Twilight's Bizarre Adventure: Star Dust Crusaders

by Za Waruldo

Rating: teen
Tags: Other, Adventure, Crossover, Twilight Sparkle, Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Main 6, Original Character
Length: 27659

Off the coast of Zebrafrica a treasure chest is pulled up by three fishers. By opening that chest they have unleased an evil long thought destroyed. Now Twilight and he friends must find this evil and stop it before it can consume the world.

A centurion vampire by the name of Dio. This pony's presence will spark the adventure, leading many to seek him out and finally conclude a battle spanning 100 years. Dio will do anything in his power to impede their progress, before he has fully regained all his power.

Twilight will meet one pony currently seeking out this vampire. Hoping to finally end the vampires life and let his Grandpa finally rest in peace. Possessing the Stand Purple Hermit he will not rest until he has completed his crusade.

Over their journey Twilight and her friends will start awaken their own Stands. Having to learn and master their new powers while heading towards Dio . They will have to hurry for the sudden appearance of Stands will bring harm to anypony unprepared for them. And with every day Dio comes one step closer to mastering his true power.

[Jo-Jo's Bizarre Adventure/FiM Crossover]
(Gore tag for blood and some violence in later chapters)

Published 2014-09-06 20:00:07 UTC
Last updated 2014-09-21 01:51:13 UTC

Ch. 2 The Truth Behind the Evil Spirit

Twilight and Ripple both sat down at a table and started to dig into their respective hay burger. With Ripple slowly enjoying his meal one bite at a time. When he looked up he saw that Twilight had already gone through her burger and was moving on to her second. “Enjoying yourself there Princess” Ripple joked.

Twilight quickly brushed the crumbs off her muzzle before setting her burger down. “Sorry it’s been a while since I’ve eaten here. I forgot how much I loved this place.”

“No need to apologies Princess we all have our vices, yours just happen to be wrapped in paper and served on a tray.” Ripple continued to snack on his burger while Twilight suddenly came back to attention.

“First off I need you to explain to me what stands are in detail if this is affecting me, I need to know everything” Twilight pulled out a notepad and pencil from underneath her wing, before focusing back on Ripple.

“First off Stands can take many shapes, mine as you’ve seen looks like purple vines. But a stand can manifest as another pony or creature they will usually look different from the species they share an appearance with. A Pegasus shaped stand might have one wing, rotaries on their back, or have a mask for a face. They will always look bizarre in appearance and usually easily recognizable. All Stands have a unique power of some kind; some can wield fire like a blade others can swim through the earth as if it were water. Mine allows me to take what I call psychic photographs.” Ripple reached into his saddle bag and pulled out a camera.

“Wow that must have cost a fortune only famous photographers get cameras that can instantly get a photo without having to treat the negative” Twilight was marveling at the piece of technology sat on the table before Ripple's hoof covered in Purple Hermit smashed the camera right in front of her. “Why would you do that!?” Twilight shouted as the marvelous piece of technology was reduced to scraps.

“Observe” Ripple said as a photo was ejected from the remains of the camera. He quickly swiped it up and waved it in the air until the picture came through. He showed the picture to Twilight.

Twilight took the picture in hoof and looked at it. It was a picture of Spike siting in the lab reading a comic with gems sat next to him, the was mop sitting in the bucket in the background. “but how I have wards set up to prevent any scrying on my house?”

“Simple Twilight this isn’t magic this is the power of my stand its ability. I can take a picture of any one or thing as long as I focus on it and destroy a camera to gain the photo.” Ripple explained proud of his feat.

“So magic has no direct effect on Stands?” Twilight asked trying to grasp the situation. Magic was everywhere from the earth to every living thing. The thought that something couldn’t even be touched by magic was shocking.

“Now Twilight you wanted categories for stands I can give you them, get you note pad ready.” Twilight quickly flipped to a new page ready to quickly scrawl down any new information. “There are three categories for stands that I have discovered over the years. The first and most prominent is Close-Range Stands. These Stands hit hard or deal close-range effects, as well as only being able to move small distances from their users. The next type is Long-Range Stands. These stands also tend to have ranged attacks, but are generally unable to defend themselves in close combat. The last type is the Bound Stand; these may be bounded to tangible objects instead of showing their true form. Said Stands, if bound to fluid objects, may even be intangible. These stands can be used as equipment and seen by ordinary ponies. If it was bound to water anypony could see it floating around the user. Since they are bound to an object the Stand also can never actually be harmed since your just harming the object it is possessing.” Twilight looked back up when he stopped smoke emanating from her pad from the rapid transcribing of information.

“Now onto the Statistical portion of how I compare Stands” Twilight flipped back through her notepad that was rapidly filling up. “Stands are measured in six categories, those six are; Destructive Power, Speed, Range, Durability, Precision, and Development Potential. They are ranked from E to A with E being the lowest and A being  the highest. Destructive power measures a stands physical power and their abilities destructive potential when compiled. Speed is how fast they can move with C being the speed of an average pony and A being faster than you can blink. Range is how far a Stand can move from the user, usually the further away it can move the weaker the Stand the distance being A: 100m, B: 50m, C: 20m, D: 10m, and E: 2m.  Finally we have Development potential, for most stand users they will start with this at A it means they still have a lot to learn about there stands and how to effectively use them. As they learn this decreases until it reaches E meaning they've mastered their Stands completely.” Ripple finished taking the last bite out of his hayburger.

Twilight finished the up her notes before tucking them back under her wing. “So is that everything you wanted to say to me?” Twilight asked wondering if there could possibly be any more.

“Oh yes, the original reason I came here was to gather allies to help fight a vampire who has returned after a hundred year slumber.” Ripple added as if no second thought even had to be given to the statement.

Twilight just sat there trying to take it all in, she couldn’t even believe what she just heard from the pony’s mouth. “First off you mean Vampony, secondly have you lost your mind!?”

Ripple pulled out a second camera and placed it on the table before continuing. “Firstly Vampire is a catch all phrase since he can create more undead from any species and secondly.” Ripple smashed his hoof into the new camera smashing it to bits as it spits out a photo. He holds it up to Twilight as the photo comes into focus. A golden coated earth pony with a yellow mane comes  into focus, he has scars lining his neck and a cutie mark very similar to Twilight’s it was even a similar color just missing the other stars surrounding her twelve pointed one. “Below that scumbag’s neck is the body he stole from my grandfather Shining Star”

“That picture doesn’t prove anything, ponies can have the same cutie mark as another he could just has scars lining his neck that doesn’t make him a ‘Vampire’.”  Twilight finished throwing her hooves in the air for emphasis.

“My grandmother told me stories about this vampire and how he tried to kill my Grandmother and Grandfather on a boat heading towards Equestria. That boat exploded but my Grandmother was saved by surviving in a life boat that my father released. To buy her time he led the monster to the engine room before the ship exploded. Apparently he survived by stealing my Grandfather’s body. And one thing is for certain as we speak he is out there somewhere in the world planning something” Ripple opposed Twilight's previous statement with his fared is nostrils in anger at the dismissal of his tale.

“That’s it your crazy and I’m crazy for listening to you, I am leaving!” Twilight got out of her seat and headed to the exit.

“Twilight I’ll be in town for the few days if you need any aid just get me I’ll be at the Golden Oat inn.” Ripple quickly finished  regretting his decision to go for the forward approach with Twilight as she left the restaurant.

“I can’t believe I actually listened to him. He may have these strange powers, but that doesn’t make him a stable pony. Heck he even shoot himself, why did I even release him?” Twilight asked herself as she walked into Golden Oaks. “Spike did you finish cleaning up the basement?” Twilight stared down the staircase to see spike asleep at the table with a plate and a small stack of comics lined next to him. “Guess he could actually take photos of anything.” She mussed.

“Spike wake up!” Twilight yelled while standing right next to the young dragon.

“Whoa!” Spike screamed as he fell from his seat and onto the floor. “Hehehehe, I guess your back Twilight how did court work out?” Spike quickly asked hopping to change the subject.

“A waste of time Spike, I may have learned a few things but the knowledge I gained from this is very rough. I don’t even know what is fact and what isn’t.” Twilight sat down next to Spike rubbing her hooves against the side of her head in frustration. “ I can’t Even tell if what Ripple Star gave me was worth while.”

“Well why don’t you test the information, run experiments like you always do to find out what was good info and what wasn’t.” Spike suggested hoping that this new task would be all he needs to get out of trouble.

“Of course Spike all I have to do is run some tests those will solve this.” Twilight was full of energy now getting all of her machines ready before she suddenly stopped. “I have nothing to experiment on the subject is gone and I have nothing” Twilight figured that this path would be useless to her without a proper subject.

Spike quickly ascended the stairs before shouting down to Twilight. “I’m going over to Rarity’s, she just got from her trip to Saddle Arabia.” Spike rushed out the front door closing it behind him leaving Twilight alone in her lab.

A sudden revelation occurred to Twilight as she was giving up. “He said only Stand users could see other Stands so I should have one” Twilight looked over herself half expecting to see some obvious clue to how she could get her Stand to come out. “Come on Twilight it’s a part of you, you just have to focus on your inner self think back to Zecora’s training.” Twilight sat at her desk eyes closed trying to focus on her inner self as she meditated Twilight unconsciously started to magically send all the light objects in the room into a stable orbit around her.

After thirty minutes of nothing she grew frustrated with her results. “Arrrgghhhh! This is getting me nowhere.” The objects all fell to the floor with a book and a few notes landing on the table in front of her. “How did he get his Stand to appear” Twilight slammed her hoof onto the table hitting the book. As soon as she hit the book it exploded into a blinding white light. When the light died down the book had been changed it now had an old rough cover with her cutie mark on the spine. The pages were all blank and appeared to be ancient they were all aged and turning yellow. The book even had  a title on the front page with gold lace ‘Historia Calamitatum’ the book even had Twilight's full name spelt out in velvet lace at the bottom of the book.

“Yes I did it, I called out my Stand now to experiment with this” Twilight continued to grin as she stared at the book waiting for something to happen. She then poked it with a hoof, still nothing. “I got a book that does nothing, just great.” Twilight threw the book at the wall before heading back upstairs to go over some of her notes.

Spike ran through the streets of Ponyville hurrying towards Rarity’s house. Hopping to finally see her again after her long vacation to Saddle Arabia. Spike was in front of Carousal Boutique within a minute, he quickly knocked on the door and waited for a response. He could hear the sound of hoofs against the floor while he waited.

“Just a minute, I’ll be down momentarily.” Rarity sang as she descended her stair case. She opened the door to find Spike waiting for her. “Spike it’s so good to see you how was Ponyville while I was gone.”

“It was fine Rarity no disaster struck while you were on during your trip” Spike replied.

“That’s good  to hear my little Spikey-wikey, so glad you held down the fort as they say.” Rarity now lead Spike inside and sat down at her table with a cup of coffee.

“So Rarity how was your trip, did you do anything fun over there?” Rarity took a sip of her coffee before turning back to Spike with renewed interest.

“Oh, of course I did Spike I got to see some great pieces of Architecture while I stayed there try some of the local delicacies and even gain a few clients during my stay.” She continued on with her stories about Saddle Arabia. “I even got to meet this nice Gentlecolt who showed me around town for a day.”

“You met a Stallion during your vacation?” Spike questioned slightly nervous about what was to follow.

“Yes actually, another pony could you imagine the chances of meeting a pony who actually lives there.” Rarity appeared almost lost in her own world before Spike spoke up.

“So, did you do anything with him” Spike asked immediately regretting his poor choice in words.

“Spike why I never. A Mare never tells and besides I’m not even worthy to be with somepony as great as he is. The best I could hope for is to be of some help to him.” Rarity appeared to be lost in her own thoughts again.

Spike was relieved to get an answer to his question especially since it told him that nothing happened during her trip. “Oh yeah Twilight went to help some Stallion by holding her first court, while you were gone.”

“That’s nice, I'm glad Twilight is finally getting some princess duties of her own to take care off. Who was the Stallion in question anypony I know.” Rarity asked hoping to catch up on the recent goings of Ponyville.

“No just some pony named Ripple Star, apparently he gave Twilight some faulty information and she’s trying to piece together anything of value he might have given her.”

“Spike would you be so kind as to help me gather some Gems tomorrow I need to replenish my supplies since I didn’t gather any before leaving?” Rarity asked Spike as he got out of his seat.

Spike was ecstatic with the request a chance to hang out with Rarity while helping her. “Of course I will Rarity just tell me when and I’ll be there to help you.”

“Why thank you Spike, I need you early in the morning since I’ll be busy latter in the afternoon if that isn’t too much trouble” Rarity gave off a smile that melted Spike’s heart before leading him out. “Now head home and get some rest we have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow.”

Spike quickly ran home to get some sleep to speed through the night and bring forth the morning. When he got back Twilight was sitting at a desk with a pile of books on both sides of her she had one laying in front of her though. She raised her hoof before smashing it down onto the book in front of her. The book gave off a feint glow before changing into a much older book with Twilight's cutie mark one the spine. Spike walked up next to Twilight  “Cool spell Twilight when did you learn it?”

“Ahhhhhhh!” Twilight screamed in panic over the sudden appearance of her assistant. “Spike you can see what I’m doing?” Twilight asked

“of course I just saw you hit that book then ‘wham’ you’ve got another book from it.” Spike looked interestingly over the new book. “So what’s with the two piles?”

“Of course you can see it, it's bound to whatever book I hit. Well that's something new to add the the list. I’ve been changing one stack into this book here before tossing it onto that pile. Apparently I can only have one of these books at a time. Thank Celestia that they turn back to normal once I make another. Besides the books I make always has the same dimensions no matter what I use originally and it always has the same title and my name underneath it.” Twilight looked to her surprisingly little stack of notes, with only the few things listed that she figured out about her Stand.

Spike started to clime the stair case. “Well that’s cool, I’m going to bed I have to wake up early tomorrow if I’m going to be helping Rarity dig up some gems.”

“Alright Spike goodnight, remember you still have to clean out the basement tomorrow since you forgot to finish it today.” Twilight returned to the book laying in front of her each page blank with possibility and not a clue as to how to use them. “I’m going to bed.” Twilight gave up for the night perhaps some sleep would clear her head and help her figure out the mysteries of this book.

Ch. 3 Who Will Uphold the Judgment

The sun was rising over Ponyville and one dragon was running about town heading to his destination. Spike could see the town slowly start to stir as the sunlight started to wash over the houses. He continued down the road until he made it Rarity’s. He stretched out his arm to knock, but quickly pulled it back. What if she wasn’t up yet, what if she was still sleeping he wouldn’t want to wake her. Then the door suddenly opened and Rarity walked out.

“Why hello there Spike, ready to go dig up some gems?” Rarity went around the back of her Boutique and came out with a cart hooked up behind her “Well let’s be off then.”

They approached a clearing next to the mountain and Rarity lit up her horn revealing where the largest caches of gems where. “Don’t worry Rarity I got this” Spike walked up to the pile and started digging away throwing the gems out and into the cart.

After the fifth hole Spike was starting to get tired a sweat building up on his face with his claws resting on his legs trying to catch his breath. “Just give me a minute and I’ll have the gems ready in no time.”

“Oh Spike don’t worry I can finally try out my new spell I learned while away” Spike Looked up to see Rarity standing in the middle of the field she simply stood there a minute before a slight rumble was felt through the earth. The earth seemed to deform around Rarity as if something was trying to burst out from below, then the tops of gems started to poke through; rubies, emeralds, topaz, and amethyst. The gems seemed to flow from the earth and form a pool around Rarity. Molding  themselves into a flat surface over the ground forming a shimmering surface under her.

“Such a beautiful surrounding, almost as dazzling as me.”

Spike could only look in amazement at the changing surroundings, what used to be a barren rocky field was transformed into a shining gem that glistened from every angle. "How did you do this Rarity?” Spike brought a claw to his eyes rubbing them to make sure nothing was in them; he still couldn’t believe his eyes once he checked again.

As Rarity walked to him the floor seemed to move beneath her keeping Rarity at its center like a Gem being shown for all to adore. “This is something I learned from that handsome Stallion over in Saddle Arabia. He had so much to teach me before I left, unfortunately I couldn’t learn everything he had to offer, but the results do speak for themselves. He even named came up with a name for this skill of mine. He called it Demon’s Dance Floor.” Rarity seemed to almost dislike the name. “It may appear a bit garish with that title ,but he gave me a satisfactory reasoning behind the naming  he said, ‘That this floor will remain pristine and pure even if a demon were to dance upon it’ I may not like the Demon portion of the name though and was thinking of just shortening it to Dance Floor.” The gem floor was now underneath Spike and continued to slide under him as Rarity approached.

“Your name for it is great Rarity” Spike looked back over to were Rarity originally was standing and could see that the earth was torn up with many holes coming out from where the gems were pulled. Could Twilight even accomplish what Rarity just had with finding and excavating most likely a majority of all the gems in the imminent area? Spike was brought back from his thoughts when Rarity picked Spike up to hug him.

“Thank you so much Spike you have no idea how much this was bothering me, I couldn’t exactly run this by Twilight you know how she gets with new magic” Rarity sat him back down onto the Gem floor before heading over to the cart the floor pulling Spike with it. She lifted her head and the floor slowly came apart forming the gems used to craft it. The Gems then levitated into the cart. “Spike, do you know where this pony Ripple Star is? I would like to make his acquaintance if he is new to town, he might even want some clothing made”

“No, I don’t Rarity sorry; you might try Pinkie though she knows everypony in Ponyville.”

“No problem darling, now we just have to get these back, I may have taken just a tad much.” Rarity and Spike looked back to the cart to see that the gems continued to stack themselves onto the back of the cart forming a tower composed of gems. “This might take a few trips. Unfortunately I can’t carry all these back to Ponyville even though my new spell may not be to taxing on me carrying all of this back will definitely exhaust me.” Almost all the gems in the cart were lifted out and sank into the ground forcing their way back into the earth. “Oh well, we can always come back latter come along Spike I can manage this just fine” The cart was just barely full when Rarity took it and started her walk back to Ponyville with Spike alongside her.

Twilight was back at her desk starring down her book “There has yet to be I book I couldn’t understand and that is not changing today” she tore out a page to find that it disintegrated once it left her hoof. Twilight quickly dropped the book and grabbed another before hitting it with her hoof. She inspected the book that she tore a page out of to make sure it wasn’t damaged. “Whew, that was close I thought I damaged one of you.” Twilight said to herself as she pulled over her Stand to see if the page was still torn out. The book had all of its pages accounted for. “Why do you have to be so difficult? Why don’t you have instruction or anything written in you?" Twilight paused half expecting an answer hen the book failed to respond she resorted to more drastic measures. "Fine then I’ll just use you as a journal.” Twilight pulled up a quill with an ink bottle next to the book.

“Journal entry one this book is evil and refuses to cooperate.” Twilight quickly jotted down. When she went to make the second entry in the book she saw that the ink was being absorbed by the page and vanished into the book. She just looked at the book anger filling her eyes before she yelled into the pages “Arrgghhhhh!  Why won’t you work with anything?”  Twilight threw the book on the floor and it slid across the floor until it hit the wall. She walked over to the book before picking it up in her hooves and staring over the cover. “This can’t be healthy for me, I need help.”

Twilight walked through Ponyville with her saddle bag on heading to the Golden Oat Inn to hopefully acquire some aid in figuring out her Stand. When she approached the counter a unicorn mare came out from behind the desk. “How Can I help you today Miss?”

“I’m actually looking for somepony that’s currently staying here. His name is Ripple Star.”

“Oh, we were told to let you up, his room number is 132, just down that hall” She pointed down the hall to her left.

“Thank you and have a good day Miss” Twilight curtly said as she left down the hall way.

She stood in front of room 132 and knocked on the door. “Ripple I’m sorry for blowing up on you yesterday and I need some help this Stand business is going to drive me crazy, I’m yelling at books and starting to panic I really need some help” The hallway stood silent and Twilight fell to the floor in worry before she spoke up again “Please.”

The door creaked open to reveal Ripple standing in the door frame with a hoof extended out to help Twilight up. “Look I shouldn’t have loaded all that information on you. Any sane pony would call me crazy. I also shouldn't have let you leave yesterday without first helping you call forth your stand and learning how to utilize it.”

Twilight grabbed his hoof as he pulled her up to her hooves. “I just can’t believe everything you told me, sure your knowledge on Stands has been proven true but I still won't believe in your tale of a vampire lurking around the world.”

“Look you don’t have to believe me just let me help you. It’s the least I can do for showing you this world. Let’s go outside it should be less disastrous if summoning you stand causes fire to spew forth or causes the earth to quake with power.” Ripple joked as he turned to leave the Inn when Twilight stopped him.

“I kind of already summoned it I have it in my saddle bag” She pulled the book out of her bag and showed it to Ripple.

“So your stand is a book, what does it do exactly; power over paper, bringing stories to life, the ability to rewrite history.” Ripple continued listing off fantastical powers causing Twilight to lower her head in a slight shame. “Why do you look so down this is amazing you managed to summon it without any aid or extreme stimuli, so what does it do?”

Twilight raised her head and turned away before talking “I don’t know what it does. I tried everything; tearing out a page causes it to disintegrate, writing in it makes the ink vanish, I can turn any book into a copy of this book, and it can’t be destroyed since I can just create another.”

“Well we have a starting point come on let’s get outside and try to figure this out. Know any good deserted fields” Ripple held the door for Twilight as she exited the inn. “Don’t worry not all Stands are intuitively known by the user some take years to fully understand and some ponies just have to use trial and error to figure theirs out?”

They both walked into an empty field at the edge of Ponyville. “Good doesn’t look like we’ll be bothered while out here so let me get a good look at your Stand.” Twilight set it in front of him to examine. “So it already has a name have you translated the title yet?” Ripple started to flip through the pages looking for anything that could be in the book.

“Yeah that was one of the first things I did, it translates to ‘The history of disasters’ not really a cheery name for my Stand.”

“So have you tried writing down past disasters yet into this book?” Ripple slide the book back over to her opened to a blank page.

Twilight quickly pulled a quill and ink bottle from her saddlebag. She started to write about the storm that caused Rarity and Applejack to take shelter in her home and have slumber party with her. She even wrote down the date before waiting patiently for something to happen. As she looked hopefully at the book as the ink was once again sucked into the pages and leaving them blank.

“Not again!” Twilight was yelling at the book in frustration as she ripped out the page and tossed it. As soon as it left her hoof it crumbled away into dust and vanished, another failed test.

“Twilight calm down, you need to be thinking with a clear head if you’re going to figure this out. Besides we have learned a few things about your Stand from this. Your stand reacts to the pages being torn out and being written in. With this info we can figure that you most likely have to write in it to get it to function, my best guess is we’re just not putting in the correct words or the situation isn’t right for it to function. Besides the name is one of your greatest clues this book is used to record disasters so all we need is a disaster of some kind.” Ripple went on, proud of his deduction abilities.

“Well I’d love to test that theory and Ponyville is a very disaster prone town for its small size. So what do we do now?” Twilight asked as she put the book and quill back into her pack.

“Now we wait for a disaster and document it as soon as it happens and hope that you’re Stand does something."

They both sat in the field observing the world go by for hours until the sun began to set. "Well I’m going back to get some sleep not much we can do now. If you need me or have anything to tell me you know where to find me.” Ripple left Twilight behind and walked back to the inn. Hopping to get back before the sun goes down.

When Ripple entered the inn the receptionist turned around to greet him. “Mr. Star while you were gone a unicorn mare came by looking for you. I told her to come back later but she told me that she wanted to give you something so I took her to your room to drop it off.”

“Well thanks for the heads up.”

Ripple slowly crept through the halls keeping an eye on every door listening to every sound heard through the building.  He slowly approached his door and placed his hoof on the door before opening it to look inside.

Sitting in a chair at the back of the room was a white unicorn mare with diamonds for a cutie mark. “What is a such a lovely mare doing here?”

“Moi,  nothing just doing some investigating. Tell me do you know a pony named Dio?” The mare stared at Ripple looking for a response of some kind and she saw it as Ripple tensed at the pony’s name. “So you do know him then this makes this much easier.”

Ripple couldn’t see any Stand visible in the room and as a gut reaction to facing an unknown force, he resorted to his families most powerful secret technique. He leaped backwards out the door and took off at a full gallop. “Oh phooey, he ran away now I have to actually get him, come along Dance Floor.” As Rarity stepped out of the room, a spider as large as a pony entirely composed of gems dropped from the ceiling, its legs cutting into the floor before scuttling out the window to follow Rarity.

The sun was setting over Ponyville as Rarity walked the streets looking for Ripple as her Stand jumped roof to roof keeping pace with Rarity. “Come out Mr. Star I just want to give you a present maybe give you a less tacky hat. That color goes atrociously with your coat color by the way.” Throwing taunts out hoping to draw Ripple out from hiding.

The Sun had finally set when Rarity made it to the town square standing by the fountain. “Ripple you can’t hide from me forever just come out and make this easier on yourself and me, I think I chipped a hoof running around town looking for you.” Rarity circled the fountain looking down every street as she did trying to spot her target. When she suddenly spotted him walking towards her. “So you’ve finally shown yourself, well I’m glad you came to your senses.”

“If I can get a last request I want some answers Madam.” Ripple stopped roughly 10 meters in front of Rarity who stood her ground unmoving.

“Please you can call me Rarity it’s not like you’ll get to use my name much longer anyways. Besides what kind of lady would I be if I couldn’t give a last request to some stallion, ask away”.

Ripple kept an eye on her Stand as it stood poised on a nearby roof top. “Why do you even serve Dio?”

“Why do moths travel towards flames Mr. Star? Why do sunflowers follow the sun? I follow Dio because he is what we all need. He is beauty incarnate the apex of art. I was drawn to him and he showed me how wrong and ugly the world is. He asked to help him make it better to rebuild the world, what greater purpose could anypony ask for.” Rarity’s eyes glossed over recounting the events that led her to meet Dio.

“Justice is what is right and what is right is decided by the victor. The loser is the evil one and it will be you. My Stand will stand for justice once it kills you.” Rarity seemed to be lost in her rant when Ripple interrupted.

“Evil is that which preys upon the weak, only to serve their own selfish desires. Therefore my stand shall judge you and your actions.”

As Ripple finished he raised one of his front hooves to show purple vines digging into the ground beneath him. Suddenly vines erupted from the fountain behind Rarity grabbing her barrel and neck. Dragging her back to the fountain and under the surface of the water.  Ripple could see her thrashing about under the surface as he held his ground.trying to maintain his stand at his distance.

“Don’t worry!” He yelled over to the drowning pony. “I’ll pull you up once you lose consciousness!”

When he finished shouting a very large and heavy object tackled him from the side, throwing him across the street he skidded to a halt. The purple vines holding Rarity vanished and she surfaced gasping for air. She stepped out of the fountain and turned to see Ripple lying on the street motionless.

“Weird I thought Dance Floor would stab you. Guess I need line of sight for more precise control, oh well the more you know.”

Dance Floor returned to Rarity’s side and flattened one of its legs to form a mirror as she restyled her mane with her magic. “Do you have any Idea what it takes to keep my mane looking this good?” Rarities continued to look into the mirror as she was finishing up her mane returning it to how it was before her unsuspecting dip into the fountain.

“Now where was I, oh yes” Rarity turned around to find Ripple missing and nowhere in sight. “Pony feathers”

Rarity was not happy, that was an understatement, she was furious. This stallion ruined her mane and was keeping her from getting some much needed sleep.

Rarity continues to look around town until she heard a sharp whistle in the distance coming from a construction site on the edge of town. As she approached she saw the iron frame that had been bolted into place along with a crane which had a girder hanging off its chain. Rarity walked through the front gate to see Ripple just standing in the open right of the structure and next to the crane.

“So you finally showed up, you do realize it’s impolite to keep a stallion waiting.”

“You do realize it is also impolite to leave a mare alone at night, how would I ever defend myself.”

Rarity started to walk straight towards Ripple with Dance floor in front of her before she changed course and started walking the edge of the building as she approached. “Do you honestly think I would fall for such a simple trap Star? Were you going to drop that hanging girder on my Stand? What do you take me for a child?”

As Rarity got half way past the building she saw the pile of explosives lining the girders on the interior. This building wasn’t under construction it was up for demolition. “Dance Floor!”  Dance Floor leaped at Rarity shifting its body trying to form a cocoon around her as the explosives went off. The building was still standing with the most of the beams still holding in place. The structure was defiantly going to fall, but not without a large push. When the smoke cleared Rarity was still standing just fine with Dance Floor missing six legs and chunks of its body, it couldn’t even get up in its current condition.

“Next you’re going to say ‘you fool were you trying to kill us both’ ” Ripple stated as he pointed his hoof at her.

“You fool were you trying to kill us both? Huh!” Rarity had no time to react as one of the cranes came crashing down on top of the building. This caused the structure to finally succumbed to the extra force and started to collapse inwards. Rarity dove for Dance Floor as it used what little of its self was left to once again protect its User.

Ripple stood still as the crane fell next to him kicking up dust and lifting off his fedora. Once the cloud of dust dissipated Ripple approached the building to find Rarity mostly fine her stand was shattered and laying in pieces around what was left of the structure. Her mane was off her face simply lying across the side of her head without its curls. When he got closer to inspect her for any wounds he could see what looked like a flower bud on her head that her mane was previously hiding. When he looked closer at the bud he could make out four small tendrils attached to it and the bud had a long needle like stem going down into Rarity’s head.

“I’m going to need some help with this.” Ripple threw Rarity on his back and quickly made him was to the library.

Twilight was getting ready for bed with spike when a series of hard knock were heard at the door. “The library is closed, come back tomorrow.” She answered down the Stairs.

“Twilight we have an emergency!” Ripple yelled back still pounding on the door.

“Spike quickly open the door” Spike ran down the stairs and opened the door with Twilight right behind him.

When he opened the door they could see Ripple standing in the street with Rarity on his back bruised and injured.

“What happened to Rarity is she OK” Twilight ran up to Ripple, she could now that Rarity wasn’t the only injured pony.

“Twilight we need to get her inside now she needs help and a hospital won’t be able to help her until we cure her of this parasite.” Ripple walked into the tree house and placed Rarity on the floor.  When he pulled her mane back both Spike and Twilight could see the pink spider like bud attached to her head.

“What is that?” Twilight asked in disgust over the vile flesh bud.

“That is a Flesh Bud composed of Dio’s own cells; it’s stem is reaching into her brain to manipulate her mind. Dio was controlling her through his strong charisma and attracting personality along with the bud to make her follow his order to kill me.” Ripple looked away from both of them while inspecting the flesh bud.

“We have to take her in for an operation that thing is going to kill her if we just leave it in there.” Spike said, hopping that Rarity wouldn’t come under any more harm.

Turning his head to her, “Twilight I need you to pull it out with your magic, you need to precisely remove it while I hold her head still can, you do that?” he waited for her answer.

“OK I’ll do it, keep her still while I pull it out”

Ripple placed both hooves on either side of Rarity’s head to keep her still while Twilight stood at her head trying to calm herself before she used her telekinesis to grab the bud. As soon as Twilight got a grasp on the bud a tendril reached out into Ripple’s front leg.

“It’s trying to invade the brain of the pony trying to remove it," Ripple said keeping a firm grip on Rarity's head. "Twilight don’t lose focus keep going”

Rarity’s eyes suddenly shot open and she looked up to see Ripple and Twilight standing over her. Ripple took notice and looked back at her. “Don’t move Rarity, if we fail your brain is lost.” Rarity stared back at Ripple her eyes wide with shock and fear.

The Tendril could be seen snaking its way up Ripple as it moved under his skin and up his body working towards his brain.  Then it reached his neck. “Get your hoof away Ripple, it’s up to your neck!” Spike yelled in a panic over the Stallions well being. The flesh bud was being slowly lifted out of Rarity until the 3 inch stem was completely out with the bud.

“its out!” Spike excitedly yelled.

As soon as Twilight pulled out the bud she ripped it away from Rarity causing the Tendril that was working its way up Ripple’s face to be pulled out of his body.

“Twilight hold it still.” Ripple ordered as the Bud was floating midair straining against its magical restrains. He raised his hoof now covered by his Stand ready to strike, when his hoof started to radiate with a crackling yellow spark flowing over his Hermit Purple Ripple brought his hoof across the bud reducing it to ash.

Rarity sat up slightly and looked at everypony in the library until some blood started to slide down her forehead and over her muzzle. She then passed out on the floor. “We really should take her to a hospital now she needs medical attention; I kind of dropped a building on her while she was trying to kill me.” Ripple picked up Rarity and placed her on his back before walking out of the library with Spike in pursuit.

Twilight sat in disbelief over what had just occurred in front of her, one of her best friends had just tried to kill Ripple on the orders of a hundred year old vampire who stole the body of Ripple’s Grandpa. Twilight quickly recovered from her daze to chase after Ripple, Rarity, and Spike as they headed to the hospital.

Ch. 4 The Stand Warriors

Ponyville Hospital got some new additions when two injured ponies came through its doors in the middle of the night. Nurse Redheart was working reception when a navy purple unicorn came through the front door covered in bruises as if he was hit by a cart along with Rarity on his back she was covered in cuts, a singed coat and had a deep laceration along her head.

“We need nurses to the reception stat, two injured ponies one with burns and lacerations. The other with serious bruises with the possibility of broken or fractured bones.” Redheart said over the intercom.  She rushed over to help balance the stallion who was having trouble holding both his weight and Rarity’s with his current injuries. Then four nurses rushed into the room one with a wheelchair the other with a stretcher. The nurses lowered Rarity onto the stretcher before taking her through the door vanishing out of Ripples sight. He sat down In the wheelchair so the other nurse could take him to get checked out.

Spike and Twilight could only watch as their friends were pulled behind the door by the nurses going in for whatever surgery or treatment they might need. Nurse Redheart approached the both of them “Both of you can wait for them in the waiting room if you want, I’ll inform you once either of them is out of surgery." Twilight and Spike walked into the empty room and started trying to come to terms with what just happened.

“Do you think Rarity is going to be OK?” Spike asked trying to hold back his tears in front of Twilight.

“Spike, Rarity is going to be fine her wounds were superficial at worst. Nothing appeared to be to damaging besides that thing that was in her head.” She reassured him.

Night turned to day and Twilight continued to sit waiting for a nurse to come get her hopping she could check up on her friends. Spike had fallen asleep in the night and continued to rest until a Nurse came in through the door.

“Your friend Rarity is currently unconscious and stable in her room, if you want you can quietly wait for her to wake up in there.”

“What about Ripple how is he doing?” Twilight asked concerned for her new friend who risked his own life to save a complete stranger.

“It’s the strangest thing when we examined him a lot of the bruising showed signs of broken bones along his ribs and front leg, but his bones showed signs of mending by themselves without any of our help  already.” The nurse responded putting shock into her voice trying to imitate their initial discovery of the fact. “We gave him crutches and a room to stay in until he fully recovered he told us not to tell you when he was checked into a room, sorry.”

Twilight didn’t know how to respond to this, but pushed it aside. Rarity was unconscious and stable. Her and Spike could at least wait in her room and be there for her when she woke up. She nodded in response to the Nurse and followed her to Rarity’s room.

When the nurse opened the door Rarity was resting on the bed bandages wrapped around her forehead hiding the wound. Sitting in the corner of the room in a chair with crutches lying next to him was Ripple who took notice to their arrival. He brought a hoof to his mouth and made a ‘shushing’ motion telling the ponies to keep it down.

Twilight and Spike quietly entered the room as the nurse closed the door behind them. She took a chair next and started to talk in a hushed voice.

“Ripple how did you heal so fast those wounds should have taken weeks to fully heal?”

“Hamon, it’s a technique that links the body with the power of the sun to fight. The most common use is using it against vampires and their ilk. It also makes the body tougher, while slowing down how fast the user will age. A side effect being that it increases the users healing rate dramatically.”

“Just how old are you exactly?” Twilight asked curious to how dramatic the effects of Hamon could be.

“I’m currently 67 years old Twilight. Now I need to know everything about this mare, she met Dio during her trip and may know his location.”

“I’m sorry Ripple but all I know is that she went on a trip recently I never bothered asking her where she was going to” Ripple appeared to be disappointed in the answer. He knew all he had to do now was wait for Rarity to wake up so he could get the information he needed.

Spike walked up to Ripple waving his claw in front of his trying to gain his attention Ripple turned his head down to see what the little drake wanted.

“Rarity went on a trip to Saddle Arabia recently and said she meet a pony stallion there.” Ripple couldn’t believe his luck a definite lead on Dio’s location.

Ripple turned to Twilight and returned his voice to normal volume forgetting the resting patient. “Twilight I know this is a selfish request, but I would like for you to accompany me to Saddle Arabia to find Dio this monster cannot go unchecked.”

“I’m coming too” a new voice said. Both ponies turned to the bed to see Rarity sitting up in her bed fully conscious. “That ruffian manipulated me into trying to do unspeakable horrors to you. He may very well be evil incarnate using a mare like that.”

“Rarity you need to rest you just woke up; you’re in no shape for going anywhere.” Twilight argued trying to protect her friend from further injury.

“Twilight when the others catch wind of this do you honestly think we’ll all just let you go to a strange country and put your life in danger without your friends by your side.”

Twilight started to process the statement, of course her friends wouldn’t let her charge head first into danger without backing her up. She started to consider taking all her friends along before Ripple spoke up.

“I can’t condone bringing along anypony or dragon for that matter unless they can use Stands. I cannot let them endanger the entire group just so they don’t feel left out.”

Rarity pulled out a small gem from under her pillow it started changing shape until she had a small spider the size of a bit in her hoof. “Well then I guess I qualify to go.”

“Look nopony is going anywhere until I report this personally to Princess Celestia. We’ll take the Friendship express to Canterlot and decide what to do from there agreed” Twilight looked over the group before they all replied back

“Agreed.”

“So Rarity can you walk or do you need help?”

“Actually Twilight I’m quite fine, my little darling here protected me from almost all harm while I fought Star here.” Rarity pointed to the tiny spider climbing her mane as it changed into a diamond maneclip.

Ripple stood up without the aid of his crutches. “The nurse’s forced me to make use of these things while I stay in the hospital, I’m actually quite fine, just a little sore.”

“Good then I can release you into my care and we can go to Canterlot with everypony to get this sorted out.” Twilight said as a Nurse came through the door. “Nurse I would like you to release these patients into my care.

“I’m sorry Twilight but we can’t just release patients into your care.” The nurse promptly replied.

“Twilight you’re a princess just make a decree or something” Spike added trying to solve the situation.

“Spike that’s an abuse of my power as a princess I could never do that.” Twilight was shocked by his suggestion.

Ripple sat up to talk. “Twilight we have a vampire running around in another country, this situation counts as an emergency, Princess Celestia will forgive you for getting us out of here to help the world.”

“Fine” Twilight responded in frustration. “Nurse as a Princess of Equestria, I decree that these two patients are to be released into my custody.”

“Can you actually do that?” The nurse asked trying to figure out if the decree made by the newly crowned princess would hold any weight.

Twilight looked at her nervously before speaking up again. “Of course, as a fellow princess I have just as much authority as Celestia and Luna.”

“Fine” the nurse said giving up. She grabbed two clipboards and passed them to Rarity and Ripple. “Just sign these; they state that should you come under any harm upon release we are not responsible.” They both promptly signed the waiver and the nurse showed them out.

“So what do we do now?” Spike asked.

“Now we get everypony together, we have a train to catch. Spike Rarity and I will get Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash respectively. Ripple go to Sugercube Corner and get Pinkie Pie you can’t miss it, it’s the bakery shaped like a gingerbread house. We meet back at the train station at three for departure.”  Everypony and dragon scattered leaving Ripple in front of the hospital.

“OK, I just need to find this pony and bring her to the train how hard could that be.” He mussed as he headed into town looking for the bakery.

Ripple found the bakery easily enough and he could see the pink pony diligently working behind the counter rapidly creating confection to sell. The bakery was deserted without a single pony in sight. What he didn’t expect to see was an earth pony shaped Stand roughly as large as Pinkie wearing a jesters cap and cloths helping the pony bake the goods. The Stand wore a mask covering its face the mask was split in half one side depicting a pony laughing the other half a pony crying in sorrow. The clothing it was wearing was composed of pink and red checkered pattern. It’s hooves had a Circular indent in their center.

Ripple approached the counter, when the pink mare spotted him she quickly bounced up to greet him. “Hi there, have you meet my new friend Quad City Performers?”  Pinkie pointed to the working Stand as it continued to pour ingredients into bowl. “I call him Performers for short.”

“How many of you are there in this town!?” Ripple yelled at her.

“Well there used to be like hundreds of me they really liked to have fun, but then they started making it really tough for ponies around town so Twilight had to gather them all up and magic them away but they couldn’t tell who was the real Pinkie and neither could I so I  got really sad since I couldn’t even tell if I was the Real me can you believe it so I had to stare at a wall of drying paint and it was really boring I knew I had to not give up and I continued to stare at the wall until Twilight poked me with her hoof and told me I was the Real Pinkie, and then I took a nap.” She finished the story in one breath as Ripple stared at her in disbelief.

“Look Twilight told me to get you, the world’s most likely in danger and she wants to warn Celestia of our impending doom so were heading to Canterlot, come on we don’t have much time before the train leaves.”

Ripple waited for Pinkie to take off her apron before she yelled up the stairs. “Mr. and Mrs. Cake I’m leaving to save the world I’ll be back in a couple weeks!”

“Pinkie is the ghost gone can we come down stairs?” A masculine voice responded from upstairs.

“I already told you that there are no ghost down here that’s just Performers and he’s leaving with me so you can come down now”

“Alright have a safe trip Pinkie” A feminine voice called down this time as they left the building and headed to the train station.

They both arrived at the train station to see five mares waiting for their arrival. Twilight stepped forward as they arrived. “Girls this is Ripple, a friend of mine he helped Rarity to the hospital last night after she got caught under a falling building. Ripple this is Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Applejack.” Twilight pointed to each of her friends as she introduced them.

Every pony stopped and looked scared when they turned to see Pinkie with her Stand walking next to her. “What the hay is with that pony” Rainbow said pointing straight at the Stand.

“Rainbow it ain’t polite to say that, he may be from one of them circuses.” Applejack added.

Fluttershy was hiding behind Rarity from the oddly dressed pony.

Ripple stared at all of them in disbelief. “I know Stand users are destined to meet other users, but this is ridiculous there is no way all of you are users. What in Celestia’s name happened to all of you to get your stands?”

Applejack cut in. “Twi, do you think it has to do with the Elements?”

“Of course the elements connect us all of us together if one of us developed a Stand the others would soon follow in suite." The train pulled into the Station as Twilight t finished her theory.

“Look I am not going to explain this four times to each of you. Let’s get on the train and I can explain all of this on the ride over.” Ripple said.

They walked into one of the empty carriages and all sat down before turning to Ripple waiting for his explanation.

“Each of you is now a Stand user a Stand is the manifestation of your will observe.” Ripple raised his hoof and purple vines started to wrap around his hoof before vanishing again. “That was my stand each of you now has the ability to summon yours. Only Stand users can see other stands and since you all saw Pinkies, welcome to the club.” He joked.

Rarity changed her Mane clip back into a spider and let it scuttle around the carriage for all to see and Twilight pulled out her book.

“A book seriously Twilight you read so much you got a book for your super power.” Rainbow laughed.

“Rainbow that is not polite, Twilight's Stand is, ummm” Rarity was having trouble trying to express something that wouldn’t hurt Twilight. “Classical, yes that’s it.”

“Rarity it’s fine I don’t even know what it does yet it’s just a book.” Twilight hung her head in defeat.

Rainbow saw this and quickly brought her wing around Twilight. “Don’t worry Twi, you’ll figure it out eventually and when you do it’s going to be almost as awesome as me.”

Pinkie was just sitting next to her Stand as she watched four semitransparent rubber balls continued to bounce at her eye level. Each one was the same color pink. The others took notice and stared at the bouncing balls also mesmerized by them as they seemed to never stop.

Then Twilight spoke up. “Pinkie what are those?”

“Just some balls that fell out of Performers hoof, look at them go I don’t think they’ll ever stop”

Twilight just stared at them before coming to a sudden realization. “Pinkie your stand is breaking physics those balls aren’t losing any energy when they bounce”

“Silly Twilight, why would stands obey the laws of physics when they can appear from thin air and do all these amazing things.”

The information took a moment to process, these Stands were immune to magic why would they have to adhere to physics besides the fact that the entire universe runs on those same principles. Pinkie put her hoof out to bounce one catch one of the balls when it hit her hoof and came to a stop. “Pinkie how did you stop that ball the physics they use should make them impossible to catch let alone stop.”

“Simple Twilight, I just grabbed it, see.” Pinkie pulled Twilight's hoof over to catch the ball. Twilight felt it hit her hoof and rolled off, having lost most of its energy the ball continued to bounce around the carriage albeit at a much lower height. “See it releases the energy when it touches somepony.”

The train ride was mostly uneventful with Rainbow talking about how cool her Stand was going to be once she got one. And the others talking to Rarity, Pinkie, Twilight, and Ripple about their respective stands.

They exited the train once they reached the Canterlot train station and headed towards to castle. The guards let them through the front gate and led them to the throne room.

The doors opened to show Celestia sitting on her throne, with Luna by her side when the element bears arrived with the stallion.

Celestia was the first to speak. “Twilight it’s good to see you, why have you visited?”

“Princess I have troubling news, Rarity came under attack while she visited Saddle Arabia by a pony named Dio. With the information I have gathered.” Twilight froze for a moment reliving just how ridicules she was about to sound before continuing. “A Vampony who seems to be in possession of a power called Stands.”

Princess Celestia and Luna were visibly shaken from that statement both lost their usual facade of ease and peace, only to have it replaced with surprise over Twilight's Statement.

“Twilight have you come into possession  of a Stand?” Celestia asked with authority looking over her past student.

Twilight looked back to the others before turning to the Princess. “Yes, and so have all of my friends.”

A look of worry crossed Celestia’s face for a second before she responded to this new information. “I had hoped that you could go through life without ever knowing about Stands. Twilight, Luna and I are both have a Stand. We have a shared Stand called Genesis which allows us to move the celestial bodies surrounding this planet.”

Twilight couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Long ago a meteorite crashed into equestrian and with it the appearance of stand users. The unicorn tribe collected the meteor and used it to construct tools used to draw out a Stand from ponies. When Luna and I started to rule Equestria us raising and lowering the sun and moon each day was slowly draining us we wouldn’t have survived if it wasn’t for Star Swirl. He saw the toll it was having on our bodies and came to us with a solution, an all or nothing gamble with all of Equestria at stake. He would use one of the tools to draw out our stands and those would hopefully bolster us enough to handle the strain of raising the celestial bodies, should a Stand fail to appear our bodies would succumb and die due to the stress it put on our bodies. Luna and I both used the tool the same time hopping to share the burden. As a result we both share Genesis. Neither of us could use it unless the other agreed or was unconscious at the time of use.”

“So we just go to Saddle Arabia use the elements on this Dio pony and go home, easy as pie” Rainbow said completely ignoring the princess’s story.

“I’m afraid I can’t let you take the elements to Saddle Arabia Rainbow. Taking Equestria's most prominently known defense into a foreign country would most likely be seen as an act of war. How would you react if an army of griffons in armor and spears started walking around Ponyville? Just as they can’t send armed forces into our country, we can’t send ours into theirs.”

Frustrated by Celestia’s response Rainbow asked “But then what are we supposed to do we then? We can’t just sit here doing nothing.”

“And I do not expect you to do nothing. We may not be able to send you in with the elements, but there is nothing saying you can’t go to Saddle Arabia on your own. We will prepare a airship for you in the morning this should allow you to reach saddle Arabia within a few days of travel. For now I suggest you all get some sleep and prepare yourself for the morning.” Celestia finished.

“We won’t let you down Princess, we will stop Dio, you can count on us.” Twilight and the others left the throne room.

Ripple walked up to the group. “We still have most of the day so let’s enjoy our time here. So everypony pair up somepony who can defend themselves in case anything happens.”

Fluttershy was the first to speak up. “I’d rather just stay in the castle if that’s okay with you.”

Applejack stood next to her. “I’m with you shy I’m plum tired; figure I’ll call it early today.” Fluttershy and Apple jack walked back into the castle to spend the rest of their day in peace resting.

“So who do I pair up with?” Rainbow asked flying circles around the group.

“You may accompany me Rainbow I’m going to get some shopping done and pick up a few gems before the day is over.” Rarity suggested.

Rainbow looked at her giving her an expression that read as ‘are you seriously suggesting that’ before turning to Pinkie. “Hey Pinkie want to grab some food around Canterlot with me?”

“Sure thing Dashie lets go grab some treats before the trip.” Pinkie ran off with Rainbow following her from above.

“So what do you want to do while here?” Ripple asked with him and Twilight being the last to leave.

“I’m going to see my parents they live here in Canterlot and I don’t usually get to visit them too often since I live in Ponyville.”

“Never did like the ponies raised in Canterlot always so full of themselves trying to be so high and mighty, trying to get the entire city hanging from there hoof.” Ripple went on his apparent anger towards the Canterlot Elite clear.

“Why do you dislike Canterlot Ponies so much, what did they ever do to you?”

“It’s not what they did its one pony specifically that’s colored my view. You see I have a daughter the most beautiful mare a father could ask for. She always called me papa whenever we saw each other and she would leap into my hooves so I could twirl her around. Then He came, he wooed my daughter off her hoofs and married her within a year. After the marriage she moved back with him to Canterlot. I haven’t seen her since the marriage because of all the work I do and the letters stopped coming about 3 years ago. I don’t even know where she is in this blasted city.” Twilight could see that Ripple was hurt, he had a special bond with his daughter and it was suddenly cut off by some stallion, of course he was mad at him.

“Look it’s not that bad she’s probably still in the city if you want we can go to the records office and probably find her residence.”

“Don’t worry about it Twilight we’re here for you besides I can always come back to Canterlot later to find her once this journey is over.” Ripple reassured her.

Twilight started to lead Ripple through the winding streets until Twilight came to a stop in front of a house. “This is it, come on I can’t leave you in the cold besides my parents love meeting my friends.”

Twilight walked up to the door and knocked on it. Her and Ripple only had to wait a few seconds before a voice was hear from behind. “Who is it” Twilight instantly recognized it as her father Night Light.

“Dad I came over to visit I brought a friend I’d like you to meet.”

The door opened up and there was Night Light he immediately turned to face Twilight. “Twilight it is so good to see you who is your frie-“  The last word was cut off as Night Light froze. “M-mm- Mr. Star!”

“You!” Ripple yelled at Night Light as he quickly backtracked into the house.

Ripple and Twilight had now walked into the house with Ripple slowly walking towards Night Light a flame in his eyes.

“Honey, who was that at the door?”  Twilight Velvet walked into the living room to see her daughter watching as Night Light was pushed back by Ripple’s presence. Velvet froze upon seeing Ripple before she leaped at him.

Ripple saw Velvet leap at him. So as she came down he turned to catch her in a hug. “Papa it is so good to see you.”

Ripple was swinging her around while he stood on his hind legs. “You to Velvet it has been too long.”

“How is mom doing?” Velvet asked as Ripple sat her back down

“She’s in a sulk. I told her I was going on a business trip for the Star Real Estate Agency.” Ripple turned to Twilight suddenly and the back to Velvet, then he shot an angry glare at Night Light who flinched in response. “You have a Daughter?”

“Of course I do Papa didn’t I ever tell you in any of my letters?” Velvet said innocently. “Must have slipped my mind.”

“Something like that doesn’t just slip your mind Velvet; well at least I have a grandchild.”

“Actually you have two I have a brother his name is Shining Armor” Twilight added looking at the insanity unfolding in front of her.

“You and your mother both. Always forgetting to send out letters containing important information. The last time your mother did that they held a funeral in my honor before I could make it back home. It might be genetic now that I think about it.” Ripple continued.

“So, you’re my grandpa. That’s something to take in.” Twilight said looking back at Ripple

“Yeah, and I have two grandchildren who I have barely met.”

“Well you do know me pretty well at last that’s something, Shinning Armor my brother is a prince of the crystal empire and married it’s princess Cadence, if that means something to you.”

“Good for him glad all my grandchildren have become royalty of some kind, kind of wish I got an invention to the wedding and coronation though.”

Velvet quickly spoke up trying to return the room to some sense of normalcy “Who wants tea?” Velvet walked into the kitchen to grab a kettle when she suddenly collapsed in the hall.

“Velvet!”

“Mom!”

“Darling!”

They all rushed up to her, Twilight and Ripple both saw the transparent thorn bushel phase into existence around Velvets back. “No I feared this might happen. Velvets Spirit isn’t strong enough to withstand her Stand so it’s turned on her.”

“What do we do?” Night Light asked fearing for his wife’s safety.

“Our blood line has always had a strong connection with our heritage in response to Dio coming back we developed these powers. The only way to end it is to destroy Dio. The best we can right now is to get her to the hospital. They can help alleviate most of the pain, but this Stand will kill her. With how far it’s progressed we have roughly 50 days to end Dio before this curse claims Velvet’s life.” Ripple put Velvet on his and Night Light’s back. “Let’s get her to the Hospital Twilight get back to the castle and inform the Princesses they might be able to help.”

Ripple arrived back at the castle just as the sun set behind the horizon. He walked in to find Twilight and the girls all in a circle talking. When he approached Twilight tuned to talk to him. “How’s mom doing is, she okay?”

“She’s in some pain but the medication should help with that. Unfortunately they can only treat the symptoms. How’s every pony holding up?” Ripple looked around to see Applejack hanging her head and Fluttershy wiping away some tears.

Applejack was the first of the group to speak up. “Twi I know you need me now more than ever along with the others, but Harvest is in two days if I’m not working the farm for the next two weeks we won’t have a farm come next harvest. Twi I’m sorry but my loyalty here has to fall with my family.”

Rainbow spoke up first. “Applejack how could you do this to us, I thought we were friends.” Rainbow was holding back tears now.

“Rainbow let it go nopony should ever have to make a choice between Family and friends but Applejack has made hers. We have to respect it. Think about what you would do if you were in her horseshoes this is clearly tearing her up on the inside.” Twilight pleaded now breaking down into tears along with Apple jack who pulled her Stetson over her face to hide them.

Fluttershy walked up to the both of them draping her wings around them as they continue to cry.

“I’m sorry to Twilight.” Fluttershy said as she pulled her wings back. “I just can’t bring myself to harm anypony I can’t come along with you.”

“You too Fluttershy, Applejack I can understand, but why?” Rainbow couldn’t believe what she as hearing her friends were abandoning each other one by one.

Ripple spoke this time “If she can’t fight she’ll only be putting herself and others in danger when we leave. Part of being loyal to somepony means knowing when your presence will cause more harm than good and removing yourself from the situation.”

Rainbow sat back down defeated by both Ripple and Twilight’s logic on the situation.

Ripple looked over the room again this time taking notice that Pinkie was missing. “Has anypony seen Pinkie?” he asked. Only to get no response from the others.

“Ripple she’s fine probably wondering the castle, don’t worry the princess has increased the guard patrols today to help prevent any problems from occurring before we leave.

Everypony went back to their rooms to get some sleep before the left Canterlot tomorrow.

Pinkie was roaming the streets of Canterlot at night looking at the lamps as they all lit up the streets. Then she saw a Pegasus with a light opal coat with two shades of orange composing her mane. Pinkie recognized the pony from somewhere but, couldn’t remember from where until she spoke. “It’s good to see you again Element of Laughter”

“That’s it, your Lighting Dust that Pegasus that got kicked out of the Wonderbolts when you nearly killed me and my friends.”

“Yes I’m that pony that got kicked out, but not anymore after Dio takes over the world I’ll finally have everything I ever wanted power, fame, and glory. All the things you and your friends cost me that day.

“You’re working for Dio?” Pinkie gasped

“And once I’m done with you I’ll get your friends. I’m thinking of saving Rainbow Dash for last, let her see all of your bodies and how she was powerless to stop me before I end her.”

“You won’t get away with it Dusty!” Pinkie yelled back at her.

“And what are you going to do to stop me? You are all little more than insects before me now.”

“This.” As Pinkie finished her Stand Appeared next to her with one of its hooves raised and pointed at Lightning Dust. In a quick flash a pink projectile was shot out of its hoof heading straight for Lightning’s head. Lighting quickly tilted her head to the side letting the projectile fly straight past her.

“If you want to hit me you’re going to have to be as fast as lightning. I won’t even need my stand for this I’ll end this personally” Lightning started slowly walking straight towards Pinkie.

“Silly Dusty I don’t have to be faster than lightning, I just have to outsmart you.” Pinkie replied smiling.

“Yeah, as if you could actually out sma-“ Lightning’s words were cut off as her head suddenly lurched forward from a powerful impact to the back of her skull. She hit the ground with a thud and a bright pink bouncy ball rolled away from the unconscious mare as Pinkie walked up to her.

“Told you so” Pinkie joked as she pulled Lighting onto her back and walked off to the castle.

Ch. 5 The Demon inside the Airship

Pinkie was approaching the front gate when one of the guards stopped her. “Halt, who goes there?”

“I go by many names; Pinkamena Diane Pie, Element of Laughter, Party Planner Extraordinary, Stand User, and Extreme Party Pony, but you can call me Pinkie.” The guards stared at each other both confused over whether to take the mare seriously. “Could you please let me through Dusty may have a slight concussion.”

“The Princess must be awoken at once. Please guide Miss Pie to the infirmary while I inform the Princess.”  The guard quickly ran off while the other led Pinkie with Lighting on her back to the palace infirmary.

When Pinkie was let into the infirmary a nurse quickly took Lighting and placed her on a bed.  She started to examine her, pulling back an eyelid to examine her pupil.  The Nurse stopped the examination and turned to Pinkie before she began to explain the injuries.

“She definitely has a concussion it appears to only be minor though so she should be back up in about an hour.  A single strike to the back of the head. We usually see this kind of injury with a buck to the head what hit her anyway?”

“One really bouncy ball.” Pinkie responded honestly.

The nurse eyed her for a minute before continuing. “Well be careful when playing with it. If that ball had been going much faster she might have a fractured or broken skull.”

Pinkie noticed some of Lightning’s mane slightly move so she walked up next to the bed. She slowly poked her head over the edge next to Lightning head and stared at her mane. ‘Hey Lightning are you awake, are you faking it?” Pinkie started to wave her hoof in front of Lighting’s face trying to get a response when her mane moved as if something was hiding in it. Pinkie brought her hoof to her head before pulling back her mane and reeling back at the sight. Knocking over a chair when she did the chair clattered against the floor.

“Hey be careful your friend is still unconscious and needs her rest” The nurse turned back around to read over her clipboard.

Pinkie got back up and started to walk to the door when princess Celestia walked through bumping into Pinkie as she tried to leave.

“Pinkie you brought an injured pony into the infirmary is everything alight?” Celestia saw pinkie get back on her hooves before quickly glancing back at Lightning.

“Princess we should really, really, really, get Twilight and Ripple here before we do anything.” Pinkie was nervously looking around the room. “Like really, really soon.” Pinkie saw Lightning stir and start to sit up. In response Pinkie quickly ran up to her pulling a frying pan from her mane before hitting Lightning over the head with it knocking her out again. “Like before I have to do that again.”

“Pinkie I demand an explanation for your actions.” Celestia eyed the mare as she placed the frying pan back into her mane.

Pinkie took a large breath she began. “It started when this mysterious mare stopped me in the middle of the street and called me the Element of Laughter. Then I recognized her as Lighting Dust that one pony that almost got us killed then she said she was going to finish me and my friends off and how I couldn’t stop her. I responded by saying ‘This’”  Pinkie’s Stand appeared with its hoof held out and fired off a pink ball that started to ricochet around the infirmary. The nurse dived under her desk for cover once her clipboard got knocked out of her hoof. Followed by the ball bouncing out through the doorway and through the castle halls.

“And she dodged it at first and started coming at me when the ball bounced back and hit her in the head. So I took her here to get checked out then I noticed her mane moving and I checked it out more closely. And I remembered what Twilight told me happened to Rarity and how she was evil for a few days because of it and how she and Ripple helped remove it so now we need them to do it again.”

“Pinkie what is this thing you’re talking about?”

Pinkie pulled back mane to show Celestia the flesh bud dug into her head. “This.”

Celestia took a step back in surprise before she called a guard from outside the door. “Guard, go retrieve Twilight and Ripple from their quarters. Tell them their needed for an operation.”

“Right away you’re Highness” the guard ran out the door and through the halls.

Pinkie continued to sit next to Lightning while her Stand floated next to her.

“Pinkie would you please call your stand back I fear that your ball may hurt some of the staff.”

“But if I do that Performers won’t be here to protect me, besides what are the odds someone will be trying to get into this room?”

A shout was heard outside in the hall. “It’s coming back around, take cover the infirmary is only a few more doors down keep going.”

Ripple and Twilight burst through the door before slamming it behind them.  “What the hay was that and why is there a roving death ball bouncing in the halls.” Ripple looked at Pinkie whose Stand disappeared as she started whistling.

“Princess the guard said something about an operation what’s going on?”

“Pinkie Pie had an encounter with one of Dio’s minions and defeated her before bringing her back here for treatment. She has something digging into her head.” Celestia turned her head to the unconscious Lightning.

“So what do you say Twilight you ready for a repeat performance?” Ripple walked up next to Lightning’s bed and placed his hooves on either side of her head.

“Do you really have to let it try to crawl into you?” Twilight was starting to get sick just remembering the tendril working its way underneath Ripple’s skin.

“If it doesn’t attack me it could go after you or harm the host while trying to protect itself, besides I trust you to pull this off.”

Twilight walked up next to the bed side and started to levitate the flesh bud out of Lightning. The bud’s tendril went straight for Ripple as it started to dig under his skin. Celestia and Pinkie both watched in horror to what was happening in front of them as one pony took the buds assault while the other removed it. When Twilight removed it completely she held it down for Ripple as he took a deep breath before striking the bud disintegrating it into ash.

Ripple and Twilight both looked at Lighting waiting for her to wake up, but she remained unconscious.

“We removed the parasite why isn’t she waking?” Twilight stated worried that she may have failed to remove the bud precisely enough to prevent damage.

“She did have a concussion before, maybe it’s some lasting effect. Too bad to I was hoping to narrow down where Dio could be.” Ripple said in disappointment knowing their search would encompass an entire country unless they learned more.

“I’ll get Luna she may still be able to go into her dreams and gather the information you need if we’re lucky.” Celestia left the infirmary and made her way to the throne room.

Celestia and Luna entered the infirmary followed by Rainbow Dash. Rainbow had a pained look when she saw Lightning Dust in her current state.

“Rainbow would help Luna, having somepony familiar with Lightning might get her to open up easier while in her dreams.”

“Fret not Rainbow, for no harm shall come to thee while under my protective watch.” Luna’s horn began to glow while she waited for Rainbow’s reply.

“I’ll do it. Nopony should ever have to go through what Dio does to his allies. And I won’t let him win because of some old grudge of mine.” Rainbow walked up and placed her hoof on Luna’s side before a blinding white light came from her horn.

When Rainbow could see again she was in a pitch black space with no light only what felt like stone beneath her hooves.

“Luna are you in here?”

The darkness gave no reply, but a small light appeared in the distance. Rainbow approached the light which appeared no closer after hours of walking towards it until she came to a door. The door had intricate carvings placed on it with letters and symbols she had never seen. Rainbow pushed the door open to find a single light source shinning down onto Lightning who was lying in the center of a room with many injuries lining her body and a broken wing.

“Lightning are you OK, we need to get you out of here it’s not safe.” Rainbow hurried to her side and tried to pull her onto her back only for Lightning to struggle and fall to the floor.

“There is nowhere safe Dash he’s too fast; he’s faster than me and stronger. I thought I could do some good and be the hero for once, only to have him completely beat and humiliate me before I could even touch him. You can’t win this one just go.” Lighting’s head fell to her side as she stared into the darkness around them.

“I’m not going to leave you here your coming with me even if I have to drag you out of here.” Rainbow took Lighting’s tail in her mouth and started to drag her to the door, only for it to close as she approaching it.

“Where to you think you are going?” A new voice filled the room coming from the darkness.  A golden coated earth pony steeped into the light and for some reason even with the light shining upon him, his face was covered in a veil of darkens hiding any features.

“Rainbow you need to leave now I can hold him off for a second use that time to leave and never comeback.” Lightning had trouble but she managed to stand up and unsteadily started to approach Dio as if her legs would give out at any moment.

Dio raised his front hoof before he vanished and appeared suddenly appeared in front of Lightning who fell to the ground as if she was just hit. Dio turned his attention to Rainbow as she stood her ground looking staring down the pony. When Dio began to approach Rainbow the darkness that composed the ceiling shattered like glass letting light fill the room.

“You shall bring no harm to our subject and friend.” Luna descended from what used to be darkness. She pointed her horn at Dio and a beam hit him causing Dio to fall before looking back up at the princess.

“You are a nightmare and nothing more, this is my realm and you shall leave this pony now.” Dio separated into a black smoke before vanishing into nothing leaving Lightning, Rainbow, and the lunar princess alone in the room.

“Lighting the princess came, your safe now Dio can’t get you here.” The wounds covering Lightning began to fade and her wing was no longer broken as she looked hopefully at the princess.

“Fear not Lightning Dust for as long as We are here no harm shall befall you.” Luna was nearly ecstatic to have a pony look at her with hope filled eyes instead of those filled with fear.

“Thank you Dash and you to princess. Where are we exactly?” Lighting was now looking at the area around her which seemed to defy reason as a ceiling composed of darkness shattered like glass and a light continued to pour in from it.

“Lighting we’re in your head, your currently unconscious in the Canterlot Castles infirmary. The Princess and I came to get some answers from you before we left for Saddle Arabia tomorrow.”

Lighting looked at the both of them in confusion before speaking. “Why are you going there? Dio’s in Neighgypt. That’s where he got me.”

“We thought the element of Generosity told thee that Dio was in Saddle Arabia.”

“That is what Rarity said, Lighting are you sure he’s there?” Rainbow questioned.

“Yeah, I was looking into some missing pony reports while I was staying in Cairo. I was on a journey for self-discovery after what happened. A lot of mares went missing recently and I started to track down the culprit when I found him he was just waiting for me in that mansion of his. I thought I could take him he was just an Earth pony if worse came to worse I could just fly away. It never came to that though, I wasn’t lying when I said he was fast, he managed to hit me before I knew what was happening to me and then he said that I had potential  while I laid on the floor struggling to stand. His mane started to twist forming these flesh like buds before one was jabbed into my head. After placed that thing on my head it's all kind of a blur.”

“Lighting I hate to do this but I have to leave and tell the others, they need to know this.” Rainbow looked conflicted leaving Lighting alone in her own head before Luna stepped up.

“Do not fret Rainbow I will watch over Lightning while she recovers and keep the nightmares at bay. Go and inform the others I will be out shortly.” Luna’s horn began to glow again before a blinding light enveloped Rainbow.

Rainbow was back in the infirmary with the others stood around her and the Luna waiting for her and the princess to wake from the spell, when Rainbows eyes opened.

“She’s up” Ripple was the first to take notice as the others crowed around waiting to be filled in on what happened during the excursion.

Rainbow began to tell everypony what had happened in Lighting’s dream and what Lighting had told her before she left. About how Dio had set up shop in Cairo and was taking the locals in the night to be fed upon.

The sun is should be rising in a few minutes I’ll be off now. Make sure you’re ready to depart the air ship should arrive within the hour.” Celestia left the room leaving the others to their own thoughts.

“So we’re actually doing this, going to a foreign country to stop a vampire whose trying to rule the world.” Twilight and the others left the infirmary and headed down the hall to their rooms to gather their belongings.

“Come on Twilight we do this kind of thing every other day it won’t be that hard.” Rainbow was full of excitement for the coming adventure.

“Except nopony has ever tried to kill us before; Discord was in it for laughs and didn’t seriously harm anypony, Chrysalis wanted us incapacitated for her hive and to witness Canterlot’s destruction, and Sombra would have wanted us as slaves not dead. We have never fought anypony who would kill us without a second thought, somepony who has no care for others and only wants to bring harm.” Twilight was starting to panic as she began to think over what she was about to do.

“Don’t worry Twilight we’re her to keep you safe and so is Performers.” Pinkie jumped next to her trying to cheer her up as her Stand started to juggle four pink bouncy balls in its hooves.

“And I wouldn’t let anything happen to my granddaughter what kind of grandparent would I be?” Ripple added. Everypony in the hall turned to him and Twilight.

“Twilight is there any other family members you haven’t told us about, do you have a king for an uncle or perhaps some other ridicules title.” Rainbow said waiting for Twilight to respond.

“Wait you didn’t tell them about me who else didn’t you tell them about?” Ripple asked

“She didn’t even tell us about her brother until his wedding we had no idea she even had a brother until then.” Pinkie added.

Ripple pumped his hoof in triumph. “It actually is genetic this family can’t relay important information relating about family members to others without getting sidetracked or forgetting about it. First your Grandmother, then your mom and now you.”

“I do not have a problem I have always been very punctual with my assignments.” Twilight huffed.

“Relax Twilight we’re just having some fun, no need to get do worked up. Feeling better now?” Rainbow looked at Twilight who was no longer stressing over the future of their journey and was more relaxed.

“Thanks I really needed that now let’s get Rarity and get this trip started we have 49 days to get to Dio and 5 of them will be us flying there.” Twilight opened her door and started to pack her saddlebag while the others went to their rooms and packed all they had.

Twilight and the others saw the ship docked in the Canterlot skydocks the ship appeared to be a passenger ship that was outfitted for luxury and room one noble would have for long journeys over Equestria. Twilight was used to riding in a hot air balloon but airships took that premise and took it to a whole other level. Entire ships underneath a balloon used for long distant travel.

When they boarded they were greeted by four royal guards and the crew of the ship.  The captain was an old Pegasus stallion by the looks of it and wore a set of old flight goggles over his head. His coat lacked any sheen and one of his wings appeared to have been clipped making it shorter than the other.

“Welcome on board to the ‘Sunny Skies’ I’m your captain Sky Line,  and while you’re on my ship I will try to make this trip as comfortable as possible.” The captain as he stepped away and let the guards approaches the mares.

“Princess Twilight we’re your protection detail for your trip we will protect you and your friends while visiting any foreign country. I am Sergeant Swift Spear and this is my squad.” The unicorn sergeant had a light grey coat with a short dark green.

Rarity just stared at his mane with some disgust flashing across her eyes when the guard spoke again.

“Is she alright, she looks sick and the ship hasn’t even started moving yet?”

Twilight grabbed Rarity and pulled her away from the captain and turned her head away from his. “Oh, she just gets like this when she sees a green mane it brings back unpleasant memories.”

“Oh, then I’ll just wear my helmet then.” Swift Spear placed his golden helmet on his head before turning to his squad. “Alright let’s make sure this trip stays uneventful you know your posts get to it.” The guards quickly dispersed down the boats halls. While Swift stayed by Twilight.

“Twi I’m going to see the Captain, I so want to know how to fly this thing.” Rainbow flew off to find the steering wheel for the ship.

“Well we have a few days why don’t we enjoy ourselves while we’re her” Rarity said as three of the crew trudged behind her carrying all her luggage.

“I’m going to get some sleep didn’t get much last night so I’m clocking out.” Ripple opened a cabin door and threw his saddle bag in before he walked in behind it and closed the door. The sound of a pony falling onto the bed could easily be heard from the hall.

“I’m going to go make some ‘thanks for taking us half way around the world’ cupcakes for everypony, bye Twi” Pinkie ran towards what Twilight could only assume would be the kitchen.

“So, your Captain Armor’s younger sister what’s that like?” Swift asked.

“Yeah I’m going to bed, would you go guard the others while I rest?”

“Of course Princess I won’t let you down.” Swift looked down the halls searching for any of the elements until he decided to wonder until he found one.

Twilight sat her saddle bag down before pulling out her book and placing it on the nightstand. “I’ll figure you out eventually” she said before drifting off to sleep.

Rainbow was wondering the halls in search of the captain’s deck. She came across a bronze coated mare. Her mane was a light brown and was wearing a maneclip to keep her mane out of her face. She had wench in her mouth working on an opened panel. Rainbow watched as she worked on the pipes tightening the bolts before setting down the wench and closing the panel.

“Okay now that’s done I can relax for a bit before.” The mare turned around to see Rainbow just looking at her work. The mare took a breath before talking to Rainbow.

“Oh my gosh you are ‘The Rainbow Dash’ fastest flyer and Hero to all of Equestria and you’re on my ship, well not my ship I just fix it up but still. Can I have your auto graph I am your biggest fan.” The mare was jumping with excitement around rainbow.

“Sure thing, anything for a fan.” The mare produced a pencil and photo of Rainbow for her to sign. “So who should I make this out to?”

“Just make it out to Break Through. You are actually the reason I became a flight engineer I may not have been born with wings but that won’t stop me from reaching the sky.” She said with pride in her voice.

“Glad to hear I inspired somepony to reach for the skies, also do you know how to reach the captains wheel I really want to know how to pilot this thing.”

“Sure just go up those stairs take a left then go straight until you reach the washroom then take a right and it should be marked. Alternatively you could go out through this window and fly to the front of the ship and you should be able to see it from there, just knock on the window and the Captain should let you in.” Break Through said as she opened one of the windows for Rainbow.

“Thanks a lot, see you later.” Rainbow flew through the window and circled the front of the ship until she found the captain at the helm working the wheel. Rainbow started to knock on the glass next to the captain who turned his head in surprise at the sight of one of his passengers flying out of the ship. He scrambled to open the window; once he did Rainbow flew in and landed on the floor.

“You will not believe how hard it was to find this room.” She joked as the captain closed the window to keep the warm air from escaping the ship.

“Miss Dash please refrain from doing that ever again, you nearly gave my old heart an attack I fear it wouldn’t recover from.”  Sky Line placed a hoof over his chest to emphasis the point. “Besides just have one of the crew take you here they have very little to do on this trip especially since one of you friends has taken over the kitchen out two cooks have literally nothing to do now.”

“Sure no problem. Is it okay if I ask what happened to your wing?” Rainbow was intrigued by the injury the Stallion had.

“This old thing lost it years ago to a griffon. I used to be part of the guard and arrived to see a griffon about to kill this family he broke into their home thinking they were gone. He had a filly held hostage and he wanted to make sure I couldn’t follow him so he told me to cut off my wing and if I did he would let them go. I used my spear and sliced off a good portion and he dropped the filly in surprise to my actions.” His left wing flinched in memory of the event.  “I threw my spear when he let go and caught him in his chest he died on the spot. Unfortunately the doctors couldn’t reattach my wing tip so I left the guard and became a pilot anything to be in the skies again you know how it is.” Sky Line finished his story and saw Rainbow nearly in tears at the thought of a Pegasus cutting off his own wing and never being able to fly again.

“What was it like to kill another living being, what happened?” Sky Line was slightly concerned by the choice of words Rainbow had chosen to question him with. He figured the best he could do is answer honesty to the Mare.

“I don’t regret my actions Rainbow I fought to protect Equestria from things like that and I didn’t strike out of fear or anger I attacked him to protect that filly and her family. That death shall always be weighed on my soul and I cannot take it back. Over time the pain will fade and you’ll remember the moment in memory only, sometimes having nightmares about it. But I had to make the decision that if I didn’t kill him he could have killed somepony else that day or maybe sometime in the future.” Sky line finished as he turned back to the wheel and started to pull a lever.

“Thanks a lot Sky Line. I’m going back to my room.”

“If you ever need to talk you know where I’ll be, we have 5 more days after tonight.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, goodnight.” Rainbow left and went to her bedroom for the night.

Everypony on board was woken up by the sound of a siren going off through the halls of the ship.

Twilight was the first to stick her head out of her room when the others slowly popped theirs out to see the commotion. What they saw was a set of guard armor lying on the floor without the guard inside of it.

Swift Spear was standing over the armor looking down the hall when he called out “Did anypony see what happened here?”

Nopony answered when they heard a mare scream from down the hall every pony rushed around the corner to find it empty except for a single maneclip on the floor.

Pinkie was the first to act. “Oh no Rarity what happened to you.”

“I’m right behind you darling, that mane clip isn’t one of mine.”

“Oh, no.” Rainbow said realizing who the clip belonged to. “This was Break Through’s she’s one of the flight engineer.”

“We need to gather the crew and find out what’s happening on this flight.” Swift quickly said as he led the others to the captain’s wheel.

When they opened the door they found the Captain gone with only his hat sat in front of the wheel which was locked in place.

“No this can’t be happening, not here not now.” Swift Spear said as he looked into the cabin.

“What is it Spear?” Ripple asked

“The Transport Killer he’s an unknown pony who only kills his targets on moving vehicles. The Victims are found dead underneath trains, coaches or over the landscape if done on an airship. The one thing they all have in common is that the victims always have their clothes and accessories left in the vehicle. If he’s on this ship then we’re all dead.” Ripple brought his hoof up to the Sergeant and slapped him.

“We are not dying on this ship we are going to stick together and find this killer before he finds us. We break up into groups and scour the ship Rarity go with Twilight, Pinkie with Swift Spear, I’ll go with Rainbow. Try to gather up the crew and bring them to the common room be careful though the killer could be any of them.” Ripple looked over everypony to see them pair up before departing with Rainbow.

“Come on Swifty it’s not that bad we can just look for some crew and then go back to the common room and wait for the others.”

“Not that bad we are in an enclosed airship with no way out with a murder who is possibly an assassin after us how is this not bad?”

“Well we still have each other at least.” Pinkie said as the sound of falling pots echoed from the kitchen scaring Swift into the fetal position.

“Let’s go see what made that sound.” Pinkie tried to encourage Swift who was still curled up on the floor.

“How about let’s not and live to talk about how we didn’t check up on the kitchen.

Swift refused to move as Pinkie opened the door to reveal some mice running around the kitchen counters. “See Swifty just some mice trying to get some food that’s not scary at all”

Pinkie turned around to find Swift Spear gone and in his place was his armor lying on the floor.

Pinkie walked the hall looking for any pony when suddenly she felt something brush up against her leg and she began to fall through the floor as if it were air. She reached for the railing only for her hoof to pass through it.

“Performers.” Pinkies Stand quickly grabbed onto the railing and her pulling her up out of the ship. When she tried lowering her hoof onto the floor it was once again solid. She took off into a sprint in search of the others.

Rainbow and Ripple had finished exploring the ship only finding hats and armor with no crew.

“Where could he be there’s nowhere to hid here unless he’s already attacked the others. Somepony should have found him.”

Rainbow was thinking of every place the user could possibly hide when it hit her. “That’s because the user isn’t in the ship he’s on top of it using his stand to get us from a distance.”

Ripple put a hoof on the ladder. “Rainbow I’ll go up the access latch he’ll be expecting somepony to go looking for him once I do I’ll need you to fly up behind him and take him out before he can call his Stand back to protect himself.”

Ripple started to climb the ladder as Rainbow ran through the halls trying to find a window. Once she did she jumped from the ship and started to turn around to towards the ship when she heard Ripple.

“Rainbow do it now!”

Once Rainbow made it to the top of the ship she saw Ripple’s fedora fly off the hull and she saw the Stand standing on the hull. It had the shape of a pony but was made of scrap with sheets riveted in place and had key holes lining its body it even had key holes where its eyes should be. On the top of its head was a edged key that jutted out like a horn.  But what worried Rainbow the most was the pony being crushed under its hoof. Break Through was pinned to the ship with one hoof as the Stand stared at Rainbow.

“Don’t worry I’ll get you out of there just stay calm.” Rainbow said frantically looking for the user so she could end this nightmare.

“Rainbow” Break Through said while the hoof pressured her head. “He told his Stand that  if you break your wing it should let me go.”

Rainbow thought about what was happening and couldn’t find any way of both of them making it out of this. Either she broke her wing and died to the stand or she let it crush Break Through allowing her to escape.

“Rainbow, don’t do it I’m not worth it you can go warn the others. Don’t sacrifice yourself for me I’m a nopony.”

“I shouldn’t even have to think about this I am Rainbow Dash the most loyal pony in Equestria and I will not let you die for me"

Break Through was crying now as she watched Rainbow make her choice. Rainbow unfurled her wings she brought one down next to her head as she placed the wing in her mouth and bit down. The sound of the bone snapping was heard over the gusting wind on the ship. The Stand removed its hoof from Break Through and let her get up.

Rainbow looked up to see Break Through next to the Stand Laughing in hysteria while she looked at Rainbow. “I can’t believe you actually broke your own wing. How crazy do you have to be to actually break your own appendage.”

“I haven’t laughed that hard in ages, wow I really needed that thanks. Also have you meet Doors” she pointed to her Stand as it melted into the boat before it began moving towards her the key on its head exposed on the hull of the ship. Rainbow could see it approach her like a shark in the ocean.

“Don’t worry he’s pretty weak all he can really do is make ponies intangible for a few seconds. I usually let the transport do the work. Ponies getting caught up under the train, getting run over by their own stage coach, even falling to their death.” She began listing off the ways her victims had died at her hooves.

“I was hoping you would put up a fight maybe even stop me like a true hero would, but I guess you aren’t a real hero.” Her stand grabbed Rainbow by the neck and lifted her into the air while she continued.

“Just so you know I am really sorry about this. I really am one of your biggest fans you have no idea how hard this is, but Dio is offering me so many bits for this job it makes the Canterlot treasury look like a piggy bank.” She looked Rainbow in the eyes Rainbow could see that she was conflicted about killing her idol, but that quickly subsided with the thought of the payoff. “Goodbye Rainbow.”

Doors dropped Rainbow who fell through the ship as if it wasn’t there before she went into free fall. Rainbow wanted to save her friends, to protect them from what was coming their way, to fly through the skies again. All this went through her head as she descended looking up at the blue sky.

“I can’t give up now, they counted on me to protect them and watch their backs, I am the Element of Loyalty and I will not abandon them by dying here.”

Rainbow stopped feeling the wind kicking up against her as she fell she quickly looked around to see her hoof was now in an angel blue colored suit. It covered her entire body and even formed a sealed helmet with glass face visor for Rainbow. It seemed to shimmer like steel and fitted her perfectly. Rainbow turned her head to find that her wings were now covered in the steel also each feather was coated and looked sharp to the touch. As she admired her now metallic wings she noticed a pack was paced between her two wings it appeared to be a funnel of some kind. Rainbow had trouble flapping her wings instead the suit restricted her movement to slight tilts and angles.

“Come on get me airborne if I die you’re going with me.”

The suit seemed to respond as Rainbow heard what could only be described as a dragon roaring flames behind her. Rainbow could feel her self accelerating and started to tilt her wings up trying to generate some lift. When she tilted her wings she shot towards the sky at breakneck speeds acceding higher until she was coming up on the ship. When Rainbow reached ship she saw Break Through sitting on the ship with her Stand nowhere in sight likely prowling the ship.

Rainbow tackled her off the ship holding onto her so she couldn’t fall. “Oh, you’re still alive well looks like I’m dead. Better get it over with.” She looked down to see the ocean below them.

“I’m not going to kill you just give up and stop this.” Rainbow said hopping to get through.

“Sorry can’t do that, I’m a wanted mare Rainbow if I get caught I’m going to jail for the rest of my life can’t have that.” She stated as if it were a fact. “Besides if you don’t kill me I’ll make the entire ship intangible killing everypony aboard.”

“No you can’t, just stop, stop killing, there’s been far too many deaths today I don’t want you to be another.” Rainbow pleaded trying to convince her.

“I’ll give you to the count of five if I’m not dead by then Doors will take out the entire ship from beneath them killing everypony you know.” Rainbow looked at her in disbelief did she want to die that badly.

“One” Rainbows mind was rushing to figure a way out of this maybe fly her far enough away so her stand couldn’t function, but what if it had an even greater distance of operation.

“Two” Rainbow could knock her out a swift ht to the head, the possibility of her stand still operating on a last order was a possibility.

“Three” ‘The only way to truly stop a Stand is to kill the user’ Ripples words echoed in her head.

“Four” Rainbow hovered in place letting her pack carry her and Break Through’s weight as she lifted both of her wings which could now be maneuvered once she started hovering.

“Fi-“ She couldn’t finish counting as both of Rainbows wings easily slid through her and out the other side. Break Through looked into Rainbows eyes,and saw her crying over her death.

“Don’t cry you idiot. I’m the bad guy here, your supposed to hate me and be happy once I’m dead.” Blood started to spill from her mouth as she tried breathing with what was now a likely punctured lung.

“Nopony should cry over my death, nopony should even remember me” She started to cough at her last word.

“I’m crying because nopony else will then.” Rainbow said as Break slowly grew colder.

“Let me give you some advice then as your biggest fan, consider it a parting gift. The others coming after you won’t be as nice as me so you have to protect them like the hero you are, keep your friends safe. And don’t ever go numb to the sensation of taking a life like I did; don’t lose your way Dash.” She went limp in Rainbow's grip the life she had was gone and all that was left was a body.

Rainbow pulled out her wings now covered in blood and let the body fall back to the earth. When she flew back to the ship she heard a pony shouting. Dash flew under the ship to find Ripple hanging on to the underside with his Stand piercing the hull trying to hold on.

“Somepony I’m under the ship come and get me!” He yelled over again and again hopping to get someponies attention.

Rainbow flew up next to him. “Hey Ripple how’s it hanging?”

“Really appropriate Dash I’m about to fall to my death and your making jokes” Ripple didn’t even look at her until Rainbow picked him up and started carrying him back to the top of the ship.

“Dash air at your service” she joked as she set him back down.

“Dash you awakened you Stand finally.” Ripple said in excitement while looking over the suit.

“Yeah I just needed a push to call it out.” Dash’s Stand vanished leaving her with a still broken wing.

“We should really patch that up let’s get you inside. What happened to the Stand User?” Ripple asked as he helped Dash down the ladder.

“Taken care of.” Dash said with a saddened tone.

“Dash, do you want to talk about what happened up there?”

“No, I just need some time to think about a few things and I’ll be fine. Now let’s find a first aid station I could really use something for this pain.”

“Don’t worry Dash once your bone is set I can accelerate the healing with my Hamon you should only be grounded for a day at most.” Ripple assured her.

Ripple dressed Dash’s wound before finding the others. Pinkie informed them about Swift Spear and how the entire crew appeared to vanish. Twilight and Rarity reported similar findings around the ship.

“Without a pilot how will we reach Neighgypt?” Twilight asked worried over their current plans

“Well I can pilot this ship just fine I’ve flown an older airship once before I can do it again. Nopony worry the controls seem similar enough.” Ripple walked into the pilot’s cabin and took the wheel ready to fly the ship to their destination.

Ch. 1 The Pony Possessed by an Evil Spirit

Off the Coast of Zebrafica 3 years Before Twilight’s Coronation

The middle of the ocean, no coast could be seen on the horizon nothing but the vastness of the salty sea. Clouds were moving erratically in any direction and the sun was slowly setting. A gray earth pony wearing a diving mask emerges from the ocean next to a small fishing boat.  He places his mask onto his head before swimming back towards the boat. A small crane hangs off the back of the boat a chain leading off its head into the sea.

“I attached the hook, bring it up!” He shouts as climbing onto the deck his cutie mark now visible out of the water, a map with dashed lines leading to a red X. Two other ponies both with a dark blue coats one with a fishing lure for cutie mark the other a fishing pole, both start to turn a crank attached to the crane causing the chain slowly draw in. “Now be careful it’s not every day we come across genuine lost treasure.” The gray pony encouraged as the other two continued to crank away.

“Hey Lure, do you think Lost Map finally came through on this treasure hunt?” one of the crane operators asked.

“Who knows Reel, he is always going on about these lost treasures at sea just waiting to be claimed, hopefully we finally get to bring up something of value” the other responded as she continued cranking.

“Quit your yammering and get with the cranking we don’t have too much daylight left.”  Lost Map said putting away his mask and grabbing his belt. “We don’t want to be working on this with only Luna’s light to keep us company”

Within two minutes the chest breached the surface “Hurry, haul it onto the deck so we can bust it open!” Lost Map yelled enthralled by the possibility of treasure.  The Chest landed on the deck with a thud it was a large steel chest covered in barnacles from its many years on the oceans floor.

“That’s it we finally recovered it, a treasure chest that sank a hundred years ago. We’re going to be rich lads and lasses.” The captain hollered as he leaped with joy.

“No more fishing in this Celestia forsaken ocean, Lure we can finally head home and get a house next to the river just like we always wanted” Reel was hugging Lure at this point as he danced around the chest with joy much like the Lost Map.

“Hey isn’t it a little long to be a treasure chest?” Lure asked as she was pushed out of the way by the captain to get a better look at the chest.

The captain grabbed the knife hanging off his belt with his mouth and started to chip away at the barnacles that lined the lid. “The treasure chest…  It’s locked from the inside?”  As he scrapped more barnacles off from the front he saw letters were printed where the latch usually is placed. “D.I.O. Huh, is that a name of some kind?”

“Who cares?” Reel shouted. “The sun is about to go down lets pop this baby open.” He grabbed a crowbar and started trying to wedge it into the lid of the chest. As the sun set over the horizon leaving them in darkness.

One day a ship was discovered floating out at sea. Every thing looked fine, no traces of struggle, no visible damage, and there were even three cups of coffee on the table. The only unusual thing about the ship was a steel chest which appeared to have been pried open with a crowbar. It was completely empty and because of the strange appearance every pony thought the treasure had been found, but after a few months the chest and the boat were forgotten.

Two months after Twilight’s Coronation

“Ripple Star, age: 67, coat color: Purple Navy, mane color: pale grey” Officer Silver Line said looking over a file at his desk. “Arrested yesterday for public misconduct in a local tavern, currently housed in the Ponyville Police Station jail cell, and should be released today after his fine is covered.” The officer mused to himself. He looked at the photo attached to the file in surprise to find that the Stallion despite the recorded age looked to be in his 40s at the oldest.

Silver started to walk the halls of the police station heading towards the cells to release the offender.  Ponyville was a small town and as such had an unusually small police force whose daily tasks involved trying to calm the townsfolk whenever disaster struck.  The police force was mostly for show, with little to no arrests ever made in a town that had little to no crime. The officer couldn’t even remember when the jail cell was last used to hold an actual criminal. He approached the jail cell to see the Stallion sleeping on a cot with a yellow fedora covering his eyes. The officer rattled his baton against the bars causing a large echoing clanking to fill the cell and the hall.

“Mr. Star wake up, your being released.”

Ripple Star simply raised his fedora with one hoof to uncover his eyes as he looked at the officer. “I can’t leave this cell until I talk with the princess about very pressing matters” Star said as he got up off his cot and walked over to the bars.

“Mr. Star you can schedule a meeting with the princess once you leave, I’m sure she’ll let you discuss with her any matters that concern you.” Officer Silver Line said trying to encourage the old stallion to leave his cell.

“I need her to come to the station, me being in a cell when discussing this matter will have a far greater impact then if I were to just stroll into the local library and talk to her.” Star turned around and sat back down onto the cot and pulled his fedora over his eyes. “Would you be so kind as to help an old stallion set up and appointment with the local princess?” He asked Silver while getting comfortable on the cot.

“Mr. Star I insist that you vacate that cell immediately and then make your appointment” Silver practically pleaded just wanting his current guest gone.

“Is there any law that says I have to leave this cell once released?” Star curiously asked seeming almost intrigued by the thought.

“Well no, once you’re released you are free to do as you please.” Silver answered knowing that this new resident would unfortunately be staying put.

“Well then you have an appointment to make Silver, I can’t wait in here forever or do you want me to stay here for the next few weeks.” Star replied smiling as he rested his head back onto the pillow watching as Silver Line walked off hopefully to make an appointment.

Silver Line was standing in front of Golden Oaks Library. He brought a hoof up and started to knock on the door hoping for a response, when the door swung open and he saw a small, and what most of the town considered a baby dragon. “Hello Spike, I would like to speak to Princess Twilight Sparkle about some police matters” Silver asked the princess’s assistant, while doing a slight bow.

“If this is about bringing in Canterlot guards to Ponyville, Twilight has already covered that in one of her statements to the town.Saying that you don’t have to worry about your police department being outsourced to guards. She is doing everything in her power to prevent any personal guards or otherwise from being assigned to Ponyville.” Spike promptly finished looking incredibly bored as if reciting the last statement from an index card.

“Oh no, this isn’t about that, I have some actual police work that requires her council.” Silver said trying to avoid discussing to much with the young drake.

“Wow, you really want Twilight's input on a case. Is it a robbery did somepony rob a museum and now you need Twilight to help track down the thief or maybe a new criminal mastermind has shown up and is calling the Ponyville Police out and Twilight's the only one capable of matching his  mind?”  Spike asked currently lost in his fantasies of adventure.

“Sorry Spike, but this is a private matter I can’t discuss this with you, would you could you get me an appointment?” Silver honestly didn’t know what to expect from Ponville's new resident Princess. Sure she used to be town librarian, but now she was a princess and power tended to change people.

“Sure no problem, wait here.” Spike let Silver in before running down the stairs into the basement. “Twilight the police are here!”  Spike shouted as he descended the stairs.

The audible sound of of glass breaking was heard followed by an explosion and the yelling of the new princess “What! The police are here.” Twilight quickly exited the basement with ash still covering her mane and a charred Spike on her back. “Why hello there officer, what are you doing here?” Twilight asked trying her best to put on an earnest smile.

“I actually came here to make an appointment to talk with you about a certain issue” Silver quickly glanced at her slightly burnt mane and fur. “Is now a bad time, I can come back later?”

“Oh no, everything is completely safe and fine, nothing going on here.” Twilight said nervously looking back towards the basement door. “Wait did you just say you want to talk to me about an issue?”

“Yes I have a private matter that needs to be discussed with you in private.” Silver restated hoping to get an answer.

“Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes, my first time holding court as a princess has finally happened. Do I need a take notes on this, does the princess want a report on my first court session, oh should I run this by Mayor Mare I mean she does run the local government am I intruding on her power, a book yes that’s what I need.” Twilight’s mane started to frizzle along the edges and Silver slowly started to back away towards the door having gained a slight fear for the princess. “Spike grab me everything we have on Celestia’s courts I need to study I have to be ready.”

“Miss Sparkle there is really no need for such overzealous methods this is a simple request that shouldn’t even need to be made official.” Silver said trying his best at damage control.

“Overzealous!” she replied angrily “there’s no such thing when it comes to doing a proper job to help out others.”

“Miss Sparkle if you do not calm down I will resend my request for assistance!” Silver yelled, trying with all of his might to remain in control of the situation.

“But, but, but,  you can’t do that.  This is my first time holding court what if Princess Celestia finds out that I couldn’t even lend a hoof to somepony in need?” Twilight pleaded desperately on the verge of tears from the very thought.

“Just, please calm down Princess I just need you to come with me to the station so we can discuss this matter privately away from the public’s ear.” Silver was now standing next to the door one hoof against it waiting for a response from the princess.

Twilight quickly brought a hoof to her eyes to wipe away any tears that had formed before walking up next to Silver. “Spike please clean up the basement for when I come back, it’s kind of a mess thanks to somepony interrupting a very delicate experiment.”

“Ahhahahaha” Spike nervously chuckled. “Of course Twilight I’ll have it done by the time you get back you can be sure of that” he finished as he rushed down the stairs with a bucket and mop in claw.

“Ready to go Princess Twilight?” Silver asked opening the door.

“Yes, I’ve calmed down, lead the way please” she said leaving the library.

They both entered the Police station and started to walk down halls towards the holding cells “So what do you want to discuss with me Silver Line, you can tell me anything. As a princess of Equestria you have my word that I will help you come to an agreeable solution to any problem you may have.” Twilight was practically radiating enthusiasm for this new job. Helping the local populace to deal with issues they can’t handle alone and giving advice to those in need.

“Actually I don’t need your help; nice speech though you should keep it, helps fill others with confidence in your skills.” Silver continued to walk down the hall towards the cells as Twilight came to a complete halt mid stride. “What aren’t you coming; it’s not much further now.”

“What! You don’t even need my help then why bring me here then” Twilight started running every possible scenario through her head until she came to the most probable solution. “Unless this is a trap!” Twilight’s horn started to glow and she lowered herself towards the ground ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice. “Well you won’t be catching this princess off guard, who sent you was it Chrysalis”

“Whoa there calm down I don’t need your help, but one of the prisoners does” Silver stopped and put a hoof to his chin. “Well he’s not technically a prisoner I guess since he is free, but whatever, can you please talk to him?”

Twilight slowly raised herself from her prone position and the glow vanished from her horn. “So you want me to talk to a prisoner, who isn’t a prisoner about his problems?”

Silver stood where he was a moment trying to contemplate what was just said before talking “Yes, I need you to talk to him so he will finally leave his cell and I can go home.”

“OK, I still get to hold a court and help somepony with a problem, also me helping him even helps you since he’ll leave once I finish. Sure take me to this ‘Not Prisoner’ so that I can help him.”

Continuing past Silver with new found confidence Twilight opened the door and saw the Stallion in question napping on a cot in his cell. The cell had plenty of oddities around it though a few comics, some soda cans laid around, and a compact music player currently playing music into some earplugs on the sleeping stallion.Twilight looked around the cell again to make sure she didn’t miss anything before looking back at silver “I had no clue that the police force was so linnet with giving goods to the prisoners”

“We’re not” Silver replied looking at the cell in shock. “Star wake up!” Silver started hitting the bars again until Ripple Star got up and stared at the both of them for a moment.

“So you finally got me an appointment, good job Silver I’d tip you but this is a public service.” Star said chuckling to himself as he took off his hat to quickly brush it off revealing his horn had a black casing around it. One of the magic inhibitors placed on unicorn prisoners to stop any escapes that could be aided by the use of magic.

“Star how did you get these things into your cell? I left it locked you shouldn’t have any of this.” Silver was starting to get angry at the blatant disregard to protocol and some fear of how this was even possible.

Star simply put his hat back on before turning towards the princes “So you’re the Princess of Ponyville a pleasure to meet you, now if you’d kindly, I need you to watch me and pay attention. Whatever you do don’t lose focus”

Twilight was confused at first until one of the comics and some of the cans started to float around Star. All the objects however lacked any magical aura surrounding them they appeared to just be floating. Then a crossbow levitated out from underneath the mattress and turned pointing at Star's head. The bow also lacked a glowing aura, it simply floated into position as Twilight and Silver gasped.

“Silver stops him, he’s going to kill himself” Twilight frantically said hoping that the pony in front of her wouldn't die today.

“I can’t these cells are magic proofed so no unicorns can teleport in or out let alone work telekinesis through the bars.” They both stared at Star as the Cross bow stayed pointed at his head both ponies stood still in fear and shock about what was about to in front of them.

“Now pay attention Twilight and tell me what you see” Star said as the trigger was pulled releasing the arrow barely a meter from his head. Time seemed to slow down for Twilight as she saw the arrow fly towards Star unimpeded until suddenly a swarm of nearly transparent purple vines materialized out of his body towards the arrow stopping it millimeters away from his head. “Now tell me Twilight Sparkle can you see these ghostly projections protecting me?”

Twilight simply stood in front of the cell mesmerized by what she was seeing a Stallion with vines coming out of his body not from the fur but as if they simply phased through him. Now holding what used to be a speeding arrow in place. “How is he doing this without magic?” Silver said looking is disbelief.

“Can’t you see those vines holding the arrow?” Twilight asked worriedly as if she was the only pony seeing them.

“What vines? Twilight are you OK? This has been very traumatic how about you lay down” Silver proposed while fumbling with his keys trying to find the correct one.

“No! I am not resting until I know what just happened here, what is going on?” She turned to star who was now just starring at her with a glean in his eye.

“You can see this can’t you” Star repeated looking at her “Great some progress, now somepony will finally believe me. You want answers to your questions I need out of this cell.”

“No way am I letting you out now, you have suicidal tendencies pulled a weapon on an officer and a princess. You’re going to be locked away for a long time if I have any say.” Silver was even more terrified now than ever he couldn’t even grasp what was happening in front of him.

Twilight stepped towards the cell before turning back to Silver “Well then I guess it’s a good thing you don’t get a say, I need this pony released into my custody Officer Silver”

Silver stood in place dumbfounded “You can’t be serious Princess he could have killed either of us just now and you want him out.”

“He has answers to the questions I have and he is the only pony who can tell me what I am seeing in front of me. Besides he only pulled out that crossbow to make a serious if not morbid point to me. Well you have my attention Mr. Star and you’re going to answer all of my questions once you’re out” Twilight could see Star grin as he walked to the door to the cell.

“You better be ready for a tale then princess this information Princess this may involve the entire world’s safety”

Silver couldn’t believe what he was hearing the Princess was going to let this maniac go, set loose upon the world.  Normal ponies don’t fire a crossbow at their own head and normal ponies can’t stop an arrow especially when they don’t have access to their own magic. “As you wish Princess Twilight” he said with a slight disgust in his voice.

“Much better being out of that cell I can finally get some fresh air” Star stepped out of the cell and Twilight finally got a good view of his cutie mark it was a bright orange sun with ripples running across it like a ripple in a pond. “Now Princess first let me tell you what you just saw. That was what I call a Stand, a manifestation of ponies willpower. Any living creature with a will can have a Stand, but if your body cannot handle it the Stand will turn against the user slowly killing them.”

The purple vines crawled up his head and under his fedora lifting it before working their way under the inhibitor slowly pressuring it from the inside until it shattered outwards.  “My Stand is called Purple Hermit and manifests as those purple vines you are seeing” The vines appeared to fade out of existence as the withdrew into his fur.  “And unless you are a Stand User you can’t see a Stand”

Twilight couldn’t believe what she was seeing. A new form of magic accessible to all species one that manifest as one’s own will their soul if you would. “Wait you said only other Users can see these Stands?”

Star started to walk through the station heading towards the exit Twilight quickly followed in pursuit. “Yes, Miss Sparkle you appear to have a Stand as well. Whether you have summoned it before or have simply yet to manifest it. There is one inside of you waiting to be called forth.”

“Mr.Star do these Stands have a classification system, how are they measured, can they be measured? What can they do, what are their limits? How does the Stand effect the user, are they connected mentally or physically to the user?” Twilight started to bombard Star with questions about this new field she had yet to study as they exited the police station.

“One question at a time Miss Sparkle, and please call me Ripple I haven't gone by Star in a longtime. I can’t answer all those questions at once.” Ripple joked seeing the young princess nearly jump with joy over the discovery of new knowledge. “Look, if you want to know more we can discuss these topics over lunch” Ripple's stomach grumbled loudly. He blushed from embarrassment and quickly pulled his fedora over his eyes.

Twilight giggled before answering him “Of course Ripple we can go have lunch just so long as you answer all my questions while we’re there” Twilight walked past him heading towards the Hay Burger “Come on Ripple I have questions and you need some food. oh and also you can just call me Twilight I'm slightly uncomfortable with just going by Sparkle.” Ripple Star pushed his Fedora back up a top his head before walking up beside Twilight as they both approached the Hay Burger.

Ch. 6 The Silver Chariot Coliseum pt.1

“Why is the ship tilting like that?” Twilight asked as everypony in the room tilted forward as the ship dipped downwards.

“Air is escaping from some of the ship’s gas bags, no It’s being vented must be the piping.This ship is going down everypony brace for a water landing.” Ripple started to twist the wheel to the right trying to counteract the tilt to no avail.

The door to the cabin slammed open as Rainbow ran in, her wing still bandaged. “What the hay is going on with the ship?”

“We’re crashing, the ship is going down.” Ripple responded as he fought the wheel as it tried to turn back to its original position.

“Well what do we do?” twilight was panicked trying to find something to prevent the crash.

“Twilight try to slow the ship down, there’s no way it’s going to fly so just focus on slowing us down for an easy landing.” Ripple pulled back the accelerator trying to slow the crafts forward momentum. The gauges were spinning out of control trying to readjust to the rapid shift in altitude and air pressure.

“All right I’ll try to slow us down.” Twilight stood in the center of the room as her horn started to light up. The ship was enveloped in a purple glow and started to creak as if it was being squeezed like a wooden toy. Sweat started to form on Twilight head as she strained to slow the ships decent.

“Come on Darling I know you can do this.” Rarity encouraged as she looked out the window to the rabidly approaching ocean and quickly pressed herself up against the wall.

“600 meters everypony brace for impact!” Ripple held the wheel as the Ship crashed into the ocean almost vertically. The ship sank into the ocean and didn’t surface with the only visible portion on the surface being the balloon that hanged onto the ship acting like a ballast.

“Did everypony make it?” Ripple asked as he let go of the wheel having realized it broke off upon impact.

“Yeah I’m cool.” Rainbow answered as she brushed herself off.

“My mane is ruined; do you realize how long it took to get it looking this good.” Rarity whined as she started to fix her mane.

“Rarity’s fine and so am I” Twilight said as she got up from the floor. The cabin stayed mostly pristine since everything in the room was bolted down.

“Look at all those fish they look so surprised to see us.” Pinkie was pressed up against the glass looking out into the sea.

“Looks like we’re not sinking at least, the ship must still be attached to the balloons. The lower levels are likely flooded already.” Ripple peered out into the ocean as a crack started to from on the glass. “Out of the room!”

Everypony scrambled out, once outside Twilight reinforced the door with her magic. They heard the glass shatter and water flood the now vacant room. The water slammed into the door which creaked under the strain but didn’t break.

“I can’t hold this door forever do something.”  Twilight’s leg started to wobble as she continued to keep the door sealed.

“Hold on Twilight I have just the thing.” Gems started to lift out of Rarity’s saddle bag until they formed a sphere the size of her head. The sphere floated over to the door and pressed against is, as it pressed the gems seemed to spread out like water on a flat surface until it completely covered the door sealing it shut.

“Well what do we do now?” Rainbow looked down the hall the exterior lined with windows.

“Now we gather what we can and bring it to the escape hatch. We can wait on top of the ship’s air balloon and fire off some flares. Hopefully we aren’t too far from shore so somepony will find us out here.” Ripple looked at each window with suspicion expecting them to break at any moment.

“This ship wasn’t built to be under water we have no idea how long it will last down here so everypony only take your essentials and hurry.” Twilight suggested as she walked down the hall, the others soon followed and headed to their rooms to gather what they could. Once they collected their belongings they met at the roofs hatch.

Ripple looked in disbelief as Rarity brought back several cases stacked to the ceiling. “Rarity we are not hauling your luggage up to the surface, we have to our stuff to and once we open the hatch we’ll have to separate the boat from the balloon or it might pull it under too.”

“But all of my makeup and clothing we can’t just leave them in this sinking ship.” Rarity looked back at all of her luggage and started to weigh which ones to save. The ship started to creak as the water started to find ways to trickle in.

“Come on Rarity your cloths and makeup won’t be much use if you don’t survive to wear them” Pinkie said as Rarity continued to decide.

“We’re running out of time Rarity just pick one so we don’t all die in here.” Rainbow started to eye the walls wondering just how long they could hold out the ocean.

“We don’t have time for this, everypony take a deep breath and swim to the surface once the hatch is open, Ripple will separate the ship. Time to go Rarity.” Twilight’s horn lit up and her magic griped the bulkhead wheel. The wheel started to turn until the water pushed it open from outside and started to flood into the room. The room was completely filled in seconds with everypony quickly making their exit to the surface of the ocean.

When Twilight reached the surface she quickly looked around to find that the Rarity, Pinkie and Rainbow had also made it. She turned to the balloon and teleported onto it. She started to levitate her friends up out of the ocean one by one until the balloon started to rise slightly before settling back into the water. Every pony looked over the edge to see the remnants of their ship sink into the depths and Ripple breaking the surface.

“Got the ship unhooked, mind pulling me up?” Twilight pulled him, out of the water and onto the balloon.

“So what do we do?” Rainbow asked as she surveyed the ocean seeing nothing but the sea in all directions.

“Now we take turns firing out a flare every thirty minutes; Ripple, Rarity, and I can send up a flare with our magic, hopefully we’re found within a day or two.” Twilight explained as the others pulled off their saddle bags to check on what they took of the ship before it sank.

Rarity opened hers to show it was filled with some gems, a brush, and a bag of bits. She then looked at the others after she emptied her bag.

“What, it’s not like I had time to grab everything you rushed me.”

“Well look at what I got” Rainbow emptied her bag to reveal it was full of medical supplies and a first aid kit. “I decided to raid the infirmary before we left, have to take care of my wing right?”

“I got my camera and my bank card in case we need any money” Ripple said proudly producing the metal card from his pack. Twilight looked over all the items and realized that one particular thing was, missing.

“Did anypony grab food before we left?” Twilight’s face started to turn to fear. How long could they survive without food and water? Would they make it until help arrived? All these thoughts filled her mind. All the possibilities, how to ration what they could catch who to feed would that be right to feed certain individuals instead of the entire group who gets priority?

“I brought plenty of snacks for everypony.” Pinkie opened her bag and they saw it was full of snacks of all kinds and water. Twilight calmed down almost immediately once she realized they’d be fine for a few days.

“Hey Rainbow let me try fixing up your wing we have some free time now.” Ripple walked up over to her and placed his hoof on her wing.

“It’s not going to hurt is it?” Rainbow winced as he pressed into her wing.

“Just relax; this shouldn’t hurt at all if I do this right.” Ripple started to empty his lungs before he took a deep breath. Once he did his hoof started to glow with a warm yellow light like the sun’s gentle heat.  Once the glow stopped Rainbow flexed her wing lightly before giving it a few flaps, the wing was fixed. Rainbow took off for a second flying around the balloon before landing again.

“That’s right nopony can keep me grounded.”

“Alright take it easy Rainbow we have to conserve our energy out here until we get rescued we don’t know how long it could be.” Twilight explained hopping to get everypony out of this with as little problems as possible.

“OK, Twi I’ll do what I do best and chill until help arrives, if you need me I’ll be sleeping.” Rainbow walked over to the end of the balloon before lying down and going to sleep.

“I’ll shoot of the first few flares for tonight we can alternate so we can get some sleep.” Twilight raised her head and fired out a blast of magic that shoot into the darkening sky before it exploded into a ball of light that hovered in the air for a minute.

“Wake me when it’s my turn” Ripple said before he went to get some sleep.

“Twilight, I can’t let you do all this by yourself it wouldn’t be right.” Rarity added as she started to yawn and close her eyes.

“Don’t worry; I’ll wake you once it’s your turn, just get some sleep we’ve earned it.” Twilight looked up at her flare as it continued to burn away in the night sky trying to draw in any ponies’ attention before it fizzled out after a few minutes. Twilight lifted her head and fired another flare from her horn; this was going to be a long night for her.

“Twilight wake up we have a problem.” Ripple started to shake her awake trying to rush her up.

“What is it?” Twilight asked while rubbing her eyes.

“That” Ripple grabbed her head and turned it to the left until she could see the storm approaching their makeshift raft. The storm seemed to envelope over half the sky blocking out the horizon along with the sun. Twilight looked around only seeing Rarity and Pinkie on the balloon.

“Where’s Rainbow?”

“She’s trying to divert the storm” Ripple pointed to the storm and upon closer inspection Twilight could make out a blue flame rushing around the storm breaking up some clouds around the edge, but not nearly enough to dissolve the storm.

Twilight couldn’t believe it they made it this far to be wiped out by a storm a group of ponies lost at sea to never be found. Celestia won’t even know their fate since she couldn’t contact her. It all ends because of some disaster the nature cooked up for them on the seas.  That was when it suddenly hit Twilight.

“A disaster is coming.” She said to herself as she stared at the storm rolling in.

“Come on Twilight we can try to bare the storm and ride it out. If we’re lucky we can make it through this.” Ripple said as he saw Rainbow start to fly back to them.

“No, I know what I have to do.” Twilight grabbed her saddle bag and pulled out her Stand along with a quill and a bottle of ink.  She stood facing the storm as she dipped her quill and began to write.

‘This monstrous storm will swallow us whole as its rain pelts the surface of the sea ripping the calm apart. The howling winds that create crashing waves will drag us down. This storm that spells our doom approaches as I write. I will not back down, I will protect my friends from this ill fate that has been handed to us, and I will capture this disaster.’

The words flowed from Twilight's quill as she felt drawn to each letter placed; she felt right writing all this down as the end approached them at this moment. As Twilight wrote her last letter the ink she used started to conglomerate on the page. The ink pooled together at the center of the page before dispersing in a circle outwards. As it dispersed it left behind an image of the raging storm approaching Twilight with as much detail as a picture would hold until it reached the pages edge. When Twilight looked up the storm clouds where fading out of existence leaving them with a clear sky and a shining sun.

“I did it I stopped the storm.” Twilight murmured to herself.

“Twilight you actually pulled it off you stopped the storm.” Ripple started to look out over the horizon that once held the storm in disbelief. She had finally got her Stand to function and it took out an entire storm front.

“Ship ahoy!” Pinkie yelled as she started to jump and wave at the approaching ship.

“Well looks like we made it to Pone Song and it’s only the 3rd day, still making good time.” Ripple said as they stepped off the ship.

“I just hope we don’t run into any more of Dio’s Stand users. I’m not sure my mane can take many more chance encounters.” Rarity continued to brush her mane as she stepped off the vessel.

“Thanks again for the lift. Sorry we can’t repay you immediately” Twilight apologized to the pony crew before teleporting onto the docks.

“Don’t’ worry about it lass, your pink friend made this our must enjoyable trips back to port in years.” The Captain pulled out a party hat and placed it back into his jackets pocket, as the rest of the crew softly smiled to themselves remembering the trip.

Pinkie exploded out of the lower cabins and onto the deck. When the smoke cleared she was holding a cake with the words ‘Thanks For Saving Our Lives’ written on it in frosting. She handed it off to the captain as she rolled off the boat and onto the docks.

“My way of saying thanks, hope you don’t mind I baked it while we were coming into port.”

“Lass we don’t even have an oven on this ship.” The captain responded as he examined the cake looking for some deficiency.

“I know that’s why I baked you one.” Pinkie answered honestly as she waved goodbye before trotting after the rest of the departing group.

‘What a crazy bunch, right captain?” One of the crew asked.

“Yeah let’s hope they make it to wherever their heading safely lads.”

They walked into a restaurant and took their seats around the circular table. Everypony pulled up their menu and started to gloss over the items.

“Even without the airship we can still make it to Neighgypt in less than 47 days. If I can make a suggestion I think that we should take the sea route. We can get our own ship and sail around the coast then through the Native Ocean” Ripple suggested as he continued to review the menu.

“I think that’s the best course of action as well.” Twilight said putting down her menu to look over the table. “If we go by land we’ll have to cross the desert and climb over some mountains that line the path. Not to mention the obstacles we could encounter.”

“But what about Dio’s Stand Users? Dio probably has them located everywhere. How are we going to move without being detected?”  Rarity asked, placing her menu down.

“We’ll have to take our chances and get a boat we’re less lily to meet somepony at sea then on land anyway.”  Ripple said as he pulled out a bag of bits and started to count them.

“I can’t make heads or tails of this menu can anypony even read this chicken scratch.” Rainbow whined as she slammed her menu onto the table in defeat.

“I stayed in Pone Song in the past so I can read a bit of the language. Let’s see this should be hay, daisies, oats, and some bread. Waiter we’ll have these.”  Ripple pointed to the items listed on the menu. The waiter gave a nod before heading to the kitchen.

“So all we need is a boat, some supplies, and a crew to take us past the Native Sea while fighting off some Stand users sounds awesome enough.” Rainbow said as she placed her hooves on the table rocking it slightly.

“Sorry, but did you say Stand User?” One of the dinners walked over and began talking.

“I’d be careful then, the current coliseum champion boasts that her Stand being unbeatable. Real scary too with how she fights.”

“Wait you could see her Stand?” Pinkie asked. “Are you a Spy, did Dio send you, answer me!” Pinkie began to violently shake the customer.

“I’m no spy ask anypony who was watching the daily matches that day. They could see her making that huge appearance one day in the coliseum. She set off some fireworks and started boasting about how her Stand could take on any challenger. To our surprise when the fight started a Unicorn about your size in armor just appeared floating next to her with a sword as long as Celestia is tall resting on its back. She then beat every ranking champion and now is the current head of the coliseum.”  Pinkie dropped him and let the pony run out of the restaurant.

“So should we find her? Dio might try to get her.” Rarity said remembering what had happened to her.

“Or this could be a trap to get us to fight this user. Nopony goes around showing off their Stand. How in the world did she even make hers visible to the crowd?” Ripple said as he watched the room with suspicion.

“It could be a bound Stand like Rarity’s though I wouldn’t know what it could be bound to with that description. Besides we can’t just let her fend for herself what if Dio targets her? We should at least warn her before we leave.”  Twilight said trying to get Ripple to see her reasoning.

“Fine, we warn her then leave on a boat as soon as we’re done. We’re not taking any chances while staying here.” Ripple reached for his hat to pull it down only to realize it was somewhere at the bottom of the sea.

“That color did go atrociously with your coat color. We can get you another hat later, perhaps with me accompanying you. I could help you find one that goes better with your coat” Rarity suggested trying to forget that tacky yellow clashing with his grey coat perhaps brown would work or silver.

The waiter came back brandishing five covered dishes once set on the table he removed their covers to reveal boiled frog, cooked fish, clams, and a soup with diced up carrots.

“On second thought I’m not hungry lets go to the coliseum” Rarity pushes the frogs away as she got up and walked to the exit.

“Me too, I’ll go with Rarity” Twilight pushes the plate of fish away before running after her.

“Yeah what she said.” Rainbow quickly flew out the door leaving Pinkie and Ripple at the table.

“I have no idea what their talking about this soup is delicious.” Pinkie tipped the bowl into her mouth drinking the rest of the soup. Ripple grabbed a clam and split it open with his magic before bringing it to his mouth and slurping it down.

“Not too bad, not too great either, but edible.” Pinkie just stared at Ripple as he reached for a second clam.

“I’m going to see if they need help with that thing their doing.” Pinkie quickly backed away before walking to the door keeping her eyes on Ripple as she left.

“Waiter check please.” Ripple left his bag of bits on the table as he followed suite.

“What do you mean nopony can talk to the Champion?” Rainbow was flying in front of one of the coliseum guards with her legs crossed in annoyance.

“It means you can’t see her, she only meets with competitors. If you want to talk you’ll have to go sign up at the registry located at the front of the Entrance.” The guard was unmoving as he told Rainbow the current rules regarding the champion. Rainbow flew back to the others who were waiting just outside the coliseum.

“So what did the guards say?” Ripple asked watching the crowds come and go from the entrance.

“We’ll have to compete if we want to meet the Champion.”

“This feels like a waste of time, it’s not too late to grab a ship out of here” Ripple interjected hopping to leave and not bother.

“We’re entering this coliseum and meting the Champion whether you like it or not. We are going to help her.” Twilight said with a furry over Ripple’s lack of kindness for others.

Rainbow flew off to the registry as Twilight fought with Ripple hopping to avoid the conflict.

“Fine, let’s sign up for this death tournament and risk our lives for some stranger who might be trying to kill us.” Ripple retorted.

“Now, now you two there’s no reason to be fighting each other. Ripple your just trying to look out for us and we appreciate that. But Twilight wants to help somepony who might need our help. Even if it’s just a slim chance we have to try.” Rarity defused the situation as the two arguing ponies both settled down and started taking deep breaths.

“Alright I’ll help just don’t expect me to make it to the Champion I’m getting up there in age and I’m not as spry as I used to be.” Ripple said after calming down. Rainbow returned and stared at Ripple and Twilight for a moment.

“So did they work it out?” Rainbow asked not wanting to contribute to the argument if it was still going on.

“Yes they worked it out and decide to enter the Coliseum as competitors, where were you anyways?” Rarity asked.

‘I just went to sign us all up as a team for competing in the coliseum. As long as we alternate in the matches we can advance as a team.” Rainbow said beaming with pride over her decision.

“Darling when you say you signed us all up you did remember to exclude me from that list?”

“Sorry, did you not want to fight in the coliseum Rares.”

“Why in Celestia’s name would I want to partake in such a barbaric competition?  I could chip a hoof or ruin my mane.”

“Come on Rarity we’re untouchable with these powers. We go in take down a few competitors then meet the champ easy as pie. Besides think about it you could win each fight with style and all that, be less barbaric about the thing.”

“OK fine I’ll compete, but only because I can show those watching my elegance and grace in victory.”

“Keep it up Rares and your heads going to be too big to fit through the entrance.”

A booming voice was heard from the coliseum announcer. “Would team ‘Rainbow is Awesome’ please report to the competitors hall for your match line ups.”

Rarity turned to Rainbow with a look of annoyance. “Be careful Rainbow or your head might not fit through the entrance.” Rarity mocked back to her as she made her way to the entrance.

Everypony followed Rarity as she made her way down the winding halls until they came to a large metal door with a dented metal sign hanging above it which read ‘Competitors Hall’. They pushed the door open to see a large room filled with roughly twenty Ponies, four Griffons and a Minotaur all siting waiting to be called for their match.

Rarity approached the barred window with a rather small unicorn mare working behind it. She rested her hooves on the counter until the unicorn looked up acknowledging her.

“How may I help you today Miss?”

“I’m part of team.” Rarity nearly choked trying to get the word out. “Rainbow is Awesome.” She nearly felt sick having to say the name in itself.

“Oh, then you’re here for the matches don’t worry your team only needs to win five matches to qualify for a fight with the Champion. Also remember that each member has to fight once before the end of the competition so you only get one fight each.”

"Thank you darling now if you’ll excuse me I have to talk to my teammates.” Rarity walked away to see the others all sitting together at a table in the room chatting as Twilight was reading a pamphlet titled ‘So You’re Fighting in the Coliseum the Do’s and Don’ts’.

“I just spoke to the receptionist about our situation. We each have to fight once and win to meet the Champion. So now we just need to decide who gets sent out when.” Everypony started to think about how to decide the order when the announcers voice was heard through the hall.

“Team ‘Rainbow is Awesome’ your first match starts in five please enter the arena or face disqualification.”

“I call dibs on the first match.” Rainbow flew out of her seat and over to the door marked arena entrance faster than they could even blink.

“Well lets watch and provide some moral support than.” Ripple stood up and headed to the competitors viewing seats as everypony got up to do the same.

Twilight followed behind as she talked to herself. “Win a few matches and meet the Champion how hard could that be?”