The Alicorn Swear

The Cutie Mark Crusaders galloped excitedly towards Twilight’s library, where they hoped to get her permission to visit that strange place she went to a few weeks ago. From what they heard, it was called ‘Earth’ and it was inhabited by all these creatures who looked like ponies they knew from Ponyville, but looked nothing like ponies at all. They really wanted to see it with their own eyes, though. “Are you sure she’ll let us go?” Scootaloo asked Applebloom.

“I’m pretty sure she will,” Applebloom replied. “It’s not like there’s anything for us to mess up there.”

“Try telling that to Rarity,” Sweetie Belle said sarcastically. “I can’t even draw without getting in trouble.”

“You did use up all her special jewels in that drawing,” Scootaloo commented.

“That’s not the point! I-”

“Girls!” Applebloom shouted, coming to a stop. “Odds are she won’t even consider letting us go if we’re bickering and showing a poor attitude.”

“Applebloom’s right,” Sweetie Belle said. “If we’re going anywhere, we’re going to have to get along for once.”

“Fine,” Scootaloo said. “But Rarity still had reason to get angry at you.”

Sweetie Belle was about to start the argument again, but Applebloom’s glare silenced her. “C’mon,” the farm filly said. “We’re almost there.” The three fillies then started again for the library, only at a grinding trot rather than an excited gallop.

Meanwhile, Twilight was at the library, reading through a book she had never read until now because it was one of the ones on the top row that Spike’s ladder could never reach. Her new wings had some practical uses. “My, my,” she said to herself while reading the book. “This has to be the second most interesting thing I’ve ever read from a book. This spell has to be beyond the skill of even Starswirl the Bearded...” She continued reading for a little while before the door behind her flew open with the three fillies standing on the other side.

“HI TWILIGHT!” the three shouted in unison, startling the alicorn so much, she actually fell out of her chair. (Thanks for the new sitting technique, Lyra, but I think I’ll go back the traditional way of sitting. It’s more... stable.)

“Girls,” Twilight said, getting up, “what in Equestria are you doing here?”

“We wanted to ask you something, Twilight,” Scootaloo said. “Is there any chance we could come with you on your next trip to the Crystal Empire and visit that new world you found beyond that magic mirror?”

“Absolutely not,” Twilight said. “It’s incredibly dangerous, especially for little fillies.”

“Are you sure?” Sweetie Belle asked, putting on her best kawaii face. Twilight just shook her head, causing the fillies to hang their heads in disappointment. Just then, Sweetie Belle noticed the new book on the table. “Hay, Twilight, what’s in that book? I’ve never seen it in here before.”

“This?” Twilight asked, levitating the book in front of the fillies. “This is a new book I recently found on the top shelf.” She flapped her wings a little when she said this as though to silently thank them for the seventh time. “It contains spells that are far beyond the magic of even the great unicorn Starswirl the Bearded. I was just reading this one spell called ‘The Alicorn Swear.’ It’s probably the most powerful one in this whole book.”

All three of the fillies’ eyes widened when they heard Twilight say that last sentence. “What does it do?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“I’m not sure, actually.” Twilight took a second to read the spell again. “It says here that it can be cast on groups of ponies.” Suddenly, an evil smile that just shouted ‘one-way express ticket to an insane asylum’ crept across Twilight’s face. “Do you little fillies want a chance to get your cutie marks as test subjects?” The three stopped listening after Twilight said ‘cutie marks’ and excitedly nodded their heads. “Good. Just stand right there and I’ll do the rest. Actually, can you stand over there in the back of the room in case the spell flies out the door and into the town.” Not breaking their smiles, the three sidestepped all the way around the room to the back.

“Fire when ready, Twilight,” Applebloom said.

“Wait, what did volunteer for, again?” Scootaloo asked.

“Here goes the spell,” Twilight said. She then took a deep breath and read the spell right from the book while casting it on the fillies. ”Your mother is a... *cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored** gives a flying feather... cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored...”* As Twilight was saying this, Sweetie Belle’s mouth was wide open in shock and horror at what her friend was saying. ”...buck... *cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored** ...the almighty flank of Princess Celestia... cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored...”* At this point, Applebloom had wadded up her bow and started biting down hard on it to try to escape the pain of Twilight’s spell. ”...Sunset Shimmer... *cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored** the Gates of Tartarus... cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored...”* Scootaloo was in so much pain, she actually started biting her scooter. ”...in a land far beyond the Everfree Forest where the only collective intention of every single creature there is to... *cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored** *insert Slender jumpscare here* cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored Peeeeeeeeeeewdiepie... cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored...”* At this point, the three fillies were struggling to stay conscious. Actually, they would have let themselves fall into painless unconsciousness if the spell hadn’t kept them from doing so. ”...giving a flying feather... *cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored** Gak, arrow to the knee, and grumpy cat will all... cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored Princess and Principal Celestia getting together and... cencored cencored cencored soup... cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored flying feather... cencored the Doctor... cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored *insert another Slender jumpscare here* cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored cencored censored censored censored censored with a parasprite on Tuesday!”* After finishing the spell, Twilight placed the book back on the table and exhaled loudly. “That wasn’t so bad. How’d it go, girls?” Twilight looked over to find three craters in the middle of which each of the Crusaders lay. “Oh my gosh! Are you three okay?”

The three fillies slowly crawled out of their respective craters, groaning in pain. “Oh, that hurt so much,” Sweetie Belle said.

“I think I got a glimpse of the afterlife,” Scootaloo said, lying on her back and staring up at the ceiling.

“Did there have to be Slender jumpscares?” Applebloom asked, struggling to crawl up to Twilight. “They reminded me of that bad fanfic agent_cupcakes wrote that the three of us were in that one time. Wait a second...” Applebloom quickly shook off the pain and looked at her flank. “Did I get my cutie mark as a test subject?”

Blank.

“Same here,” Sweetie Belle said.

“I can’t believe we did that for nothing,” Scootaloo added.

“You didn’t do it for nothing,” Twilight said with a smile. “The three of you helped me with a scientific breakthrough. Imagine the possibilities of this spell. Why, Canterlot wouldn’t even need a Royal Guard and Equestria wouldn’t even need the Elements of Harmony with how powerful this spell is. Aren’t you girls as excited as I am?” The three fillies just stared at Twilight with angry expressions.

About an hour later, the three fillies trotted happily out of the library. “Thanks for everything, Twilight,” Applebloom called. “See ya soon!”

Twilight tried to respond, but she was badly beaten, her hooves and wings bound tightly, and she was gagged with at least four gags. “Hang on, girls,” Scootaloo said as the three were about to leave the building. The flightless pegasus trotted back into the library, picked up the book that contained the Alicorn Swear spell, and carried it out of the library. “This is going in the lake.” The three fillies giggled and began trotting towards the lake.

“Hay,” Sweetie Belle said. “While we’re at the lake, we should try to get our cutie marks in fishing.”

“Sounds like a good idea,” Applebloom said. The three fillies then happily trotted off towards the lake, giggling amongst themselves at Sweetie Belle’s idea.