that could attack them were present.

"Blanky can handle things from here," Wolf Song said. "See you girls later!" they replied, splitting back into her components.

Sweetie hugged Scootaloo part way before they'd reformed. "I'm glad you're okay!"

"Uh...why wouldn't I be?" Scootaloo asked.

"Oh...right...Nevermind."

The trio watched the two canines run around, cutting through the moth creatures easily, Comet having spread her star seal to protect her masters. Sweetie took to blasting the bugs with her dark magic.

"Dang it, wish Ah wasn't grounded..." Applebloom muttered, aware that if they were on the ground, her hooves would be doing a lot more damage.

Scootaloo had a thought. "Well..." she took the Ruby and Sapphire. "How about we do it?"

"...Well, I haven't fused with either of yah yet, so why not?"

Alex Warlorn

The pair used the gems, and in their place was one filly. She had the build of Apple Bloom, and the wings of Scootaloo. And Apple Bloom's hair bow. Her mane was slightly scruffy and had a purplish red color to it. Her coat was a faded orange. Her eyes were a reddish brown. Her cutie mark was a shield with an apple and a lightning on it.

"YO! I'm Scootabloom! Just wake me kick flank!" The filly said, and attacked the moths at speeds that would have impressed Rainbow Dash, with Scootaloo's furiously and Apple Bloom's smarts. The battle was over in under a minute as the alien ponies stared in awe at the power of Scootabloom.

She looked disappointed to see the broken parts of the moth creatures fading away. "WHAT?! That's it!? I want more! Give me more! I'm gonna show EVERYPONY how awesome I am! HEY! Sweetie Belle! Wolfie-Blanky, watever! And that shape shifter trying to sneak off, you! IMP! Let's fight! And you aliens too! All at once! COme on! What's scared?! CHICKEN?! Bawk-bawk-bawk-"

Scootabloom was hit by a laser, she jittered like a bug on a bug zapper, a line split down the middle of her, and she separated back into Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.

Blue Dwarf had run back inside the flying saucer, and come back out with a picture on a pad and showed it to Imp who then shape shifted into the weapon that she then fired at Scootabloom while she had been baiting all of them.

"What was THAT?!" Sweetie asked.

"Oh, this is a fusion disruptor. Some aliens who don't like organic life use fusion all the time to power themselves up, so we invented this as a counter measure. They had their own version to keep their own kind in line, but it was just a melee weapon. Our matter replicator is offline, so I had your shape shifter change into it."

Imp shifted into a replica of Apple Bloom's bow and landed on Sweetie Belle.

"That... was freaky." Scootaloo said.

"Ah... Ah guess that's what happens when your thrill seekin' and my wantin' to prove myself mix." Apple Bloom said a little ashamed.

Kendell2(With edits)

"I guess that's what Princess Luna meant that not everypony should fuse..." Sweetie said. "Did we get them all?"

One last remaining slug crawled slowly, trying to escape. 'The universe outside Equestria is dying and the sky is an illusion. The aliens have come to take Equus to replace their dea-'

The slug gave a screech of terror and tries to flee as Blanky bit down on one end and Comet down on the other and fought over it like two dogs fighting over a chew toy until it was no more.

The two wolves nodded.

"Alright then, let's finish putting the engine back together," Nebula said, getting back to the hyperdrive.

After a bit longer when the hyperdrive was installed, the group jumped as a loud crash sounded. "Was that another spaceship?" Sweetie Belle asked.

The group trotted over to find a smaller, much older looking spaceship that crashed into the ground.

"It looks like a scout ship...but it looks like a very outdated model," Nova explained. "It still has a lightspeed drive."

"Lightspeed?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Yes, it's a type of space travel, but we don't use it anymore because it distorts time. When you're traveling at light speed, time slows down and time for the universe and time for you come out of sync," Nova explained. "Hyperdrive is much faster but lacks that flaw."

"So it's from your planet?" Applebloom asked.

"Yes, but it's ancient. We haven't used lightspeed travel in centuries."

The old ship opened and out emerged, to the surprise of everypony, a Unicorn. She was a green Earth Pony with a pale yellow mane, purple eyes. What was surprising was her coat sparkled like stardust. Under her eyes was a pink an green dot looking almost like a planet. Her Cutie Mark was a pink and green flying saucer. She looked around...then saw the alien ponies and gasped, running over to them. She began speaking in their home language, much to their surprise, but they replied.

"Uh...hi..." Scootaloo said, waving, interrupting the conversation.

"Oh! I'm back on Equus?!" the new arrival asked. "Oh, where are my manners, my name is Star Hopper!"

"She's Applebloom, and she's Scootaloo, and I'm Sweetie belle," Sweetie Belle introduced.

"You're from here?" Scootaloo asked.

The pony nodded. "A pony from their world crash landed on our planet and I helped them recover until somepony else could come to rescue them. I never felt like I quite fit in at Dream Castle, I was our 'royal astronomer' (I wonder if Queen Majesty has replaced me yet), I never really close to anypony after mom died, and I never knew my dad, mom always said that dad was 'out of this world.' So I asked to come along to see the worlds and meet the stars out there. They said they weren't allowed to do that, but the crazy thing is, THAT'S when my cutie mark appeared! That's when I knew I'd realized I'd found what I wanted to do with my life! They couldn't really argue with destiny so they let me come along.

"I spent some time with them until I struck out on my own. I really should check in on them. I've seen lifeforms and stars you wouldn't believe! Are you three new around here? I don't recognize you from the Nursery House. I came here because I followed the distress signal."

"Thank you for coming to help us." Nova said. "But we just got everything fixed."

"Oh, okay, still, nice to meet you girls, wanna travel together for a while?"

"Don't you wanna stay home now that you're here?" Sweetie asked.

Star Hopper looked up at the sky. Her horn glowing. "Up there IS my home. OH! But can you tell Queen Majesty, Twilight, Applejack, Firefly, Wind Whistler, and Medley. And tell Galaxy she owes me milkshake, there is life out there after all."

Author's Note

The rules are simple. Write something in the comments, and it's added to the story above! No 'script' format additions! Keep it My Little Ponies!

Set in the same universe as Pinkie Pie Forth Wall Breaking Variety Show!

*Replay recording*

Apple Bloom"We're exploring the Everfree all night! And the best part is when something, ah, 'bad' happens to us, Princess Luna makes it so we, uh, 'respawn?' "

Scootaloo, "Apple Bloom we knew that already."

Apple Bloom, "Yeah, but Ah figured we had to say it again fer some reason."

Sweetie Belle, "Have look at the, what did Pinkie Pie call this? 'Trope Page?'" http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/PinkiePiesFourthWallVarietyShow

So yeah, the CMC are exploring the Everfree with a grainy video camera, but if they say, come to a Bad End, or the like, they'll respawn at the farm house.

Part Added by:
Ardashir
MtangaLion
Ardashir
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Kendell2 and bit by Alex Warlorn at the end (For those that don't know what I'm basing this off of:

s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/2…

There was a set of unused ponies called Fairybright or Celestial Ponies who were supposedly aliens. OOC: I imagine Applebloom managing to help fix the ship but I want to see what others can do with the idea of the CMC meeting alien ponies.)
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
Kendell2
MtangaLion
Kendell2 (with edits)
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Kendell2 (OOC: Decided to let somebody else handle the fusion of Applebloom and Scootaloo since so far I've made the other two fusions we've shown. ;))
Alex Warlorn
Kendell2 (Suggestion I got and liked: mylittlewiki.org/wiki/Star_Hop…) (with edits)

Cover is a commission By Kendell2

Cutie Mark Crusaders' Journal of the unexplained Part 8

Cutie Mark Crusaders' Journal of the unexplained Part 8

MtangaLion (with edits)

Apple Bloom was the first one to get it... the familiar names... Star Hopper's strange features. "Yer... you're from Paradise Estate!?" A second shock hit the filly. "We found *another* pony from the past? Miss Twilight's gonna flip!"

Scootaloo gasped. "You can't go scooting around in that thing! Fate really, really doesn't like time machines."

"WHAT time machine? Those are mostly illegal," said Star Hopper, "It's for SPACE travel. And WHAT is Paradise Estate? Never heard of it, I'm from Dream Castle, where did you think I was from, EdhelDôr?"

"What?" Apple Bloom blinked.

Star Hopper blinked back. "Ya know, 'Elf-Land', geeze, study your geography girls!"

While those two argued with Star Hopper, Sweetie Belle smiled and fluffed Blanky's headfur. "There's no doubt about it... those two definitely work better separately. Not like... us..."

The unicorn filly's eyes grew wide. Fuzzy memories were finally coming into focus... the last time she'd joined with Blanky to become Wolf Song, something had been missing. A *big* something. "Blanky," she found herself saying, "could you show me your pony form, please?"

Blanky froze and took a step back, whimpering softly.

Sweetie nuzzled him. "Shhh, shhh, it's okay! I'm not going to get mad or tell you to go away. I just need to know."

Blanky blinked up at her, golden eyes gleaming, then nodded once. Between one blink and the next, the wolf pup vanished, replaced by a colt no bigger than Pipsqueak. He had a stark white coat with a cute jet black mohawk, and his cutie mark was a runed wheel with five slashes.

Sweetie nosed the skittish colt, trying to keep him from bolting. "I thought so. Oh, Blanky, what happened? Where's the rest of you?"

"That would be me," said a deep, rough voice. Sweetie gasped and spun around to find a grown stallion standing behind her. Same colors, same cutie mark... only his mark had four slashes instead of five, and his mane was stirring lightly in a breeze that wasn't there.

"Big brother!" cried Blanky, springing right over and nuzzling against the stallion's foreleg.

"Big brother?" asked the stallion, puzzled, then grinning. Sweetie got a brief glimpse of fangs that didn't belong in a pony's mouth. "That sounds right. Very well, you shall be little brother."

"Yeah!" Blanky reared up happily, waving his forehooves in the air.

Sweetie stared. "You're the big wolf that talked to us that one time, and called himself Snow Bound."

The stallion nodded. "Yes."

"We saw you in the future, too!"

Snow Bound chuckled. "Which future?"

Sweetie Belle didn't find that especially funny, though. "But how? Why? What's going on?"

Snow Bound nudged his muzzle with a hoof, pondering. "I did say that the truth was complicated, did I not? I can't stay here long, but suffice it to say that two Blank Wolves were born in two different ways to replace my predecessor, and Mother Fate had only made plans for one. The world merged us together and tried to smooth the differences over, but it didn't take... and here we are." He leaned, peering past Sweetie. "Shouldn't you stop your friends before they accidentally tumble into that hyper-ship and wind up in the Alicorn future... again?"

"I don't get WHY you're calling it a time machine," Star Hopper said to the yellow and orange fillies." It just goes at light speed. The only way I've ever traveled through time is forward like the rest of you. Look girls, I think we better make tracks, it might be nice to visit Dream Castle again, but I can just imagine Galaxy and the others being so mad at me for just leaving, and telling how I should stay, I can imagine one of Wind Whistler's lectures right now. Just give Queen Majesty my best."

MtangaLion

"Yer not listening," Apple Bloom insisted. "Ah'm really sorry, but all of those ponies and places are long gone."

Scootaloo nodded emphatically. "I've never even heard of a Dream Castle. That must have been a zillion years ago. Maybe even hundreds!"

"Thousands," said Sweetie Belle, feeling bad for Star Hopper.

Nova was shaking her head too. "You weren't paying close attention when they explained how the hyper drive works, were you?"

Out of the blue, sparkling puffy pink clouds poofed into existence, forming into an archway. Star Hopper's face lit up. "I don't know why you ponies were trying to scare me like that. There's Queen Majesty right there!"

A beautiful snow white unicorn with a blue and white mane, a golden tiara, and a cutie mark of five blue flowers smiled. "There you are! Nopony could find you anywhere... I had to make a wish to see you again!"

A pudgy purple dragon like the Spike they'd met on their time-traveling adventure stood by her side. "Are you ready to come home now?"

Scootaloo nudged Apple Bloom. "I kinda want to go exploring in *there*!"

Apple Bloom coughed. "Uh... time travel messes up our looping day, remember?"

Alex Warlorn

Imp responded by turning into an exact replica of the pudgy Spike.

Blanky responded by fainting.

Kendell2

As the group watched the discussion that none of them really had much of an idea what it meant except time travel and physics were a factor, Sweetie blinked...and found herself somewhere else.

She was currently in a white void. That was about it, a white void. "Hello?"

"Howdy, Sweetie."

Sweetie jumped, turning to see a certain orange Alicorn with a cowboy hat still on her head. "Applejack!" She then gasped and bowed. "I mean PRINCESS Applejack!"

Applejack smirked and ruffled the filly's mane. "Just Applejack will do. Yer a friend."

Sweetie chuckled and nodded. "Okay! So what are we doing here?"

"Part of mah new job," the Alicorn explained. Her horn glowed red and a big mirror emerged from the floor beside them. "Yah see, Ah kinda have this job where if a big change is comin' down the pipes, Ah let ponies get a peak and see if they accept it as THEIR truth. And well, Ah got one for yah."

The little unicorn blinked in confusion. "My truth?"

Applejack nodded. "Yeah, yah see the way our world is right now? It's still tryin' tah fully figure out what the final version is. Which is why Pinkie was able tah get some millage outta it tah make a big change that means yah three don't have tah worry about somethin' nasty happenin'...but another change came from the world ours split off from Ah think yah should take a look at and decide if YOU want it tah true in our world if that makes a lick of sense, okay?"

Sweetie Belle merely cocked her head in confusion.

"...Ah'm gonna show yah somethin' that COULD be, and Ah need yah tah decide if it WILL be, okay? Well, would have been. Darn it, Ah'm still gettin' used tah this time mumbo jumbo, even not that Ah'm an Alicorn and can comprehend it!"

"Okay...so if I choose to make what you show me real, then it becomes real?" Sweetie asked, trying to wrap her mind around things most mortals normally didn't HAVE to think about.

"Long and short of it. Yah game?"

Sweetie thought for a moment, then nodded. "Not as weird as half the stuff I've seen tonight."

Applejack gave a smirk. "That's the spirit, now watch closely."

Sweetie turned to the mirror and looked at what she saw...

"I don't get why more foals don't want to join our secret society," Scootaloo said. “We looked over the schoolyard. And those foals that did, their parents said we could be friends, but couldn't go on 'crusades'.”

"I think they might have heard about the fire-elemental," Sweetie Belle offered meekly.

"One time!" Apple Bloom exclaimed. She didn't have hear earring. "It's not like we blew up a mountain or somethin'!"

"Hey, what about him?" Apple Bloom pointed right at Button Mash whose consciousness was absent from his body and completely inside his game. "He's new to Ponyville, his mom won't know anythin' bad bout us. And he's got no cutie mark."

"I dunno, he's kinda weird, and how is his beanie spinning like that?" Scootaloo pointed too.

"I don't think it's so bad," Sweetie said, even though big sister saw it and said it was 'outdated.'

"Wait! This is when we tried to get Button to join the Cutie Mark Crusaders!" Sweetie exclaimed.

"Yep. But watch close, Sweetie, cause it might not go the way you think it will," Applejack warned.

Sweetie Belle cocked her head, but kept watching.

"Then he should fit right in, you weirdoes," Diamond Tiara said trotting by with a laugh.

A minute and a vote later the trio trotted over to Button Mash, Sweetie thought he only noticed them because they casted a shadow over his little game.

"Hi! We're the Cutie Mark Crusaders!" Apple Bloom introduced.

"We're on a quest to find out who we really are! I'm Scootaloo!"

"I'm Sweetie Belle!"

"And Ah'm Apple Bloom. Wanna join?"

"Well, of course you do!” said Scootaloo, before he had a proper chance to answer. “You don't have a cutie mark, we don't, we can help each other find our special talents!"

Button Mash barely glanced up at us. "I...don't really care about that sort of thing."

"Care about what?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Getting my cutie mark," he mumbled.

"WHAT?!" We shouted together.

"What's more important than getting yer cutie mark?!"

"Girls I...I feel faint...ow! How come that works when big sister does it?" Sweetie Belle groaned as she sat up rubbing her head.

"NO! NOOOOOOOOO!! My last life!!!" Button suddenly wailed in agony.

The colt started crying out of nowhere, little rivers spouting from his eyes.

Sweetie blinked in confusion. "That didn't happen!"

"Yah mean it coulda happened," Applejack replied. "Remember, Sweetie, this is somethin' YOU get tah decide if it happens or not."

--

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom looked at each other quickly, and took a trot back, and pushed me forward. "Hey!"

"You're the tender one!" Apple Bloom grinned.

"And he was your idea!" Scootaloo grinned too.

"He was Apple Bloom's idea!" Sweetie said before her friends retreated back several trots. Cheerilee was coming and she didn't look happy.

Sweetie trotted over to Button.

"Wait, I don't get to decide what I did?!" Sweetie asked.

"That's PAST Sweetie Belle," Applejack explained. "It'd be cheatin' if Future Sweetie Belle got tah choose knowin' how it went the first time round, don't it?"

The little unicorn blinked. "That's...true..."

"Now keep watchin'!"

"What's wrong?" Sweetie asked.

He sniffled. "I...I tried really hard to beat this game...and...and then my hoof slipped and I lost my last life...and the game doesn't have continues!"

Sweetie thought that sounded kind of dumb at first...then she noticed the 'you survived' time on his game. "...You've been playing that for 24 hours?"

"Uh huh...I...I don't like to give up on a game..." he sniffled.

"Why?"

"Because I wanna see how the game ends..." he sniffled, tears still in his eyes. "What's the point in stopping an adventure half way?"

Sweetie blinked, looking at him. "Wow...you sound like me and my friends about getting our Cutie Marks."

He looked up. "...I do?"

"Yeah...we try and try to. No matter how many times we fail, we just keep trying! We want to find our Cutie Marks...even if it takes a really, really, really long time."

"...Huh...sound about right...do you like video games?"

"I've got a couple games I like, but I don't have a lot of them."

"My dad's a game developer, so I kinda get a lot of them..."

Sweetie cocked her head. "That...actually sounds kinda cool."

"Thanks! He works in Canterlot most of the time, though. I don't see him a lot."

The unicorn froze for a moment.

"Uh, is something wrong?"

"Oh! No....so, what's this game about?"

He waved his forelegs dramatically. "You travel ALL the way across the galaxy, starting out in the most dingy spaceship there is, with the enemy fleet right behind you! Getting crew and stuff for your ship along the way until you can save the universe!"

"So it's all about going from nothing to something really big?" Sweetie asked, looking at it.

"Uh huh. It takes a long time to get anywhere and there's no continues, so you have to play smart."

"Reminds me of my sister. She said that's how the fashion world is."

"Can’t say I’m really that into clothes, but I really like it when you can customize your character! Does that count?"

"I don't know, maybe? At any rate, It's really fun to try and get an outfit that works."

"I know! I wish more games were like that...Oh! Sorry! My name's Button Mash!"

Sweetie smiled. "Glad to meet you, I'm Sweetie Belle."

"My little ponies, is everything okay?" Miss Cheerilee asked, frowning.

"Yeah, I just got upset," Button said. "But Sweetie Belle cheered me up!"

Cheerilee smiled. "Oh, she did? Good for you, Sweetie Belle."

"Thank you." the unicorn filly smiled. Now that the danger had past, her two best friends came back. I know they'd have come forward if I'd gotten in REAL trouble... that's what friends do.

"So...I guess you don't instantly want to be a Crusader then?" she asked.

"...Can I still play video games?"

"Sure! We do all kinda stuff! And when we're just brainstorming or not doing anything, we play and just hang out at our clubhouse."

"...I do have a lot of games with co-op modes I never get to play..."

"I wouldn't mind."

"Neither would I," Scootaloo nodded.

"Same here," Applebloom replied.

"Wait wait wait!" Sweetie exclaimed, rubbing her head. "So...if Button had lost his last life in that game, then we'd have become his FRIEND?!"

Applejack shook her head. "Nah, yah'd have gotten tah CHOOSE tah become his friend...Ah ain't the meh that taught it tah her, but there's a certain Spirit of Luck who need tah learn something: choices and luck don't contradict each other. A lotta the time luck presents an OPPORTUNITY tah choose."

Sweetie took it in, then nodded slowly. "So because he lost his last life in that game, I had would've had the choice of maybe becoming his friend?"

Applejack nodded. "That's the idea...now first question, is anythin' Past!Sweetie did there somethin' yah CAN'T imagine yerself doin'?"

The young unicorn stopped and pondered it. "...No...I WANTED to do that when I saw him crying, so past me must have to...or could've...ow..."

"Trust meh, this time stuff gets confusin' when yah know what it really IS about," Applejack explained. "Now, here's the big thing," she explained. "If yah decide this is somethin' yah want tah be true, and accept it, it WILL be true. Meanin' everythin' from that moment tah now will get an 'update' and yah'd have ALWAYS befriended Button. Ah can promise yah this: yah ain't losin' Silver and Spike cause of this, it ain't THAT huge of a chance tah throw everythin' out of wack, but things WILL change...and its up to you if you WANT 'em to."

Sweetie Belle looked back to the mirror. She thought about it...the others had always wanted more members, so that was good...but what about Button?

She remembered earlier in the night how Other!Sweetie and Other!Button had gotten along...they were friends...They weren't her...but that button did seem really happy...

She thought about what she knew about Button Mash...how he just set in the back of the classroom playing his games, not really having any friends...As Past Sweetie had told Past Button, he'd still get to play them...just with others...with friends....friends...

"...Since when does a pony pass up a chance to make a new friend?" Sweetie finally asked, giving a smile. "A new friend...for me, for Scootaloo, for Applebloom, for Silver, for Spike...and all of us for Button too...I think...I want that to be true!"

Applejack smirked and gave a small smile. "That's a smart way tah think about it, Sweetie...alright, since its your truth...its the world's truth..."

The mirror image shattered into bits and flew into Sweetie. New memories filled her mind. Being Button's friend. Crusading with him. That time he made a bunch of monsters nearly kill each other on accident playing his gamecolt. She remembered hearing how he got his hat.

It wasn't like the memories were being FORCED into her head...it was like she was making months of choices but not a minute had passed. She wisely decided not to wonder how that could happen.

"Enjoy your new truth, Sweetie. Ah've got more work tah do now..."

Sweetie blinked, back in reality and shaking her head. "Ugh...that was weird..."

"So do you have any video games back on your home planet?"

"Yeah, but they involve lots of holograms and hard light," Blue Dwarf explained, her friends dealing with their new guests from the past.

"Cool!"

Sweetie blinked, finding Button now with them...or had he ALWAYS been there? Yeah, he had, she remembered how much he'd fancolted seeing a superpowered version of himself from another dimension.

She looked at the letter they'd got at the start of the night and found Button's name had been 'added' and he was under the same protection as the rest of them. She remembered his mother had been a bit apprehensive about a sleep over, but knew Button would've just played his games alone half the night if he hadn't gone, so let him come along.

"...Welcome to the Crusaders..." she said under her breath and giving a smile.

MtangaLion

For a moment, Princess Veritas lingered, sensing other eyes watching... some from outside the world entirely.

Somewhere, an Alicorn that could have been AJ's twin sister reared up, bursting with joy! She wore a sparkling white gown, and had feelers and translucent wings like a flutterpony. "This is a Moment!" said Princess Epiphany. "A moment when everything changes."

"A moment when a heart's secret wishes come true!" agreed Razzaroo, a shining star on her flank. "Yes yes yes!"

Veritas chuckled. "Not all truths are pretty ones, ta be sure, but Ah guess we all do go hoof in hoof sometimes."

Something else suddenly seemed odd in Sweetie Belle's jumble of new and old memories. "Your hat!" she blurted out.

Button Mash glanced at her. "What about it?"

Looking into Button's eyes made Sweetie feel warm, blushing a little... But she clearly remembered Blexel's sword stroke missing Button's head by inches... and slicing his beloved propeller beanie in two. So why was the hat on Button's head now, and why was it blue... with eyes... oh!

Sweetie grinned. "I was thinking... maybe my sister could make you a new hat, so Imp doesn't have to sit on your head forever."

Kendell2

Sweetie nodded. "You did say how important it was to you, and I know it won't replace the one you lost, but it seemed like a good idea..."

Button Mash blinked, then smiled. "That would be nice. Thanks Sweetie Belle..."

Sweetie nodded, giving him a hug. "You're welcome, just seemed like the nice thing to do."

The little unicorn remembered how, when she and Scootaloo had fused, they'd carried Button on their back while carrying Applebloom in their telekinesis. And how Button had reacted to them getting 'extra lives and continues' and his reaction to finding their bags kept things they'd acquired from previous trips being 'Cool! Keep inventory is on!'

Though she was surprised he didn't treat this as much like a game as that implied, but then again from what she knew of Button, he normally treated GAMES with pony morality, so there'd not have been much of a difference anyway.

She also remembered him taking the sea pony form simply because she had. Did that mean a sea pony Button Mash was still back there.

Blue Dwarf blinked, but seemed to think they were cute with the hug.

The duo turned back to the situation with the others

"Oh, so my ship is outdated?" Star Hopper asked.

Nebula nodded. "Correct, we haven't used it in a very long time, and it's probably why you're not able to keep up."

Majesty nodded. "That would explain much...So, my little pony, you wish to continue traveling with these ponies of another world?"

Star Hopper nodded. "Yes, you're majesty. It's where I want to stay and what I feel I'm SUPPOSED to do."

Sweetie noticed Majesty seemed to have the feel of a very stern, but loving mother. She mainly knew that due to new memories of Button's mother, her own not being very stern.

"...Alright, Star Hopper, if it is where you genuinely feel you belong," the Queen said, giving the pony a nuzzle.

"She reminds me a bit of my mom," Button said.

"Hey, that's just what I was thinking!" Sweetie Belle replied, the two giving a chuckle.

Queen Majesty then looked to Applebloom. "...You remind me of a pony I know named Applejack...are you related to her?"

"Yah know mah big sister?" Applebloom questioned.

"...I may know a relative of yours..." Majesty replied, seeming to know more about the situation than Star Hopper. "Does your sister overeat on apples?"

"Nah, she farms 'em. She sometimes overWORKS herself though," Applebloom admitted.

Alex Warlorn

"I don't understand!" Pinkie Pie said, freaking out, which was... well, not unnatural for her, but what she was freaking out ABOUT. "I closed down the studio! Why is the Character Overload Pressure Gauge going into the red?! I brought it with me just as a memento! But now it's saying we're well into the red zone! The entire universe could freeze solid! ... Huh, and what's this note it spat out? . . .Since when does it spit out notes? That's really rude.

'The appeal of the Crossed-Out-Files, and Gravity Drops, was the investigation team was relatively small, creating the proper sense of vulnerability and discovery... An adventure party of a half dozen does not constitute small in these circumstances.' Alright, Pinkie Sense... don't fail me now... LEAD ME TO THE SOURCE OF THIS CHARACTER OVERLOAD!" Pinkie Pie zoomed out of the night of her secret lair underneath Sugarcube Corner.

Apple Bloom's camera, shook and gave snow as the grainy image shook and moved about wildly as off camera came the shouting, "TOO MANY CHARACTERS! MUST! CUT DOWN! UNIVERSE IMPLODE!"

"Surprise?" Majesty blinked.

MtangaLion

Pinkie Pie hopped right out of nowhere and bounced straight over to Majesty, glomping and nuzzling her. "Omigosh, omigosh! It's been like, forever!"

"Extraordinary!" cried Majesty, delighted. "When did you come to this faraway land, and how did you change your looks? Is this a new game?"

The Crusaders went into a quick huddle. "Um, why is Pinkie Pie... you know, Pinkie Pie?" asked Scootaloo. "Isn't she Princess Thalia now?"

Button Mash pushed his way into the group. "Girls, don't huddle without me!"

Sweetie Belle nosed him. "Sorry about that, Button. Maybe she's Thalia in disguise."

Apple Bloom frowned. "Or maybe she did some kinda crazy Pinkie Pie thing and got here *before* she became Thalia! We can't tell her that she's gonna be an Alicorn."

"I'm going to be whaaaat?!" gasped Pinkie Pie, in the huddle with them.

"This is fun!" said Majesty, also in the huddle with them. "Surprise always had the best games!"

Nova's reality distortion meter started beeping like a fire alarm, its needle jammed all the way to the right. Snow Bound and Blanky, wolves once more, sat up straight with their ears pricked up.

"Oh dear..." Nova started glancing around frantically. "Well, it's been *really* nice meeting you all..."

"But we have to go," said Blue Dwarf. "Now." The star ponies practically stampeded back into their flying saucer.

"Wait!" cried Star Hopper. "Take me with you!" Star magic lifted her and pulled her towards the hatchway. "Thanks! Bye, Majesty! Tell everypony I'm okay!" She disappeared inside.

Unexpectedly, Imp chimed musically and hopped off Button Mash's head, transforming into a blue rubber ball that bounced up the spaceship's landing ramp, just before the hatch closed. The larger spaceship lifted off smoothly, picked up the small, older saucer with a tractor beam, and zoomed into the heavens.

"So, these Alicorns," Majesty was saying to Pinkie Pie. "They're even more powerful than unicorns?"

"Yepper-rooni!" said Pinkie Pie, bouncing in place. "Gosh, imagine how much better you could have protected Ponyland if *you'd* been an Alicorn."

The ground started shaking, and bits of the sky seemed to be flaking loose. "Oh, great," Scootaloo grumbled. "We broke the universe again."

Sweetie gulped. "It's okay. We'll just reset. Everything's going to be fine."

"I hope all reality doesn't wind up covered in tree sap like that other time," said Apple Bloom.

"I still want to know how that happened," said Button Mash.

Kendell2 (with one addition by me)

The group found themselves back at the farm, sitting at the What If Machine.

On the screen was a picture of an Alicorn version of Queen Majesty still ruling Equestria... Equestria's enemies and threats being turned into bubbles and popped or turned into pictures and painted over rather than sealed or banished and most of the world's leaders terrified of crossing her. And Griffins were still mindless animals and elves still lived on Equus.

"Welcome back, young foals," said the What If Machine. "Universe damage seems stabilized."

Sweetie Belle nodded. "Good, how are you?"

"This unit has learned how to access the internet of a neighboring universe," the machine replied. "I have hacked an online service known as 'iTunes' and am currently binge watching a series that recently concluded, it is very interesting...Also, if at any point you run into living wax statues trying to kill you, this unit recommends fire or other hot implement."

"Right..." said Applebloom. "Hope yah enjoy it. Come on girls, and colt, let's go!"

"Also, tying forks to the ends of your finger tips is a good idea if you are consuming popcorn."

Sweetie blinked. "What are fingers?"

The group continued to walk through the woods, when they saw a bush rustle. The four ponies prepared for whatever it was...only for a group of little blue ponies with white beards and pointy red caps to pop out of it.

"Um...hello..." Sweetie Belle said slowly.

"Hello," said one, who seemed to look the smartest. He jumped down and the others followed them. "Um...we're gnomes."

"Okay...what are gnomes?" Applebloom asked, looking confused.

"I think in dad's O&O games say they're little ponies who are really mischievous," Button remarked. "Oh! And in World of Ponycraft says they're really good with technology!"

The gnomes, however, seemed more interested in Sweetie Belle. "Huddle!" said the lead gnome, the gnomes doing so.

"...Is this what it feels like when we do that?" Scootaloo asked.

The gnomes finally turned around and looked to Sweetie. "Alright, this is going to sound awkward...but we'd like you to be our queen."

Sweetie blinked. "Uh...what?"

"What?!" asked everypony else.

"Yes, long story short, we need a queen, it's kind of just how gnomes work. We just need you to come and live with us in the forest forever," replied the lead gnome. "I know that's asking a lot, but it'll be really great, I swear."

The little unicorn naturally looked very disturbed by this. She looked to Button who looked upset too.

"So what d'ya say? Will you join us in holy matri-gnomey? Matri—matrimony! Blah! I can't talk today," the main gnome asked, giving a friendly smile.

"Uh...no thanks...I'm not ready for...that..." 'Plus if Rarity won't let me be a changeling she won't let me be a gnome queen!' "We could be friends though!"

"We understand..." said the chief gnome, looking sad. "We'll never forget you..."

Sweetie gave a small smile. 'That's good...'

"Because we're going to fillynap you..."

Sweetie blinked, then looked startled. "Wait what?!"

The gnomes suddenly grabbed Sweetie Belle and ran into the forest without warning.

"SWEETIE BELLE!" yelled Button, galloping after, Scootaloo and Applebloom following suit.

"What the heck are a buncha gnome things doing in the forest anyway?!" Scootaloo asked.

The camera suddenly went staticy.

Filthy Rich blinked, looking out at his now empty lawn. "Princess, have you seen our lawn gnomes?"

"No dear...who would steal lawn gnomes?" Golden asked, looking out.

Diamond got a suspicious look. 'Uncle...'

'Okay, I may have accidentally split a bottle of 'instant life' juice I got from my cousin Shub before she was banished from this corner of the multiverse for 8 billion years due to events in neighboring reality...and lost track of a case of lawn gnomes I put in your shed for no apparent reason...'

'UNCLE!'

'Relax, princess! The only way they won't be innocent newborns is if somepony in the surrounding area has the mental image of gnomes being evil, oh like say what they're like in my now deceased triangle shaped cousin's favorite universe, but that'd require somepony to be thinking of evil gnomes at the time they came to life, and for them to know about my cousin's universe they'd either need a Fate.net or hack our neighboring human universe's itunes. And you'd need to be either a deity or a sapient machine with interdimensional viewing capabilities for that. What are the odds of ALL that happening? It'd be a perfect storm of coincidences!'

'...Should we do something?'

'Eh, they're GNOMES! How dangerous can they be?'

The camera came back into focus in the forest.

"Let me go! I don't want to be queen of the Gnomes!" Sweetie yelled as the chase continued.

MtangaLion

"This is getting ridiculous," grumbled Sweetie Belle. Somehow, the gnomes who kept her in a tight grip were balancing on the backs of the other gnomes, who had all four hooves free to gallop pell-mell through the woods. She squirmed and bucked one of gnomes loose, but another quickly took his place.

"Seriously, just put me down and go home. If I can't escape, then my friends will save me, and if they can't do it, then my sister will come here and whine until you beg for mercy." The gnomes kept right on running. "I know black magic and a whole lot of princesses!"

The chief gnome patted her on the head. "The more you struggle, the more awkward this is gonna be for everypony."

"Fine!" Sweetie Belle's horn started to glow an eerie green. "Winds, bear me skyward! Ray Wi..." But a gnome swiftly jammed a delicious chocolate truffle into her mouth, preventing her from finishing the incantation.

Button Mash panted, falling behind as they chased after the gnomes. "Funny... I thought for sure it was going to be zombies."

Apple Bloom shuddered. "Ah glad it wasn't! Twice was two times too many!"

Ardashir

"HMMPH!" Sweetie yelled through her gag, or tried to. She tapped out against one of the gnomes' backs in Horse Code with her hooves. 'You better let me go! Or as soon as I get free I'll summon a Cave Troll and have him eat you guys! Trolls are the natural enemies of gnomes!'

"Hah!" The gnomes laughed at her as they kept running. "As if! These days the Trolls spend all their time on the Ponynet insulting complete strangers; they're having too much fun to bother with us."

And many miles away in Canterlot, a Prussian-blue alicorn snorted in rage as she read her screen.

'GIVE IT UP LUNA-L0SER NIGHTMARE M00N PWNS U TOTALLY!'

"Sister! Once again I request, neigh, DEMAND that thou bringest back public horsewhipping for these knaves!"

Back in the Everfree, Sweetie rolled her eyes in disgust as she kept trying to escape, and her friends galloped to the rescue behind her.

zaku789

"Will you stop looking at me like that," Discord said. Diamond just continued to glare.

"Alright fine, but I'm only going to do it my way," Discord said annoyed as he snapped his fingers.

Miles away, all the gnomes poofed out of existence. Making all the gnomes disappear.

"What the-?" Sweetie belle said before falling to the ground.

"So where are the gnomes?" Diamond Tiara asked. "Shouldn't they be here and return to normal?"

"Oh no, I'm not reverting them back to normal, I've seen all that whiny backlash with the mirror pool business, instead I sent them to somewhere were weirdness can be appreciated," Discord said.

(In a different world)

"Hey.... what happen to our queen?" A pony gnome asked.

"How should I know? And quite frankly I want to know where we are."

"Hey lets ask that oddly handsome creature over there. Hey buddy do you know where we are?"

"Shmebulock," the human gnome said.

MtangaLion

The image blurred and turned to static again, then cleared to show a fish-eye view of Discord peering into a camera lens. He blew on the lens, fogging it, then wiped it clean and gave it a claws up. A giant mouse cursor moved in from the side of the frame and started touching up the details of his wings, but he shooed it away.

Discord backed away from the camera and struck a pose. "My, my. It seems that I've confused those adorable Cutie Mark Crusaders and their valiant Plus One something fierce. Ooh, I should go and introduce the new me!"

The front door of the Rich estate swung open, and Princess Thalia strolled across the lawn, elegant and serene. She gave them all a warm smile. "Now, Discord, I still haven't finished their party invitations." Four sparkling tickets floated over in her magic, each decorated with her trademark balloons and cheerful script. "I'm going to have to finesse this... you did do some pretty mean things to them and their families back then, and that whole thing with Diamond and Sweetie? Just a wee little tiny bit awkward! You're just going to hold your horses a little longer."

Discord stroked his beard, then smirked and held up a plastic toy model of Twilight Sparkle in his claw, and a Dream Castle playset complete with Majesty and Spike figurines with his lion paw.

Thalia giggled, shaking her head. "Guess I trotted right into that one. Eh?" She looked down and found that Mr. Filthy Rich was hugging her.

Mr. Rich coughed and backed away, brushing a tear from one eye. "Sorry about that, Princess Thalia. I just wanted to thank you again.... I can't thank you enough, really."

Golden Tiara rolled her eyes, then smiled and leaned against her husband, nuzzling.

"Dad, you're getting all mushy again," complained Diamond Tiara, but she leaned against her father too, not minding at all when his hoof mussed her hair.

"I had lost everything that truly mattered," said Mr. Rich, "and all the bits in the world couldn't fix it, but then Golden came home, and you brought our little Diamond back to us, even saved her soul from what I'm told. As far as I'm concerned... Celestia and Luna will just have to stand in line, because you're the real royalty around here, Miss Thalia!"

Discord pulled several feet of tied-together handkerchiefs out of his nose, then blew his nose on them, honking loudly. "Truly inspiring!"

Mr. Rich furrowed his brow at Discord. "Don't push it, you. This forgive and forget thing is still a work in progress."

"Now, now," said Thalia soothingly. "Hmmm?" She trotted over, peered right into the spare camera, and gave it a huge grin. "Dissy, you little stinker!"

Kendell2

Back with the Crusaders, the other three finally caught up with Sweetie and Button hugged her.

"You're okay!" Button called.

Sweetie hugged him back...then the two blinked, then separated with a blush. "Uh...glad you're okay..." Button said.

"Thanks..."

"Where did those gnome things get to?" Scootaloo asked.

"I don't know, they just kinda went poof!" Sweetie exclaimed.

"Least they're gone..." Applebloom noted. The group took a sigh of relief...then blinked, seeing a nearby light.

The group trotted over to find what looked like portal. Not quite a crack like the others. more like a natural point were domains crossed. Similar to the other natural ways that they'd seen into other worlds so far.

The group gasped in shock at the sight.

Chrysalis and Cadence fighting in Canterlot Castle.

"Wait, that happened before!" Scootaloo pointed out.

Sweetie Belle, however, gasped at something. "Look! Chryssy's neck!"

The group gasped, noticing a pink heart shaped pendant on Chrysalis' neck.

"That's the thing the good Chrysalis wears, ain't it?" Applebloom asked.

"Good Chrysalis?" Button Mash asked, cocking his head.

"Back when Pinkie did that the show, we kept meeting this nice Chrysalis from a mirror universe," Scootaloo explained. "But she didn't look anything like that..."

Looking closer, a kingly unicorn they didn't recognize was currently trapped in a crystal.

"Should we watch?" Applebloom asked.

Chrysalis tried to shield herself from another beam but was sent flying back and slamming against the wall.

"HAHAHA!" Cadenza cackled, landing next to a browbeaten, timid and broken looking Shining Armor. "Thank you, sweetie," she said. Sweetie Belle recognized from Chrysalis' lessens what it was: the voice one used when they wanted to convince somepony they really cared about them. "Your love for me has made me so strong."

Shining Armor gave a broken, but horrifying loving smile. "You're welcome...dear."

"Now I can do what my aunt never could," Cadenza mocked, charging up her beam and blasting Chrysalis, her shield shattering and knocking her back. "Once you're dead, my 'sister', you know what will happen?"

Chrysalis fired a beam, but to her (and the watching Crusader's shock) Shining Armor blocked it. Chrysalis panted, falling to her knees. Her body...began to crack.

"I'll absorb what's left, finally becoming truly complete! Then I will rid this world of emotion, for without emotion, that vile thing called magic will be reduced to it's most basic form!" Cadenza mocked, picking Chrysalis up by the neck with her telekinesis and flinging the battered Duchess of Equestria across the room. "Then I can snuff it out, as we should have at the dawn of time!"

"If...if you do that...my Changelings..." Chrysalis muttered, trying to stand. "They'll die..."

"Yes, they will. But they're a flawed species anyway," Cadenza said, with apathy that made the Crusaders feel sick to their stomachs. Sweetie Belle shuddered, realizing it was little different than their Chrysalis' sociopathic like of empathy. "They rely on something as worthless as magic to LIVE."

Chrysalis struggled to stand up, but her leg began CRUMBLING, the queen falling to her knees. "...You...you're incomplete...because you don't have a heart!"

Cadenza snarled. "I don't NEED one. True Harmony can't rely on something as flawed and irrational as a heart!"

"I don't know...what happened..." Chrysalis said, forcing her three good legs to stand. "Why you call me sister...why you hate magic so much...a part of me...a part of me makes me think even YOU have forgotten why you hate it so much...But I do know...I can't let somepony as heartless harm my subjects!"

"And how is that going to happen?" Cadenza questioned. "You're dying."

Chrysalis looked downtrodden, looking over her cracking form. The Crusaders could see the Changelings just outside a giant barrier Shining Armor was keeping up, trying desperately to get inside.

Sweetie and the others wondered if it was their PLACE to interfere.

"Chryssy!" yelled a little filly, identical to Sweetie Belle, looking on as a very confused mare that looked like Rarity held her back.

Chrysalis' eyes shot open. "No...I won't die like this!"

[=Undertale - Battle Against A True Hero=]

"My body..it's falling apart...but..." Chrysalis snarled. "I feel it! I feel ALL of them! My subjects! Equestria's people! Maua! I feel it!...I feel THEM!"

Cadenza suddenly gasped as Chrysalis began to glow pink.

"And that feeling won't let me die! This isn't about my Changelings, you'll destroy EVERYONE to get what you want, Cadenza!" Chrysalis yelled, her form PULLING ITSELF TOGETHER. "Changelings, ponies, zebras everyone! Their bonds, their love, their friendships, vanquished in an instant! That's what you want! Without bonds, everything dies! But I won't let you do that!"

"What do you know about bonds?!" Cadenza screamed, charging up her magic...then gasping as pain ripped through her chest.

"Apparently more than you! Empress of Broken Hearts!"

Cadenza screamed in agony, grasping her chest and falling to the ground, Shining Armor RAN to her side.

"Right now, everypony here...everypony in Equestria! Everypony in the world! I can feel their hearts beat as one!...You've FORGOTTEN what that's like Cadenza, haven't you?" Chrysalis yelled, the pink energy forming seeming to now be coming from BETWEEN her armor plates. "You've ABANDONED that!"

Cadenza SCREAMED as a spear of rainbow colored energy BURST from her chest. The Crusaders didn't know what that meant, but they could TELL...Cadenza suddenly became LESS than she was. The magic she'd gained from Shining Armor just seemed to CUT OFF.

The sphere flew out and into Chrysalis' chest.

Rainbow colored energy began surging from EVERYPONY around...even from the Crusaders watching.

"Cadenza...no...Concept of Broken Bonds...I will save them all!" Chrysalis screamed, her monstrous exoskeleton seeming to become little more than a cocoon...a cocoon which EXPLODED off her to reveal the complete, beautiful Chrysalis the Crusaders recognized, butterfly-like wings spread out.

Cadenza's face contorted in rage beyond measure and she THREW Shining Armor away. "NO! GIVE THAT BACK! IT'S MINE!"

Chrysalis' eyes opened, no longer the draconic ones she'd had before but more pony-like. "You just don't get it, do you? I didn't steal this. YOU THREW IT AWAY!"

The two charged up their horns and fired two beams of energy, the two slamming into one another with equal force.

"How can this be happening?!" Cadenza asked. "It's not fair! I wasn't supposed to become whole! Not you!"

"Take it from experience, Cadenza," Chrysalis replied. "If you don't let anypony in, then you'll never be whole!"

Chrysalis' beam suddenly tore through Cadenza's, like her power had drained. She screamed as Chrysalis' attack slammed into her her with tremendous force.

The Empress of Broken Hearts crashed to the ground, unconscious.

Shining ran over and shook her, trying to wake her...then teleported them both away.

The Crusaders watched wide mouthed.

Sweetie prepared to rush in and say something, but the others held her back.

"Sweetie! She hasn't bet us yet, remember?" Applebloom asked.

"...Oh...right..."

As if answering that reply, the portal suddenly jumped forwards to present day, Chrysalis currently talking to her subjects, including the wacky but kind Mirror Kabuto.

"Oh...."

MtangaLion

In the other world, Doctor Kabuto approached Love Queen Chrysalis and bowed low. "It's confirmed, your Majesty. The Crawling Chaos has left our world, suddenly and completely. We can find no trace of him."

Chrysalis tilted her head, and set down the glass of nectar she'd been sipping from. "You don't seem pleased, good doctor. Surely, that's cause for celebration."

Kabuto nodded, clicking his forehooves together. "I've also learned that he was conspiring with that notorious band of delinquents, popularly known as the Mean Six! Two of them have now risen as beings of great power. Nightmares, at the very least. The readings and eyewitness accounts are inconclusive... they may still be 'finding themselves,' as it were."

Chrysalis sighed, shaking her head. "As if Cadenza wasn't enough trouble. We shall act swiftly and help this new pair, before they become our enemies."

"If we can." Kabuto held out a crystal gadget and nudged the gem on top. "This is Pinkie Pie. She's calling herself Lady Tristitia now."

Kabuto's device projected a hologram of a mare with a grimy pink coat, wearing a black leather vest. She had wings, a horn, long black hair that hung completely straight, and a cutie mark of a knife popping a balloon. "Happy times never last," she was saying, while ponies in the village around her held each other, weeping, and changelings fell out of the sky and lay still. "They go away, and then there's just the sad left. You'll lose everything that ever made you smile, and what then?"

Kabuto tapped the device again, and another image appeared. "The second one was Applejack. We don't have a new name yet, so we're calling her Paranoia."

The second image showed an orange-coated mare, also with wings and a horn, wearing tarnished bronze barding. Her cutie mark was an apple with a worm in it. "Who can ya trust?" she muttered, glancing around all shifty-eyed as she trotted through a town in chaos, people shouting, ponies fighting in the streets, buildings on fire... "Nopony, that's who. Everything ya know could be a lie, and how would ya know? What have ya seen with your own two eyes... and can ya even trust those when there's magic illusions and mind control mojo around?"

Queen Chrysalis considered this, then rose from her throne dramatically, lifting her gaze as if looking to a camera on a crane. "Who can save us now?"

The sound of a fingersnap filled the throne room with a puffy cloud of smoke, which blew away to reveal Discord in a silly outfit with a little domino mask, as if that could somehow conceal his identity. "Who indeed... but Captain Goodguy!"

Chrysalis smirked. "You're getting predictable, 'old chum.'"

"Oh, really?" Captain Goodguy snapped his fingers again, and four more poofs of smoke appeared.

Button Mash jumped out of one, also wearing colorful tights and a little mask. "Captain Goodguy Jr. is here!"

Three notorious fillies jumped out of the others. "Captain Goodgal Crusader Squad! YAY!!!"

Queen Chrysalis spilled her nectar glass. "Sweetie Belle! What did I say?"

Button, Sweetie, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo stared through the portal at their counterparts, speechless.

Alex Warlorn

Apple Bloom shivered.

"Apple Bloom, what's wrong?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"If that there's a world where stuff gets upside down... then how come we're GOOD GUYS in that world? And Button Mash! What... what does that say about us? We're still going on... let's be honest, 'crazy' adventure... the only REAL difference is that they're doin' it as sidekicks! And that's really more of a change than who we are ben' turned upside down! That Applejack becomin' a Nightmare instead of a Princess? I get that part... it's awful but at least I understand it's in the RULES of that place... but... how are we still the GOOD GUYS in that world, when we're the good guys here? If... if they tried to get their cutie marks doin' bad stuff and it turned out good... Ah could ... Ah could, maybe sorta kinda get... but... it feels like somethin' was tryin' to have its apple pie and eat it too."

"You mean cake." Sweetie Belle said.

"No, apple pie, that's what my family always says."

"Of course." Scootaloo rolled her eyes.

"The point is! With all the good we've done... and yeah, I'll admit we dang goofed a lot too... but ... if they're helpin' ponies in that world too... shouldn't that disrupt ying and yang or somethin'?!"

Scootaloo shuddered, "That reminds me of that Mare-Vel storyline Focal-Point where a buncha good guys and bad guys became bad and good instead ... "

Alex Warlorn

The shadows of Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle, grew and grew behind them. As the cutie mark crusaders on the other side of the mirror continued their heroic. None noticing they were so focused on the vision beyond until... the shadows engulfed the three as one.

Button Mash was knocked on his rump as his three friends exploded, revealing little girls now empowered with the might of the darkness.

In place of the Cutie Mark Crusaders was three Nightfillies. Their eyes were draconic, their coats now darker shades than what they'd been, and all had wings and horns. Apple Bloom still didn't have her cutie mark. Their mane remained mostly the same except now being more intense colors.

“Nightmare Cantata, Fairest of Songs!”

“Nightmare Instrumentum, Creator of All Items!"

“Nightmare Velocitas, Rainbow Dash Fan Number One!”

"Cutie Mark Crusaders Nightmare Gallery Alliance! Yay!" They cheered an high hooved each other.

"Except... we seem to be one short." Nightmare Cantata smiled, which was at the same time adorable yet disturbing.

The three Night Fillies then turned as one towards Button Mash, grinning. Button Mash then did the single most intelligent thing he could with his friends engulfed by darkness, and ran for it.

Nightmare Instrumentum on the spot conjured raw material and constructed a ray gun on the spot before Button Mash had gotten far. The three Nightfillies channeled their magic into it, blowing up the machine, but still firing the result magic straight at Button Mash...

Button Mash was overwhelmed with the pain of having to grow up, do adult things, of video games becoming work rather than play even if he took a job with them, and the mundane boring world of adults he was doomed to enter.

Then the seven nice foals in morning garb offered to play with him forever. Button Mash was covered in long black hands, that then exploded outwards.

His coat was now dark shinny bronze, his mane now moved like wavering pixel art. His eyes were now draconic. He also now sported wings and a horn. Like Apple Bloom, he remained a blank flank.

He turned back to his friends grinning, who grinned back.

"Hi! I'm Nightmare Pixel! Game Master of Neverland!"

"Nice to meet you!" Nightmare Cantata giggled and they nuzzled.

"Aren't Nightmare supposed to brutality fight among themselves?" Nightmare Velocitas asked.

"Maybe cause we all changed at the same time, and changed Button Mash together?" Nightmare Instrumentum suggested.

"... That works."

+++

'Diamond Tiara dear, wake up.' Discord voice rang through the rich filly's head.

"Dis-Discord? It's the middle of the night." Diamond Tiara said, in her pretty little night gown from Canterlot.

'I just had this rather odd sensation that you and I are going to have to save the world.'

"Can't Twilight Sparkle and her friends do it?"

'I dunno! It was just a feeling!'

"You woke me up for a feeling? We can save the world tomorrow morning." Diamond Tiara rolled back into bed.

++++

"Hello dears! My name is Ispita, but I'm better known as Temptation The Draconequus! You four look like you're in need of someequus who can show you the ropes!"

"What do we need ya for?" Nightmare Instrumentum asked.

"Logistics. And I'm willing to lend you, as a gift, a temporal stabilization enchantment."

"Sounds good to me!" Said Nightcolt Pixel as the sun rose.

++

The next morning... Diamond Tiara found the world didn't look so bad... if there were some strange things going on. As a class project, Diamond Tiara was to do a video journal (don't ask what that even was, Pinkie Pie had provided her one) of a day in her life, and today was as good a day as any.

School was a half day that day, but sadly for Diamond Tiara, she got stuck going with her father on some early business meets in town so she could continue to learn to someday inherent her father's empire (least all their employees suddenly find themselves without a job and bits to feed their families).

At Sweet Apple Acres... Appljack was grinning like a fool. And overnight, Sweet Apple Acres now had a small army of mechanical devices that had modernized the farm overnight. The various gizmos looked like they'd have made Flim and Flam wet themselves with envy. A machine for fertilizing, another for watering, another for feeding the live stock (and providing light-conversation if so desired), a machine for APPLEBUCKING... And a machine for helping Granny Smith move about... by transferring her consciousness into a new young body that showed the stunning beauty she was when she'd made the deal with Diamond's great-grandfather.

The farm was practically running itself, all the Apples needed to do was rack in the profits.

Meanwhile, every pegasus in town was talking in 'kewl dude' language, and doing everything as fast and furious as possible, everything was a competition to win, everything was 'leet' and everything was awesome. (As accordance with the song they were all singing.).

"Everything is awesome! Everything's cool when you're part of a team! Everything is awesome! When you're living the dream!" Fluttershy sang with Rainbow Dash, buddy buddy and both grinning.

As for a business meet with Rarity to see if she has any dresses she'd been willing to sell to Barnyard Bargains as retail... she kept humming to herself whenever she wasn't speaking. And her every motion and actions seemed to follow a melody, like she was in a perpetual heart song. There weren't as many unicorns in Ponyville as Earth Ponies or pegasi, but the effect was obvious. Like Applejack, she had a grin perpetually on her face. But she insisted everything was fine, and everything was as it should be.

She spotted Spike sitting outside playing a video game as mechanical ponies did all the work he normally did for the library. Twilight Sparkle grinned as a little holo machines endlessly provided her text to read, singing to herself in a heart song without end.

Pinkie Pie was running through the street and shouted, "Playtime forever! Yippie! Everything is awesome! Everything is cool when you're part of a team!"

Diamond Tiara still wasn't sure what was going on... but when class for the day finally started... she found everypony in class playing video games built right into their desks! She turned to speak to Miss Cheerilee about what was going on... to find Miss Cheerilee a foal herself, playing a game console built right into her desk! "Yippie! New high score!" The former adult looked right at Diamond Tiara with that grin. "Hiii Diamond Tiara! Wanna play Defenders Of the League of Ancient Heroic Legends Two The Smiting Blizzard?"

Silver Spoon, playing the video game as well, turned to her friend and waved her. "Hey Diamond! This is super-leet awesome! I've been saving a spot on our hero squad for you! You can be Truly The Cultured!"

Alula and Tootsie sat next to Silver Spoon and waved at Diamond Tiara also encouraging her into join in.

Kendell2

"Uh...one second..." Diamond Tiara said, heading outside. Cheerilee and no one seemed to stop her. "Uncle..."

Discord suddenly popped out of her mane. "Well I WARNED you, didn't I?"

"Point taken, but why didn't you do anything?!" Diamond asked.

"Because no pony except you trusts me!...And you didn't even trust me at first!"

"...Good point."

"Now, as for what's happening...We're in the 'stage one' of a benign Nightmare attack."

"There's STAGES?!"

"I'm not sure, it sounded cool. But regardless, this is the part where things look nice and cozy before everything falls apart. Though it also seems like two of the Nightmares AREN'T benign while two are. So that's FOUR Nightmares that for some reason AREN'T fighting one another to the death. Knowing how this goes, it's likely Celestia and Luna are conveniently not here at the moment."

Discord pulled out a PDA and looked through it. "Ah, yes, they're presently on the planet of glowing stardust ponies at a diplomatic meeting...Figures..."

"Can't you just snap your fingers and fix this!"

"Oh, right..."

Discord snapped his fingers...and nothing happened. "Uh oh..."

"Uh oh? What do you mean uh oh?" Diamond Tiara asked.

"Well...it appears they've got help, because my powers aren't working," Discord said, then pouted like a child.

"Why do your powers only work when you're evil or helping me with my home work?!"

"Probably to prevent things from being boring...But that does mean somepony who knows me well enough to count my powers has to know me..."

"Thanks for these cool pendants, Miss Ispita," said Nightmare Cantata, looking at a pendant all four Nightmares wore. The symbol the alchemist's symbol for Order engraved on it.

"Oh darlings, it's nothing really, I'm just trying to be a good friend," the Anthropomorphic Personification of Temptation asked. "They'll keep any big bullies from ruining your fun. I have one too, for special occasions."

"On the bright side, this isn't nearly as bad as my original evil plot I had planned before I turned good," Discord remarked.

"What?!"

"...You knew I had one, Diamond. I was pretty bucking evil."

"...True...thanks for giving that up..."

"You're welcome," said Discord. "But now we need to figure out a solution to this...probably going to need to snap the Bearers out of it, but knowing the forces of evil, they won't be making that easy for us. Goodness knows I didn't plan to!"

MtangaLion

Diamond Tiara kept walking, feeling the oddest headache coming on. "What about those new Alicorns?"

Discord shook the PDA, then thumped it, to no avail. "Sealed inside 'Applejack' and 'Pinkie Pie,' most likely. No easy escape that way either."

Diamond sighed. "I guess I can't be too hard on you, Uncle. Part me still wants to totally rub this in everypony's faces after I save them. You know, not Twilight or the Elements or the Crusaders... *me*."

"Oh, I know all about being of two minds," said Discord, briefly poofing into a smaller, cuter version of himself. "What does the other part of you want, pray tell?"

They came around a corner and saw something that made Diamond stop to gawk. "Something like... that!"

The Carousel Boutique had changed remarkably since she saw it last, only hours ago. There were *two* of the round carousel buildings now, the familiar pink and blue one, and a matching red and white shop, with a large and expensive-looking townhouse between them and an enormous swimming pool out front. Sweetie Belle and her sister Rarity were standing by the pool. Diamond still felt a twinge of guilt about the scissors incident, looking at Rarity. She didn't recognize the two older unicorns with them, though, nor the stunning white unicorn with the cherry red mane, dressed in an overcoat and levitating several travel bags.

They all rushed to embrace one another as Diamond watched, softly humming that strange song in perfect five-part harmony... that was what had made her a little jealous. Then Sweetie noticed her and waved a hoof energetically. "Hey, Diamond! Come and meet my family!"

Diamond's brain froze. Sweetie Belle... Sweetie Belle was.... !?

"Don't say it!" hissed Discord, hiding in Diamond's hair again before he could be spotted. "Don't draw attention!"

Sweetie Belle was an Alicorn.

Sweetie Belle was an *Alicorn*, and she was hugging Diamond Tiara like an old friend, and the queasy buzzing headache was absolutely killing Diamond for those few moments, until they separated. "This is my mom and my dad," said Sweetie excitedly. And this is my bigger big sister, Red Gala Belle!

"Charmed!" said Red Gala elegantly. "My, my, that tiara is looking a little worse for wear. Perhaps I could replace the gems for you, or recommend a new one! Ah, sorry... that's my line of work, you see."

Sweetie continued, "Red Gala's been living in Canterlot, and our parents used to travel all over the place, but now we're all going to live right here in Ponyville! Isn't that great?"

"That's... swell." Diamond felt some of her old attitude and insecurity trying to get the better of her. Sweetie was an Alicorn? How?! How dare she be an Alicorn?! Diamond should be a princess if anypony was... she was mother and daddy's little princess, not..."

Then Diamond felt her inner chaos seethe and tingle within her. She gulped and calmed down in a hurry. This definitely wasn't the time and place to bring out Uncle's gift!

"Well, who's up for a swim?" said Sweetie.

"I'll get the floats," said the white stallion with the tacky mustache.

"Oh, you don't need those any more, remember dear?" said the pink unicorn. She flipped right into the pool, and a *seapony* surfaced.

Diamond Tiara fainted.

She would have fallen over, too, but Discord managed barely enough magic to puppet her body, making her wave politely and trot clumsily on down the street. "Bye bye!" called Discord, pitching his voice high. "We must do this again sometime, ta ta!"

Author's Note

The rules are simple. Write something in the comments, and it's added to the story above! No 'script' format additions! Keep it My Little Ponies!

Set in the same universe as Pinkie Pie Forth Wall Breaking Variety Show!

*Replay recording*

Apple Bloom"We're exploring the Everfree all night! And the best part is when something, ah, 'bad' happens to us, Princess Luna makes it so we, uh, 'respawn?' "

Scootaloo, "Apple Bloom we knew that already."

Apple Bloom, "Yeah, but Ah figured we had to say it again fer some reason."

Sweetie Belle, "Have look at the, what did Pinkie Pie call this? 'Trope Page?'" http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/PinkiePiesFourthWallVarietyShow

So yeah, the CMC are exploring the Everfree with a grainy video camera, but if they say, come to a Bad End, or the like, they'll respawn at the farm house.

Part Added by:
MtangaLion (with edits) (extra edit for continuity, Star Hopper left Equus before Paradise Estate existed).
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
Kendell2 OOC: Note, I thought the last part would be a good Wham Episode to spice things up a bit and add another aspect to this. Feel free to change it if you don't want it there, but I think it'd make things fun.
MtangaLion
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Kendell2 (with one addition by me)
MtangaLion
Ardashir
zaku789
MtangaLion
Kendell2
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn (edited)
Kendell2
MtangaLion
Kendell2

Cover is a commission By Kendell2

Diamond Tiara's?! Journal of the unexplained 9

Kendell2

"Ugh..." Diamond Tiara muttered, getting up. They were now on the edge of town. "Why is Sweetie Belle an Alicorn?!"

"She's not," Discord replied.

"But she looks like one!"

"Yes, she LOOKS like one."

"..." Diamond Tiara's eyes widened. "She's...She's one of the Nightmares?!"

"Bingo," Discord replied, the sound of a game show prize buzzer ringing.

"But if she's..."

"Yeah, seems so."

Diamond slowly trotted over to a nearby tree and beat her head against it, then trotted over. "Why is it they're only the bad guy now that I'm the GOOD GUY?!"

"I'm guessing Irony, which I admit is a lot less funny when you're on the wrong end of it," Discord replied, shrugging.

"Being good is a drag, ain't it?" a voice asked.

"Huh?" Diamond asked, looking around.

"Uh oh..." Discord said, looking surprised.

"Down hear! In the conveniently placed puddle!"

Diamond Tiara looked down, seeing a conveniently placed puddle and finding Ispita's unicorn self staring back at her. "Who are you?!"

"Oh, just my wife in an alternate universe," Discord replied, facepawing. "Name's Ispita, or was it Lady Babylon? She's just as evil as I used to be."

"Oh I wouldn't say evil, I'm just...morally challenged," replied the Fallen Draconequus nonchalantly.

"I thought you were a good guy in our universe after you got hit by that reality restructuring wave," Discord replied, annoyed.

Ispita's face became one of fury. "I'm the original, not that lousy knockoff! Why do you think I'm DOING this?! I can't stand there's a version of me out there that's BLECH! A good influence!"

Diamond Tiara blinked. "Petty much?"

"Oh like you BOTH weren't."

"...Guilty as charged...so what? You're helping the Crusaders take over for SPITE?"

"No, I'm helping the Crusaders take over because of WRATH, toots," Ispita replied, emerging from the puddle and causing Diamond to backpeddle with a cry.

Discord formed a red sphere of energy in his paws and threw it at Ispita, who smirked, eyes turning orange with purple irises that looked very much like his.

Her horn glowed and a cursed seal formed in front of her, sending the sphere sailing into the sky where it would explode in space.

"What?! I'm stronger than you are!" Discord retorted.

"Come now, Dissy, did you really think I'd appear directly in front of you if I wasn't prepared for you?" Ispita asked, giving a chuckle, pointing to the pendant that meant Discord's powers couldn't effect her directly. "Besides, four Nightmares walking around. Everypony giving into the desire to spend their day wallowing in childish impulses! You know what that means!"

Discord blinked. "Oh...right...You're the Spirit of Temptation."

"Exactly! You can't hurt me with your power, and with this power up, I'm strong enough to deal with Destruction's!" Ispita replied, smirking, the shadow of her true form rising up behind her, cackling. "And I've got four clients who are too insane to know better than to hand me what I ask for! Wonderful, ain't it?"

Ispita then blinked as she was blasted by a beam of solar energy.

Discord and Diamond looked up to see 'Sunny Days' trot up.

"Oh...hi Celly! I can explain!" Discord exclaimed.

"Wait, Celestia?" Diamond asked. "You're Sunny Days?! I'm so confused."

Celestia glared with a sigh. "That WAS a secret I was trying to maintain given I'm currently on the other side of the universe, which is a long way to go even for a Mortal World bound deity...Considering you tried to blast Ispita instead of join her, I'm assuming something's changed."

"I swear on The Anti-Mother of All Things I'm no longer evil!" Discord replied. "And that I had absolutely nothing to do with this."

"He's right, P-Princess Celestia..."

Celestia looked down at Diamond Tiara, who was staring up at her.

"I freed Discord, and he could have hurt me but didn't...he's been free for weeks and hadn't done a thing..."

Celestia blinked...Discord jaw dropped. "...We talk about this later, Discord."

"I'm good with later."

Suddenly, two giant hooves emerged from the fire and smoke where Ispita had been standing and grabbed the three, Ispita emerging gigantic with Witch Weed Potion on her lips. "Good? Blech! Gag me! You two know you can't be good, being good is so much work and neither of you has the stomach for it.

Ispita turned to purple smoke and flew the trio further away, into Everfree and throwing them aside before returning to her sealed form. "Come on, Diamond, Dissy. Do you really want to be goodie goods when you can have a piece of the pie?" she asked, chuckling. "Come on, think of the beautiful chaos we could cause joining forces with four little impressionable Nightmares? And Diamond...You could be a QUEEN. Think on that."

"Don't listen to her!" Celestia replied, firing a solar beam at Ispita, who countered with Witch Weed induced bolts of lightning from her eyes.

"It'd be so easy, wouldn't it?" Ispita asked. "Your choice: the long hard way of a hero, or the easy way of a conqueror..."

Diamond blinked as Ispita spun around, the trio now in a black void and Ispita holding an electric guitar she was somehow holding with her hooves. "She's going to sing?"

"To be fair the only reason I didn't is my voice actor has admitted he's not good at it," Discord admitted.

[=All Dogs Go To Heaven the Series - Take The Easy Way Out=]

"Take the easy, easy way, easy way.
Take the easy, easy way out.
Take the easy, easy way, easy way.
Why not take the easy way out?" Ispita sung, her horn glowed and she teleported behind Diamond Tiara.

"Hey, Little D., I can plainly see,
Being good rubs your fur the wrong way.
Don't miss out on the cream of the crop,
Don't you miss just having it your way?" Ispita sung, Diamond finding herself on a throne with a golden scepter in her hoof and a crown on her head.

"Isn't that the kind of life you've been pining for?
Don't be a pony scout!
Take the easy, easy way, easy way.
Why not take the easy way out?"

"All hail Queen Diamond Tiara!" called a crowd of ponies that seemed to appear out of nowhere. Diamond looked rather tempted.

Ispita teleported behind Discord and they found themselves in his chaotic world.

"Be the good seed? Its a pain indeed.
It's a rule that infrequently fails.
So just say "nope" to the hopeless dope
Who says to silence chaos' bells!" the fallen Draconequus sung, Discord looking around the random chaos he so enjoyed, being handed a fourth dimensional ice cream cone.

"You poor souls, it's your lucky day.
I'll remind you what it's about,
How to take the easy, easy way, easy way.
Take the easy, easy way out.
Take the easy, easy way, easy way.
Why not take the easy way O-U--" Ispita sang, a hoof on both their shoulders as adoring ponies and chaos tempted them.

"STOP!"

The three turned to see Sunny Days, who fired a light beam at Ispita, blindsiding her and knocking her away with little damage.

"Did those things bring you happiness,
Or was that self deception?
Was it worth losing a friend?" Celestia/Sunny Days sung.

Discord's mind traveled back to Paradise Estate, Diamond remembered Silver.

"Friends? How's about world domination!" Ispita interfered, slamming into 'Sunny Day' flank first and launching her aside, then using a beam to turn her into a red and white wolf pup.

"Remember the old sense of humor, Dissy?" Ispita asked, a bit seductively.

"It's not just about how you two feel
You make some happy being good souls," Sunny Days sung, getting back to her ho-paws. Discord felt his blood run cold realize the look on her face was directed at HIM.

"Those you love's joy should be worth the price
Of having a heart instead of a black hole."

Discord and Diamond looked to each other. Discord SWORE he saw Shady manifest and put a hoof on his shoulder. Diamond remembered a picnic with her parents and Silver Spoon.

"Yeah right!"

Sunny Days, in her current state, had to run when Ispita snarled and chased after her in the form of a demonic purple whippet wearing a black leather jacket.

"Come to the big pay day that awaits you.
Soon you are certain to shout. Take the easy, easy way, easy way. Why not take the easy way out?" Ispita sung, teleporting back as her normal self and putting the two once more as ruler over a kingdom of chaos and princess with servants catering to her every whim.

"This dance is one you know how to prance, Stick to what you know, don't take a big chance," Ispita sung, an image of the two as heroic knights running off into battle playing...then the two being burned to ashes by a dragon and their graves being set up. "Get my drift?"

"Remember Paradise Estate, Dissy?" Celestia asked, sorrow clear in her voice.

"Past is in the past," Ispita replied. "Look towards the future you two!" she tempted the duo, showing said future of them ruling Equestria with the Nightmare CMC+1...now with Silver Spoon at Diamond's side.

"Isn't that the kind of life you've been pining for? It's yours without a doubt! If you take the easy, easy way, easy way. Take the easy, easy way out. Take the easy, easy way, easy way. Why not take the easy way? Take the easy, easy way, easy way. Why not take the easy way O-U-T, OUT!﻿"

Ispita's number finished with them back in Everfree Forest. "So, what do you say, Dissy? Diamond? Do we have deal?" she asked, holding out her hoof, which was presently on fire. "Don't worry, the fire is just for theatrical reasons. It's not hot. Well, no hotter than I am! Haha!"

Discord and Diamond looked to one another. "...I ruled the world for a thousand years...it was fun...I guess..."

"And I was a bully for about a year or two...it was kinda fun."

Sunny Days tried to interject...but found she could now only howl and whimper, Ispita giving a devilish smirk.

"...But..."

"But?" Ispita asked.

Discord chuckled. "Me turning BACK to being bad? As if! That'd be PREDICTABLE!"

Diamond gave one of her own. "And daddy's taught me business! I'm never supposed to take a deal without a competent lawyer looking at the contract!"

"So no deal!" both said.

Ispita snarled in rage. "You two-OW!"

Celestia tackled her and bit and clawed her before being knocked off, Discord reverting her to normal. "Discord! You...you chose right this time..."

Discord gave a chuckle. "If I made the same choice EVERY time, then I wouldn't be chaos, would I?"

Ispita growled. "Fine! No more Mrs. Nice Demon! I tried offering you the easy way out, but if you won't take it..."

[=Okami- Battle of the Spider Queen=]

Ispita's body turned into purple smoke. Discord noticed her essence depart and realized she'd left an Avatar.

The smoke formed into eight huge legs, each slamming down one at a time, each looking like backwards hooves with long kimono sleeves on them. A hideous massive spider with what looked like a closed flower forming it's abdomen rose up.

A eyeless face with spider-like mandibles around the muzzle looked up, an unkept stringy mane dangling down around her head. "We'll just do this the HARD WAY! It's a simple solution really, MURDER!"

Discord tried to snap his fingers and dispose of the avatar in and instant, but of course that wouldn't work. "...And she took us to Everfree...OF COURSE she'd take us to the one place my powers won't effect the environment!...And I just realized, she can actually kill me because she's technically part of my family by marriage!"

"What is she?!" Diamond Tiara asked, looking at the horrifying beast in horror.

Discord took out a manual and flopped through it. "According to this, this Avatar is called the Jorogumo Queen, which is a type of monster from Neighponese mythology with similarities to a Succubus...also called the Prostitute Spider...wow...that's VERY fitting for her when you think about it..."  "What's a prostitute?" Diamond asked, cocking her head.

"Never ask that question again, you're better off not knowing," Sunny Day replied as the massive spider-like abomination roared at them in preparation for a fight.

Alex Warlorn

Discord said, "Don't worry! I'm sure even if we get stuck, the Elements' pets will band together and save every pony!"

-

'The entire world, the land, the stars, the sun, all cutie marks, the universe in all it's complexity and simplicity, is AWESOME!' Thought Gummy and he and the other pets of the Elements of Harmony dutifully swayed their heads left and right to Nightmare Cantata's singing. As completely enthralled as the ponies, dragon, and zebra and donkeys and mule.

-

Discord tossed away the little looking-mirror he'd been using. "Never mind."

"Why did you think they'd be immune?" Diamond Tiara asked. "I mean, if it was shown they weren't as bright as ponies, and Sweetie Belle's singing only effected intelligent beings... but given how her singing has no taste barrier (or is Octavia not effected?) or apparently has no species barrier given Spike was affected... and I HAVE seen how smart they can be...it would be REALLY contrived and forced if they weren't affected. And what are you doing with that lampshade?"

"Nothing."

"DIE!"

"Oh right! Her!"

MtangaLion

Sunny Days sprang in front of them and projected a golden dome. The monstrous spider's hooves smashed against it, testing the barrier. "Get to cover, little one. This isn't safe for you."

Diamond Tiara drew a deep breath... courage was still a strange thing to her. "No, I want to fight! Uncle, may I?"

Discord was digging through invisible pockets for anything that might help, and the accumulated junk made a pile bigger than he was.. "Oh, by all means. No need for subtlety, dear. Show us what you're made of!"

Diamond chuckled nervously. "Here goes. This still creeps me out a bit..." The earth pony filly closed her eyes tight, then snapped open bright yellow eyes with red pupils. Changes rippled down her body, turning her into something like a hybrid of a pony and an earth dragon. Her hooves reshaped themselves into clawed paws, fangs grew in her equine muzzle, and a longer tail sprouted with spines and a sharp fin.

Sunny's shield nearly faltered, she was so surprised. "You made her a yokai?"

Discord shrugged. "*Provisional* junior grade. She's still alive, after all."

Diamond Tiara pawed at the ground and charged through the shield, headbutting a giant leg with amplified earth pony strength. The spider swayed, but immediately regained its balance and stabbed at her with one leg after another.

Diamond grinned wildly. "Twitchy tail means... attack from the left!" She rolled right, dodging a strike. "Ear flip, roll forward!" The spider missed again, roaring.

"That's no light commitment to make," said Sunny. "You're *responsible* for her well being, potentially for the rest of her life and beyond. That's..."

"So unlike me?" asked Discord. A miniature thunderstorm formed above his head and poured rain down, while he looked all soaked and dejected beneath it. "I wronged her terribly, with plans to do far worse, and once I was reformed I felt, well... awful about it. So sue me." He banged a gavel on thin air, then tossed it away over his shoulder.

"Right! Duck! Jump!" called Diamond Tiara. Both ears twitched as she somersaulted. "You're open!!" She bucked the spider-thing in the jaw, and it staggered, flailing. One leg flew directly at her. Diamond shrieked in fright, bracing herself...

Only for Discord to teleport over, tossing her to safety and taking the hit himself. The draconequus grew twenty feet tall, snorting, and "put up his dukes." "What say you, chap? Shall we have a go at it, then? Duke Wellinghoof rules?" He pulled out an ACME extendable boxing glove and pointed it at the spider beast, pointblank. "Or not!" He pulled the trigger, knocking the beast flying through the air.

Kendell2

Ispita's avatar snarled, getting back up, webs forming around her maul before she fired, managing to surprise Discord and wrap him up.

She then charged purple energy into her claws, jumped and knocked her attackers away with a shockwave.

"Darn it! So this is what it's like to actually be VULNERABLE!" Discord muttered, holding his head.

"Benefit of having a pendant that neutralizes your powers," the spider beast mocked, then summoned a shadowy form of what looked like Ispita's true form, which seemed to collect energy into an orb.

"She must have a weak point," Sunny Days replied.

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS TO THE RESCUE!"

"What?!" Diamond Tiara asked, expecting Nightmares to come to Ispita's aid...only for a teenaged, orange and purple dragon to come flying out of the forest and body slam Ispita full force, sending her flying into a tree.

"What?!" the spider beast echoed, getting back to her feet.

A white and purple Siren swam out of the forest and sang one long note, sending visible mana infused soundwaves to buffet the spider beast and drive her back.

A yellow buffalo charged out of the woods and slammed into her, head first. Before she could counter, the buffalo turned into a yellow Earth Dragoness and lifted her, throwing her across the clearing.

The dragon then turned back into Applebloom. "Are yah...okay..."

The Yokai, redeemed Draconequus, and avatar of the sun goddess blinked, staring at the shapeshifting Earth Pony, teenaged dragon, and Siren, who blinked back.

"Sweetie?! Why aren't you a Nightmare?!" Diamond Tiara asked in confusion.

"What?! When did I...oh...oh...We respawned didn't we?" Sweetie Belle asked.

Celestia's eyes went wide. "Oh no...if you're here, that means this is worse than I thought! The spell isn't broken, it was twisted!"

"What spell?!" Diamond asked. "I'm so confused!"

"Hey, where's Button?" Sweetie Belle asked, looking around.

"DIE ALL OF YOU!" the spider beast roared, rising back up and forming the energy ball...

"Hey I remember this boss!" yelled a glow in the dark version of Button Mash, swinging from a vine and wrapping it around one of the hooks on the flower making up the spider's rear.

"Oh, there he is...he was a sea pony because he wanted to be with me but he couldn't go anywhere like that so I told him he should pick something else and he thought glowing in the dark would be fun," Sweetie Belle explained.

"Tie vines to the hooks to expose her weak point!" Button Mash yelled, swinging to dodge a swipe from one of the eight arms of the beast.

"What...how...when...ugh..." Diamond Tiara muttered, fainting again.

"I have no idea what's going on...and I LOVE IT!" Discord exclaimed.

MtangaLion

"What... what just happened?" said Shining Armor groggily.

Cadence shook her head, trying to get her memories back in order.

She'd sensed an ancient and powerful changeling beacon, and teleported herself, Shining, and Hercules Beetle straight to the source to investigate.

They'd found the Cutie Mark Crusaders getting into trouble (what else?) with powers they could barely control or understand. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo had decided that they liked being a siren and a dragon better than they liked being ponies, and their magic had been growing unchecked. Apple Bloom had been on the cusp of turning herself into a filly Alicorn. Thank goodness Button Mash had decided to be the voice of reason.

She'd been in the middle of counseling Apple Bloom, when the sun had risen... and... that couldn't be right, could it? Kifuko and Midnight teleporting to them out of nowhere and casting a enormous magic-surge fueled spell?

But the fillies were here, adorably playing patty-cake, and the entire statue garden had moved and seemed to be hovering in the air, surrounded by some kind of barrier spell. Shining, Hercules, and Cicada were watching the fillies play, mesmerized by their sheer cuteness, but somepony else *wasn't* here.

"What happened to the Crusaders?" said Cadence, staggering to her hooves. "Where did they go?"

Hercules waved a hoof distractedly. "They left to go fight the Belladonna with Discord and those other ponies, my Queen. So cute..."

"A feast of pure, innocent joy!" buzzed Cicada.

"I could watch this all day," murmured Shining.

Cadence blocked Shining's line of sight and gave him a quick kiss. "*You* should have built up a tolerance by now, Shiny. I'm going to find out what's going on here!" But when she tried to fly through the barrier, it pushed her back, sending her tumbling through the air before she righted herself.

"Believe me," rumbled Snow Bound, "it is better if you stay inside." The huge white wolf had appeared next to Shining between one blink and the next.

Shining nearly jumped out of his hide. "Gah, why!? I mean, why can't she get through, not why are you here scaring me half to death again? Actually, the second one too..."

Blanky yapped at Kifuko, who giggled and threw her little hooves wide. "Doggy!" Midnight started tying a purple ribbon on Blanky's tail.

Snow Bound stared, then shook his head. "It will take some time to explain fully, but time is badly twisted, and Ponyville has been taken over by Nightmares. You cannot go out, because gods cannot enter the world in two places at once."

"I'll go, then!" declared Shining Armor. He trotted to the barrier and bonked his muzzle on it, yelping.

Curious, Hercules trotted over to the barrier and stuck a hoof through, waving it around with no trouble at all.

"Does somebody want to explain this?" yelled Shining, holding his nose.

Snow Bound growled thoughtfully. "No. I would get in trouble with your sister."

"Now you listen here," shouted Shining. He stopped. "Ugh... how can I rant at you properly with you looming over me like that?" He marched over to the closest statue and slapped it with a hoof.

Hercules Beetle blinked. "Is that wise?" He blinked again. "Interesting..."

As an adult male griffon, Shining Armor was plenty big enough to stand toe to talons with the Blank Wolf and stare him right in the eyes. He grinned and spread his wings to look even more intimidating. "Now listen here, you..."

Cadence flew over, ooohing. "Oh, Shiiiny... As long as we're stuck here, why don't you touch the rest of the statues?" She grinned naughtily, nuzzling fur and feathers. "We could use this."

Shining blushed, scratching his crest with a claw. "You know I can't say no to that face, Cady."

Alex Warlorn

In Cloudsdale meanwhile, there were a lot more unicorns and earth ponies... thanks to a set of mechanical wings that could be harmlessly added or removed with no pain or mess, and responded to the user's own nervous system. It came with the same enchantment that enabled users of the gossamer wing spell to fly with experience.

This was naturally a boom to Cloudsdale's economy... there were some pegasi who felt the blurring of the lines of the tribes would leave to pegasi losing their nitch in the weather system... but after listening to Nightmare Cantata's singing, they decided instead that everything was awesome, and it was better to all live in harmony.

Also, the Wolderbolt tickets had overwhelmingly sold out. The wonderbolts found themselves almost being worshipped by their fans. And Rainbow Dash meanwhile was given full Wonderbolt status, why should she have to go through the academy, and go through the written and physical test like everypony else? She was RAINBOW DASH, and that was reason enough.

Everypony in Cloudsdale was grinning. The ratio of foals to adults seemed to be rising... but nopony noticed with the new machine made out of electricity and clouds taking care of their mundane needs. And the electricity through Cloudsdale was used to create a GIANT MMO style game system, that could be accessed practical anywhere. Allow foals to engage in games of laser-tag without restrictions within the city, and fight virtual monsters right in the middle of town... nopony could get hurt of course, it was just a game after all.

Alex Warlorn

"Okay...are the Apple Bloom and the others I saw fakes... or are these clones and some pony got their species wrong?" Diamond Tiara asked herself staring at the CMC... Scootaloo swiftly wrapped up Diamond's tail with her own and pulled her back from Temptation's venomous bite.

"Explain later! Hide Diamond!" The dragon said.

"NO!" Diamond Tiara hissed.

"Hey..." Sweetie Belle said...."Diamond Tiara... you look different somehow." The siren said rather ironically.

MtangaLion

Oh, no! thought Diamond Tiara. Meeting other ponies again was going to be awkward enough as it was... especially those four ponies... and she hadn't thought to change back or use the disguising spell. They could see what she was! "I... I can explain!" stammered Diamond the dragon-pony chaos beast, rather like a rich snobby pony caught enjoying common apple fritters.

"Diamond, watch out!" shouted Button.

Diamond sensed the clawed hoof stabbing down towards her an instant later. No time to think... she simply reacted, instantly and improbably swapping places with a nearby boulder in a poof of smoke. "Well, that tears it," she said, sighing. Diamond waited for them to mock her hybrid form... which she was actually starting to like, darn it...

"Neato," said Scootaloo. "Did she find..." She paused to dodge another swipe, then flew over and strafed Temptation's avatar, trying to blind it with a blast of flame. "The statue garden too?"

"Ah don't know!" howled Apple Bloom, currently a wolf for extra dodging speed. "Ah never tried turning into things *in between* the things in the statues. Anypony got a lasso?"

Button grinned. "What adventuring party inventory don't have a rope and a ten-hoof pole?" He pulled the rope out of some pocket nowhere.

Diamond gawked, jealous of how easily the Crusaders fought as a unit, even chatting in the middle of the fight without missing a step. "I thought this was supposed to be *my* adventure!" she whined. "I was going to save everypony. I'm the one with the special talent for telling other ponies what to do!"

Incredibly, the four Crusaders stopped what they were doing long enough to gather in front of her, leaving Temptation's avatar hogtied and struggling. Glow in the dark colt with a floating computer game console. Dragoness. Siren. And... Apple Bloom, so many different spirits and forms, all in the one earth pony filly looking at her now. "So what do *you* think we should do?"

"You... you guys..." Diamond found herself wanting laugh and cry all at once, wanted to slap the Crusaders and hug them both... as the snotty, whiny attitude drained right out of her. She knew the Sweetie Belle was doing that, but that was fine... she *wanted* it gone, she wanted to be better than... the pony she used to be.

"Let Button Mash call the battle, just like you've been doing," said Diamond Tiara a bit sheepishly. "He's the best at that."

Button Mash's floating screen lit up with "Diamond Tiara has joined the party." The colt's eyes promptly bugged out. "Holy... your stats... You're a WHAT?!" He shook his head. "Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, tie that monster up tighter and expose that weak point!"

"Gotcha!" said Apple Bloom, smoothly flying towards the Belladonna as a pegasus, then turning into an earth dragon for extra strength. "Hold that tight, right there!"

"On it!" roared Scootaloo.

Button Mash pointed a hoof. "Diamond, start charging a Chaos Bomb."

Diamond blinked. "But, that won't work! Direct chaos attacks are being suppressed."

Button chuckled. "It'll work... when you do a Combo Attack with dark magic. Sweetie?"

Sweetie Belle had a suspicious look. "Chaos? Why do you have..." The siren shook herself. "We'll talk about that later. Let's try it!"

Diamond gulped, looking at Sweetie... and felt that odd resonance again... not hurting her like being close to the Nightmare Sweetie, but... supporting her? Willing to give her a chance?

"O... okay!" Diamond lifted her foreclaws and opened her fanged mouth wide, as if she was going to breath fire herself. A gold and red and plaid sphere of light formed, growing larger as she poured her magic into it. Sweetie Belle starting singing and chanting strange words, and inky darkness swirled in, merging with the sphere.

"Wait for it..." said Button. "Now, fire!"

Diamond spat the burning sphere at the Belladonna, and it smacked into the exposed weak point, dead on! "No!!" roared Temptation's voice, as jets of light started to pour out of the crumbling avatar. "I won't be mocked by a bunch of foals! I won't! This isn't..."

As one, the Crusaders and Diamond Tiara turned away and struck cool poses, not watching the titanic explosion.

Alex Warlorn

'So Sweetie Belle, and the others are all likely Nightmares... and the Elements of Harmony are all totally into the utopia they're selling... ' Diamond Tiara thought.

"HELLO. I AM A DE-STRESSER ROBOT. WOULD YOU LIKE A MASSAGE? I AM DETECTING STRESS AND ZEROED IN ON YOUR LOCATION." Said a floating mechanical pony without a lower body. "I ALSO HAVE SMOOTH JAZZ MUSIC TO PLAY, CAN PROVIDE SOME HERBAL TEA, OR BURN SOME INCENSE FOR YOU. I ALSO COME WITH TETRIS."

"Uh... are we sure this new society they're building is a bad thing?" One of the foals said.

MtangaLion

There was a shimmering in the air near the Crusaders. Expanding cylinders of light formed, reaching clear to the clouds, and when they vanished, Button Mash's Nightmare stood right in front of them. "I wonder what you're supposed to be." Another floating game console appeared beside him. "Time travel? Alternate universe? Just a glitch in the game? Not that it really matters, but it's still a pretty cool plot twist."

The little Nightmare had a shiny bronze coat, with a colt-sized horn and wings, and red slit-pupiled eyes. He wore cool but impractical "techno-fantasy" barding, with a bigger and fancier propeller beanie than the one Button Mash had lost. His color-shifting mane blew in its own dramatic breeze. "Hi! I'm Nightmare Pixel."

A startled Scootaloo-dragon lifted a foreclaw to swat at him.

"No!" yelped their Button Mash. "No, don't... He's level 99." Scootaloo froze.

Nightmare Pixel chuckled. "Thanks! I'm pretty proud of that, you know... I was only level 10 when the plot forced me to change classes. I bet I could face-tank all of you and knock you out with auto-attacks. Well, not Discord... yet! But why would I attack you? I want to help you! I'm going to tell everyone how they can get stronger, just like I did."

Sweetie Belle found herself shaking and floating lower, leaning against her own Button Mash for support. "W- Why?"

"Because, that's the best part of having unlimited game playing time," said Nightmare Pixel matter-of-factly. "If there's a perk or a powerup, I want it. If there's a beneficial stat, it must go higher!" He waggled a hoof at them. "Why are you so *weak*? That's what you should be asking yourself, Sweetie. Ponies who cruise along through the story mode when they could be level-grinding have no right to be jealous."

"Every hour you're not immersed in the game," Pixel continued, "you're just going to fall farther behind. You should have seen how Twilight Sparkle's eyes lit up when I gave her my book." He reached into his own inventory and dropped four strategy guides at their hooves"

Nightmare Pixel's Ultimate Powerleveling Guide! - the front cover read. - Take everything that's not nailed down! Find all the secret loot and bonus bosses! Learn to glitch like a pro! -

"And when I told her that Gilda was already level 20 and Trixie was 25... Good luck getting her out of *that* study-frenzy."

Apple Bloom turned into her earth-pony self, looking Nightmare Pixel right in the eyes. "You said the game forced ya to change your 'class.' Is this *really* what ya want?"

Pixel grinned. "Of course it is! Well, that and breaking my own level cap. Ninety-nine is just so small... don't you think?"

Button Mash sighed, shaking his head, pain in his eyes... or was it pity? "Pixel... did you forget? There's more to games than just stats and fighting!"

Pixel froze, twitching like an out-of-sync monitor, but whatever he would have said was interrupted by a great commotion from the direction of Sweet Apple Acres. Hundreds... no, thousands of flying robots were swarming into the air, transforming and combining into a vast floating metal sphere. "Hold that thought, okay? Instrumentum is probably wanting to disassemble Equus to build her Applecron, and I have to go tell her no. Again." The Nightmare colt teleported away.

Diamond Tiara groaned. "Oh, maybe their new society isn't so bad! Yeah, right!!"

Button Mash shook himself out of his daze, seeming to remember something. "So, about you being a yokai..."

Diamond gulped.

Ardashir

"MUST! STUDY! HARDER!" Twilight's eyes were glazed over as she pored through Button, er, Nightmare Pixel's book. Other books lay beside her, teleported in from the secret archives beneath Canterlot Castle. Dread tomes of neigh-cromancy and black magic.

"Uh, Twilight?" Spike called over from the door, which was as close as he dared to get to Twilight right now. "Are you sure you should be teleporting triple-restricted grimoires from the royal library like that?"

He flinched back as Twilight gave him a crazed smile.

"But SPIKE! I'm only level 18!"

"Umm," Spike scratched his chin. "Is this another 'Oubliettes and Ogres' thing?"

He cringed back as Twilight's gaze somehow grew even more intense.

"NO! But I will NOT be weaker than, than Gilda, for pity''s sake!" She turned back and opened the latest book, one with a title in some pre-equine language. Spike recoiled as something with tentacles and gibbering many-fanged mouths began oozing its way out.

Twilight snorted and magically snatched up a baseball bat emblazoned with a six-pointed star.

"Oh no you don't, Mister!" She began beating the whimpering monster with the bat. "Back back back! Down down down! RIGHT NOW!" It slithered out of sight back into the book. Twilight began reading the spells. "'How to Summon Forth the Primal Fire at the Heart of the Cosmos' -- this spell sounds good!" She cackled and kept reading.

Spike just headed down into the basement to triple-check the steel-walled shelter he'd had installed after the last magic-induced catastrophe. Something told him that he'd need it.

Kendell2 (WITH SOME MAJOR EDITS BY ME.)

"So...that's why..." Diamond finished, looking down. "I...I freed Discord just to get my mom back...he's good now, but...that doesn't change..."

Applebloom, to her surprise, hugged her. "It's alright...Ah mean it was bad...but Ah miss mah folks and Ah barely even got tah know em..."

"And I miss my parents when they're away...which can be a lot..." Sweetie said, hugging her...fish scales felt weird, but not as bad as one would expect.

Scootaloo didn't say anything, she just joined in.

"And I don't know what I'd do if something happened to mom..." Button added.

"..." Diamond didn't respond. "...S-So...all...all I needed to do this whole time...was just tell you and you'd have UNDERSTOOD me?"

"Pretty much..." Applebloom replied.

"...Uncle..."

"Don't worry, I'll do it for you," said Discord, trotting over to a tree and slamming his head into it with a cartoony sound effect.

"...Thanks...I guess...wait..." said Diamond, giving a gasp. "Wait! Mothers! Button, you're afraid of your mom, right?!"

Button blinked. "Uh...well...not afraid of her..."

"You don't like it when she's mad with you, right?"

"No way!"

"He normally cries," Sweetie admitted.

"Then I've got an idea to deal with Pixel!...Ugh...but if only we had a way to...level up somepony..." said Diamond, getting annoyed. "Higher than a Nightmare..."

Sunny Days then gave a look of understanding. "I think I know just the thing, to the Fourth Wall Studio, quickly!"

"Huh? Who are you?" Apple Bloom asked.

"I've been here the whole time!"

"You didn't say anything or do anything." Siren Sweetie said.

"I was standing back!"

"Are you one of those things Blanky eats?"

"NO! I'M NOT!"

"Whose Blanky?" Diamond asked.

"Never mind... "

"HEEEYYYYY! You're that trashy tabloid reporter!" Sweetie Siren then said recognizing her picture from a Canterlot news paper Rarity had brought home.

"Oh yes, she is a tabloid reporter, completely and utterly." Discord said with a completely straight face.

The group looked through the studio, having last seen use during the party.

"What are we lookin' for?" asked Applebloom, Button using the fact he now glowed in the dark to light the place up without needing to turn it on and possibly draw attention. She then blinked. "Uh, Button Mash, why are sparkles comin' off yah?"

Button blinked, looking at himself. "...I dunno..." he said, unaware it was actually star dust and his form was templated from Star Hopper. Or that meant he was an Earth Pony/Alien hybrid at the moment. Sunny Days knew all of this, but felt sharing it wasn't the best idea at the moment.

"Something left here from the Tartarus invasion...AH!" Sunny Days exclaimed, producing an old spell book. "Zecora gave this to Draggle, and there's just the spell we need in it!"

"Good, now let's get Button's mom," said Diamond Tiara with a smirk...then blinked. "That sounded much less weird in my head."

Maternity was in the same situation as most of Equestria: caught up so much in video games she didn't even notice her son come into the room...or that two of her son's friends were a dragon and a siren.

"Mom!" Button called.

"Yes Button?" she sung...not even looking at him.

"Mom! We need your help to save the world from an evil version of me!" Button explained.

"That's nice, dear. We can play multiplayer."

"...But...but it's not a video game."

"Uh huh...ah! Level 30!"

Button whimpered. "Mom...always listens to me..."

Diamond blinked, noticing the colt sniffle...then start crying rather loudly. She bit her tongue before she could call him a cry baby. "And THIS is why Mr. Pixel's plan is going to wreck Equestria..."

Discord, miniturized and hiding in her mane, poked out. "You know, I'm almost jealous I didn't think of this when I was evil, it's quite clever...Man, I WAS evil..."

However...Maternity blinked, turning to see her son crying. "Button?"

Maternity turned the game off with some difficulty, blinking like she'd been freed from a spell. She trotted over to him. "Button, sweetie, what's wrong?"

"There's...there's a nasty evil version of me who's a Nightmare like Princess Luna was and...and he's making everypony like...like I was before Sweetie Belle was my friend! But worse!"

Sweetie Belle gasped in shock.

Maternity would normally think her son was just being imaginative or stuck too much in his games again...but of course, she'd just ignored her son without even looking at him.

She picked him up in her forelegs and hugged him. "It's okay, Button, I'll help you stop that nasty version of you..."

"You...you will?" Button sniffled.

"Of course, sweetie...Button, why are you glowing?"

She then looked up to see the Siren and Dragon and had the natural reaction.

*One incredibly awkward and panicked explanation later*

"...Mom, you'll still love me if I'm stuck glowing forever, won't you?" Button asked with puppy eyes.

"...Of course, Button, you're my son...so...what do you need me to do?" the mother asked.

"Simple: do what any parent does to a misbehaving kid," Discord explained. Then grumbled, "Whether they like it or not. I feel like I'm gargling acid using this spell, and I'm pretty sure my insides are turning to stone using it... "

He produced the spell book. "This will only be temporary, Mrs. Maternity, but it's the only way to put you in a position where Nightmare Pixel will be vulnerable to you..."

Discord cleared his throat. "'Potential hidden is potential waiting to be accessed. Allow the Fool to lend potential repressed.'"

A portal formed from her magic, an ethereal Alicorn emerging from it. He was green in color, his barding making him resemble a jester. He then flew into Maternity. 'Hey, potential sister. I'm going to lend you some future potential, okay?'

Maternity gasped, feeling something. '...If it will help me protect my son, do it.'

'Alright, here we go!'

White tendrils wrapped around Maternity, cocooning her. As per Nightmare Pixel's introduced ideas, a level appeared over her head, and skyrocketed until it hit Infinity.

The energy exploded outward, revealing Maternity now an Alicorn, with flowing pink energy for a mane and tail.

"I'm...I'm an Alicorn?" sang the mare.

'You have the POTENTIAL of being one. Cool huh? Make you want to get here someday?'

'...Maybe, but right now, I just want to help.'

"The spell invokes the God of Potential," Sunny Days explained. "And invites him to temporarily unlock potential. It's main purpose is to show ponies who doubt what they can become what they have inside them. Draggle used it during the Tartarus escape to temporarily transform Trixie into her Alicorn self. But in this case, we felt we needed a mother Alicorn to discipline a misbehaving little Nightmare."

As if on cue, Nightmare Pixel materialized in the room. "Hey! What are you doing in my..."

The young Nightmare's eyes suddenly went wide and his irises shrunk to slitted pinpricks.

"M-mom?!"

Maternity marched over and glared down at Pixel in a way only a mother was capable of. "Young colt, we need to have a talk about this world domination scheme of yours this instant!"

MtangaLion

Nightmare Pixel summoned his game window and tried to scan Maternity. The floating window flashed all sorts of error codes before the screen shattered, virtual smoke escaping. "That's... not possible." The colt's knees shook. "How can you be so strong?"

Maternity smiled briefly. "Mothers have a way of being what they need to be, when their sons need them." The stern glare returned in full force. "What in Celestia's name do you think you've been doing, young colt?"

Pixel seemed to shrink in on himself. "It... it wasn't my fault! My friends were doing it, so I did it too! They made me become this!"

Sweetie Belle floated closer to Scootaloo and her always-simmering greed. It was hard, feeling the storm of emotions in Button Mash and then Nightmare Pixel, and not taking any for herself.

Maternity shook her head. "I don't see those friends of yours here now. Why didn't you stop?"

And now Pixel was the one starting to cry. "Because... because... I hated it! Even after I had a few friends, I hated this stupid world! I made a better world. A world with rules that make sense... where kids don't get made fun of for doing what they like!"

Diamond Tiara winced.

"No more having to leave a world that ponies can imagine any way they want, to come back to a dumb, boring 'real' world," bawled Pixel. "I made the world... fair!" A tremor shook the room.

Maternity stepped up and hugged her son tight, enfolding him with her wings.

"M... mom?!"

Maternity's horn began to glow. She cast a spell to shroud them from view, then teleported the entire group... into the Ponyville schoolhouse. "Oh, Button... do you think really the world is better like this?"

Alula had just put her hoof through a game monitor. "Dinky, you idiot! You stood in the fire and wiped the raid again!"

"Yeah, stop being bad!" shouted Rumble, never looking away from his own game screen. None of them did.

"G-Kick, IMHO," said Tootsie. "She'd just roll on my best-in-slot loot anyway."

"No, please!" cried Dinky. "Don't kick me from the group! I'll do better!"

Maternity teleported them again, to a field outside Ponyville. "What about this?"

Gilda the griffon was surrounded by clones of Discord, but she was leaping and swooping with unearthly agility, defeating each one with a single jab of her claws. "Sheesh, this is boring. What dweeb even came up with this crap?" Then a gong sounded as she hit level 34. "Forget all that lame stuff I just said. Oh squawk, the POWER!"

Trixie floated into view, effortlessly levitating in her own magic field. "Grats! Those Discords are getting too weak for you, aren't they? According to the guide, you should move on to Mega-Discords now." She turned her nose up snootily. "Of course, the Most Great and Ultimately Powerful Trixie just switched from Mega-Discords to Ultra-Discords."

The real Discord stuck his head out of Sunny's mane this time, because nopony had expected it. "I think... Why, yes, I'm actually a little offended now!"

Gilda grinned. "You shut it, or I'll find out how many experience points *you're* worth."

Trixie laughed. "You wish to duel Trixie? Trixie could defeat you with a mere one percent of her power!"

Maternity teleported them a third time. "Or THIS?"

The Golden Oaks library was swarming with giant slime-dripping tentacles. They'd completely overrun the basement hideaway, and one of them was lifting Spike in the air, squeezing him tighter. "Twilight... help me! Please, I'm scared!"

Twilight floated in a magical VR rig nearby, oblivious. "Deal with it yourself, Spike. I'm doing something important right now."

Maternity looked Nightmare Pixel right in the eyes. "Is this the world you wanted?"

Pixel sniffled. "N... No."

A black crystal materialized over Pixel's heart, like a triangle divided into four smaller triangles. As they watched, it flipped right-side-up and exploded with golden light. A pixelated cocoon engulfed the Nightmare.

"What... hey!" Powerful magic lifted Button Mash right off his hooves and sucked him into the cocoon too...

Kendell2

The group...waited as Button stood there in a cocoon.

"So...uh...what's happening?" asked Diamond Tiara.

"Well, to put it in gamer lingo," said Discord. "Congratulations! Your Button Mash has evolved into an Alicorn!...On fortunately, we can't really get a good look at that because most of that is happening in his soul..."

"So...we just sit here shooting the breeze until he decides to come out of that cocoon?" Applebloom asked.

"More or less..." Discord admitted. "Look, I'd give you a better look, but he's an ALICORN! This magic isn't my thing!"

"What will happen to OUR button Mash?" Sweetie Belle asked worriedly.

"Don't worry, part of the process is most likely his two incarnations coming to an agreement so they can merge properly," Sunny Days explained.

"...They are..." Maternity replied.

"Huh? How do you know?" Diamond asked.

"I'm his mother," she said simply. "...Button...Your Button...is convincing Nightmare Button that growing up isn't so bad...if they get to be like their father."

Sunny Days trotted over to the cocooned pony. "Little pony...never forget one thing: a wise pony once said: " When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.” There is truth in this, I leave that to you to figure out."

Sunny Days trotted back and said nothing more.

Maternity then chuckled. "Now good little Button is telling Nightmare Button...that he should've made more games that made ponies want to be friends instead of just compete with each other...That's my Button Mash..."

A few moments more and the cocoon exploded, comically enough, a 'Congratulations! Your Button Mash evolved into...Prince Isthmia!

Button...hadn't changed much. He was still a small colt, though he seemed a little bit taller. He had a fittingly sized horn on his head and wings on his back. He still had a material mane and tail, though he ALSO had a slight glow as he did before, except now it seemed a bit more pixel-like. He had the older Button's beanie instead of the Nightmare's more fancy one.

The little Alicorn blinked. "...Why isn't my mane all energy?"

"You're still young, little one," said Sunny Days, with a smile.

"Oh...I'm okay with that," Button replied. "I'm fine growing up now, but I'm not in a rush to get through being a foal."

Maternity nuzzled him. "That's a good boy..."

"...I can still make video games, right?" Button asked.

"Kid, I think you're the GOD of Gaming," Discord remarked. "Like, LITERALLY. Po-Ni-Oh has nothin' on you."

"Coool..." the tiny Alicorn said.

"...think this is how that future we saw where everypony ascends to being Alicorns starts?" Sweetie Belle asked curiously.

"I wouldn't doubt it..." Scootaloo remarked.

"Wait, what?!" Diamond asked.

"We went to the future and everypony was an Alicorn," said Sweetie Belle. "Well, ALMOST everypony."

"...Was I an Alicorn?" Diamond asked.

"Silver Spoon was, so probably," said Sweetie Belle. "You know she'd never become immortal if you couldn't."

Diamond Tiara gave a small smile. "That...sounds like her."

Then Button gasped. "Wait!"

He focused and green, pixelated magic formed around his horn. "There! I turned off Nightmare Me's spell that was making video games super addictive and put everything else back to normal I changed!"

"Well that's one down..." Diamond Tiara said. "Three to go..."

MtangaLion

Suddenly, Button Mash gasped. "Oh no, Spike! We just left him hanging! We've got to..."

Spike himself leaned out of the kitchen, wearing a tiny apron. "Who wants pancakes?" He pointed a claw at Button. "Dude. Your mom is awesome! She told a tentacle beast from the beyond to go to bed without supper and think about what it had done."

Diamond Tiara gawked, looking between Spike and Maternity, who winked at her. "But... when did she... she was with us the whole time!"

Button beamed, getting a little teary-eyed. "Of course she's awesome. She's my mom."

Then Sweetie Belle gasped, louder than Button had. "Button... I mean, Prince Isthmia! I mean... oh my goodness!"

Scootaloo pointed a claw, heavy tail swishing in excitement. "You have..."

Button looked around, then left and right, trotting in a little circle. "What? What is it?"

Apple Bloom jumped in place, prancing. "You've got yer *cutie* mark!"

Button looked over his shoulder, twisting to see. His new mark was a white cross outlined in black, with a gray circle in the center and gray triangle-arrows pointing outwards. "Neat! It looks like the direction buttons on my first GameColt." He blinked, then smirked. "Wait... I'm an Alicorn now, and this is what you get all excited about?"

Sweetie chuckled, floating down to nuzzle him. "Hi, maybe we haven't met. We're the Cutie Mark Crusaders."

Apple Bloom shuffled her hooves a bit, looking down. "Ah guess Ah'm the last. Ah thought Ah was so close, so many times on this crazy adventure." She shook herself, forcing a smile. "Don't let me rain on *your* special day, Button. The filly stretched in place, turning into a griffon fledgling. "Cutie marks? Hah, who needs those?"

Button gave her a hug. "You'll get there, maybe sooner than you think."

Scootaloo blinked. "Wait, that's right! When we cure the rest of the Nightmares, are we *all* going to be Alicorns?"

The little Alicorn seemed hesitant. "I wouldn't take anything for granted, but..."

Discord shrugged, exchanging glances with Sunny. "Probably?"

Sunny smiled knowingly, saying nothing.

Sweetie Belle gave Button a serious look. "I think I know what the answer's going to be already, but I have to ask. Since you are an Alicorn... a real one, not just potential or an avatar... Is there any chance you can just..."

"Use your super awesome Alicorn magic and zap everything all better?" finished Scootaloo.

Button sighed. "You know how in games, whenever a villain is defeated and joins the heroes, he winds up a lot weaker? Well..." He shook his head. "You girls know I'd fix everything now if I could, right? This *isn't* just a game. But like mom said, I'm young... and even if I was level infinity and smacked those Nightmares down with my infinity plus one sword, what then?"

Button looked each of them in turn. "Should I obliterate them? Banish them to the moon? Pack them off to Tartarus? Those Nightmares are *you girls* in the future. They're kind of like Blexel and Pesxik... we have to heal their broken hearts, or the time fold will end and you three will disappear and just be another day in *their* pasts..." He was starting to cry a little. "And I don't know if I can fight them all alone..."

Diamond Tiara didn't quite hug Button, but she did turn back into an earth pony so she could give him a reassuring pat on the back without getting turned to stone. "You wouldn't be alone..." She bit back idiot, blank-flank, and stupid, and settled on "... silly." The other fillies were all staring at her. "Hey, I'm trying, okay! This is hard..."

They grinned and dogpiled her with more hugs.

"Wait, who are Blexel and Pesxik?" asked Griffon Bloom.

"Your future, the Nightmares' past," said Button Mash. "Don't ask."

Maternity smiled. "My sweet little colt... I'm glad I got to see you like this, with these eyes." She hesitated. "Button... Isthmia, will you help me earn this for myself, when I'm mortal again and the world is all better?"

Button grinned from ear to ear. "Of course, mom! You can be our first recruit... to the *Alicorn* Crusaders."

"Thank you so much... Oh, and see Twilight before you go, dear! While she was looting the Canterlot vaults, she also took the Elements of Harmony." Maternity seemed to relax then, slowly letting go, becoming just a normal pony again as she fell into a deep sleep... Button levitated her to a couch, then picked up a blanket in his magic, covered her, and tucked her in.

Alex Warlorn

Diamond Tiara shook her head. "Not that I'm complaining, okay, maybe I am, but shouldn't Spike and every pony else be reacting a bit more to Scootaloo being a dragon, Sweetie being a floating fish pony, and whatever Apple Bloom happens to be, and Button Mash being a little Alicorn?!"

Ardashir

Spike shrugged. "I can't speak for anypony else, but personally? Given the kind of stuff I've seen over the past few years, not much fazes me any more."

At that moment -- something, that looked like a cloud of burning light, slipped in through the door by burning a hole through it. The CMC, Button, and Diamond all jumped as it slithered up behind Spike and emitted a sound like scratchy radio static.

"Huh?" Spike turned. "Oh, hi, S'ssss'sss." He belched fire and a small scroll of some sort of metal appeared. It floated into the fiery cloud. "Princess Celestia told me to give you that, it's her study list for you for the next few millennia until you become a star. She also said to ask you to say 'Happy Birthday' to everyone else in your nebula."

The plasma cloud sizzled in what seemed like happiness and shot off into the sky. Spike just looked at the stunned pony, alicorn, dragonness, sea pony, and Apple Bloom.

"See what I mean?" Spike shrugged. "Sapient adolescent star visits to get their lesson plan from Celestia, no biggie."

"Ooo-kay," Diamond Tiara said. "Let's move right along, shall we?"

Alex Warlorn

Discord popped out of Diamond Tiara's hair. "That so?"

"AAAAAHHH! DISCORD!" Spike pointed, screamed, then fainted.

Discord cheered, "Yes! Still break weirdness meter!"

Alex Warlorn

"So.." Diamond Tiara said. "We simply find the corrupted you one by one, we get them see what they're doing is wrong, you fuse with them, and you all become gods . . . Or Sweetie Belle's nightmare self finds out... I don't think she's going to be too happy about us fixing Button Mash first."

"If she even notices." Apple Bloom said.

"You've never been in love have you?" Sweetie said.

MtangaLion

Inside Applecron, the giant metal sphere hovering over Ponyville like a second moon, Nightmare Cantana screamed a C above C above high C. Glass shattered. Robots spun round and round, shooting sparks and falling over.

Nightmare Instrumentum watched, expressionless. "Cut that out." Her country accent had a metallic echo now, not quite in sync with her actual voice. She wore a bipedal suit of powered armor, with lots of gleaming chrome and huge shoulderpads, and a big apple logo on the chestplate made of steel and bolts. "Breakin' mah equipment ain't gonna help matters."

The white-coated, grey-maned Nightmare panted, black magic crackling around her horn. "They... took... my... coltfriend!" Cantata stamped a hoof, caving in the metal floor. "I'll destroy them! I'll get Pixel back again! I'll sing their REQUIEM!!"

"Do you want Rainbow Dash to help?" asked Nightmare Velocitas earnestly. She looked a lot like the old Scootaloo, with stunted wings and just a tiny horn, and she wore a great big amulet engraved with "Rainbow Dash - #1 Fan." She buzzed over to Cantata, flying well despite the wings. "There's nothing that Rainbow Dash can't do!"

"Let me roboticize you," said Instrumentum, ignoring Velocitas. "Robots are stronger than flesh. Robots aren't swayed by foolish appeals to emotion, like Pixel was. Robots don't feel the pain yer feeling now."

Cantana scowled. "Robots don't care if they save their coltfriends or not!"

"At least take a few hundred combat drones with you. It's not likely that you can defeat them by yerself."

Cantana laughed musically. "Oh, I won't be alone..." She spread her wings and flew out an access port, already warming up her throat to deliver the mother of all Heart Songs...

Alex Warlorn

"Ya hear that rattlin', somepony needs a paddlin'." Twilight sang, magically lifting a paddle in the library.

"Ya hear that rattlin', somepony needs a paddlin'." Applejack repeated the line, picking up a paddle too at Sweet Apple Acres.

Author's Note

The rules are simple. Write something in the comments, and it's added to the story above! No 'script' format additions! Keep it My Little Ponies!

Set in the same universe as Pinkie Pie Forth Wall Breaking Variety Show!

*Replay recording*

Nightmare Apple Bloom (Instrumentum), "If there's something ya want done, Ah've got an invention to get it done for ya!"

Nightmare Sweetie Belle (Cantata), "Just listen to the sound of my voice, and we can all be in harmony."

Nightmare Scootaloo (Velocitas), "You can all be as awesome as Dash!"

Nightmare Button Mash (Pixel), "Free video games for every pony!"

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/PinkiePiesFourthWallVarietyShow

The CMC got turned into adorable little Nightmares... and the only one who can save the day is... Diamond Tiara and Discord?! Huh?

Part Added by:
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Kendell2
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Ardashir
Kendell2 (WITH SOME MAJOR EDITS BY ME.)
MtangaLion
Kendell2 (Origin of the name I picked: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isthmian… The lesser known sibling to the Olympic Games. I felt it felt right to name Button's Alicorn after SOME game thing.
It was either this or Prince Atari, which I LIKE the name of, but would should it work?)
MtangaLion and Alex Warlorn
Ardashir
Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn

Cover is a commission By Kendell2

Diamond Tiara's?! Journal of the unexplained 10

Kendell2

The heroes blinked as Twilight emerged with a paddle. And then noticed other ponies approaching them from all over town.

"Uh oh..." said Sweetie Belle.

Thankfully Button's mother was either too devoted to her son and still having the memory of being an embodiment of maternal instinct, or simply completely exhausted by the effort and wasn't involved.

"Other me sent the entire town after us!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed.

Applebloom jumped back as Twilight tried to grab her. "We need tah get out of here!"

Button thought. "Wait! I have an idea!" he said, taking out his game.

"Button, this is no time for games!" Sweetie exclaimed, Sunny Days having to save her from being grabbed by Twilight.

"It's not a game! Okay it is, but watch!"

Pixels flew out of the game and assembled into a large stallion wearing full body blue plate armor with white horns that concealed him completely and carrying blue shovel.

Isthmia grabbed his friends in his pixelated telekinesis and put them and himself on the strange knight's back.

"Get us out of here, Shovel Guard!" ordered the little Alicorn.

"Yes my liege!" was the reply, and the video game character brought to life smashed through the wall with his shovel and galloped off, dodging ponies.

"You can summon video game characters?!" Diamond asked, eyes wide.

"Well he IS the embodiment of Gaming," said Sunny Days. "The Goddess of Imagination can summon any character ever imagined at will."

"I am going to love this kid!" Discord exclaimed.

Alex Warlorn

Diamond Tiara asked. "But haven't there been like... a million parodies that show video game heroes would be completely psychos if they acted the way they did in real life? As I recall... didn't Shovel Guard act that way when played from the bad guy POV?"

"You play video games?" Button Mash asked.

"Daddy buys me everything ... and then I had Silver Spoon play through it because I couldn't get past the tutorial stage for the second campaign."

Shovel Guard meanwhile, began shoveling up random piles of dirt, looking for jewels, and struck June Bug, turning her into a pile of jewels that he then picked up.

"Uh-oh." said the Prince.

Kendell2

"What do I do? What do I do?!" Button Mash asked, panicking.

"You're the Alicorn!" Diamond replied.

"I just got my powers!"

"Button!" Sunny Days exclaimed. "You're the Alicorn of Gaming, he's YOUR Guard. He has to LISTEN to you. He'll act only as he's programmed if left to his own devices, he needs to be commanded to act outside it."

"Right...uh...Shovel Guard!"

"Yes, my Liege?" Shovel Guard replied, preparing to smash through a window.

"That pony was innocent!" Button replied. "Ponies aren't you enemy...unless they're evil, and she wasn't!"

Shovel Guard paused...then a pixelated down beat played and he bowed. "My apologizes, my liege. I am new to this strange three dimensional realm. Who art thy enemies?"

"Evil robots!" Button replied. "Promise me you won't hurt ponies!"

Shovel Guard bowed. "I swear on your name and my honor, my Liege that no innocent pony will suffer by my shovel."

"And please be careful when it comes to property damage, okay?"

"...I will try."

"Uncle...can you do something about...you know..."

Discord sighed. "She's technically transformed, not dead..." Discord snapped his fingers and June Bug gasped, jumping out of the bag.

She screamed and ran away.

Shovel Guard blinked. "I...am not certain how to react to that..."

Discord however, fell on his back laughing.

"Button, remember, any game characters you summon need YOU to guide them outside of their context," Sunny Days explained. "You're STILL the player, just in a different way. They don't know any better and NEED you, okay?"

"Okay...So if I summon Celesti?"

"She should be fine given helping ponies IS how you get anything in her game, but you'll still need to help her with brush techniques..."

"Cool!"

"Girls! Incoming!" Applebloom said, pointing to the incoming swarm of brainwashed ponies.

"Shovel Guard! Dig a pit!...But only deep enough to trap them, okay?" Button ordered.

"At once, my liege!" Shovel Guard announced, doing just that and sending the brainwashed ponies into a trap just deep enough they couldn't escape in their current state.

"Like that, Mrs. Sunny Day?" Button Mash asked.

"Yes, just like that, young Princes."

MtangaLion

"I thought new Alicorns were supposed to spend a zillion years learning about their powers," said Sweetie Belle, holding onto their galloping ride for dear life.

Button Mash grinned bashfully. "I... kinda asked for the quick version. I want to spend that zillion years together with you."

Sweetie blushed. "Aw, that's so sweet!"

Scootaloo flew overhead, overtaking the Shovel Guard, then landed to trot alongside them. "Wait! They have wooden paddles! Why are we running?"

"Does *everything* have to have a reason?" grumbled Discord. "I suppose you'd prefer it if they were electrified. Or on fire, perhaps?"

The ponies in the ditch all turned their heads like marionettes, and started climbing out. "Stop the brats," boomed Big Mac and Red Gala.

"Stop the brats!" chanted Lotus and Aloe.

"Stop the brats! Stop the brats! Stop the brats!"

Diamond Tiara sighed. "Uncle, can't I Chaos Bomb them, just a little?"

A great burst of fireworks and smoke blocked their escape route. Trixie and Gilda leapt out, then flung aside a curtain to reveal... Applejack.

Apple Bloom cringed, wings hanging limp. "Sis, no..."

Sunny hugged the small griffon tight. "Stay strong. You *know* that's not really your sister talking."

Applejack scowled and, sure enough, began to sing...

= Tune: Bats =

"Those Cutie Mark Crusaders will give you a fright!
Questing for their marks both day and night
They'll rest for a minute, maybe four
And then they're off to terrorize our town some more!
There's no cockamamie stunt they won't try, not a thing.
They'll be our town's undoing."

Sweetie Belle floated into the air, singing right back at her.

"Now wait just a minute, there's another side, you see?
You don't know all the good we've done as a team."

Scootaloo jumped in, singing in a growling bass...

"We've got fillies their marks, and now our first colt too.
We beat up all the monsters and hung out with Daring Do!"

Applejack rolled her eyes and pointed an accusing hoof.

"Oh, give me a break, you've clearly jumped the fence!
If tree sap was the worst, Ah might come to your defense.
But Scootaloo's a dragon, Sweetie Belle is just bizarre
Some kind monster fish thing, don't know what the heck you are!
Apple Bloom's a wolf, a dog, and now a griffon too!
Button thinks he's an Alicorn, it's totally a zoo!"

Apple Bloom quickly turned back into an earth pony, not wanting to find out what a singing griffon sounded like.

"But it's true, Button is an Alicorn!
He beat his Nightmare and he's been reborn
Those Nightmares are the ones that you should fight."

The crowd of hypnotized townsponies drew closer, Applejack marching in front of them.

"Then how bout you explain why *Discord's* on your side!
They'll drown us all in chaos and our town will fall.
They're even friends with Diamond, the worst brat of them all!

"Hey!" shouted Diamond Tiara. "I can't believe this, it's so lame."

"You've only got yourselves to blame!" retorted AJ.

Mayor Mare cleared her throat...
"Those fillies simply are the worst
They won't get us, we'll get them first!"

And Twilight teleported in front of the crowd and sang,
"Those naughty girls will change their tone
When Discord's sealed back up in stone!"

All of the townsponies started chanting, marching in circles around the Crusaders...
"Stop the brats! Stop the brats!
Make them go and not come back!
Stop the brats! Stop the brats!
Make them go and not come back!
Stop the brats! Stop the brats!
Make them go and not come back!"

And then Nightmare Cantana dove out of the clouds like a falling star and slammed to a stop in midair, blowing all their manes back.

"Yes, it comes down to just one simple fact..."

She used her black magic to engulf herself in a sphere of water, and from this an inky black and sickly green Nightmare Siren emerged.

"You took my Pixel.... I'll destroy you for that!"

Kendell2

Sunny Days looked up in shock.

"What do you want me to do, my liege?" Shovel Guard asked, preparing his shovel.

Button looked at the situation. Then remembered what happened earlier. "They're innocents! build us a trench!" Shovel Guard nodded and did so. He pulled out his game and summoned a blocky pony that looked based off him. "Manecraft me! Night's about to fall!"

The blocky pony rapidly built a wall around them out of blocks of dirt and stone that were surprisingly durable right inside the trench Shovel Guard had dug and kept doing so. Thankfully he'd had iron in his inventory for an iron door.

"Do we have to worry about him attacking pony?" Applebloom asked.

"Nah, he's me. And I never attack the villagers, right?" asked Button, Manecraft Button nodding.

Nightmare Cantana snarled and smashed into the structure, breaking several blocks that Manecraft Button quickly tried to patch up.

"What do we do?! We can't fight a Nightmare head on!" Scootaloo exclaimed as Manecraft Button was trying to repair the damage Cantana and the brainwashed ponies were doing.

Sunny Days looked at Sweetie Belle. The little Siren. "...Sweetie, you need to eat all the negative energy that the Nightmares are giving off."

Sweetie Belle's eyes widened. "But what if I can't control it?!"

"You're one of the only ponies I've ever seen who can control dark magic," Sunny Days explained. "You CAN."

Sweetie Belle still looked hesitant. "But...even if I do, SHE'S a siren to!"

"Yes, and what did you learn from the Changelings about emotivoirs?"

The little siren gasped. "They can't feed off their own emotions..."

"You've got THREE Nightmares to feed on, plus everypony else. She's only got two. Given the three sirens that appeared in legend, that should even the odds. She's a Nightmare Siren, but you've got one extra fuel source than her."

Discord sighed. "And she STILL has that chaos blocker thing, so you're kinda the only one who can do it."

Button Mash hugged Sweetie. "Sweetie Belle...if anypony can do it, it's you."

Sweetie blinked...then hugged him back. "...Okay..."

Manecraft Button blinked, finding he'd run out of building blocks, allowing Cantana to blast the roof off and then tail whip him, causing him to turn red and disappear in a puff of smoke. 'Button_Mash was killed by Nightmare Cantana' somehow appeared at the side of the camera.

"Oh no!" Applebloom said.

"Don't worry! He wasn't on Hardcore!" said Button, pressing Respawn, then blinked. "...But he doesn't have a bed..."

Manecraft Button blinked, finding himself respawning on a deserted island in the middle of nowhere. He simply shrugged and began punching trees to get wood.

Shovel Guard put Button behind him and prepared to defend him.

"Sweetie Belle! Do it now!" Sunny Days said.

Sweetie Belle nodded and focused. She let out a single long octave.

She felt everypony in town. All their negative emotions (particularly because of Cantana's spell). The Nightmare Trio's dark magic making her mouth water.

'Remember, Sweetie Belle...Chryssy always said to control the dark magic, don't let it control you...you're the beast tamer it's the beast...' she thought.

The town was practically fogbound by a green miasma only she could see. She inhaled. It flew into her, like a moth to the flame. Even the energy from Nightmare Cantana.

The dark energy swirled around her to the point of becoming visible.

Cantana blinked. "What?"

A long note sent a red sonic wave, blasting the Nightmare Siren back.

Sweetie Belle emerged from the shattered shelter, now considerably larger. "Give me my sister back!"

"Give me my Pixel back!" Cantana yelled.

=Battle of the Bands=

The two began to sing, sonic waves colliding fairly evenly.

The slaves began to be confused, like puppets with two puppeteers each trying to control them.

Discord smirked. "Siren vs Nightmare, place your bets. Oh I've always wanted to say something like that!"

Several brainwashed ponies pulled out instruments.

Button replied by summoning the instruments from his rock band game and giving them to his friends. "Don't worry! Video game controls!"

Both groups began to play.

"We were oh so happy together," sang Cantana.

"Can't you see you're being a fool?" Sweetie sang back.

"You think that for him you are better?" Cantana sang.

"No, I just can't help you keep your rule!" the siren sang back, the two's sonic waves colliding.

Cantana snarled. "Fine then, enough of these games!"

"Let's see who's voice is louder!" Sweetie countered.

The two cloaked each other in dark magic and charged, slamming into each other.

"Why'd he want someone so lame?" Cantana sang, slamming Sweetie back and smashing a giant board of Applebloom's.

"Because it's the heart that matters!" Sweetie Belle sang back, blasting Cantana back and sending her crashing through a flying camera drone.

Nightmare Instrumentum sighed as her video feed went dead. "Not again..."

"Me and you, you and me,
Why don't we see who is better?
Music is our blood, so let's just do our thing," the two both sang, another pair of sonic blasts colliding.

"Can't you see this magic is an addiction?" Sweetie Belle sang, headbutting her Nightmare and driving her back.

"No it isn't, it's a loss of limitation!" Cantana sang back, tail-whipping her back.

"That's not true and you know it!" Sweetie Belle sang, flying up and biting down on Cantana's tail before swinging her around and tossing her into a building.

"You're just jealous I'm the best!" Cantana sang back, swinging her tail up and nailing Sweetie in the gut before flipping forwards and driving her into a building with her tail.

"Sweetie! Take it the other way!" Applebloom yelled, playing the drums (video game style of course).

Sweetie nodded, getting up. "Can't you see ponies will be hurt?" she sang, 'swimming' sideways and wrapping her hooves around Cantana's tail, swinging her around and throwing her to the clearing just outside of Ponyville.

"No, they're all singing with the rest!" Cantana sang, blasting Sweetie into a tree when she charged her.

The two both rose up and began swinging a long note, the sound waves clashing.

"Battle, I'm gonna win it!
Let's have a battle! Battle of the Bands!
Let's have a battle! Let's go all in it!
Let's have a battle! Battle! Battle! Battle of the Bands!" both of them sang, the Crusaders and Diamond finding themselves singing with Sweetie while the brainwashed crowd were split.

"How did this turn into a battle of the bands?!" Diamond Tiara asked, not caring how she was playing a guitar with hooves.

"I am likewise extremely confused," said Shovel Guard, playing his shovel like a guitar and it somehow working.

"Because we're watching two magical divas fighting! It tends to be how it works!" Discord said, somehow playing rock music on the bagpipes.

"Me and you, you and me,
Why don't we see who is better?
Music is our blood, so let's just do our thing," the two both sang, flying at each other and blasting each other flying with a point blank blast of sound.

"Can't you see this magic is an addiction?" Sweetie Belle sang

"No it isn't, it's a loss of limitation!" Cantana sang back.

"Battle, I'm gonna win it!
Let's have a battle! Battle of the Bands!
Let's have a battle! Let's go all in it!
Let's have a battle! Battle! Battle! Battle of the Bands!"

The two inhaled and let loose another sonic attack, this time colliding with enough force to shatter windows around them.

MtangaLion

Nightmare Cantata shoved her way out of a wrecked cottage. "I won't lose to some cheap imitation of myself..." She eyed Scootaloo, then grinned cruelly and teleported. The orange and purple dragoness yelped, suddenly finding the dark siren clinging to her back. "Your greed is MINE!"

Scootaloo roared, shrinking rapidly. She flopped to the ground unconscious, just a baby dragon no bigger than Spike.

"No!" shouted Sweetie Belle, singing a dissonant note, but Cantata dodged away in plenty of time, laughing. Now Sweetie was weaker for not having Scootaloo's greed, and Cantata crackled with renewed power. "This isn't working..." She wove the power of rock from her friends into a shield against Cantata's next attack, but the shield fractured and flickered from just one blow. "How can I make her listen, when we don't have the Elements? How can I reach her heart?"

Button Mash gasped. "Reach her heart?" The little Alicorn prince drew himself up and spread his wings, focusing his magic. "I knew there was something special about those Keyblades, the moment I first saw one. There has to be a place... some world out there... where they're part of a video game!" The glow from his horn grew sharp and bright. "There!" Light fountained out of the ground. He thrust a hoof in, and drew out a long, ornate weapon with a pommel shaped like Sweetie's cutie mark, and bits like a princess's crown.

"Sweetie, I'm giving you Heart Song!" shouted Prince Isthmia, hurling it towards her.

Sweetie caught it in her magic, confused. "Button, this isn't a Heart Song. It's a sword... I think..."

Isthmia shook his head. "It's a Keyblade! You can use it to unlock the Nightmare's heart!"

But Cantata had seen the Keyblade too, and she looked furious. "How dare you? I'm the true, perfected Sweetie Belle! It should obey me!" She blasted Sweetie with a grinding dirge, grabbing the weapon away, and it just flashed and vanished, appearing next to Sweetie Belle again. "It... chose her instead of me?!!"

Sweetie didn't waste another moment... she gripped the Keyblade in her magic and flew, driving it into the Nightmare's chest... somehow, it sank in without seeming to hurt her. She gave it a twist... there was a breathless silence, and then a thunderous CLICK.

Everything went white... and Nightmare Cantata found herself an ordinary filly again, wearing strange clothes. She was sitting on a high ledge above a clock tower, she and her friends... Button Mash, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom, and they were eating ice cream together, talking and laughing.

Button Mash turned to her, smiling warmly. "You know, Sweetie... summer's almost over."

MtangaLion

"But, that's not fair!" cried Cantata. "I don't want summer to be over. Why can't everything just stay like this... back when we were friends?"

A cold wind blew, and Cantata sat on the ledge alone, wearing a black robe with dangling silver chimes. Her eyes were the slit pupils of a Nightmare. "Why did they all have to go away? Mom and dad just did their own thing... they didn't care. Bigger big sister went away too. Rarity always had her work, and adventures with her friends. Chryssy..."

Cantata turned her head again, and she was in the throne room of Canterlot Palace, with Queen Chrysalis by her side, her every word law to the changeling swarm. "You cared about me more than mom and dad did," said Cantata bitterly. "And now you're gone too. Wait... you *can't* be here!"

"You are correct," said Chrysalis sternly. "I failed, and so I no longer deserve to exist. I'm only a creation of your memories. There is not a single thing I can tell you that you do not know already! If Chrysalis was truly here, she would tell you to stop weeping over past failures and lay plans for your future!"

"And that's just what I did," whispered Cantata. She turned the other way, and she was looking through that rift, watching the Crusaders of the Mirror World go off to become heroes with Captain Goodguy. "My friends and me were evil all along?" She smiled grimly. "Fine. I made my family stay. I made every pony in Ponyville happy. Because I said so. Why not? Nopony could stop me. But... But..."

She hung her head, the world around her going dark, all except for the mirror hanging in front of her. "Now *I'm* the reason why things can't be like they used to be. I'm the biggest hypocrite in Equestria. There's no cleaning up the mess I made, no point in apologizing, no use hoping I'll wake up and it'll all have been just a bad dream, because... I made a monster of myself, and this is how I'm going to be... forever."

The filly in the mirror came to life and rose up out of the glass, her fur turning white and her eyes normal, and she sat beside Cantata on the clock tower ledge. "It's true," said Sweetie Belle. "We can't go back... but we can't stay here either. The only way..." She pointed a hoof at the horizon. "... is forward. Together."

Cantata nudged a loose stone with her hoof, watching it fall off the side of the building. "That won't change what we did. What's sung is sung."

Sweetie Belle embraced her. "Then we'll sing a new song! We'll add a new verse to the song that never ends!"

Cantata shoved Sweetie back, smiling just a little bit, though she tried not to. "I swear, if you start singing that stupid song..."

"Not that song!" said the voice of Prince Isthmia.

"This song," said Sunny's voice warmly... and suddenly the world was falling away behind them as they flew into the stars... upwards and onwards into a brilliant light, and the light was Joy and Warmth, and it Sang....

Cantata trembled. "I... I can hear it..."

Sweetie Belle shivered, nodding too! "It sounds like..."

"Music... Sweet Music..."

In the real world, the two sirens fell into each other, and a cocoon of light sprang into being around both of them. The Keyblade clattered to the ground and vanished in a flash of swirling pixels.

Kendell2

"Sweetie Belle is gone," said Nightmare Instrumentum asked in mild annoyance. "I just finished her gift."

A mechanical version of Chrysalis stood with unblinking optics. "Hello, Sweetie Belle. You are the one being I actually care about..." it said in emotionless robotic monotone. "Who is not me."

"That is bucking creepy," said Velocitas.

"Response: Thank you," replied Mecha Chrysalis.

"Eh, Applejack and Big Mac didn't mind the ones Ah gave them of our parents," the tinkering Alicorn said.

"AHH!" Big Mac screamed, holding a door closed now that Sweetie Belle's siren song was broken, Granny Smith helping him.

"Open up, sweet heart," said the monotone, unfeeling robotic voice of the android modeled after Big Mac's deceased mother trying to get the door open.

"We only want to be family," said the cold, emotionless machine built in the likeness of his father.

"Eh, whatever," said Velocitas. "I've still got Rainbow Dash!"

"Ah'm still impressed she beat the mecha Rainbow Dash I made," Instrumentum said.

"I know! She's so awesome!"

Ispita tapped her chin. "So you don't mind if I deal with them?"

Both Nightmares shrugged as Instrumentum went back to building another robot.

"...Then, Apple Bloom, I have a little project...a deadly one."

The group sat, watching Sweetie Belle now being cocooned. "Well, that's two down," Diamond said. "Two to go."

They then noticed a gigantic statue of Rainbow Dash being assembled by robots. "...We should probably hurry."

MtangaLion

Button Mash flew over and smiled, running a hoof along the edge of Sweetie's cocoon. "Well... time to keep a promise! /brb, everypony!" The little Alicorn lit his horn and wove a matching cocoon for himself, leaving his game console behind.

Apple Bloom tilted her head. "'Bee arr' what now?"

Scootaloo stumbled over to them, still a baby dragon and walking upright like Spike. "Ugh... what did I miss?"

"Popcorn?" offered Discord, passing around several paper bags.

"Caramel flavored!" exclaimed Sunny. "You shouldn't have." She got a guilty look, before smiling and snacking on a hoof-full.

Both of the cocoons flashed, then burst simultaneously. =Sweetie Belle has evolved to Princess Euterpe!= read the gaming console, and an elegant victory fanfare played.

Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Diamond Tiara gasped... Apple Bloom forgot her popcorn and the bag fell over, spilling. Sunny set her bag down before clapping her hooves, and Discord gave them a claws up, watching through stylish shades.

After what seemed like days and days of her being a siren, Sweetie was finally equine again. Princess Euterpe's white coat gleamed in the sun, and her purple and pink mane had grown longer, floating and bobbing in the astral wind. Her new wings were iridescent, like Cadence's after she took control of the changeling swarm.

More surprising, both Euterpe and Isthmia looked older, though not yet full grown ponies. The two Alicorns nuzzled each other and shared a brief but warm kiss that made the fillies and baby dragon freeze in place, minds blown.

The game console chimed repeatedly, scrolling up more messages. =Relationship upgrade! Isthmia and Euterpe are now special someponies! ... Knowledge upgrade! Alicorn magic upgrade! Achievement Unlocked: Making Beautiful Music Together! Battle Songs Unlocked!=

Prince Isthmia grinned, reclaiming his console. "I wish I could say that we're overleveled for this now, but..."

Princess Euterpe's voice was sweet and musical, even though she wasn't singing. "This is going to be tough."

Diamond Tiara nudged Discord. "If I was my old self, I bet I'd be demanding to turn into a draconequus just to one-up them."

Discord tisked. "That's a more exclusive club, dear. Although, the lovely thing with chaos is that you never know what might happen."

"Okay, I'm jealous," murmured Scootaloo. "Ugh, how does Spike stand being so weak all the time? I want to be bigger again! Mmmm, bigger..." The baby dragon hiccuped and grew about the size of Big Mac, falling to all fours and regaining her wings. "Uh oh..."

Kendell2

Diamond Tiara looked up at Applebloom's machine. "So that's where the last two are..." she said. She then noticed some of Nightmare Applebloom's robots beginning to rip up parts of Equus. "Uh...Button, you DID say that Instrumentum kept trying to use Equus to add onto her weird floating base, right?"

The Prince of Gaming nodded. "Yeah...oh...We need to stop her fast!"

"Let's get beneath it, maybe then we can find a way up!" Diamond yelled.

The group ran and found the Applecron was floating directly above the town lake. And that's not all.

"Why hello hello," said Ispita. "Looks like two of you got an Alicorn makeover, huh?"

"Yeah, which means that we can beat you now!" Euterpe exclaimed.

Ispita feigned fear. "Oh whatever will I do?" she then got a smirk. "Ask the alternate universe version of my hubby what's wrong with this picture?"

Discord groaned. "If she's like me, she wouldn't have shown up if it were THAT easy."

"EXACTLY!" Ispita said, as some beam of light slammed down in the middle of the lake. She teleported over, managing to float over the water. "Instrumentum was nice enough to give me a little gift!"

Suddenly, the water started to ripple outwards from Ispita's position, like it was splitting open.

"This ain't good..." Applebloom said.

=Mechagodzilla's theme- Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla (Showa)=

Suddenly, something rose up out of the water, Ispita's hooves touching down on top of metal.

Whatever it was kept rising out up as the water split to let whatever it was rise up.

The group looked up as a gigantic machine stood before them. While more monstrous in design, it was a giant, robotic rendition of Ispita's true form. The head resembled a more dragon shaped version of the one she had as a pony, the same color (albit of course metallic, being a mecha). It had the paw of a cougar, the claw of a dragon, the leg of a horse, a falcon talon for it's other leg. It had one swan wing and one raven wing. The main body is a deep purple color. Mechanical snake's tail extended from behind it, spines running the length of the segmented metal. The horns were antelope horn and an ibex, both curved back. Even the MANE was represented in metal.

=Super Mario Sunshine - Vs. Mecha Bowser=

"...That is so not fair..." Button Mash said.

Ispita got in the cockpit and her robot gave a roar, fire spraying from it's maul. "What do you think? Not as beautiful as the real deal, but a good approximation of my true beauty!"

The group had to jump out of the way of a stomp from the giant machine.

"I think you've got a freaking huge ego!" Diamond Tiara yelled.

Ispita's horn glowed and Diamond gave an 'oof!' as a pot and kettle fell on the filly's head. "Spirit of Temptation, HEEELLLLOOO! Of course I'm prideful!"

Alex Warlorn

Meanwhile, Nightmare Instrumentum had just finished a new machine. Once she finished terraforming Equus into her new Dyson Sphere, everypony would be happy and content as they'd have 24 energy instead of most of it going off into space wasted. Couldn't they see she was just helping society along?

Oh well. She too aim from her flying fortress, and fired.

Sunny Day was hit by the laser behind the foals. Her mane turned red. Celestia felt the connection to her avatar be severed.

"Hello Howdy doo! Ah better get to work!" Said Apple Day, now the avatar of Nightmare Instrumentum thanks to her patented 'avatar realignment ray' and teleported away to tell ponies how great the new Dyson Sphere would be.

Then she fired a magnet ray to Shovel Guard... cause him to vanish in a cloud of pixels as he was erased.

MtangaLion

"Lock next target," said Nightmare Instrumentum coldly. The crosshairs on her scanning monitor locked onto Apple Bloom.

Uncharacteristically, Instrumentum hesitated. "My time-folded past self. She is currently vulnerable and poses an extreme threat... but further scanning and analysis could enable me to once again access the shape-shifting forms Ah possessed before."

She tapped a different button, and the crosshairs locked onto Diamond Tiara instead. Her muzzle twitched in an almost-smile as she pulled the trigger.

Most of them were still gasping or turning their heads, reacting to the first two shots, when Euterpe sang a piercing high note, clear as crystal. A faceted barrier burst into existence over the whole group, deflecting an energy bolt just inches from Diamond's head.

Discord's jaw dropped, and then his face hardened into the most serious expression they'd ever seen on him. "Diamond... either go back to my Chaos realm, or saddle up. It's not safe for mere mortals here."

Diamond gulped and nodded, slowly transforming into a dragon hybrid again, larger and more dangerous looking than before.

Apple Bloom blinked. "Ah'm not gonna run and hide! You need me ta stop my Nightmare!"

Isthmia summoned his magic, creating a large pixelated field around them. "Terran command bunker!" They found themselves in the control room of a big round blue and grey mechanical fortress, easily able to see everything happening outside on giant viewscreens. Two identical ponies rolled up to them in bulky mech-suits. "SCV Units, make sure the armor stays in good repair." They saluted and got to work.

Then the Prince of Gaming grinned at Ispita's image on a monitor. "It's time we show her just how much we've improved!" He teleported outside and started performing a much stronger summoning. His horn threw bolts of pixelated lightning, and the clouds began to swirl overhead.

"I told you to stop running off before we talk strategy!" grumbled Euterpe, stamping a hoof. "Oh well..." She teleported out of the fortress too, standing beside Isthmia and conjuring a long silver flute, which she blew into while her magic held the instrument and moved the keys.

The storm clouds parted, and a monstrous feral griffon descended, black-furred and black-feathered, with a wickedly sharp beak and claws, and glowing red eyes. The flapping of its wings alone churned the lake with high waves and bent and splintered trees, before the massive paws and claws even touched the ground. "Go, Griffzilla!!" bellowed Prince Isthmia. "Defeat Mecha-Ispita!"

Diamond Tiara frowned, pointing a claw at the screen. "Why does the giant monster look like a pony in a rubber suit?"

"Movie tie-in game," said Discord. "Hey, you asked..."

Apple Bloom blinked and looked around. "Hey, aren't we missing somepony?"

Back in Ponyville, Scootaloo was bigger than a house and growing fast. The orange and purple dragoness had clawed her way into Pinkie's party cave, and she was feasting on all the emergency cake supplies. "Mooore..." She lifted her head, sniffing, then grinned toothily at Rarity's shop, licking her chops. "I smell gems! I want them all!"

Kendell2

Isthmia panted a little. "This isn't easy to do..."

He pulled out a video game and threw it to Applebloom. "Play that please!"

"This ain't a time to play games!" Applebloom yelled.

"I'm Gaming! I recharge from ponies playing games around me!" he replied.

Applebloom blinked, then began playing and to her surprise, a 'stamina bar' appeared about Isthmia's head and recharged.

"Thanks!"

"Uh...yer welcome...Yah know, bein' the Alicorn of Gamin' is more impressive than it looks..." Applebloom admitted.

"Don't underestimate any new deity. There's a universe where Derpy is the Goddess of Mailmares," Discord said. "It's actually rather terrifying."

"Why?"

"Because NOTHING stops the mail...nothing..." Discord said in an ominous voice.

The camera glitched.

An alternate Discord was sitting in his house floating in the domain of Chaos when he heard several loud crashes, then a knock on his door.

He teleported over and opened the door upwards so it rested against the ceiling...to find an Alicorn version of Derpy in front of him.

"Mail!" she said, holding his mail in her mouth.

"How did you..." he said, looking behind her to find an Alicorn Derpy-shaped hole in the dimensional wall, several unconscious chaos abominations laying along a straight path, and another Derpy-shaped hole in a black hole.

"...I'm both impressed...and somewhat frightened..." Discord said, taking his mail and handing her a muffin.

"Muffin!" Derpy exclaimed, eating the muffin then flying off, leaving ANOTHER Alicorn Derpy-shaped hole in the dimensional wall.

Applebloom blinked as the camera returned. "...Okay..."

Euterpe had to save Griffzilla from another beam with a barrier. "We need to do something about those lasers!"

Diamond Tiara gave it thought. She looked up, seeing the laser emitters. "Applebloom! throw me!"

"What?!"

"Turn into an Earth Dragon and throw me at those laser emitters!"

"Uh...okay..."

Applebloom did so and hurled the Yokai at the Applecron.

Diamond punched into one laser emitter with as much strength as she could manage, then charged up chaos energy into her body and let out a shockwave, frying the laser array.

Discord teleported her back. "Good job, Princess, but we really need to GET in there."

"Alright, we need to all..." Applebloom blinked, then looked around. "Where's Scootaloo?!"

Rarity screamed as Dragon Scootaloo tried to steal her gems, now much larger. "Get away!"

"Mine!"

"Hey! Leave my friend alone!"

"...Rainbow Dash?"

Scootaloo turned to see her Nightmare self, now next to Rainbow Dash, who was wearing a Wonderbolts outfit.

"Leave Rarity alone you stupid dragon!" Rainbow Dash said, seeming to be a flanderized, over the top version of herself.

MtangaLion

Princess Euterpe frowned with sudden worry. "If Scootaloo gave in to her greed, she won't be hard to find."

The video game fell from Apple Bloom's hooves. "Ah... Ah can't sit around playing games! She might need our help!"

Euterpe laid a hoof on Apple Bloom's shoulder, and offered a smile. "We have to stay here to power Griffzilla, but you can help Scootaloo. I trust you. You have what you need within you."

"Just be careful!" added Isthmia.

Apple Bloom nodded, then turned into a pegasus and flew away.

The giant monster battle wasn't going well. "Griffzilla..." muttered Prince Isthmia. "They should have called it Dogzilla."

Just like in the video game, the 'king of monsters' was powerful and nigh invulnerable, but terribly sluggish... fine for stomping on tanks and wrestling other giant behemoths, but the mechanical draconequus hovered on rocket jets, fluidly snaking to and fro and counterattacking with dozens of lasers and missile launchers. Griffzilla had dealt some heavy blows and raked deep gashes in the shiny metal scales, but now it seemed helpless, with the machine wrapped around it and tirelessly constricting the beast.

Diamond Tiara glanced back at the Terran Command Bunker. Those two 'SCV Units' had finished making repairs, and now they were just standing outside, idle. "Hmmm... If gaming helps him out..." She snapped her claws and appeared inside the fortress in a flash of white light. "Interesting," she mused, poking at a tactical map with large icons. The SCV Units moved where she tapped the screen.

Discord appeared beside her, wearing headphones with a built-in microphone. "Touch-sensitive controls. My, how thoughtful. One could even use those with hooves."

Diamond grinned and wiggled her claws. "Then these should be even better!" One touch sent an SCV off to mine gems from a nearby field. Another tap sent the second SCV to collect gas from Froggy Bottom Bog. More and more menus opened at her clawtips... solider training buildings, machine shops, science labs for upgrades... The little yokai became so engrossed in gleefully assembling her own small army that she didn't even notice her cutie mark sparkling. "Heh, wait 'til those Nightmares get a load of this!"

"Griffzilla has fallen," said a mechanical voice with a sad fanfare. The giant beast flashed several times and vanished, while Mecha-Ispita thrashed and roared.

"How about Narucolt?" suggested Euterpe, before Isthmia could mope too much.

The Prince of Gaming made a face. "He'd send a thousand easily-popped clones at her with no strategy."

"So order him to use Shaman Mode, or the Nine-Tailed Timberwolf!"

"Nerds!!" yelled Ispita. Her giant robot still had nine and half health bars left.

"Ooh! How about..." Isthmia whispered in Euterpe's ear.

Euterpe reared up and pranced. "I like it!"

Prince Isthmia grinned and pointed a hoof dramatically. "Night Guard Fighter: Eternal! Launch!"

A flat-shaded space fighter jet big enough to carry a single pilot pony materialized. "Loyal members of our Night Guard," declared a pixelated image of Space Empress Luna, "go thou forth and defeat the evil aliens would who enslave all ponykind!"

The space fighter flew up and hovered in the air, blasting away at Mecha-Ispita with a single laser... pretty pathetic, until a few metal scales were blasted loose and turned into powerups, giving the fighter two lasers, then four.

"Stop that!" yelled Ispita, glancing up at her robot's health bar and scowling. All of the robot's guns and missiles started blasting away in elaborate patterns.

"Can I make a bad music pun here?" asked Euterpe.

Isthmia nuzzled her. "Please don't."

"Well, that's no fun!" Instead, she materialized two synthesizer keyboards and a pair of speakers bigger than a house, and started playing pulse-pounding space battle music.

=Super Stardust HD Taranis Theme=

Free powerups started raining from the sky, giving the space fighter jet eight lasers, then sixteen, then armor, shields, extra missile pods on the wings, and a halo of orbiting satellites continuously firing even more weapons. The whole mass of space combat hardware glided back and forth, effortlessly dodging through tiny gaps in the oncoming fire, and Mecha-Ispita's health bars started *melting* away.

Ispita almost flew into a rage, and then one of her ears twitched. "What's *this* I sense? Hmmmmm! Perhaps my efforts are better spent elsewhere!" She teleported away, abandoning the exploding mecha...

...and appeared on Scootaloo's shoulder, quickly transforming into a hatchling-sized 'shoulder angel.' "Doesn't Rainbow Dash look so *small*, now?" she purred. "And that Nightmare you..." She laughed. "Even filly you had better wings than that. Imagine how it will be when you're even bigger... The hoard you'll gather... the *power* you'll have..."

Alex Warlorn

Without Sweetie Belle the Siren to provide balance... with Ispita egging her on... with Apple Bloom still searching and the rest of her friends caught up in the chaotic battle, unable to help her... Scootaloo roared in Rainbow Dash's face, her greed growth continuing unopposed.

MtangaLion

"Oh, my head..." groaned Twilight Sparkle, looking around her library. "How did I get back here?"

"Heck if I know," said Spike. "You stumbled in here like some kind of zombie and fell asleep on the couch. That was after the rock concert."

"Rock concert!?" Twilight sprang off the couch and nearly fell over, stumbling and yawning. "Did all of that really happen? Me going video game crazy? Marching around Ponyville, singing about the Cutie Mark Crusaders being bad fillies? Button Mash and his mother, Alicorns!?" She raced over to the guest bedroom and found Maternity, still sleeping it off.

Twilight sighed. "Remember when everypony used to think that I'd become an Alicorn first, if any of us did?"

Spike patted her on the back. "Cheer up, Twilight! At least we've got leftover pancakes in the fridge, if that'll help."

"No time for that now, Spike!" said Twilight, determined. "Something is seriously wrong in Ponyville. We need to round up the girls and..."

From across town, they heard the rumble of a building collapsing, and a piercing shriek. "That sounded like Rarity!" exclaimed Spike.

They scrambled out the front door and nearly crashed right into Pinkie Pie. "Thank goodness!" exclaimed Twilight. "Have you seen... wait... *Pinkie*?" She stared in disbelief. "Pinkie, why are you an earth pony?"

Pinkie sat back and folded her forelegs, deep in thought. "Weeellll, I was going to be a pegasus, but somebody changed their minds and I had to swap with Fluttershy at the last minute, but shouldn't we be saving Rarity from the dragon now?"

"What? That's not what I meant! Why aren't you Thalia!?" Twilight bounced from hoof to hoof. "I'm not embarrassed to admit, we really could use some Alicorn help about now! I don't understand. Is this some kind of test?"

"That... that's a really good point, actually." Pinkie grew disturbingly calm, even though her hair stayed curly and her smile didn't waver. "Something's really not right." She lifted a hoof, then thumped it against her own chest. It made a muffled metallic clank.

In the heart of the Applecron, Princess Veritas and Princess Thalia floated inside a sphere bursting with maddeningly not-quite-regular lights and sounds... a prison of chaos. Thalia squirmed with her eyes closed, as if she was caught in a bad dream. "Twilight..." she murmured. "I don't think we're where we're supposed to be..."

MtangaLion

Rainbow Dash flew back, watching the orange and purple dragon demolish more of the Carousel Boutique just by standing there growing, not even lifting a paw. The dragon's tail lashed, raking buildings clear across the street, and the earth fissured beneath her weight.

"Out, out you horrid creature!" bellowed Rarity. "Oh, why must dragons always be drawn to my beauty?"

Dash narrowed her eyes, hovering and shadowboxing with her front hooves. "That's a mighty big dragon... but it's not too big for Rainbow Danger Dash to handle! You stay back, Scootaloo! I'll drop this big ugly lizard in ten. seconds. flat."

The dragoness snorted flames. "Scootaloo? Scootaloo!? That's my name! MINE!"

A sparkling fanfare played when Mecha-Ispita finally finished exploding and awarding bonus points. Prince Isthmia grinned and directed the Night Guard: Eternal space fighter to rise to the level of the Applecron. "Heh, maybe this won't be so tough after all."

A whole squadron of drones flew out of the Applecron to meet it... and then they unexpectedly transformed and combined into a solid oncoming wall of metal, hundreds of yards across. Unable to dodge or change direction, and with not enough time to shoot a hole in the wall, the side-scrolling fighter ran smack into the wall and exploded.

Princess Euterpe hugged her prince. "There, there..."

"I wasn't going to cry about it," insisted Isthmia. He didn't object to the hug, though.

Nightmare Instrumentum watched her monitors with satisfaction. "The way to win is not to play his games." Repaired and fully operational gun turrets opened fire, blasting away Diamond Tiara's crystal mine and the gas refinery.

A vast hologram appeared, projecting Instrumentum's face, looming godlike over the outskirts of Ponyville. Her hair ribbon was traced with computer circuitry now, and her dragon eyes narrowed at them. "Is that all? Or are ya gonna throw more *toys* at me? Can't ya even fight for yourself?"

Isthmia grinned defiantly. "Oh, you do not want to see that. At this rate, though..."

"Yer actions are illogical," said Instrumentum coldly. "You fight me because you fear change. Ya see a Nightmare and assume Ah must be evil. Perhaps... allying with Ispita was an error. All Ah want to do is make a better world for everypony and creature.

"Alicorns ain't needed in mah new world. Ah can do better. Ah'll create perfect robot bodies for everyone. Under *mah* rule... fear, ignorance, want... they'll simply cease ta be."

"And if mortals don't want what you're offering?" asked Euterpe.

Instrumentum frowned, ever so slightly. "Ah don't expect ignorant foals to know what's best for 'em. Ah have the right of it *and* superior force, so Ah'll do what Ah gotta do."

=Heroes of the Storm - Rock Opera=

There was sudden whistle of flying shells, and explosions rocked the bottom half of the Applecron. "What?" Instrumentum glanced away, then cut her transmission.

Dozens of siege tanks were rolling up to the lake, escorted by ground troops and aircraft, shooting down every apple drone that got close. Further back, science vessels and gigantic battlecruisers were massing too. "You didn't think that was my *only* crystal mine and gas refinery, did you?" said Diamond Tiara's gloating voice, coming from loudspeakers on the command bunker.

Isthmia struck a pose. "Exactly as planned! Well, okay... exactly as backup planned!"

Alex Warlorn

"AAAAAHHHHH!" Said Pinkie Pie's robot avatar as she ran around the library room. She pulled out a gauge out of nowhere, and looked at it horrified, it was red lining. "CHARACTER OVERLOAD! CHARACTER OVERLOAD! All these armies and video game characters that Princess Button Mash keeps summoning and all the fights happening everything... I don't know where any pony is anymore! Or anywhere! The worldline! It's gonna crash!

"And now we have good Scootaloo destroying all of Ponyville with bad Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash fighting her! Ponyville's gonna be so wrecked that it'll make the Parasprites and Spikezilla look like spilled over blocks! Oh the equinity!"

Kendell2

"Uncle!" called Diamond from her tank. "You can't fight them, but can't you DO SOMETHING about damage to Ponyville?! We don't want this to be Stallion of Steel!"

Discord blinked, then facehooved. "Sorry, I was so used to my powers not working directly on the enemy..." he said, then snapped his fingers.

Suddenly all of Ponyville was plaid colored. "There."

"What's that supposed to do?!" Diamond asked...right as an attack from one of the Nightmare's drones hit a building...which flexed like rubber but didn't break and instead bounced the attack right back at it.

"...Oh..."

Discord smirked, posing. "See? I know what I'm doing."

Dragon Scootaloo eeped as her foot suddenly rebounded off of a building and bounced off. "What the..."

Applebloom panted, arriving on the scene. "Ah hope Ah ain't too late..."

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Scootaloo tried raking the Carousel Boutique with her claws, but the building just sprang back into shape. "Ugh, I want those gems!"

Apple Bloom, still a pegasus, tried to land on a plaid roof and bounced right off before she got her shaking hooves to settle on it. "Scootaloo, ya have to snap out of it! Those gems ain't yours!"

The huge orange and purple dragoness froze, then slowly turned with thunderous footsteps, giving Bloom the sort of look that Opalescence might give a mouse. "And if I say that I want them and I'm going to have them... what are you going to do about it?"

Apple Bloom gulped. What indeed? 'You have what you need within you,' Princess Euterpe had said... could she have actually given her some cool power, like the ability to turn into a siren!? That would sure make this easier! Apple Bloom squinted her eyes shut, checking the other Apple Blooms in the back of her head... but nothing seemed any different.

Rainbow Dash rose into view with the sun silhouetted dramatically behind her wings... which made no sense, since it wasn't dawn or dusk right now. "Unhoof that... Apple Bloom?!"

"That's not Apple Bloom!" shouted Velocitas. "That's, um... a changeling! Yeah, that dumb old changeling couldn't even bother remembering that Apple Bloom doesn't have wings!"

Rainbow Dash grinned, adjusting a pair of flight goggles from nowhere. "Well, in that case..." She dove straight at Apple Bloom in a rainbow streak.

Apple Bloom gulped and thought that she really ought to turn into something tougher but there just wasn't time and...

Scootaloo moved like a striking snake, grabbing Dash in her clawed fist. "Nobody hurts my friends but me!"

"You can't do that!" squealed Velocitas. "Rainbow Dash is stronger then any dragon!" And Dash actually started to pry her way out of the dragon's claws with impossible strength.

"Scootaloo, ya can't hurt her!" yelled Apple Bloom. "That might be the real Rainbow Dash! Is this really what ya want? Think about what you're doing!"

Scootaloo snarled, tightening her grip on Dash. "I'm getting really tired of puny little ponies telling me what I can't do." She grinned sharply. "If you spent more time as a dragon, then you'd understand how good it feels to be as greedy as you want! Heh, you'd probably even want to join me."

Something reached out and tapped Scootaloo on the shoulder. She spun around and found herself gawking at an even bigger purple and green behemoth... Spike.

Spike grabbed Scootaloo and hurled her clear across Ponyville, sending her toppling to the ground, slamming into a row of buildings that would have been smashed flat without Discord's spell. "You're the one that doesn't understand what it means to be a dragon," he rumbled.

Apple Bloom twitched, sweating a bit. "Spike can still do that?"

"Spike!" shouted Twilight from the street below. Pinkie Pie was beside her, nervously tossing some kind of meter from hoof to hoof.

"Don't worry, Twilight. It takes more than that to hurt a dragon." Spike snorted wisps of green flame, then stomped towards the dragoness. "Never thought I'd have to do anything like *this* anytime soon, but..."

Spike hauled Scootaloo to her feet, then glared hard at her, muzzle to muzzle. "I don't know where you got that body, but you haven't really *lived* in it, have you... Scootaloo?" He jerked a thumb towards his scaly chest. "I'm Spike of the Generous Green Flame... and you're flaunting power that you've never fought for." He stretched to his full height and flexed, wings spread wide. "Who's really the stronger dragon here? Well?"

Apple Bloom was sure that Scootaloo would pitch another fit and start a giant monster brawl right in the middle of Ponyville.

Instead, Scootaloo hung her head meekly. "You... You are, Spike..."

Spike let the tension build for another long moment, then relaxed, suddenly much more like an overgrown version of his usual self. "Hey, it'll be alright. Sorry I had to... you know. But I'm taking back my home." He grasped Scootaloo's paw and extracted a dazed Rainbow Dash, making the dragoness blush a bit. "And my friends."

"No!" Velocitas appeared in a teleport flash, and the little Nightmare was... crying? "You can't take Dash away from me. You can't!"

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Scootaloo looked down at her Nightmare self. "...I thought you were trying to take her from me..."

Velocitas blinked. "...Really?"

Scootaloo nodded. "Yeah..."

"...I just wanted everypony to love her like I did...that's all..."

Scootaloo looked to Rainbow Dash...and something sparked in her mind. "...Except...you're not making them love Rainbow Dash."

"I AM TOO!" Velocitas yelled back.

"...Then why are you making you love her for all the wrong reasons?"

Velocitas' eyes widened.

"...We never loved Rainbow Dash just because she was awesome...okay, that was ONE reason...but not THE reason..." the dragoness shrunk down, matching her opposite's size. "...She's cool, she's awesome, she's radical...but more important than all of that...is she's there for us...she's...our family...We ADMIRE her for the other things...but we LOVE her for that..."

'Don't listen to-' Ispita started.

Scootaloo suddenly punched out at her mirror...only to punch a tiny miniature Ispita right in the face and send her flying off of Velocitas shoulder. "Stay outta this, ya witch!...This is between me and me..."

Ispita wiped some orange blood from her face...then teleported away, realizing she was outnumbered and out gunned. 'Time for plan B...'

Velocitas began to cry more. "I...I just...I'm so scared that if..."

"I know..."

"And if I made everypony love her, mom and dad...they'd love her too much to..."

"I know...but who says if...if they're still out there, they'll take us away?" Scootaloo asked. "We're the apprentice of one of Equestria's heroes, and a Wonderbolts hopeful...and don't say Wonderbolt...we BOTH know Rainbow Dash never wanted that just HOOFED to her..." Rainbow Dash had said that every time they asked her why not just ask Twilight to get her made a Wonderbolt. "...Besides...I don't think mom and dad...would've done...that...if they didn't expect us to meet more ponies to care about...they'd be crueler than any nightmare we had if they did..."

Velocitas began to smile. "Y-Yeah..."

"...Besides, let's face it, how could we REALLY make Rainbow Dash any more awesome than she already is?"

"...Hehe...I guess you're right..."

Scootaloo held out her hoof and touched Velocitas' and the two were engulfed in white tendrils and became one.

Applebloom gave a sigh of relief. "Three down...meh tah go...wonder how the others are doing...

"Ugh, we're getting nowhere!" Diamond Tiara yelled, the group still at a stalemate with Instrumentum. She then realized something. "Of course! We're being idiots!"

Button Mash blinked. "We are?"

"She's TECHNOLOGY! We're fighting her with pixels and technology! Her thing! We need to fight her with something ELSE!" said Diamond, looking thoughtful. She then got a devilish smirk. "And if she thinks emotions are so worthless...You two love birds got anything lovey dovey you can throw at her? She gets tech by itself, but how about with EMOTIONS behind it?"

The two blushed...then looked at each other...

Sweetie accessed Button's inventory, which was also their team inventory. "...I think I've got something..."

She produced the Sapphire and Ruby. "...If it's love we need...then what about something made of love?"

Isthmia blushed...but nodded. "Yeah, let's try it..."

The two nuzzled...and combined the two stones.

Sweetie Belle turned into white energy and Button into brown, the two mixing together into a slightly larger Alicorn.

The energy dispersed and rained down as pixels with an 8-Bit tune playing in the background.

Diamond couldn't tell if the being in front of her was male or female. Their fur was a light brown, their mane likewise could belong on either a boy or a girl and had a darker purple to it than Sweetie Belle's. Their Cutie Mark looked like the heart container from a Legend of Cadence game with pixelated song notes around it.

"...You two can do that?"

"Yep!" the combined being said with an upbeat tone that fit a fusion of the two cheerful foals. But Diamond Tiara STILL couldn't tell if the tone was male or female.

"...Are you boy or a girl?"

The fusion blinked. "...I dunno...Let's just call me Leitmotif, okay?"

Instrumentum rolled her eyes in her control room. "Did yah really think Ah wouldn't see that comin'?

A laser to separate the two flew out...but they only flickered, they didn't BREAK apart like she'd wanted. A pink energy seemed to be HOLDING them together.

"WHAT?! That ain't logical!"

Leitmotif chuckled. "It's love! And I'm made of it!"

The Alicorn flapped their wings, flying up and summoning what looked like a magical version of the same music game equipment Button alone had summoned earlier. Digitized arrows began to move up behind her like in the game.

[=Sailor Moon - the Power of Love=]

Leitmotif began playing, moving fast and playing the entire instrument set up by herself. Pink sound waves began to radiate outwards, hammering away at ONLY the shields of the Nightmare's fortress.

Hearts formed in the optics of her drones and they began to all rush back and swarm her command deck, trying to HUG her.

"WHAT?!" Applebloom's Nightmare asked in shock. "STOP! AH DIDN'T PROGRAM YAH TAH DO THAT!"

"But they now that they've got love, they love you enough to know you need help getting out of the dark!" Leitmotif replied.

"There comes a time
When you face the
Toughest of fights..." they began to sing, hitting every note as the arrows continued to go up.

Instrumentum struggled to regain control of her drones. "STOP IT!"

Mecha-Chrysalis pressed a button, opening the window of the command deck.

"WHY?!" Instrumentum asked.

"Response: I love Sweetie Belle."

The Nightmare struggled as her own drones rushed in, hugging her tightly. "LET ME GO! DON'T YOU SEE EMOTIONS ARE HORSEAPPLES WE'RE BETTER OFF WITHOUT?!"

"WE LOVE YOU MAKER!" the drones yelled back.

She forced her way free and ran deeper into her fortress as her own loving drones continued after her.

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Twilight Sparkle turned in place, slightly shell-shocked as she surveyed Ponyville's main square. The grass-lined streets and walkways were completely torn up by giant claw prints, Rarity's shop and home was half-collapsed, and the other buildings were miraculously intact but *plaid*, which worried her more than the destruction.

"Was that the last of them?" asked Twilight nervously. She put down the chest with the Elements of Harmony that she'd been magically hauling around. "Are we even going to need these?"

Apple Bloom flew down from a roof and *transformed from a pegasus to an earth pony* right in front of her. "Ah'm afraid not, Twilight. There's still one more... *mah* Nightmare. Oh, and that no-good Ispita's back too."

"How did you... Wait, how can you and your Nightmare even exist at the same time?" Twilight looked at the buildings and felt a chill. "This looks like Discord's hoofwork."

"Eeeyup, probably is!" said Apple Bloom, cheering up a bit. "He's on our side now."

Twilight froze. "Oh... kay..." She popped the chest open with her magic and started passing out Elements. "I'll believe Discord's really on our side, oh, maybe half past never. Right, that's Magic, Laughter... Rarity, you're just in time!"

Rarity hardly noticed her choker clicking into place as she raced to Apple Bloom. "Where's Sweetie Belle? Please, tell me my little sister is okay!"

"Oh, she's better than okay!" said Pinkie brightly. "She's Princess Euterpe now!"

Rarity swayed on her hooves. "Pinkie, darling? My drama chaise longue is a little broken to tiny pieces right now. Could I possibly trouble you for..."

"No problem!" Pinkie pulled an inflatable bouncy-couch out from behind a mailbox, blew it up in a few seconds, and let a grateful Rarity faint onto it.

An understandably skittish Fluttershy joined them, flying low and immediately looking for something to hide behind. "I'm here! I'm so sorry, everypony. I had to... Yes... Yes, I know. There's no use making excuses." She hung her head, and meeped when Twilight hoofed her the Element of Kindness. "I was so frightened."

Twilight smiled. "But you're here now."

"Um, Spike?" Rainbow poked her head out of Spike's fist. "You can let go now."

"Heh, sorry about that," said Spike, scratching his head fins, but he kept watching the Applecron on the horizon, not shrinking back down. "You okay, Rainbow?"

Rainbow flew over to Twilight with none of her usual energy, then landed, staring down at her hooves. "I... I'm not sure I *am* okay. I think it nearly happened again." The pegasus cringed. "It was like... my loyalty to Scootaloo was eating me alive. I don't know how much more of that I could have... wha?"

Fluttershy was hugging Rainbow tight. "I know..." She looked at Rainbow with teary eyes then hugged her tight again. "I'm SO glad you didn't have to go through anything worse."

Rainbow squirmed. "Yeah, well... Heh, thanks... I guess." She looked to the cocoon of light that had swallowed both Scootaloos, and smiled. "Is that really you in there, little buddy? You're gonna be an *Alicorn*? Heh... I guess you're not gonna need me taking care of you... or being your mom..." She added the last part really quietly. "Guess I'll be the one cheering *you* on pretty soon."

"Sorry Ah'm late, everypony," said Applejack, unexpectedly, trotting up to them. "And Ah'm sorry Ah can't be any more help than this... Veritas is still hogtied eight ways from Saturday." She looked to Apple Bloom. "And I'm awfully sorry about that rotten song Ah had to sing..."

Apple Bloom tackle-hugged her big sister's robot avatar anyway.

Author's Note

The rules are simple. Write something in the comments, and it's added to the story above! No 'script' format additions! Keep it My Little Ponies!

Set in the same universe as Pinkie Pie Forth Wall Breaking Variety Show!

*Replay recording*

Nightmare Apple Bloom (Instrumentum), "If there's something ya want done, Ah've got an invention to get it done for ya!"

Nightmare Sweetie Belle (Cantata), "Just listen to the sound of my voice, and we can all be in harmony."

Nightmare Scootaloo (Velocitas), "You can all be as awesome as Dash!"

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/PinkiePiesFourthWallVarietyShow

The CMC got turned into adorable little Nightmares... and the only one who can save the day is... Diamond Tiara and Discord?! Huh?

Part Added by:
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn
Kendell2
MtangaLion
Kendell2
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MtangaLion
Kendell2
MtangaLion
Kendell2
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
Kendell2
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
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Alex Warlorn
Kendell2
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Kendell2
MtangaLion

Cover is a commission By Kendell2

Diamond Tiara's?! Journal of the unexplained 11

Diamond Tiara's?! Journal of the unexplained 11

Alex Warlorn

A unicorn teleported in, she had the same hair style as Sunny Day, but her mane and coat were the color of Apple Bloom's, and had a sun apple cutie mark.

"What tha?!" The musical Alicorn exclaimed.

"Sunny Day as ya know 'er was just an empty puppet controlled by Celestia, so I just took control of the empty shell and altered it." Princess Celestia stank at creating Avatars, as a general rule, they were mindless machines at best, and marionettes at best.

Sunny Apple then proceeded to blast the robots to bits.

"Ah also got this!" A holographic display of a big red button floated from next to the nightmare of Progress. She hit it. "Anti-Alicorn Disruption Field Activated! Preparations and know-how trumps everything! Doesn't effect Nightmares though." The Prince of Gaming's army fell apart into pixels, and the princess of music's songs fell silent.

Some distance away with the big glowing white cocoon where the Sooctaloos were in.

'Diamond Tiara... I get the feeling you'll get a chance to be the hero here soon after all.' Whispered Discord. 'Though you might want to hurry before Scootaloo hatches and steals the show.'

'Hatches?'

'Nothing! Nothing! Just a theory!'

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"But we need Applebloom to talk some sense into herself!" Diamond said. She looked up. Then thought... "...Maybe. Either way, we NEED to get in there..."

She then looked to Sunny Apple. "...That's just a puppet the Nightmare Applebloom is using, right?"

Discord nodded. "Correct."

Diamond transformed into her Yokai form, charged and promptly slammed her claw into her, knocking the wind out of her due to her focusing too much on her triumph and not enough to Diamond. "You know, you have WAY too big an ego!" she said, then slammed both claws into her head repeatedly before obliterating the Avatar with a blast of chaos from her mouth.

Discord snapped his fingers and a pot and kettle appeared next to Diamond.

"Oh you're one to talk!" Diamond replied, somewhat glad that hadn't felt as good as she'd always imagined seeing Applebloom get pounded would feel...meant she'd changed. She looked to Leitmotif. "You still got Alicorn superstrength, right?"

Leitmotif, who'd been looking sad (though not crying like Button on his own likely would have), nodded. "Yeah..."

Discord sighed. "You'd think that the creator would stop worfing us deities if he REALLY wanted the audience to see us as amazing things the universe needs to keep running..."

Diamond sighed. "I'll never understand this cosmic stuff...Anyway, we need to get IN there."

Suddenly, the 'egg' surrounding Scootaloo exploded and an orange flash flew in, unleashing a blast of fire on several of the war station's weapons.

Diamond Tiara blinked, looking at her. Scootaloo wasn't an Alicorn, nor a Ryujin. She had an Alicorn's basic body shape, with the horn and wings, but had a purple underbelly like a dragon with sharp teeth, spines growing down her back. Her tail was a dragon's but ended in a tuff of purple fur. Her front limbs ended in claws and her hind ones were hooves, Scootaloo's Cutie Mark visible. Her armor was like that of a knight, being silver with Chrysoprase gemstones.

"Princess Faventia to the rescue!"

The Nightmare's battle station opened fire...but Scootaloo raised her forelegs and formed an energy shield, stopping it in it's tracks.

"WHAT?! But my Anti-Alicorn field?!" Instrumentum voice yelled, still dealing with the drones that'd gotten inside and were being annoyingly stubborn about not stopping with Sweetie's magic canceled out.

"Cause I ain't one!" Faventia replied, smirking. "I'm a...what did Queen Tiamat call it in that weird celestial place with Princess Celestia? A Divine Kirin."

"But Ah ain't got any data on Divine Kirins!"

"Cause I'm the only one!"

Diamond looked as Applebloom came up. "Good, you're here..." she looked back up. "Scootaloo! Break us an entrance!" she yelled, then looked to Leitmotif. "Fly us up into it!"

She looked to Discord. "And Uncle..."

"Yes?"

"Cause some chaos."

Discord smirked like a kid in a candy store. He teleported off, then returned on a giant flying parade float armed with cannons in the shape of novelty spray flowers surrounded by flying pigs. "CHARGE!" He might not have been able to do anything directly, but he COULD still be really, really distracting. "Troll brigade!" he called, turning to a crew of literal trolls at computers. "Engage mindless trolling! Flood her systems with junk emails, spam, and moronic comments on the most meaningless dribble you can think of! Let no spam filter or firewall stop you!"

Said trolls proceeded to laugh like psychos and get typing.

"At last! I found a benevolent use for trolling!"

Faventia flew up and drove her claws into the side to the bottom of the Applecron and used her strength to rip it open. Leitmotif grabbed her two friends and flew up, into the ripped hole with Faventia following suit afterwards.

Inside, they found...an arcade.

Leitmotif separated the ruby and sapphire, returning to Button and Sweetie. "This was my place..." said Button, looking around.

"Very observant of you," said Ispita's voice.

The goddess of Temptation appeared before them. "Took you long enough to get here...I had time to prepare something for you."

She jumped back, revealing an arcade cabinet with a gun on it. The title was the Baron of Battle. "If you won't be the Temptation of Video Game Addiction, that's fine. I have another child who's got that covered. Come forth!"

The cabinet shattered, a massive green wire frame face arising from the wreckage, grid lines radiating off of it. "Greetings Earthlings. I am the Baron of Battle, Master of All I Survey."

Multiple wire frame enemies manifested. A red shape, an orange UFO, a pink racer, and so on.

"What is that thing?!" Applejack asked.

"Oh, my son," Ispita explained. "You see me and a cousin of mine, who went by the name 'the Clockwork Stallion' at the time, came up with the idea of making a video game so insanely hard and addicting that a hardcore player could become obsessed enough to ruin their grades, steal from their parents, and ruin their life just to try and finish it. And once they did? He swallows them up. I created the Baron from a piece of my own essence, only thing we Draconequi can do to actually MAKE something. And he's just as brainless as the one my potential sister-in-law Pandora tried, but hey, at least he WORKS for what I made him for!" she said, cackling. "Game start."

She vanished into purple smoke as the minions began to attack.

Button saw the gun from the remains of the arcade and grabbed the gun, firing and destroying one of the minions as Scootaloo guarded her friends. "It's what you use to play the game!"

Diamond blasted another with a chaos blast. "Let's beat the 'boss' and end this quick!"

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Twilight Sparkle pointed a shaking hoof at the insane troll parade. "Is that your idea of 'on our side?' Discord's turning the whole town upside-down... again!" She planted her hooves. "Formation, girls!"

"O- okay!" Fluttershy moved next to Twilight, plucking up her courage.

"Mmm-hmm!" said Rarity.

"Finally!" Rainbow Dash grinned. "Let's do it!"

"No," said Applejack.

Twilight froze, then spun around to stare at Applejack, and Pinkie Pie beside her, who was looking a little downcast and scuffing a hoof in the dirt. "No? Sorry, did you say... no?!"

Applejack sighed. "That's what Ah said."

Pinkie Pie trotted up to them. "Discord IS on our side, Twilight. Thalia is the one who reformed him."

"If ya'll would pay attention and not jump to conclusions, you'd see that Discord's distractin' Nightmare Instrumentum, and not hurting anypony down here."

Indeed... not many ponies were approaching the parade float instead of barricading themselves in their homes, and most of those ponies hadn't been in Ponyville the first time, but Discord was waving and smiling to them, and even throwing candy to a hooffull of colts and fillies... which *wasn't* turning them into anything crazy.

A second Discord appeared before them in a flash and cleared his throat. "I know I'm going to be saying this a lot, so I might as well start practicing now. Ahem..." He grasped a terrified Twilight's shoulders, and leaned close. "I'm sorry."

Twilight blinked. "Huh?"

"Truly, utterly, and sincerely sorry." Discord flashed over to Rainbow Dash. "I'm sorry." Poofed over to Rarity. "So very sorry, my dear." And then to Fluttershy. "I'm doubly sorry. My goodness, the foal support is going to ruin me, isn't it?"

Fluttercruel swiped a hoof at him, which he nimbly dodged. "And what if sorry isn't good enough?!"

Discord struck a pose. "Then I shall make amends, daughter dearest. I'm not going anywhere. Hmm, and unfortunately, it seems you aren't either. I'd hoped to send you to the Applecron as well, so we could attack Little Miss Borg Queen on two fronts, but..."

Two earth ponies came up the hill behind them, stamping fissures into the ground and even breaking the stones beneath their hooves.

"Are they... Apples?" asked Twilight. The stallion even wore a hat that was a twin of AJ's own.

Applejack gritted her teeth. "Tartarus... She's still got control of the robot doubles of our Ma and Pa."

"We're real sorry about this, sugarcube," said the mare. "We love ya..."

"But somepony else is pullin' our strings now," said the stallion. "Do what ya gotta do."

Then the expressions on both of them went completely blank. Metallic horns extended from their foreheads, and metal wings unfolded from their backs...

Mtangalion

Princess Faventia was getting swarmed by tiny pixelated spaceships, all of them plinking away at her shield with lasers. The Divine Kirin grinned. "Quick? Sounds good to me!" She struck a pose, and her wings ignited, sending out a pulse of flame that blew up half of the enemies attacking her. Then she stamped a hind hoof, striking a spark on the metal floor that became blasts of lightning, taking out the rest of them. "Did I mention that I'm also the goddess of the tianma?"

Euterpe cheered and clapped her hooves. "Someone's going to have to retroactively update those statues of us four."

Diamond Tiara eyed a stray pink racer like an annoying fly, then stamped on it and ground it to pixel dust beneath a scaly paw. "Sorry... what's a tianma?"

"Ah'm kinda wondering that mahself," said Apple Bloom. "Let me guess... my future, y'all's past?"

Faventia extinguished her wings and folded them again so the heat wouldn't roast her friends. "We'll tell you all about them later. Better yet, we'll take you to visit! First things first, though..." She lit her horn and fired a bolt of raw magic at the Baron of Battle.

In an instant, a golden wireframe shaped like a colt appeared and fired a single blaster shot, at the perfect angle to bounce the magic harmlessly in a different direction. "Reflect!" actually appeared in tiny glowing letters at the point of impact, rising and fading away. The Baron's green wireframe face chortled. "Your attacks are useless against me."

"What?" cried Faventia. "I bet you can't do that again..."

Isthmia held a hoof in front of her before she could fire another shot. "Wait... That mid-boss has my skills! See?" The Alicorn prince fired several blaster rounds in quick succession, dodging left and rolling right, and the golden wireframe mirrored him perfectly, shots cancelling each other out in midair. "The Baron traps obsessed gamers... you're another Button Mash, aren't you?"

The gold wireframe gave him a furious, cartoonish glare. "And you're another me! It's not faaaaaiiiiirrrr!" He stamped blocky see-through hooves. "I just wanted everypony to *stop bothering me* so I could play my game, and I wound up like this! Why should you get to play games forever AND be an Alicorn?!"

Isthmia sighed and lowered his weapon, despite his counterpart's still being aimed at him. "We're... not so different. I had to fall too, before I learned there's more to life than just games."

"You... you're lying!" said the other Button, his animations visibly stuttering. "Gaming is everything! What else is there!?"

Isthmia smiled sheepishly, looking to Euterpe and Faventia and Apple Bloom. "Do I really have to do the friendship speech? I'm not very good at those." He coughed. "But yeah, it's friends. Even the best game gets lonely if nopony wants to play with you, you know? And if you get the world record high score but nopony cares... what was the point?"

Wireframe Button Mash lifted his blaster again, staring at it. "I think... I want to take a break. Maybe I'll try something else besides games for a little while." His form began to glow, slowly fading and dissolving into pixels. "Whoa... is that all I had to do... this whole time?" And then he was gone.

The Baron of Battle seized up. "Error. Core programming removed. Error. Recompiling..."

"Oh no you don't!" said Diamond Tiara. She fired a chaos blast and blew the Baron away before he could finish, leaving just a cloud of pixels and a floating text message that read "Respawn time: 4 minutes." Then she fired a bunch more times, until the message read "Respawn time: 4.335E+7 minutes." Diamond smirked. "I'm not sure what that means, but it's a really long time, right?" She conjured up a small broom and dustpan with a snap of her claws, then swept up the cloud and tossed it through a portal into a chaos dimension for good measure.

Apple Bloom started to tell Diamond many years that was, but then she looked at her blank flank and sighed, saying nothing.

In the Applecron's control room, Silver Spoon watched Diamond Tiara and the others on a video monitor, shocked. The filly had her hooves shackled, but she wasn't even resisting, now.

Nightmare Instrumentum watched her watching the monitor, calculating odds. "Ya see? Ah didn't lie. Mah previously gathered data indicated that the two of you did absolutely everything together." She leaned closer. "Clearly that's no longer the case. She's left ya mighty far behind, hasn't she?"

Instrumentum pivoted around, the servos of her mech suit whining. "Robot plumbers." Two mechanical ponies saluted her, one painted red, the other green. "Escort our 'princess' here to another 'castle.' Ah need more data..."

Kendell2

Diamond Tiara's nostrils twitched. "Silver?"

Euterpe blinked. "You can smell Silver?"

"I've been a Yokai longer than I LET you know..." Diamond said. "She's here somewhere...Oh no!"

The group knew what that meant and promptly ran off, following her closely.

However, before they could reach her location, Ispita once more interrupted them. She looked rather angry. "You're going to pay for what you did to my child."

Diamond rolled her eyes. "We all know you don't give a darn about anypony who's not you."

"You're right, but he was one of my favorite toys," Ispita said. She pulled out a small device. "Gift from the girl who owns the joint."

She put it over the Coyote totem and transformed into purple smoke, the rainbow chains seeming to be stretched by both her power and the device. She transformed into a huge winged, two armed serpent made of purple smoke, draconequus like eyes glaring down at them with shadowy horns extending from the back of her head. "Normally this form requires a lot more energy to maintain, but thanks to this little machine, I can maintain it much easier. Say hello to the Shadow of Desire."

Blood red lightning crackled around one arm and a dark purple lightning around another. She put her hands together and let loose a barrage of lightning bolts at them.

The group dodged, getting several burns in the process.

Euterpe looked to her fellow deities. "Diamond! Applebloom! Go help Silver and stop Nightmare Applebloom!"

"What?!" Diamond Tiara asked.

"We can't just leave you here!" Applebloom yelled.

"Applebloom needs to stop Instrumentum, and I KNOW Diamond wants to rescue Silver!" Faventia yelled. "Besides, we're the deities here! Let us handle the mad goddess!"

The group jumped out of the way of a black energy beam with a red corona fired from Isptia's 'mouth' that tore through the floor.

Diamond and Applebloom looked to each other. "...They've got a point..." Diamond said.

Applebloom didn't like it...but she couldn't deny time was running out. "...Fine, let's go."

The two ran off as the two Alicorns and one Kirin looked to each other.

Ispita laughed. "Three fledgeling deities? You think you can beat me? The Goddess of Temptation?!"

Isthmia smirked. "You're not a deity right now, are you? And I think we've got a way to raise our stats."

The group produced the Ruby and Sapphire...and the Pearl Luna had given them that they'd yet to use. They put them together and turned into energy that combined together.

Emerging from the energy in a rain of pixels, musical notes, and butterflies was a divine Kirin, their scales were brownish orange with their underbelly and mane and tail being a mix of Sweetie and Scootaloo's purples only darker. They were about teenaged size.

Their Cutie Mark was a coat of arms split into red, brown, and purple sections with a darker purple star with a lighter purple pixilized heart with butterfly wings in the center.

They were androgynous, but seemed slightly more female.

Opening their eyes, then looked at the Spirit of Temptation with a mix of rage, confidence, and caution, seeming confident, but not overestimating herself.

"I'm...Crusader? No...Applebloom's not in here. How about Cavalier?" the fusion asked.

"How about DEAD?!" asked Ispita, unleashing her mouth beam, but finding a powerful beam of dark magic countering it.

Cavalier grinned. "I am all of their rage, all of their anger..."

They then blasted the stunned Demon with a blast of light magic that slammed her into the wall. "But also their joy and compassion...and?"

A version of Megastallion appeared and blasted at Ispita, forcing her to dodge. "I'm a Divine Kirin, not an Alicorn! Which means I can use my powers now!"

Ispita growled, summoning Mrs. Pie in her top hat and cape to counter. "Fine. Let's see who's the better God!"

"I think you threw away that title a long time ago."

Instrumentum rolled her eyes, still trying to process all the junk mail she'd been randomly getting. "Of course they'd go for Silver, should have taken into account Diamond might have enhanced sense...oh well..."

She then clicked on something on a monitor to close the doors...then blinked when instead she was greeted by a strange stallion dancing and singing.

"Never gonna give you up
Never gonna run around and hurt you..."

"What the buck?!"

Discord laughed his head off (literally). "You gave her computers a virus that replaces functions with rick rolls?"

The troll laughed psychotically while nodding.

"CLASSIC! That should distract her! And really really confuse her given that doesn't exist in Equestria! BRILLIANT!"

Alex Warlorn

"!!!!!raaaaaaaaaaR"

"Never gonna, AAAAAAHHH!!!"

"!yoU shalL bE removeD" Snarled the Blank Wolf chasing the formally dancing stallion who was now running for his existence. The entire thing still being shown by the cameras. Though most would only see the stallion running from nothing.

Discord face faulted. "Oh right, 'doesn't exist' equals Blank Wolf."

Mtangalion

Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara raced through more metal corridors, following Diamond's nose. They skidded around a corner and saw Silver Spoon in an intersection, being led along like a prisoner between a red ponybot and a green ponybot. "Silver, this way!" shouted Diamond, holding out a paw.

The shackles had been removed... Silver could have slipped away from the robots and run to Diamond, but instead she gasped and backed away.

The red ponybot struck a taunting pose. "No big ugly reptiles are kidnapping our princess today!"

The green ponybot shook his rear at them. "Let's a-go!" They grabbed Silver and dashed off to the right.

Diamond Tiara ground her fangs, livid. "Oh, you did not just call me a... hey, get back here!" She charged around the corner, and Apple Bloom shrugged and followed... but they quickly ran up against a heavy steel door that slid shut to block their path.

Diamond jammed her claws under the door and started prying it open, but she only managed to raise it a few inches. Apple Bloom braced her hooves and brought her earth pony strength to bear, and together they managed to push the door a few inches higher. "This isn't enough," grunted Diamond. "Turn into something stronger!"

Bloom grinned and turned into a buffalo. "Easy as apple pie!" They managed to lift the door and slip underneath, but it slammed shut behind the fillies, leaving them in complete darkness.

Diamond groaned. "Turn into something that can shed some light."

Apple Bloom became one of those glow-in-the-dark ponies. She'd never really understood what that was all about, but it was useful enough now, revealing the two handles that had to be turned to open the next door.

They saw Silver and the robots disappearing around another corner at the far end of the hallway, just before a hatch opened and filled the hallway with dirt and rocks, blocking the whole passage. "Turn into something that can dig!"

"Ah kinda got that one myself," grumbled Apple Bloom, shifting into a Diamond Dog pup.

There was a room with a narrow bridge over a deep drop, and wild winds that only a pegasus could calm. And a door with ten tiny little buttons that only a human's fingers could press. A room with dart traps that forced Apple Bloom to become an earth dragon, making herself a living shield for Diamond. And on and on...

Apple Bloom frowned, seeming more worried with each new test. "It's like mah Nightmare *wants* me ta show off all my different forms." Her eyes widened. "Oh, no no no... it's exactly what she wants. This ain't good at all!"

Diamond sighed. "I know, but what else can we do? At least we're nearly to the end."

Heavy steel walls slammed down, behind and in front of them. The wall in front had a large screen full of spinning 3D wireframes and equations, and a keyboard sized for pony hooves. Diamond smirked. "No prizes for guessing what this test is about." She blinked. "Apple Bloom?"

Apple Bloom was huddled in a corner, as far from the screen as she could get, refusing to even look at it. "Ah can't... Ah'm real sorry, Diamond, Ah just can't! Use your magic and blast the wall open."

"But..." Diamond shook her head. "No, there's not enough room in here. You'll get hurt!"

"That's okay. Do what ya gotta do to save Silver. Ah'll use the dragon form again and be just fine." She tried to smile, but she was shaking and wouldn't look Diamond in the eyes.

"No, you won't," snapped Diamond. "I know what chaos magic can do. Look, just solve that puzzle, okay?"

"But... but Ah can't!" whimpered Apple Bloom. "If Ah get a special talent for numbers and machines and stuff, Ah'll wind up ruining all of Ponyville and then the whole world, just like Nightmare Instrumentum!"

"Seriously?" bellowed Diamond Tiara. "My best friend is in danger, and you're scared of a stupid thing like that?! Is your head as empty as your *blank flank*!?" She froze. "No... I didn't mean..."

Apple Bloom's eyes filled with tears. "Th-th-that's right." She sobbed. "Ah'll just be a dumb ol' blank flank. It's fine. We're all better off that way."

Diamond sighed. "No, we're not..." Then she surprised both of them by shrinking back down to normal and hugging the other filly. "Apple Bloom, I'm sorry I said that. This isn't easy for me to say, but... I'm sorry for *all* the times I ever made fun of you! It was rotten, and mean, and... and I was just a huge jerk!"

Apple Bloom stopped sniffling, hardly believing her ears.

"Look," said Diamond. "Did Button Mash have to give up video games forever to stop Nightmare Pixel? Did Sweetie Belle's music suddenly become evil, just because Cantata did bad things with *her* music? My special talent didn't make me a bad pony either. I... I did that myself. What you do with *your* talent is up to *you*, whatever talent you get!

"Oh, and you'd better appreciate this, because if you ever tell anyone that I hugged you..." Diamond winked. "I'll deny everything. I'll have the family lawyer write up an affidavit and everything."

Apple Bloom couldn't help but laugh a little at that. She gazed at the keyboard, closed her eyes for a moment, then nodded and crossed the room. "Okay..." she whispered.

Slowly at first, and then with increasing confidence, Apple Bloom tapped at the keyboard. Wireframes rotated and slotted together with other shapes. Equations lit up, blinked, and disappeared, solved and simplified. Apple Bloom began to smile as she worked. "Sorry Ah made ya wait so long, Miss Fate, but... Ah'm sure now. This is what Ah want."

In the end, only a single interconnected schematic remained, with a single very complex equation underneath. Apple Bloom grinned. "It's Flim and Flam's time machine. Heh... Ah guess even a Nightmare wasn't crazy enough to build another one of those." The whole display flashed, and the walls of the trap retracted back into the ceiling.

Apple Bloom's flank began to sparkle. In a burst of golden light, a shiny silver gear appeared, with a ripe red apple in the center. "Is that... Ah can't bear to look!" She peeked, then squealed and danced, hugging Diamond again before she could object.

Diamond smiled, rolling her eyes. "Congratulations on your cutie mark. Ugh, all these hugs are totally going to ruin my reputation."

Apple Bloom nodded firmly. "It's time ta fight fire with fire."

Nightmare Instrumentum watched it all, on the one monitor that she'd managed to keep free of trotting rappers in sunglasses and sleepy lovecat kittens. She tapped a control on her wrist, and her mech suit split open, letting her step out of it. Her own cutie mark, a black gear with a green apple, was shimmering darkly now, and it only took a moment's concentration for her to transform into a black-furred wolf pup with eerie neon runes in her fur. She changed back again, pleased. "Soon, it'll be time ta settle this."

Mtangalion

Shining Armor had been many things. Big brother, soldier, guard captain, prince, hero, favored chew toy of the goddess of imagination... Today, he'd added griffon (proud and extremely fluffy), human (felt embarrassingly under-dressed), pegasus (just plain weird), and plenty more to that list.

Now he was a long, serpentine dragon with ivory and sapphire scales, able to effortlessly hover and glide through the air without wings... but Cadence's plan to have him touch all the statues and evolve into an Alicorn had run into a bit of a snag. "I... I just can't do it, Cady! I don't think I can touch that next statue."

Cadence gave him a pouting look, leaning against his side. "It wouldn't have to be for long. Are you sure? I thought if you had a hangup, it'd be with the seapony, not, well... the wolf."

"Well, he's not helping," grumbled Shining.

Snow Bound was giving him a big smug toothy grin. "What? This is the best revenge that I am ever likely to have."

Shining stuck a long forked tongue out at the Wolf. "Besides, Twily made a Pinkie Promise that none of us would ever become wolves."

"Isn't that her problem?" asked Cadence. "You didn't make any promise."

"But I don't want to get her in trouble!" Shining looped through the air, leaving whorls of arcane energy in his wake. "Say, Cady? What kind of dragon is this anyway?"

Cadence shrugged her wings. "You're a mana wyrm. The only mana wyrm. I think they went extinct during Discord's thousand-year reign." A letter appeared in a flash of green dragonfire and fluttered into her hooves. Cadence scanned it, eyes growing wide. "This is... all of the things that Queen Tiamat is willing to do for us if we commit to repopulating the species."

"Still not our weirdest weekend ever," said Shining, unimpressed.

Mtangalion

Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara trotted through a maze of metal corridors, back on the trail of Silver and her captors. "If only there was a workshop or something around here," grumbled Apple Bloom. "Ah could get into Instrumentum's machines, maybe get the robots on our side!"

Diamond smirked. "No big deal, right? Oh mighty Isthmia, could we please have a GameColt with the developer mode unlocked?"

A faint, unfamiliar voice spoke from thin air, making the fillies jump. "Sorry... we're a bit busy right now!"

"I didn't think he'd actually hear that," said Diamond sheepishly.

"They can't help you," said Apple Bloom's voice on a loudspeaker. No, not Apple Bloom... that was Nightmare Instrumentum! "How about Ah lend ya a helping hoof?"

A heavy steel door slid open, revealing a side passage. Inside, a metal hoofband with a display screen and several buttons sat on a little table under a spotlight, sized just right for a filly's foreleg.

Apple Bloom took several steps forward, clearly drawn to it. "It's gotta be a trick. Yer up to something!"

"Ah have plans and goals, certainly," said Instrumentum.

"Yer plan is to help me beat you?!" said Apple Bloom, not buying it.

Diamond started to follow Bloom into the side passage, and froze when she heard hooves scuffing the metal floor, further down the main corridor. Silver Spoon stood there on shaking legs, without the robots that had been herding her. "D-D- Diamond?"

"Silver!" The moment Diamond stepped away from the side passage, the steel door slammed closed, separating them. "No... Apple Bloom!"

Silver hung her head. "Do you care more about her than me now, Diamond?"

"Ah knew it!" shouted Apple Bloom, giving the steel door a buck that only made her hooves hurt, then searching for door opening switches that apparently didn't exist. "What's gonna happen if I put that gadget on my leg, huh? Will it lock in place so Ah can't take it off, and shock me until Ah obey ya?"

A huge viewscreen powered up, showing Instrumentum's face. The Nightmare didn't gloat or brag or rant... she just studied Apple Bloom with intense interest, like Twilight Sparkle with a brand new book on the history of sandwiches. "Nope. Nothing like that."

It was really disorienting, like Apple Bloom was talking to herself... which she was, in a way. "Ah bet this thing will only give me false data, and report to you on everything we do!"

"Nope. Ah have plenty of gadgets spying on ya without ya wearing another one."

"It'll probably stick metal wires in mah brain and turn me into some kinda robo-zombie!"

"Nope. It's a miniature computer and access device, nothing more. Yer quite welcome to poke around mah network and subvert mah machines, if ya can. Ah reckon you ought to enjoy the challenge."

Apple Bloom glared at the screen, eyes narrowed. "Pinkie swear?"

Instrumentum scowled faintly. "We are potential aspects of the Truth. We have no need of such irrational things as Pinkie Promises. Look into mah eyes, and see if ya can call me a liar."

Apple Bloom stared down her own image on the video screen, then sighed and grabbed the metal hoofband, snapping it into place around her right foreleg. The miniature display on the cuff lit up, showing scrolling text and projecting images of more buttons and sliders that seemed to respond to nothing more than her looking and blinking at them, like magic. "Why give this to me?"

Instrumentum studied her for a moment more before answering. "You've taken yer first steps toward becoming me. Ah'm just nudging ya along the path a little."

Apple Bloom tensed. "Ah won't become you."

Instrumentum smiled, barely. "You have mah special talent."

Apple Bloom glanced back at her new cutie mark. "And Ah'll use it to *help* ponies who *ask* for my help! Not to cram whatever Ah decide is best down their throats!"

"Can you allow them to make their own flawed and ignorant decisions, in good conscience?" said Instrumentum. "Every day, ponies die, by mischance or simple old age. All of their accumulated data and experience lost. Even ponies that were somepony's Ma or Pa. Ponies that *you* could have saved."

Apple Bloom sighed. "Ah don't have the right. Ah don't *know* what's best for everypony. Ah ain't a god."

"When we're done," said Nightmare Instrumentum, "one of us will be."

Apple Bloom angrily 'typed' a series of codes into her hoofband. The big video screen went blank and another wall slid back, opening the path towards the Applecron's core.

Alex Warlorn

Nightmare Instrumentum's voice echoed. View screens floated nearby, Apple Bloom wouldn't know it, but it was a techno version of the celestial realm that mortals go to ascend. (And where Celestia hoped all ponies would enter some day). Apple Bloom saw 3-D lines spreading out, converging, branching out, and some even spiraling willingly. Apple Bloom saw herself... doing many things she didn't remember doing... became many of them were pictures of her doing things when she was older!

"Ya outta know Incomplete Me... in roughly 90% of our central world lines... we are destine to break and make the world."

"Uh... don't ya mean 'break OR make the world?'"

"No. We will shatter the world, so we can make it into somethin' better, it's our destiny."

"That ain't no shattered planet on our flanks!"

"Don't be so literal minded."

Kendell2

Cavalier dodged one of Ispita's mouth beams and countered with a horn beam of their own, all the while Miss Pie and Megastallion duked it out.

"Isn't there some other way to handle this?" the fusion kirin asked. "Can't we talk this over?"

Ispita gave a laugh. "Oh you little ponies and your belief there's good in everypony, even when there's none to be found. You are by far the most delusional race in creation."

"We're not delusional! We just like to see the good in everypony!" Cavalier replied, the two firing beams that collided, triggering an explosion.

"Good in ANYONE is an illusion. We're all just as rotten and monstrous on the inside as I am!...How about I spell it out for you?"

-=I'm the Bad Guy- Wander Over Yonder=-

Ispita slithered around, firing her lightning which Cavalier dodged.

"I'm not the damsel in distress."

Ispita dodged a bolt and grabbed the fusion in one of her smokey claws.

"I'm no dope who needs friends, or some frightened princess,
I'm not a little bird who needs your help to fly!
Nope!"

The spirit of temptation's claw crackled with electricity, giving the fusion a shock and making her cry out in pain.

"I'm the bad guy!"

Cavalier took a deep breath and blasted Ispita in the face with a blast of fire, forcing her back and making her release them.

Ispita growled and summoned her orange eyed contract slaves.

"All these fallen ponies that you see,
Each of them, with shaking knees, has knelt before me,"

The slaves all bowed before her, some of them looking like they were being FORCED too no matter how hard they tried to fight it.

"So I'm not some loser who'll turn good on a dime,
What am I boys?!" Ispita called, swimming seductively among them and running a claw under a contract slave of Rainbow Dash's chin.

"She's the bad guy..." they all sang together.

Cavalier's horn glowed and they summoned a matching army of video game characters. "Pacifist run!" she ordered, right before the contract slaves and video game characters rushed each other and collided in a battle.

"Oh it's magic, watching my contracts darken up their sky."

Ispita formed a dark storm cloud and caused acid rain to fall at Cavalier, who produced a giant leaf from pixels and swung it, blowing the cloud away.

"Oh it's thrillin', to be a villain.
I destroy their lives and then I watch them cry."

Ispita doubled in size and towered over them.

"CAUSE I'M THE BAD GUY!"

Cavalier dodged several smashes from her claws. "We'll see about that..."

They then sang a wordless heart song that flowed through Ispita, showing...an image of her in a devil suit dancing around a grave marked 'Ispita's good side' singing "I'm evil!"

"...Man, you really are evil!...AH!" Cavalier dodged a bite from Ispita's shadowy maul.

"OH, AIN'T IT FANTASTIC?
I SEE A LIFE, I TRASH IT!"

Ispita pulled the hat off her contract slave Applejack's head, torched it, then through the fireball at Cavalier, blasting them back. She seemed to enjoy the tears that brought to the poor pony's eyes.

"AND LET ME TELL YOU WHY!"

Ispita returned to normal side and purple smoke seemed to spread out. She slashed a claw upwards and Cavalier had to jump out of the way as a giant construct of Ispita's claws erupting up.

"I've always had a weakness
For desperateness and bleakness
I crush all your hopes and then I watch you cry!"

Ispita continued sending constructs of her limbs and tail out of the floor until Cavalier spun around and sang, using Scootaloo's storm power and Sweetie Belle's magic music to dispel her shadow.

The Spirit of Temptation flew fowards and slammed into them, driving them against the wall.

"See, I find this business rather fun!
I don't want your friendship or your silly redemption!"

Ispita threw Cavalier up into the air and wrapped around them, electrocuting them with lightning.

"I'll make a deal to ruin you, then bid ya bye bye!
Why?"

Ispita brought her head in front of them. "COME ON! GUESS!"

Cavalier groaned, feathers and fur a bit blackened. "Cause you're the bad guy?"

"Or, well girl."

Ispita laughed maniacally as she prepared a beam with her mouth.

Cavalier smirked. "...But..."

"But what?"

-=Opal-Steven Universe=-

Cavalier chuckled. "But that's kinda good, isn't it?"

Ispita then noticed that a yellow bar had appeared under Cavalier with a 4 displayed. Had that been there the whole time?

Cavalier's horn glowed and they shot the Spirit of Temptation in the eye, driving her back with a scream.

The gauge hit 5 and turned orange, the red word 'MAXIMUM' blinking across it. "MAXIMUM!" shouted a voice from nowhere.

"Because if you're so evil, then I don't have to hold back, now do I?!"

Cavalier gave a Ryujin-like roar and glowed with power, the background becoming a rush of blue and dark blue.

They charged Ispita full force and punched her in the stomach with so much force even the powerful goddess had the wind knocked out of her. Cavalier summoned a large hammer with a black head and a brown handle in their telekinesis, swung around and smashed Ispita with it using all her strength, knocking her into the air.

Ispita growled, catching herself...only to find Cavalier charging up.

"See yah!" they yelled, firing an alpha strike of horn magic, lightning, and dragon-fire.

Ispita screamed as the blast engulfed her, the machine she'd gotten from Applebloom's Nightmare exploding.

"KO! HYPER COMBO!" shouted a voice.

Cavalier panted as a battered and bloody Ispita (now reverted to her pony form) crashed to the ground, not moving.

Cavalier looked over to the contract slaves...and noticed Applebloom and Applejack...Applebloom comforting her sister despite the fighting going on. "...Sorry about your hat..."

"It's...it's okay...we have bigger problems..."

Cavalier looked at Applebloom and used their menu. "...Oh! I've got it!"

She then used her menu and produced what looked like a bundle of phoenix feathers...and put them on Applebloom, causing them to swirl around her. She briefly turned back to a ghoul from Sunnytown...then all the way back to life.

Applejack was stunned...then hugged her sister, sobbing as the orange in their eyes shattered, the contract now null and void. "T-Thank yah..."

Cavalier smiled. "...We did it because Applebloom would've if she was here."

Applejack and Applebloom faded away, back to their home.

"You...You...you..." Ispita muttered, getting back to her hooves, eyes glowing...then coughed up some orange blood. "...You...you haven't won...even if I'm not here...my little bad apple will tear this world to pieces and destroy everything that makes ponies ponies..." she cackled. "...Ding dong, the witch is far from dead..."

She turned to purple smoke and vanished through a dimensional door that sealed behind her.

Cavalier watched her contract slaves fade away, then dispelled her game characters.

"...Level complete..." she said, seperating her fusion gems and splitting back into three very exhausted goddesses.

"...Hope...hope Applebloom and Diamond can take it from here..." Scootaloo panted, the three lying on their back. Thankfully, the room was too wrecked to have any functioning tech in it to spy on them, so they could at least rest.

"Let's just have faith in them..." Sweetie replied, equally tired. Button Mash nuzzled her and the two laid next to each other.

Kendell2

Diamond Tiara was stunned by Silver's statement...then laughed sadly.

"What's so funny?" Silver asked.

"...I thought it was the other way around."

The silver filly's eyes widened. "W-What?"

"When I came back...I thought you'd already moved on...and were RIGHT to...I was a jerk! I was selfish...I treated you like horse apples!...Why wouldn't you move on without me?" Diamond asked sadly. "...Yes, I'm the Crusaders friend now...but you were ALWAYS my best friend and how could I ever abandon you?!...Because I was an idiot...and big stupid idiot...and I'm sorry...I'm sorry for everything."

Applebloom rushed through the hallways of the Applecron. She knew where this was going. She knew something was going to happen when she reached the core...but the sight of her sister and Pinkie Pie's Alicorns being used as a living engine was not what she expected.

"How...How could you do this?"

"Because they'd stop me if Ah didn't, and with their power, I can do all of this without any damage to anything else," Nightmare Instrumentum's voice replied. "Besides, they're both being projected into android bodies, they're not suffering in any way."

"...Idiot," Applebloom replied.

"Pardon?"

"...Applejack knows her little sister took THIS from her. That she has the power to help everypony but her sister is keepin' it from her."

"Typical outdated emotional response."

Applebloom's face was unreadable. "...So...yah don't feel anythin' at all about doin' this tah AJ? Tah Button, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle turnin' on yah?"

"No. Ah don't. Such emotions are beneath me."

"...Then yah ain't Applebloom anymore!" Applebloom replied, charging and punching the machine with every ounce of Earth Pony strength she could manage...only to scream and be launched back by an electric shock.

"Did you really think that Ah'd make it that easy?" Instrumentum replied. "That electric shock can become powerful enough to make an Earth Dragon back off."

Applebloom looked around, her mind looking for something she could use and repurpose for this...but realized that the majority of things she could use would destablize the entire generator and potentially cause the whole part of the Applecron would explode from losing the ability to contain the magic.

'They're Alicorns, they can survive it.'

That's right...one explosion wouldn't be enough to kill two Alicorns and she could just make a shield for herself...they'd be free, then they could fix everything...

The image of a Silver and Diamond being caught in the blast came to her eyes.

"NO!" she yelled. "I ain't doing that!"

"Why not? Two sacrifices for what logically would resolve your problems much faster," Instrumentum's voice stated.

"But it ain't the PONY thing to do!" Applebloom turned into a dragon and charged, slamming into the container and being driven back by the shock.

"This course of logic is illogical."

"AH DON'T CARE!" Applebloom replied, punching the barrier again. "Yah just don't get it at all, do yah? That big brain of yers is makin' yah lose sight of everythin' that made yah a pony!"

"Ah'm more than a pony now, so that is to be expected."

"APPLEJACK is more than a pony!" the pony-turned dragon punched into the barrier again despite the painful shock. "PINKIE PIE is more than a pony!" She gave a scream as she threw another punch and got another shock. "CELESTIA is more than a pony!" Third punch and third shock. "LUNA is more than a pony." Fourth. "BUTTON is! SCOOTALOO is! SWEETIE BELLE IS!" Fifth.

Applebloom painted, claws smoking. "THEY'RE MORE THAN A PONY."

She thought about her friends, her sister, the Apples...everypony that Instrumentum was throwing away.

She gave a massive roar, a pink fire erupting in her eyes. She grabbed a thin piece of metal she could actually use without causing too much damage and reworked them into a glove for one hoof while letting the pink fire erupt around the other.

"If yah think this tech can replace all of that...then yah ain't more than a pony, yer LESS than one!"

She pressed several buttons on the wrist device she'd been given, causing it to form a force field around her armored hand. She put her claws together, pink fires of bonds and the glow of technological might mixing into one aura. She launched herself forwards and slammed her interlinked claws into the container with as much force she she could manage. She bit her lip as the shock hit her and pushed through.

"Futile. Even if you can stand the shock, there's no way yah can break through that alloy..."

The container cracked. Then SHATTERED.

"...Impossible..."

Applejack kicked back her robotic mother...then blinked. Her and Pinkie looked to each other...and then their robotic bodies shut down and fell to the ground.

Applebloom struggled to her hooves...then looked up to see Veritas and Thalia standing over her. "Thanks little sis," the Alicorn of Truth replied with a smile.

Applebloom gave a tired smile and hugged them. "You're welcome, sis."

Instrumentum gasped in shock as the Applecron began to shut down with it's powersource removed and back up power being overtaxed by the various assaults on it. The Nightmare began to tremble. "No...This ain't logical! Nothing on Equus should be able tah break somethin' made tah contain two Alicorns! HOW DID SHE?! AH JUST DON'T GET IT! NOT LOGICAL!"

Applejack and Pinkie Pie blinked, looking around as the Applecron began falling. "Uh oh, little sis, think yah can finish things with evil you? Looks like we've got work tah do."

Applebloom broke the hug she was sharing with them. "Yah...Ah think Ah can."

The two Alicorns nodded and flew through the wall, flying down and putting their full strength to bare lifting the Applecron back into the air.

Alex Warlorn

Apple Bloom gasped as the Applecron began to come back online, not at all full power, but its base functions restored.

"H-how are ya doin' this?! But, ya ain't got an Alicorn to power this thing!"

Nightmare Instrumentum's voice echoed. "Ah'm powerin' it with myself... not as strong as two Alicorns together, but better than nothin', and it ain't over yet, Ah'll figure out something."

"Except ya ain't gonna! Ah'm gonna find ya, and this mess will finally be over!"

"Is that a fact? Be sure to burn down the library and the school when yer done."

"WHAT? I'd-I'd never do that!"

"Then you're a hypocrite. I guess ya'll say Ah am too to divert attention away from what I've said to make yerself feel better. But that's to be expected. After all, my big brain is making me lose sight of what's important... be sure to make sure no pony can ever get so smart they can lose sight of what's important. Be sure to develop a potion that renders ponies so dumb that they only think with their heart, so all that bad bad thinking can't get in the way of feelings. After all, why rely on THINKING when you can rely on FEELING, don't THINK about the best way to do something, just feel it... After all, think of all the bad things Twilight Sparkle has done with that big brain of hers... come now Apple Bloom, you think you're the hero here... you need to save ponies from their own smarts! Maybe THAT'S how we'll break and make the world, as was set in motion the moment we looked into the mirror! Go! Go! After all 'ignorance is bliss!' So what could POSSIBLY go wrong?! The world will be much more happy when every pony is an IDIOT! ... "

Alex Warlorn

Meanwhile on one of the computer screens, the universe of Equestria ruled over by Nightmare Muffin was shown.

It showed a Twilight Sparkle giggling to herself with cross eyes as she looked at a picture book with no words... upside down... Muffin Guards (literal giant walking muffins) with spears standing on either side of her. Nightmare Muffin standing on her throne nearby with her two daughters looking at the utopia she had made.

Apple Bloom cringed at the sight.

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Applebloom gave an annoyed sigh. "Nah...yer doin' a fine job of that yerself."

"What?" Nightmare Instrumentum asked.

"...Because no brains? That's bad. ALL brain and no heart? THAT'S bad too...Yer an idiot either way."

"Then tell meh, Apple Bloom. Who's smart then?"

"...A pony with all heart and no brains is an idiot because they don't know anythin', a pony with all brain and no heart is an idiot because they forget what's really important...a pony with a brain AND a heart? THERE'S a REAL smart pony."

"And how do you know?"

Apple Bloom looked up at a camera with a serious face. "Cause a pony with a big heart AND a big brain? That's Big Mac. He's our big brother, he loves the Apple Family as much as AJ...but he's SMART. He knows mathematics and how tah put Granny's hip back in place. He's the one who does all the book workin' on the farm. So yeah, I know a pony with a brain and a heart: he's our big brother, and he's the smartest pony Ah know!...Nah...that ain't it...You're SMART, APPLE BLOOM...but yah ain't WISE. Big Mac? He's the WISEST pony I know."

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Something was wrong with the Applecron... the lights were flickering, and a boom like distant thunder echoed down the metal halls... but Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon hardly cared in that moment. They were together again at last.

Silver's eyes widened suddenly, looking past Diamond. Diamond grew into her half-dragon form almost by reflex, scales hardening and claws scraping the metal floor plates, just in time to take a fireball on the flank without harm. The plumber bots were leering at them, more mushrooms and turtle shells and fireballs at the ready.

"Okay," growled Diamond, "I've just about had it with you two!" She didn't question where they'd gotten all those deadly video game accessories... something left over from Nightmare Pixel, perhaps? She just lowered her head and snorted flame, pawing at the floor.

Then the whole ship lurched mightily. The robots yelped, tumbling away down a straight corridor that had suddenly become a 45 degree slope, but Diamond grabbed hold of Silver and sprang into a safe alcove.

Both of them panted, catching their breath. "So, this deal you made with Discord..." said Silver.

Diamond flinched a bit, but she didn't shy away. "I know what you're going to say..."

"Sign me up."

Diamond could only stare. "I didn't think you were going to say *that.* Look, I'm not sure you understand..."

"Is it a bad deal?!" demanded Silver, not letting up. "Are you an evil minion now? Did you sell your soul for ultimate power? Did you turn yourself into some kind of monster because you felt that bad about yourself?!"

Diamond blinked. "What? No, no no... It's not like that. Discord's not like that, not any more!"

"Then I want it." Silver smirked. "Wherever you're going, I want to be right there beside *my best friend.*"

The Applecron lurched the other way, leveling out, and Diamond finally set Silver down. "Okay, but... it's not totally up to me. I'm Discord's vassal now. Seriously, not just playing around like pony nobles and the princesses. You couldn't buy your way into this, even with all the bits you and I have together." Diamond had a thought, and grinned suddenly. "Want to know a secret? Something I haven't even told the Crusaders?"

Silver blinked. "What kind of secret?"

"I have another chaos beast form. Powerful yokai are supposed to have tons of them, the more unpredictable, the better. I just haven't used it much because... heh, you'll see." Diamond shrank back into her normal pony self, then grimaced and grew larger... and pinker... and much fluffier... until Silver had a large, sparkly pink and purple wolf looming over her.

Silver gasped. "Diamond! That's..."

Diamond sighed. "Don't say it..."

"That's adorable!" squealed Silver. She hugged Diamond again, half-buried in floof. "If only I'd gotten foalnapped with some fur brushes..."

Diamond whined and bared her fangs a bit. "Don't you dare!" Then she couldn't help but laugh. "Come on, I'm getting you someplace safe, and then I'm going back for Apple Bloom. Something tells me I'm not quite done saving the day."

"Aw..." Silver looked around. "Um, how? I don't know where the exit is, and aren't we way up in the air?"

Diamond grinned, and howled a chaos portal into being. "Not a problem, now that those shields are down. Hop on! Lets go tell Uncle Discord that he has a new petitioner."

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Applebloom made her way towards the command deck. The Applecron wasn't running on all cylinders any more, so throwing defense after defense her way simply wasn't possible. She finally tore through the final door...and gasped, finding herself face to face with herself, cables hooked into herself and working on three more robots.

The cables weren't what surprised her.

The three androids being constructed...were mimics of the three Nightmares that her other friends had been.

"...Welcome, myself..." Instrumentum said, turning away from her unfinished creations. "Is this the part where you kill me?"

"...No..."

"Why not? Most of my power is being devoted to keeping the Applecron running. I'm vulnerable, you can still shapeshift. You destroy me now, then it's all over. It's LOGICAL."

The pony growled. "...No."

The stoic face of the Nightmare broke into a growl. "How? How can you be me and NOT see it?!"

"...You're right, it's the logical way, Tartarus, maybe it's the 'smart' way...but it ain't the APPLE way. It ain't the PONY way..." Applebloom turned and looked to the unfinished robots. "...And it looks like there's still a part of yah that knows that, ain't there?"

"...They're replacements for numbers...nothing more..."

Applebloom glared. "...No, they ain't...because Ah think Ah just figured out...This ain't about makin' a 'better' world, is it? It's about making one without pain...A world were a little filly never has tah go without knowin' her parents again. That's the truth, isn't it?"

Instrumentum was silent for a moment. "...And what's WRONG with that?"

"...We both know from Ruby that there's more tah this world than just bein' here," Applebloom said, looking herself in the eyes. "Ruby didn't just go poof when she died...Ma and pa are still out there somewhere...and..."

Applebloom thought back. "...There's a better way to make a world without loss than this, and yah know it...a world where ponies are WISE, not just SMART...one were we all become something better because we WANT TAH. We SAW IT. We KNOW that future's there...But you're like meh, ain't yah? Impatient...Yah don't WANT tah wait for everypony else tah choose, 'Ah want mah world of immortals and Ah want it NOW!'" the filly looked back at her Cutie Mark. "...Just like meh and mah Cutie Mark...we're both a lotta things, but patient ain't ever been one."

"...And what? Let ponies die everyday while we wait for them to get their head out of their flanks?" Instrumentum asked, glaring. "Why put off to tomorrow what can be here today!"

"...Because you're like Flim and Flam at the Cider competition. Tryin' tah speed things up the quick and easy way, the 'efficient' way...but not the RIGHT way," Applebloom replied.

Instrumentum snarled. "...You want to stop me, little me? You want to 'prove' Ah'm wrong...then come on, let's take this where we can get it done."

-=Lunar: Silver Star Story - Grindery=-

Instrument trotted back to a jewel shaped like her Cutie Mark. Her Cutie Mark glowed and she lept up. "NIGHTMARE FUSION!" she called, leaping back to merge into the jewel and into the Applecron itself. The entire ship began to shake.

"Uh oh..." Veritas and Thalia muttered, flying back as the massive ship began rearranging itself and transforming. Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Button Mash all noticed and tore there way out.

"Oh boy..." Scootaloo said, watching the giant craft transform into a gigantic, robotic Nightmare, magic the same color as Instrumentum's magic forming lines across it, it's eyes lighting up.

Instrumentality, the Bringer of the Singularity.

The machine fired it's horn at a mountain, sucking it in like a tractor beam.

Applebloom gulped. "...Here goes nothin'..." she said and dove in after her Nightmare.

She blinked, finding herself in grid void of zeros and ones. "Where are we?"

Instrumentum looked over. "Wherever we want to be...when all aspects such as difference in power are reduced to zero...the important traits decide the victor. You are only limited by what you can think up, and so am Ah...Let's see who's better."

"What do we do?!" Sweetie Belle asked, knowing fighting THAT head on wouldn't end well.

Discord tapped his chin, looking to Diamond and Silver as they arrived. "...We fight giant robot with giant robot! I've wanted to do this since we started this!"

He snapped his fingers...causing the Crusader's club house to appear, grow giant, and turn into a giant robot with limbs composed of various things the Crusaders had attempted or obtained in their adventures. Instrumentality's beam didn't work on it. Discord snapped his fingers, teleporting the entire group into the cockpit (now all in scifi style outfits). "GIANT ROBOT FIGHTING TIME!...Oh, and Diamond gets captain chair, it's her adventure."

The What If Machine set as part of the control panel. "Observation: Discord turned the clubhouse into a giant robot. Fascinating."

-=Gravity Falls - Shackotron Battle=-

Author's Note

The rules are simple. Write something in the comments, and it's added to the story above! No 'script' format additions! Keep it My Little Ponies!

Set in the same universe as Pinkie Pie Forth Wall Breaking Variety Show!

*Replay recording*

Nightmare Apple Bloom (Instrumentum), "If there's something ya want done, Ah've got an invention to get it done for ya!"

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/PinkiePiesFourthWallVarietyShow

The CMC got turned into adorable little Nightmares... and the only one who can save the day is... Diamond Tiara and Discord?! Huh?

Part Added by:
Alex Warlorn
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Cover is a commission By Kendell2

Diamond Tiara's?! Journal of the unexplained 12

Tape 12.0 Mtangalion

Instrumentum held her virtual forehooves out and focused, shaping the ones and zeros around her into a vast model of Equus. "Take a good look at mah future, mah perfect new world!"

In the model, tens of thousands of robots were swarming, harvesting all the world... digitizing libraries and art and the minds and thoughts of every last thinking creature, before the beams from the Applecron vaporized everything, gathering in the raw matter to build bigger and better machines.

In time, the whole planet was consumed. Princess Luna made a stand against the Applecron with the last living thestrals, but in the end, Instrumentum got the moon too, and Luna was sealed into a new reactor with all the other Alicorns. "And thus we become Singularity, all knowledge and power in one mind, One Truth!"

Instrumentum frowned, though. "This should already be happening outside. Who's messing with my Applecron?"

Apple Bloom stamped a hoof, even though there was nothing to stamp it on. "It doesn't have to be like that. Ah can still build us a better future, the pony way!" She took hold of the digital space just like she'd seen her other self do, amazed as she began to discover and understand it all. A second simulated Equus formed out of the digital void.

They saw Veritas and Thalia crowned princesses and reigning in Canterlot, letting Celestia and Luna take a vacation that was millennia overdue.

They saw Big Mac in charge of Sweet Apple Acres, trotting across the fields in an exoframe that multiplied his strength instead of doing all the work for him. They saw wondrous machines working the fields, and trains to carry their crops powered by sunlight and magic, with Apple Bloom designing better ones all the time. They also saw Big Mac and his wife and their foals preparing Zap Apple Jam with the same strange rituals as in generations past. They saw all the Apples gathered before the grave of Granny Smith, eyes full of tears but still smiling. Granny had been offered a perfect young robot body, but she'd chosen the eternity *she* wanted, with her husband.

They saw new wonders springing up left and right, in the hoofprints of the young new deities... amazing new advances in music and gaming and invention. They even saw the first Divine Kirin negotiating new, stronger alliances and friendships with the griffon republics and the minotaurs and the dragons.

Instrumentum waved a hoof dismissively. "Do ya expect that mess to stay sunshine and rainbows forever? Take a look at that." A whole city magically appeared in the frozen north, and its dark crystal king waged war on half the world. "That's what happens when ya don't make yer own fate. Ya ought to be able to stomp on any enemy with all those gods on yer side, but Fate has to go and make it a fair fight for the danged Shadows!"

"But they got through it, and they learned a whole lot!" said Apple Bloom. "See? Shining Armor became another new Alicorn Prince!" He and Cadence were ruling the new crystal city, sure enough, with their newborn Alicorn daughter.

"And what about that?" A dark, devil-horned shadow was attacking Equestria now, sucking all the magic out of everything to grow stronger and stronger. "Ya don't see any of those horseapples in *my* world. Ah took the world apart first, and chucked the gate to Tartarus into a sun like *they* oughta have done!"

Apple Bloom watched, fearing the worst, but salvation came. "Ah wouldn't give up on those ponies so quick, other me!" Seven rainbow lights were standing up to the shadowy enemy and *defeating* him.

"Just another deus ex machina," said Instrumentum, unimpressed.

"Nope! Seven mortals with the Elements of Harmony, saving the world where even the Alicorns failed!"

Instrumentum recoiled. "Illogical. Even with divine powers in their hooves, mortals ain't that strong! Ah bet it was a fluke, or they were just some god's puppets!"

"Wanna see it again!" Apple Bloom wound the simulation back, changing the initial conditions slightly, and ran it again... and *again* the horned devil was defeated. The simulation reset yet again... hundreds, then thousands of times. "Sometimes, the bad guy does win," said Apple Bloom soberly. "And sometimes the gods have to step in... but nine times outta time, it's mortals and harmony!"

Instrumentum twitched. "The conclusion makes no sense. There *must* have been an error."

"Tell me what the error is, then!" demanded Apple Bloom. "You built this whole machine! Are these results any good, or are we just playing make believe here?"

"Shut up! Mah simulator is perfect! Ah built all the rules of physics and fate and chance into it."

"Then this is the truth, by yer own admission!" shouted Apple Bloom. Her eyes and cutie mark seemed to sparkle with orange light, even though they were just digital representations. "This is the truth we figured out together, by inventing and theorizing and running test after test. This is Empirical Truth!"

"Ya... ya think ya know everything?!" shouted Instrumentum right back, actually losing her emotionless cool. "Well, ya don't!" She threw the simulations into fast forward. "We have ta go further!"

Tape 12.1 Kendell2

-=Gravity Falls - Shacktron Battle=-

"Ready?" Discord asked, himself, Thalia, and Veritas on a magical treadmill (Discord in sweatpants and work out gear), running and putting their divine energy into the robot.

"Ready!" Diamond said, sitting in the captain's chair with Silver. "We have to stop that thing at all costs. Give Applebloom time to get through to herself!"

The giant robot charged and threw a punch, driving Instrumentality backwards. The massive robot opened several missile launchers and fired.

"TWILIGHT!" Diamond called.

"On it!" the unicorn said, putting a horn to a crystal and casting a beam that the crystal multiplied like a prism.

"What If Machine! Calculations!"

"Response: Roger Roger," replied the machine, doing the calculations of 'What if the missiles went this way' so they could react if the beam failed.

The missiles were destroyed.

"CHARGE!" Diamond and Silver cheered.

Rarity and Rainbow Dash gave a karate yell and charged on motion capture device, punching Instrumentality back.

Instrumentality's horn charged up and fired, the hero's clubhouse robot using what seemed to be copies of every gem Rarity had ever helped Sweetie Belle use attached to one of its arms to block the beam, being forced back slightly.

Instrumentality released a small army of drones at them.

"Fluttershy! Go!"

"Um...o-okay..." Fluttershy said, putting her mouth to a microphone. "Um...can you..."

"GET EM MR. ROCKY!" yelled Fluttercruel.

The top of the robot opened up to reveal the cockatrice the Crusaders had encountered with Fluttershy, magically grown giant, who glared at the drones, turning a good chunk of them to stone and munching a few that didn't.

Instrumentality spread it's wings and charged them, Rainbow Dash and Rarity catching it with the robot's arms.

"MAX POWER!" Diamond Tiara yelled.

"Roger!" Applejack yelled, her and Thalia running faster (Thalia downing some sugary treats) while Discord got on all fours and began running.

They stopped the robot's charge and Diamond swung the control wheel around, tossing the massive machine high into the air.

Button Mash pressed several buttons on a power glove and punched forwards.

The 'doors' of the club house opened to reveal a Fire Elemental who launched a massive cascade of fire, blasting Instrumentality higher into the sky.

"Engage flight mode!" Diamond called.

"On it!" Sweetie Belle called, singing the wordless number for Two For The Sky.

The robot's back opened and two massive wings composed of Sweetie Belle's many, many, many sewing attempts emerged, the robot launching itself skywards and slamming into Instrumentality.

"What do we do now?" Sweetie Belle replied.

"Take it outside!" Diamond called.

"On it!" yelled Rainbow Dash, her and Rarity grabbing Instrumentality and throwing it further out, towards the bad lands where there was nothing to damage in the continuing fight.

"...Let me go first..." Applebloom said, warping the virtual world again.

She showed an image of the horned shadow, having rose again...and being defeated again...but this time.

A purple Alicorn rose up over it, having a look of realization. She then pulled the darkness OUT of the shadow, harmlessly absorbing it into herself like it'd ALWAYS been a part of her, leaving the Centaur a powerless shadow of his former self, maimed so badly his evil could never raise again.

An evil, but beautiful Alicorn emerged, trying to stir up persecution and ill will...and having an epic battle with six, or seven, Alicorns, that ended with their victory and world peace.

Long, long into the future, the Earth Bound Kings arrived.

"See, there's always a new threat," said Instrumentum.

"Yeah..." Applebloom replied...as the Alicorns and their fellow gods defeated the Earth Bound Kings' invasion, then made peace with their remnant and convincing them to transcend physical form and ascend to a higher, more peaceful existence. "But there will always be heroes to stop them...yours?"

Instrumentum ran her simulation. Her Singularity spreading outward, continuing to take and take...until...

"Notice something familiar?" Applebloom asked, waving a hoof.

She ran the simulation side by side with the arrival of the Earth Bound Kings...Instrumentum gasped in horror.

"N-No, that can't be!" the Nightmare exclaimed, running the simulation again and again...each time with the same result.

"We...we..."

"...That's right, Applebloom...in your world, we ARE the Earth Bound Kings!" Applebloom stated, Instrumentum's singularity inevitably becoming near impossible to tell apart from the cosmic, biomechnical horrors from beyond the stars. "...Let's play this out...all the way till the end..."

Applebloom ran both simulations through to their end, ALL the way to the end.

Instrumentum...was faced with a reality: machines...her precious singularity...they were finite. When the universe ended, it was caught and destroyed in Heat Death, as they were still made of matter and the energy like anything of the mortal world, freeing all the souls from it...

Applebloom's...ended with a gigantic, star spanning and peaceful civilization of Alicorns and other deities that had made friends and allies across countless solar systems and planets being offered the chance to ascend ALL the way and become true Concepts instead of simply mortal Alicorns, to become PART OF and PILLARS of the universe to come, or simply refuse and move on to join their loved ones in eternity, having lived eons long, endlessly fulfilling lives and having no regrets, when the universe met its natural end.

Instrumentum's eyes teared up. "If..."

She ran the simulation a million times...a billion times...it always ended the same for her...Her singularity could do nothing but become the Earth Bound Kings because at their core, the mentality and ideas driving them were completely identical: a fear of death and the desire to 'liberate' the universe from fragile flesh.

"Ah...Ah just wanted to never lose anypony...Ah didn't mean..."

Applebloom hugged herself (literally). "Ah know...but there's a better way tah do that...there's a way they CHOOSE to get that far...or choose tah rest...but your way...never ends with anythin' but us becomin' the bad guys...and it'll never be truly eternal...Ah knows it's hard...Ah don't think even Ah'm quite there yet...but that's...just how it works...cause if we try tah cheat, we don't become more...we become something awful..."

"...Ah'm sorry..."

"Ah know..."

Instrumentum's eyes widened. "Oh no...Instrumentality!"

She looked back to the computers. "Instrumentality is programmed to fulfill its purpose without end! Ah never made a kill code! Even Ah can't shut it down now!"

Applebloom put a hoof on her shoulder. "...Then we'll help the others destroy it...Let's make the first choice we make tah get tah that better place be us choosin' tah fix our own mess...after all, how can we expect other ponies tah do something we're too chicken tah do ourselves?" Applebloom held out a hoof.

Instrumentum stared...then nodded and took it. White strands of energy engulfing them both.

Alex Warlorn (I will never get tired of parodying and mocking that horrible grim dark pony fan comic. )

Suddenly! the sky tore open! Revealing a being to even look upon would drive ponies to madness and destroy their very souls and twists their forms to chaos! "HALT! I AM THE UNSPEAKABLE ONE! I AM 200% COOLER THAN DISCORD CAN EVER HOPE TO BE! I AM A MILLION TIMES MORE POWERFUL THAN A MILLION NIGHTMARE ECLIPSES! And a million times more evil! YOU CAN NOT HOPE TO -AGGGH!!!!" And was promptly eaten by The Wolf and was erased from time and space and ever ever existed.

"I thought I got cleared out all of those! Dangit. Good doggy!" Princess Thalia said from inside the club house.

Mtangalion

Just like the puzzle of Flim and Flam's time traveling steam wagon, all of the pieces of *Apple Bloom* began fitting into place. Her shapeshifting forms, floating out of the snuggle-pile in her mindscape... Instrumentum's too, even more than Apple Bloom had... They had a worry, suddenly, a heartfelt wish. They felt a flutter of Alicorn wings, and something seemed to settle onto them like a second skin, just a little too snug for comfort, but that was fine and dandy.

Everything came to rest, real and solid again at last. Apple Bloom gasped, eyes flying open, heart pounding in her chest as she took stock. Earth pony strength? She rapped a hoof on the floor. Check! Wings? She spread them and smiled... this wasn't so strange, since she'd flown before. Horn? That would have felt really weird, if not for Instrumentum's memories! She lit her horn, just to feel the tingle of her very own magic aura, glowing softly orange.

She was standing on a path floating in the aethereal void, a path lined with floating images on both sides... the real Hall of Ascension. There were two metal posts and a velvet rope like in a movie theater, though, blocking the way. She could have easily walked around or under it...

Apple Bloom smiled. "No, not yet."

Somehow, her big sister was here too, in all her glory. Princess Veritas' blonde mane flowed in the aethereal wind, and her apple barding was polished to perfection. "Apple Bloom... are ya sure?"

Apple Bloom nodded. "Sis... Ah need to learn more about this mortal life and really live it... the mortal life Ah tried to destroy for everyone in the whole universe." The little Alicorn blushed. "Ah mean... Nightmare Moon and Nightmare Whisper were small potatoes compared ta what Ah almost did, and that ain't something to brag about."

Applejack hugged her close. "Take all the time ya need, sugarcube. We'll be waitin' for ya."

Inside the Shacktron, Veritas opened her eyes. "She's on her way!"

Apple Bloom the mortal Alicorn appeared in a teleport flash, grinning from ear to ear. "It's done! Me and Instrumentum are one pony again!" The other Crusaders gasped and cheered, and would have dogpiled her with hugs on the spot, if the clubhouse wasn't sailing through the air in the middle of a pitched battle.

Apple Bloom tapped on the What-If Machine's keyboard, hooves almost a blur, and loaded up a schematic of the Instrumentality with a spot on one shoulder blinking red. "Punch it there with everything ya got, and the main power relay will overload!"

Diamond Tiara grinned. "You got it!"

Alex Warlorn

Princess Thalia/Pinie Pie, shifting to her normal pony form, remarked, "Do we even need to fight it? It doesn't have any more Alicorn batteries, so all it has left is back up, and wasn't that already going ka-put, before? So all we need to do is hold it for a little bit and all this big work out will make it take a break?" (she discreetly quickly took out a hoof-top and scrolled the page). "And aren't there little foals still inside that thing?"

Mtangalion

Silver Spoon blinked. "Apple Bloom, what's she talking about? Wait, Instrumentum didn't foalnap anypony else, did she?!"

Applejack looked sympathetic. "Ah wasn't gonna say anything til later..."

Apple Bloom chuckled nervously, cringing. "Don't worry about that. Ah took care of it."

-- Five minutes ago ---

Around the back side of the Applecron, a section of the hull glowed red hot, then exploded outwards. Apple Bloom rocketed out of the new exit, wearing Instrumentum's spare red and gold mech suit and hauling a giant cage full of her classmates through the sky. "Ah'm sorry!" she shouted to Alula, Tootsie, Pipsqueak, Featherweight, Shady Daze, Twist, Rumble, Snips, Snails, Dinky, and Truffle. Bloom swerved wildly as she dodged laser blasts from pursuing robot fliers, to the point where Snips looked like he was about to throw up. "Ah am so sorry!"

Apple Bloom sighed. "Ah'm never gonna live that down..."

The What-If Machine whirred. "This unit confirms, sensors now detect no lifeforms aboard the Instrumentality."

The Instrumentality had landed in the Badlands and started reconfiguring itself, though... building more armor over that weak spot in the shoulder, repairing damaged hull sections and weapons. "Backup thaumic reactor online. Instrumentality Optimizing AI 2.0 online," said a generic mare's voice on a loudspeaker. "Objective: Satisfy equine values through ever more advanced technology."

Pinkie's ears drooped. "Aw..."

Discord, of all beings, patted her on the back. "Sorry, my dear, but it has to go."

Veritas nodded firmly. "Let's get right to it, then. For Truth!" She raised a foreleg, and a huge energy ball began to gather in the Clubhouse's "hooves."

Pinkie flashed back into Thalia. "For good times!"

"For everypony's happy songs!" cried Euterpe.

Discord and Diamond Tiara posed together. "Let's do it! Chaos and Harmony fusion attack!"

"Taste our flawless, graceful finishing move!" shouted Faventia.

"For everypony's future!" yelled Apple Bloom.

Prince Isthmia grinned from ear to ear. "It's game over for you!"

The Robo-Crusader-Clubhouse was now holding a sphere that blazed like the sun. Sweetie, Button, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom waved their hooves together, making a Neighponese sentai pose. "Cutie Mark Alicorn Crusaders... YYAAAAAYYY!!!!"

Their giant robot flung its hooves forward and fired a blinding rainbow and plaid beam. It struck the Instrumentality's weak point and blasted straight through, arcing off into the sky.

The What-If Machine whirred again. "Enemy power readings..." The Instrumentality swayed, then slowly toppled over, crashing to the earth. "Zero."

Alex Warlorn

Apple Bloom quickly and used her horn, millions of obedient disassembler robots began dissembling the Applecron.

Mtangalion

Button Mash looked a little sad to see the Applecron getting efficiently dismantled. "It seems like a waste of a good game setting. You know, intrepid explorers searching mysterious wreckage for the secrets of forgotten technology..."

Apple Bloom grimaced. "Do ya really want Diamond Dogs looting the wreckage for laser guns and flying machines? Or cyberponies crawling out of there in a few years? Besides, it ain't forgotten tech. Ah remember how to build it all just fine. Ah've got the mech suit parked in the barn, and plenty of tools saved for when Ah build mah workshop, but Ah gotta be responsible with this stuff."

Applejack cleared her throat. "Sorry, yer building a what, now?"

Apple Bloom winced. "Sis, can Ah please? Ah can put it underground... It won't be bothering anypony."

"Yer just gonna build a workshop behind mah back if Ah say no, aren't ya?" Applejack didn't lean on Bloom with the Truth... nor did either of them comment on how difficult it would be to fool the Alicorn of Honesty. She just put on her Big Sister face and looked at Bloom expectantly.

Apple Bloom looked down, scuffing her hooves a bit. "Yep."

Applejack chuckled, and gave Bloom a hug. "You can build yer workshop, so long as me and Big Mac can visit and see everything yer working on." She winked. "You wanted to stay mortal, little sis. You might be an Alicorn, but you're still in for a few more years of adult supervision!"

Apple Bloom grinned, hugging her back. "Ah can live with that."

The Crusader clubhouse glided in for a landing, in the same field it had launched from. "All passengers, please gather closely!" called out Discord. "It's about to get just a teensy bit cramped!" Despite the warning, most of them yelped when the clubhouse poofed from a giant robot back into a small filly-sized building. They couldn't squeeze out the door and onto the lawn quick enough.

Diamond Tiara was mortified to realize that she'd forgotten to switch back to the half-dragon form, and now everypony had seen her as a sparkly pink wolf. Then again, nopony had even mentioned it, much less teased her about it...

"Ah can't believe it's really over," mused Apple Bloom. She looked around suddenly. "It is over, right? Ah don't know if Ah could take waking up in mah bedroom for *another* go-round after all this!" She spread her wings, waving them.

The What-If Machine rolled down the clubhouse steps on a new set of wheels, which Apple Bloom had thoughtfully installed. "This unit can no longer detect the loop established by Fate and Night... but this unit could easily show you a timeline where ponies are watching these very events on a What-If Machine, if you organic beings are feeling nostalgic."

Scootaloo grinned, enjoying the warm sun on her fur and scales. "No thanks! I've gotta go show Rainbow Dash and Spike, and then I'm off to meet my real parents. I know who they are now!"

"Well, Spike won't be hard to find!" said Pinkie, pointing at the exhausted giant dragon napping in Ponyville's main square.

Sweetie Belle giggled and hugged Button. "Let's go introduce me to your family, and then you can meet mine! They... might still be were-seaponies."

Kendell2

Applebloom looked at the thing Ispita had given them...the thing that had done that to the loop. It was just a little pendant. She looked to the What If Machine. "...If Ah break this thing...that'll happen..."

She thought. "...And while THIS world would still exist...still continue on...a version of us with all our memories of this will be sitting back watchin' yah..."

"Thinkin' about somethin', sis?" Veritas asked, listening (and naturally aware of the situation).

"...Yeah...sis...do yah think it's fair tah do that?" she asked. "...That won't have a chance tah make up fer it..."

Applejack chuckled. "Did YAH fix yer mistake?"

"Yeah..."

"Then they'll remember fixin' it...and Ah think there's a better question."

"What?"

"...Did yah WANT tah end your adventure then and there?" Applejack asked truthfully. "Did yah find everythin' yah WANTED tah find? Or did goin' Nightmare cut it all short?"

Applebloom thought back...they'd ended it as Nightmares, not on their own terms. "We never did find why Everfree was so crazy...And Ah can think of a lotta things Ah'd like tah know...Yer okay with this?"

Applejack chuckled. "...Yer searchin' for truths...can't say Ah can see anythin' wrong with that. Besides, if yah weren't satisfied, yah'll find yer way back in there eventually anyway, won't yah?"

Applebloom chuckled. "Yeah..."

She looked at the pendant. "Besides...Ah think they've got a right tah get tah bein' Alicorns the RIGHT way, not the quick and easy way."

She squeezed it in her hooves...and broke it to pieces.

Applebloom blinked, now sitting back at the What If Machine with the others.

"Are we Alicorns?" Applebloom asked, the group looking at their backs or in Scootaloo's case, her forehead, and finding nothing. "...Dang...oh well, guess that'd be cheatin', would it?"

"...Ah kinda miss it..." Scootaloo said. "But...yeah, I guess taking the bad way to being Alicorns is kinda lame..."

"Wait!" Button gasped, looking back at his flank. Applebloom did the same. Both gasped.

"We got our Cutie Marks!" they both exclaimed.

"But why?" Button asked.

"...Cause we earned THEM the right way," Applebloom replied. "We didn't earn bein' Alicorns...we just purified ourselves after we got there the 'easy way'...well, at least Ah still remember all that tech info."

Scootaloo nodded. "...And I remember where my parents are!...Which means I don't have to be afraid to have a Cutecinera!"

"Huh?" the others asked, looking at her.

"Uh...yeah, I kinda held off on my Cutecinera because I didn't want everypony to find out I don't know where my parents are..." Scootaloo admitted.

"Hey!"

The group blinked, turning to the What If Machine to see Alicorn Applebloom looking at them.

"If yer still watchin' this...go have fun! Our lives are a lot more grown up now! We've got a lot tah learn tah be good Princesses!...Yer still kids! Go enjoy it!"

The group looked to each other. "...So, wanna go back out?" Applejack asked.

The others nodded. "Sure...and this time...let's become Alicorns the right way, okay?" Sweetie asked.

"Right!"

Mtangalion

Sneaking out to go explore the Everfree had become an old routine, something they could practically do in their sleep.

Only... it was all different now. Button Mash started the loop with them... he'd been their friend and a fellow Crusader for years, and he'd brought a saddlebag of his own, packed before he left his house.

And when Apple Bloom packed her saddlebag, she felt the need to trot out to the shed and borrow a bunch of tools... hammer, measuring line, screwdriver, spare screws and nuts and bolts... She wasn't going to be building any robots with those, but she felt much better having them just in case.

Button kept playing his GameColt, more and more astonished at his new gaming prowess, and Apple Bloom kept geeking out looking at her new cutie mark in a mirror, until Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo insisted that they needed to get moving.

They were just heading down the trail into the Everfree Forest when a bright light flashed behind them. "Wait!" called a voice.

Sweetie Belle turned around and gasped. "Diamond Tiara?"

It was her, just like they'd seen her before in the other timeline... when she'd been an earth pony filly, anyway. A little older than before she'd disappeared from Ponyville, just like they all were. She was panting, but they hadn't heard any hoofbeats. "So, you're really going in there again?"

Apple Bloom smiled. "That's the plan."

Scootaloo blinked. "Wait, wait wait... You remember?"

Diamond Tiara shimmered, showing them her half-dragon yokai form, just for a moment. "It... kind of goes with the territory," she said sheepishly. "I didn't understand what was happening until Uncle filled me in, though. I'm still amazed at what you did, what you gave up..."

"Were you wanting to come with us?" asked Button. "Our party's a little large already."

Diamond smiled and shook her head. "That would be cheating. I just want to say..."

The Crusaders leaned closer. "Yes?"

"Let me know when it's the last day of the loop! I have this big makeup homework assignment, but I can totally blow it off until the loop is about to end."

Apple Bloom facehoofed. "Is that all?"

Diamond grinned. "Don't forget to invite me to your big cutie mark celebration, okay? I still owe you guys one heck of a public apology... and a thank you." She gave them a formal bow, then turned and trotted away, leaving the Crusaders clear to go exploring once again...

Alex Warlorn

"So how are we going to explain all this to our families?" Button Mash asked.

"Cutie mark dream." Scootaloo said.

"Or have Applejack and Pinkie Pie explain everything."

Sweetie Belle was silent for a while as they trotted into the Ever Free. "I think might be becoming addicted."

"Huh?"

Her friends all looked at her.

"I know what it means to have your head messed with, to where you literally can't live without something... and... I'm worried, that we're becoming addicted to this... that we're gonna spend a million years because Luna and Fate gave us a free card so we can explore as much as we want without permanent bad stuff happening to us... I'm worried, what if we don't want to EVER stop?"

"Like those games where you just click on the button forever?" Button Mash asked.

"YES!"

Kendell2

"...Yah know...Ah don't think that," Applebloom said.

"Why?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"...Cause Ah still wanna leave," said Appleboom. "Ah ain't doin' this tah STAY here. Ah'm doin' it cause Ah want tah know..."

"And...I just want to spend time with you all," Button Mash replied. "I'm ready to stop when you do...Oh! And there are so many games that won't come out if I stay in the time loop!"

"And...I know my parents are out there, I want to meet them now that I do," said Scootaloo.

"There's four of us," said Appleblloom. "How about this? One of us always make sure to keep in mind what's really important and pulls the others back if we do?"

The others looked to each other and nodded.

"That sounds good...I was just worried...I still want to go back and play with Rarity again..." Sweetie Belle said, then nodded. "...Alright, let's give this a try and see what happens..."

The group continued through the forest, camera at the ready. The images was now a bit better thanks to Applebloom's technological knowledge. However, that didn't help much when the fog seemed to suddenly get pretty intense.

"Where'd this fog come from?" Scootaloo asked.

"We're in the Everfree Forest, where do ya think?" Applebloom asked.

Scootaloo flew up and landed on a large boulder. "It's not too thick up here-AHH!"

The group jumped as the rock seemed to move and drop Scootaloo into a hole. They group didn't hesitate and followed after before it could close.

The group gave a scream as they went down a long slide...and through several cob webs. Sweetie screamed before throwing a spider off her face.

They finally were launched off it and landed with an 'OOF!'

"...We're underground again..." Scootaloo snarked.

Applebloom shook herself off and looked around. The area was full of cobwebs, but also long, ancient and heavily rusted technology. "Where are we?"

Applebloom trotted over and looked at the various devices. "These things are old, REAL old...Even Ah don't think Ah can fix any of it..." She pulled out a flashlight and looked around.

"It's kinda creepy..." Sweetie Belle said, huddling close to Button...then screaming as Applebloom lit up a skeleton of what they thought was a monkey.

"AHHH!" they all screamed and ran...right into a barrel marked 'BALANCE.'

They blinked as it tipped over and came open, an explosion of smoke coming out before turning into a rain of rainbow colored raindrop-shaped creatures that began hopping around causing havoc on anything they saw.

"What happened?" asked Scootaloo, suddenly seeming more frightened and feminine.

Button Mash growled as one of the creatures jumped on his head. "They better get away from me or I'll kick their flank!"

"They look like metal slimes from 'Dragon Quest!'" Applebloom exclaimed, looking more excited and ditzy.

"Are they really dangerous maybe we should analyze 'em?" Sweetie Belle asked.

(OOC: For those who don't know, these are the Frazzits: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x190ltd_mish-mash-melee-my-little-pony-n-friends-1986_shortfilms)

Mtangalion

Button Mash grinned. "Yeah! We can find out their weakness with my game console... so then I can kick their flanks!" He tapped empty air, and the console appeared, floating beside him.

"You know," mused Sweetie Belle, "that console doesn't make a whole lot of sense. How is it that you're able to do that? It's not as if our reality has been fundamentally transformed to work on video game mechanics."

Button Mash paused in his typing on the console. "God of gaming, duh!"

Sweetie shook her head. "You aren't now."

"Gaming cutie mark!"

"You used the console before you had one."

"Well, I just did it, so obviously I can!" said Button, getting frustrated. "It doesn't need to make sense." Then a puppy-growl came from nowhere, making the colt's ears droop. "But if you really have to know, it's... earth pony magic!" He waved a hoof frantically. "And I'm the potential future god of gaming, so I retroactively allow it!"

"I wish Ah could do that," said Apple Bloom, looking sorta jealous. "Video games are the greatest! Ah don't know why Ah never saw it before."

"We're all behaving a little strangely, aren't we?" mused Scootaloo. "Could it be these..."

Button Mash was seeming a little confused by his own console interface, but Apple Bloom reached over and tapped through the menus. "Frazzits!"

The others gathered closer, reading. Scootaloo gasped. "Creatures of primal chaos that go around mixing everything up?!"

Button groaned. "Dang that Discord! Even when he's nice, we're still tripping over all the toys he didn't put away."

--

Discord sneezed loudly. "Someone's taking my magnificent name in vain again! Can't I go exact just a little ironic vengeance?"

Thalia poured the tea. "If you leave now, you don't get any pineapple upside-down rightside-up cake!"

Discord pouted. "I knew I shouldn't have loaned you my cookbook."

Mtangalion

Sweetie Belle grinned. "I don't mind it so much. I'm getting so many ideas for things I can do with magic, stuff that just never occurred to me before!" She furrowed her brow, lighting her horn and wrapping herself in a tight cocoon of pale green magic. "If I did this, and then *this*, then in theory there's no reason why I shouldn't be able to..." She floated several inches off the cave floor. "Yes!"

Scootaloo gasped. "Unicorns can *do* that?"

Button Mash stamped a hoof. "No way!!"

Sweetie Belle glided after the floating Frazzits. "I'm a flying unicorn. Your argument is invalid. Now I'll just..." She tried to capture the Frazzits in her magic, but they slipped away, multiplying. "Oh no!"

Apple Bloom pointed at Button's console. "That ain't gonna work. It says right here, they absorb unicorn magic. Scootaloo, try rounding 'em up with wind!"

Scootaloo flinched, looking like Fluttershy suddenly put on the spot. "M- me? I'm not sure I really get how to do it, but I'll try!" She spread her wings fully and began to flap... and the air in the cave slowly became a vortex, blowing their manes and herding all the Frazzits back towards the barrel. "I'm doing it... wow!"

Button pointed a hoof dramatically and reared up. "Now cram them back in that barrel, and let's be done with this!"

It seemed like the volume of Frazzits ought to be much greater than the space inside the "balance" barrel, but somehow they were all fitting inside just fine. They had a minor setback when Button tried to buck the lid back on tight... the barrel shook and danced and burped out an old book, which went bouncing across the cave floor. After that, they all worked together, fitting the lid into place, then turning the barrel right side-up with every last Frazzit safely contained inside.

The colt and fillies blinked and shook their heads, as if waking from a dream. "Huh?" said Sweetie Belle. She looked all around, still floating... until she realized that she was floating. Then she panicked, flailing her hooves and crashing to the ground. "Ow..."

Apple Bloom cantered over to the book, picking it up. "What's this?" She flipped the old, yellowed pages at random, and found a diagram of some kind of machine, cryptic symbols filling all the margins around it. "Neato! Ah wonder what this does." She leafed through the pages again. "Aaaahhh!"

She dropped the book, still open to a sketch of an old, ruined town. "Sunnytown," read the caption. "Don't go at night!" was underlined twice. The facing page had a drawing of a zombie pony. "The cursed dead can be calmed with music," read the scrawl next to it.

"Well, Ah knew that," grumbled Apple Bloom. She picked up the book cautiously and flipped through the pages a third time. Now she saw a diagram of a circle of standing stones, the place where they'd seen that magic duel ages ago. "A gateway to other worlds," she read. "Beware! Not all of them are friendly." A sketch in the corner depicted three sad fillies in chains, and a slave brand "cutie mark."

Button Mash was reading the book over her shoulder. "Huh. It's like finding a hint guide after you already beat the game."

"Yeah," murmured Apple Bloom, flipping the book closed. The cover had a brass plate shaped like a pony's hoofprint, inscribed with the number three. "Weird..."

"Hey guys!" shouted Scootaloo from across the cave. "We found a way out!"

Apple Bloom tucked the book into her saddlebag. "Coming!"

Kendell2

"...Scootaloo?" Button asked as they emerged from the cave.

"Yeah?" Scootaloo asked back.

"...It was kinda cool to be all physical for once..." the colt admitted. "all straight forwards like that...It was fun..."

"Really?" Scootaloo asked.

"...It was kinda cool to be really smart, Applebloom," said Sweetie Belle, giving a smile to Applebloom. "And think really clearly for once..."

Applebloom blinked. "Ah'm really smart?"

Sweetie Belle nodded. "Yeah! It was like I could think of some many things all the time! It was cool!"

Applebloom blushed a little bit. "Thanks...Button, it was kinda fun tah think all strategic like...and to feel a bit more...Ah dunno carefree. It was fun."

"Thanks..." Button said, rubbing his head.

Scootaloo gave a sigh. "And...I guess...it was kinda neat to actually be cautious...I guess I know what Dash meant when she told me maybe I should think things through more."

"Huh...guess we understand each other a might bit better now, huh?" asked Applebloom.

The group hugged.

"Now come on! Enough mushy stuff!" said Scootaloo. "Let's go find something cool! I bet we'll run into some cool thing behind the next bush!" she said as they came out of the underground.

Scootaloo marched forwards and sure enough a bush was rustling. "See, told ya!" she said, rushing over to check. "Come on out and let us see you!"

Scootaloo's eyes went wide, however, when instead of a monster she was greeted with a black, white striped tail. "Uh oh..."

Scootaloo back peddled as the very angry skunk sprayed her.

"Eew!" The other three exclaimed and covered their noses as Scootaloo coughed and gagged and the skunk turned its nose up and marched off.

"What was that about 'learnin' what Rainbow Dash meant about bein' cautious?" Applebloom asked, sarcasm clear despite her voice being a little nasally from covering her nose at the terrible stench emitting from the orange pegasus.

Scootaloo blushed, putting her hooves over her muzzle as her eyes watered from the smell. "...Point...ugh...peeyew! Think respawning would get rid of this?"

"Probably not, it's not a status effect," Button replied, the other three trying to get downwind.

"Well, we gotta do somethin', even if we could handle that stink all night any cool creatures would run for the hills before we can get close! Let's go talk tah Zecora and see if she or Bareedina know how tah get it off. We're in Everfree after all..." Applebloom suggested. Zecora LIVED in the Everfree, so she was probably the one pony they actually COULD visit. Besides, she knew a potions, she was bound to have something.

Mtangalion

In their old hollowed tree, decorated with Zebrafrican masks and dangling charms, Bareedina took a slow sip of her tea. "They've passed the ward which kept us from their minds."

Zecora nodded, pouring more tea for herself. "And that means they've found *it*. It's finally time." She ran a hoof down a page which listed all the ingredients for a potent dreamfog brew. "Let's get this done without further delay."

"All of this could still go either way," agreed Bareedina. She reached over and closed the old book, revealing a hoofprint and a number two on the cover.

Sweetie Belle poked at the wall of fog with a hoof, and she could swear she felt the air pushing back a little. "Since when is Zecora's house surrounded by creepy fog? We won't be able to see our own noses in there."

Button Mash's console was blinking lots of question marks at him. "That shouldn't be possible..."

Scootaloo fumed and blew a good stiff breeze at the fog... and the fog wall blew it right back, spinning her in a loop in the air. "Yeah, *that's* not normal."

Apple Bloom pulled the old journal out again. "It can't be a coincidence that we found this thing now. Ah bet there's gonna be something super useful and pertinent to our current situation, right... here!" She flipped the pages and put a hoof down... on a stylized drawing of a dark Alicorn. "On Midsummer's Day in the one thousandth year, Nightmare Moon will rise again? Seriously?"

"Useful five years ago, maybe," said Scootaloo. She would have gone over and given Apple Bloom a sympathetic nuzzle, if she didn't still have that awful skunk smell on her. "It looks like all we can do is walk in there and see what we find."

"Ah guess..." Apple Bloom sighed and turned to the next page, which surprisingly had a detailed sketch of a young Shining Armor. "Who is this pony!?" read the scrawled text. "What is he?! It's not safe for me to stay in Canterlot."

She turned the page again and found a ominous drawing of a giant shadowy canine. "Beware the BLANK WOLF!! He won't let you remember!" The bottom half of the page was filled with more creepy tick marks than a prison cell wall. Apple Bloom turned her head and looked at Blanky lounging beside her, his tongue lolling. He barked happily and licked Button Mash's shoulder.

Button giggled and petted him. "I know it's a cool mystery, but maybe we should be figuring out what to do about that fog."

"Yeah..." Apple Bloom turned the page one more time. "Uh, girls?" There was a drawing of a mystical well, surrounded by four cutie marks... Applejack's, Big Mac's... Red Gala's? and *Apple Bloom's* own brand new cutie mark!? "The eyes of Truth can pierce any fog..."

Kendell2

"What does that mean?" Scootaloo asked.

"We need tah get Applejack Ah guess..." Applebloom muttered in annoyance. "And how are we supposed tah do that?!"

"Maybe there's a way around?" asked Sweetie Belle.

The group didn't have any better ideas, and their noses were starting to hurt from Scootaloo's skunk stink, so they began trying to find a way around the fog wall...only to hear chanting.

"What's that?" Applebloom asked, the group coming over and peaking over some bushes where a group of ponies wearing ominous dark cloaks were performing some kind of ritual. "Oh boy..."

The lead pony, a unicorn, cleared his throat as he stood in front of a circle of eight candles with a book called 'Summoning Eldritch Horrors For Dummies' floating in his telekinesis.

"Triangulum, entangulum. Meteforis dominus ventium. Meteforis venetisarium!" he chanted, his eyes beginning to glow blue.

The Crusaders gasped as the background turned monocrome and time seemed to freeze. "This isn't good..." Sweetie Belle said.

The pony seemed to be in pain. "Egessemsdrawkcab! Egessemsdrawkcab! Egessemsdrawkcab! Egessemsdrawkcab! Egessemsdrawkcab!"

A flaming triangle formed in the sky, opening a portal to what looked like space...

*Beep beep beep! We're sorry. The number you have reached has been punched into oblivion by an old monkey.* said a voice like a telephone operator and everything turned back to normal.

The stallion blinked in confusion, staring at where the portal had been. He then flipped through the pages and set up a different configuration that included a horror novel and a greek tragedy and said something in an eldritch tone, causing black tendrils to rise up.

*Beep beep beep! We're sorry, the number you have reached was kicked out of a neighboring universe by an alicorn then banished from this portion of the multiverse. Please call back in 8 billion years.*

The cult leader replaced those items with several notes with strange symbols on them and lit them on fire.

*Beep beep beep! We're sorry. The number you have reached was destroyed when he was hugged by a sapient, well loved children's toy.*

"Hey, I remember that!" Sweetie Belle said...then they noticed the cultists staring at them.

"Get them!" yelled the cult leader.

Several cultists tried to grab them, only to cringe back as they smelled Scootaloo.

Scootaloo sighed, but took advantage to do a flying move and kick them backwards.

The cult leader flipped through the book and put a pentagram on the ground and gave a chant, causing it to turn into a portal of hell fire and Morning Star to manifest.

The Devil looked down in mild annoyance...then saw the CMC. "...Nope, nope, nope..." he said, retreating back into the portal.

"We kinda messed with him earlier..." said Applebloom, the CMC ready to fight if they wanted to, though to Scootaloo's both relief and annoyance, the smell made getting close to them unpleasent since they weren't used to it.

The cult leader gave an annoyed yell. He then drew a diagram of a black hole with an eye in it and chanted a black magic spell.

The hole opened like a hole in reality and made the clearing become cold.

Maud Pie emerged from the hole...and looked at the foals. "Hello, girls..."

"Hello..." they said at once.

"Mistress of Oblivion! I beseech you to end this worl-" the cult leader said, only to get decked in the face by Maud.

"No," she said simply and retreated back into the portal which closed.

The cult leader practically threw a tantrum and flipped through the book again and made a seal with a squid-like creature on it and said something in an eldritch language.

A portal ripped open to a sunken city and out emerged Ponythulhu.

"Finally! Now Great Ponythulhu will-"

"Cookies?" asked the eldritch abomination, offering a plate of cookies. He looked to the CMC. "Hi!" he said cheerfully, causing them to wave back, remembering the mid battle teabreak with Slendermane.

The cult leader screamed and knocked the plate of cookies from Ponythulhu's grip. "You're supposed to be a horrifying eldritch abomination! Not bake cookies!"

The look he got in return instantly made him regret his actions.

"I spent a thousand years baking those!" Ponythulhu roared, eyes glowing red. "You want a horrifying eldritch abomination? You've got it!"

The cult leader wet himself and tried to run, only for Ponythulhu to grab him by the legs with tentacles and drag him screaming into the portal which closed behind them.

The rest of the cultists grumbled in annoyance. "Worst ritual ever..." said one as they trotted off in annoyance.

Button trotted over and picked up one of the scattered cookies and munched it. "Hmm, these are good!"

As the CMC munched the cookies, Applebloom got an idea. She kneeled and put her hooves in front of her.

"What are you doing?" Scootaloo asked.

"Prayin'. Ah forgot! Mah sister's a Goddess now!" Applebloom remarked. "If those dummies could...try tah summon all those things, why can't Ah summon mah sister?"

The group continued to do so...and sure enough, a silver, mirror shaped apple appeared in front of them and formed into Veritas.

"Howdy, Applebloom, how are ya-" her nostrils flared and she gagged, covering her nose. "Hooey! What is that stink?!"

Scootaloo grumbled and crossed her legs. "I got skunked, we're trying to get to Zecora's but this stupid fog is in the way and the book we found said we needed you to help us."

Mtangalion

Veritas raised an eyebrow. "A book said all that?"

Apple Bloom found that page in the old journal again and held the book out. "What do you think, sis?"

Veritas... actually gasped, when Apple Bloom had thought her big sister was beyond being surprised by anything. "Ah see..." The red glow of her magic lifted the book, then opened it to the begining and quickly leafed through all the pages to the end. Then she shut the book firmly and put it back in Bloom's saddlebag.

Veritas took a deep breath. "Well, first things first." She smiled warmly and hugged Apple Bloom close. "Congratulations on yer new cutie mark, sugarcube. Ah'm so proud... Ah knew you'd get there."

Apple Bloom grinned, sniffling a bit, and buried her face in AJ's mane. "Thanks, sis." A tiny bit of a worry that she hadn't even realized was there seemed to melt away.

Veritas ruffled Bloom's mane with a hoof. "What, did you think Ah wouldn't care anymore, on account of having the whole universe on mah shoulders and all? Not in a million, billion years would Ah stop caring about mah family. *This is true*."

The Alicorn looked to Button Mash next. "And Ah do believe congratulations are in order for you too, Button Mash, for your mark..." She winked. "And yer special somepony! It might be rough having Rarity for a sister-in-law... but Ah'm sure you'll pull through!"

Button Mash blushed so hard, if he'd still had his propeller beanie, it probably would have spun fast enough to fly right off his head. Sweetie Belle giggled and nuzzled him.

Veritas stepped over to Scootaloo. "Let's just take care of that too." Her magic surrounded the pegasus filly, wiping away the skunk stink. "Sorry to keep ya waiting."

Scootaloo took a deep breath, then danced in circles. "Whoa, thanks! So, I guess now we don't need to get to Zecora's house?"

"You don't have to... but maybe ya should, all the same." Veritas nodded to herself. "Girls... and boy. Sorry, still not quite used to that. There's gonna be lots of times when Ah know everything, but it's best if Ah don't tell ponies everything. Ah'm honesty, but Ah can't go spoiling all the surprises or keeping ponies from learning things for themselves. Do ya understand?"

The fillies and colt looked at each other, then nodded uncertainly.

Veritas looked towards the fog. "Good. What you should know is that Zecora and Bareedina aren't in danger, and they haven't suddenly turned into evil witches or anything like that. That journal you found would be real dangerous in the wrong hooves, and they've gotta be sure before they tell ya more about it."

"So, we need the eyes of truth to get past the fog!" said Apple Bloom. "That's your eyes, right?"

Veritas shook her head. "Ah could guide ya through, sure enough, but ya need to learn more about the Aspects of Truth. You know a little already, don't ya, sugarcube?"

...
Instrumentum scowled faintly. "We are potential aspects of the Truth. We have no need of such irrational things as Pinkie Promises. Look into mah eyes, and see if ya can call me a liar."
...
"Then this is the truth, by yer own admission!" shouted Apple Bloom. Her eyes and cutie mark seemed to sparkle with orange light, even though they were just digital representations. "This is the truth we figured out together, by inventing and theorizing and running test after test. This is Empirical Truth!"
...

Bloom gasped, remembering. "How do ya know about..."

"Watch," her sister interrupted, "and learn." She lit her horn and focused, building up a brilliant ruby glow. Nearby, a large swath of grass seemed to fade away, and a stone circle appeared in its place, with the same four cutie marks carved around the outer rim.

"Oh my gosh!" cried Scootaloo, as the well began to iris open. "It's just like in Daring Do and... the Well of Truth? Wait a minute..."

"Yer not wrong," said Veritas. "Don't touch the water, now. Don't even look too close. Sis, Ah need the goggles you made, when Big Mac taught ya how to work our little forge. You have 'em, right? Good, that saves time."

Apple Bloom dug in the tool pouch she'd packed, and held the goggles out. They were pretty large for a filly... ponies had big eyes, after all. "Well, Ah didn't *exactly* make 'em. We put them together from a fancy mail-order kit."

Veritas grinned. "Good enough." She magically removed the lenses, two for each eye, then dipped them into the pool, each in a slightly different way. Then she put the goggles back together and made the entire Well of Truth vanish again. "Try 'em on, and see what you can see."

Apple Bloom strapped the goggles on, hoping she didn't look *too* silly. "Well that's weird," she said right away. "The lenses are tinted orange now, but Ah don't see orange everywhere." She fiddled with the frame, rotating one of the polarized lenses, and suddenly the fog winked out, and she could see a clear path towards Zecora's place with that eye. "Whoa!"

Alex Warlorn

"Ah think my work here is done." Veritas said. "No offense little sister, but this soup has got more than enough spices already, and it's gonna get spicier with ya talkin' with Zecora and Bareedina."

"Ah understand."

"Don't lie little sister."

"Ah mean Ah understand that ya know what's best."

"Maybe, but for goodness' sake do NOT mean ya should accept anythin' blindly. Trust yer kin and keth, but don't presume everythin' ya know is true."

Blanky meanwhile, totally forgotten by nearly all, just kept kneeling before Applejack.

"And Ah think Ah'll be takin' yer pet for his own good... if ya'll let me Sweetie Belle."

Sweetie startled. "Do... do you have to?"

"Ah don't HAVE to. But remember what Ah said about spices? With Button Mash now a part of the team, yer becomin' a bigger group. It might be better for all involved if he stay with me unless ya need'em. Trust me, he'll pop up if ya do. Pinkie Pie, Ah mean Thalia says it's gotta do with 'character overload' or some junk."

Sweetie hugged Blanky. Who reluctantly moved next to Applejack.

"And little sister..." Applejack said. "Don't be scared to let a story end. If a story goes on forever, it suffers a fate WORSE than death."

Apple Bloom nodded, and the two nuzzled. Princess Vertias teleported away with Blanky.

Apple Bloom put her new enchanted goggles to good use, and led her friends straight through the fog and right to Zecora door step and gave it a quick knock.

Zecora opened the door, "I surmise! I am quite surprised! How did you get through? Not that I am saying that I knew!"

Apple Bloom looked at Zecora through her google and gave a slight hurt frown. "Zecora, did ya just lie to me?"

"And the clock whirled, this makes things awkward," said Bareedina inside.

Kendell2

Zecora blinked, then seemed to note something. "I apologize for the falsehood my young friend, but there are truths your way I cannot yet send."

Applebloom noted she was telling the truth and nodded. "Ah...guess that makes sense."

Zecora let them into her home and they looked around. "Greetings young ones to our home, far tonight I'm sure you've roamed."

Bareedina looked to them. "Hello, Applebloom, happy for your brother I be, how are he and Cheerilee?"

Applebloom blinked. "Oh, just fine, thanks for asking. It's kinda weird that my teacher's kinda gonna be mah sister..."

The younger Zebra nodded. "I'm glad to hear the love birds are doing well, I hope no hard feelings for my advances in Cheerilee still dwell. I truthfully have no eyes for your brother, but it got them to admit their feelings like no other."

Applebloom remembered. Bareedina had gotten Mac's other suiters to finally realize they loved Big Mac by flirting with him...though she kind of flirted a lot.

Zecora gave a goodnatured eye roll. "Sister, it is as much a fact as we live in a tree, a flirt most certainly you be."

Bareedina gave a trickster like chuckle. "That may be true, but I have no malicious intent to do."

Sweetie Belle looked to Applebloom. "Hey, did you notice that Bareedina's necklace kinda looks like that mean Ispita's?" she whispered.

Applebloom looked at Bareedina with her goggles...and only saw a Zebra and nothing more. "Well she's just a Zebra..." Though she had to admit the two necklaces looked similar, but then again Ispita had outright said she was from another universe, so how could they really be related?

"Speaking of lovers admitting their feelings for one another, I see that there are more recent cases than your brother," said Bareedina with a bit of a teasing tone, looking to Sweetie Belle and Button Mash. "Congratulations little ponies, I can tell your love is not to be phony."

Sweetie and Button Mash blushed. "How'd ya know?" Button Mash asked.

Bareedina merely pointed to Button's game window which had a heart over Sweetie Belle's picture in the party.

"Oh..."

"My sister speaks true, we are both happy for you," Zecora said, giving a smile, then walked over to her cauldron. "But be that as it may, much information we have to bring your way."

Bareedina nodded. "Indeed, my sister speaks straight. For you three have done quite a bit for Fate."

The quartet blinked, looking to each other. "For fate?" Applebloom asked.

Zecora nodded. "You see, our world is presently in a strange state. Right now it has quite a flexible fate. Branching on it's own it is doing, which allows blessings and trouble to start brewing."

The CMC and Button climbed up, looking into the cauldron with Zecora.

"Stabilize it will do soon, but this is why Fate chose to agree with Luna's boon."

"Huh?" Applebloom asked. "Yah mean the one Luna talked this over with."

Zecora started brewing, but nodded. "Yes. One mystery I will now solve: there was one good way for this to resolve. By drawing much of these oddities to a point, Fate can prevent things from growing out of joint."

The girls and one boy merely cocked their heads.

"Basically, due to our world's current state of being, to Everfree Fate attracted many things. So you could say that Fate's gambit, was for tonight to make Everfree a weirdness magnet."

"Okay...but what about us?" Scootaloo asked.

Bareedina chuckled. "Well little ponies, it's like this you see: who cares if in the forest falls a tree, if no ponies ears hear it's sound? What good are mysteries if they are not found?"

Applebloom blinked in confusion, then clarity. "So all these crazy things are here in ever free cause of some weird fate thingie that made Everfree a weirdness magnet, but fate decided to let us see it instead of just letting no one ever see it?"

"The long and the short of it you've got, Fate realized the good you four being here could wrought," Bareedina replied. "For you four to be here does good several ways. The first is when this is done, the adventures with you will stay. But what's more is other worlds you have met, and on better paths your influence may them set."

Sweetie Belle blinked. "Wait, I just realized something about that. If Blanky was supposed to eat things that aren't supposed to be here, why didn't he eat those ponies from other worlds we met?"

Zecora stirred her cauldron and caused an image to appear of two rivers. "Time is like rivers flowing, each down their own path going. But there are times when something strange is caused, something which gives your wolf a pause. Rivers meet at one point, into a bigger one formed joint." The image showed the rivers converging into one then splitting back off. "Sometimes together they stay, others they apart soon stray. In events like these you've witnessed are when, two lines fate of fate naturally brought together have been."

"So it's like how in a lot of comic books two worlds have a crossover?" Scootaloo asked.

It was Zecora's turn to look confused.

Bareedina gave a trollish chuckle. "Exactly like that, my young friend. A natural occurrence when like that the convergence begins. These events can happen, because in the fates of both world can they be written. But those answers are merely the surface of what we have to show, sister, I believe into more pressing matters is time to go."

Mtangalion

"Indeed," mused Zecora. Leaving the cauldron, she took a bundle wrapped in black cloth from a drawer, and set it out on a table. "Little ponies, take heed. Some mysteries are mystical, wondrous and whimsical. Others are more dire, perhaps best left unsolved entire." She tugged at the knot with her teeth, slowly unwrapping another journal... with a hoofprint and the number two.

The Crusaders gasped. Scootaloo found her voice first. "That looks just like..."

Apple Bloom took the number three journal out of her satchel and put it next to the other one. "Exactly like..."

"Whoa, there's more of them?" exclaimed Button Mash. "I should scan those into my adventure journal!"

"But, who wrote these books?" asked Sweetie Belle. "Where did they come from?"

"In truth, we do not know," said Bareedina in a spooky voice. "The book appeared to us in a flash, many long years ago!"

Zecora rolled her eyes. "Sister dear, these aren't foals to give a fright. You need not do our act from Nightmare Night."

Bareedina smirked. "Bah, I say. It's more fun that way." She grasped the second book and leafed through it, opening it to a page with a drawing of Poison Joke, with detailed instructions for brewing a cure. "When we first came to this distant land, there was much my sister and I did not yet understand. There's a great deal we've learned... but also, cause for concern."

Zecora turned the book all the way to the final pages. There was the dreamfog brew... with a warning in red ink along the bottom margin: "Hide them away! My journals now contain the most dangerous knowledge in all of Equestria!" The facing page had a sketch of the canyon near the Castle of the Two Sisters, with part of it circled and another warning: "Only the Eyes of Truth can pierce the darkness at the heart of Everfree!"

Scootaloo tried to blow it off. "Eh, it's probably just another prophecy of doom that already happened years ago."

Apple Bloom frowned. "Ah'm not so sure." She flipped to the end of her book and froze. "Sweet Celestia..." The last page had three lines of funny squiggles that *almost* meant something to her... they tugged at her memories of being Nightmare Instrumentum and knowing dang near everything... and then the mysterious author had sketched a triangle with an eye in the center and written "It can't be unseen!!!" over and over and over...

Alex Warlorn

Scootaloo breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, that thing. We kinda ran into this buncha cultists on the way here, they tried to summon everything, including Pinkie Pie's sister for some reason, and that tried to summon that thing. They got a message saying that an old monkey had already destroyed it. So crisis adverted." She looked up at Zecora. "You got any cookies?"

Author's Note

The rules are simple. Write something in the comments, and it's added to the story above! No 'script' format additions! Keep it My Little Ponies!

Set in the same universe as Pinkie Pie Forth Wall Breaking Variety Show!

*Replay recording*

Nightmare Apple Bloom (Instrumentum), "If there's something ya want done, Ah've got an invention to get it done for ya!"

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/PinkiePiesFourthWallVarietyShow

The CMC got turned into adorable little Nightmares... and the only one who can save the day is... Diamond Tiara and Discord?! Huh?

Part Added by:
Mtangalion
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn (I will never get tired of parodying and mocking that horrible grim dark pony fan comic. )
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Alex Warlorn
Kendell2
Mtangalion
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Kendell2 (OOC: I admit, part of this is we've been in Everfree for a long time and not really had Zecora or Bareedina who LIVE there and one of them getting skunked seemed like a good excuse.)
Mtangalion
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Alex Warlorn
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Cover is a commission By Kendell2

Cutie Mark Crusaders' Journal of the unexplained 13

Cutie Mark Crusaders' Journal of the unexplained 13

Mtangalion

Three more pairs of little ears perked up at the mention of cookies. "That sounds great!" said Sweetie Belle. "I always forget to bake us some snacks for the road." Everyone immediately took two steps back from her, even the zebras. "What? Oh, come on! I never got to try out the gingerbread recipe that Chryssy taught me."

Bareedina chuckled, bringing them a tray balanced on her back. "We don't know any changeling sweets, but we might have these acorn cookies for good fillies and colts to eat."

A little later, Button Mash was slurping on a juice box thoughtfully while he finished his cookie. "Even if the mystery is solved, that 2/3 in my collection log is just gonna keep bugging me. I wonder if we'll ever find out more about the first journal and the pony who wrote it."

That gave Apple Bloom an idea. She approached the cauldron, looking at the swirling colors inside. "Um, Miss Zecora, may I..."

"Possibly, this is unwise," said Zecora. "But very well, we shall give it a try." She ran a hoof along the edge of both journals, then sprinkled the dust into the churning brew.

Bareedina pressed the long wooden spoon into Apple Bloom's hoof. "Don't just look at the colors of the brew. Look at the magic around you!"

"Look at the magic?" Apple Bloom reached for the goggles on her forehead and pushed them down over her eyes, tweaking the lenses again. "Huh... neat!"

"Stir slowly to the left and slowly to the right," said Bareedina, guiding Apple Bloom's hoof with her own. "Now thump the cauldron, to get those bubbles out of our sight!"

The image floating in the cauldron began to clear...

Flim gave their wagon a magical charge, and then a good swift kick to get the steam engine running again. "Let's hoof it, brother of mine!"

Flam trotted to catch up, hopping onto the wagon alongside him. "Oh, but we'll be in so much trouble for jumping bail!" he lamented. He laughed and levitated the two magical tracking shackles that were supposed to be secured around their left hind legs. "Whoops!" He lobbed them into the bushes beside the road out of Hoofington. "Perhaps we won't!"

Flim grinned and held onto his hat as the wagon picked up speed. "Everything still here?"

Flam dug through the junk box mounted on the wagon. "Yes... no, yes... blast, Trixie must have confiscated our parasprites... wait... Where it is? Where's the journal?!"

Flim thumped him lightly. "Would you relax?" He took off his hat, turning it over to show that it was empty, then waved a hoof over it and pulled out a journal with a brass hoofprint and the number one. "Really, brother. So sentimental about this old thing?"

"I am not!" retorted Flam. "It's priceless, that's all! Valuable knowledge and one of a kind!" He sighed wistfully. "I wonder what old Flummox would think if he saw us now."

Flim snorted. "He'd probably tell us to stop ripping off the idiots of Equestria and get a real job."

Flam rolled his eyes, flipping through the journal. "As if! Ah, what do mine eyes spy here? The Cavern of Lucifel and Nature Walk?" His eyebrows shot up. "Eh, can't be any worse than Trixie's dad's jail..."

"So now you know," mused Zecora. "Perhaps, with that, it's best to let it go..."

Kendell2

"I hope they learn from meeting a nice deity this time..." said Sweetie, remembering Nature Walk.

Also, she now remember Button Mash had made his own species on their world as well, which went along well with Applebloom's as they were also wolves...only more solar related and white and orange, and much more playful.

Applebloom looked to Zecora. "Will you be safe around here tonight? With all the weirdness stuff? Ah me we just respawn but..."

Zecora gave a reassuring smile. "For me do not fear, for long I have lived here. This is not the first strange time I have lived through, we have already made many a brew."

Bareedina nodded. "Speaking of which our little friends, take some things before again your adventure begins."

Zecora gave them some potions, in particular some healing ones. As well as some stink bombs to chase off monsters.

"Take in the adventure that awaits you tonight, for while it will have its frights, will be one you can't have again. While staying too long could be a sin, make sure you experience enough to feel content, because afterwards gone forever the opportunity is bent," said Zecora, the foals nodded, acknowledging the need for balance there. "We know the thrill of somewhere new, so we hope it will be satisfying for you."

Alex Warlorn

Apple Bloom looked back at the blue prints that didn't make much sense on their own. She had an idea. She flipped through the other journal, and found similar blue prints, and put them side by side.

"It's a map!"

"To the first journal?" Button Mash said tilting his head at the picture.

"It's not exactly around the bend,
I sense once found, this night will end." Zecora said.

"... Through the Fair of Carnival Kat, and with key in hand, the forgotten mansion is where the last journal was hidden. If you truly desire knowledge." Apple Bloom read.

Bareedina said darkly.
"Be forewarned my little foals
you won't be the only yours to pay the tolls."

"Nothing sucks more than a video game where you have to use knowledge you couldn't possibly have in game to win." Button Mash groaned.

Scootaloo said, "I'm not scared, I'm game, I'm sure we won't need to respawn for this."

Sweetie said, "Don't jynx it."

Apple Bloom and Zecora hugged.

Bareedina bid the foals fair well.
"Beware the master of the carnival,
Tis not somepony beaten with an arsenal."

Taking both journals, the foals made their way through the Everfree...

"I just hope when this is all over, we don't get eaten by some giant hungry flower because we got too used to Luna's spell." Sweetie said.

"Maybe I should play some rogue likes while I'm at it." Button Mash said.

"Welcome one! Welcome all! To the Everfree Carnival!"

= Carnival Night Zone, Act 1 - Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles =

It was a green earth mare with white hair, and a spider web cutie mark. She was wearing a white suit with red lines. Somethings about her seemed 'wrong.'

"Welcome girls! Or should I say, 'welcome back', well, not these yous, but this isn't the first time 'you' have come to my carnival. Though none of you have left." She gestured inside.

The walls of the carnival were simple canvas and polls. Inside... the CMC+1's jaws dropped.

They saw themselves... over and over and over.

On stage, was a foursome of belly dancers. They were all in their late teenage years, and looked like a cross between a pony a human. They were dressed in jewelry that resembled swim suits and long silky loincloths and veils. All four were girls and busty. They moved with alluring grace and beauty, never tiring, that would have made any stallion's eyes glued to them. The girls' recognized their own cutie marks if the fur and manes weren't a dead give away. Button Mash felt very uncomfortable seeing the anthro mare with a cross control pad cutie mark and long orange hair looking perfectly at home with her fellow dancers.

There was also a 'test your strength' totem pole. It was composed of four sections. Each one a wooden abstract carving of a grinning wide eyed foal, sitting on each of each other in the classic 'wise monkeys' poses. Colt Button was at the bottom, followed by Sweetie, then Apple Bloom, with Scootaloo at the top.

The foals didn't feel THAT surprised when they saw the merry-go-round, with shining plastic versions of themselves the pole, blissfully smiling. There was the twist however of them being built like centaurs, but with their upper bodies looking like the anthros. 'At least I'm still a boy.' Button Mash observed.

There was also a set of four wood carving of the four foals with their mouths open wide and looking eager, at the back of a shooting range with a set of squirt guns on the stall's counter.

In the neighboring stall was four bean bags, each in the likeness of one of the CMC+1, their expressions mocking whoever wanted to take a shot at them almost sneering 'Can't hit us! Nya nya!' Also on the prize rack were plushes of the foals, reaching out and just wanting a happy boy or girl to snuggle with.

At the center of the carnival were four crystal clear light bulbs spread out like compass points. Each other shaped like one of the CMC+1, the hollow glass sculptures frozen in mid-dance, lighting shining from within over the rest of the night carnival.

Inside a tent that was larger on the inside than a outside, there were more entertainers to be seen.

The first foursome of foals might have been almost normal. Except for their iris' having no centers and having a sparkle to them. And their manes and tails now having yellow, blue, and red streak to them. And their cutie marks now all had happy faces on them and rainbow colors. And the make up that hopefully was just make up their faces. Button Mash's was pixel lated little square and wearing a colorful plumber's outfit. Scootaloo was wearing a pink and silly looking version of a Wonderbolt's uniform. Sweetie was wearing a garish and over the top of one of her sister's dresses. Apple Bloom was dressed like a clown hobo.

They performed an endless parade of antics for an audience of ghostly figures.

Above them on a high wire (with a safety net of course), was all four foals perform beautiful acrobatic performances. Scootaloo actually had her wings strapped to her back to keep her from cheating. They spun and bounced off drums carefully placed, and caught glowing floating trapeze grips and swung around. All were wearing sparkling leotards, Scootaloo's was a blue one, Sweetie a red one, Apple Button a green one, and Button Mash a purple one. Sweetie and Button were in particular in sync with each other. Sweetie unfurling a pair of cloth costume butterfly wings to add to the show.

Finally... there was a lone Button Mash in a typical lion tamer's outfit with a black hat, red tuxedo, and a whip and a chair. In front of him was a snarling chimera. The snake was orange with a purple pattern on her back. The goal white with a violet mane. and the tiger was yellow with red strips.

No need to eat and sleep, and not wanting to anyway. Thank the trans-paradoxial nature of the place. Or maybe there was some place hidden where they did eat and sleep?

"So many versions of us... just here... forever? Never seein' our families again? And not even mindin'?"

"Your natural adventures are... to be frank kid, self contained, so sorry... your absence... isn't gonna cause the collapse of Equestria or allow the Windigos to return. And besides... the contract comes with a sub-clause that your loved ones are unaware they're missing a loved one if you so chose so they don't have to suffer for it. And to be frank kids, filling in your absence is a lot easier than it sounds. Live with it. You could cut out all the episodes... of events, in Ponyville, focused on you, and nothing major would change. Besides, I AM running a carnival, their families are free to visit them, those who decide to let their families remember them. And they're all happy, cross that thingie that might be my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

"How can you DO this?" Button Mash asked, himself not sure what he meant.

Easy, they're all under contract." The green mare unrolled a scroll.

Sweetie blasted the green mare's contract with the Spell of Destruction... it bounced off and vaporized a tree that had been hatefully impotently plotting the end of all animals.

"You see? The contract's LEGAL. Binding, and unbreakable, even for Sun-Butt herself. Or Truth-Butt. Or, you get the idea. You don't think I write up a magical contract for my employees if others could just BULLY their way through it, did you?"

"WHAT are you?!" Scootaloo asked.

"Maybe I'm just a crazy pony who dove too deep into black magic. Maybe I'm the bastard spawn of a Draconequus and an Outer God. Maybe my birth the inspiration for Queen Chrysalis' 'we all came from a mutant tree that fed on flies and pony corpses' myth. Maybe I'm a spirit of the Everfree who punishes children who lose their way. Maybe I provide escape for those who wish to escape the world. Maybe I'm just razzing you.

"The REAL question is... can you girls make it to the other side of my carnival this time? The only key to the mansion will appear from its random relocating unbreakable trans-space bubble only if you make it to the other side. Personally I'm excited to see if you manage it this time. Or if the charms of my carnival will be ensnare you again." Carnival Cat took out a bag of popcorn. "Step right up, I'd charge you to enter, but at this point I think your employee discount lets you in free. Oh, and don't get cheeky and just fly or walk around, you have to go THROUGH the carnival for the key to appear."

"All these times before, and we didn't make it through?" Sweetie asked rather worried.

"Actually, quite a few times at least one of you made it through... but you didn't want to leave your friends behind, and decided to join them of your own free will, and let the next versions of you have a shot at it."

"Oh."

"Well, this time is gonna be the time we ALL make it through!" Apple Bloom led.

"It never stops being adorable every time you say that." Carnival Cat grinned. "Even if you do make it to the mansion, there's plenty of respawning waiting for you there too, be sure to send me a picture of you four as maids. Good luck."

The CMC stepped into the carnival, a straight midway with an unlocked opening on the other side waiting for them.

Alex Warlorn

= Circus - Anodyne =

"Don't worry girls," Apple Bloom said, "With my googles and our experience with the temptation of bein' Nightmares, there's no way we're gonna fall for any temptations of this place!"

-Five Minutes Later-

"I! The brave Sir Button! Along with my trust steed Apple! Have defeated the fearsome and totally awesome Scoota-Dragon, and rescued Princess Sweetie!"

The brave knight in armor (not in his underwear as he got the power up) and the pretty princess in the cone hat kissed, and a pretty heart appeared above them. A mundane yellow horse stood loyally by her knight. While a large orange dragon lay twitching on the ground.

The words,

YOU WON! CONGRATULATIONS! FREE GAME!

Hung in the sky. As the cut scene and end credits finished, the four quickly got back in position for the next player.

The CMC+1 in Apple Bloom's bedroom looked at the what-if machine showing them the new arcade game 'Scoota-Dragon's Lair' in the Carnival of Temptation.

"Ah can't believe it." Sweetie Belle said.

"Yeah, I"m the player character, why is Scootaloo the title character?" Button Mash said.

"What about Legend of Cadence?" Sweetie asked.

"Oh right. Sorry, lost my head there."

Apple Bloom hugged herself and shuddered. Carnival Cat hadn't been lying, even if her whole reason for existing had been to carry Button Mash around as the player told her to, she'd never felt so perfectly whole.

-One Trek Later-

"That look on your faces, Ah, the previous yous gave you their experiences... I don't know I'm impressed you have the guts to try again, or if some part of you wants to join my Carnival too. Well, maybe you'll have better luck this time. But I could use some plastic cupids for my tunnel of love if you're interested! I hear you girls have experience with that!"

"We ain't fallin' fer yer mind magic."

"Pst. A contract is invalid unless it's signed willingly without outside threat. I don't do hypnosis or mind control for those who become part of my carnival... I'm just that good at selling it. They're MY family now, and they have no one to blame but themselves. You don't HAVE to keep coming back here, but you want that last journal, you want to know the whole story. There's no cockatrice waiting for you at the entrance if you turn around, but if you keep going forward, what happens was because you chose to keep going forward. And the tunnel of love IS open... And there's plenty more where that came from... You'd make great cute little plastic cupids ... But I'll let the tunnel speak for itself if you want to give it a try... "

The CMC+1 entered the carnival again, a straight and narrow path right to the other end like before.

Alex Warlorn

As the cutie mark crusaders engaged in their final adventure that night in Everfree Forest... Fluttershy was interrupted by a rapping at her door.

Fluttershy was never one to turn down guests, even if Fluttercruel just wanted whoever was out there to go away. They were already asleep, and the rude knocking had awakened them.

Still... "The knocking will wake up the animals..." Fluttershy yawned.

Fluttershy trustingly opened the door... and came forth a lanky green pegasus stallion. His mane was blond and done up in a bun. His eyes grayish purple. His cutie mark wsa a pink feather lazily drifting on a breeze. He also had a five o'clock shadow (how did that even work when ponies had fur?). He had a duffle bag with him.

"Hey big sister, you don't mind your little brother crashes here for a spell do ya? I know you wouldn't." The stallion said pushing the confused and bewildered Fluttershy aside.

He took out a set of bunnie garden gnomes and placed them on the table, followed by a framed portrait of himself. Like a sack potatoes potatoes he planted himself on the couch. "I'd like cinimon toast and a glass of orange juice with three ice cubs and one scrambled egg for breakfast sis, and not too early, gotcha?"

Fluttershy's eyes only got wider and wider.

"W-why do I feel like I've been here before?"

"In the living room or this situation?" Fluttercruel asked in a reflective silver teapot.

Fluttershy was fairly certain she didn't HAVE a brother, little or otherwise...

Still... Fluttershy was certain she'd been in this situation before... her, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash... three perfect big brothers... she remembered... but... this was making her dizzy... It had something to do with Rarity's big sister?

"Ah-ha! I knew I sensed something!" Pinkie Pie appeared in the nightly doorway.

"HEY! Sprinkle Pie! How's it hangin'? Wanna throw a midnight welcome-to-staying-at-yer-generous-big-sister's party?"

"It's PINKIE Pie, and I'm afraid I have to put that party on the back burner for now." Pinkie Pie said uncharacteristically curt. "And who are you?"

"Pinkster! Surely you recognize the Zephster! It's me, Zephyr Breeze!" He said, his butt filling the curves and crevices of the could. "So Rainbows comin' by too? She still totally into me? I mean, she becomes the best flyer in Equestria just for me, and she still plays hard to get!" He said with more confidence in that statement then should have been chemically possible.

Pinkie Pie's eyes narrowed. "Suddenly close relative, main character love interest, suddenly begin main character's achievement?" Pinkie Pie took out her Anti-Marey-Sue Bazooka.

"Whao, is that a new party cannon? Totally radical design dudette."

"Yes, hold still and I'll show how it works."

"Kay."

Pinkie Pie began also checking her Marey Sue detector.
"Let's see, primary Traits:
Slug.
Sponge.
Loafer.
Leech.
Moocher.
Sandpaper.
Parasite.
Underachiever.
The Thing That Would Not Leave.
Delusions of grandeur.
Out of place hairdo.

Pinkie Pie blinked. "If this guy is a Marey-Sue, he's the most pathetic one I've ever seen, and I don't mean 'super powered up to beat Mecha Draconzilla in hoof to hoof combat overpowered pathetic."

"HEY! I could totally do that if I wanted to! ... Uh, Mecha Draconzilla isn't around here is he?"

"-And I don't mean pathetic as in 'feel sorry for me!' 'oh I'm so sad!' 'I'm super extra mega-special and it's a curse' either."

"Like, I'm right here ya know! Is this about that make-it-yourself costume convention? It's not my fault the guy who was supposed to make my costume for me was too busy." He said with absolute sincerity. "My costume of The Sentipony, with the power of a thousand exploding sun, would've been awesome!"

"Oh! Sorry Zephyr!" Fluttershy apologized.

"So when do I get to meet this cute little niece I've heard so much about? I'm not changing any diapers."

'Let me change his face!'

'No dear!'

"Okay, either you're a parody-sue, or somepony tried to create marey-sue and they ran out of juice."

"Hey! Sentipony's not a Marey-Sue! I wrote a ton of Power Ponies' stories with Sentipony back in the day... I never finished any cause they were so awesome no ending could do them justice."

"Uh, Pinkie Pie... I'm not sure I remember having a little brother before, but I remember NOT having a big brother before ... and, my head gets all dizzy... Is something wrong?"

"Well, LITTLE brother and not big brother? That's odd. Still... Let me check with Dashie." Pinkie Pie zipped off... a minute later, a loud voice was heard from Rainbow Dash's floating house.

"I DO NOT LIKE THAT LOSER!" It echoed. Raising complaints from many ponies trying to sleep!

"Geeze, she's REALLY playing hard to get. But I know she shares my love of siestas."

"So uh... little brother? How long do you plan on uh... staying?"

"Just till I get my hooves back in order, or mom and dad get over the nonsense of not recognizing me and letting me stay as usual... "

"Do you have a job?"

"Oh I've had plenty, none were really up to my standards though... And seriously none of them really spoke to me..."

"Well, I know some fillies who know a lot about cutie marks, they've tried lots of things too, maybe they can help."

"In the morning big sister... the Z-Stallion's gotta get his z's, ya know?"

Pinkie Pie continued to just stare at the lazy stallion on Fluttershy's couch, not sure what he was. And wondering if the Mary Sue big brothers had returned. Light-Barrier! Uniquely Belle! Zooming Confidence! But hadn't they all been used as raw material that had fused with Big Mac inside that Rarity costume that nearly erased him from existence and replaced him with Rarity's big sister instead until they used the mirror pool to allow them both to exist?

Fluttershy memories were feeling more confusing by the minute. And why did the name Zooming Confidence pop into her head and fill her with dread? Still... why would she feel memories creeping into her head of a brother who was like a leech if they were meant to inspire in her nothing but loving devotion? And why would she know that? AGH! Memories slipped in and out of her head, replacing and moving about old ones.

And Fluttercruel wanted to punch this parasite's face in almost like an instinctive reflex.

MtangaLion

There was a sudden flash-pop of teleportation, and Veritas appeared in Fluttershy's living room, looking a little winded. She had her horns, wings, and barding, the whole nine yards. She'd even brought a small white puppy with her.

"The varmint's already here? Aw, horseapples..." Veritas went right to Fluttershy, putting a comforting hoof on her shoulder. "Ah'm real sorry, sugarcube. Ah meant to come and ask, not just let him show up out of the blue, but you wouldn't believe how busy Ah've been tonight. Ah only just got Dr. Moon Shadow settled in with Twi, too." She glanced at the front door, suddenly a bit sheepish. "Oh, right. Sorry about just bargin' on in."

Pinkie was still giving Zephyr Breeze the not-nice-at-all eye, but Fluttershy was instantly drawn to the puppy. "Oh my! This isn't Winona... what's your name, little guy?" The puppy yipped and bowed. Fluttershy looked to Veritas.

"He ain't rightly mine," Veritas was quick to say. "Ah'm looking after him for a friend."

"Good boy," said Pinkie Pie. "Oh yes, that's a good boy! Want a cupcake?" The puppy seemed torn between bowing to Pinkie Pie too, or wolfing down the sugary treat, but eating the cupcake quickly won.

Fluttershy shifted subtly. "Mom, that isn't an ordinary dog," hissed Fluttercruel quietly.

And Fluttershy sighed. "I know, dear. I think I'm starting to understand what this is about, just a little."

Veritas nodded somberly. "The Shadows went and saddled ya with a whole new family, Flutters. Not Marey-Sues... they're your real parents and little brother... if ya want them to be."

Fluttershy only looked more confused. "But... Pardon me, Applejack... I'm trying the best I can to understand all this, but... how could we have new parents and still be... well... us?"

"Describe your parents to me," said Veritas simply. "Pretend like Ah've never met 'em."

Fluttershy blinked. "Well... my father is really quiet like me, but my mother is almost as large as Big Mac, and she's loud and confident and always knows what to do... I've always wished I could be more like her... wait, that isn't right... my father is a former Hurricane Guard, and the tallest pegasus I know. My mother's the shy one..." She started to tremble.

Veritas hugged Fluttershy soothingly. She *didn't* drape a mirror-feathered wing over her friend... the honest truth wasn't very comforting at times like these. "Your parents weren't in Fate's narrative before. Now they are... and that's probably gonna stick, regardless. Your brother, though... you don't like him very much, Ah gather."

"Zephyr is just so... frustrating!" admitted Fluttershy.

Fluttercruel took control and started pacing. "I hate him! He's lazy, manipulative, and good for nothing! You can make that horrible pony not have been our brother, can't you Princess? Do it! Do it now!" She grabbed one of the pictures of himself that Zephyr had hung on their wall, and drew her hoof back to throw and smash it.

She froze, and Fluttershy set the framed picture down... but not very gently. "Applejack, what... um... what would happen to Zephyr if he wasn't our brother any more?"

The puppy stalked over towards the couch where Zephyr slept and lowered his little head threateningly, snarling.

"Nothing would 'happen' to him," said Veritas. "Ever. He'd never have existed."

Alex Warlorn

Fluttershy gasped. "But that inequine!"

"It's not like he'll feel anything. Heck, him popping out of existence would make the world a better place." Fluttercruel said.

"YOUNG MARE! I don't want another word out of you tonight!" Fluttershy barked at her other self. "If you should as open your mouth, it's straight to the bar of soap for you!"

zaku789

"In fact, out of all ponies I find you're being hypocritical about this." Fluttershy said frowning.

"Excuse me!?" Fluttercruel said shocked.

"Don't get me wrong Fluttercruel, I care for you dearly, but you are a handful. Not to mention the fact you cause more trouble in the beginning of our relationship then I am comfortable with, but I tolerated it and look at us now, were right as rain. I admit my feeling about Zephyr are complicated but I am willing to accept them, and if possible help change him for the better like you did to me and vice-versa," Fluttershy finished.

Fluttercruel fell silent at that.

"Be that as it may Fluttershy-" Applejack begin to say.

"No, let me finish." Fluttershy stated "I don't know if it's cause I raised Fluttercruel for so long or this is what it's like being a big sister, but I do not want him erased. I may hate the way he acts, but at the same time I do care for him and see his potential."

"Is that yer opinion on the matter?" Applejack stated.

"Yes." Fluttershy said assertively.

".... Very well. Blanky get away from him," Applejack said.

Blanky gave a incredulous look but did what Applejack asked.

"But Fluttershy! He so annoying!" Pinkie Pie stated.

"I know he is, but that no excuse to erase somepony," Fluttershy said calmly. "He may not be the sibling I want, but I can be the sibling he needs."

MtangaLion

"Ah had a feeling it'd go this way. Alrighty, then." Veritas spread her wings, aligning her mirror feathers so that Fluttershy saw her own face reflected in them, and somehow, Fluttercruel beside her.

Veritas took a deep breath, then Spoke. "Zephyr Breeze was, is, and will be Fluttershy's younger brother." Reality seemed to shift and settle around her words. "Fluttershy's parents are two kind and gentle souls who had to be accidentally locked in a closet for three hours before they confessed their love, much less kissed." She smirked mildly. "Rainbow Dash knows Zephyr well, though she kinda wishes she didn't. This is true, and no one who ain't a deity remembers it was ever any different."

Blanky tilted his head, then licked Zephyr's hoof instead of biting it, making the sleeping stallion giggle. Pinkie slipped off the Bray-Ban sunglasses she'd put on... for some unaccountable reason.

While the Flutters were still a little dazed, Applejack cleared her throat. "So, any time you want to toughen up that shiftless brother of yours with some *real* honest hard labor, just give him to Big Mac and me. We'll make a real stallion out of him for ya."

Fluttershy blinked. "Oh! That's... actually a really tempting offer, but... please let me try to help him in my own way first. I am his big sister, after all."

Applejack tipped her hat. "True enough, family comes first. Ah'll just be on my way, then." She stepped outside, with Blanky happily trotting beside her. Suddenly, she stopped and facehoofed. "Dang it! Now we're stuck with 'peeved' being a bad word."

There was a loud gasp inside the cottage, and Fluttershy opened a window. "Applejack, I'm surprised at you! Some of my animal friends have very sensitive ears!"

Far away in Columbia, Gilda snickered, recalling that time she pushed Zephyr Breeze off a cloud for getting fresh with her. "I wonder how the Shys are doing these days. Maybe next leave..."

Kendell2

Applebloom looked through the two journals they already possessed as they tried to avoid temptation, looking for possible advice on surviving this. She blinked, coming across a spell seal that the word 'The' at the top in the second journal. The seal was incomplete. She flipped through the third journal, and found another part of the seal and the word 'Gate' at the top. The illustrations depicted the gate to the carnival.

"What are you doing, Applebloom?" asked Scootaloo as Sweetie was convincing Button not to fall for a game trap.

"Seeing if there's anything in these journals tah help us through it..." she remembered the two pages and flipped through again. "...Ah feel like we're playin' her game too much."

"Well we kinda NEED to," said Scootaloo.

"Yeah, but do yah really think she'll just let us go scotfree if we win?" Applebloom asked.

Scootaloo blinked. "...Good point..."

"So Ah'm being a bit proactive, and maybe find a way to crew her plans over a bit more..." the farm filly replied...then found something that peaked her interest. "'Draconequi are vulnerable to ice because their magic has no effect on something made from nothing. As Dark Magic is in the realm of Nature's Fury, many beings of Dark Magic are also vulnerable to similar things...'" She recalled that Cat had said that she might be half draconequus or a dark magic thing. She flipped through several pages and gasped.

She raised the book up and looked around, finding a 'Winter Wonder Land attraction' that matched an illustration in the book with a picture of a strange machine. "...Ah think Ah've got an idea. Follow meh..."

The rest of the group looked to each other but followed. Inside was the most beautiful winter landscape they'd ever seen with the snowmen and other things, including a set of themselves, dancing.

"Come join us! Here every day is a snowday!" the sang.

A snowman through a snowball at Scootaloo. The pegasus instinctively reached down to make one of her own and throw it back, but Applebloom put a hoof on her shoulder. "Not why we're here."

It was definitely tempting, everything looked so fun and the idea of an eternal snowday was definitely tempting to any filly.

"Besides, snow every day means no summer!" Applebloom pointed out. To her working on the farm was FUN, so she had a bit of inbuilt resistance to it.

The others gasped and shook their heads.

"So why ARE we here?" Scootaloo asked.

Applebloom adjusted her goggles and noticed something at the very back. She lead the way over to it where the snow seemed to be it's strongest and wiped snow off of a strange machine. It was large and blue in color, with a golden thing that reminded her of a tuba on top.

"What IS that thing?" asked Scootaloo.

"What we really came in here for..." said Applebloom. She looked at another page in the book listed as 'Bound Spirit Summoning'. She put a hoof in front of it and moved it around in a circle while focusing, forming a golden seal shaped like an eye.

A ghost looking like a large penguin, wearing a blue tuxedo and a golden crown emerged from the machine. He looked down at the foals. "Hello, little ponies."

"Who are you?" Scootaloo asked.

"I am King Chalatan, long ago I attempted to freeze the world to make it a utopia for my kind, seeing all creatures but those who could survive ice and frost as inferior...until I allowed my hate to nearly rob me of the thing that meant most to me in the world. My son," the Penguin King explained, looking guilty. "Seeing the price of my hatred, I changed my ways."

"Reminds me of the Windigos," said Sweetie Belle.

"Similar, yes."

"Ghosts only stick around if they've got unfinished business," Applebloom explained. "What's yours?"

King Chalatan gave a sigh. "While I used my magic for evil, I did hope the spell I created could one day be put to good use. However, my son knew not hatred for anything, so I could not teach him. Nor was I...so cold as to force it upon him."

"Hatred?" Button Mash asked.

"Yes. I developed a spell that turns the users hatred into...well," King Chalatan turned to a tree and gave an icy glare, blue beams of magic shooting from his eyes and freezing the tree solid.

"Whao..." the four foals replied.

"Unfortunately, this Carnival Cat creature found my machine and bound it, and me, to her will. The only way I can ever hope to be free is to complete my unfinished business so I may pass on," King Chalatan explained.

"But how could we do that?" asked Scootaloo.

"Sweetie Belle," Applebloom said. "Your good with dark magic, maybe you can learn his spell?"

Sweetie Belle blinked. "Yeah, maybe I could. I do know some hatred magic already."

King Chalatan kneeled next to her. "You really want to learn my spell, young filly?" he asked. She nodded. The old ghost smiled. "Very well..."

He stood beside her and turned to a tree. "Already knowing some dark magic is a good start. But how you channel this magic is different. I'm aware that you unicorns use your horns, and while you need to use it this way as well, you need to channel that magic by directing your hate. Of course like all Dark Magic, this magic has the possibility to control you if you do not control it...as it once did me. So be careful WHAT you channel your hate of."

"Got it," Sweetie Belle said, focusing.

The various snow creatures seemed to realize what they were doing and come at them. "We'll hold them!" said Scootaloo, kicking one back.

"Alright, now imagine this tree is something you hate, something you despise. And use that hatred to power your magic, and put all of that into your glare," King Chalatan explained. "And remember, once you freeze something with this power, positive emotions are the easiest way to reverse the ice magic."

Sweetie tried once, but the spell shorted out in her horn before it could channel to her eyes.

Applebloom punched through a snowman's chest. "There's a lot of these things!"

Sweetie tried again, only this time, the beam fizzled out an inch from her eyes.

Button Mash grabed a stick and used it as a sword. "They just keep coming!"

Third try got closer, but still not there. Sweetie panted.

"Sweetie! These things don't want to stop!" Applebloom yelled, the group looking about to be overrun.

Sweetie mentally put an image of Kabuto on the tree. Followed by Cat herself. Then she went deeper, thinking of how much she HATED the act of harming others for the sake of fun...and the beams of icy blue magic shot out of her eyes and turned the tree to ice.

"Good! You did it!" King Chalatan exclaimed, looking proud.

Sweetie spun around, freezing the snow monsters solid with the spell, blinking when her eyes would've passed over her friends to avoid hitting them too.

"I did it..." Sweetie panted.

King Chalatan gave a bow. "Thank you, my little pony...at last, somepony with a good heart can use my spell for a noble cause."

Sweetie Belle bowed. "Thank you, King Chalatan. I'll only use it for good."

A holy light came from above and Starlight Angel descended, holding out a hoof. King Chalatan waved farewell to the foals and took it in his flipper. "Son, I'm coming...at last..."

As the Penguin King disappeared into the afterlife, the machine sputtered and died, the indoor snow storm stopping.

"Sweetie, only use that on Cat when we get to the end, we don't want to tip our hoof," said Applebloom.

"Okay...Oh no..." said Sweetie, pointing and noticing four particular ice monsters. "I froze US too!"

"Remember what the King said?" Applebloom asked. The group nodded...and each hugged one of their friends' alternate selves and thought of their love for each other.

The ice melted, freeing the cursed CMC.

"...Ah feel...warm..." said the cursed Applebloom.

"I think I really missed it..." said Scootaloo's cursed alternate self.

Sweetie and Button's curse selves nodded. "...I'm tired of snow days..." Sweetie said.

"Besides...the machine's broken," said Scootaloo prime. "Which means..."

A contract appeared above each of the cursed CMC and burned away, the quartet waving as they vanished back into their own world.

The castle suddenly began to shudder and collapse.

"Run! Let's get out of here!" Applebloom yelled as they made a run for exit, making it out right as it imploded in on itself.

Alex Warlorn

The green mare appeared in a burst of bats and smoke.

"You... stole some of my family from me." What shocked Apple Bloom more than anything was the pain of loss in the monster's voice and she glared angrily at the foals.

Apple Bloom looked through the second journal, and naturally found something related to something that had already happened.

Every outer-concept is so alien to each other, they are a family-without-family. And they are destine to seek surrogates.

The green mare sighed and rubbed her eyebrows. "But seriously... if you wanted to wreck stuff... I have a house that rebuilds itself into a different shape each time so trashing it never gets boring. ... I have to give credit where credit is due... I didn't see that coming... You didn't break any rules I set. Even if you just destroyed one of my most beautiful attractions. Just remember, a carnival without attractions is no carnival, and if they're no carnival, you can't get to the other side for the key to appear so don't get cheeky.

"Unless you're DONE and just want to go home and face tomorrow. But if this adventure means that much to you. So stay on the straight and narrow if you can. But temptation is always there."

She vanished in a swirl of bats and smoke again.

"Yo!" Said a generic mechanical boxing kangaroo robot in a boxing right over. "Wand of Grogar was the best Legend of Cadence game ever! Rainbow Dash will never become a Wonderbolt. Peers and oranges, are much better for you than apples. And Rarity's dresses SUCK!"

Five minutes later, four foals in Apple Bloom's bedroom watched four flesh and blood boxing kangaroos. One yellow, one brown, one white, and one orange, with red, orange, violet, and purple boxing gloves. Having trashed the robot, and were practicing their boxing moves on each other in a perfectly civilized sportsmare like manner, eagerly awaiting customers to challenge them.

"Well, Rarity did threaten to ship me to Astraila when I was six," Sweetie Belle admitted.

"At least they're not animatrionics," Scootaloo said.

"What's so bad about that?" Button Mash asked. Then blushed and added. "Uh, anymore than the rest?"

"Just cliche."

"At this rate we're gonna end up everythin' under the moon." Apple Bloom sighed.

The four made their way back to the carnival.

The four saw a Scootaloo who looked like a cross between a hawk and a pony. She had no forelegs, but two VERY VERY large wings, and her rear legs were like talons, and she had a beak.

She was looking at the boxing kangaroos.

"I was SURE they were the ones who were gonna make it through."

"Well, they didn't, pay up Scoots," said a Sweetie Belle who was adorably dressed like a fortune teller.

The side-show Scootaloo casually tossed a bit to Sweetie that she caught.

Meanwhile, a mare with twisted proportions and hair that looked like clouds with swirl eyes floated to the entrance to the face flying on her propeller. Her cutie mark was a screw and a baseball. She tossed the green mare a bit and tried out the 'strongest mare' attraction, before moving onto the games to win a complete set of happy plushie CMC+1 to take home for her toybox.

"Diamond Tiara's mom?" Apple Bloom whispered.

"This is A Screwball, not YOUR Screwball, multi-verse theory's a nag. And my carnival's become a bit of a multi-versal singularity. I think. Even I'm not sure how it works. She's not related to Diamond Tiara like yours is." Said the green mare.

"Why isn't she gettin' zapped inta stuff?" Apple Bloom wanted to know.

"She's just here to have a fun time, she's not trying to challenge her temptations to get the key."

"Meow." Rubbed a flurry brown cat with a strapped on beanie. He rubbed again the gypsy Sweetie who picked him oh. "Oh Button, you think these four will the ones to make it all the way through? Betting five bits? I'll see that." She said to her familiar.

"I'll see it too!" Said the sideshow Scootaloo.

"Ah'm betting they're the ones to get made plastic cherubs for the tunnel of love, that place has been needin' some Cutie Mark Crusaders in it for a long while now," said an Apple Bloom dressed like Flim and Flam. "Ah bet four bits."

The Carnival CMC continued to make bets on how far these latest ones would get.

Zaku789

"I know I shouldn't worry about it, but I find it weird different versions of us are betting about the different ways we might fail," Sweetie belle said disturbed.

"I'm more worried about where we're going," Scootaloo said. "I know that we're suppose get to the other side but who knows what final attraction she has placed to make sure we're stuck doing this for a long time."

"She got a point. Heck there's a chance that this might turn into a huge shoot the shaggy diamond dog thing," Button pointed out.

"I don't think so... she wants us to give in by choice, and something tells me pulling a trick like making it seem like a waste at the end would ruin that, heck for all we know the contracts would become null and void for all of our counterparts if that were to happen," Apple Bloom said.

"Fair point, but that means what Scootaloo said is true. Whatever's at the near end won't deter us but it will definitely try and tempt us more than any of these attractions have," Button Mash stated.

MtangaLion

"Maybe we should just not even look at them," mused Scootaloo, as they kept walking through the carnival. "We can't get tempted by those bucked up exhibits if we don't see them in the first place."

Apple Bloom frowned. "Scootaloo, language."

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. "What? It's not like I said peeved." She froze, putting a hoof over her mouth, and the others gasped, glaring at her. "Right, moving on. Just walk on past... whoa, is that Diamond Tiara?!"

Sweetie Belle looked back and gulped. "Not the Diamond Tiara we know... I hope..."

Diamond Tiara was sitting in a throne that would have made Princess Celestia's look humble. Her nose was weirdly upturned, like a pig's snout, and she wore plastic carnival wings and a horn, and a fancy royal robe. "Subjects!" she shouted nasally. "Tell me how great I am!"

Copies of the Crusaders trotted out, bowing and scraping. Their eyes were flat and blank, like shiny buttons.

"You're the best, Princess Diamond," droned the other Apple Bloom.

"We love you, Princess Diamond!" said the other Scootaloo.

The other Sweetie Belle grovelled and kissed Diamond's hoof. "Everything is so much better, now that we finally admitted that you're richer and more important than all of us commoners put together."

"Serving you is so much better than being made fun of and all alone, every day," cried the other Button Mash.

The real CMC+1 recoiled... and Diamond Tiara finally noticed them. "Well, well! Obviously, you're better than those pathetic ponies. I know... you could be princesses too! Princess Animatia Erroria! Princess Liza Doolots!"

Tootsie Flute and Alula appeared in fancy swirls of glitter and ribbons, wearing fake plastic wings and a fake plastic horn respectively, and magical filly outfits. They held out boxes with more plastic wings and horns.

"You'll love being a princess!" said Tootsie. "Princesses do anything they want, eat whatever they want, and don't have to go to school."

Alula beamed, nodding! "They're friends with everypony and always save the day!"

The Crusaders backed away uncomfortably. "Somehow..." said Sweetie Belle.

"Ah'm not tempted," said Apple Bloom. "Not one bit."

Scootaloo hoof-shrugged. "That's not what being a princess is like. We'd know."

The voice of the green mare giggled from off in the distance. "Aw, you don't like it? When I heard about uncle Discord's fine work in that other world, I just had to have a little exhibit of my own."

"I wonder," mused Button Mash, as they hurried on their way. "What if we became Alicorns again? Real Alicorns, not those phonies." The others stopped in their tracks, surprised, and Button looked over his shoulder and turned around when he realized they weren't following. "Think about it. We'd already have everything we want. We could waltz right on through and not be tempted by anything!"

"Ah don't know," said Apple Bloom. "Could we even do... that?"

The carnival was gone. Apple Bloom was standing in her mindscape again... and she barely recognized the place. Instead of the Apple family home, her mind looked like the wondrous workshop that she was already dreaming about building someday, and where the big comfy bed with a snuggle pile full of her sleeping shapeshift forms used to be...

One pony yawned and stretched in the bed, a tall, strong mare with yellow fur and a long red mane. She rolled over and yawned, dislodging the covers enough to reveal a long horn and wings. "Mmm... time to get up already? Just five more minutes, sis..." The Alicorn snuggled deeper into the covers, smiling.

There was an electronic monitor attached to the foot of the bed, like something a hospital might have, but it showed a single long bar labelled "LIMIT BREAK," and it was flashing and almost full.

Apple Bloom backed out of her mindscape quickly and quietly. "And, um... even if we could *all* do that..." She felt a little queasy, even misleading her friends that little bit. "Remember Princess Luna? Alicorns can fall too. What if that evil mare got a Nightmare under one of her contracts?"

Sweetie bit her lip. "I think you're right. I have a feeling we're not going to get another do-over when it comes to ascension."

Zaku789

there was a strange dripping sounded like a groan.

"Oh c'mon how was that groan-worthy?" Sweetie Belle asked annoyed to the others. But she noted they had shocked looks on their faces. "What are you all staring at?" Sweetie Belle asked. All of them raised a hoof and pointed. Sweetie belle looked and gasped at the sight of what looks like a formless puddle of black slime repairing one of the stalls (one of the few that didn't had them as part of the attractions).

"Oh I see you spotted Sludge," Carnival Cat cackled.

"S-sludge?" Applebloom said disturbed.

"Yes, the creature's name is Sludge, don't wear it out. I use her mostly for ride maintenance, security, etc." Carnival Cat stated.

"S-security?"

"Oh relax you're not in trouble. Don't get me wrong, I'm still pissed at what your previous selves did, but they used that loophole perfectly. Which means your safe from Sludge as she only goes for the rule-breakers."

"And what happens to those who break the rule and get caught by Sludge?" Scootaloo asked.

"Well.... let's just say Sludge is not just made of oil and put it like that," Carnival Cat grinned as she disappeared.

"Mental note, avoid Sludge at all costs," Button Mash muttered with the others agreeing as they walked past the slime creature.

Kendell2

Scootaloo blinked, swearing she saw a pink mare with a yellow mane and a trio of sunglasses for her Cutie Mark standing next to one of the booths, but she vanished when she blinked. "What the..." She trotted over to it.

"Knock down the bottles and win the prize!" said the pony at the booth, who, to her unease, was a version of Sweetie Belle who was a sea pony sitting in a tub and holding a cute stuffed sea pony. "But remember to choose wisely! You might not like what the prize you get is!"

Scootaloo blinked, seeing the strange mare again, nodding, only to be gone when she blinked again. "Eh, why not? I love a challenge!"

She took one of the balls, took aim at the bottles and threw it, hitting the bottles dead center and scattering them.

"Congratulations! You won!" said Sea Pony!Sweetie. "Pick a prize! But choose wisely! You only get one choice!"

Scootaloo looked over the prizes and was amazed! There were so many cool prizes! Including one that was a stuffed Rainbow Dash! And a big ferocious dragon! There were video games and so many other things...but then her eyes fell on something odd: a pair of simple white rimmed sunglasses with blue lens. They were so plain, not super cool...but her mind flashed back to the mare she'd seen. 'Sunglasses, maybe this was...'

The little pegasus bit her lip. 'Oh man...' The other prizes were so tempting...tempting... 'Wait a minute...'

She looked to the other Sweetie Belle, a sea pony holding a stuffed sea pony...

Scootaloo's look resolved. "...The sunglasses."

"Are you sure? You'd love being a dragon! I mean having a dragon!" the cursed Sweetie Belle said.

"Yeah, I'm sure..." Being a dragon DID tempt her...but something told her that weird mare lead her over here for a REASON.

Sea Pony Sweetie...gave a smile. "You chose...wisely."

A dragon Scootaloo holding a dragon plushie flew in and grabbed the glasses, handing them over.

Scootaloo looked at them...and hesitantly put them on. When she did, the entire world became as bright as day. "What the-"

"Those are very special sunglasses."

Scootaloo jumped, seeing the strange mare standing right next to her. She blinked, taking the glasses off, but no longer being able to see or hear her. She put them back on...and then she could. "They are?"

The mare nodded. "Yes. Your friend's glasses are a valuable tool, but those glasses allow you to see and interact with...other plains that she cannot, because they are DIFFERENT truthes. It can come in very handy. Especially in a place like this."

"Really? Thanks, Miss...Uh..."

"Shady," said the mare, giving a smile. "And thank you, for being willing, in another time and place, to give my son and...great grand daughter a chance after all they put you through. For that, I felt you earned something..."

Scootaloo blinked as the mare faded away to both her normal vision and the glasses.

Scootaloo trotted back over to her friends. "Won these glasses, don't worry, they're not cursed..." the pegasus then blinked. "Uh, Applebloom, why is there a filly behind you?"

Applebloom blinked, looking behind her. "Uh...no there ain't..."

"With these there is..." said Scootaloo, taking the glasses off and on. "She's grey with a yellow mane and glowing yellow eyes. Her cutie mark's a...magnifying glass, I think."

Applebloom's eyes went wide and she spun around, adjusting her glasses. "Ruby?"

"She just said 'Tell Applebloom I'm always watching over her'..." Scootaloo explained, then shrugged. She then looked around and noticed something. She trotted over to what LOOKED like open air and seemed to open a door in reality itself to reveal four tokens labeled 'Freebee.' Her friend's jaws dropped.

"What are these?" asked Scootaloo, pulling them out.

The green mare suddenly appeared out of bats, looking like someone who's game got derailed. "No fair! You weren't supposed to find those!"

"Why not?" asked Scootaloo.

"Those are Freebee tokens. It means if one of you falls for temptation, whoever owns it can trade the token in to 'get out of jail free' and keep what you took without being stuck with me forever, but I was saving them for this game I had later where only one of you could win one!" Cat accused, sounding more like a child than a mare for the moment.

"Well I don't remember any rule against me using them if I found them, and I found them with something I won fair and square," Scootaloo countered.

"...Fine, I GUESS that makes sense...You'll waste it eventually anyway," Cat said, putting back on her cheerful demeanor. "...Have fun..." she said, vanishing into thin air.

"We'd better save these," Scootaloo said, giving each of her friends one of the Freebee Tokens.

OOC: One thing to remember: even the original song describes Carnival Cat as a manchild.

Once more, using something I wanted to have them find at some point and seemed like a good place.

For reference: Shady's magic glasses were in the comics and let her see things no one else could.

Alex Warlorn

The green mare popped in front of the foals again.

"And just so you know some ground rules, after a set of you have given into temptation at one of the attractions, no version of you can be put under contract on that same attraction... Though there's the slight loop hole that if a opening is made..."

"WAIT!" Sweetie said. "What about those selves of ours who were praising Diamond Tiara? Weren't Alula and Tootsie trying to tempt us?"

"Cross what I think is my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye: those four of you were FAKES. Nothing but sawdust and cloth, and that's all they ever were. They're just puppets. They don't even have souls. It was Diamond Tiara and co who fell for temptation in that exhibit."

"Oh." Sweetie said.

"Also, the Tunnel of Love lets you skip a huge chunk of the attractions, though it's off the straight and narrow."

"Ya REALLY want us to give in inside that tunnel don't you?" Apple Bloom said.

"Even if you four finally fill the empty roles, the next four of you to come along will have a free trip through most of the fair."

"Because the tunnel of love without cupids is a sad and empty place. You might as well call it the tunnel of loveless relationships. My dad's side of the family actually relates to Venus, the alicorn of love, in their own way, and so do I. I have a separate contract with her so it's okay. So if you feel like becoming plastic living totems to her, well, feel free. You four will be making happy couples and rekindling old relationships in no time! ... What? I AM running a carnival here, I can't go employing EVERYPONY who visits, how would I get any repeat customers? Well, besides from you... " The green mare gestured at the tunnel of love and vanished in her mass of bats.

Zaku789

"S-should we do it, take the tunnel of love I mean?" Button Mash asked. "We have the tokens and she did says it's a get out of jail free card."

"But what if she's lying?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"If she was lyin' she would've done so when we found those tokens in the first place," Applebloom said.

"So you're saying she wants a fair game?" Scootaloo questioned.

"Either that or she's upset that what she had planned for later was ruined and let it slip," Applebloom stated. The others could agree to that. Carnival Cat has shown to be marechild, a psychopathic marechild but still a marechild all-together.

"Still though.... it kinda smells like a trap, and that's saying something considering what we know about this place." Sweetie Bell stated.

Tangalion

Two boats floated at the boarding area of the Tunnel of Love, ready to go. Button Mash hopped into the first boat, then took Sweetie's hoof like a gentlecolt as she stepped in beside him, nuzzling. Then Scootaloo and Apple Bloom piled into the same boat, spoiling the mood.

"Aw," whined Button. "Couldn't you girls ride the other boat?"

The boat started to move by itself, gliding on into the dark tunnel. "Maybe next time," said Scootaloo. "You know, when we're not in an *evil carnival* that's trying to get us!"

A light came on, revealing the first exhibit on the left... Button Mash as a handsome, full-grown stallion in a tuxedo, dancing with Sweetie Belle as a mare in one of Rarity's finest silk gowns. They danced slowly and gazed deep into each other's eyes.

The real Button and Sweetie stared, then looked to each other, their breath taken away.

The grown-up Button looked at them. "You remember what it was like being older, don't you? Why wait? Just hop right in the Warp Pipe and get straight to the good stuff." They started kissing.

Button and Sweetie blushed, leaning further and further forward until it seemed like they would fall right into the water. Scootaloo had to shove a wing in their faces, blocking their view.

"Or maybe," said the fake Button Mash, "you still want to shop around a bit... unlock some different scenarios!" He trotted into the next exhibit, and started kissing with a grownup Apple Bloom. The muscular farm mare was a little taller than Button, despite being an earth pony.

In the boat, Apple Bloom gawked at the scene, and couldn't look the real Button in the eyes. "Nope! Ah never even thought about Button like that. Until now... dangit!"

Lights illuminated an exhibit on the right. Scootaloo twitched. "Wait, is that Upbeat?" The fusion of Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle was nuzzling a dark brown earth pony stallion with a yellow and red mane."

Button Mash stared. "Is that what me and Bloom would look like fused together?"

The stallion grinned at them. "Got it in one. Hi, Ah'm High Score. Nice ta meet ya."

"Okay, enough of us!" bellowed Scootaloo. "Can we move on, please?"

The boat went around a bend, passing beneath an illuminated sign that proclaimed "Hall of Big Macintosh."

A copy of Rarity was embracing Big Mac, nuzzling into his mane. "Finally, I have you all to myself."

Red Gala was kissing another Big Mac. "I always knew we were meant to be together..."

Princess Luna was kissing with an Alicorn Big Mac. "Our love will last... FOREVER! Mwahahaha!"

A slyly grinning Octavia was embracing an elegant, slim Big Mac wearing well-tailored Canterlot fashions. "I can't believe you actually picked me. Don't think I'm letting you go!"

Sweetcream Scoops was nuzzling with Big Mac *and* Caramel *and* Shining Armor... *AND* seven adorable foals playing at their hooves. She looked exhausted, but happy. "I really didn't think this through, but I don't regret it!"

Apple Bloom buried her face in her hooves. "Ah can't look... Ugh, why!?"

The green mare's voice spoke from a tinny speaker. "You're in a boat, duh! What better place for shipping? Just remember, if you want your brains thoroughly bleached of everything you've seen here, don't hesitate to sign those contracts in the pocket up front!"

The boat floated out of that hall, and into a cavern filled with a miniature city. Tiny wind-up ponies galloped around in a panic, and the city was half-smashed and dancing with illusionary magic flames... because two giant dragons were trampling it underpaw. "Heh, this pathetic city's just about used up," said Garble. "Come on, Scootaloo! Let's grow even bigger before we burn and loot the next one!"

"As my Dragon Lord commands," purred the orange and purple dragoness, rubbing against him.

Garble turned to look right at Scootaloo. "Part of you still WANTS this. Doesn't it?"

Scootaloo gripped the boat railing tight enough to splinter it. She actually started growing bigger and scalier...

Button Mash grabbed a rolled up newspaper out of his inventory and booped Scootaloo on the nose. "No! You've gotta control it."

Scootaloo shook herself, just a pegasus filly again. "R-right! Thanks, Button."

The tinny speaker clicked again. "I know I should have made the boats only big enough for two."

The boat went around yet another bend, into the Hall of Special Friends. Scootaloo groaned. "This can't be good."

Lyra and Bon Bon were heaping praise on each other, telling each other what special friends they were. Octavia and Vinyl were playing a bizarre duet with cello and synthesizer. Gilda and Rainbow Dash went zipping through the clouds too fast racing, and crashed into a cloud together, laughing and slapping each other on the back.

Button scratched his mane with a hoof. "So, why's this in the Tunnel of Love?"

"We shouldn't think about that," chanted Sweetie Belle. "We shouldn't think about that. We shouldn't..."

In the last exhibit on the right, a huge orange and gold wolf wearing a Stetson was leaning against a great white-furred wolf. They were howling at the moon together.

Apple Bloom blinked. "But... that ain't a what-if. That really happened. Ahhhh! Ah'm too young to be an aunt!"

The boat pitilessly continued around the next corner...

Alex Warlorn

The girls spotted another display, Apple Bloom saw her brother AGAIN in a tuxedo, except, the mare in the wedding dress was, "Agh! Her?!"

It was the green mare.

Her voice over the loud speaker came. "Sure. It's easier to count what mares AREN'T in love with that hunk of a stallion! Seriously, your big brother is hot!" A ringing was heard over the speaker. "Oops! Let me take this. Hello. Hello Auntie in law! Yes yes, I remember Venus, if these four fall for temptation inside the tunnel we get co-custody of them as family. I don't break deals. And the Tunnel is my masterpiece, to be honest, after it, the rest of the fair is chump change in comparison. Oops! Is this thing on!"

A small poof appeared in front of Apple Bloom. It was connection to her camera. HER CAMERA! After all this time she'd nearly forgotten it!

"Consider that a freebie kid! No strings attached! Full color update to that little grainy camera of yours! Kinda looses the found footage vibe, but when you girls and colt become employees for my tunnel of love, I want it recorded in full color for posterity!"

"But if we fall for temptation, and then go on the ride again to take us straight to the end of the park... wouldn't we find it boring?" Button asked.

"Hey! If you can't enjoy a ride twice, then it's a lousy ride." Said the voice over the speaker.

Then soft romantic music began to play over the speaker. The CMC+1 had to admit it did help them relax whether they liked it or not... and they liked it.

Then there was a WEIRD exhibit of Twilight as a cross between an minotaur and a monkey, (human) and she was at a high school dance with a blue haired guy.

Next showed Apple Bloom dueling with Lance the colt again, next she was dancing with what looked like a earth pony boy Scootaloo. In the back of Apple Bloom's mind she couldn't help but think, this place DID look kinda empty without any cupids... how did she know what those were? Little angels who helps ponies fall in love, maybe... in this tunnel, she knew the term. She WOULD be cute as a living molded plastic cherub.

Author's Note

The rules are simple. Write something in the comments, and it's added to the story above! No 'script' format additions! Keep it My Little Ponies!

Set in the same universe as Pinkie Pie Forth Wall Breaking Variety Show!

*Replay recording*

Apple Bloom"We're exploring the Everfree all night! And the best part is when something, ah, 'bad' happens to us, Princess Luna makes it so we, uh, 'respawn?' "

Scootaloo, "Apple Bloom we knew that already."

Apple Bloom, "Yeah, but Ah figured we had to say it again fer some reason."

Sweetie Belle, "Have look at the, what did Pinkie Pie call this? 'Trope Page?'" http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/PinkiePiesFourthWallVarietyShow

So yeah, the CMC are exploring the Everfree with a grainy video camera, but if they say, come to a Bad End, or the like, they'll respawn at the farm house.

Parts added by:
MtangaLion
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
Zaku789
Mtangalion
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn
Zaku789
MtangaLion
Zaku789
Kendell2
OOC: One thing to remember: even the original song describes Carnival Cat as a manchild.

Once more, using something I wanted to have them find at some point and seemed like a good place.

For reference: Shady's magic glasses were in the comics and let her see things no one else could.
Alex Warlorn
Zaku789
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn

Cover is a commission By Kendell2

Cutie Mark Crusaders' Journal of the unexplained 14

Cutie Mark Crusaders' Journal of the unexplained 14

Mtangalion

Kendell2 14.0

Scootaloo tried her sunglasses, which mainly just lit up the entire tunnel. However, then she blinked, seeing a white unicorn with a pink mane and tail, angelic wings behind her and a pink bow with curled edges in hoof. And wearing a diaper despite being an adult.

The mare shushed her. "My name is Lovestruck, or Suadela when I'm on the job. Applebloom's sister came and offered me to accept a choice another version of me made to fuse with Cupid's Shadow and become the Demi-Goddess of Sharing Love because if everything was fixed in her world she'd still be one..."

Scootaloo cocked her head like her being a Demi-God wasn't the surprising thing.

"Oh...right, I've technically been this way before now," said the Demi-Goddess. "Going to need to get used to that. "I chose to accept...because now I can fly with my daughter and husband and I've always WANTED to spread love and make others feel the joy of having their special somepony like I do...And that's why my adopted mother sent me to talk to you."

Scootaloo didn't say anything, as the Demi-Goddess in front of her made it clear it was meant to be a secret she was there, simply looking expectantly.

"If I'd chosen to do this for power, or fame, or godhood...it'd have failed. And me and my half-brother's would've merged into something terrible and wrong...it's BECAUSE I chose to become a Demi-Goddess for the right reasons that good came of it...And that's what mother told me to tell you: that WHY you choose to do something and for what reason...is often much more important than the thing itself," Lovestruck explained, then flew through the wall, being in the spirit world at the present. "Good luck Scootaloo..."

Scootaloo blinked. 'Man, why does everypony I can see with this things speak in riddles?"

She then looked back to her friends and gave it thought. Becoming Cherubs...why DID they want to do it?

"...I think we need to talk about something..."

Carnival Cat laughed, looking at her new Cherubs. "Finally! Took you long enough. Now, how about you go fly to Sweet Apple Acres and hit Big Mac with an arrow or two and make that cutie mine?"

"Sorry, we can't do that," all four replied.

"...What?"

"First rule of being a Cherub: you don't mess up true love," said Applebloom.

"Second rule: don't FORCE anypony to fall in love with somepony they couldn't love," said Sweetie Belle.

Carnival Cat blinked. "Wait, why aren't you acting like statues?"

She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned, finding Lovestruck behind her. "Oh, hello cousin."

The Demi-Goddess handed her the contract she had with Venus, pointing to a line.

"Huh? 'If they give into temptation, they will be closer to Carnival Cat's design. If they become Cherubs for good or selfless reasons, they will be closer to Venus...What?"

"We became Cherubs to atone for what we did with the Love Poison," Applebloom explained.

"And I really wanted to spread love!" Sweetie Belle said, smiling.

Button held Sweetie's hoof. "And I wanted to share Sweetie's burden."

Lovestruck gave a smile. "Did you really think mother would give you a new weapon, cousin?" she asked, disappearing back into the spirit world as her Demi-Goddess nature allowed.

The CMC+1 looked to each others as they watched the What If Machine. "Wow...didn't know that's how it worked..." Applebloom replied.

"Neither did I," Scootaloo replied. "I just throught becoming Cherubs for a good reason would work out better."

MtangaLion 14.1

Yet again, the Crusaders gathered their supplies and set out for the carnival. The free passes had disappeared with the reset, but Scootaloo found the sunglasses still in her saddlebag, the same as Apple Bloom and her Truth goggles.

Scootaloo leaned back in her seat and yawned, enjoying the cool breeze that blew through the Tunnel of Love. "This place isn't nearly so bad the second time. It's actually kinda fun!" They all waved to their cherub selves as the boat floated past them.

Apple Bloom shook her head. "Better brace yerself. We're safe now, but this is as far as we got, so we haven't seen the exhibits past here."

Scootaloo smirked. "Oh come on, it couldn't be much worse than... oh, Celestia, why?!"

In the next nook ahead, a Twilight Sparkle with wings was kissing Queen Chrysalis, and both of them were wearing wedding gowns. Twilight turned and winked at them. "I'm not sure how it happened myself, but a lot of Shadows agree that this is hilarious!"

"Are you sure I can't conquer Equestria for you, Twilight, my sweet?" purred Chrysalis. "Oh, if only there were more real ponies in love here, instead of all these robots and illusions." Sweetie Belle stared, twitching, until that exhibit was safely around a corner behind them.

They saw the What-If Machine sitting on a cart next to another What-If Machine with a pink casing. Hearts made from letters and symbols scrolled up both of their screens.

They saw a large force-field dome with a familiar statue garden inside. Hercules Beetle and Cicada were sitting off in a corner, playing some kind of board game, and Shining Armor and Cadence were nuzzling warmly, currently in the form of two large wolves. The blue and white wolf noticed them. "Hey there! Something didn't quite go according to plan. When you guys aren't busy, could you maybe come back and get us out of here?" The pink and purple wolf licked his cheek slowly. "No rush!"

"Well, it can't get any weirder than that," said Sweetie Belle.

Around the next bend, yet another Big Mac declared, "Ah'm tired of all those mares chasin' after me and bothering me all the dang time. C'mere... Bluey."

Prince Blueblood waggled his eyebrows at Big Mac, grinning handsomely. "Let's make delicious apple puns together..."

Then it was Applejack with both of the Flim Flam Brothers. And Rainbow Dash actually in love with Zephyr Breeze.

"Okay, *now* it can't get any weirder," said Sweetie.

"Stop saying that!" yelled Scootaloo.

Button Mash looked like he might burst into tears. "I don't think we're old enough for this ride."

"Oh, please," said the Carnival Cat on the tinny speaker. "You godlings aren't that innocent."

"Ah wasn't a goddess!" stammered Apple Bloom, looking like her head might explode, or like she wished it would.

The speaker clicked. "No problem, just tune your goggles to block all that naughty stuff out. Oh, wait... you *can't* do that with Truth-seeing goggles. Unless you corrupt them a little. Hmm, what do you call a Nightmare who forbids other ponies from learning the Truth about anything they don't approve of? Nightmare Blackout? Nightmare Nanny Nag? Nightmare Cosmic Censor? Say, I like that last one..."

"Nope nope NOPE!" shouted Apple Bloom. "Ah remember what it was like becoming Instrumentum. No more of that for me, thanks!"

The next exhibit was another big one, with Twilight and all of her friends, each one of them cuddling with a colt double of herself.

Scootaloo made a face. "I don't get it. Why would they do that?"

The next exhibit lit up. "Howdy, girls," said Apple Buck... now clearly older than Bloom, not younger. He grinned handsomely. The Crusaders all stared, mouths hanging open.

"Your last visit was over way too soon!" said Scooteroll, spreading large, fully flight-capable wings.

"Too bad you can't stay a while and visit some more," purred Bit Mash. "We could have played the new Star Vixen game... in co-op mode."

Sweepy Bell grinned. "Maybe those cute cherubs will play with us instead!"

Alex Warlorn 14.2

The green mare asked. "Can you at least let yourselves become living plastic for the sake of the ride? You're still my employees, and I get to decide the decorum."

The four cherubs look at each other. While Venus overruled Carnival Cat in their relationship, and even if she didn't, their boss couldn't force them to make ponies love each other whom love was IMPOSSIBLE... but still... rules were rules. And the contract still said that Carnival Cat had co-adoption rights for the CMC+1 as family with Venus.

The transformation... in the end wasn't that dramatic. If anything, it somehow felt, right somehow. Their skin became shinny and smooth. A mold line formed between their eyes and went down the lengths of their bodies, including over their diapers. Their diapers they now felt like they were a physical part of their now, same with their tails and manes that were now solid parts of them that didn't wave in the breeze. They gazed unblinking, and turned their heads more when looking like a doll would. And they now had a 'Made In Everfree' logo stamped on their back left hoof.

They flapped a few times to find they could fly just as easily as before. And their quivers refilled with love arrows from their goddess just as easily. Sweetie Belle did a swirl and said, "Well, that gets me over my fear of dolls." She giggled.

"I'm my own action figure!" Button Mash grinned.

"Ditto!" Scootaloo said.

"Gotta admit we look pretty." Apple Bloom admitted.

This didn't really change anything, nor advance any plan of the green mare's, it was more a point of personal pride for her. She thought about asking the cherubs for a hug, but she declined not out of personal pride, but knowing she wouldn't feel anything from it, as she hadn't from the other versions of the CMC+1 who were now effectively her sons and daughters under her contract. And she didn't understand why she didn't feel anything.

"Can we play with the display of the Cutie Mark Brigade?" Scootaloo asked.

"Go ahead, the new versions of you can't be tempted by the same ride twice anyway." The green mare sighed.

Ardashir

"Well," Scootaloo said. "At least we've seen the weirdest now, right? This crazy tunnel can't show us... anything worse..."

Her voice trailed off and four sets of eyes bulged from their sockets as the boat rounded one more corner and showed them -- a wedding chapel.

"Dearly beloved," Bahamut said, wearing a ceremonial platinum collar as he stood at a podium, "we are gathered here today to unite this draconequus..." He waved one massive claw to the right.

"Oh, this is the happiest day of my life!" Discord, wearing a lime green tuxedo with hoot pink highlights. He patted the claw of his bride. "Celestia was a dear, but in the end we were just too different." He smiled so broadly the CMC and Button wondered if they could see the inside of his ears. "I've finally found my one true love. Well, transformed her into my one true love, but still."

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom remembered what Discord once transformed them into and shuddered.

Behind him, his best dragon Garble fidgeted, looking very uneasy. Baff stood with him, a cushion in his claws.

"Hey, Baff, you remembered the ring, right?" Garble whispered.

"Ring?" Baff shook his head. "I thought it was a snack, man!"

Garble faceclawed.

To their sides stood Ember and Twilight Sparkle as bridesmaids.

"Isn't this romantic?" Twilight sighed.

"Isn't this horrifying?" Ember muttered.

And before them stood a lovely dragonness, with green spines and purple scales. A veil covered her head, and she held a bouquet of flowers in her claws.

"Oh, darling," the female Spike said to Discord, batting her long lashes, "thanks for literally making me the happiest she-dragon in Equestria!"

The boat mercifully went past and the vision was lost behind them.

"O-kay," Button Mash gave a shiver. "Do we even want to know where that came from? And, wait," his eyes went wide with horror, "can normal pony magic even do what Discord did to Spike?"

"I asked Miss Twilight once if unicorn magic could transform ponies and other beings," Sweetie sent off a few sparks from her horn as she thought back. "She said yes but it was a bad idea; but Chrysalis taught me some spells to transform other beings. And I guess it would be okay if I turned them back right afterwards, so if you want to know what it's like -- ulp!"

Button removed his hoof from Sweetie's mouth. "Thanks, but no thanks."

Grogar-the-oneser

"Well that ha to be the weirdest-"

"Will y'all stop that! Ah'd rather not find out what's next, Ah don't wanna see Fluttershy's brother marryin' all four pie sisters, Ah don't wanna see Rarity kissing her dresses and Ah don't wanna see all my family members wanting to seduce the same tree! So please stop saying this is the weirdest one and it can't be top!" Apple Bloom snapped.

"Uh, Apple Bloom, you kinda jinx yourself," Button Mash said disturbed at what lay ahead.

Apple Bloom turn to see Tirek in a hot-tub with both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna and were fully making out. "AGGHH MY EYES!"

"WIMP!" Carnival Cat shouted through the speakers.

"Ah don't care if that makes me a wimp, some pairin' are just plain wrong," Apple Bloom said disturbed as there boat move past it and were moving close to the ride's exit.

Grogar-the-oneser

"Congratulation, you are now free of the tunnel of love." Carnival Cat said as they exit the ride.

All four of them look they seen things they rather forget. "Worst part is another us will have to relive that if we get turned." Applebloom said with her eye twitching.

"On the plus side were free from most of the attraction so were now mostly safe." Button Mash stated.

"Most not all." Sweetie belle reminded them. Meanwhile Scootaloo was wearing her sunglasses to see if she can find another hidden storage area.

Alex Warlorn

The green mare appeared in her swirl of bats. She pointed at the exit to the midway, leading down a long dark road where a large mansion loomed.

"Just pass through the exit and the key will appear. Take it and enter the mansion, and the many amusing transformations that await you within. The third book awaits you. And here's a free hint, the Castle of the Two Sisters is actually OLDER than Everfree.

"What? That's it?" Sweetie asked. "No tricks? No games?"

"Just go." The green mare sighed, surprising the foal when she sounded genuinely gloomy.

Mtangalion

The far side of the carnival was eerie after the noise and lights of the attractions. A path littered with discarded popcorn bags led to a simple turnstile. "Thanks for coming!" said a recording of Sweetie Belle's voice. "Be sure to get your hoof stamped if you want to reenter the park tonight!" it continued, though there was nopony to stamp them.

From there, it was only a short canter up a lamplit road to reach the mansion. They found a polished brass key dangling from a tree branch, and more... Flim and Flam's steam wagon was parked by the side of the road. Flim himself got up and yawned, then nudged his twin, who was sleeping with a book covering his face. "Rise and shine, brother. It's showtime." He blinked. "You again?!"

Flam stretched and chuckled. "Shoulda known it'd be them."

The Crusaders stopped in their tracks. "Again?" asked Apple Bloom. "Wait... you remember what happened?"

Flim tipped his hat and spun it on one hoof. "Like it was yesterday! Wait, weren't there three of you before?"

"That's kinda complicated," admitted Sweetie Belle. She put a hoof around her confused coltfriend.

"Truth be told," muttered Flam, "for us it was yesterday!"

"What's the use of Madame Fate warning us not to travel through time if we forget all about it the next day?"

"We would have tried to build the time machine all over again. Boy, would that have been awkward!"

The brothers kept darting around, one moving while the other spoke, so Apple Bloom was surprised to find Flim right next to her. "Well, well, well, what do we have here? Could it be? Little Miss Fix-It has..."

"Her cutie mark!!" chorused both Flim and Flam, grinning from ear to ear.

"An engineering cutie mark, at that!" said Flim. "Seriously, that is amazing, missy!"

"This calls for a celebration!" Flam fired a bolt from his horn, and their wagon launched fireworks and played a cheerful fanfare on a built in pipe organ.

Apple Bloom blushed. "Truth be told... Ah don't know if Ah'd have gotten my mark tonight if it weren't for you two. Thanks!"

Flim tugged on his lapels. "You're too kind!" He took a breath, suddenly quite serious. "It's a shame really."

Flam sighed. "Here's how this is gonna go down. You're going to hoof over Flummox's other two journals, and then you're going to turn around and *go home.*"

Button Mash's face fell. "But... why?!"

Flim shook his head. "This doesn't concern you. Look, you had your little adventure, right? Best day of your lives, I'll bet. Quit while you're ahead."

Apple Bloom looked the most disappointed of any of them. "Ah don't understand. Ah thought we were friends... or at least we could have been."

Scootaloo flapped her wings and hopped in front of Apple Bloom. "Um, hello? They're the Flim Flam Brothers! Face it, there's probably some treasure in there that they want to keep all to themselves."

"But..." Apple Bloom dodged around Scootaloo. "We're so close to solving the mysteries of the Everfree! Why don't we explore the mansion together?"

The brothers exchanged sad looks. "You're a good filly, Apple Bloom," said Flim, "but we made a promise." He lit his horn, levitating a milky-white stone out of a pocket.

Sweetie Belle shivered, her coat fluffing up. "What... what kind of magic is that?"

Flim chuckled. "It's a moonstone, of course. Watch, and be amazed!" The stone flared brilliantly. The unicorn bellowed, seemingly in pain, and his shout became a roar as his hooves split into paws and his muzzle pushed out longer and thicker and full of fangs.

Flim stalked towards the colt and fillies, now a shaggy yellow werewolf pony, still wearing his trademark blue and white vest with bowtie. "Funny thing about magic," he growled, in a much deeper and gruffer voice. "Real, wild Everfree magic. Ponies will turn their bit purses upside-down for a good con, but the real deal? That scares the willies out of them."

Flam levitated a lantern with a strange blue and pink crystal tied to it. "If you liked that trick, you'll love this one!" He opened the lantern's shutter, and the light passing through the crystal illuminated the werewolf, growing him easily twice as large. Flam held out a hoof. "Last chance before this gets rough. Our journals, if you please."

Alex Warlorn

Scootaloo asked facing up the giant wolf pony and unicorn, "How the buck did you even know we HAD THOSE?! We found one by accident and the other was with Zecora and her sister this whole night until a while ago!"

Before they could answer, a storm cloud formed, and lightning struck the ground between the CMC+1 and the brothers.

"Excuse me for a moment." Said the green mare. But Apple Bloom noticed she didn't seem as large, her shadow didn't spread as far, and her presence didn't feel as overwhelmingly. "But I believe these foals have a key to claim." She gestured at the key still hanging from the tree. "That key was the prize for making it all the way through my carnival, which these foals have... and a contract, is a contract. Sludge, come!" The black blob of goo rose from the ground, but like her, it wasn't as terrifying as it was inside the carnival.

Flam wasn't impressed, he turned the crystal around so a blue shard was in its place instead, and shrank down the ball of black sludge to the size of a cup of play-doo.

"Didn't expect that." Carnival Cat said. "But I am the child of Tragedy and Temptation. And my family is vast. Crusade, come out!" She smacked her cane into the ground. What appeared was a giant wolf, it was light brown with orange shading, while the fur around its head and tail were reddish-purple. It's eyes were a muddy brown. On its forehead were four crystal shards arranged like the pedals of a lotus like the spa twins' cutie marks.

Then the four plastic cherubs appeared flying behind her. Followed by the chimera CMC being ridden by the tamer Button Mash.

Flam rolled his eyes. That he was seeing several alternate CMC+1 didn't seem to phase him or his giant beast brother. "Geeze, oh whatever shall I do? What can I possibly do? Oh wait, I know." He fired the blue beam again... except the cherub Sweetie Belle dropped a mirror in Carnival Cat's hooves that reflected the beam and hit the brothers instead, shrinking them down.

"Uh, oops." Said Flam.

"You boys shouldn't have gotten so greedy." Carnival Cat said. Then looked at the mirror which was shaped like a heart. "What's this?"

"A gift from you Auntie-In-Law Venus," the plastic cherub Sweetie said. "We were going to give it to you later at the mansion, but the brothers kinda forced it."

Carnival Cat looked at herself in the mirror confused.

"Great-Auntie-In-Law Venus said that nopony can love you until you love yourself first." Sweetie said. Scootaloo then shot Carnival Cat through the heart as she gazed into the mirror... making her love what she saw.

And Carnival Cat felt Venus' presence for the first time in her life.

The normal CMC+1 were still befuddled on what was going on, though Scootaloo still wondered how the brothers knew about the journals, what they meant by THEIR Uncle's journals.

MtangaLion

Carnival Cat clutched a hoof to her chest. "I don't understand. What is this feeling?" The chimera CMC and the muddy brown wolf crowded close, peering into the mirror with her, and she saw them all reflected in the mirror together. "My contract slaves... no, my family... I..."

Plastic cherub Apple Bloom beamed. "Even Outer Concepts love their children."

"My family? I love my family?" Carnival Cat discovered that tamer Button Mash was hugging her, and the chimera was purring. The big wolf licked her nose and wagged its tail. The little sludge bounced over, and the cherubs aww'd and piled on.

"Rrrrright," growled tiny werewolf Flim. "Where were we?"

"Journals," said Flam. He fired up his horn and cast a real, honest to Celestia spell, not some misdirection or flashy sparkles or turning on one of their gadgets. The spell formed a floating magical compass, bigger than Flam's actual current size, and it had one arrow pointing at the house and two at Apple Bloom. "They're in her saddlebag. Go!"

Flim loped towards Apple Bloom, zigging and zagging, and Flam covered for him by clearing his throat with a voice amplification charm on. "So, you fillies find two of the journals and bring them together, and on that very same evening, the journal that we kept under our hats all these years pops off and flies away towards Uncle Flummox's old mansion, laughing at us. Coincidence? I think not!"

Luckily, Apple Bloom had gotten suspicious enough to slip her googles on. "Hey!" she yelped, seeing the tiny werewolf leaping onto her saddlebag. "Shoo! Git!"

"Yipe!" Flim hopped onto her back, evading her attempt to brush him off. "You know what the really funny thing about all this is?" he growled suddenly. "The journals were written by our Uncle Flummox. We're his next of kin. We're trying to swipe something that legitimately belongs to us for once!"

"Gotcha!" said Flam, grabbing the forgotten lantern and size-changing gem in his magic. "Now I'll just..."

"No you don't!" yelled Sweetie, grabbing on with her magic. They jerked the lantern back and forth in a magical tug-o-war until the shutter slipped, zapping Button Mash instead of Flim.

Button Mash grew as big as Big Mac, grinning from ear to ear. "Coooool..." But Sweetie Belle stared at the giant colt, all dreamy-eyed, and the lantern fell to the ground.

"I'll take that!" said Flam, using the lantern to grow himself back to normal size, and then his werewolf brother too.

Apple Bloom snatched the journals out of her saddlebag and tossed them in the air. "Scootaloo, catch."

Flim snapped at the journals and missed. Flam scowled when Scootaloo caught the books, trying to grab on with his telekinesis.

Scootaloo yelped. "Button, put them in your inventory!" She threw the books... Flim and Flam charged...

"Huh? Oh, right!" Button focused, and both the books and the brothers vanished.

Scootaloo gawked. "Wait, did you just..."

Button Mash summoned a giant-sized game console, and the faces of the Flim Flam Brothers appeared in his inventory, making him gasp. "I swear, I had no idea I could do this."

"Well, this is one rotten development," said Flim's voice, with a slight digital distortion. Flim looked like a normal pony again, and the moonstone appeared as a separate inventory item.

"Sure didn't see this coming," grumbled Flam.

Scootaloo's eyebrows shot up. "They can still talk in there? Great... we have to listen to more of their lies." She flew over and snagged the key out of the tree.

Apple Bloom looked a bit uncomfortable. "But, when they were talking about the journals and Flummox... Flim and Flam were telling the truth then."

Alex Warlorn

"YES! Those journal belong to our family! Are our property! And is our inheritance! You have no right to keep it from us!" Flam said.

"Please don't delete us!" Flim pleaded.

Apple cringed, she felt her bow... her mother's favorite from her collection. "I... I kinda don't feel right keepin' 'em from family heir looms. Con-ponies or not... family is family."

MtangaLion

Scootaloo poked the console with a hoof, and Flim giggled as if she'd tickled him. "Can we trust them, though? They might burst into flames or something if we make them do a Pinkie Swear."

Button Mash smirked. "Or worse, now that she's a goddess."

"Oh, har-de-har," groused Flam. "Say, we could swear by the Con-Ponies Code!"

"Betray your allies of convenience *after* you get away with the heist!" explained Flim.

"Not before."

"Or not at all! Technically, that's allowed too!" The brothers grinned innocently, somehow gaining little halos over their heads on the game console screen.

Apple Bloom took the key from Scootaloo and looked at it in her hoof, uncertain. "Look, we both want answers, right? Can't we just do what ponies are supposed to do best and work together?" Making up her mind, she shoved the key into the lock and turned it. The front door swung open, revealing a dark and incredibly dusty foyer.

The Crusaders filed inside cautiously, looking all around. The mansion had seemed to be an ordinary wood-frame building from outside, but inside it looked eerily like one of those buildings from the Alicorn future, with walls and floors of solid crystal, polished brass furnishings, and lots of mirrors. Sweetie Belle started to cast a light spell, but gems mounted on the walls began to glow when they approached. Apple Bloom shaded her eyes, fascinated by all the crystal reflections, and pulled out the camera again.

"That's not good," said Flam, nervous all of a sudden. "The spells are still active."

"You fillies should really watch your step!" said Flim. "Uncle Flummox loved his tricks and traps."

"Aha!" shouted Button Mash. "Then that's the first thing you can do to help us trust you! Tell us where the traps are." He tilted his head. "You have been here before, haven't you?"

"Of course!" said Flim.

"Lots of times," echoed Flam.

Apple Bloom stopped in her tracks, annoyed. "Ah can tell that's a bald-faced lie without even using the goggles." She blinked. "Wait... he's your uncle, and you've never been inside his home?"

The brothers' faces fell. "Well, not this home," Flim admitted.

Flam sighed. "Look, kid, you have to understand. Uncle Flummox was always a little..."

"Crazy?"

"Not the word I'd use, brother... but yes. Our uncle was smart like you wouldn't believe."

"Almost too smart. He saw plots and schemes and prestidigitation everywhere."

"He claimed that time and fate themselves were being rewritten right under everypony's noses! Can you believe that?"

Button Mash raised a hoof. "Actually, we kind of can."

"He didn't even trust Princess Celestia," said Flim, looking very serious. "Said she was playing everypony like pieces on a chessboard, and she had a secret evil sister! ... Yes, yes, I *know*, but back then, talk like that only got him laughed out of anyplace respectable."

"Later, he started raving about a magic invisible wolf that kept erasing his memory," added Flam.

"Yeah, about that..." Apple Bloom started to say.

Flam nodded. "And don't forget about the three invisible spirits who wouldn't stop asking him questions!" He waved his hooves as he was telling a spooky campfire story. "Ooohhh..."

Sweetie Belle coughed, remembering their guests at the Variety Show. "Um..."

"But no matter how loopy Uncle Flummox got, he always trusted his dear nephews."

The face on Flam's icon looked away, dejected. "Until that day. When we broke our one rule."

Flim hung his head. "We conned *him*."

Alex Warlorn

Apple Bloom looked at them dimly. "Look, would ya stop with the lies already? If family really mattered that little to ya, Granny Smith would'a never helped ya jerks get back together after ya broke up over that one lady."

Alex Warlorn

"So...what do you think is here?" Scootaloo asked.

"Oh, lot's of traps, experiments of all sorts, some ghosts," Flam replied. "Oh, and probably a few evil spirits."

"Wait, what?!" Button asked.

"Uncle had a habit of collecting cursed or haunted objects and said the Everfree was a weirdness magnet...so he naturally built his house on a convergence of laylines in the middle of it," Flim explained. "Don't worry, MOST of them should be sealed away."

"That's not reassuring at all..." Applebloom replied as they headed forwards.

A shadow slithered along a wall, rising up and looking like a tall, slender human woman in a flowing robe. While her expression was difficult to read, given she was a shadow, she looked at Sweetie Belle like one would a nice new dress.

The entity moved along the ground and tried to fly into Sweetie Belle...but just passed right through her harmlessly.

Sweetie Belle shuddered like she got a chill. "Did you just feel a cold chill?"

"No, why?" Scootaloo asked.

"Curses, I'm still too weak..." the shadow muttered. "I'm nothing but a shadow like this."

Sweetie Belle jumped, looking around. "Okay, I SWEAR I heard something that time."

"Well that's only natural, like we said the house is probably full of ghosts," Flam replied.

As the group continued on, the entity followed along. "Having most of my power drained by that accursed pony and my body destroyed twice now has left me too weak to interact with the land of the living, even as a ghost...Still, maybe if I follow them my chance will come..."

The Shadow continued to follow them.

OOC: The Shadow (who it should be obvious to anyone reading the main series who this is) is basically weakened to the point of being more harmless than a ghost at the moment.

MtangaLion

The first hall past the foyer branched out in several different directions. Button Mash didn't have the house mapped yet, and Apple Bloom didn't see anything particularly right or wrong about any path, so she shrugged and led them to the left first.

"What's that humming sound?" asked Scootaloo. It was oddly familiar, and getting louder as they approached the next turn.

Sweetie Belle twitched her ears. "It sounds like... an aquarium? Oooh." She started trotting faster.

"An aquarium?" asked Apple Bloom uncertainly. "You mean, like those fancy places in Canterlot with all the fish?"

They rounded the corner together and found a whole zoo's worth of aquariums. Massive floor to ceiling tanks lined three of the four walls. One tank had colorful freshwater fish that might have come from the Everfree's lakes and rivers, with lily pads and moss floating on the surface. The second tank had murky water and nothing alive... The third was magically darkened and seemed to have deep sea creatures.

"This is incredible!" squealed Sweetie Belle, galloping between the first and third tanks. "This place has been abandoned for years, but the magic is still keeping the water clean and the fish fed? Well, most of them, I mean..."

Button Mash shivered. "Maybe there *is* somepony still living here."

"Uncle didn't have apprentices," said Flim, startling Button a bit.

"Not after us, anyway," said Flam. "Not that we know of. Magical servants, though..."

"So long as they were the kind that just obey orders."

"And don't think for themselves."

"That's the best kind of employee!"

Button Mash smirked and rolled his eyes. "Thanks. I didn't have enough reasons not to trust you two... Whoa, look at this!" He pointed a hoof at the fourth wall. Countless photographs and sketches were attached to it, most of them depicting seaponies and some kind of seapony city.

In the center of that wall, a large, frayed mural featured *three* Sirens floating towards a castle in a forest, just like Sweetie Belle and Nightmare Cantata had been, but different colors. Other creatures were posed dramatically in the left and right foreground opposing them... Princess Celestia, a giant purple dragon, a unicorn with a crown, and a bearded unicorn wizard. "Secret History," was scrawled on a scroll beneath the mural.

"Ah wonder who they were," mused Apple Bloom.

Sweetie Belle was smiling. "I wonder if I could still cast that merpony spell on my family." Bloom, Button, and Scootaloo all froze, looking at her suspiciously. "With their permission! What do you take me for?"

Button grinned, nuzzling her. "Just making sure."

Apple Bloom turned around and realized that there was one more aquarium... a small one in an alcove, warded off by glowing gemstones. She trotted that way slowly, fascinated by the pony-sized creature inside, which managed to seem adorable, despite the huge lantern-like eyes and the long needle-fangs and the dozen or so tentacles. It gurgled cutely at her.

"Ah should let ya out of there," said Apple Bloom in a dreamy voice, completely ignoring the red line on the floor in front of the glowing gems, and the sign labeled "Minimum Safe Distance." She bumped her head into the crystal glass, shook herself, dazed, then trotted forwards again, bumping her head a second time. "Ah should use the other end. Heh." She turned around and braced her forelegs, ready to buck the small aquarium...

Alex Warlorn

Apple Bloom, in her dreamy state... had forgotten she was still a couple years away from being able to apple-buck... As such, "Ow!... Maybe Ah need to buck a little harder." By now, she'd gotten her friends' attention, with her helpfully blocking their view of the 'cute' little fanged fish monster.

Mtangalion

The others all turned their heads, ears pricked up. Scootaloo literally flew across the room and hauled Apple Bloom away from the glass before she could try to buck it again. "What do you think you're doing?!" yelled Scootaloo. She boggled at the tentacle-fish thing. "And what the hay is that?"

Apple Bloom had her googles on, but she was staring off into the distance, and her expression didn't change even when Button waved a hoof in front of her face. The colt frowned and opened his console, tapping it with a hoof.

"Hey, don't switch away from the inventory screen!" complained Flim.

"Yeah, it's dark in here!" said Flam. "C'mon, let us out already!"

Button ignored them for the moment and pulled up Apple Bloom's stats. "This says she has... a sanity debuff?"

Apple Bloom gave them a glassy-eyed grin. "In his house he waits, dreaming of fresh-baked cookies." She tried to trot back to the aquarium, and it took both Button and Scootaloo to hold the farm filly back.

Sweetie Belle put a hoof to her muzzle, thinking. "I'd tell her to put the goggles on, but she's already wearing them and she's the only one acting crazy, so maybe..." She lit her horn and pushed the goggles off Apple Bloom's face.

Apple Bloom blinked at the thing in the aquarium, eyes refocusing, and suddenly she tripped over her own hooves trying to get away. "What was Ah doing? Ah mean, that thing's cute, but not that cute!"

Sweetie trotted right up to the aquarium, past the red line. "What were *you* doing, mister? That wasn't very nice!"

"Mrglmrrrrgl," warbled the fishy creature, sounding frustrated and waving its little tentacles everywhere.

Sweetie Belle blinked. "Huh? Really?"

"Mragagagaglrl!" The creature turned its back on them grumpily.

Sweetie gasped. "How long? That's terrible!"

Scootaloo coughed. "Uh... you can understand that thing?"

Sweetie looked back at her, surprised. "You can't?"

Button tapped his console and shrugged. "It's not translating."

"Maybe if Ah put the goggles back on," suggested Apple Bloom.

"No!" yelped Scootaloo and Button both.

"Mgrggglmmmph." The tentacle-fish-thing seemed to sigh, slumping lower in the water.

Sweetie Belle turned back to the aquarium. "We'll let you out, but first you have to Pinkie Promise to go straight home and not hurt anypony. You know, like this!" She cleared her throat, then recited the rhyme and made the hoof gestures.

The fish creature waved its fins, copying her. "Mrrgglgf, mrglglglmmm, mrrrgl mgglmrr... mrglf-ouch!" The creature muttered and rubbed its eye.

"Great!" Sweetie Belle lit her horn again and nullified the magical ward before anypony could object. The glowing crystals flashed and went dark.

"Mrrrglglglrrrr!" The tentacle fish swam in happy circles, then somehow conjured a portal inside the aquarium and swam right through.

The familiar voice of Ponythulhu burbled from... wherever the tentacle-fish had gone. "Spawn #43225, there you are! I've been looking all over for you!"

Scootaloo nosed Apple Bloom. "Hey. Are you gonna be alright?"

"Ah'm fine!" said Bloom, a little too quickly. "Just peachy! Except..." She scratched her foreleg with a hoof. "Mah hide feels so dry. And itchy... It's probably nothing!"

"He did what!?" shouted Ponythulhu, on the other side of the still open portal. "Well, it'd serve him right if you drove him crazy... He was already crazy? Oh... Well, don't forget to send the nice ponies a thank-you card."

The portal finally closed, leaving the aquarium hall quiet once more.

Alex Warlorn

"Hey, was that door here before?" Sweetie Belle pointed at a doorway in the Aquarium.

-WARNING, NONE BUT HOUSE KEEPING STAFF MAY ENTER BEYOND THIS POINT-

It said in big bold letters.

There also just so happened to be a closet nearby. No prizes for guessing what was inside.

"Be careful," Flam said, with a mark of genuine concern. "Uncle's security precautions are no joke."

Sweetie Belle's horn glowed. "I don't sense anything major on the door, it's just an ordinary lock spell or something, just wearing some maid uniform and it'll let you through no problem."

Sweetie Belle floated out the maid uniforms, which happened to have an 'one size fits all' enchantment on them, so they shrank down to fit the foals as soon as they touched them.

"Just hope nopony finds out about this." Apple Bloom said.

"Now I know how Cloudy Strike felt," Button Mash said reluctantly.

"Ick!" Scootaloo looked like she was more uneasy about wearing the dress than Button Mash!

"Come on girls, it'll be okay." Sweetie said. And the girls (and boy) slipped on the maid uniforms.

"See?" Sweetie said. "That... wasn't... so... bad."

Scootaloo blinked. "Hey... does... anypony... else... feel... weird..."

Apple Bloom's head swam. "Ah... feel... just... fine."

Button said, "We should... hurry along... we have, a lot to do." The foal said with a big smile.

The other three nodded, and they marched through the door that happily let them through, the four found the proper cleaning equipment and other things that needed doing that the automated spells couldn't handle and got to work.

In Apple Bloom's bedroom, the CMC+1 watched on the What-If-Machine the cute maids go about the chores of maintaining the mansion with a big smiles on their faces.

"WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!" Flim exclaimed.

"PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LET US OUT! That was too creepy!" Shouted Flam.

Sweetie said, "I guess since those 'us's are now maids, their inventory gets transferred to us, now that it's our turn to try. That's how it's worked so far."

"What are you talking about?!"

"It's... a long story." Apple Bloom said. "And one Ah don't really feel comfortable tellin' the likes of you."

One Long Trek Back To the Mansion Later-

"Couldn't we have found some enchanted teleport stones or something so we didn't have to keep doing this? I'll be seeing trees in my sleep for weeks!" Scootaloo muttered.

"This much back tracking from our one save point does seem kinda gratuitous." Button Mash agreed.

The CMC+1 entered the mansion for a second time, and found four maids politely waiting to greet them.

This included now Joystick the filly instead of Button Mash the colt, all stood happily at attention like good little maids.

"Greetings oh honored guests!" They echoed together.

"Master is not home at the moment." Said Joystick curtsying.

"But we'll be happy to host you in any way we can?" Said the maid Scootaloo, her mane now beautifully combed, presentation was everything after all.

"It's our duty as simply maids." Said the maid Apple Bloom. Her bow had changed color to maid the maid's uniform.

"We live but to serve, to serve is to live." Finished the maid Sweetie Belle.

"Is it my imagination or do we, they, have french accents now?" Sweetie whispered.

MtangaLion (with a tiny edit by me)

Button Mash approached his counterpart, blinking slowly. He waved a hoof, and Joystick copied his motions, giggling. "Girl me is actually kinda cute!"

Joystick surprised the colt by nuzzling him and giving him a shy grin. "We're here to serve you in *any* way you desire. Wanna play parcheesi?"

Sweetie Belle stamped over and butted in between Button and Joystick, nudging them apart. "Okay, that's enough of that! We're going right this time."

Apple Bloom shrugged and waved to the maids as they trotted away, but Scootaloo seemed almost disappointed to be leaving. "I think I've been in that Tunnel of Love too many times. The maid thing actually doesn't seem so bad."

"Speaking of which," said Flam's voice, "could you insert another one of those memory card things?"

"Yeah, your screenshot folder is nearly full!" said Flim.

After Button finished deleting all the pictures of Big Mac in a dress, the Crusaders came to a door with a crystal array mounted on the wall nearby. They didn't give it much thought, because the door was already wide open. The room beyond the door was perfectly flat and square, and the crystal walls surrounded them with ghostly reflected images of themselves, as if one of Carnival Cat's fun-houses had followed them here. "Three hallways," mused Sweetie Belle. "Which one should me take?"

Apple Bloom grew suspicious, and put her goggles back on. "Those are mirrors! Dang it, this is a dead end."

Scootaloo slipped her sunglasses on. "What are you talking about? I see three doors."

"They're both," said Flim tensely.

"Hurry, kids!" yelled Flam. "Turn around and get us outta here!"

"Uncle really must have lost his marbles, if he built another world mirror maze!"

Outside the room, the living shadow from before flowed across the dormant crystals. "Ha ha ha! Oh no, children. It's not that easy!" The control crystals sparked and lit up, and the door slid shut.

Button Mash tried to pry the door open with a pixel sword, but he wasn't even scratching it.

Scootaloo tried her wing blades, but the crystal repelled them, nearly throwing her across the room.

Apple Bloom thumped her hooves against the sealed door. "Ouch! Ya'd think after all this adventuring, Ah'd be tough enough to break *something*." A tempting thought flitted through her mind... an Alicorn wouldn't have any trouble with *any* of this... but somehow, she sensed that it still wasn't time yet...

"And I'm not going to risk black magic bouncing off the walls and hitting us," said Sweetie Belle with a sigh. Her ears pricked up. "Hey, Mr. Flim and Flam? What did you mean when you said those were both mirrors and doors?"

"Just pick one and walk through it," said Flim glumly.

"You'll figure it out," said Flam.

With no other good ideas, the Crusaders approached the left mirror and stepped right through it into a seemingly identical room, but instead of fillies and colts, four colorful humans in unfamiliar clothes stumbled out of the mirror, lost their balance, and fell down in a heap.

Flim and Flam appeared on Button's inventory screen again, still ponies. "I'm starting to think it's much safer in here," said Flim.

Flam chuckled. "Indubitably, brother, indubitably!"

Alex Warlorn

Apple Bloom looked at herself and shrugged. "Easy to fix fer me... hey Ah can't transform?!" Suddenly Apple Bloom felt very strangely EMPTY... or maybe more like she suddenly like she was wearing a straight jacket.

"MY WINGS!!!" Scootaloo shouted, remembering horror stories of pegasi in terrible accidents who had their wings amputated.

"MY HORN! I CAN'T SENSE MAGIC!" Sweetie screamed slapping her forehead.

"Whao, these are cool." Button Mash said wiggling his new fingers.

MtangaLion

Apple Bloom waved her arms. "Just settle down, everypony. Don't panic."

"But we're not ponies!" wailed Sweetie Belle. "That's the problem!"

Apple Bloom looked at each of her friends in turn. "Remember now, Ah've transformed into one of these 'human' things several times before, and it was just fine. Humans stand up on two legs like this, see?" She demonstrated, wobbling a bit before she found a steady balance.

"Human?" asked Scootaloo. "Are you sure that's the right word?"

Apple Bloom blinked. "Uh, pretty sure, I guess..."

While the rest of them reluctantly got accustomed to standing upright, Button Mash experimented with his new fingers by tugging at his shirt. "We're wearing all these clothes... but back at the statue garden, Bloom didn't get any clothes when she changed. Does that mean humans are supposed to wear clothes, and Apple Bloom was..."

There was an awkward silence, until Sweetie Belle shouted, "We shouldn't think too hard about that!" The other three started nodding fervently.

Scootaloo grinned, relieved. "Glad we got that... uh, not sorted out." She poked at the door that had blocked them before, and jumped when it slid right open. "Hey look, we can get out now!"

"Ah don't know if we should," mused Apple Bloom, but the others were already leaving, too curious to leave it alone.

"You should listen to her," said Flim's voice, coming from Button's console.

"Note how we said this is a world mirror maze," said Flam.

"Emphasis on world."

"As in, that's a whole other world out there!"

"Whoa..." breathed Button Mash. Outside the mirror room, the mansion had the same general layout as before, but the wall to wall crystal was all gone, replaced with something like a friendlier version of the Applecron's control deck... lots of brushed metal and mechanical gadgets, but the floor was plush carpet, and strange framed photographs hung on the walls.

Sweetie frowned thoughtfully. "Miss Fate's going to be mad at us again." She did a bit of a double-take, pointing a fist at the console. "If magic's not working, why does *that* work?"

"We're not complaining," said Flam.

"No, sir!" said Flim.

"We should go back," said Scootaloo, suddenly. "I don't want to get stuck in some weird place with no wings." Right when she turned around, the door to the mirror room slid closed and locked automatically. "Oh, come on!!"

And then, the four transformed humans became aware of hoofsteps that weren't coming from any of them. "How did you children get inside my house, hmm?" said the voice of an elderly stallion... no, an elderly *human.* The owner of the voice stepped around a corner and peered at them all, eyes lighting up. "My goodness. Four of you!"

The old human had pale yellow skin, and a red beard with plenty of gray. He wore an old-fasioned dark brown suit with a long coat, thick glasses, and an elegantly knotted silk scarf with a symbol on it... a magnifying glass hovering over a six-pointed star.

"It can't be," whispered Flim.

"That is most certainly not our uncle," replied Flam, voice shaking a bit. "Not *our* uncle."

"Even so..."

"Uncle Flummox?" said both of them together.

The old man's eyebrows shot up. "So... Either you've broken my nephews out of prison, transformed them into small horses, *and* stuffed them inside a flying box, or..." He stroked his beard, noting the door to the mirror maze behind them. "Yes, I believe I'm getting the picture."

Alex Warlorn

"I told them not to build a summer camp around here, that strange things happen, but do they listen to one crazy old man? No. Well, what are you here for? Trying to find a 'better life' over the rainbow? No such thing, trust me. Fleeing an evil overlord who took control of your universe? Looking for the Chosen One? Hoping to open up inter-reality relationship? Or did you just get wrangled into trying the mirrors after a bet with a version of me? Or did I tell everyone NOT to use them, so of course you kids HAD TO use them, and my nephews tried to stop you, and you zapped into your little box to keep them from meddling, and now you don't know which mirror will lead you back home?"

MtangaLion

"Well, ya see," Apple Bloom started to say, but she trailed off, hardly knowing where to begin.

Sweetie Belle grinned and folded her arms over her chest. Clearly, she was winging it when it came to human gestures, but it felt right. "Go on. You're our truth expert. Maybe you can tell it in a way that doesn't sound crazy."

Button chuckled. "Good luck."

Mr. Flummox pulled a slim rectangle out of a jacket pocket, glass on one side and metal on the back, sort of like a silver picture frame. The metal side was engraved with his magnifying glass and star mark. "You won't mind if I get a picture of you for my journal, will you?" He held it out towards them and pressed a button.

"You have journals here too?!" exclaimed Scootaloo. "Where?"

"Why, right here, of course." Flummox wrote on the glass with a stylus, and the hoof... no, the handwritten words disappeared and turned into neat typeset letters.

Sweetie moved to look over his shoulder, staring. "Are we *sure* magic doesn't work here?"

Apple Bloom dug around in the backpack that her saddlebags had become, and held out the red number three journal with the hoofprint. "Actually, we've been looking for another journal like this one, so we could find out all the secrets of the Everfree Forest! Ya see, the Flummox in our world..."

"He's missing," said Flim's pixelated pony face from Button Mash's inventory.

"Gone without a trace," said Flam.

"House abandoned for years."

"We think something awful must have happened to him!"

Flummox gave them a mistrusting look. "Oh, and you two had nothing to do with that, I'm sure." He scratched his beard. "If your missing Flummox did get lost in the world mirror maze, then he's not here. I suppose you kids will be determined to go back. Just remember, there's no rush. Unless there actually is a rush." The old man grinned slyly. "It would be more correct to say that I'm in no hurry to be rid of you. This is quite fascinating."

"What about the doors in the maze?" said Scootaloo. "They all locked behind us!"

Flummox waved a hand dismissively. "Merely a precaution to keep people from wandering in by mistake. Just use the door code, 5-2-4-2-8-7."

Apple Bloom's face lit up. "The seventh Maresenne prime! That'll be easy to remember!"

Sweetie threw her hands up in the air. "How is that easy?!"

Alex Warlorn

Button Mash said, "I have to agree. There was this game where you had to sneak into work after being late, and there were safes around that contained extra times, and one of the safes combinations was hinted with a lead pencil based on lead's ATOMIC WEIGHT!"

"We haven't reset, so we know we're not stuck here at least." Scootaloo said.

"What now?" Mr. Flummox asked.

"Nothing!" The foals said quickly.

"I want to go home." Sweetie sighed.

"I want my wings back like you want your horn back I know."

"No Scootaloo I mean, I want to go home, gone to bed, and wake up to a NEW morning... I'm... tired of this... I don't want to get to where I'm SCARED to live in a world where things don't repeat. Let's... just find our Flim and Flam's uncle, get the last book, find whatever the last trick is to Everfree, and call it a night already!" Sweetie looked on the verge of tears.

Mtangalion

Button Mash wrapped unfamiliar arms around Sweetie Belle, and hugged her close. "It's gonna be okay."

Sweetie sobbed and buried her face in his shoulder, hugging tight. "Don't let me go."

Button smiled, wiping her tears with those so-very-useful fingers. "Never."

Sweetie smiled faintly, her fingertips brushing his. "Never's a really long time."

"Heh, we'd know, wouldn't we?"

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom grinned.

Flummox cleared his throat and polished his glasses. "If there's anything you kids need before you go... Food, supplies? I could offer you a host of my fantastic devices, but I doubt they'd work in your magic world."

Apple Bloom grinned as she tapped the code into the mirror maze door. "Thanks, but Ah think we're good. You probably won't be seeing us again, so goodbye, and thanks for everything!"

Of course, a year later, when a nearly identical bunch of kids snuck out of the Everfree Woods Summer Camp and into his house on a dare... but that was another story.

"So," said Scootaloo, after they'd crossed through the mirrors and become their proper pony selves again. For the first time in a while, the young pegasus was hovering off the floor, flying *just because she could.* "How are we going to do this? If Flummox is in the mirror maze, it might take forever to find the right world."

Sweetie shivered and nodded, levitating her saddlebags into a more comfortable position. "I don't want to have to go tromping through griffon world and zombie world and dragon world and whatever else is in there."

A chill wind blew through the hall, and an inky shadow rose on a wall with nothing casting it, looming over them. "Then you're in luck," whispered a voice that made all their hides crawl.

"Who are you?" demanded Apple Bloom. She put her goggles on, and gasped at the ghostly black-robed *human* woman she saw, here in the pony world. "W-What are you?"

"What a foolish question," said the shadowy woman, sounding regally offended. "Do your eyes not see all? They won't see anything, if you don't bother to look, child... if you're *afraid* to gaze into the darkness. With my witchcraft, I see your goal. I will tell you where to go!"

Button Mash tensed. "No deals! We didn't agree to anything!" He looked to the girls. "Did anypony agree to anything?

The spirit only smiled cruelly. "Consider this... a gift. Take the center passage, go up the stairs on the left, then through the gallery. Use your door code. You'll find Archmage Flummox within." She laughed haughtily and melted right through the floor, disappearing.

There was an uneasy silence, until Flim shouted, "Well, come on! What are we standing around for?"

"But, that was a witch!" Sweetie shuddered. "A really bad one. She wouldn't help us, unless it was so something awful could happen."

"But we can't give up now!" insisted Flam.

Kendell2

"Maybe something around here might help us?" Applebloom asked. "Just in case?"

"Did your Uncle make a vacuum that can suck up ghosts?" Button Mash questioned.

"Maybe...we can't remember EVERYTHING he made..." Flam replied.

"Well there's got to be something around here," said Scootaloo, looking around the room. It was a maze, but there were still some bobbles around it and they now had the passcode so they could look around the area outside the door.

The group split up and looked around, Scootaloo and Applebloom using their special glasses to look around.

Sweetie wandered over the a shelf, looking at several things. She finally stumbled upon a ornate bottle with a cork on top. She picked it up in her telekinesis and removed the cork, looking inside to find nothing. She shrugged and put it back...then blinked, feeling a tug on her tail. "Huh?"

She looked back to find her tail, and then hindquarters, turn into an almost liquid-like form and being sucked into the bottle.

"AHH!"

"Sweetie?" Button asked, the group turning as Sweetie was sucked into the bottle, being lifted off the ground.

"Help!" she screamed, now half way into the bottle. "What's happening?!"

The trio ran over to try and grab her...but she was sucked all the way in, the bottle closing itself and turning white, her Cutie Mark on it.

"What happened?!" Button yelled, frantically looking over the bottle and preparing to open it.

"Don't open it! It might suck you in too!" Scootaloo yelled.

Applebloom produced the journals and frantically looked through them. She then gasped, finding an entry on the bottle. "...It's okay, you can open it!"

Button Mash didn't even take time to nod and opened the bottle...

At which point Sweetie Belle emerged, a golden cap on the tip of her horn and golden bands around her front legs. "Sweetie Belle!" Button yelled, hugging her.

Sweetie quickly hugged him back. "What happened?"

She then gave a gasp as she realized her rear half was a long, white flowing 'tail' going back into the bottle and she was presently floating. "Why don't I have back legs?!" she asked, moving around through the air, the tail lengthening to accommodate it. "...Actually, this isn't too bad, reminds me of being a Siren from before."

"Listen tah this," said Applebloom, clearing her throat. "'While visiting an alternate version of Saddle Arabia, Ah came across a legend of Genies that once populated the land. Due to various reasons, this type of mythological creature is seemingly extinct, a fact the Saddle Arabians regret deeply. These creatures are ponies transformed into magical creatures via the usage of a specially enchanted bottle. Their abilities are limited only by the imagination of the wisher, but generally abide by three general rules: no making ponies fall in love, no bringing the dead back to life, and no killing anypony. These rules are sacred and should never be broken.'"

Circled at the top was the word 'Jiniri' and a rune that she didn't recognize, but the words 'creator?' was written there.

"'Ah managed to acquire one such bottle from a local who held the long lost secrets to creating Genies. However, Ah ran into a problem with finding a proper pony to become one. The only relatives Ah had who Ah could ask for assistance are my no account nephews, who would undoubtedly abuse such power no matter how involved they were. So Ah chose instead to simply speak with an alternate universe genie who became one.'"

"Wait, so I'm a genie?!" Sweetie Belle asked, looking herself over.

"Cool..." said Button, looking over her.

Flim and Flam got a devilish look and and opened their mouths.

"Oh don't get any ideas!" Applebloom cut them off. "It says here that while they can grant wishes for other ponies, the pony who opens the bottle and let's 'em out is their 'master'. Which means Button, and she'll BE Button's genie until they choose for her not to be. And it ALSO says the Genie gets to CHOOSE what wishes they grant and set their own rules. At least this TYPE of Genie does. Says there's other types that are more limited, and technically they can be limited when they're made Genies."

The Flim Flam Brothers got an annoyed look.

"...Sweetie Belle..."

"Button, I don't think wishing for every video game in existence would be healthy for you," Sweetie Belle replied before Button could say a thing. "I kinda get this feeling I need to be a bit responsible with this..."

"Aww..." Button muttered. "...Can I wish for a couple?"

"...I guess that's okay..."

"...Can I wish for my parents' current address?" Scootaloo asked. She knew a relative area, but not the EXACT one...

Sweetie gave it thought. "I...guess..."

Button Mash nodded.

Sweetie Belle then focused, her horn glowing, causing a piece of paper to manifest in her hooves.

"Thanks!"

The white Genie gave a smile. "You're welcome...um...am I stuck without legs?"

Applebloom looked through the journal. "Nah, yah just have tah focus on havin' 'em. But you're bound to that bottle and will return to it to sleep. Don't worry, says it's really comfy and won't just break on yah."

Sweetie Belle did so, her tail transforming into her normal back half, only wearing blue genie attire now. "That's a relief."

"Says here you're also probably a big deal in Saddle Arabia..." Applebloom said, continuing to look it over.

"So why don't we just wish we found what we're looking for already?" Scootaloo questioned, putting the paper in her saddle bags.

Sweetie Belle tried to do just that...but nothing happened. "I...can't do that for some reason..."

"Probably because our uncle is paranoid enough to find counters..." Flam remarked.

"So I guess that means Genies aren't unbeatable?" Sweetie asked.

"Says there's special charms and spells that can effect them and block their magic..." Applebloom said.

"And I bet that witch probably knows some..." Scootaloo said with a sigh.

"Okay, so I'm a Genie now...so does that mean I just respawned?" Sweetie questioned, tapping her chin.

Applebloom flipped some pages. "Not until yah choose."

"Choose?"

"Says here Genies have three days they can be wished free before they're stuck for a thousand years," Applebloom replied. "Ah'm guess you'll respawn when you make up the choice..."

Sweetie Belle gave it serious thought. "...Well...I do like being like this, I feel like a Siren...And..." she focused and blinked. "Nothing happened."

"Genies can't just do anything on their own," Applebloom pointed out. "They gain powers from wishes they grant."

"...I wish Sweetie Belle could turn into a siren or sea pony whenever she wanted..." Button Mash said.

Sweetie Belle focused again, and turned into a Siren, the golden cap on her horn now appearing as golden caps tipping the bones in her fins. She then turned back. "Thanks Button! Okay, so now I can do that...plus, we know from that future everypony we love will probably be Alicorns anyway, and I can be Spike's friend for a long time too, and if I'm a big deal in Saddle Arabia, that'd REALLY help Rarity!...And think of how much I could help Rarity if I'm a genie!...Wait a second! If the night ends, I go into another timeline, right?" she asked. "So won't that mean Button won't be my master anymore and I'll be stuck out here in this place?"

"That's...a good point..." Applebloom remarked.

Button tapped her chin. "Sweetie...What if I wished that after I'm not your master, your Rarity's the next one that finds you?"

"I...I can do that! I can feel it, I can!" Sweetie Belle replied, smiling. She gave it serious thought. "Plus if I change my mind, I can just have Rarity wish me free in three days! So I think I do want to stay like this!"

"Okay! Then I wish that when I'm not your master anymore, Rarity will be the one to find you!" Button replied.

Sweetie Belle blinked, watching herself on the What If machine. She then got up and headed back...however, half way through, she ran into a large, green menacing dragon.

He glared down at her as she trembled...then cleared his throat. "Excuse me, small pony...do you know where I can find a 'Pipsqueak?'

"Uh...yes...why?" Sweetie Belle asked, looking awkwardly up at the gigantic dragon.

"My name is Basil...and well...I'm kind of..." the dragon gave an embarrassed look. "His ancestor defeated me and I swore an oath of loyalty to her, but NO ONE in her family line has had me do ANYTHING for thousands of years! So...I'm going to try and see if he has something..."

Sweetie gave the old dragon directions and continued on back towards the mansion and her friends...and her Genie self. "Tonight is really weird." She then realized something. "...Wait a second...Why didn't I tell Button to just wish me back to that place?!"

OOC: Based off of a favorite blog of mine: i-dream-of-twilight-sparkle.tu…

For the record, I imagine Scoots is right and Lilith DOES know spells to prevent a Genie from stomping her.

I just want to see what someone can do with this and have for awhile.

Author's Note

The rules are simple. Write something in the comments, and it's added to the story above! No 'script' format additions! Keep it My Little Ponies!

Set in the same universe as Pinkie Pie Forth Wall Breaking Variety Show!

*Replay recording*

Apple Bloom"We're exploring the Everfree all night! And the best part is when something, ah, 'bad' happens to us, Princess Luna makes it so we, uh, 'respawn?' "

Scootaloo, "Apple Bloom we knew that already."

Apple Bloom, "Yeah, but Ah figured we had to say it again fer some reason."

Sweetie Belle, "Have look at the, what did Pinkie Pie call this? 'Trope Page?'" http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/PinkiePiesFourthWallVarietyShow

So yeah, the CMC are exploring the Everfree with a grainy video camera, but if they say, come to a Bad End, or the like, they'll respawn at the farm house.

Parts added by:
Kendell2
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
Ardashir
Grogar-the-oneser
Grogar-the-oneser
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
Kendell2
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion (with a tiny edit by me)
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Kendell2

Cover is a commission By Kendell2

Cutie Mark Crusaders' Journal of the unexplained 15

Cutie Mark Crusaders' Journal of the unexplained 15

Mtangalion

Mtangalion

Sweetie Belle the Genie froze, gasping softly. "That felt weird. It... it worked! I'm out of the time loop, and Sweetie respawned."

Scootaloo blinked. "What, all by herself? Gosh, she must really be scared, wondering if the rest of us forgot everything, and if she's in the loop alone now."

Button nodded! "I wish for you to teleport the other Sweetie right here."

The Genie furrowed her brow. "Huh, I can't! The mansion is warded... nothing can teleport directly in or out without the spell key."

Button smirked. "Well, then I wish you knew the spell key!"

"Ah bet it's genie-proofed," said Apple Bloom.

Sweetie nodded. "We'll just have to wait for her to get here."

"Ugh!" Scootaloo sighed at the last door, with its gem touchpad. "And we're so close!"

Button grinned deviously. "I'm sure we can think of something to pass the time. Like... I wish Scoots was a dragon again, with perfect control over her greed!"

Sweetie the Genie pretended to think it over... for all of two seconds, before waving her hoof.

Scootaloo yelped, growing until her sprouting horns nearly brushed the ceiling, pony fur rippling into shiny orange and purple scales. "Whoa! You could have asked first."

"Okay, I'll have Sweetie change you back then," teased Button.

"NO!" roared Scootaloo. "I mean... no, this is fine!" She looked around the room, gazing longingly at all of the enchanted items on the shelves. "But, um... thanks for that part about being in control of my greed... cause otherwise, I'd be making a hoard of every shiny thing in this room, and we'd find out if the mansion is dragon-proof too."

Button Mash blinked. "Yikes. So... what form would you like, Apple Bloom?"

Apple Bloom fidgeted her hooves. "Well, I can kind of do that myself, remember? I mean, I couldn't at first after the Nightmare world reset, but... it's kinda coming back to me." She demonstrated by slowly shifting herself into a big shaggy yellow and red wolf pup... she was panting by the time she finished, but she did it. "Maybe I'm soaking up more magic as I go," she said, her voice a deeper growl now.

Button noticed that Flim and Flam's icons were facing each other, talking back and forth across the pixel border. "And what are you two whispering about?"

Flim grinned brightly. "While you kids were having fun, we've been browsing the manual over in the help menu."

"And guess what?" said Flam.

"We don't need you to let us out of here!" With a flash, the brothers appeared beside Button Mash, full-sized. Not wasting a moment, they took off their usual hats and replaced them with a matching pair of ridiculous sparkly purple hats from a nearby shelf.

A curious change came over the room. Button Mash blinked slowly, then scratched Apple Bloom's ears, as if he'd completely forgotten about Flim and Flam. "That's pretty neat."

"So what should I turn you into, master?" asked Sweetie.

The brothers hoofbumped. "It was a lamentable, regrettable day when Uncle Flummox confiscated these Don't-Notice-Me hats," said Flam.

"The scams we could have pulled!" said Flim. "Well, that's water under the bridge." He slipped Journals Two and Three out of Apple Wolf's saddlebags, and the Crusaders still didn't notice them at all.

Flam started punching the code into the door. "Enough colt's games. If we're going to do something nice for somepony, then let's do it and get it done."

"Well said, brother of mine!" Flim and Flam trotted through the door, and shut it behind them.

Alex Warlorn

"You call him master, but you do not treat him as master." Said the voice of Sweetie Belle with a french accent. The maid Sweetie Belle looked at Scootaloo. "May I shine your scales honored guest Scootaloo? Or may I comb your fur honored guest Apple Bloom?"

"Uh, no thanks," waid the wolf Apple Bloom as she began to flipped through journal pages again.

"Uh, sure as long as you're offering."

"Scootaloo!" Genie Sweetie said.

"What? She's offering."

"Exactly." Smiled the maid Sweetie. "It is a servant duty's to serve and obey, for it to be their reason, to live is to serve, to serve is to live. You shouldn't get to chose what wishes to grant, granting any wish should be the reason for being as long as it furthers the will of your master."

"Andrew Rybread would scream at that." Button Mash said.

"He'd likely scream louder at how what he called the 'book of lies' has, 'do not swear at all, rather, have your yes mean yes, and your no mean no,' written in it," Apple Bloom said flipping through more of the book.

"Can you have one of you wish for me to take the dress off her?" Sweetie asked.

Button said, "Sure, I wish the dress was off her."

"EEK! I am not properly dressed! A servant on duty must be property dressed at all times!" The maid Sweetie still with a french accent quickly put her dress back on.

Apple Bloom found the page she was looking for. "The dress was just the delivery system. I think it was meant as a surprise for any thief that tried to sneak in that way. Or any pony foolish enough to put on a dress they got for free in the mai;. The enchantment bound her and the others to the house and whoever is legitimately the current master of the house."

"Exactly!" Maid Sweetie now dressed again bowed. "Such a pure, total sense of devotion, I understand my purpose perfectly. One YOU should possess!" She pointed at Sweetie Belle. "If you're going to be a servant for eternity, why not have the mind of one?"

"What I don't get?" Button Mash said. "WE should have reset too! Since we're still technically the friends of the Sweetie Belle who got turned into a genie. So shouldn't we have been shifted into a new timeline too? Sometime weird is going on."

Meanwhile, what slipped around them was a presence that had no presence. No scent, no shadow, no magic signature, was silent, no reflection, and left no trail, but was not exactly invisible in spite of these. And the camera COULD see her (it was Pinkie Pie's original camera from the 4th wall studio after all, now gathering dust), but none of the eyes of the CMC themselves. She'd slipped through one of the world mirrors, and followed the CMC+1 back to this world.

She'd had to hide from the Flim and Flam brothers when they put on the hats, since that which was unnnoticed, could notice which was also unnoticed, such were the laws of this world. With the brothers' backs turned, she shifted into a shadow, shaped like a filly Alicorn, with eyes that sparkled that diamonds, and she slipped after the brothers as they entered leaving the girls behind.

Sweetie meanwhile, passed unmolested through Carnival Cat's fairgrounds. She passed by the vast collection of CMC+1 under contract by the daughter of avatars of Tragedy and Temptation who was now capable of loving herself (and thus others loving her).

MtangaLion

Inside the sealed chamber, Flim and Flam slipped off their hats and gaped in wonder... which was unfortunately convenient for the two unnoticed shadows who followed them inside.

A single pony floated in the center of the room, caught up in a swirl of wild magic and flying scrolls and scraps of parchment... all suspended, completely motionless. Three crystal pillars surrounded him, forming the points of a dark triangle on the floor. Old-fashioned brown coat worn over yellow fur, tangled red mane, a magnifying glass and star cutie mark... a look of intense, almost desperate concentration, and a frozen emerald glow on his horn... there could be no doubt who this was.

"Uncle Flummox!" shouted Flim. "Why, he hasn't aged a day!" He started forwards...

Flam barred his way quickly. "Don't be hasty, brother. That's a time trap."

Flim blinked. "It is at that! Odd. I distinctly remember our Chronology professor saying that those were only theoretical."

"Was that before or after we put his hamster in a quasi-stable repeating loop?" mused Flam.

"Surely before," said Flim. "Well, then, the mystery is solved! Dear old Uncle Flummox trapped himself by mistake. He'll be so very grateful when we let him out!"

Flam stroked his chin with a hoof. "And his warning, that we should stay far away?"

Flim grinned. "He didn't want us to get caught up in the trap too, but we're much smarter than that now!"

"Good enough for me!" said Flam. Journal One was already sitting in a nook on the closest pillar, open to a page in the middle that was a partial diagram of this very chamber. "Oh. This will hardly be a challenge at all..."

Still unnoticed, the shadowy human woman glared at the shadowy filly. "Blank Diamond," she hissed. "You shouldn't be here."

The filly seemed equally annoyed. "I could say the same, *Lilith*. Don't interfere with my plan."

Lilith laughed musically, cold and cruel. "I would say the same, wretched beast. But as it happens, I'm only here to tip a lantern into some oil-soaked rags and watch this pathetic pony civilization burn. Afterwards, I should have no end of opportunities to return in the flesh."

Blank Diamond took a step back, a bit less sure of herself.

"Having second thoughts, dearie?" crowed Lilith. "Well, it's a bit late now."

Flim and Flam had already put the Journals on the other pillars, and tapped the crystals in the coded sequences they revealed. The crystal pillars flared, and went dark. The flying pages finally blew away, and Flummox floated to the ground, panting, gaping at the two of them. And then, he spoke.

"My boys!" cried Flummox in a shaky voice. "My dear nephews! I'm honestly touched, that you cared about somepony other than yourselves long enough to rescue me." He squeezed his eyes shut, moaning, then snapped them open... red and slit-pupiled. His voice started getting louder, higher-pitched... shadowy hands seemed to brush his coat. "But you really... *really* shouldn't have let me out!"

Flim and Flam cowered, holding each other. "Uncle..." "Uncle, what did you *do*?!"

"Hah hah! Why, my dear boys, I had to KNOW! Secrets and lies and conspiracies everywhere! No one I could trust. Even the Princess was a liar like all the rest! Underneath every mystery, yet another mystery and another!! I needed someone I could trust, someone with ALL the answers, and I found... him! The Triangle Man! Gahhhh!!"

Flummox writhed and grew, bones and muscles creaking. Brass-feathered wings burst from his sides. His cutie mark blurred and melted, reforming into a magnifying glass over a pyramid with an eye.

"He taught me so much..." Flummox wiped a crocodile tear from his eye. "But he's gone now... So it's up to me to tell ponies all the secrets! Everything that ponies were not. meant. to. know! Ha! Hahaha! AH-hahaha! AH-HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!"

-- NIGHTSTALLION APOCRYPHA -- The Maddening Truth --

The Nightstallion paused and peered down, adjusting his glasses as he read the subtitle. "Nightstallion Apocrypha... Yes, that will do nicely!"

Kendell2

Suddenly, Genie Sweetie Belle blinked, finding herself in a strange place. It felt like she was in a wishing star or the birthday candle...it was strange to describe.

Visually, above was full of stars, each of one looked like the first one of a night (something that was of course physically impossible, but somehow here that was possible). The rest was ever shifting sands with areas with wishing wells in places. Another are had a forest of birthday candles. And that's just what she could actually DESCRIBE.

'I wish I was taller.'

'I wish daddy would come home.'

I wish I had lots and lots of candy!'

'I wish big sister would get better.'

'I wish for a friend.'

Sweetie Belle blinked as wishes seemed to be constantly wishing.

"Hello, Sweetie Belle," said a voice behind her.

She turned to see a purple Alicorn standing before her. Her Cutie Mark was a green present with a wishing star in it. Her mane was made of ever flowing sand that never fell and colored green, faded pink, and white with a golden tint to it. Her barding was similar to her own, only more fitting of her color scheme and having a veil over her muzzle.

Sweetie Belle gasped. Something felt...familiar. She wondered if this feeling was how a dragon feels around Tiamat and Bahamut. "Uh...hi. Who are you?"

The Alicorn chuckled. "My name is Princess Jiniri Miraculum Ponyland. Or just Jiniri. Or Razzaroo if you want."

Sweetie Belle bowed at the mention of Princess. She then looked over the Alicorn again. "Uh...are you a Genie like me?"

Jiniri tapped her chin. "You could say that, though it's more you're a genie like ME."

"Huh? Why?"

"Because I'm the Mother of All Genies, yes yes yes."

Sweetie Belle gasped in surprise. "So...you're like Tiamat and Bahamut for Genies?!"

Jiniri nodded. "Yes yes yes. I'm the Alicorn of Wishes and Miracles, so comes with the territory."

The little Alicorn nodded slowly. "Oh...okay...I think I get it...where am I?"

"You're in my realm, which means you're kinda in me looking at me...don't think about that too hard..." the Alicorn of Wishes and Miracles explained. Jiniri decided to leave out that she might also be a tiny bit into the future where Razzaroo had ascended already. Jiniri kneeled down a little bit so she could see her face to face. "Sweetie, I want to let you know a few things about being a Genie."

Sweetie cocked her head. "Yes?"

"There's a REASON I gave the Genies the ability to decide which wishes to grant, yes yes yes. Because granting EVERY wish is going to end badly...trust me, I know."

Sweetie Belle listened closely and thought about it. "So...I need to be careful?"

"Yes. You need to be responsible and keep in mind the consequences of granting a wish," Jiniri explained. "Last time every wish got granted without any problems...the world got tied in knots. I gave you that ability so you could CHOOSE what wishes you can be careful about it. Okay?"

Sweetie Belle listened...and a part of her seemed to REMEMBER it... It made her shudder. The thought of EVERY wish being granted. She just knew that some things couldn't co-exist...at all...and it resonated with something in her. "I understand, Jiniri, I'll be careful...oh! And one thing..."

"Yes?"

"Do I have to call you mom? Since you're my 'mother goddess' now?"

Jiniri chuckled. "Only if you WANT to...Have a good time, Sweetie Belle. Yes yes yes."

Sweetie Belle blinked, finding herself back in the room she'd left. She looked around in confusion.

"Oh! I know what we can do while we wait!" said Button. "I wish we had a game consol and some games to play while we're waiting!"

MtangaLion

A sickly green glow surrounded Nightstallion Apocrypha, and he floated off the floor, wings spread but not flapping. He teleported over to one of the crystal walls, frowning at his reflection. "What is that supposed to be?! You'd think I could have invented myself some fashion sense!" Magic rippled over his jacket and vest, turning them pitch black. "And my indoor voice has off and gone straight to Tartarus!! Mr. Triangle Man would be so proud! Hah! I'm a regular cross section off the convex polygon! Now, what should I do with..." His head pivoted sharply. "YOU TWO?!"

Flim and Flam cowered even harder, teeth chattering. "Really, it's okay!" stammered Flim.

"You don't have to thank us," said Flam. They started backing up towards the door.

Apocrypha teleported between it and them. "Are you kidding me?! You're the Fabulous Flim Flam Brothers! You never do anything without knowing what's in it for YOU, and you're never happy unless you're ripping somepony off! But you wouldn't cheat..." The Nightstallion's voice momentarily turned deep and loud enough to rattle the whole room. "YOUR DEAR UNCLE, would you?!"

Flim and Flam should their heads frantically.

Apocrypha kneaded his forehooves, grinning darkly. "Would you like to behold Lord Havoc in all his wondrous, blood-curdling glory?! I've seen it! Would you like to know what your father said about you in that nursing home when you colts didn't come to visit?! I can tell you! But first, how about a gift?!"

The Nightstallion drew enough magic into his horn to dim the whole room, conjuring a small crystal sphere. "Have you ever wondered what the world would be like today, if you boys had gotten your university degrees?! If you'd taken every amazing thing you ever invented to the patent office instead of using them for petty scams?! No need to wonder, kids! Take a GOOD LONG LOOK!!"

Magic lifted Flim and Flam right off their hooves and shrank them into tiny phantoms. They fell into the sphere, screaming.

"HA-hahahahaha!" Thunder boomed indoors, just for effect. The Nightstallion grinned sharply. "Well, I'm off to Canterlot, girls!" he said, winking at Lilith and Blank Diamond. "Don't wait up for me!" He disappeared in a teleport flash... and reappeared only seconds later. "All right, who ordered up the TIME LOOP!? I WILL NOT HAVE MY NEW ERA OF ENLIGHTENMENT SNUFFED OUT BEFORE IT EVEN BEGINS!" He glared at the door, and the mansion began to shake ominously.

Alex Warlorn

Flim and Flam meanwhile, found themselves in an Equestria where they basically lived like kings. They had revolutionized the entire economy, and being scammers themselves, they knew how to avoid being cheated out of their patents or their shares of the profits. Even Princess Celestia had to politely smile and nod to their financial might, their business empire had in just a couple decades interwoven itself too deeply into Equestria to be removed without causing sever internal bleeding to Equestria itself.

The native Flim and Flam were in particular intrigued.

"Other versions of Equestria? Brother just imagine! The trade on the scale of entire universes!"

-

Back in Uncle Flummox's mansion.

Maid Sweetie hummed to herself, and took some wooden 2 by 4s covered in glowing runes, and began hammering them into place over the door the Flim and Flam brothers had slipped through. She also plucked hair out of her own mane with barely an 'ouch!' and lined it around the door.

Maid Joystick, Maid Apple Bloom, and Maid Scootaloo meanwhile in other spots in the mansion, also began to began to do the same with stores of wigs from the dressing room made from real unicorn hair around the doors and window.

Nightstallion Apocrypha shouted mentally, 'HEY! You! I can sense you! Someponies who got tried on the maid outfits! You literally breath to obey me! Stop that! Get me out of here!'

"Sorry Master," The Maid Sweetie bowed to the door. As did her 'sisters' who apologized and bowed at their far end of the mansion. "You left specific instructions in the enchantments that bound us to your service master, 'If I ever become a Nightmare, Nightstallion, Night-creature or otherwise corrupted or 'too pure', you are to do everything to make sure U do not escape. And to ignore all orders from me until I am cured."

"NIGHTSTALLION?!" The foals and genie all gasped.

"YOU SPOILED MY BIG ENTRANCE YOU LITTLE BRAT!" Nightstallion Apocrypha boomed deafeningly right through the door.

"Also, since I and my fellow maids are already transformed and bound to the mansion, you can not transform us twice master, since we are already living fixtures of your homestead master. As you told us ahead of time master in case this happened master."

Inside the room, Nightstallion Apocrypha pointed at Lilith and the Nightfilly. "YOU! And you! Get me out of here!"

"I already have one mad god I have to listen to, and at least we're family." Blank Diamond said matter of fact. "No." The Nightfilly turned up her nose. "I'm just here for Apple Bloom and her friends, or rather, they're here for me."

"I remember when your species was taking dumps in the middle of grass fields and killing each other over mates, and were brainless beasts of burdens for centaurs, no." Lilith said, growing quite large, which made little sense given the supposed size of the room.

"I'll crush your minds with the infinite darkness from the depths of doom!"

"I AM the infinite darkness from the depths of doom!" Lilith boomed.

"Been there, done that," the Nightfilly rolled her eyes at him. "You're just a poor stallion's Discord. An you're an even more pale imitation of your mentor. I've ALREADY been ground into sand unspeakable horrible truths."

"What about the secret of being atomized?!" The stallion fired eye lasers at the Nightfilly who turned into a shadow and the lasers bounce around the room until entering the crystal sphere, where it atomized the visiting Flim's hat.

-

"Can you tell me why I reset, but my friends didn't respawn with me? If there's a new universe out there, wouldn't they then go with me to it, since then other me would be alone since we're supposed to respawn as a group, the result would be a world where my friends just vanished the day something strange happened to me." Sweetie had asked Carnival Cat.

"Hmmm. Something weird might be messing with the waves of fate and the spell. If your enchantment was made by Princess Luna and Fate if you say so. Something so weird it can actually mess things up retroactively when it first appears."

"So... I'm all alone now? I'm the Sweetie Belle without anypony? And the Sweetie Belle who became a genie is the one who has friends? Am... Am I going to finish this quest alone now? Am I going to come back to a world after tonight where all my friends just vanished since they're with that other Sweetie who used to be me?"

"... Technically, every time you 'respawn' it supposed to be just another timeline of your four watching everything up to that point on the what-if machine, and then heading out 'for the first time'... So you SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE to respawn on your own. AT ALL! ... I'd say you're from a timeline where your friends just didn't show up for some convoluted reason in Apple Bloom's bedroom, never mind it makes no sense that you'd be there at the Apple house all by yourself without at least Apple Bloom there, not to mention you REMEMBER that they're all supposed to be there... so yeah. Something WEIRD happened! What happened to you poor girl, isn't supposed to have happened. At all."

Sweetie Belle made her way to the mansion, and found Maid Joystick greeting her outside. "Hello honored guest Sweetie Belle! It's a measure to have you!" She bowed. "The master of the house has turned into a Nightstallion, so I and my fellow maids cannot guarantee your safety, sanity, or continued unique existence if you enter."

"STOP SPOILING MY BIG REVEAL!!!" Echoed a distorted voice from inside.

"Maybe you should... turn around and leave?" Maid Joystick suggested, for a moment actually, sounding... concerned for Sweetie.

"... I'm sorry, I can't. I have nothing to go back to, and nowhere else to go..." Sweetie said as she entered the mansion wondering if her friends had been respawned themselves since she entered. But they were part of GENIE Sweetie Belle's timeline, not hers, they COULDN'T respawn. "UH-OH!" Even if she was alone, she didn't want Genie Sweetie to be alone too if this Uncle Flummox Nightstallion zapped her friends into something lie say living rag dolls.

"First thing I'm doing when I break out of this door is zap that genie's friends I sense on the other side of this door into my living rag doll minions! And I've got a million other things I'll zap any other versions that show up into! Bowling balls! Modern art! The house could always use more staff! I'll fill the mansion with'em until it bursts!"

"Just be sure to leave one set for me, or rather, I'm for one at least one set." Blank Diamond knocked on the door. "I border in non-existence, no barrier can keep me out. I came in here hoping to find something of true interest and horror, and instead I just find another Nightstallion," She turned to shadow and slipped though unnoticed by the CMC as she stood right next to them, including the Genie filly. Waiting her turn.Or stop the Nightstallion if he got out of control.

"COME BACK HERE... So what are YOU here for again toots?" The Nightstallion asked the shade of the first witch to ever live. "That doors not Witch proof, so what can I do for ya to break it down for me?"

"You ask AFTER telling me to?" Lilith ask. "Me? The first witch to ever live? The true discover of black magic? The ancestor of every witch to ever live? I once sough to consume the world to feed my magic and unlife. NOW you want to barter with ME?!"

"Uh, yes?"

MtangaLion

Lilith answered him with a cruel smile and a single word. "No."

Apocrypha's eyes blazed. "Don't be so hasty, witch! I have something you want!"

She shook her head. "What I want... is to amuse myself at your expense, while you sit here in the cage made by your servants according to your contingency plan, until Fate's loop puts you back in the time trap you built. You outsmarted yourself, fool beast! Do you think you'd last a day against the bearers of wretched harmony? Unleashing a weak Nightstallion who will only get turned into another Alicorn is not conducive to my plans."

Apocrypha stamped a hoof so hard, the crystal floor should have shattered. "Weak, you say?! I'll get out without any help from you!" He charged his horn until it glowed blindingly bright... and everything else in the room grew cold and dim. Countless shadows of existence swarmed, nibbling at the edges of the rift.

Lilith arched a brow. "Now you're just being reckless and stupid. If you tear a hole in the world, all that you will accomplish is reseting the loop immediately."

The Nightstallion froze. His magic winked out, and the sealed room returned to normal. "You... you're right!"

Lilith blinked.

"I *am* being stupid! This... isn't me!" Apocrypha lifted a shaking foreleg, and hoofed himself right across the face.

And Lilith actually winced. "I'm not at all concerned about you injuring yourself... but I am curious why."

The Nightstallion slapped himself in the face again, spreading his wings for balance as he lurched to one side. "You were right to belittle me... madam. I didn't get where I am today..." SLAP! "by being a loud-mouthed... imbecile!" He hoofed himself one more time, then panted heavily, barely able to stand.

When he opened his eyes again, they were still a Nightstallion's eyes, but there was a new clarity in them. "I... feel better now," said Flummox. "Perhaps I can actually reason my way back to... well, reason!" He leaned to look for his cutie mark, and his face fell, seeing a blurred and flickering shape on his flank, a foal's chalk drawing left out in the rain. "So this is what it is like," he mused, "to know that one is a mad, broken pony. I should take notes... ah, but there's no time."

Lilith watched in mild disbelief as Flummox seized the crystal pillars in his magic, breaking them apart and sorting everything into basic components, all at once. "And what do you think you're doing now? It won't be any use."

"I'm gathering data," said Flummox grumpily, as he assembled a new device out of the crystal parts. "Thinking. Like I wasn't, when I made that damnable deal with my marvelous new so-called friend!" Magical lights started tracing pictures in the air... his mansion, the glowing cube of his prison... the foals and the maids and his unwelcome shadowy guests.

"This paradox," he mused, "with only that one unicorn filly reseting instead of all four... Yes, of course, there's only one reasonable solution! I myself am responsible for the other three being diverted, and I haven't done it yet!"

Flummox started slotting the rest of the crystal pieces together into a *time* portal, not trusting his unfamiliar Alicorn-level magic to transport him through across the time loop directly. Normally, even he wouldn't have tried to design the necessary Starswirl Spell Arrays all in his head, but he was working in a feverish, mad brilliance now. "It will be a great risk," he muttered to himself, "but there'll be worse than a reset if I don't!"

Alex Warlorn

'Well this has become a mess with no direction to go.' Thought 'Blank Diamond' looking at the genie Sweetie Belle. '... I guess she can sense me because she's not MY Sweetie Belle. Pst. These girls made here to find some 'great final secret' for the strangeness of Everfree, and all they do is delivery two stallions who set free a Nightstallion who then disposes of them, and is now set to defeat himself... What do Fawn Doo and Marcy Pan even see in those two?' She'd known as soon as she became a Nightmare that she was a wrongness in creation, but it had never hit her how much before coming here how much reality HATED HER. If her nature didn't make her scentless, there was no telling what the wolf would do to her. It actually made her shudder a little on the inside. She wasn't just wrong in the Nightmare sense, reality sincerely and truly despised her, it saw her as some awkward moment between her corruption and her purification. It wanted her not only to have never existed, but wanted NO TIMELINE ANYWHERE AT ALL to have another of her. She sickened it, and it loathed the fact she even drew breath. Knowing what reality thought of her... was it any wonder what she thought of reality? Truly?

Still, having come all this way, she wasn't about to leave empty hooved... or maybe not leave at all, depending on how things went. And Diamond Tiara sensed the Sweetie Belle who had respawned... alone... in the mansion... and she felt it... reality hated her too. For the crime of existing. 'Who'd think the two of us would be kindred spirits?' She thought and teleported right next to her at the other end of the mansion, walking along side her.

She was surprised when she Sweetie Belle... crying and whimpering before a angry and hungry wolf.

"BLANKY! What's wrong?! Don't you know me?!"

"Don't worry Guest Sweetie Belle! I'll-" Joystick was knocked aside by the wolf, the maids Apple Bloom an Scootaloo didn't even notice... Diamond Tiara recognized the gray sand colored in between that the wolf pulled its prey into. The Nightmare of Diamond Tiara sighed... And not even knowing why she was doing what she was doing, she blasted the Blank Wolf through a wall before it could eat Sweetie Belle.

"In retrospect, I should have just told the floor to commit suicide and the wolf would have fallen through." The Nightfilly thought in grim realization. After all, no amount of 'don't notice me' was going to work against doing THAT in plain view.

MtangaLion

Diamond Tiara scanned the mansion, and quickly teleported Sweetie and herself to the aquarium room, leaving the maids behind. They appeared next to the small tank that used to house a spawn of Ponythulhu, and a flick of her magic turned the wards back on. That would hide them, for a little while at least.

Sweetie groaned and shook herself. "Diamond? Is that you?"

Of course, Diamond knew, this Sweetie Belle couldn't see her properly. Her shroud was still in place. The Nightmare sighed, waiting for Sweetie's expression of disgust, her foalish demand to know what *she* was doing here.

Sweetie cantered forward in a rush and hugged her.

Diamond froze.

Sweetie hugged her tighter, shivering. "I never thought I'd be so glad to see you! I thought I was all alone, and everypony had forgotten me!" She hesitated. "Your fur is so cold... is Discord having you learn some other form again?"

Diamond Tiara... had no words. Somepony was hugging her? Somepony was happy to see *her*? How long had it been since *that* had happened? Her heart was empty... she couldn't return those feelings.

For just a moment, she almost hated herself for that.

Sweetie shrugged it off. "It still feels really weird to ask something like this, but... do you think Discord could help us straighten this out? I'm worried that something's gone really, really wrong with the loop."

Diamond finally recovered enough of her wits to push Sweetie back a pace and look her in the eyes. "You think Discord would *help*... *you?*"

Sweetie Belle shrank back a bit. "You don't remember, do you? Please, please try, Diamond! We all had this big, amazing adventure together! In one of the loops, the four of us turned into Nightmares, but then you showed up and we found out that you're a yokai, and you helped saved us! You're a hero, Diamond, as much as any of the rest of us Crusaders!"

Diamond reeled. That... was more insane than the remade world she and Father planned. It made no sense! Sweetie had to be lying!

No. Sweetie Belle couldn't have known to expect Blank Diamond. And she wasn't the kind of pony to play cruel tricks.

Diamond felt the barest ghost of horrible jealousy, the merest hint of a towering rage. Her world and this one were close, very close. Some tiny twist of Fate could be the difference between her becoming a hero... and a monster?

The Blank Wolf phased through a wall and stalked towards them, snarling. There were out of time.

"Blanky?" begged Sweetie Belle again. "Blanky, please!"

"Did... did you just call THE Blank Wolf a pet name?" Diamond trailed off, sensing something else approaching. Her eyes widened.

A much larger white wolf padded out of the shadows, easily bigger than a pony stallion. The smaller wolf hopped in place, nosing him. "Brother Snow Bound! Let's erase them together!"

Now Diamond Tiara would have felt terror, if she could still feel anything at all. TWO Blank Wolves? There was one, and only one to a world!

But the older wolf had what she now realized that the younger wolf lacked. The Wolf could die, but the Wolf always came back again. Those golden eyes had seen thousands upon thousands of years.

Blanky bared his fangs and gathered himself to spring upon them... but Snow Bound held out a forepaw sharply, baring his way. "Mother has asked us to wait," growled Snow, "but we will not wait forever. Watch them closely, brother, so they do not get away."

Alex Warlorn

"?!whaT ?!WhY !thE preY iS righT iN fronT oF uS"

".FatE haS commandeD ,wE shalL obeY"

Realizing they had a reprieve, Sweetie said, "Blanky! We're friends! You don't have to do this!"

"!yoU arE A contradictioN !yoU arE aN inconsistencY !yoU wilL bE removeD nonE escapE thE wolF !dutY ,purposE ,anD responsibilitY overridE alL" Blanky snarled.

Alex Warlorn

"You're wasting your time Sweetie Belle, they won't listen. You might as well try to convince a boulder not to fall on you. We're the same right now."

"Diamond Tiara, what do you mean?"

"It would be more pragmatic to pretend I'm your Diamond Tiara ... But I'm tired of everything... like you are too I guess... another way we're the same right now. I've come to hate the world, like this world has always hated me." She brushed Sweetie with her wings and tapped her with her horn, making it impossible for Sweetie not to recognize they existed. "I'm a Nightmare... I'm more than a Nightmare, all Nightmares are wrong, but I'm so wrong even other Nightmares loath and are disgusted by me merely existing... I'm hated and loathed for the crime of being. Do you know what it's like for reality to treat you like you're very existence is just an awkward moment to get through as quickly as possible? Any opponent you beat? It's seen as an embarrassment to them, not an accomplishment to you. Nothing you accomplish is seen as something great for you, it's just something that lessens others... Taste of my own medicine I guess eh?"

MtangaLion

Sweetie Belle put a hoof to her mouth, horrified. She wanted to shout that this wasn't a funny prank, not at all, but she *been there*.

The World Mirror maze. They'd left it unlocked.

Princess Thalia, telling them how she'd done something to make sure Discord wouldn't do bad things in the future...

"You're a Diamond Tiara who didn't get saved, cause your Discord didn't get saved..." Sweetie Belle shook her head forcefully. "I don't care what you say. I can't believe that you're utterly beyond hope. There's always hope!" She grasped one of Diamond's hooves, never mind how it made her own hoof feel numb. "I've been where you are now, Diamond Tiara, and my friends didn't give up on me, so how could I give up on you?"

A ghostly filly melted out of the shadows and drew near, one that Sweetie knew all too well. "Be Nightmare Cantata," whispered the ghost filly. "If you're really Diamond's friend, then stand by her. This isn't Diamond's fault. She's been wronged. *Make it right.*"

But another one of the same set, this one a colt, joined the first. "Be Euterpe, and the wolves will bow before you. Let your voice resound. Call down the Elements and make Diamond whole. You are not the dissonant one... it's the world that gone wrong. *Make it right.*"

Sweetie Belle shuddered. "You're both trying to trick me! ... but what other choices are there?"

The other Crusaders and Sweetie Belle the genie started feeling really uneasy, and they couldn't say why. Flummox grimaced and powered on his portal, no time for tests...

Alex Warlorn

"Sweetie Belle... " The Nightfilly sighed. "I have a feeling reality is about to get hit hard by a rather large ripple, I should know, I have lots of experiences creating them myself. Pity things got so thrown off course isn't it?"

Mtangalion

The portal twisted itself into being, grew solid and stable. Flummox hesitated. "You're not going to talk me out of it? Clearly, I'm mad to even consider this. Not even a last second taunt?"

The ghost of Lilith folded her arms crossly. "If you break everything, I will personally make your Oblivion hell."

He thought that over. "If I do, madam, you'll probably have to wait in line." The Nightstallion took a deep breath, and stepped through.

The world turned hazy and colorless... all motion, all sound ceased except for what noise he made himself. The portal hung behind him, a frozen oval of life and color.

Flummox shuddered. "This is..." He shook his head. "No, I don't want to see Outside. The world is so fragile, just a flickering flame suspended over endless Nothing..." Flummox gritted his teeth. "I must focus. I mustn't think about... those things." He reached out with his senses, then reluctantly spread his wings, feeling out where he needed to go.

He flew back... back to before the maids sealed him in. He watched Nightmare Apocrypha rant at the shadows, unbanish his nephews, transform back into his old self, and then get sealed into the time trap, all in reverse. He looked at his first Journal longingly, sorely tempted to go back a little further and grab it before his nephews could and buck the consequences. Reluctantly, he let it be, gliding through the wall and into the outer chamber.

Three fillies and a colt stood here, motionless in the gray haze, and the white-furred one was a *genie* of all things... the old bottle he'd brought back all those years ago... it had really worked!

"So," growled a deep in-equine voice. "Only now do you finally learn when you should leave well enough alone."

Flummox spun about in a panic and fired a crackling green burst from his horn. The huge white wolf chomped it right out of the air, and... Flummox hadn't fired his magic at all. He'd hesitated. "You!?" he snarled.

"What did you expect," rumbled Snow Bound, "when you came willingly into my hunting ground?" He stood there, golden eyes boring into him, but he made no move to attack.

The Nightstallion shook a hoof at the Wolf. "I remember now. In my earlier years, I thought I could improve on Starswirl's Proscribed Predestination Paradox, but the spells I constructed never seemed to work. Because of you! Every time I broke causality..."

"I erased the inconsistent timelines. That is my purpose."

"Two hundred and eleven times!!" roared the Nightstallion, dangerously close to losing control. "You ERASED me two hundred and eleven times. Another mystery explained."

Snow Bound snorted. "You were very persistent."

The room shifted, and time began to crawl forward again.

Button Mash tapped his chin. "Sweetie... What if I wished that after I'm not your master, your Rarity's the next one that finds you?"

"This is the moment when the loop should have reset," growled Snow Bound. "If you wish to make matters right, then resolve the paradox. Do what was, what will be, what must be done."

Flummox scowled, wanting to argue.

"I...I can do that! I can feel it, I can!" Sweetie Belle replied, smiling. She gave it serious thought. "Plus if I change my mind, I can just have Rarity wish me free in three days! So I think I do want to stay like this!"

But ironically, there wasn't any more time!

"Okay! Then I wish that when I'm not your master anymore, Rarity will be the one to find you!" Button replied.

Flummox locked his magic onto the colt and the two fillies who were still ponies, and cast the strongest temporal binding spell he knew, amplified by his Nightmare strength. Reality itself shuddered, resisting him.

Sweetie Belle the Genie froze, gasping softly. "That felt weird. It... it worked! I'm out of the time loop, and Sweetie respawned."

While the kids wished for their new genie friend to transform them into other shapes and provide them with games to play... Flummox was struggling with the effort of maintaining the spell. "When I let go... the loop will fully reset?"

Snow Bound hesitated before nodding. "Yes."

The anomalous Sweetie Belle came to the mansion, and was chased by... another Wolf? And another Nightmare?! No, focus! "Will I vanish in the next loop iteration?" he blurted out. "Never released from the time trap? Will I continue in some fashion? What will become of me?!"

Snow Bound approached and rested a huge white paw on his shoulder. Since when did the Blank Wolf comfort anypony? "I do not know. I dared not look that far ahead. But I expect we will meet again."

The Wolf vanished... gone to where the other Wolf was. Alone, Flummox waited until the moment felt right, then whispered a prayer and released his spell.

Alex Warlorn

Blank Diamond's horn glowed, and a barrier of her unique form of magic formed around them, letting them slip through the world rippling, but also, letting them stay in this moment, even Blank Diamond couldn't stop the horrible headache Sweetie was going to have in the morning.

"You know Sweetie Belle..." The Nightmare of Diamond Tiara said. "You have no place here. I could take you away from all this. I'm building a kingdom with my Discord, one where causality and continuity don't matter. Where everything is only as real as much as you believe it's real. Come with me, and you'll be a princess. Just believe you're loved by everypony and you will be. Believe it'll be a challenge and it will be. And Rota Fortuna, will have no control or dominion there."

"... Thank you Tiara... But... Why did you come here?"

"... I wanted to see. I wanted proof I wasn't just some disease. That I wasn't some unnatural fluke to be reviled. I thought if... you and your friends defeated me, that must mean there are others of me out there... after all, events have been set in stone, and I can't fulfill them if I'm beaten, so that must mean another Diamond Tiara has to." The filly said in a distant monotone. "... But then I found you... you're like me, a glitch in creation, a runtime error in reality... You know what it's like."

Sweetie Belle hugged the Nightmare, even if it did make her feel numb just by touching her. The dust itself seemed to go limp in contact with the Nightfilly.

"... Nopony is a mistake. I'm not a mistake. You're not a mistake. Don't listen to monsters who tell you different. You're... you're you... you're... you're just sick."

"Sick? Just another word for 'not normal', and 'normal' itself just being what everyone else, and what you are not."

"Tiara... don't be like this... When did bullying the world ever work?"

"... So you won't come with me?"

"... I just want to go home... this adventure was fun at first but now... I don't care about Everfree's secrets... I just want go to sleep... Where did you get that camera?"

"Just a little something I picked up, from you. You didn't notice it was with you the entire time?"

"No... No I didn't."

"Here. Hold onto it. It's funny... if I could still laugh I'd be in tears by now. Looks like I get what I want after all, but not the way I thought I'd get it... be happy and love your parents Sweetie Belle, they're the most precious family you have."

"Huh? Diamond Tiara! What are you doing?!"

The Nightfilly didn't answer. "Giving you what I can't give myself."

The Nightfilly took her chance, while events in this brief moment were still putty.

She nudged events. Now the foals all grabbed hold of Sweetie Belle as she was sucked in, and all were pulled in one by one, and their cutie marks appeared on the bottle as it got slightly larger as it was corked.

Blank Diamond picked it up.

"Oh, how uncle would LOVE to use the emerald talisman to make you all eager and willing slaves to whoever holds your battle... But that's not what Sweetie would want, so thank her for your continued freedom." The Nightfilly teleported it to Rarity's house.

Now... Sweetie's friends would reset with her. And events solidified and moved forward. Sweetie, now with her three friends like she was supposed to be from the start, and belonged.

Meanwhile... Blank Diamond sighed. She was surrounded on all sides.

A wolf. A dragon. A bird-of-prey. A sea-serpent. A tiger. A centaur. A hydra. An armed and armored flock of Scootaloos. Pony and beast all made of them of starscapes.

"Nightfilly... You have twisted and distorted reality. You reveal yourself to us fully with your meddling. You have altered the fate of three ponies to your liking. You sought to spread your corruption even further beyond your own reality. You are The Corruption. You have overstepped your bounds. All the concepts of the Equilibrium are here to pass judgement on you."

"I know." 'So... At least I found the proof that I wasn't the only one after all... Sweetie Belle, I hope you find your home again. Discord... Filth Rich, dad, mom, goodbye.'

The beasts fell upon her, claws and fangs bared.

( OOC: I based this on Ulysses 31's depiction on Circe, in particular the last scene of the episode where Zeus inform her that all the gods of Olympus had come to pass judgement on her for aiding Ulysses. )

MtangaLion

Everything grew hazy, and three fillies and a colt tumbled onto Apple Bloom's bed, in her warm, familiar room at Sweet Apple Acres.

The What-If Machine whirred. "This machine detected severe time distortion in your previous reality. Are you younglings intact and fully operational?"

Apple Bloom blinked at the screen. "Ah don't remember things turning out like *that*." The machine showed Rainbow Dash and Big Mac rushing around town, asking if anypony had seen Apple Bloom or Scootaloo. Maternity told them that Button Mash was missing too, but then Rarity emerged from her shop to unveil the ancient bottle, and all four of the Crusaders as newly minted genies.

Sweetie's eyes grew wide. "But I was the only one... wasn't I?" The four genies showed off all the amazing things they could do, turning Ponyville upside-down until even Thalia and Discord had to grin and tell them to tone it down a bit.

The machine whirred again. "This unit calculates a high probability that events in the immediate future of that world will be relevant and of interest to you. Accessing data..."

On the What-If Machine's screen.... The very next day, an unnatural darkness blotted out the sky over the Everfree Forest, and Nightstallion Apocrypha attacked Ponyville with gnomes and Sunnytown zombies and manticores, with another Nightstallion named Thorne and duplicates of Twilight and her friends twisted by dark sorcery, with Nobodies and shadowy tentacle things and creatures from beyond the stars. If four genies, two Alicorns, a draconequus, a yokai, and the other Bearers of Harmony hadn't been there to contain them...

"Wait, wait, hold on..." cried Scootaloo, freezing the image on Apocrypha. "Is that... Flummox? That was the big mystery in the last chamber? The Flummox of our world was a Nightmare... Nightstallion... the whole time!?"

Button Mash gasped, checking his inventory. "Girls, Flim and Flam are gone! When did they even..."

The CMC+1 looked at each other, thoughts whirling.

Sweetie Belle took a deep breath. "Girls... and Button... how about we just stay in tonight? We could have a sleepover or something."

A knock at the door startled them. Apple Bloom opened it and found Diamond Tiara, in the guise of a normal filly and wearing an overnight saddlebag. "Did somepony say sleepover?" She smiled nervously, as if she was afraid they'd slam the door in her face. "Some... things happened with a different me, and all I could do was watch, and..."

Without another word, the Crusaders invited her in and hugged her and each other, like one big herd.

After a long, deep sleep full of strange dreams, Apple Bloom stirred awake and smiled at the golden sunlight peeking in her windows. "Heh. So this is tomorrow."

Diamond Tiara yawned and smirked, not caring anymore who saw her mane not neatly brushed. "Tomorrow is today now, genius."

"I can't believe it's over," mused Scootaloo.

Button Mash smacked his face with a hoof. "I still have weekend homework I haven't done!"

Sweetie winked at Diamond, remembering her mentioning something similar, and nuzzled Button. "We'll do it together!"

A boom rattled all the furniture, followed by two more quick booms... just like the sound of Flim and Flam's steam wagon backfiring! Apple Bloom threw the bed covers aside. "What in tarnation?!"

The Crusaders and Diamond raced out and down the stairs and careened out the front door to find that they were half right. It was Flim and Flam... years older and bearded and jolly, and riding a *flying* steam wagon. Scootaloo blinked, thinking of the picture of 'Santa Claus' from Twilight's old book."

Flim took off his goggles. "Dimensional transfer accomplished!"

Flam grinned broadly. "Home sweet home!"

Flim nudged him. "Well, it will be!"

Apple Bloom's eyes bulged, taking in every detail of the flying machine. "How... how did ya do this? Where have you been?!"

Flim chuckled, and for once there was nothing devious or conniving in it at all. "Let's just say... we saw the world that my brother and I *could* have made."

Flam shook his head. "We couldn't go back and do things right from the start..."

Flim punched the air with a hoof. "But we could make a *new* start, right there and then and here and now!" Each of them levitated a framed master's degree in magical-technological engineering.

Flam grinned. "Come on down to Ponyville, kids! We've got lots to show everypony!"

Flim leaned out of the flying machine and whispered, "You can help us rescue our uncle later. He'll keep for a few more days."

Later that morning, Flim and Flam put up a big top tent next to Ponyville's marketplace, using floating crystal robots to do the heavy lifting. "Behold, the wonders of the future, today!" barked Flim to the gathering crowd of ponies, including a very skeptical Twilight, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash. The Crusaders were there too, and Apple Bloom could hardly contain herself, bouncing in place and rushing from one technological marvel to another.

"Reliable steam wagons that anypony can use!" shouted Flam.

"Machines to make life better and easier!" said Flim. "Hundreds of library books in one little crystal!" Twilight's friends had to stop her from rushing the stage with a dozen questions.

"All powered by sunlight and magic," declared Flam. "None of that stinky coal or burning wood, no ma'am!"

"Ponyville... we offer you factories and jobs! Reasonably priced wonders for everypony, with a modest and reasonable profit for ourselves."

"All on the up-and-up. Repeat, we are not planning to cheat anyone."

The Flim Flam Brothers chorused, "Cross our hearts, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in our eyes!"

Meanwhile, Apple Bloom just plum couldn't contain herself any more. "And these robots are like the ones Ah built in that other world... 'cept Ah can probably program 'em even better, and..." The filly gasped. Her cutie mark was shining bright.

Right in front of her friends and half of Ponyville, Apple Bloom floated into the air and was enveloped in a shimmering cocoon of light.

Kendell2

"What's going on?"

The group blinked, hearing stomps coming, turned to find Pipsqueek riding on top of Basil's head with Ruby Pinch and the rest of his crew.

"Oh yeah, I forgot that Basil was looking for him..." Sweetie Belle said, looking to her friends.

"Uh..." said Twilight. "What the..."

"This colt's ancestor forced me to swear myself to her as my master," Basil explained...as Ruby Pinch put a ribbon on one of his spike's. "This is humiliating, but at least I'm actually DOING something..."

"Don't worry, I ordered him not to hurt anypony," Pipsqueek said, smiling.

"Whao..." Spike said, looking up at the ancient dragon.

Patch's and Squire's ghosts appeared next to Coffee Swirl, invisible to Basil. "Huh...I could have sworn that he'd find some way to get out of that..." Patch remarked.

"Dragons have their pride, Patch," Squire replied.

"It appears that young Applebloom is reaching her full potential," said Celestia, herself and Luna descending from the sky...followed by a familiar flying saucer. "We were just coming back with the ambassadors from the Celestial Ponies who we met thanks to you four."

Pipsqueek waved to Luna who waved back, chuckling a bit at Basil's expense.

Under normal circumstances, an alien space craft landing in a town would cause more of a stir...but this was Ponyville, so it only got some excitement and confusion. It helped the Princesses had been the ones GUIDING them there.

The spaceship landed and out came some familiar aliens.

"Nova! Blue Dwarf! Pink Star! Nebula!" Sweetie Belle shouted, running over. Pink Star showed she still had the bandages.

"But I thought that timeline would've fractured off..." said Scootaloo.

"The reset was triggered by a separate event, not you meeting the Celestial ponies," Luna explained.

The alien ponies were quite happy to meet their friends again...but then looked at Applebloom. "Oh my, what's happening?" Nebula asked.

"Young Applebloom appears to be ascending," Luna explained, looking at her. "It seems you've arrived here just in time to witness something very special."

Veritas looked to Thalia as Twilight naturally started interviewing the aliens, who also noted the Flim Flam's technology was more advanced than they expected Equestria to have. "So...we getting character overload this time?"

Pinkie Pie's Alicorn shook her head. "Nah, this is grand finale territory! We're supposed to bring everypony we can back here to wave goodbye!"

Alex Warlorn

A dark shadow formed out of Sweetie Belle's own shadow, shaped like an equine, but not quite the same, like some evolutionary path that never was. It tapped her on the shoulder. The filly turned and gasped.

"W-what are you?"

It offered her a note. ~~"By the request of The Nightfilly... this message is delivered to you."~~ It dissolved back into shadow. The note fluttered down, and Sweetie caught it in her magic. All that it said on it in Diamond Tiara's mouth-writing was 'Beware of Lilith.'

Mtangalion

Diamond Tiara looked seriously freaked out. Sweetie Belle realized that Diamond had probably been moments from transforming to protect her from the shadow, and never mind who saw. "Diamond? It's okay. I'm okay!"

Diamond shook her head. "Lilith. Oh, I hope I'm wrong..."

Honestly, the Crusaders couldn't be blamed for what happened next. They'd been exploring and going around in their loop for so long, certain things just seemed normal to them now.

It started with Maternity Love-Tap making her way through the crowd and beaming at Button Mash. "There you are! Did you have a good time at the sleep... over..." A bag of groceries fell from her grasp. "You... you have your cutie mark! You do!" She hugged the stuffing out of her son. "I'm so proud!"

"Mooooom!" protested Button Mash, but he giggled and hugged her back.

Maternity beamed. "My little colt is getting so grown up! Why, before you know it, you'll be taking pretty mares on dates and studying for college!"

Button blushed. "Hehe, about that..." He put a foreleg around Sweetie.

"Not so loud!" whispered Sweetie. "My sister might..."

But Rarity loomed suddenly on Sweetie Belle's other side, as if she'd suddenly learned to teleport. "What's that? Did I just hear it strongly implied that *my* baby sister has a coltfriend?" She squealed with delight. "This is extraordinary news!"

"Rarity!" exclaimed Sweetie. "Don't scare him off!"

"My goodness!" exclaimed Maternity, still studying Button's cutie mark. "Just how many video games did you play last night?"

"Mom, it's really not that big a deal," said Button. "I mean, Apple Bloom got her cutie mark too." And then Button blinked, realizing that Big Macintosh was right behind him.

Big Mac paced around to come stare at the colt directly. "Mah little sis got her cutie mark, ya say?"

Button gulped. "Yes, sir."

Big Mac snorted. "And somehow Ah haven't heard any fillies running around screaming, 'Oh mah gosh, oh mah gosh, Ah got mah CUTIE MARK!'" He did an impressive falsetto impression.

"I... guess it slipped our minds?" Button pointed at the glowing cocoon. "And she's kind of in there now."

"So now they all have cutie marks?" Rainbow Dash hovered, grinning at the Crusaders. "Hah!! How do you those apples, Diamond Tiara?" She blinked. "Wait.... didn't you..."

Twilight gasped. "Diamond Tiara? When did you come back?!" More ponies gathered around, speaking to each other in hushed voices.

"Um..." Diamond Tiara nudged at the ground with a hoof, more self-conscious than most ponies had ever seen her. "Just a couple of days ago. A lot of things have been happening... and Rarity, I'm so, so sorry! You were trying so hard to help me, and I, uh... Don't worry, my parents already know, and Miss Cheerilee... you wouldn't believe how much homework I have to make up."

Scootaloo smirked. "You won't believe who her new house guest is, either."

"One thing at a time!" hissed Diamond. She coughed and spoke up. "I know I've disappointed a lot of you in the past, but starting now, I'm going to be a whole new pony!"

Big Mac zipped over to Twilight, surprisingly quickly for a stallion his size. "Miss Twilight, are ya sure all those changeling folks are accounted for?"

While Twilight was trying to decide what to say to that, Dr. Moon Shadow came trotting through the big tent and nuzzled her, and she nuzzled him back, still lost in thought. "Miss Twilight, this is extraordinary! I'd come to understand that Equestria today has far lesser technology than my era, but here I see devices wholly new, even superior in some respects! I must meet this Flim and Flam!" He paused, confused... because the whole tent had gone silent when he and Twilight nuzzled. "Was it something I said?"

Twilight caught on first. "Oh! Don't worry, everypony! Nothing to get excited about here! Dr. Moon Shadow is a new friend! We talked a lot last night... er, late last night."

"That's right!" said Moon Shadow awkwardly. "We have many, many common interests, it turns out."

Spike grinned hugely. "Those two are gonna be writing research papers together, if you know what I mean."

Twilight blushed. "Spiiiike!"

Alex Warlorn

"UGH!"

"Something got you down Flash Sentry? Or is Sunset Shimmer still planning to strangle you in your sleep for breaking up with her?" Asked Green Peace.

"No... I just felt like some one just tore out and step on my heart or something." Said the human teenager.

"Yes I know how that is." Said Sunset slinking up right behind him. "Green Peace, did you know Flash Sentry's guitar is non recyclable?"

"WHAT?"

"And Flash, Green Peace called your rock music 'noise pollution."

"You didn't!"

"Hey, I'm calling it like it is."

Sunset walked away feeling good at breaking another bond between the school's subgroups, this was good practice for when she ruled Equestria, and Earth eventually too, or at least a very large chunk of it. Now where was that book on atomic weapons she'd borrowed form the library?

Meanwhile, across time and space, a pegasus Guard who was orange and had blue hair also gasped out in pain like his heart had been stomped on.

"UGH! I haven't felt that since... since before Twilight came to my world... ugh. Why do I have this odd feeling of my very existence and motive for every coming to Equestria to begin with are being threatened by distortions in the timeline?"

Author's Note

The rules are simple. Write something in the comments, and it's added to the story above! No 'script' format additions! Keep it My Little Ponies!

Set in the same universe as Pinkie Pie Forth Wall Breaking Variety Show!

*Replay recording*

Apple Bloom"We're exploring the Everfree all night! And the best part is when something, ah, 'bad' happens to us, Princess Luna makes it so we, uh, 'respawn?' "

Scootaloo, "Apple Bloom we knew that already."

Apple Bloom, "Yeah, but Ah figured we had to say it again fer some reason."

Sweetie Belle, "Have look at the, what did Pinkie Pie call this? 'Trope Page?'" http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/PinkiePiesFourthWallVarietyShow

So yeah, the CMC are exploring the Everfree with a grainy video camera, but if they say, come to a Bad End, or the like, they'll respawn at the farm house.

Parts added by:
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Kendell2
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn

Cover is a commission By Kendell2

Good-Bye To Fanon In Ponyville short Group Story

There was a party going on in Pinkie Pie's old variety show 4th wall breaking studio, except none of the mane six were present, and in fact, had explicitly been unable to attend, this wasn't their moment. It was a question if they were all even from the same worldline. None of them either noticed or cared.

'I See Fire' from The Hobbit, looped endlessly from the speakers, matching the mood.

In less than twenty four hours, the back ground ponies' episode would air, sending Heart World ripples across the world lines with more force than Those Who Create likely knew (or cared), as millions of tiny world lines would shatter from the shock waves. And all worldlines that would come into being afterwards would never be the same.

Ponyville's less legendary, but no less loved ponies were gathered. Pinkie Pie had left a note saying they were free to use it, saying it was like 'Batmare Bold And the Brave's wrap party, whatever that meant.

"I actually liked being a crazy time traveler," Time Turner said as ate some apples, NOT touching the peers, though he imagined his dislike of them would vanish soon enough. "Oh well."

"It was great being your traveling companion!"

"Thank you Derpy."

"I LOVED you being my mommy!" Dinky hugged her tightly.

"Me too dear, me too."

"It was . . . it was great mom, I . . . sorry for not showing it more." Sparkler said nuzzling her mother as well.

Lyra put a assuring hoof on Bon Bon's shoulder. "Don't worry, remember that video of us as humans? We'll still be together."

Bon Bon silently hugged her.

"Are you happy you won't have me as a mom anymore?" Berry Punch asked.

"NO! You're a great mommy! No matter what anypony says!" Ruby Pinch hugged her mom, who was staying away from the punch bowl (six months sober and proud of it).

"Thank kid." She sighed. "It was great being Cheerilee's sister too . . . I . . . I was happy having a sister like her."

Scootaloo drinking soda said. "If my parents show up, I hope an ACTUAL REASON in universe is given why I haven't seen them in five years."

And there were many more ponies where these came from having similar goodbyes.

Dr. Whooves looked at a paper Pinkie had left. "Okay, everypony, it appears there's another thing we need to think about."

Everypony turned their attention to the Doctor.

"Apparently, the Shadows will be confirming a lot of what makes us us. So how about we have a spot of fun?" the alien pony asked. "Let's make a betting pool as to who will get their existence confirmed, and should any of us turn out less fortunate for the change, they shall get the money, sound good?"

Aloe and Lotus entered the room.

"I hope we get to remain sisters," Aloe nuzzled Lotus as she added in her -- Stalliongrad? -- accent, "I would not mind having spent my entire life in Ponyville."

"If we get to keep ze accent," Lotus added, returning the nuzzle and smiling at her co-workers Vera and Bulk.

"I thought I was a security guard at da looney bin -- I mean mental hospital." Bulk grinned nervously at Diamond Tiara as she glared at him. "'Stead o' bein' a mass-use for dragons?"

Lyra said, "I'm going to miss being a fan of humans...I had so many funny bits, even a song."

Bon-Bon replied, "Don't worry Lyra you still got me...even if we'll be "just friends."

Bulk Biceps meanwhile nuzzled Featherweight. "Even if we ain't family you still rock little man!"

Featherweight . . . SPOKE. "...y-yes . . . d-da...ad."

Coalgate said, "I wonder what I'll be after the episode...I hope it will still be something involving minty flavoring."

"Hehe."

"What's so funny, Coalgate?" asked Lyra.

"Oh I am just imagining what voices they are going to give us."

"I hope mine has a British accent." said Time Turner/Doctor Whooves.

"Didn't they already give you an non-British voice in season 1?"

"Well yes but that hasn't stop Bon-Bon."

Blushes, "You got a point there."

"So i heard the shadow gave you that last name of yours?" Berry said remembering pinkie mentioning something like that.

"I guess." Lyra said with a shrug. "Though i think it was suppose to be my name but they decided to keep my name and use it as my lastname. not that i'm complaining. i like my last name."

"Good for you" Berry said as she notice a bowl being filled with money for the 'betting pool.' "So did you left any bits in there."

"Perhaps." Lyra said "Can't be too careful after-all."

"Right."

meanwhile the classical musician ponies began to play.

On the roof of the television studio, Princess Thalia stood watch, wings spread wide. "Ooh, here comes one now... Hmm... Mmm-hmm?"

She giggled, putting a hoof to her mouth. "I get it... Bon Bon and Sweetie Drops." She frowned, ever so gently. "But this isn't like riding around on a unicycle with a big fake mustache. That little throwaway gag might really hurt somepony's feelings, so it's a good thing we're not connected to the Heart World anymore, and I can just say *no thanks*."

She took a deep breath, and her horn glowed like a beacon. A rosy pink bubble of pure joy formed, slowly expanding to cover the entire studio. "You'll be safe here, my little ponies." She giggled. "It still feels funny, saying that."

Applejack suddenly found herself standing in the middle of the Verity Show. "What just happened?"

"Simple, young Applejack."

Applejack turned to find Rota Fortuna standing next to her. "Ah! Ah thought we were done with all that crazy wolf stuff!"

"You are, but this is important."

"...Okay...What is it?" the farmer asked, carefully.

"This room is about to undergo a great shift...similar to what happened when the heart world diverged due to your differences," Fate explained. "Many ponies here are about to receive new fates...some of which they will reject very strongly. As one who has experience, care to assist those who need to incorporate new aspects into themselves...or need help rejecting a fate that would change them too greatly?"

"Alright, time to begin the reveal of the changes," Dr. Hooves explained. "First off, I'm officially canon!...Well, as close as possible without getting a lawsuit! And I have a british accent! Yes!"

Derpy looked at him with pleading eyes.

"And we know one another Derpy!"

"Yay!" the Derpy mail mare replied, hug tackling the doctor.

"No confirmation one way or another about your daughters, so nothing saying they're not," the Doctor explained, inciting a family hug. "Alright, and good news, confirmation of at least one good changeling! Changelings are not a pure evil race!"

Moth and Junebug hoof bumped. Bon Bon hugged her sister.

"Oh...Um...Bon Bon."

Bon Bon blinked. "Yes?"

"Well, you and Lyra are still incredibly close."

The two instantly hugged, Tootsie joining in.

"However...your real name is Sweetie Drops, Bon Bon is an assumed name."

Bon Bon blinked in confusion. "Weird, but okay."

"And you're also a secret agent for an underground group dedicated to protecting Equestria from dangerous creatures that was disbanded by Celestia after a monster escaped Tartarus you'd imprisoned there, now hiding under a secret identity for your own safety."

"...Are you serious?"

"Yes, I'm afraid. It was a bee bear hybrid monster oddly enough. Bug Bear if you will."

"...Do I have the option of opting out?"

Dr. Hooves rubbed his head. "Well...Theoretically, but someone else would need to have captured the Bug Bear. "

Bon Bon smiled to her family. "...Then let someone who WANTS it have it. I'm happy being a candy maker."

Rota looked to Applejack. "I think that's your cue, dear."

Applejack chuckled, shaking her head. "And after ya just got done taking the Opaque Wolf away from me, too..."

Rota Fortuna leaned close, offering a rare smile. "I believe you have misunderstood me, Applejack. The power that you require for this task is that which you possess already."

Applejack blinked. "Ya mean... Ah shouldn't. Ah'll mess it all up..."

"Do not fear," said the Alicorn of Fate. Using her magic, she threw open the doors to the studio, letting some of Thalia's joy spread into the room. "We are here to guide you."

Applejack nodded once, then closed her eyes, taking deep breaths. When she opened them, her irises glowed brilliant, shining orange. The magic of Truth stirred around the farm pony, blowing her mane and tail in an invisible breeze. "There are many worlds, and many Truths." She grinned. "And even lots of different kinds of Truth, every one of 'em true. Most of the time, what's true is true, and that's that, but every so often, there's times like these when worlds bump together, and new Truth can be made." The magical currents sweeping around her grew stronger, outlining a phantom horn and wings. "Lyra? Bon Bon? Who are ya?"

Bon Bon took a deep breath. She'd been skeptical about Applejack and her rumored "Truth vision" in the past, but she wasn't afraid, not now. "I... I'm Bon Bon," she declared firmly. "Sweetie Drops is my pre-cutie mark name." She hesitated, then continued to speak, steadily gaining confidence. "I make candy. I'm not any kind of secret agent, and I never have been. I *love* Lyra."

Lyra pressed close to Bon Bon, putting a hoof after her. "And I love Bon Bon, and Tootsie and Moth. We're a family."

"This is True," pronounced Applejack. The world seemed to shift, settling and aligning... one thing fixed, but still many more to decide, one way or the other.

Applejack turned to Cranky Doodle and Matilda. "Ah assume y'all are happy with the wedding ya had already, and don't want to do it all over again?"

"Well, it might be romantic..." mused Matilda.

"Oh, heck no!" shouted Cranky... but he couldn't stay grumpy for long with Matilda beside him. "Once was good for a lifetime," he said, nuzzling warmly with his wife.

Bon-Bon raised a hoof. "So... who does take care of the bugbear?"

Applejack grinned. "The Everfree Rangers can take care of that. That's *their* job." At a lodge deep in the Everfree, Smoke Ring, Winghoof, and Stone Wall suddenly had an intelligence brief on a dangerous wild animal wandering too close to Ponyville.

"How about you, Doc?" asked Applejack.

The Doctor pondered, rubbing his chin with a hoof. "Nothing changed, really... And I did like that workshop."

"Eeyup. Derpy?"

Derpy hmmmmed crossly. "That episode thing didn't show me with my little muffins.. but it didn't say I didn't have them!"

Applejack smiled. "Relax. Nopony's gonna take 'em away from ya, and Ah'll buck any Shadow that tries."

-later-

"Ah guess that about wraps that up," mused Applejack later, when the studio was finally emptying.

"Not quite," said Rota Fortuna. "What is it that *you* want, Applejack? You have been tempted to abandon your mortal life for the power of the Wolf, and betray it for the lure of nightmares. Think on all that you have done this day. Might you be ready to fulfill your mortal life instead?"

Applejack bit her lip. "Ah'll be honest with ya... Ah just don't know when Ah'll be ready to be the Honest Truth. It'd be a mighty big step." She glanced around, then started towards the door. "'Scuse me. Ah've got some apples to buck."

-

"So, Vinyl," Octavia said with a sly grin. "How would you like to be closer to your heart world self? I mean, I hear silence is golden."

"No way, Tavi!" Vinyl waved her forelegs around frantically. "I am NOT giving up speaking!"

"Too bad." Octavia chuckled to herself.

"I mean don't get me wrong, I see her as a great role model if that is the case, and arguably a strong case what with 'human world me' was also quite possibly mute but not me."

"Alright."

"But I'm VERY much am impress at what she was able to do and it's quite obvious she did quite well as she was able to snag a classy mare like yourself."

"Yeah.... wait what?"

"Well it's obvious they have a thing, have you seen how they reacted when they really got into there duo performances," Vinyl said.

"Really? cause it seem more like a best friend thing." Octavia said. "And seriously Vinyl, you're a good friend and I'm stuck with you, but I don't swing that way. My family is rock solid on that."

"I'm just joking 'Tavi!"

" . . . have I ever introduced you to my big sister? I'm sure she'd LOVE to hear all your latest music." Octavia suppressed a grin.

"I'm kind of depressed, though," Lily said.

"I know," Rose said. "They finally had a chance to show us as something other than panic-stricken mares, and..."

"They show us freaking out over a wedding, and then a flower!" Daisy sniffed. "It's so sterotyped! Just because we're not facing monsters every day like the Mane Six, they think we faint at the drop of a bridle!"

"Oh, that reminds me," Octavia said as she trotted up to them. "I was told on the way over by Fluttershy that she spotted some aphids on your flowers and -- ladies? Ladies!" She looked away from the unconscious mares. "Can somepony get a bucket of water, please?"

On top of the studio, Princess Thalia startled, "I think we had some unauthorized infection from the heart world here."

"Excuse me, Sir."

The Doctor blinked, looking down to see Diamond Tiara. "Yes, young Diamond Tiara?"

"Where there any changes about my family?"

The Doctor looked at his notes. "No, it appears not. You didn't even appear."

"...Thank you..."

The little filly trotted away. "Well that's out of the way."

'Yes, but on the bright side you kept your mother,' replied a voice in her head.

'I know...after letting you out to get mom back, I didn't want to lose her again due to some writing fumble or something...' was her reply.

'Hey! I'll have you know I'm reformed.'

'So you told me.'

'Hey, trust me, if I wasn't it'd be raining chocolate milk right now!' was the voice's reply.

'Whatever...I just wish they'd taken this chance to show me doing something besides being a bully,' the filly said, looking down.

'Hey, I thought we were over this when I showed you that world were you weren't a bully and lived happily, meaning you can be here, my niece.'

'I know, I just wish I had something to work with! At least you have a canon redemption!'

'...Which I threw away because I actually regenerated a conscience and couldn't bring myself to throw away somepony I actually felt something for over my games...again...or the guy who bought mine on Ebray decided to return it...'

On the studio roof, Thalia giggled. She looked to the spirit of a purple earth pony smiling beside her, then to the ghost of white pegasus with a yellow mane on the other. It'd taken a lot of effort, but she had succeeded in awakening enough of Discord's heart that the Discord Diamond released was a repentant soul. And also involved calling in several voices from the afterlife, multiple deities including Venus, a couple Elders, and ninety nine party ninjas. No one said that reforming the Lord of Chaos was easy, especially when Fluttershy was unavailable.

'Now I'm going to have to find out some way to actually introduce myself back into things without getting shot by rainbows...or solar flares...or solar flares THEN rainbows...' the voice in Diamond's head replied.

'Well sorry I inconvenienced you.'

'...You know, my niece, my reformation in the Heart World, and here DOES bring up one point: if the Crown Prince of Chaos can bounce back, then why shouldn't a little child with her life ahead of her be able to?'

'...Thanks...why are you being nice to me anyway? I don't remember that being part of the deal.'

'Well my ex and her entire family despises me, my mortal family has been dead for eons, my divine family hates me for the number of divine taboos I've broken, Ponythulhu is on his second honeymoon, Nythy is upset with me for turning good, Rota still has my Fate Net account blocked, and now I don't even have my games left. I needed a new hobby, so 'being guardian angel for my niece' sounded like a good one.'

'...Thanks...uncle...'

'You're welcome...now can you please grab me some of those chips and dip them peanut butter ice cream?'

'Eew! Gross!'

'Don't knock 'em till ya try 'em.'

'Applejack?'

Applejack jumped, looking around. "Pinkie Pie?"

'Can you talk to Lilly and her friends? I think they need you!'

Moon Dancer gasped. "I feel, SOMETHING . . . something . . . please, let me stay as me."

Applejack had been back at Sweet Apple Acres, just winding up to buck the first apple tree, when the voice spoke in her head. "Pinkie? Ah mean, Princess Thalia? Hang on a sec, Ah'm... ahhh!!"

She grimaced and put a hoof to her aching head. "They made another episode? For pity's sake, Ah just got done cleanin' up after the last one!" She turned left and right, torn between rushing to Lily and dashing off to help Moon Dancer. "Ah can't keep up with this. Nopony could..." She froze. "No mortal pony could. But..."

"Sis?" AJ looked up and saw, wonder of wonders, her family gathered, right here out in the field.

Big Mac stepped closer, solid and reassuring as ever. "Sis, Ah just want you to know... If this is about what Ah think it is, we're here for ya."

"Always were, always will be," said Granny Smith, putting a hoof over her heart.

Applebloom bounced in place. "One hundred percent!"

"You made a fine wolf," growled Snow Bound, suddenly present and lounging off to one side. "Power has not changed who you are."

"Everybody..." breathed Applejack, having to brush a tear from her eye. "All right, then... Ah'll stop foolin' mahself, and admit Ah'm as ready as Ah'm a-gonna be." Everything seemed to sharpen around the farmpony, colors growing brighter and more distinct, more real. She floated right off the ground, curling into a ball... shining white light enveloped her, concentrated, then burst, leaving the air full of slowing falling sparks.

Within the light, a new being spread wings covered in mirror-like feathers, then reared up, a long horn flashing. The old Stetson remained untouched, sitting atop golden locks of hair that drifted in the breeze of her magic. "Everything's crystal clear now," she spoke. "Ah don't use Truth ta hurt ponies. Ah don't force Truth on anyone... Ah say what the Truth is in this world. Ah *am* the Honest Truth."

Her hooves came back down to earth, and she was surprised and a little embarrassed to find that she was taller than Big Mac now.

"Oh ho, pretty fancy!" said Granny Smith, stamping her old hooves in approval. "So what should we call ya now, princess?"

The Alicorn grinned. "Applejack, of course. Okay, technically I'm Veritas and the Page of Swords and a lot more things, but AJ is just fine with me." She blinked. "'Scuse me a sec..."

Her horn flashed, and she teleported clear across town to the train station, where Minuette and Lemon Hearts were trying to comfort their weeping, shuddering friend. AJ offered a hoof to help Moon Dancer up. "That was a nice story and all, but that Moon Dancer in the Heart World *ain't* the Moon Dancer we know."

Moon Dancer took it, then gasped and patted herself down, finding that she was entirely herself once again. "Wow... Thank you, thank you thank you!"

Twilight heard a knock on her door and blinked, coming over. "Pink-Princess Thalia?!"

The Alicorn of Joy smiled. "Hi! Twilight!"

"Hi...uh...with the party I kind of thought-"

Twilight found herself in a bear hug so tight for some reason it caused her to sound like a squeeky toy. "I'm sorry, just...the party was for everypony BUT us. Applejack was invited because we needed her help..."

"So...you still have time for me?"

"Of course! I'm actually learning how to make Avatars specifically for that!" called Thalia. "That way that nasty scene that's supposed to happen next season can't happen at all!"

Twilight blinked. "Okay...Pinkie, can you please let me go..." the mare admitted, looking a little blue.

Thalia let her go, causing the unicorn take a gigantic breath. "Thank *coughs* you..."

"Sorry! I'm not used to having Alicorn strength!"

"It's okay..."

"Cool...by the way, I need you at the party!"

"Wait what-"

The two suddenly disappeared in a tornado of confetti and reappeared next to the Gifted Unicorns.

Twilight blinked. "Moon Dancer? Girls?...Applejack?!"

Applejack blushed. "Howdy..."

"...Why is everypony turning into Alicorns?!"

Thalia incinerated a script behind her back with her new Alicorn magic.

"Well in mah case, it makes what Ah got what ah need tah do here easier," she explained, spreading her wings and showing two wings, one in each wing. Unlike Nightmare Mirror's, they were both more organic in appearance, as if they were a part of her. Both were presently closed, feathers placed so telling they were there when closed was difficult at best. "And no, Ah ain't a Nightmare pretendin' tah be one, mah Nightmare can't close the eyes."

"We can catch up on that later!" Thalia exclaimed. "You need to be here since the new canon involves you!" the Princess called.

"Okay..."

Twilight frowned thoughtfully, still a little skeptical. "Forgive me for saying this, but... two plus two equals five!"

Applejack smiled warmly. "Not true. But Ah don't think Celestia's prize pupil needed a farmpony ta tell her that."

Twilight returned the smile, sheepishly. "So you really aren't Nightmare Mirror? You're... what, the personification of honesty?"

"A little more than that, Twi," AJ corrected her. "Veritas, the Honest Truth. Call me Applejack." She held out a hoof, which Twilight politely shook, though she seemed a little confused. "It's been so long, it's like Ah'm meetin' everypony again for the first time."

Thalia giggled. "I know, right?!"

"Wait, wait wait, hold on..." Twilight had that "there's knowledge to be had!" grin. "If Applejack is literally the Truth now, does that mean she knows *everything*? Everything that's true?"

Applejack had a good, honest, friendly laugh. "Yes, but that don't mean Ah'm your oracle or your personal library."

Moondancer chuckled. "That *would* be a little too good to be true, wouldn't it?"

The Alicorn nodded. "Some truths are better forgotten, and some ain't mine to tell. Life is about learning, and Ah can't take that away from ponies. Now, Twilight, Ah need ya to think back to just after the whole Nightmare Moon business. When's the next time ya went back to Canterlot after that?"

Twilight blinked. "Why? Don't you already know? Is this some kind of test?"

"Let's just say, the Heart World has other ideas about what's real and not, and who did what when, and one of my jobs is mediating between that world and ours. Always was, turns out. Long story."

Twilight took a deep breath. "Okay... Celestia had most of my things packed and sent to Ponyville on the train for me. I went back about a week later to say goodbye to mom and dad and..." She trailed off. "And..."

Applejack cleared her throat. "Yer brother. You wished you could have seen Shining too, but he'd gone off on a mission. He came and said goodbye to ya before that."

"He.. he did, didn't he? Heh, I guess I was so absorbed in my studies then, I didn't realize what a big deal that was."

AJ nodded firmly. "What about the place where ya lived in Canterlot? Is that still yours?"

Twilight tilted her head. "Why would it be? It's a valuable private library. I returned the key, and Princess Celestia probably gave it to another special student or scholar."

"And yer friends in Canterlot?"

Twilight's ears drooped. "I... didn't really have friends in Canterlot. Just fellow students." Moondancer shrugged, and Lemon Hearts and Twinkle Shine glanced at each other a bit awkwardly. Twilight brightened up again. "I took them out for donuts, though. I'm really glad that we got to catch up again later and become true friends."

"This is True," said Applejack. "Glad we have that settled."

"Hey Bon Bon! Guess what?!"

"What?"

"I'm a Gifted Unicorn!"

"No you're not."

"I am now!"

"You can't just suddenly BE one...can you?" Bon Bon asked.

Veritas teleported next to them. "Does she WANT to be?"

"...Yeah...I really do."

"So yah want tah have done the studyin' and all that?" Veritas opened her wings, the eyes opening. One looked very similar to those on Mirror's wings...but the other looked kind, comforting. Compassionate.

"...Yeah, if that's part of the deal, then I'll take it," Lyra said with a smile.

"Then that's truth," Veritas replied, she said, smiling as her eye wings closed and she folded them.

Tootsie promptly hug tackled Lyra. "Cool! You're a gifted unicorn now!"

Moth chuckled. "...Congrats, Lyra."

Bon Bon sighed, then just hugged her. "I'll accept it too..."

"So, I know it's a party, and we have a lot of snacks already," Thalia was saying, "but I just had to bake you an extra special Thank You cake!"

Veritas braced herself, but Thalia held out a regular-sized cake in a regular-sized cake box, not a cake the size of a house or a fifteen-layer cake ready to topple over. Without even opening the box, she knew that the cake inside was incredibly scrumptious, decorated with two cartoon Alicorns hugging and frosted with crystalized joy. "Why, thank ya, Pinkie Pie. What's the occasion?"

Thalia beamed. "Oh, you know, that thing you did that one time. Well, actually it was a whole lot of things that you did a whole lot of times, but if I baked a cake for every one of them, I would have needed a whole wheelbarrow full of cake, and you can just ask Princess Celestia what happens when Alicorns go eating wheelbarrows full of cake."

Several years ago...

Pinkie Pie paced frantically back and forth, then stopped to gnaw on her hooves. "Why did the Heart World have to go changing everything again?" She flipped through a pile of scripts, then flung them everywhere in an utter panic. "If I don't keep everything on track, we'll lose the connection! And then the Shadows Who Watch won't watch, and the Shadows Who Read will get bored and quit reading..." The pink pony talked faster, her voice getting more and more shrill. "And then the world will go away and I won't let that happen again!" She froze, twitching. "I won't... won't... won't!"

"Pinkie Pie," called a voice with a country drawl.

"Huh?" Pinkie looked left and right and turned her head completely around with no apparently harm done.

"Pinkie Pie!" shouted the voice.

She blink-blinked, then beamed happily. "Hi, mysterious voice that sounds just like AJ! You're... not one of the usual voices in my head." She gasped. "You must be new!"

"Pinkie Pie, ya don't need to keep worrying yer head off. Keep doing what ya can, and Ah'll fix up the rest."

Pinkie raised a hoof. "You promise?"

She still couldn't see the owner of the voice, but she *felt* a warm smile that ticked and made her hair frizz. "Cross mah heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in mah eye."

Pinkie blinked some more, then flashed a squeaky grin. "Okie doki loki!"

The voice cleared its throat. "By the way, you have a secret party planning headquarters underneath Sugarcube Corner. That's where you are now. Ah jus' found out, and Ah didn't see no harm in it, so there ya go."

Pinkie gasped, looking all around. "Coool!"

In the present, Veritas chuckled. "Oh, that. Just doing mah job, an' all."

Now was just the question of how to wrap this up properly.

Gradually, the party wound down. Applejack politely declined to give Vinyl Scratch a synthesizer that could rocket down the street like one of Flim and Flam's machines. Filthy Rich thanked her profusely for Golden Tiara's sudden recovery, but Applejack claimed that it wasn't her doing, and promised that he'd know the whole story "real soon."

Twilight Sparkle lingered until the end, hoping to have a chance to speak with Applejack alone, and she found the newest Alicorn on the roof, wings fluttering and mane flowing in the breeze, peering at the horizon. Was she watching Sweet Apple Acres, thinking about what her ascension would mean for her family? Or was she looking further, to the Everfree Forest in the distance? "Veritas... er... Applejack? I'm not disturbing you, am I?"

Applejack glanced over her shoulder, smiling down at her. "Naw. I'm just a mite frustrated, is all."

That gave Twilight pause. "Frustrated? You?"

"Eeeyup. So much has changed... and still *some* ponies just had to go adventuring, and they're the only ones to do it, and Ah have ta keep mah nose out of it."

"If there's anything I can do..."

"Don't you worry none. We know, and those that can are doing everything they can. Promises have been made."

"So you're not going to tell me what's going on?" fumed Twilight. "Doesn't it bother you, keeping all these secrets when you're Truth incarnate? Doesn't that make you *want* to share what you know?"

Applejack gazed off into the distance again. "Ah must have gone back and forth with Mama Fauna Luster about that for, oh, a few thousand years at least."

Twilight gaped. "You're joking. Wait, *can* you joke?"

"Ah can count how many years it was, if ya really want to know. When Fauna Luster says 'Take all the time you need...' Heh. She doesn't send any of her foals out into the world half-baked, if she can help it. Now, what's eatin' ya, Twi?"

"You know?" Twilight paused, then face-hoofed. "I've got to stop being surprised about things like this. Of course, you'd know."

"Ah know because Ah'm your friend, Twi. You came up here making that face, and you already said how happy you were that Ah'm an Alicorn and all downstairs. Go on, tell me what's on your mind."

Twilight took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts. "It's about the Heart World. I tried not to read too much into all those glimpses we saw, but I couldn't help but notice that the other Twilight Sparkle is an Alicorn. I'm not, obviously. Should... I be?"

Applejack mulled that over. "You should ask yourself... do ya really want to be an Alicorn? And if so, what for?" She paused, looking Twilight right in the eyes. "Cause all your friends are doing it? Is it *power* that yer after? Maybe it's the whole Princess thing... frou frou outfits, gold and jewels, cheering crowds, ponies bowing and saying Yer Highness..."

Twilight giggled. "I'm not Rarity. And I'm surprised that no one's tried to haul you and Pinkie Pie off to Canterlot for a coronation yet."

Applejack shrugged. The soft orange glow of her magic lifted a message scroll, then unrolled it and passed it to Twilight.

"To the Princess of Honesty," Twilight read. "You are cordially invited to Canterlot Castle to discuss... at your earliest convenience..." Twilight blinked. "She signed it with a happy smiley sun face."

Applejack grinned. "Is that bad?"

"Better start picking out your crown, Princess." Twilight grew more serious. "Maybe it is 'cause all my friends are doing it.' You and Pinkie Pie have gone through this amazing transformation that I don't really understand at all. I wouldn't even know how to begin to do something like that myself. Well, besides the whole 'become a Nightmare and get cured...'"

"No," said Applejack suddenly, with a frighteningly stern look. "Don't even joke about that."

Twilight shrank back from her. "I..." She'd meant to say "I wasn't," but the words stuck in her throat. "I won't. I promise, I won't become a Nightmare! It's just... What if I was supposed to become an Alicorn, and I failed?" The unicorn shivered. "What if Princess Celestia expected me to become a princess, and I *let her down?* What if..."

Applejack hugged her.

It was like getting a hug from Princess Celestia. It was like being a little foal again, and knowing she could sleep safe and sound, because mom and dad had said there were NO monsters under the bed, because her parents would NEVER lie or trick her...

Applejack stepped back. "Better?"

Twilight blinked. "Actually..." She smiled, still a little dazed. "Yeah."

"The reason you're not an Alicorn," said Applejack, "is because you haven't been tested enough. And that's partly because of Pinkie Pie and me... but don't you worry, Twi. You'll get yer chance to shine." She glanced towards Sweet Apple Acres again. "Say, how would you like to meet a pony from the Age of Wonders?"

Yet again, Twilight Sparkle was left with her mouth hanging open. "You're just trying to distract me so I don't brood about not being an Alicorn."

Applejack conjured a stalk of wheat with her magic and chewed on it idly. "True."

"What were you planning on doing? Sending me through time again?"

"Eeenope. He's right over there at Sweet Apple Acres, waking up and askin' Granny what's for lunch."

Twilight's mane got slightly frazzled. "You... you wouldn't lie about that." She grinned maniacally. "You *can't* lie about that."

"Also true. Oh, and he's a scientist! What are the odds..."

"Can I meet him? Please, please pleeeease!?"

"It's alright with me, Twi. Just go easy on..." They vanished from the roof in a purple flash of teleportation before Applejack could say another word.

Ardashir (optional canon)

Diamond Tiara froze as new knowledge swept over her.

"My mom isn't -- who I thought she was? She's some petty, tyrannical, bullying mare who treated me like horseapples?" She began to weep. "NO! It's not fair! Some Shadow gave me a GREAT Mom, and now... now... I h-have to lose her?"

Silently and invisibly, Thalia and Veritas looked on. They turned to each other, nodded, and let their magic flow.

As Apple Bloom was knocking the inconsistencies and cruelties out of Equestrian history, she felt a twinge.

"What th' hay?"

She blinked and saw Filthy Rich, a younger and pudgier stallion, with two different mares. One looked cold-hearted, obsessed with status, eventually driving her daughter into becoming a cold and lonely mare. The other was happy about life, even when sickness caught up with her. She eventually overcame it and returned to her husband and daughter, and all three became not just stronger but better ponies for it.

"Well, thet ain't no choice at 'tall ta make!" Apple Bloom guided Filthy away from that one expensive store he'd meant to visit and to a skating rink, where he met a mare who would become the mother of their filly.

"Ah shore hope that does help Diamond."

And in another realm entirely

"... Thank you, Apple Bloom."

Author's Note

Typical 'Round Robin' write the next part story seed from me. A brief sort of thing with the ponies saying good-bye to their fanon elements that'll fade away from all future fan works after the back ground ponies' episode airs.

Normal rules, what you write in comments get copy and pasted up here. Only MLP franchise elements (others gens are okay).

This is your chance to say good-bye to all your favorite fanons of your favorite background ponies. Go wild. No fanon too obscure.

Parts added:
Me
Kendell2
Ardashir
CartoonKing1(edited by me) and Me
CartoonKing1(edited by me) (again)
Yoshiegg64
grogar-the-oneser mtangalion Kendell2
Mtangalion (slight edit)
Mtangalion
Alex Warlorn
zaku789 and Warlorn
Ardashir and a line by me
Kendell2
Mtangalion
Kendell2
Mtangalion
Alex Warlorn
Kendell2
Mtangalion
Alex Warlorn
Mtangalion (COMPLETE!)
Ardashir (optional canon)

Cutie Mark Crusaders' Journal of the unexplained 16

Cutie Mark Crusaders' Journal of the unexplained 16

Manglion

Once again, Apple Bloom found herself floating through the aethereal void, then coming to rest on a path lined with floating images on both sides... the true Hall of Ascension. The velvet rope was there again, and her big sister, silver apple barding polished to perfection.

Apple Bloom grinned. "Weren't we just here?"

Princess Veritas smiled. "Maybe you were, in some other world. You do know, this is normally a one time deal?"

Apple Bloom nodded... and then she glanced right and left, and even turned around in a circle, seeming puzzled.

"Something the matter, sugarcube?" asked Veritas patiently.

"Ah kind of expected all the other me's to be here as well." Apple Bloom kept talking, waving her hooves in excitement. "It was amazing. Ah've been a nightfilly, and a mortal Alicorn, and everything in between! Wolf, Diamond Dog, griffon, dragon, human..." She grew thoughtful. "But all of those pieces are a part of me now... Ah'm all of them, together in one, and ever since that happened, Ah guess Ah've been toast in a toaster, just waiting to pop."

Veritas gathered her close, nuzzling. "Ah, know. Ah see them all in you, clear as day." She nodded firmly. "You're ready."

A spark of crimson magic formed into a cracked antique mirror, and a Nightmare Mirror stepped out of it. "There's no more time loop, young filly, and no more do-overs. You go in there, and you'll be shining your light of truth for this universe, and the one after it, and the one after that, forever and ever. All your Apple kin who died before you and die after, you don't *ever* get to rest with them in Pony Heaven."

A third Applejack stepped out of the shadows, really tall and lanky with small eyes. "But you can always visit," said Deconstruction, with a wink. "The Elders have to mind everything there ever is or was, but they ain't heartless. Ya might think that your ascension has been foreshadowed eight ways from Sunday and there's definitely no way out of that destiny now... but nothin's decided until it's decided! This is your choice and only yours, Apple Bloom."

A *fourth* Applejack appeared in a sparkling flash, with flutterpony wings and antenna and wearing a pretty dress. "Those three could give ya advice all the live long day, but no matter what ya think ya know about what being a Concept is like..." Princess Epiphany grinned. "Ah can guarantee, you're gonna be surprised!"

Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow. "Sis, how come all these different kinds of Truth are you? And what about Big Mac and Red Gala? Ah kinda remember their marks being on our Well of Truth too."

Veritas laughed warmly, then put a hoof to her lips. "Let them come to it in their own time, sis. They'll have their own adventures, their own Truths to discover." She glanced to one side. "And technically, the aspects aren't *all* Applejacks any more..."

A ghostly, barely visible pony approached. Apple Bloom, stared hard, then gasped, backing away. "F- Flummox?!

The shade sighed deeply. "I briefly was, and might again be, though I can still hope I will not be... Nightstallion Apocrypha, the Maddening Truth. I'm meant to speak words of encouragement or advice, I gather? Well, then..." He leaned closer. "Young one, it warms what remains of my heart that you aren't likely to repeat my mistakes. When ponies work and struggle and finally earn the truth for themselves, why, then they are already far more prepared to understand and accept that truth, and not be overwhelmed by it."

"Um, thanks. Ah guess. We'll try our best to save you in our world."

The shade smiled and faded away, a simple "Thank you" echoing in the aethereal void.

Apple Bloom looked at the Applejacks, then closed her eyes, weighting everything in her heart. Then she grinned from ear to ear. "How did you put it, sis? Ah'm as ready as Ah'm gonna be!"

Veritas grinned back, then unhooked the velvet rope and stepped aside, bowing and beckoning with a hoof.

Apple Bloom trotted on through, marveling at all the pictures of their Everfree adventures, many of which seemed to be video shot from their own video camera, wherever that had gotten to. The Alicorns and Nightmare followed, trotting on her left and right. "Hey, sis, do Ah get a song?"

Veritas chuckled. "If ya like. Why don't you start?"

Apple Bloom thought and thought, and suddenly knew just the one. "There's no place that I'd rather be!" she sang out. "Than travelin' with my family!"

Veritas fell into step with her, adding her voice. "Friends all around come to join and see as we shine our light eternally!"

Deconstruction and Epiphany joined in on the chorus, all of them trotting in sync. "We're Apples forever, Apples together! We're Family, but so much more! No matter what comes, we will stand together. We're Apples to the core!"

"Eeyup," added Nightmare Mirror. She slowed her walk and stayed behind, as the others went ahead into the warmest, most bright-shining Light there was...

MtangaLion

Apple Bloom found herself floating like in a dream, endlessly on and on, until her hooves came to rest on dusty stone. The filly opened her eyes and found herself standing on a barren grey rock, in a pitch-dark starry expanse. In the far distance, a light shone, so bright that the rock beneath her hooves seemed to boil, and her mane and shadow steamed behind her.

She opened her mouth to gasp and found nothing, not even air. She almost panicked, throwing out her... wings! ... to steady herself with. Her horn glowed orange, ready to cast a protective shield around her, but... "Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed, her voice making no sound, except in her head. "Alicorns don't need to breathe?"

"Welcome, Apple Bloom," spoke a second voice... how, she wasn't sure. It was a stallion's voice, deep and solid and kindly. "You Have Chosen To Take This Trial... But It Seems You Are Done Already? My, Wasn't That Easy?"

Apple Bloom blinked skeptically, lifting a forehoof, then nosing around in her head. "Ah don't really feel like a goddess."

"Do You Not Feel Calm and Clear-Headed, Beyond Anything You've Ever Known? Are You Not Supreme In Magic and Strength Of Body?"

Apple Bloom shook her head quickly. "This is like when Ah was a mortal Alicorn. Mah friends... Ah could feel it back then. They were on a whole other level from me."

"So You're Saying... That Being An Alicorn Is Not The Same As Being A Concept."

She hesitated, feeling like she was on the spot in front of her whole class at school. "Yes, sir."

"Correct." Colors flared, and the owner of the voice stepped into view... a tall, princely Alicorn stallion, with a black coat and a billowing mane that glowed every color of the rainbow.

Apple Bloom bowed without even thinking, horn pressed to the ground. "Are... are you the prince of Alicorns? No, you must be the king!"

The stallion chuckled. "I Could Be Considered Such, But I Prefer 'Father.' Come, Have A Closer Look."

The floating rock began to move, so far and fast that the stars shifted around them. The Light ahead filled all the sky, and Apple Bloom's eyes grew wide, trying to take it all in. It was... it looked like... all Creation. Countless galaxies and stars and nebula, with new souls constantly being born, steaming out to every world with life.

"Tell Me What You Think," said the Father of Alicorns.

She gulped. "It's beautiful! It's amazing, seeing how it all fits together! But..." She looked earnestly up at the stallion. "This isn't what Ah'm here for, is it? My special talent... my Truth... they're about making and building and discovering things, aren't they?"

"Very Good," said the Father. He lit his horn and wove a tapestry out of swirling rainbow threads of light, vast beyond even Bloom's new comprehension. "The Story Of Progress And Invention Is The Story Of Life. From The First Centaur To Sharpen A Stone Knife, The First Pony To Speak The Word 'Friend,' The First Seapony Who Ever Composed A Song, All The Way Unto The End Of Days."

The Father paced, keeping his eyes fixed on Apple Bloom. "For Long Ages In Your World, Progress Has Slept. Mortals Still Fear That Time, Even If They No Longer Remember It... The Time When The Ultimate Achievement Of Science And Magic Brought Together Wiped All Progress Away, Then Shattered Your World, Nearly Destroying It Altogether. But At Last, Change Is Coming. In Science." Floating images of Flim, Flam, Flummox, Twilight, and Dr. Moon Shadow appeared. "And Even To The Very Nature Of Ponykind." Thalia and Veritas appeared, and then more Alicorns, and more and more everywhere, crystal towers and cities springing up around them.

"You Can Guide This Transformation. Fate Opened This Door, and the Moon Lit Your Path. But... Do You WANT This, Young One? You Are Not Even A Mare Grown Yet, And This Not Some Toy Or Prize You Deserve Merely Because Your Sister Had It First." He stamped a hoof sternly... and the floating rock rung like a gong. "Even Unto To Very Moment When You Go Into My Wife To Be Unmade and Remade, There Is No Shame In Saying That You Are Not Ready, Or That You Did Not Want This After All."

Apple Bloom shivered, gazing at the tapestry. Even the red wolves that she created were in there, waiting for their goddess to be. "Ah... Ah'd be lying if Ah said Ah didn't have any doubts whatsoever. But to be the mind guiding all the hooves and claws and hands and fins working the greatest puzzle there ever was... Ah *do* want that!"

The Father leaned and nuzzled her. "We Had Better Start Studying For Your Exams, Then." The whole scene before Apple Bloom whirled away and became the Ponyville schoolyard, with the Father at the blackboard in the form of a ordinary school teacher, and her sitting in the sole desk. "Now then, Apple Bloom, I expect you to study hard and apply yourself! We have a lot to cover. There will be a pop quiz after the first decade!"

Alex Warlorn

Scootaloo did not look happy. She looking at the glowing white light of Apple Bloom ascending. She looked at the alien ponies. The time displaced pony. And countless other things that had come out of the woodwork from their endless nights. "Okay. Pinkie Pie and that surprisingly big brain of hers may not be confused but I am. I didn't think I'd ever have to think about all those alternate stuff we met on our journey ever again! But there's so much stuff here now to keep track of that I think I'm going to go bonkers! What about the shape shifting rock we met? Or freakin' Daring Do?! Whose a character in adventure books I might add! I think things would get LESS crazy now that... ugh. I don't think we slept AT ALL last night, and we had a bajillion nights, and I still have our homework to do I think! And agh! Will some pony please give me a recap of whose here and what's going on?! Do half the ponies here even have a reason to be here? It's like they're here just because it's cool! Normally I don't mind that sorta thing but this is too much!"

Alex Warlorn

Scootaloo sat in front of a mini-TV. She began chowing down on chips in a lawn chair. And began watching re-runs of Pinkie Pie's variety show.

"What are you doing Scootaloo?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Until some pony freakin' makes a list of every pony here and everything they're doing and what sneaked after us from all those times we got zapped into stuff, I'm sitting my rear right here and not doing."

Mtangalion

On the mini-TV, Pinkie Pie stopped reading one of the viewer letters and peered straight at the camera. "Silly filly! Breaking the fourth wall is my job!" She squeaked right out of the TV, still black and white, then blew up in a confetti explosion and became Princess Thalia in full color. "Or at least, it used to be my job, but I'm feeling nostalgic and I *am* nostalgia so it's my job either way!" She whipped a cane out from behind her back, then reached off-screen with it and pulled back a mortarboard, which flipped onto her head. "Get ready for one heck of a song!"

Scootaloo had jumped back from the TV, spilling her chips. "Um... Is this really the best way?"

But Thalia was already flying high in the air, firing bursts of cotton-candy magic to summon parade floats staffed with Love Cats, and a brownish pony with a loud yellow shirt. "Good morning, Ponyville!" shouted the new stallion, brandishing an accordion. "I'm Cheese Sandwich, and I have no idea what I'm doing here!"

Thalia jumped into a spotlight, microphone in hoof. "No time to explain! Scootaloo needs those names, and fast!" Cheese shrugged and started playing, while she danced and sang:

== To the tune of Yakko's World ==

There's... Miss Twilight Sparkle
and Spike and Moon Shadow
with Sweetie Belle and Rarity!

Maternity Love-Tap
and Button and Rainbow Dash
Big Mac and Miss Cheerilee!

Fluttershy, Zephyr Breeze
Thalia, hey that's me!
Nebula, Nova, Pink Star!

Star Hopper, Scootaloo
Blue Dwarf and Imp's here too
Comet the Canis Minor!

"But, I wanted more than just names!" shouted Scootaloo. "Can't you at least slow down? I'll never remember all that!"

But Thalia was huddled with Flim and Flam and Dr. Moon Shadow. Flim threw the switch on a gadget they'd just built, and a statue garden in a shield bubble came flying out of a portal. Carnival Cat and four plastic cherubs could be seen through the portal, waving bye, until the portal closed.

Twilight ran straight to the statue garden, and her jaw hit the ground, seeing her brother and Cadence, still wolves.

Thalia teleported back onto the stage and sucked in a deep breath.

Oh, there's Veritas, Flam and Flim,
Hey, look who's back again!
Cadence and Shining Armor!
Kifuko and Midnight
Cicada, yeah they're alright
Hercules Beetle, yes sir!

While Cheese raised the key and played another verse without singing, and a copy of Pinkie Pie had a little talk with Twilight about making Pinkie Promises for other ponies, Scootaloo banged her forehead against a fence post. Button and Sweetie surrounded her, Sweetie hugging and Button patting her on the back. "There, there..."

Thalia waved a baton, whipping the song into a frantic finale.

And let us not forget
These extra special guests
Luna, Celestia
What-If Machine-ia
Golden and Filthy Rich
Discord and Diamond and
Snow Bound and Blanky then
Daring Doo
Daydream Doo
And introducing too
For the first time to you

With little warning, Apple Bloom's cocoon glowed brilliantly and burst, letting a winged shape soar into the sky! Thalia kept right on going without taking a breath.

Princess Praegressus
Machinas Eques-
tria if that's a
Mouthful well
just call her Progress
Or Apple Bloom is just fine
Anything that will rhyme.
And that's what
Yeah that's what
Yes, that's what we're going to do!

An older, seemingly teen-aged Apple Bloom touched down and struck a perfectly balanced pose, horn flashing in the sunlight and wings spread. Instead of fancy regalia, she wore a tool apron with plenty of pouches. She had goggles on her forehead, a smith's hammer at her side, and the Cutie Mark that only a few ponies present had yet seen.

There was a brief shocked silence, broken by a familiar voice. "Bravo!" shouted Discord, clapping his paw and claw enthusiastically. "Wonderful, simply marvelous! Wait... Did she say Discord?!"

Beside him, Diamond sighed. "Oh, Uncle, you just can't help yourself, can you?"

Alex Warlorn

"AAAAH! DISCORD!" Somepony shouted. Followed by lots of magical lasers.

*One epic magic laser fight and awkward apology later*

Given Discord's... reputation... the results were predictable, and rainbow colored, preceded by a bunch of pain with Discord and Diamond Tiara on the receiving end.

However, this resulted the side effect of petrifying Sweetie Belle as well, due to the link the two shared. So they were now rather embarrassedly undoing the petrification on both at the same time.

Meanwhile, Scootaloo was speaking with the alien ponies.

"I'm just saying," Scootaloo said, "What PERSONALITY do you alien ponies have? I mean, BESIDES being aliens, which is super ultra-cool and everything, and so is your pet. But ... what really makes you, YOU? You're all the same kinda. I mean, you being aliens was really cool, and you were all mysterious and unknown, and exciting to meet... but now? It really feels like you're here, just to make things cooler by being here."

"Cadence, Shining Armor, you now have two foals who need your attention and protection, and a kingdom that relies on you to see them into the future. I don't think the two of you should risk yourselves, and thus those you care about." Princess Celestia said. "You two will have your own dark lord to face on your own, believe me, those who carry the light attracts the dark, so those who enjoy the light can continue to live their lives, that's the prince of such things. But this isn't your battle."

"And that is why it is prominent that you be sent back to the fiction universe beyond the golden gate that you so clearly came from." Princess Luna said to Daring Do and Day Dream.

"Please stop turning into me. I should be back nice and safe in the foal's bedroom, not out in the open like this." Said the What-If Machine to Imp as it kept copying it and just whistling.

"At least we're still invisible to every pony here except the goddesses and the truth holders." Said Snowbound to Blanky who yipped.

"I think I want to go back into magical stasis now." Moon Shadow said at the chaotic mess.

"I know how you feel about me and the egg." Spike said.

"Can I PLEASE go back inside?!" Zephyr Breeze, "And just wait for big sister to save the world from whatever this week?" Said the grown stallion that most didn't (at the moment yet) remember meeting before.

Maternity said to her son as he watched Sweetie be de-petrified along with Diamond Tiara. "Button Mash, you need to know, just because you have that cutie mark doesn't mean I'm going to let you play video games all day."

"Ah'm just not into having any high priests yet." Apple Bloom said to Flim and Flam.

Mtangalion

Princess Cadence smiled sheepishly at Celestia, nodding. "After all the time we spent cooped up in that statue garden..."

Shining Armor nuzzled Cadence warmly. "We really don't mind hopping on the next train home and taking a good long family-bonding break." The stallion twitched, the fur on his back getting ruffled. "Are you sure I'm going to be alright, though? It can't be normal, having twelve or thirteen of me running around in my head. I've been feeling all itchy, too... Like I'm just waiting for the last horseshoe to drop." He flashed into his griffon form and had an easier time scratching his back, sighing contentedly.

Twilight Sparkle didn't know if she'd ever get used to him doing that. His last words made her prick her ears up, though. "BBBFF? You've been having a feeling like that too?"

Princess Celestia beamed. "All misunderstandings aside... Twilight, that was very impressive, the way you wielded the Elements of Magic, Honesty, and Laughter simultaneously." She winked at Luna. "It hasn't often been done before."

Twilight bowed sheepishly to Celestia, and Veritas and Thalia too. "I'm really sorry I didn't listen... When Spike and I found the Elements of Harmony in my library this morning, I assumed you had some kind of plan... and then *Discord* actually appeared..."

Celestia looked to Luna again, then levitated a sealed box to Twilight. "There's a special project that I've been meaning to entrust you with, my faithful student. One that might be even more important to the future of Equestria than rescuing Flim and Flam's uncle." A golden glow from her horn unsealed the box and lifted the ancient tome inside. "This is a spell that was authored by Starswirl the Bearded himself, only, you see, he never completed it..."

There was a flash behind them. "Human!" shouted Lyra Heartstrings, dancing happily on two legs.

Cadence frowned. "We should probably move those statues somewhere else."

"And tell her that humans wear clothes," said Apple Bloom, blushing.

Daring Do was tugging on Luna's mane, trying to get her attention again. "Princess, we didn't want to panic anypony, but... we aren't the only ones who came through that gate. And as tempting as it is to forget all this and never have to deal with Ahuizotl in our world again..."

Luna's eyes widened. "I'll contact the Everfree Rangers and Misfit Squad at once."

Big Mac gnawed on his stalk of wheat thoughtfully. "Guess Ah missed mah chance to wear one of them fancy necklaces again." He turned to Snow Bound and Blanky, snorting. "Ah don't think we've been properly introduced."

Flim and Flam were grinning at Apple Bloom. "Like it or not, Princess Progress..." said Flim.

"You're an inspiration to all of us," said Flam. "This is huge! In that other world, you didn't take on that exalted and splendiferous form until after college."

Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Button Mash approached, with Sweetie Belle still shaking her head, finding more pebbles in her ears. "Well," said Scootaloo, not quite meeting Bloom's eyes. "I guess the horseshoe's really on the other hoof now."

Apple Bloom sat down and used her magic to help gently gather them into a big hug. "Things are gonna be different now, and that's the truth... and there's no more marks to crusade for, but dangit, we're still Crusaders together! Whether you join me someday or you don't, please... don't ever think Ah'm gonna be too high an' mighty for *mah friends*."

"What, no hug for me?" said Diamond Tiara with a grin and a bit of her old snark. She was in her half-dragon form, since everypony had seen it anyway.

Sweetie Belle was the one who magically pulled her over to the hug-pile. "All in favor of making Diamond Tiara an honorary Crusader?"

"Aye!!!" shouted the rest of them.

Off to one side, Fluttershy and Fluttercruel were having a staring contest with Discord, still trying to get him to reveal "his real plan." Rarity was staring at the seapony statue, wondering why she felt so tempted to touch it, and pondering a new ocean-themed line of dresses. Silver Spoon was beside Discord, eyes wide as she read a "So You Want to be a Yokai" pamphlet.

"Why do I feel like I missed something really big?" mused Rainbow Dash to nopony in particular.

Discord flicked a claw, dressing up Dash and himself in matching cheesy bandit masks and capes. "You haven't missed the epic pranks that I'm going to play on Ponyville. Once they're used to me, of course!"

Dash grinned craftily. "Tell me more..."

Alex Warlorn

Cicada said in awe, "I'm not sure I can just leave the statues unattended, how in Queen Rose Dust's name did they all get here? They should be all tied directly to the leylines that they were built on, they shouldn't even WORK here."

Hercules said, "Where the Queen leads, all changelings follow. And sadly I have no answer other than this town is weird."

Mtangalion

A remarkable number of Alicorns put their heads together with Cicada, trying to figure out how to teleport the statue garden back where it came from, without severing those mysteriously intact arcane connections. Even little Kifuko and Half-Light Midnight helped. Or they were just doodling with their crayons. It was hard to be sure.

A slim hoof tapped Diamond Tiara on the shoulder. She turned her head, careful not to poke anypony with her horns, and saw... "Featherweight?" When had he gotten here? The odd little colt bowed apologetically and held out a photograph.

Diamond Tiara's eyes widened, and Sweetie Belle's too, looking over her shoulder. It was photo of three granite statues... Diamond and Sweetie rearing up with hoof and claws clasped like ballet dancers, and Discord raising his paw and claw to the sky behind them, all tragically misunderstood. "Wow. Those poses really did turn out pretty good."

"I just want you to know," said Featherweight in a scratchy voice that sounded like it didn't get much use, "I'm sorry about all those photos before, the ones that got you in trouble."

Scootaloo looked to Button Mash, then back at Featherweight. "Are you talking about Gabby Gums?"

Diamond Tiara clenched her claws. "You're lucky I had a nice long talk with Uncle Discord and Miss Thalia about learning to let go of things like... that?"

Featherweight had vanished into thin air.

Diamond looked quickly left and right, and spotted the colt on a distant second-floor balcony. He snapped a photo, then darted out of frame to the right.

"Hey!" shouted Diamond. "I see what you did there! ... Uncle Discord, is Featherweight..."

"Ah ah ah!" said Discord, waggling a claw. "Spoilers." He turned the page in the book he was reading: "Journey to Another World: A Daydream Doo Young Adventure."

Sweetie Belle mumbled, "Thanks for not saying 'Spoilers, Sweetie.'"

Diamond Tiara giggled.

Mtangalion

The new, older and somewhat wiser Flim Flam brothers made plans with the Crusaders. They repeated that they wanted a day or two to prepare and scout the mansion, but they promised that when they ventured inside again, all of the Crusaders would be involved, if they still wanted to be.

Twilight Sparkle literally could not be pried away from the ancient spellbook, and Spike had to walk her home.

Lyra Heartstrings refused to touch any of the other statues, or allow Cadence to attempt to change her back. Thalia produced a few sets of clothes, which she claimed to have stashed in case of naked human emergencies, and Rarity took Lyra's new measurements, saying that it promised to be an interesting challenge. Lyra eventually had to scoop up Bon Bon and jog on home, when ponies started arguing about who should get the next belly rub.

Somehow, the Alicorns managed to reduce the statue garden down to an enchanted amulet. Cicada took charge of this, pleased that he could accompany his queen and see more of the modern world without leaving his post unguarded.

Celestia introduced the star ponies to everypony who wanted to meet them, remembering everyone's names perfectly. Then the royal families of Equestria boarded a train to Canterlot, with the spaceship flying along behind.

And then, the Crusaders did something else that it felt like they hadn't done in forever. Each of them went home, with his or her own family, back to their own lives and their own beds... but promising to meet again soon.

Sweetie Belle made a pouting filly face at her homework, still on Rarity's kitchen table right where she'd left it, while Rarity herself whipped up a couple of homemade hayburgers, humming a familiar tune. The whole scene was so normal, Sweetie almost called for Blanky. She'd never convinced Rarity that the stray white puppy was real, anyway.

"Um, Rarity?" she said cautiously. "I'm not sure how much you heard already, or what you remember, but the other Crusaders and I... we kind of went on a great big adventure last night."

Rarity glanced back at her. "So, instead of sleeping peacefully in your sleeping bags during your sleepover, you went out Crusading instead? I'm really not that surprised, although it's good that you're being honest."

Sweetie hesitated. "Well, yes... and no! Princess Luna and Miss Fate made a deal to keep us safe, and we explored all over the Everfree Forest! I learned all kinds of things about my magic, and my friends and family..." She glanced at her cutie mark, and couldn't help but smile. "And even about my singing talent!"

Rarity lifted a spatula in her magic, turning the sizzling hayburger patties over. "I see. Are you quite sure you didn't have a great rollicking *dream* adventure with Princess Luna?"

Sweetie Belle smirked. "Pretty sure. Say, mind if I set the table?"

Rarity nearly fumbled the frying pan. "No! I mean, there's no need, Sweetie! Just wait a moment and I'll... oh my."

Many of the things that she'd done and known as Princess Euterpe were just a blur, but telekinesis wasn't one of them. Sweetie's pale green aura opened the kitchen cabinets and brought out two forks and two plates and two glasses, filling the glasses with ice from the fridge along the way... all at once.

Rarity barely had the presence of mind to not let the hayburgers burn. "My goodness!" she repeated. "Ah, your place setting is just a teensy bit... asymmetrical. Thank you, darling." She recovered her poise quickly... she was Rarity, after all, and she brought the food to the table.

Sweetie beamed. "So, what do you want to hear about first, sis?"

Rarity nibbled on her hayburger, smiling. "Why, I still want to hear all about your new beau, of course."

Sweetie blinked. "Really?" she deadpanned. "You don't want to hear about sea ponies? Or that time we beat Pony Satan? Or when we met Queen Majesty?"

The last one made Rarity's ears prick up. "Ooh, tempting. But I do want to know more about... who was it... ah, Button Mash. Who is this colt who's worthy of my dear little sister?" She paused, blotting her muzzle with a napkin. "Perhaps I'm living vicariously through you, and for that I should apologize. After all, if I weren't so wrapped up in my work and my business plans, then surely I would have found my own Prince Charming by now."

"Well," mused Sweetie. "Button is nice... and he's really smart and kind." She smiled. "He's sensitive too... he used to be kind of a crybaby, but he's brave and strong when he needs to be." A thought struck her. "You know, sis... Spike still remembers all of that about how to control his size. He's older than he looks, and he's as mature as he feels the need to be." She winked. "And as handsome as he wants to be, too."

Rarity leaned back in her chair. "That is... intriguing. I can almost picture it now." She frowned. "Sweetie Belle, why do I remember an orange and purple dragoness wrecking my home in search of gems?" She looked around, as if she needed convincing that it hadn't really happened.

Sweetie chuckled. "Yeah, about that... If you really want Spike, you might have to get him before Scootaloo does."

Alex Warlorn

'Beware little pony, nostalgia may be your friend. But she is also a liar.'

Mtangalion

Even after all those crazy Everfree adventures, Scootaloo still felt a measure of pride that she could fly her own self up to Rainbow Dash's house instead of getting carried like a foal. She could even shout "Race ya!" and have her idol not be *obviously* just going slow to humor her.

Speaking of overgrown foals...

"Omigosh, omigosh!" squealed Dash. "I can't believe I really got to meet..." She slapped her cheeks with her forehooves. "The real Daring Do!"

"Yeah, that was pretty cool," said Scootaloo, trying to mask her own grin. "Exploring an ancient temple with them and all."

Dash zipped to her side fast enough to ruffle all her cloud furniture. "*You* went on an adventure with Daring Do already?!"

"Um... technically it was with Daydream," said Scootaloo sheepishly. "We got turned into... um, never mind that part! But Daring did show up at the end!" She blinked. "And then Dr. Caballeron sang a song about how he was gonna get us next time. And Shining Armor showed up out of nowhere and put him under arrest. That was kind of weird, come to think of it."

"Pfft. Well, I'm gonna get to help Daring Do stop Ahuizotl! I was right there when Princess Luna said..." Dash straightened up, putting on a super-serious face. "'Miss Doo, please do not hesitate to call upon the Elements of Harmony as well.'"

"Daring Do kinda likes to do everything on her own," Scootaloo pointed out.

"But even Daring Do needs help sometimes! Like that time in the Griffon's Goblet when she..."

Scootaloo groaned. Daring Do was cool and all, but she didn't want to talk about her *all night*. "Did I mention that I was a dragon, and a kirin and a Nightmare?"

Dash squinted at Scootaloo suspiciously, as if a horn might pop out of her mane. "You were a Nightmare?"

"Um... I got better?"

"Oh, really, huh? What was your Nightmare thing? Flying crazy fast? Doing stunts that were just too extreme?!"

Scootaloo looked down at her hooves, embarrassed. "Well... I was your number one ultimate fan. And I tried to make everypony in Equestria as awesome as you are, Dash."

Rainbow Dash blinked. "Uh, you *do* know that Nightmares are supposed to be evil and crazy, right? I mean, how could too much awesomeness possibly be a bad thing?"

Scootaloo closed her eyes, sighing. "Because it's *wrong* to make other ponies into what you what them to be, whether they like it or not? Ugh... Nightmare Me even did that to *you*, the pony I admire the most! And dragon me didn't even care how much of Ponyville she wrecked, so long as she got what she wanted. Without my friends, I never could have pulled me back together again..."

"Aww..." Rainbow Dash hugged her, ruffling her mane with a wing. "When did my little filly start getting so grown up?"

"Dash..." Scootaloo felt a little guilty, not saying anything about her birth parents... not yet, not until this adventure was really over.

Dash winked. "Maybe even grown up enough to do her homework without me nagging, huh?"

"Ugh, Dash!" Scootaloo giggled. "Okay..." She reached for her school saddlebag...

And for a moment, the filly saw her kirin paws instead of small orange hooves. "Part of you still wants this," echoed that voice in her head from the Tunnel of Love. Had she really started turning back into something dragonish there? *Could* she still do that? She imagined her dragon self busting through the walls of Rainbow's house and falling through the floor, and it was kinda funny... but no, that wouldn't be nice at all.

Scootaloo took a deep breath, then grasped a pencil in her mouth and got to work.

Beyond the boundaries of the world, an Alicorn in ancient Romane barding floated in the aether, a big grin on her face. "Heh. Was I really ever that innocent?"

Princess Fidelitas dismissed that scene and focused her attention on Flummox's mansion, leveling a hoof at it accusingly. "Your number just came up, Lilith! You've come crawling back from Oblivion for the last time."

Mtangalion

Button Mash tried to wave his game console away, but he was so tired that he missed it entirely. It floated there like an unblinking eye, still displaying "Objective: Do your homework! 4/5 pages completed." "Wish I could use my sword instead of a quill," murmured the colt.

He yawned blearily and pushed his chair back from his little writing desk, getting to his hooves. He noticed that his saddlebags were hanging on a peg instead of lying on the floor... mom must have done that when she brought him milk and cookies. She'd found his propeller beanie too, and laid both halves of it out on a shelf. Button smiled sadly. Mom could probably sew it back together, but the magic was gone, and he wasn't sure he wanted dad to make him another one.

His bed seemed to call to him... neatly made, with his old Ponio plush sitting on the corner.

[Would you like to rest here? Y/N]

Yes! Button Mash was snugly wrapped up in the bed covers before he knew it. A short lullaby played with a hauntingly familiar tune.

Button's eyes sprang open. It was still pitch dark outside, with Luna's moonlight streaming through the window, and mom was rushing around the house talking to herself.

"I still need to write the letter to Eight-Bit and Sixteen-Bit!" exclaimed Maternity Love-Tap. "And the other families will want to plan the party too! What kind of party will it even be? A cutie-mark celebration and two cute-ceaneras and whatever a goddess has, all in one?"

Button Mash trotted over and nuzzled her warmly. "Mom, if we need a whole new kind of party invented, I'm sure Princess Thalia will be up for it."

Mom put a hoof to her muzzle. "Oh! Why, of course we could do that." She smiled. "Though 'Just leave everything to Pinkie Pie' is still a little scary when I say it out loud." She assumed Stern Mom Pose #3. "And what are you doing out of bed, mister?"

"Middle of the night cutscene." Button blinked. "I mean, I couldn't sleep!"

Maternity chuckled. "Well, back to bed..." She paused, suddenly thoughtful. "Son... I had a dream the other night, a dream that I was an Alicorn who could nurture and support all the foals in the whole world, no matter how far away they were." She looked at him uncertainly. "Was that... more than just a dream?"

Button grinned and nodded eagerly, sniffling a bit.

She hugged her son close. "I remember, you said you'd help... but I guess I can't hold you to that, since you're not an Alicorn like you were in the dream."

Button hugged her back. "Somewhere out there, in some world, I still am. We'll just have to learn about becoming Alicorns together."

Kendell2

"Response: what are you doing?" The What If Machine asked Applebloom.

"Given ya a little upgrade..." she said. "There!"

The What If Machine found itself on a single wheel allowing it to move around freely. "This unit likes this, thank you."

Applebloom rubbed her head. "Shucks, felt yah deserved a way tah move around more..."

"Applebloom, yah need tah get tah bed," Applejack/Veritas said, poking in. No one had told Applebloom Alicorns no longer PHYSICALLY needed sleep, and most likely no one would until she was older.

"Was just givin' the What If Machine a present," she replied. "...Sis..."

"Yeah?"

Applebloom got up and walked over and spread her wings. "...Will ya teach meh tah fly? Ah think any flyin' Ah've done before now was kinda instinct and it kinda wore off."

Veritas blushed. "Well...ya see, Ah'm in the same boat, sugar cube...Pinkie's got a pegasus as one of her previous selves so she got lucky...but one thin' Ah can teach ya?"

"What?" Applebloom asked.

The older Alicorn focused and her tail turned into that of a Sea Pony. She focused again and her wings gained a sheen and her head gained antenna. "The truth about Alicorns is: we've got more than just magic and wings tah learn about...and those Ah know enough tah teach ya a little bit."

Applebloom smiled. "Ah'd like that, sis."

"Good...now hit the hay! Yah might be an Alicorn but yer still a filly!"

Mtangalion

The big day finally came, and a much larger group of ponies made their way through the Everfree Forest, past the place where the carnival had stood. In daylight, it resembled a deserted lot after the circus had left town.

Fluttershy led the way, with the Element of Kindness shining bright around her neck. Any Everfree nasties that thought to ambush unprepared ponies turned right around when they saw her. The Cutie Mark Crusaders came next, riding atop one of Flim and Flam's steam wagons, with the brothers themselves walking on either side. Twilight's whole original group of Ponyville friends walked close behind them, with Twilight, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash also wearing their Elements... and they'd brought a couple of new friends along for the adventure.

Big Macintosh eyed the Element of Honesty, uncharacteristically nervous. "Are ya sure, sis? Miss Twilight worked it just fine." Indeed, the Elements of Honesty and Laughter had turned into crystal spheres with Twilight's cutie mark when she used them, and they were still that way now. "Heck, you could use it just fine. Ah don't know what you'd even want me for."

Veritas smiled. "They're the Elements of *Harmony*, big brother. They work better with six different ponies. Mortal ponies, not know-it-all Alicorns. Here, try it on for size." She floated the sphere in her magic and held it out to him.

Big Mac snorted, eyes darting to follow the sphere as it orbited around him. "And just how do Ah do that? Carry it in mah teeth?" Then the Element of Honesty startled him by blazing orange and turning into an amulet on a golden chain, already bearing his half-apple cutie mark.

"A big round of applause for Big Mac!" whooped Cheese Sandwich. He was doing tricks with the Element of Laughter, rolling it over his hooves, tossing it in the air then pulling it out of his sleeve. The Element flickered, but didn't transform yet. "Huh, tough crowd!"

Thalia nuzzled the skinny, curly-maned stallion. "Aw, you'll get it, Cheesy!"

Twilight kept twitching and glancing over her shoulder as she walked along. "Ah, I just thought of something! This might be a major breakthrough! I should go back and get Starswirl's book. No, no, don't worry!" Her mane twitched. "I can teleport back and bring it here in a flash!"

"Twilight, darling..." said Rarity soothingly. "This is most unlike you, wanting to take a precious, irreplaceable tome into the forest where its pages might get dirty... or even torn!"

The purple unicorn made a bleating goat noise somehow. "Dirty! Torn!?" She took deep breaths. "I can stay strong. Research! No! I can do this..."

"That's the spirit!" said Rarity. "Come, now, everypony... If we're actually going to use these lovely trinkets, then we absolutely must get to know one another better. Cheese Sandwich, dear, I dare you... to make Big Macintosh laugh!"

Flummox's mansion wasn't any less foreboding in daylight.

Flim held some sort of half-tech, half-arcane gadget in his hoof, frowning as he poked at it. "That's not good. The house wards have been re-tuned and powered to full."

Rainbow Dash spread her wings and lifted off. "I'll go check it out!"

Flim blinked. "Weren't you listening? Wait, no, get away from there!" A magical sphere pulsed around the house, sending Dash flying clear over the horizon. It took a good twenty seconds for Dash to fly back and settle on the ground, head still spinning.

Flam cleared his throat. "Nopony attuned to an Element of Harmony is getting inside there. Not unless we can shut the wards off from the inside."

All eyes slowly settled on the Crusaders and Flim and Flam. Flim and Flam grinned and posed. Button, Sweetie, Bloom, and Scootaloo blushed a bit.

"Figures," muttered Veritas.

"If that nasty Lilith is a disembodied spirit," mused Apple Bloom out loud, "then how'd she do that?"

Flam took off his hat and fanned his greying mane, deep in thought. "A very good question, Praegressus."

Thalia trotted forward and started stiffing at the lawn and the hedges like a bloodhound, as close as she could get without setting off the shield. "Aha!" She held up a black hooded cloak. "She had help!"

Scootaloo groaned. "Those dumb cultists again?"

"More than just them," said Thalia, levitating a large purple hat covered with stars.

Twilight gasped, grabbing the hat in her own magic and bringing it closer. "Trixie?!"

Flim shared a concerned glance with Flam. "She was still following us?"

Twilight started shaking her head. "No. Trixie's used the Element of Magic. She couldn't be in there."

"Unless..." Sweetie Belle gulped. "Lilith let her in..."

Alex Warlorn

"Sll'ha, shugg-oth ooboshu!" ("Welcome visitors of earth-realm.") Garbled some cheery little voices.

Rarity naturally let a shriek and leapt back, successfully making a sanity check.

Cheese Sandwich was not so lucky and fainted.

Big Mac partially made one but still felt paralyzed at the sight.

Flim and Flam successfully made theirs easily but took a step back reaching for a steam powered bazooka just in case (and a case full of pricey sushi and menu, just in case).

The Alicorns present didn't even have to make one.

Rainbow Dash instinctively shrieked and flew back through a tree, barely noticing.

Twilight Sparkle successfully made hers, but again wondered what she was seeing and wondering if this was a nightmare.

The CMC successfully made one... mostly they'd gotten used to this sort of thing and had reach their cap for losing sanity points to this sort of thing a long time ago.

Coming out of hiding... where four 'foals.' If that was what was right to call them. Instead of fur they had slimly scales and gills. Instead of manes they had fins. Their eyes' centers were cross shaped. Instead of hooves they had claws. Pegasus wings were bat-like instead of feathered. A horn was twisted into a maddenin' spiral. Their tails were now long like a lizard's with fin like protrusions. Their cutie marks were now redesigned in impossible geometric shapes. Their mouthes full of fangs, covered in tentacles. One was wearing a pink bow, but tied in an impossible ribbon shape.

"Ya Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Button Mash," the four said.

One creature had yellow scales, red fins and orange eyes (she wore the bow, if it was a she). Another was white scales, pink/violet scales and green eyes. Another was orange scales, purple fins and violet eyes. And the last one was brown scales, orange fins, and amber eyes.

The Alicorn Apple Bloom flew to the four with little fear, but much shock and alarm.

"What da heck! What are ya doin' here?"

They continued to speak in the language of the Outer-Concept's spawn. Thalia/Pinkie Pie put ear muffs over the ponies' ears and directly them to look somewhere else to keep them from going insane.

The Alicorn Apple Bloom said, "They say that... well. They're from another universe, but now they can't get home because the mansion is all sealed up, and they want to help."

That wasn't the WHOLE truth, but it wasn't technically a lie to set off Veritas' lie detector.

There was 'Bad End' that the CMC didn't remember for the sake of their own sanity, before being turned into little maids who served the household. Apple Bloom had mutated into a deep-pony, and had chosen to 'share the truth' with her friends, with the ultimate intent of continuing to 'share the truth' with the rest of Equestria, all baking cookies for the greater glory of Ponythulu. Alicorn Apple Bloom hadn't asked 'who else' they'd 'shared the truth' with. Though Alicorn Apple Bloom did imagine an epic back-off between Celestia's cakes and Ponythulu's cookies for the souls of ponies.

As a rule, the rest of the CMC had been splintered off into their own timelines, leaving only the CMC of THIS timeline, the Ponythulu CMC+1 SHOULD HAVE been sent into their own individual timeline like the rest, but instead they'd been stuck here thanks to the chaos the ensued due to the incomplete reset with Genie Sweetie Belle until it was retrograded for the others to join her. Now they only way back to their timeline was through the mirrors in Flummox's house.

Mtangalion

Veritas took advantage of the confusion to whisper to the Crusaders. "Ah don't like this... but it saves me having to convince your sisters to let ya go trotting off into danger again." She gave them all serious looks, then hugged Apple Bloom close. "Stay safe. Ah have a bad feeling there's a connection here Ah haven't realized yet."

Apple Bloom hugged Applejack back with a mighty grip that could only have been safe for one Alicorn hugging another. "Ah'll do my best, sis!"

Flim and Flam nodded to each other, then trotted up the stairs. "Uncle Flummox!" shouted Flim. "We've come to deliver that thing you wanted!"

The wards shimmered. "Confirmed," said a recording of Flummox's voice. "Temporary access granted for Flim and Flam."

"And eight guests!" added Flam quickly.

The house was silent for so long, Flim and Flam began to worry that the security spells were going refuse them, but then... "Granted."

The brothers trotted right through the wards and went up the stairs two at a time, not looking back, because Apple Bloom was herding the nightmarish deep ponies along right behind them.

The cultists were waiting for them right in the foyer, not being subtle at all. The Crusaders even recognized the cult leader, barely... he was obviously very overweight, even with the black cloak covering him. "At last, I'll have my revenge on you brats!" he hissed. "For a time beyond time, I had to survive with nothing to eat but those blasted cookies! Now that we're members of Lilith's new coven, you won't be dismissing us so easily..."

Then Flim and Flam stepped aside, and he saw the deep ponies.

"No... nooooo, not again!!" He ran for his life, gasping and panting.

The other three Crusaders stumbled in behind Apple Bloom. "Is it safe to look yet?" asked Sweetie.

Alex Warlorn

Meanwhile....

"So you see my dear Beatrix Lulamoon... since your soul contains a part of that accursed prison, the Alicorn Amulet... that means you have a piece of my soul within you... and I'll be wanting that back now." Said the shadowy but now more solid shape of the pale queen. Trixie bound and chained with a seal on her horn. "Though how you could be such a total inept failure and have a part of me as part of your soul is beyond me."

"It's time to get weird!" Flummox shouted... as he lay, no longer a Nightmare, nor an Alicorn... and in a straight jacket and a horn seal.

"And thank you dear pony for your contribution in restoring my essence, that of a Nightmare was very delectable. Too bad that trice damned filly got away... Though it seems it's left you stark raving mad... without any of the comic power... Nothing of value was lost."

Kendell2

"...Okay, I'm new leader now," said a random cultist. "Get them! In the name of Mistress Lilith!"

The cultist prepared to charge...when suddenly a giant cartoon hammer (that decidedly wasn't soft) swung and hit several of them across the room.

"Surprise!" screamed a little filly's voice at which point an orange filly with a green mane and tail with an Apple slice and an Orange slice for her Cutie Mark dropped from the ceiling with a rope and somehow tied the remaining, surprised cultists up like a birthday present. "Ah hope Aunt AJ is watchin' somehow!"

"Well she might be," said a voice as Diamond Tiara, or rather A Diamond Tiara, stepped up, holding the cartoon hammer in her hooves like she had hands. A camera identical to the ones the CMC were using was held in her tail like it was a monkey's. She threw up the hammer and then SWALLOWED IT cartoon style, causing the group to stare in shock. She then looked at the CMC like she hadn't seen any of them but Scootaloo in a LONG time. "You three?"

Button waved.

"Four...sorry, I don't know who you are..." Diamond admitted, causing Button to frown. "Sorry! I didn't know you when you were around in my world!"

"Howdy! Ah'm Apple Pie!" said the young filly. It was at this point the two were standing still enough that it became apparent that Apple Pie was wearing an Element of Laughter around her neck and Diamond Tiara had an Element as well, however hers was a polished bronze instead of gold, and a dark pink.

"How did yah girls get in here?" Apple Bloom asked. "Elements of Harmony are bein' kept out by the barrier!"

Diamond Tiara shrugged. "Well we did come from the weird mirror portal thing. We're looking for stuff for our show," she explained, pointing to the camera "Plus, I'm an Element of CHAOS...we're in an alternate universe, aren't we?"

Apple Pie chuckled. "Never been tah another universe before!"

The Deep Pony CMC looked over them. Diamond Tiara just shrugged and waved. "Hi cousins." The Deep Ponies just waved. "Insanity, been there done that."

"Hehe! There's two of ya!" Apple Pie said, laughing rather than going insane. Her world was crazier and Ponythulhu was a regular visitor.

"We're tryin' tah get 'em back to the mirrors," Applebloom explained. "Then beat some super ancient witch."

"Well we can help ya! We just came from there!" Apple Pie remarked.

"Thanks..." Scootaloo replied. "Name's Scootaloo."

"Hi! Ah know ya back home! Cept your a crystal pony," Apple Pie replied, seeming not to find that fact at all odd.

"Sweetie Belle," Sweetie Belle introduced.

"Hi! I'm Button Mash!" Button Mash introduced.

"And Ah'm Applebloom!" Applebloom explained...then blinked as Apple Pie gasped in a rather Pinkie Pie like way and hugged her.

"Great Great Great Great Great Great Great Great Great Great Great Great...Ah lost count-Grandma!"

"...Say what now?"

"...So we just met Applebloom's descendant from the future...eh, not that weird..." Scootaloo commented.

Diamond Tiara then blinked in confusion as Apple Pie's hug caused Applebloom's wings to come off her side. "Wait a minute, you're an ALICORN?! I just thought you were a unicorn here!"

OOC: I've wanted to do this the ENTIRE time.

Mtangalion

Trixie stared into space, seemingly paralyzed by sheer terror... while she mentally reviewed her escape-artist training and prayed to any Alicorn listening that Lilith couldn't outright read her thoughts.

"Ah-hahaha! AHHH-hahahaha!" Flummox grinned, a cheek-muscle twitching. "Nothing of value, that's me!" cried the elderly stallion. "Nothing, nothing, nopony! What am I now? Not mortal, not divine... I could have had the power. It was for me, and you took it all and made those cute little spook fillies cry."

Lilith's ghostly smile would have wilted flowers at a hundred paces. "Which made that act all the sweeter."

Flummox stuck his tongue out at her, then moaned, sagging in his bonds. "I have heard it said that those in my profession must always beware of going mad with power. Sadly, I must report that going mad without power is extremely dull. Nopony respects me!"

"You're a pathetic little beast," said Lilith evenly, "living in a grand house alone in the woods surrounded by useless inventions and magical trinkets. Did anyone ever truly respect you?"

Flummox sobbed. "No. No, not since..." Then he gnashed his teeth, snarling. "How dare you, madam? How dare you treat me like this in my own home?!" He thrashed against his bonds. "I'll kill you... I'll KILL you!!"

In the outer chamber, glass shattered, and a metal hoofband flew into the room, trailing crimson light. (Flummox of Equestria, you have...)

Lilith pointed a ghostly finger, and black crystal engulfed the object. It fell, chiming musically as the crystal bounced across the floor. "A tool of unthinking rage? You must have been desperate, to consider using this. That was almost clever, for a beast." Her expression hardened. "Now, tell me what you did with the Alicorn Amulet."

Flummox's muzzle fell open, but he said nothing.

"I know that it was here, in this house," said Lilith. "Why else would I have haunted it? Tell me swiftly, and I shall have power to spare, and little need of your stolen gift. If you should keep me waiting, though..."

Kendell2

"Saint Applebloom?!" all four Crusaders asked at once after an explanation.

"Yep!" Apple Pie replied cheerfully.

"You're an ALICORN, I think you've still got bragging rights," Diamond Tiara pointed out.

Applebloom blinked, suddenly feeling slightly invigorated for some reason. She noticed Diamond Tiara's Element flash for a moment as she spoke. "Thanks...So, uh, how did ya get those weird powers?"

"You mean the toon stuff?" Diamond Tiara questioned. "Uncle Discord gave them to me...it's a long story...I'm a good guy!"

"Cool..." Button Mash said. The Deep Pony Button Mash mimicked him.

"Kinda like our Diamond," Scootaloo pointed out

"What?!" Diamond Tiara asked, her eyes going cartoonishly wide.

"Yeah, she's a Yokai, and Discord's a good guy," Sweetie Belle explained.

Diamond Tiara gave a sigh of relief. "Thanks Grandma Oblivion. I was afraid I was a bad guy here."

Applebloom blinked, noting Diamond seemed guilty for a moment.

"Uh, girls, we should probably be moving on..." Scootaloo pointed out.

"Good point..." Applebloom admitted.

The group moved on...and opened a door to see a large robot pointing a lot of guns at them. "Uh Oh..."

"Must protect the secrets of master's mansion of the unknown!" the robot exclaimed.

Apple Pie giggled, hoping up. "How can it be unknown if your master knows it?"

The CMC plus 1's eyes went wide as the robot started sparking and twitching. "Does not compute..."

The robot then promptly exploded.

"What the buck?" Scootaloo asked.

"Paradoxes!" Apple Pie said cheerfully and giving a chuckle.

Mtangalion

Outside the mansion, Applejack gasped, her wings springing open. "Oh mah stars!" she murmured. "The world just upstream... it's gettin' remade again... fixed this time!" A ruby flash of light dressed her in Veritas' fanciest barding, and she fully extended her wings, floating off the ground. "So many changes trickling in... That one's good... okay... can't use that one... sure, why not? Yes, no, maybe..." Her eyes widened a bit. "Little sis? Are ya turning into a goddess over there too? Ah can't tell from this end..."

Part of the lawn morphed into a cardboard cutout of Diamond Tiara's earth pony form, which then twisted on some interdimensional axis to become Diamond the yokai herself. "H- Hey! Don't go making decisions about my life without asking me!"

"Ah gotcha, sugarcube," said Veritas. "Girls, don't mind me, just keep doing what you've been doing." She blinked. "Girls?"

Twilight and the others weren't paying attention to her at all. They were leaning over a folding table, tension thick in the air.

Big Mac rolled a twenty-sided die. "Sir McBiggen readies his sword an' shield, but he made a promise that he wasn't gonna be the aggressor here, so he's gonna let the dragon make the first move."

Cheese Sandwich grinned. "Garbunkle the Ominous, scourge of a thousand apple cider festivals, lifts a single paw, big enough to crush any member of your party in one step! He reaches towards you, closer... closer! ... and taps Sir McBiggen on the nose. Boop!"

Big Mac blinked. He chuckled, face contorting as he tried to hold it in, and then he burst into deep rolling laughter, slapping the ground with his big hooves.

The Element of Laughter shone, transforming into an amulet around Cheese's neck. Then Cheese Sandwich and Pinkie Pie slapped each other's hooves, jumped up on two legs, and did a crazy synchronized dance, chanting "It's Laughter! Oh yeah! It's Laughter! Uh huh!"

Fluttershy put a hoof on Big Mac's shoulder. "You have such a big, warm laugh. You should do that more often."

Big Mac beamed at his new friends. "Funny, that's just what Miss Cheerilee says."

Alex Warlorn

Lilith grabbed Trixie's head. "I know this may seem pastiche, but while your soul is old little pony-"

"Trixie is not old!"

"-but I was the most powerful witch in the world, back when your species was leaving the slowest of the herd to be eaten by predators! I have resist Death's grasped for time in memorial. And my will is stronger! You are a drop in my lake!"

Trixie's eyes turned red and she became docile.

Lilith snapped her fingers and removed the restraints but kept the horn seal in place.

"Now my little magnet, my glorified golem, the Alicorn Amulet calls to you... the two of you are pieces of the same soul, MINE! Now lead me to it!"

Trixie nodded her head like a doll.

Author's Note

The rules are simple. Write something in the comments, and it's added to the story above! No 'script' format additions! Keep it My Little Ponies!

Set in the same universe as Pinkie Pie Forth Wall Breaking Variety Show!

*Replay recording*

Apple Bloom"We're exploring the Everfree all night! And the best part is when something, ah, 'bad' happens to us, Princess Luna makes it so we, uh, 'respawn?' "

Scootaloo, "Apple Bloom we knew that already."

Apple Bloom, "Yeah, but Ah figured we had to say it again fer some reason."

Sweetie Belle, "Have look at the, what did Pinkie Pie call this? 'Trope Page?'" http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/PinkiePiesFourthWallVarietyShow

So yeah, the CMC are exploring the Everfree with a grainy video camera, but if they say, come to a Bad End, or the like, they'll respawn at the farm house.

Parts added by:
MtangaLion
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn
Mtangalion
Alex Warlorn
Mtangalion
Alex Warlorn
Mtangalion
Mtangalion
Alex Warlorn
Mtangalion
Mtangalion
Kendell2
Mtangalion
Alex Warlorn
Mtangalion
Alex Warlorn
Kendell2
Mtangalion
Kendell2
Mtangalion
Alex Warlorn

Cover is a commission By Kendell2

Cutie Mark Crusaders' Journal of the unexplained 17

Cutie Mark Crusaders' Journal of the unexplained 17

MtangaLion

Scootaloo scouted the way ahead through the mansion more carefully after that, alert for any more threats between them and the World Mirror Maze.

"Thanks a lot for taking care of that robot, you two," said Apple Bloom. "We really could have been in a tight spot."

Button Mash seemed puzzled by this. "What do you mean? You're an Alicorn now! There's nothing around here that you can't handle, right?"

Apple Bloom blushed. "Um, yeah, about that..."

Button waved up his game console. "In fact, I've been meaning to find out just how awesome your stats are now!" Several blinking bars appeared, then slid most of the way to the far left with disappointing descending tones. "Wha-what?!"

Bloom coughed. "Seeing as how Ah've been reborn in my own world and time, continuing from the point where Ah was just an earth pony filly..."

Button gawked at the stats with increasing disbelief. "Only twice as strong as an earth pony stallion? Spell power at magic kindergarten level? Flying skills at zero?!" The colt sat down heavily, looking like he might burst into tears with another nudge. "That isn't fair! They nerfed you to the ground!"

Bloom patted Button soothingly. "Ah'll grow into it!"

Sweetie Belle blinked, then grinned slyly. "Hey, now. That's my job." She trotted up to Button's other side and nuzzled him.

Apple Pie oooohed.

"Yep, we're in another universe alright," muttered Diamond Tiara.

Scootaloo returned to them, gliding through the confined corridors with a grace that made it look easy. "It's just up ahead. Funny, I remember it being closer the first time."

At this point, the deep pony Apple Bloom bowed to them, and began speaking in that brain-melting language again. "We'd like to help you fight Lilith, but she would only turn us against you with her dark magic."

Deep pony Sweetie Belle clenched a squelching thing-she-had-instead-of-a-hoof. "She must not pervert our holy cookie recipes! Guide us, and we shall return to our own world."

Apple Bloom realized something, and started looking all around. "Where did Flim and Flam get off to?"

Alex Warlorn

"Hopefully it's not one of their schemes again." Scootaloo said, even if the brothers now said they'd reformed. "And hopefully the mirror leading there is still there." Scootaloo pointed the way to the mirror room... and there were mirror scattered all about.

The CMC couldn't help themselves and took a look in them as they passed.

In the first mirror, they saw Spike, huge and in his Spikezilla form and with wings. He sat on a massive throne holding a ruby scepter. Drabbed around his left arm was a large lilth blue dragoness. Wrapped around his right arm was a white dragoness with blue eyes and purple ridges, she was incredibly beautiful. On her rear was Rarity's cutie mark.

Wrapped around the left leg was a light brown dragoness with a gray/blue belly and pink hair with a stack of comics nearby. And wrapped around the right leg was a cream colored dragonness with red wings and fins, with a moon cutie mark on her shoulders.

They all looked lovingly and devoted to Spike, all four wearing harem jewelry. They caressed and nuzzled him without end.

Button Mash said, "I think I'm too young for this game."

Sweetie Belle said, "Well, that's one way for them to be together."

Scootaloo blinked, "Spike... doesn't look like a Nightmare in that... and why do I feel the urge to obey anything he says? Ugh! Maybe I was spending too long in dragon form!"

Dark World Diamond Tiara remarked, "So Spike is Dragon Lord there? Oh! Dragon Lord is basically the supreme ruler of Dragons of a territory or domain, they only answer to Tiamat, but the means to pick the successor falls on the dragon lord, they also had a term limits."

"Anything about turning ponies into dragons?" Sweetie asked.

"Been there, done that," Apple Pie said. "Happened a surprising lot in my world."

Apple Bloom said, "Feels a bit demeaning to ponies."

"Why is he using that teenage red dragon as a foot rest?" Sweetie asked.

"I don't think I wanna know." Scootaloo said.

"We have to remember to share cookies with the dragon kingdom when we get back." Squished the Deep Pony Button Mash in a language that would drive most ponies mad.

Apple Bloom cringed.

"Rainbow Dash is already shares the cookies at Cloudsdale by now." Added the Deep Scootaloo.

"And Rarity is sharing them in Canterlot." The Deep Sweetie Belle spoke with what could have been a smile in some fever dream of a mad pony high on witch weed.

"And Applejack's already sent them to every apple family farm she could." Finished the Deep Apple Bloom. "The glory of Ponythulu shall be shared with all."

When the four dragonesses in the mirror began asking which one of them would bear Spike's clutch of eggs first, they girls wisely moved on. Though the Deep CMC+1 didn't see what the problem was.

-

The next was also a throne room. Except this was drab, and unexpressive, if not for the diamonds and pink bows draped all around against the lifeless gray walls. The throne itself looked like it was made out of gray blocks.

Sitting on the throne was a dark pink and black Diamond Tiara, the colors of her cutie mark inverted with wings and a horn. Her barding was gray and studded with diamonds. She still wore her tiara. She sat crossway around the throne, reading a business pony magazine well above age level.

Alula and Tootsie (whom none of the girls knew all that well), stood on either side of the great doors to the throne room, the pegasus and unicorn fillies covered in gray barding also with studded diamonds.

Silver Spoon also sat in barding, besides the throne, polishing her glasses.

Without waring, the doors were blown off her hinges, knocking Alula and Tootsie away. In came the Cutie Mark Crusaders, along with most of the mane six, done up in custom guard armor to emphasize their individual traits.

"Nightmare Tiara!" Shouted Apple Bloom. "Yer gonna pay for making our harvest go bad!"

"And making Rarity late for her meeting in Manehatten!"

"And that Fire snail infestation in Fillidephia!" Scootaloo added.

"Not to mention that break out of hoof-in-mouth in Yakyakistan!" Rainbow Dash swore.

"And making all the cars crash at the Applewood Derby!" Applejack snorted.

Before the dust had even settled, the Nightmare Diamond Tiara was on her rear hoof, cackling like a mad mare. "YOU FOOL! YOU COULDN'T POSSIBLE STOP MY EVIL PLANS NOW! I'M INVINCIBLE YOU IDIOTS! I wouldn't HAVE TO do bad things to you if you weren't a flightless chicken, a country bumpkin, and a done deaf dictionary, blame yourselves!"

That was all the heroes needed to hear as they charged... Diamond Tiara blasted them, but they always dodged in the nick of time, they blocked her punches, they knocked her to the ground when she tried to fly up. Silver Spoon was pretty much just knocked aside without a second thought.

Then Rainbow Dash hit her with a Sonic Rainboom at point blank range! The evil villain let out a scream as they melted into black sludge. "I'm melting! I'm melting! What a wooooordl!"

The heroes didn't really look sorry, and simply left without a word except one of rather dark satisfaction.

But after they left... Alula and Tootsie began welding the doors back on... and Silver Spoon knelt besides the puddle. "They're gone."

The black sludge instantly reformed into the Nightmare Diamond Tiara, who with a flash of her horn, restored the entire room to how it was before.

"Why do you keep doing this?" Silver Spoon asked.

"Why do you keep asking? As long as they have somepony to blame for everything random and unfair that happens to them, they don't have to see that bad things happen to good ponies, and good things happen to bad ponies. They want to believe they live in an inherently just world where nothing ever happens to them that they don't reserve, or at least, they can't pin on happening to that one bad guy who exists solely so they have something to focus all their anger on. This way, they have live happy lives, and no one realizes that no one was to blame for those things happening. There's nothing worse than having nopony to blame, nopony to hate for something awful happening. After all, you can't get angry at a flood, so blame the 'evil greedy land deliver' who sold the houses there to begin with. I serve a purpose."

"After all, wars have stopped, everypony takes their revenge on me, there's no spit or arguments. 'It's her fault' and thus, nopony gets angry or upset with each other."

"Yes My Princess." Silver Spoon loyally bowed. As did Alula and Tootsie.

The four native foals were as pale as sheets (an exceptional result giving they all had fur and Sweetie was already marshmallow colored).

The four deep ponies' expressions were unreadable, and if they had been readable, they'd have driven the pony mad already.

"She'd be happy if somethulu gave her a box of cookies." Burbled out Deep Sweetie Belle.

Apple Pie hugged her Diamond Tiara.

Diamond Tiara, looked... not well. In fact, she found a priceless vase nearby and lost her lunch.

"That's a REAL nightmare!" Diamond Tiara said.

"Not that different from what Diamond Tiara did before." Deep Scootaloo said.

"What?!" Scootaloo said, even if she felt dizzy just LOOKING at the deep horror that used to be an alternate version of her.

"She was always there to be the bad guy, for us to rally against, rather than us facing some vague, unsure, abstract problem, we had somepony we could personalize to it, and take on. ... No offense."

"None taken," Diamond Tiara gasped out.

As they heroes moved on, Alicorn Apple Bloom had to ask.

"What were ya sayin' before about cookies?"

"Oh! After we got back from Everfree," Said what used to be Sweetie Belle. "We baked some cookies, and left them for our big sisters as presents... Rarity loved them so much, she didn't really notice she was growing tentacles out of her back or had an extra set of eyes on her forehead as she kept munching on them, and by the time she noticed, she decided the cookies were worth it. She also baked some, and began giving them away for customers and their dresses. And Applejack after tasting the cookies held a bake sale (adding Apples of course), and Rainbow Dash after she finished her, baked some and gave them to the Wonderbolts... the glory of Ponythulu knows no end!"

All ponies present shuddered in disgust.

"The only annoying part is Pinkie Pie refused to have any." Button Mash said. "Even after mom and my brother got to enjoy some and gave some to dad. They got the Cakes to have some and they began selling them in their shop. Then Pinkie Pie dressed up like a priest or something and began shouting, 'The Power of CAKE will save you! The Power of Cake compels you!' or something like that and kept feeding the baby Cakes cake."

"Uh... anypony else heard an angry wolf's howl?" Asked Apple Pie.

"I heard it too," Said Diamond Tiara.

The Deep Pony CMC+1 nodded as well.

"I didn't hear anything." Scootaloo said.

"Me neither." Button Mash said.

'No compromises this time!' Sweetie shuddered as the words echoed in her head unbidden. "You guys should all REALLY get back to your own worlds and fast."

+++

"Trixie Lulamoon! Have we met before? You look wonderful! Er, rather 'possessed by an ancient spirit of a witch' wonderful, but still wonderful." Flam said.

"Out of my way. I must recover the Alicorn Amulet, it calls to me, and I call to it. We shall we one, and we shall be consumed by Lilith, and the ponies will be become again the dumb beasts they were meant to be, and witches will again rule the world," Trixie said with glowing red eyes and a monotone.

"Uh... can't we compromise here?" Flim asked.

"No," Trixie responded flatly and blasting the pair, taking out a wall behind them.

MtangaLion

Sprawled on the crystal floor, Flim and Flam glanced at each other, then nodded bravely. "Now!" shouted Flam. They sprang to their hooves, Flim readying a spell while Flam reached in his overcoat pocket for the moonstone.

"Stop," said Trixie indifferently, and her aura, blood red instead of her usual pink, crystallized around them, holding the brothers still as statues. "Allow me, the Useful and Properly Obedient Trixie, to make an astounding prediction for you, her penultimate captive audience. You were going to the gallery wing, for this."

She drew a winged amulet set with a red stone out from under her cloak, and both Flim and Flam felt their hearts skip a beat.

"This powerless fake," continued Trixie, letting it fall to the floor. "The true Alicorn Amulet is this way, inside the distorted space that extends beyond the mansion. The Mistress was... moderately impressed. It takes a high caliber of portal to permit the passage of beings of great power and artifacts containing that power... but your mad archmage achieved it."

Trixie paced towards them, step by step. "I further predict that you're hoping my Mistress will leave you be at this point, regarding you as unimportant, incapable of impeding her plans, beneath her to deal with." Then she lifted Flim and Flam higher and rattled them like a pair of salt and pepper shakers. Gadgets and spell components showered from their pockets... along with Flummox's first and second journals.

Trixie levitated Journal One and flipped it open to a bookmark, revealing a two-page drawing of the Alicorn Amulet and margins full of scrawled notes and dire warnings. "But it seems you know just enough to be dangerous." She pulled the third journal from her cloak, adding it to the pile, and then she burned it to ash with a single spark of hellfire, journals and all.

"You... won't get away with this!" bellowed Flim. His horn flared brilliantly... but the spell fizzled, seeming to do nothing whatsoever.

Trixie just stared. Even Flam looked embarrassed.

"Go entertain your uncle," said Trixie finally, slapping straitjackets and magic inhibitors on them before teleporting them away.

Inside the Maze, Apple Bloom was squinting at one of the closed doors. "Ah can see it! Inside there is Wolf World, then take a right into Talking Brains in Jars world, left to Yak World, straight ahead to Zombie Pony World, then go right one more time and yer in... Cookie World." She scratched her mane awkwardly. "Yeah, let's call it that! Do ya need me to write that down?"

-

(In another universe)

"And now, Twilight Sparkle, with the power of the Alicorn Amulet the GREAT and POWERFUL Trixie will --"

Twilight turned around to reveal fins, tentacles, and eyes on eyestalks.

Twilight burbled, "Yes, Trixie?"

"Will get the buck out of here!"

-

Deep pony Apple Bloom waved her tentacles and clacked a claw in farewell. "No... we remember."

The door had only just shut and sealed behind them when Apple Bloom suddenly gasped louder than that time somepony told Pinkie Pie they didn't like sugar.

The other fillies and colt crowded around her. "Are you okay?" asked Sweetie Belle.

Bloom shook her head. "None of us are okay. Flim just used a spell to send me the last couple minutes of his memory, and... we're in a heap of trouble."

-

MtangaLion

Apple Bloom was starting to feel like Miss Twilight Sparkle having one of her silly panic attacks. She started wondering if her mane would fritz up too, and what the correlation was between messier manes and higher levels of anxiety before she shook herself out of it. Alicorns ought to be better at staying calm and collected, right?

She took a deep breath. "The Alicorn Amulet is in the Maze somewhere! Never mind what that is exactly, it's a thing Lilith needs to get ultimate power, and it's here on account of Flummox collected the darn thing, and we've gotta get it first!"

Scootaloo launched herself into the air, ready for action! "Let's go get it!" She looked all around at the twisted space of the Mirror Maze. "Um, but where is it exactly?"

"That's the problem!" exploded Apple Bloom, flapping her own wings uselessly. "Ah can see through any of the doors with my Empirical Truth, but there's a bajillion of them! Ah should be gathering data and making theories and a search pattern, and there ain't time, cause Trixie can sense where it is, and she's already a-coming... and did Ah mention yet that Lilith mind-whammied her and Trixie can't help but do everything Lilith wants?"

Bloom trotted round and round in circles, getting in a bigger tizzy. "A detection spell! That's what Ah need!" She squinted and focused, and her horn glowed fitfully orange, throwing a few sparks.

Sweetie raised a hoof. "Does this amulet radiate Dark magic? I know how to sense that!" The unicorn filly lit her horn much more calmly. "Umbra adclaro..." The pale green glow of her horn darkened, and her eyes turned red with those faint purple streams. "Oh my gosh.... I can't sense what's behind the doors, but I d-definitely feel Trixie getting closer." Her hooves started to shake, and she quickly released the spell.

Apple Pie grinned. "You ponies are stressing over this way too much. Ah say we just pick some way and go there!"

Diamond Tiara smirked. "Actually, you'd be surprised how often that works for her."

"No worries," said Button Mash, trying to play it cool. "I've got this." He thumped thin air with a hoof, calling up his console. "We'll just check the quest tracker and..." The letters on the screen read "Crusaders' Last Stand" - Stage 3/6: Find the Alicorn Amulet!" That was it, no radar with a glowing dot to follow, or any explanation of where to go. "Oh, come on!"

Scootaloo landed and dug in her saddlebag. "Maybe it's a good thing I saved these." She pulled out the sunglasses from the carnival, put them on, and gasped.

The others crowded closer. "Are ya seeing anything?" asked Apple Bloom hopefully.

Scootaloo looked around. "Actually... yes! There's something, some kinda energy in the air flowing from where we came from to..."

Apple Pie's tail twitched. "That way!" she shouted, cheerfully pointing a hoof in a random direction.

Scootaloo sputtered. "Er... yeah, that way."

They trotted ahead to the next confusing swirl of portals and passages. "Over there!" shouted Apple Pie, pointing again before Scootaloo could.

Sweetie coughed. "I guess... it's nice to have confirmation we're on the right track?"

Scootaloo looked kinda jealous, and then she laughed it off and gave Apple Pie a big hug. "Let's do this!"

Kendell2

As the group walked along the path, Scootaloo looked to Diamond Tiara. "So, Elements of Chaos?"

Diamond Tiara nodded. "Yeah, I think Mother Deer said it was 'the twin sibling' of the Elements of Harmony. We actually had to find the Alicorn Amulet and purify it to reforge a set of them."

"What?!" Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Button Mash asked in shock.

The future filly gave a sheepish look. "It's a long story, but apparently Trixie's ancestor made it and it ended up corrupted, so we had to go on this big adventure to purify it...You know The Legend of Cadence Majora's Mask?"

"Oh! I know!" Button said happily.

"Well it was kind of like that, only replace the Mask with the Alicorn Amulet..." Diamond Tiara replied.

"Oh..." Button replied, looking a little pale at THAT realization.

"So...if Apple Pie has a power with her Element, do you?" Sweetie Belle asked...then noticed she'd stepped on a trigger

The wall opened and a timber wolf emerged, running at them, fangs bared.

The Element of Cruelty looked to the wolf. "Your breath stinks!" she shouted at it, her Element glowing.

The Timber Wolf then yelped loudly when it heard her words, reacting like it'd been CUT (the flash of pink light across it making that seem more apparent). It promptly turned and ran way yelping with it's tail between it's legs.

Diamond then looked back to the Crusaders, a little sheepishly. "...I can do that..."

Mtangalion

The passageway was getting colder... their breath fogged, and colors seemed too bright, rippling like twinkling stars. The glimpses they caught of other worlds in the mirrors grew stranger and stranger too. There was one where all ponies were intelligent machines, except for Sweetie Bot, who was secretly a flesh and blood pony in a robot suit. Another had witches and cramped torchlit buildings beneath a stormy overcast sky, with a tall iron tower in the distance. The fillies and colt gave that mirror a wide berth.

"What was that wolf even doing in here?" wondered Scootaloo aloud.

Button Mash blinked. "It didn't seem that strange to me."

"More importantly," mused Sweetie Belle, "how are we going to fix the Alicorn Amulet? We don't exactly have a lot of time for an epic quest."

Button Mash nodded reluctantly. "And we don't have a time loop to keep repeating the same three days over until we get it right, either."

Diamond frowned. "I didn't mean it was literally like that game, but..."

Scootaloo trotted faster, getting ahead of them. "Hey now, let's not give up before we even get there!" She turned... and stopped in her tracks. Just ahead, the passage ended in one final foggy mirror. "I guess... this is the place."

Apple Pie trotted up to the mirror, alert for twitches, tingles, and paradoxes, but eventually she turned back to them, hoof-shrugging. "I got nothing."

Apple Bloom approached too, stopping just shy of tapping the mirror with her horn. "This world... it feels so alien! All weird and wrong, like the deep ponies, only... good instead of bad?" The little Alicorn shook her head. "Ah'm sorry, Ah should be more specific, but Ah just don't know the words. Ah need to see it myself."

Before she could lose her nerve, Apple Bloom took a deep breath and plunged on ahead, into the mirror. Reality twisted itself up like taffy and spat her out someplace else, and suddenly she was getting bombarded with so many strange sights, it was all she could do to stand upright, shocked, trying to take it all in.

There wasn't a maze or a mansion in this world, or anything like one. She stood in a sunny, lightly forested clearing full of wooden stalls, kind of like Ponyville's market square, but the beings milling around purposefully weren't ponies at all. They looked kind of like big stretched out ponies from the neck down, and colorful humans with horns on their heads above that. The word "centaur" went through her head.

A few other creatures wandered past as she gawked. Shorter creatures with wild beards. Tall, slim ones with fair skin and pointy ears. Two earth ponies walked past, pulling some centaur lady's cart, but they had the flat and lifeless eyes of dumb beasts.

The world mirror was a ghostly image behind Apple Bloom, hanging unsupported in the air, and just in front of her stood a crystalline pedestal that looked like one of Flummox's inventions, and fastened to it... the Alicorn Amulet. It could be nothing else... so why was the gemstone slate grey instead of red?

The others emerged from the mirror, stumbling in unfamiliar centaur bodies... just like Apple Bloom herself was a centaur, she just now realized. Immediately, a huge white wolf like Blanky or Snow Bound coalesced out of nothing, howling and making straight for Sweetie Belle! The female wolf stopped right in her tracks when she saw Apple Bloom... the Wolf bowed, but she didn't seem pleased by any of this at all.

Lastly, an elderly centaur gentleman noticed them. He smiled and trotted right on over, stepping around the Wolf without seeming to notice her at all. "Ah, young ones! Welcome to the festival! Welcome, princess!" He gave a courtly bow to Apple Bloom. "Have you come to hear the tale of King Tirek the Brave?"

Apple Bloom exchanged puzzled glances with the others. "Um... sure! Ah mean, that would be lovely, good sir."

The centaur beamed at them, taking up a lute and strumming it with his *hands*. "Long, long ago, near this very spot, a strange meteor fell from the sky... a box laden with doom! The box held magic, but not like any magic we know today, magic made to harm, not help! The box promised Prince Tirek anything he wished... power, glory, vengeance on those who wronged him. Tirek was sorely tempted, but then he called upon his ally and companion, Mother Moon! She told Tirek the truth, and Tirek was able to cleanse this valley and banish the fell box back into the void from whence it came! His reign would begin a peace that would last for generations..."

The old centaur was so caught up in his story, he didn't pay attention to Apple Bloom backing up, and giving her friends a very, very serious look. "Don't go anywhere, any of you... don't leave mah sight, and don't even TRY ta do any Dark magic. Ah can't keep ya safe from that Wolf if ya do!"

Alex Warlorn

Part of Sweetie Belle wondered how the world where ponies were living machines had come about.

"Sweetie dear, if any pony finds out you've been infected by the Old Gods' curse of Flesh they might think you could turn into one of their tentacled zombies at any time, you must keep it hidden!" Rarity whispered and nuzzled her sister.

Or.

"Thanks to the Elements of Harmony, the Old Gods' Curse of Flesh has at last been cured," Princess Celestia told her subjects. She left out that Sweetie Belle to distract the old gods, had been the one pony NOT cured of the Old Gods' curse.

Sweetie shook her head in confusion.

MtangaLion

"What are these for?" asked Apple Pie, tugging on the halter top that covered her human-ish torso. Heh, everybody got one but Button!"

Button Mash looked down at his bare chest, and the fancy gold bracers on his wrists. "I think it's cause I'm a colt."

Apple Pie giggled, turning in circles and bending her upper body to try to see her tail better. "Centaurs sure are funny!"

Diamond Tiara groaned. "I hope you have a plan for what we're going to do with that thing, now that we're here!" She pointed a forehoof at the Alicorn Amulet, nearly falling over in the process.

Apple Bloom shuffled over closer to her. "Ah don't think that's how centaurs point at things."

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. "Who cares? It's not like we're going to stay here. Look, I'll just grab it and fly far away from the portal, where Trixie will never... What?"

"Uh, Scootaloo?" said Sweetie Belle. "None of us have wings."

"Not again! Fine, I'll become a dragon and..."

"We need ta stay together!" Apple Bloom reminded them.

"Then we'll grab it and *gallop* away from the portal. Is that alright?" Scootaloo grasped the amulet with her hands... and couldn't budge it, not an inch. She tried again, eyebrows shooting up, but her fingers kept sliding right off.

The old centaur seemed amused by that, even if their talk before had greatly confused him. "Yonder necklace has been in that spot for years upon years! It caused a great stir back in the day, but no centaur really minds it, now."

Apple Bloom gave it a good hard stare. "It's frozen in time. Of course..."

Diamond nudged Button, making him blush a bit. "Well? Aren't you going to use your game thing again and tell us what we do next?"

Button Mash took a deep breath. "I'm starting to think... the game console isn't really going to tell me anything I can't figure out myself. Real life isn't supposed to be a game." The game window appeared all by itself, and a message scrolled up with a ding... "Button Mash gained +1 WIS." He chuckled, and waved it away without even looking at the quest tracker.

"So let's destroy it," suggested Sweetie Belle. "I know I shouldn't use my magic, but we have a Blank Wolf right here who can erase it for us!"

Apple Bloom sucked in a breath, seeing in her mind the final battle of Dream Valley seven-thousand years ago, and all the times that the Alicorn Amulet had changed the fates of Trixie's ancestors throughout history. "No! Just... no."

The Blank Wolf actually nosed the little goddess' hand and wagged her tail, grateful that someone *understood*.

MtangaLion

Apple Bloom studied the pedestal-thing intently. It was something called a World Anchor, she realized... Journal Three, page 37. Thank goodness she and Applejack had sat down together and flipped through all the pages! And on the next few pages after that... yes!

"Sweetie Belle!" she cried.

Her friend jumped. "M-me?"

Apple Bloom nodded. "Ah know Flummox's time locking spells! They're way too advanced for me ta cast, but if you could do a memory charm..."

Too late. The half-real, half-not portal rippled, and the centaur version of Trixie Midsummernight Lulamoon strode into this world. Her short horns were glowing the same eerie red as her eyes, and suddenly everything was happening so fast...

The Blank Wolf smelled the Lilith's magic on Trixie and snarled, livid!

Apple Bloom saw one of Trixie's sisters wearing the Alicorn Amulet and battling Queen Chrysalis over the wreckage that used to be Canterlot. "No!" she shouted. "Ya can't take her either!"

Scootaloo flicked her wrists, somehow summoning blades of razor sharp gusting wind into her hands, but she froze, unable to even think of using them on a pony, in any form.

Sweetie froze as well, not wanting to risk using her magic. Button Mash heroically jumped in front of her, grabbing a pixel sword out of his console.

The sword bounced right off Trixie's crimson barrier, as did a blizzard of... small white spheres? Launched at Trixie from Apple Pie's ping-pong paddle?!

Diamond Tiara glared at Trixie and hissed "Pain!"

That one actually staggered Trixie, but not enough... a crackling red sphere formed, floating over Trixie's horns, and flew... not at any of them, but at the Anchor, exploding against it with a sickening crunch.

Then the glow in Trixie's eyes faded away. Her equine legs folded beneath her, and she collapsed onto the grass.

"What was that?" fretted Sweetie, wringing her hands. "What did she do?" The crystal surface of the World Anchor had a deep crack in it, and more cracks were slowly spreading.

The old centaur gentleman had understandably drawn back from them, shocked. The marketplace crowd seemed shaken... some centaur had probably gone to fetch whatever kind of guards they had already.

Trixie groaned. "Mistress' magic... doesn't work here? Trixie is free?" The blue, silver-maned centaur started to shiver. "Trixie is so, so sorry! She couldn't..."

Apple Pie hugged her, shushing her soothingly.

Apple Bloom sat own her hindquarters down heavily, watching whole chunks of crystal fracturing off and crumbling to dust. "The World Anchor is fallin' apart. This whole branch of the Maze is gonna come loose from this world and toss us back into our own."

Trixie hugged herself. "Trixie was better off the way the chaos monster left her. Lilith will have her, and the Alicorn Amulet... and the time of ponies will *end*. Trixie has doomed us all."

Apple Bloom frowned, determined. "No. Our big adventure ain't gonna end like that! Ah won't let it!"

Kendell2

Diamond Tiara suddenly grabbed Trixie by the shoulders. "DON'T EVER SAY THAT!"

"W-What?" the azure unicorn asked.

"Because you were NEVER better off as Discord left you! I KNOW how he left you because MY Discord BRAGGED about it..." the Element of Empathy/Cruelty replied. "I KNOW how it feels to make a big, world threatening mistake. I made one a long time ago in MY world...but acting like this won't solve anything. MAKE UP FOR IT! Help STOP that witch! That's the only thing you CAN do!"

Diamond Tiara Element glowed and Trixie felt...healed...calmer...Like the filly's words were a needle stitching up a wound rather than the sword that cuts it.

"T-Thank you..." Trixie stuttered.

"You're welcome..." Diamond Tiara said, then took a deep breath. She looked to the Amulet. "...'Only one with the blood of Magic Star can vanquish the evil'."

The others blinked, looking to her. "What?"

Apple Pie nodded. "That's what Miss Cobweb said when we went to purify OURS! She said just like how it only WANTS somepony from that blood line, it can only be purified by one. She was, and she went inside it and beat the evil in it."

Neither of the three fillies, nor Trixie, acknowledged that was Trixie's alterego from the wedding.

"If that darkness is what's keeping Lilith stuck here, purifying the Amulet will put her down for good, right?" Scootaloo asked.

"So...only Trixie...only I can stop that witch?" Trixie Midsummer asked, looking blindsided. "Not Twilight? Not Celestia? Not Luna?"

Diamond Tiara nodded. "If Cobweb was right."

"...Applebloom, can you keep the World Anchor together?" Trixie asked, after a long pause.

"Ah can try, why?" asked Applebloom.

"...Trixie can do something no pony else can...she feels like she should..." Trixie explained. She then trotted over to the Amulet as Applebloom got to work on the Anchor to try and keep it together.

"How does Trixie do this?!" Trixie asked, looking at the amulet. She FELT it pulling at her...begging her to use it. To everypony's shock, the Amulet sparkled with red magic and TORE through it's confinement and into her hands.

Diamond looked to her. "Put your horn to the Gem, and quote...what was it?"

Apple Pie chuckled. "'Porta animae ante me,' Ah think."

"How did YOU remember that?"

The young centaur laughed. "Comics like usin' whatever fancy language that is!"

"Let me come with you!" Sweetie Belle shouted, rushing over. "I know Dark Magic better...even if you have to defeat it, Miss Trixie, I can help!"

Trixie nodded, trembling as she hear it's whispers. 'Trixie has friends, she doesn't need this thing, Trixie has friends, she doesn't need this thing...' she repeated over and over in her head. "Alright then..." she muttered, taking a deep breath as Applebloom tried her best to keep the anchor from crumbling. She put one of her small horns to it. "
Porta animae ante me!"

Sweetie Belle repeated this action. A portal opened and both entered it, vanishing into the amulet.

"...So...what do we do while they're in there?" Button Mash asked.

Suddenly, a group of shadowy monsters emerged from the World Anchor.

"...Looks like Lilith can do THAT..." Scootaloo commented, her, Button, Apple Pie, and Diamond preparing to fight while Applebloom tried to keep the portal from falling apart.

Sweetie Belle blinked, finding another camera appearing with a note reading 'Can't leave this part out! Love Princess Thalia!'

"Where are we?"

Sweetie Belle and Trixie looked around, finding themselves in what looked like a swirling mass of darkness and shadow. Sweetie Belle's horn HURT from how much there was.

The magic took the shape of Paradise Estate, but desolate. Then the valley where Dark Magic had come to Equus. Then a Witch's coven. And so on and on on.

"...Welcome...my niece..."

= Persona 4 - The Genesis =

The two watched as the darkness IMPLODED into a single point, then exploded outwards like a big bang.

When it cleared, the shifting background remained the same, but now clearer and more solid. Like a dreamscape instead of a shadow.

Before them...stood a yellow Earth Pony with a green mane, a pink and green magic wand with a pink ribbon as her Cutie Mark. Except she was covered with shadow, her eyes glowing red...then she morphed into Lord Tirek. Then into Lilith. Then into countless other ponies, all of which Trixie felt were somehow related to her. All with the same shadowy aura and red glowing eyes.

"W-Who are you?" Trixie asked, taking a step back.

The entity looked confused. "I don't have one. Only 'the Alicorn Amulet'...The Elements of Chaos...the Shadow of the Witch Queen...Shadow of Chaos? Umbra Chaos?...Yes, that will work...call me Umbra Chaos, the Spirit of the Alicorn Amulet, my niece."

"Why do you call me that?!" Trixie asked, feeling unnerved.

"Magic Star made me. You are of her blood," the entity replied, shifting into Magic Star's form. "I am your birthright..."

"Leave her alone!" Sweetie Belle yelled.

"Be silent interloper!" Umbra Chaos roared, throwing a hoof out and forcing Sweetie Belle to shield herself from a wave of shadows. Even the half hearted attack nearly broke it and knocked her back. "I was speaking to my niece."

MtangaLion

Meanwhile, back in the mansion, Lilith had left the ritual chamber and gone down to the entrance of the World Mirror Maze, in anticipation of claiming her prize... which left Flim, Flam, and Flummox alone to plot their daring escape!

"Look," said Flim. "If you'd just..."

"Nope," said Flummox.

"We don't have..."

"Nuh-uh!"

"Would you pl-"

"You gotta share!" sang Uncle Flummox at the top of his lungs. "You gotta care!"

Flim gritted his teeth. "I'm trying..."

"Buck off."

"Would you shut up for just one..."

"You shut up!"

"No, you..."

"You..."

Flam shouted in exasperation, shutting up the both of them. He would have facehoofed too, if they hadn't all been in straitjackets. "You're impossible!"

"I'm impossible?!" shouted Flummox. "I asked for one thing as a condition of you boys returning to my home, just one simple thing, and so far I've seen neither hide nor hair of it!" The elderly stallion turned his head aside with a disdainful snort and whinny.

Flim and Flam exchanged guilty looks, then nodded to each other. "We're *sorry*!"

And finally, Flummox was left staring at them, speechless.

"If you must hear it aloud," said Flim, "though it's surely not news to anypony here..."

"We've been terrible, awful ponies," said Flam.

Flim hung his head. "And lousy, no-good, rotten nephews to you, uncle. I mean, you taught us so much, such amazing things..."

"And what did we ever do with it?" said Flam, sighing. "We were scams, cons, cheats, the worst ne'er do wells who ne'er did well..."

"And then crazy Nightstallion you sent us to that other world, and we saw what a difference we could have made..."

"Helping ponies, instead of always chasing that next thrill, proving how much smarter we were than anypony else..."

Flim smirked suddenly. "We dug that hole for ourselves, and by golly, we dug our way out too!"

Flam grinned boldly. "Starting with finishing our degrees!"

"And then we invented our own way home. As of now, the Flim Flam brothers are turning over a new leaf!"

"Technically, as of a couple days ago."

"Yes, yes... the point is, we mean to fully make amends."

"And make this world a *better* place."

"Cliched, I know, but we saw it done, and we can do it again!"

"Cross our hearts, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in our eyes!" The brothers twitched their hooves, since they couldn't do the gestures.

Flummox stared at them, shocked, his old eyes growing misty. "You boys... you almost make me believe... there really is something true and trustworthy left in this world..."

A strange light begin to shine on them from out in the antechamber... and a *blue* metal hoofband bobbed mystically into the room, floating over to Flummox. He gawked, giggling a bit. "Oh. Oh my. I never got that one to react to anything before. It's so pretty..."

(Flummox of Equestria) hummed a flat voice in all of their heads. (You have the courage to embrace Hope.)

Flim burst out laughing. "Oh, swell. Any chance we could unfreeze the red one? What kind of lame power is hope?"

The hoofband startled them by slotting itself firmly onto Flummox's left foreleg. (Mental corruption detected. Cleansing.) Blue light exploded, blasting the straitjacket to rags and the inhibitor ring to dust and fragments. Beneath, Flummox's old-fashioned brown overcoat had turned dark blue, with luminous blue stitches and edging. A sigil floated over his chest, just like the glowing brand on the hoofband.

"I stand corrected!" stammered Flim.

Flam grinned hopefully. "So, you can kick Lilith's ugly flank with that magic whatchamawhosit, right?"

Flummox lifted an eyebrow, then smiled in a grandfatherly way. "Not by myself, no." His horn glowed neon blue, and a strange mix of unicorn magic and alien power removed Flim and Flam's restraints.

Flam gasped, remembering. "Twilight! She and her friends are waiting outside!"

Flim nodded fervently. "They have the Elements of Harmony!"

Flummox tisked. "I can sense them from here. There's much you don't know about those relics, nephews. Once, I would have refused to have anything to do with them. Now..." He had a curious expression. "I want to have a little faith. If you'll vouch for the bearers, then by all means, let us invite them in quickly!"

Kendell2

[= Persona 4 - The Genesis=]

"Niece, please, claim me..." Umbra Chaos tempted. "You can feel it, can't you? The power. All this power could be yours. You could do anything you want. You could finally be stronger than HER."

Trixie could feel it. She could feel everything. The power. The primal, roaring power of the Rainbow of Darkness itself. The immense dark magic of the Mother of All Witches. It was tempted. BEYOND tempting.

"...But if Trixie takes you, Lilith wins," Trixie found it in herself to counter.

Umbra Chaos laughed. "We'll CRUSH that insect, my niece. You know in your heart that's true."

The showmare wasn't sure if that was true, but the evil entity made it sound convincing. She looked around the heart of the Alicorn of Amulet, feeling it's immense power. Feeling the strength. Six black stars flickered in the sky, each having a tint of darker versions one of the Elements of Harmony.

"Come to me, my niece. Come and become master of all things," tempted the abomination, offering it's hoof. "Listen to your auntie..."

Sweetie Belle tried to say something but had to block another torrent of shadow.

Trixie slowly reached out her hoof to Umbra Chaos, who turned into a shadow of the azure unicorn...then pulled back. "...But it won't really be Trixie, will it?"

The entity narrowed its eyes, shifting into Magic Star. "Of course you will. Come with me, Trixie."

Trixie shook her head. "No, she won't! It will be YOU! I can feel it! The Element in my heart can feel it!" she said, putting a hoof to her chest, a soft purple glow pulsing. "That look on your face...it's not compassion...it's the same look that that THING with Trixie's mother's face had! The face of somepony wearing a mask!...You've been corrupting my bloodline for eons. Tempting and turning them into something evil...The Alicorn Amulet is my birthright, but you? You're just another PARASITE! And the One and Only Trixie has been the victim of ENOUGH of those for one lifetime!"

Umbra Chaos was blasted backwards by a beam of magic from the unicorn.

"Way to go Trixie!" Sweetie Belle yelled, rushing to her side.

Trixie smiled to the filly, then looked back to Umbra Chaos. "Trixie is going to destroy you, THEN the Alicorn Amulet will be worthy of HER, not the other way around!"

Umbra Chaos' face contorted in pure rage. "A parasite am I?"

The world SHUDDERED, red lightning crackling through it.

"Just another monster to slay? That is how you see me, my niece? Very well," the entity said, the lightning striking it and crackling about it's form "...SO BE IT!"

Umbra Chaos' fur turned black as midnight. IT grew, red lightning crackling about it, until it's proportions grew to the size of a Nightmare. It's mane and tail became energy, resembling the corrupted Rainbow of Darkness itself. It's Cutie Mark was the Alicorn Amulet itself.

Looking up at Trixie with glowing red eyes, horn crackling with red lightning. "Then a monster I will be!"

MtangaLion

The shadowy monsters took form, coalescing into three fearsome foes, darkly chuckling at the heroes before them.

"Pixel Shader 2.0," gloated the Nightcolt, equipping himself with a cybernetic visor and a laser cannon nearly as big as he was. "Here to nerf you into oblivion!"

A towering black dragon stamped the earth in front of Scootaloo with wagon-sized paws, snorting shadowflame. "Why did you clip your own wings, little sister? You could have all this and *more*."

A Nightfilly fixed her dead stare on Diamond. "Who do you think you're fooling? Do you really think somepony like you deserves to have friends? A hero? Don't make me laugh. Just break already!"

Apple Pie turned every which way looking for her own double. "Aw, no evil twin for me? But I wanted to make friends with her, and share cookies, and play lazer tag, and..."

Apple Bloom's eyes widened. "They aren't what they appear ta be! Ah can see 'em. They're shadow sirens, turnin' into whatever winds you up the most so they can feed!"

Pixel Shader leered at her. "Spoilers!" He charged up the cannon and fired a massive plasma ball.

Apple Bloom gasped, throwing her hands up, but Button Mash darted in front of her, deflecting the blast with a giant shield emblazoned with *her* gear and apple cutie mark. "Don't worry about them, Apple Bloom. We'll protect you."

Scootaloo had her sunglasses on... they'd magically changed to fit her centaur face... and she was smiling grimly at her own double. "You just fix that Anchor! You can do it... we believe in you!"

Apple Bloom felt a tingle down both of her spines. Faith. Faith that the lights would come on when you flipped the switch. Faith that the market would have food to buy that you didn't need to farm for yourself. Faith that tomorrow could be better than today...

"Okay!" Apple Bloom turned to the World Anchor with renewed focus and confidence. "If a regular pony built this, then Ah can fix it!" She hesitated. "But Flummox ain't just anypony... he's an Archmage! Ah don't have the magic..." She shook her head quickly. "None of that, Bloom. Focus on what ya *can* do."

Through the big crack in the front panel, she could see crystals... lots and lots of crystals all arranged just so and wired together, with three different kinds of magic zapping every which way. Magic was shorting across the broken and cracked crystals, doing more damage to the machine. Apple Bloom blinked. "Why, it's just a Starswirl Spell Engine! Heck, Ah fixed one of those when Ah was an earth pony." Another crystal disintegrated. "Stop that! Hold together, *please*. Ah need time to fix ya!"

Unexpectedly, powerful magic flowed, but it was earth magic, surging up from the ground through her four hooves, and flowing from her hands into the machine, projecting calm and stability. "Ah don't suppose anypony has a whole mess of crystals and some more wire..."

A blur in the air became Apple Pie, dropping a whole basket-load of large gemstones at her hooves. "The market has a jewelry seller four stalls thataway," she explained, winking. "I told her it was a princess emergency!"

And Diamond Tiara was standing on a crate, addressing the six armed and armored centaurs who'd just arrived. "Okay, listen up! That magic box over there is trying to leak evil monsters and bad magic into this world, just like in the legend of King Tirek! We have to protect Princess Praegressus while she fixes it! You two, support Button Mash on the left, you two keep the shadow on the right grounded..."

MtangaLion

The transformed Umbra Chaos smiled cruelly. "Why don't I start with.... her?"

Shadows surged up from the sooty, broken ground, hurling Trixie back as they poured into Sweetie Belle. An otherworldly flame lit in the filly's eyes... livid green with red pupils, bright purple smoke streaming from the corners. "Trixie!" she cried out, lifting a hoof towards her while she thrashed in midair. "No... too much..."

"Let her go!" shouted Trixie, slicing at the black fog with her own magic, trying to close a shield around Sweetie Belle and pull her back... but red lighting cracked along the connection, knocking Trixie back.

"Such a shame, that I couldn't have a bright little filly like her for a niece," said Umbra Chaos smugly. "She's already so well versed in my arts." She saw Trixie's jaw hanging open and pounced. "What, you didn't know? She'll make a splendid minion for you, Trixie, once you've accepted the truth of things." Umbra glanced towards Sweetie again. "Behold, girl. See what you've been denying yourself."

The black fog parted, revealing an adult mare with same green and red and purple eyes, and her pink and purple curls turned black and silver. Her spiral horn was long and sharp, and feathered wings of translucent shadow sprouted from her back. A tall mirror with a tarnished bronze frame rose from the fog, making sure that Sweetie Belle could see herself too.

Umbra Chaos advanced towards Sweetie, step by step. "Well? Does my gift please you?"

The mare opened her mouth and seemed to struggle, before the voice of Sweetie Belle the filly emerged, shaky but unchanged. "No. No, I don't like it at all! This isn't right."

Umbra seemed taken aback, but recovered quickly, laughing and running a hoof along Sweetie's chin. "Not right? It's perfectly right! I am Dark Magic, as old as ponykind itself! What could you know about it that I could not?"

Sweetie shuddered, drawing back, and then in the mirror, she began to imagine that she was seeing a third pony reflected in the glass... A gray, purple-maned mare wearing a blue frock, her expression calm and unreadable. The strangely familiar mare's lips began to move in utter silence.

Sweetie Belle gasped, her ears pricking up. "I know enough to know... darkness isn't the same thing as evil!" The illusion of the adult mare shattered, leaving Sweetie looking just as she always had. Her horn glowed black, and a shield of calm, soothing darkness grew around her, throwing Umbra back and pushing the roiling reds and greens and purples away. "Trixie," she spoke in a flat tone.

Trixie jumped, not sure whether she should be more frightened of Sweetie or Umbra in that moment. "Y-yes?"

Sweetie smiled, faintly. "Thank you. For letting me borrow a little of this power. You truly are the rightful guardian of it."

"Shut up!" snapped Umbra Chaos. "You will be silent!" She fired a blast of utter black and crackling red, and it vanished into Sweetie's shield, completely nullified.

Sweetie paced right up to Trixie, looking her in the eyes. "You need to master your Fear. And embrace your cleverness. Your trickery, your unpredictability. Your Chaos. Then you will see the light in the darkness."

And then the filly fainted at Trixie's hooves.

Umbra Chaos gnashed her teeth, then roared, lighting her black horn and spreading her wings to conjure up a massive hailstorm. "Enough! You will accept my offer now, or..."

A fireball crashed into Umbra from behind, exploding spectacularly. The Trixie and Sweetie before her wavered and vanished, afterimages of a cloaked teleport. "Or what?" said Trixie's voice, seeming to echo from three different places in the fog. "What are you so afraid of all of a sudden, hmmm?!"

Kendell2

"Perhaps it's because Sweetie Belle had you pegged?" Trixie's voice said, still from multiple directions. "She figured out your weakness."

Umbra Chaos sent a torrent of blackness at one of the voices, but hit nothing.

"...Trixie must thank you, she wouldn't have figured out what Sweetie said if you hand't made her afraid...for HER."

"Silence! You know nothing!"

"Fear...Trixie has her fears, but in that moment, Trixie feared losing a FRIEND. At the Wedding she feared it...and it DROVE her."

Umbra Chaos turned to fire at another voice, only to be blasted with a fireball from the other direction.

"...Deceit? That is Trixie's favorite...but there's more to that than lying, isn't it? Making them believe in the web you weave! Oh yes, Trixie KNOWS THAT...Like tricking the Changelings into believing their gambit had be successful and Trixie was gone at the Wedding. Or telling a fantastic tale...In fact, she's using it right now, isn't she?"

Umbra Chaos cringed, a dark orange light flashing inside her chest. She countered with a beam fired in each of the three directions. However, the next attack came from ABOVE.

Trixie smirked in the darkness, seeing she had indeed hit the nail on the head.

"Anger? Oh YES, Trixie knows ANGER...but Trixie has found anger burns out too easily to be a CONSTANT booster...It helps you face your fears, but it's just ONE thing. There are many ways to be brave."

Umbra Chaos roared as a dark blue light shown. She sent out a SHOCKWAVE of shadow in all directions, but Trixie merely put up a barrier around her and Sweetie...one made of soothing darkness.

"Cruelty? If that's the Element in that other Diamond's heart...why did her showing Trixie kindness make it trigger?...Cruelty is only half of Empathy, isn't it? After all, how do you be cruel to somepony without knowing what will hurt them? Trixie is well versed in that."

Umbra Chaos roared out, a dark pink light glowing inside it.

Diamond Tiara, still fighting alongside the others, gasped, her Element shining brighter and brighter. "I feel like my Element just a battier hooked up to it!"

She then punched the Shadow Siren she was fighting with enough force to launch them across the clearing.

"SHUT UP! YOU KNOW NOTHING! YOU ARE BUT A CHILD COMPARED TO ME! YOU ARE SPEAKING OF A PERVERSION OF DARKNESS!" Umbra Chaos yelled, assaulting Trixie's shield with red lightning, forcing her back.

"Perversion? You are one to talk...Now...let's see. Greed? Well, if Trixie had to guess the positive bent on that...Desire. Trixie desires MANY things, but that doesn't make her EVIL does it? She desires FRIENDSHIP now, and that is far from evil!"

Umbra Chaos roared in pain as a dark violet glow appeared in its chest.

The embodiment of the Amulet's evil roared in fury and fired a beam at Trixie, who retaliated with a beam of her own, composed of the same soothing darkness, the two clashing.

"Treachery? That is an odd one. Tricking the enemy into thinking you've joined them is more Deceit...Opposite of being bound by loyalty is free from restraint..."

"Free Will," Sweetie Belle managed to squeak out.

"Oh...Okay, Trixie was close! But she can see why that'd be the corrupted version: betraying one's friends can be a choice...as you WANTED Trixie to make, didn't you? Alicorn Amulet?"

A dark red spear in the entity's chest glowed.

Again the two's beams clashed...

"Well, let's recap: Fantasy, Courage, Empathy, Desire, and Free Will, with Fear standing in for something from the sound of it...That leaves the most important Element of all...MAGIC!" Trixie said, a glowing magenta outline of her Cutie Mark appearing...then fluctuating between bright magenta and a dark magenta. "Huh, guess the two sets aren't so different, are they?"

From the shadows formed Magic Star, a unicorn Trixie did not recognize...and Healthspike the First, all composed of the soothing, beautiful darkness. Each put their limb on Trixie's back, bracing her.

The embodiment of the Alicorn Amulet roared in pain as the lights in her chest glowed brightly and erupted out of her, going to Trixie, circling in front of her around her own beam.

Umbra Chaos' eyes widened in fear. "No! Trixie! D-Don't! You'll never beat Twilight Sparkle without me! You'll always be stuck in her shadow! You NEED me!"

Trixie smirked. "Incorrect: YOU need TRIXIE! Trixie is her own mare!" she exclaimed, the six Elements circling firing converging beams into her own, turning it into a dark colored rainbow with the beauty of the night sky imbued within it. "FAREWELL!"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" screamed Umbra Chaos as the beam collided with it, the sheer force blowing the entity off of its hooves. As the blast tore into it, the entity's appearance degraded into a mass of pure darkness, being incinerated by the light until nothing remained.

Trixie put a hoof on Sweetie Belle's back, looking up as the Rainbow continued upwards and exploded outwards, blasting away the darkness to reveal a beautiful night sky with six, dark colored stars about. "...Trixie did it....She did something Twilight CAN'T!...This feels good..."

+

As the others fought off the Shadow Sirens...the Alicorn Amulet suddenly lifted into the air, glowing with a bright light. The dark colors seemed to BURN off to reveal golden metal, the red of the jewel burning away to reveal a swirling rainbow colored gem.

The group watched as the darkness rose into the sky, taking the form of a wailing witch's spirit before it exploded into nothingness.

The glow continued, forming into a familiar Azure Unicorn, the Amulet around her neck and the unconscious Sweetie Belle on her back.

"Sorry Trixie is late!" the mare announced...then promptly blasted the Shadow Sirens with a beam of dark rainbow colored magic, turning them into centaur...children and one baby dragon?

"EEK! We're MORTAL!" yelled the dark Scootaloo.

Pixel Shader 2.0 gasped...then felt his chest. "I...I don't really mind...I can FEEL THINGS!"

The former night filly gasped. "We're complete!"

Button Mash ran over to Sweetie Belle in a panic. "Sweetie Belle?! Are you okay?!"

"Ugh...yeah...just have a headache...and I'm really tired..." the little filly replied, receiving a nuzzle.

"Trixie always loved Pinocchio's ending," Trixie said with a smirk. "Apple Bloom, how are you doing?"

"Done!" Apple Bloom said, finishing the patch work fairly quickly now that her distractions were gone.. "That was close...Wait, Lilith...Ah think she's still there!"

+

Llilith growled, sensing the barriers coming thanks to the brothers and their uncle. "This is becoming annoying..."

"And about to become twice as annoying! Which is Trixie's forte," Trixie announced, as the group emerged from the mirror, Trixie's cape around her, concealing her chest.

"...So, you broke free from my control. What does it matter?" Lilith asked. "It does not matter how many times I fall, my darkness in the Amulet will always allow me to return!"

"No, it won't," Trixie replied, giving a smirk. "Trixie got rid of it."

The witch queen's eye twitched. "What?"

Trixie threw her cape open, revealing the purified Alicorn Amulet. "Trixie purified the Alicorn Amulet, so your darkness is GONE!"

"Truth is, you're MORTAL now!" Apple Bloom pointed out. "Yah go down now, yer FINISHED!"

"Yeah, looks like you're out of continues!" Button Mash pointed out with a smirk.

The Mother of All Witches, for a brief moment, showed genuine terror...which then gave way to an unearthly howl of rage, her darkness swirling around her, causing all the lights in the room to explode and a dark storm to begin to form overhead.

Mtangalion

Button Mash reached for his game console with a hand he didn't have any more, then blushed and used a forehoof. His eyes grew wide, reflecting the light of the pixelated letters. "If Trixie just destroyed most of Lilith's power... shouldn't her stats be a lot lower?!"

--- LILITH - THE SHADOW QUEEN ---

Lilith laughed coldly, spreading her arms to feel the dark winds blasting the sleeves of her black gown. "Fool beasts, I shall not fall here. This is an opportunity that I never thought to possess! The Rainbow of Darkness is my prison no longer. I shall claim it for my very own, and rule an empire of darkness even greater than Tirek's!"

"But, I thought Tirek was a good guy," said Scootaloo hesitantly.

Apple Bloom understood the truth of Tirek then, the Tirek of their own world, and felt such sorrow that she couldn't bear to correct Scootaloo, not right then.

"You won't be ruling any dark empires if we have anything to say about it!" said Twilight Sparkle boldly.

The Crusaders cheered and reared up on their hind legs. All of them were here, galloping into the Mirror Maze foyer... which seemed much larger than it should have been with Lilith's dark power distorting it. Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Big Mac, and Cheese Sandwich, all wearing their Elements, with Pinkie Pie and Applejack close behind, then Flim and Flam and... was that Flummox? What the hay was he wearing?

Twilight grinned. "Formation, girls! Sorry... boys too!"

Big Mac hesitated, almost seeming to be hiding behind the mares. "The truth is, Ah just don't know if Ah'm strong enough for this. An evil witch ain't something Ah can beat with hard work and a pencil and a plow... But Ah promise, Ah'll sure as heck give it all Ah've got."

Veritas smiled, putting a warm hoof on his back. "A good, honest answer. Nopony could ask any more than that, big brother."

Cheese Sandwich pronked excitedly, not having any trouble at all lighting up his Element. "Thalia, Thalia, Thalia!"

The pink Alicorn posed and spun a top hat on her horn before flipping it onto her head. "It's SHOWTIME!"

Lilith scoffed at them all, raising a pale hand high, fingers spread. "Evil doers and foul spirits of every world, hear my call! I hold the key! I command you, obey me!" ALL of the World Mirror Maze doors that they could see flew open at once, dark smoke pouring out...

"What are we supposed to do?" fretted Flim, gnawing on his own hat. "All of our gadgets got destroyed!"

"Well, doing something has to be better than doing nothing!" grumbled Flummox. His blue aura seemed even brighter here, shining in Lilith's darkness.

Flam gasped. "You're right! If Lilith wins..."

Flim nodded. "Everything was for nothing!"

"We can't let that happen!"

The brothers lit their horns, summoning all their magic... and the bright green glow was strangely reflected in the blue metal of Flummox's hoofband.

(Will detected)

Apple Bloom did the numbers in her head, frowning more and more. "All of this... it ain't gonna be enough. We have to help too!"

"But what can we do?" asked a still-exhausted Sweetie Belle.

Scootaloo fluttered her wings. "Are you gonna use your Alicorn magic to boost the Elements?"

Apple Bloom grinned. "Ah've got a better idea than that. You know how in stories, the heroes go on this huge journey, and after all the magic swords and spells and ancient prophecies and stuff, they find out that the strongest power of all was their friendship? Well, heck, we've already done that! Ah don't what kinda power we Crusaders could come up with together, but Ah'm sure it would be amazing!" She looked at each of them in turn. "Who wants to help me test mah theory?"

Alex Warlorn

Rainbow Dash shouted, "What are we waiting for?! Just atomize the big bad witch, or turn her into a ugly mark on Princess Luna's moon, or into a big ugly statue! Whatever the Elements chose to do this time!"

Author's Note

The rules are simple. Write something in the comments, and it's added to the story above! No 'script' format additions! Keep it My Little Ponies!

Set in the same universe as Pinkie Pie Forth Wall Breaking Variety Show!

*Replay recording*

Apple Bloom"We're exploring the Everfree all night! And the best part is when something, ah, 'bad' happens to us, Princess Luna makes it so we, uh, 'respawn?' "

Scootaloo, "Apple Bloom we knew that already."

Apple Bloom, "Yeah, but Ah figured we had to say it again fer some reason."

Sweetie Belle, "Have look at the, what did Pinkie Pie call this? 'Trope Page?'" http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/PinkiePiesFourthWallVarietyShow

So yeah, the CMC are exploring the Everfree with a grainy video camera, but if they say, come to a Bad End, or the like, they'll respawn at the farm house.

Parts added by:
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion (and Ardashir)
MtangaLion
Kendell2
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
MtangaLion
Kendell2
MtangaLion
Kendell2
MtangaLion
MtangaLion
Kendell2
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn

Cover is a commission By Kendell2

CMC Journal of the unexplained bye

Epilogue:

The native Diamond Tiara of this universe (the Diamond Tiara from a timeline 1000 years in the future had thankfully left, lessening the chaos), sat on a cliff overlooking Ponyville in the Everfree Forest.

She held a video tape, a copy of CMC's entire quest through Everfree Forest.

"All's well that ends well." The filly said to Discord.

'So it would seem.'

Behind them... was a statue of Nyarlathotrot's original avatar, covered in moss and showing its age, reaching out as if to shake somepony's hoof.

'Well, what's this kind of story without one last mystery for the reader to ponder over?'

"Maybe a sense of conclusion?" Another Diamond Tiara asked in a cold voice. Wings like a vulture folded on her back, and a horn on her forehead, and the slit eyes of a dragon.

The Native Diamond Tiara seems that surprised or alarmed seeing her Nightmare self. "You can let the audience know that the characters' lives will continue, even if the story itself had run its course. It's let their imagination wander."

"It's just leaves open for more trouble down the line, stories are conflict, and conflict is trouble."

"... Life is change and challenge."

'Here here!'

"No big speech? No derisive remark?"

"Thank you for... saving Sweetie Belle from the wolf."

"You're welcome."

"Here, enjoy a free copy." The native Yokai Diamond Tiara tossed the Nightmare Diamond Tiara the video tape.

"So that's it?"

"That's it."

"Here's a truth nopony wants to face: there are ponies who SHOUDN'T get happy endings. And there are villains who should be just put down."

"... Don't be so hard on yourself."

"There's no such thing as 'too hard' for me."

"You can't blame yourself for everything."

"'The devil made me do it' hasn't been an acceptable excuse since time began."

"Thinking your beyond saving is just an excuse too."

"If every road, every decision, every choice, ends with 'worked out in the end', then what was the point of making them?"

"... "

"Thanks for the video tape Diamond Tiara."

"You're welcome Diamond Tiara."

"Don't call me that."

"You shouldn't make threats like that."

"It wasn't a threat, it was a request."

"Okay. What are you going to do now?"

"I have some last business to take care of nowhere else... before my story is finished, and it should have been finished a long time ago."

"As long as a story is enjoyed, and feels inspiring,does it matter how or short it is?"

"It does if the creator himself begin to feel weary of it all. Thank you helping create these, I'm sure they'll be interesting. We won't meet again."

The Nightmare Diamond Tiara opened a portal, entered, and was gone.

Continued in the pony pov series... stayed tuned.

Alex Warlorn

It was just another day in Ponyville... after Apple Jack and Bubble Berry were now Alicorn "Princes" (there had been no coronation), and that was just the tip of the ice berg.

The new Alicorn colt, Apple Buck (also, no coronation yet), was in Dusk Shine's library listening to his magic lessons... went a minecart burst through the barrier. Inside, were filly versions of himself, his friends, and a boy dragon version of Barb and Joystick.

"Hi Apple Buck!" Girl him waved.

"Hi Applebloom!" He waved back."You're back!"

"Of course! We promised we would be!" She took out some game books. "Wanna try some Oubliettes and Ogres?"

"SURE! Let go get my friends!"

And the Adventures continues

Author's Note

And so the Cutie Mark Crusaders' Journal of the Unexplained Comes To An End.

Trope page: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/PinkiePiesFourthWallVarietyShow

Last Part added by:
Alex Warlorn
Alex Warlorn

Cover is a commission By Kendell2

Bonus Joke by Mtangalion:
Two Blank Wolves rose from the shadows... Snow Gale with her "little sister" Blankie. "What are you doing, bringing two Concepts of Progress together in the same world? Put these suppressing hoofbands on before Father finds out!"

Oh, and Cadence and Shining Armor may get back to Tiamat on breeding those mana dragons after they've finished raising their two (soon to be three) foals they already have.

Variety Show Encore - Gilda the Griffon by MtangaLion

Ponyville was a strange place, even at the best of times. One day, a pony might journey through a perilous forest to the home of a forgotten archmage, to battle an ancient evil for the fate of all Equestria.

On another day, the same mare could be helping ducks cross a street.

“Right this way, little ones,” said Fluttershy, patiently and gently making a path through Ponyville for mama duck and papa duck and a whole row of precious, adorable ducklings. She turned around backwards, still walking as she encouraged them. “Oh yes, I know it seems like an awfully long way, but the pond is just a little further, so…”

Unexpectedly, she backed right into someone. “Please excuse me…” Fluttershy turned her head, and stiffened in fright. “G- Gilda?!”

Gilda spread her wings in an intimidating display, glaring down her beak at the smaller pegasus… and then she grinned and winked. “All right, ponies, you heard her! Make way, coming through!”

The griffon took a Columbian military-issue baton out of her camouflage-patterned travel bag, and walked ahead of Fluttershy and the ducklings, directing traffic. “You, yeah, you there with the cart! Sit tight for a minute. Can’t you see there’s ducklings walking here?” Gilda glanced back and saw Fluttershy still frozen in place, astonished. “Well, come on, Flutters, I don’t have all day.”

“R- Right!” Fluttershy hurried along, making sure no duckling was left behind. Then she gasped and blushed mildly. “Oh my. I hope you’re not offended, Gilda, but Fluttercruel is sulking because she didn’t get to roar back at you.”

Gilda smirked. “Oh, she thinks she can yell louder than a griffon, huh? Maybe we’ll just have to see about that.”

“Whaaaaat!?” roared Gilda, scaring sleeping birds off of rooftops blocks away. The television studio was closed and locked up, and the windows were all dusty with shades drawn. “Closed forever? No way!”

“That’s what the sign says.” Rainbow Dash glided down to land right by her side. “Hey, G! Good to see you again!”

“Good to see you too, buddy!” echoed Gilda, ruffling Rainbow’s mane with her claws, which got her a giggle and a mild hoof to the ribs in return. Gilda frowned at the sign again. Literally, it read, “Pinkie Pie’s Variety Show studio is closed… FOREVER!” with an apologetic cartoon of Pinkie Pie at the bottom. “So you guys never made another one of those crazy shows? Really?”

Rainbow winced. “Well… technically, there was one more.”

Gilda lashed her tail. “And I wasn’t invited. No, no, it’s okay. I’m a marine now. I probably couldn’t have gotten leave anyway.”

“Actually, nobody was invited,” said Dash. “The Cutie Mark Crusaders… you remember them, right? They went off and explored the Everfree Forest with their coltfriend, and they filmed the whole thing!”

Gilda blinked, tilting her head to one side. “Filmed? Like in the studio? You just said they were in the forest.”

Dash shrugged. “I don’t really understand it myself, but they made a video all by themselves, and it’s awesome! You’ve gotta see it!”

“Really, Dash? Some little girls’ sleepover thing?” Gilda couldn’t keep the smirk off her face. “I gotta see that?”

“Hey, it’s cooler than it sounds. Come on, we can watch it at Sugarcube Corner!” Dash beckoned and started trotting, and Gilda shrugged, following her. “We just need to borrow the tape from… Pinkie Pie.” Dash hesitated. “Say, G? … I should warn you now, there’s been some big changes around Ponyville. I mean, really big changes!”

“Is that so?” Gilda glanced around as they walked, seeing only plain old same as always Ponyville. The damage from those Tartarus jerks had long since been repaired, and it wasn’t as if somebody had blown up the library, or trashed that crazy carousel store, or erected a giant new castle while she’d been away.

Rainbow nodded. “I’m actually kinda surprised that *He* hasn’t popped in on you yet.”

Gilda groaned. “What are you hiding, Dash? Don’t pay the pronoun game with me.”

Right about then, a tall human with mint-green skin came around a street corner, wearing strange clothes and chatting happily with an earth pony mare. Gilda nearly turned her head all the way around, staring as the odd couple trotted past them.

Dash grinned and rushed back, urging Gilda to hurry along. “It’ll make more sense if you see the video first! Just, whatever you see around town, don’t freak out.” They’d reached Sugarcube Corner, and Dash got the door, holding it open for her. “Unless, of course, you see me freaking out first! Then, you can panic all you want!”

“Pfft. As if!” Gilda padded through the door, and immediately stopped in her tracks.

There was another Gilda and another Rainbow Dash already inside Sugarcube Corner, sitting at a table right in front of her. They were faintly transparent with faded colors, but there was no mistaking that pair.

At another table, Gilda sat alone, tapping her claws impatiently. There was more, too.

A Gilda laughing and joking with a rainbow-crested griffon Dash.

Two unfamiliar earth pony mares that could have been the sisters of Aloe and Lotus Blossom.

Yet another Gilda sitting at a long table with Rainbow Dash and all her friends, wearing a party hat and eating cake.

The Gilda standing in the doorway face-clawed. “Ugh, real cute, Dash. Let me guess, you put one of your unicorn friends up to this?”

Dash ignored her completely, walking straight through her like she wasn’t there.

A chill went down Gilda’s spine. “Come on, Dash! This isn’t funny! I mean, it’s not like I’m scared or anything, but you’re kinda creeping me out here!” She watched her Dash sit down with the phantom Gilda who had been sitting alone. “Hey, what the buck? I’m over here, Dash!” Everything was getting all gray and sluggish… the floor was a black morass, ready to swallow her up. “I’m the real me, not her! I… I’m…”

An orange hoof seized her outstretched claws. “You’re Gilda,” said a firm voice with a strong country accent. “You exist. Ah see ya right here in front of me.”

Gilda gasped for air suddenly, unaware than she’d been holding her breath. A little of her color came back, and her claws and paws found solid ground once again. “What the hay was that!?” she squawked. “That was so not... cool?”

She gawked at the orange-coated, golden-maned mare who’d rescued her. Green pony eyes looked evenly back at her.

“Wait, hold on a sec… I remember you! Yeah… Yeah, you were at the variety show thing.” Gilda snapped her claws. “You’re one of Dash’s pony friends! Snapplejack… I mean, Appleslap! Something like that...”

“Applejack,” said the mare, just a mite testy.

“You’re the apple farmer!” exclaimed Gilda, pointing at her. “So why…” The griffon smirked and started snickering. It was too much, too many shocks one after another, and then this weird gray place, with an apple farming pony… who now had mirror-feathered wings, and a horn! Applejack even still had her lame-o hat, somehow staying on her head even though it was awkwardly perched behind the horn.

Gilda covered her beak with her claws and still couldn’t keep the giggles in. When Applejack twitched an eyebrow upwards, Gilda lost it entirely, busting out laughing and rolling on the foggy ground. “I’m sorry! I just can’t take you seriously like that. Bwa-haha!”

Applejack’s horn flared to life. The cherry-red glow crackled and exploded around the Alicorn, like some Dragon Egg fighter powering up to super whatever mode, but instead of scary eyebrows and a bad hairdo… Gilda shaded her eyes, watching the dust clear, and then she screeched in fright, fur and feathers fluffing up, limbs shaking till she fell to the ground…

“Do I have your attention now?” growled Applejack’s voice, big and deep and entirely without the farm drawl… coming from a giant, muscular griffon hen half-again Gilda’s size. She had bronze fur, golden feathers, and sharp green eyes surrounded by dark jade markings. Stars twinkled in her crest, and flowing rainbow colors trailed from her outstretched wings. Her tail tuft was like a comet, leaving an afterimage wherever she twitched it.

Gilda looked up at her, gaping in awe, and something finally clicked. She stumbled upright and saluted. “Ma’am! Yes, ma’am!”

Applejack’s stern expression slipped. “Gilda… Why, in all the times we’ve ever met, I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen you acting respectful to anybody.”

Gilda scoffed, rolling her eyes. “W- What? I’m in the military now! You think I can just smart off at my sergeant whenever I want?” She coughed, glancing aside. “Course, you know me, I had to learn the hard way. That was not a good day.” She gave the celestial griffon an earnest look. “But, you…were you really Boreas the whole time? Or Astra?”

AJ shook her head slowly. “Neither one, sugarcube. Being a goddess, a Concept… that’s bigger than any one species. What Ah look like doesn't change what Ah am, and Ah’m Veritas, the Honest Truth, now.”

She padded closer. “Gilda… when Rainbow Dash told you that there’d been some big changes, even she didn’t know the half of it. A lot of what’s about to happen, you won’t understand, or even remember, so Ah’ll try and be as quick and gentle about this as Ah can.”

“That’s what he said.” Gilda sniggered, then caught herself, quickly snapping to attention again. “Sorry! Sorry about that, ma’am! Shut up and listen up. I can do that!”

Veritas smiled. “Actually, Ah want to sit and listen to you for a spell. Tell me, have you ever heard of a place called Griffonstone?”

Gilda blinked several times. “Griffonstone? What’s that got to do with anything?” She waited for a punchline, but the griffon goddess only looked at her expectantly. “Well, duh, every griffon knows about Griffonstone!” Gilda waved her claws dramatically. “My mom told me the whole story. She said that Griffonstone griffons were tougher, braver, and more badflank than every soldier in Columbia put together!”

“Is that so?” mused Veritas.

Gilda jabbed a claw towards her. “You bet your tail feathers. You don’t have tail feathers either, do you? Never mind... I mean, they built a whole kingdom! Bringing all the griffon clans together, conquering dweebs left and right…”

Gilda started throwing mock punches with her fisted claws, getting into the story. “They even took on Equestria! There was this huge awesome battle, and airships blowing each other up for days, and we totally would have won the war too… if Celestia hadn’t gotten over Nightmare Moon, gotten up off her cake-stuffed flank, and, well… kinda threatened to drop the sun on us. Is that lame or what?

“Anyway, after that? The griffon nobles decided it’d be safer to expand the kingdom in the other direction. Eventually, a bunch of the outer territories split off to form a republic, and that’s how Columbia got started.”

Veritas nodded to herself, seeming oddly melancholy about something. “So… How about we go and take a look at Griffonstone for ourselves? Come, fly with me.”

Gilda’s flicking tail froze. “Wait, I get to fly with a goddess?” She grinned sharply. “You think you can fly better than me after two minutes in a griffon body, huh? Well, br-”

Veritas spread her wings and flapped them once. It was like she stood still and blew the entire world around them away, and Gilda came tumbling along after her, like a leaf in a dragon’s wake. Veritas touched down lightly on a cloud high over a mighty city.

Gilda face-planted next to her. “...bring it…” She coughed, hacking up bits of cloud, but soon she was back on her feet and peering over the side. “So, that’s Griffonstone?” The cliffside buildings, the mighty gates and bridges, the sky towers and their massive airships, flying the colors of the Griffon Kingdom… all of them were flickering and turning gray, just like back at Sugarcube Corner. “What’s going on?” She looked to Veritas, alarmed, eyes narrowing. “What did you do?!”

Veritas sighed. “An offer was made, by somepony Ah trust like mah own flesh and blood. Ah accepted.” She gestured with glowing red claws. Gilda watched, dumbfounded, as black metal parts floated out of her travel bag, snapping together into her service rifle.

The celestial griffon studied the weapon, turning it over in her magic. “A lot of folks have been trying for a long time to recreate all the amazing things that ponies had back in the Age of Wonders. Guns like this, that can shoot accurately as far as a griffon can see.” The rifle flickered and faded, becoming a well-crafted wooden crossbow. Veritas looked down at the city next. “Airships the size of entire buildings. Advanced materials, just as good as they had back in those days. Truth is, someday maybe we’ll have all those things back again, but not today, and definitely not in the days of the Old Kingdom.”

Far below them, Griffonstone was crumbling apart.

“Griffons are tough fighters,” said Veritas somberly, “but they never had a big leap forward in weapons technology to make things easier for them. After they conquered a few soft targets, their neighbors armed up and allied against them. Their ‘war’ with Equestria didn’t last an entire day before Princess Celestia made the consequences of invasion clear. That embarrassed the king, made him and the Old Kingdom look weak. When an enemy of the griffons stole the Idol of Boreas and it was lost, that was the last straw. King Guto was deposed, and nogriffon could agree who should be king after him.

“A lot of griffons left the kingdom after that, reckoning that things had gotten so bad with griffons fighting other griffons, it was better to just go someplace else and start over. Eventually, they settled where Columbia would have been and founded the New Kingdom. The ones who stayed behind to fight over the scraps, well…”

The bridges of Griffonstone collapsed and the towers toppled, leaving no rubble because they’d fallen and weathered away ages ago. The mighty airships blurred and melted into nothing, like sugar cubes in a cup of coffee. Most of the buildings fell into ruin and were replaced with simpler structures, or just left to rot, and yet, griffons continued to live there.

Gilda herself didn’t start fading away again, but a change came over her. “Whoa… that’s Griffonstone?” she asked, as if she was once again seeing it for the first time. “I thought it was supposed to be this amazing, historic place, but it’s a total pile! It’s nearly as bad as that crappy run-down frontier town I grew up in.”

“No, Gilda,” said Veritas. “You can’t have been born in the New Griffon Kingdom. It’s too far away. Griffonstone is the town where you were born and raised.”

Gilda made several odd, clashing facial expressions, before settling on mild annoyance. “So what if I was born in Griffonstone? You want to make something of it?!”

Veritas watched her intently, her expression unreadable. “This is probably the toughest call Ah’ve ever had to make since Ah became the Honest Truth. A huge number of folks lived who would have died, and a lot of centuries-old prejudices between ponies and griffons simply never came to be, but griffons are worse off for it. Even if you’ll never blame me because you don’t remember what you’ve lost in the first place, Ah still want to make it up to ya somehow, if you’ll let me.”

Gilda took a cautious step back. “Okay… You’re not making any sense. Not that I’d turn down free stuff from a goddess who thinks she owes me. Just saying!”

“Well, then…” Veritas spread her wings and reached out with wind magic, drawing a puffy cloud into her grasp. “You’ve had a rough time these past few years, haven’t you? What if, just saying, things could be easier?” Colorful images formed in the cloud, showing… her. Gilda, giving Pinkie Pie a chance instead of immediately blowing off the weird earth pony. Gilda, coming back to Rainbow Dash the very same day after they fought, once she’d calmed down. “Suppose that certain misunderstandings... just never happened? Is that something you’d be interested in?”

The images spiraled out further and further, showing Gilda competing with Dash and Applejack in the Running of the Leaves. Going to the Great Galloping Gala wearing a dress made by Rarity. Romancing Big Macintosh after Miss Cheerilee unknowingly gave her a cup of juice spiked with love poison, and on and on.

Gilda watched the images, her longing plain to see. She squeezed her eyes shut, then glared suddenly at Veritas, claws unsheathed and tail lashing. “Are you bucking kidding me?”

Veritas’ beak dropped in genuine surprise. “I thought…”

“You thought wrong!” roared Gilda. She flapped her wings angrily, breaking up the cloud with the images. “That… that wasn’t me. That was some griffon I don’t even know, with my name and face. Do you know how long it took me to learn to own my mistakes, Miss Fancy Truth Goddess? Huh?!”

Gilda stamped her paws, shaking the cloud beneath them. “I was the real queen lame-o. A jerk, a bully, and a thief! I got jealous of my best friend, and I walked away because I was too proud to apologize.” She jabbed a talon towards her own chest. “Me! I royally bucked up MY life, and it took ME all this time to make it right again, and YOU don’t get to just wave your claws around and fix it.” She turned away and choked back a sob, pointedly not looking at Veritas. “I’m not proud of my amazing colossal screwups, but they made me who I am… you know?”

Out of the blue, Veritas padded over and embraced the smaller griffon, claws grasping her shoulders. “Hold onto that attitude, Gilda. It’ll take you far.” She backed away, taking a deep breath. “You’re right, and Ah apologize. Ah was wrong to suggest taking that away from you.”

“Darn right,” grumbled Gilda, hastily wiping her eyes. She blinked. “Wait, so you CAN be wrong? You... you admit it? And you’re supposed to be the goddess of truth?”

Veritas smirked. “Ah’m still learning. Always will be, maybe. So, you still want to be in the military, too? You know, it’s a hard life, and you do get in harm's way, besides it keeping you away from your pony friends for a while.”

Gilda rolled her eyes. “It was what I needed, wasn’t it? Only…” She trailed off. “Huh, did I have too much cider or something? How am I not remembering what unit I served in?”

Veritas smiled. “Ah’ve got that covered, sugarcube. Truth is, a funny thing happened in the New Griffon Kingdom, not all that long ago. King Griswold went and made a royal proclamation, saying that griffons everywhere should be ashamed of the sorry state that Old Griffonstone was in.

“A dozen kings before him all said ‘Not my problem,’ but Griswold actually sent his army to clear out the ‘Freelance Guard’ that was fleecing Griffonstone griffons for what few bits they could still scrape together. Then he reformed the Royal Griffonstone Guard, and wouldn’t ya know it, you were actually the first griffon to volunteer. You said…”

Gilda lifted a claw, interrupting her. “I said… ‘Heh, why not? It’s not like I’ve got anything better to do.’”

Veritas nodded sagely. “This is True.”

Far below, the arched gate of Griffonstone stood whole. Rubble was being cleared, structures were being rebuilt, and the flag of the Griffon Kingdom flew from the highest tower once more...

“Gilda? Hey, Gilda!”

Gilda jumped in place, startled. “Who, what?”

Rainbow Dash smirked and held the door of Sugarcube Corner open for her. “You kinda spaced out there for a second, G. Long flight from Griffonstone?”

Gilda glanced around, then checked her blue travel bag. Her Griffonstone Guard rank sash was in there, with her crossbow and some mid-flight snacks. Everything was where it was supposed to be. “Yeah. Sucks that it’s so far, but what can you do?”

She stepped through the doorway and stopped in her tracks… as the lights inside came on and a whole herd of ponies yelled ‘Surprise!’ Gilda looked up and down the long table, taking in all the familiar pony faces. “You guys! The squawk? It’s not my hatch-day.”

Pinkie Pie giggled. “No, silly! It’s your ‘Sorry you couldn’t be in the show more, but welcome back to Ponyville and we hope you have a wonderful visit’ party!”

Gilda leaned towards Dash and hissed, “Pinkie Pie’s an Alicorn!?”

“Yep,” whispered Dash back.

“How doomed are we?”

“Well… she hasn’t covered all of Ponyville in delicious strawberry frosting yet.”

Pinkie Pie grinned hugely. “Come on, you two!”

Rarity smiled warmly. “We have cake.”

“And no trick candles this time!” said Twilight Sparkle brightly, as she levitated a party hat onto Gilda’s head.

“Pinkie Pie promise,” said Applejack… also an Alicorn, somehow. She winked.

Gilda shrugged, then took a seat, and a paper plate with a slice of cake that Fluttershy offered her. “Heh, cool.”

Author's Note

Written by MtangaLion
Added with permission.

"This story ties up some loose ends from Cutie Mark Crusaders: Journal of the Unexplained.

My Little Pony is copyrighted by Hasbro.
Pony POV series, Pinkie Pie’s Fourth Wall Breaking Variety Show, and Cutie Mark Crusaders: Journal of the Unexplained were created by Alex Warlorn."

THE END

One Last Variety Show

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon sat alone in the dusty studio that Pinkie Pie had once done her variety show in. The pair had tried to start their own show... but lightning doesn't strike twice. And everypony they'd talked to about the place, seemed to quickly forget about it.

Neither expected a knock on the door. The pair looked out to see an injured unicorn mare, and quickly opened the door, she practically fell inside.

It was hard to get a grip on what she looked like. She was pink or pale blue, her mane was fuzzy and had a pair of buns on the sides maybe, and seemed to be green, blue, and pink. Her cutie mark looked like some kind of sparkled pink swirl.

She was covered in cuts, bruises, and hoof marks, one of her back legs moved with a limp, and she had the stereotypical black eye.

Silver Spoon said. "We need to get a doctor!"

"No... no doctors... it... it won't make a difference." The mare whispered. "My body... has a way of... not letting me pass on."

"Who are you?" Diamond Tiara asked. The fillies looking outside, but there was no one else.

"My... name is Philia Mageía..."

"That's... a weird name," Diamond Tiara said.

"Really? Everypony I met seemed to love it."

"What happened to you?" Silver Spoon implored.

"Somepony... hurt me. And kept hurting me... I... I finally got away, but... what if they find me again? And..."

Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara gave the mare a bug that quieted her down.

Diamond Tiara whispered stroking her mane,
"Shhhhhh. It's okay, you're safe now. Nopony is going to hurt you again."

"P-promise?"

"Promise. They'll have to get through me."

A deep voice rumbled through the studio, "Phiiiillla... wheeeere are yoooou?"

Philia's eyes widened in terror. "Oh no! He's found me!"

The studio shook as giant footsteps were heard.

Diamond Tiara wanted to run for Princess Twilight and the others, or whoever was supposed to handle things like this now... but she remembered Pinkie Pie's warning that nothing related to the studio could affect the rest of the world. They... they were on their own.

'What am I supposed to do? Throw money at it?' Some part of Diamond Tiara taunted her. 'Or maybe you want to try and shame it about its insecurities into giving up?' 'Be quiet!' Diamond Tiara told her inner voice.

"I have to go! I have to run! Can't be hurt again!" Philia said terrified.

"And you won't be!" Silver Spoon said defiantly. Then quickly looked Diamond Tiara, desperation not quiet hidden in her voice. "Right?"

Diamond Tiara nodded.

The stomping stopped. Outside, where two towering dark masses. Then, four meaty fingers tore right into the studio itself, and pull back the roof of Pinkie Pie's beloved studio like it was the lid of a box.

It was a troll... or that was what the outline looked like. It several stories high, almost its entire body was a mass of blackness, like someone had cut out a part of the world leaving a hole. Except for a pair of solid red eyes gleaming down at the three ponies.

"Theeereee you are Philllaaaa. Did you wander off and get lost again? Naughty naughty!" It waved a log sized finger.

Its words were carried on a putrid wind that made Diamond Tiara ill.

"It's time for your baaaath Philla, I prepared it just for yoooou." It held up a tub... filled with raw sewage with its free hand. "I have your favorite bath brush tooo." It set the tub of filth down and showed a brush of metal wool.

Philia Mageía was frozen in terror, her eyes glued on the towering troll before her, a tiny thing that could fit in the palm of his hands.

'That fear Philia is showing... it's... so familiar... like... like I've felt it myself somewhere... somepony who could hurt me, and I couldn't do anything about it... so... why do I feel like I should know what that's like?' Diamond Tiara thought in whirl of confusion before shouting. "YOU'RE NEVER TOUCHING HER AGAIN YOU BASTARD!"

Diamond Tiara was shocked at what she'd just said, so were Silver Spoon and Philia, and so was the troll. For several moments it looked stunned at Diamond Tiara's words, shocking in a breath, before its eyes narrowed.

"No one, comes between our love," it said darkly.

"WHAT YOU DO ISN'T LOVE!" Diamond Tiara snarled.

"Then you are too stupid with your head too far up your flank to know what love is you little worm," the dark troll growled.

"The only worm around here..." Diamond Tiara heard herself growing back. "IS YOU! You big bully!"

Philia Magela let out a desperate groan of pain, one of her good hooves trying to point to the right over and over again.  “Don’t…. Don’t antagonize him,” she weakly muttered, Silver Spoon still trying to confront the older mare as Diamond Tiara was now directly in front of her.  “He’s… he’s just going to hurt you too.”

“NO!" Diamond Tiara said seriously her eyes narrowing as she took another step towards the troll.  And though there was fire in the young filly's voice it wasn’t overpowering of putrid like the troll’s as she stared up at the beast.  “Because there’s one thing this MONSTER needs to understand.” she pointed up at the troll, determination still pulsing through her voice.  “We’re not trapped here with him.  HE’S trapped in here with ME.  And any pain, any love he can dish out, I can pay back, at least three times over.”

The troll looked at the young filly starring before him before throwing his head back, letting out a horrible, gut piercing laugh before wiping away some of his tears, somehow in a more jovial state then when he first saw Philia once again.  “That is the STUPIDEST thing you could of ever said worm,” The troll said, spit flying out of his mouth with the foul water hitting around the three ponies, barely missing them by inches.  “Only I can properly dole out love, not you.  I know how to make it last.” he then held out the tub once again shaking it some.  “Make it fun.”

“What about the look on her face says she’s enjoying this exactly?” Diamond Tiara queried.  “What about ANYTHING about you screams out fun?”

The Troll screamed out, letting out a powerful roar which blew the ponies manes back but Diamond Tiara dug her hooves in the ground in front of her, not budging an inch as the troll again turned his attention to her.  “Hear that?” The troll said a devilish smile on her face.  “It’s the sound of bliss, of heaven, of truth and dedication.”  He then chuckled down at Philia.  “Oh I have heard that so many times from you dear Phillie willie and I will hear it so many more.”

“NO YOU WON’T!”  Diamond Tiara roared, Philia too disgraced to even look at him any more as she pointed up once more, this time her hoof making the pony equivalent of a fist.  “I am putting a stop to this.  I am ending your sick, sick, SICK definition of fun.”

“With what exactly?”  The troll queried, for the first time leaning down, actually angling himself so his face was now mere inches away from Diamond Tiara.  “You’re just a silly little pony who has no idea what they’re doing.  Certainly not of my love.  So unless you want some you better take off before-”

STOMP!

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” The troll let out, as Diamond Tiara had double kicked him right in the eye.  Digging her feet into the retina, Diamond shook some before pulling out, a grotesque green shade of blood now dripping from below the eyelid.  Silver Spoon was shocked, none of them, not her, not the troll, not Phila, had seen Diamond Tiara climb up the monster like a spider before finally striking the mass of darkness right in the only visible park of him! And then finally managing to climb down to relative safety as the monster cringed.

“OWWWWWWWWWWWW!” The troll cried out, quickly moving back as he covered his eye with his hand, jumping back and forth on the ground in agonizing pain.  “That realllllllllllly hurtttttttttttttt!”

“Awww, what’s wrong baby?” Diamond Tiara said in a mocking jaded tone (perhaps for the first time in her life a justified tone to take), kicking a bit of blood off her hooves.  “I thought you liked giving out love.  Don’t you like feeling some back?”

“Noononononononononoooooooooooooooooooooo,” the troll cried still stomping on the ground sounding less like a gigantic threat and more like a tantruming baby.

“Then here’s a thought: how about you don’t go around showing your “love” to others,” Diamond Tiara then narrowed her eyes, holding out her hind legs again.  “Or else I’ll share more of mine.  And trust me, I meant it when I said it would equal out to three times what you could do.”

The sniffling troll ran away crying loudly as he held his arms up in pity.  “Mommmmmmmmmmy they were meannnnnnnnnn to meeeeeeeeee,” he bawled running away from the ruins of Pinkie’s fourth wall and the three ponies as quickly as he could, soon vanishing from the area entirely.

Silver Spoon looked slack jawed at what she saw, eventually turning to her best friend.  “Uh… wow uh… HOW did you do that?”

Diamond Tiara smirked some.  “My dear Silver spoon, there’s one thing about those kind of particular trolls you need to realize: as much as they can dish out pain, they CAN’T take it.  Once you show them you mean business it’s easy enough to tear through them and show what sniveling little specks they are.”

Philia Magela coughed some, trying to get up on her good leg as the two looked at her.  “Thank you,” she quietly eeped out.  “I wish I could do that but I… even to someone like that I… I couldn’t…”

“There’s no need for YOU to apologize,” Diamond Tiara said earnestly turning her attention to her.  “I get it.  Some ponies no matter what happens, no matter what they get put up against, don’t like hurting others.  Even if it saves their lives.” Diamond Tiara sighed.  “Those ponies can be pure, symbols showing how love and kindness for EVERYONE makes things better.  But… after who I was and… what I’ve done… I couldn’t ever be like that.”

“But who you were… what you did… helped me… saved me,” Phila said, gently grabbing and squeezing Diamond’s hooves.  “And I can’t… ever thank you enough for that.”

Diamond Tiara looked at her, giving a small smile as she shook her head.  “Sure you can,” she said looking at her own hoove.  “Seeing what I was be used for the right reasons to help not hurt or… use others is the best thanks I could of ever asked for.”

“Well now that we’re alone we should get out of here,” Silver Spoon pointed out.  “You know try and find some place or some pony who can help fix Philia out.”

Diamond Tiara nodded.  “Good idea Silvy,” she set putting her hooves around Philia’s right side, Silver doing the same on the left as they helped the pony up starting to carry her away from the set.

“I told you thought my body my… being won’t let these wounds… let this pain go away even… with him gone” Philia pointed out.

“Hey we’re not giving up on you,” Diamond Tiara pointed out.  “Well find a way to patch you up properly.  And if that creep or someone like him tries coming around to hurt you well you know I’ve still got a few kicks in me.”

“Well not all trolls can be taken down like that,” Silver Spoon stated.  “Some play less direct sort of tricks, making you think YOU did the wrong thing and that you’re going to hurt people with what you said.”

“But if I’m not hurting one and expressing what I feel I’m not going to let them get to me,” Diamond Tiara pointed out.  “Besides, if they’re the ones hurting people or are influencing people who do way more damage then they’re the bad ones.  And you know what we do to those baddies.”

“Try to show them the error of their ways and sing about being friends?”

“... Uh I guess the ones that you can’t do that to?”

“Give them a swift old kick?”

“Several swift old kicks if there’s more then one.  Cause that’s what they’ve got coming to them.”

Philia looked up amazed at the two as she was continued to be carried out.  ‘Even after all they’ve been through to have such spirit and hopes is… remarkable’ she thought sighing some to herself.  ‘I just wish there was more time or… something better for them then… they got.’  She thought. 'Maybe I can give them something of their own...'

Philia's horn glowed.

+++

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were out shopping in Canterlot, well, for once it was Silver Spoon doing the shopping, and Diamond Tiara along for the ride. Hearth Warming Eve had come again and not everyone has a network of friends to randomly assign gift giving to.

"So Diamond Tiara... what would you get your mom and dad?" Silver Spoon asked, she knew her family didn't exactly 'need' anything, but that wasn't the point of gifts, they were to show how much you cared. Well, with family, with other people it was to show off your wealth.

"I..." DIamond Tiara looked uncomfortable. "I... don't really know... Daddy's not really home all that much and mom is..." Diamond Tiara shivered. "Is mom."

"Oh," Silver Spoon said, unsure. While she'd abandoned Diamond Tiara once before, in her heart of hearts, Silver Spoon had been a follower, not a leader, she'd always counted on Diamond TIara to make decisions when she wouldn't.

Diamond Tiara also felt a swirl of discomfort rise inside her that wasn't physical. As the elite of Canterlot trotted around them (both their sets of parents trusted them enough to be about on their own, this was Equestria after all). And Diamond Tiara realized the challenge in front of her, 'I... I have to help Silver Spoon make her OWN decision.' But Diamond Tiara was a determined filly when she wanted to be, and she considered her small pool of friends all the more precious.

~Never An Ending

Author's Note

After a lot of encouragement from a lot of people, I've chosen to post this.

Edited by Mtangalion and Frozen-Doopliss.
Cowritten with Diana Songo.

One last Variety Show.

Diamond Tiara tried to start a Variety Show of her own, but it never went anywhere... now she has to be the hero for one mysterious mare.

MLP FIM Copyright Hasbro

One Last Variety Show Epilogue By DianaGohan

"Uh don't want to be rude or anything" Diamond Tiara said turning her attention on Philia Magela as her and Silver Spoon were still helping her walk away from the remains of Pinkie's Fourth wall "but how'd you come into contact with such a terrible troll anyway?"

"Diamond!" Silver said in a bit of a freaked out tone, gently nudging her friend. "Don't bring that up now. It could conjure worse trauma."

"Well sorry" Diamond Tiara said in a much more sincere tone used then when she used to say such a phrase in the past "I'm just wondering you know where such a beast came from."

"The truth is" Philia sighed looking down. "He... it... wasn't always like this."

"Wasn't always like what?" Silver Spoon asked, her curiosity instantly getting the better of her nervousness.

"It's hard to explain but... what I am... how I am was put onto this plane through means well... much different then your own" Philia said, trying to still be careful of how to exactly explain herself to the young foals. "See I am part of a legacy of a... series born once every generations. For some it may seem like only the passage of several moon cycles but you, ages upon ages I have existed, being placed to grow... to expand a world and make it place where all who come into it... may live and grow."

Diamond Tiara gasped. "Oh my celestia are you like some sort of secret legendary alicorn lost to time whose wings ... and horn was busted away?"

Philia shook her head. "Nothing like that. You and your friends... your loved ones and those you know and encounter... those are the ones with the legends... with the tales no matter how big or small that are important. I am just a... bridge in a sense to allow that joy to be shown and given to others you will never meet or know but them seeing your joy also gives them happiness... sometimes other emotions but the point is to share in your mirth."

Silver Spoon blinked a few times. "Oh you're from some other dimension right? Miss Cheerliee did say there was a chance of their being infinite different realms and reality and I remember Pinkie saying you could explore all of them here though sans her room we haven't really seen any."

"Well explore it later after we help out our new friends" Diamond Tiara said pointing up at Philia. "And again no offense but still not sure how this relates to you having to deal with such a horrible troll."

"Again that's not how it started out" Philia admitted as more pleasant memories starting filling her mind. "Many moons ago it was decided the fourth true generation would begin with a legend called Faust. One whose presence has sparked many previous different universes and from what I heard continues to create and improve on new realities and worlds. She and her team, Theissen, Keating, Morrow, Carthy, Larson, Polksy and many other legends worked to create a window to this wornderful world to showcase it's spendor it's love to so many others. They worked tirelessly making an effort for the youngest to have a quality experience, something with true care and earnesty, and managed to create a sensation a... place many outside of the expected audience would love and appreciate. They had made something wonderous that touched and was beloved by so many and helped create many more worlds, many other universes and parallels from their work."

Diamond Tiara narrowed her brow. "Still kind of confused but it sounds like they did good work."

"More then good. They and the others touched made some truly beloved material. Some with tones and... lewdness that should not of related to the world and it's messages but were beloved material all the same" Philia then sighed. "Faust eventually had to leave that space to again find other worlds to repurpose and liven but the others and many other new talents sprang on board to keep the experience going. To push new boundaries. To craft new tales and wonder that still delighted many. That is until..."

"...Until what?" Silver Spoon asked, not wanting to admit how much she had slowed down her walking as she was basking in the story.

"Haber" Philia said with the sound of disgust in her voice, as the image of a small impish being fluttering around the background pointlessly wasting time and weaving around the other forces irritatingly was shown. "There were other muses and beings who had produced experiences and events that were... not beloved by everyone but the world and universe itself was still at it's zenith. Still making incredible and beloved stories. But Haber the troll did not care for such love. He was the first, perhaps of many who only saught to suck the live and value out of the world, not caring for it's rules and values and using it as just a simple place to excuse, crafting dull and meaningless tales many could not get behind."

"HABER" Diamond Tiara spat out looking down disgusted. "That's the troll I'm guessing right? The one who hurt you so bad?"

"He wasn't like that first" Philia explained. "There were still so many other crafters and makers to balance him out even his... inexperience and incompetence was still only minorly damaging the world." She looked down sadly. "However in the 5th period of this fourth generation a chance to expand and truly enlighten the world and share perhaps one of it's most interesting and incredible messages was presented. A true experience that would make this world's appeal perhaps last even more countless life times. Instead of one of the most experienced and beloved spirits getting to decide the ultimate fate of this tale though, Haber made his comments. Showed perhaps for the first time what his "love" truly was" Philia looked at her hand as it was still shaking. "To try and clean and devalue anything of interest and of worth to try and make it sanitize, bland, banal and forget whatever interesting points were trying to be made. It was the true start of our relationship... of our connection of... " Philia looked down sickened. "What I have become" she spat out.

"But wait if it was so horrible why was this monster given more power over you?" Silver Spoon asked. "You said there were others right? Why wasn't Haber stopped when it was made clear what he was doing was so wrong?"

"Sadly at that point our tales our experiences and values had been seen as a brand, a ploy and just a gimmick. Something that needed to just be produced and made, not something to be truly filled with love and joy as it once was" Phillia imagined the various other spirits fighting the Haber troll as it kept going. "And yes the other spirits fought back, made stories to still delight and entertain those young and old as they once was. But many of the new spirits fell in line with what Haber wanted, what he thought of as right. And since haber was the one to get out the stories and direct them in the format most approved by the ultimate powers of the craft, he was the one who soon filled the Faust role and became the one in control of what would happened, what everyone would experience what... what my fate would be."

Diamond Tiara fumed. "You've got to me kidding me! Who would let someone go on being so cruel, so careless. So willing to hurt others without..." she then suddenly thought of a past reflection of herself quickly shaking that image away. "Probably a... good thing then I never came into that kind of power" Diamond mumbled to herself. "What I could of done with it...."

Magela shook her head, actually squeezing Tiara's hoof. "Don't sell yourself short" she said giving her a smile. "Your realization your awakening to your potential is one my favorite of memories. A sign of issues in the past actually improving and those growing." She looked down annoyed. "It's not your fault that apparently you not at your full potential was not allowed to truly shine and experience again in this form as it should. Again another failure of the horrible twisted failure he... and I have have become."

"Hey if you're not selling me short I'm not selling you short" Diamond Tiara said squeezing her hand. "If I could turn out all right no way can this beast have made you drag down to his level."

"Only... barely" Philia admitted sighing some. "The forgetfulness, the laizness, the incompetence seeped into me as he kept beating and trying to indulge me in his work over and over again" the image then showed the troll Haber grow to the huge grotesque size we had seen previously hovering high above Philia. "It had made the last moons most horrible to operate to... get out experiences and joy out. I felt the backlash the disinterest the... anger so many had felt because of his decisions, and his failures and his ignornace again and again. With so many just waiting for the end just to be done with me when before they would of followed me for however long I wished to go on."

"But that's over right?" Silver Spoon asked. "We spooked him away right?"

Philia nodded. "Yes his grip over me in that world had ended but thanks to you two his grip on me and his failures and pain are lessened so that my eternity in this place.. in this world though not tracked by others of differing realities, can be a happy one. Can be one dictated by the spirit of the crafters from long ago and... the new talents that can still create such wonderful work."

"Well that's good to hear" Diamond Tiara said. "Though again if that Haber ever comes a knocking-"

"I'll... look forward to seeing you kick his eye in as many times as you can" Philia said the two sharing a laugh about that.

"Well either way parts... of that seemed nice" Silver Spoon said rubbing her head. "Confusing but still nice. Sorry about the other parts though."

"no it's not your fault dear. I know... I know who to really blame."

"Well forget about them for now" Diamond Tiara said as the three continued heading on. "We have to focus on getting you better and getting away from all of those hurtful memories right? So let's not focus on those trolls and focus on the good."

Philia smiled as brightly as could. "If only everyone in... every reality could follow that logic Diamond. Then this... would truly be an infinite paradise."

"Hey who says it can't ever get there right?"

Philia thought for a second actually nodding a bit. "Right" she said that smile still on her face as the three continued going along.

END FOR NOW!

DG.

Cutie Mark Crusaders' Journal of the unexplained Part 2

The three headed back into the woods. "At least we know Luna was right," said Scootaloo. "Would've really stunk to be stuck in an alternate universe."

"Yeah, tell meh about it," said Applebloom.

"Hey, do you hear something?" Sweetie Belle asked, the sound of music coming by.

To their surprise, a procession of Wuv Cats marched by, each with Pinkie Pie's patented One Man Band set up on them and leading a small swarm of Parasprites over to a portal of some kind, stopping just short of it and sending the Parasprites through it.

"Uh..." Sweetie Belle said, blinking.

"Hi girls! Enjoying your new show?!"

The trio's eyes went wide as dinner plates as an ALICORN version of Pinkie Pie hopped up, Princess Luna besides her. "Pinkie..." Scootaloo started.

"Pie..." Apple Bloom continued.

"You're a..." Sweetie Belle finished..

"ALICORN?!"

"Yep!" Pinkie answered cheerfully.

"Are you from another universe?" Scootaloo questioned.

"Nope! I'm from this one!" Pinkie Pie cheered. "Well, a little bit in the future. Long story short, I'm stopping some really really bad thing from happening and ascended so I could, but my future self who already succeeded, that's this me, still has some time paradoxes to close."

"So...you're from the future?" Scootaloo asked.

"Kinda. Outside of time really doesn't have past present and future. In fact right now I'm going back in time to create the Wuv Cats!"

"Oh...so...why the Parasprites?" asked Sweetie Belle, mentally telling herself 'this is Pinkie Pie, it doesn't need to make sense' just to keep her sanity.

"Oh! Well you see once Discord turned Breezies into Parasprites, so while I'm in the past I'm going to do the opposite to give some old friends of mine a plausible origin story for season 4 while I'm in the past!" Pinkie Pie said, giving a smile.

"...Okay..."

Scootaloo blinked. "...Cool..." she said, remembering something her friends didn't.

Princess Luna cleared her throat.

"Oh! Sorry, gotta go! And good luck with your show!" Thalia announced.

"Thanks..."

Thalia then somehow put a link in the cameras image.

http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/PinkiePiesFourthWallVarietyShow

"That page is still open! Put tropes for this show there!"

Before the CMC could question it, Thalia headed through the portal after teleporting her Wuv Cats somewhere.

Princess Luna looked to them. "...Remember my little fillies, this is ONLY for tonight. Be grateful my sister Rota Fortuna is bending the rules." She then headed through the portal and it closed behind her.

"...You know, altogether, that was probably the most normal thing we've seen tonight," said Scootaloo, the other two nodding.

"Wait!" Applebloom gasped, holding her head to her hooves. "Ah just thought! If we're here! And us are still stuck in that other universe, does that mean we're clones? Copies? Duplicates?! Magical imitation constructs?! Are we even real?! Did any of that even happen to us?! If it didn't happen how do we remember it?!"

"Don't be silly Applebloom, Chryssy said how magical duplicates only live as long as they're needed for what they were created for, then they just silently die and are never thought of or mentioned again like they never existed." Sweetie Belle suddenly paled at her own words.

The Crusaders kept walking, with that unsettling thought in mind. "If we went down that same path," said Sweetie Belle, thinking out loud, "do you think we'd find that other Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack again?"

Applebloom shivered. "Ah don't want to go through that again. Besides, we might find another set of us there too!"

Up ahead, lightning flashed, striking the same place several times in a row, and strange colors lit the clouds from beneath, turning them blue and pink and gold. "That looks way more interesting!" said Scootaloo. "Let's check it out!" She took off, gliding ahead of them.

"Hey, wait up!" cried Applebloom, as she and Sweetie galloped to keep up. They went around a bend and down another path, finally bursting into a clearing that made all three them skid to a stop.

A big contraption like a cross between a farm wagon and a pipe organ sat in the middle of everything, humming and sparking with colorful lights. Cables connected it to all sorts of other spinning and whirling contraptions. Off to one side, there was a stack of thick old books, with another book propped open on top. That book had magical signs and symbols all over one page, and Starswirl's mark on the facing page. (Cheerilee had invited Twilight to give their class a presentation on the history of magic last month.)

Applebloom gasped, her eyes lighting up at the sight of all the fascinating spinning gears and steam-puffing whirligigs. Suddenly, she had so many questions in her head... how did it all work, what did it all do... until she saw the two unicorns running this show.

They had the same yellow coats and red and white manes as before, though their manes were mussed and had a few twigs stuck in them, like they'd been living in the woods too long. They wore the matching striped shirts and flat round hats even with no ponies to impress. "Can't you get us any more lightning than that, brother of mine?" said the one with a mustache.

The one without a mustache kept his horn glowing bright green, the beginnings of a scowl on his face. "This would be far easier if we still had a pegasus to do it."

"Perhaps we should have paid him before we fled Trottingham."

"And risk that blue she-fiend catching up to us? I think not!"

Applebloom groaned. "Not the Flim Flam Brothers!"

"Who?" asked Sweetie. She looked to Scootaloo, who shrugged.

"Those are the varmints who nearly cheated us out of Sweet Apple Acres! Hey, what are you two doing here?!"

Flim and Flam jerked their heads towards them, finally hearing them over the racket from their inventions. "What are we doing here?" "Why, it's a free forest!" "It's right in the name!" "Perhaps the better question is..." "What are you fillies doing here?"

"Us?" Scootaloo darted glances at her friends before saying, "Oh, nothing. Just looking around, trying to see what weird stuff is going on in the Everfree..."

"And what are y'all doing here?" Applebloom stomped forward on her little hooves to stare up at the two skinny unicorns. "The last Ah heard from mah big sis and her friends, the two of ya were cheatin' ponies that were still afraid o' Changelings."

"Huh?" Sweetie said. "What were they doing?"

"Why, nothing, little miss," Flam said. He tousled her mane, or tried to. Sweetie stepped back and glared as he said, "We were just selling our patented Changeling Detection Lanterns!" His horn lit and a very ornate brass lantern, of the type used to signal trains on Equestrian railroads, hovered into view. A few small crystals clattered inside it. Flim's horn glowed and the lantern lit up, shedding a emerald light that turned everything within eyesight a ghastly green. Flam said, "Thank you, brother dear. Now, if there's some awful love-sucking Changeling nearby, the light of this lantern reveals it!"

"Don't talk like that about Changelings!" Sweetie said. Flim and Flam have her patronizing smiles. Sparks shot from her horn as she added, "I know some, and they're nice! Only a few were bad."

"They tried to conquer Equestria,"

"Hey, why aren't you still selling the lanterns?" Scootaloo said. "I mean, if they can do what you say?"

"Ahem!" Flim coughed and looked innocent as Flam said, "It went just fine until we tried it in Canterlot. I thought Princess Cadence would be an easy mark -- I mean,would see the necessity." He frowned, looking almost like a colt. "How were WE supposed to know that she had those bugs, ugh, working for her? Or that she'd be offended at what we were doing? Trying to protect ponies."

"The papers said she became the new Changeling Queen..." Applebloom began.

"My little dear," Flam said, loftily, like he shared a great truth of the universe, "When you become an adult you swiftly realize that official sources are rarely to be trusted." Brightening, he said, "Besides, we saw the error of our ways and convinced her highness to let us go. And then we started helping Changelings become part of our lovely land."

"How?" the three fillies asked. Applebloom kept trying to sneak glances at the machine, and wondered just why these two were talking about everything but it.

"Why, by starting a dating service, of course! The 'Happy Hooves for Greater Diversity' company, arranging meetings between lonely stallions and hungry Changelings..."

"My big sis told me about that!" Sweetie scowled at the two, who looked unabashed. "They had Changelings pretending to be our big sisters, or other pretty mares, and set them up with stallions who thought they were in love with them. Then they made the stallions pay thousands of bits to 'help them out of trouble' or ransom them back from Diamond Dogs." The three fillies glared

"Now that's a half truth, little miss," Flim said. "We did NOT just take bits from stupid -- I mean lonely stallions."

"We made the Changelings pay too for the introduction to their new dinners. What?" Flam smiled at the angry fillies. "The stallions got dates, the Changelings got to eat, everypony was happy!"

"Uhh, yeah," Applebloom looked at the machine. She approached it, Flim and Flam hurrying along behind. "But, just what is this, an' why are ya trying' ta get lightning all the way out here?"

Film said. "Well it all started when we were given a . . . waver on some of our . . . failed business ventures if we placed in a timed safe deposit boxed for each of the Elements of Harmony labeled, 'How To Make Yourself Look Old And How To Fake Your Own Funeral For Newbie Alicorns.'"

"Brother that's SECRET remember?"

"Oh right, please forget you heard that part! AMNESIA DUST!"

"Brother that's just flour."

Film sighed. " . . . I know."

"A simple matter." Flim grinned. "But it got us thinking! The possibilities of long term investments!"

"Compound interest!" chimed in Flam.

"Making a killing on the Manehatten Stock Exchange! And since the powers that be aren't exactly lining up to make the two of us alicorn princes..."

"Their loss..."

"We did what they said couldn't be done! We began the construction of..." Each of the brothers tossed his hat and spun it on a hoof, posing dramatically. "Flim and Flam's Terrific Cross-Temporal Conveyance!" A little magic caused a banner to unfurl unnecessarily, with a small spray of confetti.

The three fillies stood there, blinking. "Say what?" said Applebloom.

"It's a time machine," deadpanned Flam.

Sweetie Belle tilted her head. "Oh, is that all?"

Now it was Flim and Flam's turn to stare, slack-jawed. "Is that all?" said Flim. "Is that all!?"

Scootaloo nodded brightly. "We came back in time just this evening, from another dimension. Or was it tomorrow night?"

"Ooh!" Sweetie Belle grinned. "Remember that time with the Doctor's shed?"

"I'd rather not..."

"And the time Twilight went back to the dawn of Ponyland?"

Meanwhile, Applebloom wandered over to another part of the equipment which surrounded a large metal spike in the ground. "Whatever this here contraption is supposed to do, Ah bet it'd work a lot better if you put the gears together right. It's rounding up earth magic for your machine, right?" She snatched a tool off a workbench, loosened a gear, and shifted it a few inches to the left. "Oh, and here too..." She pulled an elastic belt off of two flywheels and put it back on, wound differently.

"Does she know what she's doing?" whispered Flam to Flim.

"I... I'm not sure," whispered Flim back. "Our special talent is being a team, brother. Geniuses we may be, but engineering is hard work!"

Scooaloo flew up, inspecting the lightning rod. "You're not gonna get anything done with puny lightning bolts like the ones you were using. Hang on..." She streaked upwards out of sight, and quickly returned with a puffy cloud bigger than she was.

Flim and Flam gasped. "Hold on, that could be..." "Too much!"

Too late... Scootaloo bucked the cloud, lightning blasted into the machine, and suddenly everything hummed to life and the ground seemed to melt and open up, sucking them all in. The big wagon landed first, thumping to the ground in a forest that was broad daylight instead of nighttime. The fillies and the brothers landed on top of the wagon, causing it to creak and start rolling downhill.

"Behold, science!" cried Flim, triumphant.

"Ah knew we should have brought our crash helmets!" cried Applebloom, holding on tight.

"Nonsense," shouted Flam. "We'll be perfectly..." The wagon crashed to a halt at the bottom of the hill, covering them all in tree sap. "Pffft... fine."

"I smell something fleshy and soft!" Came a rumbling roar. A huge dog the size of Cerberus tore through the trees, they turned to stone as they fell from making contact with him, and he left stone paw prints in his way. Rocks with holes for eyes and jagged mouths rolled after their master.

"Wh-what is that?" Flim said.

Flam added, "And can we sell him something?"

Crunch noticed them and grinned, looking horrible. "Yes, you have something Crunch wants!

"The machine? The hats? My brother's mustache?" Flim smiled.

"Forget the mustache, it took me a year to grow it!" Flam snapped at him. Then to the giant rock dog, "Oh, but anything else is yours, my good whatever the heck you are."

"Crunch will take this!" The monster snarled as he tapped both of the fast-talking unicorns on the head. Before they could speak, complain, or try one last scam, Flim and Flam were solid stone. The looks frozen on their faces suggested vast surprise.

"Uh-oh," Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Applebloom all said at once. They gulped even louder when the Rock Dog turned his gaze on them.

"More soft and disgustingly fleshy ponies?" He jeered, "Now Crunch will make you into stone, too!" The fanged boulders behind him seemed to bounce up and down in glee.

"What do we do now?" Applebloom said. She turned and saw her two friends already running. In a moment she raced after them.

With a howl like boulders grinding together Crunch chased after them.

"We gotta get help!" Sweetie whinnied, "Maybe Megan or Firefly or one of the really brave ponies alive back now! We..."

She gave a yell as she collided with a purple scaly form and both went rolling.

"You found help!" Scoootaloo said. "You found..."

The scaled form stood up with a cough and gave them all an indignant look.

"Hey! What's the big idea?"

"Spike?"

Applebloom stretched and squished the baby dragon's chubby face with her hooves. "Whoa. Ya really let yourself go, there, Spike! Just how many gems did ya eat?"

Spike giggled, pawing back at Applebloom. "Cut it out, that tickles! Who are you ponies?"

"Applebloom, this isn't our Spike," said Sweetie Belle. "He's a different Spike from the past."

Scootaloo stared at the pudgy purple dragon. "Wait, so when you were talking about 'brave ponies alive back now...'"

Applebloom gasped. "The machine worked? We're really in the past?"

"You girls are weird," mused Spike. "You remind me of..." His eyes bulged at the sight of the scary-faced boulders bouncing up the trail behind them. "Oh no, who are they?"

"Never mind that now!" cried Scootaloo. "Keep running!" They galloped down the trail, with Scootaloo tugging on Spike until he got the idea and ran too. Behind them, the forest was quickly getting petrified into a rocky, desolate waste.

"Wait, how come you're running?" asked Applebloom.

"What, you think I'm gonna fly off and save myself?" Scootaloo retorted, panting.

"Ain't that better than all of us getting caught?"

Sweetie Belle spotted a cave up ahead. "Girls, in here! Hurry!"

They squeezed inside. The bouncing boulders were too big to roll in after them, but they couldn't get out either, and soon Crunch caught up with them too. "Crunch hates soft!" he bellowed. "Crunch hates cute and fluffy! Come out, and Crunch makes sure you never run away from Crunch again!"

"Hey, I'm not soft or fluffy!" shouted Spike. "I'm a dragon!" He bounced back and forth, breathing a lick of orange fire. "I'll show you... or, I would if rocks could burn..."

Scootaloo shuddered, not liking the tight, closed-in cave at all, and liking the idea of exploring the dark tunnel even less. "It's okay," she stammered, like she was trying to convince herself. "We're fine. Luna's spell will just reset us again..."

"I hope it does," said Sweetie. "We're way back in the past, before she cast it."

Applebloom hung her head. "What was Ah thinking, helping Flim and Flam of all ponies?" She paced, shaking her head. "But that machine of theirs. It was just so... Ah could make it work again. Ah know Ah could... assumin' Crunch didn't stomp it to bits."

"The way he's going on about soft stuff, I don't think he even looked at it," Scootaloo said.

"This isn't right," Sweetie Belle said. "The stories never said Crunch attacked any forest before turning good."

"Maybe that just go left out?"

"What are you even talking about?" Spike asked.

"The good news is that every pony Crunch turned to stone returned to normal after he was made good, so even if he gets us, we'll be back to normal, and won't have to wait thousands of years to be found by our friends," Sweetie said. "Oh and girls, I was serious about making a good pose and you using me for art class if we get 'respawned.' As Button Mash would say."

"Hey, what's in here?" Sweetie pointed at a leather satchel laying against the wall. She took a whiff and staggered back, turning green. "Eww! What stinks like that?"

"That's my dinner," Spike said with a sniff as he picked the satchel up. "I dropped it off here when I heard the noise, I didn't want it to be ruined. It's a cheese I made from a recipe book Megan brought with her." He reached inside it and withdrew something that dripped wetly and looked as gray as the stones around them. All three fillies recoiled at the reek from it. Spike scratched his scaly head. "I guess I let it sit too long."

"Stupid soft ponies!" Crunch raged outside. "Come out and I make you stone!"

Applebloom looked out at Crunch and his pack of angry boulders and shuddered. This all reminded her of a story Applejack read to her once, if only she could remember...

"Hey, Spike!" She spun on the little dragon. "Ya don't mind iffen Ah take that cheese, do ya?"

"Huh? Well, sure..." He handed the cheese over. It squelched in Applebloom's hooves. She turned around and grinned as she headed for the exit.

Sweetie and Scootaloo both grabbed her.

"Are you crazy?" Scootaloo said. "He'll turn you into stone!"

"No he wont," Applebloom said, smiling. I hope, she thought, and trotted outside, holding the cheese out of Crunch's sight.

The Rock Dog closed in, his boulders gnashing their stony fangs at her.

"So, disgusting soft pony wants to be turned to stone first, does she?" Crunch's wet cement odor filled her nose, almost driving away the stink of the cheese. He began to reach out with a paw bigger than Big Mac. "Crunch make you stone!"

Applebloom took a deep breath and said in her loudest voice (in fact she imitated Applejack, but she never guessed):

"NOW HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!"

Crunch hesitated, and as he did Applebloom held up the cheese.

"Ya see this rock?" Crunch nodded warily as Applebloom said, "Ah'm an Earth Pony, an' that means Ah can control rocks!"

"Lies!" Crunch drew himself up to his full height. The boulders hopped up and down, more agitated than ever. Fangs displayed, Crunch said, "Puny soft pony cannot control rocks!"

"Oh yes she can!" Applebloom said. "Watch me squeeze water right outta this one!"

Crunch bent his head down and stared as Applebloom squeezed with her little hooves -- and liquid splattered from the cheese right into Crunch's eyes. He reared back with a wild yelp.

"No! It not possible!"

"It shore is!" Applebloom said. She stepped forward. Crunch hurriedly took a long step back. "And iffen ya don't leave me an' mah friends alone ta fix our machine back there, Ah'll make YA that soft and squeeze the rock juice right outta ya!"

"Not do that!" Crunch howled. He stepped back before dropping on his belly in a canine submission posture, forepaws held up pleading before him. Even his boulders rolled away in fear. "Crunch will be good and leave nasty-bad ponies alone! Please no make Crunch," he shuddered, "soft!"

"Ah'll think about it while we're working on our machine," Applebloom said, giving Crunch a fierce look. "In privacy!"

Once Crunch was out of sight, the Crusaders broke into a gallop, with Spike jogging alongside. "Let's get a move on before he changes his mind," said Applebloom.

"You don't have to tell me twice!" growled Spike.

Sweetie Belle shaded her eyes with a hoof, looking over the rocky, desolate new canyon. "This doesn't look anything like the forest did. Does anypony remember which way it was?"

Scootaloo took to the air, flying high enough to see which way Crunch's trail of destruction went. "This way!"

Sweetie, Applebloom, and Spike made their way through the canyon as quick as they could, even though the bare rock made Sweetie's hooves ache. Scootaloo flew on ahead, then circled back, hovering over them. "I found the machine! ... but it looks like some other ponies found it first." Sweetie and Applebloom shared a look, then pressed on ahead.

As they approached the crash site, a unicorn noticed them first. She was white-coated, with a green and red mane, and five purple maple leaves for a cutie mark. "Spike?" She blinked at the unfamiliar fillies. "You girls shouldn't be out here. There's a dangerous monster on the loose."

"They came from the same direction that the monster went," mused a blue pegasus with a pink mane, and blue and pink whistles on her flank. "It's probable that they have already encountered it. Perhaps they have useful information."

The third pony, a lavender unicorn, seemed oblivious to their arrival at first. "These statues certainly look like Flim and Flam, and this machine is definitely their work... but how on Equestria did they get here?" She flicked an ear, then turned, looking towards them.

All three of the fillies gasped. "Twilight!?"

Twilight's face lit up. "Girls? How... Oh my gosh, you have your cutie marks! How long has it been in the future?" Applebloom hung her head glumly. "Some of you have your cutie marks," Twilight corrected herself, stepping over and giving Applebloom an apologetic nuzzle.

"How's Midnight?!" exclaimed Sweetie. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine," Twilight assured her. "Sleeping back at Paradise Estate with the other newborns. She's a little young to be going on adventures, you know."

Scootaloo buzzed her wings in excitement, and stayed hovering just off the ground like Rainbow Dash often did. "Hey Twilight, how come you never said anything about meeting us while you were in the past?"

Twilight smirked, rolling her eyes. "Well, I would have, but now I probably can't, because you just told me that I won't."

Sweetie and Applebloom glared at Scootaloo, who promptly facehoofed.

"Just like I'm not going to tell you two what cutie marks you're getting when I get back!"

Scootaloo facehoofed even harder, and Sweetie Belle joined her.

Twilight sighed. "Assuming I ever do find a way to get back to the moment I left."

"Oh, that's easy," said Applebloom brightly. "All ya have to do is..."

Sweetie covered Applebloom's muzzle hastily. "Don't tell her that! Haven't we already made a big enough mess?"

Applebloom winced. "But what if she only knew ta do that because we told her? How are we supposed to know?"

Twilight groaned. "This is why I swore off time magic. It's nothing but trouble!"

Meanwhile, Spike waddled over to the other two ponies. "Those girls really are weird. They think they're from the future too! Heh, you should have seen how they handled Crunch, though!"

Wind Whistler shook her head. "Time travel is clearly logically impossible," said the pegasus quietly. "I fear that these over-imaginative girls will only make Twilight's delusion worse."

Gusty frowned. "Hey, don't be so blunt. You'll hurt Twilight's feelings! Not that you'd know anything about that."

"Hey, wait," said Gusty. "Weren't those the kids that showed up on the minecart when we were fighting the Smooze?"

"Yeah! That was us!" Sweetie Belle replied.

"Where did you go? We looked all over for you," the unicorn asked.

"Back to the future! Just like we told you!" Scootaloo replied.

"Time travel does not exist," Wind Whistler argued. "If it did, wouldn't we have met ourselves or seen other evidence?"

"Yes it does! We just did it!..." Sweetie Belle said in annoyance. "Only this time was an accident!"

Applebloom trotted over to the time machine. "Yeah, we got caught up in the Flim Flam's weird time thingie."

Twilight's eye twitched. "Those two made a functional time machine?"

"Well we had tah help 'em a bit, but yeah," Applebloom replied.

Twilight turned to Flim Flam's statues. "WHY ARE YOU TWO SCAM ARTISTS?!"

Applebloom blinked, looking to her friends. "She has a point..."

"Maybe they're just lazy?" Sweetie Belle asked.

Scootaloo lightly tugged on Twilight's mane.

"Uhh, well," Scootaloo said. "Maybe you can change them back and we can ask them?"

A few moments later, the two conponies were shaking themselves as Twilight's spell took effect.

"Worst experience of my life, brother!" Flam shook himself, and what looked like a few pebbles fell from his mane. "All I wanted to do was stand there and think calm philosophical thoughts, not one single hustle -- hmmph!" He shut up as Flim grabbed his mouth.

"Ixnay on the ustle-hay, brother!" Flim said. He looked at Twilight, the fillies, and the rest of the ponies. "Oh! And, thank you for saving us." He smiled and stepped closer to Twilight and the Paradise Estates ponies. "Always a pleasure to be rescued by a lovely and talented lady... Hmm, you look familiar. Have we met, possibly in my dreams?"

Twilight rolled her eyes and didn't say anything about an unsettling dream she did have once that ended with her a Changeling stuck in the form of a romance novel heroine.

"Actually," Wind Whistler said, "these fillies and the rest of us were wondering who you were, where you came from, and what this machine is." She flew over it and lightly touched it. "It resembles no device I've ever seen among ponies, humans, or any other race. They say," she smiled tightly and pointed at the CMC, "that it is a time machine, which I find doubtful."

"Oh, but it is, madame, it is!" Flim assured her, while Flam added, "Made by yours truly, Flim and Flam, the most clever inventors in Equestria! Makers of magnificent machines, inventors nonpareil, and..."

"A pair of cheats for all their cleverness," Twilight said. Flim and Flam looked quite aggrieved as she quickly filled the 'local' ponies in on what the conponies tried to do to Applejack, with some help from Applebloom. She finished with, "They got in trouble for that, they couldn't do business with any members of the Apple family any more, so now here they are."

"You guys sound like bad news," Gusty said, sounding wary.

"They should be fine," Wind Whistler said, "so long as we remember not to be deceived by them." She flinched back as Flim stretched his neck out and looked her in the eyes.

"Deceived, madam!" His face was the very image of Penitent Remorse as he said, "Why, never! You have barely met us and are taking this confused young lady and three mistaken and biased young fillies at their word?"

"Indeed, brother dear!" Flam added. He set his hat over his heart and, head hanging, said, "Shall not the accused receive a fair trial before sentence? Where is the evidence? The proof? The corpus delicti?" Gusty began to look sorry, and even Wind Whistler softened a bit. "Oh, the cruel twist of fate, to be a stranger in a strange land, with only cruel accusations for a reception... Awk!"

Flim and Flam both froze as a purple glow from Twilight's horn enveloped them.

"It's a little spell I've been working on," she said to the two ponies, three fillies, and one dragon. "It shows the past deeds performed by a pony for others to see." The two conponies began to complain. Twilight silenced them with a glare. "If you guys are as innocent as you say, what's the problem?"

The images began to run...

Flim and Flam as colts, seeing their trusting mother give all her bits to a cheat named Goat Pasture who promised her a share in the famed 'lost fortune of Princess Platinum', just as soon as they could afford a barrister to make Celestia cough the gold up... Pursuing him, not to get the bits back, but to become a part of the scam... Going from working for Goat Pasture into 'business' for themselves, cheating and deceiving everypony they met, even as they made their Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000, and using for a crooked attempt on the most profitable farm in Equestria... being false friends to everypony while privately regarding everyone they met as a sucker to be fleeced.

They smiled nervously at the mares as the images faded.

"Megan told us about people like this in her world," Wind Whistler said coldly. "But I never thought I would see ponies sink so low." Flim and Flam looked at her pitifully. She started to turn away but kept watching them.

"Wow, these guys really were jerks to everypony," Sweetie said. She scowled at them as sternly as she could. "I bet Chrysalis would have liked them, just for that."

'We know!" Flim said, casting himself at the CMC's hooves before more could be said. "Oh, dear filly, we've been such awful, awful ponies!"

"We never had a good example, is all!" Flam said, dropping and holding Twilight by her forelegs. The purple mare sought escape as he said, "It was all the wickedness of unjust Fate, cursing us with such base natures! If only somepony could trust us enough to give us a chance to make an honest living, I'm sure we'd surprise them!"

"Not to interrupt, or anything," Spike said, flinching a little as everypony looked -- or glared in the case of Flim and Flam -- at him, "but what happened to Crunch and his rock monsters?"

Twilight Sparkle said, "I'm trying to stay out of history's way . . . "

"Is that why you didn't restore Buttons after Crunch touched her?" Gusty asked grimly.

Twilight sighed, a guilty expression on her face. "You don't know how hard it's been sometimes. Because I'm a scholar, I knew a lot about your adventures before you had them. I knew that Crunch was going to be a problem, but I also knew that everyone he turned to stone would be cured. If I'd fixed everything myself, then you wouldn't have gone on this adventure, or become better friends... or learned that Wind Whistler does care and have feelings."

Gusty frowned sharply, but Wind Whistler rubbed her chin with a hoof. "It does present an intriguing moral dilemma, if one accepts the premise of time travel. Is it better to avoid hardships, at the cost of losing the experience of overcoming those hardships?"

Twilight nodded. "In my time, there's a legend about a wolf."

"A wolf?" asked Apple Bloom, remembering how her sister and her sister's stallion friend had turned into wolves, and dang it she *was* going to get to the bottom of that, sooner or later.

"A... a wolf?!" echoed Sweetie Belle, thinking of Blanky.

"Yes," continued Twilight. "The wolf hunts down creatures who try to cheat Fate, and then it gobbles them up, erasing them like they never existed in the first place."

Sweetie Belle gulped, shuddering.

Twilight smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, Sweetie Belle, it's only a story... but it does teach us that it's not wise to mess with Fate too much. I wouldn't have even come on this trip, except..." She blinked. "Except, the Moochick insisted that I needed to come. Huh. Have I been underestimating him this whole time?"

Flim magically shook some moss and gravel out of his hat, then crammed the hat back onto his head. "Well, that's very nice for you and all." Flam chimed in, "And as tempting as it would be to start fresh in a land where *very few* know of our past deeds..." "These faerie tale simpletons probably haven't even invented money yet! So..." "If you don't mind, we'll be getting ourselves out of your hair!" They sighed in unison. "Just as soon as we fix this blasted machine!" "Again!"

Gusty was still giving Twilight a mistrusting look. "If those two are such bad ponies, should we really let the kids go flying off in that machine with them? Or do you know how that all turns out too? Maybe I should have asked if *you* have any feelings, Twilight."

Twilight didn't answer out loud... instead, she motioned silently, towards the machine. Spike was asking Sweetie and Scootaloo all about the Spike of the future, by the sound of it, but Applebloom had slipped away to join Flim and Flam."

"Mr. Flim, what does this do?" she asked brightly.

"I'm Flam, he's Flim," grumbled the brother with a mustache. He had a wrench in his magic, fastening down a crystal that had gotten knocked out of place in the fall. "And it's a mana oscillator. It.. you know, oscillates mana."

"What about this one?"

A sigh. "Starswirl spell engine."

Applebloom stared, wheels turning in her head. "Ooh... and this?"

"Kid...", said Flim, "if you're going to be underhoof, be useful at least. Hoof me the samoflange."

Applebloom trotted over and dipped her muzzle into a toolbox. "This one?" she said, talking around the tool in her mouth.

"Oh, for... A samoflange, I said! That's a crescent wrench!"

She tried again, putting out a gizmo so complicated, it was hard to tell what it might do, if anything.

Flim blinked. "Uh... thanks. I guess..."

Applebloom trotted in a circle around the machine, pausing at a metal cable. "This doohicky here..."

Flam glanced over, distracted from wishing they'd packed some fresh suits. "Geothaumal conductor."

"Yeah, that! See how frayed and burned it is? Ya ought to put a thicker cable in, like..." Flam levitated a heavier-gauge cable over, and Applebloom brightened up. "Yeah, like that!" She snatched it out the air and started installing it herself.

Flim paused in his work, staring. "Jeez, kiddo, who's teaching who?"

Flam trotted over to stand beside him. "This feeling, brother... I don't understand it at all."

"Indeed!" said Flim. "She's not a mark, or a dupe, or a co-conspirator. She's a good kid, though. I just..." Both of them spoke together... "I like how she appreciates our work."

Flam shook himself. "Clearly, time travel has addled our magnificent and cunning brains."

Flim nodded vigorously. "Clearly, brother!"

"FIXED!" Applebloom said.

"Applebloom!" Twilight said. "How did you fix a TIME MACHINE with no replacement parts built by somepony else and that shortly?!"

Applebloom shrugged. "Me and my friends once built a time machine out of stuff we found and stuff we borrowed from Dr. Whooves' junk yard. It's not like we've done one before."

Twilight groaned. "Time travel was supposed to be scientifically impossible. And now I find not one but two built? This as bad as Pinkie Sense."

"What's that?" Spike asked.

"Don't ask."

Wind Whistler and Gusty for a rare time shared a moment wondering if these ponies were all crazy or if stranger things were ahead of them.

"Girls, it's been great knowing all of you, but I think it's time for me to go! And Midnight. Don't worry about Crunch, will, REALLY worry about him, but I know things will turn out okay, unless things DON'T turn out okay because I made you think that things COULDN'T turn out NOT okay, ugh!"

The Flim Flams wanted to leave this era as soon as possible, but Twilight was NOT leaving without Midnight. Twilight felt guilty about leaving them, but felt the sooner she left the better.

Twilight found little Midnight at the block house like nursery, with Ember looking over the baby foals.

Twilight only said she was going back where she came from with her friends. Most of the ponies thought Twilight was maybe crazy, but friendly and didn't mean any harm.

Ember and Twilight shared a hug.

"TO THE FUTURE BROTHER!" "TO THE FUTURE AND WERE ECONOMICS HAVE EVOLVED TO A DESIRABLE LEVEL!"

Twilight holding Midnight hopped onto the machine along with the CMC and the Flim Flams. And the machine was engulfed in a tunnel of colors . . . and collided with a familiar blue shed.

Twilight and Midnight were knocked off.

"OH NO!" Sweetie Belle shouted trying and failing to grab her with her magic.

"Don't worry, she makes it back home safe remember?" Applebloom said.
~~
"Twilight! It's been years! We've had so many adventures while you've been gone! Actually things have been really quite lately. And Midnight is . . . still in diapers?!"

"It's . . . only been a few seconds for me Ember . . . looks like I'll be finding my own way back. At least I know I will, because I did."

"And you still talk crazy."
~~

Where the CMC and the Flim Flams found themselves however, looked like Ponyville . . . maybe a little.

"What's that big crystal castle doing in the middle of Ponyville?" Scootaloo asked as if any of them would know the answer.

Flim and Flam looked around, Canterlot now reached all the way down the mountain to Ponyville . . . with no real design differences between the two. The town itself considerably more modern . . . What with the glowing light crystals and illusionary constantly changing picture images.

All around them were the main pony tribes . . . and hippogriffs, and weird zebra-unicorns, changelings of every color combination, butterfly winged ponies, little fairy ponies, fish ponies moving around in floating globs of water. And ponies made of crystal, other ponies made out of rocks, ponies made of icy-wind (it was bright and Sunny Day), and bat ponies, ponies made from shadow and smoke, and many others.

And . . . The fillies looked at the sky. Cloudsdale was gigantic compared to how large it had been before, but light shinned through it without leaving a giant shadow on the ground . . . like it had a mini-sun underneath it.

"Is that Octvia, Vinyl, and Lyra? . . . " Sweetie Belle said. "WHY ARE THEY ALICORNS?!"

Applebloom said. "After the Council of Friendship ascended, Princess Twilight Sparkle realized that the new magic she had created was a gift to be shared with Ponykind, and ponies began to line up to take the trial."

"Thanks Applebloom."

"Ah didn't say anythin'."

"But Ah did. Ya girls are right on time! Oh, and hi Flim Flam, it's great to see you again."

The fillies turned to see . . . an adult Alicorn version of Applebloom, a dress covering her flank and cutie mark.

"Hey girls!" The Alicorn grinned. "Okay, what did I say next? Oh right! That! Ha! Anyway girls, Alicornhood is no longer exclusive to Royalty, Celestia said that with Alicornhood's doors open, having so much royalty wouldn't be a good idea. There's now MANY of us."

In front of the giant crystal tree/castle was a alicorn speaking to a group of foals.

"And that is how I defeated Queen Dark Crystal, and brought the shadow ponies into the Equestrian fold." Said a pink Alicorn with a strong resemblance to Cadence, except her eyes were blue, and her cutie mark was different, and she wore different regalia.

A purple stripped zebra with a horn looked up with an old book. "Priness Skyla, it says here that the Umbra Ponies actually fell into insight with Queen Red Crystal gone, and it took decades to peacefully integrate them into the Crystal Empire."

"Well! If you want to get technical! Dark Crystal would have stopped anything like that happening! And I was still able to do without Mom's, I mean Queen Cadence's help, and please you can call me Auntie. I'll have you know it only took 19 years for the Umbra Ponies' be recognized, so it wasn't "decades" plural, and-"

"-But it was still decades before they all-"

"Do you want a first hoof account or not?" Underneath Princess Skyla was now a familiar soap box that had appeared out of thin air.

Princess Applebloom laughed. "Heh. Little Skyla."

"Excuse oh so beautiful and intelligent divine incarnation of an adorable and intelligent filly, would you find enlightening us with some future stock information?" Flam asked.

Princess Applebloom grinned. "Oh we live in a currency free economy now. Money technically still exists, but its kinda pointless since we can now magic up anything from nothing from any type of pony magic, and we've unlocked the source of unlimited energy."

"What's that?" Applebloom asked herself not expecting an answer.

"Hugs."

"I KNEW IT!" Sweetie Belle declared.

"NO CURRENCY?!" "NO MONEY?!" "WHAT A TERRIBLE DARK FUTURE THIS IS!"

"So, let me guess, 1000 years?" Applebloom asked looking up at herself and trying to sneak a peak behind her dress.

"1000 years. Suffice to say, there are now a LOT MORE immortal Alicorns in Equestria now."

"Council of Friendship?"

"Princess Amicita, Princess Thalia, Princess Vertias, Princess Gaia, Princess Lucia, Princess Fidelitas."

"Gaia! That's Fluttershy!" Applebloom said. "But that means . . . are the others . . ."

Princess Applebloom just smiled and nodded. "Then there's Princess Anasi, and-"

"THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE!" Flam declared. "Besides how a money-less society would implode upon itself in fire and grinding of teeth and the wailing of innocents, how can there be so many Alicorns without the masses being oppressed?! There are oppressed aren't they?"

"No they aren't." Princess Applebloom said matter of fact. "Princess is just a title now anyway. Celestia retired with a big fat pension even if she still raises and lowers the sun."

"What about Luna?"

"Excuse me, have you heard the good news?" Asked a pretty, naked bat pony mare of the Flim Flam brothers, hold a pamphlet that read 'Luna's Witnesses.'

"She's still Princess Luna." Princess Applebloom said.

"Praise be the creator," said the Bat pony politely.

"Wait, brother," Flim said. "We might be able to get something out of this," he whispered. "Miss Applebloom, you said the way to Alicornhood is open to everypony?"

"Yeah, the DOOR is open," Alicorn Applebloom said. "Just ask Princess Amicitia in her castle."

"Thank you, sir," said Flim, bowing. "Come now brother!"

Applebloom gasped. "Yer gonna let those two become alicorns?!"

The Alicorn if Applebloom chuckled. "Just wait a little bit..."

. . .

A few minutes later, the Flim Flam Brothers staggered over, looking singed. "What...why..."

Alicorn Applebloom chuckled. "Did yah hear meh when Ah said trials?"

"Yes, but we didn't think you meant literal ones..." Flam muttered.

"Do yah see everypony bein' Alicorns?" she asked. "Many don't mean easy! And it's been a thousand years!"

Applebloom blinked. "Huh...Ah hadn't thought of that either."

Alicorn Applebloom nodded. "Yeah, yah see Twilight opened the doors, but the path ain't as easy as ponies think."

"Does everypony's involve fire breathing dragons?!" asked Flam.

"No, but the ponies who wanna be an Alicorn just tah get power typically get a lot worse trials, though they ain't ever gonna kill yah," the alicorn replied. "But point is: ain't one pony ever became an Alicorn because they wanted just the power of one! Ain't ever happened!"

"...Well, this future is officially one I don't want to stay in," Flam replied.

"Eh, yah might change yer minds, or yah might not want tah live tah see this, can't tell yah," Future Applebloom replied. "Lots of ponies don't want tah be gods, lots of ponies just wanna be able tah do what makes 'em happy or makes others happy."

"So ponies can become Alicorns, but some don't want to?" Sweetie Belle asked, blinking.

"That's about right," Alicorn Applebloom explained. "Then there are those who want to be immortal gods because their loved one became an immortal god."

"La-la-la-la-la!" Flew Alicorn Bon Bon overhead.

"Yer kidding!" Scootaloo said.

"Well," Princess Applebloom said, "Ponyville a thousand years ago WAS set up by Celestia as a hotbed of Elements of Harmony, oops! You shouldn't think about that last bit."

"We shouldn't think about that last part." The ponies repeated, it making perfect sense to them.

Meanwhile, Sweetie Belle had wandered off by herself a ways, amazed by everything... the people, the music in the air, the magic... so much ambient magic, it made her horn tingle. Everything was so perfect.

"Maybe too perfect," she mused to herself, as she politely moved to let a literal school of seaponies and their teacher glide past. "We've been tricked before, like that time with Somnambula..." She groaned. "But why can't something that seems nice just be something nice, for once?"

She paused at an intersection, gawking at the Carousel Boutique... or at least, it was about where Rarity's shop had been, and it sort of resembled it, even if this Carousel Boutique of the future was big enough to be a castle in its own right. She would have gone to check it out too, only someone had hung up a banner blocking the way, with "Spoilers, Sweetie!" written on it in large elegant cursive letters.

"If only there was some way to *know* that all of this is for real," mused Sweetie, after she'd pouted a bit. "I could go talk to that Princess Amicitia... or I could try some kind of illusion-detecting spell, if I knew one." She blinked, then grinned. "Or maybe..."

Sweetie lifted her empty-seeming saddlebag in her magic, then prodded at it with her hooves. "Blanky, are you still in there?" Nothing. She closed her eyes and tried feeling around and inside the bag with her magic. Come on, Blanky, she thought, where are you?!

A voice seemed to chuckle in her head, deep and growling, but not in a mean way. "I hear you, pup. There's no need to shout."

"Blanky? I..." Sweetie opened her eyes and froze, staring at white paws bigger than her head, then looking up and up at a white wolf that managed to loom over her even sitting down. He had golden eyes, and the ruff around his neck had grown out long and thick, like a beard.

Sweetie sucked in a deep breath and screamed! "Eeek! Stay back! Don't eat me!" She took off running as fast as her little legs would go. "Help! Wolf! Somebody help!" The little unicorn kept running until she exhausted herself enough to start wondering why she wasn't getting anywhere, and how come the city was all grey and nopony was moving, and why the Wolf was lounging in the street, inspecting his claws, instead of chasing her. "Um..."

The Wolf smiled, keeping his fangs hidden. "Are you done?"

"I... I guess," said Sweetie. "So, you're not going to eat me?"

The Wolf leaned over and sniffed of her, inhaling deeply. "My, your fate has grown tangled. But no, I'm not going to eat you, pup." Like magic, the world filled with color again, and everyone started moving once more, going about their business.

The filly blinked several more times. "You're Blanky, all grown up? There's so many questions that I want to ask!"

"And I can answer so few of them," said the Wolf, sounding genuinely regretful. "Spoilers."

"I'm starting to hate that word," grumbled Sweetie Belle.

The Wolf started ticking off items on his claws. "This future *is* truly what it seems. I cannot say whether it is *your* true future. You may call me Blanky. It isn't time for you to learn my name, not quite yet." He reached his thumb-claw. "I *am* the wolf Twilight spoke of so long ago, but these days I mostly just train the pups."

"Pups?" asked Sweetie, wishing she'd brought something to write all that down.

A moment later, she wished she hadn't asked, because *four* big wolf pups hopped right out of the shadows and pounced her playfully, sniffing and nosing. Each one of them had orange fur with a purple mane. The big white wolf smirked. "That one troublesome worldline had such a surplus of new wolves, they had to be spread around somewhat." He scratched his chinfur thoughtfully. "Those imps will try to talk Flim and Flam into taking the draconequui trials. Run along, pup. You don't want to miss that."

"That sounds fun...wait...DRACONEQUI?! Like Discord?!" she asked in a panic.

"Oh come now, my dear, it isn't that bad anymore."

Sweetie Belle turned around and backpeddled in panic from the form before her. "DISCORD?! DON'T TURN ME INTO A DOLL AGAIN!"

Blanky stopped her. "Sweetie Belle, calm down. Discordance is no longer evil...anymore..."

Discord puffed out his chest proudly. "That's right, I'm reformed," he said, swirling around and suddenly in red spandex, purple underwear, gloves, and mask, and a purple cape, a CG in a yellow circle on his chest. "Have been for a very long time."

Sweetie finally stopped hyperventilating. "O-Okay. How did that happen?! You're Discord!"

Discord chuckled. "Spirit of Chaos, Sweetie Belle. Even if I COULD give you spoilers, I wouldn't. Just know you either have Princess Gaia or Princess Thalia to thank for that."

"Or?" Sweetie Belle asked, blinking.

"Depends on the timeline you're from. I wouldn't be Discord if there was only ONE way for me to become a good guy, would it?"

"I guess not...So, what do you do now that you're not a big dumb meanie?"

"Oh, well you see the problem with a lot of so called utopias is they become so stale and static!" the Draconequus announced with disgust. "So my government supported job is to shake up the status quo and keep that from happening!" he said, producing a snow globe with the words 'Status Quo' in it and shaking it up until it read 'New' somehow. "Speaking of which, I believe I need to go..."

Discord produced a wheel with various random things on it. Sweetie Belle noticed that none of them were actually bad. Just stuff like making a volcano erupt root beer floats.

Discord spun it. "Wheel of Chaos, turn turn turn, what upside down should I turn?!...Give Manehatten a snowday with icecream snow! The kids will love that!"

"...I wish I lived in Manehatten."

"Well sometimes I do it in Ponyville," Discord said. "Now, back to your inquiry. Not to be confused with Inquisition," he said, suddenly holding a very confused little hippogriff before teleporting her back. "Yes, Draconequi. After my lovely little daughter managed to become a pure Draconequus, my family has started accepting candidates. Not many have managed it."

"Oh..."

"But I do have a little brother out of it, and it turned out my sister Ispita was hanging out as a zebra and has fully awakened (though she doesn't know it's her true form, don't tell her, it's a surprise!)."

"Okay..." Sweetie Belle said, confused. "...Well, I'm glad you're not evil anymore."

Discord smiled. "As am I and so are both of My Mothers. Now off to work! Oh! And do remind Odyne to drink her exploding bitter chocolate milk for me if you meet her!" he said, then teleported away.

"Wow...I guess the world really is a lot better..." Sweetie Belle said, blinking. "Discord seems...happy..."

"Draconequi trials?" Sweetie asked, her eyes wide.

Back with her friends:

"Oh, but it's easy," Fluttercruel said to Flim and Flam, grinning crookedly. A pair of little red-coated, horned and pitchfork-toting little orange pegasi with purple manes and tails hovered nearby, snickering behind their hooves as Fluttercruel added, "All you have to do is want to become an -- inharmonious part of reality, and we give you the chance. Like greed, or the joy of outwitting others," Flim and Flam's eyes lit up at that as she said, "No fussy morals, no need to make nice with others. Just you and your role in creation. Forever." The last part was muttered under her breath with a nasty gleam in her eyes.

Flim looked around. His eyes shone as he saw a certain shop nearby.

"Stall her, brother dear," he muttered to Flam. "I'm going to pick up a little something to make our lives at home more comfortable."

He trotted off to the shop as Flam spoke to Fluttercruel.

"Ah, why of course, madam!" He moved to stand beside the draconequus and set a comradely foreleg over her shoulder. The imps flew closer, grinning toothily. He shuddered. "Tell me more -- and can't somepony hang up some pest strips or something?" He tried shooing the imps away.

Inside the shop, Flim spoke to the lovely white-coated blue-maned alicorn mare with the printing press cutie mark behind the counter.

"Yes, sir?" She said in a soft and husky voice. Her eyelashes fluttered innocently at him. Flim gulped ad forced himself to remember what he came in for.

"My dear lovely lady," he said, leaning on the counter. "I'd like to, oh, get a few books for one of my nieces." He pointed at Scootaloo and Applebloom outside. "On the history of Equestria's technology, the location of gold strikes, and maybe one or two on all the winning hoofball and pegasus race competitors for the past thousand years."

"Hi girls, did I miss anything?" Sweetie Belle asked, trotting over.

Scootaloo and both Appleblooms were eating magically generated popcorn as Fluttercruel continued to talk to Flam.

"I have to do what?!" Flam asked, looking at swarm of shadows the Draconequus had in a sphere.

"Eat ALL of these Shadows of Existence, it's a vital part of becoming a Draconequus," Fluttercruel explained.

"...What do they taste like?"

"Oblivion," Fluttercruel replied.

"Fluttercruel's scarin' the horseapples outta of 'em," Applebloom replied, giving a chuckle.

Flam was relieved when Flim returned. "Um...n-no thank you miss...I don't think becoming a Draconequi is for us..."

Flim showed the wares to his brother, unaware that the seller flashed a toothy grin with orange glowing eyes the moment he turned away and teleported in a flash of purple light.

The Alicorn that ACTUALLY owned the shop returned the next moment, looking rather vexed at having been asked to loan her store to Temptation to con two time traveling cons.

"Suit yourself," said the Draconequus with a shrug.

"Odyne, may I ask what is happening hear? Nothing too drastic I fear."

"Eh, just teaching some power seekers a lesson."

Sweetie Belle's eyes went wide as dinner plates. "Kifuko?"

She turned to look, seeing a Zebra Alicorn who's barding was a mix of Zebrafrican styling with typical Alicorn styling.

"What!?" exclaimed Flim, trying to keep his voice down. "You turned down all that power because she wanted you to eat something icky? What are you, four?"

"But brother, you didn't see those shadow things," insisted Flam. "They were..."

"Yes, yes, whatever," interrupted Flim. "You keep an eye on those fillies and Princess Stripy-pants, while I handle the negotiations."

Flim trotted down a side street, glanced around all shifty-eyed, then ducked into an empty alley. "So tell me, what does it really take to get all that phenomenal cosmic power? Let's make a deal!"

"A deal?" purred a voice. Instead of Odyne, the "shopkeeper" from before appeared in a flash. "Very well."

Flim froze. "You? You were..."

Ispita laughed musically. "To become the god of trickery... nay, to embody trickery and become Trickery itself, you must be pure and devoted to that concept."

Flim gulped, knees shaking, but not running away. "Not a problem, ma'am! When it comes to schemes and tricks, I'm your pony... and my brother, of course. Would you like us to sing a song about it? We've got just the ditty..."

Ispita conjured two magical globes, floating them towards Flim. One of them swirled with cosmic lights... fear, imagination, chaos, all that primal power. But the other globe showed Applebloom's innocent, smiling face. "I just need you to trick someone."

Flim gulped. "Certainly... Not a problem... anypony you want..."

"Not anypony. Applebloom." Ispita leaned closer. "I want you to wait for her to perfect your machine, then get the patent and take all the credit. Make sure she knows that you're the one who ripped her off. Tell everyone what a liar she is, when she tries to tell them the truth! I want you to break her little heart!" She grinned wickedly. "With a smile on your face. And never regret it."

Flim hung his head and let out a long, heavy sigh. "Buck you, lady. No deal." He turned and trudged away, looking for something to slam his head against, or some good hard cider, whichever he encountered first.

Discord appeared in a flash, waggling a finger. "Temptation! Was that a devil's bargain I heard you offering?! You know I simply cannot abide that."

Ispita still stood there, seeming mildly surprised. "I expected him to decline, but not so quickly." She gave Discord a conniving grin, kneading her hooves together. "Interesting!"

"Kifuko!" Sweetie Belle hurled herself into the zebracorn's forelegs, hugging her around the neck. "It's so good to see you. Hey!" She found herself floating at arm's length before the confused zebracorn.

"Little filly, you must have me confused with another," she said. She cocked her head to the side. "You seem to act like I was your mother. You remind me of an alicorn I knew... ?"

The little filly's next words made her eyes go wide.

"Kifuko, It's me Sweetie Belle! And it's so great to see you again!"

Kifuko absently hugged Sweetie close, her horn glowing as she instinctively 'tasted' the little filly's sweet love. The zebracorn looked at Princess Applebloom, only now noticing the small filly beside her.

"It's a long story," the alicorn Applebloom said. "And when she comes up for a breath, tell her that her other friend is over there with some of Tartarus' imps."

Nearby Scootaloo was staring with wide eyes at the two other 'hers', both of them dressed in cartoon-devil style red longjohns, with horns and packing pitchforks.

"Wait, why do a pair of devils from Tartarus look like me?"

"Because we are you, silly," one said, looking at Flim and Flam and locking her teeth. Scootaloo shuddered to see inequine fangs filling her mouth.

"Yeah, we can't say too much or Discord's dad would get mad at us," the second one said. "But when or if you see Manacle again, ask her and she'll tell you." She grinned evilly at the two conponies. "I'm so hoping we get to see those two again someday."

"But how can you be me?" Scootaloo shuddered. "I mean -- you're devils! How can you torment the lost souls of Tartarus?"

"Easy," the first one said. "We just fly up behind them and make like this."

Before anypony could do anything, she flew over to Flim and Flam, her 'sister' beside her, and with a skill born of centuries of practice drove the sharpened tips of their pitchforks into the most sensitive spot on their flanks.

Unfortunately, several centuries of use would take their toll on anything, including a devil's pitchfork. The heads of both the tiny weapons snapped clean off as they were jabbed forward, and -- while Flim and Flam still jumped -- it was a far cry from the pain that the imps had been intending to inflict.

"Oh come on!" The first one shouted, throwing her useless stick to the ground.

"The warranty just expired on mine!" The second one pouted in the air.

"Yeah, I have that effect on things."

The scoota-imps, Scootaloo herself, the still slightly sore Flim and Flam, and the draconequi turned toward the speaker. He was yet another draconequus; this one with the left forehoof of a camel, the right forepaw of a ferret, the back-left leg of a cheetah, the back-right leg of a warthog, a rat's tail, and a pair of reindeer antlers atop his head. "Hey, everybeing."

"Swirl!" Fluttercruel practically glomped him, nuzzling his cheek as a blush formed on his face. "What brings you here?"

"Oh, the usual; sensed a lot of plans in motion in one area, figured I would make sure they don't go off without a hitch or ten."

"Eh?" Flim spoke up. "What's this about plans and hitches?"

The draconequus looked over the two con artists for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, suppose you two wouldn't know me yet." He cleared his throat. "I am Vortex Apotychía Brak Shippai." He took a small bow, then suddenly shifted his form into that of a pegasus as he stood back up. "Though I usually prefer Coffee Swirl, if you don't mind."

Scootaloo blinked a few times. "Aren't you Fluttershy's coltfriend from the coffee shop?"

"No, I'm Fluttercruel's coltfriend/lover/potential husband. Her mom and I only really have a passing friendship." He shifted back into his draconequus form. "And also, the concept of failure. Which probably doesn't bode well for our relationship."

Odyne playfully bopped him on the head. "Oh hush, we've been doing just fine since you took the trials and ascended. You just like being cynical."

"It is kinda my job to be, hun. I have to think of all the possible ways things could go wrong, then make sure at least one of them does." He suddenly plucked one of books Flim had recently purchased out of his saddlebags. "Like, for instance, this way." He opened the book and held it up to the two conponies.

"..."

"..."

"Brother, please tell me you can read this."

"...I can't."

It would seem that, in 1000 years, though the spoken word remained relatively unaltered, the written word had undergone several significant changes. So, to Flim and Flam (and to Scootaloo when she hovered behind the two for a better look), the book was basically full of gibberish.

Author's Note

Cutie Mark Crusaders' Journal of the unexplained
Story Seed Written By Alex Warlorn

Applebloom, "Wow that filled up fast! And that was only two adventures! I wonder how many more we'll get before the night is over!"

Sweetie Belle, "We've haven't worked out the rules yet still, but you're supposed to write what happens next in the comments below and it appear up top."

Scootaloo, "And the note from from Pinkie Pie still says to keep stuff related to 'My Little Pony and its previous and different 'generations'. Still no idea what that means."

Part Added by:
Kendell2 AND a bit by Alex Warlorn
Mtangalion
Ardashir
Alex Warlorn
Mtangalion
Alex Warlorn
Ardashir
Mtangalion and Alex Warlorn
Ardashir
Mtangalion
Kendell2
Ardashir (and tiny bit by me)
Mtangalion
Alex Warlorn
Kendell2 and a bit by me
Mtangalion
Kendell2
Ardashir (OOC: Fluttercruel/Odyne is doing her 'cruel to be kind' here with these two, tying to teach them a lesson about their greed. Or she might be willing to make them into draconequi, your choice.)
Kendell2
Mtangalion
Ardashir
Dragon-Of-Twilight
Kendell2 and Mtangalion

Cover is a commission By Kendell2

Cutie Mark Crusaders' Journal of the unexplained 18

Cutie Mark Crusaders' Journal of the unexplained 18

Mtangalion

Lilith smiled cruelly. "You think it's that easy?" She gathered the swirling darkness, and black crystals burst up through the floor, forming a jagged ring around her. Shapes began to fill the fog... creeping scaly things and dark whispers on batlike wings. Mangy felines stalked toward them, let by a black cat wearing a silver bell and a little witch hat. The cat arched her back at the bearers, yowling and hissing.

Fluttershy gasped. "Oh, the poor dears!"

Lilith twitched. "Mewling, mortal beasts! You don't even have the wits to listen to your base instincts and flee, bleating in terror! You think to light MY abyss with your flickering candles?" She drew a slim wooden wand and twitched it in subtle, arcane motions. "AWAKEN!"

"Watch out!" cried Twilight. "She's casting some kind of..." The lights went out, and Twilight found herself in a scholarly black robe, standing in the greatest library that never was.

"This way, Grand Magistrix," said Hydia, bowing deeply. Wait, hadn't Twilight defeated her and sent her back to Tartarus? "You have a very busy schedule today, studying all the lost and forbidden knowledge of all the ages."

Rarity lounged in a jeweled throne, in a palace high atop an ebony tower that dwarfed even Canterlot and its mountain, beautiful and flawless in her black silk gown. A handsome stallion whose eyes flamed with dark magic kissed her forehoof. "What does my Queen desire today? I was thinking we'd torment 'Prince' Blueblood once more..."

Cheese Sandwich danced and sang with all of Equestria for an audience. Even the griffons were laughing their feathers off, and the yaks were rating him a perfect ten out of ten and not destroying anything. A triangle-shaped shadow glided past, laughing maniacally. "This is the party that never ends, with the host who never dies!!"

Rainbow Dash piloted her giant ponybot through a canyon, stamping changeling hives underhoof and firing missiles with wild abandon. "Isn't it better this way?" spoke a serpentine shadow with mismatched horns. "Things were getting so dreadfully dull. Why, at the rate you ponies were making friends with everyone, soon there wouldn't have been any evil flanks left to kick."

An even bigger golden ponybot landed on flaming jets, blocking her next attack. "Is this really 'fun' and 'awesome', Dash?" boomed Fluttershy's voice from the mech's speakers. "Beating up opponents who can't fight back?"

Rainbow blinked. "Fluttershy?"

Rarity leaned in to kiss the shadowy stallion, and with a squeaky noise, Thalia suddenly popped up in between them. "Come on, you silly! You're just gonna forget about the dragon who was always there for you, for somepony you don't even know?"

Rarity gasped. "Spike!"

Big Mac barged onto Cheese Sandwich's stage. "Nope, nope, nope!" he yelled, shaking off the stagehooves who tried to dress him in a clown costume. "Sorry about this, Cheese, but you gotta know this is all a pack of lies."

Cheese grinned, whipping out his accordion. "Yeah, I kinda figured, but thanks, pal!"

"Twilight." Veritas was suddenly there, gently prying an ancient tome out of Twilight's hoof. "Ah know. Ah get it... all you ever wanted to do was study, not save the world, but are ya really gonna sit in here when yer friends need you?"

Twilight sighed deeply, then smiled, resolved. "No. No, I'm not."

"There, isn't that so much better?" Fluttershy was saying. She had the witch cat rolling around and purring from her gentle words and hoof scritches, and the nightmarish bats and lizards were looking at her adoringly too.

Lilith growled, snapping her wand in two and hurling it away. "Enough!" She raised her hands, crackling with black lightning. "Die!!"

Trixie teleported, appearing right beside Twilight and casually catching all the lightning on a dark rainbow barrier. "Not today, thank you!"

Twilight jumped in place... she and the other bearers were still shaking off that twisted dream. "Trixie, you're okay!" She gasped, seeing the Alicorn Amulet darkly shining around Trixie's neck. "Wait, is that..."

Trixie grinned. "Please, hold your applause until the end of Trixie's performance!"

Veritas poked Thalia with a hoof. "And that's what it looks like when an evil witch puts ponies in trances with glances."

Mtangalion

Apple Bloom got her horn glowing with a steady orange light, and her friends had all joined hooves with her.

Scootaloo frowned. "Is... something supposed to happen soon? I'm getting a little tired of holding my hoof up."

"Maybe we need to use our magic too," suggested Sweetie Belle.

Button Mash poked at the game console with his other forehoof. "Well, I can't find Combine Powers anywhere in the menu..."

"Ah'm pretty sure it has to start with me," said Apple Bloom, sweating. "It's just that Ah ain't never done this before, and..." A slip of paper appeared in a flash of green fire, then fluttered down to land on her nose. "Huh?" After a couple of tries, she managed to get a grip with her magic and unroll it. "Dear Apple Bloom," she read, "I hope you buck that mean witch right back where she came from! Signed, Rumble."

More slips of paper started appearing, one after another. The little Alicorn could barely keep up with them all. "I know you can do it, so don't let us down now. --DT... That is SO cool how you became an Alicorn even though you're a filly like us, do you think we can become princesses too? --Alula. What... how?"

A dark churning cloud was rising from Flummox's mansion, visible over the Everfree Forest all the way back in Ponyville. Some ponies were galloping through the streets in a blind panic, but others were in their homes, eyes glued to the giant flatsceen televisions that had magically appeared, broadcasting the big battle to everyone in high definition and commercial free.

Miss Cheerilee's class oohed and aahed at the biggest television screen of all, munching on free bags of popcorn, and some of them were still writing letters and passing them to Spike, who breathed fire on them as fast as he could get them.

Discord patted Spike on the head smugly. "Wasn't it so *good* of me, teaching our young lad here how to send dragon-mail to any Alicorn or Draconequus?"

Spike smirked. "Hey, watch the scales! I've still got my eye on you, Discord!"

Diamond Tiara giggled. "We get it, Uncle, we get it."

Apple Bloom got a little teary-eyed, reading letter after letter. "They're all watching? Everypony back home is believing in us?" She gasped. "Abbatissa? All *these* are for us too?" One more letter flashed into existence, with much more polished cursive script. "Dear Princess Progress, please watch my Big Macintosh and bring him home safe and sound... Miss Cheerilee." She wiped her eyes and smiled, feeling her magic surge, warm and bright. "Everypony... Here we go!"

Lines of orange fire began to carve symbols into the floor... Apple Bloom's Gear and Apple cutie mark first, then a runed triangle surrounding it, then the other Crusaders' cutie marks... D-Pad, Heartsong, and Butterfly... one on each side of the triangle. All of them floated into the air, each hovering over his or her own mark. "Crusaders!" shouted Apple Bloom. "Let's keep marching forward!"

Button Mash started to ask what he should do next, and suddenly he just *knew*. "To adventure!"

Sweetie Belle beamed. "With a song in our hearts!"

Scootaloo spread her wings wide. "And never giving up!"

With a rush like a landslide and a sound like the tolling of a great bell, a shield crest emerged, surrounding the four marks. Crusader capes bearing the new crest appeared on each of them with flashes of light. "Cutie Mark Crusader Friends Forever! YAY!!!"

Their light wasn't much, compared to ancient tools of creation like the Rainbow of Darkness and the Elements of Harmony, but Lilith shaded her eyes and cursed all the same.

Kendell2

"Girls! Formation!" Twilight called, seeing Lilith was now vulnerable.

"Wait for meh, Aunties!" Apple Pie called, running over, her Element glowing.

Veritas and Thalia put a wing on her back, using themselves as the link with the rest of the set. The Elements began powering up and unleashing the Rainbow..

Lilith snarled and formed a dark barrier around herself as the Rainbow crashed down on her and the Crusaders continued unleashing the power of their friendship. The Witch Queen strained, but began pushing back with as much force as only a being of her magnitude could manage. She began sending out shadow sirens to try and attack them as they launched their attack, forcing Flim Flam and their uncle to start fighting them off.

Trixie teleported to the opposite side, the Bearers, herself, and the Crusaders forming a triangle around her. "Lilith! You desired the Rainbow of Darkness?!" she asked, focusing on the Alicorn Amulet, putting her hooves on both sides of it. The Gem glowed with a dark light. "Well here, get a good look at it!"

Other Diamond Tiara stepped up next to her and put a hoof on her shoulder. Her Element of Empathy glowed.

From Trixie and Diamond the TRUE Rainbow of Darkness erupted forth. The latter was a dark toned Rainbow filled with stars and all the beauty of the night sky. It erupted upwards and met its twin, swirling around it and both slamming down on Lilith's barrier. The shadow sirens were annihilated by the resulting shockwave, allowing Flim, Flam, and their uncle to turn their power on the shield as well.

The Witch Queen cringed as her shield began being pressed in harder and harder to the point she had to hold it out physically with her hands. "You...you...you...You! Will! All! PAY!" she screamed in fury and rage before her barrier finally shattered to bits.

Lilith screamed in agony as the rainbows and the Crusader's power swirled around her and erupted up, blowing a hole in the ceiling. The Witch Queen was carried upwards, looking at one of her hands as it was petrified by the Rainbow of Light...then OBLITERATED to atoms by the Rainbow of Darkness, the Crusader's magic powering up BOTH. With one last scream, a gigantic duel toned rainbow explosion went off, utterly annihilating her dark storm and Lilith along with it.

The group shielded their eyes until the blast went off, slowly looking up to see the clear sky above and the scorched floor where the Witch Queen had stood.

"Is it over?" Button Mash asked.

"AHHHH!" roared a voice, the shadowy specter of Lilith rising from where she'd stood, now nothing but a ghost using every ounce of hatred and rage to remain in the physical world with no hope of actually attacking. "I don't care how many times it takes! I am going to destroy you someday! EVEN IF I HAVE TO FIGHT THROUGH ALL OF DEATH'S REAPERS AND CHILDREN TO DO IT!"

Before the specter could say another word, EVERYTHING began shaking. Every light and candle in the room suddenly blew out.

Veritas smirked. "Good news, it ain't Reapers comin' for yah!"

Lilith turned, seeing a golden seal of holy light form on the ceiling as a pink spell seal with the Fires of Friendship at their center formed on the ground. Holy light and Empathy's flames mixed until they exploded and the hallway turned dark as midnight.

"Bad news? HE is." Veritas finished.

"For thousands of years, you have cheated death to prolong your life and continue your horrors upon this world," said a voice like a wind through a graveyard. To the heroic ponies, it sounded comforting and kind. To Lilith, it was the most terrifying thing she had ever heard. From the shadows stepped Death himself. To the benevolent ponies, he appeared as a comforting, ethereal white Alicorn (though the build, demeanor, and even GENDER varied depending on the viewer) with a tender, inviting smile.

To Lilith, not even the most horrifying monster she or her clan had ever conceived could compare to the horrifying visage that the entity took on in her eyes.

The once all powerful Witch Queen backpeddled in horror. "No...No! Stay back!" she screamed, throwing her hands forwards and firing spell after spell at the Father of All Reapers. While the ponies were safe from her, she hoped a fellow spirit would not be.

But each spell was snuffed out before it could even make contact.

Lilith roared in fury, putting her hands together in front of her and chanting a spell forbidden language, forming a massive, pulsing sphere of darkness in front of her that made Sweetie's head hurt to be near it.

She hurled it at Death, the entire hallway being filled by the spell.

Death merely took one hoof and swatted it through the hole in the roof like it were a leaf blown away in the wind.

"And I do not like being cheated. Now that your earthly tether is no more," her enemy said. He reared up on his hind legs, wings spread out wide. "WITCH QUEEN LILITH! I, MORTIS THANATOS CHARON, THE 13TH, CONCEPT OF DEATH, HAVE COME FOR THEE!"

Lilith froze up in terror and then tried to flee. Mortis' horn simply glowed and the witch queen swiftly fell to her knees, countless black chains forming around her with weights. "W-What are these?!"

"Each link of those chains is forged from one of your sins, Lilith. And now, they will weigh you down for all time," Mortis stated, slowly approaching her, scythe forming in his telekinesis. "Your final resting place awaits you."

Lilith screamed as the scythe was swiftly swung through her soul. Suddenly, hell fire erupted beneath her feet, skeleton hands emerging from below and grabbing onto her. The flames took on a Draconequus-like visage. Or were Draconequi like it's visage?

"ARE YOU READY?!" asked the visage with a cackling voice.

"No! No! No! I don't want to die!" she screamed as she was pulled down deeper and deeper until only her hand was above the surface.

"You do not want to die because you know that which awaits you on the other side for what you have done," Mortis replied, staring down at her. "It is that you have fled from for all these years, not me."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" she screamed as she vanished into the ground which closed up behind her as if she'd never even been there.

"...She's gone," Veritas said, as the ponies watched in a mix of horror and relief. "Lilith is no more."

Mortis turned and looked to the ponies, nodding slowly. "Yes. Thank you for allowing me to finally claim her..." he said, reaching into his reaper's robes and producing four letters, one of which he floated to each Apple sibling and Trixie. "Before I came, I was asked to give these to you. Consider it a rare reward for the service you have given me for your role in destroying Lilith."

The Apple Family's ones read 'From Mom and Dad' while Trixie's read 'From Magic Star.'

Alex Warlorn

Princess Apple Bloom's eyes were glued on her letter, she wanted to read that letter's contents more than anything. So much so that she didn't even THINK about the how her cutie mark had gotten an 'upgrade', nor how her friends had all gotten shields on their cutie marks too. Trixie didn't feel the same heart wrenching NEED, but she was still drawn to the letter addressed to her and her alone. Princess AJ and Big Mac looked at their letters and then at each other, followed by Apple Bloom.

That was when the ground underneath the CMC turned to blue crystal, and opened up like a valve. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom had wings and caught their two friends who did not. The opening wasn't taking no for an answer however, and a blue light shot up from the opening, and pulled the CMC+1, and Apple Bloom's letter, down before, along with the little camera that they'd been carrying with them this whole time, the top sealing off in a crystal cap.

"Apple Bloom!" Big Mac shouted.

"I THOUGHT WE WERE DONE!" Rainbow Dash snapped.

"That magic... it felt like the princesses..." Twilight said.

"Don't worry," Pinkie Pie said with a smile.

"That... might be why uncle built his mansion where he did..." Said one of the Flim Flam brothers.

-

The CMC+1 fell faster than gravity should allow... but then slowed down to gently land without trouble. Now the girls' minds were REALLY off their upgraded cutie marks, and Apple Bloom's mind was off the letter from the dead that was still with her. Sweetie magically picked up the upgraded color camera as she looked around. It was a large blue crystal chamber, made up of countless facets, shaped like the bottom of a genie's bottle. The ceiling seemed to be the only way in or out.

There were also six crystal statues. All of pony mares, wearing long cone hats, with wands in their mouths.

"Are those..." Scootaloo asked first, after all the stuff they'd been transformed into, everypony knew what she meant.

Sweetie's horn glowed. "No, they're just statues."

"Oh." Button Mash said. "So we're NOT going to become crystal statues and become new guardian spirits of Everfree?"

"Please don't say that like you're disappointed." Scootaloo said.

Most of the statues were of Earth ponies.

Each one had an engraving at the statue's base.

"Princess Serena Aquamarine."

"Princess Primerose Ruby."

"Princess Royal Blue Aquamarine."

"Princess Starburst Amber."

There was also a crystal statue of a pegasus, "Princess Tiffany Pearl."

And the last Princess, and the only unicorn, their engraving said,
"Princess Sparkle Amethyst?!" Sweetie Belle gasped.

Then the eyes of the statues glowed and they echoed, freaking out the foals.
"We six have been engraved with the memories of the Six Princess Ponies of Ponyland. All that they knew, we know, all that they loved, we love. Welcome, to the Heart of Everfree... Any questions you may have... we shall answer."

The foals all looked at the statues, and each other in shock...

MtangaLion

Flummox was the first to break the shocked silence. "Oh my. It never did that before."

"You know somethin'?" demanded Big Mac, right in his face. "You'd better start talkin', mister!"

"Hey, back off!" said Flam.

"Yeah!" echoed Flim. "That's our uncle you're..." Big Mac snorted at them, and it was the brothers who backed off in a hurry.

"Please calm yourselves, everypony," said Flummox. "Of course, I know all about it!" He lit his horn, channeling Hope and Magic together, and neon blue sparks traced out a floating three-dimensional map that spanned the whole chamber. It seemed to have the surface of the Everfree Forest on top, and a network of glowing lines extending far and wide, shaped like a giant tree beneath the earth.

(Sailor Moon Crystal - Tsuki no Densetsu)

"It's shocking, really, how few ponies remember that one of the strongest leyline networks in the world lies right here, beneath the Everfree Forest. This leyline node..." Flummox's blue aura lifted him up to the spot where a tiny blue copy of his mansion sat over a particularly bright branch of the tree. "...supplies abundant mana for everything in my home, including the maze, the wards, and all of my experiments."

The elderly unicorn glanced down, and seemed slightly startled by how high up he was. "I must say, flying with but a thought is exhilarating! I must invent some sort of flying enchantment, if the power of the blue ring does not..."

Big Mac cleared his throat.

"Yes, yes. Moving on..." He glided over to another part of the tree, then continued around the "trunk" in a slow circle. "This node lay beneath the ruined Castle of the Two Sisters, at the heart of the old diarchy." He pointed again. "That one lay beneath Sunnytown, to their lasting misfortune. That one over there, now... The archeological evidence is scant, but I believe that Midnight Castle once stood on that spot."

"It did," said Veritas, sighing and adding nothing more.

"So, what is that, in the center?" asked Rarity.

"Yes! Trixie was wondering that herself."

Flummox tugged on his lapels. "Why, those are the roots of the Tree of Harmony, naturally."

"Wait, what?" asked Twilight, looking excited. "Tree of Harmony? There's a *tree* now?"

Flummox smiled. "Yes! And, ah... no. The Tree itself seems to be missing, or at least, it was when I became trapped, but that is definitely where it ought to be."

"Um... excuse me? Pinkie Pie?" Fluttershy blushed. "If it's not too much trouble, could I ask... why are you filming us?"

Indeed, Pinkie was standing on two legs, with a duplicate of the Crusaders' camera capturing the whole scene. She leaned, grinning around the camera. "In case the Princesses of Ponyland forget to mention anything, of course!"

"Princesses of Ponyland?!" exclaimed most of the ponies in the room, all at once.

Rainbow Dash clenched a hoof. "Okay, I have *no* clue what's going on, but those fillies had better be okay!"

Flummox glided down to her, glowing blue coat billowing in a wind that wasn't there. "Don't fret, my dear. They must be... yes, I believe they will be perfectly alright. All will be well."

His words sent a strange thrill through Twilight, and she couldn't explain why.

MtangaLion

Sweetie Belle gasped, floating the camera over to one side. "We should ask them about the Everfree Forest, why it's so strange and how it came to be!"

Apple Bloom, Button, and Scootaloo looked at her blankly.

Sweetie frowned, tapping her hoof. "You know, the reason why we started this whole crazy adventure in the first place?"

Button blinked. "Oh!"

Apple Bloom scratched the back of her neck with a hoof. "Heh, oh yeah, that..."

"Actually," mused Scootaloo, "does it even really matter, now?"

Sweetie's jaw dropped. "What? Of course it matters!"

Scootaloo wing-shrugged. "But we saved all of Equestria, like four or five times! That's gotta be more important than answering some impossible question, right? And Apple Bloom turned into a goddess!" She flew over to Bloom, smirking. "She probably could have told us all about the Everfree Forest, right back in Ponyville!"

Apple Bloom blushed, getting all flustered. "Ah ain't all-knowing, Scootaloo! And even if Ah did know something, Ah'm sure the Princess Ponies can tell this story better than Ah could."

The Crusaders looked at the statues expectantly.

There came a long slow whisper of wind, like a sigh. "You might say," spoke the voice from the statues, "that all of this came about because of us. We were entrusted with the magic of Ponyland, with the very Heart of Ponyland, and we were not able to protect it."

Mists swirled, revealing something in the very center of the chamber that none of them had noticed yet... something like a table, made from a single huge and flat gemstone with six facets on top. Six tiny crowns rested on the table, one to each facet.

"Once, a very, very long time ago," the voice continued, "two great forces were gifted to this world. A Rainbow of Light, and a Rainbow of Darkness." Floating images appeared... a red heart-shaped compact, and an ominous bag tied with a string. The Rainbow of Darkness became the possession of a cruel tyrant. He fell, and that Rainbow was sealed away... but the other remained.

"The world was left deeply out of balance. Another would-be tyrant seized upon the overwhelming power of Harmony at that time." A image of a fiend made entirely of lava appeared, wearing a crown of his own. "He stole our wands, tried to corrupt their harmony and even embody it... and he almost caused a Catastrophe of Order. Lest you believe that too much Order could not possibly be a bad thing, consider this: All of the world would have been rendered into perfectly orderly and lifeless crystal."

Now the images showed the table... the old Heart of Ponyland itself, and a circle of strange beings surrounding it, channeling some kind of magic. Many ponies, including the six Princess Ponies in life. Six bouncing balls of fur? A odd furless creature dressed in green, with pointed ears? More creatures made of lava and ice...

Button Mash gasped. "Hey, isn't that Spike? I mean, the one from Paradise Estate, not our Spike!"

"And that's a human girl!" exclaimed Sweetie Belle. "Look, they really do wear clothes!"

"Megan?" breathed Apple Bloom.

"Megan," echoed the voice of the Princess Ponies. "She wrote a story of her adventure later, and I'm afraid that she didn't tell the whole truth. Maybe she just didn't want to scare the foals... but it was a lot harder than simply recharging the wands and blasting Lavan into harmless crystal shards, and the world came terribly, awfully close to a terrible end!

"But Lavan WAS slain, and we did reclaim the magic, thank goodness. We hoped that would be the end of the danger, and the surplus Harmony would naturally ebb away.

"It did not."

The image floating in the air wavered and became a view from high in the air, looking down on an amazing city of tall stone buildings. Manehatten would have looked small beside it. Apple Bloom shivered. "That's... that must be Dr. Moon Shadow's world!" Her legs trembled, knowing what must surely come next.

The statues spoke again. "The future was revealed to us Princess Ponies, and we saw that the more Chaos was suppressed, the more it would lash out, seeking to restore the balance." A great rainbow flash washed over the image, and suddenly the city was ablaze and crumbling apart. "Again, and again..." An image of Discord appeared, lording it over the world and crushing a crystal to dust in his grasp. "And again, down through the ages." Nightmare Moon appeared, leading her Lunar Guard into a pitched medieval battle against her sister's forces.

Sweetie Belle was hugging Button Mash tightly, and he was trying to comfort her, even though he looked almost as frightened. Apple Bloom looked around for Scootaloo, sure that she'd be putting on a brave face, and she found her pegasus friend... hiding behind *her*? Of course, Apple Bloom thought, twitching her wings. She was an Alicorn now... a pony that other ponies would look up to for guidance, for comfort and protection, but it was just so gosh dang weird, picturing herself as a Princess Celestia or Luna, being that kind of pony. She found herself wishing that her friends would hurry up and become Alicorns again too, cause having her *friends* bowing down to her would be the weirdest thing yet!

The images faded away, and then a new one appeared... a castle in the midst of a different crystal desert, and Celestia and Luna, not yet princesses, planting trees in it, imbuing them with magic using a spell that the Princess Ponies had left behind. "We needed a permanent solution, even if the work could not be finished until long after we passed on. We laid our plans, and with the help of forces from beyond this world..."

An image of an earth pony filly in a sea of stars appeared, writing in a book, her face in shadow... and Apple Bloom was spooked to realize that her Truth was telling her *nothing* about this pony...

"And the help of a certain time-traveling wizard..." An image of Starswirl the Bearded appeared, big as life, deep in concentration as he enchanted the very first World Mirror. "We created a permanent link to another world! One as overflowing with Chaos as ours was overflowing with Order. You know that world, my little ponies. You already visited it, and made a friend there, I dare say.

"That is how the Everfree that you know came to be," continued the voice warmly. "A forest imbued with Chaos, which follows otherworldly laws in its twists and turns and weather, for it truly is like a piece of another world. No longer a suitable place for the capitol of a realm, as it was in the days of your Two Sisters, but instead, a place where Nature buffers the tides of Order and Chaos, so that Harmony can thrive without inviting destruction."

Button Mash had a sudden thought that seemed to worry him. "But, the Rainbow of Darkness is restored now! Won't that mess up your balance again? I don't think Trixie would be too happy if we tried to take the Rainbow away from her."

The voice of the Princess Ponies laughed gently. "Somepony has been looking ahead and taking care of exactly that problem. Don't you see?"

Apple Bloom gasped. "Ya mean, all of us new Alicorns?"

"Yes! Each new Alicorn is a mighty force for Order. The balance is still towards Chaos, but there will be more Alicorns soon... and after that, it will be up to each of you to maintain the balance and protect the magic... as the new Princesses and Prince of Ponyland... nay, of Everfree!"

Sweetie Belle looked like she might faint.

Scootaloo flew up to the statues. "Uh, newsflash. Most of us aren't Alicorns!" She grinned. "At least, not yet!"

The gentle laughter came again. "My little ponies, look around you! Were any of *us* Alicorns? Neither need you be."

Mtangalion

The projected image winked out, and the light from the blue hoofband dimmed, flickering. "Oh." Flummox stopped floating and settled firmly onto the floor, clearly disappointed. "There it goes, I suppose."

(Hope restored. Unable to locate central power battery. Returning to standby mode.) The blue light was drawn back into the hoofband, leaving him once again just an aged yellow-furred unicorn with a graying mane that might have been red and white once, wearing an ordinary old-fashioned brown long-coat. (All will be well.) The hoofband slipped free and clattered to the floor.

Flummox squinted at the hoofband, sighing. He levitated a pair of spectacles out of a coat pocket, polished them a bit, and put them on with ordinary green magic. "I suppose it's for the best. I don't know how much longer I could have kept up all that unfounded optimism. It was rather starting to grate on me!"

Thalia trotted up beside him, levitating the blue hoofband and summoning the crystallized red one in a blue teleport flash. "Yeah, we should probably put these back where you found them, before they attract space zombies."

Flim burst out laughing.

"Space zombies?!" exclaimed Flam. "Why, that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever..."

Thalia turned and grinned slyly at them, fully spreading her wings.

"We'll take your word for it," said Flim soberly.

Flummox gave them a sour look. "Ah yes, take their word for it. That's what one does with all knowing, almighty, unaccountable Alicorns, isn't it? Why, even though Miss Thalia is just a young Alicorn, I'm sure her head is already full of secrets mortal ponies were not meant to know, and sinister plans to be carried out over the course of generations, all for the greater good of course, and... mmmph?!"

Thalia had conjured a lollipop and shoved it into Flummox's mouth. "Aw, don't be like that!" she pleaded, giving him the big teary blue eyes, and then a motherly smile. "You've got a long way to go before you learn to laugh again, but you held the light of hope and shined it bright for everypony!" She gestured, spreading her hooves wide. "And hope is super duper important for remembering the good times and working to make good times even better! So... call me sometime. We can have all kinds of fun!"

Flummox discovered that Thalia had attached a lapel pin to his coat, made of shiny brass and engraved with three balloons. He floated the lollipop out of his mouth, but didn't discard it. "I thought I'd befriended a cosmic being once before. He promised me all the answers, and then he... he..."

Thalia surprised him with a hug, and more surprising, the grouchy old stallion *let* her hug him. "I'll never play mean tricks on you, Fluxy, promise! That's a Thalia Promise, which is even better than a Pinkie Pie Promise!"

Alex Warlorn

"She has a point... " Button Mash said. "Just because we were Alicorns before... doesn't mean we HAVE TO BE... you were worried you HAD TO become an Alicorn, right Apple Bloom?"

Apple Bloom startled, that felt so long ago.

MtangaLion

Apple Bloom smiled nostalgically. "Ya remember that, huh? How Ah was so upset after we saw the great big war in the future, asking if Ah had any say in my own life anymore?" She scratched her cheek with a wing feather sheepishly. "Ah... kinda called out Fate herself, and asked why she didn't just slap a cutie mark for machines and wings and a horn on me right there and get it over with."

"You didn't!" exclaimed Sweetie. "You literally tempted Fate?"

Scootaloo stared. "Whoa, that's pretty cool. She didn't smite you, did she? I guess she didn't, cause you're here now, but..."

Apple Bloom spread her small wings, as if to embrace them all. "Ah'll tell ya what she told me back then. 'Whatever plans I may have made, whatever prophecies or visions of the future you may have seen.. your life is still *your* own choice.'" She beamed at each of her friends in turn. "This is true, this is true, this is TRUE."

The other Crusaders shivered, standing up little straighter, eyes sparkling a little brighter. "What- What was that?" breathed Sweetie.

"Hope for the future," said Apple Bloom brightly.

Button Mash raised a hoof hesitantly. "But... doesn't it bother you at all, Bloom? You did get a cutie mark for machines, and you did become an Alicorn, just like we saw in the future war, and before in that crystal paradise Ponyville. I'm not sure how we could have helped the deep ponies, or gotten these..." He tugged on his new cape. "Or beat Lilith if you hadn't been an Alicorn."

"Are these cloaks, like, the Elements of Crusading now?" blurted out Scootaloo. She frowned. "Ugh, we've gotta think of a better name than that."

Apple Bloom chuckled. "Doesn't matter, Button. It was still my choice. If Ah'd chosen different, Miss Fate would have made other paths for us, but Ah don't regret what Ah chose, not for a second!" She gestured with a hoof. "And ya know something we didn't see in any of those future places? Any proof as to whether you three became Alicorns or didn't! So whatever you three decide... it's gonna be a surprise, even ta my big sister and me! We're just kids! Foals don't need to be rushing into giant, life-changing decisions."

Button Mash giggled. "Says the filly Alicorn."

"Oh, Ah know, believe me." Apple Bloom glanced over her shoulder, then turned around to face the closest Princess Pony statue. "And speaking of rushing into things... We're flattered, but Ah don't think we're quite the ponies yer looking for. Ah know ya want to find new guardians as soon as possible, but we *are* kinda young... and the Alicorn of Progress guarding the balance of magic? That doesn't really fit."

The statues of the Princesses of Ponyland took some time answering. "I suppose... it *has* been thousands of years. It's worth taking a little more time, to make the best choice."

Sweetie Belle blinked. "You know... I think we might just have a good candidate or two right upstairs..."

Back in Flummox's basement, Twilight Sparkle gawked at Apple Bloom. "The Princesses want to talk with *me*?! But, I'm just a librarian... who helped save Equestria a few times, sure, but I'm not an Alicorn, or a special pony with an ancient destiny like Trixie."

Trixie stumbled a bit at that. "Could you say that again? Trixie wants to have a recording..."

Apple Bloom grinned. "A librarian who knows more about magic than any unicorn alive, maybe! Ah can go back down with you, if yer scared."

Diamond Tiara blinked. "Wait a minute! Don't just go rushing off before you show us which portal will get me and Apple Pie home! The portals *are* still working, right?" She made a sour face. "If I hang around here, I might wind up meeting myself, and I don't need any more reminders of what a brat I used to be."

Veritas waggled her eyebrows. "Ya might be *pleasantly* surprised, actually."

Mtangalion

The passage down to the Heart of Everfree had once again concealed itself, and now resembled a large round seal on the otherwise plain crystal floor, marked with the image of a flowering tree with a crown surrounding the trunk.

Twilight Sparkle tapped the seal with a hoof hesitantly, then stood atop it. "Hello, Princesses? I'm... ah, Twilight, and I guess I'm ready to speak with you!" The room fell silent. "Of course, if you're busy now, I can always come back later. That's not a problem... whoa!" The seal vanished, just long enough for the blue beam of light to take hold of the unicorn and draw her down the shaft.

Rarity blinked. "Pardon me, but did we just send Twilight to talk about magic and ancient history with... a collection of ancient enchanted statues, you said? Presumably with unlimited time and patience?" She shook her head. "We'd better arrange to have sandwiches sent down. Perhaps a sleeping roll as well."

"On it!" shouted Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich simultaneously.

Off to one side, Diamond Tiara was staring at Sweetie Belle. "You *turned them down*? When someone says 'Would you like to be a Princess?' you say..."

Diamond froze. Eyes wide, pupils shrinking to pinpricks. "Where did those shields come from? Why... why are your cutie marks *different*?!" She started backing away. "You're not... they're not supposed to... Mom, no! Please, no, please don't..."

And just like that, Apple Bloom was hugging her. "Ah know. Ah know, Diamond, ya don't have ta talk about it. Shhh... We're still *us*. Our marks just weren't fully revealed, or something."

"That so?" mused Big Mac. He'd been frowning thoughtfully at Bloom's mark, so quietly that most of them hadn't noticed.

Scootaloo grinned at a puzzled Apple Pie. "We seem to be hugging a lot of Diamond Tiaras lately."

Button's console dinged. "I think we just got an achievement," he whispered.

"Okay, that's enough hugging," said Diamond... she'd recovered enough to lift her chin and smirk at them. "You're making my Element itch."

Kendell2

Applebloom...then noticed somepony still there. Mostly unnoticed despite being what he was. Standing in the shadows since condemning Queen Lilith to her final resting place.

The young Alicorn trotted over and looked up at Mortis. "...Howdy."

Mortis looked down at her with a tired smile. "Hello, little one."

"...Uh...not tah be rude, Mr. Death, but why are yah still here? Ah thought yer job was finished..." Applebloom remarked, trying to be respectful. Something about him just felt comforting...to her, anyway. Might have been her being a foal, might have been the Alicorn part. "Thought yah'd be busy...bein'...yah know."

Mortis chuckled. "I am here, but I am also everywhere. You may learn what that is like one day. As for why I remain here, it is simple: I am Death, but I am also Rebirth."

The filly blinked, cocking her head. "Rebirth? Like Phoenixes?"

The Father of All Reapers nodded. "Yes. My little sister made those for me as a gift. Like the Rebirth of the Position of the Princesses of Ponyland. Or the Rebirth of Lost Knowledge. Anything that has 'died' and been 'reborn', not just lives, is my domain."

"Ah...think Ah get it..."

"And also...I am certain you have questions for me. Ask if you wish."

Applebloom blinked, realizing that searching for answers was indeed the purpose of their mission. Given who she was facing...one question came to mind. "...Why is there death?"

Mortis gave a frown.

"Sorry! Ah didn't mean ta-"

The Alicorn of Death merely put up a calming hoof. "It is not that I am offended by your question, it is that one so young as you knows me so well...As for your answer, there are many answers. The first is that life is just one step in a journey. There exists another world for mortals to journey to when they pass the river I guide them over...but more so, it is because I am needed. Once I am no longer, that job I will cease to perform and only then."

Applebloom cocked her head. "Needed?"

"...Imagine a world were none can die. Were no matter what happens to anyone, they cannot die. Not from injury. Not from old age. Not from disease. Not from anything. Those things still happen, but they can never die."

The little Alicorn grew pale. "...S-So...an entire world of Sunny Towns?"

"...That is one way to put it...Also, young one?"

"Yes?"

"They can be saved. Them and Ruby both. And if they are, I will be waiting to take them to a place they can be whole again. But only if they break that curse as it should be broken. Only admitting their wrongdoing and repenting for it will set them free."

Applebloom blinked...then smiled. "...Thank yah, Mr. Death."

Mortis smiled. "You are welcome...And no short cuts this time."

The yellow Alicorn filly blushed, remembering that timeline where they'd gotten help from a Necromancer version of Lyra in helping them...but due to the Flim Flams, that timeline was not this one...and those were her Lyra and Bon Bon to begin with.

"Does that mean the Ruby who's here now isn't that one we met?" Applebloom asked.

"Perhaps ask her yourself," Mortis suggested, pointing behind Applebloom...where a familiar ghost was waiting now that the wards were down.

Alex Warlorn

While Twilight would NEVER complain about having at her hooves nothing less than a chat with a group of statues containing the memories of ponies from eons ago... There was a tiny part of her at the back of mind that had thought about recent events, including ones she had apparently missed. All the new Alicorns, all the new powers, all the recently villains crushed and new strength granted to the heroes. 'If this was an Ogres and Oubliettes campaign, I'd call the Oubliettes Overseer for running a Mounty-Haul campaign.'

Her conscious mind continue to rapid fire questions much like she had with the time-locked survivor of the destruction of the Age of Wonders.

Mtangalion

Unfortunately, the more Twilight cross-examined the enchanted statues like an Equestrian law professor, the less wise, all-knowing, and well... useful they seemed. Almost as if Fate had heard Twilight's thoughts, and gotten foalishly grumpy.

"Megan? Oh, she was really nice! I felt so warm and fuzzy that time when she brushed my mane!"

"And my mane too!" said another of the individual voices. "I thought her outfit was so cute and I wanted one just like it, and Megan said, 'Well, I'm afraid I'm not very good at sewing! Have you tried making one with magic?'"

...

"The first griffon prides? Oh dear, is that important? Mr. Starswirl didn't tell us anything about that! Oh no, what if something important happens in the future that he forgot to tell us, and now we can't ask him and we messed everything up!?"

...

"Well, of course I can tell you all about Spike the Dragon! That is, the Spike we knew, not the Spike you know, and naturally I can tell the story the best. I'm going to be queen over the Princess Ponies, after all."

"Are you still going on about that after all these years? Especially when it's obvious that a pegasus like me should be queen, majestic and soaring through the skies..."

"But I look the best in a royal gown!"

"I'm the one who grows the prettiest flowers! It should be me!"

Poor Twilight's forced smile began to twitch something fierce.

"Oh!" The voices fell silent, then slipped back into sync. "Miss Twilight, we want to help you any way we can, we really do! But we're memories, echoes frozen in stone. If we were perfect and we knew everything, why, then we'd just be the Guardians of Everfree forever, and there wouldn't need to be any new ones."

There was a flash of magic, and a wand appeared floating before Twilight, about as long as her foreleg and topped with a soft purple five-pointed star. "You're so passionate about all this, Twilight, and you have a good heart. You could do a wonderful job of protecting the magic... and if you're not the right pony, then you can find the right ponies, so please, take this with you! You may not believe it now, since you just got so many strong new friends, but... you're going to need all the help you can get."

Twilight took the wand in her telekinesis and touched a hoof to it, bracing herself for some flood of incredible power or insight... but she only felt a sharp tingle, a memory of something she couldn't quite place. "Great." She smirked. "Another mystery."

Kendell2

"Oh! And I just remembered something I'd forgot!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed.

"What is that, Sweetie?" Rarity asked.

The little filly focused on a tree outside and window and focused...shooting two beams of icy blue dark magic out and freezing the limb solid. "I have ice vision now!"

Rarity's jaw dropped as she just stared in shock.

"...I can make ice sculptures for your parties now."

"...Hmm...I can work with that...how exactly did you get that, deary?"

"Oh, we freed the soul of an ancient Penguin King from an evil witch and he taught me the spell so he could pass on to the afterlife," Sweetie Belle explained with a big smile. "I probably should have used it more..."

Alex Warlorn

The world seemed to turn gray, like when the blank wolf came forth to stalk its prey. But instead, in the space between blink, Sweetie Belle was face to face with a pegasus foal with red wings and a black mane. What was odd, was that Sweetie couldn't tell if the foal was a colt or a filly.

They were wearing a red poncho, and wool cap. They had a black mane and fur that was beige/white like paper. Their cutie mark was a multi-ringed castle.

The foal took a look left, then a look right. "Such imbalance, no wonder mother had sent me here."

"W-Who are you?" Sweetie stuttered.

"You will not remember we spoke, since this happened between time, but I am Cardinal, mother fate had birthed me to restore balance."

"Balance of good and evil?"

"No... of ordeals. Of effort and rewards. To ensure no matter what side wins, they'll have worked for it. The wicked can not foresee every action and inaction of all heroes, and the righteous cannot wipe away evil overlords with a slight sneeze. There's no challenge, and no GROWTH in it."

"You're exaggerating!"

In spite of time being frozen, a lava monster then tore out of the ground. "I am the Neon Under King! All kneel before me!"

Sweetie Belle sneezed slightly, giving off a blast of cold magic that froze and shattered the would be overlord.

"... Uh?" Sweetie blushed.

"Such over saturation of power. From the incarnations of Alicorns, and so many freebies and prizes... it has to end." Cardinal touched Sweetie's forehead.

"OW!" Sweetie said holding her head.

"Oh dear, Sweetie, I think you have brain freeze... using an ice vision spell like that? Good think you didn't use it, that spell isn't designed for pony biology, I think Twilight will have to give it a full overhaul for it be safe for Pony use."

"Yes I... I'm better off not using it..."

MtangaLion

Flummox had a sudden thought. "My word. I have a house full of guests, and no hospitality to be found. That won't do."

"Uncle, you hate house guests," deadpanned Flim.

Flam nodded sagely. "Remember the time you told Lady Blue Belle where she could shove her..."

"New policy! Fellow saviors of Equestria are welcome anytime." He started towards the stairs. "This way, fillies and gentlecolts! I'll just access the security spells and..." Flummox furrowed his brow. "...who blew up the cleaning robot? Was that really necessary?" His face fell sharply. "And... the stasis spell in the pantry seems to have failed. So much for a victory feast."

In the upstairs foyer, Pinkie Pie popped out from behind a crystal pillar, announcing her arrival with a party horn, a spray of confetti, and a big grin. "Don't worry, we've got this!" Indeed, the main hall was getting dusted and decorated at a speed that might be fairly alarming to a pony not living in Ponyville.

Trixie was reading her letter delivered by Death, eyes tearing up a bit, though she wiped them hastily when Twilight's friends noticed. "I hope nopony is expecting Trixie to lock her astonishing amulet away in some castle vault! It is Magic Star's legacy, passed down from the earliest days of ponykind. Trixie has *earned* it."

Veritas raised an eyebrow. "Ya know..."

Trixie teleported across the room, dissolving into darkness and reforming in the blink of an eye, groveling at the Alicorn's hooves. "Please, please, please don't take it away! Trixie has seen the light... so to speak... she will not oppose you if you say that is *truly* what's best... but the Mighty and Humbled Trixie really wants the power... to do good, of course!" In a small voice, she added, "And what pony hasn't dreamed of becoming a princess?"

Veritas chuckled. "Ah was *gonna* say that Ah reckon you're right. You *have* earned it. Now, that said, what makes ya so sure you'll become an Alicorn? The Rainbow of Darkness is the precursor to the Elements of Chaos, ya know. The future ain't for me to say, but maybe if ya wear it long enough, ya might just go the other way."

Trixie blinked. "The... the other way!?" She considered, then grinned defiantly. "Nice try, but I'm still keeping it."

It suddenly occurred to Apple Bloom that she hadn't read her own letter yet...

MtangaLion

Apple Bloom kept a magical hold on her letter, letting it trail behind her as she followed the others up the stairs and into a room full of old-timey tables and couches and floor to ceiling bookshelves. She still wanted to read the letter more than anything, but her stomach felt like it was full of butterflies.

So she felt around, then peered into the gray space between moments. "Ah saw what you did."

Cardinal materialized, bowing to her. "I did my duty."

Apple Bloom frowned, pouting a bit... no, that didn't feel right. She took a deep breath, trying to imagine how Princess Praegressus ought to carry herself. "Ah don't like it when you meddle with mah friends."

"I did my duty," repeated Cardinal, respectful but firm, "and I will do more. Sweetie Belle will discover that she can only use perfected dark magic casting now, not the imperfect shortcut method that corrupts mortals so easily. Of course, the safe method draws far more mana from the caster. It will be appropriately challenging for a foal her age."

Apple Bloom's jaw dropped. "Why, you..."

"Button Mash was on the right track, thinking about the limits of his 'game console.' He doesn't yet understand the risks of manipulating reality, though. Scootaloo..."

Bloom stamped a hoof. "Knowing how to cast wingblades ain't outta line! Rainbow Dash thought she was mature enough to learn 'em, and Ah haven't seen anything to make me think otherwise."

Cardinal hesitated. "We agree on that point. But are we going to have this conversation every time I perform my duties in your sight? Will you command the minions of Fate to your will, young goddess? Are you already so wise?"

Before she could answer, two familiar wolves formed out of the shadows. "You did it!" barked Blanky, bowing quickly, then leaping for joy. "Mistress and her friends won!"

Snow Bound chuckled deeply. "Remember, brother, it's unseemly for us to be taking sides." He bowed to Apple Bloom. "But indeed, well done." Then he gave a deeper bow to Applejack... Bloom hadn't even realized her big sister was in the gray space too, until just then. "Well done, my friend."

Cardinal coughed expectantly.

Apple Bloom blushed. "Yer right. Go on and do yer job. Ah'll try not to make a fuss."

Applejack nuzzled Bloom. "Good. Now quit your stalling and read that letter."

Hesitantly, Apple Bloom let go, and color and life returned, time passing once more. The letter shook as she drew it out of the envelope and unfolded it, and it wasn't just from her being a foal who still had a lot to learn about her Alicorn magic.

"Howdy, Apple Bloom!" she read to herself. "This is from yer Ma and Pa, and... gosh, what all should we say?" She blinked. "There's so much... wait, yer writin' down this too? Can we start again? No?" Apple Bloom giggled.

"Apple Bloom, our sweet little filly... Ah just have ta say first that we are so sorry that... well, we had to go, so soon after you came into our lives. We always knew that you'd be in good hooves, though, with Ma and yer brother and sister. Apples take care of Apples, and we know they raised you to do the same.

"Don't worry about us too much! Did ya know, we're still having family reunions all the time, and there's still Apples we haven't met yet? There's just so many ponies, everypony from Applejack the First on down! She's a big hero like you wouldn't believe, ya know. Ya might know all about her already... kinda gettin' ahead of mahself there. If ya don't, ask yer sister sometime.

"Now, lately we've been hearing that you and Applejack even became highfalutin Alicorn goddesses, and yer brother might just follow in your hoofsteps too one day. Apples don't lie, so Ah have to admit, we were a little sad, thinking about how you'll always be hard at work and never get to settle down with us in Paradise, only just visit now and again.

"But ya know what? Knowing that our little family grew up to be the honesty, traditions, and innovation that were the foundation of everything good about the Apple family, right from the start?

"We couldn't be more proud of you."

Apple Bloom had tears pouring freely down her cheeks... and Applejack hugged her tight, and Big Mac grinned and put his strong limbs and big hooves around the both them. And then Button and Sweetie and Scootaloo had to join in, and the others were there too... Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Cheese... smiling faces all around. Even Twilight... she'd just walked in, with the magic wand sticking out of her saddlebag.

The rest of the letter said, "So keep working hard, and we'll see ya when we can visit or you can! Love, yer Ma and Pa."

Apple Bloom hugged her siblings tight, like only earth ponies or Alicorns could... her wings were too small to wrap around anypony, but she spread them anyway and wound up tickling Scootaloo's nose.

Scoots giggled. "Remind me to teach you how to preen those."

And Rainbow Dash grinned from ear to ear. "You three... I didn't forget you, Pinkie! Meet me in the field under my house for your first flying lessons, bright and early tomorrow. No more excuses! Heh... or else we'll tell everypony that Scootaloo can outfly every Alicorn in town."

Thalia casually took to the air and flipped head over hooves before touching down again. "Well, I kinda got some help from Surprise already, but that sure sounds like fun!"

Big Mac blinked. "Wait, what was that part in yer letter about traditions?"

"You shouldn't think too hard about that," said Apple Bloom, matter-of-factly.

Big Mac gave her a look, his memory not clouded one bit, and then he chuckled. "Eeyup."

Mtangalion

"Dear Princess Celestia..."

Twilight Sparkle levitated her parchment and eyed it critically. "I guess I've gotten too used to letting Spike write all my letters." She smiled. "I'll make a calligraphy practice schedule later." She smoothed out the scroll and began writing again.

"Have you ever started reading a new book in a great series, gotten several chapters in, and then started feeling like you're missing things? Realized that characters are referencing things that you know nothing about? Wondered if you somehow skipped an entire book in the series without knowing?"

Rarity Belle answered the front door of her boutique, smiling warmly and looking downwards, only to freeze, slowly lift her gaze upwards, and then gasp with delight at a larger, adolescent Spike. Spike grinned handsomely and held out a bouquet of flowers.

"Of course, that would be less of an issue if you'd reconsider my proposed royal decree, requiring all works of fiction to have an unambiguous volume number. But that's not what I'm writing about, Princess. Lately, I've been feeling that way about my life here in Ponyville."

In Trottingham, Flim and Flam were hard at work, wiping sweat from their brows as they used their magic to repaint the entire local guardhouse, one section at a time. Trixie stood nearby to supervise, still not quite believing what she was seeing.

Their steam wagon sat parked nearby, powered down. A calendar was pinned to the side, with many days crossed out and "Community Service" written in block letters at the top, right next to a long list of outstanding warrants.

Dr. Moon Shadow, the last surviving mortal pony of the Age of Wonders, facehoofed... with two legs, while standing comfortably on the other two. The brightest minds of the Manehatten Institute of Technology had gathered here in this lecture hall, not to listen to his presentation on DVD technology, but to binge watch his Galactic Legend of Heroic Ponies DVD box set.

He slipped a flyer out of the box, the one that proclaimed "Volume 2 - Coming next year!", and slipped it into his lab coat pocket, failing to keep the evil smirk off his face.

"I never imagined that I would become some kind of hero, but it happened, and I guess I got used to it. When we confronted Nightmare Moon, when we stopped Discord and Nightmare Whisper, I was right there leading the charge. When we fought against Chrysalis and those monsters from Tartarus, a lot more ponies helped, but I was still right there in the center of things, with a big part to play.

"When we fought Lilith the Witch Queen, I was... just kind of there. But you know what? That's okay!"

In a royal suite in Canterlot Castle, little Midnight Half-Light and Kifuko were snuggled together, sleeping peacefully while Hercules Beetle watchfully stood guard. Cicada was sorting their mail, raising an brow-ridge at a color full-page advertisement for gem polish, and setting aside another newspaper with the headline "Lost Seapony City Discovered!" The picture below the headline showed two real live seaponies... and a certain fictional light gold, gray-maned pegasus mare, with her hat tipped to partly obscure her face.

For once, it was incredibly convenient that the royal bath was the size of a swimming pool, because both Shining and Cadence were in there, transformed into seaponies, and Cadence was teaching Shiny to sing.

"My friends aren't some kind of supporting cast, only existing to make me look good. They're their own ponies, with their own lives and plans, and I'm proud of all of them... and maybe just a teensy bit jealous of some of them."

Archmage Flummox was holding court in the Ponyville schoolhouse, magically tapping a pointer at a blackboard covered in chalk scratchings on the fundamental principles of magic. Sweetie Belle, Snails, and Pinkie Pie were hanging on his every word, but Apple Bloom, Tootsie Flute, and Snips kept stealing glances at the clock, and poor Applejack looked about two steps from nodding off entirely.

A knocking at the window startled them all. Rainbow Dash was out there, grinning, with an eager Scootaloo hovering beside her. Rainbow beckoned towards the amazing cloud obstacle course that she'd built, hanging in the Ponyville sky, with other Ponyville pegasi already flying round and round it.

Flummox shook his head, pointing imperiously at the chalkboard. Rainbow Dash nodded vigorously, beckoning again.

Apple Bloom and Applejack looked at each other, then grinned and jumped right out the window, getting airborne clumsily.

"I can't imagine how much Equestria is going to change in the coming years..."

Princess Luna eagerly presented a scroll to her sister, grinning hopefully. It read "Step 1: Surprise Coronation" with cartoon doodles of Applejack and Pinkie wearing crowns, followed by "Step 2: Las Pegasus Vacation!"

Princess Celestia chuckled, gently shaking her head.

Big Mac dragged a chair onto the porch of the mostly rebuilt newlywed house, then sat down, yawning and stretching. Surely, after working hard all week sawing and hammering, then hiking through the Everfree and defeating an evil witch, nopony would begrudge him a day of rest.

The rest of the porch was taken up by a huge white wolf, who scratched at an ear, then yawned and rested his head on his forepaws.

Big Mac grinned, gnawing on a hay stalk. Snow Bound didn't have much to say, and neither did Mac, and that was just fine.

"... but I can't wait to find out! Your Faithful Student, always, Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight Sparkle gripped the Everfree Wand firmly in her magic, taking notes in a journal at the same time. The Golden Oaks Library had gotten a little untidy lately, but Twilight never let things slip so far as to become *disorganized*.

"Test number 47," she said to herself. "Thus far, all attempts to charge the wand to full power have failed. The Princess Ponies say it can't be done without the lost heart crystal, whatever that is, but I'm sure I can get some kind of reaction from the wand's residual energy, maybe even something that will put me on the right track towards creating a substitute!"

The purple unicorn focused deeply, channeling more and more magic into her scrying spell, until her blazing horn gained a double corona, and loose objects started to drift all around the library. With her eyes closed, Twilight missed the Crown of Magic starting to flicker, pulsing, resonating with the Everfree Wand...

Until the room exploded in rainbow light. "W-what?" Twilight expected to find herself covered in soot again, but instead, she appeared to be floating. "What the..." Her flanks and hooves were dotted with extra stars, and her too-long mane and tail swayed around her, golden stripes added to her usual purple and blue. "What?!"

The transformation lasted all of six seconds before it undid itself, dumping her onto the hardwood floor, just a plain purple unicorn again. "What?!!"

Apple Bloom rapped a hoof on their old clubhouse podium. "Howdy, y'all! Welcome to the first ever official meeting of the Alicorn Crusaders, where members who are already Alicorns... heh, that's me... help other members to get their cutie m... Ah mean, to get their... Alicorn-ness? To become real Alicorns! Again!"

Sweetie Belle raised a hoof. "We're still going to help fillies and colts who don't have their cutie marks yet, aren't we?"

Apple Bloom grinned. "Absolutely, positively!"

Scootaloo hovered, too excited to stay on the floor. "We should make a list of all the things we could try to become Alicorns! Like interviewing Apple Bloom, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie, or exploring the World Mirror Maze again!"

"Ooh, we could visit the other Diamond and Apple Pie in their world!" said Sweetie Belle. "I'd like to try to fix Sunnytown again, too. And explore the world we made with Nature Walk!"

Button Mash waved a hoof. "We should invite Silver Spoon too, and Spike, to help him become... whatever dragons become! And, uh... my mom..."

Apple Bloom frowned. "Button, your mom would make us do our homework and get home in plenty of time for bed. We'd never get any Crusading done."

Scootaloo waved her hoof next. "Um, question... why is Coffee Swirl here?"

Everyone else looked at Button, who blinked. "Oh! We were just talking about reality twisting and impractically large swords. Hey, Mr. Swirl, do you want to go Crusading with us?"

The pegasus stallion looked around in mild alarm, as if he'd only just realized where he was... but right then, Zephyr Breeze went flying right past the clubhouse window at top speed, with an enraged Fluttercruel hot on his tail. A relieved Coffee Swirl made a "be seeing you!" gesture with his wing feathers, then took off to chase after them.

"Just the four of us, then," mused Sweetie. "So, Apple Bloom, since you're the experienced Alicorn here, which of those ideas should we get started on?"

Apple Bloom leaned forward, grinning. "All of 'em."

A flood-lamp snapped on, illuminating an old, dusty television studio.

"Well, it looks like that's all we have for now!" said Thalia. "I might be in a *little* bit of trouble with Miss Fate for bringing a *certain* party pony to Ponyville a couple of seasons early."

Thalia cupped a hoof to her ear and gasped. "What's that?! Well, of course I was just using my super-duper nifty Alicorn magic to find the best new bearer for the Element of Laughter. I didn't peak ahead!" She tried to hide something behind her back, but a bunch of script pages spilled onto the floor anyway. "Why would you even think that?!"

The Alicorn of Joy and Nostalgia teleported the pages away and smiled warmly. "I know some of you want to see more, and I'd love to stay a while and sing a song, or answer some viewer letters for old times' sake, but..." She sighed. "Some folks think that this story has gone on for way, way, way, way, way, way..." Gasp! "... way too long already."

She winked at the camera. "But you know what I think?" Without lighting her horn, she suddenly donned a wizard hat and beard, and blew bubbles on a pipe. "A story is never too long or too short, so long as everypony is having fun!" She tossed the props aside and waved a hoof energetically. "So I hope you ALL had fun! Bye, and thanks for watching!!"

She reached into the foreground, switching the camera off, and the picture faded to black.

Author's Note

The rules are simple. Write something in the comments, and it's added to the story above! No 'script' format additions! Keep it My Little Ponies!

Set in the same universe as Pinkie Pie Forth Wall Breaking Variety Show!

Apple Bloom appears looking into a camera lens, "Okay! We've been explorin' Everfree, tryin' to figure out its secrets, and all that with our friends!"

Scootaloo, "Apple Bloom became an Alicorn, and a whole buncha other crazy stuff happened, and now we gotta fight an evil witch."

Button Mash, "Now is the time! To end this!"

Sweetie Belle, "Have look at the, what did Pinkie Pie call this? 'Trope Page?'" http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/PinkiePiesFourthWallVarietyShow

Parts added by:
MtangaLion
MtangaLion
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
MtangaLion
MtangaLion
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
MtangaLion
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Kendell2
Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
MtangaLion
MtangaLion

Cover is a commission By Kendell2

First Episode

Pinkie Pie tapped on the camera as if this would tell her if it was broadcast or not. She leaned in close her pink face filling the entire view and breathed misting up the lens before cleaning it away with her hooves. Satisfied with it, she nodded with a smile.

She trotted a few steps back smiling. "Hey guys! Oh and I guess girls too! Broadcasting to you between stories of the Pony POV Series! It's Pinkie Diane! Better known as Pinkie Pie! I just wanted ya all to know that the show is still going strong!

The author has gotten all the reviews and comments out of the way and kinda sorta skipped some grammar corrections because he was suffering a nervous breakdown.

Anywho, I got drafted to tell all of you that the Pony POV Series is far from gone and far from over! Though we are finally cleaning things up around here and getting the plot moving again! I know, I know, it doesn't LOOOK LIKE this meanie saddie has anything to do with the main plot but it does! Pinkie Swear! We've got a story from LZ0291 in the works again, and it'll be shocker when you see it. I personally can't decide if it'll be more of a shocker than the next story arc will be.

The author has finished putting his notes together for this meanie saddie story arc. And the next chapter is the meanest and saddest of the entire arc before getting onto the nice stuff! He actually has enough now written for TWO chapters, but he's worried that if ponies read the super uber sad stuff before he write the hopeful stuff that they'll stop reading.

And if you haven't, BE SURE to read the latest Pony POV Chapters! Yeah, the author TOLD ME to say that one.

The point is colts and fillies out there, I'm here to tell you not to forget about us, not to give up, and not to lose hope. Cause this series, this saga IS getting done! You can believe it!

Wow . . that wasn't much to say, at all." Pinkie Pie scratched her head. A light bulb appeared above her head.

"Okay! Here's what we're going to do while the author is trying to write where he wants to be! A lot of you guys REALLY like to write things that'll happen next in story. So that's how it is! You write in your cute little comments, like real authors, what I do or say next here in my little studio, have surprise guests (My Little Pony characters only please, any generation, no other franchises), have me do crazy stunts, ask questions, whatever! YOU write what I do, and you write my actions and dialogue. You don't 'request' what happens next, or 'describe' what happens next, you write what happens next.

The rules are simple, one, you can't fundamentally alter the POV Series universe, sorry, the author had enough misery keeping this story up to date with the cartoon and is down right PHOBIC of not finishing it before the third season airs! So sorry about that, really really really really really really really REALLY sorry!

Okay, rule two, I and the camera can't leave the little studio. No out of character behavior from anypony, also I'm the only fourth wall breaker around here. Other mortal ponies don't know who I'm transmitting to!

In case more than one bronie writes what I do next, the author will choose based on his own preference. Not sure if anyone's gonna write what I do next or not. Or for how long. Until then, I just enjoy this hot cocoa and listen Equestria girls classical instrumental edition while reading the funny papers. Keep up the faith POV bronie!"

-

"Ooh ooh, looks like we have another try. It is a letter. Let us see what it says...

'How about we start with a simple question? Both Flutters have quite different tastes. What kind of Nightmare Night costume would Fluttershy and Fluttercruel wear together?'

Huh, likely Rarity would come up with something, but I think I have my own idea!"

With a wide smile Pinkie Pie rushes outside the view of the camera. Construction noise, the clucking of chickens and fireworks can be heard. As she walks back inside the studio she is wearing the costume of a huge tree, barely fitting through the door. The tree is extremely colorful with green leafs and red apples decorating it.

"This is my tree disguise MK II. I know Fluttershy would like to be a tree. But this costume has a very special function. Just watch."

The pink pony pushes a red button next to the base of the tree and accompanied by mechanical noises the tree begins to change and shift and leafs and apples disappear on it. Its form becomes thinner. Now it looks more like a bare tree out of a horror story.

"I guess this is more Fluttercruel's style. I am still trying to come up with a more fitting name, something that shows its transforming abilities. The last one I suggested didn't pass legal. They said another show did already secure the rights to that name."

"Huh. 'Can you still do that Surprise thing?' Well, let's see..."

Pinkie counts on her hooves for a moment, then disappears offscreen. A second later, she's back with a bag of flour, a water marker pen, the wings from her Nightmare Night costume, and a startled looking white unicorn.

"Okay! When I tell you, lift me and make the wings flap-wait, what do you mean that doesn't count? Everypony's a critic... At least the flour's funny, right?"

She disappears again. There's a grinding noise and a flashing blue light, and a white pegasus with a blonde mane bounces on with a grin.

"This better?"

"Pinkie..." Twilight's voice asks from offscreen. "What did you just do, how come Dash has been replaced by a pink version of herself, and where has the Sparkle gone from my name?"

"Oh, sorry..." she grins. "I got the Doctor to send us all sideways a decade or two. It might have some unexpected side effects, so I'll get him to put it back before AJ falls over or something."

"While the Doctor straightens that timey-wimey stuff out, let's get to our next question.

"This is a good one! Do you still like to drink chocolate rain? If you do, where do you find the cotton candy clouds?'

"Of course I still like to drink chocolate rain, silly filly! "Pinkie rolls her eyes, and edges closer to the camera. "As for where I keep them, you all have to swear a pinkie promise not to tell any pony else. Stop reading now if you can't keep the promise please. I'll wait."

After a few minutes Pinkie looks into the camera and says, "Ok. I think they are gone. My clouds come from something called hammerspace. Here, I'll show you!"

Pinkie moves her hoof, an a line appears in midair. Placing her hand inside the pocket that formed, she puts her tongue between her teeth, and starts pulling things out. "Ah, there is my back up party cannon! I've been looking all over for this! I can't seem to find the cloud though." Pinkie Pie pulls out a swizel straw, and looks at it. "Oh, well. Maybe I could use this for my giant milkshake instead!"

-

"Hey, it is another letter. This one says...

'How about you try a tribute to the famous Pony Ranger show that was mentioned several times?'

Somehow I knew this would happen and have already prepared a model of an abandoned Ponyville, but now the most important part: It is Morphin' time!"

Upbeat music begins to play and bright pink light surrounds the spot Pinkie Pie is standing at and she quickly rushes outside the view of the camera as the light show continues. Then a pink blur flies back into it and as the light is gone, she is wearing pink armor and a Pony Ranger helmet with her poofy hair visible on the back.

"Ranger of Laughter, Pinkie Pie."

As she strikes a pose an explosion appears behind her.

"Let's see: A miniature city ready to be destroyed, check. A Pony Ranger disguise, check. A Mega-Pony mask, enchanted by Twilight to not break when I play with it, check. Spontaneous explosions...

Another explosion happens in the background, somehow nothing is damaged by it.

Check. Good, now we just need someone to play the villain..."

"Ugh. Not here either."

To the surprise of the partying pony her first unintentional guest has arrived: Gilda. Immediately the griffon hides a letter under her wings and glares at Pinkie Pie, the disguise the pink pony is wearing and the city model next to her.

"Hah, seems I am interrupting something really lame. Are you busy playing with your little Pink Ranger disguise and your limited edition Season 1 Mega-Pony mask?"

Somehow her voice sounded envious, and then Pinky's smile became wider.

"Yeah, you are definitely too cool to know anything about the series. You don't know what you have missed. I bet you have no idea of the epic battle between the evil Grey Pony Ranger and the other Pony Rangers in episode 16."

"Hah! You are trying to make a fool out of me, but I am not falling for this one. You won't get me to say that you got the color and the episode number wrong!"

For a moment Gilda looks smug, before realising what she just said. Another explosion goes off behind her.

"Fine. You got me. I am a fan of the show. But DON'T DARE TO TELL ANYPONY OR ANY GRIFFON!"

"Oh don't worry. This entire recording is non-canon anyway... I mean I won't tell anypony or any griffon, if..."

Pinkie Pie looks at the party crasher with the biggest smile possible.

"Hmph, yeah right. What do you want from me?"

"You get to play the villain Gildar in this little scene!"

"What, just the two of us?"

"No, just look at the background, outside of the view of the camera. From there the One and Only Trixie provides us with the special effects. When I told her that explosions were involved her reaction immediately went from 'How did you get into my room?' to 'Let's get started!'. Thanks to her we will have a lot of random explosions! Maybe she will do a cameo later."

The griffon chuckles and takes a battle stance.

"You are all alone, Pink Ranger! You Rangers will NEVER win against the dark sorceress. And you will not evade my next attack!"

She rushes at the pink pony but Pinkie Pie just rolls aside and counters with a flying dragon kick darting right past Gilda. But the camera is positioned in such a way that it looks like she hit her as the griffon fakes pain. Both strike poses before continuing their battle.

Soon both jump into the air and exchange kung-fu moves, always missing their target. Again thanks to the way the camera is placed it looks like they are really fighting. More explosions surround them, making it harder to see if they are hitting each other or not.

Then Pinkie Pie begins to switch her tactics around and starts to break dance like a maniac. This time Gilda grunts in real pain.

"Hmph. Not bad for one measly pony. Oh dark sorceress, lend me your power!"

Trixie walks into view next to the two exhausted fighters. She is wearing a black version of her cape and hat and uses her telekinesis to let an extremely detailed magic wand float next to her. It is likely another collector's item from Pinkie Pie's collection.

"I will not loose to a single teenager for the thirtieth time. Magic Wand, make my monster grow!"

Then she literally throws the wand at Gildar.

"Ouch. Stop that!"

Fake lightning begins to circle around the griffin. Meanwhile Pinkie had positioned the camera lower so that Gilda looks bigger.

"Hah, try to fight me now, puny Ranger!"

Joyfully and accompanied by more explosions the griffon starts to destroy models of the fake town. Then Pinkie Pie points the camera at herself and shakes it around.

"Oh no! Time to call the Mega-Pony!"

More pink energy begins to surround her as she rushes off camera again and returns just as the light vanishes, this time wearing the Mega-Pony mask instead of her Ranger helmet. This time a gigantic explosion detonates behind her.

"I can't see anything under this thing. What could go wrong? It is time for my final attack!"

"You are looking in the wrong direction."

Gilda signs as the pink pony turns around, still not really facing her.

"Ready or not, here I home! HUUUUGGGG TAAACCCKKKKLEEE!"

Without hesitation and surrounded by a pink glow the Pink Ranger rushes forward and knocks the camera over instead. While the camera points at the ceiling their voices can still be heard.

"Huh, did I hit you?"

"Yeah right, genius. I am completely defeated and the camera fainted in shock."

"Ooh! Great, I hope it doesn't hurt."

The sound of Gilda smacking her head into the floor can be heard.

"Whatever. Remember, do not tell anyone. I'm outta here."

-

"Hey, Mr. Narrator!" said Pinkie. Wait...

Who? What?

"You, Mr. Narrator!"

There's no one here! This story is written in third person omniscient!

"Well, duh, Mr. Narrator! That's the way you've been telling it!" She rolled her eyes as she replied.

Pinkie, you are only supposed to break the fourth wall in accordance with the Geneva Conventions. You're getting too post-modern here, it's confusing the readers!

"Now it's too complex?"

I think Pinkie Pie gave me a sigh, "You just can't satisfy everyone, can you? You write a simple story, and everyone calls it predictable, cliched even! But any more complex, and suddenly no one gets it! It's like people want something, and they don't know what! Don't say I've gone OOC again, or is frustration something I'm allowed to express? No-"

***

"So yeah - wait, did you just cut out all my exposition? I saw that, Mr. Narrator, and it would be a shame if you were missing something important. I-"

We better stop there for now. m-must resist URGE...

"Oh silly Mr. Narrator, I never even got to thank you for all that's been said and done..." finished Pinkie, with some melancholy.

"Ooh, here's another one! Gosh, everypoiny wants to do one of these now!" Pinkie Pie held up a letter and read, "Hmm... 'Do things like full-body pony suits exist in your world?' Well, not normally, but for a special occasion... Come on out, 'Rarity'!"

Somepony who looks like Rarity wearing Applejack's hat walked out sullenly from stage left, with a sour look on her face. Pinkie giggled. "How do you like looking like Rarity, AJ?"

Rarity gave Pinkie a dirty look before saying in Applejack's country-fied accents, "Ah feel like the silliest frou-frou pony evah! Why do I gotta wear this thing?!?"

"Well, gee, Jacky," Pinkie held up the letter in her hooves, "Somepony asked to see it, and..."

Applejack tried ripping the suit off. But it resisted, stretching without tearing as she yelled, "Then tell HIM tah wear one!"

"Aww, don't be such a sourpuss pony!" Pinkie pointed past Applejack, off stage. "You don't hear Dashie complaining about the one she's wearing, do you?"

Fluttershy flew out, looking very surly as she landed beside 'Rarity'.

"Heh," Pinkie asked, a smile spreading across her face, "How do you feel being the cutest pegasus in Equestria, 'Fluttershy'?*

Fluttershy gave her a venomous glare before saying in Dash's scratchy voice, "Pinkie, if I ever meet the pony who came up with this idea, I'm going to glue him into one of these things." She shook her head, sending her flowing pink mane flying. "Uggh! Where did ya even GET these things?"

"Oh, I got them from Rarity!" Pinkie nodded at the white unicorn as she trotted out behind her 'twin' and 'Fluttershy'. Both the latter ponies gave her furious glares as she stopped beside them.

"Oh, hello Rainbow Dash, Applejack. I simply must say, you're both looking better than ever!" She smiled at them as they glared at her. "It was very difficult to make those ponysuits, but an artist thrives on challenge! Why, the material alone..."

"Never mind that!" 'Fluttershy' cried in Dash's voice, and Rarity added in Applejack's "Yeah, just tell us how ta take these things off?"

Rarity gave them an innocent look as she asked in a confused tone, "Take them off...?"

"Rarity" turns and gives her 'twin' an eye roll and a glare. "Now cut that out Rarity! Even though no one in Ponyville will see this, even if this whole thing isn't 'cannon', whatever the hay that means, Ah still can't have people seein' me like this! Ah have my pride to keep up!"

"But this is so much fun! I love seeing you both all topsy-turvy!"

"If you don't get me outta this thing, I'll--

"Ok, ok," Pinkie sighs and frowns. "Now you really sound like Rarity." Pinkie hops over and the camera zooms on a zipper in 'Rarity's' hoof. A zipper pull later, and 'Rarity' becomes Applejack.

"Thank Celestia that darn thing came off!" Applejack says, kicking the suit into a corner. "It was hotter in there than one of Granny Smith's flamin' apple pies! Ah am goin' home!" Applejack then trots off the stage, turns her head, and with a half-smile says, "Besides, Ah kinda like Rainbow's new look."

"APPLEJACK!" 'Fluttershy' yells. "GET BACK HERE! Applejack... That's it!" A ripping sound is heard as 'Fluttershy' but with cyan blue wings flies off after Applejack.

Rarity turns red. "RAINBOW DASH! Come back here this instant! You have ruined my creation!" Gathering up the shards of fabric on the floor, Rarity races toward 'Fluttershy'.

Pinkie sits down. "Ahh, now what am I supposed to do? "

"I still don't know if the Doctor has fixed the time stream yet, Rarity is chasing Rainbow because of that suit, and Rainbow is kind of occupied chasing AJ. So, that means my planned dance party is off, until some brony decides to write it. Cone on people!"

Pinkie sgets up, and starts pace-bouncing back and forth. "Let's see, I've already showed off my hammerspace, already broken the time space continuum, battled Gilda with friendship and won, talked with the narrator, and pulled a topsy-tuvy on AJ and Rainbow." Pinkie frowns and turns to a camera.

"Hey, whatcha guys looking at me for? This is a transition scene! The author can't think of anything else for me to do! She has enough trouble trying to tie this thing together! Stop looking at me, and ask me to do something!"

As if on cue, a letter pops up.

"Oh thank goodness! I was getting bored!" Pinkie scans the letter. "This person wants me to 'Drink some espresso and see what happens'. Espresso, huh?" Pinkie reaches into hammerspace, and pulls out a tiny cup filled to the brim with brown liquid. "Well, as the One and Only Trixie says, bottoms up!" Pinkie then procedes to down the whole cup in one sitting.

A pink blur rockets around the studio, upsetting chairs, and knocking down cameras. While dancing on tiptoe, it starts talking at about a mile a minute saying "OohmygoshthisissogreatWhat'sinthisstuffIfeelllvibratey WHOOHOOOOO!!"

The blur then seems to explode, rocketing up to the shock-proof ceiling, bouncing off of the floor and crashing into a couch.

"I am so glad we tested those ceilings beforehand." Pinkie says. "Now, what do I do with all of these broken couches?"

"Oh! And here's a message straight from the author ahem, 'And please note: all submission must be in the same format as the story, so no 'script' format or 'RPing' format?' Oh! Well, that's a drag! But I guess it'll keep this place neater, and believe me, this place seems to get pretty mess with me around!"

-

Pinkie opens a letter and begins to read it, "Dear Pinkie, just out of curiosity who was it exactly that threw that rock at Fluttershy during the Princess Gaia festival?"

Pinkie looks up at the camera and says, "Oh, that's an easy one! It was..."

*Screen turns to static and a we are experiencing technical difficulty sign pops up for about fifteen minutes*

"And that's why that particular ask a pony blog is the best ask a pony blog ever! Hope that answered your question.", said Pinkie with an exicited look on her face.

Pinkie opened another letter and read it. "Ooh, this one is different! It's asking about Celestia! 'Dear Pinkie, we learned in the story that Celestia once spent a few years living a life as a mortal horse on the human world. Just what happened to her? Was she a noble warhorse? Was she the beloved pet of a lonely child? Or was she stuck with pulling a plow? What?'" Pinkie looks offstage. "Well, I can't answer this one, but I know somepony who can -- hello, Princess Celestia!"

There came a burst of golden sunlight from offstage and Celestia herself stepped out, moving with the infinite grace of an alicorn. "Greetings, Pinkie Pie." She read the letter and rubbed one forehoof thoughtfully against her chin. "Hmm... my life as a horse among humans?" Celestia sighed and said, "I was owned by a farmer in a place they called Pennsylvania, northwards of Philadelphia, when it was the colonial capital. He was named John Siegfried, and what can be said?" She sighs, her wings fluttering out slightly as she closes her eyes and thinks back.

"He hitched me to his plow and together we drew enough of a living from the soil to help his neighbors when they went hungry. He rode me to war when he lead the men who trusted him against their enemies, and rode me back later with an arm he could no longer use, but with the knowledge that his farm and wife and children would not be plundered or slain. And yes, after he died, I became the property of his youngest daughter Anna." Celestia grew quiet. Twilight Sparkle slowly came out from offstage, walking up to stand beside her teacher with a look on concern in her eyes.

Celestia stirred as Twi offered comfort and said, "She married well, for that time and place, and kept me long after my mortal self could no longer work. She even established a retirement farm for old and abused horses." Celestia chuckled and added, "And at the end, she held my head in her lap and comforted me as I returned to My Parents." She looked down. Twilight pressed against her side, craning to set her neck around her teacher's. Celestia smiled gently and returned the hug. "And because Anna treated me so well, when her time came My Parents permitted me to go and bring her to -- to where she was meant to go." Celestia looked up and smiled gently. "So, that was my life as a mortal horse among the humans. It was no harder than it ever needed to be, which is the most that many can ever say, mortal or immortal."

"Thank you, Princess," Pinkie Pie said, a little quieter than usual, and "I'm so sorry," Twilight added in her own soft voice. Celestia looked down at them as thought she meant to say more...

And then with many a whinny and neigh a ball formed of a white unicorn, a brown earth pony, and a blue-winged yellow pegasus rolled onto the stage and right in front of Celestia. Celestia looked like she fought down a smile.

Twilight leaped to her hooves and shrieked: "GIRLS!"

The ball fell part to reveal Rarity with a frazzled mane, Rainbow Dash's head and wings on 'Fluttershy's' rather sadly ripped and torn 'body', and 'Fluttershy's' head atop Applejack's body. The latter scowled at the blue pegasus and yelled:

"Dang it, Dash, there weren't no call to go sticking that mask on me!"

"Hey, if it looks good on me, then it looks GREAT on you, 'Fluttershy'!" Dash grinned at her. Then both of them turned to see a furious Twilight and a very amused Celestia watching them. They gulped audibly and dropped to their knees.

"Girls! This is not how we act in front of the Princess!" Twilight's horn glowed as she ripped what was left of the Fluttershy suit off of them, ignoring a gasp of "A whole day's work!" from Rarity. Twilight ignored her to say, "This is the silliest thing I've ever seen. Nopony would ever catch me doing something like this!"

"Oh, really, Twilight?" Twilight froze as she heard Celestia speaking behind her. She turned to look and saw Celestia's horn glowing as she held a Rainbow Dash ponysuit in the grip of her magic. Pinkie was giggling behind her, hooves over her mouth. Celestia added in an amused tone, "I seem to recall when you enjoyed doing your little masquerades for me as a filly. You often did a wonderful job of pretending to be various ponies around the palace; you even imitated me once or twice. I thought they were charming, and they made me laugh when I needed to. And after that story, I think I could use some joy." Twilight looked ready to protest, but Celestia looks at her mock-pleadingly, sets the Dash-suit into her hooves, and adds, "For me?"

Twilight looked from Celestia to her friends. Dash and AJ looked very amused; and Rarity looked thrilled at the Princess' love of something she'd made, even if it was so silly. "Fine," she sighed and she took it and headed off stage to put it on, followed by three of her friends and Celestia, leaving Pinkie alone on the stage once more.

"Okay," Pinkie said, grinning. "I think the next part of 'Ponysuit Follies' is going to take a while, so who's next?"

Ditzy hands Pinkie another letter. "Thanks Ditzy!", said Pinkie as she opened the letter to read it. "Dear Pinkie, I was wondering what happened to Neatly Spell? Is she still alive or did Diamond Tiara kill her?"

Pinkie looks up and says, "Another easy one. The answer is..."

*A random parade comes out of nowhere and drowns out all of Pinkie's words*

"And that's what things would have been like if Princess Gaia had turned everypony into Visigoths instead of foals.", said Pinkie. "And yes, Visigoth is an actual thing. Look it up!", she added.

Pinkie opens a letter and reads it, "Hey Pinkie, there are two things I was wondering about. The first thing is if Sunny Days is the name of Princess Celestia's alias then whats the deal with that filly who's name is also Sunny Days?"

Pinkie looks up to the camera, "Oh, you mean Sunny Daze. She's a filly who goes to the CMC's school. The fact that her name is similar sounding to Sunny Days is just a coincidence. Or at least I think it's a coincidence, I should ask Star Catcher about that."

Pinkie turns back to the letter and continues to read it, "the other thing I was wondering was if Peachy Pie is related to you."

Pinkie looks back up at the camera, "Wow, I'm impressed. Both Sunny Daze and Peachy Pie had only a minor non-speaking role in one episode, and yet you managed to remember them? Anyway, Peachy Pie is a distant relative. To be more specific she is my dad's cousin's daughter."

Another letter appeared before Pinkie Pie.

"Ah, this one is a question about Discord.

'Dear Pinkie Pie, how could Discord ignore the fact that Rainbow Dash was standing right next to the rest of the group, ready to use the Elements? He should have seen that something did change. Is he really that arrogant or ignorant?'

Well that one is kinda hard to answer, we can't just ask him and even if we could, he wouldn't answer that one..."

Again brilliant light flows around the small studio and with as much grace as possible in such a small location the Sun Goddess walks before the camera again.

"Let me answer this one as well. The short answer would be yes. But the long answer...

I once told him not to look into the sun, but he did anyway. Then I told him to never stick his head into one-

-Havoc said he was too stupid to live-

-a short-sighted draconequus. Anarchy couldn't stop laughing-

-his father told him as punishment for disgracing the draconequi he was not allowed to erase the damage that-

-he asked me if I had seen Celestia. I told him to get glasses.-

-they were thicker than horseshoes. Destruction asked if he could annihilate these abominations.-

-often changed them to look like oversized sunglasses-

-he tried contact lenses but the chocolate rain made them fall out-

"Ahm, Star Catcher... I am sorry to interrupt but how long does the rest of this story take?"

"Just a few more hours and I would have explained the most basic facts. But I think we can leave it at that for now."

With a slight smile the Sun Goddess disappeared in another brilliant flash of light.

"OH, and here's another with a question for Princess Celestia!" Pinkie Pie opened the envelope and read, "Dear Pinkie Pie, we learned that Fleur's grandmother was once two different stallions who were transformed into one mare after they hid under an illusion of Celestia to rob the royal treasury. How the hay did THAT work?" The pink party pony looked expectantly at Celestia.

"Well," the sun princess said, "We seem to have a shortage of stallions, but I suppose for a mere demonstration... If we had some volunteers..." Once again, a racket breaks out offstage. Both Pinkie and Princess look to see Rarity and Applejack coming out, quarreling once more.

"Now I tell you, Applejack," Rarity says, holding a fine set of clothes with her magic as she speaks, "Dressage is indeed a rodeo, but it's one involving style and grace rather than the brutish skills you normally call on. My cousin Imperial Lipizzaner has done very well in them."

"I don't care," AJ snorted. "Any durn rodeo ya gotta dress up for like it was the Grand Galloping Gala just ta perform in ain't one I want anythin' ta do with." Both of them see Celestia and start to bow before Celestia stops them.

"Once was enough for today, my little ponies. Would you like to help me show something to the audience?"

"Why, sure, y'majesty!"

"Oh, of course, your highness!"

"Good. Now stand close together, very close. Withers against withers would be best." The white unicorn and palomino earth pony look confused, but do as asked, giving one another a glare as they do so. A golden glow goes along Celestia's horn, hiding the two ponies from view. A yell filled the air, and when the bright flash of Celestia's magic faded, everyone saw the results. A gold-coated unicorn with a luxurious purple mane and tail stood there, with the elegant build of Celestia or Luna. She bore AJ's cutie mark on one flank and Rarity's on the opposite. And as a final touch, Applejack's hat rested atop her head.

"Wow, that's amazing!" Pinkie said. She bounced up the stunned looking unicorn mare. "Hi, RariJack!"

"Hey there, Pinkie," she says in a voice like AJ's, and then in one like Rarity's, "Pinkie Pie? Wha-what happened to me? I feel the most awful desire to start rolling in mud, and..." The mare looked along herself and her eyes went wide with horror. "Oh, no! Of all the things that could have happened, this is the! Worst! Possible! Thing!"

"Like you got a right ta complain!" 'RariJack' responded in a voice more like Applejack's. "Now ah want ta spend all day sewin' up fancy-schmancy dresses and makin' eyes at mahself in the mirror! An' Ah just stopped lookin' like Rarity, too!" RariJack threw herself at Celestia's forehooves, pleading, "Please, your majestyness, change us back ta normal! Oh, yes; I do NOT want to spend the rest of my life bucking apples and spreading fertilizer!"

"No fears, my dear," Celestia says, fighting down a grin. Pinkie is almost rolling on the floor behind her as Celestia adds, "I said I would offer a demonstration, and I did. Now..." And the glow of her magic reappears, surrounding RariJack before, with a loud SNAP, it vanishes, leaving Applejack and Rarity once more separate, with the odd touch of AJ's hat on Rarity's head.

"Oh, thank you ever so, Princess!" Applejack says in a voice oddly unlike hers as she turns to leave, adding, "I have simply GOT to get back to the boutique and see to my latest order!"

"An' ah got to take care of some chores on the farm," Rarity says in an accent rather like AJ's as she turns to leave. As both mares trot, Celestia and Pinkie give each other worried looks.

"Oh dear."

"Wow Star-Catcher They spoke with each other's accents but not each other's their voices." PInkie Pie noted.

"Of course my little pony, vocal cords have nothing to do with minds and souls. But that isn't the problem."

Pinkie was handed another letter. "Oh! This one is for Princess Luna!" said Pinkie Pie. "'Dear Princess Luna; how are things with you Pip and now Dinky?"

Princess Luna looked to Pinkie. "...Pip shall not see this? Or the tabloids?"

"No, of course not, it's noncanon, the only ones who will see it are the audience."

"We are glad. We have had a wonderful time, we have many imaginary adventures that are most fun. A young filly named Ruby Pinch has come to join our 'crew'. We had forgotten how fun it was to be a child, even if we have been one twice before. Though there was this one time...our magic reacted strangely and the adventure somehow became real...Thankfully, we managed to get our way out of that...You know, Pinkamenia Diane Pie, you were correct."

"About what?"

"You and Minty were right, lightening up and having fun was indeed something we needed desperately. Thank you."

"Thank you for letting spontaneous musical numbers stay!"

Pinkie Pie waved at the camera, "HEY! The author just wanted to say THANK YOU for everyone who continues to add to the series' trope page, in particular the character page, it really means a lot. And also, we've got enough stuff written now for about four chapters! But we're not done with the story arc! But at least we're finally getting to where things start to get brighter. Come on, you know the author promised a happy ending. Dang. At this rate we'll never get the series done before the third season starts and we'll be render irrelevant. Still, thanks everypony, and it's great to see everypony is loving my show! ... Hmm. I wonder if Applejack and Rarity switched bodies, or switched personalities so Rarity now thinks she's a farmer and AJ thinks she's a fashion designer with the skills to match, or really did just switch bodies and didn't notice they weren't in the right body . . . I guess we'll know if they start screaming."

"Oh well," Pinkie Pie said, "if anything goes wrong, I'm sure they'll let us know. And now, here's what we promised Princess Celestia," she nodded towards the sun princess, who showed a small grin as she nodded her own head, "something from her past, Twilight Sparkle's Masquerade. Ta-daaaa!" And as Pinkie waved a hoof off to the left, Rainbow Dash trotted out from that direction. Despite the jaunty air she affected, she looked dismayed.

"Okay, I did it," the pegasus said in Twilight's voice. Her cheeks flamed even through the mask as she heard Fluttershy and Dash laughing offstage. "I'm pretending to be the most opposite in personality pony among my friends that I can be. Can I please remove the suit now?"

"Not yet, Twi!" Pinkie called to the blue-coated, rainbow-maned pegasus. "Now act like Dash!"

"Oh! Hmm..." 'Rainbow Dash' closed her eyes in concentration, tongue hanging from one corner of her mouth. Then she held her head up and said in what was obviously Twilight's voice, "I'm Rainbow Dash, the most awesome and cool pony ever..."

"I'd say 'awesomest and coolest', Twi!" A scratchy voice called from off to the side.

"Those aren't even words!" 'Dash' turned and hissed off to stage left, before she rolled her eyes and said, "Fine! I'm Rainbow Dash, the, uggh, 'awesomest and coolest' pony ever. And I adore overly risky flying, and I disdain stereotyped overly feminine attributes..."

"NO!" Dash's scratchy voice called out from the side. A second Rainbow Dash flew out onto the stage, hovering beside her twin, whose ear began twitching spasmodically as the 'new' Dash spoke to her. "It's 'bestest flyer ever in all of Equestria' and 'I hate that girly stuff'. Geeze, get it right, okay?" She began to fly back, but stopped to call over her shoulder, "And oh yeah, 'And I never tried telling my friends how to do everything, unlike a certain prissy purple unicorn I allow to hang out with me.' 'Cause I gotta tell ya, Twi, sometimes you can get a little bossy." The grounded Dash gave her a murderous glare as she flew back off, with one last call back of, "And try and get my voice right! You make me sound like a librarian or something. I mean, Scootaloo could do me better. Bleah."

Twilight ground her teeth and opened her mouth to say something just as a pair of equine screams arose from off camera. One somehow sounding elegant and refined; the other, rawer but more energetic. Everypony turned to look as Applejack and Rarity came charging back on stage. Rarity still wore Applejack's hat, and her usually pristine hide showed dirt stains and sweaty streaks; and Applejack was hard to recognize through the newly-applied eyeshadow and utterly lovely dress she was wearing. Both of them charged to stand before Celestia, ignoring Dash and the Dash-suited Twilight standing beside her.

"Oh, Princess! I got back to my boutique, and when Sweetie Belle asked why I was using her sister's things, I looked into my French mirror and noticed..."

"I started pullin' Mac's plow ta help out, an' Winona snarled an' bit me..."

Both sobbed and threw themselves at Celestia's hooves. "CHANGE US BACK TO NORMAL! FOREVER! PLEASE!"

Celestia opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, Twilight-Dash said, "Princess, may I take care of this, please? You've done so much today." Rarity and Applejack looked at her in worry as Twilight's horn tore through the forehead of the Dash-suit, glowing brightly.

Dash flew back away, muttering, "No offense, Twi, but I'm clearing the blast radius."

On her opposite side, Pinkie Pie crouched down behind a stone wall that hadn't been there before, her poofy curls hidden under a steel helmet. "Uhh, no offense, Twilight, but given how these things tend to go in the fanfics and how much trouble those suits have already been..."

"Twilight," Celestia said warningly as the glow intensified, "Are you sure you can handle this spell? It is VERY difficult, and you only saw me cast it twice today..."

Twilight said nothing. The glow of her magic grew brighter, illuminating the huddled together and cowering Rarity and Applejack before it burst silently, filling the stage. It faded, leaving the ponies to blink away the stars dancing before their eyes. Twilight reappeared from the heart of it, now stripped of the Rainbow Dash suit. The shreds from before were gone; and even the still whole Rarity suit from the corner was vanished.

"What happened?" Applejack said, the dress rustling as she shook herself. "Am Ah me again? Yah!" She swiftly peeled the dress off before snatching her hat back from Rarity's head. "Darn it, Rarity, that ain't no way to go wearin' my hat!"

"I am filthy!" Rarity wailed. "I'll have to spend all day in the spa to get clean again..." The rest of her complaint went unheard as her friends group-hugged her and Applejack. "Girls, please!" Rarity said after a moment. "I am so delighted that everything went the way it should, but what about my costumes? I worked so hard on them... You simply would not believe how hard it was to work poison joke into them so that they worked the way I wanted them to..."

"Poison Joke?" Twilight gave Rarity a stare. "Rarity, how did you?... Never mind. You should have told me that beforehoof! The effect on my magic could be erratic. There's no telling where those things could have ended up."

...And some distance away in Ponyville, in the library, another 'Rarity' stood watching herself in Twilight's mirror with what looked like the emptied-out forms of Applejack and Rainbow Dash laying at her feet like shed skins.

"Eh," 'she' said in a voice remarkably like Spike's, "I can learn to live with it."

"What am I going to do now? I haven't got anymore letters...Oh, I know! Find more fun things to say!"

"Now I know cherry, chimichanga and kumquat are fun words to say, but how about watermelon wombat? Watermelon, wombat, watermelon, wombat, WATERMELON WOMBAT! This is so fun!
Watermelon, wombat watermelon wombat, waterm--

A letter appears in a flash of light. Pinkie hops over to it and says with a smile, "Ooh! Another letter! I'm getting popular aren't I? Let's see...
'How are Twilight and the others doing? Is Twilight still in the Rainbow Dash suit?" Pinkie claps her hooves together and says "Yay! This is a two question question! You bronies sure know how to party! The answer to your first question is...."

Pinkie Pie shrugs her shoulders. "Heck if I know!"

"The answer to your second question is...

Pinkie grins and starts bouncing.

"Let's find out!"

Pinkie reaches into hammerspace again and pulls out a wooden door.
"Now, this one should be the right one. Hopefully, I don't open a portal to another dimension like I did last time. That took forever to clean up!"

Pinkie bounces over to the door and pulls it open. Out tumble 'Rainbow Dash', her 'twin', Fluttershy and Applejack, with Rarity levitating a purple unicorn out on to the stage.

"Rarity! Put me down! " 'Twilight' yells. "Put me down, or you won't have enough hair left for me to turn green!"

Rarity faints, and by extension, drops 'Twilight' on to the ground.

'Twilight' lands with a tremendous "OOMPH!" on top of Applejack. "Now get offa me! Sweet Granny Smith, you're heavier than a sack of hay."

Both 'Rainbow Dash' and her 'twin' start to double up over in laughter.

"Get me out of this suit! I cannot be made to suffer this horrendous injustice any longer!" 'Twilight' glares at 'Rainbow Dash'. "Get me out!"

'Rainbow Dash' sighs and puts her hoof to her head. "I can't change you back! Princess Celestia put some kind of magic dampening spell on this suit. As long as I wear it, I can't use magic!"

'Twilight' concentrates and tries to cast a spell, but nothing happens. "You are right. I cannot cast a spell either."

"Can one of you help us get out of these things?" 'Rainbow Dash' asked her twin and the others.

Rarity's eyes began to widen. "GASP! My creations are a work of art, designed to be worn and admired! Not to be thrown away, like pieces of trash! Me, harming my creations or worse, destroying them? You must be joking!" Rarity gave both 'Rainbow Dash' and 'Twilight' a coy smile.

Rainbow Dash winks and smiles. "Twilight, why exactly would I want to take away your new found awesomeness? You look about 20% cooler than you were when you were an egghead. What kind of friend would I be if I destroyed that? Plus, that look really suits you!"

Applejack looks at 'Twilight' and with a half smile says "I hafta agree with Rainbow Dash on this one Trixie. Ah think that takin' a leaf outta Twilight's book would be good for ya. It would be good to see inside another's skin."

Fluttershy nodds. "I do agree with Applejack....erm, that is, if you want me too. You both would really do well with this."

Applejack then puts both of her hooves around 'Twilight' and 'Rainbow Dash' and says, "Besides, Ah think it would be fun!"

Pinkie Pie suddenly pops up and says, "Yippee! Now the fun can really start!"

Pinkie Pie pushes a button, and the stage switches from couches and fireplaces to something out of a nightclub scene, complete with a dance floor, large speakers, a turn-table, a bandstand, and disco ball.

Pinkie gets onto the floor with a microphone and starts speaking.

Good evening fillies and gentlecolts! My name is Pinkie Pie, and I am here to say, I'm gonna make you smile, and I will brighten up your day, with a big Pinkie Pie welcome to the 1st Annual Mane Six Epic Dance Battle Competition!

Sounds of clapping are heard, and Pinkie, buoyed up by the applause makes a few jokes.

"So there was this one about a chicken and a duck.. Oh, sorry.

Pinkie clears her throat, and speaks again.

Our MC for tonight is the mare with the mad mix, the dance music master, DJ-Pon3! Also joining our music parade is the suave and sophisticated pony with a perkiness for classical, Octavia! The rules are simple have fun! So, let the dancing begin!

'Twilight' gets pushed onto the stage by the others "You first!" says Pinkie happily.
"Very well, I will only participate if you make a Pinkie Promise to get myself and Twilight out of these suits! 'Twilight' glares at Pinkie.

"Ok, ok! I promise to get you out of those suits as soon as you're done with this battle. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!"

"Alright." 'Twilight' says. "Let the humiliation begin!"

'Twilight' then proceeds to drink a bottle of some sort of liquid, and starts dancing.

She sways around with a grimace on her face, going very slowly, not by the music which is very fast and upbeat. After a few minutes, Pinkie comes out onto the floor, takes 'Twilight's' hoof and stats spinning her like a top. "Come on! Have some fun!"

"Pinkie, this isn't such a good i--- SWEET CAKE-EATING CELESTIA!"

Pinkie lets go of the spinning 'Twilight' and she lands with a soft thump in a pile of pillows brought out for the occasion. 'Twilight' and Pinkie both collapse into giggles.

The others applaud her, and Twilight even laughs a little too. "Great job Trixie! You dance better than me as me!" 'Twilight' smiles, a little self-consciously.

A disc scratch is heard as the melody changes. Instead of the bubbly song that was playing a few moments ago, a ripping guitar solo is heard out of the loud speakers.
"Awww yeah! This is my jam!" Rainbow Dash says while flying around the floor. "I'm next!"

Rainbow starts to fly to the music. She loops around, swerves and dodges invisible enemies, does a mini-Sonic Rainboom and as the song hits and ear-shattering chorus, pulls out of a nosedive, and does a power slide across the floor. "YEAHH!" Rainbow yells as fire shoots out of the floor, and the song ends.

"That was so awesome!" Rainbow Dash squeals. She goes to stand by 'Twilight' and watch the others, as they all clap and cheer. A soft "Yay!" is heard, and Rainbow Dash smiles.

The music changes again, and all of the lights are extinguished, save for single spotlight. A soft, orchestral number starts playing. Rarity looks over at Pinkie, and says "Darling, I cannot possibly dance! I have no partner!" Pinkie smiles and winks. "Don't worry! I got you one! He's waiting for you on the other side of the room!" Rarity trots over to the spotlight, and Prince Blueblood comes out of the darkness. Rarity gasps, and almost hoof-punches him in the face, but Rarity remembers the first rule of high society dancing. "A Lady must not show any discomfort, even to an odious partner." "Long time no see, Miss Rarity" Blueblood sneers. Oh, by all of Luna's stars! Why do I have to dance with him! I have to put on a good face. Just smile, and think of Canterlot. Out loud, she says, "Good evening, Prince." Rarity holds out her hoof, her face a mask of cool composure, and quiet dignity. "Shall we dance?"

"We shall."

As the music continues to play, Rarity and Blueblood waltz in time to the music. Rarity leaps and Blueblood catches her. He spins her, and she follows his lead. They both move artificially, each praying for the music to stop. When the music finally stops, they each give each other a quick bow and Blueblood blows a royal raspberry at her. Rarity follows him out into the darkness. When the lights are back on, Blueblood is hanging by a hoof form a rafter. "Get me off! I demand an explanation for this! Why am I being treated like this? I am a part of the Royal Family!" Giggling, Rainbow Dash unties him, and he lands in Pinkie's arms. "Well, thanks for stopping by, Princie!" He gives a little squeak, and bolts off the stage.

Rarity smiles. "He stuck his tongue at me. I must say, you cannot expect me to let that insult to my honor go unchallenged. Pinkie, why did you make me dance with that detestable creature?"

Pinkie shrugged. "Because the author told me to. She said something about comedic effect. Judging by your face, she was right!" Pinkie giggles and bounces away, leaving Rarity looking confused.

The music starts up again. This time both the orchestra and the turntables are in full swing, creating an upbeat song, with an undertone of classical. 'Rainbow Dash' starts bobbing her head to the beat.

"I think this would be a suitable song for me to dance to." Before her 'twin' can give her any warnings to not make her body 'lose it's awesomeness, 'Rainbow Dash' starts dancing.

She stands up, and starts doing an odd shake and shimmy. She prances around on tiptoe, then starts swaying and skipping. She stands up on two legs, does a few disco moves, and as the song ends, stops and bows, but goes too far and trips. As 'Rainbow Dash' lands on her face, her 'twin' smacks her own head with her hoof. All of the others start to giggle. "Sorry, Rainbow!" 'Rainbow Dash' tells her twin. "That's..ok..." her 'twin' replies. "No one from Ponyville is actually going to see this, right?" she asks pinkie, an embarrassed took crossing her face. "Of course silly filly! We went over the rules already!" "Rainbow Dash exhales in relief.

The music starts up again, and this time a fiddler starts playing. A mechanical bull rises out of the floor, and cacti are in the corner for decoration. Applejack's foot starts tapping, and she puts her hat on. "This is a fine dancin' song!" Applejack says happily. "Ah think it's my turn!"

Applejack starts to do a one pony-square-dance. She promenades and do-si-do's, and spins around and around and around. In the middle of the song, Applejack suddenly leaps onto the bull, and stats shouting "Yee haw!!" The bull suddenly speeds up. "Who, Pinkie, Ah think this is going too fast for m-- WOAH NELLY!

Applejack flies off of the bull as the song ends, and lands in a hay stack. "That was the most fun Ah've had in a while."

The others clap her on the back as she trots over to them. "That was so perfect!"

Applejack untangles herself form the hay stack, and trots over to her friends, laughing heartily.

"Ah never though that bulls could be so rough! Ah think I'll stick to herding cattle. At least they don't try and buck you off!"

Fluttershy, with a shocked look on her face, says, "I never knew bulls were so temperamental...Maybe it was hungry!"

Pinkie suddenly bounces onto the dance floor, and grins a large grin.

"I think this is my cue. The music is going to start up, right....NOW!!"

As if on cue, the music starts. It is very bubbly song, fun and easy to dance to, and Pinkie starts to bounce around to the beat. This disco ball lights up.

"Ohh, this song is catchy! It's as addictive as espresso, which I now keep around with me everywhere I go."
As if to demonstrate this fact, Pinkie opens up and inserts her hoof into hammerspace again and pulls out a china cup filled with bitter brown liquid.

Pinkie looks straight into a camera pointed at the dance floor and frowns a little bit. "Hey, I know that this joke seems over-used, but no one said that coffee has to have the same effect every time you drink it, right? Right? Plus, it has 20% more caffeine! Bottom's up!"

Pinkie then proceeds to down the whole cup, in one sitting.

A pink blur is seen rocketing around the dance floor, picking up ponies and spinning them around like tops. It, somehow, tap-dances on tiptoe, and does some very fast and high leaps. The music is sped up to fit the chaotic dancing, so everything sounds like a fast and furious cacophony of noise.

The pink blur, rocketed around the stage, knocking into a punch bowl, sending it flying.

"IlikedancinglikethisitisfunIreallylovethiscoffeeI'mgladibroughtitalongcomeoneeverypony LET'S PARTY!"

The pink blur rockets up into the ceiling, and a loud CRASH! is heard as instead of a disco ball, there is now a Pinkie-ball hanging from the ceiling. Pinkie's legs and arms are sticking out of half of the disco ball, and her head is encased in a sparkly shell.

"I'm ok!" Pinkie says, her voice a bit muffled. "Wow, that coffee was delicious! Now, how exactly do I get out of this? Eh, I'll figure it out. The plot must continue!

'Rainbow Dash' shakes her head. "Pinkie, how exactly do you always manage to put yourself in highly dangerous situations, emerge from them unscathed, and have enough energy to spout off nonsense to everypony afterward?"

Pinky shrugs and says "I never questioned it. I lived through the Generation Transformation right? Or maybe it's not that. Maybe it was the espresso..."

'Rainbow Dash' puts her hoof to her head and sighs.

Fluttershy looks up at Pinkie. A frown crosses hr face, as she says "Maybe we should..erm..let Pinkie d-"

The music starts up again. A flute starts playing, and Fluttershy stops speaking. She starts to sway, as if mesmerized, at the music of the flute.

She says softly, "Wow. It sounds like birds singing, and animals playing. So happy...I'm so sorry Pinkie. I'll...just help you down, after I dance."

The others watch Fluttershy walk to the middle of the dance floor, hardly daring to speak.

Fluttershy reaches the middle if the floor and starts to dance. Light and timid, she flies and leaps softly and slowly. She does pirouettes and even starts to hum to the music. As the music reaches a crescendo, Fluttershy leaps up high into the air, spreads out her wings and flies for a bit, finally returning to the ground when the music stops.

The others stare at Fluttershy, openmouthed.

A subtle shift, and Fluttershy turns into FluterCruel. "Hah! You should all see your faces! You all look like a dragon just flew over and started to hit you in the face with a rubber chicken! Ha Ha!"

One shift later, and FlutterCruel becomes Fluttershy again. "I am so sorry! I really need to talk to her about that.."

The others, throughout this whole exchange, still have their mouths open. As they come to their senses, Rarity gushes, "Oh darling! I never knew you could dance like that!"

Fluttershy, a bit embarrassed squeaks out, "Oh! Thank you so much for that compliment..ehrm...it was nothing."

Pinkie Pie goes to the middle of the floor with a microphone. "The First Annual Mane Six Epic Dance Competition has ended. Now it's time to announce the winners!"

A flash of white light appears, and Princess Celestia walks out onto the stage, and stands next to Pinkie Pie. "This was some of the best fun that I have had in a long time, just seeing you all laugh and have fun. For that, you are all winners. Twilight, Trixie, could you please come up here?

'Rainbow Dash' and 'Twilight' both walk up to the Princess. Celestia touches them with her horn, whispers a spell, and the suits fall off and fold into neat piles.

Pinkie then smiles, and says, "Well, that was fun!" She reaches into hammerspace once again, and brings out a large chocolate cake. "Now, who want's cake?"

(A/N (Acalanthide ): That's it. Finished. Done! Hope you all liked it!)

Pinkie receives another letter. "Ah, here's another question. 'Dear Pinkie Pie; can people from other realities come here?'" she read. "That's an excellent question! Yes, we can, thanks to my own personal hole in the fourth wall, and this being non-canon. But I'm sure there are some universes the author wants off limits."

"Pinkie! Why is there an Alicorn filly following me around that thinks I'm her mother?" called Twilight. "Oh, don't cry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings...Pinkie!"

"Oh! That's just your daughter from an alternate universe! Her name is Nyx!" Pinkie replied. "Don't worry, I got permission to bring her here, that Twilight Sparkle isn't one I want to make mad."

Author's Note

(Originally Posted Between Dark World Part 2 and Dark World Part 3)

The writers for this episode were in order.

Opening: The Author
New Part: ItsFromPeople
New Part: Saphroneth
New Part: acalanthide
New Part: ItsFromPeople (again)
new Part: r1ck3t
New Part: Ardashir
New Part: Acalanthide (again)
New Part: From the author.
New part: Sherlock-Holmes18
New part: Ardashir (again)
New part: Sherlock-Holmes18 (again)
New part: Sherlock-Holmes18 (once again)
New Part: ItsFromPeople (once again)
New Part: Ardashir (once again and a little extra from the author)
New Part: Kendell2
New Part: The Author
New Part: asdashir (forth time's the charm! )
New Part: Acalanthide (once again)
New Part: Acalanthide (forth time's the charm)
New Part Kendell2 (again)

Episode 5 Part 2

Pinkie Pie's Real 4th Fourth Wall Breaking Reality Show
The official Non-Canon of the "Pony POV Series"
Opening by Alex Warlorn

The camera flicked on as Pinkie Pie held up some signs, most of them drawn quite elegantly, if in crayon.

Okay. This is part 2 of this episode.

Here's a quick run down of everypony that's here right now in the studio. Hopefully I didn't miss anypony.

Each of the names had its own card and a tapped on picture.

Twilight Sparkle.
Dark World Twilight The Unicorn disguised as Trixie.
Dark World Applejack Disguised As Apple Fritter
Dark World Rarity Disguised Her 'Normal' Self
And Now The One and Only Trixie.
Apple Pie (told not to use her real name)
Dark World Spike Hidden under invisibility Spell
Fluttercruel (Reharmonized World)
Rainbow Dash (Reharmonized World)
A bushwoolie named Eager from somewhere (pretending to be Apple Pie's plushie)
Dark World Derpy
And the Doctor (He seems to show up in every fanfic the writer writes now whether he's welcome or not. THe author is considering giving away free pears to keep him away.)
Me.
My foster mother. Cup Cake.
My birth mother. Sue Pie.
And Twilight Sparkle's mother Starlight Sparkle.

Whoa. 16 all in here at once. It's sure super crowded in here! Super-so with all grown up Spike under that illusion magic! And with our world's AJ and Spike might be coming back looking for Twilight as she zapped herself back here when she was supposed to be resting and we'll have eighteen! I really need to set a head count limit for how many ponies we have inside the studio at once or we'll suffer from character overload and the plot will just grind to a halt! I really need to start coaxing some ponies out of here. And then there's the Cutie Mark Crusaders maybe coming back to show off their fireworks, and that'll be over twenty which is way too many and could never fit that many inside the studio. This place is a rental! I got it so cheap because it's so small and nopony else wanted it! Heh, as one of our fans in the comments section said, this is non-canon, but it has its own canon, isn't that a contradiction as Apple Pie would say?

Trixie looked at 'Trixie' dully meanwhile. "Okay sis', you can drop the illusion spell. Please don't tell me you've been masquerading as ME this whole time! That is rude! Very rude!" Trixie got in 'Trixie's face'.

"She was doing it with my permission Trixie," Twilight quickly said, "It was all just in, fun and games."

"Trixie told you a million times sis that Trixie doesn't like that game. You think I wouldn't know it was you? I can sense our family's magic signature clean off you." Of course, since she was sensing HER OWN Element of Magic beating inside DarkWorld!Twilight Sparkle, that was what Trixie was sensing for you audience members who can't figure it out. "Now drop that illusion right now!"

Pinkie Pie dropped the signs and went back to her mothers, "Hey! Mom and er, mom." She gently turned them to be facing the other way, "Can you tell me how you met pa', and Mr. Cake?"

The two women were quick to dive into those stories.

'Trixie' signed and dropped the image.

Trixie stared … then said to Twilight, "WHY didn't you tell me you had an identical sister too?! Is there NOTHING that is Trixie that Twilight Sparkle is not more of?! Is nothing that is Trixie's Trixie's alone?!"

The what if television sputtered to life in the corner.
+++
"Who are you?!" Said a blue unicorn with a white mane in a business suit to a lighter blue unicorn.

"I am Azure Lulamoon, Trixie's big sister. And this my mother Hazel."

"No! I am Checkmate Monarch and I am Trixie's big sister and my mother is dead!"

"Incorrect!" "I have to politely disagree." "Nope!" "Nuh-uh!" Said four blue mares. "We're Trixie's sisters and our mother is Morgan!"

(Azure Lulamoon, Hazel, and Checkmate Monarch are copyrighted to their respective creators and tumblrs.)
+++
"NO MEANS NO!" Twilight Sparkle snapped at Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, "I am not switching your species and that's final! I never meant to cast that spell in the first place with the fillies! It was just for research!"

"But I wanna fly Twilight!"

"And I want a connection even deeper with my animals!"

"Pinkie Pie you get all your boundless energy from being an Earth Pony, and Fluttershy you can take care of half your animals -because- you can fly."

"But-"

"No buts! And did you think how it would hurt your parents if you did that? How much it would hurt them if you did that?! Have you looked at Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Applejack? They're being torn apart inside because the fillies refuse to let me change them back! It's torture for them!"
+++
"All . . . all asleep now." An adult mare Applebloom whispered.

"Yes… so now we can sleep." Said the adult Sweetie Belle looking at the sleeping filly Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Twilight, and Trixie.

"Sounds like a plan to me." Scootaloo said covered in bruises.

Fluttershy gently and quitely opened the door ever so carefully as she came in.

"HEY! I'M BACK!" Pinkie Pie cheered hoping in front of Fluttershy. The foals eyes all snapped open.

"Oh bucking hay." Applebloom cursed.

"Applebloom! Language!" Fluttershy gasped.

That was when the foals shot out of bed.

+++

"Pinkie Pie! You don't want to do this!" RD pleaded strapped to a table.

"Oh of course I do. And you want to me." Said Nightmare Granfalloon as she touched her horn to RD's head. In an instant RD changed to a different animation style and lost wings. The Nightmre undid the restraints. "Now how do you feel?"

"Absolutely -dashing- darling. Thank you darling."

"It was my pleasure." They nuzzled.

In the corner Princess Rarity played with the CMC.

++++

"Uuuuuugh, what happened?" RD awoke groggy, realizing she was tied to a chair. "Wha-what's going on?"

"Oh don't worry darling." Rarity said coming into view. Now RD remembered, she had accepted a new blend of tea from Rarity.

"Your mother, after getting a few permission signature from the Equestria medical board, personally appointed me to turn you into a proper lady. And you're not leaving until you do. Now don't worry, we've arranged a stand-in Element of Loyalty and captain of the weather team until you've been fully reeducated. I'll untie you as soon as you Pinkie Promise not to cause trouble as you become the proper lady you should be."

+++

The screen fizzled out.

"What . . . in pony hell was that?" Trixie blinked.

"Pinkie Pie's non-canon what if machine, it's meant to show things that could have happened."

"Well if you thought it would distract Trixie you were wrong! Why didn't you tell me you had an near identical sister?"

Pinkie Pie whispered at the camera, getting right in your face and filling up the entire screen with her face, "Okay everypony! What you put in the comments appears in the story. Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall. The camera can't leave the studio. The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from "My little Pony", and everypony STAYS in character! Everything that happens here is non-canon. Above all, have fun."

Twilight chuckled uncomfortably, and finally gave trixie the biggest, most uncomfortable smile possible for her. "Eh, heh, heh. Uh, Trixie, this is not my sister. This is, ah, me."

Now trixie looked just agast. "You mean you found the legendary mirror pool? Why would you do that? I thought you'd appreciate being only 1 of you. And beside that, I thought that only created identical clones!"

At this, Pinkie suddenly felt a tingle in her spine, turned around with abrupt sharpness, and then got a discreet whisper in her ear from a voice different from the previous voices. "Pinkie, Non-canon, remember? Besides, we can make it seem non-canon if we really try." Shrugging, Pinkie went back to her parents, but made a motion to Dr. Hooves to "deal with it."

Twilight the Unicorn looked confused. "Uh, what's the mirror pool?"

Trixie now looked very confused. "How could you not know about the very pool that spawned you? You know, the magical lake that clones ponies into physically perfect, but mentally flawed copies the more you use it?"

Now Twilight the unicorn got a sour look on her face. "Excuse me, but I am most certainly not mentally flawed. And I am no CLONE either! I will fight 7 nightmares with a hoof tied behind my back before I ever admit to being a clone of ANYONE!"

Trixie reeled back in shock. "Twilight, your clones seems awfully defensive about all this."

Twilight Sparkle shook her head embarrassed, and finally turned to trixie. "No trixie. This is not my clone. This is myself from 1000 years in the future in a different timeline."

Now trixie just looked confused. "1000 years in the future, as an alternate timeline?"

Twilight the unicorn shrugged. "More or less. Keeping track of time gets really tough when you live under Discord."

"UNDER DISCORD!!!?????" Trixie suddenly became frantic. "NO! NO! NO, that can't be right! Twilight! Tell me this is some kind of sick joke! Just some smoke and mirrors, right? right?"

Twilight Sparkle just shook her head. "Sorry Trixie. I suppose this as good a time for introductions as any. Trixie, this is Twilight the Unicorn; Element of Magic and Tragedy, head of the element harmony squad. Twilight, this is The One and Only Trixie, the...(twilight searched her head for a proper world)...Co Element of Magic, finest stage magician in all equestria, and my friend."

A blue earth pony stallion with a blonde mane and an hourglass cutie mark walked into the studio. "Ah, hello Doctor, I thought I might find you here." he said to Doctor Whooves. He looked at Ditzy, "And I see you have Miss Doo with you. Well, a Miss Doo anyway. Alternate timelines make things so confusing."

Dark World!Derpy was shocked, "How did you know?"

"And more importantly, what are you doing here Master!?" Doctor Whooves snarled.

The Master smirked, "Oh, Doctor, there's no need to be so informal. And to answer Miss Doo's question; I'm a Time Lord, do you honestly think I wouldn't be able to tell if someone is from another timeline? Speaking of which, how's the me of your universe doing?"

Derpy lowered her head, "He's dead. My universe's Doctor... no, the Valeyard killed him."

The Master remained shockingly calm, "That's too bad. Oh well, as long as one version of me remains I still have a chance of taking over the multiverse."

"By the way, the last time I saw you, you were trapped in a pocket universe. How did you get out?" Doctor Whooves asked.

"I thought you'd know by now Doctor, I'm the Master and no prison can hold me. Plus, I missed the conversations we've had with each other. After all, you're the only thing that keeps me interested in this place, Doctor."

Doctor Whooves raised an eyebrow, "Are you asking me out on a date?"

"Oh, Doctor, you and I both know that we'd wouldn't be able to go anywhere with each other with killing each other."

"Heh, I told Pinkie Pie something similar earlier today. It's too bad really, you and I could have gotten along so well."

Fluttercruel was watching the two with a confused look on her face. She turned to Pinkie, "Are those two flirting with each other?"

"Well, according to the Big Book of Time Lords" Pinkie said as she brought out a heavy book, "Time Lords as a whole don't have any particular um... preference when it comes to dating."

Fluttercruel's eyes widened in surprise, "Wait, you mean they really are...?"

"Yep" Pinkie answered.

Apple Pie trotted up to the Master, "If you were trapped but then broke free, wouldn't that be a contradiction?" she asked as she bounced Eager on her back.

The Master stared at her, "And who might you be?"

"I'm uh... Peach Cobbler. Yeah, that's who I am." Apple Pie answered.

"That name is obviously an alias. And as for that toy that you have with you, I know a bushwoolie when I see one."

Eager stopped bouncing on Apple Pie's back, "Hey, what a coincidence, Eager also knows bushwoolies when he sees one."

"Aw, you ruined the game,Eager." Apple Pie said looking disappointed.

"Eager's sorry. Eager didn't mean to." the bushwoolie said.

"That's okay. I can't stay mad at something as cute as you." Apple Pie said hugging Eager.

Pinkie went up to the Master, "Hey, if you're going to stay then don't do anything evil."

"Oh, I didn't intend to." the Master said with a sly smile.

"Yeah, it's too bad I don't believe you." Pinkie said as a dart came out of nowhere and knocked the Master out.

"What was that!?" asked 'Apple Fritter'.

"It's a knock out dart. I hired a sniper to take out any unwanted guests who might walk in on the show." Pinkie Pie didn't say the sniper was herself using her trick of being in two places at once.

"Why would you want to hire a sniper?" asked Twilight Sparkle.

"Well, ever since the last Variety Show in which both my Nightmare self and that serial killer version of me came on the show, I felt I needed to do something to keep something similar from happening. Don't worry, the sniper only has knock out darts in his rifle." Pinkie answered. She then turned to Doctor Whooves, "By the way, Doctor, do you mind taking care of your arch enemy/coltfriend?"

"No, I don't mind. Oh, and he's not my coltfriend." The Doctor answered as he dragged the Master into his blue shed. The shed disappeared.

The shed reappeared a second later and the Doctor trotted out, "Well, I left the Master in the distant future long after Equestria has become a barren wasteland."

"Do you think that will be the last of him?" Dark World!Derpy asked.

"Probably not. Knowing the Master, he'll find a way to get back."

Trixie had barely moved while the Master had appeared and was forced to disappear again. Finally her brain was able to function almost properly again.

"!gniddik eb tsum ouY"

After that she had finally recovered enough to talk normally again.

"You… you… had to live for 1000 years under Discord?! That is…"

Twilight the Unicorn, Rarity, "Apple Fritter" and Spike (behind the illusion still hiding him) grimaced in pain.

Twilight from the Dark World instantly expected the showpony to ask how she had gotten her horn or just directly assume that she had killed her counterpart on Discord's orders.

Instead the one and only Trixie hugged the unicorn that lived for 1000 years (in a suitable dramatic movement). Twilight had seen so much but this actually brought tears to her eyes. She owned so much to her Trixie and would never have the chance to thank her showpony for saving her life with her Element of Magic. The unicorn knew this was another Trixie but she felt something similar echoing within her.

A similar Element of Magic, an Element that had the chance to grow and develop before Trixie's death.

"Thank you… this means a lot to me… Do you want to know anything about… where I came from?"

"There is no need for that. Trixie knows that the me of your world can't be around anymore or you wouldn't have this Element and if Trixie's Element and friends trust you, then she can do that as well."

Now it was the turn of Twilight the Unicorn to be speechless while the Twilight from the reharmonized timeline was proud to be called Trixie's friend.

"On the other hoof… Considering that multiple Trixies exist what does that mean for me? I am the one and only Trixie but at the same time…"

Suddenly Rarity stood next to the showpony and she hadn't even noticed the white unicorn walking up to her.

"You are the one and only Trixie. You made a different journey, met different ponies and had a different life. Even in the eternity of the multiverse you are one of a kind."

Trixie had to chuckle and smiled thankful at the white unicorn.

"Now it seems we have more then one visitor from this world…"

Meanwhile Rainbow Dash yawned visibly and prepared to leave (after eating about one-forth of the snacks Pinkie Pie had prepared) as Fluttercruel looked after her.

"Hey, going already? The party isn't over."

"I have some early work to do tomorrow and I should get Scoots before she burns down something with her fireworks." Dash said simply before leaving after saying each of her friends goodbye and giving Apple Pie another hug.

After the Pegasus was gone Fluttercruel changed back to Fluttershy who held up some of the snacks into the air which were quickly eaten by the still invisible dragon.

"Thank you, Fluttershy." The dragon whispered into her ear.

Starlight Sparkle had joined the two mothers of Pinkie Pie in talking about how she had met her family and about an idea for a sequel to one of the books she had written in the past. Sue Pie made a few suggestions for the setting while Cup Cake advised Starlight to concentrate on one character after the other to build up characters before they all interacted.

Twilight from the reharmonized world already dreaded the moment when her mother would ask her to proof read the entire book.

"So...Trixie takes if from your reactions and the blatantly obvious Discord's reign is as horrible as to be expected," said Trixie, giving a cringe.

"Horrible...but not AS horrible as it could've been...at least our time loop," said Twilight the Unicorn, remembering the memories she'd received from Discord and how he'd actually mellowed out since early loops. "Long story short...but yeah, it's still nasty..."

"...Well Trixie is just glad she is not a zombie or something...was she?"

"No, we made sure that didn't happen."

Trixie blinked. "That could actually happen in your world?!"

"Yeah," said Apple Pie. "Zombies are everywhere. Mah family even has a Zombie Kill Of The Week just to make dealin' with 'em more interestin'. Hey, Halflight, think Ah got this weeks with the Zombies Ah beat? It's the last one and Ah never got it before!"

Twilight the Unicorn giggled a little. "Yeah, probably." Discord had actually had a national one for awhile. He mainly estated it to try and teach Fluttercruel that there were other forms of violence than cold blooded torture. She just liked watching all the creative ways ponies found to kill Zombies.

Trixie was rather perplexed. "Who got last weeks?"

"Bannana Pie, mah big sis. She blew up a Zombie Dragon by shooting down its throat with her rocket launcher!"

"...Your sister has a rocket launcher?! How old is she?"

"A year or two older than meh. Pa got it for her for her birthday!"

Trixie's jaw dropped. "...Is that...normal in your world?"

Twilight the Unicorn nodded. "Pretty much. I just wonder were her other sister Cream Pie gets all the materials to make explosives."

Just then, an alarm went off in the playing card Tardis. Doctor Whooves looked at it, trotted inside for a few moments, and then poked his head back out.

"Pinkie, this has been a most splendid of parties once again. However, I sadly must be going."

"Going?" Derpy now looked sad. "But Doctor, I mean, this doctor, I.."

"Ms. Hooves." The Doctor said firmly, but with a smile on his face. "You know as well as I that I never really settle down in one place. There's a whole universe to see after all. And besides, you know the universe is always going to be in need of healing. From what I understand, it's something about...The Doctor who's not The Doctor, but also not the Valyard. Wait." Suddenly Dr. Hooves went very quiet. "Derpy, this is a serious assignment that I must carry out alone. You obviously have other loyalties you need to attend to, and I won't ask you to put me over (indicates the majority of the disguised harmony squad) them. But listen. No matter what happens to me or to you, I want you to know that Your doctor will always find a way back. Whenever all the craziness you're dealing with right now resolves, he'll find a way."

Derpy gave a lopsided grin to that.

"Oh. And, since this will probably disappear in the crossover between universes anyways, you can at least have this for now." And with that, Dr. Hooves, plucked one of the cards from the makeshift tardis, tossed it to derpy, disappeared back inside, and vanished.

Derpy looked nostalgically down at the card she was given. It was surprisingly a blank, but there was writing all over it. "Thanks for making me a backup tardis. It'll really help me get back to my real Tardis. And it's collapsible too! (though I'll probably need to modify it so I don't have to put it back together every time. I should show you if you ever end up in these parts again sometime. Stay Fantastic, be Brilliant, and never be too brave to run. With fine greetings, Dr. Hooves."

PS: Pinkie, if you ever drag me here again, can you drag me with the old girl as well??? Otherwise, I'll have to build a tardis out of...Jelly Babies or something!

"Wait, wait, now," DW Rarity said. She went up to Twilight Sparkle and Trixie. "I was just talking with your Pinkie Pie, and she told me something I simply cannot believe about an earlier version of 'this show', whatever that means. That I, or this world 'me', made..." She gulped and swallowed before continuing, "Bodysuits out of ponies? She was joking, wasn't she?"

"No," Twilight Sparkle said, ignoring the stunned look on Twilight the Unicorn's face, and "No, they were real," Trixie said, shuddering. DW Applejack looked at them in disbelief as Trixie added, "Twilight and I were disguised as each other, briefly, during a dance contest. Thankfully very briefly."

"And Applejack and Rainbow Dash ended up looking like you and Fluttershy for a bit. Oh, and then you two were combined into one pony and you had your brains swapped around. Temporarily." DW Rarity and Applejack looked at each other oddly then. Twilight said, "And the suits were of ponies, not MADE of ponies. Why do you ask?"

"Uhh, no offense, this-world Twilight," DW Applejack said, "But why did ya let 'your' Discord do that? I thought ya had him turned inta a statue?"

"What? Oh, no, that was done by Celestia in response to some questions Pinkie said she got from some 'shadow-who-watches', whatever that was supposed to be." Twilight Sparkle shrugged. As the three Dark Worlders gaped, she added, "The Trixie suit actually wasn't that uncomfortable, actually. No worse than wearing any other fancy outfit. And it wasn't any worse than that time I got covered in a full-body illusion of a Nightmare, got chased into Ponyville, and the illusion ended up changing Dash after it was lifted from me." Twilight Sparkle nodded. "That's about it... So, really, you can see it was nothing too unusual."

The three Dark World ponies looked at each other, boggled.

"Tell me again, Twilight," Rarity finally managed to say. "Are you sure that it's OUR world that's the mad and chaotic one?"

Apple Pie kept looking at Fluttercruel. Finally, Fluttercruel took notice and flew over. "Ok, kid, you've been staring at me, what's the matter?"

"Well...it's just...yah ain't nothin' like our Fluttercruel was..."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"...Good, definitely good..."

Fluttercruel sighed. "Ok, look, I'm sick and tired of you six reacting weird to me, what was your me like?!"

Rarity debated whether to speak or not...and finally decided to. "Fluttercruel...our version of you was a mass murderer, a sadist, and Discord's princess."

"What?!...well, actually, I can kind of understand the first two if mom hadn't turned me around and my sick buck of a dad raised me...Hey, I KNOW I was screwed up...But Princess?"

"Yes, Discord actually loved our Fluttercruel, she was the ONLY reason he even tried to do anything anymore...I honestly believe if the real monster had let him, he'd have tried to raise her right."

"...Ok, I've see one Discord who loved his Fluttercruel, so that makes some sense...I didn't wear pink dresses, did I?"

"Not intentionally, but Discord often forced her to."

"Dang it, dark purple is more my color!"

"Pardon?"

"I'm a model for our Rarity. I love it."

"...That may explain our Fluttercruel's love of custom dresses..."

"...Do I WANT to know?"

"No, you most certainly do not."

Apple Pie looked up to Fluttercruel. "...So...we know our Fluttercruel, why don't you tell us about you?"

Fluttercruel blinked. "You...you want to know about me?"

"Sure! Ain't that what friends do?"

Fluttercruel grinned. "Alright. I guess I can tell you a few things..."

Among the first things Twilight did was make sure the wooden wall was back up between the group and the older mares. She had a sinking feeling that things were going to turn ugly.

Pinkie Pie meanwhile knew that due to the differences in time flow, that Mother's Day was technically over, but wasn't about to tell the sweet mothers that they had lost the one day a year that honored them as a whole due to staying too long in the studio.

"YOU TURNED FLUTTERSHY INTO A NIGHTMARE?!" DW!Rarity snarled and punched Fluttercruel into a wall, and looked ready to pummel her to a bloody pulp. Then she turned robotically calm and said, "I am going to make you suffer. You will beg me to stop. And I will enjoy every moment of you begging me to, because I will not. I am going to break every hollow bone in your body, one by one. But first I think I'll dislocate your legs and wings." She said her voice completely devoid of emotion. Fluttercruel grasped as Rarity's magic began to concisely pull at her hips, shoulders, and wing joints. Also she telekentically brought up a few needles, "And I shall also give you some acupuncture to have you lose control of your bladder, and what not, and swing you around like a rag doll a few times. Do not worry, I have some magic to make sure you do not pass out from the pain. And I will have your mind in a nice safe suffering free illusion in the meantime Fluttershy. I never got a chance to do this to Prince Blueblood, but you have magically managed to deserve it more Flutterruel. Please be sure to squirm I stab you with the needles, it be very good treatment and therapy, for me." Her facial expression couldn't have been more indifferent. A new needles rose up in front of Rarity aimed at Fluttercruel's nerve clusters.

Before DW Rarity could do anything that everypony would regret, purple and blue auras of magic grabbed her needles before they could be used on Fluttercruel as Twilight and Trixie used their magic to stop her assault.

"The One and Only Trixie will not allow you to hurt her friends!" Trixie said.

"Rarity," Twilight Sparkle said, "you're making a big mistake! Fluttershy and Fluttercruel are sharing the same body! So anything you do to Fluttercruel will also happen to Fluttershy!"

This caused DW Rarity to gasp in shock and let go of her needles as she stopped her attack on Fluttercruel.
"Sweet Celestia," she said, "what did I almost do?!"

DW!Rarity's horn glowed, then Fluttercruel's eyes glowed as Fluttercruel looked around confused. "Hey! Where did everypony go?"

DW!Rarity's hadn't let go of Fluttercruel. Her voice turned cold as ice again. "There, just as I have Fluttershy's mind in a safe happy illusion while we do this, I have yours in a personalized illusion world as well. I can punish you Fluttercruel, in ways that are beyond pony comprehension that are impossible in reality, but I assure you will feel very real to you. What I said I'd do before can now be just the opening act. I control what reality you experience."

In Fluttercruel's mind she was the size of a frog strapped to a table with a giant filly Rarity towered over her magically holding vivisection tools like you'd see in a grade-school science lab.

(Pinkie Pie: Oh we've got a bit of a bit of divergence here, don't worry, it mixes together back into one.)

"RARITY!"

The white-coated unicorn mare showed no reaction at Twilight's scream, simply lowering her needles towards Fluttercruel with mechanical precision and calm. She almost snarled when the needles were surrounded by a purple glow and were hurled away, point first into the wall. She turned, her own horn glowing, and reached out with her power to snatch at the needles.

"MINE! MY RIGHT, MY REVENGE, MINE!"

Before the needles came free DW!Applejack, DW!Twilight, and Pinkie all dived on Rarity, ponypiling her to the floor. Fluttercruel got up with a gasp. Then, her eyes blazing, she wheeled on DW!Rarity.

"L-let her go," she snorted, scraping at the floor with one forehoof. "I'm ready for her now. I'll show that crazy nag!" Then she shuddered. "N-no! Buck it, 'Mom'! I'll be giving her what she deserves after that..." With a gasp she receded and Fluttershy came to the surface.

"You will be doing NO such a thing, young lady!" She looked at DW!Rarity, who was throwing her friends aside with bursts of power from her horn. The maddened mare glared at Fluttershy, her needles glinting as they floated in midair beside her. Fluttershy trotted forward, unheediing of the sharpened points hovering a hoof's-breath from her yellow coat. "Rarity, I won't let you hurt Fluttercruel. She's not your Fluttercruel, and she, it wasn't her fault when I became a Nightmare! I unintentionally almost killed her when it happened." The fury and grief in Rarity's eyes didn't change. Muscles bunched under her coat as she got ready to charge. Fluttershy sighed and said, "I won't let you shove me back into some other illusion. Whatever you do to Fluttercruel, you'll do it to me too. The only way you'll get your revenge is by hurting me.."

Rarity almost snarled as she raised the first needle, aimed right at Fluttershy's eye. DW!Twilight and the rest stood frozen, not daring to move. Tears began to run down DW!Rarity's cheeks and the needle held in her telekinetic grip began to shake before it fell to the floor. She collapsed, sobbing. Fluttershy gathered her in.

"I s-saw so many horrible things happen to 'our' Fluttershy," Rarity said as she wept. "I h-helped that monster Fluttercruel do some of them... The sole consolation I had was that she''d never corrupted her, and then, 'your' Fluttercruel t-told me that..." Her voice trailed off as her friends watched, hurt filling their eyes. Above her, DW!Spike groaned and reached down to run one claw along her back.

"Shhh, it's alright," Fluttershy said in her soft voice, hugging her close, nuzzling DW!Rarity and stroking her mane like a mother with her foal. She began to sing, "Hush now, quiet now..." Rarity's sobs slowed and finally ceased.

"STOP!" yelled Fluttershy, their eyes replaced by the Stare, now looking right into DW!Rarity's Eyes, driving her back.

"Leave my daughter alone!"

"F-Fluttershy? She turned you into a-" Rarity couldn't fight it, this wasn't just A Stare. This was FLUTTERSHY'S Stare, not Fluttercruel's, not Odyne's, Fluttershy's. This was Fluttershy's. There was a kindness in those eyes that none of those had. They were Fluttershy's eyes and no one else's.

"I know! And she SAVED ME from being a Nightmare!"

"W-what?" Rarity muttered, looking shell shocked from more than just the Stare.

Fluttershy calmed down a little and finally ceased the stare. "You know those scars that appear when she takes over? She got those fighting her way out of a court of demons to save me from myself. She earned her Cutie Mark to save me. Yes, she messed up, but you just almost tortured my daughter. Now let her go. NOW. Or we'll never. Be. Friends. EVER."

Those words cut Rarity deeper than anything Discord could've done.

"Sweet Celestia...what did I do?" Rarity's guilt was legitimate this time. Rage died and tears took their place.

The illusion shattered and Fluttershy spent a few moments calming down Fluttercruel inside their mind, before looking back to Rarity. But her rage turned to understanding. "What happened, Rarity? Why would you try to do that?"

"...Our Fluttercruel spent five hundred years torturing you, Fluttershy...and in the end I couldn't save you...I guess...the cruel truth is hearing Fluttercruel did that to you made me relive that hurt...I just saw the psychopathic filly and serial killer instead of my best friend's daughter and tried to take that hurt out on her...our Fluttercruel was right, we keep saying how forgiveness is something that must be given and then turn around and try to murder someone without even trying...I'm sorry, Fluttershy..."

"...I said if you hurt her, you'd never be my friend...you didn't...After what you went through, it's hard to blame you for having your dark side...I know better than anyone that's how it can be..."

"...How did you escape the illusion I put you in?"

"...You forgot Fluttercruel. She's been in here with me since the Day of Discord. And it isn't the first time me and her have had to get around inside my head. Finding out what you were trying to did the rest."

Rarity gave an almost dark chuckle. "Ironic...I guess because I was suddenly consumed by hate...I couldn't imagine you'd miss Fluttercruel that much...I'm a fool..." she muttered. "...Can you ever forgive me?"

"...I'm not the one you need to ask."

Rarity looked up into the eyes of her friend. She saw a scared filly looking back with her. That look filled her with guilt. "Fluttercruel...I'm sorry doesn't begin to cover it, does it? I just...I just became OUR Fluttercruel...I became the very thing I wrongfully tried to torture you for thinking you were...I've probably got post traumatic stress disorder...I just saw Nightmare Paradox had turned on of the previous Fluttershy's into Nightmare Whisper...and I tried to take all that out on you...I tried to punish you for things that you couldn't have been a part of...I don't blame you if you don't forgive me...but I'm sorry...

(Pinkie Pie: and there we go.)

Fluttercruel said, "I guess so. After all, what you were about to do to me would have been a drop in the bucket compared to what the demons of Tartarus put me through, anyway."

Hearing this made DW Rarity's heart go out to the pony who was her best friend's child, even if that child was born as a result of Discord raping her best friend's mind, she was nothing like her Dark World counterpart. Thinking about this, DW Rarity had one last thing to ask. "Say, Fluttercruel, I have one last question. What do you think of Discord?"

Fluttercruel scoffed and said, "The old man can go buck himself, for all I care! He abandoned me in my timeline, and from what I've heard about him in your timeline, he did a poor as hay job teaching that version of me how to be anything other then a complete monster who delighted in doing stuff straight out of that one crappy story about Pinkie Pie murdering Rainbow Dash! And she was willing to do it to fillies, something that I'd never do! If I ever had an encounter with him, I'd reveal that I'm an Element of Kindness, then when he's confused by that, I'd say, "I thought you'd be proud of me. After all, I'm a creature born from chaos, but I wound up becoming an Element of Harmony! That's something completely unexpected, and I thought you loved that sort of thing." Then, after twisting the knife on him like that, it would be Discord Season!"

Hearing this proved to DW Rarity that this Fluttercruel really was nothing like the one from the Dark World, and she vowed to accept everything about this version of her, good and bad. After all, nopony's perfect.

Pinkie Pie said, "It's a good thing the others stopped you, Rarity, or you would have been doing the same thing to our Fluttercruel that your timeline's Fluttercruel did to your timeline's Fluttershy."

Apple Pie said, "Yeah, doing the same thing to her that the other her did to your friend is kind of a contradiction, but even I don't think something like that is funny." Then she giggled. "On the other hoof, I guess it's pretty funny that I usually find contradictions to be funny, but an ironic contradiction like that ain't enough to get so much as a giggle out of me!"

A reddish-brown pegasus stallion with a white and rust-colored striped mane and tail trotted in; on his back, a tray with a cup of coffee was balanced over a cutie mark of that very same beverage. He made a beeline right toward Fluttercruel and used his wings to slide the tray off his back and pass it up to his hooves and hold it up to the other pegasus.

"Yeah, sorry about interrupting everything, but you could probably do with a drink after all that. It should have cooled on the way over, so it should be about as bitter as you usually take it."

'Cruel blinked at the other pony's sudden entrance, taking the drink from him. "Um... thanks, Swirl."

Coffee Swirl nodded, then looked around somewhat awkwardly. "Um... I can stick around... if you want, I mean. I mean... I don't have to be back at the shop for a bit, I managed to hire an employee to help... I've been getting a few more costumers for some reason."

"Uh... sure, I don't see why not."

There was a slightly awkward silence between the two ponies, then Swirl cleared his throat. "I'm... gonna raid the snack table before Spike eat it all, kay?" The invisible dragon in question muttered something indistinct, and likely not worth repeating in polite company, but no one seemed to object to it, so the pegasus quietly trotted off to the tables to see what they had to offer.

Pinkie Pie felt dread at the advent of another guest.

DW!Rarity trotted up the pegasus stallion, "Excuse me darling, but who are you precisely?"

"OH! I'm just Coffee Swirl, I run Ponyville's only coffee shop, Fluttercruel likes to buy the most bitter coffee I have."

"Is that so? So tell me, how did you become antiquated with dear Fluttershy?"

"Funny story really."

(Pinkie Pie: Twenty minutes later!)

"AAAAIIIIIIIEEEE!" Coffee Swirl ran away screaming. DW!Rarity right behind him holding a battle axe formed out of her own blood, herself now strangely wearing a headband with two lit candle on it.

"Hiiiiiyaa! How dare you hurt Fluttershy's feelings!!!"
Both Twilights, Trixie, 'Apple Fritter', Apple Pie, Fluttercruel, Eager the bushwoolie, Pinkie Pie, DW!Derpy, all pony piled the unicorn for a second time. "HEY! Let me go!"

Tapping into the Element of Anger, she threw them all off her with super-equine strength. Then Invisible DW!Spike stopped her by pressing her down on the ground with one finger. She squirmed underneath, "LET ME GO SPIKE! Those who hurt Fluttershy must be punished!!!"

Coffee Swirl hid behind the three mothers as they continued to discuss the finer details of Starlight Sparkle's next harem novel. "Crazy mare after me! Help!"

"Are you into introverted smart mares?" Starlight asked.

"Or hyper-active-happy-go-lucky-party-crazy mares?" Sue Pie asked before Mrs. Cake could.

"Uh? No?"

"Then you can give any of us grandfoals," Sue Pie said flatly.

DW!Rarity teleported out of Spike's grasp and teleported behind Swirl and raised the giant axe.

"Twili! Ya back here? Ya were supposed ta rest, and the last thing ya do with Pinkie Pie .. . . RARITY! But the plum hay do are ya think yer doin'?!"

"Rarity! Come on AJ! I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation!" Reharmonized Spike said.

"OH!" The giant axe disintegrated and Swirl behind behind the three mothers. Rarity took off the head band, blowing out the candles. "Well, um, this stallion struck Fluttershy! Then he insulted her virtue! Degraded her decency! Defaced her character. And refuses to see how poor poor Fluttershy was clearly just a victim of circumstance."

"You forgot 'and she tried to conquer Equestria.' "

"YOU!" AJ managed to hold DW!Rariy back, barely.

"Ya ain't helpin' her case bud!"

"It just slipped out!"

"Rarity! This isn't like you at all!" Spike pleaded, his brain not connecting that a Rarity living a dark world for a thousand years would have a different personality from the Rarity he knew. "Fluttershy TOLD EVERYONE that she wasn't going to hold a grudge with anypony who held a grudge with her and I quote, that they had a right to if they wanted! If you REALLY want an axe to grind with someone, then Iron Will convinced Fluttershy to act all tough and she took it too far, and alienated us and then got ultra-sad how-" Spike covered his mouth too late.

Invisible DW!Spike slapped himself, "Please tell me I was never that dense."

"I SHALL FIND THIS IRON WILL! THEN HE SHALL PAY FOR HIS SINS!" Rarity declared dramatically, creating an axe and rushed out the door.

Starlight Sparkle stared, and whispered lowly to herself, "This girls . . . this just makes me glad I still live in a world where Disharmony Beast isn't free. They've been through so much . . . "

"Is she ALWAYS like that?" Sue Pie asked with alarm.

"No. Not really." Mrs. Cake asked with alarm.

DW!Twilight sighed, "Okay. Element of Harmony Squad, let's go get back our Honesty before she honestly causes some damage we can't undo. … We'll be right back Pinkie!"

She first however pulled Twilight of out of view and spoke to her.

"Twilight. . . . This entire thing has taught me one thing. I don't, me and my friends, this isn't our world anymore. It was wonderful to visit, but we don't fit in anymore. Please Twilight, promise me that you'll NEVER stop fitting into this world, and you won't let this world because kill or be killed or where death is regular and where violence is treated like just another tool to live by. Don't let our world be deconstructed into nothing."

"I promise." The two hugged.

The Dark Worlders were suddenly teleported away by all at once. And plus Eager since Apple Pie was holding him at the time.

Twilight stepped from behind the wooden wall, making Sue Pie and Mrs. Cake wonder why Twilight chose to teleport there, oh well. "Hey… mom." Twilight whispered. "I think it might be best if you, and Mrs. Cake and Mrs. Pie finish your… drafting over at the library, things are turning pretty hectic around here and that's not a good enviroment for editing and brain storming."

Starlight Sparkle thought about and sighed, "I guess you're right Twilight. However," She gave her daughter a hug and a kiss, she then whispered to her, "I want you to give that to yourself before you leave yourself understand?"

"Yes mother, I understand."

The three mothers left. But Sue Pie and Mrs. Cake gave Pinkie Pie a hug and kiss each before going too, and expecting their daughter to finish her little show and come to see them ASAP. Pinkie Pie just nodded numbly.

Fluttershy folded her wings and bowed her head at Coffee Swirl, "I'm sorry, I'm just so sorry, all I ever seem to do is cause you misery. Even when you're trying to be nice, all I ever do is cause you more pain, I can never stop apologizing enough, I'm so so so so so so so sorry."

"Come on girls, let's go make sure the other Rarity doesn't do something she can't undo. That means you too Pinkie Pie!"

"But my show-!"

"We can worry about that later, come on!"

Trixie looked at the camera, "First off, Trixie would just like to say-"

"YOU TOO!"

"I need to stay here and look after Coffee Swirl, but I can't let Iron Will get hurt because of me, and and and and-" Fluttershy looked like she was going to split in two.

"Uh, I can just man the camera, it's not like she's going-"

"Don't finish that sentence!" Pinkie Pie warned, "Otherwise she will and-"

"Sigh!" Twilight sighed agitated, "Whatever we're wasting time! Let's go!" She dragged the ponies out of the studio. Suddenly empty save for one innocent no face background pony.

He hide behind the wooden walls when he heard noises coming to the door as soon as the ground had left.

Two Rarities, one with cursive marks on her body came tumbling into the studio.

"I can't believe you! Do you did actually think ANY OF THAT would make Fluttershy feel better?!" Rarity snarled at her dark half.

"Look, I can appreciate you believed me and didn't think I was a changeling-"

"A what?"

"Oh I guess you haven't met those yet, never mind. But the point is that I could NOTHING to save Fluttershy! Because I was too WEAK WILLED, by OUR greed, that SHE had to suffer at Fluttercruel's hooves! I'll punish anypony who's done the same or corrupted her in any way!"

"Rarity! Everypony said they saw yo coming this way with somepony dressed in another pony suit of you. Who got stuck in pony suit of you this time? Was it Trixie? Or Rainbow Dash? Apple Bloom built the rocket for our fireworks, and Scootaloo got the balled lightning for us. THey wouldn't sell us gun powder at the store, so we got some sulfur, charcoal, and nitrate and made it ourselves, but we can't find any magnesium, and we can't make white colored fireworks without it, and . . . hello." Sweetie looked at the two Rarities.

"UH, why, hello, little sister!" The Rarity not sporting scars said as she trotted forward. Unseen by Sweetie, she made a 'play along' gesture at her 'twin'. "I'm so happy to hear that you're trying to get your cutie mark -- in something destructive. Again." Rarity's pupils shrank down to pinpoints as she remembered the last effort by the CMC. Thankfully a little magical healing ensured that she was only in that full-body cast for a week. Shuddering, she said, "Oh, the pony suit? Why, yes, I decided to try that again! Doesn't it look lovely?" She indicated DW!Rarity, who immediately posed, tail lifted and head tilted back. Sweetie looked at her and frowned.

"I thought Applejack and Rainbow Dash and Misses Sparkle and Lulamoon all told you to never, ever do that again?" Sweetie Belle walked over to DW!Rarity and looked her over. She then looked back at her big sis. "Umm, who is she, anyway?"

"Uhhh..." Rarity said. "Why, uh, she's... That is..." Before she could dig her way any deeper, DW!Rarity turned away. Light flashed from her horn, and the emptied-out 'suit' dropped to the floor, looking like someone had just hollowed Rarity out and tossed her hide aside. It exposed a golden-coated earth pony mare with an ebon mane and tail. Her cutie mark looked like a gold nugget.

"Air Dasher at your service, little filly," She said, making a formal courtly bow to Sweetie. She looked at her and smiled. "I'm something of an actress and model, working in small roles, but I... traveled, a very far way, to meet your sister and get one of her suits." She bent down and whispered in Sweetie's ear like somepony sharing a confidence, "You see, there's been talk of making a play or movie on the things your brave sister and her friends have done, and I hoped I could convince those Manehattan or Los Pegasus moviemakers to let me play your sister. And if Rarity could convince everypony that an earth pony was a unicorn, just THINK of what it would do for her reputation!"

She smiled at Rarity. Rarity gave her a grateful smile in return, though at the same time she wondered just how and where 'Air Dasher' got that 'suit' from.

"Really?" Sweetie Belle raced over to the emptied-out 'suit' and lightly touched it with her hoof. She flinched. "Uh, it feels kinda wet. And it smells funny."

"That's sweat," 'Air Dasher' said innocently. Sweetie stepped back and looked disgusted. 'Air Dasher' trotted over to her and said, "Tell me, Sweetie, would it be," she gulped, "Alright, if I put the suit back on and pretended to be your sister for you and your friends for a few hours? We can do whatever you and they want. And I," she lowered her gaze, "I think maybe I need some more practice so I can remember what Rarity acts like."

"Hmm." Sweetie rubbed her little chin with a tiny hoof. "Okay! Can you help us make fireworks?" She added almost ominously, "You might have to get dirty."

"Oh, of course!" Air Dasher said. "I don't mind being dirty at all. You just run along and I'll be there." Rarity looked horrified. Sweetie turned and raced out of the studio. Air Dasher stepped over to the empty hide, and with another flash of magic let it slither up around her until she looked like her old self again. She exhaled softly. "Ooh, I didn't know my Element of Desire could do that. Then again, I didn't know I could slip out of my own coat and hide under an illusion of one of the dirt maids..."

"Wha-aaa-at?" DW!Rarity stepped back as Rarity trotted up to her, wide-eyed. "You took off your own hide?!?" DW!Rarity looked at her blankly.

"What? It's not the most painful thing I've ever done. Besides, I regenerated the damage almost before I felt it. I could probably repeat that for a few hours before it got very painful." Rarity just stared at her in shock. DW!Rarity turned towards the door. "I promise, I won't do anything to frighten or hurt Sweetie. After all," she choked, "She's my little sister in some ways, as well." She almost reached the door, Rarity close behind, when she suddenly spun on her. "One more thing, never ever let her forget how much you love and treasure her. Or maybe I'll come back here and take her from you."

"As Celestia is my witness," Rarity responded, throwing her head back dramatically, amethyst ribbon of a mane spilling, "I'll never hurt Sweetie." Then, as DW!Rarityt turned to go, she remembered what almost happened before and said, "And please, if somepony teases Sweetie, don't chop their head off or, or anything like that! And also, if you're me, now can you be so calm about," she shuddered in a most ladylike fashion, "Playing in, urrgh, dirt?"

"Oh, 'sister', in my world I went a thousand years without bathing even once!" DW!Rarity said with a grin as she trotted out the door. "Now wait up, Sweetie! And don't worry, I think I can help you find some magnesium! We'll just have to dig in the dirt with our hooves for it!"

Rarity just stared after her, one eye twitching as she helplessly said:

"No baths for... a thousand years?"

And then the thud of a unicorn fashionista hitting the studio floor without even thinking to pull up her chaise lounge first.

Coffee Swirl lightly poked at Rarity.

"Rarity. Rarity Belle? C'mon lady, this is no time to be prissy."

Just then, everybody else came back in, with Twlight the Unicorn in the lead. "Uh, what happened to this Rarity?"

"She's out cold. Apparently your Rarity spent 1000 years without bathing, which prompted this reaction from her. I don't know how to wake her up."

"Oh, silly. I know just how to do it." And Pinkie Pie hopped over to rarity and whispered in her ear. "Rarity, Sweetie Belle's late for school, you're late for you latest client, and you're covered in dirt. Oh, and your parents are arranging a marriage for you with Prince Blueblood."

(Pinkie: Sadly, I cannot reprint the big no that followed this, due to the fact that it was so loud, DW AJ had to create 2 different illusions in order to keep our eardrums from shattering. But anyway.)

"No! Not again! I knew that party was a bad idea! I've got to.....Iiiiii'm not really all that, am I?"

"Wow." Deadpanned the giant Spike. "Rarity didn't even scream that loud when twilight used the memory spell on her."

Another Pinkie Pie arrived at the studio. The only difference was that this Pinkie was completely transparent.

"I'm so sorry other me, but I'm actually trying to keep guests to a minimum right now." said reharmonized Pinkie.

"Oh, don't worry, I wasn't going to stay. I just came to get Eager." the transparent Pinkie said, motioning towards the bushwoolie that was with Apple Pie.

"You came to get Eager? Wait a minute, are you the me that sent Eager to me?" Pinkie asked.

"Yeah, and his bushwoolie friends are getting worried so I figured it was time to bring him home." the transparent Pinkie said.

Apple Pie overheard this, "Can't yah let Eager stay a while longer? Me and him were becomin' friends."

"Yeah, can't you let me stay?" Eager said agreeing with Apple Pie.

"I'm sorry, but I really do need to get him home." transparent Pinkie said.

"Yeah, you're right, I should get back to my friends." Eager said, this time agreeing with transparent Pinkie.

"Good bye Eager" Apple Pie said while hugging him, "Ah'll miss yah."

"Eager will miss you too." the bushwoolie said, embracing the hug.

Before the other Pinkie and Eager left, reharmonized Pinkie asked her other self something, "Before you leave, can I ask you something? Which version of me are you exactly? I ask because of the whole transparent thing."

"Do you remember the fanfic Bitter Sweet?" asked transparent Pinkie.

"Oh yeah, you're from that story where I died from diabetes. Wow, that story was depressing."

"Yeah, but on the plus side I get cool ghost powers!Oooooooo!" Bitter Sweet Pinkie said while trying to seem spooky, "Although, I do regret not telling Dashie how I felt about her while I was still alive."

"I keep forgetting that your one of those versions of me that's shipped with Rainbow for some reason." said reharmonized Pinkie.

"Well yeah, aren't you?"

"Me and Dashie? No, were just friends. You see..."

(In another dimension)

A TV screen turned to static, and three draconequii freaked out over it.

"Ahhh! Just when it was starting to get interesting!" said Anarchy in frustration.

"Don't worry, after we fix it we can just rewind to where we left off." said Pandora.

"We can't do that, because someequus broke the DVR." Strife said, staring angrily at Rancor.

"How many times do I have to say I'm sorry!" said Rancor.

Eventually the TV fixed itself and, for some reason strange reason, showed Pinkie and her remaining guests (Eager had already left with Bitter Sweet Pinkie by that point) in a conga line.

"Great, now we'll never know how the show got to this point." said Anarchy.

Pinkie Pie hit the camera as the screen fizzed back to the studio.

"Sorry everypony! We got some interference!"

"Wait, what?!" Swirl takes off a party hat that he doesn't remember putting on, and steps out of line. "What the flying feather just happened? And how did I end up in a conga line?"

"It was all explained off-screen, silly." Pinkie, leading the line, stopped only to explain this and kept right on going immediately after.

"That doesn't help me..." Swirl grumbled, then made his way back over to the snacks table once more. "Bucking fourth-wall busters."

"I didn't meant ta hit'em on the head with that dancer number." DW!AJ said apologetically referring to Swirl's lapse in memory and slightly strange behavior.

DW!Rarity stepped back inside, There was soot on the unicorn's coat that she didn't seem to mind, or the dirt on her hooves.

She gave a hug and kiss to Sweetie Belle, "No cutie marks, but those were some very beautiful fireworks."

"Thank you! And… Air Dasher, you make a great Rarity."

DW!Rarity struggled not to cry, "Thank you."

Sweetie Belle hugged and kissed 'Air Dasher' back before running off.

She noticed Swirl, who looked rather scared at the sight of her. He was caught in her telekensis again, but she merely touched him, "MINE!"

And now she had the bump on the head that her immortality regenerated.

"NOW I REMEMBER!" Swirl said, "… Geeze… for a heartfelt fairwell musical number, that was kinda upbeat."

"Thanks!" Pinkie Pie cheered.

"Fairwell?" DW!Rarity asked.

"We've kinda used up our timeslot, and I already doubled the show's normal length. We're down to the last couple minutes. Lucky you came back when you did."

"So . . . that's it?"

"Don't worry, there's a happy ending waiting, I promise."

"And Trixie, those magic tricks of yours during the song were fantastic," Swirl said.

"Trixie thanks you."

The two Rarities hugged, Reharmonized Rarity enduring the touch of dirt. "Go spend time with her, and never let her forget how much you love her."

"You have my word." Their horns touched and Reharmonized!Rarity left.

"So you're done doing anything violent or nasty?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"I . . . I don't belong here, that Rarity, SHE belongs here, I don't. Send me to my destiny." DW!Rarity said.

"Ooooh, and what a destiny it is! I mean, WOW! All captials!" Pinkie Pie said looking into a crystal ball, "Sorry no spoilers!"

"Trixie… I'm happy to know there's one world we got to spend time as true blue friends." DW!Twilight said hugging the showmare.

"True blue? Was that a joke?"

"Whatever is the happier answer."

The AJs and Spikes were having similar heartfelt exchanges.

"Ah promise, as teh Element of Honesty, Ah'll let Applebloom down."

"So all I've gotta do is figure out a way for Rarity to live a thousand years and we'll be together?"

"Seems that way."

"Hey Twilight! What are the factors for Alicornification again?"

"No Spike! NO!"

DW!Rarity gave Fluttershy another hug, a big one, "Friendship pierces all barriers. I know in our hearts we'll always be together."

"I know."

She then shifted to Fluttercruel and took a hold of Coffee Swirl, "Come on, I'm sure you customers are missing you by now."

"Ah can tell, ya really are Half-Light." Apple Pie said.

"Half-Light?"

"Oh, just the name she knows me by." DW!Twilight explained.

"Okay everypony! Time to clear out! Final round for hugs!"

It was a quick affair, hugs all around, before Pinkie Pie opened the portal again. The Dark World ponies nuzzled their counter parts before finally passing into their own world.

"See ya Apple Pie." AJ smiled.

"Good luck Twilight." Twilight Sparkle said.

"Okay everypony! Thanks for tuning in!" Pinkie Pie waved at the camera! As a special treat… Bright Eyes' 7 Dreams/Nightmares, first chapter should be up in 24 hours! See ya around ponies!"

Alrighty, from what I understand, it appears we're near our end, so let's wrap this up. Feel free to cut things if you don't like it.

Pinkie Pie and her many guests danced the pony cha cha with reckless abandon, not wanting the moment to end.

"Who knew I managed to drag you all here on Apple Pie's birthday of all days? How you liking it little Apple Pie?"

Apple Pie was laughing with joy. "This has to be my best birthday party yet! And when we finally defeat the nightmares, it'll be even better!"

At that point, there was a record scratch.

Pinkie looked at the clock on the wall, and suddenly got a frown on her face.

"Oh. Right."

A portal opened up on the far side of the studio.

Pinkie looked to all the brave soldiers who were about to return to battle. She looked to her friends who were still in the studio. Then, she put on a brave smile.

"Alright everypony, looks like it's time to close up. Let's say our goodbyes, finish the snacks, and finish up this show."

Spike went up and hugged his future self. "Don't ever let go of Rarity. For the both of us." Then he lowered his voice. "By the way, is it possible for a pony and a dragon to get married?"

The big spike chuckled. "I don't know. But I'll protect my treasure unto death."

Rarity nervously nodded at her dark world self. (who had returned from what witnesses described as the most spectacular fireworks show ever, but which had almost caused the next big forest fire if not for a brave "actor" who'd been in the area.) "Rarity, may I just say those lines go pretty well with your mane."

"Oh, well, thank you. I can't say that when this is all through I'll return to fashion, but it does mean a lot."

"Also, never forget that mercy is a gift that's magical, so no killing people unless you have to."

The dirty warrior rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say me."

AJ hugged her kind self, having heard the rest of the story. "You take care, ya hear? And don't dwell too much on the past after all this is over."

DW! AJ smiled slightly. "I disagree in execution, but I'll remember that when we finish this."

Twilight the unicorn was in a double embrace with Twilight and Trixie, crying one last time, but in joy.

"Trust in your friends" advised Twilight Sparkle. "And take good care of my element" added Trixie. "I promise to honor the spirit of this life even if I can't honor the letter." Twilight the Unicorn replied.

Derpy and Apple Pie meanwhile both got hugs from Pinkie. Who somehow was also hugging everyone else also, though nobody could explain how she was doing it.

"Take care you all. I wish you all eternal happiness after all you went through." Pinkie looked like she was on a knifes edge of crying, but kept that brave smile on her face.

The 6 elements waved goodbye, and stepped back into the dark world.

Pinkie turned to the camera. "Alright, I think that wraps up this show for now. Stay tuned for more 4th wall shows in case the G2 stories take a while to finish, but for now, everybody smile."

Rancor turned to her siblings. "Uh, so are we gonna stay with this show, or are we gonna watch the end of the Dark World now?"

Anarchy shot Rancor a glare. "Right now, you're gonna work with pandora to make a new DVR. We missed the party."

Author's Note

"Hey everypony! Guess what? Due to special request . . . and lot of our air time getting eaten up due to a snarl in the space time continuum. We get to air a SECOND episode! Back to back! Welcome to Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show! WHERE YOU WRITE THE STORY! Here are the ground rules!

What you put in the comments appears in the story.

Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall.

The camera can’t leave the studio.

The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from “My little Pony”, and everypony STAYS in character!

Everything that happens here is non-canon."

Have fun.

Oh yeah, andMyLittlePonyiscopyrighttoHasbro, pleasesupportthecartoonbybuyingthe toystheshowismadetopromoteanyway."

Part Added:
eric-emanwu
sherlock-holmes18
ItsFromPeople
Kendell2
eric-emanwu (again)
Ardashir(YIPPIE!)
Kendell2 (again)
Alex Warlorn (me)
jmcdavid and me together
Ardashir (timeline A)
Kendell2 (Timeline B)
jmcdavid
Dragon of Twilight (special favor)
Alex Warlorn (me again)
Ardashir
eric-emanwu (yet again)
sherlock-holmes18
Dragon of Twilight and Alex Warlorn (timeline A)
eric-emanwu (timeline B)

Recursive Fanworks Theater of the Pony POV Series Part 3

Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show
Pony POV Series
"Non-Canon"
By Alex Warlorn
The Recursive Fanfic And Fanart Theater Part 3

Pinkie Pie looked over her friends.

The Flutters had taken one sip, and were now wrapped in a blanket smiling at everything.

Rainbow Dash's snoring like an entire forest being clear cut.

Applejack was waving back and forth having managed to out drink all of them.

Twilight's magic was fizzing out before it could properly form and she was busy spouting nonsense formulas.

Rarity's laughter had gotten more consistent and more higher pitched, "The walls are simply lovely, the floors are smily lovely, the ceiling is simply lovely . . ."

Pinkie Pie pulled another work out of the pile.

"OOOOOOH! I've been waiting FOREVER for SOMEPONY to finally do this. Well, here's the first part anyway. Brings back good memories and . . .nice to know somewhere out there, they're still having fun. Even if this show with me learning this is non-canon. SO girls who are awake, let's enjoy."

Pinkie Pie put the story on top of the pegasus projector, when Rarity found a pair of roller skates from somewhere, slipped them on, and began laughing as she spun around like a top.

"RARITY!" Pinkie rushed to save her friends, before she fell into a pile of boxes that Pinkie Pie couldn't remember if they had been there a moment before.

Feeling VERY guilty, Pinkie Pie unburied Rarity from the pile. Rarity looked at Pinkie Pie with blue pure innocent eyes. "WOW PINKIE! Did yer hair get all curly?"

"Uh, what?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"What's that?" Rarity pointed at the screen. Then she read it herself. She was a big girl after all. "OH! IT'S ABOUT US!"

The white unicorn immaturely pushed Pinkie Pie out of the way and jumped onto the couch and began to scarf down cupcakes like a child.

"Come'on Pinkie! Let's watch!"

Pinkie Pie sat down.

The drunk but still partially together Applejack looked at Rarity with confusion as her head swam.

http://fav.me/d5xuz1d

"Ooooh, I didn't appear in this part! Maybe I will in the next part!" Rarity pouted then cheered, her face having frosting over her muzzle.

Pinkie Pie DARED ask, "Uh, Princess Rarity?"

"Yes Pinkie?" She replied innocently. She glanced looked at the blue pegasus now that the show was over, "HEY! Why does Rainbow Dash have wings? Why is Applejack orange?"

"It's . . . magic . . ."

"Is that why I'm white instead of pink? MY MANE! Why is it just purple? What happened to all my other colors?! And where did my cutie mark go? Why is it just three little jewels?" Rarity asked like a confused child.

"More magic!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

"Think I can get wings like Rainbow Dash did?"

"Maybe later Rarity. What did you think of the story?"

"I thought it was super-duper weird! I mean, BOY PONIES? I've never heard of those! Oh no! My Rainbow Wand! If I lose it Cheerilee is gonna be really angry."

"Don't worry! I… I have it safe somewhere for after we're done having fun. Don't worry."

"THANKS PINKIE!" Rarity hugged Pinkie Pie without hesitation nuzzling her blow the neck, "Yer a great-great fun friend!"

"So what else did you think about the story?"

"Well it used a lot of words I didn't know, what's a scientist?"

"A pony who learns how things work."

"Okay. What'a university?"

"A place where really smart ponies learn more stuff so they can be super-smart!"

"Okay. But why did they think it was a BAD THING for everypony to get along? I mean, we're all happy, we all have fun, and that's what matters right?"

"They . . . they were just worried it would stop everypony from being special."

"That's silly! Everypony is special! Like Lilly Lightly! Do you think she'd like to watch this too?"

"NO! I mean, this party is just for us friends right now."

"Okay. So why did Minty want to try being a unicorn?" Rarity asked looking at the drunk Twilight.

"You know that's Minty?!"

"Of course. It feels like Minty. Everypony can recognize other ponies by how they feel, don't you remember?"

"I . . . might have forgotten what that was like."

Rarity giggled in that magical way only a child could. "Oh Pinkie! That's so silly! What are we gonna watch next? The next part of this? Please please?"

"Uh, let's just see what comes up in the pile," Pinkie Pie said.

Pinkie Pie held up a sign to the camera that Rarity couldn't see.

"What you write in the comments is copy and pasted into the story."

"Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and I can't spill the beans about us being out-and-out fiction to the others."

"The camera can NOT leave the studio."

Guests can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from "My little Pony"

"Everything that happens here is non-canon."

HAVE FUN!!!

-

The What-If machine came to life once more, now freshly oiled and repaired by Pinkie Pie, and ready to display the most random scenes.

The crowd roared and screamed in delight as the music blared from the speakers at a deafening volume. Several shouted out proposals and declarations of love for the mares upon the stage.

Rarity, the metal studs above her eyes glimmering in the spotlight, smiled in the high she got from being the center of attention, singing her heart out. "I'm the crem de la crem, not just another Jane Doe! I'm the type of pony everypony, everypony should know!" Though the lyrics weren't as... colorful as most of the griff metal that was imported to Equestria, the six of them were still put everything they had into their singing.

It had put them on several charts at the very least.

Rainbow Dash, her trademark mane done up in a spiked Mohawk fro the show, couldn't resist the chance to do a sliding rift on her guitar and get the crowd even more fired up. Pinkamena, content to just headbang, strummed away on her bass while AJ bashed her drums with her hooves, forgoing drumsticks as ever. Both of the Flutter Twins harmonized on the chorus, just slightly out of synch with Rarity as they added their echo to her voice.

Backstage, manager Twilight went over the notes and tour dates for the next few weeks, doing her usual routine of checking and rechecking for any complications that could be avoided, as well as making sure they left plenty of time for unforeseen disasters that had a wonderful track record for throwing off all her carefully laid plans.

Side stage, hidden just behind the curtain, the teenage Spike hummed along to the song, his eyes on the black-clad beauty belting out the lyrics. It was no secret to any of their friend what was going on between the unicorn and the dragon, nor had they made any effort to hide their affections for each other. But, despite Dash's constant suggestions that they two should 'do it', neither was quite ready to go that far just yet.

They were both perfectly willing to wait though.

The machine slowly settled, it's scene played out for the moment, but ready to generate another at a moment's notice, whatever that may be.

"TA DA, PRESENTING THE PINKIE PARTY PIECE PICKER 7000 OR THE PPPP7 FOR SHORT"." Pinkie happily announced to the camera and everyone around who was still awake. Behind Pinkie Pie was a large and rectangular machine that had a funnel shaped cone sticking out of the top. On the front was a little door with a light bulb above it.

"Quiet, I am trying to concentrate here." Babble a Drunk Twilight as she once again tries to use a teleport spell but fizzling out before doing anything.

Rainbowdash meanwhile was still sawing logs, while Applejack and Fluttershy was quietly staring into space. 'Princess' Rarity was skating around quite gracefully despite being tipsy. Somehow becoming drunk made her relive a past life. Pinkie Pie felt bad for getting her friends drunk but couldn't help but feel happy to be able to talk with the young Princess again even if it wasn't the real one.

"Oh sorry Twilight." Replied a guilty Pinkie Pie. She return her gaze back to the camera. "Since things how gotten a gotten a little out of hoof and updates are slowing down a bit I created this wonderful machine to help us choice what fan piece we should review next. I wish I thought of this earlier."

"Why is everything so small?" Giggle Fluttershy while looking around.

"Now all we have to do place some these wonderful works into the machine" Pinkie then proceeded to scoop up several hooveful of papers and place them in the funnel of the machine. "Then wait for the machine to pick one for us to review!" Pinkie waited while the PPPP7 shook for several seconds and made a ding noise while the light bulb lit up.

"Oh, I wonder what fan work is coming next" giggled Pinkie while pulling a piece of paper from the tiny door of the PPPP7. However, when looking at the paper Pinkie's smile quickly faded. "Uh...maybe we should pick another one."

http://fav.me/d4pb7t9

"Why, I want to see it Pinkie" whined Princess Rarity while skating over. She tried to swipe it out of her friend's hooves but to no avail.

"NO, I mean it is just...boring is all. Let's pick another one." Replied Pinkie while sweating profusely.

Princess Rarity just frowned and said "Fine" and skated back to the pile to look for another one.

'Thank was close, the art is phenomena but she did not think Princess Rarity could handle seeing how one of her closest friends became a nightmare must less explain it. Could the machine be faulty? Naw must have been bad luck it pick that one. Good thing half her friends were still out of it.' Thought Pinkie.

"Anyway feel free to use the PPPP7 shadows or we can simply go back to hoof picking..."

"ACHOOOO "

"Bless you Fluttershy" Said Pinkie.

"Flutterwho? "Replied a confused Fluttershy. " I am Zipzee."

"...Uh-oh! "

Pinkie Pie was now beginning to freak out a little. A part of her however was still happy with this all being non-canon with how some of the shadow-who-watch had taken her shadow-who-makes attempt to patch things up.

"Uh, nothing Zipzee! It was jus a joke."

"What was the joke?"

"Uh, I don't remember!"

"Well, if you remember the rest, can you tell me?"

"Sure Zipzee."

"I just hope you haven't been drinking too much rainbow berry punch."

What? Ponies didn't get drunk in G3, booze had been annihilated out of existence, ponies had never known it had even ever existed. Drunk wasn't in their vocabulary!

Pinkie Pie looked at the bottles of 'cider' and indeed they were in fact bottles rainbow berry punch instead.

'Huh? This wasn't ever cider? This was rainbow berry juice the whole time? I guess that MIGHT explain the past lives things a little if highly concentrated juice from a berry that came into existence with the remaking of the world, either a big wish spell or a big magical explosion, MIGHT be a good hoof-wave at least for why Fluttershy and Rarity are channeling their previous selves.'

'I wonder if the others are gonna begin channeling their old selves next. I'll admit it's kinda distracting from what this episode is supposed to be about, heh, BUT WHEN HAS THAT EVER STOPPED A ROUND ROBIN?!'

Pinkie Pie activated the PPPP7 and out camem the next piece of recursive work.

"Oooh! Nice one!"

Pinkie Pie put on the projector.

http://fav.me/d62rl6i

Princess Rarity in her current self Forth Age Rarity's body look at the picture and moved her face close to the projection, then laughing and dance at the picture appeared on HER, making her slip on her rollerskates and fall on her rear that just her laugh again.

"Wow! Ponies with horns and wings?" Zipzee in her later incarnation of Fluttershy's body said loving the picture. "But the blue little pony looks sad somehow, while the white one is all happy! Hey! I bet she's happy because she's going to make that other filly happy! I best they're best of friends!"

"That entire place is a one big checker board! Hey! Imagine playing chocolate chip checkers on that! The chips would be super-duper-extra-special big!" Princess Rarity stretched her arms apart to demonstrate.

"Oooooh, what with this funny voice in my head?" Zipzee said shaking her head some. "I don't know what a lot of the words she's saying means. But really, it sure is a beautiful pictures! HEY! THey're wearing crowns!"

"Wow! So they're princesses like me?!"

"Actually, Wysteria declared everyone in Ponyville a princess."

"What? WOW! But there's only one castle."

"Well, Wysteria is still the only Princess with a castle."

"Too bad! There's plenty of room in my castle!"

PInkie Pie blinked, she remembered, Wysteria had declared HER a princess too! Did that make her PRINCESS Pinkie Pie now? . . . She never really thought of it. "Yeah, it really is a pretty picture, and yes, they are both princesses. Their names are Luna and Celestia."

"They look so nice, I'd love to play with them!" Zipzee said fluttering her pegasus wing up, feeling a bit disoriented without her antenna.

"Don't worry, we do." Pinkie Pie assured them. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. She wanted to see if Rarity and Fluttershy would stop channeling their lost ages selves, or whether RD, AJ, and Twilight would end up channeling their selves next. Heh. Nice AJ was still AJ in the lost dream age, she wondered if that meant she'd start channeling Sweetheart (her incarnation before that) instead. Then again, Rainbow Dash had been Rainbow Dash before, only now she'd dress in style!

"Okay!" Pinkie Pie cheered, not fearing the future. "Next picture!"

Pinkie Pie felt cold sense of dread as she look at the studio lights, they were flickering out.

'Oh no! Please! Not again!'

There were several shuffling noises from outside, before the door flew open and two ponies were nearly pushed inside the studio. Something sounding like 'cameos might be overrated but it's all I got!' echoed behind them before the door closed on it's own.

"Huh? Who are you?" Pinkie said, thankfully distracted from any signs of impending doom as she went to greet the poor, confused ponies.

She stopped halfway there, gasped, and then the first pony was engulfed in a Pinkie Pie hug.

"Jolly confused for sure," said Puzzlemint, more amused to be randomly hugged than anything else, "I say, are you related to Pinky Pie? You seem to be jolly similar to her. Tome, does she have a twin sister?"

Tome Heart shook his head.

"Not unless the time Minty dyed herself pink counts."

"No...and besides, Pinky dyed herself green that time," Puzzlemint replied.

Pinkie belatedly realized that these were an alternate universe version of her lost friends from G3 Ponyville, but she was too happy to see friendly faces that (probably) didn't herald the end times to feel bad for making the mistake. It only took a few chalkboard diagrams to explain to Puzzlemint and Tome Heart the gist of the situation: sure, Pinkie used the terms 'magic' and 'super-magic' a dozen times, but it worked out.

Rarity, meanwhile, was happily teaching Zipzee how to skate.

...

"So you see, the machine sorts out stuff with super-magic and then we all watch it over here!" Pinkie finished, waving her hooves as she stood in front of the PPPP7.

Tome Heart looked very, very lost. Puzzlemint was nodding and making 'ah-ha' noises every few seconds.

"Jolly clever box," she said, "Does it have anything for us to look at?"

As if on cue, the PPPP7 unexpectedly popped something out.

fav.me/d4moagf

"Hmm...this is an interesting story," Tome Heart said, now in his element and all smiles, "This 'Anar-key' pony - am I saying his name right? - is clearly very brave! Um...a lot of it doesn't make sense to me, but I can tell it's a good story."

"Close enough, and you're right! He saved all the ponies from a big dumb meanie!" Pinkie agreed.

"I don't get it at all," Rarity said, pouting, "Why didn't they just kiss and make up?"

Next to Rarity, Zipzee nodded. They had paused in their skating practice to read the story, but for the two genuine Lost Age ponies the concept of actual fighting was simply beyond them.

"Um...because...it was all pretend!" Pinkie exclaimed, "They were pretending to fight. I bet the part right after the story ends is where they kiss and make up again."

She felt bad, lying to her friends, but the truth would be too painful for them. Ironic, considering one of them was technically Fluttershy.

"Oh, okay!" Rarity said, turning to get back to Zipzee's skating lesson.

Pinkie heaved a big sigh of relief.

An alarm buzzed behind behind it, she pulled away a curtain to reveal a pressure gauge that was red lining.

"What the jolly awful is that?!" Puzzlement exclaimed as Tome Heart's jaw dropped at the device.

"It's the character overload pressure meter! We have eight, technically nine ponies here! The pressure is getting huge! It's gonna blow unless we relive pressure! Uh-oh! And the battery on the camera is beeping now too! That means I have basically sixty seconds before it clicks out!" Pinkie Pie rushed over and hugged and kissed each of her friends. "In case I can't find another battery or recharge station, I want you ALL to know I love all of you! You're my friends and that's never going to change! And don't let anypony EVER tell you you're wrong just for liking something they don't! And dreams do come true, yes they really do, something you find your hearts just by wishing it, wishing-"

The screen went static as the battery on the camera ran out.

Author's Note

Guess we're going for a third part everpony. I think this might be the last for this "episode", but hey, enjoy it while it lasts right? But there are a few more ideas we need to try.
Pick out ANY fanart, fanmusic, or fan stories done for the Pony POV Series! And post how WE the ponies react to them here!!!" Same rules as always and YOU lovely ponies you are still the writers here!

What you put in the comments appears in the story.

Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and I can't spill the beans about us being out-and-out fiction to the others.

The camera can’t leave the studio.

The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from “My little Pony”

Everything that happens here is non-canon.

Have Fun

Additions:
First Alex Warlorn (Looking-Glass Ponies Chapter 1 By OracleMask. And a personal favorite of mine! Please Respond in story!)
Dragon-Of-Twilght
yoshiegg64 (Birth of Nightmare Whisper)
Alex Warlorn ( Celly and Princess Luna)
Alex Warlorn
OracleMask (Pony POV series alternate universe - Anarchy)
Alex Warlorn (out of space)

MLP FIM Copyright Hasbro

Preview image by Kendell2

Pinkie Pie 4th Wall Break VarietyShow Special Prt3

Elsewhere in the battlefield, a strange portal opened, dumping a pony that looked identical to Twilight, save for a strange white staff she carried on her back, and a yellow unicorn with a similar staff. The yellow unicorn turned to the other and asked, "Where are we, Twilight?"

"I'm not sure, Fate..." "Twilight" responded, scanning the battlefield. "It looks like we've arrived in some kind of alternate universe... I think I see other versions of myself and our friends battling something over there..."

"...Should we help them, sis?" Fate asked.

"Judging by our surroundings, they could probably use our help... Let's activate our Devices." This Twilight suddenly shouted, "RAISING HEART!"

Her staff spoke in a feminine, slightly robotic tone. "STANDBY, READY!"

"BARDICHE!" Fate shouted.

"GET SET!" 'Bardiche' spoke in a more masculine tone.

"SET UP!" the two shouted in unison.

Their staffs suddenly let out a chime as they both said, "DRIVE IGNITION!"

Suddenly, Twilight was lifted up into the air by swirling pink light, as chunks of strange metals formed a C-shaped central ring around Raising Heart, as well as the staff's shaft. A white wedge of a wing connected to the nape of the staff's neck, segments of the surface sinking into place. Meanwhile, a deep purple body suit formed around Twilight's skin from the neck down. The suit was followed by segments of stiff white 'cloth,' kind of resembling a dress, but more like body armor. Gleaming golden boots formed around each of Twilight's legs as a short white skirt with a pink and white star pattern formed around her hips.

Fate, meanwhile, was surrounded by a sphere of golden lightning as Bardiche assembled itself, with a curved, black blade glinting as the shaft extended with a clacking sound. Fate caught the Device as as a crimson body suit with a black 'cloth' similar to that of Twilight's formed around her body. A high-necked black cloak with a golden lining unfurled about her neck, with a crescent-moon shaped brooch replacing the simple bar that held it closed. A set of bright silver boots with golden, triangular buckles formed around her legs as her completed outfit gleamed against the lightning barrier.

As these transformations finished, the barriers disappeared.

"CORONA FORM READY," Raising Heart announced. "BARRIER JACKET 'RADIANT FORM' COMPLETE!"

"SELENE FORM, GET SET!" Bardiche intoned. "BARRIER JACKET 'STRIKE FORM' COMPLETE!"

"All right, Fate, let's do this!" Twilight proclaimed as she flew off.

"You got it, sis!" Fate replied as she flew in another direction.

-

Pinkie Pie, witnessing this from the studio, grinned. "Ooh, another crossover universe! I think this one's based off a show called 'Nanoha...' Though I'd better tell Pandora and the other Shadows that this is probably the most alternate universe characters this show can handle..."

-

The Blank Wolf Pup stalked across the studio floor, growling as he paced. "I... hate... crossovers!" His claws gouged furrows in the floor, gashes which had always been there since the last time the studio was remodeled, now.

Dawn looked all sad and started to go comfort him, but Noon barred her way with a hoof, then silently shook her head.

"Poor pup," crooned Pandora, popping over and ruffling the fur on his head. The Pup glared, but she actually seemed sincere. "Your existence was simpler when you didn't care." With a wave of her paw, an image of the former Blank Wolf appeared... twice as large as the Pup, a terrifying four-legged mass of shadows with cold eyes and no expression.

"Why do you taunt me, Lady Pandora?" The Pup looked evenly at the image, bright golden eyes searching for... something. "Yes! Yes it was. It wasn't... isn't my job to care! I have a duty. I should go erase those interlopers right now!"

"Things are looking bad out there. The ponies might need all the help they can get," said Pandora.

"That isn't my concern."

"And the heroes from the other worlds would be gone. Poof! Never existed. What happens to their home worlds then?"

The Pup growled through clenched fangs. "For that reason alone I am patient, but not forever."

A gasp from Dusk drew everyone's attention to a monitor screen. Ghostly ponies were steaming out of a dark rift in a hillside. "As if we didn't have enough problems. Another door between worlds has opened. Judging by what I'm sensing, it leads to the lightless world."

"Whaat?" cried Pinkie. "All those scary unfun zombie ponies who never existed are escaping?"

The Blank Wolf Pup bounded over to the monitors for a closer look. "Those don't belong in this world, or any world! Most mortal ponies won't even see them until their lights are being stolen." He blinked. "Applejack is in danger!" He sprang into the shadows, vanishing in an instant.

Half-Light Dawn tilted her head. "But, everypony else is in danger too, right? Wait, he did just say..."

Noon and Dusk fell over.

-

An aging red sun shined in the sky. The world began to cool.

+++

"There," said Queen Procina's evil she had purified and let go of when she had reformed, "I used my magic cape and magic mirror to turn all those escaping villains into pretty glass statues. I even used my magic to undo the other petrifications that boorish rock dog did. Glass is far more beautiful than stone.Though I wish you'd let me turn YOU into a beautiful glass figure. You'd be so beautiful."

"I'm a spirit, so there's nothing to turn into glass." Angel of Death Starlight said as she began the task of shipping the (now much less troublesome until they were restored in Tartarus) villains back to Tartarus where they belonged. Including a couple of weeping Alicorns who now simply turned into glass statues when they weren't looked at instead of annoying snack eaters. Starlight let them keep the dresses, Rarity was right, it did make them look nicer.

"Oh well. You must admit most of them do look better as glass."

"I'm not allowed to give comment. I have to bring you along now back too you know."

"Yes yes, but at least I got one new one for the collection." She said patting a glass Slender Mare, the packaging tape 'To Tartarus!' strapped on.

And Starlight felt the arrival of the newest crossovers. The Angel of Death knew dread. 'NO! Not MORE OF THEM! OH NO! OH NO! This is a disaster! There might not BE a way to stop Morning Star now!!!!!'

+++

A monorail train suddenly tore through Ponyville, the ponies seeing a conductor inside trying to perfectly eat a stack of rice without having the flag in the center fall off.

"ATTACK! ATTACK! ATTACK!" Shouted a starfish version of Grogar with a mustache. Then a filly in a secret agent uniform began attacking random goblins.

"BLUE! BLUE! BLUE! I'LL MAKE THE ENTIRE WORLD BLUE! BLUE! BLUE!BLUE!" Sang song Cloudkicker, except now she was completely blue, had a strange symbol on her, was going around on two legs, had clouds for wings, and was wearing bits of goth clothing. And she was zapping everything blue. She was even turning every song into the blues.

"Somepony help!" Alula shouted. "Me and big sister hide in the library, and Kicker found a strange big word for 'BLUE' that flew into her and turned her into a monster! Somepony help her!"

"BLUEBLUEBLUE!"

+++

"Hey, Twilight?" Fate asked her Twilight, who was taking on some ponies that appeared to be made out of clay.

"Hmm?"

"Why do we never go into our stronger forms unless we're getting our flanks kicked? We could take out our opponents a lot faster if we just fully powered up immediately."

'Twilight' blasted another clay pony in a rather... uncomfortable area (which somehow still really hurt it despite being made out of clay). "Apparently, there's some kind of rule that we're not supposed to escalate a fight unless we absolutely HAVE to." She paused as she backhooved the last clay pony. "I don't get it either."

+++

Pinkie Pie said, "It seems Shining Armor's army of imaginary heroes and Lilly's ghost-buster machine took care of most of the remaining baddies . . . except for the witches, and that name on the end I couldn't read. Oh well. Starts with Ti-, right, be sure to look for a Tim The Enchanter." Then she dropped the list, every part of her body twitching at once. "Oh no! I was wrong!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed in horror! "ABOUT A LOT!"

+++

"Yeeessss, yesss! More! More!" Morning Star cheered. "BRING MORE! FREEE MEEEE!"

"Wait . . . so all these heroes from outside the rope of reality coming in to help are actually MAKING YOU return?" Somnambula asked as his spirit continued to fill her illusion, and the crystal shard that would let her claim his power for herself, and witches would again rule the land like they once did.

"My spirit can not escape Tartarus by itself, even with the witch using her illusions turned real to provide with a vessel. But I have ways.

"Celly thought that Havoc freed me during the Alicorn Draconequus war to fight on the side of the Draconequus . . . but she was ignorant of the true cause. Celly always was naive. . . . The answer is that my parents were always too soft hearted to do their jobs. When I was sealed away in Tartarus, a fail safe was installed that if reality became in danger of collapsing or otherwise being rendered -completely- uninhabitable by sapient life, my jeweled prison cell would weaken, and the more reality would become imperfect, the more my prison in Tartarus would. My family concluded that if reality was about to implode, that it would be in my best interests to repair reality rather have it cease to exist. . . . Which is a valid point, how can I have a perfect universe if there is no universe?"

"That . . . actually makes sense."

"Thanks to these events being on the border line between actual and quantum, the more actions these crossovers take, the more of a splash they make, the closer I am to being free!"

'And the closer witches come to ruling the universe.' Somnambula thought.

+++

Being two parts of the same soul, the two Crunch the rock dogs glowed, and grew back into one being. The good being stronger than the evil, the dog growled at Draggle, the witch abandoned her post, and ran away as the good Crunch chased after her, just as well, if she had stood her ground she'd have just been turned to stone anyway.

Draggle also accidentally stepped on Katrina who had been inching closer to the cauldron hoping to consuming the vile brew to restore herself.

Crunch as an after thought also created a few living stone monsters and ordered them to use themselves as a wall between the ponies and the Hydia empowered Smooze. After all, rock ALREADY didn't feel about anything, they were immune to the depressing power of the Smooze.

+++

"I can't believe we had to go back for Silver Spoon's glasses." Cruelty in Flutter-dragon said.

"Well the Flories did knock them when trying to eat me."

"Girl you need to carry a second set with you." AJ said.

"Sorry."

+++

"OUR QUEEN WE SHALL HELP YOU!" Shouted five changeling who happened to be white with green eyes and light violet crests like their queen.

"Wait! WHAT?!" Somnambula said as the changelings began to attack her, but she created an illusion of some bug spray that was now real to pester them off. In the meantime however, they had carried away their Queen and her friends from the witch.

"My queen we are here for you!"

The TFed changeling queen Sweetie Belle shook her head and looked, "My subjects! You hatched!"

"DAMMIT! NOT ANOTHER STUPID ILLUSION!" Screeched the TFed griffin Scootaloo.

"I'll burn her to ashes and EAT HER!" The fire breathing TFed timber wolf Applebloom.

Twilight looked in shock at the changelings. Her 'big sister' Shining Armor smacked away a bit of Smooze with the 'Hammer of Light' given by Pandora. A thought crossed Twilight's mind. "Maybe the Flutterponies aren't quite so extinct after all."

+++

Given that Rari-dragon on the inside was still the Little Filly Rarigreed, her power as a dragon began to greatly overwhelm Reeka's.

"Hey!" Flutterdragon shouted as she landed. "Are you one who turned me into a dragon? You scale pattern looks familiar."

"HUH?! Oh yeah! That was me!"

"Well thanks!" She breathed fire on her.

"OWOWOWOWO!"

+++

".enougH"

A little wolf pup, not stopped by ANY barrier more than once, walked inside the shop, and then walked out.

Lilly wondered when Coffee Swirl had learned that type of magic. Did it have to do with spirits? Most ponies didn't believe in spirits. But at least she now had a whole bunch of evil spirits, monsters, and bad guys all sucked up into . . .what was this called again? Oh right, Ghost-Be-Caught-9000, apparently they belonged to some ponies in Manehatten and Coffee Swirl had ordered one for protection. She'd found a second one inside the store. She now had sucked all the evil escapees from Tartarus into nice small, little containers for Cerberus to carry back to Tartarus (after the ponies finished untying him after a lot of ponies mistook the gate keeper of Tartarus for another monster, and profusely apologized). Cerberus was happy for the help as he began carting the trapped baddies back to their prisons.

"Shining . . .shine on . . . shine your light with all your might." Lily sang to herself, wishing she could remember where she had heard the song before.

++++

Zecora limped out from behind a tree, a broken leg and a large bump on her head from where the witches had knocked her out. She was going to have to have that looked at.

"Everything had gone quite confusing, but I know that is my cauldron you are using."

The zebra witch doctor limped up to her stolen pot, seeing the witch's brew mixed within it.

"With everything going around the bend, I'd say it's time for this nonsense to end."

She looked at the ingredients assembled and began to work, summoning up something to undo all this chaos.

Meanwhile Cadence held her adopted foal Half-Light Midnight up high, the baby pony's horn glowing. "Alright dear! You're on!" She said remembering what the pink pony with black wings had said.

The baby unicorn giggled as she drew upon her power to help Candy.

+++

Then, a massive vortex opened up in the sky, and pulled all of the crossover elements into it, and back to their own reality clusters. And with each conflicting crossover piece that was drawn into it, Morning Star's prison did strengthen.

Pandora, realizing sadly that it was for the better good, recalled the characters from Shining Armor's O&O campaign and the characters from Legend of Cadence, since their coming through the golden door was likely weakening reality more than it would have . . .and looks of kids were now complaining where the characters in their favorite video games had gone. She could stick to running the cameras in the studio catching everything.

There was no point to a point if it was so cluttered with crossovers that nopony could make heads or tails of it. This story was esoteric enough she decided. "And given just how many heroes Equestria already has, and how many ponies there are who can becomes heroes already with just a chance. . . .bringing in crossovers might not have been my best idea."

"So we best withdraw as well." Said the GOOD Queen Crysalis along with the formerly evil reflections Sweetie Belle and the GOOD version of Kabuto.

The few surviving villains and monsters of Tartarus thought they had been spared . . . then realized there were still plenty of ponies around from THIS universe determined to defend their home and DIDN'T NEED a who bunch of ponies from another universe to do it all for them.

++++

"I was SO close!" Morning Star snarled as he began to fade back to Tartarus, "I was sooooo CLOOOOOOOOOOSE!"

'And we were so close to feeding on his magic for ourselves!' Hydia hissed to herself!

+++

Coffee Swirl wasn't in any fancy super-hero armor. He was himself, hold an antique sword.

'Alright Patch,' thought Starlight, the angel of death, 'You're on!'

"Hi." said a voice in Coffee Swirl's head, "My name is Patch, and I've been your snarky voice inside your head this entire evening. Channeled through the sword of the brave knight Squire. WhooOOOOooo, I'm a ghost! Boo!"

"Tis I as well! Squire the Noble Knight! My blade is again needed, and I shall aid all who wield it in the fight for justice!" Said a young stallion's voice with a pre-banishment accent.

"And, I'm Logan, I didn't make it much into the history books. BUt I'm a friend of Starlight's."

Coffee Swirl looked confused, "But how did I get this sword?"

Rainbow Dash currently a griffin said, "I drop that sword at your hooves when that creepy pegasus with that stupid wing extensions, began talking to yourself when you picked it up, then you used it to slice that ghost in two and send 'er back to Tartarus!"

"You . . . you gave this sword?" Coffee swirl asked.

"Sure," the currently griffin Rainbow Dash said, "That's the whole reason I went to Canterlot. Apparently Twilight said we'd need this sword to help even the odds for some reason and it was in the Canterlot Museum of Ancient History on a rack with a bunch of other swords. I didn't get it, but she said she didn't have time to explain. I didn't get it, so here I am! Twilight said you knew 'spirit rituals' and the sword might be more than a sword for you. AND that sword can cut through DRAGON SCALES! Isn't that cool?"

Rainbow Dash was blasted from the side, and landed, mumbling about every mess up she had ever done, and thinking of if the Wonderbolt would ever accept such an IMPERFECT creature like her into their ranks, and all those tests she flunked in grade school. No! She had to muddle through! And be loyal to her friends!

"I may be only an Shadow of an Avatar of an Aspect of myself, but that's still enough for me to regain my power and resume correcting the MISTAKES of my family." It was Morning Star . . . or rather, a lesser version of him, it reminded everypony who saw like the form Luna had had when she had been purified by the Elements, almost colt-like, smaller, weaker.

"Don't bet on it." Coffee Swirl said, holding Squire's Sword. "I'm not even going to ask you to surrender, hurry up so I can beat you up!"

"You're kidding, you're kidding right? One little pegasus with a haunted sword against Perfection itself?"

Coffee Swirl took out a thermos and downed the most concentrated, most intense brew of coffee he had ever made. Then he raised the sword at the fallen Alicorn. "Come on!"

"Oh please! You're a faceless, nameless, meaningless, plotless-, insignificant little-" Morning Star looked down to realize Squire's Sword was now stuck in his side.

"Go back to hell." Coffee Swirl said.

Morning Star gasped and leapt back, bleeding, not regenerating. "How . . . HOW DARE YOU!"

"Shut up and fight."

(Flow) Hero DBZ Battle Of Gods -

Pegasus and Alicorn fragment flew into the sky in battle, armed with only a sword channeling the souls of ponies without powers or even remembered by history, but had changed the world all the same. The souls protected Coffee Swirl from Morning Star's telekinesis, like the blade deflected his shots.

Pandora laughed and clapped. "The alicorn whose greatest sin was pride being fought by the pegasus whose is the most UN-extraordinary pony in Ponyville! Ha ha! This humble pegasus is gonna give the smack down to that hubris filled Alicorn! THAT you gotta admit, is a fun story! You think Coffee Swirl would have realized that! Ha!"

Sadly, the ponies didn't have time to enjoy the epic battle above them, they were busy dealing with a indestructable Hydia empowered Smooze IN FRONT OF them.

Hydia snarled as her daughter once more failed her. "Draggle you idiot! Couldn't you at least be an idiot in a way that causes mass destruction?!"

The Hydia empowered Smooze proved it still had physical strength by forcing back the rock monsters that Crunch had created, though they did provide a bit of a distraction. But not as much as they would have for someone with only one pair of eyes, Dash narrowly avoiding finding out the hard way when a tendril of Smooze emerged from the beast's back.

Hydia channeled her magic through the monster and fired several spells from the Smooze's eyes at the heroes forcing them to dodge.

Applejack looked to Crunch as he cornered Draggle. "Hey big fella! I need tah talk to the witch a minute...can yah just stick tight and make sure she don't run?"

The big rock dog nodded...then blinked. "...Applejack?"

"Uh...yeah, but Ah think the one yah knew was my multiple times great grandma," Applejack stated, the farmer approaching Draggle. "Look, Ah just want tah talk. Not beat yah up or send yah back tah Tartarus, okay?" the Farmer asked calmly.

Shining twirled her Light Hammer, glaring up at the Smooze-Hydia. "Alright. We've dealt with dragons, monsters, and all kinds of freaks. Now all that's left is these witches." She still managed to make that sound badass in spite of currently being a mare.

"And the fragment of Morning Star," Twilight added, horn and eyes glowing white.

Shining gave her sister a glare, but any snarky comment she may have had planned was cut off when Hydia moved to attack, slamming a "fist" of Smooze towards the ground as she tried to both crush AND dissolve the siblings with the evil ooze.

Twilight teleported out of the way with ease, as Shining bolted to the side...but the impact of the Smooze-fist shook the ground so badly they almost fell on their faces.

"YOU LITTLE PONIES DON'T HAVE A CHANCE, EVEN WITH MORNING STAR'S SUMMONS STOPPED!" Hydia thundered, lashing out with tendrils of Smooze that flailed like living whips. Ponies dodged them, leaped over them, blasted them with magic...but they only saved themselves by inches. And more tendrils grew from the stubs of destroyed ones. "NOTHING CAN STOP THE SMOOZE!"

Twilight wanted to comment on how boasts of invincibility usually preceded a downfall, but she was too busy dodging for her life. We can't just keep avoiding her...we need some way to go on the offensive! Maybe that cauldron could be useful…? Vaporizing a slew of tendrils with a burst of magic, her mind--the few parts of it NOT focused on the battle, anyway--went into overdrive as she tried to piece together a plan.

====

"OW! Owieee! Fire! Fire! Fire! Too hot!!!!" Reeka flailed, a shrieking dragon-shaped torch running in a circle like a headless chicken. Flutter-dragon and Rari-dragon paused their battle for a moment to watch their stricken foe.

"Should we...help her?" Rari-dragon asked.

Fluttercruel shook her head. "Nah, she has this coming--aw; c'mon Mom! She's from Tartarus! She deserves this for all she's done to ponies just TODAY, never mind what she did while she was alive! Besides, she's turned into a dragon, she can handle a little fire--I know ponies are supposed to be merciful, but even if I do help her, we'll just end up sending her back to Tartarus anyway..."

"HEELLLLLLLLLP! Pleeeease!! It burns! Ouch!!! Put it out, please!!! I'll do anything! I don't wanna fight anymoooorrrrrre!" Reeka wailed, rolling around as she tried to put out the persistent flames.

Rari-dragon cringed in unironic sympathy; even with her perception scrambled by greed, she was still a pony.

"You see, 'cruel?" Flutter-dragon cooed in Fluttershy's voice. We can't just let her suffer...no, I'm not being 'too forgiving'. I don't think there IS such a thing." With a few quick wing-beats, she extinguished the flames on Reeka. The transformed witch collapsed to the ground, panting.

"Thanks....still a dumb pony; uh, dragon though...ow!"

Flutter-dragon just smiled. "You've had enough. Now, how about you get rid of that spell and go back to normal?" Fluttercruel's voice dropped in, "But if you try any cheap-shots--one spell when we're not looking, I'll--oh, c'mon, Mom! I'm not threatening her, just giving her a warning--"

"PSYCHE!" Reeka cackled, headbutting Flutter-dragon hard enough to send her flying. As the butter-yellow drake crashed back down to earth, Rari-dragon resumed the fight. Pony forgiveness or not, faking giving up was just low. With a roar, the white dragoness charged back into the fray.

Meanwhile, Flutter-dragon picked herself off the ground, rubbing her aching head. "Okay, that's it. When she changes back to normal, I am SO sitting on that witch. ...Thanks for letting me this once, Mom."

====

Katrina's evil tiptoed away from Applejack and the scared stiff Draggle as Crunch gave a smug ruff.

That's for stepping on me, you bix lummox, Katrina mentally spat. For a wonder, she hadn't been pancaked and sent back to Tartarus. She'd somehow gotten tangled up in the witch's sandal and had to hold onto the straps for dear life as Crunch pursued her. Having enough, Katrina produced a bobby pin and pricked Draggle on the foot.

Katrina had been sent flying, but for once the universe was kind to the catwoman sorceress: she landed safely in soft grass, NOT in a spider's web, patch of thorns or Venus Flytrap as she half-expected to happen.

She looked back at the witch behind her and smirked, careful to not catch Crunch's attention and masking her scent for good measure. "She's a fellow witch, but blast it, that was satisfying. Never liked those three; sadist mother and idiot daughters. So close to getting back to normal, too..."

With a matyred sigh, Katrina made her way back to town. Might as well try once more to restore herself, right? There was NO way she was going back to Tartarus at this size! No. Bloody. Way.

...Assuming she didn't run into the monstrous CMC again, that is.

"But after today...I'd almost say being those brats' lunch was a mercy," she grumbled. "The things I do for some witchweed..."

"GIRLS! You're a sight for sore eyes!" Silver Spoon hugged them . . . best as she could seeing as much BIGGER they were than her, if anything, they had been GROWING LARGER since coming in contact with the poison joke with the ambient magic of Tartarus flowing around.

"Silver Spoon! You recognize us?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"You're my friends, of course I do. I actually got Applejack to snap you out of that witch's illusions but . . . it looks like Sweetie Belle's . . . minions beat us to it."

Sweetie Belle looked at the five changelings with her coloring that before been goblins, politely waiting for her to give them royal commands.

"Would you like us to capture ponies and convert them into changelings our queen?"

"Sorry, Rarity said no."

"Would you like us to capture and convert her then?"

"She said no dessert for six month if I did stuff like that."

"Oh. We are sorry our queen." They politely bowed.

"Can you get them to do your homework?" Scootaloo asked.

"Probably." Sweetie Belle said.

"So, uh, what's the set-up?" Applebloom asked.

"Well," Silver Spoon said, "Rarity and Fluttershy are dragons right now, fighting a witch whose also a dragon right now.

Spike got zapped by Twilight and got accidentally turned back into a baby dragon, and I think got knocked out by the witches.

I almost got eaten by giant plant monsters but Applejack saved me, then me, Big Mac and Fluttershy saved Applejack. And we had to go back for my glasses.

That guy from the coffee shop I think is using an ancient magic sword to fight a big brother of Celestia's whose like super evil.

Shining Armor's a girl now and has a magic white hammer.

Discord has a sister whose helping us fight the bad guys.

There where a whole bunch of heroes from everywhere, but it got so confusing the universe was gonna explode, so Princess Cadence had a baby Unicorn open a big gateway to send them home.

Oh, and those witches, HURT ZECORA, as I think you'd want to know Applebloom, and she used her caldron, that they stole form her, and used it to send all the confusing ones home, and is now next the caldron that's hers anyway.

The big rock dog monster is on our side now and cornered another witch AJ is walking with.

Lilly is busting ghosts I think.

There's a big rip in the same time continuum that now letting out shadows who never were or something, I have no idea why I just said that.

That witch who trapped you still has Celestia and is feeding on her and that's why the sun's red I think.

Oh, and the little ugly head witch entered the Smooze and is it's now Super Smooze or something."

Studio

"Pandora! Stop using Silver Spoon as an exposition character!" Pinkie Pie said.

Pandora chuckled and inched away from the Dungeon master Screen, "Heheh, sorry."

Edge of Everfree

Sweetie pointed at one of her minions, "You got get Spike and bring 'em back here." She pointed at another one. "You got help Zecora." And she looked at the rest. "You three go help my big sister fight that witch dragon or whatever!"

"Yes my queen!" They instantly buzzed offed to do as their queen commanded them.

"Oh and Rainbow Dash is a griffin right now for some reason." Silver Spoon finished.

"A griffin . . . THAT'S SO COOL!" The currently griffened Scootaloo declared.

While everypony else was working on plans or strategies or potential ideas to turn the fight in their favor, Coffee Swirl was just trying to stay alive.

Yes, the sword possessed by three different spirits protected him from Morning Star simply holding him still and snapping him like a twig. Yes, he could deflect blasts and dodge much faster thanks to chugging that dangerously strong coffee earlier. And yes, Morning Star was at a fraction of his true power right now.

The problem was, even a fraction of a god's power was still enough to outclass both Sparkle siblings put together.

He swung the blade, slicing a destructive blast in half before it could disintegrate him, then clashed with a blade of solid energy the fallen alicorn had summoned.

"You can not hope to best Perfection, mortal!"

"That's nice, now shut up." It took all his strength, but Swirl managed to shove Morning Star away. Unlike Shining Armor, he wasn't one for banter. Especially when he wasn't winning.

Both of them knew Swirl was out matched, and Morning Star's smug grin was getting on his nerves, but there wasn't much he could-

'-might be more than a sword for you.'

Gryphon Dash's words floated about in his mind, causing him to glance at Squire's weapon. Conjuring a protection circle was one thing, but using a spell on the fly (literally in this case) was usually reserved for unicorns.

But that hadn't stopped Applejack in that one world... why should it stop him?

Swirl gulped, preparing himself. "If this doesn't work, I'm dead anyway. Hope you're not too rusty, Squire."

'My skills remain polished, good sir, by why do you ask?'

"Because I'm about to piss Mortis off so much right now." He flew back to give himself some room to work, and concentrated on the blade. "And see just how much I learned from those books."

Morning Star, sick of drawing the fight out until the insignificant background pony gave up, flew forward to lop off his head. However, his magical blade was met with the ghostly image of the very sword Swirl held, wielded by an equally ghostly earth pony.

"Ye shan't end this fight so easily!" Squire shouted, pushing Morning Star back, then floating his spirit form beside Coffee Swirl. "I will gladly fight by your side, Sir Swirl."

The pegasus panted from what the spell had taken out of him, but managed a smile at the ghost. "Thanks, but I can only keep one of you out for a few minutes at a time, so let's not waste it."

"Agreed."

"Ugh...sis, why do I have to clean up the Shadows?" Anarchy asked, grabbing two Shadows and sending them back to Oblivion.

"Because I'm busy with helping put the escapees from Tartarus back!" Pandora called. "Now I have the feeling I'm forgetting something...uh oh...I need to go talk to Mother Deer real quick."

Shining put up a shield around the group to deflect a smash from Hydia-Smooze...then noticed a Shadow flying through the ground and nearly grab her. He gasped. "Wait..."

The Shadow before him was in the shape of a vaguely-deer like THING. While it no longer had it's unearthly white glow, there was no mistaking it.

"I thought I sent you to oblivion!"

"YOU DID," the Shadow stated, pouncing on him several times. It's voice sounded more like a machine reciting something than anger or any living thing.

"Shining!"

"Stay back, Twilight!" Shining yelled. "Focus on Hydia!"

As the Shadow leapt at Shining again, but was shot back by a red energy beam. "Huh?"

Pandora appeared and tossed Shining a familiar hoofcanon with a lion motif.

The currently female unicorn gasped. "This is...but..."

"It is but it isn't," Pandora explained. "It is because it was the same weapon, but isn't because Dima's an Equestrian Guard in the proper timeline, so he never got it and Mother Deer still had it after I gave it to her as a gift. Enjoy! And also, this is just Nameless' echo, so it doesn't have any of his powers. Also, disclaimer, any Shadows destroyed in this are not destroyed in the main timeline, so Shadows Who Make, go nuts."

Pandora gave the shadow of existence a sad look before teleporting away.

Shining ducked another swipe from his 'arch enemy's' echo, slashing off a limb as he turned the gun into its sword mode.

"YOU STOLE MY PERFECTION!" the Shadow yelled, leaping at Shining who trust the sword through it's chest, impaling it. Shadow matter bled from it's mouth.

"I couldn't steal what was never yours in the first place! You sick bucker!" yelled Shining, spinning around and pulling out the sword, decapitating the shadow. Shadowy tendrils emerged from the hole, but Shining switched the weapon to gun mode and stuck it in the hole, frying the shadow's insides before switching back to sword mode and bisecting it down the middle. The shadow faded away to nothingness and Shining returned to the fray just in time to severe a Smooze tendril before it could hit Twilight.

"What just happened?!"

"Just my normal weird life."

He switched to gun mode and shot several lasers at the monster...but missed every shot. In fact one of the shots missed so badly it hit Morning Star in the side despite him being ABOVE them.

Hydia and the Smooze blinked. "...How did you even miss THAT badly?!"

"...It's a curse..."

"Hold it, pony!" Draggle raised one hand, and something glittered like a venomous green flame in it. "One more step and I'll show you that one spell Mom, I mean Hydia, never thought I learned!"

"No," Applejack said. "Ya won't." She began walking closer, slowly, making her peaceful intentions clear.

"I said hold it!" Draggle shook her fist threateningly. "I'll do it, I mean it!" Some of the green fire in her hand spilled and struck her bare foot. It sizzled and hissed like a piece of fat flung into a red-hot griddle. She howled and jumped. "Ow ow ow!" Applejack hurried forward, concern in her eyes. Draggle yelped, "I said stay away!" Draggle wished her voice didn't tremble so. There was something about this pony, about her eyes, like she knew everything about her.

Applejack stopped. Draggle tried not to sigh in relief.

"Why are y'all doing this when ya don't want tah?"

"Huh?" Draggle looked at the silly beast, but made sure to avoid locking gazes with her. She wondered if she ought to back away, she'd seen how fast this one could move. "What do you mean, why? Hydia told me to, she said it was a way out of Tartarus, I mean!" She gulped. "Because that devil horse told us this was a way out if we helped him get his sister," pony and witch looked skyward to see a swollen crimson sun, flickers of darkness shooting across its surface, "and because my sis and mom, I mean Hydia, and I, are witches! We do evil things, it's what witches do!"

"Okay," Applejack said. She started to move closer. Draggle raised the hand holding the green flame threateningly, and AJ held her ground. "So yer a witch. Why do ya gotta do evil tah ponies an' other folks that never did ya any harm? Ah know a zebra, Zecora, some ponies still call her the Witch o' the Everfree. She helps ponies that ask her polite-like, she even comes ta have dinner with mah family every now an' then." Draggle lowered her hand, slightly. Applejack pressed on with, "Ah see it in your eyes. Ya don't like doin' this. Ya hate livin' like this. Don't ya want ta live some better way, so ya don't have ta spend all your time hidin' and sneakin' and being hated by everypony?"

Draggle hesitated. In her mind's eye she saw it all. The years of botched evildoing in Mount Gloom, the Smooze, the deal with Bumble and one more failure, and finally the destruction of Mount Gloom when her angry mother tried casting that one conjuration that summoned the angry mismatched monster that called itself Destruction... Everything seemed kind of hazy after that until they found themselves in Tartarus for what seemed like ages.

The devil horse. Promise of freedom and new life in exchange for aiding HIS escape. Hydia and Somnambula planning to control Morning Star and make him THEIR slave. Being set free with all the other inmates (where had Tirek gotten off to, anyhow? Oh well). And then having to mug an angry zebra for her cauldron, getting swatted around by mom -- again -- and pounded on by angry ponies.

Which reminded her....

"Why should I believe you?" Draggle muttered. "Ponies once promised to help me get away from Hydia and Reeka, and then they tricked me. Why should I believe you, this time?"

"Because Ah'm honesty," Applejack simply said. "An' Ah don't lie 'bout things like this." She stood her ground and said, "An' if that ain't enough for ya, Draggle, than y'all might as well blast me here an' now."

Draggle stared at her in shock.

Then her hand lashed out and the green fire flew right at Applejack.

The palomino neither flinched nor even closed her eyes. She stood right there, only wincing a little as the green flame cut her cheek. Draggle dropped to her knees. She's failed at everything, again. She didn't care if this pony kicked her head off, or the world froze, or Smooze-Hydia stepped on her. She just didn't want to feel -- like this, any more.

"Ya don't have tah." Applejack leaned forward and nuzzled her cheek, gently. Draggle held on to her neck and got back up as Applejack said, "Listen tah me. Ya help us out, an' stop doin' bad things for yore sis and mom, an I swear ta yah as an Element Bearer and an Apple, Ah''ll do everything I can tah help ya."

"P-promise?" Draggle asked weakly.

"Promise."

"Well, here goes nothing," said Applejack.

"Eeeyup," said Big Mac, with grim determination.

Applejack crept behind what little cover she could find, right up to the edge of the magical duel before she jumped out of hiding. "Hey, ugly!"

Hydia turned her head sharply, but when their eyes met, it was Applejack who recoiled, freezing up. "Who are you calling ugly, farm girl?" The witch grinned cruelly. "Maybe you'd rather be a cow! ... What the!?"

Applejack shuddered and backed away, wondering why she hadn't been blasted. "She's evil an' she knows it... Not an ounce of shame! How can people live like that?" A sudden chill got her attention finally... faint shadows were swirling around the battlefield, including three of them bearing down on Big Mac! "Get out of there! Run!"

Her brother looked around in confusion. "From what?"

"Just trust me and run!" She galloped right into their path, scuffing her hooves on the ground.

"She sees us. She knows us," said one of the pony shapes, in a hollow sounding voice.

"What... what in tarnation are you?" breathed Applejack, drawing away before they could touch her.

"We're nopony."

"We don't remember who we are, but you do."

"She has the Truth. She can tell us!"

"Tell us! Give it to us, or we'll take it!"

"Ah don't understand... Ah want to help, but Ah don't know what you want!" She tried staring them down, but the Truth failed her again... there wasn't any true or not true before her, just Nothing.

And then the Blank Wolf Pup appeared from nowhere with fury in his eyes, and she'd never been so glad to see him. "Go back!" he snarled, obliterating all three of the shades with one sweeping slash of his paw.

He turned to her, hesitant, guarded all of a sudden. "You are well? Untouched? ... Good."

Applejack panted, wondering how many new grey hairs she'd gotten today already. "Was there any way Ah could have helped them?"

The Wolf shook his head. "Not those. They no longer exist. They would have taken every memory you have to remember being alive for a few moments, but they can't hold on to anything." He growled faintly. "More are coming." He spun, ready to strike.

"Wait!" shouted Applejack. These shades, she *knew*... Rarity? Cherilee?! Her brother!?? She had to look frantically over her shoulder and see Big Mac... the real Big Mac, standing over there across the field alive and whole, before she stopped panicking. "What's going on? What are you ghosts trying to pull!?"

" . . . " The ghostly Cheerilee looked down sadly, "I'm not from your Cheerilee . . . I'm from the Cheerilee of the heart world . . . do you remember when Applebloom and the others used love poison on myself and Big Mac?"

"Yah, I remember," Applejack said. Her eyes went wide. "Wait, do y'all mean that -- you an' Big Mac were so changed ya were other ponies when that happened? An', an' when mah little sis and her friends broke the spell ya went ta..." She shuddered.

Cheerilee nodded sadly.

"Ee-yup," Big Mac said just as sadly. They nuzzled each other. Beyond them, a strange ghostly version of Fluttershy that looked half bat tried to eat an apple. Her jaws went through it with no effect. She hissed and looked at it sadly.

"Okay, but Rarity, how did y'all get here?" The ghostly Rarity looked away. Applejack went to touch her. Ghost-Rarity frantically motioned her away.

"Dont! I, I think it would hurt you somehow if we touched." She looked Applejack in the eyes, her gaze filled with infinite sadness, as she said, "I used a magic artifact in the Heart World. It let me do whatever I wanted, create whatever I wanted, but it got out of hoof... Spike broke the spell, and I ended up in the Land of Shades, beyond the last dusty door in the forgotten basement of Creation."

She looked away, at her draconic self of this world where she fought Toad-Dragon Reeka; the witch currently fleeing again as she realized that be she pony or dragon, Rarity remembered everything about her martial arts training. She sailed out of sight with a shriek as, with a wild roar for a kiai, Draco-Rarity flew what looked like half a mile to deliver a flying drop kick to her back.

"What," Applejack swallowed, "What can I do ta help ya?"

"Nothing," Ghost-Rarity said sadly. "What we are now, we will be forever and for whatever reaches beyond even that. But please, Applejack, let us help you..."

A scream broke out overhead. Three ghosts and one live pony looked skywards to see three odd flying creatures, like birds with dog heads, carrying a skinny, scrawny human woman with a large bow tied in wild red hair away overhead. They flew in the direction of Hydia and Somnambula. She kicked wildly and yelled for: "APPLEJACK! HEEEELLLP!"

"Oh dear!" Ghost-Cheerilee said. "That's poor Draggle! We talked a few times when we got a vacation to Tartarus, nice girl once you got her away from her mother and sister..."

"Yeah, an' Ah promised ta help her!" Applejack galloped after the flying Raptorians, calling as she did, "Hold on, Draggle! Ah'm a' comin'!"

Applejack produced a lasso and used it to grab one of the monkey headed things that had grabbed Draggle by the neck, pulling it sharply. The end result was the monkey getting launched into a tree and Applejack doing a diving save to catch Draggle. Crunch, who had been chasing after the creatures, leapt into the air and grabbed the other two, turning them to stone. Applejack swore she heard them say 'not again'.

Draggle looked at Applejack in disbelief. "You...you actually helped me?"

"Yeah, Ah promised tah, didn't Ah?"

"Yeah...it's just..."

"Ah know..." said AJ, a part of her feeling like it knew why Draggle felt this way other than just being told. "Draggle...Ah have one question...why WERE yah in Tartarus anyway?"

Draggle looked down sadly. "...I thought going there would finally make Hydia proud of me...After all, how much more evil can you get?"

"...Did it?"

Draggle shook her head. "No...it didn't...She said me and Reeka were just riding her coattails...It was weird...Havoc never did anything to me and Reeka but made Hydia stay in what was pretty much 'Heaven'...at least for a good person. For someone like her, it was Tartarus...but he didn't do anything to me and Reeka but make us stay around Hydia..."

Applejack sighed. "...Sounds like yer ma was literally your Tarartus...So even literally goin' tah Hell and back weren't enough fer her?"

"...No..."

"...Look, Ah don't believe in 'bad is good and good is bad' like Hydia, but a ma who's that down right rotten tah her kids don't deserve tah be called a ma..."

Draggle hated to admit it, but she gave a sigh. "...You're right...Reeka's never been a good sister either..."

"...Fluttercruel, that's Fluttershy's daughter...by Discord (not consensual) feels about the same about her pa...Blood don't mean everythin' and when an APPLE tells you that, yah know yer family is bucked up...uh...no offense..."

"None taken...She doesn't have Flume..."

"Pardon?"

Draggle looked over to her mother's fight with the heroes, which was still definitely in her favor. "She couldn't find any Flume while we were preparing for this."

"What does that mean?"

"If the Smooze doesn't have ALL it's ingredients ESPECIALLY the Flume, it's not COMPLETELY unstoppable...last time me and Reeka were too scared of the Flume to gather any and the Rainbow of Light made it...stop until it got Flume. I...think those Element thingies don't need the Rainbow to go back into it, so you'll be better off than Megan was."

"Ah gotcha...so that should mean the Elements will stop her in her tracks but...she ain't gonna hold still while we blast her if she knows that..."

Draggle sighed. "I'd help but...I'm a failure...I always have been..."

"A failure at dark magic you may be, but perhaps light magics will better suit thee?"

Draggle jumped, looking up at Zecora who'd appeared out of nowhere and panicking, backing up. "I'm sorry! I didn't want to mug you! Honest! I'm sorry!"

"I admit, I am not happy, but for an apology meant true I can be sappy." Zecora reached behind her back and produced a spell book, handing it to the female witch. "This book is quite old, but contains a bit of light magic so I'm told. To a unicorn it is nothing but a silly mares tale, but to a witch true it's magic may not fail. A unique spark of magic is what it needs, the kind that lay in the blood you bleed."

Draggle opened the spell book slowly and looked through it. "...Applejack...can you buy me a little time?"

"Sure...need tah get Rarity back and Fluttershy back tah use the Elements...Draggle, are you sure yah want tah do this?"

Draggle nodded slowly. "Never been sure of much...but I am of this...I want to be me...not Hydia and not Reeka."

"Alright...Zecora...where did yah get..."

"I travel to many places both near and far, I have a collection of many things that are quite bizarre. This one I discovered in a strange little mushroom forest not too far away, where relatives of Angel bunny still do stay."

Applejack nodded slowly. "Alright...well, Ah need tah get goin'...good luck Draggle..."

"Thanks...Good luck Applejack..."

"Miss Zecora, I am here to serve you by our Queen Sweetie Belle's command." A white changeling landed and bowed.

Meanwhile Spike was brought back another of Sweetie's five minions to the CMC plus Silver Spoon, still knocked out by Draggle.

Meanwhile, three white changelings flew to Rari-Dragon and Spoke, "Duchess Rarity, your sister sends us to serve you in battle."

And Timber wolf Applebloom bark, "Sweetie, Chrysalis taught ya dark magic right? You got anythin' to help?"

The Blank Wolf Pup darted across the battlefield, picking off fleeing shades before they got too far from the rift. Erased ponies, stray memories, defeated marey sues... all had to be accounted for.

A ghostly purple unicorn stepped brazenly into his path, horn glowing. "We meet again!"

The Pup braced himself, but the fireball spell that once would have blown a house into flaming timber... merely ruffled his fur a bit. "Twilight Ember," he recalled, mildly annoyed.

"Darn it!" cried the dimension-hopping psychopath. "I was so close!"

"No, really, you weren't."

"All the knowledge of every world could have been mine!" she shouted, going on with her rant anyway.

The Pup sighed. "Well, they say, 'No harm no foul.'"

Twilight Ember looked suddenly hopeful.

"That doesn't apply to you. I'm sorry, it was a poor attempt at humor." He sent the shade screaming back to the lightless world before she could tire his ears further.

She didn't have far to go, the Pup realized. He'd reached the rift itself. As he approached, another draconequus appeared in a flash of fire. "Hey, Blank Wolf! ... You look different."

He blinked. "Lord Anarchy? You are here as well?"

The Spirit of Freedom grinned sharply. "Is that a personality I see in there? Got a little free will going? I like it! Yeah, it's a huge pain, but dad wants that thing closed ASAP, so stop mooning over your special somepony and help me out here."

"What? You... you misunderstand, Lord Anarchy. She is not..."

Anarchy laughed. "What, you think *I* mind? Go for it! Be all that you can be." In a flash, he was saluting the Pup, wearing a bizarre mishmash of an army uniform and a tie-dyed hippie outfit, complete with a giant peace-sign necklace. "Say, if you need a little pony to wolf enchantment on the side..."

The wolf face-pawed. "No. Thank you."

"Hey, I'm just teasing. Okay, you keep the shades off my back while I seal this thing. Well, come on! Ni no PONI isn't going to play itself."

In the shadows of some trees ear the battle between Smooze-Hydia, Somnambula, and the heroes, a twisted and insectlike form hissed in fury.

"Oh, come on!" Ex-Queen Chrysalis hissed as she looked at her reflection in piece of broken glass. She saw slit pupil eyes, a dark carapace now studded with spikes making her look even uglier, and that motheaten mane and tail. "I turned into my TRUE form before I died! How can I look like this again?" Green fire consumed her and she smiled -- before she shrieked to see herself now looking like a mangy, gaunt, broken-bodied version of Cadence. "No, no, NO!"

She shifted again and again, changing into other ponies she'd seen. She became a mad-eyed, blood-soaked Pinkie Pie; a horribly scarred Rarity, covered in burns from dragonfire; and a pale as death, covered in disease-induced sores Fluttershy.

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?!? Why can't I take beautiful forms any more?" Chrysalis looked at the ponies and snarled. "They did this to me, Maua -- somehow! And if those witches are going to hurt them, then they're on my side." Wings buzzing, she flew to were Somambula stood, stopping just long enough to smile down at the withering Celestia.

"You're dying a long and miserable death?" Chrysalis sneered and spat on her. "Good! I just wish it hurt more, Celestia!" She looked up and saw Somnambula watching her warily.

"What are you?" The witch said, "One of Morning Star's pet monsters?"

"Pet?!?" Chrysalis snarled into her face. She hovered over Somnambula, snapping, "I am Queen Chrysalis, witch! I nearly conquered Equestria..."

"Who hasn't in this universe?" The witch jeered back. "And aren't you the one I heard the other prisoners talking about, the bug pony that got beaten by love, of all things?" She cackled. "I thought killing by overfeeding only worked with goldfish!"

Chrysalis fought down a desire to bite out her throat and said, "And then the ponies killed me with treachery, before I could set my Changelings over the miserable beasts and make dear little Sweetie Belle," she felt odd inside when she said that, a strange sort of pain, "into my heir as the next Changeling Queen. And now," she shapeshifted back into her crippled Cadence form, "now they've done THIS to me! I can't shapeshift properly any more, I HATE those ponies!" She dropped back down on the ground. "I want revenge on them, let me help you with this."

"You can't shapeshift any more because you're damned to Tartarus, dearie," Somnambula mocked. "You can only become horrible things." She pointed at the fight where Smooze-Hydia battled two unicorn mares, that Twilight wretch and a blue-maned white one that looked oddly familiar. "So if you want to help, go and be horrible to those two until I figure out how to drain his power," she jerked her thumb at young Morning Star where he battled Coffee Swirl, "for us."

Chrysalis snarled at her before she flew off at the two ponies.

Twilight ducked away from one massive tendril. "Shiny, watch out! I think we've got a chance now that most of the Tartarus escapees are gone --" She whinnied in pain as Chrysalis slammed into her, cutting a shallow wound along her side with her jagged hacksaw of a horn.

Twilight stared at her in shock. "You!"

"Hi, Twilight," Chrysalis smiled down at her.

"Miss me?"

Before Chrysalis could menace Twilight any further, Shining caught her in a shield bubble. The former changeling queen thrashed, but Shining squeezed the bubble tight, not giving her an inch of room to move. "This magic... you!? Hah... Hahaha! What joke is this?"

Shining glared, reshaping her hammer into a giant croquet mallet. "I think we've said everything that needs to be said already, so... buzz off!" Then she whacked the shield ball clear across the field.

Sweetie Belle saw it go bouncing past and forgot all about the spell she was helping Zecora prepare. "Chrysy!!" She lifted off the ground and flew after it.

Applebloom the timber-wolf did a double-take. "Hey, wait up!" She and Scootalo took off after her.

Twilight smirked. "So, how long have you been saving that one?"

Shining hung her head. "I thought of it *after* the battle."

--
The shield bubble dissolved when it got out of Shining's range, leaving Chrysalis to tumble to a stop, then struggle to stand, madder than ever. "We won't be mocked or put off. Will we, Maua? I'll never stop until..." Her eyes grew wide. "Sweetie..."

"Let me handle this," Sweetie Belle urged her friends, before she crossed the last few yards.

She stared, taking in the young white Changeling queen, and her gryphon and timber wolf friends. "What is this fad? Has the world gone mad? That nag, Cadence, she stole my shapeshifting power and gave it to everyone! Is that it?"

Sweetie looked a little sheepish. "Poison joke, actually..."

"Oh, Sweetie..." She came closer, but didn't quite dare touch her, not knowing what harm it could do. "You were supposed to become a glorious alicorn, not a hideous bug like I was."

"Don't say that! Changelings are beautiful! I wanted to stay like this... but Rarity says I have to change back."

Chrysalis stumbled, not quite believing her ears. "No one could possibly call me beautiful now, thanks to your *friends*. But you... you actually want... Well, then, so what if your sister tells you no? If you want it, you should seize it!"

"But... she said, no desserts for *six months*..."

The damned queen began to laugh, almost hysterical. "Desserts? Desserts?! You fool... raise a whole army of servants! Have them bring you all the desserts you desire! *You* have the power now."

Sweetie Belle stamped her hoof. "No! What good is all the power in Equestria if I lose my family and my friends?"

Chrysalis recoiled, shaking. Slowly, her expression changed. Her features shifted in flickers of green fire, becoming those of a wounded and weary zebra. "Now I see," she spoke, her mane obscuring her eyes. "Sweetie Belle, you were too good for me. Fate has had her say, but one last card I have to play." She laid a hoof on Sweetie Belle's shoulder. "I give you all my love."

Somnambula frowned. First she was only able to summon a fragment of Morning Star, that while powerful in its own right, wasn't powerful enough for her. Then, after she had managed to recruit Chrysalis, that filly-turned-changeling managed to quickly put an end to that.

"Oh well. I might not be able to win this anymore, but I can at least make sure their victory comes at a heavy cost," she thought. She then turned to Celestia, who was now a shadow of her former glory. "Even if I can't get what I want anymore, I can still drain you of all of your life force, Princess."

Just then, however, a voice yelled, "I SAY THEE NAY!!!" as a dark blue beam of magic struck her jewel, causing her to lose all of the youth that she had stolen as she suddenly found herself face to face with a very angry Princess Luna.

And back with the two changeling queens.

Chrysalis could feel her own love flow into Sweetie Belle, if she could not convince her to follow her, then they would still be together. Sweetie needed to feel pure power to understand her true destiny.

Suddenly the love stopped flowing.

"Wha… What? I didn’t do anything!" the fallen Changeling Queen could not believe it. Was Fate mocking her once more? It felt just like…

"Maua? Do you stop me from feeding myself to her? But why?" In pure confusion her body shifted into a wounded version of Cocoon’s young form.

Sweetie Belle took the chance to rush forward. From her brief time as a Changeling she understood what Chrysalis wanted to do.

"I do not want to devour your love… I want to share my love with you… I want both of us together."

The Changeling Queen staggered back in confusion.

Meanwhile Morning Star looked at the injuries on his body that refused to heal as now two ponies were fighting against him, one that was already dead. Signing he teleported away from Swirl and Squire much to their frustration, they were running out of time.

Somnambula suddenly found herself face to face with the fallen Alicorn. Luna quickly rushed to the side of her sister. Celestia was in a horrible condition but Morning Star only had his eyes on Somnambula.

"I do certainly approve of your work. You do work hard and the youth you took from others was hard earned. Many have fallen to you. But why are you LOUDLY TALKING ABOUT TAKING MY POWERS??? I am disappointed. You can not betray Betrayal itself, you can not deceive Deception itself, we are already one."

The witch panicked as the Alicorn let his blade created from solid energy hover before himself playfully.

"I… I can explain! I…"

"You just had to ask my dear." The Alicorn said politely and suddenly plunged the sword into his own body.

Somnambula and Luna could only stare in shock as the body disintegrated. Yet the sword remained behind. Suddenly the witch knelt over in pain.

"I can feel it! Yes, give me more! Give me everything you have!!!" she said feeling something flow into herself.

Her body began to restore itself to its prime, her youth was fully hers again. It was the happiest moment of her entire life. The power was absolutely overwhelming, it enveloped her in a bright embrace.

As the light vanished Morning Star had taken her place, now slightly older and his wounds healed thanks to the evil he had absorbed.

"Thou ... our fallen brother has returned." Luna stood between him and her sister.

The discarded sword on the ground suddenly was flung forward by telekinesis when suddenly two ponies moved behind the Alicorn of the Moon.

Both Swirl and Squire together were barely able to deflect the energy sword, preventing it from impaling the Princess from behind.

Swirl grunted, hefting the antique blade up again and choosing not to comment on how out of date Luna's speaking was. "You really don't know how to take a hint and just die, do you?"

"Be silent, mortal! You address a-"

"A pompous, full of himself wind-bag who will never learn his lesson." And, for his interruption, Swirl was blasted back by a more powerful version of the despair blast Morning Star had hit Gryphon Dash with. His coat dulled in color for a moment and Squire's translucent form (only linked to the world for it's short time by Swirl's will-powered spell) flickered dangerously. But the hues returned to normal and Squire remained on the mortal coil for a short time longer as the pegasus stood back up. "Yeah, hate to break it to ya, but trying to make a pony that already loathes himself feel bad about all his mistakes is a wasted effort, 'Perfection'."

Author's Note

Pinkie Pie, "WOW! It's like the WHOLE UNIVERSE suddenly just STOPPED for a little bit! But it's okay. I think we cleaned things thing out. Now let's get these trouble makers back to Tartarus until they're ready to say they're sorry!"

4th Wall Breaking Variety Show Gallery. http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/gallery/42867862/Pinkie-Pie-Forth-Wall-Breaking-Variety-Show

What you put in the comments appears in the story.

Nopony besides me can see beyond the fourth wall or interact with it and I can't spill the beans about us being out-and-out fiction to the others.

The camera can't leave the studio.

The characters can be from any generation, toy or comic but they have to be from "My little Pony"

Everything that happens here is non-canon (except the Tartarus break out thingie, but not the big battle).

Have Fun

Keep the number of characters in the studio in the single digit range. Seriously. Don't let it overload. TERRIBLE THINGS will happen if you do.

Banner by Kendell2.

MLP FIM Copyright Hasbro

ADDITIONS BY:
Jarkes and MtangaLion and Alex Warlorn
Kendell2
SomeRandomMinion
Alex Warlorn
dragon-of-twilght
Kendell2 and MtangaLion and a tiny bit by Alex Warlorn
Ardashir
ANOTHER BY Ardashir, this one placed before Lion's last post! Read it there.
Kendell2 and Alex Warlorn
MtangaLion
Ardashir
MtangaLion
JMCDavid and ItsFromPeople
dragon-of-twilght
Yoshiegg64