Equestria Girls: The Witching Hour

The day had been rough for Megan and Brianna after hearing about and then seeing the video of the attack at the Steel Dragon. Sitting on the couch together Megan had finally managed to calm Brianna down. Unfortunately there would be a newscast that would threaten to undo all of Megan's hard work.

"Hello everyone watching, I'm Gabby Gums." Said the woman on the T.V. "Our top story tonight is a rash of elaborate pranks following the fake videos of the gas line explosion in a downtown restaurant."

Brianna shot to her feet. "Pranks?! Those were not pranks you wanna be tabloid journalist!" Brianna shouted angrily her voice cracking with an indignant squeak. "People are getting hurt and this the garbage you're reporting!" Brianna screamed and was about to put her fist through the screen when Megan grabbed her wrist stopping her.

Megan pulled a still fuming Brianna gently into her arms and held her. "Brianna I know you're mad, but this is not the way to handle this."

"They are straight up lying their asses off Megan." Brianna replied hotly.

"I know that Brianna." Megan said softly as she held Brianna with her arms pinned to her sides. "They are scared, and confused. They don't have the ability to understand what's going on. We don't even understand it remember?"

Brianna started to relax. "Doesn't that hurt." asked Brianna

"My leg doesn't hurt anymore Brianna." Megan smiled and kissed Brianna lightly on the neck. "Even if it did you're far more important to me than any pain." Megan continued to kiss Brianna lightly on the neck a few more times. "It's okay Brianna, we will figure this out somehow. I think it would be best for you to stay home on Monday, you just won't be at you're best right now."

"But Megan..." Brianna said before Megan gently pressed her index finger to her lips.

"No Brianna." Megan said firmly. "You're staying with me on Monday, no arguments okay?"

"Okay Megan." Brianna said quietly.

The rest of the weekend passed without any further events, but that left the group feeling more ill at ease as a result.
When Monday's lunch meeting came the table was noticeably empty with three fewer occupants.

"Well this sucks, we're down by three." Rainbow grumbled

"Yeah I mean I never pegged the shrimp as the type to skip class." Said Aria though her body language shows she was worried.

"I do believe it's because he is still shaken by what happened last Friday." said Rarity

"I don't rightly know Rarity, I'm sure worried 'bout the little guy." Applejack replied

"Well something was definitely off when Twilight and I talked to him on Saturday." Sunset said with Twilight nodding in agreement.

"It definitely was, he was convinced that whoever is behind this was trying to end the world." Twilight said sounding worried.

Pinkie and Sonata gasped and said in unison. "Really? That's crazy."

"I'll admit, it's a very distressing situation." Adagio said

"Wait he thinks it's the end of the world? Well, actually he might not be too of the mark I mean we've all seen the news right?" Said Aria actually looking concerned.

Adagio facepalmed "It's not the end of the world Aria. It is getting really odd and dangerous, but it's not the end of the world." Adagio deadpanned as Marble moved noticeably closer to Sonata.

Twilight looked up from her food. "Listen girls I know this is bad but we can't start panicking, that will just make things worse."

"Twilight is right, we can't be scared by this." Fluttershy said causing everyone at the table to turn her way.

"Whoa!" Rainbow gasped "Did that just come from Fluttershy?"

"Yeah, amazingly enough it did." said Sunset

"Awesome!" Rainbow said with a smile. "That's totally cool of you Flutters."

Fluttershy blushed and and went back to eating.

"Okay so who wants to volunteer to go check on our crazy, heavily armed shrimp after school?" asked Aria

"That is easy, you should be the one to do it Aria." Rarity replied

"Me? You do know that he is unstable right now and the last thing he need is me distracting him while he is messing with a nuke or something, right?" Said Aria crossing her arms. "Besides no matter what he is working on it would probably involve power tools last thing we need is him cutting or burning himself cause he's to busy watching my rear end to watch what he's doing. I mean Rarity didn't you cause that accident last year cause you walked by the since lab distracting the one boy with the crush?"

"Actually, that was me." Fluttershy said quietly.

Adagio smirked "Turning some heads are we Fluttershy?" She said somewhat teasingly causing the introverted girl to blush.

"Darling, Storm needs you now more than ever. Rarity replied "You can give his focus a positive direction right now and help him through this. It really has to be you dear, only you can pull Storm back from the brink as it were."

"Yeah Rares is right Aria." said Rainbow "The little guy needs you right now so he can get his head together."

"Sure thing sugarcube." Applejack said plainly.

"Yeah!" Came a chorus of five familiar voices form the next table. "I mean like come on Aria." Said Silver Spoon. "You're the only one in school that can do it right now." Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Diamond Tiara all nodded in ascent.

"Okay, and I'm surprised you five are supporting me being alone with him. After all you five did everything short of sitting in his lap. To get his attention." Said Aria calling the five out showing that she had noticed the younger girls attempts.

"It's not about that!" Scoots shot back.

"We're really worried about him." Sweetie squeaked

"Look you're his girlfriend Aria and that means you have to take care of him and help him out with this, it what you do. In the mean time we're trying to figure how we can help with this mess. It involves all of us and not you just guys." Diamond Tiara asserted.

"Yeah. Apple Bloom said. "We're in this together."

The group at the table began to notice their schoolmates were all looking at them. It was clear that not everyone in Canterlot had bought the official line and they were worried.

"Well we've got to do something that ain't just standing around." Granny Smith said from behind the lunch counter.

"Fine, fine, I'll go check on the shrimp. But that means if I catch you five trying to flirt with him again after today your going to regret it got it?" Said Aria looking a menacing as she could to the younger girls.

Adagio and Sonata giggle at their sisters antics.

"There's bigger things going on." Apple Bloom retorted.

"Hey come on now." said Applejack "There is no need to be like that sugarcube. Now let's get though the rest of the day and see what we can do alright?"

"She's like totally territorial. I mean when had to get our own bathrooms cause she blows a gasket if we moved one of her cleaning products." Said Sonata with a giggle as her sister growled at her.

"Well then maybe Storm will be good for her." said Rarity "It seems to me that you could stand to mellow out a little as it were dear."

Fluttershy giggled "That sounds like something Tree Hugger would say Rarity."

Rainbow started snickering. "Tree Hugger, what a name."

"Says the girl named Rainbow Dash." Applejack retorted

"Hey! My mom gave me that name so it's awesome!" Rainbow shot back.

The girls laughed for a moment grateful for the brief reprieve from the tension.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully and that calmed everyone down, everyone except Aria who was nervous as she walked to the school exits at the end of the day. She had gotten Storm's address from the girls, but she somehow felt worried about what she would find when she got there.

When Aria finally did arrive after taking a couple of wrong turns and getting lost for about twenty minutes she drove up to the house and got out of her car. Silently cursing the bad weather for making her put her bike in the garage at her mother's insistence she walked up to the front door and knocked.

An older woman in sunglasses answered the door. "Oh hello Aria. The weather is so nasty today. Storm has been in the shop out back since your date. Do be a dear and take him his food when you go to scold him for skipping classes." Said the Woman handing Aria a tray with two covered dishes on it.

"Yeah sure. The rest of the girls are really worried about him. Even Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna are worried. "Aria said accepting the tray and heading into the backyard.

"And you the most my dear." She said with a smile as she closed the door.

Aria grumbled as she continued into the backyard. She looked around and and saw what could best be described as a science fiction scrapyard. There were parts to various device none of which she could identify and something was under a very large tarp. Walking closer Aria could make out a vaguely humanoid shape. "Huh that must be the loader Storm was talking about." She turned towards the all to noticeable shack which served as Storm's "lab" as she understood it. Taking a deep breath she walked to the shack and knocked on the closed door.

"Hey Storm, it's me Aria. I've got some food from your grandma here. Come on out." Said Aria not feeling sure if she actually wanted Storm to hear her or not.

There was loud click from under the floor as hatch flipped open and Storm climbed up pulling what looked like a block and tackle up from a basement. He looked like he hasn't slept in days. He was in a tank top and overalls half on the upper parts sleeves tried around his waste. He was covered in grime and grease. "Aria? What are you doing here?" he said letting go of the tackle making it drop with a very heavy crunch. He. Looks down the hatch. "Slag that will take time to fix..."

Aria placed the tray on the ground and yanked Storm out of the hatch and promptly slapped him across the face with a loud smack. "You are such a loser Storm! I mean seriously pulling this crap again! How fucking stupid are you?! And how many times do I need to tell you that I can take care of myself? I don't need or want you white knighting me pipsqueak!"

Storm's face stung with a painful wrath as he gazed upon the tempest that Aria had become. It hit him right then and there, Aria was really worried about him. She it showed in an odd way, but she showed it all the same.

"Aria..." Storm Sighs. "I am not trying to be a white knight I just don't want to risk losing you. Also thought you had a doctor's appointment today?" Said Storm looking deeply in to her eyes and showing his lack of sleep.

"It was on Saturday and if you keep trying to kill yourself from lack of sleep I'll walk away." Aria said hotly "You can't just do stuff like this! You have to stop being so stupid Storm."

"Wait what day is it? And I did sleep a little..." He defended weekly.

"It's Monday shrimp, and Brianna wasn't in school either. Twilight said Megan kept her home today or something like that." Aria replied flatly.

"Oh, oh fuck me." Said Storm before slumping to floor. "Aria slap me again, I screwed up royally."

Aria actually stared at Storm for a moment. "Just get cleaned up so we can eat, and then you're going to sleep tonight and showing up at school tomorrow. If you don't I'll come here an kick your ass all over this junk heap of yours got it."

"Yes ma'am." Said Storm as he got up and went to cleaning station and washed his hands.

Aria smirked "I've got him trained already." She said under her breath while picking up the tray. "Is there anywhere we can set this down out here?" asked Aria

"There should be a clear..." Storm looked around. "Drop the tailgate on my truck and I'll grab the stools." Said Storm as his face went red.

Aria shook her head and placed the tray in an out of the way spot and dropped the tailgate before grabbing the tray and putting it on the tailgate. "You're such a dork Storm."

"It's a family thing. Captain Rum Morgan was actually a writer, poet and astronomer. He also knew how to swim making him one of the most educated pirates of his day. So being a dork is in my blood." He carried over the stools. "So how mad are the faculty and more importantly our friends?"

"Rainbow said it sucked, of course, it's Rainbow. Everyone else is worried. Firefly wasn't very happy that you didn't show up for the club meeting and I think you're in trouble there." Aria said removing the covers from the dishes.

The dishes where revealed to be homemade casserole with cheddar and broccoli and potatoes au-gratin. Storm smiled. "Nana may be completely blind but she is still a marvelous cook." said Storm

" Yeah my mom says that limits don't mean much because people can find ways to overcome them." Aria replied sitting down on her stool.

"That's true. Aria I'm sorry I made you and everyone worry. It's just... everything I know of logic says what happened that night couldn't have, but I saw it happen. And then you put yourself in danger for me. I don't want you to have to do that." Said Storm softly shaking somewhat.

Aria reached over and place her hand on Storm's shoulder. "Well get used to it shrimp. I ain't the kind of girl that's going sit back and get rescued. And if you can't deal with that then, I'm not the girl for you."

"No I understand that. But you shouldn't have had to fight it alone. I was useless and... Aria I don't like being useless, or helpless. Aria I promise I'll find a way to help you next time. Um by the way I missed a lot are the others okay nothing attacked them like it did us?" Said Storm.

"The news really pissed Brianna off from what I was told, but no no one else in our group was attacked. You do need to look at what else happened though, it's really weird. And Storm don't sweat it so much. Let it go and you'll find the right time, that's how we learned to be such good singers. You've just got to go with the flow like my dad says."

"Right, use the momentum and don't fight it. Speaking of..." he paused as he ate. "That glow you had might mean you can radiate some form of energy so when my brothers suggested designing a way to study it. I will build a tool with the data to harness it. Maybe you can directly power your bike with it? Imaging never having to buy gas again." Storm gave Aria a week smile.

Aria smirked "That would save a lot of money, but it's a bad idea. If we try that without knowing more about it, well I'm no egghead but I do know that will be bad." Aria said plainly.

"I didn't say I would do it without studying it first. I'm not that reckless..." He blinks and looks around. "Normally." He added weakly.

"No way pipsqueak, we don't know what will happen. You might get turned into some kind of monster or something really stupid like that. We need to let this happen naturally and not fuck with it. Every time some idiot pulls a mad scientist act it always goes bad, so leave it alone." Aria retorted sharply.

"Fine I'll collect data, and my brothers do the studies." Storm pouted a little as he ate.

"We really shouldn't get them involved. They will do the mad scientist thing for sure." said Aria

"Yeah but they have resources our group doesn't. Besides they took it personally that I was the target. By the way they both like you. Blast said that a lady that knows when to act when needed is a real lady. Wave was more practical saying that you must have good genetics to have survived sudden body metamorphosis you went through. I think they might be jealous now." Said Storm with a smirk.

"That's the problem, your brothers are unstable and have poor judgement. Their involvement will just screw things up worse. I'm no big brain like you or Adagio but I don't see that going well for us with them in the picture." Aria said thoughtfully.

"I know they are not the best choice ethically, but we are limited. After all we are still in high school. Besides at least them I can reason with. Which I can't say with some unknown government or private researchers. Besides they are just analyzing the data I won't send them any actual samples. Besides the only actual sample is mine." He said air quoting sample while smiling at Aria.

Aria smirked "Don't push it too far pipsqueak. You belong to me and not the other way around."

"Yes ma'am." He said with a very big smile.

"Knock off the ma'am crap Storm. I'm not my mom." Aria deadpanned

"Sorry Aria. But well you do deserve respect. I mean you have shown powers no human in history has ever had outside of fairytales and fiction." said Storm

"You can do that without making me sound old Storm." Aria retorted before finishing her casserole. "Besides you can do it too I bet, we just need to figure out how this works and we'll on top of it."

"Yes and it will give your sisters nightmares the thought of you being able to go goddess at will." He joked as he finished his meal.

Aria facepalmed "Don't call me a goddess pipsqueak, I have a bad association with that word and one of my self proclaimed boyfriends. And if I know Dagi and Sonny they'll pull it off too. I mean have you seen how Sonata is with Marble? It'll happen for sure squirt." Aria said finishing the last of her food.

"True." Storm starts to stand but has trouble. "Oh um, Aria. It seems my fatigue seems to have caught up to me and I need help." He said as he leaned on the tailgate.

Aria rolled her eyes. "Come on pipsqueak. She said pulling his arm over her shoulders and helping walk back to the house. "Storm you've got to stop doing this to yourself. The last thing I want is a another stupid ex-boyfriend."

" And the last thing I want is to be your ex-boyfriend. So I shall endeavor to not stay up multiple days in a row in panicked, fevered work again." Said Storm ending with a yawn.

Aria smirked "It's about time you started acting as smart as you say you are."

"A wise man once said. There is a fine line between genius and stupidity. With the only difference being that genius has limits." I need to open my eye and learn to see where the line is." Said Storm as he tried to walk and not lean on Aria too much.

"It's not going to happen right now shrimp, not with how tired you are." Aria stopped and leaned Storm against the wall before opening the door and helping Storm inside to his room. "I'll see you at school tomorrow okay Storm." Aria said

"Yes, Aria. I won't miss school again. Though Firefly is going to give me hell." said Storm

Aria smirked again. "Oh no pipsqueak, she is going to show you why she is the bad ass mom of C.H.S. Later shrimp." Aria said as she left.

"Aria. Thank you." Said Storm as staggered to his bed before he flopped down and passing out.

As Aria was heading to leave the house. Nana stopped her. "My grandson has good eye for friends and a better eye for who to give his heart to. Do you want your fortune told?" she asked

"The shrimp sure needs looking after alright." Aria replied "Anyway I've got to get home now, someone has got to look after Sonata after all. So I'll pass."

"A Heart of soft gold in a diamond shell. Your magic will allow you to save many people in the coming tribulation. Remember who you are and how many love you for it my dear." Said Nana smiling like the mad crone in fairy tail.

Aria stopped "I do gotta ask you something. That girl Brianna, she isn't weak, but what's going on with her?"

"Her heart is soft but it has no shell protect it. She suffers from scars that refuse to heal and wounds that bleed at slightest pressures. Her Feelings for the one of a rainbow heart wrapped in steel causes her to cling to her as a shield." said Nana

"A rainbow? Both Storm and Brianna had dreams about Megan and a rainbow. Thanks ma'am." Aria said heading to the door. "I've got tell Dagi, Sunset and Twilight about this." She said sending a text to each of the before getting in her car and going home.

"He, he, he. Imagine what she could learn with a proper reading." Said Nana with a chuckle as the car sped off. "I am still the gypsy queen, and I've still got it."

A loud snore was heard from Storm's room, Aria had forgotten to close the door before she left him there.

Nana shook her head she closed the door.