We're Nakama!

Fluttershy was having a wonderful time. She was sitting on the big blanket with her animal-friends and they were having a tea-party.

She was sitting on her checkered tablecloths, near her was a purple set for tea parties, with green pot for sugar and a medium basket full of apples from Sweet Apple Acres given to her by Applejack as a present. Around her were her animal-friends and each of them was having a good time, each of them was smiling.

Mr.Bear was having a slice of bread with mead.

Angel, her pet bunny was chewing on apples from the basket, a bit too much for him, but Fluttershy could pass it of this time.

Mr.Ferret was having a cup of tea.

Ms.Chipmunk and Ms.Squirrel were eating a toast with blueberry jam.

Fluttershy herself was having a glass of milk.

Everything was just so... peaceful and wonderful. She just wanted to be here and do nothing but savor the feeling of this idyll. There wasn't a cloud on the sky, it was probably due to Rainbow Dash, her skills in Weather-Magic were unparalleled in Ponyville.

Maybe... Maybe Fluttershy should try it too?

"**n*****..." The small breeze brought a whisper.

Fluttershy looked around.

'What was that?' She looked at her friends, but they apparently were obvious to the voice. 'I could *swear** that I heard something.'*

She looked around again. The voice... She didn't like it at all. There was something about it, something familiar, but at the same time it sounded... wrong for some reason. It wasn't... Fluttershy struggled to find the right word to describe it, but nothing came to mind.

One more time looking around, she decided to drop the matter.

'Where was I? Oh yeh, I wanted to try some Weather-Magic with Rainbow Dash.' She remembered her line of thoughts.

It will be interesting to at least try. She wasn't in any position to actually be good at it, because of the lack of practice and actual training, but Rainbow would be able to help her with that, she was her best friend, it will be fun and she will have time for herself.

'Why didn't I try it earlier? I'm not afraid of highs anymore and...' Fluttershy tried to remember the reason she never tried to apply her Weather-Magic, not counting her walking on clouds. 'I... I don't know. I just was always busy with helping animals, scared to try or having one of the adventures with Twilight.'

Well, now she will make sure to try, and even show others that she wasn't as bad as she was in the flight camp, if her assistance in creating of the tornado to deliver the water to Cloudsdale was any indication. She trained and she actually helped! That feeling, the feeling of accomplishment that flooded her on that day, it scared her at the beginning, but right now she wanted to feel it once more.

"K*n*****..." Fluttershy jumped on her hoofs and looked around.

This time the voice was louder and she almost could hear what it was saying, or at least part of it. A shudder went through her body from the voice. It wasn't right at all, it was like... She again failed to find a right description for it. It was sweet and inviting, but more like a bright colors of a poisonous snake, rather that friendly call. Whatever was making this voice, she really didn't want to meet it.

Fluttershy could find the origin of the voice, because she wasn't concentrating on the voice when it started to...

"K*nd****" She turned to the left, to the side from which the sound came.

With the corner of her left eye she could see that nobody else seemed to hear it. Whatever it was, she really didn't want to stay here and find out. She turned to her friends and put up the most kind and friendly smile that she could.

"Friends, lets move from here and to my home, I'm afraid that..." She stopped when she noticed that no one was listening to her. She tried again. "Everyone, a little bit of attention please..." Again they didn't even twitch, like they couldn't hear her.

This was becoming strange, but Fluttershy wasn't finished. She knew that a lot of Ponies and animals sometimes ignored her because of her timid voice and the lack of any commanding presence, not counting the incident with Iron Will where she had to literally scream to get her point through.

Fluttershy felt a bit of annoyance starting to sip through her friendly smile. She ignored it because if it will make them hear her, she will use it to get the point through.

"K*nd***s..." Louder, it was getting louder.

She looked again in the direction from which the voice came and saw a small speck of yellow in the distance, and it was moving toward them. Fluttershy didn't know how she knew that, but something in her guts was telling her that this light won't bring anything good with it.

She turned to her friends again, and decided that a different approach must be used here. She stepped forward and tried to touch Mr.Bear with her hoof... but if went right through him!

Fluttershy jumped back.

"What... What is happening here?!" She cried out.

This was something she was unprepared for. She looked at her hoof like it was the first time she saw it. Suddenly she felt a light breeze again and the light around her dimmed.

She looked up and saw that all of her friends were standing and looking at her with blank expressions.

And their eyes were glowing acid-yellow.

"What...?!" She gasped and stepped back.

"K*nd*e*s..." Hissed the voice again.

Fluttershy could hear it from the same direction as earlier, and much more pronounced this time. Without looking away she tried to see how close the light was from the corner of her eye while backing away from her friends, or at least whom she thought were her friends. Either they were under control, or this was just an imposters, she didn't know, but didn't want to take any chances.

But one thing was for sure, the smiles and feelings on their faces earlier were genie, and that left her with the first option only,

"Get out..." She said.

Not loud, not harsh, but right now she was for the first time alone against someone. She was afraid, yes, but she couldn't run, because her friends were still here and they needed her help. She wanted this thing out off here, away from her friends, away from her, so it won't be able to hurt anyone anymore.

She wasn't Rainbow Dash with her brave, if a little boisterous character.

She wasn't Applejack, who kept going with the ironclad conviction in herself.

She was Fluttershy.

She was meek.

She was kind.

She was... useless.

She really wasn't in any position to argue with the truth of her position.

Twilight was the leader of their group, the one who always came up with a good plan and made sure that they work together like a team. She was the one who was a Magical-prodigy and Celestia's precious student, when there was trouble other Ponies didn't go to the Mayor, they went to Twilight for help, and help they got. She wasn't always right, but she was always in-control, something others in their group lacked. The commanding presence that made it impossible to ignore her, when she was addressing to others. Like that time when Fluttershy tried to warn everyone about the smoke from the mountain, only to be ignored, while Twilight got everyone to listen to her without as much as rising her voice a little.

Rainbow Dash was a bit brash and rough around the edges but Fluttershy could ask for a better friend. Maybe rainbow-maned Pegasus couldn't properly express her feelings sometime, and wasn't good at admitting her mistakes, but she was someone you could rely on in your hardest times. He unparalleled skill in flying and second-to-none speed were making her an irreplaceable member of the team. She was the one who will go through any hardships for her friends and do it with that cocky grin on her face. She was brave and bold and had that strange ability to make you sure on you step, make you feel protect, that she will alway will guard you back and never abound you.

Applejack was stubborn, a tad bit blunt and headstrong cowpony that made it absolute clear that she won't have her will swayed away but anyone or anything, who was like a pillar holding you up, unyielding and unbreakable. She was strong and experienced in what she was doing and had that air around her that made you trust her, that she would walk forward right beside you no matter what happen. Fluttershy wasn't very outgoing, but she was a good observer, it naturally came to her as an animal caretaker, and she saw how the dynamic in their group worked, and how the first one, who Twilight freed from Discord's corruption was Applejack. Maybe only subconsciously, but the purple unicorn knew who will be the most useful and the most reliable in the situation like that.

Fluttershy wasn't anything of this things.

She wasn't a leader, she was too meek and weak-willed for that position. She was easily bent to the whims of others, and when she tried to be more confident, she turned into a bully.

She wasn't such a good flier, not a natural talent like Rainbow Dash. She was afraid of highs when she was little and it made it hard for her to even spread her wings, the bullying from her year-mates didn't make it any better. She was a tad bit clumsy, shy and even a bit antisocial in her behavior.

She wasn't reliable, because she was too afraid and meek for it. Again, that episode with the dragon made her understand that she was a coward, a useless coward. The only thing that came out of the whole ordeal is the fact that she had one of her outbursts and somehow pulled through the experience.

Another thing was her so-called outbursts of bravery, which in fact were just an overflow of her suppressed emotions reaching boiling point and it was pure luck that the dragon was the one who was on the receiving end of her meltdown. If someone else was their, one of her friends for example, she didn't know what would've happened.

"K*nd*ess..." And again that voice reminded her how pathetic she was.

'So what?' A little voice in the back of her mind whispered, the voice strangely reminded her of her own.

"Get out." Flutter shy said more firmly.

So what if she wasn't a naturally-born leader?

So what if she wasn't bold and brave?

So what if she wasn't the most reliable?

"K*ndness..." Hissed the voice and the shine in her animal-friends eye doubled in intensity.

"I said, get!" Said Fluttershy.

She could already hear what the voice was saying and she didn't care.

The beacon of acid-yellow light was just several feet from her and she could see something in the center of of the light, but didn't care enough to investigate.

There wasn't Twilight here who will solve all the problems in an instant.

There wasn't Princess Celestia here, to who you can run and cry.

There wasn't Elements of Harmony that they can fire at any problem like a proverbial panacea.

There was only her, her friends and someone who she was absolutely sure was going to hurt them. The sheer presence of the thing in front of her was making Fluttershy want to vomit.

It was wrong.

It was twisted.

It was an abomination.

She won't let it pass! She was going to protect her friends, she was going to protect them like she should have been doing from the beginning! Every time she was scared, every time she was meek, every time she was useless, someone took the blunt of the problem for her.

But enough is enough.

What kind of friend she was to always hide behind the others!?

Not a bucking good one, that's for sure!

All of her frustration with herself, all of her anger at herself, all of the loathing she accumulated while thinking about her actions, she took them all and pushed them outside. Years of suppressed anger aggression roared through  her like a fire, filling her veins with molten metal, making her tremble

Something was rising inside of her, something powerful. The feeling was similar to the times when she used the Stare, but infinitely more pronounced and... dense. But when this power almost reached the surface, something blacked its way out. Like a 'last barrier' on its pass to freedom. The feeling of the 'barrier' was familiar too, but Fluttershy didn't care.

She dove dipper in the power and pushed. Whatever was holding it back wasn't apparently yielding that simply, but it only was able to prorogue the inevitable.

*Crack*Crack*Crack*

The barrier broke with the sound of shattering glass.

"Kindness..." Hissed the voice.

"Get *OUT*!" Screamed Fluttershy.

Like a tsunami, a wave of something erupted from Fluttershy, A gale of wind, created by the sudden release of power blew away everything that was brought by that malicious thing.

"Kindness!" It hissed, trying to overpower Fluttershy.

But it was like fighting a Force of Nature, and the thing stood no chance against it. The power, the might of Fluttershy spirit and will washed over the abomination and started to grind it into powder, breaking it down, shattering every part, not leaving anything behind.

For a second, just for one second, Fluttershy could have swore that she felt like Applejack and Rainbow Dash were standing near her, proud, loyal, supporting and never leaving her like the true friends they should have been from the beginning.

And then she felt like someone poured a waterfall on her.

Rainbow Dash was peacefully lying on the cloud and just gazing into the sky. No matter what did she try, what position she used, she couldn't get comfortable. It was strange, because normally she normally she wasn't very fussy about her sleeping arrangements. Right now she felt like she was missing something important, and couldn't get her hoof on it.

Maybe Fluttershy would know? She was pretty good listener and she really need a break from her routine of fussing over animal. Dash snorted. Yeh, and she needed some time to actually do something than training, sleeping and going on adventure with her friends. She really wasn't into boring things like tea-parties or something, but some good chat with her best friend would be more than welcomed.

Or go visit Applejack? That was awesome idea too. Hanging around with cowpony was a very interesting thing to do actually, considering how they actually somehow went from throwing horseshoes to the Iron Pony competition. How did it happened, Dash didn't know, but at least it ended without any hard feelings.

Well, she still felt bad taste in he mouth from the way she behaved and how she actually used her wings to win, while Applejack was relying only on her skill and talent. And the whole race after that they were bickering and trying to outdo each-other, while they should have been having fun by spending time in the friendly company. This was really wrong, and she should really apologize to her friend about it.

"*o******..." Suddenly she heard a whisper.

Dash wasn't as paranoid as some Ponies, but she was pretty sure that whatever was speaking should be here. Jumping on her hooves, she looked around, spreading her wings, ready to take off at any moment. She wasn't scared and she really wasn't even intimidated, but something was wrong and her guts were screaming at her about it. And she trusted her guts, because they saved her more times than she could count.

Whatever it was, it wasn't friendly, and she wasn't taking any chances.

'I need to check on my friends, make sure that everything is alright.' She thought.

Normally, she would've confronted the danger head on, but that would be pretty dumb, because if she would be captured or overwhelmed, then there would be no one to warn the others. Part of Dash's mind actually wondered why the Hay did she even consider taking something unknown on without as much as a hint about its nature or origin.

She scanned the sky with her narrowed eyes...

There!

She could see it, the little spec of yellow color on the blue sky, that was moving toward her.

"*o*a****..." Another hiss, this one louder.

"Get out." That voice she did recognize.

'Fluttershy!' Dash though frantically.

She jumped from her cloud and tried to fly to the direction from which Fluttershy's voice came.

She stopped midair.

Something was holding her, like dog on a leash. She turned around.

It was getting closer.

The only thing that could explain why wasn't she able to move was Magic. And a pretty powerful one.

Dash wasn't dumb by any stretch of the word, and when needed she could be pretty smart, but the problem was that with adrenaline pumping in her veins and the lack of any actual need to come up with something that was more complex than two sticks tied together, she kind of liked playing her role. Yeh, she didn't make some Egghead's speeches, didn't come up with plans and didn't want to actually.

Why?

That was the question that she couldn't answer. Maybe because she never had to?

Yeh, Twilight was a good leader and all, and pretty much managed to nail all the problems on the spot, but that didn't mean that Dash should be actually the dull one here. She ignored some of Twilight's rumbling because the mare seriously needed to learn to shorten her explanations. Dash was sure, that Twilight would probably blab through the damn invasion if she wasn't disturbed. That's why she called the Unicorn Egghead, and not as much as an insult to her IQ. So Dash didn't use her brain because Twilight did it for her, and actually did a far better job, than the Pegasus could herself.

So, gearing up her mind, while trying to calm down, Dash actually thought about what was happening.

"*o*a***y..." This time she could hear it more clearly.

She wasn't a Unicorn, so no Magical way to solve this.

Her Weather-Magic was pretty useless without an actual weather around her, and being frozen in one spot actually made it a lot worse because she even couldn't reach a cloud for something to fight with.

Sonic Rainboom? Unaccessible when frozen on a spot.

Elements of Harmony? She didn't have the damn thing with her!

So, she was useless?

...

...

...

'No...' Something whispered in the back of her mind, sounding suspiciously like her own voice.

Like Hay she was going to give up just like that!

She will protect her friends! She will make sure that they are alright! She will do it, and nothing will stop her!

"Lo*a**y..." Another hiss, and a lot closer than the last.

"I don't know who or what you are..." Began Dash.

She started to accelerate her movements and instantly felt like something was holding her back, an invisible leash that didn't let her move from the spot.

"Some piece of Magic, or some freak of Nature..." She was actually moving!

She strained her wings and felt as if she was trying to pull a whole house all by herself, whatever was holding her had a pretty good grip and was strong, but when did it actually stop her?

She wasn't a Unicorn, but she had a basic understanding of Magic and its workings, so to hold something in place with Magic you'll need enough power to compensate if someone will try to actually move it. It was pretty simple and straightforward, but then cam a tricky part. Magic, when applied on something can't be corrected during the actual casting. So, to correct or change the Spell, you'll need to actually cast another Spell to change the first one with it.

Second part was that each Spell had its own 'breaking point', which is established when the Spell is casted. Yes, there were exceptions, like Telekinesis, but what even it was, it wasn't Telekinesis. Dash was subjected to that particular Spell to many time to not recognize the difference. And the best part? She didn't feel the thing getting stronger.

So, she will need to overpower the Spell and make it reach its limit, so she will be able to go and help Fluttershy.

"But there is one thing you don't know about me..." Dash gritted her teeth, the Spell wasn't getting stronger, but it was pretty strong on itself.

"Lo*al*y..." The hissing voice was more demanding now.

Dash wasn't sure about the origin of this thing, but she was sure that it wasn't anything good. The feel she was getting from it made her shudder, and double the efforts of breaking free.

There was something familiar about it, but she could place her hoof on it. It was like a distant memory that was slipping away each time she got close enough to actually see it. It was on the tip of her tongue, but absolutely refused to turn into actual comprehensible speech.

It wanted something from her, and wanted it now. The twisting feeling in Dash's guts was only getting worse from each moment.

What was it anyway? She didn't know how but she could feel it, and the twisted and malicious feeling it was giving her didn't sit well with her. The feeling was coming right from the center of the light, which was getting closer and closer. One look over her shoulder gave Dash enough time to see something inside the light, but she couldn't see what it actually was. Again, there was that strange sense of familiarity that Dash couldn't shake off, but could at least ignore to concentrate of the main issue.

"Lo*alty..." The malicious thing almost reached her.

Yes, she was making progress and moving forward, inch by inch, but it still wasn't enough! It was still gaining upon her faster than she was moving away from it.

So, that was the end? She won't be able to save her friend? She was going to loose someone to some shitty light?!

She tried it only once, and ended up falling down from the sky, being lucky that there was a lake in which she landed. Any living being had a physical limit of it's capabilities. Yes, it can be increased by physical training, but even than the body will still be limited by the fact that it's made from flesh and bone.

There's only so much stress muscles can handle before they'll start to be ripped apart from the sheer pressure. A teared muscle is painful and Dash knew it from a personal experience. It's like someone stabbed you with a white-hot poker right under the skin, leaving a very nasty memory behind. She still remembered, like her whole body burned with agony, as she pulled herself out from the pound, and onto dry land, heaving and spitting water to make sure that none left in her lungs. She had to ask Ditzy for help to get to her home, and made the mare swear to never tell anyone about it. The whole incident was a report-worth lesson for her, about how arrogance and carelessness could be someone's undoing.

But that's not all, the limit also keeps you bones intact. The speed and pressure on your bones makes them crack, even if just a little, they are slowly becoming splintered. She was lucky enough to make it out without any actual fractures, and just some soreness and cracks, that healed pretty fast. She could swear, that when she was overstepping her limit, she heard them breaking.

She was afraid. She was afraid of loosing her wings forever. Her wings were her most precious possession, because they made her who she was. Her Cutie Mark was given by her wings, her Sonic Rainboom, her special talent. Without them she... won't be herself.

But, what would she choose? If she will break her limit than she will probably will be able to help her friend, but she would probably loose her wings, the thing that made her herself.

She was going to beat herself black and blue after this whole ordeal if over for even considering that a question.

She accelerated even more, the thought about loosing her dear friend overshadowing all the pain that was cursing through her body at the moment. It was like a fog was lifted from he mind, that made her thoughts sluggish and undirected. She knew what she has to do, she will be damned before she fails.

"Even if I'll rip every muscle in my body apart..." She gritted her teeth.

Unbelievable conviction was flowing through her, making her ignore everything but the thought of saving her friend and beating up whoever hurt her.

"Even if I loose my wings..." She strained her muscles to the limit.

She could feel her Magic flaring, trying to keep up with its owner and failing. Magic made Pegasuses so strong in the air, Magic was the reason they could do so many wonderful things in the sky, Magic made the resistant enough to withstand almost anything that they could encounter. The moment Magic started to fail, was the moment Pegasus could rely on it for protection from the sheer amount of accumulated effect of all factors affecting Pegasuses body.

"Even if I grind all my bones into dust..." Dash didn't care, she was pushing even further.

She could feel as she passed the point where she started to break down the last time. It still wasn't enough, and she wasn't going to slow down. She could feel that she was moving and it was the only thing that mattered.

"Loyalty!" It screeched.

Dash could almost physically feel how that thing is trying to touch her. From the corner of her eye she could see acid-yellow light trying to reach her. So close, but yet still unable to actually reach even the tip of her tail.

Well, whatever it was planning, it was out of luck!

"I! WILL! NEVER! GIVE UP!" She roared and pushed herself over the limit.

*TWAK*

There was a snapping sound and Dash was free!

Her theory was that the Spell created an isolated field with her in the center and each time she tried to move, the field create a counter-force in the opposite direction of her movement, therefor rendering her immobile. She over powered the Spell, moving fast enough for it to fail and shatter like glass.

And then she felt as if she dive-bombed into cold lake... again.

Applejack was doing her normal everyday duty of overseeing her family's orchard. normal slow and, dare she say it, lazy day.

Apple Bloom was away on a trip with Big Mac and Granny Smith to deliver a pretty big batch of apples. The little firecracker was happy to be send on her first official family-business trip. Applejack had to suppress a grin, because letting it out would mean not getting rid of it till the end of the day. Apple Bloom was as enthusiastic as ever, and the only bad thing about the hole affair was that she was unable to take her friends Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle with her, but there was only three invitations and sending Cutie Mark Crusaders on a business trip spelled disaster and certain amount of property damage.

Their escapades were literally legendary around Ponyville. They tried almost everything but what they were obviously good at. Anyone could already tell them in what they were talented, but nopony did simply because the whole idea about Cutie Mark Crusaders was not only finding their Cutie Mark, but having fun and bonding with each other.

Applejack could still remember when they tried to be farmers. They were actually reasonably good at it, and animal liked them, but considering that after every job they ended up dirty one way or another. After feeding pigs they actually were dirtier than said animals, and only most of it were actual dirt.

Big Mac came more as a muscle-power than a negotiator. He is a very kind, calm and easy-going with temper that almost never was actually rise, but his nature a a stallion of few words made him not a very good diplomat. Yeh, he was a terrific listener and more than just good at giving a practical advise, but when it was required to enter a verbal type of a contest he was kind of lacking.

But Granny Smith made up for it with her fire, that wasn't appropriate for her age and a great amount of experience. She may complain, she may play for an old and feeble old lady, but there was a pretty sharp mind in that head of hers, and Applejack was sure that they will be alright.

Maybe she should take a break and go visit her friends? Getting one win out of Rainbow Dash sounded good actually! They already had their Iron Pony competition, even if Applejack still thought that it wasn't fare to use wings, she acknowledged that Dash was better in some of the physical aspects, their race in the Running of the Leaves was more of battle of wits and cheating tactics than an actual running.

It was... shameful.

What kind of a friend Apple jack was to even lower herself to that level? Weren't she and Dash friends that went through some really tough stuff together? Weren't dash on of the Ponies she trusted with her life? There was just so many things that went wrong in that two events, that she really didn't want to count. Well, she owned Dash some pretty big apology.

The whole 'Mare-Do-Well' incident also came to mind. What the Hay was wrong with them? Twilight came up with as idea that actually hurt her friend, and Applejack went along with it? Did Applejack overdid it with sider? Did she injured her head? That was just wrong, and another apology that she owned Dash.

Twilight wasn't better in that regard. How could she came up with a plan that would publicly humiliate one of her friends? Applejack knew that Twilight was a tad bit sheltered filly, but that wasn't an excuse for make such a big mistake after so much time together with them! What happened with the simple talk? Too simple?

"*o****..." She suddenly herd a whisper.

She turned around, looking for a source.

That... was pretty strange. Her family wasn't returning until tomorrow, none of her friends were going to visit today and Winona didn't have the ability to actually speak.

Applejack looked around again. She was sure that something changed in her surrounding, but could quiet tell what.

"Get out." Suddenly Applejack heard.

'Fluttershy!' She instantly recognize the voice of a timid Pegasus.

Well, she will deal with the strange voices later, right now she had to deal with whatever happened to her friend.

"*o*e***..." Another whisper, this time louder.

But Applejack ignored it and rushed to the exit of Sweet Apple Acres. She could already see the gates. She knew where Fluttershy was, considering that she personally delivered the apples for her tea-party. Sprinting full-throttle she already could see the gates.

'Darn it, I hope nothing bad happened.' She thought.

Applejack wasn't the most insightful Pony, but she could tell that Fluttershy wasn't weak by any definition of the word. Many would argue, but saying something about the fact won't change the fact itself, Fluttershy had strength that came not in the form of a physical power or speed, sharp mind or witty tongue, her strength came in spirit and will.

Applejack wasn't someone who could claim to be master of character-reading, but she could judge Ponies by their actions pretty good, even better after the whole ordeal with Zecora, and she was damn impressed with what she could see in Fluttershy when she wasn't the normal timid self.

First time was when they were going after Nightmare Moon. Fluttershy just went and tamed a damn Manticore without as much as blinking! Applejack wasn't sure how did it happened, but the shy Pegasus just walked up to the enraged created and make it behave like a house-cat in less than a minute, while it took five others to receive a couple of lumps to even slow it down, special talent or not. In Applejack's eye it was more than just impressive!

And what about that episode with the sleeping Dragon? She actually glared it into submission! Applejack saw some pretty impressive things in her life, but that was just unbelievable. The shy and timid Fluttershy made a Dragon back down by scolding it! Applejack wasn't quite sure about Kindness, but the the bravery was there for all to see. How she could act so helpless when she can be considered the bravest of them all! It was just like with Pinkie who did all that physically impossible things that no one already care to understand, no one tried to understand how Fluttershy could just switch between meek and helpless to brave and unyielding.

Or the one time she overpowered Cockatrice's stare with pure willpower. When Apple Bloom told her about the whole ordeal, she was thinking that the filly was exaggerating, but when Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle actually fully supported her story and later check with Twilight and Fluttershy sealed the fact that it actually happened. If Applejack didn't know any better, she would've thought that Fluttershy was even a Pegasus. Twilight, the Magical-Prodigy, the student of Princess Celestia actually failed, her Magic and knowledge were rendered useless. Fluttershy beat the pest and resisted being turned into stone with will *alone***!

"*o*e*t*..." And this strange voice again.

'I don't have time for this!' Thought Applejack. 'I have to...'

*WHAM*

And she ran straight into a wall. Swaying on her hooves a little, she shook her head to clear it from ringing sound.

"Who the Hay put a wall..." She looked up and saw what stopped her.

An orange transparent barrier was in her way, right where the land of Sweet Apple Acres was ending. She looked around and saw that the thing was surrounding her farm from all sides. That barrier was a little bit similar to the one that Twilight made, but more... dull and the feeling Applejack was getting from it made her feel uneasy. There was just something not right with it, she couldn't put her hove on it, but something about was both familiar and almost evil. Like someone took something good and twisted it to the point of of it being unrecognizable.

Applejack wasn't a Pony who so easily gave up.

"Don't know what the Hay is this, but I know that you're in my way to help my friend." She said, and without any second thoughts bucked the barrier with all he might.

*WOUN*

Ripples spread from the point of impact but soon died down. This didn't stopped the made from trying again.

*WOUN*

But with the same result.

*WOUN*

*WOUN*

*WOUN*

*WOUN*

'Tough thing.' Thought Applejack.

Well, maybe Applejack wasn't an Egghead, she still was pretty smart and understood that the barrier was pretty much immune to her attacks. Well, it was like it just absorbed her attacks and spread then in all directions, it was like bucking jelly.

Well, if Twilight was here she wouldn't even need to think things through, because her Magic will be able to deal with whatever it was. But the point was that Twilight wasn't here, so Applejack was stuck. She didn't have Magic to help her, at least not the one that was needed here, but she wasn't all brawl and no brain, like some would've thought.

'If I cant break through it by normal means, then I'll have to make it so it can't spread the damage fast enough.' She took several steps backward. 'And that means I will need to apply much more than just a single strike and then keep applying it to keep up the effect.'

"*o*e*ty..." Something hissed not far away.

Applejack turned around and saw what was making the strange sound. It was acid-yellow colored light that was slowly moving toward her. And it made her feel the same way the barrier did.

"So, it is your doing?" Asked through gritted teeth Applejack.

She didn't get the answer, and she didn't need one, she already knew. But it didn't make her situation better, quiet the opposite, it made the situation worse. It meant that she was locked in her with this thing and there wasn't any way out. One thing that she learned when dealing with any Magical foe, is that the lack of physical body meant that it can't be harmed by any normal mean. Yeh, there was exceptions, like Windigo, who could actually be burned or the Timberwolves that could be harmed by destroying their wooden bodies, but there wasn't any time for her to test anything, and she didn't know what will happen if she'll touch it, so the only way out was to break the barrier.

Turning around and ignoring the light for the moment, she charged right at the barrier. She wasn't that far from it, but with experience of many hours of hard work she was at her full speed when her head struck the Magical Construction.

*WOUNS*

The sound was different a little, but she didn't care, she was pushing forward with all her might.

The barrier didn't even bulged. It was like trying to move a mountain, an immovable object which won't yield its position to anyone.

Well, who said that it would be easy?

Pushing harder Applejack felt as her hooves started to dig into the ground, shoving that apparently the earth gave up before the barrier did. Any other Pony would've started the futile attempts and tried to find a different approach. Maybe it was a good idea, because maybe there was some other way to pass this obstacle, but the problem was that Applejack lacked the time to do anything else. So she kept pushing.

In front of her eyes the image of Fluttershy appeared.

Was she that weak that her own inability will cost her a friend?

"*one*ty..." Closer, even more closer than before.

Will she just let that thing stop her from helping her friend?

Was it her limit?

Was she a complete phony?

Pathetic.

Pathetic!

Pathetic!

Pathetic!

'Am I *that** pathetic?!'* She screamed in her mind.

...

...

...

'No...' Something snapped insider her from this word.

She didn't know, if she imagined that, or if it really happened, but that whisper sounded like her own voice. And I reminded her something. Not in words, but in feeling that it brought with it.

Denial.

She refused to give up!

She felt, as the fire that was almost gone inside of her roared back to life with new vigor.

She refused to back down!

The pain in her muscles from the strain she was putting them through became a barely noticeable ache, a background noise.

She refused to abound her friend!

She pushed harder than she thought she could. She will break this thing! She will help Fluttershy. She will beat up this thing black and blue for threatening her friends!

It bulged. Even so slightly but the barrier slightly bulged forward. The first step, a tiny step forward was made. And where is the first, there is alway the second.

She pressed more, and felt the barrier giving even more ground.

"Hone*ty..." The voice was almost behind her and there was anger in it now.

"You know, partner." Applejack said through gritted teeth.

She took another step forward, making the barrier give even more ground. Each step she took, eat little victory she achieved filled her with even more strength to keep going.

"You made a pretty big mistake." Her resolve was as hard as steel, she will not give up.

She could almost feel the light from that thing almost reaching. Whatever it was, it wanted her. Well, it was out of luck then!

"You threatened my friend by preventing me from helping her." Applejack didn't know where her resolve was coming from, but she liked it.

This is how a true friend act when someone close to her is in danger! There isn't need for any pathetic reasoning or over-thinking it. Pure and simple.

She will help her friend, no matter what!

"Hone*ty..." She could almost hear what it was saying.

And she didn't care. There is something about friendship that you can't learn through day-to-day life, something that you couldn't acknowledge until you'll be pressed to your limit, there is something that will never become obvious until you're threatened to loose something that precious to you.

You must win.

If she won't win, she wouldn't be able save her friend. Nothing else was acceptable, only victory. Applejack won't be able to live if she will let her friend die, because it wouldn't be her anymore, it will be a traitor that lived while her friend didn't. She never let her friends down, and wasn't planning on starting right now!

One more step, the barrier bulged a little again.

And one more, even more progress was made.

And another one.

And another.

And another.

She was pushing right through the damn thing, not giving up an inch. She was overpowering it not because of some secret trick or Magic, not because of some Magical trinket or Rainbow of Friendship. She was marching forward on pure guts, will and refusal to yield!

" No one threats my friend..." She growled.

"Honesty!" The voice was more of a angry screech, than a whisper.

"...and GET AWAY WITH IT IN ONE PIECE!" She roared.

The barrier bulged one more time.

*Crack*

*Crack*Crack*

*Crack*Crack*Crack*

Cracks started to appear around the place where Applejack was pushing.

*CRASH*

The barrier broke. Like a strained glass, it shattered into thousand pieces, raining down on Applejack, who shot forward, toward the place where she knew Fluttershy was.

And suddenly she felt like she put her face into bucket of cold water.

Tomic woke up right before the first rays of the sun appeared from over the horizon.

'Ah, again I'm waking up outside...' He looked around and found out that apparently he fell asleep on veranda of his house. 'At least no one tried to wake me up while I was sleeping, last time it happened... Yeh, lets not repeat the that.'

He looked to the side and saw an empty bottle of Sake and his pipe. Smirking, he shook his head, stood up and stretched, getting some snapping sounds from his bones, making sure that he still was in a good condition to take on whatever this day will throw at him. Yawning, he picked up the bottle, put the pipe in the chest-pocket of his shirt.

"Time to check how the brats are doing." Muttered own releasing another yawn.

Walking in the house he saw the girls still sleeping. Pink-haired one was sleeping on the bed and apparently didn't have much of a peaceful night because she was muttering something while tossing and turning on the bed. The blondy was using spare futton that Miako brought with her and was already half out of it, untranslatable mumbling was absent but her facial expression made the old retired pirate crack a smirk, it was like she trying to bite through something. Rainbow-haired gaki was using the big bear-skin that was lied near the fireplace, and looked like she fell asleep during an attempt of crawl-swimming.

Well, the last one actually gave him an idea...

Suddenly a wave of something that made Tomic instinctively put his guard up passed him. He narrowed his eyes.

'This was *Haoshoku Haki, weak and uncontrolled blast, but still noticeable. It must come from not so far away to actually* be noticed.' he looked around trying to pinpoint the source, and when he did. 'The pink-haired brat?' His eyes widened. 'Well, this **is a surprise! Apparently there is something interesting in this children than just the looks and crazy background story.'

People who had Haoshoku Haki were one in the million, and you couldn't actually obtain it, you needed to be born with the ability to utilize this specific type of Haki. To think that one of the brats that literally fell onto him out of nowhere had the legendary thing. This was some kind of sign from above, or a very cruel joke, he didn't decided which was actually worse.

He will need to look into it more carefully, but right now he had a plan to accomplish. Moving much more silently than any man of his size and age has right to he picked up a bucket of water, that Miako made him keep near the fireplace in case the bear-skin would actually catch on fire. Tomic couldn't figure out why was she so worried about it, the damn thing was incombustible, he actually extinguished the flames once by covering them with the dam skin, and not even a scorch mark.

The bucket was full of cold water.

The smirk that was on the old man's face would have been a far better wake-up call than what he was planning, but they couldn't see him, so...

*WOOSH*

He gave the sleeping trio a good morning shower in bed.

Tomic couldn't help but laugh at the sight of three girls sitting around his table and picking at their food without any enthusiasm. He was sitting at the head of the table, Rainbow-brat and Blondy-brat were on the right side of him, whiel the Pink-brat was on the left. They weren't able to dry themselves properly, and their clothes were in no condition to be worn, so they were now in so old rags that Miako brought with her, after gave him an earful about childish behavior. Brat's clothes were drying on the outside, handing from the rope that was stretched between a tree and veranda.

"You can stop laughing now." Muttered Dash, as she chewed on the piece of cabbage, her twitching eyebrow was good enough reason for Tomic to laugh even harder.

"Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha! Wet... Ha-ha... blue... Bwa-ha-ha-ha... chicken!" Old man's amusement came from the fact that right as she woke up Dash reflexively tried to fly up, to get away from whatever was attacking her.

Considering that her speed in the moment of shock was pretty impressive she impacted the celling with the top of her head with pretty big force. It was followed by her fall down on the floor and then running around like a wet chicken waving her wings frantically unable to actually take off because of the pain in her head and disorientation from the collision itself.

Applejack was actually fairing far better, she did jump up thought, but when she frantically looked around and found the reason for her condition she showed her dissatisfaction with his actions by kicking him in the shin... and doubling over in pain. It was like kicking steel, she actually thought that she probably broke a bone or at least fractured it in some way.

Fluttershy reacted the most interesting way. Yes, she yelped and woke up, but when she understood what was happening, and saw Dash running around and Applejack rolling on the floor she... giggled. The action shocked her but only after they actually started breakfast, and now she was thinking about her actions and th reasons for them.

Rainbow Dash was confused.

Normally she would be angry about the whole ordeal with the water and bucket, she knows how a prank can hurt someone, but she only felt a mild irritation. Even if the old... man was laughing at her, and her head throbbed with pain occasionally, she still could see the reason why she wasn't as angry with him as she should be. She learned one important thing about pranks and that they shouldn't get anyone hurt, Pinkie taught her well about it. But right now she actually find it a bit funny herself. This whole morning was strange, and for some reason, after waking up and getting a cold shower with a head-shot she was feeling a lot better than yesterday, like a huge weight was lifted from her shoulders, and a fog was dispelled from her mind. She felt lighter, more free than ever, and somehow it made her smile at the antics of the old man who helped them and feed them. The initial distrust that she felt was gone and she actually couldn't find wash was the reason for it in the first place.

'Ah, who cares!' She thought and smiled, it was time to actually relax and have some fun.

"Shut up, old geezer!" She roared without an ounce of negative emotion in her voice.

She didn't know why she did it, or why was she feeling so good, but for now she didn't care. She was with her friends, and even not a full band, they still were together and it was all that mattered!

Applejack wasn't fairing better. She actually attacked a person who was kind enough to give the shelter in their time of need. And he just laughed it off! She wasn't even holding back and that kick could actually hurt someone pretty badly, but instead of angry he was amused by it! She didn't understand it! Her reaction was way too violent for the situation, any other... person would probably be angry at her, even if she only reacted to the prank, she went overboard. But, the strangest thing about it, was that she was actually feeling a bit... amused by it? She couldn't understand. Even the cold and wet wake-up call didn't distract her enough to miss the fact that for some reason she was feeling far better than yesterday and not only physically, but mentally too. It was like someone someone pulled the plug on the drain and disposed of all the syrup inside of her. She could think far clearer, the strange feeling of distrust that she felt yesterday was gone to... Speaking of which, she could pinpoint it, but for some reason the feeling was like it didn't actually belonged to her in the first place, but it was impossible. Maybe it was her tired mind playing with her? Right now she felt wonderful and the smile just won't leave her face.

"Shut up, old geezer!" Dash's outburst took Applejack by surprise, but for some reason she didn't felt the need to scold her friend.

There just wasn't any negative feeling in he speech, none at all. She didn't know why, but what she did next was on a pure impulse, without actually thinking about it.

"Close your trap, gramps, or I'll kick your ass!" The outburst came out as if by itself, and Applejack didn't know why she actually said it, but one thing she was sure about.

She was having fun! She actually was having fun while yelling at the old man who woke them up by splashing them with cold water. How could she have fun? It didn't even sound like a friendly challenge that she and Dash exchanged from time to time. It wasn't even the fun that she had on Pinkie's parties, no, here it was different. It had the shrill that she couldn't qiuet place, but it was making it hard not to smile.

She liked it.

Fluttershy was having an internal dialog with herself. When she woke up, stopped spitting water and calmed down, she looked around and found the reason for the morning shower. Mr.Tomic was standing near her bed with empty bucket in hand and laughing really hard. Applejack was rolling on the floor and clutching her leg with a grimace of pain of her face, her attempt at kicking their host in the shin failed and backfired horribly. Rainbow Dash was running in circles, waving her wings around like crazy and holding her head in obvious pain, shocked by the sudden waterfall, she apparently jumped pretty hard to impact the celling with enough force for Fluttershy to actually hear it! But, for some reason Fluttershy wasn't really worried about them, she actually find the whole situation... funny? She actually was amused by their pain? It was like something was lifted from her mind and all the worries that plagued her heart just... evaporated! She was still herself, she was sure of it, but right now she couldn't feel the constant nervous tingle inside herself, not a trace of usual fear that tormented her for years. It was like she lost something that weighted her down and now she could spread her wings and fly! Well, not really, because Dash already proved that flying inside the house could be dangerous... She giggled.

Right now she was sitting at the table and sipping tea from what can only be described as clay cup. A very good tea actually! She wasn't familiar with it, but she really wanted to know if she could learn how to make it. Mr.Tomic was still roaring with laugh, and Fluttershy didn't find herself uncomfortable or feeling downcast because of it, instead she had an urge to actually laugh with him! It was crazy, but at the same time thrilling, like... like she was free and wanted to laugh about it, smile and just have fun, the air around the table was rich with mirth, and it was for almost empowering for the young... girl.

Her smile was getting bigger, and suddenly the dam broke and she burst into fit of giggles.

"Shut up, old geezer!" Roared Dash.

"Close your trap, gramps, or I'll kick your ass!" Added Applejack.

Fluttershy didn't know why, but it only made the whole situation funnier! She almost spilled her tea from the shaking the giggling was producing.

"What did you say, brats?!" Roared Mr.Tomic. "You apparently wasn't taught how to respect you elders!" And suddenly he was behind them, faster than anyone could see. "Let me rectify that!" And with one sweeping motion he made both Dash and Applejack dive face-first in their plates.

You could almost see the lumps forming on the back of their heads. Fluttershy was expecting the familiar tingle of worry to enter her heart, that will urge her to rush to their side and try to make them feel better, but it was strangely absent. Instead of it she felt something different. He giggling turned into a full-blown laugh.

Dash and Applejack groggily rose from their plates with pieces of food sticking to their faces and glaring daggers at her.

"Traitor." They muttered at the same time.

Fluttershy stopped her laughing for a moment. That comment, the comment such as that said with such a scowls would normally turn her into a shaking mess, begging for forgiveness and making herself feel miserable. But right now it only made her burst of laughing even harder from the ridiculous look of her two friends had right now. The piece of egg stuck on Applejack's brow was more than enough for to last for hour!

When Fluttershy suddenly stopped laughing both Rainbow Dash and Applejack felt their hearts dropped. They in no way of form wanted to hurt Fluttershy's feelings and knowing how sensitive she was, there was a good chance of them sending her into a crying fit. The word left their mouthes without any actual thought behind it, on a spur of the moment so to say, and if it will hurt Fluttershy, they didn't even want to think about what will happen.

And suddenly she burst into another fit of laugh, making them smile too.

They were sitting at the table, two of them had their faces decorated with their breakfast and the back of their head aching, but for some reason they were still laughing and smiling. They didn't know what awaits them ahead, but they will face it together no matter what, because they were friends and will never abandon each other!

Tomic was sitting at the head of the table again and smiling, looking at the three laughing children. They really was something special! Yes, his methods weren't the most gentle, but who cared if the results were worth it? The tension that was so thick in the air yesterday was gone without a trace and there wasn't that strange conflicted looks in brats' eyes, and that was a big plus in old pirate's book!

His musing were cut short and he was hit on the back of his head. He still couldn't figure out just how Miako was able to get around his Kenbunshoku Haki, but he wasn't able to sense her presence even when she was standing next to him! The she-devil wouldn't spill her secret no matter how much he tried to pry it from her!

"I see that you decided to go your own way and make them feel better but hitting them on the head?" She asked, not loud enough for the brats to hear, while they were talking between themselves.

Well, it was more if Dash and Applejack trying to make Fluttershy stop laughing at them and get all the food and their face and hair. Tomic smirked, this was just too damn funny!

"The results speak for themselves." He answered.

He heard a tired sigh from behind him and them Miako walked into view and sat down on the free chair.

"Well,at least you didn't knock them out." She muttered.

"Stop laughing!" Came the yell from Dash and Applejack, still with their faces slightly covered with food.

"Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" Laughed Tomic.

In Equestria, in the Golden Oak Library, hidden inside the book, the Elements of Harmony, more specifically Kindness, Honesty and Loyalty, suddenly flared with the same acid-yellow color, and then became normal again. But if someone would look closer, they will be able to see the malicious glow coming from the inside the gems of the mentioned necklaces.

"Kindness..."

"Loyalty..."

"Honesty..."

Three malicious whispers can be heard, but there was no one to hear them.

Not far away from Las Pegasus a lone Pony was sitting near the fire shivering under a cloak. Pony was silently crying while watching the fire dancing around the wood.

'I don't want to be alone anymore.' Thought the Pony.