Dusk and Rune: Shattered Days

by Holocron

Rating: mature
Tags: Comedy, Random, Slice of Life, Alternate Universe, Romance
Length: 20916

After the Gala and the issues with the Children of the Night, Dusk Shine hopes that life can quite down...it doesn't.

The Grand Galloping Gala, The Children of the Night, is enough for Dusk Shine to say, "I've had a long week". But now marks the beginning of a new adventure for him. From the escaped Goddess of Chaos running wild, to his brother's wedding, to his own shotgun wedding, Dusk is gonna need some help. Unluckily for him, his dear friend Dawn Rune is there to help.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2016-12-25 19:06:08 UTC

Chapter 1 - Entropy to Harmony

"I'm thinking we should end our tour with the famous Canterlot Stature Garden." Rune said, explaining to Ms. Cheerilee and her class of fillies and colts.

After the Children of the Night event, Rune had to spend a few months in Canterlot recovering from his experience, and had to find a way to unite both the Lunar Kingdom with Canterlot. But he also hated being cooped up in a lab all day, so during the day, he gave tours of Canterlot's gardens and scenes for classes, and then he'd get back to work. He has come close but just hasn't found a way to unite the two kingdoms. The class he was giving a tour to today was Ms. Cheerilee's class from Ponyville. The section of the class Rune was giving a tour to consisted of Cheerilee, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Sweet Twist, Snips, Snails, Diamond Tiara, and Silver Spoon. Midnight wanted to be part of the tour, but she had affairs to sort out back in the Lunar Kingdom.

"Now as you can see." Rune explained to the class. "Canterlot's garden has several statues depicting virtues such as Friendship, Victory, and many more." Then Rune looked at the strange statue at the end of the garden's path:

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"What can you tell me about this statue?" Rune asked the class.

"It's got an eagle claw!" Apple Bloom pointed out.

"And a lion's paw!" Scootaloo added.

"And a snake tail!" Sweetie interrupted.

"You're all right." Rune explained. "This creature is called a Draconequus. Its body is made up of all sorts of animals. What do you suppose that represents?"

"Confusion?" Apple Bloom said.

"Evil!" Sweetie said, pushing Apple Bloom out of the way.

"Chaos!!" Scootaloo added, pushing Sweetie out of the way.

"Not chaos, you dodo!" Sweetie said to Scootaloo.

"It' so chaos!" Scootaloo snapped.

"Is not!" Sweetie said, getting up in Scootaloo's face.

"You're both wrong!" Apple Bloom got in and those three girls got into a small fight.

"Girls!" Cheerilee said, breaking up the fight. "In a way, you're all right."

"Really?" The three girls asked at once.

"Yes." Rune explained. "This is a statue of Eris, the Goddess of Discord and Chaos."

"Which also means a lack of harmony between ponies." Cheerilee added, looking at the three. "In fact, you three did so well in explaining Discord and Disharmony, that you three will be writing an essay when we get back, explaining it."

"Aww" The three sighed in sadness.

"Come on everypony." Rune said, wanting to wrap up this tour. "We have one more sight to see. And girls, please, no more fighting."

As the group drew farther and farther away, they failed to notice that there were small cracks forming on the Eris statue.

Back in Ponyville, things were getting strange. Rainbow Dash was soaring through the sky as fast as her wings could carry to catch a strange, rouge cloud. When she finally caught the rouge cloud, it came in the form of a smack and squish. The texture of the cloud was squishy, puffy, and disgustingly sticky.

"What the!?" Rainbow said, then licked the cloud. "Cotton Candy?" She then felt the drip of a liquid strike her head. Looking up, Rainbow saw another strange pink cloud. "Wait! It's not suppose to rain until tomorrow!"

But the rain poured anyway. It wasn't a clear water rain, it was a strange brown colored rain. Elsewhere in Ponyville, Applejack was finishing a corn harvest.

"You know I thought Dusk was crazy when he suggested I try corn." Applejack chuckled to herself. "but I got to admit, this is a good harvest."

Suddenly, the sky darkened, countless pink cotton candy clouds came in over the skies of Sweet Apple Acres. With them came the brown rain, soaking the fields. Following behind them, was a frustrated Rainbow Dash.

"Rainbow Dash!" Applejack called. "What with this chocolate milk, I mean rain, I mean chocolate milk rain?"

"No clue, there's strange weather all over Equestria!" Rainbow explained. "Cloudsdale got hit with a huge cola storm, but don't worry, I'm not leaving until I get control over Ponyville."

Rainbow then flew off to handle the clouds. While down below, Applejack just noticed that all her corn was popping into popcorn. Applejack was knocked upside the face with a few shots of popcorn and knocked in a nearby pile, and out of no where came the giggle of Pinkie Pie, hoping and bouncing through the popcorn piles.

"Why would you ever want to get rid of this?" Pinkie said, enjoying herself.

"I also would like to help as well." Rarity said, dressed in a fashionable weather coat and saddle umbrella. "As long as I don't get wet, or dirty, or leave my umbrella."

Just then, the apples in all the orchards grew to nearly ten times their size, tipping over the trees and making them easy prey for the nearby squirrels and bunnies.

"Fluttershy!" Applejack called over to the yellow pegasus, who just happened to be there too. "Tell them critters to stop!"

"Um excuse me, mr bunny." Fluttershy said, being polite to the bunny. "Could you please-"

But then the bunnies began to shake and their legs grew into long spindle-like legs, and with these legs, they ran in a form of stampede away from the surprised and sorta concerned Fluttershy. And, as if sent by some divine grace, Dusk, with a book floating in front of him, and his trusty assistant Spike at his side, Dusk looked confident.

"Don't worry girls." Dusk reassured the group. "I learned a new spell that'll fix everything."

Igniting his horn, Dusk focused on the surrounding area, blasting a huge shock wave of purple and white light that enveloped the area...then...nothing. Nothing happened, to the dismay of Dusk.

"My fail safe spell...Failed?!" Dusk said in surprise. "What do you do now?!"

"Uh give up." Spike suggested, to the disdained look on Dusk's face.

"That's it!" Dusk said. "Rainbow, can you move all those clouds to one section of the sky? Applejack, when Rainbow moves the clouds, can you lasso them down to the ground? And Fluttershy, when that happens, can you get the animals to eat the clouds?"

The three mares nodded and went straight to action. Rainbow flew fast around the clouds, using the wind to blow the clouds into one bulbous mass. While Pinkie followed the chocolate rain in tow to keep drinking. Applejack tossed her rope around the could, catching it, pulling it down and tying it to a nearby fence. Fluttershy then gathered her animals to eat the entire mass of cotton candy and chocolate milk.

"Well that was strange." Spike said. "I wonder-*burp"

Spike spewed out his green flame and a sroll landed at the ground by Dusk's hooves. Without wasting any time, Dusk opened the scroll and quickly read the contents.

"Princess Celestia says we all have to go to Canterlot immediately!" Dusk said, then looked at the lower section of the page, seeing a strange circular set of symbols, with instructions: Put paper on ground and everypony touch circle.

The ponies nodded and touched the circle, after placing the paper on the ground. In a flash, as if the very scenery moved in a massive blur, Dusk and the girls were gone, leaving Spike alone. Just then, another pony appeared through the popcorn.

"Fear not Dusk, for the Great and Powerful-" Trixie showed up, only to find Spike standing in the field alone. "Where is everypony?"

"I have no idea anymore." Spike said, his tone sounded like he was so done with today. "Let's head home before Dusk has us clean this field."

The next thing the group of ponies saw, they were now in Canterlot throne room. In front of them was Princess Celestia, and Rune.

"Hey, how's it going?" Rune greeted his friends.

"Rune? How did, what?" Dusk was confused.

"The benefits of being bedridden for a month or so is you get a lot of time to think." Rune explained, taking his hoof off a piece of paper that had the same circle with symbols on it. "I developed a transportation circle that works when all the ponies that I need transported touch the circle at once, and they are sent to where the other circle it. Apparently, bad thing are about to happen."

"What happening? Is it another attack? And where's Princess Luna?" Dusk asked.

"Luna is currently resting. Captain Nightwing is keeping a close eye on her. And we are not being invaded." Celestia explained. "It is much, much worse. We must hurry to get the Elements of Harmony."

"What could be worse than an invasion? And why the Elements?" Dusk asked.

"An old foe of mine has returned. Someone I thought Luna and I defeated long ago." Celestia explained. "Her name is Eris. The spirit of disharmony, chaos, and discord. And now she is free. Before Luna and I defeated her, she ruled Equestria in a constant state of chaos, unrest, and unhappiness. With the use of the Elements of Harmony, Luna and I defeated Eris and sealed her as a stone statue."

"You don't mean that statue in the middle of the garden maze right?" Rune asked.

"The very same." Celestia answered.

"Well that's just great." Rune sighed. "Hopefully she doesn't hold it against me that I used her to knock Bru over the head."

"In order to defeat Eris again, we must use the Elements of Harmony." Celestia said, guiding the group the a large knobless door.

Lighting her horn, and placing it inside the singular hole slot in the center of the door, the door began to glow and slowly opened. Inside was a small room with a singular pedestal, on the pedestal was a gem encrusted chest.

"Dusk, everypony, I need you all to wield the Elements as you have done before to defeat Eris before all of Equestria is drowned in chaos."

"You can count on us Princess." Dusk said confidently, looking back at his friends.

Opening the chest, Celestia revealed that the Elements...were gone.

"What!? That's impossible! That door and room is protected by a spell only I can break." Celestia said, pacing in surprise, fear, and frustration. "This doesn't make sense!"

Just then, a mischievous giggle echoed in the room. "Aww making sense, where's the fun in that."

"Eris...Show yourself!" Celestia demanded.

"You know shouting only gives you wrinkles." Eris teased.

There was a snapping of fingers sound and a bright flash of light and smoke filled the room. When it cleared, Eris was there:

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"Hello Celestia, did you miss me?" Eris asked, floating to Celestia, stroking her mane. "Because I missed you."

"Enough of your games!" Celestia snapped but Eris already was in another part of the hallway.

"Oh don't give me that Tia." Eris said. "Ten minutes out of the stone and I'm already hearing one of your lectures. Do you have any idea what id means to be stone, I'm sure you don't because I don't turn ponies to stone."

"Enough!" Celestia snapped again. "What have you done with the Elements of Harmony!?"

"Well the thing is..." Eris answered poofing and reappearing on Rune's back. "I was originally gonna steal this guy here, after he used me as a baseball bat a few months ago. But...I soon realized that's no fun. So I took the Elements and hide them away. And besides..." Eris then disappeared and reappeared in front of everypony. "It was so worth it to see the look on all your faces."

"Trying saying that to my face!" Rainbow said, charging at Eris, only for her to have an pony sized strip of fly paper to appear between them, immobilizing Rainbow.

"So fiery, so bold. You must be Rainbow Dash, the Element of Loyalty." Eris giggled, then appeared on Rarity's back, stroking her mane. "This fine mane must belong to Rarity, the Element of Generosity."

Rarity quickly tried to swat the goddess away, but she simply hovered out of harm's reach in a playful manner.

"So you know our names. So what?" Applejack remarked.

"Oh I know more than that Honest Applejack." Eris smiled, pointing at every other pony. "Fluttershy is Kindness, and Pinkie Pie is my personal favorite, Laughter."

"You seem to know more than you're letting on." Dusk said, stepping forward.

"Oh and you must be Dusk Shine, the Element of Magic...or was if Friendship, I can never remember." Eris said appearing uncomfortably close to Dusk's face.

Before Dusk could react, Eris moved in and gave Dusk's lips a deep and passionate kiss. Everypony on the room, had generally the same "ehhh!!!!!???" reaction. Except for for Rarity, she had the death glare look.

"Get away from him you hussy!" Rarity said, jumping at Eris, only to have Eris vanish and Rarity falling flat on her face.

"Oh dear, it seems Dusk has a few mares." Eris teased. "I'll have to take care of that.Now you want to know where I hid the Elements of Harmony...fine, but I'll say it my way." With a snap of her fingers, Eris was now wrapped in a long, dark hooded clock, and in a very comical, yet dark manner, she gave her clue. "To find your Elements, just make sense of this change in events, twists and turns, encircle my master plan, then find your Elements, back where you began."

"And what the sam hay is that supposed to mean?!" Applejack asked.

"Sorry, that's all you're getting out of me." Eris said, poofing away her cloak and appearing behind Rune, placing her claw on his shoulder. "But this pony and I have unfinished business to do." She then winked at Dusk. "By by cutie." And in a puff of confetti and sugary smoke, Eris and Rune were gone.

"Rune!?" Dusk called, looking around, but finding his friend gone. "What is she gonna do to him."

"Eris is a trickstress and an embodiment of chaos, but she doesn't harm other ponies." Celestia reassured but still worried about Rune's safety. "But first we must solve Eris's clue."

"What do you suppose that means?" Applejack asked. "Twists and turns?"

"Maybe a carnival!" Pinkie guessed.

"No, I don't think that's it Pinkie." Dusk sighed. "Twists and turns...Twists and turns." It wasn't until Dusk looked outside and it came to him. "That's it. Eris must have hid the Elements in the garden maze!"

"Good idea Dusk." Rarity commented.

"Come on girls." Dusk said, leading the girls to the outside.

"Be careful Dusk." Celestia said to herself, now alone and looking out the window at the maze. "If I know Eris, then that maze may have more than you can handle." She then turned and headed down the hall towards Luna's chambers. "I must wake and Luna and we must think of a plan."

"Since when did Princess Celestia have a hedge maze?" Rainbow Dash asked as the ponies galloped as fast as they could to the maze.

"I don't know when." Dusk answered. "But it's been around for decades. Well taken care of. But be careful. There's no telling what traps Eris may have planted."

"Well that's just rude." Eris's voice echoed at the entrance to the maze.

The group stopped their gallop as they approached the goddess of chaos. Eris looked as though she was waiting for them. Eris was just floating in the air, filing her claws with a floating nail file. "So good to see everypony here. Ready to play?"

"First." Dusk demanded. "What did you do with Rune?!"

"Oh so boring and straight to the point, you're Tia's student all right." Eris sighed, pointing towards a nearby statue. "He's over there."

Looking at the statue, in the same place Eris's statue was, was Rune. He was turned to stone.

"I thought you said you don't turn ponies to stone!" Applejack stated.

"Well technically he's really hard sugar." Eris giggled. "But that's splitting hairs."

"She's right." Pinkie said, licking at the Rune statue. "That's sugar."

"So he's fine and all, now to the game." Eris said with a grin. "First I must explain the rules-"

"Rules smules!" Rainbow said, taking off into the air towards the maze, only to have her wings vanish, causing her to fall to the ground with a crash. "MY WINGS!!?"

The same happened to Fluttershy, who squealed in shock. Then both Rarity and Dusk lost their horns the same way.

"My horn!?" Both said at once, then looked at each other. "Your horn?!"

"Somepony didn't let me explain." Eris chuckled. "You'll get your horns and wigs back after the game. For now, they're mine." Eris would then disappear to reappear at a random spot near the group, out of bucking range. "Second rule, everypony must play, or the game ends, and I win. GOOD LUCK EVERYPONY!" Eris then vanished again with a puff of smoke.

"What we do now?" Fluttershy all but went into a panic.

"Guess we got no choice." Applejack sighed, looking at the maze entrance.

"Applejack's right, but e can do this." Dusk gave his friendship encouragement speech. "So long as we stick together, there's nothing Eris can do to stop us."

The group's morale went up and all six entered the maze at once...it was only after one hoof in that the maze shifted and moved on its own; separating the group. The group, obviously, was now going to go into a panic.

"Stay calm girls!" Dusk almost commanded. "Make it to the middle as fast as you can, we'll meet up there!"

"Got it!" The girls declared, planning to make it to the center as soon as possible.

Well everypony, except Fluttershy; was in a blind panic as she galloped through the maze's pathways. No idea where she was going but only know she had to get out of there fast.

Like a bull in her last rodeo, Applejack ran through the maze's twist and turns; the hedges breezing past her. Until something small caught her attention. Coming to a halt, Applejack saw apples, ordinary looking apples on the ground. Only they weren't ordinary for long, as Applejack approached, they began to roll away.

"What in tarnation?!" Applejack said aloud, following the runaway apples.

Applejack followed the apples until she reached a small pond, the the apples plopped in with a splash. Cautiously, Applejack approached the pond, the water rippled slightly. Applejack saw as her reflection soon shifted and turned into a different image. The image Applejack saw was her but she was wearing something, a dress of some kind. Frilly but farm themed. It was a wedding dress. But who was the groom. Curious, Applejack looked closer and saw what looked like a stallion but could just barely make him out. Before the image became full and clear, the water splashed and Eris emerged from the water.

"I was watching that!" Applejack snapped.

"Oh I know, isn't it such fun to see the future?" Eris teased.

"The future?" Applejack asked, looking back at the water.

"Yep>" Eris explained, wiping herself with a towel, only to get wetter. "You see, that pond is what Tia uses to look into the future. And what you saw must have been something good."

"That's...none of your business." Applejack responded but blushed at what she believed to have seen.

"Oh come now Applejack, don't lie to me." Eris teased, poking Applejack on the head, her eyes slowly beginning to spin in a hypnotic fashion. "You saw him right? Well that only means he's all yours anyway, so why wait? Be honest with your feelings!"

Eris then poofed away, leaving Applejack alone, but the color was now faded from her, leaving her in a state of grey. Looking around, Applejack saw that the lake, the apples, and Eris was gone. All she saw was a sign on one of the hedge walls stating 'He's this way'. determined to tell Dusk the truth, Applejack hurried along.

Bouncing along her merry way, Pinkie Pie went through the maze with the most optimism.

"Well aren't you in a merry mood." Pinkamena said as she tried her best not to vomit of boredom and disgust. "You know this is all a trap, right?"

"Of course I do silly." Pinkie giggled to herself. "I watched the episode over four times now. I know what to expect. Eris won't fool me into being a frowny pants."

"Is that why we're already surrounded by a crap ton of balloons?" Pinkamena said, showing Pinkie that she was indeed already in a small clearing, filled with smiling face balloons.

"Oh we're here already?!" Pinkie said in surprise. "Okay Eris, where are you?"

"And I thought I heard voices." Eris teased, wearing a party hat as well as sitting at a table eating cake. "Hungry?"

"No thanks, I ate before this." Pinkie said, trying to act serious, sitting at the table, keeping her eyes on Eris. "I'm ready for you."

"Sure you are." Eris chuckled. "Is that why you're not being yourself?"

"What do you mean?" Pinkie asked. "This is me."

"No no no." Eris wagged her claw back and forth. "You love to have a good laugh...like me...but recently, you've been being all serious. When you should be planning for your biggest party ever."

"Go on." Pinkie cautiously inquired.

"This." Eris handed Pinkie a card, on it read:

You are cordially invited to the marriage of Dusk Shine and Rarity

"You have a big party to plan."

"What is this?" Pinkie asked, almost crushing the card in her hoof.

"Oh you didn't know?" Eris laughed a bit. "Well it's obvious that stallion would go with lovely Rarity. All you do is make childish jokes, while she's a full grown mare of maturity."

"I CAN BE MATURE TOO!" Pinkie snapped, her mane going flat for a moment but then poofy.

"Clearly." Eris said, drinking the cake. "But there's a way you can stop thi-"

"HOW!!!??" Pinkie demanded.

"Just get to him first." Eris grinned in a small victory, her eyes swirling and turning hypnotically. "Make him yours by whatever means and your lives will be filled with love and laughter." Eris snapped her fingers and vanished, along with the cake and balloons.

Looking for a way out, Pinkie saw a sign saying 'Don't miss the Wedding'. Cringing her teeth in frustration, Pinkie stomped her way along the path.

"As much as I love violence, I don't approve of this." Pinkamena tried to take over the now near colorless Pinkie but found Pinkie's mind and body rejected her. Pinkamena soon found she was less of a seperate personality and more like an imaginary friend; unable to interfere with Eris's plan. "DAMNIT!!!"

"Now I must hurry." Rarity said to herself and she hurried in a 'lady-like' fashion along the path. "Faster I get out of this, I faster I can be with my Prince and - *SMACK" Rarity walked head long into a large stone wall. "Well that's just plain- woah!" Looking on the wall, Rarity saw a small sliver of a gem, but this sliver shone like a stone Sun. Its beauty was beyond any gem Rarity has ever seen. "Now what is this?"

"Congrats Rarity." Eris's face appeared in the gem. "You found the one thing in Equestria better looking than me. The perfect wedding ring, wouldn't you say?"

"Wedding ring?" Rarity asked. "What are you talking about?"

"You don't know?" Eris chuckled. "Why your marriage to that stallion Dusk Shine. Good job by the way, quite the catch."

"Darling...and me...married?!" Rarity asked in surprised. "I know I'll marry him soon but not yet."

"Oh you didn't know?" Eris covered her mouth in a playful fashion. "We maybe he just hasn't proposed yet. Then again if you're not too careful, you might lose him to one of the others, I know that Applejack and Pinkie Pie might try to steal him from you."

"Now now, I know my friends, they know I love Dusk. They wouldn't try to go behind my back." Rarity said, about to walk away.

"But think." Eris said, emerging from the gem, her eyes hypnotically spinning. "If you generously show off that gem as a wedding ring. think of how envious they'll be and how grateful Dusk would be. He'll practically get on his knee and propose."

"Well when you put it like- NO! I will remain strong and determined. I shall not be swayed by some...mere.." Rarity looked back at the gem and could see her wedding with Dusk be perfect with such a stone.

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"Well it took a little digging, but it was worth it." Rarity congratulated herself for her hard work, admiring the gem that turned out to be a massive diamond. "Who knew those small gems would be this massive hunk of a diamond. Now to bring you to my groom."

Gathering her strength, Rarity hoisted the massive diamond on her back. Following the next hedge wall, Rarity slowly continued her way towards the center.

"Okay, I can do this, I can do this, I can do this." Fluttershy reassured herself as she bolted from one hedge wall to the next. When suddenly, something small and pretty caught the scarred mare's eyes. It was a butterfly. "Oh a butterfly!" Fluttershy followed the fleeing insect as fast as her hooves could carry.

After a short while, Fluttershy reached a clearing, full of butterflies. It was a calming, peaceful sight. The pink butterflies fluttered about around Fluttershy. But soon the butterflies vanished from sight. Then Eris appeared before the cowering Fluttershy.

"Sorry to scare you." Eris apologized. "I like ponies to have a good laugh, and it doesn't work when you're terrified."

"Well..that's very kind of you." Fluttershy smiled a little. "Could you um, please give us back the Elements of Harmony?"

"That is so adorable, I almost feel bad about this." Eris poked Fluttershy on the head, forcing the innocent Fluttershy's eyes to spin and spin. "But I feel you're simply too nice. Sometimes kindness needs a firm hoof."

Eris then vanished away from the colorless Fluttershy, whose expression was more a look of determination. Whatever Eris did to Fluttershy, she made Fluttershy more assertive. Looking for a way out, Fluttershy galloped along the path with more will than she ever did before.

"ARGG!! This maze is so stupid!!" Rainbow shouted as she ran around, only to reach dead end after dead end. "If I was flying, i could've found the Elements SOOO much faster."

Suddenly, a small storm cloud crackled paste Rainbow, startling her, but not doing anything else. Eager to see what that was all about. As she galloped along the path, Rainbow reached the center of the maze. She was there first. Or so she thought; resting on a storm cloud was Eris, her expression appeared as if she was really at peace and relaxed.

"Oh I can see why you Pegasi love storm clouds." Eris cooed. "Best. Massage. Ever!"

"Get up Eris!" Rainbow demanded, punching at the air. "I'll give you a massage."

"Tempting, but I feel I should warn you." Eris said, rolling off the cloud.

"Warn me, of what?" Rainbow asked, still ready to strike.

"Why of the destruction of your poor Cloudsdale." Eris warned, her tone sounded like a rehearsed play, but it played off Rainbow's ego. "See I'll make you a deal. You're clearly too strong and cool for me to defeat. So the only way I can even try to face you is to warn that Cloudsdale is going to collapse, unless you're there to stop it from falling."

Eris then spun the cloud in a hypnotic circle, showing Rainbow Dash visions of Cloudsdale shaking and falling from the sky. Rainbow took several steps back in disbelief.

"No! It's not true!" Rainbow objected, cowering at the sight.

"Aww it's okay. I can help." Eris offered, petting Rainbow's mane and offering a present box. "Inside this box is your wings. But you have a choice, stay here and hopefully find what you seek. Or prove your loyalty and save Cloudsdale."

"Almost there!" Dusk said, galloping down the path. "There it is!"

As Dusk emerged from the path, the first thing he saw was he was in the center of the maze. The second thing he was was Rainbow Dash, accepting something from Eris; and with her regained wings, Rainbow took off into the sky with a blast of rainbow behind her. The area rumbled, the hedge maze collapsed, revealing the others.

"Dusk!!" The other four mares said, running at the stallion.

"Looks like you lose!" Eris announced with a laugh.

"It wasn't fair Eris!" Dusk said. "You tricked Rainbow into leaving."

"I didn't really trick her, I gave her a choice." Eris said. "And besides, look around you."

"What are you-" Dusk looked around and saw the others were talking to Dusks who weren't there.

"Now Dusk...I want...I want..." Applejack acted rather shy and bashful as she was confessing her feelings towards her imaginary Dusk.

"I'm so glad you chose me over that coltfriend stealer Rarity." Pinkie said to her Dusk.

"Of course I expect you to craft this into a ring. Only the best for your loving wife." Rarity said to her Dusk.

"Dusk..umm well...you, me, bedroom tonight." Fluttershy whispered into her Dusk's ear.

"What did you do to them?" Dusk demanded to know.

"Oh I gave them what they wanted." Eris said. "I let them live the way they wanted to live. I even gave them each a Dusk so a cutie like you wouldn't be torn apart."

"Turn them back to the way they were!" Dusk demanded.

"Sorry, can't do that." Eris said. "You lost fair and square."

"But you cheated! We never had a chance to find the Elements." Dusk exclaimed.

"You thought I hid the Elements in the maze?" Eris laughed loudly. "Did I ever say they were in the maze?" Eris saw how Dusk soon realized she was telling the truth, Dusk over thought the riddle and failed. "Now don't be sad. How about a consolation prize."

Snapping her claws, Eris summoned up the Rune sugar statue. And with a second snap of her claws, Rune was returned to normal, plopping to the ground.

"Rune! Are you okay?" Dusk asked, running to his friend.

"More or less." Rune said. "I was going to warn you the maze was a trap, but then Eris turned me into a statue."

"See, now that you got your friend back. I got a storm to start." Eris said. "A Chaos Storm! See ya later cutie, ta ta for now"

Eris then vanished from sight, leaving Dusk and Rune alone with four Dusk crazed mares.

"So." Rune recalled everything Dusk just told him. "So you all went into the maze, got separated, and now all the girls not only have given into their obsessions with you but now are hallucinating their own Dusks."

"That's pretty much it." Dusk sighed, looking at the the mares still talking to their fake Dusks.

Pinkie had her tongue out as if she was deep kissing. Applejack was sitting and blushing as if she was cuddling. Rarity looked like she was trying on some new dress, probably a wedding dress for her massive gem/rock to be fitted. Fluttershy was the most provocative. She was hunched over with her tail swaying slightly back and forth in inviting manner. Clearly her fantasy was much dirtier than it looked.

"Well that's boring. I've already done that. Eris could at least be more original!" Rune said, then saw the grimace on Dusk's face. "I mean, oh no, how will we get them back."

"Well we first need to get the Elements of Harmony." Dusk planned. "From there, we can try and reseal Eris away."

"Yeah! And when the girls only see you, I'm sure they're not just gonna fight over you like some toy to the point of breaking." Rune chuckled a bit. "We need to figure out how to fix that first."

Back in Ponyville, Dusk and Rune, accompanied by the still delirious mares, saw how Eris had changed the town.

"Gotta put it to her." Rune said with a small chuckle. "For a Goddess of Chaos, she can be quite the decorator. Not what I would expect from some embodiment of disharmony."

"Doesn't matter. We need to find the Elements of Harmony." Dusk said, then looked back at the mares. "But first, we need to find a way to get them back to the way before."

"I say we wait until they crash from their Dusk overload." Rune said looking in the mare's minds. "It's taking a lot out of me to keep them docile and happy. And you don't even want to know what's going through their minds."

"I can only imagine." Dusk sighed, shaking his head a bit back and forth. "Maybe I can find a book on Eris at the library."

"Let's hope." Rune added. "Because I'll tell ya this. Rarity is already considering the honeymoon, Applejack and you are about to hit home base, Pinkie is covering you in frosting for obvious reasons, and Fluttershy...well you don't want to know."

The Ponyville Library was the only location oddly untouched by Eris's magic. Like a small splotch of sane land was in an insane world. As the group approached the Library, it became more and more visible that there was a faint blue, dome shaped barrier sparkling in the sunlight. Recognizing the handiwork, the group harmlessly passed through the barrier. Within the barrier, Spike was pouring through book after book, while Trixie appeared stressed and tired from maintaining the barrier.

"Trixie?! Spike?!" Dusk and Rune said in surprise.

"Dusk! Rune!" The tow responded, though Trixie's reaction sounded more winded.

"What happened?" Spike asked. "First the weather goes weird, then you all go off to Canterlot, and now all of Ponyville was turned upside down."

"Long story short." Dusk explained. "Eris, Goddess of Chaos and Disharmony is free and we can't stop her unless we get the Elements of Harmony. But Trixie? How did you erect a barrier that can keep Eris's magic away?"

"It's an isolation barrier. Well a small one anyway." Rune answered before Trixie could gloat. "The barrier acts as a form of separation; magic cannot get in or out. So we're safe here for as long as Trixie can maintain it. If done properly, the caster would use wards to maintain the barrier, but I'm assuming Trixie didn't have enough time. So she's using herself. Good work."

"Thank you." Trixie said weakly. "The Great and Powerful Trixie knows no limit."

"But there's nothing like this in the library's collection." Dusk was curious how Trixie learned such a complicated spell without his knowledge.

"That's because it's mine." Rune answered, looking at the broken down door that was once connected to his former room. "I didn't move all my things to Zecora's yet. So you've been going through my books?"

"Well we had no choice." Spike explained as Trixie couldn't. "None of the books in the library could help, so we figured you had something. Good thing you did." Then he looked at the other girls in their dazed state. "What happened to them?"

"Long story short." Rune explained. "Eris trapped them in an mental daze where they think they're Dusk's marefriend. Gotta give it to Eris, she was nice enough to not have Dusk be torn apart by sex crazed mares."

"But ANYWAY!" Dusk snapped, wanting to change the subject. "We need to find the Elements of Harmony. But we have no idea where Eris could've put them."

"Well if I wanted to mess with you ponies and hide the Elements." Rune contemplated loudly. "I would hide them somewhere so obvious you wouldn't look."

Ears perked up with a sudden realization. Running over to the top shelf of the last book shelf that wasn't ransacked. Using his magic to forcibly pull down the book that once helped Dusk learn about the Elements of Harmony. Opening it up, Dusk's face went into a state of shock and annoyance. "Oh you have got to be kidding me."

"Knew it!" Rune chuckled a bit. "So obvious you wouldn't think to look."

"So now we have the Elements." Dusk said, putting the Elements on the other girls. "Now we can defeat Eris."

"Uh we're missing Rainbow Dash." Rune pointed out, before Dusk put the Element of Loyalty on Rune's neck.

"You're Rainbow now." Dusk said. "Now break them from their trance and lets save Equestria."

"This is not going go well, you know that right?" Rune asked.

"Just do it." Dusk sighed.

"Your funeral mate." Rune said, igniting his horn, snapping all the dazed mares from their illusions.

"Dusk!?" The mares said in unison as they jumped at Dusk, tackling him to the ground.

"Darling what happened?" Rarity asked, pulling on Dusk's arm. "We'll be late for the wedding, and where's that diamond ring?"

"Duskie! We were just getting to the best part of Twister!" Pinkie said, pulling at Dusk's other arm.

"Oh no you don't!" Applejack said, grabbing his leg. "We were just enjoy a nice sunset viewing."

"I only need him for ten more minutes girls." Fluttershy said, grabbing the last leg. "And I was only on my fifth burst! He's mine!"

"Alright, everypony calm down!" Rune erected a small bubble around Dusk that pushed the others away. "Let's keep this civil."

"Don't get in the way Rune!" The girls protested.

"Look let's make a deal." Rune suggested. "Let's deal with Eris, save Equestria, and then you can all fight over Dusk. First one to defeat Eris gets Dusk first. Deal?"

The girls all but cheered in response, more motivated than every to succeed. Letting Dusk out of the bubble, the group sped off to find Eris; leaving Trixie and Spike back in the library. Thankfully it wasn't long before they came before Eris, sitting on her throne and enjoying the chaos around her.

"Oh why hello there." Eris giggled. "This is quite the rag-tag group you have."

"Enough talk, more blastie!" Pinkie protested getting in position of attack.

"So impatient." Eris tsked back and forth. "How about I make things easier."

"We want nothing you can offer." Dusk said.

"Oh? But my dear cutie, you're wrong. I can put your friends back to the way they were. I can even fix Ponyville." Eris said. "But on one condition."

"And that is?" Rune asked, skeptical that it was going to be that simple.

"I'll sit here and let you attempt to 'stop' me." Eris offered. "If you can, then everything will go back to the way things were." Her grin widened as she looked Dusk over. "But if you can't, then you become mine Dusk Shine."

The bet was fair: and only a fifty-fifty chance of failure. But Dusk was still skeptical. "How do we know you'll keep your end of the deal?"

"Oh Dusk." Eris said, floating over towards Dusk, placing his hoof where her heart was. "When I make a promise, it's a promise. You'll just have to take my word for it."

"Guess we have no choice." Dusk said, igniting his horn.

"Uh Dusk mate." Rune tried to intervene. "Normally I'm ALL for stupid plans with no chance of success. But this is a bad idea."

But Rune's words fell on deaf ears. Dusk's horn ignited and began the Elements of Harmony activation. The others slowly lifted into the air, Elements lighting up weakly, flickering on and off for a few moments. Dusk's eyes erupted into a bright light and just as he tried to activate the other Elements...every fizzed out. The plan had failed. Everypony fell to the ground from the failed attempt.

"Knew that would happen." Rune said, as he lay on his back from the fall. "Just setting the record straight for that one."

"Indeed it did." Eris did the slow clap of victory. "Now for your end of the deal."

"Wait, that wasn't fair. We didn't have all the Element bearers." Dusk tried to escape his fate.

"Now now Duskie dear." Eris moved in, using her magic to hold Dusk in place. Leaning in close, Eris whispered in Dusk's ear. "That's.Why.I.Made.The.Bet."

Dusk's eyes widened in shock and defeat. Soon his worries became a spiraling hypnosis as Eris worked her magic on Dusk's mind. The color soon poured away from Dusk's body, making him a grey lavender. His eyes became empty, almost soulless. And his posture was more slumped and lacking any hope. Picking up his Element tiara, Eris tossed it at Rune's hooves.

"He won't need that anymore." Eris said, then hugged her new toy. "Right my Dusk."

"That is correct Eris dear." Dusk responded in a monotone, almost robotic tone. "You are the only one for me."

"What did you do to my husband!?" Rarity shouted, ready to buck Eris in the face.

"What you mare couldn't." Eris laughed. "And now to remove the competition." With a snap of her talons, the girls' eyes sparkled with a swirling light and then they turned around in different directions, and ran off. "Ahh, much better."

"What did you do to my friends?" Rune asked, getting up slowly and cautiously.

"Oh don't worry." Eris reassured. "I just gave the girls their fantasies again. And as for my new pet here. I just made him more willing to serve."

"If this wasn't a bad time or you weren't taking over Equestria, I think we'd be fast friends." Rune laughed a bit, then let his face become serious. "But you're not getting away with this."

"Well..." Eris pulled out a chalkboard from who knows where. "My score is two and your score is zero...so yes, I think I'm getting away with this. But, if you want to challenge me again, then go on, try and gather the Elements and try again."

"And that's where we are now." Rune finished explaining everything.

After the defeat and scattering of the Elements, Rune returned to the Library with the Element of Magic and Loyalty. Thankfully, Rune was able to set up proper wards and seals so Trixie could get some rest. As she slept, Rune explained the situation to Spike. And Spike was not anymore hopeful than Rune was.

"So what do we do to get bro back, and the others?" Spike asked. 'especially Rarity.'

"Well first we need to find a way to get the girls, then we can make a move for Dusk." Rune pondered aloud. "But how?"

"Couldn't you just break Eris's hold on them like last time?" Spike asked.

"No. It worked last time because Eris didn't expect somepony to break her hold." Rune sighed a faint embarrassing, yet personal defeat. "Now that she knows, there's no way I can break it now. We just need to figure out how though."

"So what's the plan?" Trixie asked, coming out from her rest.

"Well." Rune said, looking at the two Elements. "We have the Element of Magic and Loyalty. If we can get the other girls, then we can try to get Dusk. Problem is I don't know how to break them from their delusions."

"Maybe the Great and Powerful Trixie could wear the Element of Magic?" Trixie suggested, trying the tiara on. Only to have Rune grab it.

"Last thing we need is you in a tiara." Rune said. "I need to figure this out."

As if luck or good timing was on Rune's side; a letter poofed out of a small puff of magic from Rune's horn and fell on the ground in front of him.

"A letter from Luna?" Rune asked, picking up the letter:

To our former Student,

We have heard of your predicament from our sister. Eris is a vile and rather mischievous character. But she can be defeated. We and Celestia defeated her once with the Elements of Harmony before and we have confidence it can be done again. But if we know anything about Eris, we know she is more clever and crafty than she lets on. After hearing of Dusk's attempt in the maze, we believe she has undoubtedly disrupted the friendship of Dusk and his mares. As much as we enjoy a thinning of the competition. We have a solution to bring the lost mares back. Eris has most likely trapped them in their own illusions. We know of a spell that will help you. But you must be cautious with this spell, for it can trap you as easily as it can save them. In case Eris is reading this, which we believe she can Remember the book we had you bring when you first moved in with Dusk? Go to the page that is the Longest Night and your answer will be there.

We are sorry but this is all we can do as we and Celestia must keep order in Canterlot,

Princess Luna

P.S. Please bring Dusk back

"What could that mean?" Spike asked. "The Longest Night? What could that mean?"

"Clearly a clever riddle." Trixie said smugly. "But fear not, for I, the Great and Powerful Trixie shall decode it for you."

Pulling out the detective had and bubble making smoking pipe, Trixie paced back and forth. Pondering the meaning of Luna's message, Trixie found nothing. "The Great and Powerful Trixie...cannot solve the riddle."

"How about I just give the answer?" Rune said, already looking through the book Luna mentioned. "The longest night is always December 22nd. So the spell is on page 1,222." Turning to the page, Rune found the spell. His eyes widened in some excitement and his grin expressed interest and fascination. "Ohhhh yeah, that'll do nicely."

"So let's see, who's first?" Rune said, walking along the entropy lined streets of Ponyville with his temporary assistant Spike.

"Well we can only assume Applejack is at Sweet Apple Acres, Fluttershy is at her cottage, Rarity is at the Boutique, Pinkie Pie is with the cakes, and Rainbow Dash is well...we don't know." Spike checked his check list, a small backpack on his back, and pulling behind a decent sized wagon. "Uh if Eris can see everything like you said she could, why isn't she trying to stop us?"

"Oh well I took care of that." Rune said confidently. "I had Trixie deliver her a letter an hour ago."

"Well I'll admit, he's a ballsy one, this Dawn Rune." Eris said, rereading Rune's letter.

Dear Eris,

As you already know, you've pretty much won. Now I'm not gonna waste either of our time complaining whether or not your contests were unfair or fixed. Rather a new contest. I'm willing to bet I can not only undo what you've done, but get the Elements of Harmony back together to defeat you. The rules are simple. You do not interfere directly or indirectly. You allow us another attempt against you. If we win, you're resealed in stone. If you win...well you can get anything. I happen to know a way for you to spread your fun all over Equestria instead of just Ponyville.

Deal?

-Dawn Rune

"He certainly knows how to pique my interest." Eris laughed, looking the messenger.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie shall defeat you now vile creature." Trixie said, igniting her horn; blasting spell after spell at Eris, only to have the spells bounce off her like they were nothing. "If you surrender now, The Great and Powerful Trixie will give you a merciful end."

"My my, you are a determined one. I like that." Eris said, now looking down at Dusk; his grey complexion only matched the dead look in his eyes as he was busy licking Eris's feet in a submissive manner. "Maybe I'll have her for my hands."

"And so I told him, 'I bet you I can buck all those apples'." Applejack was having a conversation, or possibly a pretend date sitting by an apple tree. Most likely under the influence that she was having a conversation with her imaginary Dusk. "And then I-what you say? You'd rather buck my apples." Her face became red with embarrassment. "Well this isn't the right place, I mean I'm alright to have a roll in the hay, but...well.."

"AND COCK BLOCKED!" Rune shouted from behind Applejack, striking her on the back of the head, knocking her unconscious. "Well that was easy."

"Yeah." Spike said, dragging the downed Applejack on the wagon. "I hope it's all this easy."

"I doubt it, but let's see." Rune said, holstering part of the wagon's rope so he could help pull it. "Lets try Pinkie next."

"Okay." Spike said. "You think Trixie will be able to keep Eris distracted? I mean what did you tell her to make her volunteer for such a task?"

"Oh nothing in particular." Rune smiled and chuckled.

"Take that, and that, and that, and that!" Trixie said, using her magic now to hurl large rocks at Eris.

"This is too much fun." Eris said, snapping her fingers, turning the rocks into giant globs of jell-o. Every time the jell-o splattered on her body, like a good submissive pony, Dusk licked his master's body clean. "Good boy" Eris smiled, rubbing Dusk's head.

"I shall vanquish you to save my master and lover!" Trixie declared, continuing her barrage, but to no real effect.

"So you think Pinkie will put up a fight?" Spike asked, walking with Rune towards Sugarcube Corners. "I mean she did seem kinda angry when she left."

"I'm pretty sure it's not that bad." Rune said, knocking on the door. "Pinkie, you home?"

The door slowly opened, revealing Pinkamena's angry face. "You're interrupting! WHAT DO YOU WANT!"

"Okay, this is bad." Rune said, trying to compose himself. "Heyya Pinkamena, is Dusk there? Or Pinkie? We kinda need to talk to one of them."

"Rune?! Perfect!" Pinkamena grabbed Rune and tossed him into the house. The room was dark and there was no sign of Mr and Mrs Cake. "You have thirty seconds to fix this, before I skin you alive and feed you your OWN BURNT FLESH!!!"

"Wow, I expecting angry but this is...just wow." Rune said, composing himself a bit. " I have a plan, but I need your help."

Pinkamena only took a deep breath. "And what...would you need me to do?"

"Uh hold still for another five seconds." Rune said, gesturing his head to something behind Pinkamena.

"What?!" Pinkamena turned her head, to suddenly be struck by a hoofball bat, wielded by spike.

"Did it work?" Spike asked, holding the bat, breathing heavy.

"You did perfect." Rune said, levitating Pinkie's resting body. "Next is Rarity."

As the duo arrived at the Carousel Boutique, the faint sound of bells could be heard from inside. Running up the window first, Rune almost died laughing at what he saw.

"Spike." Rune laughed. "You gotta see this."

"What is-*gasp!" Spike looked in and saw Rarity, in a full wedding gown, besides her...was nopony and the room was filled with empty chairs. "Is this a-"

"Wedding? Yes." Rune said, still chuckling. "I bet Rarity doesn't even realize she's alone. Hmm this give me an idea. you're gonna love it." Before Spike could respond, Rune was already whispering his plan into his ear. Spike's eyes widened at the suggestion and his knees wobbled a little.

"I ah don't think I can do that Rune." Spike said, trying to get out of whatever was being planned.

"Don't worry Spike." Rune reassured his dragon friend. "Just follow what I said, and everything will work out."

Inside Carousel Boutique, Rarity, in her dress, prepared to exchange her vows with her Dusk Shine. It was the happiest moment in her life. To any spectator, the room was empty apart from her, but to Rarity, the room was filled; standing room only, the biggest names, highest nobles, and most esteemed royalty was in attendance. Looking at the pastor, Rarity has already said her "I do", all that remained was Dusk to say it. Just as her Dusk was about to speak, the front door burst open. Standing in the doorway was Rune, and Spike.

"I object to this wedding!" Rune announced, making his way down the aisle.

"Dawn Rune?!" Rarity shouted, turning to the wedding crashers, but then her eyes widened when she saw Spike. "Dusk?!"

"Uh what?" Spike asked, looking for Dusk but found no pony. "Rune, what's going on?"

"Well, I kinda made it so Rarity thinks you're Dusk." Rune explained. "Just hurry up and kiss her so we can get the others."

"Wait what?!" Spike said nervously.

"Come on 'Dusk', claim your wife!" Rune forced Spike forward with a small burst of magic, sending the little shy dragon towards the confused Rarity.

"D-dusk?" Rarity asked, looking at Spike. "But how, you're right-" She turned over to her imaginary Dusk to find he was gone. "But how did you-"

"Don't speak." Spike said, following the script Rune forced on him. His claw pressed gently on Rarity's lips. "We're together now, and that's all that matters."

"Y-you mean?!" Rarity was nearly hyperventilating. "Oh Dusk, my darling Du-aahh!"

Before the kiss could occur, Rune came up behind Rarity, throwing a burlap sack over the bride's body. Summoning rope, Rune finished the restraints and threw the flailing and cursing Rarity on the wagon.

"Good job with the acting." Rune congratulated his accomplice, his plan a success.

"Yeah...acting..." Spike laughed nervously. "So who's next?"

"I'm thinking Fluttershy." Rune said, grabbing the wagon magically. "I wonder how Trixie's holding up."

While Rune and Spike were heading towards Fluttershy's cottage, Trixie was still in her battle with Eris. This time, however, Trixie was on the defensive. And by defensive, it was more like Trixie was strung up and bond by thick ropes. Even her magic proved useless. Every attempt to blast a simple spell, Eris simply turned them into ice cubes for her soft drink.

"Foul creature!" Trixie shouted, as she struggled in her binds. "The Great and Powerful Trixie shall vanquish you!Once I get out of here."

"Oh please do continue." Eris laughed, taking another sip of her drink, while leaning back against Dusk, who was resting on a large body pillow. "That Rune was right, this mare is entertaining."

"When I defeat you, I shall deal with that treacherous Rune next." Trixie announced.

"One thing at a time my dear." Eris laughed ad the entertainment continued.

Spike, being told to earlier, waited outside Fluttershy's cottage while Rune attempted to capture the mare inside. As much as he wanted to look in the window and see what was happening, the occasional blast sounds, roars, and loud screams kept Spike at a safe distance. After several more minutes, nearly a half hour after arriving, the front door opened. Rune walking out, his mane a mess and his breath was heavy and near panting. Laying, unconscious, across his back was Fluttershy, who held a calm smile of satisfaction.

"You got her?!" Spike asked.

"Yep." Rune said through his breaths. "Took what I had, but I got her."

"Y-you didn't?!" Spike assumed with a gasp.

"No no no." Rune reassured his friend. " I may do a lot of things Dusk wouldn't approve of, but even I wouldn't go there. No, what I did was, I forced her personal delusion to as far as her brain and body could handle."

"And the bear roars?" Spike asked.

"Oh Harry the Bear?" Rune answered. "Well...he wasn't too keen with my methods, so he got a little angry."

"And what did you do?" Spike asked.

"Oh, well...I just put him under a simple sleeping spell." Rune answered. "Anyway, we need to find Rainbow Dash."

"That shouldn't be a problem." Spike said plainly.

"What makes you so sure?" Rune asked.

"She's up there." Spike pointed at a nearby low floating cloud.

"Well that moves things right along." Rune chuckled. "HEY RAINBOW?" Despite Rune's call, which was loud enough, Rainbow Dash ignored him. "Well that's just plain rude."

"Any ideas?" Spike asked.

"Yeah one sec." Rune said, igniting his horn, enveloping himself in enough magic to float himself up towards the cloud. "Now Rainbow we need to-woah?!"

Just as Rune reached the blue Pegasus, he was met with the panting and faintly moaning face of Rainbow Dash dripping with sweat and her mouth was hung open. Rainbow was currently grinding and rubbing her dripping wet marehood, along with whatever visions and thoughts that ran through her mind.

"No no it's fine." Rainbow commented, still feeling herself. "It was nothing, really, it was super easy to fight off the windigos, dragons, and even though angry dark snow clouds."

"As much as I would love to actually see this, I have a bit of a deadline." Rune said to himself, lighting up his horn as forcing Rainbow to pass out, her hoof still wedged between her pussy lips.

"If that's all of them." Spike asked. "How are you going to bring them back?"

"Let's get back to the barrier to plan from there." Rune looked over his shoulder to see many of the surrounding trees had ear shaped leaves. "I feel Eris may know we have the girls again."

"So, what now?" Spike asked, finally getting all the girls laying down around Rune; the stallion sitting in the center of the surrounding mares. For safety, whether that was for the girls or for Rune himself, the mares were all tied up securely. "I mean is the rope really necessary?"

"Well yes and no." Rune answered, his eyes closed and his horn was slowly building up a strong orange color. "Just in case this fails, we at least can prevent them from escaping."

"You never said what we'd be doing." Spike commented, taking a couple steps back.

"The spell that Luna showed me in that book is a little advanced." Rune explained. "I've only tried it once and it gave me the worst migraine. But I think I can handle five minds." Feeling that Spike didn't understand, Rune continued his explanation. "You see. I'm going to be splitting my subconscious mind into five segments, or wisps. These wisps will then travel into the minds of each mare."

"And that will bring them back?" Spike asked.

"Yes, and if done properly, should prevent them from being controlled by an future mental invasion." Rune commented. "But to maintain this, I myself need to separate my own conscious mind from my body as a master wisp, or Glyph as I call it. So please, let me try this."

Finishing his mental preparations, Rune conquered his first wisp. It was large, maybe the size of his own head and was a deep shade of midnight blue. After the first release, Rune's body became stiff and statue-like. From the larger wisp, five smaller pale blue wisps split from the larger wisp. These smaller wisps were only the size of possible a large soft ball and slowly drifted like ghosts over the five mares' heads. As if a part of the mares themselves, the smaller wisps merged with the mares; the energy delving into their minds. Spike could only watch in amazement and surprise as the mare's bodies glowed dimly for a moment, before  the wisps reemerged from their bodies.

"Did it work?" Spike had to ask, but Rune's body was lifeless and unresponsive.

"What part of "my conscious mind isn't in my body" was that hard to understand?" The larger wisp commented. "But yes, the procedure worked. Once I retake my subconscious and finally my conscious mind, they should wake up."

"This spell is amazing Rune!" Spike complimented. "I mean why hasn't Dusk ever tried to learn a spell like this?"

"I can think of a good reason." The wisp answered, the five minor wisps rejoining it. "This spell has a rather critical drawback. You see, because one, my subconscious mind is being split evenly among a number of minor wisps and that I need my conscious mind to maintain this master wisp, my body is vulnerable. And secondly, the spell makes no mention of being able to control what information is being recorded. So yes, this spell allowed me access to their entire minds and it helped me free them of Eris's illusions. But, once the master wisp rejoins my body, I will have every memory in the girls' minds become part of my subconscious memory."

"Are you going to be okay?" Spike asked, realizing what the cost meant. "I thought you said you already used this spell before."

"Yes but there's a bit of a difference." The wisp explained, now fully restored and moving towards Rune's body. "The only other time I did this spell, I only remember the complete works of Shakesmare. And there is a BIG difference between several books and the minds of a living pony. So needless to say, I'm going to be in a lot of pain, and I probably won't be able to think clearly until I organize my thoughts."

With that, the master wisp rejoined with Rune's body, his fur glowed and his horn soaked in the remain magic of the spell before settling. Once his body started moving, all it was capable of doing was mild twitches and groans. Spike wanted to check on Rune, but quickly noticed that the other girls were coming around.

"What happened?" Applejack asked. "Why does my head hurt?"

"Rune was just in our minds!" Pinkie said in a not angry but not happy tone.

["And he BETTER be quiet on what he saw."] Pinkamena added in Pinkie's mind.

"What do you mean?" Rarity asked.

"You girls were trapped in some kind of weird spell by Eris." Spike explained,a s Rune was mumbling incoherently to himself and his eyes were rapidly looking everything. "So Rune used a spell to get you all back."

"So why is he mumbling to himself?" Rainbow asked.

"I'm not too sure." Spike answered, pointing Rune's shoulder to get some reaction, but Rune ignored him. "He said something about seeing all of your memories and thoughts and has to organize his own thoughts."

"So he saw everything we've ever saw or thought?" Applejack asked.

"Everything." Spike nodded.

"Everything?!" Rarity's eyes were a little ablaze with anger.

"Everything." Spike nodded.

"E-everything?" Fluttershy weakly asked.

"Yes, everything." Spike sighed. "Look the point is, Rune got you all back."

"But now he knows everything we know!" Rarity snapped. "All our thoughts, our memories-"

"And all your secrets." Rune finished Rarity's comment, his voice was hoarse and weak. His body was still trembling, and his head was still twitching.

"Are you going to be okay?" Spike asked, amazed at how quickly Rune recovered.

"I feel terrible, dizzy, and....my brain cannot...word, thought proper right now." Rune said, trying to get up but his legs gave out and he collapsed to the ground. "And...I can't move too well."

"Will it go away?" Spike asked.

"Memories and rough thoughts? Maybe, I...I need to work through. But now we must Eris, yes. We defeat Eris." Rune said, his words were becoming slurred and his eyes were still looking everywhere.

"And how can we defeat Eris without Dusk?" Rainbow asked.

"Plan, yes, we can, yes...trust me." Was all Rune could could utter before he tried to crawl towards the door.

"How about I help you." Spike suggested, struggling to lift rune's weak body on the wagon. "We have all the Elements of Harmony, we just need Dusk. I'm sure Rune has a plan."

"Now if you let Trixie go, Trixie promises to make your end mildly painless." Trixie commented, her body was bound lewdly in a rope bondage, as she dangled upside down over a tank full of foamed at the mouth earthworms.

"Oh as much as your constant banters have kept me entertained." Eris sighed, stroking Dusk's mane like a puppy. "You're starting to bore me." Just before Eris could snap her paws and seal Trixie's fate, a sudden shiver went up her body. "What's this? I haven't felt a feeling like this since...since only a few hours ago. Did that little stallion pull it off?"

"Yes he did!" Spike announced, the mares with their Elements at the ready and a weak and near downed Rune sat in the wagon. "With the POWER OF FRIENDSHIP!"

Needless to say, Spike's announcement was only met with awkward silence, only broken by the random chaos in the background. Eris stared blankly, Trixie stared blankly, even the girls stared blankly. Spike kinda got a small blush of embarrassment across his face before looking at Rune.

"I told you it was an awkward announcement." Rune said, trying to even chuckle but he was too weak to try. "Anyway, Eris? I believe we are owed another chance."

"Yes yes, you got the mares free of my spell." Eris's tone was very stale and bored. "The Elements of Harmony are yours again and I promised you'd have another chance to defeat me." Eris then looked at Dusk, almost purring against her. "But I'm rather comfy with Dusk as he is. So why should I give him back?"

"I figured you'd say that." Rue strained with every breath and word he uttered. "You're just like me, you never take a bet you're afraid to lose."

"Moi? Lose?" Eris giggled. "Oh Rune,Rune, Rune, you don't know me at all. I never lose."

"Then why are you so tense?" Rune started to analyze Eris, pointing out her ever motion. "Eyes are not looking in mine directly, you're afraid and see me as bigger and more threatening. Your shoulders are stiff and straight, which means you're focused and not confident. And finally, I can see the faint bead of a cold sweat dripping down the raised hairs on your neck. You're trying to back out because you're afraid to lose. Because...you.know.you'll.lose."

"How dare you!" Eris snapped, slamming one hand on her throne, a sudden explosion of rainbows and glitter exploded behind her. "ME?! AFRAID OF YOU?! YOU< SOME PONY WHO ISN'T EVEN AN ELEMENT OF HARMONY?! I DON'T FEAR YOU!"

"Then prove it." Rune's stare was blank and unyielding, while Eris's angry eyes were filled with literal fire. Before quickly extinguishing.

"Fine, you want another chance." Eris snapped her paws, snapping Dusk out of his trance and throwing him to the others. "Get ready to eat those words, and maybe even mountain of spicy and sour candy!"

"What happened?" Dusk asked, seeing the girls were all colorful and happy again. "Rune? D-did you do all this?"

"Anything for a friend." Rune smirked, handing over Dusk's tiara. "I think I can trust you'll take it from here."

"No problem my friend. Just rest and leave it to us." Dusk announced, putting on his Element. "Alright girls, in formation!"

The mares go to Dusk's sides, their Elements glowed with their respected colors. The bearers soon became surrounded by a sort of bubble, which seemed to affect the ground; transforming it back to it's sane ground. Eris cringed at what she was sawing, clawing into her throne in frustration. She had come to far to go back in the stone. Too far! She had to stop this.

"i will not become stone again! NOT AGAIN!" Eris shouted, raising her arms to cast some sort of spell to disrupt Dusk and the girls. But her attempt was interrupted by Rune, who was just capable of interrupting Eris's spell. "DAWN RUNE?!"

"No...No...NOOOOO!" Eris screeched in anger and agony; her body being struck by the rainbow hued beam. Within moments, Eris's body was covered in a petrified coating; her body returning to stone. After the magic died down, the ponies stared at the new statue Eris; her arms raised in her attempt to stop them, and her face contorted with hatred and agony.

"Is it over?" Dusk asked, unsure what to believe.

"It's over." Rune said before passing completely out.

After Eris's defeat, Ponyville recovered from Eris's control. The power of the Elements restored order and sanity returned to the ponies. Dusk, Spike, and the girls were all standing in Canterlot's throne chamber. Crowds of the pony nobles stood in attention, guards saluted and cheers filled the halls. Standing at her throne was Princess Celestia, pleased that the Elements were there. Celestia stood before the crowd, her magic levitating a case full of medals.

"We are once again here to congratulate the heroism of these friends and how they stood against the villain Eris, and restored order to Equestria." Celestia announced, the medals lifting from the case, each medal engraved with the ponies' names. "It is with great pleasure that I bestow these heroes with the Medal of Harmony, representing their shared friendship and heroism." The crowd erupted in applause as Celestia revealed her other reward. A curtain opened, revealing a new stain glass window, depicting Dusk and other girls' defeat of Eris.

"Thank you Princess." Dusk bowed. "But what about Rune?"

"Yeah." Spike added. "If not for him, everypony would still be apart."

"For reason he would not say, Dawn Rune has refused to accept any credit or reward for his service." Celestia sighed a little in concern. "I feel whatever happened has afflicted him more than he will admit. I have already asked Luna to speak with him."

Within a separate part of Canterlot Castle. A large tower-like spire was recently constructed upon Luna's request. Inside this spire, Rune continued using his weakened magic to engrave the massive room with strange cryptic symbols and designs. The only other pony in the room was Princess Luna. Despite the soreness in his body and the painful headaches he was suffering, he had to complete this task; whatever it was.

"Why did you refuse the medal?" Luna asked. "Your part in Eris's defeat was much greater than you're admitting."

"I don't need medals or publicity." Rune commented, not even looking away form his work. "A few more lines, and it'll be done."

"We deeply appreciate your great efforts in your project." Luna smiled in a caring, yet concerned manner. "But using that spell took more of a toll on your body and mind than expected. You should rest."

"I'll rest when I'm done." Rune commented, finishing his work. "All that's left is the incantation." Taking a deep breath and conjuring as much strength as he could, Rune began the incantation:

Come, little children, I'll take thee away

Into a land of enchantment

Come, little children, the time's come to play

Here in my garden of shadows.

Follow, sweet children, I'll show thee the way

Through all the pain and the sorrows

Weep not, poor children, for life is this way

Murdering beauty and passions.

Hush now, dear children, it must be this way

Too weary of life and deceptions

Rest now, my children, for soon we'll away

Into the calm and the quiet.

Come, little children, I'll take thee away

Into a land of enchantment

Come, little children, the time's come to play

Here in my garden of shadows.

At the finishing of Rune's words, the letters, symbols, lines, and designs glowed with a midnight blue, slowly becoming brighter and paler. Electric sparked filled the air. air rushed towards the center of the array of marks. An arch soon began to form, allowing a sort of portal to open. Within moments, the energies died down and the magic settle, creating a permanent archway-like portal. On the other side of the portal, a small grey unicorn filly with a sort of sparkle in her eyes was waiting. Behind her, were several over mares and stallions; all of which had looks of amazement and surprise at the feat Rune pulled.

"There you have it Luna." Rune announced with the lasts of his strength. "A portal to the Lunar Kingdom. Canterlot and the Children of the Night...are united." Rune then passed out to the ground, dead tired and asleep from his recent activities and the amount of magic he used.

"Daddy?!" Midnight said running to Rune's collapsed body. "Is he going to be alright?"

"He will be fine." Luna smiled, a tear of joy running down her cheek, her body was in a presenting bow. "But let me be the first to welcome you. Welcome back, my Children."

Chapter 2 - Paranoia Lessons

The day started out as it normally would. Dusk and Spike would go over the daily checklist of what to prepare for. Quills, ink, extra ink, parchment, and finally, mental stamina. This was a normal day. So far...

"Is that everything?" Dusk asked, looking over the daily supplies.

"Looks like it." Spike answers, checking off everything off the list he had in his claws.

"Good." Dusk smiled in excitement. "Now that we finished the checklist of how to make a checklist, we can work on the checklist for what we're going to do today."

Several hours after starting his daily to-do list, Dusk and Spike were merrily trotting down Ponyville's streets. The daily checklist was even longer than it normally was; usually it only trailed a few feet behind Spike. But today it was a few meters away.

"So how're we doing Spike?" Dusk asked, completely unfazed at the sheer length of the list.

"Well." Spike read off what was accomplished. "We finished our checklist preparations, we returned those chalkboards to Cheerilee, we ordered new quills, scroll, and ink from the stationary shop."

"We do buy a lot don't we?" Dusk asked, now noticing the long checklist. "Go on."

"Cupcakes for the picnic today with the others." Spike commented, joyful over the prospect of treats.

Sugercube Corners was empty off all customers, but waiting on the front counter was a box full of cupcakes, each with a hot pink shade of frosting. Making it to the counter, Dusk rang the bell for the owner Mrs. Cake.

"I'll be with you in a moment dearie." Mrs. Cake or Cup Cake as she let friends call her. Coming out of the back kitchen, Mrs. Cake made her way to the front counter; and when somepony ever gave awards fro best child bearing hips, Mrs. Cake was the winner five years straight. "Oh Dusk, here to pick up your order?"

"Sure are Mrs. Cake." Dusk smiled, using his magic to lift up the box of treats.

"Oh dear you don't have to be so formal." Mrs. Cake smiled softly. "You can just call me Cup Cake."

"I'm sorry Mrs. Cake, but that would be too informal." Dusk apologized with a smile, as he placed more than the necessary amount of bits on the counter. "Thank you for the cupcakes. You know what, here's an extra tip for a job well done."

"Thank you, and enjoy the picnic." Mrs. Cake smiled, but just after Dusk and Spike left the room, she looked at the bits, then back at the door. "Oh, if only he was a little older, or I was a little younger."

"Okay." Dusk asked, back at treehouse and the cupcakes were resting in the kitchen. . "What's next?"

"Well." Spike said, looking over the rolled up mass that was the checklist. "Triple check the checklist, so we don't miss anything when we double check the checklist...check. That's everything."

"Really?" Dusk commented. "We finished everything we needed to do. And it's just barely noon." A sudden realization struck Dusk. "Wait, almost noon? Spike, what's today?

"I think it's Tuesday." Spike answered, only to responded by the shrill shriek of panic that could only come from Dusk in a panic.

"TUESDAY?!" Dusk was now in a panic, his mane somehow was becoming a mess. "How could I be so irresponsible? How could I be such a failure?"

"Bro. It's not a big deal." Spike tried to calm the situation, but Dusk was in one of those moods.

"Not a big deal?! It IS a BIG deal Spike!" Dusk started his rant of responsibilities. "I'm supposed to send letters to Princess Celestia about my studies in friendship every week. Not every other week, not every month; every.single.week."

"So you miss one." Spike commented. "I mean it's not like friendship problems happen here every week."

"But that's not the biggest problem Spike!" Dusk said, running to the nearest window, watching as the Sun was now in the center of the sky. "I have to get a letter to Princess Celestia...or I'll be TARDY!!"

"Tardy?" Spike asked, but quickly wished he hadn't.

"T.A.R.D.Y Spike!" Dusk commented, wrapping himself in the blanket of his bed, like a self pity cocoon. "It means I'm going to be late! I've never been late on an assignment. How could this happen, I'm more organized than this!"

"Maybe you forgot, but there was that whole Eris, Goddess of Chaos that was free yesterday." Spike tried again to calm his friend. "I'm pretty sure Princess Celestia will forgive you for a day or so late."

"I can't take that chance Spike." Dusk continued his rant of self pity. "This is the ruler of Equestria we're talking about, the one who holds my fate in her hooves. What if she doesn't forgive me? What if she thinks I'm not taking my friendship studies seriously? What if he makes me go back to school to prove I've been serious to pass, and what if I don't pass?"

"I really think this is going overboard here Dusk." Spike said, still trying to care but with Dusk's fears becoming more and more ridiculous, it was hard to care.

"But if I fail, it'll get worst." Dusk explained, with Spike no fully facepalming the ridiculousness of Dusk's rant. "She's my teacher Spike, do you know what teachers do to students who fail? They send them back a grade! But she won't send me back a simple grade, oh no, far worse." The life and color all but left Dusk's face at the sheer horror he thought. "She'll send me to Magic Kindergarten!"

"That's just ridiculous Dusk." Spike commented. "The Princess isn't going to send you back to Magic Kindergarten."

"You're right Spike." Dusk seemed to calm down. "I'll just solve a friendship problem before sundown. And I know just who to go to." Before Spike could commented, Dusk galloped out of the room and into the streets of Ponyville; heading for the Everfree Forest.

"And so you come to me?" Rune commented, sitting at the main table in Zecora's hut, sipping tea with Dusk. What was the oddest thing was that Rune was wearing a large piece of tin foil on his head like a hat. "I mean, yes the past several hours have been a bit of an agony. I mean did you know that Pinkie came up with over a fifty ways to use whipped cream, and only five of them involve eating."

"But that's the thing Rune." Dusk said, finishing his tea. "I NEED to solve a friendship problem before sundown, and since you can read minds. eh?"

"I'd love to help Dusk." Rune said, finishing his own tea and rubbing his head. "But I'm still organizing my own thoughts, last thing I need to to add more ponies' thoughts in here. Even Zecora and Midnight went out earlier to get some herbs for my headache."

"Oh...okay." Dusk said a little sorrowful. "Is there anything you can do to help?"

"Well." Rune said, getting up. "I can't read minds, but I can come with you and be an extra pair of eyes. Though, what about Trixie, she's always complaining about one thing or another."

"Yeah well...Trixie moved out." Dusk answered, getting up as well. "After the who Eris thing yesterday, Princess Celestia offered her a job at the School for Gifted Unicorn."

"So she's a teacher?" Rune asked, trotting towards the door.

"More like a teacher's assistant." Dusk answered, following Rune out of the hut. "Won't Zecora be wondering where you are?"

"Actually the funny thing about that." Rune answered. "i sorta got Zecora pregnant."

"WHAT?! But that's a perfect friendship problem!" Dusk leaped with joy, his head hitting the door frame.

"Not really, more of a personal, father problem." Rune stated. "Come on, let's find you a friendship problem."

Just outside of the Everfree, Dusk and Rune arrived t Fluttershy's cottage. It was as quiet as it normally was, except for the sudden loud roar that echoed from the backyard. Sensing both a friend in need of help and a friend in danger, Dusk and Rune galloped at full speed to Fluttershy's backyard. Once they arrived, the two stallions saw Fluttershy fighting her bear Harry. With fierce roars and brandishing his large claws, Harry put up some kind of a fight as Fluttershy quickly flew under the bear's body, up his back and then delivered a hard kick to his back; knocking the bear to the ground.

"Fluttershy?!" Dusk said in disbelief. "How could this happen, I mean of all the time for her to not be afraid of her own tail. She had to fight a bear."

"Well, one down. We can still find a problem in this town somewhere." Rune said, as both stallions walked away, completely unaware of what Fluttershy was actually doing:

After another few hours of failed attempts at helping other ponies; which ranged from helping the Cutie Mark Crusaders, which ended in their tree house being destroyed, then fixed, as well as trying to get Big Mac and Cheerilee to be more public about their relationship, which ended with Big Mac giving them a spine shattering grimace stare. Waiting at a bench in the park, Dusk and Rune were reaching their wits end.

"I can't believe it." Rune commented with a sigh. "Out of all the days for a town who panic over a bunny stampede, you'd think there was one problem to solve."

"We could still talk about Zecora and you." Dusk brought that up again.

"Uhh, hey, it's time for the picnic isn't it." Rune said, dodging the topic.

"Oh my Celestia, the picnic!" Dusk said galloping as fast as her could to the other side of the park, with Rune following.

At the picnic sight, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Spike were already sitting, relaxing, and sharing a few laughs. Their laughs quickly turned to worry when they saw what a mess Dusk looked like. In his rush, Dusk ran through more than a few small dirt and mud puddles, his hooves were covered in filth, his mane was an absolute mess of tangles, and maddening bed hair; and his eyes were looking everywhere in some cross eyed creepy fashion.

"Uh sugarcube?" Applejack asked. "Are you alright?"

"Just great, great, great!" Dusk said in a small bit of a crazed tone.

"He's kinda having a nervous breakdown because he can't think of a friendship problem to solve before sundown." Rune explained.

"He's still on about that?" Spike commented, downing another crystal coated cupcake. "Well i hate to tell you this Dusk, but it's about an hour before sundown."

"WHAT?!" Dusk was now in a full panic. "I need a problem, somepony ANYPONY!! GIVE ME A PROBLEM TO SOLVE!!"

"Yeah I'm gonna go skip you to the punchline on this one." Rune said before sending a letter to Princess Luna. "As much as I'd love to help you start trouble, just to solve it, I'm still recovering from my headache and foreign memories. So I sent our problem to Luna." Before Dusk could even panic even more over Rune's actions, a sudden burst of light exploded in the sky above the ponies. "Well that was fast."

"What did you tell her?" Dusk asked, as if he were a mouse begging to a cat.

"I told her to tell Celestia about your problem." Rune said, only to feel the grip of Dusk's hooves on his shoulders, shaking him in his frustration.

"You did WHAT?!" Dusk was back to panicking and being loud with his freak out. "Do you have ANY idea what you just-"

"DUSK SHINE!" Celestia's voice boomed over the group, silencing Dusk and causing his legs to tremble before giving out. From the light, Princess Celestia appeared and descended upon the group. "It seems my lessons are causing a little bit of stress."

"Stress? Stress? Who said anything about stress? I'm not stressed?" Dusk soon found his words were not convincing the staring monarch. "Please don't send me to Magic Kindergarten. I'll do better."

"Dusk, Dusk, Dusk I'm not going to punish you." Celestia commented, patting Dusk on his shoulder. "You've done beyond my expectations for your studies on friendship. You made such wonderful friends, brought my sister back, and with the power of your friendship, defeated Eris. I feel it is no longer necessary for you to send me weekly reports. Let it be known to you and your friends, that you are to send me friendship reports when you learn something new about friendship, no matter when it occurs."

With that, Celestia smiled and slowly vanish, but not before swiping a cupcake for herself. After her departure, Dusk felt more at peace and relaxed. This was not the end of his lessons, or even some watered down teaching; this was the next step in his studies. To Dusk, this was better than the triple A+s he was accustom to.

"See, everything worked out." Rune commented, patting Dusk on the back. "You even got some good compliments from Celestia on top of it."

"I guess you're right Rune." Dusk said, still a tad tense, but at least capable of sitting and calming down. "Thanks for sending that letter to Luna, I probably would've still been panicking without that."

"Anytime my friend." Rune said, before looking back at the Everfree. "But you enjoy the rest of the picnic, I have something I need to talk with Zecora about."

"Oh, okay. Good luck Rune." Dusk smiled to his friend before letting him depart.

"It seems my impregnation has not escaped their notice." Zecora said, looking over a letter written in Zebra characters. "Look at the letter they wrote us."

"I can't read Zebra you know that." Rune laughed a little, hugging Zecora closely. "But is something going to happen?"

"Is Mommy going to be okay?" Midnight asked, worried about her new mother's fate.

"Everything will be fine." Zecora reassured her family. "When they arrive, I will have to leave with them for a bit of time."

"Who's coming?" Both Rune and Midnight asked.

"The Kusaidia. It is the members of my tribe, whose role is to give support." Zecora explained. "When they come, I will leave until our child is born; your life you should not distort."

Chapter 4 - Family Matters

"So you want me to stay?" Rune asked, trying to understand what the Kusaidia were telling him. "But why, don't I have a right to be there when the foal is born?"

"You had no right to mate with her to begin with!" Snapped a younger Zebra mare, who looked like a younger version of Zecora. "How dare you think you eve have any right to-"

"Zecara, enough." Zecora interrupted, then turned to Rune. "I am sorry for my sister, she has always been a little gruff."

"She's your sister?!" Rune exclaimed in surprise, the looked Zecara over again. "Yeah, I see the resemblance now."

"Don't you dare gander at me, you disgusting beast!" Zecara snapped, ready to smack Rune.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" The older of the Kusaidia raised his voice, stamping his hoof to the ground, silencing the room. "We are hear to aid our tribe, not bicker!" With Zecara quieted, the older Zebra turned to Rune. "She is still new to her charge and holds her sister in high regard. But yes, you are not of our tribe and therefore your claim of courtship with Zecora is not valid."

"But then how do I make it valid?" Rune asked, seeing if there was some way to make all of this work.

"You? A member of the tribe?!" Zecara raised her frustration again. "You are Mgeni! An outsider that has done nothing but shame my sister!"

"Sister, hush." Zecora replied, holding Midnight, who was now trembling. "If he wishes to join the tribe, then there is no need to rush."

"If you really wish to join our tribe, then you are free to. you will be considered Kujifunza, a non Zebra who wishes to learn." The older Kusaidia replied. "There are many rituals and practices to consider first. For now, we shall bring Zecora to our tribe, so her child will be born in Zebra lands. We will allow her to send you a letter confirming the birth. But until our Kiongozi, our Chief allows this, you are to remain here."

"Zecora told me once that anyone can join with no issue." Rune asked, feeling there was more to this than the Kusaidia was telling. "Why is this case so special? Was it because I got her pregnant?"

"Yes and no." The Kusaidia answered. "Zecora is the first daughter and second child of the Kiongozi, as well as his former apprentice. We must first explain the situation before you are allowed to be near the tribe."

"I knocked up your chief's daughter?!" Rune's eyes went dead at the realization. "I-I-I've pissed off a lot of ponies in my life, but never a Zebra Chief. I'll...deeply respect your traditions and wait for a response."

"You hold a respectable instinct to survive. That is good." The Kusaidia nodded his head. "You may survive the trials yet, for now, you are to stay away from the Tribe."

"So you want me to stay and run the potion business Zecora has been running here?" Rune asked, trying to read the Kusaidia's mind, seeking any answers he could go on; but shockingly found he was being blocked out. "What will happen to the hut?"

"Zecara will remain and run the hut in her sister's stead." The Kusaidia replied, much to the younger Zebra's protest.

"There is no way I will share a roof with such a vile creature as this!" Zecara protested in rage. "He should be killed for dare touching my sister, I demand justice for this insult!"

"Enough Zecara!" Zecora said, shouting, then grabbing at her swollen stomach in a quick and faint pain. "He is to never be harmed or hurt, Rune cares for me, and I him. I gave myself to him, knowing what would happen. I will explain this to father and come what may. That is enough."

"Sister." Zecara tried a final time to convince Zecora to change her mind, but she saw the serious look in her eyes. "Fine, I won't do anything, but I refuse to share a roof!"

"We can work something out...sister..." Rune responded, teasing a little at the end.

"Call me that again and you'll choke on poison joke." Zecara stared poison daggers at Rune.

"Then we are concluded." The Kusaidia commented, gesturing to the other cloaked Zebras. "We shall send a message when we have returned, and when the child is born."

"But I don't want mommy to go!" Midnight protested, hugging Zecora closely.

"This is not your parent, why do you cling to her so?" The Kusaidia asked, almost confused by the act.

"She is and is not my child." Zecora answered, hugging Midnight. "I am sorry Midnight, but you must stay with your father, you are the only one I can trust to keep him from going wild."

"I will mommy." Midnight sniffled, hugging Zecora again. "Please come back."

"I will, I promise." Zecora replied, kissing Midnight's forehead. "You and your father I will always miss."

Without a further word, the Kusaidia guided Zecora from the hut, leaving Midnight, Rune, and Zecara behind. For a moment, there was silence. Not an awkward silence, but the silence before a violent storm. Midnight cautiously walked towards Rune, as though proclaiming she was taking her side. Zecara then looked around the home, seeing only one bed. The sight of the single bed made her think of her beloved sister sharing a bed with a vulgar pony like Rune only made her violently ill and tortured her thoughts.

"So...how is this going to work?" Rune asked, trying to strike up conversation. "You get the bed, and I get the floor?"

"No, no, no, no, never, no!" Zecara replied. "I get the bed, I get the hut, you get nothing but the front door."

"You can't kick me out, this is half my house!" Rune protested, standing his ground. "What right do you have to do that?"

"What right did you have to get my sister pregnant?" Zecara snapped. "If it wasn't for you, she would've come home to her family!" Rune had nothing to say, he didn't know anything about Zecora's family. He didn't even know Zecora had siblings. Zecara saw that Rune was losing his ground. She saw this as her chance to keep on the assault. "You are some disgusting creature who meddled with my sister and for whatever reason, she is fond of you. I love my sister and I will not kill you as I know you deserve, but I will not allow you t even be within a league of me. You can go find somewhere else to live." Rune tried to take a step forward, but Zecara only glared back, her eyes glowed a faint shade of yellowish white. "Kushinikiza!"

"What the-" Rune tried to reply but felt a sudden unseen force push him, forcing him through the hut door. Midnight ran after Rune, seeing if he was alright. "What..what that?" Rune tried to think of some way to explain this to himself. He had seen Zecora's magic, but nothing like this.

"You Unicorns use Chafu, a dirty and corrupt form of magic." Zecara explained, stepping out of the hut, her eyes still a glow. "We Zebra use a more Natural and more pure form of magic that all races can learn. No begone!" Rune tried to ignite his horn, but Zecara called down her attack again, striking the ground and making small imprints, as if a heavy object had struck it. Not wanting to fight his new sister-in-law, nor drag Midnight into this, Rune opted to retreat back to Ponyville. Seeing he had left, Zecara stopped her assault and returned inside the hut.

"So that's what happened?" Dusk asked, sitting at his table, listening to Rune explain everything. "Is there no way she'll listen to reason?"

"No, she hates me too much." Rune replied, chuckling a little. "I think she was more trying to scare me rather than hurt me. She promised her sister she wouldn't harm me."

"Hard to believe Zebras had such a style of magic." Dusk pondered, thinking back to how little Equestrians knew of Zebra culture.

"Yeah, they seem to be a very secretive group." Rune replied. "But what should I do?"

"Well, what about Midnight?" Dusk asked, seeing the filly in question being quiet. "You're both welcome to stay here again."

"I think we'll have to." Rune replied, still thinking of a plan. "But even if we can't get back to the hut, I still must make something right with Zecara. At the very least apologize."

"But from what you make it sound, she might just throw you out again." Dusk replied, then looked at a small glimmer in Rune's eye. "You have a plan don't you?"

"Don't I always." Rune chuckled, standing up. "Midnight, stay here, I'll come back when I win."

"Okay daddy, but win what?" Midnight asked, sipping her tea.

"Probably the most serious challenge of my life." Rune said before turning and heading towards the door.

On the outskirts of the Everfree, Dawn Rune set himself up; doing quick stretches and mentally prepping himself. As he looked into the dark forest, the sound of shifting plants and prowling animals touched his ears, clearly Zecara wanted to ensure she was to remain alone; or at the very least, keep Rune out. With his preparations done, Rune arched his back, taking a runner's stance as he thought of his next step. Igniting his horn, Rune focused on location the hut through whatever illusion or enchantment Zecara may have cast. Rune knew somewhat about zebra magic, or what little Zecora preformed around him, and he wanted to be sure.

"Looking...looking...look- ah! There it is." Rune said to himself, his expression becoming somewhat disappointment. "No illusions, not traps, Zecara's either too confident or she doesn't know me well enough...or both..."

Rearing back, Rune kicked off the ground, taking off at a near pegasus speed. Within moments, Rune was several feet into the forest before stopping. At the moment of his halt, three vines coiled around his body like snakes. Before they could entirely envelop him, Rune took off again. Zecara was more clever than Rune thought, had she enchanted the entire forest? Knowing that she didn't bother with any hidden spells or illusions, Zecara probably just had enchanted vines and maybe had some of the local beasts under thrall. Rune could only assume Zecara was doing something. As Rune galloped deeper and deeper in the forest towards the hut, there was a sweet, almost alluring smell.

"This is..." Rune commented before noticing a large object lunging at him. Thankfully his reflexes were heightened by his magic. Dodging, then continuing his run towards the hut, Rune looked back to see a large group of timberwolves running after him. "Well that is something..."

Rune continued to gallop, keeping his spell active, Rune was able to outrun the wolves. Though that sweet smell in the air would only attract more beasts. Shaking his head, Rune refocused himself on the hut, which was now in sight. Though right as he paced through a row of trees, the sweet smell vanished, as did his spell. Without his spell to keep his reflexes up, Rune was unable to properly slow down and crashed into a nearby tree. Though despite crashing into a hard tree at break neck speed, Rune felt no pain. Looking around, Rune noticed the wolves stopped following when the reached the nearby trees.

"What is..." Rune looked and noticed most of the trees had some strange glyph marks. "These look like..."

"Warding glyphs." Zecara answered, stepping out of the hut. Though she was not pleased to see Rune, she was not as angry as earlier. "The Tribe puts them around areas such as trees or rocks to mark territory and establish safety. My sister had a few around to keep the animals away. I added a few more to cancel out your disgusting unicorn magic."

"And the sweet smell outside the glyphs?" Rune asked, still seeing the timberwolves prowl back and forth on the outskirts. "It's kinda attracting the nearby animals."

"That's just to keep nosey scum like you away." Zecara snapped, but then composed herself. "But since you somehow made it here, what do you want?"

"I want to move back to my hut." Rune explained. "And I won't take no for a-"

"No." Zecara interrupted. "I may have calmed down a little, but I'm still pissed off at you for what you did and there is no way I would allow you to live here."

"Then how about we settle this more fairly?" Rune suggested. "Lets play a small game, if I win, Midnight and I can return. If you win, Midnight and I will take our stuff and leave."

"And I can trust you because?" Zecara asked, skeptical Rune can be trusted. "What can you possibly-"

"I'll let you name my child with Zecora." Rune replied, hoping that could work. "You may hate me, but you can't hate your own niece or nephew."

"Ugh...fine..." Zecara replied with a scowl, Rune did have a point, and it would mean Rune wouldn't bastardize Zecora's child with some pony name. "What will we decide this on?"

"Chess." Rune answered, walking towards the hut. "Zecora had a board around here, so I assume you play."

"Oh I have, though we use it more to learn and test our intelligence." Zecara answered, following after Rune. "Though I doubt some lowly beast like you could ever-"

"King's Blank to E4." Rune interrupted, already having a chess board all set on the floor and his first move made.

"I see." Zecara replied, sitting at her end of the board. "Let's see...Mwanga to E5..."

"So Mwanga is your term for the Blank." Rune stated, looking over the board. "I can see this will be interesting...Blank to F4...King's Gambit..."

"Mwanga are those who have passed and joined through rite and pilgrimage, they are a foundation, also...Mwanga takes Blank." Zecara replied, moving her next piece. "You're placing a very large gamble on this. I expect you to be somewhat skilled."

"We shall see." Rune replied, moving his next piece. "Unicorn to C4."

"A little aggressive. You call your Kusaidia piece the Unicorn?" Zecara asked, almost complimented Rune's action. "Kiongozi to H4...Check."

"Speaking of aggressive, and I assume Kiongozi is what you call your Alicorn piece." Rune stated. "King to F1."

"Mwanga to B5." Zecara continued.

"Okay, you got my interest." Rune played. "Unicorn take Mwanga."

"Siri to F6." Zecara played.

"You call your Pegasus piece Siri?" Rune asked. "Incidentally, Pegasus to F3."

"Siri are the Agents of the Zebra way, they're hidden and go behind enemy lines." Zecara answered. "Kiongozi to H6."

"Blank to D3." Rune replied with his next move.

"Siri to H5." Zecara played, her tone becoming lighter as she began to loosen up. "Alright, take some time; think about your horrible life choices."

"Okay, I have thought about it." Rune replied, his own tone more focused. "Pegasus to H4."

"Kiongozi to G5." Zecara responded. "You giving up the Unicorn at B5 or the Pegasus at H4?"

"Neither." Rune responded at his turn. "Pegasus to F5."

"Mwanga to C6." Zecara answered. "You left your Unicorn out in the open."

"And you your Pegasus or Siri." Rune replied in a cocky tone. "Blank to G4."

"Siri to F6." Zecara replied.

"Hmm Earth Pony to G1." Rune responded, trying to build a better defense near his King piece.

"Mwanga takes your Unicorn." Zecara laughed, taking joy in knocking the piece over.

"Blank to H4." Rune replied, a small smirk on his face.

"Kiongozi to G6." Zecara responded, not trusting the look on Rune's face.

"Blank to H5...careful, I'm coming for your Kiongozi." Rune chuckled a little.

"You're the one who lost his Unicorn." Zecara replied, seemingly enjoying herself more. "Kiongozi to G5."

"Alicorn to F3." Rune responded, finally moving that piece.

"Hmm...clever..." Zecara pondered her next move. "Almost trapped my Kiongozi...Siri to G8."

"Unicorn takes Mwanga." Rune replied, his smiling not as irritating to Zecara but more as a challenge. "Unicorn threatens Kiongozi."

"Kiongozi to F6." Zecara replied, trying to save her piece.

"Pegasus to C3." Rune answered his next move. "You've developed nothing but your Kiongozi."

"Don't get cocky, you're still one Unicorn short." Zecara almost playfully snapped. "Kusaidia to C5."

"Let's see...Pegasus to D5." Rune moved his piece, his strategy nearing its completion.

"Kiongozi takes Blank at B2." Zecara said, moving her piece across the board.

"Unicorn to D6." Rune answered, ignoring the loss of his Blank piece.

"Kiongozi takes Earth Pony." Zecara exclaimed, her tone sounding as though she was about to win. "Check."

"King to E2." Rune replied, saving the King piece but losing the Earth Pony piece.

"Kusaidia takes Earth Pony." Zecara replied. "Your last Earth Pony. You're running out of forces. What will you do now?"

"Blank to E5." Rune replied calmly, much to Zecara's surprise.

"Really? I have my forced laid down on you, and you move a Blank." Zecara's tone sounded a little disappointed, almost as if she had forgotten what was at stake. "Are you even trying now?"

"Think about it." Rune replied, as if playfully teasing the zebra.

"Siri to A6." Zecara replied, trying to figure out Rune's strategy.

"Pegasus to Mwanga at G7." Rune replied, moving his pieces forward. "Looks like it's almost over...Check."

"Not yet it's not." Zecara replied, his tone a more playful aggressive. "King to D8."

"You still call the King, the King?" Rune pondered aloud. "Interesting...Alicorn to F6...Check."

"And now my Siri takes your Alicorn." Zecara replied, moving without even looking at the board. "You have no Earth Ponies, you're down to a single Unicorn, too bad you wasted tat time moving that Blank to...to..." Zecara's eyes widened a little at the sudden realization. "You sneaking, little..."

"Unicorn to E7...Checkmate..." Rune moved his piece declaring his victory.

"It can't...there's no way..." Zecara looked at the board for several moments, but it was clear; Rune won the match. "Dammit...Fine, a deal's a deal."

"Good game Zecara." Rune replied, nodding his head; his smiling was gentle and almost soothing.

"Ugh...good game...Rune..." Zecara replied, her tone not as disgusted as she thought it would be. "So what now?"

"Well..." Rune replied, getting up and lifting the trap door to his basement room. "I'll get to go back to my own room."

"You have a room down in the storage cellar?" Zecara asked. "I always thought..."

"That I was always bedding your sister?" Rune laughed a little. "No, no, no. Zecora only let me in her bed like barely once or twice a week. Most days, I slept down here."

"I see." Zecara responded, looking into the cellar. "Well, so long as you stay in your space, and NOT in mine, then I will allow you and Midnight to stay."

"Good, good." Rune replied, heading towards the door, "I'll be back later, I gotta tell Midnight about this."

"Fine." Zecara replied, watching Rune leave. As the stallion left, Zecara remembered a few letters Zecora used to send her; some of them explaining Rune. "Sister...I can almost understand what you see in him...but he's still a vile, disgusting Mgeni!"

Chapter 3 - I think it's called a Tortoise

"This is so annoying." Rainbow mumbled i frustration, trying to find a comfortable position to sleep in for her afternoon nap.

After a long day of work in the clouds, more realistically practicing to apply to the Wonderbolts instead of real work, Rainbow Dash was ready to rest in her usual sleeping tree in the park. But this time was different. Perhaps it was because the branch was not as soft as before? Maybe the bark was scratching her? But mostly likely it was the sounds of ponies playing and their pets making their animal noises around her. Prying her eyes open and away from her pillow, Rainbow saw her friends playing with their pets. Rarity used magic to drag a to mouse for Opal to chase, Applejack used her tail to throw a stick for Winona, Pinkie played with Gummy, Fluttershy chased Angel Bunny, and Dusk was playing with Owlowiscious.

"Could you guys keep it down?" Rainbow asked, trying to find a better sleeping position.

"Sorry Rainbow but this is where we always have our weekly Pony Pet Playdate." Pinkie responded. "Sorry we didn't invite you, it's just you don't have a pet and we didn't think you'd be trying to sleep in the same tree we always play at."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Rainbow said, jumping down from her tree in a minor annoyance. "Just because I don't have a pet, doesn't mean I don't want one."

"Oh! Really?!" Fluttershy squealed in sheer delight as she flew fast enough to catch Rainbow off guard in a tackle; grabbing her and flying the two of them towards her cottage. "I know exact what we can do! Let's look for a pet that's just right for you! Then you can be the bestest friends!"

'So uh what's going on here?" Rune asked, joined with the others as they all watched Rainbow Dash pacing back and forth in front of a large group of flying insects and birds.

"Rainbow Dash wants to get a pet." Dusk explained. "And she's holding a contest to see which is the best."

"That does sound like Dash." Rune chuckled. "But at least they're all flyers. So it's easier to test them I suppose."

"Not all of them." Pinkie commented, pointing her hoof towards the end of the line, where Fluttershy was pushing a tortoise to the line.

"A turtle?" Rainbow objected, flying over to Fluttershy. "Nuhuh. No way."

"Oh come on Rainbow, I promised he could try." Fluttershy answered. "Also, he's a tortoise."

"Whatever, just don't cry to me when he doesn't make the cut." Rainbow scoffed, returning to the other animals. "So you all think you can be my pet do ya?" She stared at the birds and bugs as if she was some taskmaster in the royal guard. "Well it ain't gonna be easy! So if anyone wants to leave, do it now and spare yourself the embarrassment!" She continued pacing back and forth, not surprised that some bugs and small birds were leaving from the pressure. "I thought so, there's only room for one pet on Team Dash, and I demand nothing less of the best for me!"

"Hey Pinkie?" Rune offered as he watched Rainbow go about her recruitment process. "Bet ya fifty bits the eagle wins."

"Oh yeah, I bet fifty bits the tortoise wins." Pinkie responded, meeting Rune's bet.

"You two shouldn't be gambling on who Rainbow Dash's pet will be." Dusk scolded the two ponies.

"Oh come on, it's not like we'll be doing anything else all day." Rune whined a little. "You just can't gamble to save your flank."

"Please, it has nothing to do with-" Dusk was caught off by the sound of Applejack's voice.

"I'll bet the bat wins." Applejack added in her own wager.

"Girls...and Rune...please control yourself." Rarity responded with a scoff. "Dusk darling is right after all, it's not dignified to bet on your friend getting a pet."

"If you won, think of the date you and Dusk could have." Rune whispered into Rarity's ear, getting her eyes to sparkle in excitement.

"The hummingbird will win as it has the best style." Rarity said, adding bits to the bet.

"Okay, so we got myself, Pinkie, Applejack, and Rarity betting." Rune commented, holding out a bag for everypony to put their fifty bits in.

"Ahem." Came the strange sound of Fluttershy as she walked towards the group, throwing fifty bits into the sack.

"Fluttershy?!" The ponies gasped in surprise.

"Interesting." Rune chuckled. "So what's your bet?"

"Rainbow Dash will not chose based on a contest." Fluttershy replied with a giggle, looking back to the group of birds and one tortoise. "I have a feeling she'll choose her own pet."

"I have no clue why you think that, but doesn't matter." Rune chuckled some more, closing the sack tight. "That's two hundred and fifty bits to the winner of this bet."

"Shouldn't we focus more on what Rainbow's doing?" Dusk suggested.

"Fine, fine." Rune groaned a little, then shouted to Rainbow Dash. "Hey Dash! What's the first event?"

"I'll show you. Follow me." Rainbow replied, taking off to the flaps of the birds that remains. And the slow motion of the tortoise.

After a few long minutes of walking, Rainbow guided her would be pets to a sizable race track. The pets lined up to get ready for what could be a race. Rainbow paced back and forth at the sides of the pets as Dusk, Rune, and the other girls watched from the side line. Of the pets that started, only the eagle, hummingbird, the bat, the tortoise, an owl, and a falcon was all that remained.

"All right, here is the first test...speed." Rainbow explained, looking at the remaining animals. "I want you all to move around the track to see how fast you move."

"Isn't that a little counter productive because they all move at different speeds by nature?" Dusk called.

"Hey, babe....stop being a nerd and let me handle this." Rainbow playfully snapped back.

"What does she mean by "babe"?!" Rarity snapped, glaring angrily at Rainbow.

"Look, they probably did it after Eris was sealed away, are you really so surprised?" Rune commented, looking at Rarity in an apathetic expression. He then looked at how angrier Rarity was getting from his comment. "Oh, come on, like you or any of the other girls never had sex with Dusk." Rarity then looked at the others and the expression on their faces told her he was right.

By the time Rune had finished talking to Rarity, Rainbow was just finishing testing the pets' speed. The eagle was at the lead, with the owl closing in and the humming bird speeding by, but it was the falcon that really showed itself by forcing its way through the pets with a quick burst of speed. In second came the eagle, then the humming bird, the owl and bat tied, and finally the tortoise...having only hit the start of the track.

"That's just sad." Rainbow shook her head in disappointment. "Okay, on to the next text." After the speed test, Rainbow started testing the animals' agility, to which the hummingbird was effortlessly able to out show the others. "That's not too shabby. Don't leave me hanging." The hummingbird went to wing hoof Rainbow, but fell the moment it stopped beating its wings. "I'm gonna have to scratch off a point for that."

The next text was a test of guts and courage. The animals had to try and take Opal's favorite toy from her. Though all trembled at the vicious display and hiss Opal gave, the pets still had to try. But after several minutes of intense stares, no pet could work up the courage to make the first move. But it was the tortoise that slowly made his way to toy, grabbing it with his mouth and bring his head and the toy back into his shell as Opal flailed and clawed at him, but her claws could not penetrate or harm the reptile.

"Meh, not bad turtle." Rainbow scoffed, more disappointing in the fear the other animals showed.

"Tortoise!" Fluttershy called.

"Whatever!" Rainbow called back. "Now comes an important part of being my pet...style!"

"Well if that wasn't a big waste of time." Rune commented looking over the photos with the others. "What do you think Dusk, especially the sweater...I bet you'd love to give that book an intense reading."

"Shut up!" Dusk responded in a near comical aggression, with a faint red blush on his face. "Rainbow, have you decided yet?"

"Not yet." Rainbow responded, looking over the photos again. "I mean what can I do?"

"If only there was some crazy ass test to really prove who's worth it." Rune openly commented, not really talking to anypony in particular.

"That's it!" Rainbow commented hugging Rune in the joy of her idea, then letting go when she realized she was hugging Rune. "A massive test, one so dangerous and risky that the winner would definitely deserve to be my pet!"

On the outskirts of Ponyville, a tad beyond the Everfree Forest lay the Ghastly Gorge, a massive cut of stone and land that stretched for miles. Standing at one end of the Gorge was Rainbow, along with the possible pets; with the exception of the hummingbird, it flew away at the first sight of the Gorge and it's violent winds. At the top portions of the Gorge, Dusk, Rune, and the others looked on in shock. The rules of this test were simple, who ever would finish the race with Rainbow Dash, would be the mare's new pet. But the Gorge had more than just a long span to worry about. There was also violent winds, thorn covered vines, and worst of all, the ravenous Quarray Eels. Suffice to say, the pets were trembling in fear.

"Now, who's ready to race?" Rainbow announced, spreading her wings in preparation for the event. "Ready?" The pets reluctantly lined themselves up to race, even the tortoise was getting ready, with more fire in his eyes than the others. "Set?" The pets gulped the last bits of courage, their bodies were tense and ready to set off.

"Still feeling strong about that bet Fluttershy?" Rune asked, smirking in his possible victory over the others.

"Oh I still think Rainbow will make the right choice." Fluttershy smiled, confident in her bet.

"Go!" Rainbow shouted, taking off with a burst of wind and speed, leaving only her signature rainbow trail behind her.

The pets soon took to the sky, following after Rainbow, though the tortoise followed behind. Rainbow, in the high of her lead and her competitive nature guiding her, she flew as fast as her wings could carry her. Her first passed landmark was the infamous wind caves, a small tunnel where concentrated air would blow through, turning a gentle breeze into a burst of wind. Rainbow was able to make it through with little issue, but the pets met it with some small struggles, blowing the bat clear out of the other side.

"Come on, you want to win don't you?" Rainbow egged on the pets, showing off her skills at moving through the thorn covered vines with ease.

The animals eager to please Rainbow Dash, flew recklessly into the thorns. Because of their great wingspans, the eagle and the falcons both got their wings caught in thorns, while the owl was unable to fit through most of the tight spaces. But out of seemingly nowhere, the bat, finally able to make it through the wind cave was able to use its small size and echo location to navigate through the thorns. Not wanting to lose to the cheeky bat, the falcon and eagle forced their way through the vines, at the cost of some of their feathers, which slowed down their flight speed enough for the owl to fly over the thorns and catch up.

"Not bad, but watch out for the Quarray Eels." Rainbow boasted, flying dangerously close to the rock hole where a massive reddish eel creature emerged, but Rainbow was easily able to dodge the attack. "They don't like it when you get too close to their nest, like this." Rainbow continued to fly too close to the nests, causing more and more eels to emerge, to which she effortlessly dodged them. The other pets did well to follow after Rainbow, but lost quite a number of feathers avoiding the eels' assaults.

"See, easy peasy." Rainbow laughed, drunk off her own ego and enjoyment; so much so, that she completely failed to notice that she was flying at full speed to a rock wall. The impact was enough to force a few loose stones to break from the rocky wall, falling down to Rainbow. "Avalanche!" Rainbow tried to fly away as best as she could, but too many rocks were falling for Rainbow to avoid. As the rocks finally stopped, Rainbow looked to see if anything was broken, but the sight of her rear hoof caught under the rubble brought a small look of panic over the mare's face. "Oh no?! Oh no oh no oh no!!" Rainbow struggled to pull herself loose to no avail, nor did the pets notice her as she flew over head. "Wait, don't leave me! I was suppose to win!"

"Wasn't that an avalanche?" Dusk asked, looking as far into the Gorge as she could see, his friends waiting with him now at the finish line. "Shouldn't we go check?"

"Nah, I'm sure she's fine." Rune commented.

"I never said anything about Rainbow, I was only saying...you had nothing to do with this, did you Rune?" Dusk asked.

"Me? No, no, I-I have nothing to do with what you might be accusing me of." Rune responded, his eyes tarting back and forth. "Oh look, here they come." Emerging at the finish, the other pets flew by, with the falcon coming in first. Followed by the eagle, then the bat, and finally the owl. After a few second of cheering, everypony noticed that Rainbow wasn't with them. "Okay, so I lost my bet."

"Shouldn't we care more about Rainbow?" Dusk snapped at Rune.

"I'm sure she's fine." Rune nodded. "So it looked like nopony won the bet."

"Oh I wouldn't be too sure about that." Fluttershy commented, looking into the Gorge with binoculars and pointing her hoof. "Look!" Slowly moving out of the Gorge, was the tortoise, with Rainbow sitting on top of his shell. Her leg was even bandaged.

"Rainbow!" The ponies called out to her as she and the tortoise eventually crossed the finish line.

"Rainbow, are you okay? What's with the bandage, are you hurt?" Dusk asked, worrying over his friend's injury.

"Well I'm fine, sorta. Kinda got hit with some falling rocks." Rainbow replied, telling her story. "But after it all cleared, I found my leg was caught under a rock I couldn't move. And after well...panicking a little bit, I decided waiting was the best option."

"You probably were freaking the buck out and then the tortoise showed up, moved the rock with his head or something, and then you decided to stay with him." Rune cut Rainbow off, telling the rest of her story.

"Well...yeah...kinda..." Rainbow replied with a faint blush, then she looked at her leg. "But the weirdest thing was, after getting free, I swear to Celestia, medical bandages literally fell down on me and I was able to wrap up my leg."

"But now that, that cleared up. Time to meet your new pet." Rune commented, presenting Rainbow with the eager falcon.

"Yes, the falcon won the race." Rainbow commented, then turned her gaze to the tortoise. "But I said whoever crossed the finish line with me would be my pet."

"She did say that, she did, she did, she did!" Pinkie cheered, already guessing where Rainbow was going with this.

"So you're saying..." Dusk asked.

"That the tortoise is the one who was there when I needed help." Rainbow responded, getting off his back. "So its the tortoise who is going to be my pet."

"So thee tortoise won!" Pinkie cheered. "That means, I win, I win, I win!"

"Actually, I win." Fluttershy interjected, placing her hoof on the bag of bits. "Rainbow chose the tortoise as her pet."

"She's right." Rune shrugged his shoulders, levitating the bits to fit on Fluttershy's back. "Congratulations Rainbow!"

"Yeah, what are you gonna name him?" Dusk asked, looking at the smiling new pet.

"I think...Tank! Especially with how he was able to lift that huge rock." Rainbow commented, hugging her new pet.

"I can't believe how well that worked." Fluttershy commented, putting her new gained money down by her door. After the contest, Rune helped Fluttershy bring her new winnings, along with the other pets back to her cottage. "I mean, your acting could've been way better, but all in all, it went great. I'm so glad he was able to find a home after so long."

"Yeah..." Rune commented, not really feeling like himself. "Thank Luna nopony noticed me run off, make an illusion of myself, sabotage the Gorge rocks to break if Rainbow hit them, and allow them to fall on her."

"I also suspect you gave her those bandages?" Fluttershy asked.

"Well yeah, I even blasted any rocks that might've killed her. Not that she noticed, but its actually a good thing she didn't." Rune responded, then sighed. "I really need to stop doing these behind the scenes sort of deals. I mean I was shocked when you asked me to help, hence why I agreed to it; you've never asked me to do something like this. But I really need to be more...not sketchy. I mean, I'm a family stallion now, I have Midnight, Zecora, and that new foal coming."

"Oh yeah!" Fluttershy's eyes sparkled at the thought of what the foal would look like. She always loved the sight of cute things like critters and babies. "How is Zecora?"

"She's fine, but some Zebras from her tribe are to arrive soon and well...I don't know where to go from there." Rune commented, not too sure how to finish his sentence. "I guess maybe that's why I haven't been quite myself lately. I mean, this is just so new and different for me. I just hope it all works out."

"I'm sure it will." Fluttershy responded, patting Rune on the shoulder. "Thank you again, I won't forget what you did for me."

"You're welcome." Rune smiled, turning to head home. "I'll see you all tomorrow then."

Rune quickly returned home to his shared hut with Zecora, to see that there was more than just Zecora in the hut. The sound of some foreign language and many hoof clops only told him that the Kusaidia had arrived. Entering the hut, Rune immediately felt an intimidating, almost threatening pressure from the six cloaked Zebras that were in the room. Though their bodies were covered, their head and faces all looked like various versions of Zecora, both male and female. Rune wasn't racist against Zebras, but his only interactions with Zebras has only been with Zecora; that was all he had to go on.

"This is the outsider in question?" One of the Zebra mares asked Zecora, to which she nodded; Midnight holding her close in a bit of a worrisome expression. The mare then turned back to Rune. "Hello, Dawn Rune was it? Please, have a seat, we have much to discuss."