The Ultimate Stare-Off of Ultimate Destiny
At the Ponyville Cafe, an Earth Pony with a deep purple coat and black, long flowing mane sat at a table, finishing off his dessert. The waiter came over to him and said, “Did you enjoy your meal, sir?”
The stallion nodded with a smile, and got up to leave.
“Ahem!” the waiter said, and he pointed to the check on the table.
The stallion merely sniffed and began to leave the cafe. The waiter stepped in front of him and said, “Sir! We do not take very kindly to rude, deadbeats like-.”
The waiter was cut off in mid-sentence by what would be the most horrifying ordeal of his life. The the mauve coated stallion had fixed his icy blue eyes onto his own, giving a blazing stare that turned his heart to stone. After a minute of this torture, the stallion laughed and pranced away, leaving the poor waiter staring after him, and the pair of blue eyes he had for a Cutie Mark.
Pinkie Pie danced over to the counter, juggling a five blueberry muffins with her front hooves. With a deft flick, she tossed them onto the counter so they landed side by side.
“Five muffins! That's 10 bits Doctor Whooves!” Pinkie said cheerily.
The brown stallion smiled as he handed over the bits and put the muffins into his bag. “Just 'The Doctor', if you please Miss Pie. I'm sure the friend I'm having a picnic with will love them.”
Suddenly, the door opened with the ring of a bell. The Doctor turned and gasped when he saw who it was.
“Oh dear! I must be going! Bye!” the stallion said, and he zoomed out past the new customer and out the door.
Pinkie waved to the customer and said, “Hiya! You must be new here! What's your name? Do you want me to guess? Oh! Oh! I love guessing games!”
The Earth Pony just shook his head, causing his black mane to shimmer like a dark, magically fluid. “No, no. My name's Necro, and you must be Pinkie Pie. I've heard about you. Now, I'd like a box of chocolate cupcakes, please.”
In about a second, Pinkie Pie placed a box of the chocolatey delicacies onto the counter. “That's 15 bits, please!” she said happily.
Necro laughed as he tossed the box onto his back, “Yeah right! I don't pay for anything! I just take!” he said in a cold , rough voice. Necro turned to leave, only to see Pinkie suddenly standing there. He demeanor had suddenly changed. She was no longer cheery, now she was cleared pissed off.
“Hold on a second! You can't just steal the Cake's food!” Pinkie challenged.
“Oh yeas I can!”
Pinkie reared up on her hind legs and began to throw punches, “Oh no you can't! Come on! Put 'em up! Let's go!”
Necro growled, “Grrr! Don't mess with me!”
“Pinkie!”
Mr. Cake suddenly came out from the back and stepped in between the two ponies.
“I'm so sorry, sir. Please, just pretend this never happened, and it'll never happen again!” Mr. Cake said, almost begging.
“It better not,” Necro said darkly, and he left Sugarcube Corner.
Pinkie's jaw hit the floor. After picking it back up and securing it to her face, she jumped in front of Mr. Cake and said, “Why did you do that for! He just stole those cupcakes!”
Mr. Cake hardened his gaze and said in a dead serious tone, “Pinkie, listen to me. When Necro comes around, give him whatever he wants, and whatever you do, do not get him angry.”
And with that, Mr. Cake went back into the kitchen, leaving Pinkie looking very confused for once.
“This is a joke, right?” Twilight Sparkle asked incredulously.
“No joke, and Mr. Cake wouldn't explain anything, no matter how many times I asked him,” Pinkie said as she paced around the library, “I even sang a song I made up called 'What's the Matter with Necro.' I goes like this-.”
“No thanks Pinkie!” Twilight said quickly, and then put a hoof up to her mouth to think, “You know, I've seen other ponies react to this guy, and they do all seem afraid of him.”
“Well, he is weird looking,” Spike chimed in, “Hey! Didn't he borrow a book last week?”
“That's right Spike! 'Rods, Retinas, and Cones' I believe. And hey! It's overdue! I think I'll pay him a little visit,” Twilight responded.
“I'd come too, but I have to work. Cupcakes don't bake themselves!” Pinkie said, but then she gasped and started bouncing, “Oh! But wouldn't it be cool if they did. Then the Cakes wouldn't have to work so hard. All they would need to is sell them! And then we'd have, like, an endless supply of cupcakes! Imagine that! Endless cupcakes!”
Twilight exited the library rather quickly while Spike ran upstairs with a book over his head even faster as Pinkie bounced around the empty room chattering on and on, until she finally realized she had to be at Sugarcube Corner and zoomed off through an open window.
Twilight knocked on the door of an innocent looking house, and the mauve stallion opened it.
“Twilight Sparkle I presume,” he said in his rough, deep voice.
“Correct,” Twilight said, “I was just wondering, how long have you lived in Ponyville?”
“I moved her a month ago,” Necro said.
“Oh, okay, well. . .” Twilight didn't know what to say next. She didn't want to talk about the cupcake stealing incident just yet, so she said, “I came her about that library book. It's overdue and-.”
“It's not a library book anymore. It's mine now, as is anything else I want,” Necro said cruelly.
Twilight's mouth hung open for a second, but then she closed it and stomped her hoof. “Now see here! You can't just steal stuff like this. First those cupcakes and now this? If you don't give me that book and pay Mr. Cake for the stuff you took from Sugarcube Corner, I'm gonna-!”
“Shut-up!” Necro shouted, his eyes snapping wide open as his icy blue irises expanded until no white was left.
Twilight was paralyzed. She had faced Nightmare Moon. She had faced Discord. She had faced a fully grown dragon. She had faced Cerebus. She had faced a hydra. But nothing had filled her with so much as the eyes of the stallion before. Her legs shook underneath her as she slowly stepped back, her eyes wide with fear an unable to escape Necro's gaze.
“Scram!” he shouted, and he slammed the door.
Fluttershy waved cheerily and said, “Tell Tank 'Bon-apettit!'”
With a sack of reptile pellet food on her back, Rainbow Dash waved back and said, “Sure Fluttershy! And thanks for the refill.” Rainbow was about to dash off, when she stopped and landed.
“What's wrong?” Fluttershy asked. Rainbow just pointed. Fluttershy gasped when she saw Twilight slowly walking up the rode to her cottage.
Twilight looked terrible. She was shaking all over, and both her eyes were twitching. When she finally got to the two Pegasi, who just watched her in shocked silence, she gasped out, “Fluttershy! You've got to stop him!”
“Stop who?” Fluttershy whispered.
“Necro! He's awful! He's bullying everypony in Ponyville, and he's stealing everypony's stuff and taking things without paying! Who knows! He might even try to take the Mayor's place!”
“B-b-but why me?” Fluttershy stammered.
“My thoughts exactly, Twilight!” Rainbow said, “No offense Fluttershy, but, I think we'd need someone a little more stronger for a time like this.”
“No!” Twilight shouted, “Only Fluttershy can save us, because this guy has the Stare!”
It was like the time Discord stole the Elements of Harmony. It was one of those times when you could hear a pin . . . no . . . a leaf drop.
“The Stare?” Rainbow repeated in shock.
Twilight nodded.
“I- I didn't think anypony else could do it,” Fluttershy whispered, looking very frightened.
“Wait a minute!” Dash said loudly, causing both Twilight and Fluttershy to jump in surprise, “This is easy! It's obvious what we gotta do! Ultimate – Staring – Contest! Once Fluttershy wins, everything goes back to normal.
“No.”
Dash turned slowly to Fluttershy with a shocked expression on her face. “What do you mean no?”
“No means no,” Fluttershy said strongly, looking straight ahead determinedly.
“But Fluttershy! This guy's a bully! You can't just a let him-,” Dash explained, but Fluttershy interrupted her.
“I swore to myself that I would never use . . . it on another pony,” Fluttershy continued in an assertive tone, “I never want to put anypony through something that terrible, and I never will. It would just be so. . .so . . . cruel. To torture somepony like that. . .” Fluttershy shuddered with horror., but then continued, “It's different with animals. We're supposed to be in charge of them, and the Stare is just a way of showing that we're in charge. But to do it to a pony is just so degrading, so depnoyizing (dehumanizing). I'm sorry Twilight, but you're just gonna have to find some other way to stop him. I. . .I. . .” Fluttershy wiped away a tear, “I can't help you. I'm sorry.” Fluttershy ran into her cottage and closed the door, locking it behind her.
Twilight turned to Dash and said, “Rainbow, as her friends, we have to respect her wishes.”
Rainbow nodded with a scowl on her face, “I know, I know, but what do we do about Necro?”
“We warn everypony else.”
“Then what?”
“I write a letter to the Princess.”
“Whaddya mean ya ain't payin'?” Applejack shouted.
Necro, with a large bag of apple related backed goods, walked away from Applejack's stand and said, “Shut up and go back to your apple farm, Treebucker!”
“Why you low down scoundrel!” Applejack said angrily. He was about to spring on the stallion when Rainbow Dash swooped in out of nowhere and tackled the orange pony to the ground.
“No Applejack! Let him go!” Dash said.
“What! Are ya crazy! He's a dirty little thief!”
“That has the Stare!” Twilight said as she ran over to them.
“What the hay? You don't mean Fluttershy's-.”
“Hey! You! No one steals from the Apple Family and gits away with it!”
The three ponies turned to see Applebloom standing her ground in front of Necro.
“NO!” Twilight screamed, “Applebloom! Run for your life!”
Either the filly didn't hear or didn't care, because she didn't move a muscle.
“Outta my way!” Necro snarled.
“Not until ya pay for alla that food!” Applebloom said sternly.
Necro's snarl increased, and his eyes snapped open.
Applebloom's eyes opened as well, as she felt her entire being become lost in the horrible blue sea of iris. She felt a terrible cold wash all over her, and slowly seep into her heart, and then into her soul. The little filly shuddered with a look of terror frozen on her face as her fur began to turn from yellow to white.
"APPLEBLOOM!" Applejack shouted, running to the scene with her two friends close behind.
Soon, the whiteness had claimed the filly's entire body. The only color left on her was the red bow on her head. She gave one last rattling gasp, and fell over onto the ground limp.
"NO!" Applejack screamed out with pain in her heart as she skidded to a halt at the filly's side. "Applebloom! Speak ta me!" she cried as she shook the filly frantically. But then, she stopped when she looked into Applebloom's eyes. No longer were their irises brilliant gamboge. Now, they were a dull, shadowy purple.
Applejack slowly looked up at Necro, who stood watching with a slightly surprised expression on his face.
"Why?" Applejack whispered hoarsely.
Necro sighed, "Sorry, it was an accident. I guess fillies can't really handle my power. Oh well."
Necro's "Oh well," echoed endlessly within Applejack's mind. After a deathly quiet minute, she spoke, "I am going to kill you."
Necro sighed again, "Oh. Well, we can't have that, can we?" And then, he gave Applejack, Twilight, and Rainbow the Stare. By the time the vile spell of fear and terror had worn off, its caster had gone.
Applejack slowly turned to her friends and said in a shaky voice un-belonging to the tenacious apple farmer, "I- I couldn't do anything. I can't. . ." Applejack, overcome with hopelessness, fell down right there and covered her face with her hat, but the sounds coming from behind it showed that she was crying profusely.
"Well, that's it," Dash said.
Twilight turned to the Pegasus, who was already up in the air.
"Write that letter to the Princess after you take Applebloom and A.J. home. This time, Fluttershy ain't taking no for an answer." and with that, Rainbow Dash flew off at the speed of lightning.
Angel tapped his foot as he glared at the yellow Pegasus pacing around the room.
"I know Angel, but I promised I wouldn't use it on another pony, and I can't break that vow," Fluttershy said. Angel hardened his gaze at her, but then she hardened her own gaze back at him and said, "No! I can't do it Angel. Twilight will think of something, they don't need me. Nothing can make me break my vow!"
SMASH!!!
Fluttershy whirled around to see Rainbow Dash standing on the pieces of her shattered door.
"Now it's time for you to take Necro down!" Dash shouted.
"I won't do it!" Fluttershy shouted back.
"Being assertive won't help you this time! You're going!"
"You couldn't make me go to the dragon migration! You can't make me do this either!"
"Oh yes I can!" Dash then rubbed a hoof on her chest and said, "By the way, kidney punches are fighting dirty."
Fluttershy turned around and folded her fore legs, "I'm still not going."
Dash sighed, "Fine, then come with me to Sweet Apple Acres. I've got something to show you."
"What?" Fluttershy said, turning around.
"You'll see," Dash said quietly.
A small crowd was gathered outside Applebloom's room. Among them were Nurse Red Heart, Rarity, Spike, and Pinkie Pie. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were there too, having been looking for their third Crusader all day, finally arriving at the farm to discover the bad news. Within the room were Granny Smith, Big Mac, and Applejack, not daring to leave the filly's side.
"I don't understand this," Nurse Red Heart said, "How could something as simple as a stare send a pony into a deep coma. And her fur! Her eyes! This is not biologically possible!"
"It's not a normal stare," Rarity said.
"What if the guards the Princess sent to arrest him aren't enough?" Spike asked worriedly, nervously fiddling with his tail.
The door suddenly burst open as Rainbow Dash flew in with Fluttershy behind her.
"There! Now go in! Look!" Dash said loudly pointing to the door.
Fluttershy gulped nervously and knocked on the door. "Um, can I come in?"
The door creaked open, revealing Applejack with swollen eyes.
Fluttershy gasped, but then gasped again when she saw Applebloom. She quickly flew to the filly's bed side, her mouth agape with disbelief. After looking the filly over multiple times, she spoke, "How could somepony do this. Take an innocent filly, and. . ." Fluttershy's voice trailed off after that. Then, and with a furiousity last heard at the Grand Galloping Gala, she roared, "He's going to PAY FOR THIS!!!!!"
With a tremendous crash, Fluttershy smashed through a nearby window and off towards Ponyville.
Three knocks rapped on Necro's door. The stallion opened it, and saw Twilight Sparkle, flanked by two royal guards.
"Necro," one guard said, "You are under arres-."
All were paralyzed by the Stare.
"Now, you just stay there, and don't try anything," Necro said with a smirk, unleashing the wrath of the Stare on them, "I think I'll move somewhere else, change my name maybe, wear something to cover my Cutie Marks. I'll even use my talent a little less often, so I don't attract too much attention. Yeah, that'll be good."
"Let them go."
Necro turned to see that a Pegasus had flown in through an open window.
"Why . . .what did you do that innocent little filly?" Fluttershy asked sternly.
Necro smiled, "Your eyes. Their size. Their proportion. The power within them. You also know the Stare, don't you?" Necro chuckled and said, "Well, you probably want to avenge that little filly, don't you? Well, listen to me. I told her sister it was an accident."
"What?" Fluttershy asked, seething with rage.
"It's true," Necro said simply, "You see, I've use the Stare a lot, and with practice, comes mastery. I've found out the Stare has more power than you think. If enough power is placed into it, it has the power to steal one's soul, and banish it to the depths of Tartarus. I've done it to many of my enemies. Ponies who cheated me, stolen from me, gotten in my way." Necro sighed sadly and shook his head, "However, I've never tried the Stare on a filly before. Apparently, their spirits are too young and weak to stand up to the full power of the Stare, so even a little bit is enough to steal their souls. So believe me when I tell you, it was an accident."
"Everything you've done was evil!" Fluttershy suddenly shouted, breathing heavily, "How dare you say it was an accident that you sent an innocent filly to a terrible place! You've stolen and terrorized everypony, and then you used your power to do something unforgivable! I swear, that I will stop you!"
"You fool! Look at my Cutie Mark! The Stare is my special talent! No one can beat me at it! I've had enough practice to beat you a hundred times over, now take this!" Necro's ice blue eyes burst open.
Fluttershy's teal eyes snapped open as well. The two ponies were locked in combat, hooves firmly planted as they locked eye to eye. As their glares grew more intense, the battle began to move to a psychological plane. Darkness shrouded the room as the two of them floated in black space. . .alone. . .
. . .or were they?
Out of the darkness stepped Spike, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Cheerilee, Derpy, Braeburn, Caramel, Big Mac, Granny Smith. . .
Necro's eyes widened, this time in terror as a growing army of ponies built up behind Fluttershy.
Suddenly, with a loud growl, the three headed dog Cerebus appeared, with a group of ponies riding on his back. From the group jumped a small yellow filly, who landed next to Fluttershy.
"Am ah going home now?" she asked shakily. Fluttershy simply nodded, her eyes still locked with Necro's.
"My strength, comes from my friends Necro! Where does that leave you?" she said.
And then, the army of ponies all opened their eyes simultaneously, and fixed them right at Necro.
"AAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!
"SHE'S WAKING UP! COME ON EVERYPONY! HURRY!" Applejack shouted at the top of her lungs.
The group of ponies outside charged into the room to she Applebloom's color quickly return. She blinked a few times, and her eye color returned as well. She took a deep breath, only to have it knocked out of her by her two fellow Crusaders as they tackled her in a huge group hug.
There was laughter, tears, and even thoughts of having a party (guess who). But when there was finally a moment where Applebloom could speak, she only said three words with tears of joy in her eyes:
"Fluttershy saved me!"
Fluttershy stood over the stallion, his coat a dull grey, and his once icy blue eyes now a dark, shadowy purple; powerless.
She looked up at Twilight and the two guards, who looked at her with awe.
"You did it. . ." Twilight said softly.
Fluttershy took a deep breath and let it out, "Come on, let's go see how Applebloom's doing.
As the pair left, the guards walked over the empty shell of a stallion.
"We'll be hoofcuffing this one to hospital bed for sure!"
Dear Princess Celestia,
I learned that sometimes you will have strong beliefs and feelings that you may not want to part with. You will do whatever you can to hold to your decisions. However, there will be times where your mind will say one thing, but your heart will say something. A time like this may be when your friends are in trouble, and they need you. When this happens, you must follow your heart and do what must be done. As long as it doesn't cause other problems, you should go against your own decisions and do all you can to help your friends and make the situation better. In short, 'the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one'
Sincerely,
Fluttershy
Fluttershy watched as Spike sent the scroll flying out the window of Sugarcube Corner as green smoke with a blast of his fire breath. She had a smile on her face, as did everypony else. Necro was gone at last, and Applebloom was safe and sound. Now, everyone was celebrating in another one of Pinkie's wonderful parties.
Everyone laughed as Pinkie Pie finished up the last stanza of her latest song:
It was the ultimate stare-off
Of ultimate destiny
It's Fluttershy versus Necro
To set Applebloom free
And only one could survive
We all knew who it would be
It was the ultimate stare-off
of ultimate destiny!
The End
