The Curse of a Magical Mareby AkemiTheSunbroChaptersThe Wheels of Fate Turn Once AgainThe Wheels of Fate Carry OnThe Reality of the Wheels of FateThe Wheels of Fate Turn Once Again"You do realize I have plenty of shadows to spare, right? You killing that one was rather pointless." Ichibey commented as he peaked his head through Fluttershy's mane, "By the way, that was a clever ruse you used when you told Spike about Rarity's death! I almost believed you myself." "It was bound to happen sooner or later, once he realized Rarity was dead." Fluttershy coldly remarked as she began to unemotionally carry herself from Golden Oaks Library to her cottage on the edge of town. She apathetically glanced back to the tree where she just slayed her friend, "He was beyond saving when I discovered he was a Magical Mare, and I decided it better to deal with his witch while it was still weak." The cat-like Incubator stared, "You're a cold mare, you know that?" The pegasus sighed as she gazed up into the gray clouds that blanketed the skies over Ponyville, "With courage comes brutality. That is the curse of my sin." "You understand that you too shall become a witch eventually, right?" Fluttershy stared into her rose-colored Soul Gem, now tainted black. She withdrew the Grief Seed expunged from Velstadt and held it close to the jewel. The tainted blackness leaped from her gemstone to the seed, reverting the Soul Gem to it's original sparkling glow. She sighed, "Perhaps. We shall see." As she began walking back to her home, the pegasus could hear her own hoofsteps clopping on the pavement in the ensued silence. However, the quiet didn't last long. The rain reprized it's downpour and drowned out all the non-sound that existed moments ago. As the water dripped down her mane and face, Fluttershy growled slightly, "Typical." In order to save herself from becoming too drenched, she broke in a full gallop, speeding towards her home, the rain blurring her vision. Her eyes stung as the droplets of water pierced her large, turquoise irises. Before she knew it, she felt the rain cease pelting her fur. She slowed her galloping to a slow trot and wiped her eyes with her wing, only to realize that her surroundings had changed. She was no longer in Ponyville, but what seemed to be a demented looking barn, adorned with various tools that seemed to be drawn with crayon by a young foal. She knew this to be a Witch's Labyrinth The pegasus sighed, "I am NOT in the mood for this." She flashed a hoof across the rose colored pendant around her neck, and a long green dress caressed her yellow body, very much reminiscent of her Grand Galloping Gala attire. Grass-green boots wrapped around her hooves and teal flowers appeared all over her pink mane and tail. "Now," she muttered, "where are you...?" A childish giggle signaled a presence to her left. Instantly, Fluttershy extended curved daggers from her wrists and spun towards the laughter. She scowled at the small horseshoe with a face staring back at her, still giggling. "Tseh," She spat, "You're just a Familiar. You won't yield me a Grief Seed." Ichibey poked his head out of her mane, "So, are you going wait and let it grow into a witch?" The pegasus brandished her daggers in front of her, "No. Spike's seed still has one more use. Since we're here, I'll slay it before it can hurt anypony." "Suit yourself." Ichibey shrugged as he hopped to the ground of the Labyrinth. As the Familiar playfully hovered away--still giggling--, Fluttershy darted towards it. She swung her daggers at the Horseshoe, but it simply hovered just out reach. It childishly chuckled, taunting the mare. Fluttershy extended her wings and growled. Like lightning, she shot towards the Familiar and pinned it against the 'barn's' ceiling. "It's over," she threatened. Before finishing it off, she cocked her head to the right and raised an eyebrow, "I wonder where the mother witch is..." A delighted giggle was the Horseshoe's only reply. The pegasus sighed and shook her head, "How foolish." With that, she wrapped both front hooves around the edges of the horseshoe and began bending it's parabolic shape. As the Familiar struggled to get away, it only laughed ever harder and louder as the yellow hooves straightened it's form. Fluttershy scowled as it finally snapped in half. She threw it's severed pieces behind her to the ground. It's hysterical giggling resounded all throughout the Labyrinth as it all faded around her. The laughter subsided as the rainy Ponyville materialized once again. She shook her head, "Let's go Ichibey. It's finished." The Incubator didn't respond. "Ichibey?" The mare looked around the cobble streets and on top of the brick buildings, but her catlike companion had disappeared. She sighed, "Where have you gotten off too...?" Rainwater slid off her mane to the ground as she dropped her head. She was tired. The deep, black rings hanging under her eyes could attest to that. She pulled her rose-colored Soul Gem out of her chest. Although slightly tainted black with her battle with the Familiar, she gave a relieved smile that no more Witches made their homes near Ponyville just yet. She reveled in the thought of finally getting some sleep in who-knows-how-long. Other then her hooves clopping on the cobblestone streets, she soundlessly carried her fatigued body across town back to her home. As she crossed the bridge just outside her home, she tiredly lifted her gaze. Her face twisted in horror as she saw Rainbow Dash-- most likely waiting for her to return-- conversing with the cat-like Incubator outside her door. In a panicked frenzy, she darted towards the two without hesitation, "NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!" Within seconds, she had Ichibey pinned against her wooden door. "You're little bit too late, Fluttershy." Ichibey commented quizzically through his frozen cat-like face, "We've already made the contract." Fluttershy's eyes widened and her ears dropped. She scowled, "No..." She yelled as she bashed Ichibey's head against her door, "No!" Again, "NO!" And again, "NO!!" And again, "NO!!!" And again. "NO!!!!" She breathed heavily as she stared at the bloody mess in her hooves. She moaned as she dropped the lifeless corpse, "No..." "FLUTTERSHY?!" She turned to face her cyan friend, glaring at her, "What the heck?! You killed him!! What's wrong with you?!?" "Oh, it'll take more than that to end my life." Ichibey calmly jumped down from Fluttershy's roof. Rainbow's jaw dropped, "Wha-" She looked on in disgust as the little cat began devouring his previous corpse, "That's... Disgusting..." "...Do you understand what you've just done?" Fluttershy growled at her friend. Rainbow returned her gaze to the mare, "Woah, calm down. What's gotten into you?" "ANSWER ME." Fluttershy commanded. Shocked at her new demeanor, Rainbow Dash blinked, "Woah, okay! Hold up. I'm not tellin' you anything until you tell me why you're acting so nasty!" Fluttershy lowered her head. Her mane covered her eyes as she glowered, "Show it to me." "Show what?" Rainbow asked. "Show me the gem that was created when you made your wish." The prismatic pegasus rolled her eyes and huffed. She reached to her shoulder and magically dragged out her Soul Gem. She presented the sparkling sapphire Soul Gem wrapped in an ornate gold casing to her friend. "Happy?" Fluttershy instantly snatched the gem out of Rainbow's hoof and glared at it. "Hey, that's-" She shifted her icy glared to her friend, causing Rainbow to silence the remainder of that statement. Without warning, Fluttershy deepened her scowl and ran one of her daggers straight through Rainbow's chest. The cyan pegasus' eyes grew wide in shock as she gagged and gasped for air. As Fluttershy forced Rainbow to her knees, she yelled, "Now, do you understand?!" She retracted her dagger and let Rainbow Dash slump. "Hmm. Harsh and effective." Ichibey commented. The pegasus held up her hoof, "Wait for it." A few seconds passed, and Rainbow Dash gasped and convulsed. She slowly stood up, a mix of horror, shock, and rage all mixing in her face. The rage took over completely as she glowered at her friend. Just as she was about to yell, Fluttershy carelessly tossed her sapphire Soul Gem behind her with no trace of emotion. It clinged and splished on the sidewalk, until inevitably splooshing in the creek outside Fluttershy's home. "DUDE!!" Rainbow screamed, "What was that fo-" The vibrant shimmer in Rainbow's eyes instantly disappeared as she lifelessly toppled over on the pavement. "Fluttershy!" Ichibey shouted, "Why did you just throw your friend away?!" The pegasus merely glared, stepped over Rainbow's corpse and slammed her house door behind her. She leaned her back against the wooden door, fell to a sitting position and sighed in remorse, "...What have I done?" The Wheels of Fate Carry OnFluttershy hadn't moved for what seemed like hours. She had lost herself in her memories, trying to find an answer as to why she allowed herself to stab her best friend, and, what's worse, why she had allowed herself to throw Rainbow's Soul Gem away. I... I used to be the Element of Kindness. Has my burden of a Magical Mare really brought me to this? She sat in silence for a moment. I guess so... And I don't even care. That's what scares me the most... Her thoughts were interrupted by a rough round of rapping on her door, "Fluttershy? Ya in there? C'mon, Fluttershy! Open up! We need to talk." Fluttershy froze. As the knocking behind her continued, she thought long and hard as to whether she wanted to open the door for her friend. In the end, she decided that opening the door would be the only way to proceed, if she wanted even the slightest chance of preserving any friendship she had left with her friend. She sighed and slowly stood up. She allowed the door to creak open, revealing Rainbow Dash, awkwardly scraping the wet, bloodstained pavement with her hoof. Like the weather, silence reigned as the two pegasi refused to make eye contact. Fluttershy shyly asked, "Would, uh, you... um... like to come in?" Rainbow cleared her throat, "Oh, uh... y-yeah, sure..." As she stepped inside, she added, "Uh... Ichibey found my Soul Gem and returned it..." Fluttershy lowered her head, "I'm sorry..." "No," Rainbow held up a hoof, "Ichibey explained everything. He explained that you were just trying to prove a point." Shocked, Fluttershy shot her a confused look, "Everything?" That's unlike an Incubator... she thought. "Well," Rainbow, whose face now wore a mixture of sorrow and pity, explained, "maybe not EVERYTHING, but he explained enough." She looked to the ground and sighed, "He told me all about how I'm not me anymore, and that I'm actually my Soul Gem. It's a little bit messed up, but after thinking about it, it's actually pretty awesome. That's the point you were trying to get across, right?" Fluttershy paused before nodding, "S-Sure, let's go with that..." "Well, I got that loud and clear, lemme tell ya." Rainbow continued as she looked on the verge of tears, "He... also told me how both Spike and Rarity turned against you, so you had to-" She choked. So, Ichibey DIDN'T tell you everything. Figures. "I did..." They sat in silence for another long while. "You've been at this--being a Magical Mare, I mean-- for quite a bit, right?" Rainbow asked. Fluttershy simply nodded. "...You see this a lot, don't you?" Again, she nodded. Rainbow dropped her gaze to the ground, "Then, it's no wonder why you've been acting so different lately! I guess I can kinda get where you're coming from, not wanting Ichibey to make other Magical Mares and all. You don't wanna trust 'em. But, Fluttershy," she placed a hoof on her friend's shoulder, "a mare can only take so much of this stuff..." Fluttershy remained silent. "...That was your wish wasn't it? The strength to hang in there even when everything hurts?" "...Yeah. Something like that." Fluttershy finally muttered. "You don't cry much anymore, do you?" She shook her head, "No, I don't. It's pointless to bemoan over the past." "Hey," Rainbow forced her friend to lock eyes, "it's okay to do that every now and again. I remember you tellin' me that one a long time ago. Back, uh, y'know, before all this." Fluttershy looked away and remained silent. "Listen." Rainbow ordered, "You don't have to do this alone anymore. You can trust me. I promise." The yellow pegasus returned her gaze to her cyan friend, who now wore a familiar smirk on her muzzle. Rainbow tapped her chest and boasted, "EYYUP! You and I are gonna make an awesome Magical Mare team! We'll beat any witch in ten seconds flat!" For the first time in a very long time, Fluttershy gave a truly genuine smile. She joked as she cocked her head to her side, "Well, okay! Just don't hold me back now; you are still a novice after all!" Rainbow delivered a mock punch to her friend's shoulder, "Psh! As if! Just you wait, I'm gonna be the most awesome Magical Mare ever!" They both burst into laughter as the cyan pegasus began to take her leave. Fluttershy hid behind her large, pink mane like she had used to do long ago, "H-Hey, Rainbow Dash?" Rainbow paused, "Yeah?" "I-I'm... I'm sorry for... y'know..." Rainbow shook her head, "Nah, it's fine! You were just trying get a point across! And boy, did you ever get it across!" She opened the door to leave, "I have to say, I kinda like this new you; you got guts, and anypony who's got guts is awesome in my book." She chuckled as she stepped out into the rain, "I mean, you were already awesome, but now, it's just like," she made an exploding motion with her hooves, "PWOOOSSHHH!!" As Rainbow closed the door behind her, Fluttershy frowned, "At least one of us thinks so..." "Are you going to tell her?" Ichibey appeared from behind a wooden couch. The pegasus denied, "Not yet. It's too soon." Ichibey shrugged, "Suit yourself." Fluttershy scowled, "She used her wish for somepony else." "How could you tell?" Ichibey asked. "She's Rainbow Dash; she'd never selfishly use a miracle for herself if she knew of somepony who needed it more. That's what makes her the Element of Loyalty." Ichibey disappeared once again behind the couch, "You're impressive, Fluttershy. Very impressive." "Rainbow Dash..." Fluttershy sighed, "How could you be so stupid?" * * * As she leaped out of bed, Rainbow Dash felt good. Metaphorically invincible even. She smirked as she thought about how her Soul Gem, for the most part, made her literally invincible. As she exited her cloud home, she smirked and gazed into the cloudless sky. She deeply breathed in a whole lung full of fresh air, "Ah. Couldn't ask for a better day to fly!" With that, she unfurled her wings and sped off towards Ponyville, "Don't have any weather work. There's no witches around. All in all, today's a good day!" Her smirk deepened as she thought about her destination, "And it's only gonna get better!" "YAAAHHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!" She screamed as she flew into a backflip. Her velocity increased to that of a speeding bullet as the wind blew through her prismatic mane and caressed her cyan body. Within seconds, she reached her destination. Now hovering in place, she gave three swift knocks on Scootaloo's upper floor window, "Hey kid! C'mon out!" "Rainbow Dash?!" She heard the filly gasp within the room. In seconds, Scootaloo opened the window. When she saw her visitor, she beamed, "Hi Rainbow Dash!" Rainbow smirked, "Hey squirt! Wanna try some more flying practice today?" The filly's beaming face noticeably dulled, "Yeah... I dunno... We've tried a whole bunch, Rainbow Dash, but... but I'm just not gettin' it. Maybe I wasn't ever meant to fly..." Rainbow crossed her forelegs, "Pff! Nonsense! I KNOW you'll get there one day! In fact," She smirked, "I think today just might be that day!" Scootaloo still seemed unconvinced, "...Are you sure?" Trying to hold back a grin, Rainbow shrugged, "Well, we never know until we try." She turned to leave, "But if you don't even wanna try, then I guess I can't-" "Okay!" Scootaloo stopped the pegasus, "If you say you think today's the day, Rainbow Dash, then today's gotta be the day!" Rainbow smiled, "There's the spunk I always expect from ya! C'mon, let's go!" * * * With both pegasi collapsed and gasping for air at their little makeshift finish line, Scootaloo excitedly breathed, "I... I did it... Rainbow Dash! I... I flew!" Rainbow laughed as she stared up into the sky, "Yeah... ya did! I... told you... today was... the day! Con... Congrats kid! You're... fast too!" She frowned, Almost as fast as I am... Scootaloo chuckled as well, "Maybe one day... I be as fast as you!" Rainbow's frown deepened, Tell me about it... She absentmindedly answered, "Yeah... maybe one day..." Confused at Rainbow's sudden emotion change, Scootaloo sat up and questioningly gazed at her mentor, "Is something wrong, Rainbow Dash?" The cyan pegasus gasped and sat up as well, "N-No! Not all!" She smirked, "You finally got to fly! How could anything be wrong with tha-" Her Soul Gem interrupted her with pulsating reverberation. "What the heck?" she questioned. As she extracted her Soul Gem from her shoulder, Scootaloo gasped, "Rainbow Dash, what is that?!" As she gazed into her gem, Rainbow muttered, "Witch..." "What didja say?" Before answering, the mare began to glow. A iridescent dress cascaded around down her back, golden boots wrapped around her front hooves and equally golden laurel ornaments adorned her ears. The transformation sequence finished as her Soul Gem took the form of a Sapphire Rainbow on her shoulder. Scootaloo's jaw dropped, "R-Rainbow Dash? Where'd your Grand Galloping Gala dress come from?" Rainbow smirked, "I'll tell ya about all of it later!" she unfurled her wings, "But I gotta dash for now. See ya later, kid!" As her mentor took off, Scootaloo waved, "O-Oh, okay! See ya later!" The Reality of the Wheels of FateMerely sidestepping to dodge the witch's burning charge, Fluttershy irritably tapped her hoof and stared at the flaming, tiger-like witch now burrowed in the mosaic, tiled fires in the floor of the Labyrinth, "For the so-called 'Fastest pony in Equestria', Rainbow Dash sure is late." "Be careful, Fluttershy!" Ichibey warned, "Frieghald is extremely dangerous! You should take it out while you can!" Plucking it's 'paw' from the ground, Frieghald growled and prowled around the Magical Mare's back, waiting for an opening. Then, an inferno burst from it's hind legs, and, like lightning, it pounced towards the pegasus. Fluttershy simply huffed and shot to the sky. As she floated high above the witch, she replied to Ichibey, still sitting in her mane, "I'll be fine. This will a perfect opportunity to show Rainbow how things work." "If you're sure about this, then I guess I can't stop you." Ichibey shook his head, "You ponies and your quirks... I just don't understand them!" As Ichibey dove off of Fluttershy's back to the Labyrinth below, the pegasus rolled her eyes unemotionally, "Of course you don't; you're an Incubator." She glared down at the flaming feline and huffed, "The old me would have loved to get to know you." Extending her curved daggers from her wrists, she swooped down and sliced a long gash across Frieghald's barrel. As the burning beast shrieked in pain, Fluttershy fluttered effortlessly in front of the witch's face and employed her old 'Stare' technique. Gently dragging a dagger across magical cougar's throat, she reached her gaze into witch's very essence, "But--and this is such a shame for you, Frieghald--I can't go back to being that me." She sighed and dropped her gaze to the floor, lowering her blade as well, "No matter hard I desire it, I can't ever go back... Because I am a Magical Mare... This... is the curse I've chosen..." A growl resonated from her adversary. Frieghald opened it's jaw wide and gathered magical, fiery energy within it. A blaze exploded from the lion's maw, tearing up and scorching the mosaic tiles of the Labyrinth, a column of utter flaming destruction disintegrating anything unlucky enough to be caught in the attack. "...And that makes you my enemy, Witch!" Fluttershy, flying stalwartly in the wreckage with her forelegs crossed, glowered at her foe, "Such a shame you wasted an attack of that magnitude by missing me." She growled, "You're really prying my last nerves." Frieghald leapt and took a burning swipe at the mare, but horribly missed yet another attack as the pegasus flapped twice backwards. Fluttershy cocked her head to the left, "No more power, huh? Is that all you have? Ichibey was wrong; you're just pathetic." She shook her head, "If Rainbow Dash doesn't get here soon, I may just end this mysel-" "Did someone order an extra dose of awesome?" Fluttershy rolled her eyes, "Finally." A cyan blur rushed passed the pegasus and, like a raging wind, shot Frieghald flying to the other side of the Labyrinth. Fluttershy lowered herself to the ground and commented, "Took you long enough." Rainbow Dash landed next to her and hefted a massive, shining claymore on her shoulder, "Got lost. Shoot me." The yellow shot her friend a confused look, "In Ponyville?" "Oh, heck no!" Rainbow Dash laughed, "As if! Nah, I kinda got lost in the Labyrinth. This is my first Witch, y'know. Still tryin' to get a hang of things." Fluttershy shrugged, "Fair enough." Rainbow smirked as she brought her blade to bear, "So, this is a Witch, eh?" The senior nodded, "Yes. Frieghald, the Flaming Rage, to be exact." "All we gotta do is attack until it explodes, right?" The junior asked. The Witch growled and staggered to a stand. As it glared at the two friends, Fluttershy nodded again and warned, "More or less. Although, you should be careful. This Witch's body is comprised completely of fire magic. While I have weakened it slightly, it's still fast on it's feet and may be too much for you to-" Rainbow cut her warning short, "Please! I'm the fastest flyer in Equestria! It's not like I'm gonna be outclassed by a kitten!" Without thinking, she charged at the lion and swung her great blade. However, she her blade movements were sluggish, giving Frieghald just enough time to shoot a burst of fire from it's maw. The blast smashed the pegasus in the chest, flinging her rolling back to original position beside Fluttershy, her dress now ablaze. She quickly stood up and brushed off the flames, "Ooh-ow! HOT! Hothothothothot..." Fluttershy glared, "What did I just tell you about being careful?!" Rainbow explained, "C'mon! He just got lucky!" Fluttershy scowled, "Witches are 'shes'." "Whatever!" The cyan pegasus rolled her eyes and huffed, "I got this." She readied her blade once again and charged for Frieghald. Stopping mere feet away from the beast, she hefted her blade high into the air and brought it down on the monster. Frieghald quickly lurched to the right, causing Rainbow to miss. With the ground holding tightly to her blade, she glanced at the Witch, chuckling nervously at the beast now glaring at her. Failing to yank her claymore out of the charred, mosaic tiling, the Magical Mare could only look on as Frieghald flashed a flaming claw across her chest, sending her rolling on the floor. When she stopped rolling, she grabbed her chest and moaned in agony as the Witch quickly moved to stand over her. As Frieghald charged fiery magic in it's mouth once again, Rainbow chuckled and muttered, "Heh... Looks like I messed up a little..." Just as Frieghald was about to release it's built up energy, Fluttershy body slammed it, causing to fire the blast to haphazardly and explode in a far corner of the Labyrinth. The yellow pegasus glared down at and angrily chastised her friend, "Rainbow Dash, how could you be so stupid?!" "Hey!" Rainbow Dash staggered to a stand and furrowed her brow, "That was NOT cool, Fluttersh-" "I refuse to watch this any longer." Fluttershy turned to face Frieghald, unfurled her wings and readied her daggers, "I'll deal with this myself." "One more time," Rainbow stopped her. She smirked as she prepared to take off again, her Soul Gem beginning to glow brightly, "I'll get it this time, I promise." In the blink of an eye, she exploded into a rainbow stream of energy and shot towards the Witch. It met the beast and returned the flinging favor. With Frieghald now rolling, the rainbow beam followed up instantly and catapulted the monster high into the air. The beam quickly enveloped the Witch in a humongous multicolored tornado. It began to spiral around Frieghald so rapidly that all the colors of the rainbow meshed together, causing them to glow pure white as snow. Fluttershy's eyes widened and ears fell as her heart sank. She muttered under her breath, "Rainbow Dash, you idiot!" With her Soul Gem now glowing as well, she immediately rocketed herself straight up into the air and shot into the tornado. She instantly snatched Rainbow Dash out of the air and locked her forelegs around her neck. Fluttershy threw her friend down to the tiled floor with a heavy Vertical Suplex, the ensuing face smash causing the entire Labyrinth to quake and vibrate in fear and tile to flee the from the ground as a sickening snap resounded from Rainbow's neck. Fluttershy slowly stood up and glared at Rainbow's body, still vertical in the ground from shock, until finally falling limp in the crater her face created. After a few moments, Rainbow plucked her face from the ground and shook away the vertigo and extra tiles from her face. Pure rage washed over her face as the Labyrinth dissipated around them. As both girls' magical mare equipment disappeared as well, Rainbow yelled, "FLUTTERSHY! WHAT. THE. HECK!" Fluttershy merely glared down at her junior, "How foolish can you possibly be?" Rainbow indignantly stood up and stomped, "What're you talking about?! She got away because of you! I almost had it!" The elder Magical Mare scowled and clenched her teeth, allowing her anger to show as well, "Don't you know that using up all your magic is the fastest way to becoming a Witch?!" The junior Magical Mare's jaw dropped and she gasped. She stammered, "M-M-Magical Mares bec-come W-W-W-Witches?!" Her face renewed it's rage as she lashed out against her senior, "You're lying! That just can't be true!" Fluttershy rolled her eyes as Ichibey reappeared. The stoic bunny-cat added, "Actually, she's right. Using magic blackens your Soul Gem. When it becomes totally black, it breaks, and becomes a Grief Seed, which then hatches into another Witch." "No..." Rainbow's moaned as her eyes grew wide. She quickly drew her Soul Gem out of her shoulder. To her disdain, it had already become halfway tainted, "You gotta be kidding..." Without warning, Fluttershy held up an ornate, ebony object--which could only be best described as an anorexic, black Soul Gem--close to Rainbow's own gem. The tainted darkness leaped from her gem to the already black one, restoring it's shimmering sapphire glow. Rainbow gasped, "How did you do that?" Fluttershy threw the black gem behind her, allowing Ichibey to receive it in an open flap on his back. She replied, "That was a Grief Seed. They become docile after defeating the Witch they originated from. They allow us to purify our magic again after a battle. If we don't, we become Witches, like Ichibey says." "So that's how this whole shebang works, eh?" Rainbow Dash chuckled and scratched her head, "Well, thanks, I guess. Thank you for stopping me and giving me the Grief Seed." The yellow pegasus turned away, "Please don't make me regret it." "Jeez..." Rainbow frowned, "what's up with you being so cold?" Fluttershy just continued walking, "Let this be a warning to you: The sin of a Magical Mare is great. This brutality of mine is the curse I must bear for that sin." She paused, "One last thing, a Grief Seed only has so many uses before it becomes active and rebirths into a Witch. Be careful about that." Just then, a deafening boom resounded in the air, startling the two mares and the bunny-cat, shaking them all at their core. "What was that?!" Ichibey shouted. "I don't know!" Fluttershy worriedly shot her gaze around quickly, searching for the source of the disturbance. Rainbow called back, "It sounded like a-" She could not finish that deduction. Her heart sank as a purple and orange wave washed over the sky. The resulting force of the wave caused both mares to brace themselves in order to stand their ground, with Ichibey strongly gripping to Fluttershy's flying mane, flapping in the wind. When the wave passed, both Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash lowered their gaze, allowing their manes to cloak their eyes in shadow. Ichibey asked again, "That was a wave of immense power! What was that?" "A Sonic Rainboom..." Fluttershy mumbled. "I gotta go..." Rainbow muttered. As she unfurled her wings to take to the sky, Fluttershy challenged, "Rainbow Dash, do you regret your wish?" Rainbow avoided her stare, "I... I'm not sure..." She took off without a second thought. After she bolted away, Ichibey effortlessly commented, "That was a very risky move, giving her Spike's Grief Seed like that. Since you don't have another one, I'd even say it was damning." Fluttershy drew her Soul Gem out of her chest and stared into it. Her heart sank as she discovered only small traces of her rose sparkle had all nearly been enveloped by darkness. She tiredly sighed, "Perhaps. Maybe I was just holding to the hope that there is still good in Magical Mares..." "I told you that escaping your fate is impossible." "Don't be so sure," Fluttershy stated as she returned her Soul Gem to her chest, "I'm not dead just yet."
The Wheels of Fate Turn Once Again"You do realize I have plenty of shadows to spare, right? You killing that one was rather pointless." Ichibey commented as he peaked his head through Fluttershy's mane, "By the way, that was a clever ruse you used when you told Spike about Rarity's death! I almost believed you myself." "It was bound to happen sooner or later, once he realized Rarity was dead." Fluttershy coldly remarked as she began to unemotionally carry herself from Golden Oaks Library to her cottage on the edge of town. She apathetically glanced back to the tree where she just slayed her friend, "He was beyond saving when I discovered he was a Magical Mare, and I decided it better to deal with his witch while it was still weak." The cat-like Incubator stared, "You're a cold mare, you know that?" The pegasus sighed as she gazed up into the gray clouds that blanketed the skies over Ponyville, "With courage comes brutality. That is the curse of my sin." "You understand that you too shall become a witch eventually, right?" Fluttershy stared into her rose-colored Soul Gem, now tainted black. She withdrew the Grief Seed expunged from Velstadt and held it close to the jewel. The tainted blackness leaped from her gemstone to the seed, reverting the Soul Gem to it's original sparkling glow. She sighed, "Perhaps. We shall see." As she began walking back to her home, the pegasus could hear her own hoofsteps clopping on the pavement in the ensued silence. However, the quiet didn't last long. The rain reprized it's downpour and drowned out all the non-sound that existed moments ago. As the water dripped down her mane and face, Fluttershy growled slightly, "Typical." In order to save herself from becoming too drenched, she broke in a full gallop, speeding towards her home, the rain blurring her vision. Her eyes stung as the droplets of water pierced her large, turquoise irises. Before she knew it, she felt the rain cease pelting her fur. She slowed her galloping to a slow trot and wiped her eyes with her wing, only to realize that her surroundings had changed. She was no longer in Ponyville, but what seemed to be a demented looking barn, adorned with various tools that seemed to be drawn with crayon by a young foal. She knew this to be a Witch's Labyrinth The pegasus sighed, "I am NOT in the mood for this." She flashed a hoof across the rose colored pendant around her neck, and a long green dress caressed her yellow body, very much reminiscent of her Grand Galloping Gala attire. Grass-green boots wrapped around her hooves and teal flowers appeared all over her pink mane and tail. "Now," she muttered, "where are you...?" A childish giggle signaled a presence to her left. Instantly, Fluttershy extended curved daggers from her wrists and spun towards the laughter. She scowled at the small horseshoe with a face staring back at her, still giggling. "Tseh," She spat, "You're just a Familiar. You won't yield me a Grief Seed." Ichibey poked his head out of her mane, "So, are you going wait and let it grow into a witch?" The pegasus brandished her daggers in front of her, "No. Spike's seed still has one more use. Since we're here, I'll slay it before it can hurt anypony." "Suit yourself." Ichibey shrugged as he hopped to the ground of the Labyrinth. As the Familiar playfully hovered away--still giggling--, Fluttershy darted towards it. She swung her daggers at the Horseshoe, but it simply hovered just out reach. It childishly chuckled, taunting the mare. Fluttershy extended her wings and growled. Like lightning, she shot towards the Familiar and pinned it against the 'barn's' ceiling. "It's over," she threatened. Before finishing it off, she cocked her head to the right and raised an eyebrow, "I wonder where the mother witch is..." A delighted giggle was the Horseshoe's only reply. The pegasus sighed and shook her head, "How foolish." With that, she wrapped both front hooves around the edges of the horseshoe and began bending it's parabolic shape. As the Familiar struggled to get away, it only laughed ever harder and louder as the yellow hooves straightened it's form. Fluttershy scowled as it finally snapped in half. She threw it's severed pieces behind her to the ground. It's hysterical giggling resounded all throughout the Labyrinth as it all faded around her. The laughter subsided as the rainy Ponyville materialized once again. She shook her head, "Let's go Ichibey. It's finished." The Incubator didn't respond. "Ichibey?" The mare looked around the cobble streets and on top of the brick buildings, but her catlike companion had disappeared. She sighed, "Where have you gotten off too...?" Rainwater slid off her mane to the ground as she dropped her head. She was tired. The deep, black rings hanging under her eyes could attest to that. She pulled her rose-colored Soul Gem out of her chest. Although slightly tainted black with her battle with the Familiar, she gave a relieved smile that no more Witches made their homes near Ponyville just yet. She reveled in the thought of finally getting some sleep in who-knows-how-long. Other then her hooves clopping on the cobblestone streets, she soundlessly carried her fatigued body across town back to her home. As she crossed the bridge just outside her home, she tiredly lifted her gaze. Her face twisted in horror as she saw Rainbow Dash-- most likely waiting for her to return-- conversing with the cat-like Incubator outside her door. In a panicked frenzy, she darted towards the two without hesitation, "NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!" Within seconds, she had Ichibey pinned against her wooden door. "You're little bit too late, Fluttershy." Ichibey commented quizzically through his frozen cat-like face, "We've already made the contract." Fluttershy's eyes widened and her ears dropped. She scowled, "No..." She yelled as she bashed Ichibey's head against her door, "No!" Again, "NO!" And again, "NO!!" And again, "NO!!!" And again. "NO!!!!" She breathed heavily as she stared at the bloody mess in her hooves. She moaned as she dropped the lifeless corpse, "No..." "FLUTTERSHY?!" She turned to face her cyan friend, glaring at her, "What the heck?! You killed him!! What's wrong with you?!?" "Oh, it'll take more than that to end my life." Ichibey calmly jumped down from Fluttershy's roof. Rainbow's jaw dropped, "Wha-" She looked on in disgust as the little cat began devouring his previous corpse, "That's... Disgusting..." "...Do you understand what you've just done?" Fluttershy growled at her friend. Rainbow returned her gaze to the mare, "Woah, calm down. What's gotten into you?" "ANSWER ME." Fluttershy commanded. Shocked at her new demeanor, Rainbow Dash blinked, "Woah, okay! Hold up. I'm not tellin' you anything until you tell me why you're acting so nasty!" Fluttershy lowered her head. Her mane covered her eyes as she glowered, "Show it to me." "Show what?" Rainbow asked. "Show me the gem that was created when you made your wish." The prismatic pegasus rolled her eyes and huffed. She reached to her shoulder and magically dragged out her Soul Gem. She presented the sparkling sapphire Soul Gem wrapped in an ornate gold casing to her friend. "Happy?" Fluttershy instantly snatched the gem out of Rainbow's hoof and glared at it. "Hey, that's-" She shifted her icy glared to her friend, causing Rainbow to silence the remainder of that statement. Without warning, Fluttershy deepened her scowl and ran one of her daggers straight through Rainbow's chest. The cyan pegasus' eyes grew wide in shock as she gagged and gasped for air. As Fluttershy forced Rainbow to her knees, she yelled, "Now, do you understand?!" She retracted her dagger and let Rainbow Dash slump. "Hmm. Harsh and effective." Ichibey commented. The pegasus held up her hoof, "Wait for it." A few seconds passed, and Rainbow Dash gasped and convulsed. She slowly stood up, a mix of horror, shock, and rage all mixing in her face. The rage took over completely as she glowered at her friend. Just as she was about to yell, Fluttershy carelessly tossed her sapphire Soul Gem behind her with no trace of emotion. It clinged and splished on the sidewalk, until inevitably splooshing in the creek outside Fluttershy's home. "DUDE!!" Rainbow screamed, "What was that fo-" The vibrant shimmer in Rainbow's eyes instantly disappeared as she lifelessly toppled over on the pavement. "Fluttershy!" Ichibey shouted, "Why did you just throw your friend away?!" The pegasus merely glared, stepped over Rainbow's corpse and slammed her house door behind her. She leaned her back against the wooden door, fell to a sitting position and sighed in remorse, "...What have I done?"
The Wheels of Fate Carry OnFluttershy hadn't moved for what seemed like hours. She had lost herself in her memories, trying to find an answer as to why she allowed herself to stab her best friend, and, what's worse, why she had allowed herself to throw Rainbow's Soul Gem away. I... I used to be the Element of Kindness. Has my burden of a Magical Mare really brought me to this? She sat in silence for a moment. I guess so... And I don't even care. That's what scares me the most... Her thoughts were interrupted by a rough round of rapping on her door, "Fluttershy? Ya in there? C'mon, Fluttershy! Open up! We need to talk." Fluttershy froze. As the knocking behind her continued, she thought long and hard as to whether she wanted to open the door for her friend. In the end, she decided that opening the door would be the only way to proceed, if she wanted even the slightest chance of preserving any friendship she had left with her friend. She sighed and slowly stood up. She allowed the door to creak open, revealing Rainbow Dash, awkwardly scraping the wet, bloodstained pavement with her hoof. Like the weather, silence reigned as the two pegasi refused to make eye contact. Fluttershy shyly asked, "Would, uh, you... um... like to come in?" Rainbow cleared her throat, "Oh, uh... y-yeah, sure..." As she stepped inside, she added, "Uh... Ichibey found my Soul Gem and returned it..." Fluttershy lowered her head, "I'm sorry..." "No," Rainbow held up a hoof, "Ichibey explained everything. He explained that you were just trying to prove a point." Shocked, Fluttershy shot her a confused look, "Everything?" That's unlike an Incubator... she thought. "Well," Rainbow, whose face now wore a mixture of sorrow and pity, explained, "maybe not EVERYTHING, but he explained enough." She looked to the ground and sighed, "He told me all about how I'm not me anymore, and that I'm actually my Soul Gem. It's a little bit messed up, but after thinking about it, it's actually pretty awesome. That's the point you were trying to get across, right?" Fluttershy paused before nodding, "S-Sure, let's go with that..." "Well, I got that loud and clear, lemme tell ya." Rainbow continued as she looked on the verge of tears, "He... also told me how both Spike and Rarity turned against you, so you had to-" She choked. So, Ichibey DIDN'T tell you everything. Figures. "I did..." They sat in silence for another long while. "You've been at this--being a Magical Mare, I mean-- for quite a bit, right?" Rainbow asked. Fluttershy simply nodded. "...You see this a lot, don't you?" Again, she nodded. Rainbow dropped her gaze to the ground, "Then, it's no wonder why you've been acting so different lately! I guess I can kinda get where you're coming from, not wanting Ichibey to make other Magical Mares and all. You don't wanna trust 'em. But, Fluttershy," she placed a hoof on her friend's shoulder, "a mare can only take so much of this stuff..." Fluttershy remained silent. "...That was your wish wasn't it? The strength to hang in there even when everything hurts?" "...Yeah. Something like that." Fluttershy finally muttered. "You don't cry much anymore, do you?" She shook her head, "No, I don't. It's pointless to bemoan over the past." "Hey," Rainbow forced her friend to lock eyes, "it's okay to do that every now and again. I remember you tellin' me that one a long time ago. Back, uh, y'know, before all this." Fluttershy looked away and remained silent. "Listen." Rainbow ordered, "You don't have to do this alone anymore. You can trust me. I promise." The yellow pegasus returned her gaze to her cyan friend, who now wore a familiar smirk on her muzzle. Rainbow tapped her chest and boasted, "EYYUP! You and I are gonna make an awesome Magical Mare team! We'll beat any witch in ten seconds flat!" For the first time in a very long time, Fluttershy gave a truly genuine smile. She joked as she cocked her head to her side, "Well, okay! Just don't hold me back now; you are still a novice after all!" Rainbow delivered a mock punch to her friend's shoulder, "Psh! As if! Just you wait, I'm gonna be the most awesome Magical Mare ever!" They both burst into laughter as the cyan pegasus began to take her leave. Fluttershy hid behind her large, pink mane like she had used to do long ago, "H-Hey, Rainbow Dash?" Rainbow paused, "Yeah?" "I-I'm... I'm sorry for... y'know..." Rainbow shook her head, "Nah, it's fine! You were just trying get a point across! And boy, did you ever get it across!" She opened the door to leave, "I have to say, I kinda like this new you; you got guts, and anypony who's got guts is awesome in my book." She chuckled as she stepped out into the rain, "I mean, you were already awesome, but now, it's just like," she made an exploding motion with her hooves, "PWOOOSSHHH!!" As Rainbow closed the door behind her, Fluttershy frowned, "At least one of us thinks so..." "Are you going to tell her?" Ichibey appeared from behind a wooden couch. The pegasus denied, "Not yet. It's too soon." Ichibey shrugged, "Suit yourself." Fluttershy scowled, "She used her wish for somepony else." "How could you tell?" Ichibey asked. "She's Rainbow Dash; she'd never selfishly use a miracle for herself if she knew of somepony who needed it more. That's what makes her the Element of Loyalty." Ichibey disappeared once again behind the couch, "You're impressive, Fluttershy. Very impressive." "Rainbow Dash..." Fluttershy sighed, "How could you be so stupid?" * * * As she leaped out of bed, Rainbow Dash felt good. Metaphorically invincible even. She smirked as she thought about how her Soul Gem, for the most part, made her literally invincible. As she exited her cloud home, she smirked and gazed into the cloudless sky. She deeply breathed in a whole lung full of fresh air, "Ah. Couldn't ask for a better day to fly!" With that, she unfurled her wings and sped off towards Ponyville, "Don't have any weather work. There's no witches around. All in all, today's a good day!" Her smirk deepened as she thought about her destination, "And it's only gonna get better!" "YAAAHHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!" She screamed as she flew into a backflip. Her velocity increased to that of a speeding bullet as the wind blew through her prismatic mane and caressed her cyan body. Within seconds, she reached her destination. Now hovering in place, she gave three swift knocks on Scootaloo's upper floor window, "Hey kid! C'mon out!" "Rainbow Dash?!" She heard the filly gasp within the room. In seconds, Scootaloo opened the window. When she saw her visitor, she beamed, "Hi Rainbow Dash!" Rainbow smirked, "Hey squirt! Wanna try some more flying practice today?" The filly's beaming face noticeably dulled, "Yeah... I dunno... We've tried a whole bunch, Rainbow Dash, but... but I'm just not gettin' it. Maybe I wasn't ever meant to fly..." Rainbow crossed her forelegs, "Pff! Nonsense! I KNOW you'll get there one day! In fact," She smirked, "I think today just might be that day!" Scootaloo still seemed unconvinced, "...Are you sure?" Trying to hold back a grin, Rainbow shrugged, "Well, we never know until we try." She turned to leave, "But if you don't even wanna try, then I guess I can't-" "Okay!" Scootaloo stopped the pegasus, "If you say you think today's the day, Rainbow Dash, then today's gotta be the day!" Rainbow smiled, "There's the spunk I always expect from ya! C'mon, let's go!" * * * With both pegasi collapsed and gasping for air at their little makeshift finish line, Scootaloo excitedly breathed, "I... I did it... Rainbow Dash! I... I flew!" Rainbow laughed as she stared up into the sky, "Yeah... ya did! I... told you... today was... the day! Con... Congrats kid! You're... fast too!" She frowned, Almost as fast as I am... Scootaloo chuckled as well, "Maybe one day... I be as fast as you!" Rainbow's frown deepened, Tell me about it... She absentmindedly answered, "Yeah... maybe one day..." Confused at Rainbow's sudden emotion change, Scootaloo sat up and questioningly gazed at her mentor, "Is something wrong, Rainbow Dash?" The cyan pegasus gasped and sat up as well, "N-No! Not all!" She smirked, "You finally got to fly! How could anything be wrong with tha-" Her Soul Gem interrupted her with pulsating reverberation. "What the heck?" she questioned. As she extracted her Soul Gem from her shoulder, Scootaloo gasped, "Rainbow Dash, what is that?!" As she gazed into her gem, Rainbow muttered, "Witch..." "What didja say?" Before answering, the mare began to glow. A iridescent dress cascaded around down her back, golden boots wrapped around her front hooves and equally golden laurel ornaments adorned her ears. The transformation sequence finished as her Soul Gem took the form of a Sapphire Rainbow on her shoulder. Scootaloo's jaw dropped, "R-Rainbow Dash? Where'd your Grand Galloping Gala dress come from?" Rainbow smirked, "I'll tell ya about all of it later!" she unfurled her wings, "But I gotta dash for now. See ya later, kid!" As her mentor took off, Scootaloo waved, "O-Oh, okay! See ya later!"
The Reality of the Wheels of FateMerely sidestepping to dodge the witch's burning charge, Fluttershy irritably tapped her hoof and stared at the flaming, tiger-like witch now burrowed in the mosaic, tiled fires in the floor of the Labyrinth, "For the so-called 'Fastest pony in Equestria', Rainbow Dash sure is late." "Be careful, Fluttershy!" Ichibey warned, "Frieghald is extremely dangerous! You should take it out while you can!" Plucking it's 'paw' from the ground, Frieghald growled and prowled around the Magical Mare's back, waiting for an opening. Then, an inferno burst from it's hind legs, and, like lightning, it pounced towards the pegasus. Fluttershy simply huffed and shot to the sky. As she floated high above the witch, she replied to Ichibey, still sitting in her mane, "I'll be fine. This will a perfect opportunity to show Rainbow how things work." "If you're sure about this, then I guess I can't stop you." Ichibey shook his head, "You ponies and your quirks... I just don't understand them!" As Ichibey dove off of Fluttershy's back to the Labyrinth below, the pegasus rolled her eyes unemotionally, "Of course you don't; you're an Incubator." She glared down at the flaming feline and huffed, "The old me would have loved to get to know you." Extending her curved daggers from her wrists, she swooped down and sliced a long gash across Frieghald's barrel. As the burning beast shrieked in pain, Fluttershy fluttered effortlessly in front of the witch's face and employed her old 'Stare' technique. Gently dragging a dagger across magical cougar's throat, she reached her gaze into witch's very essence, "But--and this is such a shame for you, Frieghald--I can't go back to being that me." She sighed and dropped her gaze to the floor, lowering her blade as well, "No matter hard I desire it, I can't ever go back... Because I am a Magical Mare... This... is the curse I've chosen..." A growl resonated from her adversary. Frieghald opened it's jaw wide and gathered magical, fiery energy within it. A blaze exploded from the lion's maw, tearing up and scorching the mosaic tiles of the Labyrinth, a column of utter flaming destruction disintegrating anything unlucky enough to be caught in the attack. "...And that makes you my enemy, Witch!" Fluttershy, flying stalwartly in the wreckage with her forelegs crossed, glowered at her foe, "Such a shame you wasted an attack of that magnitude by missing me." She growled, "You're really prying my last nerves." Frieghald leapt and took a burning swipe at the mare, but horribly missed yet another attack as the pegasus flapped twice backwards. Fluttershy cocked her head to the left, "No more power, huh? Is that all you have? Ichibey was wrong; you're just pathetic." She shook her head, "If Rainbow Dash doesn't get here soon, I may just end this mysel-" "Did someone order an extra dose of awesome?" Fluttershy rolled her eyes, "Finally." A cyan blur rushed passed the pegasus and, like a raging wind, shot Frieghald flying to the other side of the Labyrinth. Fluttershy lowered herself to the ground and commented, "Took you long enough." Rainbow Dash landed next to her and hefted a massive, shining claymore on her shoulder, "Got lost. Shoot me." The yellow shot her friend a confused look, "In Ponyville?" "Oh, heck no!" Rainbow Dash laughed, "As if! Nah, I kinda got lost in the Labyrinth. This is my first Witch, y'know. Still tryin' to get a hang of things." Fluttershy shrugged, "Fair enough." Rainbow smirked as she brought her blade to bear, "So, this is a Witch, eh?" The senior nodded, "Yes. Frieghald, the Flaming Rage, to be exact." "All we gotta do is attack until it explodes, right?" The junior asked. The Witch growled and staggered to a stand. As it glared at the two friends, Fluttershy nodded again and warned, "More or less. Although, you should be careful. This Witch's body is comprised completely of fire magic. While I have weakened it slightly, it's still fast on it's feet and may be too much for you to-" Rainbow cut her warning short, "Please! I'm the fastest flyer in Equestria! It's not like I'm gonna be outclassed by a kitten!" Without thinking, she charged at the lion and swung her great blade. However, she her blade movements were sluggish, giving Frieghald just enough time to shoot a burst of fire from it's maw. The blast smashed the pegasus in the chest, flinging her rolling back to original position beside Fluttershy, her dress now ablaze. She quickly stood up and brushed off the flames, "Ooh-ow! HOT! Hothothothothot..." Fluttershy glared, "What did I just tell you about being careful?!" Rainbow explained, "C'mon! He just got lucky!" Fluttershy scowled, "Witches are 'shes'." "Whatever!" The cyan pegasus rolled her eyes and huffed, "I got this." She readied her blade once again and charged for Frieghald. Stopping mere feet away from the beast, she hefted her blade high into the air and brought it down on the monster. Frieghald quickly lurched to the right, causing Rainbow to miss. With the ground holding tightly to her blade, she glanced at the Witch, chuckling nervously at the beast now glaring at her. Failing to yank her claymore out of the charred, mosaic tiling, the Magical Mare could only look on as Frieghald flashed a flaming claw across her chest, sending her rolling on the floor. When she stopped rolling, she grabbed her chest and moaned in agony as the Witch quickly moved to stand over her. As Frieghald charged fiery magic in it's mouth once again, Rainbow chuckled and muttered, "Heh... Looks like I messed up a little..." Just as Frieghald was about to release it's built up energy, Fluttershy body slammed it, causing to fire the blast to haphazardly and explode in a far corner of the Labyrinth. The yellow pegasus glared down at and angrily chastised her friend, "Rainbow Dash, how could you be so stupid?!" "Hey!" Rainbow Dash staggered to a stand and furrowed her brow, "That was NOT cool, Fluttersh-" "I refuse to watch this any longer." Fluttershy turned to face Frieghald, unfurled her wings and readied her daggers, "I'll deal with this myself." "One more time," Rainbow stopped her. She smirked as she prepared to take off again, her Soul Gem beginning to glow brightly, "I'll get it this time, I promise." In the blink of an eye, she exploded into a rainbow stream of energy and shot towards the Witch. It met the beast and returned the flinging favor. With Frieghald now rolling, the rainbow beam followed up instantly and catapulted the monster high into the air. The beam quickly enveloped the Witch in a humongous multicolored tornado. It began to spiral around Frieghald so rapidly that all the colors of the rainbow meshed together, causing them to glow pure white as snow. Fluttershy's eyes widened and ears fell as her heart sank. She muttered under her breath, "Rainbow Dash, you idiot!" With her Soul Gem now glowing as well, she immediately rocketed herself straight up into the air and shot into the tornado. She instantly snatched Rainbow Dash out of the air and locked her forelegs around her neck. Fluttershy threw her friend down to the tiled floor with a heavy Vertical Suplex, the ensuing face smash causing the entire Labyrinth to quake and vibrate in fear and tile to flee the from the ground as a sickening snap resounded from Rainbow's neck. Fluttershy slowly stood up and glared at Rainbow's body, still vertical in the ground from shock, until finally falling limp in the crater her face created. After a few moments, Rainbow plucked her face from the ground and shook away the vertigo and extra tiles from her face. Pure rage washed over her face as the Labyrinth dissipated around them. As both girls' magical mare equipment disappeared as well, Rainbow yelled, "FLUTTERSHY! WHAT. THE. HECK!" Fluttershy merely glared down at her junior, "How foolish can you possibly be?" Rainbow indignantly stood up and stomped, "What're you talking about?! She got away because of you! I almost had it!" The elder Magical Mare scowled and clenched her teeth, allowing her anger to show as well, "Don't you know that using up all your magic is the fastest way to becoming a Witch?!" The junior Magical Mare's jaw dropped and she gasped. She stammered, "M-M-Magical Mares bec-come W-W-W-Witches?!" Her face renewed it's rage as she lashed out against her senior, "You're lying! That just can't be true!" Fluttershy rolled her eyes as Ichibey reappeared. The stoic bunny-cat added, "Actually, she's right. Using magic blackens your Soul Gem. When it becomes totally black, it breaks, and becomes a Grief Seed, which then hatches into another Witch." "No..." Rainbow's moaned as her eyes grew wide. She quickly drew her Soul Gem out of her shoulder. To her disdain, it had already become halfway tainted, "You gotta be kidding..." Without warning, Fluttershy held up an ornate, ebony object--which could only be best described as an anorexic, black Soul Gem--close to Rainbow's own gem. The tainted darkness leaped from her gem to the already black one, restoring it's shimmering sapphire glow. Rainbow gasped, "How did you do that?" Fluttershy threw the black gem behind her, allowing Ichibey to receive it in an open flap on his back. She replied, "That was a Grief Seed. They become docile after defeating the Witch they originated from. They allow us to purify our magic again after a battle. If we don't, we become Witches, like Ichibey says." "So that's how this whole shebang works, eh?" Rainbow Dash chuckled and scratched her head, "Well, thanks, I guess. Thank you for stopping me and giving me the Grief Seed." The yellow pegasus turned away, "Please don't make me regret it." "Jeez..." Rainbow frowned, "what's up with you being so cold?" Fluttershy just continued walking, "Let this be a warning to you: The sin of a Magical Mare is great. This brutality of mine is the curse I must bear for that sin." She paused, "One last thing, a Grief Seed only has so many uses before it becomes active and rebirths into a Witch. Be careful about that." Just then, a deafening boom resounded in the air, startling the two mares and the bunny-cat, shaking them all at their core. "What was that?!" Ichibey shouted. "I don't know!" Fluttershy worriedly shot her gaze around quickly, searching for the source of the disturbance. Rainbow called back, "It sounded like a-" She could not finish that deduction. Her heart sank as a purple and orange wave washed over the sky. The resulting force of the wave caused both mares to brace themselves in order to stand their ground, with Ichibey strongly gripping to Fluttershy's flying mane, flapping in the wind. When the wave passed, both Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash lowered their gaze, allowing their manes to cloak their eyes in shadow. Ichibey asked again, "That was a wave of immense power! What was that?" "A Sonic Rainboom..." Fluttershy mumbled. "I gotta go..." Rainbow muttered. As she unfurled her wings to take to the sky, Fluttershy challenged, "Rainbow Dash, do you regret your wish?" Rainbow avoided her stare, "I... I'm not sure..." She took off without a second thought. After she bolted away, Ichibey effortlessly commented, "That was a very risky move, giving her Spike's Grief Seed like that. Since you don't have another one, I'd even say it was damning." Fluttershy drew her Soul Gem out of her chest and stared into it. Her heart sank as she discovered only small traces of her rose sparkle had all nearly been enveloped by darkness. She tiredly sighed, "Perhaps. Maybe I was just holding to the hope that there is still good in Magical Mares..." "I told you that escaping your fate is impossible." "Don't be so sure," Fluttershy stated as she returned her Soul Gem to her chest, "I'm not dead just yet."
