The Legend Of The Lonely Ladybug

Dodging A Rainbow

Along Princess Luna's shift came the newest night. During the dark hours almost everypony was spending their time just for what it meant to them; sleep.

Unless watching the canvas of the sky attracted them.

Far below this sight a different sort of light emitted yellow flickers. In the dark a long tongue extended outwards to snatch a roasted onion, retracted quickly when it's owner gained a grip on the snack pierced by his stick. Spike retracted the prehensile tongue back in his mouth. The baby dragon snickered while swallowing the onion.

From aside Twilight was heard chuckling. "Oh, Spike! Learn some eating manners!"

Twilight, Spike, Applejack, Faith and Fluttershy had gathered some distance away from her cottage, long sticks roasting apples, vegetables and marshmallows over the crackling flames of a camp fire.

Beside the fire Faith recalled the same day's evening during which Twilight, Spike and the other mares paid Fluttershy a visit. All sorts of fun activity had been arranged for him to participate in ranging from playing board games to helping Fluttershy collect honey from the bee hives, a task that he had managed the best. Even before that the two pegasus had enjoyed each other's company while taking care of her animals.

There was nothing fancy about it, just ponies spending time together. It had been a great day.

Beside him Fluttershy watched the sky, her front limb wrapped around Faith's own hoof. Slightly glancing at her, the stallion felt grateful for the change of plans that the mare had helped set in motion.

"I used to stare at the stars all the time when alone," he revealed, "Some of the most beautiful sights that I've ever put my eyes upon."

A hoof reached around to gently touch his other cheek. Faith's focus shifted away from the stars to reveal Fluttershy's eyes that reflected the opposite horizon, a detail enhanced by a loving look on the mare's face. It was pointed to him. She pressed herself closer, another hoof wrapping around his torso.

"You're hard to top," a soft voice whispers just loud enough for him to hear it.

Relaxing by her side, Faith sighed calmly. Even with his future remaining uncertain he would at least have some friends capable of helping him face it.

***

Light descended upon the land the following day.

Far from Ponyville a forest clearing acted as a momentary pit stop to somepony. A wagon that somepony used to travel had been parked near the edge of the grassy open space right near the edge of the woods. Littered around it were many varieties of tools and equipment spanning from clay containers to boxes filled with fireworks and parts of an unassembled stage, all neatly organized by their owner.

Near this wagon a table was set up. Grayish steam was evaporating from within a small pot heated by a candle flame. An aged looking book was resting opened next to it, easily big enough to take up considerable amount of space. More clay containers had been fit neatly aside that, their contents used in a still ongoing experiment.

Her attention at the book, a blue coated mare unicorn with a bright silver mane was studying the information held within the worn pages, each one turning by itself in front of her eyes under the influence of yellow magic. Eventually glancing at the bubbling green mush inside the pot, the yellow light intensified. Almost immediately a utensil surrounded by a glowing aura of the same color appeared to dip itself to the liquid, scooping a sample.

The unicorn turned her attention to a rose conveniently placed on the table. As soon as she had looked at it the plant lit up in a new yellow aura and was lifted upwards, eventually stopping in mid-air aside the utensil which immediately poured the concoction on the petals. The liquid drizzled, covering up the entire tip and parts of the flower's trunk as gravity made it seep down. The mare rubbed her chin, waiting for an expected reaction. Yet the flower remained unresponsive.

"For flying feathers! Still not working," the grey pony shouted disappointedly at the insignificant results. The plant and the utensil dropped to the ground in front of the table when her attention shifted back to the book. Scanning through the ingredient list with a hoof, her brows descended.

"Might need more volcanic ash," she told herself half-obliviously, a yellow aura surrounding one of the containers which the mare started opening.

At the ground the rose was lying on it's side, a luminant green glow now visible where the concoction had covered it.

The unprepared unicorn was startled by an abrupt noise and yanked the lid. The sudden pull flung it several feet up in the air. Because of the sudden change of pressure the dust held within the container followed. Once the cloud settled the mare had become covered in a fine grey layer from tip to hoof.

She wasn't noting it, instead looking down at what had now caught her attention. Where the flower had been moments ago a smoldering black spot remained, apparently from the parts of the plant not touched by the substance. Quickly cleaning off the dust, the mare circled around the desk to assess what remained of her guinea pig.

A wide grin eventually set upon her.

From the call of her horn a medallion floated into view from somewhere among the unicorn's random possessions and settled on an outstretched hoof, a blood red ruby etched to the middle of the amulet depicting a winged golden serpent arched in a coil. She moved it over the plant's last position. The ruby lit up akin to a detector, a promising reaction to it's owner.

Taking the golden chain to both hooves, the mare slipped the medallion around her neck and proceeded to close her eyes. A whining noise soon began to emanate and increased in volume, the centre of the ruby glowing bright.

Before the mare's hooves the spot where the plant disappeared became occupied by a materializing green mist seemingly under the amulet's control. After hearing a loud puff she found the plant at it's original position upon looking down.

"It works! It works!", the unicorn shouted excitedly, her eyes now standing wider.

Without hesitation she used the medallion again. Akin to the first time, the flower melted away. Compressing, the mist took flight to relocate itself a distance away. With a new puff of smoke the rose was re-revealed.

The purpose of the experiment had wielded it's first success; to make test objects jump between two spaces.

An ecstatic chuckle left the mouth of Trixie, an individual best known for awing ponies with her traveling show and outlandish claims of sorcery that some had disproved. Some time ago she had suffered a loss when an enraged Ursa Minor destroyed her other carriage but had acquired a new one by earning enough bits with her skills of improvisation and was seemingly again doing well as a traveling magician.

"With this recipe Trixie can turn her stage props semi magical. Top that, Twilight Sparkle!", the show mare exclaimed with an overly cocky laugh. Said laugh came to sudden stand. "Hold on, Trixie," she continued nervously, "It still needs testing before I can use it. That was only a small test subject. I need something bigger, something equally alive."

Scanning her surroundings in a search for a new guinea pig, Trixie soon spotted a boulder that stood out half-embedded from the ground in the middle of the grassy field. A noticeable cover of algae and long ivy vines grew outwards from it's surface. Suddenly glowing yellow, the boulder began to rise from it's half-buried position, plants and sediment torn apart when it heaved itself upwards.

Nearby Trixie bit her teeth. Despite being easily capable of lifting a full-grown pony what she now attempted to move almost equalled three stallions in weight if not more. So far her plan had been successful. The boulder was free from it's earthy binds, almost weightless in look as it floated higher in mid-air, a dangerous misperception to anypony caught underneath it.

"Come on, you big piece of rock! Come to momma," Trixie uttered from under her shaky breathing, having spent a lot of energy in uprooting the boulder.

In a quick forward movement the heavy natural object was brought towards the mare wizardess.

Way too quickly. Trixie's eyes shrunk and she leapt sideways when her test subject came crashing down on the spot she had stood at only a second ago, skidding to a halt a few meters away, a long dragging mark remaining as evidence for it's landing.

Having saved herself from an embarassing self-flattening, Trixie stumbled back up to all fours to approach the boulder, studying the plants stuck on it's pebbly surface. "This will prove whether my miracle formula works. If it does it's job on this boulder then it will work on anything," the mare pondered.

Once the pot containing the rest of the concoction arrived from the table she inspected the amount needed for the last phase of her test. Deeming it sufficient, her eyes moved down at the rock. An almost sadistic grin spread from cheek to cheek. "Sorry, pal, science needs it's donators."

The pot containing the formula tipped over, spilling the bubbling goo. Green flames were expelled up in the air when it came into contact with the algae, every single drop spreading on the boulder's outer surface. Tiny earth burying insects fled from the rock's former bottom side to escape the developing acidic fumes.

Trixie set the emptied pot aside to assess how the substance affected the rock. As she had expected, a glow enveloped it. In an instant the rock disappeared to a huge puff of smoke, small bits of stone raining everywhere which forces her to back away.

Trixie had used the medallion hastily. Coughing from the vapors, she eventually glanced back at the boulder's location which the settling cloud revealed to have disappeared and chose a new spot.

A high pitched whine again began ringing from the brightly glowing red jewel as she heedlessly took control of it again. At the chosen location a green mist formed into the shape of the boulder in mid-air. The rock fell, forming a dent at where it impacted the ground.

Trixie began jumping from joy, smirking with the grin of an overly eager kid wielding her dad's gun. "Yes! Yes! YES! Trixie, you have outdone yourself," the unicorn nearly celebrated, laughing like a maniac in the amulet's red glow.

The boulder un-melted next to the rose lying on it's side as the experimenter neared her two relocated subjects with a mad grin. "I can already imagine it. Everywhere that Trixie performs customers will cover her in bits just to see her shifting stage. No more constraint to fireworks!"

Only a week ago she had briefly visited the tropical costal region of Coltuba to make a special purchase. Using it's cheaper if not illegal trade services practiced by the few occupants living there, Trixie was by now a well recognized customer.

Because it was constantly kept under the watch of the royal guard Coltuba was less popular to common travelers. It hadn't scared her away from doing re-visits, a considerable advantage to a show mare who considered herself nowhere near a true criminal. With smart ways of business Trixie was never suspectible to authorities. Even if trouble did arise she could plead herself free with the usual explanation; Trixie used Coltuba as her dealer of rare chemicals needed for making the more outstanding fireworks.

Because her business was modest and swift what she told was mostly true and the royal pegasi let her be. But sometimes the unicorn's curiosity led her to study what else the ones living at Coltuba had to offer. In a drift store of used items Trixie remembered having once been shown something unique in the private collection of the shop's keeper.

According to the story told by it's last owner, the untitled book now lying on her table came from somewhere far beyond the maps of known Equestria, behind the darkest depths of the impenetrable jungle spanning just behind the popular tourist capital Gallopoli that was located a day's trip away from Coltuba. When it was first found the amulet had been discovered tightly attached to the cover which somehow connected it to many of the spells described in the pages as an almost symbiotic extension. From the expedition that stumbled on it's secret location only one barely sane team member came back with the book in tow. Who or what ever was behind it had almost otherworldly experience with magic only touched upon by experts, making it a borderline dangerous and unpredictable relic of unknown yet convenient powers to those who had the means and the skill to harness them, a challenge taken by no pony who knew because it aroused fear in the superstitious hearts of the Coltuban locals.

Little information about what lead to it's discovery and the fate of the other ponies from the expedition could be extracted from the poor earth pony who had brought it along. Most believed that a unicorn had written the complicated instructions on the pages that no ordinary pony could mimic. Some claimed that a gryphon was behind it. According to others the author wasn't a pony or anything else known in Equestria, some stories even speaking of a "she-demon witch" from a species resembling a black primate with a naked skin and opposable thumbs. Disagreeing theories circulated, it's writer still remaining a mystery. It had no name to speak of for being an anonymous piece of dark literature and fear continued to shroud it's secrets.

Kept intrigued by the details since hearing them, Trixie had eventually spent a lot of bits to get her hooves on the items. It had taken a lot of time and effort but the mysterious book and amulet now belonged to the unicorn.

Her chin elevated towards the sky in an overconfident gesture, a cold grin facing the clouds above almost as if it could easily poke right through and beyond them as she gloated with her accomplishment. "Equestria! The Great Trixie is about to blow your mind!"

Mired within her future fantasies, she did a trot around the misty boulder while planning. "Here's an opportunity to raise my price. Manufacturing the substance demands resources. The book and the medallion already cost me a small fortune."

The mare's chin lifted again in an overly self-certain gesture.

"It will take much more than an Ursa Minor for you to outdo me this time, Sparkle," Trixie exclaimed bitterly, still recalling her retreat from Ponyville because of the events that led to her envy and despise for the lavender unicorn who lived there.

In her thoughts she had failed to notice a disturbance that only moments ago had begun to transform the rock's depth semi-transparent.

Almost as if it was reacting to the bitter emotion behind her words the boulder's form suddenly collapsed within the centre of the mist. Trixie was brought back to the world of the living, confused by her subject's unexpected behavior and taking a closer look. What remained of the large rock was now a small black ball floating in the middle of the green mist that for reasons unknown had kept the object's original volume.

"Strange, that wasn't meant to happen," Trixie mumbled in uncertainty.

The stressful whining of the medallion hanging from her neck again alerted the mare.

The amulet was glowing orange. Trixie removed it in haste when she found that the metal had already become too hot to touch. Right as she did the mist gained a new life and independently transformed to a long serpentine form that swooped down at the flower, disappearing when both merged in one. The color of the mist shifted to grey and as Trixie witnessed it the rose began to evaporate.

"No! No! No, no, no! It was perfect," she uttered loudly.

The grey mist took a new shape, slowly growing in size. In a short moment Trixie was met by the shape of a pegasus. Two cat-like eyes appeared to the centre of what represented the creature's face, slitted and bathed in an orange flame. It's horrible gaze pierced her mind, filling her soul with pure dread. The smoke pony quickly towered over the scared and confused unicorn, ending up to a height of a three story building. The unicorn's body gained extra trembles when she heard the elemental creature speak to her with a warped, raspy growl.

"I have returned to Equestria for my body and my revenge. You will all perish!"

Without making further communication the monstrous fog pegasus reformed itself to a wispy thrombi that spun with force and disappeared under the ground. Trixie was left standing alone to the clearing, overwhelmed by chills. What she had unintentionally summoned went beyond her understanding.

Way underground a small individual seed was buried in the sediment, sprouting long roots in it's time consuming growth process that would eventually lead to a fully grown tree. It's simple existence suddenly came to an end. Surrounded by the grey mist, a strange corruptive power overtook it's target and mutated it's biological makeup. Possessed, each one of the long roots changed shape, moving with an agility no ordinary plant was capable of.

The now twisted seed's physical mass became increasingly larger from the quickly consumed soil. In only a moment the whipping roots had created a huge cavity to surround the creature.

Above ground Trixie's amulet was now a smoking puddle of molten metal, the red stone cracked from the middle. Slack jawed and whimpering, Trixie stared aimlessly at her overly costly experiment that had met it's premature doom, a reality which an abrupt silence in the surrounding forest didn't wake her up from until the ground underneath her hooves became restless.

Inside the travel cart a glass of wine sat by itself on a small desk. A sudden tremor formed rings across the surface of the drink. The wagon was rocked side to side when a violent quake started.

***

A powerful kick from Applejack's back hooves aimed to the trunk of the tree did it's job well. When the fruits fell off the branches a specific apple did not hit the ground because a lavender horn that was pointing to the wrong place at the wrong time pierced it from the middle.

Twilight gasped in surprise and tried to remove what had struck her with a front limb, vainly rubbing against the apple. An annoyed grunt followed the gasp when the unicorn found the fruit well stuck.

The tan earth pony chuckled uncontrollably upon noticing. "Ah still recall when that happened to Rarity."

Less amused than Applejack, Twilight frowned as a radiation built up to her horn. "You might want to take cover. This could be messy."

Taking in the seriousness of her notification, Applejack dived behind the tree in haste right before the trunk was bombarded by flying fruit bits. She eventually re-emerged with a troubled look on her face because of what she was now looking at. "Ouch! That looks painful! Ya sure it was such a good idea?"

Cooked remains of the apple plastered Twilight's face and shoulders. She had received minor burns from the overheated juice. "Next time remind me to just somehow pry it off if I happen to get another one stuck to my horn," came an agonized reply.

"Hmmmmm. You should try to make a living from frying apples. Less painfully, of course," Applejack stated after her tounge had taken a lick at Twilight's shoulder.

The other mare shrugged as she wiped off the mess. "Very funny, AJ. I personally don't see myself as that great of a co-worker."

Applejack reached over to help brush off the leftover bits from her friend, adding a cheerful grin to aid in lifting her spirit. "Don't fret about it, sugarcube. You've always been invaluable help anyway. Without ya our acres would belong to that pesky duo and their cider machine."

Applejack's smile faded at the recall from the day of the Flim Flam Brother's attempted takeover. Since then the work horse had given herself a personal oath about not making bold bets with strangers that would endanger her beloved farm and sole livelihood even if it meant swallowing her own pride.

"It was a team effort but I'm flattered," she heard Twilight saying, a touched smile backing the unicorn's respect.

A short distance away from them Faith carried a full bucket with his teeth, lowering it to catch a breath, a layer of sticky sweat covering his coat. "Jeez, that's heavy. You mares grow some quality apples. Do I put these in the wagon?", he asked the work horse for having never worked at fruit fields thus doubtful towards what exactly he was meant to do.

Applejack rolled her eyes. "Yes, to the wagon back there with the other ones, silly! Why do ya even ask," the earth pony scolded him.

"Not much of a work brain, am I?", Faith laughed as he blushed shyly.

"Now that Ah think of it, it's the other way around. You're too much of a work brain," Applejack chuckled with a half-joking intention, "Don't worry, handsome, keep doin' what ya doin' cause you're doin' it alright. Ya'll do it even better if ya'll just pay attention and don't hash over everythin'. After the carriage fills up ya can help pull it if ya want."

"Thanks, Applejack, but I think I'll still consider about that," Faith grinned shyly with a warm laugh, "There is already plenty enough work for me to get those apples off the tree." The pegasus bit the handle and lifted the basket, carrying it at the transport wagon located near the middle of the acre. He returned with an empty one, passing the two mares who keenly supervised on his way towards the trees spanning to the east.

Currently he preferred not to focus on the other ponies, there was work to be learned from. By an individual apple tree Faith lowered the basket and took position, ready to aim his fiercest kick at the trunk as he had been instructed earlier. Instead of landing to the basket a few apples rained down on his head which he had not planned. Unhindered by the plunder, Faith picked them up individually.

It had happened to him several times already but hadn't stopped him from trying.

Twilight and Applejack silently observed what he was doing, equal smiles showing how they were feeling. While he was a beginner Faith had earlier proven himself by momentarily pulling one of AJ's carts and had been shining with his brave attitude in approaching tasks.

"Ya were right, Twilight. He is showing progress," the work horse told the other mare with impression.

Twilight flashed a smile, recalling what had brought them to where they were. It had been half a week from when Faith was brought to Ponyville.

"It's like he himself mentioned. All that it takes is the right attitude." A glare towards the apples hanging above her head changed the subject matter. "Now, if I am ever to find a career in apple roasting you have to teach me to work without getting them impaled to my horn."

The remark got a hearty chuckle from the work horse.

Two hours came and went from what time Fluttershy, Rainbow, Twilight and Faith had already spent helping Applejack and her brother at the acre, an idea thrown by AJ herself during the group's stay at Fluttershy's home last evening. According to the plan they had met at the acre the following morning to begin early.

Not all of them were present; Rarity had politely dropped out to finish up an incomplete costume she was making for a customer whereas Pinkie was holding a party for new Ponyville visitors. Rainbow had come despite her reluctance of hard labour. She had joined up mostly because with the weather pristine and cloudless there was not much else for her to do other than enjoying spent time with her friends anyway. Besides, a tough girl's got to maintain her muscles.

"Can't last any longer! I'm completely spent," Twilight murmured, now laying sprawled against a full bucket of apples. The unicorn had assisted Applejack for years at the acres for occasions, underestimating the idea of a full day of just that for seven hours straight for having done similar work before. The workload had been too much for the dedicated book-worm who now wished to use a time spell to go back to Fluttershy's cottage for such an idea to be put to rest.

Despite it the group had reached a seventh full apple batch, a decent amount for one day's worth.

Standing over her collapsed friend, Applejack glanced aside to receive a nod from Big Macintosh which was his way to signal her about the carriage having reached a full capacity.

"Take a look at the bright stuff," she told the other mare, "At least ya didn't get any more apples pierced to your horn."

Rainbow and Fluttershy lowered two more buckets next to the cart that had been parked aside the road.

"Nope, it's full," the red earth stallion shook his head.

Having been given the needed excuse, Rainbow grasped an apple from her own bucket. "If we can't take these back we can always eat some ourselves," she exclaimed and hungrily chomped down on the fruit which received a giggle from Fluttershy who found the stunt amusing.

Applejack arrived to the carriage with the stumbling Twilight following closely behind. "Guess we are finished for today. Thanks for the help, everypony," she congratulated the others, "Why don't ya all come over, Granny Smith told me she'd make some dinner once we get back so ya can fill your stomach with more than apples. I think we all deserve it."

The work horse delivered a hoof pat to the shoulder blade of Twilight which almost tipped her over.

"Some fresh apple juice should put ya back in order."

Suddenly a loud rumble went off from far away, an unexpected interruption to the conversation that surprised everyone. Soon after the ground itself began to tremble, lasting for almost half a minute until settling as quickly as it all had begun.

By then Rainbow had dropped her apple. "What was that??"

"Dunno, quakes ain't very common in Ponyville. Must have come from far beyond our border," Applejack said calmly. Despite it her face now displayed a serious look. The farm ponies owning the land knew it's tectonic activity from experience which the preceding tremor had clearly stood out from.

"Eeeeeeeyup, ain't from here," her brother added.

With their job at the acres done Applejack pushed the phenomenon to the back of her mind to focus at the rest of the task still left for them to complete. "Let's take these to the farm," she told Big Macintosh.

With a nod the red stallion moved to the carriage, strapping himself to the harness at the front and effortlessly pulled it down between the apple trees surrounding the pathway.

As they began to leave Applejack took note on everypony to find one missing. "Faith is still workin'. Ah'll go get him, ya take care of the apple wagon. We'll catch up with ya."

The mare trotted back to where Faith had been workin as the others moved on after Big Mac at her insistence.

These ponies had given him a chance.

Confused and afraid, the green pegasus stood paralyzed by the apple tree located far from the others, faced with a choice that he found himself too torn to make. Whereas the sweat on his coat had been warm moments ago it no longer felt like it. There was no inhale nor exhale. The stallion's heart beat rapidly, eyes hanging open in their sockets.

The last spent days had been the best he has had in a long time without regret. But even they wouldn't help him escape. Everything had gone terribly wrong.

"Faith, we're leaving to the farm," Applejack shouted over to the pegasus while nearing him, "Come on, the others are gettin' way ahead of us. We'll have to fly back just to catch up with them if we don't go now." A lack of response eventually made her worried. "What's wrong, handsome? Did ya strain your ankle?"

Despite being in hearing range and aware of the other pony Faith had not reacted to her presence, glassy eyes staring at blank space. After seconds passed he finally turned to look at her, retinas shrinking invisibly small as he suddenly backed away, shaking violently.

"Are ya alright?", Applejack asked nervously after seeing his sickeningly pale face.

"No! Not for my sake! Not for me," Faith's tongue finally functioned.

The pegasus span around and fled to the opposite direction. Surprised, Applejack reacted by reaching for the rope hanging from her neck to try lassoing as a last ditch effort to keep him stationary. The attempt went fruitless. With a giant leap powered by nothing but willpower Faith had already slung himself up several meters and flapped away, leaving the earth mare standing by herself on the ground.

Applejack's mouth released it's grip on the bundled rope. It was too late to use it.

Utterly confused at what had happened to the modest and open minded pegasus she got to know during the last spent days, the work horse spun around and took off through the acre at full gallop, the next best plan now in action; to alert the others as soon as feasibly possible.

Far ahead her the other ponies continued down the dirt path behind Big Macintosh, by now nearing the gate.

"I wonder what takes them so long," Fluttershy asked nervously, having expected Faith and Applejack to have joined up with them which had yet to happen.

"Dunno, Faith seemed really keen on working," Rainbow replied with bits of apple falling from her mouth as she feasted on another one held in a front limb to allow her to eat while walking. Even on three hooves her trotting looked effortless.

As opposed to Twilight who was barely staying up with her friends. Chasing Rainbow down with the power of magic may have been simple to the unicorn two days ago especially when her excessive rage had been taken in count but when it boils down to true physical endurance her stamina didn't equal the pegasus nor the farm ponies today.

"I sincerely wish he doesn't overwork himself," the exhausted mare added to the conversation.

"Twilight!", Applejack's distant shout finally alerted them.

The earth pony arrived with long, desperate strides, hooves nearly giving away from under her once closing the distance, most of her energy spent to reach the others quickly in a race against time.

The creaking of the apple wagon's wheels instantly ceased. Big Macintosh had come to a dead halt upon noticing his sister.

"It's Faith! He took off," Applejack exclaimed and collapsed, barely managing to speak because of her strong respirations.

A confusion set in to everyone. "Are you serious?!", Rainbow uttered, "Why would he do that?"

"I dunno, he looked like he had seen Discord himself. Ah couldn't stop him," Applejack replied, still taking in huge gulps of air.

Like the others, Twilight was surprised to learn about Faith's unexpected backtrack. The mare's drooping jaw eventually closed up when questions emerged. "What is he up to now?"

Deciding that her magic was the only way to locate and stop the pegasus, her horn tip lit up to a magical aura. It didn't last long when Twilight's strength failed. She stumbled while trying to catch her balance with a look of almost passing out.

"Great, just great," the unicorn uttered, "Faith has gone outside my optimal field. I'll try to teleport after him."

Biting her teeth, Twilight struggled momentarily but only succeeded in creating a short white spark before she went limp, flopping to her stomach aside Applejack. Working hard the whole day had reduced her strength, preventing Twilight from using her magic properly.

"Celestia damn it! I'm too exhausted," the mare whimpered weakly.

Rainbow cast aside her third apple, willingness to help already shining through. "I'll go get him," she exclaimed with a stern look, aware that she could be the only one capable of catching Faith now that the farm mare and the unicorn had both failed at it.

"Hurry, Rainbow! He is gaining more distance as we speak," Twilight exclaimed back anxiously.

With a nod of her head it only took a mere second for Rainbow to prepare herself for the first starting leap. A long spectra light trail lagged behind when she got to speed. It took less than a blink till the mare cleared the acre and crossed above treetops spanning to the horizon in seek of Faith.

Then a hoof covered her face. "Beetle's bums! I didn't ask Applejack for directions!", Rainbow murmured in shame, the realization having crossed her mind too late in the game which would add major difficulty to the search.

Much to her surprise the pegasus suddenly heard a voice speaking, immediately recognizing Twilight. "Rainbow, listen to me! He has gone north from the acres," the other mare told her, becoming less audible when the distance between them increased. Apparently she had suspected for the mare pegasus to act before thinking. "Find him as soon as you can. If he gets too far we might lose him."

It dawned to Rainbow that her friend was somehow communicating through her head, momentarily boggled about how the unicorn had done it before she literally spoke to herself. "Any ideas about how I can bring him back? I'd really hate to punch the poor buck out if he doesn't co-operate. He has been kind to me."

"You're exiting my optimal field now," Twilight's disappearing voice replied loudly, "Think about my name repeatedly! I'll pinpoint---------," was all that Rainbow made out until the voice died as a sure sign of an expired mental link. Twilight would recover from the exertion in a short time and relocate her magic field but in that time Faith would already be gone.

With only moments left to find him, Rainbow accelerated to catch up.

***

Somewhere far ahead Faith himself had been crossing the canopy, wandering aimlessly and keeping a low profile to remain hidden from possible pursuers. The stallion was so close to the top of the trees that the leaves nearly brushed him from below.

A colorful streak grew in the distance, alerting his focus with the loud sound that it was producing. An acknowledgement about who was following him makes Faith react with a nervous gasp. Despite his good lead and effort to remain unseen Rainbow had already caught his wind thus his chances to escape were now hanging by a slim 2 percent. It had only taken few minutes from her to catch up with Twilight's given directions.

"There you are," Rainbow barked far behind, having spotted his form from amidst the green forest canopy with her sharp eyes, "You may be sneaky but not sneaky enough to escape me!"

A loud explosive sound forced Faith to glance back again. What he now saw was breathtaking; a spreading shockwave displaying all six colors of the spectrum rolling over the horizon. Rainbow's new acceleration had created her trademark phenomenon, a sonic rainboom.

At the moment he saw the rolling wave an arrow-like streak zipped past way above the speed of sound, watching in unnerve as it made a sharp turn a mile ahead of him. Rainbow was cutting him off.

With merely seconds left to avoid the mare, the green pegasus changed tactic.

Faith's wings closed tight against him at mid-flight. Having ditched his lift, the pegasus free falls beneath the canopy, a desperate manoeuvre to evade what was coming. The timing was well picked as his ears detected a loud whoosh and sounds of unrecognizable cursing right above his head before the rustling of leaves became deafening upon his descent to the forest. Broken branches and leaves rained down around him until finally Faith met up with the bottom, landing to several dense bushes.

So far so good, he had come down unharmed save for an aching rib.

The stallion scanned around him with deep wishes about Rainbow not having noticed where he had come down. Laying low, Faith decided to stay still amidst the densely grown forest floor, relying on his green color as a natural cloak. With the help of the densely overgrown forest she would never spot him.

A loud whoosh and rustling of plants helped disturb said optimism. "Faith, I know you're somewhere in there!", Rainbow's loud voice called out from nearby, "Stop hiding! I want to talk!"

He already saw the mare pegasus gliding some distance above the forest, having stopped to map her surroundings, right above his hiding spot to be exact. One look down was all that it would take for her to see, capture and drag him back to Ponyville. Faith swallowed silently.

In an answer to his prayer Rainbow’s view instead followed the dense forest spanning around her. Ignoring what was below, this search didn't produce anything, a disappointment to an impatient and restless pegasus.

“I swear, Faith, I swear that I’ll sweep this place quicker than you can say Daring Do," she barked once more, "We’re all worried for you and I don’t like playing these games! I only ask for you to make this less difficult than it needs to be!”

Without success in drawing Faith into view the mare settled to a loud sigh easily audible to his ears over the small distance dividing them. In another blink she had gone only for a new sound to arise akin to a tornado crashing through the forest. An experienced weather controller, Rainbow had started a thorough sweeping like she had threatened.

Getting away scoff free would be a job easier said than done with the fastest pegasus in Equestria.

With no seconds to spare Faith left the momentary shelter of the bushes behind. A mad gallop down a path leading away from the rumbling whirlwind sounds soon directed him to a new cover which was a hollow log resting on it’s side. Without wasting excess time, Faith scrambled inside to hide himself from Rainbow's nearing sweep.

For a pursued pegasus wanting to avoid detection the log was the next best place to hide, the next best place for a pony who speaks insect at least. Millipedes and termites greeted the refugee, countless holes in the log's inner cavity remaining as a sign of their everyday feeding activity. It didn't sway nor unnerve Faith. To him it was in fact ordinary. An alien language he had gained during the time of his accident made insects his friends.

"Talk about reducing myself to bottom feeding. I’m hiding among what everypony considers pests to escape potential friends,” a thought crossed the stallion's mind, followed by a troubled face. He sat down, ignoring the bugs moving around the log.

What he was doing was all that he had ever been good at if anonymity hadn't helped him prior to his meet up with the Elements. If his facial features were normal Faith wouldn't have been a loner. None of it would have happened the same way, his memory would still function like an ordinary individual's. His life could have had a real direction. Instead the stallion's already peculiar childhood had been spent in a seemingly hopeless survival struggle.

Yet it hadn't been all hopeless. Since their splitting Faith had been free from It's tyranny and could for once make his own decisions without committing crimes towards other ponies in mindless impulses, the ideal of non-obligating equality being worth protecting. He had succeeded, still innocent, still a fairly healthy pony at the prime of his life. Still pure in heart.

All was well until his worst fear came true. Recently Faith had let down the trust of the ponies who themselves trusted him. The unexpected departure had made sure of that. But even with the bad deed a strong fear outweighed his shame and now fueled Faith's retreat; while working at the acre he had sensed It, the grudge that once grew powerful enough to become a sentient being within him in it's intense hate and lust for revenge. What he overheard had been chilling by least.

This time it wasn't a dream. It has returned, having found it's way back to his world in it's own elemental form through the acts of someone else.

Faith listened Rainbow's sweep, now thinking about what would happen if she caught him.

A return back to Ponyville would place everyone in mortal peril. His absence would be the only way to protect the town and homes of the ones who had helped him. Otherwise they'd be in danger; because of an almost skitzofrenic symbiosis to his banished "ghost half" It would easily know his location and find him. If it were within his capability, all things said and done, Faith would be the only one capable of stopping it.

"I'm sorry, Rainbow, but you'll have to go back empty hoofed," he whispered, feeling sorry for the hot headed mare.

His attention keen, Faith turned his head again. The sounds of whirlwind had ceased, a possible sign that she had moved on. Even then the other pegasus was feeling extra precautious. The mare wasn't kidding about her intentions of finding him so assuming too much would be careless.

Deciding to make his own move, Faith crawled to the log's opposite side and took a peek to view the forest once reaching the opening. A deep breath expressed his relief, nothing had stood out from the ordinary.

Much to his disappointment Rainbow’s hanging face suddenly popped in view from above the opening to glare at him. She had landed on the round log, suspecting it’s obvious cavity as his next hideout and was waiting for the right opportunity to make herself known once spotting him.

"Aha!", the mare pegasus exclaimed.

Successful at last, Rainbow almost felt her relief of success produce a tickling sensation that travelled up her coat and to the top of her mane. It doesn’t distract her until she noticed that Faith was grinning at her, strangely amused by something he had noticed.

“There’s a centipede on your mane,” the feminine stallion said.

Sensing two long feelers touch her snout, Rainbow’s joy turned to bloody horror.

“Ohmygosh,ohmygosh, ohmygosh!! Get it off me!!”, she whimpered, nearly punching her mane to kill the segmented insect which provoked the centipede to take a defensive nip on her hoof.

If anypony were to be in the vicinity at the specific moment they'd be greeted with a strange sight of a pegasus doing awkward dance moves on top of a fallen tree.

As he retreated Faith didn’t note a heavy thud and a pained grunt. Behind him Rainbow jumped back up standing, having hit her head upon dropping awkwardly while getting rid of the bug. In a measly second her muscular wings already lifted the grumpy pony off the ground. In a matter of seconds she would be upon him.

She would have to wait for that success. Rainbow noticed that even with her immense speed she had somehow lost Faith to thin air while zipping around the tightly packed trees. Frustrated, the mare swooped around to do a backtrack sweep, unaware that she had already passed him again. Rainbow had become a victim to her own success. Her speed and the convenient placement of an individual trunk had allowed Faith to slip by her radar with only a split second to spare.

Still within danger zone, the stallion sneaked away only to seek immediate new cover behind another trunk near the first one because of what happened.

A second sonic rainboom went off within the forest, a telltale sign of the mare having lost every last bit of her patience and nearing a breaking point. It was a new record in pegasus flight even by her own standards.

“She’s relentless!”, Faith whispered to himself.

Rainbow had further upped the stakes. To him it meant that the table was quickly turning in her favor. In amidst of pondering about what to do to protect his threatened freedom Faith spotted a beetle fly toward him and got an idea that he instantly put into motion.

The insect heard a low whisper calling to it with words that only it understood. Curiously landing near the stallion, it’s golden carapace vibrated as he communicated.

“Where is the other pegasus that chases me?”, Faith asked the beetle in hopes of receiving a small chip of information valuable to his escape.

“Right next to you," the beetle replied.

A glance aside helped Faith confirm the state of his flawed plan; It had met the trash can. Rainbow had literally sneaked right beside him, a furious sweep having produced the results she was after. A sarcastic if not a tad mischievous grin from the mare's part was all that greeted Faith.

“Had enough hiding already?”

Nearly driven out of his mind, Faith backed against the tree.

“Hey, I just want to talk, okay?”, Rainbow explained with assuring hoof gestures, uncertain whether she should be worried or downright afraid for his sanity. With a long experience of pulling off pranks and scaring little calves Rainbow hadn’t had an adult pony almost die from a little surprise sneak.

Again Faith fled without listening, this time in frantic flight through the air.

He had already given Rainbow a good run for her money. Right now she could be feasting on leftover apples on her way to Granny Smith’s dinner. Instead Rainbow was chasing down a mad pony. So far her rewards have been frustration, a centipede sting and a black eye taken from a fall. Yet being so close to completing what she was trusted to do, Rainbow pressed on after the other pony who somehow had gotten a long head start again.

“Faith, if you don’t stop now I swear I’ll make you do it myself,” she threatened, making sure to shout it loud enough for him to hear it, “I’m not letting you go! Stop so we can discuss!”

“Get away from me!!”, a panicky shout answered. The attempts to persuade any reconsideration had still not met their mark.

Taking a new fast swoop at him to close the distance, the mare tried to grab Faith to pull him down only to meet thin air again.

A dismay almost put down the spirit of her chase. Faith had changed his position quicker than she anticipated. Once again Rainbow had missed the pesky green pegasus. Glancing past her shoulder, she spotted him flying to her left.

“Sonova zebra,” the mare uttered in dismay, “You got some good reflexes there!”

A tiny grin curved up to her face. Aside Little Strongheart few had the wits to actually try dodging her in such a way let alone succeed in it.

The grin disappeared. With no signs of giving up she veered after her difficult subject.

“Did you not get what I said?!”, Rainbow repeated, “Stop running away and listen to me!”

If an unsuccessful attempt to negotiate had not been disheartening enough what happened next helped reinforce it. Out of the blue Rainbow found a cone embedded between her teeth once clearing through dense foliage. Spitting it away just as another one came flying, the mare did a drastic evasive maneuver to dodge it.

A look ahead at her target explained everything; Faith now carried several pine cones against his chest using both front limbs and was throwing them, having snatched them for use as improvised projectiles to slow her down. Again Rainbow shifted position to avoid a hit.

“Go back! It is better for all of us! You don't understand," Faith shouted nervously.

She had easily forgiven the abrupt dodging, even finding herself in admiration for the stallion’s unusually fast reaction time. But throwing hard objects went beyond the line.

Her breaking point exceeded, Rainbow finally snapped, eyes lighting up in flame.

“That does it,” a growl exclaimed.

Later on she wouldn't remember it but the mare pegasus would be about to set a big world record for three repeated sonic rainbooms in a time frame of nineteen minutes.

Ahead Faith dived below to touch down after he heard yet another familiar sound barrier explosion at the right time to witness another tidal wave of colors pass over the clearing where had landed, this one closest to his proximity. With the previous two booms it was Faith's first time to witness the unique phenomenon.

Already to him it was an alarm bell that signals that a certain mare pegasus is moving very fast. A frantic search gave him what he sought. Rainbow had already zipped past and was coming back at the clearing.

“That’s it! You’re going down, mister,” her voice boomed from afar.

“No! Wait,” the other pegasus argued desperately, capable of doing nothing aside watching her approach.

Reasoning wouldn't work on the mare. This time she wouldn't be holding back at all. This specific full-speed charge would only stop at what it was aimed for; him.

If she were to hit Faith now there would be true hurt to remember. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Around him time ceased from mattering. Faith stood up on his rear legs to reduce ground clearance for more flexible maneuvers and went for an extreme backward lean to evade a painful impact with a supersonic steam train.

Seconds later there was a loud "thwack".

Out of balance, Faith's lean pulled him down. For a long period he lied still against the forest floor, breathing quickly from the adrenaline rush without reacting at the falling leaves sprinkling his mane and body. Relaxed, the pegasus' lids closed and a deep exhale left the lungs when his breathing settled down, wild heartbeats pounding between the stallion's ribs.

Against all the odds he had dodged her. Barely.

A short delay later a grim thought emerged. Rainbow had missed her but it wouldn't stop her from coming back for another go. He wouldn't stand a chance, not enough to repeat his success.

Mentally and physically spent as well as being fed up of running, Faith waited for the inevitable. This time he wouldn't even get up to face her.

Yet his ears didn't register any of the loud byproduct rumblings of her rainboom. Silence had returned to the woods, the calls of insects and birds being the only natural voices expressing their existence. A soft wind rustled the branches of trees, an idyllic scene undisturbed by sounds out of the ordinary.

"Something seems fishy here," the pegasus thought to himself.

Taking his time, he eventually rolled around from resting on his back to get better bearings of what was around him. Immediately making a shocking discovery, Faith's lower jaw slid down to remain open.

Several meters away behind him Rainbow was lying motionless next to the base of a large oak tree.

***