Friendship is Magic

Recent events were troubling me.  I was still very new to this whole friendship thing and I really didn't know how to help Fluttershy, despite my desire to do so.  The poor girl had been in a constant depression since Rainbow had left and I knew I had to fix this before Rainbow left Ponyville for good.

Celeste had been one of the most popular girls in school, to such a degree that it would make Rarity green with envy.  Yet, she had never let any of that go to her head, remaining just as sweet and kind as she had always been.  She did everything she could to help all of her friends and had seen everything from break-ups to a rather unfortunate prom night accident involving her best friend, a car, and too much alcohol.

She would know what to do.

I met her on the astral plane, wanting training in some of the more difficult spells that I hadn't mastered on my own.  I tried my hardest to pay attention while she explained and demonstrated the aura analysis technique that would help me identify the final two Elements.  Unfortunatly, I found my mind returning to Fluttershy.  That girl, in such a fragile emotional state, might do something tragic.

“-So you can use this spell to see the level of energy in an opponent or anybody else you might be curious about.”  Celeste pointed to her dimly glowing eyes. “And, the best part is that it doesn't use that much magical energy.”

She blinked, “Twilight, are you listening to me?”

I wasn't.

“Twilight?”

I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my ear, snapping me back to the present moment. “Huh?”

“Twilight Sparkle, I can't believe you.  You ask me out here to teach you about Aura Analysis and the Stella Magna technique and you're not even paying attention.  What's with you?”

I sighed, “Sorry.  I can't figure out what to do with Fluttershy and Rainbow.  I feel so guilty.”

She gave me a sympathetic smile. “It's not your fault.  If their friendship is true, they'll find a way to fix it, but they'll need your help and the help of the others.”

“I hope you're right.” I told my sister.

Celeste rubbed her hands together energetically. “Alright, let's finish up here so you can get to bed.  You have school in the morning.”

I shook my head. “I'm not going.”

Celeste's jaw dropped, “What?”  The thought that I was considering skipping school was incredible.

“Fluttershy's terrified that Rainbow will leave before they have a chance to fix their friendship.  I have to find her and convince her to, at least, sit down and talk with us.”

I heard a low snore behind me and turned to find my sister sitting on the ground, pretending to sleep.  I seized her shirt and shook her violently.  “Oh, so now you're not listening to me?”

Celeste grinned, “Do you see how uncomfortable it is when you're talking and no one is listening?  Besides, Mom and Dad will skin you alive if they find out you've skipped.”

I snorted, “Rarity's school president so she can justify our absences.”

She hugged me, “Alright, I think we're done for tonight.  Go to bed, go to school tomorrow, and give Spike my love.”

I groaned as I sat up and looked out the window.  I had to find some way to convince Rainbow to stay.  For Fluttershy's sake.  I shuddered at the memory of the look in her eyes as she made her threat, promising retribution for stealing Fluttershy away from her.

x----x

Alone in her house, Rainbow sat in the dark with her legs pulled up against her chest, face pressed to her knees.

“Why couldn't things have stayed the way they were?”

She glanced over at the lightning bolt pendant that her idol had given her three years before. “Where were you when I needed you the most, Soarin?”

x----x

Pinkie waved happily as she spotted Rarity and Fluttershy. “Here I am!”

Rarity took a moment from her impromptu manicure to shoot her a glare, “Keep it down.” She rocked her head towards Fluttershy, who sat, hunched over, with her face in her hands.

“Is she still crying?”

“After ending such a treasured relationship, I'd be surprised if she wasn't.”

Pinkie skipped up to Fluttershy and pulled the girl into a tight embrace. “Don't worry.  Rainbow won't forget all of the good times she spent with you.”

Fluttershy sniffled, nodding slightly. “You're right.”

“Unless, of course,” Pinkie continued, “she gets new friends, forgets all about you, and never wants to see you again.”

Fluttershy froze, hyperventalating, before breaking down and crying harder than before.

“Oh, well done Pinkie.”  Rarity observed, dryly, putting a comforting arm around Fluttershy.

x---x

I ran as fast as I could, mentally kicking myself for oversleeping.  I had gotten Rainbow's address from Fluttershy and had intended to meet the girl before she had a chance to leave.  Now, it was nearly mid-morning and I had to hurry or I would miss her.

It was simultaneously a rush and a relief when I saw the distinctive rainbow mane bobbing towards me.  I slowed my stride as the girl passed me, not even breaking hers.

“Hey, Rainbow.  I need to talk to you.”

“Well, I don't want to talk to you.”  She retorted.

“Rainbow, please.  Fluttershy's devastated.  She doesn't want you to leave.  None of us do.”

“Why should I care what she wants?  Why should I care about her when she didn't care enough to do like I wanted and stay away from you?”

“You don't understand.  All of this is just a huge misunderstanding.”  I reached out and grabbed her arm, spinning her to face me.

“Let me go!  I'm running late!  I gotta go meet Nightingale and Descent.  We're leaving today.”

“You're not going anywhere until I've had my say and you've talked to Fluttershy.”

“I told you, I want nothing to do with her.  I don't associate with those I leave behind.”

“Do you hear yourself?  How could you talk about her as if she was some kind of stray animal?  I can understand you wanting to be her friend, but it's not fair that you forbid her from seeing anyone else.”

“I...”

“Shut up!  I'm not done speaking yet!  She wasn't the only one we wanted to be friends with.  We wanted to be with both of you.”

I saw it.  Her conviction faltered at that revelation and she stopped trying to pull away.  For a moment, I felt relief, but, then I felt a cold draft pass over me and Rainbow's body went completely rigid.

“Rainbow?  Are you okay?”

She shoved away from me, stumbling back a few steps. “You...you took her...away from me.”  She mumbled, holding her head.

The cold draft became a frigid wind and I knew something was wrong.  Celeste had told me that I couldn't use the gem in everyday situations, but she reminded me that I was, in fact, a unicorn.  I could use a bit of magic whenever I wanted.  I just needed to be wearing my horn.  Quickly, I dug the headband out of my bag and settled it over my hair.  Concentrating, I began to see Rainbow's Aura.

It was a weak, sickly green with a pale blue just beneath.

Celeste had explained the significance of auras colors to me.  The brighter and more intense the hue, the more natural and powerful the aura.  Rainbow's natural blue aura was being surpressed.  She was being controlled by outside forces.

“Rainbow!  Resist them!  I can help you!”

Her eyes snapped to me and her expression twisted into a mask of rage and hate.

The impact knocked the wind from me and threw me to the pavement.  She straddled me, wrapped her hands around my neck, and began to squeeze.

I squirmed, trying to throw her off.  “Ra...Rain...bow...I...c-can't...breathe.”

The aura was eminating from the strange crescent moon pendant she wore.  The pendant was the source of the control.  If I could get that thing away from her, she would realize what she was doing and stop.  I tried to move my hands, tried to reach up to take it from her, but my wrists were trapped beneath her legs.

The sound of blood, throbbing in my ears, was deafening.  My vision was growing fuzzy and darkening at the edges.  Rainbow was going to murder me, right here in the middle of the street.  My stuggles began to grow weak as my oxygen-deprived brain began to shut down.

Dying really sucks when you're smart enough to know exactly what was going on.

“Once you're gone,” Rainbow sneered, “she'll come back to me.”

Somebody...anybody...help...me...please.

The pressure was suddenly released as Rainbow launched back.  Greedily, I sucked in air as my brain began to function once more.  My head was pounding and I became slightly dizzy as I sat up.

Standing directly before me was a powerfully-built blonde in a brown stetson hat.

Applejack.

“Good thing Ah decided to take the scenic route today.  What gives, half-pint?  Doncha know killin's against the law?”

Rainbow flipped, regaining her feet. “Stay outta this, bumpkin!  This ain't any of your business!”

Applejack let out a dry laugh. “Nah.  Normally, Ah don't go against girls, but somebody's gotta teach ya some manners, midget.”

Her words only served to anger Rainbow further. “How dare you insult me?!”

Removing her stetson, Applejack dropped it into my lap. “Hold on ta mah hat, will ya, sugar?  'Atta, girl.”

I had seen kung-fu movies before, with Spike, but what I saw was insane.  Neither girl seemed to stop moving as they tried to out-maneuver each other, simultaneously delivering and blocking blows.  Applejack depended on her superior size and strength while Rainbow seemed to blur through any hole the blonde left open.  Both opponents were equally matched.

Rainbow leaped up and aimed a devestating kick at Applejack's head, which was immediately blocked.  Rainbow flipped back, landing on her hands, and let out a second kick, which was dodged.  She flipped back to her feet and leaped at Applejack, who flipped back and caught Rainbow's stomach with a booted foot, launching the girl several meters.

“Don't hurt her!” I cried.

“Tryin' to, but that girl's fast as a monkey and twice as pesky.”

“No, you don't understand.  She's being controlled.  That pendant around her neck has a magic spell that makes her act like that.”

Applejack gave me an incredulous look.  “Magic?  Like witchcraft and stuff?  That's all hogwash!”

She looked up to see Rainbow regaining her feet.

“No way,” the blonde muttered. “I've put guys three times her size on the ground till mornin' with that.”

Rainbow charged again and Applejack swung a fist, trying to connect with the back of Rainbow's head.  Rainbow slid between the girl's legs, reversed direction, sprang up, and grabbed the girl's wrists, pulling her arms behind her back and bracing herself with a knee between Applejack's shoulders.

The move was a complete surprise, judging by the look on Applejack's face.  She glanced back at Rainbow, doubt crossing her expression.  I knew she was beginning to believe me.

Suddenly, she threw herself back, slamming Rainbow into the ground and forcing her to release her arms  Applejack rolled off of her and landed in a crouch.

“Sorry, kid,” she said to me. “But I ain't lookin' to go out today.  I gotta win by any means necessary.”