Let Sleeper Dogs Lie

Let Sleeper Dogs Lie

by neorenamon

Dan led the others up the Library as they headed for the highest point they could reach.  But they soon ran out of space inside the tree, so they had to climb out a window to continue further upwards.  All around them, the smoke was rising from the base of the tree that formed the library itself.

The mystery mare was tied to Snails back like a backpack to make it easier to get her out.  He went out before Snips, Tails and Bakabaka to make sure they could all assist him with his burden.  They also had to make sure that Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon to climb the tree, as neither of them were proficient at climbing.

He looked down when he heard the sound of breaking glass, and could see torches being thrown in through what he was sure was now a broken window.

"Keep climbing!!" he shouted, "We won't let them take us that easily!!"

"I'm more worried about getting burned to ash!!" replied Snails.

"I'd rather be burned to death than be beaten, tortured, and THEN burned to death."

"I suppose he's got a point," said Snips.

They climbed several feet closer to the top of the tree, but progress was much slower than the flames chasing them.

"We should simply go on and try," said Bakabaka, "It's surely not a good day to die."

So the pinkfluff turned to 'Miss Cheerilee' and blew a short raspberry.  She sighed back.

"What are they talking about?" asked Snails, "Does anyone besides Miss Bakabaka know what they're saying?"

"While they wish not to make a fuss," she replied, "Our situation do they discuss."

"What's there to discuss?" asked Snips.

Suddenly Diamond Tiara screamed as she lost her grip on the limb she was climbing up to.  She began to glow as she floated upwards, and then they all noticed that 'Miss Cheerilee' had been replaced by the violet unicorn mare known as 'Twilight Sparkle'.  Her horn was also glowing.  Soon, they were all glowing as they floated up to the highest part of the tree that would support their weight.

Looking past the smoke around them, they could see the columns of smoke all around them.  It was getting hard to see a building that wasn't on fire to some degree or another by then.

"I don't suppose you've got another spell that will help?!" asked Dan as he looked over at 'Twilight Sparkle'.

"I suppose if I had access to her lesson books and some time to study, I would," she replied evenly, "but we don't have the time even if those books weren't being turned to ash even as we speak."

"Then how did you do the horn thing?"

"The things unicorns do with their horn?" she replied, "That's just a thing they can do shortly after they're born."

"I guess that's true," he replied as he scratched his beard, "but I've never been able to move this kind of weight."

"I guess we just don't practice that kind of thing," said Snails.

"Say," said Snips, "What's that giant black crystal spire over there?!"  They looked to see he was pointing across the city, and even through the smoke, could see a tall black crystal tower that he was pointing too.

"I'm sure it's the mind control tower that's going to rule over us when the reconstruction is over!!" called Dan.

"Well I'm not sure it's going to matter once we're cremated over here!" replied Snails.

"Can't Twilight over here just float us over to another building?" asked Tails, "Or maybe just float us out of town?"

"Look around," said Dan, "and tell me just what safe place there is to go to?!"

Then Bakabaka seemed to swoon slightly as she was grabbed about the waist by Dan.

"What's wrong?"

"Mistress Rarity called to say," she said, "Worry not: Help is on the way."

"Great," he muttered, "I've always wanted to owe a debt to one of the future rulers of Equestria!"

"While she is firm and not cruel," she replied, "I am not stubborn like the mule."

A burst of green energy radiated from the black spire as it spread out all over Ponyville.

"This is it!!" shouted Dan, "The end is here!!"

But the others noticed that all the fires had gone out, and that no more smoke was coming from the various buildings.

"Thank you for believing in me," said a nearby voice, "I always hope it will be justified, my dear."

They looked to see Sombrarity hugging Bakabaka as she floated in the air next to here.

"Whoa," said Tails, "Those are like the biggest boobs... ever!"

He, along with all the other stallions, were quite aware that she wore nothing but a fanged smile.

"Nothing gets by your lint trap mind, does it?" she responded as she looked back at him.

"I have missed my Mistress so," said Bakabaka as she nuzzled her Sombrarity, "Perhaps it is time to go?"

She snapped her fingers, and they found that they were on a new platform that just appeared around and under them.  It was covered by a roof, and they were all laid out of wicker couches covered with red silk cushions.  In the middle was a large table which was covered with things like pitchers of lemonade with ice, fruit punch, and orange juice.  There was also plates of sugar cookies, finger sandwiches and raw veggie trays.

"It's better that you all stay up here until I can set things right, my precious sub maid," she said into Bakabaka's ear, "I couldn't stand to see you hurt before I get the ponies crazed by the power of Nightmare Celestia under control."

"What about her?" asked Snails as he glanced at the mare tied to his back.

"Oh, I think I can do something with this one," she smirked as she snapped her fingers, and she vanished.  "My little Nightmare Rarity has been very naughty.  She needs to be punished for her wrongs and crimes."

"Dang," said Snails, "I didn't get a turn with her."

"Don't worry," she replied with a really wicked grin, "You'll see her again soon.  I promise.  Then she'll be... more than willing to service your needs... or anypony else I tell her to.  But that can wait."  She looked about and said, "Oh, and it looks like you need some cover against the fliers who are bound to come by soon."

She snapped her fingers, and everypony except her and the mystery mare were now rather richly dressed.  They looked like they could have gone right to the Grand Galloping Gala and fit right in.

"Hey," said Snips, "What about..."

But the naked mare was gone in a flash of light before he could even finish his thought.

...

Sombrarity appeared at the base of the black crystal tower where Spike and Celestia were waiting for her.  The unknown mare they all knew as Nightmare Rarity was floating next to her.

"YOU BITCH!!" she growled looked upwards at the crystal that contained her shop as well as Nightmare Celestia, "You shall never twist another to your sick self-destructive goals!!"

"But what can you do about it, Mistress?" asked Celestia.

"Oh, I'm sure she has some trick up her sleeve," replied Spike with a smile.

She looked at her bare arms before she said, "Well, I do have a trick."  Her horn glowed as a small swirling green and black portal appeared.  They stared openly as the Elements of Harmony floated out and about Sombrarity's head.

"I wasn't expecting that."

Sombrarity looked at the circling crown and necklaces as if contemplating something.

"But Mistress, you're only connected to one Element:  Generosity.  What can you do with them all?"

"You did something similar when it was time to take care of the Nightmare Moon problem."

Spike stared open mouthed as Celestia said, "When I did that, the Elements were lost to ponykind for a thousand years!"

"Fear not.  Even if that should come to pass, there shall be the Celestial Elements to step up in their place.  But right now, there's so much destruction to repair.  So many ponies to heal.  So many minds to clear.  It's the only way, my love."

"It still sounds kinda crazy to me."

"Desperate times, my Spikey-wikey."

The stones popped from their mounts as they began to circle Sombrarity.  From her mane emerged the bright red raw gemstone that she got from the mines earlier.  They spun faster and faster until they were a rainbow blur.  She closed her eyes as she focused her will on the task at hand.  Then a powerful rainbow shot from her horn into the sky.  It scattered into a hundred beams as she passed all around Ponyville.  The light grew brighter and brighter until none in the whole town or surrounding area could see anything.  Her eyes snapped open as a massive white light burst from them.

After a moment, they could see again.  The first thing they could see was the powerful crystal tower had shifted from black crystal to shiny silverish white.  Every building was repaired and restored, and they could see that they were now reinforced with crystals like the ones forming the spire.  Now there was a red crystal heart floating over the top of the spire shining it's light all around it.  While it wasn't that bright compared to the sun, it would surely light the area around it at night.

Then they noticed some ponies coming from their homes.  Judging by their burnt and/or torn clothes, it seemed like they had fallen victim to either the mobs or a fire, and yet they were somehow well and whole again.

Sombrarity looked at the gems on the ground, and said to them, "Thank you for trusting and helping us one more time.  Now it is time for you to go home and rest."

"What da what?"

"The Tree of Harmony," gasp Celestia, "How could you know about it?!"

The Element stones floated into the air, and then all shot away towards the Everfree Forest.

"Oh my love," she replied as she hugged Celestia tightly, "They told me about it themselves."

"I'm lost over here."

"We discovered the Elements of Harmony long ago inside the Tree of Harmony.  It was the only thing we found that could rival the chaotic power of Discord.  So we used them against him to turn him to stone as punishment for his misdeeds.  But when I alone used them to imprison my sweet little Luna in the Moon all those years later, the Elements decided that I was no longer worthy of their vast power.  I had a feeling somepony would come along to take them up... but that was 1,000 years later."

"And now I've broken my link to the Element of Generosity in the same way."

"Now my love," pleaded Celestia, "Give up the Alicorn Amulet and the Inspiration Manifestation while you still can."

"For you," she replied as she tore off the Amulet and cast it down to the ground, and then her little golden chest appeared in a flash of light, "I forswear all of these dark magic artifacts."

Celestia rewarded her with a kiss to the lips.  Spike looked awkwardly away as the two nude mares hugged and kissed each other openly.  A crowd of ponies slowly gathered as they stared at the scene.

"That is just so darn hot," muttered a random Earth pony stallion.

"That is... just so wrong..." replied the random unicorn mare next to him.

"But you can't stop looking at them, can you?"

"Uh..."

Spike picked up the Amulet.  Sombrarity's horn glowed at the chest opened, so he tossed it in.  Then the chest glowed as a golden key appeared and locked it shut.  He took the chest under his arm as he took the key in his other hand.

"This is going someplace really secure."

They broke their kiss as Celestia said, "You're forever sealed from you own shop, aren't you?"

"Yes," she replied, "A small price to pay for my own hubris."

"Where shall you live?"

"Oh, I'm working on something even as we speak, my love."

"WHOA!" said Spike as he stared in the direction of the Library, "What happened to the Golden Oak Library?!  It's HUGE!!"  The tree-library was now so large that it towered over all of the buildings around it.

Sombrarity chuckled softly.